My One and Only Love

BRYCE

The Prescotts. They are the founding family of Aquilos, the northernmost state of Pyrmond.

Pyrmond is a country in the North Sea. To its east is the UK, to its south is the Netherlands, to its west are Germany and Denmark, and to its north is Norway. Pyrmond has eight states namely: (1) Aquilos, the northernmost and the coldest state; (2) Riotamia, the state of rivers, where most of the country's river systems pass through; (3) Piedramonte, the highest state in terms of altitude, with most of its cities and towns being located up in the mountains; (4) Sylva, the most fertile state, where it grew more than half of the country's produce; (5) Corona Tierra, the capital state, where the country's seat of power is located; (6) Aeolis, the typhoon state, where typhoons and earthquakes are frequent; (7) Zephyria, the golden state, where the country’s minerals and precious metals are mined; and (8) Austeria, the southernmost and the hottest state.

Bryson "Bryce" James Prescott is the fourth-born child of Harrison "Harry" Prescott and Evelyn "Evie" Faust-Prescott. His family lived in the Prescott Manor in Gallenburg, the capital city of the state of Aquilos.

The Prescott household consisted of six kids in total. With the eldest child and firstborn son, Trevor; second-eldest and firstborn daughter, Olivia or Liv; third-eldest and youngest daughter, also the middle child, Alexandra a.k.a. Alex; then Bryce himself; and their youngest sibling, Tyler. The sixth kid was Liam, he's the son of their Dad, Harrison's younger sister, Elyse, adopted into the family after his Mom died at childbirth. Nevertheless, he's like a brother to them.

Trevor and Liam are the same age and are both currently 19, with Liam being three months younger than Trevor. Olivia is 18, a year younger than Trevor and Liam, and Alex is 16, two years younger than Liv. Bryce is 15, a year younger than Alex, while Tyler is 11, four years younger than Bryce.

Also, Trevor, Olivia, Bryce, and Tyler take after their Mom's Faust genes, with their auburn hair and blue eyes; while Alex took after their Dad, with their dark hair and grey eyes. That goes the same for Liam, as he has strong Prescott genes. But unlike his siblings and cousin, Bryce was near-sighted and always wore glasses to see. As for how tall they were: Trevor and Liam are 5'10", Olivia is 5'7", Alex is 5'2", Bryce himself was 5'11", and Tyler was 5'5"－he hadn't had his growth spurt yet.

But despite growing up privileged in a mansion surrounded by staff, Bryce and his siblings were raised humbly. Their parents had made sure of that, saying they shouldn't rely on their staff to do things and to always remember Confucius' golden rule. They were also exposed to different extra curricular activities so as for them to experience the world outside the tall gates of the Prescott Manor.

But sometimes their Mom, Evelyn, can be a little bit overprotective. Sometimes, too overprotective.

Exhibit A: Camping. Trevor and Liam had just graduated high school and were heading out to college in the Fall. But before they go, they had decided to go camping in the Stonebridge National Park, a natural park southwest of Gallanberg.

Their Dad, Harrison had agreed almost immediately when his brother Trevor proposed the idea to them, but their Mom had said an instant no.

Trevor and Liam went overboard with maps explaining the safety of them if they go out camping. They actually printed out a map of the entire Stonebridge National Park to prove their point.

"Come on, Mom," Trevor pleaded. "It's still in Aquilos. It's not far."

"Yeah, Aunt Evie," Liam added. "It's only a few kilometers from Marshfield."

Marshfield is the southernmost town of Aquilos.

"Yeah, and if we need any help," Trevor chimed. "We'll just call Brooke's dad since Marshfield is closer to Stonebridge than Gallanberg is."

Their Mom, Evelyn was silent, until their Dad, Harrison finally spoke up. "Evie, honey," He said. "Just let the boys go. They'll be off to college in three weeks. Let them have their fun."

Evelyn took a deep breath. "Alright," She said. "You boys have fun."

"Yes!" Trevor and Liam said in unison before giving each other high fives.

"Thanks, Mom," Trevor smiled. "We'll be careful, I promise."

But their Mom's great mood was ruined when his sister Alexandra spoke up. "Can I come with you guys?" She asked.

"No, Alex," Evelyn answered immediately. "You're not going."

"What?" Alex complained. "That's not fair! Brooke's going with them. Why can't I?"

Evelyn turned to Trevor. "Is Brooke really going with you?" She asked.

Trevor nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, I mean, the whole camping trip was her idea," He said. "She's bringing Connor with her. And Hunter's coming too."

