Title: The Dove Prince
Full Summary: AU twist on The Swan Princess. Prince Kaito of the Kuroba didn't want to bend to his parents' wishes for his engagement to unite with the Kudo Kingdom. So instead of wedding his betrothed Princess Ran, he'll court her twin brother Shinichi instead. But when Shinichi falls under a spell by a mysterious witch, Prince Kaito must make a true vow of everlasting love to him, or else he will die. But will Conan accept the vow that will unknowingly save his life? And why does it seem that everything runs deeper that what it appears to be?
A/N: Audible gasp, an actual serious DC/MK fic! This is my project over the Spring Break, as I wait for the Kingdom Hearts 3D US release date to be announced and procrastinate on various things. … It will probably last longer than two weeks though.
All kidding aside, this fic, as I have currently have it planned, is pretty messed up. As fairytales go, it strays off like Princess Tutu. Great anime. Anyway… this is important: I don't want to put up any warnings, because it would ruin the surprises and I'm sure that it will change as I go along, since all my fics plan to stray from what I originally intend anyway. Just please note the rating and we'll see where it takes us as this fic moves along. I suppose you should take this as a warning now, because that's all I'm gonna say. What? I like plot twists, and warnings take the fun out of them.
The characters could possibly be a little OOC, since this is an AU, and I thought I'd just warn readers about it. I'll try my best to keep them IC to the best of my knowledge.
Hope you like it!
The Dove Prince: Prologue
Once upon a time, there was a vast land. Contained in this vast land were various kingdoms, but there were two kingdoms in particular that held the true power in this land. Both of the rulers of these kingdoms' kings were very good friends with one another.
The Kuroba and the Kudo kingdom were separated by a large and vast sea, but regardless of geography there was no doubt in both of the royal families' mind that they wanted to reunite the two kingdoms as one.
So when it was announced that Queen Eri was pregnant with child, it was decided that there was to be an arranged marriage between the unborn child and the very young Prince of the Kuroba kingdom, Kaito, in an attempt to unite the lands. Therefore, it was at only the age of one Prince Kaito was destined to be wed to Queen Eri's child. And nothing would change that matter.
The two families were not cruel, however. They knew that in order for them to even consider such an arrangement it would be best if the children were to know each other. And the marriage would only take place if the two were to fall in love, because the marriage would fall apart if it wasn't so.
As such it was arranged that when the baby was of age seven, they were to go and visit each other every summer until the child of the Kudo kingdom was seventeen. Kaito would be eighteen, a year older, and the two would be wed if the match worked.
Plans were drawn and rules were to be followed, and the divine powers seemed to shine on them as seen by the blessing of children that the Kudo parents had.
The Kudo kingdom was one of grand celebration when the queen gave birth to not just one, but two heirs to the throne: the crown Princess Ran and her younger brother Prince Shinichi.
When the Kuroba family went to attend the banquet at the honor of the royal twins, it was at that time that the now two year old Prince was discovered of suffering from a rather extreme case of thalassophobia. After passing out near the fish market on the way to the ship along the sea, it was decided at instead of switching kingdoms, when Ran would turn seven, she would come to the Kuroba kingdom for Kaito to get along with his future fiancée.
Princess Ran was raised to be a defender of the kingdom, taking up the ancient art of martial arts as to not use a weapon that would drag her down. She trained hard every day under her adviser Sato Miwako.
Her younger twin was a scholar, spending all his time in the Royal Library with books and the various scholars there, absorbing various information in found in the many books the library contained. He would teach the interesting tidbits that he found to his sister, who was always busy training and didn't have time for extracurricular information. For example, the stories of Arsène Lupin.
It was the last summer that they spend together, before they were told that the Princess Ran was to visit the Kuroba kingdom every summer.
What they didn't expect was that Ran had refused to leave unless her twin brother was accompanying her. In order to appease her, they allowed for her younger brother to come with her.
But Kaito has known about the arranged marriage ever since it was finalized to be so, having eavesdropped on his parents when they were conversing with Ran's parents.
Perhaps he couldn't be rude to the Kudo Princess, but that didn't mean he had to fall in love with the Princess and be forced to wed her.
He wouldn't let his parents control his destiny.
"Shinichi!" the young Princess reached for her younger brother's hand. "Are you ready?"
A young boy hid behind a chair, pouting slightly. "Do I have to go?"
Ran pouted herself. "Shinichi! I can't go without you!" She thought of ways that could drag her brother out of the kingdom. "I can ask if we can bring some books for you?"
Shinichi thought about it before slowly removing himself from the chair. "Okay. But only for you, Ran." He smiled at her.
Ran smiled back. "Great! Let me go ask Agasa-hakase for some!" She dashed off to the library, leaving Shinichi to go outside by himself. He spotted his father by the various staff packing their belongings into the carriage, and walked over to him.
