Yet another masterpiece written by both myself and Ralyena Starrling! This time, it's a Kevin/Ben/Rook 3-way! So yeah, this will be different. This story will simply develop the pairing as an option. The sequel which we begin writing tomorrow is gonna have all the good stuff! X3 So, stay tuned.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10!
-Wolf's Bane, Loves Reign-
This is a story of rivals, first loves and royalty. And as with all stories, the best place to start is at the beginning. Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of Belwood, there lived a young prince named Ben Tennyson, who ruled his kingdom alongside his small family. By his side were his grandfather, Max Tennyson, and his cousin, Gwen Tennyson. But this young prince was not like the others. No, unlike the other princes, Ben wasn't human...not completely, at least. He was half Loban, a wolf-like alien race. His father was a Loban, while his mother was a human. A year before our story begins, Ben lost his dear and loving parents. Though it was a horrible loss, and still leaves a pain in Ben's heart, the young half-Loban prince and his family have managed to find some peace amidst the tragedy.
But we have only spoken of the 'royalty'; what of the 'rivals' and 'first loves'?. Well, the Belwood royal family was a very well-to-do clan, and as Ben was the only one who could carry on the family name, he was left with a very large inheritance. So of course, many suitors wanted the lovely boy's hand, but only to gain access to his money. Ben, however, was not easily tricked by the gold-digging gigolos, and his family was always on the look out for people with bad intentions. However, out of all the suitors who pursued Ben, there were two in particular that stood out from the crowd.
Their names were Prince Kevin of Osmos, and Prince Blonko of Revonnah; two young men who were as different from each other as night and day!
-WBLR-
The very first time Benjamin of Belwood met Kevin of Osmos, he was immediately taken by his charm and wit. The very first thing Kevin had said to him had been, "Why, my prince, what big eyes you have. And might I say, they are quite beautiful; I could look into them all my life and still not truly comprehend the extent of their beauty!" There was no doubt that Kevin Levin was a silver-tongued devil who could just as easily talk a man into taking his own life, as he could sit in a chair! Kevin also seemed to have a knack for knowing style and luxury; his ebony carriage with emerald trimming, and seats lined with the finest leather proved that.
Prince Blonko of Revonnah, however, was quite different. He was more subtle with his words, when he used them. In fact, Blonko did not speak that much; preferring to let his actions show how he felt. If there was one word to describe Blonko, it would be 'chivalrous'. He held doors open for Ben, pulled out chairs for Ben, and made sure to wait until Ben was seated before taking his own! He was also content to simply hold Ben's hand; never demanding to kiss Ben, Blonko would instead wait for Ben to make the first move.
All in all, where Prince Kevin was fiery passion, Prince Blonko was sweet affection, and Ben could not decide which he desired more.
Today, Ben was meeting with Kevin in the rose garden behind the palace. He was very eager to see the man, for it had been a long time since their last encounter. Kevin had gone on a two month trip, and when he arrived into the kingdom he sent Ben a letter saying that he had a special surprise.
So now, here the prince was, sitting on one of the patio chairs with a smile wide enough to reach his ears, and his tail wagging rapidly. Ben was so excited that he almost failed to notice a familiar warm rub at his leg. Looking down, he saw his little pet blob, Ship. The small green and black creature nuzzled against Ben's leg a while more before 'looking' at him with what Ben felt was a happy face.
"Ship! Ship!" the little creature chirped. Ben smiled at this and picked Ship up, then laid him on his lap.
"Hey there, Ship. I'm glad you're here. Now I have someone to tell this exciting news to. Guess who's coming to visit us today?" Ben asked.
While Ship couldn't exactly say the name, he could, and did, morph his body into the form of Kevin's signature carriage to answer.
"That's right, Prince Kevin is visiting. It'll be nice to see him after two months. He says he has a surprise for me. I wonder what it is?" Ben asked aloud.
At this, two hands gently placed themselves over Ben's eyes, covering them, while a mouth moved close to Ben's pointy left ear and whispered, "You'll find out soon enough."
"Kevin!" Ben exclaimed, grinning.
Kevin removed his hands from Ben and moved around to sit next to the lupine prince. "I must apologize for my absence these last two months. Osmos has been put in a rather difficult and delicate situation due to one of my father's councilors, Aggregor. Because of his actions, we've nearly had war declared upon us by five different kingdoms!"
Kevin sighed before shaking his head and looking to Ben with a reigned smile. "Forgive me, I shouldn't put this weight on your shoulders. It's mine and my father's."
Ben smiled warmly and moved closer to Kevin, taking the bigger prince's hand into his own. "If it weighs so heavily on your mind, then you must speak of it. A burden shared is a burden eased. My grandfather taught me that."
Kevin chuckled and replied, "Well, your grandfather is an incredibly wise man. Now, as for your surprise..." Kevin pulled from his pocket a black velvet box about the size of his hand. He opened it and presented it to Ben.
Ben was stunned to see an emerald leather bracer, with a sort of medallion embedded in it. "It's...beautiful!" Ben said in wonder.
"Thought you might like it," Kevin replied. "That charm there, is made of ebony and ivory. It represents peace, happiness, and harmony. Do you like it?"
"Oh, Kevin, I love it!" Ben answered, wrapping his arms around Kevin and hugging him.
"I'm glad you love it so much, dearest. You've just given me the best present," Kevin said with a smile.
"I did? What was it?" Ben asked curiously.
Kevin smiled widely and looked deeply into the prince's eyes. "You've given me the gift of seeing that gorgeous face again," Kevin answered, which made Ben blush.
"You're such a charmer. How is that a gift?" Ben asked shyly.
"Because it's something on you can give." Kevin said with a smile.
Ben blushed further, his bluish-gray fur darkening around his cheeks. He absolutely adored these sweet little things that Kevin would say. It made him feel special and important, and not because he was a prince.
Holding out his arm, Ben asked, "Will you put it on me?"
