Royal Engagement
(Gale/Madge)
(Prompt)
"we've been engaged to be married since we were three but this is the first time we've met and your portraits really don't do you justice"
A/N: this is a prompt I got from tumblr that Hawtsee asked me to do. It's been on tumblr for a while. And since NurseKelly said yes yes yes to making it a full-fledged fic...here it is!
In a faraway place known as Capitola, Margret (Madge) Undersee was resting on her silk covered bed with the recent Cosmopolitan magazine laid across one of her pillows. It was around 11 in the morning and Princess Madge had yet to get out of bed. And no one was forcing her today because her parents were away on business (more like scoping out her future husband for any flaws) and the employees wouldn't dare to wake her unless it was an emergency.
So when her trusty butler Thomas knocks on her door, a small pit of anger boils in her stomach. She had been planning on wasting her time today; she hadn't had a day off since the Christmas season.
"Sorry to bother you, Princess, but you got a package in the mail from you know who…" Thom raises his eyebrows suggestively, a warm smile filling up his entire face. The anger that resigned in Madge's stomach quickly vanished at the sound of a package. Her own lips lifted in a smile as Thomas ducks back out the door and slides in a large cardboard box.
Madge scrambles off her bed and kneels on the floor in front of the large box. She lifts her head up and grins at Thom, excitement lighting up every feature of her face. Madge has been receiving packages since she was 12 years old. Inside each box would hold something new and different from her soon to be husband. And even after all these years, the excitement and giddiness of the little girl's joy never left her every time she would receive one.
Crown Prince Gale Hawthorne was an interesting person to Madge. She has never met him before except in the pictures he sent in every box. She always found that he had an interesting view on life and love and just everything. And he had an eye for art, much like her cook's son, Peeta. (They would get along, she decides.) Gale loved photography in the same way Peeta loved painting and drawing. Gale always sent some of his latest photos; some were pictures with him in it and some were not. She felt like she traveled with him, even if it was just a beautiful picture of his backyard at Christmas time.
Thom hands Madge his Swiss Army knife, blade already extended. She tears open the box, quickly handing Thom back the knife and folding out the flaps. Inside the box laid canvas pictures of outdoor landscapes – a lot of a forest that she knew was basically in his backyard. She flips over everyone until she finds the letter she was looking for taped to the back. She sets it aside on her desk for now as her hand dive back into the box, grasping a white envelope. This is what she looks for every time.
Inside, Polaroid pictures were stuffed in. She took out a handful of the hundreds and shuffled through them. This is the place she would find him. He had a way of sneaking into images without taking the main focus off whatever was around him, but it was here that Madge found herself surrounded by the only focus – him. She had a dire need to meet him after she looks through them. She wanted to know what made him take such beautiful pictures and how he knew what to take pictures of.
He had a chiseled face, always clean cut and smooth. Never a beard hair in sight. His hair was always messy in his pictures, never the perfectly styled style he wore to all the balls and dinners. In his pictures, he was himself and she loved that more than the man she saw on magazine covers like Cosmo. They didn't accurately describe the man the way he did himself. They always had him come off sexy (well he was), not the down to earth, extremely grounded, big brother that he actually was. That's why the pictures were her favorite part of every package.
Thom shuffles through the box quietly, making sure nothing was going to hurt her. He finds a plastic canister of hot chocolate. He slides the lid off the can and the strong scene of hot cocoa and peppermint fills the room. It was something Seamlyn had that Capitola did not. It was a cheaper way (Seamlyn didn't have the same financial stability as Capitola does) to sell the real stuff. Tea came in bags, hot chocolate in powder, orange juice wasn't readily available but they most definitely had oranges. And Madge always found them the sweetest ones, too. They were also included in the package.
"Why does he always send you food? Does he not think we feed you here?" Thom chuckles low under his breath, still smelling the peppermint hot chocolate.
Madge laughs, "He sends them because he knows I like them and we do not have them here. It's one of the thing I looks forward to in this marriage – all the exotic foods that we don't have."
