Chapter Three

"Don't let me sleep for so long," Sébastien told Remus as they finished the corewons the next morning.

"You needed it." Remus could have awoken him earlier, but the Prince truly did need more rest. He could tell the truth spilling out had reopened wounds and scraped them raw. The wounds had never truly healed to begin with, and he had a feeling the Prince hadn't intended to tell him the truth before.

"You need sleep too." Sébastien tossed the peel of his fruit.

The rest had given him the energy to slam the defenses back into place. He gave Remus a quick look almost like he wanted to say…something. The moment was gone as he got up and headed for the stream to clean his hands and face. When he came back, he crouched by the saddle to reach into the saddlebag.

Remus almost expected him to take the cuffs and put them on again. He wasn't exactly happy with the Prince lying about them although he shouldn't have expected full trust and honesty before. Sébastien pulled out the book and looked at the letters again.

"What if someone had mentioned to Jean that a gift had come even though it was supposed to be kept quiet?" asked Remus. "I mean, what if they thanked him for it? Some people can't keep a secret for two minutes."

Sébastien carefully folded the letter with his Uncle's handwriting before he answered. "If they had, Jean wouldn't have suspected a single thing. He would have thought, ‘How nice of my brother to think of this and send a present that's thoughtful and not too flashy.' He would have toasted like planned and been out of his mind before he could figure out the truth. Let's go."

He was quiet that day as they rode. Remus let him be and rather liked the feel of the Prince against his back and his arms around his torso. He was safe there, and even if he fell asleep or dozed, he'd be alright. If he slipped sideways, Remus could grab his arm and that would wake him.

If only safety wasn't so temporary. It was too hard to predict the future.

***

Remus was damn near ready to see what grass and twigs tasted like on the fourth day. All fruit wasn't much fun.

There wasn't quite enough stuff to forage. Actually, more was likely around, but neither knew much about edible plants one could eat, and they weren't about to risk anything that might make them ill. They'd found a few oranges in poor condition and forced them down the day before. Sébastien clearly hadn't enjoyed the bitterness either. Remus tried to catch fish in the stream with his spare shirt and miserably failed. It seemed his good luck from day one wasn't going to stretch.

Hunting a squirrel or other small critter on foot with only their swords wouldn't work, and trying would be a waste of energy. A snare wouldn't work either since they couldn't wait around for anything to be caught by it.

They found wild fermons on the fourth day, and Sébastien ate the blue fruits. "You should eat some. Is the stomach ache going to kill you? Is it that bad?"

Remus gave a vague shrug. He'd fibbed because the scraggly bushes hadn't held much, and a good deal had been rotten or partially chewed by Elira knew what. The few good ones wouldn't feed two people, and Sébastien had to be hungry too even though he hadn't said anything. Remus didn't like lying. He also hadn't liked hearing Sébastien's stomach growling the night before after their pitiful dinner of nasty oranges and knowing he was hungry even though he hadn't said a word about it. They could get something better tonight since they were so close to Biatano. Breakfast had consisted of air and water for them both.

Sébastien raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting a better answer than a shrug.

"You have to sit behind me," Remus said in a pointed tone.

Sébastien squinted as he slipped a piece of the juicy blue fruit into his mouth.

"Do you want to suffer through my rotten farts all day?"

Sébastien's widening eyes were almost comical. "Oh." He paused. "Are you just saying that?"

Why did he have to be so suspicious and too damn smart?

"Eat your lunch," said Remus. "We can get to Biatano by tonight and have food that's not old fruit. Thank Elira you won't be farted on in the meantime."

Early mornings and late nights without a group to worry about had enabled them to get quite far. Besides the barest necessities, all they had to do was get on the unicorn and ride. They'd been pushing poor Whisper who seemed to know they needed to keep moving. It'd be a relief to get him oats and a nice stall to rest in, and if they stayed in a cheap inn, they'd finally get a break from the ground.

