TW// Mysogyny
Tivon had already dropped the glass of wine somewhere in the hallway. He needed to get away from people. He needed fresh air. He opened the door that led to a narrow staircase leading up to a balcony. There won't be any guards stationed there.
Did everyone think the same as that man?
"Excuse me?" Tivon had just grabbed a glass of wine as a man tapped his shoulder. "Are you prince Tivon?" Tivon turned around to see an old man, just a bit taller than Tivon, dressed in a red gown. Tivon recognized the golden pin of a flame above his heart. The Kingdom of Bren.
"It's just Tivon now."
"I hardly recognized you with the scar." Tivon smiled awkwardly. "I still don't get it. How is that even possible?"
"It is rather simple sir." Tivon cleared his throat. He was prepared to have this conversation. "As an heir to the throne I can do as I please. I can put whoever I want on the throne, and I can take away the title I hold."
"Apologies. I understand that, it's just that I don't understand why would you give the kingdom to her."
Tivon didn't like the tone he used as he pointed to Rea dancing with Elias. "I'm sorry, I don't think I'm following."
"You exiled your father. He was the greatest king in the whole of Krens and you gave the kingdom to a woman. She couldn't possibly ever handle this stuff."
Tivon was lost for words. Did he really have this little trust in Rea?
"The Queens never have the same status as Kings. " he continued. "They are there just to make an alliance and produce heirs." Tivon opened his mouth to contradict him, but he just wouldn't stop. "What if a war broke out? A woman couldn't possibly protect the kingdom and the throne. I know my wife could never. She is there to give me the title, give me sons and be there to please me when I need-"
Tivon pushed him aside. "Excuse me, I n-need to go." He ran to the door, feeling like he was going to vomit.
When he came to the balcony, he tightly grabbed the stone railing and breathed in. There was no way people really thought like that? Do they really have this little trust in Rea? In women in general? Tivon knew that it was hard to rule kingdoms, but he also had faith in Rea. Tivon knew that she could do it.
Could she?
Had Tivon really made a mistake exiling his father and putting Rea on the throne?
Tivon sighed and leaned his head in his hands. You're thinking nonsense Tivon. You're just tired. He had slept in past days, but the dreams were still there and now the dreams happened even when he was awake.
He was certain he could see the dead. There was no mistake in it. Tivon was stupid to think Elias would believe him. Tivon could've told him he saw them. Not just Adrien, Alieana and Pit, but his parents. It couldn't possibly be a hallucination. Tivon didn't know how they looked, Elias never described them to him, but Tivon was certain that the two people standing on the shore, were his parents. His mother had the same black silky hair and his father's eyes were the same blue as Elias'. They both had his gentle smile.
They didn't say anything. They just smiled and looked at Elias. Elias would notice them if they were there, but he didn't. It was just Tivon who saw them, standing there as if they were made of flesh and bone. But they were dead. The bullet hole above their hearts and a slit on their throats were the indication of it. They were dead.
Why can I see the dead?
"Tivon?" Tivon turned around to see Ivan. "I was going to patrol around the castle and saw a broken glass by the door. Is everything okay?"
Tivon tried to steady his voice. "Yeah. Everything is okay."
Ivan smiled and joined him. "I didn't have the chance to say hi to you."
"Everyone was in a hurry, it's okay." Smiled Tivon and looked up at Ivan. "Shouldn't you be with Rea?"
Ivan looked over his shoulder through the windows at Rea and Elias. "She is in safe hands." He turned back around and fell silent. Only the music and people from the chamber could be heard. "Cornelis was here." Tivon looked at him. "She was looking for you."
"Is she okay?"
"Her shoulder was wounded, and she looked distressed. She was acting like she was running out of time."
"She kept saying that she had no time left." Tivon sighed.
"Time for what?"
"I don't know."
Ivan nodded. "She also kept talking in this language I've never heard before."
"She does that a lot." Tivon laughed. "If she keeps talking in her tongue, I'll start to understand her."
Ivan laughed. "I don't doubt you will."
"I'll need to find her after the ball." Sighed Tivon.
"She'll probably find you first." He put a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to have you all back. I'll need to go back to Rea now."
Tivon smiled and nodded. As soon as he closed the door behind him someone stumbled at him. The door opened again, and Elias ran outside with a panicked expression. When he saw Tivon, he ran to him and hugged him.
"I saw that man talking to you. Are you okay?"
So warm. Tivon closed his eyes and leaned into him. "Did I really make a mistake in putting Rea on the throne?"
