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A/N: I had several mental breakdowns while writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.
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‘So, this is it, huh?’
Jayden turned away from the window to face Leo who walked up to stand beside him. ‘I suppose it is,’ he said, turning back to look out the window where a crowd of reporters had gathered noisily in front of the headmistress’s manor.
‘You would think they would get tired of all this gossip,’ Leo muttered darkly as he watched the reporters jostle each other for proximity as their chauffeurs loaded their luggage into the cars.
Noel joined them at the window and a thoughtful look appeared on his face as he watched the scene outside. ‘It feels weird to be leaving, doesn’t it?’ he said, voicing out Jayden’s thoughts.
A silent agreement drifted in the space between them as the noise from the crowd outside grew.
‘Change always feels strange,’ the headmistress’s voice came in behind them. ‘If it was familiar then it wouldn’t be necessary.’
She smiled as the boys turned around to look at her. ‘Are you ready to face this next chapter in your lives?’
‘I don’t think anyone is ever truly ready for that,’ Samuel muttered as he walked in with Paul and Cam in tow. ‘But I suppose we are as ready as we will ever be.’
His words earned a faint chuckle from the headmistress. ‘Wise words indeed, Mr. Asamoah. Though, this is not the end of your journey as students of Lumière but rather the beginning of the end.’
‘Thank you, headmistress,’ Leo said solemnly. He hesitated before adding, ‘Err… sorry for all the trouble my pranks caused you.’
An amused glint appeared in Francesca’s eyes. ‘Not at all, Mr. Ferrars. Since you are leaving, I think I can freely admit to the fact that I enjoyed your pranks tremendously. They reminded me of the ones I used to pull when I was your age. I shall miss them.’
At Leo’s shocked look, she chuckled again. ‘I know it’s hard to think it looking at me now, but I was not always a dour sour-faced old lady.’
Leo’s mouth opened and closed several times before stammering out, ‘For what it’s worth, I don’t think anyone can call you sour-faced.’
The headmistress just smiled at his words before turning her attention to Cameron. ‘I must also admit that I was very concerned about you when you first came here, Mr. Castello. You spent far too much of your time buried in your books and when you did look up, you did not seem interested in expanding your social circle beyond Mr. Ferrars. I even questioned if it was wise to leave you two together in the same house.’
As if reading Cam’s mind, she added. ‘Yes, I had a suspicion that you were not entirely honest when taking the test; answering the questions in such a way to ensure you end up in the same house as Mr. Ferrars. A suspicion that was solidified after observing your unhealthy attachment to him.’
Cam’s ears burned bright red at being found out. ‘Sorry,’ he muttered weakly, avoiding his friends’ eyes and Leo’s incredulous expression. Noel seemed to be the only one who was aware of this piece of information if his knowing smile was anything to go by.
The headmistress’s eyes twinkled brightly. ‘No need to apologize. I was quite impressed by how you managed to fool the system.’
Cam’s ears burned brighter but this time due to the flush of pride at the unexpected praise.
‘You’ve done well, Mr. Castello. Not only have you discovered the joys of new companions, but you’ve also learned the subtle art of flexibility. Education, rules, laws; those are noble ideals, but friendship, love, family; these are what make society worth living in. I hope you remember that wherever you might end up.’
‘I will,’ Cam promised.
The headmistress’s eyes moved to Noel who straightened up unconsciously at her gaze. ‘Mr. Tetteh, I know you had some reservations about studying here when you received the scholarship. You believed you didn’t belong here. Do you still hold that notion?’
‘I did once, but not anymore. I’ve realised that our choices have far more weight in deciding who we are, not the circumstances of our background. We can belong anywhere we decide to, and except to the people who love us, no one is more special than the other.’
A proud smile flitted on the headmistress’s lips as she nodded. ‘Indeed. If you’ve learnt that then your time here was not in vain.’ Her gaze moved to Paul who met her eyes squarely. ‘What about you, your highness?’
‘I’ve also learnt a lot in my time here. You were an excellent teacher, I thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I suspect we owe you for a lot more than we know.’
