Under The Ashes...

Prologue.

This chapter was written by YuriKatsudon88

Life had never been easy for Viktor, everyone deemed him as the prince who had everything. That if he simply snapped his fingers he could get whatever he wanted, that, of course, wasn’t true in the slightest. 
He would be the king one day, but Viktor never felt anything good about it. It was a mere title to him, which caused him to lose countless friends and family over that title. 

It didn’t help that he was 24, his father was pressuring him daily to court and marry a fellow princess, or else he’d have to have an arranged partner. 

The mere idea shook Viktor to his core, his mother had taught him that your love should be unexpected instead of forced upon. Since young, Viktor had dreamed of meeting his soulmate, it always passed the time during boring meetings and filled Viktor with the hope that one day he’d meet his prince charming. 
The hope didn’t last that long though, hence here he was talking with his ‘future bride’s’ family along with his ‘bride’ herself. Viktor found them snobby and disrespectful, he didn’t want to be with her. But all his time had run out, he had no choice but to slip his family jewels on her skinny, knobby fingers.

Looking out the window to avoid his suitor's eye Viktor noticed his father’s horse, it was out of its stable. As if taunting the young prince, Viktor closed his eyes imagining being the horse. Running free down the field, having long hair again. Then an idea struck in Viktor’s head; he could take the horse and run away! 
Standing up as confident as he could Viktor cleared his throat and looked at his father, his arm’s shaking a bit. “Father, may I please be excused? It’s a personal issue” Viktor tried to sound as desperate as possible to try and help his case.

With a sigh Viktor’s father, Ivan nodded motioning to the door “You have five minutes” his gruff voice echoed across the now silent room. Nodding happily Viktor did a little too happy walk out of the room smiling to himself. He had done it! He could be a horse!

The hard part was done but now Viktor realized his second problem, the guards. Somehow his father had hired the strictest and toughest guards, even a fly couldn’t get by sneakily. Sighing Viktor looked around frantically before noticing the garden room, for some reason the door was open. Taking in a deep breath letting the chirping of the birds and the singing of the wind calm him, Viktor ran out, taking off his silver shoes and throwing them wherever Viktor laughed happily running around barefoot.

Feeling the soft grass touch his feet Viktor chuckled happily, every time he went out with his father’s permission his father would always send a dozen knights to follow him. Viktor felt like a bird trapped in a small cage, laughing again Viktor hummed happily. No more was he that bird trapped singing an endless song, just for today he was Viktor. Not Prince Viktor, Or Viktor The Greatest, looking at the blue sky Viktor grinned. Turning back to the stables Viktor chased down the horse, horse riding seemed easy, Mama did it all the time. Sitting on the horse Viktor grinned sighing happily, it couldn’t be too hard, right?Hours later Viktor found himself wrong, very wrong. Of course, the horse that was free was also the rudest horse and the most stubborn horse that Viktor had met. Viktor should’ve known that his father’s horse would act just like his Papa, cold and harsh. With a sigh, Viktor started to trudge down a hill. From falling off the horse several times Viktor’s clothes were beaten and ripped, Viktor didn’t even look different from the average peasant. But the prince didn’t find himself minding, he never considered peasants lower than him or dumber. All were equal, but would he think that while king? Looking up to the sky dreaming of his reign as king while his beautiful prince stood by his side Viktor found his foot caught in a log.

Yelping Viktor crashed down the hill, it seemed like life really wanted to keep trapping him into that cage, mumbling some swears that he and Chris had learned, Viktor thought he heard the trickling of some water.
Hearing a splash Viktor’s head perked up, standing in the river there was an angel of a man taking a bath. Or at least it seemed like it, black hair rested on this man’s head like a crown, ‘would he look good in a crown?’ Viktor thought with a small smirk continuing to watch him. Blinking Viktor stumbled back, he felt like a perv. Slipping on some wet mud the prince cried out flopping down into the water startling the poor angel.

“H-Hey creep!” the angel whined throwing one of his shoes at Viktor’s head, whining Viktor stood up rubbing his head with a cry. “Hey!! I wasn’t spying! I lost my horse because I was trying to run away from my family but now I’m just lost and tired and I wish for a meal” Viktor whined with a pout rubbing the bruise that the shoe left.
The angel’s face wrinkled with worry when he heard that “Meal?” he asked with a hum walking over to Viktor placing a gentle hand on Viktor’s forehead with a sigh. “My family owns a small inn, you don’t have to pay for the meal if you can’t afford it…”. Viktor chuckled ‘If only he knew’ his mind sang quietly as he studied the gold in his angel’s brown eyes. “May I ask your name?” Viktor spoke quietly afraid that he would wake back up in the meeting room or that this would all be a huge nightmare.

The angel simply smiled removing his hand from Viktor’s forehead, “I’m Yuuri, Katsuki Yuuri” he laughed with a small smile, ‘God I want this man to be my king, or queen, whatever way that works’ Viktor thought with a small smile and looked away while Yuuri changed. The two soon found themselves walking arm and arm down the forest (Viktor needed some ‘help’ with walking) talking about stories that were quite popular in the kingdom. Viktor promised that he’d never look at another person the way he’d look at Yuuri.

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