Halcyon [Mister + Assi] - R-18

“Your highness,” the messenger began, grinning at Arthur, “I am thrilled to announce that your marriage to Princess Madeline of Columbia has been consummated.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes, confused. What on earth was he talking about…?

“Princess Madeline has not bled for three months and therefore is successfully bearing the heir to the throne of Albion. Congratulations, my prince. I am sure that you’re overjoyed.”

But they hadn’t – Arthur hadn’t – he’d never even touched her!

Arthur was frozen still, staring in bewilderment at the messenger.

“Excuse me?” he asked softly, unable to believe this news.

“Your wife is with a child,” the messenger put it simply, sounding very happy about it. “Your father is elated.”

“I…” Arthur didn’t know what to say. “I’m sure that he is.”

“Celebrations will begin tomorrow evening to congratulate you both. And, if I might be so bold, your highness… jolly good show. I knew you had it in you.” He patted Arthur on the shoulder. “I will leave you to get ready and visit your wife. She will doubtlessly be expecting you.”

And with that, the messenger left the room and Arthur felt totally numb and dumbstruck.

Alfred was running all the different possibilities of news that Arthur could get but the last one he had been expecting was the news that Madeline was pregnant.

His sister was pregnant.

...With Arthur's child.

And Alfred felt hurt. Extremely hurt. Even last night he told him that he was the first one to lay with him for a long time. He knew that Arthur was married to Madeline...but was Arthur trying to play with his emotions also so he was pulling both him and his sister along on a string?

When the messenger left, Alfred came out from behind the dressing screen, still looking terribly shocked and speechless.

"...You told me that you wouldn't touch her," He whispered.

Arthur was dreading Alfred’s response. He knew that it wouldn’t be good, that he wouldn’t believe him.

He turned to face Alfred, eyes wide, eyebrows knotted together to create somewhat of a frightened and worried expression.

“I haven’t, I haven’t!” he said desperately. “I never bedded her, I told you as much, Alfred.”

Alfred wanted to believe Arthur but he could never imagine Madeline actually having sex out of wedlock. That just wasn't his sister.

He shook his head, backing away towards the door.

"Her three missed months of bleeding kind of tells otherwise!" He hissed, not wanting to be too loud. "Is this a game to you, Arthur!? Thinking that by telling me that you only wanted to touch and love me, you could just have me by your side while you go do whatever you want against your word?"

He wanted to believe Arthur so badly.

"I want to believe you," He murmured, looking a bit lost. "But.."

Alfred shook his head before turning away, pulling his cloak on and trying to head out of the room.

Arthur just gawked at Alfred, trying to form words. How on earth could he explain himself? Whatever he said, it would sound like lying. He had no way that he could make him believe him, and it hurt.

“What kind of sick person do you think I am?!” Arthur snapped back in outrage, dismay, confusion. “I do only want to touch and love you.”

“Please, Alfred. Please, listen to me,” he desperately tried to make a grab for Alfred as he went past him. “Believe me, I beg of you. I love you.”

Alfred stopped when Arthur grabbed his hand and he swallowed thickly. His expression seemed to crumble a bit though he didn't look at his lover. At his prince.

"..I love you too," He whispered helplessly.

He soon pulled his hand away from Arthur.

"You should go see Madeline. ...The kingdom is very happy for you. Congratulations."

With that, he opened the door and hurried outside of the bedroom so he could head into his own. He would visit Madeline later and he knew that this was the way things should be...but it still hurt.

Especially since Arthur and him made love for the first time last night.

“Alfred!” Arthur called after him desperately, following him to the door. But he knew that he couldn’t follow him, lest they drew too much attention to themselves. “Come back,” he murmured uselessly, watching him leave.

Arthur felt like he could cry. He was utterly furious. Why did the stupid bitch have to get pregnant? It wasn’t even him! He had tried two years ago to do it with Madeline but had been unable to get an erection, not with Alfred plaguing his mind.

He glared at the landscape painting of Columbia’s Murmurous Mountains on his wall, the view both he and Alfred had looked at when they touched each other for the first time when they were children.

He pursed his lips, trying to refrain from doing anything stupid.

But he couldn’t resist.

He picked up his dagger from its scabbard and threw it across the room, where it hit the middle of the landscape painting. Arthur let out a shout as he did so, in pure frustration.

He was going to be a father, even though it was a bastard child and not his own and he had no choice in the matter. Alfred would leave and Arthur would be doomed to a loveless reality once more.

Alfred soon threw his cloak off and climbed onto his bed, trying to calm himself down but it was so hard.

He knew that it was Arthur's responsibility to consummate his marriage and do it for the kingdom...but Arthur had told him that he hadn't done anything with Madeline.

And he believed his words.

Madeline couldn't have cheated on Arthur. Could she? Of course she couldn't. She wasn't that kind of woman.

Alfred soon buried his face against the pillow, trying to calm himself down. It was so hard though.

Could he really leave Arthur for it though...?

Arthur waited for around half an hour so that he could cool down and regain himself before he decided to visit Madeline. He hoped that they would have some sort of privacy together. He wanted to be able to speak honestly with her and find out what was going on.

