Not Our Plan

Chapter eleven

This song is for our precious Liz. If it didn't show up, then just know it was Paper Crown by Alec Benjamin.

Ethan's mouth fell open, and he stared at Elizabeth with wide eyes. She grabbed a candlestick from a nearby table and brandished it at him. "Leave." She growled. "Now."

"Wait!" Ethan shouted, holding his hands up. "I can't leave, really. I can't..."

"Why?"

"B-because... I don't know..." He scratched his head. "Uh... Why don't you want to go back?"

Elizabeth pursed her lips and didn't answer, only scowled. He bit his own lip and looked at the ground. After a moment, he reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out the wooden bear he had found. "Uh..." He held it out to her. "I'm assuming this is yours."

To his surprise, she dropped the candlestick and stepped backwards, covering her face with her hands. "I'm not going back to him..." She said, turning away. She kept walking until she found the bed, where she dropped. Ethan entered the room cautiously, looking around. He didn't have much time to study the bedroom, because the princess spoke again, catching his attention. "It's all over." She said. "I'm going back to him. I'm never getting away."

"Him?" Ethan questioned. "Who... Who's he?"

She looked up at him, and he realised with horror her eyes were glistening with tears. "My father..." She whispered, a sob escaping her. "Please. Please don't take me back to him. I don't want to marry you, I don't want to leave. I just want to stay here and carve."

Without thinking, Ethan blurted out, "I don't want to marry you either!"

She stared at him. He blushed and looked away. "Look... I know this is weird, but can you please keep a secret?"

"Of course. I'm all about secrets." She sighed. "But don't think this bonds us or anything."

"I don't like women. I never have. I prefer..." He chewed his nails, doing anything to avoid her eyes. There was a small giggle, and he looked up at her. She was smiling. "You like cock, don't you?"

"Well... Um..." He turned even redder and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Yeah. I do."

"I don't like men." She stood up. "They're disgusting, and cruel, and just in general not what makes me happy. I like women."

Ethan giggled awkwardly. "How did it end up like this?" He giggled louder. She chuckled, shaking her head. "I have no clue. But... Wait. Do we still have to get married?"

The giggling instantly ceased to exist. Ethan mumbled incoherent nonsense, while she only walked over to a table and stared down at her wooden creations. She sat down on her bed again. "Fuck." She said. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK."

There was silence between them before a voice cut through the tension. "You don't have to if you come with me."

The two turned around, Ethan instantly stepping back and cowering behind one of the bedposts and Elizabeth instantly grabbing a hacksaw from her carving table.

There, standing at the doorway, was a boy. He had messy black hair that fell naturally in front of his eye and he was holding a knife. He was dressed in all leather. Like Elizabeth, he had boots up to his knees and Ethan could see a little pocket where he could keep a dagger in. On his hip was a sheath decorated with jewels. He was staring at them, his eyebrows raised.

"You don't have to if you come with me." He repeated, pushing himself off the frame of the door he had been leaning up against. "Marriage, I mean. Because who the fuck wants that?"

"How did you get into my castle?" Elizabeth growled. "Get out!"

"Wait, wait, wait." The boy held his hands up. "Hang on. I'm here to help you."