Part Nine

Making his way carefully down the stairs, Michael's injuries only gave him grief for several steps - but none so bad that he had a decent excuse to go back to his room. Coming down was a stupid idea... as stupid as he believed he looked.

Long pants, long sleeves, and a high collar on his coat ensured that every single scar and stitch was covered for appraising eyes. He did have a pale mark on his face, but as Oliver had so enthusiastically pointed out, it was almost completely healed. Surely he wouldn't get penalised for that.

"Isn't this nice? Just the six of us." Johnny's nasal whine of a voice carried through the corridor leading to the dining hall as Gustav opened the door and headed out.

"Why, Master Michael, you look very dashing this evening. What are you doing downstairs?"
"I want to beat myself up." The boy answered glumly, looking down at himself. "Anyway, I thought I'd meet Robert's family... you know, see what they're like."
"Will you be dining with them, Sir?"
"Sure... why not?" He shrugged. "I've come this far. Things can't get much worse."

Robert looked up from the lecture about responsibility he was receiving from his uncle when Gustav re-entered the dining hall.
"Yes?"
"Master Michael is here to see you, Sir." The butler bowed and directed the American boy into the room.

The knight was fearful to look, but was relieved to have a distraction, even if it was just for a moment. His eyes met Michael's... and his heart skipped a beat as he took in the sight of his beautiful guest in all his faux noble splendour.

He didn't show his approval as blatantly as Oliver and Enrique, who, by their expressions, were both on the verge of applause - but Michael saw it in his eyes, and that was enough for him.

Robert rose from the head of the table, gesturing for Michael to sit beside Enrique and opposite Johnny. In a perfect world, he would have taken his hand, kissed him gently, and proudly introduced him to his aunt and uncle as the man he loved.
But all he was allowed to say was, "My lord, my lady. May I present Michael Parker, captain of the All Starz."

"The worst team in the history of competitive blading." Johnny muttered, before suddenly jumping at being kicked from under the table. He cast an angry glance at Enrique, who was pretending - badly - that he knew nothing about it.

This was followed by the standard fake uproar when people who don't really care for each other meet for the first time - filled with questions that Robert's relatives didn't want to ask and Michael didn't want to answer. Both played their parts to perfection, getting past the initial awkwardness of introductions and brief histories, and settling into silence.

The meal came and went - and Oliver's cooking talents became the topic of forced conversation. The green-haired boy nodded politely to every compliment, leaping up to help the servants clear the table as soon as the opportunity arose.

"Oliver, you are my guest. There is no need for you to do that." Robert knew the boy's actions were not through lack of refinement, but rather, a desperate need to get out of the room and its tension.
"I want to help." He insisted, piling another plate onto the stack in his arms. "Really."

The Duke cleared his throat, signalling it was time for his nephew to return to their previous discussion. Robert was beginning to wish he'd thought of Oliver's idea.

Whilst Robert and his uncle looked over the castle's expenditure and other reports at the opposite end of the table, they left the Duchess to chat with the other boys.

"I met a nice girl the other day." Johnny began. "She reminded me a lot of you, Duchess Jurgens - beautiful, intelligent..."
"Oh, Johnny, you rogue!" The noblewoman giggled like a girl half her age. "But is she a woman of property?"
"Oh yeah - heaps of money. I'd never even consider pursuing a girl of lower stature."

Robert looked up and met Johnny's cool stare back at him. He didn't like this game one bit, and there was very little he could do to stop it. He glanced over to Michael, who had his head bowed in a poor attempt to hide his discomfort.

"But I'm sure you don't want to listen to me all night. What about you, Parker? Why don't you tell us about your girlfriend?"
"I don't have a girlfriend, McGregor." The All Star answered sourly. "I'm too busy earning my money."

Robert's expression was one of complete shock. He caught Michael's eye and shook his head. Those were not the types of things one said in the presence of royalty.
Johnny, however, was up for the argument. "Hitting a ball around all day is not what I'd call working."
"Hey, back off!"

The master of the castle bowed his head in his hands as Enrique proceeded to defend his favourite sport. All he needed was for Oliver to join the melee and his dinner party would officially be a disaster.

Duke Jurgens patted the boy's shoulder sympathetically. Several young and headstrong personalities in the confines of one room was bound to start a disagreement sooner or later. He was surprised it had taken as long as it did.

Thinking he was helping, he announced, "A strapping lad like yourself - without a girlfriend, Michael? I find that difficult to believe."
Oliver bit his lip; Johnny snickered; Robert wanted to curl up and disappear.

"Well, there is someone..." The American admitted, never once taking his eyes off the object of his affection. "But I don't think they know how I feel about them."
Robert abruptly rose to his feet. "I am sorry to cut this short, but it is important that Michael take his medication at the correct time. So, if you will excuse us."

Ever the nobleman, he offered his hand politely to his guest, despite wanting to clout him across the head with it. The pair made their way out of the room together, leaving the others in uncomfortable silence behind them.

Several minutes later, the Duke and Duchess excused themselves as well, deciding it best to leave, and asking not to disturb Robert from his duties. Gustav was glad to escort them out, leaving the three Majestics to argue amongst themselves.

Johnny lounged back in his chair, grinning like he was drunk.
Enrique frowned. "You could at least try to be nice, you know."
"Why? It's so much more fun this way."
"What have you got against Michael anyway?"
"Why don't you ask Robert... or Oliver - he's probably the one who gave him the idea in the first place."

"Huh?!" The green-haired boy had remained silent the entire evening, but the moment he heard his name in a derogatory slur, he rose to the offensive.
"Oh, come on, Oliver! You prance around in front of Robert like the Queen of Jurgens Castle - it's got to be a bad influence on him. No wonder he's gone fruity."
"That's not fair!" He blinked at the tears stinging his eyes. "I can't help the way I am."

"Oliver!" Enrique called after him as he ran out of the room. He started to give chase, turning back as he reached the door. "Good one, Johnny. You keep this up and the Majestics are finished."
"I'm trying to save us." He muttered in return to the empty space his Italian team mate had been just seconds ago.

He had said a great many nasty things to and about Oliver, and none had ever brought him to tears before. It was Michael's fault... the Majestics' fifth wheel. Perhaps Johnny had been unnecessarily cruel, and perhaps Oliver had been overly sensitive... but these things would never have happened if Robert had been there.

If Robert was with his friends...

But he was upstairs...
With him.

If making Oliver cry was the price Johnny had to pay to get their captain to stand up and take notice of what was Michael was doing to his team, then he would do it again and again until the outsider was gone.