Chapter Text
"Whaaaat?!"
The sudden yell left one Geordo Stuart third prince of Sorcier, reeling as the loud sound caused him to trip and-
Thump!
"Ooof!"
Hit his head on the door he was leaving the estate through.
And so he remembered.
Not all at once. It came back slowly, him stewing over it in his mind on the whole ride back to the castle.
'I was just a random guy in college, I hadn't even chosen a major yet. I was happy just taking life as it came"
'Then one morning when I was taking the subway the train crashed...'
At last the ride came to an end
"Wait...no...." He said in dawning realization.
He looked up in horror at the proud towers of the royal castle standing tall.
Just as the book had described.
Tragic Fortune
A fantasy romance novel that he admittedly wasn't in the target demographic for but had never really cared. Good writing was good writing dammit!
And it was rather well written. A Shakespearan style tale of romance and betrayal but set in a fantasy world.
It told the story of Geordo Stuart the prodigious but troubled third prince of Sorcier and his romance with commoner Maria Campbell.
The first part of the story played out like a standard romance...until Geordo's official fiance Catarina Claes firmly stakes her claim and the royal court is soon caught up in a whirlwind of schemes and intrigue ending in Catarina murdering Maria in a rage and Geordo cutting her down in vengeance before ending his own life in shame of not being able to protect his true love and in the ensuing power vacuume a tyrannical dark mage took the throne.
It was a nice read for those who enjoyed those sorts of stories.
But this wasn't reading it. This was real.
'Ok think this through'
After having found a sufficiently private and sound proof room and screaming his lungs out till he got it out of his system he was now calmed down enough to think clearly.
'Long term plan for surviving in general is important and trying to save Maria too. If I can get her to fall for me like original Geordo but that's not the focus. I at least have a leg up in understanding the dramatic irony the original characters explicitly couldn't see'
He thought as he paced around his room.
'Ok first up the most important thing will be to deal with the Claes family as they prove to be the most direct obstacle in the story. Catarina for obvious reasons along with her step brother Keith who was Geordo's biggest romantic rival for Maria despite clearly just intending to break her heart cause of his stupid tragic backstory'
"Ok first I just need to not get engaged to Catarina. Should be simple enough."
"No you cannot just 'back out' of proposing to ms Claes" The king said firmly.
"What!? Why?"
"Geordo I expect better of you. You gave your word to get engaged to Catarina after the injury hurt her ability to find a marriage in high society. You can't just change your mind on the way back" His father chastised
The blond boy couldn't argue. For a few reasons.
For one he was right, doing something like this so early on would look bad and hurt his reputation making it harder to court political allies he'll need later.
Two...he was giving the perfect combination of 'parental disapproval' look on his face and broaching no arguments tone that the boy just legitimately could not disobey directly.
Later he would reluctantly return to the Claes manor to officially propose to Catarina.
And found her....farming?
"What...are you doing?"
"Ah! I just thought this could be a good way to improve my earth magic!" She answered with an earnest smile that was so out of place on who he knew her to be's face it made him almost shudder.
"Ah, Ok then..."
Ignoring Catarina's fainting mother he had the engagement properly done and eventually departed once more.
'What was that about?' He contemplated
On some level her attempting to improve her magic made sense. She was explicitly a mediocre at best mage in the original story, it was one of the many things she had to be jealous of in Maria, who was a verified prodigy.
But even with that it still didn't make sense! Catarina was a massive classist! Part of the above thing was being gauled that a commoner was better than her. It was completely out of character for her to "lower" herself to farming...
'Unless she's desperate...'
'From finding out her royal fiance already tried to back out of the engagement?!'
'Of course! How could I be so stupid? Spies and eavesdropping was such a regular thing in the book, of course the Claes family has ears in the castle!'
'I have to be more careful from now on...'
"Catarina, this is Keith, he's going to be your little brother from now on" Duke Claes introduced him.
'Fuck, fuck, fuck!'
He just had to only awaken his past life memories the day he was adopted into the Claes family.
'Dammit how did I get here?' He mused
Before this, he was just an average joe doing a normal day job at a local branch of a large company.
Then he had the brilliant idea to drive himself home after spending his night off playing a drinking game to the season premiere of a certain tv show.
The show?
Fortune of Thrones
The biggest name in television. A dark fantasy series detailing the saga of the land of Sorcier that became well known for it's shocking twists and brutality.
And he was Keith Claes legitimatized bastard son of the Claes dukedom, one of it's many characters.
After the black hearted and cruel prince Geordo murdered his unstable fiance Catarina Claes and tried to forcefully claim Maria Campbell for himself the kingdom was consumed by another vicious succession war.
The Claes family faught in it officially to avenge the betrayal of Geordo killing one of their own.
Keith only faught in a desperate attempt to save the love of his life Maria.
And failed, captured do to the machinations and ultimate betrayal of Sirius Dieke he was publicly beheaded in a dramatic season finale.
Now he was pacing around his new room trying to think of a strategy when-
"Hey Keith!"
"Huh!?"
Katarina suddenly burst into his room.
"It's a nice day out, let me show you around the garden!"
'Is this some sort of trick? A setup for a cruel prank? Knowing her character from the show it wouldn't surprise me if she started the animosity this young...'
"Um, t-thanks Catarina but I'm not feeling great. I think I'll stay in for the day"
The girl pouted and crossed her arms before saying "Fine but if your really going to be my brother then you have to start calling me sister!"
"Um...Ok s-sister?"
She suddenly got in his face and beamed a smile declaring "I've always wanted a little brother!" Before dragging him to play some inside games.
'This doesn't make any sense' he would contemplate later in his room alone
'She's acting completely different compared to the show, it just doesn't make any sense. Unless...'
The show mostly alluded to the characters childhoods with anecdotes and stories with actual flashbacks used sparingly (he didn't blame them, child actors were...yeah) But it was solidly established that being trapped in a loveless engagement to somone like Geordo for most of her life certainly didn't do her mental health any favors...
His eyes widened "Don't tell me, is...is this what she's normally like?"
Was the nutcase from the show a result of that jackass prince sadistically breaking her?!
"Oh god" he the boy whispered as he stared out the window before making a decision.
'Well not this time! I'll use what I know to save myself, Maria and my new sister!' He promised.
Meanwhile Catarina layed on her bed a victorious grin on her face
"Keith was acting a little weird but I think I got him to really warm up to me!'
"Hehe, watch out doom flags!"