Thom shakes his head slowly while sliding the lid back onto the can and taking out another item from the box. It was hand drawn picture of a blonde princess with a taller dark haired prince beside her. She knew they were royalty by the crowns that adorned their heads and the jewels that they wore. Underneath was a child's messy handwriting and below that a neater, boyish handwriting. It read: Princess Madge and Prince Gale soon to be married. And below that read in boyish handwriting: she's getting a little too carried away just thinking about it. She's already counting down the days.
A gentle smile tugs on Madge's lips. Posy, Gale's younger sister, has always like Madge despite the fact that all she knows about her is she has blonde hair and blue eyes and was a lot shorter than Gale. The wedding wasn't even until another year or so.
And the last thing that was left in the box was a glass jar filled with alcohol from his two younger brothers, Rory and Vick. At Madge's age, in Seamlyn, she would be allowed to drink. So as a gift for her birthday, the boys sent some of Seamlyn's finest wine.
"Thank you, Thomas…for bring the package." He nods, taking that as cue to leave. He shuts the door softly behind him.
Madge collects the items back into the box before she springs to her feet, eager to read his latest letter. She won't answer back because she father permits it, but she loves that he continues to write. She felt like she knew him through his letters and she wished she could do the same for him.
His letter reads:
Dearest Madge,
I have a lot to tell you since my last letter. But I'll start with this: I still wait for your letter every day. I'm starting to feel like I'm annoying you, writing so many letters, I mean. Now, I don't know if you will receive this before your parent's departure, but if you do, could you send with them a picture of yourself. The one I have is god awfully old and you still had a child's chubby cheeks and long curly hair. I had been informed that you have changed drastically since that photo was taken and it slowly killing me as to what you look like. I imagine you are more beautiful than that silly old picture entails, but I have no way of knowing! I laugh as I write this, but I feel the playing field is uneven. You know what I look like now with every package I send, but I still have no way of knowing what you truly look like. You parents can tell me a thousand times just how beautiful you are, but I don't know if I can believe them until I see one for myself.
As I said before, I imagine you are very beautiful and even if you weren't I would still love you just the same. I wait until the day I will meet you in person…too bad that is so far away.
With my deepest curiosity,
Gale
If only she had received the package a day earlier. She would have sent him a picture. Of course she would have to take one and who knows if she could get that done without an entire photo-shoot taking place. Effie would have a hay day with that. But as you can see, her parents have already left. But maybe she could send a picture…
"Thom!" she yells, jumping out of bed and scrambling for her door. She runs right into Thom's chest.
"What is the matter, Princess?"
"Can you take a picture of me?" Silence fills the air for a moment, a look of bewilderment settles on Thom's face. "Well, can you?"
"What for, Princess?"
"I would like to send one to Gale…" upon Thom's look of question, she adds: "He sends me so many with him in it, I just want to return the favor."
"Princess, I don't know…your father…"
"Oh screw my father! Just take one for me and please keep it on the down low…" she lowers her voice and glance around Thom to make sure no servant or Effie was around to eavesdrop and get her master plan destroyed. "I can't have my father finding out. Please, Thom, this is important."
"Well…alright, but nothing out of the ordinary, Princess." Madge swats at Thom's chest and he laughs. She tries hard not to smile but she can't help the small tug of her lips. Sometimes Thom could get under her skin. "Hurry, and remember to be secretive. No one but us should know about this!" he rolls his eyes but heads down the long set of winding stair to get one of the cameras the Undersee's owned.
Madge rushes off to her closet the second Thom's back is out of sight. She filters through her many dresses desperately searching for the perfect dress to wear. She wants to look her best for her soon to be husband, and it seems that dress is missing.
A knock sounds on the door, Madge's Aunt May peeks her head around the door, "So I heard you're sending a picture to the Prince Gale with his luscious hair and strong jaw…oh!" she pretends to faint just thinking about Gale. Madge. Has. Never. Said. Anything. Like. That. To. Anyone. About. Gale. Hawthorne. But still, her cheeks tinge a bright pink.
