motleypatches: trobador: Dystopia, Fantasy & Arranged Marriage: Life is bleak in the ki

motleypatches:trobador:Dystopia, Fantasy & Arranged Marriage:Life is bleak in the kingdom of Genosha, where tradition and interests of the ruling houses determine every aspect of the way of life. Charles Xavier, son of the late (executed) Prime Minister Brian Xavier, is the newly appointed governor of the unruly province of Westchester. To prove his loyalty to Queen Emma and not to follow his father to his grave prematurely (as too many, including his stepbrother Colonel Cain Marko, so desire), Charles obeys the royal orders to marry Erik Lehnsherr, widower of the formerly illustrious General Shaw whose rebellion against Queen Emma ended in a bloody massacre.The tales of the General’s blood-covered head being paraded across the capital are all too vivid in everyone’s memory. Charles has been preparing himself to be a compacent tool to Her Majesty’s calculated kindness to an ostracised, destitute traitor’s spouse. It’s a test and a punishment. It’s all politics.However, as he observes his new husband after the wedding, Charles begins to suspect that Erik, though haunted, cold, and weary, is not quite the grief-stricken, placid civilian widower he appears to be.When popular unrest begins to brew in Westchester, Charles realises he may have misjudged the Queen’s motives in joining him and Erik…“For punishment, you lucked out, Charles.”Charles said nothing to the congratulations. He raised his glass to Emma, the glittering image in diamond on the dais. Their queen. And then he turned to his his new husband, flesh and blood, but for all his expression, he might as well be chiseled from rock as well.Erik Lehnsherr was not the young noble bride his proud mother would’ve ever imagined for him. He was neither young nor female and whatever nobility remained to Lehnsherr’s house had ended with Erik. Erik had been formerly the spouse to General Shaw, who betrayed his country by rising his power against the throne that could only sit a telepath. Shaw had died for his daring. Emma Frost, for all her airs and graces, proved as ruthless as any one of her ancestors. Even as she turned entire battalions against itself, she had sent forth Azazel to others behind the telepathic shields developed at Hellfire, Shaw’s keep, and killed every single man and woman there. Rumors had said the river ran with blood for three days. Charles had seen the sight himself- there had been no river. The corpses had blocked it.It had taken six days and half a forest to burn them all.When Charles had returned from quelling sudden rebellion that rose at Westchester, protesting against the brutal treatment of its neighbors, he  learned that he was to be rewarded with its governorship. He had accepted the seal of governorship and had taken his leave from court when Emma summoned him for the Formal Court. Charles had not attended it since his own father had been executed for treasonous conspiracy. Only his mother’s well-known estrangement from Brian Xavier had saved her and Charles from suffering the fate of all traitors. “Your services had been noted by us,” Emma had said. “We are glad to see the son is not like the father. We would reward you yet further. You are not married, Charles.”“My time belongs to Genosha,” Charles answered.“But he is gone and you are your own man, Charles Francis Xavier. All work and no play is not healthy for a telepath,” Emma said. “And since you have no time to choose, we would give you one. Do you consent?” It was a wording of courtesy. The queen’s word was law, but she waited until Charles said the words. Then Emma Frost smiled and declared, “Erik Lehnsherr.”Immediately, the titterings start, even Azazel was concealing a smirk. It was an insult. Erik may have dined with them once, but it had been two weeks since Shaw’s head had been paraded through the streets at Emma’s triumph.all his lands and gold forfeited to the Genoshan treasury, his retainers fitted in collars like slaves, and his husband marked for the brothel.A traitor and a prostitute, as spouse for the head of the House Xavier, a house with a history of mentation mutations as old as the house Frost and some would whisper, with equal claim to the throne. Charles ignored Colonel Cain Marko’s smirking and swallowed his pride. “I have sworn. You can see the truth in my heart to do you service.”Emma and he both knew that between telepaths, the oath was nothing and the action everything.“Then it is agreed,” Emma said, “Erik Lehnsherr will be your partner. Let it be recorded and known. It would be a capital wedding.”His humiliation would be complete.Charles returned to his house which was already packed with the knowledge that for all his efforts, Emma still did not trust him. As well as the insult of his station, Erik was a man. He not be gotten with child by Charles. Any children Charles would have would be bastards. Even if they had his telepathy, they would not be able to inherit anything Charles had painstakingly reclaimed from the throne since his majority. So much for a governorship.“When are we leaving?” Raven came in, already in her traveling clothes. She was relieved to see him. She was convinced that since Charles had outlived his use and proved popular, Emma was going to set him in chains in her dungeons. She was more right than she knew.  “We are not leaving,” Charles snapped. “I’m getting married.” He felt immediately apologetic and softened his voice. “The queen ordered it.”