The Lost Prince and The Demon King [BL]

When the prince reached the council chamber, he found it in an uproar. Or at least as much of an uproar as a septuagenarian and three octogenarians could cause while doing their very best to remain cordial to the King and Queen of the kingdom. 

"This is outrageous," Clan Leader Moric and one of the oldest council members, said. "We cannot accept this proposal."

"I agree." Clan Leader Leana and the youngest council member, having recently completed 73 summers, nodded. "This is an intimidation tactic. And we will not fall for it."

"What do the Central Lords say?" The King stood at the head of the enormous oak table that occupied the center of the Council Chamber. An enormous map of the Kingdom of Avare lay spread out before him. "Has there been any movement?"

"The main body of the troops remain here and here." The General of the Royal Guard, Ruan, arguably the most handsome man in the room, pointed to the invisible divide between the Eastern and the Western Capital. "Small detachments have ridden up and down the southern ridge, but that was all."

"The Steward overreaches." Council Member Samian pounded one fist on the back of a chair. "He is not content with the western half of the kingdom and now tries to reach for the First Prince."

Hearing himself being mentioned by title, the prince stepped forward and bowed to his King and Queen. "Mother, father. You asked for me? I wonder what could be so important as to interrupt my celebration?"

His father inhaled deeply, staying silent. The Queen, on the other hand, circled the head of the table and walked toward him. 

"We have received a marriage proposal. A very insistent one." She shifted her weight from foot to foot and lifted her chin. "The Steward of the Western Capital wishes to wed his youngest daughter to you."

"It is nothing short of outrageous," Clan Leader Moric repeated. "That the Steward would think to equate his lowly third daughter to our royal First Prince."

Clan Leader Leana scoffed. "He seeks to intimidate us, to show how powerful he is by placing a full garrison on the edge of his 'kingdom' and using this marriage proposal to force our hands."

"It is a clear threat," Council Member Samian said. "Nothing short of it."

"Would any of you like to know what I have to say, seeing as I am the would-be groom?" The prince asked calmly, his gaze shifting from one Council Member to the other. 

A chorus of 'of course, Your Highness', and 'by all means, Your Highness' filled the Council Chamber. 

The prince paced to where his father stood and studied the map, taking the time to weigh his words. "His third daughter is known for being a shy little creature, more fond of books than of people. If I want a bookworm, I would have better results if I tried seducing the Palace Librarian." Some low chuckles echoed through the chamber and even his father smiled faintly. "Furthermore, the girl is barely seventeen. I will not marry her." He let the statement hang in the air for a bit, lifting his gaze from the map to see the Council Members all nodding and the Queen staring off to the side with a worried expression on her face. "However, I am open to meeting her eldest sister." The Queen turned her head sharply to stare at him and the Council Members started to protest. The prince raised one hand, silencing them. "I will meet her here, in the Palace, so that I may then take her measure."

"Meeting her on our territory," Council Member Samian mumbled. 

"And the eldest daughter? That would give us an advantage in the negotiations." Clan Leader Leana nodded as she spoke. 

All the great minds of the kingdom gathered in the Council Chamber mulled over his words and what it could mean for the kingdom. The Queen was the first to move, approaching him and taking one of his hands gently between hers. 

"Are you certain of this?" Her voice was so soft, so caring, so… motherly. 

The prince stared into her calculating eyes for a long moment. All his life, how could he have trusted a single word that came out of her mouth? Had she not hidden his brother from him and, as far as he could tell, his father, the issue with the Steward could easily be resolved. 

And he would not need to offer himself up as a proverbial sacrifice to appease a greedy man and keep his kingdom from plunging into war. 

"Of course I am certain, dear mother. For the good of the kingdom."

***

Exhausted and weary, the prince walked alone to his personal rooms. Not exactly alone since there were always Royal Guards trailing his every move and around every corner. Maybe that was why he had given in to the temptation and bedded Captain Orryn. The man was always there, so why not?

Or maybe he had just been bored that night, which was as likely a possibility as him being actually attracted to the man. Now, the General, that was a man worth pursuing. 

The prince opened his bedroom door and flipped the magical lock silently behind him, thinking how he could approach the General. Should he be direct? Or maybe coquettish? He had asked around but no one seemed too certain about what the General's type was. Maybe he could try a combination of both and—

"Your Highness," a raspy voice called out from the darkness. 

The prince almost jumped and froze mid-step. It took his eyes a while to adjust to the low light of his rooms but when he did, he scoffed.

"Captain Orryn? How did you enter my personal rooms?" The prince frowned and glanced back at the door. Nothing had seemed out of place when he had unlocked and locked the door. And no one could come in and out of his rooms without his personal help. 

"You deceived me," the Captain said, his voice sounding hollow and almost detached, as if it did not come from him. "That night, you made promises you did not keep."

The Captain stepped toward him and a scrapping sound made the prince realize he had his sword out, the tip dragging on the floor as he moved toward him. 

"Stand down, Captain." The prince raised one hand and searched his room for the nearest weapon. He had his magic, but that would take time and could potentially damage the Captain before he could be questioned for his actions. "I will remind you no promises were exchanged between us that night."

"You… de…ceived me." His steps faltered and his words stuttered. "You lied. The… pro…mises."

The prince foresaw the lunge before the Captain moved. He shifted to the side just in time to miss the upswing of the other man's sword. He opened his mouth to call out to the guards outside his door. Even if they could not enter the rooms, they would at least be at the ready to contain the Captain when the prince opened the magic lock. 

Something sharp and cold pierced his side. Surprised to see the Captain there with his sword drawn, the prince had missed the dagger.

The prince stumbled and before he could right himself, another sharp stab took him by surprise. Pain, sudden and overwhelming exploded in his stomach. He glanced down and found the tip of the Captain's sword protruding out of his abdomen. 

Blood ran in rivulets from both wounds and dripped off the tip of the sword. The prince tried to inhale, to speak, to do anything other than stand there and let himself be killed. 

"You… you… li…lied," the Captain rasped next to his ear. 

The prince let out a pained croak and, despite years of training, gave in to instinct and grabbed the blade sticking out of his body with both hands as the captain twisted the sword. The movement cut into his palms and shredded his insides, he could feel it happening.

The prince tried to speak, to breathe, but the Captain sank the dagger into the side of his neck, and all the prince could do was let out a low, wet gurgle. 

Despair clogged his senses as he choked on his own blood. 

"... for the good of…of the king…king…," was the last thing the prince heard as he died alone, in the safety of his own rooms, unable to do anything else other than take his last breath.