Lovers on the Balcony
Once Upon a Time, Adam Lambert was the prince of Zanthura, a small country west of Germany. He had everything he could ever want. He lived in a beautiful castle, had an extensive wardrobe of flashy clothes, and more money than he knew what to do with. He could also have any boy in the kingdom. Life was good
Unfortunately for Adam, this luxurious lifestyle caused him to be conceited and wrapped up in his own problems. He didn't care for anyone other than himself. His ability to love was eliminated by his greed.
One day, a beautiful young woman came to the castle seeking an audience with the prince. She had fallen in love with his arrogance and power. She wanted him for herself. When Adam dismissed her with barely a glance, she vowed revenge.
Two nights later, she returned to the castle. Adam ordered his guards to take her away. She fought them off and walked up to the prince.
"Hear me now," she shouted. "I lay a curse on you. Forevermore, you shall live as a girl. Forced to be young eternally while every man you fall for turns you away. You can never leave this castle. But there is a way to break the curse. You must find your one true love. Once he loves you for you, the curse shall be broken and you will be returned to the way you are now." She let out a manic laugh and vanished in a puff of smoke.
When the smoke cleared, everyone who had been in the castle was gone except for Adam. He now stood by his throne as a red-haired, blue-eyed girl. He fell to the ground, hands clutching his long hair and tears streaming down his face.
He lived alone in the vast castle for many years. Visitors came every once in a while. He fell in love with several of them, but they rejected him after learning the truth.
It had been 150 years since the curse was placed upon him, and he was still miserable alone.
Kris Allen walked down the crowded cobblestone street, oblivious to all around him. He was singing a song he had written the day before. Everyone he passed thought he was a freak. He was different than the rest of the people in the small village of Kalsitor. His father was a crazy old man who invented useless things, and Kris was deemed just as crazy. Singing was something the people of the village saw as unnecessary. Nobody sang ever, let alone wrote their own songs. And as if he wasn't enough of an outcast, Kris also played the guitar.
He sang all the way to the local pub. There he paused to wait for Josh, his best friend. Josh was the most sought after boy in the village. He could have nearly any girl he wanted and he was friends with just about everyone else. He was friends with Kris for no other reason than to better his own place in the town.
The door opened and Josh stumbled out, followed by the cheerful shouting of the pub patrons.
"Hey Kris, what's up?" He asked as he leaned heavily on Kris's shoulder.
Kris smiled. "Nothing much, man. Hey, do you wanna watch the execution with me?" That day there was set to be an execution for a known homosexual man. The town was set firmly against gay behavior, and all its inhabitants hated anything to do with gays.
"I was actually going to go with the guys. You can hang out with us if you want." Josh was rocking back and forth on his feet, seemingly impatient, as if he wanted to leave as fast as he could and avoid being seen with Kris.
Kris felt his spirits fall. If Josh didn't want to be seen with him, then he would be truly alone in the town. He could go with Josh's friends and pretend to not see the way they were uncomfortable with him, but that wasn't a very appealing option. Instead, he said, "No, I'm cool. I actually wanted to walk around in the woods today anyway."
Josh sighed loudly and put his hand on Kris's shoulder. "You know, you don't have to be an outcast. Just don't go around singing and wandering all the time. Then people might be more willing to be around you." With that, he reentered the pub, leaving Kris alone.
Kris fought against the tears of rejection threatening to spill over. His best friend had just made it clear that even he didn't want to be seen with Kris. He walked swiftly to the woods, hoping to leave his sorrows behind.
Once he was surrounded by the trees, the tears didn't go away. In fact, they seemed to grow stronger. 'Why are you crying, you weakling?' he said to himself. 'No wonder no one wants to be seen with you. They see what a crybaby you are.'
He walked farther and farther into the forest. His clothes became more and more battered as he went along. Soon, he left the path and traveled into the darkest part of the woods. Back here, there was rumored to be a haunted castle. Anyone who entered it was never seen again. Kris wanted to find the castle. Then he wouldn't have to suffer his life alone.
