At World's End -- Part 4e
anonymous
March 22 2010, 02:14:37 UTC
Matthew seemed to sense his mood though he misunderstood what it was for. "You could come with me," he said with a wide grin. "Imagine the stir we'd cause if we showed up together!"
"I probably shouldn't," Alfred said with a sigh he was tempted to say yes. To tell his father and the Northern King that their wedding could wait but he knew they would never go for it, it would be too easy an escaping point for him for them to allow it. Besides it was obvious they wanted to get the wedding done with while Matthew was away. "I...I...have things I should discuss with Father..." he winced at the last ie but was thankful that Matthew would probably misinterpret it for more anger at their father as well. At least that wasn't too far off the mark from what he was feeling.
Matthew's expression brightened at the idea that Alfred and their father might try to work through their differences, it made Alfred feel worse then ever. Then Matthew turned more serious as Alfred turned his face back towards the pond and threw another rock into it. "You'll still be here when I get back won't you?" he asked.
Alfred felt the painful tug at his heart and sighed. There was no way that he could get out of this with a half truth. One way or another he would be gone when Matthew returned from Prussia. He opened his mouth to say something and then shut it quickly when nothing came out. Besides him Matthew sighed and threw a rock of his own into the pond. Alfred watched the ripples it created as it sunk. He waited for his brother to speak again.
"Could you try and wait for me to return?" Matthew asked softly. "Then at least I could see you off with a proper goodbye?"
Alfred gulped he couldn't lie but he couldn't not answer the request. "I...I will try..." he said and hoped that would be enough.
Matthew nodded his head, a soft frown on his face, then he turned towards Alfred. "Will you at least see me off tonight?"
"Of course," Alfred said quickly. Truthfully he'd hoped to spend as little time interacting with people that evening as possible. He had a big decision to make but he couldn't say no to his brother after all the lying he'd already done. Either way it would give him the chance to give Matthew that proper goodbye.
"Good...you'll get to meet Ivan," Matthew said with a slight nod as he drew himself back to his feet, Alfred stood along with him.
"Ivan?" Alfred asked curiously, confused for a long moment about the name he couldn't place. Then realization struck a few seconds before Matthew clarified it himself. There was only one person Ivan could be.
"The Northern King," Matthew said. "His name is Ivan."
"Ivan..." Alfred repeated softly testing the name out on his tongue.
"You can tell me what you think," Matthew said cautiously. "Though you have to promise to behave yourself. He has been nothing but kind to me since he arrived here."
Alfred managed to bite his tongue to make some scathing comment about how of course the Northern King was kind to Matthew when he knew very well he wasn't going to be marrying him at all. Instead he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded.
"Alfred..." Matthew said in exasperation.
"I will treat him as he treats me," Alfred said simply.
Matthew huffed a bit and rolled his eyes. Then reached forward and pulled Alfred into another tight hug. "I've missed you, Alfred."
"I've missed you too, Matthew," Alfred said truthfully and returned the hug fully.
At World's End -- Part 4f
anonymous
March 22 2010, 02:16:26 UTC
"Do you want to help me finish packing?" Matthew asked hopefully.
"I really don't have the urge to watch you fold and unfold and refold your clothing a million times, no," Alfred teased knowing just how his brother was when it came to packing. He doubted that had changed over the past five years.
Matthew glared at him but it dissolved quickly to a grin. He turned and headed off then stopped and turned back to look at Alfred. It looked like he very much wanted to say something but he shook his head and continued on his way. Alfred sighed and turned back to look at the pond. He suspected Matthew knew that he would not still be here when he returned from Prussia. As always his brother knew him too well.
Alfred flicked another stone into the pond this time skipping it instead of just dunking it. He realized as he watched it that his life was much like the stone. His father the controlling hand sending him on his journey he could either choose to skip forward or sink to the bottom. For that's what this marriage was like...a force of gravity pulling him downwards against his will..
He thought about his Matthew who was so willing to give into that force though he didn't know what was waiting for him underneath the depths. He did it because he thought it was his duty to his people and his kingdom. He did it because he thought it was the right path for him to choose. His brother was always so quick to trust that things would work out the way they were supposed to in the end. Alfred had always admired his brother's brand of quiet bravery but he also knew that that sort of bravery was not for him. His own was as loud and brash and head first as he himself was.
Alfred skipped another stone watching as it flicked forward across the water as quickly and as far as it possibly could, before it too could no longer fight the inevitable pull downwards. In that moment he had his answer. He would have to try and escape from the pull his father was trying to exert over him. It wouldn't be easy, the Northern King might expect that his command would be enough for Alfred to listening but his father would learn from his past mistakes he would be ready for him to make a move.
So Alfred would just have to make sure he was just two moves further ahead.
Re: At World's End -- Part 4f
anonymous
March 22 2010, 10:30:18 UTC
This was totally worth waiting for, everything fits so well together and both Alfred and Matthew are very realistic. The stone in the pond part was really good. Now I'm wondering what his escape attempt will be?The part where Alfred learned Ivan's name was really cute too ^_^
Thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it! It's nice to know there are a few people still hanging around to read this I feel bad about leaving it hang for a while but real life and naughty muses just did let me.
