Greetings and salutations! I came up with a new story idea this morning. I know I already have a few other ongoing stories but if I don't start this idea when it first shows up, I will forget it and it will never be written.

This is an AU story set in medieval times in a made up world. The only thing that carries over from EEdE is the characters and some personal details from the show. I wanted to write outside of the normal KevEdd setting. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Love Eden

It was a beautiful day in the kingdom of Stone Brook. The capital was overflowing with citizens getting ready for the final harvest of the summer. Food was plenty and this harvest had been the best the country had seen in quite some time. There was another reason to celebrate in the capital. The first prince, Prince Kevin, was turning 18, the year a prince starts taking responsibility of his future country. Prince Kevin was well loved by his people. He trained with the young knights, took part in local hearings from time to time, and gone to other countries to speak on his father's behalf. All in all, he was growing up to be a fine young prince.

But, while everyone was celebrating, the prince was trudging through the halls of the palace to run an errand for his father. A servant had come to his room right before he was about to leave, bidding him to seek out a book from the library and to bring it to the war room, to his father.

"Are there not other servants who could fetch this for the king?" Kevin grumbled. "The boys are waiting for me at the Brawny Broad."

The library was on the opposite side of the castle from Kevin's room but the celebrations cleared out most of the castle. There were a few servants and maids finishing errands but no one else. The walk to the library was peaceful. Prince Kevin was accustomed to being accompanied everywhere he went, whether it was his guards, his friends, or his teachers. This was the first time he was truly alone.

The large, oak doors to the library stood open. A light breeze drifted into the hallway, bringing the smell of leather and paper into the passageway. Kevin was always intrigued by the smell of old books. One of his teachers told him the smell came from the pages slowly breaking down, releasing the fragrance that most associate with old books. It had been a while since the prince had stepped foot into the library. When he was younger, his lessons would be held on one of the large wooden tables scattered throughout the library. The teachings transitioned from book learning to practical learning after his 10th birthday.

A voice pulled Prince Kevin from his thoughts. Someone was muttering in the library, close enough for Kevin to hear but far enough that the words were not coherent. Looking inside, Kevin saw one of the librarians flitting from book shelf to book shelf, her long robes flowing as they went. Kevin could not see the librarian's face, a large plum of raven black hair obscuring everything. It was quite an amusing and adorable sight.

"Excuse me?" Kevin finally interrupted.

The librarian tripped, startled at the sudden noise. The large stack of books she was carrying toppled from her hands and papers went everywhere. Kevin rushed forward, worried that she had injured herself. What kind of prince would he be if he did not help a lady in distress – even if he was the cause of it?

The librarian frantically tried to collect the fallen books, muttering apologies all the while. Kevin helped pick up a few, trying to get a better look at her face. He did not remember an apprentice librarian from his former days in the library so he was curious.

"Are you injured? I did not mean to startle you, only to get your attention." Kevin smiled, handing her a heavy leather book.

Her voice was light and had a musical quality to it. "There is no need to apologize to me, my lord. I have always been clumsy and easily startled."

"Are you sure?" Kevin asked.

Reaching across the distance between them, Kevin tucked the thick, raven locks behind her ear, revealing the face that lay beneath. The first thing he noticed was the bright blue eyes that gazed into his soul. He had never seen such blue eyes. It was like looking at the sky on a cool spring day. Her face was smooth, her skin wonderfully pale and without blemish. She had a cute button nose and beautiful pink lips. The light that came from the large, open windows made her glow like an angel. Dust particles floated around her, drifting lazily in the breeze off of the lake. It was like a waking dream, one that Kevin did not wish to wake from.

How had Kevin not seen such a beauty in the castle before? He knew most of the subjects in the castle but not her. Maybe she spent most of her days here in the library, a place rarely visited by the prince. Or, she could be new to the castle. Both were viable options.

A light blush dusted her cheeks under the prince's intense gaze. "Is there something I can help you with, my lord?"

"Oh- yes, I am looking for a book at the request of my father." Kevin helped her to her feet, blushing as he realized he was openly staring.

She set her books down on a nearby table. "What is the title of the book?"

"The Lineage of the Red Knights, I think." Kevin said, straining to remember what the servant said.

The librarian laughed. "Who would need such a drab book? I have read it, as I have read most of the books in this library, and I can say that it is not a fun book to read."

"When does the king ever read fun book?" Kevin chuckled.

She stopped moving suddenly, like a deer in a hunter's sight. The familiar manner she had fell away immediately.

She turned suddenly towards Kevin and bowed deeply. "My prince, I apologize for informal interaction I was giving. I did not recognize you nor did I mean to insult the king by suggesting he does not read interesting books. Please forgive me."

Kevin was taken aback by the sudden change in behavior. "It's quite alright. I actually prefer you smiling rather than bowing. Please, lift your head. What is your name?"

She shifted from foot to foot. "My name is Eddward, but most call me Edd."

Now Kevin was very confused. That was not the name he was expecting from such an ethereal looking creature. He stepped forward to take a closer look at Edd. The robes hid the figure underneath and the long hair had softened Edd's facial features. There was no hint of stubble on his face and his frame was willowy, like a woman's.

Coughing, Kevin turned away from Edd. "Yes, well Edd, it is alright. There is no need to ask for forgiveness. Now, could you retrieve that book for me?"