He stumbled past tree upon tree, searching for the manor that would be his end and his salvation. In the distance, he heard someone singing. It was the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. The sad lyrics struck his heart and he nearly collapses in awe.
"I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had…"
The heartache in those words overwhelmed Kris completely. He began running through the woods with a renewed purpose. He had to find the owner of that wonderful voice.
All of a sudden, he emerged from the woods to find himself standing in front of an enormous castle. The voice was drifting down from a balcony high about the ground. Kris could see a figure with flaming red hair standing with arms crossed on the railing. The person looked down and saw Kris standing at the gate. Whoever it was turned quickly and ran into the castle.
Kris didn't want the owner of the voice to leave, so he hurried up to the door and knocked. "Please, let me in!" he shouted. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to meet you!" He banged the door for another minute before giving up. He turned dejected and walked back towards the woods.
Just before he got to the tree line, he heard the door open up behind him. "Don't go," a timid voice said. "Please don't leave me alone again."
Kris turned around quickly. When he saw the person the voice belonged to, he gasped. Standing in the doorway was a beautiful young woman. She looked to be about Kris's own age. Her piercing blue eyes were sad and reflected the loneliness in Kris's own heart. He took a tentative step towards her, not wanting to cause her to flee back into the house.
She smiled and held out a hand. "Don't be frightened," she said in a musical voice. "I'm Addy. Would you like to come in and rest?"
Kris smiled back and started walking towards her when he remembered the legends of the castle in the forest. This had to be the same haunted castle that visitors never returned from. But Addy didn't look like a ghost. She looked inviting, and beautiful, and enticing, and…Kris stopped thinking of all else as he approached the castle. All his thoughts were on her. He slipped his hand into Addy's and kissed it briefly. "I'm Kris," he said. "Were you the one I heard singing?" At a quick nod from Addy, he continued, "You are the best singer I've ever heard. Your voice is like magic."
She blushed and giggled nervously. "I'm not all that special. Anyone can sing."
"But not as good as you. I'm sure if I heard anyone else in the world sing, they wouldn't sound as glorious as you. And to be brave enough to sing in the open like that! It's amazing. Back in my village, no one sings."
She was practically beaming from the praise. "Kris, I have just put dinner on the table. You must be weary and hungry from wandering in the woods. Come in so that I can take care of you properly."
Kris smiled gratefully and followed Addy into the castle. He was led through a grand hallway. The walls were covered in portraits of several men who must have been Addy's family; they looked so much like her. At the end of the hallway was a picture of an incredibly handsome young man. He looked nearly identical to Addy. "Who's this?" Kris asked, gesturing to the painting.
Addy turned to see where he was pointing. When she saw the portrait, she gasped. "That's…um…Adam Lambert. He was the prince of this castle many years ago. That particular painting should not be hanging out here. Excuse me." She walked to the wall and took down the massive frame. "The dining hall is through the doors right in front of you. I'll be with you in just a moment." She walked through a door that hung in disrepair.
Kris thought about following her, curious as to why she seemed so frightened upon seeing the portrait. He turned to the dining hall doors instead, not wanting to offend his kind hostess. What he saw when he walked through the doors was not what he was expecting. He had walked straight into a large ballroom. A grand staircase stood on the opposite side of the room. The room stood four stories high with hundreds of doors on each level. The ceiling was covered by a giant painting. There were cherubs dancing among fluffy white clouds and a powder blue sky. In the center of the scene a glittering chandelier hung. In the middle of the floor was a long table covered in plates upon plates of steaming hot food. Kris was confused at this. Why would Addy have set out this much, and where did she find the time to cook it all?
The doors swung open behind him, so Kris turned around. "Forgive my rudeness," Addy said. "You probably want to get changed into something more comfortable. I had a visitor who left some of his clothes behind. He was about your size, so they should fit. Follow me." She walked past Kris towards the stairs. Kris followed silently, admiring the graceful way in which she moved. He followed her all the way to the third floor. Once there, she let him to a door that seemed more used than the others. She opened it to a bedroom lavishly decorated. "The clothes should be in the wardrobe. Feel free to take anything you want. Just leave your clothes on the bed and I'll have them cleaned and repaired."
