Archive of Our Own

There were many things Black did not enjoy, but not being in control of his own fate was definitely at the top of that list. And he'd lost all control the moment Todd had decided that over 20 years of friendship meant nothing.

Neither did giving birth to a child and raising him for 26 years, if you were to ask his parents. Because they were more than willing to force White into an arranged marriage with the enemy who’d conquered their kingdom, just to keep their power. White, the son who was trying to find a way to help them escape at this very moment. Talk about ungrateful. Black could say ‘I told you so’ because he’d had doubts about their parents for the longest time, much to White’s insistence that he was too distrusting, but it wouldn’t fix the mess they were currently in. And White wasn’t here to hear it anyway.

Now that his parents had been escorted out of the jail cell and likely back to their quarters, it was just himself and Gram left in there.

“Goddamnit!” Black cursed, kicking the bars of the cell in frustration.

“Your Highness, please.” Gram put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to hold him back. “You will only get hurt. And what use is that to us?”

“What use is anything to us? We’ve tried everything to get out of this cell and nothing has worked.” He kicked the bars again for good measure. “Am I supposed to just let them force White into an arranged marriage? Over my dead body. But I can’t even do anything about it because I’m stuck here where I can’t even tell night from day. They could do the whole ceremony and I wouldn’t even know it.”

“It would be hard to do a wedding ceremony without the other groom, don’t you think?”

Footsteps.

And then his backstabbing excuse of an ex-friend stepped into the very limited light in the dungeon. Gram, always the protective knight, instinctively stepped in front of Black. But unfortunately Black did not wish to be protected right now so he moved forward and ended up by the bars of the cell anyway.

“Go the fuck away, Todd, if you value your life,” growled Black, squeezing the bars.

“What can you even do from behind these bars? You’re like a rabid dog with a muzzle,” Todd pointed out.

“Want to come over and find out? Or better yet, let me out and fight me fair and square. Oh, I forgot. You’re too much of a coward to do that. You like to stab people in the back instead.”

“Your Highness–” Gram clearly didn’t want Black to get murdered.

“You’re right.”

“Yes, and–” Black paused mid-sentence, not expecting Todd to just agree. “What?”

“I said you’re right. I’m only good at stabbing people in the back,” Todd simply said.

Black really didn’t understand what was happening. He looked over at Gram, but he didn’t seem any less confused. But now that Black thought about it, while Todd’s words were smug, his face and his stance definitely didn’t match. In fact, in all the years they'd known each other, he’d never seen Todd like this.

Todd then walked closer to the cell and did the last thing Black expected. He unlocked the door. 

At first, Black was too stunned to speak.

But Gram was not. He acted fast, punching Todd in the face with all he had. Todd staggered back, trying to regain his balance.

“What kind of game are you playing?” Gram spat out.

“I’m not playing any games. I’m here to let you two out.”

Black yelled, “And you think we’d believe you? That I would believe you? When you broke my trust, you ensured I’d never do such a stupid thing again!” Black yelled at him.

“You can’t seriously think we’ll believe you just like that,” Gram said in agreement. “This is definitely a trap, Your Highness.”

“It wasn’t my desire to invade your kingdom, it was my parents’. You must know that, Black!” Todd’s voice reached a high pitch, one Black had never heard before. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say Todd sounded desperate.

Regardless, Black did not back off. Not even a little bit. He grabbed Todd’s collar and shoved him against the wall.

“So you backstabbed your friends just like that?”

“I made a mistake, okay?” Todd yelled. “And they said no harm would come to you or White.”

His emotions were explosive and Black was so startled that he almost let him go and took a step back. 

Almost. 

But he tightened his hold on Todd’s collar instead. “How do I know you won’t stab me in the back again?”

“You don’t,” Todd simply said. “But I don’t think you have a better choice.” Black had no retort for that so Todd continued. “Let me make amends, Black. Please.”

Black couldn’t claim Todd didn’t sound desperate anymore. Or that he didn’t see the tears in his eyes. So he let him go, turning around and cursing under his breath.

“So what’s your plan?” Gram asked Todd, clearly catching on that Black was no longer in the mood to speak. From his tone, it was clear he didn’t trust Todd, but was aware that this was their only option.

“For now, I let you escape. That way, you can rendezvous with the soldiers who weren’t captured. I know there’s a group of them lead by Yok that are wondering how to proceed. Once you join them, you can start working on a plan to take the kingdom back. I can feed you information.”

“Won’t you get in trouble for this?” asked Gram.

“I doubt I would be the first person my parents suspect. After all, I was so obedient until now.” Todd smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “But if they do punish me, it's only what I deserve. Don’t worry about me.”

Black was ready to spit out that he wasn’t worried about him and never would be, but for some reason, he was unable to do so. So instead, he wordlessly headed out of the dungeon, not even sparing Todd a glance.

Somehow, Black was in an even worse mood after they escaped the castle through the secret tunnels. It had been easier when he could just hate Todd. Now, he wasn’t sure what he should be feeling. He was angry at himself for not being able to just hate him, even after getting betrayed by him. He was also angry at Todd for putting his neck on the line to let them out and complicating things.

Not that he wasn’t glad he was out. He had to find White and tell him about their parents’ betrayal.

But how was he meant to find him? White had escaped the castle to look for help probably about two weeks ago. He could be anywhere right now and Black had no way of contacting him. 

Magic was his only option. 

He knew of a witch hiding deep in the woods that surrounded the capital city of Literra. If he could find her, surely she could help him contact White.

No one had gone so deep into these woods for ages. When his parents had risen to power, they had made a pact with the witch: they don’t bother her and she does not bother them. With time, it was almost like the witch had never existed, no news had been heard of her ever since the pact had been made. But Black and White had been forbidden from entering those woods all the same. 

White had easily obeyed, but Black, always the more curious and disobedient of the two, had ventured inside. Of course, he hadn’t been alone. Gram had followed right after him, even though he’d been so afraid of running into the witch or getting in trouble with the king and queen that he’d been on the verge of tears the entire time. Black had held his hand tightly, which had calmed him down a little bit.

They’d ventured so deep into the woods and yet had been unable to find the witch. By the time Black had decided to give up on the venture, it had already gotten dark. Gram had been certain they’d end up mauled to death by wild animals and even Black hadn’t known if they would be able to find their way back in the pitch darkness.

But then their path had been illuminated by fireflies. 

Black hadn’t thought much about it back then, simply glad that they’d managed to find their way back and his parents had been none the wiser about their little adventure. But now that he thought about it, the witch had used those fireflies to guide them home safely. 

That was his proof that she existed.

“Your Highness, are you sure about this?” Just like back then, Gram was reluctantly following after him. Some things never changed. “Isn’t it better to try and find the soldiers who escaped? Then we can plan how to proceed?”

“We’ll do that after we let White know about my parents’ plan. Otherwise, he will certainly get caught in their trap. He has a bleeding heart after all.”

Gram let out a sigh. “How do you know the witch is even there? Or that she’d help you? You know very well no one is supposed to go into the witch’s woods.”

“We did and lived to tell the tale,” Black retorted.

