Taken by Darkness

It took another week for young Ashley to get over his bout of the monthlies and begin to feel better. During that time, the Prince took it upon himself to learn more about him, and he decided to start with any of his family history he could find. Although it took him a while, he finally got his own father to admit that he knew more than what he let on.

Dillon Purdy was once the King’s best friend and closest confidant. He was a big catalyst in the King professing his love for Amy, which led to their wedding and the birth of their only son after a long courtship and betrothal. As a return of the favor a few years later, Christopher had helped him win the affections of the adolescent’s mother. Sirena Rainwater had been absolutely beautiful, and despite her obvious native heritage, she made a stunning Lady of the Court.

Over the next decade, Dillon spent more time on the battlefield or otherwise fulfilling duties rooted in his position of Head Knight than at home. His young wife was supportive in his career choice, not just because she loved him, but because he was supportive of her work as a midwife and healer in return. Although most of the occupants of Silverstone had thought them daft, they were content with the company of one another and not exactly concerned with starting their own family. That was how Sirena retained her virginity until the eve of their tenth wedding anniversary, which was when she finally decided to grace her husband with that most precious gift.

A month after that anniversary, the young woman realized she would be giving the equally young knight something far more precious than her virginity. Due to his departure for battle only two weeks before making the discovery, her belly was already slightly swollen with the child she carried upon his return. Knowing his wife as well as he did, Dillon knew the child was his and was excited to finally become a father. Even finding out that, if she bore a son, he’d have a special gift passed down through his wife’s family couldn’t dampen his spirits, nor the excitement he felt.

“So his ability to carry babes as a young lady would is no surprise?” Andy asked curiously.

“Not to those who knew his mother and her family well, no,” Chris answered, shaking his head.

“I wonder if that ability is natural, or was attained through unnatural means?” he pondered.

“That I have always wondered myself,” the King admitted. “It has occurred in the first-born son of every generation in Sirena’s family during the last two centuries. I doubt even Sirena herself knew the answer to that question.”

“But what about Lady Trista? Was she really the only one willing to take him in after you ordered he be brought here to the palace?”

“Trista was once the best friend of Ashley’s mother; they were as close as his father and I.” He made a gesture meant to bless the souls of the deceased. “However, she coveted Dillon and grew furious upon learning of his intent to wed her friend.”

“She is eaten alive with jealousy, even now, is she not?” the Prince asked.

“Yea, she is,” Chris answered. “She attempted to seduce him shortly before he wed Sirena. In the decade that ensued before Ashley’s birth, she did everything she could to ruin their marriage.”

Angered beyond all belief, he chose not to verbalize most of what was on his mind.

“When Dillon died in battle, I suspect her brother took his life while making it appear he died at enemy hands at her behest,” he continued. “Unfortunately, I never had any proof, so I could not order that he hang for treason.”

“What about when you ordered Ashley be brought to the palace?” Andy asked.

“I had received word someone intended to end Sirena’s life, as well. I knew that no matter where she went, she would never again be safe. Although I deeply regret leaving her alone and defenseless, I knew that the least I could do was ensure the safety of her son.”

Still, he was curious and confused as to how Lady Trista fit into the story now.

“Before my men could fulfill my order, Lady Trista accosted them in the street. She offered to take Ashley in, and with no proof she was the mastermind of Dillon’s death or the bounty on Sirena’s head, I could not stop her without arousing suspicion.”

“And only mere days later, you received word Sirena was found dead in their home, an obvious bullet hole in her head,” Andy said.

“Yea, and I have no doubt Ashley would have suffered the same fate, had I not attempted to have him brought to the palace,” the King told him.

Deciding he’d learned as much of the adolescent’s history that he didn’t already know as he could for the moment, the Prince excused himself from his father’s study. He felt the need to ponder what he’d learned thus far and decided if he should tell his romantic interest what he’d learned. Quite honestly, most of it was just speculation based on what his father felt were suspicious circumstances surrounding the events. Then again, it wasn’t like Chris’d given him any gory details they didn’t already know, and besides, the adolescent might know something that could help solve both mysteries, not to mention bring his parents’ murderer to justice, if they’d both truly been murdered.

One of the things Ashley’d told him over the past couple weeks was that he didn’t know if his mother’d been murdered, but now that he was older, he intended to find out. Considering that he’d never had a good feeling about Lady Trista himself, Andy’d promised he’d help him any way he could, even if it meant somewhat abusing his position and power as Prince. However, now knowing that particular Lady of the Court had been insanely jealous of his parents, he had an even graver and more pressing concern.

He was absolutely certain now that allowing the adolescent to return home could mean his getting cast out, if not worse. Unfortunately, now that he was almost over his bout of the monthlies, he would not be able to remain at the palace under the guise of illness for much longer. Lady Trista had inconveniently made her way back into society the previous day, saying her ill relative was now dead and buried. Without taking him on as a lady-in-waiting or marrying him, the Prince knew his welcome would soon run out and that his lingering longer would be most improper.

