It's been a while, hasn't it?

Zuhara: Dammit of course I come here of all places. Nice crown you got there, I'm assuming you're royalty

He looked at them for a bit "You could say that...except it's just me." he said and looked away

Zuhara: 'Just you'? What do you mean?

"Well let's see here. I'm the ruler of these here woods while there are kings and queens ruling countries." he muttered as an owl landed on his head and placed a white rose on his crown "Yet, I'm a ruler with no royal blood." he said and shrugged

Zuhara: That makes more sense. Kinda

"Meh." he shrugged again and tilted his head at them "How did you get here...?" he asked, the owl perched on his hand also glaring at them

Zuhara: I was looking for something and I got lost

“What we’re you looking for, exactly?” He asked as he pet the owl

Zuhara: Uh I'd rather not tell you

Oka: oh ah *laughs nervously* Hi~

He tilted his head to the side, still looking confused "Hi..." he said quietly

Oka: what is royalty doing here

He looked away “I live here.” He said as the owl flew up to his head and perched there

Oka: is that owl yours?

"No, he doesn't belong to anyone. He just likes to stay by me." he said and shrugged

OKa: you didn't name them? How boring 😒

He frowned "He does have a name. His name is Rain." he said and Rain chirped happily

Oka: aww how cute~

Rain chirped and jumped on her head "Yeah yeah, I guess so.." he muttered

Oka: Soo... Wanna play hide and seek?!?!

"...That's a random thing to say to someone you just met..." he muttered and shrugged "Why not.." he said

Oka: Nice!! Okay, you count to... 10! OKAY START *runs away and hides*

"What the--" he muttered and sighed "Keep an eye on them Rain, stay quiet...I don't want to cheat.." he said and Rain chirped, following them. He sighed and started counting "10...9...8.."

Oka: *hides and stays quiet*

??: *she is holding her dress so she didn’t trip* Oh.. royalty too? Tell me about it..

He looked at her for a bit, then looked away "Don't have royal blood in me." he said and pet the owl

Ah.. I hadn’t seen you around before..

“I live here. It’s restricted to come here.” He muttered and jumped off the tree branch, the owl flying away

*she watches the owl fly away* Oh, I guess I had gotten lost.. what’s your name?

“…Julian Dove..” he said and leaned on the tree, the owl flying back and landed on his head

“Nice to meet you.. I’m Cress Windsor..” *she looks up at him still*

“Lovely to meet you…” he said and let the owl perch on his hand again “Now, what is a member of the royal family doing in these parts of the woods?” He asked

“I, I just wanted a break from it all.. I’m sure she’s sent people after me already.. they just haven’t found me..”

“They won’t find you here.” He said and a group of yellow light surrounded them. A barrier was soon made, and an entire town showed up

“Thanks..” *she sits on a fallen log*

He nods “You’re welcome.” He says and the specks of light land on his shoulder. He whispered something and the light flew away

“You’re just friends with everyone out here.. I only came out here because of my step mom..”

“Well..it’s fairly easy. They’re not humans. They’re creatures who just need a little help surviving.” He said and looked back, a town full of fairy-tale creatures roaming around

She stands up “Oh my gosh.. this is so cool..”

He smiled a bit “Apparently, I was their next king. But I had no royal blood in me.” He said as he fixes his crown, tangled with vines and white roses

She looks up at her own crown “I’m not allowed to wear crowns.. my step mom thinks that it would take away from her beauty..” She mutters “And for who is actually supposed to rule..”

"Well, you sure seem like a beauty, with or without it I guess." he said and shrugged "But I just met you so I can't exactly say the truth." he said as his owl landed on her shoulder and placed a white rose on her hair

“Oh..” She smiled as the owl did so “Thank you..”

???: *glares at him* royalty

He looked down at her "No, I didn't know that." he said and scoffed.

