the prince and the peasant | skephalo | DISCONTINUED

the two orphan boys

Darryl chased Zak around the room. They were playing a game of tag by theirselves. Zak and Darryl were best friends from the day they met. The two boys were seven.

Darryl touched the tip of Zak's back and ran, "Tag!"

The two boys laughed as they ran around a red circular table. Zak outsmarted the other boy by going the opposite way he was going. Zak jumped on the boy and they fell on the floor.

The two boys laughed. Zak was propping himself up with his arms as Darryl laid flat under him. Zak laid next to Darryl. The boys' chests hurt from laughing so hard.

Zak turned to look at Darryl. "Do you think we'll be friends forever?" The tan boy asked.

Darryl turned to look back at him. He smiled softly. "Of course we will!"

The thought of splitting up never came to mind. Both boys were orphans and always thought they would be adopted together. They were inseparable.

The boys stood up and hugged. "Pinky promise?" Zak asked, holding out his pinky.

Darryl latched his pinky on Zak's. "Pinky promise."

6 months later

The two boys were playing with string dolls that they made for each other. A worker at the orphanage opened the room they were playing in.

"Zak?" She called out softly, "Can you come out for a bit?"

Zak nodded and walked to the worker. They exited the room leaving Darryl alone. He played alone with the dolls until Zak came back into the room. He took a seat next to Darryl and looked at him. Zak frowned.

Darryl tilted his head in curiosity. "I'm getting adopted," Zak said sadly.

Darryl smiled. "That's great! Am I coming?"

Zak shook his head. "No. I'm leaving next week. I'm getting adopted by the royal family. They only want one child."

Darryl's eyes widened. His vision was suddenly blurred. Tears streamed down the green-eyed boy. Zak didn't know what to do to help his worried friend. He hugged him and let Darryl cry on his shoulder.

"It's ok. It's going to be ok." Zak soothed.

Darryl pierced his nails in Zak's back out of emotion. "No, it's not. I'm never going to see you again. I'm going to be alone again."

Zak felt Darryl's hot tears on the back of his sweatshirt. He pushed Darryl's shoulders forward so he could look at his friend's face to reassure him. "Don't worry! When I get adopted, I'll invite you all over the palace and we'll have so much fun!"

Darryl wiped his tears. "You promise?"

Zak smiled. "I promise."

———
9 years later, Darryl was a 17 year old teen boy. He remembers Zak, but only when his name is mentioned. Darryl was adopted by a kind, lower class, middle aged, farmer couple.

He was friends with a village boy named Vincent. Vincent moved from France. He had a accent and worked at a French restaurant that his parents owned.

Darryl met Vincent at the local library. They both liked to read, write and bake. They've known each other since they were 12. Vincent knew about Darryl and Zak's old friendship but never believed him. Vincent has only known Zak as the prince, heir to the throne, not as some orphan boy.