"Thank-you for your kindness," Kris smiled brightly at Addy. "Pardon me for asking, but I haven't seen any servants or anything. How will you have them taken care of?"
Addy grinned mischievously. "This castle is magic, Kris. I can accomplish anything by myself." She left Kris alone in the room and shut the door.
Once he was sure he was alone, Kris set about examining the room. There was a four-poster bed set in the corner. In the other corner was a massive wardrobe. The solitary window was covered by dark drapes. The room was lit by a fire in an elaborate black fireplace.
His observations complete, Kris stripped off his top layer of clothing. He went to the wardrobe and opened it to find clothes suiting a dinner with a beautiful woman. Most of the clothes he found, however, were either too sparkly or over-the-top for Kris to even consider wearing anywhere. Finally, he found a small pile of normal looking clothes shoved into the back corner. He rifled through these until he came upon a nice looking suit. He put this on and headed downstairs.
Addy was standing at the end of the table waiting for him. When she saw Kris, she couldn't hide her admiration. "My, you clean up quite well, Kris."
"Thanks, the same for you of course."
Addy gestured to the seat next to hers. Kris made sure to pull out Addy's seat for her before sitting down himself. He looked down at his plate. It had been filled with all his favorites without him doing anything. He looked up startled. "I told you this place was magic." Addy laughed at the incredulous expression on Kris's face.
"I remember, but magic doesn't exist." Kris touched the roll next to his plate to make sure it was real.
"I wish that were true," Addy said with a sad note to her otherwise lovely voice. "But I had to learn the awful realities of magic the hard way."
Kris covered her hand with his. "What do you mean?"
Addy blinked away the shiny layer of tears that were forming in her eyes and gave a small smile. "Why don't we enjoy our meal? I'm sure you must be very hungry."
Kris saw that he would be getting no more answers from Addy at the moment. He started easting. The 'magic' food was the best he had ever tasted. It was even better than how his mom's cooking used to be. He said as much to Addy.
"It's really easy, actually. You just have to visualize what you want and it appears. I'm not allowed to leave the castle, so the castle gives me what I need. I'm sure I could teach you how to manifest things, given time."
Kris was newly intrigued. He examined the food before taking each bite. "So you manifested all this?" Addy nodded. "How did you know what I wanted?"
"I told the food to become what you wanted it to be."
"Amazing." The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. When both were done eating, the table cleared itself, leaving nothing behind. "I was wondering," said Kris. "Who was the person that owned these clothes? They had questionable taste in fashion."
Addy looked sad again. "His name was Brad. He stayed here with me a long time ago. I was in love with him. I thought it was true love, but I was wrong."
"Is it because he was gay?" Kris asked softly.
"No, that's not why. He was gay, but he still loved me." At a disgusted look from Kris, Addy asked, "Do you have a problem with him being gay?"
"Of course I do, don't you?"
"No, I don't!" Addy stood up. Her fists were clenched by her sides and she was leveling a glare at Kris that would make any grown man run for cover.
"I didn't mean to upset you," Kris tried to calm her down. "I'm only saying that gay behavior is wrong. People who engage in homosexual activities are minions of the devil."
Addy looked like she was about to attack Kris. He had no doubt that, despite being a girl, she could do some serious damage. "And to think I though you were cute," she growled. "Get to your room and don't come out. You'll never see the outside world again!"
When Kris made no move to leave, Addy began advancing on him. "I said," she shouted through clenched teeth. "Get out of my sight!"
Kris jumped back, frightened. He turned and quickly ran up the stairs to the door that led to his new prison. The door slammed shut as soon as he crossed the threshold. With an air of finality, he heard the clinking of a deadbolt sliding into place.
Kris walked over to the bed and lay down. He began crying again. 'Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me?' When he had first come to the castle, Kris had been overjoyed. He had finally met someone who enjoyed music as much as he did. On top of that, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever met. Finally, things had begun to look up for him. He didn't have to be alone anymore. But, just when he was feeling on top of the world, everything had to come crashing down. He wished he could go back in time before he had ever said anything against Brad. Then he could be talking and laughing with Addy down in the ballroom. Instead, he was doomed to be an outcast forever.
