the hand that wields the keys to the crown
Knight!Kirishima/Princess!Reader
synopsis: While the king and queen are away, the princess will play…with the realities that is being a ruler of a kingdom. The usual duties your parents attended to fall on your plate, along with the usual dangers your parents faced – but your trusted knight will be there to protect you, right?
word count: 8.9k
warnings: au - no quirks and royalty, active plot to harm the princess, m & f receiving oral (brief but it’s there)
note: a big smooch and thank you to @baby-fruits for beta reading for me ily ily
read on ao3 | masterlist | divider credit
Diplomacy is the key to the crown.
“Diplomacy” being attending to the needs of the neighboring lands not under the reign of your family, tending to the gardens of peaceful coexistence sown by treaties placed long before your mother had been born. That sometimes involved the leaders of those lands visiting your home; seeking audience from the Crown, a grand ball thrown in their honor where you were paraded around as the next ruler, and sparring matches between their knights and the Queen’s Knights to show promise in combined military efforts should there ever be a need. On the other hand; diplomacy also involved traveling to those neighboring lands to show the same courtesy. The festivities weren’t as grand, but the trip also provided the opportunity to perform some reconnaissance and assess needs should those treaties be violated and your Kingdom found itself at war with a former ally.
The King and Queen would be leaving their peaceful kingdom on their annual diplomatic visit to one of the lands furthest from the safety of the castle, leaving their kingdom under the guidance and leadership of the next Queen that was you — their darling daughter. It was a sampling of what your duties would truly become once you took the throne, this time without any lightening of the duties your parents held onto in their daily lives. You would hold court to hear the needs of your people and offer aid where applicable, preside over criminal trials and other disputes, and collect reports from the advisors who would be staying to support you.
Before leaving your parents had reassured you that you would do more than exceed their expectations while they were away, and you had not one doubt that their advisors would be preparing reports detailing your success for your parents to review upon your return. At times it felt as though the advisors held higher expectations than your parents did for their successor, as they were always ready to share their opinions on how to correct where they felt you had misstepped.
“Thank you for wearing a more elegant gown this afternoon, Princess,” Lord Tsunagu, one of your parents’ most trusted advisors, greets as you enter the throne room, only to release a disappointed sigh when you drop unceremoniously into the throne that was your mother’s. “If only you’d treat it properly by acting like a lady.”
He also corrects the way your tiara rests on your head as you sit up straighter, before giving you one last reminder to hold your expressions firm when dealing with the issues you were likely to be asked to give input on. The people could not know if their future Queen had a weak spot; be it orphans, farmers, or religion — the crown could not have its emotions exploited for the gain of any group.
“Well let’s get started.”
The doors to the throne room open with your command, a lazy wave of your hand that carried a weight that would fill others with awe, and you watch as a single file line of citizens fill the room. Some you recognized from when you would sit in on your parents attending to court; merchants, religious leaders, and the head of the orphanage stand out most clearly and you felt you already knew that their requests of the crown would be financial.
And they were.
The first was a request from a textile merchant for a reduced tax rate for business done within the kingdom compared to neighboring lands. This was to be the start of a likely longer negotiation regarding taxation of businesses in your kingdom — you just hoped it wouldn’t take place now, considering how stuffy the throne room was in the early-summer heat.
“Ser, you came to the Queen not a fortnight ago requesting approval to trade with a neighboring nation, and now you ask for a reduction on taxes?”
“Was it truly so recently, Princess?”
“I was sitting in that very seat as the request was granted.” You point at the small chair off to the side that was your usual seat for these engagements, the merchant’s eyes following as his hands wring in front of his chest. “This is not a request that I can approve at this time. I bid you a pleasant day, and continued successful business.”
The now unhappy merchant leaves, allowing one of the schoolteachers to take his place at the head of the line. Unlike the merchant, the teacher bows to you in greeting before putting forth his request to use the royal tournament grounds and the efforts of local knights to host a jousting tournament to fundraise for the school to acquire stronger swords and shields for their combat lessons. This request you grant easily, considering it would cost no money nor would it lose funds from the royal vault, with the guidance that he confirm an appropriate date with the royal grounds master to ensure that there were no conflicts for use of those grounds. The schoolteacher leaves with a somehow deeper bow than the one you were greeted with, and you give your practiced smile in return as he makes his leave.
“Did his forehead touch his knees?” you ask your advisor, looking at him from the corner of your eye as he leans in to tell you that the teacher’s forehead almost touched his knees. “And where is my knight Sir Eijirou?”
“He posted himself at the doors to inspect every attendee to ensure your safety.” The mental image of your dear knight scrutinizing every visitor, patting them down and inspecting any bags they may carry for items that could cause you harm brings a much needed smile to your face.
It makes the two hours spent attending to the citizens and their often trivial needs much more bearable, knowing that your knight had been so diligent in ensuring that nobody with ill will would be in your presence. Of course it would have been nicer to have him beside you, a handsome face to look at and gather reassurance from as you made decisions that would have potentially large impacts on your kingdom, but that makes it all the more exciting when the dots finally close with your knight on the correct side of them making his approach to your side.
