bakerstreet | Companion to Royalty

Companion to Royalty

Companion to Royalty Meme

There's one truth you must know of royalty: though power may lay in their hands, the crown is a cage. Whether you've always been noble, came into this position recently by complete surprise, or a simple person caught in the fray, you're realizing that leaders actually lead very little - even down to choosing who they spend their most intimate moments with. From eternal bonds of matrimonies to the distractions provided by courtesans, the people behind the throne make the rules. They cannot risk losing control of their most elevated and strategically placed pawn with a match gone wrong, which could create a domino effect and doom possibly thousands.

So, what part do you play in this game?

Lifetime Royal: This is what you've been raised to do.
Sudden Royal: You just learned of your position, which has been secret from you your entire life, or you unexpectedly inherited the job.
Spouse: You're to be married to nobility.
Concubine or Courtesan: For the royal, you're to be a sexual diversion.
Unaffiliated: You're either a lower-ranking noble or a peasant, but you're free from all the machinations of the shadowy cabal...for now.

How willing are you?

Completely Willing: Either you love the person you know you'll be matched with, or you're excited about the possibilities.
Wary: There's no choice in the matter for you, so you may as well approach this situation cautiously.
Unwilling: You didn't want to be matched up with someone. At all. Ever.

What path will you follow, once you're set upon it (there is, after all, little choice for the chosen ones)?

Prepared for This: Either you're a royal and have been one since birth, or you knew you'd marry or sexually entertain one.
Make Up for Lost Time: This life wasn't the one you lived until now, but times change. You're important or will be a companion to a very important person, like it or not.
A Sacrificial Token: Somewhere along the line, your people royally pissed off someone in a key position. So, in an attempt to smooth out relations, you've been given away as a gift to the highest power, either as a spouse for a political alliance or as a concubine or courtesan.
Pomp and Circumstance: All proper, this arrangement. You're to be married, as you've been promised to each other by your respective families. Consummation on the wedding night is key. Perhaps it's encouraged that the two of you act as if this is really a love match, to add insult to injury.
Genuine Love: Speaking of love matches, congratulations! You're one of the incredible few who gets to marry for love, so your lovemaking should be all the more enthused.
Only a Plaything: Heavy is the head who wears the crown, so you're expected to take on some side entertainment even if that's not your preference. Or you could be the courtesan...such a pretty, perfumed word for what the role really is...
Volunteered: You wanted this position, either of spouse or concubine. Your reasons are your own.
Cruel: You're powerful. You can do what you want to this person, a mere ant in comparison to you.
Forbidden: Even the most powerful can't have everything they want, such as someone who's promised to or with another; taking them for your own would create strife and destroy alliances, even to the point of tempting war.
Work Your Way Up: There's always a right tool for the job and you find no shame in using your own special tools to better your life.
Give Me an Heir: Whether you're legitimate or a concubine used as a surrogate, you must help in continuing the royal line.
Mutual Benefit: Both of you are comfortable with this arrangement because you're either compatible or it takes the pressure off of you otherwise.
Want to be More: Though you've been relegated to courtesan, you want to be there one and only spouse...no matter if that role is already filled or not.
Growing Affection: It may have started as all puppet strings and power plays, but now, you lo- care for them.
Loved Before: Before you became so important and powerful, before you became the focus of all the world, it seems, they were there with you. They were with you then, and you want them to be with you now. They ground you and they care about you for you.
Because You're Normal: They're outside of all the court's nonsense, and that's appealing to you. It's like a breath of fresh air.
WILDCARD

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"Fourth," Laurent corrected, smiling as Gansey spoke. "Not last."

He curled his free hand around Gansey's cheek, pressing close against him and watching Gansey's eyes. "And I'm not amending it. I don't have to worry in the least if I put my own desires fourth. Because if you are the man I believe you are, I suspect that you will always put my happiness first, as I will try to do for you."

