"The king thanks you for coming, Sire." A knight bowed, leading the scarred veteran to the gates of the massive castle. An entourage of knights surrounded him to lead him inside.
The young man covered in years of battle scars wore his old uniform meant for formal occasions. He'd only worn it once before. A dashing dark tailored suit with silver pleats of armor sewn in, and a matching mask to cover the lower portion of his face. His hair, black as a starless night, was combed back. His hands were gloved, and his armored boots were heavy.
The entourage led him to an assembly hall, where he was let in. A knight directed him to his seat at the long table full of generals, high ranking officials, nobles, knights, and of course, at the end of the table sat the young king himself.
As the scarred man walked into the room, eyes fell on him alone and a silence fell over the room. All eyes on him as if god themself entered the room. The king smirked, eyes like a hawk's. Heads bowed to the man as he approached the long table, a heavy atmosphere taking over the room. As he sat down, the men on either side of him dropped beads of sweat down their foreheads and jawlines, shifting uncomfortably.
"Sir Gonathen," The king spoke. "It is an honor to be in the presence of such a legend as yourself." Gonathen scowled, and though it was hidden by his mask, it's shown in his eyes. The weight of the atmosphere seemed to increase, to the point that it felt suffocating.
The king and Sir Gonathen maintained eye contact. The cocky gaze of his majesty felt like a challenge. A challenge, such as saying to Gonathen, entertain me, won't you? Just begging Gonathen to lose his temper or act up. Begging for a show. Begging to see what makes such a young man such a legend in a country that shames the real image of such legend.
Gonathen denied his silent pleas.
"General Lucilfer," The king's eyes didn't leave Gonathen's. "Would you tell Sir Gonathen of our plans?"
A man in a suit much like Gonathen's stood. Over his suit was a grande fur coat. "Kingdoms are challenging his majesty's right to rule. And his integrity to rule. Without a queen at his side, Kings are put under suspicion and are subject to be seen as cruel and unjust. A war is on the horizon with the alliance of western nations. With no queen and thereby no heir, other kingdoms see that the longevity of our kingdom must be short-lived. Therefor any alliances formed with us must also be short-lived. To ensure the future of our kingdom and hopefully avoid being victim to war, we plan to find his majesty a suitable dame to bear his child."
Gonathen sighed, underwhelmed. He was summoned for this?
"We've already found the perfect dame." The king said proudly. Gonathen raised an eyebrow. "A princess from the kingdom of Kukuro. She's currently up for grabs, living all alone in an all but abandoned castle on the tallest mountain of the kingdom."
"If you've already found her," Gonathen's voice was deep, almost distorted, like an old smoker's. As if even his vocal cords were scarred. "What do you need to bother me for?"
"No hero has ever been able to get past the front gates." General Lucilfer explained. "Nations have sent their best warriors, but to no avail. The castle grounds are guarded by a Dragonite."
This, this got Gonathen's attention. He hadn't seen a Dragonite in, oh, ten years? Not since one of his first conquests. Unlike dragons, Dragonites could blend in with humans if they wished to. They were descended from dragons, and were just as fierce and destructive. Gonathen rembered his first encounter with one. The chill in his bones despite the burns on his skin, his blood literally boiling in its presence. Yet his bones, they were ice cold. Frozen in place, in fear.
He hadn't felt such a thrill since.
It was after that, that fear became a foreign concept to him. Because no matter the horrors he faced, nothing could even scratch the tip of the iceberg of the beauty that was the terror of that single Dragonite.
"Now of course," The king waved his hand. "You'll be compensated immensely for your assistance in eliminating the beast and retrieving the princess. We'll give you your proper honor, make known that the legend still lives. And of course, financial compensation."
Gonathen shook his head. "I don't need the honor of you or your people. Nor do I need your pitiful money. I want to be left alone, I don't want to be bothered by the affairs of this rotten kingdom any longer."
The king seemed appalled and surprised by Gonathen's words. "What an awful way to speak of the kingdom you've layed your life down for. Time and Time again..."
"Don't even start." Gonathen stood from his seat. The mahogany wood screeching against the marble flooring. "Send a knight to let me know of any other details I may need before embarking. I don't need any companions or help, I'll go alone."
"Do escort the good sir out, won't you?" The king grinned, looking to the entourage of soldiers. Sir Gonathen exited the room, gladly. Once he was gone, the king turned to general Lucilfer. "Send a squad to the castle following Sir Gonathen's departure. Make sure he does not discover you. While he deals with the Dragonite, retrieve the princess and leave him for dead."
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You're No Monster || GonKillu
FanfictionA young retired warrior, or monster as most would call him, was forced into retirement at a young age because of the many injuries inflicted upon him in the past. One day, he is tasked by the king of the nation to bring him a bride. Only the bride...
