The Gifts We Share [A Medieval AU]

Chapter Forty-Eight - Return to Rubellus

"Seán, look!"

The king snaps out of his thoughts and glances at Mark, who points towards the horizon.  After a moment of confusion, he looks in the direction he's pointing and his jaw falls open.

There, sitting against the bright blue sky, is Rubellus. The castle towers high above the walls that surround the village, its stained glass windows shimmering in the sun.  Farmland and farmhouses dot the land outside, golden wheat waving in the wind.  Mark covers his mouth, tears springing to his eyes.

"Mark?" Seán asks, reaching over from his horse in order to place a gentle hand on the prince's leg.

"That's home," Mark whispers, covering the king's hand with his own. "I know it is."

By the time they reach the gates, Mark has managed to get his emotions under control. He adjusts his crown on his head as the guards approach, speaking to him in an accent that's astonishingly similar to his own.

"What's your business here?" one guard asks, observing the caravan with skepticism. When his eyes land on Mark's crown, his jaw drops. "Wait... that crown..."

The other guard approaches, his eyes widening. "I heard rumours of the lost prince in Viride, but it can't be... Are you... Prince Mark?"

"I am," Mark states.  He gestures to the royal beside him. "And this is King Seán of Viride.  May we enter?"

"Yes, yes. Uh, open the gates!" one guard stammers, bowing profusely.

The gates open and the royals move in, followed by the Viride knights and servants. As they dismount, Mark approaches the guards.

"Where is the nearest inn?" he asks. "We hope to stay the night."

"It is just down the road from here. You cannot miss it." The guard takes a deep breath before speaking again. "Your majesty, do you plan to take down the conqueror? I will tell no one. I just... it has been thirty years. I was a little kid when we lost the royal family, and I have been waiting so long for this. When we heard that the lost prince of Rubellus was in Viride, it was almost too good to be true."

Mark smiles. Normally, he would be hesitant to tell a Rubellus guard his plans, but this man is so genuine in his excitement. He can barely stop the shaking in his hands. The prince nods. "Yes, we plan on taking him down. You must tell nobody, although the conqueror will probably figure out we are here very shortly."

"I will tell nobody. Please, please take him down. He's... horrible. I would have left had I not been conscripted into the guard."

"I am very sorry. We will definitely try to get rid of him." Mark shakes his hand just as Seán comes up behind him. "It was nice meeting you, but I must head off now. Good luck."

"It was wonderful to meet you too, your majesty."

Seán puts a hand on Mark's shoulder, smiling a little at the guard before leading the prince away. Mark gives the caravan instructions on how to get to the inn and watches them head off before turning to Seán.

"The conqueror has apparently been conscripting people to the guard, which is why that man over there can't leave," the prince explains. "We should definitely talk to more people at the inn. I have a feeling that a lot of people won't oppose us if we want to take down the conqueror."

"That's good." Seán bites his lip as he glances around the streets. "Let's go, okay? I don't fancy staying in the streets much longer."

Mark nods and follows the king down the road towards the inn. The prince looks around as they walk, his eyes glistening with excitement and emotion. Seán smiles lightly, although he can't help the ache in his heart. There's no way Mark will leave now that he's here. The king will just have to return to Viride by himself...

"Seán, look at this place! It's beautiful," Mark coos, reaching out and grabbing the royal's hand. His face falls a little. "But there's no happiness anywhere. The streets aren't filled with music or conversation. They're all... hiding.  Look."

Seán takes in the street around him, realizing the truth behind the prince's words. People peek out from windows or doorways, but nobody walks freely in the streets. There are no carts selling fresh produce like there are in Viride. It's just... empty.

"We'll fix that. Don't worry," Seán assures him, shoving his own heartache aside. "Soon, this kingdom will be yours and these people can be free again."

Mark smiles widely. "Yeah! I'm going to make sure that nobody feels afraid anymore. Not like this."

The king smiles gently and opens the door of the inn, letting Mark walk in first. He trails behind, the emotionless mask returning to his countenance with a certain ease that frightens him more than anything. It's easier to hide his pain with expressionlessness than fake happiness. Besides, people must know he's a king. The ease he has around Mark does not extend to the village people of a foreign kingdom.

Later that evening, after receiving their room and eating dinner, Seán sits in the dining hall and watches as Mark tells his tale to the surrounding villagers and knights. The prince's eyes sparkle as he recounts the events that led to this moment, the firelight from the candles dancing across his features. The people around him listen in silence, completely and utterly enthralled. Mark's love for his people is obvious to Seán. The king would know, he feels the same way towards the citizens of Viride. However, that love is also what terrifies him. There's no way the prince will return after this.

Seán places his mug on the table in front of him in order to wipe the gathering moisture from his eyes. Mark will undoubtedly stay here, so he may as well spend his last few days with him, no matter how much it hurts.