Elsinore, Denmark; Wednesday afternoon
Queen GertrudeQueen Gertrude was pacing quietly in her study. Today her son returned home, all should be glorious, but he did insist on provoking her lord His Majesty so frequently. All of his crazy theories and wild accusations. She didn't understand it of him.
She'd missed him dearly, but in his absence there had been peace in Elsinore. She feared how long that peace would last now.
HamletIt had been a long trip home for Hamlet. The flight over the Atlantic had taken most of the day, and he'd had a stopover in Berlin that had lasted couple hours and a then another long car ride from Copenhagen up to Elsinore. Despite being tired and sore, he'd passed off his baggage to some of the staff, and had headed up the stairs to his Mother's study. After nearly two years away, he should at least tell her he was back.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door of her room, before opening the door.
Queen GertrudeGertrude looked up at the knock, and then smiled warmly as her son entered the room.
"Hamlet," she said, her arms out as she walked over to him. "It has been too long. Welcome home."
HamletHamlet hugged her back, careful to keep a little bit of distance so that the spikes from his goth accessories wouldn't poke her.
"It has been," he answered. "I don't think I've been back home for nearly two years now. I've missed Denmark very much. You as well."
Queen Gertrude"Denmark has missed you as well, but not nearly so much as I have," Gertrude said, lifting one hand to his face. "How you've grown. And your hair appears to have found itself a new shade."
HamletHamlet smiled a little at his Mother. "There was a series of events that led to a group of students all dying their hair one night. I decided that I liked this colour better."
Queen Gertrude"A series of events?" She shook her head, bemused. "Am I to understand that to mean, 'don't ask, Mother, for I shan't explain'? It does suit you, I will allow."
HamletHamlet really didn't want to have to explain to his Mother that he'd vandalized school property as a part of the 'School Beautification Committee' during his second month in Fandom, and that the bleach was originally part of a poor attempt to hide their identities.
"I'm afraid it's something of the sort, Mother," he answered, with a bit of a wicked grin.
Queen Gertrude"I would profess amazement, but I fear you'd know me for a liar," Gertrude answered, with a teasing smile. "Come, then, if you can't tell me that, then what tales do you have of your time away? I should like to hear them."
Hamlet"To be honest, I'm not sure that you'd believe most of them," he said. "I managed to pass all my courses in between invasions of snow monsters and jello dragons, food that made you sing or cook in Swedish, days that changed your very shape, and a good deal more glitter throwing than you'd imagine would go on in a school."
Queen Gertrude"Ah, you think to tease me by speaking in riddles," she laughed. "It is good to see that school agreed with you, for I doubt you'd joke so if you had been miserable."
Hamlet"I did enjoy it there," he said. "Although the circumstances for being sent there were not ideal, I did make some good friends there, and have good experiences."
In his opinion, any school with people like Duo, and Rikku, and the Deep Thoughts Club, and the Naked Mutineers, and the rest of the students, and even those Jerry brothers was worth going to.
Queen Gertrude"The circumstances were not ideal, no." Gertrude looked away. "I know how you must feel about that. Please believe I have only ever wanted what was best for our family. The tension was too great to bear. I can only hope that cooler heads may prevail, now that time has settled in around old wounds."
HamletHamlet glowered a bit at thoughts of what happened two years ago, when he stabbed Polonius, the royal chamberlain, by accident and Claudius had ordered him as far away as possible to a new school in Virginia.
"I still hate my uncle. He will never be my Father, no matter how much he tries."
Queen GertrudeGertrude flinched, and drew herself up with some bearing. "Hamlet. You are never to speak of him that way. This is my lord's house, and not yours. Your father is dead, and raging at shadows will not change that."
Her words were harsh, but if Hamlet was still clinging to his crazed anger, then sending him away had done nothing but delay the inevitable.
HamletHamlet looked away, to glare at a picture of his uncle on the study wall. Two years away in the midst of all the weirdness that Fandom had to offer had done nothing to temper just how much he hated his uncle.
"You remarried only three months after Father died. How am I supposed to take that?" His expression took on a bit of a pained look as he remembered those events. "Uncle Claudius is not a good man. You have to trust me about that."
Queen Gertrude"My choices are not yours to question," Gertrude announced, holding her head high. "My life is not yours to question. I did not allow you to return home that you might throw my decisions in my face. We are Queen, Hamlet, and you are not to forget that."
Her voice was cold. She only moved to formality when reminding her son of their standing, their obligations. "We do not owe you nor anyone else an explanation. But We would remind you that grief does strange things to individuals. Or perhaps you would like to be held wholly accountable for your unfortunate behavior two years ago?"
HamletHamlet had more angry ranting to let out, but seeing as his Mother had started using the Royal We while in private company, it seemed pretty clear to him that she wasn't going to listen to whatever he had to say right now.
"No," he answered, still angry, and stil staring at the while. No matter how much they'd hushed it up because he was the Crown Prince of Denmark, he'd still killed the Royal Chamberlain, and the law could technically press charges.
Queen Gertrude"Good," Queen Gertrude said sharply, turning away with her chin set. She drew a long, ragged breath and closed her eyes, hating every bit of this.
"If you would only ... try," she added, in a softer tone. Almost as an afterthought. "To be civil. Please. For my sake, Hamlet, if for naught else in this world."
HamletAs much as he hated his uncle, Hamlet really did love his Mother. Thought that she was being blind and decided by that horrible murder who had killed his Father and stolen his life, but really did love her. And as much as she was in the middle of things, he didn't really want to hurt her intentionally.
"I'll try, Mother." There was a pause that lingered on a moment too long. "For you."
Queen GertrudeGertrude faced her son again, smiling faintly. "That's all I ask."
She met his eyes and tried for a real smile. "Would you go and dress for dinner? There's to be a banquet tonight. A proper feast, befitting the return of Prince Hamlet."
She even curtsied.
HamletHe rolled his eyes, hoping that his Mother wouldn't see that. Oh, parents. He did turn to face him mother, and did a regal bow back towards her.
"As you wish," he answered.
[OOC: Not for broadcast due to distance, but OOC comments are always welcome. Huge thanks to the_merriest for the preplay and the coding.]