Eddie: What’s The Problem? Anxiety? Low Self-esteem? Obsessive Thoughts Of Random Arson? I’ve Been

omg… i just learned that a group of crows is called a murder.

crows, as a species, are also known to have funerals😭

The Royal Family | Chapter Two

Summary: When two royal family’s decide to conjoin their countries, they arrange a marriage between their eldest children. Once the two royals meet, it takes a lot of convincing before they are ready to begin their reign together...

Warning: touchy subjects (marriage)

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Type: The Royal Family Series

MASTERLIST

The small pond was a bold jewel of living turquoise, flowing with the gentle and soft breeze in the night sky. The pond was the source of water to the growing weeds surrounding the edges of the pond. The surface of the small rippling waves were black in the late hours of the night. The reflection of the numerous white speckles of starlight were shimmering on the waves. The sky had vanished almost completely, leaving only a few fragments of white starling to remain. The air was rich and course. 

The fragrance of the leaves was streaming through the atmosphere. The time of rain had passed many days ago. However, the rich brown soil had remained wet and damp. The sweet fragrance of wet dirt was lingering around the edge of the pond. The sound of the soft rippling waves of the water in the pond were creating a relaxing hypnotic melody. 

The numerous toads and frogs were croaking in tune with the calming melody in the night. The little green crickets were hopping over the taller steam of grass in the field, singing their own little tune. The fireflies were creating brief little specks of yellow light, flying over the surface of the water in the pond. The entire forest was basking in the awkward silence of the night.

The young princess was currently standing in front of the full length mirror in her quarters. She had changed out of her clothes way too many times to count. She had pinched her cheeks so hard that she was finally able to see the natural red blush on her cheekbones. She did not seem to like the way her hair was falling over her shoulders. She just couldn’t make it look perfect.

Meanwhile, the six men had been standing and waiting in the entrance hall to the grand dining room. The two princes were discussing the likelihood of starting a card game (after dinner). The eldest prince had been talking to his personal assistant who was named Harrison. The two of them were carefully watching the grand staircase, waiting for the princess’s arrival. The two kings were currently standing on the sidelines.

“I deeply apologize for my dear daughter,” the King of the East said. He had just briefly looked down at the pocket watch in his hands. He pursed his lips together in thought. He could only wonder where she might be. “She is not usually this late,” the King of the East confessed.

“I take no offense,” King Dominic laughed. He was quick to wave his hand in dismissal. Though the King of the North did not have any daughters of his own, he did have a wife who would always take her dear sweet time getting ready for various occasions. He knew what it was like to have to wait.

“I am afraid that since there are princes in the palace, she will take her dear sweet time to get ready,” the King of the East replied. He was unaware of the fact that the eldest prince was listening to their conversation. He had turned his head to look towards the three princes, tipping his head to gesture towards them. He smiled at them.

In the background, the young prince had been lingering near the bottom of the staircase. He wasn’t able to look away from the grand staircase standing in front him. He was just waiting for the princess to grace him with her presence. He didn’t want to miss the moment where she came into view.

With some hesitation, Prince Thomas had turned his head to look at his personal assistant standing beside him. He had opened his mouth to ask him a question, but he couldn’t seem to find the right words to phrase it. He closed his mouth again to ponder his thoughts.

“What do you know about the princess?” Thomas wondered. He had forced himself to look back towards the grand staircase in hopes that he didn’t miss the princess walking down the stairs. But he still didn’t see her.

“Her father—the king—is the business man who has always dealt with government matters,” Harrison explained. He had been ordered to find background information on the other royal family. “He didn’t have time to deal with the public. So he appointed his daughter to be the public figure or the people person,” Harrison concluded.

“She meddles in those matters?” Thomas questioned. He was almost shocked and surprised that the princess would be interested in such an issue. He had never heard of a princess that bothered herself with politics.

“And she listens to them. She has been able to bring many of their problems to parliament so that changes can be made. There are some monarchs that care so little about their people,” Harrison confessed. “But she is different. She cares them. She is very well-loved by her people,” Harrison said with a small smile on his face.

“Has she had any suitors?” Thomas changed the subject. His voice was laced with the strong sense of curiosity. He had lifted his hand towards the side of his head, scratching his neck to hide his awkwardness. He was almost afraid of the answer.

“Plenty,” Harrison said with a firm nod of the head. He opened his mouth to breath out one long sigh. “It seems like every season her father is trying to marry her off to a prince from some far away land. He has been trying since she was fifteen,” Harrison added.

“Why doesn’t she have a suitor then? She could easily have any man in the world. She could steal their heart without a second to spare,” Thomas suggested. He was thinking long and hard about this, but it still didn’t make any sense to him. “Why hasn’t she taken a husband yet?” He pondered.

“Because she won't have any of them,” Harrison confessed.

Upon hearing those words, Prince Thomas could feel his heart dropping in the confines of his chest. He found himself wondering if he would suffer the same fate as the other princes. He was starting to doubt himself. He didn’t believe that he would ever be good enough for the princess. He almost felt hopeless.

The young prince could feel this strong sense of nervousness coursing through his entire body. He had quickly grown self-conscious of his evening attire. He could only wonder if he would make a fool of himself at the dinner table. He could feel a heavy lump lingering at the back of his throat. He was fiddling with his fingers in a nervous manner.

