This is the last chapter before the big wedding ^^
After that the real story begins. Hopefully you all will continue reading. The title is there for a reason...
Lol, writing this chapter gave me a really weird feeling, I couldn't finish the chapter for Hypnotic Revelations because of that . I'll finish it tomorrow, it's midnight here and I'm really tired.
Warnings: Cross-dressing... and the image of Lavi and Daisya prancing around throwing confetti everywhere, looking ridiculously happy. Tiedoll is being sentimental too.
Enjoy!
Chapter 6
Life's a joke. Life toys with people. And it likes to do it. Allen felt as if he could stab himself with a sword. Or drown himself. Though, the drowning seemed to already be happening. The people around him were whispering. He stared at his so-called relative with contempt, and Cross smirked back at him.
Everything is his fault! It's his fault that he's standing in the middle of a banquet hall being the center of attention to everyone! He wished he was somewhere else. Anywhere! He wore a strained polite expression as he stood in front of his Uncle and... him.
Kanda. The friend he fought with the most. Well, as much he could fight someone who thought he was a girl. He was looking at Allen with a masked expression. Allen didn't want to look into his eyes, he was afraid of what he would find. Disgust would probably be the more prominent one. He sneaked a peak at the people around them. And he recognized a few. Kanda's brothers – Daisya trying not to die of held-back laughter and Marie looking the other way, Lenalee, who was looking at the scene in shock, hands covering her mouth, Lavi was standing next to her, no doubt waiting for the right moment to ask her to a dance – without interruptions from her brother. Lavi was also in shock and on the verge of laughing; and he was not trying to hide it.
Allen wished he could become invisible.
Cross looked incredibly pleased with himself. He glanced at his old friend Tiedoll who was standing not far away from the four. Their eyes met and Tiedoll understood. He slowly went up on the stage, standing in front of the hundreds of guests in the hall.
"Could I have everyone's attention please?" He asked loudly. The whispers subsided and almost all the attention turned to him. Allen got a horrible feeling. Kanda was still staring at Allen, as if he still couldn't fathom what exactly he was seeing.
"I... this... I'm happy that everyone could come... to my youngest son's birthday party that is." Tiedoll seemed a little nervous now. Kanda was still staring at Allen, and Cross was... still smirking. "Yes... well..." Tiedoll began; he was struggling to find the right words. "As you just found out, King Cross of Aederia and his niece... I mean nephew! Anyway, they've granted us a visit. This is very gracious of them considering..." Tiedoll got quiet as he thought about the civil war, he would've been quiet a longer time if it weren't for Cross' discreet cough. "Well, in any case... Let's all wish my son a happy birthday!" He said and started clapping his hands, the others followed suit, except for the four in the middle of the room. "Now to the point... yes, I do have a point", after a look at Daisya, who'd snorted loudly, "I'm very... very happy to announce that my son, my dear son Prince Yuu, is going to get married..." a huge gasp echoed through the hall, but Tiedoll didn't stop, "to Prince Allen of Aederia!"
"WHAT?" Kanda and Allen all but screamed in unison. Kanda glaring at his father and Allen at Cross. Then Allen lost his balance and fell forward. In the fall he took up his hands and he successfully brought Kanda down with him.
Cross knew exactly how to bring down others, to humiliate them. Allen was humiliated in front of all these people. Later this would spread to the whole country, and then back to Aederia... now Allen didn't want to go back home.
Link helped him up when no one else, meaning Cross and Kanda, didn't. Kanda was too busy pushing Allen away. Cross stood there with a wine glass in his hand, when he got it no one could really tell, but he stood there looking pleased with himself. He wasn't grinning, but certainly there was some kind of smirk playing on his lips. Allen glared at him with contempt. Then he stopped when he noticed Kanda glaring daggers at him.
