Okay, so I've just been vibing with medieval writings at the moment. I think it's a mixture of the fact that I've been watching The Spanish Princess with my mom and that there have been a lot more medieval writings within the Jlaire part of this fandom, but all in all, I'm down for it.
So here's another medieval based one-shot for y'all to enjoy! It's like a betrothal thing I wanted to toy with.
Much love, mates! Hope y'all enjoy!
Ever since I was young, I was told that I would marry a lady my age from a land called Magia.
My mother knew the king and queen of that land well and when she realized that they had given birth to a daughter around the time I was born, she jumped at the occasion to tie our lands together by marriage when we were old enough.
But no matter how long it has been since both of us were born, we had never met. Mother would always say that it was due to issues between our own enemies as well as how far Magia truthfully was from our kingdom of Arcadia. We have been told to write to one another, and we did, but it never fulfilled my childish imagination of who she would be. As I grew and our letters continued, I knew she was quick-witted and prideful in the most endearing form. She would speak of literature that I would never understand, but I couldn't help but read her passion-filled words on whatever novel she had smuggled into her chambers. Though it was obvious she wasn't supposed to indulge in such interest, at least from what I could tell from mother's detailings of her land's customs, I would never speak of it toward anyone. Our letters, to me, were sacred. Whatever was exposed to one another between written words were like confessions within a Cathedral. Between us and us alone.
Yet throughout all of this, I never got to actually meet the woman I was suppose to be married to. I never even got sent paintings for drawings of her throughout the years. But sixteen cycles around the sun has presented itself and now it has been announced that we will. That we would finally come face to face to who we have been betrothed to since birth.
This development though had made me a mess.
"Do I look presentable?" I gave my mother a worried look as I fixed my blue leather doublet that covered my white tunic. She just laughed at me lightly as she adjusted my crown on my head.
"You're acting as if she's going to despise you for being just the slightest out of sorts."
"Could you blame me? From the letters we have written, she's nothing less than a walking Aphrodite. I don't want to seem anything less than worthy for someone of that caliber."
"James Lake of Arcadia," I looked up toward my mother's eyes as she gave me a wide smile on her face. "You are nothing less than worthy. You two have been betrothed to one another since you were infants. If it weren't for the distance between our lands, you would have met Lady Claire much earlier than this." I smiled at my mother's words.
"My nerves are still running frantically within me."
"It will. I felt the same when I first met your father." She chuckled at the memory as she fixed the collar of my doublet so it laid flat against my neck. "I was such a mess to the point that my hands couldn't even hold a glass right. I nearly spilled the ceremony wine my father had the court drink for the occasion." I gave my mom a panicked look as a nervous smile appeared on my lips.
"We won't need a ceremony of some kind for tonight, correct?" She laughed at me as she stood before her throne.
"Not for tonight, no. But if all goes well, a ceremony in the eyes of God will be given." She shot me a wink as I swallowed dryly. "Now. They will be arriving any moment now. Let's be ready, shall we?" I gave her a nod as I moved to take my place beside her and placed my arms behind my lower back. As the silence became deafening within the large meeting hall of the castle, I had a single thought ragging within my mind.
If only she will see me as more than a mere Atlas, then I would count this as a victory.
Ever since I was young, I was told that I was promised to a boy my age who was the prince of Arcadia.
My mother had been close friends with the Queen of Arcadia since before they had been betrothed to their own future husbands. When it came about to the Queen that I was born, my mother detailed how she jumped for the opportunity to allow a marriage tie between our kingdoms.
I never cared for the idea. Being forced to marry someone I never knew the name of until I was seven was something I didn't find enticing as a child. I wanted to be who I was. Not who I was supposed to be. I never wanted to be a princess. I never desired the tight corsets or the useless practices of etiquette. All I ever wanted was to indulge in the arts. Instead of the balls and dance practices, I wanted to read. To write. To draw. Anything that fulfilled my imagination was what I wanted for the rest of my life. I had to learn ways to sneak around these ideas while still fulfilling my wishes of my parents, yet it was always worth it. Especially when one of my ladies in waiting would always find me new novels to sneak within my chambers.
But at least one thing was positive from the betrothal. James actually wanted this for me as well.
We were told to write to each other so that it wasn't as if we were complete strangers to one another. At first, I despised it. I thought with each letter I wrote that I would just find myself with another person thinking that same as my parents. That a woman wasn't meant to think but to sit beside her husband unquestionably.
But at some point along the line, I realized that I was wrong to have ever put him in the same category as I did with my parents.
He was honest with the fact that he did not understand the concepts that I was reading about, but would always detail that he enjoyed reading my thoughts on them. He found my need for expression endearing. That my desire for knowledge wasn't something to hide but to bestow upon the world.
Yet even though he made himself out to be a moron of some sort at first, I realized quickly that he was brilliant in his own regard. He had a way with words that I only ever thought writers like Hrotsitha or Rabanus Maurus would ever possess. The way he wrote was elegant and was obviously from his heart. Not from some other person writing with paper and quill for him, but from him himself.
And even if I had never seen anything of what he was supposed to look like, I felt like I knew him better than any painting could ever describe which is why I, in return, never set him any of the sketches for paintings I have done of myself or others have done of me. Our words between one another, in my eyes at the very least, showcased more about who we were than any other form of expression could.
I looked out of my carriage window as I tried my best to keep my hands still that sat on top of my lap.
Didn't mean I was anything less of a wreck when I was due to meet him.