"Thom! What happened to the down low!?" she yells, knowing he would behind the still partly opened door.
"Sorry, she's deceptive, I'm telling you!" he apologizes through the wood.
Aunt May flicks her hair behind her, "All in a day's work!" Madge rolls her eyes, "Now, down to business. If you're going to send a picture to the boy you'll be making babies with, you're going to have to have the perfect dress. Am I right, or am I right?"
"As always, correct." Madge rubs her hands together, anticipating the big reveal of some really gorgeous dress. She was only a little embarrassment by the implications of her aunt.
"Drumroll, please, Thom!" Thom bangs on the back of the door, pushing it open to reveal a gorgeous royal blue, bejeweled gown in May's hands. Madge gasps, bringing her hands up to her mouth. In May's hands was a floor length, fitted gown that would make Madge's already baby blues pop like the ocean outside her window. It would accent her ladylike curves and make her bust look rightly proportions – not too big and not too small. From the waist up was covered in glimmering jewels that caught the light just right and it was like it was smiling at its own beauty. The neckline swooped low on her breasts and the straps would wrap around her arms. And there was a mid-thigh slit up the one side. Aunt May hands over the dress and pushes Madge off to the bathroom, "Go, go! Put it on!"
Once Madge has the dress on, she couldn't remember a time when she felt more beautiful than she does now. She spins around in front of her mirror for a minute or so. "Madge, come out, I want to see it too!" May yells through the door.
Madge exits and twirls around, the brightest smile gracing her features. She felt like she was wearing the ocean. The dress flows gracefully around her legs and was smooth against her skin. Thom whistles and Madge couldn't help but laugh.
"You look beautiful, Princess." Thom says.
"Thank you." She curtsies, giggling.
"Now come on, we have pictures to take!" May says, holding up one of the cameras Thom grabbed.
They start in the stairwell. She places her fingertips on both sides of the wall, juts out one hip to the right, crossing her one leg across the other – the slit in her dress showcasing her strong, lean legs, and turns her head to the left. She parts her red painted lips – May's touch – and tilted her chin up while they snapped pictures. They moved to the grand staircase with the red and gold carpet, and she poses some more; some standing up, some sitting down.
They end up in the garden with Madge sitting on a bench, looking skyward with her chin in her hand. Thom and May quickly scurry Madge back up to her room so Effie wouldn't have a clue as to what they were doing. May reclines back on Madge's bed, patting the spot next to her for Madge to lie back too. Thom hurries off to develop the photos, all of them eager to see the results.
"So, you really like him?" May questions, a playful smile on her face. When Madge only smiled, she added, "He is quite good looking, much better looking than your Uncle Haymitch!" just than Uncle Haymitch walked in, eyebrow high on his forehead at the sight of Madge's dress.
He scoffs, "I'm hurt, May, I was much better looking than that boy." He smiles. Haymitch could have never competed to Gale's looks now. At least not to Madge, but to Aunt May Haymitch would win every time. They truly were a match made in heaven. Madge hopes her and Gale would be like that too.
…
Her parents were to return in 48 hours. And usually Madge would groan thinking about all the work she would have to do upon their return, like make sure everybody was set for their return and make sure the staff was well aware of how things needed to be done, but this time she couldn't have been giddier. Gale and his family would be coming with her parents. Each set of parents deciding it was about time to two meet in person.
Since she found out the news a week ago, she couldn't help but be bursting with excitement. Aunt May and Effie were constantly with her, and for once, she didn't mind. They had to get every outfit down to perfection. She had to look her best for Gale. Usually she hated dressing up really spectacular for visitors, but for Gale she wanted to look amazing and sexy. She wanted to impress him.
