Gabriel had little to look forward to in life, but he could always count on Dahlia. His nurse had lived long enough to see the birth of his father, and she was there to help deliver Gabriel thirty or so years later. In fact, for the first half of his life, she was all he knew. She knitted the coziest blankets. She wasn’t quick to anger, but Gabriel swore she could shoot a glare strong enough to freeze the sun. Dahlia bathed and clothed him, encouraged him to eat. On his most challenging days, she lifted his spirits with folk tales and songs from her youth. She spoke of places that Gabriel could only dream of going, for he could rarely leave his room.

And then… the fire happened.

That was all Gabriel could think about on the way to the royal quarters. The corridor was frustratingly long, but he was grateful for the equally long rug covering the floor. The softness dampened the creaking, as his wheelchair usually announced his presence everywhere he went—and there was nothing he hated more than being noticed.

Eventually, he reached the ivory doors, where two armored men stood guard. Gabriel averted his eyes as they stared, confused. “I’m here for an appointment,” he spoke faintly. When they didn’t immediately respond, he feared he was in the wrong place. But the royal quarters were indeed behind those doors, Gabriel thought. Sure, it had been a while since his last visit, but he expected little had changed. “I… um… he asked to see me…”

“I’m sorry, who?” one man asked.

“The king…?” Gabriel replied awkwardly.

The man leaned toward the other and whispered, “Was His Majesty expecting anyone today?”

“I don’t know?” The other shrugged.

With a bit of hesitation, the men let him inside.

“Thank you,” Gabriel said politely. He still felt their curious stares long after he had passed. He didn’t expect some grand gesture, but he was disappointed that his father hadn’t at least told them he was coming. Maybe it slipped his mind. It wouldn’t have been the first time.

As he navigated the hallway, he kept his eyes forward, avoiding the massive portraits that lined the walls. They were the past rulers of Terra. His ancestors. They scared the hell out of him, appearing so regal in their over-the-top robes and large, beaded gowns. Their eyes seemed to follow his every move, silently judging him, making Gabriel wish even more that he was invisible.

He finally arrived at a bronze door. Unable to reach the knocker, Gabriel knocked on his own. He doubted anyone would have heard, and he secretly wished they hadn’t, as he was prepared to go back into hiding. But, alas, a man swiftly came to greet him. Unlike the two before him, he wore elegant attire. Surely, a member of the king’s court.

The man gave a slight bow and welcomed Gabriel inside. “His Majesty awaits your presence.”

So, he didn’t forget after all. Gabriel entered nervously, his eyes suddenly glued to the intimidating figure seated at the end of the room. They almost looked identical, in the way that they were like alternate versions of themselves. Baby blue eyes. Long, golden hair. Except Gabriel was a shrimp compared to this behemoth-of-a-man. The king sported an impressive beard, while Gabriel couldn’t grow facial hair if his life depended on it. The king had rough, tanned skin, while Gabriel… well, he looked about as pale as one might expect for someone who had never seen the sun before.

“Your Majesty.” Gabriel bowed out of respect. Oh, how he wished he were anywhere but there.

The king put down his goblet before rising from his chair. A shaft of light poured into the room from a high window, highlighting the king’s masculine frame and engulfing Gabriel in a dark shadow. Always, Gabriel was in his shadow. As those large feet brought him forward, the king’s heavy cape whipped the air behind him.

“Leave us.” The king’s voice was as imposing as he looked. Once they were alone, he extended a hand to Gabriel’s tiny shoulder and said, “Let me take a moment to look at you.”

Gabriel gulped as the king’s eyes centered on his meager frame. King Friedrich could make the mightiest men look pathetic, so Gabriel didn’t stand a chance. It definitely didn’t help that he was always slouching or looking down.

It felt like an eternity before the king spoke again, and all he said was, “Hm.”

“So… um… I received the violin the queen sent me. It’s quite lovely,” Gabriel rambled out of desperation. “Did I mention that I’ve begun to compose my own music? I think I’m improving a lot. S-so… if you would be interested… I could p-play—”

“Did you sustain any injuries?”

Gabriel stopped. Blushing, his eyes fell to his lap. Just tell the truth. That would have been the obvious choice, but Gabriel didn’t like conflict. It was much easier to lie. Before he could mouth the word no, the king pulled his fingers intently through his hair.

“Looks a bit thinner than I recall.”

The red in Gabriel’s cheeks deepened. “P-probably due to stress… It started falling out about a month ago…” He chuckled, hoping to ease the tension. “Also, I brush too hard.”

“Is it because of the fire? The stress.”

Gabriel bit his lip, nodding.

The king pulled away with a heavy sigh. As he moved, the various military medals on his uniform made a light clinking sound. “All these years, what has Dahlia been doing to protect you? It’s her duty to keep you safe.”

“She has…”

“Oh really? And where was she when the fire started?”

Gabriel trembled as he talked back, “I’m the reason the fire started, Father.” He choked. “I… um… I mean… Y-Your Majesty…”

“You forget yourself,” the king said sternly, and yet his eyes had softened. “Don’t ever raise your voice at me again.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Gabriel lowered his head.

“Now, tell me what happened.”

Gabriel took a deep breath. “Dahlia had already finished her duties for the day. The last she saw me, I was in bed. Then… I… I bumped into a table in the middle of the night. I knocked over a candle.”

The king’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What were you doing up so late?”

“Sketching,” Gabriel answered unwillingly. “Because I couldn’t sleep.”

“Gabriel…” The king sighed again.

“Please. It’s not Dahlia’s fault. And… and besides… I might have gotten out on my own, had my door been unlocked.” He tried not to sound as bitter as he felt, but anger was a powerful thing. Even someone as timid as Gabriel wasn’t safe from its clutches. “I’m no longer a child, anyway… but you still don’t trust me not to wander off on my own?”