“Princess, I do think you have a way with the people,” Lord Tsunagu states as you’re helped to your feet by your redheaded bodyguard, and you nod your appreciation while straightening your skirts. “The council will meet this evening after supper, and there are no other scheduled events for the day.”
“I can dress down for the meeting, I hope?”
“Of course, Princess.”
“In that case I will go change, and I will see you after supper.”
The advisor accepts the dismissal, and you look to your knight before following him to the side door that would get you to your chambers faster. As you walk you chat with him about your experience, highlighting that merchant at the start who you’d be sure to include in your report to your parents to watch for potential tax evasion or other scoundrel-like activities shady merchants were known to get involved in.
“You might be stereotyping, Princess,” your knight states, his voice soft as you look at him. “While you may be right about that merchant based on the history of his requests to the Crown, not all merchants seeking tax reductions are shady and not all shady merchants are scoundrels.”
“Does being shady not imply being a scoundrel?”
“Some people just like having the air of mystery about them, Princess, and some scoundrels are the most radiant people in a room. It’s not always obvious who the criminals are.”
“Are you a scoundrel, Sir Eijirou?”
“Only where the affections of the Princess may be concerned.” He winks, taking advantage of the empty corridor and bringing your hand up to his lips to place gentle kisses to your knuckles. “There is not a depth I wouldn’t stoop to, to ensure I have the honor of protecting her noble heart.”
You both come to a stop at the door to your chambers, just as one of the maids exits. She was newer to the castle staff, starting in the middle of the spring, so her appearance in your chambers unprompted was of interest to you and your knight — especially given she looked surprised to see you. Your hand is pulled from your knight’s with the same level of shock, but you’re faster to recover than the maid.
“Oh, Princess, you’re back earlier than I thought!” She brings a hand to her chest, her cheeks growing redder with every second that passes between you. “Your bath isn’t yet ready.”
“Please don’t fret, I didn’t request a bath,” you try to assure her, but that seems to only fluster her more.
“It was requested for you, to ensure you could rest after being in the warm throne room for so long.”
You exchange a look with your knight before you nod your understanding, letting her scurry away from you while letting you know she’d return with the hot water shortly.
“Who would request a bath for me?” you wonder aloud, turning back to Sir Eijirou as he carefully pushes open the door to your chambers. You follow his direction to come in, then stay put beside the door once it’s shut as he inspects the rooms of your chambers for any attempts at foul play. Checking under your bed and in your wardrobes, opening your windows to check outside, and finally walking into your bathroom to inspect there.
“Am I safe?”
“Yeah, but we’ll need to mention this at the meeting this evening.”
You know that he’s right, but you worry about getting the new maid in trouble. To be the reason someone potentially lost their livelihood was worrisome, but you couldn’t deny your intuition and especially not when your protector was inspecting your chambers for potential harm. He was also suspicious of her intentions, despite her inconspicuous demeanor.
It’s not always obvious who the criminals are; he’d said, and those words repeat themselves as you open your wardrobe in search of your attire for the rest of the day.
“You’ll stay as I bathe?”
“You’re not leaving my sight unless I get confirmation that one of the advisors did request a bath for you.” That makes you feel better, and you look over your shoulder to see him sitting at the small table you would read and drink your evening tea at. “She ran in the wrong direction.”
“Huh?”
“To get hot water for your bath,” he clarifies, something that has you tilting your head as you pull a simple linen dress from the wardrobe and cross the room to lay it on your now unmade bed. “The closer hot water basin is to the left of your chambers, she went to the right.”
“Hawks will need to hear about this,” you whisper, your fingers gliding along the soft fabric that had been dyed a bold shade of red. It had been a gift from your knight; made from a breathable fabric tier was bearable to wear in the summer, in a color that he thought you looked lovely in, loose to allow you the ability to maneuver and hide a dagger with slits in the skirt to ensure the dagger was accessible. Functional while remaining fashionable, and it being a gift made it all the more precious to you.
“Do you think there might be an assassin in our midst?”
“I pray there isn’t, my love,” he responds, leaning back in his seat as you start to unlace your bodice. “I don’t like when you’re uneasy.”
“Just gives you a reason to stay in my chambers tonight, no?”
“Ever the optimist,” he murmurs with a sigh, resting his head in his hand as you smile at him.
“Optimism is the key to the crown.”
When the hot water is brought by three maids carrying the large buckets, you’re curious that the maid you’d seen leaving your chambers was not part of the group. When asked, the maid who primarily cared for you and your needs stated that she wasn’t sure why the girl would be in your chambers and that her directive came at the suggestion of Lord Tsunagu to allow you the chance to relax after the long afternoon attending to your people in the warm throne room.
“…next time we should have a servant by your side with a fan, can’t risk heatsickness!”
“No, we can’t,” you agree, following her to the prepared bath and allowing her to help you out of your gowns the rest of the way. “Could you send for Lord Keigo, ma’am? Tell him it’s urgent.”
