i'd marry her, i told her | wilbur soot - royalty!au

The Happily Every After (I)

Wilbur heavily slumped in a chair at one of the round tables, burying his head in his hands, snow still dusting his suit and Sally's scent still lingering on him. He wished that he could be anywhere but there, with the music playing cheerily and girls staring at him and giggling whenever they thought he couldn't see. His mother came up to him, wildly excited.

"I've got excellent news," the Queen sung, sitting down in a chair next to him.

"Yeah? What's that?" Wilbur responded sluggishly, not raising his head.

"You know Princess Mia?" she said, watching carefully for his reaction.

Wilbur freezes up, for he did know Mia. Mia, who had been forcing herself on him all night, who wouldn't let him dance with anyone else, who was obsessed enough to follow him out to the garden and ruin everything with Sally.

"Yes, mother, I know Mia," Wilbur said, tentatively raising his head, a small frown on his face.

Mia's kingdom was also rich.

"Well, we've talked to her father, and they've agreed to marriage!" the Queen grinned at her son, expecting him to leap in joy any moment now.

"What?" Wilbur said, and he saw Mia off to the side, watching them with a smile.

"You're not pleased," the Queen pursed her lips in confusion.

"You-" Wilbur felt as if there was a fire burning inside of him. "Did anyone think to consult with me, first?"

"We thought that you'd be happy with the union," the Queen frowned. "You've been dancing with her all night. And, the marriage will be greatly beneficial to both our kingdoms."

"Wh- okay," he laughed incredulously, pressing his fingers to his mouth. "No, mother."

"Excuse me?"

"No," Wilbur said boldly, raising his voice. "I won't marry her." He threw a nasty glare her way, at which the satisfied smirk on her face seemed to waver.

"Wilbur!" his mother scolded.

"I reject the proposal," he said, hoping that Mia heard.

"You will do no such thing," his mother hissed. "This is about that peasant girl, isn't it?" she spat, and the shock on Wilbur's face answered her question. "Well," she sneered. "I'll have to take care of her."

Wilbur panicked, "Mother-"

"Now, the proposal has been accepted, you are betrothed to Mia, and you will marry in the spring. That is final," she said, smacking a hand on the table and making all the cutlery rattle, before abruptly standing up and storming away.

Wilbur's gaze burned into her back, and he knew that what his mother said is true. He was betrothed to Mia, and they would get married in the spring. There's nothing that could possibly change his parents' mind.

***

Sally's walk from her house to the castle is usually short, and she barely even notices the distance in her excitement to see the boys. This time, though, the journey from the castle to her house is painful, to say the least. She's forced to feel her emotions, and they're suffocating her now that she's alone. She doesn't dare look back, though, knowing that she's willing to tear down the castle walls, brick by brick, if that's what'll get her to Wilbur.

Her situation is only made worse by the poring rain.

Because of course it's raining. Why wouldn't it?

The water soaks her through, and she doesn't do anything to stop it, because what's the point, really? She's crying now, but it's hard to tell with all the rainwater. In a way, she's grateful for the downpour- it doesn't let her feel her tears.

As people duck for cover inside shops or on people's doorsteps, Sally walks down the nearly empty street, getting the occasional curious look but not much more. Once she finally gets to her house, she tries to open the door and-

And it's fucking locked. She stupidly tries the handle over and over again, then resorts to shoving the door as if the wood would just give way, and, finally, kicks the dumb door for not letting her in, which only makes her foot hurt.

Sally sobs harder.

Her dad's at work and he has the only set of keys, because Sally usually comes home after him. Which means she's locked out until he comes home, or until she goes to the castle to ask for them.

Which. Not happening.

So Sally stands in their small garden, next to the cabbage patch and the tomato plants, and she cries. She cries and cries and cries, the never ending flow of tears running down her face as the rain continues to pour. It's as if even the weather's mocking her. She's lost her best friend, her Wil, her lover boy. She thinks it's fair.

She can barely see through the tears and rain, but. But-

"Wilbur?" Sally croaks, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as she stares at the silhouette of a tall man in the distance, walking towards her.

Is she hallucinating? Is she at that point of crazy already?

He finally comes to a stop in front of her, soaked through completely, panting hard.

"Hey, Sal," he says with a nervous smile that's not too far off from a grimace.

"How- what the hell are you doing here?" she sputters, almost not believing her eyes.

"Um," he pushes his wet hair out of his eyes, making it stick up funnily. "I believe you owe me a dance."

You thought I was gone

HA