Better Left Unsaid

1 - re-written

I sincerely apologize for the long wait in this re-write. It's not easy being an adult, I swear. You'll notice nothing is too different from the original first two chapters aside from some better writing and minor details that showcase a bit where this fic is headed. I promise another update will come soon just bear with me!

Enjoy!

~

"You know, I'm honestly jealous of you." Victor said, leaning back into his desk chair. He slouched comfortably, one hand fiddling with a pen on the desk while the other rested on the chair's arm.

"Why's that?" Heine asked, not entirely paying the king much attention. There was some work the princes' had finished that he had yet to look over. He could have done it in the quiet privacy of his room but it didn't hurt to have a little fun at times.

"You get to spend so much more time with them than I do." Victor let out a heavy sigh. "I feel like a bad father."

Heine chuckled, "You are nowhere near a bad father, your majesty."

"Well, still..." Victor pouted. "I wish I could spend more time with the boys."

"I suppose being king is much more complicated than you thought it would be." Heine smirked.

"Seeing the throne in the eyes of a prince is very different from seeing it in the eyes of a king." A light smile grazed the king's lips. "Things change in such a long span of time. You meet new people, learn from them, and so much more..."

"I'm sure that's what makes you a great king." Heine set down the stack of papers on the desk and reached for the small glass of wine Victor had offered him over an hour ago. "Among other things." He closed his eyes for a moment as if tired then took a swig of the wine. He wasn't particularly a fan of wine but it felt rude not to at least finish the portion that Victor had offered. The simple amount in the glass cost more than his entire life, after all.

"Other things?" Victor playfully raised a brow.

"You know exactly what I mean." Heine's eyes flicked open catching Victor's gaze. Silence swept the room as their eyes stayed locked. Suddenly, Heine blinked and picked the stack back up. "I will be going now. I need to rest for tomorrow."

"Of course." Victor watched as Heine stood and left. The disappointment wafted the air like thick smoke. Heine couldn't blame him. He, too, wished for more time with his beloved king.

~

"A king holds many secrets. Secrets most wouldn't be able to bear or could even tear apart a kingdom. Today's lesson is just that." Heine whipped his teacher's pointer at the princes sitting on the sofas before him. "Can you keep a secret?"

"That seems easy enough." Licht was first to respond as expected.

"You're one to talk." Leonhard scoffed at his brother. "All you do is gossip."

"I do not!"

"Actually," Heine interrupted. "I think this will be the hardest for Prince Leonhard."

"What?" Leo whipped his head around back to Heine.

"Not to offend you, your highness, but you tend to run your mouth." There was a hint of smugness in the statement. Not that Heine was being petty, it was frankly fun to pick on the poor boy. It was a true statement nonetheless. Leo was one to accidentally spill information like a broken faucet.

"I do not!" Leo stood and pointed a finger at Heine frantically.

"Anyway, I have a challenge for you four. I will be giving you all a secret about each other. The goal is to get through the day without telling a soul."