Antony

Two years and eight months before the curse on the castle.

Light poured from the candles and through the large windows that lined the side of the room. Music echoed around the space, as well as endless amounts of talking and laughing.

Antony stood at the side of the hall, watching as the celebration played out before him. The birthday boy himself was over at the other end of the room, a glass of wine in his hand talking to Christopher. Antony watched them for a few moments, two of his roommates.

They had all come a long way in the nine years they had known each other. All four of them. Antony, Philip, Christopher and James. All young boys who had been forced to share a room that first day they had moved into Ashburne school when they were twelve. Antony had never felt more nervous in his life since that day his parents had dropped him off, his mother kissing him goodbye, and he sat on his bed all by himself, staring at the other three empty beds. He had been so scared to meet the other boys. But as soon as James and Christopher had walked through the door, talking happily amongst themselves, and had seen him, they had all bonded wonderfully. Antony had always thought that it had mainly been to do with the bag of sweets James had smuggled in from home. He had offered Antony one, with a large grin. The three of them had all been great friends after that. Philip had joined them later in the day, also terrified. But James had managed to pull him into the game of cards they were all playing (betting with the sweets), and before too long all four of them had become a group. Throughout out their school days, the four boys had been inseparable.

James and Christopher still stood on the far side of the room, talking quietly amongst themselves. They had always been closer with each other than with their other roommates. Antony didn't mind. He and Philip had a similar type of bond, and it had never felt like either James or Christopher had ever excluded him.

The sun was low in the sky, mainly as it was late evening in July. The celebration had begun in daylight, due to the fact that the summer sun only set late at night. Thorne manor had temporarily been taken over by most of their school year at Ashburne, and several specially invited ladies from the local nobility. Antony knew that James had argued against his father to let him invite some lowborns as well. But Sir Thorne had a very strict attitude towards class and who he would let into his house.

James however, had not let this phase them. The four of them had all snuck out the day before to attend the village's celebration for Midsummer. It always took place over the span of a few weeks, and it was always sometime near James's birthday. So, the four of them had spent the previous night dancing with lowborns, drinking, laughing, and just having a good time. It was something they all used to do whenever they could at Ashburne. Lowborn celebrations were always far more fun than Highborn ones. There was no set menu, no obligation to approach women in a certain way, no politics and tricks. They could simply go up to whoever they wanted to and start talking. It was very freeing.

The very first time they had done that was only a year after they had started at Ashburne. They had all climbed out of the window and headed to the local festival in honour of the Autumn equinox. They had all dance around the bonfire, only thirteen years old, and James had taken the opportunity to buy many more sweets. So it was only natural that they do it again for his birthday.

People were still arriving as Antony made his way over to where Philip was stood near the food table, with a particularly clingy girl batting her eyelids at him. Antony had never seen him look more awkward in his entire life.

'I'm sure you have done a great many heroic deeds!' The girl said, in a very irritating high pitched voice, smiling sickly at Philip.

'No, not really.' Philip muttered, trying to take a step to the side. The girl simply followed him.

'Oh, I'm sure you are just being modest. After all, as a Duke's son, you must have the opportunity to.'

'Philip! There you are!' Antony said, not being able to stand listening to that girl for another second.

Philip whirled around, a small smile appearing when he saw Antony.

'Would now be a good time for us to talk about that matter of estate taxation that you promised to discuss with me? I'm having a little trouble getting my head around the different percentages.'

The girl's face contorted in confusion, clearly she didn't understand a single word he had just said. But Philip only nodded.

'If you will excuse me.' He said politely to the girl, who still looked a little dazed. She just nodded, and Philip and Antony moved away from the food table.

'Thank you!' Philip muttered under his breath as they quickly walked away.

'I only listened for a few seconds, but her voice makes me want to put out my ears.' Antony whispered back.

'She's been following me for the past half an hour.' Philip mumbled.

'Oh dear, the trials of being a Duke's heir. Women throwing themselves at you!' Antony teased.

Philip turned red. Antony knew he hated it, and of course teased him mercilessly with it. So did James. Christopher was also a Duke's son and was ridiculed just as much as Philip was by the other two. But all of them knew it was good natured, none of them ever did it out of spite.

