Bon voyage MEO shippers to my story! I was mostly inspired to do this story because of a Criminal Minds fanfic called The Whipping Boy. I absolutely loved every chapter, no matter how many weeks I had to wait for an update, and I can only attempt to make you readers feel the same way. Planning it out, there will be quite a bit of OC'ing in pretty much every character, but some of them would be close to normal and others will develop into it. Like I stated in my previous chapter, the timings of updates will be erratic in correspondence to my schedule, however, I plan in completing this story. I want to thank you all for reviewing on your ideas for pairings. You contribution will become a vital element in the story.
Without further ado, I give you the first installment of A Heart's Desire.
A crowd had formed around the quant brick building, an unusual sight within itself.
The small refurbished brown structure with two windows parallel to one another just above the freshly carved wooden door was barely inhabited, nonetheless visited. Not many are fond of simply visiting an orphanage. It is the first in the respectfully modest kingdom and thankfully lacks many occupants, but not a single person would take in any abandoned children.
Today, however, is different. For the royal family is standing inside of the Dingo Orphanage.
Queen Tasha Dooley was donned in a floor-length, long-sleeved voluminous gown with stripes of golden, silver, and violet fabrics. Her wrists were adorned in her countless courting jewels, none of which shined as proudly as the large golden crown. She placed a hand over her husband's callous one, the petite diamond ring glinting alongside his own golden band. He was dressed up similar to his wife, if not much simpler, and had a crown larger than her's attracting the most attention. Both royals stood poised in front of the small light-skinned boy adorned in golden silk trousers and violet shirt, each cuffed with the corresponding color that made his own crown shine brightly.
The couple seemed completely out of place in the small room. The vibrance of the gold and violet twist was a huge change from the dull red paint on the walls. A wooden rocking chair was sat beside the door not too far from the crackling fireplace on the opposite wall. Next to that was a door leading to a humble kitchen and a bedroom with a washroom. Down the small hall to the left of the kitchen was a set of stairs that most likely led to the rooms of the parent less children. No one seemed to mind; other than the birthday boy himself, no one seemed to think it odd for a five year-old to spend their birthday at an orphanage.
"Mom," the birthday boy began, "why are we here?"
"Well Leo," Tasha started. "We're here to greet some special people in the kingdom." she gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder and have it a few pats before retreating it Back to its rightful place in her husband's hand. "Plus, you said you wanted to have some friends. There are boys your age you can play with."
"Really?" He asked flamboyantly. "When can I meet them?!". His question was ignored, however, as a busty woman enters the room through the kitchen doors.
"Welcome your Highness'" The thick, greying woman in clothing far less exuberant than the ones of the occupants in front if her gave a wide toothy smile before looking down at the young child. "And prince Dooley."
Said little boy widened his eyes at the lady. "You know who I am?" The woman laughed, a haughty sound that seemed to fill the room.
"Why, your highness, everyone knows who you are!". She then asked his parents if they wanted some refreshments and they declined, all three adults unaware of the young lad's strife. How many people is everyone? How do they know who he is?
"Kids!" the lady's voice became raucous and the boy heard kids thumping across the upstairs wooden floorboard. He turned just in time to see about six boys-all around his age- stomp down the staircase and line up shoulder to shoulder in front of the silk-laden boy. The lady looked proudly down at her armada of poised orphans only to frown in annoyance. "Where's that boy?" sabe mitoteares before shouting. "MATEUS!"
The stomping overhead was minuscule to the previous thunderous rumble of the stampede. It was quick and near inaudible, so it came as no surprise when a small-framed boy -most likely around the age of three- scuffled his way across the cold wooden floor and joined the line up.
"There we are." The lady smiled. She extended her arm in show to all seven boys dressed in tan cotton trousers and off white shirts. "These are the boys of the Dingo Boy Orphanage.". She skinned the eyes of the two parents for a sign of satisfaction. The couple looked down on their son who was hesitantly reaching out to each boy.
