A Prince's Pride

*Aaron*

We didn't even hear the door open. 

Corianne's face changes from confusion to embarrassment when she realizes what's happening. 

"Corianne, I—" I begin, but I don't have time to say anything else before she turns on her heel and runs from the room. A moment later, Sir Oswald walks in and there's no confusion on his face when he sees us. He turns and closes the door, still facing it.

"I apologize, Your Highness," he says. "I had to use the bathroom. I never thought someone would barge into your room without knocking."

“You can turn around, Sir Oswald," I say once we're dressed. He turns, still looking embarrassed. I’m trying to keep my anger at him under control. Why, on tonight of all nights, had he abandoned his post without making sure we were not indisposed?

"Your Highness," he says, concern overtaking his features. "If she goes to the King…" he trails off, but I don't need him to continue. 

What will my father do when Corianne tells him about us? Will he fire Milo as my servant and forbid us from seeing each other? Would he exile him? Execute him?

"Aaron," says Milo, clutching my arm. 

"Don't worry," I say in as calm of a voice as I can muster. I grab either side of Milo’s face and look into his eyes. "Nothing will happen to you."

He doesn't look relieved. His eyes are wide in panic and start to fill with tears. I hug him close to me, his face in my shoulder, and run my fingers through his hair, shushing him. 

"It's going to be fine," I say, kissing his head. I glance at Sir Oswald and shoot him a warning look. He's looking at Milo like he's about to die any second. He quickly rearranges his features. 

"I'm going to talk to her," I say, breaking away from Milo. He just nods and moves to his cot. 

"I'll be here when you get back," he says. 

Ten minutes later, I'm knocking on Corianne's door. The guard standing outside isn't supposed to let anyone in, strictly speaking, but he just shoots me a knowing smile. He probably thinks I intend to fuck her. 

She opens the door and lets me in. 

"Are you gay?" she asks without preamble once the door is shut. "And don't lie to me."

I’m taken aback. Not sure what else to do, I just nod. 

"Oh, thank the Gods," she says, sounding profoundly relieved. 

"Wait…what?"

"Look, you're a very nice man," she says, "but I'm already in love with a man from my city. My mother wanted me to join the pageant to try and win your heart. I thought the eating, and burping in your face, and picking my nose would deter you from me, but I guess not."

"My father has been insistent on me finding a wife. I thought the eating, and burping and stuff would annoy him. I was right, but he was willing to accept you because of your family."

"Great, so now what?

"Well, here's an idea," I say, the idea blooming in my mind as I speak. "We pretend we're courting until my father gets off my back and then you can go back to the man you love. And I'll go back to the man I love. I should probably stay here for a little while. The guard outside thinks we're having sex. Let's let him spread that rumor."

She smiles at me, clearly relieved. We move to her table and sit down so she can tell me about her love, Criston.

*Milo*

My mind is spinning in a panic. I can't stop myself from imagining how the King will execute me. Hanging? Beheading? Poison?

Sir Oswald comes in without knocking. He looks worried. 

"Milo, I think you should run," he says to me. I've been wondering the same thing. But how could I leave Aaron?

"Where would I go?" I ask. 

"Go east, into Sandalia. They won't know you and the King surely won't follow you there. Trade between them and Midoor is strong, but the political affiliation is shaky at best.”

"Maybe I should go to the Lower Reach," I suggest. "They've embargoed Midoor. The King wouldn't even be allowed to send people after me."

"Just be careful," he suggests. 

I stand from the cot, my mind decided. I will return to Midoor one day, but only when I've received the all clear from Aaron. 

It's true that I would rather be with Aaron than in the Lower Reach, and part of me would rather be dead than without Aaron. But I can't get in the way of him becoming king. 

I remember his promise, that everything will change when he's on the throne. 

"Tell him where I'm going," I say to Sir Oswald as I prepare to leave. "And tell him I love him."

"I will, Milo. You have my word."

"Thank you," I say to him, walking toward door. 

As I walk through, he doesn't follow me, and behind me, I hear him say, "Be safe."

*Aaron*

I leave Corianne thirty minutes later and the guard outside gives me that same smile. 

"Did you have a good chat, Your Highness?" he asks. 

