Chapter Text
It's not that Patrick thinks hes got it that rough. He's by no means rich, nor did he get much schooling growing up, but he ends up with food on the table most nights. That's more than he can say for most of his neighbors.
The ones with children, and elderly, who require more attention than a guy like Pat, who's all on his own needs.
Well, not exactly on his own. Sandy might not live with him, but she stops by every few days to drag him to some sort of gathering he never paid much attention too. Something about the Kingdom, a safe place to speak out against King Sheldon and Queen Karen without fear of imprisonment and backlash.
Patrick gets that at least. He's not much to talk about who he does and doesn't hate, but even a guy like him can see how corrupt things have been for the past few years.
''I'm tellin' y'all!'' Sandy insists, going on a rattle that Patrick could listen to for ages. ''After the last rise in taxes, King Sheldon is this close to drivin' the people towards a coup! We need to use this!''
Eugene, an older man who's restaurant they used for these gatherings makes a noise in the back of his throat. He's a crabby guy, with a harsh vendetta against the King that went above and beyond most. The glass he's cleaning gets set aside, and lips curl as he turns to Sandy.
''I ain't sayin' you're wrong lass, but the four of us ain't got the manpower to go against the royal family.''
''Yeah,'' intoned Edward, the said fourth member of their little group. He spoke only just more than Patrick did, and it was usually to shoot down any ideas Sandy had. ''What makes you think we can do anything?''
Sandy grinned, a touch feral and electricity ran down Patrick's spine. She produced a set of fine papers from the satchel at her side and tossed them on the table before the other three. Eugene and Edward bent their heads to look at it, but Patrick only had eyes for her.
''Are those-?''
''Work papers for the castle?'' Sandy finished, absolutely gleefully. ''Yes sir! Certified to boot!''
''How?'' Asked Edward, while Eugene just continued to gape. Probably running the numbers for how much these papers cost, if Patrick had any idea.
Sandy, still smug and righteously so, crossed her legs. ''I found the printin' press the castle uses. After that it was just a matter of copin' the wax presses they put on those offical documents.''
Thoroughly curious now, and wanting to ride the high of Sandy's joy, Patrick finally spoke up. ''How'd you get that?''
She softend a bit in her gloating at his question. Another bundle was pulled from her side, and she waved it in the air as answer.
Patrick's eyes widened, and he was soon followed suit by Edward and Eugene. In her calloused hands was an envelope of royal purple, golden emblem of an eye stamped in wax on the side. How someone like Sandy, a commoner by all means got ahold of such an important looking document was beyond them all.
''Invitation to Prince Robert's twenty first birthday.'' She explained. ''He's set to inherit the throne during it next month. Again.'
Eugene whistled, an appropriate response. Prince Robert hadn't been seen for ten years now, hidden away from the public after the untimely death of his parents, King Harold and Queen Margaret. Patrick was about thirteen at the time. He can remember brief shots of the royal family as a boy. They had been a cheery trio, who cared deeply about their people. Prince Robert, if Patrick recalled correctly, had been often referred to as The Light of The Kingdom.
When his parents died in a carriage crash Prince Robert had been too young to take the crown. The responsibility had been passed down to the Royal adviser Sheldon, set to rule until Prince Robert turned sixteen.
Except, when the day did come, and a joyous one it was, for the people did love their Prince, a declaration had been announced. Due to the weak constitution of Prince Robert his coronation had been delayed a year. The people were woeful, as King Sheldon had proved to be cruel and unjust, but nothing could be done. So, they waited.
And waited. And waited some more.
By the eve of Prince Robert's nineteenth year most had all but given up hope on the boy rising to power. Each birthday another excuse would be given, allowing the cold King Sheldon to rule a year longer.
To hear that Prince Robert would be taking power next month was a hard sell to the whole of the kingdom.
Edward scoffed, but they all knew him well enough to see his pushed back intrested. ''Puh-lease. King Sheldon will offer some other flimsy excuse and keep control of the crown.''
''That's just the thing!'' Sandy said with a finger jab. ''If Patrick and I get in we'll get first hand knowledge of the goin's on with the King. If we get proof he's lyin' about why Prince Robert hasn't claimed the crown, we can bring it forth to the people. We can take him down.''
Patrick, who feels like he should be rather alarmed that Sandy said, ''Patrick and I,'' isn't actually that shocked. In fact, he's flattered she's chosen him to be her partner in crime.
