Chapter Text
(David’s perspective)
David sat at his windowsill, resting his head on his hand as he looked out and sighed softly to himself. Something about this life made him feel… incomplete. But why? He had everything!
He lived in a castle, he had money, nobility, servants waiting on him hand and foot, anything anyone could ask for! Then why did it feel like something was missing? Something just out of his reach? Something if he just reached out far enough…
David looked down at the grass sadly when something caught his gaze, a few knights training outside his window. A tall, stocky blue-haired man with a brown-haired knight and a blonde gentleman with a… wait… isn’t that… Exer?
Exer, the famous knight, known for his skill in battle. His dark brown hair only a few shades darker than his skin and David could just about see his amber eyes from where he stood.
David then saw Exer with his sword held under his duelling partner’s chin and he couldn’t help but smile a little at it, still watching him. He felt his face getting warmer and- no, no, not only is this a knight, but he’s also a man — and a man can’t like a man, right?
It seems that he was still staring as Exer’s attention turns from his partner to the prince, he raised an eyebrow and David had to try and act cool.
In slight panic, his eyes darted around before giving Exer a big, awkward smile, praying that he didn’t look weird. Exer smirked slightly and bowed, calling up to him,
“Hello, Prince. Is there any reason why you’re looking at me?”
David’s expression darkened slightly at the bowing and formal title,
“Please… just call me David… and you don’t need to bow…” He sighed. Exer tilted his head,
“But you’re royalty! It’s the polite thing to do to show respect or whatever!”
“Well… think it as more respectful to me specifically to not bow… or see it as an order, whatever works.” David rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes drifting back and forth, an unknown feeling hammering in his chest.
“I suppose if that’s what you want, sire!” Exer shrugged, looking David up and down from where he stood below as the prince still felt fairly uncomfortable by how he was being treated.
Sure, this is how others are meant to act around him, but he hated how everyone had to walk on eggshells around him, act like he’s above everybody else when he’s really a human being just like them!
Why did he feel that way? Surely he should enjoy this power! His father certainly did, so why couldn’t he? Why did he long for a life below his own? David let out a heavy sigh, and he must’ve looked rather distracted or at least his sigh was heard (though that wasn’t likely due to how high up the balcony David stood on was in comparison to Exer below), as he heard a response,
“Sire? Are you alright?”
David immediately snapped out of his thoughts and looked back down at Exer, his face slightly reddening with shame,
“Y-yeah… I’m fine, don’t worry about me, just… I dunno, doesn’t matter.” Exer looked at him, his smirk drooping slightly with sympathy as he softly, yet loud enough for David to hear,
“I understand, we haven’t talked much before so I get you don’t want to tell me… but I’m here if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, alright?”
David blinks, feeling a warmth he had never felt before, it was nice, it felt safe… but no, this wasn’t appropriate! This is a knight! He’s not meant to feel safe around him, at least not on such a personal level! Though, this feeling was difficult to suppress… but he had to,
“U-uh… o-ok! I’ll think on it! Thank you!” David blurted out, drumming his on the window sill, trying not to smile too wide.
Exer smiled so kindly it made David’s heart beat faster than it already was, his fingers drumming more aggressively,
“Well, I should get going, see you around?” His head cocked slightly,
“U-uh, yeah! S-See you!” Exer smiled again and waved as he left.
As soon as the knight turned his back, David stumbled back into his room, slammed the balcony door shut and sat down against the door. He closed his eyes and held a hand to his forehead as David felt his face burn up, trying to think of a way to calm down.
After a few moments, he relaxed, he exhaled with relief and dropped his hand from his head. David opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, he was going to have to learn how to suppress these overwhelming emotions.
He then heard a knock at the door,
“Come in!” David called out to whoever was standing in the hallway. In came Brenda, her head peeping from behind the door,
“David, it’s lunch!” She told him, he had to supress a sigh,
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming!” He responded, standing up and following her over to the door.
He stepped out into the hallway, putting his hands in his pockets as Brenda closed the door behind them. But, she quickly noticed where he’d put his hands and gently slapped them away,
“Hey!” David frowned at her.
“Father will get mad if he catches you with your hands in your pockets! You know that!” Brenda pointed out somewhat harshly,
“Yeah, but you don’t have to slap me!” David retorted.
