Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 74

"I'm just wondering," Pat said, making Logan look up, "when we run away... how are we gonna make a living?"

Logan shrugged and stood up. He started pacing, his hands behind his back. Pat stayed sat, watching him.

"I suppose... hm." Logan made a little noise of annoyance. "What about your toy making? I remember you said you always wanted to be a toy maker."

Pat shrugged. "Yeah but that takes time and without a proper shop, you can only sell on market days. We'll need something else too." He looked up at Logan and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Can you fish?"

Logan sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. But not in big quantities." He sat down beside Pat. "I suppose I could learn how to use a net. It would definitely make it quicker."

Pat took Logan's hand. "You'd get callouses." He said and held up Logan's hand. "No more skin like this. And it'd get chapped around your fingernails and cuffs in the winter."

Logan shrugged and gave Pat's hand a squeeze. "Honestly, I'd be fine with that. Would make me feel like I'd actually done something, I'd actually contributed."

"Anyway," Pat said, leaning his head against the tree behind him, "how're things your end?"

Logan shrugged. "Boring. Um, Oscar's still not said a word to father but he won't look at me anymore. Which is stupid because he's done much worse things. I got kicked out of a recent political discussion for suggesting we set up a kingdom-wide food bank. For reference, they were talking about how we should solve hunger in poor areas."

"What did they decide on?"

"Oh, something about a weekly donation- completely optional, of course." Logan rolled his eyes. "Only the good of heart will contribute and that is not a lot of courtiers. Honestly, if my father is so close with King Stephen, he should take a few tips from him on how to rule a kingdom."

"What about Oscar?" Pat asked with interest. "D'you think he'll be a good king?"

Logan shrugged again. "I can't say." He sighed. "Oscar spends enough time with the subjects to know their plights but he's such a huge, unmitigated arse that I don't think he'll listen. Or maybe that's just because he's my brother."

Pat laughed and leaned his head on Logan's shoulder. "Well, he'd better do fine." Pat gave Logan's hand a small squeeze. "The better prince will be off in Dover by then."

Logan let out a small laugh through his nose. "Better?"

"Mhm." Pat insisted. "In every respect."

"Uh-huh?"

"Shush!" Pat nudged him with his shoulder. "You're brilliant. You know how to do politics, you're kind, you're insanely smart, you're willing to try anything once, you can keep a secret, you're loving, you're so neat, you have ideas about how to run a kingdom, I..." Pat trailed off and shook his head, "I'd never be able to do all that."

Logan smiled a little and pressed a kiss to the back of Pat's hand, almost without thinking. "Thank you, Pat." His smile grew. He leaned back against the tree. "You're always so positive, I don't know how I'd ever survive without you."

"You'd be a lot more bored, that's for sure." Pat said decidedly before laughing. Logan smiled like he was trying to hide a laugh.

Logan laughed suddenly, like he'd remembered something. Pat looked over at him.

"What is it?"

Logan shook his head. "I've just realised something, that's all." He laughed again and hid his face with a hand. "All this time as a prince and I've never courted anyone before." He laughed. "I've never kissed anyone before. The perks of being betrothed from birth, I suppose."

"D'you not like kissing?"

Logan shrugged. "I couldn't honestly say. It's nothing too special, honestly, I-" Pat kissed him quickly on the cheek, cutting him off. He sat very still for a few seconds, eyes wide, mouth hanging open, face flushing pink.

Pat couldn't help but giggle.

Logan blinked and shook his head, trying to bring himself back to his body. "Well, um, I can sort of... start to see the, um, appeal."

Pat laughed even more.

666 words. Satan's chapter
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