Hand of the Heart | S. Rogers x Reader - Royal AU

Ch. 7 - Village

You and Steve walked, undisturbed, down the hill. You had a good amount of money in your pockets, wanting to be prepared. You loved buying the things your subjects made and sold.

"Are you hurting at all? From the joust?" you asked a fourth of the way down. Your red dress swished in front of you with every step you took.

He rested his right hand on top of yours, which was hooked around his left forearm. "I was, yesterday, but I'm much better today. Thank you."

You nodded. "How did you get so good with a lance?"

"I practice with my order of knights back in York. Buc- Sir James is better than I am, really. I was lucky."

You doubted that, deciding that he was simply being modest.

"Did your prince confront you?"

"Yes, Prince Anthony talked to me in the stables."

"Was he angry with you?"

He thought for a moment. "He didn't seem to be. His Highness only congratulated me." He didn't even brag about winning against Anthony, his prince. He humbly brushed it off. He continued, "It is something to be congratulated for. A man of my status is lucky to even have this opportunity."

"I never thought about it that way. I was always destined to marry some nobleman. Practically raised to marry and bear an heir, it never mattered who as long as he could defend Evradia." There was a pause, and you began to worry that you scared him. "I apologize, I didn't mean to tell you that."

"No, no. I like to hear your side of things. It's refreshing."

You looked up at him, and he looked down at you. You liked the way he listened to you and was genuinely interested in the things you had to say.

You walked into the village arm in arm, the stares and smiles of your people greeting you. You waved back to people who waved at you. Occasionally there were some people shooting curious glances at Steve, but you paid them no mind.

You came across the square, where a group of children were playing with a ball. You looked around at all the vendors and small shops, smiling at Steve before letting go of his arm and going to one of the stands.

They sold all kinds of foods, spices, jewelry, clothing, metalwork, anything you could think of. You bought a couple of things from the stands, each of the shopkeepers incredibly thankful when they realized who you were.

You turned around from one of the shops, intending to find Steve again, only to find him playing with the children in the middle of the square. Your eyes widened when he kicked the ball to one of them.

Your fondness for the Captain grew as you watched him. Your thoughts carried you to wondering if this was how he'd be when he had children of his own.

You scolded yourself. You shouldn't think that about him.

You stood there until the children got tired and didn't want to play anymore. They went home, and Steve made sure each of them was with a parent before coming back to you.

He was panting, out of breath from chasing those little kids around. His hair was messed up and his boots were dirtier. Under all that mess, there was a massive grin overtaking his face.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself," you chuckled out, moving your basket to one arm and reaching up to pick something out of his blond hair.

"I was. At moments, I thought they'd never get tired."

You both shared a laugh, and hearing his for the first time was like listening to the bells ringing in the church, or the birds whistling in the meadow. It sounded like you would expect an angel to sound.