#medevial

“you will be grooming the queen, managing her attire, and of course there’s the companionship that her majesty will need - you’ll read her books; she prefers fantasy, and nothing sad…”

as you listened attentively to the instructions of your new role, you tried not to gawp as the tanned-skinned woman with brown hair before you listed off the responsibilities. they were all simple jobs, and something you absolutely could do, even if the queen did intimidate you, but to say you were confused was an understatement.

“marigold, why am i no longer working in the kitchen?” you hushed out, your tone wavering as you both stood in the long hallway close to your workspace. “this is all so sudden. i just started to prepare a loaf.”

“yes, well… the new bread maker will finish that for you,” the queen’s handmaiden replied simply with a wave of her right hand. “i’m to work under lady harkness now.”

your eyebrows furrowed in deeper confusion. the queen had given her handmaiden away? why would she do such a thing? “but i’m just a bak-”

“you are whatever the queen wants you to be… understood?” the woman replied firmly, her head turning down the hallway to see two men in armour waiting to escort her to the city gates. “one last thing: don’t answer back and don’t call her anything other than her title, even if she lets you.”

ᗢ

“wanda,” you gasped out softly, your back arching slightly from the large mattress below you as you felt the redhead’s fingers grip your hips more firmly as she held them down whilst her head was between the space of your legs. “i need to help you dress.”

“no,” the queen mumbled against your clit, and with your eyes faltering shut, her tongue quickly returned to work, and she lapped at you gently; her mouth was so precise, pleasure immediately coursed through you again.

after a few moments passed, with your gasps filling the space of her bedchambers, you felt yourself begin to throb around nothing. then, as the knot in your stomach teetered closer to snapping, your hands at your sides gripped the quilted silk covers you lay on. “my heavens… i’m going to…” you choked out, your eyes flying open as you pressed your head deeper into the queen’s pillows.

as you felt wanda hum against you in anticipation, your orgasm, which had arrived sooner than anticipated, hit you. whilst you convulsed, your right hand in the sheets flew to your mouth to muffle the noises that were about to come out of you.

it was early in the morning, and after you had dressed in the adjoining room to the queen, you unlocked the door that separated you and entered to wake her. it didn’t take long for wanda to pull you into her bed, and before you knew it, you were on your back, with your long red uniform dress bunched up to your waist.

“oh wow,” you breathed out softly against your hand, and with it now slightly damp against your mouth that was hot and heavy in breaths, you lowered it back to the silk sheets as wanda ceased the movements of her tongue. “that was…” you trailed off, a grin beginning to spread across your lips at the unexpected turn to your morning; this was usually a night activity for you both.

“you look so beautiful like that,” the redhead murmured against the inside of your left thigh, and as her head raised to you, she smiled and shuffled up your body slightly until she rested her head against your chest.

the first day you were thrown into this job, nearly two years ago, you were so unsure of yourself; it was maddening to see the difference between now and then as you gazed down at the queen, whose lips shone with you and her orange hair sat slightly tussled on her head.

“cathleen was it?” the queen asked as she turned away from you and back to the vanity mirror she sat in front of.

with the urge to frown at the name that wasn’t yours, you told yourself to remain steadfast and hold the soft smile on your face. “it’s y/n, your majesty,” you replied gently.

“oh…” wanda sounded with a quiet laugh. “forgive me. i do not know where cathleen came from. now, i’m sure you’ve been made aware of why you no longer work in the kitchen…”

“briefly,” you continued to smile, and your hands, which hung at your side, moved to clasp around the small of your back. wanda turned back to face you, and with surprise striking you by the queen’s eyes briefly roaming over your hips, she gazed back at your face. “your grace,” you quickly added.

