bakerstreet | The Royally Common Romance Meme

The Royally Common Romance Meme

♕ The Royally Common Romance Meme ♔

❝And I tell you truly, Daenerys, there is no man in all the world who will ever be half so true to you as me.❞

Inspired by an anon comment on rpanons ages ago about a PSL they'd like to play.

Heavy the head that wears the crown, they say, and little could be more true. Of course, there is glamor in the life: power, privilege, lavish feasts, fine clothes...if your monarchy is doing well, that is. But there are also struggles that few others would understand, such as life or death decisions that need to be made to protect your kingdom at best and being a mere puppet with no real power at worst. At the very least, you're lonely. Certainly there are people around you at all times to protect and serve you, yet they aren't truly companions. They're no one you can talk to.

Well, not no one. Not completely. There is one person who's allowed close to you. Perhaps they're even allowed to be alone with you. A trusted advisor, a handmaid, a knight, a court jester, whatever they are, their companionship and support may leave you wanting those peaceful moments and lingering glances to mean...more.

And what if you are the other side, someone without royal birth offering your service to your highness? You may have been born into this life, forced into it, or gave yourself to it willingly. It could be much, much worse - at least you and your charge have a good relationship, to the point that you might do anything for them. Have your feelings for them always been more inappropriate than they should, or is this a new feeling? And such feelings - they can't be returned, can they? Or you could see your charge as the human that they are rather than an ideal. Does that mean you can give them the best advice and service you can? And what of their duties to marry and continue their line? Will you step back and let them be bound to another?

Then there are the pressures of the throne. The most innocent could be corrupted by power, and you would be in no position to stop them, no matter how it pained you to see the one you cared for twisted and become a wholly different person.

To allow anything to blossom between the two of you is risky and perhaps even deadly. Not even royalty can put a stay to an execution of someone who's, for all intents and purposes, committed treason by becoming emotionally compromised. All the same, it may be worth it, in the end. Royalty, after all, has a short shelf life, and the head on the spike may be the one wearing the crown.

HOW TO PLAY

Comment with your character and preferences, any relevant info, and what role you'd like to play, royal or not. You might also want to include if you're open to smut.

Reply to others.

Let your imagination guide you! Stolen moments, keeping secrets, battle plans, discussions about ruling filled with double meaning, jealousy, learning about arranged marriages, just spending time together, or being able to do nothing as your love turns into an evil queen/king are just a few ideas.

~~My other possible picture for this meme was Eridan and Feferi before I settled on Dany and Jorah so there must be a theme.~~ I did it for OP.

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Yes, well, you don't really have a choice.

[He watches with his men as her servants and the carriage move forward, but his eyes carefully drift back to her. Her hair, her eyes, her...everything is exciting, but he's got to be careful. Especially since Gadot is watching him with a huge frown as well.]

The weapons stay out because there are wild animals running around. It's for your protection as much as a deterrent for running, Lady Serah. And our camp is north, not south-west.

How long do you plan on detaining me?

[She turns with about as much dignity as she can muster in this situation, blushing slightly when she passes Snow, gently bumping into him before continuing in the new direction.]

I have suitors I need to entertain. They will be arriving in a few days, and if I am not there, you will have more than Lady Farron to deal with.

[When Gadot lets out a wolf-whistle, Snow levels his best friend with a dark look. It's all he can do to ignore the way his blood seems to sing with the innocent touch.

This isn't going to be easy, but a long shot.

But the mention of suitors makes him turn the dark look on the noblewoman before him and he adjusts the bow and arrow in his hands before he loses his temper.]

We're keeping you for as long as it takes your sister to loosen the taxes your late father leveled on the working people around here. As for your suitors, they'll just have to deal with the fact that you're gone. Won't they?

[He turns to the only female of the group, a pretty black haired woman, and motions to their captive.]

Can you blindfold and bound her? We don't need her to see where we're going or to run away. You're in charge of her until we get to camp.

[She gives the burly wolf-whistling man a look, too, disgusted at him and the rest of his group. But...even with all of this, Serah couldn't deny that he did make her heart race, knowing he was doing this for his people.

