Alex sighed and took a step back. He was certain that Sven had seen them, but he knew he wouldn't tell anyone.
"We'll be right there."
The captain left, and the prince turned back to William.
"I can stand by your side and make you smile, but you have to want it."
"You're only fooling yourself, Your Highness. You don't feel anything for me—you only want me because I'm different from the others."
"That's not true."
William gave him a sad smile. "It is. You're a powerful man, and men like you enjoy collecting precious objects."
"But you're not an object. You're a person."
"It doesn't really make a difference."
The mage bowed his head and walked toward the carriage, the edges of his robe fluttering behind him.
Alex pressed a hand to his chest, his heart pounding so hard it seemed to push against his ribs.
William's words had hurt him, but he couldn't tell whether they were true or not.
Did he only want to taste that beautiful body, or was he driven by deeper feelings? Was he pursuing him because the mage was the first person to reject him? Was it all just pride?
He shook his head and followed William to the carriage.
His soldiers had removed one of the wheels and were arguing among themselves about how to proceed.
The mage was watching them with his arms crossed, his fingers drumming irritably. He was beautiful even when he looked ready to kill someone with a single glance.
Alex ran his fingers through his hair and stepped closer. "Have you fixed it?"
Sven looked at him. "Not yet. There's a problem."
"What kind?"
"We'd have to lift the carriage, but we risk snapping the axle completely."
"Can't William intervene?"
The mage shook his head. "If we don't straighten the axle first, it might break again once it's repaired."
"You can crawl under there, can't you?"
"Do you enjoy seeing me crawl in the mud, Your Highness?"
Alex flashed a sharp smile. "I assure you, there are other things that give me pleasure."
William frowned and knelt down. "I can try, but someone would have to lift the axle a little. I'm thin, but not thin enough to squeeze under here."
"I'll do it."
"Your Highness!" Falko protested. "You can't!"
Alex slipped off his jacket and gloves and rolled his sleeves up past his elbows. "I can. If my mage is crawling through the mud, the least I can do is lift a wheel."
"But that's our job!"
"And you're going to help me."
William sighed and took off his robe, remaining in shirt and trousers. He tied his hair at the nape of his neck, picked up the grimoire, and curled his lips in a grimace. The idea of crawling under the carriage clearly didn't appeal to him.
"If the axle falls on my head, I think I might commit regicide."
Alex grinned. "Then it's a good thing I'm not king yet."
He grabbed the wheel and, with Falko's help, lifted it a span off the ground. William slipped underneath, and only his lower body remained visible.
Alex let his gaze slide from the mage's ankle to his calf, then slowly up his leg until it stopped at his buttocks. The afternoon by the lake came back to him, and William's naked body pressed against his as they tried to keep warm.
"Your Highness?" Falko's voice snapped him out of it. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
"Looks to me like you were staring at the mage's ass."
A dull thud came from beneath the carriage, followed by William's muttering. The mage resurfaced shortly after, a reddish bruise standing out on his forehead.
"Did you fix it?" Alex asked.
"Yes. It'll hold until we're back at the palace, but after that you should have it replaced."
The prince set the wheel down and put his gloves back on. "Excellent. Let's continue the journey."
They got back into the carriage, but the atmosphere remained tense. If anything, William seemed even angrier than before.
"It looks like you want to kill me," Alex remarked.
The mage shot him a glare. "I'm deciding on the method, Your Highness."
"I wouldn't recommend it. If you kill me, you die too." Alex sighed and moved closer to him. "What did I do this time?"
"You could have avoided staring at my behind."
That was exactly what the prince had expected.
"I didn't do it on purpose. You were under there, and it was right in front of me."
"And you think that's an excuse to treat me like an object?"
Alex raised his eyebrows, puzzled. What was he talking about? He had never treated him like an object.
William turned away. "Don't do it again. Don't look at me as if I were a treasure to be owned."
"You're not. And I certainly don't look at you as if you were."
To him, William was a person first and foremost, but maybe William didn't see himself that way.
"Will, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like that. From now on, I'll be much more careful."
The mage looked at him. There was no more anger in his eyes, only cold determination.
"I don't believe you."
"Why?"
"Because powerful men love to collect beautiful things. And they love making others feel like little more than objects to be owned."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "And how many princes have you known?"
William parted his lips, but hesitated.
"Just me, right?"
"I've known several nobles, and they were all like that."
"And do I seem like them to you?"
William pressed his lips together, but didn't answer. The prince gently took his wrist and drew him into his arms. He waited, in case the mage pulled away, but William didn't move.
Alex smiled and rested his forehead against his. "You're not an object, Will. You're my mage, my advisor, and also the man I feel something for—something I still can't quite define."
"It's just desire, Your Highness. And pity for what you saw."
