Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Chapter Text
Three weeks. Three weeks they gave him to grieve his father’s loss. Officially he would mourn much longer of course, would only be seen in public in black clothing with his head tilted down. But behind the castle walls the business had to go on. They could not allow themselves any more time, where if anything was to happen, they would be unable to act. At least that is what Harlan said, his father’s closest adviser and friend. He is also, who was in power till the successor was crowned. So the preparation for Adam’s coronation had begun.
But that is not what Adam bothered, not really. He knew it was to come, rather sooner than later, considering his father’s poor health ever since he was a child. He had been prepared for it. Of course he had been upset at his father’s passing, but also hoped that wherever he was now, he had less stress and a better health. He has made his peace with the situation, with great help from Harlan, who had not only managed everything political, but was also handling most of the stuff concerning the coronation, giving Adam time and space.
What he had not been prepared for is the fact that apparently one majorly important thing he needs before he can take on the duty as king is a spouse.
When Harlan had come to him to break the news, Adam had been eating lunch. As it turns out, nobody had considered this problem or even really remembered this rule, as when his father had been crowned he had been married for some time with Adam already on the way, similar with his grandfather and great grandfather. And logically Adam knew, it was no one’s fault and that it was unusual for a man of his age and status not to be married yet. Still he had to admit that he threw his plate only missing Harlan’s head by a few inches, just to break down screaming and crying. In that moment everything just felt so unfair. Why had no one, out of all the people working at the castle remembered earlier? Why had they to remember now?
He did feel bad about it afterwards, but ever since his father’s death his nerves were on edge, being ripped out of his routine and with now more attention on him than ever. Harlan had just sighed, muttering about how he had hoped Adam would grow out of this behaviour, escorting him to his room. The next day they had a more collected conversation about this and came to the conclusion, even if Adam didn’t like it, he had to find a wife as soon as possible. And so the preparations for the coronation were set aside, to focus on the task of finding Adam a bride.
With that came a new routine, though a considerably less nice one than his previous. It felt mean to even think about it, but with his mother’s early passing, his father’s declining health and Harlan constantly busy trying to keep everything together, there had been no one really left to bother themselves with what Adam was doing. Aside from the two meals a day he had shared with his father and a few hours of lessons in different subjects, he had been granted a maximum freedom, to do whatever he liked. And it is not like he needed supervision when reading in the library or wandering the extensive castle grounds, finding nice, quiet places to hide from the bustling everyday life of the castle.
But the day where he could spend his time by the stream at the edge of the gardens with one of the few books on astronomy they had were over. Now he was in the library with Harlan and a few others not learning about the wonders of space, but about different family trees and heritage lines, desperately on the search for some nice young lady, with a suitable rank, from a family they could ally with, who was not too closely related to him.
It was boring work and not leading anywhere, with all the persons involved in the process having different opinions and standards for possible candidates. Adam kept out of the arguments about whether or not certain kingdoms where too small to be regarded or if a third cousin could still be considered close family, even though he certainly had some opinions to some topics. Till now he never thought about getting married, not to mention that he never had somebody he wanted to marry.
He didn’t know many women or people for that matter. Sure there were all those who worked at the castle, but they didn’t count, as he had never had a real conversation with any of them. He felt uncomfortable around most people, constantly wondering if they were being nice to him because of the power he had above them. He was afraid of pressuring someone into something they didn’t want without even noticing. No, if he was to marry someone, he wanted a person who could see eye to eye with him, who was not afraid to speak their mind. He guessed it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone to spend his time and share his interests with. Slowly but surely he was warming up to the idea of finding his special someone, just like his father had always described finding his mother.
After almost a week of going through mountains of books and scrolls, Harlan seemed to have also come to the conclusion that all it was leading nowhere. Adam had been spacing out, thinking about his future with a partner, who was equally passionate about space and who he could bring to his place by the stream to watch the wildlife. He was pulled out of his fantasy by Harlan.
“What do you think, Adam?”
“What?”
His cheeks coloured. He hated it, when people didn’t properly listen to him and now he was doing the exact same thing.
“What do you think about having a ball? You know, getting to meet the girls before settling for anything.”
A ball. He chewed on his cheek, tapping his fingers on his thighs, considering the proposal. It would be good to meet the person he was supposed to propose to, see if they are compatible. On the other hand had he never been good at the few social events he had attended till now. With his father ill there had not been many, getting fewer each year. The last one had been the funeral, but he was not really expected to socialise there. And even before with his status as prince not many had dared to initiate a conversation with him. His cousin Will had told him ones, that he had a reputation, without explaining further. He hoped it was not a bad one.
Still one big social event would probably be better than lots of personal one on one meetings. Or well one on one plus the chaperones for decency. With multiple people there he could just let someone else take over, if he didn’t know a good answer for one of the endless questions some people asked seemingly without even wanting to know the real answer or, if he got frustrated with the incredible slow intake some people had when it came to a variety of topics or with people, who said with full confidence wrong things.
And with that he had his answer. Social interaction be damned, he was not going to be stuck alone with someone who was convinced of a geocentric worldview and would not listen to be convinced otherwise.
“I think it’s a good idea.”
Multiple perplexed faces looked back at him, as if he had grown a second head. One of the men present seemed to want to say something, but was quickly cut off by Harlan.
“You heard the boy, it is a good idea. So let’s begin with the preparations.”
The man quickly scattered, leaving Adam alone with the older man.
“Who exactly are we going to invite?”
“Oh ehm, all of them I guess. Can’t hurt and you can take your pick.” He said, vaguely gesturing to a pile of paper with seemingly endless lists of names.
Adam wondered if he could still change his answer.
~~~
Nigel sat by a small river, aggressively biting into a pear he picked off a tree, which, he was certainly sure, was public property, contemplating what life choices led him here. He had only accepted the job because it seemed like easy money. Playing royal guard for some stuck up princess, making sure she wasn’t going to get snatched up on her way to the ball of her life. Though he wasn’t sure if she even really was a princess. Probably not, her father was no king, though he certainly paid liked one when it came to his daughter’s safety. So he had done his part, riding along the carriage for days, looking out for threats, which never came. His ass hurt like hell and he wanted for nothing more than a nice meal and bed at whatever places they were going.
Only to find out once they had arrived that he had in fact not been considered part of her entourage. Meaning that they had no place for him at the palace. Meaning that he had to find a room for himself for the next two nights in the town, from his own money. And apparently he was not the only one with this problem, which of course also the town’s people noticed, driving up the price of every ever so dingy room through the roof.
