Prince of Lies

Chapter 13

"Haruto." Jace gently knelt in front of him and shook his shoulder.  "Haruto, let's get moving. The fire's gone."

Haruto  made a small noise, sitting up and sniffing. His nose was running, and shivers still overtook his small frame.

"Did our clothes dry?"

"Yes. They're back in a bag. The horses are both ready."

"... Do we have a blanket?"

Without hesitation, Jace shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around Haruto's shoulders, slipping his arms through and zipping it up. "Let's get you back on Admiral. We only have a few hours to go."

"We still have half a day's ride left." Haruto  moaned. "But okay."

"Are you really okay to ride?"

"As long as I'm close to you." Haruto  leaned down so his nose was buried in the collar of Jace's jacket. "And it smells like you." He smiled and held up his arms for Jace to pick him up.

"Yeah? You like smelling like me?"

"No. I just like it when you hold me." Haruto  snuggled closer as Jace carried him towards Admiral, who bowed onto all fours to let Jace put Haruto  on his back.

"If we gallop it will go faster." Haruto  murmured from beside Jace.

"You just want Admiral to run, don't you?" Jace chuckled.

"For a little bit." Haruto  cracked the reins and sent Admiral hurtling forward.

Jace and Major followed until the next landmark, a small mountain that had been stripped of its resources and partially demolished.

"Don't get too far." Jace said as Major caught his breath. "I don't want to be reminded of that day you were kidnapped."

"I've had worse days." Haruto  said absently.

"But that was when you lost your legs." Jace said.

Surely that was the worst thing that had ever happened to you.

"I was raped, Jace." Haruto  reminded him, staring straight ahead.

"Oh. Right."

How could I forget? The day that I failed you. The day that I left your side-

"You didn't fail me, Jace." Haruto  said softly.

Crap.

He read my mind again.

"You were just allowing yourself to live a bit. I couldn't fault you for that. There's more to your life than just me."

"And yet I'm marrying you."

"Only because you being my guard and my husband are two totally different positions. We won't have to pretend anymore. Or hide. People were critical of us because I've been promised to a princess. But I gave my heart to you a long time before that."

There he goes again.

It's sweet.

"When we get married, we'll have a little over eight years together." Haruto  turned to look at Jace. "Excluding when you have to go off to war. I wish I could go with you. We'll miss so much of each other."

"But I'm fighting for you." Jace said, turning to face Haruto. "The time will pass even quicker as long as you write to me."

"Of course I will." Haruto  affirmed. "I'll have nothing else to do while ruling in my father's place. Just boring talks and-" something caught his eye. "Look! Corvia! I can see it from here!"