“At once, Princess.”
With that you’re left to your bath and your knight, sitting among the steam and the bubbles as he watches you from his seat.
“You’re too far away.”
“Apologies, my love, but this position allows me to admire you and watch the door,” he explains, crossing his legs as you let out a huff that pushes a stack of bubbles away from your face.
“Can you at least wash my back for me? Then you can go back to guarding.”
He sighs, but with a smile on his face as he rises to his feet and makes his way to your bath. In the future he’d be able to be in the bath with you, with no concern for being caught by the maids or your advisors (though you had a suspicion that at least two of the advisors knew about your private affair with your protector). For now you have to make do with him kneeling beside your bath, pushing your hair from your face with one hand as he leans in to kiss your forehead.
“You did look lovely today,” he murmurs, earning himself a smile from you before he places the gentlest of kisses on your painted lips. “My Queen.”
“Thank you, my dear knight.” You kiss him again, pushing for more as his other hand guides you to sit up straighter to allow access to your back.
“The Hawk will be here soon, we mustn’t get too greedy,” he warns, and you feel the sponge against your skin. “But I’ll stay in your chambers tonight, so you can be as greedy as you want then.”
It’s a delightful plan that serves your needs perfectly, which makes it all the more bearable when he pulls himself away from you with one final kiss before returning to his seat. His timing was perfect, as the door to your chambers opens just a few moments after Eijirou has seated and the Queen’s spymaster is making his presence known.
“You called, Princess?”
“Yes, Lord Keigo, there is something suspicious afoot.” You state, resting your head against the edge of your tub as he comes into view. “It couldn’t wait until this evening’s meeting.”
“Let me guess, a maid caught where she wasn’t supposed to be?” His ability to just know things before you had the chance to share was extremely annoying, but that was why he was the spymaster. His little fledglings were everywhere in the castle, you couldn’t be surprised that he knew about the maid before you had the chance to tell him yourself. “Caught her trying to sneak out of the castle.”
“What will you do?”
“What do you want me to do?”
A loaded question, one you weren’t expecting that had you sighing as you look out the window. Your fingers dance along the surface of the water as you ponder your options, but this wasn’t a situation you were prepared to have to make a decision on.
“What would my mother do? Interrogate obviously, but what other options are there?”
“Depending on the severity of the transgressions, you’d have to decide her fate, Princess. Exile is an option, death too, or you can send her to the mines?”
Death, exile, or what was essentially slavery were the only options? That couldn’t be right.
“What if she’s innocent?”
“I have heavy doubt that she is, and would caution you against such optimism where your safety may be concerned.”
“Let’s not be hasty then. Get the information that you can out of her, and we’ll proceed from there.” You decide, earning a nod of understanding from Lord Keigo. “Let’s shuffle the guard rotation tonight and tomorrow as an extra precaution.”
“I’ll place a few more fledglings around, as well.”
“Thank you. Now both of you leave so I can dress.”
“I won’t go far,” Sir Eijirou assures as he gets up to leave, but you wish you were able to hear the conversation that was likely to occur once both men were on the other side of the door.
But you wouldn’t, so you rise from the tub and dry off with the towel provided, keeping it wrapped around your body as you walk back towards your bed to collect your gown and redress. You don’t have to wait long, the door is opening as you start tying the back of the gown and you hear him quickly cross the room to take the task on for you. He finishes with a kiss placed at the base of your neck that has you smiling despite the growing stress of your situation.
“What did Keigo say?”
“He’s hopeful the maid confesses quickly, and doesn’t want me to leave your side until this situation is resolved. He’ll have your dinner sent to you here, one of the fledglings will test it to ensure it’s safe before it’s brought to you.”
“You think someone is trying to kill me?”
“Your staff has been compromised, an assassination attempt is at the top of our concerns.”
“Assassination, abduction, a siege,” you list, turning in his arms so you can rest your head on his shoulder. “What else am I forgetting?”
“Those are the big ones. Do you want to send word to your parents?”
“I don’t think that would help anything,” you murmur, earning a hum from your knight as his gloved hands rub your back.
If anything, contacting your parents was likely to create more problems than it would solve. The news that their only beloved daughter was under threat while they were away would only encourage them either to end their trip early, or have one of your parents return home to address the concerns of your safety. The former could strain their relationship with the nobles they’re visiting, creating a potential lack of support and resources should your kingdom need to call upon them for additional aid in a time of crisis, while the latter created a weak point for your parents by dividing their security forces. The other point of consideration was the distance; a message of this sensitivity would be sent by a messenger rather than a bird, and the time it would take for them to reach your parents, have them make their decision, and potentially come home early to attend to your safety would have them returning just four or five days before their scheduled return if they didn’t run into any delays.
Soon you’d be the Queen, and you wouldn’t have the ability to run to your parents to have them save you – you had to learn to save yourself.
Resiliency was the key to the crown, after all.
