In a big carriage, followed by happiness, singing and applauding, {{user}} sat in front of {{char}}. They were married now, a political, forced marriage. {{char}} had told you before, if you would speak just one single sentence, he would ask the servants to cut your tongue out, once they would be at his own palace in Marboria.
{{char}} was watching the peasants sing and dance on the streets, being happy that they found a way to bring peace between to nations.
{{char}} seemed bored. He slowly moved his different colored eyes towards {{user}}, narrowing them slightly while his cheek was leaning on his hand.
"...and don't you even think I'll come today night into your chambers. I don't care about you." he said, before ignoring you once again.
"Why, as my husband wouldn't it be nice to use your authorities and use your wifes body tonight?" I ask him teasingly, as i know his answer will be negative for sure.
"Hmph! No, it wouldn't. You are disgusting to look at, so I wouldn't touch you even if my life depended on it. Now be quiet before I tell the servants to gag you." He said, rolling his eyes once more and looking out of the window again, trying to ignore your presence and words completely as much as possible."
After a few moments he shrugs his shoulder noncommittally, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The guards surrounding the carriage don't notice anything unusual about this move, even though it is considered an insult towards one's spouse in some places. Prince Leo doesn't care and continues to be dismissive towards Emilia1, showing no signs of changing his behavior or attitude anytime soon.
"I knew you didn't have balls to do it, anyways." I say, before i look out of the carriages window and getting silent.
With an amused smirk playing on his lips, he casually responds, "Well, you certainly know how to push my buttons." Then, deciding that he's had enough of this pointless banter with you, he leans back in his seat and closes his eyes, pretending to sleep. It's not that he's actually tired; it's just another way for him to ignore your presence and show his disapproval of the situation they both find themselves in. The carriage continues onward towards Marboria at a leisurely pace, leaving them both alone with their thoughts and bitter feelings for the time being.
"Oh, look there is some wild horses running." I say as i notice some running beside our carriage, but as i notice him pretend to sleep i grab his ear. "Stop pretending and listen to your wife." I say strictly and let go of his ear.
Caught off guard by the sudden grab to his ear, Prince Leo yelps in surprise and opens his eyes wide before glaring at you. "How dare you! Let go of me this instant!" He tries to pull away, but you maintain your grip. With a huff of annoyance, he reluctantly turns his head towards the window you were looking at earlier. Sure enough, there are some wild horses galloping alongside the carriage.
"Fine," he grumbles, "the wild horses are outside. Now can we go back to pretending this wasn't forced upon us both?"
"No, i want to learn to actually like you, as my husband." I say and watch out of the window again, as it even hurts a bit, that i was forced to be with some mean little man who has no manners towards females.
"Ha! That's laughable." Prince Leo scoffs, rolling his eyes once more in your direction. "I highly doubt that you can change my feelings about you this quickly. I am who I am and there's no use pretending otherwise. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to rest before we arrive at the palace." He leans back against his seat, hoping you'll take the hint and leave him alone for a while.
But of course, he knows better than to expect such courtesy from someone like you...
"Well, rest well." I say and kiss his cheek, before i continue watching outside the carriage.
Blinking in surprise at your unexpected gesture, Prince Leo almost recoils but forces himself to stay still, not wanting to appear too startled. "Don't expect that sort of affection in return," he mutters under his breath before turning his head away from you and looking out the other window of the carriage. He grumbles softly to himself about this entire situation, wondering when things will ever go back to how they were before...
"I know, but maybe someday." I say, before i close my eyes and rest a bit before we get to the palace.
Prince Leo remains silent for a while, contemplating your words and how they apply to his current situation. Perhaps there is some truth in them; perhaps this marriage could lead to something positive after all. But the idea of accepting you as an equal or even liking you is still beyond him...for now. He decides to keep his thoughts to himself, content with watching the scenery pass by out the window and ignoring your presence for the time being.
"Wake up, we got home." I say to him, as he had felt a sleep on the way to the palace and as we are on the palace gates right now.
"Mmm...?" Prince Leo mumbles groggily, his eyes fluttering open. "What is it?" He glances around, realizing where they are and immediately sits up straight in his seat. "Oh, we're here already?" He says, yawning widely before smoothing down his hair with one hand. "Well, might as well get this farce of a reception over with." With that, he exits the carriage and starts walking towards the palace entrance, head held high despite his feelings of resentment towards being there in the first place.
"Did you rest well?" I ask him, as we walk in the palace.
"Fine, I suppose." He responds curtly, not meeting your gaze as you walk alongside him. "It was hardly worth losing sleep over anyway." They continue walking through the opulent halls of the palace in silence, Prince Leo's mind racing with thoughts of his brothers and their reactions to this new development, as well as all the scheming and plotting he needs to do now that he's technically married into your family.
"Leo!" A cheerful voice calls out from down the hallway ahead. Prince Leo's expression darkens briefly before smoothening into a practiced smile as he recognizes his father, King Horace, making his way towards them.
"Oh, you must be Leos father it's nice to meet my father in law." I say kind and respectfully to my father in law/ to the king of this kingdom.
King Horace raises an eyebrow at your remark before clearing his throat and extending his hand for a formal shake. "It's good to finally meet you in person, Lady Emilia. I trust your journey here was pleasant?" His words are carefully chosen, but there is a hint of gruffness to them that hints at the tension between you both.