"Hello." Prince Leo started. "My name is-"
"We know who your are Prince Leo!" The first and largest boy exclaimed, then continued to lead the line into a bow. All six boys went down around the same time. The seventh, however, was distracted.
The lady looked back at him and flash of panic crossed her face for a second. She looked back up at the royal family, only to find the mother looking at her with a raised eyebrow of questioning.
"Mateus." She said in a sing song voice. "Aren't you going to bow-"
"Where is Ms. Applebottom?" He asked wearily. His eyes searched the foreign bodies and faces in a scrutinizing manner, as if they were secretly plotting against him.
As she spoke, Leo scurried in front of Mateus, gaining the boy's undivided attention. He held out his hand slowly and looked down, startling the pale boy. The prince looked the orphan in the eye and the orphan looked back. For a few tense and awkward moments, no one said a word.
"Go ahead, Leo." the King knelt down beside his son and squeezed his shoulder assuringly. "Make a friend."
Leo finally put his hand down and relaxed his shoulders. The pale brunette also seemed to loosen his gaurd at the ease of authority exuding from the boy. Leo cleared his throat as he had seen his father do so many times before finally speaking.
"Hi. Do you like marizpan?"
The boy stayed quiet for a few moments, allowing a perplexed look graze his features, before answering:
"Yes."
And thus-as a wide smile crawled across the young prince's face and the orphan gave a less enthusiastic simper of his own- a friendship was born.
Throughout the next two years, the prince has been schooled in not only the sciences and arts, but also the proper etiquette and strategic mind set of a kingdom's future ruler. The king and queen dutifully took care of the issues throughout the land, lowering taxes and practically extinguishing the crime rate. Equality was becoming infectious in the town thanks to the bold move of the young heir of visiting the orphanage to play with the boys. In this time production and trading was prosperous, making it a time of the citizen's desires becoming a reality. Everyone-neighboring countries included-could all agree that the Dooley Dynasty had reached euphoria. It had even achieved a nickname: Little Heaven.
So no one expected Mrs. Maiden's Orphanage to burn down.
The flames brought light to half of the domain and roared fiercely into the sky. Screams bled any beauty out of dusk's twilight and broke the hearts of those none the wiser. the women stood by there windows to watch in horror while the men lined the streets, passing water-filled buckets from wells unto the house. One of those men being the king himself.
"How many people were inside?" one of the guys asked.
"I don't know!" another man said, passing the bucket down the line.
"Eight."
The two man turned to see the ruler of the land himself, donned in the brown breeches and wool undershirt, sweat caking his face.
"Your majesty!"
"The last time I went for a visit, there were seven children and Mrs. Maiden herself. " he said in a quick affirmative tone. "Did you see anyone run out?"
"N-No," the first guy answered.
The king looked away for a second, then looked at the burning building. He watched the flames rage against the constant fight the men were putting up. He saw not only the sweat and grime telling the adventures of their day on each man's gave, but also the grimaces and worry in their spouses eyes; the innocent confusion shining in their kin's orbs. In all of that, however, he saw the hope for life underlining any other wish in their heart.
He turned to the one man that stayed out of line.
"I know it is a catastrophe your highness, but we're-"
"Tell me this Mr. Bryson:" the king began, looking between the burning building and the man. "What would you do to bring upon a wish?"
"Anything." The father claimed after sone tense seconds. The king took one final look around, locking his eyes with the charcoaled building, and nodded.
"That is all I need to hear."
The horses slowly drew the carriage
No one gave the queen looks of pity for no one could look up. It was as if everyone had been sentenced to a hanging for a crime they didn't do and had given up hope. The wind blew harshly and the dark sky made it near invisible to see as rain came down heavily, yet no one moved. It seemed Mother Nature was mourning them in the droll tears that could have saved the King's life.
News of his death spread similar to the fire that took his life and for once the small, bustling kingdom was at a standstill. No business was made, no children played, and no words were spoken. The rain came that morning, a few tense moments after he final flame was extinguished and more disgust could not have been doled on those dark clouds.