Elias looked down, but Tivon couldn't meet his eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I have full trust in her," He finally looked up. "What if she never wanted this? I gave her all this trouble, all these problems, because I was… Selfish."
Elias stroked his face. "It was not selfish of you. It's true that everything is hard for Rea, and she is struggling. However, she would tell you if she couldn't do it anymore. She would ask for help. If you think that it was a mistake to give her the kingdom, you're wrong. I couldn't think of anyone who could be a better Queen than Rea. She may not see it yet, but people trust her. She'll make it, don't worry." He hugged Tivon closer. "Was that prick saying that Rea could never be a Queen?" Tivon nodded. "Bastard… If there weren't that many guards around, I would already cut out his tongue."
Tivon laughed. They leaned against the railing, Elias' hands still wrapped around Tivon. Tivon looked up at him. His hair was pushed back and tied in a low ponytail, with no bandana. He wore a white shirt that was still unbuttoned at the front, the silver necklace hidden behind it. His torso was covered with a low black corset, and he wore a long black coat. Tivon persuaded him in changing the earrings for silver ones for one night, but he wasn't successful.
Elias was looking in front of him and to Tivon he looked just as beautiful as the day he first saw him without the mask. Suddenly his expression changed.
"I just want for this curse to end." Elias sighed. "I want to be free of it. I want to go somewhere far, away from everyone. Settle somewhere alone." He finished quietly.
"Alone?"
He smirked. "Not quite." Elias looked down at him. "There is someone I want there."
"And who might that be?"
"A particular boy." He pushed a strain of Tivon's hair behind his ear. "Short brown hair, one brown eye and one beautiful colourless eye. He is a rather stubborn boy, but a courageous one." He leaned down. "And he is a great kisser."
Tivon leaned closer. "Is he now?"
Elias smiled. "There is no one else, who I wouldn't spend an eternity with."
He leaned down and kissed him. Tivon wouldn't want anything more than that. As much as they seem to fit in their own worlds, they could never be a part of it. There was always something that rejected them from it.
The melody from the inside changed and Elias took one of Tivon's hand and placed it on his shoulder. He placed his behind Tivon and pulled him closer.
"Wouldn't they see us through the window?"
"I don't care for them. Let them look."
Tivon smiled as they danced around the balcony. The melody reminded Tivon of the sea. The waves crashing into the ship, the wind howling through. In these past few years, he had forgotten how much he liked dancing. Every time Elias visited him, they hadn't got the chance to just relax and dance. The idea of them living somewhere alone with no curses haunting their backs, sounded like heaven to Tivon.
He wrapped both his hands around his neck and leaned his forehead against his.
"I love you." Tivon whispered.
"I'm not sure I heard that right. Can you repeat it?"
Tivon smirked. "I- "
Someone slammed the door open. Tivon immediately looked over Elias. "Cornelis?"
Cornelis wanted to run towards him, but as soon as Elias turned around, she stopped, her hand immediately going to her shoulder. She glowered at him with her golden eyes, but Tivon could still see that she was terrified.
"Cornelis it's okay. Elias is back."
"Yeah, I can see that." She said as she put her hand up.
Tivon stepped before Elias. "Cornelis don't. He remembers everything. He knows."
Cornelis slowly lowered her hand, her eyes still fixed on Elias.
"Cornelis, what's wrong?"
She finally looked at Tivon. Cornelis opened her mouth to speak when an explosion hit the castle. "What was that?!"
Elias immediately ran to the railing and looked over it to where the explosion had hit. Tivon followed him to see smoke coming from.
"No." Tivon followed Elias' look further to the sea, where a big ship with dark blue sails stood. "No way."
"Do you know that ship?"
"Not really. I only heard stories." He lowered his voice. "I didn't know they were true." He turned towards the door. "We need to get to Rea."
And then another explosion hit, this one closer to them. The ground beneath them shook and Tivon had to grab on to Elias.
"That one was close." Said Cornelis.
They looked through the window, down at the big chamber which was filled with smoke.
"Rea!"
Elias pulled out a pistol from his coat.
"We weren't allowed to carry weapons tonight." Said Tivon.
Elias smiled. "Security checks don't apply to me."
"Good." Tivon pulled out his knives from the vast. "You taught me well."
Tivon took one final glance at Cornelis. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, putting her hair into a messy bun. "I need to talk to you later." She reached her hands in front of her. "But first we need to take care of whatever is happening here."