-Nekotalia/GerIta Drabble-

Neko Princes: Castle Walls

Once upon a time...
"Men! Gather your horses! It's about time we take back what is ours!!" Cheers and shouts of approval filled the room, along with the sound of clatter and footsteps that echoed in the king's ears. He himself was pulling on his chest plate while his eldest son held out the family sword.
There was a kingdom waiting for the right time to attack.
"Father...you don't have to go-" His eldest pleaded, but the king slipped the word handle into his grip. His claws flexed over the rough leather and jewels embedded in the weapon, the feeling was familiar yet distant. His tail lashed out behind him-making his son snap his jaws closed.
The king was a man of ambition-not one for getting told what to do. He was a reckless older man who was respected throughout the kingdom...but yet lacked the physical love for his family.
"I must reclaim what is ours from that-that-UGH THAT WICKED MAN WHO DARES CALL HIMSELF RULER OF THE WORLD!!!"
The young man quickly stepped back when his father twisted around and stared deep into his eyes...and with a whisper he spoke through his teeth, "Take care of your brother..." And with that...the King fled his castle with his sixteen year old son left to take care of his legacy...
When the King left for war, little did he know his eldest: Gilbert...would escape to join the fight. He wanted to show his kingdom that he was a hero like his father, and he didn't care for his brother since he was in good hands. But yet...deep inside the castle...
"Gil? Bruder?!" The ten year old child held tight to his own broken suspender strap while walking through the silent castle walls. His ears lay flat against his head as he felt the darkness seep into his skin like a plague.
The little boy was afraid. He was afraid of being alone. He was afraid of losing his family. The servants would never pay attention to him anyway, and no one would talk to him dare they be hurt by the King himself when he got back. Soon the boy got used to the loneliness, and with time...he grew.
Five years passed and the war waged on. Ludwig, the small boy, had recently celebrated his fifteenth birthday alone without his family. Gilbert had sent letters from time to time whenever he could get away from the war. Their father still didn't know that his eldest was fighting-even though Gil was rising in the ranks. Yet the eldest had gained little to no injuries so that his father wouldn't get a notice. The eldest was old enough to rule-he was supposed to take over the throne six months earlier, but he said his younger brother should take his place instead.
The young prince could not take rule though, he's only just become 15...but the blonde did help out his kingdom by sparing bread and water for them and giving them homes if theirs was lost in the war. The King himself had been fighting off the enemy's best guards for months, a thing of talent for the older man. He had finally got to the kingdom and started to make an impact. Their walls were crumbling...
Ludwig lounged upon the throne with robes in hand and a piece of parchment in the other. The young prince stripped off his shirt and pants in trade of his now prince robes. No servants helped him like always, and he liked it that way. He dressed himself accordingly before laying the piece of parchment on his throne before stalking off with his robes dragging behind him towards the front gates. His elder brother was coming back for the night so that he could officially give his younger brother the right to hold the crown atop his head.
The fifteen year old scowled at the dust gathering on the castle walls. His ears pulling back when he heard a knock from the double door at the end of the hall, his feet dragged across the tiles and past old paintings of his ancestors. Their disappointed gazes made his stomach turn into one made of a compressed fireball-waiting to be unleashed. He wasn't one to disappoint anyone, little did he want to be known as that.
Over the years the young prince had grown to his father and brother's surprise. Gilbert was surprised when the doors opened up to show that his younger brother had filled out an almost young adult body. They had become equal height across time, and Ludwig had become much like their father. Stoic stare, stocky build, hair a light blond, and eyes piercing ice blue that would make people weep and plead for their lives if need be. Ludwig did gain a trait from their mother though...
"Bruder! Are you well? You haven't got hurt too badly at all-have you?" The younger's brows knit together with worry and Gilbert had to laugh before stepping forward and bringing his brother into a hug.
"You sounded just like our mother-may she Rest In Peace."
Ludwig swallowed thickly at the mention of their shared mother before pulling away slightly from his brother's tight embrace. The younger took note of the missing fur on his brother's tail and his torn ears that flicked around in instinct.
