(Sorry for the wait! I've had a lot of family over for the holidays in the past few weeks and my time to write a response has been minimal. Here you go though!)
"Wonderful!" King Soril answered, a cheerful smile on his face. Clearly he didn't see the tension between the General and Ciaran. "Then you two will have less to learn about each other." He turned and pulled out his desk chair, sitting down among the piles of papers. Lifting a stack that was in his way of a direct view of Ciaran and Logan, he set it on the ground and pulled two papers off the top of the stack. He slid them across the desk to the two men, continuing on easily, "I know it may seem sudden, we're planning to get your wedding in before the Feast of Autumn comes around. I hope that's alright with the both of you?"
Ciaran let out a long breath and turned to face his father, not glancing at the man he was supposed to marry. "That's less than four weeks away. Why so sudden?"
"It will allow you both to gain the attention of the people coming to the capital for feast celebrations, solidifying your relationship." Ciaran's mother spoke, the Queen meeting her son's eyes calmly, "It will also allow you to take over control of the empire some time before the spring. During the winter there are less duties to worry about, which will be perfect for a transition to being King and having a spouse at your side." The Queen brushed a stray hair back over her shoulder, looking to Logan with a question in her eyes, "I assume that's alright with you, General?"
Whether or not he was alright with it, Ciaran knew his parent's wouldn't change their plan for the wedding. The two had the final say, and both of them were simply there to know what was going to happen.
"Is General Harlet staying here in the time until the wedding?" Ciaran asked, taking a quick glance over at the man. If he had to deal with him for almost an entire four weeks before the wedding, he was going to find the tallest tower to jump off of. Being married to the man was going to be bad enough, but to have to be social up until then…death would be a kinder option.
(Nah, you're all good! I've actually been on vacation for the past like week so I've been busy myself)
Logan's jaw tightened at the idea of having to stay here until his wedding. He was hoping he could just get the general work out of the way so he could go home. His sister's birthday was next week and he was not about to miss it because of this. But no. Of course not. Of course he couldn't have things be that simple.
"Actually, your majesty, I think it's a fantastic idea." Logan's voice was low and gravelly, it'd be booming if it wasn't so deadly quiet. He didn't actually think it was a good idea but seeing how it made Ciaran squirm was enough for him to at least slightly want to do it. Besides, maybe in those four weeks he could get some answers out of Ciaran that he'd been waiting years for. Maybe he'd finally explain what happened that day. What made him shut Logan out. Maybe he'd finally make peace with something in his life.
The King opened his mouth to give Logan the option to decline, but before he could the general had spoken. Ciaran's father smiled and he nodded, looking towards his son, "I suppose he'll be staying here then."
"We can arrange for you to stay starting tonight, if you'd so like," The Queen offered, ignoring the side-eye Ciaran was throwing at both of his parents.
He was more than sure he was going to have to measure each tower of the palace with the idea his parents provided. The further the drop the less likely it would be that he would survive to spend any longer around the General. "May I be excused?" He asked, his eyes never once straying to Logan as he shifted on his feet. Four weeks was going to be hell…especially as he couldn't stand being in the same room as him for even ten minutes. There was too much tension between the two of them already. Words that had been pent up for years that neither of them should speak. There was still too much uncomfortable pain.
His father nodded and it took him less than a moment to step back from the chair, hesitating just long enough to grind out a painful farewell to Logan. "It was nice to meet you again, General. May you have a wonderful day." Every word felt sarcastic, but they passed fluidly, as if he didn't want to smack the man upside the head as he left. Closing the door behind him, his face dropped into a scowl and he stared at the door for a moment before wandering off, trying to think of the quickest way to calm down.
Logan could recognize the venom in Ciaran's words, the amount of effort it took for him to remain standing there when he was given the all clear to leave. he could read every movement Ciaran took made like a book. After all, it was his job. But he also knew why he did it. Logan would've done the same thing in his shoes.
Logan turned to the queen with his usual blank expression. "Of course. The sooner the better." He sounded level and calm, even though he knew he was condemning himself to four weeks of absolute torture before he was even married. But if he had any hopes of trying to reconcile his relationship with Ciaran, he would need all the extra time he could get. He didn't expect to become friends again. That wasn't what he was looking for. But he'd be damned if he let those four weeks slip away without answers. The words between them that threatened to spill at any second but wouldn't due to composure. If he didn't say them, he'd lose his mind.
"Wonderful. We'll have a room arranged for you tonight. You're free to do what you'd like for the rest of the day, and if you choose, we can send some servants to your home to gather whatever belongings you wish to bring here. Of course, we will provide anything you need for the duration of your stay up until the wedding." The Queen answered with a tip of her head and a gracious smile, "You're dismissed."
The king nodded his head in agreement, a bright smile on his face. "It was wonderful to speak to you, General Harlet. Feel free to do whatever you please until the wedding, you're a welcome guest in the palace." Leaning back in his chair, he tugged a paper off of a stack on his desk and started quietly skimming it over, giving a silent dismissal to the General.
Ciaran opted not to go back to his room as he left the office, instead making a beeline for the library. He didn't have the mind to study at the moment, but he didn't want to speak to Logan any more than he had to; even though the man would most likely know he retreated to the library, it was more of a sanctuary than his room was. Plus, his brothers wouldn't bother him either, as they usually did when he hid up in his room.
