Chapter 3- The Man In The Garden

Someone screamed.

The carriage door burst open.

Atlas reached for the dagger hidden in his boot just as a masked man lunged inside.

The blade came fast, straight for his chest.

But Atlas moved in time, so the dagger grazed his sleeve instead of his heart.

“Your Highness!” Philip shouted from outside.

Atlas kicked the attacker hard in the ribs. The man stumbled backward out of the carriage.

Guards clashed swords with bandits in the road. Horses screamed and reared. Dust rose into the air as men fought in the middle of the fields.

Atlas jumped out of the carriage.

Another masked man charged him.

Atlas raised his dagger.

But before the man reached him…

Someone tackled the attacker from the side.

Both men crashed into the dirt.

Atlas blinked in shock.

The attacker struggled to get up.

The stranger pinned him down with frightening strength and punched him straight in the jaw.

The bandit went limp.

Silence hung for half a second.

Then Atlas recognized the man kneeling in the dirt.

Dark hair.

Rolled sleeves.

Strong hands still gripping the unconscious attacker.

The farmer from the garden.

Jacob.

Atlas felt something strange twist in his chest again.

Jacob looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, the battle around them faded into background noise.

Jacob stood slowly, breathing hard.

“You alright?” he asked.

His voice was deeper than Atlas expected.

Atlas nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

Another bandit rushed toward them.

Jacob grabbed the fallen attacker’s sword and swung it with surprising skill.

The clash of metal rang through the air.

Atlas was surprised because farmers didn’t fight like that.

Jacob moved fast and precise.

Like someone who had done this before.

Within minutes the remaining attackers fled into the trees.

The guards chased after them.

The road finally fell silent again.

Philip ran over immediately, pale and furious.

“Your Highness!”

Atlas turned.

“I’m fine.”

Philip grabbed his shoulders, inspecting him like an angry mother.

“You were nearly killed!”

Atlas brushed him off.

“I said I’m fine.”

Philip exhaled slowly, calming himself.

Then his eyes shifted to the man standing nearby.

Jacob.

Philip studied him carefully.

“And who,” Philip asked slowly, “is this?”

Jacob wiped dirt from his hands.

“Just a farmer.”

Philip raised an eyebrow.

“That’s a very dangerous ‘just.’”

Atlas stepped forward, and looked at Philip.

“He helped.”

Philip looked between them.

His gaze lingered on the strange tension in the air.

Then he smirked faintly.

“Oh, I noticed.”

Atlas ignored him and turned back to the farmer.

Up close, Jacob was even more… distracting.

His shirt clung slightly to his chest from sweat. A small cut marked his cheek.

Atlas swallowed.

“Thank you,” he said.

Jacob shrugged.

“Someone had to help.”

Atlas tilted his head.

“You fight well for a farmer.”

Jacob hesitated.

“Had some… practice.”

Atlas watched him closely.

Something about Jacob felt… mysterious.

Before Atlas could ask more, Philip cleared his throat loudly to clear the tension in the air.

Atlas straightened.

“What’s your name?”

Jacob met his gaze again.

“Jacob.”

Atlas nodded slowly.

“Jacob.”

He paused.

Then said quietly,

“You saved my life today.”

Jacob shrugged again.

“You would’ve survived.”

Atlas almost smiled.

“Maybe.”

Philip clapped loudly.

“Well!” he announced. “Now that everyone has had their heroic moment, perhaps we should continue the journey before someone tries to assassinate the prince again.”

Atlas gave Philip a warning look.

Jacob stepped back politely.

“You should go, Your Highness.”

Atlas hesitated.

Something in him wanted to say more.

But that would be ridiculous.

He nodded once.

“Take care of yourself.”

Jacob nodded.

“You too.”

Atlas turned and climbed back into the carriage.

But before the door closed…

He glanced back.

Jacob was still standing there in the road.

Watching.

Their eyes met one last time.

Then the carriage door shut.

—

The carriage rolled down the road again.

Atlas leaned back against the seat.

His heart was still beating too fast.

Philip sat across from him, watching carefully.

For a full minute he said nothing.

Then he grinned.

“Well.”

Atlas groaned.

“Don’t start.”

Philip leaned forward.

“That was intense.”

Atlas rubbed his temples.

“We were attacked.”

Philip waved his hand dismissively.

“I’m not talking about the ambush.”

Atlas frowned… “We need to find out who those people that attacked us are”

Philip was still pressing on the moment Atlas had with Jacob. Philip’s grin widened.

“You looked at that man like you forgot the entire kingdom existed.”

Atlas glared.

“I did not.”

Philip chuckled.

“You did.”

Atlas looked out the window.

The road stretched endlessly ahead.

But his mind was still back in that field.

Jacob’s hands gripping the sword.

Jacob’s voice.

Jacob’s eyes.

Atlas suddenly sat up straighter.

No.

Absolutely not.

“I’m not attracted to men,” he muttered.

Philip blinked.

“I didn’t say you were.”

Atlas looked at him sharply.

“You implied it.”

