Charles has been staying in Max's house for most of the time since he had gotten there a week prior. He was feeling extremely homesick. He wouldn't want to do anything at all, apart from wallowing in the viking's bed.

Not that Max cared much about what Charles did, as long as Charles stayed alive. Max had given them a sense of freedom that he never had ever in his life.

Arthur had taken this up to it's fullest extent. He would go to trainings and was allowed to roam around the village to his heart content. The forest was the only off limits they had. Not that Charles would want to go in there after Max told them about the bears.

Charles was the only of the three that didn't know what to do with the freedom. He never had an empty schedule in his life. Normally someone was on his case.

But no one bugged him about anything and if Charles came into the village it was mostly just with Max. Most people just casually said hi to him, no formal gestures or bows, nothing.

Max had explained to the three of them, that as much as he is the king, he doesn't get treated at such. He doesn't want his people to treat him like he is above them, he just only expects them to listen and follow the rules. Other then that he lets them be free.

A good example of Max not putting himself above the other was on two occasions. The second time Max was in the shopping centre with the three princess.

The viking had helped a man with the fallen cart. Charles was shocked that Max got his hands dirty on that. That he just helped a man putting the cart back on its wheels and helped him putting the shoes back in place after the man explained a young wolf had accidentally bumped into it.

The second time was yesterday, they were down at the docks. A woman had to help an injured warrior that came back from the sea, she asked Max if he could look after her two hyper active sons.

To Charles his surprise Max had agreed and picked the two kids up with ease. Putting them on either side of his board shoulders. They went up the street to the centre.

There Max had put them on their feet, he got on his knees. He told the two kids something in Hollandian, they nodded and off the three went. Leaving the three princes behind.

After walking behind the three vikings, Arthur had found them laughing in the snow a couple of feet from a clay paint covered Daniel. Who was cursing at Blonde viking before he dove on top of Max.

Smearing the younger viking in with clay paint too. The two kids were laughing loudly before Daniel had smeared the paint over the two boys too.

After a walk through the village they got back to the docks. The woman had burst out laughing as soon as she saw the vikings and her kids. The kids were jumping up and down, laughing as Charles can only guess was them telling her the story of what they had done to the older viking.

The kids had hugged Max before they left, Arthur was quick to ask if that was normal. That he always looked after kids. Max had shrugged it off and said that everyone looks out for each other here. He told the three that he sometimes looks after kids when someone needs them to.

He told them that everyone knows each other and that his mother and father sometimes left him and his two sisters with other people of they were too busy. That it was just a thing here.

Charles smiles as he sees the viking sleeping on the furs on the floor. Curled up with his wolf Dakota as Max had pointed out to Charles that Dakota normally sleeps in his room or on his bed sometimes.

It was normal to treat this wolf like a child, they were companions for life. Little by little Charles was getting used with having a wolf always close to him. Dakota had taken a quite a liking to Charles, protecting the boy as much as he could.

If Max wasn't around, Dakota would walk everywhere with him. Max had told him that wolves feel which person can protect themselves and which can't. That Dakota was just making sure that Charles wouldn't get harmed.

But Max also pointed out that Dakota was able to feel and know if Charles was traumatised. When Charles went once or twice into the village to grab some fresh air. Dakota tagged along.

Whenever a person that touched Charles and he didn't like it, Dakota would get between Charles and that person. His ear flat back against his head and look at him until the person let Charles go.

Max told Charles that if he ever wanted a wolf. He would a warrior wolf, that would be the best combination for him. The wolf would always be able to protect him, but Charles told Max that he would rather want a nurturing wolf.

Max had smiled at that and told him that a wolf would never disappoint. Charles didn't understand what Max had meant but he didn't care.

Charles snaps out of his train of thoughts, Dakota barks at Charles happily and bumps his head against him. Asking for the prince to pet him. He runs his fingers through the soft black fur of the wolf.

"Salut, doux." (Hey there, softy.) charles whispers to the happy wolf.

He hopes that the barking of the wolf hadn't woken up Max. He casts his eyes at Max but the man is stretching himself out and smiling.

"Morgen." The Hollandian greets him in his native language.

Charles had learned what the hello and goodbyes are in Hollandian. He could say hello to them but that's everything for of right now.

"Salut." Charles greeted Max back.

Charles had found out that Max could understand the Montseilleian and Monaque language just fine, he just had trouble pronouncing the words correctly. So Charles had decided to take it upon himself to learn Max how to correctly pronounce it.

"Your brothers are still in bed?" Max asks.

Charles shrugs his shoulders. "I think."

Max nods his head, it takes an hour before the other two are out of their bed too. In the meantime, Charles and Max had taken a walk with Dakota. The wolf just running in front of them from tree to tree. Max explained to Charles that if Dakota does that it means that wild wolves had passed this place.

Charles had grabbed onto Max out of instinct and fear. But Max just chuckled and told him that they wouldn't come near when Dakota is running around them.

"Wolves are scared of dire wolves, Charles." Max chuckled.

"Still." Charles mumbled.

Max shook his head and had wrapped his arm around the shoulder of the lean prince. Pulling him close and letting him hold onto his warm fur.

Once they got back to his house, the two others had just come down the stairs. Dakota had happily greeted them too but not as enthusiastic as he did with Charles.

Max made them breakfast, Charles had been trying to see what he was doing in particular since the last two days. Finding it somewhat fascinating what Max was doing.

