PRINCE LAURENT

The Wild Child

EVERY MORNING, I find myself taking a jog from my wing to the makeshift vet's office in the palace. The dog, whom I've secretly called Duke has been getting better. He was so starved of nutrients that he'd collapsed on the brink of starvation. 

No one understood why, even Andreé who found me. 

Duke saved me. There was no reason for him to. I've still got a few damaged ribs, my face still swollen but it could have been worse. The mark on my lip is fading, but it might leave a scar.

I'd underestimated the thief, I've no idea why he'd run at the growl but if I were to hazard a guess, Duke and the thief had history. Perhaps Duke had bitten the thief one too many times. I'm not sure.

Yet that didn't explain the need in me when it came to Duke. I couldn't leave him, I had to save him even though I'm to damaged to be saving anyone. 

Even in the palace as he gets better, I can't leave him. I'm sitting in the room we've made Duke's. It's almost all tiles, a few medical equipment and one plastic chair since everyone was more concerned over the furniture than Duke. 

To be fair, they had a point. 

So far, Duke had pissed on everything, and shat a good distance away from the food bowl. But he'd live.

I run my fingers on it's medium length brown fur. It's hard to gauge what it might have been breed with. It's long fur was thin, with multiple patches of fur missing. There's a bit of white under his neck, and his snout was sharp. 

I'd tried brushing him but Duke growled at me, and I stopped then. 

But things have been changing between us. Duke has stopped growling at me days ago and doesn't seem to mind me running my long fingers over his fur.  

It looks up at me, it's light brown eyes watching me. Dogs, when they're happy, would wag their tail. I haven't seen Duke wag his tail yet. It didn't matter, he saved my life. 

"How're you doing boy?" I ask him.

He never responds, he just looks me in the eye. He can never sleep on his own when I'm in the room, he'd wake up the minute the door opens. 

"Andreé asked about you," I tell him, "I said you're doing fine, you're getting better, soon you can start moving around the palace with me." 

At this, he moves his eye up as though raising his eyebrow, his ears are up and cocked towards me. 

"I know, father might not like it. He'll get used to it." 

"Prince Laurent?" The door opens. The kitchen staff I'd grown somewhat comfortable with appears at the door. "May I come in?"

"You're always welcome to," I say. I turn to look at her. For the life of me I couldn't remember her name. She'd been dropping by daily to check in on Duke. I never stopped her but we started talking and it felt a little to late now to ask for her name.

She takes a hesitant step forward, then she puts her hand in front of Duke.

Duke licks her, then she's running her fingers through his hair. "He's reacting well to the food and medicine," She says. "I'm surprised he's not moving about."

"Do you think he feels upset I've taken him out of the alley I've found him in?" I ask. It's been bothering me. Sometimes, when I look at Duke, I worry he looks depressed.

The blonde kitchen staff frowns at this, "I'm not sure, maybe?" She's quiet for a bit, I watch her. She's got golden shoulder length blonde hair. Our fingers brush but she doesn't look at me. "He reminds me of Balto, my dog at home."

I blink, "Don't you stay in the Castle?"

She meets my gaze now, "Yes, I do."

I hadn't noticed before, but I notice now. Her eyes are a stunning lime green. I've never seen such unique looking eyes. As though uncomfortable, she looks down, back at Duke's fur. "Whenever I go home, he gets really excited but when I come back to stay here, he gets depressed."

"So, you think Duke left someone behind in the alley?"

"Duke?" She asks, meeting my eyes.

I flush looking at the dog. "It's what I've been calling him."

I sneak a glance at her, and there's a small smile on her lips. I don't know why but I flush even more at it. Great, she's laughing at me. 

"I think it's a lovely name."

I feel my cheeks burn so I don't look up. 

It feels like I'm still living up to every last letter of my childhood nickname.

I look at Duke, the brown fur with white patches. I bent down to meet his eyes. "Did you leave someone behind?" I ask, "Was there someone there for you."

Duke closes his eyes. 

It's amazing how human he felt, his reactions, everything, it felt like he understood me. 

And gauging from his reaction. 

Duke had left someone behind.

I rub my fingers through fur, stopping at one of the many patches that lined his skin. He lived a hard life, it's evident in the marks and bumps under his fur. 

