(kim and Javi conversation will be in normal font)

(Story from Vegas Pete time will be in italics)
(Thoughts, dreams, talking to one self will be in Bold)

Disclaimer:-

The story is a work of fiction. From characters to locations to geography and culture are all written with creative liberty .

Kindly read previous chapters to not get confused.

......

"He is beautiful" Javi says and Haan rolls his eyes.

"You have been repeating this since you saw him in the forest. Stop now. It's hammering." Haan tries his best to hide his apprehension.

"Says the one who was desperate to unmask him"
"I was just curious about his resolution that's it."

"Oh really? I don't see you thinking even once about his resolution. You just wanted to gaze his face."

"Stop working your dull brain. I never indulged in these kind of teenage romances. What's there to gaze anyways."

"Oh, and  who was so lost in his beauty that he didn't even pay attention to his father's bleeding shoulders ." Javi throws a sarcasm.

" Now you are over stepping Javi" Haan says but in a flat tone.

"Yeah? So what ? I don't have to fear for consequences . For your information I am already half dead. Isn't? "

Haan sighs "don't annoy me with your stupid observations. I had no interest in Pete or his beauty "

"That's why you looked almost fuming  by seeing Vegas over there?"

"Get your eyes checked. Who was fuming?" Haan scoffs.

"Fool someone else , their is a smell of a burning resentment emitting from your body there. You are sour because Pete showed his face to Vegas and not you."

"You look more affected than me Javi" Haan says as if trying to dissect Javi's thoughts that look too layered.

"Why would I be affected. But to talk of it , why couldn't you make it on time? I was expecting some serious action from you rather than running around like a petty stalker."

"Why? Vegas doesn't impress you?"

"I mean , not that i don't like him  but i don't know. I wanted you to win."

"Listen Javi, always remember you are here for a purpose. You are here only to fulfill that purpose and get your life and your dreams back."

"I know that. Why are you telling me?"
"So that you keep this in your mind that you don't have to get attached to me or anyone in this journey for that matter. Just look at it normally rather than expecting action."

"Attach ? Me? With you? Spare me and don't think too highly of yourself. It was just like a two protagonist competing with eachother kind of drama for me. And since you were first to leave for the river , i thought you will win so i just put a bet on you but you are slow I guess. You didn't get to see his face first despite of your lame attempts."

Haan looks a little tensed. He is trying to observe Javi but can't really figure out his thoughts. Javi sounds casual yet annoyed by the fact that Haan didn't reach Pete first. Haan doesn't want any thoughts to take over Javi hence he decides moving further is better alongwith changing the subject of discussion.

" If your two hero movie entertainment is done let's move."

"But aren't we here to see .."
"No we are not. I will show you what's important, rest is not for you to witness, not even for me. Come on, we will go back to the palace."

"But what's the problem here. Let's walk along them"

"You don't need to know that. You will see what I will allow you to. And for now , we don't need to be here"

"How long will you keep him away Haan. One day you will have to let him see. Only then there will be a conclusion you have been searching for" Haan thinks

"Let's go now" Javi says while moving forward and Haan joins him.

...............

Kim stayed back by the river side as even in his imagination he could not  bear the disappointed faces of  Macau and Arthit. Specially the latter  who was so confident that Kim Haan will save Pete. And if they won't be disappointed then they will mock him. And he definitely didn't want to deliberately surround himself  around smirks and laughs of derision on his failure of bringing back Pete specially after he boasted so much about it.

"Why are you always one step behind Kim Haan. How long you can pity yourself for your failures"

"Khun, please spare me mercy. I will never return here again. I will never hurt people of your family again. Have mercy on me khun. Let me go..let me"

"Shut your bloody mouth while I am thinking" Kim shouted to highest pitch as if making the trees stop from swaying and river from flowing.  He approached the man whom he held and tied up to the tree.

"You want me to spare you? But what to do. I feel so tempted to kill you."

"Khun, I beg for mercy. I will always be at your service in exchange for my life"

Kim sat infront of the man on his knees, staring at him with mysterious eyes and evil grin, he had a smile but his jaw clenched at the same time.

"Who sent you here and why?"

The man was quiet and a punch with an  iron case on Kim's knuckles landed on his face.

"Every five seconds of silence to my question will lead to five death calling punches and since you are already bleeding from your core, i don't know how long will you last. Don't you think answering me is a better option?"

Though the man was hesitant initially but he ultimately spoke for his life in return.

"Son of Chief of Naptuan province. It's a small province towards the eastern end of Dominica"

"Why and what were the exact orders?"
"Kunthai is the son of the chief Keeran.
I am from nomads side. People from different provinces at different points hire me and others like me to get their work done. Kunthai  had always given me contractual jobs. Loots, murders or kidnappings of small levels just in order to have his own survival wealth. His father is really strict and doesn't let him use family money . Initially he looted his own province people so his father cut his name from family book and boycotted him. Since then once in a while , in occasion like marriage or festival he hires me to do loots."

"I am listening"

"The main task was looting out all the valuables from the temple and cut carry  the cash trees."

