Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 27

"There, whatcha think?" Pat asked. Logan raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do I think about climbing trees or what do I think in general?"

"No, whatcha think of the view?" Pat asked, pushing some leaves aside to allow Logan a clearer view of the forest. Pat thought it was magnificent to view the forest from high up.

"Well... we're very high up." Pat giggled.

"Why? You scared?" He teased.

"No." Logan said defensively. "Just... apprehensive, that's all."

"C'mon, whatcha think and then we can get down."

"Uh, right." Logan was clutching onto the tree branch so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "Right." He said again.

"It's very nice." He said. "Much nicer than my kingdom, I'd say. And it's very... green."

Pat burst into giggles. "Hey, what?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Pat put a hand over his mouth to try and stop giggling. "Just... very green?"

"Well, I don't know, I can't think straight when I'm stuck in a tree!" Logan protested. Pat's giggles died down slowly.

"Okay, okay, we can go."

"Finally!" Logan made a move to scoot himself off the branch before freezing. "How?"

"So?" Pat asked as he jumped to the ground. "What d'you think of tree-climbing?"

"I'm never climbing a tree again." Logan said as way of an answer. He checked his clothes quickly. "I just hoped it hasn't ripped anything."

Pat did a quick circle around Logan. "You're clear." He said. "And very fancy."

"Yes," Logan pulled on his waistcoat, "not my choice."

"Oh?" Pat asked, retrieving his basket.

"At the castle, it's all how you dress and what you wear and 'don't do that, you'll mess up your clothes'. Believe me, I wouldn't swap castle life for the world - I know how lucky I am - but sometimes..." Logan shook his head and left the rest of the sentence unspoken.

Pat shrugged. "I don't know, sounds kinda boring to me." He said candidly. "I couldn't imagine Papa trying to police my clothing." He shrugged again. "Just isn't fair."

"A lot of things aren't fair. The world isn't," Logan checked his watch, "fair. Shit, I need to get home." He looked around, lost, before turning to Pat. "Where's the river? I left Sampson tied there and I need him to get home."

"Yeah, just keep going down there." Pat said, pointing straight ahead. "And you should get to the river in about five or six minutes. Maybe less if you run."

Logan nodded. "Thank you. Um, see you next week? Same time?"

Pat grinned. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Where have you been?" Oscar snapped. Logan gestured to Sampson.

"Out for a ride." He said.

"Ooh, out for a ride." Oscar mimicked. "You are making us both late." He pulled at Logan's waistcoat harshly. "You look a mess."

"Yes, I'm aware." Logan led Sampson into the stables (ignoring the blatant wink from the stable boy) and smoothed the wrinkles out of his shirt. "I fell off my horse."

"I don't care if you fell off Mount Everest, you need to look presentable." Oscar sighed and grabbed Logan's arm, dragging him along. "Honestly, Logan, you really are a disaster. You've only got-"

"3 more years until I meet my husband, I know, I know." Logan wrenched his arm out of Oscar's grip. "And I'm perfectly capable of walking by myself, thank you."

"Then move." And Oscar set off into the castle again. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately, Logan. You've been distracted, late, going out for joy rides all of a sudden and you look a mess. You're putting me to shame with how little you're taking care of your appearance."

"Speaking of, hair." Logan said. Oscar ran a hand through his hair and smoothed the back down.

"Better?"

Logan shrugged. "Marginally."

"Look, just," Oscar shook his head, "just get your head out of the clouds. You've had 13 years of your life to daydream, now's the time to get back to the real world."

Logan rolled his eyes and pulled a face at his brother's back. "Get back to the real world." He mocked in his head. "Says the boy who can't focus on two seconds of a conversation when Ax is here."

I have nothing to say about this chapter. Hope you like it.
Bye,
Blaize