Hollow Kingdom

Alec wasn't completely sure that he wasn't putting Evan in a world of danger as he helped his best friend shrug into the finely tailored suit Mr. Hale had made for him. Alec wore one himself, though it wasn't quite as elegant and flashy. Belle straightened out Evan’s sandy blonde hair, pushing it back out of his face. Her expression was blank, but the fact that she was helping was enough for Alec to know she supported his plan.

“Why am I the duke?” Evan asked Alec. “Why can't you be the duke?”

“Because you're better looking and more charming than Alec is,” Belle answered for him.

“Well… That's not what my reasoning was,” Alec frowned.

“I like that reasoning,” Evan grinned, admiring his reflection in the mirror. “Does this mean I get to tell my ‘manservant’ what to do all night?”

“Absolutely not,” Alec warned. “I'll play along, but you'll pay for it when we get home.”

“Point taken,” Evan nodded.

Belle straightened Alec and Evan both out before taking a step back to admire her work.

“Well, you look like the poor of the nobility, but at least you'll blend in,” she sighed. “Alec, are you sure there is even a party tonight? What makes you think they'll even let you in?”

“There's a party almost every night,” he explained. “As for getting in, we’ll just have to improvise.”

“Just be careful,” Belle said. “My heart won't be able to take it if something happened to either of you.”

“We’ll be home safe,” Alec said, before turning to Erwin, who was sitting up on a shelf beside a book he was examining. “Erwin, keep an eye on my sister, will you?”

“Of course,” he sighed, without looking up from the book. “I'm not a nanny ferret, but I did make a promise to your father, didn't I?”

Alec rolled his eyes, muttering a ‘thank you’ to the ferret before heading to the door. Evan followed, rushing forward a bit to take the lead since he was “the duke”. The duke of dirt, if anything. Their first mistake was arriving at the palace without any form of carriage, though the guard didn't turn them away right away. He eyed them suspiciously, though they remained calm. Evan was a good actor. Alec was sure that if he hadn't been a gutter rat giving up his future for the revolution, he could have been a fantastic theatre actor.

“Good evening, sir,” Evan bowed. Alec bowed as well, staying behind Evan like a good servant would. “You'll find us on that list under the name, Richard Luxford. Duke of Satbury.”

“Satbury?” the guard asked, raising a brow. “I've never heard of such a place. You're not on the list.”

“Not on the list?” Evan frowned, eyes widening. “Not on the list?! This is an outrage! Not on the list! Sherwin, notify the militia immediately! No longer shall we allow trade with Aegaera after this insult! Good luck surviving without… um… without…”

Evan struggled to think of something his fake home traded with Aegaera, and Alec interjected without thinking about it.

“Trees!” he said.

“Yes, trees!” Evan nodded, though Alec could hear the annoyance in his voice at how stupid of an answer it was.

“Trees?” the guard questioned.

“You didn't think trees actually grew here naturally, did you?” Evan said, laughing as if it were the silliest idea he'd ever heard. “Good day, sir.”

“Alright, you can go in,” the guard sighed. “Just don't make a scene.”

“Good decision,” Evan said, winking. “Come along, Sherwin.”

Alec followed as Evan confidently marched into the ballroom, which was already bustling with people. They'd arrived fashionably late, but at least no one would notice them. Evan turned a corner and let out a breath he'd been holding, running a hand through his hair.

“Trees?!” he growled. “Are you stupid?”

“It was all I could come up with,” Alec said, laughing when Evan punched his arm. “At least it worked. We’re in.”

“We're in,” Evan sighed.

“Now, just remember,” Alec said, “We’re just here for information. Don't give yourself away. Even if you see the queen, don't get angry.”

“Alright, alright,” Evan said, shrugging it off.

“Evan, I'm serious,” Alec warned. “I know you're angrier about Danny that you're letting on. Just try not to-”

“I'm fine,” Evan snapped suddenly, startling himself. “I'm… I'm fine. I'll be fine. Let's get in there.”

Alec nodded, straightening himself out before they went towards where the party was. They each plucked a champagne flute off a tray. Evan quickly inserted himself into a conversation, but someone else had caught Alec’s eye. A flash of fiery red hair weaving through the crowd. His eyes followed the beautiful young woman in the sapphire gown as she twirled across the floor with various dance partners. There was something warm and familiar about her, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It wasn't until later that he even noticed her companion. It was the queen, herself.

Alec forgot about Evan, wandering away from the group and towards her. Still, he couldn't remember where he'd seen her. She was fairly drunk already, and as soon as the queen moved away from her, she started stumbling about. She would've taken the entire banquet table down with her had Alec not caught her when she fell. He found himself looking into a pair of bright green eyes. Now he knew he'd seen her before. Who could forget such eyes?

