Chapter Text
Oscar was so sure the journey to the castle was going to pass in silence. The kind that's filled with unspoken feelings of fear and excitement, both blended into a heavy lump that sat low in his stomach. He already missed his family, and he also couldn't help but look forward to the adventure ahead of him. And then there was the disbelief as well; the mere fact that he got chosen to become a squire to none other than the Fernando Alonso, it was hard to take in. Even if he had months to let it sink in.
Honestly, he was walking on that thin line between staying perfectly still and throwing up all over the back of the man sitting at the front with the reins in his hand. Which, considering he had no clue who the man was, - since he didn't introduce himself, nor had spoken to him or Lando at all - wouldn't have been the best first impression. Lords, he absolutely did not intend to risk vomiting all over someone who might as well just be a knight, like Fernando himself.
For a while, Oscar was right. No one spoke; not Sir Alonso, not even the always so talkative Lando. So, he looked to the side and watched as the lands they passed by, the endless green fields that stretched over the horizon. Above them stood a gloomy silhouette of some faraway mountains, so far away that they almost blended with the sky. As if they had been just a fragment of imagination, not even there. Oscar made sure to take in the view, the way the setting sun painted the blue canvas of the sky, streaked with all the different shades of pink, orange, and red. The warmth of the mixed colors somewhat comforted him.
His shoulders were still tense, but he had calmed down just a bit, at least. He listened to the sound of hooves, the steady thumping against the earth, stirring up the dust. The two horses pulling the carriage forward were trained mounts - Oscar was sure of that. He spent a lot of time around horses, back before he had even moved to Draconis with his family. He used to live in the countryside, after all; he practically grew up watching his father tame and train horses, and Oscar himself was eager to help since before he could even walk. Moving to Draconis was - naturally - a bit of a heartbreak, his very first one, despite having brought one horse with them. He loved horses, and he had a good eye for them from a very young age.
These two gray mares worked relentlessly, the raw power of their muscles rippling beneath their skins. Their snorts blended into the dull background noise as they trotted at a steady pace. Oscar distantly wondered how his old friend was doing, even though it hadn't been half a day since he bid farewell to Rosy. He also wondered what kind of horses the King owned.
Were they calm and collected, trained precisely for war?
Or were they temperamental, fiery, hard to control, but loyal until the last moment?
He wouldn't admit it, but secretly he hoped for the latter. He always liked a good challenge.
And most importantly, how long it would take them to be allowed to ride out -
“Oscar.”
Oscar almost jumped up from the spot he had already settled in; he was so lost in thought that Lando's voice struck him abruptly like lightning. His head whipped to the side right away.
Lando had barely spoken since the start of the journey, and that was quite a few hours ago. After he reassured Oscar, the boy fell into a deep silence. His shoulders and spine had been so rigid, so tight that Oscar knew he didn't feel like chattering around. Which was rare, extremely rare, but Oscar respected it. He could visibly see that something was up, but he chose not to poke what could have been nothing more than a grumpy cat, but might as well just be a sleeping lion.
So, the younger boy didn't try to talk to him. Lando would eventually blurt out his problem, sooner or later; it was always like that. Always.
He might have just been nervous as well, maybe sad about leaving his home behind, even if he knew his father was surely going to visit the castle often.
“Yeah?” Oscar's voice cracked slightly, his throat groggy from lack of use.
Lando's eyes didn't meet his. Instead, his greens were focused on what was ahead of them - searching for landmarks he could recognize, to pinpoint where they were passing through at that moment. Or maybe he was lost deep in his thoughts. Lando's face appeared distant as well; very unlike his usual buzziness.
“Do you…” He trailed off, then swallowed down whatever he was going to ask. As if he had caught himself just then, noticed that his behavior was wrong and so unlike Lando Norris, the stern expression vanished completely from his face, replaced by a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes, “Are you excited yet? You are finally going to get to see the castle!”
Oscar didn't notice the sudden switch. He simply adjusted to Lando, feeling an unreal sense of relief at the sight of Lando's smug smile.
“Yeah, ‘course I am!” Oscar laughed. He straightened his posture, staring at Lando in disbelief, “I'm not only going to see it, Lando. We are going to live our everyday lives in the courtyard from now on.”
Lando's grin widened as he leaned back lazily.
“Yes! And for that reason, I'm definitely going to have to show you everything…I know my way around here.”
“You said that last time as well, when we went ‘exploring’ and ended up getting chased by someone's geese because we passed through their field? You swore that there were no dogs, nothing to stand guard over the hay piles!” Oscar crossed his arms, but he couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips so desperately.
