*Edited: 2-11-2022*
Word count: 3075
I take a breath as the sound of soft footsteps approach me, my eyes studying the floor as the blurry figure of the king disappears.
He calls out something I couldn't make out and moments later two blurry figures of soldiers replace his, standing on the other side of the frost-tinted, glass doors.
My gaze lifts to look at the blonde haired female, who stood a little ways away with her back towards me, her hands busy with placing the bundles of fabric in her arms down on the couch before she straightens and turns back to me - the soft smile on her face helping her green eyes to hold a maternal sense.
"Oh, look at you." She exhales, looking over my frame as she approaches. "Such a quiet, natural beauty."
Her hand tucks a strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear, her gaze drawing to my facial features while her hands lifted the thick cape from my shoulders - my hands not wasting a moment to pull the edge of the white dress shirt down more as she placed the item over her arm.
"And your eyes- a lovely shade of (e/c). You're a timid one, aren't you."
I avert my eyes to look at the floor, tugging at the shirt's hem as the older woman holds back a chuckle.
"Oh dear, where's your nightgown?" She asks before shaking her head at herself.
"Nevermind, we mustn't dawdle."
Her free hand takes mine, her frame leading me over to the cream colored couch.
"Take that shirt off for me, will you dearie." She smiles, setting the cape down and I hug myself, stepping back as I shake my head in a timid objection.
"I-I mean no disrespect ma'am-" I protest with quick words. "but please, I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself."
She just smiles, "Marion is fine. Now relax, sweetie, there's no need to be so shy."
She gently pulls me forward, back to her and my lungs momentarily cease to bring in air.
"We mustn't keep his majesty waiting, you know." Her hands move my arms away and I close my eyes, listening to the older woman unfasten the two buttons at the top of the shirt before slipping the white fabric over my head and off my frame.
"You wore your corset to bed?"
She questions and I hug myself - as if hiding from her gaze and the blonde lays the shirt on the arm of the couch.
She takes in a moment of my silence before she chuckles, her tone still soft.
"If that makes you more comfortable for now, dearie, then there's nothing wrong with that."
(This is what you're wearing.)
~~~ °•° ~ °•° ~~~
The blonde smiles as she leads me over to the armoire, her hands quickly dusting off the dress and fiddling with my loosely curled hair before she opens the left side to reveal a mirror on the door.
The dress was elegant, reaching to the floor in a dusty, dark red and creamish colored hue - the skirt, sleeves, and bodice decorated in floral detail and lace trim.
She stands by my side, her hands on my right shoulder as she beams.
"Breathtaking." She says happily and I try to smile.
"It's...lovely, thank you, Marion."
My voice was soft, causing the older woman's smile to falter momentarily.
"Something on your mind, dearie?" She asks.
"I want to go home..." I whisper, turning my attention to the floor as if it were consoling. "I'm scared. I need to go back home- I..."
The gentle hand on my shoulder silences my worry and I look up, watching the woman's eyes carefully - the grassy hued irises stitched with compassion.
"Hush now, you'll be alright. I know leaving home can be intimidating the first time around. It's a new experience- a big step forward in your life, but I can assure you that everything will work out in due time, if you let it, your highness."
"...highness?" My whispered word held an undertone of fear - one the female caught onto quite easily - however her smile remains just as kind.
"Well, future highness." She corrects herself, dusting her skirt and my features felt pale. "General Warner gave me direct orders to address you as such- help break in your title."
"What..."
"It will take a little getting used to. But enough chatter, we must be on our way."
Her hand finds my shoulder once more, turning my frame as she leads me over to the door - her hand resting on the handle and the questions I held only doubled.
"Marion." I speak up -
"You'll get over your nerves soon enough. Just...hang in there, dearie." And without another word, the blonde opens the door, her hand moving to the small of my back while her free hand took mine - and my grasp around her's tightens.
My whirlpool of emotions fell on deaf ears, hiding behind the thin veil of composure I held at the simple thought of knowing that causing a scene or breaking down wouldn't help me in any way.
I had to keep my head.
The sun was bright - warming the day with a joy I couldn't feel as Marion led me passed the two guards by the doors, who then silently followed behind, and to the higher deck on the back of the bustling ship.
I felt ill at the many eyes glancing at my frame - and my gaze lifts long enough to take note of the royal male standing near the back railing of the ship with a higher ranking soldier by his side - the same man who I didn't hold in high regards at the moment. His general.
I look down, keeping my nervous gaze to the floor and my fingers hold onto each other tightly as we stop behind them - Marion clearing her throat and catching their attention.
I hated the feeling of eyes on me - more so than the more subtle version I had received the past week - each gaze watching for any sign of me doing something they didn't deem fit.
