The Berth of Birth (closed for spawnofdavey)

[asetikish]

Alessa wiped her nose with the back of her hand smudging dirt over her face, contrasting her cream-colored skin and bright red cheeks from the cool night. She was able to pickpocket a few more coins today so she can split with some of her orphan friends who had nothing to show for. Strangely though, the line to give Mr. Big their change of coin was not there. Instead, she saw the four small children who had the misfortune of needing to secure ten coppers before dinner huddling at the corner of the room with two of Mr. Big's older children guarding the door to his room.

She headed to her people and huddled along with them. "What happened?" she asked, curious.

"They brought in another kid. But he's not like us," one of them said.

"Yeah, he was wearing really rich clothes. Like a noble or something."

Alessa blinked. A noble? They were getting nobles to steal? Curiosity itched at the back of her brain and she looked at her fellows looking all sullen and nervous. "No coins today?"

The others shook their heads. She understood. Stealing was so much harder now that patrols were sent in the markets. Two of them had already been caught three weeks ago and they haven't been seen since. She fished out most of her coins and laid it on the floor. "Here, divide it among yourselves." She stood.

"Where are you going?"

Alessa grinned. "I'm going to see this noble."

Before any of them could say anything in return, Alessa went out and around the building and saw the shuttered slatted window where Mr. Big's room was. It was too high for her, but there was a pile of stuff along the alley. She took them and piled them up just enough so that she could see through the slats.

Through them she saw a broken image and heard Mr. Big sneering more than she could see him do it.

"Call the King of Gardaroth. Yes," he nodded to himself. "Yes, that would be the best. We could tell him we have the king's son and if he wants to have the kid to have leverage, they could pay us! Asking the king for ransom is much too risky. But the King of Gardaroth is a rival kingdom that Beritania just can't storm with all its soldiers." He looked at his other lackey in the room. I don't care how you do it, but we must send a message to him. tell him we can hand him the prince so he could have something over our king."

Mr. Big ranted on and on about his plan to sell the prince to their rival kingdom as he went out of his room leaving a kid--supposedly the prince himself--tied hand and foot in a corner of the room. As soon as the doors closed behind Mr. Big, Alessa lifted the latch with a thin piece of wood and opened the window finding the prince trying to get out of his bonds.

"Prince Matteus?" Alessa called out to the boy as she climbed in keeping a watchful eye at the door. "Is it really you?" Her dark hair was a mess of matted tangles giving her the appearance of a black-haired, blue-eyed little demon with the eerie lighting in the room.

 

[spawnofdavey]

His baby brother had been the centre of his mother’s attention yet again and his father, King Tybor II apparently had more important things to attend to than his young son.

As usual Matteus had been left in the care of his servants and had quickly become bored with their games. He had excused himself from the royal suite for a moment under the pretence that he was going to the royal lavatory, but had quietly slipped downstairs to the kitchens and after taking one of the plain serving boys cloaks from the wooden peg by the door, he had snuck out of the keep and out into the sprawling city that surrounded the royal residence.

Wrapping the cloak about his normal clothes, Matteus had made his way into the city, quickly finding himself in one of the large market places. He lost himself in the hustle and bustle of the market, looking around at the peasants as they went about their daily lives, all very different to his rather cloistered existence in the keep.

He wasn’t sure exactly how long he’d been wandering when he caught the attention of a group of children. In his wandering, his cloak had come undone and his rather expensive looking waistcoat and beautifully embroidered silk shirt had been uncovered, most likely that was what had drawn the urchin’s eyes to the otherwise unremarkable looking boy as he wandered the busy market square.

Before he knew it, the naïve prince had been surrounded by the group and ‘accidentally’ tripped over by one of them. With the adults going about their daily business, nobody paid heed to the childish horseplay going on and Matteus was bundled out of the marketplace, his stolen cloak being used to disguise the fact he was being abducted very much against his will.

His world spun upside down and into darkness as someone punched him hard in the belly, winding him and stifling his feeble cries for help as he was carried off through the twisting alleyways into the dark underbelly of his father’s capital city.

He lost consciousness at some point and came around in darkness. He tried to stand, but realised that was a futile effort as he felt rope tightly bound around his ankles and wrists. He cried out several times, but the only answer he got was a string of curses and a boot to the belly.

Time passed and at last someone did come, though his demands for release to his father, the king were ignored and Matteus’ voice broke and he pleaded with his captors, much to their delight.

Crying weakly he was dragged to another room where an older man, lank haired and filthy looking, was happily telling some of his subordinates of his plans to sell little Matteus to the king of Gardaroth. Panic took over, as Matteus had heard his father speak of the brutality of the Gardaroth realm all too often lately. He fell to the floor in the corner of the room, oblivious to what else was going on, his mind working overtime on how he could escape such a terrible fate.

Suddenly the room had emptied and he was left alone with his thoughts. Quickly, well as quickly as he could manage, he got to his knees, looking for something, anything he could use to cut his bonds. He froze as a noise from a nearby window caught his attention and a wild haired young waif of a girl suddenly joined him in the room calling his name.

He wasted no time in wondering how she dared address him by name, but simply nodded at first, more tears streaking his cheeks.

“Yes, yes..” He confirmed. “Please, you must help me.. If the king of Gardaroth gets me I’m better off dead. I’ do anything you ask, just please help me…”

 

[asetikish]

Alessa couldn't believe it! He was a prince. A real prince! She had never met any noble before so she stood there thinking if she was supposed to curtsy or not. Mr. Big's shout shook her back to the present. The prince looked beaten down and, like the rest of them, treated like dirt. But unlike she and the rest of the orphans, he had a place to come back to. He had a family. And he was going to be their ruler when he grew up. The prince did not belong here. She, however, had nowhere else to go.

Besides, if she took away Mr. Big's prize, it would be worth to see his frustration and anger at having lost such a prize. They would get higher quotas, but he always gave them higher quotas anyway. It was petty revenge, but it was still revenge.

"O-okay..." She looked around and saw nothing that could help, but maybe she saw... "Wait here. I'll be right back."

She climbed back up the window and searched the alley for a piece of discarded metal she saw a while back, sharp enough on one end. Once she found it, climbed back in, careful of not making too much noise and put a finger to her lips as Mr. Big stopped shouting.

