The marks on Kendall's body lit up and his eyes sparked up with light. The king watched from his bed when the room was lit up by the prince and the pure power coming from him made various papers fly off the tables and the candles to blow out.
Kendall stretched his arms out on each side of his body and pulled his right hand closer to his chest and closed his eyes. He rolled his head and swirled around in some kind of dance.
"Son..." His father breathed. "Son, stop. You're not meant for this..." He said. "Son."
Outside the room James was getting rather restless and paced back and forth until he heard the commotion inside and pressed his ear against the door to listen closer. He could hear muffled voices and he decided to go inside.
He managed to get the door open only to be met by a whirlwind of papers and sparks. "Kendall, stop it." The king said and gave throaty cough.
"Kendall!" James shouted and hurried over to the blond and grabbed him by his arms. "Kendall, stop it!" He ordered and the young prince gave a shaky breath and returned back to normal. "What are you thinking?!" James yelled and looked Kendall in the eyes.
The blond started to tremble and gulped. "Let me do it, James!" He cried. "I cannot let him die! Let me do it! Please!" He shouted and burst out crying and hit the brunet on the chest. James quickly pulled him into a hug.
"You can't do things like that. You need to go easy on yourself!" He scolded and Kendall frowned and quickly wrapped his arms around James neck.
"I-I'm sorry, James." He whined and sobbed. "I'm so sorry... p-please don't be angry with me. Please." He begged and the brunet shook his head. "I-I just... I-I want to help." Kendall said and James looked down at him.
"Pirate, hm?" The king muttered from the bed and James turned to look at the bedridden king. "You are the one who took my son away from me in the first place." The king stated.
"Your majesty." James greeted warily and Kendall's grip on him tightened.
Both the king and the pirate turned to look at the young prince. "Father... forgive me." Kendall managed to get out between sobs and whimper. "He did not capture me, he... he freed me, Father." He said. "He showed me... freedom and who I am." The king laid silently and glanced between the pirate and his son. "He has been keeping me safe ever since I left here. James is keeping me safe a-and... I-I love him."
The king nodded slowly. "And... are you happy?" He asked.
"I am so happy, father." Kendall said and knelt by the bed again. "I have never been this happy in my entire life." He said and grabbed a hold of his father's hand. "I'm sorry I left you, father. I should have gone back. I shouldn't have left."
"Kendall..." James breathed.
"This is all my fault." Kendall cried and his father pulled him into a hug.
The king soothingly ran his hands through the prince's golden blond hair and Kendall cried silently into his shoulder. "'Tis not your fault, son." The king cooed. "You have simply been... unlucky." He said and gave a shaky breath. "You were born with power, strength and luck, Kendall... but you have always been destined to give all of those things away. You have always been destined to surrender yourself for the sake of the many."
"Why me?"
"Because, son... it is your fate." The king said. "But you were also born with courage, happiness and hope. You are a light in the dark, my son and it is your duty to help those in need." He said.
Kendall gave a weak chuckle and looked up. "I will try my best." He said and glanced over at James. "I will surely try my best."
"I am weak, son." The king mumbled and the young prince turned back to look at him. "I am weak and old. I grew sick when you left me but it strengthens me to know that you came back for me." He said and squeezed Kendall's hand. "I am proud of you."
"But I ran off... with a pirate on top of that, father. How can you be proud over a son who was too selfish to see that there's greater things on the line?" Kendall asked.
The king gave a weak laugh and Kendall gave him a confused look. "Because, Kendall... You managed to do what I never had the courage to do." He said and tugged at his shirt and revealed a green diamond shaped mark over his heart. It was pale and nearly invisible but Kendall saw it. "You are brave, my son... and you have given me the power I needed to go through with this. Do not worry about me or your sister... we will manage."
Kendall nodded and gave his father another hug. "I love you, father." He whined.
"I love you too, son." The king said. "Save your strength and be ready." He said.
"Ready for what?" Kendall asked.
"For your life, Kendall." The king said. "Now go, before they know that you are here. Don't look back, Kendall, because the past does not always justify the present."
A little confused Kendall furrowed his eyebrows and James tugged at his sleeve. "The guards are on their way." He whispered and Kendall nodded. "We have to leave." He said and took the prince's hand in his.
The blond reluctantly followed him and the two hid when three guards ran by and up the stairs to the king's bedroom. Kendall and James got out of the fortress and made their way back down to the docks.
James noticed that the prince was distant and silent. Something that wasn't that usual of him. The handsome brunet gave his hand a soft squeeze and Kendall looked up at him. "Are you alright?" James asked softly. The blond shook his head and James frowned when the he looked away but decided to leave it at that. The pair got back into the boat and rowed back to the ship where Kendall was pretty quick to lock himself up in the captain's cabin and James let him.
"What happened?" Carlos asked curiously when James sighed. "Is the king dead?"
"No." James replied. "But it won't be long until he is..." He mumbled and glanced over at the cabin doors. "He's not taking it very well." He said lowly and shook his head. "He was given some news to melt."
The latino nodded a bit and shifted where he stood. "News like what?" He asked and James looked down at him with sad eyes.
"News about himself and perhaps some clues about his powers." James sighed and glanced over at the former servant – who had so far only lingered in the background – and then looked back at Carlos. "How is he doing?"
"Readjusting, captain. Weighed down by guilt but I figure it'll pass soon." He said and smiled slightly. "Say, does all fortress boys hold on to guilt or is it only the ones we stumble upon?" He asked with a chuckled.
