You Look Good In Red, Boys.

I missed Beau so much! Are you te writing the story or is it the original?

I am really trying to draw from the originals, but I am rewriting (writing again not fixing mistakes or storyline) the whole series. Please message me though about your favorite moments or favorite stories to rejog my memory.

Is there gonna be a part 2 to "play pretend"???

There is a Play Pretend Part 2! You can read it right here

dianaaaa, it’s the cutest name

Right! And I’m thinking like the reader could really be into Princess Diana and it would be perfect! Thank you for voting!!!

as much as i would have liked to have seen old crosshair and wrecker in the epilogue, i think having it focus on just hunter and omega is so beautiful. that initial father & daughter dynamic they formed back in season 1 was truly the heart of the show, so having the very last scene centre around that specifically was such a full-circle moment 🥹🥹

Sergeant Hunter 🧡

Literally one of my favorite series! Cannot wait for the final chapters😭😭😭

The last chapter of the Hunter Fic is queued. The saga ends on Sept 1st.

Thank you so much to all of you who have enjoyed the ride. Four chapters left!

Hi there 👋🏽, how are you? I hope you are doing well. Just passing by to say that, The Royal Family is such a good story, and a joy to read. I can't wait for the next part 😊💖

That’s so very sweet of you to say! Thank you!

Boys Will Be Boys | Hunter or Crosshair from The Bad Batch

Summary: In which the team's medic always finds herself patching up Hunter and Crosshair after one of their 'disagreements.'

Warning: language, mentions of rough fighting and severe injuries (inflicted by one another), bruised bones and knife wound, mention of stitches and needles, slight blood, and quarreling brothers

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Medic or Crosshair x Fem!Reader Medic

Type: Oneshot

Word Count: 2.8k

Note: Fully inspired by Echo's line of dialogue shown below

For the first time in a long time, the Marauder was nearly empty and entirely quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the soft humming coming from the team's medic who'd chosen to stay behind on one of the missions. You made sure to keep yourself busy, opting to organize a few bins of medical supplies on the nearby shelf.

The peace and quiet had suddenly broken when the familiar sound of Wrecker's booming voice called from the outside of the ship. You didn't really think anything of it at first because Wrecker naturally had a loud voice. But what you didn't realize was that he was calling for you.

The chaotic mess that accompanied them began to trail into the entrance of the ship. Their loud footsteps and intermixing voices filled the space, calling for you once again. And this time, you heard them more clearly.

Rounding the corner of the cockpit, your gaze immediately fell on the horrific sight in front of you. You gasped a little louder than anticipated, hands flying up to cover your mouth.

Currently, Wrecker had one of his bulky arms underneath Hunter's arm to support his weight and help him into the ship. The sergeant was barely able to stand on his own two feet and was clutching the side of his abdomen, wincing at each movement due to the severe pain. His bottom lip was also cut and bleeding slightly.

Behind them, Tech was doing the exact same thing only with Crosshair beside him. Now Crosshair didn't look any better. He walked with a limp and he had a black eye on the right side of his face which was only growing deeper in color with each passing second.

Both Wrecker and Tech were careful to escort the other two into the cockpit. They helped them onto the medical table, double checking to make sure they were settled before beginning to help them strip away the parts of their armor. They meticulously took off each piece with great care so that they wouldn't cause further pain.

Once they were finished putting the spare armor pieces to the side, Wrecker and Tech went to step away and silently joined Echo in the background. The two of them sat in only their blacks. You hurried to stand in front of them, taking a brief second to take in what was in front of you.

"W--What the hell happened to you two?" You demanded an explanation because you had honestly never seen them in a worse state. The two of them kept their eyes closed as they continued to writhe in pain.

"Nothing," Hunter grunted out while still clutching his side. He keened forward in his place in hopes of easing his discomfort.

"We knew what we were doing," Crosshair added. He was panting slightly as if trying to catch his breath. You glanced between the two of them with furrowed eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?" You wondered. You were curious if they were keeping something from you as their vague answers did not satisfy you.

