The Royal Pet

Note

This story is pretty PG-13. While there are dark elements referenced in the background, there is nothing gratuitous in it. This isn't about kinks and fetishes. This is the story of two children who grow up and closer as their story progresses and builds to the final confrontation. Unfortunately, the circumstances that unite them also threaten to divide them.

Summary

To save her sister, Amelia got captured by the enemy and taken before 12 year old Prince Ivan. Mistaken for a boy, she's now Alfred F. Jones, Ivan's new pet. As they grow up and their bodies change, it gets harder to hide her gender. What will happen if Ivan finds out?

Child/ Fantasy world AU Eventual Rus/US

Story One

A somber sky cast a grim pallor over everything.

I will not cry, Amelia Williams told herself over, holding her chin high.

Dumb and Ugly — what she had named the two soldiers escorting her — walked on either side, gripping her upper arms, their rough fingers biting into the fabric of her dark brown coat. They led her down the main road of her destroyed home town. Charred husks — formerly homes — stunk the crisp, autumn air with smoke and burnt flesh. Blood stains and bodies littered the ground.

It had been a massacre.

Soldiers in black tabards and chain mail scurried about, overturning debris, hunting for any survivors to round up or kill. They only spared the children. On their chests gleamed the Silver Grizzly, sigil of House Braginski.

General Winter, the cruel king of the Northern Empire, had done this for seemingly no reason. Her village had done nothing. They had been a peaceful folk.

Her gaze lingered on the dead face of Mrs. Smilding whose grey eyes stared unseeing at the grey sky. Amelia had bought flowers from her once. Nearby was the prone form of the town butcher, Mr Spalding, recognizable by his bald head and pudgy body.

Amelia blinked back tears.

I will not cry, she reminded herself.

A glance down a side street showed children — her peers — being lined up and clapped in chains. Many were sobbing and hugging each other. They were now slaved of the Winter King.

I will not cry, she warned herself, but some slipped down her round cheeks anyway.

Her left knee ached where she had scraped it, ripping open a hole in her woolen breeches, when she fell into a ditch trying to escape. Her boots squelched in the bloodstained mud. Earlier it had rained hard, as if the sky knew of the coming slaughter.

When they entered Foursquare Plaza, a place where many festivals had been celebrated, Dumb and Ugly halted. Ahead, tents were being set up. The army would camp here. One tent stood out, being three times the size of the others. Thirty to forty horses were gathered outside, some with mounted knights in black amor, breastplates composes of plates riveted outward. The black banner of the Silver Grizzly fluttered in the breeze.

A strange sight caught her eyes: a finely-dressed boy seated on a tall, black well-armored horse. He looked of some importance.

When he turned and looked at her with his cold eyes, the same violet shade as her sister, Madeline's, her breath caught. Amelia felt pinned to the spot by the force of those eyes. He looked only a little older than her, but those did not look like the eyes of a child.

He had an otherworldly look, as if an ethereal creature form of mist. A thick, beige scarf covered his shoulders and lower mouth, one too large for a child. Something he could grow into, just like the dark beige coat he wore. She imagined he would be very handsome when the baby fat left his round face.

She dropped her gaze to escape the pressure of those eyes. They were still latched on her.

So focused on the boy, Amelia had hardly noticed the man standing in front of the boy's horse. A man dressed in a scarlet-red silk jacket that was buttoned up on one side. He had jet black hair held back in a ponytail that tumbled down his back.

He turned, frowned, and came over to Amelia, eyeing her up and down. She had never seen anyone like him before, except a merchant from the Eastern Lands that had come here many years ago. This man had a thin face, sharp cheekbones, skin colored like cream, and almond-shaped eyes.

"What is your business here?" the man asked in a melodious voice. His fingernails were long, like talons, and painted red. He had a faint accent.

"Forgive our intrusion, Lord Yao," Ugly said, tilting his fat head forward. "We discovered this brat in the woods. She looks about ten.

Eleven, thank you very much! Amelia nearly said.

Yao's oaken-brown eyes raked over her. Suddenly, like a snake, his hand snapped forward. He moved fast and slick. He gripped her chin, fingernails digging into the sides of her cheeks as he pulled her face from side to side, examining Amelia like one might a livestock you wanted to purchase.

With a shake of his head, he snapped, "Fools! This is a boy!"

Dumb and Ugly stared at her, as if seeing her for the first time. The accusation of 'you tricked us' clear in their eyes. Too stunned herself, Amelia stood there. While she did keep her wheat-blond hair chopped short and she always wore boy clothes and she was stronger than all the boys her age and very muscular, she had never been mistaken as a boy before. Everyone in the village had known.

Madeline had harped on her for years to put on a dress and grow out her hair. Something Amelia had refused to do.

"You're a lad!" Ugly sneered, his piggish features squeezing into a scowl.

Her next words would decide her fate. Rumors and dark stories flashed in her head, tales of what happened to female slaves. Preferring a life of hard labor over that fate, she forced out a laugh.