At the given moment, Princess Y/N had been walking through the long hallways of the palace. She had stopped to stand at the corner of the staircase. She poked her head around the corner, staring at the six men standing in the entrance hall. She pushed her back into the stone wall, running her fingers over the smooth material of her dress. She cleared her throat.

Very slowly, the young princess had pushed herself off the side of the wall. She had shifted to stand in the center of the staircase, stepping forward in her place to begin her descent. She had placed her hand on the smooth wooden railing so she could keep her balance. 

Meanwhile, Prince Thomas had turned his head and looked towards the top of the staircase. He could feel his breath hitching in the back of his throat upon seeing the sight in front of him. His eyes had mindlessly scanned over the light pink material of her dress, basking in her beautiful appearance. His heart was fluttering at the sight of her, beating at a rapid pace. He couldn’t seem to look away from her.

Now Princess Y/N had shifted to stand at the bottom of the staircase. She had turned her head to look towards each of the princes and kings in her presence. She was quick to curtsy to them out of mere respect. She smiled at them.

“You look...” Prince Thomas’ voice had trailed off. He shook his head at her. He just couldn’t find the right words to express himself. He had opened his mouth again, but he was quickly cut off by the king’s remark.

“Absolutely beautiful,” the King of the East replied. He had found himself striding across the small stretch of the room, standing in front of his only daughter. He was sure to keep her at arms distance so that he could admire her beauty. He leaned forward to press one kiss to her cheek. “As always,” the King of the East claimed.

“I am so sorry to have kept you waiting,” Princess Y/N groaned. She was starting to feel that overwhelming sensation of embarrassment taking over her features. She had lifted her hand towards the side of her face, tucking a single strand of hair behind her ears timidly. She was blushing to herself.

“Nonsense,” King Dominic exclaimed. He was quick to wave his hand in dismissal. He didn’t seem to see any harm in her late arrival. He was just pleased that she showed up at all.

“Shall we?” The King of the East suggested. He had motioned towards the grand doors of the entrance hall with his hand, gesturing for his guests to enter the room. He had laced his arms with his dear daughter’s, leading her through the grand doors.

There were large silver platters holding fleshy pink strips of trout that had been garnished with dashings of green and brown herbs. There were large porcelain bowls filled with little clumps of white cheeses. A few platters of fowl were resting on the end of the long wooden table, emitting a savory smell throughout the entire room. There were a number of cooked oceanic creatures that had been drizzled into tones of warm sauces and spicy seasoning. The large gold pitchers were overflowing with the richest dark red wine in the land. 

There were many large bowls containing the different types of creamy soups with a few green herbs floating on the top of the gooey substance. A large bowl of red pudding was resting in the center of the four wooden tables. There were a few bowls of peanuts, almonds, and walnuts on the side. And there were many bowls of fresh fruits, containing little leafs of mint on the top of the sweet or sour fruit. 

The servants (footmen) were currently standing in a strict line. They had bowed their heads out of respect. The footmen were quick to step forward in their place, shifting to pull out the wood chairs for the royal family. However, at the very last second, Prince Tom had taken the place of one of the servants. The servant had awkwardly stepped back into the line (because he really didn’t know what else to do).

“Allow me,” Prince Thomas said. He stood behind the princess’s chair. He had pulled the wood chair out from underneath the table. He was quite the gentleman.

“Thank you,” Princess Y/N said with a small nod of the head. She had shifted to stand in front of the chair. She gripped the heavy skirt of her dress, gathering the material in her hands so that it was out of the way. She lowered herself into the chair without hesitation. She could feel him pushing the chair behind her.

Slowly, the young prince had made his way back to his own chair on the other side of the dinner table. He had tried to ignore the ‘all knowing’ looks coming from his two brothers. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks in slight embarrassment.

During the dinner, the two kings were able to discuss the matters of the peace treaty. The princess was eagerly listening to their conversation, but she wouldn’t dare say anything on the matter. She didn’t really like the whole concept of the peace treaty. She would be signing away her rights, land, and power to the other kingdom. And it was all because she was unable to inherit those things. It made her very sad to think about. 

“I hear you like politics, princess,” Prince Thomas said. He had pulled her out of her thoughts. She had turned her head to look across the small stretch of the table, taken back by his choice of words. She nodded her head slowly.

“Yes. I do,” Princess Y/N confirmed. She had lifted her glass towards her soft pink lips, drinking the rich dark liquid in the glass. She was slow to lower her glass back down to the surface of the table. She cleared her throat awkwardly. “You must think me very undignified,” Princess Y/N said.

“On the contrary, I hold a higher respect for you now,” Prince Thomas claimed. He had lowered his gaze to stare down at the meat on his plate. He lifted the silver fork and knife to the tender meat, cutting through the meat with no effort. He sent a small smile towards her. 

“You don’t think me unladylike for meddling in those matters?” the princess wondered. She was really taken back by his remark. She did not expect that kind of response from him. It made her think differently. “That is what most princes says about me. They say that I have no business dealing with those things,” the princess remarked.

“I don’t believe that at all,” Princess Thomas confessed truthfully. He had shook his head at her statement. He had lifted his head to look across the table, locking his gaze with her’s. He sent her a playful wink and a smile. “And I am not like most princes,” Prince Thomas corrected.

