Chapter Text
“He’s going to be here today?” Tommy exclaimed as he frantically attempted to keep up with his mother while she walked down the hallway.
“Yes, he and his brother will be arriving in a few hours, so you better go get dressed,” Kristin told him, not bothering to slow down. “You seem awfully bothered by all this.”
Tommy shot her an annoyed look that she didn’t even notice. “You just told me that I’m getting married and my fiancé is going to be here soon! Of course I’m freaked out!”
“Well, I didn’t want to tell you earlier because I know you would work yourself into a frenzy about the whole thing,” Kristin explained, coming to a stop at the entrance to the throne room.
Tommy swallowed a biting retort. “Well, I feel like I’m in a frenzy still.”
Kristin reached a hand out and cupped her son’s cheek, gently stroking her thumb against his skin. “Oh, my dear, you have no need to worry. Prince Wilbur seems lovely and I just know he’ll be taken with you.”
“What if I meet him and I hate him, mum?”
“Then we’ll figure something out. I swear I won't let you be unhappy”
Tommy nodded and Kristin dropped her hand from his cheek.
“I’ll go get ready,” Tommy relented. “But I expect there to be some of those mini chocolate tarts after dinner tonight to make up for you telling me so last minute.”
Kristin laughed. “Anything for you, Toms.”
♔♔♔
Tommy took a deep breath, a futile attempt to slow his racing heart. He tried to stop himself from pacing, but found that his feet moved on their own. His hands were shaking, just in a minuscule fashion that wasn’t quite noticeable, and he found that he was too distracted by his thoughts to even think about stopping the tremors.
Tommy knew that somewhere in the castle, and quickly heading towards the throne room where he stood, was his fiancé. The two were bound— or rather doomed— to meet quite soon. There was no escape, not turning back, not getting out of this. Tommy could only prepare himself for what was to come.
As the door began to open, Tommy’s pacing ceased and he found himself frozen as he stared at the entranceway, waiting for his fate to arrive.
In walked Prince Wilbur of the L’manburg Kingdom. He was tall and lanky, with curly brown hair and a conventionally attractive face. There were rumors that young men and women all over L’manburg were quite infatuated with him.
Tommy, however, was not so easily charmed.
Wilbur approached him with a confidence that few possessed, head held high as he made his way over to the blond. Once in front of Tommy, he grabbed the blond’s hand— not offered to him, mind you— and bowed down to kiss Tommy’s knuckles. As he stood back up, Tommy tried to pull his hand away as politely as possible without letting his unease and discomfort show.
“Prince Wilbur,” Tommy greeted, trying his hardest to keep his voice steady. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Wilbur flashed a dazzling smile. “The pleasure is all mine, my dear.”
Tommy looked away, unable to fathom how Wilbur could be so cheerful as he stood in the room with someone he was being forced to wed.
“How was the journey here?” Tommy questioned, trying to keep the conversation moving along and off the topic of the engagement. “I know it can be a bit treacherous with the snowy mountains.”
“It was actually quite a lovely ride. I’ve never been so far north,” Wilbur replied. “It’s no surprise that such a beautiful kingdom has such a beautiful prince.”
Tommy did not swoon nor blush nor get flustered. He was not so easily wooed by simple lines or compliments from a prince who was obviously used to everyone falling in love with him. Tommy could see Wilbur’s face fall a bit when he didn’t get the reaction he wanted from the Antarctic Prince, but the brunet persisted nevertheless.
“My eldest brother forges metal and I asked him to make this for you,” Wilbur started up the conversation again, pulling out a gold ring laden with diamonds. “I figured it would be quite rude not to give you an engagement band.”
He handed the ring to Tommy, only to find that the blond did not look intrigued nor impressed. Almost reluctantly, Tommy slipped the ring on and looked at it for a second with brows furrowed and eyes teary.
Tommy did not want to marry this man.
“It’s been lovely to meet you,” Tommy choked out, “but I’m afraid I must go for now.”
