Sitting in the carriage with his blonde brown eyed best friend Colin Williams, Ashton could not help but frown deeply.
Colin seemed not to notice the furious Ash or perhaps he did not really care about Ash's unpleasant mood swings.
He was simply busy reading some stacked up secret letters made by the fallen king of Resbay Kingdom in an attempt to plan an invasion in Arania.
Currently they were in Resbay Kingdom riding as fast as they could to reach the borders of both Arania and Resbay in time. It was partly Colin's fault that Ashton had to come all the way here but it was mainly to deal with the matter as he saw fit as Ash was quite the punishment enforcer.
Ashton stared one more time at the uncaring Colin seated beside him before using the folded up scroll in his right hand to hit Colin's head out of anger.
"Ouch", Colin shrieked as he feigned imaginary hurt but on seeing the serious look on Ash's face he decided to be serious as well.
" I can assure you that there is no use worrying Ash because we will not be reaching that border in time and perhaps the queen mother and her people will be long gone before we even get there", Colin explained as swiftly as he could before quickly returning back to the mountain of scrolls in his hands.
The people of Resbay Kingdom were so close to achieving their desires and to think that so many lives would have been lost if they had the chance to execute their plans made him all the more marvelled.
It was a good thing that Resbay King was buried alive by Ash, it was both for their safety and also a warning that if anyone tried anything stupid they would have to face the same apprehension.
" What I need right now is hope Colin not assurance. I do hope we reach there on time else what is to be done when mother asks of why I did not make it in time to the border?", Ashton said understanding that he had left quite abruptly but that was because the fool over here had made it sound so serious.
" Yes the Resbay King had to be dealt with but that could have also happened another day as well and besides to think that I did not even tell Aurelia is another situation for me", Ashton said with all sincerity as he thought about the situation at hand.
Colin raised his head from the scroll he was reading to stare at Ashton silently. " I thought you said she was understanding and as for your mother you know you can leave that to me, trust me she will change her mind once she sees me", Colin said in a sure tone as if he and the queen mother were that much of good friends as well.
" Just because you have not been in the castle for a long time does not mean that just anyone would be in the mood to forgive once they saw your face, I know Aurelia will not forgive and why? That is because she does not even know you", Ashton said unfolding the scroll in his hand to keep himself busy and to stop himself from overthinking things.
It was indeed true that Colin Williams had not been in the castle for a while. He had been out all this while sight seeing and that you heard right.
Colin was a travel around the world kind of man, a rebellious one who did not wish to be tied down by anything. Even more he was a flirt, there was no lady he did not flirt with that he had met in this lifetime but he was also Ashton's right hand and best friend.
From his last name, Williams, you could easily tell that Colin is related to the lady Rosamund Williams, she is his sister after all and they are twins with the same features in the aspect of hair and eyes but with different characters.
" Ashton have you heard of the word calming down, try doing it and here for God's sake read a scroll. Let us leave the matter for when the situation arrives, we will handle it how we see fit", Colin suggested as he tossed one of the scrolls he had read to Ash who angrily squeezed it and threw it back at him as well as the other scroll in his hand.
" I am talking about my new wife you fool. Unlike you, I do tend to overthink things, if I were to follow your idea and just relax and wait for the situation to present itself then I would have probably died in the battlefield a long time ago", Ashton said in anger as he turned his face away from Colin who could not care less about what Ash thought right now.
This two always had different opinions and always argued a lot but it was the good times that brought them together in the end.
" Relax, we are at the border now. You would not let me rest because of it now handle the situation", Colin said still stuck on the scrolls as he read through them with deep concentration while the carriage came to a stop.
Ashton payed no attention to him and quickly got out of the carriage. With large strides he approached one of the guards of the borders who quickly rushed to him and bowed deeply as a form of greeting.
" The Queen Mother, has she arrived?", he asked not bothering to say too much. With others outside he could be totally unsociable but with people close to him he could be himself without worries.
The guard replied dutifully with his head still bowed and his eyes refusing to meet Ashton's own.
" Crown Prince, the queen and the others had long left for the west. The princess had insisted on riding the bridal horse alone but the queen mother had convinced her to not do so. With that being said, they had left heading for the westside", the guard retreated afterwards to his position while Ashton sighed deeply.
The west side was where the castle of Arania stood tall and Colin, had been right all along. There was no use praying for hope and overthinking things, he still had to face the situation at the castle, at least he should have given himself some few moments of peace.