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subwaysurf45 · 2 years

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The Time of the Prey (4)

Summary: The younger sister of the most talked about princess in the kingdoms really can’t do much except smile and nod. When Natasha, your sister, finally goes to moves all of you to Shieldshire to marry her beloved Prince Steve you are left with your art, all alone. But one Knight took it upon himself to keep you company, and that company was all you needed to get through wedding season. Will that company last or will it be ripped away from the both of you? A war is starting, and it seems targets are being made.

Pairing: Knight!Bucky x Princess!Reader

Words: 4k

Warnings: angst, advancements in the war, issues between James and Y/N, crying, yelling, kidnaping, mentions of war

Series Masterlist II Series Playlist

It was becoming a habit of walking barefoot; you loved the way the blades of grass felt when you stood and painted but you also loved feeling like a child again as you ran the corridors without the tight shoes.

Natasha wanted to start training herself for wearing a corset which meant you had to do it too, getting it tied every morning in her chambers, holding her hand as the two of you tried your best to breathe after they sinched it tightly. There would be times when you’d forget you were wearing one and take a deep breath, letting out a loud groan when your ribs would send a shock throughout your body.

You stood beside your sister and looked into the mirror, two maids were pulling and tugging against the strings as you both braced yourself. Your mother sat behind you, watching intently to make sure they did a good job.

“Hold my hand,” Natasha wheezed out, you quickly reached over and took her hand into your own. “Is it supposed to be this tight?”

“Yes,” your mother said flatly, she didn’t even need to get up and walk over to check, she just knew.

As the strings tightened you both wheezed, trying not to move too much.

“These will stay tight for way longer than other corsets,” one maid said, “there are these plants native to our kingdom, their wax is used to keep the string tight, no one knows about it.”

“Very interesting,” you managed to groan out.

“The more you move the higher the chance we’ll tie it in the wrong spot, and your ribs will hurt all day,” she paused, “don’t move or talk.” a laugh came from behind you, it was your mother.

When everything was done your head felt light, you wobbled off the pedestal and slowly made your way to the door, planning to go back to your room. Natasha kissed your cheek goodbye and walked you to her door, leaving you to walk to your chamber.

One handheld the wall as you walked down the corridor, you could feel yourself spinning.

“Lady Y/N,” the all too familiar voice came from behind you.

“James,” you turned around with a smile, glad to see a friend, “how are-”

“What are you doing here?” he asked quickly, “where are your escorts?” he linked his arm with you and began to walk you down the hall, “Lady Y/N, you need guards with you at all times, where were you coming from?”

“James,” you whispered and grabbed his forearm, “what has got you all worried?”

He just looked at you, “you need guards at all times, and I would like to know where you were to figure out who was supposed to be there to walk you back to your room,” he stood and made you face him.

“I was with my sister in her room,” you said with some tone, “pleasure to see you too, Ser James,” you shook his arm off and walked away, but couldn’t get that far because walking with a corset is completely different than your normal stride.

“Lady Y/N,” he was quick to catch up with you, “why are you walking all…” he trailed off and hoped you caught on to what he was saying.

“I told you yesterday I was starting to wear corsets with my sister,” you paused for a moment, “James, were you even listening to me yesterday?” you had gone for a long walk with him outside the castle walls.

“I-...” he shook his head, “I was not, my apologies.”

“Well, I was at my sisters, and I put on my corset for the first time, and it’s hard to walk and I don’t know who was supposed to walk me to my room,” you paused again, waiting to see if he had something to say, but he didn’t. “You can walk me back to my room.”

“I will,” he stepped forward and began walking at your pace.

Without any reason there were more guards outside your door, whenever you’d try to leave all four of them would ask you questions and follow you. It looked like you were a queen, you had two in front of you and two behind, you had never gotten this much attention or protection in your life. As much as you wanted to view that as a good thing you knew the only reason there were more guards was that there must be advancement with the war.

James was nowhere to be found, you’d ask around and call from him to come to your chambers, but he’d never come, you’d sit in your room and hope he’d stop by for a moment. You hadn’t seen your mother or sister either, just hearing what they were doing while you felt more trapped in your room. They were planning for the wedding which meant leaving the castle walls, you had heard they were spending all day outside in the sun.

You sat by your vanity and looked in the mirror, trying to catch your reflection by making faces and throwing your arms around but it always copied. You looked like a child but there was nothing else for you to do.

“Princess Y/N,” a voice came from your door, and you knew it wasn’t James from the title, “may I enter?”

