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bymagajonesDanny’s headache had grown by monumental proportions until his head threatened to burst with each hoof step. Along the ride, he’d kept his eyes closed and tried to focus on his breathing until his nausea threatened to overwhelm him. The little bit of water he’d managed on one of their earlier breaks had risen up inside him and pushed itself out, barely giving him a chance to duck behind a tree. He’d ignored the look JennaKaye had given him, thankful that the others hadn’t seemed to notice. On top of that, it felt like the skin had rubbed off his ass and inner thighs, and he tried his best to keep his feet from brushing against the sides of the horse. He knew Steve and Chin were worried that whatever the emergency, they wouldn’t arrive in time, and he knew that he would’ve done the same thing if he’d received the same message from Grace.
He tried to focus as they rode over the bridge and through the gates of the city and he got his first glance at the castle. Steve’s home.
It looked impressive, cutting a mysterious and foreboding silhouette against the dawning light behind it. But Danny’d been there before. Sure not to this specific castle, but he had a feeling that all castles were pretty much the same, complete with long, drafty hallways and rooms devoid of personality but filled with gilded furniture and priceless artwork. He hated castles.
They rode right up to the front entrance, and Steve leapt off the horse, a move made more impressive by the fact that he managed not to unseat Danny as he did it. Danny gave himself a bit of the credit, since he was the one who let go at the crucial time. Of course, Danny had a vested interest, since he was certain there was no way he was going to be able to dismount and stand, and he really didn’t want his introduction to all these people to be his face hitting the ground. Hard.
Steve turned to look at him, and Danny waved him on. “Go,” he said, making a shooing movement with his hands.
Steve smiled at him faintly, worry furrowing his brow, as he ran into the castle, Chin and Kono right behind him.
Rubbing his forehead, Danny pressed against his stomach, willing the nausea to subside at least long enough for him to find someplace private.
“Excuse me,” a man said, holding Goliath’s reins and looking at Danny like he was a bug that had attached himself to the horse and needed to be scraped off.
“I would like nothing more than to leave you to it, but we’ve been riding for a while, and I need a minute.”
JennaKaye appeared, standing beside Danny and the horse. She tilted her head and grinned flashing dimples at the man. “Why don’t we move this somewhere more private?”
Daniel mouthed a “thank you” as JennaKaye winked at him and the man led Goliath around to the stables. He stopped right at the stable entrance and just stared at Danny.
Taking a breath, Danny managed to lean forward enough to slide his leg over the horse, swinging himself so he could slide down its side, holding on to the saddle to try to slow his descent. He wasn’t entirely successful, since his hands were cramping, but he was happy that his legs held him when his feet hit the cobblestones. He ignored the man’s impatient sniff as he continued to grip the saddle with one hand and flex and fist the other hand, trying to ease the pain. He switched hands and tested the strength in his legs, giving them a little more of his weight. He felt them start to shake but pushed off from the horse and staggered until he reached the side of the stable and leaned against it, hands pressed against the rough walls. Closing his eyes against the pain in his head, he finally gave in, throwing up what little was in his stomach, mostly acid and some of the water Steve had shared with him during the ride. He just wanted to curl into a ball, but he didn’t have any place to go. He figured Steve would be too busy with the emergency to worry about him at the moment, and he wasn’t going to be someone who needed his hand held. He’d been a productive member of the world before he’d become sequestered, and he was going to return to that – as soon as his head stopped hurting and he could stand without assistance. He just needed one more minute.
Steve was barely aware of Chin and Kono following him as he strode into the castle, eyes searching for his parents. He stopped at one man who looked familiar. “Where can I find the queen and king?”
“In the dining room, your majesty,” the man said, bowing.
Steve nodded, wondering why they’d be in the dining room during an emergency but not letting it stop him from practically running into the room. “I came as soon as I heard,” he said, stopping, confused, when he noticed that they were being served breakfast.
“Welcome home, dear,” his mother said, placing her fork beside her plate. “Are you hungry?”
“I got a message that you had an emergency,” he said, his eyes tracking between his two parents.
“Did you send the boy a message?” His dad asked.
“Of course I did, dear,” the queen said. “It’s bad form to be absent when you have company.”
