The young prince held back a gasp when James reached for the mansion doors and opened them. The place was huge. "Welcome to my second home, love." James murmured and stepped inside, taking a deep breath and letting out a very satisfied sigh. "Hello? Anybody?" He called and soon a young woman with long black hair were visible at the top of the stairs.
"Captain Diamond!" She squealed excitedly and ran down the stairs to greet the brunet. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheeks. "Oh, it's been so long!" She said and eyed the brunet. "You haven't changed one bit." She said.
James gave her a soft smile. "I am a new man, Lucy." James said lowly. "And you yourself have grown into a beautiful young woman." He said and the girl blushed deeply. "Last time I saw you you were a mere child. How is the others? And your father?"
"F-Father is in his home. He's doing just fine." Lucy said shyly and squirmed a bit in the spot. James chuckled and turned to Kendall and pulled him closer.
"Lucy, I would like you to meet Kendall." He said and pecked on the prince's temple. Kendall blushed and smiled shyly at the girl in front of them. He waved a bit and Lucy eyed him with wide eyes.
Kendall gulped a bit. "'Tis very nice to meet you." Kendall said and bowed his head a bit, not wanting to seem rude to the girl who were obviously close with James. Lucy nodded slowly and eyed him again.
Then she smiled and curtsied. "Nice to meet you too." She said softly. "Welcome to the mansion, sir."
"It's 'your majesty', Lucy." James corrected her and the girl turned red and quickly apologized for her mistake. "We now have a royal guest and he will be treated like one." James said and Kendall realized that Lucy was not only James' friend but also a servant.
"Of course, Captain." She said. "I'll make sure everyone knows." She assured and James smiled at her. "I'll prepare a room for our guest."
James stopped her when she turned to scurry away. "There is no need for that. He will be staying together with me." He said and Lucy's eyes darkened. "Now, if you'd excuse us, we're in a dire need of some rest." He continued and turned to the blond. "This way." He murmured softly and gestured for Kendall to follow. The young prince nodded hesitantly and hurried after the captain and was offered an arm to hold while they walked. "Do not mind her, she has always been the jealous kind." The brunet said when Kendall glanced after the dark haired girl. "Her family have been servants under mine for many generations."
Kendall nodded slowly and pouted his lips. "You have watched her grow." He said and James gave a chuckle.
"I have watched this entire island grow old, love." He said. "I have been here many times during my years but never for longer periods of time. Months at most." He explained and walked up the large stairs to towards the second floor.
The young prince nodded thoughtfully and then turned to look up at the walls of the mansion that was filled with various paintings, all of them were of James but in different clothes and postures. There were banners hanging from the walls as well, red ones with a chests embroidered on them. "Are they all of you?" Kendall asked and nodded up at the paintings and the pirate nodded slowly.
"Ar." He hummed. "Though they aren't there for self admiration." He continued. "I am not that vain." He chuckled and tightened his grip on the prince's arm. "My unusually long lifespan is a secret to everyone and in this lifetime you are the only one who knows." James said and Kendall blushed. "These are meant to be my children, though I have none."
"Have you not?" Kendall asked. "Surely, there must be." He muttered and the brunet looked down at him with a smirk, meaning he knew what the blond was implying.
He gave a low laugh. "Oh, there should be, wouldn't it." He murmured. "But no. The gift of living forever was given to me yet the gift of creating life was taken from my grasp. I am cursed to be alone for the rest of eternity." He sighed and Kendall frowned, taking his James' hand and kissing it.
He looked up at the pirate and smiled lovingly. "You will never be alone anymore, my love. For I shall be with you."
Although the promise, James highly doubted that his green eyes lover would be with him for as long as he'd promised. Not only because of his own curse and the prince's seemingly normal aging but also because fate was a mysterious thing and he wasn't the only one who wanted to get their hands on the prince. "I promise you, dear." James whispered. "You will not have to live a day without me."
The two exchanged loving glances and then continued on to the largest room in the mansion. A room with a balcony and a view out over the island. The sun had almost set and the small town down in the valley was lit up by various lights and torches. Kendall gave a pleased sigh and leaned against the stone railing of the balcony and smiled to himself.
