"An arranged marriage? You've got to be joking. It's the eighteenth century, for heaven's sake!"
"I know. How do you think I feel about it? I've got to marry the bloody girl."
James looked at the prince hard. "I'd give anything to marry Lily," he said.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "And I'd give anything to marry her brother, but that doesn't seem to matter much, does it?"
James laughed, patting his best friend, the eldest son of the Black family and immediate successor to the throne, on the shoulder. "Don't go saying things like that too loud. You'll be banished, just like poor old Peter was for his obsession with the rats."
Sirius nodded solemnly in memory of their childhood friend from one of the lesser noble families. James Potter came from one of the highest noble families in the kingdom and probably had some distant relation to Sirius and some sort of claim to the throne through one marriage or another. He lived in Sirius' castle – mostly because Sirius wanted him to and Sirius got whatever he wanted – and spent his days learning how to act in a high court alongside the prince. He was intended to be one of Sirius' closest advisors when Sirius became king.
Princess Lily had been staying with them from a neighboring kingdom for several months, and Sirius had had a feeling for a while now that his parents had arranged a marriage between them. They had chosen to announce it, quite publicly, earlier that evening. Sirius had gotten up from his seat and left the room promptly, feeling unable to control his emotions. James had found him in his room not much later.
Princess Lily, Sirius imagined, wasn't any happier with the match than he was. They did not get along at all. At times, they couldn't even pretend to like each other long enough to get through a court meeting. In private, when others thought they were doing all sorts of naughty things, they only bickered and fought until Sirius could stand it no longer. He would leave to find her younger brother, and James would take his place to do all those naughty things Sirius would never do to her. It was a system that worked for them all. James got what he wanted, Lily got what she wanted and Sirius got what he wanted: a beautiful, willing boy who enjoyed his company.
Sirius sat up suddenly. "We'll just have to keep up what we've been doing," he said, looking at James with a grin. "Even after we're married. I'm sure she'll agree." He paused thoughtfully. "We'll just have to be very careful about it until I'm crowned, in which case it won't matter anymore."
James nodded in agreement, though he knew Sirius' view of the matter was rather simplistic. "What about you and Prince Remus?" he asked. "He won't be able to stay here with us forever. He will be expected back in his own court before long."
Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "Why should they need him back? He's not the heir. He's the youngest son. I'll have my parents keep him here as a member of the court, same as you."
"What if he doesn't want to stay?"
Sirius shot up out of his chair angrily, upsetting the wine glasses on the table between himself and James. "Why wouldn't he want to stay?"
James shrugged unperturbed. Sometimes the prince needed to hear things he didn't like, and James was one of the only people close enough or brave enough to say them to him. "He's young," James began.
"He's seventeen!"
"He's young," James repeated firmly. "He may want to go home to his family."
"If my father commands that he stay, he will stay," Sirius said defiantly.
"And you would do that to him?" James asked, his eyes flashing angrily. "You would keep the boy here against his will?"
Sirius threw up his arms in frustration. "It wouldn't be against his will! And he's not a boy!"
James shrugged again, refilling his wine glass from the pitcher on the table. "If you say so, Sirius," he said, sipping the wine delicately. "But I think you should talk to him before you go making drastic plans with his life."
"Oh, get out," Sirius growled, waving James towards the door. Being used to this, James did as he was bid, knowing Sirius would use his time alone to reflect on what James had said. James hoped he would make the right decision concerning the young brother of Princess Lily.
Half an hour later, when Sirius was good and drunk on the pitcher of wine, a soft knock sounded on his door.
"Yes?" He called. He had his back to the door and cared not who stood behind it.
"May I enter?"
Sirius turned quickly, standing from the chair and moving towards the door unsteadily, a large and sloppy grin on his face. He swung the door back. It was Remus. "Come in, come in," he beckoned the boy.
Remus moved into the room tentatively. "James said you wanted to speak with me."
"Bloody interferer," Sirius muttered, turning back to the table with the empty wine pitcher, waving Remus into the seat beside him. Remus took it, looking at Sirius shyly from behind his light bangs. He was nervous. He had been there when the king and queen had announced the betrothal. He knew it was coming. He had known the purpose of the journey long before he and his sister had set out for Castle Black. He had known it long before he and Sirius started whatever it was they had started. He had known it was a very, very bad idea. He had known it would crush him, and possibly Sirius too when the truth of their visit was revealed. Now, he worried that Sirius was going to send him away. He was a dangerous distraction for any man in line to be king, but now that Sirius was promised to his sister, he was even more of a danger. He understood the logic behind it, but his heart had not caught up to his brain. It hurt. He knew what Sirius wished to discuss with him, and it hurt.
"Yes," Sirius began, reaching clumsily for Remus' hands. He held them in his own across the table. His eyes were glassy. It was clear that he was mildly drunk. "In light of recent events… we need to talk about… our arrangement." He looked at Remus pointedly. Remus nodded and Sirius continued. "I'm to marry your sister, now," Sirius said. The words sounded forced as though they were physically hard for him to produce. Remus nodded again, trying to keep his chin up and his eyes emotionless. "I don't want to," Sirius assured, squeezing Remus' hands between his own. "Not that she isn't a wonderful person," Sirius quickly amended, "but we don't really get along."
They sat in silence for several seconds. Sirius began stroking his fingers over the back of Remus' hands. Remus closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation, hoping it was not the last time he would ever experience it.
As if breaking from a trance, Sirius unexpectedly began speaking again. "I'd like you to come and be a part of my court," he said, smiling broadly in that way only the drunk can manage.
Remus' jaw opened slightly in surprise. "Truly?"
