The Tyrant's Downfall

cнapтer III | the gathering

The Tyrant's Downfall

chapter III | the gathering

The room was bustling with energy, lively nobles conversing with one another over crimson wine. Employees of the Pub wandered amidst the hustle offering their services or simply serving food. Collin was the latter. Dressed eloquently in a white, silky top paired with barely conservative shorts, he traipsed about with his accessory of a silver platter, offering sweet delights. Seeing as how he tended to stray from the center of the crowd, his apprehension was rather obvious.

William was stationed at the doors, designated with the job of greeting people and assuring that they, were in fact, of some high status in society. Every now and then your average commoner sauntered to the entrance in their best dress with the insistence that they were royalty, but one by one they were turned away.

It was why William was gifted this job. He was friendly enough to welcome greeters and make them comfortable, but he could steel himself instantly and use force when needed; a muscled charmer.

He kept this up until, eventually, the time approached when they would be closing the doors and denying entrance to anymore oncoming patricians. They could only allow so many people until a certain time. A bright smile unveiled his pearly teeth as he welcomed the last customer; a lofty, rather intimidating man accompanied by a small boy trailing behind him. Said man radiated an urge to implement and enforce dominance; though unaffected by it, Will could feel it. He was the type of man that demanded submission from everyone.

He was dressed lavishly in black silk, his slave lingering behind him in his own proper, sophisitcated clothing.

"Welcome to the Pub, Your Highness. You're the last of our royals tonight. Please do enjoy your time, and make use of our ready employees." Will offered a playful wink, but it went unnoticed by the man as he simply nodded stoically and walked inside.

Ah, the stuck up kind, Will mused thoughtfully, watching the inky mess of thick hair disappear beyond the doors. He pushed it to the back of his mind as he turned to the task at hand, locking up the front entrance despite the commoners loitering about outside; they'd most likely be there the majority of the night, hoping for an especially delightful encounter with a royal. Hopefully, a betrothed one, not that many came. Such would cause controversy and fame, and someone of low status would bask in the attention.

~~~

Collin sauntered about the room, occasionally offering a sweet to a noblewoman or man, but sticking to the outskirts of the room. He was firm in his decision to avoid the center; everything was visible from the center. If he was there, his chances of being bought or perved on was amplified by ten. He was already aware he could not avoid fornication completely in such a situation, but he could at least lessen the number of customers to approach.

He sighed in discontentment.

"Collin!"

He turned towards the call to see Will approaching with a delighted grin. What was it now? Was he already off Greeting duty?

"Don't you look a bit too excited? I love how you're really mingling with the people," the man teased, bumping Collin's shoulder with a platter of his own.

"Be quiet, William," the boy urged, "and go away. You'll draw people over here. The women will flock to you."

Will's grin simply grew, birthing the laugh lines framing his mouth and the creases beneath his eyes.
"Nice to know you want me to yourself."

"What I want is to encounter the lowest amount of noble imbeciles possible. Which is why I'm staying away from the middle." Reminding himself as he said that, Collin began walking. He couldn't linger in the same space for too long. He'd get stares, stares would lead to peaked interest, and his ass would be taken for about an hour; then he'd have to come right back out here to sell it again.

He winced. He didn't even think about tomorrow morning's soreness.

Will pursued him, ignoring his pleas for solitude.
"Speaking of which, you just reminded me of this rude noble that came in just before I closed up. Had a boy with him. He looked kind of uncomfortable."

Admittedly, this peaked Collin's interest. Not many royals had the gall to be so blatant with their narcissism. Most would cover it up with a kind, harmless facade, but eventually, their guise would crumble. He couldn't help but ask.
"Who was it?"

The brunette lifted his gaze to sweep it across the room, gazing at the faces of nearby party-goers. Finally, he caught sight of him. That same head of black hair tilted down. He seemed to be reprimanding his slave, his face drawn up in slight annoyance as he spoke rapidly.

Wonder what happened there.

"They're over there." William discreetly gestured in the direction of the man with his platter. Collin, although he tried his hardest, was embarrassed by the fact he could not see. Other roaming aristocrats blocking the view.

The taller man noticed this, sending a teasing wink down toward the blonde.
"Sorry, short stuff."

Collin simply glared at him and turned to continue walking.

Only minutes later, Roy rushed up to them, appearing to be flustered and in a hurry.
"Collin," he panted slightly, "there's a man requesting you..."

Eyebrows stitched together in a confused frown, Collin cast his gaze to the rushed boy, watching him gesture somewhere toward the middle.

"He told me to fetch the blonde walking along the sides, and he demanded that I hurry." Roy took hold of Collin's free hand, attempting to tug him along.

"Wait, who was it? Why didn't you tell him I was busy or something?" Collin complained, resisting Roy's tugs.

"Stop complaining. This is something we all have to deal with, Col," urged the brunette, tugging the boy away from Will and in the direction of the man with icy eyes.

He even freaked Roy out. He had engaged in conversation while the man gazed around the room when suddenly, his head stopped, gaze locked on Collin. The look on his face was a twisted mixture of annoyance and amusement, and he turned immediately to demand the boy's name.

"Oh, that's Collin, Your Highness," he told him thoughtlessly. "He always sticks to the sides. He hasn't attended many Gatherings."

"Collin..." He had tested the name on his tongue slowly, and Roy could detect the slightest malice in his tone. "Go get him, and bring him here."

And so, that lead to the current situation, Roy dragging Collin through the crowd.

"Roy, you don't need to --"

Collin went silent as they finally reached their destination, approaching a tall man with onyx hair and cold blue eyes. A familiar man -- a familiar prince standing before him with an unwelcoming grin and a slave behind him.

"Hello, Collin."

"Hello...Prince Phyias."

***

Not the best chapter I'm aware, but hey, something interesting in the end.

▪ unedited ▪

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