The headmistress nodded as if she was expecting that response. ‘A diplomatic answer, I expected nothing less. It is not easy bearing the weighty expectations of an entire people as well as the legacy of a family as noble as yours, but you have always borne it well. You are, however, now at the crossroads of your destiny and an important question looms before you. I have every faith that when the time comes, you will make the right choice.’
A tortured look appeared on Paul’s face. ‘But how do I know which is the right one?’
The headmistress studied him curiously above her half-moon spectacles. ‘If you are asking that it means your lesson isn’t quite complete yet. I will ask you that very same question the next time we meet. And I expect you to have figured out the answer then.’
Paul looked as if he wanted to protest but, in the end, he simply nodded his head as he accepted the challenge.
‘Is it my turn then?’ Jayden stated lightly, but there was an air of tense expectation around him as the headmistress turned to him.
‘We already had that conversation last night in my office, Mr. Mills. All I have left to say is you are very lucky to have Mr. Asamoah in your life. Most people go through life without knowing what it’s like to truly love and be loved equally in return. Do not take your relationship for granted and treasure every moment for you never know which may be your last.’
Jayden’s hand found Samuel’s and clenched it tightly as he nodded somberly. ‘I plan to.’
‘I’m glad to hear that. The same holds for you as well, Mr. Asamoah. The world is a cruel, dark place and you would need each other’s strength to face what is ahead. You have always been a bright boy and I hope you keep that light inside you burning. I daresay you would need it to warm not only yourself but other cold souls you meet on your journey through life.’
Francesca Fontaine smiled down at her students. ‘It was truly a pleasure to be a part of your story, all of you. And I look forward to witnessing where your next journey will lead you. It seemed my decision to place you all in the same detention was fortuitous even if it did end up in an ill-conceived flight and unexpected traipse in the forest.’
This time they all looked down in embarrassment though there were proud grins hiding underneath their expressions.
‘We are ready to leave, sir,’ one of the chauffeurs called from the door.
‘This is it then,’ Leo stated, hitching up his backpack. ‘You coming, Noel?’
‘I’ll be along in a minute,’ Noel replied before turning to Jayden. ‘Would you… are you…?’
Jayden gave him a thin smile. ‘Am I going to be alright?’ At Noel’s nod, he shrugged. ‘Maybe, maybe not. They are willing to let me back home so they can’t be that mad at me. Besides, I’m eighteen, there’s not much my father can do to me anymore.’
Noel bit his lip worryingly. ‘Still…’
‘Cheer up. You know me, I always end up being fine, one way or another. Besides, I don’t think I’m the one you need to worry about,’ Jayden added, glancing pointedly at Paul.
Noel followed his gaze and nodded. ‘Promise me you’ll call.’
‘Everyday,’ Jayden promised.
‘And don’t wait ages before replying to my texts!’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’
Noel gave him a doubtful look before wrapping his arms around him in a firm hug. Jayden blinked in surprise at the sudden attack. He glanced down at the familiar mess of black curls and his surprise melted into a gentle smile as he allowed his arms to return the gesture.
‘I remember how you used to hate physical contact,’ Noel muttered into Jayden’s chest. ‘Anytime I tried to hug you, you would immediately tense up and shake me off.’
‘Still not very fond of it if I’m being honest,’ Jayden stated wryly. ‘You learn to grow used to it when you have a boyfriend who is addicted to physical affection.’
‘You’ve grown up.’ Noel observed. ‘We all have. I know I have said this a lot but thank you. For everything.’
‘Thank you for being my friend when I needed one most,’ Jayden replied quietly as Noel broke away.
They exchanged a last-knowing smile before Noel turned to walk up to Paul who was engaged in last-minute conversation with Cam and Samuel.
Samuel nudged Cam as Noel approached and they exchanged a look with each other before stepping back to provide them with some privacy.
‘Hi,’ Noel said awkwardly as his mind cast around for something to say.
‘Hi,’ Paul responded with a faint smile tugging his lips. ‘It was nice of Cam and Leo to give you a ride home. I would have offered but…’
‘I know.’ Noel hesitated then asked, ‘Would you be alright?’
