Chapter Text
Adam pulled his scrubbing brush out of the bucket, squeezing it before learning down to scrub at the bottom step of the staircase.
He had been doing this for the last 2 hours. He would have done it quicker, and in fact, he had already finished the entire staircase an hour ago. But his step sisters had gone back up the stairs, leaving muddy footprints on purpose.
Adam knew it was on purpose - his step sisters would never have gotten mud on their shoes otherwise.
But finally, he was finished. The stairs were clean, even as it added an extra hour onto Adam’s routine. But that was okay. As long as all the chores were done, then his stepmother Beth didn’t care.
As long as he did them. All of them.
Life hadn’t always been like this for Adam. His mother had died in childbirth, so his father had raised him. And until Adam was 8, life was good. It was just him and his dad, but that was the way he’d liked it.
Until his dad had married Beth, believing Adam needed a mother figure in his life. With Beth came Sarah and Gabi, his new step sisters, and they moved into the house.
Beth had been nice to Adam, at first. She didn’t act like a mother would, but she was polite, and mostly kind. The same went for Gabi and Sarah.
But when Adam’s dad died one year after the wedding, everything changed. Adam was moved into the small bedroom in the attic, which got cold in the winter and was dark and lonely.
Adam also lost all of his freedom, essentially becoming a servant. Beth reasoned that because he was the only man in the house, he should do all the work, for free.
So Adam had to do all of the chores, every day. He made breakfast, cleaned the house from top to bottom, washed the clothes, fed the cat that Beth had brought with her, cleaned the stairs, and the windows, and the floors. He never left the house unless it was to buy food at the market, he was never allowed to dine with his step-family, and he was never paid.
He was their servant, without the wages.
Adam couldn’t leave - he had nowhere to go. No other family, no money saved up, no friends who could help. He was alone in the world, with only a few mice to keep him company, up in his attic room.
The mice were harmless, and although Adam wasn’t fond of animals, the mice were cute, he had to admit.
He was alone.
“Adam!”
Adam startled slightly, narrowly avoiding tipping the bucket over and spilling water all over the floor.
It was his stepmother, because of course it was, standing at the top of the stairs, looking down on Adam.
Adam stood up, looking in her general direction. He was already slightly behind on his routine, and Beth usually only talked to him when she wanted him to do something for her.
Beth stood leaning against the banister, thinly veiled contempt in her eyes, dressed in a long purple dress, expertly tailored. “The flowers in my room are dying. You need to go into the woods to pick a few more. Now.”
“Yes, stepmother.” Adam said, nodding slightly, as he watched her walk away.
A trip into the woods, just on the outskirts of town, would add at least 45 minutes to his routine, a routine that he was already behind on. No days were easy living under Beth’s thumb, but today would be especially difficult. At least his thoughts were his own, even if his time wasn’t.
***
“I’m not going to a fucking ball just so you can find me a wife!” Nigel paced around the King’s office, hands on his hips.
The King, Nigel’s father, was leaning on his ornate office desk, arms crossed. “Nigel, you are of age now. It is time to find you a wife, prepare for life as King when the time comes. It’s the way it’s always been done.” He was a small man, shorter than his own son, wearing small glasses that made him look endearing.
Nigel glanced at his father, for once seeing how old he seemed. Older than he really was, the duties as king taking its toll. “I can be king without a wife.” He lowered his voice, not wanting to give the staff any more reason to gossip. “Why can’t I meet someone the old fashioned way?”
The King smiled at his son. “My boy, a ball is the old fashioned way for us. It’s how I met your mother, and how my mother met her husband.” In fact, it had already been planned for the following week. It was also a celebration of the founding of the kingdom, small as it was.
Nigel glared at his father, softening slightly when all he got was a kindly smile in return. He had never once heard his father raise his voice, or lose his temper. All of that seemed to have passed down to Nigel instead. “Father, please.”
The King sighed. “Why don’t we compromise? We’ll throw a ball anyway, to celebrate the founding of our kingdom. You can use it to meet the eligible ladies, get to know them in a slightly formal setting. You don’t have to propose immediately.” He smiled - if Nigel was anything like him, he would know when he’d found the one. The king had proposed immediately upon meeting his love.
Nigel relented, taking the compromise. It was better than nothing, despite his aversion to formal balls and the ladies of the kingdom, all so eager to gain his favour. “Okay. I will try, but I make no promises.” He kissed his father on the cheek, a small thank you, before leaving the office.