Lando's eyes went wide for a split second, only to recollect himself as if he hadn't been taken aback by the sudden confrontation, his grave mistake thrown at his face like that. Oh, he was surely going to tickle the hell out of Oscar for that.
“I said there were no dogs, and there weren't any!” He raised his pointer finger to emphasize his reasoning, “And I didn't know that geese were vile like that.”
“Who even uses a bird to guard your property?!” Lando scoffed.
That reaction, the dramatically upset muttering, got the first laugh out of Oscar in a while. Lando's shoulders loosened at the sounds of his laughter, his eyes finally lit up like they always did when he made Oscar smile.
“So,” Oscar smirked at him, cocking an eyebrow, “since you know the place so well, are we anywhere near yet? You looked like you recognized where we are just now.”
Lando scoffed, “Well-”
Another voice interrupted their bantering, one that they had never heard before. Both boys turned towards the man sitting next to Fernando, startled by his sudden decision to speak up for the first time after barely acknowledging them for the longest time.
“If the ladies can keep up this pace, we will get there in the evening, just in time.” The man said, glancing over his shoulder before turning back to the reins. He clicked his tongue twice, and the horses’ movements brightened up.
Beside him, Fernando turned around to check on Lando and Oscar, just like he had done now and then throughout their ride. This time, however, he spoke up as well.
“We are going to be there soon.” He smiled kindly, then slightly furrowed his eyebrows. Lando and Oscar were equally confused, not by what the two adults said, but by the way the unknown man casually interrupted their talk. The guy didn't even introduce himself.
Fernando realized this shortly, and a low, hearty chuckle bubbled up from his throat. Three pairs of eyes landed on him, briefly wondering what was so funny about reaching their destination soon. Even one of the horses let out a loud, almost mocking snort.
“Oh, apologies, apologies! Stupid me.” Fernando wiped a hand over his face, still laughing under his breath. “This is embarrassing…”
The other man scoffed as well, “Even for you, man.”
“How could I forget? You two lads have never met my friend over here, have you?” Fernando sighed, ignoring the mockery. His eyes landed on the boys again, the question hanging in the air between them. The carriage creaked softly.
Fernando patted the back of the dark-haired man sitting beside him in an overly friendly manner, who winced slightly in response at the unexpected force.
“Nando-!”
“This good man over here is Sergio Perez, but you can call him Sir Checo!” He explained brightly, ignoring Checo’s protests.
“Pleasure to meet you, Sir-”
“So you're a knight as well?” Lando cut Oscar off abruptly, leaning forward, “How come I've never met you before?”
Checo let out a small laugh.
“Yeah,” He clicked his tongue again and took a glance over his shoulder. “I'm a knight. We haven't met, simply because I have always been too busy with different missions.”
“Checo is always on the move.” Fernando nodded, “King Jos trusts him with many issues, with the Prince as well. He also-”
“Wait!” Lando's eyes widened, “You're that Sergio Perez? The one who fought in the battle of Silverstonia and played a crucial role in the victory? The knight who defended Max with his life?”
Oscar's stomach dropped. Geez, he almost threw up over him. Thank the Lord he could distract himself from that ugly swirling feeling inside his belly.
The word ‘knight’ was enough to get Lando back in his element, though; he was buzzed as a bee in no time, wriggling in his place next to Oscar, constantly disturbing his own personal space. Not that Oscar minded it, in that moment, he was just relieved that whatever had seemed to bother Lando so much, it dissipated just like that.
His eyes found Lando's greens, twinkling in excitement and genuine happiness that he could finally talk. (Not that anyone forbade him to do so…but hey, everyone needs a bit of silent me time, even Lando.) The curly-haired boy gestured animatedly with his hands, his cheeks turning slightly pink in excitement. Checo and Fernando both smiled.
Oscar suddenly paused, recalling Lando's words in his mind. Did he just really…?
“Max? You mean, Prince Max?” He spoke up abruptly. Lando didn't falter, not even for a moment.
“Yeah, Max! Max Verstappen, son of King Jos Verstappen…Osccc, don’t tell me you don't know!” He whined dramatically.
Now that genuinely made Oscar feel offended. The simple presumption of Oscar not knowing who the prince was; it wounded his pride. He straightened his back, an unconscious movement to make himself seem taller.
“Of course I know! I mean, you just go around and call him by his first name so casually?”
Lando stared at Oscar, eyes wide, looking dumbfounded like he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.
“...yeah?” He raised an eyebrow, as if knowing things like these were totally natural and part of everyday life, “Max told me he hates being called prince and stuff.”
“Wait, so you-” Oscar's words caught in his throat. He wasn't sure what he was going to say anyway. He shook his head in disbelief, “Why am I surprised that you know the literal crown prince personally?”
