Freedom: Pirate!England X Reader 11 (Final)

The alarm clock began to loudly play the screamo version of Milkshake, causing _______ to yelp in surprise, sitting upright.  It took her a moment to fully wake up, and get her breathing pace back to normal.  With that settled, she flashed a quick glare to her iPhone and pressed the snooze button to shut off the song.  She stretched her arms upwards and yawned quietly, sleepy (e/c) eyes scanned her surroundings as if to make sure that this was her condo.  Yes, condo.  The year being 2013, condos were the most popular dwellings on the market, especially in London.
_______ sighed sadly, remembering that this was her first time back to London after 300 years.  She’d had the life she always wanted.  Never staying in the same place for more than a few years, traveling around the world, seeing new places.  The only thing she didn’t have was certain pirate by her side.  Arthur never came back for her, and it took _______ four years to realize that before her big plan hatched.

Flashback~

“_______?...._______ please say something.” (friend name) begged in a hushed tone.  She watched sadly as the queen sat on a chair by the window and did nothing.  Her once (e/c) eyes were now a dull and her skin was a sickly pale from barely eating.  Even after four years of ruling as the most beloved queen that England had known, _______ never really got over Arthur leaving her in her personal jail cell.  In fact she’d weep almost everyday when she was alone, hoping and praying that her beloved would come back.  Some of her maids and butlers thought her selfish, _______ knew that well, but how could she help it? Wasn’t it human nature to think of one’s self before another?
“_______, please, just…..Jus-just get over it already!” (friend name) yelled, balling her fists and stomping her foot loudly on the carpeted floor.  The queen didn’t budge, she’d known that her best friend would lash out sooner or later.
“Can’t you just stop moping around?! He did the right thing, he brought you back to rule over a country in need! And I’m so grateful for him bringing you back to me, but if this is what I get for missing you so much then…THEN I DON’T WANT YOU TO BE QUEEN!” The girl screamed, a few frustrated tears pricked out of the corner of her eyes.  _______’s eye widened as a thought came to her head.  I don’t….I don’t have to be queen., she smiled for the first time in four years and with surprising speed, got up from her chair to hug (friend name).
“__-_______?” The girl squeaked out in confusion.  The queen smiled and let go, still looking at her friend straight in the eyes.
“(friends name), I need you to do something for me.  I have a plan, but it has to stay between you and me, is that clear?” The (h/c) girl asked in a strict tone of voice.  (friend name) crossed her arms and gave her friend a slight frown.
“As long as you’ll be happy and not gloomy anymore.  It pains me to see you like that you know.” She added, and held out her hand for them to shake on it.
“Alright, so here’s the plan…”

End Flashback~

_______ remembered her plan in a fond manner, as she walked through Hyde Park, on her way to Buckingham Palace.  It made her sad to think that that was the last she saw of (friend name), or should she say Queen Mary the first.  Who would’ve thought that just a staged suicide and a change of a maid’s name would free _______ within a few days?  Queen Mary provided a ship loaded with gold and the best trained soldiers to guard her friend, as she searched for Arthur.  _______ searched for ten years straight, with no luck, finally concluding that the pirate must have been killed, along with Alfred and the others.  The thought haunted her for many years to come, but eventually she’d forced herself to move on.
“This is the Hall of Royals.  A painting of every king, queen, prince, or princess that has ever lived in hung in this narrow hallway.” The tour guide explained.  _______ stopped at the picture of (friend name), and sighed sadly, a lump forming in her throat.  Everyone dies, and I have to watch it all happen before my eyes, she thought before quickly exiting her old home, and walking to the nearest tube exit.  Plugging in her earbuds, she turned the volume up to the point where she could barely hear her own thoughts, though she’d never really wanted to hear them in the first place.  _______ stared at the laminated map on the wall of the station, trying to plan the next place she wanted to visit, when something caught her eye in the reflection.

A man.

A man staring right at the back of her head.  Well that’s not creepy, maybe I know him, she thought and turned around.   The beating of her heart stopped for a brief moment, and all noises were drowned out.  There, looking at _______ with the most incredulous look on his face was Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, without the slightest change in feature, minus the clothing.
“__-_______?” He stuttered, while the girl stared in awe, millions of thoughts going through her head at the same time.  But she ignored them all and threw her arms around the spaniard, joyful tears peeking out of the corner of her eyes.  Antonio stumbled back at the sudden action, but quickly regained composure and wrapped his arms around her.
“I thought I’d never see you again.” _______ whispered.
“We thought you were dead, chica! Word got out that the princesa jumped off a cliff, a-and we all were so triste, especially Arthur.” Just the name caused _______’s breath to hitch.
“A-Arthur? H-he’s alive?” She asked, clearly dumbfounded.
“¡Sí! Actualmente I’m heading to his house right now, you wanna come, chica?” Toni asked, with a smile.  Does she want to come? Does _______ want to come and see the man she’d loved and missed for three hundred years? Yes! No, wait, what? No! Absolutely not! B-but-NO! The fear of being hurt again was too much to bare.  On top of that, it’d been two hundred years, Arthur had probably gone through at least a hundred prettier girls, losing feelings for _______ all the while.
“Toni, listen to me.  You can’t say anything to Arthur about seeing me, or anyone for that matter.  It’ll just make things complicated, and well….” She really didn’t have a reason ready to tell her friend, but with one look he seemed to understand.  Without a warning, he pulled her into a hug.
“Anything for la princesa, I’m just glad to know that you’re alive and well.  But think about talking to him, bueno?” Toni whispered, letting go quickly and leisurely walking onto the train that’d just arrived and about to leave.  _______ stood in her place a little surprised, but the grief of losing her chance to see Arthur took control, and she broke out into quiet sobs, while running out of the station and away from the large crowds of people.

