#pomni said don't patronize me

[anonymousqualities]

Actually lol at this part

[thescarletnargacuga]

THIS IS PROBABLY VERY SELFISH OF ME...

BUT I WANNA SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO

ARE YOU ABLE TO WRITE A LITTLE FIC OF MY KINGDOM AU SHOWTIME? MAYBE LIKE A CONFESSION?

IF YOU DON'T WANNA THAT'S OK 🩷

A/N: I like writing the characters in different universes and environments. It keeps things fresh :3

THE ROYAL GALA

A KINGDOM AU ONESHOT

AU credit: @allisonraeyt @tadk-ask-blog

WARNING: none

~~~

The Royal Gala is a formal annual event hosted by the different royal families around the world. This year was Prince Caine's turn to host. The castle was cleaned extra spotless and decorated to the nines to impress the visiting royals.

The Gala would be a night of music, dancing and live entertainment. All Royals were expected to attend and dance. This was a gesture of good faith and communion between the kingdoms.

The grand ballroom was vibrantly polished. The marble floor reflected the painted ceiling. Banners displayed the royal seals of every kingdom, but the main color scheme was that of Caine's royal colors. Thousands of mystical lights softly lit the room.

As evening fell over the castle, dozens of carriages filed through the castle gates. Prince Caine was ready to welcome his guests, dressed in his full formal Prince attire. He was rather dashing, if he said so himself. As each guest was announced and welcomed, he couldn't help but look to the grand staircase. Princess Pomni should be down any moment. He couldn't miss her arrival.

~

Pomni was still in her room getting ready with the help of her handmaidens, Gangle and Ragatha. Pomni fussed with her dress as Gangle secured a tiara to Pomni's hair. Ragatha finished Pomni's makeup, "There! You look amazing." Ragatha smiled at Pomni in the mirror.

Pomni smiled back. "Thanks. You did such a good job." Pomni moved her head side to side to inspect how well the makeup was done.

Gangle sis her best to move with Pomni but was having a hard time finishing securing the tiara. "Um...Princess-"

Pomni stood, excited to get downstairs. "Thank you so much! I can't wait to show Caine!" She picked up the front of her dress and quickly went out the door.

Gangle frowned. "...I couldn't finish putting the tiara in place."

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Royal ballroom dancing isn't that strenuous." Ragatha reassured.

~

"Announcing Kinger and Queenie of the Chess Kingdom!" The Royal barker proclaimed, standing at attention.

Kinger and Queenie followed the red carpet to Prince Caine, who welcomed them with a respectful bow. "Good to see you, Kinger. Lovely as always, Queenie." Prince Caine kissed Queenie's hand.

"Charmed, my liege." Queenie graciously accepted Caine's gesture. "You've outdone yourself. The castle looks stunning."

"The staff worked tirelessly to bring out it's beauty. I'm glad it paid off to impress you." Caine chuckled.

"Announcing Princess Pomni of the Digital Kingdom!"

Caine almost cracked his neck turning so fast. His heart skipped a beat. His eyes dilated to the size of dinner plates. There at the top of the stairs in a beautiful pastel pink dress was Pomni. He didn't take his eyes off of her as he walked towards the stairs, shouldering several people that didn't get out of his way.

He met her half way on the stairs, offering her his arm. All eyes were on them, so he kept his voice low. "You're so beautiful."

Pomni took his arm and went the rest of the way down the stairs with him. She blushes lightly from his comment. "Thank you, you look amazing too."

The dancefloor was alive with music and patrons waltzing around the room. Caine escorted Pomni through the crowd to the very center. To prevent dancing from being an awkward experience due to their significant height difference, Caine used his magic to make Pomni float. Pink sparkles fluttered under her feet and dress as she flew at eye height.

Pomni hadn't been expecting it and held tight to Caine's hand. "Woah!" She giggled. "This is cool! I'm not going to get tired anytime soon if I don't actually have to dance."

"And I won't have to break my back bending over." Caine held Pomni's waist and pulled her close, but kept a socially acceptable distance between them. He smiled, his heart overflowing with soft feelings for her. "Guess that means we can dance the night away."

Pomni held his shoulder, so tempted to touch his face. "Yeah....we could." Caine was incredibly handsome on any given day, but under the mood lighting and music, he was striking. She was transfixed as Caine led her in a waltz in time with the other dancers.

Caine moved a bit stiffly at first, finding it hard to focus on getting the timing right as he was distracted by the gorgeous woman in his arms, but relaxed as the song went on. Soon, he didn't pay any mind to the others. He swung and twirled Pomni around just to make her smile and laugh. It didn't matter to him if it matched the music at all.

At the end of a song, Caine leaned Pomni back in a shallow dip. His heart raced, not just from the exercise, but how close he had to hold her. His throat felt dry when he tried to speak. "Princess-" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "Pomni, would you....uh, that is....could I-"

He couldn't get his sentence out fast enough. A new song started and they were separated by new dance partners. He watched Pomni get swept away in the crowd of dancers. While he danced politely with his new partner, he kept his head on a swivel for Pomni.

The spell Caine cast on Pomni kept her afloat as she moved with her new partner. He was some Duke from somewhere she didn't care about. She made eyes with Caine from across the room. She knew she had to do this, but she desperately wanted to get back to Caine.

Caine strategically moved his partner so they wouldn't notice him moving his finger, pointing it at Pomni's partner. The man's shoe came undone and he tripped. Unfortunately, before Caine could dance his way to her, she was taken by a new partner. He huffed with frustration.

Pomni's second partner was less cordial. He danced way too close, making eyes at her that made her uncomfortable. They danced along the outer edge of the dancefloor, and she saw Bubble floating by. "Pixie stick!" She said out loud and Bubble went berserk.

"WHERE!?"