This was going to be difficult to navigate if she didn't set aside her feelings. So at the mention of even being touched, she backed away from the woman.]

Don't you dare touch me. I am a noblewoman and I will be treated as such.

[She hates saying that, because she honestly doesn't mind being touched by commoners, but the more snooty she seems, the less likely they'll take her for granted.]

Typical hooligans.

[Snow just shakes his head and let's Lebreau do her own thing. If Gadot was his right hand, then Lebreau was his left. They'd grown up together in the orphanage after Lord Farron had killed their parents for refusing to pay the taxes he'd levied against their village.]

Be that as it may, my lady, you're still gonna be bound and gagged like the leader said. And if you make a fuss, I'm sure one of us'll be happy to carry your unconscious body to camp.

[Before Serah can make a fuss, Lebreau has one of the other woman's hands and is quickly and deftly tying them together while Gadot keeps beefy hand on her shoulder, making running impossible.

Watching the others touch the delicate woman isn't easy for Snow, but it's necessary. This isn't want he wanted to do with NORA, but trying to reason with Lord Farron and the newly-made Lady Clair had proven to be an exercise in futility. This was their last desperate measure.

To be honest, holding her captive is part of a two-fold plan. First, they divest her of her riches and sell them off so that the villagers could get a few decent meals and some new seeds for their fields. Second, so someone of the Farron line could actually see what all the taxation had done to the land. And, sadly, Lady Serah was the easiest to get to and probably the easiest to reach, since she was still young.]

You're a captive, Lady. You'll do as we say or you'll find out just how nice we've been until now.

[Serah doesn't physically struggle, knowing it's futile. But, that doesn't stop her from glaring holes into the groups heads, first at Lebreau and Gadot, then at Snow. This was humiliating, to say the least.

She only hoped they wouldn't kill her. Sure, Lady Clair was difficult to talk to, but harm her sister and it was impossible. The only person to be able to knock some sense into her would be Serah, and she worried for the townspeople what would happen if this didn't go smoothly.

She allowed herself to be bound and gagged, accepting the blindfold only after giving them all a very dirty look.]

[The walk to camp was silent and long. After Lebreau had the noblewoman bound and gagged, Snow had taken possession of their prisoner. His hand practically felt burnt where he'd touched her arm as he tried to guide her. Unfortunately, the ground was too treacherous and he was forced to pick her up and carry her in his arms.

Gadot grinned wolfishly and he shook his head, trying to ignore the snickers from the two younger members of their group.

When they reached camp, the children all ran up to Snow and others. He tried to be as friendly as he possibly could, but carrying the sullen lady made it difficult to greet them as he normally would. Instead, he left it to the others, who were more than happy to tell the camp about their success while Snow continued on to the large tent in the center where his things were stashed.

Unceremoniously, he dumped her on the pile of furs before removing his long coat and moving over to take off her blindfold.]

We're here and you'd do well to mind your tongue around anyone who comes in. They're good people.

[Serah could never glare at children--so although she hadn't exactly made them scared of her, she hadn't reacted warmly, either. Being unable to see anything made it hard to gauge where she was, but the minute she could orient herself.....she'd at least try to find a way out.

Now was not that time, as she yelped out as she landed on the furs, only letting him take off the blindfold so she could glare holes into his skull. She watched him, slightly mesmerized by his muscularity, but not letting it show, at least when she was facing him. She kept scowling, rolling her eyes and channeling her sister. She may have been the nicer one, but that didn't mean she couldn't have a nasty side.]

I will talk as I please. Treat me well, and perhaps my sister will give you a few hours before she cuts off that handsome head of yours.

[He got down until he was eye level with his prisoner, ignoring the color of her eyes and the fine, elegant lines of her shoulders and neck.]

You'll be civil with my people. I don't care if you talk to me like a shrew, but I'll not have you disrespecting the good, decent people your family have made destitute.

As for how you're treated, that is yet to be seen. Someone'll come and bring you food when it's done.

[He stood, taking off his gloves and the bandana around his hair. He got to the opening of the tent and moved to step out before turning around to look at her one last time.]

Behave, and I'll untie you.

