A Prince's Pride

*Aaron*

My father has announced the date of mine and Corianne’s wedding. It came as a shock to both of us since we’d never given him a date. Still, nobody is taking it worse than Xion. They’ve been buzzing around the cathedral my father decided we’d get married in, ordering servants around and almost crying. The wedding still isn’t for two more days. I think they should calm down.

Criston isn’t happy either. He, Corianne, Milo, and I have met several times over the two weeks since my father announced the date and he just moans continually about our upcoming wedding while offering no help toward a plan to get us out of it. Corianne shushes him like he’s a child crying over dropping his ice cream. I think he’s pathetic.

Corianne has the hardest job of us all because she is actually involved with the planning of the wedding. She’s been as calm as possible, but the strain shows. She’s so desperate not to marry me, she’s suggested one of us break a bone. I’m not going to lie, it’s the most promising plan either of us have devised. Still, that would only delay the wedding, not cancel it. In truth, I think Corianne should have gone to my father and told him she didn’t want to marry me a long time ago. Unfortunately, it’s too late for that now.

I’m most concerned about Milo. He’s keeping true to his promise to trust Corianne. Not once in the last two weeks has he leveled an accusation against Corianne or shot her a dirty look. I’m grateful for this, but he also seems wholly unconcerned about our upcoming wedding.

“I just don’t think stopping it is that important,” says Milo when I question him one day with Corianne in the dark corner of the library we’ve come to spend so much time in. 

My jaw drops. “How can you say that? Do you want Corianne and I to get married?”

“No, of course not,” he says. “But it’s not like you two are going to have to have sex. It’ll keep your father off your back about marrying someone. You two can just say Corianne can’t get pregnant or something. Then, when you’re king, you’ll divorce her and keep your promise to me.”

Corianne thinks he’s being noble or trying extra hard to make up for being horrible to her, but I don’t know. 

“Oh, I have to go,” says Milo suddenly, looking at his watch. “I’ll see you guys later.” He kisses me and leaves me and Corianne in the library.

I stand by the window for a moment while Corianne lays with her head on the table, exhausted. Down in the streets below, I watch several carriages trundle down the road. I know they’re carrying flowers, decoration, and food for the wedding.

*Milo*

As I leave Aaron and Corianne behind, I feel a twist in my stomach. I don’t want them to get married, but I don’t know how to stop it. It’s true that I’m not too worried about it. Once I prove Corianne is up to something, the King will break their marriage and probably execute her. 

My biggest concern is Tanner. He promised to find something on Corianne and Criston and was able to get me more pictures of Criston dealing with Red Hand members. I’ve been wondering if I should take them to Aaron, but they only show Criston and I need enough evidence to take them both down. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen Tanner in almost a week. 

Thirty minutes later, I’m walking down the street to his house. With only two days left until the wedding, I want to get to the bottom of Corianne’s dealings with the Red Hand. I know their marriage won’t be the end of me and Aaron, but I’d still like to stop it if possible.

When I get to Tanner’s house, I knock on the door, but have to pinch my nose shut at the smell. Doesn’t he ever clean? The sickly sweet stench is thick in the air. I can feel it on my tongue. After a moment, I knock again and, although there’s nobody on the other side, the door swings open. It must not have been latched properly.

“Tanner?” I call through his front door. No answer. I decide to walk inside.

Tanner’s townhouse is littered with photographs of people walking through gardens, kissing, and even having sex. Camera equipment lays all over the place surrounded by piles of clothes and plates of old food, many of which have grown mold.

I walk through the house and check the bathroom and kitchen. I don’t find him in the kitchen, but I find a piece of paper with words written on it.

Gabe and Harron, Thurs 24th, 3 PM, alley behind Garbold’s

Tomorrow is the 24th, and is a thursday. This must be some kind of meeting or knowledge about where someone would be. I pocket the piece of paper before deciding to check Tanner’s bedroom. Maybe he’s taking a nap. 

When I get to Tanner’s bedroom, I find his body swinging from the ceiling, a rope tied around his neck. A red hand print covers part of his face.

Tanner was murdered by the Red Hand.

Hours later, I’m sitting in an interrogation room for the City Guard.

“Here you go, Milo,” says Maria Filmore, the Captain of the City Guard. She slides a cup of coffee to me. “Do you feel ready to talk?”

