At Word's End -- Part 6b
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:42:12 UTC
Alfred opened his mouth to argue and then shut it when he could think of absolutely no reason to get out of speaking to the King. He was sure he was going to get yelled at or maybe worse, though he didn't think his father would allow that sort of thing to happen under his roof. He shuddered slightly as he sat down shifting his pack off his shoulder and onto the ground next to the chair. The Northern King's eyes never left him and as Alfred settled in the chair the King raised his arm and the fire glowed with a brief intensity sending a wave of heat wafting over his chair before lowering to it's previous level. Alfred stared at it for a long moment and then turned slowly to face the King. The King regarded him in silence for a long moment, hand resting against his face legs casually crossed his eyes even more intensely purple in the firelight. Alfred tried not to fidget under the gaze.
"You did not come to dinner," the King murmured after a moment.
Alfred blinked, this was not the opening he had been expecting. He shrugged his shoulders, "I...wasn't hungry..." he lied. His stomach didn't appreciate the lie and let him know immediately afterwards with a loud growl.
"So I see..." the King said barely veiled laughter coloring his voice. "Then I suppose you won't find any use for this..."
He pushed a wheeled cart in Alfred's direction. Alfred had passed it when he'd gone to sit down in the chair but hadn't noticed it. Now he saw that resting on top was a tray covered with a silver dome. Alfred stared at it curiously as it stopped in front of him. His stomach flipping as the barest scent of bacon wafted upwards towards his nose.
"Francis said it was one of your favorite meals..." the King said easily. "He said he had the staff make it especially for you tonight...It would be a shame for it to go to waste."
Alfred's eyes widened at that and he reached out to jerk the metal cover off the top of the tray. His stomach grumbled in sheer excitement as he caught sight of the omelet so big it covered the whole plate even folded in half. Filled to the brim with bacon, cheese and other more spicy ingredients. The main plate was accompanied by two slightly smaller ones both also filled to the brim. One with a mound of crispy bacon and another which brought a smile to Alfred's lips because he'd once joked that they should be required with every meal, even breakfast, some of Francis' special fried chips and a bottle of tomato sauce.
Before he could stop himself he dropped the metal cover to the side and dived into the food that he'd dreamed about for the past five years. He took a bite of the omelet and his eyes slid shut as his taste buds shivered in pure ecstasy. There had been much good food eaten in those intervening years but nothing could touch Francis' recipes, it wasn't quite as good as if Francis had made it himself but...it was a close second. The soft sound of chuckling drew his attention from his food and reminded him that he was not alone and with that came the realization of who he was with. He slid his eyes sideways briefly and then snapped them back forwards as he was instantly drawn in by the King's wide, friendly grin. Swallowing the mouthful he was in the middle of eating he began to set the silverware back on the plate feeling an embarrassed heat on his cheeks.
At Word's End -- Part 6c
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:43:38 UTC
Alfred hesitated for a moment and then started eating again, this time as a more sedate pace. There was silence as he ate but strangely it wasn't as uncomfortable as he would have expected it to be. He knew the King was watching and probably cataloging every movement he made and examining ever detail of his body, yet somehow he didn't feel like he was on display. He was also waiting for the other shoe to drop for the King to mention his second escape attempt, yet somehow he didn't feel threatened. He forced himself to concentrate only on the food he was eating savoring every bite. He wished he could stay longer and enjoy more of Francis' food, he wished he would be able to thank him, but going to their rooms to thank him would mean having to explain why he wasn't at dinner in the first place and it would also mean he would have to face his father.
He finished his food with a sigh setting the plates into the center of the tray and putting the cover back on and pushing it back out of the way. He wished he could linger over it a bit more if only to put off the inevitable conversation. But chasing the crumbs around his plate would be too obvious and childish. He lifted his eyes to meet the King's and stared at him expectantly. The King settled back against the couch and eyed him back speculatively for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Since you were not at dinner, we did not have a chance to discuss what will be happening tomorrow," he said softly.
"I still don't see why it's necessary to discuss it," Alfred grumbled. "It's not like I'll have any say in anything that happens to me."
"Wouldn't you rather know in advance what will be happening and when?" the King asked. "I would think since you clearly find the idea so...horrifying...that you would like to have some input in the process..."
"Can my input be that it doesn't happen at all?" he asked dryly. "That I can go free without marrying you?"
There was a long moment of silence after that question. "You know that I cannot allow that," the King said in a voice that was soft but unmoving.
"That's what I thought," Alfred said with a huff slumping back against the cushions of the chair. He'd had no real hope that his plea would work but he had to give it a try.
"You signed the contract," the King pointed out evenly. "It was your choice..."
"What choice?" Alfred spat out, no longer caring if it got him in trouble. "There was no choice."
"You could have chosen not to take your brothers place," the King said mildly.
"Like I could sit back and allow you and my father to force this on him," Alfred said darkly. "It was him or me..."
"That was still your choice..." the King said his voice a little cool around the edges. "You could have said no just as he could have and yet neither of you did. Now that the contract is signed it cannot be undone but there was no...force...involved in the process."
"Still doesn't feel like much of a choice," Alfred muttered petulantly not wiling to concede that the King did speak a small sliver of truth. No one had put a knife to his back and forced him to sign his name to the contract, it had been his choice to sign it to save his brother from the marriage.
"Sometimes we must make decisions that we don't wish to," the King said. "But they are still our own decisions to make."
"So everyone keeps telling me today," Alfred said with huff.
"It is part of growing up, little Prince," the King replied, there was the slightest grin tugging at his lips.
"Growing up is not much fun," Alfred muttered before he could stop himself. He flushed slightly at his childishness and ducked his head.
"No," there was no mistaking the amusement in the King's voice now and despite being a little irritated by it Alfred was glad to hear it's return. "It's not."
At Word's End -- Part 6d
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:45:08 UTC
"Look," Alfred said with a sigh. He ran his hand through his hair causing the one errant strand at his forehead that he'd never been able to tame to stick out at an even more erratic angle. "I don't think that you're horrifying," he mumbled. "I'm sure you're very nice once you get past your reputation and all...it's just..." he glanced up and caught the Northern King's eyes briefly an eyebrow arched over the violet pair. He frowned and glanced away towards the fire and trailed off.
"It's just..." the King prodded.
"It's just that I didn't wake up this morning thinking that by tomorrow I'd be married..." Alfred said in a rush, his shoulders slumped slightly as the full weight of what would be happening to him tomorrow if he was unable to find an avenue of escape in time. "I am not ready to have my freedom ripped away from me...my choice to take Matthew's place or not...I'm just not ready..." his voice wavered slightly on the last but he tightly held his emotion's in check.
"I understand," the King said gently, there was a hint of something, regret perhaps, that touched his voice for a second but it was gone by the time he spoke again. "Don't you think then that it might help if you know what lies ahead so that you can adjust and prepare yourself a little better."
