Chapter Text
The air was filled with a thick fog, the morning birds singing from where they stood high up in the trees, morning air smelling of a sweet dew as Chance walked through the forest pushing past the bushes and trees that were in their path as they passed by.
It was just about sundown by the time they made it to the lake, it was a simple yet peaceful part of the forest that chance would go to often just to escape from it all.
Their parents, their responsibilities, the palace, the whole kingdom, just to go to this little spot that felt like the most special place in the entire world.
They expected to maybe see a squirrel, maybe a fox pass through the forest, what they hadn't expected was to find another person there, a boy no older than them was skipping a few pebbles across the lake, some making it far and some others not so much.
The boy had this beautiful deep yellow hair and sun kissed skin, his face covered in freckles barely there but noticeable, and these perfect brown eyes that looked as pretty as a pearl.
Chance hid behind a tree ducking before they were noticed by the boy, watching from afar, the boy continued to skip a couple more rocks, whispering about something to himself before finally skipping a pebble a bit harder than necessary watching as it sank down to the bottom.
Then and only then did chance finally come out of hiding, slowly walking out from behind the tree, “Hey! What's got you so worked up doll?” they teased as his gaze suddenly shifted from the water to chance, startled by the strangers sudden presence.
“And who might you be?” The boy questioned once he composed himself, picking up another pebble, “The names chance, and what about you?” Chance replied, taking off their sunglasses to get a better look at the boy.
“Im Elliot,” The boy, Elliot, answered as his shoulders finally relaxed tossing yet another pebble and skipping it across the lake.
Chance nods slowly, taking in his name, it was a beautiful name in their opinion “soo… come here often..?” Chance said awkwardly he didn't know what to say, looking across the lake at Elliot
Elliot laughed softly as he found Chance's awkwardness endearing, speaking to answer Chance's question, slowly opening his mouth, “I do, do you?” Elliot asked, settling on the ground, looking up to where Chance was across the lake.
“I guess you could say that,” Chance replied, arms resting behind their head lazily, leaning against a tree, “Don't think I've ever seen you around Spinspire if I do reckon.” Chance commented looking off to the side for a split second before their gaze landed back onto Elliot who was still sitting on the ground from the other side of the lake.
Elliot's gaze shifted slightly to an expression of confusion at first then slight shock, “your from Spinspire?” he questioned as a slight breeze blew past them, Elliot’s yellow hair blowing in the wind.
Chance nodded, taking their hands down from behind their head and crossing them in front of their torso, “yeah, I'm guessing you're from a small town perhaps?” they had asked with a curious tone in their voice as they questioned the man across the lake.
Elliot shook his head, “no, I am not, im the prince of Emberhold.” he answered with a steady voice as if he didn't just drop a bomb on chance.
Chance's eyes widened slightly “ohhh….” the silence was deafening, as the air filled with tension it was only broken by Elliot's hesitant voice cutting through the air, “so… I guess that makes things awkward, doesn't it?” Elliot questioned, eyes dimming slightly.
Chance only hesitated but then nodded along to what Elliot had just said. “I guess so.”
Elliot thought for a moment before saying with a softer tone than before, “To be completely honest, I don't think it matters if we do keep talking, you being a peasant after all.” He finished not knowing the truth just yet about Chance.
“Peasant!?” Chance exclaimed with a louder volume than they were using before, looking down at themselves, “me? A lowly peasant!? I take offense to that!”
Elliot blinked, caught off guard by Chance's change in tone, “You aren't but a peasant from Spinspire?” he questioned, “then whom might you be?” Elliot stood up once more, moving closer to the edge of the lake.
“Whom might I be? Look at my clothes can’t you see?” Chance rhymed unintentionally, clearly offended by the assumption!
Elliot rubbed the back of his head, confused ever so slightly, “well if you had a better look at the distance across the lake, you would be able to tell that it is but hard to see you from all the way over here!” He exclaimed, trying to prove a point.
“Blaming anything but yourself I see,” Chance had said sarcastically, clearly playing with him as they dramatically crossed their arms once more and looked away. “I am the prince of Spinspire! Far more important than the cheap peasant that you claim I am!”
“A prince you say? I call bluff! As far as I know, the royals of Spinspire never had a kid! Let alone a teenage boy.” Elliot stated, yelling from across the lake.
The tension was high both glaring at each other from each of the sides of the lake where either of them stood before they both fell into a laugh; they couldn't help but continue to talk afterwards, chance soon running around the lake to meet Elliot half way.
Elliot waved, and with a smirk said, “I guess you could pass for a prince though…”
“Though what?” Chance asked curiously, intrigued with what Elliot had to say now, “that im still fake because you haven't heard of me?” they joked, chuckling slightly at themselves.