Brenda rolled her eyes as they began to tread down to the dining room, but David was still feeling a little annoyed,
“Don’t roll your eyes at me!”
“I’m older than you! Respect your elders and whatnot!” Brenda responded with the same harshness as David had expressed,
“Yeah, elder by 3 minutes! What? Do you need me to get you a walking stick, grandma?” David couldn’t help but smirk slightly, though his sister got on his nerves, he knew it was all in good taste.
However, their father didn’t.
They hadn’t noticed that they were still jokingly bickering as they approached the dining room where their father already sat at the head of the table, so his yell caught them off guard,
“You two! Stop that! You, son, are meant to be a gentleman and you, daughter, are meant to be lady-like, not… savages!”
David had to hold back an eye roll,
“Yes father, sorry father…” He mumbled, bowing his head slightly,
“I’m sorry too, father.” Brenda curtsied, their father— William— smiled at that,
“Good, now, come take a seat, the servants have prepared another delicious meal, I’m sure!”
They both took a seat, both simultaneously glancing up at their younger brother, Jackson, who was writing in his diary at the table. David and Brenda would get yelled at if they brought something like that with them, he got away with so much and it was so damn annoying. Maybe Jackson got special treatment because he was adopted and their parents felt they had to overcompensate.
Eventually, one of the servants, Ken, brought out a plate with a silver dome overtop the plate. He then placed it in front of David and raised the cover to reveal a Caprese salad.
“Bon appetit! Eat it before it eats youuu!” Ken wiggled his fingers in front of David’s face, which earned him a glare from William.
“Servant, you are here to do your job, not mess around!” William’s voice was low and threatening, but David had heard it enough that it didn’t intimidate him that much anymore.
Obviously, it was also the same for Ken.
“Yes sir…” His voice held a hint of sarcasm as he brought round the other dishes to everybody else.
As Ken left the room, they began to eat. David picked slightly at his food, but it wasn’t abnormal for him, he was just a bit of a slow eater. They all sat in silence for a while, the only sound being heard was Jackson eating with his mouth open.
The noise always bothered David, so he politely spoke up,
“Hey, Jack? Mind eating with your mouth shut please?” Jackson nodded and shrugged,
“Okay!” He continued eating with his mouth open but it was a little more closed now, it’d have to do.
“Son? Just wanted to let you know that a batch of princesses are coming here-“ His father began to speak before David interrupted him,
“Yeah, yeah, and I have to see if any of them appeal to me as a wife, I know the drill now…” David had to resist another sigh, not looking up from his meal.
“Look at me when I’m speaking to you!” William told David somewhat aggressively, so David looked up at him, “It will be a little different this time, though.”
“How so?” David raised an eyebrow. Different? Is it a good different?
“You need to actually choose a wife this time, the barons say we can’t let you go without one for much longer! And this time, you can’t decide and just call it off afterwards!” That caused David to immediately stop eating and put his fork down, he shared a glance with Brenda who gave him a sympathetic look,
“…What?”
“I know you want to find someone you have a connection with, but unfortunately, we have to marry for power!” His father spoke. David’s heart plummeted, why did it have to be like this though? They were royalty, surely they were powerful enough already?
But no, it had to be like this! The Millers, his own family, his already powerful family, still had to marry into other royal families to be have more. How much power did they need?
David felt a mix of sadness and anger with a now lost appetite,
“…May I be excused?” His voice was slightly hesitant, and his stepmother picked up on it,
“But you haven’t finished your food, darling!” Linda furrowed her brows,
“Yeah… I’m just… not hungry, that’s all…” David responded but it came out quiet and slightly strained,
“I’ll eat the rest if you want!” Jackson spoke up, David shrugged and so his brother scraped the food onto his own plate.
Linda sighed and nodded her head,
“Alright… you’re excused…” He left the room and sat outside the castle, sighing to himself and stroking the back of his hair.
Why did he have to marry some random princess he had never met? Surely at least he could be able to get to know them first, why did it all have to be based on looks?
David knew nothing about the girls they’d introduce to him, at least he probably won’t, but he wish he did.
He brought his legs up close to his body and stared off into the distance. David knew there was nothing he could do, so, unfortunately, he would just have to ride it out.
No matter what, he was going to have to pick a wife, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.