"Otou-san, why do you have to go to the Kuroba kingdom across the sea?" Young Prince Shinichi asked him as he watched the maids and servants pack his and his sister's clothes that they would need for the next three months of summer.
"Shinichi, you don't want to go?" his father asked, about to pick him up to place him in the carriage.
Shinichi dodged his father's hand, quickly moving behind a maid. The maid widened her eyes in surprise as Shinichi gripped her skirt. He shook his head for a few moments, frowning.
"Oka-san gets to stay," he said, looking for his mother, or perhaps his sister. Not finding them, he buried his face in the woolen fabric, the maid embarrassed. "Why is she allowed to stay but you and Ran have to go?"
"Shinichi." The king knelt down to his son, taking hold of his hand and freeing the maid. The nameless maid scampered off, going back to attend her duties. "Your sister -"
"Got them!" Ran called out as she balanced three books under her arms as she moved to her family members. The staff took the books from her arms and placed them inside a chest that went inside the carriage containing their luggage.
"Ran!" Shinichi moved away from his father, towards his sister and pulled her into a hug. "Did you get the Poe ones?"
She nodded. "I did!"
Shinichi squeed. "Yay~"
His father smiled. "Listen up, you two." He led his daughter to the carriage with his son to follow, picking them up and placing them in the seat. "Every year during the summer we must make this voyage, alright?"
"Shinichi will come with us every year, right?" Ran interjected, taking a firm grip on her brother's hand.
Yusaku gave her a look, and sighed before smiling. "If that's what you would like."
Shinichi coughed, and both of the other members of the royal family looked to him.
"Shinichi?" His father raised an eyebrow.
"Please, Shinichi!" she pleaded, "I don't want to go by myself."
"But why do you have to go?" That's all he wanted to know. "Why does Ran have to go?"
His father opened his mouth to reply, but was unable to do so when a servant called from outside, "Your majesty, we are ready for departure."
Yusaku looked outside before nodding and taking his own seat inside, causing for the children to scoot over. They looked out the window as the carriage started to move, looking over to the sea where the ship was located to take them to the Kuroba Kingdom.
"The young Prince has thalassophobia, therefore we must go there in contrast to them coming here," is what the king replied to his son's question.
Ran tilted her head. "Thalassophobia?"
"It means he's afraid of the sea," Shinichi answered, looking out the window. He turned, smiling at Ran. "I suppose I can come with you ever year." He shrugged.
"After all, how can he take care of you when he's afraid of salt water?"
Kaito sneezed. Someone must be talking about him.
"Kaito, aren't you excited? The Kudos will soon be arriving!" His father, the King Toichi, was bursting with excitement. Finally, after all this time he was able to see his friend again and the preparations that they have worked so hard for was finally coming together. He didn't doubt his son's etiquette, poise, and charm, the Kuroba Prince was a perfect gentleman. Surely the Kudo Princess will fall for him and the marriage will occur without a hitch - as planned and expected.
In contrast, Kaito merely blinked, uninterested at the news. "The Kudos, you say?"
His father nodded, his son's mood not dampening his spirits. "Right, they're only a year younger than you! I'm sure that you all will get along –"
"We'll see," Kaito interrupted his father as a carriage could be seen approaching from the town, making its way to the castle.
"They approach," the royal butler stated as the carriage brought itself in front of the golden gates that separated the royal family from the rest of the villagers.
The King gave looked towards his eight year old son, who started to fiddle with a cloth that had appeared out of thin air. Kaito quickly hid behind his father when the doors of the carriage opened and the royal king of the Kudo kingdom stepped out, his children nowhere to be found.
King Yusaku turned back to the carriage before pulling out the young Ran followed with an unamused sigh from the carriage. The King placed his daughter on the ground as Shinichi just stepped down by himself. His father made his way to greet King Toichi, who stepped out to meet his old friend.
"Yusaku!" They grasped hands. "How long has it been since we've last met?"
"Far too long for both of our tastes," Toichi replied, shaking hands before releasing. He motioned to his son, who was playing with that cloth again. "Welcome to our fair kingdom, King Yusaku. And to you, young Princess and Prince. Allow me to introduce my son." He turned.
Kaito moved towards the royal guests as by his father's command as King Yusaku's call of Ran forward while Shinichi watched from behind.
"Kaito?" Toichi nudged his son for encouragement. "Go on."
Kaito dragged himself forward as Ran moved forward to greet the Kuroba Prince. The two stood across from each other, Kaito scrutinizing the Kudo Princess as the Prince watched from the shadow behind his father.
Kaito bowed slightly and reached out to kiss her hand, causing for Ran to faintly blush. After releasing her, he magicked a bouquet of pennyroyal, belladonna, and belvedere flowers from the cloth he was playing with earlier and handed it to her. "Pleased to meet you, Ran-oujo."
