Chapter Text
Scott remembers the day he met tango. It was a diplomatic party. The queen of the Frozen tundra, Tango’s mother, was sitting at the edge of the ballroom. She had only recently given birth to the 3rd prince, and couldn't dance with her husband. Scott remembers walking up to her, asking about the newborn prince. Scott saw tango and couldn't help but smile. He would visit the Queen, Cleo, every day while she stayed in Rivendell. When time came for her and her children to return to the frozen tundra he couldn't hold back his tears. He waited and waited for a chance to see that child again. When that time finally came a year later, it came with a horrid price.
At the age of 6 Scott was promised to the crown princess of the frozen tundra, Pearl. She was the 10 year old crown princess of the frozen tundra and first born to the Queen, Cleo, and the king, Etho. The Tundra was a Matriarchal country, passed from eldest daughter to eldest daughter. Rivendell itself being a meritocracy.
He can still see the cold and calculating eyes of the king as he bowed to the crown princess. Her own eyes shining with unshed tears, mirroring his own.
“Ah..” he thought, ”She doesn’t want this either.”
Scott held his breath as he locked eyes with the apologetic princess. The two never looked away from each other till the ceremony ended and Scott was ushered to his new room. It was adorned with purples and grays, unlike the golds and blues of Rivendell. He sits on the edge of his bed, big enough to fit 10 of him and just cries. His tears only stopped with a knock on his door.
“Scott? Are you in there?”
It was Queen Cleo.
“Yes, your majesty! I’ll be right there!”
He scrambled to get the door, opening it to the somber queen holding her newborn.
“Hello Scott, how are you holding up?” Cleo leaned down and held Scott’s face with one hand.” I know that this will be hard but just know if you ever need anything you can just come find me.”
He nods, leaning in to her before looking down at Tango. Scott hesitantly reaches for the child. Tango almost immediately grabs his fingers with as much strength an infant can muster.
“It seems he remembers you”
Cleo mused with a smile.
“Does he?”
Scott askes, his voice trembling.
“Definitely”
Soft sobs echo through the room while the Little Prince hugs the small toddler. Both boys wrapped up in Cleo's arms.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tango can't remember a time before him, before Scott. His earliest memory is of Scott dancing in a field of ice-lilies. His Teal hair fluttering amongst the light snowflakes as he sings a song they can’t remember. That was when Tango fell head over heels at the tender age of 5. The day his miserable fate was sealed. If only he had been born earlier, the same age as Scott. If only he’d been born a girl he could have been the one to marry him instead of his sister. If only they weren’t royalty, they could be together as they were. If only Scott was younger, his age and he would never have had to marry his sister. If only. If only.
If only this were a different story.
But it's not.
Scott is 5 years older than him.
Tango was a boy.
Scott is married to his sister.
Tango and Scott are both princes, with crowns so heavy it will snap their necks if they turn even an inch.
And it kills him.
It kills him to see Pearl and Scott biting back tears at every formal event. It kills him to see them dance while avoiding each other's touch. It kills him to see Pearl stare longingly at the garden from the grand hallways of the Frozen palace. It kills him to hear his mother and father argue while Scott stands meekly in a corner.
When Tango turned 23, the delicate peace shattered. Scar, his oldest brother, second born, ran away with the Crown Prince of the Spring Kingdom to the south, Grian. Now his sister is in the south, Scott is in Rivendell, and his parents sleep on opposite sides of the palace. And an avian prince is coming up from the Kingdom of Spring.
Things couldn't possibly get more complicated for Tango.
….Could they?