For the Last Ship Sailing comp- prompts: Sleeping Beauty au, picking flowers, beige, "I'm open to suggestions"
"Do you even know what you're doing?"
Scorpius sounded painfully amused.
I groaned aloud and shook my head, tossing my quill onto the table and watching the ink splatter.
He tut at me and I huffed back at him, unconcerned. "Come, now. Your father would like to see you before you leave," Scorpius said, walking to the door and calling for a servant.
He left the door open and returned to my side.
"How do you know that?" I asked.
"I know you're father," he said. "Now, you have to finish these stocks before you do that-"
"You deal with numbers all the time," I muttered. "Why can't you do it?"
"Because I'm a visiting dignitary, not your servant," Scorpius replied, just as my personal servant came in with a wet cloth and cleared the table quickly. He picked up every paper and wiped underneath it, running back over it with the dry side of the cloth before putting the documents back down. "Besides," Scorpius continued absently, watching my servant. "You need to do this. You'll ascend the throne upon your father's death and we both know that isn't far away."
I made a face and cursed under my breath. "I wish James hadn't given up the throne and Teddy was more than my father's ward," I said. "That way, James or Teddy would be king."
"You know this kingdom would fall to ruin if James took the throne, absorbed as he is by his studies and other nonsense, and Teddy is getting married to your cousin, who has no claim to the throne either."
"Excuse me," my servant said. "Is there anything else you require, sire?"
I glanced up. "Are my bags packed for tomorrow?" I ask, and he nodded.
"Yes, sire."
"Then you're dismissed for tonight. I expect you back by dawn tomorrow," I said. "Good night, Tommy."
"Thank you, sire. Good night." He bowed to me and then to Scorpius, then took his leave, the door clicking shut behind him.
"He's proper, isn't he?" Scorpius said quietly, staring at the door. He blinked, then turned and his eyes sharpened as he looked at me again. "Now," he murmured, "I think it's time I leave as well, no?"
I sighed sadly. "I wish you didn't have to," I said, equally quiet. I reached up and wrapped my hand around the back of his neck, waving my hand at the window to shut the curtains with my magic. They shut with a sharp noise, that of metal sliding on metal, and the rustle of fabrics. Scorpius met me halfway, kissing me deeply, tugging me to my feet.
"I wish I didn't have to either," he confessed against my mouth. "I don't want to leave anymore than you want me to go."
"I wish you could stay here, with me. I wish I wasn't the crown prince."
"Me, too. I don't want to be crown prince anymore than you do. I wish I had siblings to shuck the burden on to."
I laughed, brushing his hair away from his forehead and kissing him again. His arms went around my waist and tugged me closer.
"At least," I whispered, "When we're kings, the festivals that come with reaffirming alliances will last longer."
"And our parents won't be there to fight all the damn time," Scorpius agreed.
"If they want war so badly…" I trailed off, but Scorpius understood. "At least you're a valuable ally."
The blond huffed a laugh and pressed a final kiss on my mouth before stepping away and righting his clothes. "Indeed," he said. "I will see you at dawn tomorrow to depart."
"And you'll be gone when I return?"
"Unfortunately," he nodded, looking as upset as I felt. We hardly see each other anymore. Not since James gave up the throne.
A part of me hated him for it.
"Have a safe trip home, Scorpius," I said. He inclined his head in my direction and left my chambers without another word.
His presence lingered. There were scuff marks on the floor around the table and the bed where he had stepped, and the bed itself has the indent where he'd been sleeping in secret. He teleported in here after his servant was dismissed, and left before even the kitchen staff woke.
I licked my lips, looking around. I moved the curtain aside with my hand to look at the dying rays of the sun, and sighed. It wasn't too late to see my father.
…
"Father?" I called, and he turned in his chair, smiling at me.
"Albus," he greeted. "Come in, come in."
It was a farce and we both knew it. Neither of us really liked each other. Everyone knew the Princess was the King's favorite. Including James and I.
"You wanted to see me?" I asked, politely, as I shut the door behind me. Harry Potter, the current King of Diagon, nodded decisively and pointed absently to the chair across from him.
"Yes, Allie. Take a seat," he said. I grit my teeth and sat stiffly in the chair.
Either he noticed my discomfort and didn't care, or he didn't notice because he didn't care, and I couldn't decide which was worse.
He coughed, blood specks appearing on his face and hands, and I found myself at a bit of a loss. I stood hurriedly and he waved me back down, still choking on the blood in his lungs. "Is there nothing I can do?" I asked, and he shrugged as the coughing fit subsided.
