Use Me, Royal Stranger (mxm)

Chapter 4 - One Step Forward

        Alaric didn't know what exactly he wanted from this young man he just met. For some reason, he just wanted to be around him, to know more about him. He had heard a lot about brown eyed boy from Naomi. She had proudly shared about what a kind and sensitive child she had raised. On many occasions, she had brought his virtues and character strengths up, simply to put Alaric down.

        Carlen was commoner, a servant in the castle. One that has not even earned his place to officially serve the royal members of the castle. They had never met in person, but Alaric felt like he knew Carlen. Ever since ten years of age, he knew of the existance of Carlen White and all the milestone stories that came with his growing up. Now that he has met with Carlen, he could put a face to the main character.

        Naomi had excitedly told him to keep it a secret between them, that she had picked up a werewolf pup by the steps of the famous inn in town and had planned to raise him like her own child. Alaric remembered being estatic about it. He had always been close to Naomi and thought of her as his birth mother instead. The addition of Carlen into her life made him temporarily felt like he was gaining a brother of sorts.

        But the cruelty of being born into the royal family tore those dreams away. He was reminded constantly that Naomi was a lowly servant of the castle, that he should never associate with her more than he needed to.

        At age 11, Alaric remembered begging Naomi to bring him to see her new adopted son. He was getting tired of his other siblings and cousins in the castle. They were all jealous of his status as crown prince and they treated him coldly. He wanted the warmth of Naomi's affections and he wished he could be a family with her adopted son.

        Naomi declined his request with tears in her eyes. She said that if he understood what danger it would pose to Carlen to simply meet him, he would reconsider the visit. The castle walls were thin and the people in it were scheming. If they thought Naomi or Carlen were chest pieces they could make use to hurt the crown prince, they would not hesitate for one moment.

        Even at a young age, Alaric understood. The poor baby, Naomi's baby is defenseless. He had already put Naomi in danger. He knew of some court officials that were asking her questions about him, putting her on the spot and finding trouble in her domain. But Naomi was a strong woman, she put up with the nonsense the court officials threw at her and managed to battle her way out of trouble. The baby boy would not be so lucky.

        Alaric knew that the baby boy could be used against him to hurt his relationship with Naomi. The bond between Naomi and him while strong, the loss of her baby boy as a tactic against the crown prince was surely to destroy that bond. Alaric will take no chance with it. He had to simply settle for much less. Stories of Carlen growing up was all he had, and he was content to listen to them all.

        Alaric studied the younger man. He wondered if having a royal upbringing was the reason why he felt more aged than his natural age. Only ten whole years younger than he was, but Alaric felt as though Carlen might only be a child. There was an innocence to him as compared to his siblings and cousins around the age of sixteen. Would life outside the royal family make him less guarded and scheming himself? Perhaps if Naomi raised him as his own, he could be carefree and innocent like Carlen was.

        "A-Alaric?" Carlen stuttered meekly. A stab of sadness ran through Alaric. Why was Carlen so afraid of him? He had not given him a reason to be.

        "Yes Carlen?" He replied firmly, trying to keep his facial expressions neutral. He knows that he can seem intimidating to others.

        "How would you know about someone- like me?" Carlen's brown eyes stared earnestly back at Alaric's green ones. Naomi had not spoken about him at all to Carlen then? Alaric felt midly disappointed, yet he understood somehow, her need to protect him against the politics within the castle walls. There was no need for him to know about someone who could possibly cost his life.