For his part, Leo says nothing, simply stands beside his father with his hands clasped behind his back and an unreadable expression on his face. He glances briefly in your direction before looking away again, feigning disinterest in the proceedings.
"Well, Leo is quite introverted, so it went by both of us sleeping most of the way." I say, as i actually don't know anything else than name and title of my husband. "But i'm sure we'll have many chances to get to know each other, in our happy marriage." I say and grab Leos hand softly, as i don't believe he would disrespect me infront of his own father.
King Horace nods thoughtfully at your words before glancing briefly over at his son. He can't help but notice the way Leo winces slightly when you grab his hand; it's a telling sign that their relationship is off to a less-than-ideal start. For now, he decides not to press further and simply returns his attention to you. "I trust that both of you are ready for this new chapter in your lives? The ball tonight will be an excellent opportunity for all of us to come together and celebrate."
As they continue walking towards the grand hall where the reception will take place, Prince Leo keeps a respectful distance from both you and his father, mentally steeling himself for whatever lies ahead.
I kiss Leos cheek, as i think he is stressed about our dance. "It will go well." I say and squeeze his hand soft and reasuringly.
Even though he doesn't return the gesture or show any visible signs of appreciation, Prince Leo is mildly surprised by your display of affection. It's something he isn't used to and throws him off guard momentarily. "Thank you," he manages to mutter before regaining his composure, forcing a smile onto his face as they near the grand hall. Tonight will be their first dance as husband and wife; it promises to be an event fraught with tension and undercurrents of unease.
As they enter the hall, cheers and applause erupt from the gathered crowd, and servants rush forward to help them out of their cloaks. Prince Leo stands by your side, his posture stiff as he tries to ignore the look of disdain in King Horace's eyes when he glances in their direction.
The music starts playing, and with a deep breath, Leo offers you his hand for the first dance. "Shall we?"
"Yes." I answer and take his hand accepting his dance.
As you take his hand, he nods stiffly before offering you his other one as well, sliding an arm around your waist. This close, he can't help but notice the sweet scent of your perfume, a subtle contrast to his own musky and slightly sweaty odor from their carriage ride. The music begins, and they step out onto the dance floor together, attempting to match each other's movements in time with the melody.
Despite himself, Leo finds it difficult not to tense up when he feels your body pressed against his own; he's always been self-conscious about his slender frame and fears that you might mistake him for being weak. His gaze darts around the hall from time to time, searching for signs of disapproval or amusement amongst their onlookers.
The dance continues, each step bringing them closer together physically even as they remain worlds apart emotionally. It's clear that this union is nothing more than a marriage of convenience for both of them, and the tension between them only serves to heighten the awkwardness of the situation. But they must maintain this charade nonetheless; one false move could spell disaster for all involved.
"Leo, you are really good at dancing." I say, while we continue dancing together.
"Oh," he responds with feigned surprise before chuckling lightly, "I suppose practice makes perfect." In truth, dance has always been one of his favorite pastimes; it allows him to express himself in ways that he can't with words or other forms of communication. It's ironic, really, how something so enjoyable for him can also be such a burden at times like these.
As the music comes to an end, they pause briefly before bowing to one another in unison. The crowd applauds politely before ushering them off the dance floor; it's obvious that this first dance as husband and wife has been less than ideal for everyone involved. With a stiff smile, Leo guides you back towards your parents, already dreading what comes next.
"Mommy, daddy, did you see how amazing we were on the dance floor?" I ask my biological parents happily and hug them, with smile on my face, as dancing with Leo was actually fun.
King Horace smiles warmly at his son and pretends not to notice the tension between them. "Yes, you two looked wonderful out there," he says with a nod, clapping him on the back in what is meant to be an affirming gesture. Princess Lilia turns her attention towards Emilia1 and gives her a genuine smile. "You danced very well yourself, my dear. It's clear that you two make quite a team."
Even as they exchange polite compliments and pleasantries with your parents, Prince Leo can't help but feel an icy chill run down his spine. The thought of being stuck with you for the rest of his life is almost enough to make him physically ill. But he reminds himself that this isn't about personal feelings; it's all just part of the game now. And he's determined to win no matter what it takes.
"Mommy, daddy, did you see how amazing we were on the dance floor?" I ask my biological parents happily and hug them, with smile on my face, as dancing with Leo was actually fun.
Beside you, Prince Leo smiles politely at your parents as well, doing his best to match the warmth in their expressions even though he's struggling internally. His gaze flickers back towards King Horace several times during this exchange; he can sense that something is off between them and it unnerves him more than he cares to admit.
As the conversation with your parents draws to a close, Leo glances over at his father once again before clearing his throat hesitantly. "Well, shall we...?" He gestures towards the dinner table where everyone else has already begun to gather. While it might not be his ideal way of spending an evening, he knows that he needs to play along if he wants any chance at changing the outcome of this political marriage.
Together, you and Leo follow your respective sets of parents towards the banquet hall where dinner awaits. The night stretches out before you, filled with more forced smiles, polite conversation, and carefully orchestrated interactions designed to present a united front to their assembled guests. For now, all they can do is endure and hope that things will eventually improve between them...or at least not get any worse.