Kingdom | The Dragon Prince x Reader Oneshots

45. Gren- Kneel (Part 1)

(Requested)

ooooo imperial china AU ooooooo

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"My liege, the generals are here to see you, as you wished." I raised an eyebrow, slowly clicking my golden rings on the throne's arm rest. Humming, I merely tilted my head, a sign for them to come into the room and tread along the lavish red carpet. I heard the sound of a small horn, the sound of the Imperial Army. Lowering my gaze, I was met with the sight of Amaya and Gren, both kneeling, an arm across their chest.

"Your excellence," Gren spoke, his voice as clear as day. "You summoned us?" I flicked my hand for the servants and maids to go away. They scurried towards the door, whispering among themselves as they made their exit. Sighing, I resisted the urge to fiddle with the pearls attached to golden strings hanging from my crown, and instead attempted at a conversation.

"Yes." My voice boomed across the throne-room, the mere presence of it shaking the delicate vases that stood on pedestals. Their blue marbled designs seemed to shift, quivering at my suddenly raised voice. "I didn't think my words would be a question, General Gren." He shook his head and yet another phrase of compliance was uttered.

"No, your excellence. Forgive me for my mistake." I nearly laughed, but kept it inside, not wanting to look less intimidating -- I had an image to upkeep, after all.

Uncrossing my legs, I stood up and made my way down the steps, my robes dragging behind me. Guards kept a close eye on my footing to make sure I didn't sustain any injuries. Overprotective bastards. Who were they, my brother?

Successfully making it down the steps, I glared at the footmen to take a hint and scram, only leaving the higher-ranking officials in the room. Now I stood just in front of the two generals, my silken clothes piling up behind me, gliding down the steps like water onto rocks.

"I'm sure you all are very well aware that invading armies from Neolandia are coming," I said, addressing everyone currently present, "We must take extreme measures to protect our kingdom." My eyes were fierce, set ablaze at the thought of one foreign man or woman even setting foot in my empire. I looked back down at the two generals still on the floor and internally cringed.

"Generals, you may rise." Surprisingly, there was no lilt or tremor in my voice. Oh, how guilty I felt for just leaving them there. Amaya signed a small note of thanks, to which I nodded to. Gren's eyes suddenly met mine, and for a second, a shot of heat ran to my face, but he quickly turned away. I covered my cheeks with the golden claws at the tips of my fingers and calmed down, closing my eyes for a few moments.

"I'm sorry about the disruptive behavior. Lately, I've been feeling a bit odd." I cleared my throat and continued with the briefing, discussing battle plans and preventative measures to take in order to secure our kingdom the best we could. Amaya was able to get some insights on her patrol journey and explained everything in detail, while informing me that a small part of the barrier had been breached, on the West end of our line of defense.

After the meeting, I called Amaya and Gren into my private quarters, offering tea and refreshments to soothe their nerves and satiate their appetites. I took my claw rings off and sighed, relieved to finally be able to sit somewhere that wasn't as hard as a rock. Wriggling my fingers happily, I took a cup that was sat on the table and smelled the fragrant aroma of jasmine tea.

About to press the cup to my lips, I suddenly got a whiff of an inconsistency.

"Stop!" I exclaimed, nearly smashing both of my generals' cups down and spilling the hot drink all over them. Two guards pooled into my room, holding spears and fully dressed. My companions across from me looked at my distraught face in concern.