Pulling open the heavy wooden door to the library, he turned down the nearest aisle of books, his feet taking the memorized path to the darkened corner of the library, where a nest of plus pillows and blankets sat undisturbed. Tucked up against a shelf of dusty books of his ancestry, Ciaran dropped down into the pile of fluff, grabbing the top book on a haphazard pile beside him. The maids and librarians knew all too well not to mess with his corner of the library, though he could sometimes find new books appearing on his stack to read; suggestions from maids and librarians.
(Dramatic "I've just come back from the dead" gasp I LIIIIIVE! It only took me over a month, sorry about that 😅)
Logan rose from his chair and bowed respectfully before leaving, taking a heavy sigh once the door was closed. Finally, he was out of there. Something about staying in that room made him feel like he couldn't breathe, like every single action whether voluntary or involuntary was being judged and scrutinized.
But now he was out of that place and had answers to get. And by God he would get them or die trying. He knew Ciaran wouldn't be in his room, Logan knew better. In some senses even now, he felt like he knew Ciaran better than he knew himself. Which Logan truly wasn't sure how he felt about that. But there was no time for overthinking, he just beelined for where he knew Ciaran would be.
While most would assume Ciaran had retreated to his room, Logan had experienced the lovely times of Ciaran's childhood, having grown up with him. He knew where the prince would be even if Ciaran didn't want him to. So he strode into the library, keeping quiet as to not alert Ciaran and send him out running before Logan could find him. So when he approached the prince's little corner, he kept his footsteps silent until he was close enough to talk.
"Ciaran." He tried to sound neutral, maybe even inviting. This would be his husband, he could at least try to sound like he didn't hate the man's guts. Although it wasn't true and Logan wasn't the best actor, he refused to let anyone say he didn't try.
(All good! I’m glad you’re back!!)
Ciaran stuck his nose into the first book he grabbed, picking up the storyline of an epic adventure he had been reading about for the past while. It was an easy distraction and he came to almost being relaxed. Any thought of the previous conversation and the looming future of marrying his worst enemy washing away behind the story.
That was until a grating voice snapped him to reality.
He recognized Logan’s voice in an instant, debating simply ignoring the man for a moment before remembering that Logan would be more likely to stand around until he was noticed than leave him to read. Slowly, he pried his eyes up from the book, glaring at the man without any hesitation. If the book in hand wasn’t so good he would’ve thrown it at him to get his point across. “What.”
He didn’t even attempt to sound neutral in his tone, tucking his legs up closer to himself and going back to fake reading while he listened to whatever the general had come to tell him.
Logan's eye twitched in silent irritation. So that was how it was going to be. Fine then. He'd keep this short. Not like that was all that out of the ordinary for Logan these days.
"I'm aware that this arrangement is…less than ideal. For both of us. But it's a reality and ignoring me and acting like I don't exist for the rest of our lives is childish and unsustainable. The least either of us can do is be cordial. And I think I have a way to show that. For the rest of the kingdom, at the very least." He sighed like he was preparing himself, he really didn't want to do this, to let Ciaran back into his life, but he had no choice.
"It's Valerie's birthday next week. She's been talking about how much she misses seeing us be friends because that's when I used to smile, according to her." His voice was suddenly soft, almost shy and a little sad. "Since it's her eighteenth, my father wants to do something special for her. So he invited you to come as my fiance. Thought that us coming together as a couple would be a nice surprise for Val. I know you hate me, believe me, I do. But I remember you always liked her."
He shifted his weight on his feet, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Logan still felt very uneasy about letting Ciaran back near the thing he held most precious. His family was his entire world, if anything ever hurt them by his hand whether direct or indirect, he wouldn't know what to do.
(Thank you!)
Ciaran found himself simply staring at the pages instead of reading as he began to speak. He wasn’t eager to come off as anything but angry at the man before him, let alone cordial and happy for the kingdom. The suggestion alone was enough to make him want to snap out a response, but he but his tongue to hear whatever solution he presented.
His demeanor didn’t change when he heard the plan but his eyes softened. Valerie had always been his favorite of Logan’s siblings and he always thought of her as the sister he wanted, and that hadn’t changed even after Logan and his falling out. Showing up to her birthday party, for the first time in years with Logan, he was sure she would be estatic. But did he want to put himself through the torture of acting sweet to his new fiancé while doing so?
With a huff, he snapped his book closed and looked up at him with a new frown. “Fine. I’ll go, but I’m only doing this for your sister, don’t expect me to act all lovey dovey except when we have to. When’s the party? And I will need present ideas.” As he spoke, Ciaran stood, dropping the book on top of a stack. He crossed his arms as he stood in front of him, meeting Logan’s eyes but not saying a word.
Logan pertantly ignored the way his chest loosened when Ciaran took up his offer. He could deal with those emotions later. "The party's next Thursday and I already have an idea of what to get her. She's been gushing to me about this book series she's been wanting to read for the longest time. But, well, you've met my father. You know how he is. With Valerie being the oldest daughter from a warrior family, he wants her to be strong and smart so she'll be a good wife and make her family proud."
Logan sighed heavily, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "But Val has never taken an interest in her studies, she prefers spending her days with her nose in a fictional novel," Like someone else I used to know… "So Father has been restricting her access to her beloved library so she'll focus on "Doing the Harlet name proud" as Father likes to put it. Honestly, I don't understand why he doesn't just let her have this. There is so little that brings her joy these days, why can't he just let her be happy."
He bit his tongue to cut off his oncoming ramble. Logan didn't talk much these days and his throat was already growing dry just from this much. Besides, it wasn't like Ciaran would be listening anyway, he already looked like he wanted Logan to evaporate on sight, rambling about his feelings towards his father's treatment of his sister would just go in one ear and out the other.
