Butterfly Prince Page 7

  The King had an affair with the historian…that was his secret.

  His thoughts depart from him and he turns the water back on to rinse the soap away until each glass was sparkling clean. He wipes his wrist across his forehead and heaves a heavy sigh. He pondered for a while if the queen knew that her husband was sleeping with a much younger woman. If their son—Kael—knew as well. What would happen to their fragile family if secrets were to suddenly come to light? Janus knew that the burning wasn’t as accidental as the King and Queen had made it seem, it was all too…planned. Except they didn’t account for one thing and that was Kael being with Skye. The Prince came out unscathed—alive—but his memory was missing, he was starting with what Janus thought to be a blank slate. Sickeningly, Janus wondered if the King had thought this all through. Hoping his son would lose his memory of the woman whom he had an affair with, that woman being Skye. He pauses in front of the staircase and cocks his head to the side. Is the king really that maniacal? He questions and then he remembers that yes—the king was a sick bastard—a silent man that meticulously planned his days. Janus clenches his fist before trudging up the stairs.

  Francis was sitting on the floor doing toe-touches according to Kai’s orders. “Before you can dance you have to stretch.” Francis groans. “I know that.” The phone was on speaker and was placed behind him on his bed, Kai’s voice was right beside his ear. “I’ve done all the stretches.” Francis exhales, tying his bangs up apple style (his bangs would normally be swept up like a palm tree on his head) before bouncing up onto his feet. “Really? Good boy, I should give you a treat.” Kai teases, Francis laughs loudly, his head swinging back. “Right, right. I’m so obedient.” Kai’s end goes silent and then his voice resurfaces in a whisper. “Are you ready to dance with me, Francis?” Francis grins to himself. “Always ready.” He rolls his neck, turns on his stereo and plays one of his recently favorited dubstep singles. Kai can hear the music and his lips curl into a smile, he places his phone on speaker.

  Both Micah and Aiden snap their heads around to stare at the twenty-one year old bodyguard in training. “What the hell is that?” Micah questions. Kai chuckles. “We’re dancing.” Both men raise an eyebrow and look to each other confused. “This isn’t a dance studio, Kai.” Aiden says somewhat sternly. Kai only shrugs. “I know that, but I can shoot two apples with a single bullet here. I can train and then I can dance with Francis.” Kai had muted the mic on his phone so his friend wouldn’t be able to hear the details of his conversation with the two other bodyguards. Francis didn’t know that his best-friend was training to protect the prince. Micah tilts his head to one of the backrooms. “Dance in there.” Is all he says before doing attack counts for Aiden. “Punch—duck—and punch again, make sure you…” Kai takes his phone off speaker, unmutes his mic and says. “Hey, Francis?”

  “Yeah?” He was slightly breathless. “Can we restart?” Francis gasps, wiping the sweat off his neck with the hem of his shirt. “I was kind of busy…” Kai says, slipping into the room, a pair of dark eyes were following after him. Those eyes belonged to Gene. “What? You must have been busy sucking someone off or something.” Kai’s eyes widen and he feigns shock. “Wow, such vulgarity.” Francis half scoffs, half laughs lowering the volume on the stereo. He scratches his stomach and sits on the edge of his bed.

  Kai flicks the light on in the room and a yellow glow floods the vacant space. “We can dance another time.” Francis says pulling out his hair tie; his bangs fall into his eyes. “Why?”

  “You said you’re busy.” Kai laughs. “As though that would stop you.” Francis nods. “This is true.” He could hear footsteps creaking up the wooden stairs, it was probably Janus coming to check on him. “But we can meet after our lessons tomorrow and—” Francis cuts him off with a loud sigh. “The moment’s ruined Kai, you’ll have to seduce me with your jazz hands another time.” Francis jokes as the footsteps stop just outside of his room door. Kai’s boisterous laugh shakes Francis’s ears. His friends laugh has always been on the rather unique side, laughing silently and high-pitched like a strangled hyena. “Fine, fine, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kai finally says.

