Royal Desires - 8a/8

[draconica-nova.livejournal.com]

Title: Royal Desires - Chapter 8a
Pairing: Colin/Ryan
Chapter Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Yep. 8a. Don't think I'm doing this just to tease you, the last chapter is a tad long, ah-heh. 8b shall get posted later today, hopefully. :)   Huur, it'd be funny if Lance and Margo had character tags. xD

 
 

Ryan’s eyes opened gradually as the sunlight fuelled his body’s systems like solar power. His eyes twitched beneath closed eyelids and moaned in discomfort – he never was a morning person. But, he remembered swiftly, this morning was very different. A smile grew on his face in response to the realisation.

Stretching languidly, he rolled over so he could reach Colin and hug him close – but found nothing but cold sheets. He opened one eye, then the other and then lifted his entire torso off of the mattress, staring at the space where Colin should be.

His eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Colin?”

No reply. No noise, no signs, nothing. Ryan lifted a hand to his head and rubbed the drowsiness from his eyes. And as he padded around the room, it had become quite clear that Colin had left sometime ago – no strewn clothes lay on the floor. The sweet Canadian had piled them all neatly next to the bed. Despite contemplating the fact that he’d possibly scared him away, Ryan couldn’t help but smile at how clean and sensible Colin was.

Walking into the bathroom, Ryan caught the sight of his reflection in the mirror and paused, noticing something different in the way he looked. Apart from the small bite marks on his neck, he saw how misty and dilated his eyes had become and how dishevelled his entire posture looked. Sure, it was the morning and he always looked dishevelled first thing, but today was odd… today made him feel jittery and simultaneously excited – and not in a good way.

Even splashing his face with water didn’t help the sorrowed pale complexion of his face or the dark marks beneath his eyes. He sighed deeply before hitting his head against the mirror – what was the right thing to do here? Marry the girl and conform to his parents’ wishes? Or finally break free of a life he’d been suppressed in and finally do something that he wanted for a change? He’d been following rules all his life and he didn’t need a wife to complicate matters, never mind having all the responsibilities of a monarch thrust onto his shoulders.

And what would he do as king, anyway? Sit around telling people what to do and how to live? That was exactly the thing he’d been a victim of for the past few decades – if he had been looking for the irony, he’d found it.

With Colin… why, he could do anything he desired and no one would tell them what to do. Maybe they could both own a ranch and sell milk and eggs in a cutesy village somewhere. Colin would absolutely love that, and then at night, when work was over and play began, Ryan would be the one treating Colin like the prince – feeding him grapes and chocolates and servicing to his every whim, whatever it may be.

“Colin,” he whispered sadly, knowing just how today would break his heart, not to mention Ryan’s. He remembered seeing Colin’s face when he’d found out about the arranged marriage and just how upset he looked, though he’d tried to mask it, Ryan could see the truth in his eyes.

“You’re such a jerk-ass, Stiles,” he scolded himself sternly in the mirror. “Why can’t you stand up for yourself? Now you’ve hurt Colin’s feelings because you’re such a coward…”

He shook his head sharply and felt tears spatter onto his arm. Sniffling, he wiped at his eyes and nose harshly and took three deep breaths.

Swaying out of the bathroom, Ryan caught sight of something hanging on his door – a proper prince’s outfit, cream-coloured silk with golden embroidery and a gold cape to compliment it all. What obvious regal paraphernalia. Ryan looked at it for a long span of minutes and thought hard about just what the clothing represented.

“Damn,” he breathed, and threw it onto the bed casually. He’d put it on later, but first he needed to shower. Sniffing, his heart fluttered when he realised that he could still detect Colin’s scent on his skin, and what a wonderful scent it was. The divine fragrance of their combined pheromones served as even further evidence that the prince and the stable boy belonged together.

Ryan warmed immediately to the hot spray on his back and felt the tension in his muscles disappear. Closing his eyes, he turned his face upward and directly into the flow, relishing in the odd sensation. The million droplets hitting his skin felt like the million single reasons why he should return to Colin’s arms – each one launching themselves at him in frenzy.

Different, gloomier water began to shine in his eyes and this time, Ryan was helpless to hold them back. He sobbed loudly and fell backwards against the tiles of the wall. With each sob, he slid down just a little further until he ended up sitting on the floor of the shower, hugging his knees for lack of something more human.

