This is Revolution

.ONE.

.Lance.

It should be storming. Tears should be pouring out of the sky to match the cries of Aldoria. But the sun shines as Lance steps out onto the palace steps in front of the desperate citizens. He tries to smile as looks out over his people, tries to be what his father demands. Tries to be perfect.

But Lance isn't perfect.

That's his sister. April should be the heir. Should be the one giving these speeches and attending meetings. Everyone knows it too. He could never be enough for his father to be happy, never be enough to rule Aldoria.

But he doesn't have a choice.

He's never had a choice. So he wills a tight smile onto his face and takes a deep breath. He feels The King's eyes drilling into the back of his head. Watching every breath he takes, looking for every mistake.

"H-Hello Aldoria," Crap. He can already hear his father yelling at him for that stutter, "I know we are at some... trying times right now. But I am here to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to.. to support our farms and provide enough food for everyone." He racks his brain trying to remember the rest of his speech.

"We want to remind everyone that stealing is never an appropriate action to take and I..." No. no. no. this can't be happening. I'm so dead. "The uh... the." He clears his throat and looks out at his people. He wishes they looked angry, wishes they would scream at him because anything would be better than the defeated stares that meet his own. He's failed his people.

A stern hand clamps down on his shoulder, trying to appear as a comforting gesture but the man now standing next to him has no love in his heart for Lance. Something that was even clearer behind closed doors.

"As my son was attempting to explain, Anyone caught stealing will force the punishment of execution," the King takes over, shoving Lance behind him and finishing his cruel announcements. Lance had never understood the King's anger. Never felt so much rage that he thought to take someone's life. But executions were commonplace in Aldoria.

The King finishes up his speech and Lance is guided into the palace walls that he dreads, the expensive doors slamming shut behind him.

"What have you done?!" The King's hands grip Lance's shoulders hard enough to bruise, trapping him in place and forcing him to look the King in the eyes. "Do you have any idea how you've made us all look? We've gone over that speech a million times and you just freeze?! Not to mention the stuttering. With everyone watching! How do you expect to be King if you can't even remember a fucking speech!"

"Father I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to I jus-I just-"

"It doesn't matter if you meant to or not- you still ruined it! You smeared our reputation!" Lance flinches back as his father's voice grows louder, "I cannot lead a country that does not respect me!"

"I'm sorry, I'll do better father I'm-"

"You'd better do better! I don't think you could do any worse! Why can't you just be like your sister!?" Lance steps back at this hitting his back against the wall and trying not to show how much that actually hurt, "she'd make a better heir than you ever could!"

"Then just let her rule!" His eyes widen as he realizes what he said.

"Excuse me," The King's voice feels like a punch to the gut, "I have spent eighteen years. EIGHTEEN FUCKING YEARS training you to be King and you can't appreciate a single thing I've done for you?! Hours of training every single day and you still manage to fail your people!"

"I-I'm-"

"Just go to your room Lance, I'll deal with your punishment later" Crap. Now he's really screwed. His father storms off probably to deal with the embarrassment of Lance's speech and he's left standing with only his guard in the empty hall.

"Come on, let's get you to your room." a gentle hand touches his shoulder this time.

"I really messed up this time Gav."

"It's fine, you're gonna be ok kid," Gavin's voice is soft as he guides Lance down the hall, "I'm right here." Once in the room, he is enveloped in a hug, leaning into the comfort and letting himself finally break down in the arms of his only friend.

"I can't even give a speech Gavin, He's right... I-I'll never be able to rule. I'm a failure." Gavin pulls out of the hug holding him away so he can look Lance in the eyes.

"I mean this in the nicest way possible kid, but shut the fuck up," he reaches over and ruffles Lance's hair gently, "I've known you basically my whole life Lance and no one is more fit to be King. You care for your people more than the King ever could. Don't ever say you're not enough."

"Thanks," his voice is small and weak but this is Gavin. The only friend he's ever had, the only one who really knows what he goes through with his father. It took years for him to even slightly open up to his best friend but without Gavin, there's no way he could've made it this far. 

"Of course kiddo," Gavin sighs running a hand through his hair and checking his watch, "I'm gonna keep you safe. I won't let him hurt you again Lance. I promise."

He scoffs at that knowing there's nothing he's ever been able to do to stop it, "don't make promises you can't keep Gavin. We both know you'd be killed for standing up to him like that. I'll be fine."

Gavin just shakes his head with a small frown, "I never break my promises," he clears his throat, "how about we go out to the garden? Get some fresh air? Watch the sunset?"

"Yeah, yeah sure. Just let me change out of this ridiculous outfit," He gestures down to the extremely rich and fancy attire that the King insists on him wearing for any public event to 'showcase their power' or something.

Gavin chuckles and moves to the door checking his watch again trying not to let his nerves show, "Sure thing, just come out when you're ready. I'll be waiting."

The door closes and Lance changes into a much comfier light blue sweatshirt before following Gavin out to the palace garden having to put a little more effort into walking to keep up with Gavin's freakishly long legs.

"Why are you walking so fast!" Lance chuckles gazing slightly up at the older boy, "I'm not even that much shorter than you are!"

"Sorry kid," Gavin replies slowing his pace and glancing at his watch once again, "I just really don't wanna be inside anymore. I need the fresh air as much as you do."

"Alright, alright 'Mr. Speed Man,'" Gavin looks over at him this time, raising an eyebrow and letting out a small laugh.

"What?"

"'Mr. Speed Man' with you're freakishly long legs and stuff!" 

"I don't even..." Gavin just shakes his head letting his sentence trail off as he holds open the doors for Lance and they make their way outside. 

The sun has nearly set, the golden rays that had lit Lance up like a spotlight earlier today now revealing a beautiful sky of stars. The pair stares up at the sky as they often do on the bad nights watching the world settle into a peaceful kind of darkness. 

"Thanks for this Gav," Lance says after the night has fully taken over, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably fall off a cliff," he responds without hesitation as if he's thought this through many times before.

"What do you mean! that doesn't even make sense, there aren't any mountains in Aldoria?"

"You'd find a way." he can hear the smile in Gavin's voice now and can't help but laugh.

"Honestly you're probably right."

"I kno-" Gavin's cocky retort was cut off by the palace alarms. 

And then a symphony of gunshots.

Someone was in the palace.