Apparently they were one of the last to arrive, around late noon the day before the ball. All of the decent rooms had already been rented out, not that he could have afforded them with the ridiculous pricing and money being currently tight. One third of his salary had been paid upfront, which wasn’t bad, but he didn’t really fancy spending it all on a shitty room and bad food. So he got the cheapest room he could find above a pub, which was still massively overpriced for only including a bed, a chest and some fungi, not even the edible kind.
After his long ride with disappointing ending he had allowed himself a nice meal. It was ok, nothing special, but he nearly puked it up again when he was told the price of the damn thing. He had retired that night seriously considering to just walk away with the money he had, looking for another gig, not spending another penny on a rancid room or mediocre dinner.
Waking up the next morning he had to face the reality that the had no horse, no clothing except what he was wearing, only his sword and a knife and the rest of his upfront payment. He was not going to have ridden all this way not to receive his money. And how hard could it be to forage for some food in the forest he had seen on their way here the two remaining days.
So here he was in the forest with some stolen pears, trying to fish something in the small river with an improvised fishing rod. He had no luck in the past 6 hours and was starting to doubt that there was anything living in there. It was already late into the noon and the sun was burning scorching hot and even though he had spent all his time in the shade, he was sweating tremendously.
“Fuck it.” He muttered to himself. This fishing spree was going nowhere and he had started smelling himself some time ago. So he striped, deciding to give his clothes a quick rinse, laying them out into the sun to dry, before dipping into the water. He couldn’t hold back a satisfied moan as the cool stream enveloped him. He ducked under completely to wash away the sweat and dirt which he had accumulated over the day, then settled onto the riverbank, the water up to his navel with a big stone cool from the water in his back.
He looked up into the sky relaxing, enjoying the refreshment. The sun had wandered far into the west and Nigel’s thoughts went back to the princess - what was her name again? Becky? - and the ball. Had it already started? He wondered what they had to eat there, as he begrudgingly bit into his pear. He didn’t know much of the royal lifestyle. All he had ever heard about balls came out of the fairytales his mother used to tell him. He had loved those.
He closes his eyes thinking back to easier times, to his mother and her stories of brave knights and princes, who saved the princesses, marrying them and celebrating with a big ball, similar to what he imagined was going on in the caste now.
Bits and pieces of different stories drift through his mind as he tried to recollect a comprehensive storyline. It had been so long since his mother had died - about thirty years he realised, when he had just turned sixteen - and equally as long since he had last been told any of the stories.
With his mind occupied with fairytales and his body deeply relaxed by the cool water, he lost all feeling of time, till suddenly he was ripped out of his thoughts as he heard a rustling of bushes not far from him. His eyes shot open and he sprung up, only to realise one: he was naked; two: he left his sword where he had sat all day, meaning it was now closer to whoever was approaching than himself. His knife laid within reach, but still the situation was suboptimal at best.
He hope that it was either just an animal approaching or someone not looking for a confrontation. For example not the person who lived in the house suspiciously close to the pear trees. If push came to shove he could defend himself, though his chances were slim if the other person was armed or got Nigel’s sword. But Nigel really didn’t want to die, especially not if it would leave his body floating down the river butt ass naked.
He readied himself to attack just in case, but when the source of the sound was revealed he was too stunned to do anything. Because it was no person and certainly no animal, but someone Nigel - who was by no means a religious man - could only describe as an angel. This angel in the body of a man was clad in simple, yet undoubtably expensive clothing, accentuating the slim but lean form of his body. His face was defined by a sharp jawline and a mob of dark locks, which, with the sun behind him, created the illusion of a halo. His most striking feature though was undeniably the set of deep blue eyes, which were flickering from Nigel’s body to the surroundings and back, never lingering anywhere more than a few seconds.
And suddenly Nigel was very concise again about the fact that he was standing naked before this beauty of a man, dripping wet and with a knife in his hand. What a great first impression.
Chapter Text
Adam had spent so much time preparing for this ball learning names, practicing conversations. He had even made a list what he wanted to look out for in a partner. Still when the day of the ball had finally arrived, he could not help but feel incredibly nervous. So he did the one thing which had always helped calm his nerves. In the late noon he left the last of the preparations to Harlan, the other advisors and the castle staff and made his way into the gardens, to his favourite spot by the stream.
It was a long walk since the place lay at the very edge of the castle grounds. Or at least where he assumed the end was based on maps he had seen. The property line ran through the forest, but only on paper. In reality there was no fence or boundary stones to mark it, which was also one of the reasons why the forest was always empty of people. Nobody wanted to be caught on the castle grounds unauthorised. Not that anyone cared now a days, the forest was not used for anything in particular with his father unable and uninterested in hunting. As long as the people did not enter the gated gardens closest to the castle the castle they had nothing to worry. Still it appeared they were rather safe than sorry.
Form time to time he though about making an official statement about the forest, thinking that the people of the town would benefit greatly from having access to it. On the other hand did he not want to lose the one place where he felt like his mind could rest. He could not make up his mind for a definitive decision.
A rustle in a nearby tree caught his attention and he smiled as he saw a squirrel scurrying up a tree. Right, he came here to relax, not worry about another thing and he didn’t have much time if he wanted to be back in time, so he took a deep breath and focused on the song of the birds, on the trees and stones, which for many years have led him reliably to his place. As his hands fiddled with a leaf he picked of a bush, his mind calmed and his body moved swiftly and naturally through the woods.
By the time his place was only one turn of the stream away Adam felt content listening to the birds and watching a small school of fish swimming upstream a few metres before him. His eyes followed them, transfixed by the glistening of their scales. Only for the fish to suddenly burst apart and his eyes to be met with a pair of legs in the knee high water.
Adam’s body froze. He had never encountered someone else in the woods before. It didn’t however stop his eyes from ranking up the stranger’s body, meeting … something else. Adam felt heat rising in his cheeks as he quickly averted his eyes. But curiosity got the better of him and his gaze returned, this time higher up.
It was a man, older than him by a good few years. He didn’t look old perse, with defined muscles, a sharp look in his eyes and the way he held himself, but the white highlights between his otherwise sandy hair on his chest and temples gave it away.
Then the man shifted bringing one hand behind his back, the other one in front of his crotch for modesty. But Adam had seen what he was trying to hide, had recognised the glint of metal, of a knife. It brought Adam back out of his stupor. He took a slow step back, eyes focused on the man’s midsection as if he could look through him at what he was hiding.