"Shh," she whispered cutting the ropes on his feet. "Once I cut this, we run. He might come back before we can cut your hands loose. Okay?" She winced as the metal dug to her small hand, but she kept on sawing at the rope, back and forth. Back and--snap!

She helped him to his feet and, obviously in pain, held onto him to support him as she pushed him up and over the window and out into the alley. "Sorry," she whispered as he got to his feet struggling with his hands still in bondage. "This way," she led him down the alleyways, knowing that if she could only get to the new knight in charge of the marketplace security, everything would be alright.

Bringing along the prince, Alessa's heat beat wildly in her chest. They were not going fast enough, but it was the fastest they could go with him injured and hands still tied.

They were almost to the new knight's lodging when one of Mr. Big's older kids stepped in front of them, his eyes filled with malicious glee.

"You're really a lot of trouble, aren't you?" he said. "Mr. Big would love to get his hands on you."

Alessa's heart hammered in her chest. They we close! So close! But maybe... She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Run to house with the red roof! Ask for help!" She pushed him to the side and tackled the big kid on his legs toppling them both to the ground. "Run!" She shouted, encircling her arms around his legs and grabbing her wrists to hold him in place.

"Let me go, you snot-nosed twit!" the larger kid hit her on the side of her head. She felt dizzy and light-headed, but she held onto his legs.

 

[spawnofdavey]

Matteus felt his heart sink for a moment as she left him alone once again in the room, but his despair was mercifully short lived as the girl returned and began explaining her plan, such as it was.

It seemed to take an eternity for the rope to give in against her sawing, but eventually it did and following her direction the pair made it to the window.

He winced in pain as she ‘helped’ him through the window, pain shooting across his ribs as he landed in the filthy alley on the other side of the window. He felt her support his weight as they clambered to their feet and started through the maze of alleys leading away from the crime boss’ house. His knees almost buckled several times and he was acutely aware that the longer they were out in the open, the more likely they would both be caught and in a worse situation than before.

He wasn’t really sure where she was taking him, but the girl seemed to know where she was going. He was about to thank her for her daring rescue when the pair let out a gasp of horror as a teenage ruffian blocked their path, confirming Matteus’ worst fears.

His shoulders slumped, but with surprising bravery the girl stuck out her chin in defiance and shouted at him to run while tacking the far larger boy to the ground and clinging on like her life depended on it. He picked himself up and turned to run, hearing her cry of pain as the older boy struggled to break free of her hold.

He looked back, caught it two minds for a moment. On the one hand, he knew he should find the house she spoke of, and run to safety but on the other hand the girl would be lucky to escape with her life once that filthy old man had her back in his clutches again. Against his better judgement Matteus turned back to the urchins tussling on the floor and with all the energy he could summon up, kicked the older boy in the face, hard.

The lad went limp, his thrashing stopped allowing the dark haired girl let go. Matteus, breathed heavily as his heart pounded in his head, not sure if he’d killed the boy or not. Never mind, he thought, he would have killed the girl most likely.

“Come on.” He shouted, “I promised you anything for your help, least I can do is to see you safe with me!” He said, trying to help her up with his bound hands. “Once we get to that house I can tell them you’ve helped me, my father will see you are rewarded…”

 

[asetikish]

Alessa's head was still swimming when suddenly, everything jerked to a stop. She blinked. White spots still over her eyes as she saw the big kid on the ground.

What just...

Above her, the prince himself was saying something. She couldn't quite get it with her ears still ringing and her head full of wool. But she did hear him say "Come on." She nodded and stood a little wobbly on the knees, the pair of them making a laughable, beaten up pair if they weren't hurting so much. Together, they stumbled through the street to a large blue door just as the other kids of Mr. Big pointed in their direction.

"Help!" Alessa screamed a high-pitched shrill sound. "Please help!" She pounded on the door with her fists. "Open up please, sir!"

The large kids were gaining on them, behind them, Mr. Big had a nasty snarl on his face. Alessa screamed another shrill scream and the door opened revealing a mussed up man in his night clothes. "What in the name of..." he sighed looking at the two children looking worse for wear. "This better be good," he muttered looking back at the boy with a nagging feeling he had seen him before.

Alessa latched onto the man's leg, looking up at him with her big doe eyes. "Please sir, you have to help him. They took him and they said they were going to sell him!"

Behind them, Mr. Big and the other older kids backed up into an alley to wait for their chance. They were not going up against a knight.

"So what? It happens," the knight muttered.

"You don't understand! He's the prince!"

The knight guffawed. "That's rich! Try again."

"I'm telling the truth!"

The knight opened his mouth when soldiers from the palace came trotting down the street, one of them headed in his direction. The man handed him a piece of paper with the wax seal of King Tybor.

"Sire, there has been a grave--" he paused, looked at the children at the door and his eyes focused on the child. "Y-your highness!" He knelt before the boy prince and quickly took out a knife to cut off the rope binding his arms. He called the rest of the retinue and they entered the knight's house, Prince Matteus properly doted on as he was recognized by those working in the palace.

Alessa let go of the knight's leg. The prince was safe! She saved the prince! Well, the prince saved her too, but...she smiled. She did well. And now, it was time to run for her own life. She swallowed, suddenly frightened as she slowly backed out of the knight's abode. Her mind thinking about where she could hide as tears welled up in her eyes driven by fear...

 

[spawnofdavey]

The relief Matteus felt when the knight opened the door was almost physical. He almost feinted as the adrenaline left his body and the next few minutes were a blur for him. He let his father’s men wait on him, bringing him food, medicines and changing his clothes. It was only when he heard the girl crying that he remembered her as she stood by the door, the knight towering above her.

“Wait.” He said, his voice cutting through the hubbub of the room. It looked as if she was going to be sent out onto the streets once more, at the mercy of the street gang she once ran with.

He walked over to the knight, wincing as his ribs protested and his foot throbbed where it had connected with the boys hard skull.

The knight turned to him, ”Your highness?” The man asked?

“Do you know this… girl?” He asked.

“Yes, I do sir..” He said sternly before realising he had no idea what her name was.

“She is.. ” He leaned over to her, and whispered in her ear “What’s your name?” before continuing. “Alessa.”

“And she saved my life my lord. I have sworn to her that she will be safe and rewarded for her actions.” Said the young prince, sure that his words would carry weight here with the noble knight.

