Now We Are Free
Title: Now We Are Free
Genre: Romance/Drama
Pairing(s): USUK
Word Count: 5,162
Rating/Warnings: 12, Kidnapping and injury
Summary: Tangled AU. All Alfred knew was his tower, the forest and Arthur's house. But when he sees the floating lights, that all changes. Done for the ' I See The Light' prompt.
Alfred stared out of his window as the morning sun made itself known. He always woke with the sun, ever since he was little, and even though his Mother had tried to get him to close his shutters at night, he had always opened them as soon as he was alone. The night sky was beautiful but it was the sun Alfred waited for. It filled his dreams ever since he was little and Mother said his hair shone like the sun.
He knew that his hair was the reason Mother wanted to protect him so much. She said that people would attack him for the healing powers of his hair and she warned him about venturing out into the world where everyone wanted to hurt him.
Two years ago, he had believed her, but that had not stopped him from leaving his tower once, just so he could experience the world outside of his tower. Then he had met Arthur and he had known that Mother had lied. She had lied to protect him though and Alfred could not break her heart by telling the truth, so they continued in their lies.
"Alfred! It's time to get up! Are you lazing in bed again?" His mother called up the stairs and Alfred finally got out of bed. He liked to lie and enjoy the sun for a while after he woke up but his mother called that lazing and whenever she discovered him doing it, she would give him more chores to do. He dressed and made his way downstairs slowly, trying to avoid getting his hair caught on anything. He knew that his hair was unusual, not just because of its length but also because of its shine, but Mother said that he must not cut his hair. Personally, Alfred thought that it would solve a lot of problems if there was no hair for people to steal, but he wanted to keep his Mother happy and she always got so upset when he mentioned cutting his hair.
"Good morning, Mother," he said cheerfully, helping himself to some of her porridge. Her food was always brilliant and even when Alfred tried to recreate her dishes, they always fell a tiny bit short. Mother always teased him by saying that he had obviously inherited his Aunt's gift for cooking.
"Oh, hello, Alfred," his mother replied, smiling at him before turning back to her book. She was always trying new things and tried to encourage Alfred to do that as well. It was how he had got into sewing and candle-making. "How did you sleep?"
"Really well, thank you Mother. Can you stay and do lessons with me today?" Alfred always asked, even though he held out little hope that she would say yes. He enjoyed learning, especially about numbers and how the world worked but his Mother spent little time of these things, not seeing them as practical. As Alfred got older, she had spent less and less time with him. Maybe it was because he was more independent now and Mother trusted him to look after himself. Alfred hoped it was that.
"I can't, sorry darling. I need to visit Brother and Sister today. Sister was running a fever and Brother is hopeless in caring for her. I may need to stay the night as well." Mother looked sorrowful and moved away from her book to pull Alfred into a hug. "I love you, Alfred."
"I love you more," Alfred replied, sliding his arms up to return his mother's hug. He was meant to be older and more mature but he still enjoyed his mother's hugs.
"I love you most." Mother finished their little routine before stepping out of the hug. "Now, why don't I plait your hair and I can get going?" Alfred did not want her to leave so soon but supposed that he could always get out of bed quicker if he really wanted to spend more time with her, so went and got the hairbrush without complaint. His Mother sat in her high-backed red chair while he sat with crossed legs in front of her. She brushed his hair carefully, even though it never seemed to get tangled and Alfred started to sing.
"Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine..." It was a strange little song but ever since he could remember, it was the song he sang whenever Mother brushed his hair. He had asked why once and she had said that it was to help him stay strong. The magic inside him came out when the song was sung. His hair started to light up as if there was a candle hidden inside each strand, apart from one short strand that lay against his neck. The strand was dark blonde and did not glow at all. Mother had said that was what happened the last time someone had tried to steal his magic and cut his hair. It had obviously scared Mother because her eyes always went dark and solemn when she noticed it.
Alfred saw his mother off with a smile and wave before settling down to do his chores. When everything was spotless and a pie had been baked ready for Mother when she came home, it was time to set off. Alfred walked to the window, taking a deep breath. It always sent a flood of adrenaline through his body even as he looped his plaited hair over the metal hook with practised ease. He lowered himself down and stepped onto the grass.
Now he was out of his tower, Alfred took a second to do what he always did. Yell at the top of his lungs, kick the dandelion seeds up in the air and roll around in the grass, savouring the feeling of the tickly feeling on his skin. It would never get old, even though he had experienced many times over the last year. Now that was finished, he could make his way to Arthur's house.
Arthur lived in a little cottage half an hour's walk from his tower. Alfred had found it when he was exploring the forest but it had taken him a while to introduce himself to Arthur, even though he had spent a long time watching him. Arthur's hair was really short, cut close to his head and was the same colour as Alfred's hair. It didn't glow when he sang the same song (Arthur had looked at him strangely when Alfred had asked this but had asked no more questions) but it was the same colour. All the other people Alfred had seen (though they hadn't seen him up in the trees) had different colours of hair.
He arrived at Arthur's cottage, where Arthur was outside, murmuring to himself as he hung out his washing. He was alone, always alone, just like Alfred when Mother left.
"Arthur!" Alfred called and Arthur's head jerked up. For a moment he stared at Alfred before a sincere, delighted smile appeared on his face. Alfred grinned and raced up to him, Arthur dropping his washing before being caught up in a bear hug. "I've missed you!"
"Alfred, you only saw me two days ago!" Arthur said, laughing slightly as Alfred lifted him up the ground in his enthusiasm. He eventually put Arthur and they separated slightly. Arthur was still smiling. "I guess I've missed you too." His tone was grudging and he would have felt hurt when he first met Arthur but now he could hear the teasing tone behind the comment. The smile on his face didn't hurt also.