"You could say that," I respond, giving him a wink. 

When I get to my room, I find Sir Oswald standing outside, looking solemn. 

"What is it?" I ask. 

"Milo," he whispers after checking the coast is clear, "he's leaving for the Lower Reach to hide from your father. Did she go straight to him?"

"What?" I almost shout. In a whisper, I continue, "No, she doesn't want to marry me either. I think she could be an ally against my father's plans. We have to stop Milo. King Zannir has declared war against Midoor. He could be walking into a battalion of soldiers."

Oswald looked horrified, but I don't wait for him to speak. I run, full out, and hear Oswald on my heels. 

When leave the doors to the palace and head for the gates to the palace, a guard yells, "Halt!" They must not be able to tell who I am in the lights of the palace courtyard yet. They’re high powered, but they take a long time to get bright.

"I am the Prince of Midoor and I'm commanding you to step aside and open the gates!" I shout. 

They jump to attention and start to work. I don’t talk to any of them. If Milo is fleeing Midoor, he’d go to his house first. We snatch a couple horses from the stables near the palace gate and ride hard and fast, arriving at Milo's house in less than ten minutes. 

His door is locked, but I unlock it using my spare key. His dresser is empty. His bags are gone. 

"Your Highness," says Oswald from the living room, which I enter to find him holding a letter out to me. 

"Fuck that," I say, knowing what it will say and that I don't want to read it. I leave Oswald in Milo's house, trusting he'll lock it. I climb on the horse and ride for the city gates, knowing it's the only way out of the city. 

My horse's hooves beat against the cobblestone road, but it might as well be trampling my heart. If Milo leaves the city, if King Zannir's men find him and realize he's a Middorian…

*Milo*

There's a small town called Whippington five minutes from Crown City by horse where I can catch a train going north. I was lucky enough to find a carriage willing to bring me so I wouldn’t have to be on foot. 

I'll have to stop at the border and get access to the Lower Reach. It's not exactly a happy place. It's mountainous and cold. It gets it's name because, although it's littered with mountains, it has a lower elevation to the other kingdoms on the continent.

I'm walking down the aisle on the train to my seat now, a heavy weight in my stomach. I haven't been this far from Aaron since the day he caught me looking at his ass before we were together, when I was just a servant. He purposely stuck it and made sure to flex his abs because he could tell I liked it. 

"Final call!" a train attendant yells down the aisle. "Make sure your possessions are stowed and please do not stand or walk around until the train has left the station."

My two bags are already in the compartment. I hear the train whistle blow, announcing it’s ready to depart.

*Aaron*

My horse is running as fast as it can, but I'm worried I won't be fast enough. A swirling mix of emotions fill me. 

My horse thunders over the town line of Whippington, the small town near Crown City that houses the nearest train station. My father didn't want easy train access by terrorists in the capital city of his country. A few of the guards are startled, but someone sees it's me. 

"Stop the train!" I yell at the station. It's just past sunset, but I know the street lamps should be bright enough for the citizens to recognize me. If they do, nobody moves. When I get to the station, I jump from my horse and run inside. 

The train is already gone, but I'm not giving up.

Outside, I hop back on my horse and plan to head down the tracks, when Oswalds stops me.

“Your Highness, we should return to the palace,” he says.

“Are you insane, Sir Oswald? There are soldiers on this side of the border.”

Oswald’s face pales at the news.

“Then there is even more reason to take backup. Please, Your Highness.”

I nod at him and we turn back toward Crown City. 

When I get back to the palace, I don't waste any time in going to my father's room and knocking so hard I almost break the door down. 

"What is it?!" he shouts as he throws the door open. Then when he realizes it’s me, "Aaron?"

"Father, we need to send soldiers along the tracks heading north and stop the last train. Milo's onboard. He doesn't know about the declaration of war."

"Why is he on a train headed for the Lower Reach?" he asks. 

"He—"

Shit. I don't have a good excuse. 

"—went to see a girl. He met her a couple of weeks ago in the city and she told him she lives in Zhurchek." It was the first Lower Reach town I could think of.

"There's nothing to fear, my son. That train won't cross the border. It'll stop in New Herald."

