knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

Center secrets

A few nights later, Killua's unease reached its peak.

It was well past midnight, and the palace was mostly quiet. Killua lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. The whispers and rumors he had heard over the past few days had been gnawing at him, filling his mind with dark possibilities. His mother was up to something—something more dangerous than anything she had done before.

He couldn't stay still. His mind raced with thoughts of the queen's plans, of the marriage, of what might be waiting for him around the corner. Without thinking, Killua slipped out of bed, threw on a cloak, and quietly made his way through the palace corridors.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he had to move. There was something out there—something he needed to see, something he needed to know.

His feet carried him toward the wing of the palace where the queen's private council met, where the strange figures had been seen entering. Killua moved silently through the shadows, his instincts sharp as he navigated the familiar halls.

And then he heard it—voices. Faint, but distinct.

He pressed himself against the wall, inching closer to the door where the voices were coming from. The door was cracked open just enough for him to catch snippets of the conversation inside.

"...move forward with the plan... must happen soon... before anyone can interfere."

Killua's blood ran cold. He didn't recognize the voice—it wasn't one of his mother's usual advisors. This was someone new, someone hidden from the court. His heart pounded in his chest as he strained to hear more.

"...the marriage is the key... control must be absolute."

Killua's breath caught in his throat. They were talking about him. About the marriage. About control.

He took a step back, his mind racing with questions, but before he could retreat, he heard the unmistakable voice of his mother.

"Everything is prepared. No one will stand in our way."

Killua froze, the weight of her words settling over him like a suffocating blanket. Whatever plan she had been crafting in the shadows, it was ready. And he was at the center of it.

He turned and fled, his heart pounding in his chest as he raced through the palace halls. He had to find Gon. He had to tell him everything.

But even as he ran, one thought echoed in his mind—a dark, terrible certainty.

This isn't just about the marriage anymore. It's something far worse.

I'm sorry

Killua found Gon waiting for him in their usual meeting spot, his expression immediately concerned when he saw the look on Killua's face.

"What happened?" Gon asked, stepping closer.

Killua, still out of breath from his frantic escape, quickly explained what he had overheard. As he spoke, Gon's expression grew darker, the tension between them mounting.

"It's not just about the marriage," Killua said, his voice tight with fear. "She's planning something bigger, something dangerous. They're going to make a move soon, and I don't know how to stop it."

Gon's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with determination. "Then we need to figure out what they're planning—and fast."

Killua nodded, but the weight of the situation pressed down on him like never before. The sense of doom that had been growing in his gut for weeks now felt undeniable. The queen's plans were moving forward, and he didn't know if he and Gon could stop it.