To Wear The Crown

02

The king's funeral was a blur for the prince. It started with a speech by his brother then one by himself, followed with friends of the king and others. Him and his brother helped lower the casket into the grave next to their mothers. The crying of others was muffled by the heavy downpour of the rain. A few tears ran down the prince's cheek as the pastor said his final preaches, and the casket was buried. After a few minutes the crowd around the grave has dispersed, leaving the two princes with their servants and the counsellor.

"We need to leave soon for your coronation, prince David." The counsellor speaks up. The princes look up from their father's grave and walk in silence back to the carriage they arrived in.

"What was my father like on the day of his coronation?" David speaks for the first time since his speech. His eyes fixated on the world passing by outside. The clock is ticking closer to the kingdom being all under his protection, his control.

"Just like you, your highness. Many princes wait for the day they are to become king... though few gain it from their father retiring. The day a prince becomes king is one of the strongest memories of not just the prince, but the whole kingdom. It is your job now to rule as it's not just your fate in your hands."

"-Great. Yep. Thanks." David interrupts the counsellor. He asked the question hoping to get something that would distract his mind.

"You'll make a great king." Nick adds.

"Thank you." David prepares himself as the carriage rolls back into the castle's courtyard.

~

The prince sat with the now crowned king at the top of the ball room. Dancers and musicians play in the middle of the room, entertaining the guests as they enjoy the feast.

"Charlie." The prince looks behind, whispering to his servant who steps forward. "Can you come up with an excuse to get me out of here?" He asks with a hopeful smile to escape to his room.

"I'm afraid not. You have to be here." Charlie pours Nick another glass of champagne. The prince may be underage but he's the prince. No one will tell him off for having a few glasses of champagne. Definitely not when it's the day of his father's funeral. "At least give it another hour." Charlie tries to persuade.

Nick picks up the refilled glass and drinks it in one go. "One hour. I'll wait one hour then say I'm tired and must sleep."

"Thank you." Charlies stands back against the wall, thinking that if the prince keeps drinking at the rate he is right now, in one hour he will be more than just tired.

~

"We're... almost... there." Charlie is not a particularly strong person so trying to carry the prince up to his room is not an easy task. Within the past hour, he took part in some dances with princesses who offered their hands— princess Imogen seemed the most delighted when prince Nick agreed to a dance. Though Charlie could see from the side that the dancing was just an excuse for the prince to sneak a few extra glasses of champagne.

With a deep breath, Charlie sits on the floor by the edge of the prince's bed. A drunk, sleepy prince mumbles randomly as Nellie licks at his face.

"Oh, I love you too, Nellie pie." The prince plays with the dog's face as he talks in a slurred baby voice. "Yes I do. I do. I do. I do."

Charlie looks over to see the prince behaving like a golden retriever happy to play with other dogs. The corners of his lips curl slightly before falling quickly as he remembers his position as a servant. "Right you highness. You need to get ready to sleep." Charlie's voice is stern as he prepares to argue with an almost 18 year old who's about to behave like a 5 year old.

"But I'm playing with Nellie." The prince turns to look at Charlie, giving big puppy eyes and lips pouty. "Five more minutes?" He pleads, pressing his face against Nellie's in an attempt to make himself look as cute as possible.

"Five minutes that's it." Charlie walks away to grab the prince's night clothes as he cannot sleep in his formal attire— no matter the situation.

"Give me your clothes to wash at least." Charlie drops the fresh clothes between Nick and Nellie.

"But-"

"No buts. Get changed then you can play with Nellie as long as you like."

Nick doesn't need to be told twice as he quickly strips himself of his red suit and into his night clothes. Charlie's head turned the other way to stop the temptation of looking at the prince's body. The prince spends most of his time training with the other knights so there's no questioning what his body must be like.

"Here." By the time Charlie turns his head back round, Nick has changed his clothes and gotten under his bed covers.

"Thank you. Would you like me to get you some water?" Charlie takes the clothes to be washed and heads over to the washing hamper.

Nick has relaxed more, not behaving as drunk or childish, "Yes please." He's gently stroking Nellie's head laying on his lap.

Charlie places the clothes in the hamper and pours a glass of water from the jug on the table. "Anything else?" Charlie asks as he hands the cup over the cup.

Nick takes a hold of Charlie's wrist instead of the cup. "Can you stay here for a few minutes?"

"What's wrong?" Originally asking the question thinking he was going to get a simple order or a stupid drunken joke, but the words that leave the prince's words takes Charlie aback.

"I just want to say thank you. Not a thank you like when I ask you to get me a glass of water or something like that. But an actual genuine thank you for being by my side. Things are going to get more hectic, so please... don't leave me." Nick sniffles and wipes his nose with his other arm.

"I- I'm not going anywhere your highness. I vowed to serve you till death." Charlie carefully takes Nick's hand from his wrist and replaces it with the cup of water. "Now drink this. It'll make you feel better in the morning."

Nick looks down at the cup for a moment, swirling the water round and round. "I should go to sleep now."

Charlie bids the prince farewell, making his way out the bedroom and into his servant room next door.

Flopping down onto his bed, Charlie looks up at the ceiling and contemplates his life choices. He was brought up to be the servant of the second prince since his mother served the former queen. It was all fine and dandy until one day he realised he liked the prince in more than just an appreciation way. His best friend Tao, another servant in the castle, teases him constantly for his crush on a straight guy. Though it is thanks to Tao's teasing that Charlie doesn't let his thoughts get the better of him.

"Good night, your highness." Charlie's words fade as he closes his eyes and sleeps. The sound of the rain outside is like white noise, lulling the servant to sleep.