Chapter Text
Part 1. Kiss in the woods! Kidnapped!
Ch. 1.
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Music for part 1:
Highlander Love Story by Anastasia Goose and Andrei Krylov
Do the Russell by Alexander James Adams
The Lovers by Medieval Times
Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/48GN9w1iGdqpmN2MncRdXC
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Camelot was a modestly sized castle and domain. It stood upright at the far side of the village square with high walls and towers that met in the middle towards an iron gate. It was complete with store houses, stables, and fields of produce. The kingdom that called Camelot home was self-sufficient under its new ruler and sought only to maintain that peace.
Shadow had come from the Dark Forest lands, and joined in the quest to assemble Excalibur, rarely leaving Sonic’s side. He had heard that the previous king of Camelot was a monster that desired no peace. No one had stepped forward to help him gather the holy blades from the sacred knights and from the crystal cave: Caliburn, Arondight, Galatine, and Laevatein.
Shadow was using his downtime to practice his swordsmanship in the training area by the stables. Sonic, the newest king, had stated he desired to be alone outside the castle walls for a while.
The gardens were greener, the rivers were bluer, and the fields were lush. The townsfolk had more to be happy of, and could sustain themselves better. It made the other lands jealous, especially when skilled knights like himself left to join it. Although the leaders from the Dark Forest couldn’t complain, they had stayed out from the war.
Shadow sighed as he took to sharpening his blade, Arondight, a black and gold falchion that almost resembled a cutlass. It had magical patterning and a built-in scaled shield to one edge. Shadow admired the gleam of the sword’s edge before he slid it back into its sheath and decided to go search for the blue hedgehog.
Shadow made his way to the castle gates, waving to the fellow knights and guardsmen before leaving the castle walls behind him. He walked around their perimeter until, finally, he finally caught onto Sonic’s trail. He felt eager to be in his company, and set out at an even pace to find him.
Far from the castle, Sonic trudged through the mud of the marshlands. “Maybe I went farther than I thought.” He wasn’t too worried about being out on his own, but he was starting to grow tired. He tripped over a hidden tree root, its gangly wooden limb deep in the muck. He cursed the kingdom as he caught himself before falling fully. “Maybe I should’ve let a knight join me after all…” He groaned, “I should have just asked Shadow, he wouldn’t have caught on to what I was doing anyway.”
Sonic groaned as he was finally freed from the marsh. His sabatons were leaking mud and debris, but as long as his secret stash was safe, he was happy. He looked into his satchel and smiled at the rare orchids inside. He quickly shook his quills and sent mud splatter against the trees. “At least I can head home now.”
"Sire!" Shadow called out to his seemingly distracted King, hoping to gain his attention. He even waved his arms about, then dropped them, feeling a bit silly after doing so. As he got closer he teased out, fully gaining his attention, “Skimping out on your duties again?"
Sonic flustered at the sight of his bodyguard. He blinked a few times as he was caught off guard by the sunset glinting off the knight’s shining armor against his red and black fur. “M-me!? Never. Why? Did the court realize I was missing?”
The corner of Shadow's mouth turned up into the smallest smile, his heart beating a little faster after hearing Sonic's voice. He respected and admired him; some would say his feelings even bordered on love, but he'd most likely never admit it, not even to himself. It was improper to harbor such feelings for your superior anyhow. "No, sire. Just me," he reassured the king with a small bow. He then fidgeted with the handle of his sword, momentarily lost in those emerald green eyes. "Would you like me to escort you back?"
“Why? Thank a witch will get me?”
“Those horrific beasts? No match for you sire.”
Sonic smiled and patted at his side for his weapon but could not find it. “Wait!” He did a quick turn and spun in a circle. “My sword!” The holy sword, the magical sword, the sword that only the chosen one had lifted from the stone slab, was now lost deep within the bog. He briefly considered the horror that a witch had stolen it.
The tiny smile on Shadow’s face disappeared at the mention of the missing sword. If it were anyone else, Shadow would’ve definitely been angry. But this was his king, and he needed help. "Did you misplace it? I'll assist you in looking for it." He started towards the trail Sonic came from, not waiting for an answer. "Judging by the mud all over you, we should check the marshlands first."
Sonic groaned, “Of course this happens to me.” He followed Shadow back into the woodland, pointing where he’d walked before moving on. Sonic grumbled, “Nimue would be so disappointed.” The holy sword Caliburn was one of the most important things in the kingdom. After Sonic had met the water witch Nimue in the crystal caves, and pulled it from the stone it was embedded in, it had become his responsibility to look after it. They had to find it at all costs.
Sonic’s eyes lit up. “There! I must have dropped it there!” he suddenly shouted as he tried to lunge past Shadow to search the mud, but he lost his footing and caused them both to fall sideways into the shallow murky water.
