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“So help me to understand,” he shifted in his seat, crossing his arms and legs. The chair let out a groan beneath him as he moved. His guests were surely uncomfortable with the layers of dust and poverty surrounding them, but Charles couldn’t focus on that at the moment. “You’re offering for me come live in a castle, free of charge, just to take care of the prince while he is ill.”
“Yes, it will just be the two of you.” The guards voice was gruff and formal, he didn’t beat around the bush.
Which told him this was real.
“But, that can’t be possible.” Charles leaned further back, tone becoming more inquisitive as time went on. “I just don’t understand, why me?”
“You are an older sibling and have been for most of your life, are you not?” He glanced over how creepy it was that they knew that and nodded. “This means you have experience in cooking, cleaning, taking care of people—“
“Yes, I do, but why does that qualify me to take care of the crown prince of our kingdom?” Charles did not feel bad for interrupting, he was too outraged at the moment.
The second guard took a threatening step forward but the first held up a hand. “Please Mr. Wickson, remain calm.”
He finally realized whom he was yelling at and took a deep breath. It wasn’t worth getting executed to express his rage. “I’m sorry, I just—why me?”
The first guard looked up at the second, whom nodded.
“We have been informed that you have been through financial hardship recently. Your younger siblings will be completely supported for both cost of living and education during your stay at the castle, which hopefully will not last long.”
He stood up once again, but this time, rather than getting upset, extended a hand. His little brother and sister were playing in the other room. They had no plans for dinner tonight because they had no food for dinner tonight. He would do anything if it meant his angels were watched over. “I accept.”
~
They had sent a cart to collect his items, but Charles had few clothes and even fewer keepsakes, so he decided to carry his things himself.
He hauled his singular bag up the final steps that led to the castle’s grand front doors. He instructed not to knock, just enter. So he pushed on the door as hard as he could and, with an obnoxious creak, it slowly opened.
He cautiously stepped through into a grand opening hallway. The floors were a fine marble, the walls decadent spruce. Glass crystals cascaded down from the chandelier in a way that made it look as if a rainbow waterfall was falling from the sky. He nervously ran a hand over the railing of the grand staircase, allowing the comforting feeling over soft wood to rush underneath his skin.
It was marvelous.
He took a moment to take it all in. This was just the front hall and it was breathtaking.
“Excuse me?”
Charles turned towards the sound of the voice. At the top of the balcony, over looking the great hall, in a way that made Charles feel oh-so small, stood a young man in a crown.
The prince.
“You must be the help they asked for. Allow me to explain: you are here to assist me with the day to day functions that I am apparently not capable of handling myself. Am I correct?”
Charles hesitated at that. He had assumed he would be wanted there, that his company would be appreciated, not resented.
“Yes, I am here to assist your living, or so I have been told.”
The prince rolled his eyes and leaned against the banister. For the man who would one day rule the kingdom, he definitely had a soft face. Not to mention eyes one could easily get lost in. “Very well. I suppose I should give you the tour.”
The prince motioned for Charles to climb the staircase. He did so and upon reaching the top he extended a hand for the prince to shake. The prince just looked him up and down as if confused by the gesture.
“What are you doing?”
Charles raised an eyebrow. “I would like to introduce myself formal. I am Charles Wixson, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
Prince Vincent rolled his eyes and turned to begin walking down the hall. “Apparently you have never been in the presence of royalty before.”
“Pardon?”
He turned back around and glared Charles down. “You are supposed to bow to the crown prince of the kingdom.”
Charles blinked.
And blinked again.
“I’m sorry?”
“You heard me. Now, come along, this is a big castle, we have a lot to see.”
~
The tour mostly consisted of closets where cleaning supplies were kept and the kitchen. It felt like a bit of a slight but Charles let it go considering most of what he would be doing was cooking and cleaning.
The only two detours the prince took were to his own bedroom, (where he said he would be spending most of his time), and the garden.
The garden was in an enclosed space within the center of the castle. Ruby roses bloomed from their bushes, delphinium danced at their feet. Massive willow trees grew overhead and delicate lanterns hung from their branches.
Like one would expect any castle garden to look, it came straight out of a scene from a fairytale.
Charles managed to snap out of his amazement and turned to follow the prince. However, Prince Vincent was also stunned by the garden he must have seen a million times before.
