Marcel never imagined he'd find himself here—arms wrapped tightly around his companion's waist, clinging to the back of a motorcycle as they tore down the open highway, wind whipping past them like a force of freedom itself. It was exhilarating. Liberating. A feeling Marcel barely recognized, having spent most of his life confined within castle walls.

When they first met, Marcel hadn't thought much of the young man. In fact, he'd been determined to stay away. The rumors alone—fights, impulsive outbursts, hospital visits—were enough to set off every alarm in his carefully curated world. He'd sworn he'd never get involved with someone like that.

And yet... here he was.

He tightened his grip around his companion's waist, a grin tugging at his lips despite himself. His eyes shimmered under the moonlight, reflecting the endless sea of stars above, while the wind tangled his usually pristine blonde hair into chaos. For the first time in a long while, Marcel felt alive. Unburdened. Human.

He was always expected to be the perfect prince—the poised, intelligent, noble heir to the crown. Strong but gentle. Serious yet kind. And while he was all those things, they weren't all he was. There were parts of himself that never quite fit into the mold. But tonight, for once, he could just be.

Technically, he'd been "kidnapped." More like swept off his feet. His companion had shown up out of nowhere, flashed that infuriatingly charming grin, and insisted on taking him to a favorite spot. Marcel resisted at first—his mother would be furious, and the guards would be hunting him down—but in the end, he gave in. He always did around him.

A sharp turn in the road jolted him from his thoughts, a startled yelp escaping as he instinctively pressed closer, forehead bumping gently against his companion's neck. Embarrassed, he quickly pulled back, heart hammering as the moment lingered longer than expected.

And then, they arrived.

The bike slowed to a stop in a quiet, moonlit field of daisies, nestled beside a narrow bridge and a glassy lake that perfectly mirrored the starlit sky. Marcel was speechless. The beauty of it all—the peaceful stillness, the unexpected intimacy—struck him dumb. He had assumed his companion would take him to a bar, or some crumbling overlook where teens went to drink and pretend to be dangerous. But this? This was something else entirely.

Time slipped away from them unnoticed. They lay in the cool grass, laughing over old stories, pointing out constellations, even daring to brush fingers once—just for a second. It was barely a touch, but to Marcel, it felt like a spark.

For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn't a prince or a symbol of duty. He was just a 19-year-old boy, dizzy with adrenaline and wonder.

But the magic had an expiration date.

The hour grew late. Reality loomed. He could already picture the furious lecture waiting back at the castle. Muttering curses under his breath, Marcel hauled his companion up, dragging him back to the motorcycle with stern demands to get him home—though his companion protested with a teasing smirk, of course.

They didn't get far.

The moment their feet touched the ground again, they were surrounded—an ambush, brutal and sudden. Four men emerged from the shadows, each more threatening than the last, weapons glinting under the streetlights. Marcel's stomach dropped.

They were screwed. He knew his companion could fight, but four against one? Not even he was that reckless. And Marcel? One good punch and he'd be down for the count.

This was it. The consequences of one impulsive night.

He should've stayed in the castle. Should've ignored the boy with the storm in his eyes.

But as he stood there, heart racing, side by side with the so-called troublemaker, Marcel wasn't so sure he regretted it.

"We need to do something," he murmured, his voice startlingly loud in the eerie silence that had fallen around them. The air felt heavier now, charged with tension as Marcel's gaze flickered from one threatening figure to the next. But in the end, his eyes settled on the only person who felt solid in the chaos—the one he shouldn't trust, but somehow did.

"Should we run?" he whispered, uncertainty trembling at the edges of his voice, hope and fear tangled in equal measure.