The King (Vikklan AU)

= 20 =

~*Lachlan*~

I twirl a blue pen in my hand as I read over information of a conflict between two farmers in the town of Faarie (a town just north of the southernmost Minecraftian city, Nei'woof). One of them states that the other killed their bull, while the other states that they killed the bull after the first killed their award-winning stallion. The two have been at odds for many months now, and their township was done dealing with them; so, like any distressed township of this kingdom, they sent the issue to be addressed by either Vik or I.

J. Garçon will buy M. Aujourd'hui a new bull, and M. Aujourd'hui will buy Mr. Garçon a new stallion. Both men will be fined for the deaths of the animals. Refusal to accept this decree will result in two days in community serious in the Capital.

Signed,
King Lachlan Craft I

I set the paper into the pile beside me before standing up and stretching out my legs; my knees popping in the process. Yawning softly, I rub my eyes with a hand. I need a nap. I think to myself as I look out the window to the garden. The sun was covered by a heavy layer of rain clouds, and small water droplets fell from the sky and lands onto the window with a light-tapping sound. Since when did the mid-land get rain in the summer months?

A knock at my office door draws my attention away from the window, and I turn around to see Sir Preston standing in the doorway. "Are we intruding on anything?" The guard asks, flashing me a smile.

"We?" I raise my eyebrow in confusion. I thought he was alone. Is Rob with him? That would make since due to the rain, but usually Rob is sleeping around this time...

Preston opens the door wider to reveal a young woman standing behind him. "Lachlan, do you remember meeting my niece Zandra?" The guard steps for me to see the young woman, and she bows to me. I smile to and nod to the girl as she stands straight once more. She could've been Preston's daughter; they shared the same the same dark hair, brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She stood no taller than the top of the guard's chin, but she had beautiful posture to compensate for her lack of height.

"Zandra?" I repeat her name to myself, recalling first meeting her when she and Seto were small children. She was the daughter of Preston's late sister. "You were still in diapers last I saw you." I say with a smile.

She laughs softly. "It has been a while hasn't it? How is Prince Seto doing? Is he still acting like an as-" Preston interrupts the girl by clearing his throat, and she quiets down for a second before gaining her composure. "My apologies for stepping out-of-line, my king. I forgot that this wasn't my family's home."

"No worries, Zandra. And to answer your questions, Seto has been doing well. He grew out of his antics after his seventeenth birthday with help from his tutor, but I understand your concerns. Vik and I were also concerned for quite some time." I smile reassuringly to Zandra before turning my attention to Preston. "So, what brings you two here?"

Preston looks down at his niece with a proud smile. "Zandra has just graduated from the Guard Academy at the top of her class; her instructors told me that she is something of a prodigy." The girl looks to the ground bashfully at her uncle's praises.

I smile at the girl. "A prodigy you say? Well if that's the case, would you object to dueling my son tomorrow when he returns from his trip?" Zandra's eyes widen with surprise.

"O-of course! I would love to test the Prince's abilities!" The young woman exclaims, her brown eyes shining with excitement. I smile at the girl once more. It appears she has the same enthusiasm as Preston does when it came to fighting; we need all the prodigies we can get now-a-days.

"It's settled then. I'll inform Seto when he returns."

The girl nods enthusiastically to me before turning to her uncle. "Preston, can we go home now? I need to train."

The senior guard rolls his eyes at the girl's enthusiasm before ruffling her hair. "You go ahead, I'll meet you there." The girl nods and bows her head to me before running off down the hall.

"So, Preston," I begin, looking at the guard with a raised eyebrow. "What was the real reason why you brought her today?"

"Zandra is looking for work at the moment, and I wanted to ask you if she could take my place." My eyes widen with surprise at the man's words. "I'm getting old, and it's getting harder for me to fight as intensely as I am. With tensions rising, I think you need a head guard with more energy than I do."

"I understand your reasoning, Preston, but I cannot have her replace your position until she has the right experience in battle." I watch as Preston crosses his arms over his chest and opens his mouth to speak again, but I interrupt him beforehand. "But because of how much you've praised her, I'm having her battle my son during his coming-of-age ceremony tomorrow. If she does well, I will assign her the position as your apprentice until you retire. Understood?"

Preston nods to me, bowing his head. "Yes, my king."

I let out a small sigh before placing a hand on the guard's shoulder. "I know you're on the older side, Preston. You, Vik, Kenworth and Rob; all of us are getting old. Kenworth plans to retire at the end of the season, and I've seen Rob slowing down with his work in the garden. I need you to trust me like you did all those years ago."

Preston nods again before looking me in the eyes. "Alright Lachlan. But even if Seto turns twenty tomorrow, that doesn't mean I'm going to tell Zandra to go easy on him in their fight."

"Good." Preston bows his head to me before walking out of my office.

Not long after he leaves, a small cinnamon-skinned man takes the guard's place in the doorway. His dark eyes were narrowed, and his arms were crossed over his chest; bunching up the expensive silk dress shirt he was wearing. "Lachlan," Vik begins, raising an eyebrow at me. "Did you just call me 'old?'"

"I was making a point, Vik," I state, rolling my eyes. "And besides, why were you eavesdropping on our conversation? Don't you have paperwork?"

"I was coming here to ask you about what we should give our son for his birthday you idiot!" Vik snaps, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Vik lets out a sigh before rubbing his arm.

"I'm sorry for calling you old," I murmur, pulling him into an embrase.

"Sorry for calling you an idiot," the small man mutters into the fabric of my dress-shirt, wrapping his arms around my waist. Smiling to myself, I press a kiss against his head. He's too cute for me too stay angry at him.
_____________________
Minecraftian trainees graduate from the Guard Academy after twelve years of training.
Zandra entered the academy at the age of eight, making her twenty as of now.

Anyways,

Much Luv,
Mickey-Kenzie