A/N: Thank you everyone for all your reviews! I don't think this story will be as popular as the original, but that's how it usually goes with sequels. But for those of you who enjoy it, I promise to do the best I can to write you a good story :D
Chapter 2 - Discussion (Posted 15 June 2011)
"I don't know, Kendall." Jo said as she talked with her old friend over tea. "I just think it's odd that he never wanted you to go with him."
"Odd how?" Kendall asked. "I don't think it's odd. He told me it was because he was afraid he wasn't adequate and that I would find someone more appealing..."
"I think he was saying that so you wouldn't expect the same thing from him."
"I... I do worry about it. Not that I think he would ever be unfaithful, I know he would never stray from me, but... I think we all fear that the one we love may not love us back. At least a little, anyway, it's in our nature." Kendall told her.
"How can you be so sure?" Jo pressed. "He goes out on those journeys all alone for days or even weeks at a time. How can you be positive that he hasn't..."
"Because I trust him!" Kendall slammed the table. "I trust him no matter what, Jo. He's my husband and I love him and I know he would never do anything like that. Not just because it would hurt me, but because he wouldn't want to. James loves me. He waited for me all those years..."
"What if he lied to you about that?" Jo wouldn't let up. "He could have told you that so you'd blindly trust him."
"He didn't lie to me. Even though he thought I'd never come back, he still chose to remain... abstinent... because he wanted to make sure that if I did come back he could completely give himself to me."
"And you believe him?"
"Of course I believe him! How can I not when I myself decided that I would wait until I made my way back to his castle? I knew there was a chance that... that he'd been with someone else. Or that he wouldn't even want me. At first I thought I couldn't do it because it had to mean something, but then I realized that it would only be special with him and I didn't want to lose it to anyone but him and..."
Jo raised her eyebrows in a disbelieving glare. "Are you telling me that had he not chosen to be with you, you would have remained celibate for the rest of your life?"
Kendall sighed. "That was my plan, yes."
"You really love him that much?"
"I do."
"He's very lucky."
"I consider myself extremely lucky as well, you know." Kendall told her. "James is the one person in this world who understood me enough to know what was best for me. And I'll never forget that for as long as I live." He leaned in closer to her and put on a serious face. "And I swear if you ever insult my amazing husband again I will have you banished from the kingdom."
Jo's eyes widened, appalled. "You wouldn't do that!"
"Oh, would you like to test that theory?" Kendall cocked his head. "You may be my friend but nobody is allowed to say anything bad about James. I know people say things behind his back, but when I catch wind of it, I don't just forget about it and move on."
"You can't just... throw me out without some kind of..."
Kendall just stared at her as she stuttered in searching for the words. He stood and pointed at her. "I can. And I will."
He walked away from her, leaving her to wonder just how strong of an individual Kendall really was. As he exited the kitchen, he rounded the corner and saw James leaning idly against the wall.
Kendall halted and cocked his head slightly to the side. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Since I came to ask you a question but happened to overhear one of my 'loyal' servants suggesting that I'm a philandering..." James's face began to turn red with anger at the thought until Kendall put his arms around his neck and kissed him softly.
"James," Kendall said so quietly it was almost like a whisper, "I'm so sorry you had to hear that. But you know it didn't mean anything to me. I have no reason to doubt you."
"I know." James said sadly. "I heard you... defending me. Thank you."
"Oh, James you are just so adorable." Kendall moved one hand up to cup James's face as he looked into his eyes. "You have such a big heart and... I just wish everyone could see how sweet you really are."
"Most everyone knows that I'm not like I was when I was a kid. I mean, obviously if I was still selfish and spoiled I wouldn't have been able to help all the people I've helped... this whole beautiful kingdom would have crumbled at my feet had my parents not had the foresight to find someone who could make me better. But there are some who still think I'm a brat and that somehow all of this is for my own gain. I mean, I do get to feel happy after I help someone, but isn't that enough?"
"Of course it's enough, James." Kendall furrowed his brows in confusion. He'd never heard James have this amount of concern for what others thought of him. "James, nothing we do can be completely selfless. I know that you're doing the best you can for every single one of your subjects and I know you're doing it because it's right, not because you get anything out of it. And of course you feel happy knowing you've helped someone; you're a great person and that's just part of who you are. But that's the only reward you get, it's the only one you even ask for. I know it and everyone else knows it. Some of them are just too stubborn to believe that you've changed. But their opinions don't matter. What matters is that you're taking care of the people in this kingdom because you love them and you want everyone to be as happy and safe and healthy as possible. Just remember that, ok? Just remember everything you've done."