"Not without revealing your magic, Allie. And since that would require you to abdicate the throne, we cannot afford to have me suddenly well." Harry's eyes were sad as he looked at me. "I wish it weren't so. You're very young. Too young for the fate of the kingdom on your shoulders."
I was seventeen. I shrugged helplessly. "There's nothing for it, father. James wanted to study abroad, and he couldn't very well do that as a prince."
Harry muttered some unsavory thing under his breath that I didn't bother to listen to. He had never approved of James' choice. "Anyway," he said. "I wanted to give you something for your trip. I had it made for you."
He stood, and swayed slightly, and I reached for him but he waved me away again. I took in a slow breath and tried to calm my sudden anger. Could he not see I wanted only to help him?
He walked unsteadily to the cabinet across the room and it swung open on my command. He threw me a dirty look and I raised my eyebrows, knowing full well he could never have been able to open the lock with his hands shaking the way they do these days. He turned back to the cabinet and reached for a long, thin box and handed it to me quickly before he dropped it.
His sickness seemed to consume him farther each day. Lily, my sister, was beside herself. James wasn't here to see it, and likely had no idea since he was in another kingdom across the length of the ocean and the message could not be delivered so quickly. Our father would likely be dead before he even knew of the illness.
Some part of me felt pity.
"Well? Open it," Harry urged, breaking me from my thoughts. I nodded, biting the inside of my lips as I placed the box on the bed next to us. The damn thing sank slightly under the weight of the box, and I raised my eyebrows.
I sent my father a curious look, then opened the gift.
I sucked in a sharp breath.
Inside was a beautifully hand crafted sword, long and thin, with gems inlaid in the guard over the hilt. Red and gold, the colors of our kingdom, of course.
(Spitefully, when I was eleven, I ordered my bedroom to be colored green and silver to acknowledge our alliance with Scorpius' kingdom. My parents had been furious, but hadn't ordered it to be redone, and it was sill those colors today.)
I noticed now, the harder I looked, the more of the delicate silver and green I saw. Emeralds lined the hilt, and it had silver tassels on the end of it. The case was a gorgeous mixture of gold and silver to combine the two and make it all fit. "Father…" I breathed, taking it out of the box. It was perfectly balanced and fit my height exactly.
Underneath it was a belt, complete with the sheathe to hold the weapon while I had it in my hand. I pulled that out, too.
Harry watched me, clearly anxious, and when I said something, he jolted. "What do you think?" he asked.
"The weapon itself is beautiful. But I'm going on a trip to collect tax from the lords on the eastern border. I've done it before. So what's the occasion?"
He huffed a laugh and coughed briefly again. "You're much smarter than both of your siblings, always have been. I'm going to resign in three weeks to give you a chance to establish yourself as king before you have to mourn."
I swayed this time.
I gripped the bed pillar to steady myself as my father reached out for me. I shook my head and swallowed heavily, my mouth having gone dry. "You- you-"
"Albus. You're ready," Harry assured me. "You'll do fine. And I'll guide you through the beginning of it. You still have your mother to help, too. We'll get through it."
I swallowed again, gritting my teeth. "If you say so," I croaked.
…
My trip the day after my father gifted me the sword consisted of three major points.
The first was that my sister was with me for the first time.
The second was that the man whose taxes we were supposed to collect died the night before we arrived.
The third was that the woman who was left behind placed a curse on my sister.
…
"Why do I have to go with you?"
"I thought you said you wanted to?" I asked her, already annoyed with her, and we hadn't even left the castle yet.
"I changed my mind."
"And what else would you rather do? I'm open to suggestions."
"Just…stay here."
I sighed, and dropped my bags at my feet. Tommy immediately bent to pick them up, and he walked them the rest of the way to the horses. I turned to Lily and she looked away from me, unable to meet my eyes.
I always wondered why.
"Look, Lily. Mum asked us to go. She says you need to learn how to handle the lords and ladies of the court, now."
She rolled her eyes. "Let's don't, and say we did."
I took a deep breath for patience and then put my hand on her shoulder. "We have to go."
"I just. Have a bad feeling."
The courtyard was bustling with people when we emerged from the castle. The banners of the king waved in the wind, the bright colors coupled with the rising sun making my eyes hurt. It was as loud as it always was, with the same old people calling for the sale of the same old items- bread, weapons like daggers, apples, weaving, beer. Together, Lily and I navigated without issue through the people, all of whom paused to bow in our direction as we passed.
(The thing about Lily is that she was a seer. She possessed no raw magic of her own, but her words were to be heeded. In that moment, however, I disregarded them in favor of our mother's orders, and it is a mistake I regret to this day.)
