This is a random one-shot I came up with after reading a billion fics involving queen Elizabeth I, and our own very loved England/Britain. I got inspired and decided to have my own take on it. It's set within Elizabeth's first few days of office. It's basically a conversation that the two have on the subject of marriage.
Firstly, I decided to call him 'England' in this fic, (Even though in other fics it ticks me off, since I'm the anime fan and they normally don't call him that...ever. In the dub anyway.) because this is set before the unification of Scotland and Northern Ireland, so therefore he wouldn't be named 'Britain' anyway :)
Secondly, I didn't really intend for them to be seen as a couple. However, feel free to put your shipping goggles on if you want to!
Superspecialawesome thanks to my AMAZING BETA-reader Xxx-ForgottenSecret-xxX !
"I don't think that I will ever marry." Elizabeth said, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms behind her head in a very un-regal like manner.
England nearly jumped out of his seat at the comment. His eyes widened as he looked at the young queen. The woman was only 25 years old and making such a bold statement as that!
It was unheard of for a queen to rule without a man by her side, so England didn't know what to say to Elizabeth on the subject. He simply stared at her, shock plastered on his face and mouth gaping open.
Elizabeth turned her head to face the nation beside her, and for a few long, pain staking moments they said nothing. England just stared at his queen, speechless, and Elizabeth simply stared back at her nation, studying his face while her own remained blank.
Eventually, England managed to string a sentence together. "B-but Milady!" he stuttered, "N-not to marry is just-"
"Unconventional?" she interrupted, smiling cheekily as she saw her nation's expression. It seemed to her that she had hit the nail on the head. "I know, Arthur."
Her smile faded as she directed her gaze toward the intricate ceiling and she continued, "It just seems that…Oh, I don't know! I just don't feel like I have the need to marry. Do you understand, Arthur?"
"Not particularly." England replied truthfully, his eyes still fixed upon his red-headed queen. "What's wrong with having a ruler by your side? I'm sure there will be an infinite number of suitors who will take a liking to you."
"That's just the problem, Arthur!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air in frustration and looking her nation directly in the eyes. "I don't care about them taking a liking to me; it's all about me taking a liking to them!"
She sighed in frustration and crossed her legs, giving the gigantic wooden door on the other side of the vast room a stare that would easily blow it up at close range.
Arthur looked across the glamorous, empty hall indifferently, before also fixing his gaze upon the door, seemingly miles away from the throne in which queen was seated, and the smaller chair that her nation occupied beside her.
"What I mean to say is," Arthur begun "don't close your options off yet. What about Robert Dudley? You two get along splendidly after all…" England trailed off as he saw his monarch slowly turn bright red as he brought up her childhood friend, her color intensifying with every word.
"I see," he stated, raising an eyebrow slightly at the immature, yet wonderfully innocent reaction of his ruler.
She looked at England again, an expression of misery and melancholy that came hand and hand with such love. England dreadfully pitied the woman as she told him, "He's married."
England sighed, and put a hand on his monarch's shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sorry to hear it," he said, smiling warmly in an attempt to console his queen. "I've heard she's sickly though, there's still a chance that-"
"Arthur!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her voice outraged, though her eyes glimmered with a small inkling of hope. That was enough for England to feel like he had done his job at cheering her up.
"Alright, I get it. I'll stop teasing you," he replied, chuckling, before changing the subject. "It's strange to think you've only just begun your reign, yet you've done so much in only a few days."
"Indeed." Elizabeth replied, smiling wholeheartedly. "Let us hope I that will stay in office without the protest of the nobles for many years to come. I have great plans for this country…" she trailed off.
"I hope you will fulfill those plans, your Majesty." England replied, smiling contently as he once again looked at his queen. Although she was young, and a woman, she seemed like she had the makings of a great ruler. She survived the first few days of office; a feat of its own. At least she was older than Edward VI and wouldn't simply be a pawn to the Regency Council. She was old enough to make her own decisions on the throne, and for that, England felt grateful.
"Your Majesty-" England began, but was interrupted by Elizabeth pointing an accusing finger at him. Her expression wasn't angry, though she did seem slightly irritated.
She clenched her hand into a fist and lowered it into her lap, before relaxing her hand and smoothing out her skirt. She sighed. Clearly something was on her mind, and instinctively, England began to search though his mind for a moment that he had annoyed his queen.
"Will you please stop addressing me so formally?" Elizabeth asked, frustration clearly etched into her voice. "I don't mind so much in public, but when we're in private… It just makes such a barrier between us. I already address you as 'Arthur' when we're alone, so I think it's only fair that you address me in kind."
"By your first name?" England asked, slightly stunned at the queen's request. "But that's so-"
"Unconventional?" Elizabeth finished, for the second time today. "I know, but allow me this, Arthur Kirkland, for after all, are we not friends?"
"F-friends?" England stuttered, once again nearly jumping out of his seat. "Well, Milady-" He stopped midsentence as he saw the glare his monarch was giving him.
"Your Majesty-" He corrected himself, before abruptly halting yet again at the somehow intensified glare he received.
He sighed, before saying very quickly and very quietly. "Elizabeth."
She then produced a broad, cheerful smile that wrinkled the corners of her eyes, and tipped her head back, beginning to laugh, wholeheartedly and joyfully.
"Then it's settled!" she said after she got her laughter under control. "I intend to rule for a great number of years, Arthur, and rule as a king would, not as a queen. I will have not a man to control me as I take the throne. However, I wish for your full support and friendship, Arthur Kirkland. England; do you accept me fully and wholeheartedly as your sovereign, with or without a man by my side? Do you promise to serve your monarch with all of the loyalty and dedication as if she were male?"
England didn't even need a moment to think it over; he got out of his seat, went down on one knee in front of his new queen and took her hand. He kissed it, as the noble etiquette, and replied.
"That Elizabeth, I can promise."
"Better beggar woman and single than queen and married." - Queen Elizabeth I
"I know I have the body of a week and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king." - Queen Elizabeth I
"I have already joined myself in marriage to a husband, namely the kingdom of England." - Queen Elizabeth I