Alfred wanted to scream no, that he didn't want to know and he didn't want to have to prepare for anything but that was childish and what was probably expected of him. And deep down inside a part of him was curious about what life with this strange King might entail for him. Not that it would matter when they woke to find him gone but he might as well give the King a false sense of security about the matter.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," he said after a moment.
"Good," the King said with a nod. "We shall make ourselves a little more comfortable first, da?"
As Alfred watched the King stood and walked over to a second cart he hadn't noticed this one held bottles in various shapes and sizes. He recognized it as the liquor cart that was usually kept in the billiard room. The bottles were not labeled but the King seemed to have become accompanied with them over the short time he was within residence of the castle as he chose one easily and poured a healthy amount into a glass and then poured a smaller amount into a second glass. He put the bottle away and then walked back towards Alfred holding the second glass out to him and then settling himself back onto the couch.
Alfred eyed the glass suspiciously and then took a small sip. He'd never been much of a drinker his father tended to drink a bit too much on occasion which usually had led to arguments which had put Alfred off of alcohol though he had enjoyed the occasionally glass of wine with Francis and Matthew before he'd left and tried various drinks while out on his travels. He coughed as the liquid burned down the back of his throat. There was a soft chuckle which drew his attention back towards the King in time to watch him tip his head back and drown the entire contents of the glass easily.
Alfred forced himself to take another small sip and quickly discovered it was not much better the second time around. He grimaced slightly and sloshed the clear liquid around his glass. "What is it?" he finally asked.
"It is Vodka," the King explain sounding more amused with each second that passed. "It is a very popular drink in my Kingdom, I brought that special as a gift for your father."
"Oh," Alfred said with a slight frown he glanced down at the glass and contemplated trying yet another sip but instead leaned over and held it out towards the King who took it without a comment and dipped his head back to drown the remaining comments. "Maybe it's an acquired taste?" he said with a shrug.
At Word's End -- Part 6e
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:47:44 UTC
Then he leaned over and put the glasses on the tray with the rest of the dishes and settled back onto the couch looking more serious he didn't say anything just looked at Alfred expectantly. Alfred waited, he certainly wasn't the one who'd wanted to have this conversation in the first place so far be it from him to be the one to start it. The silence played out long and intense before finally the King frowned and began speaking.
"The wedding will take place tomorrow morning, just after sunrise as per your father's wishes..." the King said.
"It's tradition," Alfred nodded. "For Royal Family weddings to happen after sunrise or before sunset..." he was a little surprised that his father was planning on sticking to that for this wedding.
"So he explained," the King said. "He was quite adamant that it must happen this way, he is not happy that there is not enough time to give you a more fully traditional wedding."
"It's his own fault that this has to happen so fast..." Alfred grumbled softly, the King either didn't hear it or chose to ignore it.
"I agree that it is unfortunate. We will try to add as many of the Britannia traditions into the Solstice Ceremony in the Northern Kingdom as we are able," the King said thoughtfully. "Your heritage is as important to me as my own..."
"Wait...Solstice Ceremony?" Alfred asked in confusion this was the first he'd heard of that sort of ceremony in connection with this wedding.
"Da," the King said with a smile. "As it is tradition for the Britannia Royal Family to marry after sunrise it is Northern Kingdom tradition that the Royal Family be married on the Solstice."
"Because that's when the magic flow is at its peak?" Alfred guessed. It made a certain sort of sense since magic played such a large part in all marriage ceremonies. It was why they preferred to hold them at sunrise in Britannia.
"Yes," the King said with a nod. "Very good, you know about them."
"We don't follow the Solstices here," Alfred explained. "But we did learn about them as well as some of the customs of the surrounding kingdom's regarding them. The Spanish Kingdom has a big Summer Solstice festival I was there for it one year."
"We celebrate both to some extent," the King said. "Though we do tend to focus more on the Winter Solstice. We will be having our ceremony then though the Summer Solstice falls first."
"So...we'll be having two separate ceremonies?" Alfred asked.
"Yes, the one here tomorrow and then the second one on the Solstice," the King said with a nod.
"So...does that mean that the marriage won't be fully real?" Alfred asked trying to keep the hope out of his voice that he might still have time to wriggle out of the marriage.
"Nyet," the King answered his lips quirking slightly. "Tomorrow's ceremony will be real. After it is over we will be legally recognized as married and magically bonded as well to a lesser extent. The Solstice ceremony will be mostly a ritual event though there will be some spells cast on that day as well."
"But you said that the Winter Solstice is important to you...why not wait until then to have the wedding?" Alfred pressed slightly.
"The Solstice is too far away," he answered evenly.
"It's not that far away..." Alfred said with a slight frown. "We could just wait and then have only the one ceremony..."
"The main ceremony will take place tomorrow."
There was a note of finality in the Northern King's voice, Alfred tried once again to buy himself some extra time. "But..."
"This is not open for discussion, Alfred," the King said firmly. "We will be wed tomorrow."
Alfred sensing that he was close to pushing the subject too far decided it was time to back off. It wouldn't leave him much time to make his next escape attempt but he thought it was still doable. He let his mind drift away even as the King started speaking again.
At Word's End -- Part 6f
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:49:42 UTC
"...as you know the regular wedding ceremony involves binding the two participants magic together..." Only half listening to what the King was Alfred nodded his head absently in response. "Since that's not an option for us...we will be going with the secondary ceremony designed for one of the participants being without magic...I am sure you are aware of its existence."
Alfred stiffened and jerked his head tightly in acknowledgment. "Yes, my father showed it to me right before I came of age," his voice sounded hollow to his own ears. "He explained that there were changes made for it to make up for my lack of magic..."
"Yes there are different spells preformed," the Northern King said in a soft voice. "Extra spells of protection layered in on my part and obviously no returning spells expected from you..."
"Obviously..." Alfred muttered, he shifted in his seat to catch the King's eyes straight on. "What do you even want with me?" he asked.
"What do I want with you?" the King repeated with a bit of confusion. "I should think that should be more then obvious."
"I can't offer you anything but what my father is giving as my physical dowry," Alfred said a frown. "I bring nothing to the table magic or power wise...I am useless to you."
"Useless?" the King said in a tightly controlled voice. "Who is it that has called you that?"
"No one to my face," Alfred said with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I am sure that is what everyone thinks after I am gone. Those that don't probably pity me."
"I don't think you're useless, Alfred," the King said in a firm voice. "Nor do I pity you."
"As King of such a powerful Kingdom you must have a hundred people you could choose from...thousands even...from all over the world," Alfred continued unappeased by the King's words. "So why saddle yourself with me? Surely whatever connections you'll be getting to Britannia are not worth being stuck dealing with a magicless partner."
