Chapter Text
Kyuu was absolutely furious. Furious with Louis. Furious with the wolf.
With herself.
But she wasn’t entirely sure… why she was mad at herself.
She, of course, felt bad that Louis hadn’t said anything (though she didn’t understand why he was upset, especially over a filthy carnivore) the entire way back to the city. But Louis couldn’t have known what he was getting into, with the wolf.
He said he remembered what the carnivores did to them during the war. But clearly he didn’t, if he was willing to befriend one.
Kyuu remembered. Of course she did. Seared into her mind was every single second of every single day, every cruel laugh and blood-curdling scream that they were forced to endure before they were rescued. In reality, she couldn’t forget. She didn’t want to. Not only would it be cowardly to do so, but it would be… wrong. A terrible injustice against the ones that hadn’t been as lucky as she was.
Lucky enough to survive, to live and thrive despite the terror they’d been subject to.
She could feel her scowl grow, and her leg bounced a little faster in impatience.
Currently, she was sitting just outside a cell in the castle dungeon, waiting for the damned wolf to wake up. Oswin had done too good of a job, it seemed. But, it was better than keeping him awake, if the gouges on the horse’s bracers were any indication.
It sent a weary shiver down her spine just thinking about it, about how easily those scratches could have torn through Louis. Rex knows the deer was barely more than skin and bones, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against the wolf, when he finally pounced. They were lucky to have shown up when they did.
The wolf groaned, and stirred slightly on the floor. It took him a while to sit up and stand, unsuccessfully rubbing his neck with iron-mitted hands as he probably tried to remember what happened.
Kyuu couldn’t help but let out a small noise of disgust, and the wolf’s ears flicked. He turned around, and the rabbit could almost see the gears turning in his head as he regarded her. Then, his eyes lit up, and he tried to step forward, only to be stopped by a chain that connected his shackle-mitts to the wall.
“Where’s Louis?” The wolf’s voice was strained, his speech hindered by the muzzle that was strapped too tightly to his face. “Is he alright?”
“DON’T-!” Kyuu shouted at him, standing from her chair. “-speak his name, you filthy carnivore.”
She walked closer to the bars, regarding the wolf with displeasure.
What a pathetic creature.
“What were you doing with the prince? What were your plans with him? Were you going to kill him?”
The wolf cocked his head, looking up at her in worried confusion.
“The prince? No, you’ve got it wrong, I was with Lou-”
“Don’t play dumb with me, wolf. You’d have to live under a rock to not know who the crown prince of the Maned Kingdom is.”
The statement hung in the air, the wolf seemingly mulling it over before his shoulders sagged slightly.
“Or the middle of a thick forest.” He almost whispered.
He sat back down tiredly, leaning against the wall of the cell and looking down at his manacles. He was quiet for a moment longer, and Kyuu was about to shout at him to say something, before he suddenly spoke again.
“Look, I’m sorry. I’m just a wolf who wants to be left alone. I didn’t know he was the crown prince, I thought- … I thought I knew him.”
He sighed.
“I guess I was wrong.”
Kyuu wasn’t sure if she believed the wolf. Louis never mentioned if this… Legoshi, knew that he was the prince. She sort of assumed he did, she supposed.
But she shook her head, angry with herself. She shouldn’t be sympathizing with this carnivore.
“What were your plans with him?” She stepped closer to the bars, trying to direct her anger at the wolf. “Such a secluded place, surely nobody would find whatever was left of his body.”
Legoshi looked up at her, eyes full of tired grief.
“I’d never hurt Lou-.” He caught himself. “The prince. Whatever. And I didn’t have any ‘plans’ with him. He just… came around to help me, sometimes. Of his own volition.”
It begrudged her to admit the wolf was telling the truth. Louis had clearly gone week after week of his own accord. It occurred to her that… The wolf must have had plenty of chances to attack Louis before today. And, Louis had even said that the wolf had helped him with some bandits. It was how they had met, after all.
