At World's End -- Part 2c
anonymous
January 31 2010, 01:28:58 UTC
Alfred flinched at that reminder. He glanced at his father again, there had been no malice in his tone or in his face despite the bluntness of the words. If anything there seemed to be guilt lingering around the edges of his eyes, like he was sorry he had to bring up that touchy subject in front of Alfred at all.
"That is unfortunately," the Northern King said mildly. "But there are worse fates to be born under."
Alfred's head snapped around in surprise at the King's comment. Out in the outside world he'd discovered that magicless folk such as himself were a little more common then he had thought but it was still a unusual enough, especially amongst the ruling families, that his...condition...was met with pity and even outright censure. It would have been easier to have been born without limbs then without magic.
"You seem to have done just fine without it," the Northern King continued easily. "Training horses in Spain, rescuing silly Princes in Italia, helping to control the wildfires in Australia...entering the Eastern Kingdom."
Alfred's eyes widened in shock as the Northern King ticked off many of the things that he'd done over the past five years. Some which not even Matthew knew about. "How..." he started only to be interrupted by his father's infuriated voice.
"You did what?" his father snapped in anger his own magic building to an uncomfortable level. "You entered the Eastern Kingdom when you know it is forbidden by the Emperor that any outsiders do so? You could have been killed Alfred!'
"I was invited," Alfred said softly, trying desperately to ignore the very real fear he heard in his father's voice.
"Invited..." his father sputtered in confusion that quickly turned to irritation. "And of course you went..."
"I was in Japan and they sent me an invitation, of course I had to go," Alfred said. "It would have been rude not to and would have made both Japan and Britannia looked bad." He father frowned at that but then grudgingly nodded his acceptance. "I was only allowed into Korea and I wasn't there for very long. Kiku said they were probably curious because Japan doesn't allow many outside visitors either but they'd allowed me to stay for so long. They must have thought I was more important then I was and when they found out I had no magic well..." he trailed off with a shrug. "They sent me off pretty quickly after that. It was all very polite and official. Not very boring at all. I didn't get to meet the Emperor or anything like that I doubt he even left his palace in Beijing."
"Kiku..." his father muttered and Alfred supposed it was pushing things to refer to the son, and heir, of the Japanese ruling family so informally when he wasn't present. But that was how Kiku had wished to be addressed by him and that was how Alfred would continue to do so until he was told otherwise.
"Bu you've gotten further then anyone has been know to get in a very long time," the Northern King pointed out.
"How did you even know about that?" Alfred demanded. "No one outside of Japan even knew I was there let alone in the Eastern Kingdom."
"I have many eyes and ears outside my kingdom," the Northern King said with a smug smirk. "Most where no one would ever think to look. It's their duty to inform me of anything interesting that happens outside my borders. They are all very good at what they do."
"But why would you be interested in me?" Alfred pressed. "I'm not that interesting..."
"A runaway Prince isn't interesting?" the King said with an amused chuckle. "It's all anyone's been talking about for the past five years...and you haven't exactly been keeping a low profile."
Alfred huffed slightly at that though he knew the King was speaking the truth. As far as running away without letting anyone know where he'd gone he'd failed pretty spectacularly. It wasn't his fault. He'd set out to see new things and have adventures but not of the sort that had found him, the sort that drew everyone's attention to him. Not that he hadn't enjoyed every minute of it.
At World's End -- Part 2d
anonymous
January 31 2010, 01:30:35 UTC
"That doesn't really answer my question." Alfred said. He leaned back against the desk and pinned the King with an expectant look. He was playing a dangerous game being so direct with this man but couldn't back down now even if he wanted to.
The King regarded is posturing with open amusement. This caused Alfred's hackles to rise a bit, he didn't like being laughed at even if he'd given the other person a reason to. The King grew even more amused as if he could read every thought that was going through Alfred's head. Alfred narrowed his eyes and tried to make his mind as blank as possible. You never knew...it was very possible that the King might very well be able to read minds. The King was an elemental like Matthew was and reading minds didn't seem like something that they would be able to do but the Northern King was much more powerful then his brother was and had been practicing for a lot longer. Anything was possible.
"As King it is my responsibility to myself, and my people, to keep track of what my neighbors are up to," the King finally answered. "You never know where an unexpected threat may arise from. It is also my responsibility to keep track of what my family is up to...even if they are not my family yet."
