My Prince (Septiplier)

Chapter Twelve

~~~Marks POV~~~

It was a week before they found me.

Seven wonderful, heavenly days.

With him.

After we got out of the palace, Jack led me to his house. It was on the outskirts of the village. Small, compact, and cosy. It smelt like home cooked food and warmth. It felt like a home.

He had told me stories of what it was like growing up for him. With his brothers and sisters, his mom and dad. It all sounded wonderful to me. He got me to tell him stories from when I was little as well. They all sounded repetitive and boring to me, but whenever I told him them his eyes seemed to light up and he went quiet, like he was imagining he was there.

During the day Jack went out to work and I stayed at home. We agreed it was best if I didn't go out in public for obvious reasons. Whilst he was gone I cleaned and cooked. He taught me how to make basic meals, vegetable stews and the like. I had tried experimenting a couple times and he seemed to like it.

We talked and we laughed together. I was worried I wasn't going to be comfortable with him, but oh was I so wrong. I seemed to slip into it easily, like I was meant to live this kind of life.

For the first night Jack insisted I slept in his bed whilst he slept in a chair downstairs. Needless to say neither of us liked it much. He woke up aching and I felt lonely. For the second night I convinced him to stay in the bed. We still slept on either sides though. I think he was nervous. The third night, Jack got in from work late. He was completely exhausted and just collapsed on the bed and cuddled up to me, before instantly falling asleep in my arms. We both agreed it was better and had slept together in the most innocent sense of the word since.

Jack started giving me little nicknames. Unintentionally, I think, but I liked them. 'Princey' 'My Prince' and 'Muscles' seemed to be his favourites.

I didn't want to say it yet. It felt too soon, too sudden, but... I felt it. I had never truly felt like this before. and it felt wonderful, like I was finally where I was supposed to be. It had almost slipped out a couple of times. Whilst we were cooking together, before we went to sleep, just ordinary every day moments. It felt too special to be said then. I had to wait until I was sure.

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News of my disappearance got around quickly. In less than a day, actually. Jack got back from work close to tears from worry since it had been the only thing people were talking about. Apparently a few of his co-workers had joked about him doing it, since he had apparently always had an "obsession" with me. It felt like an excuse just to bully him to me, but oh well. What could I do?

We had danced, laughed, told stories, been so happy. It felt normal. Like I fit here. Like this was what had been missing all my life...

Then they found me.

It all happened in such a blur that it's hard to remember what happened exactly. They had started going around the village, searching homes and shops for me and arresting anyone they thought might have connections to my disappearance. Once we got the word Jack had tried to hide me but it was no use. Since Jack lived at the edge of the village we hoped that they maybe wouldn't search here.

We were wrong.

It happened whilst we were eating supper in tense silence. There was a firm, heavy knock on the front door. Jacks posture changed. He sat up straight and tensed. He looked at me with an expression of utter panic. I reached out and squeezed his hand gently.

"Open the door." I said in as much as a calm tone as I could manage. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

He looked at me like I was insane.

"Are you mad? They'll find you!" He whisper shouted.

"We'll talk to them. I'll explain this was my idea. It'll be okay, I promise."

Another knock came at the door, louder this time. He hesitated for a second before standing. I stood also and waited by the table. He took a deep breath before going to the door. I couldn't see them, but I could vaguely hear what they were saying. I recognised the voice of the person speaking to Jack. It was the head of the royal guard. She asked Jack if he knew anything about my disappearance. He paused for a second before replying no. She then said if he had nothing to hide he wouldn't mind them searching his home. He hesitated before saying no again.

There was the sound of footsteps on hard wooden floor, and this is where it gets hazy. Soldiers walked in to the kitchen. As soon as they saw me there was a shout, alerting the others. They went over to me and tried to get me out of the kitchen. I struggled and tried to tell them to let me go, but I had one on each arm with grips that could easily break bone. As they ushered me outside I saw Jack. He was handcuffed and was being roughly shoved in to the back of a carriage. I let out a cry and tried to fight against the people holding me but it was useless. They wouldn't listen. The last I saw of him before I got taken in to a separate carriage was one shared glance. He looked betrayed and heartbroken. I felt guilt burning in my chest as tears spilled down my cheeks.

I was taken back to the palace, greeted with joy by my advisories who told me "he" would be punished suitably, taken back to my bedroom, bathed, put back in to the usual uncomfortable clothes and was told to rest and try to "recover", but I felt none of it. I felt numb. It felt like I wasn't there, like this was all part of some awful nightmare and that I would wake up with Jack in my arms and know that he was safe.

But deep, deep down I knew that this was all too real.

{A/N}

:~)