Curse of the Ninth - ian hecox & anthony padilla

Chapter Three: Tea

Ian was awoken by the Sunday sun, his eyes squirmed as he stretched his entire body away from the slumber. He picked up his glasses from the nightstand, and moved his canopy cover behind his bed frame. Shifting his legs to the edge of the bed and pressing his feet on the cold tiles.

He entered his walk-in closet which was on the other side of his bedroom, and picked an outfit for his tea "date" with Anthony. He still had the painting resting in his vanity area and smiled remembering the time he had with Anthony yesterday. He grabbed his brush from the vanity and looked over to his mirror, brushing his hair to the sides of his face. Making sure any tangled hair strands became undone. He felt a wave of butterflies go to his stomach, and euphoria crashing down to his shoulders. He would finally be leaving the palace he was stuck in for all those years.

He pleaded with his father after dinner, which almost resulted in an intense fight. He calmed his guard down and his mother was able to convince him. Andrew felt a little reassured he's safe under Anthony's supervision, but still sent two of his bodyguards to ride on Ian's carriage just in case. Ian couldn't be more than relieved that his father said yes on letting him out on his own. For the first time. 

Another maid walked into the room and gave Ian his coat, which was a hand-me-down from Andrew when he was younger.

"Your father loved this coat." The maid lifted one of Ian's arms as she dressed him.

The coat was once again a warm brown which was made from the finest leather. The stitching was hand-made by a high class designer in the Wales that Andrew personally knew.

She patted herself down in her black uniformed skirt. She was pleased with how Ian was able to style himself and walked out of the bedroom heading to the entrance of the palace.

Ian looked over in the mirror seeing himself styled with a coat and his Victorian ruffled white dress shirt poking out. The coat cuffed all the way to his palm and his circular glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, alongside with his freckles. His hair flowed in his natural direction, and his beard was finely trimmed. Having it done for his birthday occasion.

Ian had his head spinning, nervous with what's to bestow when he meets with Anthony. Yet wasn't so sure with what special connection they had going on between them. Anthony was so notable, but yet so opposite of what Ian was known for. Ian sighed looking at himself in the mirror again and left the premises. Walking to his fathers carriage.

He stepped down from the grand staircase, which was covered by a red carpet in the middle of each step. The handrails carved with oak wood Ian would see in his hideout area near the cliff. Two maids opened the door to reveal the gold-plated carriage, the sun beaming down onto his face. Barely able to comprehend what was in front of him.

One of the body guards took Ian and guided him inside, locking the door of the carriage, and Ian felt the slight push of the horse moving to Anthony's place. 

Both Andrew and Josephine waved their goodbyes as the carriage farther away from their sight. 

"Do you think this was a good idea Josephine?" Andrew looked down sternly to his wife.

"You need to let his wings fly once in a while," Josephine reassured Andrew. "You've done everything you can to protect and educate him. Let him use the skills he learned from you,"

Andrew smiled as he took Josephine inside the palace he built for his family. To protect the demeanors of society outside the walls, but to also raise a family he manifested for the years behind him.

Ian trotted away to his dear friend's place, and was willing to share that friendship he had with Anthony down to his own son.

Ian was inside the carriage, the curtains of the windows closed to hide any sense of identity or suspicion that the Hecox's might be in there. The bodyguard sat on each side as Ian was placed right down in the middle of the bench. He played with his hands, inspecting every finger until the carriage came into an ultimate halt. Ian was parked right outside of Anthony's Victorian mansion.