“Yes, when we were children,” Gram protested. “She probably didn’t want to kill two nine-year-olds. It’s not a good look and I doubt it would feel good.”

Black stopped in his tracks and turned to Gram. “We don’t have to go together. If you’re afraid, I can go alone. In the meantime, you can go find those soldiers. We’d be hitting two birds with one stone.”

“You’re speaking nonsense, Your Highness. You know I could never leave you,” Gram simply stated, as if it were as easy and natural as breathing.

Black tried not to think too much about those words. It was Gram’s duty that tied him to Black and nothing else. He’d told himself not to see something where there was nothing a long time ago and yet he was still happy to hear him openly declare his devotion like that.

Sometimes, drawing the line between them was still a struggle for Black even after all these years.

But Black had to do it. Gram’s entire existence already revolved around him. Black’s parents had picked up little orphan Gram from the streets so he could be Black’s friend and guard. He’d never had the chance to choose to be anything else. Luckily, they’d become fast friends, Gram had become Black’s most important person after White. He was sure Gram didn’t mind being his guard, but Black still wanted Gram to have a choice about who to care for.

There had been a moment, years ago, when Black had considered confessing. He’d been fifteen years old and had just realised his feelings for Gram. He’d felt like he was going to burst if he didn’t tell him. 

But he hadn’t ended up saying anything.

Around that time, his mother had been making advances on a servant in the castle. Black only heard the full story from Gram after the servant got fired. 

“He didn’t want to be involved with her, but what was he supposed to do? He needed the job. And then he got fired anyway.”

It was then that Black learned that love wasn’t as simple as his fifteen-year-old heart thought. Not when you were a prince in love with his guard. The last thing he wanted was to become like his mother. He loved Gram and that was exactly why he could never actually confess his feelings.

The deeper they went into the woods, the more concerned Gram became. So what if he wasn’t nine years old anymore? Being afraid of the supernatural was acceptable at any age.

“Do you actually know where you are going, Your Highness?” Gram let out an exasperated sigh.

“Of course I do.” Black obviously didn't. But there was no way he was going to admit to that. Especially not when they'd already come this far.

“Are you certain? Because I think we've been going in circles for ages.”

“You know I’ve been here before. We've both been here before,” Black reminded him.

Gram wanted to roll his eyes. “That was over fifteen years ago. And we didn't even find the witch.”

“We didn't, but we aren't children anymore,” Black insisted.

“And what difference does that make when we're trying to find a witch that does not want to be found?”

“She'll show herself to us. I'm sure of it.” 

Black's words were confident, but Gram could hear the frustration in his voice. He didn't like relying on anyone but himself to get things done, especially when it involved White. Gram knew that better than anyone. And he also knew that when Black got like this, there was no reasoning with him. 

So he just let him be. 

Instead of arguing with Black, Gram simply followed after him. It was reminiscent of the last time they had been so deep into the woods. Even now, Gram was still a little afraid. He could almost picture himself as the little boy who had cried and clung to Black in the dark all those years ago. Now, he could not allow himself to cling to Black like that, as it would be too much of an indulgence, but he was hoping the closeness would be a comfort for both of them.

The two of them walked in comfortable silence for a while until Gram saw some vines move. He felt a shiver run down his spine and clung tightly to Black. 

When the vines moved, they revealed a path that hadn't been there before. That was certainly magic, nothing else could explain it. It was like the witch was beckoning them to come. Gram imagined all the ways he could die in this moment, especially when Black decided to walk towards the dangerous path instead of running away like a normal person. But did Black ever do the sensible thing?

The path was illuminated by fireflies that guided them forward, just like the ones that had helped them return home all those years ago. They reached a small clearing with a quaint little cottage. The roof was covered with moss, which almost made it blend into the forest. It wasn’t empty, judging by the smoke coming out of the chimney. Black and Gram walked closer until they reached the door.

Black wasted no time and knocked.

The door opened and Gram shuddered when he realised there was no one behind it.

Still, that didn’t stop Black from entering and Gram from following him.

The cottage was quite cluttered. It wasn’t all that big to begin with, but the books and trinkets that littered the floor and almost every surface made it seem even smaller. The fireplace was lit and there was a cauldron which warmed up the whole place.

And of course, there was a woman sitting in an armchair, reading a book.

“So you’re the witch who lives in the woods?” asked Black.

She didn’t even look up from her book. “‘The witch who lives in the woods’? Now isn’t that a rude way to address your host?” Luckily, she didn’t seem angry, just amused.

Before Gram could interject, Black spoke again, “We don’t know your name so we have nothing else to call you.”

“I suppose that’s true. I see your parents were too afraid to utter my name, Your Highness. Humans always behave as such.” The witch let out a sigh and flipped a page in her book. “I am called Nuch.”

“Lady Nuch, we–” Gram started, but was quickly interrupted by her waving a hand at them.

“Just Nuch will do. I am not one for formalities.”

Gram couldn’t help thinking she was nothing like what he had been told. Judging by Black’s face, he was on the same page.

“You have come here to seek my aid,” Nuch said matter-of-factly. She finally put the book away, her full attention on Gram and Black. “What is it you need?”

“You knew we were coming. I thought you’d know why we were coming too,” said Black.

“I may be many things, but all-knowing, I am not. I know everything that happens in my forest, but I have no way of knowing what’s in your heart. All I know is that, this time, you haven’t come here just to prove something, Your Highness. And that, I must say, is a big improvement from last time.”

Any other time, Black might have reacted differently to her taunting. But he had no time to lose.

“Can you help me reach my brother? He’ll be in grave danger if I don’t. But I don’t know where he is, so the only thing I can rely on is–”

“Magic.”

“Yes.”

Nuch got to her feet and took a few steps towards them. “You do know all magic comes with a price. Are you sure you are willing to pay it?”

“Of course,” Gram and Black said in unison. Then they looked at each other.

“White is my brother, so he’s my responsibility. I’ll pay the price,” Black insisted.

“What kind of knight would I be if I let you put yourself in danger?” Gram interjected. 

“I’m not arguing about this.” Black turned to Nuch. “Whatever the price is, I will pay it. I need to reach him.”

Nuch looked from Black to Gram and then back to Black. “And what if I say your knight needs to be the one to pay the price, Your Highness?”

Black looked like he was barely keeping himself from exploding at her. “Why must he be the one to pay it when I am the one who’s asking for your help?”

“Sometimes the hardest price to pay is letting someone else pay for you. Especially for someone like you, Your Highness. So what do you say? Will you let him pay the price for you? Or are you going to leave empty handed? The choice is yours.”

Black looked at Gram, then lowered his head. 

First, his parents’ and Prince Todd's betrayal. Now this. Black was experiencing loss after loss. But White’s safety had always come first to him. It was much more important than his pride. 

But they didn’t know what this price would be. And Gram knew Black didn’t want to save White at the cost of losing Gram. 

He looked up at Gram. “Are you certain?”

Gram gave him a reassuring smile. “You know I would do anything for you, Your Highness.”

Black tried to interject, “I don’t want you to do this just because–”

“I want to do this,” Gram insisted. “And besides, White is like my brother too.” He then turned to the witch. “I’m going to pay the price.”

