A/N: So, I'm back from my trip to London (Didn't see Dan and Phil unfortunately) so here is the next chapter. I wrote half of this on my phone in the back of the car on the way home so sorry if there are any mistakes (Also yeah I uploaded this originally but only with the first half, whoops)
Wedding bells were ringing all through the city, even managing to penetrate the thick walls of the castle dungeon. Dan sat huddled in the corner of his damp cell, tears rolling down his face. He couldn't believe it. When he arrived, the guards told him everything, who Phil was and where he had been taken. It was odd for them to tell a suspected spy all the details from inside the palace, they were clearly under the impression that he wasn't ever getting out. His cell was right next to the guard room so he could hear all the gossip that went around the castle. In the week, he had been here he had already gotten sick of hearing the endless complaining of Fletcher about his wife. Really that man needs to get a grip and sort out his relationship issues.
He did also however learn things that he would rather not. Like the guards boasting about all the foul things they would like to do to the royal family of Serultria, completely unaware that one of their members was listening in on their conversation. In all honesty, Dan couldn't care less as to what they did to him, at least it would mean being taken out of this dingy cell, either alive or dead. He wondered what the castle looked like on the outside, from what he could tell it was quite big. He didn't quite know how far the dungeons went on for, nor did he know how many people were being kept here but it was always oddly quiet. It could because of the walls but the sound of bells still seeped through. He clamped his hands over his ears in an effort to block out the chiming, the constant reminder of what was happening.
Phil had been awake not five days and already he was getting married, to a woman no less. He supposed that as prince he had the same duties to perform as Dan but even that thought couldn't dull the ache in his chest. Yes, their arrangement had been rather hasty affaire but Dan had sort of been looking forward to it. Phil had always seemed so sweet and kind he couldn't believe he was such a liar. How could such a seemingly lovely person belong to such an awful family. Yes, it was true that Phil had the same duties as Dan did, marrying a nice eligible woman included, but Dan was still a prince and as of tomorrow Phil would be a king. Couldn't he have just waited a little longer before he got married, maybe then he could change the rules, although getting married to a suspected Serultrian spy probably wasn't going to go down well with the royal household.
Dan sighed and leant back against the grey walls of his cell. The icy stone was freezing against his back and his thin summer clothes were doing little to protect him. He wished he'd never left the palace at all, his lovely warm palace with his lovely warm library and his lovely warm bed. No instead he had got himself into a right mess and now he was stuck in a cold, grey dungeon pining for the leader of his greatest enemy. It sounded like a plot from some great Shakespearean tragedy. He wondered what Louise was thinking, she was probably worried sick. Then again, he had been missing for just over three weeks, he was probably assumed dead by now. He would get one hell of a telling off when he got home, if he got home. That assumption had a scarily high likelihood of be made correct in the near future.
Suddenly the heavy door of his cell sung open with a crash and a rather grumpy guard stomped in. Dan let out a squeak of surprise and scrambled to his feet. The guard let out impatient sigh.
"Now for some stupid reason the lady, soon to be Queen, Orthia wants you present at the wedding between herself and Prince Phillip. Why she wants you there I have no idea, especially after your little escapade with his majesty." He muttered angrily.
"Wait what?" Dan asked in disbelief. He could understand at a stretch why Phil might want him their but why his fiancée would ask was a bit odd, especially if she knew about where Dan was from. He hoped to high heaven that Phil hadn't let anything slip about their very brief relationship because it would probably end up in the deaths of both of them. The guard tapped his foot impatiently,
"I haven't got all day kid, you coming or what?" Dan nodded quickly and followed the guard out. He contemplated running but quickly dismissed the idea. The tunnels were dark and cramped, there was nowhere for him to run to. The guard looked back a scowled at him, as though he could read Dan's thoughts.
"Don't even try running, it won't work. I don't care if the prince in fond of you, you are my prisoner and if I want to hurt you I will." He sneered. Dan gulped and let out a shaky 'yes sir'.
He hadn't been awake when he was taken into the dungeon so was quite surprised to find that past the guard room the tunnels widened out and lead up to a vast marble staircase. The steps glittered in the orange torchlight and the ornate banisters cast shadows of flowers and landscapes across them. It seemed unfitting for such a beautiful thing to be leading down to somewhere so cold and hopeless.