'We celebrated James's birthday last night. Why did we have to stay for this? He knows I hate it when highborn women are invited to these things. They always managed to find out about my father.' Philp grumbled.

'We're here, because it is his actual birthday, and there is a lot of wine.' Antony reminded him.

Philip grinned a little.

'Speaking of which, I need a glass. She might come back.' Philip said.

Antony only nodded and walked with Philip towards the table full of wine glasses. Philip grabbed the nearest one and almost finished the glass in one mouthful. Antony just laughed in amusement.

'Steady on!' He told his friend.

'Let me have this.' Philip said, placing the empty glass down. 'You have no idea what that last half an hour has been like.'

Antony just picked up a glass for himself and sipped at the rich dark red liquid. It burned his throat as he swallowed it, but in a pleasant sort of way. Philip grabbed yet another glass, but didn't throw it down his throat like he had with the first one.

The doors opened again, and yet another person walked through the large dark wood door.

Except this time, Antony knew exactly who it was.

'What's he doing here? I thought James's hated him!' He whispered to Philip.

'He does. I have no idea.' Philip replied, and he looked for a moment as if he was briefly debating finishing the wine in one again.

Antony peered over the top of the crowd to try and see James. It didn't take much looking, as James was already making his way towards the latest guest, Christopher trailing behind him, trying to talk him into being civil.

Both Antony and Philip took a step forward to join their friends. This could not end well.

'I will be civil. I am always civil.' James said as he walked past. 'Do you two know what he's doing here?' James asked Antony and Philip.

'You are not always civil. You've punched him in the face before.' Christopher reminded him. Antony almost laughed with the memory of it. That had been a good day.

'Well, I'm older and wiser now. I will be perfectly civil.' James told his three friends.

'I'll give you ten gold coins that he is the first one to snap.' Philip whispered to Antony.

'Fifteen that Adam is.' Antony replied.

'Twenty, that James will snap within thirty seconds.' Christopher offered. The three young men exchanged wicked grins between them.

They finally came to a halt right in front of the newest arrival to the party.

Adam.

Their old school mate.

And the bane of their existence the entire time they were at school.

The new Lord Weston.

He stood in front of them in a very elaborate dark blue jacket and frilly shirt, his usual expression of distaste gracing his face.

'Adam. It's been a long time.' James said, his mouth contorting into a smug smile. 'How kind of you to drop by.'

'I was invited.' Adam told him curtly.

'Were you? Because I distinctly remember leaving you off the guest list.'

'James.' Christopher warned through gritted teeth.

'Your father invited me. Something about him wanting you to learn from your social superior.' Adam spat.

Antony could tell this was not going to end well.

'Oh, well. I'm sure Christopher and Philip here would be more than happy to teach you.' James told him sarcastically.

Adam scowled at him.

Christopher stepped between the two of them.

'James, you have other guests to see. Adam, how have you been? I don't think we've heard from you since we left school.' He asked.

James just turned on his heel and walked away, but not before he gave Adam a vulgar gesture over his shoulder. Adam started for him, but Christopher effectively blocked his path, making him calm down a little.

'You owe me.' Antony whispered to Philip. 'Pay up.'

Philip sighed before pulling some coins out of his pocket and handing them over.

'So, what have you been doing?' Christopher asked hopefully, trying his hardest to distract him from James. He'd always been the peace maker in the group. The one who was always far too kind hearted.

'I've been at Duchess Knox's court.' Adam said sharply. 'I was invited.'

'And, do you like it?' Christopher asked, in a desperate attempt to keep the conversation going.

'I've left now. I found it wasn't all to my tastes.' He said, with a hint of cruelty in his voice.

Antony had known Adam since they had started at school, and he had never particularly liked him much. James had outright hated him on sight. But now, he seemed even more stuck up and horrid than he had done when they were boys. Antony didn't know what had happened to make him like this, but he didn't really want to know.

'Oh.' Was all Christopher could say.

'Excuse me.' Adam said, not at all politely, before he turned on his heel and left the room.

Christopher let out a long sigh.

'I'm going to kill James if he makes me do that again.' Christopher swore, reaching for the wine in Antony's hand. Antony gave it to him gladly, and watched as Christopher mirrored exactly what Philip had done earlier and drained the glass in one swift gulp.

'Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels that way tonight.' Philip said, patting Christopher on the back. Christopher just grimaced.

'Come on,' Antony said, 'It's a celebration. We should be enjoying ourselves, not getting ourselves stressed like this. And I need more wine, you drank mine.'

Christopher apologised, even though Antony didn't mind in the slightest. The three of them caught up to James who was stood at the wine table.

'He seems to have run off somewhere.' Philip said. James nodded.

'Good. Good riddance.'

'Could you try to be a little more kind to him? Just a tiny bit?' Christopher asked.

James turned around to face them fully.

'Do I have to?' He asked, pleading with Christopher to say no.

'Yes, you do.' Christopher insisted. 'He doesn't have a group of friends like we do.'

'Can we not talk about this now? It's my birthday celebration.' James asked, handing Christopher another glass of wine. Then he passed one to Philip and Antony.

Christopher admitted defeat, as he nearly always did, and the four of them raised their glasses in a toast.

'To James, that he made it to the grand old age of twenty-one before the rest of us.' Antony toasted. They clinked their glassed together and drank.

'You'll all be joining me soon enough, in my old age.' James joked when he had finished his glass.

'I'm not sure I'm looking forward to mine.' Christopher said. 'My family apparently has a grand tradition of a large ball when I come of age. An entire night of highborn women chasing me around the palace, trying to trick me into marrying them.'

James and Antony exchanged a look.

'Oh yes, how hard for you.' James crooned.

'It must be so hard, women chasing you!' Antony teased.

Philip stepped away so he was stood next to Christopher.

'It's harder that you give us credit for!' Philip said, defending Christopher.

James and Antony only started laughing.

'So then, this celebration can also be for you Christopher, even though your birthday isn't for another nine months. We'll get drunk and be stupid at this one so your father can enjoy throwing you a large ball for your actually birthday.'

'I'll drink to that!' Christopher said, refilling his glass, and then everyone else's. They all cheered and drank some more.

Antony stood and thought quietly to himself how he knew exactly how this was going to end. He'd only seen Christopher drunk a few times, and none of those times had ended well.

Several hours later, Antony was proved right.

There had been dancing and drinking, and a lot of food, so by the time the sun had been gone a good while, Christopher was not in a good way.

They had all had a considerable amount of wine, but they all had very different limits. James had taken himself off with a young lady somewhere in the woods outside the manor, and the other three were singing very loudly as they wandered around looking for him.

'James! James! Nice young lady! James!' Christopher shouted in a whispery tone.

Antony just walked forwards, swaying from side to side a little, as he felt happy and content with all the wine buzzing around his head.

Philip was also shouting for James, leaning on Antony for balance.

'I miss this…' Philip slurred, looking up at Antony. 'I miss… I missallofustogether.'

Antony only hummed his response.

'Oh. Hello!' Christopher said loudly, and Antony turned to see him staring at something in front of him. There was a shocked scream that sounded vaguely feminine.

'Are you the pretty lady?' Christopher asked. Antony couldn't see who he was staring at. He hobbled over, still dragging Philip on his shoulder.

'Pretty Lady! Don't run off!' Christopher said.

'Christopher! What in hell!' Came a loud shout.

Antony knew that voice. That was definitely James. Antony and Philip rounded past the tree that blocked their view, to see Christopher gawking at James.

James was quickly trying to pull his jacket back on, and twigs snapped as someone ran away.

'Where have you been? Did you not hear us shouting!' Christopher slurred.

'Yes!' James shouted. 'Yes I heard you!'

'Then, why were you hiding?' Christopher asked, taking a wobbling step towards his friend.

James looked towards Antony who was by far the least drunk of the three of them, who just shrugged.

'I was busy!' James said.

'Where did the pretty lady go?' Christopher asked, still not really understanding what was going on.

'You frightened her off!" James shouted, buttoning up the final button on his jacket.

'Oh dear! Am I scary? I'm very scary to have frightened her off.' He said, swaying.

James looked exasperatingly to Antony, begging for some sort of reasonable person. Antony just smiled back at him, enjoying the fact that James had to deal with drunk Christopher immensely.

'You're just rude, not scary.' James said, looking back to his friend.