Lando blinked.
“We are on good terms. Maybe friends, even.” He shrugged like it was nothing special.
Oscar was…mildly shocked. It's not like it was something he would have never thought of Lando, - to be buddies with the future king - but it still surprised him, a lot. Suddenly, a small spark of something that reminded him of jealousy but not exactly, surged in his chest along with the feeling of surprise, whirling together and heavy just behind his ribs.
“But isn't he like…at least 10 years older than you?” Oscar asked in disbelief.
Lando's eyes widened, “Hey! He's a nice guy. Treats me like a little brother. You should see him spar, Osc!”
Oscar narrowed his eyes slightly, but he didn't voice his inner turmoil. Not that he ever planned on admitting that he was jealous, but he especially did not want to put out everything when two highly esteemed knights were also present. Knights who served to protect the King and his family.
He had to get those stupid thoughts out of his head, and he had to do it immediately. Cause he wasn't sure if he could sacrifice his life for the prince if the opportunity arose, if he harbored feelings like that toward the royalty.
Because of his friend. God, he really had to get himself together and forget about all of it as quickly as it came.
The two middle-aged men listened to their bickering quietly, although Fernando's lips curled upwards just a tiny bit, but perfectly enough for suspicion. They exchanged a glance before Checo cleared his throat awkwardly and responded to Lando's original question.
“Well, the prince certainly is an ambitious person, and he could've managed without me as well…considering I could only hold Prince Lewis back for a few minutes.” He sighed.
“But I guess that's one way to put it, yeah,” Checo added with a shrug.
“Don't play shy now, man!” Fernando laughed, “This guy is truly the hero who saved the prince! The bloke would have died without good ol’ Checo.”
Checo scoffed and mumbled, “You're older than me, Fernando.”
The other man did not seem to hear it, though. Or if he did, he simply chose to ignore it.
Oscar furrowed his eyebrows. The great battle of Silverstonia, that decisive fight between the reigning Hamiltons and the Verstappens, who rose to clinch the throne right when the opportunity came.
Checo was a soldier of the Verstappen clan who served directly under Jos Verstappen, whom they crowned king following the bloodbath. The son, Max Verstappen, was also under his supervision from a very young age.
The Verstappen house, the lions themselves.
“If he fought with Prince Lewis…” Oscar shook his head, confused, “What happened to the heir? Didn't Prince Max kill him?”
Fernando's smile faded just a little bit, but enough for Oscar to notice. The light in his warm eyes seemed to dull for a moment, but maybe it was just Oscar's imagination.
“No. Prince Max…He didn't kill him. Couldn't. No matter how talented he already was, he somehow slipped, and Prince Lewis managed to escape before he could have dealt the final blow. And the young Prince was furious, let me tell you; Prince Lewis escaped from his hands. Barely, but he managed to do so.” Checo explained, his tone turned serious now.
“And he just vanished.”
The same story, the one Oscar's mother always used to tell him, alongside all the other tales before going to bed. The same battle that never really sat right with Oscar, and every time he thought about it, something always flickered in the back of his mind, maybe a quiet and dulled alarm. Because, how the heck could a person go missing like that?
Every time he asked his parents, they simply waved him off. ‘He most likely died.’ They said. Oscar - though he wasn't exactly sure why - believed that they were wrong about that. That Lewis Hamilton was alive and just hiding somewhere. But that again raised many other questions for himself.
If he were truly alive, why would he hide?
Why did he just run off the map like that?
Why did he leave his nation behind? The throne that was supposed to be his. That was promised to him from the very moment he was conceived.
Leeuwenland was under the watch of the Hamiltons for centuries.
So how did their reign crumble out of nowhere like that? The power they held over the country was firm and solid, so what could have possibly happened that resulted in such a big battle?
He refused to think that the heir just gave up like that. But whenever he spoke up on it, the adults always shut him down almost abruptly. Like it was something forbidden to even talk about.
And he had questions still, a lot of them. But to his dismay, he was aware that the two knights definitely weren't going to discuss this topic with him, not with anyone. They were Lion Guards, after all. Dedicated to serving and protecting the King and his family at all costs.
So when Fernando looked at him, it was fair to say he was taken aback.
“You seem lost in thought, young lad. What's got you so silent all of a sudden?” He raised one eyebrow. The tone wasn't questioning; it was rather playful.
Oscar shook his head.
“You're sure?” Fernando insisted, his eyes narrowed slightly as he examined Oscar.
“Yes, Sir.” He smoothed out his expression, or at least, tried to. Fernando didn't seem convinced, but he accepted his silence anyway.
