Celebrating 10 years of Captive Prince!

May 26th - Loyalty . . “He was the right choice for captain.” . . Okay so today I found out that its Captive Prince’s 10th anniversary and then I found @capri-month and ig I’m kinda late but I couldn’t help jumping onto this as well.

Characters: Jord; Aimeric (mention); Damen/Laurent (mention). 

Tags: I am sad about Jord. Jord is sad about Jord. Set during Ravenel in Prince’s Gambit. Written for @capri-month.

Jord stands amongst the festivities like an effigy, in the same room but watching as though from afar.  

Characters: Nikandros; Laurent; and Damen (mention).

Tags: Post-canon; I just want Laurent and Nik to be friends so BAD goddamn; can you imagine how happy it would make Damen; can you imagine how happy it would make me. Written for @capri-month.

Laurent says, “I have been negotiating tariffs all morning. My temple feels fit to burst.  Will you walk with me, Nikandros?”

Also entitled, “Mikayla fell behind in art prompts so here’s a quick piece to stay on top of Capri Month.”

The prompt for today was “Point of View.” In which, after Laurent and Damen marry and unite their kingdoms, Laurent begins to have strange, bloody dreams of the past, and he can’t seem to look past his uncanny resemblance to his brother.  

It was shortly after they’d married, and started with dreams. Horrible night terrors, that would have Laurent waking in the dead of night and choking out a sob. Damen would wake shortly after, roused by Laurent’s snuggling further into him, and would wrap his arms around the other’s waist, drawing him even closer.

“Shh,” he’d whisper soothingly, “you’re alright, Laurent. It’s alright.”  And, in shaky Akielon, Laurent would reply, “I’m fine.” 

Loyalty

It’s an exploration of a character I’ve never looked at this closely before, Jokaste, and I found I had a lot more thoughts about Jokaste than I thought I did.

A little late. Day 3 of Capri Month: Point of View.

Stirring drowsily, Laurent shifted a fraction closer and made a soft, unthinking sound of pleasure that Damen was going to remember for the rest of his life.

The letter did not make sense, but it fit into the picture Nikandros had about Veretians. And if it was true he could prove what really happened to Damianos.

Here is a point of view that no one asked for and no one wants. A scene set during Prince’s Gambit.

He started into the blue eyes.

“What did you do?”

Nicaise broke contact in a childish manner to feign innocence. He repeated himself again in a harder voice. Nicaise sank lower into the chair. The boy couldn’t resist a direct order for long.

“I found something then gave it away for information.” The boys voice revealing the small tremble of a hidden lie.

“What did you find and what did you learn?”

Nicaise swallowed and straightened his posture in a small act of defiance.

“A letter. I found it in Govart’s stuff so I didn’t think it mattered to you.”

“Haven’t I told you enough times, everything that happens in this country matters to me. I am the King. You were my eyes and my ears. And now you have lied to me. I thought I taught you better then this Nicaise.” He stands and approaches closer to Nicaise.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bore you with this so I kept quiet about it. I’m sorry please forgive me. I know I did wrong and deserve to be punished.” He could tell Nicaise was trying to act younger but he couldn’t hide the cracks and squeaks in his voice.

“It’s too late.” He smacks the boy across the face. The sound echoing in the empty hall. “My nephew rides to Ravenel, that damn slave Damianos at his side. It’s about time I taught my nephew a real lesson. A lesson he should have learned long ago but has clearly forgot.”

Nicaise whimpers out. “What lesson is that.”

“He shouldn’t leave behind things he cares about. Toys have a tendency for breaking after neglect.”

The boys eyes grow as the meaning of the words hit home, his hand hits and rings out again.

“Guards!” The order echoed as men now enter the hall. “Bring the executioner.”

He watched with a smile as Nicaise struggled against the guards rough handling. “The last lesson you will learn. Toys, pets, bed boys. Everyone is replaceable.”

The boy stopped struggling and looked back into his eyes. Preferring to use the sharp words he had learned.

“You will never win. Laurent is stronger and smarter than you ever will be. You can’t beat him. He will outsmart you-” His rough hands grab the smooth face and silence it.

“Oh but you forget. I’m not playing his game, he is playing mine and I have let him play for far too long. I have everything he wants. In fact, I was once everything he wanted for. Fickle things children’s brains are, so easily manipulated, so easily detached.”  

He watches on as the small boy struggles against the guards once more as he is forced to the ground. “Everything that was once his will be returned to him.”

“The nation will be his again.” Nicaise spits as the garden but his again.

“No the only thing that has ever been truly his  was Auguste I will reunite him with his dead brother. Any last words?”

Blue eyes match his again.

“Hello, lover.”

For @capri-month day 2!

Damianos and the Prince of Vere were maddeningly fond of pet names, which was going to put Nikandros in an early grave.

Part: 2 of 2 (Part 1 here)

Pairing: Damen/Laurent; Auguste/Alcohol.

Tags: ‘Strangers in a bar’ AU. ‘We fucked but let’s pretend not to know each other’ AU. @capri-month​ challenge.

It takes a split second – the briefest fracture of time – for Laurent to realize that he has seen this face before. He seen it across from him, in a bar; next to him, in a taxi; and over him, in bed.