Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1:

Jensen sighed as he sat on a pile of pillows in the windowsill of his quarters looking over the land of his father, watching children play in the quads of the castle.

The young Prince watched, jealous as other people went about their day and talked and laughed while he was stuck in his prison tower.

There was a knock on the door and a servant entered his room “Prince Jensen” the servant greeted him and bowed deeply “your father whishes to speak with you”.

Jensen sighed and slowly got off the comfortable pillows and adjusted his soft cotton clothing “I will be down in a moment, Jacob” Jensen spoke softly and the servant bowed again and quickly left the room.

Jensen walked into the room and patted Sadie, his dog, on her head “hey, girl” he said “you good?” laughing as the dog barked in answer.

Jensen looked in the small mirror above the vanity to check his appearance, smiled satisfied and slipped on his soft slippers and made his way down to the throne room.

“Son” his father stood and welcomed him with a hug “good of you to come, I would like for you to meet someone”.

Jensen sighed, knowing his father had another candidate for marriage for him “father” he started but his father held up his hand “I am certain you will like this gentleman, Jensen” he said and waved his hand to signal a servant.

The doors opened and a tall handsome man walked in, Jensen gazed at the other man, his father was right, he did like the way this man looked, he was extremely handsome.

“My son” his father said “Meet Sir Thomas Welling, of the Glendale Welling's” and the young man bowed and smiled at Jensen.

Jensen smiled and held out his hand “nice to meet you, Sir Thomas” he said and expected the man to grab his hand.

The man scrunched his nose and didn't reach for Jensen's hand “as is you” and he turned to Jensen's father “this will do nicely sir, I accept your proposal”.

Jensen looked at his father and then fumed “do, I will do!” and he pushed the pompous man on his ass “I am a prince and you will NOT speak to me or about me like that ever again”.

He turned to his father “I will not marry this man, I don't want to have an arranged marriage father” he said “I want to find a man whom I love, a man who will live me back and respect me, not some pompous noble man who obviously thinks he's worth more than he really is”.

The King sighed and turned to his son “But Jensen, you have rejected every man I have presented to you, there are only so many noblemen in this country..... I'm starting to run out of them son”.

The King motioned for his servants to take Sir Thomas out of the caste “send him back to his family with my highest regards” he told the servant “Sir Thomas” and he turned to the younger man “my apologies for these events, my son is very.... fickle about his mate”.

Welling nodded and bowed before the King “I understand sir” he said “thank you for thinking of me in the first place” and then he followed the servant out of the throne room.

Exasperated the King turned towards his song “I'm just trying to help you Jensen” he said a sad look on his face “I just want you to be taken care of, I'm not the youngest anymore”.

Jensen sighed and stepped closer to his father, since his mother died, his father had done everything to protect his only son and lately had made every effort to find Jensen the perfect husband.

But his father was old fashioned and he wanted Jensen to marry a noble man, while Jensen just wanted a man who would love him and share his life with, not someone who saw him as a trophy and ordered him around, he wanted an equal, not a master.

The doors to the throne room opened and he looked up, a scowl on his face the moment he saw Jeff walk into the room.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, his father personal advisor and councilman “your highness” Jeff said and bowed before his King “I just saw Thomas Welling leave the castle, did the Prince not fancy him”.

The King sighed “it seems my son wants true love” and Jeff smiled tightly “you are the King sir, your will is law”.

Jensen snorted “I decide who I spent the rest of my life with, thank you” and he turned on his heels “father, I will speak with you at dinner”.

Jeff and the King watched the young men leave the room “your son if very strong headed, my leash”Jeff said “but he has to be wed before his 25th birthday and that is coming up in a few weeks”.

The King nodded and sighed heavily “I am very much aware of this, but Jensen insists he want to love the person he marries, he doesn't want an arranged marriage.

Jeff nodded in understanding “I see” he said “but if he is not wed before his 25th birthday the throne will fall in the hands of your cousin, sir, and no one wants that man on the throne”.

The King nodded “yes, my cousin is a terror of a man and I will not allow him to take the throne to this country, I would not put my people through that”.

The King looked into the direction his son had gone “If Jensen has not found a suitable partner two weeks before the deadline, I will chose for him”.

Jeff smirked so the King couldn't see “good, my lord, if you will excuse me, I have matters to attend to”.

The King nodded and smiled at his advisor “I know you do, Jeff” he said “thank you for your support in this case” and he shook the younger man's hand.

