Mark let out a soft hum as he ran the brush through his dark hair trying his hardest to get the remaining straw out. It didn't last long as he heard a soft tapping at his window, turning, he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight. Jack was at his window, two story window mind you, he was sitting there at the sill gently tapping, he then ushered frantically for Mark to open the window.
Letting out a low breath, Mark put his brush down and hurried to the window, unlatching it, he helped Jack inside before shutting the window.
"Are you insane? Jack, if someone saw you they might think you were trying to rob us!" Mark scolding Jack before slapping him on the back of the head for good measure.
"Mark this is important. Why did you tell me back in the stables that you're being married off? You don't think that's something I should know?" Jack bitterly asked as he rubbed the back of his head, he watched as Mark's eyes widened at the news.
"I'm not being married off." Mark said simply, he then shuddered at what Jack had said next,
"That's not what Bob and Wade told me. They said there was going to be a big ball with all sorts of royals coming here shortly."
"...What?"
"...Did you really not know?"
Mark stood there for a few minutes shaking horribly, finally he pursed his lips and just scowled.
"So that's what Jared was so smug about then."
"Oh! Markimoo!" Came Danny's voice, before Jack could even blink he was on the floor and under the bed. Mark quickly hid the gap with his thick blanket right as Arin and Danny came waltzing in.
"There's our lovely brother." Arin threw his arm around Mark's shoulder whilst Danny gave Mark a nudge with his elbow.
"Heard you gave Matpat a bit of a hard time today." Danny laughed and Mark let out a bitter hmph in response. Pursing his lips, Mark gave a fake smile before continuing,
"Yeah...Hey, did dad mention something of a...Oh I don't know..." Mark blew a raspberry in thought before continuing, "An upcoming ball or something? To either of you?" Mark asked them, he watched as both of his brothers smiles fell from their faces, they shared a look before coughing a bit.
"Why...Uh...Do you ask?" Arin was the one to ask first and Mark gave a shrug,
"I just want to know if its true or not."
Danny and Arin looked at each other before Arin quickly spoke up,
"Oh would you look at the sun outside! Danny we have to...We have that thing! The thing with Jared!"
"What?" Danny asked, only to get an elbow to ribs by Arin in response before he caught on.
"Yes! The...Thing! Off we go!" With that they waltzed on out of Mark's room, all Mark could do was shake his head, obvious lie was painfully obvious. Getting down he helped Jack up out from under his bed and sighed,
"I guess you're right. So my father is to have me married..."
They held hands with one another as Mark stood there silent for a few heartbeats before he just shrugged in response.
"You know what. He can try, but I'm not marrying anyone. How does he expect me to marry someone I don't even know? What? I shared a dance with them? Ohhhh must be love." Mark sarcastically quipped as he sat down at the edge of his bed in a huff.
"What are you going to do then?" Jack sat next to him, there was a silence before Mark simply leaned in and pecked Jack on the lips.
"I'm going to kiss you. Then, I'm going to tell you the plan I've been scheming for a while now." Mark responded, like he said, he kissed Jack a little more passionately this time, the kiss didn't last long as it was Mark that broke away first, he jumped up from his bed and quickly leaned against the bedroom door. Probably to stop anyone from bursting in right away. Jack decided to sit on the ground next to the bed just in case.
"Ok. Hear me out. Me and you take a ship to Ireland."
Jack sat up a bit more fully now. Brief memories of him and his father flashed in his mind, he was only seven when his father had no choice but to give him up to Mark's own father, yeah, it was overseas, he remembers crying every night he was on that boat.
"We can find your father, if you'd like that is."
"My dad..." Jack breathed out slowly looking at his hands, he could only sigh softly as the memory of his dad saying goodbye one final time hit him. That was the last time anyone ever called him by his actual name...
"Jack?"
"It sounds...Wonderful. Me and You in Ireland, no one to rule over us..." He spoke softly as he then stood and sauntered over to Mark, who continued Jack's own sentence,
"A small farm, in a nice cozy home..."
"It all sounds so lovely, but how can we do that? You're father barely lets you leave the palace to go to town, how can get to this boat?"
"I...Haven't thought that far ahead yet. I know that the Captain of the boat is in our small town and is waiting for me on command...Don't know who he is though. He made sure to keep his face hidden."
Jack sighed out and got ready to stand up, that was until Mat's voice came booming from down the hall.
"MARK!"
Quickly Jack rolled under the bed, Mark managed to use the covers to hide the gap just as Mat came bursting in, a pissed off look on his face.
"Knock much?" Mark joked and Mat let out a deep breath, clearly trying to control his rising anger.
"Mark. Where is Jack?" Mat spoke softly, his voice tittering on the edge.
"Don't know. I've been here the whole time."
"Mark. I am right on the freaking edge. I don't have time for this."
"I told you. I don't know, Matpat. Check the pub."
"Fine."
With that Mat slammed the door shut on his way out and Mark helped Jack up.
"You better go, he looks pissed enough as it is." Mark told him as he helped wipe the dust off of Jack's clothing.
"Yeah. Oh before I go." Jack leaned in and kissed Mark. He quickly broke away and smiled, "We aren't done with this discussion. I'll come back later..."
Mark nodded and watched as Jack carefully climbed out the window, once safely on the ground below, Jack waved to Mark and ran off towards the pub. Mark sighed dreamily and leaned out the window.
Unbenounced to him Mat was still outside his door, the teacher shut his eyes tight and gently sighed.
"Mark. I hope you know what you're doing..."