Silence descended over the room as the King seemed to mull over his choice of words. Alfred turned his head not wanting to see the King's face. He had not intended to use his lack of magic as a way to possibly get out of the marriage but if he had to wield it as a weapon so be it. The pain would be worth it.
"I chose you because...you're you," the King finally said in a voice rough and almost smoky, Alfred couldn't help but let his eyes trail back over to the King. "You're right I have my choice of partner, too many to even count. I do not want them. If it was just raw, untapped power or a connection to Britannia I was interested in I would have gone with your brother. He is very powerful, more powerful then he or your father yet realize. You were also right in suspecting that I knew exactly who I would end up with when I came here...I wanted it. I wanted you."
Alfred stared at him in open shock. The Northern King had just volunteered a truth that he didn't have to. He could have easily allowed Alfred to just suspect that his father had purposefully used his brother to trap him but now to have it confirmed. He knew the anger at his father, and at the King, would come later but for now he was too surprised to question just why it was happening. Some part of him, the part that he kept buried that had long thought he would never find someone who would truly want him outside of his family connections because of his lack of magical ability, twisted a little in hope and anticipation. He squashed it back down quickly it had no place in the current conversation it didn't matter what the King's reasoning was...he was still going to leave before the wedding in the morning.
He realized that the King was staring at him expectantly. He still had a cover he had to keep up less the King become suspicious. That was the only reason he asked his next question. There was no other. "But...why?"
At Word's End -- Part 6g
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:51:52 UTC
"Because you're easy on the eyes," the King drawled and then smirked as Alfred rolled his eyes. In the next instant he was deadly serious, he leaned forward in his seat and trapped Alfred in that violet gaze. "Because you've spent the last five years on your own proving to yourself, and the world, that you didn't need magic to survive. You usually had people around you who did but you did not rely on them and you did not allow the fact that you are magicless to stop you from doing what you wanted and from helping people who needed it."
"My father would say that it was reckless stupidity on my part," Alfred said in a slightly dazed voice.
"He would be telling the truth," the Northern King agreed and Alfred frowned. "But it was also very brave. It showed you have courage and faith in your own abilities to get yourself out of trouble. It shows that you are strong, and quick thinking and intelligent. These are all the things I have been looking for in someone to stand at my side and help me rule my Kingdom."
"You really don't mind that I have no magical ability of my own?" Alfred asked in stunned disbelief.
"Nyet," the Northern King said softly, firmly in a voice that allowed no room for argument. "I do not care."
"But..." Alfred said with a slight shiver as he held the King's gaze a little too long. The King's magic crackled between him he could feel it brushing up against him gently, like it was trying to get to know him to claim him as it's own. "What about your family...your advisors and your people...won't they mind that you are marrying someone without magic?"
"They did raise some concerns," the King admitted without hesitation. "But in the end it was not their decision. While what my advisors say does matter to me it is not the only thing I consider when making the best decision for myself or my people."
"What about your family? You have two sisters don't you?" Alfred asked putting his limited knowledge of the Northern Kingdom to use. "What do they think about you marrying someone like...me?"
"My family supports any decisions I make," the King answered. "They asked about you and seemed satisfied that you would be a worthy addition to the family."
"And your people? How will I be any use to them?" Alfred asked finally. "I cannot bring them anything of my own...I can do nothing to protect them if it's needed..."
"I will protect them if it is needed," the King said firmly. "As I will protect my family and you. You will be able to help them in other ways to show them things that I am not able to."
"Like what?" Alfred asked curiously.
"Now is not the time for such conversations," the King said mildly.
"But if I know what you expect of me then I could..." Alfred started but was quickly interrupted.
"What I expect of you is simple," the King said in a serious tone. "You are to be yourself, you are to be my partner in all ways, and you will eventually rule the Northern Kingdom by my side. We will discuss some of the duties that will be expected of you in more detail once we are home and you are settled and comfortable..."
"But..." Alfred said with a frown. "If I know what might happen to me in the future...
"The future is not set in stone, Alfred," the King said softly. "I do not wish to give you and false hopes...or expectations...or fears...before we even know each other fully."
"Oh..." Alfred answered in a small voice, "okay."
Confusion at the way the King was both regarding him and treating him, almost as an equal instead of a subordinate, bubbled up side of him. Some small part was curious about what a life in the Northern Kingdom with this strange, powerful man as his partner might be like. He shook his head and forced those thoughts away. These thoughts would not matter because he was not going to give himself a chance to find out. Curiosity was well and good but he was not going to shackle himself to a stranger and throw his future away to appease it.
At Word's End -- Part 6h
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:55:15 UTC
"Tomorrow's ceremony will follow the traditional Second Ceremony, however your father and I are meeting tonight to go over the protection spells that are normally used and will replacing them with other, stronger spells," the King said effectively ending that line of conversation and putting them right back into their previous discussion where they'd left off.
"Okay," Alfred said with a slight frown. "But...won't altering the Ceremony weaken the structure of it?"
"It won't weaken it," the King said his voice holding what seemed to be a slightly impressed tone. "But it will change it. In our case we will be strengthening sections it but in the midst of doing so we might unknowingly open up some small pockets of open magic in other parts of the ceremony, they should be easily fixable if they show themselves at the time your father, I, and the ceremony master are all well versed in doing this sort of thing."
"What if it's something that shows up later?" Alfred asked.
"I will deal with that when the time comes," the King said seeming unworried about any potential side-effects of changing the ceremony. The Solstice Ceremony will be mostly ritual but I shall evaluate the situation to see if any further protection spells are needed to be layered into the union. If called for I will add them at that time."
"In other words you will be evaluating whether I have any behavioral issues that need further controlling," Alfred said darkly.
"Why do you think that?" the King asked with a raised brow, his voice turned slightly teasing. "Are their behavioral issues that I should know about before tomorrow?
"That's what those spells are really for aren't they?" Alfred snapped in irritation not liking being teased.
"They are being cast for protection, Alfred," the King said evenly. "They will allow me to protect you with my magic when we are not together."
"But through them you can control my actions," Alfred volleyed back pointedly. "If you think I am doing something that is a danger to myself you can stop my actions. What's to stop you from going one step forward and using it to control anything...everything...I might want to do."
"The spells can be used in such a manner," the King admitted softly. "I would hope there would be no cause for them to be used that way. I have no desire to control you in any way much less against your will."
"But you would do it wouldn't you?" Alfred challenged.
"If it would keep you from hurting yourself...or others," the King said meeting Alfred's gaze directly. "Yes I would."
Alfred blinked at him in shock for a moment. He had not expected the King to own up to it so easily. He opened his mouth to continue the argument but somehow it seemed childish to do so. He turned his head towards the fire and sighed.
"I would also hope that if you thought I was doing something that might lead to me hurting myself or others...including yourself that you would tell me as well," the King continued.
