"You're nothing but a stable boy."
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Jonas skillfully guide the majestic stallion by gently adjusting the reins and urging it forward with a swift tap of his heels against its side. "Walk on," he commands with unwavering confidence as the horse obediently transitions from a walk to a smooth trot around the spacious paddock. Every rhythmic step of the horse reverberates through Jonas' body, creating a seamless harmony between man and beast. With another subtle adjustment of the reins and a firm command, the horse effortlessly picks up speed, smoothly transitioning into a powerful gallop along the perimeter. The thunderous sound of its hooves striking the trodden grass echoes softly as it gains momentum, creating a mesmerising rhythm that filled the air.
Engrossed in the exhilarating activity, Jonas finds himself momentarily free from the thoughts crossing his mind. Lately, he had found himself thinking more and more about the prince. Despite having only crossed paths with him on three separate occasions in a short span of time, each moment seemed to have stirred a feeling inside of him. Maybe it was infatuation or a crush, but the prince's absence magnified his emotions as he had not seen the prince for several days. Rumours swirling around the palace about Tian and Lady Sienna, the future queen, only added to the nagging irritation in his mind. It was clear by all accounts that the prince held a deep affection for the woman who had entered his life. It wasn't very smart of him to think of the prince in such a way.
With a sharp tug of the reins, Jonas attempts to shake himself free from his swirling thoughts, wishing to invade his head again. What did it matter what he thought about any of it? He was a mere stable hand, after all. He was nobody.
It isn't until Jonas finally pulls the reins to get the horse to slow and eventually stop that he hears the faint sound of clapping. “Bravo.” The voice of the man Jonas was trying to forget could be heard as he looks up to see the prince standing just on the other side of the gate. “You handle him well.”
“Your Highness?" Jonas inquires as he gracefully dismounts from his horse and opens the gate, allowing the animal to pass through. "Have you been watching for a long time?”
The prince walks alongside them, glancing at Jonas' profile and grinning as a faint redness begins to colour the stable hand's cheeks. "Long enough," Tian replies, watching Jonas' dimpled smile growing at the prince's words. "You know your job well. I hope to be as confident as you on my stallion one day.”
"You promised you would stop by sooner, but you didn't show," Jonas declares, his eyes focused on the cobblestones ahead of him rather than the prince by his side.
“Are you scalding me?” Tian half laughs with amusement. “I have been busy; I am a prince.”
"Yes, I understand, Your Highness, you like to remind me often." Jonas secures the horse's reins to a hook on the stable wall and then turns to face the prince. "To establish a strong bond with the horse, consistency is key. You mentioned wanting to connect, yet you have been absent.”
"I don't just lay around all day doing nothing. I still have an itinerary. My time is rarely my own… I'm getting married." Tian couldn't understand why he needed to mention the last sentence to the stable hand. Maybe he was seeking some reaction, but Jonas seemed unfazed by the words. "Aren't you going to be happy for me, at least?" he prods, hoping for a response from the other.
"Are you happy?" Jonas asks the prince, catching Tian off guard with both the question and the piercing look in his eyes. Tian chuckles nervously, taken aback by the boldness of the question. He had never been so thoroughly challenged, especially on matters of the heart, not even by the king. “I cannot be happy for someone who isn't happy for themselves,” Jonas replies, his eyes full of concern.
"It's not a matter of whether I am content or not. Royals govern with their minds, not their emotions," Tian sighs deeply, locking eyes with Jonas. "I don't anticipate you comprehending. And what right do you have to inquire about my feelings? You're nothing but a stable boy,"
Jonas takes a step closer to the prince, feeling a sense of anticipation building within him. The words flowing from the royal’s lips only fueled his determination. "Will she make your eyes light up when she enters a room? Will you wish to spend time with her above all others?" Jonas edges a little closer again, eagerly awaiting the prince's response. It causes the prince to visibly swallow, but he remains rooted, caught up in the moment and their proximity. "Will your heart flutter when you touch? When you kiss?" Jonas breaks into a small, hopeful smile. "If someone makes you feel that way, your happiness will be found.”
"I... I don't know. I..." the prince stumbles on his words. His mind becomes jumbled about the person in question. Was the prince thinking about Sienna or the man standing before him? His eyes slowly gravitate towards Jonas’ lips. "I want to know." He looks back up at the stable hand, finding some courage or was it stupidity from somewhere, as he repeats the words. "I want to know how it feels.”
The confession causes Jonas to falter. A man, who was usually so sure of his words, suddenly feels lost for them. Was the prince thinking out loud, or was this an invitation to discover something more? Jonas needs to know either way as he courageously leans closer to the prince’s soft lips without a thought of consequence.
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The Crown Prince (boyxboy)
عاطفيةPERIOD ROMANCE It was his duty as the first-born son, the heir to the throne. One day, he would be king. However, the pressure on Prince Tian felt even more significant because he was an only child. The future of his house falls to him. It was expec...