"Let's just see how it goes, hm?"
She nodded, miserable.
…
We arrived on the eastern border by high noon, as we were a small kingdom without much land, though we did wield a lot of influence. I dismounted from my horse and Tommy was quick to follow, taking my horse to the stable next to the small castle where Lord Crouch lived. I knocked primly on the door and glanced over my shoulder to find Lily picking daffodils by the trees in the garden.
"Lily!" I hissed, and the door swung open.
A woman stood there with an apron over her dress, and she bowed with a light gasp as soon as she saw me at the door. "My liege," she muttered. "It's an honor. Please, come in."
I waved Lily inside, and the woman hissed lightly when she saw my sister with the flowers. She said nothing on it, though she did eye Lily wearily like she might combust into flame.
Curious.
"I'm afraid it isn't a good time, my lord," the woman muttered to me, voice solemn.
"Why not?" I questioned, looking around and generally trying to get a feel for this place.
Decked with the colors of the kingdom, Lord Crouch clearly believed in my father's leadership- at first glance. But there were little things, like the wrong scent in the air and the incense in the corner and the crystals on the mantel that had me worried.
"My liege," she said, and walked ahead of me. The action startled me so much that I automatically stopped in my tracks. No one had ever dared do such a thing since I was made crown prince. The only people allowed to were my parents. Not even James could.
"What?" I asked, trying not to feel angry in light of the worry in her voice and on her face. She sounded scared.
"Lord Crouch has died. Last night. The sweating sickness…"
I blinked at her, not comprehending. Lily gasped next to me, and her hand flew to her mouth as the flowers dropped to the floor and her eyes filled with tears.
"No one informed me he was so ill," I said lightly. The woman flushed with shame.
"It came very suddenly…"
The door behind us slammed open and a young boy stalked out. He took one look at us, bowed just enough to be acceptable, and then swept past, a cloak billowing in the air he was stirring up.
The front door slammed.
The woman looked at the flowers on the floor and burst into tears. Lily took a startled step back, right into the mantel with the incense and crystals. The woman screamed and Lily collapsed.
…
"What have you done?" I snarled, holding Lily close to my chest. She was still breathing, but she would not wake.
The woman shook her head. "She did it to herself," she replied, voice steady despite the fact that she had just done something to the Princess.
"Excuse me?"
"The garden- was sacred. She will not wake until the fates deem she has atoned."
"Liar!" I screamed at her, and she laughed.
"Hardly. It's not my fault you don't believe me, young prince. Find your lovely sister someone who will love her and then maybe I will consider lifting her curse…"
And she vanished.
…
And three weeks later, I was crowned king.
Scorpius was in attendance, and that was about the only thing that made the whole ceremony bearable.
I don't remember most of it.
I do remember the colors being a mixture of green, silver, gold, and red- and I couldn't help but wonder if that was my father's way of apologizing before he died, or if my mother curved his hand.
…
My brother turned seventeen, looked at the vows that he would have to take to be crowned crown prince, turned to my father, and said: "I don't want to be king."
Everyone heard it. No one said a thing. I was fourteen at the time, about to turn fifteen, and I remember clearly the cold wash of dread that traveled down my spine and back up into my chest, stealing my breath.
Because since he'd just absolutely ruined his chance in front of every important noble in the kingdom, that meant I would take the position of crown prince in two years' time. I had never been groomed for the post, never wanted it. I would have to marry some woman, produce heirs, rule the kingdom I never even liked. Take on my father's legacy.
James held my father's shocked gaze without remorse. "I don't want to be king," he repeated. "I want to be a scholar. Travel. Live my life," he finished.
"Good riddance," came the whispers. "He never got his head out of the clouds."
"Prince Albus will do better. He's much more adept with figures."
"Fools. He's not much better. I hear he's a traitor to the kingdom."
"Like Prince James isn't? You heard him just now. Leaving us to the dogs."
"Then Princess Lily?"
"She's much too young."
I ran.
James said nothing. He knew what he'd just done to me.
We haven't spoken since.
…
"What are you going to do?" Scorpius asked, curling into my side. He pressed a kiss to the side of my head, lips lingering.
I knew what he was referring to. Lily.
"I don't know," I said. My voice cracked.
I held not much love for my wayward siblings. We had never gotten along. But there was a malevolent witch loose in my kingdom, my sister was in a coma, and my parents were beside themselves with grief.
Not a good way to start my reign at all. I was worried. Very worried.
…
That was four years ago. Lily has not woken.
Many people have left the kingdom since then, afraid of me and my apparent incompetence, and after my father died, my mother left us as well, and they say it was of a broken heart.
