Bridge to California

by XxxAnimaniacxxX

James is a lonely teenager, fed up with his life in a tiny dull town. Wandering off one day leads him to a spot across a river that he's never been before, where he starts dreaming up his own fantasy world, with sunshine and adventures, wizards and dragons and a mysterious warrior prince. Only, the longer he spends in this wonderful place, the more real and frightening it becomes.

1. Chapter 1

New story :) it's a bit fantasy and a bit not, it's actually inspired by 'Bridge to Terabithia' but it won't be as depressing as that, promise. That movie makes me weep every time I watch it. But anyway, it'll be a long threeshot. Very long :P enjoy!

Sometimes, James would say that his algebra class was his least favourite time of the day. But the truth was, most times of the day were his least favourite times. It was a dismal thing to say, but it was the way his life was, and there wasn't much he could do about it. This attitude was apparently more common in older people, this feeling that his life was devoid of all meaning. He got up in the morning, he went about his day, and he went to bed. It meant nothing, and nothing ever changed. This small town never changed, the trees never changed, the people never changed. He never changed. And he hated it.

Mr Wilson's voice droned on as he wrote out some more equations on the whiteboard, things he would never understand. Across the classroom, his friend Camille was hard at work, her dark hair pulled back from her face as she bit the end of her pen in between solving her questions. She had pale milky skin and brown eyes, and wanted to be an actress. At least, that had been the case up until last year, when she'd begun to believe in her aptitude for science and mathematics, realising it might be a more sensible path. He turned away from her again and gave a sigh, going back to his question and trying to think of how to solve it. But the numbers and letters swam in his brain like little wisps he could never catch. He doodled carelessly on the margin of the page until the bell rang to mark the end of class, and the end of the school day.

He left the classroom and just as he was walking towards his locker, he bumped into another of his friends, named Jennifer. She was blonde with sallow skin and nearly always wore dresses and skirts. She always looked at him with a bright smile and brushed her hair over her shoulder. "Hey, James," she greeted cheerfully. "Going home already? You're in a hurry today."

"Yeah, it's been a long day," James replied, trying not to veer away from her too obviously. "I've got everything I need for the weekend so, I'm just gonna head off . . ."

"Well, I'll see you on Monday then." She grinned. "Have a good weekend, yeah?"

"Yeah, thanks. You too." The doors were, thankfully, finally getting closer.

The disappointing thing about going home for James was that nothing really improved, as depressing as it sounded. School was dull as dishwater, but at home, his parents drove him crazy and that wasn't any better. Well, now it was just parent. His father had left them just two years ago, for a much younger and prettier woman who worked in his insurance company. Brooke, his mother, was more than happy without him, able to express her assertive personality more freely as the single adult of the house. James was seventeen, and soon he would be an adult too.

Brooke was the CEO of an internationally successful cosmetics company, Diamond Cosmetics. As a result, both she and James had perfect skin and healthy, shiny hair, and a lot of money under their belts. Used to being in a position of power, as a result of this she was a very assertive (scary) person by nature, and many people feared ever saying no to her. James was one of those people. He was sure that he did love her, but sometimes she just made him feel uncomfortable to be at home. And more useless than ever.

She was almost never home when he returned from school, so he would always help himself to some lunch, then watch some TV, whatever was on would do. And then he would work on his homework, and usually he would be just about finished when she got home. After that, they would eat dinner, usually separately, and then he would go to his room and do whatever he wanted. Maybe study, or play video games, watch a porno, anything would do! And then he would go to bed, and in the morning, the whole cycle would start over again.

This day was like any other. In the privacy of his room, he played about thirty minutes of GTA, and thought about what it would be like to live a life where every day was worth waking up to. Afterwards he moved to his laptop, and he thought about hulking biceps of naked men, or slim hips of those 'twink' like boys everyone seemed to love. He totally saw the attraction. He may have liked muscles, but lean bodies where equally appreciated. And he liked blonds. He loves blonds.

He went to bed soon after, and lay staring at the ceiling and trying to ease his mind to sleep. He sometimes wondered if his mind was just too busy for the world he lived in. There wasn't enough to think about, there wasn't enough to feel.

When he fell asleep, he always had dreams of there being something more out there for him. He never remembered them when he woke up.

---

The next day was Saturday, which meant he had more time that couldn't be killed at school. James woke up at 11am, got up and showered and dressed in his black jeans and a T-shirt, zipping up his favourite blue sweatshirt over it. He put on his sneakers and had a snack before he left the house, hands in his pockets, iPod earphones in his ears. There was one thing which helped him to relax, which helped him to pretend he was somewhere else. He would go walk in the woods.

Sherwood was a pretty rural town. If he walked by the church, there was a dirt track leading through the woods where people would walk their dogs. He would leave the path and walk through the trees, listening to the dead leaves crunching beneath his feet in the fall, or powdery snow, or fresh flowers with the canopy of trees keeping the sun off his face. It relaxed him, it made him happier than he ever was. Perhaps it was being in his own company with no outside influences, perhaps it was being close to nature. He wasn't quite sure; he was no hippy or anything. But he did love the feeling, there was no denying that. Every time he went walking in the woods, he would forget about time, and just listen to his music. He would walk at any pace he liked, as far as the river, and then he would walk back. And that was what he did today.

He got as far as the river and carefully walked along the bank to the rock he always sat on, happy that today, as there had been no rain the previous night, it wasn't too damp to sit on. He let his gaze wander across the river; this section of it wasn't very wide, but the water flow was fast and he knew if he were too fall in, there was a good chance he could be swept away if he wasn't a strong swimmer. He took a glance left and right, up and down stream. He didn't walk either way very often; he tended to stick to the same route.

He took a glance up at the sky; from here, he had a pretty good view. The sky was cloudy but it didn't look like it would rain any time soon. He had time to walk some more, and so he stood up and chose to walk left, following the river's course. He kicked a few leaves and hummed along to the song playing, a little smile on his lips. As he walked, he noticed the river narrow and widen at uneven intervals. At one point the river was very wide, and flowing strong. But there was something there what James had never noticed before; a large fallen tree, some of the roots still submerged in the ripped ground, while the trunk lay across the river, wide with broken branches, its head lying on the other side. He had no way of telling if it had fallen in the last storm, or if it had been there for much longer. In any case, this was his first time seeing it. He glanced at the other side of the river, where the forest looked the same, but was a part that he had never walked through.

Biting his lip and turning his music down a little, he carefully stepped around the roots of the tree and to the base of the trunk, putting a hand on it and heaving himself up. He stood up slowly, arms outstretched for balance. The trunk was dry, but he didn't want to chance slipping and so he took his time, each step very slow and carefully placed. He went about it as though crossing a bridge half this width, and it helped him to keep his concentration and balance. It was a short crossing, and he hopped down the other side, giving a little satisfied smile, and setting off.

He noticed as he walked, like he always did, new landmarks that would help him find his way back. A tree with some initials carved in it. A wide round stump surrounded by little clusters of mushrooms. A tree with a lump in its trunk shaped like a nose. He was just past that tree when he heard a strange sound, just faintly over his music. Turning his iPod off, he tucked his earphones away and looked around, listening carefully. A minute later he heard it again; chimes. Little, metallic chimes. Wind chimes maybe? The wind picked up and so did the sound, giving him an idea of where it was coming from. He veered right and followed the sound through a thicker clump of trees, climbing over a fallen log and stepping into a clearing. The sound was louder here, and he saw the source of it immediately.

A burned out car sat in the middle of the clearing; it must have been there for quite some time. The windows were completely gone, the front doors ripped off, and as he stepped closer, he saw the little wind chimes, covered in rusty bells and damp feathers, hanging from the rear view mirror. The sound was quite haunting; he was struck with how the sound reminded him of chains, how spooky it was. Hand resting on the roof of the car, he stepped back and walked around it to the other side, examining it further. It was then he saw that, on one tree on the other side of this small clearing, more wind chimes were hanging. He walked over to look at them, hand reaching out and taking hold of the end. Unlike the rusted chimes of the car, these looked new, much more valuable. Still holding it in place, he glanced in at the forest beyond the tree.

He could swear he saw the air ripple and started, letting go of the chimes and stepping backwards. There was no heat in the day to create such an illusion. He glanced behind him again; the car sat still. Nothing out of the ordinary. He looked forwards again. There was a feeling in his gut, this nagging instinct telling him to go forward. He couldn't understand it; surely his body should've wanted him to run from anything unfamiliar. Yet he found himself moving from the clearing and back to the forest, walking through the widespread trees, where the air had changed.