  “Gotcha, bye.” Francis hangs up just as his room door is opened. A foot slips between the crack of the door, an arm and finally a head. His eyes light up at seeing his cousin standing there, her hair was hidden by a red beanie and her cheeks were flushed red. “What brings you here?” he asks rising up and embracing her. She smiles and flashes a V-sign. “Janus called to tell me to keep an eye on you.”

  “We’re around the same age.” She waves his words off. “Mentally I’m thirty-five.”

  “So you’re saying you’re a middle aged woman?” He cracks, she swats his shoulder. “But I thought you had a date?” She sighs, dropping her bag onto the floor. “He cancelled on me.” Francis’s eyes widen. “Aiden cancelled on you?” She nods. “He said he wanted to…help Kael become better familiarized with the campus.”

  “It’s been a couple of weeks, the guy should already know the place.” She laughs nervously. “He’s just being a good friend….” She drops to the floor, beckoning Francis to sit beside her and so he does. “I never understood why you started dating him.” Francis picks at the carpet fibers on the floor. “Was it out of pity because he lost his sister? Was it because you knew he needed someone and you were there so you…” He trails off, scratching the carpet with his nails. She’s silent. “Jenna…what’s wrong?” She doesn’t speak for a moment, she tears her beanie off and finally says. “I just feel like something’s off…ever since Kael showed up.” Francis’s throat constricts. He knew who Kael was, but he couldn’t tell Jenna that, it would cause so many problems; Janus could lose his job, Francis would be held accountable for revealing the Prince’s identity…they could get shipped off to a foreign country or worse…killed. Francis shivers and Jenna peers at him curiously. “Something wrong?” He shakes his head. “Just got a sudden chill.” Fate must have been playing with them, dangling them from a string and watching from afar as hell opened up to swallow them whole. Aiden is dating Jenna who is Francis’s cousin and Francis who is Janus’s brother, is Kai’s best friend and Francis knows that Kael is the prince, the prince that Aiden believes is responsible for killing his sister, the prince Aiden yearns to kill. Fate was laughing manically like a witch, its head thrown back in laughter.

  “But…Aiden’s starting to change, the way he acts around Kael, the way he’s beginning to look at him. Just the other day I saw something in his eyes.” She grips the beanie in her hands, Francis grins, taking her wrist and shaking her hand. “You don’t have to worry, if your boyfriend’s gay at least you found out now rather than later.” Her gaze snaps up and she glares at him. “Wow, you’re such a good support to me, Francie.” He shrugs, eyes closed cockily. “I know, I know.” She leans into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. “And to answer your question…” She pauses. “I originally did start dating him out of pity—he needed someone to rely on—then…my feelings started to change.” Francis keeps his gaze focused ahead, his eyes baring a hole into the pastel painted wall. “I really do love him…” She says wistfully, her eyes closing. Francis places his hand to the top of her head and smooths down her gently tossed hair. “I know you do.” He murmurs.

  …..

  “Okay, you have to behave, you can’t go running around and I can’t let you see the Prince either.” Janus says to an eight year old Francis. The young boy wore his shirt tucked into his shorts and his hair was slicked back. Janus had to make sure his appearance was appropriate before appearing in front of the king and queen. Francis nods, his eyes bouncing around the hall in awe. The castle was huge to Francis, the walls looming over him and the carpet was an endless runway. He was eager to run down the velvet fabric and tear into each and every room, without a care for whomever was in tem. “Can I go now? I want to go.” He yanks forward on Janus’s arm tugging him farther into the castle. Janus sighs. “What did I tell you?” H
e drops to his knees now eye level with Francis. “Since Jenna can’t watch you today you came with me, but,” He emphasizes the ‘but’ with a stern squint of his eyes. “If you can’t behave I’ll send you to a daycare.” Francis instantly straightens up, his hands placed stiffly at his sides. “I’ll behave.” He says, Janus rises up with a smile. He reaches towards Francis’s head to ruffle his hair, but then remembers the struggle he went through to make him sit still in the salon chair—and decides otherwise. He grips Francis’s hand tightly as they walk down the hall. It took some gentle coaxing to make the queen say yes so he could bring his brother to the castle, the king was a little bit stricter, but eventually he gave in and allowed Francis to come as long as Janus didn’t leave the eight year old alone with the Prince or to see the Prince at all. They stop in front of a single bedroom where a bookshelf leaned against one wall, the floor was littered with books, some open, and some closed. “This is my room.” Janus says. “You are to stay in here until I come back for you, okay?” Francis nods, dropping Janus’s hand and stepping into the room. The window immediately drew his attention; there was a bird carved into the glass and it was painted with an array of muted colors. “I won’t be long.” Janus says, but Francis knew better than to trust his words. He waves his older brother off and takes off to the bed. Janus runs a hand through his hair and slowly backs away. Skye was busy with Kael so that took care of Francis seeing or being with the prince. Janus would just have to trust that Francis wouldn’t leave the bedroom.

