Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters related to it. They all belong to Konomi Takeshi. Also, I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the elements from the series.

Rating: M for adult content in one chapter. K to T for the rest. This chapter is rated K.

Author's Note: This story is all from King Atobe's point-of-view and is Oshitari/Atobe. The first eight chapters all occur somewhat close to each other. The last two chapters take place during the timeline of Fire Emblem: The Law of Rikkaidai.

Atobe is my favorite Prince of Tennis character and so I've been highly anticipating the day that I would be able to start posting his story :D I also love the dynamics of his relationship with Oshitari and also with Sakaki and it is refreshing to write some good ol' witty snark. There are appearances from the other members of Hyotei as well!

The chapter titles are not Fire Emblem titles (I'm saving the ones I haven't used for the prequel). It was more fitting to have them named after his character songs instead XD

Please enjoy reading this side story of the Prince of Tennis/Fire Emblem universe!

Chapter 1 - King's Gambit

'Nobility resides in the mind, not in the blood.'

Atobe Keigo woke up with a faint smile of anticipation for the day and sank contentedly against the luxuriously soft pillows of his bed. Today was the day he was going to meet the dukes of his country - the people in charge of different regions of Hyotei. The last few days have swirled by in a blur and Atobe found that he was half wishing to be able to stay tucked under the covers for another hour. The fact that they were made of the finest silk probably didn't help.

It was only a week ago that he showed up at the castle and fought against the many candidates for the throne. The previous ruler had died unexpectedly and did not have any heirs, throwing the capital into chaos over who was the most worthy to assume power, and the claws came out for some unsavory aristocrats.

Atobe was positive that he would be the one to bring his country to high heights of glory and he had never been content with being second best. He had been studying arduously about his country's history, economy, values, strengths, and demography, and he saw glaring weaknesses in how things were being run. He was an aristocrat not related to the royal family, but his family had an absurd amount of wealth and influence. There was nothing that they couldn't do and he definitely inherited that trait along with a sharp tongue, overwhelming confidence, and godlike beauty.

The fight for the throne was set up like a tournament, and Atobe defeated every one of his opponents without much effort. Many protested that it wasn't fair and that maybe he had gotten an easy luck of the draw, and Atobe retaliated calmly that he could take on the rest of them and win, and if he lost, he would leave the country in shame and never return under any circumstance. Admittedly, it was the most insane thing that he had ever done, but he was naturally gifted as a sword fighter and he trained diligently every day.

The rest of his fights were disappointing one-sided, but they were all wins, and he assumed the title of 'King' on that very day with the public coronation to follow later in the week. He didn't waste any time proposing a set of new laws and reworking existing rules, sending them quickly to the council to approve. The military standards were already high so he didn't have to mess with them, but he wanted to recruit many more members for the army and ensure that his country's forces were comprised of only the best people.

His natural charm and strong confidence played a pivotal role in winning the favor of the government and people quickly, and he had worked on gathering the support of people for years behind the scenes. He didn't realize that his chance for the throne was going to come so soon so he thanked the gods that he had been extremely prepared to take on all of the challenges he faced and to have the support of so many. If the ruler had not died early and things continued being stagnant, Atobe would have charged into the throne room and taken him on in a fight anyways to change thing around.

He sighed contentedly and ran his hand through the front of his light brown hair, feeling the tresses slip smoothly through his slender fingers. The sunlight was shining through his window, splashing brilliant gold onto his body in the most attractive way. Atobe was sure that it would be a good day and that he would be able to convince the dukes to accept the goals he had for the country, and if they didn't agree, he already had people in mind to replace them.

'I've always known that I exhibit youthful beauty, but never have I felt so young compared to other people,' Atobe thought dryly as he rose from the meeting table. All of the dukes were considerably older that him, and a few he was sure was scheduled to decay from existence in a couple of years. Most seemed to still have the ability to run their region, but others he didn't trust so he assigned people to move there and assist them. The dukes protested indignantly at Atobe's exertion of his new powers, and Atobe dismissed their complaints with a nonchalant smirk and a wave of his hand.

