The mage watches the practice ring with a small smile on his lips. A young woman faces a very large dark skinned man. His muscle arms could snap her in half easily, but she only smiles as she charges. The dark haired woman is light on her feet, dancing around the man with ease as they parry. Though Stiles knows the solider is holding back.
"Prince Derek." He murmurs in greeting to the man that joins him on the balcony.
"Stiles." He returns.
"My proper title is Mage Stiles you know."
"And I thought we were past formalities."
The mage chuckles, honey-suckle orbs glancing to the very handsome man next to him. He's in a guard uniform, the simple attire he prefers. His dark locks are missing the smooth ring of gold that serves as his crown. He doesn't look away until he is met with green orbs.
"How is she doing?" The prince gestures to the pit before crossing his arms.
"Good. Boyd is going easy on her."
"I can see that."
Stiles shrugs, "He has a soft spot for her."
Derek startles, eyes glancing back to Stiles. "I didn't know he liked her."
The mage rolls his eyes. Of course that's where Derek's mind would go. "I believe its more like a little sister bond. Not all siblings try to kill each other in the ring."
Derek huffs a laugh. "We are not that bad."
"Cora nearly broke Laura's arm and that was only because Laura broke her nose first." Stiles smirks at Derek's shrug. "Should I bring up the last time you went against your uncle?"
"That's different."
Stiles opens his mouth to make a snide comment about Peter but motion in the ring catches his eyes. The woman is now encased in a glowing aurora of a fox, her hands crackling with lighting.
Boyd takes a few steps back as guards approach the fox. "Stay back!" He commands.
"Shit." Stiles sprints for the stairs. "Shit. Shit. Shit."
"I thought you said she was getting her powers under control." The prince calls from behind him.
"Not now, Derek. Stop following!" The queen will have his head if he allows her son to be injured in his presence.
He makes it to the ring just as the fox starts to attack. Stiles doesn't think as he mutters words under his breath. Blue light erupts from the floor, creating a wall, encircling him and the fox.
"Kira." The fox turns to him. His friends usual dark almond eyes are now alight with fiery orange. The color almost identical with that of a hellhound. "You can control this. Reign in the fox."
"We will not be contained." Kira's voice echoes with ancient power.
Lighting strikes out, Stiles barely jump out of the way in time. The wall flares with the impact meant for him. Stiles can feel the rush off energy in his bones as his magic absorbs the energy.
The fox narrows her eyes. "Your magic might be strange, Mage, but it will not save you."
"Kira. Take control." He doesn't want to truly engage because he knows the fox speaks the truth. He is no match for the creature that resides inside the woman in front of him.
More lighting flies from Kira's hands, Stiles evades with a series of twists and turns. Before he learned how to fight, he learned how to run – how to survive. It's a skill most humans try to perfect being in a world of supernatural creatures and magic. Stiles likes to think that its one of his greatest skills, though every now and then he is outmatched.
His body flares in pain as Lighting races through his blood. He would scream but his body has locked up in a twisted way as he slams into the dirt of the pit. Luckily the wall remains up.
"Kira." He wheezes. "Take control. Now."
The fox takes a step towards him only to stop. In the blink of an eye the aurora is gone and Kira is stumbling back. Stiles drags in a lungful of air as he releases his magic. With the walls gone Derek and Boyd are sprinting to them.
"Stiles! I'm so sorry!" The young fox gasps hands over her mouth in horror. She shrinks into Boyd's embrace but her eyes never leave him.
Hands roll him onto his back. He blinks the rears from his eyes as he takes in Derek's face looming over him. "Where are you hurt?"
Stiles can't answer that. He doesn't know where he was originally struck because everything hurts. "I'm okay." He finally voices. Because he is… or rather will be.
Derek's eyes snap to Kira. "Boyd, take her to Deaton. Have him check her over. The wolf nods, quickly whisking the fox away.
Derek's hands start to roam along Stiles' body. "Easy, Prince. Not in front of everyone."
