Garmau, Larroth, and Glaze Oneshots

Glaze:On the Steps of the Palace

Theme: Broadway

Song: On the Steps of the Palace from Into the Woods

•••

Garroth ran down the palace walls as fast as he could. He could hear the Prince's steward yelling; "Stop!", behind him. He couldn't be caught by the Prince. Not now, not ever. If he knew who he really was, he was afraid the Prince would lose all love for him. So, running away was easier for him in this scenario.

He pushed open the doors that lead out of the palace, thankful he finally reached them. His boots that were made pure of gold, kept his pace slower than he had hoped. He was still great full for what his mother had given him. He started to run down the steps that were close to the woods that would let him hide like the previous two nights.

He was stopped in his tracks unexpectedly. He looked down to see a thick black liquid on the white marble stairs. Tar. He started to panic and as he looked back, he saw that Prince Blaze was already at the top of the stairs. Things seemed to freeze around him, letting him think.

"He's a very smart Prince,", He thought, "He's a Prince who prepares." While looking down at the steps, he was surprised that he wasn't caught like this earlier. "Knowing this time I'd run from him, he spread pitch on the stairs and I'm caught unawares...Well it means that he cares."

Garroth thought of the previous nights with the Prince. How beautiful each one was. How much he wished it would last forever. Then, thought of his horrible home...

"This is more than just malice,", He sang again, trying to pull up his foot, ultimately giving up. "Better stop and take stock while you're standing here stuck on the steps of the palace."

Luckily, the step behind him wasn't covered, so he sat down and placed his chin on the palm of his hand.

"All right what do you want! Have to make a decision,", He yelled at himself. He looked back at Blaze, nervously. "Why not stay and be caught? Should I give that a thought? What would be his response?" He thought of his rags back at his home. He was only a servant... "But then what if he knew who I am when I know that I'm not what he thinks that he wants?"

He sighed, completely distraught. He looked down at the tar again, trying to think as quickly as he could.

"But what if I am what a Prince would envision?", He asked himself, gaining hope. "But then how can you know who you are till you know what you want, which I don't?" His confidence was stripped away again...just like that. He was used to it. "So, then which do you pick? Where you're safe, out of sight and yourself, but where everything's wrong? Or where everything's right but you know that you'll never belong?"

He stood up again, now using all his strength to lift his foot out of the tar.

"And whichever you pick, do it quick 'cause you're starting to stick to the steps of the palace!"

He kept looking back at the Prince then, to the woods...

"It's my first big decision,", He admitted to himself. "The choice isn't easy to make. To arrive at a ball is exciting and all. Once you're there, though, it's scary and it's fun to deceive when you know you can leave but you have to be wary...There's a lot that's at stake. But you've stalled long enough, 'cause you're still standing stuck in the stuff on the steps..."

Then, an idea popped into his head. A dumb one, but, an idea at the very least. He knew what to do.

"Better run along home,", He decided. "And avoid the collision. Though at home they don't care, I'll be better of there where there's nothing to choose. So, there's nothing to lose. So, I'll pry up my shoes."

Then, another one came to mind...still dumb.

"Wait, no, thinking it through,", He says, placing a hand on his hip and one in his hair. "Things don't have to collide. I know what my decision is...Which is not to decide...I'll just leave him a clue." He lifted his foot and foot alone. "For example, a shoe."

He was left with only one boot and a sock to cover the other foot. He smiled, satisfied with his choice.

"And then see what he'll do. Now it's he and not you, who is stuck with a shoe, in a stew, in the goo...And I've learned something, too Something i never knew...On the steps of the palace!"

Time caught up with him and he ran off once again, avoiding the rest of the tar. Before he disappeared into the woods again, he made eye contact with Blaze once more, who was picking up his shoe...he smiled and went into the woods...

Word Count
832