Just who was this man? He certainly did not seem to recognise Adam and he was unsure whether that was a good thing or not. And so without thinking further about it he asked the one pressing question on his mind.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Nigel and who the fuc … who may you be?”
Did this man really not know who Adam was? He must be poorly educated or have come from very far way. He did have a strong accent. Either way Adam decided that for now it would be wise not to disclose his status to the man with the knife.
“I’m Adam.”
“Well Adam-“
Adam did not let him finish.
“What are you doing with that knife?”
He did not know where he took that courage from. For all he knew that man could be an assassin or insane. But instead of getting angry and lunging he simply smiled, showing of his crooked teeth, bringing his arms up at his side, to show he was no threat. Doing that he exposed the knife ones again … and everything else. Apparently that man was not ashamed of his body. Not that he needed to be, Adam’s subconscious added.
“I was just … having a snack. Would you like some fruit, gorgeous?” He said and slowly waded through the water to Adam’s side of the shoreline. There he bend down, ruffling through some clothes, which lay strewn across the ground. Among those was also a sword in a leather shaft, so maybe he was a knight, though a poorly equipped one. When he had put on his pants, he extended a hand with in it a pear and Adam could not help but wrinkle his nose.
“No thank you. I don’t like how the peel of the pear feels in my mouth.”
The man - Nigel he reminded himself- just huffed.
“Whatever you say, princess.” He said, taking back the fruit, slicing of a piece and eating it.
Princess? Had he recognise Adam? Was he mocking him?
“I am not a woman.” He protested.
“Of course, my apologies, my prince.” Nigel said, bowing slightly before him.
Oh, so he did know who Adam was. But it sounded weird how he said that. The tone was not like before and Adam did not know what to make. The man had seemed so nice and open. Had Adam ruined it by insisting on the right title?
He did, didn’t he. Stupid Adam. It was nothing new that people acted differently around him if they knew who he was. And then there was Nigel - nice, open, unashamed Nigel. And Adam - stupid, stupid Adam - went right ahead making uncomfortable by insisting on political correctness and formality.
He dug his fingernails into the palm of his hands trying to keep calm, which, as he remembered, was the whole reason why he came out here in the first place. But he was having a hard time with that, as he felt himself spiralling. How was he to survive the ball. How was he to ever find a romantic partner if he managed to even make someone as confident and outgoing as Nigel uncomfortable. The evening was already ruined and there were so many more hours to come.
A touch on his shoulder made him flinch out of his thoughts. His eyes met Nigel’s for a split second as the other man retracted his arm quickly at Adam’s reaction. Then his gaze went to his lips, seeing them move. Unfortunately his mind did not catch up as quickly.
“-didn’t mean to offend you. You said the skin is the problem right? How about I peel you one?”
“No - No, you didn’t offend me.” Adam muttered. Well he had felt offended, but he wasn’t going to say that now.
“And you don’t have to” He wanted nothing less than making feel Nigel like he had to placate Adam.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind, darling, that’s what the knife is for after all.” The other said smirking confidently, before turning to an awkward smile.
Had he made a joke? Adam wasn’t sure. Even if, it would be to late to laugh now. God what was he doing.
“I have to go.” He blurted out in a desperate attempt to escape the situation. Not waiting for a response, he turned around speed walking back where he had came from
“Gorgeous! Darling! Adam!” He heard the other calling from behind him as well as he the rustling of clothing and a series of curses, but he did not turn to look back. Walking straight ahead he trusted muscle memory to bring him back, as he turned out his surroundings.
~~~
When he arrived back at the castle, he noticed that his excuse hadn’t really been lie. With how fast he had walked he needed a bath and when he exited the bath chamber a few servants were already waiting for him to help him dress. One of them was still fussing over his hair, arranging and rearranging his curls, when Harlan knocked to escort him to the banquet hall.
The evening would start with a long round of introductions, in which the women would be escorted one by one from the separate part of the castle they had stayed at till now and be introduced by name and title. Adam didn’t really see the point in this. Who could possibly remember so many names and faces in such a short time? That is why he had learned them beforehand, which made all of this even more unnecessary. But Harlan had insisted that that was the only proper way to do things.
After that they would have dinner. It would be the first time in a long time that the large wooden tables would be brought out, made specifically with large parties like this one in mind. The seating had been arranged beforehand. The tables would be arranged an an ‘u’ form and Adam would sit in the middle at the table orthogonal to the other two. To his left was Harlan and to his right another of this father’s advisers. The official reason was not favour any of the ‘contestants’, as Harlan liked to call them. But Adam didn’t care for what reason they did it, he was just glad to have been saved from a good hour or so of socialising. He didn’t want to exert himself too much to early, with the worst still to come.
It went all smooth till there, but now Adam stood in the large open space of the ball room and he was expected to choose someone for the opening dance. He was a passable dancer and liked the way it felt when the movement of his body and the sounds of his surroundings synchronised. Now however all felt was the heavy weight of countless expectant eyes on him.
He moved along the seemingly endless line of girls. He didn’t want to look them in the eyes, to scared that if he did, they would see right through him and know that he has no idea what he was doing. So instead he looked at the dresses and jewellery they wore and how they styled their hair, waiting for… he wasn’t sure what for. Maybe for intuition to strike or a gut feeling to tell who to choose.
Till now he hadn’t really thought about what kind of look he preferred on a woman. On the list for a future partner he had wrote down things like ‘similar interests’, ‘good listener’ and ‘compassionate’, but to find out which of the women fit the criteria he would have to get to know them on deeper lever. Now he didn’t even know where to start. Now that he thought about it, he guessed he liked blond hair, though he didn’t really mind black or brown hair either. Before he could follow that though any further, something else caught his eye.
He stood before a woman half a head taller than him, making him eye level to the silver star earrings she wore. A small smile crept onto his face, that could be a good place to start. When he looked at her face he recognises her immediately thanks to his preparation. Her name was Margaret and she was the daughter of a Duke. He extended a hand, bowing lightly and gave his best smile.
“May I have this dance?”
~~~
The dance went ok, as well did those who followed. When Adam had complimented Margaret’s earrings she had smiled and blushed, thanking him. When he had went on to tell her what his favourite constellation was, she just looked confused and laughed awkwardly. In the end the earrings were just a fashion statement, he guessed.
