Den Nye Konge
A/N: Firstly can I just say I'm sorry if this causes offence at anybody reading this, I use the real current royal families of Denmark and Norway in this fic (although this is set in the future). Seriously, I am obsessed with those royal families, especially the Danish, so I really don't mean any offence or harm in this fic...It's my second shot at a multi chapter, I hope that it's not absolutely terrible.
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Mathias really should've wondered why he and his mom were so well off. It's not like they should've been poor, but he's been raised by a single mother his whole life and they live in a fairly decent house; it's not massive, but it's larger than what you'd expect especially since he knows his mother doesn't get paid much by her job, it's fairly laid back. The thought's never rushed through his head, although if he were to ever guess it would be extremely unlikely that he would guess the correct answer...
"I give him a seven out of ten," a loud voice beams. This voice is Mathias Densen, although this full name is Mathias Joachim Henrik Frederik Densen, which is another thing he's never questioned in his life, the strangely long name.
"This is like fifteen years old you know, and he's like...in his fourties," a less loud, but equally as cheery voice replies. Tino Väinämöinen, one of Mathias's closest friends, replies. The two teens (and Tino's boyfriend, Berwald, but he is in the other room getting some beer) are looking through a magazine and rating the hotness of each male out of ten.
"I don't care, for a guy in his fourties he was HOT!" Mathias chants louder, looking at the picture of the Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.
Tino just shakes his head, "I'd still call him old, and he's even older now!"
"Would you still love Berwald if he was old?"
That shuts Tino up.
Berwald returns with the drinks not long later, overhearing a conversation with something to do with 'an old royal who really shouldn't be a seven'. They've had their game of rating the males out of ten in books and magazines and films for a long time. He places the beer between the two other males and sits next to his boyfriend.
"What's this about some royal?" he asks, directing the question at Mathias, since he doubts Tino would give any member of any of the royal families a seven.
"Mathias thinks Crown Prince Frederik should be a seven, he's old, and even on this old picture he's still old!" Tino holds up the picture in question, one of Frederik and his oldest son Christian when he was an infant. No doubt that Frederik was quite good looking.
"Mhm...let Mathias think whatever he wants. I already have a ten out of ten right next to me," he looks at Tino, not smiling, but one that knows him well could tell in his eyes that he was happy.
Mathias just makes gagging noises to himself and opens up his first beer, downing most of the drink in his first sip.
Of course, having a situation where three males sit around a magazine ranking the Crown Prince's looks isn't exactly normal in most people's eyes. Berwald and Tino had been dating since not too long after they met several years ago, they've been pretty much inseparable since, but not in a clingy way, they still act like friends when with other people. Mathias and Berwald, however, met when Berwald used to live next to the Dane (Berwald's originally from Sweden and moved to Denmark when he was quite young) and the two used to get into fights with each other a lot when they were younger. Often they argued over useless things such as who was taller.
When Mathias was a teenager he had become a bit of an outcast caused by his sexuality (if not obvious by the looking through magazines, he's gay) and eventually went to the other outcasts, who were Berwald and Tino. The trio bonded over what they have in common (which is more than just their sexuality) and have been hanging out together ever since, apart from when Berwald and Tino decide they want a 'coupley moment' and Mathias gladly runs back home to spend the evening with his mother who he is extremely close to.
Speaking of Mathias's mother, that's the very person who sends him a text whilst he starts on his next beer. He pulls his phone out and sighs, telling his friends that he has to go home now, after all it was almost midnight. As you can guess, since he's been raised by her alone, Mathias is extremely close to his mother. He doesn't know this, but he barely looks anything like his father, although he does share some features with his half brothers that must've come from his father's side. His blonde hair that is slightly dark definitely comes from his mother, his eyes and smile from his father. And combined together, Mathias's good looks put Frederik's good ones from a while ago to shame; no doubt that if Mathias wasn't gay he would've had the girls all over him.