“It’s also bad form to visit without forewarning,” the king said, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin and standing. He gave his son a pitying look and said, “I’ll leave you to it, then,” before striding out of the room.
Still confused, Steve asked, “Mother?”
“Princess Catherine from Enterprise has come for a visit,” the Queen said, staring at him with intent. “She’s single and of marriageable age. She’s also quite striking and has an impeccable lineage. I have heard that Prince Valiake has been expressing interest, but he’s old and overweight, so I suspect she has come to… investigate her options.”
“You brought me here to meet a woman?” Steve asked, unable to keep the incredulousness out of his voice. “Mother, you realize that I’m in the middle of trying to save lives – ”
“The dragon, I know,” his mother said with a regal wave of her hand. “But it’s asleep until you find your damsel with the key, right? I’ve been kept apprised of your dispatches, so I know that you found some… some man in the tower instead of your future bride. And then, suddenly, out of the blue, we receive a visit from Catherine. She must be the damsel with the key. Why else would she just suddenly appear, now, when someone is needed?”
As much as he wanted to, Steve couldn’t fault her reasoning. Nor could he tell her that this man in the tower had already claimed his heart, this commoner who would never bear her a grandchild. He knew they would have to have that conversation eventually– he wasn’t willing to give up Danny – but the time wasn’t while he still had to slay the dragon.
He thought of Danny and how he had just left the man sitting on his horse outside of a strange castle, and he closed his eyes. “Mother, I have to –”
“You have to go upstairs and make yourself presentable so you can be down here before she arrives for breakfast,” his mother said, her voice calm but brokering no argument.
Steve knew he had no choice. Grinding his teeth, he said, “Mother,” and left the room.
Kono and Chin descended upon him as soon as he took a few steps from the room.
“What’s the emergency?” Chin asked.
“Who do we have to go kill?” Kono asked. The two men looked at her, and she shrugged, smiling sheepishly, “Who do we have to go save?” She asked apologetically.
Steve sighed, running a hand over his face. He looked around at all of the servants and motioned for the two to follow him to his apartments. Closing the door, he gestured them to sit. “Princess Catherine has arrived for a visit.”
Chin lifted his eyebrows. “Without a prior invitation or advanced notice?”
Steve nodded.
“That’s the emergency?” Kono asked. “Really? A princess comes to visit, and you have to rush home?”
“Royalty never just ‘shows up’ at another castle,” Chin explained. “It’s just not done.”
“So then why is she here?” Kono asked.
“Mother believes that it’s fate’s way of telling me that she’s the person who is supposed to help me blow up the dragon.”
“Slay,” Kono and Chin said automatically.
“But what about Danny and the tower?” Kono asked.
“I still think Danny is the key,” Steve said.
“But you can’t be certain of that,” Chin said slowly. “There are lives at stake. What if you’re wrong? What if you ignore this princess, and she really is the key?”
Steve knew he couldn’t risk it. “I guess they both have to come with us.”
Kono stared at him. “You want this princess and Danny to come with us to Ambrosia? Together?”
Steve pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “I’ll admit that this isn’t ideal.”
“This is Princess Catherine from Enterprise?” Kono asked. “I thought she was bethrothed to Prince Valiake.”
“No former offer has been made,” Chin told her, “and he’s old and overweight, while Princess Catherine is still young and quite beautiful.”
“So the boss would be more to her fancy,” Kono mused, and Chin nodded.
Steve wanted to shout, “but Danny is my choice!” but he had obligations that needed to be met before he could tackle that whole situation. He needed to focus on the dragon. Everything else would have to wait.
“What about Danny?”
“The prince has his obligations,” Chin said firmly.
Kono stood. “And Danny is just supposed to follow along like a… a doxy, hoping for a glance from the prince whenever the princess is not around?”
“Kono – ” Chin started.
“No disrespect intended, your highness,” Kono said disdainfully, curtsying deeply in a way that really annoyed Steve. “I’ll take my leave so you two can plan your political match.” With that, she flounced out of the office with an aplomb that would’ve been impressive even coming from a princess.
Steve flopped on the sofa next to Chin. “This is a mess.”
“It’s the classic dilemma,” Chin agreed, “heart versus duty.”
Rolling his head to face Chin, he said, “You’re going to have an uphill battle yourself, my friend.”
