Thief of Princes (Kid Blink x Reader)

forty-five

𝔄𝔩𝔩 in all, this royal visit was going much better than you'd expected. The fact you weren't in handcuffs put quite a new spin on the experience, one you rather liked. There was some relation between the elvish queen and Blink that you couldn't quite figure out, but the older woman was obviously quite fond of him. You added it to the list of questions you were going to confront the prince with later, a list that seemed to be growing rapidly with every second. 

A list you practically forgot a second later as the Queen, Brenhine, as they all addressed her, promptly refused Blind Diamond's request for aid against Kozmir. 

You knew something bad had happened when the boy next to you went slack jawed and his tone jumped up a couple octaves, but didn't understand until Meredith, who was standing slightly behind you, murmured a translation under her breath. Your gasp came seconds late, interrupting the flow of the conversation. 

"Sorry- I just- did you say you wouldn't help? Like, at all?" You blinked at the queen, stunned. 

"No, I did not say that." The elvish queen looked at you, unimpressed with the interruption. "I said that the crown would not provide aid towards the prince at this time." 

You didn't get how that was different. 

Some of the color had returned to Blink's face at the clarification here, though, and he squeezed your hand softly. You hadn't even realized you were holding his. 

"I'll explain everything later, Princess." He whispered to you.

"I'd prefer if I knew what was going on now?" You whispered back, but he'd already continued the conversation.

So you were forced to suffer through the rest of the time in silence, aching to know what was being said. It wasn't a moment too soon when Blink bowed, you copied Meredith's curtsy, and the prince led you from the room. 

"So?" You wheeled on him immediately. 

"Do you have any food?" He asked Meredith, giving your hand  another squeeze. "I don't like explainin' things on an empty stomach, and I get the feelin' this is gonna take a while." 

"I'll have some sent to your room- I trust you remember where it is?" 

Further questions arose- why did he have rooms here?-- but you merely added it to the list. 

"I'll also have the princess's set up across from yours, since you'll likely be staying the night at least." Meredith continued. Blind Diamond nodded his thanks. You cleared your throat, practically desperate for answers. 

"Right. See you soon, Meri," Blink waved and started in a direction you assumed was the right one. 

Turned out, it was not; after about ten minutes of crossing rope bridges and navigating treetop paths, Blind Diamond finally admitted he had no idea which way his room was. You rolled your eyes, grabbed a passerby, and had directions in a heartbeat. 

"It would have been that easy if you'd done it a while ago." You pointed out, and he grinned sheepishly as he opened the door of the small wooden cabin. 

"Yeah, but at least this way you got to see some of the palace area."

You had to admit, he was right. And what you'd seen, you'd loved. Nearly as much as you loved this beanbag you found yourself sitting on inside the prince's cabin.

"You may begin." You said, once settled.

"Begin what?" He asked, sinking into one of his own and kicking his feet up on a long, low wooden table. 

"The explanation. Of literally everything that just happened." 

"Right. So, the crash course: Elves are famously neutral. They keep to themselves, everyone knows not to mess with them, and they're a very peace loving people. Except for the orcs, but that's something different." 

"Orcs?" 

"The Talin education system needs some updates. Anyway, the elves live in the woods, nobody messes with the woods, and the elves don't mess with anybody else." 

"But why?" 

"The way I've heard it explained is that the-- oh, good, food." 

A knock at the door had sounded, and an elf you didn't know stuck his head in. "Y'all wanted food?" He said in an accent completely different than you'd expected. 

"Yeah, thanks Bran." Blink looked up and flashed him a grin, going over and taking the tray from the elf. 

"Yeah, no biggie, no biggie." The elf nodded, tossing the prince a small salute before leaving. 

"Here we go." Blind Diamond slid the tray onto the table, eyeing it approvingly. 

"The way you've heard it explained," You prompted, scooting the tray closer to yourself. He narrowed his eyes. 

"Finish the explanation and you get the food." You smiled winningly at the pirate. 

He rolled his eyes. "Therearemultiplevariationsofthetale,onebeingthatacursewasplacedontheelvesoflongagothatiftheyraisedarmsagainsthumansorotherelvesthattheirprosperitywouldbecursedforever.Theotherisjustthattheircultureforbidsit. Food please." 

You withheld the tray, puzzling through his information dump. "So in short, nobody knows?" 

"Exactly." Blink said, making grabby hands towards the tray. 

"And that's why the queen won't help you." 

"Ex- well, kind of. The crown won't help us. She's formally rejected our plea." 

"And that means..." You said, prompting him to speak further. 

"The Queen won't be helping us. But Auntie Lys will." He grinned.

"What?" You said, eyes widening.

 He reached over to take the tray while you were distracted, but you threw a grape at him, which he somehow managed to catch in his mouth. 

"You're not getting anything until you answer my questions." You told him firmly, pulling the food out of his reach. 

He sighed and settled back into his beanbag. "Alright, Princess, let's make a deal."