Sliding his hand a little further to curl around Gansey's neck, Laurent pulled him into another kiss, sweet and earnest, to seal their agreement. He belonged to Gansey now, and Gansey was his. Laurent wasn't going to let anyone take that away from him now.

As the kiss broke, Laurent brushed his nose lightly against Gansey's, smiling wide with joy and affection. "I like the thought of you spoiling me."

Well, that was not logic Gansey could argue. Laurent was right; he would always try to put Laurent first when he could. The only time he might not would be when the good of his people might be at risk. Being a king would always have to matter more than his own heart. It was part of the job.

He accepted the kiss happily, sliding an arm around Laurent's waist when their lips met. It was fast but it was thrilling and it didn't feel like it was only yesterday that Laurent had arrived.

It was a heavenly moment. The hand around his neck, the sweetness of the kiss. It was a moment that would keep him up at night as he played it over and over in his mind. Too perfect.

He could not help stealing another short kiss before answering, "Oh? And tell me, my dear, how you might like to be spoiled." It would be much easier for him to do so with more knowledge as to what Laurent enjoyed. He had some of his own ideas, of course, but he was curious as to what Laurent might consider spoiling.

Laurent knew that as the future king's partner, he would always be secondary to the kingdom. And he knew he had the privilege and responsibility that he could put Gansey first, and to make sure that Gansey didn't selflessly sacrifice himself for the kingdom--which would end up hurting the kingdom irreparably in the long run.

"I..." Laurent said, completely uncertain what he should ask for. He'd never been in a romantic relationship before, and didn't know how it was supposed to work, or what kind of spoiling he could hope for. "Lots of kisses, I suppose. Napping with my head in your lap, or curled into your arms while you play with my hair. I enjoyed that quite a bit."

Smiling happily, Laurent kissed him again, then again, utterly unable to resist his beloved, and forgetting again that they were supposed to be heading back.

How easily distracted they both were. Not that Gansey really wanted to return. He much preferred Laurent's company to that of the court, especially in such a private, lovely place. Gansey had a selfish desire to not share even though he knew it could only benefit Laurent to find allies within the court quickly, if only for his own comfort. And he also had no doubt that some of the ladies were hankering to sink their teeth into his fiance. Not in a bad way, precisely. But he expected Laurent would be explaining his skin regimen and how he kept his hair so smooth several times over.

"All things easily done," he laughed once their kiss ended, planting an affectionate one on the man's forehead. "I enjoyed that too. Your hair is beautiful. I could play with it all day." Hardly an exaggeration.

"And I will surprise you with more than that, I promise you."

Grinning, he brushed back some of Laurent's hair, "Do you have a preference as to when the wedding should be, then?"

"No," Laurent said, honest. He was relaxed in Gansey's arms, leaning against him and resting his forehead against Gansey's shoulder. "The wedding is a symbol of our political alliance, and should be treated as such. We'll be expected to perform our roles as the future ruling couple. I'm resigned to my duty, in terms of the wedding."

Hugging Gansey a little tighter, Laurent gave his throat a light nip and lifted his head with a smile. "In terms of us, however. We can make whatever vows we like in private, and there's no reason at all for us to wait before we share a bed, now that we're promised to each other."

He found that to be an unfortunate truth. A romantic at heart, he would want the wedding to have personal meaning—but Laurent was right. It would be a political thing. Helen's had been. A dry affair that Helen only enjoyed because she designed her dress and ate so much cake that she made herself sick.

"You're right, of course. However, I would still like to do something a bit more formal first," he said, turning his head so he could press a kiss against Laurent's temple. "Or... ah. I think I know." He grinned to himself, ideas hitting him quickly as he considered what he might want to make things a bit more formal. There was no need for a ceremony or anything like that, but there was one thing that would satisfy the traditionalist in him.

"You'll have a surprise tomorrow." No better time to begin spoiling than the present. Or... near future, as it were. This was something he'd need to take care of early the next morning.

"I hope you'll look forward to it."

