by Dan Wingreen
At that point, it went without saying the Dark Prince had been cleared of all suspicion in Selma's murder. Elias made him say it anyway. Multiple times.
Sadly, after arguing and eating and comforting each other—Elias indulged in more childishness and refused to admit he was the only one who needed comforting—they had little time to spend together before the Prince was forced to go to court to fulfill his social obligations as a guest, and to receive an official apology from the King for ever being suspected of murder in the first place. After reluctantly parting, Elias spent the day in the library, putting the finishing touches on the first draft of the Dark Prince's biography, since he now had nothing more pressing keeping him from his work. It was soothing, returning to his normal routine, and Elias was hard pressed to keep a smile off his face as he worked.
So, it was with great surprise and a not inconsiderable amount of concern that, when returning to the Prince's rooms that evening, he was met with the Prince standing pensively in front of an uncharacteristically uncovered window. The room was blanketed in an air of disquiet so strong Elias felt as if he were wading through it as he made his way towards the other man. He stopped a few feet away when he heard Chappy's warning cough, becoming even more concerned when he realized the Prince was fully dressed, for once.
"Highness?"
Elias frowned as the Prince visibly tensed.
"Highness, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Elias," the Prince answered flatly. "I'm fine."
"Which is why you're staring out a window I've never seen you so much as glance at instead of looking at me," Elias said, crossing his arms. "If you're going to lie, at least do me the courtesy of putting in effort."
The Prince snorted, probably against his will, judging by the distorted scowl Elias could see reflected in the window, but otherwise said nothing.
Elias let out an exasperated sigh even as a less intense version of the previous night's worry started to make itself known. The Dark Prince was upset—his Dark Prince was upset—about something, and Elias had the sudden, terrible realization it was going to be up to him to soothe his upset.
This is why he shouldn't be courting me. I can't be a source of comfort. I can't give him what he needs. I can't—
Elias violently cut off his train of thought. He had spent his entire life not giving into self-pity, and he wasn't about to start now. If the Dark Prince needed soothing, then Elias would damn well sooth him.
But first he had to figure out what the problem was.
"Highness," Elias said, keeping his voice as low as he could while still being firm. "I can clearly see that something is wrong, and I want to help you, yet I can't if you won't even tell me what's bothering you." When the Prince remained silent, he added. "We've already cleared your name, tonight should be a happy night."
The Dark Prince let out an exasperated huff and scowled out the window. Elias couldn't exactly blame him, Elias was terrible at being comforting. He even thought he could feel a disapproving glare from Chappy.
Still, he needed to keep trying. "Highness—"
"I received a letter from my father today."
Elias paused, but when no further elaboration was forthcoming, he felt his patience start to snap.
"If you're going to make me pry details from your throat piece by piece—"
"By the Mournhelm itself, Elias," the Prince snapped, whirling around to face the scholar. "Did you ever think that, just possibly, I don't want to have this conversation with you?"
Elias didn't even try to hold back a gasp at the sudden pain in his chest. It hurt more than he would have thought, hearing the Prince say those words. He could tell the Prince regretted what he said the moment it was out of his mouth, but like so often in the months since they had met, Elias's feelings towards the Prince quickly turned to anger.
"Of course it didn't. I was under the impression that I was being courted, but perhaps I was mistaken. After all, courtships are supposed to be about sharing all of oneself with the person they intend to spend the rest of their life with. I can't fathom a reason, other than regret at initiating said courtship, that you would be reluctant to share something as relatively simple as what's so troubling about a letter that you can barely acknowledge me!"
The Prince's eyes darkened. "Perhaps it's because I have no desire to see my courtship rejected and there's a good chance that's exactly what's going to happen when I tell you what's in the fucking letter!"
Elias flinched and took a step back, unsure of what shocked him more, the realization that the Prince had never truly sworn in his presence before, or the idea of the Prince still had insecurities about Elias accepting his courtship. Either way, the anger burned itself out almost as soon as the Prince stopped speaking, leaving Elias weary and disgusted with himself for letting it flare in the first place.
