Jonathan

II

The air was warm, but the grey clouds threaten a day for adventures.

"I run!"

He thought as he gathered all his strenght to get there fast, to his favorite spot by the lake in the palace's gardens, leaving the nanny behind who followed from a considerate distance. To his surprise he saw from the distance what looked like a white sheep by the lake.

"Who is that?"

He asked himself. As he got closer distinguished a tiny's person's back squatting and slightly leaning towards the water. He kneeled down with extreme curiosity and carefully bent over to his right to see better.

"Hello" he muttered, only to see the angels face turned to him.

"Hee hee, is this your lake?" The small person said with a weird but cute grin.

The lips so red, the pink shiny cheeks and those huge deep blue eyes that opened wide as he stopped smiling. And only then he knew, his heart nearly stopped and it was then when he decided to become the guide and protector of the new resident. When he finally recovered he explained.

"No, it's not mine but you can play here with me as if it was. Although...we aren't allowed to come here by ourselves. Who came with you?".

The boy looked straight into his eyes but was unable to answer fast. He did not know what the proper answer was since he moved that day with his whole family but it was a man who took him to see the gardens.

"Are you lost?"

"Oh, I'm not lost I just wanted to swim. I saw this from that window over there".

He said pointing out to the magnificent construction that sat by the opposite side towards the pine trees.

"Please hold my hand, I will take you back. You must never swim here if I'm not here with you".

He firmly informed, pointing up his finger and looking directly into the boys face.

"We will protect you, come along". The children returned safely to the gazebo where the other adults were having an early lunch.

"I see you have made a new friend. Come here Jonathan". The boy's mother said knowing exactly who the young prince was.

"So come and tell me, how old are you now? Where's your mommy?"

"My what?". He responded confused by a word that wasn't familiar to him at all.

"He is four, and since I'm the oldest I'll be responsible and never let go his hand. He wanted to swim!"

Christian explained to his mother. A blond gentle woman whose eyes seemed to get smaller as her kind words left her lips.

"Oh no!"

She said keeping her composure not to frighten the child.

"Let us take you to your rooms" She imposed grabbing the boy's hand very gently but firmly and they walked away.

"You only moved here just today, we'll have plenty of time to play and discover this amazing place together, now is going to be your home. How do you feel about that? Are you excited?"

"I'm not sure"

Jonathan responded, only because he missed half of the things she was saying since the other child's fascinated face was staring at him with a big smile. Jonathan hardly had a chance to be with another boy of a similar age and was thinking that there were lots already happening and he was too anxious about it all. Once on the steps by the entrance the little boy stopped and waved Jonathan off, and he held on to his nanny's hand to make their return to their group.

There were so many greetings on the way to find his family, so many stairs and doors until Jonathan  finally saw in a huge room by some windows his teenage sisters sitting by a coffee table hearing all kinds of instructions and recommendations from their mother, their nanny and Cynthia. Who turned to see him and shocked by the discovery hurried to the door picked him up and held him tight.

"Where's Mr. Jefferson?"

Cynthia inquired looking into the boy's eyes who seemed completely unbothered by it all, since all he wanted was to get down and hurry to the colorful tiny cakes on the table where the women were. And so he did.

The mother stood up to greet and thank the woman who seemed to have never put on a straight face. She looked as if she could only smile and hide her eyes as she complimented every person or child that came her way. There was something about her though, something extraordinary that made her completely welcomed and liked by the child's mother. Who wouldn't have made friends with such a sweet and joyful person. But this woman. This woman was something else entirely. The former nurse, now woman doctor who has been with the family since her last and difficult pregnancy could not take her attention from the boy. This made Sophia, the new friend, confused about who was the nanny or how many they had. As the girls' governess also joined the group from a side door, ready to take the girls out to explore the new place.

§

"Your help has arrived!"

A deep voice claimed as coming into the room.

"Oh Christian, we were just talking about you, my brother and I. Join us, try these delicious sweets that happened to come my way"

Said Bella in a playful manner.

Jonathan just stared at her wondering why she always lies about the most trivial things so naturally.

"What's with that face? Is your stomach torturing you again?"

The tall and athletic man asked in an attentive manner.

"There is nothing wrong with my body. It's only the people. Is the people who gets on my nerves. You all"

The prince said as he looked away towards the window, but he could only see the blue sky from the chair he was sat on. Bella and Christian went on with their greetings and casual talk as if Jonathan wasn't there. But the nobleman looked back at the quiet one thinking for himself...

"I know there's nothing wrong with your body"

His desire almost reflected on his eyes for a second but quickly turned to love and compassion again. Because he adored him, he loved him from the moment he found him by the lake.

"Does he even know how much? Does he ever even wonder if I do, or if he is just delirious?" Christian often thought.

"Well, let me help you ridiculous creature. Where are the documents?"

Jonathan looked back with a side smile and mischief eyes and all his ugly moods seemed to have flown away in an instant.