A young male sat eagerly in his carriage, accompanied by numerous servants who rode beside or behind him on horseback. He hummed as he held a long box in his arms, his cheeks a determined shade of pink. The boy seemed to be deep in thought about something or other, murmuring to himself or shaking his head. The man responsible for the boy's safety stared at him with the greatest of concern, furrowing his eyebrows and then sighing deeply.

"Your highness, I would not be so rash as to assume things will go your way. You know of the lady's refusal of your advances."

"Don't be foolish!" the young boy huffed, his cheeks flaring up more at the truth of the matter, "Lady Paquel is simply a lady of refinery! She must act in a reserved manner as to preserve the dignity of her family name! Accepting an engagement so quickly would bring disgrace to her honorable lineage!"

"I'm sure that may be true of many young ladies out there, including the young miss, though I'm not sure this is a case of such a thing."

The young boy scrunched his nose in disagreement, giving a humph and staring out of the window. He could see the noble estate in the near distance, his arrival appearing to take no more than an hour's time. Still, it unnerved him. The time was both too quick and far too slow. He wasn't at all prepared to speak to the young lady he intended to marry nor was he patient enough to wait.

The male sighed as her face came into his mind. She was not at all what he expected when he first met her. Though from a military family renowned for its brilliant strategists and warriors, he had thought their last born would be reserved and well-mannered. Perhaps she was, but not in a manner that would allow her to be in the same categories as other young ladies her age. She was mature and composed, cool and calm; useful things to a prince and his kingdom.

The boy had been searching for a wife for half a year before he had decided on her. The goal was to find a match that would assist in making his family more diverse. His mother was talented at peace talks and keeping the nobles under wrap while his father was incredibly efficient at monetary issues. He, himself, was young, but he found that his contribution to his kingdom was his charm. The boy was capable of speaking maturely and his intellect allowed him to bolster the royal family's reputation domestically and afar.

As he saw it, he needed a partner that had none of these attributes, but something else that would secure the kingdom in times of crises. With many hours put into the research of their state compared to those surrounding them, it was clear that while they were the wealthiest and most reputable, they were lacking in military prowess. That was exactly the reason he had sought out the daughters of commanders, royal knights, anyone that was talented and knowledgeable in that field.

It wasn't long before he stumbled upon the (h/c) haired girl. She was from a separate kingdom than his own, likely the reason her existence alluded him for so long. He sighed at the thought. If only she lived in his kingdom. Then they probably would have known one another since they were born. He would have truly enjoyed that.

That being said, he was not going to mope that he wasn't lucky enough to know her for longer. The male was determined to know her for as long as possible to make up for it, not that any finite amount of time with her would satisfy him completely. As they rode up to the noble manor, the guards surrounding the carriage began to have their horses trot out, parading and holding up the banners of the royal family.

The estate's gates opened and gaping servants began to bow, providing a warm welcome to the young royal. It was then that the male saw the noble military family of Paquel standing proudly in front of the doors. The head of the family was the girl's father, the man wearing his countless badges of honor with a sash draped across his shoulder. There was her mother by his side, the woman wearing a sword at her hip.

The boy then caught a glimpse of (h/c) locks, his heart soaring with anticipation, but as he took another look, the female appeared not to be his darling, but her elder sister. She had a few others as well as a few brothers currently serving in the military as lieutenants, but it wasn't her. Out of all of them, she was the youngest and matched the male in age and prowess. So to see she wasn't welcoming him made him frown and pout his lips.

As the male exited the carriage and stood in front of the beloved family, he gave a slight bow of the head, met with deep bows from all three of the nobles as well as their servants. The family began making small talk with him, welcoming him to the estate and asking how he had been. It was all polite chatter, but he didn't particularly have the patience for it when he was promised to see the younger girl.

"I came here to formally present myself," the male sighed, motioning to the large box his caretaker held, "Where might I find (Y/n)?"

"Your highness, if I may, I'd be happy to escort you to her," the girl's sister hummed, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, "She's been training in the fields all day."

"Of course she has been. I expected nothing less."

The male gave a proud smile and followed after the woman, taking notice of his surroundings. He wasn't entirely interested in them, but if the (h/c) haired girl had been born and raised in such a place, it must have been worth something. He grinned at the thought, proudly marching to the training grounds he knew the younger girl loved to frequent. Her dedicated nature filled him with encouragement and inspiration alike.

As her frame finally came into his sight, his eyes glistened with adoration and he smiled wide, walking just slightly faster. (Y/n) had a tight grip on her sword as she swung at her instructor. The man seemed woefully unprepared to train such a natural talent as her. Though young, it was clear she was winning the fight, pushing the man back though she lacked both height and weight.

When it became clear she was being watched, the younger girl tossed her sword to her instructor and let her hair down to frame her face. The young prince couldn't help but blush deeply at the sight. It was not that she was unfeminine, but the sight of her showing a part of natural beauty exhilarated him to no end. It was such a rare sight. He had no choice but to drink it in so fast he experienced dizziness from it.

