{"id":25538,"date":"2022-05-12T15:32:42","date_gmt":"2022-05-12T21:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aimsreview.aims.edu\/incite\/?p=25538"},"modified":"2023-05-15T11:52:40","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T17:52:40","slug":"your-highness-by-elizabeth-richards-senior","status":"archive","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aimsreview.aims.edu\/incite\/your-highness-by-elizabeth-richards-senior\/","title":{"rendered":"Archived: Your Highness by Elizabeth Richards (Senior)"},"content":{"rendered":"

He jumped down from the bannister, holding back a laugh as the sound of footsteps pounded against the castle floors. He hadn\u2019t been caught yet, and there was no way in hell he was letting the cocky-ass Crown Prince catch him so easily.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patroclus sprinted past the guards at the front door, letting out a loud whoop as the prince yelled for the guards to catch him. The crown he\u2019d stolen -the whole reason for this game of cat and mouse- was tucked away safely in his bag, and with the head-start he had, the guards wouldn\u2019t catch him. Brown curls fell in his face as he scrambled up a tree, hiding in the high branches as the guards passed beneath him, his position in the trees concealed under cover of night.<\/span><\/p>\n

He rested his head against the tree trunk as he caught his breath, the adrenaline pulsing through his veins making his hands shake as he rode out the excitement high. He pulled the crown out of his bag, turning it in his hands as he studied it. He hadn\u2019t held one since he\u2019d been exiled for an accident (his father had always hated him, though, and was only looking for an excuse to get rid of him), which had been almost ten years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPity, it\u2019s such a beautiful crown. I almost feel bad for stealing it.\u201d He scoffed, settling it back in his bag, beside a roll of bandages. He had escaped the castle with minimal injury, thanks to the crown prince being an oblivious and cocky asshole, and not realizing what he was doing until Patroclus was almost out of the room after stealing the crown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the guards passed underneath the tree again, Patroclus waited several heartbeats before carefully climbing down, making his way back to the tent he\u2019d been hiding out in. He\u2019d probably have to consult with one of the thieves\u2019 guilds, find out how much he could get for the crown. Not that they could know who he\u2019d stolen it from, they might turn him in to get a payment, depending on how long it took for the bounty to be sent out.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that could wait. For now, all he needed was some sleep and a meal. Stale bread and water, the best kind of post-robbery meal. (Note the sarcasm.) He curled up under a blanket on the floor of his tent, a smile present on his lips as he thought about how he\u2019d outsmarted the royal family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles was livid. <\/span>How the hell had that street rat gotten into the castle so easily? How had he escaped capture with just as much ease?<\/span><\/i> He tugged at his golden hair, the firelight reflecting it. It was just as much insult to his father\u2019s guards as it was to him. He should\u2019ve seen the scrawny boy when he snuck into his personal chambers, noticed the gangly arms as they reached for the crown his maid had set on the vanity as he had changed into his bedclothes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAchilles, calm down. We\u2019ll have that thief caught in no time, and your crown with him.\u201d His father hadn\u2019t been mad, surprisingly enough. Now he was just sitting at the head of the table, eating as if nothing had happened the night prior.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut he could be selling it right now, and what will come of your reputation \u2014of our reputation\u2014 if it gets out that our guards didn\u2019t catch him, that I didn\u2019t even see him until he was leaving the room?\u201d His father looked at him, an eyebrow raised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you suggesting that we do something else to try and find him? Before news gets out about the crown missing?\u201d Achilles took a minute to think about his father\u2019s question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me try and track him down on my own, Father. I\u2019m trained just as well as any of your men, if not better. Then we don\u2019t risk anyone letting anything slip.\u201d He left out the fact that the thief had made it personal, the witty comment burning in his mind even hours later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, <\/span><\/i>your highness, <\/span>shocked to see me? I honestly thought you were too blind to notice me.\u201d<\/span><\/i> He grit his teeth, the boy\u2019s voice ringing through his ears. The sarcasm dripped from his words, and a cocky grin had crossed his lips, the firelight catching on his brown eyes. He\u2019d dashed out the room, a laugh trailing behind him as Achilles attempted to force his limbs to move and follow the boy.<\/span><\/p>\n