But then, after all that time, looking out for the deer, why had the wolf grabbed him? The picture Louis painted was a good friend, relaxed, and profoundly lacking in any cause for alarm. It just didn’t make sense, why had Louis looked so uncomfortable in the moment? Why had he been silent the whole way back? Until right now, piecing it all together, she had chalked it up to him being upset that his so-called-friend had grabbed him so forcibly, but…
“Then why did you grab him?” Kyuu asked, before she could stop herself.
The wolf suddenly looked away, ears folding flat against his head. He stayed quiet.
Kyuu growled a bit and hit the cell bars angrily. “Answer me, wolf!”
His ears twitched in recognition, but he kept his gaze fixed at the corner of the cell.
“No reason. … It-” The wolf faltered. “It was a mistake.”
“A mistake.” She scoffed. “Likely story. We’ll see what the king thinks.”
The shackled wolf just curled in on himself, and Kyuu almost felt bad.
Almost
Without another word, she left the dungeon. She still needed to check on Louis. Maybe get his side of the story, if he was feeling better.
Kyuu made her way through the castle, too engrossed in her own thoughts to notice the frightened looks the servants gave her as she stormed down the halls. She wasn’t mad, necessarily, not any more mad than she normally was. Rather, she was trying to reconcile everything the wolf had told her, verbally or not.
The strangest part was the first thing he had said.
‘Is Louis alright?’
The wolf hadn’t been worried about himself. He was worried about Louis, even after waking up, shackled in a strange dungeon.
Kyuu could respect that.
She cursed at herself, her untrimmed claws pricking into her palms as she clenched her fist in frustration.
Who the hell was this guy? Legoshi, whatever his name was, how on Rex’s rich earth was this filthy fucking carnivore making Kyuu sympathize with him? Why did Louis even like this guy so much?
Eventually, Kyuu found herself outside Louis’ door, and she shook herself out of her turbulent thoughts. She knocked on it quickly, thoughts starting to turn to worry for Louis, now that she was so close to seeing him.
The door creaked open slowly and San’s head poked out.
“Oh, San.” Kyuu sighed. Louis was in good hands, at least. “Good. How is he? Can I come in?”
San made a strange face.
“He’s alright… Uh, listen, Kyuu?” He hesitated for a moment, before leaning down a bit and whispering. “Louis said he doesn’t want to see you.”
“What?” She hissed, heart aching for a moment. “Why not?”
“Because you broke his trust, I’m assuming.” San said flatly, before peeking back into the room. He stepped out and closed the door behind him. “Look, Kyuu. I’m sure you had the best intentions, following him like that. But I thought we were going to look out for him together? You should have at least told me what was going on, I was worried sick.”
“Hmph.” Kyuu crossed her arms, before sighing a bit and relaxing her posture. “You’re right. As usual. Sorry, San, I was just so confused. I saw him in the morning, sneaking off like he hadn’t been holed up in his room for the last two weeks. Did… Did something happen yesterday? We didn’t get to talk last night.”
“Yeah. When I took him out to the market yesterday, he saw this panda and started talking to him. When he came back he was… I don’t really know how to describe it. He just looked happier. It obviously had something to do with Legoshi, but I couldn’t figure out what.”
San mentioning the wolf’s name suddenly made her wonder how much the alpaca actually knew about him. As much as she loved Louis, she doubted he would have suddenly told San the truth about his ‘friend.’
“San, just what has Louis told you about this Legoshi guy?”
The alpaca looked at her questioningly, but began to answer anyway.
“Not much. He’s nice, funny. It’s obvious that Louis’ attracted to him, and apparently it’s mutual, from the little that Louis actually said. Um, he likes bugs… He knows how to use a forge?”
Ignoring (for now) the bit about them fancying each other, Kyuu sighed.
“He’s a wolf, San. A fucking wolf.”
“Oh, shit.” His eyes widened, and he looked back towards the door, as if their whispering might have woken Louis up. “That makes a bit more sense, now. He’s… in the castle, right now?”
“Yeah. Chained up in the dungeon, till the king is able to pass judgment.”
“Damn. Did you get anything out of him?”
“Not really.” Kyuu said frustratedly. “But let’s go back for a moment. You said… Louis is attracted to him? And that the wolf likes him back?”