Time passed slowly with nothing to do. Every meal was always magically manifested so Kris wouldn't go hungry. The quality of it had gone down. All he received for each meal was stale bread, cold meat, and dirty water. He spent his days daydreaming about music and Addy. His nights were filled with nightmares about Addy being ripped away from him. He interpreted these dreams as representing his hopes of finding someone to spend time with and then losing that hope. Or at least, that's what he kept telling himself.
After a month had passed, Kris grew incredibly bored. He couldn't bear to drown in his sorrows any longer. He had to do something. He decided to write a song. He hadn't done so the whole time he was locked up. Kris needed to sing. It was like singing was a living part of himself. Without it, he couldn't survive.
He took a deep breath and began:
"Let the rain keep falling down,
Cause it won't stop me from getting where I'm bound
Maybe I'm Crazy, maybe it's too late
But I'm gonna make it, don't care what the skies say
So oh, let it rain, let it rain."
A quiet knock sounded on the door. "May I come in?" Addy's small voice drifted through.
"It's your house, or castle, or whatever…." Kris lay back on the bed.
The door to the room opened. Addy walked in. "That was amazing," she said. "You never told me you could sing."
Kris stared up at the ceiling. "You never asked."
Addy sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. It's just…Brad is a sad memory fro me. He died, and my hopes of living a happy, normal life died with him. I should have respected that you have a certain opinion and it's no more wrong than mine is."
"Does this mean you're letting me go?" Kris asked hopefully.
"It means I'm letting you out of your room and I want to spend time with you. I think we could be great friends someday. However, I'm not letting you out of the castle."
Kris sat up abruptly. "Why not?" he asked annoyed.
"There's just something about you. I feel like you could be my salvation. I can't let you leave if there's the slightest possibility you could free me."
"So, I just have to free you?" Addy nodded. "From what? Tell me so we can get this over with and I can go home."
Addy stood up and walked to the door. She turned back and said, "It's not that simple. I expect you for dinner tonight." She turned and left the room, leaving the door opened for Kris to walk out if he wanted to.
Later that evening, after Kris had spent the day wandering the halls of the castle, he was summoned to dinner by a loud dinner bell. He quickly changed into one of the few normal outfits in his wardrobe and walked downstairs. Addy was waiting for him. She was watching as Kris walked down the staircase. "So, you're cute and you can sing," Addy said with a smirk. "What else can you do?"
Kris reached the table and kissed Addy's hand. "I play the guitar," he said with pride.
"Really? You'll have to play me something after dinner."
"I don't know. I haven't practiced in a while. I'm probably a little rusty."
Addy's face fell. She thought for a minute, and then her eyes lit up. "How about I give you a week to practice? Then you'll be ready to wow me, right?"
Kris nodded. "Alright, one week."
Addy motioned for Kris to sit down. He looked at all the food ravenously. He was so hungry.
"You must be starving," Addy said. "Go ahead and dig in. Don't worry about manners or anything tonight."
Kris flashed her a grateful grin. "Thank you." He loaded his plate with food and began eating. The meal was silent as Addy let him eat. When he was done, the food and dishes disappeared. Kris looked up at Addy. She had a downcast expression. Kris moved his chair a little closer to her. "What's wrong?"
"I feel really bad," she said. "I've treated you so awful. You probably hate me. I would if I were you."
"No, I don't hate you," Kris reassured.
Addy sniffled. "You don't?"
"I'm a little upset after being locked up, but I don't hate you. It was a little my fault anyway. I was out of line. I should have respected Brad's memory. Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we start over and forget about being mad at each other?"
Addy smiled brightly. "That sounds good to me." She stood up and offered her arm. "Would you like a proper tour of the castle?"
Kris slipped his arm into hers and said, "Shall we?"
"We shall." Addy let Kris all throughout the many rooms. There was a library full of books, numerous bedrooms, a cozy den, and a throne room. Kris stopped there to ask about it. "Many, many years ago, this palace housed the crowned prince of Zanthura. When he became king, he moved to the main palace, but this was his home until then. This is the room where he held court. The crowned prince was in charge of the small group of villages in the area, including your own. It was a trial run for when he would be king."
