The Prince's Shield- An Aarmau prince x guard AU [COMPLETED]

I Love You So (please let me go)

A day prior to the ball-

I need to go see her. Aaron thought. He checked around for the guards, specifically the Big 8. They loved Aphmau but if they caught him with her, they'd have to take him away.

He peaked around the corner of the hallway in the equipment room. There was usually a guard stationed there, but in order to get down to the dungeon, he needed a key. When he poked his head into a room, there was one exhausted looking guard passed out, her head on the table. Her name was Azula. She was a runner up for the big 8 but they instead appointed her as a head guard because of her lack of magicks. At the same time, Dante, who didn't have magicks either was brought into the 8 because of his demon-like dual wielding skills.

She did a lot of work around the castle so he couldn't blame her for sleeping, but he knew that she WOULD be blamed if they realized someone took the key. He knew he'd have to take the punishment if it came down to it. After retrieving the key, Aaron snuck back to the dungeon doors.

There were no guards on post by the dungeon door because of a natural relic left in the castle that stopped anyone unfortunate enough to be in the prison from using magicks. Without magicks, most of the people locked up were powerless.

Aaron quietly unlocked the door, straying down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, Aphmau was facing him with a thin smile.

*

"We might have a problem." Kawaii~Chan grimaced, soon after bursting in to the Big 8 meeting room.

"Oh? Like every other problem we've had as of late?" Blaze muttered, already frustrated.

"Well, it may not be as bad as the announcement at the ball, but it's not GREAT."

"Spit it out, KC." Lucinda sighed. They were all bracing for the worst.

"Prince Aaron is with Aphmau." Everyone stood up.

"And you didn't follow him?!"

"I couldn't! I had to get someone else first to be another witness but since you're all here, let's go!" The group found themselves dodging workers left and right, sprinting to the dungeon. As they got closer, they slowed down as to not let the primce know they were there.

See, it wouldn't have been such of a problem if Aaron wasn't on such thin ice with his father, but visiting her the day before his engagement announcement was an easy way for him to get in trouble. The king would go to more extreme measures if they kept getting closer. They had to get him out of that dungeon before the king found out about their visit.

They all quietly made their way down the stone brick, spiral staircase. They piled into the weapon room that led straight into the dungeon room, which Aphmau and Aaron were in. They needed to listen before getting the prince out, but they showed up at a peculiar time, where the prince and his former guard were arguing.

"What are they talking about?" KC listened to them from around the corner, pulling her tail back after realizing it was poking out.

"No clue." Dante replied.

"Princey, no! No way! Have you gone mad?! I know you have a brain in that head of yours so USE IT!" The black haired prince gripped the bars. He was kneeling so that they were face to face. The guards unfortunately hadn't heard what led up to their heated discussion.

"Please Aphmau. It's the only thing I can think of! They're going to keep you in here forever! Or worse...they might..." She reached through the bars with misty eyes, resting a hand on his cheek, catching the guards and prince by surprise.

"Hey, hey, don't cry, Pretty boy. I'm okay. Look at this, you're going to make me cry." The guards couldn't see it, but he was in fact crying. Not even he knew until the tears dripped from his eyes to the floor. He held her hand on his face, keeping her warmth close.

"Every time I come to see you, you look more tired and thin. It's only been 2 weeks. How do you expect me not be emotional when you're in this state?" His voice cracked, and seemingly so did the captive guard's heart.

"You only have so much time here, don't spend it being sad. Show me that beautiful smile of yours. Tell me about what's been going on in the castle. How are the rest of the 8 doing?" He grabbed a hold of her hand, interlocking their fingers. Both of them turned their backs to eachother to lean against the bars.

By some grace of god, the prince hadn't seen the other guards was because his eyes were closed. There were still tears dribbling down his cheeks that he periodically wiped away.

"The rest of the 8 are still upset but they're mostly keeping their composure. I've gone to check up on them a few times."

"Does Lady Katelyn know of the situation? Or how severe it could get?"

"No. I'll send her a letter after I leave."

Blaze turned to face the others. "We should go, we don't want to invade their priv-"

"Aaron...was it true?" He flinched a bit at her calling him by his name. She NEVER said his name. It was informal, even more informal than her calling him "Princey."

The guards decided to stay for a moment longer, just for more information. Nothing more.

"Was what true?"

"Were you really in love with me? I'm hoping to God you say no for my sake but I want to know the whole truth." He visibly gripped her hand tighter.

"Not 'were'. I am, Aphmau. Since our first talk on the balcony, when you saved me, especially after the night we found out I was being married and we were sitting in your room-"

"We agreed not to talk about that, hun." Aphmau butted in.

Lucinda and Travis made quick eye contact. "Do you think they-" Lucinda started.

"She would've told me!" Travis lipped back.

"I had always felt something for you. I was never able to tell you."

"At least you'll have no regrets now." She rubbed at her eyes, the frown on her face only growing more prominent. "I want with all of my heart to tell you how much I love you back, but you're getting married. I just...I can't."

"I never wanted this life. I never meant for you to be stuck here because of me. I'm so sorry, Aphmau."

"Don't beat yourself up for me being in here."

"How could I not?"

"I'm not mad at you, I never have been. Emotions aren't something easily smothered. It's just a shame that your father had to take it the way he did." Aaron looked around the room they were in, taking in the imagery. The cobblestone walls leaked with water and moss. Thankfully, there was no evidence of mice or rats. Maybe that's why they called it the "Special Cell". "You know, I wouldn't blame you if you just want to bury me in your memory and never visit down here again. That would make this easier for the both of us."

"I don't even want to think about that."

"You'd be better suited if you let me go..." Her voice crumbled. She used her free to wipe at her eyes.

All she'd ever wanted was for him to be happy.

"I can't do that. I just can't. Not now that I've finally come to terms with my feelings. I can't."

Aphmau hesitantly freed her hand from his, brushing herself off and standing up. He joined her just a moment after.

"You should go now. Keep yourself fed, and don't stay cramped up in your room doing work all of the time. Go outside, you hear me? And put that key back right where you found it. Nobody deserves to get in trouble because of your idiocy." They stood up, facing eachother again. She took the Prince's hand, pressing a drawn out kiss onto the back of it.

"I'll see you soon, Aphmau." The guards shuffled up the slippery stairs and split while he was walking to leave. They'd have to handle how they were going to stop him from going to see her some point soon but it couldn't be after that emotionally damaging conversation he had just had.

Taking in the troubling fact that it would only get worse from there was far too much for them to handle. They could only hope for the time being.