Prince of Porcelain

Chapter 11: Enjoyed

   Food. How could I have not felt my empty stomach after who knows how long? Well, I guess after being tortured, the last thing I've wanted to think about is hunger.
Joshua pulled out simple foods, but it looked like a feast to me. He laid out variations of fruits, bringing a splash of color to the dark room. Three sandwiches filled with cheese and meat were placed on the blanket, along with two glass bottles of water. A small, closed box lay in the middle of the blanket, and Joshua didn't open it.
"Come on down," Joshua said, gesturing for me to join him on the blanket. "Why are you so shy?" I must've dozed off into space, and my mouth began to water. After Joshua's offer, I rose from the bed and gently sat on the soft fabric.
   My skin soaked in the comforting fabric, having not felt gentleness in a long time. I looked at the food in awe, and then at Joshua. "Dig in," he said, smiling. Unable to hold back my desire, I began eating. I tried to have the best manners, even though I wasn't with my father back home.
I sank my teeth into a sweet, red strawberry, my fingers grasping the rough leaves at its top. I had almost forgotten how food felt in my mouth, and now that it has returned, I couldn't stop myself. I finished the small red fruit and practically devoured one of the sandwiches, the ham and cheese mixing perfectly together on my tongue.
Joshua simply sat in front of me, smiling at me as I ate. When my eyes met with his, my mouth full of food, I couldn't help but laugh. As I swallowed, I released a small laugh, making Joshua giggle. "Why are you looking at me like that?" I laughed. "Do you want any food? You are the one that brought it anyway."
   "No, you can have it," he said. "I brought it for you." I took a bite out of a blood red apple, the sweet juice covering my lips.
Gazing down at the sky colored blanket, a startling thought crossed my mind. I miss the sky. I miss the spectrum of colors that illuminates the sky, changing with the passing hours. Dawn to day, day to dusk, and dusk to night. The never-ending cycle of our world turning and turning... and I can't see it... I may never see it again...
"Are you ok?" Joshua asked, breaking me away from my trance. He looked at me with worry, as if he could sense my melancholy. "Yeah I'm fine," I said, shifting my position. "I just... miss being above ground. Not seeing the sky..."
Joshua leaned in closer to me, and his smile had faded. "I... know how you feel," he said. "I've been down here with Marcus for... I don't know... four or five years? He's had nothing on his mind but trying to figure out a way to get revenge on your father. Maybe... a few months ago, he decided that he was going to kidnap you to get his revenge.
"But... he changed," Joshua continued. "He was obsessed with getting his hands on you. He waited for the perfect time to capture you, and he thought that time was right before you became king. Marcus never stopped thinking about you."
Chills ran up and down my spine as Joshua spoke. So Marcus had basically been stalking me. "Why have you stayed with him?" I asked, wrapping my arms around my knees. "He said that he was going to help the king," Joshua responded. "My brothers died when I was younger, so I didn't have anywhere else to go, really. I can't believe I thought Marcus was a good man..."
Tears formed in Joshua's eyes as he stared at the floor. They formed in mine too. I can't believe what Joshua has been through... it must've been horrible. "I was young and stupid," he continued. "I should've just stayed in that ruined art shop... it's where I belong..."
Now he's lying again. I took my hand in his and grasped it tightly. My heart began beating faster for some reason... and Joshua's warmth brought chills running through me. He looked up at me in shock, as if no one had willingly held his hand before.
   "No," I said, looking directly into his mesmerizing brown eyes. "You're more than that. And I never would've met you if you weren't here... I would have been dead if you weren't here. You've saved me."
   The smallest of smiles reached his lips as his thumb caressed my hand. "That's very kind of you to say that," Joshua said, his smile growing. "Are we both lying to each other now?" I laughed, as did Joshua. He reached for the small, closed box, his warm hand pulling away from mine. I desired for his hand, even though I knew that he was here with me.
   Joshua held the box in front of me, one hand over the lid, and the other holding the bottom. "Now," he said, grinning. "Close your eyes." I gave him a suspicious look as I began to smile. Now I had true belief that Joshua wasn't going to hurt me. He wanted to protect me even.
"Close them!" Joshua laughed. I did so, and as the darkness developed around me, fear built up inside me. He won't hurt me, he won't hurt me. I told myself this a hundred times, but fear was still there. Why is it here? I'm not afraid of Joshua.
"Ok," Joshua said. I could hear joy in his voice. "Open then." I did, and I was met with a joyous sight. Small chocolates lay in the open box, something I haven't had since I was a child. My mother would help me sneak some when my father wasn't looking. They all were unique in their own way; some had designs on them, and others did not.
"How did you know?" I asked Joshua as I picked up one of the brown sweets. "These are my favorite!" "Well," he said, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Let's just say I did a little research. They are the color of your stunning eyes, after all."
My face flushed a bright pink as Joshua spoke those words. Stunning eyes? Since when did I have stunning eyes? He must've noticed me blushing, so he turned away from me. Joshua was looking at me as if I was the most beautiful thing in the world. I bet he was simply daydreaming.
Sinking my teeth into a chocolate with dark drizzle, I soaked in the sweet, savory taste that I haven't had in what felt like forever.   Memories came flooding back to me, memories of my mother. Her kind, beautiful smile, her warm, comforting touch, her harmonious, gentle voice...
"Hey," Joshua said, breaking both the awkward silence and my trance. "Do you like to read?" I felt my face light up. "Of course," I responded. "That's one of the only things I do in my free time. I also like to write and--."
"Read The Diary to me," he said, handing me the small, worn book. "I haven't read a book in years. And I want to hear your voice." I felt my face burn bright red, with... a strange feeling. I... I can't describe it.
"O-ok," I'm able to get out, opening the book to the first page. I'm afraid of what I'll read in here, about Marcus' past. Will I find an abusive family? Or a caring one? A horrific tragedy? A disturbing mind? An interesting relationship?
I brave the unknown story that I'm about to read, and it was far from anything I expected. I began to read aloud, with Joshua on his stomach, looking at me in interest the entire time. And honestly, I thought I knew Marcus.