Tacenda - The Golden Guard x Reader

27

You looked around the room, before sitting in the plush seat at the front of the desk. You felt very out of place in this room, almost like you were a piece dirt in a bag of diamonds. You looked down at your own clothes and realised how filthy they had become from your long time of staying outside for many days.

"So, do you know why you are here, Y/N?" Mr, Braithwaite asked, he had black hair that was whitening on the side from old age, and circular glasses that hung from his elf ears. You nodded with a guilty look on your face. He hummed, "you've stolen quite a bit from me, more than most..." he thought "may I ask why?" He raised a brow, and you leaned back into your chair looking down at the floor.

"I didn't have much of my own, I stole to get by." You responded. He nodded looking down at a piece of paper. He hummed once again, "I'm sorry to hear that, I understand." He spoke, looking through other papers. You looked up, and decided you wouldn't ask about what he meant when he said he understood.

"I've seen posters in town for you arrest, but they're all ripped when it states what you're wanted for. I'm not sure whose done that but it's seemed to get you not much interest for awhile." You nodded looking off to the side.

"You'll be working for me here in the orchards for 12 months, after then you are welcome to stay and continue working if you like." Mr Braithwaite spoke. "So you'll escape Belos's radar for awhile."he made a face after he mentioned Belos, which you raised a brow at that. He saw your expression and continued, "Belos is... not a good man, I'm sure you know this." You nodded.

"The others will help you understand the schedule, and they'll find you a free bunk." You nodded. "I look forward to your time here, Y/N." He smiled at you, and you smiled back. "Thank you Mr. Braithwaite." "Do you have any questions?" He asked, looking back down at the paper, you shook your head no. "Alright then, you're free to go." He said. You stood up from the seat and walked out into the hallway, and followed the familiar way Tyler had had led you through the house. Once you found the front door, you pushed it open to see Tyler sitting on the edge of the fountain, he stood up as soon as he saw you.

You met him at the bottom of the stairs, "How long are you here for?" He asked, you sighed "12 months." Tyler laughed, "You beat the record of 9, Seth won't be happy about that!" You smiled, "Where are you working?" He asked, "Orchard." You responded. "Lucky, that's one of the best." You laughed as he made a look of jealously on his face.

The sun was setting in the distance, as you and Tyler walked over to a tree and sat down in the shade. "What do you think of this place so far?" He asked, leaning his back against the tree. He could tell you still obviously had something on your mind. "It's pretty, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to... stop my life for it." You fiddled with your fingers. "I get that, I thought the same thing, but there's plenty of kind people that you'll meet, it's like one big community." You smiled at Tyler's description of the people who work here, community is important to you.

"So tell me, what's lead up to you being here?" Tyler asked. You sighed, "well, I obviously stole quite a bit from Mr. Braithwaite, one of the things I stole once was a wild magic book, and that sparked an interest in the entire study. My parents never sent me to school, so instead I re-read that same book everyday. I found a few books about it in my local library and borrowed them, but decided I needed to keep them. I ended up trying to steal a book from the library but got arrested on my way home by... the golden guard." Your tone changed when you mentioned him and Tyler immediately realised your expression when you mentioned him, and raised a brow at you.

"I broke the golden guards staff mid fight, which meant when he captured me, he couldn't teleport us to the castle, so instead we had to walk to Bonesborough from weeks away... and I guess through the amount of time we had to spend together... feelings appeared." You don't know why you were telling Tyler this, but you felt you could trust him. Tyler laughed audibly, but had a wide teasing smile, "You had a crush on the golden guard?" He inquired. "Still do." You mumbled face turning red, which made the both of you laugh.

The rest of the afternoon was spent underneath the tree, laughing and telling each other about yourselves, Tyler really made you feel welcome, and like you had an actual friend.

"So you stayed with him the entire trip, even when he got attacked and you could've just run for it?" Tyler smiled with a quirked eyebrow. "Yeah, I can't believe I'm so stupid." You mumbled into your hands. You've telling Tyler the entire story, and the golden guard's little gestures, like hand holding, and running his fingers through your hair. "To me, it sounds like he liked you back, at least a little bit." Tyler spoke giving you silly but reassuring look. You looked down at your hands, "I just think he's got some personal things he needs to sort out before he can pursue someone." Tyler added and you nodded.

A soft silence raised between you two, you were very fatigued from the occurrences of today, and just felt like sleeping. You rested you head against the tree but heard Tyler shuffling to stand up. "It's getting late, I think they're serving dinner at the cabins right now, I don't want to miss it." You laughed as Tyler reached out a hand to help you up, which you gladly accepted.

You walked side-by-side with Tyler, across the large manor, it was his turn to tell you about his life, and you quietly listened to him ramble on about his family, how he got into crime, the run up to be arrested, and his life here. Your feet thudded across the wooden bridge that was built over the running river that crossed the farm, and walked up a long dirt path, lined by trees, behind the trees was a purple looking crop that you'd never seen before, and eventually through the low chatter of Tyler you made it to the cabins, and you immediately got many looks.

There were different groups of people, sitting around the fire place, sitting at the benches, porches and tables scattered around the yard, and you heard some chatter from inside the buildings. "Hey everyone!" Tyler shouted, he got a mix of greetings, you stood there awkwardly as some eyes stayed on you.

"Well hello sweet pea!" You heard a very 'country' accent from beside you. A women with braided long black hair, with dark skin and hat placed on her head walked over to the two of you. "Hi Miss Carters!" Tyler waved, "Hi, Tyler, whose your friend?" She was gestured toward you. "I'm Y/N." You smiled, and she laughed, "How long are you here for Y/N?" She asked before sending off one of the boys to make a bed ready for you. "12 months." You stated with a sheepish grin. Miss Carters laughed before turning around to everyone and shouting "We've for a new record!" Everyone started gawking.

Ms Carters grabbed your arm and led you over to the fire that dinner was being cooked over, most of the people who had heard Ms Carters came over to listen to you introduce yourself, and everyone else who hadn't will hear through the grapevine.

You told everyone the basics of your life, why you stole, and what interested you, and then you told them about the golden guard, and travelling with him, every time you mentioned his name Tyler would wiggle his eyebrows at you, but you chose to ignore it, and didn't tell everyone about your still lingering feelings for Hunter.

Eventually it got late, and people started heading off into their cabins. You learnt you were on the bottom bunk of a girl named Bonnie, who was a few years younger than you.

The lights were out, and you slumped into bed, finally getting the sweet relief of having a soft mattress and pillow underneath your head. Your thoughts wondered as you settled down, to Hunter, of course they did. You wondered if he's ok, if he hates you now, he probably does, but did he ever like you? You wonder if he now is looking for you, or if he when straight back to the castle. You wondered if he truly ever felt the same way you felt for him, and if Tyler was right, through the small gestures is how he showed it.

You frowned, you didn't want to think of him, you'd have to start moving on, you've got a new life for the next year.