Mathias makes it to his house after leaving his friends, taking his bike which he always has with him (like the large amount of Danes that cycle everywhere, and there are lots!) and cycling back home.
Kirsten, Mathias's mother, greets her son home with a big kiss on his head. She's never told Mathias anything about his father, as she was shushed as soon as she told him about the pregnancy. If word were to get out that could've caused major havoc which she didn't want, and neither did the man she slept with (as well as it meaning that his wife would find out about him cheating on her). That was probably another reason why their child support is so large, extra money just to keep quiet; since Kirsten knew that no one would find out anyway, she didn't think of it as too bad as they might as well have extra money. Fortunately for Kirsten, Mathias has seemed content enough in his life to ever ask his mother many questions about his dad.
Life for the two of them recently has always seemed easy, a good school life, enough money to get by, good friends, and a close bond between mother and son means that there have been very few obstacles in life, and any that they've had have all been very minor.
Of course, that all changed in an instant.
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"I am reporting from the southern coast of Greenland and as you can see there is a horrendous storm!" a reporter yells over the loud sound of waves and wind in the distance. All over the country and over most of the world there are reports being shown, all telling the same story. "This morning at around two in the morning, the Danish royal family was planning to land in Kulusuk when a freak storm hit their boat. Both the families of Crown Prince Frederik and his children, as well as the family of his brother, Prince Joachim and his children, were all present on the boat when this happened. We do not know wherever there are any survivors, but the change is extremely low. So far no bodies have been found, we will keep you updated."
Kirsten mutes the TV as to not wake her son, it's five in the morning and she had just woken to hear this news. All over Denmark people are talking about the end of this line of the monarchy, all of the Queen's children and grandchildren are most likely dead. To her it feels like much more, she stares at the TV, shocked out of her mind.
"Mor? Are you alright?" Mathias had heard a noise, presumable the television, and had gone to the living room to investigate. Seeing his mother staring at the screen, her usual grin from her face, he quickly kneels next to her.
"Hm?" She looks back at him, giving him the biggest and most fake smile she can muster, "Everything is alright, sweetie. Go back to bed?"
Mathias shakes his head, smiling a bit, "It's 8am and I'm not some little kid. I can stay up if I want to."
There's a few seconds delay before his mother starts laughing, "Good point." she replies, still focused on the T.V though, even though it's muted. Mathias gets the message and sits next to her, unmuting the T.V so he can get what's happened. After a few minutes of explaining, he nods and wraps an arm around her,
"They're only a bunch of royals," he gives her shoulders a little squeeze before going to the kitchen to make them both a mug of delightful and warming coffee.
"Ja..." she replies, still mostly out of it. Her large, brown eyes barely showing interest apart from at the large screen in front of her. Mathias frowns when he walks back in and places the mug next to her, retreating back to his room as to leave the woman alone. Of course he doesn't know what the real reason for her being sad over this is.
Things don't get better. Later on more news stories cover the major event of the royals in the accident. Later on it's revealed that the bodies of the ten royal members are in the bottom of the ship that they were sailing on, they were trying to keep safe in the bottom parts of the ship. Mathias is in his room when they announce this, talking to his friends online and checking what time his job starts (he works at a café nearby); he hears his mother yell out a surprised yelp. What he didn't know is that she's sat in the living room controlling her sobs, they are all dead.
A reporter covers the story of how this would be the end of Queen Margrethe II's family line, as next in line is now her younger sister. The press all crown around the palaces waiting to see who can be the first person to get the statement from the Queen on what's just happened.
The Queen is in ill health. In her old age it is something obvious to the public and to everyone around her; of course, until recently, it was assumed that her oldest son Frederik would take the throne. Very few people have been able to talk to the Queen since, as expected. Only a few of her closest guards, and her sisters have been allowed to even see her. The Queen's sat in one of her finest chairs, her sister sat on the one next to her and holding her hand, trying to help calm her.
"Margrethe..."