Nothing felt different; at least, the air wasn't different. But there was something about the trees; they seemed brighter, they seemed to sway. Not to get all Pocahontas about the whole thing, but it really felt as though they were whispering to him. But that was impossible.

Then again, many things were thought to be impossible. What was also impossible, or so he thought, was the sudden animalistic roar he heard from the trees, not like anything he had ever heard.

He looked up, gasping in horror as strange creatures slowly descended down the tree trunks and crawled towards him, hissing and shrieking in terrifying raspy voices. They were large and black, with strong front arms and masks over their faces, and he knew if they stood upright they would be much taller than he was. What he didn't know was where they had come from, what on earth they were, and what they planned to do to him.

That third one became clear when one made a lunge for him. Screaming, he turned and ran in the only direction he could; they were blocking the way he'd come.

James sprinted through the trees, hands smacking branches out of his eyes frantically as he panted, too afraid to look back, too afraid to stop, but afraid he would soon be too exhausted to go on. He'd never been much of a long distance runner.

His foot caught on a tree root and he went flying with a cry of dismay, landing on the ground with a loud thump, head hitting off a nearby tree trunk.

He'd always been clumsy.

"Oh god, oh god," he wheezed, scuttling backwards on his hands and feet as the beasts slowly crawled towards him. He'd never trembled so hard. One of them was creeping closer to him, hissing, only one cold eye visible, and he thought for a minute he might actually faint. This was it. The end for him. He curled up tighter in a ball and just waited for it to happen.

That was when he heard the faint whistle of something shooting through the air, and suddenly the closest monster collapsed in a heap by his feet. He sat up slowly, jaw dropping when he saw an arrow embedded in its skull.

Another whistle, and the second beast was taken down. James slowly crept out from where he'd been hiding and dared to glance at where the arrows had come from, where the monsters were starting to pay more attention to.

There was a young man striding towards them, bow raised in the air for another shot. His hair shone gold in the sun, his skin glowing white. He fired another arrow, his aim perfect as he took down James' third attacker. There were only three left now. James' eye followed his rescuer attentively as the man, with total ease, took down another two of these beats, only one remained. But as the man reached for another arrow, James spotted a dark shadow descending a tree behind him. "Watch out!" he roared, surprised he could even get the words out. His whole body was still trembling.

The beast took a hard swipe at the man, knocking him flat on the floor, his quiver of arrows flying across the clearing. James could get to it from where he was. If he didn't hurry, those last two would surely kill him. Staggering to his feet, he managed to force his legs across the ground to where the quiver lay. He was just reaching for it when he heard a horrible shriek, and turned with a gasp to see another monster lying in the dirt by the man, body twitching, a dagger impaled in his body. Looks like he doesn't need my help, James thought numbly, legs giving way beneath him as he landed flat on his butt in the leaves. He felt too queasy to stand any longer.

The man pulled his dagger free and turned to face his last opponent. His stance, the way he held his weapon, everything about him screamed warrior to James. He looked to be ready for anything. He was ready when the final beast lunged for him, and killed it without a second of hesitation.

The woods suddenly seemed to fall into silence. Or maybe it was just because James' ears were ringing and his vision was spinning. He heard echoing footsteps of his rescuer approaching him, feet crunching on dead leaves. His eyes rolled upwards, and then there was nothing at all.

---

James woke up to a pair of very green eyes staring at him.

He blinked a few times, vision slowly coming back into focus as he got up to lean on his elbows, one hand rubbing his head. He had a bit of a headache, but nothing he couldn't handle. The stranger was kneeling by his side, watching him attentively. His face lit up in a dimpled smile when James looked at him. And look at him James did.

He could see him better now that he could really take it all in. This man, or rather boy, because he didn't look to be any older than James was, had pale, smooth skin and dark blond hair that looked very soft to touch. His skin and clothes were spattered here and there with dark blood. He wore what looked like a chainmail vest and dark, leathery robes. His legs were bare and he wore boots on his feet. Around his waist was a belt with some pouches attached, along with two sheathed daggers and what looked like a horn of some kind. His bow and quiver were slung across his back.

"Do you feel better?" he asked suddenly. His voice was soft and rung out beautifully in James' ears. "You fainted, you see."

"I-I, um . . . I . . ." James' cheeks turned red.

"Here, let me help you sit up. Have some water." The stranger did so, before handing James a container of water. James gulped a few mouthfuls down, feeling distinctly better but still seriously confused and a little scared.

"I don't understand," he got out at last. "What happened?"

"You were attacked, of course! By shadow beasts, haven't you seen one before?"

"No. I, er, I don't have those shadow things where I'm from."

"Where are you from?" the guy asked curiously, head tilted cutely as he looked James up and down. "Your clothing is very strange. And this thing . . ." He reached behind him and picked up James' iPod and earphones. "You dropped these. What is this?"

"An ipod?" He hadn't quite meant to answer it like another question, but this whole situation was just so bizarre. "You know." Finally managing to sit up, he took the iPod and opened the last track he'd been listening to. "It plays music. You take this," he took an earbud, "and press it to your ear."

Eyes wide, the blind slowly did as he said, holding the earphone to his ear and listening. Admittedly, the way his face lit up in wonder was seriously adorable. However, only a few seconds later and his expression dropped and he said in a deadpan voice, "This music is terrible."

"I guess pop isn't your thing . . ."

"What does that mean?" Taking the earphone away from his ear, the stranger handed it dismissively back to James. "It's strange."

"Sorry," James said sheepishly.

"What's your name, anyway?" the man asked, quirking a thick dark eyebrow as he looked James up and down again.

"James. My name's James. A-and you are?"

"My name is Kendall," Kendall replied, that sweet smile returning to his face. James was sure if he were standing, he would be weak at the knees. It was as he thought this that Kendall seemed to realise they were still on the ground, and quickly got to his feet. "Here, take my hand!"

James did, gripping it tightly as Kendall helped him to his feet, both hands moving out to steady him as he stumbled a little. "That must have been quite frightening for you," Kendall said in a soft, sympathetic voice. "Shadow beasts are terrifying at first glance. They are created to strike fear in people's hearts, it is their only purpose."

"Sounds like a sad life if you ask me. But you seemed well able to handle them," James said cheerfully, hoping to change the subject from how unbelievably frightened he had been.

"I am used to fighting these beasts." Kendall cast a disdainful look at where their bodies, James suddenly realised with a jolt, used to lie. All that were left were burnt marks on the ground. "They have been coming into villages, attacking the people. My siblings and I have been scouting the land hunting for them before they can do any more damage. Attacks are becoming more frequent as the weeks go by."

". . . What?" James almost felt like laughing. Surely this was some kind of prank. "Sorry, can you just tell me where the hell we are?"

Kendall frowned, apparently flabbergasted that James didn't know all the details of this situation. But he answered in a proud, clear voice, "You're in the kingdom of Cali."

"Cali?" James repeated, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "As in, California?"

"I have never heard of that place. Is that where you're from?"

"N-no, no. I'm from Sherwood."

"Share wood . . ." He pronounced it slowly, letters drawn out. That little puzzled expression on his face was just so cute. He was quite a looker, really. "I have never heard of that place either."

"Well, it's er . . ." James looked around, trying to get his bearings. "That way somewhere," he said at last, pointing feebly in the direction he'd been running from. "I was just walking through the woods, I've never been in this part before."

"Strange," Kendall said softly, taking a look in the direction he'd come from. "You are the first person I've met from another kingdom."

"I wouldn't call Sherwood a kingdom. More of a town, really . . . it doesn't matter. Look, I really should go, this is a lot to take in and I just . . . I have to leave." He stepped hurriedly away from Kendall and tucked his iPod safely into his pocket. He would be keeping his ears open and alert this time.

"If you wish." Kendall gave what almost looked like a little bow or curtsy, smiling at him and glancing up through his eyelashes. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"You too, er, thanks again." James gave a stiff, abrupt bow before giving a sheepish wave, spinning on his heels and running back the way he'd come.

