Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 7] Ch. 10 Simple Truth

A/N

Ahoy,

This chapter is dedicated to and sponsored by the Patreon Pirates who through some miracle and act of generosity have supported me since I committed to this path when I started my Patreon. Although I appreciate all my crew, I'd like to take a moment to appreciate these people that have gone above and beyond to show their love.

So join me with this special thank you to those who have not only helped me accept that my efforts hold value but have completely sunk the notion that i'd never be able to make any money from writing the stories that i love.

I'm going to post the list at the bottom. So thank you for believing in me. So I will believe too, even if i have to believe in the you that believes in me.

May the winds of fortune ever fill your sails.

-The Captain. 

** ** **

Sebas

"What do you suggest then? You wouldn't have brought this to my attention if you didn't have something more to say than that." I asked.

"Yesterday after Talisa dirtied her new dress to comfort you, Julie came along, and you just blew her off. That really hurt her, you know. She bought it after being assured the guy she like would notice." Her sad tone caught my attention and I realized how much I had screwed up. "As Jekyll you play ignorant to her feelings to the point that you've started coming off as a massive jerk. You have this naïve delusion that you're going to reconnect with Julie and Nerinin and go off on some happy-go-lucky adventure, and that your procrastination is just putting off the moment they welcome you with open arms. But last night I had to hold Talisa as she cried to sleep over you." She pointed an accusatory finger at me.

"Jekyll isn't..."

"Jekyll IS a part of you, so is Hyde and the other disguises over the years. Regardless of what Actor will tell you, none of us have fallen in love with the lie. We fell in love with your kindness, your genius, the insane way you've extended a hand to save us from ourselves. You have to pull your head out of your childhood delusions and look at the facts. You have to stop living in the plans of the past and look towards the real future. And not just your future or the future of your businesses. If you put everything off until you 'defeat the nightclaw' you'll never accomplish anything that matters."

She waved her hand around the room. "Look at us, whispering in a dark room while everyone else is soaking in a hot spring and having a good time." She placed her hand on the table and looked down. "I don't have to kill anyone to feed, and I've seen the world, but it still feels like I'm alone." She looked up and there were tears in her eyes.

"You're a fox..." her voice cracked. "...and you are a noble. It's your responsibility to marry as many women as you can and serve your people. You're a prince, and with your merits you are set up to be the next king in an uncontested race. But we're chasing shadows while you dance around dead commitments."

She sniffled and her voice shook. "I feel like I'm helping you seduce other women so you can leave me behind. You're supposed to have more than two wives, but you don't look at any of us like it's possible. You treat Lilith and Talisa like they aren't even characters in your story. And me, have I not done enough to earn that place by your side? Are you really that dense, or are you willfully trying to hurt me by ignoring my feelings?"

I held my silence since she still looked like she had things to say.

"Do you know that since I've known you, you haven't so much as kissed Lily. And anytime you give her any kind of attention it's some reward when it's convenient to you. And I've put up with it since I thought things would get better when we got here and you'd open up, but you haven't. You've completely shut us out like we are in your way. As your familiar and slave, we can probably count on you coming back for us if you just ran off. But Talisa would lose Jekyll without any kind of proper explanation." She braced her chin against her palm and looked away from me as she leaned on the table between us. She took a breath to get ahold of her feelings.