Title: My Fake Fiancé
For Silverwolf: When an unwanted suitor comes to Avalor to get Elena to marry him and to make him leave her alone Elena says Gabe is her fiancée.
Note: this is K+ for the most part but there is a very hot kissing scene later that is rated T, you have been warned.
I understand that you will be becoming queen soon and will be looking for suitors. I am extending a hand to you for a formal courting endeavor.
Love, Prince Bruno
Elena looked at the letter before making it into a ball on her fist. This was so pointless as she looked down at a way to express that she didn't like the suitor in question. Prince Bruno wasn't her favorite person that she had meet before. She had remembered his condescending ways with her staff all the way down to her little sister.
"Come on Esteban, I'm not really interested in courting Bruno of all people. He doesn't make a very good first impression," she said looking at her cousin. At this she made a face remembering exactly what her first impression was of him. That unfortunately ended with Elena stomping off to her room to scream frustrated into her pillow. "This is his twentieth letter. I told him I was courting someone in my last letter and he still keeps writing."
Elena rolled her eyes at seeing this letter before she threw it into the fireplace. No way was she courting him. He didn't respect her decision to say no and even went out of her way to lie to him. Now he was still pushing her to say yes. How exactly do you get rid of a man who wouldn't take no for an answer?
It hasn't been long since Elena had became queen. Nothing was ever easy in life to that point yet, but she's take those harder moments before trying to pick out a suitor. Or even think about getting married. Before Esteban could voice his opinion on the matter, a new person appeared in the door way to deliver some news.
"Princess Elena, there is someone for you outside the castle," said Armando has he came into the living room with a dazed look on his face. He shook his head as he thought better. "Never mind I can get lieutenant Nune-"
Hearing his name Elena frowned hearing this. "You don't need to get Gabe; I can handle it."
"But princess Elena, it's prince Bruno," said Armando quickly as Elena looked surprised. He showed up looking for her as she shared a look with Esteban. Why exactly was he here?
Shrugging, Esteban looked just as confused. "I didn't say anything to him," he said as Elena sighed going out to visit her surprise guest. She fumed unable to believe that he just showed up for no good reason.
All three rushed to the front of the castle with a Luisa, Francisco, and Isabel already out there looking on to the prince getting out of his carriage. Elena could hear him yelling at one of his servants for something as the carriage door opened. She winced feeling bad for his staff.
A trumpet sounded as the door opened the reveal Prince Bruno decked out in his finest outfit one of his servants laying out a mat for him to step on. Francisco shared a look with Elena as she just looked dismayed at seeing the prince for the first-time after so long.
"Princess Elena, how wonderful it is to see you," he said as he bowed to her and her family. "I've come for our first outing together."
Elena cleared her throat as everyone was now looking at her.
"Prince Bruno, I told you in my last letter that I'm, ah, seeing someone," she said sending her family a look to go along with this. Around her everyone agreed leaving Francisco and Isabel thinking who she might be lying about seeing. "So you see Bruno I can't be with you."
Elena as she looked at her abuelos, sister, and Esteban as she struggled to look for a good excuse to tell him a name. Elena couldn't think of a name though, she told him numerous times that she wasn't interested. Then when she did lie saying that she was courting someone, he just kept pushing.
Bruno only looked rolled his eyes. "Oh Elena you don't have to lie, I know you're just saying that to get me jealous."
"No, it's real because, because, because I'm engaged," she blurted out as everyone in her family shared a look. Then with a quick jab from Luisa both Francisco and Esteban nodded along. Elena hid both of her hands behind her back as she tried to hide her ring finger from him. "I'm getting married soon."
At this Bruno's jaw slacked as he looked appalled at this sudden revelation.
"We just didn't get a chance to send the announcements," interjected Luisa. "It happened just recently." She put her hand on her chest and then took Elena's hand to cover up her fingers that would have a ring.
"Yes, well, I would like to meet this fiancée, if she is engaged," he said smugly as Luisa kept a smile on her face as edged Elena to smile too.
