Chapter Text
Romance was dead and so were the plants that were crushed beneath the sole of Ollie's shoe, both were dying rather quickly as the young man's pace was so fast each breath of air felt like knives to his lungs.
Alas, he couldn't stop, as the threat of capture drove him further and further into the forest, away from the prying eyes of his province, and what a disgrace it would be, for the son of a nobleman to be caught in such a compromising position. He did not want to get married. It was plain and simple, he felt too young and inexperienced and wanted to further his career before he was tied down to a loveless marriage made for diplomacy or money. So there he was eighteen and terrified stumbling through the woods with nothing more than the clothes on his back.He had nothing, no compass or food or anything navigating him other than his heart. His clothes were torn and there were small beads of blood forming on his arms and legs from where he had carelessly run through the brush trying to flee the box of his responsibilities.
He walked deeper into the forest until his legs ached and his lungs burned from exertion. Finally stopping to catch his breath at a tree stump, he cried out in frustration. The sun was beginning to set, and having grown up a nobleman, Ollie had no self-preservation tactic and was utterly petrified of what the forest would make of him once night fell.
He figured if he kept walking eventually there would have to be an out, and as his feet burned while he kept his head down as he walked, he willed for the help of someone, the aid of someone older and wiser who could help him survive, and his prayers were left unanswered. As night fell his situation grew more and more precarious, but a marauder in the finest sense of the word, he rather die than return to his province, until he noticed that the forest had gone silent. The chip of the nighttime crickets had faded and it seemed as though even the trees were holding their breath. Though he had limited experience in the forest he recognized what tyis meant.
“ a predator…” he whispered to himself, as he came to the conclusion that he would die from whatever carnivorous beast emerged from the trees, and closed his eyes in anticipation of his slaughter.
It never came, rather he was greeted by the voice of a man, “Do you need help, Sir?”
Ollie opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of one of the most beautiful men he had ever seen, surely he had died and this was an angel.
In Ollie's silence the man repeated his question, “Do you need help, it's not safe to be this deep into the woods at night young man.”
Slightly embarrassed he answered “Yes please, I'm lost…”
the man eyed Ollie “I could tell, no one comes out here willingly, why are you here”
Fear encompassed his heart, he couldn't tell him why he was on the run, surely his province would have a bounty on his capture and he couldn't be caught and returned to them, so he lied “I was hunting and got lost.”
The man laughed in his face” You lie, No one hunts in those clothes and without equipment, now tell the truth why are you here Ollie?”
Without skipping a beat, Ollie began to sprint away from the man, scared of the potential of being caught. He did not hear the man chase after him, as he indeed did not attempt to capture him, but in just a few short seconds of running he found himself approaching the man still standing in the same spot only to turn around and keep running, and the process to repeat itself. “What…How are you doing that?” he cried in fear after it occurred for a third time.
“These forests are a bit… peculiar, and it seems that they have picked you to keep for awhile, none of that was my own doing, but the trees want you, now why are you here” The man said sheepishly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
“No that can't be, this stuff isn't real, this is like fairy tail stuff,”the truth couldn't hurt himif he was stuck in the middle of a magic forest, “and I am to be wed by the end of the year, but I simply cannot go through with it.”
The man said nothing but hummed in some kind of understanding. Standing up from where he had perched himself on a street stump the man began to walk away, and Ollie panicked “Wait, can you help me, I'm still lost and if what you say is true, then I fear the power of these forests,”
The man smiled, “Fine, I cannot grant you refugee, but I know someplace where you will be safe” The man looked to the sky before resuming ”but the journey will be long, so be prepared.”
As they walked in silence through the dense forest, the man only stopped to occasionally check their surroundings, but Ollie couldn't help but wonder “where are we going?”
Without turning to him the man simply replied “Somewhere scared, you will be safe Ollie.”
Ollie, still a teenager after all, continued with his questions “Okay but, where are we going exactly, why are we so deep in the forest.”
Finally, the man sighed, “There are two keepers of the forest, who will protect you. Once Upon a time, they were two princes, Prince Gyuvin and Prince Ricky….”