So, about the Prince x Knight AUs that are going around today yesterday. That's so fun. So juicy. I want to munch on it.
Disclaimer: It's heavily influenced by the early Plantagenets and The Lion in Winter because I'm predictable.
Ilya is not the heir to his father's throne, that's Alexei. He's the spare, a necessity of caution turning into an ever present danger upon reaching adulthood. Alexei is a mediocre warrior who compensates his shortcomings with cruelty, a man who acts on impulse and venality and rarely stops to think, and who spends his days and nights in company of fake friends and bottles of wine.
Ilya is beautiful and strong, a wonderful warrior, a cunning strategist, and a charming politician. He's a favorite of the tourneys and known all around the continent as one of the best knights alive.
Alexei hates him so, so much.
Grigori respects Ilya more than Alexei, but loves none of them. The crown of Fantasy Moscow will go to Alexei and the lands they own in Fantasy Canada, a wealthy commerce hub in a strategic position that we're going to call the Duchy of Boston, will go to Ilya because he can actually defend it.
Alexei doesn't take this lying down.
He becomes a good friend of Crowell, the king of Fantasy Canada, and they make a secret pact in which, at his father's death, he'll support Alexei's claim as the rightful lord of those lands. (Crowell is obviously planning to betray Alexei and wants him in power because he's weaker. Alexei kind of knows?? but like not really??? and he's maybe planning to use those lands to attack Fantasy Canada and become the king of both kingdoms but also plan is the wrong word because he has no idea of how to make it happen???? anyway.)
King Grigori is dead, long live king Alexei! And the moment the sacred oils are warming on his skin and his father's crown is heavy on his brow, he declares his brother a traitor and claims the land he was supposed to inherit.
Ilya raises his banners because OBVIOUSLY he's not going to allow himself to be executed, and fights to reclaim his land. It goes very, very well for him. Alexei turns away and runs from the battlefield on several occasions, to general embarrassment, and ends up weathering the war in Montreal while complaining that Ilya is only winning because treacherous Sergei Vetrov is supporting his claim, as Ilya is engaged/married to his daughter. Also, he says, she's a whore and Alexei didn't even want to marry her in the first place. So there.
Ilya gets to the walls of Montreal, and receives a missive from his brother, challenging him to single combat. Ilya laughs outrageously and accepts the challenge.
Alexei doesn't come to meet him. Instead, he sends King Crowell's favorite champion, the only man who has ever defeated prince Ilya on the lists. Sir Shane Hollander, heir to the County of Ottawa.
Shane and Ilya look into each other's eyes, remembering all the nights they had spent together, all the clandestine meetings and passionate kisses. All the times they have taken each other half-in and half-out of the armor because they couldn't wait.
And yet. Sir Shane would never betray his king. And Prince Ilya cannot afford to step down.
Their swords kiss to the screams of two armies, and suddenly the two lovers are fighting for their lives.