And they did, though not quite to the extent that they both might have secretly wished for.

After the initial commotion died down, the pair of children were escorted safely to the royal palace, Matteus being returned to his rightful place and seen to once more by the royal physician to ensure none of his injuries were serious. For her part Alessa was taken to the servants quarters and given new clothing, allowed to bathe and then the young children were brought before the king and queen.

King Tybor II looked sternly at the pair while the queen looked on, relieved that her oldest child was alive and relatively unharmed.

“My son.” King Tybor began. “Your mother and I are happy to see you home, alive and well. However, you have caused us a great deal of worry with your antics. What were you thinking, sneaking out and mixing with the common folk? Anything could have happened, and very nearly did.”

“Were it not for this young girl you may well have been halfway to Gardaroth by now Matteus.” His father rebuked him sternly.

“Yes, father. I’m sorry father, I promise I will not run away again.” Matteus replied, not sure of what else to say – everything his father had said was true after all.

“Well, make sure you do not.” The king said with an air of finality. “Now, I hear that you offered the girl, Alessa a rather generous reward.”

“Yes father.” He replied meekly. He knew his father’s mood would not have improved on hearing this.

“Well, you are not king yet and by all accounts this Alessa ran with the gang that took you.” His father continued. “So, a lesson for you both is in order I think.”

“Alessa, in recognition of your part in saving my son’s life I will grant you a pardon for any crimes you have committed thus far. I also give you a home, here in the palace under the protection of my flag and with a paid job here for the rest of your days. However…”

“Matteus, in light of your foolish actions you are now responsible for this young girl. It is your duty to ensure she is fed and clothed and educated to the standard required by the royal court. She is yours. And Alessa, your job is to care for and keep safe my son until either of you should pass on.”

“Do you both understand?” The king asked formally.

“Yes my king.” Came the reply.

It took most of his princely charm, but over the next few months Matteus managed to persuade all of the royal tutors to teach Alessa all they were teaching the prince and the pair attended these lessons together. Ettiquete, politics, swordplay, art, dancing and all of the other subjects a noble should learn, the pair studied together and lived side by side almost like brother and sister.

 

[asetikish]

What happened next was all too fast and all too dreamlike for Alessa to comprehend. One moment, she was there gathering up the courage to run for her life, the next she was being bathed and dressed for the first time in...well, forever. They cleaned her out and worked out the tangles in her hair and gave her a servant's dress which was far more comfortable than the scratchy rags she wore.

And then she was in the richest, most beautiful room she had ever seen. The king's study looked so opulent however she looked at it. Beside her stood Prince Matteus looking every bit like the boy prince he was. But before the the king himself, he looked like a candle next to a camp fire.

The king started speaking and Alessa just held her eyes to the floor. She didn't know what to do in front of the king and queen! There was no one in the room to copy, and Matteus didn't count because he was the prince. He was family to the royals before her. She shuffled her feet as they talked and then her head shot up surprised that they weren't throwing her out on the streets again.

“Do you both understand?”

"Y-yes, your grace--er my king," she corrected herself copying the prince's words. "Thank you," she added bowing to them on her knees.

She didn't know the first thing about serving royalty, but she quickly learned being with the prince and the servants all the time. At first she learned from the servants whenever the prince was with his tutors, but soon, she was accompanying him to his lessons and the tutors took time to help her read, write and do simple numbers as she caught up with him. When they were left alone with nothing else to do, they played together when Alessa was not trying to be a good servant to him.

There was a lot to learn, but Alessa was all too eager to take it all in. To prove to the king that he made the right decision. Soon, she was perfecting her duties to him, being able to predict what he needed before he told her, and fulfilling lordly tasks that he didn't want to do.

Fifteeen years later, her position in the palace had been morphed into a station all to itself. While she was a servant like the rest of the palace servants, she didn't answer to the head maid. And while she did some of the tasks given to bureaucrats, she wasn't a bureaucrat herself. She was like the king's right hand, if he was a servant, only she was such to the prince, which made her privy to both matters of the state and into the gossip circles of the servants.

"Alessa?" One of the maids walked up to her as she saw to the preparation of the carriage. "The prince does not want to get out of bed."

Alessa sighed and turned to smile at the girl. "You reminded him of his meeting with the Ambassador of Mercandia to negotiate new tariffs for the trade routes?"

"Yes, but he just grunted and pulled up the covers."

"Will you see to the food and wine in the carriage?" Alessa didn't wait to see if the girl complied. She swept out of the stables and headed to his room. Matteus was a responsible prince, but sometimes, one could not take out the boy in the man. And besides, last night had been rough sitting in the council all night debating about a certain point in the law that the nobles had been squabbling about so he could make a decision in lieu of the king who gave him that power.

Alessa entered his room, and sure enough, he was there, under the covers, hiding from the sun that the swept away curtains let into his plush room. She took the curtains back down to cover the windows dimming the room once again. Neither of them wanted anyone else to see their private moments. She walked up to his bed knowing that she could do a great many things for him to wake up, but she was giving him a chance.

"Matteus, get up. If you don't, I'll have to tickle you awake." They weren't children anymore, sure. He had grown up to be a strapping man, his body defined by muscles he gained from training. She had seen him shirtless countless times and recently she had avoided looking at him when he did. Which was a sign she had grown too. From the scrawny little street urchin, she had filled out nicely with curves at the right places and a body that didn't need the corsets of nobles to define her hourglass shape. And with the growing up came a forbidden attraction, which was why she looked away from him when he showed skin. She couldn't help the blushes and the pounding of her heart when she saw him. And it didn't help that they only drew closer and closer together, until she realized she loved him. But she knew this was the closest they could be together. Soon, he would have to marry a noble or a princess from another country. And she would still be nothing more than his personal aide.

"Matteus?" She climbed on the bed. "Do not make me do this."

 

[spawnofdavey]

His slumber had been interrupted by one of the staff but he’d ignored her as best he could, simply pulling the nice, warm covers over his head until she went away. He knew he was just delaying the inevitable though, Alessa wouldn’t be so easily put off. She’d been schooled to cater to his every need and that included, unfortunately, ensuring that he lived up to his own responsibilities as crown prince, heir to the throne. One of those responsibilities was being on time for engagements and appointments no matter how tiresome or trivial they may appear to be.