''Risky.'' Tutted Eugene, torn between his hatred of the king and his parental instincts towards Sandy and Patrick. ''If you get caught the King ain't gonna be forgivin'.''
''You'll thrown in jail.'' Added Edward. ''At best. At worst...''
He didn't finish the sentence. Didn't need too. Sandy was more than aware of the danger ahead. How her mother would scold her if she knew what was happening. But she couldn't just sit by and watch this kingdom run itself into the ground because of a corrupt ruler. Wasn't that kinda gal.
''I know. Believe me. But I am done seein' people suffer because of harsh taxes and dumb laws. If I can do somethin' about it, I will.''
Patrick, as usual, found himself amazed. Sandy wasn't even born native to their kingdom, moving her a mere three years ago. Hadn't even gotten a chance to see the prior King and Queen in all their glory. No one else would be as passionate as her.
Maybe that's why instead of wanting to hide under a rock at the sheer audacity of the plan, Patrick wanted to help her.
''I'm on your side.'' He said, elbowing her and earning a real and true smile for his efforts.
''I was hopin' you'd say that Pat. Eugene, Edward? I ain't asking y'all to follow us into the fray, but we could sure use some help.''
Eugene sighed, and Patrick knew they got him. ''Alright. But only because I hate that high and mighty King. And I want my Pearl to grow up in a kingdom where she ain't gotta fear starvation.''
''How about you Ed?'' Patrick asked, going to nudge older man. Edward side stepped his attempt and glared. Still, what a softie.
''Only because you three would be in over your heads without me.'' He snapped. ''Someone needs to be the mastermind.''
It was Sandy. They all knew it, but if that's what Edward needed to believe none of them were about to blow his bubble.
''Buckle up boys.'' Sandy said. ''Here's the plan.''
---
The planned ended up with Patrick wearing some stuffy outfit, fancy satin lapels and a colorful golden vest. It likely cost more money than he'd ever see in a life time.
Wasn't much his style either, but Sandy had said he looked handsome, and that was something he hadn't heard much in his life. So, maybe it wasn't that bad.
Sandy, as the subterfuge required of her role was much more downplayed, glowed in her new outfit. A set of study chainmail sat beneath her shirt, with knee high boots and the emblem of the kingdoms knights on a sash round her chest. Very much the picture of squire that she would be claiming to be.
Patrick, on the other hand, looked refined as the castles newest handmaid. He wondered as well just where Sandy had gotten all these expensive looking fabrics, but he knew better to ask.
Sandy had explained with the upcoming celebration for Prince Robert's supposed coronation, that a great surplus of new hires would be filtering in and out of the castle. With their forged documents, and the official stamp of the kingdom, no one would even bat an eye at their entrance. Long as they kept up appearances whenever a prying eye appeared, nothing would go wrong.
Eugene instilled special instructions for them to avoid the King and Queen as well. They were, unfortunately, smart as they were cruel. Queen Karen especially, who was known to have a special knack for technology and science. Quite like the evil version of Sandy.
The two of them were sent off with the warmest goodbye Eugene and Edward could muster, and just a short six days after Sandy brought forth her plan, they found themselves right outside the castle.
It had been Prince Robert's sixth birthday the last time Patrick had been this close. There was no obvious difference from his childhood memories of the place, but it did seem colder. The gold banners looked dull, and a few had even been replaced with the dark purples and greens the new King and Queen often wore.
Patrick thought Sandy looked good in purple, but this was too much. She stood next to him, just a touch shorter, and took his hand. It was now or never.
''Ready?'' She asked.
''As I'll ever be.''
''Took the words outta my mouth Patrick. We got this.''
He squeezed her hand. Even the impossible seemed possible with Sandy looking at him like that. The moment passed quicker than he would of liked, and then Sandy was slipping away to be ahead of them. While it wouldn't exactly be off kilter for their covers to know each other, they had decided it would be better to play it safe and remain strangers.
As Sandy would be working under the royal guard she entered first, with Patrick being ushered towards the kitchen a while later. William Fantson, an equally smug and extravagant man introduced himself as the royal adviser, and therefore in charge of all of the castles staff.
Patrick did not like him. In a way he reminded him of Edward, if only in the worst ways. Edward had kindness behind his sour attitude. William had not even an ounce of compassion in him, and proved it in the way he sneered down at Patrick.