Alfred's head jerked back around and his eyes widened with greater shock. "You want me to question your decisions?" he asked sharply.
"If you think it is something that needs questioning I more then want it...I expect it," the King answered.
Alfred eyed him suspiciously wondering if this was some kind of trap. Was the Northern King setting him up for some future bit of punishment by planting the seeds in his head that questioning him outright was okay to trap him later. It seemed needlessly cruel but then some of the rumors he'd heard about the King tended to show he leaned in that direction. Again he was glad that he would not have to find out the truth if the King was playing games or not.
At Word's End -- Part 6i
anonymous
May 9 2010, 00:58:07 UTC
"So you should understand most of the particulars about tomorrow," the King continued after a long moment of silence. "Other then the changes in the spells and any fixes that might occur while the Ceremony happens it will follow the traditional text and practices of the Second Ceremony. We'll discuss what will happen later during the Solstice Ceremony in more detail when we get back to my Kingdom and you are more settled, it is not an overly complicated Ceremony made less so by the fact that it will be mostly ritual," the King said.
"Sounds reasonable," Alfred said.
In truth he wanted to more about the Ceremony he would not be attending but he found that between the food and the warmth of the fire and the weight of the King's strange gaze he was starting to grow sleepy. It had been a long day and he had not gotten much sleep the night before. He would not be getting much that night either most likely.
"Tomorrow after the Ceremony we will be following your families tradition of a post marriage breaking the fast together..." Alfred nodded only mildly surprised to hear that his father really was trying to stay as close to the traditions as possible. "We will be leaving shortly after the meal."
"Alright," Alfred murmured once again letting his attention drift to the fire getting lost in the flames.
"On that note there is one more important thing we will have to discuss about our departure tomorrow. It regards another Northern Kingdom tradition," the King said his voice growing low and even.
"Alright," Alfred said wondering what else there could possibly be to go over.
"When you cross into my Kingdom you cannot bring anything with you that I have not provided for you," the King said.
"Uh...what..." Alfred said in confusion not bother to turn his head. "What does that mean?"
"It means that you will need to arrange for someone to take your things for you here," the King continued softly, Alfred's head jerked around in surprise, his eyes round with shock. "You will not be allowed to take anything that is currently yours with you."
"But..." Alfred said hurriedly, he reached down and pulled his pack back up into his lap and clutched at it protectively. "I don't have that much stuff...it wouldn't take up that much space."
"That's not the reason you have to leave it behind, Alfred," the King said softly. "It's just the tradition...I have to show you that you'll be provided for and taken care of..."
"But can't you just...tell me that?" Alfred asked tightly. "You just did actually so why can't that be enough? I believe you...that you will provide for me...you don't need to take my stuff from me..."
"I'm sorry, it's not enough," the King said. "The traditions of my people...of my family...this is just the way things are done."
"But...this is all I have..." Alfred said in a small voice. "It's all I have to call my own..."
"Alfred," the King said in a strangely rough voice. "I am truly sorry that this all has to be done so quickly, that there hasn't been the time to properly prepare you for the ways of my Kingdom...but I will not change my traditions. I cannot."
On some level Alfred understood this it would be the same with most of the more important traditions in Britannia and he believed the King when he said he was sorry but the thought of having to leave behind what amounted to his entire life for the past 5 years was just too much for him. Even with the small voice in the back of his head reminding him that none of this would matter because there would be no wedding this last bit of information proved to be too much for him and he stumbled to his feet desperate to get out of the library. The strange almost comfort the room held for him until that moment fell away leaving only the bare cold facts about what his father wanted for him for his future.
"I...I'm tired..." his words came out in a jumbled rush of fear and other emotions. "I think I'll retire to my room now."
"There is still a few other things I'd like to discuss with you about this tradition..." the King said pulling himself to his own feet.
At Word's End -- Part 6j
anonymous
May 9 2010, 01:00:06 UTC
"No...I'm tired..." Alfred repeated firmly inching his way around the chair, his intent to get out of the room, to his room and maybe keep on going from there. "I...need to go to bed."
"All right," the King said in an almost soothing voice as he took a step in Alfred's direction. Alfred skidded away from him but was stopped by a hand on his arm. "We will finish discussing this tomorrow."
"Okay," Alfred mumbled even though inside he was scoffing at the very thought. There was definitely going to be no tomorrow. "Good night then."
"I will walk you to your room," the King said sliding his hand around Alfred's a little more tightly.
"I know my way around the castle," Alfred snapped in open irritation. "Far better then you I'd wager. I can make my own way back."
"I am sure you do," the King said in an even voice. "Still I will go and make sure you do not get distracted...on the way...since you say you are tired."
Alfred frowned. There was no room for argument in the King's voice. He knew even without the not so subtle bend behind his words that the King was going to make sure that he was not going to try and run again. Finally he shrugged his shoulders knowing there was no other choice and allowed the King to lead him from the room without a fight.
They walked down the hallways of the castle in silence. It was not an uncomfortable silence though it was heavy and thick. Alfred's brain with running with alternative plans for escape. He hated to leave at night but he was desperate enough to attempt it since he was being given no other choice. He stopped short as they rounded the corner towards his rooms and he spotted two men in strange uniforms outside his door. His heart plummeted as he was propelled forward and the King addressed them both in his own language. These were the King's men and he had a feeling they would be stationed outside his room for the remainder of the night.
He grabbed hold of the knob happy when it turned under his hand at least he still had control of that. He paused just inside the door when he heard the King address the one standing on the right side of the door. The man was about the same height as the King though with a slighter build, his glasses glinted in the flickering light of the candles that lined the hall. It was not his looks that caught Alfred's attention though it was the language they conversed in. It was not the Northern Kingdom language, it was thick and sounded strange though perhaps vaguely familiar to Alfred's ears. He ducked his head when the guard's eyes slipped over to look at him a scowl crossing his lips a sign that they were talking about him. He stepped forward into his room swinging the door shut behind him.
It didn't get a chance to shut all the way as the King slipped in behind him. He stared at the King with wide eyes wondering how far he was going to push this but the King stopped in the open door way and leaned slightly against the stone.
"My men will be stationed outside your room for the rest of the night," the King said in a firm voice. "They have the same orders as my men outside in the garden. No one will come in unless it is okayed by myself or either of your fathers until someone comes to get you in the morning." Alfred waited to see if the King would say anything about him leaving the room but he supposed that went without saying. "I had your father lock the door connecting your room to your brothers unless there is an emergency of some kind where you will need to use it."
Alfred gave his head a jerky nod his hope slipping away from him with each passing second as all routes of escape seemed to be cut off before he'd even considered them.
At Word's End -- Part 6k
anonymous
May 9 2010, 01:01:13 UTC
"I know you think your future is very bleak right now, Alfred," he said in a very soft voice. "I assure you things are not as going to be as bad as you think they will be. I hope you will be willing to work with me in creating a life together instead of fighting me along every step of the journey. I do not wish that kind of life for you...for either of us."
