Chapter Text
Luke Hemmings didn't choose the life he got, he was very grateful for everything he had however he didn't choose to be born into the royal family and to have all the expectations that are entailed with being royalty. He had so many duties and a lot of pressure, he was however always seen in a good light and many of his subjects looked up to him, young boys wanted to be just like him and the girls wanted to date him. Luke was very modest and humble about his family's wealth and importance, he treated everybody as his equals even his servants. Luke liked to hang out with some of his servants, he felt lonely in the palace all day. Luke didn't struggle to make friends, it was just hard for him with the life he had. His mother and father didn't like him hanging out with more common folk, they preferred their son to have more upper-class manerisms and friends.
One of Luke's favourite places to be was the stables, he liked to hang out with his horse Evangeline and just sit there and think. As he made his way down to the stables in his posh black leather boots, light beige jodpurs and a light blue shirt smartly tucked in he noticed a figure in the distance, he did not recognise this as one of his staff. He immediately thought there was an intruder but didn't ring any of the alarm bells or infrom any of the staff. Luke made his way towards this figure who seemed to have a wheelbarrow with him, this confused Luke very much. As Luke got closer he realised the boy was not much older than him, however he still did not recognise the face. "Hello can I help you?" Luke asked phatically.
The boy jumped startled. "Oh-Hello there" The boy said with a nervous bow.
"I'm Luke, and you are?" Luke asked the boy.
"I'-i'm the new stable hand" The boy quickly replied.
"Oh that explains it, I wasn't informed about this" Luke stated, "But what is your name?" He continued.
"Ashton" The stable hand answered.
"Nice name" Luke said with a nod.
"You may not want to ride Evangeline today, she split her hoof earlier, I contacted the farrier, and we sorted it out however it's suggested you leave it 48 hours before you ride her"Ashton explained.
"Ahh, that's a shame but thank you anyhow" Luke replied.
Luke sat on the fence, "So when did you start working here?" He asked.
"A week ago, it's just a temp. summer job but it's good pay and it impresses all my friends" Ashton laughed.
"Hmm- you'll be asking for a selfie next week as proof right?" Luke chuckled.
Ashton laughed and lifted his wheelbarrow up.
"I better go and feed the horses, you know you could always ride Finn, I have to take Jasper out as nobody has ridden her in a while" Ashton explained.
"I'll come with you if you don't mind?" Luke asked.
"Of course I don't mind, it'd be my pleasure your highness" Ashton stated.
"You don't have to call me that" Luke chuckled.
The boys made their way to the stable where the horses were at, Ashton in his green polo which had a crown on it and black jodpurs, and Luke in his shirt and jodpurs, Luke helped Ashton feed the horses before they went over to their individual stables and started to tack the horses up.
Once all tacked up, which took a while as Jasper doesn't like the bit in her mouth, the boys started to ride out of the yard and a long the gardens.
"So where do you usually live then?" Luke asked Ashton
"I live about 300 miles away, I moved here purely for this job, my family kind of needs the money" Ashton explained, Luke didn't know what it was like to need money, he had enough of it to spare and it had been that way since he was born.
"Ahh, do you miss them?" Luke asked
"It's not been long but i'm sure I will over time, especially if they keep me on after summer" Ashton said.
"Ahh, well they're always welcome for a visit" Luke smiled.
The two boys trotted along the gardens for about an hour before the bell rang signalling lunch.
Luke heard somebody shout and Luke knew he was late, his horse was still tacked up and he had to return him to his stables. Luke dismounted Finn and Ashton walked towards him, "I'll take Finn you go to your lunch" Ashton smiled.
"What, no you don't have to" Luke replied
"It's my job remember, you can't be late, it's my fault anyway. You go!" Ashton chuckled
Luke smiled and quickly ran off, he turned back and shouted "I'll see you again right?"
"Of course, I work here everyday" Ashton started "in fact I live just over there" He continued pointing at the staff quarters.
Luke smiled and waved goodbye to the boy.
As Luke entered the palace he walked through the green drawing room and up the long curling stairs, he walked along rhe halls with portaits he couldn't even remember were there. He walked along and up the stairs again until he reached the correct room he would be dining in, he leant forward and opened the door to see his mother with a disapproving scowl on her face.
"Look at the state of you!" She exclaimed gesturing to the mud on his jodpurs.
"I was riding Finn" He explained, his brothers were already sat down and waiting to tuck into their fancy sandwiches.
When the housemaid placed the plates infront of the boys they all started to eat. Luke was thinking about how he had enjoyed today and how he had made a new friend. Someone his age, he was used to tlaking to the chef who was 50 so it was strange for someone his age and gender to be around.
When Luke had finished his sandwiches he decided to return to the stables, it was a long walk from the 5th dining room but when he got there it was 2pm and Ashton was still hard at work washing and plaiting the mains of some of the horses.
"Hello again" Luke said as he walked towards Ashton with a cheesey smile on his face.
"Good day your majesty" Ashton smiled.
"I told you, you don't have to call me that" Luke replied.
"It's the rules i'm afraid" Ashton replied.
"Well I'm asking you not to, disobeying me is also in the rules so there you go" Luke laughed.
Ashton laughed then returned to lookign at the main of the horse he was plaiting, Luke watched in awe as his hand moved to create the most beautiful plait Luke had ever seen.
"That's really good!" Luke stated
"Wow, thank you very much" Ashton replied with a smile on his face, he walked towards a drain with the bucket in his hand and tipped the water down it.
He placed the bucket on the ground near the fence and placed the sponge in it.
"Time for me to clock off" Ashton smiled.
"Damn it, I was enjoying talking to you" Luke said.
Ashton laughed, "I'm always on shift you just have to ring your bell."
"Can I ring it now?" Luke joked.
"Don't you have any royal duties to be getting to?" Ashton chuckled.
"Probably, but i'm wayyy too cool to do any of them" Luke replied wit a giggle.
"Well I better go and change out of this" Ashton stated
Luke nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow right?"
"Of course if you want to" Ashton smiled.
"Goodbye Luke" Ashton beamed
"Goodbye Ashton" he replied with a smile.
Ashton walked towards his living place, he greeted a few of the other staff including Caitlin the maid, Naomi the waitress and a few others who's names he hadn't yet learnt. He knew that not everybody was lucky enough to get to actually speak to the prince or his family and even jobs such as housekeeping often meant that they'd never be in royalty's presence. He was flattered Luke wanted to hang with him. As he entered his living area, it was more of an apartment on the ground floor, he took off his boots and shirt, he lay on his bed and he noticed that his work phone was bleeping, he immediately leant forward to clutch it.
It was a text from an un-known number requesting his prescence at the stables, Ashton sighed and put on his shirt again.
He made his way outside and saw Luke there with the cheesiest cheekiest grin on his face. "I just wanted to say goodbye one last time" Luke laughed.
"Okay" Ashton chuckled, "Well i'll see you tomorrow for sure" he smiled.
"Okay, thank you" Luke giggled, "It was lovely meeting you" He smiled.
"You too" Ashton smiled.
The boys parted ways and Luke returned to the palace for the evening and Ashton back to his quarters.
"Where have you been!?" Queen Liz shouted.
"Just at the stables mum" Luke replied.
"Next Thursday Princess Elaina is coming from New Zealand, you two are betrowthed and will be married by next year.
Luke's heart sunk, he knew he didn't want to marry her, he didn't know who he wanted to marry but he's always known that he didn't want to kiss glossy, sticky made up lips, he wanted to feel their stubble against his skin as he kissed someones rugged lips.
"Okay mother" he replied.