Chapter Text
“come on Edwin it’s right up here!” The two boys ran up the hill. The smaller one struggled to keep up as the other ran. “Charles slow down!” The boy whined slowly making his way up the steep grassy slope.
Charles laughed, missing teeth on full display. He held out his hand to pull Edwin up the rest of the way. The boy reached out and grasped the warm scared hand…
Edwin’s eyes fluttered open. Every night he had the same dream and every night it ended the same way with Niko opening the tall velvet curtains letting sunlight hit his face and forcing the prince out of the memory he desperately clung to.
“Ugh” Edwin groaned, furrowing his brow and pulling the sheets over his face.
“Morning your Highness!” Niko cheered opening up every curtain to let in every bit of light. “The postman arrived a few minutes ago”.
That information woke Edwin up from the dead, pulling the covers off his head and sitting up instantly.
“Anything for me?” He asked. Watching Niko grab some clothes from his wardrobe.
“Oh I couldn’t say” she replied with a teasing grin before strutting over to the disheveled prince. “And I definitely couldn’t sneak off with any letter so you wouldn’t have to read it in front of his Majesty during breakfast” Niko giggled before producing a sealed envelope from her apron pocket.
Edwin’s face lit up in a smile.
“Niko you’re the best!” he beamed taking the letter from his handmaid.
“I know” she said with the same teasing smile before getting back to sorting Edwin’s outfits for the day. While the prince reached over the night stand, past the stack of books and to the letter opener before carefully braking the red wax seal.
From the crest alone he knew it was from Charles. The two had written to each other non stop, every week a new letter would arrive and be sent away. Not even miles of distance could keep them from talking and taking up space in each other’s minds.
“So how are Charles and lady crystal?” Niko asked as she placed a neatly folded shirt onto the bed.
Edwin’s eyes scanned over the letter reading over the week his dear friend had had. Tales of meeting people at balls, perfecting his bag of holding at last after years and more. Of course he replied to Edwin’s questions and events of his week. But the very end of the long stream of messy handwriting caught his eye.
“You won’t have to reply to this letter though Edwin. As you know Crystal and his Majesty have some business to work through regarding that bastard David and since hallows eve ball is coming up he has invited us to stay the week, isn’t that brills! So this time next week we will see each other again after so long. I’ve missed you Edwin I can’t wait to see you again. Yours Charles”
Edwin stood up from the bed with a look of joy and shock.
“Edwin?” Niko asked with a brow raised.
“He’s coming to stay. Oh my gods Niko this is incredible!” A smile now plastered over the prince’s face as he showed Niko the letter.
“No way! That’s amazing I’ll finally get to meet the elusive Charles Rowland” she laughed reading over the letter.
“You best get ready to go thank his Majesty you know he doesn’t like being kept waiting” Niko scolded shoving a laughing Edwin behind a large ornate privacy screen.