"Okay," was all Alfred could think to say to that.
There was a soft chuckle and the King shook his head slightly. "Try to get some sleep tonight, little Prince," he said. "You have had a long day today and tomorrow will probably be just as long you're going to need it."
With that he nodded his head and then turned and slipped back out the door which slid shut behind him. Alfred heard a telltale click and saw the door glow green as it was locked in the two separate ways. He stared at it for a moment and then with a slightly strangled noise turned and walked back into the bedroom. He crossed over to the bed and lay down on it, not even bothering to pull back the covers and get underneath them or to take off his shoes. He clutched his pack to his check and forced himself to take deep even breaths and not give into the frustration that was welling up inside him.
Instead he concentrated all his effort on thinking about a way out of this mess. There weren't very many options left but there had to be something...anything...that he could still try. He pondered the Kings words as they'd parted and latched onto the fact that he'd said that someone would be coming to get him in the morning. Probably to take him to get changed for the wedding. He assumed that would be one of the palace servants, probably someone who had been there for a while that he would feel comfortable with. The King seemed to want him at ease and would probably especially want that right before the ceremony would take place.
There was a chance that it would be just him and whoever it was that was coming to get him walking to the receiving area near the chapel. On the way to the chapel was the observatory. If he could think up a reason to need to go in there for a few minutes before going on then perhaps they could be convinced to leave him alone and he could make his escape that route.
There was a very slim chance it would work. He wouldn't have very long before someone missed him he would have to use his knowledge of the woods outside to try to escape detection. But...if he had enough luck on his side he just might be able to swing it. If anything at least he could put off the ceremony long enough to buy himself another day. He'd be under even tighter guard but something else might present itself if he was given just a little more time to think about it. He had to at to at least try.
Satisfied that he still had a chance at freedom, no matter how long the odds might be fore it, he allowed himself to sleep.
"You did not come to dinner," the King murmured after a moment.
Alfred blinked, this was not the opening he had been expecting. He shrugged his shoulders, "I...wasn't hungry..." he lied. His stomach didn't appreciate the lie and let him know immediately afterwards with a loud growl.
"So I see..." the King said barely veiled laughter coloring his voice. "Then I suppose you won't find any use for this..."
He pushed a wheeled cart in Alfred's direction. Alfred had passed it when he'd gone to sit down in the chair but hadn't noticed it. Now he saw that resting on top was a tray covered with a silver dome. Alfred stared at it curiously as it stopped in front of him. His stomach flipping as the barest scent of bacon wafted upwards towards his nose.
"Francis said it was one of your favorite meals..." the King said easily. "He said he had the staff make it especially for you tonight...It would be a shame for it to go to waste."
Alfred's eyes widened at that and he reached out to jerk the metal cover off the top of the tray. His stomach grumbled in sheer excitement as he caught sight of the omelet so big it covered the whole plate even folded in half. Filled to the brim with bacon, cheese and other more spicy ingredients. The main plate was accompanied by two slightly smaller ones both also filled to the brim. One with a mound of crispy bacon and another which brought a smile to Alfred's lips because he'd once joked that they should be required with every meal, even breakfast, some of Francis' special fried chips and a bottle of tomato sauce.
Before he could stop himself he dropped the metal cover to the side and dived into the food that he'd dreamed about for the past five years. He took a bite of the omelet and his eyes slid shut as his taste buds shivered in pure ecstasy. There had been much good food eaten in those intervening years but nothing could touch Francis' recipes, it wasn't quite as good as if Francis had made it himself but...it was a close second. The soft sound of chuckling drew his attention from his food and reminded him that he was not alone and with that came the realization of who he was with. He slid his eyes sideways briefly and then snapped them back forwards as he was instantly drawn in by the King's wide, friendly grin. Swallowing the mouthful he was in the middle of eating he began to set the silverware back on the plate feeling an embarrassed heat on his cheeks.
"Eat..." the Northern King said firmly.
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He finished his food with a sigh setting the plates into the center of the tray and putting the cover back on and pushing it back out of the way. He wished he could linger over it a bit more if only to put off the inevitable conversation. But chasing the crumbs around his plate would be too obvious and childish. He lifted his eyes to meet the King's and stared at him expectantly. The King settled back against the couch and eyed him back speculatively for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Since you were not at dinner, we did not have a chance to discuss what will be happening tomorrow," he said softly.
"I still don't see why it's necessary to discuss it," Alfred grumbled. "It's not like I'll have any say in anything that happens to me."
"Wouldn't you rather know in advance what will be happening and when?" the King asked. "I would think since you clearly find the idea so...horrifying...that you would like to have some input in the process..."
"Can my input be that it doesn't happen at all?" he asked dryly. "That I can go free without marrying you?"
There was a long moment of silence after that question. "You know that I cannot allow that," the King said in a voice that was soft but unmoving.
"That's what I thought," Alfred said with a huff slumping back against the cushions of the chair. He'd had no real hope that his plea would work but he had to give it a try.
"You signed the contract," the King pointed out evenly. "It was your choice..."
"What choice?" Alfred spat out, no longer caring if it got him in trouble. "There was no choice."
"You could have chosen not to take your brothers place," the King said mildly.
"Like I could sit back and allow you and my father to force this on him," Alfred said darkly. "It was him or me..."
"That was still your choice..." the King said his voice a little cool around the edges. "You could have said no just as he could have and yet neither of you did. Now that the contract is signed it cannot be undone but there was no...force...involved in the process."
"Still doesn't feel like much of a choice," Alfred muttered petulantly not wiling to concede that the King did speak a small sliver of truth. No one had put a knife to his back and forced him to sign his name to the contract, it had been his choice to sign it to save his brother from the marriage.
"Sometimes we must make decisions that we don't wish to," the King said. "But they are still our own decisions to make."
"So everyone keeps telling me today," Alfred said with huff.
"It is part of growing up, little Prince," the King replied, there was the slightest grin tugging at his lips.
"Growing up is not much fun," Alfred muttered before he could stop himself. He flushed slightly at his childishness and ducked his head.
"No," there was no mistaking the amusement in the King's voice now and despite being a little irritated by it Alfred was glad to hear it's return. "It's not."
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"It's just..." the King prodded.
"It's just that I didn't wake up this morning thinking that by tomorrow I'd be married..." Alfred said in a rush, his shoulders slumped slightly as the full weight of what would be happening to him tomorrow if he was unable to find an avenue of escape in time. "I am not ready to have my freedom ripped away from me...my choice to take Matthew's place or not...I'm just not ready..." his voice wavered slightly on the last but he tightly held his emotion's in check.
