To Wear The Crown

16

Charlie picks up the pace when he sees the door of Isaac's house come into view. The streets are dark now, but candlelight flickering on the sill of the living room window shows they are still awake. Stepping up to the door, Charlie makes sure not to knock too loudly and disturb any sleeping neighbours.

A few seconds later, footsteps can be heard, getting louder until the front door swings open and Mrs Henderson appears. "Hello? Oh-Charlie honey! What are you doing here?" Mrs Henderson looks at Charlie with a shocked expression, having not expected any guests tonight— and definitely not Charlie. "Come in, come in." Waving her hand, she gestures for Charlie to get out of the dark, cold night air.

"I'm here to see Isaac," Charlie states as he wipes his shoes on the door mat.

"Why this late? Is everything okay?" She questions with a raised brow.

"It's um... I'm not really allowed to tell you. It's royal business." Tightening his lips, Charlie looks down the dimly lit hallway to Isaac's room. "Can I?" He says, pointing to where he was looking.

"Go on. He's most likely still up, studying." Mrs Henderson steps to the side of the hallway.

"Thank you, Mrs Henderson" Charlie lowers his head in a brief nod before continuing down the hall. "Isaac?" Charlie slowly opens the door as he pops his head around. "Isaac." He says one more time trying to get the distracted individual's attention. Getting no reply, Charlie moves to stand behind him and peeks a look at the book that has made him lose track of reality. "Eh?" Charlie lets out a confused noise as he attempts to understand what Isaac is reading.

"Ah!" Isaac jumps out of his skin when he feels Charlie's breath on the back of his neck. Turning around, he sees an unexpected friend. "Charlie?" He asks with narrowing eyes.

Charlie gives a cheeky grin as he walks over to sit on the edge of Isaac's bed. "So... you know about that apprenticeship with the physician... right?" Charlie starts, not surprised by Isaac's confused face.

"Yes...." Isaac slightly tilts his head.

Charlie waves his hands around as he tries to think of a way to word what he needs to say. "Well... you will kind of be definitely getting it now due to the err prince's orders..."

Isaac's eyes couldn't bulge out of his skull any faster. "P-p-prince's? Charlie, what the fuck did you do."

"I-didn't-do-anything. I swear." Charlie raises his hands to cover his face as Isaac picks up the book from his desk. After a few moments, the two lower their arms, and Charlie continues to explain in a hushed voice in case anyone is listening from the hallway. "There is... something happening in one of the northern villages, and the prince wants to send a physician out to examine. Obviously, the prince cannot just waltz on down into the lower town without causing a crowd, so I told him about how you might be getting this position as an apprentice. Actually... read this." Charlie briefly stands up to pull the latter from his pocket and hand it over to his friend.

Mumbling under his breath, Isaac reads the letter to himself. Charlie watches as Isaac's eyes follow the words, and his facial expressions change. "Oh okay." Isaac's head nods as he closes the letter and takes in what he's read. "So... you've come to me to talk to the physician I might be, well-am-now getting an apprenticeship with because they want us to go out to Redcliff?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Not how I thought this was gonna go, but if it is what the royal family wants, I have no right to not accept." Isaac rubs the back of his eyes as it's getting late and he's getting tired. "I'll go see the physician tomorrow morning. It's too late now."

"Good idea." Charlie rises to his feet and makes his way over to the door. "I'm going to stay at home tonight, so I'll come back to go with you."

"Will the prince be okay without you there in the morning?"

Charlie is silent for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "I guess he'll just have to be." He's sure that the counsellor, Mr Ajayi, will enjoy waking the prince up if he's late for his morning lesson.

"Come early. Mum will happily make you some breakfast," Isaac adds as Charlie opens the door.

"Will do!" Charlie responds without missing a beat. Isaac's mum is a great cook— not as good as the cooks in the castle, but not far off. "Anyway, see you tomorrow."

"Bye Charlie," Isaac shouts back.