“You know when I was little, I used to think there were fairies in this garden.”
Charles remained silent, patiently waiting for any elaborations he may have had on the story. When he didn’t continue, Charles decided to speak up. “If I may say, it truly is magnificent. However, I do not understand why you brought me out here. Is there a reason you wanted me to see the garden?”
The prince turned to Charles and rolled his eyes. “Who said I was showing you this? I came out here to enjoy the only decent part of this castle and you happened to follow me, making it less decent.”
Charles looked away as soon as the words left Prince Vincent’s mouth. He looked up to the sky and found the setting sun, a perfect transition. “It’s getting late, do you have any preferences for our dinner?”
“I would prefer you not be there.”
He coughed to cover his emotions. “Very well, I shall bring dinner to your room.”
“Good,” the prince turned towards the golden sky above them. “Now, leave.”
Charles didn't need to be told twice. Like a shot he was gone…
…missing the way the prince sighed at the newfound loneliness.
~
Charles spooned the last of the soup into the bowl with slow motions. The prince had mentioned his stomach was bothering him so hopefully a light meal would help.
He delicately placed the bowl on the tray, (both were porcelain and had detailing of flowers), and picked up the tray by its golden handles.
Hopefully the prince would not reject this meal like the last.
Carefully making his way up the spiral staircase that led to the main castle, he balanced the soup with practiced elegance.
When he arrived at the prince’s quarters Charles was met with a closed door. He raised a hand to knock, but hesitated.
Prince Vincent already hated him.
But he hadn’t left his room in at least a day and he hadn’t touched the food Charles brought him yesterday.
So Charles gave two gentle knocks and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
After several moments with no response he knocked again, harder this time.
“Go away.”
Experimentally, he tried the door knob.
It was unlocked.
He announced “I’m coming in,” and quietly pushed the door open.
Upon first observation, the room was extremely messy. Pillows were thrown around the room, blankets spread across the hardwoods. And like a trail of breadcrumbs, the sheets curved around to the other side of the bed.
Charles set the tray down on the table in the sitting area and spoke into the silence. “Prince Vincent? Are you alright?”
“Go away,” the prince croaked out, voice on the edge of tears.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” He began to approach the other side of the bed.
Prince Vincent’s tone was firmer this time when he spoke. “Leave or I’ll have you executed!”
Charles paused for a moment. He weighed his options before realizing the prince most likely did not have the power to execute him. That fell on his father.
“I’m coming over.”
There was a shuffling noise as he approached. He rounded the bed to find the prince wrapped in a bundle of blankets, a single green eye poking out.
Except, that eye should have been grey.
The eye was green with noticeable blue speckles, and looked significantly larger than it had before.
Charles rushed forward and fell to his knees at the prince’s side. “What’s wrong?” He asked, voice going higher than he would have liked in his concern.
“Nothing, leave.”
“We both know I am not going to do that.”
The prince seemed to think for a moment, a long moment, before asking “do you promise to not be scared?”
This took Charles back a little bit. What would he be scared of?
“I promise.”
The prince released his hold on the blanket and it fell around him, dropping from his head down to his shoulders so his back was still covered. But Charles was not focused on the blanket.
He was focused on the horns.
Two horns, less than two inches in length but still very noticeable, protruding from the prince’s skull.
That wasn’t all.
His eyes were not both the same green. Instead, one was its regular grey, but the other was was a glistening emerald that made butterflies flutter to Charles’s stomach. It was also enlarged, as if he had been punched and it had swelled, but not the area around the eye. The actual eye itself looked swollen.
There were two small drips of blood rushing down from his mouth to his chin, caused most likely by the fangs jutting out from between his lips. Like the horns, they were minuscule. They were likely less than and inch long, but still present and bloodstained nonetheless.
Charles thought for a moment what to do, or how to react even. How was one supposed to react to this?
Prince Vincent had become a monster overnight.
He had promised not to be scared, so he schooled his look to one of calmness and professionalism. The longer he went without saying anything, the more Prince Vincent seemed to panic. A single tear was slowly making its way down from his regular eye. “May I ask what happened?”
“I—“
The way he cut off made Charles think he knew exactly what was going on.