“marigold was remarkable, and although i don’t expect you to fill her shoes, i do expect you to be competent.” the sovereign spoke firmly, an eyebrow raising at you slightly. “i have enough to attend to without my handmaiden causing problems too.”

the instinct to please the queen made you stand up straighter, and with a slight shake of your head, you looked at the woman before you, who sat in a crimson dress with gold trimmings. “i’ll be good, your majesty…” the words that left your lips caused warmth to spread around your body, and you shifted on your feet slightly.

wanda smiled at this, her eyes trained on you and the way you stood before her; eager to gratify, polite and soft-spoken. with her gaze seemingly curious, she raked her eyes over your form. “that’s what i like to hear,” the queen responded. “now. we must do something about that kitchen uniform…”

you looked down at what you wore - a brown dress and apron - and with a hesitant raise of your head, you wanted to hit yourself for not changing sooner. “yes,” you breathed out quickly. “right away, your majesty.” then, as you took a step back, your face cringed slightly as you realised you hadn’t the slightest clue on where the handmaiden’s uniform was kept. “pardon me, but i have no idea where marigold keeps- kept the uniforms…”

surprisingly, wanda laughed softly at your demeanour, and she rose from the seat and stepped away from the vanity table, closer to where you stood near her bedchamber door.

your eyes teetered up to the orange hair, free of the golden crown that had sat atop her head when you had seen her previously. she looked gorgeous when she wore it, but the impulse to spill the words from your lips that she looked just as gorgeous without was strong.

“just through there,” wanda replied, gesturing to the right with her head.

as you turned, following her direction, your eyes landed on a door that you hadn’t even registered was there.

the queen’s room was quite a sight to see, so it was no surprise that you only noted the large bed, tapestries and oil paintings around the space instead of the plain wall to your right… or maybe the sight to see was the woman before you, which is what you mainly focused on.

“that is now your room,” the sovereign spoke softly. “and i have a key for you. but it is to be used for you to enter in the mornings only, understood?”

“i understand, your grace.”

as wanda shifted from the lying position on your chest, you looked at her with a blissful smile; then, wanting to please her in return, you parted your lips to speak.

though, to your stagger, the queen beat you to it. “i have much to attend to today, so now you can help me dress,” she said as she rose from her bed and moved towards the vanity table beside it.

to the left of the table was a long length mirror, and her hands proceeded to the maroon high-necked cotton gown she wore to sleep in and began to remove it. as you watched it slip from her shoulders and pool around her ankles, you gazed at her naked form as she continued to face away from you whilst she stood in front of the lengthy mirror.

you looked in awe at red hair that hung over the pale skin of her back, down to her hips and ass, and then the back of her full thighs. you propped yourself on your elbows, your eyes returning to her ass and the dark space between her legs where you knew she was wet and warm for you. “but i want…” you trailed off, disappointment settling in your chest at the realisation that you couldn’t return the pleasure you had felt.

at the tone of your voice, wanda turned her head to the left to look at you as your bottom lip jutted out slightly. “later, my sweet,” she spoke softly, her head following your gaze. at seeing her naked behind, wanda chuckled and tutted. “you look at me as if you are starving.”

you bit your bottom lip gently, and with your body shifting to sit at the edge of the bed, you rose and smoothed out the skirt of your dress. “i’m ravenous beyond belief for you, your highness.”

wanda groaned at your words, and when you took a step towards her, she faced the palm of her left hand to you, causing you to stop. “unless you plan to retrieve a dress for me, don’t-” wanda cleared her throat and lowered her hand to hang by her hip. “don’t come closer… i need to focus.”

with a shy smile spreading across your lips, you shot her a look. “how did you know i planned to touch you?”

