Arabian Nights

Chapter 12

Remus jumped over the gap between the roofs and held out a hand to Janus. Janus raised an eyebrow and jumped over.

"I really think ya should be careful, your Highness," Remus said. Janus was actually going to strangle him.

"I'm not the prince, stop calling me that!" He insisted. Remus shrugged and didn't say anything. He grabbed a rusted metal bar jutting out of the wall above him and swung himself up onto a ledge.

"Prince or not, you won't be able to do that." He crouched on the ledge and held out his hand to Janus again. Janus glared up at him. Remus sighed. "Sweetheart, trust me. Thing's gonna fall out pretty soon, ya gotta have practice for that."

"I'm not going to trust you, you're-"

"A thief?" Remus laughed. "Yeah, like that's so terrible. C'mon."

Janus sighed but took Remus' hand. He found a shallow hole in the wall to put his foot in and managed to lever himself up onto the ledge. Remus helped him stand up and Janus expected him to let go of his hand. Remus didn't.

"So, if you're not the prince," Remus asked, turning around, "who are you?"

"I'm just a servant," Janus said, pushing the question aside. He pulled his hand away from Remus and almost regretted it.

"Just a servant?" Remus repeated. "Not very convincing."

"Alright, then," Janus snapped. "Why don't you tell me why you think I'm the prince?"

"The way you look at things," Remus said with a shrug. He pulled himself up onto a window sill and paused, leaning against the frame. "You stare at everything like you're seeing it for the first time. It's like the only thing you recognise are the stars. Plus," he laughed and leaned backwards out the window, "you look at me like I'm below you. Like your subject or somthin'. Which is hot." He grabbed onto something above the window and pulled himself up out of Janus' line of sight.

Janus poked his head out of the window and looked up. "Maybe I just have standards." He grabbed Remus' offered hand and pulled himself up onto the roof.

"If you had standards, you wouldn't be runnin' with a street thief to find your friend," Remus said conversationally. "You'd be headed with someone much more respectable."

"And much less competent," Janus interrupted. Remus put a hand over his chest at the... compliment? Janus didn't really do compliments.

"Aw, sweetheart, you think I'm competent?" He mocked. Janus glared at him and walked away. "Hey, if you want," Remus called, running after him, "I wouldn't mind showin' ya just how competent I am."

"Don't push your luck," Janus said, trying to hide his laughter. "I just gave you a compliment, don't make me regret it."

"Aye aye, sir," Remus said with a salute.

"Ew, don't." Janus shook his head. Remus smiled and offered a hand to Janus again.

"Even if ya don't trust me, you're gonna wanna follow me for this next bit," Remus said. "My place is kinda... hard to get to if ya don't know your way."

"Good for hiding from the Palace Guard," Janus said. Remus flashed him another grin. You know, maybe Janus didn't mind his constant smiles as much as he thought he did.

"Exactly."

"Woah, you're gonna wanna watch your step there." Remus stepped over a hole covered with rusting netting as he spoke. Janus tested it with the sole of his shoe before deciding Remus was probably right. He hopped over as gracefully as he could.

"You seriously live here?"

"Yeah, well," Remus clambered over a pile of what looked to be half a wall, "ain't exactly the great Royal Palace you'll be used to but me and Roman have it to ourselves. All we can really ask for, isn't't?"

"Roman?" Janus repeated. He stepped over the rumble tentatively.

"My brother. Mi hermano." Remus laughed turned the corner, letting go of Janus' hand to gesture to the room. "Tada! Mi casa es su casa, c'mon."

Casa? That meant house, didn't it? There wasn't really a house to speak of. It was more a room.

There were piles of random jewels and metal items scattered all around along with torn cushions, half-unravelled rugs, books missing covers, battered drawers and music boxes... It was like a junk heap. Huge, fluttering pieces of torn silk were hung up against holes in the walls, they must've acted as curtains. Fireworks exploded outside and the light through the silk turned the room strange mixtures of blues, pinks and oranges. Lining the walls and piled against the floor were drawings of the Royal Palace.

"Did you draw these?" Janus asked, picking one up off the floor. It was very good, actually.

"Nah, that was Roman. He's obsessed with the Royal Palace." Remus pulled a piece of silk away from a hole in the wall. "Look, we got a pretty nice view of it."

Janus didn't bother looking. He just set the drawing down on the floor and sat down on a cushion.

"So, you're not a prince?" Remus asked, sitting down against the wall. Janus shrugged.

"Sorry to disappoint," he said sarcastically. Remus leaned forward.

"Convince me."

"What?"

"Convince me you're not the prince," Remus said. "How'd you get to the palace, then, Mr 'Just a servant'?"

I don't know what's going on with this chapter and I dunno if I like iiiiit
Bye,
Blaize