The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Sunset

"Race you to the edge?" Sneak asked me, his expression filled with youthful exuberance.

I'm completely drenched with fountain water and this boy wants to have a race with me?

"Let's go!" he shouted.

"Wait-!" I screamed back, not even ready. "Not fair!"

We ran like the swift gales crisscrossing the high alps. We ran like there was absolutely nothing to lose. We ran not to go somewhere, but to indulge in the act itself.

When was the last time I have ever allowed myself to run just for the heck of it? Back when I was still an infant, ignorant of the injustices in life? Back when I was an older child, dressed up as a little boy, off to Sun God knows where?

Frankly, I missed this simple action, and like my name, I felt free.

"Stop that ruckus you little whelps!"

"Gah! My cabbages!!!"

*CRASH*

"Ha ha ha ha!!!" The boy's merry laughter invited my own. And soon, we were both laughing and running and jumping.

"Sorry!" I would shout behind me, but I kept trudging onwards, who knew to which direction we went? What does it matter when this world always ended in a few miles drop?

I followed after him for while, jumping up rooftops at one moment, and bumping against foot traffic at another. But when his own magic dwindled, I led the journey. I skidded past irrigation networks and jumped at the recoil of elastic tents. I looked back for him once in a while, but I soon learned I didn't have to. Even when he was magically exhausted, he can somehow still keep up with me.

Our laughter probably filled the whole of Malaya that day.

The wind swept past me, and I simply realized, that it didn't even matter if I was a girl or a boy; or if I held up my hair or cut it short. It didn't matter what I looked like. At this moment, I was the wind, free and gentle, calm and surprising.

"Woa-WOAH!" my friend screamed from far behind me. "Wait! Therion, that's-!"

His words were soon swept away by the winds, but I knew what he meant. A few meters in front... was the drop that ended far, far below us. But, I didn't stop running. Instead, I built up speed. Because if I chose to look up and not down, I would see a tinier floating island, a little baby of the humongous Isle, managing to stay afloat while being separate from the main body.

'I can do it!' I thought in my mind.

I gathered the notes to my feet and legs. One jump. A ridiculous distance to jump, but I've jumped farther distances earlier today.

"I CAN DO IT!" I screamed aloud, and jumped.

For a moment, I was suspended in air, with absolutely nothing to save me from the fall, and then, my feet struck ground and I rolled. I managed to stop just before I would fall down the opposite edge.

"I made it!" I screamed, my vision growing blurry but I have never felt more alive. But, I didn't have much time to appreciate my feat because coming towards me like a wind spell was the brown-eyed boy, shouting louder and louder as he approached the edge.

He cursed marvelously as he flailed in the air. He almost didn't make it, but I was there to catch his arms.

"HOLY!" he screamed as I brought him up laboriously. "HOLY LUNA!"

Finally with both of us on solid ground, I felt all the energy seep away from me and I crumpled onto the ground like a half empty sack. He did the same. Lying on our backs with our arms and legs stretched out, we panted for breath, and I laughed.