The Moon Isn't Always Right (Bxb)

4. The Prince

2.21.20

James's POV

There's something about the way he said that he would never kill that made me want to believe him. There was some unspoken draw to him that I have, and I don't know why. However, sitting here on the floor talking to him while staring at the ceiling I felt more alive than I ever had before. He brought out the best in me whether I was aware or not. The light had died on my eighteenth birthday, and it was time to go to bed.

"I only have one bed in my room. If you would like me to go get something for you to sleep on, that's fine. Otherwise, you can just sleep next to me. It's big enough."

"Are you sure that I won't be a bother?" he asked quietly. He seemed to always be on guard around me, and it isn't hard to see why. He was still nervous that I would kill him, but that was completely off of my radar. Whether or not he killed my Marshall, I could see in his eyes that he had either changed or never done it. He had an innocent air around him that I wouldn't destroy for the world.

"If it bothered me then why would I have suggested it?"

I got underneath the blankets at the top of the bed before feeling him enter at the other side. The hesitation was evident in his movements, but once he was in, he relaxed. I realized now that he had probably never slept in a bed before.

***

Once I was sure that he was asleep calmly, I slowly climbed out of the bed. I moved across the bedroom to the window and opened it. This was a small habit of mine that had grown over the years. It was like I needed to fresh night air to live. I rested my head against the wood framing and pulled my knees against my chest. I felt like the moon was trying to tell me something critically important, but I was drowning. The water was closing over my head and muffling all sound. I looked up at the hazy version of the moon while my eyes closed from drowning.

A gentle hand touched my shoulder, and it woke me up. I flew back from the window because of the vision it had shown me. What was that?

"Are you okay?" Kody asked cautiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Did I wake you?"

"You were making quiet sounds of panic. I sleep lightly as an adaptation to the constant danger of living on the streets, so it woke me."

"I'm sorry."

"Why were you next to the window anyway?"

"I've always craved adventure. Ever since I can remember I've been trapped in this castle with no release. I haven't felt real grass in ten years. The closest I can get without ruining the perfect prince my parents have made is the window."

"This perfect prince doesn't sound very healthy."

"He isn't. He begs to be freed, but he stays captured. He knows that he's lucky to have a roof and a meal, but he longs for more, you know. I want to run without being shouted at. I want to see the outside world without the looking glass of my parents glued to my eyes."

"What time is it?" Kody wondered.

"Midnight."

"What time are you woken?"

"7 in the morning."

"Do you trust me?" he suddenly asked like that cheesy Disney character in the old movies.

"I mean, kind of?"

"You provide for me, I'll provide for you," he murmured before his hands messed with the screen on my window.

"What the heck are you doing?"

"Just wait for it."

Suddenly the screen popped out into his waiting hands, and he set it just inside the window. Then... Then he leapt out of the window! This is the second story!

I poked my head out of the window to see him standing below my window. "Come on, we'll get you back by 7, I promise!" he called up. You know what, screw my parents and their stupid perfectionism. I jumped down and landed into his arms. Kody put me down and then took off running. I sprinted after him, and since I had longer legs, I easily caught up. Once we stood on the crest of the hill above the capitol city of Carbous, he turned to me.

"Whatcha wanna do, princy?" he asked goofily.

"I don't know, there's so much."

"I'll take you to the market. Nothing will be open, but it's still a nice sight. It's also a nice part if town; a lot of places get dangerous once the sun sets."

I followed the miracle boy into the place he had called the market. There were so many interesting colors and scents, and I wondered how much better it would be in daylight. I felt completely at ease with Kody, and it was like he was designed to tear down my walls. Even though it was dark, he took me between stalls and told me what each sold, and it was so vibrant. I could smell the different fruits, and someone near us was cooking bread by the scent of it. I could taste the dew on the cold nighttime air that I had never gotten from the window. The only real sound was Kody explaining everything, but I could hear children crying, men snoring, and the distant call of a bird in the background. It was everything I had ever imagined, but more.

"Is it all you though it would be?" Kody asked at the end of his little tour.

"It's better. Nothing compares to this in the castle! It just makes me want to explore more."

"We can't, I promised we would be back by 7. It's 5:30."

"Time flew by fast."

"That it did."

He lead me back through the tangle of streets to the hill, and we raced back. It was amazing to feel the wind blow through my hair, and this all felt like a vivid dream. However, I knew that it wasn't because I could never imagine this all on my own. Kody helped me climb the wall then scaled it himself, and once we were both back into the room, secured the screen back to where it was. There was no evidence that we weren't here all night.

We both lie down in bed again, and Kody was chuckling slightly. "What is it?" I asked curiously.

"It's just that when I woke up yesterday morning I never imagined exploring the market with the Prince of Carbous. I feel like we balance each other out in a strange way. You give me the feeling of being cared for and having my necessities, and I give you tastes of freedom in return."

For some reason, I pulled him closer to me. I don't know why, but I just wanted his presence next to me. His face buried into my neck, and I was glad that he didn't pull away.

"Goodnight."

"Well, actually good morning, but sure go with that," Kody responded jokingly before we both slipped into a blissful 2 hour sleep.