At Your Service- A Royalty Solangelo AU

Chapter 8

The table where he sat was crowded with generals, all waiting for the Prince to arrive. The castle had been silent for the past week since Queen Maria's death, and he had not seen an important soul either. It was as though the royal family had vanished. Finally, the doors crashed open, announcing the unceremonious arrival of the Prince who stalked quickly over to the seat next to Will, collapsing promptly into the chair as the meeting began. 

The general atmosphere was hostile this morning, all of them at each others throats with less camaraderie than usual. Ignoring this, Will looked over to the person next to him, trying not to startle when he saw the Prince's face. 

Deep purple bags sunk underneath his eyes, and his skin was a ghostly pale. His clothes hung loosely on his now even thinner frame, and his hair was ratted. Rather than looking like the royalty he was, he looked like he hadn't slept in years, like he was seconds away from dying. 

"Your highness?" The prince's eyes snapped up, making Will quickly tear his gaze from his face. 

"I'm sorry?" 

General Chase grimaced, though he could not tell if it was from annoyance or sympathy. "I asked if you were ready to speak?"

"Right, right. Yes-" He rose, running his hands through the mess of hair before addressing all at the table. 

"As you all know, my mother, Queen Maria, passed away last week," There were mumbles of condolences from the men as he spoke but he pressed on. "We will be hosting my dear sister's coronation next week, and I expect many diplomatic guests to attend. General Chase, General Jackson, I am charging you with correspondence with our neighboring kingdoms. Make sure they are here to watch my sister take the throne. That is all." 

The prince collapsed back into his seat, and immediately began writing on a piece of parchment that Chase slid him, his sleeves pulling back ever so slightly as they dragged across the wood. General Jackson was next to address the table, but Will found his gaze transfixed on the arm where bandages were wrapped. The prince looked up at him, catching him staring, and quickly pulled his sleeves back down as though embarrassed. 

When the meeting was finally over, Percy pulled both him and the prince aside much to both of their annoyances. 

"What do you want Jackson?" 

"We have diplomats from other countries coming for your sister's coronation."

"I was well aware. And this is important to me how?" The prince droned boredly. 

Percy glared at him before continuing. "I need you to entertain them."

"Jackson, I am not 5. I know that I have royal duties, but what I am still unsure of is why  he  is here." The prince shot Will a look as Percy just sighed. 

"He  is here because he is your servant, and he is our key to making sure the Hele diplomats actually arrive."

"But-" they both started

"I don't want to hear it," Percy snapped. "It is final. And, I need you two to behave."

The prince rolled his eyes "Please, I haven't been in cotillion since my birth for nothing. I know very well how to behave with adults present." 

"Sure you do, your highness. But it seems whenever you two are together, there is always some sort of cat fight. So please, make an attempt at being civil."

"I cannot promise you that," The prince snorted, earning him another look from the general. 

"I'm not telling you to act like the sun shines out of his ass, I'm telling you to just look like you aren't planning his demise every second you are in his presence. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Crystal," The prince bit angrily.

"Wonderful!" Percy said, clasping his hands together before walking off to leave the two alone. 

"This is going to be a challenge for you, isn't it?" Will laughed. 

"Oh don't act like this will be a joyride for you."

"Oh it won't be, your highness. But at least I am good with people. Unlike you, I haven't been trained to bite whenever I feel cornered."

"Shut up, Solace. Shove your pious attitude up your ass why don't you?" The prince seethed through his teeth. 

"And there's the lovely attitude that Percy wants to see. Tell me, do you have to beat the ladies off with a stick?" 

"Why, are you jealous?" 

"Hardly. I'm just impressed that's all."

"And why's that?" He sneered.

Will leaned in closer to the Prince's face as though to share a deep secret. Crinkling his brow, he tutted, "I've never seen a prince with such a lack of women in my life."

He tensed up at this, eyes raising to meet Will's with an incredible anger he had never seen before. "You know nothing about me Solace. And never, ever, talk about my relationships with women ever again." 

Before Will could respond, he was moving quickly out of the room, making him scramble to try to catch up. But when he got through the doors, the Prince was nowhere to be found. 

Sighing angrily, he ran his hands through his hair to try to calm himself down. How did he manage to piss of the prince that fast?  Must be a new record for him. 

"Rough meeting?" A voice asked, and Will looked up to watch his boyfriend push off the wall where he was waiting. Suddenly, all the stress that was in his body seemed to fade away. 

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure the Prince hates me even more now."

"Is that even possible?" He teased, but his smile fell upon seeing Will's face. He found himself pulled into a hug, Paolo's warm arms wrapping around him protectively. When he pulled back, Will wanted to complain at the lack of warmth, but Paolo spoke once more. "Come on, I want to show you something." 

He let himself be led through the palace, the warmth of another hand in his slowly melting away the anxiety that had been building up in him. They got a few weird looks from the guards as they made their way down through the paths of the garden, but he didn't care. His focus was on the man in front of him, the one who loved him even as a servant. 

Finally, at the edge of the forest, Paolo paused, and Will nearly ran straight into him. 

Beaming, he turned around to face him. "Ready?"

"Always." Will smiled back. 

Paolo nodded, and pushed the low hanging branches back, leading him onto a narrow path that led down a slope to a clearing. When they entered, he was amazed. 

A small, sparkling lake sat in the middle of the clearing, illuminated by the sky above to enchant it. The grass here was soft as the two fell down onto it together, intertwined by kisses and limbs. Paolo finally settled onto the grass on his back and Will laid his head on his chest. 

"You like it?" Paolo asked him.

"Absolutely," He smiled up at him "It's so beautiful." 

"Like you," He kissed the top of Will's hair. 

The two lay there for awhile on the grass, not speaking, just laying. Paolo's breathing soon subsided into snores, but he didn't find the same peace his boyfriend did. His mind kept wandering back to the conversation he had with the prince. The hurt look when he mentioned his lack of relationships haunted his mind. Shuddering, he tried to block it from his mind, closing his eyes to force himself into sleep. But even there among his dreams, the same broken eyes haunted him in his dreams. What have I done?