Alec couldn't remember where he'd met her. Not when she introduced herself as Lily, or when she took him to her greenhouse. The drinks she forced into him didn't help much, either. He couldn't remember as she took him up and away from the party, nor when she was leaving drunken kisses all over his face and neck. No, he didn't remember a thing. At least, not until the next morning.

He woke up to the joy of sharp pains in his head, groggily waiting for his vision to adjust. He wasn't in his own room, that was for damn sure. It was far too elegant. He turned his head and found another figure in the bed with him, lying on his bare chest. He barely remembered what had happened the night before, but it didn't take a genius to figure it out. Lily looked positively angelic with her mussed up red hair framing her face, morning light peeking through the curtains like a halo around her head. That was the sight that made Alec suddenly remember.

It had been a little over twelve years, and they'd only been children then. A young girl clutching a small kitten to her chest, both stuck up high in the tree. Alec had helped the girl get down while his father bargained with the blacksmith nearby. He couldn't understand why she'd risk her own safety just to save a little stray kitten from getting stuck in a tree. It didn’t take them long to become friends. Lily had been a much different girl then. An orphan with a dirt-streaked face. She was nowhere near royalty. It was hard to believe that it was his childhood friend there in bed with him, but it was her, no doubt.

He almost felt guilty sneaking out of bed, carefully putting his clothes back on without waking her up. Reality started to rush back to him. He’d spent the night in the palace, completely drunk, with a girl he hadn’t realized was his friend as a child. Not to mention he’d completely forgotten about Evan, as well as the entire plan to get information on the queen.

“Are you leaving?”

Alec paused his panicking and froze while putting his shoes on, looking over his shoulder at Lily. She also seemed to be making sense of the last night, yawning and brushing her fingers through her hair.

“Afraid so,” Alec mumbled.

“Was I not good enough for you?” Lily frowned. “What’s your rush?”

“No, no,” Alec said quickly. “You were, ah, wonderful. I suppose. You have a great personality.”

“Personality?” Lily repeated, wrinkling her nose. “After all that, I have a glittering personality?”

“Look, I have to leave,” Alec said. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, you have to tell me what happened,” Lily protested.

Alec sighed, running his hand through his hair and kneeling in front of her to explain part of why he was panicked. He reminded her of who he was, and though it had been a very long time, she seemed to remember rather quickly considering how she wrapped the sheets tightly around herself in a sad attempt to cover herself up.

“Alec Spaulding?” she whispered. “How could I have… you’ve really grown up.”

“So have you,” he chuckled. “You’ve become a fine young woman. You’re certainly living a different life than you were when I first met you.”

“As are you,” she said slowly. “How did you-”

“Remember when I said it was a long story?”

“Right,” she nodded. “So is mine.”

“So long story short, I have to go,” he said. “Let’s just… pretend this never happened. If that’s alright with you.”

“Yes,” Lily agreed. “This meant nothing. We’re just old friends. That’s all. Old friends who disappeared for several years, changed quite a bit, and will never do this again.”

Alec put his shoes back on as Lily quickly got dressed herself, tying a silk robe around her. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes, knowing his face was red, but kept a good distance away. A good opportunity for information, gone to waste because he fell victim to a pair of pretty eyes. Or, had it gone to waste? Alec looked back over at Lily as she fixed up her appearance in the mirror. She was the Queen’s Lady in Waiting. Maybe the night wasn’t a complete loss, after all.

“All of last night aside,” Alec said slowly, “I’d love to reconnect with you, Lily.”

“Really?” she asked, perking up.

“Of course,” Alec nodded.

“I’d like that,” she smiled. “As friends. Just friends.”

“Just friends,” he agreed, holding out his hand.

She gave it a firm handshake, walking him to the door. As soon as the door opened, he came face to face with someone else, mid-knock. Her eyes widened in surprise, and Alec suddenly realized that he was standing before the queen. A hundred thoughts raced through his mind. There was a switchblade in his pocket, and he easily could have ended her bloody reign right there and then.

“Angie!” Lily squeaked. “I didn’t think you’d be awake yet.”

“It’s quite late in the afternoon, dear,” she said slowly, eyeing Alec.

Alec held back, staying as casual as he could. Lily was friends with the queen. He couldn’t do anything in front of her. It was the opposite of everything he stood for, but he bowed before the queen. Her dragon appeared from behind her and hissed at him, snapping its teeth. Alec flinched back slightly, remembering the stinging pain from the bite left on his ankle.

“Razeth doesn’t like you,” the queen said simply, the look in her eyes turning slightly cold. “I wonder why.”

“I wonder,” Alec said calmly.

He side-stepped around the queen, noticing a few guards had been posted behind her, one of which escorted him out of the palace. It was a good thing he hadn’t made a move against the queen. Once he was outside, he looked back at the grand palace. He may not have gotten what he was originally there for, but the night hadn’t been a complete loss. Now, he had a link to the queen.