Once A Tale (MXM, BXB)

And they all lived happily ever after.

The man sitting upon the throne looked like a big, sad sheepdog.

The first time Ashlin had ever seen him was while he was floating leisurely in the pond as a swan. He glimpsed him from a distance, his silken finery pulled tight over a muscular chest (threatening the lives of each and every one of his buttons), bright-eyed and nearly sparkling with excitement, a bounce in his step. He'd stared at him then as he stared now, for the sheer differences half a year had made for King Averick.

His hair, shortly cropped the last he'd seen it, now fell unchecked into his face and eyes, his crown tangled haphazardly in its strands. It was pretty, dark hair, with little chunks of softer brown in it and streaks of white-from stress, Ashlin would hazard a guess. His large body was folded slightly over itself where he sat, as if something were attached physically to his chest and dragging him down.

So caught by surprise, Ashlin utterly failed to greet him properly, staring agape.

'What... he's gotten so much cuter.'

It was a terrible thought to have, and he hastily shook it away. Timidly padding a few steps closer, he greeted, "Um, Your Majesty?"

Averick's whole body jolted as if he'd been struck by lightning. He jerked his face up. He was even dishevelled here, with missed patches of facial hair on his jaw like he hadn't even looked in the mirror while shaving. He stared, startled, down at Ashlin, with big pathetic blue eyes that almost immediately began to shine, his chin wobbling.

"Y-Your Highness Ashlin," he mumbled, "ah, what could I... how could I possibly be worthy of a visit from anyone from your kingdom. I apologise. I was lost in thought."

He looked like he was about to cry.

'What is this... so cute...?'

It really was like looking at a dejected puppy.

Ashlin took a moment to solemnly consider his tastes that he found someone so sad and so cute, then shook it off. Whatever. He'd live with it!

"There's no need to speak to me like that," Ashlin said, trying to be gently encouraging. There were no aides in the court aside from the guards at the entrance and there wasn't even an advisor at Averick's elbow. When he'd initially entered the palace, he thought he saw dust layering mantelpieces and tables and realised just how far the kingdom had fallen in the short time since he'd last seen Averick.

"There's every need," Averick said in a quavering voice. "I can never possibly make up for what happened... I am filled with shame that you must look upon me at all. To even walk into my court with your noble feet...urgh..."

He looked like he was thinking about prostrating himself but Ashlin hastily lifted his hands to stymy it. "It's okay! It's all right! No-one is even angry anymore. After all, you've sorted everything on your side, and... really, you didn't do anything to me."

The indirect reminder of Esque seemed enough to bring him to tears. He slumped on the throne. Ashlin could visualise drooping dog ears upon his shaggy head and his heart thumped excitedly, before he took a deep breath to steady himself.

"The whereabouts of my mother," Averick began, "I avoid looking at the information too much since I exiled her, but if you need it..."

"No, um, I didn't come here for that today."

The big, sad sheepdog raised his face, looking with bewilderment at Ashlin. "Then, is... is there something else the matter? Have the nobles done anything lately? I assure you, I'll fix it if so."

He was dejected yet so eager to please, and Ashlin wondered how many times this man had cried on his own since everything happened. Really, he had been foolish and dumb, but nothing worth such self-flagellation. Anything that their kingdom could do to him, Ashlin mused, he'd done to himself ten times worse, and it was enough to make him smile up at Averick. He saw his eyes blink quickly before hastily averting, as if determined to not allow the slightest offence in Ashlin's presence.