"Of course Prince Bruno," said Luisa, "he's really quite perfect for her. He's a nice, handsome, intelligent, young man, saved princesses before." Even Elena looked at her surprised to see hear this. She had to be grateful for abuela for helping her out of this.
"I think I would know about this prince your grace," he smoothly told her as Luisa thought fast.
"Oh he's not a prince. I'm sure you will be happy for Elena when you meet him," she said before dragging Elena along. The rest of her family followed in suit as Esteban took their guest to his temporary room giving time for Elena to make a getaway. "Tonight. A dinner date with Elena and her fiancée and then you can go with our grand councilwoman Naomi Tuner."
From there Elena didn't know exactly what to do or say. First she heard that her abuela had essentially set Naomi up with Prince Bruno of all people. She felt bad for Naomi when the date would start, if it ever even happens. This was all going to be her fault and Naomi would hate her.
Then she just lied to fellow royalty and just about got away with that. Then there was the big issue of who she was engaged to. All she knew was that she had to find someone that was essentially perfect. Where exactly could she find a perfect man in less than a couple of hours before dinner? Prince Bruno just made her so mad. No matter how many times she wrote back to him, he always insisted that they were perfect and that she should court him.
She had seen him knowing that he was persistent, arrogant, and rude. Elena once heard him at a royal retreat that he wanted marry a pretty princess and have twelve children. He didn't care about her and it bothered her greatly. Saying that she was engaged seemed out there but she was happy to have her abuela help her. Everyone else was just going along with that. Elena heard her abeulo say something about how long this harebrained scheme will last.
Both women turned and went back into the sitting room as they made sure that they were alone for this.
"Abuela, how come you let me go through with that lie?" asked Elena as whispered afraid someone would overhear that she admitted that out loud.
"Well, I don't like him much either and you deserve a lot better mija," she said cupping her cheek and making Elena look at her. "We can fake a fiancée for a weekend."
They heard heavy footsteps that could only be a man. Elena felt her heart skip hoping that it wasn't Bruno who had overheard everything. Luisa looked at her to just keep cool as the person let himself into the room. Gabe stepped into the room looking for Elena wanting to know what to do with their unexpected and to him, unwanted, guest. Luisa looked at him the same way she saw him when he came in to help with the olaball team.
"Lieutenant Nunez could do it, he doesn't know Prince Bruno" said Luisa as she saw him enter the room, as a fantastic idea crossed her mind. Gabe was a good choice as she put more thought into the idea of her granddaughter with him. Young, handsome, a hero and she could make this work for both of them.
"Gabe?" said a surprised Elena as she looked taken aback at this option. She had never thought of Gabe as a husband before, fake or real. She looked him over and realized for the first time, he is handsome. He had a nice body with muscles and a slim waist. For the briefest second she thought about what he would look like without a shirt on before snapping herself back to normal.
Luisa could run with this one looking over him. He was a good option for her granddaughter especially on such short notice and that would probably make Prince Bruno's blood boil. "That would work perfectly. I mean you are friends and know stuff about each other. He's nice, about your age, not royal, and handsome," said Luisa going back to her original description. "Gabe saved Princess Caterina and your sister then you before we knew about Charoca. Plus, he's handsome."
He tried very hard to hide his smile and his embarrassment. Shifting a bit uncomfortably he covered his mouth as he coughed. The attention was nice but what exactly they were talking about he didn't know. Luisa held up a finger as she raced off to get something before coming back with her jewelry box in her hand. Elena turned pink as she looked over at Gabe as Luisa skipped over Elena to go to the young man. What was her abuela doing?
Gabe shook his own head before turning to look at Elena, ignoring Luisa. "Prince Bruno is out there, should I kick him off of the grounds?" He stood attention to her as Elena only smiled at him. He didn't know or meet Bruno before but he knew about him and the things he's done.
"We have a better plan. Bruno won't leave her alone so we told him a white lie. Elena is engaged to a strong, intelligent, handsome young man that has saved princesses before."
At this Gabe just looked puzzled, "Where exactly are you going to find someone like that last minute?" Then he became keenly aware of both staring at him. Him. They wanted him to fake being Elena's fiancée? Especially when they talked about saving a princess. Oh, gosh, okay. This was going to be a bit uncomfortable. "Um are you sure you want me?"
