Page 113 of The Frog Prince

“The midnight blue will strike,” Otto whispered.

Alwin nodded, the pain and shock of the day finally getting to him as he listed to the side. He saw Jurgen had hopped over to him.

“Dear friend. How did you know to come?” he asked, fading in and out.

Always follow. Protect prince.

Alwin frowned. “Always? You were supposed to be guarding the kingdom. Have you been following me this whole time?”

Prince stupid. No kingdom without prince.

Alwin coughed out a weak laugh, a tear falling down his cheek. “That’s…the nicest thing…you’ve ever said to me…” he managed before the world around him faded to black.

Nineteen

Alwin

He woke up to soft hands caressing his head and a strong and steady thrum underneath his cheek. Warmth encircled him, keeping reality at bay.

He felt at peace. Whole in a way he hadn’t in a long while.

“Welcome back, my prince,” he heard that beloved voice whisper gently, and he pried his eyes open.

Soft light met him, and he gasped when he realized the colors looked duller than before, like there were fewer of them. They still shone and glimmered. They were still beautiful. But different than they had been before.

“Was it…was it real?” he asked, realizing his voice, while raspy and deeper than usual, wasn’t as croaky. It wasn’t scratching histhroat as it fought to come out. It slid from between his lips without much effort.

“Depends what you mean,” Otto said, brushing a thumb under Alwin’s eye. “You have been having some very vivid dreams over the past few days, I think. How are you feeling?”

Alwin took stock of his body slowly. There was still pain lingering and a tightness around his chest, but it was dulled. “You’re excellent at your craft, as always.”

Otto smiled. “Thank you, though I do not relish the practice of healing your hurts. In the future you should walk around entirely wrapped in wool.”

“Unsightly.”

“You could start a new trend at court.”

The mention of court made Alwin’s breath catch.

“Am I really…back?” he asked, fearing the answer. Scared of getting his hopes up and having them crushed and ruined.

He felt Otto shift beneath him, and then he was being helped to sit up. Face to face with his sunshine. His golden healer. His love.

“Before I show you,” Otto said, cupping Alwin’s cheeks in his hands and tipping his head back so they were looking into each other’s eyes, “I need you to listen to me.”

Alwin just nodded, unable to speak when Otto’s hands felt so warm on his skin, when they were strong and comforting and grounding in the face of so much turmoil.

“I love you,” Otto said, “in a way I have never loved anyone else before. I don’t think I knew what love felt like until you came along. You make my days brighter, you make me brave, you make me reach for the stars because I feel safe knowing you’ll catch me if I fall. You are mine. My future, my prince, my heart.”

Alwin felt his bottom lip quiver, his heart hammering in his chest. He closed his eyes and nuzzled Otto’s hand, his shoulders pulled high around his ears.

“I love you too,” he whispered. “But you are scaring me.”

“There is nothing to be scared of.” Otto released Alwin’s face and wrapped his fingers around Alwin’s.

Still green, still long and spindly, and still only four.

It made him swallow heavily. He knew. He knew he had given up parts of his humanity along the way. He knew he’d never be able to get them back because it meant the people he cared for were happy and whole.