“You may,” you stood up and faced the door, watching the man walk in with all your art supplies from outside, “stop!” you screamed, running towards him, “these aren’t dry…” you ripped the canvas from under his arm and looked at the smudged work, your eyes slowly scanned his body and saw paint smeared on his ribs and fingers. “Do you have any idea how long this took?” you were furious, “I spent forever on this, and you treated it like waste!” in disbelief you looked at the ruined art, there was no way you could save it, you needed to start again. “Get me Ser James,” your teeth were clenched together.

“I-I’m sorry, Princess, he’s busy-”

“Tell him I need him here now and tell him I’m furious with him,” you stepped closer to threaten the knight, it was not a physical threat but a social one, you were a Princess, he was a Knight.

“Right away,” he scattered for a moment before running out of your room.

When it was silent again you looked at your work, gently running your fingers down the canvas and further smudging everything, there was no point in trying to preserve it. Carrying the canvas nicely would not have been difficult, checking if it was dry would not have been difficult either. If James was the one carrying it he wouldn’t have let anyone near him, afraid it might smudge.

But all your work was completely wasted, you were back to being a guest at the castle for your sister’s wedding, you were back to not having anything to do anymore because you were stuck in the room and your favourite piece was ruined. Tears gathered in your eyes as everything you were working towards was ripped to shred in your hand, this could have been avoidable.

“You wanted to-” James had started speaking before rounding the corner, your door was left open. His eyes were wide as he watched you cry in front of him, your knuckles turning white from how hard you were gripping your canvas.

“Why didn’t you get the canvas?” The anger managed to cut through the tears.

“I was busy and, in a meeting,” he spoke softly, his hand out in front of him as he walked towards you, “I sent one of my best men to grab your supplies.”

“Well, your best man walked with my canvas under his arm,” you flipped the painting to face him, you watched as shock spread all over his face as his eyes travelled to every corner of your art, seeing the damage it took. “It wasn’t dry,” more tears gathered, “why didn’t you get it?”

“I’m so sorry,” he took the painting and placed it on the floor beside you, taking his hands and placing them on your shoulders, “I am so sorry, Y/N,” he couldn’t hug you unless you initiated it, you stood there and cried as he watched helplessly. “Please don’t cry,” his voice sounded so hurt, “please, please don’t,” his hand reached out but hesitated, you nodded softly, and he began swiping away the tears.

Your eyes cracked open to see his face, he looked distraught and saddened as well. His face was sunken in and the bags under his eyes were larger than before, the skin that always glowed looked dull to you, but maybe it was the light. Though he wiped away tears, it seemed they seeped into his skin and collected in his eyes, the tiredness and exhaustion taking a toll on him.

“I cannot believe my work is ruined,” you spoke through sobs, “why didn’t you get it…?” you stood shaking your head, trying to push down all the anger coursing through your body, “why didn’t you get it!” you screamed up at his face, watching him blink as his head jerked away.

“Lady-”

“Why, why, why!” your fists pounded his chest, “this is all I have, my hands and my work, I am nothing without something to show for myself, do you get that?” you pushed him away and paced around the room, “I paint out of spite,” your words bite him, “I paint because I love it and because my father told me to stop all those years ago, I paint because without it I am more suitable for a marriage and I can’t have that.”

“Take a few days and start over,” James said as he stepped even closer, “I’m sure inspiration will hit you soon enough.”

“It doesn’t work like that,” you rubbed your face, “that pond had meaning to me, I’ve been doing this so long I need to be inspired to paint and it doesn’t come that easy.”

“Y/N,” he started but broke off into a sigh, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know this was going to happen and I didn't know he was going to be so careless,” his hand took your wrist and pulled you a little closer to him once he walked towards you, “and I can promise you, you are more than a painter, you do not need a hobby to block you from being betrothed, you do not need to worry about anything because that’s my job.” You just nodded, biting your bottom lip to keep yourself from crying even more. “There are things happening regarding the war, we are currently sitting at the tipping point and all kingdoms are waiting for another to give someone a shove.”

“Is that why I’ve been trapped here?” you asked, looking down at the way he was holding you.

“I ordered you to have more guards, I am the one who is keeping you from going outside and I am sorry but at the same time I am not,” he shook his head, “I care a great deal about you, Y/N.”

“Me too,” you nodded and looked up at his eyes, your gaze flicking down to his lips.