*happydance*
anonymous
March 22 2010, 20:39:56 UTC
This was great. I'm totally looking forward to the next bit, and will wait just as long for it :). The characters are great and the bonus information is just soooo WIN.
Re: At World's End -- Part 4f
anonymous
March 23 2010, 02:33:50 UTC
Yay an update! I really like that invisible bond that is there between the two brothers. And I also love the rock part near the end. Great job so far! Keep it up! C:
"I probably shouldn't," Alfred said with a sigh he was tempted to say yes. To tell his father and the Northern King that their wedding could wait but he knew they would never go for it, it would be too easy an escaping point for him for them to allow it. Besides it was obvious they wanted to get the wedding done with while Matthew was away. "I...I...have things I should discuss with Father..." he winced at the last ie but was thankful that Matthew would probably misinterpret it for more anger at their father as well. At least that wasn't too far off the mark from what he was feeling.
Matthew's expression brightened at the idea that Alfred and their father might try to work through their differences, it made Alfred feel worse then ever. Then Matthew turned more serious as Alfred turned his face back towards the pond and threw another rock into it. "You'll still be here when I get back won't you?" he asked.
Alfred felt the painful tug at his heart and sighed. There was no way that he could get out of this with a half truth. One way or another he would be gone when Matthew returned from Prussia. He opened his mouth to say something and then shut it quickly when nothing came out. Besides him Matthew sighed and threw a rock of his own into the pond. Alfred watched the ripples it created as it sunk. He waited for his brother to speak again.
"Could you try and wait for me to return?" Matthew asked softly. "Then at least I could see you off with a proper goodbye?"
Alfred gulped he couldn't lie but he couldn't not answer the request. "I...I will try..." he said and hoped that would be enough.
Matthew nodded his head, a soft frown on his face, then he turned towards Alfred. "Will you at least see me off tonight?"
"Of course," Alfred said quickly. Truthfully he'd hoped to spend as little time interacting with people that evening as possible. He had a big decision to make but he couldn't say no to his brother after all the lying he'd already done. Either way it would give him the chance to give Matthew that proper goodbye.
"Good...you'll get to meet Ivan," Matthew said with a slight nod as he drew himself back to his feet, Alfred stood along with him.
"Ivan?" Alfred asked curiously, confused for a long moment about the name he couldn't place. Then realization struck a few seconds before Matthew clarified it himself. There was only one person Ivan could be.
"The Northern King," Matthew said. "His name is Ivan."
"Ivan..." Alfred repeated softly testing the name out on his tongue.
"You can tell me what you think," Matthew said cautiously. "Though you have to promise to behave yourself. He has been nothing but kind to me since he arrived here."
Alfred managed to bite his tongue to make some scathing comment about how of course the Northern King was kind to Matthew when he knew very well he wasn't going to be marrying him at all. Instead he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded.
"Alfred..." Matthew said in exasperation.
"I will treat him as he treats me," Alfred said simply.
Matthew huffed a bit and rolled his eyes. Then reached forward and pulled Alfred into another tight hug. "I've missed you, Alfred."
"I've missed you too, Matthew," Alfred said truthfully and returned the hug fully.
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"I really don't have the urge to watch you fold and unfold and refold your clothing a million times, no," Alfred teased knowing just how his brother was when it came to packing. He doubted that had changed over the past five years.
Matthew glared at him but it dissolved quickly to a grin. He turned and headed off then stopped and turned back to look at Alfred. It looked like he very much wanted to say something but he shook his head and continued on his way. Alfred sighed and turned back to look at the pond. He suspected Matthew knew that he would not still be here when he returned from Prussia. As always his brother knew him too well.
Alfred flicked another stone into the pond this time skipping it instead of just dunking it. He realized as he watched it that his life was much like the stone. His father the controlling hand sending him on his journey he could either choose to skip forward or sink to the bottom. For that's what this marriage was like...a force of gravity pulling him downwards against his will..
He thought about his Matthew who was so willing to give into that force though he didn't know what was waiting for him underneath the depths. He did it because he thought it was his duty to his people and his kingdom. He did it because he thought it was the right path for him to choose. His brother was always so quick to trust that things would work out the way they were supposed to in the end. Alfred had always admired his brother's brand of quiet bravery but he also knew that that sort of bravery was not for him. His own was as loud and brash and head first as he himself was.
Alfred skipped another stone watching as it flicked forward across the water as quickly and as far as it possibly could, before it too could no longer fight the inevitable pull downwards. In that moment he had his answer. He would have to try and escape from the pull his father was trying to exert over him. It wouldn't be easy, the Northern King might expect that his command would be enough for Alfred to listening but his father would learn from his past mistakes he would be ready for him to make a move.
So Alfred would just have to make sure he was just two moves further ahead.
* * *
TBC
* * *
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:-)
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Great job so far! Keep it up! C:
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