Kevin smiled and slipped the bracer out of its case, and onto Ben's wrist. He gave the laces on the bracer's underside a tug to tighten them a bit before putting them in a knot. He then held Ben's forearm with both hands and admired how the bracer contrasted nicely with Ben's fur.
"You're an even greater vision than before, Benjamin."
Ben simply smiled in response.
The two sat there, chatting about this and that for a little over an hour before Gwen came to retrieve Ben for lunch.
"Prince Kevin," Gwen said with a grin, "you're welcome to join us if you'd like."
Ben's eyes lit up as he turned to Kevin and looked at him, silently saying, 'Say yes!'
Kevin couldn't say no to that, and so followed the cousins to one of the castle's smaller and less formal dining halls.
The small Tennyson family and Prince Kevin all sat down and enjoyed the fine meal the servants brought. Ship was, of course, eating his own meal on the floor. The atmosphere was pleasant as the group chatted to each other about this and that; nothing of real importance. Halfway through the meal, a servant came in.
"Pardon this interruption, but a knight from your court requests your presence, Lord Max. He says that it involves signing some important documents," the man explained.
"Ah yes, I must tend to those right away. I'll be off, young ones, but please enjoy lunch without me," Max said, and stood up from the table before walking off.
"Also, Prince Benjamin, a letter from Prince Blonko came for you today," The servant added, handing the young prince a gold envelope.
Ben's eyes widened, and a smile quickly grew on his face as he accepted the letter. Nearly forgetting protocol, Ben would have opened the letter right then, had he not noticed Kevin's frown and Gwen shaking her head. Instead, he simply slipped it into his pocket with a silent promise to open it later in the privacy of his room.
Sensing the tension in the room, Gwen said, "So, Prince Kevin, will you be attending my wedding to Prince Cooper?" Gwen already knew he would, as he had already RSVP-ed to the invitation Gwen had sent him. Still, a distraction was needed.
Kevin looked to Gwen, and with a forced smile said, "Yes. I look forward to it."
"You should see Gwen's dress, Kevin," Ben said, eagerly going along with the topic change. "It's big, white, and poofy!"
"Poofy?" Kevin asked with an honest grin.
"Yeah! It's like Gwen feel into the middle of the top-half of a mushroom!" Ben explained eagerly. "Where the dress touches the floor, it's twice as wide as she is tall!"
Kevin chuckled while Gwen gave Ben a death-glare (though, secretly, she agreed with Ben's assessment).
"Keep talking like that, cousin dear, and I'll tell the tailor to make your wedding attire a dress, rather than a suit and robe when you marry," Gwen said with a grin which made Ben gasp in horror.
"You wouldn't dare!" Ben exclaimed in challenge.
"I'm not a woman who should be tested, Ben. You should know that," Gwen said with an even wider grin. This made Ben pout as he sat back down. At the loud toll of the clock tower bell, Kevin looked outside to see that the clock had struck three thirty.
"Good heavens, I had no idea how late it was. I have to get going," Kevin said as he stood up from the table.
"So soon? But you just got here," Ben said with a frown.
"I'm sorry, my pretty-eyed prince, but I have an early meeting with the knights of my father's court in the morning," Kevin explained with a sad smile.
"I'll see you again soon, right?" Ben asked, with such innocent eagerness that Kevin could only think it a mortal sin to refuse the lupine prince.
"I promise," Kevin answered with a smile before leaving the dining room, and soon, the castle.
Ben and Gwen finished their lunch in a companionable silence before retreating to separate parts of the castle; Gwen to the library, to study her magic, and Ben to his room, to read the letter he received from Prince Blonko.
Ben quickly climbed the stairs up to the top floor of the west tower and entered his room. It was a spacious, circular, room done in green, white, and brown. Ninety-degrees left of the bedroom door was Ben's bed. His bed was situated so that he could fall asleep watching the sun set, and Ben often slept on his left side. To the immediate right of Ben's bed was a door that led to Ben's en suite bathroom, as well as his wardrobe. Opposite his bed was a writing desk and chair, and to the left and right of it were book shelves filled with stories of adventure, danger, and romance. Between his bed and writing desk, was a large, oval, rug that Ben loved to lounge upon. In the winter months, Ben would lie on this rug, in front of the fire place that was opposite of his bedroom door.
Ben moved to his writing desk and sat down before taking a letter-opener and opening the gold envelope in his hand. He pulled out the letter inside and, after unfolding it, began to read.
Bearer of my Heart's Flame,
I hope this letter finds you well. As I write this, I am leading a convoy of amber-ogia to your family's kingdom to trade. I should arrive tomorrow.
During my stay, I intend to steal you away from your mundane palace life. Fret not, for I have no intention of holding you for ransom, I simply cannot stand living another day without you in my presence.
I look forward to our meeting, and I hope you do as well.
Yours dearly,
Rook Blonko
Ben couldn't help but grin as he read the letter. Blonko was coming to Belwood soon, and he would be 'stealing' Ben away! Ben would have to let the guards know this so Blonko wouldn't be forced to incapacitate them on his way to Ben.
Ben placed the letter back in its envelope and put the envelope in a nearby box where he'd been keeping all the letters he had received from both Blonko and Kevin. As Ben looked at the box of growing letters, he started to frown. Not because of the growing lack of space in the box, but because his heart was in conflict. Who would he choose in the end? The chivalrous Blonko or the charming Kevin? It was such a pickle of contemplation, that the young prince began to grow a headache. Deciding that he would think more of it later, Ben moved from to his bed for an afternoon nap.
The next day, Ben was practically bouncing like a little joey as he waited outside for Blonko to arrive. Gwen and Max were there to make sure Ben didn't leap into the drive-way to greet the carriages, and startle the horses. Soon, a medium sized brown carriage was pulled in by the signature well-bred white horses Blonko was known to have.
Max had to literally place a hand on his grandson's shoulder to keep him in place. Decorum demanded to Ben stand still and wait for Prince Blonko to come to him. Max couldn't help but smile and reflect on the joys of youth, and how much trouble he had gotten into when he had been Ben's age.
