A Forbidden Engagement

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Dia Thames

The Beast lingers just beneath the surface~
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  1. Intermediate
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Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Primarily Prefer Male
Genres
Dark Subject Matter, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Romance, Fantasy (usually Urban fantasy, but I've done high fantasy before too), Horror
The royal family rules the kingdom of Albiat. A large nation with a huge land mass. But with the passing of the Court Mage, a new one is needed. One is appointed, but once the Prince and him meet, something sparks in them that leads to a forbidden romance.
 
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Since the beginning of Albiat, ten generations before, there had always been a king or queen. Someone of higher status to hand out duties to all who inhabited it's great stretch of land mass. And for all ten generations that had happened to be one relative or another of the current Prince. And that Prince now sat in his chamber, preparing for a meeting. He hated meetings. In fact, Prince Alden hated being situated in one location for too long. Though he had been required, as the heir, to attend his fathers meetings since he was twelve years old...he still found them incredibly boring. There was merit in them, as much as he hated to admit it. Though, it still didn't justify the obscenely extensive amount of time the old men of the Council spent gathered around a table bickering like old women about who's plan would be best for solving the current problem with the kingdom. But today, he was told that the meeting was going to be much different. It didn't help his motivation to attend, but he would have to, regardless.

Standing in the mirror, Alden looked over his attire for the meeting. It was an olive green tunic with brown trousers and a brown belt around his waist. Brown leather gloves went midway up his forearm and matching boots went midway up his calf. And to finish it off, an expensive looking cape hung around his shoulders and stopped at his ankles. A troubled look came into his silvery grey eyes. There was no way he was getting out of it, so he decided that he was just going to get it over with. Turning, he left the room and walked down the ancient corridor and to the throne room on the other side of the castle. There was only one reason he would be asked to the throne room for a meeting. Biting his lip, he stopped at the door. Since he had turned twenty and remained unmarried, his father the king was very eager to arrange a wife for his son. His hand rested against the door, and he was very reluctant to push the heavy wooden doors open. But he was late for the meeting as it was and didn't have time to delay any longer.

However, as he did, the sight before him was just as he was expecting. Rebecca, one of the dukes daughters was sitting at the table with her father and his own. Despite his best intentions, a sigh escaped his lips.

"Father..." he sighed. "You never spoke to me about this. Normally you inform me if we have visitors coming. Especially ones of this importance...."

His father motioned to the table.

"Alden, join us. We have much to discuss."

He frowned at the seat next to his father and despite his better judgement, shook his head.

"I'm not feeling well. I'm going to take my leave."

And without waiting for permission, he turned on his heel and hastily made his exit, the clicking of the soles of his boots echoing in the large, cavernous halls. The prince with rich chocolate brown hair made his way to the last place they would look for him, the library. Quickly, he pushed open the doors and locked them shut behind him. There wasn't supposed to be anyone here at the moment, but as he turned the corner of the first hallway, he saw somebody. Just who it was...he wasn't sure to be honest. But he hoped whoever it was would aid him in his attempt to hide from his fathers inevitable rage about it his sudden departure from the meeting.
 
Drexel sat in the library, hunched over a large book. The end of his pencil rested between his lips as his green eyes scanned over the ancient texts. He honestly didn't care for war machines or destructive magic, far too much could go wrong. He tried to keep up on his healing studies, but the sight of blood made him dizzy. Currently he was reading on ancient spells for growth and shrinking. The art hadn't been mastered yet, there were still quite a few limitations and processed had changed quite a bit since the book was published. It was still fansinating, at least to Drexel.

He pushed the sleeves of his gray-blue robe up once again. They looked niced, but weren't very practical. Often the long flowing sleeves would catch fire or dip into a potion. It was hard to run and easy to trip. Drexel wore it out of formality. His current choice wasn't horrible, the sleeves were decent and it only went down to his knees, showing his dark pants and we'll worn shoes. It was baggy and made his thin frame seem smaller.

Drexel did not hear the prince enter, he didn't notice the visitor until the other man was right in front of him. He looked up, startled. His green eyes grew wide. He stood with some commotion and bowed deeply.