Alfred wanted to kiss Arthur so badly but the last time he had tried that, Arthur had said no. He cared for Alfred in that way but he couldn't go over that boundary until he was sure about something. Alfred wasn't sure what that was but he hoped Arthur got over it soon. He would wait, patience was one thing the tower taught him. Instead he asked Arthur if he could stay the night, as always. Mother always stayed the night at her siblings' house, all Alfred would have to do was get up early so he could pretend that he had been at home all that time. Arthur agreed and hinted that he had a surprise for Alfred tonight.
As always, Arthur settled down to do his chores and Alfred helped him. He always found it more enjoyable to do the household work with someone else and Arthur chatted to him as they carried out these jobs.
"So, what's this surprise that you have?" Alfred asked as Arthur continued to hang up the washing. Alfred handed him each piece of clothing as they continued.
"If I tell you Alfred, it won't be a surprise." Arthur looked at him mock-sternly and Alfred rolled his eyes but smiled.
"I suppose," Alfred said slowly as he handed Arthur one of the shirts. "Do you think we can have popcorn?" Arthur glanced at him, a smile tugging at his lips and Alfred felt slightly sheepish. Ever since he had been shown popcorn, he had always asked for it every time he had stayed over. Mother had not given him any books to make popcorn and, aside from the basics of cooking, she had not taught him anything else.
"Alright, I guess so. We can eat it when the surprise is going on." Alfred picked up the hint and he stared at Arthur, hoping that he would give another hint or tell him what was going on. Arthur carried on, completely unconcerned and Alfred sighed. He really wanted to know! And Arthur's surprises were always good, unlike Mother's.
"Can't you give me a hint?" Eventually Alfred asked, trying hard not to sound too eager, as if he wouldn't mind if Arthur didn't want to answer the question. Mother did not like it when Alfred asked her loads of questions. She always got very annoyed and would snap at him to shut up. He didn't want Arthur to do that.
"I just gave you one," Arthur pointed out but did not seem upset so Alfred felt free to continue.
"It wasn't a very good one." Arthur turned to stare at him with one eyebrow raised. Alfred stared back but was unable to help swallowing nervously. Mother always did that, look at him until he admitted that what he did was wrong.
"I thought it was fine, but if you insist, I'll give you one. We're going to watch a show." The hint didn't help much but Alfred knew a little more about what to expect so he settled down and ignored his curiosity.
"Thanks, Arthur. So, we'll be watching it here in the garden?" Arthur nodded and Alfred thought hard. He couldn't think of what it could be but Arthur thought he would enjoy it, so he looked forward to it.
"But not until we've got everything done. Are you helping?" Alfred nodded and scurried off after Arthur.
***
That night was clear and Alfred settled down beside Arthur on the blanket in the back garden. Arthur had hurried him out as soon as it got dark but Alfred still remained confused. He tucked into his popcorn and looked at the patch of sky where Arthur had his eyes fixed on.
He finished his popcorn and stared at the sky, bored now. The surprise obviously hadn't started yet but Arthur said that he didn't know when it would start, only that it would be at night.
An idea struck him and Alfred glanced at Arthur. He was still staring at the sky and so Alfred shifted himself a little closer to Arthur's side. When this raised no response and Arthur continued to watch the sky, he shifted even closer. They weren't sitting too far away anyway, and Alfred thought Arthur might allow a cuddle even if he didn't want a kiss. Alfred was debating how to shift so he was side by side with Arthur, when the man himself spoke, scaring the life out of Alfred.
"If you wanted me to hug you, you should have just said." He turned his head and looked at Alfred, an amused smile across his face. Alfred felt his face relax and he smiled back at Arthur. He should have known that Arthur wouldn't get mad.
"Arthur," Alfred said with a straight face.
"Yes, Alfred?"
"Can I have a cuddle?" Alfred smiled, unable to keep himself from doing it anymore. Arthur smiled back and they went back to waiting for the show with their arms around each other. Alfred started to shiver so he leaned into Arthur and rejoiced in the fact that he could do this. It was an intoxicating feeling and he decided to stare at Arthur instead of the sky.
"It's starting! Look, Alfred!" At Arthur's shout, Alfred tore his eyes away from him reluctantly and glanced up at the sky. As soon as he did so, he was spellbound. Thousands of tiny lights were rising into the air from a point that did not seem too far from Arthur's house. They looked like moving stars, even though they drifted slowly upwards. Soon they filled the sky with the lights, spreading out from that one point and Alfred stared at them.
"They're beautiful," he breathed, unable to look away. He had never seen anything like it before and it showed him how the world was bigger than he thought. All he knew was the tower, the forest and Arthur's house. Sometimes Arthur talked about the village he visited but although Alfred wanted to visit it sometime, it was somewhere in the future and so he didn't worry about it too much.
"They are launched from the palace every year on this day for the lost Prince," Arthur explained. "The lost Prince was taken from his parents, the King and Queen, when he was just a baby. The King and Queen launch these lanterns every year on his birthday so that their son might come home." Now Alfred managed to look away from the sight to glance at Arthur. Did he really mean that? Every year, on Alfred's birthday, they launched hundreds of lanterns into the sky. How could he have not seen this before? The view from his window in the Tower faced the other way but the entrance out of the Tower faced the palace.
The thought of the King and Queen made Alfred think about much bigger the world was than he thought. And he suddenly knew what he wanted to do as the last of the lanterns scattered to the four corners of the Earth.
"Arthur," Alfred said seriously and Arthur looked at him. "Next year, I want to go and see the lanterns there. At the palace. Will you take me?" Arthur looked shocked and then conflicted. Alfred thought he would agree straight away but it was obvious that he was thinking it over and Alfred felt a tinge of concern. He had not considered the possibility that Arthur might say no. "Arthur?" He prompted, unable to help the fear making his voice quiver. His voice seemed to make Arthur snap out of his trance and he smiled at Alfred.