Shadow gasped and asked frantically as they dripped with water, "Sire! Are you alright?" He quickly felt disappointed in himself for not being able to catch the king. He offered his hand to help him up.
Sonic gasped as his hand brushed over something in the water. “I found it! Sonic exclaimed while swiftly pulling upward, revealing a large lizard tail, with the lizard still attached. Sonic cried out in alarm as the creature spun backward and nipped at him, but Sonic quickly flung it across the bog. The lizard fell into the bog with a splash, and Sonic looked sheepishly back at Shadow. “Nevermind.”
“Of course.” It took everything in Shadow not to laugh about the lizard encounter, but he managed to keep a straight face, hand outstretched until Sonic graciously took it.
“Heh, maybe we should look in the morning when there’s more daylight?”
Shadow pulled him upward while Sonic grabbed another root for stability. He heaved himself up and looked down to realize that the root was the hilt of Caliburn, the gold and pearl shortsword.
The golden pommel was smooth and rounded, with golden knots across the hilt as well as magical patterning across and into the blade.
"You found it, sire!” Shadow breathed a sigh of relief and reluctantly let go of the royal's hand, moving to brush off any dirt or excess water from his fur and armor. "Are you injured, your highness?"
Sonic was dressed in his own suit of armor, but his was covered in the Kingdom’s crest, and his own helmet had a golden ring atop to represent a crown. “I’m alright!” He lifted the hilt above his head to keep it away from the water, noticing that Shadow had kept relatively clean himself. “Let's dry off, we’re gonna catch a cold or rust our suits.”
Shadow laughed at the awkwardness with him, before stating quietly, "I definitely need a bath after this."
Sonic groaned, “Agreed.”
"Allow me to escort you to the castle so we can both get properly cleaned up. Also, gold doesn't rust, sire. You needn't worry about your armor." He knew the little details and decals of gold would be fine, and any blemishes could be buffed out.
“Oh?” He smiled in relief. Sonic felt something in his chest blossom as he looked into Shadow’s bright eyes, it spread a warmth through him that he was getting used to.
Together they left the bog and headed towards the fields outlying the castle. Sonic self consciously preened his fur as the mud had hardened and caked under his armor. He still kept his satchel under his belt, hoping Shadow wouldn't see it.
Shadow stayed silent during their walk, unsure about making casual conversation. He wasn't a man of many words to begin with and, if he was being truthful to himself, Sonic was the only one who brought out his social side. Anyone else could barely get a word out of him. Although, to be fair, communication was an important part of being the king's personal guard.
Thankfully, they got along just fine. After Shadow had heard the call from Camelot to assemble the holy sword Excalibur, he had come to the castle as fast as he could. In the time since, Sonic had employed him as his personal guard and aid to castle affairs. They had grown close since then, and he became enamored by the king’s way of conducting business and treating the people of the kingdom with respect.
Shadow swallowed a nervous bundle in his throat, and was about to speak when Sonic walked away towards a clearing. “We can wash off up ahead!” He quickly zipped through the trees and knelt by the bubbling brook. “I wouldn’t want to return now and let everyone see us in this state!”
Impulsivity at its finest, one of the many things that Shadow admired about his king. He followed behind Sonic’s lead with grace. The idea of washing up with him was waking the butterflies in his belly. "I suppose..." he said, uncertain, "I'll stand guard while you get cleaned up."
Sonic took off his helmet and shook his quills before popping off his armored gloves and boots. “Suit yourself.” He dunked them in the water and swirled them around, allowing the stream to carry their grime away. He placed his belt and sword against a mossy rock before sitting down and kicking his feet.
True to his word, Shadow quickly picked a place to stand, watching for any danger that might be lurking about. and turned to give Sonic some privacy. He heard the king playing with the water, then silence, and finally, a splash. The cold water that hit his neck sent a shiver up his spine, and he instinctively turned to check on the king, only to see him fully unclothed. Shadow almost blushed. "W-why did you splash me, sir?"
Sonic’s blue fur was becoming purple in the setting sun, haloing his frame as he prepared to splash Shadow again. “Hurry up and wash up too! It’ll only get colder!”
"Huh? You... you want me to... bathe with you?" Shadow was taken aback. He'd never been close enough to someone to endure bathing with them. But, if it's what his highness wanted... "Are you sure? I hardly think this is appropriate," he argued.
There would be nothing more pleasant than to wash up with Sonic. He looked so ethereal in the light of the setting sun, water dripping off his fur. Who could resist? Shadow checked the surrounding area, but saw no one, and gracefully slid still clothed into the waist high water to join him.
Sonic squeezed at his quills to get the water out but froze as he saw Shadow gracefully undress from his armor. His knight in shining armor, which was now laid a side on the rocks.
Shadow couldn't believe he was doing this. A bath! With the only person he adored. The water was cold, but refreshing as he started scrubbing away as much mud as he could. He focused on his skin and desperately tried to avoid eye contact.
