WHO MADE ME A PRINCE
chapter twenty three - new plan.

THE THREE HAD NOW reached the base, but no one was there to greet them. The once lively base was now filled with silence.

"Now..What?" Gunther asked as he looked at Winslow.

"We should rest for now... that was quite a scary experience after all.." Winslow replied as he patted his sister who was still trembling.

Gunther looked over at Willow and nodded. The three decided to rest and process all that's happened.

Willow went to sleep while Winslow sat in the lounge of the second floor, his mind not allowing him to rest. Gunther had gone to take a quick bath. There was no water supply at the base, but with the help of Vincent they were able to get a water pipe connected with the bath and toilet.

Winslow was lost in thought.

'Did I make the right decision..? To leave everyone and escape? Was that selfish of me? Was I really thinking of everyone or just me and Willow? I...I left them... I said we'd get them later but... when is.. later? ... We couldn't find Mia either... and Arion wasn't with us either... What If we never find them again..Ugh dammit don't think that way. It'll be..okay...right?'

He was frustrated with himself. He was slowly losing the confidence he usually would have. He was becoming afraid of the possibilities of them not being able to save the others. He was drowning. Drowning in a sea of negative emotions and thoughts.

Gunther, too, was drowning because he accidentally fell asleep in the bath and was currently choking on the water.

He had been lost in thought as well and ended up falling asleep because he was tired from the fight.

He didn't die though, he jumped out of the water causing splashes to be heard in the bath area.

"HAH-HAH- Cough! Cough! Hah...hah.." He struggled to breath for a while. After his breathing returned to normal , he wore the clothes , which consisted of a blue full-sleeved shirt and brown jeans. The clothing they had was mostly provided by Vincent.

Vincent would give them clothes every year. They would always refuse such things but he would tell them that those clothes were of his older siblings and that they no longer fit them so he decided to give them away.

Gunther left the bath area and decided to sleep for a bit. He saw Winslow sitting in the lounge with his head on the ground.

"Wins, you can take a bath now.." Gunther said but Winslow didn't respond.

He was still lost in thought.

'...It's all my fault...'

Gunther suddenly pulled Winslow in a hug. "It's okay , Wins , we'll get them all back, safe and sound." He patted him on the head a few times and stayed in the embrace for a while.

Winslow who was already experiencing several emotions was at his breaking point and the hug made him breakdown.

Winslow began to cry.

Tears rolled down his cheeks and he couldn't help but scream and cry in frustration. Gunther simply sat beside him hugging him and telling him that everything's gonna be okay.

WINSLOW FALLEN ASLEEP while letting out all his frustrations. Gunther carried him to where Willow was sleeping and placed him beside her for him to rest. He looked at Winslow and remembered the face of him crying. 

Winslow wasn't the type to cry openly in front of people.

'For him to cry like that.... He must've had a lot on his mind...'

"Did he cry?" A small voice asked.

Gunther snapped out of his thoughts to see Willow sitting up straight on the bed.

"Oh Will, you're awake.. I'm sorry did I disturb you?"

"No it's fine..." Willow said as she placed a hand on her brother's cheeks. She then looked at Gunther waiting for him to reply to her first question.

"He did.."

Willow nodded and began to strike her brother's hair.

"You should rest some more." Gunther said as he stood up and began to walk towards the exit of the room.

"Gun.. I'm coming with you." Willow stated.

"..What do you mean?" Gunther turned back confused and asked her.

Willow got out of bed and quickly tied her hair into pigtails. She then walked towards Gunther and one again stated "I'm coming with you."

"...."

"You're gonna go around the city aren't you?... I'll join you. "

"No, it's too dangerous. Stay here and take care of your brother."

"I can help. I can tell you where they took the others."

Gunther's eyes widened at the statement. "R-Really? you can do that?"

Willow nodded.

"..Okay then.."

Both of them left the base once again and headed towards the bakery but this time with stealth.

" I don't think we'll be there in time for us to see where they take the others.." Gunther replied.

"It's okay."

They both reached the bakery and got flashbacks of what took place there. Gunther looked at the sign on the bakery saying "Closed". He peeked inside through the windows, and saw no one in the bakery.

"As I thought, we're too late. "

Gunther turned at willow to see her staring at the sky. "Will.. Are you okay?"

Willow nodded and continued staring at the sky. Gunther just stood there watching her as she kept staring. After a while she stopped staring and went to Gunther.

"They took the others to a huge mansion."

"A mansion?" Gunther asked as he placed his index finger and thumb on his chin.

"I'm sorry, this is all I can say for now..."

"No, this is good enough. Wins might figure out the rest. Let's head home for now. "

"Okay"

Gunther didn't question how Willow knew it. But he had trust in her words.

THE SKY BURNED RED as the sun left for the moon to rise. The two had gotten home after stopping at some food stall for snacks.

After returning to the base, the two headed to the lounge on the second floor. They tried their best to come back as quickly as possible before Winslow woke up.

The base was filled with darkness, they couldn't see well but they decided to hurry up to the lounge.

They sat on the mattresses and took a sigh of relief. They had packed some of the kebabs and other food they saw outside, since none of them knew how to cook.

"Where. were. you?" A voice from the shadow replied. Winslow turned on the lights of the room and glared at them.

"Did you sleep well?" Willow asked as she walked up to her brother. Gunther decided to let Willow talk to Winslow and simply enjoy some of the food he brought.

"Where were you?"

"We went to collect some information."

"Like?"

"The others were taken to a mansion."

Winslow's eyes widened.

"A mansion, huh... " Winslow said as he walked over to Gunther and sat beside him. He reached his hand out to the plastic wrapper in which the kebabs were wrapped and took one as he thought about what willow said.

"If it's a mansion , then it's likely the work of nobles... " Winslow concluded.

"That makes this issue more complex." Gunther added.

Gunther was now getting worried for his sister and the others. Willow came and sat beside him and held his hand for reassurance.

"Well , if a noble asked for the kidnapping of children then that means there might be a slave auction. Since nobles like these things. " Winslow said.

"Since Mia and the others will be treated like products instead of slaves I don't think they'll be treated all that badly." Winslow said to relieve Gunther's worries and Gunther's face lit up after hearing this.

"So they're safe ?"

"Chances are high. "

"That's great!" A huge smile came on Gunther's face.

"First we need to find out which noble it is...." Winslow stated.

"Me and Willow can do that." Winslow added.

"Then I can–" Gunther was cut off.

"You will be in charge of the meals and the base." Winslow said .

"You can count on me! " Gunther exclaimed.