He went to his wife’s chambers and knocked on the door.

“Maddie, it’s me,” he said, sounding somewhat sad.

Madeline was a complete and utter wreck, her face buried in her hands as she tried to wipe her tears away. She tried to look happy about it all but she was frightened.

Frightened on how to be a mother and also frightened on her husband's reaction.

When she heard her husband's voice, she swallowed thickly before hesitantly calling out to him.

"...C-Come in."

Arthur could hear in her voice that she wasn’t happy. He immediately felt less angry as he entered the room. She looked devastated. He gave a sigh and closed the door, relieved that they were alone.

“How are you feeling?” he asked softly, trying to at least be somewhat delicate with the situation. He hadn’t ever thought that she’d be upset like this about it.

Madeline just rubbed her eyes, swallowing thickly though she didn't look over at her husband.

"I feel sick," She whispered softly.

She curled her knees up to her chest. Already she had a little bump and it was definite that she was pregnant. She couldn't look at Arthur though. She couldn't bare to look at him in the eye.

"I'm so sorry," She apologised a bit brokenly. "Over the past few years, I just felt so lonely."

She knew that there had to be an explanation. She knew that she couldn't hide this from her own husband when he hadn't touched her at all.

"You wouldn't touch me..." She hesitated before quickly correcting herself. "You couldn't do it. There's been no feelings between us."

She sucked in a small breath.

"Then he came...he had been so sweet to me...so loving and I tried to hold back. I truly did but the stress was becoming too much. Our parents were becoming angry at you and I didn't want to see you go under that because I was undesirable to you. I just...just thought that no one else would know and you would be fine."

"I'm so sorry..."

At least she hadn’t tried to deny it. He offered her a small smile and came to perch on the edge of her bed, listening to her as she spoke.

He blushed as she clearly remembered that he hadn’t been physically capable of doing it with her. He couldn’t begin to imagine how that must have made her feel. He sighed softly, looking away for a few moments.

“I’m sorry. I wish that I could…” he gulped, “be a better husband and have given you a child.”

Arthur had originally thought that he would be coming to see her and bellowing in anger, though he had no reason to be. He was amazed by his own serenity.

“I’m not angry, it’s alright,” he told her. He couldn’t stand to see her like this. Even if they didn’t love each other, she was still his friend. He shifted to be more on the bed and wrapped an arm around her, trying to be of some comfort.

“I think that it’s incredibly noble of you to even think of me, my princess. I should be the one that’s sorry for humiliating you in front of the court for all of this time. I would behead everyone that gossiped, if I could,” he sighed.

Arthur couldn’t tell her that he was with Alfred, but he could at least admit to the affair.

“I’ve been seeing other people, as well,” he admitted solemnly. “I…” he blushed, “I’m really in love with them, Madeline. And you deserve the same happiness.” He looked down at her to his side and tried to smile a little.

“Although we must remain ‘together’ for the sake of the public eye, you may continue to see this boy. Not that you, um, need my permission. But I’d rather that you were happy. I’m sorry that I’ve made you miserable… I hope that we can still be friends and rule Albion side by side. I… I’ll have to say to people that the child is mine,” he realised with some dread. “But we’ll make it work.”

Madeline had originally thought that Arthur was going to yell at her and be angry that she cheated on him while they were wedded but...

She was surprised by Arthur's calmness and acceptance.

A part of her was bewildered. It had become natural for her to think that her husband was cold and unloving. But she knew that wasn't the case. It never really was.

His love just wasn't meant for her just as her's wasn't meant for him.

She looked at Arthur for the first time and she gave him a hesitant smile.

"...I'm happy for you, Arthur," She whispered, leaning close to him. For some reason, it didn't hurt to hear that he had been seeing someone else also.

"You deserve all the love that I couldn't give you." She hesitated before looking up into his eyes. "Thank you..."

She leant forward to press a chaste kiss to his cheek.

“As do you.”

Arthur chuckled breathily as she kissed his cheek.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured. “And thank you for not… hating me despite everything.” He kissed the side of her head and slowly unravelled himself from her.

“Try and smile,” he encouraged. “There are no bad feelings between you and me. Celebrate with your lover, just not too overtly, of course. Tomorrow there’s due to be a celebration for all of this, so make sure that you’ve got all of your, um, ‘celebrating’ out of the way by then?” he flushed at the thought.

Madeline seemed so pure, it was an impossible thought that someone had slept with her.

“I must find my own lover and… explain this,” he pursed his lips. It wouldn’t be easy.

“Your brother should be along at some point. I think that… I think Alfred can be trusted with this information, however we mustn’t tell anyone else. It would be detrimental to your reputation.”

Arthur stood by the door, ready to leave.

Madeline couldn't help but laugh a bit at that, covering her smile with her hand as she looked away though she seemed flattered.

"...Thank you, Arthur. I couldn't have asked for a better friend."

She looked at him kindly as he got up to leave though she paused at the mention of Alfred. She simply nodded though a bit nervous. She had no idea how he would react to the news though.

Madeline sighed softly and played with her lovely blonde hair.

"I won't tell anyone about you two," She murmured before finally climbing back onto the bed, feeling a bit ill again.