San hissed as he realized what Kyuu was getting at.
“Yeah. Now I get why Louis was so upset when I told him.”
“I know, it’s disgusting.” The rabbit could feel her blood begin to boil. “After what we went through, too? I should go down there and kill him just for touching Louis like that, solve the whole problem.”
“Calm down, Kyuu. You know it’s not your place to decide.” San said patiently.
“Right. Ugh, this sucks. Why did I agree to let Louis go out on his own like that? I just knew something like this was going to happen.”
San didn’t respond.
A chambermaid appeared out of seemingly nowhere, startling them out of their conversation.
“I’m glad I found both of you. Um, San. The prisoner needs to be fed. They sent me up to trade places with you.”
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“And it has to be me?”
“Yes, you see… no one else is willing to go down there. They heard it was a… a wolf. ”
“Like I am?” The alpaca sighed. “Ugh, fine.”
“I’ll go with you, San.”
“Oh, um. Sir Kyuu, the Knight-Commander wishes to see you, as well. Something about the armory.”
“Right, the armory. I never finished the inventory.” Kyuu turned to the San with an apologetic expression. “Well, looks like you’re on your own, San.”
“Thanks.” He replied sourly. The chambermaid looked at them expectantly, so they waved their goodbyes and split off.
After meeting his mother in the kitchen (that ewe was always in there, it was actually a little worrying) and getting a tray with some cold food left over from the morning, San descended into the dungeon. He checked in with the guard at the entrance before going down into the area that actually had the cells, and quickly found the wolf.
He was the only one down there, after all.
The wolf was curled up on the floor, tail between his legs and facing the wall. He didn’t move, even as San approached. Seeing the wolf like that, behind bars and given up on life, he couldn’t help but think of the war. It was a terrifying existence. Nobody should have to live like that.
‘Even if they’re a carnivore?’ his mind whispered. San ignored it.
“Hungry?”
The wolf’s ears flicked, and he turned his head so he could see the alpaca out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t respond, just let his head fall back towards the ground.
“I’m going to put it in the cell, okay?”
San opened the small door inset in the cell bars, and lowered the tray onto the floor. He pushed it forward a bit, hopefully far enough that the wolf could actually reach. Once he closed the door again, he sat down on a stool that happened to be close to the cell.
He sat there for a while, waiting for the wolf to move, or do… anything really. He’d hoped the tension would have been broken by the wolf getting up to eat, but, eventually, he grew tired of waiting.
“Legoshi, right?”
The wolf stiffened, and he turned his head again, keeping his gaze fixed on San.
“I’m San. I’m… let’s just say I’m Louis’ brother. I’ve… heard a lot about you.”
San didn’t miss how the wolf’s eye widened a bit when he mentioned the deer, and he smiled a bit.
“You’re worried about him, aren’t you?”
“Y-yeah.” The wolf said quietly.
“He’s fine. A little shaken up, but fine.” San replied. “Worried about you. He thinks you must hate him.”
The wolf sat up and turned to face the alpaca. “I’m not sure how I feel anymore.”
San thought about that for a moment. Did he mean, about the situation, or… maybe about Louis?
“What’s going to happen to me?”
“Well, the king will see you eventually. He’ll pass judgment on whether you’re guilty or not, and then… uh…” His voice trailed off, not wanting to say it aloud.
The wolf seemed to get what he meant.
“Guilty of what?”
San hesitated to answer for a moment. Should he really be talking to the wolf like this? If his carnivorous nature was the only thing Louis was hiding from them, which he was fairly certain it was, then, realistically, Legoshi should be no threat. Kyuu certainly seemed worried, but the wolf’s attitude only corroborated Louis’ stories of his sweet and amiable forest friend. And Kyuu was always worried.
“Kidnapping the prince, I think?” He paused for a moment, looking for any reaction from the wolf. The only thing he noticed was the wolf’s ears splaying out sadly.
“Although, from what I’ve gathered, that doesn’t seem to be what happened.”
“It’s not.” The wolf said curtly. “I’d never hurt Louis.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Some might not believe it, though.”
“Like the rabbit.”