And there, under the fakery of rain in darkness, he wept.

~~~

A lot of the daylight hours were spent organising the short-notice wedding, which was a predicament in itself, seeing as the moment the sun disappeared behind the horizon the throne would be lost to the Stiles family for good.


“Look at you, sire!” Greg grinned and clapped Ryan’s shoulders as the soon-to-be king studied himself in a full-length mirror. “You look so regal, practical and at the same time, so fashionable!”

Ryan exhaled heavily, blowing his golden hair slightly in the process. “You don’t think it’s too… excessive? I mean this cape’s a little extravagant isn’t it?”

“Nonsense, sire. It brings out your hair colour nicely. Plus, gives you an edge of flair, don’t you think?”

The prince twirled once and watched the cape glide fluidly through the air and curl itself around his body with the momentum. “Huh, I guess it does.”

“Ahh, she’ll drop at your feet like a dead fly… Oops. That came out wrong, didn’t it?” Greg grinned sheepishly and fiddled nervously with nothing in particular.

Ryan smiled to himself. “No, that sounds about right,” he muttered under his breath, low enough for Greg to miss it.

Brad entered the room in full singsong, which Ryan didn’t seem to mind on most days – after all, he was quite a good singer. Today however, it just fed his irritation like fingernails on a chalkboard would feed a sharp headache,

“Look at that sun,” Brad sighed. “What a perfect day for a perfect thing. Makes you just want to… run around in your underwear.”

Ryan blinked at him and raised a quizzical eyebrow, while Greg just snorted in amusement. “Hello, Brad. Look, you’re not alone,” he said, waving his hand between the prince and himself and Brad just shot a smiling glare at his friend. “Now, is everything ready?”

“I think so,” Brad replied, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “I need to see someone about those horses though…”

Ryan was suddenly awake and alert just like that upon the peculiar mention of Colin. “You’re gonna talk to Col- I mean, the stable boy? Why?”

Greg looked puzzled at the tall man’s unexpected peaked attention to something so minor while Brad answered. “We thought we’d have you and your new Queen ride the horses once you were wed. You know, like a ‘just married’ sort of thing.”

The prince nodded slowly, then swallowed and smiled. “How about I go and see him about that and you guys continue with preparations?”

“Umm… I guess so, sire.” Greg tilted his head slightly and looked incredulous for a moment. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I have pre-wedding jitters… so I reckon a walk would be good for me.” It was hard for Ryan to act unsuspicious, but he felt quite pleased with himself when he seemingly pulled it off. And before either of his footmen could question the decision further, Ryan was already striding breezily out the door with unseen determined eyes.

Brad watched him go, tapping his chin in deliberation. “I should follow him,” he said, looking over at Greg who was busy checking himself out in the mirror.

“How’re you doing, you handsome fiend?” he grinned to himself, winking at his own reflection and Brad slapped a palm to his forehead in exasperation.

“Greg, he’s been acting really strange for the past few days. How do you explain all those times he keeps just disappearing?”

“Nerves? Freakish prince-like behaviour?” Greg was dismissive, which peeved Brad a bit. “And why do you think he keeps disappearing?”

“He’s hiding something. I just don’t know what…”

“Oh, honestly, Bradley,” Greg sighed, using Brad’s full name, which peeved him also. “You’re just paranoid.”

“Will you ever be serious?” Brad said harshly, jabbing two fingers against the other man’s shoulder.

“Heh, you should see me in bed.” Greg brushed passed him triumphantly and lightly slapped a palm on his cheek.

Brad blinked at him; mouth agape in surprise as he watched Greg leave the room. “Is that an offer?”

The older man laughed loudly. “You wish,” he said and closed the door behind him.

Hunching his shoulders in thought, Brad crossed his arms and concentrated more on the prince’s strange behaviour. There had to be a reason…

Disappearing for four and a half hours, finding him in the hay barn of all places, going for an odd number of ‘horse rides’ (as the prince had described them), dirty clothes and secret motivations...

Then it clicked. Oh, it clicked so clearly.

~~~

Colin wasn’t fairing entirely well - as he brushed off Lance the black stallion, he could no more concentrate on his job than he could on Ryan. Having woken up in Ryan’s sleepy arms that morning, Colin realised that he had to get out of there lest someone come knocking and find them in the compromising situation. Slipping out of the bed gently, he’d pressed a small goodbye kiss onto the still-sleeping Ryan’s forehead, dressed hastily and was out of there before you could say ‘impending doom’. And he’d made it back to the stables in record time, too, avoiding being seen by anyone on the way: they were probably too busy preparing the wedding, anyway.

Oh, the wedding. Ryan’s wedding. Not to him, but to some girl who the prince barely knows.

Colin shook himself out of it immediately. “C’mon, Colin, you know he has to do this,” he said aloud to nobody. “Of course, you’re just the stable boy, what do you know about being a king?”

But… I love him, he thought to himself, as if saying it would make it real and cast a jinx over everything.

This morning, Lance wasn’t being his usual impatient self, stamping his hooves all over the place moodily, but was instead acting calm – almost solemn and understanding – in the face of Colin’s inner turmoil. The stallion leant over and nudged his snout against his cheek softly, which probably meant “cheer up” in horse language.

