Claude had returned to the castle with Aleksander. Keenan had not even seen him but Claude assured him that Aleks was very much alive. In a lot of pain, but very much alive. Keenan wished he could be there for him right now, part of him wanted to beg Claude to let him escort Aleks back to the castle but they all knew he was not allowed to travel alone. He did argue that technically he would not have been alive but Claude would not have it. Her argument was what would his father think? If he rode back to the castle with a wounded Aleksander in his arms, especially after the king threatened to have him exiled and Aleksander executed for their relationship. Claude was right of course but it still stung. He felt like he had already betrayed Aleks by sending him away. He would make it right when they returned to the castle.

Cleaning up after rogues was always a disgusting job. Human bodies lined the streets, Keenan’s breath hitched when he saw Alek’s sister outside their house. It was so much worse than he had been told. If these were just rogues, then they were seriously aggressive. The problem was, it didn’t look like they had returned. Monty opened his mouth to talk, Keenan held up a hand to silence him as screams echoed through the street. A simple nod and they were running.

Keenan cursed, they were outnumbered. This was not just a pack of three, this was organised and violent. There had to be at least six of them. This was the exact moment he wished that Claude was with them. Monty pulled out his bow and took down two before they realised was going on. At least the odds were better now. Keenan drew his sword and headed towards two. Montague was protecting his back.

Keenan was just glad when it was over. The smell of blood lingered in the air but as far as he could gather, neither he nor Monty were injured. Keenan turned around to face Monty, when Monty’s eyes widened. Keenan turned around too late. A silver knife was plunged into his stomach. He double over as the last rogue disappeared.

Monty rushed forward to catch him, cursing, “If you die Kee, Claude is gonna murder me.”

Keenan wanted to laugh. “If you let me die, I am going to come back and haunt you,” he said through gritted teeth.

Monty handed him a cloth to hold against the wound. There was no way he was going to be able to ride. Keenan forgot how much being stabbed hurt. His eyes watered as Monty helped him into the back of a cart. He knew it was night but was it possible that it was getting darker?

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The last person Aleksander wanted to see was Keenan’s bride. He wanted to angry, he so desperately did but when she turned up at his beside with a hand embroidered jacket, it complicated things.

After everything that happened he honestly thought he would be more injured. He had come close to death but that was only because the vampire had attempted to drain him. He touched the bandages at his neck, the pain still fresh in his mind. Keenan had told him that being bitten by a vampire hurt but after they had shared blood, he wasn’t convinced. Aleks knew exactly what Keenan meant now. “Thank you,” he said softly. His throat hurt so it was all he could manage. At least he was no longer starving. If he was, he could not have tolerated her presence. He had to make an effort for Keenan’s sake.

_____________________________________________________

Monty always made an entrance. More often than not it was because he had bad news. This time was not any different as he helped Keenan into the infirmary.

Keenan signalled for healers. His father did allow them to use mages for things like this but there was only so much magic could do. The healers worked quickly removing his jacket an cleaning the wound. Usually they could just heal it with magic but it was a silver blade so it had to be stitched. Without his jacket Keenan felt exposed. Vampire healers refused to help him because of the marking on his back so he only had the mages.

Claude walked in eyes wide, “You let him get stabbed!” she said to Monty.

"He got stabbed all on his own thank you," Monty protested.

"You are lucky he survived. If he died, I would have killed you."

"See," Monty said to Keenan.

Claude rolled her eyes, "What happened?"

Keenan winced as he sat up so they could bandage his wound, "We were out numbered. They were not just rogues trying to cause damage. They were organised and had a plan. One got away," he said with a sigh.

"Actually, a guard caught the last one while you were passed out, he is in the dungeon now," Monty said.

Claude sighed, "I cannot leave you two alone."

Keenan stood up, a hiss escaping him. He wanted to go and see Aleks. "Kee, you should rest," Claude protested.

