Day 5: Arranged marriage au
Klance Week Day5: AU--arrange marriage
I haven’t been all that happy with some of the execution of my stories, but pushing myself to write a little every day has been important anyway--it’s been a long time since I haven’t struggled to get 100 words down, and with these challenges I’ve actually been inspired enough to write past my 500-word minimum. It’s still not much compared to a lot of other writers, I think, but it feels good anyway. Eventually I’ll figure out how not to be too overwhelmed by editing. For now, have the unedited stuff.
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In another life, Lance wouldn’t be a prince. He wouldn’t have meetings to attend, expectations heaped upon him fit to weigh him down into a certain role. As the youngest of five, he wouldn’t be expected to take the throne or take a position in the military like his other siblings; he didn’t have a list of responsibilities a mile long. That didn’t make his current predicament much better, however.
As the youngest of the royal five, Lance was expected, in a sense, to take a diplomatic position…a position that involved leaving his family and his home to be married off to some other prince in a foreign country. Someone he’d never met and knew absolutely nothing about.
Well, okay, not absolutely nothing. He had a name, and a general idea of how his new home country was going to operate. Prince Keith lived in a country known mainly for its strong military, and both Keith and his elder brother were expected to serve in one way or another. Both held high positions that befit their royal status, though Lance couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to the exact rank. He just knew it was enough to have his parents beaming at him about having a husband capable of protecting him.
Lance, on the other hand, was all ready to hate his fiancé. Not that it was Keith’s fault, exactly, but he was unfortunately part of the larger theme of helplessness and uselessness that Lance felt surrounding the whole marriage. Keith had a position, something he was good at, and would continue to be good at even after the wedding. Lance was expected to be a pretty trinket on Keith’s arm, a strategically-placed figure to show the alliance between the two kingdoms. He would do it, of course, because he loved his country, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
He decided to live up his last few days before the wedding—and maybe he was also avoiding his fiancé, just a little. The royal family had traveled all the way here for the wedding, and afterwards, Lance would go back with them to live his new life.
Until then, he would be playing darts in his favorite tavern, enjoying a few days of anonymity and freedom.
He always snuck out to this tavern when he needed a break, and as a result, the regulars here had come to enjoy his company, and he had developed quite a skill for throwing darts. He’d gotten so good, in fact, that whenever he showed up, people got a glint in their eye and many tavern-goers would stand up to try and knock him off his throne. So to speak. No one had ever actually succeeded. Lance supposed it would be a small consolation, to leave the country with his title intact.
Round after round, he remained undefeated, two nights passing without anyone so much as touching his record. It wasn’t until his last night, the night before he was to be married, that someone new stepped into the tavern. Someone he didn’t recognize, with dark hair and indigo eyes and a scar on his cheek. Their eyes met, and the stranger smiled. Lance felt goosebumps prickle upon his skin.
He put on his most charming smile. “You look like a guy who likes a challenge. Care to try beating me at darts?”
The man raised a brow, his smile turning playful. “What’s in it for me if I win?”
Lance shrugged, grinning back. “You buy me a drink.”
The stranger agreed, and they spent the next couple of hours playing—best two out of three, as agreed. Lance won, of course, but the stranger certainly gave him a run for his money. It was the closest game Lance had ever played, and it felt good to be challenged. At the end of it, the stranger bought him a drink, and they both sat down at a private table. It wasn’t a bad last night of freedom, in Lance’s opinion.
“You have a very good eye,” the stranger said. “Have you ever considered archery?”
“I was able to dabble a little,” Lance admitted. “But it’s not something I get to do often. Not something I’ll be able to do much of, after today…”
The stranger frowned. “Why not?”
Lance sighed, and gave a rueful smile. “I’m getting married tomorrow. Getting ready to spend the rest of my life as a pretty accessory.” He took a swig of his drink, grimacing at the bitter taste. Or maybe it was just his bitter feelings.
Lance shrugged. “What else am I good for?”
“That’s up to you to decide, Lance,” the stranger replied. Startled, Lance looked up at him, eyes going wide as he realized just who he was looking at. They’d never met, but he’d seen portraits from time to time.
His future husband was staring right back at him, a gentle smile on his face.
Lance immediately frowned back. “You…what are you talking about?”
“This whole marriage thing is supposed to be mutual,” Keith said. “I don’t want you to be miserable with me, so I don’t expect you to just sit around and look pretty, if that isn’t what you want.”
“Isn’t that what your family expects?”
“Maybe.” Keith shrugged. “But I was hoping for a partner.”
His smile was warm, and welcoming, and Lance found it warming his own heart. He slowly smiled in return, remembering their game not that long ago, and imagining being challenged like that every day.
Keith chuckled. “I think my brother would be really impressed with your skills.” He laid a hand over Lance’s, and the two of them leaned in a little closer.
Perhaps this marriage wasn’t such a bad thing after all.