Kris walked up to the jewel encrusted golden throne. He ran a hand along the back. "How do you know all that?" he asked.
"Let's just say I was close to the last crowned prince that lived here." Addy looked sad again. Kris couldn't figure out why the past seemed to haunt her so.
"How did you know him?" Kris asked Addy in order to find out about her past. She didn't answer. "Was he a family member or a friend or something?"
Addy remained silent, but her sadness disappeared. She walked to the throne with her head held high. She sat down and looked out at the room as if seeing it in another time. If she hadn't been a girl, Kris would have thought she belonged no where else but a throne. "Let's move on," she said as she quickly stood up and walked toward the door. Kris followed, more confused than he had been before.
They walked back to the ballroom. The windows revealed it was night. They had spent the entire evening perusing the ancient mansion. "I supposed it's time for bed," Addy remarked. "I'll see you in the morning, Kris."
"Good night, Addy," Kris went to kiss her hand. Unexpectedly, she pulled him into a hug.
"I wish we can be friends," she said into his shoulder. When she pulled away, Kris saw hope in her eyes. "I really like you, Kris."
Kris smiled. "I like you too," he replied. He turned and started walking up the stairs.
When he was about halfway up, a shout from Addy stopped him. "Wait, I almost forgot. I want to give you something to make up for my previous behavior." A guitar appeared on the stairs. It was the guitar of Kris's dreams. The exact one he had always wanted, but had never been able to afford. He picked it up and ran his hands over the strings. "Do you like it?" Addy asked with anticipation.
"Like it? I love it!" Kris exclaimed. "This is amazing. Thank you so much."
"It's no problem, really." Addy ducked her head and Kris could see her cheeks flush a rosy pink.
"Goodnight, Addy. I look forward to spending time with you." Kris turned and continued to his room. The whole while, he was cradling the guitar like the most precious cargo. In his room, he set it on top of the dresser. He ran his hands across it one more time before going to bed.
The rest of the week, Kris and Addy got to know each other. They talked for hours, took long walks in the gardens, and sat by the fire in the den at night. Kris couldn't explain it, but he was beginning to fall for Addy. He found himself daydreaming about a future with her. He imagined them living in the castle until they were old. He could no longer envision a future without her in it.
He knew exactly what song he wanted to play for her at the end of the week. It was a song about falling slowly into love. Before he went to bed every night, he practiced it on the guitar.
When the evening had come for Kris's performance, Addy decorated the ballroom as if a great gala was going to be held there. There were candles casting a warm, flickering glow all along the walls. On one side of the room, a stage was set up with a single chair standing before it.
Kris had dressed nicely for his performance. The night before, Addy had given him a nice suit. The fit was perfect. He ran his fingers through his fluffy brown hair in an attempt to make it sit flat. Instead, it created a spiky look that Kris rather liked. He looked at himself in his full-length mirror one more time. He was pleased with how he looked. Hopefully, Addy would be pleased as well.
He headed downstairs. Addy wasn't there yet, so he climbed on stage to get ready. He sat on the edge and worked on tuning his guitar. After everything was properly tuned, Addy appeared at the top of the stairs. Kris gasped. She looked absolutely stunning. Her hair was pinned up in a nest of braids. Her eyes were kohl-lined, making the blue stand out. She was wearing a beautiful gold gown with many necklaces layered over her throat. Her arms were covered with elbow-length white gloves, and many rings sat on her fingers. She floated down the stairs and came to a stop at the empty chair. Kris stopped gawking long enough to greet her. "Welcome, my lady, to a private concert from yours truly." He gave an exaggerated bow.
Addy laughed and clapped her hands. "My, my, Mr. Allen," she said. "This is certainly going to be an exciting night."
"I hope so," Kris replied. "We'll see how you feel after I play, though."
"I'm sure you'll do fine!" Addy exclaimed. "Now, get on with it!"
"As you wish, ma'am," Kris said. He placed his hands on the correct strings and began to play:
"I don't know you, but I want you all the more for that.
