he was angry to find that though the room had been cleaned when he was gone he clothes for bed had not been set out and noone was around to yell at for it. huffily he took his anger out on the wallhanging across from the bed and pulling it from it's hooks threw it to the ground in a pile

The boy could hear the loud clattering of something falling to the ground before the feeling of concern swelled in his chest. There was no pause for knocking, and instead he pushed the door open to find a fallen pile of a hanging on the ground. Looking up, he saw the man working to knock over an end table. "Prince Ambrose," the boy briskly made his way over, watching as the furniture was muscled to the ground. "What are you doing!" He reached out to grab at one of the Prince's arms, working to halt him before he got his mitts onto another piece of the decor

reflexively he knocked the hand away and turned to the lad, "your family needs to learn respect for their prince. i am not the eldest but i still expect to be treated properly"

He evened his gaze with the man, allowing for his arm to go limp at his side. "We are short on hands, but given your leave during dinner I assure you there will be servants waiting on you more often and doing what they ought to. They already think you are angered by them, and do not wish to take the gamble of provoking you further."

what ire he had before fled him and he laughed, "ha, i forgot i was not at my father's table. i will do better to stay until the meal is over though i will not socialize with those people if i can help it"

"I did not expect for you to talk to them, and I do not believe many of them expected it either." He shared in the laughter, though his was brief. "Thank you, my Prince. I know you do not enjoy being here, but it makes me very happy."

nodding he came up to the lad and pressed his face against the soft chest, "i am pleased you are happy. there is no other reason to be here but to make you happy"

He only hummed a soft response before falling silent. He hardly moved as the other leaned against him, and the other did not seem to either. Only the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed softly moved them both, and even then it was faint. Dipping his head, he gently rested against the mess of reddish hair

he had forgotten the lad was expected to stay the night until a nervous looking servant came to aid him in readying for bed and found them still standing together. he did not allow the frightened man to leave and languidly moved from his wife so that he could be dressed

He was left to his own devices to receive his own bed clothes for the evening while the servant cared for his husband. Quickly, the boy was able to find his own rooms and gather his clothes before finding his father's chambers again. By then his husband was dressed, and the meek looking servant was itching to leave. Saying nothing, he went to dress himself for sleep

he would be lying if he said he did not enjoy the man's unhappiness and smugly he watched as his wife dressed. when the lad was done he grabbed the hapless servant by the arm, "make sure the duke knows where his son lays tonight." saying no more to the man he pushed him to the door and watched him flee

"You are going to kill off the rest of our servants by scaring them to death. I am surprised that one did not keel over as you grabbed his arm." Stepping up to the bed, the boy started to turn down the covers. "Though I told you the servants would not talk of us, but you practically gave that one permission to tell whomever. Do not expect for them to cease their gossip when in company"

he shrugged and followed the other to bed, "no, i gave him permission to tell your father, it is not the same thing at all. i want him to think i am taking you against your will in his bed. it will add to his shame and all without harm to you or i seeing as he is the one to have laid way for this path"

Lightly, the boy pursed his lips together into a thin line. He knew that his father would have had to agree in order for he to take the place of his sister, it was not his mother's decision alone. Still, the man was his father, and allowing for his husband to contrive such a plan was still insulting. Still, he knew that he could say nothing to either sway the Prince's mind, or anything that would not earn him something from the man. He said nothing as he slid beneath the covers

when he was woken for chapel he was in a fine mood and seeing the sleepy lad be ushered off to be dressed in his own room before a servant came to help him made it only better. he was both pleased with being allowed to see such a pleasant sight so early in the morning hours as well as to know he was not expected to reject god's word and be left without a guide for the day to come. the only sour note was, he realized, he would not be expected to kneel next to his wife during prayers. as he was dressed he contemplated making it so that he could and wondered what it would mean if he tried

Relief dawned on him when he was able to find his seat beside his family in the chapel. There was an odd sense of familiarity among it all, and had his sister been present he could have easily imagined he'd never been sent away. The boy further realized that it continued to differ as he noticed Ambrose go to take his seat. He began to ponder if the other may have been lonely sitting by himself, and the thought plagued him through the mass. It was not until the mass was over that he left his pew to speak to the lone Prince.

he was offered no option to speak about his place and resigned himself to ask after chapel though as he stood it was his wife who came to him over he to the duke. arching his brow eloquently he twitched the lightest of bows, "my lord ainsley?"

Gracefully he matched the gesture while dipping deeper before he found himself standing straight before his Prince again. "I was curious to know how you thought of this morning's mass, my lord. As well as if everything this morning was satisfactory."

he nodded lightly. "it was managed properly and i am pleased with the choice in sermon as well. i would however like to sit with you tomorrow instead."

Curiously a brow raised itself as he looked to the Prince with curiosity, though no question came to show for it. "Of course. I am certain you could sit with my family and myself if you so desired. I will let my father know you are to sit with me tomorrow."

nodding again he offered the lad a half-smile. good, for now though i have nothing to do, would you like to show me around so that i may see the place of your birth?"