"Of course I will, Alfred." Excited at Arthur's answer, Alfred swept him up into a bone-crushing hug. He was really excited to think about going to see the lanterns. Maybe he could go out to the village that Arthur was always talking about before that.
"Thank you so much, Arthur!" Alfred said, feeling like he could fly, he was that happy. Nothing could spoil this.
***
The next time he went to see Arthur, it was three days later. Mother had returned and said that her sister was on the mend but she would need to go back soon just to make sure that she was okay. She had been acting strange around Alfred and kept wanting to brush his hair. There had been strange, vague questions and when Alfred had tried to ask what was wrong, she would brush it off as saying that she must have caught what her sister had.
Alfred resolved to talk about it with Arthur. He had not mentioned his mother much to Arthur and why he lived in a tower and why Arthur could not meet his mother, but Arthur never asked the questions, just gave him who-are-you-fooling looks before getting back to what he was doing. He felt a prickle of guilt at that. Arthur had been really good to him so far and really understanding, maybe Alfred should talk a bit more about what was going on.
He realised that while he had been thinking, he had already arrived at Arthur's house. Arthur was not outside so Alfred hurried around to the front of the house, wanting to find him while he was still in a sharing mood. However, at the front of the house, it became obvious that things were not right.
The front door was open, the wood splintered around the lock and it was swaying gently in the breeze. It sent off all the warning bells in Alfred's brain and he approached the house cautiously and pushed the door open.
He said nothing as he took in the devastation in front of him. The wallpaper was hanging off the wall, torn off in patches and there were several pieces of wood lying around, seeming to be the remains of Arthur's dining chairs. The table in the hall was overturned and there were smudged hand prints of something dark reddy brown on the wall. Alfred had an idea of what it was but refused to think about. Nothing had happened to Arthur. He was fine, kidnapped, but fine.
There were drag marks on the floor and Alfred followed them through Arthur's house and out the back door. They had been hidden from Alfred's view by the fence but now he followed them, not taking his eyes off the ground, into the forest.
Alfred tried to travel quickly in the forest but he stumbled several times as he would not focus on anything but the tracks and so he had to slow his pace. It was frustrating and Alfred's hands remained in tight fists as the trail led him right to his tower. Suspecting what he would find at the top, but hoping against hope that it was not true, he threw his plait onto one of the nearby tree branches. As he had done many times before, he pulled himself up, using his long hair as a rope. From there he threw his hair over the metal loop at the entrance to the tower and climbed in through the window.
"Arthur!" Alfred cried as soon as his eyes adjusted to the light. Arthur was held between his Aunt and Uncle, still standing but bruised around the neck and dried blood smeared on his forehead. He scanned Arthur's body with his eyes before moving forward to help him... in some way. A sharp yank at his head pulled him backwards and Alfred put his hand to his head, his eyes watering. He had never had his hair pulled before and behind him, with part of his plait in her hand, was Mother while the rest was lying on the floor beside her. "Mother!" Alfred was horrified, still praying that this did not mean what he thought it meant.
"Hello, Alfred." Mother was calm and cold and without any hint of a smile on her face.
"Mother, what's going on?" Alfred asked, very confused. There was a sound of a scuffle behind him and he looked back at Arthur, only to see him gagged by his Aunt. "What are you doing? Stop!" His Aunt ignored him and his Uncle stared at him with a pleased smile on his face. He looked like all his dreams had come true and it disturbed Alfred so much that he took a step back, towards Mother.
"Please, Alfred, tell me that you've figured it out. You're not that stupid," Mother said softly and there was an angry sound from Arthur that was quickly stifled. Alfred wracked his brain as he quickly put the clues together. He had always been good at puzzles but it was different when it was your life. He had suspected ever since he had heard about the lanterns though.
"I'm the lost Prince," Alfred said in a clear voice that could be heard by everyone in the tower. Mother always hated the mumbling but now she looked pleased, if slightly sad.
"Yes, that's right." Mother said nothing else, seemingly willing to let him work it out in time.
"I'm the lost Prince - that means you kidnapped me when I was a baby. How could you do that? Why would you do that?" Alfred could not wrap his head around the fact that he had a real Mother and Father that he had never remembered (he felt a little guilty about that) and that his Mother, the one he had known all his life, had kidnapped him and raised him as her own.
"Why?" Mother echoed. "This is why." And she started to sing, a familiar song that made Alfred feel slightly ill now. "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine. What once was mine." As the song was sung, his hair started to glow, as it always had, from the top of his head, down the plait to where Mother was holding it and then down the length of his hair. His Aunt and Uncle let go of Arthur to grab hold of the hair, greedy looks on their faces and Alfred watched as miniscule lines that he had not noticed before disappeared from his Mother's face, watched as his Aunt and Uncle's hair turned from grey to white-blonde, looking similar to his glowing hair.
"That's why you did it? So you could be young again?" Alfred was completely amazed that someone would go to such lengths to stay young. He was disgusted and it must have shown on his face, for an ugly look passed over his Mother's face, one that he had never seen before.
"Eternal life and youth. Many people would give up a whole lot more for it," his Aunt said as she stroked the hair that lay in her hands. Alfred wanted to yank it away from her but didn't dare in case he got another hair pulling from Mother. Suddenly remembered the other person who had witnessed it, he turned to Arthur, wanting to see if he was alright. Arthur was standing and was looking at the three others with a watchful, faintly horrified look on his face. Alfred tried to inch towards Arthur but another yank of his hair stopped this thought.
His Mother was standing, looking triumphant. The other two had turned their attention from the plait and back to Alfred again. All three of them looked hungry and terrifying. Alfred had no idea how he and Arthur would get out of here alive.
"You're going to come with us, Alfred. And we're going to go far away. You're going to promise to never try to escape and to stop fighting the three of us." His Mother's voice was calm, as if she was stating a fact of life like how the sun rose in the morning. Alfred felt anger flare up inside of him, white-hot, and got his heart pumping hard.
