Team: Holyhead Harpies

Position: Chaser 3

Prompt: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Write a Royalty!AU

Optional prompts:

(pairing) Marcus Flint/Theodore Nott

(setting) The Owlery

(emotion) afraid

Word count: 2104

Trigger warnings: Major character death

Semi finals babyyyyyyy! The Harpies made it another round and we're back with a vengence! Royalty AU! was a bit of a struggle to figure out but I hope you enjoy this little ficlet. Also, I ain't no Tudor grandgrandgrandkid, so maybe don't scold me on my terminology?

The biggest of beta hugs to my team but especially owlwaysandforever and arcane illusions!

Theo wished he could remember the days when he hadn't lived in constant fear. Be it fear of the wrath of his father, of failing at his duties, of being found out, terror had been the only constant so far in his life, the one friend he could truly count on.

It was just part of the deal though, with being the future king's advisor. He and Prince Harry had basically grown up together, Theo only a couple of years older, and he'd known from a young age what his duties were — Lord Nott Sr had made sure to beat it into him at every opportunity. They had grown up together but they could never be friends, Theo was aware that he would always be inferior, there only to serve his master's every whim.

Harry had never treated him differently though. The prince was a different breed than any of the royals Theo had met in his short time on Earth; kind, honest, caring, bold, with a great disregard for rules but a heightened sense of duty. That last attribute, though, Theo wished Harry hadn't had to learn the way he had.

When King James and Queen Lily had perished, the kingdom was almost brought to its knees with grief. And so was little Harry, barely a teen at the time, not ready to say goodbye to his parents yet. Theo still remembered the way the prince had cried himself to sleep, only to wake up wailing a few moments later when no dream was good enough to escape his nightmarish reality.

Theo had been there then too, his chambers adjacent to the prince's ever since he'd turned fifteen for maximum efficiency. Theo had been the one to hold him, to try to piece him back together, to try to explain to a broken kid why the world had been so cruel to him, even though he was barely more than a kid himself. That had been the first time in Theo's life that the fear of his father had been trumped by something else: the fear of failing Harry.

"Daydreaming again, Nott?"

His latest source of fear interrupted his train of thought as Marcus Flint walked into the courtyard. When the king had passed, Harry had been too young to take the reins so the advisor to King James, Lord Riddle, had taken over as regent, with his adopted son Marcus taking on the role of his advisor. There had been murmurs, gossip going around about whether Lord Riddle was involved in the tragic accident or not, but no concrete evidence had been found. Not that he'd let them look: ever since he had taken over the kingdom, Lord Riddle kept a very tight leash on all his subjects.

Theo had never trusted the man, no matter how charming and charismatic he was to the public, and he trusted Marcus even less. The young man had none of his father's qualities, coming off exactly as cruel and brutish as he was. There was always a malevolent gleam in his eyes and Theo had been wary of the older boy ever since he'd arrived at court, long before Riddle had ascended to the throne.

"It's none of your business, Flint. Did the king give his lapdog a break? Are you off to terrorise the stable boys again? You know, with how much you bully that Wood boy, someone might say you're obsessed with him." One thing Theo had always had going for him was his wit, the facade working wonders to hide how terrified he was of the man and his evil intentions.

"Takes one to know one, Nott. Or do you think I haven't noticed how you act towards the young prince?" Marcus' smirk was menacing and Theo felt his blood freeze in his veins. He tried to school his expression before Flint realised how close to home his words had hit but, judging from the greedy gleam in the advisor's eyes, he was too late.

Cold sweat ran down his back, doom scenarios flashing in his head in rapid succession. The prince's eighteenth birthday was only a couple months away and he'd known Lord Riddle was looking for any excuse to keep the throne to himself but he'd never expected he'd give them that excuse. If word got out that the prince was consorting with someone so far below his status, Lord Riddle would have ways to twist reality and paint him as a traitor to his kingdom. They wouldn't even need proof, that could be easily fabricated as long as it was based on a crumb of truth.

And it was, damn him, it was. What had started as a close friendship based on shared trauma had quickly escalated on Theo's part and his affection for the future king had been one of his closest kept secrets. He hadn't shared anything with Harry, of course; Theo knew he had no right to. It was just a silly fantasy, his gender alone would be an insurmountable obstacle even if he was someone on Harry's social standing. A lowly advisor lusting after his prince? That was ridiculous. But he couldn't help it. And now his traitorous heart could cost this kingdom a fair ruler, could cost Harry his life.

Marcus cackled, Theo's reaction saying more than his words ever could. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. If I were you, I'd watch myself, advisor. Such a precarious position to put yourself in. And Prince Harry? Such a shame to ruin his life like this."

Flint laughed as he left the courtyard, the sinister sound sending chills down his spine.

Oh God. What had he done?

The palace was always a busy place, bursting at the seams with royals and servants and all sorts of people rushing about. It was always loud, almost too loud, the noise invading every waking thought.

There was no place to be alone, to have a private conversation, to take a moment for yourself. Theo didn't feel safe, not even in his private chambers, knowing some prying eyes and alert ears were constantly lurking. But he'd found his own secret oasis, only a few minutes away from the main castle.