Keenan shook his head and slowly walked through the infirmary. The vampire healers shied away when they saw the marking on his back. He rolled his eyes and kept walking. He had already sent a servant to go and get him a shirt or a jacket. He pearched on the edge of Aleks' bed, "How are you?" he asked.

Aleks seemed to light up a bit when Keenan walked in, "Sore. You weren't kidding when you said it hurt to be bitten by a vampire."

Keenan sighed, he had hoped to spare Aleks from that kind of pain again. "I am sorry for your loss," he said gently.

Aleks nodded numbly, "I knew I would outlive them, I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

Keenan gently squeezed his hand, "I know, you are welcome to stay in the castle. You don't have to go back to the village."

Aleks nodded, "Thank you."

Claude and Montague gave Keenan a run down on what happened to Aleks. Almost completely drained by a vampire. There was obviously far more to this group of rogues than they were led to believe, luckily they had one of their members captive. This was not what he pictured them doing right before his wedding. Suddenly Keenan stood up... too quickly, he grimaced. "I have to go and change. I am supposed to be having dinner with my father," he exclaimed.

He leaned down and kissed the top of Aleks' head, "If you need anything, do not hesitate to send for me. Although I am sure these two have it under control. I will come visit before retiring to my quarters later."

Claude smiled at Monty, "I told you there was still something going on between them," she whispered.

Keenan rolled his eyes, this caused Monty to pipe up, "Since there is nothing between you two, I expect you to visit me tonight for a kiss goodnight."

Keenan shook his head, laughing and gave Monty and obscene gesture before heading back into the walk way. His wound was already healing but it was going to take a while. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts when he walked straight into Freyja, still shirtless. "I am so sorry," he exclaimed offering her his hand.

He shivered feeling exposed. Freyja was about to become his wife but it didn't help him at all. Not when there was still something between him and Aleks. Not that he would admit it to the others. Claude did not need the ego stoking. "I was on my way to change for dinner with my father. I think he invited your brother," Keenan said rolling his eyes.

Getting undressed to bathe was significantly more difficult than Keenan had anticipated. He hissed as he submerged himself in the water, washing away the dried blood. The stereotype that vampires hissed was incorrect, for the most part. They were not snakes after all but right now Keenan was in far too much pain to worry about being cliché. The mages had numbed the pain while they stitched but the relief was short lived. This was the exact moment he wished he had asked for something for the pain but then he would have to go to the vampire healers and they would refuse to treat him as they always did. This whole situation was ridiculous, he was the crown prince, they should have to treat him regardless but that was the law, vampire healers could refuse to treat blood traitors. It didn’t matter that he had been pardoned as the circumstances were not what they first seemed. That barely made a difference, that coupled with his reputation at court for being the prince that sleeps around really made things difficult at times. Maybe he could convince Claude or Monty to get some for him after dinner.

Getting dressed killed. Keenan whimpered as he leaned down to pull his trousers on. Gritting his teeth, he was able to tie his hair back into a neat ponytail and button up his jacket. It was dark purple with ornate navy embroidery with the same high collar style that was present on all his jackets, it was a formal occasion and since they were having visitors, his father wanted the scar on his neck covered. There was no way in hell he was going to make it through a stifling dinner like this. He sent a servant for Claude and was relieved when she arrived prompty serum in two. "Oh thank goodness," he said breathless.

Claude frowned, "This isn't fair on you Keenan. They should at least provide you with short term pain relief," she handed him the vial of serum, she held up another, "This one will help you sleep tonight until you can see the mages yourself."

"They won't give me anything. The mages are loyal to my father and he wants me to suffer," he said with an exhausted sigh, "the vampire healers won't even touch me. The only way that would change was if they were ordered by my father."

"It happened years ago Kee, you would think they would have moved on. Your father pardoned you when he realised what actually happened."

Keenan sighed, "I did kill him though Claude. Sure he tried to kill me first and he got closer than I would have like," he rubbed the scar around his throat, "People think I am power hungry. I am now the crown prince. They think I got what I wanted so this is there way of punishing me."