Yes, maybe there was nothing chasing him this time, but he ran just as hastily, just as urgently. He didn't stop running, past those landmarks he'd seen before, back into the clearing with the burnt out car. He only slowed to a stop, clutching his side and panting, when he'd reached the tree truck bridge over the river. He leaned back against it, head thrown back as he tried to catch his breath. Once his legs had stopped shaking and he could breathe a little steadier, he climbed onto the trunk and crossed back over to his side of the river, heading back the way he had come, taking it slower now that he was on familiar ground. Once at home, he would take a long shower and maybe make himself a hot drink.

He had to have been dreaming. That was the only explanation.

His own life was empty of any adventure, any real substance. Of course it would make sense for him to want to live in a place so different. He had always been a daydreamer, sure, but the idea of conjuring up such an elaborate fantasy seemed a bit far-fetched. But it couldn't be real . . . it just wasn't possible.

He had imagined it. That was all. He'd dreamed up an adventure, and someone to share it with. That was all.

He dreamt of Kendall's smile and short cut armour that night, and it only served to reassure him that he was nothing more than a dream boy. Not that it bright him a whole lot of comfort or happiness.

James spent the rest of the weekend occupying his time with as mundane tasks as he could. He did homework, he cleaned his room, he made dinner, he watched TV, he played video games. He kept himself focused on these things as much as he could, but even still, his mind began to wander. He could swear he saw a tree sway and swish in the backyard, had almost definitely seen the shadow of a masked beast by his window. Of course, when he ran to check, there was nothing there. He couldn't tell what it was he felt when he saw this.

On Monday morning, he could swear he saw blond hair and a pair of very green eyes, standing out amongst the crowd when he walked into school. But it was never who he thought it would be. These imaginings, these daydreams were beginning to pick at him bit by bit at this point. Why couldn't he just focus on reality, keep his mind on track?

Because it was nothing worth focusing on, that was why.

"Are you alright?" Jennifer asked him, concerned as they stood by her locker, one class remaining in the day. "You're so scattered today, I can't figure you out."

"I'm okay," James replied, trying to smile. "It's just . . . the thing is I had a dream last night, and it was really great and I guess waking up was just a disappointment. I know that sounds bad . . ."

"Hey, it's okay," Jennifer said kindly. "I get it. School is pretty stressful right now."

"Yeah, yeah." Of course, he didn't mean school. He meant everything. Home, school, family, friends, the weather, politics, everything under the damn sun. He was actually received when the bell rang and he got to go back to class, where he could just sit and daydream again in peace.

After school, James went home only briefly to drop his bag on the floor, before leaving again and heading off in the direction of the woods. He walked much more briskly than usual on his normal route. However, it was as soon as the river and his sitting rock came into view that he turned left and walked along, keeping a sharp eye on the river for the bridge. When he got to it, he jogged the last few steps to it and stopped, taking a deep breath. He had nothing to worry about quite yet, he still had some ways to go. But surely if this was all in his head, he could just conjure it up anywhere. However, though he tried, and he could still hear Kendall's laughter, nothing was steady enough to see.

He climbed atop the tree trunk and crossed the river slower than before, jumping down on the end and setting off in the direction of the tree with the carved initials. This time, he stopped to take a look at them, but they were difficult to make out. One looked like a K. He moved on, walking at a sharp pace and keeping himself alert at all times. There was no wind today, and he couldn't hear the wind chimes of the burnt out car, but he knew the direction to walk in, and so he did. When he arrived in the clearing, the car once again stood out like a sore thumb. He could tell it used to be a white car, but it was so burnt and rusted there as hardly a trace of the original paint. He walked past it to where the second wind chime was hung on a tree, and slowed his pace a little.

Now, as he walked, he tried to keep his mind wide open. He tried to see the trees sway, hear their whispers in his ears. Maybe any second now, he would see a dark monster slipping down a tree towards him. Though he would prefer to see Kendall emerge from behind a tree, hair reflecting the sunlight above them, long pale legs and arms on show.

It started off a little faintly at first. But suddenly James could hear music. At first he couldn't quite tell what it was, but after about a minute or so of listening to the gentle tune, he realised it must be some kind of flute or pipe. It was coming from somewhere up ahead. Biting his lip, he took one and then two cautious steps forward, continuing in such away as he moved through the woods to find where the music was coming from.

He came across a cluster of trees and bushes, where the music was much louder. He peered over the top of the plants, pushing a branch aside cautiously and taking a look. And there was Kendall, sitting cross-legged beside a pond, playing music on a small flute, fingers dancing delicately over the surface as he played. His hair hung down over his eyes, obscuring them from view. Taking a deep breath, James circled the bushes and the trees until he found an opening and pushed through, walking in to where Kendall was sitting. "Kendall, hi," he greeted softly, grinning at him.

Kendall's head snapped up instantly, and his face lit up. "Hello." He got to his feet and tucked the little musical instrument into his belt pouch. "Did you find your way back out of these woods? You certainly look well."

"I did, um, I didn't think I'd see you again . . ."

"I've been scouting the woods, I was just sitting to take a rest." Kendall took a quick glance around, before smiling back at James and sitting back on the ground. "Sit with me. This is a wonderful spot to think."

"It's very pretty," James admitted, stretching his legs out comfortably and watching Kendall rest his hands gently on his spread knees. "And that was a beautiful song you were playing." He smirked. "Though it did sound a little familiar . . . I'm pretty sure it was a little too close to that 'terrible music' I showed you the other day."

Kendall's cheeks flushed and he gave a sweet, embarrassed little smile. "The melody wouldn't leave my mind. So I started to try and play it, and created my own rendition . . . I am supposed to play a piece at a ball tonight, and I thought I could use this."

"A ball?" This perked James' interest immediately. "Are you a musician? I thought you were, I don't know, a warrior or something . . ."

"A warrior, yes, of a sort. Not a musician, but I am required to perform something tonight, just as all of my siblings are . . . it's what our parents expect of us."

"Your parents," James echoed slowly, thinking hard. Were his parents part of some elite ball planning committee or something? "I don't understand . . ."

Kendall sighed, biting his lip. He picked off a bit of dirt from under one of his fingernails as he said lowly, a little forlornly, "I'm a crown prince of Cali."

James' jaw dropped. "Y-you're the prince?!" he exclaimed in amazement. "I had no idea . . ."

"Please do not treat me any differently," Kendall pleaded, hand clasping James' sleeve. "I'm not the heir to the throne. I have two older brothers, I am third in line. It's unlikely I will ever become king."

"How many siblings do you have?" James asked, eyes drifting from Kendall's eyes to where they were almost holding hands. "Tell me about them."

"I suppose, if you want to hear it." Kendall didn't let go of James' sleeve; he didn't seem to even realise he was holding it. He gazed off into the distance thoughtfully as he spoke. "I am seventeen, and have a twin sister Josephine, though immediate family and friends call her Jo. Though she is a few minutes older than I am, I am lined up as an heir before her because I am a man. It's not very fair, but we have tried to change it and nothing has changed. Anyway, we both know it will probably never come to that. The youngest is Katherine, or Katie, and she is only thirteen. Then there are my brothers, Jett and Dak. They're very noble and brave, very protective of my sisters and I. Jett is nineteen and second in line. But it is Dak who will inherit the throne should my parents die or choose to relinquish it to him. He is twenty two. I cannot think of anyone better suited to ruling a kingdom and a people than he is."

"Wow . . . twenty two. That's young to be an heir," James commented, resting his chin in his hand. "Most people in Sherwood are just getting their college degrees at that age, never mind ruling anything."

"Their what?"

"Never mind, you wouldn't understand. So, being the prince, you're obviously well trained in combat, plus you get to go to all those balls. Sounds like a neat setup."

"It is not neat," Kendall corrected, saying the word 'neat' as though it were a word in a foreign language. His eyes darkened in sadness. "Of course, as everyone knows, there are riches and luxuries, but there is also stress, and misfortune . . . people never take a moment to consider that. I have suffered at the hand of my blue blood. Many of my family have in the past. It is not all jewels and expensive robes."

"I'm sorry to hear that," James replied softly. "I didn't realise. I guess like you said, I didn't take a moment to consider the negatives. I'm sorry."

"Please, don't apologise. You could not have known." Kendall looked up at him, their shoulders quite close to touching. He smiled warmly. "Tell me about you, where you're from. I know nothing of it."

