The Sole Prince

You're an exception, of course. [part 2]

"I did, uh, want to say thank you. For defending me today. For not letting me get taken hostage by other pirates. And for everything, truly."

"Don't mention it." Their smiles burn on their skin. "And thank you for fixing me up. I wouldn't be here without you." Sage lets the silence dance around them before speaking again. "So, we're really both princes?"

"Appears so." James laughs in response. It's interesting to be so giddy right now, after all that's been said and done, but, truly, both men are just ecstatic that they're okay—really, that the other is okay.

"And neither of us knew until today. Princes must be good at keeping secrets."

"I should have known, to be fair. You talk too eloquently to be a pirate."

"I'm a pirate captain; of course, I have to be eloquent."

"It's not just that. Your maps were too good to be made by pirates as well."

"Maybe I'm just a good cartographer."

"Shame that I'm better than you, then, isn't it?" James laughs. Sage is silent, trying his best not to give in to the joke. "You fight like a royal, too."

"I don't know whether I should take that as a compliment or an insult."

"You beat an entire ship by yourself today. I think that's pretty impressive."

"Why thank you. I think I had a good motivation, though." Sage smiles.

"That's one way to put it," James says, nuzzling into Sage's side. The air in the room must be getting hotter. That must be the explanation for the new heat. "You know, I knew I recognized your ship. I guess I just thought you stole it."

"Technically, I did."

"It was yours when you took it. No wonder my stepfather never let me study boating."

"He didn't let you learn about ships?"

"He never let me learn about a lot of things, to be fair. Steering a ship was the least of my concerns. Oh!" James exclaims, coming to a sudden realization. "And you don't have any prison cells on your ship, just like most royal ships. Hence the fact you don't take prisoners. Of course, it's a royal boat."

"To be fair, even if my boat did have cells, I still wouldn't take prisoners."

"You took me."

"You're an exception, of course."

"How come?"

"You really think I would abandon you on a dead ship. Just let you die?"

"You didn't know me then."

"It seems I barely know you now either."

"Good job avoiding the question, as a prince is taught to do." They both laugh.

"Well, to answer your question, I didn't take you as a prisoner, really," Sage says, sincere. "You were mostly just a makeshift member of the crew."

"Oh, so you admit I'm part of the crew? You wouldn't just drop off a member of your crew someplace they wouldn't want to be, right?"

"That's not fair," Sage says, lightly rolling his eyes. He feels James smile into his neck. "And, I said I didn't want to talk about this."

"I'm just saying I just don't want to leave you, Sage."

"I don't want to leave you either."

"Then why are you still trying?"

"You deserve what I couldn't have and more, James. You deserve the world."