"I'm trying to see where she hit you. I can't tell with this damn robe."
"First, it's a cloak. Second, not all of us can forgo wearing our official attire and third, I'm fine. Yes she hit me. Yes it hurt. But I'm fine."
Green eyes set on him with a stern glare. "We are still going to have Deaton take a look at you."
"As you wish, Sourwolf." The nickname does the trick and loosens the prince up a bit from the worry. "Now help me up. I'm sure your mother will want to speak with me."
Derek helps Stiles to his feet. His eyes rake over the younger man as if he still might be able to see an injury.
Stiles huffs. "You can give me a full evaluation tonight if you wish."
Derek's frown doesn't leave his face but his eyes grow dark with something that sends a shiver down Stiles' spine. "Let's get you to mother."
Stiles can't help but notice Derek glancing at him discreetly the whole way to the council room. "You worry too much." He mumbles as they approach the doors.
"I worry enough. You need to be more careful." The prince retorts as he swings open the doors.
Only one person sits at the table; A table that is a map of their land and the lands around it. Talia Hale is a royal with every pump of blood through her veins. She is a queen in her attire, posture, and voice. Her sharp eyes take in Stiles in a way that makes him want to roll over and bare his throat. Instead he locks his jaw and stands tall, like she taught him all those years ago.
"Tell me, Mage."
"Kira lost control of her fox during a training session." He waits as his queen thinks.
"She needs to go to the skin-walkers."
"She does not want to go. Her life is here."
"We are not equipped to train her. Foxes can take decades to learn how to control their inner beasts, especially one as powerful as hers."
"She is one of us."
"She is a danger to us and herself. The first time she almost cut you in half with her sword."
"She is not allowed to practice with weapons any longer."
"And today she proved she does not need them. Is that correct?"
Stiles opens his mouth to continue his argument but Derek cuts him off. "Yes, she struck Stiles with her lighting."
His fingers curl slightly with irritation as Talia takes him in with a new emotion clouding her dark orbs – a motherly one. "Are you hurt?"
"No."
"We will be stopping by Deaton's after this." Derek adds.
Talia pierces her lips. "I've made my decision. No more arguing. She will be going to the skin walker tomorrow." Stiles' heart stutters. "You will accompany her along with the prince and a guard of your choosing." Her words are finalized with a flash of red eyes.
Stiles wants to scream, to rage, but he contains it. What his queen, his alpha, says is final.
"Go now. Send Kira to me."
Stiles bows before turning on his heel and leaving. He doesn't speak as he makes his way to the healer even as Derek hisses his name a few steps behind. He enters the healing chambers, easily spotting the dark skinned druid squatting in front of the cot Kira is perched on. Boyd stands in the shadows keeping a close watch on the two.
Stiles clears his throat catching their attention as he approaches. Kira's young face brightens at the sight of him. "Stiles! Are yo-"
"The Queen wishes to see you." Her smile falls away. "I'm sorry." Its all he can say. He tried so hard to keep her here. Here with her mother, her friends, her people. But he failed her.
Kira nods slowly, eyes skittering to Boyd.
"He'll be going with us." Derek confirms.
The large wolf nods, leaving his spot among the shadows to wrap an arm around Kira's shoulders as she stands. He doesn't speak a word as he escorts her out of the healing chambers.
"What can I do for you, Mage Stiles?" Deaton says with a neutral voice, drawing Stiles' attention away from his friends.
"I was hit with lighting earlier. The royals believe I need you to look me over."
Derek says something under his breath but Stiles ignores him. He unclips his signature red cloak, quickly unbuttons the gods awful black tunic he is required to wear. If it were up to him he would choose something with a bit more color, even if it clashed with his cloak. Discarding the fabric on the cot he is left clothed in black fighting leathers and boots, chest bare.
He lets the druid approach as he examines himself. He doesn't see anything amiss. No blood, scratches, or scorch marks. He stands still while Deaton does his own examination.
The druid's fingers tap a still fresh tattoo on Stiles' left pec. "When did you get this?"
