crown me 👑 ts + jb

nine.

-

Troye had one of those nights where it didn't seem like he went to sleep. He remembered laying down and he remembered falling asleep but at the same time he felt as if he had been tossing and turning all night. Although his body was well rested, his mind felt tired. He assumed it was because of everything he had learned in a short amount of time.

Alexandria, his uncle, his mother... Jacob. Jacob was probably what took most of his mind. The idea that years of his life could be gone, it wasn't natural. How could someone lose that amount of time?

The young prince got up and dressed himself for the day. His uncle was still in Spain so he still had some time to gather his thought about what he planned on doing about him. He walked out of his mothers room, sure to make sure the door was closed tightly before heading into the dining area. Alexandria was sitting at the head of the table eating a bowl of fruit.

As Troye walked into the dinning area he cleared his throat which caused the servants to look at him with wide and unexpected eyes, Alexandria included.

"Could you give us the room please?" Troye said and the servants were quick to oblige.

Troye waited until he heard the last of the servants leave before sitting down in front of Alexandria. The two looked at each other before Alexandria dabbed the corners of her mouth and sighed.

"Troye about what I did last night I-."

Troye raised his hand which caused Alexandria to stop talking. "It's fine," Troye says. "It's honestly not what I wanted to talk to you about." He takes out a piece of parchments and hands it to the young princess.

"My mother wrote this a month before she was killed," Troye said. "It took me a minute to read between the lines but when you told me about how it threatened you, that's when it clicked."

Troye sighed. "My dad was three years my uncles senior," He said. "So he got the kingdom. My uncle was always an ambitious man and he always wanted what my father had, the kingdom most of all."

Alexandria reads over the note and looks back at Troye. "But now you have the kingdom."

"Yes but my uncle is still regent which means he has control over the political aspects," Troye said. "And this is the closes he's been to have power."

Alexandria stands up. "Forgive me but I'm sure if I understand."

"Your father still owns Spain and I England," Troye says. "Once we are wed we will both own Spain and England by blood. That's why my uncle is pushing this wedding he wants us wed."

Alexandria walks around the table and looks at Troye. "What are you saying."

"I don't think that assassination attempt was a surprise."

-

Troye left Alexandria at the castle to be there when his uncle and King James returned from Spain. The young prince went back to the city and looked for Jacob. He was talking to someone at a shop adjacent to his. When Troye walked up their conversation stopped and they both turned to the young prince and bowed their heads.

"Good morning your highness." One of them said.

Troye nodded in his direction before turning to Jacob. "May I speak with you please?"

Jacob nods his head as the two walk over to his shop. "Forgive me about our last encounter," He said. "It was quite rude of me to act the way I did."

"It is I who should have apologized," Troye said. "The way I acted towards you at the summer festival was disrespectful. That not the type of king I want to be."

It was silent before before Jacob looked over at Troye. "May I show you something your highness?"

"I don't see why not." Troye said.

Jacob started to walk a little ways past the shop before they got to a wooded area. Troye looked around, the leaves were trampled as if someone had ran over all of them. The trees seemed to arch over and there was a blanket and two sticks tucked away between some trees.

"Any of this seem familiar?" Jacob says.

Troye looked around and shook his head. "No," He says. "But I assume it's because of my lost time."

Jacob looked over at the sticks, he grabbed one and then handed the other to Troye. The young prince looked down at the stick and grabbed it.

"Come on," Jacob says placing himself in the stance to fight. "It's like a sword... just a lot lighter."

Troye raised an eyebrow he didn't know why but when Jacob said that something clicked in him. Troye's mouth ticked up in a little smile before placing himself. Jacob took the first swing and Troye was quick to block it, Troye followed in suit and Jacob blocked his.

"You're pretty good," Troye says he then took a swipe at Jacob's middle but he was quick to back away.

The two stood holding their "swords" out in front of them, they were looking at each other, trying to figure out what the other was going to do. Troye was about to attack first but with one swipe of Jacob's "sword" at Troye's legs he was down.

"For a royal," Jacob says throwing the stick to the grown. "You're pretty flimsy with a sword." He then held is hand out to Troye to grab. The young prince shakes his head as he pulls himself up.

Jacob chuckles before looking at Troye. "Looks nice on you, you know," He says.

Troye dusts off his crown before placing it back on his head. "What does."

"A smile," Jacob says. "It's been awhile since I've seen one on you."

The two boys look at each other, they both stood in comfortable silence. It was almost as if they were seeing each other for the first time... at least that's how it felt for Troye. Looking at Jacob, the way he is now... it was like a faded memory. His chocolate brown curls, green eyes, and the scar under his right eye. He felt like he had seen it before but this time it felt different.

Jacob took a step closer but as he did the sound of bells broke the two of them out of their trance. Troye went wide eyed as he looked in the direction of the sound. "My uncle is coming onto land."

Troye quickly brushed himself off and looked back at Jacob. "I have to go if he suspects that I am gone I-."

"Go," Jacob says. "I shouldn't have pulled you away your highness."

The young prince turns around. "Troye."

"What?"

"No one is here," Troye said. "You can quit with the formalities..."

-

y'all see what did there?