Archive of Our Own ^beta

When mother had told Nozel he would be assigned a guard for his protection for the entirety of the diplomatic trip, Nozel hadn’t imagined whatever was standing right in front of him.

Nozel doubted this man could protect him. The man was lanky. The tall, imposing figure of the ‘knight’ lacked what Nozel had been expecting: muscles. His smile was unsettling. There was something dangerous about him that Nozel couldn’t quite place. It twisted his stomach somehow. 

“This is Sir Jack,” Queen Acier introduced, her smile widening. “He will be your protector.”

Nozel’s eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the knight. Jack’s armor was plain and it told Nozel everything he needed to know. 

“A low-born knight. Mother, surely there must be someone more suitable.”

Jack’s lips curled into a smirk, and he bowed. Not only was it exaggerated, but he bowed like a woman would bow to another woman. “Your Highness, it is an honor to serve you,” he said. The hint of mockery didn’t escape Nozel’s ears. 

Nozel glared at the knight. “I do not require a guard, especially not one who lacks proper manners and etiquette.”

Queen Acier placed a gentle hand on her son’s arm. “Nozel, give him a chance. Sir Jack has proved himself in battle and is more than capable of ensuring your safety.”

Nozel highly doubted it.

“Mother,” he said between his teeth. “A word.”

After closing the door and leaving ‘Sir Jack’ alone in the hall, Nozel didn’t lose a beat to express his reservations to his mother. 

“This knight is my age,” Nozel pointed out. “He can’t possibly be competent. Who selected him? They need to get fired.”

“Will you fire your own mother?”

Nozel’s face crumpled. Acier laughed and ruffled his hair, which only got Nozel in a worse mood. He was sour, and he didn’t understand why his mother didn’t seem to think it a legitimate reaction. 

“You could use a friend while we’re traveling,” Acier said. 

“A friend,” Nozel deadpanned. He hoped his tone highlighted the absurdity of the situation. Why would he need a friend when his family was here? And what use would there be to have a low-born knight for friend? This… Jack’s job was to protect Nozel in case of an attack. It wasn’t to be a playmate. Besides, Nozel was twenty and he had responsibilities in this trip. Why was his mother setting him up for a friendship with some commoner? She should be worried about finding distractions for Noelle, Solid, or even Nebra. They were kids. 

“Everyone needs one,” Acier said cheerfully. 

“I have one,” Nozel said sourly. “Fuegoleon.” 

Granted, the Vermillion was basically family, and being the same age, he and Nozel were practically brothers, but still. His point held. 

“It can’t hurt to have one while we’re away, don’t you think?” 

Nozel thought it unnerving just how happy about the situation his mother was. But also… Nozel sighed. His mother’s sister and friends would remain in Clover. This diplomatic trip would be baneful for everyone involved, save for Niccolo Heliam Silva, who always seemed to prefer exchanging niceties with foreign officials. 

Nozel would never understand his father. 

“Fine,” Nozel said. “I’ll tolerate his presence.”

Acier smiled. 

Returning to the hall, they found Jack at the same spot, polishing his sword. Nozel couldn’t take his eyes off the sight. The man’s long fingers lingered on the metal. The glint created by the scrubbing and the morning light reflecting on the blade made Nozel’s throat feel tight. He quickly snapped out of it and caught a servant’s eye, sending them for some water. 

Acier chuckled softly and kissed the top of her son’s head, squeezing his hand softly before leaving them alone. 

Nozel hated it already. 

Jack was still handling his sword when the door closed and they found themselves completely alone. His mother gone, Nozel could appraise the man a bit more. His height was impressive, for sure. It showed less now as he was seated, but his upper body was still… big. Unique, in a way. His legs were long as well, and thin. His armor hardly gave him any bulk. 

The room was silent, and Nozel, who usually loved silence, found that he couldn’t bear it. He felt like he had to speak, to say something, anything. 

Nozel walked to the man and stood before him, arms crossed and expression hard. “You will follow my orders without question. Is that understood?”

Jack raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening as he slid his sword back into its cheap, low-tier scabbard. 

“Crystal clear, little birdie,” Jack stood up and towered over Nozel. “Though I must say, you’re quite the taskmaster.”

Nozel’s cheeks flushed with anger and, to his dismay, a hint of something else. He was uncomfortably aware of the knight’s imposing presence. The way Jack’s eyes seemed to see right through him. It was infuriating and, worse, intriguing.

“Do not test my patience,” Nozel warned. 

Jack laughed a strange, unsettling laugh that sent an unexpected shiver down Nozel’s spine. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

♔

Rude manners. Unrefined speech. 

Nozel wondered what qualities this knight had. Could he fight? Maybe. Nozel hadn’t had the occasion to see him in action— a guard was unnecessary, whatever his mother had to say about it— but Nozel had seen him… train. Early in the morning, from his bedroom window, Nozel had seen Jack in the garden, practicing moves with his shirt off as the sun had barely risen. If he had not sought the sight the first time, he had every time after that. 

It was embarrassing. 

Nozel knew what was happening to him. And he didn’t enjoy it. But he was attracted to that knight. His guard. 

During this trip, Nozel was constantly surrounded by people. It was, after all, a diplomatic trip. The goal was to socialize, to create links and relationships with officials of this country. But Nozel constantly found himself thinking about his knight. The way Jack looked at him, the teasing glint in his eyes recalling the one from his sword, the way his accidental touch sent shivers down Nozel’s spine. 

I am a prince, Nozel constantly reminded himself. I have responsibilities, duties. I cannot afford to be distracted by… by this.

But it didn’t matter. The thoughts kept circling back. Nozel was losing control, he who had always prided himself on his discipline, on his ability to remain detached and focused. But Jack had done something to him. And he didn’t enjoy it about as much as he couldn’t go without it anymore. 