“To whom?”The answer came in the form of a royal messenger, bowing obsequiously, delivering the order.Charles took it away from Raven’s curious eyes. His future spouse, the would be master of House Xavier, was currently in a house of ill-repute owned by Marko.Charles could’ve sent a servant or any one of his household guard to fetch Erik, but what would it look like to have his spouse summoned, especially from— He could wipe their minds, but not Erik’s, who had perhaps very little to do with Shaw’s campaign. It had not escaped Charles that not all of Shaw’s cannons had hit true, which should be possible given the rumor of the extent of Erik’s powers since childhood. It was likely why Shaw had married him. Even Charles remembered it as a great scandal, as Erik was scarcely out of boyhood. It  was generally agreed that only the premature deaths of his parents and a lack of responsible guardians made the match possible. Charles ordered his horse to be saddled.“Where are you going?” Raven asked.“Find your brother in law,” Charles said and hoped that Erik was in a state fit to be seen. The wedding feast had been ordered for in three day’s time.Spotting his personal guards milling about the courtyard waiting for him, Charles told them there had been a change of plans. They did not question him, but followed. The direction soon became obvious: catcalls from the windows, the painted eyes glancing up at them from the side of the streets, the more brazen ones exposing themselves and shouting their fees. If their curiosity and thoughts grated, Charles had practise keeping his composure for far worse.What was a whore or a pimp’s speculation compared to a battlefield of dying or murdering men.Everyone knew the house owned by Marko. It was rumored that more than one political alliance reached their agreement there. From the outside, it seemed almost respectable townhouse. Look more closely, the windows were all high and opaque.Someone must’ve informed them of the approach of the retinue, for a toadish man in gaudy silk and jewels came out to greet him. “Milord Xavier,” he said. “We are honored by your presence, it is only that I am in a spot of difficulty, for I am instructed that your business is forbidden to us by Marko. It is a misery to me, as well, for turn you away from your pleasure it to turn away your gold.”Alex bristled by his side. “How dare you bar the way.”“Even a lord can be just a customer. I must insist on carrying out my patron’s orders.”“I’ll burn this place to the ground.”“Calm down,” Charles told Alex. So Marko would set to thwart him, even in this. No one knew Erik Lehnsherr’s name here. Doubtless Emma considered the idea of Charles Xavier searching through a brothel for his spouse amusing.To the toad Charles said coldly, “I’ve come neither for my pleasure or for your business. I have an order from her majesty and you are opposed to it. You have kidnapped my fiance.”Mock marriage was a game the patron played. Toad was weighing Charles’ words and searching for loopholes in Marko’s instructions. He looked at the guards around him then bowed, very deeply, almost prostrating himself to the ground, then sent a set of rapid instructions.Soon, a stream of men and women exited the doors in evident confusion, and fear, seeing Charles and his soldiers.“Anyone or more you would like to take home, milord. They’re all my darlings. A night with such attractive great lord as yourself would be one blessed.”None of them was Erik. Charles leaned forward on his saddle. “Is this all you have? You’re offering a very paltry dowry for your darlings. Where are there things? I want to see them in their best.”A crowd had gathered, The “darlings” of the establishment were seldom seen; the gawking and the soldiers were becoming discomforting. Charles calmed them then watched, bemusedly, as the show went on with things being hurriedly carried out from indoors.“You persist to annoy me,” he said. “Where’s my husband?”“That is everyone, Lord Xavier, eager for their first pleasure.”Whatever customers that had remained in the building had now fled through the innumerable backdoor and hidden exists. It would be easy, to exert an influence, but it would be right into Emma’s game.“A spouse should be eager for duty during the day. I’ll have no pampered pet for my house. Let me see them all.”It was too late, the owner was reflecting. He should’ve turned away Xavier as Marko instructed. He should’ve known how difficult lordlings were. The prettier the face, the blacker the vice. How much would he lose today, he was calculating, as he scraped and smiled to Charles and now finally emptied his house of everyone. Including the potboys, let’s see what Xavier make of that.It would be difficult not to notice Erik Lehnsherr; he stood at the back with the tallest, his head bowed, but Charles never forgot the impression of a mind, no matter how briefly felt.“Erik Lehnsherr.” Charles said riding forward. “You’re are my fiance by the order of the queen and these cretins have kept you against your will. We have witnesses to see that they would hide me from you.” He ignored the loud protest from the toad and extended a hand. “Will you ride?”Erik gritted his teeth, but he took Charles’ hand and swung himself up behind him.“Torch the place, Alex,” Charles said, as they were leaving. “And take them all. They’re in Westchester’s custody, for conspiracy of personal injury against me and defiance of her majesty’s wish. They will await my further judgement.”It was just as well the entire guest house had been prepared for moving, but no one unnecessary heard his first, more silent order.Erik’s mind was shuttered against him, but his hands tightened briefly on Charles’ waist as they made their progress through the city and Charles sent the thought: “It took 25 years, but I did say I would one day carry you off on my horse and marry you. Not quite what I imagined at six, but what future is?” -- source link
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