“No,” Princess Y/N smiled. “I can see that you are not.”

It was the next day. The lake-side air was pungent with the fragrance of blooming flowers. It was no natural basin filled with meltwater, but the luxury addition to a formal garden by an earl with both copious leisure time and money. The garden was blossoming with flowers and trees. The gravel pathway stretched throughout the gardens, weaving its way underneath the canopy of trees. It was springtime. 

A small number of servants were ordered to maintain the garden nearly every other week. They picked out the various types of weeds, pruned the dead leaves from the trees, watered the growing flowers, and cleaned the pathway. In the end, the royal garden was flourishing with awestruck beauty. 

Every morning, the princess would walk through the gardens. She would admire the colorful flowers and growing trees and bushy shrubs. With a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, she would walk throughout the garden on its pathway. She liked to see every single little aspect of the gardens. She was able to name practically every plant. She often liked to pick a few pink or white roses, crafting them into a beautifully woven crown. This day was no different from the rest of them.

The princess was currently sitting on a nearby bench. She was overlooking the small lake in the distance. She dropped her gaze to stare down at her hands, bunching the small collection of white roses together to make a little bouquet for herself. She closed her eyes to breath in the fresh morning air.

Unbeknownst to her, the young prince found himself walking throughout the gardens. He had laced his arms behind his back, aimlessly and mindlessly wandering throughout the gardens. He turned his head to look towards the bright blue sky hanging about him. He continued walking on the gravel pathway, weaving his way between the tall trees. He did not hesitate to round the corner of a shrub, stopping in his tracks at the sight before him.

His soft brown eyes had seen the young princess sitting on the bench in the distance. He could clearly see that she was looking in the opposite direction, so she had not been informed of his presence. He looked down at his shiny shoes, shuffling on his feet. He cleared his throat awkwardly to grab her attention.

“I-I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Prince Thomas said. He had almost struggled to find the right words for himself.

“It’s quite alright,” Princess Y/N claimed. She stood to her feet. She was still holding the small bouquet of wild daisies in her hands. The prince had politely dipped his head down in acknowledgment and the princess curtsied to him. When they had both straightened their backs in posture, they had only shared a small silent moment together.

"W-Would you like to walk with me?" Prince Thomas wondered. He had turned his head to gaze at her with a quizzical look on his face. He fiddled with his fingers behind his back. He could only hope that she would agree.

The princess was slightly taken back by the prince's questions. The corners of her lips lifted into a soft smile. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She quickly turned her head, hoping to hide the evident blush on her face. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts. 

"I would love nothing more," the princess said with a small smile on her face.

In response, Prince Thomas had found himself straightening his back in posture. His shifted his forearm out to his side, offering his forearm for her to take.  Hesitantly, Princess Y/N had decided to take one single step forward in her place. She laced her am with the prince's. The two of them had started walking down the pathway.

“Do you...like gardens?” Prince Thomas wondered. He had turned his head to look down at the princess walking beside him, waiting eagerly to hear her response. She nodded her head in confirmation.

“Yes,” the young princess replied. “My mother always loved to sit in the gardens. She would braid my hair and place wild roses into my hair, weaving it all together. It made me feel like a fair,” she confessed with a small blush on her face.

“What happened to her?” Prince Thomas questioned. There was a moment of silence. The young princess had just briefly halted in her steps for a second. She tried to collect her thoughts together.

"S-She passed away ten years ago," Princess Y/N said. "She died of a disease. There was no cure. My father was forced to sit back and watch the life drain out of her body. I was young at the time, but I can still remember the look on his face when the doctors told us that she had passed,” Princess Y/N admitted sadly.

"I-I'm sorry for your loss. I apologize for bringing that up. It was wrong of me. It was very impolite for me to do so. I am so very sorry," Prince Thomas apologized profusely.

"It is not your fault. That is just the way of life. But I still have my father," the princess replied. She was trying to remain positive. She had turned her head to look up at him through the corner of her eye. She just watched him nod his head in agreement.

The two royals were continuing their walk together in utter silence. It was almost like they were afraid to talk to each other. Eventually, Prince Thomas had turned his head and looked at the young princess beside him. He had decided to change the subject, hopefully to something less touchy. He opened his mouth to speak, finding himself lost for words. 

"I-I suppose...you...have heard...about...the...arrangement," Prince Thomas said. He was afraid to say it. His voice was laced with the strong sense of uneasiness. He tried to turn his head to look down at her. He hoped to see some kind of reaction from her.

"What arrangement?" Princess Y/N asked dumbly. She didn’t even know why she had asked him that question. She already knew the answer to it. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

Hesitantly, the prince nodded his head in confirmation. He swallowed the lump in his throat and stopped in his steps, turning his body to face the small princess. They faced each other and looked into each other's eyes. 

"I speak of the arrangement that will unite our two kingdoms with an arranged marriage. It will seal our future together,” Prince Thomas said. He had forced himself to swallow the heavy lump lingering at the back of his throat, clearing his throat awkwardly. He waited for her to speak.

"In that case...I was informed of our arrangement," the princess said. She dropped her gaze to stare down at her own feet, feeling the small sense of fearfulness in regards to the topic. "My father believes that this is the only option we have left. He hopes that we will become a couple that our subjects can’t help but admire and be proud of,” the princess claimed.

