Chapter 2
1166 Words
I didn't see Kade for almost three weeks.
I thought of him every day, visited the garden every days in hopes that I'd see even just a glimpse of him. I didn't, not until three long weeks had passed.
When I did see him, I wished I hadn't.
I wished he had stayed away. For how long? I wasn't sure. Maybe for just a day, a week, months, part of me wished he never returned at all.
Prince or not, I couldn't control fate. And fate, apparently, wanted us to meet again.
I was laying in bed, just about to sleep, when there was a commotion in the palace. I could hear running outside my door and only a moment later, my door burst open with my royal knights standing behind it. "Prince Farley! We must leave now, there's an intruder."
"An intruder?" I quickly got up and slid a robe on.
My stomach felt heavy and I almost felt nauseous. Please don't be him, I silently begged. But I knew, I knew it was him. There was nobody else it could be. Please don't take him away from me yet.
"Where are they?" I asked my personal knights. "The intruder."
"The queen has instructed us to take you-"
"They're in the garden, yes? Take me there."
They couldn't refuse as they sent each other cautious looks but they didn't agree. They would surely be scolded by mother later on but at the time, I didn't care.
When I got to the entrance of the garden, my stomach felt even heavier with dread. Why so many knights for a mere boy? Why are they aiming their swords at him? What did he do?
He trespassed.
Kade could only stare, surrounded by royal knights, as my mother stood in front of him. There were three of her personal knights guarding her but I knew they weren't necessary. He's just a boy, I wanted to scream but I couldn't find my voice.
"Farley?" My mother's eyes were angry when they landed on me but I wasn't focused on her. Kade glanced at me for a mere second before he looked anywhere else, refusing to meet eyes again.
He's just a boy. "Did I not tell you to take him away?"
"What're you doing?" I interrupted my knights, voice desperate.
"There's an intruder, Farley. I'm dealing with him,
go with your knights like I instructed."
"He's not an intruder." I rushed out. "He's just a boy."
"He is an intruder. Look at him, this boy does not belong in my palace, especially my garden." She looked down at Kade, easily towering over him in her heels. "How did you get in here?" He kept silent. "Speak when you are spoken to."
His eyes were downcast and he remained silent. Mother sighed and flicked her hand. "Take him to the cells until the king returns."
"Wait!" I stepped forward. "Mother, please. He's not an intruder. He's-" I'm not supposed to, she won't believe me. "He's my friend."
"Friend?" Her head titled towards me. "What are you talking about, Farley? You don't have friends."
"He is." I insisted. "He's my friend."
"What is your friend doing in my garden at night?"
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know- "He was waiting for me. Weren't you?" I stared at him, silently begging him to look up. "You were waiting for me. Right, Kade?"
Mother waited for a response.
He kept silent. "Tell her, Kade! Tell her we're friends." I begged. He kept silent. "They'll kill you! Please speak up!"
He'll die, I thought with dread. When father returns, he'll die. He'll be made an example of and possibly hung for all to see. I could picture it already. These are the consequences of threatening the royal family, my father would say.
Mother could wait no more. "Take him to the cells."
I watched as a knight grabbed him by the arms. He didn't fight nor pull away as he was pushed forward.
"Mother." I begged. If father returns, I won't be able to convince him. "I swear it, he is my friend. My only friend so please." He can't die. "I'll take responsibility for him."
"You have no authority to do that."
I felt nauseous. Is this the last time I see him? Those five years we spent together, will they just be memories I slowly forget about?
I was desperate and had no authority as a mere prince. There was nothing I could do to stop her. The knights belonged to her, they were not mine to order.
"Please." I begged, slowly getting onto my knees.
Mother's eye sharpened. "Farley!" I know, I wanted to scream, I am a prince kneeling. But I didn't know what else to do. He can't die.
My palms fell to the floor so I could press my forehead to my hands, fully bowing. She was angry, I could tell but I didn't care. "I'll take responsibility for him." I repeated. "He will be mine, I'll train him myself."
My eyes were screwed shut and my heart was pounding in my chest. I was lucky it was mother and not father. Father wouldn't have hesitated to draw his sword on the mere boy.
Kade stepped forward, eyes wide while I kneeled down and begged for his life. I'm sure I was a pathetic sight. The crown prince, bowing to his mother to save a filthy boy that trespassed in the palace.
The knights quickly pointed their swords at him and stopped him from stepping forward. "Farley.."
Mother was silent.
"Please." I whispered, hoping she'd hear me.
"Get up." Her voice held more authority than I've ever heard. She had every right to be angry.
But I couldn't get up. "Please!" I repeated, forehead pressed to the floor.
"You are a prince! Get up!"
I couldn't. I couldn't let him die without trying everything to stop her.
"Stand up, Farley." Kade uttered softly. My eyes opened and I didn't move at first until slowly, I lifted my head. He was staring at me with dreadful eyes, blaming himself for all of this.
Slowly, I stood up.
"Take him to the cells." Mother repeated with a sigh, casting tired eyes towards me.
At sixteen years old, I could do nothing but watch as Kade was pushed forward by a knight and taken away.
Mother watched me stand there for minutes until I heard her heels click forward. She said nothing but I felt her hand stroke my hair. A moment later, her heels were clicking away.
I didn't move for what felt like hours but in reality, was minutes.
I didn't say goodbye.
I didn't thank him for those five years.
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hey besties. new story i'm gonna be focusing on make me beg for a while but this will be my next one.
i hope you liked it, maybe tell me what you think okay bye ily,
maddie
- Writer
