--Prince--

[ripetuto]

[Leone sits slumped in the carriage as they pull into the manor his stepmother(??) is waiting for them at. She's still in mourning and anyway no one wants the rude, "unwashed", pissy bastard son of the goddamn king to be at the royal palace when he'd rather swear at all these fucking nobles than become one of them.

But he doesn't really have a choice, does he? It's either this or likely getting sent to a penal colony or something eventually, because the asshole guards in the slums never liked him and dislike of them and that could only ever end one way. He's a depressed teenager, not a suicidal one.

So when the Queen's aide came to the tiny little boarding house Leone was living in and told him that he was the late king's bastard son--with paperwork and everything to prove it--well. What else was he supposed to do but agree to at least meet with the Queen and give this whole "suddenly the heir" thing a shot? If all else fails, maybe he can cause some problems and they kick him out.

The aide he's with tells him to sit up straight and Leone does just enough to get her off his back as the carriage comes to a stop. They're escorted out of the carriage and into the study where the Queen is waiting to greet them.

She smiles at Leone and they have a short conversation, mostly involving her apologizing for uprooting his life and thanking him for agreeing to this--her inability to have children is well known in the kingdom, after all. After a bit, she gestures for the boy standing nearby to come forward.]

Leone, this is Bruno Bucciarati. He's the ward of a lord, and he's going to be your aide for now. I'll let you two get to know each other while I go and see to it that the servants are preparing your rooms.

[And she leaves. Leone looks at Bruno, unsure.]

Comments

[nellacerniera]

[Bruno remains quiet as the two talk, only speaking up once she's left.

And now Leone's looking at him, clearly uncertain, and god he wishes he could be actually reassuring.]

... It's good to meet you. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?

[It's a little awkward and uncertain, but given the situation at hand...]

[ripetuto]

A way to go back in time and kick my ass for agreeing to this?

[nellacerniera]

[He blinks, then laughs a little, looking equal parts amused by Leone's words and startled by his own laughter.]

Ah, well, I'm afraid such a thing wouldn't be in my power, unfortunately.

[ripetuto]

Worth a shot. I don't know what I agreed to this.

[nellacerniera]

Feeling like you had little choice in the matter?

[It's just a guess, but.]

[ripetuto]

[He shrugs. Yeah basically.]

Apparently I'm the only kid he admitted to having.

[nellacerniera]

... I see.

[Good grief.]

For lack of a better way of putting it, there's going to be a lot of bullshit to navigate. I'll assist you with that as best as I can, at least.

[ripetuto]

Yeah? Does this include how the fuck to handle my stepmom being the queen?

[nellacerniera]

... I'm going to be honest with you: no, it doesn't. That is well above anything I am prepared to help with.

[BRUNO]

[ripetuto]

...well, at least you're honest. What are you good to help me with?

[nellacerniera]

[With the look akin to that when one's bitten into something unpleasant:] Dealing with nobles.

[ripetuto]

[Leone grimaces.]

Is that what she hired you for? Or...whatever?

[nellacerniera]

More or less.

[There's also the part where he's supposed to be teaching Leone how to behave, but... he never liked that to begin with, and even less so now that he's actually met the guy.

Many of the nobles could stand to be a little terrorized, if one asked Bruno.]

Some are easier to deal with than others, but for the most part, they're all a pain.

[ripetuto]

Any of 'em going to faint if I swear?

[nellacerniera]

A couple might.

[...]

I'm not saying you should do it, but it would be really funny. [A beat.] Maybe lull them into a false sense of security first.

[BRUNO NO]

[ripetuto]

[Leone snorts, clearly trying not to laugh.]

No love for your fellow nobles?

[nellacerniera]

[There's a part of Bruno that feels very proud of getting that reaction out of Leone, but he ignores it for now.]

I was adopted, so no.

[ripetuto]

--you were?

[What.]

Sorry, ignore that. None of my business.

[nellacerniera]

No, it's okay, I don't mind talking about it.

[Not to Leone, at least.]

I lost my father a couple years ago and something about me had caught the interest of a noble couple who'd lost their children, and with the wife was getting too old to have more kids...

[ripetuto]

They adopted you. So now you're stuck here just as much as I am.

[nellacerniera]

Pretty much... But at least this means we're more likely to be on the same page about things, I think.

[ripetuto]

Yeah. If nothing else, we're about the same age right?

[nellacerniera]

I believe so, yes!

[ripetuto]

[A small, almost reluctant smile. He's just not very used to smiling.]

At least I'm not totally alone here, then.

[nellacerniera]

Yeah.

[Small smile.]

I'll support you however I can, okay? No matter what.