As Blonko's carriage came to a stop, the driver jumped off his bench and came around to open the carriages door. Ben couldn't help but hold his breath as Blonko slowly climbed out of the carriage and walked over to Ben, a subtle smile on his handsome, tri-colored face.
"Benjamin," Blonko said in greeting as he took Ben's right hand in his and placed a gentle kiss on it.
Ben smiled and replied, "What happened to stealing me away? I was looking forward to you climbing up to my bedroom window."
Blonko's smile widened a bit as he replied, "On second thought, I felt it would be in everyone's best interest if I keep things by-the-book."
Ben giggled at this, knowing that Rook Blonko wouldn't hurt a fly.
"Well," Max said with a grin, "I believe my grandson is in capable hands, now. The two of you may take your leave of me while I oversee the 'Ogia trades."
"Thanks, Grandpa!" Ben said as he practically dragged Blonko back to the brown carriage, eager to spend some alone time with the prince of Revonnah. Once the two young men were seated, and Blonko had tasked the driver with taking them out towards the markets, Ben turned to Blonko and said, "I've missed you, Blonko. I'm glad you're here."
Blonko smiled and replied, "As am I."
"I really missed you, Blonko. I don't think I could bare not riding the horses with you again," Ben said with a smile.
"Neither could I, my Heart-Flame. I enjoy your company greatly. It's hard to not think of you; not that I have attempted such of course. And Truk has missed Ship as well," Blonko replied.
"I'm sure. Ship always loves playing with him. They're so cute together," Ben said with a smile as he thought back to the memory of the two blobs playing last time. It had been during Blonko's second visit; he'd remarked the first time that he too had a pet blob. And so, Blonko had brought Truk over so the two blobs could play.
Blonko grinned as he watched Ben. It was obvious the young lupine prince was remembering the first time he'd brought Truk over. That had, indeed, been a good day.
Eventually, the carriage arrived at the market: a two mile stretch of road lined with shops on either side of the street as well as small dealers along the center of the street. The market encouraged foot-traffic only; no carriages.
Blonko stepped out before his driver could help him out, and quickly moved to help Ben out.
Ben grinned at the chivalrous treatment and allowed his arm to be hooked around Blonko's. "Shall we?" Ben asked.
"This is your kingdom; by all means, lead the way," Blonko replied with a wink.
Ben giggled and did just that.
The pair walked through the market and browsed around some of the stands, marveling at the beauty of the small jewelry and the portraits. They even played with some of the children who were mostly admiring Ben's lovely tail. This made the young prince blush while Blonko chuckled.
Soon, the two began to feel tired, and sat down on a bench to rest and enjoy the water Blonko had packed.
"Ah, I always love coming through the market here in your kingdom," Blonko said fondly.
"Oh? Why's that?" Ben asked.
"Because you have so many happy and colorful people here. Each one is more unique than the last. It is pleasant to see such happy people," Blonko explained as he watched the people interact.
Ben smiled at the Revonnah Prince's explanation. "I suppose people are happy because my grandfather treats them well. I only hope that I can rule with the same amount of fairness and compassion."
"I have no doubt that you will, Benjamin," Blonko replied, a warm smile spreading across his face.
Ben couldn't help but blush.
The two sat on that bench for hours, watching the people walk by, buying and selling things of all shapes and sizes. Eventually, it occurred to the both of them that it was time for Ben to return home for supper, and so Blonko had his carriage bring Ben home promptly. After Blonko helped Ben out, he said, "Today has been a most enjoyable day. I look forward to our next rendezvous."
Before Ben could reply, Blonko placed a quick kiss to the side of Ben's cheek; a bold move for one so subtle and formal as Rook Blonko.
Ben was still standing their, happily stunned, long after Blonko had left.
-WBLR-
At that exact moment, approaching the gates of Belwood, a hooded figure sat atop a raven horse. His bright azure eyes hid the ice cold demeanor within his heart. He was all that remained of a distant kingdom, torn asunder by it's kings own greed; it's citizens and property sold to pay the terrible debt. But it didn't have to be that way...
Those horrifyingly beautiful azure eyes moved to the towers of the castle at the heart of Belwood, and past them; they moved towards a certain little prince who's fortune would soon be his. And when that was down, the Morningstar Dynasty's future would be assured.
-WBLR-
Blonko and Kevin briskly walked up the stairway and went down the hall that led to Ben's room. The young men looked at each other with intense stares, silently debating who should knock on Ben's door. Finally it seemed like they reached an agreement, and they both opted to knock at the same time.
"Come in," answered the sweet voice of Prince Ben.
Blonko and Kevin smiled widely as they opened the door and walked in. Immediately the first thing their eyes landed on was the slender silhouette of Ben behind the room divider. He was dressing out of his usual clothes and humming a little tune to himself, his tail swaying to the rhythm. While Blonko and Kevin were more than pleased with the sight, they needed to make their presence known to Ben.
"Pardon, Ben, but we are here," Blonko said. This caused Ben to stop humming and peek behind the divider. Seeing his two suitors, he smiled.
"Oh wonderful. I'm glad you two made it. Please just sit down and I'll be with you in a moment," Ben said, and went back behind the divider to finish changing.
"Of course. Take your time," Kevin replied.
The two older royals sat on the day bed and waited patiently for Ben to step out. Eventually the young prince came out wearing a long green silk robe that fitted him perfectly. Ben strode over to his suitors and sat between them in a snug fit.
"Well, I'm sure you both read the entirety of my letter." Ben said as a start.
"Indeed," Blonko said, the seriousness of the matter coloring his voice. He needed to put the young prince's mind at ease so that he would not get hurt. Ben's happiness was of the utmost importance.
"I think I speak for both myself and the Prince Blonko when I say we apologize if we've put any undo stress on you during your decision making," Kevin said as well.
Ben smiled, looking from one prince to the other and finding acceptance and support from them both. "Both of you are so...wonderful! You're both kind, caring, and considerate. You both listen to my thoughts and opinions. You both truly love me...and it's not fair of me to love you both."