Laurent laughed happily, delighted by the anticipation of knowing that Gansey had some surprise to please him. "I will. Breathlessly. Thoughts of it shall occupy my every waking moment. Except, possibly, for the moments when I'm kissing you, for those ones make it hard to think of anything else."

Grinning with delight, Laurent let go, darting away and running across the ruins, back to where they'd left the horses. He slowed as he approached, not wanting to spook his mount. Checking to see that she was doing well, Laurent patted her neck, shooting a grin over his shoulder at Gansey and springing up onto Star's back.

Gansey laughed, shaking his head as he followed Laurent through the forest, pushing aside bushes and weaving between trees. The ruins were ever-the-same and the horses right where they had been left. He swung up on Sky effortlessly, not even afraid of spooking the young horse—he was a brazen thing and knew Gansey too well to be frightened of him.

"Do try to keep your thoughts on the trail," he teased with a boyish laugh, encouraging Sky to begin trotting through the forest again and back toward a set path. The horse responded instantly, having grown bored from standing around for so long.

When they broke out of the forest Gansey sat up straighter, looking every bit the poised, magnificent prince that he was expected to be. There were a few servants bustling about the grounds. They stopped to watch the princes, politely bowing and waving their hellos, and Gansey waved back.

"Is our castle very different from yours?" he asked, quite curious about where Laurent had come from.

Laurent let his horse have her head through the forest, encouraging her to run and letting her set her own pace as they made their way home. He dismounted in front of the stables, glad to surrender his horse to a stable groom to be rubbed down and fed.

"Yes and no. We have some similar architectural sources, in the annals of history, but the fashion is very different. Vere favors intricate detail and lavish expense. Everything is a riot of patterns and fretwork. The Raven Kingdom is--somewhat less... well, tight-laced, I suppose."

Laurent's hand went to his throat, having forgotten that he was still trailing laces. He flushed a little, deciding to leave the throat of his shirt open for the time being. "I suppose I should dress for dinner. Are we very late?"

"I don't think so," Gansey said after taking a moment to examine the sun's place in the sky. It wasn't as late as it could have been. Besides, there were still some servants mulling about, and when dinner was taking place usually all hands were needed in the banquet hall.

"I've shown up far later than this several times—if anything, it's barely even began. But if anyone says anything, feel free to blame me. I simply had to have my way and couldn't leave the ruins until we'd explored them all. Something like that."

At least Laurent hadn't been mucking in the stables at the crack of dawn like Gansey had. A good scrubbing was in order before he could present himself to the court; he knew better than to show up smelling like the forest and like he'd been rolling around in hay.

"I think a good washup is in order. For me, at least. I probably smell just like Sky." He chuckled, a little sad that he wasn't riding the horse anymore. But Sky was getting the rubdown and feeding he earned.

"Shall I escort you back to your rooms?" He offered his arm, gallantly.

"Yes, thank you," Laurent said, taking Gansey's arm with a smile as they made their way back to their rooms. "And I fully intend to take any blame available. I shall tell everyone that I seduced you and ignored all your protests of returning at a sensible hour."

He noticed plenty of servants glancing at them as they went about their business. Laurent blushed slightly, tightening his grip on Gansey's arm and pressing close against his lover's side.

"You haven't told me where your rooms are," Laurent pointed out, as they drew close to his own. "What if I wake in the middle of the night and find myself in urgent need of a kiss?"

"You would more likely find me in the library," he admitted, "than in my room. I don't often sleep well so I spend my time—well, keeping busy." The idea of Laurent visiting him in his rooms made him smile, the color from earlier returning to his cheeks. Having Laurent in a space that was so wholly his was... appealing. Even if the library was his, it was his in a less intimate way.

"... But you're right. My room is at the very top of the south tower. I liked the view from there, up high, facing the town just outside the castle. It's the door at the end of the south hallway. From there, you just go all the way up the spiral stairs to the door at the top."

