Demons, Witches, and Toads (BoyxBoy)

The Princes

"Holy shit," Prisclla gaped, her eyes so wide that they looked just about ready to pop out of her head. "Am I freaking dreaming? Someone pinch me-- OW!!!!" She glared at the demon beside her. "What the hell, Mulock?"

"What?" he said with a shrug. "You asked someone to pinch you."

"I didn't mean it LITERALLY!"

"Then be clearer with your words."

"Alright, but seriously," Priscilla breathed, glancing around the massive bedroom. "I can't believe this is actually happening."

"Yeah," Wheeler admitted. "Me neither."

"God, this is seriously insane! To think, this entire time my best friend was secretly a prince!" Priscilla exclaimed, still taking in the almost gaudily ornate bedroom Wheeler had been provided with. "I feel like I'm in some sort of fairy tale, but like... as a side character." She thought for a moment. "What would I even be? The comic relief best friend?"

"I think you have to actually be funny to be comic relief," Mulock pointed out.

"Oh, shut up, Mulock."

"If you want a bigger role in a fairytale, why don't you give Mister Pumpernickel a kiss? Maybe he'll turn into a prince or something," the demon said with a smirk.

Mister Pumpernickel let out a hopeful croak from the large silk pillow he sat on.

"I would literally rather die," Priscilla snapped, sinking into one of the room's plush velvet chairs. "Though, I suppose I'm going to really miss that stupid toad once I go home." She sighed heavily, her gaze falling to her feet.

"You're going home?" Mulock asked, the usual mocking tone in his voice now gone.

"Yeah," Priscilla said softly. "It's not like I can stay here. I wasn't good enough to be a royal mage. My parents are sending for me, which means I'll be stuck at the estate until I manage to find a job."

"But..." Wheeler said slowly, "what if someone offered you one right now? A job right here, at the palace."

Priscilla laughed dryly. "God, I wish." She stared down at her hands. "But unfortunately they already have the royal mages. No one here would ever hire me."

"I wouldn't say no one," Wheeler said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You see, there might just be a young man who's never lived at court, but somehow needs to learn to be a prince. And that young man may have suggested to his father that he could really use two royal advisors to help guide and shape him for life at court." His smile grew wider still. "And perhaps that young man said he knew two perfect candidates for the job, and his father agreed and told him they could move into the palace along with him--"

"WHEELEROHMYGODAREYOUSERIOUS!?!?!" Priscilla eloquently shrieked, flinging herself across the room. Grinning from ear to ear, she pulled Wheeler into a massive hug. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!" Priscilla squealed, sounding nearly ready to cry. "I can't believe it! This is the most amazing thing to ever happen in my entire life!"

"Holy shit," Mulock breathed. "And here I was thinking I was going to be living as a cat for God knows how long."

"My father wants to meet you both at the ball tomorrow," Wheeler continued eagerly. "He told me he can't wait to meet you."

"THE GRAND EMPEROR WANTS TO MEET US?!?!"

"Please, for the love of God, stop shouting," Mulcok muttered, though it was impossible to miss the flicker of excitement in his gaze.

Wheeler had no idea it was even possible to be as happy as he was now. Everything he could have possibly hoped for was coming true, and tomorrow it would get even better. Soon, he'd finally meet his brothers and at last become an official part of the family he'd never had. God, he couldn't wait!

Wheeler had no doubt his brothers were going to be absolutely wonderful.

***

"This is bloody ridiculous," Prince Emeric snapped, storming into the room. Emeric had a tendency to storm into most places he went.

His brothers' heads jerked up as he entered, familiar weary expressions coming over their faces.

Prince Bartram sighed heavily, lowering the book he'd been reading. "Is this about the ball--"

"YES, IT'S ABOUT THE FUCKING BALL," Emeric screeched, slapping the book out of his hands. Bartram knew better than to fight him, simply bending down to retrieve it.

Despite his perfect prince exterior, Emeric was a goddamn horror behind closed doors.

"Father really wants to acknowledge a bastard in front of the entire court! Is he trying to make us a laughing stock?" Emeric sneered.

"Wheeler seemed pretty cool during the tournament," Osmund, the youngest, piped up from the back of the room. "I've always wanted to have a little brother--" he was cut off as Emeric slapped him across the face, the horrible sound ringing out through the room.

Bartram winced at the sound, his other brothers flinching back. Despite how awful Emeric constantly was, no one dared fight back. The eldest prince was the only one with magical abilities and was sure to be the next Grand Emperor. He was untouchable—no matter how much Bartram wanted to rip him limb from limb.

"Don't you dare call him our brother again," Emeric snarled. "He's a bastard. Nothing more." He grabbed Osmund by the hair, dragging his face up to look at him. "Understood?"

"Yes, brother," Osmund stammered, his eyes wet from the pain of being struck.

"Oi, Emeric, what'd you think of the kid's powers?" the second eldest, Avery, asked. The most ballsy of the brothers leaned against the door, arms crossed.

"I thought he was an inexperienced child who just got lucky his opponent was stupid enough not to notice him growing a fucking tree."

"Still," Avery said, arching a brow. "He managed to split his consciousness. Could you do something like that?"

Bartram buried his face in his hands. Why did Avery always have to push him like this? Sometimes Bartram had the feeling he might be a masochist.

As expected, Emeric grabbed Avery by the collar, slamming him against the wall.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?" Emeric hissed.

"It was just a simple question," Avery smirked. "No need to get so defensive." Emeric jerked him back for the single purpose of slamming him back into the wall even harder.

"Yes, I could do it," Emeric spat. "I could destroy that little bastard in my sleep."

"So, are you going to?" Avery asked, completely unfazed.

"Of course not," Emeric snapped, finally releasing Avery from his grip. "He's so beneath me, it would be an embarrassment to even fight him. Besides, there's no need to worry. He won't last long." The eldest prince ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing it back as he collected himself once more. "Father will soon see he's just a bastard, not a prince. It's like bringing a farm animal into the palace. When something so clearly doesn't belong, eventually it becomes obvious it's more merciful to simply remove it." He smirked, adjusting his jacket. "That boy won't make it a month."