After that he tried focusing on conversation. He primarily listened to what the others were talking about, which was mostly about other people, most of whom he had never heard of, so he couldn’t contribute, but he also didn’t how to change the topic. So he resigned himself to listening, while mostly spacing out.
He had a few more dances with those, who were bold enough to ask him first.
The longer the evening went on the more it felt like this was leading nowhere. What if all of this was completely useless. How was he supposed to meet his special person here, if all everyone talked about was everything but themselves.
He felt himself getting worked up. The music was unbearably loud and even the normally soft lights of the candles seemed too bright. He felt like he was about to scream or cry or puke, but that wasn’t proper and Harlan would be disappointed in him. So instead he backed away from the crowd as inconspicuously as he could.
When he reached the door to the balcony it was closed and for one moment he was scared it was locked, but when he cracked the handle and could take the first breath of fresh air, he felt his mind settle again. He looked behind him, making sure no one was watching, in the hope the be alone for a few minutes, and then slipped outside.
He stood there for quite some time, enjoying the now dampened music accompanied by the sound of insects and the occasional rustling of leaves from the garden below. Then he heard the door open. When he turned a woman was standing in the doorway. He couldn’t make out her face with the light coming from behind her.
“Oh, I am so sorry my Prince. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”
“Just-Just Adam is fine and you didn’t interrupt. I was just looking at the stars.” For one moment he was reminded of the man in the forest, but that thought was gone as quickly as it came as the woman stepped closer.
“Oh, how nice. I only the big dipper.” She said now standing beside him at the railing looking up. “But it doesn’t seem to be hear right now.”
“It is, it’s just not dark enough yet. But you can already see the polar star.” He said pointing to it. “Which means the big dipper should be somewhere around there.” He pointed a bit down to the right.
When he turned to see if she was looking he was met with a pair of dark brown eyes already looking at him. Her face was illuminated faintly from the side, giving her hair a beautiful shine and Adam a glimpse of her face.
“Wow you really know a lot about the stars, do you? I’m Beth by the way.”
Notes:
If I am honest I have no idea how much people in the Middle Ages knew about astronomy. Probably more than I do now, so don’t expect too much.
Beth’s and Adam’s relationship is actually going to take up quite some space in the next few chapters and the story overall. Would it still ok to tag it as minor, because they are not going to end up together?
Anyway I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Thanks for reading!
Chapter Text
Nigel had conflicted feelings. After Adam, this angle of a man, had all but ran away from him, he had returned back to town not long after, demeaning his fishing attempt as failed. He picked a few more pear on the way. The fruit were nice, refreshing and not overly sweet, but after just a day of only eating those he was already feeling sick of them, not to mention that they were not doing all that much for his hunger. Still he stood with his decision not to spend any more of his hard earned money on this place. Right now he was not even feeling all that hungry anyway, with his mind occupied by something or rather someone else.
While picking at the peal of the pear stuck between his teeth, all his thoughts had evolved around the man had met. Where did he come from? Probably the town, but the direction he had headed to was leading away rather than to it. Why did he run away? Nigel had tried to be charming and appear trustworthy after the less than ideal first impression. He quite obviously failed, though he wasn’t really sure why. Had he been offended by the nickname? He had said that he wasn’t. Was it too forward to offer him some fruit? Surely not, it is not like pealing a pear was some kind of great act.
These thoughts plagued his mind till he went to sleep that night and were the first he had when he woke the next morning. Now he was in the forest again, not having wasted any time after waking up, having a mental break down over his dilemma. The problem was that he would do anything to be able to meet Adam again, well almost anything. But today, shortly after lunch time, he was supposed to accompany the princess back home. And just thinking about not getting to have his full paycheck after all the trouble he went through made him almost bodily sick.
On the other hand could he not be sure that Adam would still be here if Nigel chose to return and look for him after dropping off the princess and getting paid. He could be an escort to one of the other girls attending the ball, which would also have to leave sooner or later. He knew next to nothing about him, only that he desperately wanted to see him again. Well and that he seemed to be well off judging by his appearance, which made Nigel’s theory of him being part of some royal entourage only more likely.
He sat by the stream, the same place as yesterday, for almost two hours, contemplating his options. He knew it was stupid, but he had hoped that be beautiful young man would return. Of course he didn’t. There was no reason to be in the forest at this time of the day, aside from being as desperate as Nigel. And judging by Adam’s sudden departure the evening before, the other man certainly wasn’t.
After over another hour of waiting and mindlessly throwing little stones into the river, he got onto his feet with a grunt, followed by a self degrading chuckle. What was he even thinking? Even if he got to see Adam again, what would he do? Charm this stunningly beautiful angel of a man, who was quite obviously well off, with - what? - his almost 50 years of life experience. Because that was really all he had to offer right now. No, Adam deserved something better. And if Nigel left now, he would be at least be able to afford some alcohol to drown the pain in till he got over it or died from liver failure.
With that decision in mind he made his way back into the town and towards the gates of the castle, where his way had parted from the rest of the travel group two days ago. With he high walls surrounding it, it looked more like a fortress than a castle. Maybe it was. Nigel had never been one for architecture. The clock on the church tower told him that he would arrive a few minutes late, not that it really mattered. They would not leave without him, right?
But when he arrived no one was waiting, no carriage, no horses and certainly no princess. But he was pretty sure that this was the time and place he had been told to return to. Or were they supposed to meet inside the castle walls. The gates were widely opened with only two guards standing there, one of which was picking at his nose, while the other was busy ogling the bosom of a young, visibly pregnant woman going about her day. And you’d think that the royal family would be more concerned about safety while they were hosting a multitude of princesses from all over the continent. Oh well, it couldn’t hurt to take a look.
When Nigel had almost crossed the gate the nose picking guy finally seemed to remember what he was paid for, as he grabbed his shoulder from behind.
“Hey, not so fast. Who do you think you are.” The raised voice also got the attention of his colleague, who - rather reluctantly - turned to them.
“I’m Nigel.” He said, hoping for this to be over quickly.
“You’re a funny one, aren’t you Nigel.” The other one sneered. “And what do you want in the castle? You must know that we ate currently having important guests. We cannot just let anybody walk in.”
If Nigel had not seen those two work ethic in action, he would have almost found him reasonable. But the tone he said it in made it quite obvious that all the man wanted was to feel important. Normally Nigel would not mind giving such people a piece of his mind or his fist, but he was really not looking for trouble, so instead he just replied calmly.
“I know. I am supposed to meet with the princess.”
