Liars of Heir // Young Royals

Chapter 1.

Coming home to the palace during the school holidays had been one of Wilhelm's favorite times of the year, as he could spend more then a few days with the brother that he so desperately missed while he was away at his boarding school, all whilst celebrating one of his favorite holidays - filled with festive food and gifts.

But being a royal - especially during the holidays - just put an added pressure onto the stereotype that everything has to be happy in a royal house, why would it not be joyful? Up until this last year, Wilhelm was able to pull off the sweet façade of happiness, knowing that his older brother was there to guide him through the fake smiles and unnecessary handshakes during the holiday season - as they made it their own celebration.

Erik always used to make him laugh during Christmas dinners, even as they sat for hours at crowded tables of politicians, Erik always found time to fill in the boring silences and awkward questions with laughter mainly aimed at the balding men who tried so desperately to please their mother.

Now, Erik was dead.

Wilhelm was on his own at the palace for the first time in a while, and slowly but surely, he could feel himself cracking from the inside out - desperate to let his deepest and strongest thoughts about the ridiculous 'family' dinner break free. But he readjusted, took a few deep breaths as he sat near his mother, who sat at the very head of the table, hoping that his focusing his vision on that one particular crack in the wall that nobody else had noticed so far, would bring him some piece of mind.

The Queen had tried desperately to make this dinner a memorable one, hoping to refocus their families attention from the news that Wilhelm had broken only a few weeks prior, to the gift of family. When Wilhelm admitted that it was him in the video, everyone could tell that the Queen had been trying to hold her emotions together for her family, since that very moment, she had gone blank. Barely even looking at her only child as they spent their school holidays in the same house. She shut down during the period of time after the news broke, but unbeknownst to her, what her family really needed was for her to finally break down, let her grief for her eldest son and disappointment for her younger son, finally take over, if only for a while, perhaps then the underlying fact that she wanted to forget about both her sons, though the reason for each being incredibly difficult for her to fully understand.

The whole family was gathered around the table, even August and his family had made an appearance at the dinner. Yet, even surrounded by dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, Wilhelm was left alone again, no older brother poking him throughout the main course, no slightly malicious jokes aimed at the particularly bigoted great-uncle. Nothing.

Since admitting his mistakes about denying the video, the videos that people had recorded during the speech went completely viral - even more so than the sex tape - Simon and Wille hadn't stopped talking during the entire thing, they had never spent so long away from each other and yet, they felt closer than ever. Both boys were healing with the help of the other, even though it was a long and tiresome road, they both understood the commitment and effort that they would need to put in, and both were more than willing to do so.

Wilhelm was purposefully lost in his own world for most of the dinner, with only a few annoying questions and one sided conversations being targeted toward him, it was easy to zone out, only to be pulled back in by Elias, his 4 year old cousin, during the serving of desert - chocolate mouse - which had been smothered all over the young girls face. She had mainly kept to herself during the earlier portions of dinner, seemingly overjoyed with extra plate of peas during the evening.