Ryder spent the next three days inside the King's castle. The screaming never stopped. ?Castle maids cleaned every inch of the boy. Discovering something disgusting with every rinse. He was infested with fleas, and his teeth had no trace of white in them.? His body only had a few blemishes from bed sores. Most of his skin was a blank white canvas.

  The boy sat motionless in the tub. The water splashed against his chains as the maids scrubbed. He had a thin face with a narrow jawline and chin.

  The slender face noticed many gathered outside the bath door. He would hear whispers from the castle staff as they watched from afar. Nothing new.

  "Is that really him?”

  “Look at his eyes, it has to be! He attacked one of the maids earlier!"

  No one got close, but they couldn't look away. He paid no attention to them and watched the water ripple from the maid cleaning his legs.

  "It's him, the only survivor of the Royal Tower," one woman said. "Ryder Hartigan, the party killer."

  Ryder looked up. Panic swept through the halls.

  "Don't look at his eyes! They will kill you!"

  Some accidentally ran into each other, leaving them with bruises. The maid cleaning the boy’s legs froze and closed her eyes. She let out a restrained whimper when his gaze moved to her. He dropped his head, but his hair was gone. It sat just above his eyebrows, allowing him to see more. Something he would have to get used to.

  ?”The boy can clean himself,” the King said, standing in the doorway. “Just bring him a towel when he is done.”

  The maid scurried out of the room, letting out a huge exhale on her exit. Ryder’s shoulders relaxed when she left.

  "Ryder," the King said, "Don't give them any more reasons to hate you. I know it's not fair, but not everyone believes in you as I do."?

  "I know," he said softly. He turned to say something, but stopped. ?

  "What is it?" the Kind said.

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  "Do you think she would believe me?" Ryder said, looking up at the King.

  ? "Honestly, I don't know. You and Andrea were never close. In fact, the few times I saw you, it wasn't pleasant."?

  Ryder sank into the bathtub, only his eyes floated above the water. He rubbed his cheek, reminiscing about his last encounter with the Princess. It wasn’t a pleasant one.

  Ryder rose to speak. "She saved me a long time ago," he said, glancing at the red cloth around his wrist–still dirty. "And I never repaid her."

  “Oh is that so,” the King said with a chuckle. “Its a habit she’s had since she was a kid, even before her gift. But she can’t look after herself now can she. That's why I need you. Repay her, not the Kingdom.”

  The dark irises looked in the mirror sitting across from him. ?Fenrim did not scar his body with lashings or beatings, but it left its mark. The scrawny white creature in the mirror watched him, copying his movements. It was the first time he saw his appearance since his imprisonment–a stark contrast from his unique sun-kissed tan from his academy days. Could he really save someone as strong as her looking like this? Would she even listen to him without punching him first?

  The King’s face was strong, but the tower was obviously weighing on him. The wrinkles around his eyes were much darker than Ryder had remembered –even after leaving Fenrim. The golden hair showed its first signs of white, hiding near the King’s temples. But Ryder’s eyes saw even the slightest things.

  The King averted his eyes from the bony boy’s unclad skin and looked out the window. Beyond it, the high stone walls of the castle stood tall as the sun peeked over. The maroon Artros flag blew in the cold winter air with its black lion roaring at the sky. His head moved back to Ryder, looking at his red cloth.

  "I heard there was quite the scuffle over that,"? the King said.

  A thin sliver of light caught Ryder's eyes. It revealed a dark purple hue to them, forcing him to squint. The sunlight felt warm on his eyelids.

  ?"I only grabbed her hand for a second when she reached for it," he said. ?"She overreacted."

  "Alright. I'll tell them not to wash it and to give you some privacy," the King said, smiling. "Rest up. You have a long journey in the morning." ?

  The King left and ordered all staff to his chambers. Ryder cherished the extra time in the warm bath and closed his eyes, falling asleep. ?While asleep, the staff received a verbal lashing.

  "He is our guest, dammit!" the King's voice whipped through the air. ?The yelling continued for an hour. No one dared to say a word.?

  "Prepare the boy's clothes for the journey and feed him," the King said, dismissing them.

  "Stay safe out there, Ryder, and protect her," the King said to himself, alone in his room. "I hope my dream comes true."