Time Skip…

It was sunset now, and somehow _______ found herself back in Hyde Park, but closer to the Thames river.  She took deep breaths, not even realizing until then that she’d been walking for almost a whole day.  She leaned on the metal railing as she watched the sun sink behind the tall buildings and sighed.  Another day gone by….I yet I stay frozen in time, _______ thought, sniffing, and quietly hiccuping while wiping away the excess tears.
“I should go, it’s getting late.” She whispered to herself out loud, and stuffed her hand in her jacket pocket while ducking her head down as if to fight away the cold.  Five minutes later, the wind drastically picked up speed and it began to pour.
“Shit, this is just what I needed.” _______ said sarcastically, while pulling out a pocket umbrella from her purse.  The minute she opened it, it blew away, causing her to curse again and run after it.  Up ahead, she could see that man in a dark green over coat had caught that cursed umbrella, and she ran a little faster to catch up to him.
“Hello miss, would this be your umbrella?” The man asked politely, holding it over both their heads.  _______ didn’t bother looking up, as she graciously slipped her fingers around the handle to pry it away from the stranger.
“Yes, I’m sorry.  I hope it didn’t hurt you or-” Her words got stuck in her throat when her (e/c) eyes finally glanced up at the man.  He looked back down at her with the same surprise, those oh so familiar emerald hues boring into her soul.  Blonde hair was soaked and matted against his skull and forehead, the same way it had that first night three hundred years ago.  _______’s limbs numbed, and she dropped the umbrella on the ground while slowly backing up, tears yet again forming in her eyes.
“_______?” He stuttered as if the very word was a taboo.  The (h/c) haired girl tried her best to glare back, not even noticing nor caring how the rain soaked straight through her cotton jacket and jeans.
“Well it’s a miracle that you even remember my name, after leaving me like a worthless piece of trash, Captain” She spat her words like acidic venom, each one seemed to burn through Arthur’s heart.
“Don’t say that, love.  Don’t you know much I cared for you?” He attempted a small smile, but it hurt too much.  _______’s scornful laugh made it all the more worse.
“Bullshit.  You left me there to rot, justifying your actions with my duty as queen? You said you cared for me back then as well, but what did that change? I was trapped in the palace for years, half the time trying to starve myself! I cried my eyes out every night, thinking about how you left me there.  I thought you would be different with me than you were with (bitch name). I thought…..just nevermind.  Now forgive my short greeting, but I don’t think I could handle anymore pain inflicted by you.” She cried, turning around to walk away.  Arthur grabbed her wrist to keep her in place, but she continued to struggle.  He was holding so tightly that it started to bruise.
“Please Arthur, just let me go.” She whispered, through her sniffling.
“Never.” _______ looked at him with wide, watery, eyes.
“I regret leaving you there every minute of the day, every moment of my life.  I was coming back to get you, but word got out that the queen of England…killed herself, and I…..” It seemed as if the Brit was choking on his own words, “I’ve mourned for the last three hundred years, never a second in between them that I didn’t think of you and miss you.”
“A-arthu-”
“I can’t let you go again, I won’t let you go ever again!” He raised his voice, and without warning pulled _______ into a hug which made her squeak in surprise.  Her hands were pinned to her sides, giving her no chance of escape, not like she truly wanted to escape though.  Her sobbing got to the point where it was hard to see through the thick tears, and her heart ached with confliction.  Should she really give in so easily? In some ways, she understood where his decision came from…she was selfish, while Arthur thought about England, not his personal life.  He was right, but _______ didn’t want to admit it.  She just wanted her pirate captain back.
“I love you, _______.” Oh, that did it.
“Y-you b-bastard.” She stuttered, causing his grip to loosen.  He looked at her with eyes on the verge of tears.  But when she managed a small smile, Arthur seemed to relax his tense state.
“It took you long enough to say so.” _______ joked playfully hitting him on the arm and tackling him into a kiss.  She felt his arm wrap around her soaking figure, while his teeth softly bit her lip in a teasing manner.  The kiss was hungry and represented all the relief they felt, their confliction, everything.  When they parted, Arthur smiled at her.
“You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do that.”
“Believe me I know the feeling.”
“Hm” He hummed pleasantly, and they stood still in the now darkened, empty street listening to the rain beating on the roads and sidewalk.  They stayed like for a few moments before…
“We should really get out of the rain.” _______ commented with an amused smile, Arthur followed up with a low chuckle.
“Yes, we should.  I wouldn’t want the princess to catch a cold.” He said, grabbing her hand and dragging her under a bus stop bench (what do you call those things?).
“Arthur, I’m no longer queen, let alone princess.” She giggled, snaking her arms around his neck.  He laughed once again, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead.

“You’ll always be my princess.”