“I see,” Prince Thomas replied. He nodded his head understandingly.

"H-He thinks we would make a good pair," Princess Y/N piped up. She didn’t mean to stumble over her words. She might have just been trying to get a positive reaction out of him. She could clearly see the prince looking ahead of himself, humming softly in acknowledgment. "D-Do you....” the princess's voice trailed off. 

"Do I what?" Prince Thomas wondered. He had turned his head to look down at the princess in question. The princess chewed the inside of her cheek nervously, contemplating on her next words. She was quick to lift her gaze to him, staring at him with hopeful eyes. 

"D-Do you...do you agree? Do you agree to all of this? The arrangement? Our future together? Are you going to go sign the peace treaty?" the princess couldn’t seem to stop the questions from flying out of her mouth.

“Now, now,” the prince said, stopping in his steps.

He turned his body and faced the young woman standing in front him. His arms fell to his side once again. He could tell that she was nervous by the way she was fiddling with her fingers and chewing on her bottom lip. He knew that she was thinking too hard about this. 

"I don't want to rush anything between us. If our fathers decide that we are to be married in order to save our kingdoms, then...then I will have to ask you to become my wife," Prince Thomas confirmed.

The young princess dropped her gaze to stare down at her feet, nodding her head understandingly. He breathed a small sigh under his breath. He had shifted to take one single step forward in his place, practically towering over the princess's small frame. They could tell that their faces were mere inches away from one another's.

“I care about my future kingdom. I care about the people and I care about the land. I want to rule the land and govern the people. If marrying you means that my kingdom will flourish, then I will not hesitate to get down on one knee,” the prince replied.

The princess was slightly taken back by the prince's comment. She found herself gazing at the prince in utter shock and surprise. In a way, the two of them were very similar. He was just as invested in the politics as she was. He was caring and sweet. He was worried about his future kingdom. He would do anything for his people group. He was loving and caring. It was something to admire in a future king. 

"You’re just like...” she had laughed. Her face had dropped in a split second. Her words had faded into absolutely nothing. She could see the small smile growing on his face. Her voice was soft and gentle, coming out like a whisper. “...me.”

“I do not think we are so different after all,” Prince Thomas agreed with a short shake of the head. He could practically hear the wheels turning in her head, thinking about him different now. 

“You care about your people group to an effect that you would not hesitate to marry a stranger. You...you would do anything for them,” Princess Y/N claimed with a look of confusion on her face.

"Yes," Prince Thomas said, nodding his head in agreement. "I-I am not a selfish prince."

"Nor will you be a selfish king,” Princess Y/N added. The prince took a small step forward until their chests were pressed together. The princess breathed a small gasp, marveling over the little distance between the two of them. 

"This isn't about us anymore," the prince said, shaking his head. "This arrangement is about our land and people. It is about saving them from the raiders of the west. I would do anything for them. I would sacrifice anything to ensure their freedom." 

“Even your own?"

There was a brief moment of silence. The prince could see the evident look of sadness in the princess’s shining eyes. He almost couldn’t respond to that question. He would give away everything with his answer. He blinked once. 

"Yes. Even my own freedom," Prince Thomas breathed out, nodding his head in confirmation. He was able to maintain eye contact the whole time. His heart clenched at his own choice of words. "I would sacrifice my own freedom and happiness for them,” Prince Thomas confessed.

“I admire you,” Princess Y/N said with a small smile on her face. She had dropped her gaze to stare down at her feet. She found herself continuing to walk down the pathway leading in the garden. She could only wonder if the prince would follow behind her. “It’s a noble thing to do,” Princess Y/N added.

The prince had found himself turning his head to watch her retreating figure. He shifted his hands towards his frontside, fiddling with his fingers from his nerves. He was trying to find the right words to say to explain himself.

"I...I understand how you are feeling. I do truly,” Prince Thomas called to her. He could see her stop in her place. “I understand that you do not want to be forced into a marriage unwillingly. I understand that you do not want to be married to a stranger. I understand that you do not want any of this," Prince Thomas replied.

In response, Prince Thomas could clearly see the young princess dipping her head downwards to stare at the solid ground. He saw her shoulders shake slightly. He did not hesitate to walk towards her. He had stopped to stand beside her. When the prince had gotten closer, he could hear the small sobs coming out of her mouth. She lifted her hand to cover her mouth, hoping to contain her cries. She was embarrassed to be seen like this. 

Slowly, Prince Thomas had shifted his hands to the sides of her arms. He turned her smaller body to face him, taking hold of her hands in his own. He held her hands close to their chests. She shook her head slightly, feeling the hot tears streaming down her face effortlessly. She couldn’t help the tears from coming. He had raised his hand, tapping her chin softly to gain her attention.

“It’s okay,” Prince Thomas said with a small smile on his face. He lifted his hands and cupped her cheeks. He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears streaming down her face. She smiled softly at his actions. “You don’t have to love me back,” Prince Thomas claimed.

"No..." the princess said, shaking her head in denial. "T-T...Thomas...it's not that. I-I-I didn't mean it like that. Please...don't say those kinds of things," she pleaded.

The corners of the prince's lips tugged into a soft smile. He rubbed his thumbs against her smooth cheeks reassuringly, wiping away the last of her tears. He was quick to capture her gaze once last time.