Sirius nodded vigorously. "I want you to be here with me. I don't want you to leave. We can continue as we've been since you and your sister arrived and no one will be the wiser. We will be careful. I want to be with you, Remus."
Remus found himself nodding dumbly. What could he say? He couldn't think of a way to say no and he didn't want to. He didn't think Sirius was doing the right thing for himself, but Remus' heart overrode any objections his mind found – which were plentiful. They could get into a great deal of trouble for this. Remus could be hung or banished. The betrothal and union of the two kingdoms could be broken and war could break out between them. Sirius could be disinherited and taken out of line for the throne, and his sister could be found damaged and unfit for future wedding if he and Sirius were ever found out. A lot of danger rode on this decision, and Remus found himself nodding anyways. "Yes," he said dazedly. "Yes, of course."
Sirius' face broke into the sloppiest grin yet. He pulled Remus up by his hands and kissed him hard, pushing him backwards across the room to his massive bed. "I had so hoped you would agree," Sirius said quietly, breaking the kiss to untie Remus' laces. It was not an easy thing when his fingers were unsteady and he couldn't see what they were working at. Remus smiled up at him, forgetting all of his misgivings as Sirius groped inside his breeches. This was all he desired, and Sirius offered it to him freely. He couldn't say no.
The wedding went on as scheduled. A great party was arranged in honor of the binding of Sirius and Lily and the kingdoms they belonged to. They suffered through it admirably, heading to the bridal chamber as early as possible. Many well wishes and catcalls followed them into their room, for the guests assumed their early departure was eagerness. Which it was, in a way – a way none of the guests assumed.
Sirius and James had worked the whole event out long before the night of the wedding. Remus had left the ceremony early, complaining of a sore stomach and need of rest. He had then waited quietly in the bridal chamber, hidden from view on the side of the bed farthest from the door. When Sirius and Lily arrived, he came out of hiding and escorted his sister into an adjoining room where James was waiting for her. He kissed her on the cheek with a soft smile. She returned it with a short embrace.
When Remus returned, Sirius was sitting on the bed waiting for him.
"You know you will have to bed her eventually, yes?" Remus asked, sitting next to Sirius and accepting the goblet of wine he offered.
"Yes," Sirius confessed.
"Sooner rather than later," Remus pressed. His sister would be expected to produce an heir. Sirius would have to help her in that.
"I know, Remus," Sirius said tersely. He did not wish to discuss this. He did not wish to think about his duty with Lily. "I just want to be with you for now."
Remus nodded, though he was not quite done with the conversation. "What if James gets her with child before you have the opportunity?" he asked. It was a serious matter that could result in the death of James and his sister. He was not going to just let it go.
Sirius waved Remus' concern off with a swish of his hand. "James and I look very similar," Sirius rationalized, drinking deeply from his goblet. "A child of mine and a child of his, if by the same women, are bound to look alike. No one will suspect a thing."
"And you would be satisfied, raising a child that we alone know is not your own?"
"I wouldn't be responsible for much of the raising, now would I?" Sirius shot back, feeling angry at Remus' unwillingness to let the matter rest.
"No," Remus admitted. "But would James be so willing?"
Sirius shrugged. "James is set to remain in my court through my kingship. If he and Lily have a son, he will be here to see it whenever he pleases. No one will think it odd, my most trusted advisor and friend spending time with my son."
Remus sighed heavily. "All right, Sirius," he said, allowing the discussion to die for the moment. He would, however, raise it again before long. He worried for Sirius and for his sister. It was a dangerous game the four of them were playing, and Remus often worried that his agreement to it had been foolish. He had endangered his family, his sister, his country and the man he loved with his rash decision.
"Will you lay with me?" Sirius asked as he backed his way up to the head of the bed. Remus joined him quietly. Sirius wrapped an arm around Remus' shoulder, holding him close to his side for several minutes as he drained his goblet. When it was empty, he tossed it carelessly to the floor. He turned to Remus intently. "As much as I'd like to make you scream," he said with a smirk, grabbing for Remus' shirt insistently, "I'm supposed to be with a woman tonight, so kindly keep quiet." As always, Remus did as he was bid.
Years had passed since the wedding of Princess Lily and Prince Sirius. Sirius' father had died of sickness not long after the marriage, and Sirius had been crowned king. He had sent his mother from the castle to live out her days with cousins in a quiet corner of the kingdom. Soon after, Lily had given birth to a healthy baby boy with a mop of unruly black hair. She had named him Harry, and only she, her brother, Sirius and James knew that the child was not the king's. The king had not slept with his bride save once, at Remus' insistence and nothing had come of it. Sirius refused to do it again, to the relief of both Lily and James, who had fallen quite madly in love somewhere along the line. Now that Sirius had had a son, the kingdom no longer cared about his private relations with the queen.
Sirius loved the child dearly – more than he expected he would. Little Harry was a happy boy and a well-behaved child who adored his father – both the real one and the pretender. The child grew into a good man who would rule the kingdom with wisdom and justice when Sirius passed on.
Remus and James had remained in Sirius' court until the end of his days. They had truly become his closest and most trusted advisors, helping him run his kingdom successfully. They were inseparable and strong as leaders. Together, they brought the kingdom into a golden period that Harry would perpetuate in later years.
Sirius and Remus were never discovered, though they remained together in every way for their entire lives. When Harry was old enough and Sirius was tired enough, he stepped down from the throne, leaving it for the man he had raised as his own. No one ever knew or suspected that the boy was not his, and James' son began a long line of the kingdom's most beloved and successful rulers.
Sirius, Lily, Remus and James moved into a smaller and quieter castle in the north to live out the remainder of their days in peace. They took with them only a handful of servants and maids, passing out of general thought and concern in the kingdom. They were free to live as they pleased without threat or worry for the rest of their quiet lives.