Alessa was good at her job too, pretty much perfect Matteus had to admit. Since the day they had met their lives had been interconnected, virtually inseparable. His act of kindness in return for her, undoubtedly life-saving act, had ensured that they’d spent almost every day since then by each other’s side. Not that he minded this at all, Alessa and he had grown up together becoming very close friends. They seemed to good influences on one another and had a shared sense of humour that had seen them through the last decade and a half. It didn’t hurt that Alessa was a very attractive young woman. Nothing romantic had happened between them and likely never would, with Matteus being an heir to the throne and relationship he had would have to be approved by his father, the king and the other woman’s family.

He heard the door to his suite open and close, knowing that Alessa would have been told he was still in his bed. He sighed to himself, knowing that the journey to Mercandia had to be made, but dreading the monotony of several days travel by carriage that lay ahead. The meeting itself he could just about deal with, mainly because Alessa would be accompanying him and time spent in her company was about the best time one could have right now. Far too much responsibility was being heaped on his shoulders as his father grew older and less capable, Matteus was being given more duties to carry out on his behalf.

*Matteus, get up. If you don't, I'll have to tickle you awake.*

The prince grinned under his blankets, knowing full well that Alessa knew exactly where to tickle and poke and prod to get him squirming. As a boy he used to protest far more than was becoming of a young prince, but then Alessa made him laugh so hard he’d be almost breathless after she’d finished with him. These days he longed to return to a time when such a thing were acceptable behaviour.

He could never admit to it, but he would choose Alessa over any of the princesses that had been paraded in front of him lately, but such a liaison was utterly unacceptable for a prince. To have any kind of intimate dealings with an underling was out of the question, a scandal would rock the royal household to the core. So Matteus kept his feelings and thoughts toward Alessa secret, from his family and especially from her. What would she think if she knew? She would likely laugh in his face.

He knew he’d pushed his luck when he felt her weight on the end of the bed.

He pushed the covers back and sat up in his bed, clad only in his long pants, his broad shoulders and athletic torso bare. His dark brown hair was unkempt from his night’s sleep and his chin covered in several days growth of stubble.

“Okay Alessa, you win. I’m awake and ready to go.” He held out a hand defensively to ward off anything she might have been planning to try and force him from his bed. “I need some fresh clothes and some water to bathe in..” He ran a hand through his hair before stretching languidly as he sat in bed.

“I feel like I’ve not slept a wink last night, that old bugger Nugent had me up till god knows what time debating the finer points of the latest round of trading tariffs.” He complained before turning to face her directly. “How are you this fine morn? Are you looking forward to our trip to Mercandia? I hear the food and entertainment offered by the Duke of Tymuth is second to none.”

 

[asetikish]

As quickly as Matteus sat up did Alessa's grin disappear. With him actually being responsible, she no longer had an excuse to touch him. To at least feel the man who was both her master and best friend. Instead, she got off the bed and headed to his wardrobe even as he spoke. While it was certainly a matter of her knowing what he needed in the morning, her doing it before he asked was more for her sake so she didn't have to look at his bare chest. Knowing him, he would be sure to notice her reactions and tease her about it. So what she had to do was to be professional about everything. Or else, let her emotions get the best of her.

"You did well last night, if I do say so myself, my prince. And as you know I am your worst critic," she said laying out several articles of clothing on the settee still not daring to face him in his half-nakedness. "And to be quite frank, I hate having to travel long distances in a carriage being tumbled around like some dice in a cup game. But perhaps things are not so bad with the rewards at the end and you're with the right company."

Instinctively, she looked at him smiling, blue eyes sparkling until it settled on his chest. The reaction was instantaneous. Her face flared and she faced away clearing her throat, heading for the basin and filling it with water from a pitcher. She took out a razor and put it on his dressing table.

"Should you need to shave, my lord." She motioned to the things on the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me." She swept out of the room trying to be as placid as possible even with the blush on her cheeks and the hammering of her heart. Closing the door behind her she slumped and sighed pressing her palms to her cheeks.

'Control yourself! You're better than this!' She berated herself. Besides, she still had to check the ledgers so that Matteus would have the correct information when he negotiated the terms.

Alessa took a deep breath and called on one of the serving boys that passed her to help the prince dress. As she went to his study to prepare the ledgers, the boy knocked and came in.

"My lord," he bowed. "I am going to heat your bath now, and I was told you might need help getting dressed. Also, would you prefer to have your food brought or would you be dining in the grand hall or your solar? I...was not informed where you would be having your meal, only that you will..."

The boy, despite being trained since childhood on the ways of the palace servants, was obviously not as adept at knowing what Matteus wanted, hence the fumbling. But he made sure that he saw to the prince's every need, and when Matteus had finished, he would find Alessa in the front of the palace everything prepared, including his clothes and the ledgers she cross-checked all ready in the carriage with two of their best knights escorting them.

 

[spawnofdavey]

“Thank you Alessa, though you don’t have to keep calling me ‘my prince’ when we’re alone.” Matteus replied, with a smile.

He laughed as she spoke of her dislike for long distance travel, wondering if she was speaking of him as the reward. She turned and their eyes met across his bed chambers, Alessa’s cheek immediately flushing, causing her to turn away quickly. She quickly set out some things for him to clean up with and left all flustered. He smiled to himself, though he wasn’t totally sure what had set her off until he realised that he was half naked under his bed clothes and wondered if it was the sight of his bare chest that had done it. Surely not though? They had known each other since they were children, he would have known if there was anything unspoken between them surely.

If she’d held any feelings for him then Matteus was oblivious to it. Not that it would be entirely unwelcome, though entirely socially unacceptable.

His musing was interrupted by the appearance of one of the younger serving boys who seemed particularly nervous in his presence.

He nodded kindly at the boy, trying to set him at ease. “I take it Alessa sent you?” He asked in a reassuring tone as he stood and began to wash and don his fresh change of clothing that Alessa had set out for him. “Don’t worry, I can dress myself boy, but you can send breakfast to our carriage, enough for two and please ensure there is wine and some other food for later in the day as Lady Alessa and I would no doubt have worked up an appetite.”

He wasn’t sure if the boy would appreciate his sense of humour but he may well report back to Alessa and he would be interested to know if she did anything with that little teasing titbit.