“Yeah Kyuu is a bit… overprotective.” San chuckled. “If I’m Louis’ brother, then she’s our older sister. Even though I’m actually older. I think.”
“You think?”
“It’s a long story.”
Legoshi looked around the empty cell.
“Well, it’s not like I’m going anywhere.”
San grimaced a bit. “Right, sorry. Are you… sure you want to hear it? It’s a bit… heavy.”
“Heavier than me facing execution for no reason?”
“Um… maybe?”
The wolf looked at him, eyebrow raised in doubt.
“Look, the gist of it is, the three of us are orphans. We were captured in the war, we nearly died, and then the king took us in.”
“The war? … What war?”
“The- What do you mean ‘what war?’ THE war. The Red War? You’d have to live under a rock to-”
“-Not know what the Red War is?” Legoshi shook his head. “Yeah. I live in the forest. We don’t really interact with others very often.”
“And I’m assuming it was… ‘carnivores’ that captured you three.”
“Yeah.”
“And because I’m a ‘carnivore,’ you automatically hate me.”
“Again, yeah.” San said with a sigh. “But, uh, why are you saying ‘carnivore’ like that?”
“I had never heard the word ‘carnivore’ until Louis said it to me. Before that, I was just a wolf.”
San looked at him incredulously. “But… A wolf is a carnivore?”
“Apparently so.” Legoshi replied, before falling silent for another moment. “I’m at least glad Louis is okay.”
“... You really like him, don’t you?”
The wolf’s tail fluffed out, even if the rest of him didn’t react.
“Yeah.”
Remembering what the wolf had said earlier, San pressed on. Why, he had no clue, but he spoke regardless.
“Do you still like him?”
“I-” The wolf paused. “I don’t know. I feel like… I don’t know who he is, anymore. How could you not tell someone you’re the Prince, for Rex’s sake!? He lied to me, even, he said he was a merchant.”
“Well…” San drew the word out, still mentally debating whether or not he should be telling the wolf this, “knowing Louis, he was worried you would have treated him differently.”
Legoshi thought about that for a moment.
“I guess.” He relaxed a bit. “It’s still messed up, though.”
“No, I agree with you on that.”
Legoshi looked up at San.
“Why are you telling me this? Why are you… being nice?”
“You know?… I’m not entirely sure, myself. Maybe I’m just curious. There’s got to be a reason Louis fancies you, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
At that, the wolf’s stomach growled, and San’s spine stiffened in fear. The churn of an empty carnivore’s stomach. It was a sound he hadn’t heard since…
“Sorry.” Legoshi ran a hand over his head sheepishly. “I guess getting beaten into unconsciousness makes you pretty hungry.”
“N-no, it’s okay. Um, the food’s right there, though.”
Legoshi looked down at the tray, and then back up at San.
“Um, I don’t think I’ll be able to eat like this.” He motioned at the muzzle keeping his mouth mostly closed with his covered hands.
San was quiet for a moment.
Rex, this was such a stupid idea.
“Turn around, face the wall.”
The wolf tilted his head in confusion.
“Just do it.” San said pleadingly. “Before I change my mind.”
Legoshi stood and faced the wall.
“Okay, now step backwards, as far as the chain will let you.”
Legoshi did as instructed, looking down to make sure he didn’t knock over the tray of food.
“O-okay.” San said shakily, trying to prepare himself. “I’m going to reach through and undo your muzzle. If- If you make any sudden moves, I’ll call the guard. Got it?”
“Got it.”
Slowly, San reached past the bars and towards the straps that kept the muzzle connected to the wolf’s face. He just barely could reach it, and started undoing the buckle. Once it was loose enough, he removed his arms in a flash, and took a step away from the bars.
“You should be able to take it off.”
The wolf shook his head, and the muzzle came loose. He managed to catch it in his mitts, and set it on the floor.
“Thank you. Really.” Legoshi said. He sat down next to the tray, before realizing his hands were still covered. He held them up. “Any chance-?”
“Don’t push it. And, um, pass me the muzzle. It’ll go over better if I tell them I removed it, rather than finding you with it off all of a sudden.”
