Butterfly Prince

by Britannica Tany

  “Did she now?” Aiden stares at his mother in disbelief. “Did you not read it?” She shakes her head. “I could never will myself to get past the first page.”

  “Oh, mom.” Aiden squeezes his mother’s hand and looks towards his father with a sympathetic gaze. Kael’s heart gave a twinge and he felt as though he were intruding on a sacred family moment. “I, will jus—“

  “Kael and I were thinking of telling the world about us.” Aiden says, cutting Kael off and reaching his hand out towards him. “He’s the Prince and I’m his bodyguard, kind of sad, huh?” He laughs nervously, like a kid not understanding the joke made by the adults. “But, we want to.” he quirks his finger Kael’s way, coaxing him over. Back and forth, his finger said “come here.” Kael extends his hand towards Aiden and takes it—their finger’s intertwine like grapevines—his hand was warm. “You want to come out to the entire nation!?” His father asks with disbelief, Aiden nods. “Like a dramatic encore—the show’s not over folks!” He exclaims, a toothy grin engulfing his face. Kael’s heart flutters and he clutches Aiden’s hand just a little bit tighter. His mother looks at Kael, as though she were searching for something—maybe a piece of Skye, maybe a reason. “My son, you’re crazy.” She finally exhales and Aiden grins. “Had to get it from someone.” He cracks and she laughs lightly before rising up from the bed, she squeezes Aiden’s hand one last time before letting it go. “You’ve been taking your medicine?” she asks. “’Course.”

  “Has the doctor come in often to check on you?”

  “He’s coming by an hour from now to run a few x-rays to see how the healing is coming along.”

  “I expect a call.” She demands sharply, Aiden nods, the corner of his lips twitching as a twinge shot through the side of his stomach. “Of course, mom, I’ll call you.”

  “Your dad has to get back to work, but I’ll be coming by often.”

  “Don’t worry yourself,” he smiles sweetly this time. “Kael’s here and so are Janus and Jenna, even Francis the brat.” His mother cracks a smile at that. “Francis the brat?”

  “I’ve been stuck in bed, so I’ve thought up some creative names for him.” She laughs and Kael smiles to himself—he was curious now—what possible nicknames could Aiden have already come up with? “Well…” she leans down and plants a chaste kiss to Aiden’s forehead. “We’ll be back.”

  “And I’ll be here.” He beams. She turns to Kael and her expression remains the same—a concoction of pain and love. “You’ll watch over my son won’t you?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And you’ll come to us if anything were to happen and this fool didn’t call?”

  “Hey!” Aiden interjects, seemingly offended. Kael chuckles out a “yes, of course.” His mother looks between them once more and the feeling in her heart is telling her to stay, to remain by his side for a moment longer. But something else is telling her that it’s alright, that he’ll be fine. “Rest easy mom, I’m watching over him.” Her eyes widen and she glances over her shoulder, but of course Skye wasn’t there. Maybe it was the wind…the distant, distant wind.

  ….

  Kael Lennon—aged ten—he’s a bright boy, says that he’s read a lot. His mother and father aren’t around much being who they are. He’s outgoing, but soft spoken. I’m curious as to how he will grow in the future—I hope to see such a growth.

  Anyways, I have a lot to say about today. We played ‘butterfly’ again, he seems quite attached to that game. He surprisingly told me this: “I’ll create my own wings and take off into this world.” Such wise words for such a young soul. I believe that he will—create his own wings that is—he’s smart and kind. Quite funny too.

  As for the King and Queen, today they were busy meeting with reporters who wanted to know more about their relationship; how they met and what not. I’ll write more about them in the next chapter. As for now…the Prince, if I were to write him into a story, I’d write him this way: A beautiful creature that has lost his way, tormented by his loneliness, he searches for another who is like him so that they may heal together. Birds of a feather flock together. In this case—a single wing finds another and they become one—harmony.

  --Skye K.

