king of (broken) hearts | lavashipping

VIII | stairway to heaven

Tranquillity, that's what it was – the feeling... as if time has stopped, despite the never-resting flow of the wind, despite the Earth still spinning, despite the animals running around, despite Cole weaving a flower crown underneath the tree.

Kai could fall asleep like this – his body supported by the strong and steady branch he was lying on, the sunlight being tamed by the whispering green leaves, however, not being hidden completely... He could only wonder if he actually didn't fall asleep as the calm symphony of the rustle of the flora accompanied by the birds' singing filled his ears, as the sky above glistened like a gemstone, as the white sheep ran across it, their shepherd being gentle as ever. His leg swayed softly along with the tree's arms, right above Cole's bowed head.

Everything felt so still, yet it never stopped flowing. Just like a river that has never been touched by humans nor beavers. Just like time itself. Steady and unsteady at the same time, following its path. A content sigh left his mouth, his lungs filling with the refreshing air afterwards.

The perfect moment of peace one could truly appreciate once it's missed.

With a short life span, it's once destined to become a ghost, destined to haunt.

"I can't wait to be a king," Kai spoke, his voice dancing along the other sounds, as if it always belonged there.

"I don't get it," Cole replied, his attention never leaving the bound flowers in his hands. "From what I've seen, it looks pretty boring. Just papers and stuff... So many things you have to take care of, so much attention..."

"Ah, well, you can get people to take care of that." Had his arms not been tucked behind his head, Kai would surely wave Cole's comment off as if it was an annoying fly. Stupid insects, what are they good for anyway? No one cares for them, unless they look appealing. Unless they're soft and colourful. Unless they catch a human's eye. Unless the people are met with their inevitable mortality. "But you have so much stuff! The food is great, you can go sparring when you want, you have a huge castle to live in... and many more places to live in too... There are just so many opportunities! You could never get bored!"

"It's not bad..."

"Not bad? Not bad? What do you mean 'not bad'? Isn't it awesome?"

Cole let out a sigh as he picked up another dandelion he had prepared in his lap. "I mean it sounds good... but is it really? Sure, it's fun to live in a huge castle and all but what is it good for when most of it is left to get buried by dust? I think it's rather sad... You can't use everything. I mean, we frequently use only several rooms and the rest are usually just storage rooms for all the stuff my dad gets."

"Well, then it's fun to explore it and find interesting stuff, it's like a treasure hunt! You could discover some secrets and that..." Kai paused. "You know, you're bumming me out."

"I just think it's sad, you know? I found several rooms like that... We found some together... Once I found a pretty painting there. It was just lying on the floor with no one who would look at it... and it's such a shame because it's seriously so pretty. Isn't painting about this? About showing people what you find beautiful? What you feel? What good is an artist when his work gets put away to die in the darkness with no one to look at it? Why get things when you don't care about them?"

"Don't get all poetic on me, prince."

"But you get what I mean, right?"

Kai hummed, swinging his leg some more before letting it relax again. A few breaths... "Do you want to be a king?"