Alfred's eyes widened at the implication behind that statement. He glanced back at his father who was glaring at the Northern King in open irritation. How far back did this arrangement go he wondered. Back to when his father had promised never to do anything like this to Matthew? Had his father made that promise knowing full well that he would one day break it?
His father's eyes shifted over to Alfred. He sighed wearily as he took in the expression on Alfred's face and rubbed at his forehead. "You should leave, Alfred. I will speak to you about all this later."
"No," Alfred said firmly, bristling a little as the anger began to seep back in. "I won't let you push me out, not now. I won't let you sign Matthew's life away without a fight."
"I'm not..." his father started to argue but Alfred cut him off.
"Yes you are," he said darkly. "He's not even 30 and you're preparing to sign a contract that will force him to marry this..." he trailed off and glanced at the Northern King who arched an eyebrow at him but said nothing. "...this man he's never met until right now. It's for life...and they don't even know if they like each other yet. What kind of future is that for him? How could you do that to him?"
"Alfred," his father said with a strange tightness to his voice. "I know how this seems..."
"How it seems?" Alfred questioned with a harsh chuckle. "It seems to me you broke your promise. You promised me you would never do this to him. You agreed with me that because Matthew doesn't have a choice in anything else that's going to happen to him in his life, that since he was born with the magic while I was not so that he must rule Britannia someday and he doesn't get any say in the matter. You agreed with me that because of all that he should at least be able to choose his partner. Did that promise mean nothing to you?"
"Of course it meant something," his father said in a painful voice. "But I had no choice. I made that promise because you also made one yourself that day. You agree you'd take his place if it ever came to it. But you weren't here..."
"Oh..." Alfred breathed as realization slammed into him. He stumbled backwards a little and grabbed the end of the desk for support. His father reached out a hand across the desk to help Alfred glared at it as he regained his balance.
At World's End -- Part 2e
anonymous
January 31 2010, 01:31:59 UTC
He had made that promise all those years ago and he'd remembered it. He'd just been so outraged over what his father was doing to his brother that he hadn't given much thought to the full implication of it as he rushed back home to stop the arrangement from happening. But his father had thought about it all. His father had been playing manipulative games but they hadn't been meant for Matthew, Matthew was just the tool in which he'd used to put the real plans into motion. He'd set the trap and Alfred had stumbled right into it. He gasped for air as he felt the chains of this new prison winding up around him, his hard earned freedom slipping through his fingers.
"You bastard," he slung the words at his father like a barbed arrow. "You bastard!"
"Alfred..." his father started softly in a pain laced voice.
"Don't" he hissed, not wanting to hear any apology in his father's voice, not believing it anyway. "Don't try to act like this isn't exactly what you wanted...what you planned from the start."
"You don't have to take Matthew's place," his father said almost gently. "The agreement has already been made."
"You know there is no choice for me," Alfred said hoarsely. "You know I won't allow this to happen to him. You used that to set me up...to sign my life away like means nothing."
"It doesn't mean..." his father started to argue, Alfred didn't let him finish.
"Stop," he said sharply and smacked his hand against his father's immense desk. It seemed to shake slightly under the impact. For a brief moment he allowed himself imagine the ground shaking beneath his feet with his anger. That image calmed him some but didn't erase any of the anger he was feeling. "Just stop trying to pretend that you haven't forced me to make this choice."
"We all have to make decisions in life, Alfred," his father said in a weary tone. "Sometimes we don't like any of the options we're given but that doesn't change the fact that a decision still needs to be made."
Some of Alfred's fury wilted at that, he suddenly felt incredibly tired. His father was speaking the truth. He didn't have a choice...he could leave Matthew to his own fate or accept it as his own. Neither option a appealed to him but he did have the choice between them. Not that there really was much a choice in the end. He reached out and grabbed a packet of parchment that was resting in the center of his desk and brought it closer to him. The parchment was think and fancy there was no doubt what it was even before he asked the obvious question.
"Is this the betrothal contract?" he asked in a rough voice.
"Yes," his father answered, shifting nervously as he reached for the contract. "But you don't need to sign it right away. Think about it for a few hours we can do a formal meeting after supper..."
