Julien S. Montmirail

“So, you are the prince?” Gianni’s face could not hide his eminent embarrassment.

“I am Julien S. Montmirail, crown prince of Gallia,” Gabriel, or so Gianni thought Gabriel was, says. “Meet my chief butler, Gabriel Clermont.”

“My name is Gabriel Clermont,” the person whom Gianni thought was the prince replies. “I’m sorry if you have to go through this, the prince has a way of doing things.”

Gianni stays quiet and looks down. Then, the actual prince, naked up top, approaches him. He holds Gianni’s chin up, whispering, “How does it feel to be spoon-fed by the prince?”

Gianni’s embarrassment skyrockets. He blushes redder than apples. He sweats bullets. His knees tremble and shakes. But he stands his ground, acting like he is all right with it. And that he knew it all along.

“But it was all right,” the actual prince continues. “I enjoyed feeding you,” he holds Gianni’s right hand and nibbles on his middle finger. “Will you feed me, too?”

Now Gianni is sweating rocks. It is all too much for him to handle in just a day. Everything is happening too quickly. He gently removes the prince’s grip from his right hand. He walks to the prince’s tunic and upper garments, giving them to him.

“Here, your Highness,” he acts coolly despite his wildly beating heart, dripping sweat, and flushed tomato face. “If you want me to spoon feed you, then order me to do so,” he replies calmly, hiding his embarrassment. “I shall take my leave now. Please call me when you need anything else.”

Gianni leaves the prince’s quarters.

“Should I go fetch him?” Gabriel asks the prince.

“Let him go,” Prince Julien replies. “Teasing up to that point is enough for now.”

After helping the prince put on his garments, Gabriel catches up to Gianni. Together, they walk straight out through the hallway, back to the main concourse, and head back to their room.

Gianni sits on his bed. He looks through the pane of the glistening window. Engaged in deep thought, Gabriel gets his attention by blocking his view.

“I ask for your forgiveness,” Gabriel bows to him. “Rest assured. I will try to hold back from teasing you.”

“No, it’s fine,” Gianni laughs. “I guess the prince is just like that.”

“No, he is not,” Gabriel replies sternly. His face burns with seriousness. “It is the first time he did such a thing.”

“Really?”

“I have been by the prince’s side since we were young. We grew up together and we see each other as friends. He is not the type of person who would mess with other people. Instead, he is the type of person who would do anything in his power to make things better and make everyone happy. He is the epitome of perfection,” Gabriel’s eyes light up. “Intelligent, handsome, kind, and talented, he is the future of this kingdom. And you are the first person he pranked.”

“I am?” Gianni’s face fervently flushes for a second time.

“Yes, there is something in you that makes the prince go crazy. To be honest, it makes me glad to see this side of him. So, thank you, Gianni.”

Silence descends the room. Gabriel’s words comfort Gianni, driving him away from his embarrassment.

“Anyway,” Gabriel continues. “It is almost time for the prince’s lessons. We must go by his side and aid him in any way we can.”

The two go outside the palace to a pavilion in the middle of the palace gardens. The pavilion is by a small pond whose waters wondrously wink at the wandering eye. The scenery is exquisite. It makes Gianni’s heart flutter. From a distance, they hear the sweet serenade of a serene song. It is Prince Julien playing the flute.

On the ivory terraces of the pavilion by the resplendent waters of the pond sits the real Prince Julien. Gianni watches from a distance and slowly walks toward him. As he gets closer, a masterfully played melody of the music mesmerizes him. He closes his eyes and takes into heart every note that resonates.

Gabriel leaves Gianni at the distance where he stands, continuing to the pavilion. He brings with him a violin intricately designed. When the prince stops playing the flute, Gianni escapes the trance of mesmerizing melody. Gabriel gives the violin to the prince as he approaches him.

“What shall I play?” the prince wonders.

“Should we not wait for your instructor to come here?” Gabriel replies.

“She is already here,” Prince Julien looks behind Gianni. His instructor had just arrived.

“Excuse me,” a soft kind voice calls Gianni from behind.

“Yes, Ma’am?” the startled Gianni looks behind seeing a woman wearing a ravishing dress.

Gianni lets her pass. She walks to the pavilion and orders Prince Julien to play a certain concerto. At a certain part, she shakes her head. “Again,” she calmly says. Prince Julien starts to play the concerto once more, but on the same part, the woman shakes her head again. “Do it again,” her voice becomes stern.

For the third time, Prince Julien plays the same concerto. Again, at a certain part, the woman shakes her head. “Play the pauses,” the woman slams the ivory terrace of the pavilion. “The rests are just as important as the notes. Don’t rush things, you idiot.”