Jensen smiled and walked out of the throne room where he was stopped by his assistant “Ian” he said and smirked at the smaller man “it seems that Prince Jensen has once again dejected another marriage candidate”.

Ian grinned and they started walking to Jeff's quarters “the King said that if Jensen does not pick a suitor then he will do it for him”.

Jeff opened the door to his rooms and stepped inside “we just have to make sure that by Jensen's birthday, the only available suitor left.... is me”.

Ian laughed and handed his boss a cup of water “that should not be so hard, my lord” he said “Jensen has rejected everyone who came at the door, I see no reason why he would suddenly change his mind about an arranged marriage”.

******************

A young man moved fluidly through the crowds on the market, scoping out products scattered on various stands a large dog by his side, following his every move.

He grabbed a loaf of bread from a stand and disappeared into the crowd, no one noticing what he had just done, pulling the same trick with a meat stand, grabbing a sausage and slinking down a side street.

He hurried to a small alley and sat down on the steps of a door “here” and he handed the sausage to the dog as he himself ate from the loaf of bread.

They finished their meagre meal and merged back into the throng of people on the market “Harley” the young man called the dog when the animal moved to far for his comfort “stay close” he warned the dog.

The dog looked up at him as if to say he understood and proceeded to follow the younger man down the busy street.

The young man bumped up against an older gentlemen and smiled at him “sorry sir” he said “watch where you're going!” the man scolded.

He moved away and the young man smiled and patted the heavy pouch he hat taken form the man “next time we can buy our food, buddy” he told the dog.

Suddenly his attention was drawn to a shouting vendor who was holding on to a figure clad in a dark robe.

“Stealing!” the man screamed “no one steals from me” and he saw the figure scower away from the huge bulky man.

The young man pushed through the crowd and grabbed the burly man's arm just as he was about to strike the figure he was holding on to “Sir” he said and he pushed his body in between the man and the robe.

The vendor looked him up and down and frowned “who the hell are you?” he asked.

The young man smiled and shoved the robed person behind his tall and muscular figure “Jared, this is my friend, doesn't get out much” and he smiled apologetically “here” and he pushed a few coins in the mans hand, coins he had lifted only moments before.

Jared felt two hands on his waist and knew it was the person he just helped, holding on to him “this is for the damage sir, thank you so much”.

He reached behind him and grabbed the hand that was clinging to his waist and pulled the person behind him along, the dog following suit.

Jared hurriedly made his way to a safe place, dragging the person behind him with him “come on” he said as he walked up some steps and pulled the person into his lair, for lack of a better word, just some curtains and a mattress stuffed with straw.

He checked if they weren't followed and he closed the curtain he used as a door, he turned as he heard a shuffle by the window and looked at the person he had dragged with him.

“Hey” he said “I'm Jared”.

The person turned, lowered the hood of the robe and Jared gasped as the most beautiful man he had ever seen smiled at him “I'm Jen....” and the man blushed.

Jared smiled and stepped closer to the man “well Jen” he said “it's nice to meet you, want to tell me what happened?”.

Jen blushed and ducked his head “I'm not.... not used to being outside” he said and Jared motioned for him to sit down “I gave a child a piece of fruit.. I, I didn't have any money, to pay him”.

Jared smiled and sat down next to the man “well, people want money for everything, so next time.. keep that in mind”.

“Who are you?” he asked as he looked at the man, bright green eyes, freckled cheeks and plush lips in a face complimented by high cheekbones and a dimpled chin.

Jen looked around, unsure of what to say, he couldn't just tell Jared he was the Prince “I'm... nobody” he said and smiled softly at the man who rescued him.

Jared laughed and nodded “aren't we all” he said and handed Jensen an orange “here” he said “compliments of the vendor”.

Jensen gazed at the fruit and burst into laughter “you're quite something” he said and started to peel the fragrant fruit.

Jared smirked and bit into his orange “I'd like to think so” he said and patted Harley's head “this is my buddy, Harley” he introduced the dog “my partner in crime”.

The dog laid down at Jared's feet and yawned lazily “so, how come I've never seen you around?” Jared asked “most of us street folk know each other, and I would have remembered seeing you”.

A blush crept up Jensen's face and he smiled shyly at Jared “Like I said, I don't get out much” he explained “my father keeps a pretty close eye on me, I just managed to escape this time” and he smiled “I saw the market from my window and I wanted to be there, it's so....”.

Jared smirked “busy? Annoying? Smelly” but Jensen just smiled “amazing” he sighed and Jared laughed “never have I thought about our little market as amazing”.