“because i know you,” the queen responded, her body turning to face you. “and i could feel it coming.”

your eyes trailed over her face, neck, and swell of her breasts, and then you looked at her stomach that you wanted to trail your tongue over. you began to glance further south until your admiring gaze shot up to meet wanda’s. “i wish i could feel you coming,” you retorted softly.

the queen’s lips parted at your words; you bit your bottom lip again. “y/n,” the redhead gasped, and you saw her cheeks flush a pink hue before she turned away from you and looked at the length of the mirror once more. “to think you were modest when i first met you…”

you grinned at this. as you stalked away from her bed, passed her naked form and towards a large wardrobe flush against the wall you shared with her that faced you, you had to agree with her. “i was pure,” you joked, opening the doors and looking through the garments she had hung on a rail, “until your majesty seduced me.”

you couldn’t see her, but you could feel the queen’s eyes burning into the back of your head; you shouldn’t tease her, you knew better than that.

“is that the tale you’re now spinning?” wanda asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. “i do believe it went a little differently than that.”

your eyes landed on a long-sleeved red velvet dress with black spiral trimmings, and with a chuckle falling from your lips, you pulled it out with both hands and gently held it as you faced wanda. “well…” you clicked your tongue, another grin forming on your lips. “i admit, i kissed you first. but you, my majesty, have influenced my speech more than you know.”

“oh so i am to blame for your vulgar tongue?”

wanda’s playful tone filled you with a returning excitement that you had tried to will away when you rose from her bed, and as she sauntered towards you, you felt a pulse form between your legs again. how had you ended up bothering yourself instead?

“perhaps…” you faltered, your eyes falling to her naked body as she grew closer to you. god, how you longed to feel your hands on her skin. “though let's not talk semantics... your dress,” you spoke, raising your arms as you licked your lips, which had slightly dried as you watched wanda stop in front of you.

“a smart choice,” wanda smirked, but you knew she wasn’t talking about the dress you had picked, and instead referred to you dropping the teasing topic. then, when she spoke again, with her green eyes piercing into you, you felt your hands almost crumple the outfit in your hold. “but there is honesty to what you say… and i can’t wait to feel you inside of me tonight.”

your stomach jumped with arousal; there it was… the crude side to the queen that you had spoken of. “wanda…” you moaned her name softly, stepping closer as your eyes fell to her lips. “tonight can’t come soon enough,” you replied, and with the desire to feel her lips on yours strong in your mind, you spoke again. “after you’re dressed, can i kiss you?” you asked hopefully. If you couldn’t touch her, kissing would certainly suffice.

with green eyes that bore into you, the monarch hummed inquisitively. “set it down on the bed, and kiss me now.”

ᗢ

“i can’t believe i’m late to this meeting,” the queen huffed, her heels pounding against the stone floor of her castle as she walked as swiftly as she could, with you following beside her; delighted, no longer starving, and a smile on your face. “i shouldn’t have allowed it,” wanda muttered to herself.

the moment you had kissed her, her resolve began to fade, and when your hands unconsciously raised to the skin of her hips, she couldn’t help but contradict herself; she sat down on the edge of her mattress, beside the dress she now wore, and let you lower yourself to your knees on the rug spread across the space under her large bed.

with a smile remaining on your face, you glanced to your left to the slightly flustered sovereign. “we are almost there, your grace,” you replied reassuringly, not at all fazed by her frustration.

you knew it wasn’t aimed at you, and instead toward the woman wanda was about to converse with.

“she looks at me with such… like i don’t affect her,” wanda hissed bitterly as you both continued down the empty hallway. “i’m the queen.”

a term of endearment wanted to fall from your lips at the tone of her voice, but instead, with your hand shifting to rest softly against her right forearm that you walked beside, you spoke her title. “let her look as she pleases; she knows she’s still a noble. just think of the reason why you hold an alliance with her… for the city's sake, if not for your own.”

with a knowing glance from the queen at your words, you let your hand on her forearm return to her side. “that’s an amiable voice of reason, y/n,” wanda praised.

with a look over her form at the dress you had helped her into and the crown she now wore on her head, you marvelled at the sight of her. “thank you, your grace,” your face flushed slightly, and before you entered a left turn and towards a door where you knew guards would be standing, you leaned close to her right ear. “and may i say, you look extraordinary,” you whispered.

wanda hummed, and as she made eye contact with you, she bit her lip softly with a smile and faced the hallway again, her expression returning to neutrality as you watched her force away the reaction you stirred inside of her. “hush that nonsense,” she replied, with a dismissive wave of her right hand. you wanted to tell her that you meant what you had said, but wanda spoke again. “you have already induced trouble so far today…”

you wanted to ironically retort that making wanda cum was indeed no trouble at all, but you decided against it. don’t push it, you thought. “of course, your majesty. you spoke of your need to focus.”