Also, in the city, they could pass mostly unnoticed and hopefully continue to stay ahead of the rest who were surely looking for them.

"Do you think we should take turns staying up in an inn?" Remus asked later as they rode. "I know we've seen nothing so far, and we've been pushing hard to move fast and stay ahead…I don't feel comfortable. Not on Midland soil."

"We should just in case. We also need to think of how we're going to cross and get to Rowland. We can't take a passenger ship. Even if Lord Rochefort is trustworthy, he's obligated to look for me, and we have no idea who else in the group is a snake. They'll ask questions, and if they hear a big guy was with someone close enough to my description got on a ship…The last thing we need is someone getting off in Rowland right behind us."

"Normally, I'd say it's a horrible idea, but I think we need a…dishonest way to get across," said Remus. They couldn't pay a merchant ship to be permitted a ride in case word got out. It needed to be as if they'd vanished even though once the Regent learned of things, he'd guess they'd fled to Rowland.

"We need to steal a little boat of our own," said Sébastien. "One that's small so we can manage it ourselves. I'm not into theft, but the sooner we're away from here, the better."

***

The city almost felt strange after so many small towns, villages, and wilderness. The streets still had people going about their business, unaware that royalty had ridden by on the pretty silver unicorn. The Castle on the edge barely had any lit windows. Overall, the place was peaceful and didn't seem to be on the verge of anarchy. Remus was sure word of the Prince's pleasantness and aid elsewhere had reached Biatano too.

The lord was said to be sickly. He didn't come out much anymore due to his health, and since he mostly left everyone be, the citizens were content to pretend he didn't exist. The few soldiers around had it easy, and those in pairs appeared more interested in talking to each other instead of paying attention to their surroundings.

While they were getting paid to do little, at least Biatano had reached a sort of balance with neither side bothering the other too much.

Whisper stuck out like a sore thumb which couldn't be helped. Remus had been to Biatano before, so he vaguely remembered a few streets. He found a stable so he could purchase oats for Whisper before they stopped at a pawn shop.

They barely had a thing between them, and their clothes were in terrible shape. With Sébastien's money, he grabbed a few items and a couple of old packs they could put on Whisper behind the Prince. They had one shirt in Remus's size and a couple that would fit in the Prince. They were black, simple, and the sort a working man might wear if he couldn't or wouldn't sew.

Afterward, they went to a cheap inn, but not one so cheap that roaches would be sharing the space with them. Remus shooed off the tired stableboy and said only they took care of their mount. Once Whisper was in a stall with feed and water, they headed inside. Sébastien kept his head down until they were up in their room, and Remus went back down to get them dinner.

Technically, dinner was over, so they got some leftover stew that was barely warm. The bread must have been left out, and it likely hadn't been fresh to begin with. The innkeeper didn't mind giving him the rest of it along with some lukewarm taffy tea which was a cheap, non-alcoholic drink.

It wasn't the kind of meal Remus would have enjoyed before since the stew was greasy, and the tea had likely been made with leaves from the day before. Sébastien would have made a face at it in normal times. Neither complained as they packed it down.

"I never had taffy tea before," Sébastien said once he'd finished the cup. "It's…odd."

"A little of the plant makes a lot, so it's more for commoners, and it's also kind of an acquired taste," said Remus. "This was weak. When I was a kid, the cook made good taffy tea with cinnamon, cloves, and hot milk. You should try that sometime."

"Perhaps. We should leave before dawn. We'll ride along the coast because if we want to steal someone's boat, we'll likely find some fishermen out along that way. We can't steal anything right in the city."

A lone boat was easier to take, so Remus nodded. "All right. We should get bread from the bakery to eat tomorrow morning."

He let Sébastien sleep first in the single bed, and since he had nothing to do, he sat under the grimy window to stare into space. The inn grew quiet. Thankfully, he didn't hear guards barging in and demanding to search the place. He'd wondered what the Regent would think when he finally received a letter. Lord Rochefort would have to write at some point.

Corentin would start planning treason charges so he could go that way instead.