Gilbert seemed to be on edge the entire time Ludwig lead him back to their old shared room that had gathered some dust from no use. The eldest sniffed as he saw everything had changed, instead of two beds in each corner, their was a queen bed with multiple pillows and a thick cover for the winter months folded on the edge of the bed. A portrait of himself at the age of six with his father and mother six months pregnant, sat above a cedar wooded dresser. The room contained a spare set of clothes on top of that dresser, a desk with a lantern, and a nearby bookcase filled with an assortment of textbooks, children's books, romance novels, and a peculiar turquoise thin paged journal resting beside a picture of their father and the pair at an older age.
The eldest relaxed only when Ludwig left him to his devices, his battle scarred body becoming visible when he stripped off his armor for his own royal robes. His throat became oddly thick with spit as he stared at himself in a mirror that sat beside the dresser in his room. Red tinted eyes becoming something akin to a stinging sensation. His mind scouring for a memory of one of his best friends running into action without thinking, their battlecry cut short from the sound of a bullet striking them in the chest. The blond fell to his knees and Gilbert took aim at the enemy who had taken his best friends life.
Their eyes met-red on bright green and Gilbert clicked off the safety of his gun, pressed his finger against the trigger, only for the green eyes to blink in surprise as he was knocked aside by his own friend who took Gilbert's bullet to the shoulder. The young royal blood rushed to his friend's aid, pulling the steadily bleeding Frenchman behind their shelter. Thick curses spurted from the blonde's mouth just as a spray of bullets flooded over their heads.
Gilbert cradled his steadily dying friend, trying to listen as his best friend tried to tell him something. "Tell her...tell her I loved her as much as a-a man co-*cough*-could ev-ever love their so-sou-soulmate. Take c-*sputters*-take care of Mattie-h-he's so-so y-young..." Gilbert clasped Francis's hand when his dying friend had held it out as if to make a promise. "I will only if you die my dearest friend...God only knows I will-just-just-STOP DYING DAMNNIT!!! We'll get you help okay?! Just don't-"
But his words fell on deaf ears, the Frenchman's soft laugh splattering the air with blood as he took his dying breaths, "It is my t-time Gilbert...I must g-go...Goodb...." The blonde's voice died along with his eyes. Gilbert sobbed for his best friend, screaming at the blonde to come back even as blood poured from his nose and mouth. His friend would never see his son again as his son grew up.
Gilbert looked down at his hands, imagining the blood staining his fingers again, imagining his best friend dying in his arms. His eyes could shed no more tears, for his tear ducts had dried up after three years since then. He understood that he had to visit the Orphanage to take custody of Matthew. What the weird part would be is meeting the eleven year old. His friend had been 26 when he died. He had his son when he was merely 18, at the same time Gilbert had just turned freshly 11. (Hope that math is writing holy cow-) Gilbert had only met Matthew when he was born, not having returned to his best friend's house due to having no time as a prince. The albino shook his head free of the thoughts before jumping when someone knocked on his door.
The albino quickly adorned his robes before opening up the door himself to come face to face with the snapping jaws of what seemed to be a prisoner of war. Two shouts of the guards and the aggressive prisoner was trapped in a muzzle cage and handcuffs. He adorned what seemed to be tattered royal robes and had his ears pierced with what seemed to be mating studs.
"I'm going to kill you and your wretched father for taking away my kingdom-" The taller of the guards swiftly kicked the presumably prince's stomach and knocked the air out of the small body. He was a very pretty thing, his body slender and his eyes holding a fighting passion that never seemed to leave...but Gilbert didn't understand why he was here.
"Your Majesty-your Father has captured the enemies' sons. This is the eldest-Romano. He's has been sent to you while the other has gone to Ludwig, what do you want to do with him?"
There it was.
Gilbert heaved a breath before looking at the prisoner's shaking body. He realized that he was malnourished-something that was obvious by the way his clothes hung on him. His bones showing through the skin and making the albino cringe.
"Get him a meal and lock him up in one of the spare rooms-"
The guards look surprised and the smaller quickly interjected, "But your Majesty-"
"Did you just question my authority?!" The guard quickly hushed up with a snap of their jaws and Gilbert hummed, "Get him out of my sight-I have better things to do." The guards nodded in unison before hauling the small prisoner to his feet who made something akin to a whimper and Gil looked down to see that the feet Romano bared were covered in blisters and multiple scratches.
