At Your Service- A Royalty Solangelo AU

Chapter 11

Slipping through the hallways of the palace, he made his way back out to the gardens where they had walked earlier, searching for the seemingly uniform bush. The flowers still lay on the ground when he arrived, no less fresh than those growing from the soil beds. But it was what sat beneath the pile of florals that caught his eye- a small marble disk buried in the ground.

He picked it up, turning it lightly over in his hand. The stone was smooth and cold, with a gentle weight to it that made it almost like a heart. On one side, there appeared to be an engravement made, though what it once said was no longer evident as years of the outdoor elements had weathered the writing away. When he moved to put it down, a small piece of paper fluttered out of a notch in the side, falling into his lap.

His fingers traced the edges of the tattered paper. It felt fragile, like it held secrets too heavy to bear. With a deep breath, he carefully unfolded it, revealing a letter inside. His heart hammered against his chest as he read the words scrawled in sharply beautiful letters only one person could create.

B,

I'm not sure how to start this letter, only to say that I am sorry. While you will never be able to hear me utter those words, I hope you may one day be able to forgive me.

As I write these words, I am haunted by the memory of that fateful night, when darkness to us was just a time to play about in the gardens. When the gardens were a time for just the two of us, and I was not left to stay in the shadow of my guilt.

I wish I could begin to express the depth of my remorse, for the choices I made and the consequences they had. I should have run, I should have done something. Every moment since has been a torment, a relentless reminder of what could have been if only I had been stronger, braver, better.

I replay that night in my mind a thousand times, hoping to find some shred of redemption. But I never do, the truth never changed. I failed you. I failed to protect you, to cherish you, to see you as the sister you were to me.

And now, as I sit alone by your grave, I can only beg for your forgiveness, though I know I do not deserve it. I would give anything to turn back the hands of time and rewrite the script.

I am afraid of what I am becoming without you. The anger that you are gone and that it was my friend who took you from me is messing with my mind, consuming the last shreds of kindness that I have in me. I fear that one day, in finding justice for you, I will lose myself and with it, you.

But I am powerless in the face of fate. All I can do is carry the weight of it all and pray that someday, I will make it right. Whatever it takes to make it right. Whatever it takes.

Nico

Tears blurred his vision as the letter came to a close, but for who he was shedding them, he did not know. How could the man who looked him in the eye so cruelly, appear so vulnerable on paper? He could not decide yet whether those last sentences of the letter were true for him, if the Prince truly was a lost cause to vengeance. For in the confession of this remorse, it seemed like a part of his soul was left. As long as the letter survived, the humanity of the fair skinned prince would too. 

Carefully, he folded the letter back up, slipping it back into its place inside the marble gravestone. Just as he had put it back into place, he heard footsteps on the gravel path behind him. He turned around, flinching noticeably upon seeing the prince, bracing himself for a berating that never came.

"What are you doing?" The question came this time softer, the usual guard seemingly broken. 

"I found the letter."

The expression that passed over his face was unreadable "Oh." 

"I'm so sorry your highness, I overstepped-" He was cut off by a raise of the hand.

"Walk with me" It was not a demand, instead an invitation made with the extent of a small, slender hand. 

Will stared at the open palm for a moment before reaching up and taking it, hand sliding into the small delicate one of the prince. He was brought quickly to his feet, slightly in awe of the ease with which the prince pulled his bodyweight up. The other boy's hand withdrew from his after lingering a moment longer than normal, and he immediately felt cold again. Not mentioning this, he fell into step beside the short brunette who refused to look at him. 

They walked slowly in silence for awhile, their feet crunching on the gravel walkway. He kept stealing glances out of the corner of his eye, at the man beside him whose mind seemed to be completely elsewhere.

"I assume you read the letter?" His voice blended into the quiet of the night, had Will not been watching him, he wouldn't have heard it. 

"Yes, I did. Once again I am so sorry about that." 

"Ah," The prince swallowed and nodded before asking him. "Do you agree with it?"

"Agree with-?"

"The closing. That I have strayed too far." 

"I don't think I know you well enough to answer that, your highness."

A small shrug was all the recognition he got for his statement before he continued. "When I wrote that letter, I was much younger. I believed that I could do something about her death, that somehow I could make it up to her. And I tried to. But I can understand now that there is nothing that I can do. Hazel is the only person I have left that is a resemblance of Bianca, and I feel like I am losing her too with the coronation. And once she is gone, I am afraid that the letter will come true. With no one left to tie me to the past, what is stopping me from falling into my destined future?" 

Will stayed silent for a moment, watching the prince spin the silver rings on his hands. Something pulled in his chest, making him almost want to comfort the broken person in front of him. He gave in.

"You won't lose Hazel, I can promise you that. She will always be there for you no matter what, Queen or not," All he was offered in response was a small twitch of the corner of the mouth, the biggest compliment he had ever received from the brunette. Before he could stop himself, he pulled the prince into a hug. The stiff demeanor of the smaller man almost forced him to pull away, but soon he relaxed slightly. He found himself whispering softly "And you are the one stopping you from falling into your future. Destiny or not, you have a choice for how you wish your life to go. Don't forget it." 

The Prince pulled back, face blank but a small lining of silver now evident on his eyes. Straightening his outfit, he glared at Will. 

"Tell anyone about this, and I will have you killed," The glare wavered into something slightly softer then as he spoke quieter. "But thank you"

With a curt nod, the Prince turned on his heel slipping away into the night with ease. It was almost as though he was made one and the same with midnight, and just like midnight, Will felt a glimmer of hope. There was a chance for him to make it in the Aruman kingdom with the prince as an acquaintance.