His father hadn't understood why he'd basically holed himself up in an attic room. Wooden floors and beams overhead, wide windows, a circular shape rather than the expanse of rectangle that were the normal rooms. But his mother had merely laughed and said that she understood.

As Gansey lead the way to Laurent's rooms, he stopped to point at the easiest way to find his room from Laurent's. They weren't terribly far.

"You can visit me whenever you want a kiss. Urgency not required."

"But then I shall never leave your room," Laurent flirted, smiling happily as they talked and flirted. "If we keep it to only when matters are urgent, then the amount I haunt your room shall be more reasonable."

Stopping in front of his room, Laurent turned in Gansey's arms, holding him close. "Shall I wait for you to escort me to dinner yet again, once we're both bathed and dressed?" He leaned back against the door, grinning and tugging Gansey against him, tilting his head so he could taste Gansey's breath but not yet stealing a kiss.

Gansey didn't think he would mind all that much if his room was haunted by Laurent. That was something he could deal with, and quite gladly. So he laughed, quite amused by the idea that Laurent was giving any consideration to being reasonable. No need for that.

"Of course. You should never have to walk into the banquet hall unescorted." If Laurent was not going to steal a kiss, he would—he leaned in for a quick peck. Anything more and they might truly be late for dinner. Which still did not bother Gansey, really, but he was starting to notice how hungry he was. They had a light breakfast and then lunch ended up skipped altogether.

"I won't be too long. Just a scrub down and a change of clothes." He suspected, however, that it might take Laurent just as long to just change his own with such lacing.

"Until then."

He leaned in for one more brief kiss before he sorrowfully parted, giving Laurent a playful wink before striding toward his room. The bath was in the room below for him, and he intended to make quick work of it. One of the few times he would allow the servants to give him a hand. It was simply quicker for someone to select and make sure his clothes were ready when he was out of the bath.

Laurent did his best to hurry, but the complex laces of his wardrobe took forever to escape, even with assistance from the servants.

Sponging down quickly to wash himself, he was still only half dressed when Gansey came to fetch him. The servants showed Gansey in right away, as Laurent had instructed, which let him see a flash of Laurent's bare back as Laurent pulled his shirt over his head. It was a loose shirt, but there were more laces at the wrists and throat.

"My apologies," Laurent said, finding himself effectively restrained as a servant swiftly laced each of his wrists. "I suppose it might be wise to arrange for some clothes in the local fashion. It would show loyalty to my new country, and... there's no longer much reason for me to be trussed like this in Veretian fashion now that I'm here."

He had chosen a tunic with a collar that only went halfway up his throat, leaving the upper half of the mark visible. There were simply no better options in his wardrobe, at least not that would serve as suitable dress for dinner with the court.

What a flash of bare back it was. He was careful not to dwell too much on it; he was a man as any other, courteous and considerate yet still hot-blooded under the collar. The absurdity of all the lacing on Laurent's clothing served as a fine distraction. He grinned, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms as he watched the servant lace up the other man's fine wrists.

"That may be a good idea," he agreed, "but I'm biased." Gansey was dressed in far simpler clothes again, various shades of olive and green, paired with soft brown leather and linen. "We can arrange for you to meet with the seamstress. Or we can browse around town, there's some fine clothing there."

Laurent's clothing was interesting. Certainly lovely and intricate. "I'd like to try something of yours on sometime," he teased. "We can bet on if I'm able to untangle myself within a candlemark." Idly, he recalled Helen had some of their fashion imported before, but had never ordered him anything. Not that he'd ever expressed any interest in clothing outside of his usual go-to outfits. She would probably think it wasted, skipping through the forest in and out every day.

[Sorry for no icon variety. All my posts have ended up being remote lately!]

"I would like that very much," Laurent said, grinning. He found himself smiling more often than not now, whenever Gansey was around, and for the past day Gansey had always been around. "We ought to swap clothes and then go about our day as normal and see what kind of looks we get."