Once again he dipped into a shallow bow before offering a glance around the chapel, only to find the congregation beginning to thin. He offered a gentle gesture to the Prince, telling him to follow him free of church. "Of course, my lord. However, there are many things I could show to you. Is there anything that perhaps you long to see?"

he followed behind the boy's crisp gait easily. "i am not certain but i thought you had mentioned riding horses before. does your family keep any? if there are i would like to see them"

A smile bubbled to his face at the mention of the creatures, and happily he led them towards the far side of the house. "We keep a few, not many mind you. They are sweet old things though, and I am sure they would love our company. They do not get enough kindness and companionship from the stable-hands."

he was pleased when he saw the horses, some were all but rounceys but there were two jennets and a young courser as well. leaving the boy he moved to touch the beautiful horse, drawing closer he noticed it was with foal and smiled. "she is a beautiful dam, what is the foal to be used for?"

He turned his head to the Prince as he touched the young horse, a smile appearing. One of similarity came from him, which quickly grew as the Rouncy beside him nudged his hand impatiently for sweets he did not have. “One of the stable hands spoke yesterday that she is to be a hunting steed. Already she is taken with people and eager to run.”

"it will be a mare?" he nodded more to himself than anything, "when it is grown if it is a hale beast its mother could be bred in with one from my stables, the blood will be good for the line and if she breeds males you will be able to keep your own stock of coursers"

He turned back to the sweet gelding as he began to lip his bare palm, and offering a stroke along his long muzzle. "I would love to have horses of my own back at the castle, but would I be able to see them in the stables? It does not seem appropriate for a lady to ride horses"

"of course it isn't and you mayn't but i can make it so that you are able to see them though even i cannot allow you to ride without cause." he smiled softly, "of course there are always places to take one's wife if cleverness is used"

Sweetly he offered a final pat to the attention seeking rouncy before abandoning him for the Prince and courser. "I would love to have horses, especially if I could visit them. Even if I could not have the joy of riding them, as long as they would be taken care of I would be happy." Reaching out a hand, he ran a hand along the rough mane of the creature while he smiled.

"then it is settled, you will have your own when return." withdrawing from the beasts he turned to head back inside, "come wife, i am sure there is more to see"

A nostalgic happiness filled him for the remainder of the afternoon as he led the Prince through the halls. He’d been promised his own horses when they returned, and having the opportunity to explore his own home with enough time to recall old memories made him feel blessed, but he did not say as much to the one following him. “Is there anywhere else you wish to see, my Prince?” The boy questioned as he slowed at the base of the stairs. “We have a library you might be interested in seeing, or we could cease the tour and begin again tomorrow if you wish to see more.”

he had not been paying much attention to the tour for the last stretch of time and was more interested in watching his wife so he accepted the offer of a later continuation and followed as the other led him back to more familiar rooms

The evening meal could not have gone better lest it was planned. The Prince had not taken it upon himself to leave the table prematurely, and despite his disrespectful manners at the table none of the guests seemed to mind, as none of them took to speaking with the man anyways. Had he not been pleased before, the boy found himself happy when he was not requested to join his husband in his chambers, and with a smile on his face he went to bed in his own chambers

each day that they stayed was one that furthered his wife's happiness at the cost of his own and when it was finally time to go home he felt a weight lift, that final morning he was cheerful in a way that he had not been since the first day and even then it was more pleasant than that. on his way to his place he smiled at his newly awoken wife before passing him and kneeling in place

That morning, he felt reluctant to commit himself to chapel, knowing that not long after the sermon ended he would be packed away in the stuffy carriage to return to the dreadful castle he loathed so badly. Had his mood been poor enough, he found himself in his pew anyways, and as his husband showed with a wide smile, the boy scowled deeply to himself

by the end of the sermon even he could feel his wife's displeasure but he ignored it in favor of going out to walk along the balustrade at the top of the gate overlooking the duke's lands

He did not wish to follow the Prince, his insulting pleasure in the day bore too much for him in the chapel alone. Instead, he took it upon himself to spend the dwindling remainder of their time doing what he wished to. Fleeing from the church, he found himself heading towards the river

the walk was refreshing though only for a while and soon he was turning back as the chill of being so high made him wish for something heavier to wear, as he neared the door to go back inside he saw a figure pass through the gate and realized it was his wife. he went down quickly to see where the lad was going

The path in the grass and weeds still remained from before he took the place of his sister, yet he could only think of it as unused. Where the trail had once been a soft line of dirt, small patches of grass and the tiniest possible saplings has taken root. He was careful not to step upon the fragile leaves and thin trunks on his way to the water's edge, though as he approached he broke away from the path of new born plants to walk through the weeds to the tall oak. The branches were wide and strong, and the roots had spread themselves far through the dirt, killing any plants that dared to come near. He, however, was not stopped by the gnarly roots, and finding a worn spot against the side facing the river, he took a seat.