Blonko placed a gentle hand atop Ben's left hand while Kevin did the same with Ben's right. "We will abide by whatever choice you make, fair Benjamin," Blonko said, to which Kevin added, "We only want you to be happy."
Ben's watery eyes overflowed as he felt the love and support of the two older princes. If he hadn't known before, he did now, without a shadow of a doubt, that both young men loved him. "Thank you. Thank you, both," Ben said, then, with a wet chuckle, added, "It's just a shame that I can't have you both. Sadly, that just can't be."
"What are you going to do then?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know," Ben replied, suddenly feeling very scared and alone despite being sandwiched between the two princes. "I guess I could reassess all my former suitors. Find one that I could love almost as much as the both of you."
Kevin nodded in understanding before saying, "Perhaps we can help you then."
Catching on, Blonko added, "Of all your suitors, only Kevin and I know you best. We could give you our recommendations."
"Perhaps, but..." Ben paused, they were now coming to heart of the matter; why Ben called them here in the first place. There was as good a chance as any that either one or both of them would not agree to Ben's idea. Taking a deep, calming breath, Ben said, "I may have found a way in which we three could reach an agreement of sorts."
"What do you mean?" Kevin asked.
Rather than answer immediately, Ben walked over to his dresser and picked up a rather thick tome.
"Are you two familiar with the term 'triad'?" Ben asked.
"Yes, it is when three people are in a relationship," Blonko answered.
"Well, after consorting a few of the marriage law books, I found an interesting loophole that, if you both are up to, may make us all happy," Ben said, and turned to a page in the book before showing the written text to Kevin and Blonko.
'If two suitors from different kingdoms seek to marry the same prince or princess from another kingdom, then those three have the choice of signing a contract to group their kingdoms together. This means that all spouses must share resources with one another and assist in political affairs to one another. Furthermore, the submissive spouse must produce an heir for each kingdom. This law is eternally binding, and any attempt to breach it, by any member of the triad, will result in their beheading.'
After they had both read the paragraph, Kevin and Blonko looked to each other before looking to Ben. It was obvious that Ben had been thinking about this for quite a while and prayed that both elder princes would agree to it. However, there was one other thing to consider. In a triad, each spouse had feelings for the other two; to make this work, Kevin and Blonko would have to, at least, feel a spark of lust for each other, if nothing else.
Deciding to leave such things for later, Blonko asked, "Would this make you happy, Benjamin? If the three of us became a triad, would you be happy?"
"Of course," Ben answered, smiling, "but what about the two of you? Would you be happy?"
"We would be happy to have you, and know that you are happy to have the both of us," Kevin said with a comforting smile. "The rest can be sorted out as we go along."
All of Ben's worries washed away in that instant as his face split into a joyous smile. He then promptly tackled the two other boys, and forced them into a three-way hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise that neither of you will regret this!" Ben exclaimed.
Afterwords, as Blonko and Kevin left Ben's room, the two kept silent, stealing glances at each other as they made their way to their respective carriages. Once they'd descended the stairs to the ground floor, Blonko halted in his steps and said, "Prince Kevin of Osmos, we must speak now. We cannot wait until after the bonding, or even the day before, to speak of this."
"For once, I agree with you, Prince Blonko. If we're going to make this work for Ben's sake, we have to reach some common ground first," Kevin said.
"Indeed. First and foremost, we have to try and become friends before we are to become, for lack of a better phrase, joint husbands," Blonko stated.
"How do you suggest we do that?" Kevin asked.
"Why don't we participate in activities the other enjoys? You join me in an activity of mine and I'll join you in an activity of yours. We could even visit one anothers favorite eateries. What do you think?" Blonko asked.
Kevin looked away in thought for a moment before giving a nod of agreement. "Alright, that makes sense," he said. "We'll start with my favorite restaurant to eat first then move on to my activity of choice."
"Now hold it a moment; why should you go first?" Blonko asked with narrowed eyes.
"Because my kingdom is closest to Ben's, that's why," Kevin smugly stated.
"Damn it," Blonko cursed. He never hated geography so much until now.
-WBLR-
The next day, Blonko and Kevin sent a joint letter to Ben informing him of their plan before leaving for Osmos. That afternoon, they dined at Kevin's favorite restaurant. It was an opulent French bistro known for catering to people with a highly refined pallet. They served decadent desserts, savory wine, and memorable dishes. But the price of all these things nearly made Blonko curse in his native tongue.
Kevin couldn't help but smirk at Blonko's displeasure. Honestly, the people of Revonnah kingdom must have all been raised with a complete aversion to opulence and excess. Oh sure, Kevin could easily see how such things could be twisted into vices, but if you couldn't treat yourself now and then, what would be the point of living?
Once they were seated, the waiter immediately filled the two goblets already on the table with ice and water, before handing Kevin and Blonko a list of all their wines and meads. "If I might make a suggestion," the waiter said, "the Merlot is quite exceptional."
Kevin grinned and replied, "The Merlot it is, then."
The waiter nodded and then trotted off while another brought them a basket of bread and butter to busy themselves with in the meantime.
"So," Kevin said with a smug look, "what do you think?"
Blonko frowned and replied, "I think that for the price you are to pay for our meal today, I could feed every man woman and child in my kingdom for a year."
Kevin rolled his eyes and said, "You really need to learn to relax and enjoy yourself. I'm treating you to dinner at a top-knotch restaurant and you're complaining!"
Blonko's eyes narrowed as he said, "My people learned centuries ago the dangers of opulence and over-indulgence. Our bellies grew as our hearts and minds shrunk. Our society nearly collapsed until one of my ancestors put us back on the right track. It is only a matter of time before the same happens to Osmos."
"Perhaps, but my father and I have things well put together for the time being. And besides, just because a person treats themselves now and then doesn't make them less of a person. You and I have sparred before, Prince Blonko, and in more terms than just strength. You of all people should know that my mind hasn't shrunk at all and my belly is well sculpted from my life as a warrior," Kevin explained.
