Chapter 6 The Forbidden Forest

• Rain dripped through the rafters like a leaking nose, soaking straw, cloaks, and dignity alike.
• Kayne woke to a puddle in his boot and the distinct taste of regret coating his tongue.
• “What in the crusty beard of the Moon Saint—?!”
• “You’re awake,” Virgil said, crouched beside him. “—-by the way, the Moon saint don't have a beard—”
• Kayne flashed him a dirty look but instantly felt jealous.
• Who sleeps in a leaking barn filled with moss and still looks like a sun-kissed goddess... unlike him, looking like a scarecrow and perfectly matching the scattered hay he slept on.
• “Thought the stab wound might’ve knocked you out for good.”
• “I wish it had,” Kayne grumbled, pressing a hand to his side. The wound throbbed, but nothing fatal. At least not physically.
• Magic pregnancy: 1, physics: 0.
• Runa, perched on top of a worn-out table, tossed him a dry-ish piece of bread. “Eat. You’ll need your strength. The bounty posters are everywhere.”
• Kayne caught it mid-air, blinking. “Already? They work fast.” He bit into it and immediately gagged.
• “Come on, it's not that bad.”
• Kayne wiped off the spit dripping off his lips. “No, it's not bad at all; it's just a bit soggy, wet, and has a bit of mold already turning green—where did you get this thing!”
• Runa rolled her chestnut eyes, but she didn't utter another word.
• Virgil pulls a damp, crumpled parchment from his cloak and unrolls it.
• Kayne’s face stares back at him. Or rather, a very dramatic sketch of his face. Sharp cheekbones, wild bird's-nest hair, glowing belly.
• “At least, they got the hair right.”
• Virgil chuckled, passing over the rest of the print. “Your bounty could buy a city. There are probably kings out there offering castles for your capture.”
• “Flattering,” Kayne muttered, “but also disturbing.”
• He drew a blanket over his head and buried his face in the hay, hoping at least one of his problems would disappear.
• “And our speculation was right.” Runa said, pointing at a red sigil scrawled under the bounty mark. “That’s not just the Queen’s order. It's the Council’s.”
• He gripped his belly, heart pounding. “And what happens if both parties catch up with us?”
• “They’ll rip you apart,” Runa said bluntly.
• Kayne didn’t miss the way she emphasized the word ‘you.’
• “Wow,” Kayne deadpanned. “Thanks for the comforting optimism. I feel so safe.”
• “Don’t worry,” Virgil said, half-smiling. “You’ll only die once.”
• “I think it's meant to be ‘live onc–’ whatever,” he suddenly got up, “I've made my decision…” and posed like he just did a heroic act.
• “I'm getting rid of the baby!” He enthusiastically declared.
• “What?!”
• Both heads snapped toward him, and Kayne quickly waved both his hands.
• “Not like that,” he added quickly. “I mean, magical removal surgery.
• All we need to do is find a place that's magic-concentrated, with the aid of a powerful mage—me, of course—cast a spell, and voila! Pregnancy’s gone, i’d get my life back—”
• “Wait-wait-wait,” Runa interrupted. Kayne was not pleased; he blankly stared at her.
• “What will happen to the baby?” She asked, staring at Kayne like he's lost his head or something.
• Kayne immediately fell back on the hay. He whimpered out loud. He hadn’t really thought about anyone but himself in years. Now, he has to think of a baby he’s never met?
• A baby he never planned.
• In him.
• Kayne sighed heavily.
• “I…actually don't know. I'm so fed up.”
• ‘I hate this.’
• ‘I hate this thing in me.’ Kayne's grip tightened on the hay sack. His voice hitched as he tried to force down the tears desperately trying to claw their way out of his brown eyes.
• His thoughts grew darker.
• ‘If only I hadn't taken that stupid potion. If only I never took on the job’.
• ‘Ah, I miss my cat.’
• Virgil immediately noticed the thick air in the barn and Kayne's silent tears building up in his eyes. He stood up from his crouch and smacked Runa’s head.
• Tapped. Just a tap on the head.
• “Ow!”
• “Can't you see that he's about to cry? At least make suggestions, not dismiss them.” Runa pouted her lips, her face red as she muttered a little sorry.
• Virgil turned back to Kayne. “What are you thinking?” He asked, his voice soft and gentle. Kayne peeked at him through his watery eyes.
• “Any way to keep youafe and…us safe?”
• After all, their faces are posted everywhere.
• Kayne wiped his eyes, sniffed, and looked up, all vulnerable emotions shown before gone. “The Forbidden Forest.” He stated.
• Even Runa fell quiet.
• Kayne’s eyes flicked between them. “It’s still the most magic-dense place. No one dares to go in there, and that's where we can rest and find answers.”
• Even with the magic fading, the forest was forbidden for a reason. Dark magic, wicked tiny elves, vengeful spirits. That's their habitual home. Mages had gone crazy or even died with the hope of gaining a powerful spell. They never made it out alive.
• The ones who did were sealed with a fate worse than death.
• “At least in the forest, we might find something. A spell. An answer. Hell, even a witch with a worse attitude than me.”
• He paused, then sighed again, softer this time. “That's the only solution…for now.”
• Virgil agreed. “Okay, we'll do just that.”
• Runa sighed deeply. So much for trying to reasonably work things out. She slightly nodded, too, and Kayne smiled at her.
• The forbidden forest it is!
• They all hated the plan. Who wouldn't?
• Which, unfortunately, made it the best one they had.
• Virgil had to ask, curious at how Kayne knew all these. “Do you really know a spell that can actually remove the baby whilst keeping it alive?”
• “Trust me, I tried everything I could back in the cell. Nothing worked.”
• “You tried to do what?”
• “Hey, don't judge. I wasn't thinking…sort of.”
• “L-let’s just focus on the goal.”
• Go to the forbidden forest. Find a spell that actually works or meet a witch that stays in the forest to give us a spell or a potion that actually works….
• All while keeping the baby alive—and the father.
• What a rough, detailed goal.
• “Yeah, let's do this.”
• Only one tiny detail was missing, Virgil scrunched his face, thinking. “But how do we go without being noticed?”
• “Easy. We disguise ourselves and sneak past people without being noticed.” Kayne replied.
• “That's barely a plan.”
• “Let's just get through with it.”
• Runa facepalmed. Idiots.
• She decided to step in. Groaning as loud as she could before saying, “Alright, I'll handle the disguise and the escape ‘plan.’ You guys are useless when it comes to this aspect.”
• Virgil instinctively rolled his eyes backwards. “Yes, yes, Miss First in Academic Class and Top Knight Student. Do your thing.”
• It's not until an hour later. Runa’s plan had failed. Virgil was on the ground, rolling and clutching his belly from laughter, and Kayne….
• Kayne stared in disbelief at the servant on one knee, holding up a ring in a small velvet box to him, proposing.
• Is he a frantic royal agent?
• No, he looks too murky to be one.
• The ring proposed was a shattered signet ring, he had mud-caked boots, and he wore a fake gold gaudy brooch.
• Not to talk about the facial property.
• “Or just marry me.”
• Kayne tilted his head.
• “Wow,” he said. “So the next phase of my life is a forced, sudden marriage to a wet squirrel in boots.”
• The servant blinked, confused. “I’m the Crown Prince of Tesmere.”
• Kayne didn’t miss a beat. “So, wet royal squirrel…in boots.”
• Screw this. Kayne shouldn't have worn the gown.