Terms of Engagement (Loren)

[Kitten]

Mischal Heinmal Gutenberg looked out the window of his carriage lazily. His adjusted his long blonde hair under the white hat and folded his gloved hands in his lap. A carriage ride was nothing to be distressed about really. Nothing to make you twitch and fidget as the young Austrian prince did. Nothing to make you wish you could jump out and be trampled by your very own horses.

But this was no ordinary carriage ride Mischal was taking. He was taking a ride into his betroths castle. Where he was going to essentially be held prisoner. Or that was his take on things. The pale boy jumped as the carriage hit a bump. His soft gray eyes settling back on the rolling landscape, it looked nothing like Austria. No comforting backdrop of mountains to ease him.

It had been only a year and a half since his older brother had taken up the throne and already the ruler of Austria had married off all of his siblings. Every single sister given to a wealthy kingdom. Even him! Save for that he was not a sister at all! Even dressed in a soft white dress, frilled out and ornately decorated. Jewels sparkled across the chest to distract from his lack of breasts. It flared at the sleeves to exentuite his delicate wrists and feminine hands. The wide collar of the times hid his adam's apple and made one focus on his aristocratic nose and soft pretty face.

Mischal had been irate since the day of his engagement of sorts. There was no way he was going to be carted about and sold off like a piece of property! He was an Austrian prince! No one could own him. He was certainly not a woman at all. He seethed with the audacity of it all. How dare they all! He pitied the man who was going to try to wed him! And what of having children? He was certainly not doing such a thing. That man had better be ready for one hell of a marriage.

[Stained_Steel]

Prince Elliot de Chanberg shook off his valet and sighed. After three years of not fending off his father's attempts to marry him to some dimwitted princess, the King had finally his foot down.

Literally. He'd stomped so hard his knee had given out under the pressure of so much weight coming down on it, keeping the king of France in his bed. Not that that put off the royal wedding of his second son, oh no. The Heir Apparent had promptly set his wife to organizing the wedding. Elliot's sister-in-law, one of the few members of his family he didn't hate (he felt indifferent towards her) had cheerfully invited any and all royalty she could find, found a Cardinal to marry them, and spent as much of his money as she could.

Giving the lace at his throat one last fluff, he exited his chambers and went to the Hall of Mirrors to wait for his betrothed. Giving his platoon of servants a glare that sent them scurrying away, he seated himself in an overstuffed red velvet chair to wait.

[Kitten]

Mischal marched his way through the ridiculously lavish halls. Past ornate pictures and beautiful carvings, through mirrored halls and into chambers with real lighting. He even saw a fountain INSIDE the house! He sighed at all this extravagance. It was too much.

With a huff he burst into the Hall of Mirrors, marching up to his betrothed in a quite unladylike manner. "Monsieur!" He said, hands on his hips and rouged lips twisted down in a deep frown. "I do hope you are happy with this arrangement! I am not and you will do well to learn here and now that I am no ones property!"

He flipped his long hair over one shoulder. "Do not even dream of touching me or using me any way you like or even telling me what to do! I will not hear of it and it will not be done!" He looked at him finally. "Pleased to meet you sir!"

[Stained_Steel]

Well at least the little drama princess knew French. Elliot looked distastefully at her slim, underdeveloped body. Standing up, he silently circled her, ignoring the whisperings of the escorts and the shocked looks of the guards. "Do not flatter yourself by thinking I would want to touch you anyway." He drawled. "You look more like a boy than a woman." That wasn't a bad thing, but they were in mixed company and the king (and the cardinal and the bishop, and most of the King's advisers) tended to look down on that sort of thing.

"Frankly, I don't care if you're happy with the marriage or not. However, you will do well to learn to respect me. I'm sure someone tried to teach you manners at some point. You will use them. If you do not I will lock you in your chambers and feed you water and gruel." He grabbed her chin in his hands and matched her scowl. "Don't think I won't."

He let go and took a step back. "What's your name again? And how old are you?"

[Kitten]

Mischal wrapped his arms around himself, burning a dark red and smacking his hand away. "You dare touch me before we are wed?" He growled. "Do not make the mistake of underestimating how much hell I can bring to you!"

"I am most certainly a woman and you should be grateful to have such a great one in your company! You would never dare lock me away you scoundrel!" He turned away.

"I am called Misch..." He frozed. "Elaine. I am Eliane. And I have just turned twenty now thank you very much. Princeling!"

[Stained_Steel]

The barest hint of a smirk crossed Elliot's face. Very slowly, he circled Eliane, the clicking of his shoes on the polished floor echoing across the hall. When he was standing in front of her he reached out and grabbed her ear. Twisting it a little he spoke up loud enough for the whole hallway to hear.

"My dear young lady, do not presume to tell me what I dare or do not dare to do in my own castle." Technically it wasn't his, it was his father's. But she didn't need to know that. "You will address me as 'My Prince' or 'Duke de Chanberg' unless we are alone in which case 'Elliot' will suffice."

He released her ear and straightened up. Adjusting his blue silk waistcoat he called out to his valet, informing him he wanted dinner in his room at eight and Lady Eliane would be joining him. Turning back to her he arched an eyebrow. "You're young enough, I assume you brought along a nursemaid who will act as a chaperone?"

[Kitten]

"You do not know my age!" The prince boiled, crying out as his ear was tugged. "Unhand me ow! You brute!" He sniffled and pulled back at the harsh touch. "De Chanberg." He spat angrily. "You keep away from me! Presume to touch me will you!"

"I'll be taking dinner alone thank you! My Nurse will not need to chaperon anyone! Unless you have someone kinder and gentler to send me this night!"

He turned with a flourish. "Take me to my rooms!" He demanded.

[Stained_Steel]

"Don't move!" Elliot thundered. Without warning he grabbed the little princess and spun her around to face him. "You will taking dinner in my chambers. I was going to give you time to freshen up and rest from your journey but if you're fit enough to fight then you're fit enough to dine. We'll eat now."

He snapped his fingers and a servant stepped forward. "Filet mignon with vegetables. Red wine for me, milk for the Princess Brat." The servant bowed and left. "Nurse, you chaperone." There was no way he would have this girl in his chambers without a witness. "The rest of you are dismissed for the day."

He turned his attentions back to the girl. "I'm going to be nice and let you eat regular food instead of gruel. Now, will you allow me to escort you in the normal manner or shall I throw you over my shoulder like baggage?"

[Kitten]

((ZOMG! I would just like to say that a Weiss Kreuz spanking fic or anything like it would be SO EFFING AWESOME))

Mischal gasped and flushed as he was roughly spun around. "Excuse me?" He spluttered. "I...I!" He bit his lip. "Let go of my wrist you're bruising me!" He murmured and pulled slightly away. "My prince..." He curtsied. "Please allow me to freshen for you.."

He had to get away from this man! No telling what he would do when they were alone! He would be nice now to get the other too agree and then lock himself in his room! That would show this pompous little nancy who was boss!

He grinned at his idea and looked at the prince pleadingly.

[Stained_Steel]

((I think I'll try and write it myself once the semester's over.))

Elliot loosened his grip slightly but didn't let go. Something about that grin didn't appear right. Then again the child probably did need to rest. It was a sham marriage but they had to at least appear to be a loveing couple in public. So long as she behaved herself there was no reason to be unneccessarily controlling.

He let go of her wrist and bent over so he was eye level with her. "Very well. I will give you time to freshen up. However," The tip of his finger tipped her chin upward. "If you are not in my chambers, with your Nurse, at eight o' clock, I will find you, throw you over my knee, lift that frilly little dress up and treat you as a commoner treats his ill behaved child. Understand?"