tw: abuse, knives, death

     "Oh my god." Connor's voice was shaking as Evan looked up and whimpered to him. His eyes were tired and deep black bags were evident. Connor locked the door behind him, running over to Evan's side with tears already in his eyes.

     "Y-You're okay?" Evan sounded raspy as he looked weakly to Connor, offering a small smile.

     "Yes, but that doesn't matter. W-What have they been doing to you?" Connor started trying to untie the ropes, only to find chains underneath that had obviously been hidden by Evan's father. 

     "I h-haven't had any food for awhile... S-Some stale bread a-at most. D-Dad comes in and beats m-me... M-More so after I told him I liked m-men too." Evan laughed, coughing as the sound echoed through the room. He fell into Connor's arms, eyes fluttering a little bit.

     "Evan... We have to do something. He can't go on like this! You're a Prince. I beg you, allow me to speak to your mother!" Connor was sobbing into Evan's shoulder, the boy frail and light in his arms. 

     "But that could get you h-hurt-"

     "No more hurt then you are now. I don't care what pain I endure, it is my job as a servant to the castle to protect you! We'll impeach him somehow. I know we will." Connor's voice was filled with so much passion that it brought a genuine smile to Evan's pale lips. In a moment of pure desperation, Evan shakily leaned up to Connor and pressed his lips to the other. Connor's eyes widened in surprise but kissed back, holding the boys falling head in his hands. A loud knock sounded on the door causing them to pull apart, Evan falling back against the bed and letting out a loud whimper.

     "Murphy! You're taking an awful long time... Need some help?" A man's voice sounded almost flirtatious through the door, causing Evan to frown a little.

     "He thinks I'm my sister." He whispered as he motioned to his skirt, Evan not having noticed it and blushing as bright as his pale cheeks would allow. He kissed Evan's forehead quickly, then another kiss to his lips before squeezing his hand tightly.

     "I'll be back as soon as I can, your majesty." Connor said with an empathetic smile, feeling Evan let go of his hand as he looked away. He left the room unwillingly, the man on the outside whisking him out of the door.

     "His majesty requested for me to speak with her majesty, the Queen." 

     "I suppose you're trusted enough. We will accompany you and if need be, restrain you." The guard said with a wink, pushing Connor along with his knee. Connor laughed weakly, walking the seemingly infinite walk to where Heidi resided.

     "My Queen, this maid says she has been sent by your son, the Prince, to speak with you."

     "She may speak."

     "Your majesty, your son is in grave danger." Connor's voice had never had more concern than he did in that moment, Heidi's expression falling dark.

     "I think it would be best for us to talk in private, could you please excuse us?" She motioned to the guards, both men nodding reluctantly and leaving to wait outside the room.

     "Prince Evan may die if he doesn't leave that room. He is malnourished and chained to his bed post! My Prince claims his majesty is... B-Beating him." Heidi started sobbing, holding her head in her hands. She looked so in pain and desperate for help, but it seemed she was powerless.

     "Harold cannot be stopped! I've tried, but he seems to have more power over me! He tried to beat me once, wonder how he got that scar down his face? These nails are sharp for a reason." Heidi looked insane as a laugh escaped her lips. Connor could only imagine the pain she could be going through as she sat around while her son was dying more everyday. 

     "We have to help him, my Queen."

     "I don't know how we... Actually... The rogues! There is a boy, Jared Kleinman, who is being kept in the dungeons. He claims to have a plan to overthrow the kingdom... And if he knows that much, he must know a way to stop Harold. If you can at least try to talk to him... We could save Evan." Heidi reached her hands out to Connor's, looking up to him desperately.

     "Me?"

     "Yes... We must keep this a secret, young man. What is your name?"

     "H-How did you kno- I am Connor Murphy." She nodded, releasing Connor's hand and grabbing something off her cabinet. Connor's hands were still extended when Heidi pressed a necklace into them, giving him a hopeful nod.

    "A thank you. You are safe in this palace, I will try to protect you from Harold." She helped Connor clip it behind his neck, it was a small leaf with a little white jewel in the center. He hid it under his garments, nodding affirmatively to Heidi.

     "I will do my best to save your son, your majesty."

     "Please, call me Heidi." She said, Connor's breath hitching as he remembered that's what Evan would tell him. He nodded again as he left the room, trekking down to the dungeons out of sight. He saw most cells empty, but caught sight of a boy in rogue garments at the end. 

    "What do you want, sleaze?" His voice was violent, but Connor ignored it as he gripped the bars to talk to him.

     "I have been sent by her majesty to retrieve very private information." The guards were off duty, they all knew Jared Kleinman knew better than to escape.

     "Why would I want to tell you anything?"

     "Since we are trying to overthrow the King." Connor said hushed through gritted teeth, Jared's face lighting up and showing a devilish smirk.

