The Love Through Dance

Fifth Wheels

"I'm going with you, Katie. I don't see why you're trying to talk me out of it, if anyone should stay behind it's you. You're important." Lance had his arms crossed, his back leaned against the castle wall as he looked down at the princess. They were outside, Keith playing with a knife nearby as he stood guard.

"This kingdom needs Matt a lot more than it needs me, Lance. I'm not nearly as important as him." Her offence showed in her tone. She thought he would understand, that's why she chose to tell him.

"I wasn't talking about to the kingdom." The boy stated, his expression one Katie couldn't quite pinpoint. It was... Like the one Takashi gave her in the moments she most resembled her brother. "Haven't you thought of how other's might feel if you disappeared? For one, Sir Takashi would never forgive himself. Even Keith would miss you, I'm sure. And I..." He trailed off, but she understood. That didn't change her mind, however.

"Lance, I am not going to disappear. Not for good. Takashi, Keith, and I are going to bring Matt and my father back."

"And me. I'm going with you, and if I have to bring my argument to Takashi then I will." Lance argued insistently. 

"Don't bother." Keith spoke up for the first time since his annoyed greeting to Lance. "He isn't going to invite along someone who can only clean and dance, at least the Princess is intelligent and can help. You'd just be a fifth wheel."

"I think you're counting is off, buddy. I'd be a fourth wheel, four wheels is the perfect number." Lance rolled his eyes.

"No, fifth." The raven haired knight sent a glare to the servant. "That stable boy, Hunk. Shiro asked him to track for us, he's really good at it. What exactly are you going to bring to the team, besides an annoying personality?"

The harsh words were followed by a long silence, Lance having run out of words while Katie was glaring intensely at Keith. She didn't know what to say at first, but eventually opened her mouth to speak up.

"That isn't-"

"Keith, let me see your knife." Lance stared at him, his expression suddenly serious.

"What? No. You aren't touching- Hey!" Keith yelped when the other snatched his knife away, only to yell when Lance threw it without hesitation. "Bastard, why would you do that?!" He lunged at him, gripping the collar of his shirt. "You better go-"

"Keith, stop." The Princess spoke up, and the knight reluctantly pulled back, scoffing in annoyance. She walked in the direction the knife had flown, looking up at the tree it was stuck in. Reaching, the brunette pulled it out with slight difficulty. Not because it was stuck too far in, but because it was just barely within her reach.

As she walked back, the grumpy swordsman was still glaring at Lance. "You took my knife just so you could show off? You still aren't going. Right, Princess?" He looked to her.

Katie looked reluctant, and Lance knew her answer.

***

~Lance~

He felt nervous. Almost as nervous as when he asked Katie to dance with him at the ball. 

Takashi Shirogane was a hero, the greatest knight in the Kingdom, if not the world. Some called him The Champion. And Lance was about to ask if he could tag along to save the future king. Not that that was his objective, but it was the goal of the mission. Finding Matt was very important, but so was protecting Katie. Lance would never forgive himself if she got hurt and he wasn't there to stop it. If that meant being a fifth wheel on a four wheel cart, then so be it.

Takashi was in uniform, lightweight armor covering his body and a thin sword hanging at his side. He rarely used it, though. Everyone knew he preferred hand to hand combat if he could help it, unnecessary killing wasn't his style.

"Sir Takashi, do you have a moment?" Lance finally approached him, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

The knight looked over, giving a slight nod and a friendly smile. "Good afternoon, Lance. You're sooner than I expected."

"You expected me?"

He gave a nod. "Keith warned me. And Katie insisted that I turn you away immediately."

"Oh..." Lance felt his disappointment begin to sink in. "And you are going to tell me the same thing they did, then." He dropped his head, feeling defeated. Of all people, he thought that Sir Takashi would understand the most his want to protect the Princess. "Look, Sir Takashi. I mean no disrespect, but," the servant looked back up, "I insist that you let me come with, I have to be there for Katie. I will not just end up a fifth wheel, so-"

"Lance, that is enough." Takashi cut him off, his expression stern. "Not every knight is born to be one. It is not family status, or riches and connections that makes a man great. Do you understand?"

Lance shook his head, lost as to where this was going. Was this him being let down easy?

The older man gave a small smile, ruffling the shorter's dark locks of hair. "A knight, in definition, is a man who wishes to protect. There are no fifth wheels in battle."

#I hope that speech makes as much sense to Lance as it does to me.##Also I'm so sorry that it's been so long! I started a new job around the time of the last update, and on my days off I'm never home. (My brother is a pain to live with tbh.) I want to try and wrap this story up nicely within the next few parts, but depending on how they go who knows. I'll try for another update within a lot less time than this one took!#