Lancelle, a kind soul with a love for water and nature, is living in his own personal hell but takes it all with a smile on his face. While confused about his sexaulity, Him and his eldest sisters receive invitations to a ball that will change Lancelle's life.
Now, we get to the beginning of Lancelle's journey…
"Lancelle! Get upstairs right now and start making breakfast! Your sisters are hungry!" The loud voice of his stepfather caused Lance to jolt awake. He groaned to himself, exhausted from cleaning into the early morning hours. His hands throb as he pulled himself off the dusty floor. He examined the calloused areas that had become red and irritated. All he wanted was some peace and quiet, but it would only ever be a dream to him.
"Now Lancelle!" The door to the basement slammed shut, making the young man jump. He quickly changed into the rags that were his clothes and drew water from the spigot in the wall. He washed his face in the freezing water and pulled on his ratty shoes. He hurried up the creaky wooden stairs that lead out into the courtyard of his family's home. Technically it was supposed to be his, but his mother had made his stepfather the rightful owner right before she went missing.
Thinking about it made his heart clench, his 18th birthday was a few weeks earlier and he would have inherited everything if it weren't for that man. This was his life. His thoughts drifted through despair as he made his way inside the main house to wards the kitchen. He walked in and straight over to the ice room, retrieving the meat he had bought at the butcher shop a few days before. He was coming back out when two of his step sisters went shoving past him, snorting about the recent town gossips that they were a part of. His eldest stepsister was still a few months his junior, making her eighteen and a half. Lancelle's mother's birthday was fast approaching and he guessed to himself that he would spend it alone again since that's what it had been like the past few years. His thoughts drifted as he began his normal routine of making breakfast for his family. His sisters liked their beef well done and his father enjoyed his rare, soaked in Lancelle's special sauce. He could hear the pattering of footfalls as his sisters awoke and then two voices chattering began making their way into their kitchen.
"Oh look! Lance is awake! It's about time you made our food." His youngest sister laughed, her ugly nose scrunching up as her snorts echoed through the room. Lance grimaced at the horrible sound as he scraped the cooked beef onto separate plates for each of his sisters. He then scrambled some fresh eggs he'd collected from their kind hen who loved when Lance cleaned her feathers. Lance set the table quickly and placed all the food on the platters for meals, then made himself scarce so he could go wash up in the vacant bathroom. He could hear dishes clanking together, his step family eating their meal without a care in the world, while he sat upstairs and cleaned out his blisters and cuts, wincing as he poured salves into the worse cuts from his father's rage fit from the day before. After ten minutes, he heard the dishes being piled up into the sink as his sisters finished their food and headed up the kick him out of the bathroom. He quickly washes his face off and pulls on his newest clothes, nice enough for walking around town and greeting people with a smile. He smiled as he decided he would visit one of his close friends, Matt, who worked at the craftshop.
He opened the door just as his oldest sister, Mary Ann, was about to knock. Of all the sisters she was the kindest to him, while she was still rude often she was also there for him through tough times. She was the prettiest of all the sisters seeing as she was tall and lean like him, with similar freckles covering her face. In fact, Lance would say she is beautiful with her only flaws being her red hair and her long nose which he adored anyways. His father would never approve of their close relationship so they kept it secret.
"Lancelle.." She pushed him back into the bathroom gently, closing the door behind them. "How badly did he hurt you this time?" She sighed sadly as lance removed his top and showed his bony form, which was covered in cuts and bruises. He smiled weakly at her, trying to hide the worst of the bruises.