     "Nice try, maid boy."

     "My name is Connor and I'm not just a maid! And I'm serious. Prince Evan may die if we don't impeach the King!" Jared looked shocked, rubbing his hands together a little.

     "I require a small fine."

      "What."

      "Suck my cock."

      "Excuse me?"

     "Just testing you. The Prince and I know each other... I talk with him in the woods sometimes. I will help you, for Prince Evan. There is a significant group of rogues out in the woods where they attacked you, if you find them, they are capable of helping a lot to get rid of the king. Say Kleinman sent you. My horse is in the stables, take him and ride at dusk." Jared spoke seriously to Connor, both boys shaking hands as the guards came back and looked to Connor curiously.

     "Aw, don't look so sad. This maid boy just wanted a little piece of Jerry, right sweetheart?" He said with his finger under Connor's chin, signaling for him to go. Connor nodded slowly, rushing to get out of the damp dungeons. He continued his chores until the sun set, going to Zoe first to pass the message.

     "The Queen has sent me on a quick errand. If I am not back by midnight, do not panic. I'll be fine, and protect yourself. The King is after our family because of me..." Connor hissed more so to himself, Zoe nodding unsure but giving Connor her reassurance.

     "Okay. Please be safe, Con." And with that Connor ran to the stables, saddling up Jared's horse and riding quickly to the forests where he and Evan had been so little ago. 

     "I bid to speak with the rogues!" Connor yelled out as rustling in the bushes sounded again, a new face looking at him with a smile that caught the moonlight in it's teeth.

    "What do you want? We will not come with you easily, be prepared for a fight."

    "K-Kleinman sent me." A larger group started to gather, all now much more interested in what Connor had to say.

    "Please, go on."

     "I know you guys don't like the royalty, but the Prince is in danger. The King needs to be overthrown, I have been sent by the Queen to ask for your assistance in his impeachment."

     "And Jared agrees?"

     "He encourages it, he says Prince Evan is a friend." 

     "We will help you. But you make one move to capture us and you're good as dead."

     "I understand." Connor said throwing his hands up, mounting the horse again. 

     "We will come in the morning bearing arms. This is only a part of our group now... We will come to attack and you shall be our way in. You unlock the gates and we get in, is that clear?" 

     "Very. D-Do any of you have something to break a chain by any chance? Or pick a lock?"

    "Take this, a spare. I'm Simon." The man said, pressing a knife equipped with both a small and large blade into Connor's hands. 

     "Thank you. I am Connor, and to all of you, the kingdom thanks you as well." Connor spoke sincerely as he raced off back to the castle and managing to sneak in through a system of tunnels. His first thought was to go to Evan's room, but he thought better of it and waited by the gates until early morning. 

     A familiar group moved silently towards the castle, a smiling Simon signaling Connor to unlock the gates. Connor pushed the lever to open the gates, the rogues moving in quickly. Soon after, Connor ran to Evan's room. The guards had already rushed out to see the commotion, and the boy took the opportunity to sneak in. Evan was shaking, struggling to lean over in his restraints to eat a hard piece of bread. His tired face lit up seeing Connor. Connor didn't waste time rushing to cut through Evan's newly bound ropes, then getting to the locked chains and managing to pick the lock.

    "You're free, my beautiful Prince." Connor said through tears, picking Evan up in his arms and laying him down on his bed. Evan smiled, pulling Connor on top of him and kissing him deeply, or at least as long as his weak breath allowed.

     "Y-You need to eat, here... And drink. I can fetch some water from the bathing room..." Connor rushed, but Evan held onto his hand.

     "How did you... T-The knife and is... Is t-that my mothers necklace?" Evan's chapped hands rubbed the pendant in his fingers, his eyes wide as he looked up to Connor.

    "The rogues... The rogues are coming to overthrow Harold. Your mom sent me to go to Jared and he sent me to the rogues who are coming and they gave me this... He's going to be gone soon, Ev." Connor rambled out, Evan pulling him down so he collapsed and lay beside him.

     "I-I don't k-know if it's too early to say this... I h-haven't been in a relationship before b-but... I l-love you, Connor Murphy." Evan's frail voice said with the little confidence it held. Connor was crying again, kissing the side of Evan's face and then on his lips.

     "I love you too. You're going to be safe. W-We're going to be safe." Both were crying, but held onto each other as if nothing more were important. The moment was too blissful when Harold came crashing through the door and threw Connor to the ground.

     "Evan, we're going on an adventure, only I'm afraid you won't be returning." The King smiled as he chained the boy almost too easily as Evan fell submissive, Connor got up and looked horrified to Harold.

     "Why are you doing this?"