"Sorry your majesty. I didn't hear you enter. Please forgive me" Drexel said, the words flying from his mouth. He waited a long moment before he stood, brushing his unruly red hair from his face.
 
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The man before him was dressed in robes, a grey-blue color. It looked very sharp, easily giving away his profession. He was a mage, but Alden didn't recognize the face. As far as he was aware, they had just buried the last one. The last mage had served his family for fifty long years...and they replaced him that hastily? It seemed a bit cold to the young prince. Regardless, he took a step forward and the man hunched over an enormous book finally looked up, noticing that he was standing there. As he did, he shot out of his seat and bowed deeply. A smirk came across the silver eyed man's lips and he chuckled a bit to himself as words poured from the mage's mouth. They were all a bit too fast for him, seeing as he didn't quite catch everything that was spoken to him. So he just waited until the man finished then stood up straight and brushed hair out of his face. At last, he could see the mage's features clearly, along with the lean build than accompanied it. If one thing was clear, he certainly wasn't built like a soldier. In that moment, he didn't think, nor did he want him to be anything but a mage. He was fine just the way he was. However, it wasn't like he knew him well enough to pass judgement on him anyways.

"There is nothing to forgive." he said in a casual tone, and waving a hand as if to brush away the formalities. "Relax. No need to be so formal. It's just me. I'm not king yet...thankfully."

He smiled, his shoulders falling a bit as he relaxed. His features softened and some light returned to his silver eyes. A sigh escaped his lips and he glanced over his shoulder, then back to the red-haired mage.

"I should probably ask first, but for now I'm going to assume your the new mage my father brought in. I really need you to do a favor for me...."

Just then, the doors to the library creaked open and there was heavy footfalls. A voice steeped with agitation rang out in the nearly empty, enormous library. It reverberated and echoed inside the prince's ear drums.

"Alden!" it called. In a hurry, he reached out and so casually touched his arm and leaned in closer, speaking in a hushed whisper.

"I need you to lie to the king for me. Don't tell him I was here. " he said. "It's very important that I remain free from that vile meeting."

Ducking past him, Alden slipped behind a near by book case and carefully began making his way back out of the library. Being as light on his feet as he could manage, he heard his father confront the mage. The king had come into the room and looked around before meeting the mage's eyes.

"Drexel..." he said in a much more formal tone than his son's. "Did the Prince pass though here?"

He looked him right in the eyes, expecting an honest answer. He felt he deserved from all of his subjects seeing as he was the king. Disobedience and lies would only be met with punishment. Severe punishment.
 
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Drexel did know the previous mage, though not well. Ockeghem visited the academy to give lectures. He spent time in a few of the more advanced classes, perhaps searching for his replacement. He was an older man who seemed kind enough, though Drexel never wanted to cross him. He passed away shortly after graduation, otherwise Drexel would have have been content to freelance for a time. He had no qualms serving a king, though his current situation was troubling.

On one hand, he could be honest to the king. The man was his current employer and had every right to behead him. On the other, the prince was his future employer, providing Drexel lived that long. The prince also requested it first. He knew neither the king nor Prince Alden well enough to judge from that who the better choice was. He also didn't know if Alden were playing a cruel trick on him.

Drexel bowed before the king, heart pounding inside his chest. It wasn't hard to make him nervous, to be honest. The current circumstances did not help.

"S-sire," Drexel stuttered. "A pleasant surprise to see you here, your majesty. I did see Prince Alden, actually, but it was very brief. In and out. Is everything alright, your highness?"

It's not really a lie. As long as the Prince stays behind the bookshelf, the king will leave and continue his search. Prince Alden did pass through, well, is in the process of. Drexel watched the king's reaction carefully.
 
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The king listened to his newly acquired mage, a frown permanently etched into his aged features. But if it were even possible, his frown grew deeper. His eyes narrowing a bit. He spoke again, his tone deep and gravely.