"I apologize, Elias," the Dark Prince said moments before Elias could do the same. The Prince sighed. "You shouldn't bear the brunt of my frustrations and self-doubt."
Elias took a deep breath. "You shouldn't doubt yourself, or the outcome of your courtship. I accept your apology. I shouldn't have yelled at you."
The Prince smiled weakly, but after a moment it faded and they fell into silence. Elias was trying to figure out what to say to reignite the stalled conversation, when the Prince huffed out a small laugh.
"You know," he said. "I think I've apologized to you more times than I've said the word 'apology' in my entire life."
Elias found himself unable to hold back a smile. "Perhaps, then, you should attempt to avoid actions for which an apology is necessary."
As he had hoped, his words startled genuine laughter out of the Prince.
Maybe I'm not as bad at this as I thought.
"Perhaps you're right, my dear."
Elias's smile widened at the return of the endearment, and he decided to press his luck. "Highness," he said softly. "What did your father's letter say?"
The Dark Prince glanced away, but before Elias could scold him for the action, he looked back and sighed again.
"Father is returning your Sir Knight," the Prince said. "The exchange is over. He expects me to leave for Mournhelm within the week."
Elias raised his eyebrows in surprise. Whatever he had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that. "He sent you this letter…when, exactly?"
"Today," the Prince said. Then, before Elias could ask, added, "Magic, Elias, is very useful for avoiding delays in the post."
"Ah." Elias frowned at the timing. "Then it is incredibly convenient he decided to recall you the very day you clear your name of a murder charge."
The Dark Prince snorted. "Noticed that too, did you?" he asked darkly.
"Do you think this means he knew about what was going on?"
"I'd say so," the Prince said. "I knew he had spies here, but I have no idea how he could have learned of my being cleared so quickly." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, I suppose. We should be grateful he allowed us to solve the matter ourselves, instead of any of the alternatives."
Elias couldn't agree more. He was also intensely curious about why the Dark Prince was sent to Ellington in the first place, if there were already Mournhelmian spies in the castle, but before he could ask the Prince spoke again, reminding him they had more important things to discuss.
"Elias," the Prince started, somewhat hesitantly. "I…when I started this courtship, I wanted to give you time to properly analyze and understand your feelings. I'd like to think I know you better than most, although I wouldn't presume to say I know you better than you know yourself—"
Elias scoffed, and the Prince smirked briefly.
"All right, I'm saying exactly that, actually." He licked his lips in an uncharacteristic gesture of nervousness. "My point is, I know you need time to make important decisions, and I know you're unused to feeling things for other people, and, I know, if you made any decisions about being with me without taking that time, you would end up second guessing and probably regretting the
m. My courtship was supposed to give you the time you needed, but since I'm leaving in less than four days, I'm afraid time is the one courting gift I am unable to give you. I…"
Elias decided then and there that he absolutely hated seeing the Dark Prince so lost and unsure. As infuriating as his arrogance could be, it had never disturbed Elias the way a visibly distressed Dark Prince did. Ignoring another noise of warning from Chappy, Elias summoned up his courage and placed his hand on the Prince's shoulder. He felt the muscles under the robe twitch, and once he knew he had the Prince's attention, he slowly traced a path down the Prince's arm, before taking his hand.
"Highness," he said, looking up into dark blue eyes with a small smile playing about his lips. "Do you truly think I'm going to reject you?"
The Prince swallowed. "When it means leaving Ellington, I think there's a chance. Even with more time to decide." He admitted. "I know how you feel about your kingdom. You're a patriot, Elias, and I know you love your kingdom, despite its faults. I can hear it every time you speak about its history or expound upon its virtues. Part of me fears you will never allow anyone to take you away from it, not even me."