Philip laughed.

“Relax.”

Atlas crossed his arms.

“I’m serious.”

Philip leaned back lazily.

“Your Highness, you looked like a man struck by lightning.”

Atlas’s jaw tightened.

“That’s ridiculous.”

Philip shrugged.

“Love at first sight happens.”

Atlas’s temper snapped.

“Watch your mouth.”

Philip held up his hands quickly.

“Alright, alright.”

Atlas leaned forward, voice low.

“Do you realize what you’re saying?”

Philip’s smile faded slightly.

Atlas continued quietly,

“A prince of this kingdom cannot love a man.”

Philip studied him carefully.

Then said softly,

“You can’t tell the heart who to love.”

Atlas looked away again.

“That’s poetic nonsense.”

Philip smirked.

“Maybe, maybe not."

Atlas forced himself to focus on the passing fields.

Jacob.

The name kept echoing in his mind.

Jacob’s smile.

Jacob’s voice.

The way he had looked at Atlas without fear.

Atlas clenched his fists.

Stop thinking about him.

Philip watched him silently for a moment.

Then said,

“You look like someone who just fell in love, but is restricting himself from falling in love."

Atlas snapped his head toward him.

“Enough.”

Philip raised an eyebrow.

Atlas leaned closer.

“If another ear hears you say something like that again…”

He lowered his voice even further.

“…you will regret it.”

Philip nodded slowly.

“Understood, Your Highness.”

But the mischievous sparkle in his eyes didn’t disappear.

—

The journey back to the palace felt longer than usual.

Atlas barely spoke the entire ride.

Philip eventually stopped teasing him.

But every now and then he caught Atlas staring out the window with a strange expression.

Like someone chasing a thought he couldn’t catch.

Night had already fallen when they returned to the palace.

Torches lit the grand entrance.

Servants rushed forward to greet them.

Atlas stepped out of the carriage and stretched slightly.

The palace suddenly felt… suffocating again.

Philip walked beside him.

“You should rest.”

Atlas nodded absentmindedly.

They walked through the tall palace corridors.

Atlas stopped suddenly.

Philip turned.

“What?”

Atlas shook his head.

“Nothing.”

But his mind was drifting again.

Back to the road.

Back to the garden.

Back to Jacob.

He remembered the way Jacob had pinned the attacker to the ground.

The strength in his arms.

The calm confidence in his voice.

Atlas exhaled slowly.

Why was he thinking about this man so much?

It made no sense.

He had met Jacob for less than ten minutes.

Yet, the feeling of wanting to spend time with him was strong and almost irresistible.

Atlas suddenly groaned and rubbed his face.

“This is ridiculous.”

Philip leaned against the wall.

“You’re talking to yourself again.”

Atlas glared at him.

“Go away.”

Philip grinned.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

He walked off down the hallway.

Atlas continued toward his chambers.

Inside his room, he poured himself a drink and sat by the window.

The night air was cool.

He tried to focus on other things.

Politics. The moon. The Upcoming Wedding. Royal duties.

But every time he closed his eyes…

He saw Jacob.

Standing in the golden sunlight.

Looking straight at him.

Atlas slammed the glass down.

“Stop it.”

He stood and paced the room.

“I am not attracted to men.”

The words sounded weaker this time.

Atlas ran a hand through his hair.

Maybe it was just curiosity.

Yes.

That made sense.

Jacob had saved his life.

Anyone would be curious about someone like that.

That was all.

Nothing more.

Philip stood behind the door and whispered

“I don’t want to believe that a ghost has found its way to your chambers.”

Atlas forced himself into bed.

But sleep didn’t come easily.

Jacob’s face kept appearing in his thoughts.

Every time Atlas remembered it…

A strange warmth spread through his chest.

Atlas groaned into his pillow.

“God, help me.”

—

Morning came slowly.

Atlas was already awake when Philip entered his chambers.

Philip took one look at him and laughed.

“You didn’t sleep.”

Atlas rubbed his eyes.

“Leave me alone.”

Philip leaned casually against the door.

“So… are we talking about him today?”

Atlas stared at the ceiling.

“No.”

Philip nodded thoughtfully.

“Alright.”

He waited.

Atlas sighed.

Then suddenly he sat up.

“Philip.”

Philip perked up.

“Yes?”

Atlas hesitated.

His pride battled with his curiosity.

Then curiosity won.

“Get ready.”

Philip blinked.

“For what?”

Atlas stood and grabbed his coat.

“We’re going out.”

Philip frowned.

“Where?”

Atlas walked past him toward the door.

Philip followed.

“Your Highness?”

Atlas didn’t answer.

They reached the courtyard.

Philip finally asked the obvious question.

“Are we going back to the same road?”

Atlas paused.

Philip’s grin slowly returned.

“…to see the farmer?”

Atlas didn’t respond.

He simply climbed onto his horse.

Philip laughed quietly under his breath.

He wants to go back to the same road where he saw that farmer? He muttered to himself

But Prince Gaius overheard him. He has been watching the prince’s movements as always.