Regiphobia

The Prince Consort

Goda stared at himself in the mirror. His torso was wrapped in bandages, a pure white only the rich could afford. Light dots of red slowly faded into existence. Bleeding. He was bleeding. As he heard footsteps approaching, he snapped out of the daze the sight had put him in and buttoned up his shirt. He just hoped the blood didn't soak through the fabric.

As he looked in the mirror, a tall blond man appeared behind him. "Here, doll, let me get that for you," he said, his charming smile hiding the truth underneath. Goda didn't dare flinch as he wrapped his arms around him, finishing up the buttons he had been fumbling with. His hands then moved to Goda's waist.

"Th-Thank you, Your Majesty," Goda mumbled.

The man's grip around him tightened. He managed to stifle a wince. "I thought I told you to just call me Gabe," he whispered into the other's ear.

"Sorry," Goda responded instinctively, shivering slightly at the threatening tone in his fiancé's voice. His fiancé. Gabe. The king. God, how had he gotten into this mess?

"Good boy. Sorry I was so rough with you," Gabe breathed against Goda's ear. He gave a small nod, heart racing in his chest. Gabe pulled back slightly, saying, "Finish getting ready and meet me outside."

As soon as the other left, Goda let out a shaky sigh and gripped the sides of the sink. He felt dizzy and light-headed. He swallowed hard, looking at himself in the mirror. He looked pale, skinny, and tired.

Disgusting. Weak. Fat. Useless.

Goda shook his head, pulling on his suit jacket and clasping the buttons. He grabbed his bowtie, tying it around his neck. He'd stopped wearing neckties since Gabe had... well, he really didn't like thinking about it. He'd had to wear makeup on his neck for quite a while to cover the bruises. 

He looked himself over one last time in the mirror before turning and leaving the bathroom.

Gabe was waiting in the Princess's Suite for him. Goda's room. Gabe stayed in the King's Suite, and Goda would move to the room connected to it, the Queen's Suite, on their wedding night. He dreaded that day, when he would officially be trapped for the rest of his life.

Gabe walked up to him. He was wearing one of his most regal suits. He wrapped his arms around Goda's waist and pulled him closer. "You look stunning," he mumbled to the shorter.

Goda went red at the compliment, but he couldn't help but think about the threat always looming in Gabe's voice and the "activities" of earlier that day. The torn skin on his chest and stomach still stung. Gabe pulled away and offered his arm. He had to take it. They exited the room, walking down the hall and towards the grand dining hall. Two guards peeled off from the wall, flanking the pair as they passed by repeating wallpaper, ornate decorations, and paintings Goda couldn't imagine the price of. He shot a glance to the guards on either side of them.

One was six feet tall, the other only two inches shorter. They looked just similar enough to be related. Goda was certain he'd seen them somewhere before. He found his attention drawn to the shorter of the two. He wasn't the more attractive one, but Goda liked how he looked more. Emerald eyes, warm skin tone, muscular and lean and practically perfect. He tore his eyes away and pretended the odd feelings bubbling up in his throat didn't exist.

As the four approached the dining hall, two more guards pulled open the door for them. The castle may as well have been automated when Gabriel was around. Everyone already inside stood. Gabe's siblings, the guests, and the guards against every wall. The king brought the small group to the two seats at the head of the table. The taller guard beside Gabe's chair, the other beside Goda's.

"You may be seated," Gabe called out. Everyone obeyed, focusing on their meals and polite conversation with the people beside them. Waiters came around and served everyone wine or water, depending on their age. People had impeccable manners, ones which Goda had spent the last two and a half years learning.

Goda was born to a wealthy, well-respected family. He wasn't nobility, but he was as close as you could get. His mother died giving birth to him, and his dad wasn't what he'd call kind. His grandparents protected him for three or four years, but things changed once their carriage was found, broken and tipped over, on the side of the road. Their horses had been shot from afar.

From there, Goda's dad had been horrible to him. It started with insults and yelling and degrading, then it turned into practically using him as a butler and borderline neglect. Then the physical abuse had started. People at school stopped questioning any broken bones or black eyes.

Twelve years after the death of his grandparents, he received a letter from the king, as everyone did. At that time, the ruler was Gabe's father, King John Crovetto. The letter contained an invitation to the castle and a brief interview with Prince Gabe. An interview to see if he wanted to marry you, as he was now seventeen and looking for a husband. Almost every household that had a gay son in it sent them. However much his dad hated that he wasn't straight, he couldn't deny that this was the perfect opportunity to raise their social status. Guards were sent around the country, picking up people and, around ninety-nine percent of the time, bringing them back the next day. 

When Goda was picked up, he expected the same fate for himself. He braced himself to come home to his father's wrath at his failure.

When he arrived at the castle, he was in awe. He was lead through beautiful room after beautiful room, straight to one that held only three things: a table and two chairs, one across from the other. 

Prince Gabriel Crovetto sat in one. He was more handsome in person than the posters and pictures and news channels gave him credit for. Goda was stricken immediately. He took a seat and talked to the prince. Their interview went on for what felt like moments, but must have been at least an hour. When Goda was lead out of the room, he saw Gabe mumbling something to the guard beside him.

He, along with four other people, was allowed to stay at the castle until Gabe chose one of them. That lasted six more months, people slowly being sent home. Once a boy named Tristan was sent home, the Koetsu family was allowed to move into the castle. His father was the only one left.

That was how Goda came to date the prince, and found himself in the front row at the coronation of King Gabriel. Another year passed with a lot of pain and blood, and Gabe had dropped to one knee, asking for Goda's hand. It had been five months since that day, and only one more until the wedding. It had been so hectic and stressful, planning everything. 

Goda just wanted to escape the castle for a while, but he never found the time, much less gotten permission.

It was mostly silent between the couple. Goda didn't eat much. He shifted his food on his plate with his fork but barely lifted it towards his lips. Gabe didn't seem to notice, or if he had, he didn't say anything. Gabe stood, holding out an arm to his fiancé, who took it and stood as well. They walked out to complete silence in the room, followed by the two guards. As they moved back towards their bedroom, a lanky man with glasses and messy hair rushed up to them.

The man gave a hurried bow. "Your Majesty, a moment of your time?"

Gabe raised an eyebrow, dropping Goda's arm and saying to the shorter guard behind them, "Take my fiancé back to his room, Officer...?"

"Cazado, Your Majesty," the man said, "As you wish." Goda frowned gently, lowering his eyes to the floor. When the guard starting moving, though, he followed.