Sighing, Chin scrubbed his hand over the light stubble over his jaw. “This whole dragon thing keeps getting more and more complicated.”
“It’ll all work out once we blow it up,” Steve said.
“You really believe that?” Chin faced Steve, too occupied by other matters to correct him.
“We can live in hope, Chin. Let us just live in hope.”
Master post with chapter breakdown on LJ
He tried to focus as they rode over the bridge and through the gates of the city and he got his first glance at the castle. Steve’s home.
It looked impressive, cutting a mysterious and foreboding silhouette against the dawning light behind it. But Danny’d been there before. Sure not to this specific castle, but he had a feeling that all castles were pretty much the same, complete with long, drafty hallways and rooms devoid of personality but filled with gilded furniture and priceless artwork. He hated castles.
They rode right up to the front entrance, and Steve leapt off the horse, a move made more impressive by the fact that he managed not to unseat Danny as he did it. Danny gave himself a bit of the credit, since he was the one who let go at the crucial time. Of course, Danny had a vested interest, since he was certain there was no way he was going to be able to dismount and stand, and he really didn’t want his introduction to all these people to be his face hitting the ground. Hard.
Steve turned to look at him, and Danny waved him on. “Go,” he said, making a shooing movement with his hands.
Steve smiled at him faintly, worry furrowing his brow, as he ran into the castle, Chin and Kono right behind him.
Rubbing his forehead, Danny pressed against his stomach, willing the nausea to subside at least long enough for him to find someplace private.
“Excuse me,” a man said, holding Goliath’s reins and looking at Danny like he was a bug that had attached himself to the horse and needed to be scraped off.
“I would like nothing more than to leave you to it, but we’ve been riding for a while, and I need a minute.”
JennaKaye appeared, standing beside Danny and the horse. She tilted her head and grinned flashing dimples at the man. “Why don’t we move this somewhere more private?”
Daniel mouthed a “thank you” as JennaKaye winked at him and the man led Goliath around to the stables. He stopped right at the stable entrance and just stared at Danny.
Taking a breath, Danny managed to lean forward enough to slide his leg over the horse, swinging himself so he could slide down its side, holding on to the saddle to try to slow his descent. He wasn’t entirely successful, since his hands were cramping, but he was happy that his legs held him when his feet hit the cobblestones. He ignored the man’s impatient sniff as he continued to grip the saddle with one hand and flex and fist the other hand, trying to ease the pain. He switched hands and tested the strength in his legs, giving them a little more of his weight. He felt them start to shake but pushed off from the horse and staggered until he reached the side of the stable and leaned against it, hands pressed against the rough walls. Closing his eyes against the pain in his head, he finally gave in, throwing up what little was in his stomach, mostly acid and some of the water Steve had shared with him during the ride. He just wanted to curl into a ball, but he didn’t have any place to go. He figured Steve would be too busy with the emergency to worry about him at the moment, and he wasn’t going to be someone who needed his hand held. He’d been a productive member of the world before he’d become sequestered, and he was going to return to that – as soon as his head stopped hurting and he could stand without assistance. He just needed one more minute.
Steve was barely aware of Chin and Kono following him as he strode into the castle, eyes searching for his parents. He stopped at one man who looked familiar. “Where can I find the queen and king?”
“In the dining room, your majesty,” the man said, bowing.
Steve nodded, wondering why they’d be in the dining room during an emergency but not letting it stop him from practically running into the room. “I came as soon as I heard,” he said, stopping, confused, when he noticed that they were being served breakfast.
“Welcome home, dear,” his mother said, placing her fork beside her plate. “Are you hungry?”
“I got a message that you had an emergency,” he said, his eyes tracking between his two parents.
“Did you send the boy a message?” His dad asked.
“Of course I did, dear,” the queen said. “It’s bad form to be absent when you have company.”
“It’s also bad form to visit without forewarning,” the king said, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin and standing. He gave his son a pitying look and said, “I’ll leave you to it, then,” before striding out of the room.
Still confused, Steve asked, “Mother?”
“Princess Catherine from Enterprise has come for a visit,” the Queen said, staring at him with intent. “She’s single and of marriageable age. She’s also quite striking and has an impeccable lineage. I have heard that Prince Valiake has been expressing interest, but he’s old and overweight, so I suspect she has come to… investigate her options.”