Personality-wise, they were either boring or had long-winded, poorly structured stories that they had obviously told several times, and it took all of hiss willpower not to leave the room in annoyance. Atobe honestly couldn't wait to get some fresh blood into the mix so that running the country would be more smooth and enjoyable. For now, he forced himself to smile or laugh in response and judged them harshly in his mind.

However, there was one around his age that piqued his interest and he sought to catch him in the hall as they were retreating for lunch. Dukes who did not boast about their accomplishments or the superiority of their region were rare indeed, and he had a quiet, mysterious aura - not saying much as they deliberated, but listening on with a focused, calculative look. He seemed new to the position and Atobe was ever so curious about him.

"Hold a moment," Atobe called out towards the young duke. He wore a coat, tall boots, and cape that were a dark navy blue and trimmed with dark gold. The underside of his cape and his pants were gray, and the whole ensemble made him look bold and wealthy. "A word if you would please."

"Oh? A private word?" he noted interestedly, observing the fact that they were on their way to lunch.

"It will be quick," Atobe assured and they stepped aside to let the others pass by.

"How can I be of service?" he asked with a small smile. Despite his pleasant tone, Atobe could sense that there was a hint of challenge in his velvet-smooth voice.

"I am curious as to how long you have been a duke, Oshitari Yuushi of Cador."

"You remembered my name," he said, smile growing more prominent. A flash of sunlight illuminated off of his round glasses. "I am truly surprised with all else you have going on."

"Do not doubt my abilities," Atobe said with a smirk.

"After this moment, I would never dream to."

'He is certainly one to look out for,' Atobe confirmed to himself. 'He is testing me and trying to get under my skin.'

"My question, Duke Oshitari," Atobe firmly reminded him. It would be best for Oshitari to understand his boundaries.

"My father was murdered a year ago on a hunting trip. One of his guards turned on him and killed him. It took the guards a lot of self-control to take the traitor back alive… and then he was publicly stoned before being beheaded."

"That's so… barbaric," Atobe said, surprised by what Oshitari said. "Regardless, you have my condolences. Betrayal is painful."

"Thank you, my king for your kind thoughts. The road has been hard with his passing, but I think that I have a good handle on things. I learn quickly you see…"

"Oh? You're very confident."

"Takes one to know one," he said and Atobe found that he respected his quick wit, but absolutely detested him at the same time. He took a long look at Oshitari, trying to read him and see how his mind worked, light blue eyes attempting to bore into the unfathomable depths of his deep blue ones.

'I'm not coming up with anything,' he thought to himself, unusually apprehensive. 'I can't see through him at all.'

Oshitari's smile changed - he seemed to have picked up that something unusual was happening. It was the kind of move where Atobe wanted to stab a sword through his face, but that would have been very rude of him.

"Something the matter, my king?" he asked politely with the slightest hint of a taunt. "Perhaps my face is not to your liking? Or maybe it is and you're at a lost of words to describe…"

"Please, don't flatter yourself," Atobe said quickly, turning away. "I am the most beautiful in the entire kingdom." He wished he didn't turn away in annoyance because it meant that he fell for Oshitari's trap and Atobe never fell for traps.

"That still doesn't answer my question. I could be second best," Oshitari suggested coolly. "Tell me honestly?"

"I think it is time to adjourn," Atobe said and Oshitari's smile turned into something laced with venom. "We have lunch waiting."

"I'll have to see you some other time for my heavily-anticipated answer."

Atobe ignored him and walked in silence, acknowledging his guards that he picked shortly after coming into power. He hoped that he didn't pick someone that would betray him like they did to Oshitari's late father, and if there was a sense of potential backstabbing, Atobe was sure his insight would let him know immediately.