"Ah, she looks perfect!" The king chimes in an upbeat tone, walking over to me as he tilts my chin up, and a smile graces his features as we make eye contact.
"And there's those lovely (e/c) eyes."
I couldn't help but hold my breath - watching his gaze shift to the female by my side.
"Outstanding job, Marion." He says happily and the older woman smiles.
"Thank you, your majesty. Is there anything else I can do to be of assistance?"
"Not at the moment, though I thank you for your help. You're dismissed." He responds and the blonde curtsies respectfully before leaving.
He turns his attention back to me, his head tilted as his eyes study my features and I wanted to force my eyes elsewhere, however his gaze easily held mine in place.
"I must say, a gentle red is a very ravishing color on you." He says and I bite the inside of my cheek, finally lowering my gaze to his shoulder.
"...are you just saying that because you and your men wear red?" I say softly with an exhaled breath and he smiles, clasping his hands in front of him.
"Well, that certainly helps, but no, I think it brings out your eyes. Maybe I'll have you wear it more often." He ponders out loud.
I shake my head as a thought enters my mind and my hands weakly tug the fabric of the dress between them - my eyes shifting back to his features with my head held just a little higher. "I think I look better in blue. Patriotic blue."
He dryly chuckles, his brow raised slightly. "Do you now? Well then, I'll make sure to get you some more red dresses, so it grows on you more, my sweet flower."
His last words were etched with care - making me falter at the nickname he was seemingly trying out for me, out loud.
"I-I am not your flower..." I say softly, yet he just chuckles as he takes my hand, leading me over to the back of the ship where he stands close behind me, his hands placing themselves on either side of my frame - and discreetly keeping me in place so I couldn't leave despite my want to. My hands we're on the railing, close together as I cautiously peer over the edge - watching the disturbed water dance around the boat and my nerves flip.
"You were saying Warner."
The male in question looks over to the royal male.
"Well, I had gotten word that everything is going rather smoothly back in England. Ainsworth mentioned having caught another member of the rebels- something about attempting to steal goods off a ship.
His men brought them in and are beginning interrogations..."
'Rebels?' The word stuck with me like my gaze to the water below.
And although I wanted to look up - to cry out to the docks of my town as my eyes pleaded with the unseen people I knew wouldn't hear me, I couldn't get myself to.
Everything made me feel ill — knowing my family was to be worried sick when the realization of what happened sunk in.
But did they know I was gone yet? Or were they hanging on to the hope I had just yet to come home - my mother occupying her fear with the lecture she would give me.
Barbara and Alex were also prominent - I hoped they both were alright.
I hoped Barbara made it home safely, that she wouldn't feel as guilty as I was feeling right now.
My chest felt tight with a breath I hung onto, my frame stepping back just enough to graze the king's chest.
I hoped they weren't scared - that Washington would pull through and come to my aid. He needed to, someone needed to in the chance I —
"Not thinking about jumping, are you, my pet?"
The soft, teasing tone near my ear made me tense - turning all my thoughts to ash and my hands tighten around the railing as I stifle back a gasp.
I take a slow breath, my (e/c) eyes remaining fixated to the water below as the male's hands move to my lower arms - grazing the lace that hung around my elbow like dangling strands of diamonds on a chandelier - in the beginnings of leading me towards the table.
"A-and what if I do jump." My words were sudden and the male's serene action falls still.
"For starters, you said yourself you can't swim, so you wouldn't get very far before you'd drown. It would be for nothing." His serious response more than told me of the somewhat bored expression on his features and I bite my lip, my knuckles white as he continues.
"But, I couldn't let that happen to my precious flower, now could I?"
My gaze shifts up in what felt like dissipating irritation.
"So, even if you did jump, I would just have my general go in after you. You would be back up here and in my arms in no time, and that would give me a chance to hold you close while you dry off." His chuckle was almost dry, his hand rubbing my upper arm before it disappears from my skin - his shoes clicking as he calmly stepped away.
"Now, come my love, you shouldn't let your mind wander to such dangerous thoughts."
"No..." I whisper softly, and the faint smile resting on the male's face falters. "I mean no offense, your majesty, but you can't tell m-me what to do." I raise my tone, my right hand falling from the railing and my gaze shifts to the wooden floor as I turn.
"I demand that you-" my words choke - vanishing faster than my crumbling courage as my eyes meet the amused smile sitting upon the male's face, his piercing gaze making me bite my tongue.
I cower back, bumping into the railing my right hand grabbed for support.
George chuckles softly and takes a small step forward, closing the gap between us as I swallow back any statement that would land me in deeper trouble.