"Alone?"

"And?" Kim wanted to know more. He wanted to know why a task of loot would turn into a murder conspiracy.

"Have mercy khun. They will kill me"
"Don't worry, they won't get the chance . I will do the honour myself before them"

The man was shivering as he saw Kim's deadly gaze on his throat while the sharp tip of his sword kept digging there.

"Prince .... prince Ddd..."

"The more delay, the more stepping towards your death. The more honest, the more protection this Khun will provide you."

"Prince Decha from South"

Kim snapped in shock after hearing this.

"You mean Maiyutakat kingdom, the southern territory? " Kim pressed the bleeding cut on the man's stomach harshly making him scream and tearful.

"I am being honest khun. Prince Decha send me here"

"We acquired the southern territory a few weeks back. I fought there myself. Surely the prince was out to a different part of world but even he is back , he would have no authority there. His territory comes under our rule. This kind of major conspiracy can't be conducted without Alcazar's permission."

"I beg for your forgiveness khun. I am a petty criminal. I am not aware of the alliance your majesty had with Maiyutakat King. But since Prince Decha came back he was not happy that his father accepted this alliance and surrendered to Alcazar princes. He has done various changes despite of king's warnings to not do it without Alcazar. But since you all were busy in celebration maybe the news didn't reach you. Although the king has been able to handle it quiet well. So Prince Decha has been holding back. He has been handed over few departments and he confines himself to that."

"And how does all this relates to his order to you for killing the Prince of Dominica "

"I am not sure but I have heard that Prince Decha was pursuing Prince Pete for a long time. They went to same dominican school for their respective trainings. He was always after him , requesting and eventually forcing him to show his face but prince Pete never unveiled himself ever. After the training period was over Decha didn't go back from Dominica and insisted on further training.  In that one year he tried all his means from politeness to threat but prince Pete was inexorable. Decha never got to see his face so having him as partner for life was a far fetched dream. The night before he was about to leave for Maiyutakat, he ordered his guards to bring prince Pete to him anyhow. He ...he wanted to spend atleast one night with him. Even if it was to be done forcefully. But even after being fed the opium Prince Pete didn't let it happen . For being problematic and often expressing his desire to have Prince Pete , he was sent on the cultural tour outside Thailand as a punishment by his father. And now even after being back , he was not invited as a prince to this ancestral festival because Alcazar was the main guest of honour. He took all this as a matter of his pride and saw Prince Pete as the one hurting it. Since no respected prince is friends with him , he often keeps the company of people lower than him in position in order to feel authority and value. Hence.."

"Hence kunthai is his one of his boot licker" kim claimed and the man affirmed.

"Yes, and when he came to know that I have been assigned to loot the wealth here, he ordered me to kill Prince Pete."

Kim was silent for more than a minute.

"If i give you the gift of  your life, do you surrender your loyalty to me? No matter what is happening where, you report it to me. Whoever offered you any job from any province i should be informed about it. The moment your loyalty slips, so does your life. Till you serve me, you will be fed and kept well." Kim cut opened the rope that tied the man to the tree and the other immediately crawled to his feet.

"I will be at your service all my life your majesty"

"Good, now go. Get yourself back in shape , heal properly and then come to Alcazar. I will put you to use ...? Your name?"

"Paithoon"

"Go Paithoon and come back much better. And never, i repeat never should anyone know that you were the one trying to kill Pete."

"But your majesty, the other prince saw me"

"I know, hence we will do a little change"

"Aaa...aaaa..aaaà" Paithoon screamed as Kim Haan drew a big scar on his right side of face going till his shoulder through his sharp dagger."

"That's your beauty mark" kim smirked and Paithoon ran away scared.

"Don't worry Vegas. After listening how Pete has been, he is not going to be any impressed the moment he realises that you saved him at the cost of breaking his insane resolution. Good luck Phi Vegas" he smirked evil

.........

"Thank you for saving me" Pete said while his body kept humping on Vegas's shoulders  as Aureole kept his movements slow looking at his owner's condition.

"How many times are you going to say that. Don't flatter yourself. I didn't save you for your sake. As i already made it clear , i didn't want you to be dead when I am anywhere near you."

Vegas sighed

" You are a jinx. Since you have made an appearance in my life, nothing has gone well. The mark , then all the work to cover it , my brother being after my life thinking I am hurting you and now this. As much as I want to kill you myself, i don't want to be known for a zero effort crime. So i don't need your thank you instead i need you to stay away from me. The moment we take the wedding procession back , i don't ever want this encounter with you again. Understand? Hey?" Pete was again unconscious

"Can't you be consistent in being concious? We are just about to reach. What a burden on my head."

"Phi Pete is here, he is here " Macau said out loud when Vegas entered from the front door of the big hall carrying the unconscious Pete from both his hands like a bride is carried and he was already feeling awkward by it. But what left him astonished and much more awkward than before was the fact that it was not only Arthit and Macau standing there but it was everyone. All of his family and all of Pete's family. Before he could even think of anything Arthit almost charged at him .

