Lilia Vanrouge x gn!reader angst
TW! Mentions of death, aggression, abuse, and all that
Lilia is OOC, but it will be explained why.
There is one scene where the young couple is explained to be “cuddling and kissing” and I meant that in a literal way. We had this school-friendly Canterbury Tales book in which kissing and cuddling was just a cover for sex. This is not the case!
Lilia had, just like any other day, walked to the room of the young royal. His eyes were quickly scanning through, trying to spot the figure, while he slowly started taking his sword out. He could not see them. Taking slow and quiet steps, he walked to the bed in the middle of the wall, his sword falling back into place loudly as he purposefully slammed it to wake the sleeping heir.
"Lilia!" they awoke with a start, immediately raising their voice at the mischievous guard standing at the foot of their bed.
"Good morning, your highness, it appears that you have overslept your morning training classes," he spoke calmly despite the grin on his face. He was greatly amused. Not only did they oversleep, like any other day, but the hair on their head was nothing short of a bird's nest.
"Oh, hush," they spoke, their feet falling to the floor while they winced at the cold air.
"You are lucky today's training is with the best royal guard, otherwise you would've gotten into a lot of trouble, young one," mocking anger, he raised one of his fingers as to scold the person still in bed. Y/N laughed at his antics and finally got up, quickly walking to his person to envelop him in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh, how lucky I am, indeed," they spoke into his ear as they stood near the bed, hugging each other. After a second or so, Y/N started swaying their bodies from side to side. Another grin grew on his face.
"Affection will get you nowhere, get dressed so we can start," he was the first to break the hug, "it is very important that you know how to, at least, defend yourself in case I'm not around," he said after. His hands were resting on their shoulders, but he was very serious. One of the things he could not bear even imagining is them getting hurt in his absence.
"Okay, okay, Sir Lilia," with a laugh, Y/N walked to the bathroom to get dressed while Lilia waited in the room. With a shake of his head, he decided to make the bed that was left messy. Then he sat down on the soft mattress, allowing himself a moment of rest before his knightly duties.
"We shall go, my most trusted soldier," the heir walked in, their training clothes making them look like any other knight at the castle. Yet to Lilia, they were the most beautiful, especially the smile Y/N had on their face as they waited for him with their hand outstretched towards him. With hearts in his eyes, he finally stood up and took Y/N's hands into his even for a second. After all, their special relationship was only for the two of them, as the laws of the kingdom would not allow their love. He sadly looked at their intertwined fingers, wistfully wishing they could just escape it all and live far away with no one to judge and rule over them. If only.
"I have stolen this from the kitchen," he spoke as he took out two pieces of today's sweet bread. He knew the queen doesn't allow the young master to eat in the morning, so he took it upon himself to take things from the kitchen.
"Oh, I really like this one!" they took one of them into their hands, and with a quick kiss on the cheek ran towards the training grounds. No one was around, so he pretended to let their behavior go unnoticed by him. Running after them, he took a single bite of the remaining bread, both of them soon sitting down on the green grass to quickly eat before continuing.
"Thank you for the bread, Lilia," he couldn't help but click his tongue.
"It is Sir Lilia on training grounds, your highness," he spoke lowly as he, once again, bore the wooden sword into their torso. He knew he shouldn't be too harsh but the enemy will not go easy on them, after all, none can love them as much as Lilia did.
"Well then, SIR Lilia! How about you let me take a short break, yeah?" the heir spoke, their sword falling to the ground since they were so tired they couldn't be bothered setting it down carefully, too tired to care.
"We took a break five minutes ago, my dear,"
"But you get to call me other names? This is so unfair!"
"Life is unfair, loveliest. Now get your sword and we'll continue. This is the last few minutes, you are allowed to do so," he tried encouraging the tired royal. With an annoyed groan, they listened and were soon standing again.
"I'm going to get you for that, you'll see," they spoke, anger obvious in their voice.
"I'd like to see you try, little bat," (brat 😝)
"Why?" they asked as soon as they stood close enough for only Lilia to hear.
"I'm afraid it is regarding your engagement to the young prince Venget," he answered honestly. It pained him to do so, but there was nothing he could do other than strive to stay at their side even when they're betrothed to another.
