Tropetember Day 15. Arranged Marriage with Scott & Penny. A Kingdom of Mouryn – A Thunderbirds Royalty AU fic.
'My Lord the Crown Prince, my Lord Chancellor requires your presence in the Great Hall.'
Scott refused to look up from the desk he was sat at. He was reading a missive from one of the trade guilds, but inside he was fuming. How dare he be summoned in such a manner! He ignored the man and carried on until he gave a cough.
'My Lord?'
'Yes? What is it? I am busy.'
'My Lord Chancellor requires…'
'Requires?'
The man faltered, seeming to understand that he'd stepped over the line.
'Re-requests, My Lord.'
'My Lord?'
The edge on Scott's voice finally got through. It wasn't often that he insisted on his correct title but the man's cocky demeaner had angered him. He sat back and watched the man. He could see the thoughts going through his head and the exact second he realised what he needed to do. He bowed low.
'Your Royal Highness, I apologise for my language.'
'I accept your apology. This time. Please tell the Lord Chancellor I will be on my way imminently.'
The man bowed again and exited, and Scott sighed. If Gaat was calling a meeting in the Great Hall then more people than himself would be invited. He'd need to dress for the meeting, but as usual Gaat was trying to get him on the backfoot – by not telling him what the meeting was how could Scott know how to dress?
In the end Scott picked his most comfortable semi-official outfit, one similar to some that he'd seen Kyrano wear on occasion. A long flowing pale blue tunic over loose-fitting dark blue pants. He reached for his small crown and then hesitated. He had every right to wear it, but like his father's – *his* official crown – he hated to wear it unless he had to.
Scott left without it.
The hallway echoed with his measured but slightly hurried footsteps. Not that anyone but a family member could tell, but Scott could hear the difference and it irked him to be placed in this position.
Scott hated it when Gaat sent one of his personal guards to 'fetch' him. Not because he felt as Crown Prince that such summons were beneath him, but because, as time passed and the King, his father, stayed missing, the Lord Chancellor's meetings became more frequent, more demanding and more cunning.
He had taken to wearing his sword on his person at all times. While Scott didn't think Gaat would act directly against him, the growing animosity and annoyance between them meant Scott wasn't about to take a chance. Secretly he had Hiram Hackenbacker, his Chief Scientific Advisor, working on adding something to his clothing for more protection against a skilfully thrown knife.
The entrance into the chamber was more dramatic than Scott intended as the main doors banged open and he strode into the room. All sound stopped and Scott looked around the room.
He wasn't the only one who had been summoned to the main chamber. All this brothers, his Grandmother plus Lord and Lady Creighton-Ward and their daughter Penelope were there.
Scott was the last one to arrive, which irritated him somewhat, but the frowns on the faces of his family and friends told Scott that they had no more knowledge about why they had all been summoned than he did. He walked to his seat, nodding to everyone in greeting as he did, and sat just as the Lord Chancellor Gaat swept into the room dressing in his full formal clothes, flanked by his personal guards.
Gaat looked around him and inwardly smirked. He was going to enjoy this.
'My Lords and Ladies,' he began with a bow. He ignored the youngest prince's eye roll and kept focused on the Crown Prince and the fourth-born while still managing to look like he was sweeping the room.
'Your Royal Highness, it is six months before you turn 21. As is law, if you have not married by your birthday you will forfeit your kingship and kingdom.'
As expected the room erupted.
Scott didn't have time to socialise, to meet anyone outside of official kingdom business, how was he supposed to find a bride? He knew that his parents had been a love match and he wanted the kind of marriage they had. It had been idyllic, how could he want anything less?
He listened as Virgil and Gordon talked over each other making roughly the same remarks. John stayed silent, as was his norm, but he was frowning in thought, and Alan just looked annoyed that his big brother should have to concern himself with such a thing – yeah, Alan hadn't yet grown out of the 'girls are yuk' stage yet.
Grandma and Lord and Lady Creighton-Ward looked troubled, and Penny's face mirrored John's. It was no wonder the two were such good friends, they could have been twins.
Scott looked at them all and frowned.
Gaat listened to the eruption of noise all around him, keeping his eyes on the floor as if awaiting instructions. The dissonant voices pleased him no end, but he was building up to a bigger score, so he let them talk and talk until there was nothing more to say.
Only then did he look up at the Crown Prince's face. Scott looked troubled. Gaat sniffed to hide his glee. Now to lay the killing blow.
'My Lords and Ladies, much needs to be planned and there is little time, but I think we are all forgetting something.'
'And what would that be, Lord Chancellor?'
Right on cue Lord Creighton-Ward spoke up, and Gaat turned to him and inclined his head.
'We are all forgetting, Lord Creighton-Ward, that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has ever been destined to marry one Lady since the day she was born. It has ever been arranged since her birth.'
The man paled at the words, and he wasn't the only one. The Grand Queen Regent pinched her nose and screwed up her eyes and Scott leapt to his feet.
'No! The Lady Penelope is one of my closest friends, but I have no intention or interest in marrying her! No offence, Penny.'
'None taken, Scott. I feel the same.'
At his words Gordon turned positively grey, but the youngster knew his place and held his tongue.
'Your Royal Highness, you will have little choice if you wish to retain the kingdom that has belonged to your family for hundreds of years.'
Scott looked to Gordon in desperation. His brother met his eyes but then looked away, getting up and excusing himself. Scott wished he could follow, but this needed sorting. Now.
He looked apologetically at Penny, who looked as pale as Gordon had. No. He would not do this to them. He could not do this. There had to be another way. Scott looked around the room, at the people gathered and the paintings and tapestries on the wall.
One tapestry in particular caught his eye and Scott made a decision.
'We have time. Call forth the noblewomen, the ladies, every woman of the right age from our lands and beyond. Every woman of any standing shall attend. We will meet, we will dance and maybe…maybe we will fall in love.'
Scott surveyed the room. He could do this. He would do this for them all, for his people and his parents, but mostly for his brother. He stood tall.
'Lord Chancellor, send out the word. One month from now we shall hold a ball the likes of which this kingdom has never held before.'
'As you wish, my Prince. But if you do not choose, if you do not 'fall in love' as you say, then you and my Lady Penelope may have little option.'
Gritting his teeth, Scott swept from the room, praying that the trembling of his legs did not betray him.
To marry?
To marry Penny?
To marry the woman his younger brother loved?
It wouldn't come to that.
Scott would make sure of that.
He didn't see the angry flash of yellow in Gaat's eyes, nor see the man's face change as Gaat formulated a plan.