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“I don’t think taking your hand in marriage will solve the rivalry between our kingdoms, Sire.”
A heaved sigh escaped Kaelix’s lips, the weight of his crown lying heavy as he thought of another (polite) way to reject the other king’s advances. It was another trip, Seible, his advisor, had told him, to figure out a solution to the dispute between their kingdoms, one that rose after a clumsy merchant from Kaelix’s kingdom had foul-mouthed the ruler of the current kingdom he was at now, dodging the slimy hands of the coy young heir, a man similar to his age and upbringing, finding their similarities and excuse to flirt incessantly.
The clink of metal beside the white-haired royal was soft but audible enough to be heard by nearby ears, the prince glancing at his knight beside him. Zeal, his most trusted knight, had gone with him on this trip as a courtesy; sometimes these kinds of diplomatic missions can go… awry, and Zeal would have to protect him, sword and shield.
The king they were visiting tutted his tongue and slid off this throne, a vain one at that, with ornate gold and sapphires of nearly every color framing the top like a halo. This monarch was persistent, if ever, to get into Kaelix’s pants, eyes ravaging his lithe and fit body, smile digging sly and near perverted.
Kaelix, patient as taught, cleared his throat and straightened his back as he let the depraved gaze soak into him as a means to finish this meet.
“No?” The man saunters up to Kaelix, eyes glued to the sliver of skin that disappeared under pressed fabrics and thick buttons.
Another rustle of chainmail causes Kaelix to shoot a glare at the knight, daring him to continue.
If Zeal did something rash, only the gods knew what the other ruler would do.
The king looks at the knight behind Kaelix, smirking as he walks up to Kaelix near pressing himself against Kaelix’s front.
He traces a gloved hand down his jaw, down to the very skin he had eyed earlier, hunger in his eyes as the prince shivered slightly against his fingertip.
“That merchant had said awful, awful things about me.” The king cooed, his finger trailing about Kaelix’s robes, a shiver crawling up his spine. “Did you know what he said?” He scoffed, looking past him and to Zeal, a glint of mischief in his eye.
Zeal shouldn’t move.
The man takes a breath. “He said that I’m corrupt,” his fingers graze Kaelix’s rested arms, the king's body leaning into his. “That I bed my visitors to earn their favor,” The king whispers into Kaelix’s ear, the prince's shoulders slowly bunching up as he tenses. “That I always get my way.” The hand that has danced around Kaelix’s body started to wrap around his waist, hand gripping it as he-
“Remove your hands.”
The air thickens, the trailing hand freezes as Kaelix’s body relaxes. The man’s hand slips away, a bark of laughter erupting.
“Oh? And where does this lowly knight’s power lie? Surely, you didn’t just order me, the current heir to this throne, to cease my advances on this unwed, powerful man.” He teases, his body turned to the knight, the sharp eyes the only thing visible behind the helmet he wore.
“Zeal.”
The knight stiffens. The prince has never addressed him as such in front of anyone, even with his housestaff back home.
“I take it that you’ve realized you have stepped out of line.” Kaelix turns to the man, eyes hard and unmoving as he continues, ignoring the king’s smug grin.
“You are not to disrupt this-” Kaelix pauses briefly. “Meeting.”
Zeal straightens himself, guilt-ridden as he swallows his pride, the seriousness Kaelix carries in his eyes.
“Be lucky he hasn’t made such a move to remove you from this room. He is merciful enough to let you be here, against his customs. Are we correct?” Kaelix turns to the monarch, who flinches at the rise in his voice, impatience dripping.
“Y-yes, I’ve decided to permit the presence of your guard; it’s true.”
Kaelix exhales harshly. “As I said so. I expect you to behave more like a knight, someone with honour and valor, and not a humble guard. You know that such actions are not to be questioned. So why act now?”
Kaelix tests his knight, eyes staring down the knight, questioning him; no word comes from the armor-clad man in a moment as Kaelix finally nods.
“Right.”
Unbeknownst to him, Zeal’s jaw clenches; a grit in his teeth and a bitter taste in his mouth linger.
