I'll Protect You [Charles (oc) x reader]

Chapter 7

"You can't go outside for one month." Father had said. I just nodded. "You should've come right home."

"I know," I said, looking at the ground. He's not wrong. I should've come right home.

Father sighs. "You've been acting up a lot lately." He rubs his face. "Is there any particular reason why?"

"I don't know," I responded. I glance at Charles who is talking to my mother. It doesn't seem like he's in trouble, but they're talking so quietly, that they could really be talking about anything.

"You do understand that something could've happened to you, right? Yeah, Charles is there to protect you, but if something were to happen to him, who knows what could happen to you." I know my father cares, he's not like other kings who don't care about their daughters, but sometimes he cares too much.

"But nothing happened, I'm still here, Charles is still here."

"Y/N, sometimes you shouldn't just look at what happened and look at what could've happened."

I nod. Father isn't the type to yell, in fact, I'm glad he got to me before Mother did. She looked very angry when I came in, but now she looks fine. I hope she doesn't want to talk with me after Father is finished.

"Just go up to your room, I need to talk with Charles."

"He's not in trouble, is he? It's not his fault, it's mi-"

"He's not in trouble, I just want to tell him that it's okay to be a little forceful with you sometimes." I nod. "Now hurry before your mother decides to speak with you."

I turn and head back to my room. Why have I been acting up so much recently? Is it just because I don't want to marry Edward? Possibly. But then again, I'd rather marry anyone other than Edward.

I sigh once I get to my room. I really hope Charles isn't in trouble. We've been having a lot of meaningful moments and I would hate for my parents to ruin that for me. It's bad enough that they're thinking of forcing me to marry Edward.

My mind drifts back to what happened this morning. Charles seemed very angry after the fact. Was it because Edward kissed me? Was it because he wanted to be the one to- no, that's not it. There's no way Charles would ever want me. No matter how long he's known me, I just don't think he sees me that way. He.. has been looking at me differently recently though. Is that because he likes me or because I'm not acting like the Y/N I was before.

I shake my head and lay on my bed. My head is clear and I just stare blankly at the ceiling. I lay there for a while. My head has been so complicated recently, I just wish everything was simple again. I wish I was back at the hill.

~~~~

A new day means new possibilities. At least, that's what Father and Mother say. This morning I woke up in the same dress I was in yesterday. I hadn't bothered to get up or get under my covers. By the looks of it, no one had bothered to come in my room anyway. I stand up and stretch. I rub my face and realize that it's wet. Is it sweat or tears? The world may never know.

There's a soft knock at my door. "Come in," I say, wiping off my face.

Charles pokes his head into the room, his face is stoic like it usually is. He opens the door fully and walks in.

"Good morning Charles. I wanted to stay up to ask you last night, but it looks like I fell asleep. I was wondering if you got-"

"Your parents request your presence immediately," Charles says, his voice monotone. He's staring at the wall behind me. Did something happen? Did he get in trouble? "I suggest you get a move on before I have to force you out there myself."

"What? Charles this isn't like you." I say, dumbfounded. "I'd rather not see my parents right now, you know that."

His face softens for a second before it turns back into a stone. "Your highness, get a move on. Your parents want to see you. You don't want to get punished any further, do you?"

I shake my head. What's going on? Before I get yelled at anymore, I start walking. Charles stays a few steps behind me, instead of next to me like he always does. It feels so empty, so cold.

"Charles, what happened yesterday?" I whisper. I don't even know if he heard me. I don't even know if I was asking him or if I was asking the universe. I just wanted some kind of answer, some kind of reason as to why he's acting so cold all of the sudden.

"I got some sense put back into me." He answers. "I realized where I went wrong with you."

"And what was that?"

"I let myself get too close to you, that's where I went wrong. I'm your guard, not your friend. It's time we start acting like that."

I felt my heart sink and I stopped walking. Charles bumped into me and backed up. I didn't feel anything in that moment. Nothing, except anger. An anger that I didn't even know, or believed I had.

"No," I said. "That's not true." I felt like I couldn't control my actions or emotions.

"It is," Charles responded coolly.

"No," I turned around. "What did they say to you?" I walked up to him. "What did they say to you?" I screamed. His eyes looked everywhere but at me, and that made me angrier. "I command you to tell me! Did they tell you to do this?" Servants and guards started looking our way, not quite sure what to do.

"Your highness, I-" he started. His face looked lost and weak. He cleared his throat and tried to wipe the expression off his face. "I'm acting on my own accord."

I wanted to scream at him more. I wanted to hit him. I wanted to tell him how much this hurt me. I wanted to tell him how I thought he was actually my friend. I just wanted to do anything. Instead, I took a deep breath, turned around, and continued walking.

"Fine," I say. " I couldn't care less anyway." I think for a moment before speaking again "I guess we were never actually friends anyways because I don't even know who you are."