The truth was that I had dozed off.  I had left plenty early to meet up with Brice and I got there with more than enough time to spare as I always did.  So, I did what I always do, I got up in a tree, found a comfortable position and waited.  I didn't anticipate that because I trained soldiers for hours and ran about fifteen miles that I might fall asleep.  Although I really should have honestly.

I really shouldn't have realized that I would fall asleep and I have before and that's my own fault.  I woke up and Brice was there already.  He had been for a couple minutes, so it wasn't that bad.  I slapped myself awake and slipped quietly down the tree and slid next to him.

He had given up.  I could tell in his body language and it scared me.  His shoulders were slumped his head was face down and he didn't have his usual light within him he seemed to have given up. 

I knew about his mother, he wasn't the only inside person we had.  I had loved his mother like she was my own and it pained me as well.  But we were very different creatures.  I was a soldier and I had gotten numb and used to the loss, Brice on the other hand, this was his first time losing a close family member.  Me on the other hand, there was hardly anyone left that I hadn't lost.  Most of my life I had spent grieving over loss and I had learned that while there is a time to grieve in life, there is also a time to live.  

I put an arm around him and held him close.  It took him a minute to realize I was there it seemed like he was off in his own world and when he got out of it, he finally hugged me as we sat there in silence.  I hadn't ever seen him like this and it really did scare and worry me.

"I'm here, you're going to be okay."  I said in a soft tone that I would use with a child.

We just sat there, listening to the noisy night life of the forest, the frogs sang their deep tune with the crickets chiming in on their mournful violins with the occasional tree moaning to momentarily silence the symphony of the night.  It was peaceful but at the same time that peace was only temporary.

"She was the only reason why I stayed there."  Brice finally said in a croak.

"I know.  She was the most amazing woman and I was so glad I got to know her and spend time with her."  I said.

We sat once again in silence for some time before Brice, after clearing his throat was able to speak once more.

"She knew about us."  Brice said.

"What do you mean?"  I asked, even though I knew what he meant. 

"She knew."  He repeated.

"Do you mind expanding on that a little bit?"  I asked.

"She just knew me and she knew that I...."  He sputtered off.

"It's okay you don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."  I said.

"No, I have to tell you this.  My mother knew that I love you."  He said.

I knew it was true and I felt the same for him.  Yet hearing it aloud was different.  I didn't know what to say really but I laid my head on his shoulder and he held me close. 

We just sat there again.  No words needed to be exchanged, we knew that we had loved one another for a long time now. 

"My dad is going to force me to get married tomorrow."  He said.

"What do you want me to do?"  I asked.

He took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. 

"I want you to kill him."  He said.

I recoiled, I hated the King but this was not something I didn't expect to hear from his son.  His mother had just died and he now wanted me to kill his only other immediate family.  He was grieving and I wanted to be sure that he was thinking straight.  I regretted many things in my life and regret is painful and something I did not want Brice to go through.

"Are you sure?  There's no going back after this."  I said.

"I'm sure.  He was never the same man after and he doesn't act like a father or a king."  He said and he sounded confident but still broken.

"Okay, I'll do it."  I said.

"I know you've wanted to for a while."  He said.

"Revenge is a very powerful thing."  I said.

"That it is."  He said.

"You'll be alright, you know that, right? "  I said.

"I guess I do, it's just hard to see that right now."  He said.

"There are points when it is really hard, but you and I are survivors, we'll get through this."  I said.

"Together."

"Together."

"Like always."

"You know you can always count on me."

"I always have."