"You have me now," I whisper more to myself, but I hope Duke would hear it. 

I don't look at the girl, it bothers me more than I'd admit I don't know her name. 

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My mother visits once the girl has left, I wonder how strange it was that she comes as the moment the girl has left. She comes to stand with me. She watches me stroke Duke's fur. 

"What has the doctor said?" She asks. 

"That he's fine and he'll recover." I tell her. "Mother, once he has recovered, I can keep him right?"

"Of course, but you have to take care of him." Mother smiles at me. I've always liked Mother, more so when father wasn't around. 

Father was always looking for something wrong with me as though desperate to prove a point. Mother never was like that. She never compared me to any of my siblings. "I heard he made quiet a mess here the other day."

"He pissed on everything," I say curtly.

Mother sighs, "You really should watch your language." She takes a step away from Duke, to look at the room. It's nothing fancy. It's been emptied since the pissing incident, so all there was were the metallic table that Duke likes to rest on (probably because it's the only place he hadn't pissed on.) 

The floor is bare, save for a water bowl and a food bowl that's half empty and the plastic chair he uses to jump up and down the table. Across there was a large litter bowl the dog hadn't used. 

"You need to train him once he can move out. The last thing we want is the dog making a mess in the palace," She says. 

"I'll train him, don't worry."

"Have you contacted any trainers yet?" 

I look away from her gaze, "Not yet."

She smiles at me, tapping me on the shoulder, "You should do that, I'll see you Laurie." Then she heads out. 

Besides the kitchen staff and mother, no one else visits Duke and I in the room. For that, I'm glad. 

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I used to have nightmares. I'm not sure what about. I remember rolling in my bed unable to sleep. Sometimes it's because my room felt too big, and every sound used to startle me awake. I'd grown past it now. 

But not completely. 

I heard a sound. 

I wake up, the room is pitch black, I look around and I don't see anything move. Odd. I move upwards. Has Daegan gone off his rocker again and attacked the guards?

I roll my eyes, someone would need to stop him. And I do sort of owe him.

While, I'm not afraid of owing anyone in my family. Daegan is different. 

I move towards the doors. I see shadows, not surprising since I've guards to protect me every night. 

I reach for the doorknob cold under my fingers and swung the door open. 

I'm half surprised to find Daegan outside. He's dressed in black from top to toe. 

"What are you doing?" I ask.

He blinks, "Just checking on you."

There's three guards following him. I nod in their direction, "We do have guards you know," I remark dryly. 

Daegan looks uncomfortable, "I'm aware." I note how his gaze shifts to them. He really is mad. 

It's almost ludicrous that this was the man that I was compared to most. 

Daegan had his own duty to the crown but he made something more of himself by enrolling in the military and winning award after award.  

How he'd won medals for bravery, courage, endurance, speed. 

Me? I'm lanky, I've not won a single award. Except for drinking, I never told my father thought. Call it a sixth sense but I would bet my life he'd be displeased.

Looking at Daegan? The frantic eyes, messy curly hair. How had he done any of it? He's almost mad half the time. "Go sleep Daegan." 

Daegan nods, "I will." He doesn't turn to go away. Instead, he shifts on his feet, not resting so much on his injured leg. "How's your face?" He asks.

I know I should be nicer. He was the one who found me passed out and drunk, he's the one who defended me to father but when I look at him, I see everything I'm not. "Fine," I say. I close the door on him. If it was Adaliz, I'd get a boxing.

But Daegan doesn't say or do anything. He doesn't knock. Instead, I think he leaves my room door. I head back to bed, but now I've woken up, I find I can't sleep. I do try. I close my eyes. I daydream about my friends, but I find I can't sleep.

I curse Daegan silently. 

Since I've escaped the palace for a drink, I've not been allowed to leave my room without a guard escorting me. I glance at the clock, it's five in the morning. I move out of the bed, changing out of my night robes. I'm going to go check on Duke.

I got off my bed, and stretch my arms. 

I wear a shirt, and put on the robe, then I exit my room. The guards don't jump or act startled once the doors open. I warily glance the large marble hallways looking for Daegan's dark curly head. He must have gone to sleep. Huh. I didn't think he'd actually listen to me. 

