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[kingforboth]

It's the day after your fourteenth birthday. You're absolutely freezing, bundled up in a robe, sitting down on a fur rug by the fireplace, trying to warm up. The warmth of the robe and the fire feels lovely. You also happen to be absolutely starving, but no one will let you eat. No one being Morgan and anyone else in the castle but you know better than to ask for breakfast. You rub your hands in front of the fireplace, the room slightly chill. Being November, there's only so much one can do.

"Hmmm, this feels good," You say, rubbing your hands together in front of the fire and smoothing short bedridden hair. "What's next?"

The older blonde man, Morgan, pokes and the fire, setting it more ablaze. "First of all, your bath. They should be about ready for you. And I'll send your wardrobers in to help you dress as soon as they arrive."

You stop abruptly, hating what was about to happen, what had to happen and what it meant. You always knew you were going to be king. One day. You just didn't think it would be so soon. And to have all those people....fussing over you. It was positively distasteful. And there was absolutely no escaping it. Or was there? All the maturity you'd displayed over the last few weeks disintegrated in one last act as a prince. As just a boy. With no one elses responsibility resting on your shoulders but your own.

"Devil take it, I can dress myself!" You try hopefully. It doesn't work. Morgan laughs, taking you by the arm and pulling you to your feet.

"A king must have dressers on his coronation day. It's tradition. Besides, you aren't meant to clutter up your mind with the mechanics of putting on strange robes when you should be contemplating the responsibilities of kingship." He propels you toward the dressing room where undoubtedly a gaggle of servants and a tub full of hot water await. Not just that. The first step.

You pause, a boyish playfulness playing about, and you eye the other man. "Oh I'm meant to have dressers, eh? How many?"

"Oh, six or so I should imagine." The man raises and eyebrow, playing innocent.

"SIX!" You cry out considering the high number. " Morgan, I don't need six dressers!"

"Is this a rebellion?" The other man grins, playing along good naturedly.

You start through the door and then turn in a look of complete mock indignation and playfulness. Just the thing someone wants in a king, right? " I still think that you planned all this deliberately." You hate personal servants after all.

"I've been planning deliberately to make you a king. Now, get in there!" The other man's playfulness and patience wore a little thin. It was a special day after all and you were kind of being a pain, especially considering just how mature you'd been up until now. He made a motion as if to chase you through the door and you duck through it, but not before poking your head back out a final time.

And sticking your tongue out. All maturity completely and utterly gone. One last romp before the inevitable.

Comments

Re: :D

[doubled_speed]

Shit, fourteen? Wish that was it where I grew up. Could have avoided some serious shit.

Anyway, I'm sorry about whatever caused that.

Re: :D

[kingforboth]

[Kelson arched an eyebrow, wondering silently from the audio if he really wished to act as an adult from such a young age, and if he realized what that would entail.]

Thank you.

What is the age of majority where you are from? Much older, I take it from your tone.

Re: :D

[doubled_speed]

Depends on where in the world. 18 if you aren't counting drinking if you're in the states like I am. Was. 21 for alcohol. 23 to rent a car.

[That last one is weird.]

I don't have an icon for just how dumbfounded he is

[kingforboth]

21 for alcohol?!

[Was that complete and utter shock in his voice? He wasn't sure what a 'car' was but if they had restrictions on alcohol, it had to be something just as inane.]

[doubled_speed]

Oh yeah. States are fucked up. You can join the military and vote at 18? But drink? How dare!?

[So Tommy usually heads overseas to drink. Don't drink and run across the Atlantic, kids.]

[kingforboth]

[Kelson blinked]

There isn't a drinking age in Gwynedd. Why are there such restrictions where you are from?

[doubled_speed]

Because the government sucks, restrictions on underaged drinking leads to more underaged drinking and makes them think that underaged drinking is aproblem.

Yanno, stupid people stuff.

[kingforboth]

[Kelson was completely flabbergasted. This concept was so foreign, that he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. What was the problem with toddlers drinking beer, again?]

But. Why?

[doubled_speed]

[In their defense, water is safe enough to drink on his world, so...]

Because kids can't handle it. Weird behavior and stuff. Just drink your milk and water, kiddos.

[kingforboth]

[The beer and wine is so much safer]

If you say so. I would think the water would cause more problems than the beer.

[doubled_speed]

Why would it cause problems? It's just water.

[Seriously, he doesn't know what someone means with that.]

[kingforboth]

Are you serious? You've never had bad water before?

[doubled_speed]

In India maybe, but not so much. Water is all treated and shit.

Kelson needs a 'i am so confused' icon.

[kingforboth]

Treated? Like....a person?

[How else could you mean 'treated'?]

Tommy thinks he's funny.

[doubled_speed]

Nah, not TOO much like a human. Otherwise Bobby Drake might get too high of an idea of himself.

[kingforboth]

[Kelson has never been more confused in his short life. He wished Morgan was here, he might know what the other man meant. Morgan did know a lot after all. But, he had a feeling that even Morgan might not know what to make of this man.]

Say again?

[doubled_speed]

[Wow, his jokes are normally better. Oh well.]

I was talking about... Oh nevermind.

Treated. Like filtration. Like safe to drink.

[kingforboth]

Filtration?

[Sorry Tommy, did Kelson say that word like he'd never heard anything like it before? Then again, the Eleven Kingdoms had no concept of microorganisms. Go slow.]

Can you explain more?

[doubled_speed]

I don't know how it works. They got these places that filter and clean water. Put chemicals in to kill some small bacteria and stuff. Run it through filters or something to further purify. It's clean. No sickness.

I mean, I wouldn't drink water from a stream or anything!

[kingforboth]

[Yeah there were a lot of words in there that Kelson didn't recognize still. But he at least got the general meaning.]

It makes water safe. That certainly sounds like something extremely worthwhile.

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, it is. And when that happened, bam, no booze for the little ones. Think of the children! Pearls clutching commences!

[kingforboth]

But wine and beer are nutritious. Why would you deprive them of that?

[doubled_speed]

Dude they are not nutritious. That’s just something dude bros say to feel better about booze. 

[kingforboth]

Dude bros?


[Kelson was figuring that dude was some sort of greeting, and bros was possibly short for brother but he wasnt entirely sure how the two came together.]

[doubled_speed]

[Oh geez, how does he explain this concept?]

Uh... I mean... Dude, that's a damn good question. Normally they aren't the sorts of people worth spending time with? What I'd give for urban dictionary right now.