Ike was up already. It was only 5am in the morning, the sun not yet shining, but there was a lot on his mind, and he wanted to think it over before Marth woke up. The main thought, of course, was Marth's revelation that he was a boy. Marth, not Martha, a prince, not a princess. Of course, when it came to ransom, it didn't matter at all, his mother would still want him back. But Ike felt so sorry for him. It wasn't his fault he knew so little of the world, not his fault that he had never known homophobia, or felt such sharp rejection. He remembered Marth waiting in silence after his revelation, almost cowering, as if he expected Ike to attack him or something. Though Ike hadn't, he gathered that Roy must have done something of the sort, or Marth surely wouldn't have felt so guilty about saying he was a boy. Ike sighed. He had known Roy as a young boy, but they had stopped being friends when Ike admitted he was gay, and ever since he had developed a pet hatred of homophobia. Why should Marth have been put down for just being a boy? Ok, so it was hardly going to be happily ever after as Roy was straight, but did that mean he had to be so downright cruel? Just the thought that he might have fancied this girl that was a guy must have sent him into a panic.

Ike paced the length of the kitchen yet again, trying to work out what to do next. He still wanted to get the money but now he was having qualms as to whether to give Marth up. Marth was going to need some time just to be himself. He'd been hauled around, deceived, and abandoned. He deserved a bit of a break. Ike frowned, unwilling to acknowledge that in his heart, he already knew he could never allow Marth to be re-imprisoned in the tower.

*

Marth woke late, and still sleepy staggered out of bed and downstairs. The bed had been soft and luxurious, and for a long moment he thought he had been back in the tower where it had all started. But no, he was in Ike's house, it was a new day and time for breakfast.

Downstairs, he found Ike already eating, and while he held the spoon in one hand he gestured with the other to where the cereals were and Marth helped himself to some cornflakes. Inside he still felt shaky and insecure, but he managed to eat breakfast without feeling ill, and they both walked through into the lounge and dining room where Marth sat down. He was still wearing the blue dress he had picked out so long ago, and clasped his hands nervously as Ike began to speak.

"I think you ought to change clothes," he started. "I don't own any dresses, so you'll just have to borrow some of my things. Besides, that dress needs mending."

"Um… ok," Marth agreed quietly.

"I'll go grab you some stuff. It might be a bit long, I think I'm taller than you."

Without waiting for a response Ike headed upstairs and returned presently with some clothes. "You can go and change in the bathroom."

A few minutes later Marth came back down the stairs, feeling odd in trousers and a shirt and waistcoat. He looked at Ike anxiously, who just nodded his approval, seeming thoughtful. He wanted to ask if he was still going to be kept hostage, but decided to avoid the subject, afraid of what he might hear. Instead he asked,

"What is gay?"

To his surprise, Ike didn't frown or look disgusted. But then he had said he was gay, so he wouldn't.

"It means I fancy guys rather than girls."

"Oh. Why…" He swallowed. "Why was Roy so disgusted when I told him that you were gay?"

"It's seen as unnatural," Ike replied simply.

"So gay is, um… bad?"

"In some people's opinions." An awkward silence followed. "But never mind that," Ike said eventually. "Come on, let's go shopping."

*

He still wasn't quite sure what had made him do it, but the shopping trip had been a success, Ike thought to himself as he sat in his study later that afternoon. They had bought bracelets and shoes, and some clothes that actually fit Marth. After years of wearing dresses, trousers were a bit strange for him, but Ike found that he could be persuaded to wear trousers if they were baggy enough to almost be skirts.

Right now, Marth would be sitting on the sofa in the part of the lounge directly below his study, and going through the day's shopping. Ike could almost picture his enchanted face as he examined each item in turn, admiring their newness, and enjoying the new experience of shopping in his memory.