"I understand you," he said slowly.

Hesitantly, Prince Thomas had lowered his hands back down to his sides. He smiled softly at her. He leaned down to her height. He turned his head so that his lips were hovering right beside her ear. He softly whispered into her ear.

"Until our next meeting, my love.” the prince whispered. His voice was soft and gentle. His hot breath had sent shivers down her spine. He turned his head and pressed his lips against her cheek, kissing her softly. When he pulled away, he tipped his head down politely and saluted her farewell. 

In that given moment, Prince Thomas had turned around and started walking away from his future spouse. The young princess could only watch his figure retreat back into the gardens. She was quick to turn on the heels of her feet. She started walking back towards the palace, thinking bout the words the prince said to her. She mentally cursed to herself for being so emotional in front of a stranger. Then again...he wasn't a stranger. He was going to be her future spouse, whether she liked it or not. 

The table tops were filled with layers of the most delicious food and drinks, garnered to make ones mouth water in hunger. There were pheasants and goose, a bowl of roasted root vegetables, creamy sauces with garden herbs and best of all there are fresh tomatoes. They had huge platters of fowl stuffed with savoury fruit and nuts. There was a countless amount of different types of cheeses stretched across the table. 

There were plates of deer with sprigs of rosemary threaded through its meat to give it more flavor. They had marinated chicken, grilled trout with lemon, smoked sausages and a pineapple glazed ham. There were mounds of fragrant wild rice, potatoes and diced pumpkin smeared with butter and spices baked on hot stones. There were baskets of cheese and crackers with bread rolls shaped like seashells on the side. There were all sorts of varieties of salads and side dishes.

The two royal families were gathered around the table. They were consuming the various courses brought out to them on beautiful china dishes. The finest wine was poured into the delicate wine glasses. The servants were dressed in their best attire for the glorious occasion.

“Ah,” Prince Thomas said. He leaned over slightly for the servant to reach behind him to pour more wine into his glass. The servant finished pouring the wine, quickly shifting to stand back in the line of servants. “Thank you,” Prince Thomas said with a nod of the head.

The royal families’ voices had faded into absolute nothingness in the princess’s mind. She did not seem to care about the conversation tonight. She was sorrowfully looking down at her plate full of food, shifting some of the vegetables around aimlessly with her utensils. 

The prince lifted his head and looked at the young princess sitting on the other side of the table. His lips formed a tight lined smile as he gazed at her helplessly. The twin brothers of the prince leaned towards each other, whispering to each other discreetly. 

"Do you see how he is looking at her?" Prince Harry asked with a hinted smirk on his face. They sent each other a teasing look, smiling evilly to themselves. 

"He can't seem to look away from her," Prince Sam claimed. He had to force himself to stifle a laugh. The young princes had placed their hands over their mouths, stopping themselves from laughing out loud.

“Still,” Prince Harry said. He had just tipped his head to gesture to the young princess sitting across the table from them. “Have you seen her? You can’t really blame him. She is absolutely beautiful,” Prince Harry confessed. 

"D-Do you think they'd make a good pair? Do you think they would be good for each other? Do you think they could find a way to...even love each other?" Prince Sam questioned. He turned his head and looked at his brother with a thoughtful expression on his face. 

“They are not as different as you might think. They probably share some similar interests, thoughts, and ideas." Prince Harry said. "I am sure that—in given time—they might find a way to love each other. I cannot know for sure. We can only hope," Prince Harry added. 

"Hmm," Prince Sam said, humming in agreement. The two princes both leaned back in their chairs again. The two of them had turned their heads and looked across the small stretch of the table, locking their eyes on their older brother. He couldn’t seem to stop looking at her, gazing at her magnificent beauty in the candlelight.

When the young princess looked up, their gazes met for a brief second. In response, Tom quickly turned his head and looked away from the young woman sitting across the table from him. He could feel the blush creeping onto his face, heating his ears until they turned beet red. She had just caught him staring at her. She couldn’t deny that she felt a small blush creep onto her own face as well.

The kings stood to their feet. They placed their napkins onto the top of the table. The two of them had turned to head towards the sitting room. The others would follow behind them, standing to their feet and shifting towards the grand doors.

The young prince had stayed back. He waited for the others to leave the room. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed onto the princess’s forearm, stopping her. She whipped her head around to look at the young prince in question.

“W-Would you care to accompany me?” Prince Thomas wondered. His voice was laced with the strong sense of uncertainty, fearing her reaction. 

“I-I’m not sure,” Princess Y/N confessed. The prince released his grip on her arm. He dropped his hand back down to his side. He nodded his head understandingly, shifting to take a single step backwards so he could give the princess her much-wanted space.

“We are not so different after all. We have a lot in common with each other,” Prince Thomas said. He was trying to reason with her and trying to get on her good side. He didn’t want her thinking badly of him.

“I am sure we do,” Princess Y/N agreed wholeheartedly. 

“I think...that if we spend more time together, we might see eye to eye with each other. We might be able to relate to each other in a way that is no so bad. In time...you may find a way not to despise me so much,” Prince Thomas said.