“Well,” the knight finally said after a few moments of silence, “We're soon to arrive at the castle. So rest yourselves, because from tomorrow you're going to be trained under my watch. And I won't go easy on either of you.”
His eyes darted between Oscar and Lando, searching for any signs of objection. The boys nodded simultaneously, and Fernando turned back with a playful wink. Beside him, Checo was silent again, but this type of quiet was entirely different from before. It felt tense.
Oscar was barely 3 years old when that battle took place. Still living in the countryside back then, the news reached his family much later than it did the townspeople. Naturally, he didn’t understand much about what happened; all he knew was the fact that a new man got crowned as the king of Leeuwenland. That was the main topic among the people. No one asked questions. So Oscar didn’t care much about it either. He was a toddler, after all, whose life revolved around horses and swords.
But now, five and a bit years later, he started to regret not asking. They probably wouldn’t have been able to give him an answer anyway, but still. He should have asked. Because - he couldn’t understand why - lately, whenever someone brought up the royal family or the king himself, his parents shut down and switched topics immediately. The people in town, they only dared to whisper the king’s name. And Oscar wondered why.
He really shouldn’t ask any questions. Not his parents, especially not the knights sitting in the front, not anybody. But still, he couldn’t swallow down his doubts anymore - they curled themselves around his neck, screaming into his brain to just ask.
He shouldn’t. He can’t.
Lando, now back to his usual smiley self, poked Oscar’s shoulder, as if he had sensed his inner turmoil.
“Osc, we’re - “
“What was the reason for the battle?” Oscar spoke up abruptly, cutting off Lando, who winced in surprise. At the same time, the carriage rolled over a particularly rocky part of the road, making everyone hold onto the wood instinctively.
Fernando’s shoulders were tensed up, and his tone was firm, anything but gentle. He didn’t turn back around to look at Oscar; instead, he stared ahead of himself, searched the road for something that wasn’t there.
“You’re what, eight years old? For being such a young boy, you’ve surely got an interesting mind.” He said, “That’s initially a good thing; it will be useful.”
Oscar blinked, suddenly feeling bold.
“Sir…you didn’t answer my question.”
The older man fell silent for a few moments. Oscar almost thought he wasn’t going to get any response at all, but then he noticed something. Fernando’s shoulders were shaking, just a bit. And a moment later, he was chuckling audibly. And it grew louder and louder, until both Checo and Lando were staring at him questioningly.
“Sharp mind, told you so. Barely able to walk, yet so ambitious and smart.” He finally glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes locked into Oscar’s. It felt as if Fernando was staring right into his soul, searching him thoroughly, and Oscar felt himself start to feel uneasy under the intense gaze.
But then a Fernando spoke, and Oscar could swear he saw a small, knowing smile forming on the older man’s face.
“You will learn about it yourself, young Piastri.”
Indeed, the silhouette of the Castle of Draconis, or more like the Verstappen’s residence, soon became visible in the distance. The sun had already set behind the enormous structure, but it was still bright enough for Oscar to make out some details without having to narrow his eyes. Beside him, Lando started fidgeting with his fingers, the hem of his shirt, or Oscar’s shirt.
His legs bounced restlessly, something visibly buzzing beneath his skin. It was a quiet, muted energy that ran through his veins the moment he saw the familiar castle appear on the horizon. Lando had visited quite a few places on his father’s side, but the Castle of Draconis was different in every way. He had been there before, sure, but it left its mark on his soul, and he was so eager to see it again. It was as if some invisible string tied Lando to the castle, a small voice in the back of his head never letting him forget. He didn’t know if it was for the good memories he had gathered there during his stay, or something entirely else - what he knew, though, was that he just had to go there. And now, here it was. Just a few minutes away from him and Oscar.
Oscar, his bestest friend, whom he wanted to show this castle so badly. As a matter of fact, he had made a mental list long ago, a list of ‘Places to take Oscar’ and the Dracon - as he liked to call it, since the Castle of Draconis was ‘too long and too formal’ - was the number one destination.
And now they were almost there, and they were going to live in the castle. Live, and also train alongside one another.
His eyes flicked to Oscar’s, and his stomach did this weird thing again when he saw Oscar already looking at him.
“You alright?” He asked quietly, concern flickering in his brown eyes. Lando’s restless energy surrounded both of them, and he was starting to grow afraid that Lando might as well just explode at some point.
“Um, yeah. Why wouldn’t I be alright?”
Stupid.
Stupid question, and Lando knew that the moment the words left his lips, he sounded utterly and irreversibly dumb. Suddenly, he felt even more dumb for acting like an overly excited puppy playing fetch at the sight of a damn castle. Meanwhile, Oscar was sitting next to him with a blank expression, seemingly completely unbothered by the sight.