***

Remus practically had to drag himself from the bed so they could leave. He couldn't wait until he could have a full night of sleep, and he was sure Sébastien felt the same since he'd stayed up the second half of the night. A nearby bakery wasn't open yet, and after being shown several coins, they allowed Remus to purchase bread and rolls that contained seeds, nuts, and cinnamon. The bread would keep for a while, and they both ate a few buns while they rode Whisper.

Outside of the city, the beaches were peaceful, and they stayed on the grass. To Remus's left, the sandy beach started about fifteen feet away, and it stretched down to the water which was mostly calm with gentle waves rolling in and out.

Riding with the morning growing brighter was an activity a couple might do and made him think about the vague future. If everything was over, their problems were gone in general, and Sébastien could still stand to be around Remus, it'd be nice to do something like a simple ride on the beach or anywhere.

With peace, they could start over and get to know each other without so much outside pressure on them. Their time so far had been stressful for various reasons, and things would be different if they reached safety together.

Those little glimpses Remus had seen of the Prince wouldn't have to be entirely buried at all times, right? If he felt safe, he'd slowly grow more comfortable around Remus.

If it didn't work out…Remus couldn't force it. Still, they could give it a try and see what happened. The option would be there. Sébastien had never said it, but with the kisses and little things, he might feel the same in the back of his head. On his own, it likely wasn't the kind of thing he'd directly broach because it would leave him too open.

"If you wanted, we could do this again in the future provided that things go our way. I mean, spend time without other stuff to worry about. A simple ride would be nice if you wanted to," Remus added so that the Prince wouldn't feel trapped and like he had to do anything with Remus just because they made it through together.

"Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining."

That hadn't exactly been the response he'd been expecting. "Excuse me?"

"Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining," Sébastien repeated slowly with heavy sarcasm.

"I heard you. I didn't suggest it just for shits and giggles, so what's with the comment?"

"Figure it out."

Remus pulled Whisper to a stop and twisted to look over his shoulder. "I said we could go for a ride." For Elira's sake, it wasn't like he'd asked the Prince to marry him.

Sébastien kept his face turned to the ocean. "Let me guess: it'll end with me riding on your dick. You'll go home and forget about me once your balls are empty, and I have no more use."

"I didn't say anything about sex, and not once have I tried to get into your trousers."

"It doesn't mean you don't think about it."

"Okay, yes, but…" Remus would enjoy going to bed with him, but not just to fuck. After what they'd been through and what lay ahead, there'd be a level of intimacy that would make it deeper beyond them draining their balls. "You kissed me."

"So?" demanded Sébastien.

"Are you still worried about what your parents think?"

"No. Can we just fucking go?"

Was that even the real reason? He could see the Prince thinking about his Father's reaction to them growing closer. Still, there had to be more to it, and he'd bet it was because Sébastien still partly wanted to keep his "I don't need anyone" attitude as a defense since he'd spent so long trying to keep himself safe.

"I bet if you actually admitted it, you'd probably like to fuck someday, judging by the way you were kissing me," said Remus. "I think you liked the spanking far more than you're willing to admit."

He looked over his shoulder at Sébastien who slowly turned his head and opened his mouth to speak before seeming to forget whatever he'd planned to say.

"And yes, I'd love to turn your little ass pink and make you cum on my cock afterward," continued Remus. "Or watch you gag on my cock and try to get it all in. I'm not going to pretend I haven't thought about what your lips would feel like on me even though I've said nothing." The Prince's cheeks pinkened at those words. "But that's not why I asked if you'd like to take a unicorn ride in the future. If I mention something like that, it's not just so I can dump a load in one end or the other. Maybe I'd also like to spend time with you without all of this other shit in the way."

If he didn't want to try life with Sébastien, and only wanted to fuck him, he wouldn't suggest the unicorn ride.

The Prince drew up one leg. "I'm done."

"Wait, what-Sébastien-"

He slid down. "Whisper, stay with him."

