(Picture up top doesn't belong to me)

After the whole diorama that happened in the ballroom earlier that day, Keith and his older brother were in the carriage heading back home to their kingdom. The crickets could be heard chirping outside but were somewhat faint because of the hooves of horses galloping as they were pulling the carriage. Keith was looking out the window, he didn't want to face Shiro. He knew he screwed up and he felt that Shiro was disappointed in him, he just felt like he messed up everything. Shiro, on the other hand, had a sad look on his face, he could tell something was wrong with Keith. He knew he had to try to talk to him. He sighs and spoke softly.

"Keith....look I'm not mad at you for what you did earlier. But I just don't exactly understand why you did it. Could you please, just please, tell me what's bothering you?" Once Shiro was done Keith glanced over his shoulder towards Shiro and replied.

"You wanna know what's bothering me?" He said in an angry tone. "I feel like I'm forced to love someone just for the sake of our kingdom! I don't have a choice in saying what I want! This is what everyone wants....." Keith crosses his arms and looked back outside. "I don't want someone to love me just for my looks, I want someone who loves me for who I am...."

Before Shiro could say anything a "Woah" was heard from Matt outside of the carriage. Keith looked at Shiro with a confused face, Shiro had the same expression on. Shiro pokes his head out of the carriage to see what was going on.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked the guards then Matt walks over.

"Your highness there's someone in our path." Matt points to a black-cloaked hooded figure that was just standing there at least 20 feet away from the carriage. Shiro gets out of the carriage to get a closer look, but when he got a glimpse of who it was his eyes widen and he drew his sword. Taking that as a sign, the guards also drew their swords.

"Keith stay inside the carriage!"

"What? Wh-"

"Just stay inside!"

But then a moment later the hooded figure raises a hand to call upon lightning and in a blink of an eye, a bright light blocked everyone's vision. Once the light had disappeared a figure was no longer there but a creature. Its mighty roar sounded like thunder. It flew up into the sky, spreading its wings as it flew straight at them. The horses got scared, the guards were caught off guard, and Keith was confused and hoping that his brother was going to be fine. But what Keith didn't know was that he was its target.

The guards were trying to fight off the creature but it had sky advantage and strength stronger than a normal man. Shiro held out his sword as him and Matt went to go strike it but it seems the creature has been holding back. The creature inhaled a deep breath and once it opened its mouth lightning had struck out of it. Shiro was almost struck by it but then Matt pushed him out of the way and got him in the arm.

"Matt!" Shiro attempts to run to Matt but the creature had struck lightning at him, but he used his sword to deflect it.

"Shiro! Keith shouted from inside the carriage. He opens the door and goes running over to his brother to help, grabbing a sword from off the ground so he could strike as well.

"Keith no! Stay back!" Shiro knew Keith wouldn't listen and he was caught in a bad position himself. What to do what to do. He quickly thinks then looks over to Matt and got an idea. "Matt grab a horse and get out of here! Go back to the Altean Palace and tell them that we were under attack! It's not far from here!" Shiro shouted as he was being pushed back to a boulder behind him.

"But your highness-"

"THAT'S AN ORDER!"

Matt was unsure about Shiro's order, but he knew what he had to do. Matt limply got onto a horse and rode off to the palace. Keith and Shiro, on the other hand, were still fighting to the creature. Shiro was injured and Keith was worried about him.

"Shiro what is this thing?!"

"I know who it is! And it wants you, Keith."

"Me? Why?!"

When Shiro saw the creature swooping down to grab Keith he pushed Keith out of the way and was slammed to a boulder, causing him to block out from the impact.

"SHIRO!" Keith starts running to his brother but then was grabbed the creature and was being carried off up high and far away from where his brother was.

"Shiro! Put me down! SHIRO!"

And with that.....both the creature and Keith vanished into the dark clouds from above.
~~~~~~~~~~~( o)🔹(o )~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just as he was ordered, Matt successfully made it to the palace to warn the prince about the attack. Once Lance heard about it he quickly got on his horse and rode off into the woods to assist Shiro and his men. But when he arrived there the sight he saw was terrible, all of the guards were on the ground unconscious or dead, the carriage was tipped over to the side as the fabrics were shredded, he spotted no horses so they must have run off scared of the events that unfolded. Lance quickly got off his horse and rushes to the carriage to see if Keith was inside.

"Keith!" He opens the door and looks around, no Keith. "Keith where are you?!" He kept looking then felt a drop on him, it was starting to rain. He then realized something shiny on the ground, it was the necklace that he gave Keith the first day he met him.

Lance picked up the necklace into his hand then heard someone coughing. He looked to see Shiro up against a rock injured. He rushes to him and kneels down. "King Shiro! Thank goodness you're alive. What happened?"

"He came...he attacked us. He turned into a beast..." Shiro coughs more as he tried to speak.

"Who? What I don't-"

Shiro cuts him off by grabbing his arm. "Listen to me Lance, it's not what it seems. It's not what it seems..."

"What's not? Where's Keith?!"

"Keith...no...it took him...he was the target.." Shiro then closed his eyes. Lance made sure he had a pulse, he did, he was alive. He sighs that Shiro was alright but for Keith.......

"KEITH!!!!!!!!!" Lance yells out in the woods out loud then thunder roars in the sky as the rain starts to pick up the speed. He falls to his knees in utter despair.

(I'm sorry this took so long to upload. Lots of stuff has been going on but I have seen how much people love reading this and I want to continue this book. This book is gonna be the main one I'm going to try and focus on writing. Anyways THAT'S ALL FOLKS!)