Engbelgweek2018 - Tumblr Posts
Royal AU
Arthur did a double take at the woman on the other side of the room.
She hadn’t always been that pretty, had she?
The prince had not been looking forward to this day. In fact, he had crossed of the days on his calendar as he had counted down towards his doom.
The teasing from his older brothers had not helped him feel any better.
He remembered the girl his mother had arranged for him to marry one day and that girl had certainly not been that beautiful.
Besides him, Francis laughed and jabbed him in the side. “Close your mouth, mon ami.”
Walking up to her, Arthur greeted the woman.
“Welcome to the kingdom, princess Emma.”
“It is a pleasure to be back here.” She answered and held out her hand to him.
He took it and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.
So far, so good. Greetings between them had gone worse in the past.
Both the young boy and the little girl turned around so that they were back to back with their arms crossed. Neither child wanting anything to do with the other one.
Little Arthur faced his mother and she made it very clear he was to do as he had been told. With a sigh the boy turned around and formally greeted the girl who had also turned around with a displeased look on her face.
At his greeting, the small princess did a curtsy and then both prince and princess had their backs to each other again.
“Please allow me to guide you around the palace. And the gardens, the roses are at their most beautiful around this time.”
“I would love that. My last visit feels so long ago.”
Their conversation felt very rehearsed, but at least it was civil. That would please his mother. Unlike other occasions in the past.
“Why don’t you show princess Emma around, Arthur? You can show her some of your favourite places to play.” His mother had said.
Not that young Arthur had any intentions of sharing his best hiding spots with a girl.
“My Emma would love that.” His mother’s dear friend said enthusiastically.
Little Emma didn’t look as happy as her mother did.
As their mothers gently pushed to two children toward each other, they began walking down the hall.
Before they reached the end, they were rolling on the ground trying to hit the other.
One of his older brothers saw and yelled to their mother what Arthur was doing.
Both of them got a good lecture that day. Arthur for hitting a girl, his fiancé, at that. His brother for yelling inside the palace. Unbecoming of princes.
Princess Emma and her mother left suddenly.
Good.
At some point, after wandering through the gardens for a while, Arthur asked Emma if she would like to try the bow and arrow.
“I can show you.” The green eyed man told her, getting ready to help the lady position her bow.
“It is very kind of you Arthur, but I can manage.”
She pulled out an arrow, placed it on the bow and took a moment to aim.
Then shot right into the center.
Well, that left the blond prince baffled.
She hadn’t always been that good, had she?
Having been forced by his mother into entertaining the foreign princess, he had taken her to the gardens to shoot the bow and arrow.
At least they would be doing something Arthur liked to do and this day wouldn’t be entirely wasted. There were prettier girls in the town he could be talking to.
Of course, the princess had to be difficult about it. Saying she didn’t want to do that and would rather play some kind of game.
He didn’t remember which one, he had pretty much tuned her out and continued towards the part of the gardens where he knew everything would be set up already.
Soon after, he learned why the girl had been whining about the activity.
She was absolutely lousy at it.
Arthur couldn’t stop laughing at her when she pulled at the string, let go and the arrow fell straight down.
Arthur wondered when to frog would run out of air from laughing and just pass out.
As rehearsed as most of their conversation had been, he probably would have to thank Francis for the parts that were more spontaneous, so was their schedule.
“See you very soon.” Emma told him quietly, as she left to prepare for the ball.
He didn’t respond at first, but as she began to walk away the frog put his elbow in his side once again.
“Say something.” A short pause. “Something good, lapin.”
“I hope I can have the first dance at the ball.” Arthur called after her.
No childhood memories for the first time that day. They had never danced together before. Their mothers hadn’t made them and of course Arthur hadn’t ever asked the younger girl for a dance.
The blonde turned around so fast that her dress twirled around her legs.
And she smiled.
Arthur liked that smile, it was pretty, and maybe he could get used to seeing it more often.
Then she uttered one single word.
“Oui.”
She spoke French.
Besides him the frog nearly choked in his effort not to laugh out loud.
Florist!BelgiumxBusinessman!Arthur
or
Customer!Arthur asking Florist!Belgium if she would go on a date with him.
Maybe, Arthur thought, he should have told Emma about magic sooner. Before she found him in his basement in the middle of a spell, at least.
And… that is a wrap for EngBelgWeek2018! Thank you so much for your contribution to the week, even if it’s as small as liking or reblogging fan content!
Fanwork will be reblogged up to 1 week from now. If you have any unfinished work, now is a good chance to finish them! Once again,
thank you!