Hunter Beckett and Brooke Rachford and were Trevor and Liam's bestfriends since pre-school. They mostly became friends because their Dads were friends were their Dad. Hunter is the eldest child among the four children of Lewis Beckett, the president of the Pyrmond and his wife Clara Thompson-Beckett (Yes, his brothers were bffs with the president's son.). Brooke Rachford was the only girl in their clique. She was the daughter of Gregory Rachford, their Dad's good friend from Marshfield.

Because of their eldest kids being bffs, the friendships carried on to the younger siblings as well. Brooke's younger brother, Connor was Bryce's bestfriend together with Jewel Beckett, Hunter's younger sister.

Also, like the Prescotts, the Rachfords were also from the Aquilos state of Pyrmond. Even before Bryce and his siblings were born, the two families lived quite close to one another.

But despite being Aquilosi, they were all enrolled in Braswell Institute a private school in Braswell, the country's capital city.

Trevor, Liam, Hunter and Brooke had just graduated high school and were off to college in three weeks. Olivia will be a senior; Alex, a sophomore; Bryce along with Connor and Jewel, will be freshmen and their youngest brother Tyler will be moving on to fifth grade.

According to what Trevor had told him, they were attending the Xavier Von Kingsley University in Penethon Island in Corona Tierra, except for Liam, as he will be attending Pyrmond Military Academy or the PMA in the state of Piedramonte just like their Dad’s brother, their Uncle Bentley.

When Evelyn heard that the Rachfords were coming, she had allowed Alex and Bryce to go with their brothers, Trevor and Liam, much to Tyler's dismay since he would be stuck spending the weekend with Olivia in the Prescott Manor. She allowed them to go with the condition that they bring their dogs with them.

Their Siberian Husky dogs were only puppies, but you can hardly tell since they were already as large as two-year-old hounds despite being only four-months old. It was about a month into summer vacation, their Dad had been in a business meeting in Avarel, a ski town and northernmost town of Aquilos, he had been walking back to his hotel when he came across six pups in the light snowfall. Harrison then brought the pups back with him to Gallanberg and gave them to his children.

Their mother had been convinced that the dogs had been gifts of god to them to stand as their protectors. She had thought that when Tyler had gotten lost in a sketchy neighborhood in downtown Gallanberg with his husky, Shadow. Apparently, his dog drove away a would-be robber with its loud bark.

Their parents had them use the family SUV, not Trevor's car since there were four of them, plus their supplies, their own sleeping bags, paper plates and plastic utensils, toilet paper and rechargeable lamps, which were fully charged before they left home. Trevor and Liam had agreed to bring the three tents, one big one and two small ones. And they're also bringing their dogs with them. Hunter was bringing the raw food, grilling pan and the cooler with drinks, and he was going to pick up the Rachfords on the way to Stonebridge.

They left Gallanberg an hour after lunch and drove for about thirty minutes, with Trevor on the wheel, Liam on the shotgun, and Alex and Bryce himself in the middle row of seats. Most of their stuff was in the back row. Their dogs weren't placed in cages. Alex's dog, Artemis sat on his sister's lap, where she was caressing the dog's pelt; Bryce's dog, Oddy was also sitting on his lap, looking out the car window; Trevor's dog, Bullseye was quietly sleeping on the space between Alex and Bryce; and Liam's dog, Winter was with him on the shotgun, doing the same thing Oddy was doing.

Their car went through an arch gateway that said, Stonebridge National Park.

"Here we are," Trevor said as they drove through the entrance arch. He glanced at the rear mirror to the backseat where Alex and Bryce were sitting. "Well, Little brother and sister, Welcome to Stonebridge National Park, where it covers one-third of Aquilos' entire land area and—"

"Trevor, shut up." Alex interrupted. "You're not the freakin' park ranger."

"Sheesh," Liam said. "Why so grumpy, Alex?"

"Just park this thing so I can run to the bathroom." Alex replied. "I've been holding it in for like fifteen minutes."

They reached the parking lot, which had about eleven cars parked. At the edge was Hunter Beckett's pick-up truck parked adjacent to a tree.

The Rachfords, Brooke and Connor were already out waiting for them to arrive, while Hunter was talking to some guy who looked like a park ranger.

When you tell people that Brooke and Connor Rachford were siblings, they wouldn't believe it. Mostly, because they look nothing alike. Brooke was short and is only 5'4", just two inches taller than his sister, Alex. She had shoulder-length curly brown hair and a lean and tone build, since she did athletic extracurriculars. While her younger brother was tall and just about the same height as Bryce, he also had a lean build close to scrawny but not really, and that he had cropped dirty blond hair. The only thing the Rachford siblings had in common were their intense green eyes.