He was wrong, though.
Oscar was anything but calm on the inside.
“I don’t know, just…” It sounded like he had to force the words out of himself, and only then did Lando notice how tense Oscar’s shoulders were. How the hollow black of his pupil widened with every meter they got closer and closer to Dracon, excitement reflecting in his irises.
“You keep doing that thing with your fingers.” Oscar mumbled.
“What thing?”
Instead of answering, Oscar’s eyes darted down between Lando’s greens and his own shirt dramatically. Lando’s gaze followed, and he found himself fisting the rough textile that Oscar was wearing, unconsciously.
“Oh.” He could feel his cheeks burning, and all he could do was send silent prayers to God to tell him he was absolutely not blushing.
He quickly retreated his hand into his lap.
“Sorry, I was just uh…” Lando blurted out sheepishly, meeting Oscar’s eyes again.
To his surprise, the other boy seemed just as flustered as he was, his cheeks tinted with a light shade of pink. Oscar quickly turned away, towards the castle just ahead of them. A weird, tense silence fell between them for a few, awfully long seconds before Oscar finally spoke.
“Look, the drawbridge!” He said, pointing toward the huge thing lowered down entirely, heavy chains holding it to the stone walls, leaving the entrance open for them. To Oscar, for a fleeting moment, it appeared as a huge beast lying there with an open mouth, waiting to swallow them whole.
The Barbican towered over them like a giant, immovable force, the strong wall of heavy stones interrupted here and there by the arrow slits; Oscar let out a small gasp at the sight - the castle was built to serve, to protect. He couldn’t see the other towers from the gate, - since he was too small - but he could imagine just how huge and threatening they might look like, especially after sunset.
A grin crept up Lando’s face. The once restless buzzing now turned into a familiar warmth, one that made his heart thump loudly beneath his ribs. Lord, he had missed this place.
The last - and only - time he stayed at the castle was when his father took him along to spend a few weeks in the royal courtyard, while he debriefed with the king about some God-knows-what issues. That was two years ago. And that was also when he met Max for the first time.
Max was kind to him from the very first moment, despite being much older than Lando. Lando was seven back then, while Max had already been eighteen, already an acknowledged figure amongst the kingdoms for his sparring skills. The prince was an incredible fighter from a young age - no wonder he defeated Prince Lewis, who was also known and feared for the way he wielded a sword, at the mere age of fifteen, during the great battle of Silverstonia.
Truth be told, Max wasn’t shy about his skills. He wasn’t one to show off, no, but he carried a quiet confidence in his shoulders when he walked, a fearlessness that always reminded Lando of a lion.
Yet, he was still kind and gentle towards Lando. He showed him around the castle, taught him some basic fighting stances, and let him tag along whenever he had somewhere to be. Max was nice, and just like Lando said to Oscar, he truly was like a brother.
Lando adored him.
“Looks like they have been waiting for us,” Checo commented with a smile.
“Well, it isn’t an everyday thing that not one, but two young squires join their everyday lives, now is it?” Fernando added, huffing under his breath.
Checo simply hummed in response and carefully maneuvered the carriage over the wooden planks, the wheels screeching lightly against the surface. The horses let out low, rumbling groans as they trotted through the gate and over into the huge courtyard, both creatures tired from the journey. Checo whistled, and the carriage finally halted.
He dismounted the carriage and went to the horses right away, patting and praising them for their work. One of them neighed in response, nudging Checo’s shoulder for food. The other just stood there patiently, waiting for their owner to release them from the leather straps.
Fernando followed him suit, except he stepped back to the two young boys to help them get off. Once both Lando and Oscar were standing on the solid ground, the knight crouched in front of them with a wide grin.
“Welcome to the royal castle, young lads!” He said, his words mostly directed at Oscar, who - unlike Lando - had never been there before.
“I’m going to show you around the castle and then we-”
“Sir Alonso!” A voice called out from somewhere behind them, followed by loud, hurried steps.
A tall man appeared, trotting around the carriage to get to the three of them. He had a weirdly styled, dark brown hair that reminded Oscar of a mushroom, and tanned, bronze skin just like Lando’s. He was wearing brown robes, his cowl hanging down his back, swinging in the soft evening breeze. The man’s dark eyes swept over the two kids, noting them without any comments, and finally landed on Fernando, who straightened up with a dramatic groan.
“Brother Albon, pleasure to see you!” Fernando said, with a forced smile, annoyance oozing off of his tone.