I nod as I sip the coffee. It’s hot and warms my chilled skin. Ever since I found Tanner, I’ve been covered in gooseflesh. He isn’t saying anything, but Aaron is standing right behind me.

“I went to go see Tanner because I haven’t heard from him in a while. We were really close friends when I lived in the Lower Ring, before I was the Royal Attendant to Prince Aaron. When I knocked on his door, it just swung open, so I went inside and found him in his bedroom.”

“Did you see anyone suspicious hanging around?”

I shake my head. She’s just asking questions she’s supposed to. The image of Tanner’s bloated body, covered in human waste, is imprinted in my vision. He’d been hanging there for several days.

“Tanner was a private detective,” continues Filmore. “Do you know of anyone he was following that might have wanted him dead? Maybe he found something out he wasn’t supposed to know.”

Yeah, he was. He was following someone giving loads of gold to the Red Hand. I feel a rage burn inside me. Tanner was following Criston on my orders. It’s my fault he was killed.

“No,” I tell her instead. I can’t let Aaron know I was still having Tanner follow Criston and Corianne. I’ll have to come up with a lie to tell him. I hate lying to him, but it’s for his own good. “I haven’t talked to him much lately. I was just dropping in on and old friend.”

When Aaron, Oswald, and I leave the City Guard precinct, we barely make it two blocks toward the palace before Aaron pulls me into a deserted alley that ends in a dead end.

“Stand guard here, Oswald,” commands Aaron as he pulls me to the back, leaving Oswald at the opening.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“I know who that man was, the one you found. He’s the private eye you hired to follow Corianne, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” I say, “but—”

“Milo, why were you going to him? I thought you were past this stuff with Corianne.”

“I am, Aaron. He’s been coming to my house, trying to get me to hire him back. He bothered me a few days ago and I wanted to find him, to tell him to leave me alone.”

“You did?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I must say I am a bit disappointed. If you’d been hiring him, maybe you’d have a lead as to who he was following. We need to round up more Red Hand members. They’ve been really quiet lately, which probably means they’re up to something.”

Should I tell him about Criston or keep playing dumb? I don’t know what the right move is here, so I decide to say nothing, to bide my time.

The next day, I wake up with a horrible feeling of dread in my stomach. Aaron’s wedding is tomorrow. I know I’ve already dismissed it as unimportant, but I can’t help feel a pang of jealousy. I wish I were waking up the day before my wedding to Aaron. At least I’m waking up with him in my bed. Corianne told the King it’s unlucky for the groom to see his bride twenty-four hours before the wedding, so Aaron stayed at my home last night.

As if he senses me looking at him, his eyes snap open and he looks at me.

“Are you watching me sleep?” he asks, rolling over so we’re face-to-face. 

“Is that a crime, my prince?” I ask. He rolls his eyes and I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. 

“No, but it’s a crime if you don’t kiss me right now.”

“And what is the punishment?” I ask, licking my lips.

“A spanking,” he says, scooting closer to me.

“Can I have a kiss and the punishment?” I ask, putting my mouth only an inch away from his. He wraps his arms around me and plants a kiss on my mouth. We both have morning breath, but neither of us care. I care even less when his hand swats my ass. I gasp into his mouth.

My hand snakes through the blankets and wraps around his already hard cock. It jumps at my touch. I duck down, swimming through the covers until I find his cock. My lips wrap around the head and I swirl my tongue over it, sending spasms of pleasure through him. I swallow him down, my nose coming to rest in his trimmed pubes. I bob, needing to use extra force when I pull up for the covers. As if he senses I need the help, Aaron throws the covers off us both.

I’m laying between his legs, looking up into his eyes. He gasps as I swallow him down again, one of my hands fondling his balls. His precum coats my mouth as I slide down on him again. 

He pulls me up so he can swing his body next to mine, us laying down next to one another. He swallows me as I swallow him. He imitates my movements, going down when I do, squeezing my balls when I squeeze his, so we feel exactly the same thing. It’s heavenly bliss, but I need more.

“I want you to ride me,” I say. He nods and I move up to the pillows, leaning back. Aaron pulls out the bottle of lube from my bedside table. It’s almost empty, as our sex life has been rather active these last few weeks.

He slathers my cock and his hole before plunging down on me. As always, he fits me like a glove. He starts to ride, his hands holding my bed’s backboard, his feet planted on either side of me. I lube my hand with the remaining liquid in the bottle and start to stroke his cock as he rides. Our breathing becomes heavier as he looks into my eyes.

