#tudor setting

The Tudor crown pt.1

I changed a few things left the magic since it fit the story more and I'll make this into a multi chapter thing probably around 3 to 5 chapters I think but I'll see how much time I have and stuff, part time job is really kicking my ass :›

The ask

Historically inspired Severus x Reader fantasy romance

A tea gathering. It was there that you met him for the first time. The day was veiled in a gentle fog, not cold, just chilly. Pale waves of silk embraced yourself and the roses lining the entrance, which subtly turn towards anyone passing as you walked through the gates to princess Cwentryth's estate. Her family invited a great number of royal guests for an afternoon tea claiming to have obtained a rare brew from the distant East. Thruthfully, you would not have attended at all, you have been expected at your private French lessons, yet your parents insisted you attend since Prince Sirius would also be in attendance. Prince Sirius had been your betrothed these past 5 years. Your marriage has been awaited by both your kingdom's for years now and yet, strangely enough, you somehow spent more time in the company of your aunt in France than with the man you were destined to wed. The marriage was arranged of course, you dreaded everything about it, from the emotional aspect to the person himself. Sirius was... rebellious. He feared no consequence for speaking what laid upon his mind, cared little for rules, and seemed to wear disobedience as if it was another title bestowed upon him at birth. He did not love you, nor did you love him yet somehow your families just had to make you a match. Neither of you had been granted so much as a voice in the matter. It simply became your future. Sirius paid little heed to duty. At every gathering he found some new princess upon whom to bestow his charm, flirting shamelessly as if the expectations placed upon him were nothing more than a tedious inconvenience. You already made peace with your fate. You would give him an heir, fulfilling your duty as a wife, then if future provided little merci you would quietly live the remains of your life in the little freedom a queen might still possess. Though if truth be told, you doubted Sirius would grant you much say in matters of the realm or indeed, in much of anything at all.

Upon your arrival, you bowed before Princess Cwentryth and her family, exchanging greetings expected of your station. You removed your cape and let servants hang it for you somewhere as Cwentryth's father welcomed the assembled guests inside, where, as was his custom, he eagerly displayed his hunting collection. How utterly...nauseating. You wandered around the grand hall with polite interest, though you had visited the estate on three previous occasions and knew the order of events well enough. First came the endless boasting. Then more boasting. And finally, whatever feast or entertainment had been prepared. Hardly anything ever changed. Crossing a great bearskin laid upon the polished floor, your gaze drifted towards the tall windows overlooking the never ending gardens. The family themselves was dreadful, yet the gardens were worth enduring the visit every time, you had to admit. That, and the manors stained-glass windows. They were grand, depicting moving scenes from the family's history, crafted centuries ago and the eyes of their ancient family members always seemed to follow you.

Some more skeletons and fur pelts later, the family at last led you all out into the gardens, where many of the other royal guests had already begun sampling the rare eastern concoction. Hopefully poisonous, like what they brewed last time so at least then a few fortunate souls might escape this endless spectacle of royalty. Nearly everyone you knew was already present. Prince Sirius Black, Duke Remus Lupin, Lord Peter Pettigrew and .... someone entirely unfamiliar. He stood apart from the reast, not fitting the space by any means. The lively chatter and bright silks surronding him seemed unable to reach him. He must be a Prince, judging from his seat fairly close next to the King's seat. He wore heavy garments of the deepest black, with the ocassional silver embroidery peeking through. His long hooked nose gave his face an unmistakable profile, long shoulder length hair, dark as polished obsidian left entirely unstyled, framed a pale, angular face, thin lips and eyes black as ink. There was something strangely elegant about him though his appearance bordered upon severe. Beside him sat an old woman, perhaps in her sixties. A servant politely offered her some sugar chipped into pieces which she refused curtly. She accepted her tea, took a measured sip, smacking her lips after, giving them a long lick. She looked over at the young man beside her inspecting him from head to toe before motioning for a servant to present him with a cup as well. He shook his head but it looked like she insisted, he sighted in defeat in the end, taking it with his long slender fingers. Princess Cwentryth's parents soon led you all to the table, you sitting next to Sirius naturally, of course. You exchanged only the briefest of greeting before accepting your own cup of tea, the fragile porcelain warming your hands. Your gaze wandered around the table, observing each quest. Lord Peter spilled his cup all over himself, yelping in pain. Laughter erupted instantly. James, thoroughly amused, drove his elbow into Sirius' ribs. Sirius lurched sideways straight into you. You glared at them before taking a sip of the tea, it tasted like berries and spices. There was 15 people sitting in total. Your parents and James, Duke Lupin and his parents, Lord Pettigrew, seated alone, Prince Sirius with his mother, three princesses you didn't know alone and two Princes, which, you also didn't know. One of whom wore all black.