His father sighed, setting his goblet down on the table and steepling his fingers, looking at Achilles over the tips of his fingers. \u201cDo you really think you\u2019ll find him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing to suggest the guards will find him any better than I will. At least on my own I\u2019ll be quieter than a group of fully armored guards.\u201d The king seemed persuaded by his argument, though he wasn\u2019t fully on-board with the idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou could get hurt. We don\u2019t know how much of a threat this thief poses to your safety.\u201d Achilles raised an eyebrow, leaning back into his chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf he wanted the royal bloodline dead, he\u2019d have killed me when he snuck in and I didn\u2019t see him. I think he only wants the crown, likely to sell for money.\u201d From the look of him, Achilles wouldn\u2019t have put it past him to have been exiled from a neighbouring kingdom or something of the like.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like this, Achilles. You could get hurt by someone else, or worse. Is it really worth it just to get a crown?\u201d Achilles slumped back into his chair, bracing his arms against the table as he attempted to control his anger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about the crown, it\u2019s about the impact it will have on our reputation!\u201d His father\u2019s expression didn\u2019t change, making Achilles purse his lips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAchilles, a reputation isn\u2019t worth your life.\u201d Even still, his father looked back and forth from Achilles to the table, and let out yet another sigh. \u201cBut I suppose I can\u2019t stop you, can I?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A pause, then he continued. \u201cPlease, be careful. I don\u2019t need to lose you over a reputation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles\u2019 eyes lit up, his shoulders relaxing with his father\u2019s begrudging approval. \u201cI will be. Thank you, Father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The king nodded, but there was something about the look in his eyes that betrayed the hesitant smile that graced his lips. Achilles, having lost his appetite in his eagerness to catch the crown\u2019s thief, excused himself from the dining area to start preparing for his quest to get the crown back. The king pushed his plate away from him, propping his elbows on the table and hiding his face in his hands. \u201cThat boy is going to be the death of me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Slipping into more common clothes, Achilles strapped a sword to his belt, pulling his hair into a ponytail (much like the ones that the women wore) as he paced around the room in his boots, trying to think about what else he\u2019d need to bring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patroclus woke with a start, beads of sweat on his forehead as he caught his breath. How long had he been asleep? It was at least noon now, the sun high overhead and the heat so intense it was almost suffocating.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh god, I can\u2019t wait until I have the funds to sleep in an inn, and not this tent on the ground.\u201d He stretched, hearing his back pop as he stretched and attempted to massage out some of the knots in his shoulders -either from sleeping on the hard ground or the high-stress situation he barely escaped from last night- as he made a mental plan of how to get away with the crown and not get caught again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor one thing,\u201d he mused in the quiet tent, \u201ca wash-up is probably in order. The king will have guards looking for me, but at least I have a better chance of getting away if I don\u2019t look exactly like I did last night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So he did. He left the tent and went to the nearby stream, where some sheep were drinking from it as he cleaned the dirt from his face and arms and drenched his hair. He then took a knife and started cutting the hair, making it shorter than it had been since he was a prince.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he waited for his hair to dry, he changed his clothes to the last set of fine clothes he still had from his exile, knowing they would be looking for him in his commoner clothes. After he was done, he took a look at himself in the reflection of the crown, and smiled. \u201cI\u2019d like to see them try and find me now. I don\u2019t look much like what the prince saw.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hell, had he been able to look more feminine, he would\u2019ve made himself look like a commoner woman, but unfortunately he was built like the bricks that the castle was made of, so there was a very slim chance that he would pass for a woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