‘Yeah, I would. The only time my name is mentioned in the papers is to point out that I am Samuel’s best friend. The palace isn’t exactly pleased with this but considering what the alternative was I think they’ll live.’
‘What about us? Would we be alright?’
Paul looked down. ‘I don’t know,’ he admitted honestly. ‘I hope we would be… I want us to be… but…’
‘It’s not a question about what you want but what is right,’ Noel finished. He let out a heavy sigh. ‘Paul, I know this is a difficult situation for you and I am trying to be understanding… I hope I have been understanding, and I don’t want to pile on your pressures but…’
‘I know. It’s not fair for you to continue to live with this uncertainty,’ Paul stated with a sad tinge in his voice.
Noel placed a hand on his face and forced him to meet his eyes. ‘Don’t shut me out. That’s all I’m trying to say. If what we have has to end then let’s spend our last moments together, happy that we had a chance to explore ourselves, to know each other. Promise me that.’
‘Your royal highness, the car is ready.’
Paul looked into his eyes. ‘I promise.’
Noel let his hand drop as he stepped back. Cam and Leo were already at the door and with a quick look at one another, they took a deep breath and stepped out into the chaos.
Like predators lying in wait for their prey, the reporters immediately surged forward, thrusting microphones toward them as cameras flashed relentlessly. Voices filled the air, charging the air with vibrancy as questions were fired in rapid succession.
Their chauffeur moved swiftly to shield them, quickly ushering them through the din and into the protective silence of the waiting car.
The rest watched from the window as the car pulled away and a dark vehicle with the royal crest emblazoned on its side pulled up to take its place.
Paul squared his shoulders and with one last look at Samuel and Jayden, stepped out into the demanding cacophony of voices. With the help of his guards, he was quickly ensconced beneath the protective tint of the dark windows.
Samuel turned to Jayden just as his car pulled up the driveway. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? You’re eighteen, your parents can’t force you to stay with them.’
‘I’m sure,’ Jayden answered with a small smile. ‘You need to spend some time alone with your family to help them process everything that has happened. And I have unfinished business with mine.’
Samuel frowned. ‘I suppose you’re right, but I don’t like it.’
Jayden placed a soft kiss on his forehead. ‘It’s just for a few days, one week at most. Then I’ll come and stay with you. I promise.’
‘Fine,’ Samuel mumbled though he didn’t look happy about it.
Jayden ran a gentle finger over Samuel’s lower lip as his eyes clouded over and for a moment it seemed he wasn’t going to let him leave but, in the end, his hand dropped, and the cloud passed.
‘See you then,’ Jayden promised.
Samuel nodded and took a deep breath before stepping out into the sea of journalists. Jayden watched him leave with an unreadable look on his face and it wasn’t long before his car pulled up.
He turned to the headmistress who was watching him gently. ‘I suppose it’s my turn to leave now.’
‘Cheer up, Mr. Mills. This is not goodbye. I have a feeling we will meet again before long. Why, we have your graduation to look forward to.’
‘I would have to pass my exams first.’
‘And you would. You are one of my brightest students.’
‘Careful,’ Jayden joked. ‘If anyone hears that they might think you went around collecting favourites.’
‘I do not have favourites, Mr. Mills,’ the headmistress corrected firmly, but there was a twinkle in her eye as she added, ‘But if I did, it would be you.’
Jayden flushed at this. He turned to leave but hesitated at the door. ‘I never imagined I would come to think of this school as home. That I would make friends, find a family, and even know love. Somehow, I have a feeling you expected that all along.’
‘No one knows the future, Mr. Mills. The only gifts we can lay claim to are hopes and dreams.’
Jayden took one last look around him before surrendering himself to the chaos that lay outside the doors.
The roar of the crowd reached a fever pitch as soon as he walked out, and the cameras flashed blindingly as the sea of bodies pressed in. It took the combined skill and strengths of his security team to hold them back as they carved a path for him through the crowd.
The car door opened like a sanctuary and he was quickly enwrapped in the quiet solitude of its cool interior. He glanced back as the car began to pull away from the driveway and as he stared back at Lumière, his eyes filled with the vision of precious memories. Memories that spanned three years of his life.