"'Tis a beautiful place. A marvelous secret in a great big world." He cooed and James nodded his head. The pirate lingered out on the balcony while the young prince went back into the room to have a closer look on the room he was to stay in for the time coming.
The room was large with a crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling and velvet fabric hung down over the canopy bed. Golden candle holders adorned the red walls and the various tables in the room and gave off both light and warmth.
His eyes wandered from portrait to portrait but one of them kept his attention and he studied it intently. It was of a family of three. A small child – merely a toddler – held by a beautiful woman with short brown hair and dark eyes and by her side stood a man dressed in a red robe decorated with golden linings and on the top of his head rested a crown lined by jewels.
"J-James..." Kendall breathed and stared up at the painting. The brunet sauntered over to him and smiled tiredly. Kendall gulped and turned to his lover. "A-... Are you royalty?" He asked and the pirate sighed.
"I am no more." he said. "I am the last in line for the throne my father once held." He mumbled and seemed to be thinking back. "Though the kingdom is since long lost the blood still runs through my veins and there is no point in denying it."
The young prince stared up at the pirate and blinked his eyes confusedly. "You used to be royalty." He breathed and the brunet nodded. "What happened?" he asked curiously and James sat down in one of the chairs by the large fireplace.
"Invasion followed by insurrection and revolt amongst the people." He sighed and smothered one of his hands over his face. "I was a child at the time, barely twelve years old, when the land was invaded and taken over. I managed to flee with my mother but my father stayed behind to try and defend the land and reclaim the throne only to be executed... The people on this island is the families of those who were still loyal to our family." he mumbled silently and Kendall frowned, sitting down by the pirate's feet and looking up at him with sad, green eyes.
"That is horrible." He whispered and soothingly ran his hand over James' thigh. "What horrible men." He said and furrowed his eyebrows.
The pirate captain gave a dark, throaty laugh and shook his head, looking away from the prince that once again was bewildered by his lovers actions. "Horrible men indeed. Men that does not even respect their own blood." James sighed and Kendall pouted. "The Red Empire is no more." James murmured and ran his hands through the prince's hair.
"Red Empire..." Kendall sighed. "Where have I heard that before?"
"You used to live there, love." James said softly. "But it hasn't been red for many, many years..." he sighed and allowed himself to finally frown. The young prince shot up from the floor to console him. "Fate has had a cruel tale written out for me." James sighed. "I was seeking revenge for my family but found what would become my life instead."
"R-Revenge?" Kendall whined.
"Ar, love." The brunet sighed. "When I heard about the birth of a son in the Blue Kingdom I immediately started making plans for you. You are the first son to be born into the royal family." He explained while still letting his fingers play with his lover's hair. "You were the kingdom's pride and I knew that if they lost you they'd surely fall into a despair... never one equal to mine but a darkness none the less."
Kendall gulped and shook his head. "Y-... You were going to kill me. Were you not?" He asked silently, looking away.
James nodded and wrapped his arms around him. "I was." He confirmed. "It was my intention to invade the fortress and leave you there, dead for everyone to see... but when I saw you... I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
"You could have gotten your revenge..." The prince whimpered and fisted the pirate's coat in his hands.
James nodded. "But I would never have known what it would be like to live a life in light." Kendall gulped and let his tears fall once mote, striping his cheeks with silver. "You are the light in my darkness. A beacon of hope in a hopeless world."
The blond nodded and they kissed, staying wrapped up in each other until the sun was since long gone and replaced by a silver colored moon.
Linelineline
"Welcome to... well... it isn't much but I call it home, sometimes." Carlos said and Logan nodded slowly and looked around in the small house. "I've never been once to live in fancy mansions or large estates so I settle with the simplicity of a roof over my poor head."
Logan nodded. "'Tis more than enough for me." he said. "It is a home." The latino smiled happily and got to lighting a fire in the small fireplace and then sat back in one of the chairs by the table. Logan had a seat and sighed a bit. "What is this place, you were all greeted like friends."
Carlos nodded. "On this island we are." He said. "It's here some of us have families, friends or homes. It's a sanctuary for us. A place to escape to." He murmured and the raven haired boy nodded. "I figured you wouldn't want to stay with a stranger and I'm sorry if you consider me one."
