"And then Lance would sing this silly song to calm them while we sheared them and it calmed them down!"

"A sheep whisperer indeed!"

Keith and Lance reappeared in the ballroom just in time to hear the young McClain kids telling rather embarrassing family secrets to strangers who were laughing in such amusement. Lance reddened a bit as Keith glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Sheep whisperer huh? You should sing to me sometime." He said with a small smile. Lance marched forward grabbing up Marco and Luis under each arm.

"Do not. Have not. Will not. These boys are trouble and you can't believe a word from their mouths!" He said earning an even bigger laugh. Lance's ears burned and his stomach was forming a pit but he soon realized they were not laughing at them but with them. Lance didn't see any malicious gleam or feel any snarky vibes, only true humor. His nerves settled a bit and cracked a small smile releasing his two victims. They scurried around resuming their evening playing. Keith glanced around and frowned a bit seeing a small amount of his council huddled around in the far corner discussing among themselves. Kolivan looked up and made eye contact from across the room but it was close enough to feel his anger and Keith swallowed a bit not liking the way Kolivan was glaring. Uh oh. Here we go again. He was probably upset that Keith hadn't asked Allura to dance. He hadn't actually given Allura another thought and did feel bad for not even greeting her tonight. He excused himself from Lance's side as he was helping Veronica tie her bow again. Lance watched him go and went back to tending to his little sister.

Keith was heading straight to the group ready to confront whatever they seemed upset over but a strong grip grabbed his arm pulling him harshly to the side.

"Wha-!" He exclaimed and was drug out of the room and behind a turn in the hallway. It was Shiro looking more than anxious.

"Shiro, what in God's name do you think you're doing?!" Keith asked rubbing his arm that was now a bit sore.

"They saw you Keith." He replied shifting from foot to foot wringing his gloves in his hands.

"Who saw what?" Keith asked confused by Shiro's elusiveness.

"In the gardens. They saw you." He said his voice more quiet now. Keith's eyes widened a bit as the realization came to him. Someone had seen him and Lance. How much had they seen? Was it Kolivan?! Keith felt his heart sink into his stomach at the thought of his new found feelings being crushed when they've barely begun.

"Shiro.. I don't know what to do. It was my fault. He was just looking too damned cute I couldn't... Damn it" He cursed starting to pace as he usually does when he's anxious.

"Keith.. I think you have to come out clean with everyone now. Before rumors spread and things get out of hand.'

"It's too soon. The boy doesn't even now if he has feelings, he hasn't accepted them.. he needs time Shiro and I can't just throw his life into the mix just to satisfy people. I care too much to just decide that fate for him. I want him to want to be known with me.' Keith ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"What do I do?" He asked feeling completely lost and helpless. Shiro chewed his lip for a moment before looking up with a small frown.

"Dance with Allura." Keith stopped pacing to look at Shiro like he had grown a second head.

"What?" he asked. Shiro sighed but straightened his shoulders holding Keith's quickly angering gaze.

"I said dance with Allura. If people see you showing interest in the Princess they will debunk rumors that you were with a boy. Just pretend Keith. I don't know what else to suggest." Keith wanted to yell or throw things in anger but he knew deep down it was his fault and it was the best plan they had at the moment.

"What if Lance doesn't understand?" Keith did not want Lance to think he had played with his feelings or that he had lost interest. Lord knows that would not be the case.

"I'll find him and speak with him. I will take care of this. Now, go in their and find Princess Allura and make a convincing show. " Shiro started to walk away but stopped and bowed quickly. "Your Highness" He added the formality really quick not waiting to forget his place. Once Shiro was gone Keith paced a bit more trying to calm down. He had to be careful, he had to be careful to protect Lance and his family no matter what it took.

"Where did the King run off to?" Maria asked once Lance sat and joined her at a small round table near the banquet, the same banquet his siblings were helping themselves to seconds.

"He had Kingly duties I'm sure." Lance said not trying to dwell on it too much. His mind was still a daze after the kiss in the gardens, his heart practically torn in to between what he was raised to believe and what his heart was telling him.

"Lance. " His mother's voice drew him from his thoughts.

"Yes Mama?" He asked looking up at her. Her face was softly smiling and her eyes were shining with sympathy.

"The King is quite fond of you, you know this right?" Lance looked over his eyes widening. To hear his mother say that?! This night was an odd one for sure.

"I don't think so.." He trailed off.

"Lance. I am no fool. He looks at you as if you hung the moon. I think you should open your eyes and see that he is rather fond of you, the way he gazed at you while you were dancing. It was the way your father used to look at me." She said her voice filled with such a sorrow that made Lance just want to wrap his arms around her and never let go.

"But Mama.. He's a.."

