Prince | phan (COMPLETE)

XV

It was dark when I woke up. The wake-up call wouldn't be for another hour but I couldn't sleep. The stress of Ella coming over and also never seeing Dan again were too much for me to deal with. I sighed and stroked the spot in my bed where Dan had once slept. If I felt it closely enough I could just about make out the indent left by his body. I pressed my face into the bedding and tried to hold in my tears. I crawled out of bed and left the last remnants of Dan's smell and warmth behind.

I looked in the mirror and saw my hair astray, sticking up at all ends. There were bags clearly visible under my eyes, thick and black. I pressed a finger tip to them before running the same fingers through my hair in order to brush it. I threw on the first clothes I saw and flattened them down to try and make the wrinkles less visible.

I walked down into the main room and saw my mother sitting down, waiting for the servants to bring her breakfast. She looked me up and down as I walked in and her tongue clicked on the top of her mouth.
"We'll get William to suit you up later," Mother told me to 'subtly' tell me that she hates my clothing and that she recognised my zero effort day. "Its an exciting day Philip." She did her best to fake a smile but it didn't reach her eyes.
"It is?"I replied casually as I took my seat and started to butter a croissant although I had no intention to eat it.
"Yes. We're meeting your future wife," She continued as she watched me do a servants job, I felt both of my parents eyes bore into me but I payed no attention. I was capable of getting my own breakfast.
"She may not even be, I hardly know her." I rolled my eyes. Even if I did know her I still wouldn't want to marry her.
"Well maybe if you weren't so distracted by the servants you may very well have a good talk with this girl!" My father interjected.

"Father!" I whined to cover up the worry that came with the possibility of him knowing what had happened between me and a servant. It was impossible that he would know about the odd relationship Dan and I shared but what if he did? Or maybe he just knew about Louise? I wondered how he had found out but he was the king after all.
"Stop it, the both of you. I think it's wonderful Philip is getting to know the servants," my mother hushed us.
"Oh do you?" My father challenged and arched an eyebrow in the direction of my mother who scowled. Just in time to interrupt our delightful conversation, the servant finally came with my parents food. Father stopped them and glared the servant down, I looked up and instantly felt the cheeks flush. "You boy, what's your name?"
"Dan your majesty," Dan bowed and I felt myself becoming even more flustered because he was talking to my dad.
"Take a seat." Father gestured towards the spare seat next to me. Dan looked at me and his eyes were wide with fear, he knew he couldn't say no to the king and the only option he had was to just suck it up and sit next to me. I looked over at my mother to beg her to stop father but she was avoiding all eye contact with me. Father pointed at the chair once more and smiled through his ground teeth. "Go on, we won't bite."

Dan put the food down and awkwardly sat down next to me. He had bags under his eyes that were identical to mine, I didn't want to look at him.

"So, what do you do?" Father began. He didn't even touch his food, all his attention was focused on Dan.
"My job is to cook and clean up the castle si-"
"-No, not that. what do you do away from here?" My father interrupted.
"Oh," Dan looked at me for support to continue but I avoided eye contact. I heard him gulp. "I don't really have many hobbies. Most of the time I'm helping my mother to look after my brother."
He never mentioned a brother to me, why would he keep his family a secret? Better yet, why hadn't I asked?
"That is very kind of you," My mother smiled and I felt Dan ease up. He let out a deep breath and I could hear the smile in his voice, although I still didn't look at him.
"I guess..."
"You guess?" My father arched an eyebrow his way and this time Dan tensed up. I wanted to place a hand on his arm and stroke it comfortingly, I wanted to soothe away the waver in his voice.
"Yeah, you do whatever you can for family. It's not being kind, it's just something you do." I felt him shrug.
"Oh?" Father implored for me and I heard Dan gulp. He made a sound that was like he was choking on words.

"Father enough, just let him go!" I exclaimed and banged my fists on the table, making my mother jump as her orange juice overflowed onto the table cloth. "You're obviously making him awkward."
"I'm not, am I?" Father directed it at Dan. I glanced down and saw he was fiddling with his sleeves anxiously and then I looked back up and saw my mother glaring at father. Father finally sighed. "Very well, you are dismissed."
"Thank you," Dan stumbled up too quickly and nearly fell over the chair. He bowed to my father and nearly fell over again as he rushed out.

"Father, what was that?"I turned on him as soon as Dan was out of sight.
"You want to talk to the servants, you got what you wanted!" My father raised his voice which is something he rarely does. "What you need to realise is that the servants don't want to talk to us as much as we don't want to talk to them, okay?"
"Okay!"I agreed, grounding my teeth. Father didn't get it, the servants did want to talk to us but we were just too snobby and stubborn to see that! The servants were real people, just like us, just with a less money and power. But strip away the money and power and we were all the same.
"Good, I'm glad that's sorted," my father began to eat his breakfast, "Ella comes this evening, I hope you're well made by then and sort out whatever is going on with you."

AN: I came into college wayy too early so have a new chapter :)
- Rach x