Words fall through me and always fool me and I can't react.
And games that never amount to more than they're meant
Will play themselves out.
Falling slowly eyes that know me and I can't go back.
Moods that take me and erase me and I'm painted black.
You have suffered enough and warred with yourself
It's time that you won."
When he was done, there was complete silence. He looked up at Addy, scared to see her reaction. What he did see surprised him. Addy was sitting with tears streaming down her face. Kris quickly set his guitar down and jumped off the stage. He knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder before asking quietly, "What's wrong? It wasn't that bad, was it?" He tried to joke around to cheer her up.
"That was beautiful Kris," she choked out. "You really are amazing." She looked up at Kris with nothing less than love in her eyes.
"I sang it for you," he whispered. Addy moved towards Kris. He moved closer to her. Right before they could kiss, Addy pulled away.
"I can't do this, Kris," she said dejectedly. "Not without you knowing the truth first."
"The truth? What are you talking about?" Kris stood up, confused.
"I'm not who you think I am," Addy began. "Remember the painting I took down the day you arrived? That was me." She proceeded to tell Kris her entire story. She told about her days as a prince, her greed and arrogance. She told of the curse and the many years spent alone.
Kris sat down on the edge of the stage, dumbstruck. Addy was a boy? How could that be? Kris had fallen in love with her. He couldn't be in love with a man. That was wrong. This wasn't possible.
"I'm sorry for lying to you," Addy said. "You can leave now. I won't make you stay anymore. For what it's worth, though, I love you, even if you can never love me back." She turned and ran up the stairs to disappear into her room.
All of Kris's things appeared next to him. He picked up his guitar and the clothes he had arrived at the castle in. He took off the leather bracelet he always wore. His mom had given it to him when she had died. He set it on the chair as a present for Addy. The bracelet was a gift for not being able to free Addy from the awful curse. He cared for her deeply, even if he couldn't ever really love her. After one last longing look up the staircase, Kris fled the enchanted castle.
When Kris arrived back at his village, he was greeted with joy from all the townspeople. In Kris's absence, Josh had drummed up support for him. The village had banded together to search for their missing citizen. Once Kris had stumbled into the town square, weary from traveling through the forest, a crowd had gathered to welcome him home.
Josh emerged from the crown smiling from ear to ear. He ran up to Kris and grabbed him in a hug. Though it was virtually the same as the hugs he previously shared with Addy, this hug didn't hold the same spark as hers (his) did. "Kris, man, it's good to see you again!"
"Yeah, it's…good to see you too man." Kris patted Josh awkwardly on the back, displaying his obvious discomfort.
Josh sat Kris down on the edge of the fountain. He placed a comforting hand on Kris's back and asked, "What happened? Where were you?"
Kris thought about telling his friend- and the entire listening village- about the castle and how he had enjoyed his time with Addy. However, he couldn't tell of Addy being a boy under a spell, so he thought better of it. The memory of Addy was one he wanted to keep to himself anyway. Instead, he chose to only tell of the castle. "I was walking when I saw an enormous castle through the trees. I entered it and found it was an enchanted castle. All I wanted, I received. Time went by really fast. I finally got homesick and decided to come back." He finished his brief tale with a smile. It quickly faded once he saw that the mood in the village had gone unsettlingly somber. "What's wrong, Josh?" Kris asked alarmed.
"You mean the castle with the evil witch? The one who lures men in and corrupts them before they disappear forever?" Josh asked with a clipped tone.
"She's not like that!" Kris exclaimed.
"See, she's gotten to you!" yelled Josh with narrowed eyes. "But don't worry. We'll release you from her evil clutches." He turned to the townspeople. "All able men must find a weapon. We're going to kill this witch once and for all!"
A raucous cry rang throughout the crowd. Everyone scattered: the women and children to cower in their houses and the men to prepare for battle.
Kris turned to Josh, alarmed. "Josh, you can't do this!" He pleaded. "She's not evil. She's kind, and good, and sweet, and…I'm in love with her." Kris realized this with a start. "I love her," he whispered, more to himself this time. He had to stop the villagers. He couldn't let Addy get hurt. He no longer felt he could live without her (him). "I won't let you harm her!" Kris shouted with fury at his former friend.