"A few days ago." He bites out. "Is my examination done?"
"Yes, Mage, all is well. Expect some soreness tomorrow." Deaton's eyes study him as if he's grown a tail. "I hope you realize that mark holds significance."
Stiles simply redresses himself inn response. "Thank you, Druid Deaton." He says before turning, red cloak billowing around him. He doesn't look at the prince as he passes him.
He had wanted to scoff at Deaton's question over his tattoo. Of course he knows the meaning. The triskele is the symbol of the royal family. Every Hale has it tattooed between their shoulder blades. Something they get at the age of 13. The royal guards have it tattooed on their left shoulders, soldiers on their right. Its not uncommon for most of the palace guards to have both their shoulders tattooed, like Boyd. Druids that claim loyalty to the Hales have the symbol on the back of their necks. Any commoner that pledges their undying loyalty will have it on their wrists. To have the triskele on the left pec…. well that represents the mate of a royal.
"Stiles, where are you going?" Derek hisses in his ear, fingers wrapping around his bicep.
Stiles doesn't stop walking, knowing that Derek won't use his superior strength to stop him – won't even use the strength of a human. "My room, I need to pack for our journey."
"But your things are in my rooms. Including your satchel and riding bags."
Stiles sighs, stopping at the junction of two hallways. Take a right and hell head toward the royal chambers that hold the queen's children. Take a left and he'll head to his own.
"Not everything." He whispers not meeting the prince's eyes.
"No, but most of it." The wolf steps in front of him, ducking his head to try to catch hi eyes. Finally he relents and meets the green orbs. Fingers ghost along his jaw making him huff, he can't say no to that face, to those eyebrows.
"Let me grab a few things from my room and I'll meet you in yours. I expect supper."
The prince's lips twitch slightly into a soft smile before they connect to Stile's cheek briefly. "I'll tell mother not to expect us tonight."
The mage watches him leave before continuing on to his room. He does not – does not scream when he opens his door to see someone lounging on is bed. The young woman raises a dark brow at him.
"Cora, what the hell are you doing in my room?" He is not breathing hard because she scared him.
"Hiding from Laura." She shrugs turning back to the book she was reading before Stiles interrupted.
"In my room?" He goes about gathering what he'll need.
"She doesn't think to look in here. Its not like you are I here much anymore anyway."
Well, the princess does have a point. Stiles can't remember the last time he even slept in here.
"Going somewhere?" She asks closing her book.
"Yes."
Cora sits up, eagerness clearly on her face. "Where to? The lake? I want to go there again."
"You just want to go to the lake to annoy the sirens."
"I don't annoy them. They love me."
"They want to eat you."
Cora sticks her tongue out at him. Causing him to laugh. "That's very unlady like."
She squints her dark eyes at him. Only Derek received the green eyes of the late King Andrew. The princess' inherited most of their looks from their mother. "What happened? You aren't normally in a bad mood."
The mage's shoulders sag. "We are taking Kira to the skin-walkers." And the soreness is already starting to set into his body.
"Something else happened?" She is on her feet before he can nod. "I have to speak with her." With inhuman speed the young wolf is bolting out of the room.
After gathering everything he needs, Stiles allows his tired feet to carry him to Derek's chambers. It's no surprise that the rooms are empty. The prince has other duties and it is a bit earl for supper. The cooks wont be happy to put a rush on their work.
He uses his time alone to prepare for their trip. He packs clothes for Derek and himself along with potions in the saddlebags. They'll get food tomorrow before they leave. He is sure to lay his twin blades onto the bags, though they are nothing compared to his own magic. But he was taught to rely on more then just his magic and he'll be sure to never let those lessons go to waste.
He doesn't turn when the doors to the bedroom open. "There is space for Boyd's clothes in the bags." He says since the two wolves will mainly be traveling in their fur.
Warm arms wrap around his waist, pulling him into a solid chest. "Are we going to discuss the reason you are in a foul mood?"