"Ask him," Crosshair hissed. He seemed to glare at his older brother through the corner of his eyes.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Hunter pleaded. The pain was becoming almost too unbearable for him. He withdrew his hand from his side only to show that his hand was caked in his own blood.

"I'm not doing anything until one of you tells me what the hell happened," you reminded them. Waiting for an answer, you crossed your arms over your chest and glanced between the two of them. Neither of them wanted to look directly at you.

Hesitantly, Hunter lifted his head and looked at his brother sitting right beside him. He breathed steadily to himself to maintain his composure. He desperately needed some medical assistance, but he knew how stubborn you were. So he needed to come up with something.

"M-Mercenaries," Hunter spoke through gritted teeth.

"Mercenaries? Really? " You repeated with a cocked eyebrow. He nodded his head. "You need to work on your lying skills."

"I'm telling the truth," Hunter reassured her. He made a point to hold your gaze, but you still didn't believe him.

"Tech?" You called from over your shoulder without looking away.

"They were otherwise occupied in one of their fights," Tech replied without hesitation and without looking up from his data pad.

"Again?!?" You spoke with such shock that it caused both of them to wince at your words.

"Look," Hunter began. "We didn't really mean to take it as far as we did--"

"Bullshit," you interrupted him. You gestured to his side that he still clutched to help with the bleeding. "He stabbed you for crying out loud!"

"He was really asking for it," Crosshair commented. His eyes still flashed with anger. "And he started it anyways."

"I don't want to hear it," your voice rose a little louder to speak over him. You raised a hand to stop them. "This is the fourth fight you've gotten into this month. And I am here wasting precious materials to fix and bandage you both up each time. It's getting ridiculous!"

"We're sorry," Hunter spoke timidly.

"Don't tell me you're sorry. Tell each other you are sorry."

Neither of them were willing to do this which just proved how narrow-minded and stubborn headed they were towards each other.

Quickly turning away from them, you hurried towards the neatly organized shelf of medical supplies. You reached for various materials, stuffing what you could carry into the contents of your arms. Returning to the medical bench, you laid out the tools to view and inspect clearly.

Using your own data pad, you quickly took a thorough scan of the both of them to survey the extent of their injuries. While Hunter had sustained a knife wound to the left side of his abdomen, it had thankfully not pieced anything important. His knuckles were incredibly brushed and bloody. His lip was cut roughly. He'd definitely feel sore in the morning from taking such a harsh beating.

On the other hand, Crosshair managed to sprain his ankle during his tumble with his brother. He had two bruised ribs which he was lucky they didn't break. And he sported a nasty black eye right over his tattoo.

You quickly assessed that you'd need to help the sergeant first given that he had a knife wound and was still bleeding slightly. You handed the sniper an ice pack for his eye to temporarily ease the pain before you directed all of your attention to the other brother. You gingerly stepped forward to stand between his legs, reaching forward to grasp the edge of his top.

You made sure to help him out of the top of his blacks carefully, being extra mindful of the wound on his left side. He winced slightly as the material bunched around his shoulder. With great discomfort, Hunter managed to raise his arm in order to slide and remove the rest of his top from his arms. He discarded the piece of material onto the floor without a care in the world.

Now Hunter was sitting shirtless on the medical bench. His hand returned to the spot on the side of his abdomen, which was caked in his dried blood and still oozing with fresh blood under his fingertips. Taking the bottle of alcohol disinfectant, you doused a cloth in the clear liquid. You needed to clean the wound before you'd be able to stitch it up.

"This might sting a little," you spoke honestly.

With some hesitation, Hunter removed his hand from his side to allow you space to work. You carefully brought the wet cloth to his bleeding slide, pressing it into the gaping skin. As if on cue, Hunter practically lurched forward in his place. He gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles started to bleed again. His eyes squeezed shut to block out the pain.

"Sorry," you added because you hated seeing him in pain.