"Okay, I can do that." Clearing his throat nervously, James wasn't quite sure where to begin. "I guess I can start with me. It's faster. I don't have any brothers or sisters, and I live with my mom. She and my dad split up a while back, and he lives with another woman. But I don't mind too much, my mom and I get along pretty well, even though she's a bit scary. She's the CEO of a cosmetics company—"

The baffled expression on Kendall's face stopped him in his tracks. "Right, you don't know what that means. Basically, she's in charge of a group that make things like, er, perfume, and things that make your hair all shiny and smooth and soft . . ."

Kendall's hand ran through his blond hair, eyes wide with wonder. "They can do that?"

"Yep. Not that your hair needs it. I-I mean, uh, your hair is shiny, I bet it's soft, I'm sorry, shit . . ."

Both their faces had turned red with embarrassment. James wanted to just sink into a hole in the ground and ever return. "Thank you," Kendall said softly, giving him a shy smile. "You're very charming."

"Charming, me? Seriously?" And at hearing that, well, James couldn't help feeling immensely proud of himself. "Thanks."

Kendall nodded, biting his bottom lip and gazing up at him with what James could only describe as an open and slightly flirty gaze.

But then suddenly Kendalls eyes winded and he turned away sharply, as though he had heard something outside the clearing. "What is it?" James asked immediately, concerned. "Did you hear something? I didn't hear anything."

"Y-yes, I did," Kendall replied a little hesitantly, quickly getting to his feet and pushing James back down by the shoulder when he tried to follow. "No, no! You stay here. I'll just be a moment. Please, stay."

"Okaaay . . ." James stayed sitting and watched Kendall hurry out between the bushes and disappear from view. It was pretty mysterious, what just took place. He sat there for about a minute, idly playing with some loose twigs and leaves on the ground and tossing little pieces into the pond. However, soon enough his curiosity got the better of him and he slowly moved onto his knees, getting to his feet and walking, crouched low, to peer over the edge of the bushes where Kendall had gone. Only a very short distance away, Kendall was talking to someone. Ducking a little lower, and crawling closer, he could hear their voices pretty clearly. The man Kendall was talking to was dark-skinned and dressed in long robes. A shadow beast sat on either side of him, eyes glowing menacingly behind their masks. Why wasn't Kendall fighting them? Why weren't they attacking him?!

"Why can't you just take him yourself?" Kendall was asking in frustration, arms folded, stance closed off from this stranger.

"Kendall," the man said with a smirk. "Please, darling, you know that the young man is not of this world. Where did he tell you he was from?"

"Share wood," Kendall replied quietly, head bowed slightly in shame.

"Share wood, interesting . . . like I said, that sounds like no place I have ever heard of. For all I know, I could touch him and be burdened with some spell or curse. No, it is better for you to bring him to me. You have already touched him without being harmed, correct?"

Kendall nodded, biting his thumbnail anxiously.

"Well then, surely you see that this is the better solution to our problem. You will bring him to my fortress, as soon as possible."

"I . . ." Kendall looked up at the man helplessly. "But I—"

"Don't argue with me, prince, you'll waste your time." The man raised his eyebrows, face lighting up in a cruel smile as he exclaimed, "You care for him!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kendall snapped, though his voice was shaky. "I-I have only just met him . . ."

"And we both know you have a record of falling in love too hard, and too fast. You cannot fool me."

Clearly, their conversation was about to end, so James quickly scooted back and snuck to where he'd been sitting, sitting again, and going back to playing with leaves. Inside, his mind was heading in a dozen different directions. Kendall cared for him? He wasn't afraid to admit it, it was a fantastic thought, very pleasing. But he was going to take him to a stranger? The man had been with shadow beasts, which were evil. Obviously this man was too. So what did he plan to do with James if he got him? And Kendall was going to help him achieve that . . . some prince he was, working for the bad guy. James knew that trying to run from Kendall would do no good; even if the blond couldn't catch him, he'd probably end up with an arrow in the back. He would just have to play along, maybe escape when there was an opportunity. Or maybe Kendall wouldn't do it after all . . .

Then the prince walked back in through the bushes, smiling in greeting. "It's alright. There was nothing there, I was mistaken."

"That's good, that's good," James replied breezily, hoping his careful smile was enough to fool the blond. He stood up so they were almost level; Kendall's eyes just met his lips, and he had to tilt his head up to look James in the eye. James didn't understand how he could; he was lying through his teeth.

"Would you come for a walk with me?" Kendall asked suddenly, though he tried to play it off as normal. "There is, something I wish to show you."

Noting the pause, James nodded and replied breezily, "Sure. Lead the way."

Kendall nodded, a little hesitantly and gave a forced smile, turning and walking out of the clearing. James walked closely beside him, keeping his eyes and ears open for any strange or threatening sound. But all he heard were bird calls and the faint rustling of the leaves in the swaying trees. They walked in silence for about fifteen minutes, Kendall much more silent than usual. James, of course, knew why. Soon enough, the trees around them began to thicken and cluster together considerably. The path they were walking down almost resembled a tunnel. The ground was dark, only scattered with faint droplets of light managing to filter down through the canopy. There were no bird calls here.

James was sure that this was a definite path to where that man's fortress was. It was a pretty sinister walkway. He could swear he saw the faint glow of an evil eye in the darkness of the trees.

And suddenly Kendall stopped, where the forest was beginning to darken so much they coyld hardly see the path ahead of them. His hand snapped in front of James and the brunet whacked into it, breath puffing out of his lungs suddenly. "Ouch," he huffed, rubbing his belly and looking at Kendall, who was breathing heavily. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this," Kendall murmured, hands running through his hair in distress. "I can't . . . oh James, I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" James asked quietly, feigning innocence. "What's going on?"

"We have to go, we have to go now!" Kendall hissed, hands on James' chest as he shoved him backwards, firmly but trying to keep their pace slow. "This path, it leads to Hawk's fortress, the dark sorcerer, and he instructed me to take you to him, b-but I can't, I can't do it to you, I know what he's capable of—"

"I can't believe you would do such a thing," James replied dramatically, hand on his forehead.

But Kendall, surprisingly, saw right through his facade. His eyes widened. "You . . . you knew?"

"A little bit," James admitted awkwardly.

"You knew a little bit?"

"Well, a lot. I heard you talking to him."

Kendall's face crumpled, and to see someone with such clear shame on their face just made James' heart ache. "I-I'm so sorry . . . please forgive me, James—"

"It's okay, really," James said quickly, clutching his hands. "But you were saying we have to go . . .?"

"Y-yes, yes." Kendall nodded and led James back the way they'd come, walking much more slowly than before, still holding his hand. However, they had only taken a few steps when somewhere in the distance behind them, they heard a loud, guttural shriek. James knew what had made that sound immediately.

Kendall's head snapped to look behind them. There was nothing there, but suddenly he looked very frightened. "Run," he urged James, before taking off in a sprint and dragging the brunet behind him.

Almost immediately James heard the heavy footfall of shadow beasts chasing them, and tried to urge his legs to go faster. Kendall was clearly a fit and agile runner, and so he struggled a little to keep up with him. But his fear was what gave him energy, the adrenaline enough to keep him going. Kendall's hand gripped his tightly and he suddenly yanked him off course to the right, once they were back in a brighter area of the woods. "I'll give you a boost up, come on," he said urgently, nodding his head towards the large tree they stood at the foot of, before linking his hands together and holding them out. Swallowing nervously, James did as he asked and stepped up onto Kendall's hands, gripping a lower branch tightly and tugging himself up. He reached down afterwards to give Kendall a hand up, and the blond hoisted himself up after him. Kendall immediately beckoned for James to follow him and scaled the trunk of the tree, choosing branches swiftly and climbing out of reach. James was about to follow when he heard a growl below him and a sudden sharp sting on his leg. "Fuck!" he yelled, glancing down to see his pale jeans ripped and stained with blood.

"James, hurry!" Kendall pleaded, tugging James up after him. "No, you're hurt, this is all my fault—"

"I'll be okay, really," James interrupted with a forced smile, pressing his hand tightly around his wound. "It's only small . . ." It'll be gone when I wake up, anyway.

"What are we going to do?" he asked softly as the shadow beasts circled the trees. It wouldn't be long before they began to climb.

"I'll get us out of this. We need some help." Kendall then reached for his belt and tugged his delicately carved horn out from under it, before pressing the tip to his lips, tilting his head up, and blowing out a long, loud note. James would've covered his ears were one hand not covered in his own blood; the sound echoed through the trees, the beasts hissing slightly at the unfamiliar sound.