There were many other things he wished he could do to change his appearance, and very little he could actually do to change it. What he\u2019d already done would have to be enough. Packing up what he could carry, he left the tent in the woods, making a mental note to come back later to grab what he\u2019d had to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he slipped into a crowd when he got to the center of town, he caught hushed whispers from some of the people in the crowd. The prince hadn\u2019t been seen all day, and the king said he\u2019d left on a diplomacy matter. <\/span>More like he\u2019s embarrassed and trying to save face for his bloodline. Whatever, at least I don\u2019t have to worry about accidentally running into him here.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

He made his way to the tavern, sitting down at the bar and giving the barmaid a warm smile. Briseis was an old friend, someone he considered close to a sister, not that he\u2019d ever actually gotten to know his siblings, but his affections were the same nonetheless. \u201cYou look like you\u2019ve been busy, Chironides. What have you been up to?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He shrugged, patting his bag. \u201cYou know, doing my job. Any news for me, Brie?\u201d She looked at the other patrons in the tavern, her eyes settling on a blonde woman about the same age as them, her eyes trained on the pair. She had a sword strapped around her waist, and her hair was in a low braid.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOutside of the new customer, whom I\u2019ve never seen? No.\u201d Patroclus hummed, letting his eyes travel over the new woman. She was beautiful, he had to give her that. Almost as beautiful as the prince, although hopefully much less cocky. He smiled at her when they made eye contact, giving a soft wave. Her cheeks flushed red, and she averted her eyes, ducking her head down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe doesn\u2019t seem so bad,\u201d He murmured, turning back to Briseis. She was watching him with an arched brow, a smirk playing on her lips. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, Chironides. In any case, does that mean you\u2019ll be heading down to the docks today?\u201d He nodded. She knew what he\u2019d been planning, and they\u2019d agreed to call the thieves\u2019 guild the docks any time they were in public, just in case.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I need to help them out with some transportation of goods, so I\u2019ll probably be down there all day. Do you need me to pick something up for you, Brie?\u201d She shook her head, wiping down the bar counter. \u201cAlright. I\u2019ll be heading out then. I\u2019ll see you around, Brie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Patroclus pat the bar as he left, whistling a tune to himself as he started for the thieves\u2019 guild, their local one, at least.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles watched the man leave the tavern, his hair shorter than it had been the night prior, but it was most certainly the thief he was here for. He tugged on the end of his braid, which his servant had done when he\u2019d come up with the idea of disguising himself as a commoner woman, before putting gold on the table and leaving the tavern, pursuing the man who\u2019d stolen his crown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cursed skirts, why must you limit my movement so much? <\/span><\/i>He sighed, hiking up his skirts only high enough to walk a moment\u2019s pace away from the scrawny boy who\u2019d stolen his dignity. He turned down an alley, seeing \u2018Chironides\u2019 climb into a sewer grate.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a moment, and wrinkling his nose, Achilles followed him down into the sewers, holding back a groan of disgust as he stepped through the sewage. The thief took a sharp turn, and for a moment, Achilles was worried that he\u2019d been caught, but the other man paid him no attention, continuing wherever he was headed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Voices were echoing from further down in the sewers, and Achilles held his breath as he followed behind \u2018Chironides\u2019, and the crown. <\/span>This is my last chance. I need to get the crown back before he gets to his location.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, you\u2019re going to lose me if you choose to stay behind that corner.\u201d <\/span>Shit.<\/span><\/i> He\u2019d been caught. The man was leaning against the wall, a sly smirk on his lips as he watched Achilles hiding behind the corner he\u2019d just turned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI, uh, I can explain\u2026\u201d He laughed, shaking his head. <\/span>Is it illegal for a laugh to be that lovely? Wait, stop, no.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cNo need. I assumed you\u2019d follow me here, after all, you don\u2019t seem to be from around the kingdom, so you wouldn\u2019t know this is the path to the thieves\u2019 guild. If you don\u2019t want to get lost, I\u2019d suggest you walk a little faster.