A sudden illness forced itself over the small prince, but it wasn't just nausiating. It was a chilling, stomach-churning, head-whirling, complexion paling, tremble-inducing ill that made the poor lad look all but dead. His wide eyes were set on Murdoc, lips trembling as he tried to think of something- anything- he could say to him; the illness having swept over his mind like a cloud and hiding anything he could say or do. "U-u-uh.." He whimpered, the bread in his hand dropping onto the plate loud enough for everyone to hear in the utter silence.
The patrons of the tavern started chucklingas more and more of them realized who it was. "Heh, look a' tha'! We've go' a fag in ou' presence, ev'ryone!" one of the more sober men shouted out, earning a loud roar of laughter in responce.
The knight, however, didn't laugh. He merely stared at the prince. "Yew'e... A... A guy?" he asked, astoundment in his gruff voice. One of the closer customers laughed and got Murdoc's attention.
"How yew tow enjoyin' you'e gay-date?" After the last syllable had left the man's mouth, his lower jaw was met with a powerful fist.
"I'm no' GAY!" he thundered, not getting any attention from the room of hysterically laughing men.
Elizabeth, now openly known as Stuart, quickly jerked back when Murdoc punched one of the men; tears obvious in his dark eyes as he tried to gather his thoughts enough to register what was going on. He shoved his chair back sharp enough to nearly topple it as he rushed out the door- various people splashing him with beer and snagging onto the edges of his dress. Stu couldn't believe this was happening.. not only had he failed his mother, but he failed Murdoc and, for some reason, that simple thougth made him feel even worse. He was now only moving forward off of momentum and trying to stay on his feet as the city ended and he was again on the country roads.
Murdoc stared after the newly revealed man. "Yew, basta'ds!" he shouted as he ran after Stuart. The knight tore through the crowd in his pursuit of the prince. "Prince! Prince Stu'at! Please, wait!" he called in a desperate attempt to get the young man to stop running.
The blue-headed prince was stumbling as he tried to clear the tears from his vision, hiccuping as he nearly fell. The boy found no alternative, letting his weak body slump against the fence as he tried to collect himself. He wasn't sure if he should be more shamed, embarrassed or.. or glad. Glad that he'd gotten that little flaw out of the way before anythign more serious then dinner had happened. Oh, but once his mother caught wind of this he'd of wished he was never born.. "..f-fock.. 'm... 'm a t-t-tewwible.. tewwib-ble pe'son.."
The knight caught up to him and leaned on the fence as he caught his breath. "Prince... Please, dun cry... It'll... It'll be okay..." he said, crouching down next to the crying man. "I mean... Yew don' hate me, do yew?" he asked, completely understanding if the prince hated everyone on the plantet right now.
Stuart drew back into himself, face hidden in his knees as he tried to control his choking sobs. He couldn't believe the knight was even talking to him after that.. "...n-no.." He whimpered, his tone conveying that he fully expected Murdoc to go off on him at any second or to at least dislike him.
Murdoc sat next to him. "S'no' you' faul'. Yeh mum musta won'ed tah protec' yew," he said indifferently, looking out at the clouds. "I dun blame yew, bloke." The knight looked over at Stuart, hoping he wasn't very depressed.
He drew back from his knees and looked over at Murdoc with a heart-broken and fearful gaze. "S-she wouldn' t-tell me why... 'n... 'n 'm sowwy..." He apologized, knowing Murdoc was a famous and popular knight whose reputation was going to be completely trashed within the coming weeks.
"Sorry? Fo' wot? Yew we'e followin' you' mum's o'dehs. Man, 'f I did tha' I woul'n' be he'e t'day," he finished witha chuckle. "'nyway, you'e a good lad. Nuthin' bad's gunna 'appon on my watch," he assured the distrought prince with a warm smile in his direction.
"A-ah guess sa, b-but.. ah shoulda t-told yeh..." He was going to say more, but hoped he wouldn't have to as the prince was trying to ignore the fact that the warm smile the knight had presented warmed his cold, trembling heart. If an explenation was asked of him, he'd simply say he'd reuined the knight's rep. and leave it at that.
Murdoc chuckled."I'm a knight. 'm no' expected t' know 'nythin' abou' who 'm protectin'," he said matter-of-factly to the younger man. "Yew did wot yew thought righ'." Murdoc got to his feet and offered Stuart a hand up. "Bu' I do suggest we ge' back to theh fa'm. 's ge'in' la'e," he said, pointing tothe setting sun.
