“Put it up there.” Prince Almore said. He was Cenrid’s son, the one who I’d been ordered to serve and he had just told me to lift a huge trunk up on top of his wardrobe which was taller than me.
“But Sire.” I said, breathless from heaving it up several flights of stairs.
“Up.” He jutted his thumb. I sighed and did my best. My muscles shook from the effort and I almost had it up there, when Prince Almore kicked the back of my knee causing it to give under me. I fell to the ground and the chest tumbled down and landed on my chest knocking all the air from my lungs. I pushed it off me and coughed a fit.
“These servants are so clumsy.” He said tauntingly. I recovered from the blow to my chest and carefully stood up again, wincing. This time I managed to get the chest up onto the wardrobe since he didn’t kick my knee.
“Okay, now I need you to wash my cloths, polish my armor, clean my boots,” His list went on and on and I set to work.

---

I felt so guilty for making Jack work for Prince Almore but it was out of my hands. I was going to run to the Prince’s room to see how Jack was holding up when Jack crashed into me while running down the hallway.
“I’m so sorry my Lord.” He cried.
“It’s fine, why are you in such a hurry?” I asked, his shirt coming down slightly and I noticed what looked like a huge purple bruise on his chest.
“Prince Almore told me to wash the caravans with a dishcloth and I have to be done before the sun sets.” He said with a frantic look in his eye. It was around three, the sun set at around five since winter was coming, and the caravans were easily ten feet tall and fifteen feet long and they had brought five of them. There was absolutely no way Jack could get them done in time so the guilt crushed me more when I had to watch him run to complete the impossible task.

I didn’t see him again till dinner. He was manning the wine pitcher again but he was hunched over slightly and I noticed that he was walking very gingerly and occasionally wincing. Anger coursed through my veins when I saw Prince Almore smirking at him.

He hurt my Jack. Wait, my Jack? No. Alex stop it. You can’t think of him that way, Father would kill you. Literally.

I mentally shook my head and sighed at my plate. How could I eat such delicacies while Jack was hurting? I pushed my plate forward and downed the rest of my wine.
“I”m going to bed.” I mumble then get up and walk away, stealing one more glance at Jack’s broken expression.

---

Prince Almore had beaten me very badly because I hadn’t washed all the caravans but he was smart, he didn’t touch my face or any skin that might show, he only felt powerful blows with a wooden cane to my stomach and back. Moving hurt, breathing hurt, talking hurt, standing hurt, every action cause teeth baring rackets of pain through my body. I was made to hold the wine pitcher again and I had to be careful not to let the bruises show while I was leaning over. Prince Almore was staring at me the entire meal while looking smug and Alex was glaring at me.

Have I done something wrong?

Look at you, Jack. You’ve displeased your master. Straighten up for fucks sake.

I tried to stand straight but the pain in my back was too much so I had to hunch slightly. Soon, Alex pushed his plate away, mumbled that he was going to bed, then left. I didn’t realize how much strength I was drawing from his presence until he left. He was like that last little coal in a fire, small but still there. Still providing hope… and then he finally went out leaving me in nothing but pitch back darkness. I shivered when I saw Prince Almore staring at me hungrily and realized,

Homosexuality is not illegal for them.

Notes

Title cred: Can't Fight Against The Youth by Panic! At The Disco