"No I'm not. I will never stop fighting you if you try to take me from here." Alfred folded his arms, not sure what to do with his hands. Now he could feel his heart thumping against his ribcage and was far more aware of the cold sweat on his forehead.
"Yes, you will. You will keep your word, just like I taught you, and I will keep mine. You will come with us willingly because if not..." Mother paused and his Aunt pulled out a sharp knife. It made Alfred and Arthur jump. "If not, we will kill Arthur and take you with us anyway." Alfred jerked towards Arthur as his Aunt approached but he let out a cry of pain as his hair was yanked on again.
"Careful, Katyusha. We don't want you pulling out any of the hair." His uncle warned and Alfred held his head as if he could keep the hair on simply with his hands. If he lost his hair, he and Arthur were dead. There would be no chance of escape. At the moment, they still had a bargaining tool.
"Don't even think about it, Alfred!" Arthur said fiercely even as he eyed Alfred's aunt warily. The knife looked sharp and dangerous and Alfred could not blame Arthur for watching it carefully. Alfred had to think about the offer though; Arthur's life was on the line. He turned back to Mother.
"Mother, please," he begged, "don't do this. Please don't make me watch him die." His mother's face softened and she approached Alfred, cupping his cheek when she got close enough. Alfred leaned into it, feeling tears starting to burn his eyes. A tear skittered down his Mother's face and she wiped it away.
"This would never have happened if you had just obeyed the rules. I told you that they were to protect you from pain. This is all your own fault." Mother dropped her hand and now Alfred started to cry in earnest. She wasn't his Mother, the only thing she cared about was how young his hair could make her. She was Katyusha and her brother and sister were Ivan and Natalia. They were not his family. His family was Arthur and the King and Queen, if they would have him.
Alfred sniffed and scrubbed at his eyes, hoping to clear his vision. "I'll do it."
"You'll do what?" Ivan asked in a quiet, deadly tone of voice.
"I promise that I shall go with you and never try to escape or fight you again, as long as Arthur remains unharmed." Alfred bent his head, ignoring Arthur's protest. He had to be brave, for Arthur's sake. He loved Arthur so much and he could not let him die because of him. Katyusha nodded and Ivan smiled. Alfred turned back and started to walk towards Arthur. A yank on his hair pulled him back again. "I just... I just want to say goodbye," Alfred said, glancing quickly back at Moth - Katyusha. Her face looked softer than before and she let him go.
Arthur was shaking his head. "No, Alfred, you can't." Up close, his injuries looked even more severe and Alfred hoped they would heal quickly. He wouldn't be around to see.
"I love you, Arthur," Alfred said quietly, pulling Arthur into a gentle hug. He savoured this moment, knowing that he would never get anything like this again.
"And I love you, Alfred," Arthur replied, just as quietly. "And I can't let you do this."
"No!" Katyusha yelled and Natalia screamed and suddenly his head felt so much lighter. He pulled back to see Arthur had a small pocket knife in his hand and a triumphant look on his face. Around the room, Alfred's long plait was turning a dark blonde and Ivan and Katyusha were scrabbling at it.
There was a snarl of rage and Arthur cried out. Alfred span around to see Natalia's knife sticking out of Arthur's side and him tipping over into Alfred's waiting arms.
"No, Arthur, please, no," Alfred pleaded as he lay Arthur on the ground. "I can't, the hair," he stuttered, unable to articulate his sheer helplessness. Somehow he knew that his hair could no longer heal. Beside him, all the years Natalia had cheated on had caught up with her and she turned into ash. Knowing that Katyusha and Ivan had reached the same fate, Alfred focused on Arthur. He had to do something. An idea to came to him and he started to slowly sing, unused to the words. It had always been Moth- Katyusha who had sang it. "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine. What once was mine." Nothing happened. Blood continued to leak from Arthur and Alfred grabbed one of Arthur's hands and held it to his head. He tried the song again, desperate for it work.
"It's alright, Alfred," Arthur muttered in a hoarse voice. Alfred shook his head, feeling the tears starting to pour down thick and fast, some of them raining onto Arthur's face.
"No, it can't ever be alright. I love you and now you're - you're - " He couldn't say it and closed his eyes, still sobbing. A burst of light behind his eyelids caused him to open his eyes only to see light twisting in tendrils around Arthur. It seemed to fill the entire room before coming back to sink into Arthur's wound. Alfred watched, mouth agape and tears frozen on his cheek as the light twisted around him, before slowly disappearing.
"Remind me never to do that again," Arthur said, sitting up, completely unharmed even though there was a rip in his shirt and there was blood all over the floor. He blinked at Alfred, his green eyes bright, and Alfred threw himself at Arthur. He could not stop grinning.
"You're okay!" Alfred laughed as he pulled Arthur over so he was almost sitting in Alfred's lap.
"Oh, most definitely. And Alfred, there's something I want to tell you." Alfred pulled back to look at Arthur's face, quite confused. Any question he was about to ask was completely wiped from his brain as Arthur kissed him, warm and alive and completely sure that it was what he wanted. It took a few moments for Alfred to get over his astonishment to respond but he responded as enthusiastically as he could, even if he had no experience. When he started to smile into the kiss, they pulled apart. "I think I've made myself quite clear." Arthur said smugly and Alfred laughed again. He wanted to feel this happy over and over again. So he pulled Arthur down for another kiss.
***
The next year on his birthday, Alfred launched his own lantern into the sky, with Arthur by his side and his parents, King William and Queen Emma looking on in quiet joy. Alfred had his family and was free for the first time in ages. The Kingdom was delighted to have their Prince back and everyone celebrated at not only the return of their lost Prince but also his marriage to the one he loved. He was happy, he was loved and he was free.
Some day, I will stop hurting Arthur in my fics and stop the very cheesy endings. But not today.