"No it isn't. The Prince us missing from a meeting regarding the future of this country. So, for its sake, his, and your own, answer me this. You wouldn't lie to me...would you Drexel?" He asked. "I trusted Ockeghem's recommendation, especially since he spent so much time at the academy seeking his replacement. I do hope you can live up to the expectations placed upon you." He said, his tone unwavering. "Should you spot the Prince again, you tell him it is in his best interest to attend his meeting. It is very important." Glancing over, he saw the enormous book laying open on the table, then looked back to him. "Carry on with your studies. My apologies that the Prince interrupted you. "

He turned on his heel and heavy footfalls sounded his exit from the library. Along with the huge clank of the heavy wooden doors. It was then, lighter footsteps came up behind the mage and the owner of them smiled. A sigh of relief escaping his lips. Alden had not slipped out, but was only hiding. He figured that if he left now, it was only a matter of time before one of the guards caught him and dragged him against his own will to be engaged to that woman sitting in the throne room. He could imagine worse In fact. It wasn't because she hideous, because any man would have envied him for having such a wife. It just seemed absurdly early to even consider being locked into a commitment of that caliber this early in his life. Surely he had plenty of years remaining to make that decision for himself. He wasn't a child anymore, but his father didn't seem to share his opinion on his maturity. It was then he spoke again, his tone a rich balance between tenor and baritone.

"I'm sure that didn't count as a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth either. Thank you...Drexel...was it?" He asked. "Normally Ockeghem would have ratted me out to my father. His reasoning was something like...responsibility for my post. But it isn't mine just yet. And that...I am thankful for." A bright look shone in his eyes. "I look forward to having you around! I think we will get along just fine. Especially if you can tell half truths like that to get me out of those obnoxiously boring meetings."

Turning, he went over to the book. He had learned to read, but these words scribbled across the page didn't make any sense to him whatsoever. However, that didn't stop his eyes from scanning the page.

"What are you reading? It's a bit early to be this in depth in a book like this...how long have you been here? Have you..read this whole thing?" He asked, blinking, curiosity in his silvery irisis.
 
(Sorry if there's error, im inbetween class on my tablet)
Drexel's heart pounded in his chest, as if by pounding hard enough it would eventually crawl up his throat and out of his mouth. The king comanded respect, from his foreboding size to bis permanent scowl. He was talented and skilled in his ability to persaude people people. Drexel was easily intimidated by him, but stayed true to his lie. He bowed respectfully once again.

"Your Highness, if I see him, I will certainly send him your way with haste. Take care and be well, Sire." Drexel said.

Drexel tried very hard to avoid politics as much as possible. They constantly changed, depending on the ruler or the time. Kings were especially hard to deal with. Forgetting to bow at the right time or not adding the right title could result in one loosing his head. There were people in the court you did not speak about, or did not speak ill of, or did not speak well of. If a king asked for advice, it was a double edged sword. Tell him the wrong thing, you're a dead man, tell him the right thing and there's a chance someone else is dead. It all made Drexel's head spin. He avoided it, whenever possible and spoke no moe than he needed to. So far it worked.

He watched the prince examine the large tome. Like his father, he had a pressence about him. Speaking seemed to come easy for him, he seemed likable and level headed. He was the sort of person people would follow, at least to Drexel. Unlike his father, a scowl was not yet etched into his young features. The king used fear and his power to his advantage, while Alden seemed much more likely to naturally charm someone into follwing him. Perhaps that's why he choose to lie for the prince. The man seemed young enough that a wild streak was still in him. The slow, long meetings were cerntainly painful, especially for someone probably daydreaming about noble quests with dragons and monsters. To the young mage, in their brief meeting, the prince did not appear to be avoiding the meeting out of spoiled selfishness, but rather, his heart was in another place.

"Drexel, yes sire.," he stuttered, playing with his sleeves, "Ockeghem left quite a few artifacts and notes. Most will go to the academy, but they need to be shrunk. The author talks mostly about growth, that's what his king wanted. The section on shrinking I've been studying is relatively small. Ockeghem was a very organized man, at least. Everything is cataloged already, with instructions for after his death on most. "

Drexel paused. "I've only been here a week. Adressing the collection will most likely take a month or more. The king doesn't have a long list of needs from me, for now at least. If I may inquire, sir, what meeting are you running from?"
 
