Riley breathed in deeply, his eyes falling shut. His face was warm with the sunlight, it glowed on him gently, ebbing away the morning chill and melting the mist. Birds chirped, leaves rustling as they hopped and glided from one tree to the next. It was a peaceful day. Spring had begun.
ㅤSome laughter sojourned the air. It wasn't intrusive, just noticeable.
ㅤRiley gazed out through the gardens towards the noise. Frost powdered the shadows, under the whisps of fog, sparkling like little jewels where the sun hadn't yet touched to steal them. Khearia was green and lush in the spring but, right then, it had been soaked in a blueish early morning light.
ㅤPrince Edric was roaming by the bushes, his guard on his heel. Riley felt his heart warm as he stared.
ㅤCold hands suddenly zapped his neck and Riley flailed, snapping around in accusation.
ㅤ"Don't do that!"
ㅤLlwyd grinned, reaching out to try again. Riley smacked his hands away and then gripped his sword's handle in warning, raising his eyebrows in challenge. Llwyd sniggered at the overreaction.
ㅤ"You looked far too happy," Llwyd teased. "I needed to ruin your day."
ㅤ"Seeing your face would've been enough."
ㅤ"I'm a high achiever. Ambitious."
ㅤ"Go play with your granny, drewgi."
ㅤRiley's eyes drifted over to Prince Edric and his guard again. The two of them were talking, smiling easily about something. Riley was a little jealous; Prince Maurice wasn't as pleasant to be around.
ㅤLlwyd rested his elbow on Riley's shoulder, coming beside him to see what he was looking at. He hummed.
ㅤ"Who is that?"
ㅤ"Prince Edric," Riley said flatly.
ㅤLlwyd laughed. "Prick. Your name still suits you, you wry motherfucker."
ㅤ"I know you're a little stupid. Sod off, will you?"
ㅤ"I want to know what you're being so cagey about."
ㅤIt was at that moment that Prince Edric's guard noticed them. The man's face lit up, warmer than the sun. He smiled at Riley, familiar dimples etched into his cheeks, waving.
ㅤRiley waved back.
ㅤ"What's his name?" his cousin asked.
ㅤRiley side-eyed him. Llwyd smiled innocently.
ㅤ"Simon."
ㅤLlwyd snaked his arms around the top of both of his shoulders, bending his elbow around Riley's neck. He pulled him, trying to disrupt his balance. It did well in dissipating the tension Riley felt.
ㅤ"Stop!" he complained, trying to break free.
ㅤ"How long have you known him?"
ㅤRiley narrowed his eyes but it didn't seem Llwyd had any malicious intent. No, he seemed genuinely curious.
ㅤ"A few years... we've been close since Autumn."
ㅤ"Two seasons, huh?"
ㅤLlwyd seemed deep in thought. Riley used that to his advantage to snake himself out of Llwyd's grasp. He straightened his clothes, trying to fix his dignity. He hoped Simon hadn't seen that; he would make jokes about it later.
ㅤ"Why? Is there something you want to say?"
ㅤLlwyd shook his head, seemingly amused by how defensive Riley was being. "None at all, twp. My dad wants to see you, by the way."
ㅤ"You should've told me that earlier."
ㅤBefore he left, he cast one last look their way, lingering. Prince Edric was howling with laughter— no doubt Simon's doing. He was good at that.
ㅤThen, he knocked his shoulder into Llwyd as he left to meet his uncle, having to bear his cousin's smug and knowing looks the whole way.
➵ ➵ ➵ ➵
The duke stayed behind with the guards whilst the rest of them wandered back through the basement corridors.
ㅤ"You should've let us do it," Riley said.
ㅤJames now wished he had. Talking with Marigold hadn't taught him anything nor had it brought him any closure. Instead, it had only killed a few more of those meagre sweet childhood memories he'd tended.
ㅤHe didn't have to do things on his own anymore. Next time, he could push himself to take Riley up on any offers— or anyone, for that matter. These men were capital at his disposal; little wooden soldiers on his table.
ㅤ"You can deal with her from now on, then," James agreed.
ㅤ"I had no idea you'd been engaged," Thomas remarked, a curious note taking root. "You really were a prince, huh?"
ㅤRiley raised an eyebrow at his colleague. "That was a stupid thing to say."
ㅤ"Bash your head in and do one."
