Sun Struck (Klance AU)

Chapter 23

(WARNING! ABUSE AND MENTIONS OF ABUSE!)

I step into the training room with Kosmo at my heel. The second my father sees us he grins.

"Would you look at him."

Kosmo glances at him warily but doesn't move.

"When I heard your chosen one was a star wolf I was quite impressed. They're very rare animals."

"Yeah."

"What's his name?"

"Kosmo."

My father scowls at the name.

"That's the opposite of threatening."

"It wasn't supposed to be."

"You need to enforce fear. Make the Sun Kingdom cower. They won't run from a creature named Kosmo."

"He's not bad and I like his name."

"He's a killing machine."

"No. He's my chosen one."

My father steps forward and with one quick motion his hand cracks across my face.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me boy."

Kosmo growls and my father looks down at him.

"Shut it."

When my father doesn't back away Kosmo hunkers down and his growl grows louder in warning.

"I said, shut it!"

    My father goes to kick out at him but Kosmo teleports and in seconds is standing behind him. His eyes glow a dark amber and his fur is standing on end. He seems to crackle with electricity as he stares my father down.

"You're going to have to keep that thing on a chain. They make some especially for magic users."

"He's only acting out because of you."

"Excuse me?"

My father turns a glare on me as he practically shakes with anger.

"He's only protecting me."

"You don't need protected. You're perfectly capable of handling things on your own."

    There are a majority of things I wish I could say to my father. Some I've held in since I was young. Somewhere in me though, I know I could never say them. My father lost himself a long time ago and as much as I wish I knew why, I know there's no chance.

"Come on, Kosmo."

"Don't walk away from me!"

Kosmo turns and snarls before following me out the door.

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    I lay on my bed with Kosmo on top of my chest. I let him sniff my fingers and he licks them before whining and looking at me.

"It's okay boy. I'm okay."

He lifts his head and turns towards the door just as someone knocks.

"Your highness, it's me. Rosinda."

"Come in."

I move so I'm sitting up with Kosmo in my lap. The door opens and my childhood nanny walks in. When she sees me she smiles.

"I haven't seen you in awhile. You've been quite busy."

"My fathers doing. Not mine."

She nods and sits down on the end of my bed.

"I've heard there's been quite a bit going on. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know. Did my father send you?"

She shakes her head and laughs.

"He's quite busy fuming about how things aren't going according to plan."

"His plan to have me rule everything with him by my side? Yeah, no. I've got more important plans."

"What would those plans be?"

"Peace. Not war."

"The King is... a hard man to please."

"Why though? What happened to him? People always say that he was different and I don't get it. He's been hard on me my entire life. He's never been nice."

"He lost someone important to him a little before you were gifted by the moon. Losing them changed everything for him."

"Who? What happened to them?"

"He doesn't like when people talk about her."

"Please?"

"I can't tell you much. Only that there was a girl and she had to leave. She was part of our kingdom and after she left he was a different man."

"What was her name?"

"I can't say. I trust you, but you and the King struggle to be calm around each other and you can't speak about her. I fear it will bring you death. When it comes to her he would do anything."

"Is she gone?"

"Nobody knows where she went. It's presumed that she passed away."

"Oh."

Rosinda grabs my hand and smiles.

"I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I'm always around the castle and if things go bad with the King you can come to me."

She looks down and freezes, her eyes growing wide.

"When did you get these?"

I follow her gaze to where an edge of a bonding mark is peeking through.

"Um... they uh-"

She pushes up my sleeve to reveal even more of the shining reddish gold marks.

"Wow."

She breathes out.

"These are beautiful. Bonding marks are usually so dark."

She looks up at me.

"These are a big deal."

"I know."

"I didn't know you were in such a serious relationship."

"Please don't tell my father."

"Why do you want to hide this? You should embrace marks like these."

"It's who the marks are from. My father can't find out."

"Are you afraid he will act out because it reminds him of his loved one?"

"No. I'm afraid he will kill them."

"He can't kill people from this kingdom without good reason."

"He can if they're not from this kingdom."

It takes her a minute to realize what I've said.

"Wait- you love a person from the Sun Kingdom?!"

"No. I'm in love with the Prince of the Sun Kingdom."

(We are introduced to Rosinda!

Also learning a bit more about the Kings past.

The woman from his past is Krolia by the way. Keith just doesn't know that yet.)