'NO!' Christopher shouted, 'I am never rude! I AM VERY POLITE!'

James shook his head in frustration.

'IN FACT!' Christopher shouted. 'I WILL APOLLO…APOLOGISE TO THE PRETTY LADY NOW!'

Antony just lost his control and burst out laughing. James glared at him.

'THERE YOU ARE PRETTY LADY!' Christopher bellowed. 'I AM VERY SORRY FOR…FOR…BEING SCARY.'

'Christopher.' James said softly, 'That is a tree.'

'WHAT?' Christopher shouted.

'That's a tree, not the lady.'

'IT'S A LADY TREE!'

'No, it's just a tree, you are apologising to a tree.'

'I'M SCARY!'

'No, you're not.'

'LADY TREE, PRETTY LADY TREE. TELL JAMES I AM SCARY!'

Antony found himself bending over with laughter, as did Philip.

'Christopher!'

'NO! I AM A LORD, AND I AM POLITE. I'M GOING TO APOLOGISE TO THE PRETTY TREE LADY, AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!'

And with that, Christopher ran off into the forest. James groaned loudly and ran off after him.

'You're going to get yourself killed!' He shouted as he ran.

'NO I'M NOT! I'M GOING TO FIND THE TREE LADY!'

'CHRISTOPHER! IF YOU DIE, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!'

Antony shook with laughter, while Philip's head lulled on his shoulder. He was almost asleep, clearly he'd had far too much wine.

'Why…Why…why don't we all stay together? Like at school. I missthisalot.' Philip mumbled.

'Because, James is going to kill Christopher.' Antony told him, trying to heave him up, and turn him around to go back to the house.

'Oh, again?' Philip asked, his eyelids drooping.

There was some vague shouting coming from the forest, something about male trees and how they were angry.

But Antony just turned around and dragged a very sleep Philip back inside. They just about made it up the stairs when the front door was flung open and Christopher came running inside, his clothes in tatters and twigs sticking out of his hair.

James wasn't far behind him.

'There was another pretty lady!' Christopher told them as he ran past.

'It was the same one!' James told him, but in an annoyed tone that implied he had already said this many times. 'And she didn't appreciate being called a tree.'

'But she's a pretty tree!'

James just groaned and followed him up to the hall. Antony made it to the top of the stairs with Philip when there was a loud groan from the other side of the door, followed by a loud retching sound.

'Well, that's Christopher gone.' Antony told his almost unconscious friend.

'Yourenotchristopher. Youreantony.' Philip slurred. Antony pulled him the last few steps and they both went into his bedroom and Antony let him fall onto the bed. Philip was still mumbling stuff under his breath, but Antony was also too tipsy to pay much attention. He closed the door behind him, and took a large deep breath, exhausted from the exercise of having Philip lean on him for most of the night.

There were more retching sounds on the other side of the door, Christopher was really not having a good night. Antony poked his head around the door to see James rubbing Christopher's back as he vomited into a bucket in the corner.

'How's he doing?' Antony asked.

'He's not going to be good tomorrow. How's Philip?' James replied.

'Asleep. Also probably not going to be good tomorrow.' Antony told him.

James just gave him a small smile.

'You should probably get some sleep. You look about ready to fall over.'

Antony knew it was true, he felt it. His head wouldn't stop spinning, and he felt so exhausted.

'Sorry about your birthday.' Antony said.

'No, this is great. We'll have a great time reminding Christopher of this. And I'll just make him make it up to me at his birthday ball.'

As if on cue, Christopher retched again, right into the bucket.

'Go on, sleep. I'll see you tomorrow. I hope someone will remember this.' James said.

'Goodnight.' Antony shouted, turning around and closing the door on them. His bedroom was all of two doors away, and by the time he had walked through the doorframe, he knew that tomorrow wasn't going to be so good for him either. So, he just flopped onto the bed in front of him, and let his eyes close, sleep taking him instantly.

AN- I hope you are all enjoying these one shots so far. However, this will be the last one for a while. The next few one shots concern parts of Marion's story that haven't been published yet, so just bear with me. But once the relevant parts of Marion's story are released, I'll start uploading these again.

Thanks fo reading. And as ever, please review!