Hand of the Heart | S. Rogers x Reader - Royal AU

Ch. 7 - Village

Only four competitors remained of the original ten. You were preparing yourself to spend the day with three of the winners of the last game, and tomorrow you were to spend the entire day with Steven, since he ultimately won the most points during the joust.

You decided that you'd simply have a meal with each of them. You really weren't in the mood for anything else after losing Pietro.

Not exactly losing him, he was still alive, but he was the man you felt most comfortable marrying.

You had breakfast with Erik, lunch with Brock, and dinner with James with small breaks in between.

Erik was tired and sore from the joust the day before. Though he still struck up a conversation with you about his jousting strategy.

Along with his not-so-impressive win, Brock kept discussing his plans to devirginize you in front of you. It made you very uncomfortable, and you cut lunch off early because of it.

James was as charming as ever. Flirting effortlessly whilst you talked and ate over a candlelight dinner. His words didn't affect you for some reason. Normally you'd blush and look away, but you remained a normal color and stared back at him when he'd slide in a comment.

That never ceased his efforts though.

You hadn't been sleeping well the last few nights, and that included this one.

Brock said he wouldn't forcefully take your virtue as long as he didn't "have to". Which probably meant as long as he thought he was winning, he wouldn't do anything to you.

You really hoped he'd lose the next game.

~~~~~~~

You were dressed in a dark red dress with fewer designs on it than usual, and a matching cloak. A simple wiry tiara sat on your head, dug into your hair. You carried a woven basket on one arm. You and Steven were going to spend the day in the village and market. You could shop, walk around, and it gave you a chance to visit your subjects before your coronation.

Appearing in public with Steven wouldn't matter. Everyone knew about the Tournament since they were invited to watch the games, but nothing had been decided yet. Sure, some people would assume, but they knew that your husband was only confirmed when it's announced.

You met him at the open gate. He was wearing his armor again, this time there was a red, white, and blue shield attached to his back by his harness that went over and under his broad shoulders. The harness matched a leather belt that hung around his hips, and he wore those fingerless leather gloves on both of his large hands.

He bowed his head as you neared and you did the same, smiling. You were kind of excited about this courtship date.

"Hello, Steven. Are you ready to leave?"

"Just call me Steve, please. And yes, I would also like to inform you that we need no guards today."

"Oh?" Your brows furrowed together. You never went anywhere alone, for your protection. You always had guards accompany you anywhere you went that was outside the castle grounds. "And why is that?"

His one hand reached across him and gripped a sword handle at his hip. "I'm more than capable of protecting you if anything happens."

Your heart fluttered. "I suppose that makes sense, you are a Captain of the Royal Guard."

Steve looked down, smiling. You could only assume he was blushing, and that was why he was hiding his face from you.

Soon, he held out his left arm for you to take. You moved the basket to your left arm and took his with your empty one. You were going to walk to the village, it wasn't that far. Only about a mile from the castle, on a clear dirt path down a hill.