these are from various accounts on tumblr!
———
calum
You pulled the sheets around yourself as you slipped off the bed, making your way to the piano to sit on the bench, right next to Calum. He shifted to the side without missing a beat, and you let your head rest on his shoulder as he continued playing with one hand, his arm curling around your waist to pull you closer. You've tried to follow the pattern his fingers were playing, your own digits pushing on the keys of the piano, and Calum chuckled, pressing his lips against your cheek. "You're terrible at this." "Not all of us were taught how to play an instrument," you made a comment, still trying to follow the notes he was playing. "Some of us spent their time learning how to make soups and pâtés, and fancy meat dishes that even fancier pretty princes won't be eating because they have decided to follow a trend of eating plants." "Ouch, that was harsh," he pretended to be shocked, but the smile was still on his face. "He must be terrible." "Well, I keep him fed, so he's not gonna die before the crown is put on his head," you finally pulled your hand away, letting it tangle together with the fingers resting on your waist. "We don't want everyone's favourite prince to starve." "Aren't you just selfless?" he rolled his eyes, reaching for the pack of cigarette on top of the piano, lighting one and taking a quick drag before blowing the smoke out. "You know that's terrible for your health," you poked his cheek, and he laughed, kissing your knuckles and putting them back down on his knee. "The plants are balancing it out for me, I'm sure," he gave you a toothy grin, taking another drag. "And I also have you annoying the hell out of me to take care of myself." "I'm just worried about you," you huffed as he fixed the sheets around you, pressing a kiss on your shoulder where the blanket didn't cover you. "You've been looking tired lately." "I'm fine darling, really," he rested his elbow on the piano, leaning his head against his palm as he looked at you. "It's just all royal this and royal that going on around me. You know I don't care about any of this." "But you're the crown prince," you pulled your legs up on the bench, and Calum rubbed your ankle softly. "You're the next in line." "If I wouldn't be here then Mali could be queen," he put out his cigarette, waving his hand around to clear the air from the smoke. "She would be the absolute best, trust me. The people adore her." "And what would you want to do?" you asked, slipping a little closer and Calum put his arms around you, pulling you into his lap again. "What would you do if you were free?" "Run away with the prettiest kitchen girl I've ever known," he brushed a lock of hair behind your ear, and you felt yourself blush, burying your face in his neck. "Cause she wouldn't let me starve, no matter what." "I take it back, you are the worst." you shook your head against his chest, and you felt him chuckle, kissing your temple. "Will you still say this..." he suddenly picked you up again, and you stifled your giggles against his neck as he put you down on the bed, slowly peeling back the sheets covering your body. "...if I show you just how much I enjoy eating anything that you could offer to me?" "You're sure it's to your taste?" you gave him a pointed look, his fingers lightly running up and down your thighs, his lips pressing kisses higher and higher. "Well, it's a delicacy," Calum kissed your lower stomach before looking up at you, giving you a cheeky smile. "Only fit for a prince, right?"
