*Sneaks a glance* Um.. Hi *waves slightly* I am so sorry for delaying this for so long, I honestly don't have an excuse to why- I've just been lazy. But I'll try to get better from now^^
Anyway, as I told you in the Authors Note; I've made some slight changes, you don't have to read it over if you don't want to, I've just been correcting some grammar and some conversations^^
Hope you like it and feel free to leave a review^^
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Later that night, the Prince sneaked out to the stable. The King- his father- had grounded him and had guards stand by his door to be sure he didn't leave. What they didn't know was that Jack had a perfectly safe way to sneak down from his balcony and then sprint for the stables.
-0-
Jamie Bennett was giving the horses their last amount of food and water for the night, he stopped in front of a particular stall who belonged to the horse of one certain Prince. Wind raised her head when she heard him approach.
"Hey there Wind, what kind of trouble did your master get himself into last night huh? Nothing to dangerous I hope." The brunet smiled softly at the horse, Jack was known for getting himself in all kinds of trouble, and more often than not he got Jamie to be a part of it. He and the young Prince had been best friends since they were small kids. The first time they met was ten years ago. Jamie had been 8years old when he followed his father into the Caste to discuss something with the King, when he had seen a 6year old Jack sitting boringly on the throne by the King's side. The two had been inseparable since that day.
"How is she?" Jamie was woken from his thoughts when a small voice spoke from behind him. Jack was standing at the opening of the stall and watched his best friend pet his horse.
"She's fine, just a scratch on the leg. Nothing serious." he was quiet while the young Prince talked softly to his horse,
"Hey girl." He greeted the small mare softly, the golden horse greeted her master with a nudge and a soft neigh. "Are you okay? I am so sorry for what happened last night. I promise not to ever make you go through something like that ever again." The young boy sat down by one of the walls in the stall and his horse followed with her beautiful head. As if to let him know she was alright. Jamie sat down by his side and turned his head to the white haired boy.
"What happened out there? You've never been out that long before. No matter how intense your fights are." he asked quietly, he knew Jack would tell him if he was given time. Jack drew a deep breath and started explain how he had been attached by two men, and then who Aster was. At the end he showed the bandages tightly wrapped around his chest.
"Are you sure you're okay? That seemed pretty bad" Jamie said, Jack shrugged and gave a small smile
"I've already talked with Sandy, and I'll let North and Tooth know what happened tomorrow.
North- short for Nicholas St. North was the King's best swordsman, and Jack's teacher in weapons. Tina Toothiana North –Tooth- was his wife, working at the Castle as well, but as a nurse and nanny. She had been there when the Queen- Jack's mother had lost her life after giving birth to him. They had helped raising Jack, and was more like his parents then the King ever would be.
Jamie nodded, "That sound good, how long are you grounded?" he didn't have to ask to know that Jack was here without permission.
"At least a week, but if I know my father right it'll be longer. So I need you to take Wind out for me, until I'm free again." Jamie laughed
"Since when are you actually listening to him? I think that's the first time I hear you obeying him."
"I know, I don't like it but he had threatened to stop my training with both North and Sandy if I don't. So I have to." And if Jack were a little more mature than he was, he could honestly say that he was not pouting.
-0-
He knew that meetings with the Kingdom's council was boring, but this was getting ridiculous. The only thing the older royals and his father talked about was some war- strategy with a Kingdom they were at peace with. It was not the first time he had heard the exact same thing as now- and he doubts it will be the last…
Since Jack had turned 14 he had been deemed old enough to be a part of the meetings that the King held once a week. And now, at the age of 16, the young Prince couldn't think of anything that he found more boring than this.
Jack's head perked when one of the men changed the subject.
"I have heard from the South Kingdom, their Princess shouldn't be much older than the young Prince. Do you wish for me to sent a request from His Majesty?" he asked, and Jack couldn't help but groan quietly. The only thing more annoying than war-strategies was when they mentioned a Princess. As the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Moons, we was to court a Princess from another Kingdom to later marry at the age of 18… He had already been forced to meet two Princesses already, unfortunately neither were of his taste.
The first Princess had been like his complete opposite. She had obviously been raised properly, she was quiet, and had zero sense of adventure. All she did was smile and nod at everything.
The second one was far better, but she felt much more like a good friend or even something you could call a sister than anything else. She had a rebellious side that Jack liked and crazy much red hair. Her sense of adventure was even greater then Jack's own and her amazing skill at archery made her very fun to hang out and compete with- for both Jack and Jamie.
But Jack was afraid if he denied one more Princess his father would more then less force him to marry the next one he saw fit. Which would be a problem since he had no interests in girls. If he knew, the King would banish him from the Kingdom so that was something he only told the ones closest to him.
The young Prince woke from his thoughts when the King bid the other farewell for now, and all the older men and women left the room. Jack was about to rise from his seat when his father addressed him as well.
"Jackson, I would like to speak with you."
"Yes, what is it?" he asked nonchalantly, the King ignoring his tone and spoke calmly;
"I know that you ignore your duties as a Prince, and that you rather spend your time with that servant then with your studies. So I have come to the decision that until you start taking your duties seriously, I will stop any, and all training you have with the Wizard." Jack stood suddenly and made the back of his chair hit the hard ground.
"What?! You can't be serious!" he shouted, not believing his ears
"I have already spoken with the Wizard, no more magic until I see that you are responsible enough to care for your duties as well."
