The Kingdom was beautiful and all but Katie couldn't forget the faces of the people they passed on the side of the streets. They were so thin and their eyes were empty of hope.

When they rode by the poor woman and her daughter, she almost got off Bandit to help them but was stopped quickly by Theo.

"Don't.." He said and she almost argued back but saw that the little girl had already ran up to Keith's horse.

She couldn't hear correctly but she heard the girl say something about a book and her father. Katie's eyes went wide when he handed her a bag of coins but it made her admire him more.

'Our Prince really does have a heart of gold.'  She thought smiling as they started moving again to the palace.

When they arrived, there was a handsome man waiting for them.

"Prince Keith, I heard you were coming." He said and smiled, "Welcome to Emeraldis."

Katie was unsure about who the man was but presumed that he was someone important by his clothes and the way he stood.

"Prince Oliver, how are you doing?" Keith said and Katie immediately felt some type of anger toward him. Surely as a prince, he would know what was wrong in the Kingdom for his people and yet he was not doing anything for them.

"I'm good but let's save that talk for later." Prince Oliver said still smiling, "My father is waiting inside."

Katie thought she was just seeing things but it looked to her that the Princes weren't very fond of one another.

They got off their horses so the servants could take care of them and were led inside. There was an overweight looking man on the throne which she presumed was the King. He had dark blonde hair like the Prince but he had lighter green eyes.

"Prince Keith! It's been long." The King said and Keith kneeled down in front of the throne with his head down to respect. 

"How have you been King Ralph?" Keith asked as Prince Oliver went to stand by father.

"I'm doing great. I'm wealthy, full, and healthy." The King answered and raised the anger of Katie.

"What about your people? Do you not care for them?!" She almost said but remembered that he was a King so she restrained herself and instead glared at him from the back of the other knights. Theo saw the way she was looking at the King so he knocked her forehead lightly before the King could notice.

"I know you're angry but I'm sure they have a reason." He said quietly only for her to hear, reading her mind. She didn't want to stop but sighed when she realized he was right.

'I shouldn't be quick to judge.'  She thought and put on a straight face.

"So why did you come here?" The King asked bluntly and Keith looked up.

"The Altean Princess was kidnapped in our Kingdom." Keith started.

"That's unfortunate," The King said, "What are you doing here though?"

"Finding her is my responsibility." Keith said and the King took the hint.

"Are you saying that they might be in my Kingdom?" He asked and Keith nodded.

"They might be." He said waiting for the King's answer.

"You may search my Kingdom," The King said after a moment, "But what my people do you, I will not be responsible."

Keith and the King looked at each other with sharp eyes making the other people in the room uncomfortable.

"Thank you." He said shortly and thought, 'I'll take that.'

"No problem, my son will now take you to a room where you and your knights can stay while you are in Emeraldis." The King said and smiled.

"Follow me." The Prince said, another smile plastered on his face.

"Sure." Keith said, smiling as hard.

They followed the Prince into a big room with enough beds for all of them. Katie didn't feel comfortable about the fact that she would have to stay in the room with 12 other men including Keith but she didn't have much of a choice as a knight.

When it was finally time for her to use the bathroom, she changed into her night clothes and did her personal hygiene. 

'Ah, my bandages are running out.'  She thought as she replaced her past bandages with the last bandages from her pack to bind her chest. 

"How long do you think we're staying?" She asked Theo after she got out of the bathroom and started preparing her bed that was right next to his.

"Two to four days maybe." He replied and she groaned 

"I don't know how long I can sleep with all the men except you." She said and he grinned.

"Don't worry, ill make sure no one bothers you." He said and she grinned back at him.

"Thanks and if they get past you, they'll have to deal with me." She said as she climbed into her bed and took off Matt's glasses and put them on a cabinet by her.

"Sure, like they would get past me at all." He said patting her head, "Good night Pidge."

"Good night Theo." She said back and tried her hardest to fall asleep when one of the men turned out the lights.

After an hour of twisting and turning, Katie realized she couldn't fall asleep.

"Ugh." She mumbled and got up, not taking Matt's glasses with her because she could see fine without them and she didn't want the glued together glasses to break again. She was about to walk past Theo's bed but saw how his hair was covering his eyes so she moved it off softly and pat his head like he did to her earlier.

'Maybe I'll just take a walk outside to get some fresh air to be able to sleep again.'  She thought and tiptoed out of the room. She didn't know her way out the castle that well so she found a balcony that wasn't as high up and swiftly leaped off it. 

