Prideland

Chapter 13- Ian

Ian's breath misted away at the sight of the palace. He felt he shouldn't be so surprised, considering he was also a prince, but even his castle's exquisite corridors and balconies didn't compare to the size that befell him. Spencer noticed his anxiousness and gave him a sly smile. "Aw come on, don't tell me you're backing out now." Spencer stepped forward and pulled out a bronze key, shoving it into the door's keyhole and turning. Leaf, holding a stack of scrolls and parchment let out a cough. Their glasses were tinted and their teal hair was draped over one shoulder into a messy braid. "Remind me to never drink again." They groaned, rubbing their fingers over their forehead.

They still wore the clothes from last night although the overwhelming smell of ginger took over pretty easily. Ian still had soot in his hair but thankfully he was able to get some clothes from Leaf's closet. A baggy white collared shirt with a leather vest that tied with thin strings. Tight brightly patterned pants with eccentric shapes and chunky boots made him feel- odd in a way. He had never dressed so masculine before. It gave him a fuzzy feeling he couldn't describe. Like wearing a warm sweater on a cold day. The door creaked open invitingly and the house doomed with a silent presence.

"Maybe they heard about the fire already"? Ian whispered as they walked into the empty hallway. "Fire"? Genevieve yelled throughout the halls, she looked like she hadn't slept a wink. Dark circles ran deep under her bloodshot eyes and oily hair tied together so tightly in a bun it looked like it would snap any minute. Her nails were bloody and bitten off as she nervously picked them, tying and re-tying the strings of her bathrobe. "Where were you"? Her voice was quivering. She seemed too exhausted to be angry. Ian felt a tug in his chest. He couldn't imagine having a mother that cared about your well being or showed that much concern to their child. His own mother probably didn't even realize he was gone since he was such a pest on her daily life. He imagined her lounging around, drinking red wine from a goblet and skulking around the castle in parched peach dresses. He wouldn't let Spencer go down for this. He owed him that much.

Ian took a hesitant step forward and bowed his head. "Ma'am- Your majesty, it was my fault. I'm the reason for your son's absence." Genevieve's head cocked to one side as she glared into Ian's eyes. "You are Ian? The one name on everyone's lips this morning"? Ian felt his face flush. "Yes I- wasn't aware you knew of my presence." His head bowed in embarrassment as he fiddled with his shirt strings. Hard footsteps thundered over him as Genevieve swooped him into a loving embrace. He could feel the hot tears rolling down her cheeks as she stroked the back of his long hair. "Thank you for bringing my son home." She breathed into his shoulder as Spencer sent her an annoying glare. "Are you hungry? Come sit down! I'm dying to know more about you Ian"!

There was a shiver in the air as the mist swirled around outside, fuming up the glass windows. Ian took a deep, encouraging breath and trotted forward. His head felt dizzy and ached with confusion. Unlike his dark and brooding palace back home, bright yellow walls and pink fluffy carpet awaited the dining hall. A massive stack of bacon, pastries, and other assorted breakfast foods towered on a three layer platter as Leaf drooled at the smell of warm coffee. Ian turned to a very angry Spencer sucking in air through his teeth. "Of course she pays attention to a complete stranger and not her own son." He growled. "I don't blame her, you're very annoying." Leaf whispered as they bent down to speak to the short male. Ian stifled a laugh as he ran his fingers through the intricate chair design. Spencer let out a grumble as he took his seat, pulling one out next to him for Ian.

"So Ian- tell me about yourself! I'm sure you must have loads of questions about this place"! Genevieve said excitedly, placing her head on her folded hands as she rested her elbows on the table with a pretentious grin. Leaf cautiously scooped a scone from the massive treat pile and stuffed it in their bag as Spencer snapped a strip of bacon with his teeth. "Well I don't really know where I am." Ian nervously laughed while picking his fingernails. Leaf calmly pulled out a handkerchief and passed Ian the last scone. "Eat." They whispered seriously, sending Ian a parental glance of both concern and sarcasm. "I found this puppy here in tears wearing only a nightgown. You might want to schedule a council meeting about barrier watch, maybe see what exactly chased Ian here into our kingdom." Spencer's eyes quickly darted to Ian, panic spreading through his scrunched eyebrows and grimaced mouth as he listened to Leaf's words, his heart hanging on each syllable.