Ugly's expression darkened.

Baring her teeth in a grin, Amelia said, "Of course, I'm a boy! Are you blind? Or just stupid?"

"Why you little!" Ugly lifted up his hand to strike.

He froze when Yao said dismissively, "Enough. Take him to be with the others. This is a waste of time."

From the gleeful promise in Ugly's eyes, Amelia knew they would beat her badly before she joined the others. She started to resist, afraid of that awful look when a soft, stern voice called, "Halt."

Ugly, Dumb, Yao, and Amelia all turned and looked up to see the beautiful boy guiding his horse closer. He pulled down his scarf, revealing a gentle, disarming smile, yet there was something off in it. Something that disturbed her.

"Prince Ivan?" Yao said, bowing to the waist. "Is something the matter?"

Ugly and Dumb dropped to one knee, dragging Amelia down with them into a crouch. She shifted to one knee as well, stealing glances through her sweaty, dirt-stained bangs.

"You," Ivan said, pointing at Amelia who jumped a little in surprise. "What is your name?"

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. For the first time in her life, she felt at a loss for words.

"Answer his Highness!" Ugly growled, twisting her arm painfully.

She gasped, refusing to cry out.

"Stop," Ivan warned icily. Ugly let go, paling at the menace in the boy's voice. "Do that again, and you will lose your hand."

"I beg your forgiven, your Highness," Ugly said quickly, becoming meek in an instant.

Both Dumb and Ugly let go of her. She rather enjoyed the sight of the two about to wet themselves.

Reluctant to look meet Ivan's eyes, she stared at his chin.

"I'm A—" She froze, realizing she had nearly said 'Amelia'. Quickly, she answered, "Alfred. Alfred F. Jones."

He had been the village kook who died a couple years ago. Everyone insisted he had a few cogs missing in his head since he would always claim to be "the world's greatest hero" and "the personification of America", a country that did not exist. However, Amelia had loved his wild stories and eccentric ways.

"Alfred," Ivan said in a mulling way. "A strange name. How old are you?"

"I just turned eleven three moons ago," she answered, saying 'eleven' very loudly and throwing Ugly a glare.

"A year younger than I," Ivan said. Those eyes studied her, and she could see he was plotting something evil. "How did you find him?"

Yao rounded on Ugly and Dumb who flinched.

"In the woods!" Dumb said, mumbling his words. "He hid out there."

Amelia swallowed hard, staring at the mud. She had not been alone. Madeline and her had been playing the forest when they heard noises from the town and saw it under attack by the Great Bear Empire. Then they saw soldiers coming over, and took cover.

Close to being discovered, Amelia had kissed Maddy goodbye, whispered 'Go to the Frog Empire and find our Uncle', and then bolted out. She had led the soldier as far from her twin sister as she could, hoping that her sister would be safe.

As long as Maddy's safe, I will not cry, Amelia thought grimly. She was her sister's hero after all.

"Why were you out there?" Ivan asked.

Her blood went cold. She could not risk exposing Maddy.

"Trying to escape," Amelia said.

That gaze burned through her, as if he could tell there was more.

"Master Yao," Ivan finally said. "I want this boy."

Her jaw dropped. Everyone, even Yao, looked shocked. The man quickly masked it.

"This urchin?" Yao asked.

"Da," Ivan said. She didn't know what that meant. "He looks… fun. With my sisters sent away, I'll have no one to play with in the Winter. He has muscles. He'll be a good sparring partner."

Sparring? Amelia was confused.

"Your father may not allow it. He was not happy with how your last pet broke."

Broke? Amelia's mind fixed on that.

"Father won't care. This one's just a slave. And it wasn't my fault my last pet broke. He shouldn't have tried to escape down the tower."

"Lord Ivan, forgive me saying this, but all your pets try to escape. This one will be no exception. Look at the defiance in his eyes." Yao waved a hand at Amelia. "He'll be trouble."

Amelia hated how they talked about as though she was not present. Her hands curled into fists.

"My pets always flee," Ivan sad sadly. "This one will be different. I will train him well. Besides, the ones most difficult to tame are the most worthwhile."

I'm not cattle! Amelia wanted to shout. She hated how they talked about her. It also terrified her.

What evil plans did he have for her?

"As you wish, my lord." Yao bowed and then waved for Amelia to stand. She glanced around at Ugly and Dumb and slowly rose. He patted her cheek and said, "Congratulations, young Alfred, you are now the property of Prince Ivan of House Braginski. Fortune must be shining on you."

Somehow, she did not feel that true. Her fingernails dug painfully into her palms.

I'll never be his.

Note: Apologies if there are any slip-ups on the use of "he" and "she". I write Amelia with "she", but I have to remember in the dialogue that the others believe her a boy and will use "he". I have a very bad tendency to slip up and have Yao and Ivan call Amelia by "her". If you notice any, please let me know. Those are mistakes.