Heavy Is The Head: A Young Royals Fanfiction

New Year's Eve

Wilhelm always hated New Year's Eve. The extravagant party they were obligated to throw encompassed all of his least favorite parts of being who he was. The sole purpose of it was to show off in front of all sorts of important people, and Wilhelm hated being on display. Every move he made would be analyzed, this year more than any other. Of course, he would have to pretend like that wasn't the case, pretend he didn't know what every person he spoke to was thinking about. The fact that he'd denied it was irrelevant; his name was associated with that video, and that was the kind of thing nobody ever forgot.

Fucking August. He knew all of that. He knew exactly what he was doing when he shared that video, and he got to just go about his life like nothing happened. He'd had the common sense to decline his invitation to the party, because of course he was invited, why wouldn't he be? That wasn't Wilhelm in the video, it had nothing to do with the royal family. It definitely hadn't been filmed and posted by a back-stabbing relative he once trusted. He had simply chosen to spend the holiday quietly this year, because he had enough status to be invited, but not so much that he couldn't simply decline. He had that choice. Miserable bastard. 

At least he didn't have to see him tonight. It would surely raise a few eyebrows if he didn't chat and laugh with him as he always did at these events, let alone if he punched him in the face, which he longed to do more than almost anything else in the world. 

It should have been a relief that August wasn't attending. But without him, Wilhelm really didn't know what he was going to do all night. He used to be the one person there that he knew he liked, the one person he could actually enjoy himself with, not just force smiles at the mindless chatter of some stranger while he tried to remember their name. Before this year, it was him, August, and Erik making it a good night.

Wilhelm shook his head. He couldn't think about Erik right now. He had to keep a smile on his face, and thinking of Erik made him want to melt into a puddle of tears. That was the theme for tonight: pretending. Pretend everyone in this room hasn't seen you in a leaked sex tape. Pretend there's not a gaping void where your brother should be. Pretend you're disappointed that your good friend August couldn't be with you tonight. Pretend there's not a boy in Bjärstad that you'd like more than anything in the world to be with right now. Pretend you haven't broken that boy's heart and ruined everything for both of you. 

At least the food was good. It gave him a brief escape from all the social obligations. He could just nod along with the conversation, thinking only of how delicious the lobster was. 

Of course, that escape was short-lived. The Queen would only let him avoid talking to others for so long.

Annoying as it was, Wilhelm had to admire his mother's ability to be so aware her every move at all times, yet still find a way to stalk him all night. Every time he retreated to the edge of the crowd, he knew it was only a matter of time before she came to gracefully drag him into conversation with one aristocrat or another. At that very moment, she was beckoning him from across the room.

Don't drag your feet, but don't walk too fast either. Make it look like you're happy to talk to this person, but no happier than you would be to talk to anyone else.

"Wilhelm, allow me to introduce you to Maria. She'll be joining you at Hillerska after the holidays," Kristina told him.

Wilhelm shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Maria said. 

From the corner of his eye, Wilhelm could see his mother retreating. "Where are you from?" He asked.

"England. My family is still there. My father just decided that Hillerska would be a better place for me to complete my education. Is it a good school?"