ㅤJames glanced Alex's way. His man had a habit of falling into silent moods but, this time, it was as if he was absent entirely. His face had done that thing where it went hard and cold, hiding his true feelings in an iron chest.
ㅤ"It was brief," James conceded. "We were only kids. It didn't mean much."
ㅤRiley scoffed. "It was an engagement— a royal one. You were promised to each other. Trust me when I say: it's nearly impossible to escape such things."
ㅤ"Well, I did."
ㅤ"By luck. Luck, alone."
ㅤJames hadn't considered the events that had led to its dissolution as luck at all and his stale engagement had been the last thing he'd been worried about.
ㅤJames inspected Alex again, finding nothing. Alex was a jealous person. James didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing, though. Alex didn't expect James to accommodate those insecurities and James was pleased with the implication that, in some fashion, Alex considered James a possession, too. They had each other.
ㅤ"I hadn't lied, you know. I've never loved that woman. At least— not romantically."
ㅤ"That's none of my concern," Alex replied.
ㅤJames' smile was wobbly. Alex was just upset, he knew that.
ㅤ"I'm sorry James, but... she was awful," Fletcher spouted, clearly agitated. "I don't know how you kept your patience with her. My Gods..."
ㅤThe corners of James' lips quirked up, a smirk playing on his lips. "You realise that's lèse-majesté still, right? You're slandering the Ankaid crown. You're a little criminal."
ㅤFletcher growled, his face becoming a deep red. "A crime? Perhaps, yes..." he allowed. "But, she is mental. The gall of her to say that to your face pisses me off."
ㅤJames chuckled at Fletcher's enthusiasm.
ㅤ"We've been a bad influence on the kid," Thomas grumbled. "I blame you lot for swearing so often."
ㅤ"Your kid is the one who likes bears biting men's heads off," Riley accused.
ㅤ"And Fletch was the one who wrote it," James pointed out.
ㅤFletcher skipped forward a step, coming beside him. He leaned forward, peering up at James. "Hey."
ㅤ"Hey."
ㅤThe scholar smiled. "I'm glad you came back. We would've missed you."
ㅤ"Speak for yourself," Riley snorted.
ㅤIt was then that they turned a corner, walking straight into Yusuf and Mererid. Mererid clutched her heart, laughing nervously, having been spooked.
ㅤ"Yusuf, perfect," Alex clasped his shoulder. "I need you to go find out where Harrison and your men are. Look around, send a bird, do anything. They should've arrived by now."
ㅤYusuf grimaced. "I am worried. I will go do that."
ㅤ"Thank you."
ㅤMererid's attention hovered between James and Alex as if she were unsure who to look to. Alex stiffened. For the first time in a while, he regarded James, uncertain.
ㅤThe dynamics were strange; James was higher in rank but had mostly been hands-off until now so Alex had fallen into an uncontested leadership. Now that James was being proactive, it made for an awkward and confusing chain of command.
ㅤJames preened under the attention, standing up straighter and smiling. His father's favourite phrase had been a simple one: a king didn't rule a territory on his own. He didn't object to Alex giving out orders for that reason. Alex was a caring and competent leader.
ㅤ"You're a leader," James said to him, sincerely. "You have been this whole time."
ㅤAlex relaxed a little, the coldness thawing and his gaze softening. There was a little guilt mixed in there, too, but the reaction brought a great relief to James. Alex still liked him.
ㅤIt would be okay.
➵ ➵ ➵ ➵
"They're here!" Thomas announced, suddenly appearing in the doorway.
ㅤThe playing cards fell out of Riley's hands, scattering, laying lifeless across the floor.
ㅤ"Shit."
ㅤA flurry of movement followed, all the men picked themselves up from wherever they sat and hurriedly concealed their weapons on their bodies. James would have to leave Eris upstairs. She was too recognisable, even Marigold had remembered her appearance. She was too conspicuous.
ㅤRiley didn't move, he was still like stone, watching the others arm themselves. James noticed.
ㅤ"Guards?" James asked.
ㅤ"Several," Thomas confirmed.
ㅤJames cursed under his breath, turning to pace in thought. He noticed Alex looking at him grimly.
ㅤ"He might still change his mind again," Alex said.
ㅤJames considered the idea seriously and slowly shook his head. "I think Duke Straton has realised the rope he was holding on to was rotting... I imagine he wants to break free of them all."
ㅤ"And how certain are you?"
