The Dream Boy

en," Charles, my assistant, sai

ady feeling the weight of

or should we wait until dinner?" Charles ventured a careful

t over with now." Delaying i

rles began, "Then comes the invite from Mr. Frederick for you to attend the royal party. Y

e this was going, "Continue, Charles," I prompte

that and I heard him speak so carefully, as if he knew just how much

ough gritted teeth, the word lea

rles asked, his c

s," I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut to p

ve then," Charles replied be

am I even thinking about this?-and where did this come from? Stop, Ren. Just enjo

o go to

uld breathe without the chains wrapped too tight around me in order to expectations that came with being Ren Ezekiel, the prince

caught my eye-a figure standing where no

ked just as out of place as me. H

like that. Once she was there, the next moment- vanished. This time though, it wasn't all in m

were trying to kill me? I tried to forget about her face

he? I am a prince for heaven's sake. How dare she-no, this is ri

uld just sleep. Yeah, sleep. That's what I need.

------

pace, waiting for that strange girl with those wide, bewildered eyes to reappear. Yet as always, it took only one step and the mad wind danced around me laughing. Perhaps I ha

u

e emerged that did not belong. Instinct flared. I turned, but it was already too late. The assassins were already there

ay from where I was until I felt some o

unding themselves into one thought, confusion of the things around me –that twist

They drew weapons and I noted glinting steel in their hands. There was no esca

movie. But it was no dream up on the screen, this was my

ome face to f

, a frantic desperation was clearly evident in her grip. She was trying to get me to safety. It's as

k. I knew she was just one of them. "You'r

ou!" she protested, confus

find out who she really was. Except that, before I had time to move, her hand was on my mouth, silencing the words that were on

did she hope to gain from them? Even so, she did not loosen her grip, and I could see the determination in her eyes-sh

nstant. I stood there frozen, my body stiffened, trying to process what had just happened. It was like a switch had been flipped-one second I was on the edge, ready to fight or

even. For a very long time we simply gazed at one another; as it came for both of us to grips with what had just occurred, sooner or later t

this unknown girl, clearly silencing this anxiety with a simple gestur

finally managed to ask, my voice

I... I don't know," she stammered. "I pani

uttered, rubbing my stinging chee

egan, but I qui

rather unsafe now that I am out in the open. I need Charles

ur issues," she offered. "If you want, you are free to make a

suspiciously. "What phone and why should I trust you?" I blurted out

to explain this: perhaps this position is rather unusual and you don't know me. But right now,

to some extent compelled me to agree with her. "Sure, sure. I'll go with you. But i

nse from her after a nod. "Let's get

at is next? Here I was, a prince out of place, and here I was be

heap oak, I couldn't help wondering, "I wish Cha

to live in such a mess? On the table, dresses vied for the space with rubbish, so that it

gingerly stepped over a stack of mismatched shoes, wondering if I should just turn a

Give me a break, will you?" As she picked up the dresses from the sofa in an attempt to tidy them, she found them

iding hidden obstacles. "Thank you, I'll try not to get lo

is place. It felt real and lived-in, in marked contrast to th

he kept cleaning,

te me," I muttered, casting

want to kill you?" she as

me, then they will be in power," I r

f raised eyebrows toward me as if I'd