“Welcome back to the castle, Sir. I’m glad you have made it safely.” The monk said, ignoring Fernando’s pesky attire without a flick of an eye, as if it hadn’t been his first time dealing with the knight. And judging by his blank expression, it clearly wasn’t.
“As much as I myself would love to help the young boys with settling in, I am afraid I will have to interrupt this. You have to come with me, urgently.”
Fernando furrowed his eyebrows.
“How urgent?”
The man, - Brother Albon - nodded sharply. He didn’t mess around, just went straight to the point.
“King Jos’ orders. He needs you right away.”
“But the kids…” The knight trailed off, glancing at Lando and Oscar, who just stood there awkwardly, watching the two adults with wide eyes.
“Alex will show them around.” He cut in.
Lando’s eyes lit up.
“Alex?”
Oscar tilted his head, confused.
“Alex?”
Finally, the monk looked at them again.
“Yes. Alex, my son.” He said with a nod, and just then, a boy appeared from behind him. He nodded politely towards Fernando.
“Nice to see you, Alex.” Fernando greeted.
Alex was taller than Oscar had expected, but he didn’t seem to be that much older than Oscar and Lando. Probably a year or two, but not more. His hair was darker, but his skin was the same shade as his father’s. He was wearing a similar robe as well, and Oscar noticed how both cloths had patterns of lions sewn into their sleeves. Alex’s brown eyes sparkled as he spotted Lando, his lips curling into a happy smile. Lando returned his smile.
Oh, another friend of Lando’s?
Then, Alex looked at Oscar with a hint of curiosity. Oscar felt the new pair of eyes examine him from head to toe, though he didn’t feel uneasy under the warmth of Alex’s gaze at all.
“Well, Alex, can we leave them to you?” His father raised an eyebrow expectantly, though it wasn’t like the boy had any other options.
So, he just nodded.
“Yes, I’ll guide them.”
Brother Albon smiled at his son gratefully, then turned around and started walking with the same hurried steps, with Fernando following him close. Just ahead of the carriage, a few servants helped Checo free the horses and took them away.
The three boys watched as they led the horses away, and Oscar couldn’t help but notice the adoration in Alex’s eyes, his gaze following every tired yet graceful step of the two beautiful creatures. He smiled to himself, noting the mutual love for animals.
Oscar briefly wondered why they led the horses away before parking the carriage somewhere, instead of leaving it in the middle of the courtyard. Maybe they are going to push it into its place by hand? Wouldn’t that be too heavy, though? Still, he remembered it was truly none of his business, so he just shrugged to himself.
After the servants disappeared to the stables, Alex turned to the two with a huge smile plastered all over his face.
“Lando! Knew you’d come back!” He said enthusiastically and pulled Lando into a hug. The shorter boy laughed helplessly against his shoulder.
“Told you I would.”
His words got muffled by Alex’s robes as the other one tightened his grip once more before letting go, just in time before Oscar started to feel jealous watching the reunion. As if he had sensed Oscar’s stare, Alex’s attention jumped right onto him, curiosity radiating off of him.
“And who are you? Have we met before?” He asked, turning fully to Oscar now.
Oscar opened his mouth to answer, but his curly-haired friend cut him off.
“No, you definitely haven’t. This is Oscar, my best friend. Met him in town, not long after my visit here.” Lando playfully nudged Oscar as he explained. Oscar let out a dramatic whine in response and returned the favor with a light punch, which made Alex a bit startled. He had seen Lando behave like that, but seeing someone else do it to Lando and that someone being a person like Oscar surprised him greatly.
Really, his first impression of Oscar just a moment before was that the boy was so calm, so collected, it was almost creepy. Underneath the shy gaze, Alex sensed a strange sharpness that sent shivers down his spine. Despite having just arrived at the castle where the King himself lived, the boy looked like he had already adapted to the new place, the way he carried his shoulders. And they arrived barely a few minutes ago.
It amazed him.
“So, you are also from Draconis, then?”
Oscar bit his lip, shrugging.
“I…I guess you could say that. I used to live in the countryside, though. Then we moved to Draconis a few years ago.”
“The countryside? How cool!”
Alex’s face visibly brightened hearing that, and it encouraged Oscar as well.
“It was, yeah. We had so many animals, especially horses…”
At the word ‘horses’, the boy standing in the light robes seemed to be fighting the urge to jump right out of his skin.
“Horses?!” He repeated with eyes wide as a plate, “Okay, now I’m kinda jealous.”
That was the keyword. The dam of awkward shyness collapsed, and suddenly Alex and Oscar found themselves in a deep conversation about living in the countryside, about all the types of animals they had heard about - even mythical ones like dragons? - and they rambled about them for long minutes, jumping from one topic to another so fast that Lando barely managed to follow the enthusiastic exchange in front of him.