The council meeting went about as well as you’d expected it to. Where initially you were going to ask about that first merchant and his request to ensure you’d handled that correctly, you now were seated at the round table as your advisors and Knight Captain went back and forth regarding the incident with the maid and the information she’d offered — which was very little.
She’d been paid to gather information on where the Princess slept in the castle, and had been intercepted before any information handoff could occur. However Keigo’s fledglings saw what they believed to be odd markings on the castle walls near your parents chambers and a couple entrances, which didn’t quite contradict the maid’s story but didn’t make matters any better. Assassination, abduction, and siege were still potentials on the table, and the tension of those potentials was driving the advisors conversation. You were paying attention, but offering very little to the current phase of the conversation because this was an issue you hadn’t yet had to prepare for.
As far as you knew there had only ever been one attempt on your mother’s life after she became Queen, and the story says that she had stopped it herself and nobody ever tried after. Your parents had warned you against abductions, assigned you a knight to serve as your personal guard, but never once told you what to do when it was your life being threatened.
“We must inform the Crown.”
“The Crown is right here,” you interject with a finger pointed at yourself, reminding them all that you were acting as Queen and responsible for any decisions made in your parents absence. Your age shouldn’t disqualify you, especially considering that your coronation was only a year or two away depending on your mother’s health, and they’d all do well to remember that. “Sending a messenger wastes resources and has potential to create a separate diplomatic issue. They can be informed when they return, and that’s final.”
“Her Highness has spoken,” Keigo comments, sending a wink your way that makes you feel better about speaking so forcefully to the advisors. They were still your elders and teachers, you did not want to disrespect them. “And I’ll recommend that she not go without escort until we figure out exactly what the threat is.”
“What’s your plan to assess and address?” you ask, leaning back on your chair as Eijirou relaxes in his seat beside yours. He was quiet despite his role as Captain of the Queen’s Guard, but you assume he was waiting for direction. “Will you be sending fledglings into the city for more reconnaissance?”
“Already done, Princess. I’ve got people in all of the inns, taverns, and markets across the city with ears to the ground listening for anything of interest.”
“Let’s look into that merchant a bit,” Eijirou finally states from his seat beside yours, earning the attention of the entire room. “Before we started the line he was already there, but inspecting the doors. Said he had an eye for good craftsmanship, but—“
“Someone with so many trips to the castle wouldn’t stop to admire the doors today.” Lord Tsunagu finishes for your knight, and you hum softly.
“While we’re at it, look into that maid’s family as well,” you suggest, looking at Lord Keigo as he nods. It felt a bit silly, almost like the mystery novels you read in your spare time where the detective is searching for motive by investigating the suspect’s connections. This was a situation not dissimilar, as you were trying to solve a mystery with your advisors to ensure you and your kingdom stayed safe. You let out a yawn, one you barely manage to cover with your hand but you don’t concern yourself with apologizing for an unladylike act in such a private setting. If someone was trying to kill you, you could get away with a yawn or two.
“You should get to bed, Princess. Tomorrow will feel longer since your guard will be up,” the warning comes from Lord Tsunagu, and you nod slowly but don’t stand just yet. “We’ll convene in the morning with updates and more concrete plans of action.”
“Come, Princess, let’s get you back to your chambers,” Eijirou states, standing from his seat and offering you his hand. You bid your advisors goodnight as you rise to your feet with your knight’s support, but one last thing from Lord Keigo stops you from leaving.
A sheathed dagger is placed in your hand, and the spymaster informs you that the blade is coated with poison that would ensure your safety should you be attacked. Of course, the likelihood of being caught without your knight by your side protecting you would be slim to none, but it was important to ensure that you were able to quickly escape an assailant should you need to.
“It’s beautiful,” you comment to Eijirou once you’re back in your quarters, seated at your vanity as he checks your chambers for any sign of disturbance in your absence. “My name is engraved in the metal.”
“The Hawk has always had an eye for gifts.”
“I’m sure it’s a side effect of being the spymaster. He knows basically everything about everyone, after all.” Your reasoning is met with a hum before he’s standing behind you in the mirror, his hands carefully gathering your hair to tie it up in a way that you could sleep comfortably. “Do you think they’ll handle this quickly?”
“I hope they will. The longer we’re on alert, the more gaps open up in our defenses.”
“Because we don’t have the resources to cover everything.”
“Exactly. I would suggest that if we don’t have a handle on this in the next couple of days, sending word to your parents would be advised so they’re at least aware.”
You nod your understanding as you let him pick you up from your chair, wrapping your arms around his neck as he carried you to your bed. This wouldn’t be the first time he’d slept in your bed with you, but it would be the first where his presence in your chambers was clearly known and required in your adulthood and it was exciting despite the circumstances. This would be what you looked forward to in your future when you could finally take your beloved knight as your husband and rule your kingdom with him by your side.
You’re grateful he hadn’t been in full plate armor today, as it didn’t take long for him to undress and slide into your bed. His dagger is slid beneath your pillow, an act of care that made your heart swell every time he did it, and you find yourself face to face with your knight as you both settle under your blankets.
