Sage lunged forwards and hugged his younger brother. He was thankful to feel his arms forming tightly around him. A small part of Sage wondered how accepting Oxley would be, and a part of him knew their brotherly bond was strong enough to love each other no matter what.
"How are you?" Oxley asked into his shoulder.
"Right now, I'm okay," Sage replied, not wanting to tell him that his hope had thinned to a single strand, barely able to keep his body and mind connected. "And you?"
"Same." He pulled back and shrugged. "Can we talk privately?" His dark eyes travelled carelessly over the guards and then over Katie's parents hovering in the doorway. His gaze lingered until they bowed.
"This is Mister and Mrs's Silvoke, they own this farm and have been incredibly kind to offer us their hospitality."
"Yes," Oxley mumbled. Offering them only a polite smile. "Can we have tea, please?"
Sage's face flushed with embarrassment. He mouthed an apology on the way to the kitchen. Katie's parents understood, while Taro glared coldly at the back of Oxley's head.
They sat in silence at the kitchen table as Fergus hurried to get a pot of hot tea between them. Once they were alone, Oxley sank into his chair. "So, you and your valet," he said after sipping his tea and making a face of disgust.
"Stop being such a snob." Sage crossed his arms. "You were rude to Katie's parents."
"Who's Katie?"
"A maid at the cottage. She offered her parents farm as a place to hide. You need to talk to them about how grateful you are that they have given me a place to stay, a safe place to stay."
"You shouldn't have left the cottage. Do you know how dangerous it is to trust strangers? You're Prince Sage, you can't trust . . . strangers . . ." Taro had strolled into the kitchen and stood by the table. "Leave us to speak alone please."
Sage pulled out a chair and to Oxley's annoyance, Taro sat down. "You've come here with a lot of judgement," Sage observed. Oxley lowered his gaze to the marked table. "I'm glad to see you, but it seems like you're here because you have to be. You're worried I'll be forced to abdicate, and you'll have to be King. Is that why you're really here?"
"That's a part of why I'm here. Actually, I'm here for a few reasons, the first and main one was to check that you're okay. Now that I see that you are, the second most important thing is that I need to tell you everything. You know that something had been going on with Uncle Patrick for a while before he was murdered." Oxley paused and stared at Taro as though he wanted him to leave.
"Uncle Patrick was gay. Is that why everyone calls him a traitor?"
"Who told you?"
Sage clutched at his own hands. "I should have been told from the beginning."
"I agree." Oxley shuffled uncomfortably on his seat. "I feel like mum and dad should be here. They need to be a part of this conversation."
"Why are they not here?"
Oxley's mouth curled downwards. His dark skin creased between his dark brows. "They're not happy about you and Taro. I think they're more frustrated that you're dating Taro Vinea, your Valet, rather than how you're dating another man. But they're still not happy about that."
Sage felt any remaining hope leaving him through a slow exhale. "They're not okay with me being gay?"
"No."
The world muffled. Everything sounded distant, and he felt cold and isolated until Taro's warm hand rested on his thigh underneath the table. Sage glanced at him, knowing he would never be alone. He desperately clawed his mind back from the darkness. "But you still don't want me to abdicate."
"No, and part of that is because I don't want to be King. Another part of that is because this is your birth right. Don't let them bully you off the throne."
"I'm not even on the throne yet."
"Then fight for what's rightfully yours."
"What if I don't want it?"
Oxley paled. "Please, I don't want it either." His brown eyes turned into balls of dread. "Don't let mum and dad keep a homophobic institution. You can change it. They can't force you to abdicate because of who you're dating."
"But what about an heir to the throne once I'm King," Sage said, and he saw Taro twitch from the corner of his eye. He hasn't thought that far ahead.
Oxley shrugged and mumbled, "Adopt or something."
Taro turned his head and Sage felt him staring. Don't look, you'll blush. Don't look.
He looked.
"We can talk about that later," he said, feeling his cheeks heating up. Taro's green eyes circled his face and he nodded. "So, um . . . " Sage cleared his throat. "You think I should come back home?"
"Yes, I do!" Oxley declared with a sense of urgency. "Tabloids are going crazy like they suddenly know every little thing about you. It's all anyone talks about or writes about. Don't hide, it looks like your embarrassed to be seen with a boyfriend."