  ~*~

  “So how are we going to do this?” Aiden asks, his eyes on the TV that was replaying Kael’s speech from two days ago—the one about him taking the throne. “You look good in that by the way, silk suits you.” Aiden comments and Kael rolls his eyes. “Thanks.”

  “No seriously.” Aiden says again to make sure Kael understood that he was serious and wasn’t just messing with him because he could.

  “And the hospital gown you’re wearing is very befitting of your figure.” Kael teases and Aiden smirks. “Oh really? I always thought gowns made my shoulders stand out more.” He wiggles on the bed and Kael snorts, his nose scrunching up cutely. It felt nice to flirt and joke with Aiden in this way—he missed this. “But, back to the main point.” Aiden says bringing them back on track. Kael was sitting in one of the chairs, his legs apple-sauced together as he dazedly jotted down notes for the next day.

  - Meet with xxx and discuss plans

  - Have dinner with the new head of the bodyguards (Micah??)

  - Figure out what the hell I’m doing…

  “Are you just going to call every news outlet in the country over to the hospital, or…”

  “I was thinking,” Kael taps his bottom lip with the butt end of his pen. “I don’t want you moving, so I think I’ll personally host a tea party of sorts with the reporters and announce it there.”

  “Still not showing my face?”

  “Yeah, I don’t want to do that, I think I’ll just have you go by Ai too.”

  “Ai…” Aiden echoes resting his head against his pillow and listening as Kael scribbles and murmurs to himself. The sound is almost like a lullaby and Aiden focuses his attention on Kael’s hunched over frame. He watches his broad shoulders heave up and down and his dark hair glimmer in the sunlight. This sight in front of him, across the room, the man he loves, the man he’ll always love—Kael. He watches him for a few moments more, tilting his head to the side whenever Kael would groan in frustration or shift in the chair. “Something bothering you?” He asks softly. “Nothing really, just planning my schedule.” Kael replies without looking up. “Mm, I always sucked at planning things out.” Aiden mumbles and Kael snorts. “Seems believable.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Aiden snaps and this time Kael looks up, he had a teasing glint in his eyes. “You’re the type to go head first into a mess before even realizing what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

  “My relationship with you for example.” Aiden responds smoothly and Kael nods with a faint hum in the back of his throat. “But I don’t regret it though.” Aiden says quietly. “I didn’t think you would.” Kael’s reply is delightful but assertive. After a brief pause Aiden clears his throat and says “I’ll always love you.”

  “Out of the blue like that?” Kael questions teasingly. “Gotta keep you on your toes.” Aiden winks and Kael rolls his eyes. “And I’ll become the king you wish for me to be.” His words land on Aiden’s ears softly causing the older to smile. “Just be who you are,” he leans into his pillows and closes his eyes. “That’s all.” Kael places his pencil down and looks over to Aiden with a gaze that could almost be considered clueless and then he’s laughing lightly to himself and muttering. “Crazy how I didn’t know who that was until a few months ago…” but his only reply is a deep snore that resonates throughout the room.

  Two days later…

  Tea cups clinked and chatter filled the dinner hall as Kael placed his newly made crown atop his head (a quick one that was made in time for the tea party). He stares at his reflection in the mirror and inhales before letting his breath out slowly. While in the hospital, Aiden had taught him another way to control his panic attacks. “Close your eyes, no matter where you are just close them.” And so Kael did just that. �
��And instead of imagining…just dream. Dream that you’re floating or holding my hand, whatever makes you feel better.” Aiden spoke softly. “And count; one, two, three, keep counting until you’ve counted yourself out.” Kael peeks out of his left eye. “This’ll be my recipe to you on how to handle your attacks. My sister handed it down to me.”

  “Skye?” Aiden nods. “She too worked herself up so much, she started panicking and her breath grew short.”