It had been bound to happen, Nozel supposed, since the two men were spending all their time together. Jack was not a mountain of muscles, but still strong. Tall, but not imposing. Thrilling. He angered and upset Nozel, but he made him feel incredibly safe too. Nozel was still trying to understand this unexpected attraction, and the knight’s demeanor only added to his frustration. Jack was so laid-back— like peasants and commoners were. But at times, he was even familiar… perhaps too familiar. Always teasing Nozel, always trying to light a fuse. As for the rest, his conversation didn’t end up half as bad as Nozel had expected. In fact, Nozel was almost… appreciating the time spent with this knight. No, scratch that, he did. 

Nozel was, in a nutshell, in a situation. And, as always when he was in a situation, he looked for an escape. 

Nozel and Jack had set off for some shopping. Nozel thought he could get a gift for his youngest sister, Noelle, who would have the despair of celebrating her birthday in a foreign country instead of home. They set off for the commercial town, and Nozel found himself stealing glances at the knight. Jack looked wonderful in the golden glow of the sunset. 

As they approached a dense forest, Jack suddenly broke the silence. 

“We should be on our guard.”

Nozel nodded curtly. “I’m aware. Don’t wander off on your own. ”

Jack’s lips twitched in amusement. “I have no intention of letting you out of my sight, little birdie.”

Nozel’s cheeks flushed, and he turned away to hide his embarrassment. “Just do your job. It’s all I ask of you.”

Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes caught their attention. Jack’s hand went to his sword, his eyes narrowing.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Nozel complied. They remained waiting, alert. Suddenly, something moved and Jack launched at Nozel, tackling him to the ground. When Nozel opened his eyes again, he saw a bunch of rabbits hopping around. 

“Rabbits,” Nozel said.

Jack laughed that unnerving laugh of his. Nozel wasn’t amused. He was rolling in the dirt with a commoner. He was about to keep phrasing his annoyance when he realized the position he was in. 

Nozel was pinned to the ground by the knight’s body. Jack weighed heavier than he looked, and the warm weight was strangely… agreeable. Nozel swallowed thickly as he looked up at Jack. The knight wasn’t flustered at all. If anything, Nozel had the impression he had leaned down. His head was close. Too close. And with it, his… lips. 

“What’s wrong, little birdie?” Jack teased. 

“I could have you executed.”

“For protecting you?”

“Those were rabbits and you’re not getting off me.”

He was indeed not. Jack’s expression changed from he usual teasing to something different. Softer. His fingers found Nozel’s braid, stroking it. He rolled the Silva pin between his long fingers. 

“What’s with that braid?” Jack asked as if they were sitting at a table and not lying on the ground. 

“It’s a reminder,” Nozel said. His voice was embarrassingly heavy. He had to calm the hell down. “Of my duties. What I owe to my House.”

Jack pulled the braid back gently, revealing Nozel’s forehead. His hand lingered at the base of his hair, a touch so soft and soothing Nozel was utterly disarmed. 

“That’s stupid,” Jack said. 

“Would you mind getting off?” Nozel asked, annoyed. 

Jack was immediately back to smirking. Nozel couldn’t take it. He pushed him off, no matter how much he wanted to yank the man down to him and kiss him. Jack snickered and helped him to his feet. Nozel tried fixing his hair and clothes, and above all to still his heart. He was a twenty-year-old prince, not some teenager. He was too old for such an… infatuation. 

“What got you so ruffled?” Jack asked.

Nozel hadn’t realized just how close the man was to him until he snapped out of his thoughts and found his face merely centimeters away from his. Nozel’s first reflex was to back away, only for his shoulder blades to meet a hard tree trunk. Jack kept smirking, getting closer. His taller body caged Nozel’s. It should be humiliating. But it was also strangely… arousing. 

“Step back.”

Jack didn’t. His hot breath was balmy on Nozel’s skin. The warmth… inviting. 

“Or what, little birdie?”

Or I’ll kiss you. 

Nozel swallowed and wetted his lips, his eyes dipping to the man’s mouth before he could stop himself. He raised his eyes back up quickly, but it was too late. Jack’s smirk had left room for another expression, a mixture of want and uncertainty. Nozel felt his breath quicken, the rise and fall of his chest almost unbearably irregular. His heart hammered in his chest. Loud. So loud. Jack’s eyes had darkened… his irises disappeared as he leaned in… Nozel raised his chin, a little, just a little…

The kiss was soft, almost too soft. Nozel had expected the man to be forceful, to claim his lips like a triumph. To hurt him, maybe. Just a little. But Jack was gentle. His charred lips caressed his like one would try and caress a bird’s feathers: knowing they could get away any second. Oh, but Nozel wouldn’t. He kissed Jack with more passion and his hands found the man’s body, pressing him closer. 

Nozel deepened the kiss and was more than content when Jack followed, pinning Nozel against the tree as he licked his lips. Nozel let him in, happily giving in as he let the man’s tongue explore his mouth. Jack’s hands roamed his body, from his shoulders to his sides, snaking down slowly until he found his backside and playfully squeezed his ass. Nozel embarrassingly half-gasped, half-moaned into the man’s mouth. 

That had Jack break the kiss to flash one of his stupid content smirks. Nozel glared at him. There was no need to stop. But as the prince was about to go for his knight’s lips once more, Jack pulled away.

“Why did you stop?” Nozel asked.

Jack snickered and picked his sword from the ground. 

“We should go run your errands, little birdie.”

Nozel wanted nothing less. Jack bowed— the way a woman would bow to another— and Nozel groaned.

"You need to learn proper etiquette."

But Jack only smiled and extended his hand. 

Softer than Nozel thought, his knight was. 

Nozel took his hand.  

But it wasn’t unwelcome.