Boyfriend. Sage's ears rang loud. "I'm not entirely sure I want to go home to homophobic parents. I think I'd just prefer to avoid it all." He felt guilty. "I'm not embarrassed I'm just- I'm. . . " I'm just scared to be myself.
"Please come back. Talk to mum and dad, show them that you're not going to be bullied into silence." Oxley gripped the table. "Please, just give it a try."
Sage looked at Taro. His expression was a sombre one, though his eyes were unsure and worried. "We need to speak alone," he said, but Oxley didn't move. "Taro and I."
"Look, Sage, I-"
"Go and talk to Katie's parents. Be nice to them, they have done more than mum and dad bothered to do." Sage glared when he still didn't move.
"Fine," Oxley eventually muttered and left the table with an abrupt screech of his chair.
Sage hunched over the table and leaned his chin on his palm. "I don't know what to do," he whispered.
Taro squeezed his leg. "I don't want you to get hurt, but whatever you choose I'll follow. I don't want you to be bullied out of your institution, but I don't want you to be stubborn and keep your role because you refuse to be pushed aside. I don't want you to choose a path that'll only make you miserable."
Sage's thoughts circled around and around until he was tracing a circle into the wooden table with his finger. "I have years until I'll be King. If I go home and it's horrible, then I'll move out. We will move out. I won't stick around if they make our lives hard. I know Oxley doesn't want to be King, and I feel guilty about that but-" Sage sighed and pressed a palm to his thumping forehead. "I just don't know." Taro rubbed his back. "I don't want everyone to think I'm ashamed to be with you."
"Then let's show them how proud you are to be gay. You might be hated by some, but you'll be a role model to those who need you the most. That'll matter so much more than the tabloids opinions and lies."
A flame flickered inside of him. Maybe his parents didn't like who he dated, but he had to start living for himself, otherwise- one day- he would look back and regret his life. He suddenly flung arms around Taro and hugged him tightly. "I guess it doesn't matter what happens because I have you now," he muffled into his shoulder. "I won't be on my own and that's what I was always afraid of."
Taro pressed lips to his ear. "I'm with you every step of the way, Sagerian."
Hand in hand, they entered the living room full of guards, friends, and Sage's younger brother. Everyone apart from Oxley bowed. He only stared at their locked fingers with a hopefully expression. "Have you made a decision?" he asked.
"Yes." Sage swallowed thickly as his heart drummed strongly, though it beat to fuel the fire burning in the pit of his stomach. "We're going back to Pothos Castle to deal with this properly. I'll never know what's going on if I don't see my parents." He felt Taro squeeze his hand. "I have to look them in the eye and see if they still reject me. But I hope that whatever happens, everyone in this room will stay loyal, not only as my guards or as people who work for the Greenthenors, but as my friends."
"We will, Sir," Fergus said, and the same words rippled through the room.
"We're here for you Sage, no matter what," Mrs Beecham added with a hearty smile. Even Oxley smiled at the support.
Sage blinked back tears and gently bit the inside of his lip to stop his emotions from taking over. He was touched to his very soul, and one day he would repay them for their kindness. "Right then," he said quietly. "I guess we should go back to the cottage and dig the cars out of the snow."
"I have some spades you can use." Fergus hurried past him and Taro.
"We'll get the cars and bring them as close to the farm as we can," a guard said and sprinted down the corridor in a group of three.
Taro's mother and stepfather shuffled near with polite smiles. "Are you going back to the Palace too?" Jesse asked her son.
"Yep," Taro said with a confidence that didn't please her. "Don't worry, I won't be rude."
"Shall I arrange a safe house for you both?" Sage asked.
"It's okay, they'll stay with me." Mrs Beecham wrapped an arm around Taro's mother. "I'll make sure they're not harassed by the paparazzi."
Sage already dreaded the abuse he would receive. Reporters always spotted their cars, and they were not shy about flinging themselves in the way just to shove a microphone through the window or smash their cameras up against the glass.
"Are you ready to meet my parents today?" he asked Taro.
"Are your parents ready to meet me?"
Sage smiled. "They're definitely not."
"Good," Oxley said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "It's about time something changed at home; I was beginning to get bored."