Royal or Rebel (A Disgraced Prince Scott AU)

Mourn

Three weeks had passed.

Three weeks since Mr Rainforth had died in the company of his loving wife and the young Heron.

Willow had been returned to her mother's loving embrace in that time yet she knew nothing of the whereabouts of her father or older siblings.

Amber had wept tears of joy when the three year old had returned to her arms as Scott II had been stolen a week prior to Willow's return.

Only a few days prior had Jacob been dumped at the palace door, heavily injured but alive, he was laid in the hospital wing to rest and recover.

Only the day before had Princess Alexandrina been returned by a local village woman who had found her on the streets.

No one knew where Prince Scott II was.

Will and Acho hadn't been able to go home to mourn with their found family but they had been dressed entirely in black throughout their investigation into the threat against Amber and her family.

They found comfort in each other's company because they had no other Nightingales to turn to during this trying time in their lives.

Will had been a shell of a man when out of meetings, he barely spoke to anyone and spent a lot of time on the roof of the palace, which is where he sat now as the sun began to rise over the kingdom.

This sunrise marked another day since the disappearance of the Crowned Prince as well as the death of a beloved Nightingale man.

Acho climbed the stairs wearily, struggling with his knee but ultimately making it to the top to find his captain exactly where star expected him to be, "Will...?" Star muttered from behind his captain.

Will turned his head to face Acho, "Hey. I..." Will looked back over the sweeping grounds of the palace in the basking glow that the sunrise granted.

"Yeah I get that..." Acho replied, sitting beside Will, taking a deep breath in, savouring the crisp morning air.

"We never got to say goodbye," Will choked out through his tears, "I loved him, he was a father figure to me," they sobbed.

Acho nodded slowly, "When I found out that he had died... Cate was with me and she isn't old enough to understand why her Uncle Acho was crying but she gave me the biggest hug and without that I would have started drinking again..." It was semi public knowledge within the palace that he was completely sober as of three and a half weeks and was trying for one month completely sober.

"When I got to the Faction Isles I landed on the Kite docks where I met Graecie and they introduced me to Mr Rainforth. I was a broken teenager and he sat me down and just let me cry like I was never allowed to on the Lucsinia. I cried for myself, I cried for Caer, I cried for Shep, I just cried. For the first time in my life I had my feelings validated," Will wiped his eyes.

Acho sighed softly, "Mr Rainforth was much beloved by our whole faction."

The unspoken fact between the two was that Will was the reason that no official funeral could be held, not until the captain had returned to Nightingale territory.

Before the other could say a word, Will stopped and stood suddenly, "Acho!" They whisperd harshly.

Acho followed the finger that Will had pointed with star's eyes, his gaze landing on the silhouette of a heavily cloaked young boy approaching the palace gates.

If one looked hard enough then they'd see the pale shimmer of a ghostly man but alas neither Will nor Acho stared long enough for they had both run, or power walked in Acho's case, to the Queen's chambers to relay the news of what they had seen to her.

As the figure approached the castle gates, a guard stopped them, "Who are you? We are on strict orders about who we let in."

The boy lowered the hood of his cloak, "Your rightful heir and Crowned Prince."

While he spoke with the poise and dignity of the future king, deep down he was a scared young boy who wanted his mother and father and sisters and uncles and family.

The guard fell to one knee, "Your Royal Highness!" He exclaimed.