luke
Little prince!Luke always being chased by his older brothers so one day he decided he likes it better to play with you, the young daugter of one of the kitchen maids and sometimes you'd run through the halls and almost crash into expensive crystal vases or against tables and you'd poke each other until you giggle so much your stomach hurts and you'd venture into the library and spend hours flipping through old books, reading tales about knights and dragons and bravery and sometimes, especially during the summer the two of you would take his telescope out onto the lawn at night and look at the stars and lay on the grass and have the deepest conversations 6-year-old's can have. Getting older, you guys come up with new tricks to play on his private teacher every day so Luke can ditch school and spend time with you instead, every day a new adventure. But as he turns 16, his parents forbid him to spend time with you anymore, after all, you're just a kitchen maid's daughter who's destination it is to become a maid herself and from that day on he is forced to learn what a prince must learn in order to become a good king one day, not that he doesn't want to, he wants to be a good ruler one day just like his dad, but he misses his best friend so much whom he could always laugh with and had the wittiest conversations with and who always used to brighten up his day simply by smiling at him and as he is forced to fill his mind with fighting strategies and rules of king-like behaviour and etiquette, you are downstairs in the kitchens, receiving orders from the chef and trying hard to not screw up to make your mom proud while simultaneously wondering what your formally known best friend is up to. When it's prince!Luke's 18th birthday, there's a ball at the castle and of course his dad, the king, invited almost every girl in the country that could be an option for his son and your heart hurts because over the years, you've kind of developed a crush on him, watching him growing up and becoming a handsome, clever, fair and brave man... being the girl in the shadows, just another maid, the friend he apparently forgot about over time. This night is really stressful down in the kitchens, but your mother manages to get you out of there somehow, because of course she knows about your feelings and she wants to give you the opportunity to properly say 'goodbye' to the idea of you & Luke, so you watch the people dancing in the candle light, laughing, nipping at champagne flutes, having fun quietly from a distant hallway, the light from the ballroom shining onto your face, you can almost feel it's warmth on your skin - As a quiet, but friendly voice gets you out of your trance and you turn around to see princess!Lauren, the little sister of prince!Ashton, one of prince!Luke's best friends, standing behind you, accompanied by prince!Luke's cousin princess!Allison, both wearing pretty ball gowns, dresses so sparkly and beautiful you could swear you've never seen something prettier. They're smiling and then princess!Lauren asks you with that quiet voice of hers why you're not at the ball, why you're watching from a cold hallway and you have to choke on tears as you explain that you're not allowed to because you're a simple maid and the next moment, they drag you upstairs to the room Allison is staying in while visiting her cousin to do your hair and make-up while Lauren picks out a dress for you with a giddy voice that you're not a simple maid and how Luke would never shut up about you whenever he's with other people lately and that she can't stand seeing him being forced into something she knows he doesn't want and then Allison chiming in, saying that they don't want him to live an unhappy life and that you'd be the right one for him and you simply can't believe it, you just sit there, kinda paralyzed, and let them do their thing until you don't look like a dirty kitchen maid at all anymore but like a beautiful princess and then they drag you downstairs again and you almost lose your shoe on the stairs and after bending down, you stand up straight again, wanting to smooth out the fabric immediately - You're faced with a familiar blonde headed boy's eyes, burning holes into your face, wearing a look of surprise and questioning astonishment (and a black suit that just fits perfectly everywhere). Prince!Luke's voice is smooth, calm, soothing your nerves, as he compliments your dress and then asks you if you'd give him the honour to dance the next dance with him and all you can say is 'yes, of course', taking the arm he offers you and going into the ballroom with him. You can see Lauren and Allison high-fiving each other from the corner of your eye, and you feel the people in the room stare at you, wondering who that mysterious beautiful girl is while you and Luke dance the whole night (even though he's not the best dancer) and at some point later, he takes your hand and pulls you with him, the two of you sneaking out of the castle. Ending up on the lawn, looking a the sky. As you feel Luke's hand reaching out for yours, his warm palm holding you in a secure grip, his pointing finger rubbing little circles on the back of your hand, you're feeling more at peace than you've felt for a long long time. Here, under the stars and with the open sky, next to the boy who possibly most likely is your soulmate, you're happy.