So the three rummaged through her closet and only deemed one outfit acceptable – the blue dress she wore in the photos she express mailed to Gale last week. Effie was on the ball with tape measures and fabrics after that. She takes Madge's measurements a thousand times to make sure she hasn't changed and that it was the correct measurements. You wouldn't want a Princess pulling up her strapless dress all night because the bust was a half an inch too big, now would you? Nope, that's for sure.
Effie scurried off after that to direct the royal designers just what Madge wanted or what she would look amazing in while Madge and Aunt May went shoe shopping! The browsed the aisles look for a pair was black heels with a colored panel on the sides, strappy heels, and a pair of cute little outdoor boots because May was sure Gale would want to take Madge exploring because of his love of the outdoors. And deep down, Madge really wanted that to happen. She really wanted to see him in his element. She definitely wanted to be prepared for it too.
"These are the ones!" May yells, holding up a black 4 inch heel with small reflective colored paneling on the side, and they were just Madge's size. "Try em on!" Madge did and walked around like an expert for a few minutes to make sure she wouldn't trip helpless into her future husband's arms…although that might not be too bad. She might actually enjoy it. They pick up a few more pairs of heels (and don't forget the insoles!) before heading out for a quick lunch break before heading back home. Madge had a lot of work to do before her parents return in a few days.
…
"Wow." Someone breathes out as Madge comes down the grand staircase. She gasps and looks up to find the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. Gale. He was here. He was here early! His steel eyes rank over her body, his eyes lingering on the way the blue fabric dips at her waist. "Wow." He says again, his cheeks tinging a slight pink color, "Just wow."
She folds a piece of hair behind ear, dipping her head, "Is that all you can say?" she laughs lightly.
He blinks rapidly a few times before speaking, "I mean, just…wow. Yeah I guess that's the only thing I can say." He lets out a short, sweet laugh, "You look beautiful, Madge. You know, we've been engaged to be married since we were three, and those portraits don't do you any justice."
She blushes a deep rose color, "They don't do you justice either." She whispers, fiddling with the ends of her hair. He dips his head to hide the blush that's burning his chest and face right now, but she notices, despite his efforts. "You're early." She states because she wants to hear his voice again. It was deep and very masculine. It shook her to the core, it was extremely sexy – especially with that Seam accent lacing around his every word.
"Your father insisted." He states, his voice was as strong as the wind outside. "It's cold here."
"Oh really?" God, Madge stops fiddling with your hair and go down there already instead of standing on the stairs like an idiot. He probably thinks you don't like him!
"Our seasons are opposite." He smirks for some reason, like he's trying not to laugh at an inside joke she wouldn't understand.
"I assume you got my pictures?"
His smirk morphs into a smile of gold, it warms her at the core and makes her feel as light as air, as if she could just soar off like a bird. His teeth were perfectly white, just like in the photos, and they gleamed in the light. She didn't know how it was possible, but seeing his smile in person made him a thousand times sexier than any photo had before. His portraits really didn't do him any justice whatsoever. And she glad that no one else is around to see them. At least now she knows he's smiling because of her and that makes her feel empowered.
He ducks his head again and swings his leg back and taps the toe of his shoe twice on the ground, he tucks his hands in his pockets. This time, when he looks up, he lets his blush show instead of hiding it, "Yes, I got them."
"And?" she angles her body slightly, raising her eyebrows and pushing her shoulders back.
"They were lovely." He states, walking until the toes of his shoes were lined up with the bottom step.
"That's all I get? Lovely? I put a lot of effort into those!" She takes a step up. She's about halfway down them already.
"They were marvelous. You are marvelous." He states, another step up. She wills her blush to stay down but she knows she's as red as a tomato by now. Her chest was burning too.
"You're such a sweet talker, you know that?" she laughs, taking two steps up.
"Oh really?" he takes three steps up.
"Yes. I don't know if I should believe you." Another step.
He swings his body around a few times before singing, "Oh what, oh what can I do to make you believe me?" his smile is so big Madge worries his face will get stuck like that, he could worry the same.
