The Little Prince ✿ Larry

one

"Smile, Louis."

Louis blinked out of his reverie at the sound of his name, glancing over to his mother whom wasn't even looking in his direction. She caught his eye from the corner of hers, slightly inclining her head towards the crowd of citizens filling the streets ahead of them. His father was beside her, completely wrapped up in the address he was giving them. He plastered a smile on his face, just as she asked, even if it was less than genuine.

See, Louis was the oldest child of the Tomlinson royal family, and also the heir in line to the throne. He was 19 as of the previous Christmas eve, which only meant that his parents continued to pester and attempt to arrange matches between him and other noble ladies or even royalty from other countries. The issue was that no matter who his parents set him up with, he would never be interested, and definitely never be happy, as they will never set him up with a boy.

That's right, Louis Tomlinson, heir to the throne, had no interest in marrying a woman and giving her a child. He could barely contain a shudder at the very thought. Nobody else knew, not his friends, and definitely not his family. He could never tell them, either, lest he risks getting outcast from his own family and possibly the public of his own country. His father had always held a strong opinion towards homosexuality, and it had never been a good stance on the matter. Louis had remembered growing up and his father fueling him with threats, such as if he had grew up to like men, then he wouldn't be his son anymore. And that was one of the mildest ones.

In Louis's opinion, this day and age was way too advanced to focus on homophobia. Most major countries had legalized same-sex marriage, including their own, actually. His father just didn't necessarily agree with the stance, especially when it came to his own son. It made him upset, naturally, as he knew that there was a big part of him that his own father and possibly the rest of his family would hate him completely for. He was living a lie, but he was used to it by now.

He continued to keep his smile up and look throughout the crowd as if he'd rather be nowhere else until his father, the king finished speaking, finally, followed by cheers of the crowd. Louis waved along with his mother and father as they were escorted back to the palace, before finally turning fully and allowing the crowd's cheers to follow them. Backwards thinking in some areas or not, his father was a good and fair ruler and was loved by his people. Louis respected him for that.

"Louis, you need to start paying attention to what your father is saying and how he addresses our people. After all, that will be you out there one day with your own queen and children." His mother, Queen Johannah placed a hand on his shoulder as she gave him a fond smile, placing a maternal kiss on a lightly stubbly cheek of his. Ah, again he was reminded of the future that he had no way of escaping. King with a queen beside them. Really, he would rather do anything else than continue to live a lie. Goodness.

"Yes, mum, you're right. I apologize, I'll pay better attention." His father had already disappeared, most likely into a meeting where a spent a good chunk of his time. Meeting after meeting. He dreaded it already, even though it would be a while before his father abdicated the throne.

Johannah nodded, satisfied with Louis's answer and his demeanor, and gave him one final kiss on the cheek before exiting the room as well, no doubt to care for his twin toddler siblings and check on his sisters as well.

Louis let out a slow exhale, walking from the room finally himself and making a beeline straight to the gardens of the palace, needing to breathe in some fresh air where every eye wasn't on him just waiting for him to make a mistake or slip up in the slightest way. He always had to be just perfect, but that was impossible.

He opened the doors to the outside, exhaling slowly as the crisp autumn air blew over his face, still having his jacket on from being outside for his father's speech. The gardens was one of his favorite places to just slow down and calm his mind, organize his thought. Being the crown prince, he needed an area just like this.