Chapter 12 #2
“Very practical of you.”
Everand grinned at Hugo. “Sassy.” Hugo’s heart squeezed as it looked like Everand might kiss him again, but he continued his story while tugging up the left sleeve of his uniform.
“It turns out I wasn’t the only prince running from his lessons.
The boy I’d rescued was Prince Lorien of the Elvan High Court.
Considering how infrequently elves have children, they were over the moon that their young prince had been rescued and tended to.
As a thank-you, the king of the elves promised my father three things.
One, so long as the humans abided by the peace between our people, elves would never attack a human.
Second, whenever I went into the woods, I would be safe from any and all fairy folk.
And third,” he paused and held up a wooden tube smaller than his pinky that dangled from a leather bracelet.
“If I ever found myself lost in the woods, I would need only call and someone would lead me home.”
Hugo remained trapped in silent shock. Everand had met an elf. Saved his life, even. There were plenty of legends surrounding the fairy folk and Branem forests, but he didn’t know anyone who’d seen them. He’d always thought they were a silly tale that people told.
He watched breathlessly as Everand lifted the tiny whistle to his lips and blew. A light trilling noise danced and cavorted through the woods, sounding like the song of a tiny bird as it flew between the trees. They waited nearly a full minute before Everand blew the whistle again.
Just as Hugo was wondering if the prince was playing a joke on him, a tiny white wisp poked out from behind a tree on the other side of the meadow. Hugo blinked rapidly. Was he really seeing this?
The wisp danced and twirled through the air toward Everand. As it drew closer, Hugo tried to back up but only landed on his ass.
Everand chuckled and squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. It’s a will-o’-the-wisp.”
“I-I see that. Is it safe?”
When it was close enough to see clearly, Hugo discovered it was still nothing more than a white ball of glowing mist. There were no eyes, no substantial form.
Everand lifted his free hand with his fingers spread, and the little wisp turned an intense shade of lavender as it seemed to thread itself playfully through his fingers.
Hugo could imagine it was like a cat rubbing its sinuous body against a person’s legs.
After greeting Everand, it darted closer to Hugo, hovering right in front of his face, before returning to its bright-white shade and flitting back over to Everand.
“It’s okay. This is my very good friend, Hugo. He’s very kind. Protect him like you protect me.”
The wisp peeked around Everand at Hugo, and Hugo tried to smile reassuringly, or at least tried to look utterly harmless. It must have worked, because the wisp shifted to lavender.
“We need you to lead us to the nearest human village.”
The fae creature zipped away from them, dancing through the air as if it were the happiest thing in all the world.
“I think it wants us to follow it,” Hugo murmured.
Everand nodded and rose. He took Hugo’s hand and helped him to his feet.
Together, they walked for more than two hours through the dark forest with a lavender mist popping in and out from behind trees.
Sometimes the wisp would wander off to chase a rabbit or a mouse, but it would return to make sure they were still on the proper path.
As they walked, they talked about this and that.
Everand told tales of growing up with two younger brothers and adjusting to life in a new, smaller, ramshackle house at the edge of Shaggy Butternut woods.
Even Everand had admonished him not to climb onto the roof to fix it.
Meanwhile, Everand told him about what life was like in the palace and the endless lessons he had to take as a prince. Hugo did not envy him in the slightest.
Their conversation just proved to Hugo even more that the man he’d met in the palace hadn’t been the real Everand.
The man at his side now was thoughtful, intelligent, and introspective.
He was keenly aware of his duty to the kingdom and was willing to do whatever he must to protect his people. While playful, he wasn’t frivolous.
When Hugo finally felt the worn dirt road under his feet again, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The will-o’-the-wisp flew a couple of circles around them and disappeared, leaving them to find their way.
They paused at a crossroads, the bright moon shining on them. From there, Hugo could easily see the lights from the buildings in Buckleford down the left fork. Yet, it was the right fork that would lead him home.
“My home is this way.” Hugo motioned toward the right.
“If you’d like to rest, you’re welcome to stay at my home for a bit.
” He had no idea how he would control his mother’s antics at the sudden presence of the prince.
His only option would be to sneak him into the house.
“We don’t have our own carriage, but we have a horse you could borrow. I would just need some time to saddle—”
Everand cut off his rambling with a kiss that curled Hugo’s toes in his boots.
“You’re sweet,” Everand murmured against his lips as he ended the kiss.
“Or I can walk you to town before I head home. I really should make sure that one of the city guards discovers you,” Hugo offered, earning yet another kiss. “Or we could stand here and do this until the sun rises.”
Everand chuckled deeply. “It’s completely understandable if you reject me, but I would very much like to see you again.”
“As a friend…whom you kiss?”
“Always as a friend,” Everand said with a wistful sigh.
“This day has been a disaster, and yet it feels like the best day of my life. You make me laugh like no one ever has. We’ve talked so much, and still there’s so much I want to tell you.
You make me want…things, but my life is not entirely my own.
I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep. I don’t want to hurt you. Ever.”
This time, Hugo leaned in and quickly kissed Everand, silencing him so he couldn’t say any more heartbreakingly sweet words.
Hugo knew what he’d found with Everand was impossible. All he could do was enjoy the time they had together, and when it was finished, he would cherish the memories.
“I would be happy to see you, but I mean the charming rogue from the woods. Not the lazy lout from lunch.”
The pounding of racing horses drawing closer cut Everand’s laughter off. They both looked toward the town to see a group of riders approaching. Just as they were retreating from the path, they discovered the riders were actually soldiers from the palace.
“Your Highness!” the lead guard gasped as he reined in his steed.
Everand smirked over his shoulder at Hugo. “It appears I’ve found my ride. Would you like me to deliver you home first?”
Hugo retreated a couple of steps, suddenly aware of several sets of eyes locked on him. “Oh, no. It’s a short walk from here. You hurry to the palace. I’m sure the king and queen are worried sick.”
Lines of concern cut across Everand’s face, and it seemed as if he were about to argue, but Hugo backpedaled some more. “Go, Your Highness! I need to sleep for two days and then figure out how to deal with a fox.”
The prince smiled and nodded. “Fine. Go. You’ll hear from me soon enough.”
Hugo hoped that was true. But even if it wasn’t, he’d received enough memories from spending one day with Prince Everand to last him through many years of daydreams.