Sonic wadded in the blue stream. “Do you think water feeds into the kingdom? I mean if it does, then it's practically like bathing in the normal chambers right?”
Meeting his gaze was unavoidable now, and Shadow couldn't help but blush a little. Those beautiful green eyes are impossible to resist. "I would assume so, sir," he replied, unsure how to add to the conversation. He reached behind himself, attempting and failing to wash the muck off his back. He spoke softly to himself, "Damn, can't reach."
“I can help!” Sonic cheerily replied and grabbed a bit of cloth from his sash. “Here, turn around.”
The knots in Shadow’s stomach only got tighter as he turned around like he was told. "Are you sure this is... appropriate, sir? Shouldn't I be washing you?" he asked, hoping some humor would make him less nervous. No one had ever really been intimate with him like this before, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't thrill him a little.
Too bad the King didn’t register it as humor. “Nonsense! I don’t even like servants doing that anyway.” Sonic pressed his palms against Shadow’s sculpted back, and rubbed the cloth between his shoulder blades. “Chao can barely wash themselves, you know? So I’m used to this.”
Sonic's hands felt so nice on his fur, so gentle and careful. The cloth was soft too, and effective in removing the mud. Shadow’s tail wagged instinctively a few times, eyes closing as his king continued to wash him. "That feels... nice," he admitted quietly. He was trying hard not to overreact to all the warmhearted touches he was receiving.
Sonic bit his lip, quickly realizing that his ministrations were perhaps going too far, and that he was taking advantage of his knight. “Um, maybe we should…” he stopped rubbing Shadow’s shoulders with the washcloth, “...maybe we should take camp in the woods?“ He nervously stepped back from his knight, but not before tugging on one of Shadow’s red and black quills affectionately.
A rush of emotions and desires surged within the king's heart, but a wave of concern washed over him just as fast. Torn between longing and the responsibility he was duty bound to maintain, he tried not to take advantage of Shadow or press his feelings onto him too much.
"Camp? In the woods?" Shadow turned to look at Sonic. "We don't have any supplies or food, my liege. Are you certain you'd like to spend the night here?"
“Yeah! I mean, we’re the toughest things out here right!?” He posed heroically and hoped his candor covered his nervousness. “We can build a fire and find a secluded place- a mean-! You know- a place to sleep that's away from the roads and what not.” Sonic started to climb the embankment and gripped his sword’s hilt.
Shadow followed behind, stepping out of the stream and shaking the excess water off his fur and quills. He didn't really like the idea of his lord staying in the wilderness where all sorts of danger could lurk. "Whatever you desire, your highness," he said with a little bow. Shadow knew it was dangerous, but ignored it because his urge to spend a night with his king was stronger. He then took the pieces of his armor to quickly wash off in the water and put it back on.
Sonic donned his regal gear. “It's been so stuffy in the castle, what's wrong with a day out?”
Shadow bowed."I'll do everything in my power to make this an enjoyable experience for you."
Sonic valiantly pointed towards the forest. “Then let's go and see if we can’t find some-“ but as he spoke, he ripped his flower filled satchel on a jutting rock.
Flowers fell all over the ground, and Shadow immediately knelt down to help gather them up. He tried to be ginger with them, so the petals would stay intact. "Your, uh, flowers, sir?" He stood back up, reaching his flower-filled hands out to Sonic.
Sonic froze, his face flushed crimson and purple. He didn’t reach out to take them and simply wrung the fabric pouch in his hands.
"...sir?" Shadow repeated. "Is everything alright? Would you like me to dispose of these?" He could see Sonic's blush, but was completely oblivious as to why he was flustered in the first place.
Sonic took a deep breath through his nostrils before tugging on the bag’s helm. “I-I got them for you.” He hid his face inside the cowl. “I went to the marshland to get them before the season ended.”
"For... me?" Shadow looked down at the orchids. They were beautiful, almost as beautiful as the one who picked them. His usual stoic demeanor faltered for a moment, revealing a rare vulnerability as his voice took on a slightly nervous tone, "I... I can't remember the last time someone gifted me something. Thank you, sire." He carefully tucked the bushel orchids away in his own satchel, keeping them close.
But then, he hesitated. With a mixture of shyness and admiration, he placed one orchid against Sonic’s ear and another by his own. "It... it looks great on you, my king," he murmured softly, his voice betraying a hint of bashfulness.
Sonic awkwardly scratched behind his neck and made his quills shift inside his helm. “Y-you’re welcome.”
After flashing a small smile, Shadow looked around, trying to ignore his quickened heartbeat. He gestured for Sonic to follow him, walking towards the woods. It didn't take too long until he found a gorgeous clearing, flowers and mushrooms growing all around, thick branches scattered about. "I can make you a little shelter with these branches, sir. Keep you safe and dry, should it decide to rain."