"Kris, it doesn't have to be this way. Work with us and we can release you from her spell. You'll be free again. Think about it. We're friends Kris. What is she to you? You've known her for barely two months. I've known you a lifetime. Work with me to destroy her and her evil."
Kris backed away from Josh slowly, shaking his head. "She means more to me than you ever will. She accepted me from the beginning. She was a true friend. You were only friends with me because you wanted to be friends with everyone. I won't let you destroy the one person who hasn't looked at me with disgust." Kris turned to run towards the woods, but Josh was faster than him. He tackled Kris to the ground and held him squirming in the dirt. "LET ME GO!" Kris yelled as he struggled. He bucked up against Josh to try to throw him off. He continued his efforts in vain until several of the men from the town walked over with some rope and tied up Kris's arms and legs. When he was properly secured, the picked him up and threw him into a windowless shed. They dumped him on the ground before running out and slamming the door shut, leaving Kris alone in the dark, the only sign left of the outside world was the lock clicking into place.
Kris leaned his back against the wall and began work untying his hands and feet. He had to think of a plan. The entire village was storming to the castle to kill Addy…Adam- he had to get used to saying that. He finally got his legs free and stood up. He faced the side of the shed and took a deep breath. He was going to try to kick his way out. He rammed the old wood with his foot. The wall didn't budge. He tried again…and again…and again. It soon became apparent that the shed could not be kicked down. Kris sat dejectedly and began to think about Adam. He thought of their long talks and how at ease he felt in his company. He thought of the angry mob of villagers charging to the castle on a mission to kill him…Kris jumped up quickly. He couldn't just give up when Adam was in danger. With a surprising burst of strength, Kris kicked the wall of the shed once more. It collapsed in front of him to reveal a deserted village. He had to get moving.
Kris ran through the woods faster than he had ever run before. He didn't want to let Adam down. His feet pounded over dead leaves and broken twigs until, finally, he emerged into the clearing in front of the castle. The villagers were already there. They were looking up at the balcony. When Kris looked up, his heart nearly stopped. Adam was backed up to the edge of the high balcony. Josh was standing in front of him holding a knife to his heart. Kris pulled himself together and pushed through the onlookers. They all watched with surprise as he vanished into the house. No one followed, however. It seemed they were excited to see the drama on the balcony unfold.
Kris raced up the stairs to the very top floor. He ran down the hall to the open door that led to the balcony. As he walked through the door, Josh said, "Any last words before I kill you, witch?"
Adam looked over at Kris. He seemed surprised for a split second before fear overtook him. Kris couldn't stand to see that expression in his normally calm blue eyes. He shouted, "Josh, stop! You can't do this!"
Startled, Josh turned his head to look at Kris. "Oh, are you going to stop me? I'd like to see you try." He laughed. "Why do you care so much anyway?"
"I told you," Kris said. "I love her. More than I've ever loved anyone before."
"Yeah, right! We already know the whole story, Kris. Stop trying to cover for Prince Adam over here. He told us everything. There's no way you could love a man. You were raised better than that." Josh took a half-step towards Adam.
"I was raised to believe that true love was always right. No matter who you share it with." Kris smiled at Adam and he smiled back. "I do love you, Adam. I'm sorry I was too much of a jerk to accept it before."
"That's okay, Kris," Adam said. "I was a little bit of a jerk myself."
Josh rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry to interrupt your touching moment here, but I've got a prince to kill, so if you'll excuse me." He moved forward and shoved Adam off the balcony. At the last second, Adam grabbed on to Josh's hand and pulled him over, too.
"Noooo!" Kris yelled. He ran to the edge to look down at what was sure to be a horrible sight. Instead, he saw Adam gripping the ledge tightly with one hand while holding Josh up with another. "Hold on, Adam. I'll pull you both up."
"Get Josh first," Adam said with obvious strain.
