princess ♢ royal au | fin

[obedience]

o·be·di·ence
/ōˈbēdēəns/
noun

》compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority《

》biding time until you can break your chains and be yourself《

♢

In your room, you tucked the rule book deep underneath your pillows and blankets, sitting on top of the mound proudly. As long as the Queen found no reason to search your bedroom, she'd never find it. And why would she? You've been nothing but obedient since you returned from Fandomia.

You were about ready to sleep when you remembered that you'd promised to visit Ethan again when you had rushed out of the infirmary today. It would be risky, but you needed to tell him what you'd found.

Wrapping your shawl around you tightly, you shivered as you dashed down the halls, the cold stone underneath your feet freezing your toes. Fall was setting in, and soon it'd be Leo's birthday, then Christmas-time. You miserably wondered if Rachel would make it through the cold of winter, or even be able to see the leaves change colors.

At the infirmary, you quietly opened the door, trying not to disturb the sleeping doctors. They deserved some rest. The doctors had taken the cots for patients in the front room, and you could only assume that the kind men had let Ethan keep the bed in the back room. Stepping around the lightly-snoring Sean and over the resting Robin, you made your way into the back room. Inside was Ethan, wide awake as ever.

"Why are you awake?" You whispered, walking over to him, and he looked up at you with a smile.

"You said you were coming back, so I waited for you." Ethan reached up to grab your hand, leaning into your touch.

"You need to sleep, Ethan."

"Princess, I'm okay." He scooted over and patted the bed space he had just opened up for you.

You sat down and let Ethan rest his head against your chest, arms loosely around your waist as he snuggled into your embrace. Reveling in how wonderful this felt, you set your cheek down onto his hair, eyes gracing his wounds. You were so happy to see how nicely they were healing.

"How's the medicine working?"

"I haven't thrown up yet, and I feel good. Thank you, my love."

"I wish I could have done more." You admitted, playing with his hair absentmindedly.

Ethan scoffed, pressing a kiss to your abdomen through your nightgown. "You've done so much for me, Y/N. You made my life worth living."

Tears filled your eyes, and you deserpately tried to stop them, but a few had fallen onto Ethan's head, and he looked up at you, sitting himself up.

"Hey," he said softly, grasping your hand in his. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ethan." You took a deep breath, holding him close to you again. Just having him with you made you nearly breakdown, how would you be able to offer him up to assassinations and regicide?

"Y/N, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, love."

"Tell me, Y/N. That's an order."

You let out a breathy laugh at his joke, harkening back to the first day you met him, but finally relented. "Ethan, when is your twenty-first birthday?"

"October 24th."

"Then we have one week to get you on the throne."

Ethan startled, sitting straight up and looking at you, bewildered. "What?"