Renounce your Title (FVK/Keveridge Fanfiction)

Chapter 6- I promise

The pain upon awakening was unlike anything Kier had ever been subjected to. The inferno blazed at his neck, and burnt its way throughout his entire body- an agonizing level of pain. The only relief came when the fire faded out once he had ceased moving. Yet, fire always leaves something awful behind. For Kier, it was a dreamy mind, and an the inability to hold onto whatever consciousness he posessed. 

A soft moan escaped Kier's lips as he gathered the strength to open his eyes. He immediately wished he hadn't. The light in the room had not invaded Kier's eyelids when he'd first awoken- he'd assumed he was still residing in the back street near the Palace. Instead, he was greeted with an unpleasant, nervous twist to his stomach as he realized that he was in somebody's home.

Who had taken him? Who had been kind enough to help him? The two questions blared in Kier's mind, as he took in a sleep-clouded view of the room. It containted very little furniture, and the whole interior was rather bland. A chair or two, a small, decrepit table awash with old flyers and newspapers. The lack of any kind of lavish luxury filled Kier with a sense of extreme relief. Surely the well to do criminals of Grandomina didn't live in places like this. Compared to the Palace this was squalor. It lacked grandeur- something their beloved King Hux held most dearly to his sick, twisted heart. 

Kier's soft hazel eyes scanned the room for a moment more, before his gaze was ensnared by a ball of crumpled fabric. Brightly coloured.. Blue and gold.. Where had he seen those colours? He could have sworn he'd seen them somewhere in the past day or so. 

It was with that thought that Kier lost his grip on reality, and drifted back into the abyss of unconsciousness.

~~

Downstairs, Laurence had just returned to the small, dingy house. It had taken a lot for him to leave the sleeping Kier- it was as if some unseen force was pulling him back.

It was with a relieved sigh that the ebony haired Prince sealed the door behind him, protecting he and Kier from the warped, twisted world that was Grandomina. However, along with the relief came a tinge of worry. Surely those at the palace would have noticed that their Prince was missing- and with Heartataks roaming everywhere, locating the missing 'royal' wouldn't be an unfeasable task.

Shaking it off, Laurence tucked the day's purchases under his arm before ascending the rusty stairs leading into the sole upstairs room. Hope began to rise in him as he got closer to the top of the stairs- perhaps Kier was awake? Spurred on by this prospect, Laurence jogged up the remaining few stairs, occasionally missing a couple as he jumped them. 

"Kier?" Laurence spoke tentatively, his voice coloured with a tinge of hope. The packages were swiftly deposited on the paper-littered table, as the Prince chanced the short journey over to Kier. Unfortunately, he was still in an unconscious state. 

A wave of disappointment washed over Laurence, immediately quelling the hopeful fire he'd felt just moments before. Oh, how he longed to see those beautiful hazel eyes, how he longed for them to regard Laurence as he tended for Kier...

The amourous dreams roamed through Laurence's mind for a moment, before caution stepped in and halted them. To love was a crime in Grandomina. Love.. Such a bold word to describe the strange array of feelings that Laurence felt for Kier. Could it be love? And if it was, was the Prince bold enough to face up to himself and admit that he was in love with Kier Kemp. 

It was with a sigh of regret that Laurence left Kier's side and roamed over to where he'd discarded the shoddily wrapped parcel. His lack of care had led the wrapping to split, allowing his purchases to spill all over the table. A soft blue blanket. Substantial food to keep Kier alive for however long he was in Laurence's care. A slightly frayed jacket to replace his blue and gold coat until the blood stains were washed away.  Laurence idly twirled a tassel on the blanket's edge before reaching to scoop the entire thing into his arms. If he hadn't known better, he would have wagered that it was a carpet fit enough to serve kings. Vast, and richly woven- it would prove useful in keeping Kier warm while he recuperated.

The tasselled fabric tickled Laurence's nose as he crossed the room to the sleeping young man, threatening to coax a sneeze out of him. Thankfully, he got to Kier before his nose decided to engage in a serious sneezing fit. Moments later, and the ebony haired young man had deftly enswathed Kier in the fabric, making special care not to awaken him. 

'He looks like he's in a cocoon..' Laurence mused as he allowed himself to settle next to Kier. His hair was soft and shone in the minimal sunlight that filtered through the window. His skin held a marble tone, which, surprisingly, flattered him. But then, Kier could pull off just about anything.

'He's so beautiful..' Laurence sighed, ignoring the slight burn of thirst as he allowed his slender fingers to trace Kier's features. His lips were soft, and slightly parted in sleep. Skin cool to the touch, but it had lost its deathly iciness.

How could anybody bring themselves to harm such an innocent young man? How was it that the Cardinal got away with such heinous crimes? Laurence sighed in dismay as he glanced down at Kier. 

"He may have got you once. But nobody will ever lay a finger on you again. I promise," Laurence whispered quietly, intent on protecting the young man in front of him.

((A/N: Sorry it took to long to update! Feedback appreciated xx))