The rain only intensified on the night of the funeral, a night which should have been reserved for a full moon. It was ironic how the such comical rain could pour on the most humorless of nights. Although it was a mystery as to why the funeral was at night, no one questioned. Instead they stood out in the warm downpour in the wee hours before the break of dawn, bearing against the rain as the horse drawn carriage drew by. The farther her majesty went, however, the lighter the rain fell.
Mother Nature could be such a cruel bitch. She could also be a merciful wench.
The clouds dispersed, allowing the moon to not only gleam and exude in it's excellence, but to outline the entirety of the kingdom. For the first time since the beginning of the service she was invisible, but now it was all clear. Widow Tasha was adorned in a lovely violet gown that clung to her as it weathered the storm. Her hands were sheltered by gloves of the same color and trimmed in bright gold thread, the same colors pinned in her put up hair in scraggly lines underneath her large hat that overcast her face. She truly looked like an angel shrouded by a dark cloud.
Prince Leo, just seven at the time, numbly trekked uphill behind his mother and the casket. Donned in his traditional funeral drabs, a deep violet formal silk dress slacks and a long sleeved coat with golden buttons, his failure to keep composure ruined his look of mature royalty. Unlike his mother, who had sparkling jewelry and crown glistening in the full light, he bent his head low enough for the few gems on his own crown to bring upon the darkness of the night. It hid his emotions from everyone, a skill his mother seemed to master.
As they continued travel, the townsfolk piled behind them. For the first time everyone was inside the kingdom palace, hawking at the beauty of anything other than the court room. They walked through the halls to the back garden of the building where seats were already set up for their less fortunate guests. People of every class were gathered in the backyard of the building. A line tree sat in the back if the floral paradise along with multiple types of lowers in multiple shades of the rainbow. The soft grass served as great carpets for the blistering feet of those who embarked in tight shoes or none at all. At the front of the cows of chairs was a podium, and behind that was the parked casket.
"Thank you, everyone, for coming." Queen Tasha stated in indifference after everyone was settled and she raised to the podium. "I truly appreciate your condolences." There were some tense moments of silence as the moon took its final descent and the sky began to lighten before she spoke again.
"As a diplomat, it is with a heavy heart that our first king would die in such a tragic way, helping those who put him in such a position. As the remain of a partnership, I will do my best to assure that you will be taken care of to the best of my ability." She took in a shaky breath before continuing. "However, as a wife and now a single mother, I hope you can understand that it will take me some time to adjust." She took some more moments to internally calm herself-Leo could see the cracks in the damn from his seat- and started once more.
"Would anyone like to come up here and say some parting words?"
One by one, servants to farmers went up to the podium and spoke praise to the king and their condolences to the family, some even praising the family for all they have done. The final speaker-a traveling vender whose stationary home was in the marketing area- sat down and Tasha retook her place on the podium.
"It is unfortunate," she started. "that such a good man left in such a gruesome way. " The sun began to rise in the sky, a blood orange that slightly twinges the darkness of their clothes. It was now that the crowd could see how much of a struggle this was for the queen.
Leo wiped the remnants of long dried tears from his cheeks and took a deep breath. He was always quite a hesitant and timid child when it came to newcomers or people. It was more out of awkwardness than suspicion, but it still seemed rude to neighboring dignitaries. The common folk understood, however, and the shock was understandable when the young royal rose from his seat and stepped beside his mother.
"Leo?" She said, the slightest tremor in her voice. He looked at her and patted her back before searching the crowd.
It took him a moment to gather more courage(there were a lot more people he could see up there. Where had they come from?) to speak, and when he did he almost flinched in surprise. "M-My father used to tell me a story he heard on one of his expeditions. It was about a boy who always helped the best he could without ever receiving something back. With all of his heart, he would unabashedly give a stranger the clothes off of his back, even if they were his only pieces of cloth as well.
