Each year the Kingdom of Khearia throws a festival in remembrance of one of their most beloved kings who had tragically perished along with his wife and second son. His first son, Prince Fabian, was the only one to survive. Witnesses claimed his cro...
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James was leaning his hip against the balcony wall as he gazed out at the city surrounding them. Even if the day slept, the city had yet to, glowing gold beyond the palace walls. The odd bark of laughter and drunken whoop could be heard in the distance, as well as the low voices of knights patrolling in the gardens below them.
ㅤAlex approached James carefully, coming round from the side so he remained within James' sights as to not startle him from behind. James didn't acknowledge his presence, but didn't reject it either. Alex settled in beside him, leaning his arms against the stone ledge.
ㅤ"I'm sorry I didn't tell you as soon as I knew." Alex said, vaguely looking out at the life beyond them.
ㅤHe heard James take another swig straight from the bottle and he risked a small glance. James didn't let anything show on his face, nor did he look back.
ㅤ"Betrayal stings," Alex went on, "I know that. Even so, she helped you. That's something you need to hold on to."
ㅤWhen he received no further response, Alex resigned himself to leave, realising he was only disturbing the man.
ㅤ"You ever been betrayed before?" James asked before Alex could make the second step away.
ㅤFrowning, Alex leaned his hip against the wall, mimicking James. James still didn't look at him but at least he was showing some interest.
ㅤ"A few times." Alex confessed, scratching his arm in discomfort. "Probably not as much as others, but the few times that it did happen— it stung."
ㅤJames nodded in understanding and wordlessly passed the bottle to Alex. Alex hesitated before receiving it with a thanks, taking a large gulp for himself, easing the soreness his memories brought him.
ㅤ"I've only ever been with two people." Alex continued, grimacing at the thought. He knew this was something James was interested in, even if he felt embarrassed about talking about it. "The second man I thought genuinely liked me, but he only chased me to blackmail the duke. Seven months I was with him. He just wanted some hush funds."
ㅤJames held a hand out, requesting the wine back. Alex surrendered it after another slug for himself, bribing his body into relaxation.
ㅤ"That doesn't really make sense," James mumbled, "it's not blackmail worthy."
ㅤAlex winced. "The things I told him in confidence were. I didn't love him, but I was certainly on the way. I trusted him enough to tell him things that no one should know."
ㅤ"What happened to him?"
ㅤ"The duke made me kill him," Alex responded, plainly. "I was told to stick a dagger right into his chest and I watched the life drain from his eyes. That was probably the first time I had killed someone and truly felt like a murderer."
ㅤThe sight of the man he'd trusted tied up on the ground, sobbing, blood drying and darkening against his skin, as various of his father's guards stood around, watching, was seared into his brain. Even in his last moments, he'd begged Alex for mercy, told him he loved him, that he had no other choice. The wails of the dying man echoed in his mind sometimes, along with the laughter they had shared days before. Alex still believed it was impossible for him to have faked all of it— though perhaps he was thinking too wishfully.