“good girl,” the queen responded, and as you turned left and down another hallway, this one leading you to wanda’s meeting room, you felt your hand itch to hold hers; like always, you ignored it. not here… you mused.

ᗢ

“good morning, your majesty!”

the moment wanda stepped through the large door of her meeting room, with you following in her footsteps, you heard lady harkness greet the woman in front of you. as you both walked further into the room, wanda paused, her hands clasping behind the small of her back.

“lady harkness… and marigold, forgive the delay,” the queen responded, taking a slight step forward, and as one of the guards closed the door behind you, your ears pricked with the forced tone coming from wanda’s lips; to them, she was as cordial as ever. “i wasn’t expecting to see you, mar… it’s been some time, hasn’t it?”

this, though, was not forced, and as you looked at the back of wanda’s head and the gold crown atop it, you resisted the urge to frown at her words. with a slight shift on your feet, a feeling stirred within you, and at the irksome sensation that you couldn’t put your finger on, you cleared your throat slightly.

“your grace,” you whispered, unsure of yourself and your words, but deep in your stomach brewed the need to have wanda look at you. “would you like something to drink?” you asked.

“I’ll take a whiskey, thank you,” she replied lowly, and as she remained facing forward, you chewed on your bottom lip; the impulse to sulk at the lack of attention burned in your chest.

“it’s nearing two years, I believe, your grace,” marigold replied cheerily.

as you walked towards the left side of the meeting room towards a personal bar on a small wooden table, you glanced towards the woman who you had replaced, and with the burning sensation lingering in your chest, you noted that she dressed gorgeously; not at all how a handmaiden should look.

“two years without your service… how have I coped?” the queen quipped.

after she spoke, you heard the redhead walk over to the seating area - a crimson double couch-sofa that lady harkness and her handmaiden resided on, and an empty large single matching couch-sofa chair that faced it - and as you poured wanda a single shot of her favourite whiskey, your nostrils flared slightly.

you forced yourself to be gentle as you handled the redhead’s crystal heirlooms, and as you placed the decanter back in its place, you took a deep breath and willed a small curl of your lips. turning around from the station, you looked at the queen, who had her eyes on marigold and a smile on her lips.

the bothersome sensation within you heightened, and as your grip on the tumbler hardened, you walked over to where the sovereign now sat on the singular couch-sofa chair and handed her the crystal with whiskey.

the queen directed her gaze from marigold to you, and with a thankful smile, she took the crystal tumbler, her fingers brushing against yours just enough that by the time you took your place behind the redhead's chair near the left armrest, you felt avidity mix with the irritation that roared within you.

“let us commence our business…” the sovereign spoke, and with the crystal raised to her lips, she took a sip and lowered the tumbler to her lap. “as you know, lady harkness, you’ve played a vital role in this conflict with stark, and for that, i must show my appreciation.”

you watched as lady harkness shot the queen a smile, and as she crossed her legs that were covered by a long purple dress, you caught her eyes on you briefly before she looked back at the queen. “you have another handmaiden for me…?” agatha inquired, her tone full of amusement as her gaze bore into the queen. “is it y/n?” she asked, a glint in her eyes as she glanced at you again.

