Work Text:
“Long live Stein!”
“All hail Wysteria!”
As loud cheers erupted on the common hall, from nobles and soldiers alike, the queen could only watch in absolute boredom despite the fact that she had a smile frozen in place.
After grueling months of negotiations, the kingdoms of Stein and Wysteria have finally decided to reach a compromise. The two big kingdoms, realising that they were being manipulated by a common enemy, placed down their swords and went into a series of talks to settle the problem. It wasn’t easy, since Stein was a kingdom who didn’t really care for diplomatic relationships. This time, however, was different. There were too many at stake to ignore Wysteria.
One of them, and probably the most important, was the blossoming relationship between the princess of Wysteria and Stein’s chief royal adviser, Byron Wagner.
The queen looked around the huge room, trying to locate Byron and found him and the princess headed to the balcony. Just the two of them. Shaking her head, with a small smile on her face, she turned to quietly leave.
Parties weren’t really her thing. Instead of throwing lavish celebrations and making small talk with nobles, she preferred to be in the battlefield, strategizing and tacticizing with the soldiers on how to win the war with minimal loss.
Given the chance, she would’ve wanted to join the kingdom’s military but her king father refused. Being the only child, she was expected to inherit the crown and there was no way he’d be letting the throne go vacant.
But she was a stubborn woman. She made a deal with her king father that she would take over the kingdom when the time comes given that he’d let her enter the military even for a few years. Seeing it as a reasonable compromise, the king agreed. She then became a soldier, showing off some natural talent for close combat and strategizing battle plans.
And when her king father died, as agreed, she took over the throne as Queen of Stein, with her closest friends, Byron Wagner and Albert Burckhardt as her chief advisor and sworn sword, respectively. The nobles and soldiers who knew what she was capable of were very supportive of her.
Totally supportive that they didn’t object when she decided to join the battle against Wysteria.
“Running away again, Your Grace?”
The queen frowned at the strangely familiar male voice that spoke behind her when she was near the door. She didn’t like how the question sounded and she would surely give this bastard a piece of her mind, or even a blade on his throat, for talking to her like that. “Pardon me?” she asked as she turned to look at the one who spoke, only to have her froze when she saw who it was.
It was none other than Captain Alyn Crawford of the kingdom of Wysteria. He’s the commander of the kingdom’s royal guards and the Wysterian princess’ sworn sword.
And he was also the same knight whom she met at the battlefield months ago. The only one she wasn’t able to defeat. Yet.
And the one she made a promise to that they would continue their battle when they see each other again.
But of course, she mused as she kept herself from biting her lip, as far as he knew, he made that promise to an ordinary knight from Stein’s forces, not the Queen of Stein herself. There was no need to panic. All she should do was to stay calm and act like the queen she was. Everything will be fine.
“Is Her Grace leaving the party already?” Alyn asked as he approached her, his crimson orbs never leaving her face, as if he was searching something in it.
“I’m not really fond of parties,” she said as she subconsciously wrinkled her nose at the thought of so many people getting drunk and crazy, just like what was happening as of the moment. She’d rather be sitting quietly in front of the fireplace, reading a good book and sipping her favourite freshly-brewed coffee. It was the best way to relax and celebrate if you ask her, not some huge celebration where people get drunk together.
But wait, why was she explaining herself to a knight? And most of all, a knight from another kingdom?
The sudden loud cheers up front made the two of them look up and she groaned when she realised what was about to happen. “Not again,” she muttered under her breath as she grabbed Alyn’s hand without thinking and began dragging said knight out of the hall. “Hurry,” she hissed when he seemed to lag behind her.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his expression and posture tensed as he followed her. There wasn’t any threat, was there?
“I’m saving you from those idiots back there,” she said when she stopped walking. Alyn realised that she had brought him to the garden. “I’ll tell you something. Stein may seem to be dignified and serious on the outside but we tend to have idiotic sides sometimes.” She rolled her eyes at her own words which made him laugh. “What are you laughing at?”
“I just can’t believe that the feared ruler of Stein could be this cute.” Alyn grinned when she flushed a little at his compliment. “Especially when she blushes.”
“I just saved you from a freaking kissing game!” she exclaimed, a scowl on her face. “Yeah, they’re going to have that stupid kissing game again. Turn off the lights, grab someone and kiss them for a few minutes. Idiots.”
“That’s a weird game,” Alyn commented before his attention was diverted to their still intertwined hands. His brow arched when he noticed the few callouses and tiny wounds on her hands, something that was quite unusual for a monarch, let alone a female. “Were you, by any chance, doing some sword training?” he asked as he brought her hand closer to his face so he could thoroughly examine it, suspicions forming in his mind.
The queen froze for a moment before she pulled her hand away from Alyn’s grip. “It’s none of your business,” she snapped, internally panicking though her face remained neutral on the outside. “Good night, Sir Alyn,” she gave him a little curtsey then she turned to leave. But she had just only taken a few steps when Alyn spoke again, his words stopping her on her tracks.
“Well, you promised me we’d continue the fight when we meet again, right?” He grinned when she turned to look at him with a glare. “You really think I won’t recognise you, Your Grace? You may have dressed as a man on the battlefield but I know a woman when I see one.”
“And you want to continue the fight because you want to prove that women can’t beat you?” she hissed as she turned to fully face him again, her arms crossed over her chest. And she thought this knight was different. Ever since Wysteria’s entourage arrived that morning, she had been observing Alyn Crawford and found him to be admirable because of his dedication to his job.
But maybe she misjudged him?
“I don’t really care who wins,” Alyn said which pulled her out of her thoughts. “It was the first time, after my twin brother decided to quit training, that I found someone who’s as talented as him, or even better, in battle. I have never felt so alive as when that time I clashed swords with you on the battlefield.”
“You are weird,” she said, amidst her pounding heart. Alyn’s words, no matter how quirky it sounded, made her heart skip a beat for reasons unknown. And despite not truly comprehending what’s going on, she knew she had to leave immediately. If she wanted to save herself, that is.
But save herself from what?
“And you’re prettier when you blush, Queen.” Alyn grinned when she glared again at him, her blush deepening. “So about your promise?”
They stared at each other for a while, silently assessing the other before she let out a sigh. When she became the queen, she made a silent promise to herself that she would never make promises she couldn’t keep. “Fine. Meet me at the training area early morning tomorrow. I’m going to kick your ass for good.”
“I really don’t think a lady, especially a queen, should be saying ‘ass’.” Alyn laughed when he just earned a ‘shut up’ from her. “Tomorrow then, My Queen,” he said as he watched her walk away. When he was sure she was out of earshot, he hit himself lightly on the forehead. “Ah, Alyn. Challenging her into another fight? Why can’t you just ask her out instead of making excuses to spend time with her?”