As Nigel walked through the halls, a small shot of guilt raced through him. He couldn’t do it, couldn’t marry one of the ladies of the kingdom, knowing he could never love her. His desires lay elsewhere.
***
The woods were peaceful, the only sounds were the birds and various woodland creatures scattered throughout.
Adam was wrapped up warmly, a scarf around the bottom half of his face, because some of the flowers out here had an overwhelming smell, too much for Adam's sensitive nose.
Adam had gathered the flowers, the faint odour annoying him slightly. He knew there was poison ivy around here somewhere, and had once entertained the idea of taking some to Beth in place of actual flowers.
But that would make Beth mad, and she was cruel when she got mad. Adam knew exactly how many times he had been locked in the small kitchen cupboard, in the dark and cold.
12 times.
He didn't want to make it 13. Those 12 times were from the first few years of his new life, before he had built a routine, learned how Beth liked things to be done. Learned how to be good and obedient.
He took a moment for himself, like he always did out here. It was a small clearing, with a fallen tree trunk in the middle. The woods gave a great view of the sky, and he wondered what it looked like at night.
Beth always locked the doors of the house at night, leaving Adam only able to look from his window, a limited view.
Adam longed to get out of that house, live life on his own terms. Not living in fear of the cupboard, of his stepsisters shouting for him, never having much time to himself.
A twig snapped behind him, and he turned, heart racing a bit faster. There wasn't usually anyone else in the woods.
Nigel came out from the trees, dressed in a fancy white shirt and black trousers, with gold stitching at the hems, completely out of place in a forest.
"Shit, sorry I didn't realise anyone was here." He held his hands up in apology, before looking at Adam in front of him.
The boy was beautiful, wrapped up quite snugly, big blue eyes peering out over his scarf. He was also crying.
Adam looked at Nigel. He was taller than Adam, with a broad chest, sandy brownish hair that fell over his eyes slightly. He was gorgeous, Adam realised.
"I should be going." Adam made to step past the man, heading back the way he came, but a hand came up to grab his arm, and Adam startled.
"Woah, sorry." The hand dropped immediately. "Everything okay? You're crying." Nigel tried to catch his eyes but couldn't.
Adam shook his head, willing the tears away. "I need to get home. My stepmother will be angry." He had already taken longer than usual, he couldn't delay any longer. Not even for a handsome stranger.
Nigel couldn't take his eyes off the angel in front of him, for some reason. It felt like a switch had been flipped, but Nigel couldn't explain it. "Okay. I didn't mean to disturb you, gorgeous."
There was a rustling in the trees, someone trampling through them. "Your highness!" A voice rang out.
"Shit." Nigel muttered under his breath, recognising the voice. "I need to go. Get home safely, gorgeous, okay?" Shit, did he just call him gorgeous out loud?
But Nigel didn't have time to panic - the voice was getting closer, and he needed to get out of here, otherwise he'd be dragged back to the castle. With a smile, Nigel ran across the clearing, leaving Adam behind.
Adam began his walk home, one word stuck in his head. Gorgeous. The man had called him gorgeous. The man was also handsome, Adam had noticed. There was something about him, something different.
It wasn't until later that night, after giving Beth the flowers, finishing his chores for the day, and laying down in bed that Adam was really able to think.
The man thought he was gorgeous? Beth had taunted him several times that he looked too soft for a man, with his brown curls and his gentle demeanour. But that man, with the rough voice and strong hand? He thought Adam was gorgeous.
Was it flirting? It sounded like it, but Adam had never been flirted with before. Compliments like gorgeous weren't just for anyone, right? They were for if you liked someone.
Adam had never liked someone before, since he'd lived a slightly sheltered life. But he liked that man, he looked handsome. His voice was nice, too. And he'd been kind, something Adam had missed in recent years.
Adam replayed the meeting in his mind, smiling at it. He jolted upright up in his bed as he realised something- Your Highness. That voice had called the man Your Highness. That meant he was a royal. And the royal family was rather small, by Adam's knowledge. There was one son, around his own age. Prince Nigel.
That must have been him. Adam had met the Prince. The Prince had been flirting with Adam.
Damn.
***
The following morning, Adam picked up the letter that had been hand delivered by a messenger of the King. There was no envelope, so Adam wasn't snooping as he read it, walking to give it to Beth.
The King invites all members of this household, both male and female, to a special ball to be held at the castle this Saturday night, in celebration of our great kingdom.
In attendance will be HRH the King, and Prince Nigel.
(Formal dress is required)
A ball, at the castle, with the royal family in attendance. The king, and the Prince. With Nigel.
And Adam was invited.