It was not long before the conversation dissolved into the usual courtly chatter. You managed to slip away and now walked the fog cowered garden in your olive green gown with some pink embroidery, a classic English hood and some silk shoes. You passed some geometric flower beds and fountains at the front. Then later a great bush of orange roses which were circled by bees before you walked a long way further into the garden's maze like hedge's. You just let your feet carry you deeper and deeper. The chatter didn't reach here, the only sound were your silk shoes and skirt damp from the grass brushing the ground with your every step as you stumbled upon a well. It looked strangely neglected. Weeds had begun claiming the ground around it and you wondered how deep you must be in the garden but you didn't particularly dwell on the thought. You made your way closer to it before bending over the ancient rim searching for the bottom. Nothing. Only darkness. It was so deep that the rock you threw in it still hasn't hit the bottom. Several long moment's passed, still nothing. Only after what felt an eternity did you hear the faintest echo of it striking water. Good heavens...Who could possibly have dug something so impossibly deep ?? Chill coming from inside caressed your face as you gazed into it. Your thought's wandered to the countless labourers who must have carved such a thing from solid earth. How could have they even possibly managed such depth. How many years had it taken ?? How many hands ?? How many lives ?? The world outside completely faded into nothingness as you gazed, and gazed, and gazed... you almost began to get a bit scared as a strange unease settled over you. You could not seem to look away. Then it struck you. Was it enchanted ?? What if it compelled people to throw themselves inside ?? You felt your body tilting closer....you gasped and quickly pushed yourself off of it so suddenly your heart began hammering painfully against your chest as you breathed heavily. You looked behind you. No one there. Casting the well one last uneasy glance you walked back a bit faster where you saw some beautiful orange roses earlier.

You sat upon a bench right under the bush, the fog not so dense here as slender rays of sunlight peeked through the clouds and spilled over the shimmering grass. The place looked almost ethereal. The damp roses smelled heavenly as you caressed a stem littered with thorns gently. The sun caught on tiny droplets of water clinging to spider webs between the bushes. A bee disappeared into the heart of an orange rose. You were thinking again. About everything. What manner of husband shall he be ?? Would he be indifferent ?? Cruel ?? Or perhaps neither. Perhaps something so far worse you can not possibly imagine. You must look miserable right now, you could feel it on your face. Yet how could you not be. How could you not be miserable when you have to marry such a man. How could you not be when you knew exactly how your life is going to go, everything decided, just ready to happen. Years written before they even happened. You felt disturbed yet calm at the same time. The thought of being so completely at someone's mercy, your life depending on their words, everything being ready, prepared, manipulated. You wondered whether the other's ever thought as you did. Did they simply accept it ?? Ceased asking questions ?? There was no escape anyway. What could any prince or princess truly do against centuries of expectation ?? Was death the only freedom ?? Perhaps. Yet even that would change nothing. Another child would simply be chosen in your place. Another life quietly sacrificed upon the altar of duty. You had never wished for children. Nor had you ever longed to build a family. Of every lesson your tutor's had forced upon you throughout your childhood, it was art that you grew a passion for. There was something wonderfully liberating about creation. It felt as if you could create whatever you wanted, anything. Even if you must do it in secret, but you could. You could create anything the limit being only your ability and knowledge. Embroidery had become your greatest delight. Designing intricate patterns of twisting vines, roses, flowers of any kind, birds, mystical creatures. You loved when you recognized one of your own designs stitched into another lady's gown.

