In Another Era

Chapter 8: What One Deserves

Chapter 8: What One Deserves

Kenric did not sleep that night.

Neither did Archie.

Archie was on the floor and Kenric on the bed as both of them stared at the ceiling, waiting for the sun to rise so that they could leave the village and go back home.

After the run in with the seer, Archie was shaken badly. Kenric tried talking to him but Archie said nothing in return. Kenric did not understand why Archie was reacting this way. Sure, the incident was eerie but it was not something that should have affected Archie so goddamn much.

But then again, Kenric could also tell that Archie was initially under some kind of spell or trance when the little girl had pulled him in. Maybe that had something to do with the way Archie was behaving?

Kenric wanted Archie to take the bed but the stable boy simply stood by the door until Kenric sighed and placed an extra blanket on the floor for Archie to lay on. Archie wordlessly laid down, turning away from the prince and curling up in a ball. Kenric's chest ached at the sight, but he didn't know how to comfort the other man.

The entire journey had gone so well. Despite Kenric getting hurt. Kenric finally had the chance to be able to spend time with Archie, to talk to him and laugh with him. Just a few hours ago the stable boy seemed so cheerful, but it was as if the universe couldn't watch Kenric be happy.

"Archie? Are you awake?" Kenric asked out loud when the silence became too much for him to bear.

"Yes," came Archie's timid reply, his voice barely audible.

"Is there anything that you need? Water?" Kenric questioned.

"No."

"I'm awake if you do," Kenric paused. "And I'm here by you. No harm is going to come to you as long as I'm alive, Archie."

"The seer..."

"Do not pay mind to whatever nonsense he was saying," Kenric's voice was curt. "All he wanted to do was scare us."

"But why?" Archie's voice finally had some strength in it. "Why would he want that? How did he know who you...who we were? And what did he mean by—"

"Archie..."

"—by saying that the...the weight of the kingdom rests on my—"

"Archie."

"And that line about choosing all over—"

"Archie!" Kenric yelled, finally making the stable boy stop talking. "I'm not saying...I'm not saying what happened was...natural. But I can tell you with certainty that nothing is written in stone. Your destiny depends on what you do, not on what some old madman tells you."

"But—"

"I will not let anything happen to you, and even if something is coming then...then as I just said, I'm here by you," Kenric paused. "Always. I swear by this and you should know that I'm nothing if not a man of my word."

"I do not deserve your kindness," Archie whispered.

"You deserve much more than that." You deserve the entire fucking world and if I could, I would lay it at your feet.

"Sire..."

"Try to get some sleep now. We shall leave at first light," Kenric said. "I do not want to stay in this godforsaken town a moment more than I need to."

"Okay."

Kenric shifted on the bed, turning to the side so that he could look down at Archie. Archie's eyes were closed and his breathing was finally even, but Kenric knew that he wasn't asleep yet. Kenric sighed as he laid back down on the bed to stare at the roof, hoping that the stable boy would feel better by the time morning arrived.