"One day these steps will be the last you'll ever climb, well apart from the ones up to the gallows of course." The guard hissed.
"And what a relief it will be, there's no room here for your lot."
It seemed odd to Dan that every single one of the guards here hated Serultria so much. In the palace, hardly any of the guard knew about the war, they were only ever told if the royal family was in direct danger from an attack. Here it seemed everybody knew. Even the maid who came down to give him some dinner had shot dirty glances at him, muttering foul things about his race under her breath. It was clear that here the prejudice against their opposing country was far more deep rooted than back at home. He didn't thing there had been many attacks in Solmorta in the last few years. Had the army been running missions without the royal family's permission? No, they wouldn't dare, right? Dan thought back to all of the long boring meetings he had been forced to endure where his father and the military generals discussed tactics and knowledge against and about the opposing kingdom but that had all changed since Captain Arden had been assassinated it was never quite the same. The new captain of the guard, Captain Pieta, could never really live up to his predecessors. Dan had always thought it was because he was reluctant to continue with the war or simply couldn't be bothered sending soldiers over the border, but what if it was more than that?
"Why do you hate Serultria so much?" Dan asked the guard as he was lead up yet another set of stairs (Seriously how far underground were they?). the ringing of the bells could still be heard faintly in the background but had faded significantly. The noise must be seeping through the air shafts leading down snorted,
"Is that even a question? You of all people should know spy. You burn our crops and threaten our villages, you attack our merchant carts and trading posts. All the time we must tell the people its bandits or unlucky accidents just so we aren't put out by the treaty. Your people have caused famine and fear for years and all the time it goes back to the royal family, they are good and fair but if they want to survive much longer they will have to call of this stupid war or it will kill us all. It is not like me to admit defeat but we have lost and we need to acknowledge that. Your friend the prince made a smart move when he left, soon the people will revolt and every one of the Lester's will end up with their head to the chopping block." He said gravely. Dan reeled back in shock. No, it wasn't his kingdom doing that, his kingdom was playing fair, this stupid guard was obviously just trying to get him riled up, or else he was deeply misinformed.
"Your lying, my kingdom would never do such a thing!" Dan stated firmly. The guard let out a dry laugh.
"I'm Sorry to tell you but your leaders have been lying to you for quite some time or else your concept of 'playing fair' is a lot different from mine." Dan opened to his mouth to protest only for a hand to clasp around his throat, "Don't you dare defend your pathetic little country! I've seen what they have done, who they have killed. I had my son taken away from me when one of your raiding parties crossed the border. They decided they needed food, obviously to naive to bother taking some from their own homes, so decided they would take some from mine. I wasn't home but my wife and son were, they tried to protest so their leader drew his bloodied sword and slaughtered my son where he stood and force my wife to watch. You are nothing but a bunch of self-centred cowards and if I had it my way I would slit your throat as they did his right here." He snarled, dropping Dan to the floor. The young prince brought his hand to his throat, tears welling up from a mixture of what he had just been told and lack of oxygen.
"No, you don't understand!", he rasped desperately as the guard began to haul him back up the steps, "The royal family hadn't approved of any of those missions, we haven't knowing attacked Solmorta in years, please just listen!"
"I told you not to defend them, I'm sure there is a lot going on in the oh so noble royal family that you don't know about. You're only a lowly spy after all." The guard snickered.
"No, no I know everything that goes on in the royal palace, my dad's the king for fucks sake!" Suddenly Dan clamped his hand over his mouth in shock. Oh, shit oh shit oh shit what had he done!? He would be executed that's for sure, straight away. The guard looked down on him with a patronising glare before suddenly his eyes widened and he dropped his hold of Dan as though his hand had just been burned.
