First Chapter of My New Fic, Forever Changing
Keith had been fighting all his life. Before his father died, he had taught Keith the basics, then his older brother, Shiro, joined the king’s guard and took Kieth along with him to training. Keith had been part of of the royal guard since he was twelve, he had been better than most people twice his age.
Now he was fifteen. Keith was being promoted. To where? He would find out soon. Shiro decided to take him along with him to the meeting of the royal leaders, he would get his assignment there.
The hall was very open, the walls were basically just arches that met high above them in a dome-like shape. Keith had been here a few times in the past three years to get assignments from the King himself. Assignments that required a large amount of skill, but no more that one person. Keith had accepted these missions without a second thought and completed them without fail. He had been anticipating a new assignment for a while now.
They approached the king and bowed, making a circle over their hearts to symbolize unity, or something, Shiro had told him about it a long time ago. King Alfor nodded and gestured to the table, there were four seats left. Keith sat beside his brother.
Under the table Keith knotted together strings. He was always fidgeting with something, his hands needed to be busy at all times. Though this trait annoyed his brother greatly, it helped him a lot in battle, so they found ways to keep him from destroying things by giving his hands something to do. The strings had been a recent discovery, Keith had tagged along with Shiro on a mission a few weeks ago, Shiro had dropped Keith off at a carnival type place to patrol while he did his work. There was a lady who had been selling bracelets and long chains of beautifully threaded string and Keith had asked her about it. He sat with her for the whole day and learned many ways to stitch the woven wool.
The last generals arrived just as Keith was starting a new thread. It was Lotor and his father Zarkon, the Galrans. It was common knowledge that they wanted the throne, but King Alfor chose to ignore it, since they hadn’t acted on it. Today, Zarkon sat right next to the King, where Alfor’s advisor normally sat, and Lotor sat and his other side, where his wife usually stayed.
Keith’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, Alfor had been strangely droopy when they arrived and he usually greeted Shiro with a huge smile, Keith had waved it of a exhaustion, but now that he looked, the Kings eyes were bright, not with his signature jolliness, but with flaming anger, not a look you saw very often in this particular monarch.
The King shuffled a little in his seat and began speaking, which surprised Keith because the King normally let his advisors speak for him, “The first thing I want to tell you is something my son told me about a week ago.” Keith liked the way King Alfor spoke, in stories, not commands or explanations, “He came to our room at night and sat on the edge of our bed and told me, ‘Father I fear I do not fancy women.’ He said it quietly, like he was afraid.” The King’s tone softened a little when he said this, “Of course my wife and I told him there was no problem with this, and chose a few male suitors for him.”
Keith watched the King’s face carefully, he had never met the prince and didn’t really care that he preferred men, but the King had to be mad about something. The council seemed to be taking the news well and the spark of anger had calmed a little.
Sendak cleared his throat, “You Majesty, who is the Prince’s betrothed now?”
There. There was that fire from before. The Alfor’s eyes were blazing as he said, “Ah, Zarkon’s son, Lotor, has been chosen by the Prince himself.” The King choked on the word ‘chosen’, Keith’s suspicion flared. He turned to Lotor and Zarkon, as always, Zarkon’s face was devoid of emotion, but Lotor has this self assured smirk that made Keith want to slap him.
The King spoke for a few more minutes regarding who would have more power in the relationship, none of the leaders really objected so the meeting was over soon.
As the other royals and generals left, Keith walked up to the King and bowed, the King placed his hand on Keith’s shoulder and lifted him to his feet.
”I have a feeling you know what I’m thinking.”
Keith nodded, “You don’t trust Lotor.”
The King smiled, “You were always very observant, Keith.” His fire had died down and was replaced by a sadness, “He has threatened our family for Lance’s hand. With Allura marrying into one of the Southern Kingdoms, Lotor will rule here. My Lance has no way of protecting himself from Lotor, I want you to act as his bodyguard and trainer. I want you protect him and teach him to fight and be mentally strong like you.”
”Why me? Shiro is more patient.” Keith was honestly confused.
The King shook his head gravely, “You can’t begin to understand how evil Lotor truly is, Shiro might hesitate in a tough situation, I can trust that you won’t.” Then King Alfor did something Keith would never expect him to do. He bowed to Keith, one one knee his head bent, humble as any peasant coming to him for help, “I beg you to protect my only son from himself as well as many others. I beg you, please.”
Keith dropped to one knee and put his hand on King Alfor’s shoulder, “Anything for you, Your Majesty.”