The Runaway

Chapter 48

"What's in the bag?" For as long as we've been traveling together, and for as many times I've helped carry the bag- I don't know what's in it.

"Stuff."

"Like?"

"Stuff to stay clean... more weapons? Some clothes-"

"You had clothes this whole time? Why didn't you say anything?"

"You didn't ask."

"You should tell me important things."

He shrugs.

I sit up. My back is sore from these beds. Why are they not soft? Do humans want to suffer? These beds are evil.

Like boots. Boots will forever be evil.

He sits up next to me and twists his arm around mine, connecting our hands. "You packed really well."

I look around the empty floor at all my stuff. "I really did. What else do you have?"

"I have my jewelry... medicine... other stuff?"

"What's the medicine for?"

"Headaches." He puts his hand on his broken horn. "This too. It's so annoying."

"It looks annoying."

He nods before leaning over and grabbing the bag off the floor, placing it on top of his crisscrossed legs. He digs through it before pulling out a crown. "This too. Wasn't going to let them have it."

My goodness. It has eight points and little gems embedded in every possible spot. It matches him so... well. "It's beautiful."

He nods before putting it on me as if it's mine.

I have my own, I do not need his. I take it off and look at all the craftsmanship put into the shiny piece of silver. "Why'd you put it on me? It's yours. Would be a dishonor of me to wear it."

He raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"It is disrespectful to wear someone else's crown. How do you not know?"

He shrugs.

"You wear it."

"It doesn't fit."

I hold it above him and he is correct. His horns are in the way. I place it on top as carefully as I can, so it balances perfectly. "There."

"Till I lean forward."

"Just stay like this forever."

"Yeah, okay." He leans forward and it falls off.

This shall not do. I pick the crown up. "Face me." He does so, staring at me actually. How is this supposed to work? "Can you get rid of the horns?"

"Nope."

I place the crown slanted on him, around the broken horn. "I personally believe it accentuates your imperfection."

He gives me thee dirtiest face yet. "Why would I want that?"

"To show how unique you are...? Nothing wrong with it." 

He takes it off, inspecting it with a frown on his face.

The sudden mood change throws me off. "What's wrong?"

"You."

"Me...? What did I do?" In all my years of life, no one has ever told me I'm their source of sadness. Well, I rarely ever see anyone sad. My skin tightens at the thought.

"Everything... The way you walk, talk, breathe, sleep, sit and exist. You're so infuriating."

My limbs heavy. What did I do wrong? "Tell me what to fix so I don't annoy you anymore..." I don't like this feeling. It hurts me. The burden my soul will forever carry for hurting a friend. I should have gone to bed. Should have listened to ma and pa, ignore the humans, burn the books. Burning books is a horrible sin.

I could be talking to my friends or drawing flowers right now, not trying to hold back tears and wonder what I've done wrong. Just the day before, we were walking around stores and human watching.

Where did I go wrong? Is my dress not pretty enough? I hold the end of the skirt in my hands- my sad looking hands. The white hasn't gone too dark yet. The ends haven't tethered. Is it too long? Is it too short?

"This is why I fucking hate talking. It never works the way my brain wants it to," he whispers.

I look back up at him, He has his own tears. I wipe them away with my thumb. His skin is too perfect. He grabs my hands with his, placing my palms on my knee and his hands on top.

"I'm sorry. Don't cry, please don't. I don't know how to tell you- I don't know... I didn't mean you are infuriating-"

He stares at our hands as my heart beats in my ears. The static heat is cooking my hands, where our legs touch. So much is happening in this quiet room... I turned off the television some time ago, most of it doesn't make sense.

Here we are, in a lone room, out of hundreds in a human city that is full of noise and lights, yet I barely hear it. All I hear is the pain in his voice, the confusion and guilt. All I hear is the war my emotions are having. What is happening? This isn't a dramatic play, why is my pride fleeing?

"I meant in a nice way. You're always nice to me. I don't know why; I don't deserve it. Your compliments never leave my mind. You treat me normally, something I've always yearned for. You don't treat me with hatred. You want to stay by me. Is it a prank? Please tell me you're playing a prank on me; I can't live like this."

"..I'm not.."

"Don't lie to me."

"I wouldn't. Why does kindness surprise you?"

He faces down again, particularly at the bag- the bag of mystery. "It's rare."

"No, it isn't. You haven't been in the right places then. Wait till you get to my home. Everyone is nice there."

He shakes his head. "I'm not staying there."

"Then where will you go?"

"Some land to rot and die."

My heart hurts from him. Who would want to die? I'm going to have him fall in love with living. "I don't want to cover you with flowers..."

"You don't have to."

"I do. It's a deal. That's why you're not going to die. Why are you so sad? Life is beautiful."

"Seen too many sad things."

"Well, no more sad things. You're only allowed to be happy from now on."

"If only it worked that way."

"It doesn't?"

"No."

"Then I'll keep you happy, however it works. You will get many more compliments from now on."

He shakes his head.

"Yes, sir. And you don't have to live on a field. My parents can convert you and you can be a part of my kingdom." I still wonder why he doesn't want to stay at his. What is so bad about it? It was pretty for as much as I saw. Is his father that mean?

He faces me, finally. I would wipe the tears off his face, but my hands are being held captive. "They can do that?"

"Yep. They told me my great grandparents had to do that for an orphan who wandered to the gates. They helped her and she lived a long, happy life."

"They can help me?" The tint of hope and shade of relief in his voice is something I've never heard from him.

What has happened? "They can. They would. You can live with unicorns and sleep in plants. Oh, and the food is amazing."

"Save me then."

"I will."

A/N: Hello everyone!!! How are y'all doing today???