"Might as well get it over with," Alfred muttered knowing there was nothing to think about.
He flipped through the pages looking for the signature page. He didn't let himself read the words on the page he didn't want to know the details of the dowry or any other exchanges that would be made on both sides due to the marriage. Those things would have nothing to do with him he wouldn't have any say in anything anyway. He reached the last page and finally let himself see the words. He would have to cross out Matthew's name and write his own in before signing it. He stopped short as he read the names on the page.
Matthew's name did not appear on the page at all. There beneath the Northern King's name and above his father's was a different name altogether. His name. Seeing just how far in advance his father had been planning things hit him like knife to the back. He lifted his head and glared at his father who looked like he desperately wanted to explain. There wasn't much to explain though it just proved how much of a manipulative bastard his father really was. He turned with the contract in hand and waved it at the man still sitting on the chair behind them.
At World's End -- Part 2f
anonymous
January 31 2010, 01:34:04 UTC
"Were you aware of this?" he asked sharply. "Did you know when you arrived here that you would be going home with a different...bride...then you were expecting?"
He glared openly at the Northern King daring him to deny this hadn't been set in motion far in advance of this day. The King stared impassively back at him, refusing to be baited. That was all the answer that Alfred needed. With a huff he turned and glared even harder at his father. He smacked the contract back down on the desk and held out his hand towards the other man.
"Pen," he demanded.
"Alfred," his father said. "Maybe you should just..."
"Pen," Alfred growled. "I can't do this without you. It's what you wanted so let's finish it!"
For a moment his father looked like he wanted to continue arguing. Then he sighed in resignation and pulled open a drawer of the desk and pulled out a silver pen. Alfred recognized it as the one that had belonged to him, the one that they had always used when there was need for him to sign official documents that needed to be sealed with magic, he wondered at the fact that his father still had it. His father held it in the palm of his left hand and rand the fingers of his right over it murmuring words in a soft tone that he always used for doing his daily magic. To Alfred it had always sounded like he was singing. It had been a comfort to him as a child now it just filed him with dread. The right hand moved away as the words trailed off and for a moment all was normal. Then the pen glowed a brilliant green as his father's spell took hold. The colored faded away and his father stared at the pen for a long moment and then handed it to Alfred.
Alfred took a deep breath and took the pen. It flared bright green again as his fingers grasped it. He shivered as he felt the magic crackle down and through the skin of his hand. Borrowed magic that would make the contract he was about to sign legal...and binding. As the green faded away he leaned forward and scrawled his name across the line beneath his name. When he was done he moved out his right and then lay the hand against the parchment. The contract glowed green and then flared up orange before fading back to green. The color disappeared as he removed his hand. With a shaking hand he set the pen down and then glanced over at his father who was regarding the parchment with a creased brow.
"There," he mumbled tiredly. "It's finished. Now you can be rid of me for good."
His father's head jerked up and he pinned Alfred with a pained, disbelieving stare. "I never wanted to be rid of you, Alfred," he said softly. "You were the one that chose to leave us."
"And so this is your payback, isn't it?" Alfred said with a choked laugh, taking a few steps away from the desk. "Locking me behind a wall of ice forever."
"No, Alfred," his father snapped in exasperation. "Please...be reasonable here..."
Alfred did laugh at that, though it sounded dead and hollow to his ears. He never got the chance to argue the point as his backwards momentum was stopped by a solid wall of flesh behind him. He turned his head slowly and discovered at some point the Northern King had stood and stepped closer to the desk. He turned around fully to face the man who he would be spending the rest of his life with. Violet eyes regarded him quietly, with a predatory glint underneath something that was mostly unreadable. Alfred swallowed nervously and moved to skirt around the King not quite ready to deal with him yet. He was stopped again by a hand moving up to grab his arm. The grip was surprisingly gentle, but solid there was no way Alfred could break free from it even if he had the will to do so.
At World's End -- Part 2g
anonymous
January 31 2010, 01:37:06 UTC
"You will not run from me, Little Prince," he said in that strange, thick accent of his. All traces of softness were gone from his face as they regarded each other. The King wasn't that much taller then Alfred was but he still had a size advantage on him in all other respects. And even if he didn't the expression on his face, the steeliness of his voice was enough to tell Alfred that this man was every bit as cold and hard as his reputation claimed he was. "I will come for you if you do...and I will not fail in finding you." He didn't voice the unspoken 'and you will not like what I do to you when I do find you.' He didn't need to.