Colin laughed softly to himself and petted Lance’s muzzle, feeding him a sugar lump in the only ‘thank you’ he knew to give a horse. He finished grooming Lance expertly and opened his gate so that the stallion could go for his morning exercise - but he didn’t so much as move as if he were in disdain of what today symbolised.

“Lance, seriously. I’ll be fine.” Colin couldn’t suppress a small chuckle at how he was turning into Dr. Dolittle, and the horse seemed to take the hint - walking slowly away and into the sunlight. The stable boy breathed deeply, letting air fill his lungs satisfyingly, then moved onto the next chore in line.

Ryan meanwhile watched unseen from the entrance, being as quiet as he could whilst Colin went about his daily routine. He found himself sighing, in happiness this time, at just how naturally flowing with energy Colin was. He was humming as he worked, not a recognisable tune, but it was beautiful to listen to none the less.

Swallowing nervously, he decided to run with his head rather than his heart, and called out, a little louder than he’d intended. “Colin?”

As Colin turned to the source of the voice, his eyebrows rose in surprise when he saw his secret lover in such smart, regal clothing. The gold in the sunlight made him look particularly angelic and Colin had to avoid running up and pouncing on him. Today was simply far too serious.

The tall man approached Colin with a smile and leant down for a kiss. He then explained the plan of having himself and Josie ride Lance and Margo once the ceremony was over, but Colin saw right through him. “Ryan… why are you really here?”

Ryan bit his lip. “I had to see you,” he said solemnly, framing the other man’s face in his hands gently.

Colin exhaled heavily. “On your wedding day? Talk about bait on a hook.”

“Stop it, Colin. You know I’ll never love her, you’re all I want.”

The older man’s arms lifted to wrap around Ryan’s waist as he rested his cheek on a broad shoulder. “You’ve yet to prove that to me.”

Quirking a cheeky eyebrow, the young prince nibbled slightly on Colin’s ear and whispered, “I think you’ll find that I have, on several… passionate… occasions.”

The ghost of a smile graced Colin’s features for a brief second and then turned serious once more. “I’m sorry, Ryan, I shouldn’t be such a bastard about this. I mean, it was in your parents’ will and you need to do it for your inheritance…” he trailed off as he got lost in the many reasons why he had to give up the greatest thing in the world. And Ryan tenderly kissed away a tear that he hadn’t felt himself shed.

“That hardly matters, does it? We’ll always see each other even if I do marry her,” Ryan murmured and moved in for another kiss, but met his lips with Colin’s cheek instead when Colin turned his head away.

“Ryan… after you get married, I don’t think… I can see you anymore.”

The tall man actually recoiled away in shock and disbelief. “Wh-what?”

Colin nodded sadly, walked towards his lover and placed a warm hand onto his chest, feeling the strong heart beat. “I can’t be loved by someone who’s with someone else.” Ryan shook his head, ready to protest but Colin placed a finger to his lips, brushed the hand against his soft cheek and wiped a lone tear away. “I know the kind, wonderful person you are, Ryan…” his other hand found Ryan’s and squeezed it lovingly. “And you’re going to make a perfect king. Go, and don’t look back.”

“Colin…” Ryan whimpered, holding his hand just as fiercely.

“Don’t look back,” Colin repeated with a slight smile, knowing he was sacrificing his happiness for the right thing. After a while, Ryan nodded weakly and took a few deep breaths. “How do I look?” he asked, putting on a brave face.

Colin looked at him, at his royal dress robes, his perfect face and general, wonderful presence and simply replied in a voice that was barely audible, “You look beautiful.”

At that statement, Ryan needed to be as close to Colin as possible – he swooped in and wrapped as much of himself around the stable boy as he possibly could in a crushing hug. If this was going to be potentially the last time he held him, Ryan would savour the moment for all he was worth, inhaling the scent and memorising the feel of him, warm and safe in his arms.

Colin subtly wiped the moisture on his cheek onto Ryan’s silky shoulder but still couldn’t hold down the whimper that wormed its way out from his lungs. Ryan’s embrace was far too real and soothing, something he’d never really focused on before and heartbreakingly realised that he was giving it up, but for all the right reasons. The trouble was none of those reasons could supersede the fact that the stable boy had fallen in love with the prince - the forbidden love of the ages – and that his ‘happily ever after’ was going to be cruelly cut short.

When Colin pulled back, he noticed just how much Ryan was crying and how much inner pain he felt – Ryan’s feelings and emotions had transfused into his own like one solid being.

“I lo- love you,” Ryan managed around a sob and framed Colin’s face with his hands. “You know that, right?”

“Of course, how could I forget?” Colin smiled in attempt to strengthen the prince’s decision and show that he was okay with it.

“And you love me too, don’t you?”

It was a question with veiled desperation. Though he hadn’t said it, Colin knew the truth like he knew his own name, but truth snagged harshly on consequence and he couldn’t, for Ryan’s sake, let his desire cloud his judgment.

