The wind was howling through the brittle wood. Maurice was sure, the moment he came home he would send someone and let them build a good house for Alexander. After all he saved him and owned the raven-haired man something. With a nerve wracking crack the door open and Alexander stepped in. A deer in hand, slightly smiling at Maurice. The young prince smiled back. Trying his best not to throw up at the sight of the dead deer. To get his mind of off death, he wanted to ask the man something that started to burn through his mind and soul.

“How did you end up here. Outside, in this wooden cabinet, with no one around?” Without further ado, the words left Maurice’s mouth. Alexander held in while selecting the deer meat. With the knife in hand, he turned to the boy sitting on the bed.

“I believe you don’t need to know everything, Maurice.” His voice was deep. However, the young price couldn’t hear out any anger, so he proceeds to approach the sensitive topic.

“I’ll tell you why I am here. In exchange for your story.” Maurice challenged the man. Alexander wanted to know why the little one ended up half dead in front of his cabinet. But his pride held him back. Looking the boy up and down. He was sure that Maurice wouldn’t understand why he was here. Why he was all alone. He was simply too young to know. To pure for this cruel world.

“Go one then.” Alexander sad down next to the boy with the soft smile. Silently waiting for him to begin. Maurice gazed at the oven in front of him. Deep in thought. Not wanting Alexander to fear the things he lived through, if the dark-haired man was able to be scared at all.

“Do you trust me, Alexander?” The question runs through the air. Finding their aim seconds later. With worry written over his stone-cold face, the older one nodded. Not sure what to expect from a young soul like Maurice’s. The younger one nodded and reached for the warm big hands of the other. The prince’s eyes slowly made their way from the thighs of the man to his sapphire eyes. The doubt in Alexander eyes, made Maurice worry it might not work out the way he anticipated.

“You close your eyes and I’ll show you what happened. Don’t think about what I am doing, but more about what I show you. Also don’t open your eyes. It sometimes hurts when people do that…” With a shy smile the prince explained his following actions. He didn’t want to stress the man out with something he might have never experienced before. 

“And don’t speak.” Was the last thing Alexander heard, before his vision got blurry. Hectically he closed his eyes. Not wanting to dismiss Maurice’s words. Despite his eyes being closed. The dizzy and foggy vision stayed. Alexander could feel the prince’s breathing in heavy as his vision cleared. The raven-haired man wanted to ask all the question this realm had to give. But he stayed silent, for Maurice’s sake.

“Can you see me?” Astonished by the question, Alexander turned around. Looking from where the voice came. It was clearly Maurice. A giggle echoed through his bones and a cold hand at his back later he looked right in the youthful green eyes. The smile of the prince got bigger. The last time he did this with someone, he didn’t wake up for two full moons.

“You can answer me now. I was only scared to lose you in-between this world and time.” Alexander wasn’t sure what the dirty blond boy meant with his words. The only thing he was sure of, was the loving eyes and smile Maurice gave him. The prince grabbed him at the hand and showed him the castle that started to appear in front of them. The raven-haired man was speechless. The boy started to build a whole city in his mind. He could turn around and the world was still there. Close his eyes, pinch himself and feel the pain. It was real.

“Come, I wanted to show you why I am here.”

“H-how are you doing this? It’s real, isn’t it?” Alexander felt like passing out any second now. The world was real, way to real to be imaginative. And if it was imaginative, how could he see it too. He was never here before, how could he imagine it then?

“It was real. It’s the past.” Maurice explained while walking down the hall. Without taking every step he did that day; he could lose this time and jump back into the present. With a smile back at the slower walking and with big eyes, looking around Alexander. Maurice like to see him that surprised.  

“But how? I-i..” Alexander stuttered. His eyes couldn’t believe what they saw. All these things were so detailed. Even the little ornaments on the furniture, grazing the hallway. Nothing was missing.

“It’s nice to see you confused for once. My Grandmother was a Furie. They can look into the past. It helped a lot with crimes. They got banished. No one knows I am able to do this. Only you.” With one last nod and smile Maurice continued his words. “Let’s go and find my fathers.”

At the Kings office. They didn’t need to open the door. Maurice walked straight through it. Alexander eyes grew bigger with each step Maurice did. Everything felt so real, at the same time it felt like a fever dream. In the office Augustin and Edgar sad at one side of the table and Maurice at the other. They were discussing something. They couldn’t hear them yet. Only as Maurice took his place. Now being part of his past again.

“You don’t need to do this Mauri.”, “Papa is right. Everyone wants you on the throne. You don’t have to prove anything.”, “I want to do this. And after I am back, we can do the ceremony. Before that I don’t feel ready to become King. I have to do this.”, “Mauri, do me a favour and watch out for their prince, will you?”

“What do you have to do?” The raven-haired interrupted the moment. The whole situation was like a sensory overload. Until a few minutes ago, he didn’t even know people were able to do this.

“Bring someone from the frozen islands.” Alexander knew immediately what Maurice meant with frozen islands. He called his world like that when he was younger. It was always cold, always snowing. Barley sunlight and if it was burning the skin of your bones.

“I can bring you home. You show me to your peasants, and I go back to my cabinet afterwards.”

“You don’t need too.” Maurice said as fast as he could. He didn’t want to use Alexander more than he already did. Taking help from others or what Maurice called it needing people, was not his thing. He didn’t need anyone. He was born alone; he will live alone and die alone.

“So, you don’t want to go home?” Alexander asked again. With a little huff, the prince got up. Crossing his arms. Looking down at the man, with what he fought was anger in his eyes. Alexander on the other hand saw the display of sadness and sorrow in the young eyes.

“I do. The only thing I don’t need is your help.” Maurice said, before heading towards the door.