Work Text:
To be a King
“Are you sure that he is the right one to be your successor, your majesty?”
“Yes, that kid doesn’t seems so friendly…”
“Could he lead us one day as great as your majesty anyway?”
“Will people like him?”
Gustav is walking through the hallway in the castle. His face seems like he just gets into a problem or something. He never thought that he is going to hear things like that, well it is his fault though that he decides to eavesdropping what was going on with the meeting between his father, the king and the other nobles. He can’t believe that his people doubted him like that. Gustav has tried his best to be like his father, but probably that was not enough.
Gustav is clearly upset about it, but he doesn’t know what he has to do about it either. He decides to clear his mind a bit by walking to the garden. He doesn’t look his way around when he is heading to the garden and he ends up bumping into someone, and the person seems to fall down from that.
“Ow ow, oh God Gustav!” The person he bumps to, a girl, is now looking at his face while she tries to get up again. Gustav is surprised that he just made his own fiancée fall down to the floor.
Gustav quickly help the girl to got up again. “Sofia, I’m sorry…” He says as he holds her hand and helping her to get up again.
“It’s okay… what happen anyway?” Sofia frowns. She somehow knew that the man is in trouble right now or else he just won’t bump into her like that.
“Ah… well…” Gustav is looking at his fiancée. All Sofia do is just smiling at him that it makes him feel bad for not telling her of what happened.
“Come on, you can always tell me!” Sofia says gently. She takes his hand after that and hold it gently. A slight blush starts to appear at Gustav’s cheek.
“Well, something does happen though. Let’s talk somewhere else instead.” Gustav mumbles softly. He grabs Sofia’s hand before he asks her to go with him. Sofia blinks in confusion but she doesn’t mind having him dragging her like that.
“Sure thing, but slowly Gustav!” Sofia nods as she tried to follow him, but the man walks way faster than she is. Gustav slows down a bit after that and they are now heading to the garden just as what Gustav had planned before.
***
Now Gustav and Sofia are sitting next to each other in the garden as they are holding each other’s hand. Gustav isn’t a big fan of getting himself touched by the others, but Sofia’s hand on his own had always makes him feel calm somehow. Gustav closes his eyes instead of talking about what happened to him to Sofia, and Sofia seems to understand that her fiancé needs a time to relax. Sofia holds his hand tighter and she leans her head to his shoulder.
“Gustav…” Sofia mumbles softly. Gustav opens his eyes now and looking at her. He uses his other hand to caresses her head gently after that.
“Yes?” Gustav tilts his head and leaned his own head to the top of Sofia’s head. Sofia smiles gently at his action.
“Are you sure you’re okay now?” Sofia asks him. She moves her head from his shoulder and looking at Gustav’s eyes after that.
“Well… something did happen…” Gustav sighs. He hates to remember of what happened earlier.
“Tell me, please?” Sofia smiles at him. She then playfully lands a kiss on Gustav’s cheek.
“Okay. It’s kind of stupid, honestly. I did not mean to eavesdrop them, but I heard my father is talking to several other nobles. It seems that they kind of doubt me to be their next leader.” Gustav sighs. He has pride of course, but if his own people dislike him to be the next king, what can he do anyway?
“Oh Gustav… you can’t be serious. I can tell that your father is really proud of you. Well, you might look scary but honestly Gustav… you are the kindest person I know as well!” Sofia smiles at her fiancé. Hearing those words coming from Sofia makes Gustav’s cheek turns a bit pink.
“I’m still not good enough…” Gustav shrugs. He is just not confident enough.
“Not true at all. Even my father adores you so much… I know you’re the best our kingdom can have!” Sofia smiles widely.
“I don’t know, Sofia…” Gustav shakes his head. But Sofia still not giving up yet. She grabs both of his cheeks and holds it gently. She is looking straight in his eyes now.
“Gustav… if you’re going to step down to be the crown prince then who wants to take your position? Well, Benedikte is the second in line but does your sister wants it? I think your sister wants you to be in that position. Okay, you still have your stepbrother, but he is too young, even he is younger than Eric. Also, we all know that people kind of disliking your stepmother…” Sofia sighs. Gustav is now looking at her.
“You might be right… But I think Benedikte is—” Gustav doesn’t continue his words as Sofia is giving him a sharp look.
“No. Well she is talented of course, but I don’t think she likes it. I know her like she is my own sister.” Sofia shakes her head.
