The Prince's Trust

The Great King

Sorry this took so long!! I really didn't know how to write this chapter. That's the problem when you have an ending but you haven't quite figured out all the little plot holes 😅 Kept getting distracted writing random one shots too which is the curse of having a one shot book lmao.

Hope you are all well and enjoy ❤️

In spite of the approaching winter in the south, the sun was scorching the kingdom. A true display of the vast difference in climate from the north to the south. Even my old village wasn't this warm in the peak of summer, let alone September.

Our quaint company of men had settled in a safe house on the outskirts of the city. The house came in the shape of a little disused Inn which was more than adequate for the stable boy left in me.

In our spare time, Ant was trying to negotiate a deal with the outlaws and the days we spent waiting were frustrated for everyone, especially Ant who walked around like the whole world laid on his shoulders.

Of course everyone reacted to the heat differently and each man's different upbringing became starkly apparent.

No man's behaviours changed quite as much however, as the northern knights under the sun.

Tristan spent most of his time lazing around in Vul's company, the man needed to be watched and I think secretly they got along quite well. Robbie had long given up trying to help Hugo fix the broken cart, he was lounging inside somewhere wishing he had a cold northern beer in his hand. Ant, despite complaining the most about the weather and perpetually looking like he wanted to be inside actually spent his days at my side instead, mostly he just whined but sometimes I'd get him to read to me while I worked.

You could tell who was southern born of course.

Hugo moved on as usual, being used to the heat and tanning excellently with his warm-toned skin. Vul... well I wasn't really sure what Vul was up to but he seemed to have a knack for finding inventive ways to cool us down, he'd dig out little paddling puddles or somehow make things that dripped water, he always used Tristan as his Guinea pig and we left him to it. After all, when he was making stuff he was a lot less destructive. Stevie didn't mind slaving away at his chores in the unfamiliar heat although avoided the sun and I did the same. I stayed in the stables, in the shade where I couldn't get burned, looking after the horses. They needed lots of attention with this kind of weather so I more than happily made sure to dedicated most of my day to them.

I'd get to work feeding the horses, mucking out their stables and giving them plenty of water whilst Ant would strip off his shirt, showing off his tanned, haired chest glistening in sweat and would fall into the seat he'd made out large hay bales.

Feeling sorry for himself, Ant would lay there all day, as though the heat was melting his fragile northern skin right off the bone.

I thought he was being such a drama Queen. Sure it was hot but he acted like sweating too much would dehydrate his body completely and he'd die on the spot. He was mostly southern too, he had tanned skin like Hugo, he wasn't burning just getting more brown so I wasn't really sure what his problem was. Maybe he was worried he'd set fire.

"Fuck me it's so hot. You've gotta live 'ere y'know."

"Uhm." I acknowledged, this being his hundredth round of complaining for the day, "That's kinda weird don't you think?"