     "If I can't rule this kingdom, than no one will. This boy isn't my son, he's someone who wants my position. He must be terminated." Harold said as he kicked Evan firmly in the back. Evan cried out, and Connor looked enraged as he threw himself on top of Harold.

     "There's a very good reason that you are being overthrown, Harold! It's because of shit like this. I'm afraid you cannot leave this room until your death awaits this very door. I could kill you now, but that would leave no fun for the rest of them." Connor spat on the man as he dug his boot heel into his ribcage, knocking the wind out of him. He grabbed Evan by the chains, running with him out of the golden door and slamming it behind them. Simon was approaching quickly with a smaller group of rogues, and Jared had a huge grin on his face as he ran beside Simon.

     "He's back and more insane than before!" He shouted through a maniacal laugh as he unsheathed his sword. Evan took Connor weakly by the hand and hurried downstairs and to his mothers room. They found her with a large wound across her face and blood streaming from cuts down her body.

    "M-Mom!"

     "Did they get to him?"

     "Heidi, are you alright? I am going to fetch help-"

     "Did they get to him?" Heidi yelled, gripping her son tightly.

     "Yes! H-He's in my room and they are going to k-kill him. He's going to be gone, Mom. It's going to be okay." Evan cried into his mothers arms, the mother and child hugging tightly. Connor smiled thoughtfully, remaining quiet as he left to find some bandages. He came back minutes later and walked in on Heidi sobbing as Evan explained his story.

    "I-I know this isn't the b-best time to tell you but... I l-like men as well as women." Evan said quietly, and his eyes lighting up as his mother only hugged him tighter.     

     "I don't care who you love as long as you are safe." She whispered to him, rubbing his back until Connor cleared his throat. She looked over to him and ran to give him a hug as well, the tears coming to her eyes once more.

      "This is all thanks to you, Connor! You are going to receive the finest of rewards..." Evan went to stand next to Connor, grabbing his hand in his own to show his mother. Heidi only smiled more as tears streamed down her face.

     "Let me tend to your wounds." Connor said simply as Heidi nodded. He wrapped the cuts in the bandage as it was almost quiet. The silence was broken as a scream of bloody murder sounded, but was followed by minutes later a loud cheering of rogues.

     "We did it." Evan whispered, kissing Connor and then his mother on the cheek. The three embraced before going to go celebrate with the rogues.

     "The King has fallen!" Simon yelled, holding up a bloody sword. There were mixed emotions of loss and relief, but the rogues had an unfamiliar somber amongst them.

      "Where's Jared Kleinman? I would like to thank that dear boy..." There was a choke from a few, and then more crying from some others. Simon's expression was blank as he pushed a different rogue forward to speak.

      "The King- Harold, put up a fight. Jared was the bravest as he went in, he probably gave him the wound that helped us win. B-But I'm afraid we... We lost..." The smaller boy spoke, breaking into tears. Evan collapsed to his knees, sobbing loudly as the room held a mourning gasp. Connor dropped beside him, holding the boy close to his chest so he could hear his heart beat.

     "H-He was my best... My only... M-My only friend..." Connor knew he was in shock, the smaller boy couldn't insult him if he tried. Heidi was covering her face in her hands as she hugged Simon, then moving on to address the rest of the group.

     "You will no longer be considered outsiders, you are welcome in Mongolia. If you would like, we need a quite a few replacement guards as some of ours will leave with Harold being gone. I will also offer to individually knight each one of you if you would so desire. If not, you are free to roam in Mongolia." Heidi said as she choked on her words, the rogues looking to her and chorusing small thank you's. Everyone slowly filed out of the room, a few maids rushing to Evan's room to clean up the mess and forever dispose of the King.

     "Your majesty, we will prepare one of the spare rooms for you as soon as possible." Zoe spoke to Evan, looking to Connor confused.

     "C-Call me E-Evan please. Y-You are Connor's sister?"

      "Yes. Take good care of him, brother." She said to Connor sternly, following after another maid to go and make up a room for Evan. Connor carried Evan to the kitchen, requesting a meal be brought out to the boy as soon as possible. He lifted a glass of water to Evan's lips, watching him drink graciously.

     "I am forever grateful to you, Connor Murphy."

      "I am more so grateful for you, my Prince. You have come into my life and made it so much better... I would love more than anything to be your other half."

     "Well, maid boy, you just may be qualified to be a future Prince of Magnolia." Evan said quietly as he kissed Connor, their hands connecting under the long wooden table.

    Heidi stood on a balcony overlooking her kingdom, for once in her life feeling free. She let out a gasp of air as the wind blew on her face, a huge smile evident on her lips. Her son was okay. Connor Murphy was okay. And she was okay.

//

a.n: shOULD I MAKE A PART THREE OR TURN THIS INTO A FIC COMMENT BELOW