Cecily (Prince!SteveRogers AU)

4

I pick at the food they have served, still not having much of an appetite. I can see Queen Sarah's watchful eye out of the corner of my own and instead choose to drink some water.

Steve is in conversation with my father and his own while I sit and say nothing, eventually father leans into me. "Please Cecily, at least try to look as though you are happy about this".

My head whips round to him. "How can I? Steve isn't exactly shouting about it from the rooftops". I tell him quietly.

"Remember what I told you. Things will get better".

"I hope so, because I don't know what to do if they don't".

The guests are laughing, talking, eating and drinking. The atmosphere isn't as tense as it feels like where I am sitting. I continue to push my food around my plate, observing the turnout while the court enjoy themselves.
I note a dark haired Knight now walking at a rather quick pace around the side of the hall, so as not to draw too much attention, then coming up to the King and whispering something.

"Buck, what is it?" Steve now asks as he looks back at the Knight. "Monty, Steven, come. We need to talk in private". The King stands along with Steve and my father, the three of them making their way out of the hall.

I look to Sarah who looks as equally concerned as I do and then back at my full plate.

Whatever it is, it is anything but good.

**

My father doesn't return until some time later, then ushering me from the hall to a private room away from the celebrations. His face is a little vacant as he now closes the door and turns to me.

"Is everything ok?" I ask.

The reply that comes is truthful. "No". There's a pause. "King Johann of the Red Isles has declared war, and his army are marching on the city, or at least they will try to. The King wants to take the battle away from here as far as possible, which means I need to fight along with the Prince..."

My heart drops. "What..." So not only am I to have my father go to battle, but also my husband. "No, you can't, you can't leave me here!" I'm panicking.

"We've all agreed, Lord Dugan has men he can bring to add to our numbers. Our odds are high, but we need to keep the fight as far from the Kingdom as we can allow. We ride tomorrow at dawn".

I choke out a sob and sink to the floor, feeling as though my world is crashing down. "But what if you're killed?" I now ask. "You can't leave me alone! You can't!"

"Cecily". A different voice comes from the doorway and Steve is there, now coming in and nodding to my father.

"Try to talk some sense into my daughter". My father says sadly, Steve now crouching down to where I am still on the floor, before taking my hands.

"This is how it has to be. King Johann is a dangerous man. We can't risk him taking this kingdom for his own". His voice is gentle, something I haven't yet witnessed. "Come on, you can't stay on the floor all day".

By now my father has left us alone to talk. "And you are to go too..." Steve nods at this. "Please, take care of my father. I cannot lose him".

It sounds bad, to be begging my new husband to protect the life of my father, as though I do not care about his, but I barely know him.

"I'll protect him with my life, you have my word". He tells me seriously. "But we have to put on our best smiles and act as though nothing is happening, the court can't know until we're gone tomorrow".

I take in everything he is saying and then allow him to help me from the floor, smoothing out my skirts. "Will we still have to..." I don't even know how to put this.

He knows.

"Yes. We need that chance of some security when it comes to an heir".

"Okay". I say quietly.

He turns my head to look up at him and then leans in, kissing me gently. Then he pulls away and looks a little awkward at the exchange we just had. "Let's get back to the hall before we're missed".

"How can we face them knowing that tomorrow you will be riding to war?".

He looks at me. "Because we are the Rogers family. If we show weakness then our enemies can find a way to use it against us. We need to show them that there's nothing that will bring us down - whatever it takes".

My arm is gently linked through his as we return to the hall, my appetite fully gone now. We resume our seats, acting like nothing has happened, but all the while Steve keeps a hand on my thigh.

I am unsure whether he means this in a possessive way or a protective one.

We drink, we dance, and then I feel Sarah's presence next to me. "Come now, it's time we got you ready for this evening".

I rise from my chair and we leave the hall under the watchful eyes of the court as well as Steve, his father and mine.

"You really don't have to help me". I tell Sarah as she starts to unlace the back of my dress.

"I don't, but I want to. You must be feeling a little scared, I was the same when I married the King". She says gently, the air returning to my lungs a little more, now that the pressure of my bodice and skirts that have weighed me down are taken away.

I change into my night dress behind the screen, coming out and seeing that she is by the dressing table and gesturing for me to sit. After I do, she unpins my hair from its intricate style and begins to brush it out.

"If I know my son, the. I know that he shall not hurt you, not intentionally".

"Does it hurt?" I ask. She is the only one that I can. 

"If you relax then it won't as much. But it depends". She says, running the brush through my hair. "Let him lead, there is plenty of time to get to know one another intimately as you go along and become more familiar with each other".

She finishes and looks at me through the mirror. "There, all finished".

"Now what?" I ask nervously, knowing exactly what is going to happen next.

"Now we wait until my son will come to you".