Page 44 of The Broken Dawn

"Not much." Harald's fingers drummed against the papers before him - diplomatic cables, Jakob realized, not schoolwork. "There's been... a lot happening."

"The war?"

Harald's eyes snapped to his, bright despite the exhaustion. "You've been following the news?"

"Some of us can't afford the luxury of ignorance." The words came out harsher than intended, and Jakob softened them with a slight smile. "Besides, my family has experience with how quickly things can change."

Something in Harald's expression cracked. He leaned forward, voice dropping to barely a whisper. "Everyone here acts like nothing's wrong. Like Germany isn't—" He cut himself off, running a hand through his already chaotic hair. "I can't talk about it. But I... I'm glad you understand."

Don't touch him, Jakob warned himself as Harald swayed slightly in his chair. Don't.

His hand reached out anyway, fingers brushing Harald's wrist. "When did you last eat?"

Harald blinked at him owlishly. "I... had breakfast?"

"Was that a question or an answer?" Jakob was already reaching for his own satchel, pulling out the apple and thick slice of bread his mother always packed him for afternoon studies. "Here."

"Oh, I couldn't⁠—"

"You could and you will." Jakob pushed the food across the table. "Eat. Before you fall face-first into your diplomatic cables."

Harald's lips twitched. "Is this how you talk to all royalty, or am I special?"

"You're something, alright." Jakob tried to ignore how his heart jumped when Harald's fingers brushed his as he took the bread. "Now eat. My mama would never forgive me if I let a prince starve to death in the library."

Harald took a careful bite, then another, larger one. Some color started coming back into his face. "Your mother is formidable," he admitted

"She'd have words with whoever is supposed to be looking after you at the palace." Jakob watched as Harald devoured the rest of the bread, then started on the apple.

"I can look after myself," Harald protested, but it was undermined by the way he was practically cradling the apple, like he couldn't remember the last time someone had given him something.

"Clearly." Jakob's voice was dry. "That's why you look like you haven't slept in days and forgot meals exist."

Harald finished the apple in silence, turning the core over in his hands rather than meeting Jakob's eyes. "Thank you," he said finally. "I... things at the palace have been..." He trailed off, shoulders tight with tension.

"That bad?"

"Everyone wants something from me. Answers, decisions, appearances." The words tumbled out like Harald had been holding them back for days. "Even Christian's been impossible since I was summoned home without him. As if I had any choice in the matter."

Jakob thought of Christian's thunderous expression in class, the way he'd been even nastier than usual. "I noticed."

"I just..." Harald's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Sometimes I wish I could disappear. Just for a little while. Be somewhere where no one's watching, where no one needs anything from me."

The longing in his voice made Jakob's heart ache. Before he could stop himself, he was saying, "You could come help with the farm."

Harald's head snapped up. "I… What?"

"I mean..." Jakob scrambled to make it sound reasonable rather than completely insane. "You wanted to know where I disappear to after classes. It's not exactly hiding, but nobody's going to look for a the prince of Sweden in my barn."

"You're serious?"

"The work needs doing either way." Jakob shrugged, trying to ignore how his heart leaped at the hope brightening Harald's exhausted face. "And you look like you could use some fresh air and exercise."

"I..." Harald glanced at the diplomatic cables, then back at Jakob. Something shifted in his expression - determination replacing the fatigue. "Yes. When?"

"Tomorrow morning. But it's not exactly a gentle start to the day. Four-thirty."

"In the morning?" Harald's eyes widened, but there wasn't a trace of hesitation in his voice. "Where should I meet you?"