Chapter 78. Stay with Me A little Longer (2)

[2019, March 29th]

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Bart had been preparing all morning for his coronation. Which really meant he sat and stared at a wall while people talked at him, waiting for the only voice that mattered to show up and tell him it was okay, like she always did, that she would be his princess, his queen. But she wasn’t showing up, and they were running out of time.

“Checked out already, have you Arden?” Aaron asked, coming up behind Bart, his hands in his pockets.

“I literally haven’t had a second alone since I woke up. What do you want, Condor?”

Bart seemed tired and older than he usually did somehow, which wasn’t saying much. He always seemed older than he was to Aaron. Aaron didn’t know he could feel pity for the man who had, for all intents and purposes, stolen his place, his title, but there he was, wishing he knew how to help them.

“You don’t want it, I can’t have it, it’s a really fucked up situation man. Believe it or not, I’m j