"Prove it." And with that she spins around and runs back up the stairs. She hears his quick footsteps catching up with her slower ones, stupid heels. She reaches the top of stairs before he has her by the elbow. He spins her around and boxes her against the wall; he leans in, his breath hot on her ear and neck.
"Margret Rose Undersee, you are beautiful." His lips brush her ear with each passing word. Mindlessly, her fingers tangle themselves in his suit jacket, drawing him senselessly closer. He pulls back, but not too far because of her grip. "Do you believe me?" his voice is low and gravelly, sending shivers down her back. It was sexy, she'd give him that.
"Yes." She whispers. And maybe she wasn't thinking, or maybe she was, but she pulls him closer until their lips brush. It was light and you could hardly feel it but they both knew it happened. Their toes were tingling and their heads were whirling. Gale takes another chance after her bold move. He dips back down and kisses her again. Her hands wrap around the back of him, gripping his jacket roughly. Soon enough, the little quick kisses turn into long lingering ones, and so on. It progressed until they both were winded and Gale was sure he would faint if she let him go. He felt so good. He was on Cloud 9.
Their eyes strike each other's with an intense intensity. For some reason, heaven and earth seems to be shattering because their worlds were. Their breaths intermixed with each other, mint fresh from the toothpaste they just used. Gale licks his lips and Madge watches the movement slowly. Even after his tongue slips back into his mouth, her eyes stay on his lips. He dips down one more time to peck her on the lips.
He pulls away, extending his hand towards her. "Shall we go to the others?"
"Only if I'm guaranteed to meet Posy."
On the outside, he smirks. On the inside, he melts at her words. "She's is indeed here. And she dying to meet you." He rolls his eyes and she smacks his chest. She slips her hand in his and lets him guide her down the stairs. Of course, he doesn't know the castle, but she loves to see him get frustrated trying to figure it out.
Blowing out a huff of air, his free hand tangles in his hair, sighing, "I could've have sworn I came this way." She giggles. He turns on her, "Oh you think this is funny?" he pokes her in the stomach.
"Yes," she giggles again, he glares, "because it is!"
Silence follows and she could see the gears working in his head as he tries to figure out how to get them out of this mess. He shuffles his feet and keeps his head down, gripping his hair with one hand while the other stays linked to hers. His was warm, but not sweaty, she likes it. She looks him up and down while he thinks. He was really quite handsome. He had medium size shoulders and a tiny waist and hips, but you could see the power in his body. He worked out, that much was obvious. And you could tell he worked hard for his body. He was hard working, she liked that about him. He had a full head a thick hair, dark black hair that was so dark she could swear she was looking at the ocean at midnight. His lips were full and soft – as she already knew. And despite the multiple scars littering his body, he was beautiful and she could tell his soul was too.
He looks back up at her, well more like down at her – he was like several inches taller than her (we'll keep the number a secret for Madge's dignity). "Well, I hate asking for help," he starts, running his fingers through his thick hair again. She found that he did that a lot and she wonders what it would feel like, "but I don't seem to know the way. If you could maybe guide me back, I would appreciate it."
She takes her hand out of his and he almost seems to deflate a little, "And why should I do that?" she's smiling.
"Well," he mimics her stance, "If you don't, you're stuck with only me for the night and possibly then some."
"I don't think that would be too bad." She says quietly. She looks up at him through her eyelashes, sheepishly. A slow smile spreads across his face and has her heart pumping twice as fast. Oh god, the effects this boy had on her. He would be the death of her. She was sure of it.
"Glad to hear." He says just above a whisper.
She takes his hand in hers again and leads him back up the hallway they had traveled down. They turn a few turns here and few turns there before they arrived at the doors of the Great Room, the sounds of their families bursting through the doors. They nod at each other and open the doors.
A little while later they head to the dining room for a delicious meal of soup and fresh bread made by Peeta, the cook's son. Peeta winks at her from across the room before ducking back into the kitchen to finish the desert – chocolate cake with a German chocolate sauce.