James gave a small smile and ruffled Carlos' jet black hair. "You're yourself I see, Carlos." He chuckled lowly. "Now allow me to go and tend to mine while you see to yours." He said turned to leave. Carlos sputtered a bit and glared at him.
"Mine?" He asked.
"I've seen the glances you throw him. Fight for it and perhaps they will be returned." James suggested lowly and then disappeared into the captain's cabin and found his prince curled up in the bed with his face buried under a pile of soft pillows and sheets. "Kendall? Are you alright?" James asked softly and sat by the prince's side.
The blond shook his head and sniffled a little looking up at the brunet and wiping his eyes. "I am not." He said.
James gave a small sigh and a sad look and pulled the blond into his lap. "Oh, love..." He sighed. "Tell me what to do to make you stop weeping. You cry tears that glistens like stars but I'd give you all the stars in the sky if you would stop crying and give me a smile." He said and stoked his hand over Kendall's damp cheeks.
"I am a monster, James." Kendall mumbled. "I am a monster by blood and soul." He sighed and shook his head. "Nothing I do is human, James... I cannot even cry normal tears..." He said and wiped his eyes, glaring down at his silver stained hand.
"You are no monster." James said. "Stop seeing yourself as one because you are not one." He said. "I love you, Kendall. I love you more than I've ever loved anything or anyone before you." James said and kissed the top of Kendall's hair.
"Tell it to me again..." Kendall pleaded. "Tell me that I am not a monster." He sighed, tucking his head in under James' chin and breathing calmly for a bit. James wrapped his arms around the blond and closed his eyes.
He opened them shortly after and shifted a bit. "My love, you are certainly not a monster. If anything you are the only blessing I've been granted in any of my lives." James said. "You're an angel, a god and a wish come true for me. For every time I lay my eyes on you, I fall for you and for everyday that passes your beauty is multiplying. You truly are the greatest adventure of my life and you never cease to surprise me."
Kendall gulped a bit and smiled shyly. "Oh, James... how mere words can comfort me so..." He sighed and looked up at the brunet. "My heart is racing and my chest is aching for you." He said softly. "I want nothing but to spend eternity with you and you only." Kendall said and James smiled at him.
"Eternity wouldn't be long enough." James murmured and leaned down and kissed the prince. Kendall gave a silent whimper and cupped James' face in his hands.
"Make love to me, James." he breathed out, his eyes closed and lips still pressed against James. "Make love to me and promise me that you will never let me go." He said and wrapped his arms around the pirate captain's neck.
James nodded and carefully laid the young blond down. "Never. I will never let you go. You will be mine until the end of time." He breathed and a few silver tears ran down the prince's cheeks when James kissed him again.
Linelineline
"Where are we heading?" Logan asked curiously and looked at the island they were sailing towards. "Are we stopping?"
"Ar." Carlos said and smiled softly. "We're taking refuge here for a while." He said and nodded over to the island. "It's a secret place, you won't find it on any map." He explained.
Logan looked confused and glanced at the latino from the corner of his eye. "Then how do you know how to find it?" he asked and Carlos gave a soft chuckle and Logan flinched when there was steps heard behind him. He turned around and the pirate captain looked down at him.
"Because." James said lowly. "You'll only find it if you know it by heart." He said.
Logan gulped and nodded nervously, keeping his head low when James walked away and seemed to be observing his crew as they prepared to dock. It was quite obvious that James knew this place by heart, as he had said since he'd gaze with warm eyes on the island they were approaching.
Kendall looked curious and leaned far over the railing to be able to get a real good look at the island and the mansion hidden behind a sparse forest. He looked up when James came walking. "What is this place?" He asked and James smiled up at the island, seemingly not very interested in the blond all of a sudden.
"Home." James sighed and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and smiling to himself. Kendall blinked his eyes and looked up at the brunet.
"Your home?" he asked silently. "James... t-this is..."
James turned to him and smiled. "It once belonged to my father. I inherited long ago and always make some time to go here." he murmured. "It has become a refuge for my crew and I." He explained and the young prince nodded. "It is a sanctuary for us."
"'Tis beautiful." Kendall breathed. James nodded absently and leaned on the railing a bit and gave a sigh. Kendall watched him silently and wondered what went through the brunet's head. Nostalgic memories? Was it pleasant ones or perhaps mournful memories. The pirate looked thoughtful yet peaceful at the same time so Kendall could only hope that his face matched his mind.
James pushed himself off the railing and turned back to his crew, ordering them to take care of the loot and then go ahead and rest up and enjoy themselves in the small town on the island but warned them of causing any trouble.
Strangely his crew promised to behave and once they docked James grabbed a gentle hold of the young prince and smiled at him when he motioned for him to leave the ship. The blond nodded and hugged the brunet's arm and followed him.
There were people on the docks – quite a lot of them – and they greeted James when he walked passed them. They bowed their heads or smiled softly at him. Kendall was puzzled. "Come on." James cooed into his ear and the young prince shuddered and nodded. He could see Woodland run to greet a woman and kiss her while Ty waved happily to a gang of boys his own age. The pirate captain smiled again and walked by the people on the docks and continued on up to the mansion on top of the largest hill of the island.
So maybe, just maybe, have I gotten the stories going somewhat smoothly again. Cool, huh?
I hope you guys are enjoying the story and thank you so much for reading! Thank you :)
oxox Hannah