"I understand," the King said gently, there was a hint of something, regret perhaps, that touched his voice for a second but it was gone by the time he spoke again. "Don't you think then that it might help if you know what lies ahead so that you can adjust and prepare yourself a little better."
Alfred wanted to scream no, that he didn't want to know and he didn't want to have to prepare for anything but that was childish and what was probably expected of him. And deep down inside a part of him was curious about what life with this strange King might entail for him. Not that it would matter when they woke to find him gone but he might as well give the King a false sense of security about the matter.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," he said after a moment.
"Good," the King said with a nod. "We shall make ourselves a little more comfortable first, da?"
As Alfred watched the King stood and walked over to a second cart he hadn't noticed this one held bottles in various shapes and sizes. He recognized it as the liquor cart that was usually kept in the billiard room. The bottles were not labeled but the King seemed to have become accompanied with them over the short time he was within residence of the castle as he chose one easily and poured a healthy amount into a glass and then poured a smaller amount into a second glass. He put the bottle away and then walked back towards Alfred holding the second glass out to him and then settling himself back onto the couch.
Alfred eyed the glass suspiciously and then took a small sip. He'd never been much of a drinker his father tended to drink a bit too much on occasion which usually had led to arguments which had put Alfred off of alcohol though he had enjoyed the occasionally glass of wine with Francis and Matthew before he'd left and tried various drinks while out on his travels. He coughed as the liquid burned down the back of his throat. There was a soft chuckle which drew his attention back towards the King in time to watch him tip his head back and drown the entire contents of the glass easily.
Alfred forced himself to take another small sip and quickly discovered it was not much better the second time around. He grimaced slightly and sloshed the clear liquid around his glass. "What is it?" he finally asked.
"It is Vodka," the King explain sounding more amused with each second that passed. "It is a very popular drink in my Kingdom, I brought that special as a gift for your father."
"Oh," Alfred said with a slight frown he glanced down at the glass and contemplated trying yet another sip but instead leaned over and held it out towards the King who took it without a comment and dipped his head back to drown the remaining comments. "Maybe it's an acquired taste?" he said with a shrug.
"Perhaps," the King said with a slight smile.
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"The wedding will take place tomorrow morning, just after sunrise as per your father's wishes..." the King said.
"It's tradition," Alfred nodded. "For Royal Family weddings to happen after sunrise or before sunset..." he was a little surprised that his father was planning on sticking to that for this wedding.
"So he explained," the King said. "He was quite adamant that it must happen this way, he is not happy that there is not enough time to give you a more fully traditional wedding."
"It's his own fault that this has to happen so fast..." Alfred grumbled softly, the King either didn't hear it or chose to ignore it.
"I agree that it is unfortunate. We will try to add as many of the Britannia traditions into the Solstice Ceremony in the Northern Kingdom as we are able," the King said thoughtfully. "Your heritage is as important to me as my own..."
"Wait...Solstice Ceremony?" Alfred asked in confusion this was the first he'd heard of that sort of ceremony in connection with this wedding.
"Da," the King said with a smile. "As it is tradition for the Britannia Royal Family to marry after sunrise it is Northern Kingdom tradition that the Royal Family be married on the Solstice."
"Because that's when the magic flow is at its peak?" Alfred guessed. It made a certain sort of sense since magic played such a large part in all marriage ceremonies. It was why they preferred to hold them at sunrise in Britannia.
"Yes," the King said with a nod. "Very good, you know about them."
"We don't follow the Solstices here," Alfred explained. "But we did learn about them as well as some of the customs of the surrounding kingdom's regarding them. The Spanish Kingdom has a big Summer Solstice festival I was there for it one year."
"We celebrate both to some extent," the King said. "Though we do tend to focus more on the Winter Solstice. We will be having our ceremony then though the Summer Solstice falls first."
"So...we'll be having two separate ceremonies?" Alfred asked.
"Yes, the one here tomorrow and then the second one on the Solstice," the King said with a nod.
"So...does that mean that the marriage won't be fully real?" Alfred asked trying to keep the hope out of his voice that he might still have time to wriggle out of the marriage.
"Nyet," the King answered his lips quirking slightly. "Tomorrow's ceremony will be real. After it is over we will be legally recognized as married and magically bonded as well to a lesser extent. The Solstice ceremony will be mostly a ritual event though there will be some spells cast on that day as well."
"But you said that the Winter Solstice is important to you...why not wait until then to have the wedding?" Alfred pressed slightly.
"The Solstice is too far away," he answered evenly.
"It's not that far away..." Alfred said with a slight frown. "We could just wait and then have only the one ceremony..."
"The main ceremony will take place tomorrow."
There was a note of finality in the Northern King's voice, Alfred tried once again to buy himself some extra time. "But..."
"This is not open for discussion, Alfred," the King said firmly. "We will be wed tomorrow."
Alfred sensing that he was close to pushing the subject too far decided it was time to back off. It wouldn't leave him much time to make his next escape attempt but he thought it was still doable. He let his mind drift away even as the King started speaking again.
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Alfred stiffened and jerked his head tightly in acknowledgment. "Yes, my father showed it to me right before I came of age," his voice sounded hollow to his own ears. "He explained that there were changes made for it to make up for my lack of magic..."
"Yes there are different spells preformed," the Northern King said in a soft voice. "Extra spells of protection layered in on my part and obviously no returning spells expected from you..."
"Obviously..." Alfred muttered, he shifted in his seat to catch the King's eyes straight on. "What do you even want with me?" he asked.
"What do I want with you?" the King repeated with a bit of confusion. "I should think that should be more then obvious."
"I can't offer you anything but what my father is giving as my physical dowry," Alfred said a frown. "I bring nothing to the table magic or power wise...I am useless to you."
"Useless?" the King said in a tightly controlled voice. "Who is it that has called you that?"
"No one to my face," Alfred said with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I am sure that is what everyone thinks after I am gone. Those that don't probably pity me."
"I don't think you're useless, Alfred," the King said in a firm voice. "Nor do I pity you."
"As King of such a powerful Kingdom you must have a hundred people you could choose from...thousands even...from all over the world," Alfred continued unappeased by the King's words. "So why saddle yourself with me? Surely whatever connections you'll be getting to Britannia are not worth being stuck dealing with a magicless partner."
Silence descended over the room as the King seemed to mull over his choice of words. Alfred turned his head not wanting to see the King's face. He had not intended to use his lack of magic as a way to possibly get out of the marriage but if he had to wield it as a weapon so be it. The pain would be worth it.
"I chose you because...you're you," the King finally said in a voice rough and almost smoky, Alfred couldn't help but let his eyes trail back over to the King. "You're right I have my choice of partner, too many to even count. I do not want them. If it was just raw, untapped power or a connection to Britannia I was interested in I would have gone with your brother. He is very powerful, more powerful then he or your father yet realize. You were also right in suspecting that I knew exactly who I would end up with when I came here...I wanted it. I wanted you."
