The Runaway

Chapter 20

The moon is now setting. The horizon shows the most beautiful yellow and orange sky.

I rarely see sunrises, no one needs to be awake that early. We've been walking all night. Any other time I wouldn't mind but right now I feel like I'm dying. My legs are shaking so much.

"Can we stop? I can hardly move."

He stops and looks around us before nodding. I lay sprawled out on the floor and try to control my breathing. The air feels cold and dry even though it isn't. Every part of me is burning.

After the longest time I can breathe through my nose again. Oh, the pain and misery. He seems only a little bothered by all the walking.

"Tell me things. There's time."

"There truly isn't. We're only here till you feel better."

"That's still time."

He rolls his eyes and leans on his arms as his hands are behind him, holding him up. He crosses his legs.

"What do you want to know?"

"If this isn't a trap, why are you doing this?"

"I'm bored."

"But you're a prince and your kingdom is huge! There are so many people to talk to and interact with. How can you be bored?"

"I have superb time management skills. There's always time to do nothing."

His answers make me more tired. I lay on the ground. The warm ground is so nice. The grass pokes me. The orange sky is turning yellow and the yellow is turning blue.

"Now, answer me a question. Why did you leave your kingdom?"

"I was bored," I tell him with a grin.

He stares at me annoyed before getting up and holding his hand out. I grab it and he pull me up. I follow him wherever.

"Why is there a gate hidden behind the forest? Isn't every kingdom supposed to have one exit?"

"In case there's a breach and everyone needs an escape."

That's smart.

"Aren't they going to be looking for us? I feel like they'd notice when their prince and the gal they kidnapped are missing."

"I told you; no one notices things. They never have and they never will, princess. Besides, they'll think we're on the stupid trip and that'll buy us time."

That's also smart.

"How'd you plan on running away with no map? Do you have a plan or a location you want to go?"

"I just know these things. I don't need a map and I can't tell you my plans or you will steal them."

He looks at me like I'm eccentric. I'm just amazing. I also have so many questions. Who wouldn't have so many questions?

The scenery is so pretty but there aren't tons of flowers everywhere. There are barely trees or anything, just open land. The breeze is absolutely beautiful, but the sun isn't as bright. The sky is slightly gray.

"What do we do if it rains?"

"Keep walking."

"What if one of us slips and falls and dies on a steep area of the land?"

"The other takes everything and keeps walking."

"That's sad. If you die, then I'm taking you with me and if I die you better cover me with flowers or something."

"Dead grass."

"No."

He nods. There's no dead grass around us and we haven't been past any. I have to stop smiling like a buffone. There's no reason to smile right now. I'm trying to get back home with no plans.

"Why are you running away?"

"To bother you."

"And?"

He shrugs.

This is so tiring. A giant magical bed needs to appear so I can sleep for days. It should rain so I can lay in mud, it's softer than the dry ground. Regardless, I shall lay on the ground, for my existence is about to disintegrate.

Every park of me feels weird. Tiny bubbles of electricity are in every limb. It's so weird. I sprawl on the ground and watch the characterless, gray sky. He stands over me, full of confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking about life and how you keep too many secrets."

"You ask too many questions."

"There's nothing else to do. You won't tell me things and there's nothing here. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I just want to be home."

"Then keep walking, don't stop."

"That's all we've been doing."

"No one told you to leave."

"No one told me to stay."

He stares at me for the longest time before setting the bag down and running his hands through his hair while walking around. The wind gets a little worse. It plays with my hair and the leaves on a nearby tree. The grass is prodding at me. The grass at home is softer. I miss home so much. His back is towards me, he's a small distance away.

"What ya thinking about?"

He turns towards me for only a second. I'd rather look at his gorgeous face but okay. After getting no response I got up. He opens the stupid map and looks at it for the longest time. I walk over to see whatever he's so intensely looking at.

There's nothing special on the old paper.

"Where are we?"

He points near his kingdom.

"All that walking and we're still by it?" He nods. "Where are you planning on going?"

He points at my kingdom.

"Are you helping your father take over my kingdom?"

"I wouldn't help him with anything."

"Are you helping me get there or are you going to steal the unicorns?"

"The unicorns. I wouldn't help you either."

"Do you help anyone with anything?"

"No."

"You should. It'll make you happier in life. You always look sad or annoyed."

He gives me a dirty face before grabbing the bag behind me and continuing on this horrible adventure. A good adventure would be flower hunting or looking for little animals to play with. There are animals, or insects. I hear things but I don't know what they are.

The noises disappear. Of course, as soon as I pay attention to my surroundings, my ears malfunction. I have the best luck. This is awfully boring.

"So... you like jewelry?"

He nods.

"Where are your earrings and horn rings? Is that what it's called?"

"It's horn jewelry and yes."

"Why aren't you wearing any?"

"It's too loud. Someone would have heard us."

"How much do you have?"

He stays quiet for a long time, an actual long time as if he forgot. Does he have memory problems? He always takes forever to answer me. Or does he simply not care? Wouldn't be very proper of him.

Neither was he when he walked around without shoes and called his father an arsehole but to each their own.

"I can't remember... a lot?"

"Doesn't it get heavy on your ears? I can't wear big earrings because they're too heavy."

"Sounds like a personal problem. My horns hold the chains, it isn't heavy." He points forward, "There's a city that way."

Only humans have cities. My wish is coming true after all.

"How far?"

A/N: Sylvian is so talkative and open, it's truly remarkable. 

He must really like unicorns too. Poor Vivienne is going to lose her unicorns.