Alfred swallowed nervously under that gaze. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said and even to his own ears the lie sounded lame. He couldn't deny that he hadn't been thinking of ways to run off now that Matthew was safe. Futile or not he'd wanted to at least try.
"Good," the Northern King said in a tone as gentle as his grip. "We understand each other then, da."
Alfred frowned at that he didn't understand anything and hadn't been given much of a choice to, he suspected that didn't matter to the King. He glanced over at his father who was watching them with a slight frown on his face. "If I may...I would like to go to my...uh..."
"Your chambers are as you left them," his father said. "You may stay in them while you're here. Your brother is leave in the morning for Prussia so if you wish to see to see him before you leave, you should do so. It might be better..." his father said his frown growing. "If you didn't tell him about the change in the...arrangements. I will tell him when he gets back and you are on your way...home..."
America froze at that. For the last 5 years he hadn't had a real home now he would have one that he didn't want. He turned to glance at the Northern King who still had a hand on his arm. He didn't want to have to ask permission to leave but he didn't know if that was what the King expected of him. He opened his mouth but before he could ask the King released him with a slight not of his head as if he was answering the question that had been on America's face.
"You may go where you choose on the castle grounds," he said softly. "If you wish to leave them you will inform me and one of my men will accompany you."
"I'm not going to run," America insisted, bristling slightly as he saw his future life flash before his eyes. Constantly followed around and needing permission to do anything, it would be far worse then things had been in Britannia before he'd left.
"We have already agreed that you would not," the Northern King answered simply as if that was the last that anyone would say on the matter. "Go now, Little Prince," he said leaning forward to brush a kiss against Alfred's forehead. "We will talk more after I have finalized the arrangements for tomorrow."
Alfred flinched both from the unexpected gesture and from the implication that things would be happening far quicker then he would like them too. He glanced at his father again whose expression was now pinched in irritation. He just nodded his head unsure how he was supposed to address this man who would soon be his life partner. So he slipped cautiously around him, glancing one more time up at the King. Not sure what to think about the expression on the man's face.
Then he hurried from the room already wondering how drastically his life could have changed so drastically in the short time since he'd entered it.
Re: At World's End -- Part 2g
anonymous
January 31 2010, 02:47:14 UTC
Oh this is getting better and better! Poor Arthur though... and I can't help but think that Ivan gets exactly what he wants (Alfred instead of Matthew)
Now the big question is whether or not Alfred will try to run anyway lol
Writer!Anon
anonymous
January 31 2010, 04:00:50 UTC
Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Poor Arthur indeed...I have a bit more angst to lay at his feet before his role in the story is mostly done. I have a feeling you're probably not wrong about Ivan's thinking in this... ;-)
Re: At World's End -- Part 2g
anonymous
January 31 2010, 21:50:12 UTC
Poor Alfred, his freedom was cut so short. I love the way the story is going through. One quick question does Francis know it was Alfred that was to be married?
Re: At World's End -- Part 2g
anonymous
February 1 2010, 00:49:36 UTC
I swear, when I was reading this it seemed like more of a a doujin script more than anything and I am very tempted to draw it. Very tempted indeed...if I wasn't so inexperienced XDDD
You have a very unique style there, writeranon. Love your details, especially how Alfred isn't a complete idiot like many fics tend to portray him, but brash and oblivious enough to be the Al we know and love. Though he seems a bit on the 'cold' side. That could just be me, since I usually see Alfred as being really hot blooded when he's angry.
And Ivan's calling him by nicknames already...you've just hit a major kink of mine, anon. No, everything about your Ivan pleases me XD
I'm assuming you're following along on the prompt's part where it says Alfred gets his protection? If so, gah Arthur, you're killing me. Must be really hard on him to use such an underhanded trick to see his son again after five years and then lose him again...which probably means Matthew is in on this scheme too...as well as Francis, according to what he says to Al before he sees Arthur.
Writer!Anon
anonymous
February 1 2010, 01:39:51 UTC
I'll admit I'm not familiar enough with doujin to know if that's a good thing or not but I'll take it as a compliment... ;-) I would get massively flaily if anyone ever wanted to do fanart of my work but I warn that this is going to be a very epic very long ride before it's over...
