"?" Rishe made a questioning noise.
"I should have skipped the schemes and done this sooner. I can't believe how badly I screwed up."
Rishe shuddered as she realized what Theodore had come up here to do. With an almost playful smile, he began to lean backward against the railing.
"Your Highness, don't do this!" Rishe lurched over to him, her vision wavering as she fell.
Why now of all times?!
She couldn't even muster the strength to get back on her feet. Her head pounded like a struck bell.
Theodore looked down at her with a satisfied smile.
"Thank you, Sister. I wasn't expecting your concern to make me happy, but it does."
"Wait!" She desperately reached out her hand, even though he was meters away.
"DON'T!"
A shadow rushed past her.
The figured grabbed Theodore by the arm, yanking him off the railing.
Theodore gasped in recognition.
"Brother?!" He gazed up at Arnold, stupefied.
Arnold's back was turned to Rishe, so she couldn't make out his expression. Still, what he did next surprised her.
Smack!
Arnold grabbed Theodore by the collar and slapped him across the face.
"What the hell were you thinking ?"
Rishe had never heard Arnold shout like that before. Theodore pressed a hand to his cheek, gaping up at his brother.
"I—" Theodore's voice was choked down to nothing. "Th-this is it. This is the only way I can help you. I'll never matter to you!"
"Don't be a fool." Arnold's tone was frigid.
"What kind of idiot would throw his life away for someone who has never done a single thing to earn his esteem?"
Despite his words, Rishe was sure of her conclusions. Arnold kept Theodore at a distance out of love.
"Don't do something like this for my sake." Arnold growled.
Theodore was about to say something, but he gave up, on the verge of tears.
Rishe sighed in relief, forcing herself to her feet. "You're right, Your Highness. That was stupid."
Arnold slowly looked back at her.
Enduring her throbbing headache, Rishe said, "The feeling behind it is real. It's not foolish for him to want to help his older brother." Her breath shook, going shallow.
"Isn't that right, Prince Theodore?"
Theodore now sat on the ground, clenching his fist. "She's right."
Arnold blinked. "What are you—"
"It's all I've ever wanted." Theodore's numb confusion was gone, replaced by determination.
"I want to stand by you. I want you to need me! If there's any way I can help you, I'll do it, no matter what." His eye —the same eyes—pierced Arnold's.
"Because you're my only brother, and I care about you."
Arnold didn't reply. Rishe wished she could see his face. She watched them both attentively. Before long, Arnold released Theodore's collar and slowly stood back up.
"Don't ever do something stupid like this again."
Theodore grimaced as his brother pushed him away once more. Rishe's heart ached as she realized these two might never understand each other.
But what Arnold said next surprised her. "I'm pretty sure I've told you this once before—don't put your life in danger needlessly."
Theodore's voice trembled as he asked, "You remember that day?"
"Of course I do."
Theodore choked, tears welling up in those big eyes to trail down his cheeks. His voice quivered. "I'm sorry."
He repeated himself over and over through his tears. "I'm so sorry, Brother. I'm so sorry, Sister. I'm so sor—"
Arnold looked at an utter loss. "Okay, we get it already. Stop crying."
"But…!"
Rishe felt light with relief.
Thank goodness.
Theodore's crying face was that of a small child who had finally plucked up the courage to make amends.
If he can cry like that, he'll be all right.
Arnold turned to Rishe and knelt down beside her. "Are you hurt?"
"I knew you would come, Your Highness."
"I came because of something you said."
She wondered what it was. That Theodore might disappear from Arnold's life?
Perhaps it had sounded like a threat, even if Rishe had been speaking metaphorically. "I'm glad you two have made up."
Arnold stood in silence and held out his gloved hand to Rishe. She smiled as she took it. The taut string of tension that had been keeping her on her feet slackened.
"I'm really hap…"
"Rishe?"
The strength left her, and she finally lost the fight against unconsciousness.
**************************************
"Sister?!"
Theodore cried out as Rishe fainted.
Arnold caught her the moment she went limp. Theodore jumped to his feet and wiped away his tears with the cuff of his sleeve, hurrying over.
"Is she okay?! She stumbled earlier, but—"
A guard had told him she'd fainted in captivity. He'd taken it for an act. The possibility that it hadn't been filled him with horror. "Oh no. Don't tell me it's because I locked her up."
"No, it's not."
His brother seemed strangely calm as he looked down at Rishe in his arms and murmured, "She's just sleeping."
"Wait, really?"
Theodore took a closer look. It did indeed seem that she'd just fallen asleep.
"Now of all times?!"
Who the heck could fall asleep in a situation like this?
Theodore was stunned, but his brother just laughed. He'd never seen a look like that on Arnold's face before, but it didn't hurt as much as he'd expected it to. He found this change in his heart curious.
"Theodore."
His brother's soft voice pulled him out of his reverie.
"You have a carriage at the ready somewhere, right?"
"Of course I do." He couldn't help his curtness—he wasn't used to speaking to Arnold.
"It's waiting for me not too far away. I'll go fetch it if you carry her."
"Thanks."
Arnold easily lifted Rishe in both arms. "I'll bring her to rest downstairs until it arrives."
"Um, okay." Theodore nodded, wiping away fresh tears threatening to spill. It was so strange to watch his solemn brother hold someone in his arms.
Now alone on the rooftop, he murmured to himself, "My brother's counting on me to do something."
His cheek stung where Arnold had slapped him, but his chest was warm.
I can't just keep standing around.
After all, he couldn't squander this precious first.
Theodore stood up and moved for the stairs, chasing the hours until dawn.
**************************************