“Right.”
The wolf balanced the bowl on the tray in between his mitts and started slurping up the soup. San watched awkwardly as Legoshi ate it quickly, trying not to react to the flash of teeth that were occasionally visible.
Legoshi finished eating, and set the bowl back on the tray. He put the muzzle on it, and then pushed it all towards the cell door.
“That was actually really good. Thank you, San.”
“It was no problem. Um… Well, it was nice talking to you, Legoshi. Best of luck.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
San took the tray and stood, giving the wolf a small wave as he left.
And Legoshi was alone again.
He sighed, and laid back down. He almost wanted to sleep, but… If these were his last hours being alive… he’d rather be awake through it all.
Louis didn’t even realize he’d fallen asleep. He had been talking to San about what had happened, and all of a sudden he was waking up. He sat up in his bed, rubbing the bleariness away from his eyes. As the fog of sleep left him, he only had one thought.
He needed to find Legoshi.
The deer almost fell out of bed, scrambling to get out of the room. He opened the door, seeing someone standing just outside.
“Oh, Prince Louis.” The chambermaid curtseyed. “I would be more than happy to get anything for you, if you would please stay in your room.”
Louis didn’t listen to a word of what she had to say, he was already speed-walking down the hall. He ignored the looks of confusion as he tore through the halls, not stopping for anything or anyone as he made for the dungeons. At least, he hoped Legoshi was still there.
He reached the entrance, and the guard briefly tried to stop him before he pulled rank and ordered him to stand aside.
There were some perks to being the prince, after all.
Louis descended the steps quickly, and rushed down the block of cells, skidding to a stop as he saw the only occupied one.
“Legoshi!?”
The wolf sat up in surprise, before his face became a bit more neutral.
“Louis.”
“Legoshi, I’m so sorry. This never should have happened.”
Legoshi hummed in unconcerned agreement.
Louis didn’t catch on, though, he was pacing, trying to figure out what to do next. “I’ll talk to my father, I’ll get you free, okay? If I pardon you, then they’ll have to let you go.”
“Do what you like, your Highness.”
“L-Legoshi.” Louis looked at the wolf. “Please, don’t-”
“Don’t what, Louis? Be upset that you lied to me for two months? Be angry that our entire friendship was under false pretenses? I thought I knew you.”
“You do know me, Legoshi.” Louis grabbed the bars desperately, trying to get as close as he could to the wolf. “Nothing has changed! I’m still me, I’m still Louis.”
“If nothing has changed, then why the hell am I shackled to a wall right now?”
Louis opened his mouth to speak before closing it again, trying to figure out what to say. Legoshi took a deep breath.
“Look, Louis. You have… no idea how hard I’m trying to not freak out right now. I’m chained up in the one place I can’t be, and it’s thanks to the guy that I like. The same guy who’s apparently the prince! I mean, how could you not tell me that?”
“I…” Louis began to look for an excuse, any reason that could properly convey his fears, but… “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
He stepped away from the bars, gaze falling to his feet in shame.
“After they let you go, I’ll-” Louis’ voice hitched. “I’ll stop visiting you.”
Legoshi didn’t respond, and Louis couldn’t bear to look up at him, so he just… walked away.
It was only a few minutes until the hearing regarding the wolf that his soldiers had captured.
At his rightful place on the throne, Yafya idly surveyed the audience chamber, making sure that everything was as it should be. It always was, of course, he only accepted the best from the workers in the castle.
Yafya wished that he knew what on earth the prisoner had been arrested for, but he was far too busy to send someone to ask. He’d probably just pawn the job off to Louis. That boy really needed to pay more attention during court. He was the next in line, after all, and heaven be damned if Yafya was going to leave an incompetent fool as his replacement.
The giant doors at the end of the room opened, and Yafya prepared himself to face the prisoner.
Only for a tall jackrabbit to push through the doors. His armor clinked slightly as he sped towards the throne, stopping just before Yafya to snap into a salute.
“My Liege.”
“Knight-Commander, as you were.” The horse grumbled. “What is it?”
The rabbit brought his arm down, but still stood at attention.
