Distance Between Us | Peterick AU

12

Patrick opened his eyes slowly, gradually waking up from a deep, painful slumber, in a bed somewhere he didn't recognize. The last thing he remembered was seeing Pete being taken away, then hits and punches all over him until he blacked out.

Once he regained enough consciousness to be aware of his surroundings, Patrick saw he was laying in a small room with thick, stone walls all around him, including the floor. There was nothing else in the room save a tiny nightstand with a candle on the opposite end.

There was a stone staircase next to where the candle sat, and Patrick wished to go up to see where it led to figure out where he was, but the aches and pains of his muscles kept him from moving even an inch. He lay there for who knows how long, until soft footsteps began to make their way down.

It was Ryia, carrying a rolled towel in one hand and a candle in the other. Although she obviously saw that Patrick was awake, she didn't say a word as she set the flame down and walked over to the lifeless body on the ratty bed. She placed the wet towel on Patrick's forehead, making sure no water dripped down into his eyes.

Ryia moved down his body and checked his arms and legs, making Patrick notice bandages he didn't even realize he was wearing.

"W-Where am I?" He stuttered out to the maid. She looked up at him after tightening some of the gauze.

"You are in one of the basement rooms," she whispered. Patrick didn't even know anything about those rooms. "This is where you are to stay until further notice, orders from your father."

"My father? You mean he's keeping me locked down here? Just for what I did?"

"You will be brought food a three times a day and you'll be allowed up and out a few times for simple things like using the restroom," she responded, avoiding the question. "I will be back later around supper time."

The maid began to climb the stairs again, but Patrick couldn't let her get away so easily. "Wait, Ryia."

She turned around, silently awaiting his answer.

"Where did they take Pete?"

Her frail face remained stone cold. "I do not know, Mr. Stumph."

She made her way up the stairs without another word. Patrick didn't even have a chance to hear the door open and shut before a wave of fatigue washed over his body and knocked him out.

-

It was at least another full day until Patrick was allowed to see someone who wasn't a servant. Monday evening was the first time he spoke to his family. A full forty-eight hours after the "incident."

He was given orders to go into one of the formal sitting rooms, where he found his parents in two chairs, facing an empty one.

"Sit, Patrick," his father said firmly. When Patrick looked behind him, Ryia, who had led him there, was suddenly gone.

The prince sat down in the small armchair, uncomfortable under his parents' stares. His mother inevitably spoke first.

"I hope you realize that what you have done has put a large damper on our family name."

"Your little scene has cost us quite a bit, young man," his father added. "And I still do not understand why you would betray your family like that."

"Betray?" Patrick exclaimed. "Betray you?"

He had planned on staying calm and simply listening, but the third sentence he had heard has baffled him enough to stand from his chair. "My parents were going to force me to marry someone I didn't even like!"