I don't disrespect those who have half a mind to treat me like a human and not a bargaining tool.

[She snarls, not afraid of his threatening.]

I have every intention of behaving. But if you or any of those other hooligans touch me again, do not expect me to just take it.

[Even as he's leaving, she stares at him.]

My sister will never agree to your conditions. She'd rather burn everything down than lose to someone like you.

Then I fear she'll be just as destitute as the rest of us if she does that.

[With that, he's out of the tent and walks down to the nearby stream to wash the dirt from his face and hair. One of the other members of his team will watch their captive while he's gone and keep her safe.

In truth, he needs the tome to think. Casual reports of a remote beauty are one thing. Seeing her in person is another entirely.

He stays down by the water until after dark and Lebreau comes to drag him back to the camp for food and company. He makes sure to avoid her questioning looks and pointed comments. When they get back, he sees everyone gathered but their visitor. Holding back a complaint, he enters the tent. ]

Are you refusing to eat now?

Humph.

[Serah doesn't mutter a goodbye as he leaves, instead just watching him go. Of course, this would be the best time to at least look around, but unfortunately she has no way of getting herself untied. Someone knows clearly what they're doing around here, so Serah instead wastes her time looking around the room and considering her fate.

It isn't bad, really. At least for now, with no threat to her life, she can deal well with being held captive, really. However, when the lady that tied her up had come to summon her to dinner, she decided that to end this as quickly as possible, she'd have to make them want to give her up rather quickly. Plus, if she acts snooty, perhaps her heart will stop racing every time she sees the man holding her captive.

She's wrong, and there's a moment of just staring at him in awe before she realizes she has a role to play and tries to channel Clair. ]

I'm your captive. Why do you care?

Why do I care?

[He can't say what he wants to shoot back at her. Instead, he sits down by the tent's flap, watching her through hair that's fallen in his face. Her face is too sweet for the haughty look she's trying to affect. It doesn't sit right on her. He wants to kiss it off.

Hell, he just wants to kiss her. And his best friends know it.]

If you don't eat, you'll have trouble sleeping. It'll make your already bad attitude worse. Since you're sleeping in here, I'm in charge of making sure you've had enough to eat so that when I return you, your sister won't take it out on the people out there.

What she does to me at that point doesn't matter, but I won't have her executing children for my misdeeds.

My sister would never--!

[That gets Serah angry, and something akin to rage flashes in her eyes.]

You don't know the first thing about her! She can be stern, but she could never harm a child! Not while I'm around.

[She snarls at him.]

I hope that means you're sleeping outside.

[He can't help but smile at her flash of attitude. She's so beautiful, so perfect in her tiny, lovely hostility.]

Your sister's never once made any move to help anyone. So, no, I don't know anything about her, because she's never let anyone really know anything about her but the fact that she's willing to uphold your father's horrible taxes to justify an unreasonable lifestyle.

And seeing as how this is my tent, I'm sleeping here. So, get comfortable, Lady Serah.

Wipe that smirk off your face.....

[she realizes she doesn't know his name, and a bit of surprise crosses her face.]

You.

[She sighs, and the attitude drops, just for a moment, as she looks away from him.]

It keeps people in line. She's afraid if she lets it go, there'll be a rebellion, and she'll lose her power to keep me safe.

[She sighs again.]

I tried telling her, you know. But she wouldn't have it.

My name is Snow Villiers.

[In the long run, it hardly matters if she knows his name since he's dead when he returns her to her sister.

When she drops her haughty attitude, Snow can finally sees how scared she is. It practically radiates off of her. And she's small, even more so than most people are to him.]

No one here blames you for this, Lady Serah. And the taxes do nothing but starve your people and make them resent your father and sister. We loved your grandfather. He was fair and kind. So your sister is wrong.

Eat something. What we have, we share. Talk to them. See what has happened to them. Ignorance is dangerous, my lady, as dangerous as if you'd done this yourself. Let your people see that the Farrons still have honor and love for more than just money.

This...I...

[I don't think it will work, she wants to say, but she avoids it. She'll need to plan for when she returns, to save this man and her people. Even if it makes her sister mad.]

