Chapter 9

Ben had not returned many hours later. The other three sat in an awkward silence for most of the day, unsure of what to say to one another. All any of them had on their mind was Ben, and where he might be. They'd expected the bee to have his tantrum and return within an hour or so, but by now the horizon had turned pink, and then blue. Finally, it was pitch black, and the Scots and Bill huddled around a small campfire, occasionally taking turns to throw foliage onto the blaze. Bill and Donald sat huddled under the only blanket available, and Bill rested his head on the other's shoulder, his chocolate brown eyes staring into the depths of the burning wood, large and shiny with tears. The occasional sniffle, crackling embers, pine needles rustling underfoot and an owl hooting somewhere was the only noise. Douglas sat alone on the opposite side, holding onto his own shoulders for warmth.

There was a rustle from a nearby bush, and all three looked over, lips sucked in the anticipation of the 'B' for Ben. A fox crawled ou, staring warily at the fire and the three strangers in his territory. He blinked slowly, and then turned back into the undergrowth, the white tip off his tail trailing into the blackberry bushes. The princes and Bill all let out a collective sigh of disappointment.

"Do ye think one o' us should go after him?" Douglas asked at last, rubbing his arm nervously.

"Yes ... I don't know what got into Ben today, but I want to know that my brother's ok" Bill sounded resolute, and he was glaring fiercely at the fire, as if expecting to find his twin hidden in the flames.

"Ah'm fairly sure he'd run away if he saw me" Donald sighed and rubbed the back of his neck "Ah don't wanna anger him further"

"You did nothing wrong" Bill said firmly, gently patting Donald's ribs "Besides you need to rest"

"Ah'm fine Billy, it only hurts if ah turn too sharply ... but ah still dinnae want tae risk the lad runnin' awa more ..."

"I'll go, he's my brother after all" Bill sat up straight "I'm not hanging about here whilst a wild beast rips him to pieces"

"If ah wild beast rips him to pieces ah doubt you'd be able to fend it off" Donald said gently, patting the Brummie's back fondly "Ah know yer worried about yer twin but ..." He faltered a little, but Bill seemed to get the message because he sighed sadly and slumped back onto the Scot's shoulder.

"Ah'll go" Douglas stood up "Whether he runs off or not. An' ah can handle any wild critters"

"Are ye sure?" Donald looked up "Ah don't want to lose ma brother"

"I promise there's been enough twins lost for today" Douglas smiled "Ah'll bring him home before mornin'" The scot dusted soot from his kilt as he stood up and made his way in the same direction Ben had gone, leaving Donald and Bill by the fire.

It was even more silent with Douglas gone, but the two remaining minded it less. Donald had his arms wrapped around Bill and his chin on the Brummie's head. Bill was leaning against the Scot's chest, watching the bracken anxiously, waiting for either his twin or Donald's to return. Preferably both. Donald must have sensed the bee's unease because he tried to comfort him.

"Don't ye worry Billy, he'll bring yer brother back. Dougie's nae a fool"

"True" Bill agreed, blowing at his fringe "But Ben can be"

Douglas had been going around in circles, he was sure of it. True, he couldn't see an awful lot, but he doubted there were THAT many silhouettes of broken trees. The prince wasn't scared of the forest itself, but he was rather unnerved by the fact he fancied seeing eyes everywhere. He wasn't sure what creatures lurked in these woods, especially at night. If they were eyes he hoped they belonged to rabbits or deer. He tried to push thoughts of wolves and bears aside, and continued onwards grimly.

Right there was that broken tree again. He'd been left, he'd been right. Either way he seemed to come straight back to it. Douglas examined the height. He'd have to take a run, but the Scot could probably clear it. He stepped back a few paces from the tree, and launched himself over the trunk. He landed roughly, stumbled forwards a few paces, and tripped over one of the upturned roots. He swore crossly, rubbing his ankle, but then he held his breath. He could hear a noise nearby. Oh help this was it. Douglas McIntosh had lived a good life; he hoped his family and Skye would remember him fondly. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting to feel claws against his skin. There were no claws. And that sound wasn't exactly a threatening growl. More like ... a sniffle. A human sniffle. Douglas crept cautiously over to the source of the noise, and parted the bracken. On the floor, illuminated by what little moonlight shone through, Ben sat - and he was crying.

"Ben?"

The Brummie's head shot up instantly, and a look of fear flashed across it before he realised who it was.

"D-Douglas?"

"Ay laddie, it's me" Douglas glanced at the thorny ground, but sighed and settled himself next to the bee.

Ben stiffened at first, but after a few moments he relaxed, resting his head on his knees and looking exhausted. Douglas watched him, waiting for the bee to say something. To cry some more, to scream, shout. But Ben turned his head away, his shoulders shaking as he tried to contain sobs.

"Benny ... it's late. Ye ought to come back. Yer brother an' Donnie miss ye"
Ben sniffed again.

"It's not that simple ... neither will talk to me again after that ..."

"Of course they will Ben, they're worried about ye"

"That'd be a first" Ben snorted.

