"Good heavens! This party is awfully boring," the King whined.

It was his own party, but he was just so bored of it all. During every ball, it was the same people, the same music, the same everything!

However, today would be different! Because today, he had invited two men who he had never invited to any of his parties before and who were quite interesting to him. They hadn't arrived yet and the King wondered how they dared to keep their King waiting!

But then, as the man was turning angry, a trumpet was heard and a loud voice announced: "Sir Kristof and Sir Armin!"

The King waited with anticipation until two men walked through the heavily decorated doors. There they finally were, the ones he'd so eagerly waited for. Especially for Armin... He hadn't forgotten the young man who dared to go against him. The boy was so refreshing!

Whispers could be heard as the unusual duo walked in. Beauty and the Beast were the words used to describe them.

Both men bowed before the King, who hastily waved them inside and ordered they could mingle with the party.

Kristof and Armin talked a little and got familiar with the rest of the royal family and the King's advisers. Later, they joined the rest of the guests.

Armin's eyes almost popped out. The ceiling was one big painting. Skies with clouds, Godlike figures, golden curls. He has never seen anything like that before. Huge chandeliers with thousands of crystals hung from the ceiling, and a big fountain stood in the middle of the ballroom. The King and his family sat on a large table stacked with food. For the guests, the servants walked around with big platters containing drinks and appetizers.

Everywhere he looked, he saw gold, crystals, stones, statues, and paintings. It was overwhelming.

"Do you...perhaps want to dance with me?" Kristof asked Armin.

"Oh...uh, I can't dance." Armin had learned some dance steps, but the dances here were a lot more complicated than the dances in his farmer's village.

"This song is very simple. You don't have to do anything but trust me. Do you trust me, Armin?" Kristof asked as he stretched out his hand.

"I... do." Armin reached for the other's hand and followed him.

"Place your hand here." Kristof took Armin's hand and placed it on his shoulder until it was holding him in the right position. He then placed his wooden hand on Armin's back and in his other hand, he took Armin's free one.

They slowly moved around, floating over the floor.

To Kristof, it felt as if they were the only ones on the floor and no one else was there. He could even smell Armin's rosy bath fragrance that still lingered in his hair after his bath yesterday evening.

When the song had finished, a servant came to tell them that the King requested their attention.

~~~

"I have made some cookies myself!" the King spoke proudly and held up a plate with brown round cookies in front of him. Never in his life had he cooked or baked before.

Every member of the table got a cookie and Armin got one too. There weren't enough to give Kristof one.

"Ok, now I want everybody to take a bite when I say 'yes'. Everyone, but Armin. You must wait, Armin." He looked at the others and then ordered for them to eat. "And what do you think of my cookies, can your King not bake the best ones?" he asked.

"Yes my lord, the best."

"These cookies are exquisite, your highness."

"I've never tasted such a good cookie, your grace."

After hearing all these compliments, the King was very proud of himself. Then he turned to Armin. "Okay, Armin, now I want you to have a bite, and tell me what you think."

Armin did as the King had ordered and besides the taste of sugar, butter, and oats, he tasted something else. Something he would like to describe as...sick eggy vomit.

With some trouble, he managed to swallow the disaster "treat".

"And Armin, how was it?"

Armin looked at Kristof and saw that the other had already noticed what was going on. He knew Armin found them disgusting. Kristof shook his head; a sign for Armin to just tell the cookie was nice.

But Armin couldn't say it. He couldn't be a hypocrite. Not in front of Kristof.

"It was..." he swallowed. "It was disgusting, your grace."

Kristof almost had a heart attack while everybody else at the table sat dumbfounded by the fearlessness of the young man.

The King stood up and stomped to Armin, yanked the cookie out of his hand, and went to sit back at the table. He took a big bite and with a blank look on his face, he started to chew. Seconds later he spat cookie chunks out of his mouth, right in the face of his most trustworthy adviser.

"These taste horrific! How could all of you people say they were delicious? It seems once again that the only person I can trust is young master Armin over there!" He pointed at Armin while chunks kept spilling out as he talked.

"..."

As the King looked at Armin, he noticed something sparkling at his neck.

"That is a charming piece of jewelry you have on you, Armin. I wouldn't mind having that myself," he said.

"Thank you, your grace," Armin answered back.

"Perhaps you want to offer it to your King as a gift, Sir Armin." The King's adviser suggested while rubbing off little pieces of cookie and spit with his handkerchief.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give it to him."

"Just give it to him," Kristof whispered in Armin's ear. Was the younger really doing this to him again?

"You dare to deny your King?" the adviser asked/

"I'm sorry, the King can get any other piece of jewelry that I possess, but not this one," Armin explained. They had to snatch it off his cold dead body if they wanted to have it!

"Why is that? Is it that special?" the King asked intrigued.

"Yes... It was a gift from someone," Armin replied.

Kristof touched Armin's shoulder softly. He didn't want Armin to be in danger over this diamond.

"From whom?"

"From my...husband," Armin answered.

It was the first time he'd called Kristof his husband and the older couldn't believe his ears.

"Ah, the husband that you find so unattractive? I remember how you spoke of him last time we met." The King let out a chuckle.

Armin heard the other people snickering and laughing.

"I...I don't find him unattractive anymore, your grace."

Kristof's eyes grew wide. If he wasn't so tense about the King's reaction, he would be over the moon with joy. What the hell was Armin doing?

"Ah, is that so? Hmmm...Kiss him then..." the King ordered.

Armin heard the voice of a lady behind him speaking, "That man is too ugly to be even kissed by a frog."

Oh, he would show her! He turned to face Kristof, who could hardly process what was going on and was looking at him with a shocked expression. He then took a step closer, closing the distance between him and his husband, and cupped his hands around Kristof's face.

He heard the people whispering with anticipation. They couldn't believe how such a handsome young man had placed his hand on that grotesque scar.

Slowly, Armin craned his head. He heard Kristof's breath speeding up, and felt little breaths of his sweet air against his own face. His heart pounded in his chest. He closed his eyes, their noses already touched. Just a little bit, until...

"Stop!"