Love Through the Ages

A Castle of Glass Part 3

Months later

Ship of Theseus

If all the parts of a ship were to be replaced, would it still be the same ship?

Alfred wondered where the real him went.

First, it was his interests.

"Sword fighting! No, what if you were to get hurt?"

Then, it was his dreams.

"Reach the stars? That's not possible, you're supposed to be out queen.

Then, it was his looks.

"Dye your hair. You're supposed to be our shining sun!"

Was he really Alfred anymore?

Where had that sky-blue eyed boy went?

It was hard to get used to his new schedule. Instead of sleeping in and having the maids bring him peeled grapes, he had to stay by his husband's side and even do a couple speeches.

Alfred still lazed around though. His husband was off somewhere, dealing with some diplomatic issue with a neighboring kingdom, but when wasn't he doing that?

The last time he had actually had a full conversation with his husband had been the banquet.

Alfred stretched, he felt the silk robe and bunch and pool around his chest. He better get up. Ivan had told him that his personal maids would be arriving soon.

It would be uncouth of the queen to appear before them in a robe that only reached his thighs.

Alfred rang a bell and waited for his dressing maids to come.

The clothes had probably been the biggest change in his schedule. Every little item had to be approved and chosen by his husband. Instead of wearing a sky blue, he wore a royal violet. Even the robe he was wearing had been a gift from his husband!

The worst thing though, was that hidden away in some fold, his husband's name was embroiled there. A brand. Look who you belong to now. Look who owns you.

When Alfred first met the king, he thought he was acceptable. Nice, cool, and handsome. Not someone he would mind marrying in these farces called wedding.

But then he started to change. Or maybe Alfred just didn't know him.

Once, Alfred had been allowed to walk around his garden. Play with the birds and ride the horses. But now....he was forced to stay, all perfect and pretty, in this cage they called a room. Waiting for the day when Ivan would finally make him his item. Waiting for him to consummate the wedding.

God, Alfred loathed that day. Hopefully Ivan would stay in that faraway kingdom his entire life and Alfred could live all alone in this palace of glass.

Alfred didn't want to sign his life away like that. If only there was something he could so.

Line break

The blaring of the bagels were the only warning Alfred got.

Ivan had returned.

Ivan's line of servants filled the streets and castles with sounds of chatter. Their talks reverberated around the castle, until finally they were louder than the bell that signified the times of day.

Ivan had returned, and with him came good news. The kingdom was in new alliance.

Alfred had heard rumors that this tangle of alliances would eventually cause a war, but why would he care about that? He was the queen, if something did happen he would just run to the tropics and leave Ivan to get beheaded.

No, what was worse than Ivan returning, was the fact that he was inseparable from a glass of alcohol. It always made him so touchy. Alfred had a bad premonition that the day he was loathing would be upon him shortly.

Did he really want that?

Did it matter what he felt?

He didn't want to be a little puppet on a string.

This would be his last rebellion and then he would fall in line, like the subjects to the king.