"What did you do to him? You hurt him? Tell me did you hurt him?

"Arthit , back off" Ritthirong growled and Arthit understood that he overstepped a bit.

Ritthirong approached worried  probably for the nth time for his son who always gets himself in some kind of deleterious events. But as Arthit moved away , and Pete's body came in his visual, lying almost lifeless in Vegas's arms Ritthirong stood fixated on his step. He remained there like a rock and his eyes kept looking at Vegas with all  sorts of emotions coming down red on them which only added to Vegas's astonishment. Being grappled in the fear of getting caught for his stamping on Pete, Vegas could not help  but look at Pete's shoulder from the corner of his eyes. It was covered in few layers of rough fabric so he felt relieved but still could not understand the reason behind King's sudden reaction.

"Did they tell him that I hurt him earlier ? Not again. Please, i don't want father to feel insulted because of something that i didn't do."

He could not gather the courage to even look at King Rama who stood as speechless as everyone else. Before Vegas could question them for their uncanny behaviour, kamala's sweet but cracking voice landed on his ears.

"Father, is this phi Pete? Do you see him?  Our phi Pete... he...do you see him father.." her eyes were glistened as well as beaming and Ritthirong who came out of his stupor moved slowly in little steps towards Pete who was still asleep in Vegas's hold.

"Pete" Ritthirong almost whispered. He gulped in order to not let a father's emotions takeover the king's image.

" You still look as innocent as five years back. I don't even know if i should be angry about this incident or should be thankful to almighty, for I am able to see my son's face after five years because of this attack"

Vegas was now understanding the strange behaviour around him. As he recalled the words that  just few seconds back came from Ritthirong he realised that Pete has been under covers for five years. It was almost unbelievable for him .

"Five years?" He uttered unknowingly
"Yes, five years. We have not seen phi Pete's face for five years. I think I even forgot how he looked" Kamala said looking lovingly at her brother.

"Did you remove his mask?" Ritthirong questioned and Vegas was on alert again. He can't anticipate the reactions on it so he has to carefully put forward whatever he was about to say.

"Your Majesty, forgive me for crossing my boundary. But the said perpetrator was holding the prince under the  water and he was not able to breathe . I had no other choice but to remove it. I assure you I did it under no influence of disregarding his honour." He lied smoothly

"Honour my foot . Bloody pillock, i so want to throw you to the floor right now "

"Thankyou Son" Ritthirong said to which Vegas was again amazed.

"You came like a divine power to us. Not only did you save his life but you cut the shackle he created for himself. I only have the feeling of being grateful to you."

"You are embarrassing me your majesty. I am happy to be at your service."

"You did good Vegas" it was Rama who patted Vegas's back this time. "I think you should take Pete to his room. He needs rest and care. Let's hope that when he wakes up, he chooses not to be masked again"

While everyone was tensed for a moment Vegas was smirking internally in his own thoughts.

"He has been open for two days now. Why would he wear the mask again. God I hate such people who burden their family with their own problems. This man definitely is more of a liability than an asset to Dominica "

"I hope you don't mind carrying him to his room. Arthit will accompany you. The thing is Pete never allowed anyone in his room except Arthit" Ritthirong said and Vegas nodded with a perfectly put up smile although he felt annoyed from inside.

"I will your majesty. I think you all should take rest now. We have so many customs for tomorrow to be performed. Everybody should sleep now. Don't worry,  prince is fine. Me and Arthit will drop him to his room."

"The culprit?" Rama asked

"His body must be sinking in the river. I wish I could keep him alive for further questions but the situation was such that I had to ..."

"It's ok khun Vegas. You did so much for Pete  there is nothing for you to be sorry about. Go take some rest " Kanlaya assured.

....

"Go take some rest"
"No , I want to accompany you two" Macau insisted.

While walking towards Pete's room Vegas, Macau and Arthit all were quiet. Vegas noticed that both the boys were just staring at Pete.

"What are you both looking so keenly?"
"Phi Pete" they both said together to which Vegas chuckled.

"I hope he remains like this even after waking up" Arthit expressed his wish.

"I think so he will. Don't worry. And for the last time, i did not hurt your phi. I saved him instead, so stop spitting your venom on me will you?" Vegas sounded like a child for a moment but he was actually bothered by Arthit's unnecessary hate.

"You still hurt him back then but since you saved him this time , i will let you go. I forgive you"

"Huhhh, who is asking for your forgiveness "

"Come on phi, Arthit you also stop now. Phi Pete is safe and we can see him now, it's a good thing so stop fighting " Macau intervened.

"Atleast listen to your friend. Now where is your Phi's room?"

All three entered the room and Vegas carefully placed Pete on the bed. He looked at him for few seconds with blank mind. There was a certain heaviness he felt in his heart, something that felt incomplete. But what it could be because he had no answer when he asked himself the same question.

"You both should go and sleep now. I will stay here for night." Arthit said.

"You sure you will be okay alone?"
"Yes, I have taken care of phi Pete before. I will be fine"

"What happened