The King (Vikklan AU)

= 50 =

~*Kai*~

"She wasn't a reporter, Ayris." I use the queen's actual name, and she casts me a startled look. Did I say it wrong? Surely I didn't... I've been practicing. "She was an Imperial spy."

The young queen looked paler than usual. "A spy? Why would Wojcik send spies out here?"

I let out a soft sigh. You're just as oblivious as you are beautiful, Lady Ayris. "There are three reasons, Your Highness. Making sure you follow your contract, figuring out your military strategies, and keeping an eye out for competition."

"Competition?" Her big blue eyes are wide with confusion as they meet my gaze, likely searching for a sign of a lie.

I open my mouth to respond, but I am interrupted by a female voice speaking into my earpiece. "Time to move, Lover-boy." My sister's voice hisses in Minecraftian. "Imperial patrol at your nine. Twenty meters away. You're going to need to flirt with your queen elsewhere." No need to tell me what to do, Kaitlyn. I shake my head before taking Ayris' hand in my own. Her eyes widen in surprise, but she takes my hand willingly.

"Come with me. It's not safe here," I murmur softly before gently pulling the young woman away from the area we were. This my relief, the usually argumentative queen doesn't object. She is without her guards, and without her assistants; she's laying all of her trust on me. My heart nearly skips a beat at the thought. No, Kai, this isn't the time to fantasise about that. You need to get the queen to a safe area.

"Kai, wait," I pause at the queen's order and turn to look at her. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were wide with concern. "My heel is stuck."

I mentally hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. Of course I had to forget she was wearing heels. "Which one?" I ask, moving to assist her.

"The left," she says quietly, clearly embarrassed as she attempts to pull herself free from a tangle of vines attached to a nearby tree. I struggle to hold back a laugh. Clumsy.

Chuckling silently, I crouch down beside her and gently wrap my fingers around her ankle. I feel her dress brush against my arm, and I feel my face heat up slightly. "Are you ready?" I ask, not daring to look upward from the position I'm in.

"Sure."

"On the count of three, try to pull your foot out, okay?"

"Okay."

"One... two..." I pull at her ankle before saying three, and she lets out a surprised shriek as her foot flies free from the vines. The momentum causes her to fall backward, but before her head can hit the ground, I jump over and catch her upper body in my arms. "Careful," I murmur softly, holding the startled queen close to my chest. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm fine, Kai." Ayris states, her hands resting on my chest. I love the sound of my name in her native accent. "Why are you still holding me?" I feel my face heat up in embrasement, and I loosen my grip on the young woman, letting her free from my grasp.

"My apologies, Your Highness," I state quickly, standing up and bowing to her. "My mind was elsewhere for that moment."

"What is there to apologise for? You did nothing wrong."

"I've overstepped my boundaries as your protector, and as a common peasant man from another kingdom. That is enough wrongdoings for one day." I close my eyes and turn my head away from her. Why is it so hard to just be her protector?

I feel her hand touch my arm, and I look back to see her smiling reassuringly at me. "I don't think you've overstepped any boundaries, Kai. You helped get me foot out of the vines, and you saved me from hitting my head. You were doing your job, and doing it well. Thank you." I nod at her words. If only that was the sole reason I did that...

~*Solace*~

I don't know how to react to this kid. He called Zandra a lair, yes, but then again he has only ever known Simon Minter as his father. But as I look at him, all I can see is Seto. Seto's dark hair, his gorgeous ice-blue gaze, and his effortlessly clear light skin. How in Notch's name this boy went unnoticed for so long is beyond me; he is literally the spitting image of Seto.

"I need to clear my head," I mutter to Zandra before storming out of the room, shoving my way past a door guard as I do so. They don't call after me, nor should they. I could easily snap and kill everyone in this palace. Well, maybe not everyone; King Lachlan and Prince Seto would be challenges.

As I walk down the halls mindlessly, I overhear a second, lighter pair of footsteps trying to keep in time with my own. Assassin. I smirk to myself. Parah is helping with the Island Queen, and Lachlan is a lot heavier footed with his lack of attention toward his training. This is a new face.

"Contract?" I ask, not bothering to turn and look at my pursuer.

The assassin's voice was quiet, but their imperial accent was heavy. "I'm only messenger. Emperor has contract for you."

"Oh?" I turn around to find myself looking down at a small teenage boy; fresh out of assassin training. I highly doubt he's even made his first kill yet. The boy nods his head before tossing a brown bag toward me and racing away, careful to keep his steps soundless.

I shake my head at him before opening the bag and peering inside to see a note.

This is half your reward. I will pay the rest when the contract is completed.

If you don't follow through, I will kill you, but I find that you might enjoy what you find within this contract.

Good luck,
Wojcik J. Northridge, Emperor

Curiosity swirls through my mind as I take the note out of the bag and unfold it, ignoring the large sum of Minecraftian currency within the bag.

Assassination Contract

Target: Lady Zandra of the Minecraftian Royal Guard

Specifications:
Remove of her before she produces Prince Seto's heir. Do what you wish, but keep it clean. Make it look like an accident. Very little blood should spilt.

Notes:
Once she's gone, the Prince will be distraught. You can sweep in and steal his heart after she's gone. But you must make sure that there is no heir produced between the Prince and her. If there is an heir before you kill her, I will kill you.
P.s. if you share the contents of this contract with anyone, I will have my spies kill that pretty Prince you adore so much. So for your Prince's sake, don't play any games.