I hate where America is written as a complete idiot. I think he can be oblivious but he's a superpower for a reason. Yeah having the most nukes which helps but I refuse to believe that's the only reason. He's smart he just prefers that Europe, and the rest of the world, doesn't know it. So yeah I always write him that way even in AUs. Hmmm...I guess I didn't realize it at the time but he does seem a bit cold in this...or numb. It wasn't intentional but it does give me something I can play with for a later bit.
Heh...I admit I love that too especially when it has Little in the front even though Al isn't really little. That's a theme that'll probably continue throughout the story... ;-)
I have a feeling your last question will be answered to your satisfaction in the next part... ;-)
Awww...thank you. And thank you for such a lovely, detailed comment. I love comments that make me think about stuff.
Re: At World's End -- Part 2g
anonymous
February 1 2010, 20:31:21 UTC
Is that possessive!Ivan I see rearing his awesome head? Hello, possessive!Ivan.
I'm in love with this fill so far-- the tone of it, the description and the character set-up. I actually got a little giddy seeing that the second part had been posted XD XD
As for the events so far, it seems like Ivan was aware of more than Alfred's exploits... and he fully intended to be leaving with Alfred and not Matthew. I could be wrong though >->
Re: At World's End -- Part 2g
anonymous
February 5 2010, 04:59:24 UTC
I absolutely love this and I love your writing! While reading I thought "Ah, why is a writing like this wasting time writing fanfic... ah, no, if this anon weren't wasting time writing this then I wouldn't get to read it...!" Really, your writing is excellent and I love the tension in the room. ♥ Silly Alfred, letting himself be cornered they way he did, but he totally would go crashing into the situation like that. I'm looking forward to the next bit and especially Ivan and Alfred's post-planning talk. ♥
"That is unfortunately," the Northern King said mildly. "But there are worse fates to be born under."
Alfred's head snapped around in surprise at the King's comment. Out in the outside world he'd discovered that magicless folk such as himself were a little more common then he had thought but it was still a unusual enough, especially amongst the ruling families, that his...condition...was met with pity and even outright censure. It would have been easier to have been born without limbs then without magic.
"You seem to have done just fine without it," the Northern King continued easily. "Training horses in Spain, rescuing silly Princes in Italia, helping to control the wildfires in Australia...entering the Eastern Kingdom."
Alfred's eyes widened in shock as the Northern King ticked off many of the things that he'd done over the past five years. Some which not even Matthew knew about. "How..." he started only to be interrupted by his father's infuriated voice.
"You did what?" his father snapped in anger his own magic building to an uncomfortable level. "You entered the Eastern Kingdom when you know it is forbidden by the Emperor that any outsiders do so? You could have been killed Alfred!'
"I was invited," Alfred said softly, trying desperately to ignore the very real fear he heard in his father's voice.
"Invited..." his father sputtered in confusion that quickly turned to irritation. "And of course you went..."
"I was in Japan and they sent me an invitation, of course I had to go," Alfred said. "It would have been rude not to and would have made both Japan and Britannia looked bad." He father frowned at that but then grudgingly nodded his acceptance. "I was only allowed into Korea and I wasn't there for very long. Kiku said they were probably curious because Japan doesn't allow many outside visitors either but they'd allowed me to stay for so long. They must have thought I was more important then I was and when they found out I had no magic well..." he trailed off with a shrug. "They sent me off pretty quickly after that. It was all very polite and official. Not very boring at all. I didn't get to meet the Emperor or anything like that I doubt he even left his palace in Beijing."
"Kiku..." his father muttered and Alfred supposed it was pushing things to refer to the son, and heir, of the Japanese ruling family so informally when he wasn't present. But that was how Kiku had wished to be addressed by him and that was how Alfred would continue to do so until he was told otherwise.
"Bu you've gotten further then anyone has been know to get in a very long time," the Northern King pointed out.
"How did you even know about that?" Alfred demanded. "No one outside of Japan even knew I was there let alone in the Eastern Kingdom."
"I have many eyes and ears outside my kingdom," the Northern King said with a smug smirk. "Most where no one would ever think to look. It's their duty to inform me of anything interesting that happens outside my borders. They are all very good at what they do."