“no,” the queen voiced suddenly and firmly, the word then followed by an awkward chuckle. “that is not what is happening this time; one from me seems plenty enough.”

agatha pouted slightly, tilting her head at the sovereign. “don’t be too bitter about that, your highness. you seem to have grown to like this one as much as i like mine…”

the sentence lingered in the air. surely that wasn’t a metaphor? you mused as your eyes returned to wanda who faced away from you, her form steadfast on agatha. you looked at the back of her head, befuddled.

“i value you, lady harkness,” the queen spoke as her posture straightened impossibly further, “but you seem to forget yourself.”

your lips parted slightly at wanda’s change in tone that was no longer cordial, and instead turned cold. so it was a metaphor, you thought; and the queen knew that too.

the brunette briefly eyed you once more, and as she looked at the sovereign, agatha threw up her hands. “my mistake, your grace; I assumed we shared similar preferences, but… i am, of course, wrong.”

“you’ve kindly aided us with your men and crops,” wanda stated, ignoring her remark, then raised the crystal tumbler to her lips once more to sip at the whiskey. “but surely you don’t presume my gratitude as a shortcoming?”

“your grace doesn’t have any flaws,” the brunette spoke with surprise, and with a slight lean forward, her gaze remained steady as she continued. “please, ignore my jest… let us start again. you wanted to show me your appreciation, your majesty?”

the room was silent for a moment, and in the air that had grown thick with uneasiness, you could feel eyes on you from beside agatha. you couldn’t help it, and with your gaze turning to the lingering look, marigold looked straight at you. she smiled, and despite the unknown turmoil within you, you astonishingly returned it.

“although this battle has been a persistent one, and our harvests and men have needed suplementing, the city recently came into a surplus amount of gold,” the queen’s voice shattered the silence, and your gaze, like agatha’s handmaiden, instantly landed on wanda. “and with this, i plan to make you whatever it is you may want,” she added. “tiaras, armour, gilded cups… my blacksmith is at your service.”

“that’s very kind, your grace. thank you,” agatha responded with a smile, though it did not break the apprehension that enveloped the queen’s meeting room. “when your war is done, house of harkness would love to dine with you once again.”

the queen chuckled almost sardonically; you knew she was offended, and if agatha was as smart as you assumed her to be, the lady would remind herself of the fact that her title meant nothing compared to wanda’s, and a wise mouth should not land itself in the monarch’s bad books, noble or not.

“until next time, lady harkness.” the queen voiced, and as she rose from the chair, she rotated her body to you and held out the crystal for you to take. you obeyed the silent command immediately and watched as she turned around. “we shall dine with your house sooner than you think.”

“i’m glad to hear it,” as agatha moved to stand, you watched marigold rise with her. “have a good day, your majesty,” the brunette added. with that, they both bent at the hips and bowed.

you gazed as they walked across the room, then with the heirloom tumbler in your hand and your eyes returning to marigold, you forced yourself to focus on the crystal’s grooves instead of the way her presence made you feel; was it intimidation? nerves? what caused this distasteful sensation? the thoughts that stirred in your head were interrupted by the sound of the door closing, and with your mind snapping to attention, you turned to wanda, who stood still in front of her couch-sofa chair.

“that witch.” the queen seethed in a short whisper, and her form whirled to face you as her eyebrows contorted. “how does she know?”

ᗢ

“your grace, if i could please have a moment…?”

wanda stopped in front of her meeting room door, and with you hastily putting a pause in your footsteps behind the queen, you awkwardly glanced at the guards posted at her entryway before turning your attention to the sovereign's master of coin, who stood hesitantly to your left.

a rise and fall of the redhead’s shoulders told you she was one second away from unleashing her wrath on someone; maybe it would be him, you mused. you wouldn’t mind that after his outspokenness towards you a month prior.

“if you must,” wanda uttered, “but you will be walking and talking, steve.”

