Klance Oneshots

Lance's Lion Castle: Part 9

Keith turned and went back to Lance.

"Did you want some tea?"

Again, Lance shook his head. Keith sat on the chair beside his bed.

A clear ringing, louder than the rest, reached their ears as a blue stone caught the light and started shining brightly.

Lance groaned in fear, his blue eyes opening.

"The Wizard of the Waste is trying to find my castle again…"

"Oh, I saw his henchmen at the harbor," Keith remembered.

"I'm such a big coward. All I do is hide. And all of this magic is just to keep everyone away," Lance said quietly, his blue eyes avoiding Keith's gaze.

He closed his eyes and turned his head away from Keith. Keith had no idea what to do. He knew that Lance was stretched too thin. He was trying to help Hunk, find Matt for Pidge, avoid the king in two separate locations- while running from the Wizard of the Waste, as well as the other mysterious things he was doing.

"I… I can't stand how cowardly I am," Lance mumbled barely above a whisper.

Keith reached over and gently combed Lance's curly hair out of his face.

"Lance, why is the Wizard of the Waste trying to find you?" Keith asked quietly.

Lance sighed, leaning slightly into Keith's touch before the latter retracted his hand.

"He was once very handsome, or so I thought, so I pursued him. I'm bi, you know. But, he turned out to not be so handsome on the inside. He was corrupted and dark. So, as usual, I ran away. I don't know what he looks like now, not that I care to see him. He's an evil that I can't explain."

Keith gave him a flat look, but Lance didn't see it as his eyes were still closed in shame.

"Not only am I avoiding him, but I also have to report to the king as both Blue Paladin and Amante Lanza."

"How many aliases do you have?" Keith asked in shock.

"As many as it takes to keep my freedom."

"Well…" Keith thought hard for a few seconds, "why don't you just refuse the king's invitation?"

Lance sighed and without opening his eyes, he pointed to the wall over his head.

"See that?"

Keith looked. It was a piece of parchment with a few daggers and pens, a dart, and a pair of scissors stabbed into it, the words written in fancy script.

"That was the oath I took when I entered the Royal Magic Academy. I must report to the palace whenever summoned. I don't have a choice."

"You know, Lance, I think you should see the king."

"What?!" Lance truly looked at Keith's eyes for the first time since his hair fiasco.

Keith's violet eyes were shining brilliantly with his idea. Lance found himself entranced by them.

"You should give the king a piece of your mind. Tell him what you really think of this war. And that you refuse to take part! That you'll search for the missing king in your own way. Right? It can't be that hard."

Lance sighed and rolled his head away from him, tearing his blue eyes away from the enchanting violet ones.

"You have no idea what these people are like."

"Don't I? My brother- well… adopted brother… is King Shiro. He and Adam got married a few years back, deeply in love. Shiro and I worked in the hat shop. Then, one day, he went to town, and came back around dinner covered in dirt and grime. He told me what had happened. He had met a handsome young man in the market, who was trying to buy something to eat. He didn't have enough to pay for the food, so he had promised the booth owner double the money later, if he could have the meal then. The booth owner agreed and let him have the meal, but others weren't so willing. They would have attacked the young man had Shiro not come in and saved him. He fought off all the men that had tried to hurt the other, and then the two became friends."

Lance listened as Keith rambled. He found it rather endearing and adorable, especially when Keith's ears twitched and moved as he talked. When he started talking with his hands, Lance nearly sat up and kissed him, but harshly scolded himself instead and continued listening.

"They would meet each other in town all the time, and then one day, Shiro didn't go meet him. When I asked him why, he told me that the young man was the king himself. We had never seen him before, and Shiro was so embarrassed that he couldn't go anymore. He was miserable. Then, the next day, Adam was knocking on our door, asking to see Shiro. When he finally did see him, he confessed his love to Shiro, who turned a shade of red that I still have not seen to this day- it was great!" Keith laughed a little and Lance couldn't have torn his eyes away if he'd wanted to, "They finally got married… and then about a year ago… Shiro went missing. That's really why the war started. Everyone thinks the other kingdom has him held captive- I just… I really want my brother back. I miss him…"

Lance's blue eyes widened a little as Keith's ears drooped sadly. This was more emotion than Keith had ever shown at one time in front of Lance.

Then, an idea struck the sorcerer.

"I've got it!" he shouted, flinging himself sitting upright and startling Keith, who squeaked in shock.

His eyes widened and his ears shot up in his surprise. Lance's hair bounced slightly as it curled back up.

"You can go to the palace for me!" Lance exclaimed, his blue eyes almost glowing.

"What?!"

"Just say that you're Amante Lanza's amor or something, and that he's such a cowardly wizard that he refuses to show his face! Then Madame Honerva will finally give up on me!"

Keith gave him a disgusted look, but he couldn't say no to Lance's excited expression.

Damn beautiful blue eyes… and his freckles… Ugh…

An hour later found the three of them in front of Hunk's hearth as Keith prepared to go to the palace. Lance was bundled up in his blue comforter and had a pair of blue lion slippers on, but Keith didn't dare look at how adorable he was. He was too frustrated with him at the moment.

"You're gonna wear that hat? After all the magic I used to make your clothes look nice?" Lance grumbled worriedly as Keith set his jaw and yanked the hat onto his head.

His black tunic had been turned a dark blue by magic, and his boots had a little more shine to them.

"To hide my big, stupid, ugly ears," Keith growled as he pointed to one, "take care of him, Pidge. Knock some sense into him if you have to."

Pidge grinned at him and then waggled her eyebrows at Lance. Keith turned and went to the door, but Lance flew up behind him, his oceanic scent wafting around Keith, who was glad his ears were hidden by his hat and his cheeks covered by his hair as he blushed bright red at the sudden closeness. Lance's warm hand lifted one of Keith's and Keith felt a cool band slide onto his pointer finger. It was the silver ring with the purple gem Keith had seen him wear. He was surprised it fit as his hands were bigger than Lance's in this form.

"This charm will guarantee your safe return. I'll follow behind you in disguise."

Keith chanced a glance at the wizard. Violet eyes met brilliant blue, which were looking at him with a gentle emotion that Keith couldn't read for the life of him, but it left a warm, fluttering feeling in his chest.

"Now, off you go."

Lance opened the door and gently pushed Keith out of it. Keith made his way to the palace.