Tell the Wolves I'm Home

"Why do you have to leave? Why can't the knights fight the bad guys? It's unfair!"

A four-year old cried into his big brother's chest as the older brother ran his hands up and down his back to calm him.

"Because it's my duty as a king. I have to protect the people, if I don't the bad guys are going to hurt you." He slightly pulled back to look at Tom in the eyes.

"I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt. I need you to be brave. Can you do that for me?" Danel gave a sad smile to Tommy.

"Please?"

"Fine." Tommy sniffled and tried swiping his sleeve to rid his nose of the snot but before he could Danel stopped him.

He glared at his brother as he pulled out a cloth for him to wipe it with.

"As long as you promise to be home for my birthday."

Danel gave a weak laugh as tears started to run down his face.

He pulled his brother back into his arms.

"I promise."

~~~~~

Early next morning Danel mounted his horse dressed in armor.

"Your highness, do you not think it would be best to wake the prince? I fear he'll be heartbroken when he awakens to not find you there."

Danel looked to his side where a guard was standing.

"I know. But I have to leave now." The next things he said were in a whisper, barely heard. "That and I fear if I see him as he was last night, I may stay." He snapped out of it from the sound hoofs stomping.

"Promise me you'll watch Tommy, please?" Danel looked pleadingly to the knight.

"Are you sure your highness?"

Danel look to the window his brother was sleeping in.

"I'm sure. There is no knight I trust more than you, Malachi."

For Malachi was there when his parents were killed, he was there to help with raising Tommy. He was like a brother to Danel. His one and only trusted friend.

"Then I will do my best your highness." He bowed his head to the King.

"Thank you." He whispered, then turned to his troops.

"I pray you all said goodbye to your loved ones, for you don't know when you'll return. For the kingdom of Gelasimus what we are fighting for."

As they the knights left the kingdom Danel could only spare one look back, hoping he was doing the right thing.

~~~~~

Tommy awoke with a start. He looked around trying to find Danel who was with him when he fell asleep.

Not finding him Tommy left the room in search of Danel as he reached up to try and open the door it suddenly swung open, Malachi on the other side looking stunned as he nearly ran into Tommy, who then tried bolting from the room.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Malachi stopped him from running from the room with a hand on his shoulder.

"I got to find bubba!" Tommy yelled while trying to escape his grasp.

"Buddy..." Malachi sighed looking at Tommy sadly.

"I think we need to talk. Come here," He grasped Tommys hand.

"Let's get some food in you first."

After they ate Malachi sat Tommy down on the Danels bed, retelling what happened. As he reaches the end Tommy is in tears.

"Does he hate me? Is that why he didn't say goodbye?" He looked up at the knight with an expression of pure heartbreak. It made him angry that Danel didn't Give him a goodbye.

"No buddy. He loves you. More than anything else in the world."

Malachi gently wiped the tears from Tommys eyes.

"Really?" Tommys eyes lit up a little right before dulling.

"Then why didn't he say goodbye?"

Malachi pulled him into a hug.

"I don't know kid. I don't know."

~~~~~~

Danel rushed across the battlefield cutting down any enemy who came close. They were winning! He smiled and took a deep breath.

As he turned, he noticed a man behind him running at him with a sword, the smile being wiped right off his face.

He swung back killing the man that had stabbed him. As his adrenaline crashed, he started getting lightheaded, looking down he noticed he was stabbed. His last thoughts before everything went dark were, 'I hope Tommy is okay.'

~~~~~~

The knights left the battle unknowing of what happened to their king. One knight saw him go down, but none could find the body.

So that day the knights rushed into the castle; A Day that should have been filled with celebration was instead one filled with sadness. Malachi had already been told of the death of his friend/brother, now he just had to tell Tommy.

Tommy had already been worse for wear after his brother had left, he can't imagine how he will be after he finds out about his death.

He made his way to Tommys room and slowly creaked the door open. Tommy was laying in his bed with blankets covering his head. "Hey, buddy, are you feeling alright?"

"Tommy?" Malachi walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. As he rested his hand on Tommys back he noticed the shaking in his shoulders.

Tommy started mumbling incoherent words.

"You going to have to speak up buddy, I can't here you.