I'm slightly relieved to hear this, but I won't feel entirely comfortable until Milo is back where he belongs, in my arms. 

"May I take a small unit of soldiers to the train station at New Herald to bring him back?"

"Honestly, Aaron," says my father with a yawn, "he'll get turned back by border patrol and hop on a train back to the capital. It might be a good learning opportunity for him. Don't go chasing after girls you barely know. You know, I'm surprised. I always thought he might be gay."

Well that's a revelation, but I don't have time for it.

"Okay, well I'm going to New Herald. You can send guards with me or I'll go by myself."

I turn on my heel and march from his room. I hear my mother speaking to him but I can't make out the words. 

A moment later, my father calls down the corridor. "Aaron! Take whomever you need!"

I turn back to him, smiling. "Thank you, Father."

And so, sir Oswald, four Crown Guards, and I set off, riding hard and fast along the northern-leading tracks. The Captain of the Crown Guard seemed confused when I explained we were retrieving a servant, but people know how benevolent my father is regarding all of his subjects and, when a member of the Royal Family gives a Crown Guard an order, they aren't likely to disobey it. 

I want to believe we'll find Milo safe and sound and bring him home, but I can't get this feeling off my chest that something bad is about to happen…

*Milo*

Something is happening. I can't tell what it is, but our train is stopping and we haven't reached New Herald yet. Furthermore, this isn't the smooth, slowing glide Midoor trains are known for when they stop. The wheels are screeching through the night, and the train jerks multiple times before we're brought to a shaky halt. 

I'm only one of five people in this train car, one up from the caboose. I hear the door behind me, facing the back of the train, open and I turn to see a gargantuan man, at least 7' tall, standing in the doorway. 

He's wearing the army livery of the Lower Reach. 

"Ladies and gentlemen," he says in a deep, booming voice. "King Zannir is eager to liberate you from the backward ideals of Midoor's Royal Family. But wars are expensive and, as it's you who is being liberated, we'd appreciate your contribution with coin, jewel, or servitude. Now, sit tight and we’ll leave you all, safe and sound. If you wish to join us, stand now.”

Nobody stands, but several people start to whisper and the small pieces I’m able to catch echo my own thoughts. Did he say war? I knew tensions were running high between Midoor and the Lower Reach, but I didn’t know we were at war. We all sit silently for several minutes. I can see, just ahead, a cloaked and hooded figure sleeping in their seat.

The door at the front of the car opens and another soldier comes in. This one is carrying a burlap sack. He must be collecting their spoils. As he walks down the aisle, the contents of the bag clink together. He holds the bag out to an elderly woman who's crying, but she dumps her money bag into it without much fuss. He barely glances at the sleeping person, not bothering to wake them.

Clink, clink, clink.

He hands the bag out to a man a couple of seats behind the sleeping figure. The soldier isn't wearing a helmet or a mask and something about him seems familiar. 

The man in the seat looks up at him, defiant. 

"You won't get any coin from me," he says.

The man smiles mischievously and, too quick for me to really process what happened, slits the man's throat. The soldier reaches into his pocket as the man is gasping, blood spurting down his front. He throws the man's coins into his sack, bag and all. 

Clink, clink, clink.

The next pair of people hand over their coin bags silently, dropping them into the burlap sack.

Clink, clink, clink.

He's standing in front of me now. I don't hesitate to dump my coins in but, unlike with the old woman and the couple, he doesn't move on immediately. He's staring at my face like he recognizes me from somewhere, but can't quite place it. 

"You work in the palace," he says, recognition flaring in his eyes. "You're a servant up there. The Royal Attendant of the Crown Prince."

That’s when I recognize him. Alexander Kollig. King Zannir traveled to Crown City once when ties between the two countries weres strong, to propose a marriage between his daughter and Aaron, who refused. I served dinner to King Zannir, his daughter, and the Midoorian Royal Family. Kollig was a guard protecting Princess Reina Zannir.

"Wait, what?" says the soldier in the back of the train car. He walks up and looks at me, too, but I can't see his face through his helmet. 

"Well, I'll be damned," he says. "What're you doing all the way out here?"

"Visiting a friend," I say with a half shrug. 

"I heard the prince is really fond of you," he says to me, smiling in a way that suggests he's concocting an evil scheme. "Think he'd pay a ransom for your return?"

