Sire, I love you

Meeting the prince

The two days Allen had to get ready to meet the heir to the Bookmen clan were busy and not much fun. Allen was unable to leave the castle during the time he was being primped, he felt as if he was being ready to be sold for a price. Everything Allen had to do to prepared for the prince to get there was long, tiring and boring beyond measure. This prince Lavi guy better be worth it or Allen was going to be severely upset. But you never know, maybe Allen and Lavi will be able to become friends. Maybe once Allen finally meets this prince, who is, in fact, on his way to come to Allen's castle today.

There was a knock on Allen's door, soon after the door was opened and in stepped a servant "My lord, you must come down to the foyer, the prince of the Bookmen clan is finally here." The servant informed him.

"How many times must I tell you? Call me Allen." He said, getting up from his bed and straightening his clothes. Sighing Allen looked at his servant. "Well, let's get going then." The servant nodded, and held the door open for the teen. "Thanks..." Allen mumbled

"Master walker, is something wrong?" The man asked.

"Just a bit nervous, that's all." He said quietly, he was nervous, yes, but that wasn't the main reason he was upset. He missed his boyfriend and he felt that with Lavi being here, he was cheating on the older man. He knew that Kanda wasn't angry with him and that he knew that Allen's situation was unable to be avoided but that didn't make Allen feel any less guilty.

"That is understandable, my lord, as you will be married in less than a week. It is quiet normal to be nervous." The servant assured Allen.

"Thank you, but the wedding isn't what I'm worried about." Allen smiled. The servant who usually attended to Allen was a nice man. Yet continuously refused to call Allen by his name.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what is it you're worried about?" The two stopped in the middle of the corridor when Allen didn't continue walking

"I'm worried that because my blood isn't royal that he will hate me. Truth be told, I'm scared he will be rude and self-absorbed, with no care for any of what will become my kingdom one day. I'm terrified to meet him." Allen finished looking over the balcony to where he could see a tall red head with an eye patch talking to the master of the house hold. The two of them looked so similar. With one eye covered, red hair that could start a bull fight, and the obvious personality similarities judging by he way they hold themselves.

"Sir, I do understand how you feel, but you do have a duty and as scared as you must be, I have to urge you to go down and at least say hi." The man said. He was right, Allen had to do this whether he liked it or not. "And sir, if you're worried about Kanda, I can assure you, very confidently, that he would not hate you for doing what you must." Allen looked at his servant in complete shock.

"Link, I have no idea who that is or what you're taking about." Allen said confidently, trying to ignore the pang of terror he felt, if he figured out about Kanda, did he know about everything they did? The things they talked about?

"Please, my lord, don't treat me as an idiot. I am your care taker, if I didn't know where you went after I checked on you when you pretend to sleep, what kind of care taker would I be?"

"...... How did you figure out?" Allen asked quietly

"My lord, I have been caring for you for the past two years. You have been disappearing from your bedroom after curfew since I got here. Don't tell me you wouldn't have gone to find you if our roles were switched." Link smiled

"You're right, I probably would have tried my hardest...." Allen said. Then it occurred to Allen. Him and Kanda had been dating for nearly a year by the time Link had come to the castle to take care of Allen. "When you did find me, why didn't you drag me back to the castle. I don't remember you ever talking to me when Kanda was around." Allen said, not quite understanding

"You were...As you might say... Occupied." Link said, just a a bit too sensually.

"Oh. I see, thank you then for not interrupting." Allen said, not making eye contact with the servant who cared for him. " but, just out of curiosity, why did you not turn him in for treason?"

"Would you have liked me too?" Shanking his head vigorously, Allen then looked at link who continued to talk. "Judging by where the two of you were and the intricate way of getting that far into a farm yard, even you wouldn't go there, not if you were lost. The way you acted with him was not the way you would act if you were being attacked. Everything about how the two of you acted together made it seem as though you loved each other very much." He almost sounded envious of Allen.

"Then why didn't you ask me about it in the morning?"

"You would have denied it and gotten angry at me. After all I just started taking care of you." Link said, he looked over the balcony and realized they had been standing there for longer than he had intended. "Sir, I understand you are afraid to meet another prince who may not accept you, but we must go meet him before Master has a fit." Nodding Allen followed his care taker down the rest of the hall and down the stairs. "May I announce Prince Allen to our beloved guest." Formal Link was a face Allen had gotten used too but never liked as much as the friendly one who often only showed when it was just the two of them.

"Mr. Link, you're late." Cross stated

"I apologize, Master, it was my fault. I would not come, Mr. Link did his best, do not punish him for mistakes he has not made." He bowed to Cross then turned to the guest. "Also to our guest, I apologize for my ignorance." Allen bowed to the man in front of him.

"No worries," Lavi said "I am a complete stranger invading your space." The man stuck out his hand and Allen shook it

"I do hope to change that within the week."

"What? Me being here or our relationship?"

"Oh, I meant-" he was cut off by laughter.

Lavi put his arm around Allen's shoulders, "man, I'm kidding! You're too uptight." Allen gave the man a incredulous look. This is not what he expected.

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"Link, I must go into town for a bit, please do be kind to our guest and show him where he will be staying." Allen gave Link a look telling him where he was going. Link simply nodded and bowed to Allen before bowing to Lavi. "And Prince Lavi, I apologize with absolute sincerity, but I must go. I will be back for dinner, if I am not by then do not distress I am probably just running a bit late." Bowing to Lavi and nodding to Link, Allen turned and headed to the door.

"Where might the prince be going?" Lavi asked, not happy to have been left with a servant.

"He is simply going for his daily run into town. He will be back before dinner as he said, I will be out with him in a minute, he will be safe, do not worry about a thing. If there is nothing else, please come this way. I will show you to your room." Link gestured forward and began walking down a long corridor.

'Daily run to town? Don't they have servants for that? I suppose I did hear a rumour or two about Allen being a peasant boy at one point. Perhaps he goes to visit old friends? No, a orphan boy living in the streets would not have friends, they would have given him shelter. So, what is oh-so-important that the boy must run in himself? This family just got a bit more interesting...' Lavi thought following Link, oh this would be good indeed.