Nino loitered uncertainly in the corridor a short distance from the King's chambers, pulling with undeniably shaky fingers at his royal seal. Being dressed in Full Armor did not fill him with as much pride as it had before, instead now it serves as a reminder for the scrutiny he was about to be under.
Nino leaned out from his hiding spot in a random archway, hoping his two-sided luck would hold and Adrien might appear. He just wanted some kind of reassurance that he looked appropriate for an audience with the King. The last time he had one he had been in torn worker's clothes with too-big tattered boots and an old sword at his hip. The things he wore now were significantly more impressive but... if he wore any of it wrong he'd look just as much like a farmer as he did when he first got there.
All the senior guards had conveniently ignored him this morning... so he had no confirmation one way or another.
The thought made his hands feel hot as he struggled to repress that twist of anger. So much hard-won ground had been shattered underneath him last night. Part of him resented the Captain for causing such a scene, but no doubt she had her own opinions. He couldn't even imagine how long she must have fought and struggled to be acknowledged even once by the royal family, or perhaps her motivation was more on behalf of her men. He couldn't tell, not like he even knew what this was all about yet, but even as far in as the royal chambers he could practically feel all the veterans rooting against him, hoping he would be punished somehow. Like that would somehow be fair.
There were a few who didn't care about his summon, Kim for one. He had caught wind of Nino's little scene with the royal family from all the gossip, but it hadn't occurred to him to mind at all. He was just sad he had missed it since it sounded so hilarious, and though Kim probably didn't mean it as supportive per say Nino was grateful for it regardless. And the Captain has relaxed as well after her initial outburst so... he had no idea where he stood with her. Still, whatever allies he had retained hadn't been around to help him get ready. He had only ever worn full armor once, and while he was reasonably sure he had done it right, he felt abruptly...
Alone.
Nino waited as long as he could, pulling at the straps of his armor and trying to keep his anxiety from paralyzing him as the seal slipped and folded. The more he tugged at it and the more it bunched and slipped, the more stranded he felt.
Servants and messengers passed him quietly, their duties sending them streaming passed like he was left to stand on a solitary bank, untouched by the current. He was almost out of time to stall now, and he took a moment of his privacy to breathe.
For the first time in a while... he felt like a farm boy. Holding his father's sword in a field and pretending to be a soldier.
He breathed deeply again, attempting to steel himself in whatever way he could, when-
"It's the loop."
The voice could not have been gentler, but the guard jumped regardless, turning quickly to face the interrupted stream.
Nino looked and found a servant meeting his gaze, the girl looking apologetic for startling him but raising her free hand to point at his shoulder. "The seal," she explained, her voice girlish and sweet, "If it doesn't catch it won't stay, you can't pin it or it will slip when you move."
The girl smiled warmly and shifted the weight of the basket on her hip. She was dressed plainly, like a worker, but her natural beauty could not be hidden in simple clothing. Her dark black hair poured loosely on her shoulders, and she matched him with kind, blue eyes as she waited for a response.
"The- oh-," he finally answered, feeling a little lame as he tried to look. His armor was too bulky to allow him to see what she might have meant, but before he could come up with the words to ask she was placing her things against the archway and stepping forward to help him.
"It's easier to do it as you're getting dressed," she coached gently, stretching up onto her tip-toes to fidget with the weighty cloth. She smiled when he tilted his shoulder down to make it easier for her, now crouched a little awkwardly but trying to be accommodating.
He was quiet for an unsteady moment more, but when she stepped back to examine her work he couldn't help but blurt out, "T-thank you!"
"Anytime," she answered genuinely, making a show of checking for any other problems.
He hurried to hold his arms out, eager and relieved to have the second opinion. He smiled and sighed happily when she nodded, finding no other faults and nodding her head once more in confirmation.
"So everything's good?" he double checked anyways, grateful that she was humoring him, even if she laughed a little.
"Fit for a King," she reassured him.
The stranger bent down to retrieve her things but Nino beat her to it, quickly picking up her basket so he could hand it to her.
"Thank you so much," he said again, laughing a little. "Genuinely. You have no idea how much better I feel having someone to tell me I don't look like an idiot." He rubbed at the back of his hair a little with a gloved hand, a gesture he could never really kick. "I get... uh, nervous," he admitted.
To his surprise she laughed again, the sound of it sweet. "Everyone does, it's okay. But I am glad I could make you feel better."
"What's your name?" he asked quickly when it looked like she was going to leave.
"Marinette. And I know who you are," she answered with a slight curtsy. "It's very nice to meet you Nino."
Nino stood there with a dumb expression on his face, opening his mouth as if to respond but falling short, settling for a frown when she laughed at him again. "... my captain might have a point about my name getting around."
"It's not a bad thing, honest! It's just that, well, the servants talked a lot about you when you first showed up." She gave him a little shrug and another one of her smiles, gesturing with her head down the hallway. It took him a second to realize she was urging him to get going, probably having some sense that he was going to be late. "It makes sense for all of us to know who you are."
"I guess...," he allowed, glad when he noticed she was heading the same direction as him. They walked a little while. "Do people... like me?"
