Chapter 3 - Father Puts His Foot Down (Posted 21 February 2011)

A/N: I'm back! And to address the age issue, I know they're young right now, but it did say in the summary that there would be eventual slash, as in this story will take place over a few years and the slash will happen when they're older. Hope that helped clear everything up :D

"Kendall." a sweet voice said as he was shaken from slumber. He hadn't even been aware of falling asleep. "Kendall, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, hello, Jo." Kendall greeted the girl. She was a few years older than him, also the child of servants, but last year had become old enough to become a servant herself.

"Why are you sleeping here? Shouldn't you be helping your mother bathe Katie?"

"I should be." Kendall said as he rubbed his eyes. "But I don't know how to get home."

"How did you get here?"

"I don't know which way I came."

"But why did you even come here?"

"I'm supposed to help teach the stupid Prince how to be a better heir. But he kicked me out and now I'm lost." Kendall almost started to cry.

"Come on, I'll take you back to your family." She reached a hand out to him and helped him up.

"Thanks."

X

"Kendall's back!" Carlos shouted as he opened the door to see Kendall standing aside Jo.

"What?" his mother's voice could be heard in the background. She came to them and saw him standing there. "Why did you return so soon?"

"James kicked me out."

"He what? You're supposed to stay with him until he learns how to be a good King someday."

"He yelled at me to get out! What was I supposed to do? I didn't want to stay with him."

"We must see the King and Queen at once." his mother said. "Logan, Carlos, please watch Katie while I'm gone.

"Alright." Logan said with a smile.

"We don't mind." Carlos said happily.

They loved taking care of their baby sister.

"I'd offer to stay with them," Jo said, "but I must get back to work."

"That's fine, dear. Thank you for bringing my son back."

Jo smiled and walked away, heading off to do whatever it was she did in the castle.

Challen grabbed Kendall's reluctant hand and lead him to the throne room.

X

"He did what?" the Queen asked in horror as she was told about Kendall's fight with James. "Please accept our apology, Mrs. Knight. We will speak with out son. He is not to treat little Kendall badly or he will be punished."

"Your Majesties," Kendall said in a somewhat frightened voice, "I don't want to be rude, but do I have to stay with the Prince? He and I don't really get along and I'm not sure I'm the right one for the job..."

"You're perfect." the King beamed. "Such a thoughtful and respectful young lad. And the more he has to struggle with you, the more he will learn from you."

"I suppose that's a yes, then." Kendall said, defeated. "But, you do know I'm the head of my household, right? They need me..."

"Young lad," the Queen beamed down at him, "we can assure you that your family will be well taken care of in your absence. We never realized how poorly our servants have been treated while my husband and I were away, but we'll have no more of that. The royal family sincerely appreciates everything the servants do for us, and we will show that appreciation by taking care of all the families. All we ask is that you help our son. Please, we don't know what else to do."

"You're going to take care of all the families if I do this?" Kendall asked, awestruck.

"We're going to do it either way, as it is the right thing to do." said the King. "But we will give you anything you want in return for helping us. You're our only hope."

"Ok. Thank you."

"No, thank you." the King smiled.

X

Kendall was escorted back to the prince's room by a servant he'd never met. She must have been sent from another castle.

"Prince James." the woman called. "Your guest is here."

"Guest?" James's bratty voice was heard from deep within the room. The door was opened and his head popped out, sneering. "What guest?"

"Young Kendall Knight, sir."

"You again? I thought I sent you away."

"You did. But your parents insisted I try to help you. And they promised to take care of all the families in the servant quarters, so at least this way I feel like I'm returning the favor."

"You speak as though being around me is a chore." James said.

"It's more than a chore, but I promised I'd do this. Now let me in."

"Never!"

"Prince," the servant spoke softly, "if you don't mind my suggesting, perhaps you should consult your parents on the matter once more. Maybe they will change their minds."

"It won't do any good." Kendall offered.