Once he had finished dressing he dismissed the servant, though not before allowing the boy to help him into his elaborately embroidered jacket – at least the lad would feel some sense of his duty being fulfilled this morning.

Fully dressed and refreshed, minus the shave as he didn’t feel the need, he headed out of his suite and down the long hallway, admiring the family portraits that lined the walls as he made his way to the main entrance and the waiting carriage.

Two of his father’s most dependable men-at-arms were waiting by the horse drawn carriage when he arrived and he acknowledged them formally before waiting for the footman to open the door for him.

“Thank you Ernest.” He said with a smile, nodding to his father’s oldest servant before entering the carriage to find Alessa waiting for him.

He smiled, “Well fancy meeting you here.” He quipped playfully. “So, ready to be tossed about like a dice in a cup for a few days?” He asked.

“I’m starving, I hope the boy you sent up in your stead ordered some tasty treats for us.”

 

[asetikish]

Alessa grinned at him as he settled in beside her with his usual cheery disposition. She let him speak as the carriage lurched forward and the castle became smaller behind them. Propriety would have dictated that she sit across him, but it was bad enough that she had to endure several days' ride being tumbled about, it made her throw up riding in reverse. Besides, Matteus didn't mind.

Alessa grinned at him as she pulled out one of the drawers underneath the opposite couch, taking out the breakfast of fruit, bread, jams, butter and milk that the boy rushed to her early on. "First off, I will never be ready to go on long carriage rides. Awful way to travel, as you very well know. Second," she pulled off a plank from the side seat that became a small table for them and settled the food there, "Wine for us? You know I don't drink. And certainly not one of his lordship's best wines!" She exaggerated the word "lordship" chiding him back.

Alessa took a slice of bread and slathered butter over it. "Well, I guess I should be grateful that I am handling the easiest baby I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Now, peach or strawberry jam?"

For a few heartbeats, Alessa considered if she was wearing clothes appropriate enough. Hers showed some of her cleavage and aside from a single layer of petticoat, she had nothing underneath her skirt. Of course, she was wearing little because of the heat and the dryness, not because she wanted to attract the prince! But maybe he wouldn't notice. After all, even though they were best friends and grew up like brother and sister, she was still far beneath him.

"Our first stop will be in a small village, Galen," Alessa said offering him the bread. "We could pretend to be brother and sister. A couple of merchants' children exploring other possible trades. What do you think? And call me Ilana for the duration of the trip."

 

[spawnofdavey]

“Awful they may be, but there isn’t really much of an alternative.” Matteus replied as he watched Alessa prepare breakfast for them. The fact that he and Alessa, for all she was essentially a servant, were sat close together on the plush cushioned seat did not bother him in the slightest. They had spent a lifetime together in private, with Alessa seeing to his every need. Though that wasn’t quite true, Alessa had not attended to THAT particular need. His father had encouraged him to gain some experience in that field before marriage, but Alessa and the other household servants were strictly off limits.

“Peach?” He replied, momentarily distracted by a flash of Alessa’s cleavage and her assertion that he had been easy to handle.

“His Lordship would give you his finest wines every day if it were up to him.” He replied, “You have been the most attentive servant this baby has been handled by..” He grinned, reaching for some wine glasses before swapping the slice of bread with Alessa.

"Galen? Sounds pleasant enough, but yes, I think you are right. Traveling incognito would be most prudent." He knew the merit of her idea, even in his father's lands it was wise not to advertise the presence of a person of wealth and political importance. Bandits and worse plagued the land despite the best efforts if the army and border rangers.

“If you would be so good as to pour some wine for us both dear sister, I’m sure this journey would be far more tolerable for you.” He said, trying not to look too closely at the cleavage that Alessa was choosing to display on today of all days.

 

[asetikish]

Alessa dutifully made him his breakfast. Exactly how he liked it. Serving him all these years, she never thought of any of her duties as being tedious. Of course doing his ledgers was hard. All the details she needed to track, and all the truth she needed to uncover. Sometimes, she wondered how she ever got rest. But seeing him happy and able to do his job as the prince of his people made it all worth it. If people thought that being a royal was lounging about in rich plushness, they did not know Matteus and his family. She felt no greater honor than to serve the rulers of Beritania.

And that was why she could never betray their trust. No matter how much she loved him, she would never--could never--let her emotions get in the way. She would help him become the best ruler he could ever be. Always there in the shadows, carrying him on her shoulders.

“His Lordship would give you his finest wines every day if it were up to him. You have been the most attentive servant this baby has been handled by.”

Alessa laughed. "I highly doubt that, Matty." In these closed doors and with no one to hear, she didn't hold back. "But I shall endeavor to continue being the best, irreplaceable servant to you."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "Wine? This early?" But even with the question, she complied. The ride was not going to be easy and he needed every bit to relax. She poured wine for him. "You know I don't drink. Not good for a servant who has to pick up whenever the baby makes a mess." She stuck her tongue out at him. And she did follow that rule. She had seen how other servants get drunk and let their masters down. That was not going to happen to her. At the same time, she always wondered why people liked to indulge in wine so much. The temptation was so huge!

"Besides, I don't know what to call you, brother dear." Calling him that really hammered the fact in. If there was any relationship that could bring them closer, it was being brother and sister. Not lovers. Not partners. Siblings. And that was kind of what they were.

 

[spawnofdavey]

He accepted the glass as she poured one for him, but frowned when she refused one herself.

“Well, Ilana sister dear, you and your brother Maximilion are the children of prosperous merchants travelling to Mercandia to act on the behalf of their parents,” the prince began, taking the bottle of wine and pouring another glass. “They are known for their lavish lifestyle, hence Max’s beautifully finished jacket, the well-equipped guards and vintage wine.” He continued, holding out the glass of deep red wine to his ‘sister’.

“You’ve got all day to get used to drinking wine before we end up in a busy coaching inn where our cover story will be put to the test. If we don’t act the part then we will draw unwanted attention and you wouldn’t want that would you, especially if you are being the best and most irreplaceable servant to your prince?” He said firmly, though with his tongue planted even more firmly in his cheek. He wanted this trip to be fun for them both, at least while they had some time away from the scrutiny of the other nobles, especially his brother who always seemed to have the easier life of the young princes.