"I knew I recognised you you little brat! You're prince Daniel, the one who went missing a few weeks ago. Did the prince know about that? I have to tell the queen, now!" The guard yanked Dan up by the collar and set of at a sprint, dragging the poor prince behind him. Dan cursed to himself. He had gotten both himself and Phil killed now, oh god what was the Queen going to say!? Would he be hanged, burned, decapitated, drowned, ripped apart by wild horses, stabbed? None of them seemed very appealing to Dan at all, if he could just wiggle free from the guard. He tried loosening the shirt he was wearing in an effort to shun the guards grip on his collar but the guard only quickened his pace, knocking Dan off his feet. He was literally being dragged along the floor at this point. Soon the steps ended and the young prince was thrust into a large hall. It was huge with grey stone walls that seemed to go up forever. The floor was polished marble and upon it stood rows and rows of church like pews. There was a strip of red carpet running down the middle, ending at an oddly placed alter at the far end of the hall. Dan gasped, realising he must be in the castle chapel. There was a buzz of people outside the door and maids hurrying round, adjusting flowers and making sure all of the candles were lit telling Dan that the ceremony had not yet taken place.
Suddenly a tall, ginger haired woman clad in a light blue ball gown entered the room, followed by a procession of butlers and servants. She was absolutely covered in fancy jewellery, from sapphire bracelets that adorned her wrists, to enormous diamonds hanging from her neck, even her hair was being held in place by multiple bejewelled clips. The most magnificent however was the crown that sat upon her head. It was silver and seemed to mostly be covered in tiny, blue coloured crystals. Dan came to the conclusion that must be the Queen. Oddly it seemed however, the crown seemed to be one a King would wear, not a queen. Was the king of Solmorta dead? Well it would explain why they were so eager to coronate Phil.
"Your majesty!" the guard called loudly, his voice echoing around the cold walls of the church. The Queen turned to look upon him with icy blue eyes that eerily matched Phil's.
"What do you want Adam, I have got a wedding to prepare for you know!" she said coldly although like Phil there was some warmth to her eyes when she spoke.
"It's this spy your majesty, I have reason to believe he is the crown prince of Serultria!" The Queens eyes narrowed.
"What on earth has given you that absurd id . . .." suddenly se trailed off, hand flying up to her mouth. She inched closer to the prince and Dan lifted his head to meet her eyes. The Queen recoiled in disgust.
"You!" she snarled angrily, "You look just like your evil skiving father! I should have you burnt!" suddenly however her face paled. "They'll know you're here, they'll come for us, we'll be killed!" There was definite fear in her voice and Dan shuddered at the fear his kingdom had induced upon this family.
"Cancel the wedding! Bring Phillip to me! Now!" Queen ordered, walking out of the room. Dan was pulled after her by Adam until they had entered into the main area of the castle. They came to a long room containing only a huge oak dining table and some chairs. Dan was roughly thrust into the chair and a pair of iron shackles attached to his wrists. The Queen took a seat reasonably far away from Dan and so they sat in silence. Dan felt a tear trickle down his face, he wanted to brush it away but his hands were still bound behind the chair. he didn't want show weakness in front of his enemy but he was just so scared and now the tiny waterdrop that sat upon his cheek showcased that.
Eventually the silence was broken by footsteps outside and Phil was dragged in by two guards struggling and kicking. One of the guars bent down to put a pair of shackles on Phil but the minute his hand brushed Phil the guard jumped back, howling in pain and cradling his hand. The shackle that he had managed to fasten to Phil's wrist was suddenly covered in a layer of frost before shattering into a hundred different pieces, as if it were merely made of glass. Dan looked on in awe, he had heard rumours that the Lester's had ice powers but had never really believed it until now.
"Phillip calm down at once!" the Queen demanded. Reluctantly Phil stood up straight, looking his mother in the eye. Dan managed to shuffle round a bit so that he could Phil properly now the other man wasn't moving around. He noted that the guards were still keeping their distance. He looked so much different than before, his slightly wild hair had been calmed although it still resembled the same style as before. His skin was even paler than before now that all the dirt and mud had been washed from it. He was wearing fancy black jacket that sort of resembled a tailcoat but buttoned up all the way to the collar. A small silver crown sat on his head but Dan got the feeling he didn't really want it there. Dan had to admit he looked very attractive and well, like a prince. Phil shot a glance at Dan that was full of worry and fear, but also what seemed like relief.
"Now you two," the Queen said sharply, "I believe we have something to discuss.