Jensen's eyes widened “little?” he asked “you call this little?” and Jared nodded “you should see the market at Willingham, now that's what I call amazing”.

A sad look crossed Jensen's face “I could never go there” he said “my father would never let me, he would be furious if he knew I went out today”.

Jared frowned “who is your father?” he asked and Jensen paled and stood up “no one” he said “no one, just like me” and he looked around nervously “I... I have to go” he said “I can't stay”.

Jared stood up and grabbed Jensen by his arm “wait” he pleaded “don't go, stay here, just for a little longer, I could show you around”.

Jensen shook his head “no” he said “my fathers g.. his friends could recognise me and take me to him, he would be so mad” and he tried to pull away from Jared “I have to go home”.

Jared pulled Jensen close and gazed down into his emerald green eyes “please” he pleaded “I want to see you again, when can I see you again?”.

Jensen hesitated, this man fascinated him, he had helped him without expecting anything back, treated him like a friend, even shared food with him, and by the looks of it he didn't exactly have a lot to share.

Jensen didn't know how to react, he had never been outside the palace, his father was over protective of him and didn't allow him in public.

“I don't know” Jensen said hesitantly “like I said, I just barely escaped this time” but Jared pressed closer to him and Jensen's body flared up at the proximity of the young man “please” he whispered near Jensen's ear “please, just... I just wanna see you again”.

Jensen smiled slightly and nodded “ok” he said “maybe... maybe I can get out another time, but... I don't know when”.

Jared smiled and breathed in his scent “I don't care, just 'tell me you'll try, that's all I want, just try”.

Jensen disengaged from Jared and looked up into the taller man's hazel eyes and blushed at the heat he saw in his gaze “I have to go” he said and he hurried off the stairs and into the busy street.

Jensen looked back and saw Jared watching him, he moved through streets and alleys to the back entrance of the castle.

He knocked on the heave gate and smiled at the bald man who opened it “Prince Jensen” the man said “I was getting worried about you, I never should have helped you out of the castle”.

Jensen smiled and closed the gate behind him “I had the best day of my life” he breathed “so exiting and I met a man.... he was amazing”.

Michael grimaced “your father will have my head if he ever finds out” he complained but Jensen just smiled at him “thank you, so much” and he hugged the guard “I don't know how to repay you, but I need you to help me again, in a few days”.

Mike followed Jensen into the castle “oh, no” he said “I won't do it again, this was a one time deal, my friend”.

Jensen had grown up with Mike and when Mike became a guard the King had assigned him to Jensen, knowing Jensen would be more comfortable with Mike that with any other guard.

“Mike, please” Jensen pleaded ”this man, I have to see him again” and he opened the door to his room, greeting Sadie as she jumped around his legs “hey girl”.

Mike pulled Jensen around “what man, Jensen?” Mike questioned “who are you talking about?”.

Jensen smiled “Jared, his name is Jared” he said dreamily “and he saved me from a man, he was about to strike me”.

Mike fumed “this Jared?” he asked and Jensen shook his head “no, this vendor, I couldn't pay for a fruit and he was about to punish me, Jared... he saved me”.

Mike scowled “this vendor, point him out, your father will have his head” he said as he looked out the window and over to the market “I will have his head”.

Jensen shook his head again “no” he said “Jared does not know who I am, and I don't want him to know”.

Mike raised his brow “why wouldn't you want him to know” he asked “you are a Prince and you should be proud of that, he will worship you”.

Jensen frowned “I don't want him to worship me, I want him to be my friend, I want him to be honest and treat me like a friend” he said and walked around his room “he wouldn't want to know me if he knew who I was, he's not.... he's poor Mike, he's in our Kingdom and he's poor, do you really think he likes the people who rule him”.

Mike sighed and grabbed Jensen's shoulder “Ok” he relented “I'll help you, but I'm going with you, even if it is incognito.... I will stay back” he said as he saw Jensen's frown “but I won't let you out of the palace without a guard again, what if that Jared kid hadn't intervened, what would have happened”.

Mike stepped away from Jensen “god, your father would hang me if I let anything happen to you” he muttered “would feed me to the dogs”.

Jensen chuckled “don't be so dramatic Mike” he said and smiled “he loves you, just as much as I do”.

Mike scowled “you'll put me in an early grave, you know that” he joked and walked over to the door “I'll see you at dinner”.

Jensen nodded and stared out the window, he pretended he could see Jared walking the streets, even though he knew it was impossible to see from this distance.