Behind Golden Bars {Solangelo Neko/Royalty AU}

4: Oh...You're Here, Too? - Well, Not For Long.

If only everybody
Could see you through my eyes
We wouldn't have to worry
And leave it all behind
I know it isn't easy
But I think we need a brand new start

Exhausted every option
It's time to run away
Won't even pack a suitcase
I don't need anything
As long as you're beside me

When we are faced with danger
And eyes that stare at us in anger
Take my hand and don't you let it go now
We'll find our way out

I don't have all the answers
Not sure what we should do
But it doesn't really matter
I'm so in love with you

⚜️⚜️⚜️

WPOV
Track: Our Way Out, Nico Collins

⚜️⚜️⚜️

The Thirteenth of September, Nine Hours Past Noon...

My father is notably missing today aside from the brief—albeit embarrassing—encounter with him in front of Nico. It is a wonderful thing. I'm not sure what is keeping him preoccupied—seeing as he's a king, it could be something as inconsequential as the castle's napkin choice for some upcoming celebration...or something as significant as a war. Whatever it is, I hope it takes a very long time to organize.

I eat dinner alone. My father doesn't show. A relief, really.

I go to my final lesson of the day—an etiquette class. I breeze through it. I keep checking the doorway to see if my father will show up at any point—sometimes his violence interrupts my lessons—but he remains strangely absent. I fight a smile the entire lesson.

When I leave the lesson and my father still doesn't show, I start to think that maybe he's fallen ill. That would be wonderful—I might have been able to take over the crown immediately rather than waiting a month. Nico would be thrilled—I'd upheave the whole system on my first day, if I had the crown right now. Nico could stay in my office while I did it. I bet he'd finally speak freely with me, too.

And so as I am supposed to be heading to my room, finished for the night, I'm nearly giddy with excitement.

Except I don't really feel like going back to my room. What I really feel like doing is seeing if I can find Nico. I'll want to find out first if the king really is sick, though—I wouldn't want to get his hopes up too early. I switch course and head toward my father's bedroom—I won't go in, but I'll see if I can hear anything. Coughing or a nurse or something.

The hallways are long, but I reach my father's bedroom door in no time at all. It's guarded, but they pay me no mind.

"Is he in?" I ask them.

"No, your Highness," one responds, sounding a little bit bored but looking as professional as ever. "He's busy."

I raise my eyebrows. He's never been too busy for dinner before. "With what?"

"He is organizing a new servant staff, your Highness."

I tilt my head. New servants? That would take a fair amount of time to hire and prepare for, but why on Earth is he doing it? Our current staff is perfectly competent. Maybe he's shortening the nekos' hours by bringing in more hires? Or introducing new chores...?

"And...did he mention why?"

"It is not my place to question his Majesty," the guard says monotonously. "However, he mentioned briefly that he will be..." He hesitates—strange. "He will be...relieving...the neko staff of their duties."