Start All Over : Klance AU

Reign

The cherry bay mare was a bitch. Keith fought with her every step. She whinnied and reared, jerking her head to get away. Once, she even bucked.

It only served to piss Keith off even more as Takashi and Kathryn laughed at him, Kathryn on Honey and Shiro on Speck, leading Kaltenecker.

Keith was only leading the damn mare. He didn't even want to know what she was like under saddle.

He's seriously about to stab this fucking horse.

Flare skittered, raising her hooves high, her nose pointed up at the sky as she pulled against Keith.

"Oh my fucking God!" Keith snapped, yanking on the lead. She jerked and bounced, neighing louder.

Speck responded with a knicker and a bob of his head.

Honey huffed, shaking her head.

"No wonder she was so cheap." Takashi mused to Kathryn and Keith shot them both a glare.

"Fuck-!" He hissed as Flare reared up again. Keith scrambled to gather her reigns again, then tossed them over her head. She jerked at the sudden action, bouncing again as Keith grabbed a hold on her black mane and hooked his foot in the stirrup.

Flare whinnied and trotted sideways as he tried lifting himself up into the saddle. He jerked on her reigns, holding her head back. Flare reared again. Keith forced his foot in the stirrup and swung his other leg.

He yanked on her reigns, sitting up and leaning back.

Flare struggled, backing up. Keith loosened on the reigns and kicks her sides. With a whinny, she lounged forward and cantered right passed the wagon.

Keith could barely hear Kathryn burst out laughing over the wind and his blood rushing. A grin broke out on his face as he pulled back and turned her.

Flare sharply turned, hardly even a slip before she was racing back for the wagon.

Takashi whooped, Kathryn's wings fluttering.

Keith laughed, pulling back and patting Flare's neck as she slowed to a trot, then a walk as he turned her and kept her beside Honey. "Well... That was fun."

Kathryn giggled, holding her hand up. Keith grinned and slapped her hand. "That was awesome. I can't believe you actually got on her."

"I just got pissed off enough." Keith shrugged, relaxing in the saddle.

Flare kept her ears and head perked, looking around her, but keeping pace with the large draft mare.

Speck whinnied, Flare responding.

"Now I know where she got her name." Keith hummed, looking up.

He scowled and slumped at the sight.

Lance was hunched over, clutching his stomach as he laughed hysterically. Tsuyoshi was only smiling beside him.

He wheezed as he stood stright, wiping at his eyes. "Oh my God, that was awesome!"

Keith groaned, rolling his eyes.

"I saw the whole thing!" Lance grinned. "I almost thought you were going to fall off, samurai."

"Lucky for you, I didn't." Keith grumbled, pulling Flare to a halt and slid off. She was much calmer as he slid the reigns back over her head and held them.

Lance chuckled and shook his head. "Lucky me."

Kathryn, despite having wings, still needed help getting off Honey. Tsuyoshi held her waist as he lowered her to the ground.

Takashi jumped off Speck. "Alrighty, guys. Take your pick. Nevermind, don't. I kinda got them according to who was gonna ride them. Hunk, Honey."

Tsuyoshi smiled, shaking his head as he took Honey's reigns. She knickered softly, gently nudging him with her large muzzle. "Hey, pretty girl."

Lance trodded over to Takashi, taking Speck's reigns. "Hey, big guy." He sang, stroking Speck's velvety nose. "You are gorgeous, my guy."

Keith rolled his eyes.

The lions all came out of the shack to greet their knights happily. Kathryn kissed between Ivy's eyes and lay on her back.

Adaih purred deeply, rubbing against Tsuyoshi.

Then, the blue lion, Loire. She purred softly, tail curled as she stood on her hind legs, paws on Lance's shoulders as she grooms his head. Lance chuckled, leaning back on her.

Loire meowed, sounding just like a regular house cat. Keith wasn't quite sure how that was possible with her size.

Keith huffed, looking back to the flighty mare. Her nostrils flared as she watched the other horses, ears perked up high.

He rolled his eyes.

~

Keith lay back on the roof, twisting his blade in his fingers as he stared up at the night sky. He hummed softly, then jumped as he heard footsteps.

"You are some kind of loner, aren't you?"

Keith tilted his head to look up at Lance and sighed. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Shouldn't you?" Lance asked, sitting beside Keith. His eyes were glowing that beautiful, luminous sky blue again.

"Yeah... I guess so..." Keith looked back to the sky. "What are you?"

Lance raised a brow, but neither of them looked at the other. "What do you mean?"

"You're not human." Keith muttered with a loose gesture of his hand. "You're not a fairy or a pixie, definitely not an orc or a Galran... What are you? Some kind of shifter?"

The taller chuckled and hummed, slouching with his elbows on his knees. "No... Water nymph. Also known as a merman, I guess."

Keith looked up at Lance with wide eyes, then sat up. "Are you serious?" He gaped at Lance.

"Yeah." Lance smiled and tilted his head to look at Keith. "Born and raised in the water. I've got gills and everything. It's pretty cool."

"How come I didn't know!?"

Lance laughed, looking back out to the quiet forest. "I guess the others just didn't tell you." He mused, eyes twinkling. Keith huffed and narrowed his eyes. "But, yeah. I'm a water nymph. It's why my eyes glow. They're brighter underwater."

Keith watched him, gulping. "Wow... I thought... I thought all water nymphs were killed out like the Altean elves?"

Lance shook his head. "Nope... Not quite. Altean elves are still alive, too."

"How..?"

"The Galra aren't quite as efficient as they lead everyone to believe..."