Touya had never considered himself one for love or relationships, he was a soldier, that’s what he’d dedicated his life to. He’d dedicated his life to shining armour, to protecting you, to protecting the kingdom. But something about you—your beautiful eyes, the way they captured the glinting light from stained windows, the way you laughed when he stumbled that one time, his armour clinking together, the way you seemed to talk to him without the slightest bit of hesitation despite his disfiguration—he couldn’t ignore, not any bit of it.

To see you adorned in a white gown, veil covering your face, wilting roses in your hand—it was wrong, so goddamn wrong, because you weren’t walking towards him. He stood by the door, knife radiating a gentle shimmer under the warm evening light, so grateful for his helmet at this moment. You’d never seen him cry, he couldn’t let this be the first time.

The ceremony was beautiful, extravagant yet filled with ugliness and hatred. Festering from you, from him, from the man you were about to dedicate your life to. An arranged marriage, for ‘the betterment of the kingdom and its allies’, bullshit. But knights can’t love Queens, they were lower class, subservient to the Princess they adored.

“Congratulations on the marriage, my Queen.” Touya’s voice came out scheduled, rehearsed, pushing back the hoarse rasp it normally had. You’d just cut the cake, now sat aside, accepting gifts and warm words of encouragement.