~
To say that Roger Mills was angry would be an understatement.
In fact, Jayden had never known his father to be so furious in his entire life. Not even that dreadful night when he learned about his son’s sexuality was his rage as potent as it is now.
He noticed the difference the moment he arrived at home. His parents were nowhere to be seen but his father’s rage blanketed the entire manor like a thick cloud of smoke.
He knew it was strange when there was no one waiting to take his luggage when he arrived. And even more so when the servants avoided looking at him as he made his way through the manor, their eyes flickering away nervously as they scurried about their business.
He caught sight of their family butler, a man usually a figure of stoic composure but now reduced to a frightful bundle of nerves, straightening a portrait on the wall. He resolutely refused to look up as Jayden approached but his hands trembled slightly as he chose instead to focus intently on his task as if straightening the frames of a fourth-generation patriarch was suddenly the most important thing in the world.
Jayden didn’t blame the poor man. He was lucky to be at school when news of the scandal broke, and he doubted his father received it well.
He spent the rest of the day holed up in his room, expecting his father to come bursting in at any moment but to his surprise that confrontation never came. He wasn’t naïve, he knew his father was going to make him pay, it was merely a question of when and how.
That question was answered when less than a day later, men he recognised as part of his father’s security detail burst in and began stripping his room bare.
The large TV was the first to go, then his paintings, furniture, and any other things they could lay their hands on. His mother came in as they were dismantling the piano by his window, and he threw her an accusing look.
‘Why hello, mother. Care to explain what’s going on?’
‘Your father thought it best if you were… isolated from outside influences for a while,’ Victoria answered, her response carrying a tinge of guilt.
‘I see,’ Jayden stated, his tone biting. ‘And he thought that taking away my chaise lounge would make me any less gay. I wonder if those same tactics would work with the French.’
Victoria flinched at the frost in his voice. ‘I know the situation is less than ideal, but you must understand the position you’ve placed him in. He’s very angry and he’s hardly had time to rest, having to spend the better part of the last days running around trying to clean up the mess you’ve made.’
‘I can’t say I’m sympathetic,’ Jayden replied indifferently as servants came in with stacks of boxes and began carting away the books amassed in his small library.
‘What were you thinking?’ Victoria hissed. ‘Exposing yourself like that in front of the school… in front of the entire country.’
‘I was taking my life into my own hands,’ Jayden shot back defiantly. ‘And I have no regrets. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going for a walk.’
Two men immediately stepped in front of him, blocking his way to the door.
‘Move.’
But the men remained unmoving, staring straight ahead as Jayden wheeled around to face his mother. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’
A guilty look appeared in his mother’s eyes. ‘You’re not allowed to leave your room. There would be guards posted outside your door and a maid would be assigned here to cater to any needs you might have.’
Jayden’s voice was incredulous. ‘You’re holding me prisoner.’
‘You’re being grounded,’ Victoria clarified. ‘For your own safety.’
‘I am eighteen years old; you can’t ground me.’ Jayden snapped. ‘You’ve never been a coward Mother, so why start now? Call it for what it is, an imprisonment.’
‘You can call it whatever you like. It matters not, the fact remains that we are doing it for your safety. I know the conditions are… drastic and I don’t like it any more than you do. I wanted to extend your confinement to the grounds, and I argued against taking away your things.’
‘So what? Am I supposed to be grateful?’
‘Yes!’ Victoria snapped, finally losing her patience. ‘Yes, you should be. Do you have any idea of the danger you’ve put yourself in? Have you heard what they are saying on the streets? Filthy plebians who are not even fit to scrub our floors are calling for your blood! Even among the highborn, there are those who want to see you jailed -at best- to prevent your “immorality” from seeping into the upper class and staining their children. Your very presence anywhere in society would be enough to incite a riot! And you question if you are supposed to be grateful?’