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The young royal man could feel eyes examining him as his silver irises scanned the thick reading spread out across the table. He carefully listened to the young mage explain away the scribbles on the page before him. Even noting that the name he would need to commit to memory was correct. Looking over every scratch on the page, he tried to imagine he was reading the very same thing that was being explained to him. Growth and shrinking. Alden knew that someday he would need to know what these terms meant. Someday, he would have to rule the kingdom and his understanding or misinterpretation of the term could mean life or death.

But he was correct in saying that the previous mage was very organized. Even on one occasion, when he was much younger and playing in the library, he had knocked over the old man's countless pages of notes, sending flying in every which direction. As he had tried to pick the hand written pages up, he hastily became confused. Every page had looked identical. However, the mage had come over and because of the way he knew he had organized his years of research, was able to rearrange the notes in next to no time at all. It had amazed him, and still did...that someone could be so orderly. It made him wonder if this fiery haired mage was just the same? Or had he researched Ockeghem's method of organization?

Shaking the question from his head, his mind wandered back into reality and the Prince once again listened to Drexel. As he finished, a warm chuckle escaped his lips and he turned to him, stepping closer. He stopped only a mere three feet from him, dangerously close to encroaching on boundaries that might define personal space.

"Trust me, you will get busy very soon. He's probably letting you adjust before he pushes his lists of demands on you. You will have very little free time soon enough." He knew he was exaggerating a bit, but to him it seemed that the old mage always had his nose in a book or was fulfilling one of the kings countless requests. "But as for your question...." he bit his lip and sighed but managed at the very least to hold onto half a smile. The left half of his lips pushed up in an effort to hold it and prevent it from completely slipping away.

"It was a marriage arrangement meeting....my father wants be to marry a woman five years my senior and start producing heirs. So when I am old and grey I will have a capable heir to pass the crown onto when I die...However..." He said and forced the rest of the smile to return. " I don't plan on being buried anytime soon. Hell, I haven't even taken over for my father yet. I don't see the need to rush into a marriage, let alone have a child. Besides, I've only ever met this woman once before, many years ago..."

Stepping even closer, he reached out and placed a strong hand on the young mages shoulder, looking him in the eyes.

"Tell me, honestly, would you marry? As young as you are and have a child so soon in your life?" He locked eyes with him, genuinely wanting the other mans opinion. "What would you do if you found yourself in my situation? Would you return to the meeting and accept your fate of marrying a woman you hardly know and likely have a marriage plagued with lack of affection for each other for the rest of your years? Or fight it as long as possible and hope the next candidate is someone you believe you might be able to fall in love with?"

Alden knew marrying for love was unrealistic in the world of royalty. One was supposed to marry into money, titles, and status, to hold onto his own royal lineage. To 'keep the bloodline pure' was how his father worded it. But Alden wouldn't buy it. He wasn't exactly sure how marrying and having children with a woman of lower social status would 'dirty' the royal blood line. In his head, it made sense to think that once he married a woman, she became his queen, and therefore apart of his high class lineage. By all technicalities, it wouldn't dirty the bloodline . Even still the mahogany haired man looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer.
 
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Drexel watched Alden continue to examine his book. He needed to get Ockeghem's things taken care of as soon as possible. There was a need for organization in magic. There were so many books, scrolls, and notes that needed to be put away, then there were all the ingredients for potions. There were many systems mages had developed over time, rather it was sorting alphabetically or by type. Do you use the common name or the formal name? Drexel still worked hard to achieve the organization that Ockeghem had, although the man could have been on the side of obsessed.

As the prince stood closer to Drexel, the mage began to feel awkward. He toyed with his sleeves as the young man stood close, a sly sort of smile on his lips. He was handsome, with strong features, piercing blue eyes, and thick brown hair. He probably enjoyed fox hunting and fencing, things Drexel was sure he would fail at if given the chance. Alden's strong grip confirmed the assumption that he did some sort of sport. Was he demanding honesty, perhaps testing a potential friend or just toying with Drexel to see how much the red haired man would squirm.

