Of Knights and Princes [ punkjello & Kitten ]

[iKitten]

Leaning closer to the window, he blows small breaths against the glass and watches as the warm air condenses on the cold surface; small droplets forming to clear away the misty image. Cleaver bastard. Kalian, the Prince of Darâ??Kra thought to himself, half spiteful and half admiring. His father, the King, had recently told him that their bloodline was thinning out. â??What does that mean?â?? he had stupidly asked, before the King threw his head back and laughed at his sonâ??s ignorance. He learned that day that when the bloodline thinned down in the Royal Family, it was traditional for the heir to marry the highest of nobles in their court and produce an offspring together.

At first, he didnâ??t see the problem in that, because since he could remember, he had always suspected that his future wife was going to be someone he did not love and that they had only married because of political reasons. They would probably not like each other at first, but as a lady of the court, she would indefinitely fall in love with him and as he to her. From there, they would live the happy life of King and Queen, with a child or two. However, his childhood dreams of a beautiful wife that would eventually grow to love him quickly died when the King laid out bundles of male paintings.

â??What are these?â? the blonde had questioned, glaring at the images and wishing them to just vanish.

â??Theseâ?¦.â? The King waved at the paintings. â??Are images of the most noble knights in our cour-.â? He didnâ??t get to finish before Kalian slammed his head against the desk in frustration.

â??I know who and what they are, Fatherâ?¦I want to know why you are showing me the knights, when we are speaking about my marriage!â? of course, life had its way of throwing over the pleasant thoughts of dreams and happiness. Kalian learned fact three that day: He was to be marrying a male knight. And of course, fact four followed with the knowledge of the great sorcerer they conveniently had in their court: He, the Prince of Darâ??Kra, was to be the one who carry the child.

So here he was, waiting in his room with nothing to do on a normal, winterâ??s day, but wait for the Knight that his father had chosen. Like Iâ??m some stupid princessâ?¦ he mentally snarled, glaring at the window and debating if it would be less painful and humiliating if heâ??d just jump it and be done with. But at the same time, he knew he had a duty to his court and his kingdom, so his body remained in tact.

 

[punkjello]

Usually, when one would be called to the king's throne room, it had to be about something important. Never in his life would Dimitri be prepared for what the king had told him once he had arrived. I've chosen you to marry my son, Dimitri. Only the greatest knight in the kingdom is worthy of my beautiful son. Those words were still clinging to his mind as he walked up the long stairway to the tall tower that the young prince lived in. Dimitri had taken up the knighthood at the tender age of fifteen, right when the king himself had taken up the throne. He had been a knight longer than anyone in the entire castle and no matter what had been asked of him, the aging knight answered in the affirmative.

But to marry the prince? He was twice the boy's age! He had helped protect the boy as a toddler, watch him like a hawk to make sure he didn't get hurt! And the king just expected him to be arranged into a marriage with a boy whom he had raised as if he were his own? He felt guilty, as if he were committing some unforgivable sin by agreeing to this arranged marriage with the young prince. Chocolate brown eyes followed the spiraling staircase that lead up to the bedroom where the young Kalian resided. The king expected them to get along quite well, and Dimitri found no problem with that. He had been the boy's protector for fifteen long years until he had been assigned to fight in the army. Those years in the army had definitely honed his body, for the man was a powerhouse. Six feet and five inches, two hundred and thirty pounds of pure muscle. An air of ruggedness hung about the man, from the very top of his brown hair down to his toes. A heavy stubble lined the man's jaw, hiding any potential scars that the man had.

After all, this man had seen more battle than anyone could possibly hope for. His heart was beating a million miles a minute as he ascended the spiraling staircase. He and the young prince held a close friendship. The boy most likely looked up to the gruff older man as a father figure, and he was just expected to treat him as a lover now. It was startling and unfair to the both of them. Standing before the double doors that lead into the prince's chambers, he let a slow breath escape his broad chest. He was clad in his armour as the king had requested, wanting him to be completely regal and professional while going up to see his son. This wouldn't be easy.

His hand gently curled into a fist and landed three sharp knocks on the door before carefully nudging it open. "My prin-- I mean... Kalian?" While they held a close relationship, the man could not forgo the habit of calling the boy by his title rather than his name. Deep, baritone voice echoed in the room as his hand remained on the doorknob. "Is it... safe for me to come in?"

[Hope that's okay. He's on the right by the way. ^^;]​

 

[iKitten]

Still huffing out his misery, he glanced around the room and wondered when the knight that was supposed to be his spouse was. It was like waiting for some horrible fate to be bestowed upon him and he hoped it wasnâ??t someone younger than him. That would just be his luck; having some young knight that probably couldnâ??t even protect him become his spouse and getting them both killed in the process. Father wouldnâ??t do that to meâ?¦because, how can a young knight be that noble? Kalian reassured himself, standing slightly to pace his worries away. He was going to go insane if he wasnâ??t careful to keep his nerves calm in this horrible wait.