  “I didn’t…know that.” Aiden smiles. “After all this…I’ll give you her notebook, think of it as an early anniversary gift.” Kael looks to Aiden with surprise. “Her…notebook?” Aiden nods. “Yes…I’d think she’d want you to have it.”

  So that’s what Kael did—held his breath and counted because right now he was suffering from onset anxiety. Wanting to make this speech perfect, not just for his sake but for Aiden’s too. He turns away from the mirror and opens his room door. His bodyguard steps aside and bows. “Right this way, your majesty.” Kael smiles at the man, following after him as they walk down the hall. The pictures of his father were all covered by a thick black sheet; so his ghost won’t haunt the halls, like I haunted my own room while alive. Kael sneers—the irony, he thought turning the corner that led into the dining room. The chatter grew and then died away once he stepped into the light. He looks around at his guests and curtseys. “I thank you all for coming.” His voice sounded unfamiliarly loud in the silent atmosphere. He lifts his head and takes his seat at the head of the dining table, the spot where his father so often sat. His robe billows out as he sits and all eyes are on him, like spotlights, burning and brightening his every imperfection. He swallows. “Keep counting until you’ve counted yourself out.” He meets the eyes of everyone in the room and begins slowly. “I have an important announcement to make.”

  ~*~

  “IS HE FUCKING SERIOUS!?” Francis.

  “N—no way, is that even okay?” Jenna.

  “Wait…what’s going on?” Samuel.

  Aiden sighs, placing his magazine down (that he was barely reading) as though it bothered him and he looks around at the three. “Does it come as a shock?” he asks dully. “Well, duh.” Jenna deadpans, her bright eyes magnifying her shock. “Couldn’t that, couldn’t that ruin everything?”

  “Well, we’re hoping it doesn’t and besides,” Aiden picks up his magazine again. “Kael’s King now.” Jenna shrinks back into herself and Francis looks on as though he hadn’t heard anything and repeats. “Is he fucking serious.” This time it’s more of a statement than it is a question. “Yes, he is—we are and we’re fine with it.”

  “How can you…” Jenna begins to say, but trails off as her thoughts become too much. Samuel looks towards her worriedly and then he looks to Aiden. “Is it really alright for you to be com—“ Aiden holds up his hand, his lips parting to say something but then he starts coughing. He coughs for a good moment before wiping his mouth and muttering. “We’ll be fine, thanks for your concern, but it’s all good.” He flashes the “ok” sign with a hearty grin. Samuel stares at him uneasily for a moment before redirecting his attention to the news that had just blared BREAKING NEWS throughout the room. Everyone’s looking at the TV screen now and the room goes eerily silent—waiting to see. Aiden clears his throat again and swallows the irony phlegm that had filled his mouth. He rests a hand against his bandaged stomach and ignores the rising ache in his side.

  ~*~

  Kael looks into the many, flashing eyes of the cameras and smiles. “It should come as a shock after my father’s sudden death, but I felt that you all deserved to know.” Kael pauses drawing out the tension and it kind of unsettled him to see that everyone was leaning slightly forward, waiting to hear what he had to say. All this attention…

  “Since I was young, I never had the chance to go out and explore—to discover my likes and dislikes—to discover me. And so, being that I’m still in my twenties, I’m in the midst of searching for that “special someone.” The camera’s all flash. “Love to me….was out of reach, something people talked about with mystification and fear, like a UFO.” Light laughter bubbles around the room. “So…on my first day at the university, I met him and I had these feelings, these weird feelings, which I didn’t understand…” Kael trails off dreamily for a moment before regaining himself. “Anyways…I didn’t think that it was wrong, to look at him like that and to think of him in that way.” The room was completely silent and everyone was looking at him, even the bodyguard that had walked him into the room, no one dared to touch their tea or eat the sweet little cakes that were prepared by the chefs. Instead they listened as Kael told them about his and Aiden’s story. He spoke of that rainy day when they told each other to “forget everything.” He spoke of eating ice cream and instant ramen and learning how to breathe thanks to Aiden. “He was there…his voice my cure…” The Queen steps discreetly into the dining hall, her frail arms crossed over her ample chest and she watches her son as he talks about what was once so inexpressible.