The unicorn neighed and shifted as if to follow.

"I said to stay with him," Sébastien snapped.

Remus swore and dismounted. Whisper twitched as if to move and paused, unsure of Sébastien's tone. "What the fuck?"

The Prince was already marching through the grass to go back the way they came.

"You're going to just leave us both here and do nothing-"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want something?" Sébastien reached under his shirt to rip off the money belt he'd tied around his waist. "I don't need it. Take the whole fucking thing." He threw it down in the grass, and the coins clinked. "I'm sure you'll find a way to Rowland, and you can do whatever the fuck you want, including finding someone with nice lips to wrap around your dick. My gag reflex was utterly destroyed thanks to Uncle, so if your thing is people choking on your cock, you can look elsewhere."

The words were like a horse's back kick to Remus's stomach. Why had he brought up sex and run his mouth? Fuck. He wanted to kick himself in the ass. Of course, Sébastien wouldn't take it to mean a potential later thing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean I just wanted to fuck you or anything like that. I meant like later if we spent some time together, grew closer, and you trusted me enough."

"Save it."

"I asked for a ride, not to get naked. It doesn't mean we have to have sex right afterward or-"

"Are you that fucking dense?" Sébastien yelled before he turned away.

"I guess I am, so fucking tell me what the problem is? What? Do you secretly view me as some kind of monster who's going to rape you or cum and run? If I just wanted to fuck you, why bother doing anything else with you?"

Sébastien stopped and turned again. "No, Remus, I don't think you're going to rape me. What I think you're going to do is play nice if we're still alive later, and then, after you get in my trousers, you'll run back to Rowland and get on with your life. Why not? I'm used goods and something to try out."

The accusation came like a second kick.

"Did you think I'd forgotten what those men were saying, or that I don't know how they talk about me behind my back?" Sébastien continued. "It's pretty obvious by now that everybody wants something from me at some point, and if it's not money, a favor, or a materialistic thing, it's my ass. Half of the guard sees me as a hole they can't have, so they desperately want it."

Shit. He'd never done anything like two people did in a relationship. He didn't know how to spend time with someone and just be with them. Remus hadn't even quite fully considered that.

"And that's all I've been since I was fourteen!" Sébastien finished in a near scream. "My no might mean something to you, but that doesn't mean I mean anything. I hate being lied to, so don't pretend you want to spend time with me when you're just hoping for a chance to get me on your dick so I can be a special, royal notch on your bedpost."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are! You know what happened to me, so don't stand there and pretend like you don't see me as used goods. I know damn well that's all I'll be in the long run, and nobody wants rubbish permanently in their life. You don't even know about-" Sébastien's chest heaved.

For Elira's sake. The future to him probably meant growing old and alone as the King of Soleil, and there was no better option in his mind.

"I'm not expecting you to forget years of trauma, jump into bed, and fuck me like it's absolutely nothing," said Remus. "I swear to Elira I don't see you as used. What happened to you doesn't make you lesser, and it wasn't your fault. You're not just a pretty face or a body either. I-"

"What makes you so special after a long line of men that want only one thing?"

"How would you even know if any man wanted something else?" Remus threw up his hands. "Maybe they didn't approach you, and they didn't talk to their buddies about how they want to screw you ten ways to Tuesday because they had some decency, and they didn't try getting close because they'd assume you'd reject them. Not everyone is a horny soldier or that shitsack on the throne back in Soleil. I'd like to see if there could be something later, and beyond that, if you got into bed with me, the amount of trust it'd take for you to do that is not something I'd take lightly. It-it'd be like a treasure, not some used item like you see yourself as."

Sébastien stared at him for a moment before he started walking again. Whisper snuck after him since if he had to pick, he'd likely always choose to stay with Sébastien.

"You're still really just going to walk off and try to leave Whisper?"

"He'll be fine with you."

Remus glanced at Whisper who ducked his head as if hurt. "What are you going to do in Biatano by yourself?"

"I can stay at the lord's."

