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Eowyn had started to question why she had shown up to the event the latest five minutes after she handed her cloak to the guy at the entrance. In theory, she was here because it was her job. The royal gala was an important event and she was expected to take the best pictures for the headlines. In practice, she was here for Arwen. Her lover, her casual fuck, when talking to Arwen’s mother she was a “good colleague”, which worked fine as long as she was a stranger to the general public.
She sighed, hiding her frown behind her camera as yet another duke of so and so posed for her. She mustered the old man through her lens, taking a few pictures while wondering what he’d think if he knew she was in bed with the crown princess. She smiled at him before moving on, cursing him in her head as she admitted to herself she’d probably jerk off to the thought of the princess naked with another girl. Creeps. All disgusting creeps. And yet, it didn’t matter, they could never tell anyone. Whatever it was that they had, it had to remain between them. Them only. Until the end of time, or Arwen decides the end has come.
That, Eowyn is sure of. Not only that they have to keep it secret, but also that it would be Arwen who’d end it. She didn’t exactly expect her to do it anytime soon but she knew it would happen at some point. The queen liked to remind everyone that her daughter would marry another noble asshole someday to keep the bloodline going. Eowyn doubted that Arwen would still meet her secretly, sharing kisses behind locked doors, hugging in dark alleys, sneaking out before dawn, when she’d be the face of the country.
Sometimes, Eowyn does think Arwen loves her. Her feelings for the princess are always clear, she feels like she wears her heart on her sleeve whenever they are together. Arwen is more difficult to read. Eowyn is aware their affair started off strictly physical, but slowly, she hoped, it had turned into something more. Arwen didn’t always immediately leave her flat when they were done. Her staying, holding Eowyn close, had become a part of their meetings just like the sexual part was.
That their meetings slowly started to gain on emotional value too made the breaks in between even worse. Times when weeks would go by with not more than a few messages telling her Arwen wouldn’t be able to leave the palace today. Busy times, times when Arwen left the country, times when the queen suspected her daughter was hiding something, or even worse, times when she made her daughter go on a date. Arwen always made it up to her later, bringing her flowers and sweets, sometimes even fresh fruit (especially the raspberries she knew Eowyn loved). She’d stay for hours sometimes, even coming over only shortly after lunch, ranting to Eowyn about how stressful royal life was currently. While those were some of the best hours she had spent with the others, it was moments like those it was painfully obvious to Eowyn that they could never grow to be more than that. Even if they both loved each other, they couldn’t change the situation they were in, or that Arwen was destined to marry a man.
Eowyn sighed, pulled out of her depressing thoughts by the arrival of the dinner buffet, which resulted in a short applause and a few cries of delight. How she despided all these people. Privileged, judgemental men and women who’d not even consider looking at her if it wasn’t for the camera in her hand providing them five more minutes of relevancy. While she took a portrait of some baron family she realized once more just how different their worlds were. How she’d be completely lost in the novelty if it wasn’t for the gossip Arwen told her about. How she would never be able to gain these people’s respect unless Arwen herself made sure no one dared to say anything about her.
Of course, that was a stupid wish. For a long time Eowyn had dreamt of a future where she could stand next to Arwen in public, finally hold her hand, steal a kiss in the big ballroom, instead of hurrying to find a small broom closet when no one was looking. She knew it was useless to wish for these things. Yet it was difficult not to daydream when Arwen and her had been talking for hours on end, only interrupted by Arwen’s phone signaling that it was four am and that she better leave if she was to be back home before the queen woke up.
Someone tugged on her sleeve and Eowyn turned aruond, her artificial smile immediately dropping as their eyes met. Arwen. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be prepairing for some kind of appearance?” She hissed, glancing around to see if anyone noticed that Arwen’s hand was still lingering on her arm. “I wanted to talk to you before I welcome all the guests...do you...have a moment?” This almost made her laugh, the crown princess asking her if she had time? However this was Arwen and Eowyn was head over heels for her anyways, so she nodded, almost losing her footing as the other grabbed her sleeve and dragged her away from the crowd.
Before Eowyn could fully comprehend what was happening, Arwen had dragged her past the guards, muttering some kind of interview excuse, up to her private chambers. This registered in Eowyn’s brain somewhere, Arwen never brought her up to her bedroom. The risk of a housekeeper, guard, or even royalty bursting in at any time was just too high. “Arwen what are you doing? What if someone sees.” Arwen just shushed her, glancing around before closing the door to her room behind them.
“Come here, I missed you,” she mumbled, pulling a still stunned Eowyn into a tight hug, gently kissing her forhead. “I can’t handle my mother’s talks about marriage anymore, Eowyn. I...I’ve had enough.” Eyebrows furrowed, Eowyn untangled herself from Arwen’s arms, as much as she wanted to stay in them forever, it simply wasn’t possible.
“Why are you telling me this, Arwen...you know we can’t change it.”
“Eowyn, what if we can?”
Eowyn’s heart skipped a beat as Arwen took both her hands. “I’m tired of hiding, aren’t you? I want to stay for breakfast, have you here for once, too. I want to go out on coffee dates with you and adopt a cat together and all the other things we’ve been missing out on. I refuse to spend my life like this if I could have so much more, if I could be with you. So I will. What can they do, really, Eowyn?”
Eowyn could barely believe what Arwen was saying. Of course, she complained a lot about having to hide, but this? “You could be disowned, my love, they can kick you out, they can take it all away…”
“And then what? You know the press wouldn’t leave me alone even if they did. I have enough money on the side to stay afloat for some time, I could get a normal job, live a little freer... “
“What are you trying to say Arwen, you have to be downstairs in less than twenty minutes.”
She expected Arwen to give in, she expected her to shake her head in defeat and agree. If she was lucky, they’d kiss, then part, make sure they don’t join the crowd at the same time and not interact for the rest of the night. What she surely didn’t expect was for Arwen to pull out a small black box with two identical rings and sink down to her knees.
“I know, usually I would only propose with one ring, but I want the whole world to know this. I want to be with you, Eowyn, all the time. Not only in the few hours my schedules allows it to be true. I want to be there when you wake up, cook lunch with you...I want to be a part of your life, not just a shared secret. I know I haven’t been able to express it correctly but Eowyn, god, I love you so much. I can’t imagine dealing with all of this without you anymore and I realized, I’d rather give it all up than have to leave you. I ask you, right here, in my bedroom you’ve been in for the first time, but hopefully not the last time. Please, Eowyn, please take this gift and marry me. Become my muse not only in my paintings, but in my life.”
And Eowyn couldn’t even try to hold back her tears as she nodded, watching as Arwen slid the ring onto her finger. A ring that was probably more worth than all the money Eowyn had earned in her life. And then she frowned.
“But love, if you wear this later on, I’m sure people will notice...are you sure we’re ready for this...”
“I’ve never been more sure,” Arwen grinned, passing the box to Eowyn so she could slide the ring onto her hand as well, “and once people notice, make sure you get the clearest picture, I want it to be on all front pages tomorrow. I’m tired of all this hiding.”