Arthur tensed as she said that last line. ‘You two’? Did that mean that she…?

God, she didn’t know, did she? She couldn’t have done. She would have been disgusted.

“Take care, Madeline.”

He gave a small nod and a smile before leaving the room.

Arthur went directly to Alfred’s, feeling like he had to resolve this before Alfred had too much time to brood and make any rash decisions. He knocked on Alfred’s door.

“Alfred, let me in, it’s me.”

Madeline just hummed and nodded.

"Take care as well."

She soon laid back in the bed, trying to sleep once more. She felt quite a bit better considering that Arthur seemed accepting of it now.

Unlike Madeline though, Alfred was still terribly frustrated and he just wanted to be left completely alone.

He didn't look at the door when he heard Arthur knock but he couldn't help but let him in.

"Come in," He mumbled.

Arthur came into the room and shut the door behind him, but hovered near it in case he had to leave suddenly because of Alfred’s temper. The last time Alfred had been angry with him didn’t have a good result.

“I spoke to Madeline. It’s not mine.”

Alfred glanced over at Arthur, not seeming all that convinced yet and he still looked rather hurt by everything.

"...If it's not yours, then who's could it be? I haven't seen her with anyone." His breath shuddered as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to completely believe you yet."

Maybe he should check with Madeline but his stubbornness was getting in the way. His sister wouldn't cheat on Arthur...! That wasn't her.

“Has the thought ever occurred to you that women have sexual desires, too?” Arthur sighed exasperatedly. “She has to keep things like that a secret just so that she doesn’t get in trouble, just like us.”

He stared at Alfred hopelessly, beginning to get frustrated.

“I can’t believe that you don’t believe me,” he frowned. “I let you,” he glanced back at the door fearfully for a second before turning back to Alfred, “I let you make love to me, Alfred. Do you have any idea of how painful that was? I would do anything for you. It’s me that shouldn’t trust you. You tried to kill me, and I forgave you!”

Alfred frowned at that. So much of him was telling him that Arthur was telling the truth, that Arthur would never play with him like that but at the same time, he as an older brother should have been able to trust Madeline on this.

It was a conflict for him between his lover and his sister and who to be angry at.

"But...she's my sister! She's never done any wrong and she's always been loyal to what she needed to do!"

Alfred couldn't help but flinch when Arthur started yelling at him and he covered his face, sucking in a short breath. Though he seemed to freeze at the mention of it being painful before looking at Arthur quietly and with a bit of shock.

"Why didn't you tell me it was painful!? What am I supposed to do here, Arthur!? I wish it was easy to believe you but what am I supposed to do when I'm in conflict considering that both my own sister in blood and lover are involved with this!? It kind of makes things hard to believe when you're confronted with these two things!"

Alfred was starting to feel overwhelming guilt though.

The knowledge that he hurt Arthur. And then the memories of his murder attempt on Arthur were becoming a bit too much.

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Don’t be naïve, Alfred! She’s a woman, not a child. She’s been screwing around, just like I have. I was just talking to her about it and we’re both okay with the fact we don’t love each other. We’re married and having to rule Albion together, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t just be friends and have our own, separate love lives.”

If that meant that Alfred was going to refuse to ever have sex again, then Arthur would probably have to hang himself. He did not want that to be the end of their sex lives.

“Of course it did, I thought that was obvious! It’s not exactly natural and as a result, it’s bound to hurt without proper equipment,” meaning lubrication. “I know she’s your little sister and you treasure her dearly but why the hell would I lie to you about something like this?! Irrelevant to the family situation, I have gone out of my way to be with you. You’ve gone out of your way to be with me!”

He wasn’t slowing down at all.

“I don’t understand how you could just let everything go so suddenly!”

Alfred really began to forget that they were in the castle and that anyone could hear him but he hated being yelled at. He hated being this frustrated and he knew that Arthur was right but at the same time, he didn't want to believe it.

Though all at the same time he did want to believe it.

"You're making it sound like letting me make love with you was more of a chore than anything! That you were forced to do it to satisfy me! You didn't have to do anything with me!"

Alfred finally stood up, frowning.

"I haven't let everything go! You're getting angry at me because I'm taking a bit of time to sort everything out and trying to at least let it fucking set in that my sister might be carrying an bastard child!"

He wasn't going to leave Arthur. He could never do that but with the way things were going now, he wouldn't be surprised if the prince decided to leave him.

After all...he had been terrible as a lover and as a person.

"I...just...it's fucking complicated! Okay!?"

It frightened him.

“I never said that! Don’t manipulate my words!” Arthur bellowed back at him. He hoped that Alfred wasn’t about to come and hit him – Alfred was twice his size.

When Alfred didn’t advance, he realised that he was being ridiculous with a huff.

“I wanted to do it! I want to do again, in fact… because I love you with all of my being!” He felt his expression crumble slightly. He wasn’t even thinking about the fact that people could probably hear them arguing. Hopefully the walls would absorb most of the sound.

He backed down somewhat, looking away.

“If she’s happy, that’s what matters, Alfred. I have no qualms with her carrying another man’s child and neither should you.”