It's been a month since Michael took Madin to his brother Jack's home in a neighboring village.
While the family treats Madin with kindness and understanding, he feels anything but safe or at ease. His mind remains trapped in the torment of leaving the palace, a place that held both his greatest fears and the person he cannot stop thinking about.
Each passing day feels like an eternity, and the weight of his guilt and longing is crushing.
He often sits by the window of the small, modest home, staring at nothing. The world outside is a blur of sounds and colors, but none of it reaches him.
Every thought circles back to Arthur. Every memory, every word, every smile—they haunt him relentlessly.
Sometimes, in his darkest moments, he thinks death would be kinder than the agony of living with this unbearable pain.
"Mad—Madin," Jack's voice cuts through the suffocating silence. Jack enters the small room, his face lined with worry, his voice trembling as he speaks. "We have a serious problem."
Madin, startled out of his daze, looks up. "What happened?"
Jack hesitates, visibly uneasy. "Someone reported to the king that you and Michael were close. They've arrested him and his family. They're locked up in the palace dungeons as we speak."
Madin pales, his heart pounding. "What?!"
"They're accusing him of helping you escape," Jack continues. "The king gave Michael until tomorrow to confess your whereabouts. He's refusing to speak, but if he doesn't... they'll execute him. His whole family could be killed."
Madin stares at Jack, the words sinking into his mind like daggers. He stands abruptly, his chair screeching against the wooden floor. "No... no, this can't be happening!"
"It's true," Jack says, his voice breaking. "The prince... he's completely lost it. He's obsessed, Madin. The entire palace is in chaos, and now my brother might lose his life trying to protect you."
"I'll go back," Madin says firmly, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his chest.
Jack steps forward, alarmed. "You can't do that! If you go back, they might kill you!"
"I don't care!" Madin snaps, already searching for the servant clothes he wore in the palace. "I can't let Michael and his family suffer because of me. If it means saving their lives, then I'll do it. I have nothing to lose."
"Nothing to lose?" Jack exclaims. "What about the people who care about you? What about Michael? Do you think this is what he would want?"
"They've already done enough for me," Madin says, his hands shaking as he fastens the ties of his old uniform. "I can't sit here and let them die for something that's my fault."
Jack grabs his arm. "Madin, think about this! There has to be another way!"
"There isn't," Madin replies, his voice breaking. "Thank you for everything, Jack. I'll never forget your kindness." He pulls away and adjusts the scarf around his head, determined to hide his identity as much as possible.
The journey back to the palace feels both endless and fleeting. Madin's thoughts race, but his resolve remains firm.
When he finally reaches the palace gates, his heart pounds in his chest. The familiar towering walls loom over him, their grandeur now more suffocating than awe-inspiring.
Before he can prepare himself, he hears the commotion.
"She's back! She's back!"
The shouts ripple through the palace grounds, and soon, servants and guards are rushing toward him. Their faces light up with joy and relief, as though a missing piece of their world has been restored.
Madin ignores their cheers, keeping his head down as he walks through the gates. Inside, the atmosphere shifts. The joy he sees in others only deepens the pain in his heart. They don't know what's about to happen, he thinks. If only they knew the truth.
In the courtroom, Michael and his family are brought before the king. The tension is thick, the air heavy with judgment and fear. Arthur is absent, pacing in the mansion, torn between his fury and his longing.
But then, news of Madin's return reaches him.
Arthur bolts from his chambers, his heart racing. When he reaches the courtyard and sees Madin standing there, he freezes. For a moment, it's as if the world stops turning.
"Shorty...?!" he whispers, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Madin looks up, his eyes meeting Arthur's. The anguish in Arthur's gaze is almost unbearable, and when Arthur steps forward to embrace him, Madin steps back.
The crowd watches in stunned silence, their awe palpable. Murmurs spread among the servants and courtiers.
"I think this is what love looks like," an older woman whispers, her voice tinged with amazement.
Madin's heart pounds as he surveys the crowd. He knows what he must do. Turning to Arthur, he whispers, "I'm sorry." Tears stream down his face as he kneels before the royal family.
"Your Majesty," he begins, his voice shaking. "I've failed this kingdom. I've committed a terrible sin. Please, punish me for my actions. Sentence me to death if you must, but spare General Michael and his family. They have done nothing wrong."
The crowd gasps as Madin reaches for the scarf covering his head. Michael's voice rings out from the courtroom doors.
"No, Madin! Don't!"
But Madin doesn't stop. He pulls off the scarf, revealing his true self. Gasps echo through the courtyard, and murmurs of shock ripple through the crowd.
Arthur stands frozen, disbelief etched into his features. "What... what is this?"
"I'm not who you think I am," Madin says, his voice cracking. He begins to remove his outer garments, revealing the clothes beneath—clothes that mark him as a man.
The crowd erupts into chaos. Arthur stumbles back, his mind reeling.
Michael steps forward, pleading with the king. "Your Majesty, please! Madin was forced into this. He had no choice. His entire life has been one of suffering and manipulation. He's innocent—he was only doing what he had to in order to survive."
But the king's rage is unrelenting. "Silence!" he roars. "This... this deceitful creature has humiliated my son and fooled an entire kingdom! Such treachery cannot be forgiven!"
The king grabs a sword from a nearby guard, raising it high. "You will pay for your lies!"
"Father, no!" Arthur's voice cuts through the chaos. He lunges forward, grabbing the sword from his father's hand. "Don't touch do it!"
The king glares at Arthur, his fury undiminished. "You would defend this liar? This fraud?"
Arthur stands his ground, his voice steady. "Yes. No one is allowed to harm him. If anyone is to punish him, it will be me... but not now."
The king's eyes blaze with anger, but he relents, his hand trembling.
Without even sparing Madin a glance, Arthur say, "Take him to the dungeons. And lock general up too, for hiding the truth. No one is to touch them until I say otherwise."
Madin is dragged away, his heart heavy with both relief and despair. The dungeon door slams shut behind him, leaving him in darkness, alone with his thoughts as Michael is in another.