Remus hurried to get alongside him. "While your Uncle can change plans a little to scoop you up so he can kill you? You're just going to walk right into what he wants? This isn't the Sébastien I know who'd fucking give up."

Sébastien stopped in the patchy grass and closed his eyes. "As much as I want the bastard dead, I'm tired. I've always had to be on my guard because I knew he'd eventually move, and it was just a matter of when and if I could survive it. I'm exhausted, and I'm sick and tired of always being angry. Even with him dead, Mother and the rest aren't coming back. I've been alone since she and Enzo died. She would have believed me, and he knew we were closer. Her death and my grief were an opportunity. I don't know about Enzo, but she would have done anything to protect me."

Sébastien had mentioned Jean more than Margot. Remus thought Sébastien had looked up to his Father more and wanted his approval over anyone else, as sons often do. Perhaps her loss with Enzo's had torn deeper in a different way, and that's why he barely mentioned her.

Without her, his safety and the family had unraveled bit by bit.

Whisper paused as Remus came around and gently took the Prince's shoulders. "I think your Father would have listened and not blamed you."

"No, he wouldn't have, and I have to fucking carry this for the rest of my life." Sébastien, with his eyes still closed, looked ready to cry.

Remus gently drew him in and wrapped him in a hug, ready to let go if the Prince lashed out at him or simply refused the action. He didn't, although he didn't return it either.

"I told Remere once after…Uncle was done with me-I just wanted someone to talk to. Remere called me a disgusting liar and didn't speak to me for a week. If he wouldn't listen…"

Remus squeezed him harder, and his chest ached at the confession. To finally turn to someone only to be brutally rebuffed and instantly called a liar. How could he possibly think his little brother would come up with that? For what reason?

That was why Sébastien had denied it and grown so angry with Maxime when he tried to approach and find out the truth. After Remere's rejection, he'd expected the same reaction from Father, and if Remere had heard that Sébastien was telling others…

If Quintus had ever come to him with anything like that, Remus wouldn't have turned away. and left him to crumble or cope under the weight. He couldn't see how anyone could abandon their brother over a matter like that. Sébastien had to live with a family member who viewed him as a foul liar.

"You can always tell me anything," said Remus. "I'm not going to ignore you or do anything like that. You don't have to carry everything on your own. I know you don't believe that, but let me prove it. That's why I want to do other things with you too. I want to simply spend time with you, not…in you."

Sébastien's breathing was already rough, and it hitched as he finally slid his arms around Remus to squeeze back.

"You're also worth more than your body, and you're not just a hole, used, or dirty. I want you to be able to see it and know it. You're worth far more than you think."

He drew back just enough to kiss Sébastien's temple. The Prince still didn't say anything.

"Please don't leave. I'm sorry for what I said. I know I can't fix everything or make it go away, but if you let me, I'll try to make everything all right so we can get through this. I know deep down you don't want to give up and let that bastard win."

"I don't," Sébastien mumbled.

"Then stay. Please."

"All right." The Prince kept his eyes down, and Whisper came over to practically press his head into his while staring at him with one eye.

"He'd miss you too," said Remus. "You're his favorite fairy."

Sébastien reached to stroke Whisper. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry, boy."

Whisper neighed as if to say, "damn right, you're not going anywhere."

"If something ever happens to me, take him," said Sébastien. "I know you'll be good to him."

Remus refused to think of something happening to him when they fought later, and he simply nodded. It also bothered him that Sébastien didn't even see himself as equal to Whisper. He thought Remus would treat the unicorn well and Sébastien like rubbish. That wasn't going to go away too quickly either.

"Do you want to sit for a minute?" asked Remus.

"I'd rather we keep going instead."

His eyes were a little red, although not like with the cuffs. Remus figured he'd start jamming all the pieces back into place so they could continue, and he dared to take the Prince's hand.

"Do you want to tell me anything? Or just talk? I meant that, and I don't care if you wake me up at three in the morning because you want to talk."