ashton
He was finishing his fencing match, out in the courtyard, He thanked his opponent for the challenge and walked back to the castle. "Your highness, do you require a drink?" you asked the moment Ashton walked in. "I'm fine, and call me Ash, you know I hate formalities." he said with a chuckle. "I know" you smiled, "but still let me at least go fetch you something to eat" you said, "I can do it myself" he said. "As your personal maid, I should at least help you with something", you answered. "Fine you can go get me something to eat, but you have to eat with me." he said smugly. "Fine, go wait in the dining hall" you said as you walked over to the kitchen. You have been in the castle since you were eight because you were an orphan. You remember the day you first met Ashton, you sat on the hard cobblestone road, hoping that anyone would give you anything that could get you food "Hey where are your parents, you shouldn't be by yourself?" you heard a voice say. You looked up and saw a young boy about your age with the most beautiful hazel eyes staring down at you. "I don't have any", you responded weakly. "No parents?" he asked confusedly, "but doesn't everyone have parents?" "Not me", you answered not noticing that the boy was staring at you sadly. He was about to ask you something till he heard the rumbling of your stomach, "you're hungry?" You nodded embarrassingly and looked up at him to see him holding out his hand for you to take and smiled to you, wanting to help you, something that no one really did. You placed your soft hand in his and he led you to the castle. You didn't know why he was taking you there, till he explained that he was the prince. You felt so improper looking down at your raggedy clothes, but he refused to let your hand go. He made people bring you food and told you to eat and not to be shy, and you weren't since you hadn't eaten in days. He showed you around the castle, but it was an excuse for him to talk and play with you, since there was no one his age in the castle and in that short amount of time he became really attached to you. Just as you were about to leave, Ashton said that you should stay since there were so many room here, not wanting you to sleep in the streets. You refused saying that you really couldn't take that offer because he already did so much for you. His mother walked up, noticing how much his son liked you and said that you should stay as well, but you could only stay if you agreed to Ashton's personal maid. He looked at his mom with a glint of anger, telling her that how could he make you, of eight years old and homeless, stay only if you worked. His mother lightly laughed at seeing his son so brave to defend you, but she explained that your only duty would just be Ashton's friend. Despite how much they said you didn't need to, you still helped out around the castle. You owed a lot to his family, and you felt that helping like the other servants was at least some way way to repay them. Through the years of playing with Ashton on the castle grounds, you fell for the boy, but you knew that no matter how much you loved him, he would never be yours. The reason was because royalty could only marry other royal families, and you were just an orphaned girl. You were arrived at the dining hall and noticed a chair pulled out for you, as well as the table being set for you both to eat. You placed the plate in front of him, and set yours down as well. You both ate as he talked about his sparring match, saying that he really needed some real competition, and that spring was rolling in, meaning that you two could head to the fields to see the blooming flowers. You told him how you helped tend the animals this morning, something that you loved to do. "Here you got to try this steak, it's delicious", he said as he held out his fork with the meat on it. A blush rose to your cheeks as you opened your mouth a little and Ashton smiled as he leaned his fork to feed you. "Good, but my chicken was still better", you said as you swallowed. "Really?" he said as he took another bite of his food. "Yep, want to try it?" you said looking down at you food. "Sure" he said turning over to you and opened his mouth. You cut a piece of chicken for him and brought it to his lips. "You're right it does taste better." he said with a smile that made your heart race. You ate, trying to calm down your fast beating heart. You felt that it was so loud that you were worried that he might be able to hear it, and really hoped that he didn't, because you wanted to keep your feelings for him a secret, hoping that with time they would go away. You didn't want to experience the heartbreak that would come the moment you would see him with someone else in his arms. You finished your plate and waited for him to finish before you took it to the kitchen to place it in the dirty pile that you or someone else would get to it later and returned to Ashton. "Do you want to go for a horse ride?" he said with a smile. "Right now?" "Of course right now, it's a nice day for a ride." "Sure" you smiled. His smile got wider as he reached for your hand and began walking to the stables. Your heart began to race again as you felt Ashton tighten his grip on your hand as he led you through the castle. Looking down at your intertwined hands made you remember that day that you first met him. But the hand that held yours didn't belong to a young boy anymore, it was larger and stronger. But what was really different about today than years ago, were your emotions. When you were a child, this hand holding meant nothing, but right now, it only reminded you that somewhere along the years you fell for Ashton hard, and despite how perfect your hand felt in his, you knew it wasn't meant to be there. No matter how much you loved Ashton, you could never be anything more than friends.