"Even if it were, it wouldn't change the fact that to me you're still a person."
"Why don't you take me? You're stronger than I am—even now you could—"
"I'm not that kind of man, William. And it hurts me that you keep implying otherwise."
"I'm sorry, I…" William lowered his head and rested his forehead against Alex's chest. "I didn't mean to disrespect you. Please forgive me, I'm just very confused."
Alex clenched his hands to keep himself from caressing William's cheek and sighed.
"Are these the men you've had to deal with until now?"
William nodded, and Alex pulled him into a gentle, intimate embrace, his fingers brushing the back of the mage's neck and his long black hair.
"Will, you can think I'm an inept and superficial prince, but don't ever tell me again to take you by force. Those are words that hurt me deeply, especially when they come from you. And I believe I already told you that weeks ago."
"I'm sorry. I'm really, truly sorry. I'm a horrible person."
"No, you're not. You're just wounded."
"I keep disrespecting you, and you… you keep forgiving me. You shouldn't, not with me. Not with one of your subjects. You are the prince."
"And you are my mage. And our lives are intertwined." He lifted William's chin so he could meet his gaze. "When you scold me, I can't bring myself to be angry. Because I know you do it for my own good. And because, despite everything, you've never treated me like an idiot."
"You aren't." His green eyes shone with unshed tears. "You are strong, brave, and far too impulsive, and I'm sorry if my words hurt you. I'm sorry if I behaved like the other royal advisors."
"Shh. Don't cry." Alex brushed his cheekbones with his thumb. "I'm not angry with you."
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Will."
William hesitated, then bowed his head and rested it against Alex's chest. Alex stroked the back of his neck.
"You're safe with me. I'll never do anything to hurt you. And I wish… you could forget that man."
"That can't happen."
Alex pressed his lips together, sadness tightening his throat. "Do you really like him that much?"
William sighed, lifted his head, and met his gaze. "Your Highness, that man is you."
Alex blinked. "What?"
The mage looked away, his cheeks flushed. "I didn't want to tell you, but you keep saying you want him executed. It bothers me to hear you speak badly about yourself."
"Wait, so you… I…" Was he saying he was in love with him? "The kiss wasn't a mistake, was it? You wanted it!"
"It is a mistake. You have to get married. You need an influential woman who can help you with the nobles. And I need support as well."
"I don't want a queen. I want someone at my side who I love and who loves me."
"But you don't love me."
"What do you know about it? I don't even know what I feel—do you think you know it better than I do, when you're not inside my head?" Alex crossed his arms over his chest. "You can sense my emotions, but you can't know what caused them, can you? So stop talking as if you know everything."
William's eyes widened and his mouth fell open; for a moment, he looked genuinely surprised. "You're right, I… I was presumptuous."
"I don't know what I feel, but I'd like to find out. With you. But only if you want to."
"And after you discover it's just a fleeting feeling, what will you do?"
"And if it isn't? In that case, would you let me make you happy?"
William hesitated, then sighed. "Do whatever you want, but only for the duration of this journey. That's my only condition. Once we return to the palace, I'll go back to being your mage. That's my role."
Alex nodded and hoped that the strange arrangement they were about to begin would help them both.
At sunset, they stopped at an inn along the road.
Sven went in and bargained with the owner for the use of the entire upper floor. Alex took the opportunity to step down from the carriage and stretch his legs.
The air was cool, and a pleasant breeze blew from the distant mountains. The sun slid lazily over tree trunks and branches, tinting them a deep red.
When Sven returned, Alex called out to him.
"Take care of the men and the horses. I'm going upstairs to my room for a moment to change."
The captain nodded, and Alex crossed the inn's threshold.
A soft murmur washed over him. The pleasant smell of vegetable soup hung in the air and warmed his stomach.
The innkeeper bowed before him and led him upstairs to his room. Alex went in.
The furnishings were simple and comfortable. Heavy curtains covered a window overlooking the road; a large bed took up part of the room, while against the opposite wall stood a wardrobe and a small desk with writing paper and ink.
Alex turned the key in the lock and let himself fall onto the mattress. It was soft and of good quality for a roadside inn.
He undressed, cleaned himself of sweat and dust, and put on a clean shirt. Then he went back downstairs.
The atmosphere had changed, and lively music filled the hall. An improvised orchestra played in one corner; the center had been cleared of tables to make room for a dance floor.
Alex's private guard had taken over half the room, laughing and drinking merrily. Some were even dancing.
Alex slipped into the crowd and was grateful that no one paid him any attention. He would have hated it if everyone had stopped just to pay him homage.
He reached his soldiers and sat down beside William. He watched him for a moment, then an idea came to him.
Alex stood and held out his hand.
"William, may I have this dance?"