Prince Farley [BL]

Chapter 5

Farley's POV

Father was a tall man.

He was a tall man that appeared even taller when he wore his crown. He was a man worthy of such a crown, decorated with jewels and gold. I would wear that very crown one day.

Unlike Father, no crown could make me appear taller. Not with the lack of confidence I felt.

His crown did not make him tall, no. It was the way his back straightened and he held his head high with confidence only a king could possess. He deserved it, he was a good king. I'd be a king some day.

A good one? I wasn't sure.

Quinton would make a good king. But Quinton was not the crown prince.

And because I was the crown prince, I would need to hold my head high and pretend to have the confidence I lack. Because that it what a prince does, he pretends.

Like now, standing in front of father with my hands clasped behind my back. He could not see, but my hands trembled. I didn't even know it myself.

His stare was heavy, dark brown eyes- that I too inherited, boring straight into me. I didn't need to request an audience with him, he ordered me to come to him and here I appeared.

"There is a boy in my cells."

It was the first time he spoke in minutes. His voice was lower than normal, showing he was displeased. "Yes, Father."

"And he is your friend?"

"Yes, Father."

He continued to stare and I continued to pretend. Back straight, head high, chin up. He leisurely leaned back into his throne and crossed his leg. There was no crown on his head and yet, he felt taller than he ever has.

Perhaps it was the steps leading to his throne that separated us.

It was most likely my fear.

I was not afraid of my father, I loved him. I was scared of the power he held and the power I lacked. Crown prince or not, he was a king and I was not. Not for now at least.

"It has been a week since this boy was brought to the cells and yet," his eyes hooded threateningly, "I hear rumors of the crown prince, my son, kneeling. A week after it happens, and there are still whispers of my son begging to save a boys life. It must've been quite the debacle."

My heart thudded in my chest. "..Yes, Father."

"So it is true then." He mused. "I would like to hear it from your very lips. Did you in fact kneel in front of our palace's servants, our knights, your mother, and beg for a criminal's life?"

My moment of pause was too long. Before I could respond, "Did you lower yourself to the ground and kneel?" He voice raised as he leaned forward. "Did the crown prince of Rerian lower his forehead to the ground and beg?!"

My hands trembled. I could not meet his eyes, no matter how much I pretended. "Yes, Father. I.. I kneeled in front of the servants and pleaded Mother to let him go."

"And what did your mother say?"

I know I was wrong, I know. But still, I would do it again. "She said no and ordered him to be taken away."

"And you refused, correct? In front of servants and knights, you refused the queen?" His hands tightened on his armrest. "Are you aware of your actions? People talk, especially of royalty. It has been days yet there is talk and talk of the crown prince. He is weak, they say. The second prince is stronger, they say. A prince does not kneel, the nobles shame. Are you aware of the position you put your mother in? A prince, someone of lower standing, disobeying the queen?"

"I have apologized to Mother in private and reflected on my actions. I deeply apologize, I acted rashly." I bowed my head.

"You acted very rashly, yes. Not only did you defy the queen, you did it in front of an audience." His eyes were sharp and his words sharper. "Word spreads and it spreads fast. I'm sure the whole city has heard by now of your rash decision. So what am I to do now? Let the boy roam free and show it is okay to trespass and harm the royal family?"

"He would not." I told him, lifting my head. "He would never harm the royal family- or anyone. He wishes to be a knight so he can protect people."

"Is that what I should tell our citizens? Or the council? Is that what I should tell the other nobles?" His hands clasped together. "It is shameful enough he has been trespassing long enough to make friends without anyone knowing, and you'd like me to take his word that he won't harm anyone, set him free, and show other possible threats that it is okay to do the same?"

"Do you understand the severity of this?" He asked. "He was not only in the palace, he was on the royal family's grounds where we live. It is not easy to get in unless you're permitted but this seems to have been going on for years. It is shameful and as the king, it is my fault so it would only be right to set an example."

"You would not kill him, would you?" I asked hurriedly, almost afraid to hear the answer. "He is just a boy."

"He is a boy, like you said. A stupid boy, but a boy. I would not kill a child so recklessly." My worries did not calm because I knew he would not just let him go. "I plan to publicly exile him."

Publicly exile. The words echoed in my head, over and over as dread quickly consumed me.

He would not be dead, no. I should be thankful Father sees him as child. If he were to see him as a man, I don't doubt he would execute him. But to be publicly exiled? I would never see him again. He might as well be dead.

No, I thought with guilt. Being free is much better than dead.

There would be no way for me to see him, no way for him to sneak in. All those hours we spent in Mother's garden, they would be nothing but a memory.