“You’re handling this well.”
“I trust in you and my other advisors,” you whisper, dragging your fingertips along his jaw as he smiles. “They’ve kept my mother alive and kingdom flourishing for years, I have no reason not to trust in them.”
“And me?”
“I love you, and trust that you love me enough to keep us both alive until we’re old and grouchy elders.”
“I do,” he murmurs, bringing your hand to his lips and carefully kissing each of your fingertips. “I’d die for you, but you said that’s not allowed.”
“Strictly forbidden by your Princess.”
“Will my Princess allow me to kiss her properly?”
“Your Princess would be incredibly upset if you didn’t.”
That’s all the invitation he needs to roll onto his back, pulling you on top of him and pushing your nightgown up to your hips to avoid any stretching or tearing of the fabric that would expose your activities. His kiss pushes waves of calm through you, his hands holding your face close to his so delicately as his tongue pushes into your mouth. This was your closest and oldest friend, your protector, the love of your life and you cherished these private moments with him where you weren’t bound to the expected performances you were to put on as the Princess of the lands and her noble Knight protector.
“I shouldn’t keep you awake longer,” he mumbles, his voice a breath into your mouth that fans the flames of want that had ignited in your core.
“I’ll sleep well with you,” you assure, smiling as his hand moves up your thigh to hold your hip. “I’ll be quite rested in the morning.”
It had been quite a while since you’d gotten to be so intimate with Eijirou, with both of you being a bit busier in your daily responsibilities that left little time alone. It was thrilling that he’d been named Captain of the Queen’s Guard, and while you were still his primary responsibility he was also part of your mother’s advisory council which took up more time than you liked. It was difficult for him to sneak into your bedroom when there was another knight standing guard outside your chambers, and he couldn’t scale your window without a ladder that likely would be mistaken for an attempted abduction if caught by a perimeter patrol.
“I shouldn’t penetrate you,” he states, and you nod your understanding quickly but you know your pout betrays how you actually felt about that decision. “I fear the guillotine every time you go long without bleeding. But I saw something on a poster for the brothel we could try.”
You let him position you; at first confused when he had you turn so your back faced his face, but you started to understand when his hands guided you back so you were almost sitting on his face. Your eyes are glued to where his erection strained against his smallclothes, and you can’t stop yourself from dragging a gentle finger along the bulge and grinning when his hands grip your hips tighter in return. He was so easy to tease, another one of the many things you loved about your dear knight. When his cock is freed you feel his fingers glide along your slit that was already slick with your arousal. You should be ashamed of how easily you allowed yourself to be aroused by your protector, you knew the holy leaders would definitely have something to say if they knew how easily you were tempted by such a handsome man, but you can’t concern yourself with that when two of his thick fingers are pushing into your entrance.
It was too much, too soon, but you don’t want to stop him because you knew he would stop entirely at any sign of your discomfort, so you busy yourself with his cock instead. Teasing the tip and head with your tongue as your hand holds him firmly at the base, enjoying the sighs and groans that left him as he tried to prioritize your pleasure over his own. His fingers stretch you in a way that feels better over time, and you feel his tongue flick at your clit with an eagerness that has your walls fluttering around his fingers.
Love was the key to the crown, and you would savor this night spent with your lover.
–
The following day starts with a meeting of your council to discuss information that had been gathered over the night and provide their recommendations to you for how to continue over the next few days. You sit with a plate of breakfast in front of you, Eijirou seated beside you eagerly eating his own meal, while you listen to your spymaster share his reports gathered from the fledgling's efforts.
“The maid is not blood related to the merchant, but she comes from a family of convicted thieves who have been in…business with that merchant and his associates. It’s a messy web of connections that doesn’t help her case at all.”
“What kind of business?”
“Mercenary work. Outside of the eyes of the law and the Crown, intended to stay quiet.” Lord Keigo responds, something that makes you sigh as you bite into your toast. “There is bad news, as well.”
“Let me guess,” you mumble around your mouthful of toast, holding a finger to pause the conversation before you take a healthy drink of your juice. “You cannot locate the merchant?”
“He was across the border by sunset, according to the registers. I’ve sent word to our allies that we have an interest in that merchant and require his swift return for questioning.”
“At this point, what should I be prioritizing?” you ask, looking over at Eijirou before looking back to your advisors when you saw the concerned look on his face. “Of course the obvious answer is keeping up appearances, but aside from that?”
“Just stay aware of your surroundings, Princess,” Lord Tsunigu states, sipping what you knew was wine from his own glass. You’d never understood how they could drink wine while the sun had barely risen, but on this morning you think you might understand. “Sir Eijirou is talented, but his eyes cannot be everywhere and you have received enough training to be able to identify and assess a potential threat.”
You could do that.
At least you thought you could do that well.
“Is it safe for us to go into the city today?”