“Please, tell me,” he tried his best to sympathize. “I can’t help you unless I know what is going on.”
The prince seems to concede, closing his eyes and sighing heavily.
“I was never ill. I was cursed.”
Charles tried his best to remain calm and composed, but he had to admit he eyes opened up at that.
“Cursed? By whom?”
The prince sniffled pathetically and tried to wipe his nose. It was at this point Charles saw his hands for the first time that day.
Or should he say, claws?
The day before when Charles saw Prince Vincent’s fingernails, the had been neatly trimmed. Now the resembled grotesque claws. The hands themselves were bordering on a stone grey color, the fingers were long and spindly, not to mention incredibly sharp at the ends. When the prince went to wipe away the tears, he accidentally cut himself and the claws drew blood. This only served to make him cry more.
Charles quickly sprang up and rushed to the restroom. He grabbed the tissues placed delicately on the marble countertop and returned to his overseer. Charles came to the prince’s side once more and gently began to wipe away the blood. Despite the tears now coating his face, Prince Vincent smiled and whispered out a quiet, “thank you.”
Oh goodness.
That was the first time Prince Vincent had expressed gratitude towards Charles.
“Your highness?”
“Yes?”
“Who were you cursed by?”
He let out a soft exhale. “We don’t know. My family was just attending a regular checkup when a psychic noticed excess mystic energy surrounding me. He determined it was a curse. My parents would rather the story be I died of illness rather than assassination attempt, so my true condition will be kept a secret to the kingdom.” He took another deep breath. “I’m sorry I’ve been, cold to you. I never wanted anyone to witness me at my lowest.”
Charles had the wide eyes again. He had never expected to hear anything this genuine from the prince. The man seemed so callous and upfront at first, this seemed like an impossibility.
Even more impossible than the crown prince growing horns and fangs.
“Prince Vincent—“
“Please, call me Vin.”
Charles’s shock must have been evident on his face, because the prin— Vin, giggled a little.
“What’s so funny?”
“Your face is silly.”
Charles cleared his throat and tried his best to tame his expression. “So you’re telling me you were so rude to me because you…” he trailed off because he didn’t know the best way to explain the erratic behavior.
Vin took a breath. “It was because I didn’t want you to find out what was happening and tell anyone else.”
“Well,” Charles stood up and put a hand on the Vin’s shoulder, “your secret is in safe hands.”
The prince let the blanket fall all the way down to his legs as he stood up.
Wings.
Charles took a step back in shock. A pair of massive dragon wings were sprouting from Vin’s back. They looked similar to his eye, a reflective emerald green spotted with navy flecks.
Just like the prince, they were beautiful.
He realized he was gaping obnoxiously when Vin ran a hand in front of his face. “Sorry, I just—“
“No need to apologize, they are quite remarkable, aren’t they?”
“Of course they are, they’re goddamned wings!”
Vin chuckled once. “I can’t say I’m completely upset about this, just mostly.”
~
The next morning Vin joined him downstairs for breakfast.
Charles was in the kitchen, minding his own business and cooking breakfast. There was a small crash from behind him, as if a pot had fallen over, that caused him to turn. He saw nothing was out of place and turned back around.
Only for Vin to come out of nowhere like a fnaf jumpscare. Charles recoiled, (obviously), and held a hand over his chest.
“Good god, you scared the life out of me.”
The position he was in too, that was the cherry on top. He was leaning forwards against the counter, chin down delicately placed in his hands. His wings were spread behind him, but not fully. He had the hair swept off his face and the softest smile that perfectly displayed his horns and fangs respectively.
Charles swore he could get lost in the prince’s eyes. One normal, but beautiful, warm grey one and another that was swelled and mutated beyond proportion but still perfect.
He was perfect.
Charles had to snap out of it to hold a decent conversation.
“Im sorry for sneaking up in you,” Vin said. “I wanted to see what you were cooking.”
“Oh, I thought something light would be better considering the events of yesterday. Would you care for some scrambled eggs and toast?”
Vin smirked. “I would love that.”
~
Unlike the limited meals they had had together before, breakfast that morning was filled with lighthearted conversation.
The talks ranged from how many siblings they had, (Charles already knew Vin’s answer considering he was the prince, but he still asked to be polite), to what their favorite sports were, and finally, they circled back around to the curse.