The Queen sighs, her usual spark and happy glow which was there even in her ill health has suddenly all disappeared. "Benedikte...I need to talk to you about something."
Benedikte simply nods, not expecting it to necessarily be anything of major importance, "Oh, about what?"
"Well, if it is agreed, it will completely change the order of succession to the throne"
At this information, Benedikte's mouth drops. She hadn't really prepared on being Queen, so it didn't bother her that this would potentially cause her to lose her place in line, however it did mean that there would need to be someone higher up in line, which as far as everyone knew they were all dead.
"What do you mean?"
"There's another heir"
Benedikte shakes her head, "There can't be-"
Before she can finish her sentence, her older sister pulls her closer and starts whispering in her ear about a secret that only two people knew. As each sentence reveals more, Benedikte's face shows a more and more surprised looks. After a few minutes she is informed,
"Are you going to tell everyone and made sure it happens?" she asks,
"I will do everything in my power to do so."
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Everyone in the palaces rushes towards the meeting point, the Queen has called for an emergency meeting. Apart from the sound of loud shoes patting against the hard, wooden floors, the area is completely silent. The Queen stands, her sister by her side, and is facing the large group, ready to address them of what she had informed her younger sister on only a few hours before.
"I have a very important piece of information to give you all," she starts, looking across at each person in the room. Only in there are her highest appointed staff. "This can change the order of succession to the Danish throne..." this statement causes a few murmurs to travel across the room, but they are soon silenced by the Queen's personal bodyguard. "Thank you... Almost twenty years ago now, my youngest son, Joachim, had come into my room in the palace, stating he had an emergency to talk about immediately. He told me, "Mother, I've done nothing terribly wrong", and at the time I guess I never realised what significance it could have been. He told me that he was drunk at a bar and ended up sleeping with an ordinary Danish woman from Copenhagen, and cheated on his wife, Princess Marie. I swore that I would keep his secret safe from anyone, especially his wife, from finding out, and that's exactly what I did," the Queen stops a moment, letting the staff all take in the information so far, some of them still seem slightly confused on how this can lead to a change in the succession of the throne.
"Now. After...around two months or so, Joachim enters the room again, only this time with much more important news. The woman he slept with was pregnant with his child," this now causes a load gasp to be emitted across all of the staff, they are finally piecing together the parts of the puzzle and guessing in their heads exactly what significance this child may be. "Joachim's paid support for this child, to the mother, up until the child's eighteenth birthday. That was last year. We have a copy of his birth certificate somewhere, and we know the address of where he and his mother live. My suggestion is that although he wasn't born as a royal, an illegitimate grandchild is better than none, and I think that we should see if this young man is willing to take the place as Crown Prince."
There's a deathly silence across the room, everyone more in shock than to actually suggest anything. When no one goes against the Queen's word, she nods and turns back around, walking back to her bedroom.
"I will provide contact and I expect a group of guards to contact this boy and his mother immediately. Once we have DNA testing to prove he is really my grandson, and if he accepts the offer, we'll work from there. Are we clear?" the group of staff nod. "That is all then, thank you" and then the Queen departs again.
It doesn't take long for the guards to acquire a copy of the Queen's grandson's birth certificate and his address.
One of the highest up guards is inside the Queen's room with her, running over the information on the pieces of paper he's just been given,
"Your majesty, are you sure that this is the correct person?" he holds up the birth certificate to the Queen.
"His name is Mathias Joachim Søren Frederik Densen, mother is Kirsten Densen, and his father is Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian. He's obviously the correct child.," she replies sternly. The guard nods and passes on the information in order to send more royal guards to the address of the family.
"Yes, your majesty. Is there anything else?"
She shakes her head, "Nej, that is it. Thank you, Peter,"
He bows to her and leaves the room, passing on the orders to the other guards to set up the royal car and make sure thy get to the right address.
Once handed over, the guard reads the address and hands it to the chauffeur, "Are we ready to leave and find this boy?"