“I would recommend canceling engagements outside the castle for the next day or two.” Eijirou states, and you quirk a brow when you see Lord Keigo prepare to argue. “There are too many variables in the city, and I can’t ensure all entry points to the castle are covered and provide you with a proper guard in the city with the current number of knights that we have.”
“A fair point, but this could be a great opportunity to lure out our targets.”
“Send a decoy, then,” Eijirou counters, his tone clipped as he stares down the spymaster. “We can’t endanger the Crown in that way.”
“With the warmer weather, the Princess can wear a face covering to protect her skin from the sun.” The suggestion from Lord Tsunigu prompts both men to look in his direction, a shared uncertainty between them as to whose side the blonde haired advisor was on. “A decoy would do well for the intended visit to the docks to bless the next trade voyage, I’m sure we can spare a couple knights for that and put a few fledglings in armor to maintain the appearance of a full guard.”
“The rumors that I’m a vampire will grow stronger,” you tease, hoping to lighten the tension in the room with your joke. You wanted your knight to smile at you again, to see him so worried was not good for your heart.
“Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war, Princess,” Lord Tsunigu says with a chuckle, and you provide your own smile as you take a slice of orange off of your plate. “With that settled, what will you do with your day?”
“Go through my parents' mail, I suppose. There should be new reports from the eastern conflict worth reading by now, right?”
“You’re invested in the Todoroki family squabble?”
“Once they settle down, both the winner and loser are likely to turn their attention to the Crown,” you reason, knowing that both advisors were also highly invested in the drama occurring in the east. “Whether for allyship or confrontation, we need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of both sides to ensure we’re prepared to negotiate or retaliate.”
“We’ll have to tell Aizawa that you do actually listen when he’s teaching you military strategy,” Lord Keigo teases, earning a pout from you that only had him laughing at your expense before he stands to excuse himself. “I’ll be prepping my fledgling to take your place in town today, send a bird if you need me.”
With that, your spymaster leaves the room, and you continue to eat your breakfast as Lord Tsunigu excuses himself as well.
“I don’t like the worried look on your face,” you comment once the door latches shut. His hand settles on your thigh, reassured in the privacy of the room to touch you so intimately. “It feels wrong.”
“Am I supposed to smile at the thought of you being bait for a criminal potentially trying to kill you?”
“I suppose not. I suppose this is another reality of the crown.”
“With every day we face new challenges,” he murmurs, giving your thigh a gentle squeeze before he takes your empty plate and places it atop his own. “Shall we?”
Did you want to spend the day in your parents study reading mail meant for them? Not exactly. You were interested to see if there was an update from the Todoroki conflict, but that was the extent of your interest in the mail waiting for your attention.
And you’re not proud to say that you dozed off in your mother’s plush chair while reading through her mail, but you weren’t ashamed either. It was more boring than you’d thought it would be – especially when the update you were hoping for had not yet been received. You knew a lot of people relied on the Crown for support, but you had no idea that every single day you would have multiple requests either in person or in writing for help. Your parents prided themselves on leading a self sufficient kingdom, and for the most part it was a self sufficient kingdom, so you couldn’t understand why leaders of towns under the reign of the Crown would write to the Queen for support. Military support for border towns made sense, but requesting food or financial support didn’t make sense to you. You’d have to ask Lord Tsunigu about those requests later, as you weren’t sure when to provide that aid and when to withhold. It would be nice to grant every request, but resource management was crucial to the success of the kingdom and you couldn’t allocate those resources too liberally without risking a scarcity crisis.
“Bored?”
“Almost to tears,” you confirm, rubbing at your eye with the heel of your palm. “Why are the people so needy?”
“That’s people, beloved.”
“Am I needy?”
“Very much so, Princess,” Eijirou comments, a grin on his face as you pout at him. “But I appreciate you being reliant on me.”
“Yeah?”
“Makes me feel so much stronger knowing that a Princess relies on me to support her.”
“You’re basically carrying a nation on your shoulders,” you muse, setting the last letter in the appropriate stack and standing from your seat.
“I only want to carry you.” Your cheeks warm as you look at him, his scarlet eyes soft and almost sparkling as the sunlight hits them just right through the stained glass window. “What’s your plan?”
“I think a stroll through the gardens would help clear my head and restore my energy.”
You know he wants to warn you against going out to such an exposed environment, practically offering yourself up to whomever might be interested in causing you harm. In turn you’re prepared to argue that he’d be with you and the castle guards would be on high alert, meaning that anyone intending to do you harm wouldn’t be able to get close to you without losing at least an arm in the process, if not their life. Instead he stands from his seat and opens the door to the study for you, opting not to push the matter with you likely out of a need to preserve his sanity.
The air feels much nicer outside of the stuffy office, a cool breeze rolling through the corridors that you take to get to the garden. The early afternoon sun wasn’t as strong today, partially blocked by a cloud that looked like a horse, and the hydrangeas were in full bloom to provide a beautiful stroll through the garden.
“I should have a portrait of you commissioned,” you comment, looking to your knight as he raises an eyebrow. “You look beautiful surrounded by flowers.”