“Ha, sure and which one is that supposed to be?”
Shit. That was a good question.
“B… B… Becky? No Betty, no… no fuck wait B-“
“Ok, nice try,” the nose picking guy interrupted, “but we will have to ask you to leave now.”
He pushed Nigel by the shoulder, stronger than Nigel had expected sending him toppling backwards. He was about to protest again, when another voice interrupted them.
“Let him come in. He belongs to Lady Elizabeth of Buchwald’s encourage. I needed to speak to him anyway.”
So Elizabeth was her name. He wondered why he had something with B in mind. Not that it really mattered now. He gave the two a cocky grin as they reluctantly let him pass through the gate.
The man, who had come to his aid, was the princess’s father’s advise and the man in charge during the trip. So he wasn’t at the wrong place after all. When he looked around the yard there were a few carriages and lots of people tirelessly carrying stuff to and from them, but non of them belonged to his travel group as far as he could tell. Maybe they were running late due to how busy everything seemed.
Is eyes got caught on something glistening in the corner of his eye. It was a chest carried by a man. A golden chest. Nigel wondered if it was real gold or just painted wood. Thought it seemed real and heavy judging by the tremor in the man’s arms. How much would cost such a thing. Most certainly more than Nigel had or ever would earn.
A fake sounding cough made Nigel look back back to the man in front of him, who was now holding out a small pouch towards him with an expectant look. Uncertain what was really going on Nigel took it from him, feeling coins inside. Seeing his confused expression the other man elaborated.
“This is the rest of your payment Mr. Banyai. We do not require your services anymore. You are free to leave.”
“What the fuck? Why?”
Nigel did not have a reason to really complain. He had his money and didn’t have to make the god forsaken ride back to get it. Still it was throwing off his plan. Sure he could get wasted here too, even if the townspeople probably sold the liquor for thrice it’s worth. But what if he came across Adam while shit faced. He’d probably swear his undying devotion for the man and scare him away for good. Somewhere far back in his mind he was aware how unlikely it was, that any of his thoughts would come true, but it did not stop his catastrophizing.
“Not that it is any of your business, but the Lady has been chosen by the prince as a possible bride.”
The man said, grinning smugly as if it was all by his doing. And maybe it was. Nigel had after all no idea what went down the evening before. Without another word the other man turned around, walking off to god knows where, probably to continue playing matchmaker for the prince and the princess. What was her name again? Nigel had already forgotten. Not that it mattered now anyway.
For a moment Nigel just stood there in the busy courtyard, unsure what to do next. His mind felt sluggish, as if he had already drunken a glass or two of the good stuff. Maybe that’s why, when the nose picking guard came up to him to guide -or more like push- him out, he just let it happen.
~~~
Adam stood by the window on the second floor facing the courtyard, watching the people at work. They were preparing the leave of Adam’s guests. All except for one. The evening before he and Beth had spent almost an hour on the balcony before Beth had complained about the cold. Adam had not been cold, but he had also not been wearing a shortsleeved dress. So he had offered Beth his jacked, but she had just blushed, saying it was inappropriate and instead suggested they go inside again. Adam was not thrilled by the idea of returning to the loud, stuffy room, but he had been enjoying the conversation they were having about the historical background of the different constellations very much, so he had agreed.
Unfortunately their conversation didn’t last much longer, since shortly after they were joined by others. Many had had consumed quite some alcohol at that point, which made itself known by the gossip getting increasingly more mean and the speed at which the topics were changed. At midnight Adam could not keep up anymore. He was tired, mostly due to the fact that according to his schedule he should have been in bed an hour ago plus the fact that a whole evening of socialising had drained the last of his energy.
When he went to excuse himself for the night, Harlan had stopped him and took him aside, whispering - quite loudly, probably due the the fact that was not completely sober himself - that it was rude to leave this early and that this was a chance, which would not occur again this quickly. Adam had argued that it was actually quite late and that they could go on if they wanted to. But what got Harlan to finally back off was Adam telling him, that he had already made his decision. At that Harlan was ecstatic, pulling Adam in a quick hug before running off, mumbling about needing to celebrate, probably to find more alcohol. Adam used that opportunity to quietly slip out of the room, to finally rest after this stressful day.
The next morning like clockwork he awoke at 7 o’clock, like every other day. However unlike most days he did not feel rested, due to the almost one and a half hours of rest he had lost. But he could also not go back to sleep with the sun shining through his curtains and the sound of the already busy town life going on outside the castle walls. He always felt a bit annoyed that his room faced the constant hum of the city instead of the calming quiet of the gardens and the forest beyond. But when he had come to an age where he could actually express his opinion, a move to another room with another layout and to other halls, in which he did not know which floorboards creaked and which did not, would have been more distressing than the noise ever would be.
So Adam decided to get up. Staying in bed without getting any actual rest would only disrupt his schedule even more. He followed his morning routine of refreshing himself, dressing and making his way to his breakfast room. While he did eat lunch and dinner in the main dining hall, at 7:30 in the morning - Adam’s breakfast time - the sun would shine in at an unfortunate angle, blinding Adam. And since his father and Harlan used to sleep in later anyways and Adam preferred not to be blinded, he had chosen a small room with a window facing south to have his breakfast. So he had set there and waited. And waited. And waited in the eerie silence.
Not that mornings in the castle were usually loud, but sitting there Adam heard nothing, no steps in the halls or low voices of the castle staff, not even the town, since now he faced the gardens. Only the rhythmic sounds of him tapping on his thighs broken the silence. He waited for thirty minutes, in which no one came and one one was heard, getting more and more anxious by the second, till he decided to get up and see what was going on.
He had made his way down to the kitchen and it seemed as if he had walk through a barrier and suddenly the castle was full of life again. He could hear the clanking of the kitchen utensils and the voice of people talking and giving orders. When he opened the door everything fell silent again, but only for a moment till Charlotte, one of the higher ranking maids, spoke up.
“Your highness, you are up quite early. But you don’t have to worry, the preparations are going along well. His highness and his guests won’t have to wait.”
“Preparations?” Adam was unsure whether it was because he still felt tired or if he had missed something, but he did not know what she was talking about.
“Yes, the preparations. For the brunch?”
Oh right, the brunch. Harlan had brought that up with him. Apparently most people preferred partying until the early hours of the morning at events like those of last night and sleeping in abnormally long, missing most of the morning. So long if fact that the appropriate time for breakfast was long over. But since most of his guests had planned to leave by midday, just skipping right to lunch had not been an option either. So Harlan had suggested a brunch.
