Chapter Text
Allu's crown is delicate, and more intricate than that of his future husband's. It's also silver instead of gold, it catches the light like a sharpened blade at the slightest movement of the prince's head. The blue gem fitted on it is a sapphire tear, glimmering like the Royal's clear waters. His hair is braided through the crown, the black tufts combed and pinned neatly in place.
He's pale and even under the warm candlelight he looks out of place, as if lifted from the pixie realm. Elias' warm glow doesn't help things, his honeycomb hair and tan skin contrasts the prince's dull pallor. They sit close, arms touching but eyes never meeting. They watch the festivities and don't exchange a single word.
Tommi watches them instead of the festivities, trying to guess the feelings hidding behind the prince's perfectly empty expression. King Mattias has pulled the knight aside. In the dark and mostly bare balcony the king's appearance lacks its usual regality. His hand is wrinkled and stained with sun spots when he passes Tommi a cup full of spirit.
"They are perfect," the king murmurs. And they are; perfect opposites and perfectly unhappy.
"It's time, sir Lalli," he says, "for the old to retire and allow room for the youth to blossom."
He hasn't addressed Tommi directly in years. Tommi takes his orders from the prince, has been at his beck and call ever since the boy grew his first chest hair. So when the king breaks his contract and relieves him of his duties Tommi doesn't reply. He chugs the spirit, feels it burn on the way down his throat.
For a moment he considers leaving the ceremony, if only to hurt Allu with his absence, to prove that Allu still needs him. But soon he softens. Allu's eyes scan the room urgently, resting only after they find him amongst the crowd. The prince relaxes into his seat, eyes lowered again.
"I think it's broken, sir," Allu used to be so much more timid. Still, he would often lie to Tommi, that time pretending to hobble in pain from a broken ankle.
Tommi untied Allu's boot to free his hurt foot. After sliding down the prince's sock he only found unblemished skin. The smell of bitter orange blossom tingled his nostrils as he rolled the ankle feeling for the bone. Then the prince giggled and admitted to his little fib.
Tommi shakes himself out of his thoughts. The rogue memory leaves him with a sense of understanding that he's never had before. It must be the spirit's doing, but Tommi slips into a different memory, this one more brazen than the previous.
Allu's curious eyes followed his movements as he took his cock out to take a leak. The prince naturally followed suit, mimicking him, standing so close his stream threatened to cross Tommi's.
"Do you want me to shake it for you too?" The knight grumbled as he tied his breeches. Aleksi giggled.
"It's bigger than yours now, you must admit it," he said, chest puffing up proudly. Tommi sighed deeply.
"Right," Tommi cleared his throat, the comeback already shaped in his mind, "and having a big sword makes one a master at fencing, right?"
Shortly after that the first harlot had appeared. Tommi remembers Joonas at first, nervous but eager to please. He would teach Allu how to touch and how to move, to use his tongue and fingers and his- admittedly big- cock. Behind Tommi's eyelids Allu is sated in his bed, naked and pink and smiling, his cock softening between his creamy thighs. Tommi blinks his eyes open, shaken.
It's later than he expects and his cup is empty. The court is cheering and clapping as the couple retires. Elias bows rigidly in front of Allu as they prepare to split ways. Allu smirks, the first real smile tonight, and he touches his lips to Elias'. It's a quick peck but enough for the crowd to erupt into more cheers.
"Help me with this," Allu orders him, hands already undoing the neat hairstyle.
One of his harlots would work these braids out easily, their fingers far more nimble than Tommi's rough ones. But Tommi is the only one in the prince's rooms at the moment so he helps. When he manages to free Allu's head from the crown he takes a step back.
"I'm tired," Allu says quietly as he fights with his vestments next, "help me."
Tommi makes no move to this time. Allu's shoulders drop when he realizes. He sits on the ottoman behind him, rigid and half undressed.
"You took an oath," Allu's face returns to the expressionless mask, only now decorated with tears that glitter in the corners of his eyes. They drip down his face leaving silver marks behind. Tommi's head is suddenly very heavy on his shoulders, weighing him forward and down.
"Your father," he says the two words and sees more tears rolling down Allu's face. Tommi wishes they were sad tears but the prince hisses through his teeth, already making for the door.