That was where Charles wished he could take it all back.
“So,” he started, intending to ask a kind question, “why do you think you grew the features you did?”
The prince nearly choked on his food. “I beg your pardon?”
Charles realized what he had done, the weight of what he’d said, he had just implied the prince chose this! He tried to take it back. “I’m so sorry, I did not mean it in that way at all. I misspoke—“
Vin got up, didn’t bother to clear his place, and left.
Left Charles to regret, regret, regret.
~
How could he be such an imbecile? To ask why he thought he grew his features was almost implying that he chose to grow them. Implying that he chose to turn into a monster overnight.
Of course Charles did not think this way at all. He did not think Vin was a monster, he thought Vin was beautiful.
He was just wondering if Vin had any theories on what was happening to him, he truly did not mean to offend him.
But what was done was done. And now he stood outside Vi— the prince’s door with the food he made on a delicate porcelain try, begging his majesty to open up.
“Please Vin, please just open the door. You have to eat—“ the ‘I really want to apologize’ never came forward. “—please, just open the door.” He put his head against the door in defeat, the room behind it staying dead silent.
He knew Vin was in there, he had checked the entire castle up and down for him. He had to be in his room.
If only he would open the damned door.
“Vin, I beg of you, ope—“
The door opened and Vin revealed his tired, beaten face. “Yes, Charles?” He sounded annoyed.
Rightfully so.
“Look I would just like to—“
“Is that my food?”
Charles sputtered. “Yes, but please listen—“
“I tried listening, Mr. Wickson, and I’m done with that now. You may bring me my food and keep our castle clean. That is your job.” With that he slammed the doors shut.
Charles absently felt a tear roll down his cheek, he had royally messed up. He turned to leave but found his feet weren’t responding to him. Instead, they gave up and he slid down to the the ground. With his head hurried in his knees, he let himself have a silent sob before hearing the opening of doors.
The balcony.
Charles shot you from his position the floor and raced down the hallway. He practically flew down the steps and out the doors to the enchanted garden.. He scrambled to the bottom of Vin’s balcony and looked up to see him standing against the railing, leaning every so subtly over the edge.
It felt like the eyes of the world were watching the two of them at the moment, but really it was just the flowers and fairies.
“Prince Vincent?”
The prince looked around for moment before his eyes fell downward.
He scowled, but stayed silent.
He was waiting.
It feel awkward, Charles expected Prince Vincent to send him back inside or retreat into his room the moment he arrived. But he was just…
Waiting…
He didn’t have much time to chose his words. Only a moment to think, to make his point.
Charles had a world of things to say.
“I—“ here went nothing. “I love you Prince Vincent. You are everything I could never be. You are a prince and I am a popper, you have confidence and, this wonderful attitude I could never imagine.” He took a beat, a pause to process. Vin hadn’t gone inside yet. “You are a creature far above a human and you are too humble to realize it. You may not think this of yourself but you are a treasure. You are absolutely beautiful, wings or not.” Charles couldn’t make out Vin’s face in the moonlight, but he knew a tear rolled down his own. “Please, allow me to apologize! Not for calling you a monster, but for allowing you to think you are one! You are an astounding person, a lovely prince, and if you are okay with it, a true friend.”
Prince Vincent stayed silent for a long moment, hopefully processes his servant’s words.
Then Charles watched as he slowly climbed up the balustrade, standing atop it for a heart-wrenching moment—
Before leaping—
Charles tried to scream but it was caught in his throat. Vin fell and let his wings catch him halfway down, gently floating to meet his servant.
The prince’s feet landed delicately in-front of Charles’, and they came face to face with each other. Charles was forced to stare in the heterochromatic eyes that had tainted his dreams last night. Vin put a hand on his shoulder, dropped it to his back, and pulled him in close.
He was clearly going in for a hug, but Charles wasn’t having that.
The servant pushed his mouth into the prince’s. At first, Vin’s misshapen eyes widened and he nearly pulled away, but he quickly fell into the kiss and closed the eye that could see. His wings arched behind his back from the initial confusion but soon began to flutter.
He had always been good at hiding his emotions until the damned things grew in.
Oh well.
And there they fell in love, with only the fairies to watch them.