Claude sighed, willing to drop the topic for now but it was something she planned on following up. It wasn't fair on Keenan. He couldn't move on when people were constantly punishing him.

Keenan took one swig and closed his eyes as he waited for it to take effect. He breathed a huge sigh of relief as the agony slowly subsided. "Now let me fix your hair," Claude said shaking her head, "You are hopeless at the moment."

She made him sit down and she picked up a brush, "Tell me what's going on between you and Aleksander. I was in the room with you both today. You can't tell me it's nothing."

"It's complicated. I want to be with him, more than anything but I wouldn't survive exile, trust me. I considered it," he said sadly.

Being a blood traitor would put an automatic target on his back. They would both be dead within a year if they were lucky. He was trapped. Claude worked quickly, putting his hair into a half down, half up style, leaving some strands out to frame his face. "We will figure something out Kee, I promise," with that Claude left him to finish getting ready.

Tucking a black handkerchief into his pocket he headed out to collect Freyja. Walking was significantly easier when you didn't feel like you were being stabbed, every other step. He hesitated when he smelt another male.

Now, Keenan was not jealous. He had his life with Aleks and she could be with who ever she wanted. It was curiosity that caused him to hesitate, the scent of another male who was not a vampire or human but definitely one of the living. Fae perhaps? If she was indeed busy like he suspected, he would go ahead to the dinner without her. If he was with Aleks, it would be awkward for them to be disturbed so he decided to extend her the same courtesy. He left a message with a servant, telling Freyja that he would go ahead and just meet her at the dinner.

Waiting for everyone to arrive made him far more uncomfortable than it should have. His father had made it clear that he did not want to talk to him and that they would be having a conversation tomorrow about his stupidity. That meant his father had heard about the stabbing, brilliant. In true fatherly fashion, the king did not ask Keenan if he was okay but only wanted to scold him.

He was beyond relieved when Claude and Montague arrived, both dressed in their finery. He wished that Aleks could have been by his side but that was not the hand fate had given him, Aleks needed to rest and heal. If the fae could truly smell lovers on another then it was probably for the best. Once Keenan made eye contact with Faustin, he just wanted to leave. He did not want to deal with that drama tonight. The King cleared his throat and asked everyone to be seated.

Keenan smiled when Freyja arrived. There was still the topic of the strange male fae. It was curiousity more than anything. She knew who his lover was and he wanted to know about hers. He offered her his arm and led her to their seats. Freyja was sat on his right and Claude and Montague on his left. THe king sat at the head of the table and refused to look Keenan in the eye. Rather dramatic if you asked him.

Neither the fae guests nor the vampires looked particularly happy to be forced to sit together. As far as Keenan could tell, it was going to be a rather awkward night. Serving the food didn't help. The vaampires were content to sip on their blood but it just seemed to make the fae uncomfortable. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Keenan decide to speak, "I believe introductions are in order. To my left are Lady Claude and Lord Montgue, two members of my inner circle and I am of course Crown Prince Keenan Medici. I believe that there are some of you I haven't met yet," he said with a quick sideways glance at Freyja. If you were not paying attention, you would not have noticed it. His father required no introduction and would have been offended if Keenan even think of doing something like that in their palace. He didn't need to make his father any angrier before the lecture he was guaranteed to recieve tomorrow.

Keenan was most curious about the dirty blond haired fae male sat accross from them. He seemed to have captured both Freyja and Claude's attention. Claude seemed suspicious but the same couldn't be said about Freyja. She seemed to know this man. Keenan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This fae was sat rather close to Faustin which meant he held some position of power. At least Keenan was the better looking blond.

Gods, he could be so vain at times. Palace life had spoiled him for the last few years. The king would have shipped him off to the frontlines if they were fighting a war. Luckily for Keenan they were brokering a peace agreement right now, although who knows how long that would actually last. There was still 5 days until the wedding.