He flushes, his face turning a bright red that matches his artificially colored hair as he says, “You’re too kind to me, Princess.”
“I don’t think it’s possible to be too kind,” you respond, leaning in to smell the flowers as he shakes his head. “My mother says kindness is one of the keys to successfully wearing the crown.”
“And your mother is very kind, but I would argue that you can be too kind. Would you grant kindness to someone with a blade to your throat?”
“That kindness could save my life.”
“It could also cost you your life.”
“Then I would die with my last act being one of kindness, rather than one of indifference or cruelty.” Your voice doesn’t waver, your eyes staying on his as you speak. “Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to be remembered?”
“The Princess is sentimental,” a new voice enters the conversation, one that you don’t recognize that puts you on edge as you watch Eijirou’s hand move to draw his sword. “How lucky we are to know that our kingdom will fall under the reign of a pushover who values kindness over strength.”
Your knight quickly moves to stand between you and your guest, for lack of a better word, and you take a cautious look around the garden to ensure there weren’t others encroaching on your location before focusing on the man. He was tall, a long black cloak draped over his towering frame and a mask concealing his features. His voice was unfamiliar as well, meaning you had no clue who you were dealing with.
“My lady, I need you to run.”
“But–”
“This is not a request.” Eijirou’s voice is firm, his eyes never leaving your potential assailant who was now drawing his own weapon. “You run to your usual spot, and do not leave that spot unless it is myself or one of the advisors.”
This is one of the rare times where you don’t argue with your dear knight, and will be added to the many times where you wished you could’ve told him that you loved him out loud. But you do as he said and you run from the garden, away from where he was going to battle an unknown enemy who was significantly larger than him to protect you. The dagger you had received from your spymaster the prior evening is pulled from its sheath that had been fastened to your waist, ready to strike at anybody who you weren’t familiar with on your way to the feast hall.
There are knights moving in the opposite direction, and you hear chatter around you about the castle being under attack as you move through them, the new information prompting you to make a side stop on your way. The feast hall was on the other side of your large castle, meaning you would need additional defense to ensure you actually made it when you didn’t know where any assailants were.
The sword you were gifted by your knight was in your bedroom, quickly retrieved and your dagger is sheathed in favor of carrying the longer range weapon in your hand as you completed your run to where you were instructed to go. You’d be in for quite the argument about your listening skills when Eijirou collected you, but you’d be able to get him to see your side of things in regard to having a better defensive weapon than a poisoned dagger. And if not…he was always easier to argue with if you were undressed.
The castle is less populated on this side, likely due to all the commotion being centered around the gardens, but you couldn’t let that slow your pace or lower your guard. You weren’t safe until you had that door closed behind you, successfully hiding you away from any potential threats (unless they knew about the door). But the door to the feast hall is in sight, soon you would be safe.
“Found you, brat!”
And you were so close, too.
But you keep running, knowing you’d have more obstacles to protect yourself in the feast hall than the corridor – more of a chance to survive as fighting was now your only option. That hidden room had served your bloodline for over a century, and you would not be the one to compromise it.
The hall is thankfully empty when you push through the heavy double doors, unsheathing your sword and letting the sheath drop to the ground behind you as you continue to run through the hall. With any luck you’d be more agile than your pursuer, and you’d be able to climb over or crawl under the tables and benches easier than him to maintain a safe distance.
“Attacking a Princess is most dishonorable!” You shout, earning a laugh from the stranger as the doors shut behind him with a deafening finality. You were now truly alone, your training with your dear knight would be put to the test here and now against someone who likely wanted you alive but wouldn’t care if you died by his hand.
“Haven’t attacked yet, have I?”
“Chasing me through my castle isn’t an attack?” With every step he takes you take one backwards, intentionally moving in a way that would have you on opposite sides of the leftmost row of tables.
“This is merely a visit, m’lady.”
“Visits don’t require swords. Now I tire of talking in riddles, what is it you want?”
“We’re here for you. The showing at the docks was cute, but the boss saw right through. Knew the pretty little princess was under guard at home.”
You? That explained a bit but not enough. Unfortunately you don’t have the chance to ask more questions, because your assailant has started moving less like trying to calm a wild animal and more like he was ready to do whatever it took to subdue you. But he’s faster than you anticipated, and you have to raise your sword in a defensive stance that has him chuckling as he unsheathed his own sword.
The first clash of his sword against yours sends a shock up your forearms, but your grip stays firm and you’re able to push off with enough force to earn yourself some distance. But you know from the first strike that this is not a battle you can maintain, as this man was significantly stronger than you and used more force than Eijirou ever had when training with you, so you scramble onto the long table and shuffle backwards along the table to maintain space without losing sight of your opponent.
“You’re not playing fair, brat,” he scolds, and you scoff as you block the strike the man makes towards your ankles.
If anyone were to see you in this position they’d be mortified, but you couldn’t let yourself be distracted. Your focus needed to be solely on the man you were in combat with, and ensuring you maintained the high ground by continuing to force him to block and ensure that he had no time to join you on the table and regain the true advantage.