Genre: Romance/Drama
Pairing(s): USUK
Word Count: 5,162
Rating/Warnings: 12, Kidnapping and injury
Summary: Tangled AU. All Alfred knew was his tower, the forest and Arthur's house. But when he sees the floating lights, that all changes. Done for the ' I See The Light' prompt.
Alfred stared out of his window as the morning sun made itself known. He always woke with the sun, ever since he was little, and even though his Mother had tried to get him to close his shutters at night, he had always opened them as soon as he was alone. The night sky was beautiful but it was the sun Alfred waited for. It filled his dreams ever since he was little and Mother said his hair shone like the sun.
He knew that his hair was the reason Mother wanted to protect him so much. She said that people would attack him for the healing powers of his hair and she warned him about venturing out into the world where everyone wanted to hurt him.
Two years ago, he had believed her, but that had not stopped him from leaving his tower once, just so he could experience the world outside of his tower. Then he had met Arthur and he had known that Mother had lied. She had lied to protect him though and Alfred could not break her heart by telling the truth, so they continued in their lies.
"Alfred! It's time to get up! Are you lazing in bed again?" His mother called up the stairs and Alfred finally got out of bed. He liked to lie and enjoy the sun for a while after he woke up but his mother called that lazing and whenever she discovered him doing it, she would give him more chores to do. He dressed and made his way downstairs slowly, trying to avoid getting his hair caught on anything. He knew that his hair was unusual, not just because of its length but also because of its shine, but Mother said that he must not cut his hair. Personally, Alfred thought that it would solve a lot of problems if there was no hair for people to steal, but he wanted to keep his Mother happy and she always got so upset when he mentioned cutting his hair.
"Good morning, Mother," he said cheerfully, helping himself to some of her porridge. Her food was always brilliant and even when Alfred tried to recreate her dishes, they always fell a tiny bit short. Mother always teased him by saying that he had obviously inherited his Aunt's gift for cooking.
"Oh, hello, Alfred," his mother replied, smiling at him before turning back to her book. She was always trying new things and tried to encourage Alfred to do that as well. It was how he had got into sewing and candle-making. "How did you sleep?"
"Really well, thank you Mother. Can you stay and do lessons with me today?" Alfred always asked, even though he held out little hope that she would say yes. He enjoyed learning, especially about numbers and how the world worked but his Mother spent little time of these things, not seeing them as practical. As Alfred got older, she had spent less and less time with him. Maybe it was because he was more independent now and Mother trusted him to look after himself. Alfred hoped it was that.
"I can't, sorry darling. I need to visit Brother and Sister today. Sister was running a fever and Brother is hopeless in caring for her. I may need to stay the night as well." Mother looked sorrowful and moved away from her book to pull Alfred into a hug. "I love you, Alfred."
"I love you more," Alfred replied, sliding his arms up to return his mother's hug. He was meant to be older and more mature but he still enjoyed his mother's hugs.
"I love you most." Mother finished their little routine before stepping out of the hug. "Now, why don't I plait your hair and I can get going?" Alfred did not want her to leave so soon but supposed that he could always get out of bed quicker if he really wanted to spend more time with her, so went and got the hairbrush without complaint. His Mother sat in her high-backed red chair while he sat with crossed legs in front of her. She brushed his hair carefully, even though it never seemed to get tangled and Alfred started to sing.
"Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine..." It was a strange little song but ever since he could remember, it was the song he sang whenever Mother brushed his hair. He had asked why once and she had said that it was to help him stay strong. The magic inside him came out when the song was sung. His hair started to light up as if there was a candle hidden inside each strand, apart from one short strand that lay against his neck. The strand was dark blonde and did not glow at all. Mother had said that was what happened the last time someone had tried to steal his magic and cut his hair. It had obviously scared Mother because her eyes always went dark and solemn when she noticed it.
Alfred saw his mother off with a smile and wave before settling down to do his chores. When everything was spotless and a pie had been baked ready for Mother when she came home, it was time to set off. Alfred walked to the window, taking a deep breath. It always sent a flood of adrenaline through his body even as he looped his plaited hair over the metal hook with practised ease. He lowered himself down and stepped onto the grass.
Now he was out of his tower, Alfred took a second to do what he always did. Yell at the top of his lungs, kick the dandelion seeds up in the air and roll around in the grass, savouring the feeling of the tickly feeling on his skin. It would never get old, even though he had experienced many times over the last year. Now that was finished, he could make his way to Arthur's house.
Arthur lived in a little cottage half an hour's walk from his tower. Alfred had found it when he was exploring the forest but it had taken him a while to introduce himself to Arthur, even though he had spent a long time watching him. Arthur's hair was really short, cut close to his head and was the same colour as Alfred's hair. It didn't glow when he sang the same song (Arthur had looked at him strangely when Alfred had asked this but had asked no more questions) but it was the same colour. All the other people Alfred had seen (though they hadn't seen him up in the trees) had different colours of hair.
He arrived at Arthur's cottage, where Arthur was outside, murmuring to himself as he hung out his washing. He was alone, always alone, just like Alfred when Mother left.
"Arthur!" Alfred called and Arthur's head jerked up. For a moment he stared at Alfred before a sincere, delighted smile appeared on his face. Alfred grinned and raced up to him, Arthur dropping his washing before being caught up in a bear hug. "I've missed you!"
"Alfred, you only saw me two days ago!" Arthur said, laughing slightly as Alfred lifted him up the ground in his enthusiasm. He eventually put Arthur and they separated slightly. Arthur was still smiling. "I guess I've missed you too." His tone was grudging and he would have felt hurt when he first met Arthur but now he could hear the teasing tone behind the comment. The smile on his face didn't hurt also.
