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Laura gave a rather indignant laugh. How else would a lady of her stature and class laugh? Guffaw. “Tell me, Vander boy. Do you practice the sword every day…or do some nights involve you slipping into your bed of sin to please yourself as you fantasize about His Highness and you engaged in the most illicit of activities?” She inquired, one perfect eyebrow raised. See, I could be a poet if I wanted, hoe.
Kurt could only stare at the woman. And blush. He blushed reaaaally hard. Also, Laura’s very pretty so perhaps that factored in. “I…I have no idea how to respond to that.” He said quietly, and she chuckled. Oh! I guess there was another way for ladies like her to—never mind.
She laid both hands upon the hilt of her greatsword, which was planted in the ground. “Try the truth, boy.” She suggested coolly.
What the hell is wrong with her? Instructor Rean never told me she could be this…Kurt trailed off. He didn’t know how you described someone acting the way she was. Still, he viewed the Arseids as his superiors, so he answered truthfully. “As you wish. Yes, I do train my swords every day. However, after I have finished and retired to bed, I do occasionally…slip into my bed of sin, as it were.” He sighed.
Then, Laura cackled. “I knew it. How pathetic you are, Kurt Vander. You bring shame to your family’s name.” She declared.
Kurt frowned. “Excuse me? I am aware I have a long way to go before I reach the same heights as my father and brother, but don’t you dare say that to me again.” He snapped.
Before Laura could mete out a retort, however, another laugh sounded from the doorway. The two turned to find a certain blonde bastard prince watching them.
“My, my. How fierce of you, Kurt.” He smirked.
“Your Highness! What brings you here?” Kurt asked with wide eyes, hoping he kept the nervousness out of his voice. He did not.
“I’m the crown prince of Erebonia, am I not? Surely I should be allowed to go where I please.” Cedric raised a brow, though it was hardly a question. Suddenly, Kurt felt unable to look him in the eyes, and against his better judgment, his gaze drifted to the floor beneath him. He heard Cedric click his tongue and take a step closer to him. “Naughty boy, Kurt. Weren’t you taught it’s impolite to not meet someone’s eyes when conversing with them? I’d say it’s even worse when speaking to royalty.” He all but purred in his ear.
Kurt visibly shivered, while Laura’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, then. At least your feelings are reciprocated, disgrace.” She commented.
“I told you to quit—“ Kurt began to shoot back, but he was swiftly interrupted by Cedric.
“So you raise your eyes for your instructor’s friends but not your own?” He said, feigning a hint of hurt in his voice.
Kurt swallowed hard before meeting Cedric’s gaze again. “My apologies, Your Highness.” He bowed his head, receiving another laugh in response.
“Oh, you needn’t do that…but if you so desire my forgiveness, Kurt, allow me to suggest you demonstrate it another way.” Cedric replied lightly. Kurt, who became—to be frank—an ass-kisser around royalty, nodded almost immediately.
“Of course.”
“Kiss me.”
“Excuse me?!” He couldn’t help yelling.
“Oh, my. You could not even see that coming? You truly are pathetic.” Laura sighed, shaking her head.
For the first time since arriving, Cedric looked her directly in her golden eyes. He seemed quite annoyed. “Can you…stop talking, Lady Laura? Or better yet, leave us alone?” Once again, it was not a question.
Laura didn’t seem too phased by it, though. “Forgive me, Your Highness, but I was here first.” She put a hand on her hip defiantly.
Kurt’s pupils blew wide again. “Laura-“ He tried to warn her.
“I’m afraid who arrived in a room first is, like your entire existence, irrelevant once a member of the royal family decrees it so.” Cedric sneered back.
“Oh, but I don’t see any royalty around. Only a lovesick little boy whose quite drunk on his power.” Laura smirked, and the prince clenched his fists.
“Why, you—“
Kurt hastily stood between them, his back to Laura. “Your Highness, please. She didn’t mean it.” He said.