ㅤ"Fucking hardly," James snapped, running a hand through his hair. "But I don't have the time to worry about that because I'm more concerned that Prince Maurice has a spy in here somewhere that we don't know about and that rat is going to know that I was the one that killed that bitch of a maid."
ㅤJames had gone back to check on the location of her body shortly after he'd left. Despite having heard no news of the murder, her body had disappeared. It had been found.
ㅤ"There's enough of them that one could easily slip away and converse with a spy," Thomas affirmed. "We would have no idea."
ㅤ"Riley," Alex barked. "The duke's guards. How likely would they listen to the orders of the duke over the orders of Prince Maurice?"
ㅤThat was yet another thing to worry about. A few trained enemies could turn into a few hundred with a single word. They'd be rabbits in a colosseum.
ㅤ"I have no idea," Riley replied. "The hierarchy would become... uncomfortable. But, without an official prerogative from King Godfrey, the guards should theoretically be under the duke's command still."
ㅤ'Theoretically' wasn't good enough to bring ease.
ㅤFletcher's notebook trembled in his hands, he clung to it tighter. "We're relying on a lot of assumptions. What if they don't?"
ㅤJames was going to intervene but then Riley stepped forward, holding Fletcher's face in his hands, roughly tipping his head up and forcing the scholar to look into his hard eyes. "They will. They love the duke. You've seen it. You'll be safe, I promise you. Thomas and I are here."
ㅤ"You can't know that."
ㅤThomas came up beside Riley, offering his support.
ㅤ"I do." There wasn't a wobble in his conviction. It was unequivocal. "You endured him once before, Fletcher. You can do it again."
ㅤRiley retrieved his hands but maintained his certitude. After a moment, Fletcher slapped both sides of his own face.
ㅤ"I'm being cowardly," Fletcher bit out. "I've done it before. I'll do what I did last time."
ㅤThomas lightly patted his cheek, it was red from where it had been struck. "Good chap. Excuse yourself for the bathroom if it's too much."
ㅤ"It won't be," Fletcher stated, mustering courage and crushing it through a meshed wall of fear. He released a steady breath. "I am smart enough to be okay."
ㅤThe shake of muffled laughter rumbled in their guts. James recognised that bloated brazen self-satisfied sound immediately. It came with a careless confidence that only a man without misfortune could conjure.
ㅤAlex was the first to move. He paused near the door. "Let's go."
ㅤAlex led them to the hall, Riley and Fletcher on his toes. Thomas and James held back, a few paces behind. At this dinner, their pair would act like furniture compared to the main stage. Alex, Riley and Fletcher would be the main characters to Prince Maurice.
ㅤJames kept his head down as they approached, sliding in next to the duke's other guards with Thomas.
ㅤPrince Maurice towered over them all, long and elf-like, a perpetual smugness in his quirked-up lips like he was privy to a joke that no one else was. James had to quash his own demented amusement. He hadn't forgotten what Prince Maurice had said the last time they'd met. A sickly burn of panic rippled from his heart, his chest tickled in anticipation. His body was preparing itself out of a violent longing.
ㅤThings were different now. Unlike last time, it was too late for James to turn back. He wasn't a commoner any longer and he was regressing into his old royal sadism, his personality realigning with its other half— with that gold hidden under the surface and caked in dust. He had power.
ㅤ"Have you ever met Lord Alexander Chamberlain?" Duke Straton asked the prince as Alex approached their conversation.
ㅤPrince Maurice stared at Alex, assessing him like he was deciding if the meat on his plate was edible enough by his standards. By the disgusted twist of his mouth, it seemed he thought it was rotten.
ㅤ"We've never met," Prince Maurice said. He didn't offer Alex a hand, and Alex didn't either. The prince glanced at the empty space where Alex's offered hand should have been and his jaw tensed.
ㅤJames stifled a smirk. The prince was outraged that he didn't get to snub Alex.
ㅤ"Your Royal Highness," Alex greeted. He didn't bow. "It's a pleasure. I'm Duke Chamberlain's son."
ㅤThe prince laughed. "Of course! You take after him. I'm familiar with your brothers. Riley told me a lot about you."
ㅤRiley took that as permission to involve himself. His body was light as he bowed, his face split by a big smile. "Your Royal Highness."
ㅤ"Oh, stop that," the prince playfully scolded him, thumping him on the shoulder. "No need to be so formal, you know it annoys me. Are you happy you get to see me again so soon?"