Jack made a face, "And if that don't work? Gonna throw me into the dungeon along with all your other problems?!" he growled. That was the last straw for the King, he rose from his chair as well and spoke loudly,
"Watch your tongue boy. You may be Prince, but I am KING. My word are law. Now, Leave, I can not stand you in my sight anymore."
-0-
It had been little more then a month since Jack had been attached in the woods, and two days since his father had forbidden his use of magic, his staff had been taken from him as well. But he still had his beautiful silver sword. One North had crafted, and given to him on his 16th birthday. 'Not that it could help him control his magic like his staff do' he thought bitterly, he really wanted to freeze something right now- especially one specific lake right on front of him. Wind stood calmly by his side, the mare raised her head at her masters frustration and let out a low noise, Jack petted her forehead and she continued eat the green grass.
"Why don't we run away from here, huh?" he asked the horse, "We could find a place where no one tells us what to do, without any stupid duties." the young Prince sat down in the grass and watched a deer and it's kid carefully making their way to the other side if the lake. "Then my father could find a more suitable heir to take my place. Since I've never been good enough" The deer kid looked towards him as he spoke, Jack laughed softly and made a clicking sound towards it. It's tiny ears raised high, and it took some stapling steps towards the boy. It's mother followed a couple steps behind- ready in case the human would do anything.
The kid was now close enough to touch, but Jack wanted the mother to understand he meant no harm first, "Hey there little guy" he smiled at the kid, it sniffed his hand and made a soft sound, the mother took a step foreword before stopping, she raised her head before quickly nudging her kid and bolting in the other direction. Wind stood uneasy and Jack noticed the birds had stopped making sounds and the wood was dead silent. Before he heard voices and quickly mounted his steed and took off.
He laughed in relieve when he no longer heard the soldiers, he didn't need to see to know it was his father's soldiers that was out looking for him. He dismounted and looked around, scratching the back of his head he chuckled "Seems like we got a little to far, I don't recognize this path. Let's see if we can find out way back"
After a lot of walking, the pair stopped when he realized he was back where he started- he had been walking in circles!
"Well- would you look at that? We're officially lost." he groaned, Wind raised her head and looked at something further away, "Do you see anything, Girl?"
"Oi! Ya need help?" came an oddly familiar voice, and a man emerged from the forest. Jack quickly realized it was the man who saved his life almost a month back.
"Hey, It's you." he said, not the most thoughtful thing to say, but yeah.
"Yeah, me. Watch'a doin here kid? Aren't ya a little far from home?" he man- no. Aster if he remembered correctly, gave a grin.
"I'm just exploring, and kind of lost track of where I was going" he admitted,
"Don't worry, I'll help ya out. Bet you found the path that goes 'round in a circle." It wasn't a question and Jack felt his cheek heat up in embarrassment.
"I'd appreciate that, thanks"
-0-
Another two weeks had gone by since Jack was attacked in the forest, and he met Aster. The young prince admitted that he maybe spent a little more time in the forest then he usually did before, if only to see the man that saved. He and the older had quickly gotten to know each other and considered themselves friends. Jack's injury had fully healed and his father had allowed him to continue his magic training with Sandy.
Despite trusting both the wizard, North and Tooth, Jamie was the only one that knew about the man he had gotten so close to, Jamie had obviously promised not to tell anyone, which Jack was utterly grateful for.
Said two boys stood in a comfortable silence while in the stable, one was making some of the horses ready for the solders and the other was grooming and caring for his own two horses. Wind and an old stallion Jack had had since before he learned how to ride, Blizzard was a working horse from far up the north, far to big for the tiny prince when he first received him from North, but the kindest horse to exist.
Jack smiled at some of the best memories he had with his old friend, like how he and Jamie used to sneak out and both would sit on his back while they rode, or how Blizzard was the reason he started loving the beautiful animals in the first place. He must have been smiling, for Jamie gave him a knowing look from across the stable,
"What?" Jack asked his friend, who shrugged with a small smirk,
"Nothing, just wondering what you're smiling about?"
"Just all the things we've done from Blitz's back, and the places we've seen" he smiled and patted the strong dark neck in front of him.
"Huh, could have swear you were thinking about something else, or someone to be more specific. Someone you've been spending more time in the forest with." he teased his friend, this making the poor prince blush, and he now regretted telling the brunet about his possibly crush on the green eyed man.
"I wasn't." he argued. But his smile didn't falter.
"When are you going to tell North or Tooth?" Jamie asked when he had saddled the last horse, "Because I'm pretty sure you haven't done that already."
"I will, I promise. I just- I'm not sure of how. The part how I met him is easy, it's the other part I'm scared off, they'll both know there's something more, I don't connect with people easy enough for it to be something normal." Jack said and bit his lip. "Not to mention he is a couple of years older then me, not sure they'd like that..."
"I'm sure they'll understand, and remember- I'm on your side, whenever you decide to tell them." Jamie gave him a kind smile, one that Jack returned, and sighed.
"Can't you switch life with me? You'd be the prince, marry whatever princess you like and get everything you want on a silver platter, and I could hang out here all day." he laughed, it was far from the first time he wished he was born to something simpler like Jamie had.
"Sure, I just need your white hair and blue eyes." he made a face "And find a knight in shining armor to fall for like you have." he laughed and ducked for the brush that was headed his way, aiming for his face.
"Shut up already," Jack grumbled "And he didn't have any shining armor." he whispered to himself.