Finally his laces were all finished and he was able to join Gansey, taking his arm and kissing his cheek. "And I very much like the sound of that bet, if only for the pleasure of seeing you trying to remove yourself from my clothes."

He felt like he belonged here, on Gansey's arm, at Gansey's side, flirting happily with his beloved. Laurent magnetized to him without fully realizing it, finding it hard to look away.

( No problem! :] )

"I'm sure I would look completely foolish," he flirted back, finding himself in a similar predicament when it came to smiling, "and would end up desperately needing your help."

Fake, political smiles were easy. When you grew up expecting to become a king they became second nature. His true, more fragile self was a thing rarely seen by others. Not his parents. Sometimes Helen, but not always. Really just the friends from town he'd made. The smiles he offered Laurent felt more real than any of the millions he'd given to the court.

He gave Laurent's arm an affectionate pat. It would be easy to simply stand there and stare into his eyes, admire the slope of his cheek, thread fingers through that lovely hair. But they should, at the very least, make an appearance at court. While Gansey skipping was old news, they would want to see his fiance's face.

"Shall we go? I think I could eat four plates by myself, I'm so hungry." He laughed, ready to lead Laurent down the hallways once more, this time more comfortable and flirtatious than the last. "After dinner, would you like to retire to the library again? Ah, but if you would like some time in your rooms, I understand. It's been a busy two days."

"The library sounds nice," Laurent agreed, relaxing against Gansey's side as they walked. "Or you'd be willing to show me your room? I'm incredibly curious as to what manner of charming eccentricies are hidden inside."

As they entered the dining hall, Laurent was a different man entirely from the one he had been 24 hours before. He was confident now of his place at Gansey's side, and smiled and laughed easily. Staying close by his betrothed, Laurent interacted a little easier with the people seated around them, often leaning over to flirt with him.

"That's an idea," he agreed, rubbing his thumb against his bottom lip. "I would be happy to show you—though I must warn you, it's... a bit of a mess." Of course his displeasure of people messing with his things extended to his most personal of spaces; he didn't generally allow the servants to enter his room and clean because they might move something he didn't want moved. It was simply better to let it be. It wasn't like other people often entered his room, anyway.

When they entered Gansey waved his hellos and the lords and ladies waved back, paying extra attention to Laurent since he was a new face. When they arrived at their seats Gansey pulled Laurent's chair out for him before seating himself, grabbing a roll of bread instantly after and biting into it with a relish. It was warm and almost made him groan with how good it tasted.

"Next time we go running around, we should bring food. I'm going to have to try very hard not to eat the whole basket of rolls right now." But if he did he would spoil his appetite. Luckily enough, it looked like the servants were bringing out the first course, a hearty soup.

[Notifs must have been down: I just got a whole basket of them.]

"Don't eat the whole basket of rolls," Laurent said, playfully stealing it and setting it just out of Gansey's reach, nibbling on a roll of his own as he defended the basket from Gansey.

He ate hungrily, manners never faltering as he interacted with the nobles around him. His attention always gravitated back to Gansey, making sure that he always included Gansey in jokes and conversations. Courtly charm came easily to him, and Laurent had forged a handful of secure alliances by dessert. Some of his new alliances were clearly flirtatious, but his obvious connection to Gansey kept any of the flirtation from being too serious, and Laurent was thrilled by the new protection that his betrothal allowed. No one dared make an obvious advance on the crown prince's betrothed.

( Yeahhh me too, I'm pretty sure they've been borked! )

Gansey may have expressed a lack of interest in the court, but it was obvious that he was very well versed in playing the game. In many ways he took after his mother despite his constant complaints about her passive and manipulative behavior; he wore the same, perfect smile and never missed a beat with the lords and ladies, keeping up with even the most mundane conversation flawlessly. He mainly enjoyed the conversations he shared with Laurent but knew better than to hover. His presence could be helpful, but his bethrothed also needed to show the court he was perfectly capable on his own, which he did excellently.

