Amongst the Flowers
 

A boy+boy love role play.
The Swanson family faces imminent ruin. Their daughter Evangeline has run away with her lover three days before she is supposed to be sent to marry the Prince. Should they break their contract with the Royal throne, they all face execution.
They have no other choice to but to send Evangeline's twin Evan in her place, decked out to the T as a lovely young lady.
In tricking the Prince into marrying Evan, they are saved from ruin, whether or not he divorces is of no consequence. All Evan has to do is deceive him of his true identity until after the ceremony.... That is... If he can pretend that long.
Prince Alric has quite a reputation. He is known to be a charmer, with a slight streak of vanity, and a will of steel.
It is also noted that he has a very perceptive nature.
Will Evan be able to fool this Prince into believing that he is a fair and innocent maiden?

Characters:
Evan Swanson
19
Male
Appearance: Evan is a thin slip of a thing. His skin is milky pale, and his eyes are moss green with thick black eyelashes. He and his sister Evangeline look almost exactly the same in the face, except that he has shorter, shaggy brown hair. He is told quite often that it is a shame he is a boy.
Personality: Shy. Quite. Dedicated to his families well being and happiness. Easy to fluster, has a hard time lying. Gentle natured and well spoken, it seems a cruel joke of nature that he was indeed born a boy. He loves domestic work such as cooking and sewing, he also loves tending to animals and gardening.

prince alric~

19


second in line for the throne. alric is to marry a duke's daughter. he is against the marriage but the swanson family holds an important tract of land necessary for trade. if he does not marry the girl his kingdom will have to fight the duchy of swanson and though they would not be unconquerable at this time the money and men it would take to destroy them would be a blow to the kingdom that could take years to recover from.



ATTENTION; if you would like to know what the strange phrases and words used when referring to living-space mean please visit here; http://www.castlesandmanorhouses.com/life.htm

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"Where is that rotten girl!?" Matilda Swanson hissed, face as red as a tomato, and hands as white as clean linen. She paced the foyer with an air of vengence.
Evangeline - the 'rotten girl'- had once again slipped out during the night to meet with her gypsy lover Mihai.
Constance - said girls maid- rushed into the room, paler than the moon. "M-Milady... She's gone for good, she left a note" she stammered.
Matilda snatched the parchment from the maids hands and read it at a furious pace, lips drawing into a thin, severe line. "This is rubbish! What does that cow headed girl intend to do with that... That... Gypsy!" she spat the last word like it tasted of poison. "She can't possibly hope to live happily with him..." she glowered.
She paced some more before sitting -ungracefully in a chair- "She'll come home... She always does" she sighed.
" That isn't the biggest problem Dearest" Lyle - her husband- noted darkly. He was a thin slip of a man, mousy and underwhelming when compared to his verbose and strict wife. He adjusted his spectacles nervously. " Evangeline was set to leave for the palace tomorrow... What are we to do... If we don't comply with this marriage... We are all ruined" he stammered.
Outside, unaware of the turmoil outside, a thin, slightly under average height boy with silky brown treses laid back in the garden, eyes closed and daydreaming.
Matilda looked out the window at her son and got an idea.
"... We are not done for yet... "she noted, brow furrowed.
Lyle followed her glance and stiffened. "Surely you do not mean... " he began.
She stood again, resolute. " He will have to do... Dressed in Evangeline's clothing, nobody will be able to tell them apart" she stated, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
"B-But, what if the Prince finds out...?" Lyle hissed.
Matilda grinned like the cat who got the canary. "It will not matter if he consents to the marriage... As long as we are not the ones to break off the engagement, then we are not at fault " she said.
And with that she sent the maid to fetch her son.

he notched his bow and let loose, he hit the target dead center. 'sir, sir!' he did not turn towards the steward. instead he simply pulled another arrow and re-notched his bow. 'sir, it is about the swansons' he grunted but still did not look. they were late already, with any luck they would decline the offer and he could go back to his daily life. his second arrow was loosened and it pierced the first splintering it and sticking to the head. 'they have sent word' he notched a third 'they accepted and are sending the bride.' his arrow went wild and barely clipped the target as he swung his head towards the frighted steward. he frowned and looked down at the other. "this is so?" 'i am afraid so, my lord.' he pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away. he sighed into his hand and set about putting his things away. he was not happy.