"We'll see about that." James spat. "Servant, bring Kendall. We are going to speak with my parents."

X

"Oh, dear, not again." the King smacked his face into his hands. "James, we are not discussing this again! You are to spend as much time with Kendall as possible until you learn to be respectful of others."

"Fine then!" James stomped. "But what am I supposed to do with him?"

"Treat him like your brother."

"Brother?" James asked. "I have no brothers or sisters. I wouldn't know what to do with one of those either."

"I can teach you." Kendall said, trying his best to remain calm. "I have two brothers. I can show you how to be a brother."

"Oh, joy."

"James." his father said scoldingly.

"Fine."

"And we don't want you just casting him aside and expecting him to follow you around, James." the queen added. "You have to b mindful of him. Give him anything he needs. Take care of him as if he can't take care of himself."

"What?"

"You heard me. From now on, Kendall is to do nothing on his own. You are to serve him unless he offers to help you with something."

"Oh, what a wonderful idea." the King whispered to his wife.

"Mother, I can't..."

"I won't hear it." the queen bellowed.

"Kendall," he said, turning sharply to face the other boy. "Do you need anything?"

"I am actually really hungry..." Kendall admitted.

"Father, will you please have the cooks prepare anything Kendall wants? And tell all the servants to do as he says."

"No. You won't learn you lesson by having someone else take care of him, so I will inform the servants that they are not to help you with anything."

"Anything?"

"Exactly. You will have to cook for him. And you will feed him. You will tuck him in at night and dress him in the morning. You will do everything for him."

"But... but... but I'm the prince!"

"Not until you learn how to be a proper prince." the queen shook her head.

"You... you are the worst parents ever! I hate you!" James started to cry and ran back to his room.

Kendall watched him go. He never liked seeing anyone cry. Especially not other children. Even if they were spoiled, rotten, conceited, snobby brats. So he ran after him.

He ran into James's room and saw him still crying as he sat on his bed. He climbed up and came closer to James, wondering how he could stop his crying. And then he thought of what he'd do for his mom or his brothers or sister or even any of his friends. He hugged him.

James continued to sob for a few seconds, and sniffed. He looked up and saw who's arms were around him and snarled in anger. He pushed Kendall so hard the poor boy fell onto the floor with a great thud.

"Ow! What was that for?" Kendall asked as he rubbed his elbows which had broken his fall.

"Don't touch me!"

"I was only trying to help..." Kendall said. What was this kid's problem? Everyone needed a hug once in a while. Surely royal princes were not exempt from this natural law?

"Well don't!"

"But you were crying..." Kendall climbed back on the bed. "If you're crying, sometimes a hug helps. You've hugged people before, haven't you?"

"No..." James whispered, crawling away.

"What? Not even your parents or... anyone?"

"No, of course not. I'm a prince, we don't do that sort of thing."

"Well," Kendall hypothesized, "maybe that's all you need. For someone to show some affection toward you so you can learn how to show it to them."

"I don't want yo hug you!"

"What, are you afraid? Prince James is scared to hug someone." Kendall teased him.

"I'm not scared! I'm the bravest man in all the land!"

"Then prove it! Hug me!" Kendall made a mock-angry face and threw his arms open, waiting for James to fall victim to his huge ego and just hug him already.

"No,"

"Fine. Then I'm going to go through all the villages telling everyone how wimpy their precious prince is!"

"You wouldn't!"

"I would." Kendall said surely.

"You... devil child!"

"Hug me, or else."

James snarled, a hiss emanating from the back of this throat. But he pushed himself forward and wrapped his arms around Kendall, and Kendall closed his arms around James.

"See, this isn't so bad." Kendall said.

And just like that, James started crying again. Kendall rolled his eyes but patted the prince's head. "See? It feels better, doesn't it? To know someone is here for you if you need to cry? Much better then hugging a pillow or a blanket that can't hug you back."

James didn't answer, just kept on crying as his hold on Kendall tightened. Kendall thought to himself, this is going to be a long night.