A/N: Hello readers! Here's a new story from my FanFiction class. I've had this idea for months now, and I'm really glad to get started on it. The AU should be pretty self-explanatory, but if you have any questions or confusion about it PM me and I'll clarify. It's waaaay more intricate than I thought it would end up being, so I might be a little slow in posting new chapters, but I'll do my best! The first chapter here will include both the prologue and the actual first chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or these characters. Enjoy!

Prologue

"Come on, we have to go. Hurry, hurry!"

"But where are we going?!"

"I don't know. I don't care. Anywhere but here."

"You're their king, you have to stay!"

"...I won't have my happiness stolen from me again. I can't let it happen! I will not!"

Seven hundred years ago, the Kalos region was divided into eight different kingdoms, and each of these kingdoms was ruled by a king or queen. All of these leaders had either proven themselves to have an enormously strong connection to their Pokémon or were a descendant of someone who had done so. As the Kalosian government shifted to a more central, unified approach over time, the roles of the former rulers and their successors evolved to become the early equivalents of gym leaders. This will be the account of Clemont, the young king of the largest Kalosian kingdom, Lumiose. It will take place before any attempt at a central government was conceived, and at a time where poverty and threats of disease sent the citizens of nations worldwide into turmoil. When immigration into the kingdoms of Kalos from other regions increased due to job opportunities, tensions grew particularly high…

Chapter 1

"Bonnie, I've told you a thousand times. I don't want you to help me find a queen!" Clemont cried indignantly, getting fed up with his sister's attempts at matchmaking yet again.

"I'm telling you, brother, I know what's best for you. How are you ever going to find someone when all you do is sit there spacing out all day?" Bonnie retorted, defiantly sticking to her ongoing personal mission for her brother. She always had a composed yet stubborn air about her. Even though she did genuinely care for Clemont, she was never easy to reason with once she set her mind to something.

They were in the throne room of the king's quarters. Clemont sat in the grand throne, but he wasn't looking so grand himself. Despite having just turned eighteen, he was very scrawny for his age by any standards; some even described him as sickly. At any given time, one could expect to find him lazing about the throne room, and he was most animated when trying to repel his younger sister's constant efforts to find him a girl to marry and make his queen. He wasn't interested, but then again, he never seemed interested in much of anything.

"I don't need your help," Clemont replied, "I'm perfectly capable of handling these things on my own."

"Oh, please. Just look at yourself," Bonnie said, motioning at Clemont. He wore the high-quality red and gold-trimmed underclothes that were reserved for royalty and other influential figures, but his regal cloak and his crown were unceremoniously cast aside on the floor. His skin was pale, his hair disheveled, and his eyes dull with dark circles beneath them from hours upon hours of inactivity. Even his partner Pokémon, Luxray, was lazily stretched out and napping on the floor by his throne and appeared to have no plans for moving any time soon. Clemont looked like anything but a king, and it was not unusual for him to remain like this for days. His looks contrasted dramatically with his sister's garments, consisting of a luxurious bright red and purple dress and perhaps a dozen different pieces of jewelry (redoubling the pretentious aura about her). Even her Dedenne peeking its head out of her dress pocket wore a string of jewels around its tail.

"You weren't always like this…" Bonnie mused. "What happened?"

"What happened? You know know the answer to that question perfectly well," Clemont said, a twinge of hurt and anger in his voice.

"No, that's not what I meant, I just-" Bonnie stopped herself and sighed, realizing she had struck a nerve. She continued, "I know you're a kind and loving person, I've seen it. And that's also how I know that any girl you get close to will see it, too!"

"Ugh. Bonnie, I really don't-"

"Which is why," Bonnie interrupted him in a singsong tone, "I'm bringing a girl here tomorrow to meet you! She's part of the Santalune bloodline-how quaint!-and she's settling here to make relations with our kingdom. She's really cute, too. Isn't that great?" Clemont grunted unenthusiastically in reply. Bonnie had brought girls to meet him before, so why should this one be different? He couldn't care less if she was from Santalune or Laverre or anywhere else.

"I'll be back tomorrow then, brother!" Bonnie called cheerfully as she walked out the door, departing just as quickly as she came. Finally left alone again, Clemont drew in a deep breath and sat up a little on his grand seat. Bonnie had been doing this as long as he had been the king-six years now, technically. He wasn't sure how much more of it he could take. He knew it was because his sister loved him, but even so every time felt like it was pushing him closer to the breaking point.

He buried his face in his hands and gave a muffled groan, shoving the growing clutter of thoughts out of his head before something even more unpleasant started running through his mind. He exited the throne room and headed for his bedroom, which held a bed equally as grand as his throne. He might as well attempt to look rested. Apparently, he had a date tomorrow.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. I have the first six chapters written out, so they should be published quickly. Read and review!