Something With a Prince

14 Years Ago

The boy had gone home under stars, and the world tried to be as it once was when morning arrived.

Except the world could not hide under the false smile of blue skies and sparrows in the trees. Things that he had once enjoyed waking up to, now taunted his spirit in a way he did not understand. The world was permanently darker now. He had not expected such a change, and yet, when he sat up out of his bed and thought of the night before, he knew it wasn't a dream. The man was still walking away.

He tried to only be sad for the girl. Thinking of that soft face he knew so well after hours and days of playing together, but he was also sad for himself. For the loss he too endured when the man left. Who would share stories with him now, or teach him how to sword fight? Who would help him with the responsibility of those two words whispered to him in the street?

"Protect Thea."

Of course, most of these thoughts presented as a nasty stomach ache, the rest tucked themselves away in his brain. Saving up for a time when he was older and would know what all those feelings meant.

A knock came at his door, and the young boy made his way sluggishly across the nursery room to open it. He found his brother there, looking upset. "Lansing, what were you doing out so late last night? I looked for you all over, and mother was worried. Why were you with Rosemary? Where's Thea? Is she okay?"

The boy, Lansing, moved his eyes to the handle of the door and wished he were sleeping again. Wished the birds would stop chirping so loud, and his brother would go away with all his questions. "I don't know."

Just then the two boys' father entered from the hallway and was pulling Lansing in for a hug. Both boys looked at each other, stunned. Their father simply did not behave this way, and Lansing had the sudden feeling that nothing would ever behave in the same way ever again. Still, the young boy savored the feeling of his father's arms and the smell of tobacco that floated off his heavy clothes. He liked that his father was blond like him, that he was tall and looked like a storybook hero. He liked that his father always seemed proud of him, even when he was not always proud of himself.

"My son," The King smoothed down his child's hair, and after looking him over for injury, felt reassured at his being alright. This in turn ended the embrace rapidly and the King stood up as a King ought to. Straight and tall, like the kingdom would come toppling off the crown of his head if he did otherwise.

Instead of addressing the young boy, the King stared accusingly toward his eldest son. A furrow formed in his mighty brow. "What happened, Arlyn? Why weren't you watching your brother? How did this happen?"

The eldest boy faltered under that piercing metallic stare. No one ever described gold as being cold to the touch or unpleasant to the eye, but the eldest son felt his father's glare weighed as much as gold and yet, was as chilling as ice. To get a nod of approval, a smile, to receive a hug like the one his father gifted to Lansing, the eldest boy thought, would be more precious than all the gold in the world. Arlyn did not have his father's eyes, neither did Lansing, but they all shared in the color of his golden-brown irises.

Finally, the eldest admitted that he did not know what had happened, to the King's great displeasure. His father sniffed at him, and it was over, the glare was gone. The eldest could breathe again.

The King then softened his glance upon the young child silently waiting in the doorway. "Lansing, can you tell me what happened?"

Protect Thea. The man's voice echoed in the young boy's mind, and he knew what he had to do. But before he could lie, his words were spoken by a fourth voice.

"Your Majesty," Rosemary Osuin stood in the doorway, a cold expression upon her face. "My husband has left us. No one can know."