The King's Wife |Kylo Ren x Reader|

XI-One Night of Freedom

"You asked to see me?"

Sir Vicrul stands uncomfortably by the door. The constant summoning hadn't ceased for him for days now. Not just from you--this was the first he'd seen you, after all--but from everyone. Nobles asking him about the engagement, politicians questioning him on his loyalties, and the king himself asking for advice. Out of all the others, this was the summons he had been dreading most of all.

"Come." You don't rise from the table. As he hesitantly approaches, you gesture towards the chair opposite from you. It's strange, not seeing him in his armor. But your summons had likely disrupted him in the polishing of it. He pulls the chair back and sinks down. "I wanted to talk to you about the engagement."

He releases the breath he was holding. "Congratulations, My Lady."

"That's what everyone has been saying." You play with the fabric of your dress in your lap, shaking your head at the prospect of marriage. "Congratulations. But I don't feel like celebrating."

"Why is that?" Vicrul tries to maintain proper etiquette, but it only annoys you further. "Thousands of women can only dream of this."

You frown. "And in the time we've spent together, you know me as a woman who longs for this? Who desires marriage to a man she hasn't seen in days. The wedding is tomorrow. I'm going to be queen and all the while, nobody cares for how I feel. I don't... I don't feel seen." The tears make their appearance again as your voice drops to a whisper. "I didn't even know I was engaged."

"I'm sorry." He replies quietly.

"For what?" When he doesn't appear to be sure, you continue. "I would have at least liked the news to come from you. The friend I thought I had here. Or was I foolish to think so?"

Vicrul momentarily thinks back to the council session from the day prior. To the argument about your role as queen. To the king defending you. To the man whose finger he had personally cut clean off. "We are friends. I thought the king would tell you personally."

"No. Eda did."

"That was above her station." Irritation crosses his features. "She shouldn't have said anything."

"At least she was honest with me."

He falls silent again.

It makes your heart ache, to think about the only person you considered a friend keeping secrets from you. Avoiding you entirely for days and now dancing around the subject of your wedding. It is rather uncharacteristic of him, but you suppose this particular situation is new to everyone, not just you.

"Where were you yesterday?" You demand upon recalling his absence at the engagement party. "The Knights of Ren were all present, except for you."

"I was with the king."

"I know."

Leaning back in his seat, he frowns. "Eda told you that as well?"

"Who else?" Frustrated with his evasion of your questions, you reiterate, "why were you with the king?"

"I'm his most trusted-"

"Don't. Lie."

Vicrul sighs. "We were discussing the... logistics of the king's selection."