Jayden stared at his mother with an unreadable look on his face. ‘You believe that don’t you? You honestly believe you’re doing this for me. I suppose that a part of you is, but the major part of you is doing it for yourself. You are ashamed of me, mother. I can see it even if you don’t want to admit it. You may think you are keeping me here for the right reasons, but Father is definitely doing this to punish me, and you are a fool if you don’t see it.’
Mother and son stared at each other for several long heartbeats, neither side unwilling to back down.
‘Mistress.’
Victoria glanced at the guard then looked back at her son. ‘You will not leave this room. You will surrender your phone and any other electronic gadgets you may have to the guards. I will be back later to check up on you.’
Jayden huffed in frustration and swept an arm around his now bare room. ‘You’ve taken my books, my paints, my journals, and you’ve also forbidden me from talking to anyone. What am I supposed to do all day? Just sit around?’
‘One would think you would welcome that time to reflect upon your actions. God knows, you have plenty to think about.’
She turned to leave but Jayden’s voice stopped her. ‘If you leave me here, Mother, I am never going to forgive you.’
Victoria didn’t turn around but if she did, he would have seen the sad smile that appeared on his mother’s face. ‘Hate me then. If you need someone to direct your ire at let it be me. Lord knows I should be used to it by now. But know that no matter what, I will never stop loving you.’ Her voice grew soft. ‘You are my son.’
She walked out of the room and Jayden wanted to throw something after her, but the blasted servants had taken everything out. He resorted instead to lying on his bed, the only piece of furniture he had left in his room, and thinking up colorful words to throw at her the next time she dared to show her face.
It turned out that he didn’t have long to devote to this endeavour because an hour later, his door opened to allow a stream of men in. He debated ignoring them but decided it would be in his interest to know what they were doing so he sat up and watched.
‘Cameras?’ he said incredulously when he realised what they were doing. ‘Placing me under twenty-four-hour supervision is petty even for him. What does my father think I’m going to do? Wank every time I miss my boyfriend or images of naked men come to mind? Or is hoping to witness me bashing my head against the walls when I inevitably descend into madness.’
They must have been ordered not to speak with him because they just ignored him which only served to rankle him further. He debated testing his newly developed language on them to provoke them into a response but ultimately decided against it, not seeing the point in wasting his energy on people whose only crime was following orders and who probably hated their part in this twisted drama as much as he did.
They left soon after and he found to his surprise that being watched didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would. The thought of people behind the screens watching his every action made him feel less alone, a feeling that was both comforting and disturbing.
He spent the rest of the day alternating between sleeping and making up new words to insult his parents with. On the second day of his imprisonment, he decided to test out the bounds of his confinement.
Thankfully, his bathroom didn’t have any cameras installed -nice to know his parents still valued privacy, but he discovered that if he spent more than ten minutes in there a guard would come in to check on him.
It was an amusing experience the first time, to force the guard to wait uncomfortably while he spent close to an hour languidly taking his bath, but the joke soon grew old, and he opted instead for taking quick showers to protect whatever dignity he had left.
The door to his room was always left unlocked but there was little point in going down that road since there were always guards posted behind it. The only visitors he received were his mother and a maid who appeared three times a day with food. The maids were never the same, so he didn’t bother remembering their names. While he ate, they went around the room cleaning though what they cleaned was a mystery to him, seeing that the only thing left in the room was his king-sized bed.
His mother came to visit him at least once a day in what he recognized as a determined attempt to keep him company. He, therefore, studiously ignored her whenever she came and after the fifth day of not getting a word out of him, she stomped out in frustration, causing him to celebrate the victory of nipping these maternal visits in the bud. It was a small victory but a victory, nonetheless.
He had, however, underestimated his mother’s determination because she was back again on the sixth day. He shot her a dirty look as she made herself comfortable on the side of his bed. He should have known she wouldn’t even give him this little win.
Nevermind, he was still not going to speak to her. But it seemed his mother wasn’t planning on making him talk. She pulled out a book and began to read aloud. She continued this every day, alternating between books, society magazines, and newspapers, and her narration was usually interspersed with witty comments and observations she knew would draw him in.