"Of course we do," simply put Luisa. "You're perfect. Now pick out a ring, my arms are getting tired."
Clearing his throat, he took the box from her hand pretending to look. He knew nothing about this, his mother didn't even wear her wedding ring because it might get in the food. Something simple, elegant… Both women looked at him expectantly as if he was going to wow them. "Why don't you pick it out Elena."
Luisa turned and peaked her head out into the hall as she saw Ricco, Samuel, and Hector standing out there talking to each other. Two of them were guarding the door and the other probably wanted to deal with Bruno. She sent one of them to find the seamstress stat.
Behind her Elena kept grinning at each of her grandmother's jewelry, before picking something out. A nice simple ring with a nice size stone on it. Kind of old and vintage like, it surprisingly suited her. Then the seamstress came in to get Gabe's measurements as he looked confused at the sudden harassment to get his size.
"You need a better outfit than that," snapped Luisa as she looked at the one that Elena picked out. "Oh now that's pretty. After tonight this will surely drive him away."
"Tonight? What's going on tonight?" asked Gabe as for some reason his head was getting measured. The maids grinned as they giggled to go off and get ready to make him a proper outfit. Supposedly it was just a dress uniform that the maid was talking about. Practical and fitting for his double date.
Luisa smiled cheekily at him as she batted her eye lashes at him, clearly she was going to butter him up for something. "Tonight you and Elena are going on a double date with Naomi and Bruno. I'm going to find Naomi to bribe and then get a staff meeting together," she said the doors opened again to see Naomi looking for them.
Elena looked at her ring in excitement. She didn't care too much as she looked at it holding her hand up. She was actually going to hate giving this ring up by the end of the night.
Naomi looked at the three of them and then at the jewelry box with a puzzled look. "Um are we not having a grand council meeting?" asked the blond as she turned back to the door.
Luisa felt her mind whirling as she looked at the blond with a smile. "Naomi, come and sit down I have a proposition for you." Elena watched as she turned to a maid that had brought Naomi to the sitting room. "Go get all of the staff rounded up."
With that the maid left leaving Naomi to just stare at Gabe, Elena, and Luisa as she realized that all of them were looking at her. She thought about it wondering if there was something that she did lately that was wrong.
"Naomi, you know how I told you that Prince Bruno won't leave me alone?" asked Elena straight to the point as Naomi nodded. "Well he came here today unannounced and I told him that I was engaged. To Gabe. We're all faking an engagement and we need you go on a double date to make him believe it and get him to leave."
Hearing this Naomi blinked as she opened her mouth and then shut it taking that in. Elena was faking an engagement to Gabe. And she was going to convince the visiting prince that it was a real one. She had to go on a date with them. And convince said prince that Elena was engaged. Okay…
"Well, um, you see…" Not that she didn't want to want to help her friends but Naomi was sure she wouldn't be able to hold in her laughs.
"I will double your tamale intake," promised Luisa.
"Deal."
Then Luisa gestured for them to follow her as they headed toward the staff room. Nearly the entire staff was sitting in there. At least the most important ones with the head of housekeeping all the way down to the stable head. When they came into the room everyone was talking before turning attention to the crown princess, councilwomen, and the lieutenant of the royal guard.
That was when Elena saw a few people stand up as they looked very angry.
"If this is about Prince Bruno, we must do something princess," said the head of housekeeping, Zita. "He's demanding me and my staff to change his room around."
"He wants to keep his horses in our biggest stalls," said the stable head Timo.
"And now he's demanding we make all his favorite foods for dinner for some date," said the chef. By now Elena got a good idea that Prince Bruno was bullying her staff too. Now this was why she was eager to get away from him so bad. So far those were the only three but the others were rightfully so angry if he was a problem.
Luisa looked at the staff before there was a loud whistle from next to her. Heads turned as people looked up at them and Elena realized that Gabe whistled. She was going to have to explain this plan to her staff. Why did she say that she was engaged? She could have just as easily got them to form a riot and get him out of the castle that way. Granted that wouldn't have been the greatest plan either. Maybe that would be her plan B.