"I- I cant do this! I'm a boy!" Evan stammered, eyes looking like he'd begin crying any moment.
Matilda sighed, feeling unhappy to worry her gentle and sweet son. " I'm afraid there isn't any other way around this... If we don't comply, we all face execution" she admitted.
A shiver was sent up Evan's spine. He couldn't be the reason they all died.
He gulped and fiddled with his fingers. " How long do I have to act like Evangeline?" he asked cautiously.
"Only until the ceremony is over" Lyle said, resting his hand on Evan's delicate shoulder.
" I'll do it" Evan agreed softly, truly between a rock and a hard place.
"Excellent. I knew you wouldn't let me down" Matilda exclaimed, hugging her son and placing a gentle kiss atop his forehead.
She looked over to Constance. " Gather the wardrobe, we must dress him properly. You will go with Evan to the castle and act as his hand maiden. Never -under any circumstances- allow him to be exposed" she ordered.
"Y-Yes Milady" Constance stammered, before curtsying and taking her leave.
Matilda took Evans face between her hands and studied it for a few moments. " Such a good boy... Its a shame you were not born a girl" she sighed wistfully.
~~~ A half an hour later
Evan stood uncomfortably before his Mother, dressed in a rich brocade of amber and viridian silk. The dress was a floor length number with a square cut throat, corseted front studded with pearls and amber beads. It had a full hoop skirt, and rich off white underskirt. The sleeves were thin at top, until they reached his wrists, and belled out gracefully.
Atop his head was a heavy, nearly mahogany colored with. It fell to his waist in elegant ripples. Atop the wig sat a pillbox hat in the same viridian silk, with an amber colored lily and a spray of pearled, off white tulle.
He truly looked like a girl. A flat one, but a girl none the less.
Matilda circled him thoughtfully, and smiled approvingly. " The picture of a refined and proper lady" she murmured.
"My lady, the carriage is ready..." the butler announced.
With a curt nod, she gestured for her servants to load the heavy chests into the carriage. Looking down at Evan on last time she touched his cheek gently and kissed his forehead. " This is only temporary" she soothed.
The coachman helped Evan into the vehicle, and closed the door behind him.
And they set off towards the palace.

he had an entire day to take out his anger on any who dared err or mention the bride-to-be he was so upset that by the end of the night all the male staff had fled his solar and the women who remained were timid and quick to hide. it was a known fact he would never hit a woman but such was his ire that those who were recruited made sure to stay well out of his way. he did not join in the great hall with the others and took his meal in his cabinet surrounded by his books. the next morning was worse, he refused to go to morning mass he meted out punishments harshly and settled disputes in a draconian fashion. eventually his steward took over for him and he was freed to skulk about the castle halls until morning meal. the noon-day sun was bright and luring so when he received his breakfast he left to eat outside in the gardens. it was under the blooming magnolias is where a nervous scullery-maid found him. she was quick to deliver her message and quicker to leave. his betrothed's horse-and-four had been spotted, she'd be there within the hour.

The ride to the palace had been a long, and bumpy one. Evan was quite sore and very cramped by the time that the palace came into sight.
Part of him was relieved to know he'd soon be exiting the carriage, the other part was a bundle of shot nerves.
He was terrified that he slip up and reveal his true identity. Worse yet, he had been given the crucial information about this Prince Alric, and it seemed that not only did he have a vain streak, but that he was also known to be quite a casanova, and a perceptive one at that.
Evans stomach felt very queasy.
" Evan...erm... Miss Evangeline, the palace is an hour away" the coach man announced, casting a glance over his shoulder.
His cheeks colored slightly at the sight of the disheveled, but extremely effeminate and delicate looking 'woman' in the back seat. Evan had the face of an angel, and the temperament of one as well.
It was truly a shame he was born a male.
Looking in the hand mirror his mother had sent with him, he fixed up the wig on his head and touched up the make up that his Mother had sent with him.
"Please, please, please let this work" he begged quietly.
__________________

he was nowhere to be found by the time the carriage had passed the gate-house and had not shown up to greet the lady. the members of the house were grateful for sure, it would not do for the prince to frighten off the girl before she could even get inside. the queen herself greeted the child and her ladies-in-waiting took the bags. she gave a nod and led her new daughter into the castle. noone saw the prince peeking through an embrasure. he hurried off to the lower apartments. he wanted to get as far as he could from the girl.

When Evan had finally arrived, the Prince was not there to greet him. He found himself sighing in relief.
