Negan One-Shot Collection

The King Part 2 (Medieval AU)

Warnings- knifeplay, explicit smut

Gwendolyn gazed at her reflection. Her hand slid down the bodice of  her dress. She finally looked and felt like a queen. Having been married  for a little over a month, she had felt like a prisoner, a possession,  and a failure but never a wife or queen.

She had been raised to expect to marry a king of her father's  choosing. He stressed that it was her duty to secure an alliance with a  powerful kingdom. Her mother persuaded her that marrying for position,  power, and the love of the people would provide her a life with purpose.  Who needed the love of a husband? Gwendolyn was prepared to live  without it. In fact, she was taught by her mother to live independently  of a husband and keep her own council. Many men would be happy to share  her bed and leave her to her own devices during the day, but she had not  married just any man.

King Negan was possessive and guarded her jealously. In the stories  of fair maidens being rescued by handsome knights, he would have been  the dragon that burnt all would be suitors to ash and cinders. He  isolated her so only those loyal to him had access to her. Her  handmaidens were chosen by him, reported to him, and seem to delight in  reminding her of that fact. There was no friendship, no shared gossip,  none of the warmth she had had with her previous servants.

She fared no better with the ladies of the court. They knew she held  no favor with her husband. Therefore, there was nothing to be gained by  her friendship. It would only bring themselves under the scrutiny of the  king. A situation everyone actively avoided.

For weeks, she had had every facet of her life dictated for her. Her  clothes were chosen by Negan. He dressed her in fashions more  appropriate for women decades her senior. She longed for gowns worn by  the women her own age. Beautiful gowns with intricate embroidery that  accentuated every curve. She was the queen. Her gowns should be the envy  of all. Instead she was to be pitied.

And pitied she was. She could see it in the condescending glances she  received when she walked past the courtiers. They all thought they were  better than her. They felt sorry for her. The glances were followed by  whispers when news spread that she had not conceived a child  immediately.

Gwendolyn knew providing an heir was her one true duty as queen. When  she started her monthly courses she thought nothing of it until she saw  the disappointment and vexation in her husband's eyes as she told him.  He had not touched her since.

She had been overwhelmed by his presence when they first married. She  had done everything he had commanded. She had worn the hideous gowns  chosen for her. She had done indescribable acts of lewdness in their  bed. She had acted meek and let those handmaidens domineer her. All this  she had done without complaint. She needed to do something to take  control of her life, to gain his attention once more, and set her future  on a different course. So, two weeks ago she designed her plan. Either  she would become a true queen or she would be killed. Either way, she  would be free.

The dress she wore had taken the full two weeks to complete. She had  bought the bright red velvet at the market. She lied to her servants and  told them she would use it to make the king a gift for his upcoming  birthday. At first, she sewed in front of her would be wardens before  any discernable pattern or shape could be detected. Then she sewed  during the hours she was confined for her mandatory afternoon rest. The  embroidery she had finished this morning feigning illness.

It was beautiful. By far the most beautiful thing in her wardrobe.  The red velvet was decadent. It framed her narrow waist and flowed from  hips to the floor. The bodice was quite daring compared to her other  gowns. Instead of the high square neckline covered in chiffon to her  chin, her neck and shoulders were bare. Her cleavage shown to its  advantage where the bust line dipped in a v. Her sleeves were long and  extra bells of fabric hung from her elbows. Gold and silver flowers and  vines were painstakingly stitched along the sleeves and neckline. She  wore a gold chained belt around her waist. She was always told to stay  away from red because of her fiery hair now woven in intricate braids,  but the color made her look as if she glowed. She looked powerful. She  completed her outfit with her silver and gold circlet across her  forehead.  This ensemble was everything Negan hated; designed to make  her standout when he wanted her viewed merely as his accessory.