"Listen, princess Elena has a plan," said Gabe smoothly as he turned it all back to her. Maybe abuelo was right, this was a hair brained scheme.
Then she turned to her staff and explained exactly what she said and did. "Now I'm going to need your help to keep up this plan. I know it was stupid of me-"
"No princess," said Zita standing up. "This is a genius plan because it will keep us from having to please him. Kitchen staff should worry about the outing's meal. Housekeeping has to worry about moving yours and the lieutenant's things. Then everyone else is worrying about wedding plans to keep us from interacting with him."
"It's brilliant," said another voice that she didn't recognize as Elena just took in the compliments. Maybe she was really smart to think of this.
"And if anyone asks what this meeting was for, wedding plans," finished Luisa. "And if any one tells him otherwise keep the real story from getting out. Otherwise you're going to be out of jobs."
Elena gave her abuela a look that she shouldn't have said that. There was a nod from everyone in the room as they were ready to keep this a secret. Gabe gave a motion next to her as everyone moved out. Next all she had to worry about doing was keeping this up for prince Bruno and nothing from ruining the date. The date wasn't until later today, dinner time in the gardens. Plenty of time to hide and get away from the prince.
In fact, she probably should fill Naomi in on what she knew about Prince Bruno and what he was like. Maybe arrange for her to meet him through Esteban. Or maybe introduce Gabe to him. Elena knew there was a next part to this plan and honestly, she didn't expect anyone to go along with it. Better not jinx it though. Then she saw some of housekeeping staff moving things around from Gabe's bedroom?
"I told them to move a few things around to make it believable, they'll put it all back when he's gone," said Gabe next to her.
"That's a great idea actually," she said with a laugh. She cleared her throat realizing that Naomi and her abuela was gone. They had gone off to do something that Elena honestly couldn't remember. Realizing that she was alone with him and that he was her fake fiancée. Was this going to make things different between them?
From the corner of her eye she saw Esteban showing Prince Bruno around the castle again. Gabe must have seen him too as he pulled her closer to him his hand on her waist. Elena felt a flush come on as he laughed as if she said a funny joke. Right play along especially if Bruno was going to see her. Don't look over and play along.
Smiling at him she flicked at his nose giggling as well. Make things believable she thought as Gabe leaned in to whisper something in her ear. "Anything you've got throw it my way and I'll bounce off of it. And try to ignore them, it'll throw them off."
She nodded along wondering what she could do. Especially when she looked over and saw the surprised look on Esteban's face and the stony look on Bruno's. Taking his advice Elena ignored the both of them and took Gabe's hand. They shared a warm smile as a maid came to gather Gabe.
"New outfit is just about ready," said the maid as she smiled at them holding hands. "And Miss Turner also has a new dress."
Hearing her name Naomi walked out of the seamstress's room as she looked happy. That dress had to be better than her normal formal gown or her quinceañera gown. Then her abuela walked out behind her as they looked pleased with the end result.
"So I get a new dress out of this too," said Naomi as she caught site of Elena. "Have you and Gabe been getting to know each other or acting all flirty now that everyone knows?"
"A little," said Elena as she pointed across the garden to where Esteban and Prince Bruno stood. At this Naomi took in the prince with a proud and haughty look on his face. All his clothes freshly pressed as he looked unimpressed around at the flowers and just being dismissive. His man servant kept a distant pace from him. "That's him."
Naomi took that in as he scoffed at something Esteban said. Then she turned to look at Luisa. "I think you need to triple that tamale intake."
Luisa nodded in agreement as both men made their way over to him. He smiled briefly at Luisa as he bowed to Elena. "Was that your fiancée?"
"Hmm, yes," said Elena as she put on a dreamy look as if she was thinking about him despite being on the other side of the door. "He's very handsome, isn't he?"
He nodded as he looked at Naomi, he had to be older than Gabe maybe in his early twenties. "I'm going to be your escort tonight," said Naomi as he stared at her briefly.