“You… should get going. They’re probably looking for you,” he said calmly, taking Ryan’s hands in his own.

The taller man swallowed again in a second attempt at composure and indeed drew strength from how tranquil Colin was.

“I’ll miss you, Your Highness,” whispered Colin as he linked fingers with Ryan’s and became lost in his eyes. Ryan didn’t reply but let his actions speak more than his words, leaning in slowly to lightly touch his lips to Colin’s. The kiss was prolonged, savoured until it broke silently. Colin had his eyes closed in enjoyment whilst Ryan fought the urge to grab him by the collar and crush their lips together, tongues duelling – if he started that, he’d never be able to stop.

He also had to get out of there for if he stayed in Colin’s company for too long, he thought he’d crumble to the floor and refuse to move. Sometimes, a prince has got to do what he ought to be doing and not what he wants.

Colin placed his head in his hands, sniffling into his palms quietly as the sound of Ryan’s footsteps faded away like a feasting vampire’s moonlight.

“Come on now, Mochrie, you’re stronger than that,” he said aloud to himself and shook his head violently. “That’s why you’ve sent him away.” His shirt served as a temporary handkerchief as he wiped at his leaking eyes thoroughly.
 

“How pathetic.”

 

Colin jumped at the sharply spoken words from behind him, his heart nearly leaping out of his ribcage. Turning, he saw the dark figure of a man approach like a tenebrous shadow.

 

Brad’s face became visible as he stepped forward, a face that was incensed, determined and completely unforgiving, and Colin found himself backing away instinctively. “H-how long have you been watching?”

 

“Long enough,” Brad replied venomously. “You really thought you couldn’t get found out? Subtle, you two are not.”

 

Colin tensed even more when his back hit the wall. “Uh… found out, sir?”

 

Brad scowled, grabbed the stable boy by his shirt and thrust him against the wall. “Don’t play all stupid with me, you weasel! The prince has been hanging around these stables for days; anyone with half a brain could’ve figured out why. At first I wasn’t sure, but from what I’ve heard just now…”

 

Colin didn’t need to hear any more – that was proof enough that Brad knew. “I… I know it seems bad, but-“

 

“’Bad’?! Do you have any idea what you’ve done to him?” The angry footman threw Colin aside until he hit the floor with a grunt, banging his elbow and letting out a yelp of pain. Lance meanwhile was rearing and whinnying at the top of his lungs – he could sense that something was wrong.

 

“I made a promise to the king and queen that their son would marry, and you have jeopardised everything!” Brad picked him up by the shirt again and pulled him until their noses touched and Colin could feel his hot breath, snorting like an enraged bull that saw red. “I’m glad you sent him away, because if you hadn’t, I would’ve had to have taken desperate measures.”

 

He caught sight of the trough in the corner, and as a glint in his eye distracted Colin’s attention, the young man pushed Colin over to it and dunked his head under the cold water forcefully, watching the man thrash beneath him.

 

Lance kicked at his gate in panic, crying in a restless, ceaseless alarm call.

 

Grabbing the scruff of hair on the back of Colin’s head, Brad yanked him hard out of the water and Colin gasped out in relief, shaking and trembling. “You come anywhere near him today and I’ll demonstrate these ‘desperate measures.’ Understand?”

 

Colin nodded and whimpered, not even daring to open his eyes to that angry face.

 

That’s when Lance arrived with gusto; head-butting Brad out of reach of Colin and stomping his hooves against the floor so much that Colin was sure that they’d soon generate sparks. The black stallion reared once more, making Brad flinch and stagger to his feet in escape. A good, strong double stomp was enough to finally scare the footman away – he ran out the stables at speed, but not without glaring at Colin in the process with seemingly all the malice and intimidation that he’d entered with.

 

The stable boy let out a long and shuddering breath, picking himself up unsteadily with the wall for support. “Thanks, boy,” Colin smiled at the stallion and patted him on the neck, almost laughing when Lance shook his head in appreciation.

 

“God…” Colin breathed, feeling a sharp pain in his elbow and still feeling the cold water drip down his neck. “I can’t let Ryan live like this, can I? With someone so corrupt and controlling as him…”

 

Lance gave him a friendly nudge and then a small whinny, one that Margo, on the other side of the room, readily answered to.

 

This time, Colin did laugh. “I really can’t win against you two, can I?” He petted the male on the end of his nose, while smiling at the mare with adoration.

 

He then saw something lying on the floor silently and on closer inspection discovered with surprise, and love, that it was his lake picture – the one with the sun and the trees and the overwhelming sense of nostalgia attached to it. He remembered back at their own lake, where he and Ryan had shared their first kiss and begun the roller coaster ride of a lifetime.

 

Colin held the picture to his thumping heart and gasped, finally realising what, or rather who, his heart was beating for.

To be continued...