She laughed again and he frowned at her playfully, but she didn't seem to mind making fun of him. And, honestly, that was pretty nice.
"Yes Nino, people like you, you're a hero to a lot of them you know."
"Oh, well I-... hm," he hummed quietly, naturally walking with practiced steps now as they made their way towards the royal rooms. After a moment he said, "I never really set out to be a hero or anything. I was just trying to find paying work." He mulled it over for a second and gave her a shrug too. "Guess I got a little overzealous."
He shared in her laugh this time, some of the posted guards he passed giving him a look, but he didn't care. The servants that passed them in hurried errands watched them curiously, a few of them smiling even, and that held a lot more weight to him, he realized.
As they walked and talked lightly about not much at all, it occurred to him that he might be worrying a little too much about what people thought again.
A simple thought that probably wouldn't stick but... hey, he was trying.
He hadn't been very far from his destination when he faltered, so it wasn't much of a walk until they were passing the royal chambers he was familiar with, Marinette pausing in front of the door he recognized as Alya's. He couldn't help but peer at it curiously, Marinette diverting his attention for a moment with a curtsy.
"Thank you for escorting me, sir," she said for show, Nino aware for the first time of the two guards posted outside the princess's room watching them intently.
"No problem mam," he replied with a bow, Marinette giggling a little at the informality. He swore he heard one of the guards huff, but whatever. Screw them.
He was done trying to impress people who didn't matter.
"Thank you again," he added, lingering a little to look through the gap she created as she opened the door. He couldn't see anyone inside, the servant possibly looking to complete a task while the princess was away.
"Anytime," she repeated.
It was too short but... they both looked at the posted guards, and reluctantly they let their interaction end. Nino was quite possibly going to be late now and that was completely unacceptable, but he had gotten so caught up in the small talk.
As Marinette disappeared inside he was left to hustle down the hallway, hyper aware now of the servants as he passed them. The hallway wasn't too crowded as he crossed the short distance to the King's chambers, but a few of them looked. A few of them smiled.
And he felt a little less abandoned.
----
The King's Chambers were empty as he paced his room, wanting to enjoy this rare moment of solitude but his mind too heavy with guarded thoughts. He didn't even find peace enough to sit, though he wouldn't have been able to. Every chair in his well-furnished chamber was stacked with parchments and letters, each one a source of distraction. He paused for a moment and picked one up, finding yet another confirmation of attendance, which was good, he supposed. More arguments to be had, more things to discuss. All the same things, so little ever decided. He had managed to spare his children from this particular round of discussion, even Alya though she of course assumed it was out of punishment. Still though, he knew she wouldn't complain.
As soon as his thoughts turned towards his daughters, he was interrupted by the familiar wrap of an armored hand on the door.
"Your summon is here for you, sire," one of his personal guards called in, his voice stilted and professional.
Otis stood for a moment... frowning. ... had he called for someone? A servant perhaps. To send something? He hoped not, he had nothing to be sending. Or did he have something and he had just forgotten? That was probably... bad. If he had sent for a messenger, he definitely had a message that needed sending, but- hm...
"Come," the King called, fully prepared to make something up. One perk of being the King is that you usually went unquestioned, but he felt a little haggard and old to have something slip his-
The door opened and a tall guard stepped calmly through, and the moment the King saw his face he was relieved to have his conversation with the Captain the day before suddenly spring to mind.
RIGHT.
"Yes, yes, I remember now," he muttered out loud by way of greeting, gesturing at the guard as he took a post near the door closing behind him, bowing obediently. "Excellent, you're right on time. I intended to speak with you in person. Nino, yes?" he confirmed his name despite being fairly certain of it, if only to give him an opening to respond.
"Yes Your Majesty," he replied right away, his voice firm.
The King paced closer, his hands folded behind his back as he examined him. He had not scrutinized him this closely since Adrien had first brought him to be considered, having not even seen him again until yesterday. He was dressed appropriately and held himself more confidently then he had when they had first met, but he had grown since then. Not is stature, but something else.
He was made of something stronger now.
The King looked away from him, enjoying the moment but not having long to spend on this. His eyes wandered over the many papers and tomes that required his attention, but he looked back to the boy to give him what focus he was due.
"Did your Captain inform you of the nature of this summon?" he asked plainly, lifting a stack of papers from one of the chairs nearby.
"No sire."
"Really?" Otis replied, shrugging a little. "I suppose I didn't tell her much. When I asked her about your performance, she was begrudgingly honest." The King couldn't help but smile at him with humor. "I think a guard sticking out so much annoys her, but between you and I she has no room to be so critical."
He rolled his eyes, and Nino was struck briefly by how humanizing that was, though the King himself did not seem to notice.
"I still remember when that tiny woman fought her way through the entire Knight's Tourney and lit the social hierarchy of the castle on fire just by showing up," he continued with a chuckle. "Comparatively? You are very quiet. But second to a hurricane is to be expected."
There was a moment where the boy said nothing, but when he looked up at his silence the guard smiled. "The Captain carves a figure sire, I don't want to make her angry."
"Wise man!" Otis exclaimed, rewarding him with a smile and enjoying how this seemed to make him relax a little.