"Ann I'm alright, it could be worse. I could've gotten an infection again. I'm fine I swear." Ann frowned at his excuses but didn't question him as he walked out, leaving the house before his father knew he was done in the bathroom. He walked out onto the street waving at their neighbors the Holts. Allura smiled brightly and waved, holding her baby Harvey. Coran, Allura's uncle, sat on their porch telling his other nieces and nephews some wild story about being a retired knight. Lance remembered when Allura would play with him as children, fighting with wooden swords and costumes. Lance walked on, his sparkling smile setting grins on the faces of almost everyone he passed and walked straight into the Holt's Craftshop. He looked around at the beautiful wooden tables that were sitting all around the room and the matching chairs, each set different and unique in some way. He then walked through the antiques and the crafts that Matt had made over the years. Matt Holt stood behind the counter, his glasses falling down his face as he carved a strange creature.
"Matt! How was your trip to the ocean?" Matt glanced up at that then did a double take, a smile sprouting on his face. "Lancelle! The trip was amazing! Allura and Harvey loved playing in the water. She's with Uncle Coran right now to help with the kids. Alfor is still there researching the aquatic life but he'll be back soon. How are things? Find a girlfriend yet?" Matt nudges him with a teasing grin and immediately worries when Lance winces. "What has happened Lance? Why are you wincing like that?" Lance's face was grim, his frown etching into his beautiful complexion.
Matt motioned for him to come into the back of the shop and quickly Lance followed behind him. The moment they were in the back he lifted Lancelle's shirt and let a cry escape his lips and he looked over all the new bruises and cuts that littered his beautiful skin, tracing over some hidden scars that marred his beautiful flesh and and his new cuts that had soaked his bandages in blood or pus. Lance pulled his shirt back down shyly and looked at his feet so he couldn't meet Matthew's eyes.
"Oh Lance, you don't deserve any of this. You should've said something. These cuts are terrible."
Lance nodded. His cuts from previous beatings had left him scarred physically and mentally, leaving a weak and scared boy in their wake. Matt gave him a pained grin. 'Oh Lance. You've been through a lot today. Wanna come over for breakfast? We're having some sweets baked by Allura." Lance nods and helps Matt close up the shop, following him through the back that was connected to Matt's home. Allura was now inside their kitchen, still holding a squirming Harvey. Matt kissed his wife on the cheek snatching his son up and lifting him into the air. The little boy giggled happily his light brown hair flyinging in all directions. Allura smiled and then lance caught her eye.
"Lance! Welcome! You're looking well today, how's Mary Ann? I heard she received her first marriage proposal. Has.. that man.. Declined it yet?" Lance hugs her and chuckles.
"Hello to you too as well Allura. Yes, Miguel declined an offer from a boy who they are served by at the diner near here. He's not poor but he's not exactly rich either. I believe she was in love with him actually but sadly, Miguel is convinced that some opportunity to marry into a rich family will arise, but she can't get any better than the Duke's youngest son. And hes like thirteen." Allura snickers slightly then frowns and feels his arms and midsection, making a displeased sound.
"Have you gotten thinner Lance? This won't do, come sit and eat with us." Lancelle nods and sits at his normal seat at their large table. Allura sets a plate piled with food of all sorts in front of him. Lance happily digs into the food, eating enough for three people before finally slowing himself down a bit. "Thank you so much for the food but I'm afraid I need to go do the rest of the dishes and start my father's laundry. I'll see the two of you later!" He kisses Allura's cheek, pats Matt on the back, and ruffles the honey wisps of hair on Harvey's head. He waves to Coran once again and rushes back into his house, grabbing the pile of clothes at the bottom of the steps and heading out into his backyard, scrubbing his father's dirty clothes until they were totally clean and he began pinning them up so they would dry. He stopped once he was almost totally done and began to ponder on what his life would be like without his stepfather, smiling as he imagined sitting with his mother and father. They would live in their beautiful house with his beautiful garden, his skin would be flawless, he'd wear nice clothing, and he'd have the freedom to do what he wanted. He mentally pinched himself, thinking to himself 'That's incredibly selfish. Be grateful of what you have.' Lance knew he'd be stuck like this for a while but nothing deterred him. He would continue working till he was free of his abuse.
