Beneath the purple mist

A talk with an old friend

Trottler was walking around the castle, not really doing much. He was just walking.

He never thought he'd miss his panicked running around the castle, struggling to meet all of Aleksei's demands before he threw a tantrum. He even missed the tantrums.

The Aleksei who threw tantrums was troubled but happy. The Aleksei he knew now was emotionless, and if he did show emotion it was mostly anger.

Anger in front of people and misery on his own. Trottler passed the throne room and heared the sobs of agony from the inside.

There was always a need in him to go in and help, but he never knew what to say. He would always do his best to show that he was there though. He would bring Aleksei tea and his favourite sweets, they would just sit and talk.

This time, however, he decided to enter and try to help then and there.

"My lord..." he spoke and walked towards Aleksei and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Trottler, I-" Aleksei was startled and tried his best to collect himself, but Trottler did something unexpected. Trottler hugged him.

"It's all right, m-my lord. You don't have to explain anything. Just let it out. You don't have to always be strong." Trottler said calmly.

Aleksei was about to protest, about to push Trottler away, but he couldn't. He let himself collaps into Trottler's arms and let himself sob.

For Trottler it was heartbreaking to see his young master so crushed by the sorrows the world has pushed into him. No matter how much time has passed, in Trottler's eyes Aleksei was still but a child.

He used to argue with late queen Victoria about making Aleksei a king at such a young age. It took every last bit of bravery in him to do so, but he did it. He did it for the sake of protecting Aleksei and what was left of his childhood.

In the end it was all for nothing, a new king was crowned, and that same new king was robbed of not only his childhood but the cursed crown as well.

There was something tragically beautiful, in the eyes of life, about the idea of a king who's crown sits crooked on his brow, blocking his vision, and his cape dragging too far behind him, slowing him down.

To Trottler it was just extremelly sad. There was no beauty in suffering of a child, there was no beauty in war. There was just sorrow and pain.

It lasted for hours, the whole night in fact, Aleksei was sobbing and Trottler was holding him.

"My lord, I shall p-prepare you breakfast, there are freshly washed clothing up in your room." Trottler said after Aleksei calmed down.

"Very well... And Trottler-" Aleksei started.

"Not a word. I know. I will take it to my grave." Trottler assured him with a smile.

"Thank you. For that and... Everything."

"Don't even mentione it, my lord."

"You can drop the title, you know that? You're far more then a servant, Trottler." the words came from Aleksei in a gentle voice, followed by a small smile.

To Trottler that small smile meant the world. He couldn't fight the smile full of pride that spread over his face. "Well... Thank you so very much, my-, sorry, force of habit." he said.

Aleksei gave him another smile before thinking to himself a little bit. "Actually, you know what. Let's go eat together today, down in the kitchens." he suggested.

"My lord-s-sorry. Are you certain? The kitchens are kept clean but they are no place for a king to dine in." Trottler said, Aleksei noticed that his stutter was still present and wondered if he had anything to do with causing it.

"Don't worry Trottler, I'm farelly certain." Aleksei said and they walked to the kitchens together.

Down there Aleksei looked at Trottler preparing breakfast and decided to join him. Despite Trottler demanding that it is no job for a king.

"Hey Trottler, do you mind if I ask you something?" Aleksei asked while he was preparing the tea.

"Ask away, m-my... Sorry again." Trottler answered.

"The stutter you have, did I have anything to do with it? I mean causing it, was it the way I treated you?"

"Oh no no no, you needn't worry about that, it has been present since I was a c-child." Trottler told him. "You might have been a handful, especially when you were a small child, but you never treated me badly."

"I used to throw fireballs at you, I have killed servants before you." Aleksei reminded him.

"I always knew how to dodge those. And you never really aimed to kill." Trottler said jokingly.

It did make Aleksei laugh, since it was true. Of all of the servants that used to work in the castle, the one he was never really mad at was Trottler. It was probably just his ego playing a part and refusing to show that he cares for somebody, especially a servant.

Trottler started humming a song and it hit Aleksei in a matter of seconds which song it was. He remembered it so well. He could remember his mother singing it to him, the townsfolk humming it while going about their daily chores, Trottler mumbling the lyrics while he worked, Ayana playing it on a pipe.

Before he could even think about it he was singing softly to match Trottler's humming.

"There will come a soldier who carries a mighty sword, he will tear your city down, oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord, oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord, he will tear your city down oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord." Aleksei sang and it made Trottler gin widelly. For a second he saw the small boy again, hopping along the hallways in search of some fun while singing the song.

It has been a long time since Trottler heared Aleksei sing, the last time it was like a nightingale. It was confident and full of pomp. This time it was small a frail, like a humming bird. Small and frail, but still present. There was still hope to return the nightingale that Aleksei once was.

And maybe, just maybe that nightingale could become the eagle that Trottler always saw in the young king. All those birds and yet the boy's animal form was still a raven of all things.