sword ◦ larry stylinson

XXIX

            [A/N]: don't judge me. I can explain

twenty-ninth chapter

"It is great pleasure for you to come here!" Louis winced subtly as Eleanor's father brings a heavy hand down to a pat on his shoulder. The wedding's tomorrow and Louis might as well jump down the bridge they crossed earlier. That time, his mother came along with him and his father. The king had told her no, saying that the journey there was quite tricky, but Johannah just brushed him off and had her own way. Louis was sure he took after her.

They gathered in the Great Hall and Louis could cover his ears from the minstrel's music. They were amazing at playing, sure, but Louis didn't fancy their music. Eleanor and her mother had yet to come down and join them. Louis wished on making that meeting was done faster.

"Johannah." Eleanor's father spoke, "I apologize for my two girls are taking longer than necessary. Eleanor's mother planned on making Eleanor as presentable as her wedding day." And as if Louis couldn't get sicker, he added on, "We cannot let our prince here turning his head to other maidens now can we?" He finished with a booming laugh.

Just for the sake of it, Louis forced a chuckle under his breath. He could see his mother glancing at him. Louis stayed put. Griffin called a servant, Eleanor's personal one Louis assumed, and told her to call his daughter and the queen immediately for the guests have arrived. Louis cursed under his breath. This was going to be a long day.

Eleanor's mother was first to enter the large room with Eleanor trailing behind her. Louis stood up as Eleanor neared him, her seat meant to be beside Louis. He folded an arm behind his back as he reached for Eleanor's cloth-clad hand, kissing the back of it as a noble greeting before he pulled the chair back for the princess. He made sure she was settled before sitting back down on his seat.

Without hesitation, he spoke under his breath, "You could have taken longer."

Eleanor whispered back with just as irritation, "Try forcing a corset on your torso and your hair pulled tightly into this nightmare of a hairstyle and let us see."

Louis chuckled under his breath, "Can't breathe, princess?"

Eleanor huffed, "I swear to God, Louis."

Eleanor really was a good companion and Louis was glad she didn't turn out to be a snotty, big-headed royalty like the other maidens and empresses lying around. He also wanted to meet her prince, Prince Maximillian, if only he had the time to do that. He wanted to know more about what Max could have done to make Eleanor's father despise him. Louis was sure he was a great person, equally great as Eleanor was, and he was a prince; royal in blood. Louis couldn't see any fault in that. He would ask Eleanor but he didn't have time to put his nose into their business so he'd leave them at that.

"Tomorrow, we shall have the wedding before noon. Everything should take place after that." It was a bunch of things Louis didn't ever want to listen to. He glanced at the babbling king before he looked at Eleanor, whispering under his breath.

"Am I the only one who is not amused by this?"

Eleanor sighed, "Think again."

"It's tomorrow." Louis reminded. He himself cannot believe that he was getting married to a woman he didn't at all love tomorrow, "It is really happening."

"What? Did you decide on giving up?" Eleanor asked. She was pulling at the lace of her dress to loosen the lace, "I thought you were pretty persistent."