chapter 4
The thing about Regulus is that even after his worst hangovers and haziest nights he never loses memory of the night before, he’s sure he can thank his mother for that. So, the morning after the ball Regulus woke knowing he would be spending the day with the new soldier, James Potter. His mind raced through the nights events as he got up and readied himself for the day, the more he recalled the more mortified -and excited- he grew about seeing James again. Regulus had never been the social butterfly, he stuck with who he knew and that really just limits himself to his court and brother, and he likes his peace but there are times where Regulus is curious about someone, just too shy to approach them. Thankfully James was more than willing to approach him first. He looked forward to spending time with James, talking to him, actually getting to know him, without a cloudy mind this time. He didn’t have to wait long because soon there was a knock on the door. Regulus knew this was James because no one ever knocks. His mother barges in superior and haughty, Sirius will sometimes knock he tries to, but his brother will almost always forget. He got the other end of the traumatic memory spectrum; the nutter can’t remember shit. Barty and Evan are normally there to wake him, but they have the day of today and Dorcas and Pandora just saunter in.
“Come in James,” the tall, tanned boy opened the door letting himself into the prince’s chambers.
“How’d you know it was me?”
“I am surrounded by hooligans with no manners,” he deadpanned.
“Your highness you literally live in a palace,”
“Your point,”
“i-
“So, what are we doing,” he cut in leaving James’ mind a wonder.
“Ahem well I was thinking we go see my parents in the kitchens it’s always fun to help out sometimes,” James noticed Regulus quirk his brow, “what does the big fancy important prince not want to be caught with the peasants or worse, the help,” Regulus thought James was mocking but the boy seemed actually upset.
“Of course, not James I actually go down quite a bit I like the kitchen staff they’re good people,” he said softly.
“Oh,” James looked down trying to hide the red embarrassment from his face. Regulus walked up to the soldier tilting the face up by the chin.
“The look was the part about your parents, I mean meeting them already god by a man dinner first James,”
“Um I- er, we don’t have to- um sorry, i-
“At ease soldier,” Regulus let out a laugh, “I was teasing, that sounds lovely James,”
“Oh well then,” James perked up, “then we’re going into town, I know a place,” he winked.
“How long are we going to be out?”
“All day if you don’t mind. It’s the light festival tonight and I have a feeling you haven’t seen it up close before,”
“I have not,”
“Well then we must fix that at once,” he grinned leading Regulus out the room.
-----
The treck to the kitchens were quick thanks to the short cuts both boys knew. Even though Regulus visited the kitchens often it clearly wasn’t in a while as he stood astounded by the atmosphere, he had walked into it. Little boys were running between their parents legs playing with small wooden toys, kitchen maids sang sweet folksongs as they worked, and the older staff worked harmoniously with the younger ones. This was a place of love and hard work, there is no way this happened under Walburga’s watch, he thought.
“Auma,” James called out going towards his mother. James’s mother was at the bread making portion of the kitchens, her curls were pulled back in a flowery scarf, and she was covered head to toe in flour.
“James!” she smiled coming to hug her son, then turning to bow respectfully to Regulus, “your highness,”
“Regulus please,” he insisted.
“Regulus it is then, I’m Effie,” she said reaching out a floured hand.
“Pleased to meet you Effie,” Regulus smiled shaking the women’s hand.
“So, your highness I thought we could help my mum, I always loved rolling bread rolls with her as a kid it’s fun and quite therapeutic,”
“That sounds lovely James,” he smiled rolling up his sleeves and going to take a lump of dough, “I’m sure you’ll appreciate the help ma’am,”
Effie cringed,” Don’t call me ma’am dear, makes me feel old,”
“Heard,” Regulus chuckled. The boys and Effie passed a peaceful hour folding dough and engaging in interesting conversation. Regulus learned about James’ childhood, how Monty (his dad) had got him a wooden toy sword for his 5th birthday, and he decided there and then he would be the best warrior the realm had seen. Needless to say, the boy got his wish. Regulus also enjoyed seeing James work his godly forearms in pounds of sourdough.
“Liking the view, are you?” the soldier teased at the prince’s staring.
“Mhm have you ever considered being a baker instead of soldier,”
“You know yea actually,”
“Oh,”
“Yea son of kitchen staff I wasn’t expected to be anything more than a baker,”
“Well, you crushed that stereotype,”
“You think?” Regulus though James was fishing but as he caught the boys eye, he saw real insecurity.
“Of course, I mean they don’t just throw a ball where even royals have to come for anyone you know. you’re quite magnificent James,”
“I wouldn’t say that” Regulus caught James’ arm in the door.
“I would,” everything about the prince softened when his eyes met the soldiers.
“Well then,” Effie said coming up to them causing the boys to break away from each other, “ I think we have more than enough rolls, Jamie, I think you better get the prince to whatever you next have planned,” she said squeezing James’ arm and clearing out the rolls.
“Right, after you good sir,” James said reaching out his arm.