Adam had found the idea horrendous. Not only would it completely ruined the structure of his day, but he just could not imagine breakfast food and lunch food pairing well. The palates were simply too different. But Harlan had insisted, that for one day he should consider and put the needs of his guests before his own. He didn’t actually remember if he had agreed in the end or not. Apparently he did. Or he didn’t and Harlan had just decided for him.
Adam felt his pulse rising. He had not been prepared for this and he did not like sudden changes in his routine. He felt so exhausted, but getting worked up would only make the situation worse. Not to mention that his guests could wake up at any moment. Harlan would be disappointed with him, if he made a scene in front of any of them. No, he would just have to make the best out the situation. So he took three deep, his eyes closed, doing his best to clam his mind. When he opened them again all of the kitchen staff was looking at him. Ok, you can do it, Adam.
“I would like some bread with honey and some fruit for breakfast.”
“Of course, your highness” Charlotte answered, giving a quick sign to a younger woman besides her, who hurried deeper into the kitchen.
“When will the brunch take place?”
“At 10:30, your highness.”
“Till?”
“12 o’clock, your highness. At the end you will see them off and they will take their leave in the following one to two hours. Preparations for that have also already begun.”
Till 12 o’clock. That was ok. Normally that was when his lunch time began, but if he just ate towards the end of the brunch, it would come close enough to his routine.
The young woman had returned with a plate of his food.
“Would you like for me the bring it to your room, your highness?”
“No, I will take it. Thank you.”
With his plate in hand he left the kitchen and could hear the noise picking up again. Looking down he saw the fruit, which were placed next to his bread. A pealed pear. It brought a little smile on his face as he thought back to the man - Nigel it was - he had met the day before. Adam hoped that man didn’t take Adam running off badly, he had been quite nice after all, even if a bit strange.
Deep in his thoughts Adam almost ran into another person rounding the corner. He startled, the plate in his hands came off balance and the pieces of the pear fell to the ground.
“Oh, oh god. I am so sorry.” A voice sounded from above him, as he had already bend down to pick up the fruit. Looking up his eyes met Beth’s and for a moment he had forgotten about the fruit. She looked beautiful, even with less makeup and a more simple dress. He’d argued she looked even prettier without all the jewellery and frills to distract from her naturally beautiful face.
Suddenly he was aware how the two of them must look from an outside perspective with him kneeling before her. He quickly picked up the fruit before standing up.
“Don’t- Don’t worry, I don’t even really like pears. Um, would you like to have breakfast with me? I have some bread with honey or we could get you something else.”
It was inappropriate for him to ask her that, especially with no one to chaperone them, but he had this pleasant feeling when she was with him and he still had to ask her is she even wanted to stay with him.
“I won’t say no to that.” She said with a sweet giggle. He was unsure what she was laughing about, but he didn’t really care. All he care about was the she prospect of spending more time with her.
So he took her to his breakfast room, where they shared his breakfast. Only half a piece of bread left him feeling a bit hungry, but he could not get himself to interrupt their conversation to get any more food, the dusty pear left forgotten on the plate. Beth apparently knew the time plan of the day better than him, since at 9 o’clock she excused herself to get ready for the brunch. But before she could leave he grasped her hand.
He felt his heart racing and the colour rising in his face, as he gathered all his courage and asked her to stay with him for at least few days longer. For one awful moment she had stayed quiet before giving him her brightest, most beautiful smile. She had agreed, given his hand a squeeze and left with the words, that now she had to make herself especially pretty. Adam did not think that she needed to do anything, but before he could voice his opinion she had already disappeared with one last smile, leaving Adam flapping his hands behind the closed door, unsure what to do with all his excited energy.
Even the brunch went alright. Sadly due to the arranged seating Bev sat almost at she complete opposite end of the table. Still all throughout they glanced at each other, their gazes meeting multiple times, each time followed by more or less discrete smiles. At the end Adam, under Harlan’s instruction, thanked all his guests for having come. Then he he was supposed to tell them, that maybe he would host them again in the near future, but Adam decided against that. Instead he made a quick eye contact with Beth, before announcing to the whole room that he had chosen Elizabeth of Buchwald to stay with him. He was not sure if such an official statement before some many important people was appropriate, but in that moment he didn’t care for their opinion or for the halfhearted applause he received, to captivated by the smile on Beth’s lips. After that he had said his goodbye and many suddenly seemed to be in a hurry leave.
Now with nothing else to do he stood by the window watching the people work. One man in particular had caught his eye as he carried a golden chest across the yard to one of the carriages waiting. He was pretty sure that the carriage and with that the chest belonged to Lady Margaret and he was glad that he had no chosen to more time with someone, who thought a chest made out of gold was a good idea. Not only would it be too heavy, but taking it with her while travelling would not only make it more likely to be damaged but also to be stollen or robbed.
A small tumult on the other side of the yard got Adam’s attention, where a guard was pushing another man out of the gates. For one moment Adam thought he recognised the sandy coloured head of hair, but his train of thought was interrupted when felt a hand at his elbow. He startled around to be, once again, met with Beth.
“Sorry,” she chuckled, “I didn’t know you were so jumpy. I just wanted to ask you if you would show me the gardens.”
“Of course.” He said, a smile on his face.
As she hooked her arm under his, all under the watchful eye of her chaperone, he, in the back of his mind thought, that he should tell the castle guards that it was rude to push people.
Notes:
Did the tenses change multiple times during this chapter? Yes.
Did I write a whole bunch of words with basically no contents? Also Yes.But I didn’t really know what else to do, so I just hope you still find this chapter enjoyable.
Thanks for reading!
Chapter Text
The next two weeks of Adam’s life felt like a dream, almost too good to be true. He spend all day, every day, 14 days straight with Beth. They shared four meals a day, with Beth being an early riser like him and also a sweet tooth, which is why Adam added a tea time into his newly established routine. They spent their days going for walks through the gardens and the forest, though always staying close to the garden walls. If the weather didn’t allow for that or they simply didn’t feel like it, they would stay inside playing board games or embroider, which Beth taught him on a particularly hot afternoon, where only in the basement rooms with walls out of large, cool stones the temperature felt manageable.