“You don’t have to get drunk, just relax a little while we have the opportunity, Ilana dear. We will be back home soon enough and under the watchful eye of our parents after all.” He added with a smile, taking a sip of the vintage red wine.

 

[asetikish]

Alessa sighed. Of course, he had a point. And she did want to try it at least once. Of course, she had no plans to get drunk at all. That wouldn't be fitting for a servant. Even when she was pretending to be a brother to her charge. Sighing, she accepted the glass and sniffed it.

"I'll have you know, dear brother Maximillion, I intend to be sober to make sure you are going to succeed well as father's main heir to the business." She grinned at him and took a sip. She blinked at it. "It's...interesting. I wouldn't say delicious, but...there's something about it."

She took another sip as they rode on. They acted as normal as they continued on the road. Every time she emptied her glass, Matteus continued to refill it until she was crossing from tipsy to drunk territory, at which point she put her almost empty glass down and laid her head on the prince's shoulder.

"It's unfair, you know," Alessa sighed, red faced her words almost a slur. "Just because we were born differently, it doesn't matter how good I get. I'll still only ever be your servant. Lady Montrose can't even tell the difference between a profiting venture and a profiteering venture and she gets to have all that money and title. Don't get me wrong. There are good ladies like Lady Janisse and Lady Eloise, but I'm better than them and I still can't be your wife."

 

[spawnofdavey]

“It is an acquired taste I’m told, though most of the nobility seem to acquire it rather quickly…” Matteus joked as he watched Alessa’s first tentative sips.

As he journey continued, they made small talk, exchanging gossip on the various villages they passed by and what they knew of some of the council representatives. Each time Alessa got close to finishing her glass, Matteus made sure to top it up a little. Though he didn’t really intend to get Alessa drunk, he underestimated the drink’s potency and her lack of experience with alcohol in general.

He tried to get her to eat as much as possible in an effort to soak up the alcohol in her system, but by the time he’d realised she was getting really drunk it was too late for a few slices of heavy bread and a few pastries to have any effect on her whatsoever. He cursed inwardly, hoping she wasn’t going to be ill or that she would be cross with him. His intention was only to get her to relax a little and enjoy their time away from the royal household, certainly not to have her inebriated before they got to their first stopover.

Her words came unexpectedly, at least to Matteus. He hadn’t flinched or pulled away when she rested her head on his shoulder, rather he enjoyed the feel of her against him, feeling the warmth of her through his jacket.

“Oh,” He replied softly. “Would you like to be my wife? I mean, with all that entails. I’m sure you could teach the likes of Lady Eloise a lot about all of the work required to be a royal wife. Though there are more duties to attend to that just attending trade meetings and settling landowners disagreements.” He had noticed her blushes earlier in the day when she’d seen him half naked and that wasn’t the first time Alessa had seemed flustered in his presence, lately she’d seemed distracted when he bathed in her presence, even though he’d done it so many times before. Was she attracted to him, sexually? He found her very pleasing on the eye and she was the closest friend he was likely ever to have. He wondered…

“You would have to see to more of my needs than you did now.” He ventured, wondering how far he could take the conversation in her state.

“Carnal desires would need tending to for example.” He knew he was pushing his luck.

 

[asetikish]

Alessa frowned and looked up at him as he asked her if she really wanted to be his wife. "See? You do it too." She jabbed her finger on his chest. "Without me, you'd have mismanaged the Lyons estates and let's not forget that time when the nobles tried to undermine you. You need me." She gave him one last pout before resting her head back on his shoulder, hugging his arm to her chest and downing the last of the wine she had.

“Carnal desires would need tending to for example.”

"I can do that. Well, I don't know how, but I'll learn if you want. You know I do." She sighed. "I won't let Lady Eloise have her hands on you. You're mine. I don't like the idea of giving you to another woman. I..." before she could finish what she was going to say, she dozed off, still clinging to him. Only when they arrived at their first stop did she jerk awake.

She opened her bleary eyes, rubbing it. She yawned and groaned until she realized something...she was leaning on something warm...no. Someone. She gasped and sat up straight. There was a slight pounding in her head and she saw two empty wine glasses and she sighed.

"I'm sorry, I drank too much. I..." Alessa paused realizing that she couldn't remember much after she went over tipsy. She knew they spoke, but what she said didn't register in her brain. Which was probably for the best. "I don't want to know what happened when I was unprofessionally inebriated, so please don't speak to me about it." She took out slices of oranges from the basket and sucked on them. It was what the head chef told her to give to Matteus when he was drunk. She hoped it did work for her.

 

[spawnofdavey]

Matteus was a little taken-aback by her petulant reply, though on occasion his mind had wandered through the possibilities of them having some form of intimate relationship. Alessa was undoubtedly correct in her assertion that he would be lost without her from an administrative perspective. He was about to refute her claim, but halted with his mouth half open as she drew his arm across her chest. He let her settle back against him, feeling a heat reaching his cheeks and elsewhere as her body rested again his.

His desire for her grew as she confessed to being a virgin, but wishing to learn.. He felt his heart race for a moment at the prospect of teaching Alessa what he knew, training her to serve his sexual desires, having her fulfil needs that he might not be able to confess to the likes of Lady Eloise… It took him a moment to realise she’d fallen asleep, her body draped across his. He didn’t find the position undesirable or uncomfortable at all. He decided to take the opportunity to get some rest himself, though the image of her knelt before him, accommodation his needs did flash before his eyes more than once.

He wasn’t sure how long he dozed, but he woke from time to time, still finding Alessa clinging to him as the carriage rolled along the rough roadway that took them to Galen. He glanced down at her head resting on his shoulder studying her features closely, coming to the realisation that she was naturally far more attractive that all of the princesses he’d met. Even with their powders, blushers, lip balms and intricate gowns and hair pieces, Alessa’s natural beauty outshone them all. The cut of her dress afforded Matteus a view of the soft pale flesh that marked the top of her breasts, something that caused a stirring in his loins. He knew then that he desired her and would, if the opportunity arose, take her up on her drunken request to teach her to satisfy him. He just couldn’t let a single soul in Beritania know about it.

“To be honest, I cannot remember… I was rather tipsy myself.” He lied. He didn’t want to have her all embarrassed and on edge through the rest of their trip. He wanted Alessa to know exactly what she was getting into and for that he needed her thinking straight when they next spoke of their desires.

