The morning was freezing, the kind of cold that bites your nose, but the forest looked incredible—all gold and messy green. It was the day of the Royal Hunting Contest, and honestly, the vibe was intense.
Huge horses were everywhere, stomping their feet, and the sunlight was hitting the nobles' armor so bright it kind of hurt to look at.
Servants were running around like crazy, trying to get the seats ready for the fancy guests.
Oliver was just standing there, basically clinging to Theo's sleeve because he'd never seen so many scary-important adults in one spot.
You could hear everyone talking, but it was that fake-polite kind of talking where you know they're actually just trying to outdo each other.
Samuel leaned in and whispered, "My dad's gonna win, just watch,
" but Lucas just gave him this calm look and said, "We'll see about that."
I watched the adults and they looked... different.
Usually they're just dads, you know? But today they looked like actual warriors. Theo had on these dark hunting clothes—nothing too flashy, but he looked really sharp. His face was set, totally focused.
Then Charles reached over to fix Theo's collar and whispered something quiet. For a split second, Theo's whole face softened, and you could tell he wasn't just a fighter. His ears turn bright red.
Sebastian was nearby, laughing way too loud, telling Theo not to hold back.Then James wispered something in Sebastian ear also sebastain ear also turned red.
Then there was Adrian, the Duke of the North. He didn't say a word, just checked his bow, and honestly, he was so cold it felt like the wind stopped blowing near him.
Lucas's dad was smiling, trying to keep things chill, but you could feel the pressure. This wasn't just a game;
it was about pride.
When the horn finally blew, it was chaos. Horses charged into the woods, leaves flying everywhere, and then—silence. We sat on this wooden platform just staring at the trees.
Ryan whispered that it was too quiet, and Elena looked like she was praying they'd all be okay. Oliver kept staring into the shadows.
He knew Theo was strong, but he still had that knot in his stomach, that "what if" feeling that wouldn't go away.
Time dragged on forever. Every now and then,
we'd hear a massive boom or a roar from deep in the woods. Samuel jumped every time there was a noise. "Did you hear that?"
he asked. Lucas just nodded and said it sounded like wind magic. Oliver felt a tiny spark of pride—That's my father fighting out there. Even Charles, who usually looks like nothing bothers him, had his shoulders all hunched up.
Finally, the horn rang out again. Theo was the first one back. He looked totally fine, not even out of breath, and he had this glowing crystal horn on his saddle.
Oliver's heart literally skipped a beat. Samuel was jumping up and down yelling, "See! I told you!" Sebastian came in next, laughing and dragging two beasts, bragging about how he wasn't "rusty" yet. Then came Lucas's dad, looking dignified as usual
But then Adrian showed up. He was dragging this absolute monster of a beast, and there was still frost smoking off it. Everyone just went quiet. Even Theo looked impressed, giving him a little nod. When they announced the winners—Adrian first, Theo second, Sebastian third—Samuel actually groaned.
But Oliver didn't care about the trophies. When Theo walked over and put his hand on Oliver's head, Oliver just looked up and said, "You're still the best to me." Theo's eyes got all soft, that look he only gives to family.
As the sun went down and the lanterns came on, all that stress just evaporated. People were laughing and telling stories, and for a minute, everything felt perfect. Oliver leaned against Theo, and for once, Theo didn't pull away. It felt safe. But nobody knew that the peace was about to get ripped apart.