His Other Half (KiriBaku)

Chapter 39

November 2nd, XX84
~The Great Hall~

        "Neito, what is this treason?" Kyoka hissed at him, struggling to break free of the blonde mage's ice. Prince Shoto's magic, it must have been. And the siren has been forced to stop singing under his gaze; Sir Shota's infamous counter spell. That, and he'd copied Eijiro's counter magic, an impressive feat even for him.

        Neito glared at her. "Hold your tongue," he seethed. "It is you who comes into the prince's home and attacks his champion, ignoring his orders thrice-fold, and in the middle of this cursed storm, no less. You have surely embarrassed yourselves and your kingdom this day."

        Eijiro growled in agreement, picking himself off the floor with his prince secure in his hold. His head still swam from the siren-song, a simplistic mantra pounding through his head. Katsuki's hand kept a firm grip on his shoulder, the contact keeping him just grounded enough that he wouldn't try to lunge at the siren again.

        Princess Momo returned his glare with force. "You weren't there in Dian the day we caught him. I don't know how he ever managed to curry favor in the court, but he's an animal, Neito. He tried to hurt a friend of ours—"

        Izuku strolled into the hall then, half distracted by a tall stack of papers. He felt the chill in the air and looked up, blinking for a long moment at the chaos that greeted him. "What in the gods name happened here?"

        Neito, Kyoka, Momo and Tetsu all burst into explanation, and Izuku cut them off with a raised palm when more thunder rolled outside.

        He brought that palm to his temple, rubbing careful circles there. "One at a time, please, I have a headache. I was just coming to bring his highness a tonic—K-Kacchan what happened to you?!"

        All of his attention was immediately diverted when he noticed that Katsuki was also present in this group, and Eijiro growled. Prince Katsuki hushed him to answer with sarcasm. "Diplomacy happened."

        Izuku understood at once. "Oh, shit, they attacked Eijiro, didn't they? Damn it, I knew this was going to happen, I should have met them first to explain. I apologize, Your Highness, this is all my fault—"

        "Izuku, what are you on about?!" Kyoka snapped. "That man tried to kill is in Dian—"

        Ei snarled. "If I had ever wanted you dead, witch, you would be dead. I've killed far stronger for far less—"

        "Stop that," Katsuki hissed at him, covering his mouth to shut him up. "Honestly, do you, want them to keep trying to stab you?"

        Eijiro wanted to let them try.

Despite the ice, Princess Momo leveled her sword in threat. Eijiro wondered if she was ungifted with magic, to not be so affected by the storm. "This danger cannot be allowed to roam free. Was not the point of bringing me here to calm the tensions with my kingdom? And yet you harbor this threat?"

"We'll explain everything, Your Highness," Izuku promised, ever the diplomat. "However, Eijiro is needed elsewhere at the moment."

The Cour, went unsaid in his tone, but Eijiro growled nonetheless, dripping with sarcasm when he replied. "Of course. What have they done now?"

"They think you won't fight in the storm—"

"I'll eat them," Eijiro swore darkly. Quickly getting permission from his prince and making sure the other man would be fine on his own, he left a kiss on Katsuki's cheek, to the shock of their onlookers, and tipped his head at Neito.