  Francis bounces on the bed, enjoying the way the mattress molded into his body. He stares up at the ceiling, his gaze flicking along the gems on the chandelier. This prince lived in such an exquisite place he thought. Their parents died when they were younger; their mother died during child birth as she gave birth to Francis and their father passed away a few months ago. Francis wasn’t as emotional when he lost his mother because he didn’t know her—she was like a stranger. But when his father passed away it became tougher on the both of them. Anyone could guess that Francis was just a little envious of the prince.

  “He has everything….” He murmurs, rolling off of the bed and bounding towards the door when he heard voices echo down the hall. “What’s your brother like?” A young boy’s voice. “You really want to know about him?” A woman’s voice. “Yeah, whenever you mention him, you get this excited look in your eyes.” Skye laughs softly, covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. “Well…he’s a bit of an idiot.” Kael’s eyes expand curiously. Francis peaks through the door, their footsteps were nearing. “How so?”

  “Hmm, he thinks he knows everything when he really doesn’t.” Skye looks down into his eyes with a crooked grin. Francis watches as they near, closer and closer until they’re passing him. Kael doesn’t notice Francis at first, but then he looks back and their eyes lock. Francis stares at the prince—he was expecting to see a man wearing a crown and expensive clothes, but all he saw was a little boy—his gaze follows after Kael. He’d never forget the Prince, even if he only saw him in passing, he’d never forget his face—the scar above his eyebrow, the shape of his eyes and the boyish grin he wore. This Prince…is just like me? He ponders this for a moment before lying on the bed and falling to sleep.

  ….

  Francis was still petting Jenna’s head, she was beginning to doze off. “This Kael guy can’t be all that…” Francis says softly, Jenna replies with a muffled laugh. “I saw him too and he’s not all that good looking.” She outright laughs at this. “You’re lying now, Minnie.” Francis shrugs, he was lying, Kael had an aura of innocence and mystery. A secluded Prince cut off from the world and now suddenly he’s a part of it…of course people would be drawn to him even without knowing his past or who he is…they’re still drawn to him because he’s that single puzzle piece one would stare at in awe trying to configure where it belongs. “I saw Janus when I came in here.” Jenna says rising to her feet.

  “Yeah, did he stop you again about something I’ve done?” Francis questions, standing up and stretching. She shakes her head, slipping her beanie back on. “He just said he’s sorry that he can’t be home as much as he would like to.” She steps towards the door. “I’ll spend the week over here, okay?” Francis nods dazedly. “Be good for your brother, Francis.”

  “I will, I will.” She stares at him, he laughs shooing her off. “I’ll be fine, just go, and call your boyfriend or something.” She laughs bitterly. “Maybe I’ll call him.”

  “You should snatch him away from Kael—the guy’s not gay is he?” She shrugs. “Dunno. I’m still studying psych; we’re only going over how the mind handles trauma.” Francis nods not really interested in her university course.

  “Let me know when you reach homosexuality.” He pauses to think for a moment. “If you uncover that Kael really is gay, you might wanna split him and Aiden up for a while.” Jenna walks out of his room with a hearty laugh.