\u201d Achilles picked up his skirts again, hastening his footsteps as \u2018Chironides\u2019 waited for him to reach his side, and then started walking again. \u201cPardon my asking, but where are you from, if it\u2019s not around here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA small town near the southern port.\u201d It wasn\u2019t a lie \u2014technically. He\u2019d been born there, and his mother gave him to his father when he was barely 2 years old, so he didn\u2019t remember anything except the kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, it sounds beautiful.\u201d His companion smiled at him, and for a moment, Achilles almost forgot why he was so mad at this man in the first place. His smile lit up the sewers, and so had the laugh that he\u2019d been graced with moments before. \u201cSo, does the mysterious woman from a southern port city have a name?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPyra. The barmaid called you Chironides, yes?\u201d A nod, with a small hum in response. \u201cCan I ask why your mother chose such a name?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, a mentor of mine was named Chiron, and she wished to honor him for all the trouble he\u2019d eventually have to put up with.\u201d A joke, cracked to avoid the truth. <\/span>So it\u2019s not his real name? Interesting.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Achilles pointedly turned his attention to the bag, and \u2018Chironides\u2019 followed his gaze, his demeanor changing slightly. \u201cWhat\u2019s in the bag?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, just something I need to bargain a price out with a friend at the guild.\u201d Achilles raised an eyebrow, and he shifted the bag to his other hip. \u201cIn any case, is there a reason you decided to follow me down here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was curious, that\u2019s all. As far as I know, there\u2019s not a dock in town for you to have gone and visited.\u201d Achilles knew for a fact, actually, that the docks were nowhere near town, and that \u2018Chironides\u2019 had been lying to him from the start.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, yeah. You see, thieves\u2019 guilds are, y\u2019know, a tad bit illegal, and while I don\u2019t necessarily sell or buy anything illegal from there, I can\u2019t just be telling the whole town about my habits.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It made enough sense. At least he was trying to use his head, rather than just being a stupid thief. The voices Achilles had heard earlier were now louder, and he grabbed \u2018Chironides\u2019\u2019 arm, trying to make himself smaller.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Pat, you\u2019re just in-\u201d The man who\u2019d greeted them, or more rather the man that was with Achilles, paused, eyeing Achilles intently. \u201cWho the hell is that? You know we have a strict policy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Od, you\u2019re being ridiculous. As long as she stays here, she can\u2019t do any harm. It\u2019s not as if she\u2019s going to tell anyone you\u2019re here. You\u2019ll have moved by the time we leave.\u201d The man, tall and scarred, shook his head, grabbing Achilles\u2019 arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid she\u2019ll have to wait in one of the cells for you, Patroclus. We can\u2019t make any exceptions.\u201d Achilles wrenched his arm from his grasp, pulling out his sword.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKeep your filthy hands off of me.\u201d <\/span>Patroclus, hmm? If that\u2019s his name, well, at least I know it before killing him.<\/span><\/i> Achilles turned to him, opening his mouth to say something before getting interrupted by the man who\u2019d previously grabbed his arm, this time fully restraining him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou brought a guard in here?\u201d Shit, his sword was engraved with the crown emblem. Well fuck, there went his cover. \u201cThat\u2019s it, both of you are going in a cell until we can talk to Agamemnon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He and the other thief, who\u2019d restrained Patroclus, tossed the both of them in a cramped cell. Achilles hit the ground first, letting out a hiss of pain as they carelessly ripped his sword sheath from around his waist. They also took Patroclus\u2019 bag, leaving it hanging on a hook near the door leading to the cells.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell fuck, things really just can\u2019t go my way, now can they?\u201d Patroclus looked over at Achilles, scoffing. \u201cAnd let me guess, you\u2019re the prince in disguise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles scoffed, straightening his back as he slid into a sitting position against the wall of the cell. \u201cIt\u2019s not so much of a disguise when people see right through it, now is it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His eyes went wide, looking at the blonde prince in disbelief. \u201cGod, you really are dense. How did you not figure that out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI-I don\u2019t know, I guess it really didn\u2019t occur to me that you\u2019d be the prince, not for real.\u201d Achilles sighed, letting his shoulders sink as he watched the bag on the hook. \u201cDid you really think that pulling out a sword was the way to get me to not sell your crown?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, but at least I tried to do something, right?\u201d Patroclus didn\u2019t respond, looking down at his hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

