[I'm working slowly on this, annnnd on my phone. For now I'm setting up for a large-scale political drama by starting small and setting up relationship dynamics, bluh. For those who were wondering, the courts of the four royal children are laid out like this: Rose has Feferi, Kanaya, and Eridan. Dave has Terezi, Tavros, and Gamzee. John has Sollux, Vriska and Karkat. Jade has Aradia, Equius, and Nepeta. A few servants teach all four of the royal children at different times. A good chunk of this chapter that enumerates upon this setup was lost, but don't worry! All will be rectified soon enough!
This is still the first time I've worked on something of this scale, so I hope you all enjoy it! There may be a name change - from Servantstuck to Skaiabound. Keep in mind, the credit for the idea goes to my amazing best friend! For occasional update progress and some artwork in the future, check my personal Tumblr, TheYoungCynic.]
The landscape below the obsidian spires of the east castle gave way to little more than plains of checkerboard soil once one escaped the mazelike coils of the garden. On more than one occasion he'd blasted through the walls of the maze out of impatience, the blazed path long since having been paved and fitted with archways to facilitate travel between the two castles. The jaundiced bricks of the path extended over a bridge, one situated over the fault between the two landmasses. This was one of few gaps between the swatches of land that had molded together over the year, and he glanced downward in passing to see the cerulean pitch of the sea. At this time of year they circled around his home island several times before wind currents pushed their fragment of Skaia elsewhere, and even the sight of the sea made his bones ache with nostalgia. To say he missed Lolar would be a grievous understatement, but there was no use dwelling upon it. He turned violet eyes instead upon the intricate latticework holding up the golden bridge. It was a distraction, a welcome change of color. Once he passed over to the other side there would be nothing but walls of vegetation to each side, frightening fauna resolute in their realness attribute. It was here he had the opportunity to hunt astride the noblest of steeds - a sea-horse. A stalwart specimen of equine masculinity graced with the spiny mane of a sea creature, enough to make Equius gag on his jealousy. He had simply made this journey solo, leaving Caligula in the stables with his broodmates. The trek was turning into an uneventful one where he admired the too-blue sky and eerily close clouds. They were serene now, but when a storm hit Skaia –
"Oof!" He spat inelegantly as a stark-white bundle of fur barreled into his abdomen and began its assault. Eridan struggled under the dog licking at his face and battling away his glasses with an enthusiastic paw. "Oh, cods! Jade, kelp me!" Shoulders shuddering with laughter even when Bec was pulled from him and he'd plucked his glasses from the ground. Good dog, best manners. Jade loomed over him, dog in arms and tongue protruding from under her overbite in what may have been the silliest approximation of a grin he'd ever seen - one that matched the expression her dog wore hilariously well.
"You didn't even worry about your cape this time!" She teased, prompting him to hastily grasp at the cape and inspect it until he was sure it was undamaged.
"Wwell, it's not like I don't hawe more. Don't wworry about it." He chuckled, sweeping his arms open dramatically wide. "Halibut you giwe me a hug? It's been wweeks, Jade."
"It's only been a day and a half, fishface!" She chirped, bounding forward with her furry burden in tow. He puled his arms around both of them, squishing their cheeks together over Bec's head. "Haha, a family hug!"
"A wwhat?" Color crept up his cheeks to the tip of his ears. He worked his jaw in stunned silence before he could actually speak. "Wwhat, like we're playing house noww? Don't tease me, Jade. You knoww I like the sound of 'Prince Eridan'." She pulled back and set Bec to the side, plummeting back onto his into his embrace.
"I hope so!"
"Wwell wwhat's that supposed to mean?" He huffed. Nearly matching him in height, she didn't have to lean up far to press her soft lips against his, mouthes moulding togeher in a hot marriage of - Marriage? "Wwait, are you sayin'...?" A lopsided grin spread across her face, and she pulled away to stand on the balls of her feet with his hands curled around hers.
"Well! We're almost at that age, and... I don't ever want this, us," she gestured around. "The hunting, and Bec, and Caligula, and...!" He quieted her with another kiss, wrapping his arms tight around her waist and lifting her up.
''Prince Eridan, eh?'' He chuckled, heading in the direction of the west castle's spire with girl in tow.
John liked to come up to the throne room when he knew he'd have a particularly hectic day. At the apex of one of one of the lengthiest sets of stairs he'd ever set eyes upon, the throne room was incredibly cavernous. The furthest walls of the room were set with tapestries, a visual history of the Skaian people and their wars. The last quarter of the tapestry on the left lay unfinished, unspun threads hanging toward the floor. Golden pillars parted the center of the room, a navy carpet leading to the stairs of the dais on which four thrones sat. All four were made of milky-white stone inlaid with flecks of gold, but the largest in the forefront had the highest concentration of them. It was festooned with navy and gold hangings with Skaian crests and a nice, soft cushion. He plopped right down on his favorite seat in the castle and laid his arms over the armrests - just the right size. His eyes drifted closed and he began to drift off, first into daydreams of flying and the colors of the wind, and next into a light sleep. Soft colors danced behind his eyelids and the entire world melted away. Falling far enough into sleep to totally miss soft footsteps, only awakened by a hand papping his cheek lightly.
