Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

Royal Pain: Chapter 5 (End)

When you decide to rewrite the ending and end up making a new chapter...

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Goth clapped along with the rest of the gathering as a golden crown was placed upon Palette's skull and a royal blue cape was secured around his shoulders to match his blue, white, and gold regalia. The prince, now officially king, had come a long way from the excitable young monster who had shown up at the orphanage so long ago only knowing his name; he was now twenty-five and growing stronger, wiser, and more confident with every day that passed.

The assassination attempt, as harrowing as it was, had helped in his growth by dredging up some of his lost memories. While the revelations didn't spark any massive changes in him, he was elated to regain memories of his mother and some of his time spent at the castle; from there, he was able to slowly piece his life back together and gain some peace of mind.

"May I present to you your new king, Palette Roller," the priest announced to the people assembled for the coronation ceremony. The newly inaugurated skeleton stood from his kneeling position, the sapphires and opals in his crown glittering in the light of the chandeliers overhead as he turned his sights upon the crowded ballroom applauding amid shouts of 'long live the king'.

Palette raised his hand, garnering silence across the large room, "I thank you all for coming to this special occasion. As some of you may have noticed, a second crown and two rings have been set out." He gestured toward the pedestal holding a smaller, but no less ornate gold crown decorated in rubies and opals sitting beside a white pillow bearing two small golden bands. Quiet murmurs of speculation rose amongst the crowd as he announced, "That is because I have chosen the one who will stand beside me as my other half; my crowning will also be theirs." Catching Goth's eye light from where the smaller skeleton was standing off to the side, his smile grew as he called out, "Goth, please join me."

The murmurs grew as Goth took a step toward the dais, trying to hide his nervousness and excitement behind a confident façade so as to make a good first impression upon the crowd. They had been preparing carefully for this moment for eleven years with Meryl's aid and he had never felt more ready; the now-Duke Ink had already given his approval a week prior as well, so there was no one left to dissuade them.

The older skeleton had initially been shocked and somewhat skeptical when Palette revealed his intention to take a servant as his spouse, but Goth had managed to win them over and prove through years of accumulated knowledge and training that the decision wasn't made lightly. Once Ink learned that his son had rejected every other marriage proposal in favor of this plan, which had been a closely guarded secret among the servantry, he had willingly given his blessing and began making the necessary arrangements for their union during the coronation ceremony per his son's request.

The white, red, and gold doublet and black and gold vest Goth donned to coordinate with Palette's ensemble for the special occasion were a bit more restrictive than the ruffled shirts and frock coats he had grown used to, but it was negligible after years of wearing protective armor under his servant's clothes; he had Captain Helleia to thank for that. He had initially assumed the woman had no knowledge of their secret relationship, but judging by the amused expression she wore as she stood guard by the ballroom entrance, it seemed she merely kept her suspicions to herself all this time.

Reaching the plateau, Goth met Palette in the center where the priest was waiting for them. Once they were in position, the second part of the ceremony began; all was quiet behind them as the priest went through his prepared speech, as they confirmed their vows to each other, and the rings were exchanged.

"If there are any who object to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest's request seemed to echo against the walls and the domed ceiling. Stealing a sideways glance, Goth could tell Palette was anxiously awaiting the people's dissent as the monster stared ahead with a hint of tension in their expression. He felt a pang of sympathy run through him despite their joint agreement to leave the ceremony's speech unaltered; even if they planned to go through with the marriage regardless, they both wanted to send the message to the people that their voices would still be heard and given fair counsel in all matters.

When nothing was said and the priest resumed the ceremony, Palette let out the breath he had been holding and Goth suppressed a chuckle; this was the first of many hurdles they would overcome together.

The priest lifted the studded crown from its pedestal. Goth bowed his skull forward to accept it, feeling the metal band settle into place as a red cape was brought out in the arms of Meryl, who had been adamant in taking part in the ceremony despite her new position as the successor to the royal advisor. She smiled, unfurling the cape to drape it around the skeleton's shoulders and securing it with the golden fasteners as she leaned in with a sly smile to murmur, "Congratulations, Your Highness."

Goth mouthed a discreet 'thank you', knowing he never would have gotten this far if not for her. If he was being honest, it was kind of scary how swiftly she had rallied the servantry to aid their cause; it made him grateful she was on their side.

Meryl quickly retreated off of the dais as the priest announced, "By the power invested in me, I bestow upon you the title of King's Consort. May the heavens smile upon your union."

The sound of clapping startled him; Duke Ink had been standing off to the side, silently observing the proceedings... and was now applauding them, demonstrating his approval of their marriage. Taking the former king's lead, a few guests joined in; more followed and in no time, the sound had grown into a thundering peal.

A hand enveloped Goth's and he turned to see Palette's eye lights twinkling in silent askance; it was clear what his husband wanted and the thought filled him with joy as he closed the gap to finalize their marriage. There would be no more hidden affection behind closed doors, no more worrying that others would discover the truth, no more doubts in the far-flung corners of his mind, and no more secret study sessions to prove himself worthy... finally, they would be able to love each other freely.

Pulling back from the kiss, the pair turned to face the congregation and Palette proclaimed, "Let the celebration commence!" A smattering of cheers rose up among the applause as the new king turned to Goth and lowered their voice to ask, "Care to join me in greeting our guests? I am sure they are excited to meet you."

Placing his hand upon theirs, Goth took a nervous breath, "I suppose they have many questions for me."

"I will be with you every step of the way," Palette reassured him as they descended the steps of the dais, "You have worked hard and struggled for this moment, so I know they will see the wisdom and strength I have always seen in you."

A blush crept onto Goth's face at the compliment, reminded once again that Palette was no longer the naïve teen who believed that everything would effortlessly fall into place as he would have in the past; he was now a kind and passionate king who worked hard and strived for a better future, not only for himself but for everyone.

And if Palette believed in that future, then so would Goth.

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Word Count: 1,337