His eyes stare into mine, his hand finding a comfortable place on the railing beside my right - covering it while tracing his free hand up my left arm slowly, his fingers barely touching my covered skin and I freeze as his touch slowly trails up to my collarbone, making my skin tingle.
"You demand me?" He responds mockingly, each word soft and slow as he leaned down closer - and my left hand raises to rest close to my chest.
"Even though I love you dearly, my pet, I'm sorry to say that you can't make demands, not until you're queen, and even then your 'demands' have to be cleared by me."
Every inch of my body was petrified by his unblinking blue gaze - eyes that even when holding a more stern edge, still remained unwavered by imperfections.
He slowly cups my cheek and my heart wanted to crack my ribs, my hand tightening its grasp on the top hem of my bodice.
"I'll let this incident slide, as I know you're struggling. You're homesick, frightened of many things to come- and you will be for a while, but we'll pull you through this small hurdle in due time."
He straightens, his smile one of care as he takes my hand.
"For now, let's get you fed, and put our minds to other things, shall we?"
°
°
°
~~~ Time skip ~~~
°
°
°
Stars painted the dark blue sky like flecks of unfallen snow - a dreary reminder of the precious time lost to the long gone day.
To those looking closely, a faint twinkle could be seen among them, flickering in time to a flame you could only hope to reach for.
The king stood by my side - the two of us occupying the front of the ship that was busy with the bodies above deck - my hands playing with the floral fabric and in truth, mind was elsewhere until the distinct clicking of heels made my attention turn to the older female, who made her way towards us.
She curtsies, bowing her head before looking at the king with a smile.
"Your majesty, her bath is ready." She says and my head tilts with a curious gaze being sent to the blonde's soft hued irises.
"Bath?" I ask as if snapping out of a daze, feeling hands on my shoulders as I look up to the male who stood behind me.
"Of course." George smiles. "Marion suggested you have a bath, to relax before you retire for the night...however, your thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. Tell me, what's troubling you, my dear?"
Where did I start?
I sigh softly and turn around, facing the king as I look up at his features and one thought finds focus.
"...this morning, I remember Marion having said...that she was to address me as 'your highness.'" My tone was timid and I shake my head, rubbing my upper arm.
"I only ask because I'm not royalty-"
"Not yet, but soon, yes." George cuts me off and I furrow my brow as I exhale.
"Soon? But y-you...you never said anything about marriage." I step back as if on instinct.
"Not fully I suppose," George smiles, fixing his jacket as Warner walks over to and stops by Marion's side.
"but, I wanted to give you a little time to clear your head before we talked about the further implications of our courtship."
"Courtship?" I question under my breath, my chest falling as I step back and turn away from the red clad male - looking out to the darkened sea.
"This isn't right." I stammer, bringing a hand up to my neck. "There's nothing to talk about in terms of courtship- we can't go through with marriage. We can't do this. I'm not of royal blood, and even so-"
I turn back, raising my voice in a showing of many emotions painted on my features.
"You can't do this-"
George clicks his tongue, tilting his head slightly as he steps forward, his gaze unwavered. "You're forgetting who makes the laws in England." He comments, stopping in front of me and his hand grazes my elbow as his tone softens. "As much as it somewhat amuses me, it's not proper for a lady- such as yourself, to raise her voice in such a harsh tone, especially to her future husband."
"No, I-I want to go home..." my voice falters, my pained gaze on his blue eyes. "W-we can't-"
"There's no need for fear. I'll be there to help you with whatever you may need, but, in order for you to rule by my side we must be wed."
My heartbeat picks up at his calmly spoken words, my nerves ringing and I shake my head. "Please...don't make me marry you- it's not right. You're suppose to love the person you marry." I breathe, a saddened look flashing in my eyes.
"There's many people in this world who don't get that. Most people are arranged to marry- people they don't know. People they don't love." He expresses his thought on my naive view of life, the backs of his fingers grazing my cheek and I choke back a small breath. "But you needn't fret, I love you. I will love you."
"But...I don't."
If my words had stung the male's nerves he certainly didn't show it in any noticeable way aside from the silence he didn't break - as if he were letting my words sink in and his eyes shift to my shoulder.
He was still aside from soft breaths.
And a part of me wanted to apologize for my spoken truth.
He quietly hums after a moment, the same gentle smile on his face.
"Why don't you go bath, before your water gets too cold, alright?"
He holds out his arm, gesturing to the blonde and as he guided me towards her my gaze fell - my head hanging in shame as the older woman smiles and places a hand on my lower back.
"There's no need to be shy." She says kindly, as if trying to lighten up the situation and Warner steps toward the red clad male as Marion leads me towards the stairs.
"Don't keep me waiting, my dear."