You went to wipe away some of the remaining blood around the wound and cleaned the skin thoroughly. Tossing the bloody cloth onto the table, you went to retrieve a needle and thread so you'd be able to sow it shut right afterwards. You threaded the string through the eye of the needle, leaning forward slightly to begin stitching his skin back together.

This wasn't the first time you'd given any of them stitches since they had many wounds inflicted to them over the years. However, this one could have easily been prevented if Hunter and Crosshair hadn't gotten into their little fight. You worked swiftly and steadily with the needle.

"What was it this time?" You asked out of pure curiosity and you could have sworn that the sergeant tensed under your touch. The two of them glanced at one another as if trying to secretly trying to relay something.

"Like he said: it was nothing." Crosshair spoke for the both of them. He drew his gaze away from his older brother. He recalled the conversation leading up to their fight, but it only made him angrier in the moment.

"Tech?" You repeated without looking away from your work.

"They were fighting over you this time," Tech replied without missing a beat. You raised your eyebrows in slight surprise at this confession, but your thoughts were quickly interrupted.

"Such a fucking tattletale," Crosshair scoffed. He sent his twin a deadly glare, but Tech didn't even seem to notice. He was too absorbed in the contents of his data pad. "He's always been like this," Crosshair said to his brother beside him.

"Yeah, I know. I was always there," Hunter grunted as the needle threaded through his tatted skin once again.

"At least I wasn't a biter as a cadet," Tech shot back. That was when he decided to lift his head so that he could look directly into his brother's narrowed eyes.

"You did bite a lot of people, Crosshair." Wrecker released a hefty laugh. He arms crossed over the length of his chest. He smiled at the fond memories of them as little cadets. "The regs especially."

"Just leave already," Crosshair growled at them.

Not wanting to anger him any longer, the other three members filed out of the cockpit and retreated back into their bunks for the night. They sealed the cockpit door behind them.

"Going back to this fight..." your voice seemed to betray you and trailed off into nothing. You glanced between the two of them as if searching for some kind of answer. "You were fighting over me?"

A quick tie of the thread and a cut with scissors meant your work was done for stitching. Neither of them seemed to say anything as you retrieved some more gauze from the side. You took one of the sergeant's big hands into your own, turning it over to begin wrapping his cut knuckles.

"Yeah," Hunter breathed steadily. He didn't even realize what he confessed to at first, but it was much too late now. "We were."

His eyes were transfixed on the way your fingers moved so delicately against his own. His breath had since caught in the back of his throat. He no longer felt the severe pain coursing through his side. You always managed to make him feel better and it wasn't just your medical skills that did the trick.

For the longest time, Hunter had been utterly fascinated by you. It went far beyond your medical knowledge and expertise in the field. You were known to be an honest and genuine person; someone who every member of his squad had grown to love and respect. You were a gentle-hearted soul which brought a newfound warm light to the otherwise hardcore company of brothers.

Slowly, Hunter watched the way you raised your head to look at him through your lashes. You had just finished wrapping his knuckles, gently laying them back down in his lap. He could feel your breath fanning against his face as you stood right between his legs. He briefly glanced down at your lips. And he wanted nothing more than to capture them in his own. But he knew better than to do something so careless.

You missed the quick glance he casted to your lips, but your eyes were fixed on his cut. You really couldn't do anything about the cut on his lip; it would heal in its own time. He silently thanked you with his gaze alone. And now your attention went to his younger brother sitting beside him.

"Why were you fighting over me?" You asked them with a hint of genuine concern behind your facial expression. You wondered if you'd be able to get a response out of the sniper now that all your attention was directed to him.

"We...we share...a common interest," Crosshair confessed honestly. He would have never said if the rest of his brothers were present, but there was just something about the way you looked up at him that made him cave.

Kneeling down onto the ground, you were able to hoist his bad leg onto your lap. You began to wrap his ankle carefully because you didn't want to cause him anymore pain than he was already in. You looped the stream of gauze around the backside of his ankle, bringing it back over the side and to the front. You briefly glanced up at him.