I think she poisoned herself, but that's only because I examined her on her deathbed and found the evidence of it. But the people wanted to remember her as a powerful queen, not as a coward. So I said nothing about it.
James has not come home, and Teddy went to France to marry one of the ladies of the court. I am alone.
…
There is a knock on the door, rapid and urgent, and I exchange a baffled look with Tommy before I call, "Come in!"
A messenger stumbles into the room, eyes wide, and he says, "My liege, I apologize, but King Draco and his son Prince Scorpius have arrived, and are waiting in the banquet hall."
I blink, baffled, but nod anyway. "Thank you," I say. "You're dismissed." He bows and rushes off.
"With me," I tell Tommy, and he falls into step behind me as we make our way to the banquet hall on the other side of the castle.
"Scorpius!" I say loudly, as the guards open the door. "Draco. Please. Tell me what's the matter?"
Scorpius shakes his head and ducks to hide his face, which is pale and streaked with tears. They both look disheveled and they are soaked from the rain outside. "We've been overrun," Draco says.
He sounds blank. In shock. "Oh, my," I reply, unable to think of much else. "Are you alright?"
"Our kingdom is gone- we were driven out. Bandits, mostly, but Scorpius saw a witch in the mountains as we fled. Many of our people died in the battle. And Scorpius, of course, could not reveal his magic, since that would mean-"
"The bandits would be ruled correct in their attacks upon you," I finish grimly, and Draco nods sadly.
"May we…"
"Of course," I assure. "Tommy, have two rooms prepared immediately. Their usual rooms should suffice. Make sure there are guards at the door at all hours."
"Thank you, Allie," Draco says as my servant bows and runs off. He draws me into a hug that I return, this man more of a father to me than my own ever was. I bury my face in his shoulder and breathe deeply, saddened by his losses.
…
"Oh, Allie. I don't know what to do."
We're in the banquet hall, Draco having retired to bed long before. Scorpius sits in my chair at the head of the table, one leg over the other and lying his head on his arm, which is resting on the table. His voice is choked and I resume my pacing next to the table.
I don't know what he should do, either. "Just stay here. I'll think of something."
"I wish we could stop time. It would save us all- your sister, us, and maybe even my kingdom."
Scorpius sounds so desperate, face pale and tear stains on his face, and occasionally his shoulders will shudder with another sob. But his words give me an idea.
"Scorpius…"
He looks up, resting his chin on his hand to stare at me blankly. "What if… we really could stop time?"
He blinks. "What? You're talking nonsense."
But I shake my head, already running with the idea blooming in my mind. "I think I know a way."
"Allie! You're talking like a madman. I already have had enough crazy for today-"
"Books."
I pause, standing in front of him, and he raises his eyebrows, unimpressed. "Yes. Those exist."
Rolling my eyes, I make a vague gesture to my library. "No, no. Books on magic."
He narrows his eyes, tapping his fingers on the table as he straightens. "Now, those," he says. "Those don't exist."
"They're downstairs," I say flatly, eyebrows raised, knowing he'll take the chance.
Sure enough, after a few baited moments- "Show me."
…
His jaw drops when we enter the library downstairs. It's hidden in a side corridor where only the trusted members of the staff and family are allowed to go. It's guarded at all hours by highly trained men, and it's funny to watch their expressions when I drag Scorpius down there.
"I had no idea these types of books were real. I've only heard the rumors…" Scorpius mutters, and he runs his fingers across the spines of the books on the nearest shelf, stirring up a light layer of dust.
"We were once the magic capital of the world," I inform him, searching for the exact book I know to be here. It's got a red binding and it's one of the newest books in the library. It was all theory, and then when the war on magic began, all advancements were stopped.
"Here!" I call, and Scorpius materializes beside me, watching over my shoulder as he slides his arm around my waist. I flip through the beige pages, searching…
"Look," I point to the spell, and Scorpius reads, the foreign language automatically translating itself for us magic users.
He presses a kiss to my lips when he finishes and when he pulls away, he says, "It just might work!" with a newfound exuberance. I smile.
…
It isn't hard to convince Draco of it. He waves us away and says, "As long as Scorpius will be here when it's all over."
"Of course," I agree.
And he nods. "Then you have my blessing."
…
Vines. They wrap around my castle like prison bars, growing in length and width as the windows begin to close. Some of them break with the force of it, and as Scorpius casts that spell, I weave another. I feel it dragging on me, and Scorpius' voice falters slightly before he continues, raising his arms as his chant comes to a close and we're immersed in darkness.
And when I finish my portion, the two of drop where we're standing to the floor.