But most importantly they talked, about what they liked and they didn’t, about interests, family and even gossip. For the first time in his life he kind of got the appeal. He could have listened forever to Beth talking about people Adam only new by name if at all, but with such a passion and investment. Even if Adam could not follow the stories most of the time, just seeing the exited gleam in her eyes as she shared them made all his confusion worth it. In exchange he told her about space, the wildlife in the forest and about his childhood.
He was hesitant at first with the more personal topics, not because of Beth, but because of her chaperone. He was a tall dark haired man, the name of whom Adam had not learned, who followed Beth and Adam wherever they went, to ensure that nothing inappropriate would take place. He would allow nothing more than Beth holding Adam’s arm when they walked or a quick brush of fingers, when passing an item or Beth teaching him the best way to hold the hoop and needle. Absolutely no handholding, though Adam found Beth’s hands to be nice and soft from the few touches he got.
On her tenth night at the castle, close to midnight, long after everyone else had gone to bed, they had sneaked out together. Well, not really out, just to one of the smaller, more secluded balconies of the castle. Adam had brought his telescope and had shown her the different planets and constellations they had talked about when they had first met. After that they had spent almost an hour in near silence just sitting next to each other admiring the clear night sky. At some point their hands had found and entangled in each other, granting Adam the knowledge that not only were Beth’s hands soft as silk, but also warm, even against the cool breeze of the night tugging at their clothes and hair. And Adam had never been so glad to be alone with someone, because if the handholding wouldn’t have scandalised Beth’s chaperone, the kiss they shared, just before they had to return to their respective rooms, definitely would have. It was really more of a peck than a kiss, but to Adam it was something new, something exciting and in his mind just the first of many more to come.
The following morning at breakfast they sat across from each other with their chaperone between them and Adam could not resist seeking eye contact with Beth over and over again, only to blush and quickly advert his gaze with a shy smile, every time they met. After, more often than not, he gave a quick glance over to the other man, just to check if he had somehow caught on what was happening. But he seemed to be very concentrated on spreading out the jam as evenly as possible on his bread, so Adam didn’t worry too much. Normally he would find it unacceptable being this distracted while working, but he could appreciate the dedication - Adam himself liked his honey very evenly spread - and since it was working in his favour, he would not complain.
Later that afternoon though, when he and Beth were on a walk just outside the garden walls with the other man a few meters behind them, Beth pointed at something to his right. When he turned to look, he suddenly felt a breath close to his ear making him cringe, though he quickly recovered when Beth spoke.
“I think he knows. A shame we can’t do it again, I really enjoyed it.”
It took him a moment to understand what she meant. He wanted to ask her how she knew, because to him the man had made no indication of knowing that they did something forbidden, but when he turned around their chaperone was merely a meter or two behind them. Adam did not want to accidentally confess to anything in case the man didn’t actually know anything yet. So he simply decided to trust Beth’s judgment. She probably knew better anyways. Also their midnight meeting being a one time thing just made it more special. And someday when they were married, no one would be able to tell them what to do, a small voice in the back of his mind supplied.
That same evening shortly before bedtime Harlan had come to him with a serious expression on his face and told him that they should sit down together.
“Listen boy, I know these past few weeks have been a lot for you. First the your father’s death, the news that you have to marry, the planning of the ball, the ball itself. And- and I know how much you like your routines and that you had to go through multiple abrupt changes. And all the new people and the constant company you have now is maybe not that easy either. But the girls is nice and you like her, don’t you?
Well what I am trying to say is, would you consider marrying her. She not from an especially powerful or rich family, but you seem to match well and isn’t that all that matters…”
Harlan had rambled on for a few more minutes, before Adam decided it was ok to interrupt him, because he had already made up his mind.
“I would very much like to marry her.”
That made Harlan pause. The man looked at Adam as if he was seeking for something in his face.
“Are you sure? I didn’t mean to pressure you. I know all of this has been very rushed. If you want we can host another ball … or do something completely different. You don’t have to decide right now.”
Now it was Adam’s turn to be confused.
“I thought you wanted me to marry. And you are not pressuring me. Beth is the one. In fact I think I am in love with her.”
And it was true. He wasn’t sure since when he new - definitely since their midnight meeting, maybe already the morning after the ball - but he wanted to be with Beth without the constant observation of their chaperone, to do whatever they liked.
The worried lines on Harlan’s face had smoothed out, as he gave Adam a big smile.
“Well if it is like that, who am I to oppose. We should tell her tomorrow morning to get this show going! Do you want me to be with you when you ask her?”
“No, but Harlan…”
“Yes?”
“Why did you want me to marry so quickly, but when I a greed you did not seem happy. Do you not like Beth? She is nice, you said it yourself.”
“No, it is not that. But well… you see…” Harlan hesitated as if he hoped Adam would interrupt him. Adam did not. Harlan sighed.
“A messenger arrived two days ago from the west. It is rumoured that some people there plan a revolt. Because… well, many there were not so satisfied with your father in his last years. With his illness he was unable to do much work, as you know and we lost a trading partner. It was nothing bad or major for the kingdom, but many people in the west relied on the traded goods and the jobs, which came with them. And now that the king is dead and the coronation for his successor is not even announced. They see it as a sign of weakness, these… these-”
He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
“But you won’t have to worry about that. We will get you and your girl married. You will become king and show them what you are made of. They won’t dare to do anything and we can look if we can set up this trade deal again and everything will be alright.”
Adam chewed the inside of his cheeks. He didn’t know that, any of that: the trade deal, the unrest in his people. Maybe he should have spent more of his time on books about politics and shadowing Harlan and his father, when he still had the chance. If he would be confronted with this problem right know and Harlan had not presented an answer, he was not sure he would have had one on his own.
“I can see you worrying, but I told you not to. Go to sleep, son. It is late anyway and don’t forget that you want to ask Lady Elizabeth to marry you tomorrow. A man must be rested for that. Sleep well.”
He ruffled Adam’s hair and gave him a warm smile, before leaving the room. Right he does want to ask Beth to marry him and he still had to come op with the right words to do so. So he lay in bed for almost an hour, before he got an acceptable version and sleep caught up to him.
~
The following morning he and Beth shared their breakfast as usual. However unlike usual he had a hard time keeping up with their conversation. He was incredibly nervous and all too aware of how sweaty his hands were and how his pant leg had risen up due to him crossing and uncrossing his legs constantly, in an attempt to wiggle out all of nervous energy.
“ADAM.”
His head snapped up and his leg stopped mid motion. It was already the third time this morning that Beth had to call out his name for him to pay attention to her.