Alfred wanted to kiss Arthur so badly but the last time he had tried that, Arthur had said no. He cared for Alfred in that way but he couldn't go over that boundary until he was sure about something. Alfred wasn't sure what that was but he hoped Arthur got over it soon. He would wait, patience was one thing the tower taught him. Instead he asked Arthur if he could stay the night, as always. Mother always stayed the night at her siblings' house, all Alfred would have to do was get up early so he could pretend that he had been at home all that time. Arthur agreed and hinted that he had a surprise for Alfred tonight.
As always, Arthur settled down to do his chores and Alfred helped him. He always found it more enjoyable to do the household work with someone else and Arthur chatted to him as they carried out these jobs.
"So, what's this surprise that you have?" Alfred asked as Arthur continued to hang up the washing. Alfred handed him each piece of clothing as they continued.
"If I tell you Alfred, it won't be a surprise." Arthur looked at him mock-sternly and Alfred rolled his eyes but smiled.
"I suppose," Alfred said slowly as he handed Arthur one of the shirts. "Do you think we can have popcorn?" Arthur glanced at him, a smile tugging at his lips and Alfred felt slightly sheepish. Ever since he had been shown popcorn, he had always asked for it every time he had stayed over. Mother had not given him any books to make popcorn and, aside from the basics of cooking, she had not taught him anything else.
"Alright, I guess so. We can eat it when the surprise is going on." Alfred picked up the hint and he stared at Arthur, hoping that he would give another hint or tell him what was going on. Arthur carried on, completely unconcerned and Alfred sighed. He really wanted to know! And Arthur's surprises were always good, unlike Mother's.
"Can't you give me a hint?" Eventually Alfred asked, trying hard not to sound too eager, as if he wouldn't mind if Arthur didn't want to answer the question. Mother did not like it when Alfred asked her loads of questions. She always got very annoyed and would snap at him to shut up. He didn't want Arthur to do that.
"I just gave you one," Arthur pointed out but did not seem upset so Alfred felt free to continue.
"It wasn't a very good one." Arthur turned to stare at him with one eyebrow raised. Alfred stared back but was unable to help swallowing nervously. Mother always did that, look at him until he admitted that what he did was wrong.
"I thought it was fine, but if you insist, I'll give you one. We're going to watch a show." The hint didn't help much but Alfred knew a little more about what to expect so he settled down and ignored his curiosity.
"Thanks, Arthur. So, we'll be watching it here in the garden?" Arthur nodded and Alfred thought hard. He couldn't think of what it could be but Arthur thought he would enjoy it, so he looked forward to it.
"But not until we've got everything done. Are you helping?" Alfred nodded and scurried off after Arthur.
***
That night was clear and Alfred settled down beside Arthur on the blanket in the back garden. Arthur had hurried him out as soon as it got dark but Alfred still remained confused. He tucked into his popcorn and looked at the patch of sky where Arthur had his eyes fixed on.
He finished his popcorn and stared at the sky, bored now. The surprise obviously hadn't started yet but Arthur said that he didn't know when it would start, only that it would be at night.
An idea struck him and Alfred glanced at Arthur. He was still staring at the sky and so Alfred shifted himself a little closer to Arthur's side. When this raised no response and Arthur continued to watch the sky, he shifted even closer. They weren't sitting too far away anyway, and Alfred thought Arthur might allow a cuddle even if he didn't want a kiss. Alfred was debating how to shift so he was side by side with Arthur, when the man himself spoke, scaring the life out of Alfred.
"If you wanted me to hug you, you should have just said." He turned his head and looked at Alfred, an amused smile across his face. Alfred felt his face relax and he smiled back at Arthur. He should have known that Arthur wouldn't get mad.
"Arthur," Alfred said with a straight face.
"Yes, Alfred?"
"Can I have a cuddle?" Alfred smiled, unable to keep himself from doing it anymore. Arthur smiled back and they went back to waiting for the show with their arms around each other. Alfred started to shiver so he leaned into Arthur and rejoiced in the fact that he could do this. It was an intoxicating feeling and he decided to stare at Arthur instead of the sky.
"It's starting! Look, Alfred!" At Arthur's shout, Alfred tore his eyes away from him reluctantly and glanced up at the sky. As soon as he did so, he was spellbound. Thousands of tiny lights were rising into the air from a point that did not seem too far from Arthur's house. They looked like moving stars, even though they drifted slowly upwards. Soon they filled the sky with the lights, spreading out from that one point and Alfred stared at them.
"They're beautiful," he breathed, unable to look away. He had never seen anything like it before and it showed him how the world was bigger than he thought. All he knew was the tower, the forest and Arthur's house. Sometimes Arthur talked about the village he visited but although Alfred wanted to visit it sometime, it was somewhere in the future and so he didn't worry about it too much.
"They are launched from the palace every year on this day for the lost Prince," Arthur explained. "The lost Prince was taken from his parents, the King and Queen, when he was just a baby. The King and Queen launch these lanterns every year on his birthday so that their son might come home." Now Alfred managed to look away from the sight to glance at Arthur. Did he really mean that? Every year, on Alfred's birthday, they launched hundreds of lanterns into the sky. How could he have not seen this before? The view from his window in the Tower faced the other way but the entrance out of the Tower faced the palace.
The thought of the King and Queen made Alfred think about much bigger the world was than he thought. And he suddenly knew what he wanted to do as the last of the lanterns scattered to the four corners of the Earth.
"Arthur," Alfred said seriously and Arthur looked at him. "Next year, I want to go and see the lanterns there. At the palace. Will you take me?" Arthur looked shocked and then conflicted. Alfred thought he would agree straight away but it was obvious that he was thinking it over and Alfred felt a tinge of concern. He had not considered the possibility that Arthur might say no. "Arthur?" He prompted, unable to help the fear making his voice quiver. His voice seemed to make Arthur snap out of his trance and he smiled at Alfred.