I take several steps. The guards still are not authorized to question me. But two of them step forward. I walked forward. They follow me obediently. 

At least I'm still allowed at my room at night. 

The guards don't know the full truth to how I've gotten out that night. Captain Nathaniél had asked. I didn't tell him much. Like the fact I'd duplicated the keys to the garage.

Instead they went through everyone who had access to the garage. Guess who lost their set of keys? Father's personal driver. 

Obviously I had nothing to do with that.

However, everyone thought the driver left his keys in the garage or somewhere in the castle and I'd found it. 

I let them think that. If they knew I'd duplicated Adaliz's keys, I'd never have the chance to escape again. 

The walls echo faintly as I walk through. I'm down the stairs when I catch sight of a dark haired girl in front of me. It takes me a minute to place her. "Lady Arianna?" I call out in case I'm wrong. 

The girl turns. It is her. "Prince Laurent?"

"It's me," I smile walking towards her. Her grin is just as wide, "I guess I'm not the only one who couldn't get some sleep."

She laughs at this. She's got a nice laugh, "I think I'm still adjusting to the time difference."

"Liar. Didn't we agree not to lie to each other?" I remind her, as she reaches out for my arm. 

"I was trying to be ladylike," She says.

"Bullshit. You're the worst liar, I've met. Everyone here know the time difference is only an hour." Then my smile dims, "I see you're picking up Adaliz's habits."

"You did warn me," Arianna's light about it, but I feel her hand stiffen on my arm. I decide not to bring Adaliz up. 

I still remembered how she was when I led her to her room. She had been upset then. "He's not all that bad," I say uncomfortably, but who was I kidding? I can't imagine any sane person wanting to marry Adaliz. 

"We agreed not to lie to each other," her voice was a lot more solemn. She changes the topic, "Where were you heading to, anyway?"

"To see my dog."

Arianna is excited, "You have a dog?"

"Kind of, remember how I got my bruises? yeah it's the dog that saved me. He's a little fierce though, so I'm not sure if you should come in."

"Nonsense," She says, "I'm good with dogs."

She's still walking with me, our arms intertwined so I don't see how I could put her off seeing Duke, and truth was I didn't want to. It's nice having someone else beside the kitchen staff and my mother to talk to about Duke. 

At the door, to his room, I stand back. I glance at the guards, "I suggest, you don't follow us. He might be a bit fierce." Then I look to Arianna, "just be careful, okay?"

Her smile is reassuring in the light, "I will."

Nodding, I turn to open the door. Duke has been somber enough he hasn't tried to run out but I'm still on guard if he does. He's not a large dog, barely reaching my knees. Medium sized I suppose. But I don't doubt his speed if he's truly planning an escape. 

He was asleep on the metal table, his eyes open as I open the door. Arianna quietly following behind me. Otherwise, he makes no move to escape. 

"Hey big guy," I say walking in. Arianna creeping in slowly behind me. The guards doesn't follow us in. "This is Lady Arianna, a friend."

The dog glances at the two of us, then lowers his head. I take several strides in and Arianna follows, there's a big grin on her face. Like the girl from the kitchen staff, she lets Duke sniff her hand, when he licks it, she runs her hands on his fur. 

She doesn't do it like how I do, but within minutes, she has Duke leaning into her touch, his tongue out and tail slowly wagging. 

"How'd you do that?" I ask softly. 

Arianna's brown eyes meet mine, "Do what?" 

"Make him look happy," I clarify. I reach out for Duke, petting his fur.

"I'm good with dogs,  remember," She's grinning but playing with Duke's fur. "You should stop worrying that he's going to bite you, Prince Laurent," She adds kindly, "It might help."

"Perhaps." I keep it in mind, as I gently run my fingers through his fur. With Arianna here, I can't talk to Duke like I usually do. So I content myself with petting him. 

"Can we take him out for a walk?" She asks me.

I don't know how to reply, so I stay silent. 

"Prince Laurent?" There's a questioning tone in her voice and I know I can't stay silent for long. 

She wants the truth, she said so as much to me when we first met. "I haven't taken him out for a walk yet."