"A man? He is. The King as it happens. I know your father was strict in his beliefs but I just want you happy and if that is with a man or a woman, so be it. You deserve a world of happiness Mijo." Lance only stared at the floor his fingers trembling slightly as they gripped the fabric of his pants. To hear his mother accept this seemed to have opened something and it seemed every feeling Lance had shoved away for Keith came spilling out. He needed to find him. Lance stood up and looked around spotting a small ponytail belonging to Keith. He leaned down kissing his mother's cheek and whispering a quick thank you before melting into the crowd to go to him. Lance broke out into a smile as he neared the King but stopped cold in his tracks seeing Keith, his Keith, the same Keith that had been trying so hard to sweep Lance off his reluctant feet, lead a woman no less onto the dance floor. The woman was tall, slender, with beautiful white flowing hair and she was beaming with the King on her arm. Lance's heart sank seeing how well they looked together. Why had Lance ever thought they could be together? How could Lance produce an heir? There can not be two Kings. Lance watched as Keith twirled her around holding her close his smile almost s wide as hers as the music started. Lance couldn't watch anymore and started for the doors.

Shiro spotted the familiar brown locks of hair that he knew belonged to Lance's sister and headed over hoping to find Lance too. He wanted to make sure he was aware of the deploy. He found five of the McClain's, all but Lance.

"Excuse me, Uh.. Have you seen Lance around?" H asked Maria politely and she glanced around and shook her head.

"I'm afraid last I saw he was searching for the King." She replied with a smile. Shiro bowed a farewell and hurried to the middle of the room hoping to catch him before he would assume the worst.

Keith laughed a bit as him and Allura bounced around with the crowd and Keith had to admit. Allura was quite fun to dance with. He couldn't imagine marrying her but she had potential to be a dear friend. As they turned his eyes scanned the crowd hoping to spot Lance somewhere but he m=only made eye contact with a distressed looking Shiro. Keith's smile faded a bit as they dance continued hoping Lance had just gone out for some air. He witched the small group of council members hoping they would soak in the sight of him and the princess. King Alfor seemed more than pleased.

The music was faint,barely heard above the soft breeze. The two swans still resting in peaceful silence as Lance stared at them. It was ridiculous to be so upset over something so new and so absurd yet he felt so somber about it. Had Keith just been toying with him? Had the King changed his mind about courting a peasant? Had he not liked the kiss? Lance put his face in his hands with a sigh. It had been his first and hoped it hadn't been his inexperience smooch that scared him away.

"Don't like what you saw?" A voice said causing Lance to jump in fright. He looked over seeing a tall burly man standing near him gazing at him with hard eyes.

"E-excuse me?" Lance said his voice small as he gazed up at the beast of a man.

"Thought you could come in a steal the King for yourself?" The man asked. He didn't step closer, only stared. Lance looked around feeling uneasy.

"No! Not at all. I was invited.." He said but the man just laughed cruelly.

"Invited? Why would he invite people like you? You're not worthy of breathing the same air as him but you still waltz around as if you deserved to be here. You should take your mongrel of a mother and your bastard siblings and leave. Go back to your pigs and your dirt floors because you are not welcome here in court. The King will marry Princess Allura and unite our two countries because that is his job as King. He is done using you now." Lance was seeing red a this point as he stood up and walked right up too the man no longer fearing him.

"How dare you speak about my family like that" He growled but didn't break his gaze even when his jacket was grabbed and he was pulled closer harshly.

"I would beat you but I would infect my hands." He said and Lance just narrowed his eyes.

"Well you're a pediculous whiffle whaffle fopdoodle" Lance said and the man in front of him just looked at him as if he were crazy.

"What does that even me-"

" Antok. You would do right by letting the boy go before you cause any trouble." Shiro stepped out of the small pathway between bushes his hand resting on the hilt of a half drawn sword. The man, Antok, looked over at him and back at Lance who just stared back defiantly. His hands slowly released the front of the boy who stepped back quickly.

"Takashi, I'm just doing the right thing. He does not belong here." He said but Shiro didn't move.

"Leave. Now. Or the King will hear of this and I do not think he would be too happy you're playing with his pet." Shiro spat. Antok looked between the two of them before deciding to give up the fight and he disappeared into the flowers. Lance looked over at Shiro in shock not knowing whether to thank him or be angry at his term he had been called.

"His PET? I think not!" Lance huffed but Shiro quickly sheathed his sword and walked over.

"Lance. I need you to listen to me." He said hi voice rushed and quiet. Lance and him sat down as Shiro explained everything.

"So.. Keith isn't really going to marry the princess?" He asked and Shiro nodded. Lance felt much better about the situation. He could pretend. "And you're with..a man?" He asked and again Shiro nodded with a small smile.

"Yes. For almost a decade we have shared our lives." The two continued conversing and the more they spoke the better Lance felt about these new feelings and about his possible future with Keith. If there could be a future for them?