No one would go too far with Laurent when he was Gansey's intended. They knew better. When one lady became a little too flirtatious one smile from Gansey when he noticed was all that was needed for her to look rightly chided, laughing before patting her hair and excusing herself. But she was young and a little drunk, and it was all in good nature. While this court was not overtly sexual, flirting was king.

Laurent had been right—people were simply attracted to him. It was not a thing Gansey minded, however. He had no qualms. While he could be possessive, he was also confident that no one else was quite as good as himself, so there was nothing to worry about. A thought that would be narcissistic if he dissected it. But he did not; it simply was. He was not a self-conscious man. And he was pleased that Laurent was finding his footing.

He was content to check in with his mother and sister when he was not chatting with Laurent and those who decided to approach his bethrothed and introduce themselves. All was well—the Queen was pleased to hear that their guest was settling down so well. Helen had stared at his throat, which had confused him until he remembered why someone might fixate there. When he realized, he just gave her a sly smirk and shrug, the kind that one might only offer to a sibling.

When the night began to wind down Gansey gave Laurent's shoulder a pat, "Think you're ready to retire for the evening? Or did you want to join Sir Winston on his night hunt?" Sir Winston had loudly proclaimed that they should play a (drunken) game outside. The men might hunt down tokens hidden by the ladies, to be kept within the inner grounds, and the man that found a lady's token might ask that lady for a kiss. The ladies had howled and proclaimed it a fantastic idea.

"I don't have an interest in kissing any ladies," Laurent said, claiming Gansey's arm once again. "Nor in being kissed by any gentleman but the prince. As much as I might very much enjoy playing that sort of night hunt, I think I should prefer it under more... private circumstances. Perhaps we should keep it in mind for some quieter evening."

Giving him a playful smile, Laurent steered him out the door of the court, wanting to try and escape as soon as possible and hoping that he would not tonight be called upon for that audience with the queen which Gansey had mentioned.

"Otherwise I might be tempted to see how many of those token I could find, and then bequeath the lot of them to your sister." Laurent smirked, much preferring the Veretian custom of keeping idle flirtation as a same-sex matter. "Your room, then. You did promise. Tell me, do you or your family hold any estates outside of the capitol?"

His eyebrows rose at the thought of Laurent presenting a bouquet of tokens to Helen, and he snorted, rightly teased back for teasing in the first place. No doubt Helen would be pleased at the attention. Flirting was an open matter at their court; receiving attention from anyone was more than fine, and more often than not people liked to brag about who flirted with them rather than take up any offers. Not always, of course, but each place had its own games.

"Yes, certainly," he answered, turning his focus on more practical things as he led the way to his room. It was a curious passage, a smaller and slightly more cramped hallway. And a long hallway it was, lined with portraits and other various knickknacks. "In almost every area, in fact. When we travel we usually like to have our own place, rather than stay with whatever lords are in those areas. My favorite one is the one in the mountain—that's far off, near the sea."

It was quiet and it made him quiet. Much as he loved the busy capitol, he genuinely loved small, peaceful places.

He guided Laurent down the hall and up some stairs. Another hall, more stairs. Far but private, which was how he preferred it. Once they reached the door to the tower he held it open and pointed up the spiral stairs, "My parents say I sleep in a dirty old attic. I think it's charming."

[Wasn't sure if it was clear--not that it matters--but he was going to give the tokens to Helen so that she would kiss all the ladies whose tokens they were. XD]

"I'd love to visit them all, eventually. Once we've explored the most important areas of the capitol, we can travel the countryside. Meet your people, explore all the lovely and remote secret places of your country." Smiling, Laurent skimmed his fingers along Gansey's arm, starting to feel genuinely happy in his new life. They wouldn't be able to travel nearly as much once Gansey took the throne, but until then, Laurent wanted to spend their days forging alliances and exploring the beauty of their country.

He memorized the path to Gansey's tower, intending to visit often. When Gansey opened the door for him, Laurent grinned, stealing a playful kiss and then darting away up the stairs, expecting to be chased.

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