"Of course I will, Alfred." Excited at Arthur's answer, Alfred swept him up into a bone-crushing hug. He was really excited to think about going to see the lanterns. Maybe he could go out to the village that Arthur was always talking about before that.
"Thank you so much, Arthur!" Alfred said, feeling like he could fly, he was that happy. Nothing could spoil this.
***
The next time he went to see Arthur, it was three days later. Mother had returned and said that her sister was on the mend but she would need to go back soon just to make sure that she was okay. She had been acting strange around Alfred and kept wanting to brush his hair. There had been strange, vague questions and when Alfred had tried to ask what was wrong, she would brush it off as saying that she must have caught what her sister had.
Alfred resolved to talk about it with Arthur. He had not mentioned his mother much to Arthur and why he lived in a tower and why Arthur could not meet his mother, but Arthur never asked the questions, just gave him who-are-you-fooling looks before getting back to what he was doing. He felt a prickle of guilt at that. Arthur had been really good to him so far and really understanding, maybe Alfred should talk a bit more about what was going on.
He realised that while he had been thinking, he had already arrived at Arthur's house. Arthur was not outside so Alfred hurried around to the front of the house, wanting to find him while he was still in a sharing mood. However, at the front of the house, it became obvious that things were not right.
The front door was open, the wood splintered around the lock and it was swaying gently in the breeze. It sent off all the warning bells in Alfred's brain and he approached the house cautiously and pushed the door open.
He said nothing as he took in the devastation in front of him. The wallpaper was hanging off the wall, torn off in patches and there were several pieces of wood lying around, seeming to be the remains of Arthur's dining chairs. The table in the hall was overturned and there were smudged hand prints of something dark reddy brown on the wall. Alfred had an idea of what it was but refused to think about. Nothing had happened to Arthur. He was fine, kidnapped, but fine.
There were drag marks on the floor and Alfred followed them through Arthur's house and out the back door. They had been hidden from Alfred's view by the fence but now he followed them, not taking his eyes off the ground, into the forest.
Alfred tried to travel quickly in the forest but he stumbled several times as he would not focus on anything but the tracks and so he had to slow his pace. It was frustrating and Alfred's hands remained in tight fists as the trail led him right to his tower. Suspecting what he would find at the top, but hoping against hope that it was not true, he threw his plait onto one of the nearby tree branches. As he had done many times before, he pulled himself up, using his long hair as a rope. From there he threw his hair over the metal loop at the entrance to the tower and climbed in through the window.
"Arthur!" Alfred cried as soon as his eyes adjusted to the light. Arthur was held between his Aunt and Uncle, still standing but bruised around the neck and dried blood smeared on his forehead. He scanned Arthur's body with his eyes before moving forward to help him... in some way. A sharp yank at his head pulled him backwards and Alfred put his hand to his head, his eyes watering. He had never had his hair pulled before and behind him, with part of his plait in her hand, was Mother while the rest was lying on the floor beside her. "Mother!" Alfred was horrified, still praying that this did not mean what he thought it meant.
"Hello, Alfred." Mother was calm and cold and without any hint of a smile on her face.
"Mother, what's going on?" Alfred asked, very confused. There was a sound of a scuffle behind him and he looked back at Arthur, only to see him gagged by his Aunt. "What are you doing? Stop!" His Aunt ignored him and his Uncle stared at him with a pleased smile on his face. He looked like all his dreams had come true and it disturbed Alfred so much that he took a step back, towards Mother.
"Please, Alfred, tell me that you've figured it out. You're not that stupid," Mother said softly and there was an angry sound from Arthur that was quickly stifled. Alfred wracked his brain as he quickly put the clues together. He had always been good at puzzles but it was different when it was your life. He had suspected ever since he had heard about the lanterns though.
"I'm the lost Prince," Alfred said in a clear voice that could be heard by everyone in the tower. Mother always hated the mumbling but now she looked pleased, if slightly sad.
"Yes, that's right." Mother said nothing else, seemingly willing to let him work it out in time.
"I'm the lost Prince - that means you kidnapped me when I was a baby. How could you do that? Why would you do that?" Alfred could not wrap his head around the fact that he had a real Mother and Father that he had never remembered (he felt a little guilty about that) and that his Mother, the one he had known all his life, had kidnapped him and raised him as her own.
"Why?" Mother echoed. "This is why." And she started to sing, a familiar song that made Alfred feel slightly ill now. "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine. What once was mine." As the song was sung, his hair started to glow, as it always had, from the top of his head, down the plait to where Mother was holding it and then down the length of his hair. His Aunt and Uncle let go of Arthur to grab hold of the hair, greedy looks on their faces and Alfred watched as miniscule lines that he had not noticed before disappeared from his Mother's face, watched as his Aunt and Uncle's hair turned from grey to white-blonde, looking similar to his glowing hair.
"That's why you did it? So you could be young again?" Alfred was completely amazed that someone would go to such lengths to stay young. He was disgusted and it must have shown on his face, for an ugly look passed over his Mother's face, one that he had never seen before.
"Eternal life and youth. Many people would give up a whole lot more for it," his Aunt said as she stroked the hair that lay in her hands. Alfred wanted to yank it away from her but didn't dare in case he got another hair pulling from Mother. Suddenly remembered the other person who had witnessed it, he turned to Arthur, wanting to see if he was alright. Arthur was standing and was looking at the three others with a watchful, faintly horrified look on his face. Alfred tried to inch towards Arthur but another yank of his hair stopped this thought.
His Mother was standing, looking triumphant. The other two had turned their attention from the plait and back to Alfred again. All three of them looked hungry and terrifying. Alfred had no idea how he and Arthur would get out of here alive.
"You're going to come with us, Alfred. And we're going to go far away. You're going to promise to never try to escape and to stop fighting the three of us." His Mother's voice was calm, as if she was stating a fact of life like how the sun rose in the morning. Alfred felt anger flare up inside of him, white-hot, and got his heart pumping hard.