Having never ridden a cock before, I don’t know how hard it is, but Aaron gets tires quickly, so he holds himself up in the same position while I fuck him from below, still stroking his cock. 

“Oh, fuck, Milo. Fuck my hole, baby,” Aaron moans.

And I do. I fuck him hard, our skin slapping together as we gasp each other’s names. My toes clench of their own accord as my balls squeeze and I unload inside him. He starts riding me again, his hole dripping with my cum as I stroke his cock harder and faster. 

When he explodes, he almost screams in pleasure.

A knock sounds at my door and one of the guards outside, not Oswald, shouts through the wood, “Are you alright, Your Highness?”

“Yes, fine!” Aaron shouts, then more quietly to me, he adds, “I’ve never been better.” He folds his legs back and sits on top of me, my softening cock still inside him and kisses me deeply.

As we get ready for the day, I remember the piece of paper I took from Tanner’s townhouse. I’m going to that alleyway behind Garbold’s pharmacy. I suspect it’s a meeting between Criston and a member of the Red Hand. 

I’m going to find out what’s going on, once and for all.

*Aaron*

Is there any better way to start the morning than fucking your boyfriend? As I walk up to the palace, I can’t imagine anything could be. The guards have been ordered, under Corianne’s instructions, to keep the two of us separated until the wedding. She’s almost too good at this subterfuge stuff.

When I get to my room, I find a servant, not Milo, cleaning up.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” she says as she folds down my covers. I wish Milo were here, but he’s taken the day off. Contrary to what he says, I think he’s upset about the wedding tomorrow and needs some time alone. I’m willing to give it to him.

After the servant leaves, I take a shower and dress myself. Milo is the only servant I let help me dress. When I’m all ready, I wander aimlessly around the palace and find myself in front of my parents’ bedroom door. My mother is inside, singing a song.

Oh, my boy, my precious boy,

How fast you have grown.

You’re now a man, so tall, so strong,

Oh to where have all the years gone?

Today I give, give you away

Though another year, I wish you’d stay

Oh, my boy, my precious boy,

How fast you have grown.

She stops singing when I knock on the door. I love her singing voice, but it sounds so sad today.

“Are you alright, Mother?” I ask. She smiles and holds her arms out to me. When I cross to her, she places her hands on either side of my head.

“Oh, I’m okay,” she says. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Excited for the wedding.” She smiles at me again, but I can see it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“I know you don’t want to marry Corianne,” she says, “but in time, I’m sure you’ll grow to be very fond of her.”

I nod, but I know I don’t believe it.

She pulls me into a hug. It’s been a while since my mother has hugged me like this. I don’t know what comes over me. I don’t know why I tell her, but the time feels right.

“Mom,” I say, pulling back and looking her in the face. “I’m gay.”

She smiles even more broadly, then kisses me on my forehead. I have to bend down to help her reach it.

“I know,” she says.

“You know?” I ask, incredulous.

“A mother always knows.”

“And Father?”

She rolls her eyes with another smile. “He loves you, but he’s blinded by tradition. I don’t think he knows about you and Milo, but—”

“How do you…” I start to ask, but then answer my own question. “A mother always knows.”

“I am glad you told me,” she says, hugging me again. “I’ll always love you.”

When we break apart, I look at her. “Do you think marrying Corianne is the right thing to do?”

“Only you can answer that, my son. I’m sure you want to be with Milo, but for now, this is the way things are.”

“When I’m the king, I’m going to change things,” I tell her.

“Well, don’t hold your breath, my boy. Sometimes, I think your father will never pass the crown to you. It may be until he passes before you are made king.”

*Milo*

I recognize this alleyway. It’s the same alleyway I’ve seen in the pictures Tanner’s given me. I’m dressed as a beggar, hanging out at the corner of the pharmacy. Barely anybody walks this way, and nobody gives me a coin. I slump against the wall, pretending to be asleep with drink, as many beggars are.

Precisely at 3 o’clock, Criston comes down the road. He stops and drops a silver crown into the crumbled hat in my hand, then pushes me with his foot. I don’t react, and he seems to buy my act that I’m asleep.

It’s nearly ten minutes later when he’s joined by another man. I crane my neck to see into the alleyway and watch as a bag of gold is passed to the man from Criston. The man is wearing a hood, so I can’t see his face.