"What can I do for you, highness?" the (h/c) haired girl hummed, beginning to gather her hair back into a tight ponytail, "I heard tensions are rising between our two nations. Coming here must have been risky. I can only assume you have a large matter to discuss with me or my parents?"

The male almost couldn't speak. Replying to her was something of a risk. Her wise way of speaking showcased her intelligence, and for some reason or another, he was never able to become used to it. Rather, he only became more susceptible to her unusual charms. Thus, in an attempt to gather himself to reply to her in a manner befitting their statuses, he gave a cough and held his hand in front of himself, balled in a relaxed fist.

"I've come to p...," the male stuttered, taking a deep breath to compose himself further, "come to propose, (Y/n). I'm certain you would make a most worthy queen consort, and with your assistance, my country and people will prosper."

Despite his heartfelt confession, however, he was given a scowl from the younger girl. Of course she would not be fond of the proposal, he knew that very well. She was more concerned with her own military accomplishments than with marriage. It would only tie her down and prevent her from reaching her family's honorable expectations. Still, he was never very fond of the disgusted expression she directed at him for bringing the subject up. No doubt she would have been more interested in a favor to him for training soldiers or participating in a strategy meeting.

Turning her head away from him, she gave a scoff, her hair flowing behind her, the wind just barely waving it like a roll of silk. She grabbed her sword back from her instructor and began to ignore the boy's presence, instead, focusing on her training. In response, he gave a look of disapproval, biting the inside of his cheek with frustration he refused to be echoed out loud. It would only make the situation worse for him if he were to chastise her for her stubbornness, and he may never be able to marry her.

"I understand your wishes!" he claimed, placing his hand to his chest and standing as tall as he could possibly muster, "And I have every intention of helping you achieve your goals! I seek a warrior queen to further my country, and there is no better candidate than you, (Y/n). I would never waste your talents and use you as a pretty face."

The girl once more ignored him, beginning to strike at her instructor and dodge his own advances. Her expression was one of intense focus, her eyes burning with a heightened passion for the sport of fighting. The bloodline in her must have prompted such a thing, the male utterly fascinated with it. Still, he couldn't bring himself to lose in the battle he was participating in with her. It wasn't just for his own benefit. Why couldn't she see that?

"I even brought a gift to show you my sincerity!"

The boy motioned for his caretaker to bring forward the long box in his hands. Upon opening it, he exhibited the shining blade within. It was of a fine caliber, the younger girl's eyes drawn to it for but a moment. That being said, she soon dismissed it and continued on with her activity of choice. Her elder sister watched on with disinterest and soon gave a bow to the young royal before leaving the scene.

"I don't mean to be rude, highness," (Y/n) finally huffed, slyly dodging an attack chosen to pierce her heart, "but I would prefer to achieve my own accomplishments on the battlefield. Marriage has nothing to do with that. In fact, it would only acredit my successes to you."

The male once more frowned, pouting as he crossed his arms over his chest. He was not at all pleased with her answer. It was something he could not deny. As a woman in a male-dominated society, being married would only prevent her from accomplishing her goals. It meant little to her if he promised it wouldn't be like that because she was the type to listen to powerful actions over clever words.

Even then she was more focused on training with the sword than the rest of her academics. He wasn't of the belief that she was at all lacking in intelligence, but the fact of the matter was that most of her time was spent either training for the battlefield or training her mind for commanding or creating battle tactics. It was mainly the reason she rejected his visits to her manor. As she liked to put it, he was an unwelcome distraction to her otherwise vigorous academics.

The male was rejected the more he spoke, the girl only continued to get frustrated with him. At some point, she stopped replying to him altogether, his head-strong nature forcing him to continue arguing. However, it wasn't long before he had to return to his palace. While he didn't stop attempting to court her, she didn't stop rejecting him. It spread many rumors about both of their natures, but they couldn't have cared less. It was all about persevering the longest, and both were determined to win.

The young prince had soon turned twenty, and as he did, he heard the most curious of murmurs among the servants at his castle. He hadn't in the least stopped attempting to court the young warrior heir, and the maids in the palace were well aware. One seeking a reward approached him and informed him of her family's precarious situation. There was a scandal involving her father, and his honorary rewards, badges, and estates were confiscated by the nation's monarchs. As such, the younger girl as well as the rest of her family were in desperate need of money and shelter.

The male compensated the maid lavishly, to her great thrill, and instructed her to prepare arrangements for her and her family to come to the castle. She did so eagerly, hoping to acquire another reward. In the meantime, he sat in his study with the utmost of boredom. He was not so certain that being bankrupt would in any way change her mind about having him court her. That being said, it was worth a try. The male was eager to have her in his clutches.

It was perhaps a week of irritating patience that he had to endure before the military family came to the castle. He arranged for a warm welcome, soldiers, servants, and nobles alike standing to greet the carriage they rode in. There were some grumbles mingled between the nobles, surely, but the male was going to force them to recognize the younger girl as an important individual whether they liked it or not. He couldn't have cared less if her father was a sham. In fact, he rather preferred it. It only made it all the easier to get what he wanted.

