knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

You...

When Killua left the throne room, his mind was in turmoil. The queen's ultimatum had shaken him to his core, and her threat against Gon lingered like a shadow over his thoughts. She had made it clear that if he didn't cooperate, she would destroy him—and Gon along with him.

He needed to act, and fast.

That evening, Killua met Gon in one of their most secluded spots—an abandoned tower that was long forgotten by the palace staff. The wind howled through the broken windows, but it offered them the privacy they needed.

Gon noticed the tension in Killua immediately. "What happened? What did she say?"

Killua shook his head, the words still stinging as he repeated them. "She's preparing for war, Gon. She's going to push the marriage forward, and she made it clear that if I don't cooperate... she'll destroy us. She'll come after you, too."

Gon's expression hardened, his jaw tightening. "We've always known she'd use whatever leverage she could against us. But we can't let her win. If she's preparing for war, that means we have to be even more careful. She'll be watching everything."

"I know," Killua muttered, his voice heavy with frustration. "But it's not just the marriage anymore. It's everything. She's building alliances, preparing the kingdom for conflict. And I'm stuck right in the middle of it."

Gon stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on Killua's arm. "We're going to find a way out of this. We have to."

Killua looked up, meeting Gon's determined gaze. He wanted to believe it, wanted to trust that they could survive this. But his mother's influence was everywhere, her grip tightening with every passing day. The war wasn't just coming—it was inevitable.

"We need to find out more," Killua said, his voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside him. "If we can figure out who she's working with, maybe we can stop her before she sets everything in motion."

Gon nodded, his expression resolute. "Then we'll start tonight. We've been careful up until now, but if the war's coming, we don't have much time left. We'll get the information we need, and then... we'll figure out how to take her down."

Killua felt a flicker of hope stir in his chest. Even with the storm gathering around them, he wasn't alone. Gon was with him, and together, they had a chance—no matter how small—to stop the queen's plans.

The next few days were a blur of covert investigations and stolen moments. Killua and Gon worked together, gathering as much information as they could without raising suspicion. They listened to palace whispers, eavesdropped on meetings, and watched the movements of the queen's closest advisors.

It didn't take long for them to uncover some of the alliances the queen had been forging. Several powerful families in neighboring kingdoms had been brought into her fold, lured by promises of power and wealth. Soldiers were being mobilized in secret, weapons and supplies were being stockpiled, and the queen's private army was growing by the day.

But there was something more—something Killua hadn't expected. The queen wasn't just preparing for war with outside forces. She was also preparing for conflict within the kingdom itself. There were rumors of dissidents, factions within the court that opposed her, and she was preparing to crush them the moment war broke out.

"She's planning to use the war to eliminate anyone who opposes her," Killua said one night as he and Gon huddled in the hidden passage beneath the palace. "She's going to use the chaos to get rid of the court members who are still loyal to my father's ideals. Once the war starts, there won't be anyone left to stand against her."

Gon's expression was grim. "She's consolidating power. Using the war as a cover for a purge."

"Exactly," Killua replied, his voice filled with frustration. "We're running out of time. If we don't stop her soon, she'll be untouchable."

Gon leaned forward, his eyes focused. "Then we need to strike first. We need to find the dissidents in the court and make sure they're ready to act. If we can unite them before the war breaks out, we might be able to turn the tide."

Killua's mind raced. Gon was right—they needed allies. But finding the dissidents was risky. The queen's spies were everywhere, and one wrong move could spell disaster.

"I'll start looking," Killua said, determination flooding his voice. "I'll figure out who's still loyal to the old ways—who's still willing to fight against her. But we have to be careful, Gon. If she finds out what we're doing..."

"She won't," Gon replied, his voice steady. "We've come this far. We can finish this. Together."

Lies...It's all Lies