"For God's sake get him a medic so he doesn't track blood!!!"
The guards jumped before turning and saluting, "Yes! Your Majesty." And with that-Gilbert swept from his room with his long robes behind him billowing majestically.
The younger prince had immediately tensed as he smelled the prisoner at his feet. His nose finding something warm and comforting about the tiny thing on his knees. Throat thick with spit-he kneeled to the prisoner's height and tilted up that chin to look into scared amber eyes. Ludwig had unconsciously wiped away the dirt on his prisoner's face-his breath inhaling the hearty scent of spice, honey, and vanilla under a coating of smoke and death that made him cringe internally. He needed this man closer, needed him healthy in every way: emotionally, physically, mentally...this man was his mate-he knew it.
The young prince pushed away the guards and whipped his tail about angrily, watching his mate flinch; the tail behind the prisoner pushed itself hiding between his legs, the auburn ears pinning against his skull. The young blonde wanted to comfort his new mate-not caring what the guards said. The young prince was going to learn that no one was going to accept them in time...
Gilbert watched as Ludwig's pupils went from slits to blown wide as he stared at the prisoner in front of him. He hissed when he saw the prisoner melt at Ludwig's touch and reach out to cup Ludwig's clean cheek with his defiled hand.
"You touch him and I will have your hand personally cut off."
Something in Ludwig snapped, his arms pulling the small silent body off the floor and cradling his newfound mate to his chest. Said smaller body whimpered before saying brokenly right in Ludwig's ear, "Set me do-down...ple-please..."
But the taller didn't obey-just growled at his brother who dare threaten his mate. The two guards turned to Gilbert and looked quite confused as to what to do.
The oldest quickly walked up to his brother who's eyes had gone to tiny slits, threatening the 21 year old to mess with his mate.
"What is with you Lud? Why are you cradling our enemies' son?!"
The tiny body cradled in Ludwig's arms turned and glared at Gilbert with a heat in his eyes, "Because he's my mate you f-fool!" The youngest' voice broke and Ludwig quickly pecked his mate's throat to make his submissive feel better. In which case it made the smaller purr and nuzzle his face shamefully back into Ludwig's neck.
Mates were unheard of to anyone outside of the kingdom of Rome. It never happened much anymore seeing as it only happened when the people's spirits fell in love. It just so seems that Ludwig had met his soulmate. His brother disapproving due to not knowing the feeling himself. Ludwig eventually got Gilbert to leave him be and soon...
"Get that ratty outfit off...feel free to wash off too. Bathroom's over there," He tucked his chin inwardly while he talked, his finger pointing to the bathroom off to the side. But Feliciano stayed put on the corner of the bed, his amber eyes looking up at Ludwig's in a pleading gaze.
"I want to see my brother your Majesty...I need to know if he's okay..." Ludwig groaned, his fingers tapping impatiently against his thigh, contemplating.
"If I go get your bruder...will you get dressed appropriately?"
That seemed to be the best compromise, although Ludwig hated the sound of leaving his mate alone...unprotected. He rushed forward before pressing his lips gently against his mate's softer ones. This had been their third kiss together, not that Ludwig was counting...but Ludwig was beginning to realize his mate was one of delicate touches, cherishing if you will.
The young prince parted with his auburn mate in order to make him happy. Meanwhile Romano was scratching at his skin with a cloth, the images of other men touching him in awful places making him feel violated to the max level. His throat burned with the rotten taste of cigar smoke and blood from an earlier encounter. When the door to his room was knocked on-the flash of Antonio crossed his mind. The older Spanish speaking King making eyes fill with water, his body shaking from the itching and empty feeling that his Antonio was out there...dead or alive...he didn't know.
Ludwig opened the door after a minute, his face peeking into the room only to be met with a few snags of claws to his face. He growled-his overpowering scent and strong arms shoving the attacker away from his body. His tail swished angrily as he stared at the so called "prince" in a loose ratty t-shirt, tattered pants, and bandages. He looked strikingly like Feli, his one curl in all sorts of knots from endless worry and anger.
Ludwig felt the red liquid slip down his cheek and he growled once more before standing over the younger, "You are to come with me, I don't know why your brother wants to see you but-"
The sudden jolt of the younger Prince made Ludwig scowl as he interrupted, "Feli?! What have you done with my fratello you potato bastard?!"