He scoffed under his breath, but the warmth in his chest was greater than any faked annoyance. When they arrived, a sense of worry raced through his mind that Oscar wouldn’t be able to find a common ground with the people of the castle. Memories of Oscar lying in the dust, curled up like a ball, waiting for the other kids to just stop kicking him, flashed in front of Lando’s eyes.
The way Oscar didn’t stand up, didn’t fight back, just endured.
Even the simple image of that scene made Lando’s stomach churn painfully. He so did not want that to happen at the castle as well - rationally, he knew the monks and Fernando and the others would have never allowed something like that to happen, but the fear was still there. Not even fear of Oscar getting beaten up, no, not at all - more like Oscar being too shy and too quiet to make friends.
But watching the two boys in front of him talk and gesture around with their hands so animatedly, any worry he might have had just vanished. As it had never been there in the first place, relief washed over Lando as his friend, and his best friend, both barely managed to contain their excitement and keep their voices at normal volumes.
Though after the first - what Lando imagined - five minutes, he was starting to get bored by just standing there awkwardly. He crossed his arms and waited, waited for Alex and Oscar to remember that they eventually had a task to do, and they didn’t have all day before darkness descended upon the land. Another two or three minutes later, Lando finally decided that was enough of a conversation for starters, and he cleared his throat.
Oscar turned his head right away, cutting off whatever he was in the middle of explaining to look at Lando. Alex was about to cut in with a, ‘but I also heard that-’ when he noticed just a moment later that Oscar was no longer paying attention to him. Both of them were looking at Lando now.
“Not to interrupt you two, but I think we should show Oscar around.” Lando said, and then added, “The sun had set quite some time ago, it will be dark soon, so.”
“Oh, right! Right, yeah.” The realization dawned upon Alex as well. He quickly re-oriented himself and started marching forward. Oscar, however, didn’t follow him right away; his eyes were still on Lando’s. Lando smiled at him and did a small wave with his hand, gesturing for him to go after Alex.
The three boys made their way over the courtyard, which alone made Oscar stop for a second to take it all in. The castle was huge from the outside already; its wide stone walls caught his attention on the way in, but the courtyard? It seemed twice as big as his family’s entire land.
“Okay, let’s start with the servant’s quarters, then! That’s where you will be staying for now.” Alex led them towards a neat building standing not far away from the gate. It had multiple doors and windows, and it was big enough to house a hundred servants, Oscar assumed.
“The servant’s quarters? Cool!” Lando beamed with joy. Both Alex and Oscar gave him a weird look.
“What? I never stayed in there before!”
Oscar blinked twice and then turned to Alex instead.
“What do you mean, ‘for now’?”
Alex nodded and started explaining right away.
“After you become knights, you will be moved to the keep.” He spun around on his heels and pointed to the tower sitting at the other end of the yard, right next to the stables where the horses got led away.
“That’s where all the other knights live.” Alex continued talking, “Although…it depends on whether you will stay in the castle, or the King himself gifts you a land. It’s all up to him, honestly.”
“Oh yeah, that does make sense.”
They spent the rest of the evening exploring the castle - of course, only the parts they were allowed to. Alex showed them around the stables, the armory, where they had to stop every few seconds either because Oscar wanted to befriend a horse or because Lando desperately wanted to ramble about different weapons and armors. On one occasion, Lando froze mid-talking and picked up a dagger with a far too loud exclamation of ‘Look, Osc, it’s just like ours!’. Truly, Alex was a very patient boy, given his peaceful nature, but the two boys were testing his patience greatly with the frequent stops.
He introduced all five towers of Dracon to Oscar, who listened to his every word with solid attention, although Lando didn’t make it easier for Alex by being incapable of shutting up and cutting into Alex’s monologue after every second sentence. Somehow, Alex managed to quickly explain each tower’s purpose and the meanings behind its name; each had a different animal symbol displayed above its entrance. The one at the gate - the Barbican - had the lion, of course, while the rest had a wolf, a jackal, a stag, and a dragon. Alex explained that those symbols worked as some kind of ‘protection’ from the evil.
Those symbols were the same ones from the Hamilton era, ones that the Old King had put up there long ago. He too had used to live in the Castle of Draconis, along with his wife and kids. King Jos didn’t bother taking them off - truth be told, he didn’t bother with anything aside from developing a strong army capable of striking.
The animals also symbolized the allegiance between the five great kingdoms that ruled over the continent.
