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“So if the king told you to roll around and bark, you would do so?”
“I believe the young prince is being idiotic.”
“So be his friend. A fool, throwing himself for a case he never once was asked for.”
It had been well over an hour where the two friends bickered underneath the falling leaves.Skipping rocks against the pond, counting to see who threw what rock furthest. Once again Naib had five skips, while Norton could barely count for two.
“I wish to serve my up and coming king, like any other should.”
“And you do, you always have.”
“Not with blood.”
“Not only blood. Sweat too.”
A breeze swept over the field, bringing forth the sweet scent of blooming flowers in spring. If it were any other day, the two friends would be out messing around. Enjoying the spring day as they originally planned. Like they used to, back in the day.
With a rock in hand, Norton looked deep in thought. Tossing the little stone up and down in his hand, his eyes fixated on the faint waves from their previous tosses. Lips tucked into a firm line, giving Norton an expression Naib was seldom to witness.
“You have been by my side since youth. Why do you insist on serving me in combat, and not the way you always have? With your friendship.”
“Have I really served you?”
“Have you not been by my side since youth?”
“Have I served you?”
“Yes.”
Throwing his rock, the two boys watched the puddles reflect on the water surface. A suffocating silence sweeping between them, a rush of cold wind from the otherwise bloomful day.
“Perhaps I want more.”
“More what? If you wish for money I will give you money, if you wish for treasures, I will give you every treasure, if you wish for action-”
“I wish for the right to your heart.”
“...What?”
The young prince’s tone softened, giving the brunette a fragile aura. If only dark eyes turned to meet blue ones Naib was certain he’d see another expression he seldom witnessed from the prince. Something within him was grateful to not witness it. Both of them were terrible with emotions.
“I wish to hold the right to your heart, my high-”
“Norton.”
“My highness.”
“It has always been Norton for you.” Naib could not hold his sigh, nor could he ignore the feeling Norton tried to stray from their discussion. Upset from start to end, ever since Naib brought up the idea of going to war.
“I love you, Norton.”
“How long?”
“Too long.”
“Then why leave me, what has changed?”
“We have grown. We are no longer children running through the castle halls. We are no longer children, therefore I can no longer pretend these feelings I bear for the prince do not exist.”
“So you will draw your sword, for something foolish like that?”
“If earning the right to your hand is a fool's purpose to fight, then yes. I am but a fool. A fool trapped by the mere thought of his best friend. An idiotic fool.”
A faint huff could be heard from the young Prince, and then he turned to glance at Naib. Staring into bright blue eyes, eyes he had at other occasions compared to the freeing light of the sky.
“All these years together, up until this very moment, has it all been duty?”
“Every moment by your side is but a blessing.”
“Then why leave me. My earliest memories are all with you at my side. Leave, and you will show your Prince what solitary means. Leave, and you will teach me a grief I do not wish for, everyday fearing whether my dearest lays bleeding on top muck. A filthy death for someone so dear if I must say so.”
Naib knew it was tasteless, especially in their current topics, but hearing those names ”Dearest”, and ”Dear” roll off of the prince’s tongue like a natural dance had the brunette’s heart sink like a rock in the puddle, once again giving him that dreadful, sickening feeling. The sick feeling that mixed with the sweet butterflies beneath his chest. The whole reason they had the conversation to begin with.
“I want to make myself worthy of your hand, that is all I ask.” It was becoming hard to find words in their bicker. Both men were stubborn, and both men knew it too.
“Have my hand.”
“After I have proven worthy.”
“You will die in battle, and there will be but a hole swelling where my heart once used to be.”
“My prince, you are exaggerating. If I do not return, I am not worthy of your hand.”
It was a useless quarrel. They had been standing there for far too long, jumping back and forth between why and why not. Norton began pacing back and forth beneath the tree. Thumb pressed to the bottom lip it was clear he thought hard of how to stop Naib from leaving him. But when he could not stop him..
“Then I shall come with.”
“What?” He could not believe his ears. Was the prince mental?
“You heard me. If you persist to be a fool, then we will both be fools the way we always have. We will be fools, together.”
“Not happening.”
“You deny your future king?”
“I deny my friend, so he does not put the line of the kingdom’s future at stake for a simpleton.”
“Well then the choice is yours either take my hand here, or we go to war together.”
“Why must you be this way?”
“Because, Naib, I love you too.”