God, I\u2019m an idiot.<\/span><\/i> Patroclus looked at Achilles, his blonde hair still pulled back into a braid, and the hem of his dress splattered with mud. It had been a few days now, and it would surprise him if there wasn\u2019t someone out looking for the prince.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles shivered, shrinking further into the corner he\u2019d claimed. \u201cAre you cold?\u201d It was the first thing either of them had really said since the beginning of their imprisonment, and it seemed to take the prince by surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA little. I\u2019ll be fine, not that that\u2019s why you were asking.\u201d Patroclus sighed, shrugging off the leather overshirt he\u2019d been wearing. He offered it to Achilles, who stared at it in confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith all due respect, your highness, I\u2019d rather not have you die from the cold. I might not be your biggest fan, but if I\u2019d wanted you dead, I\u2019d have killed you by now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles scoffed, shaking his head. Patroclus sighed, giving the other man an irritated look. \u201cUntil you can prove you could\u2019ve killed me by now, I refuse to do anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Is that what it\u2019s going to take to get you to take the fucking overshirt? Fine then, I\u2019ll show you I could\u2019ve killed you days ago.<\/span><\/i> Patroclus draped the overshirt over one of the bars of the cell, before turning back to the prince and tackling him, a dagger that had been in his boot now in his hand and pressed against Achilles\u2019 throat.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were so close now that Patroclus could feel Achilles\u2019 breath against his lips, feel his racing pulse beneath his knuckles and the warmth of his body pressed against Patroclus\u2019 chest, even if he was cold. Achilles\u2019 blue eyes were wide, and his breathing was quick, surprised by the sudden attack. \u201cIs that good enough proof?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles swallowed hard, licking his lips before nodding. Patroclus let out a self-satisfied hum, removing the dagger from his throat and getting off of him before offering him a hand up. Achilles accepted it, and then grabbed his other hand, snatching the dagger from it. He shoved Patroclus\u2019 legs out from beneath him \u2014forcing him into a kneeling position, and held the tip of the dagger up underneath Patroclus\u2019 chin, tilting it up to look him in the eyes. \u201cFor the record, thief boy, this is far more intimidating, and also much more like how you handle a dagger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He then tossed it in the air for a moment, catching it by the blade and tucking it into the band of Patroclus\u2019 pants before grabbing the overshirt that was draped over the cell bar, and pulling it on. He seemed much more content than he\u2019d been since they got locked up. \u201cThank you, Patroclus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing his name fall from the prince\u2019s lips definitely didn\u2019t make him go weak in the knees, no, what are you talking about? Patroclus wasn\u2019t replaying the scene of his own dagger being used to tilt his head up to look the prince in the eyes either, you\u2019re crazy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome. I really am sorry, I didn\u2019t mean for most of this to happen.\u201d Achilles let out a laugh, looking at Patroclus over his shoulder. \u201cReally! All I wanted was to sell the crown to maybe get to Olympia, but that was it! I didn\u2019t want you to get stuck in a cell, or even get hurt.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen why bother stealing anything in the first place, why don\u2019t you just get a job?\u201d Patroclus winced, rubbing the back of his neck.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, that\u2019s…that\u2019s a little complicated.\u201d Achilles motioned for him to continue, and he really had nothing better to do, so\u2026 \u201cI may or may not be incapable of working here, because I was exiled from a neighbouring kingdom for an accident? And that accident may have been fatal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you accidentally kill someone?\u201d Patroclus groaned, burying his face in his hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re an idiot and accidentally shove them into hitting their head on a rock?\u201d Achilles nodded, running his fingers along the hem of the overshirt\u2019s sleeves. \u201cGah, anyway, I\u2019m sorry. I really didn\u2019t mean for you to get dragged into this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine, Patroclus. I was the idiot who overreacted anyway. I got us into this mess in the first place.