"I shall just tell my father I am already in love, then," the royal spoke, standing up within a blink, determined to change their fate.
"You mustn't, my love, for it will only anger the King,"
"Let him be angry! Is my happiness not worth more? More than that- that snuck up! A rotten piece of-"
"Y/N, I'll go to the castle with you,"
"Oh! Very well! Let us be off, then,"
"What do you think of my future spouse?" Y/N asked once they were alone, resting on the balcony of Venget's castle.
"I've heard he's a nobleman, your majesty," Lilia said, not having anything else to share. He did not like Venget but was not allowed to say more while in the public.
"Oh that is great to hear, Lilia," Y/N said, rolling their eyes in the process. They both could agree that Venget was not to the liking of either of them, although only silently.
"I've also heard the castle maidens talk about his handsome looks," he decided to say after a moment of silence. He did not lie, for the castle maidens kept talking about it in his presence, too.
"Oh, Lilia. Had I gone for looks alone, I would've bedded you already," Y/N laughed and finally turned to look at him. Their eyes sparked like any other night, yet now they held mischief in them.
"Y/N! You mustn't speak this way so out in the public," Lilia spoke with a start, putting his hand to their mouth to make sure they do not speak so unproperly anymore.
"I do not care, my love! Let the world know of my adoration for your person!"
"Please, quiet down," he laughed, not being able to act serious when his human was just so adorable, "although, would you so kindly tell me as to what it is about my appearance you like?"
"Your piercing crimson eyes that are like a sea of blood, yet once they spot me, the color is suddenly that of the most beautiful of red roses! Your soft hands, that seem as so only to me and no one else-"
"How are you not afraid of me?" he couldn't help himself blurt the words he's been meaning to ask for years. His eyes fixed on Y/N, watching their every move like a hawk.
"For my heart knows of my feelings for you, and nothing could ever change that," with now a quiet volume, they walked closer to him, his hands now resting in theirs. One of those hands came up to his face and cupped one of his cheeks.
"You are the least scary of them all, my love," Y/N said, slowly closing the distance between them as their mouth met halfway. Every time they shared a kiss, Lilia was overjoyed beyond belief. Not only did he love his Y/N, but the whole idea of them doing so in secret always excited him.
"But you know of my history,"
"Even I have things I am not proud of, dear, it is of no importance to me," and so they sealed the night off with more sweet kisses under the moonlight in a silent promise of staying together forever.
"I have been called back to the castle, I'm afraid," Lilia voiced to his lover, who had just asked him to attend their wedding.
"Lilia, please," they started, moving closer to him and trying to grasp his hands in theirs. He moved away from them, "I need you there," their eyes met. While Y/N had tears falling down already, Lilia had just a tad hint of them forming as he tried, desperately, to not let his true feelings show at that moment.
"My duties do not allow me-"
"You're nothing but a liar!" interrupted Y/N his rehearsed speech. He was about to question what was the meaning of their words when his lover continued.
"You do not have any duties back home," they spoke with sniffles, wiping their eyes aggressively with one of their sleeves, "I know it is not easy for you, but I can't do it without you there, Lilia," now both of their hands were covering their eyes as they wept, now silently.
"Y/N," he tried in a soft voice, he knew it was very hard for both of them. Despite all of that, it was hard for him. Oh, so hard.
To watch his lover cry their eyes out, begging for him to come to the ceremony held for their marriage with another man. Oh, how his heart kept cracking in heartbreak. Yet he knew his heart would break even more had he chosen to attend the ceremony.
"I can understand why," they said after a second, sniffling, "but please, Lilia. Please aid me. I would not be able to survive," their head rested on his shoulder as their tears slowly started wetting his clothes. The two of them were alone in the room given to Y/N to get used to the castle. Lilia was there as their guardian.
"Dearest," he started, caressing their head as softly as he possibly could, "I will come back before the ceremony. I will arrive with your father, but I must leave nonetheless," giving them a kiss, he finally spoke. Originally, he had no plans of watching the ceremony, but what could he do when his lover begged him so?
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Love," Y/N finally looked into his eyes. They were almost as red as his own from all the crying and rubbing.