Blonko seemed to calm down a bit and took into thought what Kevin said. He made very fair points. And even he had to admit that, despite their tendency at flashiness, the people Osmos were intellectual and strong.
"I suppose you are right, Prince Kevin. I am sorry for lashing out as I had, but being from a simple race that thrives on hard work, you must understand my views," Blonko said.
"I do, and I respect them. You don't have to change how you feel about the more high priced way of life, Prince Blonko. And I certainly don't expect you to. But an open mind can't hurt," Kevin replied.
Blonko decided to take Kevin's words to heart, and keep an open-mind. The many indulgences Kevin enjoyed certainly hadn't dulled his mind; his previous argument had been flawless. Nor had it softened his body; which was definitely not soft, doughy, and pear-shaped. Quite the contrary! During their sparring sessions, Kevin had often preferred minimal clothing as he found it impeding to his movements. This always allowed Blonko to note how strongly built Kevin was.
By now, the waiter had returned with the wine and was now giving them their dinner menu's. As Blonko perused through the list of oddly named dishes, he found one that had a particularly funny name. "Prince Kevin, what is this 'escargot'?" Blonko asked.
Kevin's grin reached his ears as he replied, "Snails."
"Snails?!" Blonko replied, flabbergasted.
"I've actually tried them once before. They taste like tofu...very slimy tofu."
When the waiter returned to take their order, Kevin ordered a tarte flambée, which was basically the French equivalent to pizza, but with no tomato sauce, and slices of onions and pork fat as toppings, and Blonko chose the coq au vin, which seemed the most palatable item on the menu.
"Why would people cook and eat poor little creatures such as snails?" Blonko asked after the waiter left.
"For the same reason they cook and eat turtles to make them soup; people around the world have different tastes. What's the oddest animal you've ever eaten?" Kevin asked.
"Well, I'm not quite sure really. Unless, of course, the hog like alien in my kingdom that serves as pork is considered an odd creature to eat," Blonko said.
Kevin couldn't hold back his chuckle as he replied, "Not quite, my friend. But for me, I'd say the oddest thing I've ever eaten was the foi-gras."
"What is that?" Blonko asked.
"Fatty duck liver. It's a rich and creamy food with a bit of a musky flavor," Kevin answered, causing Blonko to wrinkle his nose in mild disgust.
"You rich people have other worldly taste buds, Prince Kevin," Blonko said with a shake of his head, causing Kevin to chuckle again.
"I suppose you really can't by good taste as far as food goes," Kevin said.
Their evening proceeded thusly; eating peculiar French food, and sharing amicable conversation. Despite their radically different points of view, they managed to respect each others ideas and opinions. Blonko found that Kevin was actually quite wise and worldy. He'd travelled all across the continent and had seen and experienced many different things, all of which had shaped his view of the world into something incredibly poetic. To strangers, Kevin appeared to be a spoiled son of an aristocrat who was only interested in money. In reality, he was so much more; he was an idealist who wanted to save the world. Perhaps that was what attracted Ben.
As for Kevin himself, he had to admit that Blonko was doing an excellent job of keeping an open-mind. Blonko was the kind of person who took the consequences of his actions to heart; never again making the same mistake twice, and bending over backwards to ensure that no one else made the same mistake, even if it meant robbing them of the experience to learn from it. Blonko was a protector, and a provider, and Kevin could definitely see what Ben saw in him.
As the sun set below the horizon, the two princes found themselves out in the middle of a park, sitting together on a bench, and watching the sun's fiery downward dance.
"Well, I must say that this has been a rather productive day. And a very good one," Blonko said with a smile.
"It sure was. You're not so bad to hang around, Rook," Kevin said.
"Rook?" The cat-like prince asked in surprise.
"Yeah. That's your name," Kevin said.
"I know, it's just that this is the first time you've ever referred to me by something other than 'Prince Blonko', even if it's just my surname," Blonko pointed out.
Kevin seemed to consider this and realized the other prince was right. "Huh, I guess it is. Maybe I said it because I'm starting to see you differently from how I used to," Kevin said.
"I would ask how you used to view me, but something tells me to let sleeping dogs lie," Blonko said with a slight grin.
"That's probably best. Well, I better be headed home. I assume you can find a hotel for the night? I'll see you tomorrow at our same time. And this time you'll take me to your favorite restaurant," Kevin said as he stood up along with Blonko.
"Right. See you then...Levin," Blonko said slowly and held out his hand. The two princes shared a handshake and then went their separate ways.
-WBLR-
The next morning, Kevin and Blonko piled into Kevin's carriage and set off for Revonnah. The kingdom was two hours away from Osmos, and so the time was spent with the two princes chatting with each other, talking about their lives and interests. By they time they reached Revonnah, both Kevin and Blonko were confident that they knew each other as well as Ben did.
It had been a while since Kevin had travelled to Revonnah, and that had been when he was only nine years of age! Kevin was dissappointed to find that the kingdom had changed very little, if at all. Oh, the rolling hills covered in rocky outgrowths bearing the famed amber-ogia plant were quite majestic and beautiful, but Kevin could never feel quite so comfortable with so much empty space!
Blonko caught Kevin's gaze, and smiled as he said, "Not your cup of tea?"
Kevin chuckled sheepishly and replied, "I think I understand how you felt in Osmos."
Blonko shrugged and said, "We each draw comfort from what is familiar, and discomfort from it's opposite."
The kingdom of Revonnah was built in such a way as that the rich farmland stretched out across the outer half, with clusters of amber-ogia processing equipment dotted about. At the core of the kingdom, though, lay the residentual buildings, as well as trading posts and markets, and at the exact center was a two-story manor.
Kevin recalled Blonko's distaste for extravagance and decided that the manor was certainly an unextravagant home for a king. "I'll say one thing for Revonnah; it certainly has an old world charm unlike any other," Kevin said.
"Thank you. Our people thrive on keeping things of old efficient and useful. That way we don't lose our sense of value and hard work," Blonko said as he observed his people with a smile.
