Sneaking Out
"Your Majesty!"
Jel stopped in his tracks, one leg out the window as he turned to Barrette, smiling as though he still did not have his leg sticking out of the window.
"Hey, Barrette. What's up?" He asked, leaning against the wall beside the window.
"You are not trying to escape again are you, your majesty?" Barrette asked, raising an eyebrow at Jel. "You remember that you still have to rest, right?"
"Come on, I have been resting for the past couple of weeks," Jel complained, pouting. "I have only been in and out of my room. I haven't even been back at my house in the human world in weeks. My helper will be worried."
"Do you remember her name?"
Jel stared at Barrette before turning from him, "Her name is Skye, she has been working for me for a couple of years already. She had three siblings, all are boys. Triplets.
"Their names are Caleb, Johan and Kai. They are about the age of … twelve. If I am not wrong. Is there anything else you want to know about them, Barrette?"
Jel grinned at the man, expecting him to be flustered and, he didn't disappoint. Barrette is easily flustered though he is a brilliant scholar.
"I apologise your majesty."
"Human and us," Jel said, sitting on the edge of the window now, "we must try to get along with who we can. Don't you agree?"
"Of course," Barrette said, holding the papers in his hands tightly against his chest. "I spoke out of line. I apologise again your majesty."
"It's no problem. Don't worry about it at all." Jel said, already standing on the branch of the tree just outside the window.
"Y-your majesty!"
All the papers on Barrette's hands fell to the ground as he ran to the window just as Jel jumped from the tree and onto the ground.
"I'll be back!" Jel waved before running away.
"But-!" Barrette said, watching him disappear. "Your majesty! Oh no. What do I tell the commander?"
"Tell me what?" Taio stood behind Barrette who had his entire upper body leaning out of the window, almost like he was about to fall.
"C-c-c-commander!" Barrette shouted, losing his footing as he began to fall out of the window. "Huh? Ehhh?!?"
Taio reached his hand out and grabbed Barrette's arm before he could fall to the ground and, possibly, snap his neck.
"Whoa there," Taio said, pulling him from over the window as the man crashed into Taio's warm, bare chest becoming even more flustered than he already was. "Are you ok? You're trembling."
"I'M fInE!" Barrette shouted, voice creaking as he quickly moved away from the man. "Sorry about that, commander."
Taio's face turned from surprise to a kind smile, "Hey, don't worry about it, Barrette. Now … What is it that you are worried about telling me?"
"Ah. Right. About that." Barrette cleared his throat, looking around him in a slight panic. "Oh, the papers."
He bent down and began picking them up, hoping the commander would just think he was a little off in the head and leave him to pick the papers up on his own.
"Here, let me help you," Taio said, bending down as well, picking up the numerous papers scattered all around the carpeted floor.
"N-no! You shouldn't, commander!"
"And why not?" Taio asked, chuckling at the man. "Will you be able to pick all these up on your own?"
"Yes?"
"Let me help you still. You have been very busy these days." Taio said, going back to pick up the papers. "You know, Barrette, I have never said this but you are a really hard worker."
"T-that is high praise coming from you, commander," Barrette said, giving up on stopping Taio and just went with trying to pick everything up quickly.
"Not at all," Taio said, holding a bundle of papers in his hands. "You are the reason why this kingdom is able to run properly. I do have to apologise to you for his majesty.
"He causes you so many problems and so do we. It must have been annoying."
Barrette paused, looking at the papers in his hands, pursing his lips.
"I …" He sucked in a breath and started speaking once again. "I owe my life to the king, it is because of him that I was able to live this long.
"To be able to help him like this … I am honoured."
Taio looked at the man for a second before breaking into a smile, "I understand your sentiments. And … I just want to say, thank you. Your work still deserves praise, that is a fact."
"T-then, thank you, commander," Barrette said, smiling to himself. "I can see why the king praises you so much and enjoys your company."
He really is kind. Barrette thought, calmly picking up the remainder of the papers.
"I wouldn't say that." Taio laughed, getting to his feet as he handed the papers he collected to Barrette. "But thank you, nonetheless. By the way. Have you seen his majesty?"
"Oh," Barrette said, suddenly remembering what happened earlier. "About that, commander?"
"Hmm?"
"The king escaped."
"Huh?"
"Through the window."
"Huhh??" Taio looked at the window to his left, realization hitting him. "Is that why you were almost falling from it? I will need to have a talk with his majesty about putting his staff in danger."
"Oh no. He didn't do anything." Barrette said quickly. "I was the one that fell on my own."
"You don't need to try and protect him, Barrette," Taio said, putting his hand on the man's shoulder. "And don't worry. That idiot is possibly so bored. He'll be back.
"And when he is … I will give him a … talking to."
Barrette gulped, looking at Taio. He is kind but terrifying at the same time. I must remember not to get on his bad side.
_____________________
"Your majesty!" Gio appeared beside Jel as he prepared to sneak out of the palace grounds. Not that it would be that hard, not everyone knew his face.
Especially not the guards patrolling the front gates.
He was something of a well-hidden secret.
"Shut it," Jel said, suddenly grabbing the creature in his hands, almost squeezing it to death. "You are going to get me caught."
"I'm sorry." The creature squeaked as Jel finally let it go. "But why do you not wish to be found, your majesty?"
"Don't call me that," Jel said, summoning a cloak and covering himself with it. "And I need to visit a friend. With everyone breathing down my neck after what happened in the room, I can hardly even eat without them trying to make sure I am fine.
"It is suffocating."
"That is understandable, your majesty," Gio said, flying around the man. "You were in the room for two, almost three weeks. You usually were there for a day.
"But two and a half weeks? Not only that, when you came out, you started vomiting blood for hours and hours at a time.
"How can they not be worried?"
Jel rolled his eyes at the creature, "Look at me. I am fine. Getting injured and sick is a part of my life. Otherwise, how will I survive this long?
"I am older than anyone here and they are treating me like a child, so annoying."
"But, your maj-"
Jel stopped walking and glared at Gio, "Call me that again and I will cut off your tongue and eat it for dinner."
Gio trembled, staring at Jel's eyes before saying, "Master. Is that ok?"
"It's fine," Jel said, turning from him and staring at the high walls of the palace grounds. "I need to get out of here first. Gio, create some kind of diversion for me."
"Me?!? What can I do, your ma-. I mean, master?"
"I don't know. Think of something." Jel said, hiding in the bushes as a group of guards passed them. He looked at the creature from inside the bushes and said, "Go on."
"Master."
"You can do it," Jel said, giving him an empty smile and a thumbs up.
Sighing, the creature flew to the guards and looked at them, whimpering.
"HUh? What creature is this?" One of the guards asked, looking at Gio.
"I saw something like this with the king." Another guard said, looking at it. "DO you think it belongs to the king?"
"I don't know. Are you hungry, little guy?"
Jel quickly climbed over the wall before giving Gio one grateful look and then jumping to the other side. Running without looking back.
Sorry, Gio. I know you want to come with me but everyone knows who you are.
If I am seen with you, it will only lead to more trouble. Besides, Jel hid behind a pillar, disappearing in the darkness, I know you report directly to Taio. I can't have you all know about this.