“thank you, your grace…”

with that, her pace resumed, as did yours, and as you followed behind wanda, you glanced at the blonde man as he walked beside the queen’s left side. you would usually listen, but with the feeling of animosity that thrummed inside of you, your mind trailed off, and the conjured image of marigold flashed in your mind; a handmaiden who dressed as if she were a lady-in-waiting and a woman who spoke too familiarly with the queen for your liking.

it was absurd… you knew that. you had worked under the castle in the large kitchen for quite some time before the queen plucked you out of obscurity, and with that came the knowledge that you had seen marigold for as long as you had been a baker. so, of course, the queen was familiar with her; that didn’t stop the nagging sensation that came from witnessing it, though.

“get to the point, steve.” wanda sighed in front of you, her voice pulling you from your shrewish thoughts.

“yes, your grace…” the man lamented, his arms clasping around his back. “why do you plan to gift the supplementary gold to lady harkness? don’t we… surely we need it more than she?”

“i don’t know if you have paid any consideration to what house maximoff is experiencing,” wanda intoned darkly, her heels relentless against the castle’s floor as you continued to walk the decorated hallways. “but stark threatens my crown.”

“of course, your majesty,” steve’s tone pitched slightly, and the noise made you want to chuckle in amusement. “but we-”

“and lady harkness has aided us during our peril…” the queen countered. “gold will be her repayment. i have plenty of it, steve, but not men, and not wheat and rice that we need for our people and soldiers,” she firmly explained, then the redhead paused for a moment. “do you seek to knock me from my throne?”

“no! your grace. i-”

wanda exhaled, her head whipping to the man beside her as you noticed the three of you neared her bedchamber door. “then why do you question my decisions as if you sit in it yourself?”

your eyes widened slightly as you listened. the queen was royally vexed, and her patience was now growing thinner; you wouldn’t want to be the master of coin right now.

though the power in her voice was certainly one which filled you with the same heat you felt when she had defended your honour in the small council meeting where he had also been brazen enough to doubt her then.

“my deepest apologies, your grace,” steve said, his voice quavering, and as the three of you grew closer to the queen’s bedchamber door, he knew his talking time was up. “i don’t mean to think of my opinion as more important. i was just concerned.”

“it seems to me that you are more concerned with yourself than anything else,” wanda attested, her pace slowing; something you and steve immediately mimicked. “now, if that is all… and i do hope it is.”

wanda came to a halt before her bedchamber door, and she watched as steve’s posture straightened and he leaned forward to bow. “yes, your grace. thank you for your time.” it didn’t take long for him to hightail it back down the hallway you walked, and with one more look at the blonde man, you wondered if he would last much longer in his role to the queen.

“come, y/n,” wanda tutted, her body still facing the door. “I need a moment.”

ᗢ

“how are you feeling, your highness?” your tone was slightly hesitant- something you didn’t mean- but with the older woman having not spoken in what felt like ten minutes, you needed to be the one to break the silence, even if you felt nearly unsure to do so.

“as if this crown weighs heavier than the world,” wanda replied, her tone low and depleted.

with a soft sigh of sorrow at her demeanour, you rose from your seat and walked over to the queen, who faced away from you at her vanity table. “i’m sorry, wanda… it hasn’t been the easiest start to the day…” your hands clasped behind your back as you stopped behind the queen.

with her gaze catching yours in the reflection of the mirror, she pouted at you slightly. “it has not,” the sovereign agreed, her green eyes piercing into you, and you wanted nothing more than to comfort her. “would you wear the crown if you could?” she asked abruptly, as if voicing a thought.

surprised, your lips parted slightly. “well, i…” you trailed off; you hadn’t even thought about such a thing before. “as a lowborn, you don’t pay those kinds of notions any mind… but, i guess my question in return would be: if i said yes, would i still have you?”

the queen twisted to her left in the chair, and as she swivelled to face you, a small smile twitched at her gloomy expression. “how romantic an answer… if you would still want me, then yes, you would.”

your heart began to pound in your chest at the words being spoken, and as you inhaled deeply, you looked down at her with a gentle smile and a much more sentimental response on your tongue. “i would want you in any lifetime.”