"Ah mean it" Douglas reached round and tilted Ben's head by the chin so the Brummie was facing him. Ben darted his eyes to anywhere that wasn't the Scot's; the trees, the floor, the sky.

"Ben ... if ah hadnea have told ye that me an' Donnie were princes, would ye still hate us so?"

Ben kept his gaze on a small pinecone.

"I ... I don't hate you" He stammered, squirming a little in the Scotsman's grip.

"Then why do you act like it?" Douglas' voice was calm and unjudging, but the friendliness made Ben feel even worse.

"Because I don't want to see Bill get hurt again"

"Again?"

Slowly, Ben took his eyes away from the pinecone, and lifted them to meet his friends.

"Again" He gulped, and began to twiddle his thumbs together nervously "We grew up in an orphanage. Whether we're actually orphans we don't know. I seem to remember our parents dropping us off but the memory is so hazy ... perhaps I just thought they were. Our first two years were fine, we had a matron that looked after us, and she'd slip us extra honey on our bread on the side, and she took a particular shine to Bill and me, although somehow I think she favoured Bill more" Ben laughed slightly, but it was strained "He's always been more easy going, even if he takes the lead a lot. Anyway, the matron was quite old and one night she ... took a trip somewhere. She didn't return. The new matron was VILE" The bee's nose screwed up in disgust at the memory "and worse still she had a weasel little son. He used to steal our food and blame any accidents he caused on the orphanage children and the matron believed him"

"Ah can't imagine he was very popular then" Douglas inquired sympathetically.

"Not with most of us no. But for some reason he less obnoxious to Bill. Truth be told I ... at the time I thought he was playing a trick but I think he must have liked him ... like really. Anyway his favouritism didn't go unnoticed, and it turned most of the orphanage against us – including me, who was just as despised by him anyway! And then" Ben shut his eyes, trying to cover a tear that had welled up "One night some of the orphanage kids snuck into our dormitory in the middle of the night. Their ring leader was the matron's son. Turned out she'd beaten him and he'd suddenly changed his mind about favouring Bill. They'd collected mildly offensive weapons – kitchen rollers, that sort of thing. I truly think if I hadn't grabbed Bill and ran ... well I don't know what they would have done" Ben's whole body shook with the memory "Bill was still half asleep, he never knew about it ... but after that we became the bees. We didn't have much choice – it was stealing or starving. But we couldn't live like that forever, we had to escape. I suggested going overseas. Finally, we'd have our freedom, a fresh start, and I'd make sure no one tried to hurt my brother again. T-then you two turn up. Bill falls for Donald and it's the matrons' son all over again. Only this time it won't be bullies turning up will it?"

Douglas allowed the story to wash over him like a rough wave. He could see where Ben was coming from, and if they were found the kings men would be worse than a couple of orphanage kids. But Douglas knew that neither he nor Donald intended to hurt the bees the way those kids had done. But Ben wasn't going to see that until they proved it. And that wouldn't happen until Ben let them all be friends.

"Ben ah can see why ye've been ... protective o' yer brother. If ah were in yer shoes ah reckon ah just be the same" Douglas sighed forlornly "But if ye let us, ah promise me an' Donnie will look after yer brother, not hurt him. We'll look out fer ye too – if ye let us"

Ben considered his friends words for a while, before slowly nodding.

"I'll come back ... a-and try and make it up to Bill and Donald" Pause "Would you really look out for my brother?"

"Fer you too"

"Ah I'm no one important"

"Ben"

"Douglas"

A moment passed between them. Not awkwardly. Playfully. Like they were daring each other to do something. Like their lips were getting closer ...

And then Douglas let go of Ben's chin, and both men stood up. They made their way back together, and Ben began to rehearse his apology in his head. Douglas chuckled and offered to help, so long as he was payed in mulberries. As they neared their tree, Douglas slowed down. So much so that Ben crashed into him.

"What's wrong Do-"

"Shh" The scot frowned. "The fire's gone out ..."

"So?"

"Of course it's quiet, it's the middle of the night, they're probably asleep"

Douglas shook his head.

"They were waiting fer us Benny, they'd nae have just drifted"

"We were quite a while" Ben sighed "Look I'm sure they just dozed off and forgot about the fire. Bill! Donald! I'm back!" The Brummie pushed past the prince into the clearing.

"Ben no-" Douglas began to hiss, but it was too late.

Out of nowhere, two figures sprang forth and wrestled the unsuspecting bee to the ground.

"What the?!" Ben spat out a pile of needles "Unhand me!"

"One of the infamous bees? Oh no" One of the strangers cackled "You've got a sentence ahead of you"

"We're placing you and your brother under arrest"

"Bill!" Ben squirmed harder, but he couldn't fight off the officers, or their handcuffs.

Douglas looked around in a panic, wondering whether to help Ben or find his brother. Unfortunately he didn't have enough time to make a decision, because someone he hadn't spotted suddenly grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out into the clearing.

"Well well, if it isn't Douglas!" A booming voice called out, and the prince's heart sank. "Ah think ye and yer brother have some unfinished business. Less o' this nonsense, we're heading straight up tae the castle"

Douglas looked up into his father's light blue eyes, acknowledging defeat.