Alfred stared at him in open shock. The Northern King had just volunteered a truth that he didn't have to. He could have easily allowed Alfred to just suspect that his father had purposefully used his brother to trap him but now to have it confirmed. He knew the anger at his father, and at the King, would come later but for now he was too surprised to question just why it was happening. Some part of him, the part that he kept buried that had long thought he would never find someone who would truly want him outside of his family connections because of his lack of magical ability, twisted a little in hope and anticipation. He squashed it back down quickly it had no place in the current conversation it didn't matter what the King's reasoning was...he was still going to leave before the wedding in the morning.
He realized that the King was staring at him expectantly. He still had a cover he had to keep up less the King become suspicious. That was the only reason he asked his next question. There was no other. "But...why?"
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"My father would say that it was reckless stupidity on my part," Alfred said in a slightly dazed voice.
"He would be telling the truth," the Northern King agreed and Alfred frowned. "But it was also very brave. It showed you have courage and faith in your own abilities to get yourself out of trouble. It shows that you are strong, and quick thinking and intelligent. These are all the things I have been looking for in someone to stand at my side and help me rule my Kingdom."
"You really don't mind that I have no magical ability of my own?" Alfred asked in stunned disbelief.
"Nyet," the Northern King said softly, firmly in a voice that allowed no room for argument. "I do not care."
"But..." Alfred said with a slight shiver as he held the King's gaze a little too long. The King's magic crackled between him he could feel it brushing up against him gently, like it was trying to get to know him to claim him as it's own. "What about your family...your advisors and your people...won't they mind that you are marrying someone without magic?"
"They did raise some concerns," the King admitted without hesitation. "But in the end it was not their decision. While what my advisors say does matter to me it is not the only thing I consider when making the best decision for myself or my people."
"What about your family? You have two sisters don't you?" Alfred asked putting his limited knowledge of the Northern Kingdom to use. "What do they think about you marrying someone like...me?"
"My family supports any decisions I make," the King answered. "They asked about you and seemed satisfied that you would be a worthy addition to the family."
"And your people? How will I be any use to them?" Alfred asked finally. "I cannot bring them anything of my own...I can do nothing to protect them if it's needed..."
"I will protect them if it is needed," the King said firmly. "As I will protect my family and you. You will be able to help them in other ways to show them things that I am not able to."
"Like what?" Alfred asked curiously.
"Now is not the time for such conversations," the King said mildly.
"But if I know what you expect of me then I could..." Alfred started but was quickly interrupted.
"What I expect of you is simple," the King said in a serious tone. "You are to be yourself, you are to be my partner in all ways, and you will eventually rule the Northern Kingdom by my side. We will discuss some of the duties that will be expected of you in more detail once we are home and you are settled and comfortable..."
"But..." Alfred said with a frown. "If I know what might happen to me in the future...
"The future is not set in stone, Alfred," the King said softly. "I do not wish to give you and false hopes...or expectations...or fears...before we even know each other fully."
"Oh..." Alfred answered in a small voice, "okay."
Confusion at the way the King was both regarding him and treating him, almost as an equal instead of a subordinate, bubbled up side of him. Some small part was curious about what a life in the Northern Kingdom with this strange, powerful man as his partner might be like. He shook his head and forced those thoughts away. These thoughts would not matter because he was not going to give himself a chance to find out. Curiosity was well and good but he was not going to shackle himself to a stranger and throw his future away to appease it.
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"Okay," Alfred said with a slight frown. "But...won't altering the Ceremony weaken the structure of it?"
"It won't weaken it," the King said his voice holding what seemed to be a slightly impressed tone. "But it will change it. In our case we will be strengthening sections it but in the midst of doing so we might unknowingly open up some small pockets of open magic in other parts of the ceremony, they should be easily fixable if they show themselves at the time your father, I, and the ceremony master are all well versed in doing this sort of thing."
"What if it's something that shows up later?" Alfred asked.
"I will deal with that when the time comes," the King said seeming unworried about any potential side-effects of changing the ceremony. The Solstice Ceremony will be mostly ritual but I shall evaluate the situation to see if any further protection spells are needed to be layered into the union. If called for I will add them at that time."
"In other words you will be evaluating whether I have any behavioral issues that need further controlling," Alfred said darkly.
"Why do you think that?" the King asked with a raised brow, his voice turned slightly teasing. "Are their behavioral issues that I should know about before tomorrow?
"That's what those spells are really for aren't they?" Alfred snapped in irritation not liking being teased.
"They are being cast for protection, Alfred," the King said evenly. "They will allow me to protect you with my magic when we are not together."
"But through them you can control my actions," Alfred volleyed back pointedly. "If you think I am doing something that is a danger to myself you can stop my actions. What's to stop you from going one step forward and using it to control anything...everything...I might want to do."
"The spells can be used in such a manner," the King admitted softly. "I would hope there would be no cause for them to be used that way. I have no desire to control you in any way much less against your will."
"But you would do it wouldn't you?" Alfred challenged.
"If it would keep you from hurting yourself...or others," the King said meeting Alfred's gaze directly. "Yes I would."
Alfred blinked at him in shock for a moment. He had not expected the King to own up to it so easily. He opened his mouth to continue the argument but somehow it seemed childish to do so. He turned his head towards the fire and sighed.
"I would also hope that if you thought I was doing something that might lead to me hurting myself or others...including yourself that you would tell me as well," the King continued.
Alfred's head jerked back around and his eyes widened with greater shock. "You want me to question your decisions?" he asked sharply.
"If you think it is something that needs questioning I more then want it...I expect it," the King answered.
Alfred eyed him suspiciously wondering if this was some kind of trap. Was the Northern King setting him up for some future bit of punishment by planting the seeds in his head that questioning him outright was okay to trap him later. It seemed needlessly cruel but then some of the rumors he'd heard about the King tended to show he leaned in that direction. Again he was glad that he would not have to find out the truth if the King was playing games or not.
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"Sounds reasonable," Alfred said.
In truth he wanted to more about the Ceremony he would not be attending but he found that between the food and the warmth of the fire and the weight of the King's strange gaze he was starting to grow sleepy. It had been a long day and he had not gotten much sleep the night before. He would not be getting much that night either most likely.
"Tomorrow after the Ceremony we will be following your families tradition of a post marriage breaking the fast together..." Alfred nodded only mildly surprised to hear that his father really was trying to stay as close to the traditions as possible. "We will be leaving shortly after the meal."
"Alright," Alfred murmured once again letting his attention drift to the fire getting lost in the flames.
"On that note there is one more important thing we will have to discuss about our departure tomorrow. It regards another Northern Kingdom tradition," the King said his voice growing low and even.
"Alright," Alfred said wondering what else there could possibly be to go over.
"When you cross into my Kingdom you cannot bring anything with you that I have not provided for you," the King said.