"What the heck was that meant to do?!" James demanded.

"You'll see," Kendall replied grimly, clinging tightly to the tree trunk and glaring down at the shadow beasts as the tree shook. It became clear what Kendall's intentions had been when not even a minute later, he heard charging and roaring and turned to see a group of men dressed in soldier's uniforms storming towards the beasts, drawing their swords, spears or bows and attacking without fear. James watched in awe as they fought off the monsters, eventually having to shield his eyes from the gory scene. The shrieks of the beasts were hard to listen to, even when he knew what they stood for; pure evil.

It ended as quickly as it started, and suddenly the forest was eerily quiet. James opened his eyes slowly to see Kendall doing the same. He was wearing a brave face, but James could see the tremble in his hands and knew he'd been equally frightened.

"My prince!" a handsome young soldier called at last, gazing up at the two in the tree. "It is safe to come down now. Please don't rush yourself."

Kendall nodded to him and slowly slid down the tree, keeping an eye on James and making sure he too got down safely. "Thank you, my brave warriors," he said sweetly, bowing to the group, the men returning the gesture with flushed cheeks. "Without your help, we would surely not have survived. I am in your debt."

"It is our duty, Prince Kendall, do not think so highly of it," one mumbled gruffly, though James could tell he was pleased by the compliments.

Kendall just smiled at him. "Even so, it is a brave duty. Now, if I could please have your help returning my friend to the castle . . . the beasts wounded his leg, and I fear walking that distance will be troublesome for him. I will have a healer see him once we get there."

"Of course, we will see to it," a soldier announced chirpily, before striding right over to James and without a second to waste, scooping him up in his arms. James yelped, cheeks turning scarlet.

"R-really, Kendall," he squeaked, "I can manage—"

"I will let a healer decide that. It's not far to the castle, and once there your feet will touch safe ground."

Sighing, James decided to let it happen, and the soldier carried him through the woods, Kendall and the other soldiers following behind them. He tried to keep a sharp eye on the woods around him, and how he could find his way back. They were walking for a good twenty minutes before they suddenly came to the edge of the trees and James realised they were on top of a steep slope, and had finally reached a real road. His mouth gasped as he gazed down the road. Eventually it split in two, the left leading to a moat and a magnificent castle, the other leading to a large town, where he could see people even from here bustling back and forth. They began to descend on the direction of the castle, the building growing larger and larger as they drew closer to it. James was in total awe. The house he lived in was large and filled with fancy furniture, but this place was at a whole new level.

They crossed the drawbridge and two guards quickly stepped forward to pull the doors open for then. They walked inside slowly, Kendall walking faster to stop in front of the soldier carrying James. "Take him to a healer immediately," he requested, turning to smile up at James. "They will heal you of your wounds in no time." With that, he glanced over his shoulder before taking off down the corridor and disappearing around a corner. James felt oddly uneasy without him there. Being left in a strange place where he knew no one was daunting. Like his first day of school all over again

The soldiers took James to what they called the healing chambers. They led him through the massive entrance hall and down the corridor. The castle was beautiful, brightened by the seemingly infinite number of windows. They took him down a left turn, past the staircase, and into a nearby room. There he was lain on a bench, and they left him there as the healer approached him with a welcoming smile. He introduced himself as Hortense, and had pale skin, warm brown eyes and hair that had once been dark, but was now greying considerably. "This is a strange material," Hortense mused as he pushed James' jeans leg up to examine his wound. "Where did you get it?"

"Uh . . . Diesel," James answered weakly, knowing the man wouldn't understand, but having no other answer.

"Is that a merchant's town? Hmm . . ." Cleaning the blood thoroughly from his leg, Hortense sprinkled it with some mysterious powder and rubbed on some sweet smelling oil, which stung at first, but then began to feel quite soothing. He then wrapped it in a thin strip of white cloth. "This wound was not serious. My medicines will heal it in no time. You may remove the bandage soon enough, I keep it there to make sure the wound absorbs my mixes. You're now free to go."

"Thanks, Hortense. I owe you one!" James hopped down from the bench and left the chamber, walking back out into the hall, which was now empty except for a few some soldiers standing guard here and there. He wandered down the hall aimlessly for a few steps, gazing at the paintings and tapestries on the walls. But as nice as it was to admire the decor, it was really just a way for him to pass time, because he had no idea what to do or where to go now. Kendall had disappeared, and he didn't know anyone else who might be around. Maybe if he asked for directions . . .

"James!" a female voice called out suddenly, startling him. "You are James, aren't you?"

He spun around to see a woman —or girl really, as she looked about his age— walking towards him. She had long blonde hair tied back from her face, pale skin and a bright smile. She was dressed in similar robes and armour that Kendall had been wearing, with a similar pouch and dagger sheathed in her belt. The only differences between them were that she carried no bow, and as she came closer, her eyes were brown, and there was no dimple in her smile. But she too was very beautiful. "Th-that's me, yeah," James replied nervously, smiling at her. "How'd you know? My weird pants?"

"I suppose so. Your whole attire is different to what we traditionally wear in Cali. Kendall mentioned you were from some sort of wood?"

"Sherwood, uh huh. Where is he anyway?"

"He is out in the courtyard, training. We can go there together if you'd like, I'll show you the way."

"That's great, thanks. Um, if you don't mind me asking . . ." James eyed her for another moment before asking cautiously, "Are you Josephine? Er, I-I mean, Princess Josephine . . ."

"I am. No please, don't bow!" She quickly caught his arm as he began to stoop over awkwardly. "Really, it's alright. And you may call me Jo. Josephine is just too long-winded. As I was saying, to the courtyard?"

"Y-yeah, the courtyard, right! Lead the way, uh, your highness." It came out sounding a little like a question, but Jo laughed, nodded, and led him where he needed to go. As they walked, he tried to, as always, take note of any important marks to help him find the way again. Not that he was sure he would ever be back here. First of all, that whole episode with Kendall and that sorcerer was confusing and a little alarming. And second, could somebody's imagination really conjure up the exact same place twice?

Then suddenly they were out in the sun again and he had to squint to see at all. Sherwood's cloudy skies made much easier viewing. "There he is," Jo said, pointing to the centre of the courtyard. Kendall was dressed the same, holding a long sword in his hands and training against a group of heavily-armed opponents. Jo led James along to some benches to sit on, and he tripped a little as he stared.

As they sat, Jo glanced down at his leg. "You know, the healers' medicines work very quickly, you should be able to remove that bandage already."

"Oh, alright . . ." James carefully unwrapped the bandage from around his leg, gasping when he saw that all that remainded of his wound was a thin cut along his skin. No blood, no swelling, all very neat and tidy. And it didn't hurt a bit. "That's amazing."

"Oh, they have gifted hands. The healers in this castle come from generation after generation of healers before them. They all have that same natural gift. Though even still, you are lucky you came out of that battle barely scathed. Shadow beasts can and have done some terrible damage. Some that can never be healed."

"I don't doubt that at all. So, I was wondering . . ." James' eyes went back to Kendall. His sword moved so fast that he could hardly see it at all. He could only hear the clang as he fought off his opponents with undeniable speed and skill. "What's up with him, anyway? Why did he try to set me up?"

Jo sighed mournfully. "I think that you should focus more on the fact that he changed his mind, and went against his bond. He could have led you all the way."

"What bond?"

"He was taking you to Hawk."

"The dark sorcerer, yeah."

"Kendall's bound to him. He has been, for over a year now." Jo watched her brother sadly. "You see, just after we turned sixteen, our mother and father set out to find suitors for us. Unless a problem comes up between your sixteenth and eighteenth, you marry the person they betroth you to once you become an adult. When Katie turns sixteen, it'll be her turn to find a husband or wife, and when she turns eighteen, if nothing has happened between them, they will marry. We have a good say in the matter; our parents line up suggestions for us and give advice, but ultimately we choose."

"So, what happened?"

"There were many men and women here, for both Kendall and myself. There was one man in paticular who caught Kendall's eye; his name was Beau. He's from a wealthy merchant's city in the north. He was handsome, charming, intelligent, everything Kendall could want. And of course, that was who he chose." Her face fell. "But then Beau began to get sick. Very, very sick."

James's eyes followed Kendall's swift movements as Jo continued the story. He could almost see the droplets of sweat on the blonde's forehead.