"The boy's generosity was eventually what led him to a painful death, but his last minutes were spent sobbing joyfully through empty sockets because he finally got something in return. He died doing what he loved most: helping." Everyone knew this story. The boy was tricked by ambidextrous trolls and bereft of his appendages until all that was left was a head with no eye balls. The last troll wrote down 'fool' on a sheet of paper and placed it upon the head, but the boy was still grateful of the first thing he ever received after doing so much giving. "I believe my father would not want us to feel as if he has taken away our happiness for sorrow and grief, but to have been given the comfort of knowing that he helped served his people just as much justice as you have served him."
The sun was rising above little Leo as he concluded his speech, glistening the rays of a brand new day. A day had been physically washed of the people's pain just hours before. There were tears and twinkling eyes anywhere the sun shone, and the mood seemed to lift with the life-giving star.
Leo looked back to catch the satisfying smile that seemed permanently seen on her face. The sound of clapping soon arose and grew drastically as the heir to the throne turned to face all of those who he would one day take care of.
They have faith in him. They will be alright. Little Heaven will live another day.
People picked at food in the grand reception hall and were quietly chatting amongst themselves. That, however, was suddenly changed to silence, leaving behind the sound of light pacing.
The man had light brown hair and an angular face that held chapped thin lips, bushy eyebrows, and eyes she couldn't quite digest. His clothes were drenched in the rain and smelled of earth and grime. Seeing that her and everyone else's attention was on him, he stood stock still before nervously sank to her feet in a deep bow.
"Your Majesty and Newly Widowed Queen Dooley. I am honored to be in your presence." He said. The queen look at this tall man practically kissing her feet and felt heat rise to her face. Others looked on in interest.
"You may rise." He stated uncertainly. This only happened in the very beginning of the dynasty's creation before the protocol was immediately dropped. They were a different kingdom than the rest.
He man rose back to his full height of why seemed to be 5ft, 10 and glanced around the room once more until his gaze returned to his feet. "I am but a lowly beggar who roams through kingdoms for the basic needs of myself and my son." His deep voice began. "May I, for the exchange of some vital information, serve you?"
People watched in curiosity for the queens answer. "How did it get this way?" He was about to start when she said gently, "You can look me in the eye."
He hesitantly raised his hung head to boldly look the royal in the eye. "I used to be a scientist in a kingdom much larger than this. My children and I would conduct experiments together. Some false accusations were made that would have intimated possibly the destruction of the kingdom and I was eternally exiled." He didn't have to look up to know that some of the crowd was tearing up again. Even her Highness, whose heart was burnt by the fire that took her husband, could not help but feel as if a tear was sliding against the charred lining to make it ache for this man. "It was during a raid that I was thrown out. I tried to get my children, but the guards that took them were for too strong. I was only able to bring the smallest one with me." He ended solemnly.
There was only one dry eye in the entire audience and that was the queen herself. All of the citizens were once strays, beggars, and former criminals (which was kind of ironic, seeing as the crime rate was near non-existent); all being saved by a couple who found started so much more than just a house.
With the fond memory of beginnings fresh in her mind the queen rose from her place, not breaking eye contact, and asked, "What is the information you have?"
He glanced around once more. "May I speak with Your Majesty covertly?"
"Yes."
They walked outside of the room, the feeling of eyes burning into their skin following them behind the wall the doors were connected to. The second he knew they were a safe distance away, he spoke.
"The fire that killed your husband was no accident."
Everything seemed to have silenced itself to the royal. She felt the first true emotion other than immense grief since the night before: shock.
"What?"
"I had been in town," he began, " for only a few minutes when a horse from the Davenport Dynasty races past, nearly trampling me in the process. Two more were on his tail. " he looked her straight in the eyes. "I believe that the fire was no accident."
Did you enjoy this? Do you think I should stop while it's still early? Please give your comment, but can your gently criticize? I am newbie.
Random Fact: In the decade before 2010, a man married himself, but later divorced himself after claiming he didn't know himself as well as he thought he did.