Work Text:
There were days when the elven king Broflovski felt too suffocated within the castle walls. In those moments, he would take his beloved mare, Prue, and simply wander the forest – only to return late in the evening much to the concern of the royal’s personal guard, Stanley Marshwalker.
Though this time, he’d opted to have Marshwalker, or Stan as the king had come to call him in private, come with him. He stood outside in the gardens, ears pricking at the sound of Stan’s boots drawing closer.
“Took you long enough,” Kyle sighed, tufted tail swaying behind him. “Let’s go.”
“Of course, sire. Where are we heading to?”
“We’ll be making our way to a forest I’ve come to call haven,” the king explained.
“It would be an honor to accompany you.”
The Emerald Forest was somewhere only heard through whispers, but no human had ever gone inside. Infused with raw, ancient magic, and the rumored birthplace of the Stick of Truth. There’d been said to be fauna of the likes none had ever seen before.
Others would have spread it was filled with monsters. Monsters willing to destroy and conquer.
Trekking to the mysterious forest proved a long journey. Stan could understand the rumors of its seclusion. Some might’ve argued it’d never existed in the first place.
His gaze caught on a large canopy of swaying branches, all covered in leaves which seemed to shimmer silver underneath the sun, eyes widening. Stan pulled the reins to guide his horse forward as soon as he noticed His Majesty walking ahead of him.
“This place is quite the sight,” the guard commented.
“There’s still more to see, Stan.” Kyle chuckled. His ears swiveled out to both sides as he took in the sounds around them.
A tiny songbird trilled its sweet melody. Two squirrels shot past, chattering excitedly like nothing else mattered. The gentle breeze nipped at the king’s curls, and for a second, a comforting combination of sound came together.
Vines covered in bright, colorful flowers wrapped around the trees, and twinkling lights glistened from the ground.
“The Emerald Forest is not what I expected,” Stan mused.
“What the humans call an Emerald Forest goes by a different name in Larnion,” Kyle explained. “It’s been part of our home for generations. According to our beliefs, the elements each elf possesses comes from this forest’s magic.”
“There’s so much we’ve been wrong about,” his guard sighed.
“You’re different from them. I’m choosing to lay my trust in you by bringing you here.”
“I want to set things right. Not like the tyrant.”
“Maybe this time,” Kyle began slowly, guiding his horse forward, “peace might come for everyone, but I don’t enjoy harboring false hope.”
His words ended in a fierce growl as his magic sprung at him in a whirlwind. The king’s hands were raised, emitting a low, pulsing thrum and streaks of fire shot out, singing the ground.
Spooked by the sudden rush of anger, Prue let out a loud nicker and pawed her hooves against the dirt. Without even a second thought, she reared up on her hind legs – startling her rider out of his own messy thoughts.
“Easy, Prue, easy,” Kyle tried to soothe her, cursing in the elven tongue when he was sent flying forward.
“Kyle! Oh shit-” Stan exclaimed. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. There’s nothing I can’t-” His Majesty’s words suddenly cut off with a choked, weak cry, only serving to concern his knight. “Stay back! Don’t come any closer!”
“If you just let me help,” Stan began – recoiling back when a low snarl escaped the king.
“I- I’m infected. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
“Infected? What do you-”
Stan’s gaze fell on Kyle – eyes widening at the red pulse in the elven king’s pupils. Even without magic, he could smell the signs of corruption. Saw the dark veins protruding from His Majesty’s arms.
There was a gash on the palm of his hand. Blood dripped from a thorn and Stan stared at the flower it connected to. Something he’d never seen before.
“Your majesty?” He asked quietly.
Kyle’s gaze zeroed in on him and a vicious snarl escaped the back of his throat, limbs moving of their own accord, before swinging his sword at the guard.
Stan was quick to deflect. His instincts surged at him and blocked every oncoming blow. He needed Kyle to snap out of it, but nothing seemed to be working.
No matter what he shouted, there was not an ounce of recognition in Kyle’s eyes as he rounded on Stan again.
He didn’t know what to do.
Stan gasped when His Majesty summoned the strings of magic. Elemental energy rushed around the royal.
“Your ma-” His words fell flat at the vines moving up his legs. Stan swore under his breath and began to pull away, but the grip on him was strong. The restraints caged his arms, pinning them to his sides, tightening the more he tried to struggle. “Kyle, wait! It’s- It’s me. Don’t you know who I am?”
He was forced onto his knees.
The blows rained down on him. Stan was helpless to it.
“Kyle, stop! Just listen to me!” He exclaimed, biting down a shout as Kyle, still trapped by the corruption, swung at him again. “You have to let me go, I’m not- I’m not the enemy here!”
Hands wrapped around Stan’s neck, squeezing tightly.
He gasped, feet scraping against the ground. Tears gathered in his eyes as he tried to fight back, but his arms wouldn’t budge.
His air supply constricted painfully and Stan choked, “Ky- Kyle, please… please-”
Tiny, dark spots were beginning to dance in the corner of his eyes, squirming helplessly against the bindings. Sobs wracked his body, blood trickling down his cheek. “Stop– please, just let me go. Kyle, this isn’t you, stop!”
The hands around his neck faltered. He could faintly hear heavy breaths ringing out, and then a staggering step backwards. For a second, there was no sound – except for His Majesty’s low, shaky pants, and Stan’s own quiet whimper.
“What- Oh, shit, Stan! What have I done?”
Stan couldn’t help it when he flinched back. He knew Kyle would never hurt him.
Not on purpose.
Except he could still feel the hands around his neck. The blank stare in His Majesty’s eyes while he beat Stan.
“I’m so sorry- I’m sorry,” Kyle rambled, dragging the veins back down to the earth. He was quick to draw Stan into his arms, and held him close. “I didn’t mean-”
“It’s- It’s okay,” Stan swallowed, slowly returning the embrace. “We can get through this. We just have to- I need space, but we can fix this.”
He hoped Kyle had come back to his senses.
Losing the king to corruption had been hell. Even if it’d only been for a moment, but no matter what happened, Stan was determined to stay by his side.
Even if it meant walking into the darkness.