Without allowing Wilbur to get another word in, Tommy quickly turned and ran from the throne room, taking off the ring and shoving it in his pocket as he went. The door closed behind him and Wilbur was left all alone, just staring at the spot where his fiancé stood only moments before.
Great, the first person who wouldn’t want Wilbur for his wealth or status was also the one person he had no clue how to woo.
♔♔♔
There was no time to think as Tommy rushed through the halls, weaving around servants and guards who rushed to get out of his way. Tears blurred his vision, making it impossible to tell quite where in the palace he was, but he vaguely knew he was in the less populated corridors towards the hall of portraits.
With his limited vision, it was unsurprising that Tommy knocked directly into someone, but he couldn’t stop the un-princely grunt that came from his mouth as he was knocked directly onto his ass. The breath was knocked out of him to the point where he couldn’t get a word out to even attempt to apologize to whomever he knocked into.
Tommy reached up and wiped away his tears, daring to glance at who was in front of him. Much to his surprise, he was met with a quite well dressed and handsome man holding out a hand to him. Tommy quickly took it, relishing in the gentle touch as the man helped him up.
“My apologies,” Tommy choked out as formally as he could once he had caught his breath. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“It is no worries,” the dark haired man replied. “I’ve actually been looking for someone to help me find where I’m going— I’m quite a bit lost.”
“Where are you headed?”
“I was supposed to be in the throne room with my brother to meet his fiancé, the prince.”
It suddenly dawned upon Tommy just who he was speaking to: the handsome man, who he had no chance with anyways considering he was already engaged, was the brother of Prince Wilbur. This must’ve been Prince Ash, the middle son of the L’manburg Kingdom. Now Tommy felt rather stupid, having made such a fool of himself during his first introduction to his fiancé’s brother.
And to find his fiancé’s brother more attractive than his actual fiancé? How scandalous.
“You must be Prince Ash,” Tommy acknowledged, holding out his hand for a handshake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Prince Theseus?” Ash dared to assume.
When Tommy nodded, Ash reached forward and took his hand just as gently as before, leaning down to place a kiss upon his knuckles. Unlike with Wilbur, Tommy found himself feeling no resentment towards the action, no discomfort nor unease. In fact, he felt charmed by the action, a light blush making itself known across his cheeks.
“Please,” Tommy murmured once Ash had straightened back up and released his hand, “just call me Tommy.”
“Tommy,” Ash repeated, as though trying out the name. “Very simple, but it fits you.”
Tommy smiled. For a few moments, the two found themselves just staring into each other’s eyes, blue boring into brown. It was like the world had fallen away and it was just the two of them in their own little universe, nobody around to bother them and no responsibilities to think about.
“I’m sorry I got lost and missed our formal introductions,” Ash apologized in a slightly sheepish manner, breaking the silence.
“It’s nothing to be sorry about,” Tommy assured, “and, if I’m honest, I’m kind of glad we got to meet on our own.”
Ash couldn’t help smile. “I am as well.”
It was silent for a few moments.
“Would you join me for tea in the garden tomorrow?” Tommy blurted suddenly, unable to stop himself from inviting the man into his little daily tradition.
Ash floundered for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. “Shouldn’t you be asking my brother to join you for tea?”
Tommy looked away, a faint blush on his face. “I must admit, I’ve already enjoyed my few minutes with you much more than the time spent being introduced to him.”
Ash’s mouth was slightly agape and he flushed all the same as Tommy, but he also looked rather pleased. “And will anybody know that we are spending this time together?”
“Not if I swear the guards to secrecy and we have tea while my mother is in her afternoon meetings,” Tommy replied with a sly smile.
“Then tell me a time and I will meet you in the garden tomorrow, so long as you show me the way today so I don’t get lost again.”
Tommy laughed. “Come with me, I’ll show you the path to the garden and to your chambers.”
Ash happily followed.