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Two Crowns and a Gold Cup

Summary:

Two Crowns and a Gold Cup
And they're coming for your throne, love.
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It was not long ago that two kingdoms lived in complete disarray. Divided geologically by a massive ravine and socially by a matter of class, intelligence, and skill, the Altean kingdom and Galra empire had been at war for eons. Through hundreds of diplomatic meetings and negotiations, it never mattered what one kingdom had to offer, the other one was always better. Infinitely, in fact. One kingdom to rise above it all- there was no room for compliance or coordination. One kingdom to rule them all, that was the goal. And how far that goal was, is where our story begins, a massive problem and a smaller solution.
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A gritty dark royalty AU fic featuring Galra Prince Keith and Altean Prince Lance possibly falling in love?

Notes:

Hello! This is my new Klance fic, a royalty AU! I'm super super excited for this fic and hope you guys enjoy it. This is the exposition so I'm eager to get to the actual story in the next chapter!

The title is based on Carry Your Throne by Jon Bellion.

You can find the playlist for this fic here!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7b22z9zl2l8shC1p9lBp8e?si=jShwN5t2QJWXgbRJ4ZAnLQ

Chapter 1: Exposition

Chapter Text

It was not long ago that two kingdoms lived in complete disarray. Divided geologically by a massive ravine and socially by a matter of class, intelligence, and skill, the Altean kingdom and Galra empire had been at war for eons. Through hundreds of diplomatic meetings and negotiations, it never mattered what one kingdom had to offer, the other one was always better. Infinitely, in fact. One kingdom to rise above it all- there was no room for compliance or coordination. One kingdom to rule them all, that was the goal. And how far that goal was, is where our story begins, a massive problem and a smaller solution.

But to really understand the stakes of this solution, we must read back to the beginning of the problem, where it had all started. In the beginning, there was only one people- one land with no higher power. The creatures there had lived in complete harmony, together in an effort to survive and adapt. That was always the issue though, adapting.

With adapting comes learning and becoming anew- something the people had never done before. What began as learning to craft tools for foraging to weapons for killing, it soon became learning loving another as a partner to hating another as an enemy.

The social hierarchy was created, the need for power and the need for a leader. Once the people’s colony had become large enough, chaos was inevitable without the guidance of one voice. This began the Great War, a battle that has not stopped since. Fighting for the right of leadership over the land, the one group of people split off into two groups, who became kingdoms and continued to evolve.

Soon, stone was not enough for a weapon and steel was created instead. Clubs became spears, spears to swords, swords to traps- small mud huts grew into massive castles with marble walls and quartz ceilings. Rags became riches and soon, there were whole civilizations with economies, social status, law, and rituals. And so the two groups became the land of Altea and the land of Dibazaal, great nations divided by a massive ravine in the middle of the land.

The Great War only ravaged lands though, constant fighting and less thriving. This didn’t feel like development, constantly warring against the neighbours- this felt like slipping back into the same archaic journey they had started on. Although development had taken hundreds of thousands of years for the groups, to fall back into something so savage seemed so quick.

They had to find a solution and they had to find one quickly, it was only a matter of time before both kingdoms would ultimately fall and create a new era of chaos and abandonment.

It was only after both royal families had birthed sons that the new solution had appeared- union by marriage. It was something so simple and small yet so difficult, to marry their sons at the proper age and bring the nations together. It wasn’t the favorite decision but it was their only one.

The kingdoms decided to await the twenty first birthdays of both babies so a historical betrothal could take place to unite the land. In this would be ceremonies from both groups, which would ultimately become a new ceremony of a new land. It was all they could do at this point. Only then could the kingdoms live in a new time of peace.

The land of Altea presented their son first, heir and Prince to Altea, Laynan. His name meaning Bringer of Spring, he was born in the time of harvest, a good omen to the people of the land that things would be okay and he would bring an infinite amount of peace. The whole land was invited to Altea for a celebratory ball, Galra empire and Dibazaal included. Laynan was going to be meant to be the fighter of the future, the one who would join with the Galran Empire and influence the new kingdom with the ways of Altea to form a new culture.

Laynan was born unto King Alfor and Queen Melenor, with an older sister, Princess Allura. Under the command of the Altean Empire, he was sure to bring honor to the kingdom and much more for their people and the entire land. He was their future.

The land of Dibazaal offered their heir up mere days after Laynan’s birth, presenting their son, prince, and heir, Yorak. His name, similar to Laynan, meant Bringer of War. While the Galra empire didn’t have the resources to throw a ball as extravagant as the Alteans, they did extend an invitation to the Altean empire to visit and meet their future emperor. Yorak had a similar purpose as Laynan; to join with the Altean empire and influence the ways of Dibazaal into their culture to create a stronger nation.

Yorak was born unto Queen Krolia, the matriarch, and the Duke, Texx, with no siblings- an only child his entire life. Under the command of the Galran empire and the land of Dibazaal, Yorak was expected to bring power and ultimate order to the lands.

Together, the two would marry in their twenty-first year and bring ultimate peace through the lands after spending their early years formulating a plan to bring the lands together.

This isn’t how it happened, that’s how a story is supposed to go though, I suppose?

For the boys, peace was not an option, it never had been and probably never would be either. By their eighth year, Laynan and Yorak had already become enemies of one another, refusing to discuss their lands in a civil manner. It was not as future consorts would react. Both sets of parents were quite shocked at how completely incompatible the boys had become.

Fortunately, for them and for the state of the land, there lived a witch who resided inside the ravine between kingdoms. Her name was Haggar. She was an old Altean witch with a magic and a promise to bring the boys together to ensure peace by their twenty-first birthdays. She promised the spell to work but only if each empire would sacrifice something their lands would find impossible to live without. She promised it would be completely worth it in the future.

The empires decided to do it- anything for the Land.

Altea decided to sacrifice the spring.

For the next thirteen years, the empire promised to continue to thrive without springtime. They would continue to work with Dibazaal to ensure the connection of kingdoms, all without the most important time of the year. Through this sacrifice, spring would eventually be known as ‘The Time of the Gift’. While it wasn’t a gift, a terrible time of loss, worse than Winter, the people of the land knew that it would become a gift soon. Everyone would yearn for Spring to return.

Dibazaal agreed to sacrifice war.

For the next thirteen years, the Galran people would agree to live in peace with other lands and not bear weapons against their enemies for that time. They would continue to build up their kingdom and expand their horizons of power through peace and negotiation, rather than violence. No war would be able to tear the two crowns apart.

And when both kingdoms had agreed upon their sacrifices, the ceremony would commence.

The ceremony required the attendance of both royal families. Meeting in a decrepit forest, full of rot and the stench of death, they would father around a campfire and drop in symbols of their sacrifices. It was the ultimate act.

Altea would go first, as their son had been born first.

Melenor chooses a juniberry flower, their symbol of spring and new beginnings. Alfor chooses to drop their best crop of the season into the fire, and the flames are sure to lick it up and burn each item into ash. Laynan is last, offering his blood and his name. He would go by something else for the next thirteen years to ensure the ‘Bringing of Spring’ would halt completely. He chooses a new name; Lance.

Dibazaal is next to go, the Galrans stepping up to the fire.

Krolia chooses a long dagger, engraved with the symbol of the royal guard, the Marmora. Texx goes next and chooses to drop in his battle helm. Yorak is last, like Lance, and follows with his own sacrifices, his blood and his name. He would go by something else for the next thirteen years to ensure the ‘Bringing of War’ would halt completely. He chooses a new name; Keith.

And so, after the ceremony, the thirteen year era of Peace would begin.