For those who were concerned about my absence, you should join my discord server because I'm on there pretty much every day, and you'd know that I'm alright, just very busy :') There's a link on my profile!
- Sian
Taro's eyes avoided Sage's face until his thoughts caved. "It's better if you don't know because the reason might freak you out a bit. If you really want to know why you needed extra protection last night, I can tell you, but it might not be in your best interests."
Sage didn't like the sound of that. The thought of his safety being compromised was enough to make him want to crawl back into bed and never leave his room. "I want to know."
"Well, I told you that I fell off the bedside table. I didn't, I was pushed from it."
"What!" Sage gasped with widening eyes.
"Yeah, I felt it. And my vines weren't crushed by my pot, someone stamped on me."
Sage leaned against the desk when his knees weakened. His hand lifted to his chest, and his mouth gaped open. "Why would someone do that?" he whispered. "Why the hell would someone come into my room? I'm locking the door when I sleep from now on. I need to tell my father that-"
"That what?" Taro interrupted. "Your houseplant is complaining that someone is out to kill him? We have to tread lightly around this while I figure out who knows about me. In the meantime-" Taro fished out golden gloves from his pocket and wore them to hide his green nails. "I'm going to be careful."
Taro stormed to the door and Sage hurried after him to grab his arm. "Taro, someone tried to hurt you. How can you be this relaxed?"
"It's not the first time, and it won't be the last. It's dangerous to be my kind. Just let me worry about it, okay?"
This is madness. Sage was reluctant but nodded. He kept his hand on Taro's arm. "Just please be careful. We'll keep the guard at the door at night, and I'll stay with you when you're sleeping through the day in your plant form."
Taro smiled and stepped closer. "I will be careful, I promise. And thank you for looking out for me." His eyes flicked to his lips.
"It would be pretty tragic for anything to happen to you now while we're..." Sage's voice trailed away.
"While we're what?"
"Testing the waters."
"Right, and how are these waters?" Taro asked, stepping even closer. His hands dropped to Sage's waist.
"Open water scares me." Sage was very aware of how his brother Oxley could burst through the door at any moment. The risk excited him, and terrified him, and surprised him. Sage was slowly caring less about keeping his secret at all costs. Each morning, when Taro smiled at him, his hope burned a little brighter.
"It scares me too," Taro admitted. "But comfort zones are boring."
Why does he always have a good point? This is a chance worth taking, Sage. "Forgive me, but I'll have to remind myself of that at least three times a day."
"You're born into ancient traditions, I don't blame you for finding this scary, but isn't it also exciting?"
Sage gulped. "Only a bit," he admitted.
"You royals hate change... I hope to change that."
"Good luck," Sage scoffed. He was a creature of habit; it was drilled into him like how the crown would one day be drilled to his soul.
"I don't need luck." Taro stepped even closer. Their chests touched, and his hands grabbed Sage's waist. "Not with this jawline."
Sage couldn't deny that Taro's confidence was attractive. He not only admired it, but he wished to be like that and often thought about making more of an effort to be kinder to himself. "Someone could walk in."
"Or they could not."
They stood so close. Sage's eyes kept darting away, not wanting to focus on Taro's lips. A kiss would be the start of an obsession for Taro Vinea, Sage could feel himself falling faster and faster each day. "I'll be late for breakfast," he said.
"Well then, we can't anger the Queen." Taro stepped away with a smirk. His green eyes were very telling, especially when they settled on Sage's lips.
"Come on." Sage took the lead. He turned to make sure Taro was following down the corridor, and his eyes trailed him up and down. Sage's cheeks flushed. He loudly cleared his throat and Taro's eyes shot ahead.
Sage did his best to bury the excitement that could cost him the crown, and caught up to Oxley who was sauntering the hallway without a care in the world. Sage took one look at his unshaven face, his frizzy curls, and his bloodshot eyes to know that his brother had been doing anything but sleeping through the night. "You're still drunk," Sage complained when his brother looked up with a daft smile.
"Mum won't notice."
Sage shook his head, knowing fine well that she would. "Where did you go?"
"Nowhere."
"You know, if you keep hopping the walls to get drunk with god knows who and god knows where, I'll have to tell our parents. I won't like doing it, but this has to end." Sage was the eldest of the two, and had a duty to fulfil.
"You won't because you know I need that freedom." Oxley patted Sage's arm.
"But you don't need the press' attention for when you eventually say something you shouldn't."
"They don't care what I have to say because I'm not you. What I say means nothing because I'm just Prince Oxley." His brother grinned again. "I'd hate to be you."
Sage knew he was joking, but his words still stung. "Stop abusing your freedom, you're lucky to have it."
Sage watched his parents long drawn-out sighs and listened to them scolding his brother. If he had hopped the walls and got drunk with some friends in a small pub on the edge of town, his parents would place guards on him, and never let him leave unchaperoned ever again.
He envied his brother's independence, more often than not. There were days where he felt lucky to be the Prince next in line to be king. He had been born for the role and moulded to fit the crown.
"Can I invite some friends to the Wine and Vine event next week?" Oxley asked, like he hadn't just been scolded by his parents.
Haliver's cold blue eyes rolled around his head. "Your friends shouldn't share your company, let alone share an invite to this Palace."
"Dad, they're sons of Lord-"
"He's not invited. Neither are his sons, and for a good reason."
"What reason is that?" Sage asked. He was familiar with Lord Coniferous. He was a close friend of his fathers until suddenly, his father had nothing good to say about him or his family name.
"None of your concern," Haliver mumbled, still bitter. "He's just not invited!" Haliver then pointed to his younger son and ordered, "And neither are his sons!" He left, stomping his feet and muttering under his breath.
Oxley and Sage shared a knowing glance. Their father was a dramatic man, usually with fair reasons, so they questioned little and followed his judgement.
"Lady Liniana is coming to the Wine and Vine event next week, Sage," Marigold said, peering over at him with dark tense eyes. "Will you be spending time with her? I know that her parents will be there too, and they are very fond of you."
Sage's eyes darted to Taro who stared ahead with a tenuous frown. "Uh, I don't know," Sage replied in a panic. Taro's frown deepened, and his green eyes burned into a painting above Sage's head. The guilt ripped through Sage's gut. Taro was his person of interest, not Lady Liniana. "Actually no," he said aloud with a thumping heart, "I won't be spending any time with her. I'm not interested."
"Why?" Oxley questioned. "She's hot."
Sage ignored him, and ignored the flurry of butterflies in his stomach when Taro finally looked his way, and his eyes shaped with pride. Sage pursed his lips and tried not to stare for too long. "She's a good friend, and that's all I want her to be."
"Well, perhaps you should tell her that," Marigold added. "Before anyone gets hurt."
Sage couldn't look at her. His mother seemed to stare straight through him. Sometimes he wondered if she knew his secret, sometimes he wondered if she knew him at all.
After breakfast, Sage and Taro didn't speak while Sage completed a few tasks, though they shared glances whenever they could.
The moment they were alone, Taro grabbed Sage's wrists and smiled wide. "That was a step in the right direction. Now all you have to do is tell Liniana that you're not interested in being more than friends."
"I will," Sage vowed. Taro was slowly but surely stealing his heart. "It has never been fair on her to stay silent, but now it's hurting you too. My mum is right, I have to stop this before someone gets hurt." Sage could only hope that it wasn't too late.