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“I can see you, Lance.”
Lance grins and sidles up to Keith’s side from behind the column.
He then tilts his head and peers at him with a playful look.
Keith doesn’t spare him a glance and continues watching ahead, where distinguished guests mingle with each other, and servants carry food and drink on gold platters.
Keith should be down there with them, should be ‘socialising’ with his subjects, but he would really rather be anywhere else.
The only saving grace is that he has some kind of a reputation. He doesn’t know what it is exactly, however he knows it makes others scared to approach him. People will sneak glances at him, talk about him with hands or fans or whatever object they’re holding in front of their mouths, but they’ll never try to actually initiate a conversation.
It’s great.
Only, Keith knows the queen is becoming impatient with him.
She’s finally come to terms with the fact he is not interested in a partner, so she’s now focusing all her efforts into teaching Keith everything it takes to be a good leader.
Which unfortunately involves attending parties he always managed to get out of before.
“Prince Keith, you’re scowling.”
Keith tears his gaze away from Krolia, who’s giving him a look that no doubt reads, ‘Get down here and talk to these people.’, and redirects his glare to Lance instead.
“Why are you even here?”
Lance puts a hand over his heart and pretends to be wounded. He falters back and his silver armour shines under the light. The blue emblem in the middle—signifying his status as a Paladin, a Defender of the Kingdom—reflects brilliantly, matching the ocean in his eyes.
He’s doused in it too, and the side of his face and hair are made to glow. Like this, he appears more regal than Keith does.
This is what they mean, he thinks, when they say the monarchs are blessed and descended from the skies above.
Except, Lance is just a knight.
But that doesn’t make him any less appealing.
It might do even more—with the combat skills he has, the ability to tame and ride any horse, the power in his brain and sword in battle—there is no question as to why he’s popular amongst the court.
Keith turns his face so as to hide his blush, hoping he can successfully mask it as annoyance at Lance’s antics.
“I’m here to guard you, of course.”
Lance’s voice is weirdly gentle so Keith looks at him again, and finds him resting a hand on the hilt of his sword, something he hadn’t noticed before.
He makes steady eye contact with Lance when he tells him, “You know full well I need no protection. And who would be so stupid as to try and assassinate the heir in his own home?”
“Many people, as you’re well aware. And I know you can fend for yourself, but I still have to obey Her Majesty’s orders.”
Keith groans and goes back to surveying the crowd.
He wonders if he can sneak to one of the food tables and grab something then come back without being noticed. Or whether he can just sneak back into his room and be done with the whole thing. He can visit the kitchen on his way too and still get food.
Apparently Hunk is catering for the event, and he makes the best dishes. Improved the castle’s meals immensely when he came here. Made it so that everyone got to eat like royalty, even if they were the furthest from it.
Hunk has a heart of gold—it’s no wonder he’s the Yellow Paladin.
“Which reminds me, she wanted me to tell you that events like these were important, and they’re good opportunities to build your image. ‘Keith may have the skills of a warrior, however he has a long way to go until he can communicate like a king.’”
Lance has pitched his voice higher, and talks with a posher accent.
“Are you trying to impersonate my mother?!”
Keith feels scandalised. Lance just grins at him.
One of the ladies-in-waiting walks past them, and when Lance redirects his smile to her and says hello, her cheeks become redder than the makeup already on them, and she quickly ducks her head and scurries away.
The exchange bugs Keith. He rolls his eyes and ignores the spike of something he doesn’t want to name in his chest.
“Ugh. Why couldn’t you just take my place? You’d be a much better royal than me.”
Keith never wanted the position anyway. And if he wasn’t a prince he could focus all his time and energy into being the Red Paladin. How many days has it been since he saw Red? He hopes she isn’t angry with him.
“You know,” Lance starts in that tone which means he’s about to say something bad, “there is a way I can become royalty.”
“Lance, you can’t get ‘royaltied’. It’s not like being knighted.”
He would though, if he had that power.
Keith would make Lance a prince, or a king, or anything he wanted to be.
Maybe then…
“Are you— You know what, I’m not gonna get mad. But as I was trying to say before you cut me off to insinuate I am unintelligent, if I married into the family, I’d become a royal.”
“My mother is not—”
“Ew stop! Aren’t you supposed to have the best tutors or something? How can you still be so stupid?”
Keith doesn’t lash out at the insult, but it’s a close thing. Lance is lucky Keith is too focused on trying to figure out his words right now.
“Wait. My mum is a widow. She isn’t going to remarry. So are you saying…”
Lance lets out a soft chuckle, and he moves right up into Keith’s space, gazes into his eyes with a gentleness that is definitely not associated with knights, and makes butterflies burst in Keith’s stomach.
“My prince,” and Keith’s heart skips at the possessive pronoun, “I mean this as respectfully as possible, but you are an idiot.”
That’s another insult now.
And once again, Keith isn’t going to do anything about it.
He does want, however, to…
“Lance.”
“Yes?”
“People are staring.”
“Let them. Let them wonder what this is. Whether I’m leaning close because I’m relaying confidential information, or whether the prince’s cold heart has been melted by the knight sworn to protect him.”
Lance glances down at his lips, and nervous laughter bubbles from Keith’s mouth. They’re really, really close.
Also, he would argue that it’s neither.
That his heart has long since been burning, charging him with fire.
Filling him with a desire for someone he’s just learned shared the same feelings.
Keith bites down on his bottom lip to keep from smiling.
“Hey, would you look at that. I got you to smile.”
Ah. It seems Keith has failed to contain his joy.
“Lance.”
“Mmh?”
“Do you reckon you could get us out of here?”
Lance's eyes light up and he stands straight, in the official posture when receiving orders. There's nothing else serious about his demeanour though, this is all just for show.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
He then turns and starts to make leave, Keith following close behind.
They maintain this order as they traverse the hallways like they’ve done many times before, but unlike the previous times, as soon as there’s no one around Keith finally reaches out for Lance’s hand. It’s something he’s wanted to do for so long, and when Lance’s fingers curl around his, he knows there’ll be no maintaining that reputation he’s inadvertently created for himself.
Not when even a simple touch leaves him absolutely enamoured.