Building a House the Anole Chronicles part 18: Pawn
Title: Building a House the Anole Chronicles part 18: Pawn
Fandom: Marvel
Table/Prompt: Table 8/10. Vassal
Rating: PG
Word Count: 378
Summary: Victor’s being used as a pawn in the ongoing game between the Empire and the House of Magnus.
Somehow. William managed to keep his smile firmly in place the entire time he exchanged empty platitudes and made small talk with his grandfather. It helped that there were talking by way of silkscreen (which William had dubbed the Space Skype when talking about it with Dorrek) rather than face to face. William had always been intimidated by his grandfather in person, but dealing with him at a distance made things much easier. Not easy but easier. “There is one last thing,” the old man said before William could end the call. “We’ve done a little reshuffling in the Crimson Guard, and your unit will be-”
William’s hands clenched, out of view of his grandfather. He’d been expecting this since Victor’s ‘leave’ had been extended. His jaw threatened to clench like his hands had, but he managed to keep the pleasant expression in place as his grandfather went on about details William didn’t care about, slipping in “Mr. Borkowski has been transferred to your mother’s personal guard detail,” as if it were an afterthought.
He almost missed it when the old king added, “And of course, your mother is looking forward to her upcoming visit.”
***
Victor looked at the skein of yarn wrapped around his hands and did his absolute best not to sigh. He knew he was the laughing stock of the Crimson Guard at this point, pulled from being chief of the prince’s personal guard to Princess’s Yarn Boy. Rumors were flying around the palace about why he had experienced such a change of fortunes, none of them flattering.
Victor, for his part, kept his mouth shut and did what he was told. People would talk no matter what he said, and he was pretty sure anything he could say would only make things that much worse.
He would do the job assigned to him, even if that mostly consisted of fetching, carrying, and holding the princess’s yarn when she felt like knitting. It gave him lots of time for thinking, in any case.
Fandom: Marvel
Table/Prompt: Table 8/10. Vassal
Rating: PG
Word Count: 378
Summary: Victor’s being used as a pawn in the ongoing game between the Empire and the House of Magnus.
Somehow. William managed to keep his smile firmly in place the entire time he exchanged empty platitudes and made small talk with his grandfather. It helped that there were talking by way of silkscreen (which William had dubbed the Space Skype when talking about it with Dorrek) rather than face to face. William had always been intimidated by his grandfather in person, but dealing with him at a distance made things much easier. Not easy but easier. “There is one last thing,” the old man said before William could end the call. “We’ve done a little reshuffling in the Crimson Guard, and your unit will be-”
William’s hands clenched, out of view of his grandfather. He’d been expecting this since Victor’s ‘leave’ had been extended. His jaw threatened to clench like his hands had, but he managed to keep the pleasant expression in place as his grandfather went on about details William didn’t care about, slipping in “Mr. Borkowski has been transferred to your mother’s personal guard detail,” as if it were an afterthought.
He almost missed it when the old king added, “And of course, your mother is looking forward to her upcoming visit.”
***
Victor looked at the skein of yarn wrapped around his hands and did his absolute best not to sigh. He knew he was the laughing stock of the Crimson Guard at this point, pulled from being chief of the prince’s personal guard to Princess’s Yarn Boy. Rumors were flying around the palace about why he had experienced such a change of fortunes, none of them flattering.
Victor, for his part, kept his mouth shut and did what he was told. People would talk no matter what he said, and he was pretty sure anything he could say would only make things that much worse.
He would do the job assigned to him, even if that mostly consisted of fetching, carrying, and holding the princess’s yarn when she felt like knitting. It gave him lots of time for thinking, in any case.