She seemed amused by his words. “You haven’t even asked what the price will be. Agreeing to pay first is most unwise.”

“It’s not like we have much of a choice, do we? So just tell me what I need to do.”

“You are either brave or stupid. I have yet to decide which of the two.” Nuch took a few steps towards Gram. “I will require one of your memories.”

One of his memories? That could mean anything. What if it were something that changed his life forever? Witches liked to wreak havoc like that, didn’t they? Gram was happy Black didn't have to pay this price and had no intention of backing down, not when that was the only way to reach White, but now he was a little frightened of the consequences.

Black reacted immediately. “It’s not going to be anything that will–”

Nuch shook her head. “It has to be a memory that’s important to him, but it won’t be something that will fundamentally change his life. That would be too high a price for what you wish for. And I’m nothing but fair. Your relationship will not change.”

Gram took a deep breath. “I will do it.”

“Very well.” 

Nuch placed her hand on Gram’s temple and it started glowing. When she retracted it, a glowing orb had appeared inside her palm. She blew on it and the orb flew away towards one of her many bookshelves.

Gram had expected to feel like there was something wrong with him, like something was missing and he would never be the same again. But…

“I… I don't feel any different.”

“You won't notice right away,” explained Nuch. “It will be hard to figure out what has gone missing. But one day, when you are trying to reach for this memory, you will realise there's nothing there.”

That was much, much worse. Thinking you still had a treasured memory, only to realise it wasn’t there anymore. 

But dwelling on it now wouldn’t do any good. 

“So how are you going to help us contact White?” Gram hurried to change the topic.

“The two of them are twins, no? Long, long ago, long before I was even born, twins used to share a special connection. Whenever one of them felt something, the other one would feel it as well. They also used to be able to visit each other in their dreams. With time, that kind of twin connection disappeared, but I can restore it for the two of them for one night. That should be enough to warn him, right? Anything else would require you to pay a higher price.”

“Let’s do it,” said Black.

Nuch needed to brew a potion to give to Black. Fortunately, she already had all the ingredients in her hut so Black and Gram didn’t need to be sent on any fetch quests. However, they still had to wait for her to finish. 

Gram had attempted to make small talk with Black, but he refused to engage in conversation. He looked even angrier than he usually did, almost like he had a storm cloud over him. That wasn’t the face of someone who was glad he had the chance to reach his brother and warn him about upcoming danger.

So Gram tried to make small talk with Nuch instead. She proved to be way more open to it than Black and, by the time she was done brewing the potion, Gram had learned quite a lot about her. Although he suspected it was nothing of substance, as she'd deliberately kept the conversation surface level. Which made sense as they were practically strangers. And she was The Witch of the Woods. Gram hadn’t forgotten that.

“When you drink this potion, whatever White feels, you’ll feel. And vice versa. When you fall asleep, you will be able to reach him in your dreams,” explained Nuch.

Black nodded his head and drank the potion all in one go. If the taste was horrible, he did not let it show on his face.

“Your Highness–” Gram was about to ask Black how he was feeling, when the unthinkable happened.

Black collapsed.

Gram thanked his quick reaction and close proximity that he was able to catch him. He placed his hand on Black’s cheek and let out a gasp: Black was burning up. Gram adjusted Black in his arms so he was supporting the prince's head with his shoulder and turned to glare at Nuch.

“What did you do to him, Witch?”

Nuch also looked surprised at this outcome. She tried to get closer to Gram, but he pulled out his sword and pointed it at her.

“I think you’ve done enough to him. Stay back.”

“I cannot tell you what’s wrong unless I examine him closely.”

Gram hesitated and considered her words. If she had wanted to harm Black, she could have done it at any time. There was no need for such a convoluted plan. Still, Gram didn’t want to completely drop his guard. He lowered his sword but did not return it to its scabbard.

“Don’t even think of playing any games. If you do something to him, I will put an end to you. Don’t think I’m afraid of your magic.” 

“Right,” Nuch replied, seemingly amused at his words. Gram would have felt offended if every single one of his thoughts right now wasn’t Black.

Nuch put a hand on Black’s forehead. 

“As I suspected,” said Nuch.

“What’s wrong with him? Now isn’t the time to be cryptic.” Gram was getting more and more frustrated by the second.

“There’s nothing wrong with Prince Black.”

“Nothing wrong? You cannot be serious? Then why did he fall unconscious? Why is he burning up?”

“Do you remember what I said before His Highness drank the potion? That, after he drinks it, whatever Prince White feels, he’ll feel too.” Oh, Gram did not like where that was going. “There is something wrong with Prince White. Prince Black is an unfortunate casualty because of their strengthened connection.”

“This is why I don’t make deals with witches,” complained Gram. “I paid the price and see what happened?”

Nuch glared at him. “Witches this, witches that. You really want to find somebody else to blame.”

“I–”

“I gave Prince Black exactly what he wanted. Wishes are dangerous things. Even when you pay the price, you can never know what’s going to happen. The consequences are not my responsibility.”

Nuch was right, Gram had been looking for somebody to blame. Because if there was nobody else, the only one he could blame was himself. And it was easier to blame her.

Gram looked at Black’s face. He expected to find it expressionless in his deep sleep, but it was twisted in a grimace instead, as if he was in great pain. It made Gram feel even more defeated. His shoulders slumped forward and his eyes filled with tears.

When he spoke again, he sounded desperate. “Please, save him. I will give you anything. Just… please, do something. If something happens to him, I won’t be able to forgive myself.”

If Nuch thought him a fool for promising such a thing to her, this time she did not say it.

She put a hand on Black’s forehead again. “It seems that Prince White has been poisoned. Since there is nothing physically wrong with him, I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to help him. We just have to wait and hope that both of them are strong enough to make it through the night.”

“Is there really nothing I can do?” asked Gram, trying to hold back tears. “I just have to wait? Waiting is the worst.”

“Be there with him. It might seem like nothing, but it isn’t. Feeling you there might motivate him to fight harder.”

Seeing as Gram and Black had nowhere they could go, Nuch let them stay the night in her hut. Black was in Nuch’s bed, covered with a blanket, and Gram was sitting at the edge and pressing a wet cloth to his forehead.

“Are you sure I don’t need to pay a price?”

Nuch shook her head. “Simply telling you what happened to Prince Black is not enough to require anything from you.”

“You’re pitying me.”

“No, that is not the case. I simply want to be fair. I cannot ask you to pay a price when I can't actually do anything to help you.”

“Since when are you so nice?”

“I’m always this nice. You're simply ungrateful.”

Nuch was about to walk away, but suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked at Gram over her shoulder.

“You really love him, don't you?”

It wasn’t mockery, just a simple question. And yet Gram could not allow himself to be honest. Knowing was one thing, speaking it out loud was another thing altogether.

“Of course I do. He's the prince and I’m his subject.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either.

But of course Nuch did not buy it. “It doesn't look like the love a subject has for his prince.”

“I thought you couldn't see what's in a person's heart,” muttered Gram.

“It’s not just in your heart. It's also written on your face.”

Gram's eyes widened.

