Just A Day In the Life of a (Maybe) King To Be
Dear Diary,
Well, it hasn’t even been 48 hours home and everything has already gone to shit. Parliament is saying they don’t think I’m ready to be King, which is great. They are also saying that I have to get married in order to be King ?!?! And of course I can’t just marry anyone, no I have to marry probably one of the women I danced with at that stupid birthday ball.
I’m not going to get my love story. Sure, there’s still a chance I could fall in love with whichever girl agrees to an arranged marriage with me, but it’ll be forced. It won’t feel real. It won’t be magical the way falling in love unexpectedly does. God, I love love and now I may have to give it up.
They’re letting me think about it before making a decision and I honestly have no idea what I’m going to do. Being King has always been my path. There was a brief time when I was an angsty teenager that I wished that there was a way out of it, but that phase passed and I’ve never considered anything else since. What would I be if not King? Who would I be?
But also… is it worth giving up love?
What’s even worse is that someone is challenging me for the throne. Not just anybody – no, of course not. Regulus Black, my best friend’s hot little brother, who I definitely flirted with while buzzed on champagne at that stupid birthday ball – that is who is challenging me for the throne. Talk about bad luck.
Looking back I wonder if maybe I should’ve seen something coming with all the Black cousins showing up and with whatever happened during that dance with Bellatrix… but I don’t know. Maybe I’m delusional because I can’t even put my finger on what Regulus did to make me think this, but I really was convinced that he liked me and was flirting with me. Maybe I am still convinced. Which is fucking ridiculous because he’s literally challenging me for the throne. Which means one of us has to marry a woman before my next birthday. RIDICULOUS!!!
Sirius is coming over today to fill me in about what happened with his parents and Regulus (and hopefully whatever the hell his problem is with Remus – who is so fucking funny I love him already).
Wish me luck.
Love,
James
James sighs, eyes scanning over his own writing. He has been writing in a diary since he was 12 years old when he was diagnosed with ADHD. His therapist suggested using journaling as a way to get all his thoughts out in front of him so he might be able to sort through them easier since they get so jumbled up when they’re left in his head. It’s like one second he’s seeing the thought and he’s reaching out to grab it, but by the time his hand is there, the thought is gone. James likes to describe the inside of his head as one of those wind boxes on competition shows where the contestant has to grab as much money as they can in 30 seconds.
James’ ears perk up at the sound of his name and he lifts his head to look at the TV on the wall across the sitting room. He hadn’t been able to sleep very well because his mind was so scrambled from the past days’ events that he had decided to just go ahead and get up and journal it out. The sitting room he is in now is one of many spread around the palace. This room in particular had a long table and chairs situated behind a sitting area made up of a couch and two loveseats facing a TV. There were short bookshelves lining the walls and big windows letting in the early morning light.
“Rumor has it that Prince James won’t be becoming King James anytime soon… unless he finds a lucky lady and puts a ring on it!” Rita Skeeter, Genovia’s most watched ‘news’ broadcaster, says from inside the screen.
“Ugh,” James makes a noise of frustration. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Before he finishes his mini meditation, he hears the beeping tone of the TV shutting off. James opens his eyes and finds Remus setting down the remote controller on a side table next to the couch.
“Good morning, Remus,” James grins immediately. He had been admittedly disappointed when he woke up and the night-guard, Bob Turner, was still on shift. It isn’t that James dislikes the night-guard, he just doesn’t know Turner super well and, if James is being honest with himself, making Remus become his friend is a great distraction from his real problems.
“Morning. You’re up early,” Remus says.
“Yeah, you know how it is. Rise and grind, right?”
The slightest look of amusement passes Remus’ face, which is enough to satisfy James.
“So what’s on the agenda today?” Remus asks.
“Oh, you know,” James begins to say, leaning back in his chair at the table. “Contemplating life,” he gestures towards his diary, “breakfast, considering the value of love, lunch with my parents, deciding whether or not I want to be King, and probably some random thing Dorcas will have for me to do. Just a day in the life, ya know?” James smiles as if his to-do list doesn’t weigh a thousand tons on his back, as if today will be a completely normal day.
“Right,” Remus nods. “Sounds good.” This response makes James’ smile feel more natural. Remus may not think of James as a friend yet, but James is glad to have made another friend who can keep up with his sense of humor.
Soon after finishing their omelets Dorcas did, in fact, find them and gave James a task to prepare for his (possible) future as King.
“If I decide that I don’t want to marry a random noblewoman, do I still have to do it?” James asks her, hoping to push off his Kingly tasks until after he makes his decision… at some point in the future.
“Yes,” Dorcas deadpans, showing no amusement or willingness to give into James’ hopes.
“May I ask why?”
“No,” Dorcas turns, expecting James and Remus to follow. Not many people in this world have that kind of power over Prince James, but Dorcas Meadowes is one of them.