"Uh...what..." Alfred said in confusion not bother to turn his head. "What does that mean?"
"It means that you will need to arrange for someone to take your things for you here," the King continued softly, Alfred's head jerked around in surprise, his eyes round with shock. "You will not be allowed to take anything that is currently yours with you."
"But..." Alfred said hurriedly, he reached down and pulled his pack back up into his lap and clutched at it protectively. "I don't have that much stuff...it wouldn't take up that much space."
"That's not the reason you have to leave it behind, Alfred," the King said softly. "It's just the tradition...I have to show you that you'll be provided for and taken care of..."
"But can't you just...tell me that?" Alfred asked tightly. "You just did actually so why can't that be enough? I believe you...that you will provide for me...you don't need to take my stuff from me..."
"I'm sorry, it's not enough," the King said. "The traditions of my people...of my family...this is just the way things are done."
"But...this is all I have..." Alfred said in a small voice. "It's all I have to call my own..."
"Alfred," the King said in a strangely rough voice. "I am truly sorry that this all has to be done so quickly, that there hasn't been the time to properly prepare you for the ways of my Kingdom...but I will not change my traditions. I cannot."
On some level Alfred understood this it would be the same with most of the more important traditions in Britannia and he believed the King when he said he was sorry but the thought of having to leave behind what amounted to his entire life for the past 5 years was just too much for him. Even with the small voice in the back of his head reminding him that none of this would matter because there would be no wedding this last bit of information proved to be too much for him and he stumbled to his feet desperate to get out of the library. The strange almost comfort the room held for him until that moment fell away leaving only the bare cold facts about what his father wanted for him for his future.
"I...I'm tired..." his words came out in a jumbled rush of fear and other emotions. "I think I'll retire to my room now."
"There is still a few other things I'd like to discuss with you about this tradition..." the King said pulling himself to his own feet.
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"All right," the King said in an almost soothing voice as he took a step in Alfred's direction. Alfred skidded away from him but was stopped by a hand on his arm. "We will finish discussing this tomorrow."
"Okay," Alfred mumbled even though inside he was scoffing at the very thought. There was definitely going to be no tomorrow. "Good night then."
"I will walk you to your room," the King said sliding his hand around Alfred's a little more tightly.
"I know my way around the castle," Alfred snapped in open irritation. "Far better then you I'd wager. I can make my own way back."
"I am sure you do," the King said in an even voice. "Still I will go and make sure you do not get distracted...on the way...since you say you are tired."
Alfred frowned. There was no room for argument in the King's voice. He knew even without the not so subtle bend behind his words that the King was going to make sure that he was not going to try and run again. Finally he shrugged his shoulders knowing there was no other choice and allowed the King to lead him from the room without a fight.
They walked down the hallways of the castle in silence. It was not an uncomfortable silence though it was heavy and thick. Alfred's brain with running with alternative plans for escape. He hated to leave at night but he was desperate enough to attempt it since he was being given no other choice. He stopped short as they rounded the corner towards his rooms and he spotted two men in strange uniforms outside his door. His heart plummeted as he was propelled forward and the King addressed them both in his own language. These were the King's men and he had a feeling they would be stationed outside his room for the remainder of the night.
He grabbed hold of the knob happy when it turned under his hand at least he still had control of that. He paused just inside the door when he heard the King address the one standing on the right side of the door. The man was about the same height as the King though with a slighter build, his glasses glinted in the flickering light of the candles that lined the hall. It was not his looks that caught Alfred's attention though it was the language they conversed in. It was not the Northern Kingdom language, it was thick and sounded strange though perhaps vaguely familiar to Alfred's ears. He ducked his head when the guard's eyes slipped over to look at him a scowl crossing his lips a sign that they were talking about him. He stepped forward into his room swinging the door shut behind him.
It didn't get a chance to shut all the way as the King slipped in behind him. He stared at the King with wide eyes wondering how far he was going to push this but the King stopped in the open door way and leaned slightly against the stone.
"My men will be stationed outside your room for the rest of the night," the King said in a firm voice. "They have the same orders as my men outside in the garden. No one will come in unless it is okayed by myself or either of your fathers until someone comes to get you in the morning." Alfred waited to see if the King would say anything about him leaving the room but he supposed that went without saying. "I had your father lock the door connecting your room to your brothers unless there is an emergency of some kind where you will need to use it."
Alfred gave his head a jerky nod his hope slipping away from him with each passing second as all routes of escape seemed to be cut off before he'd even considered them.
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"Okay," was all Alfred could think to say to that.
There was a soft chuckle and the King shook his head slightly. "Try to get some sleep tonight, little Prince," he said. "You have had a long day today and tomorrow will probably be just as long you're going to need it."
With that he nodded his head and then turned and slipped back out the door which slid shut behind him. Alfred heard a telltale click and saw the door glow green as it was locked in the two separate ways. He stared at it for a moment and then with a slightly strangled noise turned and walked back into the bedroom. He crossed over to the bed and lay down on it, not even bothering to pull back the covers and get underneath them or to take off his shoes. He clutched his pack to his check and forced himself to take deep even breaths and not give into the frustration that was welling up inside him.
Instead he concentrated all his effort on thinking about a way out of this mess. There weren't very many options left but there had to be something...anything...that he could still try. He pondered the Kings words as they'd parted and latched onto the fact that he'd said that someone would be coming to get him in the morning. Probably to take him to get changed for the wedding. He assumed that would be one of the palace servants, probably someone who had been there for a while that he would feel comfortable with. The King seemed to want him at ease and would probably especially want that right before the ceremony would take place.
There was a chance that it would be just him and whoever it was that was coming to get him walking to the receiving area near the chapel. On the way to the chapel was the observatory. If he could think up a reason to need to go in there for a few minutes before going on then perhaps they could be convinced to leave him alone and he could make his escape that route.
There was a very slim chance it would work. He wouldn't have very long before someone missed him he would have to use his knowledge of the woods outside to try to escape detection. But...if he had enough luck on his side he just might be able to swing it. If anything at least he could put off the ceremony long enough to buy himself another day. He'd be under even tighter guard but something else might present itself if he was given just a little more time to think about it. He had to at to at least try.
Satisfied that he still had a chance at freedom, no matter how long the odds might be fore it, he allowed himself to sleep.
The King was right he was going to need it.
* * *
TBC
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oh, but poor Alfred ... I actually want him to escape successfully. I would cry for days if I was in his shoes
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I know I sort of want him to too quite honestly. But if he did...well there really wouldn't be much of a story for me to tell... ;-)
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I LOVE THIS FILL.
BEWARE MY CAPSLOCK REVIEW OF AWESOME.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WEDDING.
AND THE WEDDING NIGHT. LOLOL
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Wedding will be soon...wedding night...might be a little longer off... ;-)
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