"But why would you be interested in me?" Alfred pressed. "I'm not that interesting..."
"A runaway Prince isn't interesting?" the King said with an amused chuckle. "It's all anyone's been talking about for the past five years...and you haven't exactly been keeping a low profile."
Alfred huffed slightly at that though he knew the King was speaking the truth. As far as running away without letting anyone know where he'd gone he'd failed pretty spectacularly. It wasn't his fault. He'd set out to see new things and have adventures but not of the sort that had found him, the sort that drew everyone's attention to him. Not that he hadn't enjoyed every minute of it.
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The King regarded is posturing with open amusement. This caused Alfred's hackles to rise a bit, he didn't like being laughed at even if he'd given the other person a reason to. The King grew even more amused as if he could read every thought that was going through Alfred's head. Alfred narrowed his eyes and tried to make his mind as blank as possible. You never knew...it was very possible that the King might very well be able to read minds. The King was an elemental like Matthew was and reading minds didn't seem like something that they would be able to do but the Northern King was much more powerful then his brother was and had been practicing for a lot longer. Anything was possible.
"As King it is my responsibility to myself, and my people, to keep track of what my neighbors are up to," the King finally answered. "You never know where an unexpected threat may arise from. It is also my responsibility to keep track of what my family is up to...even if they are not my family yet."
Alfred's eyes widened at the implication behind that statement. He glanced back at his father who was glaring at the Northern King in open irritation. How far back did this arrangement go he wondered. Back to when his father had promised never to do anything like this to Matthew? Had his father made that promise knowing full well that he would one day break it?
His father's eyes shifted over to Alfred. He sighed wearily as he took in the expression on Alfred's face and rubbed at his forehead. "You should leave, Alfred. I will speak to you about all this later."
"No," Alfred said firmly, bristling a little as the anger began to seep back in. "I won't let you push me out, not now. I won't let you sign Matthew's life away without a fight."
"I'm not..." his father started to argue but Alfred cut him off.
"Yes you are," he said darkly. "He's not even 30 and you're preparing to sign a contract that will force him to marry this..." he trailed off and glanced at the Northern King who arched an eyebrow at him but said nothing. "...this man he's never met until right now. It's for life...and they don't even know if they like each other yet. What kind of future is that for him? How could you do that to him?"
"Alfred," his father said with a strange tightness to his voice. "I know how this seems..."
"How it seems?" Alfred questioned with a harsh chuckle. "It seems to me you broke your promise. You promised me you would never do this to him. You agreed with me that because Matthew doesn't have a choice in anything else that's going to happen to him in his life, that since he was born with the magic while I was not so that he must rule Britannia someday and he doesn't get any say in the matter. You agreed with me that because of all that he should at least be able to choose his partner. Did that promise mean nothing to you?"
"Of course it meant something," his father said in a painful voice. "But I had no choice. I made that promise because you also made one yourself that day. You agree you'd take his place if it ever came to it. But you weren't here..."
"Oh..." Alfred breathed as realization slammed into him. He stumbled backwards a little and grabbed the end of the desk for support. His father reached out a hand across the desk to help Alfred glared at it as he regained his balance.
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"You bastard," he slung the words at his father like a barbed arrow. "You bastard!"
"Alfred..." his father started softly in a pain laced voice.
"Don't" he hissed, not wanting to hear any apology in his father's voice, not believing it anyway. "Don't try to act like this isn't exactly what you wanted...what you planned from the start."
"You don't have to take Matthew's place," his father said almost gently. "The agreement has already been made."
"You know there is no choice for me," Alfred said hoarsely. "You know I won't allow this to happen to him. You used that to set me up...to sign my life away like means nothing."
"It doesn't mean..." his father started to argue, Alfred didn't let him finish.
"Stop," he said sharply and smacked his hand against his father's immense desk. It seemed to shake slightly under the impact. For a brief moment he allowed himself imagine the ground shaking beneath his feet with his anger. That image calmed him some but didn't erase any of the anger he was feeling. "Just stop trying to pretend that you haven't forced me to make this choice."
"We all have to make decisions in life, Alfred," his father said in a weary tone. "Sometimes we don't like any of the options we're given but that doesn't change the fact that a decision still needs to be made."
