[SLOW UPDATES] The Stroke of Midnight

Two.

The fanfare of trumpets shook King Iero out of his deep thought, and made his heart begin to race. He didn't expect to hear the trumpets so soon. The fanfare could only mean one thing.

Prince Frank was back.

As fast as he could in his old, frail body, King Iero got up from his seat in the royal library, not bothering to grab his robe and crown that he had removed from his body. He made his way to the palace doors in a white button up and black slacks, wringing his hands together was he awaited his son's arrival through the palace doors.

King Iero could hear the people cheering outside, welcoming their Prince back into the kingdom, and it only heightened his nerves. There was so much to discuss with his son, so much on the line to see if Frank was cured.

The sound of the palace doors opening had King Iero holding his breath as rays of sunlight began shining in from the gradually widening open doorway. King Iero saw a black stallion, waiting obediently as a man climbed off of it, handing the reigns to one of the palace guards. As the guard went to take the horse to the stables, King Iero stared at the man, their gazes locking, inherited hazel eyes staring back at the man who turned him away seven years ago.

King Iero looked over his son, his chest swelling with love and guilt. Frank had matured well, he thought, as his eyes roamed over his son's face. Frank's jawline was sharp, not a single strand of facial hair visible. His hair was lengthy, neatly brushed around his ears, barely resting atop his shoulders. Frank pursed his lips as he stared back at his father, and it was then that his father noticed the silver ring stuck in the left side of his son's bottom lip. How peculiar. Then again, Frank was always a peculiar boy.

Frank stood with his hands behind his back, his legs slightly spread in a comfortable position. He wore a black, long sleeved button up, the first two buttons undone, revealing his chest that had some black markings on it. His black pants were a bit baggy on him, his shoes old and scuffed.

The King smiled weakly at his son, a breathy laugh escaping his lips. "All these years, and you still haven't gotten any taller." He spoke, making Frank giggle to himself.

Frank approached his father, his smile disappearing as he stopped right in front of him. "I assume that we've got things to discuss now that I'm back." Frank spoke, his voice a bit deeper than his father remembered.

The King nodded, walking into the common room with his son not far behind him. Once they were settled in two chairs, the room void except for the two of them, King Iero sighed. "So. How was it?"

The Prince nodded, his gaze roaming around the old room. "Well, I was questioned by a so-called 'specialist', given some terrible form of 'treatment', and passed a test that allowed me to come home today." Frank cracked his knuckles, placing them on his lap. "I know that you wanted things to be different, but Father, nothing's changed."

King Iero tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean, Frank?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he watched his son sigh deeply and rub his face with his hands.

Frank looked at his father, gnawing on the silver stuck in his lip. "You cannot fix something that was never broken." He spoke slowly, watching the King's expression drop.

"You mean..."

"Father, hear me out, please." Frank pleaded, watching as his father stood up, shaking his head. Frank reached out, grabbing the King's wrist. "You didn't give me a chance to explain all those years ago. Please, let me explain now."

The King stopped, turning back to look at his son. Frank was clearly not a child anymore, even though the King was sure that he was going through a rather long phase. Reluctantly, he sat back down, a deep sigh leaving his lungs.

"Alright." He allowed, motioning for Frank to begin. "Speak, before I change my mind."

Frank nodded. "Since I was young, maybe around eleven or twelve, every time you or Mother would talk to me about what a lady's man I would grow up to be, I always felt awkward. And not for the typical 'embarrassed by your parents' reason, but simply because I just didn't like girls. I thought I would end up liking them as I got older, but they just never appealed to me. Boys did. When I met Ryan, I trusted him enough to tell him about it, what I thought was wrong with me. He told me he had felt the same way, and," Frank chuckled to himself, running his hand through his lengthy hair, "I didn't feel like there was something wrong with me anymore. I felt normal."

Frank looked at his dad, a hopeless smile on his face. "Dad, I am perfectly okay. There is nothing wrong with me. Sure, it's not ideal, but I'm happier being with men than I am with women. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that."

King Iero shook his head, Frank's words bouncing around in his mind. "Frank, it's about time you married and settled down. You cannot marry a man, I will not allow it. I've been extremely lenient, but I'm not getting any younger, you know. I want to see my grandchildren before I go." He spoke in a scolding manner to Frank, watching as his son rolled his eyes.

"Father, there has to be other ways! I understand how-"

"No, Frank, you don't understand." The King snapped, standing up and glaring down at his son. "You don't know how it feels to lose the only woman you've ever loved, and then watch your only son grow farther and farther away from you."

The King began to pace, ignoring Frank as he tried to get a word in. "Maybe if I just leave you alone. You're obviously not meeting a girl under the right conditions. Maybe...we'll hold a ball to celebrate your return! You're bound to meet a bright young lady there!"

"Father, I don't want a ball!" Frank yelled, yet again being ignored by his father, feeling tears well up in his eyes.

"Soft lights, romantic music, the perfect atmosphere for love to bloom!" The king went on. "I will see to it that every eligible maiden is there."

The King stopped pacing and speaking, sniffs and sobs reaching his ears. He turned, seeing Frank on his knees, sobbing into his palms.

"Father, please," Frank cried, looking up at his father through his tears, "accept me for who I am. I'm not asking anything difficult of you. I'm asking for nothing tasking."

The King stared down at his son, his mind screaming at him that his son must find himself a queen. "You're asking for nothing? Well." The King nodded to himself, watching more tears crawl down his son's cheeks. "You shall receive it, in abundance."

He left the room, and Frank could hear him yelling, telling the guards to arrange a ball, to notify every maiden in the kingdom. But Frank didn't want any of it.

Frank just wanted to be accepted by the one person he thought would always love and care for him.