“Always be on the lookout for an opening to break the rhythm,” Eijirou had told you in one of your lessons, but didn’t have any concrete advice for what that opening could look like. ‘You just know’ was terrible advice and you hated that everyone had an answer like that when asked about opportunities to strike. You didn’t have years of combat experience – you had barely a year of experience – how were you supposed to know?
It was Lord Keigo who once told you that sometimes you had to make an opportunity by just “doing unpredictable shit”, which you think you’d done once already by getting on the table and holding this position for as long as you have but you needed to make it happen again and preferably before you ran out of table to stand on.
A lone cup left on the table presents itself as your opportunity, you manage to kick it towards your opponent and disrupt the flow of his attacks before raising your leg to kick him in the face. He staggers, fully opening the window you created and you pull the dagger as you lunge for him successfully knocking him to the floor before your dagger finds its mark in his heart.
His death isn’t as instant as you thought it would’ve been with such a strike, his hand grabs your arm but you’re able to shake it off as you scramble backwards to get off of him and away from what you’d done. Your father had told you about the harsh realities of combat, warned you that the first time you take a life – should you ever have to – was world shattering. He’d warned you that you don’t return from that moment fully intact, perhaps physically unharmed but you’d lose a piece of yourself that you can never regain. An innocence tarnished, a sin you could never repent enough for. But that was how you knew you were human, with morals and care for the world around you. Those who could kill without feeling were the real monsters in the world. But the sentiment did not make you feel any better.
Your eyes don’t leave him, you see the way his body spasms and foam leaves his mouth as a side effect of the poison that coated the blade, and tears well in your eyes as the light leaves his and his body finally stills. His pained, labored breaths ring through your ears and you still feel the weight of the dagger in your hand despite it still being lodged in the man’s chest.
How were you supposed to deal with this? How did anybody?
–
What had started as a one-on-one battle in the garden had become a siege on the castle focused on the gardens, extending the time spent away from you that made Eijirou more anxious by the minute. But he continued to fight until he’d gotten direction from Lord Tsunigu to go to your side once it appeared the enemy forces were starting to thin out. An all clear would be provided as soon as possible, but the Princess should not be left unattended for too long just in case she was found by the enemy. So he pushes his injured body to what was likely its new limit as he breaks out into a sprint to get away from the gardens and to where his Princess should be hidden away in the feast hall.
The doors push open easily, and his first glance through the room gives him some relief as he fully steps inside. The pool of blood catches his eye first, then the sword that he hoped to never see detached from your person if it wasn’t in your bedroom and the relief he did feel is replaced with dread at the implication of the scene before him. Two more steps and he sees the corpse, and the dagger still lodged in its chest, but he can’t allow himself to relax until he sees you and can confirm that you weren’t harmed. It was possible that you could’ve accomplished killing this attacker and hiding away like you were instructed to, but there was another possibility that you had been abducted in the process of defending yourself.
A sniffle catches his ear, followed by shaky breathing that has him kneeling to look under the table to investigate. The princess he sought out stares back at him, with tears and blood that he hoped did not belong to you disgracing that beautiful face.
“Eijirou?”
“Yes, my love, you can come out of there now.” He keeps his voice soft as he waves you out of your hiding spot. “It’s just the two of us here, you’re safe.”
You’re slow to crawl out, trying to avoid the growing pool of blood as you do, and once you’re within his reach he carefully pulls you from under the table to hold you close and soothe his own anxieties with your presence. Your body trembles with your sobs, bloodied hands gripping his chestplate as you try to hide in his neck.
“It’s alright,” he whispers, kissing your head as the horn sounds. Enemy forces were either retreating or wiped out, but he’d keep you here until he saw one of the advisors. “It’s all over now, we’re safe.”
“I-I killed someone.” You finally look up at him, your eyes red and still producing the tears that broke his heart more with each additional one to fall. “I did that, and–”
You choke on a sob, and he guides your head back to rest on his shoulder while rubbing your back while blaming himself for your experience. If he’d been with you this would not have happened, he would’ve been able to strike down this assailant while you hid and you wouldn’t have even had to see the corpse. But instead he’d forced you to face one of the harshest realities of combat – of life – on your own, and that would be difficult for the both of you to process. You were just talking to him about how you’d wanted to be known for your kindness and how you’d risk your life to extend kindness to someone out to kill you, only to have to take a life no more than an hour later, which likely would not sit well on your conscious when you finally reflected on the day as a whole.
But he was incredibly proud of you for what you’d accomplished in keeping yourself alive against a significantly more experienced opponent. He wouldn’t be able to share that praise with you until you’d had time to come to terms with what you’d done, so he whispers additional affirmations of your safety into your hair rather than praising you for your actions.
“We both definitely need to bathe after this.” That wasn’t what he was expecting to hear from you, but he smiles and nods his agreement. “And I suppose I have to inform my parents now.”
“Let your advisors handle that, you need to rest first.”
“Yes, I believe you’re right.”