A Magic Inside

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green
Towering over your head
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes
And she's gone

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds / The Beatles

***

Dan was gone.

Disappeared into the night with an apology and a sad smile, leaving nothing behind but a glass ring emblazoned with a family crest Phil didn't recognise.

How could Phil accept this? Just deal with the fact he may never see his perfect boy ever again, when it was all he ever really wanted. He knew his father was not agreeable to Phil marrying a boy - but how could Phil marry a girl now, now that he knew he would never find happiness in such a life.

He could change the laws, make adopted children legitimate, do something when he is king. It cannot be like this.

His father was sick, very sick, and Phil feared that he would make his dying wish for Phil to marry the Princess Lara as he was advised to do. He knew he didn't want to, and nor did she for that matter, but that he would do it if it was what was asked of him.

He paced outside of his father's rooms for a long time before finally picking up the courage to see his father - most likely for the last time.

He could not stop the hitch in his breath as he saw his father - his once strong and proud father - lying helpless in bed, so ill he could barely lift his head to see who had entered.

"Phil." The man whispered, his voice raspy and broken. "Come."

Phil hastened his step, ashamed of himself for putting off seeing his father in what we're so obviously his last moments. "Hello father." He whispered, tears that he refused to let spill welling up in his eyes.

"My boy, I must ask of you-" he was cut off by a horrible racking cough, "-one last favour."

Phil nodded, knowing that this was it. He would marry the Princess Lara, produce an heir, and forever long for the boy with the sun in his eyes. The boy he would never see again.

"I know I told you to marry for advantage." His father said, Phil closed his eyes, taking his father's hands between his own regardless. "To produce an heir."

"Father-" Phil meant to tell him he needn't worry, Phil would marry a woman like he wished, but his father cut him off.

"Let me say this, Phil." Phil nodded. "I told you this, but now I see you, I see now that you would never be happy if I asked you to do that." Phil looked up in surprise, unable to form words. "I want you to find that boy you told me about - the silly one who stutters and steals people's coats by accident. Phil laughed at this, traitorous tears leaking down his face as his father's weak laughs joined his own.

"I'll find him." He promised.

"As you should."

***

The announcement came unexpectedly only two weeks after the ball, not a week after the death on the King and Prince Phillip was declared official heir to the throne.

The coronation would be in just a few weeks time, which was why it was such a surprise that such a quest would be declared at a time like this.

But even so, as Dan was running errands in town and chatting to the old cook who used to work in his household before Una fired all of the staff, the three knocks of wood on stone that signified the herald sounded and the people came to a standstill.

Time seemed to stop for Dan as the messenger relayed the announcement. Phil had Dan's ring, he was looking for him, he intended to marry him.

Everyone would be tested.

Dan could not have ran home faster that day, desperate to tell his parents of this as he had told them all about his night at the ball with Phil.

If Phil was looking for him so outwardly, had announced he wanted to marry Dan - the boy he danced with at the ball - that meant Dan had a chance. He could see Phil again, he could marry Phil.

His hope was ripped viscously away as he entered his attic to find his step-mother stood in the centre of the room, Phil's coat held in her vice like grip and a mutinous expression on her face. Dan looked down, saw his diary on the floor by her feet, and knew she knew.

"Where did you get the clothes?" She asked. Dan said nothing. "Did you steal them like you did this coat?"

"No-!"

"Do not lie to me, Daniel!" She snapped, stalking forward until she was right in his face, her teeth bared in a snarl. "You deliberately defied me! Going to the ball when I specifically told you not to."

Again, Dan said nothing.

"Lucky for you, you managed to ensnare the prince in your grubby little fingers - Lord knows how you did it." Dan swallowed, weary of what was coming next. "I will let you leave, let you find your prince, on one condition."

Dan bit his lip. "What?"

Una smirked evilly, her cat like eyes gleaming. "Make me advisor to the King, lord knows I'll do a better job at ruling than some poofter in fancy dress!" Dan blanched, but she carried on. "Willa and Alena will be married off to respected Lords - the poor girls need all the help they can get, they may be beautiful but their stupidity dulls them. And you, Daniel, will stay out of my way."

Dan breathed heavily. "No." He said defiantly.

She whipped around sharply, her pacing stopping mid-step. "What?!"

"I said no, I cannot protect myself from you but I can protect the prince and the kingdom."

Una looked furious, her mouth curling into a snarl - and then her features changed; they didn't soften, they never softened, but they transformed into an evil smile with eyes sharp as rocks. "Very well." She muttered, voice eerily calm.

Then she shot Dan one last wicked smile and stormed from the room, the door slamming and locking behind her.

Dan wailed, trying uselessly to open the door to no avail.

This is it.

It was over.