Max even let Charles help with the food a couple of times. Showing him how to do it and letting the Monaque do it all on his own while Max was a couple of centimetres away from him doing something else related to cooking.

And today was not any different, Charles was allowed to help Max with making the food. Max had stepped behind him and grabbed onto his small hands in comparison to Max's huge ones. Max towers over him and is at least a head taller then him, and Charles is the tallest of his brothers.

Charles feels his heart racing in his chest. His mind can't focus on anything else than the feeling of Max's hands around his, how his broader chest feel against his small and lean back.

"Charles, focus." Max whispers into his ear.

He shivers at the feeling of Max's lips against his ear. He gulps, hoping that Max won't notice what he is doing to him.

To be honest with himself, Charles had never felt this way with anyone. It takes every bit of willpower in him not to get hard. It would be sinful to get hard or think dirty about someone.

He's not married to him so he isn't allowed to think dirty about Max. Or to think about sex in any particular way. He would go to hell if he did.

After breakfast Max takes the three of them down a pathway to the centre of the village, Charles is back to being glued to one of his brothers. He feels unsafe walking around the village like that. Not guards or anything.

He is still surprised that Max just walks without anyone protecting him around the village like that and the fact that Dakota always stays with Charles means that Max walks around the village even without his wolf.

Dakota is even now walking next to Charles. Not leaving his side for one moment. Max doesn't seem to be bother about the fact that Dakota stays by His side instead of next to Max.

They head into the gathering hall, he finds the two sisters of Max sitting with a woman with dark hair and the man that Charles learned is Jos, Max's father. They all greet the people inside, who are already on the room.

Charles sees Daniel, who he learned is Max's second in command or also known as right hand man, sotting with the girl Anoek, who is has learned is the older sister of Max and Daniel's wife. The two are very important to the country.

Victoria is the lead healer in the country, knows everything about healing and taking care of other people. But she also knows how to deliver babies. She isn't married just yet as she is engaged to her lover.

"Lieverd!" The dark haired woman gets up from her seat.

"Mam, werkelijk?" Max groans, getting squeezed into a tight hug from her.

Charles chuckles, this has to be the most touchy and hugging family he knows. Jos chuckles at his wife, Sophie. Who doesn't let her son go for a good whole minute. She lets him go once she had enough hugging.

It doesn't take her long to pull Charles into a hug too, now Max chuckling while his father puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Er kwam een brief voor hen binnen." (A letter came in for them.) Jos tells Max.

"Geef het maar aan hen." (Just give it to them.) Max tells his dad.

Jos nods his head at his son and gives the letter rolled up at Lorenzo. Who thanks Jos and unrolls it. Sophie had by now let go of Charles and pulled the youngest one into her arms.

Arthur lets himself get hugged by Max's mother like this. Feeling nice because he really misses his mother at the moment. And having Sophie as a mother figure makes it a bit easier to be away from his own.

Lorenzo pulls Charles next to him and holds the letter pit to the prince. Max had taken his seat in the middle of the gathering hall.

Dear king of Holland,

Thank you for taking our sons in your care. We appreciate you doing this for our sons and the princes of our country. I hope they are behaving well and aren't demanding to much of you guys. We know they can be a bit spoiled at times.

As you must have heard by now is that our country is completely destroyed, all the cities are burned to the ashes, our castle having met the same fate. Most of Our people were fortunate to survive this attack.

Thanks to you and a few other countries we're able to fight of the Reykvikians and restore back our lands, we don't expect a reply to this but if everything goes well we will write a letter.

We hope that our sons are in good condition like you told us. We hope that they don't have any traumas or other things that could be over time a worry.

Thank you again for looking after our sons and please get Arthur and Lorenzo back to training. If you have to opportunity please get our son Charles back to studying. It would help them into the future.

Sincerely,

King Herve and Queen Pascale.

Charles groans, he hates studying. He is super happy that his parents are fine and so are his people. He just doesn't want to go back to learning everything related to his country and everything outside.

"I don't wanna study." Charles groans again.

"Really! That's all you noticed?" Lorenzo complains.

Charles rolls his eyes as he can hear Max laugh, the Hollandian finding it obviously funny. He hears Daniel and Anoek snickering too.

Sophie and Jos shake their head but have an amused smile on their faces. Obviously understanding the Monaque, having been in his shoes when they were younger, heck Max is still studying how to rule a country, Jos is still giving his son lessons in history and geography.

"You can study with me then." Max laughs.

"You study?" Charles asked surprised.

Max nods his head, he points to the aide of the hall. A pile of books and maps along with many other things are thrown in that exact corner. Charles smiles a little as he isn't alone in this.

"Alright!" Jos clasps his hands together. "We're heading out and will see you four at the feast."

"Sure, dad." Max nods at his father.

Everyone leaves the gathering hall apart from Max, Lorenzo, Arthur and Charles. Arthur turns to Max with pleading eyes, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Can we get wolves?" Arthur asks.

Max sighs, this had to be the seventh day in a week that Arthur had bugged him with that. And to the point that he was considering to get one for him so that he would stop whining about it.

"Will you stop whining then?" Max raises his eyebrow.

"Obviously!" Arthur smiles.

Max nods his head and gets up from his seat. He guesses that they are going into the forest to find some wild wolves. He just hopes not to come across some dangerous ones or dire wolves.