“The prisoner will be here shortly.”
“Thank you.”
He bowed, and walked off to the side of the dais that kept the horse’s throne above everyone else.
A few moments later, Yafya heard a door open to the left. He huffed in displeasure as he saw his son walk through, idly straightening out his shirt as he entered the room.
“His Royal Highness, Prince Louis.” The steward announced, and everyone in the room turned to look at the deer. Infuriatingly, Louis just waved a bit and kept walking, up the dias before taking his seat next to Yafya’s
“Good evening, Louis. I’m glad to see you’re wearing clothing appropriate of your station, today.”
“Good evening, Your Majesty.” He replied.
“Louis. As heir to the crown, I believe it’s time you start making decisions that I myself would make.” Yafya said slowly. “It is my hope that you would make the same choices I would, and today I’d like to test that.”
The deer looked at him incredulously. “You… Are you serious?”
Mistaking his tone for insolence, Yafya huffed angrily. “Yes, I’m serious. The choice, regarding this prisoner, today, will be up to you.”
“And you promise to stand by my choice?”
Yafya wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, but he didn’t let it show. “Yes.”
“Alright. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
They waited for a moment in silence, before the doors began to open once again. Both were opened fully, and a squad of soldiers entered, holding a bound wolf by a wooden yoke that kept his neck and hands restrained. They dragged him closer to the throne, past murmuring onlookers who were clutching their pearls at the sight of a carnivore in the city.
The wolf looked… familiar almost. He wasn’t sure how, or why, but there was something about the combination of his grey and cream fur that called to something in his past. Yafya shook it off, however. He was likely just remembering some carnivore that he had killed in the war, they all blended together after so long.
The knights stopped and made the wolf kneel, holding the yoke in place so he couldn’t look up at the king. The Knight-Commander’s daughter stepped forward, and saluted.
“My Liege.”
“Sir Kyuu, as you were.”
Much like her father, she lowered her hand but remained at attention. “I have brought forth the prisoner for judgment.”
“And so you have.” The horse replied. “Please inform Us of what wrongdoings the prisoner has committed.”
“W-well, Your Majesty. You see-”
She suddenly fell quiet, and Yafya turned to see that Louis had held up his hand to silence her. The deer stood.
“He did no wrong, Your Majesty. Sir Kyuu mistook him for attacking me, and acted accordingly.”
Yafya narrowed his eyes at the deer.
“And how was he in the position to appear to attack you?”
“I was practicing my swordsmanship in the forest with Sir Kyuu. I believed it would be better to practice in a variety of locations, outside of the city walls, so that I would be more prepared in case the need arose once more.”
Louis looked at the rabbit, and brought up a hand. “I understand that you wish for me to stay safe within the city walls, but Sir Kyuu is more than capable of protecting me. As you can see, she incapacitated the wolf with ease. Moreover, Sir Kyuu is undeserving of punishment, as I commanded her to allow me exit from the city. Isn’t that right, Sir Kyuu?”
The rabbit hesitated a bit before answering.
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
Louis clapped his hands together softly.
“Very well then. I believe the best course of action would be to pardon the wolf, and return him safely outside the city walls.”
“Hmmm.” Yafya rubbed his chin. He didn’t really care about this wolf, and as long as he didn’t hurt or kill anybody, there was no real reason to execute him. Even if he was a carnivore. The king needed to appear impartial, after all. “Indeed. Wolf, you may speak. What is your name?”
“L-legoshi, Your Majesty.”
Legoshi… where had he heard that name before? Yafya studied him a bit further, before realizing where he had recognized the wolf’s markings before.
“Son of Leano?”
Yafya smiled as he heard the wolf swear under his breath.
“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”
Yafya shook his head and tutted at the wolf.
“How unfortunate. You’ve grown since the last time We’ve seen you. How is your grandfather?”
“He’s… well.”
“Your Majesty,” Louis began to say, “what-?”
Yafya held a hand to silence the deer.
“Silence.” He turned back to the wolf. If this was Gosha’s grandson, then what could he do? He tried to remember what he’d said more than fifteen years ago, and it came easily. He could never truly forget that day.