The first time he caught himself paying attention he mentally cursed himself and forcibly focused his attention on the fraying edges of his curtains. Something about his mother’s voice told him she was aware of what he was doing which only irritated him more. After the third time, he gave up his futile attempts at ignoring her and decided that he might as well take whatever distractions he could get.
That wasn’t the only victory his mother won. With copious amounts of time and nothing to do, he found to his chagrin that he had no choice but to take his mother’s advice and think, so that’s what he did.
He thought about a lot of things. What his friends were doing, what it would be like to be born into a different family, what it would feel like to have his parents accept him, what his life would be like if he hadn’t been born gay, what would have happened if he and Samuel hadn’t come out.
Samuel…
Whenever his thoughts strayed to his boyfriend a dull ache appeared in his chest, so he tried to distract himself whenever images of his dark hair, hazel eyes, or lopsided smile came into his mind. The irony that that was exactly what his father wanted wasn’t lost on him, but it was easier to concede a victory than to deal with the pain of missing his boyfriend, so he decided to take it as a loss.
That was three points for his parents and zero for him.
He didn’t think his pride could handle losing another point, so he decided it was time to even the score. He couldn’t hope to win on the major issues such as lifting or even expanding the confines of his prison, so he went to battle on the smaller ones.
He started by pointing out to his mother that if she hoped for him to have something remotely resembling a future, he would need to pass his exams and he couldn’t do that without any books.
It took two days for his library and study to be reinstated which must mean it wasn’t easy for his mother to convince his father he still needed an education. Though he wasn’t sure how he felt about that, he still took that as a win, and he was now up one point which was far preferable to zero.
For his second combat, he took up arms on the issue of revamping the furniture in his room. His room currently boasted of only his bed, and more recently, his desk and chair, which wouldn’t do. His feet were beginning to hurt from walking on the bare tiles and he longed for his plush carpet.
This battle took longer than he expected but after repeatedly pointing out to his mother that he had been a model prisoner, always being on his best behaviour -his options for getting into mischief were severely limited and the few available to him were just counterproductive but he conveniently left that part out.
He supposed his father didn’t think his wayward son had much use for fine décor, but his mother was persistent if nothing else and he was rewarded for his efforts when a few days later, servants filed in with his old furnishings.
Even the chaise lounge was back, a feature he noted with mixed feelings. Though his paints and easels were still absent he counted this as another win. He could deploy his mother to wrangle his father about them later; at present, he was just going to revel in his victory.
What vexed him the most about the entire situation, he grudgingly admitted one day as he lay faceup on the chaise lounge, was not the loss of his freedom but the fact that his father had not seen fit to visit him even once.
Not that he craved the man’s attention -maybe a small part of him did, but he was not about to admit that anytime soon- he just felt severely cheated off the opportunity to rage and curse directly at the face of his jailor. Typical of his father to deny him even this little pleasure.
As he lay enjoying images of his father being decapitated in several gruesome ways, he heard the door to his room open and shortly a soft clang as the maid placed his dinner tray on the table.
He didn’t bother to look up and continued to enjoy a delightfully vivid image of his father’s head tumbling down a hill when he faintly registered a short tap on his leg.
He frowned as the maid bumped into him again as she moved around cleaning the room. Probably a new one, he thought, which would explain the clumsiness.
The bump was more insistent the third time around and he began to sense what felt like the beginnings of a dull ache on his leg. He couldn’t ignore it the fourth time it happened, and he sat up with an irritated expression. It was all he could do not to exclaim in surprise when the maid turned around, facing him with a pair of hauntingly familiar hazel eyes. Eyes he had been trying not to think about for the past weeks.
Samuel?
He shook himself as the maid shot him a subtle wink and carried on with her cleaning as if nothing had happened.
Of course, it wasn’t Samuel. But how had Cissy managed to get in?
With practiced nonchalance, Jayden walked to his desk and lifted the fork. Despite his outward indifference, every fibre of his being was focused on the maid as she went around the room.
He was halfway done with his meal when she picked up her cleaning cart and made her way to the bathroom. Less than six minutes later, she walked out and stood patiently by the door while he finished his dinner.