"I'm sure you will do," he said as Naomi felt like she was being eaten by his eyes.
With that both Bruno and Esteban went on past them as he glanced at both Naomi and Elena's figures as he nodded at them.
"I'm going to have to quadruple that tamale intake," said Luisa with a groan as Gabe came out.
Gabe made a point to stay closer to her than usual when they were together. He had to keep up his normal duties in the meantime as well as Elena ran around with the others as they got ready for the date. Until finally the date had actually come. Naomi and Elena were in their best gowns with Elena making a point to show off her ring, saying that was his grandmother's. All of the staff shared knowing looks as they managed to get a few of prince Bruno's staff angry but there was nothing that they could do about it.
In her red gown and Naomi in a pretty shade of sea foam green stepped out onto the terrace. Gabe was there already and took Elena's hand as kissed her temple. Elena giggled at the kiss as it felt nice and she liked it when he kissed her. Did she just think of that?
They made it closer to the set up where the food was and saw Bruno there with his staff dismissed. A couple of them grumbling that the Avalorean staff was too busy getting ready for a wedding. So, he sat there picking at his food as he waited for the three of them.
"Play it safe," whispered Gabe as he pulled out his chair for her and then Naomi when Bruno didn't get up. Shaking her head a bit with the smile on her face, she took a drink of some wine being chilled.
"So have you meet my fiancée yet?" asked Elena as she put her hand with the ring on it on top of Gabe's hand. She had been thinking of how to introduce him and now was the time to blow him away. "This is Gabe, well, King Gabriel in a couple of months."
Naomi gave her a sly look to keep going. Elena giggled at Bruno, looked at them expecting something else from them. She took another long gulp of her drink. "He's really great, graduated top of his class at the military school. Would have been next in line for captain of the guards if we hadn't fallen in love. Very handsome tonight doesn't you think?"
Elena had to admit that he did look great in that dress uniform. It looked like a cross of her abuelo's and papi's uniform down to the sash too.
Gabe was just smiling and kept thinking to play it cool, he thought in his mind as he realized that they had to act like they were in love. So, the way he wanted to act with her would pass as completely normal. Desperately not wanting to embarrass himself or her, he tried to show some affection without it being too bad. At the end of the day, he was still her guard as he knew how to act accordingly.
Things grew silent as they ate quickly to end the date. Behind them they heard some yelling from one of the guards. Probably got into spat about something.
"Well this is just a cute set up," said Prince Bruno, he said. "Gives me a chance to get to know you Elena."
"What are you talking about, we're engaged," said Elena, her smiling faltering.
"Oh Elena, I know you two aren't really engaged. Not sure who he is, but I know you're not engaged. You two haven't even kissed in front of me," he said with a smirk. All three of them grew quiet as Gabe remained still his mind racing. Kiss her? Oh, he should have thought of that one. He didn't want kiss her though without her permission though.
"You know what Prince Bruno," said Elena keeping her dislike for him from throwing things across the table. "You're right, we shouldn't be afraid of kissing in front of people."
With that, Elena got up and leaned in to kiss Gabe. Instead of making it a simple kiss, like she would see her parents and abuelos, it ran a lot deeper for her. Her drinks kicking in and the desire to prove him wrong made one of her hands slink into his hair and the other on his shoulder. Their lips meet as Gabe eagerly kissed back. One of his hands ghosting along her waist and the other holding her head close.
Oh this felt amazing, why she didn't kiss him before never crossed her mind. All that matter was that she liked it and she could feel something in her stir. The chair wasn't the best place to kiss as Elena adjusted herself to sit on his lap.
They pulled apart briefly but not far enough for Bruno or Naomi to see. "Put your hand on my butt," she muttered as Gabe wordless listened to her. Then their lips connected again, their tongue in each other's mouths as he gripped at her bum. This was so hot and it felt great, why didn't she kiss a boy like this before?
Panting, both just kept kissing each other as Elena ran her hand along the line of his new shirt then up his shirt. Gripping her tighter he wondered if this was going too far as he wanted to stop this and keep continuing.