Leaf paused while taking a bite. "Is trauma response still open or did we close that? It's been so long since I've had a wanderer like this." Genevieve nodded in response, stroking her short brown locks that cut off at her chin. For a queen she seemed- sad and anxiety ridden, not cold and strict bearing like his mother or elegant and premise as the other royals Ian had encounters with growing up. Poor woman. "We still have that department open, although it is sadly under budgeted. With Spencer's treatments we've had to stretch ourselves even further and even call in volunteer work just to keep it above water." Spencer slammed his fist on the table in angrily response, making the plates jump and a few pastries fall off and roll onto the decorative cloth. "That's bullshit!" He cried, glancing around the table of eyes as big as dinner plates. "Cancel the treatments! It's not working anyway! These people have families and I'm not gonna let them down just so some shrink can hook me up to a bunch of wires!"

Genevieve calmly stood up to meet Spencer's eyes while Leaf ignored the situation completely and sent a reassuring glance to Ian, who had a thundering heartbeat and a face of chiffon sheets. Unlike Spencer's short temper and irrational thought process, his mother favored passive aggression and the art of staring someone down while taking a slow breath through your nose, never breaking eye contact as her nostrils flared like a dragon. "You're being irrational and scaring your guest." She deadpanned while softly fidgeting with a brooch she wore on her collar; crystalized wings which were a memorable treasure of the night she met her wife and the choosing of her own name the day she arrived in Prideland with her father. "The therapy is working even though it may not seem like it, you just have to be patient." Her voice was no longer honey suckle sweet but grim and harsh, like chalk was being scraped off of her tongue. "Therapy?" Ian whispered to Leaf, his eyes becoming saddened with worry.

She couldn't mean the same one Ian went through, where a priest came into his room, locked the door, and sat down on his bed? Did Spencer also wake up screaming to the sounds of belts being loosened and blood appearing on white sheets? Did Spencer become afraid of footsteps and zippers the same way Ian did? "Cancer." Leaf whispered back dryly, which made Ian wonder just how many times they had been asked that. Spencer sat down angrily, admitting his defeat with a plate shove and a glare in his mother's direction, who was still standing and twirling her brooch around slowly, lost in thought. Suddenly, Esmeralda and June stormed through the front door, soaked head to toe with water. While Esmerelda appeared to be frightened and barely stammered to make out a simple word, June's eyes filled with hate as she made squelching sounds with each step, emptying her metal helmet filled to the brim in a potted plant. "My darling! Are you alright?" Genevieve cried, holding her wife's shaking arms as she brushed some of Esmerelda's drenched coils behind her ear. June didn't make eye contact with the seated party or her affectionate mothers and instead, stomped upstairs to her room in an angry haste.

"Gen. The rain." Esmeralda muttered as Genevieve brought her to a yellow sofa, placing her wife's head on her lap as she stroked her hair softly, gently pulling her shoes off and letting them clatter to the rug below so she wouldn't get bloody or tinted sores. "Darling whatever do you mean?" She asked, hoping to calm her frantic wife as she rubbed Esmerelda's back gently, listening to her breathing as it became softer. "It hasn't rained here since Spencer was born." Ian and Spencer sent each other confused looks of mixed emotions at this new information. No rain? Was this area particular to a drought? Just how old was Spencer anyway? He seemed to be about Ian's primal age but could he be even younger? "What does that mean?" Spencer asked, craning his neck to try and see his mother's face over the sofa. Both of them remained silent until Genevieve calmly turned to meet her son's eyes. "It means, Spencer, that a descendant has come home."