Elias stared blankly at the Prince. For someone who claimed—admittedly with very good reason—to know Elias better than Elias knew himself, the Prince was so utterly wrong that Elias could barely believe he was hearing correctly. It was a misapprehension he had to correct immediately, but he was unsure how to do so without seeming like he was just telling the Prince what he wanted to hear.
"Highness," Elias said a few moments later. He wasn't sure what he was going to say until he said it, but once he spoke, his entire argument was laid out in front of him like he was reading it from a book. "Have you ever met the agricultural council?"
The Dark Prince blinked rapidly at the non sequitur. "I…no?"
Elias's lips twitched in amusement at the Prince's obvious confusion. "I'm not very surprised. They tend to be rather insular. It was rather unusual to see them at the Crown Prince's ball." Realizing he was starting to get off topic, Elias started to make his point. "The agricultural council is comprised of four extremely corpulent men who are in charge of the collection and distribution of food from every farm, orchard, and slaughterhouse in the kingdom. They skim off the top of every single harvest, then sell what they don't eat to foreign kingdoms and use the money they make to buy even more food for themselves."
The Prince frowned. "Elias, I fail to see the point—"
"The point," Elias said, "is they don't even try to hide their misdeeds. They are so bloated, literally and figuratively, with their corruption that even a scholar who goes out of his way to insulate himself from everything that isn't his current area of study has known about the agricultural council's activities for most of his life. Their original function, which was created with noble intentions, has been twisted into an opportunity for abuse and unethical activity, activity which is so brazen and unhidden that everyone, from the lowest servant to the King himself, knows about it and yet not a finger is lifted to stop it. In short, Highness, it is a microcosm of Ellington itself."
He squeezed the Prince's hand.
"I don't love Ellington. I love what it was. I love the intention behind it and the ideals which went into its founding. I even love what it could be, if the corruption and waste could be eliminated. But I don't love what it is." Elias hesitated, knowing what he wanted to do would go beyond any level of mawkishness he'd mocked the Prince for, but only briefly. He took a step toward the Dark Prince, and placed the hand he was holding on his own chest, directly over his heart. "My love for Ellington is in its past or its possible future. The only thing I love in the present is you."
Elias's words echoed slightly off the walls, and for a few seconds the fading sound was the only thing disrupting a moment which seemed to stretch on forever. Then the Dark Prince smiled, and while Elias was as far from poetic as a person can get, he could not liken it to anything but the sun appearing suddenly after a turbulent storm.
"Very well," the Dark Prince said, his voice slightly hoarse. "I suppose, then, there is little point in holding off any longer. Although, I still find myself dreading your answer, for some reason I can't quite determine."
Elias smiled. "I've learned, very recently, that feelings very often make little sense, although their lack of reason doesn't necessarily negate their importance. In this particular instance, however, I think you have very little to worry about."
"I suppose I'll have to take your word that you aren't about to break my heart," the Prince said, and while his words were flippant, his tone and the look in his eyes were anything but. "Will you accept my courtship, Elias? Will you be my consort?"
The Dark Prince pulled their still joined hands away from Elias's chest and placed them above his own heart.
"Will you give me your hand in marriage?"
Elias could feel the rapid beating coming from inside the Prince's chest, and though he was sure he'd never say it out loud, he knew no one would ever convince him his own heart wasn't beating in perfect synchronization with the Prince's.
"Yes," Elias said. And then, just to make sure the Dark Prince didn't doubt him, added. "My answer has been yes since the night you made me enjoy dancing for the first time in my life. My answer will always be yes."
The Prince grinned, every trace of worry and doubt melting away in the face of Elias's surety. It was quite possibly the most beautiful thing Elias had ever seen.
Perhaps cloying sentiment isn't completely useless after all.
"Although," Elias added with a smirk, "getting me an Ancient Elven book didn't exactly hurt your chances."
The Dark Prince's laugh was absolutely, unequivocally, perfect.