I'm still bound, Mr. Villers. I'll eat, but I would rather feed myself than have you try to feed me.

[Although, that might be cute. And she'd get to be close to him...it's awful, this crush. Making her think stupid things. She's never been this lead by her heart before, and it could be a mistake.

Or good, something in her mind says. If he came with her, she'd never need another suitor.

But that wouldn't happen, of course.]

I can untie one hand, but I'll have to secure one. If you run, we're all doomed.

[He stands and does so, careful not to get too close. However, the tent is small and he isn't. Her smell is soft and sweet and his desire to touch more than her hands returns.

He lingers for a moment before yanking himself away and stalking out of the tent. He orders someone to feed and speak to their guest while he broods next to a fire.

After the sun sets and most of the camp goes to sleep, he heads towards his tent to get what he knows will be tortuous sleep, at best.]

Are you awake still?

[Serah begins to think he hates her, in that moment, and even as she talks with her appointed caretaker for the moment, she can feel something missing, feeling dimmer.

She eventually figures a comfortable position sitting to sleep, but it doesn't come to her. Between new feelings she's not sure she's ever felt before and trying to think of a way to make sure no one ends up dead, she's awake. When he enters the tent once more, Serah unconsciously shifts, sitting upright, almost nervous.]

Yes.

[A pause.]

This is the first time I've not slept in a bed. It will take getting used to.

[God, she's so beautiful. And all control he's gained outside the tent is gone in just the moment he hears her voice.]

You'll have to forgive my lack of compassion on that matter, my lady. Most people here haven't seen a bed their entire lives. Pallets are the norm for most of us.

[He removes his jacket and hands it to her to use as a blanket while he sits in front of the exit and gets comfortable. Well, as comfortable as he can.]

Did you get enough to eat?

Yes. He made sure I was fed enough.

[She smiles, brighter, thinking about how kind the man had been, despite him making a comment about how many village women would be happy to be sleeping in Snow's tent.]

His kids came in, too. They're very kind, the villagers.

[Not that she would have doubted that for a moment. They always were kind, the villagers. They understood pain.

She pulls the jacket onto her shoulders, inhaling the scent a bit and she wishes the man was actually wearing the jacket now.]

Won't you be cold without this, though? I can't accept this if it means you will be cold. Also, the tent is small, but..

[There's a pause.]

Nevermind.

I'm glad to here it. The children are all fascinated to see you. It seems Yuj and Maqui have been telling tales.

[While he talks, he doesn't have to think about the lewd comments from Gadot and a few of the other men about how envious they were of him for being able to have her in his tent. They'd kept at it until he reminded them that that was exactly why she was staying in his tent.]

In the morning, you can meet everyone.

[He watches her with his jacket and tries not to imagine how she'd feel curled up beside him. The soft feel of her arms and hands still make his fingers tingle and he has to ball his hands into fists to keep himself grounded. When he speaks next, his voice is rough, lower than normal.]

I'll be fine. The tent is small and there's a fire not far from us. Sleep. Tomorrow will be long.

I'll look forward to it. Goodnight.

[She yawns, and in the morning, she wakes up late, jacket held tightly to her by her free hand. She'd had a nice dream, about being all curled up next to him, happy and safe with the villagers. She sighs as she wakes, knowing how impossible that may be.

She has to wait for someone to notice that she's awake, but she doesn't just sit there mindlessly. She tries to fold up his jacket, and the moment she notices anybody walk by, she yells.]

Hello?

[It takes him much longer to fall asleep. Every second is a testament to his iron will that he doesn't untie her and hold her against him. He wants to kiss her, to feel her soft breath against his before he takes her lips in a kiss that would imprint itself upon her life.

But he knows that that would be the last thing he'd do.

His dreams are harsh, filled with thoughts that are less than honorable. And as soon as the sun is up and birds are singing in the trees, he's out of the tent to go back down to the stream.

The walk through the camp is filled with whispers and knowing looks that he quietly shuts down before heading back to the tent. He hears her call out as he approaches and can't help but smile.]

You called? Perhaps you're ready to join the rest of us?

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