Pomni nodded her head to her dance partner and Bubble swooped in for a bite. The man ran off with Bubble chasing him for a taste. Pomni tries to move on her own, swimming awkwardly through the air in her poofy dress. She got another new partner, but this one she recognized.

Kinger took Pomni's hand with an amused look in his eyes. "Now isn't this convenient. It's not everyday I see you at eye level."

Pomni's small 4'8 stature compared to Kinger's towering 6'10 often made it hard for them to even have a conversation. "Heh, yeah. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Absolutely. Prince Caine knows how to host a proper gala." Kinger danced with Pomni through the remainder of the song. He bowed to her when it was over. "Thank you for the dance, Princess."

Pomni curtsied. "Thank you, your highness." She looked around, but didn't see Caine in the crowd. She didn't want to be taken away by another partner. "Would you help me get a drink? I'm rather parched and it turns out moving around while under a hover spell is rather challenging." She laughed awkwardly.

Kinger held Pomni's hand and guided her to the refreshment table, happy to help. He stayed to have a drink with her and keep anyone from taking her away.

Caine frantically searched for Pomni from the dancefloor, all but ignoring his current dance partner. He spun around quickly, his partner getting terribly dizzy but too polite to say anything. He stopped when he saw Pomni having a drink and smiling with Kinger. It was bad enough that Pomni kept getting taken away by other dance partners but now she's off with KINGER!?

Another dancing couple crashed into Caine and his partner, toppling them to the floor. The other dancing couples went around, trying to ignore the fiasco but many people saw.

Embarrassed, Caine stood quickly and straightened his uniform. The other couple that crashed into him was helping his partner off the floor so he walked away from the situation as quickly as possible. Reputation be damned, he was tired of sharing Pomni all evening.

Pomni laughed at one of Kinger's stories and was about to sip her drink when the magic holding her alot shifted her backwards. "Woah!" She hit Caine back first with a thump. She felt his arm hold around her waist. "Caine??" Her tiara fell forward and she tried to hold it in place.

Caine held eyes with Kinger. "So sorry to interrupt, but Pomni and I have business elsewhere. Good evening." He turned sharply, swinging Pomni around with him and briskly making for a door out on to the veranda.

The outside air was cool and crisp. The veranda overlooked a large lake that reflected the pale moonlight. Cricket and frogs filled the night air with song. Fireflies and moths danced around the mystic lights. No one was outside but Caine and Pomni.

Caine took a deep breath of fresh air. "It's nice to escape the hustle and bustle of society. No drama. No judgement. Just quiet." He didn't let go of Pomni but his grip on her waist relaxed.

"And you dragged me with you because...?" She looked at him with a shy smirk. She could guess, but she wanted to hear him say it.

Caine cleared his voice, knowing he'd been caught. "I apologize for assuming, Princess. I only wished to share the same peace with you. These events can be overwhelming."

"Indeed." Pomni paused for a moment to listen to the night and tried to replace her tiara again. Darn thing kept sliding.

"Allow me." Caine gently took her tiara and placed it on her head, sliding the ends into her hair where it would hold. His hands lingered, brushing down her hair and caressing her cheeks as he slowly pulled away. "There..."

Pomni was flustered by the Prince's attention. "Th-thank...you." she said quietly.

"A princess shouldn't be without her tiara." He stumbled through his sentence, entranced by Pomni's eyes.

"...or her Prince." She said without thinking. "EEP!" She squeaked and tried to hide behind her hands. "I'm SO sorry, I don't know what came over me! I- uh! Um!"

Caine blushed but smiled. He took her hands from her face. "I agree." He said lowly. "Would you honor me with another dance, Princess Pomni?"

Pomni's heart was going mad. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears. "Yes..."

They held close, chests touching as they placed their hands in position to dance Caine led her in a slow and steady waltz across the veranda. Fireflies flew around them as their movements disturbed the insects. They moved to their own music, smiling and giggling as the dance gradually crescendoed.

The dance ended with Caine twirling Pomni out away from him and pulling her back in the closest she's ever been. Both of his arms around her middle, her arms around his neck. Their faces were inches apart, both breathing heavily and flushed from their fun.

The hearts in Caine's eyes told all. He couldn't keep it a secret from her anymore. "Princess-....Pomni. There is something I must confess..."

Pomni's heart leapt. "Yes, Caine?"

"Your beauty and grace has captured my heart and refuses to let it go. I find myself drawn to your presence like a moth to a flame, and you are a blaze I could never control. The day you fell from the sky was the first day of the rest of my life. You are truly a gift from the heavens." Caine poured out his heart and bared his soul. Once it was all out in the open, he subtly held his breath awaiting her response.

Pomni's eyes grew wide and teared a little finally hearing the confession she had hoped for for so long. "Caine, you have no idea how happy you've made me. I've been charmed by you since day one. I could only ever hope to one day have your attention the way you've taken mine."

Caine brushed a loose strand of hair out of Pomni's face and tucked it behind her ear. "You have my full and rapt attention. I wish to court you, Pomni. That perhaps one day...we can rule together."

Pomni smile widened. "I would be honored, but I'm afraid you're already ahead of the curve."

Caine arched a brow. "Oh? How so?"

"I'm already compelled to kiss you. No courting necessary."

Caine's heart skipped a beat. His eyes drifted to her lips, but came back to meet her gaze. He smirked. "Far be it from me to deny a Princess what she desires."

They pulled in together, closing eyes and locking lips to teeth. A sliver of pink magic came from Caine's chest, swirled around the two of them and flew off over the lake to explode into a finale of fireworks.