When he heard the three sharp knocks on his door, he glanced around quickly, as if searching for a place to hide, before standing tall and taking a deep breath. Before the blonde had the chance to speak, he heard the voice of his fatherâ??s most trusted knight, Dimitri. Crystal blue orbs narrowed in confusion as the older man began to open the door before he glance down at his attire. The dressers had tailored a fine outfit that was suppose to be his ceremonial greeting tunic, coupled with the finest jewels on his buckles and a small dagger that laid on his hip. The outfit was white, as he was pure; sharp, as he was young, and vibrant, as he was noble. Each small sewn piece had its meaning to draw the conclusion of a wealthy prince that could offer power and riches to the person he was to marry.

Small, traditional earrings jingled as he suddenly snapped his head up at what he remembered. â??Dimitri! You must not enter!â? he snapped out, rushing to the door and pressing against it as if he feared the other man would come in against his words. â??I am in myâ?¦â? he swallowed. â??Ceremonial suit. Only theâ?¦â? he sighed this time. â??Only the knight who is toâ?¦wed me may see me now.â? Kalianâ??s voice trailed off into a mumble.

[It's great. ^^ I just hope I can keep up. I'm a bit slow. <<]

 

[punkjello]

[No worries. ^__^]

Dimitri suddenly felt the weight of the prince, which was feather-light compared to his own, pressing against the door to hinder his entrance into the bedroom. Those words emitted from the young prince made him feel even more guilty. How was he to look at the boy as a lover, as a wife? His brown eyes closed and his lips pursed into a fine line, making it all too evident that this was just a lot for the knight to handle. Clearing his throat lightly, his large hand settled on the side of the door and he let out a slow sigh. "Kalian." The tone he spoke was something to reveal all. He gently pressed against the door and pushed it open slowly, standing in his armour. It was rare to see the big knight in such armour unless he was going to war, and hopefully the boy would be able to put two and two together to see what the big idea was that the king was cooking up for them.

"Your father has instructed me that I'm... to marry you." He murmured, his eyebrows furrowed. The look in his eyes was one of pain and confusion. Kalian was a gorgeous prince if there ever was one, though it was going to be exceptionally hard for Dimitri to come to terms with this. "He told me that I have been in service here the longest." And no doubt the most powerful of all the knights, armour or no armour. "And has... given you to me."​

 

[iKitten]

When he felt the door open further, he couldnâ??t help but try to push against it; maybe Dimitri didnâ??t understand that he was not suppose to enter? However, it was clear that the older man had much more strength than he did, as the door slid open and he was forced to take a few steps back. For a moment, he felt outraged that the knight would dare defy tradition, that even though Dimitri was one of his trusted and close guardians, the man actually thought he was above his fatherâ??s laws. The thought quickly flew out of his head as he got a full view of the knight, seeing the brunette man stand in armour that was usually only worn for formal gatherings.

â??Whaâ?¦â? his voice trailed away as he listened to the older male explained to him what he was suspecting from the formalities. There was a moment that he couldnâ??t believe the audacity and surreal feeling of having Dimitri, a man that almost helped raised him, become his spouse. He was just about to snap out that it wasnâ??t a joke and that the knight was to be severely punished for such jokes, when he saw the look of pain and confusion in his friendâ??s eyes. Why does he look like that? Does he not think Iâ??m worthy? HE should be worried that HE is notâ?¦worthyâ?¦oh godâ?¦heâ??s to marry me? Iâ??ve been given to this warrior? Kalian suddenly feared, taking a step back.

He had heard stories about the knights being womanizers and at the forefront of the stories was Dimitri. At least, it was for all the maids and servants. As a Prince, he did not want to be competing for affection from someone who was supposed to be his, and at the same time, he did not want to be with someone who was not devoted to him only. He trusted and cared for Dimitri as a friend and guardian, but he couldnâ??t imagine more than that. "That is not...a kind thing to joke about, Knight." he purposefully used the formal term against the other man.

 

[punkjello]

He was utterly quiet as the prince took in the sight of the knight. Had he not been wearing his armour, the man would usually be seen in a simple tunic and a pair of breeches. Those thin pieces of cloth did little to hide the man's powerful frame, but upon seeing the man so garbed up in his armour was a rare occurrence. His deep brown eyes were focused on the prince, trying to gauge his reaction to see if it was just as shocked as his own had been. As he expected, this boy was not prepared to face the reality that lay before them. The prince was being forced to marry the most powerful knight in the kingdom, and that force was caused by his direct relation to the king. The boy had to accept this marriage proposal to produce an heir for the bloodline to go on. He had a responsibility to do so.

The knight was in the same situation. Had he refused the hand of the gorgeous prince, it would've been disrespectful and his king would've been quick to sentence him to death. His eyes peered to the side as the prince stepped back. "I do not jest, my prince." He sighed lightly and shook his head. "If I were jesting, you would be able to tell. I have not done such a cruel thing to you before." He informed, and it was true. The knight was well aware of the rumors floating around about him. Such a prime example of a man had to have laid with many women, though the rumor was mostly just stories thrown around by younger, more jealous knights that wanted to tarnish the man's reputation.