Chapter 30
"Chappy," the Dark Prince said, his eyes never leaving Elias's as they smoldered the way Elias remembered vividly from their first—and only—kiss. "Elias has accepted my proposal. You're fired."
"Is sir absolutely sure—"
"Sir is your employer and has the right to terminate said employment whenever he wishes," the Prince said sharply. "And since I have just done so, you are now an unemployed servant intruding on a private moment with my fiancé." Elias didn't even try to hide his smile at hearing the word for the first time, or the way his breathing grew shallow as the Prince's eyes somehow darkened ever further. "Leave. Now. Or I won't be held responsible for my actions."
It was by pure happenstance that Elias glanced over the Prince's shoulder towards Chappy's corner in time to see the chaperone slowly get to his feet, his narrowed eyes locked on the back of the Prince's head in an expression of barely contained rage. The moment Chappy noticed Elias looking, however, the expression smoothed into the chaperone's usual slightly bored countenance, leaving the scholar to wonder if the dim lighting and shadows caused him to see something that wasn't there.
"It has been my pleasure guiding the beginnings of young love," Chappy said with a small bow. "Sir will have my bill by morning."
And without another word, the chaperone left.
"Finally. I was beginning to despair of ever having you all to myself."
Elias raised an eyebrow even as his heart started racing at the implications. "You are the one who insisted on a proper Ellingish court—"
The Dark Prince's kiss should have probably come as less of a surprise than it did, but Elias gasped nevertheless. The Prince seemed to take that as an invitation, and, before Elias could even think to protest, his mouth was suddenly filled with something wet, soft, and decadently smooth.
Ah. That would be a tongue. I'd almost forgotten.
As if from a great distance away, Elias thought he heard a moan.
Was that me?
The Prince wrapped one arm around Elias's waist before impatiently pulling Elias's hair ribbons off and burying his fingers in newly freed strands. This time, Elias was paying slightly better attention as he let out an identical moan.
It appears so. Being kissed is apparently even more en
joyable the second time around.
Or perhaps it was the delightful things the Prince was doing with his tongue. Elias wasn't sure, but whatever it was, he liked it.
After…some amount of time passed that Elias only made a perfunctory effort of determining, he flicked his own tongue tentatively against the Prince's. This time, the noises of pleasure were definitely from the Dark Prince, and Elias found himself smiling against the other man's lips. It was a heady rush, knowing he was the cause of such sounds. Not something Elias had ever imagined taking such enjoyment in, but for once he decided not to analyze the new experience. Just like with the massage, he decided to give in and just let himself feel.
Things moved quickly, after that.
He pushed back forcefully against the Prince's invasion, determined to give as good as he was getting. Elias's hands found their way into the Dark Prince's hair, his fingers running through the short, impossibly silky strands on the back of his head. He tried to grab hold of it, but the Prince had much more to work with and as soon as he realized what Elias was doing, he twisted the scholar's locks around his fingers and gave a sharp yank, pulling Elias's head back and giving the Prince a better angle with which to press his attack. Elias groaned rather loudly at the unexpected jolt of pleasure which ran down his spine.
"You liked that?" the Prince murmured, nipping at Elias's lips.
"I—ah!" Elias gasped again as the Prince's teeth started biting along his jaw. "I-I think more—ah!—experimentation is required to adequately test that h-hypothesis."
The Prince pulled back from his ministrations, an astonished, but pleased, smile spreading across his face. "You will never stop surprising me, will you?"
Elias blinked up at the Prince, wondering why he was stopping. "I…am unsure how to answer that."
"It was rhetorical, my dear."
"You stopped kissing me to ask a rhetorical question?" Elias frowned.
"It appears I did."
Elias shook his head as much as he was able with the Prince still gripping his hair. "Unbelievable." Then he pulled the Prince back down to continue what should never have been interrupted. He tried to mimic the Dark Prince's earlier mouth-plundering, but all it took was another forceful pull of his hair and Elias shuddered and went utterly pliant in the Prince's arms.
