Chapter 12. Apple Pie

I stood silently among a crowd in the eastern city of Andreia, watching as my father and his knights marched through a street in the city. The crowd cheered loudly and clapped to welcome their brave knights, and my eyes brightened up at the sight of their shining armor and swords.

I was only twelve years old, and I was always mesmerized by my father’s courage. Every time he went to war with an enemy, he always came back victorious, and the casualties he would suffer would be nothing compared to what that enemy had lost. I thought my father was unbeatable and that our kingdom was the greatest of all.

This time, though... this time was different. Something was amiss from the group of soldiers that marched through the city... Someone wasn’t with them. I followed the train of knights all the way back to our mansion, searching for that one person, but my search was to no avail. After a while, I gave up and snuck back into the building.

Later that day, after my father