???: *rolls eyes* god, I hate you guys

"Well you might hate royals with actual royal blood in them." he said and jumped off the tree branch, the owl perching on his head "Unlike me, no royal blood." he muttered

???: what do you mean by that

“I’m a king with no royal blood in me.” He blurted out and scoffed quietly

???: *sighs* I still hate what you stand for

He frowned and glared at her “The fact I’m a 15-year-old boy who rules over a town of creatures..?” He asked harshly

???: no. the concept of royalty *she spat at the word*

“I didn’t ask to be king.” He said harshly again and scoffed

???: you scoff more times in a day than a human being breathes in their life

"Excuse me-?" he asked, the owl perched on his hand chirping nervously

???: you heard me

The owl chirped and flew to the ground. The boy frowned at her and he snapped his fingers, the owl turning to a boy his age "Ok ok, we're not arguing--" he said loudly

???: ah, and you have a pet too

"Excuse me! I belong to no one!" the owl-boy said and the other boy nodded "Listen to the owl" he said

???: *rolls eyes* why?

"Clearly, you won't listen to me for being a 15-year-old king of defenseless creatures." he coldly said and looked at the owl "Then you won't have a problem listening to a shape-shifter who doesn't belong to a royal."

???: whatever. what do you want?

"Ok...no one is planning to kill each other, so that's good!" he said and the boy scoffed "Get to it, Rain." he asked. The owl, Rain, stuck his tongue out at him and then looked at her "Alright, let's introduce ourselves first! I'm Rain.." he said and looked at the other boy. He rolled his eyes "Julian." he muttered

???: Darci

"Ok, Darci.." he said quietly and Julian frowned, looking away "How did you get here?" Rain asked politely

Darci: was just walking/flying around

"Could've broken through the barrier..." Rain muttered to Julian and he shook his head "It can't be broken through, Rain.." he said back

Darci: do either of you want to tell me whats going on?

"There's a barrier that hides our town. No one can get in unless King Julian opens the barrier." Julian frowned and hit the back of his neck "Don't say 'King'" he said and Rain laughed awkwardly

Darci: why?

"Enemies." Julian muttered and Rain shuddered

Darci: such as?

"The Elves..." Rain said and Julian looked away, frowning

Darci: *tenses up* you're telling me you are fighting elves?

"No, Julian despises wars." he said and Julian nodded "It's just to protect us. Our town doesn't want to lose another king..." he said and looked at Julian, who was looking at the ground "Like his father." Rain said

Darci: I can take a guess as to what happened?

Rain looked at Julian and he shrugged, then walked behind a tree and covered his ears. "Take a wild guess." Rain said quietly

Darci: *whispers* murdered or kidnapped, or both

"Murdered." Rain said and looked down "The elves found the town, and Julian's dad, the ruler at the time, fought. He didn't make it. He died when Julian turned 1." he said quietly

Darci: *tenses up again* I knew it

"Yeah...his mom was destroyed by his death, he despised Julian. She took one look at him, realized he looked too much like him, and left him in the human realm." he scoffed at the memory

Darci: that is horrible. awful

"This is why I don't tell him what happened when he was born." he said and looked at Julian, still covering his ears "I can't bare to see him in pain when he passes his father's statue..." he muttered

Darci: who killed him

"The Elf King." he said as he looked at Julian, who was slowly losing to stay awake

Darci: looks like your friend is about to pass out

He looked at him and frowned sadly "No...he's tired. He doesn't get much sleep. He helps everyone around town, night and day." he said

Darci: makes sense. I get how he feels

"Also got a lack of sleep?" he asked as Julian leaned his head back and slowly began falling asleep

Darci: yeah, but from trauma induced nightmares. I have forgone sleeping

He frowned "I'm sorry to hear that." he said and glanced at Julian, who was fast asleep

Darci: thats why I hate royalty. I used to be royalty. but my parents wanted me to be perfect. so they would hit me whenever I wasn't *cringes and spits at the thought* god, I hate them so much

He nods "I didn't have to be by his side." he said and looked down "Yet he reminds me of his dad, so I stay with him." he shrugged

Darci: that makes sense. its noble of you to do that