He slipped the role of Evangeline on with ease, and found the Queen to be a polite and well spoken host.
Remembering how a proper young lady should act, he kept himself in line and spoke gently. He was fortunate to have a effeminate voice as it was, but had taken extra precautions by wearing a choker to hold his adams apple back, banishing any chance that his voice would sound anything but lady like.
He followed the Queen around the palace as she showed him the rooms, and nodded politely as she spoke to him.
Nobody but Constance knew his true gender.
But he couldn't help but feel weary.
Feeling a set of eyes on him, he looked around nervously but could see nobody looking directly at him. He shivered slightly and hurried his pace to match the Queens.

he came down to eat with the others much to the surprise of everyone there. he sat in his proper spot and was even cordial to the servers, though he usually accepted things in this way, silently pretending as if he had not been angry, it was strange that such a large fit could be gotten over so quickly though noone questioned it and the bride-to-be remained ignorant. though more than a few people noticed that he purposely ignored her throughout the meal.

Sighing internally with relief Evan noted that the Prince seemed completely disinterested in him.
"The less he pays attention to me, the more unlikely that he'll figure out that I'm a boy" Evan thought to himself.
After dinner was concluded, he took the time to go explore the gardens of the castle, immediately drawn to the greenery.
There were many small animals who lurked in the bushes, and as if they were magnets, they were drawn to him. He simply smiled and allowed them to approach him before talking gently to them.
Evan had always had a way with animals, his Father joked often that he must have been a Shepard in his last life.
Exhausted from the long trip, he let his head rest against the long grass, and fancied himself a short nap. Surely Constance would fetch him when it was time to head to his quarters.
His green eyes slipped closed, and his long eyelashes fluttered against his high cheek bones.
Soon he was asleep, peaceful and unaware.
The animals who had come to greet him made themselves comfortable around him, and stood guard.

he shooed away the woman at the garden door, she looked more like a nanny than a lady-in-waiting from the age of her. but he paid that no mind, he tried not to look at the girl they had sent during the feast-meal but he saw the way she ate, or more appropriately the way she did not refuse to eat, women usually ate before or after the meal and at most only picked at their food in the company of men, it was inappropriate otherwise and no woman in her right mind would dare do it. even stranger than that was the way she left the table, it was all wrong somehow and sent alarm bells off in his head, and so he waited behind for a minute or two then followed behind harassing servants as he went. he passed through the door and was immediately halted by the site of the lady on the ground. he quickly bounded over to see if she was ok scaring off the little garden pets as he came. he knelled down and felt her neck for a pulse, she was simply asleep. he let out a breath and rocked back on his heels. he looked at her a moment longer wondering what he was missing. that is when it hit him. he grabbed the youth by the neck and shook them awake "you spy! you are no woman!" he squeezed lightly so the newly awoken youth understood their predicament.

Evan was woken rather rudely. His eyes shot open at the sensation of a hand on his throat.
"You spy, you are no woman!" came the voice of the Prince.
Evans heart was in his throat. "My Lord, p-pardon me?" he asked groggily, not understanding what was happening.
It was then that he realized with ultimate terror what had happened.
One of the pads that his Mother had given him to stuff down his top had slid right out of the dress as he slept on the ground.
He turned ten shades of red, and then a sickly white color as he reached for the padding.

he shook the other again, a little harder this time. "it's much too late for that, why are you here? who are you here to kill, tell me or i will break your dainty neck!"

"K-Kill?" he asked, face positively confused. The fact that he had been called a spy suddenly clicked in his head. " I-I'm no spy! I swear it! " he exlaimed, eyes beginning to mist with tears.
From the jerking, the wig slipped right off the top of his head, revealing his kitten soft brown locks below. His green eyes widened, and he tried to catch his wig.

he was right it was a male, he grew angry and though he stopped throttling the child, for he looked to be one, he did not let go "do not lie to me boy why else would you dress as my betrothed and enter into my home if not to spy or kill" he stared hard into the watery eyes of the other "do not lie to me"

The Prince was scary.
Before he knew it, he was spilling the beans. " Evangeline is my sister... We're twins... She was supposed to be the one here today, but she ran off with her lover a few nights ago. I had to do it... If we declined the betrothal then my whole family would be executed!".