Nuch glanced at Black and then her gaze was back on Gram. “Don’t worry. I'm certain he doesn't know,” she said as if reading his mind. Again.

“Stop it,” he hissed in annoyance.

“I can't help that you're so easy to read.”

Nuch then excused herself and left Gram to wonder if all witches were this annoying or if he was just especially unlucky.

Gram took Black's hand in his and looked at him. Black was always so strong, never letting anything or anyone defeat him. That was how he wanted the world to perceive him. It was only to Gram and White that he dared to show that he had weaknesses too. But Gram had never seen him this vulnerable before and it scared him.

“Your Highness, you have to fight,” whispered Gram, as if this was a secret just between the two of them. “I know you're strong. You're stronger than anyone I know. And so is White. I know you two can get through this. So, please, fight!”

Nuch had said that if Black felt Gram there with him, it would make him fight harder to defeat the poison. So Gram made sure Black knew. He stayed beside him the whole night, didn't move even when Nuch offered him food.

He thought Black's fever would go down, but hours had passed and it still hadn't. The more time passed, the more worried Gram became. The more he stayed alone with this dread, the more out of it he became as well. Almost as if Black’s fever had been passed onto him, even though he knew that was not possible. 

“Your Highness…” Gram started but shut up and shook his head. “Black…” Gram felt as if he was overstepping when he used his name, but it seemed like the right way to address him, considering what he was about to say. “I love you.” 

He’d never thought he'd utter those words. But Nuch had told him that even if Black heard him talk, he would not remember any of it when he woke up. That made Gram braver, brave enough to say the words he'd intended to keep hidden in his heart forever.

“I wasn't planning to tell you… But I’m so scared, Black. Scared that you'll never open your eyes again and I'll never get to tell you. Why am I so afraid that I won't get to tell you something that I’ve always meant to keep hidden deep in my heart? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Gram squeezed Black’s hand tighter.

“Just fight, okay? That’s all I’m asking. You hate to lose, don’t you?”

When Black awoke, he truly felt like shit. He had a horrible headache and was sweaty all over. And yet he was covered with a blanket. Whose idea was that? He tried to sit up and push the blanket off when he realised there was a heavy weight on his chest. He finally opened his eyes, only to see Gram sleeping soundly on his chest. 

Black was at a loss for words. His memories were a bit fuzzy, but how could he have gotten into this predicament?

That’s when the door opened and Nuch walked in. Now that he thought about it, this did look like her house.

“Ah, you’re awake,” she said, walking closer to him. “How do you feel?”

Black had given up on sitting up so he wouldn't disturb Gram's slumber and just laid in the bed instead.

“Fine,” Black replied, voice a little raspy. “Head hurts a little, but I’ll manage.”

“Well, a little headache is much better than being dead, is it not?” Black stared at her, trying to comprehend what she was saying. Luckily for him, she decided to clarify. “After I strengthened your connection to your brother, you fell victim to the side effects of Prince White’s condition.”

Black’s eyes widened. “What happened to White?”

“That, I cannot say for certain. I told you that I’m not all-knowing. What I do know is that he was under the effects of poison. But since you made it through the night, he must have as well.”

Black let out a sigh of relief, glad to hear White was okay. “Actually, I dreamed about White.”

Nuch looked at him in curiosity. “That wasn’t just a dream. A strengthened connection often leads to a shared consciousness in sleep.”

“Even though I somehow knew it was a dream, I kept yelling at him not to trust our parents. But he didn’t seem to hear me.”

“My only guess is that it was a side effect of the poison.”

“Can you… can you strengthen our connection again?”

Nuch shook her head. “That would be dangerous. And before you say you don't mind that, I'd suggest you think about your faithful knight a little bit.”

Black looked over at Gram's sleeping form. Without realising, he'd started gently running his fingers through his hair. 

“He was worried sick about you,” Nuch continued. “So worried that he was unable to sleep. He only managed to fall asleep when I told him your life was not in danger anymore.”

“I…”

“Your Highness, you might think your life is insignificant, but I can assure you that it is not. There are many people who care about you.” Nuch was smiling at Black like she knew something he did not. “So maybe you should try to live for the people you love, not die for them.”

Before Black could reply, Gram stirred awake. “Your Highness…” 

Black’s hand stilled in his hair. Gram hadn’t moved his head yet and sleepily blinked at Black while still lying on his chest. 

Then Gram suddenly jumped, pulling away from Black and almost tumbling off the chair he was sitting on. ”Forgive me, Your Highness. I must have fallen asleep.”

“It’s no problem,” said Black as he finally sat up in bed. But under the blanket, he was clenching and unclenching his fist, as if he felt a little tingle at his fingertips.

Wait a minute. When exactly had Nuch left them alone in the room?

“How are you feeling, Your Highness?” asked Gram. He looked really stiff sitting on that chair, as if he didn’t dare move a muscle.

“I feel fine. But I didn’t manage to warn White about the danger. I tried, but I don’t think he heard me. Nuch thinks it’s because of the poison.”

Gram let out an exasperated sigh. “I had the biggest fright of my life and it was all for nothing.”

When Black looked at his face carefully, he could see that Gram had dark circles under his eyes. Nuch was right. He really couldn’t make Gram worry about him again. 

He would just have to make sure he’d taken back the kingdom by the time White came back.

They said goodbye to Nuch and headed back through the woods. According to what Todd had told them, the group of rebel soldiers was likely hiding somewhere deep in the woods since that was the only place the enemy hadn’t dared to look yet.

Black agreed with Todd’s assessment. But finding a group of soldiers in such a huge place was easier said than done. Especially when they were deliberately trying to stay hidden. But the two of them had been walking for hours and had encountered absolutely no one. Not even a random traveller.

“Your Highness, are you sure they must be here?” Why was even his whining cute?

“I’m not. But it’s our best bet. We need to start from somewhere.”

Gram sighed. “I’m so tired.”

“Should I carry you?” Black suggested. “Like that time we snuck out of the palace to go to the beach.”

“Huh? Did that really happen?” He cutely cocked his head to the side. “I can’t recall.”

“We spent the whole day playing in the water and it was nighttime by the time we returned. I carried you part of the way home because you whined that you were too tired to keep moving.”

When Black did not get a reply, he stopped in his tracks and turned to look back at Gram. He had also stopped moving and was just standing there, deep in thought.

“Is something wrong, Gram?”

“Ah, nothing. It’s just that… I really can’t seem to remember this happening.”

Black was about to scold him for being forgetful when it suddenly hit him.

It wasn’t that Gram couldn’t remember, there was simply nothing there to remember. And as Gram kept racking his brains about it, he seemed to reach the same conclusion as Black.

He lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Why was he the one saying sorry? It was all Black’s fault. And now he felt even worse about it since he hadn’t even managed to warn White about the danger. Gram had lost that precious memory for no reason.

“It’s fine,” said Black and continued forward.

But it was clear as day that it wasn’t fine.

The atmosphere between them changed completely. No matter what conversation Gram tried to start, Black deliberately shut him out every single time. Usually, Gram was one of the few people Black spared from his thorny side so it looked like he really didn't know what to do now.