Kris reached down to offer his hand to Josh. Josh had other ideas though. "I'd rather die than accept help from either of you." He raised the knife still clutched in his hand and drove it into Adam's side. Adam cried out in pain and nearly lost his grip. Kris quickly grabbed his hand before he could fall. "I'll see you both in Hell," Josh said. He let go of Adam's hand and fell to the ground. The villagers below stood stunned around his broken body.
Kris overcame his shock and pulled Adam onto the balcony. Adam was whimpering in pain. Kris cradled him in his lap. He pulled the knife out of Adam's side and flung it into the night. Tears were running down his face as he ran his fingers soothingly through Adam's hair.
"It'll be okay, Kris," Adam said in barely a whisper. "Maybe things are better this way. Now I can rest in peace like I should have been all these years. And you can find yourself a nice girl and settle down and live a normal life."
"But I don't want to live a normal life. I don't want just some person. I want you. I love you."
"I wish we could be together, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I'll always love you. Never forget that."
Kris sniffled and tried to stop his tears. He wanted to be strong for Adam. "I'll always love you, too. We'll be together in the afterlife, right?"
"Of course, baby. Not even death will keep us apart in the end!" Adam smiled up at Kris with watery eyes.
Kris wiped his tears and returned the smile. He placed a hand on Adam's cheek and leaned down. He hesitated only a moment before brushing his lips against Adam's. "I love you," he whispered and brought their mouths together more firmly. The kiss was only a press of lips, but it was the sweetest moment Kris had ever experienced. When he pulled back, Adam was smiling. He lifted a hand and caressed Kris's cheek. Then, he closed his eyes and his hand fell lifeless to the ground. Tears began to flow anew from Kris as he began to sob uncontrollably. "Adam. Adam. Don't leave me. Please!" he begged.
A gentle rain began to fall. Only, it wasn't an ordinary rain. Kris looked up in wonder as what seemed like glittery balls of star dust fell all around them. Adam's body was lifted into the air. A bright light surrounded him. Kris had to avert his eyes at the intensity. It stopped, and Kris looked over at Adam. He was lying on the floor again, only he was no longer a girl. He had been transformed into the most exquisite person Kris had ever seen. Adam was a beautiful prince again. Even his hair had changed color, from fiery red to stormy black. He sat up and dazedly looked around.
Kris couldn't contain his joy at seeing his beloved Adam alive. He ran over and hugged Adam as if both their lives depended on it. He fit his head in Adam's neck and sobbed, "Adam. You're alive. I can't believe it. You're alive."
"Shh," Adam soothed, rubbing Kris's back. "It's okay, baby. You freed me." He pushed Kris back and looked into his chocolate eyes.
Kris looked back into Adam's crystal blue ones. His eyes flickered down to Adam's mouth for a moment. "Oh my gosh!" he exclaimed. "You have freckles on your lips!" He raised a finger and touched one gently.
Adam laughed. It was loud and full of joy. More joy than Kris had ever heard from him. "You are something else," Adam chuckled. "What will I ever do with you?"
"Keep me, I hope," Kris said softly.
"Forever and ever," Adam said. He leaned in and kissed Kris tenderly. As the two were oblivious to the world around them, magic was happening again. The dark turned to bright sunshine. The run-down castle gleamed anew. Their clothes became robes fit for kings. The crowd of formerly angry villagers cheered for the two lovers on the balcony. Part of the curse was that all who lived around the castle were filled with hate. All besides Kris, of course, who had accepted love over hate and thereby delivered everyone from the enchantment's clutches. Upon the breaking of the curse, the prejudice and contempt were likewise broken.
"I love you so much, Kris," Adam said. He barely noticed the transformation that had taken place around him. Instead, he only had eyes for Kris. "Will you marry me? We can rule this castle side by side and lead with love and acceptance."
Kris felt like his heart would burst. All he had ever wanted was to find his place in the world. To his amazement, he had found it with a beautiful, raven-haired prince. "Yes, I want nothing else in all the world."
They embraced once more before turning to walk back into the castle. They headed downstairs to address their subjects and begin their peaceful reign. To this day, no ruler has been as benevolent or loved as Kris and Adam.
The End