He slowly peeked his head up out of the blankets looking at Malachi with tears running down his face.

"The thunder! Its loud and scary! Make it go away please."

The last part muffled after he shoved his face back into the blanket.

"Right..." Malachi looked to the side awkwardly.

"What did Danel do to help you?"

"He sang."

"Yeah, I'm not doing that. How about I tell you a story?"

"Okay" Tommy slowly settled after the story.

As Tommy was on the brink of sleep he turned to Malachi. Tears building up in his eyes again.

"What is it now?!" Malachi was looking around trying to find a way to get out of this.

"Does Danel not love me anymore? One of the ladies in the kitchen said that he wasn't coming back."

Tommy sprung up in bed nearly hitting Malichi in the face on his way up. "He said he would be back for my birthday! If he didn't come back, he lied to me. Danel said lying is bad, so why isn't he back?"

He started sobbing as he threw himself at Malichi.

Malachi was stunned, not knowing what to say he just started rubbing Tommys back.

" It'll be okay, I got you."

~~~~~~~~~

Danel slowly stirred from his sleep to a light flashing in his eyes.

only to hear thunder afterwords. He shot up, looking around he didn't notice where he was, or where his brother was, he jumped to his feet. Turns out it wasn't the best idea as his side spasmed in pain.

He looked down noticing his side was bandaged.

He could figure that out later though right now he needed to find his brother, who is probably terrified.

He always was during thunderstorms.

Just as he was about to reach the door a woman with long black hair holding a tray opened it with surprise on her face.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed yet! You're still healing!"

She gently set the tray down on a desk beside the door that Danel just noticed was in there.

"No! I can't! I need to find Tommy! He's probably scared out of his mind!!"

"He's fine! Calm down, he's back at your castle, he's safe."

She gently pushed him onto the bed.

"Back at the castle? But he's...? He's safe. right?"

He looked at her pleadingly.

"He is. You don't need to worry about him right now, you just need to worry about yourself and getting better so you can go back. Okay?"

"Yeah... Yeah, that's fine." He sighed in relief.

She grabbed the tray of food and handed it to him.

"You need your energy, eat up."

He slowly took it and began eating.

He would wait, for Tommy. It was all for Tommy.

~~~~~~~

A few months later...

The day before Tommys birthday,

Danel was finally healed enough to head back to the castle, so with a goodbye to the Laura, the woman who had help him, and a horse, whose name was Lary, he began his journey back to the kingdom, to his brother.

As he reached the castle gate, the guards opened the door with surprise, disbelief and happiness for the king had returned! He jumped of his horse and handed the reigns to a stable boy nearby telling him to put him in the stables.

Ignoring the questions he got from everyone, he ran up the steps, he needed to see his brother as soon as possible.

He ran into the castle calling out to Tommy, Tommy who stood frozen Infront of him with tears starting to gather in his eyes, making Danel have tears gather in his eyes.

"Danel?" He whispered, his voice weak and breaking.

Danel lowered himself onto his knees opening his arms for Tommy,

He didn't waste a second to run into his arms crying into his shoulders.

"I knew you were going to come back. everyone told me you weren't, but I didn't believe them."

He whispered into Danel's ear.

"I'm just sorry it took so long."

"It's okay! you made it for my birthday! Just like you promised! I love you!"

Danel squeezed him tighter.

"I love you too."

After sitting in the embrace for a while Danels legs started falling asleep, he was about to get up and head to somewhere more comfortable Danel noticed Tommys breathing slow down and as he looked, he noticed he had fallen asleep on him.

He went to put him in bed, knowing he could use some sleep,

but as he was lowering him Tommys hands tightened on his shirt.

So, he laid down on the bed with Tommy on top of him, the now five-year-old having a death grip on him, he promised he would never leave him again.

Extra:

Malachi ran up and smacked Danel over his head.

"Ow! what was that for!?"

Danel looked at Malachi with a glare, Malachi was glaring right back.

"If you ever, and I mean EVER, leave me with that child again, king or not, I'll kill you myself."

Malachi turned and walked away, leaving Danel to question what just happened, as Tommy ran up to him and gave him a big hug.

"He loves me." Tommy whispered with a smile.