This made Black feel even worse. He was upset that he was now the only person who remembered this precious memory. But who was he upset at? Even he did not know. It couldn't be Gram because Gram had done this for him and White. And yet he still felt irrationally betrayed. Perhaps he ought to be mad at Nuch. After all, she was the one who took that memory. But even that was not right. It was a price Gram had agreed to pay for Black's sake. She hadn’t done anything they hadn’t agreed on.

Ultimately, the one Black was angry with was himself. 

For getting Gram involved in this to begin with. His life always seemed to go to shit because of Black.

For giving Gram the cold shoulder, even though he had done nothing wrong.

For not being able to keep his emotions under control the way he had for years. 

The mission always came first. He knew that. So why was it so hard to focus on it?

They would have probably walked in an awkward silence for ages if they haven’t heard the distant sound of… music? In the middle of the woods? He looked at Gram for the first time since they’d had that uncomfortable conversation and he seemed just as confused. Now that was something worth exploring.

They followed the music and the closer they got, the louder it became until they reached what looked like a tavern: it was rather whimsical, masterfully cut into the trunk of a giant tree and with the name “The Enchanted Forest” written on a wooden plate above the doorway. 

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the weirdest thing to find in the middle of the woods, but Black was surprised he’d never heard about it. He and Gram shared another look before Black took a step forward and opened the door.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw inside.

It was full of people. Some were sitting at the long bar while others occupied the few tables scattered around. But most of the patrons were gathered by a little wooden stage and screaming their lungs out. From where Black was standing, he could clearly see the performance: a couple of men dancing on poles. Oh and they were shirtless and ripped, of course.

“Now that I think about it, I remember Yok mentioning a place like this,” said Gram.

Black was not surprised. “This looks exactly like the kind of place Yok would frequent.”

Gram let out a chuckle and Black's heart leapt in his chest. “He wouldn't disagree.”

Black felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. At least temporarily. He wasn't under the impression that everything between them was all good now. He’d have to talk about it eventually, which was his least favourite thing in the world. But at least for now, they seemed to be back to normal and could focus on the mission.

“You think Yok would have tried to hide from the enemy in a place like this?” wondered Black.

“It probably wouldn't be the first place they'd look for him. It wouldn't be a bad idea.”

“Now the question is how do we check if he's here?”

“First,” started Gram as he put an arm around Black’s shoulders, “we try to blend in. Let's go order a drink.”

Gram started dragging Black to the bar.

“And try to loosen up a little, Your Highness,” Gram whispered in his ear. “We can't win their trust if you keep glaring at everyone. Even if that's just your face.”

It wasn’t his fault that he had a resting bitch face. But Black had no time to respond because they had just reached the bar.

“Hey there!” Gram greeted the bartender with a charming smile. “Two pints of mead for my friend and me.”

Black tried to school his face into a more neutral expression, but judging by the amused look on Gram's face, he wasn’t all that successful.

“Sure thing,” replied the bartender, winking at Gram.

And now Black was glaring deliberately. But before he could test whether looks could kill, Gram ushered him to a table in the corner. It was empty for a reason: you couldn't see the stage at all, which would defeat the purpose of coming to a place like this. However, it had a great view of the rest of the tavern.

So Black and Gram waited, monitoring everything that was happening.

Unfortunately, hours passed and they hadn’t found any leads.

Black got to his feet and went to get them another round of drinks. They were being careful as they had to stay sober, but they also couldn’t sit at this table for hours and only get drinks once. It would have been rude. Gram had offered to do it, but Black had insisted he needed to stretch his legs. 

So Gram stayed at their table, looking out the window. They’d been here for hours and the sun was starting to set. The tavern had only just become more crowded and the party was getting more lively. But nothing of note had happened, at least nothing that Black and Gram could see.

And then Gram saw a small cavalry in the distance.

Just two weeks ago, he would have felt relief at seeing the familiar coat of arms that adorned the royal guards of Literra. But now it filled him with dread. He jumped to his feet and rushed to the bar where Black had just received their new drinks. Time was of the essence. Gram grabbed Black’s wrist, causing him to drop their drinks, and dragged him to an area that was out of sight. It was certainly a staff-only area, but that didn’t matter. 

He pressed Black against the wall, trying not to think about all the places their bodies touched, and covered Black’s mouth with his hand when he was about to question his actions.

Seconds later, the guards slammed the door open and stormed in.

“We’re here under the authority of The Crown. We’re going to search this place. No one move.”

They’d finally ended up at this place as well. If their search had yielded no results, it was not surprising they were turning to more unlikely places.

Gram could only hope no one would find them where they had hidden. If anyone saw Black’s face, it was game over. Gram didn’t know if they could win in a fight against all those guards and didn't care to find out. He considered sacrificing himself and letting Black escape, but he shut that train of thought very quickly. Not because he was afraid to give his life for Black, but because he was aware Black would never agree to it, would never run and leave Gram behind. It was one of the reasons Gram loved him so much, but sometimes he wished Black could be at least a little selfish. Right now was one of those times.

The inspection of the tavern started and, at first, everything was going well. The guards hadn’t tried to go in their direction quite yet, but Gram didn’t let his guard down.

“What’s this place?” one of the guards asked suddenly, his voice worryingly close.

“That’s where we keep all the alcohol that’s not behind the bar,” explained one of the bartenders.

“Is anyone there?”

“There shouldn’t really be anyone. Even the staff only goes there when they need to get another bottle of alcohol.”

There was no way the bartender hadn’t seen them go there but had decided to keep that information from the guard. Unfortunately, his word alone hadn’t been enough because Gram heard heavy footsteps nearing the place they were hiding.

Gram’s mind was going a thousand miles per hour. He had seconds before they were discovered. In just a few seconds, he had to find a way to protect Black. 

He finally looked over at Black, removing his hand from the prince's mouth.

“Forgive me, Your Highness,” whispered Gram before he cupped Black’s cheeks and kissed him.

That wasn't how he'd wanted his first kiss with Black to be. Not that he'd ever thought he’d get to kiss him, but that hadn’t stopped him from thinking about it. 

It was much more romantic in his fantasies. First, he'd gently caress Black's cheek, his eyes never leaving the prince's as Gram asked for permission to kiss him. Then he'd lean in and give Black a peck, then another one and another one until Gram finally lost control in his passion and kissed him until their lips were red and swollen and the two of them couldn't catch their breaths.

But there was no time for any of that right now. Instead of asking for permission, Gram was apologising. The urgency of the situation forced him to start kissing Black hard immediately, not even giving him a chance to reply. He had to make this believable to the eyes of the guards so he kept kissing and kissing Black as the prince struggled to keep up with him.

Gram would be lying if he said there wasn't a small part of him that enjoyed this kiss. And then he felt even more guilty for enjoying a forced kiss that Black didn't want. What was wrong with him?

“Who's there?” asked one of the guards.

But his only reply was pants and whimpers and ragged breaths. Gram's broad back was obscuring Black completely.

