https://www.tumblr.com/queen-of-writing-bad-things/821391598482030592/okay-i-have-another-sweet-girl-and-ray-au-idea?source=share
LITERALLY THISSSS OH MY GOD. and sweet girl becomes anxious over the marriage because she's soon thrust into a world that people are relying on her for. she could become the wueen within this marriage to drex and it's stressful.
the fact ray has to watch the woman he grew to love be handed off to the prince is beyond more than just horrible, it's heartbreaking.
i just imagine little glances between them, brushing of the hands. HELL ray coming to sweet girl's aid if she needs help being lifted on a horse or something like UGHHHHHH. that's the only way they can remain close. 😩
KNIGHT/PRINCESS AU RISE!
the princess sweet is royally shitting herself when the king announces that prince dex of the bordering kingdom wants her hand in marriage. she's acquainted with him, and what little she knows she does not like.
the prince is a brute who enjoys killing majestic creatures and tormenting those smaller than himself. he swans around in his fancy uniform with every fair hair in place as his pale skin shimmers under the sun. to her, he looks like something undead. when the king isn't around, he addresses her as "wife" or "woman", not even dignifying her with her actual name or title.
he's repulsive. he's horrible. he's....nothing like her favoured knight.
sir ray is tall, dark and handsome - a real hero but once she got to know him during their outings, she learned of the softness beneath his chainmail. he addresses her with nothing but respect, calling her his princess or his lady, and she so wants to be.
it's improper and wrong, she knows that. a knight and a princess would be an impossible pairing but she's never met a prince or lord or dignitary who matched him in worth. sir ray holds her hand so gently when she dismounts her horse, clasps her waist with such tenderness when he taught her archery, and he felt so strong when they shared a mount during their ride to the river.
she feels freedom like never before when he showed her the world - full of rolling hills and mountains and streams and seas. she so desperately wants to see the sea like the merchants spoke of, but their daily rides never had enough daylight and her father hardly tolerated an afternoon's outing.
all those times when he drew his sword for her, ready to take life just to preserve hers...it should have frightened her. but she felt a thrill run down her spine to see him so wild and aggressive, cutting down bandits and thugs with ease before carelessly patting her down to check for injury. no harm done - save for her beating heart.
the sweet princess is betrothed to prince drex yet her heart lies with sir ray. whereas her soon-to-be husband should receive her favour, the princess finds herself embroidering a handkerchief with the flowers and insects she observed whilst out with her knight. the crest and initials of his house are exquisitely stitched onto the corner. it's a token of her love for him, but she could never bring herself to share it.
she tucks it under her pillow as the new moon approaches. her knight remains by her side, clinging to their last day together. one last ride out. a final moment of freedom. their hands brush as he helps her down from her horse. he seems to linger when she remains in his arms, taking a terrible liberty to hold the princess so intimately.
then, the knight breaks out of his stupor. he leads her to their favourite meadow - where the flowers bloom and forest creatures gather. he knows she's happy here, and he hopes her husband will indulge in bringing her when he no longer can. he knows drex would never allow it but the power is out of his hands.
the princess removes her crown as she sits beside the stream. she hopes the sound of the water will smother her sobs.
they stay until sunset, until the knight knows he has to return his sweet girl to her castle--or prison as it will become tomorrow. first the wedding, then her coronation once her father concedes the crown to his new son in law.
sweet girl takes a final look at the meadow. the happy place she discovered with her beloved knight. she looks back at him. he cannot meet her eyes as he offers his hand.
tomorrow she will be a queen. she neglects to put the crown back on her head.