“You brought me here to meet a woman?” Steve asked, unable to keep the incredulousness out of his voice. “Mother, you realize that I’m in the middle of trying to save lives – ”
“The dragon, I know,” his mother said with a regal wave of her hand. “But it’s asleep until you find your damsel with the key, right? I’ve been kept apprised of your dispatches, so I know that you found some… some man in the tower instead of your future bride. And then, suddenly, out of the blue, we receive a visit from Catherine. She must be the damsel with the key. Why else would she just suddenly appear, now, when someone is needed?”
As much as he wanted to, Steve couldn’t fault her reasoning. Nor could he tell her that this man in the tower had already claimed his heart, this commoner who would never bear her a grandchild. He knew they would have to have that conversation eventually– he wasn’t willing to give up Danny – but the time wasn’t while he still had to slay the dragon.
He thought of Danny and how he had just left the man sitting on his horse outside of a strange castle, and he closed his eyes. “Mother, I have to –”
“You have to go upstairs and make yourself presentable so you can be down here before she arrives for breakfast,” his mother said, her voice calm but brokering no argument.
Steve knew he had no choice. Grinding his teeth, he said, “Mother,” and left the room.
Kono and Chin descended upon him as soon as he took a few steps from the room.
“What’s the emergency?” Chin asked.
“Who do we have to go kill?” Kono asked. The two men looked at her, and she shrugged, smiling sheepishly, “Who do we have to go save?” She asked apologetically.
Steve sighed, running a hand over his face. He looked around at all of the servants and motioned for the two to follow him to his apartments. Closing the door, he gestured them to sit. “Princess Catherine has arrived for a visit.”
Chin lifted his eyebrows. “Without a prior invitation or advanced notice?”
Steve nodded.
“That’s the emergency?” Kono asked. “Really? A princess comes to visit, and you have to rush home?”
“Royalty never just ‘shows up’ at another castle,” Chin explained. “It’s just not done.”
“So then why is she here?” Kono asked.
“Mother believes that it’s fate’s way of telling me that she’s the person who is supposed to help me blow up the dragon.”
“Slay,” Kono and Chin said automatically.
“But what about Danny and the tower?” Kono asked.
“I still think Danny is the key,” Steve said.
“But you can’t be certain of that,” Chin said slowly. “There are lives at stake. What if you’re wrong? What if you ignore this princess, and she really is the key?”
Steve knew he couldn’t risk it. “I guess they both have to come with us.”
Kono stared at him. “You want this princess and Danny to come with us to Ambrosia? Together?”
Steve pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “I’ll admit that this isn’t ideal.”
“This is Princess Catherine from Enterprise?” Kono asked. “I thought she was bethrothed to Prince Valiake.”
“No former offer has been made,” Chin told her, “and he’s old and overweight, while Princess Catherine is still young and quite beautiful.”
“So the boss would be more to her fancy,” Kono mused, and Chin nodded.
Steve wanted to shout, “but Danny is my choice!” but he had obligations that needed to be met before he could tackle that whole situation. He needed to focus on the dragon. Everything else would have to wait.
“What about Danny?”
“The prince has his obligations,” Chin said firmly.
Kono stood. “And Danny is just supposed to follow along like a… a doxy, hoping for a glance from the prince whenever the princess is not around?”
“Kono – ” Chin started.
“No disrespect intended, your highness,” Kono said disdainfully, curtsying deeply in a way that really annoyed Steve. “I’ll take my leave so you two can plan your political match.” With that, she flounced out of the office with an aplomb that would’ve been impressive even coming from a princess.
Steve flopped on the sofa next to Chin. “This is a mess.”
“It’s the classic dilemma,” Chin agreed, “heart versus duty.”
Rolling his head to face Chin, he said, “You’re going to have an uphill battle yourself, my friend.”
Sighing, Chin scrubbed his hand over the light stubble over his jaw. “This whole dragon thing keeps getting more and more complicated.”
“It’ll all work out once we blow it up,” Steve said.
“You really believe that?” Chin faced Steve, too occupied by other matters to correct him.
“We can live in hope, Chin. Let us just live in hope.”
Master post with chapter breakdown on LJ