"It shows. Your people complete, in a short amount of time, labors that would take most kingdom folk a week to do. It's very impressive," Kevin replied.
"Prince Kevin, are you trying to charm me?" Blonko asked with a grin as they stopped out of the, now parked, carriage.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. The answer depends on if it's working," Kevin answered coyly, making Blonko laugh.
"We'll see as the day progresses. Now then, follow me to this little restaurant. The place may not be a gilded bistro, but there pies and dishes have a glorious, heavenly taste," Blonko said as he led Kevin to the small eatery.
The restaurant wasn't big. It contained five rectangular tables capable of seating four people each. There was also a desk at the back where a single person stood. Behind that person was a door leading back to the kitchen.
"Most of Revonnah's people prefer to eat at home, so the few restaurants that exist in my kingdom are meant solely for travellers," Blonko explained as he guided Kevin inside and to a random table. Once Kevin was seated, Blonko walked to the desk and asked what Kevin assumed was their waiter (but then shouldn't he have come to them?) for two meat pies and two amber juices.
Upon his return to the table, Kevin asked, "So, what kind of meat is in those pies?"
Blonko grinned and replied, "It is similar to Belwood's pork."
Kevin gulped nervously and said, "Define 'similar'."
Blonko's grin widened as he answered, "To quote Prince Benjamin, 'It tastes like chicken.'"
Kevin frowned and replied, "Chicken and pork are two different things!"
Blonko chuckled and said, "Peace, Kevin. I am confident that you will find it appetizing; far preferable to your escargot." Blonko then offered Kevin a teasing wink.
Kevin didn't know why, but he found Blonko's wink to be cute. Of course, as a man of pride, he wouldn't tell the other prince that. At least, not yet. When the waiter signalled that their food was ready, Blonko retrieved the two pies and drinks, and brought them back to the table. Taking a slice from one of the pies, Kevin was surprised to see that the inside looked a lot like cherry pie, yet the smell had a meaty scent, like a seasoned roast. With a better outlook, Kevin took a bite of the pie. His eyes widened in surprise from the savory, yet slightly sweet taste, and he gave a hum of approval.
"This is very good," Kevin said with a smile.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Although our food does not get rave reviews from professional food conniseurs, it is just as good as any high class dish," Blonko stated proudly.
"It certainly is; I wouldn't mind having this again. I wonder if the chef would be willing to part with the recipe?" Kevin asked.
"You would be wasting your time asking, Levin," Blonko replied with a grin. "Our cooks are very possessive of their secret recipes. The last unfortunate thief who tried to steal one had a rather...painful going away party," Blonko said.
Kevin nearly choked on the bite of pie he'd been about to swallow when he heard this. Once he'd swallowed and cleared his throat, he said, "Sheesh, Rook, isn't that a bit much for a recipe?!"
"To see the look currently on your face? Not at all," Blonko replied, his grin less predatory.
Realizing that he'd been had, and by the overly-serious prince of Revonnah, Kevin growled, "Oh, you are so gonna pay for that later!"
"Before any ideas of revenge come to your raven head," Blonko replied with a smug grin, "perhaps I should inform you that I would be willing to divulge my own families recipe for muroid meat pie...with the understanding that it is never to leave your hands."
Kevin's eyes went wide in surprise before he shook himself out of it and said, "Oh. Well that's definitely a horse of a different color."
"Indeed," Blonko added with a smile. "Of course, I fully intend to share all my family recipe's with both you and Ben once our triad marrital bond has been made legal."
Kevin nodded in understanding and appreciation before asking, "So, what's a muroid? That your idea of pork that tastes like chicken?"
After a little more conversation, and the second pie, the two partook in a classic Revonnah ball game. While Kevin was a little sore at losing, he couldn't help but smile and laugh as the children tackled and tickled him to cheer him up. Afterwards, the two left for Ben's kingdom. It was late at night as their carriage pulled in to the Tennyson castle, and both young men were surprised by the sight of a horse tied to a post.
"Strange. Ben always keeps his horses in their stables," Blonko pointed out.
"Yeah. And it's tolo late for the King to be entertaining guests," Kevin added.
The princes shared a suspicious look before walking cautiously into the castle. The sight of no servants wasn't surprising, as Ben was known to let his maids and butlers take the weekday nights off. But even still, the castle should have held some sound. Instead, there was just an eery quiet.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of something metal falling on the floor, and a rush of footsteps. Blonko and Kevin quickly drew their swords and went around a short cut to intercept the possible intruder. Just as the intruder started to go around the second hall, Blonko and Kevin stopped him.
The first thing the two princes noticed was that the intruder was a young man about their age. He had platinum blonde hair cut short and slicked back, except for a single curl in the front. His eyes were baby blue, and narrowed into slits as the intruder now realized that these two young men were standing between him and his only exit.
"Going somewhere?" Kevin growled out.
"I'm afraid you will have to go through us," Blonko added.
The young man smirked and replied, "That will not be a problem." He then raised his arms to a horizontal position, palms up, and cried out, "Chwyth aur!" Swinging his arms forward, palms facing the two princes, a blast of golden energy shot out from the intruder's palms and sent both Kevin and flying against the opposite wall.
When Kevin and Blonko finally came to, they were lying on separate cots in one of the castle's guest rooms. Gwen was sitting between the two beds looking back and forth between the two while King Max and Ben stood back.
Smiling, Gwen said, "They're awake." She then moved so that Ben could see for himself.
"Kevin, Blonko, I'm so glad you two are safe!" Ben exclaimed, giving each prince a peck on the cheek.
"What happened?" Kevin asked as he sat up.
"Where is the intruder? I believe he attacked us with some kind of spell," Blonko added.
"A spell? What did he say?" Gwen asked.
"He said 'Chwyth aur', and then a burst of gold energy force came at us. After that we blacked out," Kevin explained. The Tennyson family gasped and looked away in worry.
"Oh no," Gwen mumbled.