Stiles doesn't jerk away from Derek's breath next to his ear, but he does cross his arms. "You know why."
The wolf sighs, forehead coming to rest on Stiles' shoulder. "This is what is best, Stiles. She needs the training."
Stiles sags into the embrace. "I know. But that can take decades. We might be dead before she is dead worthy to return." Because that is the truth. Kira is having to say goodbye to everyone she knows and loves for she might not see them ever again.
"A fox's lifespan is incredible. Her mother is 900 years old if I'm not mistaken. It-"
"Her father is human. He'll be dead when she returns."
Derek's voice is softer when he speaks again. "Its part of it for them. I understand that its cruel but we have no other choice. This is the safest thing for all of us. You can't keep locking yourself in with her every time the fox takes over. You're going to get yourself killed."
A tear leaves Stiles eye. "I know. Doesn't mean I have to like this."
Derek squeezes him a little bit tighter. "I know. I don't like it either."
Stiles would call him a liar if he didn't know him. Derek might not know Kira well but she is part of his people. He cares deeply for his people and hates seeing them in any form of distress.
Turning, Stiles wraps his arms around his wolf, burying his face in his chest. They stay like that for several minutes. Holding each other, breathing one another in until Stiles stomach growls causing them both to chuckle softly.
"Come on. I brought food." The prince leads him out to the lounging area where he has laid out a small feast.
Stiles sinks into the cushioned couch, grabbing a plate and filling it. He starts to devour the food before Derek has even finished filling his own plate.
"Are you okay?" Derek asks halfway through their meal. Stiles glances up to see the wolf studying him. "You're stiff."
The mage hadn't noticed that he wasn't moving as freely as usual. He thought he was doing better at hiding the fact that his muscles felt like lead. "I'm sore."
"Finish your food."
Stiles easily follows his wolf's order and takes his hand when it held out to him after the empty plates have been discarded. Derek leads him into the bedroom, stopping next to the bed he unclasps Stiles' cloak taking care to lay it on the chair before returning to undress the rest of the mage, the clothing being thrown on the floor. Stiles doesn't question why he is wanted naked just moves when needed to help the process.
"Lay on the bed. On your belly."
He complies. Closing his eyes as he enjoys the cool feeling of silk against his flesh. Soon the weight of an equally naked Derek settles on his thighs. Oil drizzles onto his back. He can't keep the moan from passing his lips as large callused hands start to work the knots out of his muscles. Derek chuckles softly as his hands follow a familiar pattern.
Stiles takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as his body relaxes even more. "Deaton saw the tattoo."
Derek hums. "Deaton saw the tattoo."
Stiles can't see his face but he can here the ease in his voice. "He might tell the queen."
"Mother already knows."
Stiles cranes his neck slightly so he can meet the prince's eyes. The wolf's hands stop as he raises an eyebrow.
"You told her?" He had only gotten the tattoo four days ago.
"Of course. She's eagerly waiting for us to take the final step. She likes you."
Stiles' heart thuds in his chest. Yes they've discussed this and he is fully committed (hence the tattoo), but to complete the mating is a very important thing. There will be no hiding their relationship then. Though Stiles is pretty sure they are already drenched in each other's scent.
"And when will you be giving me the bite, Sourwolf?"
Derek's eyes flash electric blue as a growl rumbles in his chest. "The next full moon. We will initiate the Chase. I'll catch you and make love to you under the moon." He leans down to nibble on Stiles' ear, sending a shiver down the younger man's spine. "Then I'm going to sink my teeth into you. Making you mine for the rest of our lives."
Stiles spins, arms wrapping around his wolf, pulling him into a bruising kiss. The hungry mood starts to turn lazy as their tongues explore each other mouths. They shift onto their sides, kissing slowing to sweet pecks. Derek kisses each of Stiles' cheeks and then his forehead. The mage's eyes start to become heavy and he doesn't fight to keep them open.
His wolf pulls him into his chest, their bodies curling around each other. "Sleep, Mischief. We have a long journey ahead of us."