This is my day 3 submission for Stingue Week. I don't think its my best work but I'm slowly working my way back into the FT fandom, fanfiction wise. I hope its decent and I hope you enjoy the read.
Theme: Medieval/Kingdom AU
Death is not an option
Stingue Week Day 3
In the kingdom of Fiore, there was a guild in the far east side called "Sabertooth", and in that guild was a noble and strong fighter named Rogue. Rogue is known throughout the lands of Fiore as being the strongest in all the land, even stronger than the highest of knights in the kingdoms throughout the continent. The young guildsmen was requested to all kinds of work, from scaring off hoodlums who try to steal from the town stores to assassination jobs. Rogue did it all.
Until one day, when the royal carriages of an unfamiliar kingdom rolled up to the Sabertooth guild that caught the attention of not only the guildsmen and their masters, but the townspeople as well. Everyone came out of their homes, and the guildsmen came out of their guild to get a glimpse at who the royal family is and why they have come. Rogue happened to be in the crowd when the carriage pulled up, while he was curious to see why they were here, he wasn't as awestruck as the others, as he has spoken to higher powers before.
Stepping out of the carriage, fine leather boots taking their first steps on the town's stone streets, the crowd was met by a dashing young prince, eyes as blue as the sky and hair as golden as the sun. He had a well developed build, even if he was clothed in formal royal wear you could still tell that there was muscle on his body. He was the ideal prince, an image of strength and beauty, but also of regal elegance and pride. Rogue would think otherwise, but felt some form of admiration for this man. He wasn't sure what it was that he felt.
The prince looked through the crowd, analyzing their faces and trying to search for one in particular, as if he's looked at it over and over a thousand times. After a few moments go by, he spots Rogue in the crowd and smiles. He walks over towards him and the crowd begins to disperse around him, allowing the prince to walk through with no problems. As he walked, he could hear the whispers of the people, both positive and negative, but he toned it all out, so that when he stopped in front of Rogue his emotions were calm.
"You're him. You're the Shadow Knight, Rogue. I've heard a lot about you." Sting starts off. He holds out a hand as he continues. "You've done a lot of things for this kingdom. I've heard that you've traveled all over Fiore on different jobs for hundred's of people in less than ten years."
Rogue wasn't sure what to say in return to the blonde, only that he knew he was stating the obvious. "And what I have? By all means, Your Majesty my whereabouts and what I do should not require for you to tell me this. I already know of these things. I was there when they happened."
The prince decided to ignore the sass that Rogue was throwing his way and stepped closer towards him. "Well Rogue, my advisers and I were talking, and we want you to be apart of the royal guard, to protect the palace, the people and myself from harm. What do you say?"
Rogue gazed at the hand that was held out to him, not sure of what to say or what was right. While he thought it would be a new experience to go out to the palace and take on new training, he always had great adventures down here at the guild. He may never have another one like them ever again if he held himself down to protecting pretty boy here.
"It's your decision. Whether you decide to serve me or the people is up to you." Sting says.
The guild's master takes his shoulder in his hand and Rogue looks back at him. The elderly man directed the prince to speak with him and direct his attention away from Rogue for a moment. "Rogue is an independent fighter, one who takes on a task that he feels is best suited for himself. It's going to take a good reason for Rogue to want to join you, Prince."
Rogue stepped away from his master as the prince was about to speak. He took the blonde's hand and held it firmly in his own. "I'll join you."
The crowd fell into a pack of silent murmurs, wondering of what will happen to the town now that their best fighter will be gone. Rogue released the prince's hand and placed it on the hilt of his sword. "But first tell me this, what is your name? If I'm going to be serving you I should know who you are."
"Fair enough." The prince made a fist and moved his hand so that it rested on Rogue's chest, he grinned at Rogue before stating aloud for all to hear: "My name is Sting Eucliffe, prince of Crocus and heir to the throne. And as of today, you will be one of my newest knights, Rogue Cheney."
Rogue gazed into Sting's eyes, and he could have sworn that he saw a light, a white light in those piercing blues; a fire that he hadn't seen before. He came to the conclusion right then and there that Sting was not like the other royals, that he was different.
It's been a year since that day and since then Rogue has grown a close bond with the prince. Both he and Sting would train for hours together, both in the palace and the mountains nearby. Ever since he came to the palace, Rogue's power has climbed tremendously, and Sting's power has only gotten more powerful training alongside him.
However, there were days that Rogue missed the thrill of adventure. He longed to take on a job again where he felt his life was at risk, where the adrenaline in him would bubble in his chest and he would every once of his power to defeat whatever it was he was up against. Oh, how he craved for that rush. But in the castle walls, Rogue encounters little activity out of the ordinary. It made him wonder what the point of bringing him here was for. If the palace walls were this dull even before he was brought in the he was pretty much useless.
