An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
To Forge a Prince into a King
Rated M • Prince Keith / Blacksmith Shiro AU (Kingforger AU) • Medieval setting • Established relationship • Forbidden love • Gift fic for @insomnikat-mused
When Duke Sendak instigates a bloody coup in the kingdom of Terrene, murdering the king and presumably the queen, Prince Keith flees to the only person he still trusts—the city's blacksmith and his personal friend, Shiro. As the two embark on a dangerous journey to gather an army of their own and retake Keith's throne, Shiro gives Keith the tools he needs to succeed—a new sword, a recalcitrant horse… and the growing confidence to be the ruler Shiro knows he can be.
The barn door squeaked as it opened, and Shiro paused in loading the last of the tools and weapons into the back of the wagon. His palm squeaked around the grip of a gleaming ax, the freshly sanded and oiled wood smooth against his callused skin. He turned slowly, muscles tensed—
Familiar amethyst eyes met his, reflecting the glow of the single lantern hung in the center of the room. Shiro sagged into the side of the wagon long enough to catch Keith's gaze and offer him a warm smile before turning to nestle the ax among thick blankets.
"You're supposed to be sleeping," Shiro said.
"I woke up and you weren't there. I thought..."
Keith trailed off, his tone small and fragile in a way Shiro had only heard for the first time few hours ago when the freshly-orphaned prince of Terrene had fallen through Shiro's front door, bruised and battered but blessedly alive. After spending the previous day in mourning, the euphoria of discovering Keith had escaped the bloody coup led them to their first kiss, along with emotional declarations of devotion.
Cold reality had intruded not long after...
