knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

A Fragile piece

In the days that followed, Killua and Gon were more careful than ever. They continued to steal moments together, but they made sure to avoid raising suspicion. Their meetings were shorter, more discreet, and Killua made a point of being seen fulfilling his royal duties. He played the part of the obedient prince, even as he and Gon quietly worked to protect themselves from the queen's inevitable next move.

But even as they tried to maintain this fragile balance, Killua couldn't shake the fear that it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down. The queen's gaze felt more watchful than ever, and the looming threat of the marriage still hung over his head like a sword waiting to fall.

The moments of joy he shared with Gon were more precious than ever, but they were always tinged with the underlying tension of knowing that the peace wouldn't last. Every stolen glance, every whispered conversation, was a reminder of the risk they were taking.

And yet, despite everything, Killua found solace in the time they spent together. Even if it wasn't the carefree life he had imagined, even if the shadow of the queen's power hung over them, these moments were enough to keep him going.

One night, as they sat together in one of the palace's hidden passages, Killua rested his head on Gon's shoulder, closing his eyes and letting the warmth of Gon's presence wash over him. It was a quiet moment, filled with the unspoken understanding that their time together was fragile, but valuable beyond measure.

"I wish things could be different," Killua murmured, his voice barely audible. "I wish we didn't have to hide like this."

Gon sighed softly, his arm wrapped around Killua in a comforting embrace. "Me too. But as long as we have each other, that's enough for me."

Killua smiled faintly, his heart aching with both sadness and love. "Yeah. Me too."

And for now, in that quiet moment, it was enough.

Enough?

The days continued in the same delicate dance between Killua and Gon. Each moment they shared felt like a stolen treasure, held tightly against the growing tension in the palace. Though they were more careful, the looming threat of discovery was never far from Killua's mind. His mother's presence seemed to be everywhere—her cold gaze lingering on him during court meetings, her voice echoing in his mind whenever he found a fleeting moment of joy with Gon.

But as the weeks passed, something began to change. It wasn't immediately obvious, not to anyone else, but Killua could feel it in the air. It was a subtle shift—a sense of something lurking just beyond his perception, waiting for the right moment to strike. He couldn't explain it, not fully, but the feeling gnawed at him every day.

One evening, while Killua and Gon sat in one of the more hidden corners of the palace gardens, the feeling weighed heavier than usual. The night was unusually still, the air thick with humidity, as if the palace itself was holding its breath.

"Do you feel that?" Killua asked quietly, his eyes scanning the shadows of the garden.

Gon, sitting next to him on the stone bench, looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Feel what?"

Killua hesitated, his hand resting on the bench beside Gon's. "It's like... something's coming. I don't know how to explain it, but everything feels different."

Gon tilted his head, his brow furrowing in thought. He was used to Killua's instincts being sharp—sharper than anyone else's. If Killua felt something was wrong, it usually was.

"You think your mother's planning something?" Gon asked, his voice low.

"I don't know," Killua admitted, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Maybe. But it's not just that. It's like... there's something bigger happening. I can't shake the feeling."

Gon sat quietly for a moment, staring up at the night sky. "Maybe you're right. Things have been tense lately, more than usual. She's been keeping an even closer watch on you."

Killua nodded, his eyes darkening with worry. "I know. And I've been thinking... what if we don't have as much time as we thought? What if she's planning to push the marriage sooner?"

Gon's hand gently brushed against Killua's, offering him silent comfort. "Then we'll deal with it. We've managed so far, right?"

"Yeah," Killua muttered, though his heart wasn't fully in it. The tension in the air was almost suffocating now. Something was coming—he was sure of it. But what?

As they sat there in the garden, the usual comfort of Gon's presence wasn't enough to fully ease the growing sense of unease that clung to Killua. For the first time in a long time, he felt powerless, like no matter how careful they were, no matter how much they planned, the walls were closing in.

The next few days passed in a blur of royal duties and secret meetings with Gon. The court was more active than usual, with foreign diplomats arriving for discussions that Killua wasn't allowed to be part of. The queen was in her element, commanding the attention of everyone in the palace. She spoke of alliances and power with a cold precision that made Killua's skin crawl.

But it wasn't just the political maneuvering that unsettled him. There were whispers among the palace staff—rumors of strange meetings happening at night, of shadowy figures seen entering the palace through hidden passages. Killua overheard some of the guards speaking in hushed tones about the queen's private council, though no one dared to say much.

One evening, after overhearing a particularly cryptic conversation between two palace servants, Killua hurried to meet Gon in one of their usual spots, a forgotten hallway hidden behind a tapestry. He arrived out of breath, his mind racing.

"What is it?" Gon asked, immediately sensing the urgency in Killua's expression.

"Something's happening," Killua said, his voice hushed. "I overheard some of the guards talking. They didn't say much, but I think there's been a series of secret meetings between my mother and... someone else."

"Someone else?" Gon's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"I don't know," Killua muttered, frustrated. "But it's not just her usual advisors. They're hiding something. I can feel it."

Gon crossed his arms, his face thoughtful. "You think this has to do with the marriage? Or something bigger?"

"I don't know," Killua said, his voice tinged with frustration. "But whatever it is, it can't be good. I've been trying to figure out more, but no one will talk to me. Even the guards have gotten more tight-lipped than usual."

Gon frowned, glancing around the darkened hallway. "We could try to investigate ourselves. There's gotta be a way to figure out what's going on."

Killua nodded slowly, but his gut told him they might already be too late. Whatever his mother was planning, it was coming to a head. The tension in the palace was growing by the day, and Killua's sense of dread was becoming harder to ignore.

"I don't want you to get caught up in this," Killua said quietly, turning to Gon. "If something happens, I need you to be safe."

Gon shook his head, his expression firm. "We're in this together, Killua. You're not facing this alone."

Killua opened his mouth to protest, but the look in Gon's eyes silenced him. He knew there was no point in arguing. Gon wasn't going anywhere

Anywhere...?