The Iron Man [Serial]

Some Days a Prince

Later, I made my way into the gardens with my colors and sketchbook. I had already had the chance to share a meal with Alpha's family and guests, and to spend some time in my assigned guest quarters, and been assured I was welcome to make use of the palace and grounds.

The gardens outside were vast, even if they were said to be like Versailles in miniature. The scenery was like photographs I had seen, with stone fences, circular fountains, wide tree-lined promenades, and smaller gravel paths through manicured gardens. Here there was also a collection of figurative statuary in the Greek style.

I was sketching a semi-nude figure when Alpha again found me. He had changed clothes so that he was in shirtsleeves, but wearing oxblood leather boots and trousers. He sat beside me on the low stone railing. It was not the most comfortable perch, but it was where the lighting on the statue looked best.

"May I?"

I handed the sketchbook to Alpha. I waited as he flipped slowly through the pages. "How is it you can wear so much leather when it's warm?"

He answered quickly, "I like how it feels." I supposed he must have given the matter thought in the past.

"May I?" I saw Alpha nod, so I touched my fingertips to his knee. The leather felt rather like a second skin.

Alpha laughed. "I mean how it feels to wear it. Like being safe or--"

I interrupted him for once, "like animals were sacrificed in the making?"

"Yes. Would I look as intimidating if I wore silk?"

"Your manner is intimidating." I dared attempt an imitation, "I am going to give you an order. You will follow it. Answer 'aye aye' if you understand!"

Alpha smiled. "Then the outside matches the inside." He changed the subject. "This sketch is quite lovely."

I wrinkled my nose at my own work. "Hedone insisted on posing."

"Xe and Erik know how to press things."

"I press things."

Yes." He laughed, "You do. In your way. But, I mean it. Your work is improving. The lines are loose here. You're relaxed. More confident?"

"I have moments." I shrugged and watched Alpha continue to flip pages. "Can I--? I mean," I looked up at his face, but he wasn't looking back. "When I was younger, I used to imagine that I was one of those characters in a story who was rescued by a prince. I thought I wanted someone to save me."

The pages stopped moving, but it was a few seconds before Alpha looked at me. "That's normal. It's probable everyone feels like that at some time in their life. And it's all right to need help. There are often more people willing to help than we realize."

"I believe that, too.  I feel more and more like I can help other people. I want to help others, now, even though it's still only recently I realized I had the power to help myself."

"It's been an honor to watch your progress. If I've been too quick to help sometimes, I apologize for that, Julien."

"That's not necessary. I know it was awkward when I misread your motivation, but it still feels amazing to have people caring about me, again. As much as you want to spare me pain, you also push me to be better. I trust you."

Alpha closed the book, stood, and turned away.

"Did I--?"

"Julien" He shook his head. "If you make me cry, I shall be cross with you for a while. So, just come with me." 

I smiled, but I was glad Alpha could not see it. I took the box of colors and left the railing. "Then don't look at me, but let me finish. I want to be able to tell you--"

"I already know." He walked toward the palace.

"Alpha! Let me finish one sentence!"

He stopped, arms crossed over his chest.

It seemed pointless now. The moment ruined. I sighed. "I used to feel like someone else had to be the prince in the story, but now, my greatest wish is to be able to wake a sleeping beauty."

"It would have been more clever if you hadn't been so long about it. It was quite obvious from the first mention of 'prince'. Not to mention a little presumptuous to expect this to be news to me. You're wearing his clothes."

All of that was true. I sighed, again.

"Just come with me. Understood?"

"Aye aye, Captain."

Alpha walked again toward the palace and I followed. We passed through the main hall and then up one of the flights of stairs to the second floor, and then to the third floor, which was split between several tower suites. "This is his room," Alpha said, "Mine's on the other side."

Alpha opened to door, but I hesitated before entering. "This has to be one of the best rooms in the house."

"It is." Alpha walked inside, "He barely stayed here. There wasn't much time my completion of study in Cairo and his in Paris and our forming the team to spend much time here, but it's our home." Their home, but separate rooms.

The room was quit and dark when I entered, and the air stale and hot. Rays of light eeked through the shutters on the windows. On my way to the windows, I could make out a low bed draped in netting and several bookcases. When I got a window and shutters open I could better see Murphy's dressing table, pair of armoires, and a reading chair. Someone had placed his luggage near the bed.

For a time, we looked around the room in silence. I saw some framed photos near the chair in the corner. "He's very special to you," I said. In these old photos, Alpha was rarely in leather.

"More than you may understand at this point in your life. But, I know that you are special to him."

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Special Saturday update! The media is the video for Breath of Life by Florence + The Machine, with scenes from Snow White & the Huntsman. (There's a new Huntsman movie coming up.) I think I picked it because I was thinking of the old Some Day My Prince Will Come but didn't want that, exactly.

I'm not always sure what these characters are to each other when Murphy isn't around. I mean, it's been made clear what type of fondness is there, but I think their behaviours are off when Murphy's not around, because Alpha and Jade compensate for his absence on some level and try to fill the noticeable gap, which doesn't always work.