Work Text:
When you were forced to kneel before royalty, it meant you were about to plead for them to spare your life.
But for Nikolai’s case, it was for an entirely different reason.
He waited patiently with his eyes closed as per the request of the princess. But it had already been a few minutes and still nothing had happened.
"Am I supposed to be worried, princess?" he asked, inclining his head to the side to try and hear what could she be doing. But the wind blowing around them muffled everything. "I'm afraid I might accidentally fall asleep in this position."
"Be patient, Nicky," Lada said, and Nikolai almost laughed at the nickname. He was reminded of the time he introduced himself with that name to a certain crown princess. "Tolya and Tamar didn't even complain when I made them wait."
The twin guards had disappeared for a while now, to check on something they said. They’d both left in a hurry, and if it was some other time, Nikolai would have been worried that they’d sensed upcoming trouble in the palace.
But the look on their faces only showed amusement that he found a bit strange. In the years he had known them, they only made that look whenever they were planning to pull a prank on him.
Now that he thought of it, he sighed in exasperation. Lada must have made them an accomplice to whatever she was doing.
Nikolai chuckled. "A good point," he said, shifting on his other knee and resting his arm over it. "I do hope this isn't some sort of prank with you bolting quietly and leaving me here looking like I'm proposing to the wind."
Lada giggled. "Tempting, but no," she said. There was a hint of mischief in the little princess' tone when she added, "This is much better."
Nikolai’s eyebrows furrowed. If there was anything else the younger princess was other than smart, it was mischievous. "Now I am worried." He paused, risking a peek on one eye, but he only had a second of seeing a blur of colors before she was covering his eyes with her small hands.
"No fair! I said no peeking!" Lada complained, and then he felt a rather strong flick on his forehead. "Now I know why you and Zoya get along. You're both stubborn."
The mention of the crown princess’ smile brought a smile to his lips. "I am merely trying to get some air back in my eyes, little princess," he said.
"Don't worry, it's almost—" Lada stopped abruptly, making Nikolai furrow his eyebrows. He was about to open his eyes when he felt her hand patting his head. "I know you're tempted, but no peeking."
"Are we waiting for night time?"
The younger princess giggled again. "One second," she said.
He waited again, and after another moment, he felt something soft placed on his head.
"Open your eyes." Lada's voice came again, the mischief from earlier now replaced with a hint of excitement.
Nikolai did what he was told and opened his eyes, squinting slightly from the light. The younger princess' bright smile greeted him when his sight finally adjusted. His hand shot up to his head.
Around it was what he felt to be a flower crown.
"There you go," said Lada, her smile only growing wider as she clasped both of her hands to her chest. "You're a prince now."
A smile twitched to Nikolai’s lips as he looked over the younger princess fondly. She really was the Palace’s ray of sunshine. “I am honored, Your Highness,” he said, bowing his head. Then with a curious look, he asked, "A prince of what, if I may know?"
He heard her stern voice cut through the gardens even before Lada could reply. "Alright, you two, this is getting obnoxious. Just tell me where we're going," Zoya complained. "I still have a lot of training to do—"
Lada practically squealed and jumped down from the small rock she was sitting on. She bolted towards her older sister with excitement. Nikolai got up and followed his gaze to the two royals, his smile turning fond as he watched the young princess grab at her sister's hand.
And pulled her towards him .
He blinked. Zoya's usual dresses were replaced by an armor over a tunic and trousers, something he rarely saw her in. Even back when he first saw her more than a decade ago, unsure and holding the sword incorrectly, she had been wearing a loose dress.
Now she looked different. She looked better. Strong. Regal. Beautiful .
Still so beautiful.
He couldn't help staring.
"What—" Zoya stopped when their eyes met.
Nikolai felt his breath hitch as if he was embarrassed of getting caught gawking. A surge of warmth bloomed in his chest. He really had it bad. Behind her, the twins stood, both of them giving him a knowing look. Tamar wiggled her eyebrows and winked. Heat rose up to his ears, making him avert his eyes.
He would never hear the end of their teasing later in their quarters.
The crown princess frowned, making him snap out of his thoughts. He raised a questioning eyebrow.
She pointed a finger as his head. "Where did that come from?"
"Yours truly," Lada answered for him, grinning up to her sister. She pushed Zoya forward until she was in front of Nikolai, and it was only when he realized that they were suddenly close.
He automatically took a step back. "I, uh, good morning, Your Highness." He winced on how breathless he sounded. He cleared his throat. "It's good to see you."
Wow, real smooth, Lantsov, Nikolai scolded in his head. Saints, he was like a hopeless boy embarrassing himself in front of the girl he liked. A situation which was most likely true.
Zoya raised an eyebrow, an amused expression on her face. "Are you alright, Captain?
"Of course." He shook himself and regained his composure. He put on his signature grin, finding it come to him easily. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Lada cleared her throat. "Alright, I will save you from further embarrassing yourself, Nicky," she said as she climbed the boulder in front of them.
Nikolai held his arm out to guide the younger princess up, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zoya do the same.
"I'm okay," Lada said. She stared at them both for another moment, then she smiled. "Perfect, everyone's here. Let's get to the final part of the ceremony."
A frown appeared on Nikolai’s face. "What ceremony?"
"Why, your wedding, of course."