“you would?” wanda’s small smile grew bigger, and as she rose from the vanity chair, she stepped closer to you, her hands resting on your hips. “i would want you too… i-” wanda’s gaze dropped to her hands, and with a slow raise to her head, her hands gently lifted her crown from it. “even if you looked like this.”

nothing could have prepared you for the weight around your scalp, and as the gold headpiece rested on your hair, you ruminated on how it felt more substantial to wear than to hold it in your hands. you gasped. “your grace, you can’t…”

you wanted to take a step back. to take off the royal symbol from your body and return it to its rightful place. you almost did, but as your hands raised upwards, wanda shot you a look, and they reluctantly fell at your sides.

“just enjoy it for a moment,” wanda spoke softly. her smile had now transformed into a grin as she stared at you, and she took a slight step to the side; as she did, she guided you by your left hand to the lengthy mirror beside the vanity.

your mouth fell agape slightly at the sight of yourself, and as you eyed the crown on your head, you understood why she fought to keep it so much. not only was it her birthright, which was reason enough, but as you looked at yourself, it made you feel mighty, and you could see why there were stories of kings and queens that had grown deranged with power. wanda though… she was firm but humble, and that, you believed, was the perfect balance for someone who ruled a nation.

“if the world wasn’t such a strange place, you’d have a throne beside me,” wanda declared, and her words caused you to catch her gaze in the mirror once more as your breath hitched in your throat. “and i wouldn’t pay attention to what the ladies and lords assumed…”

it wasn’t all that often that wanda spoke to you in this manner, and as the air grew thick around you, a heavy sensation settled in your chest. it mixed with the turmoil that had lingered the moment you stepped into the queen’s meeting room, and your hands raised to your head as you faced away from the mirror, towards the older woman.

“the world has told them that their opinions matter above all,” you responded - all too knowingly - and with a delicate grasp of the crown, you lowered it and held it between you and the queen; then you raised a hesitant eye from the headpiece to look at wanda and you took a deeper breath. “may i ask you something?”

the redhead’s gaze remained fixated on you, and with a soft smile, she nodded.

“do the other ladies and lords know of agatha’s…” you hummed for a moment, thinking of the right word. then, you thought of agatha’s: “my mistake, your grace; I assumed we shared similar preferences.” it was startling, to say the least; not only were you not aware of agatha’s preferences, but you also were not aware that what you and wanda had together was noticeable. “inclination…” you finished.

“i imagine they are blind as i was,” wanda responded, and with a distasteful shake of her head, her eyebrows furrowed. “i still cannot believe… i presume you and i to be discreet, because heaven knows i’m certain my people and small council are none the wiser.” the redhead looked to be in thought for a moment, and as you watched her, she sighed. “is there an emanation for people like us…? and if so, why on earth could we not sense it for her?”

you couldn’t help but giggle at her questions, and as the noise from your lips shattered the serious tone that had settled in the room, you turned to face the vanity table; with a soft placement of wanda’s crown on the wood, you looked at her again. she appeared almost bashful for uttering the words, but as you took her hands in yours, you gave them a soft squeeze, ready to reassure her. “she had me fooled... so if that is the matter, then i suppose we are the jinxed two who are detected by the undetected.”

“that would be our luck, wouldn’t it?” wanda gently quipped.

“yes it would,” you chuckled softly, “but fear not, my queen; lady harkness would also hurt herself in the line of fire, and i imagine she has played pretend for too long to let it all go to ruin.”

with a smile on wanda’s lips at your advice, her right thumb began to stroke softly against the back of your hand. “when we first met… i didn’t know i’d chosen someone as marvellous as you.”

the urge to roll your eyes at the words was strong, but instead your gaze dropped to the floor briefly. “i was just a baker when we met,” you simply replied.

the queen frowned momentarily, seemingly offended at your words, and in return, gave your hands a soft squeeze with a smile. “an easy-to-replace job, my darling,” she maintained, “there are plenty of bakers in this city… but don’t think of it like that; only you could make me feel like this.”

the divulgence made your heart swell, and as the dawning thought of why marigold had bothered you so much hit you, you lowered your gaze once more. “i’m sorry,” you murmured, your tone heavy with guilt.