Hunter was around 6'2" tall and had a muscular build, which was not surprising since the guy played football. He had black hair and electric blue eyes. And he was surprisingly humble and down-to-earth despite being the president's kid and growing up in the Piramrojo Palace, the official residence of the president of Pyrmond.

"Bryce, can you hold Artemis while I use the bathroom?" Alex said, handing her dog over to him.

"Um, wouldn't she still follow you wherever you go?" Bryce asked.

"That's why I need you to hold her for me, idiot," Alex argued. "So that she won't run off."

Bryce reluctantly picked Artemis and placed her on his lap next to Oddy, who growled at his littermate. "Whoa, boy," Bryce patted Oddy's hide to calm him down. "There's no need to get jealous."

Trevor parked their family SUV next to Hunter's pick up. And just as soon as the engines died, Alex raced out the car and ran for the restroom stalls.

Trevor reached out his hand to his dog, Bullseye, who was sleeping beside Bryce. "Come on, buddy," He called out. "We're here."

Bullseye then jumped out the car door Alex had left open.

Bryce opened the door on his side and settled Oddy and Artemis onto the ground, the helped Liam with their stuff.

"Bryce," Connor called.

"Hey, Connor," Bryce gave him a fist bump.

"So, you actually brought the dogs, huh?" Connor noticed.

"My Mom insisted," Bryce explained. "It was her one condition. She'd allow me and Alex to come as long as we bring the dogs with us."

"Extra protection, she said." Alex spoke up as she picked up her backpack from the back row of the SUV.

Suddenly, a voice called from behind them. "Well, well, well," The voice sound familiar. "If it isn't the Aquilosi elite and Mr. President."

They all turned and saw Dylan Fletcher, grinning like crazy. "Didn't expect to see you guys here."

Trevor, Liam, and Connor immediately went into their defensive stances with deathly glares on their faces.

Bryce remembered Dylan Fletcher, with his messy dark hair that looked like he had just rolled out of bed, his pale skin, and his icy gray eyes that regarded them like he had planned something that’s not good. He was in the same year as Trevor, Liam, Hunter, and Brooke.

Back when his brothers still attended Braswell Institute, Dylan started stalking Brooke in a weird and scary way. When Hunter, Trevor, and Liam found about it, they had insisted that she always sit between them for her own protection. They eventually tell on him to the school's guidance counselor and he stopped. But a week later, Dylan started on about it again, but this time, with Alex. At that time, Trevor had insisted that Alex sit with them during lunch and free periods. The school eventually called Dylan's father, Douglas Fletcher and they advised him to consult a psychiatrist regarding Dylan's unusual behavior. That was all Bryce knew, and now he was here.

Trevor shoved Alex behind him. "Dylan," He said, his voice harsh and cold. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

Dylan shrugged. "Same as you, I guess," He said. "Camping out before the school term starts." Then his eyes turned at the edge of the group. "Hi, Brooke," Then waved at Alex, who was behind Trevor. "Hello, Alex, you both look beautiful today."

Both Alex and Brooke rolled their eyes in annoyance.

Dylan took a step closer to them, but Artemis growled and barked at him, which made him jump back.

"Good girl," Alex said in a small voice, then stepped forward. "I guess we'll see you around, Dylan." She taunted. "Unless you want Artemis to bite off your fingers, then be my guest."

Dylan still had his eyes on the growling dog, and he looked terrified. He looked like he wanted to make a run for it, but scared that Artemis would follow after him and chew off his foot.

"Have a nice day, Dylan." Brooke added.

Dylan sighed, slowly took a few steps backwards before running off.

"Well," Bryce spoke up. "I guess Mom was right about the dogs after all. They're our protectors."

Connor shook his head in disbelief. "I'm telling you, that guy is a total psychopath!" He said. "For all we know, he probably followed us here."

"Don't worry about it now, little brother," Brooke assured. "I think Artemis already gave him a warning to stay away."

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "And I think Brooke and I can handle Dylan Fletcher this time."

"Alright, now that that's settled," Trevor said. "Where are we going to pitch our tents?" He asked.

"Somewhere away from that psychopath, please," Alex suggested.

"I agree with your sister," Brooke concurred.

"He won't be able to get near anymore," Bryce assured. "We've got four dogs with us. He'd be stupid enough to do so."

"Good point," Hunter said. "What about near the lake?" He recommended.

"The lake is five hundred meter hike from here," Liam informed, showing them a map of the entire park. "Any objections, people?" He asked.

No one complained.

"Okay, then," Trevor said. "Follow me."