ㅤThere was no doubt in James' mind that the prince would be furious if Riley ever did indeed stop greeting him as such.
ㅤ"I had hoped I would run into you here," Riley confirmed. "Uncle was kind enough to invite me since I was in the area."
ㅤ"Family is very important," Prince Maurice excessively agreed, nodding. "We need to take care of each other during days like these. We must be grateful our family is so close-knit, others are not so lucky."
ㅤThe duke's smile looked just as natural as Riley's. "I couldn't agree more."
ㅤThe prince regarded Alex for a moment as if waiting for a particular reaction. Alex had no reaction to give. He remained pleasant and unaffected.
ㅤ"I've heard a lot about Duke Chamberlain's family, too," Prince Maurice persisted.
ㅤ"He's an excellent father," Alex replied.
ㅤPrince Maurice was severely underestimating Alex if he thought this was enough to knock him off balance. Alex was too desperate of a man to be flustered during such an important event.
ㅤ"I'm sure he is," the prince was quick to dismiss, searching around. "Will Mererid not join us? I heard she'd opened the jousting on your behalf, uncle. I hope you're feeling better, that being said."
ㅤ"I'm feeling fine now, thank you. Mererid's out playing with her friends, she hasn't been back for some time now so she doesn't know you were arriving. I hope you accept my apologies on her behalf."
ㅤThe prince waved the sentiment away. "I am the rude one for requesting an invitation on such short notice!"
ㅤBut that hadn't stopped him from doing as he'd pleased.
ㅤ"I wouldn't dare consider you rude," the duke laughed. "It makes me happy you care so much for us."
ㅤPrince Maurice cast a quick look Fletcher's way. He didn't pay any further attention to the scholar beyond that. James felt relieved. It was better for Fletcher that way.
ㅤDuke Straton led everyone through to the dining room. James and Thomas cut in before the prince's guards, standing on the sidelines.
ㅤThe fresco of a woman, her features made beautiful with sorrow as she held a bleeding man in her arms, peered over James' shoulders at the scene. James couldn't shake off the feeling of someone being behind him, it was creepy. Thomas didn't care, he was monitoring the prince's people.
ㅤWithout any discussion exchanged, Prince Maurice strolled through the room, the echo of his footsteps wobbling in the air. He took the seat at the head of the table, where the duke normally dined. Riley and the duke sat on the ends, next to the prince and opposite each other. Alex subtly urged Fletcher next to Riley whilst he went beside the duke.
ㅤ"These paintings are beautiful," the prince complimented. "Do I know the painter?"
ㅤ"Thank you. It depicts the strained relationship between the two Gods. It took the painters years to complete."
ㅤThe prince nodded, distracted as he looked up at the ceiling. The eyes of the Gods stared back. He hadn't noticed his question went unanswered.
ㅤFood was served to them flawlessly, despite the rigidity in the servants' delicate frames. They seemed wary of him, as did the duke's guards. James wasn't sure if the prince noticed the tense atmosphere, a forced cheer had been thickly covering it like fog.
ㅤThe prince was delighted as he indulged himself. "I want to kiss your chef!" he joked.
ㅤThe rest of them ate woodenly. Fletcher pushed the food around on his plate.
ㅤWhen the prince was finished, his smile quickly fell and he leaned back in his seat in a cold snap, openly gazing at the duke.
ㅤ"Are any of your people missing?" he asked.
ㅤThe duke blinked in surprise, knitting his eyebrows in thought. "There shouldn't be. All my guards were present at attendance this morning. Why?"
ㅤPrince Maurice hummed, slowly chewing over that answer, tasting it. The duke's expression was flawlessly composed and confused. Fletcher, the weakest actor of their group, did not react, not understanding. If he'd said it in plain Khearian, he may have gotten a reaction.
ㅤPrince Maurice's arrogance was his greatest weakness.
ㅤ"I see. I see. It doesn't matter, in that case."
ㅤThe duke performatively hesitated to accept such an answer, but begrudgingly did so.
ㅤJames had been right; the body had been found. And now Prince Maurice was sniffing around. It was paramount that they didn't allow any of the prince's guards to receive a message. Their thin spiderweb thread of a cover would be broken.
ㅤ"You changed your hair," the prince remarked to Riley. There was a suspicious sharp edge in his tone. His smile returned, fake. "Are you planning on going to war or something?"