As the (h/c) haired girl exited the carriage with the rest of her family, he was surprised to find she bowed low to the ground, her forehead touching the carpet rolled out for her. It was perhaps not unusual for her to show him respect as a royal, but to see her adhering so strictly to customs made him smirk. He very might have walked away with her hand in marriage if she was that willing to bow to him in such a manner.

"Welcome, (Y/n)," he spoke with a slight chuckle, enjoying the rare sight of subservience from her, "I trust your journey was not too strenuous."

"Not at all. I thank you for your compassion."

"Then, if you will, follow me to the war room. I'd very much like to discuss something with you about your family."

The prince heard more grumbles from the nobles. No doubt they were wondering why a supposed "traitorous" family of generals was in their kingdom. After being marked as one, it was unlikely they would ever regain their former honor or wealth, and he was intending on exploiting that fact for his own pleasure. There was no shame for taking advantage of what was presented before him. If she had only agreed to be his, he wouldn't have needed to resort to such desperate ways of coercion.

He felt a great pleasure in seeing her follow him like a lost puppy. Ordinarily, she would have never given him the time of day, and while it did infuriate him to think such a thing, he did believe that all would be well if it ended well. Besides, he would make sure she spent back all of that suffering she forced him through tenfold. The male was more than prepared to negotiate with her. After all, he held all the cards. The game wouldn't end until he was given everything she was.

Upon arriving in the war room, the (h/c) haired girl took a scrutinizing glance around the room, taking note of the male's generals. She had imagined they would be alone, but clearly, he had other ideas. Brought to the head of the table next to the male, the young warrior surveyed the countless small statues dotting the map of the table. Though she had known her former country and his were on bad terms, she didn't imagine he would be the one striking first.

"I'd like to make you an offer," the male hummed, crossing his arms over his chest, "I won't stand that kingdom's prosperity when they attack at my borders. So, within this year, I'll see them fall. And you will be the one leading the charge. Your salary will be more than fair and you'll receive respect and earn prowess again."

"And in exchange?"

The male chuckled darkly at her response, well aware she owed him immensely for his generosity. After all, he was saving her family from the brink of disaster and offering her a chance to fulfill her dreams. The least he could demand would be her hand in marriage, but it wasn't just about that any longer. It wasn't fair, not at all. He had been chasing her for all that time, enduring rejection after rejection, and in the end, he only gets to marry her because she's desperate?

"(Y/n), my dear," he purred, grabbing gently onto her chin and biting down on her lip suddenly, "After all of this, we both know I won't give this away for such a low price. No, on the contrary, after rescuing you from this despairing situation, I deserve something extremely valuable. You will be mine. All of you, including your mind. You will not reject me any longer."

The younger girl gave a look of expectancy, her eyes glossing over with some kind of coldness. He paused for a moment, watching her, as she kneeled on the ground. Licking his lips at the thought, he leaned against the war table, a growl of desire escaping him. The generals looked on in curiosity, wondering if the girl would be their new leader. That being said, the younger girl only continued to retain the stubbornness she had before childhood.

"Apologies, your highness. This is an extremely generous offer, but - "

With an intense rage, the male gripped onto her hair, refusing to hear her denial of him once more. He had thought he was past such days, but clearly, she wanted to suffer by his hand. Pulling at her hair, his eyes dilated and he began to growl in rage. Picking her up violently, he threw her onto the war table and climbed over her, ignoring her nails which sunk into his back. They drew blood, but he very obviously didn't care, his anger getting the best of him as he crashed his lips into hers.

"Ohh ~," he groaned, wincing and yet enjoying the pain she inflicted on him, "So many damn years and you're finally here in front of me ~. I won't let you escape from me! I don't care what I have to do! Your disgraced family can't do a thing for you! Can't you realize you can have everything if you just accept me! Stop being stubborn! Be mine!"

The generals in the room attempted to ignore the scene before them, but the male's irritated expression forced them to stay constantly on guard. He was already having signs of violence erupting within him, and it only accentuated the moment she refused him once more. With disgust and rage bursting within him, he grabbed at his sword and swung at the nearest person to him, the general perishing before he even reached the floor.

"There! Now your sister can take his place and earn her own compensation and military achievement. You can have it all! Just. Be. Mine."

The expression on the younger girl's face told him all he needed to know about her willingness to give him her hand in marriage. Despite the hopeless situation her family was in, she refused to have him by her side, refused to even consider it. Unable to stand the thought that he may never have her, he threw her over to the armed guards behind him, pulling on his hair with great distress, his eyes shivering.

"Take her to my room! Chain her up! Call the chief torturer! Make sure she can't move an inch! Do whatever you want, just make her love me!"

The guards gave a worried look at their crown prince's state of mind over the young warrior noble. When looking from his manic state of mind to her calm and composed expression and posture, something seemed amiss. It appeared as though he'd been fed poison, entranced so deeply by a girl that wanted nothing to do with him. As if to affirm that fact, an unsettling aura fell over the room as the (h/c) haired girl stepped forward in front of him.

"Do what you will," she whispered, staring daggers into the male's soul, "but you will never bend my mind to your wishes."

"Ah!" the male paused, his worried mumbles turning into deranged laughter, "You're so rigid! So annoying! So desirable!