He'd been humiliated before – that's to expect when having Cross for an uncle – and he'd been prepared for this scenario – not the marriage, though, that was knew – and he knew that it would be and feel horrible. But he was not going to let Kanda win. So he raised his head, with defiantly and challenging eyes he stared right back. He's sure that that would've gone on for hours hadn't Cross said those next words:
"I guess it's time for the dance, then." Lavi and Daisya couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Uncle! You can't possibly mean...?"
"Yes, I do. So, both of you, man up and go dance", Cross said and pushed his nephew closer to the frozen solid, dark haired prince. So as to not lose his balance Allen took hold of Kanda's shoulders, waking the latter out of his frozen state.
"If you'd be so kind and start playing", Tiedoll said to the musicians behind him. He had tears in his eyes, and he could not stop a happy smile from forming. He felt so happy that he could cry; when he saw his son and Alene... no Allen, standing in front of each other. He could swear that light shone on the two of them, red rose petals fell down around them, and their smiles, happily and lovingly looking at each other...
In real life, however, there were no special light coming down from heaven shining on the two of them, the rose petals were confetti that Cross had two certain, laughing pranksters throw around from the second floor, and the loving smiles were murderous expressions. Cross knew that he had to take extreme actions right then. He leaned towards the two, who didn't break eye contact with one another.
"If you don't do as I say, I'll make both of your lives so miserable that you'd wish you'd never been born..." Kanda didn't take heed to the warning but Allen, who knew that the threat could very well become reality, did. Grudgingly he quietly talked to Kanda.
"Let's just get this over with, You've no idea what that man can do..."
"I am not going to fucking dance with you!" Kanda didn't manage to keep that in a quiet whisper, he was too pissed off to even think about what the others might hear. Then they heard Cross whisper to them again.
"Dance until the music stops and I'll let you go back to your rooms..." Allen took Kanda's left hand to his waist, and then he took hold of the other.
"You lead, or should I?" Kanda started moving, pulling Allen towards the middle of the dance floor. The other guests retreated back to the walls to the let the two of them dance in peace. Cross smirked and casually strolled back to Tiedoll who'd just come down from the stage.
"Why did you keep this a secret from me, my old friend?" Tiedoll asked and discreetly pointed towards the other king's nephew. Cross turned to the two men on the dance floor and answered:
"This was too fun to pass up on."
Everything was going too fast. The day after the disastrous party, Cross had Tiedoll announce that the wedding ceremony would take place in two weeks time. And they'd anticipated Kanda's defiance and therefore put guards to escort him everywhere. Allen didn't have any personal guards, but he had his own stalker. Link didn't let Allen out of his sight, not that Allen felt the need to try to escape anyway. If he did, Cross would hunt him down and have him go through with the ceremony at any cost. Though, he was irked by the fact that he couldn't go anywhere he please. He was allowed to walk around the palace and the garden, but he wasn't allowed outside into the city. But then again, Cross had opted for him to be confined to his chambers had not Link interfered.
It had been just about four years since Allen last had been here in Ligoun. To see the many paintings adorning the white stone walls, or seeing the painted windows on the ground floor with lanterns hanging just outside to create beautiful, different colored lights shining on the walls and floors. Outside was breath taking. The rose garden was filled with roses of different colors, red roses hugged the wall to his chambers and the palace walls, soft pink and white roses adorned the ground next to the walkway leading to a small meadow with two benches sitting opposite of each other.
Allen remembered this place; this was where he, Lenalee, Lavi and Kanda used to hang out on hot summer days, having a picnic at Lenalee's request. Usually the picnic would end abruptly because of her over protective brother who thought that the two older boys were being mean or naughty. Allen smiled at the memory. Lenalee had been eight years old then, Lavi and Kanda nine and Allen himself had been seven, Komui was twelve years older than Lenalee and had just turned twenty that year. There were fewer roses back then.