“I do not despise you. I never had,” the princess claimed. She shook her head in denial. “And I do not hate you either. I believe that you are a good man. I think your intentions are clear. You want what is best for your people. I understand that now. And I do agree with you. Maybe if we spend some time together, we may grow to like each other a little more. In the end, this whole marriage may not be such a bad thing,” she said, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

“And maybe...in given time...you might be willing to learn lo...love me back,” Prince Thomas wondered. His dark brown eyes were sparkling with the strong sense of hopefulness. He could see the small smile growing at the corners of her lips. 

The princess would be willing to give this whole marriage a try. She was willing to try to work this out. She was willing to try and love her future spouse. She was willing to try and make their marriage work. She was willing to try altogether. And that would be enough for the young prince.

“I do really like you,” Prince Thomas confessed.

“You flatter me too much,” the princess said. She was fiddling with her fingers in a nervous manner. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. The corners of the prince’s lips tugged into a soft smile as he gazed down at her.

“I am certain that any man would be more than lucky to call you his wife. And I...I-I get to have that privilege. I get to have you all to myself. I get to call you my wife. I get to call you mine,” Prince Thomas said. His eyes were full of love and admiration.

They found themselves leaning closer and closer to each other until their faces were mere inches away from one another’s. The prince’s brown eyes had flickered between the princess’s shining eyes and pink lips. She swallowed the lump in her throat, gazing at the dashing man standing in front of her. Their noses gingerly brushed against one another’s. They breathed a small breath of air, preparing themselves for the next part. Until...

“Come on you two lovebirds. We are going to play cards together,” Prince Harry said. He had stepped into the middle of the hallway. The two royals were quick to pull away from each other. They could feel the heat rising to their cheeks as they turned away from one another. The other prince raised his eyebrows suspiciously. He glanced between the two of them. “Did I interrupt something?”

“No,” the princess blurted out. “No. You didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Alright. Should I deal you two in then,” Prince Harry wondered. He lifted his hand to show them a small stack of cards. The two of them had nodded their heads in response. The young prince had disappeared into the other room, dealing the cards between the separate guests.

The prince turned his head and looked down at the young princess standing at his side. She was quick to catch his line of sight, gazing into the prince’s dashing brown eyes. He lifted his forearm to her, offering it to her. She laced her arm with his. She smiled at him.

“Shall we?” Prince Thomas asked with a small smile on his face. He sent her a playful wink. She pushed her lips into her mouth, hiding the evident smile on her face. She nodded her head in agreement.

“We shall.”

Omega, holding Crosshair's head between her hands: What are you again?

Crosshair, sighing: Cherished and loved

Omega: And don't you forget it

Sneak Peak Coming Soon

Once Y/n was sleeping, Eddie quietly exited his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He shuffled back into the living room. He found his uncle rearranging the living room, settling up another bed on the ground for his nephew. Upon hearing his approach, Uncle Wayne turned around to face his nephew. He looked at him expectingly.

“I—I got her pregnant,” Eddie choked. He had a build up of tears in the corners of his eyes, threatening to fall at any given moment.

“Oh Eddie,” Uncle Wayne said softly. He looked at his nephew with such sympathy in his eyes. He wasn’t going to yell at him or scold him like his father would have. 

Instead, Uncle Wayne brought his nephew over to the couch in the living room. He helped him sit down with a single hand on his back for support. He didn’t want to ask any questions. He didn’t want to overwhelm him, because he probably was feeling an overwhelming sense of various emotions. So he sat quietly and waited for his nephew to talk to him.

You can definitely expect the read “The Lost Soldier” again. Those original stories are making a comeback ;)

yall hear @webslinger-holland is back?

its 2018 all over again and im in high school reading your soldier!tom fic at 3 am

Another Dream | Kaz Brekker

Summary: In which Kaz reveals what his true dream is.

Warning: slight angst...its short...and major fluff near the end

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader

Type: Oneshot

Word Count: 1.9k

The chapel hadn’t sustained much damage from the battle. A few wooden pews ended up getting pushed and overturned. A few shards of glass scattered across the floor from broken windows. Yet, the stainless window remained absolutely untouched. The image of the Saint Sun Summoner cast colorful rays of light onto the stone floor.

At the given moment, Y/n was sitting on the edge of one of the pews. Her eyes remained on the saint in front of her. She had never been the religious type; she often left Inej be the expert in that area. But she found comfort in sitting in the small chapel.

It couldn’t have been more than an hour ago when they almost lost their lives to the shadow monster they encountered in that very room. The crows had done risky jobs in the past, but none of them involved looking death right in the eye like they just did. She was still shaken up from the whole ordeal.

The familiar sound of a cane clicking against the stone floor could be heard behind her. The leader of the crows was making his way down the center aisle of the church, coming to a halt slightly behind the pew she sat in. She did not turn her head to address him.

“Lantsov paid up,” Kaz had come to tell her. “Everyone will get their cut.”

“Good,” Y/n nodded once. She looked over her shoulder, resting a hand on the back of the pew. “And Nina?” 

“She’ll receive a pardon for deserting and another for her Fjerdan. As long as he stays out of trouble, the charges will be dropped.” Kaz explained.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Y/n let out a sigh. She went to turn back around in her place. Her eyes naturally gravitating to the stain glass window once again.

Unbeknownst to her, Kaz began staring at her through the corner of his eyes. He felt his heart tighten in the confines of his chest upon just looking at her. He spent so many years admiring her from a distance, never being able to find the courage to act on the feelings in his heart.

