the wolf and the lamb » kageyama x reader

9. Politics and Starry Nights

After seeing the village chief and his wife off, you turn to Kageyama. "What'd he talk to you about?"

"I think he's happy for me for settling in." 'I'm happy for you two!' is what he really said, but you don't need to know that. He frowns. "What about you and his wife?"

"Oh. Well, nothing much, really. Just catching up. She's a lovely lady. Say, My Royal Highness, have you ever been to the forest?"

"The forest?"

"Yeah, the one surrounding the glade where I graze my sheep."

The former king reaches out for a cookie from the plate sitting on the table, popping it into his mouth and chewing slowly. "Yeah."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Were you the one who said you couldn't trust me, so long ago?"

"(First Name)! (First Name)!" The twins come barreling into the room, swarming around you and Kageyama.

We'll finish this later, you mouth to him before turning your attention to your siblings. "Yeah?"

"(First Name), I wanna cookie!"

"Just get one yourself, Mei," you say, ruffling your brother's hair as you watch your sister stare intensely at the pastries.

「♚」

The time had passed until it was weeks, then months, since Kageyama had abdicated the throne.

"Hey."

"Yeah?" You look up from your peaceful herd grazing the meadow, sun beating down on your face as you sit near the edge of the trees with the former king. "What?"

"When will I get my throne back?"

"Oh. Your throne," you murmur, "about that..."

"Will I get it back?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course. I promised you I'd get it back for you, didn't I?"

"Then, when?"

"I haven't gotten any information from the chief about the current state of affairs in the capital."

"So?"

You cross your legs and let out a small huff. "We can't just storm in there! Who knows if the people even like you? Tyrant. They'll revolt if you act too quickly to take back the throne."

"You'll be with me, though, right?"

Glancing over at the tall male, his face covered in light-dappled shadows from the trees, you crack a smile. "Of course, My Royal Highness. I'll be with you every step of the way, even if you fall. I was with you from the start, wasn't I?"

His face contorts into a strange expression. "Yeah."

"Is that your attempt at a smile? You would think that after more than half a year without any politics, you'd learn to smile and not grimace."

Leaning back on the grass, you stare up at the crystal blue sky, filled with white puffs and small black birds flying overhead. The gentle bleats of the sheep fill your ears as you lightly grip your shepherd's crook, wolf companion on one side and Kageyama on the other.