"Not at all." Logan was quick to say. "I do not consider you a stranger since you are one of the few who show me compassion and kindness. If anything you are a friend." He said and the latino smiled again. "If there is anything I can do to help out, please, do not hesitate to ask me." he added and Carlos nodded.
"You are a guest in this house so there is no need for you to work." He assured. "Um... If you'd like I'll show you were you can sleep." he continued and got up. "You must be as tired as I am." He chuckled and gestured for the raven haired boy to follow him into a smaller room that had four small beds in it. "Pick a bed and feel at home."
"I have never been at home anywhere so I wouldn't know how to." Logan mumbled but seated himself on one of the beds.
Carlos took another bed and laid down on it. "Then consider this your home, you are free to do as you please in here." He said. "And tomorrow, I'll show you around on the island. I happen to know a great place down on the west side of the island with a great view." He said and Logan smiled to himself.
"I look forward to that."
linelineline
Kendall walked silently through the mansion, looking around at the various paintings, decorations and the family seals. James used to be a royalty before his family was killed and driven away from their land. Killed and driven away by his ancestors. Kendall felt guilt gnawing at him.
"Your majesty." Lucy greeted him and he flinched a bit, startled by her sudden appearance.
"Oh, g-good day, L-Lucy." He said and bowed his head.
The young girl eyed him curiously, playing his marks extra attention before putting on a sweet smile. "I hate to be rude and ask of things that are not my business... but you and the captain seem awfully close." She said and Jonathan nodded hesitantly. "And you are not like anyone I have ever seen him with."
The blond gulped and shook his head. "I-I too wonder why he holds me so dear." He managed to get out. "You would not happen to know a way out of here?" he then asked. Lucy smiled again and nodded. "I am not running away, I just-... I need to clear my head and have a walk."
"Of course I do." She said. "There is not a room in this house that I do not know of." She said smugly and Kendall smiled shyly. "I'll show you out if you wish." The girl offered and the young prince nodded and followed her. "It would be easiest for you to slip out through the back door. There is a lovely trail leading through the forest, the perfect road if you are in the need of a walk."
The blond thanked her and was lead to a small and almost unnoticeable door in the kitchen which the servant girl unlocked and opened for him. "Thank you, it was very kind of you." Kendall said softly. "And please... if the captain asks for me, tell him that I need some time for myself."
Lucy nodded. "Most definitely, your majesty." She said and the prince stepped out of the mansions and walked out into the bright forest.
The servant girl closed the door again and then strolled back into the main hall, humming and singing silently as she cleaned up the house for its master. It didn't take long before the pirate captain came descending down the grand stairs with a soft smile on his lips.
He greeted Lucy a good morning and she smiled happily and pleaded him to tell her about his travels and his adventures and James promised he'd do so before disappearing out of sight for a brief moment before coming back, looking rather puzzled.
"Say, Lucy." He said. "You haven't seen Kendall anywhere?" he asked and the dark haired girl blinked her brown eyes a few times.
"Who?" She asked.
"The prince." The brunet said and Lucy nodded her head and nibbled a bit on her bottom lip, pretending to think.
"I haven't seen him today, Captain Diamond." She said and smiled innocently. "Perhaps he's somewhere on the second floor?" She suggested. "I haven't seen him since he left with you last night." She said and James nodded slowly.
He hummed a bit and looked very troubled, not very glad to be separated from his lover and slightly worried to where he could be. "When you see him would you please tell him that I'd like to see him?" He asked and Lucy nodded her head.
"Most definitely, sir." She said and James once more disappeared out of sight, probably to look for his beloved blond. Lucy scowled at the broom she held and angrily continued to sweep the floors and huffing out a big breath, muttering out her anger towards the prince.
Updating again?! Yes I am!
Do you like it? :)
I have news. This story. Will. Be. Ending. Soon. *hides behind notepad* DON'T KILLMEE!
But for real though, there's only a few more chapters. There will be 29 chapters in total. The last chapter will be kind of long so... yeah.
As always I really hope that you enjoy the story and thank you so much for reading :) I really appreciate it :)
Thank you!
oxox Hannah