Walking down the stone steps to the cells beneath Bebbanburg’s fortress, Ronan sighs. They had left their prisoner to nearly rot at this point, and there needs to be something done about him.
“Wake up, please.” Ronan chimes out when he reaches the iron gate. Of course he has no idea how to deal with this man.
“I’m awake,” Steapa says, sitting up from his cot in the corner. His eyes instantly widen when he realizes it’s the Prince.
“Ronan,” he says breathlessly.
“Uh, yeah. I haven’t decided what to do about you. My husband thought about killing you. He thought about takin’ yer hand… I swayed him against it. For a while now.”
“I’m endlessly grateful for that,” Steapa says, resting his elbows over the bars as he looks down at the dashing figure ahead of him.
“… I can’t tell you how deeply I regret my actions.”
Ronan lets out a mirthless laugh. “Yeah, I can imagine you do now.”
“Not just now. Since it happened. I was foolish and cruel.”
Ronan rolls his eyes. “For a Godly man, you are cruel, yes.”
Steapa shakes his head as he looks into the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. “I can redeem myself.”
Ronan lets out that laugh again. “Oh my god, redeem yerself?”
“Yes.” Steapa says firmly. “I can serve you. I can do whatever you desire from me. You’re father and I have a long history of friendship. I’m not a perfect man… I just…” he shakes his head.
“I was blinded by desire. You are the most tantalizing thing I’ve ever seen. I wanted you to be mine.”
“I’m no one’s but my own.” The prince seethes. It was untrue— he’s Bjorn’s. But he wants to stand on his own two feet with this.
“It’s true. You are valiant. The pride of your realm, surely.”
Ronan shakes his head, giving a sigh. “I will decide soon. Flattery gets you nowhere.”
“No?” Steapa asks, giving the prince a smirk. “It’s only the truth.”
Rolling his eyes again, the prince finds himself thinking. We can’t just let him rot down here.
“Servitude, like your King maybe.”
“I’d be grateful of it, young Lord.”
Ronan scoffs, striding away and making his way back up the stairs. Unbeknownst to him, Steapa had already made his plan. He intently watches the prince’s retreating form. He’s been waiting for this check in for a while.
“I will surely see you again soon, handsome.” Steapa says under his breath. He takes a hand into his pocket, pulling out a large iron key and moving his hand around the bar to unlock the cell from the inside.
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