Another way (Young Royals)

The best man

Wille and I were sitting on a loveseat in Erik's living room. Erik sat in an armchair not far away. His wheelchair was close to the chair. He could not get between the chairs himself, so he would need our help to get back into it later. A blanket was wrapped around his legs, as he got cold quite fast. Hanna, Erik's fiancé, was somewhere with her mother that day.

"So how is mom taking the whole engagement thing?" Wille asked his brother. The two of them had a bond that no other brothers in this country had. They were the sons of the Queen. The difference was that Wille had given up his title and kept very low contact with everyone in his family, except for his brother. The crown prince. Our future king.

"As you can imagine she was not overjoyed," Erik replied to his little brother. "You guys know how we met. She thinks our relationship causes issues with the media." Erik had fallen for one of the nurses that took care of him in the hospital, after he had his accident.

"Well your relationship can't be worse than ours in her eyes, so you should be fine," I said and looked at Wille. The three of us laughed. Wille's mother had still not accepted me as her youngest son's partner. In her eyes I had stolen her son away from his family.

"Well, she will have to accept it. Hanna is my future wife and the future queen of this country," Erik said.

"Has she let the grandchild thing go?" Wille asked his brother. Erik's accident years ago had left him infertile, so it was quite a sensitive topic. Especially as he as the crown prince had to produce an heir.

"No. She is talking about how we are going to solve the situation where I can't have biological children. She has even suggested that I ask you if you would donate cells for insemination," Erik said. I had only heard about the version where she wanted Wille to have children to continue the royal bloodline. That he was in a relationship with me was less of her concern, as usual. He was of course not interested in that, as we did not want children in the nearest future. And if we were to have them, they would have to be adopted.

"She is actually crazy," Wille replied. Erik agreed.

"I would not want to be the uncle of my own kid. It would just be weird," Erik said. "So you don't need to worry about that, little brother. We will never ask for that, just so you know." It was good to know that Wille's entire family were not entirely crazy. Erik had, just like Wille, a mind of his own and could think for himself.

"So how is the planning for the wedding going then?" Wille asked. Erik said that it was scheduled for next summer. Hanna was already looking at wedding dresses. Erik joked that it was much simpler being male. It was just a question of what suit he was going to wear. Probably a marine blue one from the military. He had just done his military service before the accident, and as an honorary member from the royal family he had a fancy title.

" So, I have been meaning to ask you something. Would you want to be my best man, Wille?" Erik asked. Wille looked at his brother, as if he was joking. Erik, however, seemed serious.

"Of course I would like to be your best man, Erik," Wille replied and stood up and hugged his brother. Erik looked at me.

"And I would like to ask you if you would like to be one of my groomsmen, Simon?" Erik asked. "And if you could sing? Hanna loves your music and we would both be honoured if you would like to sing in our wedding." I smiled and told him I would be honoured to be part of his wedding.

"What do you think your mother will say though?" I asked. I could not imagine she would be happy.

"I don't care what she says. It is Hanna and I who are getting married," he said. "And I want you guys there. You are the closest family I have," Erik said. Erik had been close to August when they were at Hillerska together. But after August released the video of us, Erik had cut him off. They only saw each other when they had to, for the royal family. "But unfortunately I don't get a say on the gusset list. So I will have to warn you that August most likely will be there, if I can't bribe him to say he has a stomach bug and stay home." Wille and I looked at each other. We hated August, but we would never let his presence stop us from being there for Erik on his and Hanna's day.

"It would be nice if he would not attend, but I know you can't decide that. It is okay for me if he is there, even if I don't wish to speak or be near him," Wille said. "How do you feel about it, baby?" Wille looked at me. I appreciated that he asked for my opinion too. That he did not just assume I would be fine.

"As long as he stays away from us and we don't have to speak to each other it is okay, even if I of course would prefer if he was not there," I replied. Erik nodded. He knew how bad August had hurt us in the past. How much we had struggled because he decided to be an asshole, instead of just being decent.

"He would of course not be a part of my groom's men, but rather one of the regular guests. Since none of you have royal titles there are less expectations on you to talk to people, so you should be fine. And I will tell him that if he even thinks the thought of disturbing you in any way, I will personally have him kicked out," Erik said. We sat there and discussed more of the details of the wedding and the planning, until we heard the front door open. It was Hanna and her mother, who had gotten back from whatever they had been doing. She greeted us and then she went straight to where Erik was sitting and kissed him on the lips.

"Did you have a nice time looking at more wedding dresses darling?" Erik asked. Hanna nodded. She had her hair and makeup done. She looked a lot different than we were used to. She usually never had her nails done, seen as she worked as a nurse. And she rarely wore any makeup.

"I think I have found the one," she said. "And you will have to wait until the wedding to see it, so don't even bother to ask to see it beforehand." She gently sat down on Erik's lap and held an arm around his neck.

"But you would be so pretty in a wedding dress honey," Erik complained with a smile.

"But it is bad luck," Hanna said. They both smiled big at each other. Wille and I smiled too. I knew it made Wille happy to see his brother like that. Crazy in love.