Edd hurried off, vanishing into the labyrinth of book shelves. A weight settled on Kevin when he was alone. The feeling in his chest when he first saw Edd did not go away once his gender was revealed. That worried Kevin the most. This time in his life was critical for both himself and his country. Now that he was of age, the king and queen will be trying to set him up with a princess from another kingdom to cement an alliance. His mother always warned him about following a flight of fancy. She said it would only lead to heart ache in the end for him and the object of his affection.

One thing he did not count on was the object of his affection being another man.

"Here it is, you majesty. Sorry for the delay, it was high on a shelf and I had to retrieve a ladder." Edd said smiling softly, handing Kevin a large tome. "Please be careful with this book. It is rather old and was not taken care of properly. Return it at your leisure, Prince Kevin."

With a quick bow, Edd vanished back into the book shelves of the library, the tails of his robes floating elegantly behind him. An empty feeling filled Kevin, like all the warmth left his body. Shivering, Kevin held the book to his chest, looked at where Edd disappeared one last time – as if willing him back – and finally leaving the library.

King Barr sat at the head of the table at the war room. The meeting was stalled awaiting the arrival of their prince. There was a land dispute between two lords and the Red Knight lineage would settle it. Servants milled around the room, refilling goblets with wine to appease the restless lords and knights.

"Where is that boy?" The king grumbled, stealing glances at the door from time to time.

The prince was usually punctual, as he was trained to be. This was the first time in a while that Kevin was late to anything. It was a simple task. Go to the library. Get a book. Bring it back to the war room. How difficult was that?

"Prince Kevin II!" Cried the announcer as the large doors opened.

A flustered Kevin walked into the war room, clutching a large book to his chest. He went to his father's chair, bowed, and handed the book over. Something inside him wanted to keep the book close. It was the last thing that Edd touched. The smell of dust and leather that came from the book was a pleasant reminder of the dark haired boy. But his father needed the book. Kevin knew that a servant would return the book and he did not want to draw attention to himself by asking to return it.

"Thank you, Kevin. You are dismissed. Go have fun with your friends." The king said, already flipping through the book.

Kevin was accustomed to being dismissed so easily by his father. He was a man of few words, even with his family. The bright red hair that both the king and the prince sported was a warning of a greater underlying anger that was under tight reigns. Kevin had to learn at an early age to control his temper to become more like his father, stoic and regal. Usually such a dismissal would annoy Kevin but his mind was still stuck in the library with the raven haired boy.

The inn was lively by the time Kevin was able to leave the palace. Festivities were in full swing throughout the surrounding town. Colorful flags and streamers stretched across the narrow streets from windows and balconies. Children were running through the streets, laughing and squealing. Kevin was stopped more than a few times by some of his subjects to wish his a happy birthday. The citizens adored their prince. He was kind, just, and brave. All the maidens of the land swooned when he smiled or dedicated a tournament to his mother. He did everything right as a proper prince.

The Brawny Broad was a short distance from the castle gate, making it an easy meeting place for Kevin and his friends. The inn was run by a few retired female guards, hence the Brawny Broad. They ran a tight ship. No one was stupid enough to cross any of these women after one man had a bottle shattered over his head.

"So the prince finally decided to grace us mortals with his presence!"

Nathan, a young knight and Kevin's closest friend, strode towards the prince with arms open, a mead in each hand. The patrons cheered, raising their glasses to their prince. Kevin smiled and accepted a mug from Nat. Hands slapped his back and ruffled his hair as the pair walked back to their usual table at the back of the inn.

The table was crowded with smiling faces. Rolf, the son of the head of agriculture, waved a half eaten turkey leg at them. Jim, the son of the local entertainer, stood and bowed with much showmanship. Jimmy, the son of the royal tailor, smiled shyly from his seat. Nat took his seat next to Jimmy, putting an arm around his arm around him.

Kevin took his place at the head of the table, the place always left for him. Even though his men were his friends, they made sure to be respectful of his position and authority. It was all formality really. When they were in public, his friends had to give him the respect deserved of a prince. He hated that they were bound by such respect. All he wanted was to act like a normal person around his friends, not a prince with a future ruling the country. Only in private was he able to truly relax.

The group talked and laughed merrily. The bar maid, Eve, kept a steady supply of drinks and food on the house. There were a few perks of being a prince. They all got a little rowdier as the day gave way to night. A traveling minstrel set up next to an open window, singly anything and everything from romance ballads to adventure tales.

"Hey Jimmy, you know most of the people in the castle right?" Kevin asked, nursing a cup of mead.

Jimmy nodded. "All of the workers in the castle come to Pa to fix their clothes and order new ones. Why?"

"I ran into someone earlier who I didn't recognize. Do you know the young man that works in the library?"

"Are you speaking of Eddward?"

Kevin nodded.

Jimmy set down his cup and turned to fully face Kevin. "He is relatively new to the castle. He hails from a kingdom to the north called Eloria. Your father and the king of Eloria have been talking of a trade treaty. Eddward, an apprentice at his grand library, came to the castle as a show of good faith. The king has no children but is close to the boy. Pa and I had his official robes made a few weeks ago."

Kevin had heard of Eloria. It was a smaller kingdom that sat under a mountain range. It was true that the king was without an heir. Kevin had met him long ago when he came to visit. He was a pale man with short, black hair. There was a stoic sense about him that demanded respect from those around him. It was easy to see him as a just king to the small country.

"He is an interesting man." Jimmy smiled. "I have never met someone quite like him."

Neither have I, Kevin thought as he took another sip of his drink.

I hope you are intrigued by this because I have fallen in love with this story. I am aiming from something outside of the norm. Please favorite, follow, and review!