Different Lives ||•{Klance Royalty AU}•||

Chapter 6

"I hate fancy parties," I grumble to Shiro whilst fixing my chest plate. 

He hums a response whilst shoving on his clunky boots, "It is only a few hours."

"A few very long hours," I shift and pad over to the bathroom checking myself over once more in the mirror. I look presentable enough. I hate playing the role of a phony knight. I hate this suffocating armor. I hate royalty... well not all royalty. I trudge back into the bedroom and grab my helmet. I shove it on with a groan.

"If it makes you feel any better," Shiro offers his condolences, "You'll at least have some eye candy."

I pause on the words eye candy, pondering on what he means. Picking up my lance I turn my attention to him, "What do you mean, 'eye candy'?"

"The Altean Prince, of course!" He exclaims all too joyfully, "I've seen how you eye him. How your gaze lingers!"

I fake a gag to try and get him off my case, "As if."

~~~

Gosh, Shiro was right. My gaze is glued to the Prince. How could it not? He's just so beautiful! --- Well, he is royalty so I guess he's supposed to be beautiful. It's really such a shame that he's being married to the Galran Prince. 

Shiro catches my lingering gaze and nudges me slightly, smile plastered on his dumb face, "You're staring, Keith."

I promptly turn my gaze elsewhere, biting my chapped bottom lip, "I am not."

"You were."

We banter quietly and playfully, my attention being drawn to Shiro, rather than the royalty that we are tasked with protecting. I let out a low chuckle as I hear the familiar sound of delicate footsteps approaching. Simultaneously, Shiro and I straighten and look forward, as straight-faced as possible. I glance at the owner of the footsteps and let out a small sigh of relief, "It's just you."

The Altean Prince stops in front of us, a bright smile on his glossy lips. His hands clasped over one another in front of him. He tilts his head slightly, smile only growing as he speaks, "Parties are such drag, aren't they?"

I nod silently knowing I have no place speaking on the subject of parties.

He moves his almost translucent sparkling cape that's draped neatly over his shoulders back a bit, as it intruded his space, "And the clothing that they make me wear! Augh!"

"Pardon me, but aren't you supposed to be conversing with people of you're status?" I ask, not wanting to get in trouble.

The Prince's smile falls and he clears his throat, "I'm bothering you, aren't I?"

My answer comes out a little rushed and desperate, "No! No-! I just don't want to get in trouble with my Prince or your King."

His smile returns, brighter than before. He claps his hands together, eyes slipping shut momentarily, "Oh! Don't worry about them! They're working out their relationship as we speak!"

"Oh," Is all I could muster.

"Don't fret over them," He grins a goes into some spiel about his life, obviously trying to keep me entertained. I start to lose interest after a beat, not being able to relate to his royalness. Instead, I opt to just smile and nod as he flails his hands kind of gracefully with his rambles. I hope no one comes over here and ruins this moment. After one very long story, the Prince glances around and steps closer, invading my personal space. He leans in a bit and lowers his voice, "If it's not too much trouble would you mind meeting me in the gardens later?"

"The Gardens?" I repeat in a hushed voice. He pulls away, nodding as I ask, "Why?"

He presses his index finger to his soft-looking lips, a coy smile appearing, "Hmm, you'll see."

I raise a cautious brow and let my eyes linger over him as he steps away and turns his attention to the fellow royals across the ballroom. I watch his gaze and follow it, seeing his eyes on his sister. She has her fan open in her left hand, eyes skating over to us then back to the lady in front of her. She touches the tip of the fan lightly and the Prince nods and glances back at me, "Excuse me, but I have some business to attend to."

He waves a small goodbye to me as he parts ways and dashes over to the Princess. Letting out some tension in my shoulders, I sigh then roll them back. Shiro nudges me, the largest grin ever on his lips, "Looks like the Prince fancies you."

I grimace and shoot him a glare, "What makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know," He makes an imitation of the Prince's voice, "Meet me in the gardens?"

I roll my eyes and kick his shin, "I'm sure he means it innocently. Besides he's a Prince! And I'm..." I pause, thoughts lingering on things I could say. I'm a thief, a rebel, a liar, a phony knight of a warring kingdom, a peasant. I'm nothing compared to a Prince, much less the Altean Prince. I lift my gaze to said Prince across the room and continue, "Just some low-life knight."

~~~

I noticed my sister's fan movement and eye contact from across the room. Regrettably, I have to leave the Knights alone. Of course, when I'm actually having some fun somebody has to ruin it. I excuse myself and stride over to her. She extends her pinky finger signaling the lady in front of her to leave. I step up as the women bows and leaves, my arms find themselves crosses over my chest, a pout forming on my lips, "What is it?"

The smile she had while talking to the lady disappears, replaced with a stern look, "What do you think you're doing, cozying up to the Galrean guards?"

I raise a brow, choosing to play dumb, "What makes you say that?"

She closes her fan and uses it to gesture to the guards from earlier, "Do you think I'm stupid, Lance? I can see right through you!" 

I glance back at them and push her fan back towards her, "So what if I'm talking to the guards? It's harmless fun!"

"Fun?" She snaps, "Lance, fun is not potentially getting scolded by you're fiancee much less your father for speaking out of line or to the guards! Fun is painting, drawing, playing dress-up! Not being stupid!"

I prop a hand on my hip, shifting my weight, "Well the only person scolding me is you."

"You'd much rather have me doing it than them, right?"

"You're more favorable, I'll admit, but," I lean in, a devious grin on my lips, "You can't stop me."

She stamps her foot on the ground, frustrated with my behavior, "Mother wouldn't want this!"

"Mother wouldn't want me to be married off to stop a war but things happen, Allura."

She huffs, deflating a bit, "Just quit making dumb decisions, please."

"Never."