She was an honest country girl, unwillingly pulled into this world the same way as he, and had never seen this much gold jewelry in her life—let alone touched it. And now, here she was in this abandoned mansion, granted the opportunity to try it on.
He took note of the childlike wonder that settled upon her face, captured in widened eyes as she admired herself in a mirror, imagining herself in a pretty dress. It was hard for her to see a princess past the disheveled hair and muddy work clothes, but she did her best.
After a few moments of freckled, rosy-cheeked dreaming, she reluctantly removed the pieces and gently set them back where they belonged. Yes, the mansion was falling apart, but these did not belong to her. And, after all, she was honest.
Besides, this land they’d been whisked away to was cursed. And, no doubt, this mansion and jewelry too. After all, the doors had sealed them in through the power of unseen forces the moment they stepped inside.
Later, when they were alone after having escaped the horrors of that place, he reached into the depths of his bag and brought fourth a crown.
“I was a king, once.” He drawled, quietly, as her eyes widened like before.
“A king?” Said she, awed again. The way he speaks; the elegance of it, makes sense to her now.
“Mm.” As he holds out the crown, “Would you like to try it on?”
And she does, though it’s a little too big for her head, and slips down past her ears as she giggles, lifting her hands to keep it in place. A real king’s crown. On her.
He smiles, until a twinge of pain catches in his chest, and he’s forced to look away. Wouldn’t she be the same age his daughter was before the armies rushed in and his kingdom fell? Before he lost…everything.
“It suits you.” Quietly, honest.
“Does it?” Flattered, but doubtful.
“It does.” With the authority of a king.
She beams, the doubt washing away.
This time, he swore, the ones he cared about would live. He would be the last one out, the first one down, and never the last alive.
He’d make sure of it.
——
Art from a dnd session where we discussed my old king tiefling letting the country girl traveling with him try on his old crown.
1 note
·
View note
People be waging be fandom war sometimes, and I’m just trying to enjoy my Naruto over here in the corner in peace, dangit. Personal preferences are a-okay, but I unfollow once people start to beat each other over the head with them.
6 notes
·
View notes