We spent most of our July days together like that before I realized a week was up. I asked Clive if he wanted to stay for another week. My face felt warm but he replied quickly that he would love to stay.

"The meals are delicious!" he said nonchalantly. "And you're here, Nathan."

It was actually in his room (the guest bedroom) when this occurred, so I closed the door behind me.

I rushed out of his room, burying my face in my hand. I had invited Clive over for another week! What should I tell Daniel? He probably wouldn't mind either way but what about Richie? Would he report it to my father?

Well, he was my partner. I could always say Clive and I were just getting along jousting with one another.

Truth was, after the initial excitement to see one another and reading books, talking about the books, and exercising together, we no longer wanted to ride horses or joust.

Clive was quite sick of reading after the four days Daniel gave him lessons. He was scary when he taught so I avoided most lessons until Daniel called us both there.

"Perfect," Daniel said. "We have finished your great-grandfather's biography, it's time to learn of mages. I don't believe you know a lot about it, Nathan, so join us."

"I know about Emil Voynich!" I said, putting my hands up in an attempt of refusal.

"And what about Gustave?"

"He's second in command," I said without fail.

"Then Glovesmith?"

"Who is that?"

"Exactly."

I sat next to Clive and felt the heat in the library, making he strain my neck for the wind.

Daniel gave a lengthy lesson that no matter how much I wanted to be a knight, despised. Yet then again I felt as though all the other students probably studied under a tutor during summer. Our school only had the cream of the crop.

"You finished twenty years of history within two hours, you've done well," I groaned to Daniel. Daniel was much more gentler than Jonathan so I felt closer to him and dared to complain.

"I'm disappointed you haven't even learned about that!" Daniel said as Richie came to give us refreshments. I drank the cool water desperately. There were tarts and both Clive and I took one.

"At this rate next year you'll be caught between both history as well as knight tasks. You two will get to actually fight people. These prisoner of wars and criminals will be like running targets for practice, assuming you two have mastered a weapon each?" he went on.

Clive swallowed his tart before nodding. "Nathan and I are efficient in swords, bows, and rifles. We probably have the best combination, too."

"Hmm," Daniel nodded to himself, gloves on his chin.

"I told you, none of the tests were hard either, it was a lot of memory but I have been taking extracurricular classes from my tutors since I was a child," I muttered.

"Yes, this year Nathan ranked third in the exams," Clive grinned.

"And who was first and second?" Daniel asked, and even his cheeky smile returned.

"I was first," Clive said casually. "I forgot who was second, though—"

"It was Samuel Goldings. Don't forget, he's from a knight family too!" I snapped.

"Anyways, I was first," Clive repeated, and reminded me of something about him that always pissed me off.

His grades.

We competed often in Graycotts, and sometimes when the other boys saw me they'd rush to Clive and congratulate him in mg face, as though trying to embarrass me.

Maybe it was then that I slowly began to watch him from the corner of my eye. Truthfully, I wanted to hate Clive, but he only ever told me we both did well with a good-natured smile.

The more I ignored him the more he reached out to me, and maybe I was the strange one for restraining myself.

Now we were partners, we both had to bare it all in front of one another.

"I made a silly mistake, next year the rankings will change." I narrowed my eyes at Clive.

"For better or worse?" He stuck out a tongue.

Daniels laughed and looking back, those summer days were playful and fun. I loved them. I loved being with Clive and Daniel and even Richie who always refused Clive for wine, and the foolish things we did.

Everyday felt like Clive and I were schoolboys again. Young and bantering, and occasionally complaining about Graycotts and the exams.

One certain night Clive was following me out his room.

I had said goodnight to him and made sure he had everything as a good host would, but that day I heard it as he ran behind me in slippers.

I pretended on my side to not notice and open my room and close it behind me. Within seconds I heard a knock.

I opened the door, but to his surprise I wet my hand and sprayed water onto his face. I laughed at his stunned face and he laughed, too, shaking his wetted yellow hair.

"Stop it, it's getting on me!" I laughed.

"That's revenge for bullying me!" he joked, and reached into the basin of water to spray some on me.

"Oh, it feels nice, actually," I laughed. "It's been so hot the water feels good."

"I know, it's the same for me!" Clive tugged at his loosened collar, letting out a sigh. "Wait, look!"

He pulled apart my curtains and I frowned, and at his beckoning, came closer. At first I thought it would be a prank but soon I saw the light.

The moon was not full but big in of itself, my room was illuminated along with my lantern, and the stars were thrown onto the sky like fallen stardust.

Only Clive and I saw that beautiful scene outside my window before he curled close to me.

"Look at this. It's beautiful. Ever since coming here I loved looking at the skies, but it usually feels lonely to look at it alone."

"Next year when we room together we can watch it nightly, then," I said, eyes flickering to his dazzled face.

"Really? Promise then!"

"No promises," I joked. He held out a pinky and I shook on it.

"I always thought of you as a Labrador," I teased, "because you followed me around without airs like a friendly golden dog."

"Really? I always thought of you as a dog too." He giggled. "Although you wouldn't like it."

"What? What dog am I?" I looked up into his eyes and noted how bright it was with the moonlight.

"A small terrier. All bark and no bite. Lonely when alone. Adorable."

Clive's voice was melodious. I wanted to hear more, and I adjusted myself to face him while not wanting him to lean off my shoulder.

"I can't tell if you're shy or foolish—in the sweetest way," Clive laughed.

"I can't tell if you're teasing me either. I can't tell a lot of things about you, and truthfully I didn't know how to feel when you were my partner," I whisper. "Even now I want to hear more stories about you and your childhood and country."

Clive raised his head, and turned to me.

"There are parts of me that are like a stranger's," he whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"There are stories you wouldn't believe. Stories I never want to tell you." Clive's whisper into my ear felt ticklish but when he drew back I saw his smile was gone. His face was stern and I didn't want to see it.

"If they are parts of you, I want to know. If you are serious about being friends, so am I."

"Maybe when school starts, or maybe when we graduate. Not now, we should enjoy summer and get to know one another."

"You're right," I pouted.

"Like look, I finally see your room!" He was back, laughing and turning to my room. "It's so spacious and yet there are only books? Do you even read all of these?"

He went through my books and I sighed, drawing my curtains again. "No matter how you search I have nothing indecent."

"Oh, you really are a perfect future knight," Clive said, nodding as he flipped through my history books.

"You still beat me in the exams this year," I sighed. "Anyways, now that you've checked my room for once and for all, go back to your room, we ought to be sleeping."

"Aww." Clive exited my room but turned to me with a small smile. "Goodnight, Nathan!"

"Goodnight, Clive," I repeated. I hesitated, unable to close the door. He also didn't take a step out.

"Next year we will watch the night sky again!"

"Yes, yes," I said, waving him off. With a satisfied nod, Clive turned and I finally braced myself to close the door. 

I fell into a dream about Clive buried in a mountain of flowers, all bright and colorful, and as I was worrying about him in my dream Clive eventually jumped out to hug me.

Strange how I remember it now, but that night I began to think of Apollo as more of a flower child. Like a fairy. A fairy yet human. Mischievous and hardworking.

But if he was ever in danger, would I be able to find him, or would he suffocate under the flowers one day?