Prince

Chapter 6

Narrators POV

Joey hoisted the beaten boy up desperately trying to get him up to his room and away from danger. They managed maybe a few feet before realising that Daniel was just to injured to walk, even with Joeys help. He fell to the floor pulling Joey down with him.

'Joey...I can't, it just hurts so bad my legs, my stomach, my ribs. Its all too much'

Joey didn't have a lot of options at this point, he couldn't exactly force him if he was in such extreme pain.  He wanted to cause him as little harm as possible and he could only think of one way to do that.

'Alright how much would you say you weigh?'

Daniel gazed up at him questioningly, but didn't have a chance to answer. Joey hooked his left arm under Daniels legs and the other behind his back, extending his legs he lifted him bridal style. Daniel whimpered as the pain started to become unbearable, his eyes watered and his breathing increased.

'I know baby, I know'

Joey didn't seem to notice what he had just said, Daniel on the other hand was in such shock that he almost forgot he was in pain at all. Joey began walking to his room taking care not to move Daniel around to much, but at the same time trying to be as fast as he could in order to avoid his Father running into them.

Once they had finally arrived, Joey nudged the door open with his foot and carried Daniel over to the bed laying him down with extra care. He turned back and locked the door behind them, feeling a sense of relief that Daniel was finally safe from harms way. Once he had a few seconds to calm down he noticed that it was actually rather cold in his room and Daniel wasn't wearing a top.

'I'll clean you up with some warm water and then we'll get you a sweater, how does that sound?'

'Best news I've heard all day actually'

Joey smiled as he walked over to the bathroom grabbing a bowl and an old rag. He returned to Daniel sitting on the bed beside him, he soaked the rag in the water a wrung it out before cleaning the dry blood off Daniels face. Then his chest, neck and arms.

Daniel, despite being in the pain he was, enjoyed the warmth of the cloth and Joeys gentle touch. He couldn't help but watch Joey as he became so focused, his face painted with the reds and yellows from the setting sun. His face was serious and pasted with regret,  Daniel wanted him to know that it was okay and that he didn't blame him at all. Before he could say anything Joey was pushing himself off the bed and walking over to his chest of drawers. He pulled bottom drawer open and took a sweater off the top of one of the piles.

'Here this grey one will look nice, it's soft too'

He tossed it over to Daniel.

'Do you need help?'

'Naa I got it, thanks'

As he pulled the fabric over his face he noticed Joey looking out the window'

'What is it?'

Joey didn't reply. Instead he pulled a chair over to the window positioning it carefully and then another.

'Come here'

'You gonna push me out the window?'

'Possibly'

They both smiled sweetly at each other. Daniel felt more confident to stand and walk now that he had rested for a while, he slowly moved towards one of the chairs using the bed for support. Joey sat beside him subtly shuffling his chair towards Daniels.

'Now what?'

'Now we wait'

They both looked out at the beautiful image before them, the sun was creeping lower and lower painting the sky with new colours as the minutes passed. They both stayed there like that in silence for another ten minutes or so, they were in complete awe at how incredible nature could be, how every day such a perfect scene could be created.

'This makes living here a bit better. I like sitting here and just forgetting about all my problems you know. Pretend I'm a bird that can just fly away from everything, not a care in the world'

Daniel pondered the idea, spreading his wings and never having to turn back. He could go wherever he wanted whenever he wanted, being any animal would be better than being locked away in the shadows of the castle, cleaning floors and taking beatings when the king felt it was necessary.

'It must suck having people waiting on your every move, bringing you food whenever you want and cleaning your clothes'

Daniel didn't mean to come across as harsh as he did, his sarcastic tone was warped by the anger he felt at Joey for complaining, when Daniel was obviously worse off.

'What's that suppose to mean?'

'Nothing, I just-'

'You think it's easy having to watch people slave over me? If I could switch places and give them a chance to be pampered or at least treated equally don't you think I would in a heart beat?'

Joey, even though keeping relatively calm, was starting to get angry that Daniel would think he was anything like that. Although his feeling would be best described as hurt rather than angry. He began to raise his voice.

'Daniel why do you think I stay in my room all day? I can't even walk down the hall without seeing the maids cower because they are afraid I'm going to beat them. They wouldn't even do something wrong and they are still afraid, they think I'm just like my dad, they're terrified of me.'

Joey turned towards Daniel and saw the exact look in his eyes that he was talking about. He was actually scared of  him. He felt a painful lump growing in his throat as he watched Daniels hands shake, tears burned behind his eyes and he grew furious with himself for making him him feel that way.

'Daniel...you know I would never hurt you right?'

He remained silent and only lifted his head to look back at the sun setting in the distance.

'You could burn all my sweaters and I still wouldn't get mad'

A grin tugged at Daniels lips and he turned his face in the opposite direction of Joey.

'You could shave my head and I still would t get mad'

Still facing the other way Daniel muffled a laugh behind the sleeve of the sweater Joey gave him.

'But you love your hair'

'Okay maybe a little mad, but I'd get over it'

'What if I called you ugly, would you get angry then?'

'Nope'

'What if I said I hate all your sweaters?'

'Hmmm, nope'

'What if-'

'Still no'

By this time the sun had set completely, leaving an endless dark navy sky, dotted with billions of stars scattered for miles above the thick woodlands. The dark haired boy stared out the window counting the stars with one particular question playing on his mind.

'What if-'

Joey turned to him, but still Daniel did look back at him. Instead he took in a shaky breath and spoke with the least amount of confidence...

'I kissed you?'