“Adam, what is going on? You are acting weird. Stop fidgeting and tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong. And I can’t tell you what is going on. At least not right now. It is a secret. Or well, not really a secret more like a surprise. Yeah, a surprise. I will tell you soon, but not right now.” He rambled on, trying to appease her without letting anything slip.
He had the perfect plan in his head and he did not want to ruin it by accidentally letting something slip. And it seemed to work as Beth’s face took on a soft expression. He hoped she had not seen right through him. Throughout their time together he sometimes had had the impression that no matter what, Beth always seemed to know what others were thinking and feeling.
After breakfast Beth had excused herself for a moment, telling Adam to meet up again in an hour. When she returned she was wearing a different dress, fancier than what she worn the previous days. She also wore more makeup, which did little to hide the blush on her cheeks. Did she know what he had planned? But why would she feel the need to dress up for that? Maybe she thought Adam was taking her out into town.
Adam shook his head. Paying a guessing game now would do nothing for him. He was not like Beth, who could take one look at a person and tell Adam what was on their mind. He would just have to focus and follow the plan and everything would be ok.
With a smile he offered his arm to her, which she took. He led them through the castle with certainty in his steps and a destination in mind. When they rounded the corner to the final hallway, he saw Harlan waiting at the agreed upon spot.The man gave him an encouraging smile, which Beth reciprocated with a polite nod. Adam only managed a short eye contact before they passed him and he heard Harlan saying something to their chaperone, who as always trailed a few meters behind them.
Adam did not wait to hear what was said or even if the distraction really worked. He quickened his steps and pulls Beth along, probably rougher than he should have. It was only a few more steps to the last door on the left side of the corridor. When they reached it, he guided her through it, giving one last look back, where Harlan and their chaperone stood, the latter with his back turned to them. Good. It was not that he disliked the man, he was only doing his job after all, but Adam wished for this to be a private moment between him and Beth. He closed the door silently, leaving just the two of them on the balcony they had met just a few nights prior, which in Adam’s mind was the perfect place for what was about to happen.
“Adam-“ He turned to Beth, who’s cheeks were now even more flushed. If because of Adam’s actions or the quick walking he didn’t know.
“Beth.” He interrupted. He knew it was rude, but he feared that if he waited too long he would lose the words he had so carefully prepared. So he took her hands in his.
“Beth, I know we only know each other for two weeks, but those weeks have been the best of my life so far. Never have I felt anything like this for anyone. When Harlan told me I had to look for a wife, I wasn’t sure I’d ever succeed in finding someone who was perfect for me. Someone I could talk about, like my father talked about my mother. And the evening of the ball started dreadfully, but when I had already given up hope for the evening you appeared and everything changed. Our conversation was wonderful and the next morning I already knew you were the one for me. You are intelligent and I love listening to you and you listen to me, when I talk.”
He hesitated for a moment, that last sentence had sounded better in his head. But when he looked Beth in the face all he saw was an encouraging smile. He took a deep breath.
“I-I think I am in love with you. Lady Elizabeth of Buchwald, would you do me the honor and marry me?”
She ripped her hands out of his and before he could even worry, wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss. Not a peck, but a real kiss, which Adam tried to reciprocate as best as he could. When they finally parted she laid their foreheads together whispering against his mouth.
“Of course I will marry you, Adam,”
Their moment was ruined when the door was flung open and an unnaturally high pitched voice screeched.
“This his absolutely inappropriate.”
The two of the jumped apart. In the door stood their chaperone, with a bright red head and behind him Harlan with an apologetic expression on his face. But Adam didn’t care. In that moment it felt like nothing could bring him down from this high.
~
At lunch he, Harlan and Beth came together as well as Mr. Fischer, who was an advisor of Beth’s father, and of course their chaperone, who’s name, as Adam finally learned, was Mr. Feldt.
“I am sure the count will be happy to hear about this development. As for the proposal a letter with the official seal should be enough. Nonetheless the Lady will have to return for the time being. I’m sure you understand.” Mr. Fischer said.
“Leaving her here, she’d probably be deflowered before wedded.” Mr. Feldt mumbled more to himself, but loud enough for everyone at the table to hear, earning himself a glare from Mr. Fischer.
“I am sure no such thing would take place. It is simply what tradition says. But don’t worry your highness, you love birds will be reunited before you even know it. After all you could have anything against young love.”
The smile with which the man said that made Adam uncomfortable.
“You say the count will agree? In that case there is nothing against starting the weeding planning, right. Speed up the process a bit. Not letting these two wait too long.” Harlan chimed in.
“Actually, I like to have a word or two when it comes the decorations.” Beth declared.
“Of course my lady, we will just start with the boring, paperwork stuff. By the time we even start thinking about decorating you’ll surely be back and have free reign. His highness is not picky when it comes to that, right?”
Adam found it weird when Harlan called him ‘highness’, he was somewhat of a third parent after all. But he understood that they must make a good impression on their guests. He would be devastated if Beth’s father would not agree to their marriage.
“Right.” He replied.
“Great.” Mr. Fischer spoke up again. “But we have to ask for something. The guard, who escorted us here has already left. If we could have a few of your man to bring us back safely.”
“Nothing easier than that.” Harlan replied and with that all seemed set.
The following day everything had been prepared and after having lunch together he said goodbye to Beth. At first he had been a bit disappointed that she had to leave so soon, but Mr. Fischer was right, even if he still felt off to Adam. The sooner they left, the sooner they would return and the sooner he would marry Beth.
He stood in the yard watching the carriage leave through the gates accompanied by six of his royal guards. Even after it had left his sight he stayed unmoving. He was alone for the first time in two weeks of being constantly surrounded by others and he was not sure what to do now. Which was weird considering that before the ball he had spent all his time by himself.
Maybe it was time to visit his place in the forest again.
Notes:
Don’t worry Nigel will return for the next chapter.
Also I’m not sure if I had already explicitly stated this, but since I didn’t really plan this through, there will be tags added or changed, maybe it will even concern the ratings. I have a rough idea where this will be going and it might contain some implied rape/non-con or dubious consent later on -not between Nigel and Adam-, but since I am not certain it is not tagged yet. If it were to come I would of course tag it and also make a note in the beginning just to warn you guys.
Anyway I hope you like the new chapter.
Thanks for reading!
LadyArianwen on Chapter 1 Wed 23 Apr 2025 03:08AM UTC
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Belini on Chapter 1 Wed 23 Apr 2025 06:17AM UTC
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