Please Review?!
Hope you guys enjoy!
If there's anything you guys want to see or think would be awesome, feel free to say so. : )
Stiles felt like he was stuck in a never ending maze. No matter what he did, no matter how many turns he took...his father was still there with a new princess or prince smiling expectantly at his son.
The Ball was one night away...most of the guests had arrived early and were sleeping in the guest rooms of the castle. Stiles just wanted all of this to be over. If it were up to him...Stiles wouldn't be here. He wouldn't be meeting royalty and giving good impressions; he'd be visiting the kingdom and doing what he could to make things better. In his eyes, if the kingdom wasn't in good conditions, what was the point of having a spouse?
"Prince Genim, it's late." Isaac mumbles as he walks in with a frown.
"I know." Stiles sighs and lets his eyes rake over the buildings of the kingdom.
"I suggest going to bed. Your father wishes you to be up at dawn, preparing for the Ball."
"Why dawn?"
"You are to be groomed and such."
"I see..." Stiles sighs before walking back into his room.
Isaac rushes over and shuts he balcony doors with a worried frown.
"You...are you not excited about tomorrow?"
"I'm going to be placed in a room filled with rich princes and princesses. They'll all fawn over me and try to impress me...I don't want that. I want to be able to choose my spouse through the heart...rather than through the eyes and the ears."
"Very wise. When did you decide this?" Isaac asks as he begins to help Stiles undress for slumber.
"I decided this when I was young. My parents...they were in love. Most other couples are in Lust. Two different things."
"I see. And if you could choose...who would you pick?"
"A humble spouse. Someone who can take care of me and take care of themselves as well. I would choose a brilliant person with caring hands and a bright smile. I would choose someone who makes me happy."
"Why do you not look for that person?"
"I've tried. I've met all these heirs at least once and they're all the same; brutes with money and land hunger. My spouse will not be in the crowd tomorrow night."
"How would you find her? Him?"
"I would search...near and far, Isaac." Stiles states before slipping into his bed.
"A very inspirational speech. Get rest." Isaac smiles down at the prince before wrapping the thick blanket around his body.
"Goodnight, Isaac."
"Goodnight...Stiles."
... ...
The Hale residence was filled with commotion even a the late hours of the evening.
Derek was stuck chasing his youngest brother around their home, while his eldest brothers were given the task of bottle feeding their sisters.
"Dylan!" Derek growls when the wolfed out toddler crawls away from his reach.
"Daven! Don't tilt the bottle so far; you'll choke her!" Laura chastised as she tucked Logan into bed.
"Mom! Lilly won't quit jumping!" David, Daven's twin brother, shouts through the home from his place in the living room.
Derek looks around their small home once he catches his younger brother and sighs when he feels someone tug on his pant leg from behind.
"Der? Where's daddy?" a soft voice asks as he turns to face the four year old girl.
"He's making a last delivery, Leisy. He'll be home soon." Derek explains and watches as his sister latches onto his leg.
"Derek! Where's Dylan?" Laura calls from some where inside the house.
"Here!" Derek shouts back and looks down at the now sleeping cub.
"Lace!" Daven roars before grabbing their sister from Derek's leg with a chuckle.
"Daven, no!" the little girl squeals.
"Hand him over." Laura sighs and takes Dylan away.
"Dewek!" Lilly calls form the couch with a pout.
"Derek, help me!" David whines as the wolfed out cub bounces happily on his knee.
"Oh, you ninny." Their mother huffs with a smile before taking both Lilly and Leisy away from the older siblings.
"Thanks Ma!" Derek choruses with his older brothers before collapsing onto the couch.
"I'm never having kids!" David groans and sighs.
... ...
Stiles awakens to the sound of curtains being yanked open and a voice rambling on.
"Good Morning Prince Genim!" Isaac cheers with a wide smile.
"Let me sleep!" Stiles groans and pulls his blankets over his head.
"The kingdom is bustling, the birds are singing! Your bath had been drawn, it's time to awaken!" Isaac states as he yanks and covers away and begins to drag the prince out of bed.
" Isaac!" Stiles groans as the other boy yanks away his clothes.
"The theme for your attire today is black and red! Your groomer will be in soon to prepare your locks."
"Remind me again why I've grown my hair out?" Stiles asks as he sinks into the warm water of his bath.
"It's a sign of innocence." Isaac states as he pours scents into the water.
"Is it not the woman who is supposed to be innocent?"
