Escape: A Royal Tom Holland Romance

I Defy You Stars

The ride home, though typically short and peaceful, or at the very least uneventful for Tom, was now seemingly a cruel purgatory. Moseying along in between his own earthly heaven and hell, it seemed the path ahead went on and on forever, much like the endless droning of Harrison's singing.

"Captain Haz and Little Tom riding through forest, cryin' and a stessin' cause they know there's hell to pay! Committin' treason for no reason and having such a grand time oo-de-lally oo-de-lally golly what a day!"

"Will you stop it! You're not clever." Tom growled, thankful to finally see the palace in the distance. He couldn't take much more of this.

"Let me have just a few moments of mindless joy before we return to court, get caught, and die!"

"No one's going to die—" Tom scoffed, annoyed by Harrison's fickleness.

"Don't you remember that one prince who married a commoner?"

"Well...no not exactly—"

"Because I'm pretty sure that happened in Egypt in the fourteenth century! And they're dead!"

"Because that was the fourteenth century! Of course they're dead now, you div. And doesn't that prove my point? If it's been done before, it can be done again."

Harrison opened his mouth to speak, and abruptly closed it, aggressively exhaling. He was insulted at how much sense Tom was making when none of this made sense to him at all. It was a disaster waiting to happen. "Of all the fools to be born into royalty—"

"I'm telling you Haz, I'd change it if I could." Tom sighed, pensive. Harrison understood him better than anyone, except when it came to his role as a prince. Though how could he blame him? Harrison has to spend his whole life looking up at Tom from below him: it was impossible to have the same view.

"What exactly are you planning to do, Tom? You can't keep this up—I definitely can't keep this up—"

"I know, I know. I'm not sure yet. I haven't really thought about it. I can't begin to—"

"You haven't thought about it—"

"What do you suggest I do—fake my death??"

"Well, that's a starting point!"

"Haz!"

"Ok, ok! I'm sorry. We just need to think this through. If we don't, it's going to end badly and you know that. Now I think we should revisit faking your death—"

Tom rubbed the back of his neck, almost resigned. "Will you be serious? This marriage is so important to my parents and my brothers. I don't know how I'm going to get out of it."

"Well, maybe you can't."

"What?"

"Tom, I want you to have this bit of romance for now, but soon enough it'll be time to get married and run the kingdom like you're meant to. Maybe all you can do is enjoy the time you have left and be happy you loved once. It's better to have loved and lost than never at all."

"It's not fair." Tom shook his head.

"I know, mate, but sometimes you can't have it all." As they approached the stables, Harrison hopped off his horse. He grabbed the reins of both horses and led them into their stalls. He helped Tom dismount, giving him a pat on the back.