He retired back to the chaise lounge after she had wheeled his empty tray away and did not move even when his mother came in to perform the usual ritual of reading the evening paper.
It wasn’t until an hour later that he stood up and casually made his way to the bathroom, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He let out a soft breath as his expression visibly relaxed away from the prying cameras.
He didn’t have long before a guard came in to check on him, so he pushed himself from the door and cast a quick look around the spacious bathroom. He cursed softly in his head as he quickly rummaged through the cabinets. There were times when having a large bathroom was a blissful pleasure and there were others, like this, when it was a curse. So much space meant a lot of places to hide things and it would take a good amount of time to check them all. Time, he did not have.
He took a deep breath. Now was the time to think logically. He immediately discounted all the obvious places. Cissy was extremely clever and if her skill at infiltrating the manor was to be taken into account, far cleverer than he gave her credit for. She would not leave anything sensitive in such obvious places. She would also not leave them in places that would be difficult to find, since she was no doubt aware of the conditions of his imprisonment.
He quickly went through the options he had left, and he soon found what he was looking for behind the cistern above the toilet bowl. He hid the envelope carefully inside his clothes and strolled out of the bathroom.
He sat on his bed for several minutes before walking up to his bookshelf and with his back to the cameras, took out the envelope and placed it within the pages of War and Peace.
He carried the book to his study and settling himself beside the desk, his back still against the cameras, opened the novel and took out the envelope.
Jayden
Tears sprung to his eyes as he recognized Samuel’s messy scrawl, and he took a moment to pass a gentle finger over the inked words.
I hope to God you see this message. I was so worried when I didn’t hear from you, I almost lost my mind. I even got my mum to come to your house, but your mum told her you had left the country. I told Mum that was bullshit, you wouldn’t leave without telling me. I was going crazy wondering what happened to you. Cissy has been an absolute brick. She is frightfully clever you know; she kinda reminds me of you. She figured the best way to get answers is not through your parents but through the staff. Servants are notorious gossips, and they know everything about us which is ironic considering we know next to nothing about them. Apparently, they all know each other -at least those who serve the main families do, and as luck would have it, our butler is in the same book club as your chef. It only took a few drinks before he complained very loudly to our butler about how his workload had increased since he not only had his “bratty young master” to cook for but his guards as well. A few more drinks later, and he revealed how your parents have you locked up in your room with no way to communicate with anyone.
Jayden could feel Samuel pause as he considered how best to frame his next words.
Are you okay? That’s a silly question, of course, you are not okay. What kind of parents treat their own child like that? It makes me so mad and so sad. I wish you didn’t have to experience this.
Now, that we know what happened to you the next thing was how to get you out. Cissy… she scares me sometimes. I don’t know how she managed it, but she was able to get herself hired as a kitchen maid. It took a few weeks for her to learn about the exact conditions of your confinement and an extra week to butter up the housekeeper to get her assigned to your room. Apparently, there is a rotation so she can’t see you every day but if you can figure out a way to pass messages to her, we can keep in touch so you don’t have to feel so alone while we work on breaking you out.
The others were worried about you, so I had to tell them what happened. Leo was so outraged he actually passed out. As soon as he came to, he was on his feet, demanding we charge in and get you out of there at once. It took a while for Cam to calm him down. Noel is staying with them, by the way. He and Cam are helping each other study for finals, which is driving Leo mad.
But as Cam said, ‘Exams are not going away just because Jayden is locked away in his room. We are going to get him out but, in the meantime, he is no doubt using the time to study so we should follow his example instead of wasting precious energy and time worrying.’
Jayden could hear Cam’s voice as he read that part and a fond smile appeared on his face.
Paul wanted to come over, but the palace didn’t allow him because they are trying to distance him from this whole scandal. You probably, don’t know what’s going on but the whole country has gone insane.
If you had told me a few months ago, that our relationship would be the focus of such drama, I would have laughed in your face. Ever since pictures of us kissing circulated throughout the country, several prominent artists, musicians, and even politicians have come out. All across social media, there are posts of people coming out to their families and calling out the stupidity of homophobia.