''Rick Starr?''
He bristled, but hackles didn't raise. Nobles often looked down at people like him, so this was no different.
''Patrick, actually.''
William made no effort to hide the roll of his eyes. He check off what was likely Patrick's name (and yet he still got it wrong), and gestured off towards the left.
''What, ever.'' A bundle of sheets were shoved into his hands by a sympathetic looking maid. ''Every bedroom in the right wing needs its bedding changed. That'll be thirteen rooms. Can you handle that?''
Patrick could handle a lot of things, including wiping that self-satisfied grin off William's face. Instead he ducked his head and shuffled off, deciding it would be better to say nothing at all.
Very quickly Patrick found himself alone. The right wing was by no means dirty, obviously dusted and tidied up, but it looked unlived in. Like a portrait, still and unyieldingly proper.
It was actually sort of sad. To think a whole wing of the castle went unused for so long. Especially when Patrick knew it was large enough to house nearly all the people who suffered in the cold just outside gates.
Well, he might as well get started. Cleaning after royalty wasn't the ideal way to spend his evening, but it was a start to gathering the information he needed. How, he wasn't sure, but Sandy told him to keep an ear and eye out, so that's what he planned to do.
Changing the bedding in the first room took him a few tries, especially since Patrick never did it for his own bed. But eventually it looked nice enough to pass as a job well done. Gathering the dirty sheets in the cart he found outside, Patrick resigned himself for a busy few hours.
Sandy found him three rooms in. Her hair was a bit wild, eyes wide but a grin on her face. ''Patrick!'' She called, and he was so focused on fluffing a pillow that he nearly jumped from his skin.
''Sandy!'' He sat heavily on the fine bed. ''Warn a guy next time!''
''Sorry Pat!'' The spark in her eyes told Patrick she wasn't sorry even a bit, but he found that it wasn't such a big deal. Especially when she looked so elated.
''Things are goin' great!'' She continued, and joined him at his side. ''I've talked to some of the other squires, and a few of the knights. Patrick if I gain their trust we'll have knights on our side!''
Try as he might, Patrick quickly matched her enthusiasm. Not that he doubted her, or the plan, but he wasn't smart enough to be as optimistic as she was. But if Sandy said things were working out, there was no other logical option but to believe her.
''Say, Pat.'' She nudged him. ''How are things goin' for you?''
''Uh..'' Patrick shrugged a shoulder. ''The royal adviser is a piece of work. He sent me here to clean the beddings of the right wing. So, not learning much.''
''Aw, don't look so glum. I'll help ya!''
''It won't be suspicious if you're away for so long?''
Sandy scoffed, stood, and tugged him off of the bed. He went with her easily. ''Naw. I got night patrol duty. It's still mornin'. I got time to kill.''
And if that wasn't sweet, and so like Sandy. He bumped her with his belly, a token of affection, and they got to work. It went about five times faster with Sandy helping him, even if she wasn't the poster child for keeping things neat either. Patrick could recall the stacks upon stacks of clutter in her laboratory.
It was opening the door to the tenth room, in the middle of a good natured debate on what exactly had crawled up Edward and died, when they finally saw another living soul. The bed sheets were torn from the mattress, hung across a set of polished chairs. Underneath, sitting with his legs crossed and back to them, was a young man.
First impressions, Patrick didn't think much. He could see a mop of auburn hair, turning slight umber at the curles. The stanger turned, eyes a striking blue open in clear suprise. He was pale too, almost frightfully so, and the freckles across his face stood out like a cluster of stars.
''Woah!'' He called, and scampered to his feet before either of them had a chance to react. And, was that a cat wrapped around his shoulders? ''I've never seen you two before! Are you new to the castle?''
''Y-yeah...'' Sandy appeared confused as Patrick felt. Up until now the right wing had been empty and barren. ''Who are you?''
''Oh! Yeah, sorry. I'm Bobby!''
Bobby?
Bobby.
Something flipped in Patrick's mind. Who he once thought was a stranger was suddenly very familiar. The Prince had been ten the last time Patrick had seen him, and even then it had been at the distance required of royalty. Prince Robert, or Bobby, as he happily introduced himself, looked grown, sort of sunken, but was clearly the same boy who had been hidden away for a decade now.
He slapped Sandy's arm in a flurry, lowering his head in a half bow. ''Your majesty, we apologize. We had no idea this room was occupied.''
