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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.
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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