A sort of cold realization washed over the prince as he faked a weak smile and allowed the older to pull him to his feet. He was a mission. Nothing more. If given the option of hanging out with him for no reason, Murdoc would have most likely turned him down and left. The only reason he at least acted like he cared was because it was what his mother had ordered him to do.. Stu was sure to slip his hand from Murdoc's grip and clasp them behind his back; face tilted down as he gazed at the dusty road with a shaky swallow.
Murdoc looked at him, a bit of hurt on his face. No, he had to be professional. Last time he leta case get too personal... He shook his head to forget and started walking down the road. Fifteen minutes into the walk,the knight began to get tired of the silence he dared not break, so he decided to try and name all the people had trafficed for the Queen.
Stu felt far too awkward and unhappy to say anything for what seemed like ages, finally breaking the thick silence with a small, shaky, "so..." Above them the stars were being revealed, one by one, as the sun's smeering rainbows began to fade away into darkness.
"Beautiful ou' t'nigh'," the knight pointed out, not stoppingto turn and look at the younger man. If he wanted to be sad without good reason then Murdoc wouldtreat this as a business trip.
He flinched at how impersonal the words seemed, almost having to force himself to answer, if only to be polite, "su'e is." He worried his lip, sneeking a look out of the corner of his eye and feeling a sickening knot in the pit of his stomach. He'd hoped, somewhere deep down, that perhaps he was more then a mission, but.. but the way Murdoc had said that left him feeling entirely too helpless inside.
He couldn't takeit anymore when they were almost at the farm and he'd only said about three words to the other man. "Prince, pe'mission tah speak freely, please," he said, standing at attention in front of the blunette, his hands clasped behind his back.
Stuart cringed and muttered, "Mu'doc, pwease, yew dun' 'ave ta ask... pwease, go a'ead.." He absolutely despised it when people treated him like he was better then other people when he was much happier at a humble level of a peasant so he could praise others without making it a big deal.
"Yes, si'. I 'ave sumthin' tah tell yew..." he started, making sure he had the boy's cpmplete and undevided attention. "Stu'at, you'e no' jus' a mission. I really do ca'e abou' yew..." he trailed, hoping his hunch about the cause of the prince's sudden drop in happiness was right.
"Y.. yeh mean eet..? 'm n-no'?" A blush found its way to the boy's cheeks which he knew was out of place as Murdoc could be talking about anything from at least the smallest slither of friendship to, well, anything, really. The prince's demeanor hesitantly straightened a bit as he blinked back a few offending tears as he gazed at the knight in near disbelief.
The knight nodded, a smile forming on his lips. "You'e much mo'e 'n tha', Stu." The knight moved closer, his arms open a bit as he offered the other a comforting hug.
The younger grinned and happily embraced the knight, wiping the last of his tears away as he almost subconciously snuggled up against the warm comfort. "'m.. 'm glad, Mu'doc. Willy glad."
He smiled and hugged Stu warmly. "Me, too, mate. Me, too," he said after they pulled away. "So yew dun hate me?" he asked playfully with a smile.
The prince pretended to be disgusted by the knight's presence, stepping back and wiping off his front with a teasing giggle. "Oh, yewr unbawable, y'know 'at? Jus' 'owwible ta be awound!" He tried to surpress a laugh as he put his hands on his hips and stuck his nose in the air.
"Hmp! Woll, I neveh liked pretty boys, 'nyway!" he huffed and turned around, unable to hide a smile once Stuart couldn't see his face anymore. Was it bad that he was easily about eleven years older then Stu and felta little attracted to him?
"Oh, so dat's 'ow it is? Fine! Yew won' git it 'en!" Stuart poked his nose a little further into the air, a sudden desperation clawing at his insides as he realized what he'd potentially gotten himself into. His dark eyes cracked open, looking up at the older knight as he tried to figure out what he was to do.
The older chuckled. "Fine, yew win! Ah'm sorry, Stu! Friends?" he asked, holding out his hand for a shake as he chuckled a little more. He wouldn't show it, but Murdoc was a little worried that he'd cheeswed Stuart too far off.
"Did we eve' s'op?" He asked with a smile, pretending like it'd never happened as he gently took either side of Murdoc's hand in either of his smaller, more delicate ones. The prince was on his tip-toes, seeming to be thinking about something before smiling even more. In a quick motion, he pulled Murdoc's hand closer -the man being pulled along with it- as he placed a quick peck on his cheek.