Suddenly a bird fell near you. An arrow protruded from it's tiny breast. It weakly flapped it's wings and lifted it's head as you approached the trembling bird, caressing it's feathers as it died. Tears escaped your eyes and ran down your face, big and warm as they landed on the lifeless creature. James came running with his companions shortly, hollering and laughing. They slowed down upon seeing you crouched down next to the bird, a hand resting softly on it. He came closer, a crooked smile spread across his face, carelessly dragging it by it's feet from under your hand. The other's burst into laughter. When he joined them again they patted him hard on the back as though he had accomplished something worthy of praise "Well done, James!" You remained exactly where you were until the sound they carried with them left again. You stayed there on the cold ground, hands in your lap, your fingers tainted with blood, still fresh. You could feel it drying against your skin tightening as it darkened. There was a puddle of blood before you where the animal laid and a smear where James dragged it by it's feet away. You could not bring yourself to move, your limbs refusing to listen. This creature.. This thoughtless, cruel thing that killed merely for the fun of it was your brother. Never. You slowly got up after a while, you cannot remain so sensitive. It's going to destroy you. People hunted very day. People celebrated it. You should just get used to it.

You slowly walked the garden breathing in the scent of fresh flowers as cool afternoon air filled your lungs. Time seemed to lose all meaning. It felt like hours of walking and maybe it was. You no longer knew if your feet carried you deeper or the opposite, you just let them carry you to who knew where. Perhaps, if fortune were kind, you would lose your way entirely, and never be found again. You passed an elegant marble fountain where several princesses sat in cheerful conversation. From there you could see the remainder of the guests gathered beneath the terrace, seated around long tables as servants continued to refill delicate porcelain cups. Their laughter carried down all the way to you. You turned away. Someone had once mentioned a lake hidden within the farthest reaches of the gardens. It seemed a far better destination than another hour of empty conversation.

The paths grew quieter with every step, soon there was not another soul to be seen. Everyone remained near the manor, exchanging pleasantries and polite smiles. You continued alone. You made it to the lake at last. It was truly breath taking. Ducks glided effortlessly across its glass-like surface, whilst elegant storks stood motionless amongst the reeds. Here and there, a graceful swan drifted through the water, scarcely disturbing it's reflection. The water lay so clear it mirrored the pale sky above. Everything was still, quiet. The swans must love it here, the water was clean and it smelled nice. An old willow stood by the shore, its silvery-green hair like branches caressing the waters surface. Beneath the willow sat the unfamiliar prince, a book open in his lap. His attention seemed wholly devoted to it's pages. You remained where you were, far too shy to approach him. Besides, he looked entirely absorbed in whatever he was reading. It would have felt almost cruel to disturb him. The lingering mist drifted lazily across the lake, wrapping the trees in a pale veil until the entire place appeared less like a royal garden and more like something that came straight out of a fairy tale. For a fleeting moment you considered sitting upon the grass. You quickly dismissed the thought. Your gown had been sewn from exceptionally costly fabric, and wasting such workmanship upon damp earth felt almost disrespectful. Instead, you followed the edge of the lake at an unhurried pace, watching the ducks disappear between reeds and other wildlife. You found yourself drawing nearer to the prince. Ten paces, perhaps a little more. Surely he had noticed you by now. Yet turning back seemed equally awkward. You came to a stop before a log sitting in the grass, it had some moss on it so you wouldn't get dirty. You seated yourself carefully upon it, silence settled comfortably around you. You watched in peace admiring the swans thin legs and necks dipping beneath the lakes waters creating tiny ripples as they fed. Then you became aware of something, you were not the only one observing. From the corner of your eye, you noticed the prince, he was looking at you. Slowly, you turned your head, your eyes met his. He did not look away, neither did you. For several quiet moments, neither of you moved, the world seemed to hold it's breath. A swan suddenly beat it's great white wings in the water, the sharp sound startling you. Your attention snapped towards the bird. When you looked back the prince had returned to his book.