"My prince, I assure you. I am telling the truth." He settled down onto the young man's bed and sighed, resting his head in his hands. "I... feel guilty beyond all reason. You... I... I've known you since you were just a baby, my prince."​

 

[iKitten]

Closing his eyes, he took in the words that this powerful knight was speaking of. Of course Dimitri would not joke about such serious and dangerous matters, but somewhere, deep inside him, he wanted to lash out that this horrible set of fate. What had he done to deserve this fate, where he was used no better than a livestock to breed for the kingdom? He was born a prince and yet, he felt like some maiden facing the knight that was suppose to â??saveâ?? them?

Kalian watched as Dimitri moved to sit down on his bed and almost cringed, not wanting to be faced with the thought of his bed and hisâ?¦supposed spouse. His mind was reeling with thoughts that he didnâ??t want to face, but he had to. Memories of when the brunette use to take him hunting and showed him how to use the sword were suddenly tainted in a way he couldnâ??t describe or face. When the knight mentioned that he had known the prince since birth, he almost wanted to grab the nearest thing to him and throw it at the older man. It was injustice and it was cruel, that for their kingdom, they were forced into suchâ?¦barbaric choices.

Father chose the bestâ?¦ there was no doubt in his mind that Dimitri was the best knight there was. Some part of him knew that deep inside and almost suspected it, yet he kept it at bay from his conscious, worrying more about which of the knights he would have rather not been with. It wasnâ??t until he was faced with the fact that Dimitri was going to be his spouse did he realize it was already pre-determined since this whole fiasco started. The older knight was one of the best, if not the best, and he knew that though Dimitri had every right to be outraged by this, he also was here, in this room.

If he can face it, then so can Iâ?¦canâ??t I? Kalian weakly asked himself, almost curling up mentally at the thought of baring a child to this man; one whom he saw almost as a second father. â??Iâ?¦I know you would not jest.â? He finally stated, moving to face Dimitri as formally as he could, with a tight expression on his face. â??Iâ?¦am honored toâ?¦beâ?¦yourâ?¦futureâ?¦spouseâ?¦â? he muttered slowly, almost as if the words would not leave his throat willingly. Closing his eyes, he gave a long bow that he would have normally given to any other that courted him.

[Whee~ sorry, I guess I didn't realize how hard it was to keep up with long posts without my translator. ^^]

 

[punkjello]

The man sighed slightly as he rested his fingers on his forehead, rubbing slowly to soothe the headache that was quickly arriving. It was one of the worst ones in his life and brought on by this intense stress that he could not escape from. He did love his young prince as a close friend and almost as a son, but the idea... just the idea of defiling the boy's body with his own was a pure sin! He felt the gods would strike him down where he stood if he even thought about such a travesty! His head lifted gently and he let out a slow sigh as the other finally spoke.

"Do not speak such words that are an obvious lie, my prince." He chuckled lowly and shook his head. The boy may have told him he was honoured, by the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice... it was of a scared, lost child. His head lifted and he gazed intently at the boy before he gently took his hand and placed a chaste kiss to the back of it. His scarred, rough hands were such a contrast to the small, soft ones. Soft hands that had never held a sword or seen violence. He envied this young prince for the naive and innocent life he led.

"We will get through this together, my prince. I promise you that." He smiled to him gently. "I will not expect anything from you that you do not wish to give."

[Rofll. Translator?]​

 

[iKitten]

Kalian tried not to pull his hand back as Dimitri kissed his hand, feeling a strange tingle upon the flesh that made him bite his bottom lip. The Prince was still confused at how he should feel and almost hoped it wasnâ??t the feeling of disgust, because if that was so, there would be problems in the future. The knight promised him that they would get through this together and that he would not take anything Kalian did not wish to give, but the words felt like temporary balms to the problem.

Sooner or later, the blonde knew that he would have to give up something to the knight, because even if it wasnâ??t in their desires, they knew that from this moment on, there was no other but each other. What an absoluteâ?¦unless I have him killedâ?¦ he mentally pondered, almost laughing at such a ridicules thought. Dimitri was one of their best knightsâ??it would have been almost impossible to have him killed. Even more so, he shouldnâ??t have even thought about such horrible ideas against his friend and his fiancé.

â??Iâ?¦I will try.â? He muttered, realizing that he had not yet pull his hand back from Dimitriâ??s grasp. With a small blush, he pulled his hand back and rested it against his side as he just stood in front of the knight. He felt at a lost, not knowing what else to do with the older man. If it had been with a maiden, he would have suggested that they moved to the gardens to sightsee and get to know each other further. But as it was, he was with Dimitri, someone who he did know in some level already. Maybe I should invite him for lunch? instead of inviting the knight, however, he just stood there, deep in his thought of where go to from here.

[Yup. English isn't my first language and I have to use a translator for some words I don't have down yet. ^^]