"You fell asleep in here, fuckwit. You ALWAYS fall asleep in this shitty room, in the shitty chair."
"Mn, I was doin' the windy thing." He slurred, wiping sleep from his eye with the back of a ruffled cuff. "This room isn't shitty, and they aren't chairs. They're thrones. Duh." When they were younger he'd feel bad since Karkat had never seen the throne room at Salamander village, but they had gone over the room and it's purpose a thousand times!
"It's downright FECAL in here, John. Who the fuck makes chairs out of stone?" He rapped his knuckles against the stone over John's head. "Okay, hold on. Who the fuck actually likes to sit in a chair made of stone in this drafty ass room, which is up the flight of stairs to end all stairs?"
"I do!" John raised his hands for effect, wiggling his toes in his loafers excitedly, as if he'd answered the question of the century.
"You are the height of wit, Egbert." Karkat's brow furrowed as he took a furtive glance around the room. John took a moment to sit back and hum, admiring Karkat while he worked out what to critisize next. Even in the slate gray suit and cravat he'd asked him to wear for the day's event, Karkat looked dissheveled. Deep scarlet hair refused to be tamed, a spattering of freckles across pale skin and near-black circles under his eyes, Karkat had his own odd charm. "And there are four? Where would you find four dumbasses who'd voluntarily sit in these things?"
"Well, lots of people would sit in them if given the chance! But, this seat can be yours if you like." He gestured to the seat to the left of him, and it pleased him to see Karkat took his seat there with minimal grumbling. "The far ones would usually be for a prince and princess, and the one next to me would be for a queen." John smiled broadly at him, leaning his chin on his hand.
"A queen?" Karkat scowled, crossing his arms.
"Haha, queen Karkat!" He exclaims and hops to his feet, pulling his crown from his head. He more or less dropped the crown into Karkat's nest of hair with a cheshire grin. Of course, the scarlet haired boy scowled up at him, a blush ghosting over his spotted cheeks.
"S-stupid fucking Egbert. It's not like I like... Oh, what the fuck am I even saying?" He tried to stand but John leaned forward with his hands on the armrests, trapping him in place. "No, no, not he-" John leaned closer, puckering his lips and making kissing noises. "I said fucking NO, mister 'I'm not a homosexual'. What if someone sees us?"
"But Karkaaaaaaaat," John whined. "Who actually comes up here? It's drafty, the stairs go on forever, and the chairs are uncomfortable! Right?" He swept an arm to the left. "Look, the tapestry isn't even finished." Karkat's right eyebrow twitched, and he bit his lip.
"The fuck? Was that eight fucking a's? Really?" John only looked amused, blue eyes falling closed for a scant moment while he chuckled good-naturedly.
"You would pay attention to that." John swooped in for a quick peck, leaving Karkat flushed - probably in anger.
"You can't do that, dammit! Like I said, what if someone sees?"
"Well, it's not like this is Lowas." John settled back into his seat, laying his head on the back of his hand.
"It doesn't matter. We'll be back on Lowas before long, and you'll be King John. I'm sure you find teasing me with that title cute, but they won't. They don't even like..." There had been scandal revolving around John's choice in escorts - His bipolar whipping boy, the orphaned daughter of a legendary criminal, and a scarlet-haired kitchen boy who'd personally ruined several royal cakes. Karkat had always been his favorite, and the two had always been partners when it came to honing his leadership skills. In fact, Nanna had delegated all Leadership lessons taken by the four royal Leadership lessons taken by the four royal children to Karkat. Most of the lessons taken were beginning to fall out of favor since they were run and maintained almost exclusively by their peers, few of whom were suited to teaching or learning.
"But I'm not going to be King of Lowas!"
"What are you going to do? Cede the crown to Casey?" Karkat rubbed at his temples. "Look, I'm sure your sister can handle the crown but what - "
"I'm going to be King of Skaia, Karkat."
"That's crazy, and you're crazy. Absolutly batshit insane. You are the fruity fecal detrius of some adorabloodthirsty winged rat."
"Hah, Dave said that too, and in about as many words!"
"I bet, but what the hell do you mean? King of Skaia?"
"Skaia is going to be our kingdom now. It's as simple as that. We'll write our own accords, have our own laws. We'll live our own lives! Karkat!" John stared dreamy-eyed at the ceiling.
"And are we going to fight our own wars? All sixteen of us?" Karkat fumed. John shook his head slowly.
"We aren't going to fight any wars, Karkat." He moved to kneel in front of his partner's seat, taking the slightly smaller hands in his. "We're going to be Skaia: the great mediator."
Karkat stared incredulously, remembering to close his mouth after a few moments passed.
"Fine, John. Whatever you want, I'll help you with it."