"You must appeal to both genders tonight my Prince." Isaac states before dumping a pail of water over Stiles' head.
"Of course." Stiles mutters before sighing.
No more questions are asked.
Instead, Stiles allows himself to be bathed, dressed, and then groomed without complaint.
"You looked nice." Isaac states as he finishes buttoning the gold buttons of Stiles' coat.
"I feel like a porcelain doll."
"I'm sure this looks will attract may royal heirs." Isaac smiles and buttons the neck of the prince's shirt.
"Isaac?" Stiles mumbles as he's dragged towards a mirror.
"Yes?"
"Be honest. How do I look?" Stiles asks and shuts his eyes before he can catch a glimpse of himself.
"Stiles..." Isaac sighs before chuckling. "you look very handsome. In fact, I believe that if Mr. Hale were to see you, he'd be very interested."
At this, Stiles blushes and grins before opening his eyes.
His shirt is a blood red, and his coat a coal black with shiny gold buttons.
The kingdom crest is placed over his heart and the epaulets are just a brilliant as the buttons.
His hair is long enough to be styled neatly and his face had been pampered so that he looks flawless.
"Not bad." Stiles sighs in relief before smiling slightly. "Not bad at all."
... ...
Derek didn't like this...not at all. The castle gates were opened wide for once as he walks up the stone pathway towards the oak doors and there's people rushing around in all directions.
"Where are those roses?"
"When is the sculpture arriving?"
"Sweep the drive way, we can't afford to have dirt inside."
"Don't you dare step on the grass!"
Shouts were filling the air around him as Derek makes his way around person after person.
"You must be the blacksmith." someone states.
Derek turns to find a dark skinned man smiling slightly.
"Yes." Derek nods and holds up the sack in his hands. "I have the delivery."
"Fantastic! Come." the man leads Derek around the castle and towards the back property. There's a shed and a stable and other buildings Derek's never seen.
"Is there a reason you need so many horseshoes?" Derek asks as he's lead into the stable.
" On the way here, many of the guests' horses wore out their own. They've all requested them to be repaired." the man sighs before shrugging. "Scott!"
"I'm with Elizabeth!" a voice calls out before a head pops out from one of the stables. "Oh..."
"This is...I'm sorry I didn't get your name."
"Derek."
"Scott, this is Derek. He's the blacksmith."
"I know who he is." Scott mumbles before nodding.
"Fantastic. Derek, I'm sorry you had to come all the way into this chaos. We don't usually have so much going on in the castle." The man mutters before waving him over towards a stable.
"It's fine. What exactly is going on?" Derek mumbles softly and follows.
"You don't know?" Scott asks as he leads a horse towards them.
"The prince is turning eighteen soon. The King's decided it's a good idea to have royalty visit in hopes of his son finding a spouse." the man explains.
"It's a Ball. Everyone with a crown is here. And anyone who's lucky enough to be under the King's radar has been invited as well." Scott states.
"You're going?" Derek asks the boy.
"My mother is the royal nurse. I've been invited. So has Deaton. It's invitation only." Scott nods and hands over the horse's reins to the man.
"I won't be attending. Even if I have been invited." the man, Deaton, sighs before motioning for Derek to hand over the horseshoes.
"Why is that?" Derek asks with a frown and slowly takes out the sack.
"I'm not interested in watching the prince mingle." Deaton explains. "I'm simply royal help. that's all."
"...Is everyone who works in the castle invited?" Derek asks slowly.
"No, but those who haven't been invited will most likely be working as servers tonight." Scott sighs.
"Like...the cooks for example?" Derek states, trying to be nonchalant.
"Definitely. The chef will be working in the kitchen, but everyone else will be working out in the ball room, tending to everyone's hand and foot." Scott says with a small glare.
"Is there a reason you're so interested?" Deaton asks with a knowing grin.
"I...of course not." Derek mumbles.
"hm...well, just in case there is." Deaton stays softly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a white envelope with a wav stamp sealing. "Here you are." he says as he hands the envelope over along with a small wad of money.
"What is-"
"Hush. Take it." Deaton smiles and walks of into another stable, Scott on his heels.
Derek counts the money and finds it's the payment. He doesn't follow the man, instead he rushes back towards the shop with a small frown on his face.
It's only when he's a god way from the castle that Derek finally pulls out the envelope and tears the seal open carefully.
He had a good idea of what it was...but he didn't want to get his hopes up.
Inside, there's a parchment of paper folded into thirds.
You have been invited to Beacon Hill's Royal Ball.