Her Majesty's Knight

Chapter 13 - Historia

                                                                                      

AN: There are more rambly author notes at the end, so just skip those if you want.

Also... you may want to prepare your nether regions for this chapter. This one's quite steamy...

Song inspired for this chapter: Princesses Don't Cry by CARYS. I thought it suited Historia as she is expected to be poised like a queen all the time, but sometimes it's okay just not to be okay, you know. 

The captain held me for hours. Considering it was the closest I would ever get to a hug from him, I'll take it.

Who knew he was capable of such compassion in the end, even when I was dampening his clean cravat with my snot and tears.

We all know how he feels about germs, so it must have been a real challenge for him. Yet he remained my strong, steadfast knight, never letting me fall...

I think I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of that man. In his eyes, I saw a child — starved, broken, and defeated.

I don't know anything about his childhood. No one does, but what I found in his steel greys was similar to the haunted expression that I found in Tilly's dark onyx. And my heart breaks when I think about the horrors he must have endured as a child when he lived in the underground.

If only I was there to protect him and get him out of there, but of course, I wasn't born yet...

It makes sense why he acts so cold and distant all the time; he's been through a lot. But despite his cool exterior, his chest felt warm and solid against my cheek, and the sound of his strong heartbeat soothed my spirit.

It skipped several times, and despite my tears, I smiled. I think he liked having me against his chest, even if he doesn't show it. 

I don't know what's coming over me. I'm starting to see the captain in ways I never have before. For one, I never noticed the shape of his lips — carved and well-defined with two prominent peaks in the shape of a longbow. Since he always has his mouth pressed into a line, it was hard to tell what it looked like before.

Then there's the chiselled profile of his jaw, and I was almost tempted to run my finger along and feel that slight stubble.

Who knew he could grow a beard in the end with that boyish face?

I've also noticed his changed behaviour around the children too. He seems to have warmed to them now, becoming less afraid of them. I even spotted them earlier wearing masks and head scarfs, helping the captain clean around the farmhouse. And then he broke their little hearts and told them to do it all over again when he inspected the underside of a table.

At least he's settled now, but I wish he wouldn't treat them like his squad.

I stand in the kitchen, washing up the dishes as he orders them around in the drawing-room.

"Captain, show us your sword again!" Thomas squeals.

"Not until you've finished brushing the floor, Munchkin!"

Though he's harsh, his voice has less of an edge when he speaks with the children now. Maybe his body has finally realised they're no longer a threat, or he's developed a soft spot for them, who knows, but I like seeing this side of him.