(Nick's POV)
"Your Royal Highness" Chartrys said bowing his head, it had taken him exactly 30 minutes after I had arrived with Charlie back at Kensington to arrive with his platoon of secretaries and lawyers "No" I said, his men looking at each other and muttering in confusion, "Leave us" Martin said, and they all dutifully and speedily left the room, "Do sit down Martin, let's not stand on ceremony here, not now it's just you, me and my fiancée" Charlie made an effort to seem relaxed, I could tell he wasn't though.
"So it's true? Not only have you floundered Royal business with a commoner, you intend to marry him? This... Spec of man" I'd anticipated this move from Martin, he was trying to provoke a reaction "Essentially, yes! I met him, I fucked him and I fell in love with him, now be sure to tell that word for word to my father, oh, and also tell him he'll have to do better than sending his lacky to hurl insults at me to change my mind. Get the fuck out of my apartment Martin" he stood immediately, looking only slightly annoyed "Your Royal Highness" and he bowed again.
Charlie laughed when he'd gone "How do you cope with this bullshit?" He asked "Honestly, you just agree to go along with it after a while" I say, plopping myself on the sofa next to Charlie when I suddenly hear a door creek open "Well well well" Charlotte says walking into the room, Charlie immediately shot up "Oh. My. Gaga. YOU'RE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE!" Charlie near screamed, she giggled and opened her arms to bring him in to hug her "And you're Charl- hang on, we've met.. Where do I know your face from?" Charlie started to blush "Charlie? What's she talking about?" I was terrified Charlie hadn't mentioned this to me, "How do you remember me that's insane..." Charlotte's eyes shot wide and I panicked "CHARLIE, OHMYGOD NICK! Your fiancée is the boy who pushed a paparazzi into the lake when he assaulted me at the Kent Pride parade two years ago" my brow furrowed "I'm sorry, a lot of emotions are happening right now. YOU GOT ASSAULTED?! AND HE RESCUED YOU?! Why did neither of you tell me about this?" I demanded, Charlie spoke first "It wasn't my business to speak about" and Charlotte followed up "I didn't want you to lose your shit with the security team, it was my own fault I snuck away". Astonished I brought them both into a hug "No more secrets between the three of us, deal?" Charlie sighed "But Nick!" he moaned, "Char...." I tried in a serious voice "I hate to interrupt lovebirds. But Nick, I'm kinda here to rain on your parade..." And I look at Charlotte "What do you mean.." she shifted uncomfortably "Look, it's not Charlie, it's you, you're still the Prince of Wales, you have duties, one of which is needing to ask for permission to seek a marriage..."
I was thinking of how to respond to Charlotte when suddenly I heard the shout "HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF BELFAST" and the atrium doors flew open, "BOY!" dad shouted, accompanied by Martin and his group of minions the palace staff had this incredible ability to walk, talk yet not actually say a single thing except to affirm that which they have already determined to be their version of reality; for example this group were saying "It's impossible, surely it's unconstitutional, of course it can't they're both men!". Dad stopped in front of me "What the HELL has got into you b- Charlotte? What are you doing here?" I was surprised Charlotte hadn't left, she had a good relationship with dad as she hates conflict. I turned to see she was holding Charlie's hand, Charlie who was shaking, I couldn't blame him, now I thought about it he was facing the naked homophobia of the most powerful institution in the country "Ah never mind, you, boy, come here, I want to get a proper look at my 'future son-in-law'" at that the chorus of old stale white men burst into laughter, Martin even smiled "Dad no, if you have a problem deal with me, leave Char alone" He smiled like he'd won a prize "'Char', Nicholas, I really wonder where I went wrong with you" my hands were fists now "Boy, I said, come here" and Charlie reluctantly made his way forward "That's enough father" I said, "It is? Excellent, so the engagement is off then?" I lay my head in shame "Dismiss your witnesses that we may discuss this matter in private, be reasonable, please. He smiled "No"
He rushed forward grabbing my collar "Father!" Charlotte called out "I didn't raise you to be one of them, your job is to get a wife and carry on the family line, simple, if you don't understand that, then maybe I have to knock the sense into you" "Dad.. please" I said finally, and I thought for a second his eyes softened but he brought his arm up and then Charlie attempted to break dad's grip on me, unfortunately this only resulted in him taking my place of getting the punch, immediately dad released me and looked at Charlie, who was now on the floor, with a nosebleed, unconscious "Shit" dad said. At which point I threw myself around to him and delivered an uppercut of my own in retaliation, he staggered back, and I thought a prolonged conflict was about to happen when the atrium doors swung open and the proclamation shouted out "THE QUEEN" and there she was, my mother the Queen, and... Luke?