He had known for a very long time that she did not want to stay in Ketterdam. There were too many painful memories to give her reason to stick around. She always loved to travel anyway. She wanted to move west as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Now that the fold had been destroyed and the job was complete, there was nothing preventing her from moving far away.

Just by looking at her, Kaz could tell that her mind was in a different place at the given moment. She was probably already planning about the adventure she’d be on, the journey across the sea, and the exploration of a new land. She’d be thinking about how great it would be to leave Ketterdam behind, along with him. 

Under the notion that the two of them would have very little time left together, Kaz tried being slightly sentimental for once in his life. He racked his brain for something that meant worthwhile and heartfelt.

“I also...” Kaz’s voice trailed off. “Wanted to say goodbye.”

“Oh,” Y/n said sadly. 

“Since I assume you’ll be leaving as soon as you find a ship,” Kaz predicted. She nodded her head at this. “As you should. It’s what you’ve always dreamed about,” Kaz said in an almost harsh tone. It sounded mocking.

“Well, what do you want me to say?” Y/n responded in retort. She spun around in the small wooden pew, staring at him with a strong him of confusion in her eyes. “What would you have me do? Stay in Ketterdam?” Y/n persisted.

In response, Kaz went to turn his head away from her to avoid eye contact at all costs. He wanted nothing more than to slip behind the facade he held, void of all emotions if he could help it. His face was blank as if she hadn’t just expressed the one thing he desired the most. Having her stay in Ketterdam.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had a dream,” Y/n scoffed at his stone cold expression. She faced forward once more. What followed was a moment of pure silence.

With a haunting past, Kaz Brekker was cursed with torturous nightmares most nights. However, on the rare nights that he had dreams, he always dreamed of her and absolutely nothing else. His imagination would run wild of the endless possibilities they could share together.

In his dreams, Kaz would find himself stroking up and down her bare back with his own hand. There’d be no gloves. No urge to pull away at contact. No memory of his past. It was just the two of them together. 

They would spend hours together in bed. He’d brush her hair away from her neck to grant him access. He’d burrow his face into the crook of her neck, placing the most delicate kisses along her kiss. He loved hearing the sound of her sighs in his dreams. 

He could see it all now. Her body lay underneath his. Her delicate hand trailing up the length of his chest, stopping to linger at his heart. He take her hand in his own and give it a gentle squeeze before leaning down to capture her lips.

His dreams wanted them to be together. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her until she forgot her own name. Being brought back to reality became his nightmare. He came to realize that he’d never be able to have that and his dreams would never come true. His armor was still in place and she’d be leaving soon anyways.

After the moment of silence, Y/n had tilted her head to the side as if she was trying to look at him through her peripheral vision. She grew curious. Her mouth parted to ask a question.

“What is your dream, Kaz Brekker?” Y/n wondered.

Slowly, Y/n turned around in her place. She looked at him expectedly, patiently awaiting for his answer. She quirked her eyebrows to show her curiosity. He studied her face for a moment. He thought about his choice of words, struggling to express his true emotions. 

The old answers came easily to mind. Money. Vengeance. Jordie’s voice in my head silenced forever. But a different reply roared to life inside him, loud, insistent, and unwelcome. You, Y/n. You.

For a second, Kaz opened his mouth, but no words came out of his mouth. He was so close to confessing his true feelings to her. However, the fear quickly overtook him. He resorted to fortifying himself behind his walls again. He quickly tore his gaze away from her.

“To die, buried under the weight of my own gold.” Kaz claimed. 

She faced forward. She felt herself rolling her eyes at his answer, even scoffing under her breath. She couldn’t believe him. 

“More money. More scores to settle,” Y/n deduced. She quickly rose to her feet, which only took him by surprise. She went to approach him. “Was there never another dream?” Y/n tried one final time.

The silence to follow was enough reason to leave. She went to brush past him with the intent of walking away and never looking back. But as she began to walk away from him, Kaz reached out to grab onto her wrist. He stopped her.

“Stay,” Kaz pleaded. His voice was rough stone. “Stay in Ketterdam. Stay with me.”

Slowly, Y/n shifted her body to face him She briefly glanced down at the gloved hand which held her wrist captive. Her gaze shifted back to the look of desperation in his eyes, silently pleading for her to stay for his own sake. She could feel the tears begin to gather in the corners of her eyes.

“What would be the point?” Y/n whispered. She shook her head at the notion.

He only drew closer to her. He refused to look away from her now, knowing that if he did, he might lose her forever. He took a breath. 

“I want you to,” Kaz confessed truthfully. He saw the look in her eyes change slightly. She was taken back by this. He needed to make himself clearer. “I want...I want...you,” Kaz confirmed.

The two of them didn’t seem to realize how close they had gotten to one another. Their chests were pressed together and they were able to feel another’s breath fanning their faces. Either of them had been so close to anyone before. 

With great hesitation, Y/n had lifted her head to stare directly into those brilliant green eyes. She felt the tears streaming down the slides of her cheeks. She shook her head at his words.

“And how will you have me?” Y/n wondered in a soft whisper. “Gloves on? Fully clothed? With your head turned so our lips never--” but she was never able to finish that sentence.

