Capes and Crowns. (TomTord Royalty AU)

Chapter 13; Happily Ever After.

Larzinnia's beauty hadn't changed. It was still a warm lush land, but it gained scars from war.

Fields full of soft lime grass and fauna were now fickle and burnt from the fires, the stable coast houses in pieces. Villages had been trampled and beaten; large groups of villagers swarming about to resurrect the buildings. Just as Gavin had predicted.

As they paddled toward the docs, they noticed the large ships coming in and out of the ports.

"Those are Rocksonian ships," Suzie whispered, cowering into Tord's chest, "Those are soldiers on them, too."

"They're retreating," Tom reassured her, pushing them towards a mostly empty doc, "Don't worry about it, kiddo."

Suzie whimpered slightly, Tord patting her head to make her feel better. "Here, why don't you help me take out the bags when we board?" He offered with a gentle smile -when in truth- he needed to relax as well.

This place used to be his home, after all. Every single Larzinnian here used to know his name- and everyone here either assumed he was captured, dead or a coward. Some weren't far off the mark.

He tugged his hood over his flattened horns, handing Tom his goggles. He helped Tom tie their boat to the doc pole, being relieved that the post managers were too busy with royal ships to deal with them.

Suzie and Tord lugged their belongings off the ship, Tom placing them onto the wooden platform. After Tord and Suzie stepped onto the platform, Tom pulled the boat onto the shore.

"We should rent somewhere to put this," Tom mentioned, Tord nodding and pulling an old bag of Larzinnian coins out of their luggage. He waited a moment before placing it in Tom's palm.

"Please be careful."

Tom made a small smile. "You don't have to worry about it, sweetheart."

Tord blushed and made a disbelieving look as Tom started off towards one of the post stands. He sighed and shook his head, leaning down to be level with Suzie. The little girl was spellbound, eyes wide as she looked all around the pier, her hands clenched at her sides. Tord knew all too well how she felt. This didn't feel real to him either.

"When you were a prince," She whispered, "Did you ever travel on boats?"

Tord smiled at her innocent question, resting his head on his folded arms. "Yes. Every few months."

"Where did you go?"

"I went to see my friend in Galdinnia. You know, I always secretly loved that place. Just because it wasn't here."

Tord looked down at the grass below them, feeling the frail blades between his fingers. "I was told every day I owned everything I touched. Even when I went to South Larzinnia to stay in my other castle; I owned everything."

His eyes met with hers, and his smile stayed. "When you see things like that- you start to feel very distant from everyone else around you. You start to think no one else is like you- and you're different. You don't get to enjoy things the way everyone else does."

Tord eyed one of the boats, one that was smaller and yet had gold detailing on it. He gestured to it. "I'd ride something like that to Galdinnia. I loved it- because, in Galdinnia, I wasn't the big shot. Sure, I was still a prince, but I wasn't the prince. I was different but I wasn't that different."

"You talk a lot about how lonely you were," Suzie commented. Tord flushed in embarrassment and faced her. "Well-"

"It makes me happy you have Tom!" She beamed, which made the former prince flush even brighter, eyes wide.