The Prince shook his head and gave his hand the faintest of squeezes. "No."

Remus didn't think he'd take it anyway. Not then. "The offer is always there, okay?"

Sébastien gave a faint nod.

Sébastien didn't put his arms around Remus for a while as they rode. He'd accepted the affection, but he was likely still ashamed that the veneer had cracked again to the point where he'd been damn close to giving up.

In his mind, that was surely one of the worst things he could do since it would make him even more vulnerable. Even though Remus wasn't going to take advantage of that to stab at a crack, and some part of the Prince realized that if he'd opened up, showing vulnerability wasn't going to be easy. It was too new and foreign, and while he clearly had some trust for Remus since they'd been together day in and day out, he wasn't quite ready.

Sitting there, trying not to touch, and keeping himself stiff and nonpliant grew tiresome since sitting behind another on a mount is not the same as sitting in a chair. Finally, he put his arms around Remus's middle and settled a bit.

He had the wild impulse to tell the Prince they were leaving, but not for Rowland. Let the Regent and Quintus do whatever. He'd take Sébastien far, far away so the Prince wouldn't have to plot or plan. They'd hide, take new names, and go to a safe place. No war for the throne, no werewolves to convince, and no traitorous family.

He knew Sébastien would say no. His moment of wanting to give up wouldn't stretch that far, and they'd never be truly safe. The Regent would search for him, and they'd live while always looking over their shoulder. Sébastien would never get to simply be with that sort of life while his abuser ran free. It was a wild fit of fantasy because he didn't want Sébastien to have to fight anymore now.

All they could do was keep going, and that meant finding a way out of Midland.

He had hoped to find more fishing huts and boats. In a city, there's usually a fee for a fisherman to dock his boat since he's using it for business. If he lives outside the city, nobody's going to tell him he can't keep his boat there.

Finally, they came upon a rocky area that jutted out into the water. A dock had been built there, and by it, a boat had been moored. Remus eyed the crank to one side where he could see the anchor rope which disappeared into the water.

"I'm no expert at sailing, but I think we can manage that, right?" he asked. "We can get Whisper on there, cut the rope, and make a run for it. Er, I mean sail away fast. You know what I mean."

"Shift Whisper a bit. Maybe you can't see it or my eyes are playing tricks."

Remus moved the mount a little and caught it. In the pale brown rope, something glinted in the sunlight. "Fuck."

Rope with copper wound into it wasn't so easy to slice with a dagger or a sword, and they couldn't force the boat to move with a damn anchor dragging behind it.

The winch likely had a chain locking it in place, and if the handle had been removed, they'd likely never be able to pull the rope up. Or not without three or four men as strong as Remus. The fisherman likely lived in the house he could see ahead, and if they tried sawing away at the rope, he'd come running if he spotted them.

That wasn't the only problem.

"If the fisherman has that kind of rope, I bet his boat has been stolen before, and that's why he sprung for the cost," muttered Sébastien. "I also bet that if we could wind the rope up to a certain point, we'd see that the copper doesn't span the whole length."

"The cost would be too much. The handle has likely been removed, so we won't be able to pull it up. I'm not strong enough to lift an anchor up and into the boat."

"You just need enough to make it damn near impossible for a quick thief to give up and try to find something easier to snatch. One of us could hack at it, but it won't be a quick slash and go."

Remus glanced at the house. "It'll dull a sword to shit too. I don't like the rocks in this area either. We might get a hundred feet and sink ourselves. Should we keep going?"

"No. We'll go to the house. If we force the owner to come with us, he'll guide the ship and ensure we're safe when he has a sword at his neck."

As Remus watched, the front door opened, and a tiny figure stepped out to sit by it. He must have seen them and was waiting to see if they were about to do something stupid. Like stealing his boat.

"If we go on, we don't know what's ahead," said Sébastien. "The sooner we go, the better. I can act sick."

"All right. It'll be easier to get in his house that way instead of trying to bust in which will give him time to ready a weapon."