  Starting to Fall

  “You really didn’t have to walk me again...” Kael says quietly as he and Aiden walk the campus halls. Their classes had ended and almost everyone else had gone home except for them two. Aiden slaps a hand to Kael’s back. “I thought you needed a little more touring and you texted me anyways,” Aiden shrugs. “How was I supposed to ignore such a desperate cry for help?” Kael flashes him an oh-really look. Aiden laughs louder, his phone vibrating in his pocket, but he didn’t hear it or rather…he ignored it. He lags behind Kael, watching as he walks ahead with curious eyes. “There’s so many places I haven’t been to before…” Kael murmurs suddenly, Aiden strides to catch up to him, he falls into step beside him. “Oh yeah?” He questions, Kael nods. “Where have you been?” Kael’s shoulders raise up before sinking down. “Not many places…”

  “Let me rephrase that question,” They stop walking, Kael looks down into Aiden’s eyes; the sun was setting, and the sky was a glowing yellow pool behind them. “Where do you want to go?” Kael’s eyes twinkle gleefully and Aiden smiles only slightly because the hopeful expression Kael wore was puzzlingly adorable. He nearly has a heart attack at his thoughts. Another man…adorable…he tears his gaze away from Kael and takes a step back. Not only did he cancel on Jenna to show Kael around, he was starting to enjoy his time with the brunette more and more. And Kael was simply intriguing; Aiden was risking his time with Jenna to find out more about Kael and to see him laugh. His laugh is loud and contagious and…wonderful. Aiden shoves a hand roughly through his hair and curses. This isn’t right… “Would you show me around town one day?” Kael asks softly, stepping forward and looking down into Aiden’s eyes. Aiden shrinks back, his brown eyes shaking. “W-what?”

  “Show me around, ya know; good places to eat and relax.” It takes a moment for the words to register, Aiden’s brain is whirring and his nose is tingling from Kael’s cologne, his heart is doing jumping jacks because Kael is just a little too close. “Sure, I’ll take you anywhere you wanna go.” Kael’s entire expression lights up and he moves to hug Aiden, embracing him tightly.

  “W-woah there!” Aiden exclaims, his cheeks unexpectedly warming. “Aren’t you just a little touchy for someone who comes across cold?” Aiden says as Kael pulls away.

  “That’s why I hugged you, it’s easier for me to express myself with my body than with words…” He trails off before adding an abrupt. “I guess.” Like he didn’t know for himself. Aiden chuckles nervously, patting his cheeks and feeling how warm they were. Please god tell me I’m not blushing. He wished to get hugged by Kael and someone must have been listening because look at what just happened?! The hug was too quick for Aiden to really feel or smell anything, but Kael’s body was solid and broad, unlike Jenna’s petite figure he hugged almost daily. “So you speak with your body?” Aiden teases promiscuously. Kael rolls his eyes. “Really? You’re that type of guy.” The brunette questions blandly. Aiden laughs walking ahead of Kael.

  “I’m not any type of guy, just Aiden.” Kael stares after him, his heart fluttering. “Right,
right, you’re only Aiden.” He mutters, catching up to the ashen haired male and smiling when their eyes meet. Their shoes click against the tile floor; they take each hall step by step; Aiden tours Kael slowly. He points out small things that Kael didn’t really have to know or find about the campus. Every now and then he’d crack a joke just to see Kael’s dimples indent his cheeks. Or he’d say something lame about how much he loved Jenna and Kael would roll his eyes. Aiden hoped that the brunette was jealous, although he couldn’t pinpoint as to why he wanted Kael to be. As they reach the exit doors of the campus Aiden grips Kael by his arm, holding him back. Kael glances over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. “What is it?” Aiden stares into his eyes and then looks to the ground. He releases his arm and runs a hand through his hair, he was suddenly feeling shy. “What the fuck…” he breathes, his fingers resting in his ashen hair. “Aiden? Did we miss something?” Kael asks adjusting his bag on his shoulder, his eyes kept flicking back to the doorway. “I could show you a place or two today…it’s not that late.” Aiden murmurs, his brown eyes looking up nervously. Kael’s expression melds into befuddled surprise. “Today? Like right now?” Aiden nods. “Yeah, I mean, I get to learn more about you…” His eyes widen and he hurries to add. “As a friend! Cause that’s all we are; two guys can only be—we’re only friends.” Kael blinks once and then twice and then he’s laughing, his head swinging back, mouth agape.

  “What else were we going to be?” Kael questions with a teasing smile. “You have Jenna and she’s a beautiful young woman.” He says warmly before turning away, Aiden’s expression dims at his words.