Chapter two
The years passed and the Hades kingdom had accepted their Prince with open arms. Mostly out of fear of the Royal King Hades if they did not. However in an age of dragons, magic, gods, and heroes, a young princess who was actually a prince didn't seem so odd.
The now officially titled, Prince Nico, visited the neighboring Prince Will at least a few times a year. He was quickly approaching his twelfth year and harboring love for the neighboring Prince when Nico started a different kind of ritual besides his clockwork visits to the Apollo Kingdom.
"A potion?"
"Yes.." mused Lou Ellen who was visiting from the Apollo kingdom. "You're almost twelve now. If you don't drink this potion you'll begin to look more and more feminine as you age." she explained to the Prince of the Hades Kingdom.
Nico nodded in response and looked at the small vial with a mixture of distaste in fascination.
"How long do I have to take it." Nico asked as he uncapped the bottle and a cloud of green smoke emerged from the concoction.
"It's a cumulative potion over the years. You'll transition into a more masculine appearance. Some weird stuff is going to happen… down there. But weird things happen to everybody down there. The important thing is you will feel more comfortable with your body." Lou Ellen declared as she began packing up her bags with all of her potion ingredients. Dragon scales, Lizard tails, and giant teeth powder.
"Can't you just give me a potion to turn me into a boy right now?" Nico wined as he drank the potion and shuddered in distaste.
"Nico, you're already a boy. And those potions are short term. They will wear off in a couple of hours. By taking this throughout your entire teenage years, it will permanently change your body." Lou Ellen placed a comforting hand on the young prince's shoulder.
Nico nodded in understanding. Lou Ellen lifted her bag and smirked at Nico.
"Now don't you have a certain fiance to visit?" She teased.
Nico sputtered and blushed a deep red at the statement.
"They haven't announced our engagement yet, Lou Ellen!" Nico argued and Lou Ellen laughed happily at her friend's reaction.
"As the potion master of the Apollo kingdom I pick up on a few things." Lou Ellen declared mysteriously. She handed Nico a six month's supply of his new transition potion.
"You know something?" Nico asked with an excited undertone. Lou Ellen nodded and leaned in close to Nico, checking the empty potions room for effect. Nico laughed lightly and nudged his friend.
"The agenda of sir Prince William's fiance is being addressed in the royal court. And you are one of the competitors." She finally said. Nico's mood lifted considerably.
"There are others?" He asked. The downside to the news. Finding out there were other suitors for Will.
"Sure. There are other neighboring kingdoms. But I hear King Apollo is shooting for you."
"Than what's the holdup." Nico asked. Lou Ellen shifted uncomfortably for a moment.
"Um. The queen is less enthusiastic." She muttered softly, her eyes darting to Nico's face which had considerably darkened at the mention of the queen.
Will's mother had been the bane of his existence since Nico had been six years old. She had insisted on calling Nico, 'her', 'she', 'princess', and even his old given name, 'Nina'. Which his father had officially changed years ago. Nico's birth certificate even read 'male'. Lou Ellen noticed the change and nervously walked toward the door, motioning for Nico to follow her.
"Go on! Get changed and catch your carriage or you'll be late!"
Nico's carriage of blackened thorn wove its way down the path toward the royal Apollo gates. A place where Will had been meeting Nico for almost seven years now. Will readjusted his clothes and bounced impatiently on his heels. His royal guard, Cecil, regarded his master's actions with concern.
"Calm down, sire." Cecil tried to reason with Prince Will. It seemed to be in vain as Will showed little signs of hearing him besides responding with,
"It's been almost five months. I can't just calm down." Will argued.
"It's unbecoming to see someone who is not your betrothed so frequently." Cecil countered with a reasonable voice.
"Father has not announced our engagement yet" Will said offhandedly.
"You sound so sure he will."
Will sent a sharp gaze toward Cecil that said, 'remember your place' Cecil seemed to shrink under the gaze as he bowed his head gently.
"Sorry, Sire."
The carriage stopped in front of Will and he watched happily as Nico climbed out with the help of his royal guard, and now best friend, Reyna. Or at least, one of his best friends. Will liked to consider himself very close with the Prince of Hades also. But once he became Nico's betrothed, he would be just that. He liked the idea of Reyna stepping in and taking over the reigns of Nico's best friend. Meanwhile, Will would pick up the duties of attendant boyfriend, and fiance.
Nico straightened up and regarded his long time friend and crush.
"Your highness." Nico said elegantly while bowing low to him.
"Your highness." Will repeated as he also gave his lowest bow. Nico chuckled affectionately and the two embraced in a long hug.
"I missed you.' Will muttered into Nico's hair. Which to his excitement, he had gotten cut short.
"I missed you too." Nico responded happily. Reyna, trusting Will completely, had began talking with Cecil about taking the official royal guard exam. While the two began chatting, Nico and Will slipped away for a walk in the woods.
The woods never changed. They looked the exact same as the day Nico and Will had met. They walked the familiar path toward their pine tree and settled against the trunk happily. The tree seemed to radiate warmth as they nestled against it.
"So I heard they are announcing your fiance soon." Nico brought the topic up as gently as he could. He didn't want to come off as too desperate.
"Yeah…" Will muttered playing with a stray leaf that had fallen hear his feet.
"Who do you hope it is? I mean, Piper of the Aphrodite kingdom is beautiful and I heard she sings like a dream. Then there is Annabeth of Athena. I heard rumors she is the smartest in all the land. And there is also-"
"Nico." Will interrupted. "I'm not into girls."
Nico opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish before collecting himself diligently.
"O-oh. d-does that include… m-me?" Nico tried to asked in a passive manner but it came out weak and broken.
"You're not a girl Nico." Will whispered. His hand coming up on hold Nico's gently.
"But what if I was?" Nico said letting his fingers curl around Will's
"But you're not. And that's that."
"What if your family… doesn't approve."
"My father loves you." Will reasoned.
"Your mom doesn't"
"My mother holds little sway over me."
Nico smiled brightly and proudly held hands with the love of his life under an old darkened pine tree.
A young man stepped forward holding a large scroll in front of his scrunched up face.
"Announcing the royal engagement, King Apollo."
The king stepped forward as the crowd cheered around them. Up on the throne room pedestal, King Apollo, his wife, and Will stood diligently behind him. Nico tried to meet Will's eyes from across the room, but it looked like enough things were running through Will's mind.
Nico, King Hades and Queen Persephone stand in the crowd dressed in silken, elegant clothes that separated them from the commoners who had come to watch the announcement.
"After much consideration," King Apollo's voice rang out, bringing a brittle quietness over the crowd, "and weighing of the pros and cons, we have decided to give young love a chance. And we are proud to welcome the Hades kingdom into a mergence at the age of twenty years old, no more, and no less." With the coming of the announcement, King Apollo met Nico's eyes and gave him a short wink. Nico's father placed a proud hand on his shoulder and the queen ran her hands through Nico's hair affectionately.
Nico smiled so wide he thought his face would split in half. He broke from his father's proud hold on his shoulders pushed through the crowd which didn't seem to want to part ways for him.
"Get out of my way!" Nico shouted happily. "That's my fiance up there!" Will say Nico trying to break through the crowd and jumped down from his throne to meet him halfway. The two boys embraced halfway. Neither letting go for a long time.