"Not him again. What'll we do, Grandpa?" Ben asked in worry.
"Don't worry Ben. We'll take care of it," Max assured.
"What's the matter? Do you know this person?" Blonko asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. His name is Mike Morningstar. He's a prince from a far off land that went bankrupt but, because of his family's history of scandalous crimes and sexual affairs, no kingdom would assist them financially," Gwen explained.
"And Mike once attempted to force Ben to marry him, so he could gain his inheritance, by kidnapping Gwen and her fiance," Max explained further.
"Yes, but Morningstar didn't expect me to have such powerful magical abilities, so we managed to get away. That was the last we saw of him, and that was two years ago," Gwen said.
Blonko growled in fury upon hearing all of this; how dare someone attempt to forcea marraige just for money! If Mike's behavior was standard for his family, then the Morningstar dynasty got what it deserved! "We must find Morningstar and bring him to justice," Blonko said.
"Yeah, I'm not gonna let Star-boy threaten anyone ever again," Kevin agreed.
All eyes converged on Kevin while Ben, trying not to grin, asked, "Star-boy?"
Kevin shrugged and answered, "His name's 'Morningstar', and he's a boy, so...'Star-boy'!"
Blonko grinned, despite the seriousness of the situation, and said, "You are full of surprises, Levin."
Once the moment of levity had passed, Blonko and Kevin raced to the stables in the hopes of tracking down Mike, while Ben, Gwen, and Max went to alarm the guard stations around the castle. What scared the Tennysons the most was that none of the guards seemed to have realised that there had been an intruder! A quick examination by Gwen revealed that the guards had been under a sort of trance that had left them oblivious to anything short of direct verbal communication.
Now on horse-back, Blonko and Kevin were now galloping through the streets of Belwood, searching for any sign of Morningstar. There were only a small handful of people still out in the streets, and none of them had noticed anyone leaving the castle in a hurry. It was well past midnight when Kevin and Blonko decided to return to Tennyson Castle.
"That Star-boy is as slick as a stick of butter on grease," Kevin said during the ride to the castle.
"Indeed, he is. And he is obviously a formidable enemy if he was able to put those guards in such a deep trance," Blonko said.
"So what'll we do now? I don't like the thought of this guy slinking about. And he's after Ben! There has to be some way we can draw him out," Kevin said. This made Blonko stroke his chin in thought.
"Hmm...there may just be a way, Levin. I am not totally sure of this plan's chances of success but, if Morningstar is as greedy as we have been told, it could work," Blonko said.
"What do you have in mind?" Kevin asked.
"The mouse wants cheese, does he not? Then we will put a nice chunk of it on a mouse trap. Do you know any announcers who would be willing to help us?" Blonko asked.
"Yeah, and she happens to be here in town," Kevin said.
"Well, have her come to Ben's castle and we'll go from there," Blonko said with a grin.
-WBLR-
The next morning, the people of Belwood awoke and went about their normal habits. As the morning crept along, and a mass of people began moving about the Kingdom's main square, a young woman wearing a heavy, fur-lined, violet coat stepped up upon the town-cryer's stool. Unraveling the scroll in her hand, the young woman took in a deep breath and yelled out across the square, "HEAR YE, HEAR YE! IN HONOR OF THEIR TRIADIC MARRITAL BOND TO PRINCE BENJAMIN TENNYSON, PRINCE KEVIN OF OSMOS AND PRINCE BLONKO OF REVONNAH SHALL PRESENT OUR YOUNG PRINCE WITH A VAST ASSORTMEN OF TREASURES AND RICHES AS A COURTSHIP TRIBUTE!"
As Ester stepped off the platform, she couldn't help but grin as talk of her announcement began to spread like wildfire. Woe to the greedy bastard who wished to hurt her closest friend's betrothed.
-WBLR-
At 3pm, as scheduled, two carriages arrived through the kingdom gates of Belwood; the horses who pulled them, on a course for Tennyson Castle. Once arriving, both Kevin and Blonko exited the castle, heading to their respective carriages, each of them extracting a chest a foot tall, two feet wide, and a foot deep. Chests in hand, they carried them back into the castle.
In the castle's main hall, a gathering of lords, dukes, earls, and the like had formed on either side to behold this very important ceremony. Together, Kevin and Blonko came before Max, who was sitting on his thrown with Ben standing at his right, and Gwen at his left. Kevin and Blonko kneeled, placing their chests in front of them. With a wave of his hand, Max signalled Ben to step before his two betrothed and accept these tributes. Ben did so with such grace and sincerity that one could not tell this was all a ploy.
Soon, Blonko and Kevin were back on their feet, bowing before Ben and Max, and leaving the hall while two servant's carried the two chests upstairs to Ben's room, where their contents would be combined within a single, larger, chest.
"So far, so good. Do you think this'll work?" Kevin asked.
"It has to. We won't find Morningstar any other way," Blonko said.
"So that leaves only one other detail. Who'll stand guard at Ben's room?" Gwen asked.
"A guard would make Star-boy too suspicious. Someone else will need to take Ben's place. Like a shape shifter," Kevin said.
"But where are we going to find a shape shifter on such short notice?" Blonko asked. Just then Ship came sliding in as he played with his ball.
"Ship! Ship!" The blob exclaimed as he bounced and batted at the toy.
"Ask and you shall receive, gentlemen," Gwen said.
"But Ship can only morph into carriages and structures," Blonko pointed out.
"True, but with a magic touch, I can make Ship look like Ben temporarily," Gwen said as she picked up the blob and rubbed his head.
With that said, everyone moved into position while Gwen prepared Ship for his mission.
-WBLR-
An hour later, and a silent figure wearing a hooded cloak slowly made his way through the castle. Ordinarily, Mike would have waited until night, but he was certain that would be when he'd be expected. Best to steal the gold and jewels now while their security was light.
On the the occassion that he came across a standard security guard, Mike would simply wave his hand and mutter, "Dryzu," to send them into the same trance he'd put them in the previous night.
