To Wear The Crown

03

The rain had stopped at some point in the night, there is now the odd cloud in the sky but it's mostly sunny. Today should be better than the last, that's what Charlie thought until he walked into the prince's room, immediately having to step back out as the strong smell of puke brings him to tears. "Your highness." Charlie tries to breathe as little as he can. The sleeve of his shirt covering the lower half of his face as he re enters. On the bed the prince is laying on his stomach— head hanging over the edge. Charlie turns around to take a deep breath before walking over to the source of the smell. "Your-highness." With his free hand, Charlie shakes the prince's shoulder. He shakes harder when he hears the prince reply with a grunt.

"Wh- Oh my god!" The prince shouts as he launches his body to the other side of the bed, waking Nellie in the process. "What's that smell?"

"Your dinner. Next time I recommend not drinking so recklessly. " Charlie looks at the prince with a raised brow. The prince gives a shy smile while also trying not to throw up again from the smell.

As the two stare one another Nellie creeps her way over to Charlie's side of the bed, her nose sniffing curiously at the air. "Nellie no!" Charlie tries to grab Nellie just before she jumps down, but she's too fast. "For fuck's sake Nellie. Don't eat that." Charlie pulls Nellie back as a strand of Nick's semi-digested dinner stretches from her lip. "Um nope." Charlie has to let go and look away so he doesn't feel like throwing up himself.

Nick rushes to the other side of the bed and picks Nellie up. "Let me."

Charlie's eyes are closed with his hand over his mouth, he's trying to steady his breathing, but the stench of the room isn't helping. "T... take Nellie and go get washed up. I'll sort this out." Shooing the two away with his hand, Charlie waits till he hears the bedroom door close. Leaning forwards he makes a retching noise as he feels like his own dinner is about to make an appearance.

~

With a brush and a bucket of hot soapy water, Charlie is on his hands and knees as he scrubs at the wooden floor. A handkerchief is tied over his nose to mask the smell of being in close proximity— he knows the smell will likely last a few days. The hamper of washing has been taken down to the laundry room, along with the bed sheets Charlie used to initially wipe up the disaster.

With the look the head maid gave Charlie when he walked in he knew he was about to get his whooped. After multiple pleas she finally agreed to wash the sheets herself. Though it came with the price of Charlie babysitting her son the next two times she needs one. Charlie has had to babysit Timmy before and it's not difficult. His little brother, Olly, goes to school with Timmy and they're friends. It'll be just like a sleepover.

"We're back." Nick says as he waltzes back into his room, a loose robe tightened around his hips and Nellie trotting along.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Charlie tosses the brush into the discoloured bucket water. "Good." Charlie starts with standing up. "You have to go to your lesson this morning, so let's get you dressed."

Nick whines. "Do I have to go to my lessons?"

"Don't even try. I know you are the prince, but if I don't make you go to your lessons— especially now since your brother is king— I may lose my head." Opening the prince's wardrobe, Charlie takes out some everyday clothes that are still far more fancier than any commoners. "And personally... I don't wanna lose my head." He places the clothes on the table and proceeds to the bucket by the bed.

"Is it that serious that I start taking my lessons seriously. I promised Harry that I'd train with him today." Nick undos the know of robe's belt, letting it fall to the floor by his feet. "I also have to take Nellie out for a wall. I even promised Princess Imogen to have a picnic before she leaves."

Charlie rolls his eyes at the prince's excuses. "You can train with Harry after your lessons. I can walk Nellie for you if need be, and princess Imogen doesn't leave for another three days. Plus she'll be back for your birthday in two weeks, so you'll see her soon." With the bucket in his hands Charlie looks up at the ceiling, the ceiling isn't interesting but he doesn't want to be caught staring at Nick.

"I don't want to go to my lessons though." Nick gives his puppy eyes hoping that his servant will change their mind.

Instead, Charlie replies with, "You think I wanted to clean up your puke this morning? Nope, but I still did." Nick tries harder, yet Charlie isn't budging. "I recommend you start heading to your lessons now before I pour this bucket on you."

Nick's face drops and he starts walking over to the door. "I- I should get going." With a thumbs up, the prince leaves the room with the strongest urge to actually go to his lesson that he's ever had.

"Nellie," Charlie says her name with a sigh. "How is he next in line to the throne?"

"Woof." Nellie replies.

Sadly, Charlie doesn't speak dog so he doesn't know what Nellie just said. With a huff, Charlie leaves the bedroom, finally able to start his errands of the day.