"How do you always know the right thing to say to me?"
"Because I'm the only one you let see you for who you really were when you were a child. I know you inside and out."
James hugged Kendall closer. "I know." James dropped his hands to Kendall's waist and looked at him. "You know, sometimes I wonder if... if we knew."
"If we knew what?" Kendall asked.
"If we could see, even back then, that this was how we were going to end up. I mean...maybe we just know that we were meant to be together and that's why we were able to open up to each other so quickly and why we were able to help each other so much. We became so close, Kendall. And I can still remember... the day you ran away. I was so sad. The entire day I just kept thinking about it and trying so hard not to cry but I knew that if I kept you here that you would be unhappy and I didn't want to be the cause of your unhappiness. I knew, even then, that I would have done anything you asked me too."
Kendall chuckled lightly. "You think we were in love at eight years old?"
"You don't?"
"I didn't say that."
"So you've thought about it too." James said happily.
"Of course I have. Quite a bit, actually."
"And what was your conclusion?"
"That we were in love even before you chose me that day."
James blinked. "How is that possible? We'd barely even met before then..."
"Ah, I see time has affected your memory. But not mine. When my family finally came to the castle, I was about a year old. Your mother became friends with my mother, and we would be put together to play."
"You don't actually remember that." James didn't believe him.
"No," Kendall admitted, "but my mother does. I asked her about it. When she would spend time with your mother, they would have us with them."
"What about your brothers?"
"My brothers were watched by a nurse."
"Why weren't you..." James started to ask, but then realized. "Because you didn't have a father."
"Yeah." Kendall said a little sadly. "No one would touch me. So I had to stay with my mother. And your mother apparently knew the truth and felt sorry for me and my mother. She also felt bad that, since you were the prince, you didn't get to socialize that much. So they'd bring us along to their meetings so both of us could have some company."
"Wow."
"Yep." Kendall said.
"What happened after that?"
"Well, you got old enough to understand what a prince actually was and refused to play with any children other than royals. And your parents tried to tell you that you were being a brat but then they got called out on their extended business trip."
"And then we didn't meet again until they returned when we were eight."
"Well we saw each other, but I doubt you knew who I was."
"I'm sorry." James said lowly.
"Don't be sorry, James. All that matters is that we fixed each other and we're together now."
"I don't recall doing much for you." James pondered.
"But you did." Kendall insisted. "You let me open up to you. You became my best friend. You helped me with my shyness. You told me I wasn't worthless just because I didn't have a father. And you helped me escape. Without you, I would still be scared, timid, useless little Kendall."
"You're not chalking this all up to fate, are you?" James asked with a smirk. "I remember you once saying that you 'don't care much for fate'."
"Well, you can't deny that some outside force has been pulling us together all our lives."
"True." Came a voice from behind them. They turned around to find James's mother walking up. "But whatever it was, I thank it every day."
"Mother." James greeted her happily.
"Ma'am." Kendall nodded.
"James, when did you return?"
"Midday, yesterday."
"And you didn't inform either myself or your father?"
James sighed a little. "I'm sorry. I got... sidetracked."
"You know..." she said a little quietly. "We've all been wondering when you would begin looking into adopting a child..."
"Oh, Mother, again? Really? I just got back and you're already back on that? Can't anyone understand that we'll discuss it when we're ready?"
"Um... James?" Kendall said slightly apologetically. "I've been thinking about it too... I'd really like to start the process..."
"Why is everyone freaking out about this?" James said a littler louder than necessary.
Kendall looked a little shocked. "James, no one is 'freaking out' about anything. It seems like you're the only one at all bothered by the subject..."
James backed away from Kendall a little and shook his head. "I think... everyone just needs to leave me alone for a while. I can't deal with this right now..." And he turned and walked away, leaving his stunned husband and appalled mother standing with their eyes wide and their jaws on the floor.
A/N: Grrrrr... this is me growling at myself, not any of you lol. I promise, promise, PROMISE that this is actually going to have a story... I just needed a way to set it up and I couldn't think of anything good. Obviously. But the next chapter actually has some drama and large events, so if you can just bear with me until next week. I really think it'll be worth it. Maybe...