He sputtered, and Zoya went still beside him. He tried to ignore the sting in his chest. It wasn't as if someone like her would look at a mere guard like him, much less marry him. But it still pricked at his heart all the same.
"I can't believe you made me come here for that," Zoya said, shaking her head. Nikolai would have believed that she was mad had there not been an amused smile playing on her lips. "But I guess I'll play along."
"The crown princess suddenly playing along?" he said and raised a brow. "Very, very unexpected."
She challenged his look with her own. "Why, Lantsov, I thought you would like this?" she said. "Or are you afraid that you might fall in love with me after this?"
I already am. Nikolai covered with a laugh. "I could ask the same to you."
"Confident, aren't we?"
"Only for you."
Zoya shook her head with a laugh, facing forwards to Lada again. The younger princess was grinning at them, her eyes bright as the morning sun.
"Let's get on it, shall we?" she said, clasping both of her hands in front of her chest in delight. Then she cleared her throat and mustered up a serious face that made Nikolai want to chuckle. "Do you, Grumpy Crown Princess Zoya" —Nikolai stifled a laugh— "take this idiotic but endearing Captain of the Guard as your companion in life, to argue with and train with or whatever, to hold from this day forward without wanting to strangle him, to be there for him in times of plenty and need, to love and cherish, for the rest of your lives?"
A beat, and then Zoya shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "It's not like I have a choice. I guess I do."
Nikolai chuckled. "Good one," he said.
Lada looked pleased, and then turned to Nikolai with a sly expression. He furrowed his eyebrows. What could she be thinking again?
His question in his head was unanswered when the younger princess continued again.
"Do you, Prince Nicky of the high seas" —Zoya snorted at the nickname— "take my big, grumpy sister as your lifetime partner, to bicker with and to share your secrets with, to be the sunshine to her storms and the smiles to her scowls, to support her all her ideas except the bad ones, to love and cherish her, for the rest of your lives?"
He pretended to think for a moment. "I don't," he said, dragging the word, "think I would refuse." In front of him, Zoya rolled her eyes. "I do."
If it was still possible, Lada's grin became even wider. "By the power bestowed upon me by whoever, I pronounce you man and wife." She jumped on the boulder a few times. "You may now kiss the bride."
Nikolai blinked. He had totally forgotten about that part. When he looked over to Zoya, he noticed that she mirrored his expression. Maybe she had forgotten about it as well.
He breathed deeply, but it didn't help calm the erratic beating of his heart. "Well, you said you'll play along with it," he said, almost in a whisper, and he leaned forward.
Zoya sucked in a breath, making him stop a few inches away from her lips. There was a dead silence that washed over the garden, and nothing but his breathing could be heard. Nikolai wasn't really going to do it, despite wanting to, and he wondered how it would feel if he kissed her. It would be so easy to touch hand to her face, to pull her towards him and close the distance between them.
She's a royal, Lantsov , his mind berated. Know your place .
He almost smiled bitterly. It would just be a good dream.
With a sly grin to cover up for his lamenting, he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles instead.
The surprised look on her face made him want to laugh. "Disappointed?"
She gaped at him for a moment, and then she pulled away from his touch, redness rising to her cheeks. "You wish."
Somewhere behind Nikolai, Tolya's deep laugh echoed through the gardens. He turned to look at the giant with a raised brow, and he only had a second to blink before the twins were stepping forward and tackling him in a hug as if the wedding was real and they were happy for him.
But the look in their eyes told him that they were. Weirdly as it sounded, he found it endearing.
"Congratulations, Captain," Tamar said with a smile. Then she was also pulling Zoya with them, putting her next to Nikolai. Tolya picked Lada up and placed her on one broad shoulder. "Well, I'd say congratulations to you both."
"I can't believe you two are accomplices to this atrocity," Zoya mumbled.
Nikolai huffed a laugh. "Tell me about it."
He let the moment pass for another long moment. It would only be brief before they were back to being guards to the princesses again.
But perhaps he could dream that this was real.
***
"Nikolai."
The memory faded in Nikolai's mind as he looked back to the stormy blue eyes that he had adored for more than a decade now. A smile made its way to his face, realizing the moment he was in now.
The chapel waited in excitement, and his smile only became wider.
"If you leave me hanging and only kiss my hand again," Zoya said, her eyes bright, "I will run away from our wedding night."
Nikolai laughed, his vision suddenly blurring. "Why settle for only that," he said, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles, "when I can now do both?"
She laughed, the sound coming out breathless. A tear fell from her eye, and he reached up to wipe it away. "Then just get on with it."
"As you wish, my love."
He placed his other hand to her cheek, pulling her to him, and she met him halfway. When their lips finally met, the chapel erupted in cheers and happy shouts, and he could swear one of the loudest was coming from Lada somewhere in the front pew.
Zoya clutched at his collar and pulled him closer, feeling her smile against his mouth. He could get lost in this moment forever, the world could fall around them, and he was sure he would never mind one bit now that he was finally hers, and she his.
The cheers continued on even as they pulled away, and he rested his forehead to hers, eyes still closed. Everything felt surreal, but the warmth and calmness in his heart told him otherwise.
Finally .
"I love you," he said, breathless from the euphoria, making Zoya laugh.
"I love you too, Captain." She pulled him to another kiss again, and he welcomed her openly.
With the feeling of content in his chest and the love of his life in his arms, Nikolai knew he was home.