“Oh goodness James I think I might swoon,” he teased yet taking his arm, “I’ll see you soon Effie,”
“Of course, dear and thank you both for the help,”
“Bye auma,” James said kissing his mums head and taking Regulus out the service exit.
“So,” Regulus said turning to James, “I think you better get the prince to whatever you next have planned, you told your mum about me,” he teased.
“Shut up,” James muttered trying to hide his smile.
Regulus gaped, “You can’t speak to me like that, I am your prince I shall have you beheaded for death,”
“Oh, considered me terrified sir,” James spoke low and deep in Regulus’ ear.
-----
The next thing on James’ schedule was his spot in the town. This spot came in the form a darling picnic at the edge of a lake, by a huge apple tree, hidden away deep in an alley.
“James,” he gaped.
“Do you um like it, it’s quite a lot sorry i-I guess I seem to go a bit extra,”
“James,” Regulus said taking the boys hands in his own, “it’s lovely James really, it’s- you’re just, just lovely,”
“Oh ok,” a smile broke out on James’ face, “well come on let’s eat.”
They spent the afternoon lounging in the sun, gouging on bread brie and wine. They enjoyed comfortable silences and riveting conversation. Regulus found himself lying on James’ lap fiddling with one hand as the other ran through his short dark curls.
“Do you read?” asked Regulus.
“Do I read, of course I read, do you really take me for such a bimbo,”
“Ok you want to prove you’re not a bimbo,”
“I’m not,”
“Tell me have you read homer, the Greek myths, the stories about heroes and tragic love,”
“Quite the romantic you are aren’t you your highness,” Regulus eyes the boy from his lap, “yea yea I’ve read homer,”
“Tell me about your favourite story,”
“Odysseus and Penelope,” Regulus let out a laugh, “what,”
“No nothing,”
“No what, what’s wrong with Odysseus and Penelope,”
“Nothing James it’s just so you,”
“Oh yea,”
“I mean Penelope waiting 20 years for her love to return from war, not taking any other suitors and Odysseus actually finding his way back to her. Screams you Potter,”
“And you seem to know me Black,”
“Am I wrong in my reasoning,”
James’ eyes dipped down to Regulus’ mouth, “No, so your highness what about you,”
“Eros and psyche,”
“Yea,”
“Yea,” he said shifting comfortably into James lap, letting the boys legs fit around the boy, “I think theirs something awfully romantic about it. Romantic and selfish, eros fell in love with a mortal, someone he could not have, yet the gods found a way. Psyche and eros they were happy, yet psyche couldn’t see her husband. Could tough but never see, until one day she decided to cross the boundary. Forcing her love away. And when she travelled to get him and oh, oh she was so close yet her own temptations. Her own need to have a bit of Persephone beauty for herself well that just finished it off. If she was different a little less selfish a little less curious, they could have been so very content. Yet the fates had other plans,” James was silent, he looked at the prince as if he hung the stars and the sun, “er sorry rambled a bit,”
“Don’t you dare,” James shifted to properly face him, “the way your mind works, it’s beautiful,” they sat close, their faces inches apart. Regulus’ eyes trailed from the boys eyes to nose to lips, “it’s um getting dark, come on I want to get a good spot to see the lights,”
“Ahem yes after you,”
-----
James took them to the optimal spot for the festival. It was at the top of the clock tower, and when I say top, I mean tippity top. James and Regulus climbed up to the bell room. It was a tight fit but there was a small window that led to a terrace just big enough to hold two. James had done this a lot as a child, so he was a veteran in the balance of standing on a flimsy terrace 50 feet high of the ground.
“Come on Regulus I swear its safe,” James prompted already on the terrace, reaching an arm out to the prince.
“Nope, no not happening, I understand if you want me dead Potter but you’re going to have to poison me because no way in hell am I going- ahhh. James!” in the midst of his monologue the prince didn’t notice a gentle hand wrapping around his waist and pulling him onto the terrace. As the terrace was so small James and Regulus stood chest to chest, well more Regulus hiding his face in James’ chest, “Potter I swear to fuck I know I joke about it, but I am actually going to behead you if you don’t let me go,”
James brought his other arm up to rub soothing circles into Regulus’ back, “Love just look up,” Reluctantly Regulus lifted his head and very quickly forgot about the height. They sky was a painting; shades of midnight and deep navy being littered with small yellow dots. Except, they weren’t dots at all, the lanterns floated up from the ground, realised from the hands of blushing lovers and giggling children. They flew up gently to join their brother in the sky.
“They- they look like stars,” he said easing in James’ grip.
“Mhm they sure do,”
“James,” Regulus said bringing his eyes down to meet the soldiers, “this is- this whole day it- it was-just. It was- you are,” Regulus racked his brain for a way to put his feelings into words, and then he realised. Words were overrated as hell.
Regulus sieged forward in the already small amount of space meeting James’ lips with his own. The soldiers arms his nicely on his waist and the prince brought his hands up to cradle James’ face. The kiss was tender yet deep and filled Regulus with a type of warmth he never knew.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
“What for?” James asked.
Regulus smiled before moving his hands up to James’ hair and taking him back in, to a loving kiss.