William reached the prince, his chest swelling with joy. "Your Highness, what are you doing here?"
"I was waiting for you." The prince pushed himself away from the wall and kissed him on the lips. "Can I sleep beside you? I promise I won't wear you out, I just want to hold you."
"We were supposed to keep our distance. Have you forgotten?"
"No, but by now it doesn't make much sense. I mean, we've already slept together. We even went on a romantic date."
"I wouldn't call it romantic."
"I liked it," he said softly. " It was… nice."
William blushed and crossed his arms over his chest. "All right, I'll sleep beside you, but in your room. And no sex—I'm still sore from before."
The prince laughed and kissed him again, this time on the temple. "Deal."
William followed him to his chambers and, once there, his eyes were drawn to the book the merchant had given the prince.
"It really is a valuable text."
"You can keep it."
William spun around and blushed when he saw him shirtless. "You're already undressing?"
The prince pulled off his trousers, remaining completely naked. "Is that a problem?"
"No, I—"
He dropped his gaze between the prince's legs, and heat rushed up to his cheeks. By the spirits, why was he reacting like such a prude?
"Will? Are you looking at something interesting?"
"No!" He jerked his eyes back to the prince's face: he was grinning in that charming yet mischievous way of his. "Besides, why should I be the one to keep your book? The merchant gave it to you."
"Are you changing the subject?"
"It's your fault, you're distracting me."
The prince stepped closer and caressed his neck. "You're doing that to yourself, my grumpy raven."
"That's not true! You're the one with a weapon between your legs."
The prince laughed, and William shot him a glare.
"You can't deny it's quite impressive."
"It seems normal to me."
"That's because you're not the one who has to endure it. My backside still hurts from before, and every time, I don't understand how you manage to get in without hurting me."
"If you put it that way, I'll have to take care of you."
The prince lifted him by the hips and set him down on the bed. He leaned over him, and William flushed all the way to his ears.
"Your Highness, you're not going to—"
"No. I promised you we'd sleep, and that's what we'll do." He lay down beside him and wrapped him in his arms. "Anyway, it's a gift. The book, I mean. You'll appreciate it more than I will."
"Your Highness, I can't accept it. It's too precious for me."
The prince sighed. "All right, then I'll give it to you another time. Tomorrow, before we leave the city, we'll stop by your parents' place so you can say goodbye."
"Thank you."
"Anything for my raven."
He kissed the back of William's hand, and William curled up against his chest, wishing that this could be his normal life.
The next day, Alex and William left Lenz and headed back to Adesten, the capital. William felt a twinge of sadness—he would have liked to spend more time in his hometown—but duties at court called them both.
They took their leave of Lord Florian and the Duchess right after breakfast, then the prince accompanied him into the city to say goodbye to his family.
Noah clung to him for so long that William feared he would never make him let go. His little brother didn't want him to go, but there was nothing William could do to stay.
"I'll write to you as soon as I arrive at the palace," he told him.
"Ugh, but I hate reading!"
"You'll have to learn if you want us to stay in touch."
Noah puffed out his cheeks and sulked.
His father pulled William into a hug. "Try not to get yourself into trouble."
"I won't, Father."
"And try to eat a bit more. You're too thin, son."
"I'll try."
When it was time to say goodbye to his mother, she frowned and cast a quick glance at the prince, who was waiting in the carriage.
"I don't like him," she told him in Xianese. "You shouldn't do this."
"You don't know him, Mother. You can't judge him."
"Princes and emperors aren't all that different."
William frowned, unable to understand what she meant. "He's a good person, Mother. You should trust me more."
"You're her child, and I know it—you'll repeat the same mistakes your mother made."
She bowed slightly, her hands gently clasped before her chest, her gaze low. No hug, only a formal farewell. She was angry and offended, and William couldn't help feeling hurt.
He returned the bow and climbed into the carriage, leaving behind his old neighborhood and the city where he had grown up.
For a while, they both remained silent.
"Are you sad?" the prince asked at one point.
"No. I'm just a little melancholy. I'll miss Lenz."
"I'm sorry."
William gave him a faint smile. "You shouldn't be. I'm happy living at the royal palace."
"Even without your family?"
"You're there, and I have a purpose. It's not my home yet, but it's a place I like living in."
The prince smiled, his face lighting up. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I was afraid you'd never settle in."
"I can't say I love the court, but there are people who make me feel less alone."
"I hope that sooner or later you'll come to feel it as a second home."
William studied him for a moment, then reached out and caressed his hand. "I'm sure it will happen, if I have you by my side."
The prince raised an eyebrow, then a mischievous smile curved his lips. "Are you trying to seduce me?"
"I just wanted to be kind."