Dinner was lovely, but what came after was even sweeter.
…
The two couldn't take their hands off each other. It was months until the wedding, but from how things were going so far, they might just be "married" tonight. They stumbled up the winding steps until they're about halfway up and that's where Madge presses Gale's back into the wall, her hands gliding up confidently up under his suit jacket, a wicked smirk lacing her lips. She takes her hands out of his jacket and grips his hands, pinning them by his ears. His smile widens.
She presses her lips lingeringly against his and reveled in the way a jolt of hot electricity shocked her stomach. His breathing hitches and he slips his wrists out of her grip, letting her hands fall to his shoulders, his hands traveling down her sides until it reach her thighs. His fingers dig into her skin through the dress. Her dress hikes up a few inches as he pulls her closer. They break apart, their breathing mingled as they stare at each other, their eyes dark. She loved the way their breathing patterns were opposite, they chests moving in sync with the others. He stretches his neck out and leaves an open mouth kiss to her throat, then her jaw, then her cheek, then her nose, and finally her temple. She's afraid her smile will be a permanent fixture on her face, but at the moment she can't find it in herself to care.
She tugs on his warm hands, her thumb rubbing across the scar adorning the back of his hand. She leads him up the rest of the stairs to her doorway. She takes out the spare key out of the potted plant next to her door (they had to keep all doors locked when they had visitors) and unsuccessfully tries to put it in the lock because of Gale's warm hands wrapping around her waist and the way he nudges and kisses her neck is driving her insane. She finally gets it in the lock and pulls him in before slamming the door shut and locking it behind them.
Her hands are instantly on him, unbuttoning his jacket and his button-down. His hands hang by his sides as he watches her. Once an inch of skin is revealed from his shirt, she presses hot open mouthed kisses along his skin. He groans deeply in his throat and leans his head against the door, his hands instantly bunching her dress up, pulling it over her head. He helps her with his pants because of all the buttons and ties and soon they're both standing in their undergarments.
And soon enough, Gale has Madge backed up to her bed. His hands grip her bare shoulders, a smile filling his face. He pushes her gently onto her bed. He climbs on top of her, his dog tag landing cold between the valley of her breasts. His kisses were sweet and slow and deep, she could feel his want and love every time their lips brushes gently. And in that moment, that blue dress laying on the ground that had made her feel so beautiful tonight and the day they took the pictures to send to Gale had no comparison to how beautiful she felt now. No pretty dresses or jewels made her feel more beautiful; he made her feel that way. She arched her back and deepens the kiss, but he pulls away. His breath fans out across her face, the soup they ate for dinner still lingering on his breath.
His eyes were intense when he spoke. His words and his body seemed to contradict each other, "Stop, the wedding…no married." He said as he catches his breath. She reaches up and caresses his face; he knew what she was going to say before she said it. He shook his head, "You don't know how much I want this too, but I want to do it the right way…when we're married." He balances on one arm and trails his fingertips of his free hand down her cheek. "Okay?" she nods and he leans down to kiss her sweetly but deeply again.
They might not get "married" tonight, but that didn't stop him from drawing her bare body close and throwing the blanket over them. She buries her face in his chest and smiles. He was right, they should wait. Do it right next time. This she could settle for because he was worth it.
"So, tell me about yourself, Princess." He whispers into her ear, his breath warm and comforting on her ear.
"Well, first off, I hate being called Princess." He chuckles and draws her even closer as she rambles things off about herself. He didn't know who made the decision for them to get married, but he would have to thank them. He couldn't be happier, and he definitely could not wait for the wedding.
A/N: What did you think? Please comment! If you could add what you liked/disliked/something you want to see/anything that would be great too! I want to be able to better myself!
P.S. THIS HAS BEEN POSTED ON MY OTHER STORY GADGE: THE MINI STORIES. PART 3 IS THE NEW PART!
