Peasant | A Phan AU

| Prologue |

Philip and Martyn leaned by the king's bed, sadly staring at their father's pale skin and sunken eyes. As the tension in the room grew, one of the maids walked briskly into the room holding a new cup of tea. Elyzabeth politely set the tea on his bedside table and exited the room, probably off to go clean.

The silence was broken by the king letting out a shuddering cough in his slumber. Philip fiddled with the blanket that laid on the bed, attempting to think of happy things.

Martyn sighed deeply. With a sorrowful voice he began, "I think father's time is coming to an end."

Philip shakily replied, "You may be right."

As if it were cued, the queen walked into the bedroom with a royal elegance. She rushed over to her husband and hastily kissed his forehead. She stopped the affection there, turning her attention to her sons.

"My darlings," she breathed, letting her eyes wash over the boys. She embraced the boys at once, burying her head into their shoulders. "William has predicted that he will not last the night," the queen whispered to them.

Philip gasped sharply. William was the best doctor in Ashrudel and his predictions were almost always correct. As much as he hated his father's strict attitude, his heart already ached at the thought of him gone. They all glanced at the king, sharing heartbroken looks.

Martyn said with a serious tone, "His responsibility is going to be handed down to me, I suppose."

"Not necessarily," their mother told them. "Your father decided that you both deserve a fair chance to become the next ruler."

"How so?" Philip questioned, dreading the answer.

"My sons, you will go through trials to see who is better fit to be king. During this time, we will offer multiple princesses our hospitality. You will both find a bride from those princesses." The queen responded.

Philip averted his gaze to the ground, disgust running through his veins. The mere thought of being wed to a woman was enough to make him feel nauseous. He wanted to share his life with a man, not a woman. Philip would never admit this aloud; he valued his life and didn't fancy being burnt on a stake.

"A competition, aye?" Martyn said smugly, smirking at his brother. Philip knew that Martyn had always possessed a hungry need for power, and Philip was not one to hold him back.

"A competition, indeed," Philip gulped.

For the rest of the night they stayed by the king, making sure he was comfortable in his last hours. By the time it had reached midnight, Philip's father had joined the afterlife.

With a tear-stained face, the queen alerted the staff of the king's passing. The kingdom of Ashrudel mourned the next day, every citizen attending his burial.

As the servants piled dirt onto the deceased body, Philip let his eyes wander over the crowd of citizens. Some were crying, some smiling, and others nonchalant. But his eyes lingered on a young, stunning boy with brown, curly hair and chocolate colored eyes.

Philip didn't know it yet, but the beautiful boy he had laid his eyes upon was going to change his life greatly.

***

Coming Soon-

August 1st, 2016