Beautiful Trauma // Tom Bennett Royal!AU

Part One

Tom had snuck out of the castle a million times before, but this time it was different. One last night of freedom was all he wanted, one last night to drink himself into nothingness. A moment of silence, at least.

Tom pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, holding in a shiver against the cold night air. The streets were busier than usual with various shopkeepers cleaning up their storefronts and putting up decorations. Everyone seemed excited about the upcoming festivities.

Everyone except Tom.

The reason for the impending celebration sat solely upon Tom's shoulders: the arrival of his betrothed. It was like a fairytale story: prince and princess get married after meeting once, make babies, and continue the royal line of succession. Not exactly what Tom wanted for his life.

Apparently, the rest of the kingdom didn't share his disdain for arranged royal marriages. So far, it looked like everyone was preparing for a holiday.

Tom ducked through the pub doors and took a seat at the bar. The barmaid gave him a quick smile and made her way over. "Hey sweetie, what can I get for ya?"

"What's the strongest thing you've got?"

"I know just the thing." She gave him a wink and went to work. As he waited for his drink, Tom took a moment to view his surroundings.

The pub was practically overflowing with drunken workmen and their pretty companions, all loud and rambunctious. He spotted a few knights in the back corner, each with a woman on their knee. He made note of them; the last thing he wanted was to be recognized.

The barmaid slid a glass of something in front of him. "This should do the trick." She said, winking at him again. "Enjoy."

Tom nodded and took a sip. The drink tasted awful, but he kept drinking. He could already feel heat flowing through his veins and he craved it. A little liquid courage to keep him going for the next twenty-four hours.

After downing his glass and getting a refill, Tom moved outside to one of the free tables. He sighed and pulled the tiny package from his pocket.

About two months ago, a courier had arrived at the castle with a small package addressed to him and his parents. Inside was a portrait of a young woman, painted as a gift to her future husband. He'd taken to looking at it every night since it arrived, a weak attempt to wrap his mind around the fact that he was getting married.

He couldn't deny the fact that the young woman in the portrait was certainly beautiful. He had seen plenty of portraits, especially when his sister had spent the first few years of his adolescence attempting to find him a woman.

It still blew his mind that in forty-eight hours, he'd be a married man. A married man with a wife he'd never met before. At the thought, Tom chugged the rest of his awful drink and went back inside for another.

***

Tom was surprised when he woke up in his bed the next morning. Somehow, he'd made it back into the castle without getting caught. Letting out a groan, he rolled out of bed and pulled open the curtains.
A parade of aristocrats was making their way into the castle, followed by various carriages and vendors. Not only were they preparing for the arrival of his fiancee, but the entire castle was also abuzz with plans for the royal wedding. Tom wanted nothing to do with any of it.

He was halfway back to bed when his bedroom door swung open. An army of servants marched in, followed by his father and sister.

His father, King Douglas, was a peaceful man, something they often fought about. Tom had always been more like his mother, more hotheaded and stubborn than his father had ever been. From what he remembered of his mother, which wasn't much, they had been a much better team than Tom and his father.

Lois grabbed him by the arms and grinned. "Rise and shine big brother! You've got a busy day today."

"Please don't remind me." He groaned. "I really don't want to hear about it."

"Come on now son." Douglas clapped a hand on his shoulder. "This is exciting. Marriage, bringing a woman into your life, love."

"Sure." Tom rolled his eyes.

"Chin up." Lois grinned, patting his cheek. "I'm sure it'll be fine." She turned to one of the servants. "Draw him a bath, would you?"

For the next hour, Tom was drowning in servants, all of them carrying various products and articles of clothing. Apparently, he still stank of alcohol, which prompted the servants to give him a violent scrubbing that left him red and raw. They shoved him into a pair of black breeches and a white shirt, followed by a black doublet and an excruciatingly shiny pair of boots. With a quick brush of his hair, a splash of cologne, and Tom looked every bit the prince he was born to be.

He hated it.

Once he was ready, a pair of guards escorted him to the throne room. His father and sister were already inside, his father seated on the throne and his sister standing just to his left. Douglas was wearing almost the same exact outfit as Tom, just with a little more decoration. Lois was dressed in the customary deep emerald of their house colors, a long gown with a hoop skirt and gold detailing on the sleeves and bodice. She gave him a small smile as he took his place on his father's right side.

Tom knew his father and sister were attempting to speak to him, but their voices were just background noise compared to the loudness of his thoughts. His heart was pounding in his ears as he stared at the doors, waiting for them to swing open and for his future wife to walk through. Tom didn't want them to open, he didn't want anything to happen. All he wanted was to stop time and run back to that little pub and go back to being nobody important. His foot was tapping with impressive speed, his hands shaking in his pockets.

Tom had almost run out of air when the doors opened and his heart stopped. First came the king and queen, then an army of lords and ladies. Finally, at the end, was her.

If he hadn't been breathing before, he certainly wasn't now. The portrait truly hadn't done her justice. Her dress was a light grey-blue tulle, with metal wing decorations covering her shoulders and wrapping around her waist. Her hair, a brown so deep it looked black, was plaited in one of the most intricate hairstyles Tom had ever seen. As she walked, she kept her eyes on the floor, obviously just as nervous as he was.

She reached the throne and sank into a deep curtsy. As she rose from the curtsy, her eyes locked on Tom.

He felt as if he never needed to breathe again. Of course, he was never going to tell her that.

---

Well howdy! I used to be on Wattpad, deleted my account after being inactive for like four years, and now I'm back. This is kinda wild. 

I know that a Tom Bennett royal au makes no sense, but I had a craving. Ewan Mitchell is just wonderful and I love Tom Bennett with all my heart, so here's whatever the hell this is. It will probably get redone and I'll probably add some fun pictures and moodboards or whatever, but that's a later problem. Anyway, thanks for reading!