The warm air hit her and she felt relaxed as she walked around the garden. She went on for a while until she felt someone behind her.

"Your Highness?" She said with wide eyes and he smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry for sneaking up on you but I just wanted to check if you were alright." Keith said and she couldn't help but smile.

"Don't worry Sir, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep." She said and he nodded.

"I understand. I wasn't able to fall asleep either." He said, "It feels nice out here."

"Yeah." She said and they walked together until they reached the entrance of the palace again.

"Do you know the way..?" She asked him.

"Of course I do, you don't?" He answered and when she nodded, he asked, " How'd you get out then?

" I jumped off a balcony-" She said but she froze when she realized she heard someone's footsteps near them and judging from Keith's expression, he also heard it. He grabbed her and they hid at the side of the palace making sure the person would not see them. 

'It couldn't be a guard because the footsteps would be less coordinated as it sounds..' Katie thought as they both waited for the person to step out. It was a man, judging from his body, in a hood carrying a big bag and he walked carefully out of the palace. Katie and Keith looked at each other and she showed him hand language that said to follow the man. Keith wasn't too sure but Katie was already going so he followed her.

They followed him secretly until he reached a dead end. He took his hood off and turned around to them.

" I know you're there." He said dropping his bag and getting out his sword, his voice familiar. "Come out or I will reveal you myself."

They looked at each other and Katie shrugged and stepped out into the light ready to get her knife from her boots if the man attacked. She was surprised with who she saw.

" Prince Oliver?" She mumbled and immediately lowered her head. Keith heard what Katie had said so he also stepped out and saw the Prince.

"What are you doing?" Keith asked and the Prince froze.

"None of your business." The Prince said ticking Keith off.

"Or do you want your father to know? It would be a shame if your hard work of trying to keep it a secret was revealed." Keith said smiling with his eyes and Prince Oliver sighed

"Fine, you've already followed me this far, follow me a little bit more if you want to know." He said putting his hood back on and getting his bag off from the ground. Katie put her head back up and followed the boys. 

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a shabby looking place and they walked inside and saw many of the homeless people on the streets from before.

"What.." Katie mumbled and Keith frowned.

Prince Oliver took down his hood and the people all cheered for him.

"My Prince, you're back!" Katie heard some of the people say and when she looked at him, he was genuinely smiling, not the fake smiles from earlier. 

"I'm back." He said as he started to open his big bag he's been carrying. It had food and clothes packed in a bag but separately. They all started handing them to each person who looked like they needed help. It even included medicine from what she could see. Keith looked for the woman and the child from earlier but sadly he didn't see them. After all the passing was done, Keith went by Oliver.

"Wow. This is just..Wow." Keith said and the Prince grunted, embarrassed.

"What." He asked and Keith smirked.

"I didn't know you had a heart." He said and the Prince looked away.

"It's just my job since I'm gonna be King soon." He muttered and Keith shrugged,

"Whatever you say." 

After a few minutes passed, it was time for them to go back. The people groaned when they heard the Prince would be leaving but he reassured them.

"I'll be back." He said before putting up his hood and taking the now empty bag with him. Katie and Keith followed him out and sneaked back into the palace without the guards seeing them.

"So who are you again?" The Prince asked Katie and she jumped a little at the sudden question.

"I am Pidge Gunderson, Sir." She said bowing and he glanced at her.

"Sorry for bothering you today with all this." He said and she shook her head,

"I didn't feel bothered at all, I feel thankful I was there in the first place." She said "I'm sorry now for judging you so quick. I think you have a good heart."

"Don't tell anyone about this." He said to both of them and they saluted.

"Yes Sir." They both said, Katie taking it as a command and Keith taking it as a joke.

"I promise not to tell." Keith said when the Prince looked at him seriously.

"Thank you." He said silently and led them both back into their room.

"That was nice." She whispered to Keith and he nodded.

"Maybe Oliver's not as bad as he wants us to think." He said back.

"Good night, Your Highness." Katie said returning to her own bed.

"Good night Pidge." He said and climbed into his own bed.

This time Katie didn't twist or turn, she felt more comfortable in the place. She fell asleep with a more happier feeling.

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A/N

Sorry for the late update, I'm taking online school right now and it sucks 😒

Also what do you guys think about Oliver and the King?

If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer 😊

Thank you for reading and have a great day or night or whenever you're reading this ☺️☺️

-Silver