Kaelix takes a deep breath and tugs a charming yet diplomatic smile. He clasps his hands together. “Alright, political marriage aside, what if we held a grand race to decide?”
–
The meeting was a success, and they have a race to plan in six months' time. They are set to leave the kingdom in the morning, so the king had directed Kaelix to the guest quarters, where he would rest for the night.
Kaelix removes his robes, feet tired and body weary, with Zeal behind him locking the door.
“Prepare my bath, Zeal.” The prince says, turning to his knight.
Zeal hasn’t moved from the door, except for having removed his helmet that was now on a nearby chair, unreadable eyes on Kaelix.
“What? Have you forgotten how to move? I said-”
“On your knees.”
Kaelix’s mouth snaps shut, knees hitting the ground soundly.
“Does it feel good to scold your knight, my lord?” Zeal says, delivered in a deep tone that sends a shiver down his spine. “It feels good, doesn’t it? To have power over me when eyes are watching.”
The prince, on the floor, pants scuffed from the wood, makes a small noise as metal fingers grip his unblemished jaw.
“And it must feel so good when I force you on your knees, with your honor and grace nowhere to be seen, servicing this knight like a dog.” Zeal tuts, gripping harder to pull another whine out of the royal.
“Did you see the way he held you? Like he was about to devour you whole, right in front of the man who already does it? Did you like that? Being swept off your feet by a man who can’t even keep a lover by his side? Someone who wasn’t your loyal knight? Huh?” With every question, he tugs Kaelix closer to him, having him stumble on his knees, scuffing his clothing more as he scrabbles to keep his balance.
“I apologize, I didn’t- I just wanted to-” Kaelix stutters, a thick pool of heat in his stomach as he breathes out, staggered, growing harder with each rough pull from his knight.
“Speak.” Zeal bites out, followed by another pitiful noise from Kaelix.
“I just wanted to make sure it went smoothly.” Kaelix pieces together, mind fogging up.
“Would you have slept with that man to earn his favor?” Zeal questions, genuinely a flash of hurt barely tinting his gaze.
“No,” Kaelix swears, barely registering the lack of honorifics for the wretched king, breathing shallowly as Zeal moves to remove the rest of his armor, leaving Kaelix kneeling on the floor.
As he removes each garment, Zeal's underclothing is black and fitting to his body, hard muscle underneath dark fabric framing it. Kaelix loved the view, knew what he looked like underneath, what he looked like above him, taking him on plush sheets.
Zeal stands before him again, this time grabbing Kaelix’s hair roughly and tugging it towards him, like earlier.
“You know what to do.” Zeal orders, unbecoming of a right-hand man of the prince.
Kaelix mewls, pressing his plumped, bitten lips against the knight’s length, languid tongue licking kittenishly as he kisses up the bulge. Zeal groans, watching long lashes flutter in pleasure, eager to earn praise from the knight.
Here, their titles are void.
Here, the prince kneels for his loyal guard, following his order like a common whore.
Here, Kaelix feels the most like himself, a loyal pet to his owner, one without the burden of stupid diplomatic meetings and royal court orders and the like, only to please and listen with the reward of a lover’s devotion and a wonderful mind-numbing coitus.
For the rest of the night, Kaelix was pressed into the sheets, mouth palmed shut because of how loud he was, so much louder than the hips that thrust against him making him take all of his loyal knight, head dizzy and mouth dribbling with drool, hiccups among gentle sobs from achin lips, body riddled with bruises that won’t be seen by eyes that weren’t Zeal’s.
After Zeal kisses praises and love into his prince, bathes him like he has asked, lathering soap and pampering him, they lay in bed, Zeal back in his armor, still tasked with the safety of his royal lover.
“Did I step out of line, my grace?” He leans in to kiss the back of Kaelix’s hand.
The prince huffs, lip jutting out in a pout as he pulls the covers over himself.
“..No,” Kaelix says, pulling on the armor to kiss the laughing knight on the lips, shooing him away to watch over him for the rest of the moon’s reign over the sky.
“Goodnight, Zeal.”
“Goodnight.”