He still remembered how only yesterday he had run up that path to Marth, that grieved, lonesome Marth. Where some of the soft femininity he had left him and made him look more like the man he was. Picturing his upset face even now turned Ike's heart. Funny, how if he had looked more feminine, Ike might have been completely disinterested in him, but that day, when Marth had first revealed a harsher, masculine edge of himself, Ike had felt sorry for him, but also for the first time… though of course he had brushed it aside as it was totally inappropriate for that moment… he had felt… Oh no… Ike put a hand on his forehead and shook his head slowly. Oh no…God help him.

He found Marth attractive.

*

Marth had changed into the new pear of baggy grey trousers they had bought that day and a clean blue shirt. It was very kind of Ike to buy him those things, even though he was surely still going to hold him ransom, and eventually send him off back to the tower. He sighed. If only he had been a girl then Roy might have married him and he might have had a perfect life. But he had to be a boy, and now no man would ever want him… And then he suddenly realised something. He had wanted to be saved by a knight all along. A male knight. Which must mean… that he was gay. It means I fancy guys rather than girls. That's what Ike had said. Marth fit that description, which meant he was gay. And then he realised – for another man to love him he would also have to be gay. Which Roy wasn't, it now dawned on him. But what knight was? 'Gay' wasn't a term mentioned in any of the fairy tales he had read. Did that mean there was no fairytale ending for him? Just then Ike appeared in the doorway, more nervous than Marth had ever seen him. What had happened?

"What's wrong?" Marth asked."

"Oh nothing, nothing," Ike replied. But his voice was too high, it sounded forced. And then suddenly he took three large paces and sat down on the sofa next to Marth, and he spoke in a rush, saying, "I'mnotgoingtoholdyouransom."

"What?"

"I…" Ike paused a moment before replying, "I'm not going to hold you ransom."

"You're not?"

"No."

"But…" Marth thought for a moment. "Then what's going to happen to me?"

"I, that is, I realised…" Ike sighed, and there was something tense in his manner than infected Marth instantly.

"What is it?"

"When we were shopping you were so happy." It seemed like he was going to continue, but when he didn't, Marth prompted,

"Yes, it was fun. But what are you saying?"

"And, um…" Ike took a deep breath. "Itmademehappyseeingyouhappy."

"Um…" Ike looked so charming like that, Marth realised, even though he hadn't caught a word of what he'd just said. He looked really sensitive. And he had been really helpful in shopping too, pointing out what suited Marth without being too pushy, always being supportive and giving Marth enough confidence to ask an assistant if they had any of a particular shirt in his size. Marth liked Ike, he realised. And he also realised that only yesterday when Ike had run up that path towards him, looking so concerned for his well-being, he had felt hopeful, but also for the first time… though of course he had brushed it aside as it was totally inappropriate for that moment… he had felt… But he didn't have the words for it.

"I feel strange Ike," he murmured. Then without warning Ike leant towards him, leaning in until his face was only a few centimetres away from Marth's.

"Ike?"

And then Ike bent his neck and brushed his lips gently against Marth's. Then he left them there, without moving, just breathing deeply. After a few moments he began to move away again, but with an odd start Marth suddenly realised that this was what he wanted, and he pushed his lips harder onto Ike's, pleasantly thrilled when he discovered that this was what Ike wanted too. And then Ike put his arms around him and drew him closer, and Marth responded, his hand finding Ike's chest, feeling his heart beating strongly beneath. And he realised he didn't care what happened next, that he was just happy to be in this moment, feeling loved.

*

It turned out that Ike did get the money he had initially craved – by returning to the tower and cutting the rest of Marth's hair down, which he sold to a royal fanatic for a great fortune. With it he bought a homely country manor near the coast, married Marth, and over the years they adopted five children. They also set up a large building to house all manner of unfortunately deformed animals, Marth's suggestion after he found out the true history of his 'unicorn'. As for the original beloved mare, she was named Id, which only Ike ever knew, and thankfully Marth never realised, stood for Inbred Disaster.

And they lived happily ever after.

THE END.