“The Red Hand thanks you and the Lady Corianne for this generous gift,” says the cloaked man.

“Please,” Criston says with a sneer in his voice. He sounds different today. He usually has a whiny, annoying voice. He sounds dark and sinister now. “The Lady Corianne is a fool. She hasn’t noticed me stealing this money from her. She’s too worried about having to marry that fool of a prince.”

“It’s impressive that she hasn’t noticed these last few weeks. Are you sure she knows nothing?”

“Of course not,” says Criston. “I play my part well. She believes I’m her love and want to stop the wedding. Truthfully, this wedding has been a blessing. Are the preparations complete?”

“Nearly. We’re ready to commence the attack whenever we receive the signal. The Royal Family won’t know what hit them.”

“Good. We’ll meet back here tomorrow before the wedding and I’ll hand off the last payment.”

When they start to move to leave the alleyway, I return to my original position, but it’s more difficult now. My heart is thumping so hard, I’m surprised they can’t hear it slamming against my chest.

When they’re out of sight, I throw off my disguise and start to run for the palace. I believe Criston is going to take the most direct route, so I have to take a longer path, meaning I’ll get back to the palace after him.

As I run, my mind races as fast as my heart. 

I was wrong about Corianne. She doesn’t know anything. She isn’t involved in any of it. It’s all Criston. I should have taken the pictures to Aaron straight away. I make a last minute decision to stop by my apartment and grab them before running up to the palace.

I can’t find Aaron. He isn’t in the gardens, or his room, or the library. None of the guards or other servants know where he is. I could go to the King, but that would open up a lot of questions I can’t answer. I have only one option. I swallow my pride and knock on Corianne’s door.

When she opens it, I rush inside and shut the door behind her.

“Corianne, I’m so sorry. You know that private detective I had following you? I just discovered that he found that Criston is dealing with the Red Hand.”

I hold the pictures out to her. Her face flushes.

“This can’t be,” she says. “It just can’t!” Tears fill her eyes. “Come on, Milo, I’m going to confront him. He’s on top of the North Tower.”

I’m not sure how she knows this, but Criston did get to the palace before me. The detour to my house took longer than it should have as I had to wait for a procession of carriages carrying wedding preparations to pass me on the street.

Corianne and I climb North Tower, going up the spiral staircase. No guards stand here as it’s impossible to climb from the outside and is too high to see the ground very clearly.

“Wait here,” Corianne says, pointing to behind the door that leads to the roof. It swings into the tower, so I can stand behind it and be hidden. Luckily, I’m able to peek through the crack of the door and see Criston standing at the edge of the tower, looking down at the palace courtyard.

“Criston,” she says, and I see Criston turn to her, a smile on his face, which vanishes when she brandishes the photographs at him.

“What is this?” he asks, but I see his face fall further when he looks at the photographs.

“Well, it looks to me like you’re stealing money from me and giving it to the Red Hand. Care to explain yourself?”

“You stupid bitch,” he says, and Corianne takes a step back. I can see only her profile, but she looks like he’s just slapped her. “You could have left well enough alone. Now we’re going to have to move up the timetable. The attack wasn’t supposed to happen until tomorrow.”

“Attack? What attack?”

“The Red Hand has joined forces with King Zannir. You know those carriages carrying your wedding food and flowers and the other shit for this farce of a wedding? Those carriages also carry hidden soldiers of both the Red Hand and the Lower Reach. Tomorrow, when the city alarms went off, celebrating your wedding, we were to attack. The confusion it would cause would be the perfect cover for our plans.”

“Who even are you?!” she demands. “And what plans are these?”

“We’re going to kill the Royal Family and hand Midoor to the Lower Reach,” he says, matter of factly.

“You’re mad!” she yells at him. “And you’ll never get away with it.” 

She starts to head for the door, but he grabs her. I don’t know what to do. Should I run out and try to fight him? Criston carries a sword. I have no weapons.

“We will get away with it, Corianne. We have a way of commencing the attack early, and you’re going to help.”

“I will not!” she says. “How do you intend to force me?”

“Our attack starts when the warning klaxon sounds,” he says. “When they find your body, they’ll raise the alarm.”

“Let me go!” she shouts, trying to fight him off, but he’s too strong for her. “Unhand me!”

“As you wish, my lady” he says. 

Before I can move a muscle in her defense, Criston pushes Corianne over the parapet.