“I am sorry if you feel trapped or unwelcome, I am sorry that I ruined your painting and I’m sorry for not coming when you have sent people for me,” his adam’s apple bobbled when he swallowed, “the war has added so much stress onto me I needed to make sure all the other things I worry about were safe and in my control, so I need to keep you in your room so I knew where you were all the time which lets me do my job without freaking out and wondering if you are at the pond or in your room or walking around the market- I needed it in my control.”

“I understand,” his hand was still holding your wrist, but it loosened when the hand he was holding moved to cup his cheek, “I would do the same.”

A breath of relief pushed through his lips, “thank you, I’ve felt so horrible about myself because I keep forgetting to come when you call for me-”

“I understand,” your thumb moved to his lips, seeing it tremble slightly, “you don’t need to apologize.” he took a shaky breath in with a nod.

Your arms wrapped around his neck as you pressed your face into his shoulder, allowing him to embrace you back. Through the corset you could feel him hold you tightly, further constricting your breathing, you really didn’t care. His hands would press so hard they move up your back until there was nowhere for them to go so he would placed them at the curve of your spine and restart to process of hugging you, after a while one hand moved up to the back of your head and cradled you as a few more tears slipped from your lashes, feeling his warmth was new to you.

“I like holding you,” he whispered, his ears dancing against the shell of your ear.

“I like it when you hold me,” your voice was muffled by his padded tunic.

James left soon after, promising after all of the planning was over he’d spend much more time with you. Once he left you were feeling better, as much as you hated the man who ruined your painting you also knew something would spark you again and you weren’t completely useless.

Instead of picking up a brush you found a quail in your vanity as well as a jar of ink, it had been a long time since your last writing lesson, it was expected that all royalty could write, read, and have pretty penmanship. Writing and reading was easy but sometimes all these words that flowed out of your hand couldn’t keep up which led you to make mistakes and have really bad handwriting.

My Dearest, Bucky,

I have never met a man like you before and I wish I’ll never meet someone like you again.

If I were to meet someone as charming and as caring as you I’d probably fall in love with them as I have with you and that would be too confusing; though I believe I’d choose you because of the way your hair flows when I see you running drills with the knights. I sound like a little girl but that is how you make me feel; young and blissful.

I am writing this after I told you about what happened with my painting, I cried in your arms and you held me in such a way I felt as though you could protect me from anything, I have never felt truly protected in my life. I can’t help but feel greedy, I want you to hold me more often even though it is frowned upon because we are not courting and I do not know if knights area allowed to court women, I hope you are because I’d marry you. I’ve never thought about someone like before, you have opened up my eyes to love from a man, I’ve never felt that before.

I hope when you read this you will run down the halls and find me, maybe calling my name like the stories say, I am not one to like bedtime stories and being saved by a knight in shinning armour but it would be romantic for you to sweep me off the ground.

I don’t know when I’ll give you this letter because I do not know if you feel the same or are allowed to feel the same, I do not want to be a rule you break. When the time is right I’ll slide this under your door and run away, not too far so you can find me but far enough to not see your immediate reaction.

I do not know how to end this letter, just know I love the way you held me.

Love, Lady Y/N.

Your hands fanned the paper and gently tapped a few letters to see if it was dry, once your finger came back without any ink on it you tucked it safely between the front page and the cover of the only book in your vanity drawer. Gently pushing it shut as your face grew warm, like you said in the letter; you felt like a little girl.

“I should go see Natasha,” you whispered to yourself, taking one look in the mirror and fixing the painful corset that hugged your waist into an exaggerated shape. You were looking forward to her wedding so you could take the corset off and finally be able to breathe freely. When you opened the door there were four guards standing there, “hello,” you smiled at all of them.

“Where are you going?” one asked, stepping forward and tilting his head to the side.

“To see my sister,” you looked over your shoulder to see the eyes of the man that talked, “I haven’t met you before, I normally know all the faces of the men outside my door.”

“I was moved here on Ser James’ order,” he said quickly, “your sister has twelve guards around her door and surrounding her all the time, Prince Steve’s order.”

“I see,” you nodded and clasped your hands in front of your restricted stomach, “is there any new news on the war, it seems things have really stiffened up here?” you looked around to see guards everywhere.

“I am afraid I cannot discuss war with you, forgive me,” he nodded, “I do not know if you can see your sister-”

“I’m sure James will not-”

“No,” he cut you off, “not just James, the crown has ordered all non-essential meetings to be postponed, the only gathering that is allowed to take place are meetings in the war room.”