ㅤ"You surely jest," Riley chuckled. "It just did not suit me."
ㅤ"It was hideous," the prince immediately confirmed. "Took you long enough. I suppose even someone like you would eventually care about their appearance."
ㅤThe dent this did to Riley's good humour was probably real. It hadn't been obvious what the prince had meant by that. James reckoned it was deliberately said in such a way.
ㅤ"So, Lord Alexander," the prince continued, sneering on the word 'lord'. "What brings you here?"
ㅤAlex opened his mouth to answer but he was quickly interrupted.
ㅤ"Oh, I'm sorry," the prince chuckled, pressing his fingers against his mouth in embarrassment. "I didn't consider whether you'd understand. What language do you speak?"
ㅤ"This language is fine, Your Royal Highness," Alex assured him. "I've been fully educated."
ㅤThe prince was stony for a moment. "Your father is very thorough, huh? That's generous of him to teach his adopted child, also."
ㅤ"It was, indeed, very kind of him," Alex steadily agreed.
ㅤThe prince's poisonous gaze fixed upon him and then narrowed. His movements were quick, he reached his arm out over the table, far, as if to grab for something, and knocked a bottle of red wine to the side. The red drenched Alex's lower torso and pooled in his kilt, the white tablecloth stained with its spill. Alex pushed his chair back in a panicked fluster but knew better than to stand without permission. He sat there, the liquid soaking in further and deeper. James had no choice but to watch.
ㅤThe glass bottle rolled over the edge of the table and smashed against the tiles, glass shards scattered across the floor. Alex grimaced.
ㅤ"That was clumsy," the prince sighed. "Your servants should know better than to leave an open bottle on the table like that."
ㅤ"Very right," the duke agreed, his clothes also stained from the splash.
ㅤ"Please," the prince said to Alex, "don't remain sitting for my sake. You're drenched."
ㅤAlex forced a hard smile and didn't second guess the prince as the prince had probably hoped he would. He took the permission and stood, wringing his clothes of the wine. It drooled to the floor, catching on Alex's sandaled feet. James noticed some darker drips on Alex's calves besides the beverage. The glass had cut his skin in places.
ㅤJames clenched his fists, retaining his difficultly won composure.
ㅤ"I apologise for this display, Duke Straton," Alex said.
ㅤThe duke nervously glanced towards the prince, who glowered at Alex, unimpressed. "It was only an accident..."
ㅤ"Yes, no apologies are needed." Prince Maurice grinned, his teeth bared. It fell. "It must be uncomfortable. Why don't you remove your shirt?"
ㅤSilence chilled the air.
ㅤHeat pooled in James' face, outrage pricking at his skin, pulse throbbing.
ㅤAlex was no longer faking good cheer, he was stony, serious. "How could I dare?"
ㅤ"No, please. We're all men here. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. None of us here are sexual deviants."
ㅤThomas gripped James' wrist, hard, pleading.
ㅤAlex shook his head. "It would be rude of me."
ㅤ"I insist."
ㅤAlex didn't have a choice in the matter. The prince wouldn't let him excuse himself to change in private, nor would he allow Alex to wear wet clothes at the table in his royal presence. Everyone knew that.
ㅤA smug smirk played on the prince's lips, knowing he'd won, entertained by the situation he'd orchestrated. He waited patiently, anticipating what Alex would do, ready to scold him for any wrong response.
ㅤ"I thank Your Royal Highness for your generosity," Alex uttered, curt.
ㅤThen, he pulled the shirt over his head, the fabric pulling on his body as he did so, dragging red smears over him as his muscles bunched. There was nothing shy about him at that moment. He balled the material in his hand and wiped his body, smoothing the wine away, over his scarred skin.
ㅤJames' breathing stopped.
ㅤAcross Alex's back, large slashes of scars were embedded in his skin. They were layered thickly across in sharp gashes, new wounds on top of old wounds on top of even older wounds, digging into him severely. It was a mangled horror of pain branded into him, lessons and shame he'd be forced to carry for the rest of his life.
ㅤJames' molars whined in complaint as he ground them together tightly, his fists trembling. Thomas' grip crushed him harder.
ㅤThe front was better but it hadn't been spared. Some of the scars had been from whips, some from blades, and some were burns, even. It was revolting.
ㅤRiley and Thomas didn't seem surprised, only distressed. Fletcher and the duke, however, paled, gawking in shock and disgust.