"He was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do for him. And Kendall was so in love —or at least he thought he was— and so desperate to help him, that he went to Hawk. He kew Hawk was the only one who could help. And in exchange, they created the bond. He gave his soul to Hawk, essentially. Free for him to use, or dispose of any time he wants."

"He really did that?" James felt a twinge of jealousy. "For Beau?"

Jo nodded, anger set in her expression. "Beau got better. But it soon became clear that he didn't appreciate what Kendall had done for him, and he clearly didn't love Kendall nearly as much as Kendall loved him, if at all. Within a month he was caught in bed with some young wench and he ran off with her, leaving Kendall alone." She sniffled mournfully. "It hurt him so much . . . and look at the mess he got himself into!"

James sighed, watching Kendall. He could see the blonde's arms trembling slightly as he fought harder. But he never stopped, not once.

"He's not especially skilled or gifted. Don't misunderstand me, he is to be admired. But he's the best of us because he tries the hardest and trains the most."

"Because . . ."

"He wants to contribute to Hawk's defeat as much as he possibly can. He's got a lot of anger built up inside of him, a lot of hurt since this bond began. It has been a long time."

"I don't get it." James turned to look at her again. "If his soul belongs to Hawk, why doesn't he just get him to assassinate the King and Queen or commit suicide or something?"

"Because, Hawk is clever. Our laws don't make any exceptions for the Royal Family when it comes to serious crimes. If Kendall killed our parents, he would be executed like any other criminal. Then Hawk would lose his bond with him and have no one to control. He won't kill Kendall himself either, until he's of no more use to him, or killing him will benefit him in some way." She brushed her hair out of her face. "And his magic doesn't work inside the castle grounds; it's a spell of protection our ancestors created. As long as Kendall stays here, Hawk can't do anything to him. And nothing happens if he disobeys Hawk, except the threat of dying, of course. And a bout of pain." She gave a small smile. "Though technically, he did bring you part of the way, and then tell you what was happening. He didn't really disobey him at all in that instance."

James nodded, understanding. He didn't feel resentful towards Kendall for trying to sell him out to the villain of this world, certainly not after hearing his reasons. He wondered if the blond had been able to trust anyone since. He and Jo watched Kendall train for another few minutes, before she bid him goodbye and slipped away just in time for Kendall to finish his session and walk towards him, sweaty and flushed and still just as gorgeous. "How do you feel, James? You look much better."

"I am better, thank you," James replied graciously, standing up to meet him. "I was watching you training, you're pretty good. Do you do that every day?"

"Not every day, no. There isn't always time, but if possible I try to practice. I want to be the best I possibly can."

James resisted the urge to say that he already knew that, and just grinned. "You're certainly on your way there."

Kendall's cheeks flushed. "Thank you . . . er, I don't meant to put you under pressure, but my family have mentioned wanting to meet you."

"O-oh." James' eyes widened slightly. That would mean not only meeting Kendall's parents, who were the king and queen, but his older brothers as well. Jo had been fine, but he was still a little worried. It was a bit overwhelming to think about. But he didn't want to disappoint Kendall, so he nodded and smiled reassuringly. "That sounds good. Lead me to them."

Kendall's face lit up and he took James' hand gently in his own. His hand felt so small and delicate. "They should all be in the throne room. Evening is approaching and I'm sure they're discussing tonight's ball. Come with me."

Cheeks flushing, James followed Kendall back inside the castle and down the main corridor. His hand felt warm in his as their fingers intertwined. He was surprised that Kendall was doing this so willingly; surely at home he would have much more reserves about this kind of thing. That became clear when they came to a set of large double doors and Kendall let go to push them open. He didn't take James' hand again as they walked inside. The room was massive and decorated more beautifully than any he'd seen so far. Tapestries hung from the walls and ceilings, depicting beasts and landscapes and, James guessed, past rulers of the kingdom. There was a rich red carpet leading from the doors across to the other wide, up a few steps to where two heavily decorated thrones sat, with three simpler thrones on one side of them, and two on the other. They must have been for Kendall and his siblings to sit in. The larger thrones were occupied; two young men and a small girl stood beside them, all deep in conversation.

Kendall led James towards them, but by beckoning this time rather than taking his hand. As they got closer he found himself getting a little more anxious. It was all he could do not to trip as he walked up the steps. "Mother, Father," Kendall began in an oddly formal tone, "This is James, from Share wood. James, this is my mother, Queen Jennifer and my father, King Jonathon. These are my brothers Dak and Jett, and my sister Katie."

"It's uh, an honour to meet you all," James replied shyly, bowing down, cheeks pink.

"Rise, my boy!" the king chuckled loudly. "It's an honour to meet you too, we rarely meet travellers from unfamiliar lands."

"It's true," Jett commented. One of the first things James noticed about him was how attractive he was. If there were a definition for 'pretty boy', this guy would be it. Not that he was better looking than him. Absolutely not. "We've never met anybody like you before. But you're not royalty in Share wood?"

"No, no. I'm just a guy. Just a regular citizen. Humble subject, or something . . ."

Kendall giggled at James' stumbling, hand covering his mouth. James smiled sweetly at him. "You must attend the ball tonight!" the queen exclaimed joyfully, red hair shining. "It would be such a pleasure to have you. There will be food and dance and music, played by our band and of course, a piece played by the princes and princesses. Really, you would surely enjoy it."

"W-well, I'm not sure, I've never—"

"We'll send for someone to bring you clothes to wear. You'll look magnificent in our fine attire."

"I . . ." Feeling decidedly defeated, James nodded and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, your highness."

"Wonderful! The ball starts in only a couple of hours, the children must practice their pieces and get dressed. I'll have a guard take you to a room to change your clothes. In the meantime, a maid will wash those for you, they're rather filthy."

And just like that, James was waving a flustered goodbye to Kendall as he and his siblings quickly left the room, before he was escorted out after them by a guard. He was led to a small room with a table, chair and a wardrobe, and waited there a while before someone brought him some clothes. He was then told that he was free to do as he pleased until the ball began but if he wanted to stay in this room, the guard would come and get him when it was time to go. Deciding not to explore the castle alone, he opted to stay in the room and sat at the table, flicking through some dusty books from the shelf. The clothes he wore included a soft white shirt and burgundy robes, boots and trousers and a black belt with a large silver buckle. He was given jewelled cuffs to wear on his wrists, adding a certain high class look to his outfit. He'd never worn clothes like this before; they were soft, if a little itchy, and he got used to the feeling pretty quickly. A maid took his clothes away to clean them, examining his jeans in bewilderment as she did.

James waited and read some more until the guard returned to fetch him, and he stood up nervously and left the room with him. "The ballroom is this way," the man said, leading him along past some more guards and doors. "Just beyond the throne room."

James could already hear chatter as they approached another set of double doors. "Thanks," he grinned as the guard pushed the door open for him.

"You're welcome, enjoy the evening!" James walked inside the ballroom and looked around, jaw dropping. It was even larger than the throne room, even more beautiful. On one side of the room was a stage, where some musical instruments stood and some finely dressed musicians sat beside them. They hadn't started playing yet, however, and all he could hear was the excited conversation of the guests. He spotted the king and queen, and Jo and Katie dressed in amazing gowns.

James looked around as he walked through the room, trying desperately to spot Kendall among the guests, all dressed in the same fine clothes with the same lavish hairstyles. When he did spot him, he could swear that his heart really did stop for a moment. The blond was holding a goblet in his hand, sipping probably wine, and talking to a pair of noblemen with a charming smile on his face. His robes were long and cerulean blue, elegantly embroidered with silvery thread. He wore a crown but unlike the tall golden crowns his parents wore, his was a silver circlet, delicately intertwined around his head and dotted with tiny decorative leaves and gems. He seemed to glow. James almost blindly made his way though the crowd towards him. He had no idea how to dance like these people did but he wanted to take his hand and dance with him all night, simply so nobody else could. But before he could get close enough for the blond to even notice him, someone seemed to call him and he turned and walked away, handing his goblet to a nearby footman as he made his way towards the stage.

James sighed, looking up at the stage as a herald walked into it, right to the front. He cleared his throat and the guests fell immediately silent. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he began in a loud voice, head upturned in a snooty manner. "As always, it is time to hear performances from the crown princes and princesses of Cali. Our first performer will be, as always, the eldest child, Prince Dak."