"You were more than kind—you were very romantic." He pulled him into his arms. "And you make me want to bite you."
The prince leaned over him and traced his neck with his lips.
"Your Highness, this isn't the time for—"
A moan slipped from his lips, and William flushed. The prince looked at him with a brazen smile.
"Did I hear wrong, or was that a moan?"
"You heard wrong."
"And yet it sounded very much like a moan to me. The kind you make when you want me to keep going."
"I am absolutely not asking you to have sex!"
The prince placed a hand on his lower back. "Oh, really?"
"Your Highness, we've been doing it ever since we left the capital. I'm starting to feel a bit worn out."
"Did I hurt you?"
"I just feel sore."
"We can do something else, if you want." The prince's eyes shone with delight; if he'd had a tail, William was certain he would have been wagging it.
"For example?"
"I could use my mouth. Or my hands."
William looked away, embarrassed. "No, thank you."
"Then you can take charge." The prince pulled aside a flap of his jacket and bared his neck. "I know you like this body."
"Don't be shameless."
"I don't believe you're immune to my charm!"
"Of course I'm not," William murmured, his cheeks burning. "You know that too."
The prince smirked, wrapped his arms around William's hips, and fell back onto the seat. William was pulled forward and braced against the carriage window.
"W-what are you doing?" he stammered.
"I like it when you're on top of me." His Highness took his wrist and kissed his knuckles, then sucked on his thumb, never breaking eye contact. "And I like it when you take control of me."
William pressed his lips together and pulled his fingers away from the prince's mouth.
"If you like it that much, I'll indulge you, Your Highness."
"Really?"
"Of course. When we're back at the royal palace."
"What? That's not fair, Will!"
William flashed a sharp smile. "That'll teach you not to let me finish."
The prince pouted. "I can't believe you're still angry about that punishment."
"I don't forget easily, Your Highness."
"But you have to admit you deserved it."
"Perhaps."
"Can I at least have a kiss?"
William sighed. "Just one. A small one. And then nothing until we're back home."
"I'll take it."
That evening they stopped at the same inn they'd stayed on the way out. The prince drank with his men, while William watched him from the sidelines.
His Highness was like the sun—warm and radiant, capable of lighting up the entire room. As king, he would without a doubt bring an era of stability to the kingdom. Provided politics didn't corrupt him.
They spent the night together, wrapped in each other's arms, and the next day they set off again. They would arrive in the early afternoon, to William's great relief; he was starting to find it difficult to resist the prince's quiet sensuality.
"Wiiilliam!"
William lifted his head from the book he was trying to read and shot the prince an annoyed look. "What do you wish?"
"Will you read me something naughty?"
"I didn't bring any erotic novels with me."
"But the one I bought you certainly was."
William blushed. "Do we really have to?"
"Don't you feel like it?"
"It's not… that."
He sighed and closed the book. The truth was that he did feel like it—far too much. Being so close to him in the cramped space of a carriage stripped away all his defenses. And it embarrassed him to admit how strong his desire was.
Better to change the topic.
"Your Highness, what do you love most about me?"
The prince raised an eyebrow, then grew thoughtful. "Your intelligence, and the way you outmatch others."
"Not my beauty?"
"I like it very much, Will, but it's not what I love most. I know I seem superficial, but I don't fall in love with pretty faces alone. I might sleep with them—more than once—but that's where it ends."
"I don't think you're superficial."
"Well, thank you. What do you like about me?"
William blushed and looked away. "I think… the way I feel when I'm with you. Do you remember the first time we shared a bed?"
"Of course I remember. We were at Astya."
"That night, next to you, I felt safe for the first time in a long while. I thought I wouldn't get a wink of sleep, that I'd have a panic attack being so close to another man, and instead I slept well. And I realized that with you I could let myself go."
"That's a very beautiful thing, Will. I'm glad to be your safe harbor."
"You're much more than that, Your Highness. With you I found myself again, and your presence is helping me heal. You saved me on the edge of the abyss and showed me the path back."
For a moment the prince seemed deeply moved, and William took his hand.
"Do you understand now that you can save people?"
"I… I know it sounds foolish, but I always have this feeling of not being good enough. I look at my father and see only what I could never be."
"You're not like him, that's true, but that doesn't make you any less fit to rule. You have to find your own way. Your path."
"I'm too idealistic. Naive and impulsive. I know the time will come when I'll have to make choices that will hurt me. And I'm afraid of losing myself."
He laced his fingers with William's and kissed the back of his hand.
"But having you beside me makes me believe that maybe, with your help, I can be a good king. You make up for my flaws. With you, I feel whole."
"Your Highness, I—"
The prince kissed him. "I am yours, Will. Now and always. With everything I am."