Some of Alfred's fury wilted at that, he suddenly felt incredibly tired. His father was speaking the truth. He didn't have a choice...he could leave Matthew to his own fate or accept it as his own. Neither option a appealed to him but he did have the choice between them. Not that there really was much a choice in the end. He reached out and grabbed a packet of parchment that was resting in the center of his desk and brought it closer to him. The parchment was think and fancy there was no doubt what it was even before he asked the obvious question.
"Is this the betrothal contract?" he asked in a rough voice.
"Yes," his father answered, shifting nervously as he reached for the contract. "But you don't need to sign it right away. Think about it for a few hours we can do a formal meeting after supper..."
"Might as well get it over with," Alfred muttered knowing there was nothing to think about.
He flipped through the pages looking for the signature page. He didn't let himself read the words on the page he didn't want to know the details of the dowry or any other exchanges that would be made on both sides due to the marriage. Those things would have nothing to do with him he wouldn't have any say in anything anyway. He reached the last page and finally let himself see the words. He would have to cross out Matthew's name and write his own in before signing it. He stopped short as he read the names on the page.
Matthew's name did not appear on the page at all. There beneath the Northern King's name and above his father's was a different name altogether. His name. Seeing just how far in advance his father had been planning things hit him like knife to the back. He lifted his head and glared at his father who looked like he desperately wanted to explain. There wasn't much to explain though it just proved how much of a manipulative bastard his father really was. He turned with the contract in hand and waved it at the man still sitting on the chair behind them.
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He glared openly at the Northern King daring him to deny this hadn't been set in motion far in advance of this day. The King stared impassively back at him, refusing to be baited. That was all the answer that Alfred needed. With a huff he turned and glared even harder at his father. He smacked the contract back down on the desk and held out his hand towards the other man.
"Pen," he demanded.
"Alfred," his father said. "Maybe you should just..."
"Pen," Alfred growled. "I can't do this without you. It's what you wanted so let's finish it!"
For a moment his father looked like he wanted to continue arguing. Then he sighed in resignation and pulled open a drawer of the desk and pulled out a silver pen. Alfred recognized it as the one that had belonged to him, the one that they had always used when there was need for him to sign official documents that needed to be sealed with magic, he wondered at the fact that his father still had it. His father held it in the palm of his left hand and rand the fingers of his right over it murmuring words in a soft tone that he always used for doing his daily magic. To Alfred it had always sounded like he was singing. It had been a comfort to him as a child now it just filed him with dread. The right hand moved away as the words trailed off and for a moment all was normal. Then the pen glowed a brilliant green as his father's spell took hold. The colored faded away and his father stared at the pen for a long moment and then handed it to Alfred.
Alfred took a deep breath and took the pen. It flared bright green again as his fingers grasped it. He shivered as he felt the magic crackle down and through the skin of his hand. Borrowed magic that would make the contract he was about to sign legal...and binding. As the green faded away he leaned forward and scrawled his name across the line beneath his name. When he was done he moved out his right and then lay the hand against the parchment. The contract glowed green and then flared up orange before fading back to green. The color disappeared as he removed his hand. With a shaking hand he set the pen down and then glanced over at his father who was regarding the parchment with a creased brow.
"There," he mumbled tiredly. "It's finished. Now you can be rid of me for good."
His father's head jerked up and he pinned Alfred with a pained, disbelieving stare. "I never wanted to be rid of you, Alfred," he said softly. "You were the one that chose to leave us."
"And so this is your payback, isn't it?" Alfred said with a choked laugh, taking a few steps away from the desk. "Locking me behind a wall of ice forever."
"No, Alfred," his father snapped in exasperation. "Please...be reasonable here..."
Alfred did laugh at that, though it sounded dead and hollow to his ears. He never got the chance to argue the point as his backwards momentum was stopped by a solid wall of flesh behind him. He turned his head slowly and discovered at some point the Northern King had stood and stepped closer to the desk. He turned around fully to face the man who he would be spending the rest of his life with. Violet eyes regarded him quietly, with a predatory glint underneath something that was mostly unreadable. Alfred swallowed nervously and moved to skirt around the King not quite ready to deal with him yet. He was stopped again by a hand moving up to grab his arm. The grip was surprisingly gentle, but solid there was no way Alfred could break free from it even if he had the will to do so.
