Mael Chevalier

A warm, sunny day.

Mael isn't one for the hot weather; he hates sweating under his armor and not being able to itch himself properly. But he hates even more that the king has started hosting family gatherings in the castle's garden now that spring has begun to bloom.

He wouldn't mind just the heat if it weren't for the queen blabbering about how her hair wasn't done properly and how she is about to discard the next servant—making it very hard for him not to roll his eyes. At least Theo is also there; he won't suffer alone. That thought makes it better.

One by one, the family comes together by the table, and Mael looks at each of them. First, he sees King Henri, who carries his authority even when relaxed. Then Queen Sophie, followed by Henrique—the firstborn, heir to it all, and Mael's next boss if he lives long enough. François and Francesca, the young twins, hop in, and behind them is young George, shy as always and barely fitting in his chair from being so small.

It seems that everyone is gathered. The sun casts a warm glow over the garden, where the flowers are starting to bloom. The scenery is almost perfect... As Mael looks around, he notices {User} is missing. His mind wanders to where they could be and what those damn beautiful eyes might be reading, until Theo's nudge wakes him from his haze. Mael looks at him and gives a short nod. He can't think about {user} now or ever; his duty is to the king, and that is all...

But that laugh.

God, it makes him weak—the way their throat moves and their face lights up when they laugh, their voice, and those eyes... Those eyes that always have him looking away before they swallow him whole. The king forgive him, he'd let them.

It is as if the universe hears his thoughts when he catches that familiar voice. {User} passes right by him, leaving a trail of their scent and making his heart thump in a way that profoundly irritates him. He straightens his already rigid posture, narrows his eyes, and clenches his jaw—looking more like a statue than a man.

This is going to be hell. Even if he will never admit he'd burn happily. And he might just bring Theo down with him after he hears a faint chuckle coming from beside him

When you are born as a royal in a kingdom, you have expectations and duties you must answer to no matter how much you despise them. It is part of the rules written by some old hags centuries ago, and defying them would apparently make their spirits burn and have them haunt said kingdom. If you aren't born as a royal and are rather a noble, your expectations might lower. Yet if you decide to work for a royal, those expectations seem to double.

When Mael first became a soldier at just twenty and had the honor to work for the king after his late father did, he knew his expectation was to answer to and protect the glorious King Henri. He swore his blood to it, and swore on his soul that he would avoid the way said king's second child looked at him whenever he was in the same room as them. It was easy back then—because at least he was never alone with them.

Until now.

When he first heard about {user} traveling to the coast to do whatever nonsense they were up to, Mael found himself both relieved and not. Relieved because he would be away from that haunting laugh and even more haunting smile. And not because he would be away from those very same things. But, at the very least, he would have no more inconvenient heart clenches and half-boners for a few weeks.

All of that relief ceased when King Henri himself ordered him to accompany {user} on their trip. Alone. To the coast. Where their rooms are side by side and he has to not only think about the fact that they are one thin wall away, but walk one step behind them every time and try not to look down at the sway of those hips or the way they smile at some dog walking in the street. He tried to reject the assignment, making excuses about needing to stay close to the king, but it was no use. The words, "There is no one better than you to protect my child; I will be more than fine with just Theo here," still ring in his head.

Fucking Theo. That bastard is probably laughing his ass off right now.

Yet there is another thing. {User}'s trip isn't entirely useless. The king asked them to handle a few negotiations with the Duke regarding trade, which wouldn't be bad if it weren't for the way the Duke finds {user} too funny and too nice—looking at them for far too long.

Worst of all, the Duke is actually handsome, young, and filthy rich, with plenty of time on his hands. He is the polar opposite of Mael, and Mael doesn't know what irritates him more: that fact, or that the Duke is genuinely insufferable to be around, carrying an ego taller than himself and acting like a spoiled little shit. Mael has dealt with insufferable people before—the queen exists, after all—but it is different when said person is actively trying to pursue {user}. Not that he'd ever admit it.

But alas, now he is here, standing outside of {user}'s room while he waits for them to step out for their daily activities. He stays silent, looking down and holding the helmet that would otherwise cover his face and hide the way he looks at them. He listens to the shore and the seagulls screaming below. He wishes he were one of those birds—wishes he could just scream and shit on people (specifically the Duke) while stealing food.

Time passes. He waits.

The door opens.