The crowd applauded and James followed suit, as Dak walked out onto the stage with a six string instrument that looked a little like a guitar, but was shaped differently and a little smaller. When Dak began to play, the strings gave off a higher sound. He plucked at them quickly, skilfully, playing an upbeat and cheery song, probably to get the guests in the mood to hear more. James listened openly, and enjoyed it enough for his applause to be genuine since it ended. Next the herald returned and announced Jett's name, and on the young man came carrying a small harp. The song he played was much more melancholy, but it was beautiful and it was clear he had worked hard on it. Every note was significant. Music seemed to be a natural part of him.

"Prince Kendall," the herald announced next, still posed stiff. Kendall emerged onto the stage, James instantly perking up and watching intently. Kendall took a seat at the front of the stage, holding a flute similar to the one he'd been playing earlier that day, only this one was larger and more more extravagant. Then again, what would you expect from royalty?

Once the audience was totally silent, Kendall raised the flute to his lips with a small smile, opened his mouth and began to play. James recognised the basis of the song immediately and had to smile. Not that he could help it anyway; he played beautifully. That little crease in his brow meant he was deep in concentration as his fingers danced over the instrument. After a few lines had passed, his eyes drifted shut and he lost himself in the music, just as his audience were. James' eyes stayed fixed on the blond the entire time, unable to look away even if he'd wanted to. When the song did inevitably end, he did his best to applaud the hardest, the loudest. Kendall gave a flustered but poised bow before leaving the stage.

His sisters took their turn, and they were equally skilled, but rather than watch them, James watched Kendall walk back into the audience and stand in the crowd, acting as though he had a hope of blending in with them. He stood out easily; even if he weren't dressed the way he was, surely people would assume he was royalty. He had that natural grace, the elegance. The beauty . . .

When the performances ended, James walked briskly to where Kendall was and tapped him on the shoulder before anyone else could speak to him. The blond turned to see him, face lighting up immediately. "James!" His eyes wandered from the brunet's face down his whole body and back up again. There was a definite trace of a smirk on his face as he said, "Those clothes suit you well. You look very handsome."

"Thank you. You do too, and your performance was great. You're a very talented musician."

"Thank you. Though I can't take much credit, the song wasn't entirely my own." Kendall gave a cheeky wink, before glancing over his shoulder. "I should go converse with other guests. But I hope we can talk again later? You should try and meet some new people, I'm sure there's plenty here eager to talk to you. They all find you rather fascinating, you know."

"Should I be flattered?" James joked. "Or are they more fascinated in the way people are fascinated by new kinds of insects?"

Kendall laughed. "Perhaps somewhere in between. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find someone to talk to." They heard someone call Kendall's name and the blond sighed. "Okay, I'll speak to you later. There's plenty of food and wine too, if you get hungry. Please enjoy yourself." And he turned to move off into the crowds, already being hounded by different noblemen eager to make conversation.

Suddenly James felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see a beautiful red-haired woman and a short balding man standing before him, both dressed in fine attire like this. "Good evening, sir," the man greeted with a slight twang to his accent. "My name is Lord Reginald, and this is Lady Celine. We come from the eastern islands. We have been told you come from a strange land nobody here has ever heard of, what was it, Sheer Wood?"

"Sherwood," James corrected, trying not to sound too tired of all this. Reginald and Celine were eager to know more about his home, and so he began to tell them. He didn't tell them too much, not wanting to frighten them with concepts as foreign as technology and engineering. But he described their society and lifestyle as best he could, and their eyes remained as wide as saucers the entire time. It didn't take long before he was asked by somebody else. And then someone else. And another, and the groups kept coming. Only a few seemed actually interested in learning more about him as a person. He tried not to take it personally; he himself was eager to learn about Cali. And so when he told these people stories about Sherwood, he heard stories about Cali in return.

The coast was two or three days' journey away. On the coast were some wealthy towns where several noblemen and women lived, as well as the surrounding islands. It was a large fishing and sailing community, though it was said it used to be a place ruled by pirates. That had long since passed however, since a new, stronger generation of the Knight family took over. This had been Kendall's grandfather, apparently; he had banished bandits and pirates from the lands. Of course, they still existed, and kept coming, but he had managed to improve the problem a lot from what it had previously been. To the north was a mountain range largely inhabited by dragons. Some were peaceful, some not so much. Though since the beginning, since the foundation of the very Kingdom, the biggest threat had always been dark magic, shadow magic. Sorcerers, witches, all threatening the land with their power. But there were always very few of them, and many generations simply kept themselves to themselves. Anyone practicing dark magic, using it for evil means, if they were caught, would surely be executed. For many people it wasn't worth that small amount of satisfaction. Except, of course, for Hawk. He seemed to be different from all the rest. This made James think about the way that man had wanted to capture him so badly. He didn't understand why.

The ball was in full swing, and James really was enjoying himself, though it was all a little exhausting. He danced, he talked, he ate and drank. It was thrilling, better than any school dance he'd been to. It seemed trivial to even think about those now.

Then James suddenly saw Kendall walking towards the doors of the ballroom, pushing one open and slipping through the gap. Biting his lip, he turned back to the women he'd been talking to and said politely, "Would you excuse me for a moment?" When they nodded, he walked with as much speed as he could without seeming too obvious. He then followed suit out the ballroom door and into the hall. Kendall was standing by the wall, back straight with his hands clasped neatly in front of him. His eyes were shut as his head tilted back a little against the wall.

"Getting tired of the party, huh?" James asked, Kendall turning to glancve at him quickly, startled.

He smiled, "A little bit." He stepped away from the wall and over to James. "I sometimes find it quite suffocating in there. When everybody wants to speak to you, often it leads you to not want to speak to anybody."

"I get what you mean. I was only of mild interest in there but it was still pretty exhausting. Are you done for the night or . . ?"

"I don't doubt I will be back in there, unfortunately. But not for a while. I might go for a walk outside."

"Outside the grounds?" James asked apprehensively, instantly remembering what Jo had said. "I don't know if you should . . ."

"So, someone told you?" Without waiting for an answer, Kendall just gave a small smile and spoke on, "I was actually thinking of taking a walk in the gardens, perfectly safe. You can join me if you like. I understand if you wish to return to the ball . . ."

"No, no, I'll go with you. I'd like to." He smiled as Kendall's cheeks flushed. He followed the blond down the hall, past a few drowsy looking guards, though he saw one younger one quite perky as he listened to the music coming from the ballroom. Kendall led him to the large double doors at the end of the hall and pushed one open with a slight huff, walking out into the darkness. Well, the semi-darkness; a few lanterns lit up the area, and the light from the moon and stars was plenty to see with. They glimmered silver high above their heads. They were standing on a large area paved with round, smooth stones.

"This is where we host festivals and performances during the summer," Kendall was telling him, pointing to a raised platform on the left. "Of course, as you can see there isn't as much space here as in the ballroom, so these events would be smaller. And these pathways here lead all around the gardens, to the flower garden, the pond, the trees . . . and it's all secure inside the castle walls."

"It's beautiful," was all James could reply in awe. As he looked around, even this small portion of the gardens that he could see looked so beautiful and enchanting in this light. The moonlight shone off Kendall's hair and pale skin, and his eyes sparkled as he held out his hand and beckoned for James to follow him down one of the pathways. James, of foucre, eagerly followed and fell into step beside him.

He could hear the faint chirping of crickets, the occasional hoot of an owl somewhere in the trees. "I feel like I'm in a fairytale place," he admitted, cheeks pink, though Kendall probably couldn't see that in this low light. "Like an enchanted forest or some shit like that. Know what I mean?"

"No," Kendall chuckled. "I do not. I've never been in an enchanted forest."

"Well, neither have I, my point was . . . never mind." James took a deep breath, stopping at last when they were under a pair of tall trees, just a little off the path, out of sight of the doors. "Look, Kendall . . . I just wanted to say again that there really are no hard feelings about what happened today. We didn't really talk about it and I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"Are you sure?" Kendall asked doubtfully, face scrunching up in a little frown. James wanted so badly to touch his face and smooth out those lines.

"I'm sure," he insisted. "Jo was the one who told me about how you have to do what Hawk says . . . I don't blame you, I think it really sucks what he did to you. He took advantage of you totally, though I guess that's what you expect from a dark sorcerer with shadow beasts for pets . . . a-anyway, I'm just really sorry you had to go through all of that, it couldn't have been easy. I got dumped in sophomore year once, you don't know what that is but the point is it really sucked and I can guess a little bit how you might feel—mmf."

