Unfortunate Realities (Semi-Advanced)

He watched with interest as she drew the girl's reaction, and a slight blush darkened his dirt-stained cheeks. Carefully, he redrew the boy, standing there looking a bit stunned but still immensely happy. His hands were clasped in front of him, and there was a small smile on his face as he regarded the girl. Benjamin lifted his hand from the dust and looked over at Enna's drawing again. He much preferred hers to his - he had never been much good at drawing, and a chain attached to his wrist didn't help his ability - but he still enjoyed this activity. It was better than just laying in the straw.

He nodded, holding her close for a moment, then reached out and traced a single word in the dust. 'Escape?' It was he first time he had dared to write the word. Benjamin had been slowly coming up with a possible plan, but e wanted to see what she thought before he presented his idea. If she had something good, he would go along with it - his plan was a bit too risky for his liking, and there were too many things that could go wrong with it.

Seeing that she didn't seem to have a plan, he added, 'I have an idea. Not the best, but possible.' Benjamin took a deep breath, glanced over toward her for a sign of approval, then continued to write. 'I give up - not really, but pretend - I am freed. I gather what is needed, then when stronger come up, knock out guard, let you out, we leave. Thoughts?' It was a very rough plan, and he knew that too many things could go wrong, so he didn't particularly like it. Still, they had been in the tower for about two weeks. It was time that they actually began to plan something.

He nodded, holding her close for a moment before carefully smoothing over all their words with his hand. He left the drawing, as sort of a reminder that he had been there, and that he would come back for her. Benjamin carefully traced two words in the dust. 'I promise.' That was all he dared say, and yet it spoke of more than he had space to write. It was a promise that he would not give in, that he would come back, that he would not let her be hurt, that they would get away safely. The guards would come and bring him to the king the next day, he knew, and then he could put his plan into action. They wouldn't need much for the journey - unbeknownst to both Enna and the guards, there were coins sewn into some of his clothes, something that his parents had often done in case of some disaster, although he doubted they could have foreseen something of this magnitude. Before he could stop to think it through, he gently took her hand in his own and lifted it to his lips, brushing it against them for a moment in the gesture that his parents had always taught him should be used as a sign of respect and affection for a lady. He didn't know who Enna's parents had been, but she was every bit a lady in his eyes.

Benjamin nodded once again, holding her close and letting her rest her head against him. He knew that the next time the guards came for him he would be separated from her for a while, and he could not help but worry about what would happen to her. He had no real way of exacting revenge on then should they hurt her - he has never had reason to kill anyone, and frankly did not want to do such a thing - so he could only hope that she would be alright up in the tower alone. As he held her, rocking back and forth slightly to help calm and relax them both, he decided on one thing for certain. When the guards came to take him away, he would leave her his cloak. Without him there to share a blanket with, she would need everything she could to stay warm.

He had not expected her to kiss his cheek, and for a moment he stayed quite still, frozen in shock. Then, a faint blush spread across his face, and he smiled down at her, wondering how they could possibly have become this close in only two weeks or so. What he did know was that he would miss her every moment that he was gone. There was a part of Benjamin that wanted to say that he wouldn't go through with the plan, that they could just stay in the tower for as long as they were allowed to, just stay and talk and draw in the dust and be together. Still, he knew that it would be impossible. Sooner or later, the king would figure out that he cared for Enna, and then they would use her as leverage. He could not allow that.

For a moment, a thought occurred to him. What if he was used as leverage against her, rather than the other way around? He wasn't sure what they would want with her, but she hadn't known her parents - perhaps they had been important. For all he knew, they were equal in rank. The idea didn't make much of a difference in his mind - they were both in the same situation, so he had seen her as an equal, for what being equal was worth in such a place. He did not try to communicate this thought to her. There was no need, and it would only make her worry. Instead he slowly moved back toward their pile of straw, not sure where else to go.

As she unfastened something from about her neck, he unclasped his cloak from around his. He let her give her gift first - as was only polite - but the sight of it filled him with no small amount of awe. Where had she gotten such a necklace? When she had fastened it about his neck, he carefully swept the cloak around her shoulders, gently closing the clasp. To him, it was many things it once. It was a symbol of what once had been, a sign that he would return for her no matter what, a sign that he truly did care about her. It was more to him than just a simple garment. When he had given it to her, he let her snuggle up to him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, unable to cope with the thought that he might not see her again.

Somehow, he fell asleep, holding her close to him. He hadn't thought that he would be able to do this, but somehow he managed, and when morning came he found himself waking early. Benjamin spent a few moments laying still, enjoying the warmth he shared with Enna, but eventually began to prepare himself for what lay ahead. It would be hard for both of them to be separated, but he knew it was necessary. As he heard the faint sound of the guard inserting a key into the lock, he slowly pulled away from the girl, tucking the cloak around her to keep her warm and letting his lips gently brush her forehead. He wasn't sure if she was awake yet, but as the guard came in he was forced to move away from her. Benjamin was unchained and led out of the room to see the king once again.

The meeting went rather well. He held out for a few minutes, then seemed to cave, succumbing to the king's will and giving up. The king seemed pleased enough, and the prince was taken to a small room near the kitchen, given a set of new clothes and a basin filed with cool water, and told to make himself presentable. As soon as the door was closed, he began to wash, both himself and his hair, and when he was reasonably clean he dressed in his new clothes, keeping the necklace he had been given tucked into his top so it could not be seen. Benjamin tied his hair back with a clean, soft ribbon, then sat on the edge of the cot in the corner of the room, waiting.

(I would second that suspicion - Stonebriar has not replied in quite some time, and I think s/he may have abandoned this thread. Do you still want to make that character? If not, I'll probably timeskip a week or so. If so, I'll respond accordingly. :) )

For about an hour he was allowed to sit and wait. A small breakfast was brought to him, and he ate it obediently, although before he did he automatically split it in half and looked over, expecting to see Enna and give her half the food. When he saw only the wall, he sighed, and quietly ate the meal alone. There was a small wooden chest at the foot of the cot, and he discovered that this held another set of clothes, two quill pens, a small bottle of ink, and a small stack of books, about half of which were empty and clearly meant for him to write in. He settled down on the for with one of the non-empty books, reading to try to distract himself from the emptiness he felt.