ㅤPrince Maurice's grin snaked higher, somehow widening even more. It was a smile of delight.
ㅤ"I've seen slaves that have looked like you," he said, a vicious hum lacing his words. "Those ones hadn't lived very long."
ㅤ"I reckon I will," Alex replied.
ㅤ"You reckon so, huh?" the prince chuckled. "Your father needs to be harder. He's too soft."
ㅤ"I'll be sure to pass the message along."
ㅤThe prince's amusement suddenly ended, hardening like ice. "You're cocky, Alex. Rebellious. I don't like insolent people who don't know their place."
ㅤAlex wouldn't be deterred. He kept his tone steady. "I apologise. Your Royal Highness."
ㅤThe prince stared at him for a moment longer, he began to slowly tap his finger against the table, once a second, perfectly, as if counting. Then, he flattened his hand.
ㅤ"We'll see how long you can keep that attitude up." He smiled again, mood whiplashing back into cheer, and then gestured to Alex's chair. "Please, take a seat, Lord Alexander. I wouldn't want your legs to become tired."
ㅤ"Thank you." Alex did so.
ㅤ"That's the thing about family though, isn't it?" the prince preached. "You hurt each other to help each other. It's good to retain a sense of humour about it. Isn't that right, Uncle, Riley?"
ㅤThe two men nodded and mumbled in agreement.
ㅤ"It's good that you think you're funny," the prince continued. "This actually reminds me of my brother's guard. Ah, Edric, he's missing at the moment— on Adeia, may they find him— but his guard had always fancied himself a jester. He thought he was funny, too. He had this odd habit, I noticed. The worse the situation, the funnier he'd try to be."
ㅤRiley was stiff, unmoving.
ㅤ"What was that guard's name again, Riley?" the prince asked.
ㅤ"I don't remember."
ㅤThe prince frowned. "I guess he wasn't that memorable. Cousin Llwyd used to be friendly with this man as well, uncle. Granted, he was funny, but he was also imprudent. He seemed to think he could battle through life this way."
ㅤRiley stared at the table.
ㅤ"Well," the prince crossed his arms, snorting, "just as I'd warned that man myself; his sense of humour didn't last forever, after all."
ㅤIt all happened within a single moment. The whistle of a blade slicing the air, the sudden scrape of a chair, a clatter of cutlery. Riley was on top of Prince Maurice, their bodies falling to the ground with a bruising heaviness.
ㅤJames rushed forward, his body feeling like it was being dragged back by its own physical limits.
ㅤThe commotion began. The prince's guards jumped to attempt to subdue Riley whilst the duke desperately called for his men to get the situation under control. Thomas fought to get in their way.
ㅤJames reached them. Riley's arm was raised as he straddled his cousin, a dagger in his hand, a glop of dripping from it.
ㅤ"I hate you!" Riley wailed, choking on sobs, tears spilling from his wild eyes. "I fucking hate you!"
ㅤRiley reached for his side and the prince took the opportunity, gathered his weight, and shoved Riley off of him, scrambling to stand. Riley tried to bounce back but Prince Maurice kicked in the stomach. It made a solid sound on contact, Riley gasping.
ㅤJames pounced to his aid but one of the prince's guards got him. They swarmed him and Thomas as they fought to free themselves.
ㅤThe duke, in a mess of panic, watched on, frozen.
ㅤ"You fucking cut me... Me!" Prince Maurice was outraged, pressing the cut on his cheek, then looking at the blood it left on his fingers. "You bastard! Have you gone insane?"
ㅤPrince Maurice drew his sword and struck Riley's shoulder with the flat side of the blade. It made an awful noise. Riley cried out, the dagger falling from his grip and clinching against the ground. Prince Maurice noticed it.
ㅤThey held their breaths. Even James and Thomas froze. James already knew what it was.
ㅤOne of the prince's guards flanked Riley then but Prince Maurice whistled, stopping him in his tracks. He tutted, wagging a finger against it. "Don't intervene."
ㅤThe dagger had stopped right by the prince's feet. He bent down, his long hair brushing against the floor as he picked it up. He inspected it.
ㅤ"Is it... a relic?"
ㅤThey held their breaths.
ㅤRiley glowered up at the prince, his red-rimmed eyes darkened with murderous loathing. It was openly hateful and without any sense of self-preservation. Hatred marred his face in deep ugly creases.