“Good morn, Lady Ashley,” he greeted, closing the guest chamber door behind himself after being given permission to enter.

“Good morn, Sir Andy,” the adolescent responded, sounding far more chipper than he had a week ago.

“I trust your sleep was restful?” Andy asked, returning his dazzling smile.

“Quite, thank you,” he answered.

“I have a few things that I wish to discuss with you,” the Prince told him, having made his decision.

Ashley merely gave him a confused expression, his brow cocked questioningly.

“Some of it is good, some of it is bad, but almost all of it revolves around your parents,” he explained.

“I am listening,” the adolescent told him, gesturing for him to join him on the sofa of the guest chamber’s little reading nook.

Andy nodded his thanks as he joined him, taking the utmost care to keep a proper distance between their bodies. Despite being a bit nervous about what his companion’s reaction could possibly be, he was determined to tell him about hwat he’d learned. It was quite the daunting discovery, but considering what he suspected might happen if he remained ignorant, he knew he had to.

Ashley felt horrified, appalled, and enraged as he listened to what the Prince was telling him. He’d told no one of the dreams he’d had repetitively since his arrival at the palace, dreams where he’d seen the moments of his parents’ demises. In some, he saw the events that’d happened through the eyes of his parents until the moments the life was drained from them. He never got a clear view of their killers, but his suspicions they’d been murdered were confirmed, as far as he was concerned. During others, he saw what happened through the eyes of the murderer.

By the time he’d recounted his tale, the Prince could see a change in his young companion. He saw the utmost determination in his normally soft chocolate eyes, an obvious desire to find his parents’ murderer and bring them to justice. Still, in addition to that, he knew he’d soon see both fear and anxiety in those eyes when he made his proposal. Of course the love he’d professed for him fueled his desire to wed, to protect him, but he knew the adolescent may not see it that way.

“I do have something more to discuss with you,” he said, gently grabbing his shoulder when he started to rise.

“Oh?” Ashley asked curiously, pausing in his attempt to rise.

“Yea. I know you do not take my warnings of Lady Trista lightly…” the Prince began.

“I would have to be a fool to do otherwise,” he assured him. “But I know I cannot remain here at the palace much longer without becoming employed or wed, lest my stay become improper.”

“Very true. If I am honest with both myself and you, I do not want to take the risk of sending you back to Lady Trista,” Andy admitted. “I fear she will cast you out, or worse.”

“But I love you too much to do something so improper as force you to wed a servant,” the adolescent said, tears beginning to well up in his beautiful eyes.

“As I love you, as I have loved you for the past decade,” he swore. “But think you I wish to see you starve or freeze to Death, much less meet the same fate as your dearly departed parents?”

“Mayhap I do not wish to wed just yet,” Ashley said, sounding a bit nervous.

“Ashley, I promise you that, should we wed for your safety and propriety’s sake, I will abide by any rules you put in place,” the Prince promised. “If you wish to remain in this suite, rather than join me in mine, so be it. If you do not wish to grace me with your virginity, as mad as it is sure to drive me, I will abstain or seek relief elsewhere, provided you allow me to. I would rather suffer or perish than force myself upon you, or force you into something you are not ready for.”

Hearing those words gave him quite a bit of comfort and reassurance since he trusted Andy and knew him to be a man of his word. “You would really do all of that just to ensure my safety?”

“All of that, and then some,” he swore. “I would even lay down my life for you, if I had to, for my love for you knows no bounds.”

Despite his anxiety at the thought of getting married, especially to the Prince of Silverstone, the adolescent grinned widely as he moved to give him a tight hug. He knew it was perfectly natural to be anxious right before such a life-changing event, and he supposed it was even more so when one’s betrothed was a decade older than oneself. That somewhat made Ashley wonder if they were really and truly betrothed, as he’d never actually said he’d wed him, but he didn’t rightly care. It seemed to him that, regardless of his response now, the Prince would wait patiently for the day his answer was Yea and do everything he could to protect him until then.

Since breakfast would be served shortly and both of them were growing hungry, Andy helped the adolescent up and to finish dressing for the day. Thankfully, he’d already donned his undergarments, chemise, and petticoats, so naught was improper or embarrassing. All the Prince had to do was help him into his selected gown, and pull and tie the laces as tight as he desired, then would come the time to escort him downstairs to the private dining hall for their meal.

However, he knew there was still going to have to be a meeting between him, his parents, and Ashley in the near future. In order to best protect the young, cross-dressing man, he knew he would have to somewhat abuse both his and his father’s power as Prince and King of Silverstone. Even with a special license, it would take the help of his mother and the servants to pull such a grand ceremony and reception together. As much as he hated the damnable things, Andy supposed the upcoming triennial gathering would be a good thing, indeed.

Notes