The One Knight Stand

.: Daring Proposal :.

05 | Daring Proposal

Blue was hella stressed.

She was also hella confused.

Both emotions went hand in hand, marrying to create one shitty cocktail of anxiety and mortification.

"Oh my Gods, why now?" The thief quickly gathered up her traitorous pants, feeling like a clown in front of the Prince.

But why did it even matter?

Blue despised Royals. They didn't feed her. They didn't pay her bills.

She was convinced the noble class only existed to make her  (and everyone else in this Godforsaken empire's) life as sucky and unfortunate as possible.

It was an awful predicament.

With anyone else Blue would've strode out the palace with her head held high, pants pooled around her ankles, baring everything except what was covered by her unflattering patchy briefs.

But Prince Bo wasn't just anyone else.

Far from it.

He was the strange, weird rich kid who comforted her days before she was due to lose her hands.

He was also the powerful political entity who defied Anachakar traditions and pardoned her from public punishment.

Bo didn't make sense.

None of this made sense.

"The hell you looking at?" She snapped at the Prince, who looked concerned by her borrowed fashion choices. "Liars don't get free peep shows."

Bo was taken aback, eyes wide.

It's not like Bo expected her to throw her muscled arms around him in a never ending hug or offer to pledge her undying loyalty to his welfare like he'd already done for her, unasked.

He just thought he might earn, like, a smile, maybe.

The Prince was used to being blamed for stuff he didn't do, but this was a bit much.

I didn't lie, he mouthed at her. You assumed.

"A lie of omission is still a lie! I'm not a lawyer, but I know my rights, and I had a right to know who you were down there! Listening to me explain my methods, talking about my family, my childhood memories, my favorite foods. Sensitive information! Treacherous! Lying! Shady as hell!"

She wagged her finger at him as if she could honestly claim any moral superiority.

"I poured my heart out under false pretenses. If I'd known who you were I would've never-"

An indignant grunt cut her tirade short.

Do you hear yourself?

How does my status change anything?

He matched her glare, tit for tat. His thin crown, the understated one he wore casually, slid forward as he leaned down to Blue's height.

He wanted her to read his lips with no mistake.

I have a business proposition for you, if you're willing to hear it.

"Business? With you? Ha! Unreal. I don't have time for this. Again, thank you, your majesty, but if it's alright with you I'd like to go home and forget this entire week happened. Have fun at your cute little festival."

Making up her mind, Blue brushed past him (ignore his sad face, ignore his scent) and made way for the door.

She got one hand on the glimmering handle, which by looks probably cost more than her brother earned in a year.