Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown

iv

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Immediately upon hearing Mau's demands, Mitsuki had the royal messenger send a letter to all the neighboring kingdoms explaining their predicament. Katsuki didn't understand why she asked for help from all of the surroundings kingdoms, especially Valor.

Rath and Valor were at war with the each other. Both kingdoms deployed soldier after soldier in an attempt to finally monopolize the fertile forest and the rivers around it (east of Rath, but west of Valor), but neither had gained any ground in the past fourteen years. Katsuki was just a toddler when it started. The war had grown up along with him.

Katsuki, personally, thought telling a kingdom they were at war with they were liable to another attack was a stupid idea. They could take advantage of their preoccupation and distraction with Mau's threats and finally overtake the eastern land.

Plus, it wasn't like Valor would be much help even if they did—for whatever reason—help. All Valorians were meat-headed, thick-skulled, bull-headed morons obsessed with one thing and one thing only: brawn. Not strategy, not wealth. Just being strong. That was the only reason they had managed to hold their own against Rath for so long.

Mitsuki sent out the letters three days ago. The messenger had returned a day ago, but Katsuki's parents still wouldn't tell him what any of the replies were, instead choosing to discuss it in hushed voices. It was the most aggravating when he was in the same Gods-damned room and they still did it. Like he wasn't even there. He could even see all three kingdoms had sent letters back in return, judging by the three letters the Queen and King kept obsessing over.

That night, when the family was seated in the banquet hall for dinner, Katsuki finally demanded an explanation. The air was stocked with palpable tension. Whenever someone hit their plate with their fork particularly hard (that someone usually being Katsuki), everyone else at the table flinched. That was enough.

"What did the Kingdoms say?" Katsuki exploded. "I'm fucking sick of all this skirting around! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even know about the whole Mau shit in the first place! I deserve a fucking explanation!" He slammed his open palm on the table in his frustration. The gold gauntlet he wore caused a loud thud to ring throughout the room.

Masaru put his hand on his Queen's shoulder. She looked over at him and nodded. Katsuki's suspicions only grew at that. The King only took over when things were particularly bad. He clenched his fists inside the gauntlets. He wore them whenever he could now; save for sleeping and bathing. For sleeping, Katsuki had a pair of gloves made from a light, breathable fabric so he could rest comfortably and also not blow everything up. For bathing, Katsuki just dunked his hands in soapy water before slipping on thin, clean gloves and washing the rest of his body.

"Katsuki," began Masaru softly, "none of the kingdoms can help us except for Valor. And they're willing to, as well. In exchange, they want half of the eastern land. Mostly the forest."

The ash blond sat back against his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, an irritated glower at such a simple answer. It was not at all like he had been expecting. "Okay. And? That's damn good news. The fighting's gonna end then. So why are you two acting like someone fuckin' died?" he scoffed.

"Because of what they expect in return for their help..." Masaru sighed, rubbing at his face with his hands and pushing his glasses off his nose. They clattered to the table, Mitsuki quietly straightening them. Katsuki impatiently waited for an explanation.

"You just fucking said they wanted the forest. Isn't that enough?!" scoffed Katsuki.

"Not for those brawny, brainless brutes," Mitsuki muttered bitterly as she cupped her jaw in her hand and tapped the numerous ringed fingers of her free hand against the table.

"Then get on with it!" goaded the Prince with a groan, throwing his head back against the chair.

"Katsuki, you know Valor has a Prince your age, right?" The ash blond nodded. Of course he did. What kind of a Prince would he be if he didn't know his kingdom's biggest threat's royalty? "Well, he's rejected every suitable bride in Valor." Katsuki arched his brow. Why was that relevant? "And, well... in exchange for their aid, they want you to marry the Prince of Valor."

But Masaru wasn't done there. He didn't even give his son a chance to flip his shit about that before he went on, doing that most likely on purpose. "You would leave for Valor as soon as possible and live in the castle with the Prince. Once you're there, Valor would send over reinforcements and supplies."

Katsuki, surprising both himself and his parents, chose to not say anything for a while instead of just taking the easier (and expected) reaction and freaking out. It was just all so unimaginably ridiculous, like shit straight out of a fairy tale. To avoid having to marry a scumbag in Mau, he would have to marry a moron in Valor.

"Okay," he finally said, his tone lacking all of the usual bite. Mitsuki and Masaru looked at him in both surprise and a little concern. Their son would never be so... tame. "Fine. If that moronic Prince wants a husband, he'll get one."

"Katsuki, you don't—" Mitsuki began with surprising gentleness, but her son cut her off.

"Yeah, I do. All I have to do is marry him, right? Maybe consummate it. I'm eighteen, anyway. It ain't a big deal. I do this, and Rath won't die. What kind of a Prince would I be if I doomed our kingdom just because I didn't want to marry some guy?" he chuckled mirthlessly. Neither of his parents did. "I'll do it. I'll marry him." The ash blond shrugged, even though there was nothing even remotely nonchalant about the entire situation. Agreeing to the proposal meant leaving Rath, leaving his family, his home, and Inko. Leaving all he ever knew.

Katsuki met his parents' eyes. His sharp carmine irises shone dangerously in the ambient lighting set by the sinking sun and, for the first time, Mitsuki knew how it felt to be at the receiving end of one of her intimidating stares.

"I'll marry the Prince of Valor."

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