Aiming Straight, Aiming True.

Chapter 19 - Revenge will be sweet

Hunter could hear her faint sobs through the large elegant wooden door as he leant against the opposite wall. Stephen had wanted Rowan and another guard to watch Arena but he had volunteered. He couldn't sleep anyway, he felt horrible. He knew although Stephen wouldn't admit it that it was their presence that had caused the fire and the death of Arena's father.

Stephen was either trying to get a few hours of sleep or awake pouring over reports of the investigation. As soon as they had arrived back at the castle, Stephen gave Arena and her mother one of the best rooms, gave a room to Zach who refused to leave Arena and ordered an investigation on the fire.

It had been a few days since they had arrived back at the castle but Arena had refused to leave her room and they hadn't found much about the fire. For Arena it had finally sunk in that Nicholas was gone and her home burnt down.

He sighed as he heard her sobbing through her bedroom door grew louder and he was attempted to walk in and comfort her. He knew he should but what Arena was going through, he went through the same thing with his father. He sighed, even now it still hurt to think about Archer Brantley, his father. His father's name actually meant proud archer backwards. He sighed, remembering when he had found out that his father had passed away.

It had been a warm late afternoon and he had been with his mother, helping. They had a small house just outside the castle with a small garden where his father would teach him everything he knew. Hunter had been helping his mother clean and ready the house for his father to come home with the king when there was a knock at the door.

He had hurried to the door, a big smile on his face. He was expecting his father but when he saw a single guard and the King, he knew something was up. " Hello Hunter, can we see your mother, Stephen's waiting to play with you, he's just outside", said the King quietly.

He had nodded and gone out to play with Stephen. Ten minutes later he heard his mother scream and cry in shock and despair. He had dropped his wooden sword and rushed inside. He saw his mum crying and gripping his father's weapons. She held his fantastic long bow in her hands. The King turned to him and told him what had happened. He didn't remember crying but he did know he had run out and screamed his head off before falling to the ground.

He sighed as he remembered that awful day. He remembered how he didn't want anyone near him and he hated when everyone would come up to him to say sorry. He didn't need their pity, they wouldn't bring his father back. He knew Arena was going through the same thing and Arena was strong. She would push through this, she had to!

What seemed like hours, Arena stopped crying and fell asleep. Hunter sighed as he pushed himself off the wall. His guard partner nodded at him as he moved away. "Alert me if something happens", said Hunter as he moved  away. The guard nodded and Hunter turned away. He walked down the hallway. The red carpet quieted his footsteps as he wandered down.

He shivered as he remembered the fire that destroyed Arena's home. He knew it was Stephen's and his fault and he had an inkling of what or who did it. He had been trying to keep an eye on this group ever since his father death. Little John's band of thugs, thieves and bandits.He knew they were behind it in some way and he was determined to find out. Whatever it took, he would find out what happened. 

Hunter stopped when he saw light under the door up ahead. I knew it, he thought as he inched closer. Hunter didn't bother knocking on the door and stepped straight into the warm light from the fire place. He wasn't surprised to see Zach lazing in a chair, snoring softly with a map on his lap. Stephen stood leaning over a table covered with maps and reports of the city and the areas around Arena's home.

Stephen didn't look up but he knew that it was Hunter. " How is she", Stephen asked quietly.

"Cried herself to sleep again, she's taken it hard Stephen, Nicholas meant everything to her and honestly she's taken his death harder than I took mine", whispered Hunter quietly.

Stephen looked up at his friend sadly. Hunter frowned when he saw Stephen's face. He looked exhausted, dark circles were under his eyes and his usual bright ocean green and blue eyes were glazed from lack of sleep. His dark blonde hair knoty and messy from the amount of times Stephen had run his fingers through his hair. Hunter knew he didn't look any better and he sighed. It seemed Arena's mood was affecting the both of them negatively.

" Well I have some good news at last", said Stephen shifting his gaze towards a report and picking it up.

" We really do need some good news", said Hunter.

" Well, the fire was not natural and was created with a flint", said Stephen.

" Great,  now we know someone actually did do it", said Hunter sarcastically. Stephen ignored this comment and carried on.

"Well the flint had a symbol on it, a symbol that represented a certain group", said Stephen.

" Which is", asked Hunter leaning forward in anticipation.

" The Hooded Ones, Little John's group", whispered Stephen.

" I knew it", growled Hunter and his voice was loud enough to wake Zach up.

" What...chicken", mumbled Zach groggily.

" It's ok, Zach we're done here, you can go back to bed", said Stephen smirking at their new friend. They both liked Zach a lot and he was just as keen to find out who it was as Hunter and Stephen was.

" Just yell if you need anything", Zach yawned before stumbling out of the room.

"I knew they were involved, do you know who set it", Hunter asked but Stephen shook his head.

" No but whoever it is, they want to hurt or take Arena, Hunter. We have to protect her given her state at the moment", said Stephen. Hunter nodded and turned to go to get some sleep before making sure Arena was well protected.

" Hunter wait, since I might not have time to be with Arena and that could you tell her that whatever she wants or needs I'll do it for her", whispered Stephen. Hunter nodded and sighed inwardly at the tiredness and pain in his best friend's eyes.

" I promise", he said clapping his hand on his friend's shoulder before leaving for his room. He fumed to himself as he walked towards his bedroom. I will hunt and find whoever did this to Arena and I will get my revenge, Hunter thought. For my father and Arena's I will get my revenge and it will be so sweet, he thought angrily as he entered his room.

He collapsed on his bed, scowling. Revenge will be sweet,  I promise you John and your pathetic group, I will make you suffer for what you did and the fire starter will feel the worst of it, he thought bitterly. He closed his eyes, his mind whirling with plans to hunt down these men and get his sweet revenge. I will make you suffer, for Arena and both our fathers, he thought as he let sleep overtake him.

A/N:

Hello my fantastic and loyal readers! I'm proud of myself, I wasn't that slow this time but it will depend in the future, school has only just started and it's already piling up. Next chapter for a new character, your character @awesome_writter. So what did you think of this chapter, Hunter's thirsting for revenge. Such a bad boy and a cutie, don't you agree? Omg 5.9K reads, A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

Thank you all so much for the comments, it really motivates me and for reading and voting. Do you think we can get to 6K, I hope so and do you think I should enter this story into the watty awards?  Tell me what you guys think?

The characters and I love you to death and keep being awesome!  Cheers Jordan ;-)