LGBTQIA- Oneshots

Royal highness

Book: Cruel Prince (1)
Jude Duarte x Cardan Greenbriar
Nonbinary/Bisexual
Word count: 1242

Laying in their white delicate bedsheets, dragging their thumb over the golden lips, Cardan wondered what their family would think of this, of them.

Quite a lot changed since their family got slaughtered and they ended up as king. They hated this word in so many ways. Never was Cardan supposed to be the one sitting on the throne, never did they felt like doing the duties that came with such responsibility. Nor did they like the tone of it. King. It sounded so male, it obviously was, and in a way it kinda fitted but not quite right. The ick that came with the title never left. Queen sounded so much more beautiful and fitting but at the same time not quite right either.

Cardan knew that there was no longer a chance for their abusive family to hurt them but sometimes, when the sun shined bright at its highest spot, their mind drifted off to exactly those people.

In a way they always knew it but never got to understand. Cardan knew they were not the king the folk expected them to be. They knew they were not what their family tried to bully them into. And even though they never quite hid it they also never fully embraced it either.

Cardan knew that they were not a king, not even a man but their mind refused to wrap itself around it on what Cardan truly was.

All the alcohol in the world and even the craziest parties never seemed to get them distracted enough to let the thought disappear that they were so much more then just the man the world knew.

They jumped up to their feet, dressed only in a silky gown, wiping away the few tears they spilled, Cardan made their way to Jude's room.

She was a beautiful strong women and sometimes, no a lot of the time, Carden wished to be her for exactly those reasons.

She was the exact opposite of them. Strong and fearless, knowing exactly what she wants, knowing exactly who she is.

Cardan admired that, wishing for nothing more then a mind as clear as hers.

Fear making them hesitate, fists trembling, Cardan knocks against Jude's door.

It only takes her seconds to approach the door and when she does, she carries a dagger to her side, eyes squinted angrily but still with a tired glimmer to them. The second she recognizes Cardan, taking in their drained and helpless look, her face softens. Her hand with the dagger falls loosely to her side and she guards Cardan inside, leading them to a comfortable looking stack of pillows and blankets.

Jude checks the corridor for presumable enemies, before turning back to Cardan, who already wrapped themself up in a soft blanket.

'Is there anything I can do for you my king?' gracefully she bows in front of him. Cardan cringes at this. 'You don't have to play pretend around here, Jude. You know that.' 'Good, was just worried about your ego. You look like the love of your life dumbed you at your own wedding.'

Running their palms over their eyes Cardan breaths sharply in. 'If it only would be that...' 'Spit it out. I'm not your therapist. I'm not getting paid for this so don't think I will be wasting my time with you.'

Even though Cardan tries to act over Jude's sharp comment their body tenses and tears start to fill their eyes. They hate this. They hate how weak they get. They hate how much they care about Jude. They hate that they love her. They hate that they grave nothing more then comforting and assuring words from Jude Duarte.

'Who do you think I am?' they ask barely raising their voice, mumbling into the blanket. 'Who you are?' Jude raises an eyebrow at this. 'A dipshit. An arrogant rich king who's irresponsible and acts childish while drowning himself in alcohol.'

Silent tears run over their cheeks and even though they hope that Jude can't see them in the dimmed light, they know exactly by the slight changes of her expression that she does see them.

'Cardan- I don't know what you want from me.' No response, she sighs. 'Fine. If you really want it this way, fine. You can stay there if you wish so. I will go to sleep now bc I have real work to do later and I can't do my job sleep deprived.'

Cardan doesn't trust their voice so they only nod, wrapping the blanket even tighter around them, desperately trying to find some sort of comfort in the soft touch of the blanket and the surrounding pillows.

~•~•~

When Jude wakes up she's surprised to still find Cardan in the same position spread out on the floor between pillows and blankets. She never had thought of the king to be someone who would sleep on the floor. She assumed Cardan had left shortly after she fell asleep. But no, they were still lying there.

Their dark curls framed the way too perfect face with the full, still golden, lips, the pointy nose, the even more pointy ears. And yet Cardan didn't look peaceful. They looked rather haunted, still tensed up in their sleep. And instantly Jude felt some sort of guilt letting them fall asleep like that.

There was not much she could do, was there? She definitely didn't want to wake them up. Knowing how little sleep Cardan gets on daily basis, a haunted sleep was still better then non at all.

Carefully she approached them, tracing their sharp features. Jude found herself truly finding Cardan beautiful. So magically beautiful it almost hurted. She wondered if Cardan felt the same way looking at themselves in the mirror.

~•~•~

When Cardan wakes up they don't open their eyes right away. Their mind fixated on the warm touch, lying on their face. When they open their eyes, they look straight up to Jude, her hands moving over Cardans face as if she was working on a peace of art.

Cardan wants to shut their eyes again, fearing she might release the touch, but she doesn't. So instead Cardan finds themself bringing their own hand up to Jude's face, luringly touching her soft features.

They stare at each other in awe, finding beauty in their opposite they never were able to catch in themselves.

Time and movement seems to came to a complete stop until Jude releases herself into Cardans lap, interlacing their hands.

'Do you still wanna talk about it?' she asks, voice softer then Carden ever imagined it was possible. 'Tell me about gender identities on earth.' they whisper. Clearly it wasn't what Jude had expected but she obeyed nevertheless.

~•~•~

'Do you think it would be possible for me to be- one of those.' Cardans voice shakes so much and seems to barely be a whisper so that Jude brings them so close to her that Cardans lips brush against her ears while talking, leaving golden spots.

'Could I be non-binary or some sort-'A knowing smile formed on Jude's lips. Lovingly she takes Cardans head in her hands. 'Of course, Cardan. But you don't have to force a name on it. You can be just Cardan Greenbear, royal highness and ruler of fairy land.'

A smile parts Cardans lips before they close them again in order to kiss Jude.