The other guard nods, sighing, "Ja. I am not so sure about the Queen's plans about this though-"
He is cut off by the engine starting, a signal to get in and just head towards this house where they will meet the possible future King of Denmark.
.x.x.x.x.
Mathias's mother has calmed down eventually over the incident, although she is still in grieving over what had happened. It has been almost two weeks since the death of most of the current heirs to the throne, and they have almost started to function correctly. The country, however, is still beyond confused. The Queen has still not given any input on this (which the public do not know is because she is waiting to meet Joachim's son) and everyone is unsure what this means for the monarchy of the county.
Mathias is blaring music loudly from the T.V, dancing whilst vacuuming in the kitchen, it's what he does in order for him not to get distracted and interested in something else. Kirsten doesn't mind the noise as long as it means that her son is vacuuming. Kirsten laughs at the moves Mathias pulls, but is soon distracted by hearing a knock at the door,
"Mathias, the door's going! Turn that shit off!" she laughs, grabbing hold of the door handle and swinging it open. She definitely wasn't expecting the sight of seeing two guards, dressing in all black, but with Queen Margrethe's monogram on their suits.
"We need to speak to Mathias Joachim Søren Frederik, please."
"Yes...he's right in the other room." Kirsten definitely notices how these men are definitely from the Queen's palace, and runs into the kitchen to get Mathias.
"Mathias!"
"Mor, who's that? And why are they using my full name-"
before he can finish, she cuts him off by ushering him into the living room. "This is him."
The two guards look at each other before deciding to bow, "Pleased to meet you,"
This only causes the young man to raise an eyebrow, "Huh? What's going on?"
The one man, who has a short, ginger beard, claps his hands together and looks at his colleague, "We were warning that he most likely would not have been told" he states, the other man, who is shorter and bald, nods.
"Ja. I think either we or your mother need to explain something to you," the bald man looks towards Kirsten, who is fidgeting on the spot. She nods and puts a hand on Mathias's shoulder.
"I should tell you about your father..."
Mathias turns around, a childish glint of hope in his eyes, "Do I get to meet him?"
That only makes Kirsten more sad, she shakes her head. "Unfortunately you can not...which is why these men are here."
Mathias still isn't one hundred percent sure what's going on, but nods anyway. "You are dressed really smartly, was my dad rich or something?" he asks all three of them.
"He had great wealth, but he was much more than just rich" the ginger bearded man replies.
"Miss Densen, I think you ought to tell your son, it's better that he hear from you" the bald man states. The two men take a step back as to give Kirsten and Mathias more room, but they don't leave the house, or even the room for that matter.
Mathias is led onto the sofa, and his mother sits next to him, holding his hands.
"I met your father in a bar..." she starts, trying to keep eye contact with him, but it's obvious that she's on the verge of tears. "He was a polite man and spoke very well, I soon recognised him as someone who I had seen in magazines and on the news," Mathias has to stop himself from accidentally blurting out and asking 'so my dad is famous or something?' but refrains from doing it in order to hear the rest of the story. "He...his name was- is Joachim" That doesn't necessarily surprise Mathias that much, he's always assumed that one of his middle names would've been his father's name. "...Prince Joachim."
Now that catches him off guard. He stares at his mother, not exactly sure what she was talking about. He knows who Prince Joachim is, well, was, he was the younger brother of Crown Prince Frederik, and was the son of the Queen. He shakes his head,
"You can't be serious..."
"But I am...why do you think we have royal guards in our house, Mathias?!" she asks, pointing to the men only a few metres away. "They have the Queen's monogram on their suits"
Mathias looks close at their clothing, before realising and nodding. "O-Okay...so they do... are you here to tell me your condolences about my dead father?" he asks, "Because I never knew him, so it's not like I'm grieving much..." He realises for a second how not that long ago he was convincing Tino how hot his Uncle was...this causes him to shudder, luckily no one else notices this shudder.