The guard made a sound of disgust. “Next time, get a room instead of doing this in public and making it everyone's business.” But then Gram heard his footsteps and, when he spoke again, he was much farther away. “There’s nothing. Just two horny guys who couldn't be bothered to get a room before they shoved a hand down each other's pants.”

Only then did Gram pull away from Black. But then he wished he hadn’t because he wasn't sure where to look: the string of saliva connecting them, Black's lips, bruised from kissing, or the unreadable expression on his face.

So he looked at nothing, choosing to stare at the wall above Black’s head instead, cheeks flushing red. But he couldn’t let his guard down, they weren’t out of danger yet.

Suddenly, Gram heard a female voice amidst all the commotion.

“And what do you think you are doing?” 

Her tone was confident and she didn’t even let the guards stutter out an answer before she continued speaking.

“What gives you the right to cause such a commotion in my bar? To be so rough with my employees and patrons?” No one dared to speak. It had become so quiet that Gram could hear the sound of her heels as she walked. “How are you going to take responsibility for the loss of business?”

“We’re…” One of the guards tried to interject, but she didn’t give him a chance to continue.

“Spare me your excuses. I know who you are. The king and queen will do well to remember old agreements. The woods do not belong to them but to the witch. So they have no authority here.”

The guards had no response for this. The woman chuckled, satisfied to have reduced them to this.

“Now run back before I send a bill to the castle for damages that I’m sure the king and queen will take out of your paychecks.”

And just like that, the guards rushed to leave, almost tripping over each other in their hurry. It was only when Gram heard the front door slam shut that he let out a sigh of relief.

And just as quickly, his relief shattered.

“The coast is clear, Your Highness. How long are you going to hide in there?”

Gram and Black made no attempt to move and heard the woman let out an exasperated sigh.

“Come on, I don't bite. Usually,” she let out a chuckle. “Look, if I wanted you harmed, I would have given you to these guards. Instead, I was nice enough to kick them out for you.”

Gram was still uncertain, but Black pushed past him and he was forced to follow obediently.

“You kicked them out for your own sake. They interrupted the party and you lost customers,” Black pointed out as the two of them walked out into the main area.

“You're right about that. But you can't say it didn't help you.”

Gram would have known who it was even if she hadn’t spoken. There was a woman sitting on the bar, she was wearing a black silk shirt and leather pants, her hair was cut short, which was uncommon among women. She didn't need to say and do anything for Gram to feel the confidence oozing out of her. That was clearly the kind of woman you didn't want to mess with. It was no wonder the guards had run away with their tails between their legs.

“My name is Rose and I’m the owner of this establishment. It's lovely to finally meet you, Your Highness. I've heard so much about you.” Her gaze then moved to Gram. “And you must be his loyal knight, Gram.”

It wasn’t a question but a statement. Rose didn't let either of them reply. Instead she jumped off the bar and went behind it.

“Follow me.”

Rose bent over to lift up a rug and reveal a hatch underneath. Gram's eyes widened. This was not an ordinary bar and she was not an ordinary bar owner. Rose opened the hatch to reveal a secret passageway and started climbing down a ladder. Gram and Black tried to see how far down it went, but it was impossible to tell since it was too dark.

“Come on. I don't have all day,” she beckoned them.

Gram and Black shared a look before they followed after her.

When Black reached the end of the ladder and his feet touched the ground again, he came face to face with a bunch of soldiers.

He had expected a small room, but it was actually surprisingly spacious. Well, it was still cramped with all these people inside, but it could fit a lot more than Black had initially thought. He recognised a lot of the soldiers from his own battalion, people who would never join the enemy so they had to either go into hiding or die. And, of course, there was Yok.

“I told you a gay bar is always the place to look for Yok. Even when he's in hiding on charges of treason,” said Gram.

His words seemed to genuinely delight Yok and he laughed as he walked over to give Gram a hug.

“You know me so well, Gram.”

Yok pulled away from Gram and, before Black could say anything, he got on his knees and lowered his head in a bow. The other soldiers followed suit, in spite of Black's protests.

“Your Highness.”

“You know I hate it when you bow…” 

Black had never liked being treated differently, even though he was the prince. In fact, he hated his title and the less he was reminded of it, the better. He treated the soldiers as equals, even when he led them into battle. Usually, they complied with his wishes.

“Your Highness,” one of them spoke up. “After the king and queen betrayed the kingdom of Literra, they became unworthy to carry the crown. You and Prince White are the only ones we'll follow.”

“Yes, we will follow you to the end of this world,” said another soldier.

“Even in death.”

Black had never thought much about what he would do after taking back the kingdom. All he wanted to do was restore peace and punish the evildoers. He hadn't considered that, after he did that, someone else would have to rule.

He and White were twins, but he was technically the older one. Still, he had never once thought he would be the one inheriting the kingdom in the future. White was much better suited for it.

Black was aware the knights didn't see him as their equal, even though he really wanted to be. It was awkward to have them all bow to him. But a part of him was proud that he was a person they could trust unconditionally.

“Stand up,” he commanded and the soldiers did as they were told. “I… You know I’m not good at giving speeches… But I want you to know that I’m grateful to all of you for being willing to fight with me. Now let’s go take back the kingdom!”

“Let’s take back the kingdom! For the people of Literra who are waiting for their true rulers to return!” said Gram.

“Let’s take back the kingdom!” chanted the soldiers.

Yok grinned at Black and pulled him into a hug which Gram also joined. Now that was the friendly reunion Black had been anticipating, even if he wasn't a touchy person by nature. It wasn’t like Yok to be formal like he’d been before, but probably even he had thought this was important for morale.

Then Yok told them everything. About how they had been trying to find a place to hide from the enemy soldiers, frustrated that they’d had to leave Black and White and so many other people behind. Even Yok’s lover, Dan, was still locked up in the dungeon. But they had known that was the only choice they had. If they had fought, they would have died and everything would be over. Retreating to regroup and think of a plan had been the best course of action.

But where could they hide when the enemy was looking for them everywhere? When they couldn’t know who was a friend and who a foe? The forest, which was technically not a territory of Literra, was their only choice. And that was how they had met Rose and decided to take a gamble on her. She had given them shelter, but their future had still seemed bleak, especially after hearing that the king and queen had sided with the enemy.

“But now that you’re here, everything has changed,” said Yok, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

Everyone was more hopeful now that Gram and Black had joined them, but taking back the kingdom was still a difficult task. Especially since now they had even less soldiers than when the kingdom had first been attacked. They couldn’t go for a direct approach so they had to be stealthy against an enemy that likely expected them.

They received frequent reports from Todd about the situation in the castle. Black was still a little reluctant to put his trust in him again since he had already been betrayed once. But he had helped Black and Gram escape when he didn’t have to and his information seemed accurate so eventually Black became less suspicious. According to Todd, there were still a lot of soldiers locked up in the dungeon so freeing them was the first thing they needed to do if they wanted to have a fighting chance. He’d also said White had not returned yet which gave Black some peace of mind and let him focus on planning the attack.

Their plan was to go through the secret tunnels. His parents knew about them so they were hardly a secret any longer, but that was still the best way to enter the castle. If they were lucky, the enemy could have gotten cocky enough to leave fewer guards there.