A fat tear slid down his cheek as he began to shake a little in fear.

he let go in shock. this waif was playing at being his bride-to-be's brother "you expect me to believe you are lord evan. and your family thought to pass you off as a woman." he laughed but there was no humor to it "when was i to be told this?" he looked down at the other. they boy was all but quaking. he felt no pity, to like to the crown, even a prince of the crown, was treason and condemnable by death. he did not know what fool game they were playing at if, this story was even true, it made no sense

He bit his lip and averted his gaze from the taller man. "A-After the wedding... " he admitted in a squeaky whisper.
He reached down his top and pulled out locket, opening it revealed a picture of him and his sister Evangeline. " They sent me because we look almost the same in the face" he replied, trembling as he unsnapped the piece of jewelry and handed it over to the Prince.

he took the trinket in hand, two faces were painted in it and twin coils of hair to match. it was no proof of anything other than a lined purse. he snapped it closed and tossed it back. he grabbed the boy's chin no less roughly than he had his neck "look at me and tell be the truth, the entire truth" he grabbed the boy's wrist and found a pulse, he could tell when a person was lying.

"Its no lie! I swear! I promise! She ran away with her gypsy lover, she didn't want to come to the palace... We made an agreement with your parents three years ago that a Swanson would marry into the royal family... We had no other choice! It was only supposed to be until the wedding, then I was to feign death. My family would be spared execution and our part of the bargain would be fulfilled..." Evan wept openly, shaking like a leaf.
His heart was in his throat, and he felt like he was going to die any minute.
__________________

his pulse was fluttery and weak but it was constant up until the tears. the other was telling the truth, or the truth as he knew it to be "and you did not think to tell me why?" he was not sure why he was accepting this absurd tale but he did not see any reason to disbelieve it yet. he tightened his grip "you should know to lie to the crown is to die, what if i were to expose you"

"N-No, please don't expose me! I meant no harm! " he stammered , eyes wide with fear.
A thought passed through his head. " Your Highness... How long is the period of Grief for a Widow in your kingdom...?" he asked suddenly.
The idea that popped into his head was genius, it might just get him out of the frying pan and away from the flame.

"no more than five years no less than one" he could see what the other had in mind "you'd allot me time to be free the shackles of marriage?" he shook his head "it would not work, my brother is barren, neither his wife or his whores have been sown, i would have to marry again anyway. i get no reprieve lest i prove unyielding or he conceives"

A sad expression settled on Evan's face. It was as if all the fight left his body. "I-I see your Highness. Please don't punish my family... I understand that what we did was wrong... But we really had no choice... I'll do anything, just please don't let harm come to them" Evan pleaded softly.

he smiled though it was not a pleasant one "what if i were not to find out the charade?" he pulled the boy closer by his wrist. "i cannot marry two wives and noone will question it if i do not produce an heir" his smile grew wider "i offer you an exchange, i do not expose you, and you stay my wife until my brother's wife bears child" he leaned back slightly though he still did not let go

Flustered by the closeness, Evan blushed vividly. "I- If I agree, will my family be spared execution?" he asked timidly.
He worried his lower lip as he gazed up at the taller male, feeling very much like a bug about to be crushed underneath a boot.
He did not dismiss the lack of friendliness in the Princes smile, and a chill ran up his spine.

"of course, they provided a bride suitable to my tastes after-all" he let go of the other's hand and stood up. he waited for the boy to gather himself and rise as well. "as my wife you belong to me, and only me." he pushed back his hair and walked away "i hope you understand what you've agreed to"

A bride suitable to his tastes?
Evan nodded dumbly, confused deeply. He was after all quite naive in matters such as this.
Truth be told his Mother thought him quite strange, since he had not felt the stirrings of longing for women. He did not crave the touch of anyone.
What did the Prince mean by belonging only to him?
The thoughts lay heavy on Evans mind as he slipped silently back into the palace.
~~~ Time skip, a few hours later~~~
Constance had drawn Evan a warm bath and left the boy to his own devices. He slipped out of the heavy gown and folded it, and its under clothing neatly and placed them on a table, before slipping into the bath.
He was still thinking about what the Prince had said to him earlier, and had yet to come to a conclusion as to the meaning of his words.
Sighing exhaustedly, he stared up at the ceiling before allowing himself to slide underneath the water completely.
"Everything is so complicated..." he thought to himself.