Alex continued to show them around - well, show Oscar around - and led the small group into the castle. They roamed endless stone-floored corridors lit by torches, walked around the Great Hall where, according to Alex’s words, the King liked to welcome his guests, and Oscar’s mouth fell open at the sight of the throne sitting on a platform at the far end of the hall. It’s blood-red velvet, and the golden lion roaring above the headrest sent chills down his spine as he watched it from afar. A weird, prestigious energy of power and authority loomed around them, with a hint of pure cruelty intertwined. Above the throne hung the flag of the Verstappen family, once again a golden lion, bearing its fangs at anyone who may enter the room.
Then came the breathtaking Banquet Hall, where even Lando stopped for a minute to appreciate the grandiose curtains and furniture, each one more expensive than Oscar’s home. Following that, Alex briefly explained where the royal family’s chambers were, and then went on to the study where Oscar and Lando would receive their tutoring classes later on. He pointed out a window towards the place where the training grounds were located, and even though Oscar couldn’t see it anymore because of the dark outside, anticipation still filled his veins.
And, after what was approximately a good two hours at least, Alex finally led them into the servants’ dining hall, where dinner was already waiting for them. All three boys plopped down at the table with tired grunts and sighs, and then without another word, they dug in.
Alex then decided to accompany them on their way back to their quarters, when suddenly a disheveled and mildly irritated Fernando rushed up to them in one of the hallways.
“There you are, I’ve been looking for you, lads!” He called out, stomping his way to the three boys.
Before any of them could speak, Fernando nodded to Alex with a grateful smile.
“Thanks for helping, young Albon. Your father is waiting for you in the chapel.”
Alex’s eyes widened for a split second, and then quickly apologízed and bid farewell to Oscar and Lando with a ‘see you tomorrow’ before rushing off.
Fernando turned his attention back to the two boys right away.
“Apologies, I had an urgent debrief with King Jos…That’s why I couldn’t accompany you, but I suppose little Albon showed you around quite well, didn’t he?”
Oscar confirmed it with a small nod, “Yeah, he showed us pretty much everything.”
“Okay, great.” Fernando huffed, running a hand through his hair, “Great. So you know where you will sleep and everything, yeah?”
“Yes, sir.”
The knight let out a soft, tired laugh.
“Feel free to drop that formality when it’s just us.” He smiled.
“Then, I’m off again. We start the training tomorrow, right at dawn, that’s when I have to wake. So be ready, go and get some rest, you two. It’s been a long day.”
Oscar and Lando nodded simultaneously, perfectly in synch, which earned a raised eyebrow from Fernando, but he looked like he was too tired to comment on it. Oscar briefly wondered what had gotten him so exhausted. They talked for a few more minutes before Fernando finally sent them off with one final piece of advice.
“Remember, boys, what you came here for. Keep that goal ahead of yourselves, and then you will succeed.”
With that, he waved them goodbye and left just as quickly as he arrived. Neither Lando nor Oscar spoke a word; the exhaustion suddenly caught up to them as well, and the adrenaline of the day finally wore off. They exchanged a long glance, silently communicating with each other, before they headed off to the servants’ quarters.
The first thing Oscar noticed upon entering the house was the warmth, the coziness of the place. Some of the servants they had met before while exploring welcomed them with soft smiles. One of them, called Hannah, helped them wash themselves and change into their nightrobes, then tucked them into their beds with such gentle care that it reminded Oscar of his mother.
And oh.
The wave of loneliness hit him like a tidal wave, washing over him and stripping him of any warmth and happiness he had had. That thought of his mother reminded him of how he had just left her behind like that, not much earlier that day. How he had left behind his entire family. Not to mention Bruce and Lily and his horse and-
“Psst. Oscah!” Lando reached out from underneath his covers, poking at Oscar’s hair, just the moment after Hannah had blown out the candle and left them to sleep.
Oscar rolled over to look at Lando with sleepy, sad puppy eyes.
“What?” He mumbled.
Lando, as if sensing just what was going on in his mind in that very moment, sent him a reassuring, soft smile.
“You will get used to it. It’s okay to feel sad. You know, I cried after my mother the first time I had to sleep somewhere without her being around, to tell me stories and that…” He trailed off at the memory and sighed. Then, his eyes met Oscar’s again, twinkling even in the darkness of the room.
“Here, hold my hand.”
Oscar stared at the hand extended over to his bed in confusion, but he took it nonetheless. Lando entwined their fingers, the warmth of his palm seeping over to Oscar’s, then slowly filling him with peace. And just like that, it didn’t seem so bad anymore.
It felt…safe. He had Lando, after all. He met kind people like Alex and Hannah. He was going to be fine.
“It’s gonna help for this first night.” Lando’s voice dropped to a whisper.
Oscar squeezed his thumb in response.
“Night, Lan.”
“Night, Osc.”