As the woman scolds the prince, Gianni and Gabriel could only watch from a distance. The woman is strict and stern, but the prince likes the way she teaches.

“Who is that woman, Gabriel?” Gianni turns to him.

“You don’t know her?” Gabriel replies. “She is the greatest musician in the kingdom of Gallia. From the noble house of Harmoneille, she is Lady Adela M. Harmoneille.”

“She is of nobility. But is she allowed to scold the prince?”

“Lady Adela and Prince Julien are cousins,” Gabriel explains. “The king’s younger sister is Lady Adela’s mother.”

“I see,” he nods.

The music lessons continue for quite a while. Thereafter, Lady Adela orders tea and refreshment. Quickly, Gianni and Gabriel hurry to prepare them. They arrange them in a tray and push them back to the pavilion as quickly as they could.

They bring the snacks to the musicians. Gianni pours tea for Lady Adela, but as he gives it to her, his foot slips, and the warm cup of tea splatters all over the pavilion. But much of it is over Gianni’s suit. The prince and the noblewoman ignore the accident that happened to Gianni as if nothing happened.

Julien slips in a handkerchief to Gianni, making sure Lady Adela would not see him. She would surely reprimand the prince for helping a servant clean his mess. Gabriel helps Gianni up and uses the prince’s handkerchief to wipe his face.

“I believe I have had enough failures for today,” Lady Adela declares. “I’m taking my leave cousin, don’t ever fail me again.” With a kind seducing smile that contradicts her harsh words, she leaves. But behind that grimace, Gianni knows that the woman hates him. And that misery pervades his life again.

“Are you all right, Gianni?” the prince quickly goes to help him as the woman leaves. “I’m so sorry this happened. Gabriel, please accompany Gianni back to your room. I’ll call the maids to clean the mess.”

“Yes, your Highness,” Gabriel replies.

Gianni feels the bitter taste of defeat. Embarrassment fully pervades his heart. In front of two royals, he embarrassed himself greatly. He has so much to handle in just a day. Gabriel escorts Gianni back to their rooms holding him by his left and on his right shoulder, to make sure he doesn’t fall again.

When they get inside their room, Gianni sits at the bed looking at the cold and rough cobblestone floor. Gabriel looks through the window.

“Gabriel, I…” Gianni says as he looks at him. “I’m sorry for today.”

Without saying another word, Gabriel gives Gianni a warm embrace. He hugs him tightly and long, tight, and long enough for Gianni’s worries to fade away. “It’s all right, Gianni,” he whispers. “Just let it all out.”

Gianni’s tears silently start streaming from his eyes. Before he knew it, he is sobbing in Gabriel’s arms. He cries it all out. Gabriel’s chest becomes wet with Gianni’s tears. Without him knowing, Gianni falls asleep in his arms.

Gabriel lets him sleep on the bed. He wants to leave him at peace, but his suit tea still soaks his suit; the same could be said of Gianni’s. He changes clothes.

If I don’t change him, he might get sick, Gabriel thinks as he gazes on the sleeping Gianni. Now getting Gianni to change is tricky. He wants to wake him up, but the feeling of letting him sleep soundly overwhelms his thoughts. So, he decides to remove Gianni’s clothes one by one.

He starts with Gianni’s shoes, then his gloves. Then, he slowly removes his tailcoat. After the tailcoat, Gabriel removes the bow tie and unbuttons Gianni’s long sleeves. Slowly, he removes them from him exposing his torso. For someone marred by hypoglycemia and hypothermia, Gianni’s body is mesomorphic. He looks like a bodybuilder and possesses those athletic curves.

Things are getting hotter for Gabriel. The more his eyes shift to the sleeping half-naked Gianni, the more things are difficult for him. He continues removing his slacks. He slowly reaches for Gianni’s lock on his pants. He sweats boulders, as he unlatches Gianni’s lock. He is about to pull it down, but his mind goes blank.

What in the world am I doing? The thought knocks some sense into him. I must go back to the prince’s side, but…

He moves his face close to Gianni’s pants, where its buttons lie. He doesn’t smell any hints of the lavender tea. So, he moves closer not realizing that his nose is touching Gianni’s bulge. At that point, he could smell the lavender tea that poured over Gianni.

I should remove his pants otherwise he will smell. Gabriel pulls his pants down. He lifts his right leg, then his left removing the slacks. A fully-exposed Gianni appears asleep and defenseless on the bed. Gabriel’s eyes look intently at every inch of his body, ultimately covering the exposition with a blanket. He’s kind of big, but he is still not hard. He exits his room and goes back to the prince’s side.