The Lioness Prince (A Larry Stylinson Fan-Fiction.)

Chapter 24 ~Mystery Queen~

-Author's Point of View-

The large group of lions and lionesses bolt towards the castle. They are within reach in a matter of a minute. People whoop, some begin to realize that they aren't as formally dressed as they had wished to be, and others remain silent and listen to themselves and others around them breathe.

Richard slows his pace and eventually comes to a complete stop. The crowd pauses behind him, and a few lions walk up beside Richard and ask if everything is okay. Richard then gives the excuse on how he was "going to be heading back to the place where he was brutally hurt," and they immediately understand his pause. Complete fools. Richard then scoffs.

One lion in particular morphs back into his human self and stuffs his hands into his jacket pockets. Richard then transforms into his nerd-looking self and glances at the nervous figure beside him."Here," the man whispers, and he comes close enough to Richard in order to take off his jacket and hand the fabric to him. His amber eyes widen, and the man immediately morphs back and prowls into the crowd.

Richard feels the jacket for any signs of secret objects, and, sure enough, he looks into the jacket pocket and sees a shining black weapon sitting, waiting to be used for destruction. Richard clears his throat and turns around to search for the man who gave this device to him, but the man is nowhere to be seen. The leader then decides to put the jacket on over his shirt and adjust it to where the weapon isn't protruding. "Alright, let's keep going, and remember, this is a coronation, so be at your best. Don't look as though you're here to disrupt the ceremony," Richard orders, and the crowd hums with submission. The amber-eyed man then morphs back into his lion self and runs the rest of the way to the castle.

The large group comes into contact with the Royal Guard, and Richard stops and waits until he is near the center of the crowd. Everyone re-morphs and humbly walks past the stiff guards and through the castle doors. Richard keeps his head down, but refuses to wear the hood attached to the jacket. It would draw too much attention. Richard reasons as he shuffles forward with the flow of motion.

The people he was with start up conversation with one another, and some even try to include Richard into their discussions, which only makes him seem even more unnecessary and ordinary.

The guards don't stop him. They don't even cast a curious eyes towards him. Richard grins when he walks into the black castle and smells sweet perfumes coming from the room that everyone is being directed into by the staff of the place.

A couple women walking beside Richard point and ask if he know "any of those people," and Richard would plaster a smile and nod, naming people who don't exist until now.

Soft music is playing as the guests are being seated in an orderly fashion, and Richard keeps an eye on key men in his group as they are directed into different pews.

Eventually, his entire force practically dominates a large portion of the seating arrangements, and this pleases the leader.

A new song begins to play, and the audience of nearly five thousand slowly hush.

~*~

"Liam, we had sex," Zayn begins to explain as they descend the spiraling staircase.

Liam immediately blushes and glares at the king for practically proclaiming it to the entire kingdom."Could you say that any louder?" Liam growls in embarrassment, and the king then notices that the servant probably doesn't want to come out to the public about sleeping with a Royal yet.

"Alright, I apologize. But, the point is, because we committed this sin, and you have the potential to become pregnant because you're a lioness, you have practically sold your soul to me for eternity," Zayn explains, and Liam's brown eyes widen.