ㅤThe duke stepped forward, ready to intervene. "Your Royal H—"
ㅤPrince Maurice's shout was hysterical. "A relic? You crazy bastard! You want the throne, don't you? Don't you?"
ㅤThe prince had a sword in his hand but he did not use it like Riley had clearly been expecting. In a flash, he kicked Riley across the face, using his foot to shove him down to the floor. It wasn't what their friend had expected.
ㅤJames slipped the knives from his wrists, slicing open the palms of the prince's guards who held him. They didn't relent easily, clambering to stop him. They were dragging him back.
ㅤ"You bastard!" Prince Maurice bellowed, kicking Riley's body over, and over, and over again. Dull destructive thumps, some cracking horrifically. "This is how you repay me?"
ㅤ"Duke Straton!" James called, desperately, a sword at his throat.
ㅤThe duke shouted in frustration, turning to his men. "Capture the prince's guards!"
ㅤ"Your Grace..."
ㅤ"Do it!"
ㅤPrince Maurice had been consumed by his fury. He paid no attention to the duke's orders. He paused to regain his breath and looked down at his hand as if remembering he had a sword in it.
ㅤRiley, battered, reached for the prince's ankle, pouring all of his energy into one last lunge, swiping at Prince Maurice's legs with another blade. The prince had taken a quick step back, laughing in disbelief.
ㅤBehind James, the duke's guards struggled against the prince's. James' body was caught in the fight.
ㅤ"You back-stabbing motherfucker... You're not getting the throne! It's mine! I won't let you!"
ㅤFinally, James broke free. The noise stopped, time slowed. He pushed against his feet, harder than ever before, his knees aching with the stretch. Riley. Riley, Riley, Riley.
ㅤIn front of his very eyes, Prince Maurice brought his sword down and stabbed him. It was right in his chest, through the sternum, metal scraping against bone with a nauseating vibration, twisting James' stomach.
ㅤHe'd reached the prince too late. He rammed him, thrusting him and his sword away from Riley. But, it had been too late.
ㅤ"You bastard!" the prince was still raving. "I can't believe you'd do this!"
ㅤ"Your Royal Highness!" one of the prince's guards pleaded.
ㅤPrince Maurice snapped his head around, panting heavily, assessing the situation in his red haze of fury.
ㅤJames dropped to his knees by Riley's side, tearing open his shirt. Riley looked at him, his face swollen, one of his eyes bruised shut. They weren't the same hateful ones he'd seen moments before. Now, they were bleak, the green dull and endless, despaired.
ㅤ"Get your men off my men!" the prince demanded.
ㅤThe duke stepped in front of Prince Maurice, acting as a wall.
ㅤ"No," the duke said. "I will not have murder on my land."
ㅤ"You don't have the authority to touch me," Prince Maurice sneered, stepping forward. "You're just a duke."
ㅤ"You're just a prince," the duke spat back. "I cannot touch you but I can imprison all of your men and interrogate them until they beg for mercy. Take one more step forward and I will defend myself."
ㅤJames assessed Riley's condition, holding down the wound. It was wet. It was big.
ㅤThe blade had missed Riley's heart but his wound was gaping, throbbing with each pulse. He was losing blood, quickly. The sword had hit an artery.
ㅤ"We're leaving," the prince snapped, turning on his heel. "Come on, my men. The bastard will die anyway." He took Riley's relic with him, clenching it hard as if he were trying to crush it with his fist alone.
ㅤ"Eris," James said, warm blood oozing between his fingers as he pressed down on Riley's wound. "Someone get Eris! I— I can save him! I can seal the wound!"
ㅤIt was possible. If they were quick, if they brought Eris here, now. She could stop the bleeding.
ㅤHe looked up at them. None of them moved.
ㅤA squealing noise rang in James' ears.
ㅤ"What... why are you all standing there for? Go get her!"
ㅤ"James," Alex said gently.
ㅤJames looked back down at Riley. His clothes were blackened with the blood, it pooled at James' knees.
ㅤRiley's body was wracked with a gargled breath, a shuddering sound.
ㅤThomas moved, finally. He crouched down on Riley's other side, his lips twisted into a grim line, staving off a frown.
ㅤ"Did I get him?" Riley croaked.