Sting could see that his friend was in a mood and wanted to lift his spirits. He took out his training sword and gave Rogue's leg a gentle poke. Rogue looked at the prince with an annoyed glare and Sting lowered his sword.
"What's wrong, Rogue?" Sting asks.
Rogue stands up from the bench he was sitting on and takes out his training blade. "Nothing is wrong." He gets into battle position and waits for Sting to do the same. "Did you not wish to train?"
Sting rolls his eyes and tosses his sword away. "Come on. I don't want to fight you when you're in this kind of mood. It's boring. You don't even put any passion into it."
Rogue sighs and puts his sword away. "Well then, what did you want?"
"I asked if you were alright. And by your attitude I'm going to assume you're in a sour mood." Sting replies.
Rogue turns away from the prince and looks towards the skies, in the direction of the town, of his old home. "You've had me here as a knight for over a year, and yet you still will not allow me to fight in missions. Why is that? You know my duty is to fight and serve, yet you keep me trapped in here. Am I being used as your pet?"
Sting was unsure if he was supposed to be offended by Rogue's words or not, but he felt for him. He knows that Rogue spent years going to high stake missions and to be ripped away from it all must have been difficult.
"It's not like that at all. It's just that," Sting paused and tries to find the best way to explain himself. "We've gotten close since you came here that first day. I don't want to see you go out there and get killed."
Rogue saw the conflict and concern in Sting's eyes and he couldn't help but feel guilty. "I would never let myself get that to that point. Death simply isn't an option for me."
It wasn't even a month later when a horrific threat hit the kingdom of Fiore. Dragons, scaling up as high as the tallest architectural structures of Crocus. The people ran in fear, screams of the dying and the innocent could be heard from the palace gates. Rogue stood at the gates of the palace, watching as his old guildsmen fought against the dragons, some dying in the process of trying to hold them back. He watches as his guild hall is crushed by the dragon's foot, watches as the memories of his youth were crushed along with it, and a part of his soul was crushed along with it. He felt his mood darken, his blood boil in his skin and his anger levels rising.
Sting was a few feet away, arguing with his father. Rogue could hear the conversation clearly, despite their obvious want to keep it private. He was arguing with his father about wanting to be apart of the fight, that he wanted to go down to the villages and help save the people from the Dragons. That he was strong enough to do so. His father continued to say that it was out of the question, that he was his only heir and they needed a king to take over when it was his time. Sting argued back there will be no kingdom to rule if it's destroyed.
Rogue pulled out his silver blade and eyes the dragons closely. He wants nothing more than to run down their and tear them all to shreds, but the only thing holding him back was the king. He would be marked a trader if he were to disobey his majesty.
"Why won't you let me fight?" Rogue shouts. He turns to face Sting and his father, who have stopped their argument to listen to him. "Why won't you allow me to join the others in trying to defend your people?" Rogue raised his sword to the king's neck, no longer caring if he were exiled or even killed. He was angry and demanded answers. "Do you seriously doubt me this much? This time he was referring to Sting, and how little trust the blonde felt for him and his skill.
"Rouge, please." Sting says. "It's not that. We just want you here in case the dragons advance towards us. It's not about your power."
Rogue turned his sword to Sting and Sting stepped back, his hands up in surrender. "If you see me as a worthy asset then allow me to show my worth. Let me go and fight the dragons. I am the Shadow Knight, am I not?"
Sting said nothing, only looked at his father. The king looked to his son and knew he had no choice. "Very well, but remember this. If you die in battle, it will not be an honorable one. Make it back alive and I will see that you are praised. That is my only request."
Rogue stepped back, his sword now pointed to the ground. "I won't let you down. And death just isn't an option for me."
Sting remembers those words well and he knows that he has to prove himself as well, as death is no longer an option for him either. "Please father, allow me to fight along side him."
"Absolutely not!" The king roars. "You will not go out there and die like a fool."
"I cannot die because death is not an option." Sting fires back. "Dragons are meant to be slain, and I will be the one to do it. As future king I too have to show my worth, do you not understand?"
The king knew that his son would continue to argue with him on this matter and that there was no stopping his want to fight. He places a hand over his son's head and gives him his blessing. "With the god Zeref looking over, I pray that you make it back alive, my son."
Sting smiles and looks to Rogue. "Alright, Rogue. Let's go slay some dragons."
The battle has grown gruesome. Countless bodies lay mangled on the grounds of Crocus. Blood covered the streets, the homes, and swords of the brave who could still fight. Rogue was one of them, having already slain three of the many dragons, he still had dubious amounts of power to exert before he would become too tired to go on.
