Author's Note: I'm debating on whether I should finish The Dronings of the Popular Crowd or work on this one first... maybe I'll just ping-pong back and forth. ;) Please let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not, and will never own Danny Phantom.
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It was 14 years ago when the country of Amity was attacked by a great power from the west. The soldiers of the country were out fighting in a war, leaving the capital city virtually helpless. When the royal family got word of this surprise attack, it was decided that the Queen their two children would escape to a safe house while the King stayed and tried to fight off the enemies with what little soldiers he did have left. It was a tearful goodbye when the two parted ways, knowing that there was little chance of seeing one another again.
The children's nannies were advised to take the young Prince and Princess as fast as they could to the strong hold. It was vital for the baby Prince to make it alive since he was the heir to the throne. With the King halfway dead, it was inevitable that the boy would be on the throne as soon as he was old enough. Unbeknownst to anyone, however, the baby's nanny was loyal to the invading nation and stole away into the woods with him. It was rumored that the miserable woman sold the Prince for a few pieces of gold.
The invaders overthrew the capital city easily, the King fighting with his dying breath. Eventually the county was completely overtaken, leaving its inhabitants crushed and defeated. The one hope was that someday the royalty in hiding would come back to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.
Knowing that the people would be happier with a leader of their own ranks, the leader of the invaders, (a man named Masters), set a member of their council in charge. It happened to be the family closest to the former King and Queen that was appointed, although Masters did not know that. Maurice Foley was the one given title of King, though everyone knew that he was merely the puppet of Masters: a familiar face with unfamiliar words. However, everyone in the country appreciated the work he did for Amity, keeping it as in tact as he could.
Hope was bottled in the Prince's reappearance. It was in the eyes that would signal his returning, because the real bloodline of royalty in Amity had a special set of eyes. Because the royal family was in hiding, only the one person closest to them, however, would be able to tell.
And so it was that Amity lived for 14 years.
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"Oh Tucker…" The voice drifted above his head somewhere, outside of his dreams. "Tucker? Time to get up…" Suddenly next to his head, it called, "Wake up!"
Tucker yelped and rolled out of the bed, his servant laughing hard on the other side. "Danny!" He moaned, "I thought you were going to be nice waking me up today!" He rubbed his head and crawled back up onto the bed. "And I thought you were getting a new uniform, too."
Still laughing, the servant boy brought a tray of breakfast over. He sat down on the bed next to Tucker and they both began devouring the food. "Sorry." He mumbled over his food. "I couldn't resist. And I don't know, nobody gave me one. Was I supposed to?"
The Prince bobbed his head. "Uh-huh. Dad said so, he said that you were due. I'll ask him again today." Danny just shrugged, still eating.
"So do they ever give you food down there in servant-land?" Tucker asked, eyes glittering. "Or should I whine to Dad about that, too?"
The boy shrugged again. "The stuff they give me I save for mid-day. I don't get any then. If you want me to let you eat your own breakfast from now on –"
"- nah," Tucker laughed, "Cookie gives me way too much anyway. It's more fun having you eat then having you watch."
"By the way," Danny began, but then they heard footsteps outside the door. The servant boy jumped up and took his rightful place in the corner next to the door, head down, eyes to the floor. Tucker pulled the tray onto his lap and pretended to be eating like a prince should – slowly and carefully. (Although this never really happened)
At the knock on the door, Tucker called "Come in!" and Danny opened the door, not making eye contact with anyone. Tara Foley, Tucker's mother, stepped in and gracefully made her way over to her son. Danny watched shyly, and a little jealously when she kissed him on the head and asked, "How did you sleep, Sweetie?"
See, Danny was an orphan. In his short lifetime, he had been sold a few times from one person to another. Working in the palace, for the Prince, was the best thing that had ever happened though. Tucker was his best friend, although they both had to 'stay in their place' in front of the public. But when anything threatened his friend, Tucker would always stand up for him. It was just that Danny had never had a mother to do what Tucker's mom would do to him. Even just hug him and a question of how his day went. I guess that's my destiny. He thought, a twinge dejected.
"Fine, mom." Tucker sighed; he hated the constant doting his mother insisted on giving him. He wished that she would go away so he and Danny could finish scarfing the breakfast and then discussing the day. Knowing his mom, though, he knew she was going to wait until all his food was gone before she left. If he didn't finish it, she would think he was sick. So, he reluctantly took a bite.
She cocked her head slightly. "You're really becoming a man, Tuckerty. Pretty soon every girl in Amity will be kicking the doors down to get to you."
True, very true, but did you have to use my full name? Crud! He thought, sneaking a glance on his friend's face. It was contorted to hold his laughter in. Danny heard it too! "Mom," he mumbled, "please don't use my full name. Just call me Tucker or something, okay?"
She waved it off. "No matter. What I came to discuss with you was what was going on today."
"Why should that matter to me? You guys have visitors all the time."
"These visitors are for you, Tucker. Your father and I feel that we aren't going to be in power forever, so we want to find you a wife while we still have the time. So –"
Tucker choked. "Um, excuse me? A wife? Why didn't I know about any of this?" Danny could tell Tucker was not only mad, but confused. "What am I going to do? Pick from a line or something?"
His mother stiffened. "Really, Tucker, you make it sound like a bad thing. That's how I met your father, after all. It won't be so terrible, I promise."
The boy slumped back into his pillows. He was feeling immensely helpless, like he had no control over his life. Tara nodded at Danny vaguely as she exited, with a command that Tucker look his best and be down in the throne room by mid-day. The servant boy closed the door and bounced over to the bed. "Tuck? A wife! You really didn't know anything about this? And since when is your full name Tuckerty?"
"No, I didn't know anything about it." He sighed, imaging the line-up of girls his mother had in line. "And please don't mention my name!" He covered his head with his pillow. "You think they'd notice if I skipped and went to practice with my cross-bow?" He asked, his voice muffled.
Danny chuckled. "Slightly."
He really wasn't as mean-spirited as to make fun of his one and only friend in his hour of need. So, sighing, he asked, "What do you want to wear, Prince Tuck?"