Because the rest of her words were lost against his mouth. He had grabbed her face with his two gloved hands and pulled her into a captivating kiss. He kept his eyes squeezed shut so tightly as if he was trying to silence the voices in his head. He felt sparks of lightning tingling against his lips, knowing his mind was screaming for him to pull away. But he didn’t want to.

Yet, he kissed her so gently and carefully in fear of losing her forever. He felt her body begin to relax in his grasp. She gripped the lapels of his black trench coat, pulling him harder against her if that was even possible. His arms had shifted to circle around her waist, gathering her body against him.

A hint of pressure only caused a most delicate hum to escape past her lips, muffled against his mouth. If he could bottle the sound and get drunk on it every night, he would have without question. Their lips moved together in a synchronized harmony as if they were two puzzle pieces made to fit together.

The kiss had brought a newfound sense of warmth and comfort to his old stone heart. The memories of his brother, which were often brought from contact, hadn’t plagued his mind. He focused on the feeling the softness of her lips, how she tasted, and how she felt agains him. 

She couldn't believe what was happening. Even she had dreamed about what it would be like to touch him, but never so far as kiss him. He tasted like the expensive liquor from his flask, which he always kept in his coat pocket. His lips moved compellingly against hers as if they were fighting to persuade her to stay. And it was working.

With great reluctance, their lips parted ever so slightly from one another. Their breath held without thinking. The suspense in the air was caught at the top of their throats. 

The two of them had leaned forward to rest their heads against one another’s. They panted softly to regain their breath. They remained so close to one another that their noses brushed against each others. They stare down at each other’s lips, tempted to continue.

“You...” Kaz panted. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek lovingly, staring into the depths of her eyes. “You are my dream. You always have been.”

Upon hearing those words, Y/n felt any tension leave her body and she finally relaxed. She felt a small smile growing at the corners of her lips. She closed her eyes to savor those precious little words.

“Stay with me,” Kaz pleaded one last time. He nudged his nose against hers as if trying to persuade her and it was working. “Stay for me, my dear.” Kaz whispered.

She had never heard him speak so desperately. Though he was a master at crafting a lie, she knew him well enough to know that he’d never lie about his feelings. He wanted her and he was asking her to stay with him. 

Her eyes glanced between his own and his mouth. “I’ll stay...for you,” Y/n agreed.

Upon hearing this, Kaz felt like his dreams had finally come true. He inclined his face towards hers so that he could lay his lips against her own once again. He pulled her body as close to his as humanly possible, now knowing that he’d never have to let go. She was finally his.

I'm not ready for the end of The Bad Batch.

Emperor of Magic Sneak Peek

Here is a short sneak peek into the next chapter of my series! Let me know what your thoughts are and if you liked it!

The crows kept trudging along with their feet lazily dragging in the sand. It would be dangerous to stop now since they were transporting a very dangerous fugitive. Naturally, Kaz was leading the group while holding onto the chain attached to the emperor’s frontside. He occasionally would look over his shoulder to make sure everything was still running smoothly.

On the right side, Jesper held one of the massive chains in his hand. He’d often wipe the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand or fix the way his hat fell on his head. On the left side, Wylan and Inej took turns holding the chain as it was quite heavy. They were also the two smallest members of the group.

In the back, Matthias held the final chain. Though it was rather heavy, it wasn’t to him. Nina walked along beside him with her hands constantly at the ready. Though she had been instructed to not use her powers unless absolutely necessary. If she ended up using her powers. she’d be exposed by the emperor by letting it slip that there was a heartrender amongst them.

Out of nowhere, the emperor of magic came to a slow halt in her steps which caused the others to slightly tug at the chains because they expected her to keep walking with them. Without hesitation, Kaz whipped his head around to stare directly at the emperor’s covered head. He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously before cautiously pulling the chain once or twice to encourage her to move along. But she stayed put.

“What’s happened? Why’d she stop?” Jesper asked for some kind of explanation. The five crows casted uncertain glances to their boss.

“I don't know,” Kaz shook his head. He was looking the most annoyed right now.

“D-Do you reckon she’s tired?” Wylan tried to reason. They turned to look at him with blank expressions on their faces. Wylan further explained himself. “Maybe this is her way of saying she’s tired and needs a break.”

“We can’t stop,” Kaz almost cut him off. “It’s too dangerous. We can’t let our guard down.”

As if on cue, a heavy rumble sounded in the long distance. If one could describe the sound, it almost sounded like a mountain caving in on itself or the sound of thousands of boulders crashing into one another. Before anyone could remotely question it, the earth began to shake violently. The crows did well to maintain their balance.

The rumbling sound continued as the earth groaned in pain. Unbeknownst to them, the tremors of the reverberating earthquake could be felt over the stretch of hundreds of miles. After some time, the earth began to settle down once again. The crows felt slightly dizzy, but they were fine otherwise.

“What was that?” Inej asked slightly worried.

“That was no earthquake,” Kaz said slowly. The others looked directly at him in utter confusion. They went to follow his line of sight which settled on the emperor herself.

NEVER MIND I JUST LOOKED AT YOUR MASTERLIST YOU DID WRITE IT OH MY G I LOVE THAT STORY SO MUCH BYE IM GOING TO GO READ IT ALL OVER AGAIN IM SO EXCITED

OH GREAT! THANKS

hey honey, can i be added to the 'the royal family' taglist? ‹3

Of course!!!