"You need not worry, Claire." My father spoke as he sat across from me. He reached out and placed a reassuring hand on top of mine. "The prince will be a fool to not see the beauty that you are."
"I am not worried about him thinking me as beautiful, father." I brought my attention to the man as I continued. "I am worried that our letters will not translate into real conversation."
"You have your mother's wit. You'll be quick to keep a flame if one is to spark itself." I turned my head to look out the carriage window once more as we had made our entry into the kingdom of Arcadia.
I already feel a spark when it came to the prince. His words and ideas of me within his letters were enough for me to feel as if my parents' choice was correct, but it was more of the fact that I wanted him desperately to feel the same.
I watched as a small group of peasant girls around my age walked together with smiles upon their faces. My eyes kept themselves upon them as I felt myself swallow nervously while my mind continued.
Because if our letters did not translate to reality, then I would much rather be a peasant girl among the masses than his queen.
We were silent as we walked within the castle's small garden path together. It was obvious between both of us since the moment we left that we were too nervous to break the silence that graced us since we had first laid our eyes upon one another.
"Now arriving, King Javier Nuñez. Along with Lady Claire of Magia. The first child of the Nuñez name." When we had entered the room, my eyes had landed on him instantly. When I have thought my imagination could ever give him justice, I never knew how wrong I truly was. Even from the distance between us as I curtsied before him, I could see the vibrant color of electric blue that was his eyes. His dark hair danced across his forehead in a messy swipe as it seemed his crown was what kept his hair in place. He had broad shoulders and a gentle smile as he seemed to look at me as if I was the only being within the room. I gave him a smile in return that only caused the prince's smile to widen just the slightest in response.
"To think I wouldn't be such a mess beside you." I looked over to the prince as he chuckled to himself. "With as long as we have known each other, at least from letters, you would think I wouldn't be as nervous beside you."
"So you are nervous as well? Here I thought I was the only one."
"I was taught to fake confidence since I was five. With the kingdom's eyes on me after my father's death, my mother wanted me to learn how to be strong for not just myself, but for my kingdom." He turned his head toward me and gave a soft smile as he continued. "But you seem just as confident. I wouldn't expect anything less from how you wrote, but saying you feel the same is shocking to me."
"If I have been given a gold coin for each time I have fooled others on my emotions, I wouldn't have to be a princess to leave luxurious." This pulled a joyful laugh from him as I felt a smile appear on my face in return.
I was told for years that James was a warrior prince. A young man willing to fight for his kingdom in his mother's name no matter who it was that he was being put against. The scar that danced from his right eyebrow and across his nose to his left cheek was enough evidence of this.
But as he laughed to joyously and smiled like that of a child, it was as if I couldn't tie the battles wounds he carried to the person beside me. He was too gentle to seem as if he could harm anyone. Especially with the soft side glances he was giving to me.
"I'm glad. Your wit is just as cunning in person."
"You haven't spent enough time with me yet. My wit will be your demise if you let it."
"What if I desire it to be?" I felt a soft blush appear on my face as his voice sounded as gentle as the look within his ocean eyes.
Here I was worried he would not feel the same spark that I had felt within our words.
"If it means anything to you, you're beautiful." He pulled his eyes away from me to look ahead of him. "Like one of those goddesses you spoke about within your literary endeavors."
"You read them?"
"Would you think I wouldn't?"
"Never thought anyone would, honestly. Especially when others would rather have it that I would never read them in the first place."
"I find the enthusiastic writings of your readings entertaining. I could listen to you speak of one as long as you would let me."
"Do not sign yourself up for something you don't know. I may actually do it if you let me." He brought his eyes back toward me with a wide smile on his face.
"What if I want you to?" I gave him a genuine smile as I couldn't help but loop my left arm into his right. My hand placed itself onto his bicep and he instantly placed a hand on top of mine.
"Well, there was one I read on the night before I was ushered into the voyage here."
"Indulge me then, my lady."
I couldn't help but keep my smile even after Claire and her father had left for their kingdom.
"I can see that you enjoyed your time with her." I chuckled lightly at my mother's reaction to my joyous mood.
"I was frightened that I would be too nervous to even speak to her, but I guess I was not the only one from what she had stated."
"Is she everything you imagined?" I gave her a shocked look as she just laughed lightly at my reaction. "I'm your queen as well as your mother. There is nothing you cannot hide from me." I smiled at her as we continued on our way down the corridor together. "I guess I will be in contact with the king and queen of Magia soon. We seem to have a lot to speak about since both of you seem to enjoy each other." I blushed at the thought as I put my hands behind me as I did when Claire had first arrived.
"Even though I agree, please do not toy with me."
"I am your mother first and always. I will always toy with you on your endeavors. I have the right to. Even when you become king." She smirked ar me as she nudged at me with her right elbow. "Even when you marry."
"Mother. Please."
"Mother I, and I refuse."
"Father. Please. I do not need you toying with my happiness within this moment."
"With that smile on your face, I have every right to. Here I thought you would run for the hills once we left the two of you alone."
"I still despise the idea of betrothals," I stopped for a second as I glanced out of the carriage window at the fleeting figure of Arcadia's castle as we rode past the kingdom. "But I've always enjoyed James."
"So if we gave you the choice, you would choose him yourself?" I blushed at the idea as I looked toward him.
"Even if he was nothing more than a peasant. Even if you would have never approved." He smiled widely at my statements as he gave a single nod.
"I shall be expecting word from Queen Barbara then probably as soon as we arrive." I smiled at the idea as I looked back out the carriage window once more.
"I cannot wait then."