''Majesty?'' Echoed Sandy.
Robert- er, Bobby, actually began to look uncomfortable. He shuffled his feet and lead the cat from his shoulders, which meowed in indignation. Bobby pat the little beast on its bald head.
''You don't have to do that. Call me Bobby, please. And don't bow. We're all friends here, aren't we?''
Honeslty, Patrick wasn't sure what he was expecting. The Prince had been a beloved figure some years ago, and even he had been caught up in the shine. But now, Prince Robert had grown to be a forgettable piece of history. No one in the kingdom could truly bring themselves to hold him in ill will, hatred for the King and Queen only, but there were the odd murmurs among the people of disappointment in how the Prince never once stood up for them.
But he did look pale. Either he truly hadn't seen much of the sun these last ten years, or he really was as sick as King Sheldon often claimed.
Sandy still looked shocked, so Patrick took charge once more. ''Alright, Bobby it is. I'm Patrick, and this is Sandy. We started work at the castle today.''
''Oh~!'' Delighted once more Bobby clapped his hands together, and jumped up and down in place like some sort of adorable little puppy. ''I haven't seen anyone new in ages! This is amazing! Oh! Are you cleaning the rooms in this wing?''
''Ye-''
''I'll help!'' He tugged at the remains of his makeshift fort, toppling the chairs over. Patrick got another good look at him, once more suprised. Bobby didn't dress like he expected a prince to. The clothes were nice, of course, better than most of the common folk, but it didn't exactly scream royal. His trousers were brown, almost too big for his waist, and his yellow shirt stood untucked. One strand of his suspenders hung limp at his side. It was artfully scruffy.
Bobby folded the sheet quick as a blink, and it was neater than anything Patrick or Sandy had managed in the last nine rooms. He set it aside, and went about adding a fresh set to the bed. It was half was done by the time Patrick and Sandy realized they should probably do something.
They hurried to help, unable to think of anything else to do in the moment. Bobby kept himself bright, asking all sort of questions as they finished up.
''So, you two are from town?''
''Yeah.'' Sandy eyed him, not quite distrustful, but very curious.
''That's cool! I haven't seen the town for years now. I wish I could again. Hopefully King Sheldon will allow it for my birthday this year.''
''That's- really? The King doesn't allow it?''
''Nope.'' Bobby followed them to the next room, still cheerful despite the sorrow Patrick could almost detect. ''I'm not ready. He says I'm too childish to rule. But it's okay! I'm sure I'll be ready soon!''
''Wow. Hey, excuse us for one moment Bobby.''
At Bobby's nod Sandy grabbed Patrick by the arm, lugging him out into the empty corridor. She pulled his head close to hers, whispering as soon as the door shut.
''This is amazing! He's practically an open book! We can get so much information by befriending the prince.''
''Uh..'' Patrick look back at the door like he could see Bobby through it. Sandy was right. Very right. If it was anyone else he'd agree without question. But, it felt off. A nasty taste in his mouth at using someone so overwhelmingly kind for information. Bobby looked desperate for a friend, and the part of Patrick that still loved what the royal family used to be ached terribly just thinking about it.
''I dunno Sandy. It doesn't look like he's left this wing in the past ten years. How much can he know about what the King is doing?''
''Well, what can it hurt!'' She countered. ''Sides, King Sheldon is stoppin' him from talkin' the crown. We find out why, and we're helpin' Bobby.''
It wasn't far, because Sandy knew Patrick could never beat her in a feat of logic. He groaned, and she grinned. Why could he never say no to her?
''Alright. Maybe I can talk to him more tonight while you're on patrol.''
''That's the spirit Pat!'' She pressed against his side in a half hug, and the rest of the reservations melted away. ''Now, let's finish cleanin' up, yeah?''
They walked back in, and Bobby was done. The room was as spotless as could be, with the shining Prince observing his handiwork with glee.
''What?'' He said, looking at their reaction. ''I like cleaning!''
Sandy laughed, her gaze softening for the first time around Bobby. ''You're a strange little Prince, aren't you?''
''Yup! Now, two more rooms left. Let's go!''
He charged past them, whooping like he was having the time of his life. It almost seemed unbefitting of a Prince to be so excited at the prospect of cleaning. Something, easy to miss, was off about Bobby.
And Patrick might not know him, nor owe him anything, but he ached to figured it out.