"Now let's get you to bed so you can rest, hm?"
"Please lay down with me,"
"Preposterous idea, little monster. You are to be wedded to another in a few days,"
"That is precisely why the moment is nigh,"
And so well into the night, the two lovers quietly shared sparks of love, becoming one while they still could. Secretly, so no one but the gods could bare witness to their love blossoming.
"I will see you in two days, my love," Y/N spoke, correcting Lilia's collar the next day.
"You tell me, Lilia," the King spoke while they were riding towards Venget's castle. In the carriage were the King, the Queen, their personal guard, and Lilia. They were all squished together for no other reason than the royal couple wanting to bad-mouth and talk about other people.
"Oh," Lilia coughed a little, trying to quickly collect himself, "why might the King be interested in my humble opinion?"
"Simply because I trust you the most," the King laughed and hit his shoulder.
"I must apologize then, for my opinion might not be to your liking," Lilia smiled a little. He knew that his relationship with the King was more than just work-related, but he still could not speak his opinion. Had he always spoken the truth, he would've told him years ago of his secret relationship.
"Should I call off the marriage, then?" the King asked more himself, than Lilia.
"I'm worried that will be quite the conundrum," finally spoke the Queen, her hand reaching for the hand of the King sitting opposite of her.
"Yes, you are right, darling," he looked at Lilia with a mischievous smile, "with Lilia around, I'm sure everything will be alright," the Queen followed and also looked at him. Lilia decided to challenge the king and returned their looks.
"Of course, I am the best royal guard,"
"Right, that, too. I was talking about you two sharing intimate moments," Lilia's heart almost stopped.
"What the King meant to say," the Queen spoke while giving her husband a side eye, "we once saw you two share a kiss on Y/N's balcony," Lilia's breathing got harder as he tried to keep calm.
"No need. We would want to apologize for not being able to give you two an opportunity to love. The higher-ups would not accept the relationship and poor Y/N is our only child,"
“That is not my concern at all, my King” Lilia heaved a sigh and finally calmed down enough to form comprehensible sentences, “pardon me for saying so, but I had been under the impression that it had gone unnoticed,”
“Well, I am not aware of how long this has been going on!” with a hearty laugh, the King tried easing the situation.
“For many a year, I am afraid,” with a bashful expression, Lilia looked out of the window.
“Then, please make sure to stay at my child's side while I figure out a way for them to get out of the marriage,”
Soon enough, the carriage had stopped and they were able to exit. The royal guard made sure to follow behind his employers closely for that was his job.
“If you will excuse me, I would like to go see Y/N before their big moment,”
“You have my blessing, son,”
After a deep sigh, Lilia finally gathered the courage to knock on the door behind which Y/N was getting dressed. The whole way to Vegnet's castle, he felt butterflies in his stomach from how nervous he was.
“Yes, come in,” spoke the voice he had missed so much during the two days he had been away.
“Good afternoon, Y/N,” he greeted with a deep bow to allow Y/N to hide their nakedness just in case. Not like it would be the first he would get to observe their body, though. His head then lifted up. It was like the whole world stopped for a while from the sight he bore witness at that moment.
“You are breathtakingly beautiful my dearest, dare I say ethereal,” he voiced, looking around once more to check whether no one was around before rushing to their person.
“Lilia!” his lover laughed, wasting no second to pepper his face with many kisses, “I am so glad you are finally here,” they spoke once they decided he's had enough. Though once their faces inched apart, Y/N could not but laugh upon seeing what had become of his face - now littered with kiss marks all over.
“I am also,” and so they spent the rest of the time cuddling and sharing kisses while waiting for the ceremony to start.
That, if you were to ask any one of them, came too soon. For only a little after their reunion were they forced to part once more for the sake of the dreaded ceremony.
“Venget Kruwarug, do you take this person to be your partner, to live together in holy matrimony, to love them, to honor them, to comfort them, and to keep them in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?” asked the priest.
“And, Y/N L/N, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” and Lilia's heart broke once again at that moment.
When the newlywed couple was to share a kiss, he averted his eyes.
“What is it like? Being married?” asked Lilia when the two of them were dancing in one of the many big halls of their new home.