michael
The news of your engagement to Prince Michael hadn't gone down well at all. You'd always known that as the only son of the current monarch, whoever Michael chose to spend his life with would come under extreme criticism from his family, the royal council and the general public. The speculation over his involvement with you had been the biggest scandal within recent memory and you'd been advised to break things off. Of course, the love you have for each other hadn't allowed either of you to entertain that possibility and you'd chosen to weather the media storm together. However, just when your relationship was starting to become 'old news', Michael had proposed. You'd both done your very best to keep it a secret, but someone close to you had leaked some photos and Michael had been forced to make a formal announcement. That had been a week ago, and the media are still talking all kinds of shit and you're worried that Michael is close to breaking point. When the prince walks through the front door of private estate you'd been granted, looking pale and exhausted, you contemplate whether you should just call the whole thing off. As much as you love Michael and want to spend the rest of your life with him, the drama surrounding your impending marriage is already taking its toll on both of you. "I don't know how much longer I can cope with that fucking circus out there." Michael sighs, leaning heavily against the door he's just closed. "Haven't they got more important things to focus on?" You frown, getting to your feet and walking over to your fiancé, feeling the soft silk of your long slip dress tumble to your ankles. "You'd think so, but I guess not." You reply quietly, cupping Michael's cheek gently. You flatten your lips into a sad, compassionate look as he leans into your touch, a tired smile gracing his face. "If this is too much for you..." Michael doesn't even let you finish your sentence. He scrunches his eyes shut as he shakes his head and covers your hand with his own, pressing your palm to the corner of his lips. "Don't say it, angel." He whispers. "I can cope with anything as long as I have you by my side. If you left, I don't know what I'd do." He tells you. You scoff gently, thinking he couldn't possibly be that lost without you. "Go about your royal duties without being hounded about how you're bringing shame on your family and your country by marrying me?" You try to joke, although there's a serious note in your voice that you can't hide. "Your life was so much easier before I was a part of it." You point out. It was objectively true, but any girl that came into his life would bring loads of attention and drama to the royal family, no matter who it was. You just happen to be not as royal as him. Michael opens his eyes to meet your gaze. "I don't care about 'easy'." He replies. "Everything seemed pretty meaningless before you. I was just a shell, a doll that my family and the royal council used to do whatever would make for a good news story." This was also true. Even a lot of the general public know that Michael is used as little more than a prop a lot of the time. It doesn't stop everyone from expecting him to act the part, though. If he's ever seen doing, saying or even wearing something he's not been authorised to, the consequences are harsh. No one else sees this side to royal life. Not that Michael would ever really complain. He knows he's lucky to have this privileged life and he does his very best to use what influence he does have, for good. No member of the royal family has ever dedicated as much time, effort and funding to important charitable causes as Michael. It's those kinds of things that the media should be broadcasting. The should be singing his praises for all of his hard work instead of tearing him down just because the person he wants to marry isn't who they'd have chosen for him. You wished they could see the side of him that you got to experience, watch and fall in love with. In an attempt to comfort him, you cuddle into Michael, resting your head on his chest while he wraps his arms around you. "Well, one day you'll be the one making the rules, this will all seem worth it, then." You offer softly, tightening your hold around his waist. "The thought of being King used to scare me so much." Michael whispers, sounding smaller and more vulnerable than ever. He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh as he rests his chin on your head, your short height allowing him perfect access. "All of that responsibility... It seems less terrifying knowing that you'll be by my side now." He adds, cuddling you harder as if to strengthen his statement. "I'll be by your side for as long as you want and need me to be." You promise, hoping to soothe some of his anxieties, but you weren't saying it just to make him feel better. You truly meant it. You were in love with the boy you tightly held onto to, grateful to have that love returned. Michael relaxes a little in your hold, allowing your presence to calm him. "Forever, then?" He asks, a small smile curling his lips and brightening his face a little bit. "Forever." You agree. "Now come on, Princess, time to get you showered and ready for the charity gala tonight." Your fiancé gives a small chuckle, he loves the fond pet name you have for him and the fact that you're not scared to use it like most other people would be. "I wish we didn't have to go." Part of you feels the same way but it's more important than ever that Michael upholds his public profile. "If you hurry we might have enough time for some pre-gala fun..." You tease, sliding your hands down his back to give his ass cheeks a firm squeeze. A tiny moan escapes the blonde man and you know you've succeeded in helping him forget his troubles for now. "I thought you'd like that plan, Princess... time to get out of those clothes for me."