In that moment, I notice a glint in her eyes. She's smaller than I am, barely reaching my shoulder. Her lips curl, "Well, lucky I'm here then."

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I've seen dogs being taken out for a walk before. I had just never expected to do it myself. Maybe then, I would watch and see how'd they'd done it so effortlessly. 

Duke is as wild as Arianna's seemingly innocent brown eyes. 

It took a lot of effort to get a collar and leash on him. Arianna took charge. She works with a determination I could only help but admire. 

Between both of us and a soft growl from Duke, we managed to get him off the table with a leash firmly in Arianna's hand.

He still refused to move. Instead he limply sank to the floor.

Arianna's brown eyes glance at me. "Hold this," She says pressing the leash in my hand. I can't object and I hold on to it firmly. 

She bents down, her eyes level with Dukes. "Hey, boy, c'mon let's go for a walk."

Duke doesn't move.

She frowns. She reaches for Duke, her fingers trying to lift him up but he refuses to budge. She glances at me, "It doesn't look like it might work."

There's a sound outside our door, it's soft like metal clinking on the floor. 

"Let's try opening the door?" She suggests.

I'm still thinking about the sound bur Arianna takes this as an agreement.  She rises to her feet. Reaching towards the door, and with a simple movement, opening it. 

It's not the open door that urges him to move, but the guard who turn to glance at him. The leash tugs on my arm and the surprise of it jolts me forward.

Duke is dragging me.

The guards eyes widen. 

"Don't be scared!" Arianna shouts.

Too late, the guard does a speed walk away.

It's all the initiative Duke needs. He's straining against the leash as I stumble after him. He runs after the guard who'd given up walking and began to run. "Your highness!" He shouts uncomfortable, "Your highness!"

"Lady Arianna," I shout, straining, "How do I get him to stop?"

But Lady Arianna isn't here, trying to stop Duke from attacking the guard. She's still in the room. 

Great.

I'm pulling the leash, but Duke is strong, and not just that, but determined to charge at the guard and who was I too stop him? As he tugs at the leash in my hand, I'm just thinking I'll be a dead man once father hears about it.

It's that desperation to save him, that makes me take a forceful leap against the growling dog. "Duke stop!" I cry.

At this the dog stops moving, he turns to look at me, panting as though a question on his mind. 

"Yes, stop!" I reach for him and hug him. "Father will be upset if you do this."

The guard had managed to lengthen the distance between myself and the Duke. I hear footsteps behind me and I'm not surprised to see its Arianna, she's panting. She speaks in a torrent of a language I don't understand, Greek probably. 

"Sorry," She says noting my confused face. "I just - the other guard -" she pants, "he's unconscious."

I turn to look at the guard and I notice he hasn't stopped running. Odd. Fear really can push you. Fear, or unless he's the one that attacked the other guard.

And slowly it begins to sink in. "Hold him," I tell her, and I'm running after the guard calling, "Guards! Intruder!"

He doesn't make it to the end of the hallway, the guards immediate jump the man. He tries to fight them off but the two guards on night duty by the door, and the one near a room, rush forwards to help. 

Within minutes, he's caught, and pressed hard on the ground. Another guard jogs down from one of the many curved staircases. I spot him, I point at him. "Get Prince Adaliz," I order. "Who's in charge of the night shift? Bring them to see if they can identify this guard."

The guard salutes and he's running back upstairs. I watch the man on the ground, he's still struggling against the guards. I hear the sound of growling, and I see Arianna and Duke walking towards me. Duke's growling at the man.

My head stings, a brief memory. The night in the alley. The sound of growling.

What would have happened if Duke hadn't gone berserk? This man, he clearly over-powered the other guard. Why was this man following me? Something isn't right and I'm hoping that I'm not as crazy as Daegan. 

"Who are you?" I ask the man, "And what do you want?"

"I'll save you the trouble," The guard speaks, face squished on the ground, "Get Prince Daegan, he'll recognise me."

AN

DUN DUN DUNNN... who do you think this guy is? And what does he want with Laurie?

Thank you for your votes & support in the last chapter, it's one of the biggest motivations I have when it comes to writing. And as promised, things are getting interesting. 

Cheers, 

Pain.