The king rolled his eyes. “Gabriel, you know it is only for your protection. To keep you safe.”

“Safe? Are you serious right now?” Before Gabriel knew it, his eyes were overflowing with tears. He knew he was digging himself into a hole, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t even angry about the lock. It was what the lock represented that he hated. “What if they didn’t reach me in time? Even if the door had been unlocked, did you expect me to just walk out? Admit it. That tower was never meant to keep me safe, but to keep me trapped here for—” As the king drew closer, Gabriel expected to be struck for sure. But he held his head up high, as if begging him to do it. “Forever,” he shakingly concluded.

“Gabriel…” The king did indeed raise a hand to Gabriel’s face, only to wipe away his tears. “Listen,” he said. “Everything I do is for you. You know that.”

Gabriel pursed his lips as his eyes filled with guilt.

“You’ve come such a long way. But your condition…”

“But I feel better now,” Gabriel tried to reason with him. “If I were to go away for maybe a weekend, I think I would be okay.”

“No, Gabriel.”

“Please. Dahlia and I… we could travel at night, so no one would see—”

“I said no. Don’t you understand? Under no circumstances are you allowed to leave this castle.” King Friedrich moved away, wearing an exasperated expression. “You think you’re ready for what lies beyond these walls, but you’re not. There was a time when even the tiniest speck of dust was a detriment to your health.”

But the time his father spoke of was like a distant dream, lingering in his subconscious. Gabriel could almost recall the unfamiliar faces, the smell of medicine, but largely, all he had were ‘feelings’. Melancholy. Isolation. Dread. He wondered if his mind was protecting him by blocking most of it out. For that, Gabriel was glad. However, even as his health improved, he still believed for a long time that he was going to die. He had to train himself not to fear Death.

“I can assure you, you’re not missing much.” The king rubbed his head as Gabriel stared pitifully at the floor. “The queen and I… we’ve cultivated the ideal future for you at this castle. You have your pick of the most established tutors. Think of your education. Your music. Your art.”

Since when did his father care about any of his interests? That man was only ever concerned with commanding his army or securing new colonies overseas. It was annoying to hear him lie to his face.

“You don’t need to put your health in jeopardy to see the world, Gabriel. You can… explore it all from the safety and comfort of the royal library.”

Gabriel looked at him. As much as he wanted to smile and be grateful, he knew this was yet another gift to keep him quiet. His parents were experts at that.

“Let’s say… you had free rein of the library at night,” King Friedrich said carefully. “Would that quell your troubles?”

“Provided my door remains unlocked from now on,” Gabriel replied cheerlessly, much to his father’s displeasure. “If I cannot leave on my own, then… then, I… um…” he struggled to find the correct words to polish off his threat.

“All right, all right…” The king shook his head in exhaustion. “You’ve made your point. The door remains unlocked. But, seriously. No wandering the halls during the day. Keep a low profile. Please.”

“Th-thank you.”

“As for Dahlia…”

“Please don’t fire her, Fa—” Gabriel swallowed. To his surprise, the king smiled. “You know I… I really care about her.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Then… you don’t actually blame her for what happened?”

The king wasn’t too quick to answer, and that was what scared Gabriel the most. Not the sudden grave expression he wore, but the silence. He feared he would wake up the following day and his beloved nurse would be gone.

His father folded his arms across his massive chest and said, “I just think you’ve outgrown her, that’s all.”

“W-what?” Gabriel felt his heart shatter.

“Wouldn’t you prefer the company of a… I don’t know… a younger woman? You know… to stay overnight? I could find a really pretty one.”

“No…? I’m already quite independent on my own. Why would I need overnight care? Besides… Dahlia has been with us for nearly fifty years. It would be cruel to replace her.”

“Eh.” The king gave a shooing motion as he returned to the chair for his drink.

Gabriel felt insulted, although he should have been used to being cast aside. He often wondered why his parents even bothered. “Does that mean I’m free to go?” he asked brokenly.

“Please don’t leave in a foul mood.” The king sat down with a groan. “If you were to go out that door in another crying fit, it would reflect badly on my image.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.” Gabriel tried to wipe away the tears, but to no avail. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.” Hearing his father sigh once more only made him cry harder.

“Gabriel… I swear…”

“I’m trying.”

“Well, try harder. I’ve done and said all I can to appease you. I mean… what more do you want? We’re forced to rebuild because of a fire that you started. You were always complaining about that tower being too small, so you finally got a new—” The king smirked. “Wait. Was that your plan all along?” He erupted into howling laughter. “Oh, Gabriel! You clever rascal!”

“What?” Gabriel looked up from his hands in revulsion. “You’re not implying I set the fire on purpose…”

“Well, it worked in your favor, didn’t it? From now on, I would suggest a less destructive way to demand our attention.”

“Is this a joke? I almost died!”

As the king’s brow furrowed, the humor in his eyes was gone. “What did I say?” he asked coldly. “One more outburst, and I’ll—”

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said quickly.

“Now,” The king raised the goblet to his lips. “Since you got the attention that you were so hungry for…”

Gabriel’s jaw tightened as he stared sourly at his lap.

“After you leave here, I want you to return to your new room and really appreciate how much we care. That violin your queen just sent you, it was very expensive, you know. Please don’t set it ablaze like you did the last one.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Gabriel was just about to leave when the ivory doors came open. He froze, seeing a young man enter excitedly.

“Father—” the stranger stopped suddenly in his tracks. He mirrored Gabriel’s confused expression. “Oh. My apologies. I didn’t realize we had company.” He looked to the king, and then back. “And who are you?”