"Alright, you three move aside those chairs and table. Where do you have mirror? There has to be a mirror here, otherwise I can't do my job!" An eccentric man yelled as he barged into Allen's room. It was a week after the party, and Allen had just returned from eating lunch with to-be-father-in-law and to-be-husband (or wife? He didn't know anymore), reading a book next to the window. Two of the women scurried over to move the chairs and table to the other side of the room. The third one hurried towards the bedroom to find a full body mirror. She found two.
The man looked over the renovated space and said to put the mirrors next to each other in an angle towards each other. Allen discreetly scrutinized the man. He had licked back brown hair and tight and colorful clothes. Allen had never seen such clothes before; he wondered if the man was a foreigner. Then the battered door was once again kicked open, but this time by Cross and a handful of other women carrying something... white.
Allen's eyes widened in fear when he realized what it was.
"Aah, the king brought it. Good, good! Always so efficient", the man turned to the many women who were crowding the room, he clapped his hand twice fast and said: "Chop, chop! We don't have all day!" The crowd got life and there were movement everywhere. Allen could see boxes after boxes with make-up and what looked to be... Allen tried looking for an escape route. Then he felt he could hit himself with the book for being so stupid as to not notice that he was sitting next to a window! He slowly unlocked the hatch and carefully opened the window. He was just about to jump out when hands grabbed him from behind.
"Now there's the little lamb! You can't go now! You need to try on the dresses I've made! And the shoes! Bring him to the stool!" The man demanded and not long after Allen found himself on the stool having white material pinned on him, make-up covering most of the scar and the shoes... at least the shoes weren't as high as the other pair, he thought that he might actually manage to walk in these. He had been worried about showing his arm, the left one with hardened, red skin, because once when at Cross' castle one of the servants had seen it and had run away in fear of it being a contagious decease. That servant was fired the same day.
But these women and that man... they didn't care at all. They just saw it as an obstacle because of some of the dresses had short-sleeved arms.
"That one won't do at all!" The man suddenly exclaimed as he observed their latest work on Allen. His hair was falling free down his back and he had a veil over his face. The dress was far too long for him, reaching well beyond his feet while standing on the stool, it hung loose on some awkward places and the gloves they had put on his hands were too big for him. The dress was incredibly heavy, having lots of ornaments and layers. Cross, who'd been sitting on a chair watching everything in silence, rose and walked over to stand beside the other man.
"I think something simpler would do..." He suggested and the tailor frowned as he looked Allen over. Allen felt like a pig for sale – a roasted pig. Then the tailor figured it out.
"Yes... Yes of course! You there!" He suddenly pointed towards the woman standing by the many dresses they'd brought, "Bring me dress P!" She nodded and quickly took out the dress he'd requested. After a few minutes and many 'ouches' Allen now wore 'dress P'. The two men looked at him and the dress. Then Cross motioned for the women by Allen to put on the veil, but this time behind his head and not in front of his face. Once done, they looked at their creation with satisfaction.
"That's the one."
"Perfect!"
He wanted to run. To run and never look back. He wanted to flee this place where his was humiliated and will once again be humiliated. Just as soon as he was allowed to dress in his normal – boy's – clothes; he ran. He ran through the palace, passed all the guards, both Aederian and Ligounian. People called for him to stop or to come back, but he didn't listen. He needed to get out of this place.
By some uncanny luck he arrived at the stables. He stood in front of the building, catching his breath, and then he walked in. He found Timcanpy in far back. He was anxious to get out, as no one had ridden him for one week and a half now. Allen quickly and with ease put the saddle on and then began to lead the horse out.
"What are you doing?" Allen could recognize that hard voice from anywhere. Kanda stood in the middle of the entrance, blocking Allen's escape.
"Taking my horse for a ride, problem?" Allen asked.
"Alone?"
"I can take care of myself", Kanda snorted as if saying 'yeah, right'.
"So wearing dresses and acting as a girl all these years were just a hobby then?" A smirk began to form on his lips.