That turned out to be exactly the case. There were no more guards there than usual and they easily took care of them. Still, sending a big team on a rescue mission to the dungeons was risky as it could alert the enemy. The less people there were, the better the chance to remain unnoticed.

So Yok had volunteered to do it on his own. Well, with the help of a smoke bomb. He could do a lot with a smoke bomb and could weasel himself out of any situation.

Black knew his abilities better than anyone and yet he was still worried. Too many people had been captured under his command. But fortunately, Yok returned safe and sound, leading the rest of the soldiers with him. There was one person Black had never seen before, but it wasn’t like he knew every single person that worked in the palace. And anyone who was willing to help them was welcome to do so, they certainly needed it.

But then the guy started walking directly towards Black and, before Black could say anything, the stranger had cupped his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. He could swear he heard Gram let out a choked sound.

These things were happening to him too often recently. And while he had definitely indulged when Gram had kissed him, this was an entirely different situation. Who did this guy think he was to start randomly kissing people like that? Perverts roamed everywhere these days.

Eyes widening, Black started to struggle. The guy let him go and, the moment Black was free, he lunged and his fist collided with the stranger’s face. He fell to the ground, groaning in pain. Black was ready to kick him as well because one punch was certainly not enough, but then someone else stumbled into the room.

“Sean? Black?”

"White?" Black took a step towards him, confused to see him there. "What are you doing here?"

But White did not answer. He simply rushed towards Black and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I told you I'd come back and bring help. But I was so worried about you. When I didn't see you here, I..."

Black snorted. "You thought I'd go down that easy? You're insulting me, White."

White was clearly offended by how nonchalant Black was about this. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead and that's what you decide to focus on?"

"Yeah, you crybaby." 

Black may have been teasing him, but he was also affectionately patting his back, his presence reminding White that now that he was here, White had nothing to worry about anymore.

"How do you know I'm crying right now?"

"I know my baby brother. He's all grown up, but he still cries so easily."

"Hey!"

They decided on a plan. Black was very much against that plan. 

He would be against any plan that put White in danger. After all, that was his baby brother and it was Black’s job to protect him.

But Gram was right. If White pretended to be him, he’d have an opportunity to move in the shadows and kill the king of Derval in a single strike. Then everything would fall apart for the enemy. It was a much better plan than anything else they had come up with.

That became even more apparent when they entered the throne room and Black saw the sheer number of enemies. Their surprise attack had been successful, but if it all came down to numbers, they would never win. It was up to Black to tip the scales in their favour.

He’d almost managed to close the distance between him and the king of Derval. With all eyes on White, no one was bothering to pay a random soldier any mind.

And then he saw it. 

An enemy soldier was making his way towards Gram. White yelled out to warn him and that was all Gram needed to spin around and block the enemy sword. But when another soldier attacked him from behind, he had no way to block it.

Black acted without thinking.

He moved quickly, pushing his way through enemies and allies and reached Gram just as the enemy soldier raised his sword. He had no time to block the attack so throwing himself between Gram and the weapon was all he could do. He felt the sword sink deep into his back and hissed in pain.

“Black!”

He heard Gram scream his name as he collapsed in his arms, unable to keep himself upright anymore. Black felt the enemy pull out their sword and braced himself for a second strike that never came.

“Black, what were you thinking? Why the fuck did you do that?” 

He could feel that Gram’s hands were shaking as he pressed down on the wound on his back to stop the bleeding.

“You’re an idiot if you think I would just let you get killed,” Black managed to say. 

His mouth tasted like blood and his vision was getting blurry. 

Was Gram crying?

“But the mission–” 

He truly was so stupid. No mission was more important than Gram’s life.

“I told you, you’re an idiot if you think–”

“Oh, Black, don’t speak. You’ll make it worse,” cried Gram. 

Those words were the last thing Black heard before he lost consciousness.

Black awoke in the infirmary in the palace. When he tried to move, he realised one of his hands was stuck, clutched into a tight grasp.

Gram was sitting in a chair next to the bed, holding Black’s hand in both of his. He had fallen asleep leaning against the wall. It couldn’t have been comfortable. If he wanted to stay here until Black woke up, there was a couch he could have taken.

Instead, here he was, sleeping while sitting up and unwilling to let go of Black’s hand.

“Black?” sleepily murmured Gram.

He used Black’s name so rarely that hearing him say it caught Black off guard. Gram was still waking up, which was likely why he’d used his actual name rather than his title.

“Gram…” replied Black. He’d barely managed to utter the word, finding his throat too dry.

Hearing his voice seemed to shake Gram out of it. His eyes shot open and he instinctively squeezed Black’s hand tighter.

“Black, you’re awake!”

“And alive.”

“Now’s not the time to joke. I was starting to think you were never going to wake up.” Gram looked like he was about to cry. It was just like him to worry.

“I’d never let a wound like that be the end of me. I’d never be able to live it down.”

“You say that, but you’ve been asleep for almost a week.”

A whole week? No wonder Gram seemed so relieved.

Gram helped Black sit up and gave him some water. Black drank as he listened to Gram recount how they had managed to take back the kingdom.

“It was all thanks to White, really. And Sean. When you were wounded, I thought everything was doomed. You were bleeding so much and I was terrified. Your brother used his life as leverage against your parents, put a sword to his neck and forced them to accept a duel. Then fought the duel himself against an opponent that was probably three times his size–”

Black nearly spit out the water he was drinking. “He did what? And you let him?”

“I knew you’d react like this. I was against him doing it and told him as much. But, Black, if you could have seen the way he looked at me and heard what he said. He isn’t a child anymore.”

Black clearly didn’t look convinced, so Gram continued.

“I know you care about him. As do I. But we can’t treat him as if he can’t do anything himself. He’ll always be your little brother, but he needs to make his own decisions. If you don’t let him, a part of him might end up resenting you.” Black knew that. Of course he did. And yet… “He went through so many trials to get here. Black, he saved us all. He’s no less brave and capable than you are.”

Black let out a defeated sigh. “And no less stubborn. Even if I want to protect him forever, I know I won’t be able to. Not once he has decided otherwise. Now tell me how my brother saved the day. In great detail.”

And so Gram went back to recounting how White had defeated the enemy’s massive champion by studying the patterns in his attacks and utilising his own strengths against him. And when the king of Derval had inevitably wanted to go back on his promise, Sean had put a sword to his neck and made him surrender, as per White’s backup plan. Even a mutt like him was good for something.

“White’s been dealing with restoring order in the kingdom since you’ve been down. Everything is going smoothly.” Gram paused for a moment, as if uncertain if he wanted to continue. ”Your Highness, please don’t do something like that again. Your life is much more important than mine. And besides, I’m your knight. It’s my job to protect you.”

“You are more stupid than I thought. I’m pretty sure I told you I’d never let you get killed like that, Gram.”

“Your Highness–”

“You called me Black before,” said Black, cutting him off. “When you woke up.”

Gram was left with his mouth open, shock evident on his face. He clearly hadn’t expected to be caught red-handed like that.

“Your Highness this, Your Highness that,” muttered Black, clearly displeased. “I hate that. When we were young, we were just Gram and Black. Can’t we just go back to that?”