  The hospital room was just as quiet as everyone stood and watched the news report. Kael looked to be glowing on the small TV screen; he also looked completely different and astonishing. “Wow,” Samuel sighs, rubbing his hands against his arms as though he were cold. “He really does have a presence about him, I can feel it through the screen.” Francis rolls his eyes. “That’s because he’s king…”

  “King…” Samuel echoes and Jenna nods. Aiden had a dumb, dazed smile on his lips and he hadn’t even realized that he was clawing into his bandages until he grimaced. He looks around at the three and mumbles. “I’m…gonna go to the bathroom, my stomach’s been bothering me.” He announces, begrudgingly swinging his legs over the bed. Jenna turns to look at him, worry creasing her forehead. “Don’t look at me like that, I just need to stretch my legs and let some water run.” He explains, slipping his feet into the room temperature slippers. He had walked a little bit yesterday, trying to get some feeling back into his legs, his stomach ached, but it wasn’t just that…he felt queasy and itchy all over. And at night he’d break out into a cold sweat. Samuel had said that he couldn’t detect anything wrong, but would look at the surgery procedure once again to check for any possible mishaps. “It went by smoothly, but to ease your mind and mine, I’ll check again.” That’s what Samuel had assured him, so, gripping the steel handle, Aiden pulls the door open and steps out into the hall. He walks slowly, his bleary eyes adjusting to the dim hospital light. He passes the nurses desk and she meets his gaze with a wane smile. “Up and at ‘em again, Aiden?” she questions and he nods. “Yes ma’am, this time I’m heading to the bathroom.”

  “Ah, it’s down that hall, to your left.”

  “Thank you,” he begins to walk away but she stops him. “Just out of curiosity…there is a bathroom in your room, correct?” Aiden glances over his shoulder. “Yes, there is.”

  “Then how come you didn’t want to use that one?” She asks and a strip of silence, unrolls itself out between them. Aiden begins to walk again, clutching his side and calling back. “I didn’t want to stink up the place!” The nurse blinks and then laughs rather warmly.

  Kael had concluded their memories by ending with the most recent ones. “We’ve both lost someone close to us, we’ve both lost a part of ourselves because of someone else’s wish for us to be who they wanted us to be and not who we wanted to be.” The Queen was now drawing closer, her gaze blank and her lips drawn tight as though Kael had said something wrong. “And this man—I love him.” But that wasn’t it. “I love him because he gave meaning to that word “love” he showed me that I wasn’t a ghost.” She felt like crying. “He took me out of the fire, burned, scorched, scarred and all and he healed me.” She clasps a hand over her mouth and turns away suddenly.

  Where had things gone wrong…? When had she messed up as a mother?

  “I thank him, I love him, I admire and respect him.” The camera’s zoom in on Kael’s face as though they were expecting tears to fall. But
when none did, they kept the camera on him and continued to listen.

  Aiden had finally reached the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He turns on the faucet water letting it run as he lifted his gown, pulled his boxers down and released himself. He sighs, his eyes closing as the tea Jenna prepared came flowing out. Once he’s done, he tugs up his boxers and pulls his gown back down. He reaches for the handle to flush the toilet, but pauses as he saw a velvet color drifting in the urinal. His eyes squint and he leans forward trying to make the color out. “Is that…” he stumbles back, growing faint. He hurries to flush the toilet, stumbling out of the stall and rushing to wash his hands. He splashes cold water onto his face several times before looking up at his reflection. The color in his face had comeback and his lips weren’t as chapped and paled. He had been eating too and moving, so why the hell was there blood in his urine? It didn’t make any sense. He clutches at his chest and his lungs expand and his eyebrows draw together as he begins to cough again.