Then there's the question. To marry for love or for power. Drexel never worried about it, honestly. He wasn't born into a rich family and he was the second son. Even his older brother did not worry too much about who to marry. The second issue was that Drexel had never truly liked a girl. He didn't have the same dreams some of the other mages boasted about in the dormitory back at the academy. What would he do with a wife? He knew so little about women or courting them.

"I suppose," Drexel said, his lips twitching as the searched for the right words. "That I would wait. You are the prince, you should choose when to marry and with whom. But I also imagine there are political ramifications that go with that. I would know them and know another way around them. She could be a very nice young lady, your highness, but I agree you have quite a few more decades before your hair starts to gray."

He offered the advice, trying to stay as neutral as possible. He tried to hold his hands as still as possible, knowing that his long, thin fingers were itching to play at his sleeves. His bright green eyes met the prince's, watching and waiting, as if he were a professor asking an exam question.
 
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Standing in close proximity to the mage, he noticed what he guessed to be a nervous tic. The red head used his skinny fingers to carefully pick at the long sleeves of his mage robes. But after a long awkward silence words finally left the lips of the man standing next to the prince. And Alden listened carefully to those words. Any man loyal to his kingdom as opposed to his king, would spout foolishness about what was best for his kingdom. That he should marry the woman waiting for him in the throne room because it would diplomatically benefit the kingdom.

However, the dark haired prince noticed that the mage was saying just the opposite. That he should marry who he pleased, when he pleased. But, also squeezed in that small detail that he should consider any diplomatic consequences should he not choose to marry a woman of high standing. Alden knew the mage was right and he could also be right about the woman his father wanting him to marry being very kind. But it was the fact he didn't know her that bothered him the most. He despised the idea of marrying somebody he didn't know anything about.

Locking his blue eyes with Drexel's green ones, he sighed and chuckled, still very light spirited.

"Thank you for that Drexel." He said casually. "Your right, I will think about it. Such an intelligent man should have ladies crowding him for the chance to be your wife. So, just out of curiosity...why is it that your not married? Your duties still allow for personal use of time...why not make use of your time to gather some company for the evening? Seems like you would do well for yourself."

He grinned a bit, an impish look in his eyes. If this man was to be his mage when it was his turn to rule, he would have no strangers in his midst. Besides, he was going to take a different approach to ruling than his father. Ruling through fear had it's benefits, but becoming the charismatic king that every citizen loved, that was his goal.

"Tell me about yourself. If Your going to be here for while, no use being strangers."
 
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(I can make it...one more week...to thanksgiving break *falls over dead)
Drexel's breath caught in his throat as the prince remained close to him. He tried to stop his long, thin fingers from moving wildly along his sleeves, but he failed. Prince Alden made him nervous. The young man was powerful, almost as if he weren't human. He was responsible for the entire country. Everyone talked about him in the palace, from who he danced with at a ball to what he ate for lunch. There was more fiction surrounding him than most of the books Drexel read growing up. Furthermore, Alden was handsome. Partly because he was physically attractive, but also because he he was charismatic. Even if Drexel had more authority, he couldn't stand close to someone and command his power like Alden did in that moment.

Drexel did not know how to answer the prince's question. Honestly, girls never paid much attention to him. Most of the time he was lost in his books. "Well, erm, sire, most women don't pay attention to me. I haven't had much interest in chasing one, to be honest, your highness."

To be completely honest, Drexel was beginning to think there might be something wrong with him. Other mages, although they worked hard, devoted part of their time to being with a sweetheart. The red haired man never felt a spark with a woman. He enjoyed the company of his male friends much more. Sometimes he thought about them in the way that his friends talked about women. He never told anyone, afraid of what they might say or do.
 
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Once again, the prince's eyes wandered to Drexel's sleeves. The mage had started up his nervous habit of wildly picking at the cloth that made up his flowing sleeves. The smirk on his lips spread and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Something about the red haired man was rather endearing. Immediately the Prince was quite satisfied with who had taken the deceased mages spot.

But as he waited for an answer the shy mage seemed to be getting increasingly anxious about answering the question he had been asked. The charming royal man wondered why, until it became obvious. His reasons poured, more like dribbled past his lips in a stutter. Alden inspected him and blinked, leaning in even closer, his face right near Drexel's. Typically whether the mage was attractive or not men or women flocked to them. Especially the king's mage. One would be insane to not want a life of comfort that would be ensured by the mage's hefty salary. Standing back up straight, he smiled widely and warmly at him.