The Owlery was a little haven masked behind loud caws and a foul stench. People of the palace didn't linger there, just popped in and out to do their business, unwilling to sully themselves with such filth. Which was why Theo loved it so much. He wouldn't trade the peace it brought him for even the wildest of riches.

At first, he'd been confused about why the kingdom used owls instead of pigeons. However, hanging out amongst the temperamental birds, he couldn't help but notice their intelligent and human-like nature. If you were kind to them, they'd be kind to you. If you were mean? They would never forget. He often wished they were able to talk back to him in the many times he bared his soul to them.

"Oh, Hedwig, how could I allow myself to be played like that?" he muttered to the prince's owl as he carefully brushed her feathers. "It doesn't matter that I didn't admit it, he knew, I could tell he knew. He looked at me like a greedy cat eyeing a trapped mouse, ready to pounce but enjoying the sadistic game as well. All I've ever wanted to do was protect the prince, at all costs, and now…

I know I shouldn't love him like I do, I know. But how can you not? He's got such a kind and gentle soul – and he cares, he really cares. Which is how I know he'll be an excellent king one day, which is why I can't be the cause of his downfall like this."

"You're right, Nott." Theo stiffened at the sudden noise, alarm bells ringing in his mind at the all too familiar, threatening voice. "It didn't matter that you didn't admit it. But it doesn't hurt that you have now."

"Flint," Theo muttered under his breath as his rival stepped out of the shadows. The owls cooed and hissed in his direction but the king's advisor didn't seem phased, his vindictive smirk unwavering.

"I could have you arrested right now, you know." Marcus continued as he advanced, like a predator that had finally cornered its prey. Theo took step after step backwards, quickly finding himself trapped by the ledge of the window. A glance behind him was all it took for the deadly height of the tower to register and fear to bloom in his heart. "You and that traitorous prince of yours."

"Prince Harry is the rightful heir to the throne, in case you and your master have forgotten." He meant to sound intimidating but Theo's voice was broken off by a whimper.

"Oh, please," Flint scoffed and rolled his eyes, cocky and arrogant like every conqueror. "He is weak, much like his father and his mother. Good thing they sank to the bottom of the ocean when they did, I'm only sorry their pathetic son wasn't with them."

Whether his outburst surprised Marcus or himself more, he couldn't tell. "Don't you dare speak about him like that!" Theo pushed forward, shoving the older man back in a sudden surge of ferocity.

"You dare lay your hands on the king's advisor?" Even Flint's laugh was cold, as if every pore of his being oozed malice and cruelty. "But worry not, maybe King Riddle will be gracious enough to have you hanged side by side with that vermin lover of yours."

The struggle that ensued was a blur. He didn't know where he found the bravery to lunge at Marcus, maybe hanging out with the young prince had rubbed off of him more than he'd realised. Theo had never been the most athletically gifted, however, and Flint quickly got the upper hand, trapping him in a headlock.

The pressure on his windpipe was harsh and unrelenting, Flint obviously willing to kill him on the spot. And why wouldn't he? No one would blame him, not the king's right-hand man. As his vision started blurring, something snapped in Theo and he elbowed Marcus in the side, shoving him backwards with all his might the moment the chokehold on his neck loosened.

Marcus tripped back, one step, then another. Theo watched, petrified, as Flint's knee met the ledge, as he grabbed at empty air trying to steady himself, as he fell into the abyss. The sound of that final scream, fading away with the distance before being forever silenced by the sickening squelch of bone giving way to the harsh ground, would haunt him forever.

Oh God. Oh God!

He'd killed the king's advisor. He was a murderer. A cold-blooded killer. He'd be tried and convicted, sentenced to be hanged or burned alive or starved to death in one of those cages hanging above the entrance to the palace walls so that everyone could see him suffer or he'd be tortured to death or—

"Theo?"

His head turned so fast that his neck ached. Oh, how he wished to be the lifeless body at the bottom of the tower as he stared into his prince's wide eyes. "P-Prince Harry. I-I-I, I didn't, he, I—"

Oh Lord, how long had Harry been here? Had he seen Theo shove Marcus out the window? Had he seen him attack the older man first? Had he been here long enough to hear Marcus' evil plans? Or maybe he'd even heard Theo's confession?

Fear of his punishment shifted to fear of judgement; Theo would rather die a thousand deaths than have to face the pity in Harry's eyes, the ridicule as the prince realised the true, depraved nature of Theo's feelings towards him. He closed his eyes, willing himself to disappear, to become one with the walls of the Owlery, fade away from society forever.

A hand slid in his, the touch of skin on skin electric, the warmth invigorating. Theo opened his eyes again, too stunned to speak as Harry squeezed his hand, fingers reaching down to Theo's wrist and pressing firmly on his pulse point. He hadn't realised how fast his blood was pumping, how hard his heart was beating against his chest, until that moment.

It was as if Harry's touch was magic — the chaos in Theo's mind dulled to a murmur, his heart slowing until he could breathe again.

"It's okay, Theo. I saw it all. It's okay. You're okay."

He didn't remember having felt like this before, not even once. He had never felt safe. For the first time in his life, Theo wasn't afraid.