Naomi only watched in horror as her friends were making out on the chair. That make Prince Bruno's eyebrows shot up and his mouth drop a little more. They were into that kiss…
"Well, Miss Turner, I guess that leaves us. Perhaps, you and I should start kissing as well?" he said as she gasped in surprise. What?!
"No," she said firmly. "I think we should break up Gabe and Elena before they go making bab-" With that, Bruno kissed her as he held her hands against her chair. All the kissing seemed to stop as more people suddenly arrived on the scene.
Bruno got off of her as she looked stunned as the guard, Julio, and her classmate Jorge Carson came rushing into the scene. The tall and bulky frame of They looked at Gabe and Elena on their chair before turning back to Naomi.
"I believe the lady said no," said Julio as he was ready to kick Bruno's butt for kissing her.
"Naomi are you okay?" asked Jorge as she looked at them stunned.
"What on earth are you two doing here?" she hissed her cheeks going red. Great, just the two boys she wanted to see, she thought sarcastically. A boy that had a massive crush on her and then one that was her student that she liked. How could this get any worse?
Next to them Gabe and Elena pulled apart from one another when they heard voices. Elena's lips swollen and both had their hair in disarray. She looked dazed as Gabe only looked very pleased with himself. Thank goodness that didn't go any farther right there.
"Oh what did we miss?" asked Elena as she tried her best to straighten herself out.
"Julio you're supposed to be on door duty," scolded Gabe as he looked at the other guard who just stared right back at him.
"I got Pablo to do it lieutenant," he said as he looked at Prince Bruno with a hatred in his eyes. "I was helping Jorge find his teacher. They had a lesson tonight-"
"No, he didn't," argued Naomi. "Jorge told you that to get himself inside. I had to cancel the lesson tonight for the date-"
"Which means she wants me men," said Bruno stepping in. Elena shared a look with Gabe that he was no longer pursing her. Now, he was chasing after Naomi. This wasn't good at all she thought wondering why Jorge and Julio were here to begin with together. Both were at odds since they liked her too. Unless they had a temporary team up to get rid of Bruno.
Naomi shook her head no at hearing this. "That's not true."
"She's a councilwoman now, Miss Turner doesn't have to be chased by some simple village boy and a lowly ranked guard. If you had some better positions in life you might have had a chance."
Elena could tell that Julio didn't know what that meant but Jorge did. He clenched his fists as Naomi rushed over to stop him. "I don't need either of you defending my honor or anything."
That was when Elena got an idea and nudged Gabe to go along with this. "You know, Prince Bruno, if you wanted to marry Naomi you have to deal with them all the time. Julio is one of the better guards to not want to fire and Naomi will just continue giving Jorge lessons."
"Then when we're ruling," said Gabe taking her hand and squeezing it, "We're not exactly going to stop her. What, with our four kids running around-"
Hearing this Prince Bruno interrupted. He didn't need to hear that Julio maybe dumb but he was strong or that Naomi would keep giving sailing lessons. And he didn't need to think about Elena and Gabe in a bed together. "Oh I don't need to associate myself with any of you people. Miss Turner, you are very lovely and fair but you are not worth fighting over."
With a haughty look, he gave both Jorge and Julio a throw away look before walking away shaking his head.
"Oh she is so worth fighting for," yelled Jorge after a minute in his direction. Naomi flushed with pride as Elena side hugged her friend.
Next Julio didn't piece together completely what he meant, but he understood what Jorge said. "By the power of Queen Elena and King Gabriel, your gone forever," shouted Julio to the prince and his staff as they drove off into the setting sun.
"I didn't know you were engaged," said Jorge looking at the two of them, "congratulations."
"Not anymore," said Gabe dryly. "It was faked to drive him away. It's done."
"Well we could still pretend for the rest of the night," said Elena with a smirk. "I'd like to finish that kiss."
Both smiled at each other leaving Julio and Jorge puzzled. Naomi's eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped then shaking her head with a smile. She turned to yell at Julio and Jorge to end off with a thank you to the boys. Back in the castle Gabe and Elena continued their kiss from the date, having really enjoyed it.