"Shut up! You don't know anything!" Allen's anger quickly bruised up. He was just about to force his way past Kanda when he heard Link's voice calling for Kanda. Cursing at himself Allen looked around for a hiding spot. There were some barrels to the side and glanced at Kanda with panicked eyes and whispered harshly:
"I'm not here!" And just as Link reached the stables Allen jumped behind the barrels. Timcanpy sensed the urgency and began moving around worriedly, Kanda took hold of the reins to stop him.
"Your Highness, good thing I found you", Link said as he reached Kanda. The prince turned around and briskly asked:
"What is it?"
"I was just wondering if the Prince has seen Prince Allen anywhere. He disappeared so quickly after the... from his room", Link quickly caught himself. Kanda looked just as indifferent as usual as he answered 'no'. Link nodded but one could see his suspicions when he saw the prince holding the reins to his charge's horse. But he thanked him and left to look for Allen somewhere else. Allen emerged from behind the barrels when the coast was clear and was about to the take the reins from Kanda's hands when they were yanked from beyond his reach. He glared at Kanda who just said:
"I'm coming with you."
They had ridden for an hour and a half when they reached the river and the lone oak standing next to it. The horses could stroll freely and their owners sat by the large tree under the thick branches. Allen lied on his back looking up at the branches and the deep green leaves, Kanda had his back leaned on the broad tree-trunk. The weather was fine, sunny and almost cloud free. Summer birds could be heard from somewhere higher up in the tree, probably the baby birds screaming for food, the river flow continued lazily towards the south, towards the city the two had come from. The grass field stretched forever in all directions, a few hills here and there blocked the view somewhat, though. They'd been silent the whole way there. Kanda had managed to convince the soldiers to let them out of the city to Allen's surprise. Though he was glad it had worked. It had been so long since he had been alone... he glanced at Kanda who was gazing over the river; well, almost alone anyway.
"Why did you do it? I mean lying to Link", Allen suddenly asked, Kanda eyes found Allen's and after a few moments of silence he closed his eyes and relaxed his head against the tree.
"'Cause I felt like it", He wasn't telling the truth, but Allen knew, from years of knowing the other man, that Kanda probably wasn't sure of the answer himself. Silence fell over the two again. Allen remembered the other times he been here, by this tree. It was the second summer here that King Tiedoll had said that the kids could come here with a few guards and servants. "A little fresh air and change of scenery are always good" Allen remembered Tiedoll said to convince Cross and Mana that it was a good idea.
"Why did you act as a girl every year?" Kanda suddenly asked. The question took Allen by surprise, though he should know by now that that's what Kanda do; ask unexpected questions suddenly and with no warning.
"It wasn't by choice", Allen answered, still lying down on the grass. He took the following silence has a cue to continue.
"Apparently, in the beginning father had believed me to really be a girl, and it wasn't until later that they realized otherwise..." Allen chuckled, "Uncle said it was for fun. To trick you all... every summer."
"Probably not the only reason, when looking where we are now", Allen hummed in agreement. Kanda sat up straight, "Damn it, I should just take the horse and ride the fuck away from here. Never coming back!"
"Where would you go?" Allen calmly asked.
"Dunno. You should leave too."
"I can't", Kanda looked at him questioning, and Allen elaborated, "I have a duty towards my people, I can't just leave. You wouldn't understand since you're the youngest among your brothers and could probably do whatever you want because of that... but that's a luxury I don't have."
"So you're..." Allen sat up and turned to face Kanda.
"I'm going to go through with this wedding, however humiliating it is. I won't leave. If you do – fine. Do whatever you want." Kanda had to admit that the young man in front of him had got some guts. That's why he said:
"Fine, I'll stay."
I'll try to get the next chapters a bit more fast-paced. I don't want to be stuck with a 50+ chapters fic -.-'
And thanks to all who faved/alerted and reviewed this last month. It keeps me going ^^
Seya next chapter!