\u201d Was it weird to find someone who\u2019d probably been planning on killing you extremely attractive, especially because they were wearing your shirt, and it fell past their hands, and they messed with the extra fabric that went past their fingertips? That\u2019s totally normal, right?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019s a way we can fix this without anyone getting hurt, right?\u201d Achilles shrugged, pulling the braid out of his hair and redoing it. \u201cWe can lie, say you stole the sword from your brother, who is a guard, and snuck off. Or…something like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey haven\u2019t even spoken to us since they threw us in here, and have only visited us to give us food and clean out the waste bucket.\u201d Patroclus hummed, running his hands through his steadily growing brown hair.<\/span><\/p>\n

As they were theorizing a way to get out of the cell without pissing off the thieves\u2019 guild, the door opened, and they both turned to find Briseis standing in the doorway, the worry on her face immediately being replaced with relief. \u201cThere you two are. Pyra, why did you follow him down here, I told you it was a bad idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Odysseus was standing behind her, watching their interaction carefully. \u201cSo she isn\u2019t a guard?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, \u2018Dysseus, she isn\u2019t a guard. She\u2019s just stubborn, and stole a guard\u2019s sword. Can we please let them out now?\u201d He sighed, pulling the keys out of his pocket and unlocking the cell door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, next time, will one of you just say something? Agamemnon wasn\u2019t super happy with the news, especially when the prince has apparently gone missing, and there are search parties looking for him.\u201d Patroclus mumbled an apology as he and Achilles left the cell, Briseis awaiting them with open arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget your bag. My apologies, m\u2019lady, but I\u2019m afraid we\u2019ll be keeping the sword.\u201d Achilles let out a laugh, higher pitched than his normal speaking voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it will keep me from getting stuck in another cell, I won\u2019t object.\u201d Briseis pulled Achilles into a hug, while Patroclus grabbed his bag from the wall, taking a quick peek inside to ensure the crown was still there.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was, and Odysseus still hadn\u2019t seen it, so he closed it again, letting it rest on his right hip. \u201cThank you, Odysseus, I hope this won\u2019t affect our relationship the next time I come by.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as your lady friend doesn\u2019t have a guard\u2019s sword on her next time? I think we\u2019ll be on much better terms.\u201d And they were on their way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles savored the fresh air as soon as they stepped back into the alleyway he\u2019d followed Patroclus into days before. Patroclus smiled, and it lit up the alleyway the same way it had lit up the sewer, and again in the cell when he\u2019d proven himself capable of killing Achilles yet restraining himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles could still feel the weight of Patroclus straddling his waist, the pressure of his forearm against his shoulder as the dagger pressed into his skin, smell the wood that clung to the clothing he wore, even the overshirt Achilles was still wearing. He could close his eyes and still see the look in Patroclus\u2019 face when he tilted his chin up with the dagger, the way his wide brown eyes reflected the light.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I suppose I should give you this back.\u201d Patroclus\u2019 voice broke through Achilles\u2019 thoughts, and he turned to find something wrapped in bandages. His slender fingers wrapped around the object, and he found it to be his crown. \u201cI suppose this is the last I\u2019ll be seeing of you, Your Highness. You should hurry on, before a search party finds us and your cover\u2019s blown.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Achilles wrapped his hand around Patroclus\u2019 wrist. \u201cI\u2019m sure my father would love to meet the man who saved me, and helped me get my crown back. We\u2019ll just leave out the part where you stole it from me in the first place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Patroclus laughed, and Achilles reminded himself to always make the man laugh like that, no matter what it took.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

He jumped down from the bannister, holding back a laugh as the sound of footsteps pounded against the castle floors. He hadn\u2019t been caught yet, and there was no way in hell he was letting the cocky-ass Crown Prince catch him so easily. Patroclus sprinted past the guards at the front door, letting out a… <\/p>\n

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