Sting however, was still raring to go. Having slain three dragons as well, he was up to par with Rogue, but had more energy to use to fight. While Rogue's power in the beginning was mainly from anger and resentfulness.
"There are still a crazy amount of dragons left. But we can handle them right, Rogue?" Sting says.
"Of course." Rogue replies. He whips his sword to remove some of the fresh blood from his blade and continues on to help trapped civilians caught under the rubble of some of the crushed homes and stores, while Sting continues to draw out the Dragons for the other knights and himself to slay.
However, while Rogue was distracted by the civilians and trying to help them escape, a dragon from a few hundred yards away began to prepare for an attack. It's mouth was closed, gathering a powerful attack to fire. Sting felt that something was wrong and looked back and saw what was happening and knew that he had to act.
"Rogue." He cries. The black haired knight looks up and over his shoulder and saw the dragon ready to fire. He quickly gets the rest of the people out of the way and orders for them to run. When they were a close enough proximity away, he began to chant a spell, his sword held up in front of him. He had no time to run. Even if he tried the blast would still reach him and he'd be dead. He had to use a last resort, a defensive spell.
While Rogue continues his chant, Sting quickly makes his way over to his friend and begins to chant along with him. Rogue wants to push him away, to tell him to leave but he can't top his chant now, it was too late.
The dragon let its powerful blast of fire go from its mouth and the fire came surging towards them and the town. As the blast was released, the shield of magic that Rogue and Sting created together was released, covering themselves and a large portion of the town. When the blast hit, both Rogue and Sting struggled to keep the barrier stable. The Dragon's power was far superior in offense when it came to their defense. Rogue knew that before long the barrier would crack and the blast would come through.
"Sting," Rogue says. He looks over at his friend and nods. "Become a great king."
Sting's heart drops into the pit of his stomach as he watched the barrier begin to crack and a white light shine through. He saw Rogue's body shielding him from the blast. He reached out for the light that was Rogue, but he was out of reach. He was always out of reach. But when darkness came over him, the last thing he heard was the sound of a dragon's roar, and a concerned voice calling out for him.
"...Sting…"
When he awoke, he felt pain shooting through his body. He sat up slowly and dusted off the dirt and the ash from his clothing. But when he remembered Rogue, and how he shielded him from that Dragon, he immediately began to search for his friend.
"Rogue." He cries out. He searches the piles of rubble in search for his friend. "Rouge." He feels a course of panic running through his veins, as he searches to no avail. Sting looks over towards the rubble of the town stores, and where the Sabertooth guild used to be. He saw a body among the rubble and knew it was Rogue. He rushed over to him and began to push the debris away from his body.
Rogue coughed, his body was badly injured. Blood seeped through his wounds, and his body was burned in both his face and his chest from the dragon's mangling attack. Sting held Rogue up against his chest and let his friend try and catch his breath. Rogue saw visions of black in his line of sight. He could barely make anything out. He knew it was Sting holding him despite that. He could tell by the smell, blood and ash could never disguise his smell of lavender and vanilla, a personally made soap that he has the maids make for him.
"You're going to okay, Rogue. Just take it easy." Sting says. He applies pressure to Rogue's wound but the blood just soaks his fingers. "This isn't going to work. We need something stronger."
"Sting, don't worry about it." Rouge says breathlessly. He looks up at Sting, making out only bits and pieces of his face. "I'm not meant to die, remember. I'll always live on. Death isn't an option for me."
"Will you shut the fuck up with your crap." Sting shouts in reply. Tears form in his eyelids. "We're not all immortal. You'll never have the ability to control life like Zeref. You'll never have the ability to stop time like Mavis. We're all human and we all die. So shut up already, Rogue. You're dying."
Rogue stayed silent, listening to the tone of Sting's words, the way his heart pounded against his body. Rogue lifted a ashy hand and cupped Sting's cheek. "But we all live on, in spirit and in legend. We never truly die. Only live on in memory. So long as you never forget me. I will always be alive and in your life. Do you understand me?"
Sting held Rogue tight in his embrace and let the tears fall. "I get it. I understand, okay." His body shook as he finally realized that his best friend was dying from saving his life. "I'll comfort you in the death if that is what you want. I'll make sure that when you get to Heaven you'll see me there, smiling and asking for your hand as I did all of those years ago. Because that will be my ideal heaven, finding you once again."
Rouge smiles and places two fingers to Sting's forehead. "We'll always be together...in spirit. Until then, until we meet in Heaven. So, don't die. Not until it's your time."
"If that's what you wish." Sting felt Rogue's body go limp in his arms, his head resting on his chest, Sting's tears continue to fall. "Then I'll do it. The legend of the Shadow Knight will live on. I swear it."