…
I'm not sure, exactly, how much time has passed.
I blink sluggishly, and there's a slightly familiar voice in my ear. It's one I've not heard for years.
"Allie? Allie, please, oh, please wake up! Mum and Dad aren't anywhere to be seen and James isn't here and neither is Teddy- Allie! Wake up!"
"Lily?"
My voice isn't working right. Her name comes out like a whisper, and I can barely open my eyes. "Allie! There's vines everywhere! The only one awake is me and this prince from the south, but he can't be since the only prince to the south is Scorpius-"
I jolt. My heart picks up speed with my sudden shock to life, and I feel like I just fell off a cliff. "Allie?"
"Lily… What year did your prince say it was?"
"465, sir," comes an unfamiliar voice, but my blood runs cold.
Over one hundred years.
I sit up with Lily's help and glance over my shoulder, shocked to find the layers of dust and other grime, and I swallow heavily at the sight of Scorpius next to me, barely stirring. At least he's breathing.
It's so dark.
I guess the spells worked.
"Sir?"
"What?" I bite back, my head beginning to pound as I reach for Scorpius with one hand and begin to dust myself off with the other. Lily watches me, as beautiful and youthful as the day she left us. Her hair is still that same shade of vibrant red, her eyes still sparkling hazel, and her skin is unwrinkled. It seems like she hasn't aged beyond her sixteen years at all.
"Are you… King Albus?"
I roll my gaze to the only other man awake, taking in his violet robes and the gold circlet on his brow. He wears nicely tailored things, I note distantly, more concerned over the fact that he seems to know me even one hundred years later.
"Yes," I say. Scorpius groans next to me, and his eyelids flutter. I turn my attention to him without any further fanfare, resting my hands on his cheeks.
"It was said that King Albus and King Draco and his son Scorpius all vanished under a castle made of vegetation, but I never imagined…"
I turn sharply. "Excuse me?"
"Don't be angry with him," Lily says. "Prince Lysander means no harm, truly. He's trying to place us with legends and we have to place him with the current political setups."
"It's madness, Lily. This whole thing."
I can't believe my spells worked like this. It shouldn't have been possible.
"Who could have done something like this?" Lysander breathes in awe, and I look at him, once again inexplicably annoyed.
"I did," I snap.
"Allie?"
I turn back to Scorpius, and heedless of the dust, I run my fingers across his lips and then bend down to kiss him. Because if it's truly one hundred years later, it doesn't matter. We have nothing to hide because there's no kingdom to run for either of us. "Hmm. Allie?" Scorpius whispers, emerging from his own dusty cocoon with a grimace. "This is disgusting. The last thing I remember is finishing the spells. What happened?"
"One hundred years have happened, Scorpius," I say, and he looks at me blankly.
"What?"
"One hundred years have elapsed since your time, sire," Lysander steps in, and Scorpius looks at him wearily, and then he gets a sour look on his face.
"Your crest," he says, pointing to the other prince. "That's the family that drove me from my home."
Lysander takes a startled step back. "I- I didn't-"
"Scorpius, please!" Lily cries, standing and moving herself in front of him as Scorpius mutters a spell.
He stops as soon as he realizes who's in front of him, and the red light fizzles in his palms. "Don't. He is not to blame for the mistakes of his forefathers. Just. Allie?"
"Hm?" I glance at her briefly before I look toward Scorpius again, taking inventory of his well being. He doesn't look too good. The grief is still fresh and this is the icing on the cake.
"Lysander!" I bark, and he startles before he steps forward, next to Lily.
"Sire?"
"What do you intend to do with Lily?"
He shrugs. "Get to know her, I suppose. Take her back to my kingdom since this is not much of a home anymore, and whether or not we wed, she will be a lady of the court."
"Then leave."
"Allie?" Lily sounds shocked, and I don't blame her.
"Leave!" I scream, "I intend to follow in three days to make sure no harm comes to her but for now, go on ahead! I don't want to see you again-"
Lysander takes hold of Lily's arm and a moments passes in suspended silence. Their footsteps echo on the empty walls.
"Oh, Albus. What have we done?"
I shake my head and pull Scorpius against me. "I don't know. But we can fix it."
"How?" he demands, pushing me away lightly to stare at me, a fierce look in his gray eyes. "One hundred years, Albus! That's so much we've lost."
"We will survive," I say, and kiss him. "We have to."
"Obviously. But how?"
I shake my head and lean my forehead against his. "I suppose we find your father and then follow my sister, to start."
Scorpius sighs, and wraps his arms around me. "One day at a time."
"Yes," I nod frantically. "One day at a time."