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Alfred swallowed nervously under that gaze. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said and even to his own ears the lie sounded lame. He couldn't deny that he hadn't been thinking of ways to run off now that Matthew was safe. Futile or not he'd wanted to at least try.
"Good," the Northern King said in a tone as gentle as his grip. "We understand each other then, da."
Alfred frowned at that he didn't understand anything and hadn't been given much of a choice to, he suspected that didn't matter to the King. He glanced over at his father who was watching them with a slight frown on his face. "If I may...I would like to go to my...uh..."
"Your chambers are as you left them," his father said. "You may stay in them while you're here. Your brother is leave in the morning for Prussia so if you wish to see to see him before you leave, you should do so. It might be better..." his father said his frown growing. "If you didn't tell him about the change in the...arrangements. I will tell him when he gets back and you are on your way...home..."
America froze at that. For the last 5 years he hadn't had a real home now he would have one that he didn't want. He turned to glance at the Northern King who still had a hand on his arm. He didn't want to have to ask permission to leave but he didn't know if that was what the King expected of him. He opened his mouth but before he could ask the King released him with a slight not of his head as if he was answering the question that had been on America's face.
"You may go where you choose on the castle grounds," he said softly. "If you wish to leave them you will inform me and one of my men will accompany you."
"I'm not going to run," America insisted, bristling slightly as he saw his future life flash before his eyes. Constantly followed around and needing permission to do anything, it would be far worse then things had been in Britannia before he'd left.
"We have already agreed that you would not," the Northern King answered simply as if that was the last that anyone would say on the matter. "Go now, Little Prince," he said leaning forward to brush a kiss against Alfred's forehead. "We will talk more after I have finalized the arrangements for tomorrow."
Alfred flinched both from the unexpected gesture and from the implication that things would be happening far quicker then he would like them too. He glanced at his father again whose expression was now pinched in irritation. He just nodded his head unsure how he was supposed to address this man who would soon be his life partner. So he slipped cautiously around him, glancing one more time up at the King. Not sure what to think about the expression on the man's face.
Then he hurried from the room already wondering how drastically his life could have changed so drastically in the short time since he'd entered it.
* * *
TBC
* * *
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Now the big question is whether or not Alfred will try to run anyway lol
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Poor Arthur indeed...I have a bit more angst to lay at his feet before his role in the story is mostly done. I have a feeling you're probably not wrong about Ivan's thinking in this... ;-)
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hope you update soon!
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continue, please!
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Your question will be answered in the next part! :-)
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You have a very unique style there, writeranon. Love your details, especially how Alfred isn't a complete idiot like many fics tend to portray him, but brash and oblivious enough to be the Al we know and love. Though he seems a bit on the 'cold' side. That could just be me, since I usually see Alfred as being really hot blooded when he's angry.
And Ivan's calling him by nicknames already...you've just hit a major kink of mine, anon. No, everything about your Ivan pleases me XD
I'm assuming you're following along on the prompt's part where it says Alfred gets his protection? If so, gah Arthur, you're killing me. Must be really hard on him to use such an underhanded trick to see his son again after five years and then lose him again...which probably means Matthew is in on this scheme too...as well as Francis, according to what he says to Al before he sees Arthur.
Why so awesome? You go, writeranon.
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I hate where America is written as a complete idiot. I think he can be oblivious but he's a superpower for a reason. Yeah having the most nukes which helps but I refuse to believe that's the only reason. He's smart he just prefers that Europe, and the rest of the world, doesn't know it. So yeah I always write him that way even in AUs. Hmmm...I guess I didn't realize it at the time but he does seem a bit cold in this...or numb. It wasn't intentional but it does give me something I can play with for a later bit.
Heh...I admit I love that too especially when it has Little in the front even though Al isn't really little. That's a theme that'll probably continue throughout the story... ;-)
I have a feeling your last question will be answered to your satisfaction in the next part... ;-)
Awww...thank you. And thank you for such a lovely, detailed comment. I love comments that make me think about stuff.
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I'm in love with this fill so far-- the tone of it, the description and the character set-up. I actually got a little giddy seeing that the second part had been posted XD XD
As for the events so far, it seems like Ivan was aware of more than Alfred's exploits... and he fully intended to be leaving with Alfred and not Matthew. I could be wrong though >->
Update soon! <33
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