"No I'm not. I will never stop fighting you if you try to take me from here." Alfred folded his arms, not sure what to do with his hands. Now he could feel his heart thumping against his ribcage and was far more aware of the cold sweat on his forehead.
"Yes, you will. You will keep your word, just like I taught you, and I will keep mine. You will come with us willingly because if not..." Mother paused and his Aunt pulled out a sharp knife. It made Alfred and Arthur jump. "If not, we will kill Arthur and take you with us anyway." Alfred jerked towards Arthur as his Aunt approached but he let out a cry of pain as his hair was yanked on again.
"Careful, Katyusha. We don't want you pulling out any of the hair." His uncle warned and Alfred held his head as if he could keep the hair on simply with his hands. If he lost his hair, he and Arthur were dead. There would be no chance of escape. At the moment, they still had a bargaining tool.
"Don't even think about it, Alfred!" Arthur said fiercely even as he eyed Alfred's aunt warily. The knife looked sharp and dangerous and Alfred could not blame Arthur for watching it carefully. Alfred had to think about the offer though; Arthur's life was on the line. He turned back to Mother.
"Mother, please," he begged, "don't do this. Please don't make me watch him die." His mother's face softened and she approached Alfred, cupping his cheek when she got close enough. Alfred leaned into it, feeling tears starting to burn his eyes. A tear skittered down his Mother's face and she wiped it away.
"This would never have happened if you had just obeyed the rules. I told you that they were to protect you from pain. This is all your own fault." Mother dropped her hand and now Alfred started to cry in earnest. She wasn't his Mother, the only thing she cared about was how young his hair could make her. She was Katyusha and her brother and sister were Ivan and Natalia. They were not his family. His family was Arthur and the King and Queen, if they would have him.
Alfred sniffed and scrubbed at his eyes, hoping to clear his vision. "I'll do it."
"You'll do what?" Ivan asked in a quiet, deadly tone of voice.
"I promise that I shall go with you and never try to escape or fight you again, as long as Arthur remains unharmed." Alfred bent his head, ignoring Arthur's protest. He had to be brave, for Arthur's sake. He loved Arthur so much and he could not let him die because of him. Katyusha nodded and Ivan smiled. Alfred turned back and started to walk towards Arthur. A yank on his hair pulled him back again. "I just... I just want to say goodbye," Alfred said, glancing quickly back at Moth - Katyusha. Her face looked softer than before and she let him go.
Arthur was shaking his head. "No, Alfred, you can't." Up close, his injuries looked even more severe and Alfred hoped they would heal quickly. He wouldn't be around to see.
"I love you, Arthur," Alfred said quietly, pulling Arthur into a gentle hug. He savoured this moment, knowing that he would never get anything like this again.
"And I love you, Alfred," Arthur replied, just as quietly. "And I can't let you do this."
"No!" Katyusha yelled and Natalia screamed and suddenly his head felt so much lighter. He pulled back to see Arthur had a small pocket knife in his hand and a triumphant look on his face. Around the room, Alfred's long plait was turning a dark blonde and Ivan and Katyusha were scrabbling at it.
There was a snarl of rage and Arthur cried out. Alfred span around to see Natalia's knife sticking out of Arthur's side and him tipping over into Alfred's waiting arms.
"No, Arthur, please, no," Alfred pleaded as he lay Arthur on the ground. "I can't, the hair," he stuttered, unable to articulate his sheer helplessness. Somehow he knew that his hair could no longer heal. Beside him, all the years Natalia had cheated on had caught up with her and she turned into ash. Knowing that Katyusha and Ivan had reached the same fate, Alfred focused on Arthur. He had to do something. An idea to came to him and he started to slowly sing, unused to the words. It had always been Moth- Katyusha who had sang it. "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine. What once was mine." Nothing happened. Blood continued to leak from Arthur and Alfred grabbed one of Arthur's hands and held it to his head. He tried the song again, desperate for it work.
"It's alright, Alfred," Arthur muttered in a hoarse voice. Alfred shook his head, feeling the tears starting to pour down thick and fast, some of them raining onto Arthur's face.
"No, it can't ever be alright. I love you and now you're - you're - " He couldn't say it and closed his eyes, still sobbing. A burst of light behind his eyelids caused him to open his eyes only to see light twisting in tendrils around Arthur. It seemed to fill the entire room before coming back to sink into Arthur's wound. Alfred watched, mouth agape and tears frozen on his cheek as the light twisted around him, before slowly disappearing.
"Remind me never to do that again," Arthur said, sitting up, completely unharmed even though there was a rip in his shirt and there was blood all over the floor. He blinked at Alfred, his green eyes bright, and Alfred threw himself at Arthur. He could not stop grinning.
"You're okay!" Alfred laughed as he pulled Arthur over so he was almost sitting in Alfred's lap.
"Oh, most definitely. And Alfred, there's something I want to tell you." Alfred pulled back to look at Arthur's face, quite confused. Any question he was about to ask was completely wiped from his brain as Arthur kissed him, warm and alive and completely sure that it was what he wanted. It took a few moments for Alfred to get over his astonishment to respond but he responded as enthusiastically as he could, even if he had no experience. When he started to smile into the kiss, they pulled apart. "I think I've made myself quite clear." Arthur said smugly and Alfred laughed again. He wanted to feel this happy over and over again. So he pulled Arthur down for another kiss.
***
The next year on his birthday, Alfred launched his own lantern into the sky, with Arthur by his side and his parents, King William and Queen Emma looking on in quiet joy. Alfred had his family and was free for the first time in ages. The Kingdom was delighted to have their Prince back and everyone celebrated at not only the return of their lost Prince but also his marriage to the one he loved. He was happy, he was loved and he was free.
Some day, I will stop hurting Arthur in my fics and stop the very cheesy endings. But not today.