Keith cleared his throat. "Your Highness… Your father, King Hunk, wishes to see you." He glanced up at the prince in question and sighed as he watched the man spar against the castle guards. The Prince did not stop to give him acknowledgement, instead speaking as he dodged the wooden swords used in practice.
"What does father want now? Keith, just tell him I'm busy doing paperwork." Shiro huffed a breath as a wooden sword collided with his chest, almost knocking the breath out of him. Keith sighed, irritated. "Prince Takashi Shirogane, the King requests you in his presence. Please make yourself presentable or your father will have my head."
Shiro paused at his full name and looked at his advisor and best friend with mild curiosity, then nodded as he put his wooden sword away. He grabbed a folded cloth that was sitting on a bench near him. He began wiping sweat off his face and stood next to Keith. " What do you think he has to say that is so important?" Keith shrugged and stepped aside as Shiro walked past him walking quickly to his room. Shiro quickly stepped into his bathroom and turned on the new faucets, stepping under the flowing water and washing the sweat off his rippling muscles. Once he was finished he took the towel Keith held out for him and dried himself off quickly. He then dressed in his nice tailored suit, placing his crown on his head and buttoning his sash to his jacket. Keith them helped him adjust his sleeves and fixed his crown which had fallen in a crooked way. He nodded in satisfaction and showed the Prince to his door leading him down the hall to the royal chambers. Shiro took a quick breath and then opened the doors and gracefully walked in, his adoptive father sat in front of him smiling warmly and stood, walking forward and hugging his son, who was the only person in the castle that was taller than him.
"Takashi! My boy it's lovely to finally see you today! Please don't be so tense, what I have to say is in no way a bad thing!" The King smiles and walks up the steps sitting down in his throne, and clears his throat. "Prince Shiro! As the King I have decided we will hold a ball!" What? Shiro's expression is immediately puzzled. "Um.. Father what does that have to do with me? I mean of course I'd love to attend but was it necessary to call me here?" His father nodded while humming thoughtfully.
"The purpose of this ball is to find you a suitable bride. We will invite all the women from town and the one that catches your eye shall be your bride. Of course we invited some others like world leaders and powerful court members but other than that this is all about you." Shiro's jaw had hit the floor and Keith had almost fallen over from laughter outside the door.
"Bride? You're making me get married?" To his dismay the King nodded, and he let out a startled sound.
"Shiro, you're 24 and the women in this town adore you. There's bound to be a few that are your type. No arguing, I sent out the invitations this morning so by mid afternoon you and the ball will be the talk of the kingdom. Were about to have a lot of foreign visitors on our hands. So go and begin preparing for the ball." His father clapped his hands and Keith came in, entirely composed and led Shiro out of the room as calmly as he could. Shiro blinked once they'd entered the hall and mumbled in disbelief.
"K-keith he's making me get married…. W-What should I do?" Keith chuckled slightly and then he became a bit more somber. "Are you worried because of 'that' little issue you have?" Shiro's head moved up and down quickly and he looked at Keith, dread filling his face.
"Keith, I don't know what to do! If I'm attracted to men too then does that mean I could possibly fall for a man instead of a woman?! What would father say? Oh he'd be disappointed.. Disgusted even!" Keith sighed at the Prince's slight panicking and led him farther away from the throne room, talking in a smooth voice."Shiro calm yourself, it's gonna be okay. Your father is a very understanding man. I highly doubt that he would be upset if you ended up with a male lover." Shiro tilted his head in thought then nodded slightly in agreement.
"I guess you're right Keith… Well he's only inviting women right? So most of the attendees will be female. Maybe the occasional straight male though." Keith shrugged and looked around, then casually pat Shiro on the back. "Takashi, its gonna be alright, just be yourself and maybe youll really find someone." Shiro looked at his advisor and then stood up straight.
"Yeah alright. Let's go begin preparations." At that, Prince Shiro went marching off down the grand hallway.