-Switch to Ludwig's PoV-
I huffed and just grabbed both his wrists and pushed them together even though his body struggled, his voice screaming for me to let him go. I groaned and plastered my ears to my skull at the loud Italian before pulling him back toward my room with him kicking and screaming until three minutes later I have had enough, "SHUT ZE HELL UP!!! BE GRATEFUL I'M TAKING YOU TO YOUR BRUDER UNHARMED AND NOT HALF DEAD YOU IMBECILE!!!" My tail lashed out and my eyes were dilated to the point where my vision had turned red as I turned around to the suddenly scared Italian. His eyes were wide with fear and his body shook at the sight of my body powering over his. I hissed in annoyance before pushing open the door to my room and shoving him inside. I slammed the door behind myself and went to dab at my still bleeding cheek with a wet rag. The door opened to the bathroom and I turned only to see Feli in his new clothes with all the dirt wiped away from his face, he looked immediately to me and gasped before rushing up to me and pulling away the rag and licking at the blood on my cheek. I shuddered and pulled him close before reassuring, "I'm fine Feli...really you don't have to-ugh-sheesh your bruder needs to cut his claws."
Feli's head reared back and he blinked before looking at his brother sitting next to the bed with his head hung low, looking melancholy.
"Roma? Oh my god!" I watched as my mate ran over to his brother and immediately started asking if anyone hurt him at all and where his royal robes went. The next question made my ears burn hot with shame, "Isn't your heat coming up soon?" Romano just blushed and smacked his brother in the arm, "Shut up! You're new mate might hear-don't think I didn't notice."
-Back to Third Person PoV-
The two brothers talked for hours and Ludwig left them to their own devices, trusting his mate enough to visit his brother only to find the albino gone from his room. Instead of looking for his brother he visited the kitchen and asked for a meal to be prepared for his mate and his brother while he went out into the town. After walking throughout his kingdom and greeting people he eventually found his brother standing in a cemetery with a smaller child holding his hand. Ludwig was definitely confused by this, and had questioned his brother. His brother just motioned to the grave and then smiled sweetly at the shy eleven year old who was scared of Ludwig.
"He won't hurt you Mattie. He's only four years older than you! Say 'Hello' would ya'?"
The young boy came out from behind Gilbert and Ludwig smiled as he held out his hand, "My name is Ludwig. It's nice to meet you." Mattie gulped before taking the Prince's hand and shaking it back, "Matthew Bonnefoy your Majesty-are you really four years older than me?"
The older nodded and furrowed his brows, "Why? Do I look older than I am?"
Gilbert laughed when Matthew stayed quiet and Ludwig noticed the way Gilbert's eyes looked at the child lovingly.
After talking with his brother and Matthew while walking back to the castle, the two Princes went their separate ways. Ludwig walked back to his room only to watch a guard walk out of the room with Romano on his arm.
Ludwig recognized the guard immediately and huffed, watching the Spaniard's soft words speak right through Romano and make the prisoner flush.
Ludwig returned to his room to find his mate sprawled out in his bed, his tiny whimpers meeting Ludwig's ears and making him saddened. The moon shone lightly through the window and Ludwig pulled off his robes in favor of his pajama pants and bare chest. He slipped into bed with his mate who he found had his shirt on and nothing else but undergarments. He growled protectively at the sight before pulling his small mate close, their tails twining and their scents mingling together. Ludwig rested his chin on Feli's who purred roughly and kissed Ludwig's throat before whispering, "You came back..."
Ludwig purred with pride before nuzzling his nose in his mate's hair before whispering, "I'll always come back..."
The smaller smiled sweetly, his face nuzzling into Ludwig's chest and purring loudly.
The taller smiled to himself, his hands rubbing Feli's back slowly and soothed the smaller into sleep.
The young Prince then had the thought....being King could wait. It could wait only because he wanted to spend eternity like this. With his mate who he was quickly falling in love with...and ignoring the fact that this was the enemy. Like he thought,

Being King could wait.

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I actually really love this chapter guys-like....I LOVE IT. More chapters coming out soon-comment, read, vote if you want and see you later~