“Okay then, what if I’m the one who doesn’t want all of this.” Gustav asks. Sofia is surprised to hear it.
“Well… I… I think I don’t mind with that. I mean, I will follow you everywhere even if you’re not a future king or come from the noble family at all. But still, Gustav… I want you to give it a shot and proves them wrong…” Sofia smiles before she hugs him. “Don’t run away, okay?”
Gustav smiles. He doesn’t understand why he is smiling now. But her words did make him feel happy. That way he knows that Sofia is always by his side. “Okay…” Gustav nods.
Sofia is smiling widely at him. She is about to moves herself closer to kiss him but instead Gustav is the one who captures her lips and kissed her gently. Sofia smiles at the kiss and she closes her eyes slowly.
“Sofia, no matter what I will decide later, I want you to be by my side no matter what.” Gustav mumbles softly. He breaks the kiss after that.
“Yes of course, Gustav. I will stay by your side no matter what happen. Even if that means I will be banished or beheaded.” Sofia nods. As long as she does it for Gustav, she knows that she had done the right thing.
“Thank you.” Gustav smiles. He kisses her again, his time he kisses her more gently than before.
“Don’t give up, okay?” Sofia smiles at him. Gustav gives her a nod.
“I won’t, if that will make you happy as well. I love you after all.” Gustav mumbles before he gives her a hug. He smiles to her after that.
“I love you too, Gustav. You can do it!” Sofia hugs him happily.
***
Gustav is pretty aware that Sofia’s support will not be enough, at least when he is aware that his own stepmother is the one who makes people doubts him. He needs a support, an external one that he can reach easily from someone he can trust. So, he is going on a journey alone to visit his friend, someone in the same position as he is. He knows that Christian might be able to give him a support.
The two young man are now sitting under the tree. It’s raining when they decide to do a little horse riding to clear their mind a bit. Christian stares at the rain as he reaches the falling droplets from the tree’s leaves.
“Don’t do that, seriously. You’ll be wet.” Gustav warns his friend. Christian laugh at his words.
“I know, I’m not a child Gustav.” Christian grins. Gustav sighs after that.
“You’re childish though.” Gustav shrugs. Christian now laughing even harder than before which makes Gustav seems a little bit pissed off by his friend’s action.
“Hey, about the support you ask… I can do that though probably some of my people won’t like that. But really, I want you to be the king when I am the king.” Christian smiles at his friend. Gustav gives him a small nod after that.
“That would be nice… I want to end the conflict between our kingdom as well.” Gustav is looking at Christian now. Christian smiles.
“Sure, that’s my goal as well. Let’s keep this peace as long as we can.” Christian nods slowly. He knows that they will be able to do it.
“But what do you want me to do in return?” Gustav frowns. He just can’t let Christian help him without something in return to do for him.
“Oh well, have you heard about the plan that my father wants me to marry that princess…” Christian looking up at the tree’s leaves now. Gustav frowns at him.
“That one named Maria?” Gustav asks. He just wants to make sure.
“No, silly. Haakon’s little sister. Your cousin.” Christian chuckles softly.
“What do you want from her? I can convince her family if you really want her that bad.” Gustav’s shrugs. That will be no problem for him.
“I don’t think I will need that? It’s a deal between our families already anyway.” Christian shrugs. He only met her once and he is still not sure yet about her.
“Then what do you want me to do?” Gustav raises an eyebrow.
“Tell me about her, can you do it? I… not like I don’t want to marry her or anything. I just want to know more about her. I only met her once and…” Christian’s face turns a little bit red and he suddenly stopped talking.
“… and what?” Gustav frowns at him again.
“Well, I think she is cute. Just… tell me or help me to meet her. I just want to make sure.” Christian smiles at his friend now.
“Okay, I’ll help you out on that one. I can ask her family to send her portrait too if you want.” Gustav nods slowly. Christian smiles widely and suddenly jump to hug him.
“Oh God thanks so much buddy! That will be a great help!” Christian chuckles softly. He let go of his hug because he knows that Gustav is not comfortable with the hug.
“You’re going to help me too, remember. That’s not a problem.” Gustav smiles.
“Yeah. Anyway, we should head back soon. The rain had stopped anyway.” Christian gets up from his seat then help Gustav to get up too.
“Yeah.” Gustav nods. Now they ride their horse back to Christian’s home. It’s lucky that Gustav and Christian are close enough to help each other.