“I can not wait to get out of this marriage, really,” Y/N rested their head on his shoulder once they spun.
“You have many duties outside of the castle and it is insufferable without you around to keep me company, and grounded so I do not wind up mad,”
“Then I shall hurry with my duties to be able to whisk you away sooner,” he slowly, yet full of love, kissed his lover. The moment might have been the sweetest they were able to share in a while, had they not been interrupted by King Venget, who rushed into the hall - in turn forcing their kiss to break.
“When have you gotten here, Lilia Vanrouge? How have I not been notified of your arrival?” he asked, leaving Lilia to break their hold and bow.
“That must be because I have first searched for my Sovereign, whom I am the personal guard of, before attending to my other duties,” with venom seething from his words, Lilia very secretly smirked to himself.
“Then I ask of you to not do the same the next time you come for a visit,” with a hiss, the King took Y/N's hand and rushed them outside while Lilia had no other option but to follow.
“General Vanrouge! With this, you have been given my blessings to live a married life with my only child, Y/N Vanrouge,” King F/N spoke with the happiest smile possible, after all, the two of them were now family even on paper. Finally- finally, were they able to give Lilia a higher status that would allow him to be wedded to Y/N. The only thing left was for him, now General Vanrouge, to take Y/N away.
“What brings you here, guard?” asked a very furious Venget from his throne room.
“It is General Vanrouge now, and I have come for Y/N,” the smile on Lilia's face was uncharacteristic of him. He felt proud and powerful.
“Go then,” Venget laughed back, flicking his hand in the process. As if he didn't care at all. This angered Lilia but he tried to not let it get to him, but rather to Y/N's quarters that he knew the way to even with closed eyes.
He slammed open the door, yet the room was quiet and empty.
“General Vanrouge,” spoke a voice from behind. He spun around, his head spinning from the toll of said action. It was one Venget's maids, whispering to him.
“Have you an idea where they are?”
“I am worried you have come a bit late, General, Y/N passed four days ago,”
“What?” clutching his heart he looked up at the now taller figure of the maid, “what are you saying?”
“Y/N had committed the act of suicide after yet another quarrel with the king,”
Lilia had known of the pain Y/N had been in this whole time, but he felt like their promise of a better life could aid them in surviving for even just a little.
Oh, how he hated not simply taking them away the second he noticed the first bruises on their body.
Had Lilia just ignored the people, the two of them could right now be living together somewhere far away, no one there to judge or stand in their way.
But that was naught but a dream now.
In a fit of rage, General Vanrouge went on a rampage and murdered everyone in Venget's castle. Stories spread fast, of a mad king and his divine punishment in the form of a fae.
He returned to his home with the body of his lover in his hands. After a proper burial, he had no place in the castle, so he took off into the wild.
On one of his voyages, he came across a woman in distress. She was overpowered by fae, her cloaked figure desperately screaming at them to let her be. The virtuous knight that he was, he spared no time in killing them and saving the maiden in need of help. Once their eyes met, he recognized the figure to be none other than the ruler of Briar Valley. Who, as thanks for his help, appointed him General of the army they had been building in preparation for the human-fae war that was soon to break out. Though hesitant, he accepted, realizing that his life had at that time been nothing but a disappointment.
“General Vanrouge, reporting for duty,”
And so Lilia Vanrouge became an honorable member of Briar Valley, aiding his new home in winning the war. Later, he promised himself to not fight to death anymore but to live a peaceful life, opting to help train the castle knights and take care of the newborn heir to Briar Valley whom they named Malleus Draconia.
It wasn't long before he came across a small human child in the forest. Silver. Often did Lilia think about raising his own children, and having a family with his one and only, yet he could not anymore.
Silver learned to not question why they visited a grave with the name Y/N Vanrouge engraved on it once a year. Had his father wanted him to know, he would've told him.
Now, Lilia Vanrouge lives a different life, free of the pain and suffering he had gone through. As a result, he had become way more positive and appreciative of what life had to offer. Cursed with a long lifespan, all he could now do was make sure to pass his knowledge and take care of his son.
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I plan on editing this, but for now, happy reading!
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