“whatever for?” wanda asked, concern written on her face as you tore your eyes away from the hem of your dress.

“i was mad at you earlier and… marigold,” you sighed; jealousy… how could you be so oblivious? “i didn’t know the reason, but what you just said made me realise it, and how much i care fo- how much i cherish you. i don’t even need to know if you laid with her… not if you think that of me.”

the queen blinked, and as she gazed at you, stunned, you wondered if you had been too honest with your feelings. “i-” you could feel her grasp on your hands growing loose, and you bit your lip as the concern in you heightened. “i never… marigold was a delightful companion. don’t compare yourself to a friend, sweet girl.”

the worry quickly slipped away, and with a smile beginning to beam on your face, you stepped closer to the sovereign until your crimson dresses began to merge. “duly noted, your grace.” with a thought striking you, you spoke again. “whilst we are on the topic… why did… what made you choose from the kitchen? wasn’t there a seamstress or a lady-in-waiting somewhere who would’ve been a better fit?”

wanda bit her lip gently, and with her hands letting go of yours to rest them on the small of your back, she looked down at your bodies almost flush together. “i think we fit just fine,” she remarked. you let out a soft laugh, and as she returned her gaze, you moved your hands to her hips. “but i see your point… personally, i can’t abide ladies-in-waiting. a noblewoman can have an agenda i may not see coming, and well… the kitchen is quite staffed enough, and like i say, there are plenty of bakers out there; you just happened to be a miracle choice.” wanda paused, her face flashing with the act of reminicing. “i will admit, i was worried that marigold would have been saddened that she was a part of a trade, but she appears fine to me."

you had never been aware of the reason behind your forced career switch, and though the woman voiced a smart and sweet notion, you couldn’t help but wonder back to lady harkness’s handmaiden and the way she dressed. “is marigold a lady-in-waiting, now? she looked…” you trailed off. “nice.”

wanda chuckled softly with a shake of her head. “no, my darling. i think that’s just another one of agatha’s preferences.”

“oh,” you said, quite surprised by her answer. “that’s fortunate,” and the words made your gaze briefly drop down to the plain red uniform you wore. “could i…” you shouldn’t ask; you know this, just like you knew not to call her wanda instead of only her title, but that had changed just as the dynamic between you did a year ago. maybe this would also be another exception: “could the queen make that her preference?”

taken aback, wanda’s eyebrows widened, and apprehension faded in and out as you watched a smile creep on her face. “i don’t see why not,” the redhead responded in amusment. “i’ll have a seamstress take your measurements.”

your eyes widened, and with your hands on her hips hardening slightly in excitement, you bit your bottom lip to stop the gushing words of bliss from leaving your lips; you didn’t want to appear overtly eager. “thank you,” you breathed out, “your majesty is nothing but kind to me.”

the sovereign’s eyes glanced to your lips, and with your heart beating loudly against your ribcage, you instinctively licked them. “as if i’d be anything but,” wanda responded, and with her right hand raising from the small of your back to the side of your face, she looked at your lips once more.

“do it, your grace,” you whispered, and as the older woman leaned in just slightly and your pelvis pressed against hers, you ruminated on the thought that the doors to wanda’s bedchamber were locked. “please.” in the private space, you wanted- no needed, her to kiss you.

the queen’s breath hitched against your lips, and with her hand hardening against the side of your face, she answered your plea. your eyes fluttered closed, and as your body began to buzz with the feeling of her against you and her lips on yours, you hummed - delighted and starving all over again.

ᗢ