Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 68

Logan was semi-dozing. The combination of the warm sunlight and the comfort of Pat's company lulled him gently into a quiet state. Pat was happy to go on rambling about anything and everything and Logan was content with making small hums of agreement and letting his mind rest.

"Could we get a cat, d'you think?" Pat asked, pulling up strands of grass and throwing them in the river. "It could keep the mice at bay so we wouldn't have to worry about that." Logan didn't reply. Pat looked over at him. Had he actually fallen asleep?

Pat prodded him in the shoulder. "Lo?" He poked him again. "Lo? Hello? Wakey-wakey."

Logan laughed and opened his eyes. He grinned at Pat and Pat was struck suddenly by how handsome he was. Truly a Prince Charming.

Logan sat up and ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it down at the back. "Sorry, did I doze off?"

"A little, yeah."

"Sorry." Logan said with a small laugh. "Anyway, what was your question?"

"Could we get a cat?" Pat repeated. Logan shrugged.

"If we saved up enough, yes. Obviously not right away, cats cost a lot but," he shrugged again, "I don't see why not."

"I just realised what it is!"

Logan blinked. "Pardon?"

"What's new!" Pat gestured to him excitedly. "You're growing your hair out!"

Pat couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before! Logan's hair had barely reached his jaw - it wasn't long enough to tuck behind his ears yet - and hung in thick layers, framing his face.

"Oh, yes." Logan reached up and smoothed his hair down self-consciously. "Do you like it?"

"Very much." Pat grinned. "I think it makes you look like a proper prince."

Logan laughed quietly, dropping his gaze to the ground. "Oscar hates it." He said. "But he hates everything I do. I think that's just what brothers do."

"What about your dad?" Pat asked. He scooted closer to Logan. Logan straightened his waistcoat instinctively.

"He doesn't care." Logan rolled his eyes. "As usual." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "He thinks it's a phase that I'll grow out of when I meet my betrothed. As if that's ever going to happen."

Pat shrugged. "Honestly," Logan continued, "it's stupid they're even hanging onto that! My betrothed doesn't exist, get over it."

"Yeah, but..." Pat shrugged again and pulled his knees up to his chest, "why would they make that up?"

Logan sighed. "The King and Queen of Iredia - that's the kingdom my father's friends with - they hadn't had any luck with a child. It was the one thing that stopped them being truly happy. They wanted a child. Supposedly, when they'd almost given up home, the Queen miraculously fell pregnant. They allegedly had the child and I was betrothed." Logan shook his head. "I don't know why they'd make it up. Wishful thinking? A sudden lapse in judgement? Control?" He shrugged and pushed his glasses up his nose again. "Either way, it's tethered me to Iredia for all of my life and I haven't been able to do a thing without this rock of my betrothed over my head."

Pat's brow furrowed in worry. He put his hand over Logan's. Logan's hand was warm. "That's awful." He said, trying to put as much sympathy in his voice as he could. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Logan said, intertwining their fingers. "You're the thing breaking me out from under that weight. That... responsibility, that destiny."

A new energy seemed to take over Logan. A new light seemed to spark in his eyes. He raised Pat's hand to his lips and kissed it fiercely.

"I'm done with it." He said decisively. "Forget what they say, I'm making my own destiny!"

A shorter chapter but a nice one.
Remember when Slippers and Tar was my longest book? Oooooh, good times. So simple...
Bye,
Blaize