I wanted to refute, even beg for him to change his mind but he was being generous. Kade would be able to go anywhere, just not Rerian. He would be allowed the rest of the world, just not our little kingdom. It was generous of Father and I had no room to refuse. He would not be dead, I should be thankful.

But I wasn't. I wouldn't be able to bring myself to watch Kade be publicly humiliated and hated by the citizens. His drawings would be in every shop, pub, parlor- anywhere they could hang so people would know to arrest him on site if he attempted to come back. 

He did not deserve that for befriending me.

"He is mine." My fingers curled into a fist. "I won't allow it."

Father was silent as his eyes bored into me. This would be the first time I've ever gone against his word. Was he surprised? Angry? Amused? I could not tell, I refused to look him in the eye. Instead, I tipped my head up and stared at the top of his mighty throne.

"He is yours?" He finally repeated, voice low and teetering on threatening. "On what grounds?"

I had no explanation. "He is mine."

"Is he cattle? Something to be claimed? Is that how you treat your supposed friends?" His tone was supposed to come off amused but I could tell he was angry. I was not used to that anger being directed towards me.

"He is mine." I repeated- and I would repeat it again and again until he understood. "I will train him myself and keep him at my side."

"Train him? Ah." He made a noise of understanding. The genuine amusement in his tone had my hands clenching. "To be a knight, yes. And how are you to do that?"

"I will train him myself."

"You are excellent with a sword, yes, but you are not a man. You cannot train someone when you are not properly trained yourself. Would you like him to be the laughing stock among the knights? Humiliating him along with you when he cannot keep up?"

"He can do it." My words were firm. "He will be an excellent knight- the best you will have."

"You sound so sure."

"I am."

My hands trembled.

"I won't allow it."

My stomach dropped when he stood up, dismissing me altogether. "Father-"

"I will not allow it. You have shamed me enough."

His steps were heavy as he walked past me. I quickly turned on my heel but my legs would not move forward. I stared at his back helplessly as he got farther and farther away. He said no, he said no and yet- "He is mine!"

Father stopped and I too stopped with surprise. I yelled, I realized with horror. I yelled at Father- the king. I yelled at the king.

He was quiet for one second, then two, and then kept walking. His footsteps echoed along the grand walls.

I have already yelled, there is not much more I can do to disrespect him. "I will not leave this room until you have changed your mind."

With his hand on the door, his head tilted towards me. "Let's see how long you may last." He wasn't wearing a crown but I could see it there on his head, right in front of me.

The door clicked shut and I was left alone.

I wondered if this is how Kade felt.

___

"Perhaps you didn't think this through?"

"Piss off." I mumbled.

Quinton's laugh echoed in the grand room as he waltzed over. "Don't be like that, I even brought you food. How long has it been? Seven hours?"

"Eight." I corrected. I sat down on the floor long ago and my butt was going numb. There was nothing to do but stare, think, stare some more, and think again in this almost empty room.

There was no word from Father and I doubted there would be any time soon. I could not go back on my word now, not when Kade's freedom was on the line.

"Has it occurred to you that he could just exile your friend while you're in here?"

"He would not." I dismissed. "It would take at least two days to gather all the citizens in town to publicly exile him. I would've been notified anyhow."

"Notified? By whom? The knights that belong to Father?"

My eyes rolled up to his, already in a terrible mood. He was not helping. 

I didn't have a real plan when I told Father I'd wait in here. My only hope was that he'd need the throne room at some point or would be embarrassed by me sitting on the floor. Perhaps I looked like a child throwing a tantrum, but I didn't care.

"Lord Cason has requested an audience with Father." Quinton told me airily and my mood suddenly brightened. "I hear he's to come tomorrow evening."

"You're positive? Tomorrow?"

He nodded with a soft hum. "I heard it with my own ears."

If Lord Cason was requesting an audience, Father would need the throne room. Currently, I was in the throne room and refused to leave until Father changed his mind. Hopefully I can bargain somehow. Or he could just throw me out, but to keep our family's image, I doubted he would.

"Thank you." I thanked him sincerely. In the back of my head, I'd been slowly losing hope. With hours and hours by myself, I was only thinking of the worst case scenarios.

"You'll need to pass the time won't you?" Quinton stood to his full height with a smirk. "Shall I get your sword?"

Any other day, I would refuse. While I was trained daily in swordsmanship, it wasn't my passion like Quinton's. I preferred learning, books, diplomacy- anything that didn't include physical labor.

But since Quinton has been helping and encouraging me, I gave him a short nod and watched his eyes light up with determination. He won't go easy on me, I mentally sighed.

Maybe a larger part of me agreed because of Father's comment. He was right in many ways. I could never train Kade when I wasn't finished training myself. I could teach him form and technique, but I would not be able to teach him how to get stronger- to be the best.