"In me?" You wanted clarification.

Both Hunter and Crosshair silently nodded their heads in response.

Avoiding their gaze, you went back to tying the knot on the wrapped ankle in your lap. You rose to your feet in a slow manner. You reached for the end of the sniper's top, carefully helping him remove it until he too was shirtless like his brother.

You had seen them shirtless countless times before and you always managed to remain medically professional. But there was something different about them now. This newfound revelation made you look at them in a slightly different light. The mere sight of their bare chests had your breath catching in the back of your throat. You knew if you weren't careful in regulating your breathing, Hunter was going to catch on sooner than later. Hell, he might have already caught on at this point.

You began to wrap a supportive brace around Crosshair's torso of bruised ribs, knowing that they'd need the extra support to help heal over the next couple days. You made sure not to make it too tight or too loose, watching for any discomfort behind his eyes. But you never saw any.

Now, having finished tending to their various injuries, you took a single step backwards and stood timidly in their presence. You still weren't able to look either of them in the eyes. When you realized how long you'd been silent and that they were waiting for some type of response from you, you tried to find the right words to express yourself.

"This is unexpected," you spoke softly. You just couldn't believe that two brothers had gotten into a quarrel over you. It went so far that one of them got stabbed this time around.

Had they fought over your before this? What were they fighting over specifically? Who else knew about this? And what else were they willing to do for you?

"You don't have to do anything with this information," Hunter wanted to reassure you. "And I hope this doesn't make things weird between us."

"It doesn't," you confessed with a small shake of the head. The corners of your lips twitched into a smile. "I'm certainly flattered...and honestly at a loss for words right now. I'm not really sure how to feel."

"You can have all the time in the world to think about how you feel," Hunter replied. He didn't have any expectations of where he wanted this to go for him, but he did want you to be comfortable around them. And you were going to need time to do that now that they had confessed to you.

"I'll...see you both around," you mentioned rather awkwardly.

Taking another step backwards to dismiss yourself from their presence, you wanted to get out of the cockpit before they could see the evident blush creeping onto your cheeks. You sent them a small wave and slipped out of the cockpit before they could say anything else to you.

Just as the door closed, Hunter and Crosshair seemed to breath a small sigh of relief. Their gazes were now directed to the solid steel floor underneath them, thinking about the confession and conversation that had just transpired.

"Well, that's out of the bag now." Crosshair spoke up first.

"Give her some time. I'm sure it's a lot for her to process. She'll come around," Hunter shrugged his shoulders.

"When she does come around, I hope you won't be too heartbroken with her choice." Crosshair taunted him. A sly smirk curved near the corner of his lip, knowing the mere power of his words and how they always managed to irritate his older brother. A deadly glare was sent his way in response.

Crosshair knew just the right thing to say to get under his brother's skin and if he wasn't careful, Hunter was bound to start another quarrel with him. But that's just something brothers do.

･ﾟ:* blondedona’s eddie munson fic rec list! *:･ﾟ

❥ = fluff

♱ = smut / nsfw

♱ the dungeon master by @chaoticmunson

♱ eating out by @spicedchaiandromeda

♱ piercing by @blondedona (shameless self promo)

❥ tokyo machine by @munsonmunchies

♱ hood ornament by @billys-car

❥ is this safe by @celestialula

❥ patch me up by @gabbimunson

♱ shy by @luveline

❥ cassette kisses by @hellfirebee

❥ skywalker by @aliasimagines

❥ the shire is burning by @slutobrien

♱ knead you by @granills

❥ aftercare by @blondedona (shameless self promo)

♱ breeding kink by @prettyboyeddiemunson

♱ insecure by @sinnerlillith

❥ nighttime sets by @latelyanobsession

❥ the responsible one by @webslinger-holland

♱ 18 by @chaoticmunson

❥ kiss by @honeymunson

❥ if i were a worm by @honeymunson

❥ cat by @shyposttree

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.”