“Pass me a few of those oranges if you would Ilana dear?” He asked, practising their cover story. “We will need to let our guards know of our assumed names, lest they accidentally betray our story. Would you be a dear and ensure we all have rooms in the coaching house?”

 

[asetikish]

Alessa passed an orange wedge to him as she rubbed her temple feeling a bit of a throb. "So this is what being drunk feels like. I don't know why people want this kind of thing. Or maybe I do..." she sighed. Some nobles she knew just wanted to do whatever they want and not claim any responsibility for it. Of course, not everyone was that way, but she knew a number of them.

"I've already told them the story beforehand," she said. "I just have to tell them to call you Maximillion. This would be more difficult if you wanted a different story, so I'm glad you went with mine." She grinned at him as the coach halted in front of a two-story building. She alighted first and whispered Matteus' new name to the coach driver who then proceeded to tell their escort.

She swept into the coaching house and asked for three rooms.

"Oh, I'm sorry, we only have two," the reedy keeper said. "Two of our rooms are in bad need of repair."

"I see. We'll take it then. My brother and I will take one room and the other will be for our entourage. The room can fit three, yes?" She smiled at the keeper, though inside she was nervous. It was the first time she would be sharing a room with Matteus. Well, the first time since she had grown breasts. The king had been adamant that they separate, and she was glad he did. After that, she always had sleeping quarters adjacent to his, wherever they went. It was the first time they would be sharing a room in a very long time.

As soon as Matteus came in, she faced him, her face calm and still as ever, but inside, she felt flush and a little panicked. And a little giddy. No. Very giddy. "Brother dear, I'm afraid rooms need to be shared tonight. Two of their quarters are broken. It's been a long time since we shared a room. You don't mind, do you?"

 

[spawnofdavey]

“You get accustomed to it, so they say.” Matteus replied, smiling in sympathy. Alessa knew he wasn’t all that much of a drinker, though he’d had more practice than her. Being a noble at least had some perks – fine food, fine clothing, accommodation and of course the finest wines the state treasury could afford. It also came with a heavy burden of responsibility and the possibility that a rival house might try to assassinate you should you stray too far from the thick walls of your father’s castle, hence the need for them to travel incognito.

“You do literally think of everything my deal Alessa, I don’t know what I would do without you.” Matteus agreed sincerely, his earlier improper thoughts rising to the fore once again as he wondered if it would be at all possible to mix a little pleasure with business on the trip. To his family Alessa was a trusted servant, nothing more. But to Matteus she was a childhood friend, confidante and much more than just someone who arranged his wardrobe, saw to his meetings and fed and bathed his royal self. There was a deep bond between them, though Matteus was beginning to wonder how much more of a bond there could be.

When she turned to him in the guise of his sister Ilana, he played his part as Maximillion, pouting in disappointment, though inwardly he felt quite the opposite in fact. “Oh, sister, I told you we should have sent a messenger ahead to keep sufficient lodgings for us.” He let out an exasperated sigh, possibly too dramatic to be wholly believable, but nodded a reluctant agreement.

“Very well Ilana, but I am in desperate need of a bath tonight so I hope the room is suitably equipped.” He could not help the wicked gleam in his eye as he informed his ‘sister’ of his requirements. “And be sure to order some wine and a cooked meal for us both won’t you dear sister?” He added with a degree of pomposity learned from a lifetime of dealing with spoiled rich merchants and minor nobles.

“Guards.” He snapped, “Please bring our belongings to the room before you retire to the taproom.” He said feigning a final tantrum before he waited for his sister to lead the way to their room for the night. He made a mental note to apologise to the two knights once they were out of earshot of any eavesdroppers.

 

[asetikish]

Alessa sighed, rolling her eyes. She knew he was only acting so she had to play along. And well, it was fun playing along. Like they were young again and pretended to be someone else they were not. She turned to the keeper. "Excuse Maximillion. Just because he's going to inherit out father's business, he got it into his head to be such a boss. But I hope you do have a nice dinner ready for us?"

"Of course," the keeper said and handed her the keys as he led them to their rooms.

As soon as they were settled in, the keeper led their escort to a room three doors down. Apparently, the rooms that were in repair were in between theirs. Alessa didn't like the idea that their guards were too far away. If any threat were to come to Matteus, she could only hold them off for so long. While she trained with the prince, she wasn't built for the sword, which was why she went for daggers and throwing knives and she was a poor substitute for a knight if she had to come in between him and his attacker. But there was nothing she could do but to hope that nothing of the sort would happen.

As soon as the steps grew mute, Alessa slumped herself on the bed face-down and rubbed her bottom. "I hate coach rides. My butt hurts. Give me a few seconds and I'll get your bath ready." Groaning she faced him with a grin. "That was fun downstairs though. We don't get to do that all the time anymore. Role playing around, I mean."

After a few moments, she sat up and got off the bed checking on bath conditions. After a ride like that, Matteus would certainly prefer warm water, so she started preparing his bath, occasionally sloshing water on herself as she poured some of the buckets into the tub. Unfortunately, the gown wasn't as thick or functional as her servant livery, so the wet gown further clung to her body, giving Matteus a good idea of what exactly lay underneath.

"Matt? Come right in before the water gets cold," she said stepping out of the bathing room unaware of what the water had done to her gown.

 

[spawnofdavey]

He let Alessa lead the way, keeping his petulant expression on his face until the innkeeper had let them in to their room and the door was closed behind them.

He watched with more than a little amusement and interest as she lay on the bed, facing away from him rubbing her sore rump. He wondered how it would feel to have her soft cheeks under his hands, he was about to say something when she turned to face him, her grin infectious. He smiled broadly in return, wholeheartedly agreeing with her.

“Absolutely, I think we need to do it more often Ilana, don’t you?” He replied. “I think we both need a good rub down after that journey.”

He busied himself with checking the bed, noting that there was only the one large bed in the room and looking out of the small window that looked over the stables and courtyard in the coaching inn’s walled compound. The sign that hung over the main doorway had a hand drawn picture of horse drawn carriage and proclaimed the name to be The Coach and Horses Inn. As Alessa saw to the bath, he made idle conversation through the open doorway about the upcoming meeting with the Mercandians, thanking her for all of the work she had done in documenting previous trade deals and negotiations, all the while wondering if it would be at all possible to broach the subject of their tipsy conversation earlier in the day.