To do that, I'd need to grow stronger first.

___

I didn't need to wait until tomorrow.

Father appeared a few hours later, when I was on the brink of pissing myself. Laying flat on my back, I tilted my head towards the door when it creaked open. Noticing it was Father, I quickly stood up and bowed my head down in greeting.

His stare was just as powerful as his footsteps when he walked in. My bladder was quickly forgotten about when I noticed Kade walking in behind him, cautious with every step he took.

His hands were bound in front of him with rope.

My lips parted as I stared at him, almost thinking he was a hallucination. But no- he was right here in front of me by Father's own will. Father stopped only a few steps away from me. He was close enough where my head tipped up to meet his gaze.

We stared at each other silently. I was still in shock while he simply examined me. "He doesn't look quite like a boy the more you look at him, does he?" My mouth parted but no words spilled out. Eventually, it closed. "Whether you begged or not, I was going to exile him to set an example. To you, and to our citizens."

My hands were slack at my side as he lifted his hand and beckoned Kade forward. Slowly, he walked over and stood behind Father, knowing better than to stand beside him. "But then I got a good luck at him. I see the potential you spoke of. He is more than a boy but not yet a man."

Kade stared at the back of Father's head blankly. There was no hostility, warmth, or amazement- it was just nothingness. I was sure this was his first time hearing he was going to be exiled and yet, he showed no emotion.

Maybe that's what differentiated us.

"You said you would make him the best knight I have." Father repeated my words and Kade's eyes quickly flicked to mine. I could see it on his face. Why? He thought. Why continue to beg for my life?

"I will." I assured as hope slowly blossomed within me.

"You can't." Father dismissed and that hope quickly died. "You are but a boy, not yet a man."

"I can." I insisted. I'll work harder for both of us. I'll get stronger so he can-

"You cannot and you won't." His words were firm, making me quickly shut my mouth. "But I will not let a boy with such potential go to waste." He turned his head and Kade startled. His back straightened and his eyes cautiously met Father's. "You promised my son you would be the strongest knight in Rerian, did you not?"

Kade's eyes found mine, as if silently asking what to say. My mouth stayed shut as he looked back to Father. "..I did." A pause before quickly adding, "Your Majesty."

"I believe you could. It is not easy sneaking onto royal grounds."

Kade faltered. "..No, it is not."

Father fully turned towards him and Kade almost took a step back. "I can make you strong. You will train with me and my knights every day, it'll be brutal. You'll want to quit, perhaps run away. You may, at any time, but you will be exiled and made an example of. I will not keep a person against their will. If you wish to leave, public exile is your only option. If not, you will begin your training."

Kade swallowed, clearly intimidated by Father. Kade was tall for our age but Father was a man- a tall man who was a king. It would be odd not to be intimidated. Years of past wars wore heavily in the form of muscle and scars along his body.

"It will not be as easy as training to be a knight." Father warned him with a sharp gaze. "You will be properly punished for your crimes. And during your training time, you will not be permitted to see my son."

"Father-" I was quickly cut off.

"You dare to object?" Father glared at me from the corner of his eye. "Your actions will not go unpunished, Farley. This is the punishment."

It's okay, I tried soothing myself. I'll see him somehow. We can just sneak around like before. It'll be fine. I couldn't even convince myself, there was no way I could convince Kade. Would he even want to risk it? No- I shouldn't put him in that position.

He has everything to lose while I have nothing.

My breath caught when Kade lowered himself to the floor and kneeled. His head bowed while he stared at Father's boots. "Words cannot properly express how grateful I am, Your Majesty. I will work my hardest to earn your approval as a knight."

"So you accept." Father seemed pleased. "Rise." Kade stood while I wondered if his heart was beating as fast as mine. "You will be kept in the cells until I can relocate you to the knights quarters. Your punishment will include manual labor while working with the servants there, unpaid."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you." Kade bowed his head again.

The knights quarters, I mentally frowned. That's not in the palace. Father must be doing this to ensure we won't see each other. Knights in training don't get their own quarters to stay since they start as children. He must've thought this through.

"Braun will lead you back to your cell." Father dismissed and turned to leave. The knight stationed at the door bowed deeply as he left and waited for Kade.

Kade turned his head towards me. He looked conflicted and hesitated before he finally turned and joined Braun.

When I was left alone, I stared at Father's throne. So this is a King's power.

I hated it.

_____________________

i cannot express enough how much i love historical especially royal stories. the song of achilles broke me and i immediately went and made this story.

anyways- not sure what i'm gonna write next but don't be surprised when there's time skips. i don't like writing stories where they're still teenagers

maddie