She gasped, impressed by the display of magic. "Wow! P-pleased to meet you, Kaito-ouji," Ran greeted, curtsying to the Kuroba Prince. She reached out for the flowers.
"Ran! Don't!" Shinichi dashed out, whacking away the bouquet towards the ground and stepped on it, much to the shock from everyone there. He glared at the Kuroba Prince, who blinked at what had just occurred. "Don't you know that belladonnas are poisonous? Its meaning isn't comforting either," Shinichi whispered, as to not be heard by his sister as well as the two kings.
Kaito smirked. Interesting. "And what say do you?"
"Belladonna means silence, belvedere 'I declare war against you', and pennyroyal means to flee away," Shinichi continued to whisper, "Not a very welcoming greeting."
"Ah, but if you would know, the flowers are only poisonous when consumed," Kaito replied. Shinichi blushed at the fact that he was wrong as Kaito whispered back, "Perhaps you're not as clever as you think you are."
"And you not as subtle." Shinichi stepped back, only to get reprehended by his father.
"Shinichi," his father said sternly, and the Prince didn't have to look to his father as he bowed slightly to the Kurobas.
"Please forgive my insolence, Kaito-ouji," he rose, moving in front of his sister in a protective stance. "Pleased to meet you."
"And to you, Shinichi-ouji." Kaito smiled, and held out his hand towards the brunette. "Would you like a tour of the castle, Oujo-sama?"
Ran nodded and, taking a firm grasp on her brother's arm, dragged him with her towards Kaito. Shinichi was about to protest but was quiet after Ran tightened her grip on her brother. Kaito chuckled before taking the Princess' hand and began to lead her towards the Kuroba castle. Shinichi mumbled incoherently, but did nothing as he was about to be pulled forward with his sister by the Kuroba Prince.
"No, no, Ran. Shinichi will stay with me." Yusake took hold of his son and pulled him close towards him, pulling Ran back.
"E-eh? But, Otou-san," she started, but her father wouldn't let her finish.
"Go on, Ran," he waved her towards the Prince. Having no choice but to bend to her father's will, she released her brother and begrudgingly followed Kaito towards the castle, alone.
"Shinichi." Yusake narrowed his eyes at his son. "What do you think you're doing?"
Shinichi looked away. "Sorry, Otou-san."
"Just don't do it again."
Shinichi nodded before asking quietly, "Could I go to the library please, your majesty?"
Toichi nodded, wagging a finger to summon his adviser. "Konosuke, if you would be so kind."
"But of course, your majesty," an old man replied, taking the young Kudo Prince's hand. "This way, Shinichi-ouji."
Without another word, Shinichi followed the escort to the library, leaving the two kings alone.
Toichi frowned, turning back to his friend. "I greatly apologize for my son's insolent behavior," he apologized. "He should be better than that. I hope that this doesn't change anything."
Yusake shook his head. "Of course not. This has been years in the making. We have the rest of the summer and ten more years of three months. I'm sure that they would fall in love by then." They looked over to their children who were faded from sight.
"After all, your son is quite the charmer."
"So tell me about yourself, Oujo-sama," Kaito asked, keeping an eye out for her brother as they walked up the path. He was interesting. Not many know of the language of the flowers anymore.
Kaito caught the change in air and atmosphere, and quickly moved aside to dodge a punch from the Princess. "Ohh, okay." He grinned as they reached the front doors. "Not very lady-like," he chided.
Ran narrowed her eyes at the Kuroba Prince as she steadied herself in a fighting stance. "Leave Shinichi alone. He's only here by my request, and I don't want to be here anymore than you want me here." She sighed, lowering her arms to her waist. "I'll be sure to avoid you throughout this whole visit as well as the continuations of them if you do the same. Except, of course, when our parents call us to meet."
Kaito nodded. "I like how you think, Ran-chan."
Ran narrowed her eyes. "Don't call me that. And you better not forget this discussion. Commit it to memory. And, of course, not a word to Shinichi."
Kaito nodded once more as the doors opened for them and the two walked inside. "Right, right." He winked at the Kudo Princess as she turned away from the Prince, and Kaito could faintly hear her request way to their royal library. That would probably be where Shinichi would be. They were twins after all.
Regardless of the princess' warning, he made his way to the library, wondering if he was there. He hoped not. Who knew what he would tell the young Kudo Prince?
Looks like the Kudo heirs are more interesting than I thought. Still, that wouldn't mean that he would bend to his parent's will as Ran did earlier. He might be a little young, but he was bound to enter that rebellious stage eventually. He unconsciously smirked.
Why not now?
Prologue: End
A/N: My titles are weird because it's too weird if they don't use honorifics to me. I'm not going to do a music number for their childhood, so please bear with me while I move through the years of character development/vague hints of plot before moving the story forward. Hopefully it won't be that long.
Thanks for reading!