“What does the war room look like?” you asked, leaned up against the wall and crossed your arms, the guards gave you a weird look, “well, if I can’t talk to me sister then I will talk to you because it seems we are prisoners, aren’t we?”

“Fine,” the man sighed, “but Ser James will have my head if he-”

“Oh,” you waved your hand, “I will keep you from trouble, he’s a very good friend and he’ll understand.”

“I’ll go with you,” another man stepped up, leaving two guards with you and two to watch the empty room.

“Great,” you smiled at the both of them and walked between them as they navigated the halls. When you passed the courtyard your heart twisted at how empty it was, the castle’s gates were closed and people needed to stay in their home in case a fight broke out randomly.

When you looked forward, the man who was leading you had not turned to face you, his arms by his side and his eyes set on you. A chill ran down your back and the hairs on your neck stood up, you felt a presence behind you. When you looked over your shoulder the other guard towered over you, a bag in his hands. When your mouth opened the man behind you quickly covered your mouth and nose, leaning down to your ear.

“If you scream I’ll slit your throat in the hallway,” his lips were also moving against the shell of your ear but this time you tried to move away but his hold on you was stronger, “if you run away, I’ll find you and then slit your throat, do you understand?”

All you could do was nod and let out a muffed agreement, you wanted to live. The bag was placed over your head and all at once you were lifted off the ground, the two men who were holding you ran and then stopped, you felt the cold tile against your bare arms and then something fuzzy around you, it was being wrapped around you which only further cut off your breathing.

********

Ser James stood at the front of the table, Prince Steve at his side as they discussed the new advancement with the war, Hydra’s Hill was beginning to get restless, and the rest of the kingdoms were well aware of it. James’ hands pressed against the wood as he leaned forward listening to his men talk about what was to come.

The room was massive, almost the same size as the common area in the front of the kingdom. Kings and Queens that are over centuries old sat on the wall, still and painted beautifully. The family had painted all royalty for years, the gene of perfect skill passed on no matter what.

Firewood glowed from the fireplace, there was no need for a fire at this point in the year, but the fire never truly went out, there was always something burning. The long table was carved with a map on the land, there was a flat border around the edge so men could leave their food or drink on the table without worrying if it would tip over on the fire piece of wood.

“We intercepted a pigeon going from Hydra’s Hill to Red River, they sent their list and obviously Red River will not comply,” the man with a long beard leaned back in his seat.

“What did they ask for?” James asked.

“We quickly took a copy of it,” he passed it down the table, James took it and read, “of course it was way too much.”

“A bride, food supply, weapons…” James re-read the letter, “I mean this is out of a children’s story, they could have been more creative than this,” he earned a laugh from the entire room.

All at once the doors opened and every man looked towards the sound, there were two nights that James recognized. “This better be good we’re in the middle of a meeting,” James looked around the group of men who were confused by the intrusion.

“S-ser, Princess Y/N,” they tried to catch their breath, “she’s been taken.”

For a moment it was silent.

Then a loud bang came from the head of the table, Ser James had pounded his fist so hard a splinter now ran through a small part of the wood, “WHAT?!” James screamed from the head of the table, almost thinking it was a joke, but it wasn’t from the way two guards were standing, shaking.

“Th-there were two guards who offered to walk her to your chambers, but they never came back, and we don’t know where she is…” one of the two stepped up to offer an explanation, but the man at the table and James was having none of it.

“You’re telling me the only job you had… you failed?” James walked around the table and sized up the men, “I put you on her watch because I thought you were two of the best guards in the kingdom,” James looked at the man who was avoiding eye contact, “do you take me as a fucking fool?” he spat.

“N-no, Ser James.”

“Enough with the pleasantries,” James waved his hand, “we are planning an attack that was going to happen in a fortnight, not this evening but look where we are, huh?” James turned to the table of men, they all were on their feet, “get the horses ready and get the people secured.”

James barked orders at the men, pointing and shouting, new knights were running and out, getting orders and moving quickly to fulfill them.

“What can we do?” one of the guards spoke up, his voice was shaking as he saw the way James looked at them in disgust.

“Nothing,” James stood right in front of the men, their noses almost touching, “but I’d like to wish you congratulations.” He began to walk away, not having time for them.

“Wh-why?” They spoke at the same time.

James was about to leave the room but stopped, turning around and shaking his head, “congratulations,” men ran in and out of the room, “you have just started a war.”

NEXT EPSIODE

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