This young lad has been here for a season now, but despite what may have been his best effort he still did not quite vanish into the crowd like he must have intended. However, he could understand why his daughter's might have been intrigued by that difference.
"I have duties for you to attend to, so I will keep this brief. I'm sure you have taken notice of the number of visitors the castle is entertaining at the moment...?" Otis let it hang in the air, waiting for Nino's 'Yes Sire,' before continuing. "Well, we will be expecting a good deal more within the coming weeks for political purposes and the castle will be crowded as a result. I'm sure you can understand that security is our highest priority."
"Of course sire," he obediently replied, looking serious.
Otis gave him a slight nod of approval, elaborating as he stepped away to look over the papers crowded on his desk. "With every noble comes an entourage of guards who aren't ours and servants we don't know. Things are bound to be overheard and whispered about before long... For the most part the people give me their good faith, but the air within the castle grounds is sure to be tense, in time." He looked over at the guard standing attentively, eager it seemed to show him that same good faith he spoke of. He nearly smiled again but kept his expression even.
"In times like these, I worry about my daughters. With so many people in the castle I tend to restrict their movements and they resent me for it, but my intentions are good. We have many guards and this is their home, but until we have our privacy it is best if they stay in this wing of the castle, unless needed elsewhere."
Otis made a vague gesture with his free hand, pointing out towards the direction of the hall somewhat dismissively.
"We have our regular detail of course, they will remain, but when it came to their personal guard you came to mind."
The King had been looking through the papers in his hands with distraction but glanced up just in time to catch the shock running across the young man's face. He mastered it quickly of course, fumbling for a professional distance but his earnest nature betraying him somewhat. This time Otis couldn't help his smile, seeing what his wife may have meant when she spoke of him. He did seem... young. But he wasn't a fool. He had spoken to both the Captain and Adrien directly on this matter, and even if Alix had done so with distaste, she gave a fair and honest report on his abilities. Whether she was pleased or not to have her senior guards passed over, she assured him that the young man was capable and driven.
"They like you," the King explained, raising an eyebrow slightly and was glad to see that the boy still had enough wits about him to look nervous. "They told me all about you yesterday... I was skeptical, but it was my wife who encouraged me to reconsider. It was her suggestion that we assign you to them."
He continued to watch the boy carefully, attempting to gauge his emotions and finding this moment important. The safety of his children was no small consideration.
"They are bound to hate me for cooping them up," he continued, sighing, "but I am prepared for that. The least I can do is give them someone they like. They might get bored eventually but it's worth a try if it means keeping them happy." He grumbled a little at how this might go poorly for him... and after a moment he narrowed his eyes, sealing the guard to the spot.
"My daughters mean everything to me, your first priority is always their safety. However, if you can manage to also keep them happy and behaved... I encourage you to try."
Otis relaxed only slightly and looked away to give the boy room to release the breath he was holding. "Who knows, they might even listen to you. You've had great luck before, perhaps you'll have some more."
"Thank you, your Majesty," the boy said somewhat breathlessly, his expression awed and determined. It was very similar to the look he had given him before, when he was awarded a place in the castle. "It is... an honor, sire."
The young guard bowed deeply, overwhelmed it would seem. Otis nodded and waited for him to stand, looking him in the eye. Nino did not look away at first, perhaps he did not think to. Little things like that showed where he came from, but as he hurried to correct himself Otis had faith that he had practice where it counted. Maybe not in courtesy or court proceedings but... he seemed earnest, and incredibly loyal.
When the boy had stood before him as he was sworn into the guard, he had sworn his fealty with an intensity he could never have appreciated from one of his people; his greater, humbler people. He could do with more time, and teachings... but there was also something else. Something unteachable that Adrien had assured him of.
He would gladly give his life to uphold what he had sworn to, and that intensity gave him some small comfort. It was a position of relatively little risk, for now. He was the last one in a long line of obstacles between the world and his daughters, but that final barrier was an important one. He was curious to see how this farmer would do.
"You will be assigned as the personal guard of my twin daughters; you are not to leave their side until the visitations have concluded. Then we will see what to make of you."
Something flashed across his face, just minutely.
Oh.
The twins?
Oh. Yes, of course.
Of course, he had meant the twins. That made a lot of sense. He had just sort of assumed- but, well he had said they. He just thought he meant- well the daughters. But yes, the twins. He was to watch the twins.
Nino wrestled with the pride that grew within him, in a war for his life with the grin threatening to compromise his composure. He was bursting at the seams with energy, completely overwhelmed with determination. Within one audience he was again aware of the seal on his shoulder, the vibrant purple of it so present in his mind he thought he might drown in it. HA! And so many of the old bastards in the guard were waiting for him to fail! Hoping he would be punished!
The King milled around his desk for a moment, murmuring to himself and sifting through papers, and despite his confidence high he felt another spark of unease as he was unsure of what to do. He hadn't actually been-
"That will be all I imagine," the King finally said, "You are to defer to your Captain for orders and instruction, though I imagine the Knights may wish to speak with you as well. You are dismissed, but Nino," he added abruptly, cutting off the bow the boy was about to give him. He looked him in the eye again, stressing his
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