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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Somehow, Alex had ended up enveloped in James' arms in the night, his back plastered to James' chest. He roused slowly, enjoying the warmth yet rejecting how others would see him. He doubted he ended up in that position by accident.
ㅤHe pried himself out from James' claws, carefully and quietly. Unfortunately, Thomas was already awake and fiddling with his bag. Thomas saw that Alex had woken up but didn't greet him, laying out his sword to clean it.
ㅤThe others were sleeping still, the sharp glow of the sky not quite reaching the ground yet. Alex rubbed his face, picking the sleep away from his eyes and running his hand down along his jaw, feeling how thick his scruff was becoming. He was keenly aware that a beard made him look even more threatening, especially to children.
ㅤThomas glanced up at him.
ㅤ"You've hitched yourself to a dangerous horse," he cautioned.
ㅤAlex looked down at James, unable to tell if the man was still sleeping. He'd have to be careful with his words.
ㅤ"I don't make a habit of looking a gift horse in the mouth," Alex replied. "I'm surviving, that's all that matters."
ㅤThomas stared momentarily and then averted his gaze, not acknowledging the justification. He couldn't seem to agree nor disagree with Alex's path of action. Perhaps, like Alex, he also couldn't predict whether the gamble would end well.
ㅤ"I have a feeling this is going to be dangerous."
ㅤAlex regarded him carefully. "What do you mean?"
ㅤ"The Royal Hitchleigh, a place full of nobles, including the Theos Duke. There's bound to be many princes and princesses there, too. Everything that's been happening... We're taking Riley and James into a place like that— I have a bad feeling about it."
ㅤAlex scratched his chin, thinking. "It's part of the job."
ㅤ"A job that I will do without question," Thomas stated defensively. "Look, Riley told me James looks exactly the same and I have to wonder why King William is letting him walk around so freely if that's true." He eyed James warily. "I also have to wonder why James is going along with it so obediently."
ㅤThomas was a man who had pledged loyalty to King William; his questioning of the king's motives shouldn't be taken lightly. Alex waited a moment, but James' breathing remained steady, not stirring.
ㅤ"Wouldn't most people want to be king?" Alex said, unconvinced by his own excuse.
ㅤ"A man like James? If he'd wanted to be king why didn't he do it a long time ago? He certainly had the ability and the justification. You're much closer to him than I am, you should know better than me. Why am I the one asking these questions, and not you?"
ㅤThomas gestured to the two of them, who had slept embraced only moments ago, providing evidence to his point.