Gram jumped to his feet as if he’d been burned, letting Black’s hand fall.

“You are a prince and I’m your knight. In fact, I’m not even a good knight.”

“Gram–”

“You got hurt and almost died because of me, Your Highness. What kind of knight lets that happen? You should find a new one. Someone who can properly protect you.”

Except that Gram had never been just a knight to Black. Not that he wasn’t capable, but that wasn’t the point. He’d always been his friend first. His friend and… the person he’d been in love with since he was 15 fucking years old. He’d never wanted to pressure him so he’d never told him how deep his feelings actually ran. But if he was going to lose him anyway–

Black grabbed Gram’s hand and pulled him forward. He was still very weak, but Gram was so taken aback by the sudden movement that he lost his balance and landed on the edge of the bed. He braced himself on the wall so he wouldn’t crush Black.

Their faces were close. Just like that time in the back of Rose’s bar.

“Black?” Gram was so surprised he’d forgotten about the wall he’d been trying to create between them by using Black’s title.

“I was supposed to kill the king and put an end to everything. I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. But when I saw that guy about to stab you, I knew I couldn’t let that happen. If you died… everything would lose its meaning.” As Black said all that, his eyes never left Gram’s. “I put your life before the mission. Do you understand what that means?”

He could see in Gram's eyes that he did. Black had never been good at being honest about his feelings. Especially now when the innocence of his teenage years was long gone. But for Gram, he was an open book, he always had been.

“Black… I don't want to be just your knight,” whispered Gram, as if he was unable to believe he was saying this. “I've never seen you as just my prince. Or as just my friend. I'm not sure when it all started… I might have been in love with you all along, long before my mind caught up with my heart.” 

Gram laced his fingers with Black's. He looked like he had more to say, but any chance of that happening was lost when White burst into the room.

Gram immediately let go of Black's hand and jumped to his feet, face flushing red. He shifted awkwardly, unable to look at Black or White. Black glared at his brother, annoyed that he'd interrupted such an important moment, one that he had spent years waiting for. If it was anyone other than White, he would have chewed them out. But that was his baby brother, he had special privileges. One of them was getting a rare smile from Black.

“Are you going to cry out of relief again?”

Now that Black was awake, Gram didn’t feel the need to be attached to his bed so he’d gone out to eat and take a walk. Of course, Black was happy about that, he’d been grumpy when he’d found out Gram had barely left the infirmary while he’d been unconscious, as touching as that was. But he could feel like there was something off about Gram. A tenseness that hadn’t been there before. And that just didn’t make any sense. Not when they’d finally been honest about their feelings. What was there to be so tense about?

Still, Gram returned in the evening, bringing Black some food and much needed diversion.

“I’m so glad you are here. Lying in bed is so boring.” Of course, White had come to keep him company and so had Yok. But they had shit to do and couldn’t entertain him all the time. “Yok left me a book to read. It’s pure filth. As expected of him.”

This was the kind of thing Black would expect Gram to laugh at. But he didn’t.

So it wasn’t all in Black’s head. He was definitely being weird.

“Okay? What’s going on? Spit it out.”

“Uh…” Gram rubbed the back of his neck. A nervous habit he could never get rid of. “Nothing’s going on.”

“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it. You could try lying to anyone else and you might have a chance, but I’ve known you way too long for that.”

Black had really thought they were on the same page. Sure, White had interrupted the moment, but it had seemed clear enough to Black that their feelings were the same. Gram should have been making out with him in this infirmary bed so hard he risked reopening his wound. Instead, he was standing a meter away from the bed and fidgeting awkwardly. What the fuck was going on? Black thought he was good enough at reading Gram, but apparently, he wasn’t.

“Was I not clear enough? I thought we both understood that our feelings for each other are the same.”

Gram took a step towards Black… only to kneel in front of him.

“Yes, Your Highness, but…” There he went with the title again. Black would have killed whoever invented these words if they weren’t certainly very dead already. “... we can't. You are the prince… and I'm just an orphan boy your parents took in to be your servant.”

Black couldn’t help glaring, the displeasure so obvious on his face. Why was Gram still unwilling to destroy the wall between them? 

Well, if he wasn’t going to, Black would do it for him. He’d never been the type to wait for things to happen anyway.

“Who cares about that? If White can attach himself to a mutt like Sean, what's wrong with us being together? There's no one to tell me otherwise anyway. My parents are locked in the fucking dungeon and I intend for it to stay that way. And even if that wasn’t the case, you should know better than anyone that I would have never married anyone just because I had to do it.”

“But you should be with someone who is more worthy of you!”

“Why? Because I’m a fucking prince? Fuck that. I don’t even want to be one.” Now Black was starting to get angry. “Why should you decide who I should be with? I think that should be up to me.”

“Of course, Your Highness, but–”

“My name is Black!” 

The outburst seemed to take both of them by surprise. When Black looked into Gram’s eyes, he could clearly see the guilt.

He’d surely never meant to fight with him like this. But over a decade of being told he could only be Black’s servant was difficult to unlearn. Black could toss it away all too easily, he had nothing to lose, but it wasn’t the same for Gram.

Realising that made Black less angry and, when he spoke again, he was a lot more composed.

“Why should my title dictate who I should be with? Shouldn’t I be with the person who will make me the happiest? You love me and I love you. Shouldn’t that be enough?”

Something shifted in Gram’s expression at Black’s words. Gram had heard him angry many times over, but being this vulnerable was rare.

Gram slowly got to his feet and sat at the edge of Black’s bed, finally closing the distance. He had no need to kneel.

“I’m sorry, Black.” His soft apology was all Black needed.

“You’re stupid.” He didn’t mean it, but Gram knew that.

Gram cupped Black’s cheek.

“I’m not going to apologise this time.”

“You better fucking no–”

Black’s words were interrupted when Gram kissed him.

It was different from the kiss in Rose’s bar. Even though they’d clearly both wanted it, it had been out of necessity. And they’d both felt guilty for wanting it in the first place.

There was no urgency in this kiss like there had been last time. That being said, it also wasn’t slow and gentle. Gram kissed him just as passionately as he had before, exploring Black’s mouth and doing incredible things with his tongue. At least this time, Black knew that this passion was for him and not for some unknown person he had to get unfairly angry at.

Goddamnit, Gram was good at kissing. He clearly had plenty of experience. Black tried not to feel jealous of any of his previous partners. Not when he was his now.

Black didn’t really have any experience. That kiss at Rose’s bar had been his very first one. But he wasn’t one to be bested at anything so he kissed Gram back with all the passion he could muster.

Suddenly, he heard a gasp.

Black reluctantly pulled away from Gram and looked towards the entrance where his brother was standing, holding a tray full of food.

“Uh…” 

White was clearly speechless, meanwhile Gram’s entire face had flushed red.

“Come back later, White.”

White did not wait to be told twice, darting out of the room and slamming his door shut.

“Black–”

Black did not let Gram finish, grabbing his shirt and pulling him in for another kiss. He had years to make up for, there was no way he could be satisfied with just one kiss. Everything else could wait.