-Really felt like writing something medieval or set in a historical time period. I hope you enjoy this!-
King Tobio II was a ruthless leader. He possessed little compassion for his people, and never indulged in pleasure-inducing activities such making love. His whole life was dedicated to his kingdom, and in that aspect he was a spectacular ruler. His country flourished well above many others that struggled to maintain independence after era of transition. Many sought after the wealth in trade and goods of his domain, but now that his reign was weakening, he had to find other ways to drag out his legacy. His many wives struggled to produce an heir for years, but his seed was finally planted during the summer solstice, and thus his son Kageyama Tobio was brought into this world. Ever since his son drew his first breath, he made sure that he knew that he only existed for one purpose, and that was to carry his father's name to his grave.
Kageyama followed and obeyed whatever his father desired from him, he had no complaints or objections whatsoever. How could he refuse? His father was the only person he had. His mother passed away soon after his birth due to medical complications, so he has no memory of her either. There was no time to mourn or feel sorry for himself, his duties awaited. Now that he is of age, he is to fulfil his final task and succumb to an arranged marriage. He'd be lying if the thought of marrying a total stranger didn't urk him. But this was what he was willing to do to please the king. He lawfully vowed to cherish and love the one that is bestowed upon him. But how is a man who has never experienced love supposed to know how to love someone else unconditionally?
You were fortunate enough to have been raised the right way. With loving parents that raised you with utmost delicacy and care, you've grown to become a splendid woman. Not only were you high-poised, you had the heart of the purest and kindest soul. Your country may not have been as successful as neighbouring ones, but it sustained well. The abundant resource of wood lead to the development of paper. Knowledge was preserved in these papers which eventually turned into pages in books. Overtime, rapid modernisation and military development rushed through your city, and just like a dark horse, your country climbed to one of the wealthiest of them all.
The request for your hand in marriage was unexpected. It's the first time something like that had occurred. Your family seemed to be hesitant, they didn't want to potentially sell their daughter off to some dominant man in another country. However, you agreed on their terms without a blink of an eye. Your bloodline was safe, you were surrounded by many siblings, both older and younger. They each had a role to fulfil in a world like yours, and you had your own duties as a princess. Your older brothers would rise to the throne, and you'd just be a presence with an extravagant name. You wanted to contribute to something, you want to be useful for once. Whether or not you both were compatible, you wanted to make it work, or you'd be a failure as a royal member of the family.
It's been a few months since the wedding commenced. You only just met him on the day of the ceremony, but it all worked out pretty well in the end. The relationship is strictly political though. You've never once engaged in sexual actives together, and only really talked when necessary. Kageyama is a pretty stoic young man, much like his father for that fact. However, he has this gentle side to him which you see very rarely. Over a span of these days, the merged kingdoms have been receiving threats to harm you. Many other rulers have become jealous over the strong bond between your countries as they struggled to outcompete. Once this news reached your husband, he acted immediately. You knew that he didn't have to, but you noticed the subtle changes that he made to keep you safe. You figured that if he didn't care at all, he wouldn't go through all these drastic measures to do what he did. He's a busy king with a busy agenda, the thought of him going out of his way like that, it warms your heart nevertheless.
"Ah, Your Grace, it's time for dinner." you murmur softly as you bow respectfully.
Kageyama looks up from the stack of documents in his hand before setting down the quill with a sigh. He looks extremely tired, and you take note that he hasn't come to bed in a few nights. The dark circles under his eyes worry you, but you don't dare speak up about it. Tobio is known to be snappy and moody, you don't want to be caught between THAT crossfire. His grey eyes meet yours briefly and he nods curtly.
"Thank you, (Your Name). Please commence without my humble presence." he dismisses you like he did over the last few days.
"But...you haven't eaten in days, Tobio." you whisper worriedly with your hand on your chest in desperation.
"I'm fine," he breathes as a frown makes it's appearance on his face. "Now I really want to get back to work."
In other words, he wants you to leave.
The door slams shut behind you as you leave, and you cannot help but get startled by it. You've been in such a deep trance that even the noise scares the wits out of you. Your face droops as you head over to the dining room alone again. Truth be told, you've been quite lonely eating alone. Having to entertain the guests during dinner also provides great strain on your shoulders. It's hard to keep a conversation going with potential business partners for the country when the king is not there to supervise and support your conversation. Toby unknowingly puts you in a situation where you feel powerless to say or do anything with signifiant impacts. You are his queen, yet you feel like his concubine instead.
Your heels click against the marble floor as you take your seat across from one of the heavy investors in your wood industry. He's a brute man with a large belly hanging over his belt. Much to your surprise, he has already begun his feast without you there. That alone should've been the biggest insult to your house, but you decide to ignore it with gritted teeth. Unlike him, you had dignity and pride in your position. He looks you up and down with a condescending sneer before opening his disgusting mouth to talk.
"My lady, it's a pleasure to be joining you for dinner once again." he slurs as he downs another glass of wine before shouting at your maids for more.
"Likewise." you force a genuine smile before twirling your wine glass between your fingers. "Shall we talk business?"
"The banksters have us corralled like sheep, at this rate we'll be seeing drops in profit." he continues in a nasty manner. "And if that were to occur, I don't see your country as much of a benefactor anymore."
"Sir, you are well-aware that if you pull out of this deal, both our countries will suffer." you raise your voice urgently. "Many will lose their jobs, and even more will be unfit to sustain themselves."
"Who cares? As long as we get to line our pockets with money, isn't everything else irrelevant?"
You are taken aback by his words. You are a queen of a country. You didn't deserve this treatment. To be grovelling at the feet of these huge corporations, it makes you sick to the stomach. But for the sake of your name and your husband, you pull through it. It's not uncommon for you to be having these business talks with these men, Kageyama has much more to deal with than something as petty as this. The idea of your people starving and dying because some ignorant bastard wanted wealth makes your blood boil. You glance up through gritted teeth to realise that this is exactly what he wants from you. He watches your reaction with glee before his perverted gaze travels beyond your body. You feel like he's undressing you with his eyes, and that makes you beyond uncomfortable. Your legs shoot up unexpectedly and you slam your hands down on the table for good measure.
"This talk is over. Please come again some other time to discuss this directly with the king yourself." you hiss before walking towards the door. Just as you are about to walk past him, the man grabs your wrist with his meaty,sweaty hand.
"But my queen, I'd much rather continue this conversation with you. Perhaps somewhere more private?"
You raise your hand to slap him.
"Please. Take your hands off my woman."
You whirl around to see Tobio stomping over to your side. His eyes glare maliciously, and the tight grip around your wrist is immediately released. The man who previously looked cocky and full of himself is now as pale as a sheet of paper. His skin turns clammy as he struggles to explain himself. Tobio doesn't utter a singe word, but your throat clenches up as his aura is chilling. It's as if he has the capability to release pheromones that have the ability to have anybody around him immobilised. You've never seen him so angry before. He pulls you to his side before wrapping his long fingers around your waist as he continues to peer down at the scum beneath his feet.
"Our deal's off."