「Apart but Together」 Nozel Silva x Princess! Reader

2

Reader POV

(Five-year time skip)

Today was my 15th birthday. Nozel was now 18.

"Happy birthday!" Gretal and Hana shouted when they came into my room. "You're 15!!"

I groaned in exhaustion. "Can't I just stay in bed today? I don't want to go outside!"

Gretal flung off the covers and attacked me with a hug, as did her twin sister.

"Nope! A princess never rests, especially not on her birthday!"

"Girls!" Carmen walked into the room with a breakfast tray after closing the door. "Get off poor (y/n)."

The three bowed. Even though I was technically more 'important' than them, I still treated them the same. They were my friends.

Hana and Gretal and I were basically crib mates.

"Let's get you dressed," Carmen sighed after I ate breakfast. "Lord Nozel is outside your door."

My face went sour. Sure, he was my betrothed, but he was a huge jerk.

Unfortunately, he was handsome as all hell and it only got worse every day.

"Just three more years until I'm free of this hell," I grumbled underneath my breath as the three got to work.

(Please keep the colors, your hair is styled like that! If you have short hair, then make something up!)

"You look lovely!" Hana and Gretal smirked. "I'm sure Lord Nozel will be happy to see you,"

The door opened after Carmen gave the okay.

"Princess-" Nozel's eyes grew wide. "Holy shi-"

"Watch your language," Carmen warned. "We'll leave you two to get started."

As a daily task, no matter what, Nozel followed me around as I went about my duties.

There were sometimes when he would go off and train with Julius.

Julius was in charge of getting Nozel ready to rule. Nozel was now the Head Guard.

Neither of us liked each other, that much was clear.

"C'mon," Nozel slinked his arm in mine- for show. Internally, both of us were glaring daggers at each other.

"Have fun!" Gretal shouted behind us as Nozel lead me down the staircase.

When we reached the bottom, we saw my parents and relatives- along with the nobles from the noble houses.

"Happy Birthday!" Mother came up to me with a smile. 

Father looked as if he were about to cry. "It seems like yesterday you were just born!"

I sweatdropped as Father began to get hysterical.

"Honestly," Nozel's brother, Solid, rolled his eyes. "You get more pretty each day, Princess (y/n)."

I blushed. "Thank you, Lord Solid."

Nebra snickered. "Don't go stealing Brother's fiance,"

Nozel just let my arm go. "I wouldn't dream of (y/n) liking you back, Solid. You are six years younger than her,"

Solid sighed. "I know, I know. I never said I liked her that way, Aniki!"

The head of House Silva, Acier Silva, died not too long ago. She had died in childbirth to the youngest Silva sibling.

Noelle was there in my father's arms.

"Now! You two look lovely together," Lord and Lady Vaude smiled to Nozel and I. "We trust everyone is fine and nothing...scandalous is going on behind closed doors?"

I gagged internally. Just the thought of that made me want to run over to the nearest bin and throw up. 

"We can assure you," Nozel laughed politely. "As much as I love her-" He brought me close to his face and gave me a small kiss on the lips. "I wouldn't dare do that until we are married."

As aforementioned, both of us hated each other.

This was just for show.

I so badly wanted to kick him, but it would look bad on everyone if I did so. I would just have to wait for lunch hour when we usually ate together with no important adults around- except the guards.

"Aww! They're so in love!" The ladies of the court swooned.

Father snorted. "I'll say. Every time I see them, they're always touching. Whether it's hands or whatever, they're very close."

Close to killing each other!

"Well, we'll be off," Nozel guided me out of the foyer of the castle to head to lessons.

Nebra ran up to me and hugged me tightly. She was 13 years old. "Bye-bye, (y/n)!"

"Bye!" I hugged her also. She and I were close.

Nozel quickly dragged us out of there.

Once we were a safe distance away, I stomped hard on his foot.

"Ouch! Shit, (y/n)! Your heels hurt!"

"Then don't kiss my lips, you ass!" I furiously tried to rub my lips but was stopped by Nozel.

"Don't do that, you idiot!" He scolded. "Your sleeves are white and your lipstick is red (or any other color lmao). They'll think you're bleeding or something if you wipe your lips."

I knew he was right. "Fine. I'll just burn my lips after lessons."

Nozel narrowed his eyes. "Whatever you say."

"You didn't have to kiss me, though!" I insisted.

"Yes I did," he smirked.

I was pushed to the wall and he trapped me effortlessly in the kabedon.

"Don't tell me your heart wasn't racing," he leaned in close.

I tried to push him away but he wouldn't move. "B-Baka. Don't do that! Is it that so hard to comprehend??"

I kicked him and he wouldn't move still.

"Get lost!" I seethed. "You're royally pissing me off!"

Nozel leaned closer, our breath intermingling. "Really?" His hands put themselves on my bare shoulders. "Then why is your face red? Why is your heart racing so? Why won't you look at me, hm?"

I opened my mouth to say something but again, he kissed me.

Long and feverishly.

He pulled away with a smirk. "Why didn't you slap me, then?"

My body was frozen.

"Careful, if you keep your mouth open like that, I'll give you a French kiss," he warned. "Let's go. We're already late to lessons."

All along the way to the other side of the Clover Palace, I was speechless as he dragged me from place to place.

What the hell was that about?