ㅤJames' eyes burned. He noticed Riley's hand, the knight's finger twitching. In it, another dagger slipped out of his grip as it became limp. It was his second relic, the poison activator. James slowly let go of Riley's chest, his hands wet, and cupped Riley's fingers around it.
ㅤ"...get him?" Riley asked again, quieter, rougher. "Please."
ㅤHe looked Riley in the eye and they were just as dead as they always had been, empty. Except, there was a pleading in them, a joyless begging. They were voids to look into, James fell into them so deeply. They were unending.
ㅤ"Yes," James lied. "Yes, you got him. You did it."
ㅤRiley watched a moment longer, blandly assessing him. James tried so hard to be believable, to fake his conviction.
ㅤRiley's eyes slowly fell shut and another tear leaked from them, rolling down his temple.
ㅤThomas' breath stuttered, the rhythm breaking apart. He leaned forward, his hands shaking as he held Riley's face in them, pressing their foreheads together. Fletcher whimpered, watching on uselessly.
ㅤ"You're okay," Thomas whispered. It came out as a harsh wobbly hiss. He wetly gasped for air, forcing down his cries. "You're fine, bud. You're absolutely fine."
ㅤIt didn't take long. Thomas sobbed, holding his friend's body in his arms, cradling him, rocking back and forth, stroking the hair he'd cut for him. Riley had passed. It had been quick.
ㅤJames had seen death so many times. Even though this was just another body, it hurt so much. His chest was welling up in pain, his throat raw as it stuttered over each breath. He let go of Riley's hand, taking the relic. It was cold in his palm.
ㅤ"My nephew..." the duke choked. He turned away, holding his mouth. "Oh, Gods."
ㅤJames regarded Alex; his eyes were wet and wide in disbelief, his shoulders slumped and tensed. It was obvious, he was in a half-state of denial. This was going to hit him hard once it sunk in.
ㅤPrince Maurice.
ㅤThat bastard had taken everything from Riley and he'd now taken him too. James stood, one of his feet sliding against the slippery tiles, soaked in blood. The relic was cold, but the blade was still sharp.
ㅤJames stepped forward, his walk leadening, becoming more certain. He went in the direction the prince fled.
ㅤAlex pulled him back by the arm.
ㅤ"He's already gone," Alex whispered.
ㅤ"I can catch him."
ㅤ"Don't do that."
ㅤJames jerked his arm out of Alex's grip, fury simmering. "I will murder that man!"
ㅤAlex grabbed his shoulders, his fingers digging into James' flesh. Alex shook him.
ㅤ"If you kill him, they will prove it!" Alex yelled. "You won't be able to become king!"
ㅤJames' composure snapped. He pushed Alex squarely in the chest, his throat ripping up as he roared in anger. All these unfamiliar emotions savaged him inside.
ㅤ"I never wanted to become king in the first place!" This truth tore out of him. He didn't want it. He really just did not want it— any of it. "I fucking hate this!"
ㅤWhy would he? He was being dragged back to the place all his misery began and the path to get back there was just as painful as the path to get away. He had known— he'd known this kind of thing would happen. And he knew it would happen again.
ㅤThese people, he would learn to care for them and they would keep dying, over and over again. It would be a never-ending cycle of suffering. Becoming king would trap him in this torturous version of Hell until the day he, too, would eventually die. What a Godforsaken existence it was going to be.
ㅤJames paused to catch his breath. He needed more air. Dizziness zapped at his head. He swayed slightly, needing to reground himself. Alex caught his elbow. This time, his touch was gentle.
ㅤ"Fuck," James choked, turning his head away. The pain surged again. It felt like he was crying. But, as always, his eyes were dry.
ㅤ"This was Riley's revenge, not ours," Alex whispered. "He knew the risk. He'd already accepted it by the time he lunged. We can avenge him, James, but we need to stop more people from dying first. That's why we came here. That's why he came here. We need you."
ㅤJames nodded, keeping his mouth sealed in a tight line. He'd known that. He'd agreed with it, even. For some reason, though, he wanted to put logic aside just this once and favour his impulses. They were so strong.
ㅤ"I'm so sorry, duke," he said. If he'd been just a little quicker, if he'd hidden Eris on his body, he could've saved him. He'd been too slow.
ㅤThe duke slowly shook his head, his cheeks wet, but said nothing.
ㅤNone of them could undo what had just happened.
ㅤIt was all too much.
ㅤJames needed some air. He gently pried himself from Alex and turned away, fleeing that stuffy room.