Past Characters –

1) Dylan as King Rufus

2) James as King Walter

3) Clive as Prince Percy

4) Noah as King Samuel

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A new day of the mystery hunters. A new day for both Dylan and James.

"As you can see, there are portraits of King Samuel, King Rufus, and Prince Percy." David then turns to point on the other side. "And here is the portrait of King Benjamin and Queen Leila along with a blank portrait beside them." He takes the frame down.

"King Walter was a prisoner in the Castle of Nale." Noah completes his sentence. Everyone nod in unison except for James and Dylan.

Dylan was still flustered about his little flashback; the poem was revolving in his mind like a broken recorder. And James was just in utter confusion as to why Dylan was hiding something from him. The way he was acting, he could swear it was related to King Walter. But he was more confused about the dream he had last time. He remembered each and everything very vividly.

Dream Flashback

King Rufus was walking to the backyard. It seemed as if he was afraid of getting caught so he kept looking behind. James followed him. It seems King Rufus doesn't see him. He tries to swing his hands playfully but Rufus just sees right through him.

James couldn't forget his eyes. His eyes looked heartbroken!

King Rufus trudged down the backyard and it seemed he was heading down a cherry blossom tree. It was on full bloom and the petals were falling down indicating the light breeze. It looked beautiful!

There was a grave right underneath the tree. The petals were falling on it. Rufus suddenly falls down on his knees and James rushes to help him but he could here silent sobs. He retracts his hands.

The sobbing continued for a few minutes but James didn't feel like he should leave. It was strange. He was feeling ambivalence. He had two contrasting feelings in his heart. Happiness and sadness.

The warmth of happiness as if someone he wished to see for a long time has finally come to meet him.

Sadness to see that same person crying their eyes out because they couldn't come earlier.

Rufus suddenly gets up and James flinches a little. Rufus doesn't turn back. But James's hand automatically goes to tap on his shoulders. When he turns, James isn't shocked anymore. He knows Dylan looks like King Rufus.

But the most devastating thing was his eyes. Sad and desolate!

Rufus was saying something and this time it was clear.

"If I knew it was going to hurt this much, I wish I had never laid my eyes on him."

Dream Flashback Ends

THUD!

"Hey man! Watch where you going!" David says, waking James out of his thoughts. James had accidentally bumped into David while walking towards King Rufus's portrait.

"Uh....sorry!" James says without looking at him. He was still drawn towards the portrait. When he saw King Rufus cry in his dream, he wanted to hold him and never let him go. And seeing those same eyes on the portrait, he was strangely drawn towards it. It was as if Rufus himself was seeking him.

"Don't touch them!" Noah swats James's hand away from the portrait. "They are antiques. We have people to take them out." And walks off from there.

Dylan looks at this from a distance. It was strange! Even he felt as if he was drawn to his portrait but when he saw James already going there, he thought it would be best to not go there too. It might seem suspicious to everyone. James and Dylan decided to not tell about King Walter and his heirs. They were waiting for David and Noah to find out.

After coming back from the castle, everyone gathered in the hall as usual to have their end of the day meeting. Everyone discussed their viewpoints, the uneventful day and the fascination about the portraits. Noah just rolls his eyes. Why wouldn't they stop talking about the portrait?

Slowly everyone retires to their rooms. Dylan was just brushing his teeth when James knocked on his door.

"Just a sec....." Dylan struggles with the brush and the towel around his waist. He was preparing for a long bath when James knocked.

"I just came in to....." James couldn't complete his sentence. As he gazes upon Dylan's half-naked body, reflecting in the moonlight, he was just mesmerized. He couldn't take his eyes off of him.

"Uh...you were saying?" Dylan clears his throat, embarrassed. He tries to hide his body with his hands and James notices it. He doesn't want to but he gets flustered for no reason. What's so great about a man half-naked in front of him? He has had so many one night stands. But none of them had this effect on him as Dylan has.

"Uh...I am sorry...I'll just come back..." James said but he wasn't turning around. He just couldn't take his eyes off of Dylan.

"Let me just...." Dylan thankfully covers himself with another towel. "Now say, what happened?"

"Uh...so I wanted to give you this..." James hands over a diary to him, still flustered, "It's a dream journal kinda thing. I know you don't remember them, but in case if you do, it might help us if you write it down. It may help us track things and keep order."

"You don't have to show it to anyone, not even me," James assures him when he sees Dylan has a questioning look.

"Thanks. I'll try this." He nods at him with a smile.

James quietly says a 'goodnight' to him and gets out of the room in a hurry. He was burning hot now!

"Woah! You okay there James?" Clive holds James's shoulders as soon as he leaves Dylan's room.

"Yeah! Why? Gosh...why is it so hot here?" James goes to his room fanning himself. Clive just chuckles as his flustered face. Love was blooming!

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

James woke up in a cold sweat. The dream....the dream.....

Dream Flashback

James was at the same place as he was in his previous one. He went through the same series of events.

"If I knew it was going to hurt this much, I wish I had never laid my eyes on him."

And Rufus looks at James with tears in his eyes.

"I just wish.... I just wish...." And he holds onto James and slides down to kneel. He keeps mumbling something.

"I am hopelessly in love with a memory. An echo from another time, another place. Our time and our place, Walter." And continues to sob.

Did James hear it right? Did he say, Walter?

He peeks at the grave to look at the name.

"In the beloved memory of King Walter, Dorona, Keitheras."

James has his eyes wide open.

Dream Flashback Ends

"The dream..." James quickly gets up to take out a pen. He also decided to keep a dream journal for himself and starts to write furiously. It was just scribbled but James wrote the main thing in bold letters at the end.

KING WALTER IS DEAD!