𝖇𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖜 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖌𝖊 .

𝔚𝔦𝔩𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔪 ⚔ @eternallyretold (Hilde)

It had been a few days since Wilhelm had returned for a short visit to the kingdom between his new duties to the Aval organization. It didn’t take long to feel like he was back home. He had certainly missed his bed and the privacy of his room. And a few select people. His sister. The Silverwolves. And a certain Regent. He found it hard to know how to interact with her though. They were engaged now, he couldn’t continue to treat her as he always had. And somehow it didn’t feel appropriate to treat her as merely a friend either. This was a special bond, a kind he had only read about in the books his sister had gifted him over the years. Not to mention his own feelings about the matter. His own fondness for the woman wouldn’t allow him treat her like she was anyone else. But then he was at a loss. How was he supposed to interact with her now?

Moments like this was when he appreciated his sister the most. He could always confide in her. And she somehow always had the answers. Why don’t the two of you spend the day together alone? she suggested. And so Wilhelm exchanged his armor and cloak for simpler attire, the kind that would be more likely to let him blend in among commoners. Hilde was always buried neck deep in her duties to the kingdom. It would be nice to get her away from the castle for a while and allow her to enjoy herself, even if it was only for a few hours. That morning after breakfast, he made his way down to the courtyard where he found Hilde training with her bodyguards. He leaned back against a nearby tree, out of the way, as he watched the armor-clad women spar. Hilde especially was magnificent, a much more seasoned warrior now than she was when they had sparred when they were children. It was only a spar, and yet Wilhelm found himself entranced in the display. What a fine queen she would make one day. 

When the spar was over, he pushed off the tree and approached her, idly noting he almost felt naked now in his simple commoners clothing juxtaposed against the other in full armor. “My lady,” he greeted quietly with a nod of his head, a gesture of respect he used when addressing her in front of others. He gave a brief nod to the others before turning back to Hilde. “That was quite the display. You’ve improved.”

    days blend into one another in the weeks and months that pass , royal duties taking paramount presidence in the war to come .  the attack of johan ❛ greatblade ❜ dürer and his hunters was a 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍 , testing the princess regent-turned-queen in ways that she had failed to anticipate .  already there was word from their alliances abroad of the azure knight’s return and ostrheinsburg amassing with the presence of evil more once .  it is only a matter of time until that very same evil is at their doorstep to devour her ancestral home .  to avoid such a damning fate , hilde becomes 𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝚂 𝙽𝙴𝙴𝙳𝙴𝙳 ; her own 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝚆𝙸𝚂𝙷𝙴𝚂 are of little consequence .  there are moments , however — fleeting occasions in the dark hours of the night — that she permits her mind to briefly linger to lighter thoughts .

     it is these moments where she thinks of he who commands the silver wolves ,

     the lightning lance ——

    wilhelm .

     truthfully , for many a year since the evil seed unleashed its ruin onto the world , she had thought him lost to her ; so distant , so cold — surely , the disparaging remarks against their kingdom and a strictness with all of her decisions ( or lack thereof ) meant an undeniable hatred for the ineffective ruler .  his recent endeavours , however , had cause for her to consider otherwise .  they were of a like mind when dürer proved treacherous , and he found other uses to his title and connections when his dominant arm no longer served in his favour .  garibrand spoke highly of him , and even gerhilde — 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 , and admittedly 𝙼𝙾𝚂𝚃 𝚅𝙾𝙲𝙰𝙻 , to doubt the captain’s intentions — offered praise where credit was due . but could it be out of love , as her closest confidants suspected ?  her betrothal to lord wilhelm was decided by their fathers ; she was not so childish as to presume he would commit to more than what honour pledged .  their union was a political arrangement , not the happy end to a fanciful fairy tale .  the most she could hope for was 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 .  perhaps he may grow to hate her less .  her evening introspection clashes with the harsh reality of day when lo and behold , he appears before her like a dream .  or a memory .  to say he catches her off-guard is a vast understatement .