Your father, in particular, has been dominating the headlines lately. Everyone thought that this scandal would spell the end of his presidential campaign but if anything, it seems to have propelled it forward.
He spends a lot of his time in parliament, raging against the “indecencies” and “moral decay” of our society that have corrupted his son. From the way he talks about you, you are the Virgin Mary reborn, pure and untainted in your innocence, and I am the devil incarnate that seduced and corrupted you.
He paints you as a victim who was tricked by me, Satan’s spawn, into doing things you didn’t even understand. An idea that is laughable to anyone who has met either of us, but he is the current head of the 52 so no one dares to contradict him.
Did you know he actually tried to get me arrested? He would have succeeded if Mum hadn’t called an emergency session of the 52 to point out that according to the law if he wanted to prosecute me, he would have to prosecute you as well. An idea, I am sure, he very much wished to carry out but would be ruinous for his career, so he had no choice but to drop all charges.
I wasn’t allowed to go scot-free, however. The 52 sentenced me to house arrest, because, as your father had the pleasure to point out, he had already taken the initiative to give his son the same punishment.
I think the fact that I got away with just a slap on the wrist infuriated him to no end because since then, he has been passing bills through parliament with an alarming frequency.
Rainbows have been banned. People are now required to report their neighbours, or anyone even remotely suspected of engaging in homosexual behaviour to the police. Citizens are required to declare their sexuality openly before the police and perjury is punishable by up to two years in a reformation centre. A fancy way of calling a conversion camp.
I don’t think any of what is happening is entirely legal. It’s hardly democratic; he may virtually run the country, but he is not president yet.
The scary thing about all this is the fact that he has the support of the majority of the population. The people see him as a sort of saviour who is going to protect their society from the “immoral corruption of the West”. That was this morning’s headline in The Times.
The LGBTQ+ community, is of course not taking this without a fight. They are not as much as the other side, but they are a very vocal minority, who are gaining traction and support every day. It seems they were waiting in the shadows for the right opportunity to show themselves and our kiss was their rallying cry.
It makes sense, I suppose, with two such high-profile members of society coming out as gay, one of whom is none other than the son of the next president and the scion of the premier family of the Noble 52. It’s far too good of an opportunity to miss.
We are hardly the first gay members of the 52. But this is the first time a member of their community proudly took ownership of their sexuality and came out in such an unashamed way, and not through rumours and gossip.
Our faces are splattered on posters, and demonstrations and riots are erupting across the country to protest against your father’s laws. But with every new demonstration your father just passes ten new bills. I don’t think he realises how close to fascism he is leading us with his irrational hatred.
Which brings me to my next question… I never asked because there is no point in understanding people like that, but with the way your father is acting lately, I have to know. Why does he hate gay people so much?
His loathing goes beyond religion or culture. It seems almost… personal.
He seems to grow more unhinged every time I see him on TV, and I don’t think I’m the only one who has noticed. The 52 are growing uncomfortable with his recent policies, and whispers have already begun to break out. I am under no illusions; I know they dislike the LGBTQ community. But their dislike is merely intolerance, not hate. They are not extremists; they know that there are members of the community in their own family, but as long as they keep quiet and are not too open about it, they seem content to turn a blind eye.
The country is on a razor-sharp edge and the slightest spark could engulf the entire nation in a blaze of chaos. Your father is on the path to hell, and I fear he is dragging us down with him.
Enough about him. He has stolen enough time from us, let’s not allow him to steal anymore. I love you, Jayden. Always remember that. Please stay safe and try not to be too sad.
We will be together again soon, and if it ever gets too much, just remember that even though we are apart, we are still under the same sky.
I love you.
Samuel.
Tears rolled down Jayden’s cheeks as he read the last words over and over again. Things might have been worse than he had expected, and the news he had received in the letter was extremely concerning -he realised now that his mother had been deliberately skipping over certain articles, but there would be time to worry about those things later.
For now, he hugged the book against his chest and allowed Samuel’s words to wash over him.
I love you too.
Author’s Note: Don’t worry, lots of fluff in the next chapter but it all goes downhill from there. Tuck in.
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