He climbed the stairs to Ben's room and found the door to be unlocked. Inside, he could hear Ben humming some tune. Mike grinned at the opportunity presenting itself; all the riches he could hope for as well as the gorgeous lupine prince! Slowly opening the door, Mike peered inside.
He found Ben, lying on his stomach with his tail high in the air moving back and forth, dancing to the tune Ben was humming, and facing away from the door. And on the floor, at the foot of the bed, was a massive chest! Mike licked his lips and entered.
"Hello again, Benjamin," Mike said, teasingly.
Ben gasped and turned around to see the blonde prince, and fearfully moved back.
"Oh, don't be afraid, my dear puppy. I have no intention of harming you. After all, I need you alive to inherit your fortune. But this courtship tribute from those meddlesome suitors of yours will be a nice start," Mike said as he slinked over to the chest.
The prince used his magic to lift the chest open, and started to grab whatever gold or gems maybe inside. He was stopped in his endeavors, however, by a suddent punch to the face. Mike shouted in pain and fell back on his rear. Nursing his aching and bleeding nose, he looked up to see the cause of it. At seeing a smirking Kevin standing up in the chest, Mike gasped in shock.
"Rook was right. Your greedy ass would fall for something like this. Nice work on the acting, Ship," Kevin said with a grin and Mike looked at whom he thought was Ben turn into his little pet blob and clap it's palms in joy.
"You...you mean to tell me this was all a trick!?" Mike asked in outrage mixed surprise.
"That's right pal, and Ben wasn't even here to start with. And now you and I are going to pick up where we left off," Kevin said as he drew his sword.
Before Mike could even conjure a shield or fire off an energy blast, Kevin was already lunging at him, sword in hand. His only saving grace came in the form of the bedroom dorr slamming open and a voice crying out, "Stop!" Mike lowered his arms, which he'd raised to defend himself, slowly and uncertainly before twisting around. There, standing at the threshold, was Ben. Standing behind him were the Revonnah prince, Gwen, Max, and a few guards.
"You've done enough, Kevin. Mike will stand trial for his crimes," Ben said with all the finality you could expect from a future king.
"Ben, this monster would have taken you for every piece of gold you had and then used your body like a soulless object! He deserves this!" Kevin growled out.
"Levin...Kevin," Blonko said with a slightly pleading tone, "I sympathize with you, but this was not part of the plan."
"What about his magic?" Kevin asked, suspiciously.
"I can bind it," Gwen said. "He'll have no more magical ability than you."
Kevin's eyes went from Gwen, Ben, and Blonko to Mike before sheathing his sword. Before Mike could breath a sigh of relief and fire off a spell, though, he received another punch in the face...this one strong enough to knock him out.
"We'll take him away, Your Majesty," one of the guards said before walking over with the other guards to pick up the unconscious prince and drag him away.
"Well, that should do with him," Blonko said.
"I still say that we should have hanged him," Kevin grumbled.
"It wouldn't have made us any better, Prince Kevin. Besides, no one ended up getting hurt, and nothing was stolen. That's all that matters," Ben said, and suddenly Ship jumped off the bed and rubbed Gwen's leg, then circled around her.
"Ship! Ship!" Ship exclaimed.
"Of course, Ship. I didn't forget about your reward for your help. Here, a nice chocolate-covered bolt for you to enjoy," Gwen said, and handed the blob his treat. Ship's face formed a hole, and he sucked up the bolt and seemed to chew on it.
"Well, now that that's settled, we can finally prepare for the wedding," Max said with a smile.
-WBLR-
Later that night, Ben laid in bed sandwhiched between Kevin and Blonko. The wedding was scheduled to take place in two weeks, and everyone who was everyone in Belwood, Osmos, and Revonnah was going to attend. Invitations had been sent out, the kitchen staff of Tennyson Castle, Levin Castle, and Rook Castle had all been hired to prepare the immence banquet, and the wedding planner was already hard at work planning the schedule, decorations, and more.
But for now, Ben just wanted to relax with his two future husbands. Both Kevin and Blonko had already filled Ben in on their 'dates', and Ben was very pleased to know the two were forming a bond with each other. Ben smiled as he thought what it might look like when the day came that Blonko and Kevin would love each other as much as they loved Ben.
"That smiles a bit too mischievous for my liking, "Kevin teased. "Do I want to know what you were thinking about?"
"The future," Ben answered.
Blonko smiled and said, "The future certainly holds a great deal of potential for us all. Anything in particular about our future that has you so pleased?"
Ben blushed and tried to avoid both Kevin's and Blonko's eyes before relenting and answering, "The two of you."
Blonko was a bit confused by this answer until he met Kevin's gaze. He then realized all too well what Ben meant, and couldn't help but blush as well.
Kevin, however, was very amused by this. "Oh? And just what about me and Blonko has you so...heated?" Kevin reached out with his right hand and gently held Blonko's chin with his thumb and the side of his forefinger. "Perhaps His Majesty would enjoy just a peek at our future?" Kevin asked huskily as he leaned closer to Blonko.
Blonko sputtered for a moment and smacked Kevin's hand away.
"Now hold it there! I do not play submissive to anyone!" Blonko stated.
"Well, if you expect me to do it you're out of luck. Besides, you'd be the next best possible option for the submissive role," Kevin said with a grin.
"Is that so? That's rich, coming from the man who played a supporting female lead in a play," Rook countered with a grin of his.
"That was for charity! That doesn't count!" Kevin stated.
Ben looked back and forth between the two and giggled at their little display of one-up-manship on who was the closest to being submissive. Finally deciding to put an end to the slight bickering, Ben gave each man a kiss and brought their hands together.
"Come now, my dear future husbands, it doesn't matter who's more masculine. To me, you're both wonderful men. There's no need to go into debate about it." Ben said with a smile.
Both young men hmph-ed and pouted, which Ben giggled at, before resuming their previous attentions towards Ben. Ben, himself, simply laid there, happy to have found his happily ever after with the two men he loved.
-End-