“You speak for her now? What is she to you, Kurt, your paramour?!” Cedric demanded.
“What? Of course not!” The blue-haired boy frowned.
“How very tiring this situation has become…” Laura heaved another sigh. “I think I will take my leave, after all. Kurt, please mediate on my words and better yourself as soon as possible. Farewell…boy.” She directed the last part at Cedric, then exited the room with all the arrogance of…well, of a lovesick little boy quite drunk on his power.
Once she was out of sight, Cedric actually screamed. “How dare she! If she thinks she can talk to ME like that, I’ll have her stripped of any privileges she currently enjoys! I’ll destroy that pathetic training hall of her family’s with my own sword! I’ll castrate her father—“ He ranted.
“Cedric, that’s enough! Just let it go, would you?” Kurt grabbed his shoulders to steady him.
Of course, being him, Cedric decided to take it a different way. Kurt knew he was in trouble when that cursed smirk of his reappeared. “To caress me so casually, Kurt…this isn’t like you at all.” He said, lowering his voice just enough to get that seductive pitch.
Kurt was obviously taken aback by his words, but he had yet to let him go—much to Cedric’s chagrin, I’m sure. “I—I’m not caressing you, Your Highness. I simply wanted you to calm down.” He explained.
“I never said I minded, you realize. You can touch me whenever you’d like.” Cedric leaned even closer then, effectively ruining any chance Kurt thought he had at maintaining his composure.
Sighing, he slowly dropped his hands. “Your Highness, please stop it.” He whispered.
“Why? I can tell you like it. And besides…” Cedric paused right near Kurt’s ear. “You were the one who said you wanted to have a relationship akin to our brothers, correct?” He reminded him with a smile.
“Muller isn’t romantically entangled with Prince Olivert!” Kurt said indignantly—although deep down, he knew that wasn’t exactly true.
“It’s adorable that you think so. It just goes to show how pure you are,” Cedric chuckled.
You used to fit those categories, Kurt thought, but he would never dare voice those words aloud. Forget possibly offending the prince; he’d probably enjoy Kurt essentially calling him “adorable” and proceed to tease him about it for days. Huh. Now that he thought about it, His Highness had turned out quite like his brother and sister, hadn’t he? Aside from his more, ah, unpleasant tendencies, that was. Kurt quickly brought himself back to reality. “Regardless of the status of our brothers’ relationship,” he sighed. “I had no romantic thoughts in mind when I told you that.” He stated.
“Repeatedly, you mean. You told me that repeatedly.” Cedric corrected him smugly.
Kurt stared, growing rather annoyed now. “You did the same, Cedric.” He shot back.
“You can’t offend me like that. I like hearing my name roll off that versatile tongue of yours.” Was the blonde’s response.
“Y-Your Highness!” Kurt stammered, feeling his face burn.
“You truly are too cute sometimes.” Cedric smiled, but it didn’t hold the same arrogance as the previous ones. At least not entirely. There was something else there besides his newfound smug attitude. Something fond and affectionate.
“You don’t have to keep saying that,” Kurt muttered.
“You would rather I not speak my mind? Let my sister do it for me like when I was young?” Cedric responded, and now his voice had taken on a harder edge.
“Of course not. I’m glad you have grown more confident in yourself, Your Hi—“ Kurt started.
“Cedric. Didn’t I just tell you I liked when you said it? Don’t stop now, Kurt.” The blonde frowned.
“That was a mistake. It’s informal and—“
“But I’m the one telling you to do it.” Cedric pointed out irritably. “So—quit with the formalities and address me as you would a friend, because that’s what we have always been.” All of a sudden he didn’t sound so demanding; he sounded like he was pleading. He sounded vulnerable, something that Kurt hadn’t witnessed from him since they were kids. Yet it was still so familiar…wonderfully so. And it was that familiarity that gave Kurt the courage to kiss him.