"I simply don't believe it. Women don't flock to you? How can they not? A good looking intelligent man like yourself should have company every night!" He teased. "Now how about we fix that? After dinner this evening I want you to join me for some drinks! I will introduce you to the kingdom's finest young women. They will love you. " he said and gave him a warm pat on the shoulder. "Just meet me outside of my chambers after dinner this evening."

He sighed and then glanced over his shoulder, gazing briefly at the hulking library doors before meeting Drexel's eyes once again.

"Well, wouldn't want to spoil your reputation. You said you would send me back to my meeting so I will be on my way. I will keep your advice in mind. Your going to be a very wise mage. The kingdom is lucky to have you looking out for them."

He gave another confident pat on the shoulder then turned around and headed for the doors. Reluctantly he pulled them open and headed back to his meeting to decide his own and the country's fate.
 
Drexel couldn't find the words as the prince invited him out for the evening. He could only nod at his words and even that action was barely noticeable. The young mage did not feel he could tell the prince no. If your boss asks you to do something, it's most likely not optional, even if would be with someone else. Heat made it's way to his cheeks, turning them a bright red. Prince Alden surely noticed. As the prince wished him goodbye, he could barely mutter a sentence.

"Thank you, your highness. Have a nice day." He stuttered, playing at his sleeves.

As the prince left the room, Drexel let out a sigh. He sat back down at his books, hardly able to pay attention to what was written on the pages. He ran his long fingers through his thick red hair. The heat slowly drained from his cheeks, allowing them to return to their usual peachy color.

"What will I wear?" He mumbled. Most of his fine clothes were wizarding robes. He had an old suit, but it was very dated. He skimmed through his wardrobe in his head.

"What will I do with my hair? Oh, goodness, this is far too much to worry about." He said leaning back in his chair. He glanced over to the candle that sat on the side of his desk. It had melted down beyond halfway since he originally sat down. His time with the prince couldn't have taken that long, he had probably been studying more than half the day. To confirm his theory, his stomach gave a loud gurgle, signalling that it was time for a late lunch.
 
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Reluctantly he had returned to his meeting, but only to not make his new red headed mage look bad. It was entirely on his account. Unfortunately, the man and his daughter was all too willing too forgive his brief and rather hasty exit. They still wanted to follow though with the engagement. So it was done...and he was sure word would travel fast though the country's citizens about the impending ritual of tying the knot. The ritual that would end his days of being a bachelor....unfortunately. Despite that he was still intending on going to meet the women and Drexel tonight.

Dinner hours dragged on and on as he was forced to sit and socialize with his bride to be. Truthfully, he felt horrible. He was going to have to take a woman as his bride that he could never love. She would never have her feelings returned. It was unfortunate...really. As dinner finished and she excused herself he slipped out as well and hurried back yo his room as to not be caught up in another dull, forced conversation. Reaching his room he locked the door and dressed down into less formal clothing. Time ticking away he awaited the mage to arrive. He was rather excited to get going.
 
Drexel stood in front of a polished brass mirror, messing with his thick red hair. No matter how he poked and prodded, it would not do anything that looked suave or manly. He finally settled on letting sit and do as it will. He settled on wearing a plain pair of pants with a blue tunic. It wasn't anything fancy, nothing that he imagined would be in Prince Alden's wardrobe by a long shot. He examined himself in the mirror, bright green eyes scrutinizing every detail, from the faint hint of bags under his eyes (from too many hours reading by candle light), to the small mole on his left cheek.

The young mage wondered through the halls of the castle, to the door of the prince's chambers. He studied the large tapestry hanging in the hallway, trying to act as if he belonged there. There were quite a few rules within the castle, some so obscure he couldn't quite recall them. Servants were suppose to be in once place, while the royal family in another. His position was above valet, but Drexel wondered if standing in this hallway was something that could get him killed or fired or scolded. He ran over in his head what he would tell someone, should they inquire.
 
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