"Actually...that is not what we're here to talk about" the bald one says,
"It isn't?" Kirsten asks, "I was expecting this to be just an announcement...what's going on?"
The two guards nod to each other.
"Queen Margrethe II requests your presence at her palace in Amalienborg immediately"
"Immediately?" Mathias asks,
"Immediately" they confirm, and open the front door. "There is a car waiting out here for the both of you, please get in. Even if you do not want anything to do with us, we still request you meet the Queen at the palace"
Kirsten nods and ushers her son towards the car, "Yes we will go. Right Mathias?"
"Right" he replies, feeling slightly light-headed by all this news that is taking a while to get into his head and for him to believe that it's all actually happening.
They drive the car straight into the inside of the palace as not to be seen by any people who are present in Amalienborg, which as usual, there are several dozen.
"Please follow me, the both of you," a third guard, who seems to appear out of nowhere, announces.
The two follow eagerly, going up several corridors and stairs. It's almost exactly how you'd imagine a palace to look like. Mathias's thoughts go to Crown Prince Frederik's palace and how he's completely modernised it, this palace is nothing like that, which shows the time period in which the Queen was raised in is much different to Frederik's.
After a fifteen minute walk they are lead to a large room and told to wait until called for by the Queen. It appeared that the room behind the small, cream door was most likely the Queen's office, a room that very few people get to go inside.
"This must be something big..." Kirsten whispers to Mathias, who only nods, too shocked that this is even happening to speak.
"Queen Margrethe will see you now," the guard announces. Walking forward and opening the door, waiting for Mathias and his mother to walk inside.
The Queen sits at her desk, looking through some papers when she hears the door open. Looking up, she is intrigued by the sight. A nineteen year old male appears in front of her, showing off the best of a smile, which still looks fantastic, and staring at her with some of the brightest blue eyes she's ever seen. His hair sticks up in many directions, something that looks modern but not hideous.
"Please, take a seat" she says, pointing to the two seats which look as if they're made of gold right in front of her. They both sit nervously, waiting to hear her request.
"You must be Mathias," she extends her hand, to which he takes it and shakes it firmly. "And you must be Kirsten" this time she turns to his mother, and they do the same. Internally Kirsten sighs with relief, as she's afraid that maybe the Queen may have a grudge against her for sleeping with her son and causing him to cheat on his wife, who never knew of this affair.
"I have to discuss something important. With the death of my family members this leaves me with no children or grandchildren. Normally...we would never consider appointing a child who was not born a royal to become one. However, in a desperate situation, I have only to turn to my only remaining grandchild."
The two soak this in, Mathias's head is spinning all over. Is she talking about taking the throne? Who's her only grandchild? Wait, that's me. Oh my God. He stares up at her,
"Yes, your majesty..." he replies after a few seconds of silence.
"Therefore...I would like to inform you that unless you choose to get rid of your royal status, as of now you are the Crown Prince of Denmark. Is that alright with you?"
Crown Prince? That means royal, that means next in line. He starts breathing heavily, and looks back to his mother,
"Nej, if you are to be King, I need to make sure you can make decisions for yourself. Are you okay with that?"
Mathias nods.
"Good. Firstly we need to do DNA testing to make sure you are my biological grandchild, a piece of paper isn't enough evidence"
He nods again.
"And you will move into Crown Prince Frederik's old palace immediately. Thank you."
Now he is allowed to look back at his mother, the Queen retreats through a back door into another room, leaving them alone. "What just happened, Mor?"
She gasps, her hands covering her mouth, which they had been doing during the whole meeting. "You've just become the Crown Prince of Denmark, Mathias."
A/N: I don't know if that's a good end to the chapter or not. I hope again that it's not too bad, and that hopefully it'll be somewhat interesting for people to read. Thanks for reading if you did, and I hope you all enjoyed this. Chapter 2 may take a bit, depending on how much inspiration I have, or how much I write my other fic. Again, thanks for reading.