James sighs and follows her as she leads him and Remus towards the palace library. Dorcas explains that James needs to study up on the history of the specific details of the coronation process.
“Isn’t it your job to just tell me what to do when I have to do it?” he asks, unable to hide the annoyance from his voice.
“I could, but that wouldn’t be a very good precedent to set considering that I am not going to be the next King.”
“Maybe I won’t either,” James mumbles as they enter the library.
“I’ve had the librarian pull all the books you need, so you don’t have to waste time among the aisles finding them.”
“Great,” James grimaces at the large stack of books laid out on one of the tables in the middle of the room.
“Good luck. Feel free to browse, Remus,” Dorcas says with a smile at the security guard before leaving.
Remus is slowly turning in a circle looking around the large two story room with stacks and stacks of books. The palace library is truly beautiful with its matching wooden tables, natural lighting coming in through a large window on the far wall, and shelves carved with intricate floral designs. There are lamps placed on each table and plush, patterned rugs beneath them.
“Go on,” James says, nodding Remus towards the aisles of books. Remus looks a bit sheepish about his obvious excitement, but heads off in search of books, muttering something about giving him a shout if he needs anything.
With a sigh James sits down and opens the first book in front of him. You would think the royal family could afford some more comfortable seats, he thinks.
“I got through maybe five chapters of the first book I picked up,” James tells Remus as they walk down the halls towards the dining room in the family wing of the palace.
Dorcas had delivered a message through one of the castle’s employees that his parents wanted him to join them for lunch, which came as a relief since James couldn’t stand to sit in the library any longer. It isn’t that James doesn’t like reading, but when he is told he must sit down and read specific things, knowing that he may be tested on them later, it becomes much more difficult for him to focus.
James looks at Remus who is carrying five books from the library in his hands. Remus had been absolutely delighted by the library and James was happy to discover a bit more about Remus behind the stony security guard exterior. And that bit more that was revealed was that he is a little fucking nerd. He finished a whole book in the time it took James to barely process maybe five chapters.
When the two walk into the room, the King and Queen are already seated, chatting quietly. All the curtains are pulled open, leaving the room bathed in sunlight.
“Ah, boys!” James’ father says. “Come! Sit!”
Remus falters, unsure whether he is supposed to be joining them at the table or not. To be fair, normally in this line of work a Prince’s security guard wouldn’t be joining the royal family at their lunch table. But this is not a normal royal family.
The King scoffs and waves Remus forward. “Yes, join us Remus, please.”
Remus murmurs a quiet “thanks” as both he and James take their seats.
“So,” James’ mother says, folding the newspaper she had been reading and setting it down on the table, “I have some news.” She looks at the three men like she is about to drop a bomb on them and there is nothing they can do about it. Or something like that.
“I had breakfast with Walburga Black this morning.”
“You wha–” the King attempts to interject.
“Huh?” James exclaims, his shock apparent on his face.
The Queen holds up her hand to stop them both and then continues.
“We had a nice little talk and I’ve decided to invite Regulus to come stay with us at the palace until all of this is resolved.”
James’ mouth is hanging open and he can feel himself blinking at his mother in confusion. He is getting really tired of all these plot twists getting thrown his way.
“Um,” James’ father clears his throat, “honey, may I ask why?” The King glances at James with a look that says, Hold on, let’s hear her out .
“Walburga won’t be staying with us, just Regulus. I believe his cousin Bellatrix may be spending some time with us as well, since she will be next in line if neither you nor Regulus get married.” She ignores her husband’s question entirely.
“Mum,” James finally gets out, “he’s trying to steal the throne .” He can’t fully tell if his heart is racing at the idea of Regulus living in the palace with him because the idea of being under the same roof excites him or because that will mean he will really have to face the fact that he might not be King once Regulus is here.
“I offered to have him hung by his toes in the courtyard,” Remus says cooly.
James’ head whips around to see Remus with a small smirk gracing his face. His father is laughing and he feels the tug of laughter bubbling up in him as well, but his confusion about the situation at hand is stronger.
“You knew about this?” James asks.
Remus gives him an apologetic nod and shrugs in response.
“Look,” James’ mother says, calling his attention back to her. “If there’s any mischief going on, I’d prefer it to be happening right under my nose.”
The King considers this and nods in agreement, throwing an apologetic smile towards his son.
James sighs and weakly throws his hands up in an I give up gesture before taking up his fork to start eating his lunch. His legs are bouncing ceaselessly and he isn’t really present for the rest of the meal’s conversation. It isn’t even that he’s too busy thinking about anything in particular. His brain has gone into self preservation mode and won’t let him focus on anything because if he does, he’ll realize how overwhelmed and confused he feels. Luckily, his parents don’t seem to mind and make conversation with Remus for the rest of the meal.
When James’ mind is finally able to form coherent thoughts again, all he can think is: Regulus Black is going to be living here .