The Princess's Servant

99. What Are Friends For

Thunder cracked as Holden swung open the door to his cabin. He marched in, sloshing in his boots as he maneuvered past the unexpected guest that poked around his living room.

"Oh hey!" Marcus looked up at him. "Sorry, I just swung by to return your bow and... Well, didn't want to get caught out in the rainstorm."

Holden said nothing. He just half-closed his door as he threw off his sopping clothes in exchange for dry ones. He hardly noticed a change in comfort.

"How was the picnic? Did you have a good time?"

Holden rounded his door. He stopped in front of Marcus. "You knew," he said. And then he threw himself on the couch.

Marcus's eyebrows lifted as she did (what Holden assumed was) her best impression of someone who had not lied to him. "Knew about what?" she tried.

"You're not a good liar."

Marcus huffed and sat down in one of the dining room chairs. "Yeah, alright," she admitted. "Maybe I did know. In my defense, you would've known too if you just looked a tiiiiny bit harder."

Holden glared at her in a such a way that she was almost reminded of Sybil.

"What?"

He sat up fully and faced her. "How could you be in on something like this? I thought we were friends!"

"We are! I--" The guard scratched her head. "I was going to tell you," she said, and it was true. "But Sybil swore up and down her intentions were pure. She seemed so genuine-- I mean," Marcus's mouth split into a hesitant grin as she remembered that morning at the breakfast table. "She went so far as to beg me not to tell you. Sybil. I have never seen her beg."

Holden just maintained his same angry glare.

"Why?" Marcus asked. "Was it all a big scheme after all?"

And with that, the prince gave a groan and flopped backwards onto the cushions.

"Sheesh." Marcus scratched the back of her head a second time. "I'm really sorry, highness. I thought... At the time..." She twisted her lips. "Ah, but it's obvious looking back."

Holden sighed all of his air until his chest felt heavy. "Whatever," he told her. "She's gotten the best of me at one time or another. I won't hold it against you. Just-- Please. If you ever find out about one of her schemes again--"

"I'll tell you right away," Marcus promised. "But... damn. Lying to me? And you? That just sucks. It's pretty sad to say, but I really thought-- I really hoped she'd changed for the better."

"Of course you did. That's her trick. She shows you what you want to see and then she snatches it away from you. And it works because who wouldn't want to believe that the person they care about is happier; nicer? Or that they'd finally found a partner after a lifetime of loneliness? Credit where credit's due, that has to be one of the cruelest things you can do to somebody. There can't be an ounce of goodness in her."

"Yeah..." Marcus thought. "I mean, I've always sort of suspected..." The guard opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. "But no, you're probably right."

"Of course I am," he replied. And then, in a quieter voice: "Even though I'll spend my whole life wishing I was wrong."

"I'm sorry, again," she told him, and unlike anything Sybil would ever say again, he believed it. "Sorry I didn't tell you, and sorry you lost Cara. I was rooting for you guys."

The prince scrunched up his lips. "So was I," he said, and he was surprised to find tears like salt stinging the corners of his eyes.

Though they bathed in the light of only a few guttering candles, Marcus could tell Holden's emotions had shifted and wondered if maybe she shouldn't brave the rainstorm regardless. "I--I can give you some space if you'd like."

"Please," Holden replied. "Stay."

The guard smiled a faint smile in spite of herself. She flicked her head towards her and said, "Come here."

Holden looked at her from his place lying down on the couch. The reflections of tiny flames shone on his tear-streaked cheeks.

"Come here," she repeated. "I know you need it." And Holden sniffled, hoisted himself up and met Marcus in an embrace.

He sobbed into her shoulder and felt her great arms wrap around him. Changing out of his wet clothes hadn't made him feel any warmer, but this had.

A/N: Please vote!