Kendall had just kissed him, hands tightly gripping the front of his soft shirt. He let out a little involuntary squeak, eyes wide. His hands just brushed off Kendall's slim waist when the blond pulled back, eyes fluttering open again. "I'm so sorry," Kendall murmured, cheeks flushing, though it was difficult for James to see that. "That wasn't appropriate of me at all, I—mmf."

Two could play at that game.

"Seemed pretty appropriate to me," James chuckled, arms tight around Kendall, hands on his lower back, the blond's arms moving from his waist to his shoulders to his hair. He seemed too scattered, too confused to settle anywhere. James kissed him again, tilting his head and slipping his tongue inside the blond's mouth.

It was just as he did that, and Kendall's body pressed impossibly closer to this, that he began to feel a little paranoid, a little self-conscious. This was the crown prince he was making out with, it probably wasn't the smartest decision he'd ever made. He pulled back again, breath puffing out against Kendall's as the blond stared up at him with wide eyes and a dimpled smile. "I'm a little worried someone might see us," James admitted, embarrassed. "I don't think your family would be too happy."

"No, they wouldn't. I'm sure my sisters would be happy, but the rest . . ." Kendall shook his head, chuckling to himself. "They would be most displeased with you, despite it being me who's made the first move."

"Exactly my point."

"I understand. Come with me." Kendall took James' hand gently and turned away from him, walking further down the path and away from the castle. Then they took a sharp left turn and found themselves standing on a flat stretch of grass underneath a willow tree. "Nobody can see us here," the blond told him, sitting down on the grass and watching James follow suit. "I used to sit out here when I wanted to get away, nobody ever found me."

"It's really nice under here," James commented appreciatively, glancing up at where he could just see moonlight filtering through the leaves and thin branches. "It's cosy."

"Very cosy," Kendall agreed softly, cheeks pink as he watched James and scooted a little closer to him. James turned to face him again and their noses bumped together. They both laughed a little nervously, one overwhelmed by lack of experience, the other unsure what move he should make to avoid embarrassing himself. James knew one thing for sure; he didn't want Kendall to go away any time soon. He'd be pretty willing to do anything to keep him here. So he slipped an arm around his waist, pulled their bodies flush together and kissed him for the third time. Kendall hummed in content, hand reaching up to cup his cheek as he twisted his body to face him completely. They kissed each other eagerly for how long, James didn't know. He heard his own heavy breath alongside Kendall's every time either of them took in a mouthful of air between kisses, before pressing close together again. If anyone did find them now, he didn't care. All he could think and feel was Kendall. He'd never felt like this before, not even close.

He felt himself slipping back, not realising it at first, until he was slumped on the ground on his back and Kendall was up tight against him, half on top of him, kissing him eagerly. James' hand wrapped around Kendall's clothed thigh and hoisted it onto his hip, and they were even closer and God, James really wanted them to be naked right now. He wanted to feel all of him, wanted to touch every inch of smooth skin.

But then suddenly, he thought of Beau.

It wasn't jealousy, as he'd expected. Of course, part of him still felt a little envious, deep down, but that wasn't his main concern. His main concern was the feelings of the blond now pulling away from him, noticing he had become unresponsive. "What's the matter?" Kendall asked softly, breathlessly, frowning down at him in confusion.

"We shouldn't do this," James replied reluctantly, sitting up and pulling Kendall with him. The blond's hand pressed against his chest, their noses still almost touching. "It's too soon. I don't want to rush into anything too crazy, okay? Not after . . . I mean . . . I'm sorry."

Kendall stared at him for another moment or two, seeming to be deliberating what he was saying. To James' relief, he nodded and smiled sweetly, giving James a quicker and more innocent kiss. "That's very considerate of you. I appreciate it."

"Do you really? You're not mad?"

"Mad? I should hope I'm not—"

"Angry, I meant angry."

"Oh. No, I'm not. You're probably right. I cannot help myself, I fall for people quite easily . . ." Kendall's cheeks were flushed dark red. "It's one of my greatest flaws. My father says it's because I have an open heart, and that I should be glad of it, but it has given me more pain than happiness. As I'm sure you already know."

"Yeah, I know," James nodded, taking hold of Kendall's hand and squeezing it. "But you should know that I really do like you a lot, Kendall. There's just something about you."

Kendall bit his lip, unable to fight the grin off his face. "You flatter me," he teased, prodding his shoulder. "But you're very kind. And you should know that I feel the same. You're unlike anyone I've ever met before."

"Ditto. Means I agree," James added quickly before Kendall could open his mouth to ask. He chuckled, pushing his hair back from his eyes and glancing up at the sky again. "It must be really late by now. I didn't even notice the time go by."

"Are you tired?" Kendall asked, playing with his fingers. "We have plenty of rooms here to spare, you can spend the night if you wish. I wouldn't trust walking these woods in the dark. But of course, if you do want to leave now I can send for some guards to escort you . . . I don't want you to get hurt."

"After what's happened both times I've come here, I think I'll take that offer. But not until morning. A bed for the night would be great."

"Wonderful!" Getting to his feet, Kendall offered James his hand and helped him to his feet. "Let's go back inside, I think I might also retire to bed. This day has worn me out."

"Can't argue there," James laughed, their arms linked as they walked. However, once they got within view of the castle, they let go and tried to treat each other as good friends, if that, and nothing more. James wanted to hold Kendall's hand and kiss him in front of everyone in the hall, everyone in the ballroom. But doing so would land them both in huge trouble, and so he had to keep those desires buried deep down inside of him. Kendall had a word with a castle guard before leading James up the staircase and down another extravagantly decorated corridor.

"I hope this room will be sufficient for you," he said a little nervously as he gestured towards the door. "I have sent for a maid to bring you some nightclothes; your clothes from today should be clean and dry by now, she'll bring those too."

"Thanks, Kendall," James replied, opening the door and looking around. "Trust me, this room is great. And I had a really amazing time tonight."

"So did I," Kendall replied bashfully, glancing down at his shoes before glancing up at James again. Their eyes met and their cheeks flushed. As though reading each other's minds, both took a quick glance left and right down the hallway to check if the coast was clear. Only one guard was stationed, and his eyes were shut, his stance slumped. It was pretty late at night after all. So the two slammed together and shared one more long, passionate kiss. It was over much too soon, but definitely a great way to end the night.

"Goodnight, James," Kendall said pleasantly and politely, giving a little bow and a subtle wink. "Sweet dreams." And he turned, walking back the way he had come.

"You too!" James called after him, smiling to himself, a little in disbelief, a little in simple pure joy, as he stepped into his room and shut the door.

The next morning, James bid polite goodbyes to Kendall and his family, the two making sure not to show any signs of what happened between them the night before. But as James left the castle, he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Kendall, he was told as the blond apologised profusely, couldn't walk him back though the forest as he had other duties to attend to. But he sent two soldiers to escort him and make sure he wasn't attacked. Nothing came of it, thankfully, and he bid them goodbye when they came close to the burnt out car. As he walked towards the telltale sound of the wind chimes, he turned back and saw that they were gone. Sighing to himself, he headed back through the woods, across the bridge, and back into the urban world.

He was a bit worried, as he got closer to home, that his mother might have been worrying about him. He had been gone all night, after all. At least, he thought he had . . . it was all very confusing to them.

"I'm home!" he called as he walked unlocked the door and walked inside. "Mom, you here?"

"Kitchen!" she called back, and he walked along into the kitchen. She was sitting at the table and reading a magazine, cup of coffee in her hand. "Hi, sweetie," she said with a smile. "How was school?"

"Um . . . fine?" Frowning in confusion, James glanced at the clock on the wall. 4pm. Had he been gone for a whole twenty four hours, and she hadn't noticed?! "It was fine. How was work?"

"Same old," she replied tiredly. "I've got three days to go over some promotional ideas from my employees, it's so exhausting. I'm meant to announce which ones I want to use on Thirsday."

Thursday . . . James feigned confusion and asked, "Uh, what date is it again today?"

"The 17th, why?"

"No reason, I was just wondering . . ." The 17th. Monday. 4pm.

Not a single minute had passed since he left. And yet he'd spent the whole night in Cali. How was that possible?

His mouth still felt changed, his brain still dizzy with ecstasy when he thought of Kendall, his touch and his kisses. How could it all of been a dream?