“If I recall correctly, I told your grandfather to never return to the city, under threat of execution.”
But the wolf was a child, back then. Surely he couldn’t have understood what was going on. And he had promised to stand by Louis’ decision, which had already been made.
This was the part of being king Yafya hated. It was always so complicated, so many lines of bureaucracy tangling everything up. It would be easier to be a tyrant, the horse mused briefly. Then he could take revenge on his ex-partner’s innocent grandson.
Yafya sighed. “But it was not directed at you. And so, We will direct the same command to you. Leave and never return, Legoshi. Know that if We find you once again within the city walls, your death shall be assured.”
He turned back to Louis, and motioned towards the wolf.
“Pardon him, as you wished.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Louis said in a shocked voice. He descended the steps until he was just in front of the wolf. Yafya watched on in shock as Louis put a hand on the wolf’s head (that was how he had been taught, but he didn’t even hesitate to touch the wolf?) and began to speak.
“We, the crown of the Maned Kingdom, hereby do pardon you of any wrongdoing. As decreed by the Crown Prince, Louis. Rise.”
The guards lifted the yoke up, and Legoshi stood.
“And, as decreed by His Majesty The King, Yafya, you are not to return to this city, under threat of execution.”
“Thank you for your graciousness, Your Highness.”
They stood still for a moment, not quite sure of what to do next.
“Um… Release him?”
Kyuu hesitated for a moment, before producing a set of keys and beginning to unlock the yoke and chains around the wolf’s hands. The other guards took a small step back, but kept their hands on their swords, just in case.
“Good luck with the harvest…” Louis said, hiding his words over the rustling of the chains as Kyuu unlocked his cuffs.
When Kyuu was done, she stood next to Louis, blade at the ready to protect the prince if need be.
“Thank you, Louis.” Legoshi responded quietly. “But… I don’t want this to be over. Don’t stop v-”
“It is done.” Yafya’s voice cut through the air. “Guards, take him outside of the city.”
The knights snapped to attention and converged on the wolf, grabbing him and beginning to roughly escort him out of the hall.
Legoshi looked back at the deer as he was pushed along, and Louis just nodded with a small smile.
Kyuu was pacing around Louis’ room. “I still can’t believe you pulled that off. I should be mad-”
“But you’re actually kind of proud?” The deer interjected from behind his changing screen.
Kyuu let out a small ‘hmph’
“It’s okay, you don’t have to say it. I’m just surprised you ran with it. Thanks for the backup, San.”
“Don’t mention it.” The alpaca replied, sitting down at Louis’ desk. “It would take a fool to think that Legoshi is actually a bad guy.”
“Alright! I get it! You two don’t have to keep rubbing it in, it’s been a week already. Rex forbid I try to do my job.”
“Aww, it’s okay Kyuu.” Louis said, stepping out from behind the screen. “In any other case, I would have appreciated it.”
Kyuu was about to respond, when Louis pointed a finger at her.
“But that doesn’t mean I forgive you just yet.”
“Yeah, whatever. Just stay safe out there.”
“You know I will.” Louis said with a cheeky smile.
He grabbed the sword that Kyuu had brought up to his room and attached it to his belt.
“Well, I’m off. See you guys later.”
“Yeah” Kyuu grumbled.
“Have fun!” San said, before correcting himself. “But not too much fun, got it?”
Louis just laughed as he slipped out the door.
Kyuu paced around for a bit before her frustration got the better of her.
“Tell me again how you convinced me this was okay?” Kyuu groaned.
“Simple. I told you it was, and you always believe me. I mean, come on. We both talked to the same guy, there’s no way that Legoshi would ever hurt Louis. Even when he was mad at him, it was obvious he was still head over heels for him.” San chuckled.
“If you say so.” Kyuu hopped onto Louis’ bed and spread her arms out. “But a wolf? Really?”
“The heart wants what it wants, Kyuu.”
“I guess.” The rabbit replied, before her stomach grumbled.
“And it sounds like your heart wants food. Come on. There’s a new recipe I’ve been working on, come test it for me?”
“Sure.”