My face flushes as Kollig reaches down and grabs a fistful of my shirt.

*Aaron*

We’re approaching the train. It's stalled on the road, a large carriage with blinking lights on it sits across the tracks, which is probably what made them stop the train. I see two soldiers standing outside the caboose They're from the Lower Reach. I can only assume they're robbing the train. I’m thankful for the low light of the waning crescent moon, hiding us in shadow.

I lift my fist, signaling to the Crown Guards with me. We veer off the tracks before the two soldiers can see us and hide in a clump of trees. We tether our horses to some of the trees and creep out, keeping low to the ground. 

Soon, we're at the front of the train and we halt while I think. 

There must be soldiers that have climbed aboard on the front and are making their way back. I motion for Sir Oswald and two of my guards to enter the train and make their way toward the caboose. I signal for one of the other guards to stay here. Me and the remaining guard will circle around the train and take out the two in the back. 

In jobs like this, there's usually two guarding the back outside, one guarding the back door, and two moving through the cars. One to collect the spoils, one hanging back in case there's trouble. 

We split up, my guards following my orders. To protect civilian life, I've given them the signal to be stealthy, if possible. If we’re discovered, it could be a slaughter.

I'm low to the ground, creeping alongside the train. This position gives me the added benefit of being able to see my guard, in the same position, as we keep pace down the train. We're not moving quickly, peeking into windows as we go. 

My heart stops when we get to the car before the caboose. There's a man laying against a window, his throat slit. Alexander Kollig stands in the aisle, holding Milo by his shirt. 

I see two of my guards, Sir Oswald is absent, as they come from the car before Milo’s, about to pass into it.

“Go!” I shout.

Unfortunately, my voice penetrates the walls of the train. The man holding Milo looks at me and his face instantly registers my identity. My guards storm in and I see one of the passengers stand. When their cloak falls off, I see the uniform, but their face covered. They're a Lower Reach Special Ops agent. They must've snuck onto the train and hidden as a passenger. 

Now on high alert, the soldiers at the back of the train notice us. I unsheathe my sword, take a deep breath, and head for the soldier looking at me.

*Milo*

It's Aaron! He's right there! But how?

"It's the fucking prince!" shouts Kollig. Aaron darts away down toward the end of the train. Kollig me pulls me by my shirt and takes me into the caboose. I can hear swords clanging together outside and know Aaron is fighting one of them. 

"Get up there!" says Kollig, pushing me to the ladder at the front of the caboose that leads to the roof of the train. I climb, him right behind me. When I reach the top, I start to run for the end of the caboose, thinking I might be able to jump down to Aaron. 

"Fuck!" shouts Kollig. I turn to see Sir Oswald come out of the darkness, sword raised. He must have climbed on top from the front of the train. 

Someone comes up the latter, dressed in a skin suit with the livery of the Lower Reach. I know from Aaron that this the uniform of an SOA, a skilled warrior specializing in stealth and assassination. 

I'm not a warrior and I don't have a weapon, but neither do they. Still, I won't underestimate them.

They pounces at me. I tuck my body in and roll toward their legs, tripping them up. They corrects themselves, landing on their hands and rolling up to their feet. They dart at me, and I sidestep them, bring my foot up, and catch theirs. This time, they lands on their face. 

When they get up, they look at me. I can see the surprise in their eyes. But I've been trained in self defense by Aaron. I'm no master, but I can hold my own. Still, I'm no match for an SOA. I only took them by surprise. 

"Think you're clever, boy?" asks the SOA in a rough voice. They’re disguising her voice so I won't be able to recognize them later, but I think it’s a woman. When she moves again, she's too fast for me to react. She lunges, grabbing my shirt, and sweeping my legs. She drags me to the back of the caboose and holds me up, leaning over the edge.

"You're nothing but dead weight," she says, and drops me backwards off the caboose.

*Aaron*

Milo's scream wrenches the night, twisting my hear painfully. I kick the soldier I've been fighting in the chest, sending him sprawling. On instinct, I follow the scream, look up, and throw myself to my knees just in time to catch Milo in my arms. 