He turned toward her as she told him to get his bath, his eyes going a little wide at the sight of her drenched dress. While it wasn’t exactly sheer material, it did cling to all the curves of her body, especially around the bust. He nodded politely, a slight flush of warmth reaching his cheeks and elsewhere as he walked past Alessa and into the bathing chamber.

He began to disrobe, first removing his shoes then his jacket, handing them over to Alessa. He unbuttoned his shirt next, watching for her reaction as he revealed his trim body. He was growing a little nervous and aroused as he stripped out of his clothing, more aware of her own shapely, feminine body that he had been since they’d gone through puberty together several years before.

“Ah, is there a towel around?” He asked, all of a sudden a little bashful about revealing himself in her presence – more down to the fact that his manhood was growing in his pants at the thought of the two of them being alone together far from home and their earlier brief conversation.

 

[asetikish]

Alessa didn't notice the slight change in Matteus' demeanor as she thought of following up the food they ordered, and kept her eyes averted as he began to undress. Looking down on the floor, she took his clothes showing great calm even as her heart beat wildly in her chest. It had been years since she and Matteus had grown very differently, day in, day out, she tended to him, and still, every time she looked at him, she couldn't help but feel attracted.

And that was not how a high-ranking servant like her should be acting at all! That should change.

She took a deep breath and looked at him. As soon as her eyes landed on his bare chest, her face flared and her body felt the rush of her blood making her tingle.

Control yourself! Alessa grit her teeth. But it was impossible to be calm when he was half-naked in front of her. She had yet to see another man naked and this...well...it was not an excuse to go blushing every time Matteus stripped. Come to think of it, she had seen knights and soldiers train stripped to the waist and she had never acted like a closeted hermit who didn't know how to deal with a bit of skin. Maybe it was because she loved him that she felt so differently about him.

“Ah, is there a towel around?”

Alessa blinked. Towel? Right. Towel. She dropped her eyes, and saw for the first time something she hadn't seen before. There was a bulge in the prince's breeches. Had she seen that before? Well, he always wore overcoats in most occasions, but when he was not, well, she was never really lookng. The servants talked about men's needs showing in their pants, but surely, Matteus could not be thinking of such a thing as of the moment!

She shivered, her damp clothing finally catching up with her and as she looked down at herself she gasped and dropped his clothing, realizing what the water had done to the gown she wore. Her face beet red, she hurriedly collected his belongings and stepped into the room hurriedly looking for the towel he was requesting. It was probably her fault he thought about those things. That was a horrible thing of her! The last thing she wanted to be was a temptress. The prince could not be embroiled in a scandal.

She took two towels and wrapped one around herself. It didn't hide her from the waist down, her shape still obvious there, but at least she covered the poking of her nipples through the cloth. That was so embarrassing! She handed him his towel still trying to appear calm though she felt nothing of the sort and she was redder than a person normally would be. She didn't even open her mouth as she handed him the towel, not trusting herself to speak.

 

[spawnofdavey]

He cleared his throat as she handed the towel to him, her own drenched garments covered by another towel. Her flushed cheeks showing her clear embarrassment at either the state of her clothing, or his near nakedness.

His hand touched hers as he took the towel from her, while his other undid the buckle of his belt. “You should really take that dress off, you’ll catch a chill Ilana.” He suggested, feeling a thrill run through his hand as it met hers. He wasn’t sure if it was just the wine flowing through him, or if it was something else, but he really wanted her to see him naked.

“Your know, you don’t have to look at the floor when we’re alone.” He said more firmly as he pulled the belt free of the loop, his trousers falling to the floor quicker than he moved the towel to cover himself. “We’ve known each other long enough now, shouldn’t be embarrassed.” He stepped over the side of the bath and slowly lowered himself into the soothing warm water, dropping the towel to the floor.

“It’s nice an warm, you should have a bath too.” He said, looking at his lifelong companion, wondering exactly how she’d grown over the years, wondering how she looked compared to the other (admittedly few) women he’d been with.

 

[asetikish]

Alessa had been touching Matteus for the longest time. It shouldn't be an issue for his hand to touch hers as she handed him his towel, but something about this situation made everything feel different. That single point of contact brought a heat that radiated throughout her body.

Desire. That was what it was, but it was something she could not indulge in. She was his aide no matter how much she wanted things to go beyond that. That he was her friend was already more than she could ever ask for in her life. An impossibility that was made possible through a fateful meeting. Besides, he had had ladies in his bed. No matter how good she got, she would never compare to them just because they were born differently.

She steeled herself even as she felt that the embers on her face would never die.

"Thank you for your concern, brother dear," she emphasized the word for sarcasm and as another layer of defense against what she felt for her master, "I will soon."

She tried not to look as he removed his belt, but she found that she couldn't take her eyes off him. Her heart was thundering in her ears and she was feeling a tingle in places she shouldn't be feeling them! That made her more aware of how her skirt clung to her hips and legs, and without drawers, she was leaving little to the imagination.

“We’ve known each other long enough now, shouldn’t be embarrassed.”

Of course he would notice her embarrassment, but she felt nearly faint seeing his manhood even for just a glance. She licked her lips and forced herself to look at his face. "As the heir to the business, it is only proper that I show my respect. It would be very improper for me to be looking at you naked. We are, after all, brother and sister, Maximillion." It was an effort to be jovial and joking in this situation, but she tried. It was the only way she could release the tension in the room, but he didn't pick up on it. Or rather, Matteus did not choose to pick up on it. Instead, he deepened the fog hanging between them.

“It’s nice an warm, you should have a bath too.”

"Of course," Alessa bowed her head. "Thank you for the offer. I will do so after I have finished all my duties to you. Is there anything else you need?"

If Alessa could only be honest in her words, it was her who had needs. Seeing him naked in his full glory made her call upon every shred of control that she had. She wanted to touch him. To feel his muscles on the palm of her hands. To kiss him, just once. But she held back. She was a servant. A woman brought out of the life of crime and depravity by the will of a benevolent king. She would not ruin the royal family. She would not ruin Matteus as heir to the throne.