he was pleased to say the least when the steward found him wandering the halls back to his cabinet. he even smiled. the steward taken back was almost timid 'so my lord is no longer upset by..his, um union?' he did not flinch though only through training. his prince was known as much for his temper as his charm. "no at all, in fact i have come to the conclusion that she is perfectly fine. in fact i do not think a better choice could have been made." he left the other still in his tracks and continued to his rooms.

An hour later he emerged from the bath. He dried off and dressed in a simple cotton night gown, feeling strange about the lack of pants.
Settling down on the huge bed, he covered himself with the blankets and closed his eyes.
His dreams were about his child hood, about the times he and Evangeline shared together in the woods outside of their home.
She was always the active one, the bold one... Everything his parents had wished he would be.
Whenever they played together, he was always the princess, and she was always the dashing Knight.
He was happy that she had left with her gypsy lover. She had seen the look in her eyes when she talked about him, it was true love.
Something that her parents could not accept.
"Maybe one day they will learn to be happy for her" he thought while he dozed.
His long eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks during the night, as he lay oblivious to the world around him.

the next day he was up with the servants. he felt invigorated and it showed. he went out and helped tend the dovecote, he was first to morning mass. he was fair and lenient during his morning duties. rumors began floating around that he and the lady from the duchy of swanson were seem together in the prince's pleasure garden among the flowers. he paid them no mind, they could say what they would. he kept his cheerful demeanor though to the morning meal

Evan woke up exhausted to the bone. It wasn't physical exhaustion as much as it was bone weary mental exhaustion.
Try as he may, sleep eluded him, and his mind kept going over the Princes words from the day before.
He sat at the breakfast table, barely touching his food. He moved it around his plate with a silver fork, and feigned a smile and listened politely to the Queen speak.
His mind began to wander to thoughts of his sister. He wondered how she was doing.

(Be right back, have to put daughter to bed)

he noticed that when noon came around and the morning meal was provided the boy ate as a woman should. he was happy enough that the other realized the importance of going through with the farce.

Looking up from his plate, he shot Alric a quick glance and noted that the Prince looked happier today than yesterday. A bit of the anxiety that felt as if it was buried in his chest lifted.
It would be much easier to carry on this act if the Prince wasn't angry at him.
Evan sat in lady like silence and waited to be excused from the table.

when the women all left to go to the women's quarters to eat he saw the boy break away. he excused himself and followed after. when the male stopped he realized they were back in the halls leading to the garden. he came up behind and reached over the other as he tried to open the door. the prince spead his fingers over the wood and leaned down slightly as the other spin around and hit the door in surprise "what are you doing?" he asked

Evan nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around with wide eyes. "Y-Your Highness" he stammered.
His face colored at the Princes close proximity, and he shook his head as if to clear his head. "I-Is there something you need from me?" he asked in a nervous and soft tone.

he repeated himself a little bit louder "i asked what you were doing" he looked down at the other from the end of his nose

"I-I was going to the gardens... I'm not feeling very well" he admitted.
In fact, he was feeling very feverish right now, and the heavy silk of the gown wasn't helping him any.

he frowned. "you were going to my personal garden. only the gardeners and myself are allowed in my garden do you understand it is m-" he was interrupted as the other slumped to the floor. his frowned deepened, he lifted up the now unconscious child. he thought of taking the other to the leecher but it was too far away and it would not do to have him carrying around his betrothed the day before they wee to be married. instead he decided to go out to the gardens in hopes that the sun and ai would help bring the other around. he maneuvered the heavy silk through the door and carried the other to the middle of the garden laying him out in the greenery. he stared at the other for a minute or more before it occurred to him that maybe it was the garment causing the other to faint, his brother talked all the time of women in various stages of undress. he reached around under the back of the panels in the boy's dress and popped several buttons giving him access to the strings of the stays. he pulled them apart enough to let the other breathe. as soon as he did the child took a deep ragged breath and color began to come back to his face ruining the lovely pallor from before