I want to hold him. To kiss him. To tell him everything will be alright now that we're together. Instead, I set him down and lift my sword to block the blow from the soldier behind me. I hear scuffling from on top of the train, but I can't focus on that. 

Shing! Shing! Shing!

Our blades collide in a cacophony of blows, the sound reverberating off the metal of the train walls. I glance at my guard and see he's defeated his opponent. He joins me and we make quick work of the other soldier. 

"Check on Milo!" I tell the guard, my heart twisting even more. I want to check on him. But I can't. I jump on the back of the train and use the ladder there to climb up on the roof.

On the top of the train, I find Sir Oswald fighting the SOA. Kollig hangs half off the train, clearly dead. 

I got really lucky with this. The SOA is facing away from me. I come in with a strong stab, aiming for their heart. They drop, and I barely miss stabbing Oswald. With a sweep of their feet, they knock me to the ground. Sir Oswald jumps on top of them and, somehow, gets their mask to come off, and I see it's a woman. 

She rolls to the side of the train and pulls a dagger from her sleeve. I know what's going to happen before it does and, judging by the way Oswald leaps at her, he does too. 

She stabs the dagger into her own neck and throws herself backwards off the train. There's no point in checking to see if she's alive. All SOAs carry a poison dagger with them in case their identity is discovered. And, in any case, I want to check on Milo. 

When we get back down to the ground, Sir Oswald gives me the chance I need. 

"You, come with me," he says to the Grown Guard that followed me down the train. “We’re going to sweep the train.”

"Yes, sir!" says the guard and they head back in through the caboose.

Milo is standing at the corner of the car. I walk around him and see he's looking at the dead SOA. 

I can see by the dim moonlight that Milo is shaking. I want to pull him into my arms. To hold him until his shivering subsides. But I can't. The citizens left on the train are staring at us now that Oswald has left their car. 

I'm so fucking sick and tired of not being able to comfort my boyfriend or show him affection when the desire to hits. 

"Are you okay?" I ask, putting a hand on his shoulder. He turns to me. I can see in his eyes he wants to hug me. He'll be able to. Just not now. 

"I'll be fine. Thank you for coming," he wipes a tear from his eyes, takes a deep breath, and looks at me as if steeling himself. "What did the King say when Corianne told him about us?"

"She didn't. She doesn't want to marry me. Her mother is forcing her to pretend like she does."

He looks at me skeptically and I understand why. If my father were to find out and execute him, he'd die and I would still end up king. But what he might not realize is I would die, too. On the inside. Just the thought of Milo's death sends the earth beneath my feet rocking. 

"You don't have to trust her," I say. "Just trust me."

He smiles and moves to hug me, but then stops. In that moment, I wouldn't have stopped him, no matter who was looking. 

"Sir," says Oswald, walking back up to us. "The train is secured and only one civilian casualty. Unfortunately, we lost Travers and Dolan.” They were the two who went in the train while Oswald apparently climbed atop. The SOA probably killed them.  “The conductors are shaken up, but otherwise fine. "I suggest we make our way back to the palace. Granger and Thomspon will stay with the train until it reaches New Harold."

And so, we set off. Milo and I each ride a separate horse, Oswald rides one with the other three tethered to him. 

"Sir," says Oswald, "because I have so many horses to look after, I will need to hang pretty far back from you. Far enough I might not be able to hear everything you say, so make sure to call out if you need help."

"Thanks, Sir Oswald," says Milo as Oswald falls back. 

I’m appreciative to Sir Oswald, but I haven’t forgotten that he abandoned his post. I make a mental note to ask him about it later.

"I'm really glad you're okay," I say to him. 

"Do you really think you can trust Corianne? I sure don’t. Aaron, we don't know what your father would do if he knew about us. I don't want to be without you, but I don't want to die."

"I won't let that happen," I say, looking at him with the most serious look I can muster. "I will die before I let anything bad happen to you."

He nods like he hears me, but isn't sure if I can hold up my promise. 

"Just promise me something," I say. "Don't run off on me again. And if you need to, go to our spot in the Crown Wood. I'll meet you there."

He smiles and nods at me. "I promise."

We draw our horses closer together and hold hands as we ride in the moonlight toward the glowing towers of the Grand Palace.