“No, just that you could be more polite, as I am far more important than you.” Elliot stated as if it were a fact.
“Well at least I'm not an Emberhold snob unlike someone here,” Chance started, “it's almost like their right in front of.” they teased Elliot, laughing like it was the most funny thing in the world imaginable.
“Pardon me? I'm the snob? I’ll have you know I'm actually a hard worker and don't let other people carry my weight, unlike you who I bet hasn't worked a day in your life!” He quipped back, making a dramatic pose as if he were a damsel in distress, “Oh woe is me! I have to do work for once in my life! This is sooo hard!” Elliot mocked them before putting his hands on his hips with an unamused face looking at chance.
Chance gasped, clutching their chest, “Wow! Straight to the feels, that hurts you know, even if that was the worst impression I have ever seen in my entire life.” they stated, still chuckling from their earlier horrible statement.
Elliot rolled his eyes, and from then on, they both kept meeting the other at the lake, everyday, even if it was raining or it was just a tad bit too chilly to be going out, neither of them missed it.
Some days they explored, others they just sat and talked at the lake, about their goals, perhaps their responsibilities, but what felt most special was how nice it felt, for both of them, to finally have a friend and someone to talk to that wasn't just another maid or guard.
Chance made Elliot genuinely laugh and Elliot made Chance feel seen, they both gave the other something they were missing in their lives.
One day though Chance and Elliot were just sitting near the lake, Elliot was teaching Chance how to skip rocks and they were having a good time.
“You're almost there, just keep at it like I showed you, it's honestly really easy!” Elliot tried cheering Chance up after they failed yet again to skip the rock even once before chance finally sighed tumbling to the ground and sitting back against a tree.
“It's hopeless I tell you Els, hopeless!” Chance complained falling to their side, giving up, face flat against the forest floor.
Elliot chuckled slightly, crouching down to Chance’s level on the ground, “You can't seriously be giving up already, you just need practice, you’ll get the hang of it eventually, I promise.” Elliot explained to them, but they weren't fully listening instead just wanting to continue shoving their face in the ground.
“Easy for you to say, you're the one here that knows how to do it! I can't at all! It's not the slightest bit fair, why can't I just get it!?” Chance groaned and complained weakly once more, making a whole fuss over this whole ordeal.
Elliot sighed finally laying down next to Chance and staring up into the sky, “Whatever you say man.” he said finally, relaxing his body after a day of stress, it was nice to be out here, it had become one of his favorite things to look forward to each and every day he woke up in the morning.
He had a busy schedule every day so it was nice to take a break and just be himself around chance, though he was a prince and all of that he still did so much work, he didn't have to no one was forcing him but he wanted to feel accomplished even though it was tiring, it let him do something than just smiling and waving to his people while his dad did all of the work.
Elliot had his younger sister Mia sure, but she also wasn't too interested on the idea of being with him all the time, she was a good kid but god was she a lazy brat, he truly did love her but being with her all the time also didn't seem to appeal to him either.
The forest today was just slightly damp in that way that it had rained maybe hours prior and the sun had come out to make it dry again but it still was wet, the air smelt fresh and he could hear the breeze pushing against the plants that surrounded the both of them.
But of course all good things must come to an end as the noise of running and a woman's voice calling out interrupted the peace and silence.
“Chance! Where have you gone now! Your parents are going to kill me!” The voice shouted, Chances head turned towards the noise as a lady in armor approached the duo, “sir! There you are! You had me worried sick, I would have lost my job if I reported back to your parents that you went missing in the woods!” she practically yelled, grabbing Chance by the wrist, not bothering to glance at Elliot.
“Ack- cmon, you know I meant no harm! Besides, mom and dad won't mind too much if I'm out on my own!” Chance lied through their teeth, their parents hated it whenever they weren't supervised by someone as if they weren't almost an adult anyways.
Elliot could only watch, too confused on what was happening to intervene and step in to help Chance with whatever was happening at the moment.
The lady only huffed patience wearing thin as she dragged Chance to stand up, “Nope, you're coming back to the castle right now, and your not gonna fight it.” She declared, no room for argument, so Chance finally gave in, letting out a dramatic groan, "I'll see you tomorrow El, promise!” Chance said waving a hand goodbye as they were dragged away back to Spinspire.
As Elliot was left alone with only his thoughts he decided to head back as well, thinking it was a good idea to go while there was still light out and the moon was just barely there.
Whilst walking back, Elliot looked back at the lake that slowly faded with each step he took back to Emberhold, and soon appeared his kingdom's gates, walking through and heading towards home at the palace, already excited for the next day when he would be able to see his dear friend once more.