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jedipoodoo · 8 months

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Secret Kingdoms Part Six (Sergeant Hunter x Reader Fantasy AU)

HAPPY 1000 FOLLOWERS TO MEEEEEEEE

Now THIS is the chapter you've been waiting for 👀👀👀👀

Notes: No warnings, just enjoy the fic. The next chapter will be the last part of this fic, but I am hoping to bring Omega into this AU soon and I have separate ideas for Echo and Crosshair in this AU, so look out for those ones!

The sunny day only served to sour the already miserable feelings stirring in your soul. You had always refused to shirk your duty when Padme and her family had been so generous and kind to you, but how could you face Padme after what had happened during the council? Her stubborn optimism would only remind you how hopeless your situation was. She was a princess, and you were a maid. There would always be that vast chasm between the two of you, and there would always be some things that she would get that you simply could not have.

You pulled up your hood to ward off the icy chill that had left frost on all the plants the night before. The kitchen maids were busy drying vegetables and fruits to preserve them for the colder months, and the seamstresses were working day and night to finish sewing all the winter clothes for the knights.

Speaking of the knights, you had somehow wound up at the training grounds again. You stood on the corner of the parapets, a short distance from the simpering noblewomen who were watching as usual.

There were trails in the frost where the men and their squires had walked. Only a few men were actually sparring, but the rest had congregated around Anakin and the other heroes of the war to offer their congratulations. Wrecker was blushing under all the praise, but he was kind enough to shield Crosshair from the majority of the accolades they were being lavished with. Anakin had his arms slung around Tech and Echo, describing in detail their infiltration of Dooku's fortress and their liberation of the great Red Dragon.

Hunter was nowhere to be seen, but that was for the best, supposedly. You turned to leave, still unable to get out of your own head and self pity, and smacked into a chest bearing the Naboo Crest.

"Milady!" Oh no.

Hunter gently pushed your hood back to see your face, giving you a joyful smile that made your heart melt and you couldn't help but smile back at him. How were you supposed to keep yourself from being in love with him when he was so happy to just see you?

"I'm so glad you're here, I've been meaning to talk with you."

You froze. Had the Duchess already proposed her idea to him?

Hunter didn't notice your reaction, glancing down at the training grounds and shaking his head, "They should be praising you too, you know."

"Me? Why?" you asked.

Hunter slipped your hand into the crook of his elbow, escorting you away from the grounds as he talked. "We wouldn't have won without you. You sacrificed yourself to save the princess, you discovered that Lula was trapped in the dungeons of Dooku's castle, and you're the one who befriended the Serrenians. My brothers and I may be Knights, but we would have been useless without your help."

You stared at your feet, letting yourself be led out of the castle to the meadows.

"Is everything alright, Milady?" he asked.

"Fine," You shook your head, "It's been a rough few weeks, you know?"

He chuckled softly, “You could say that. If anyone deserves a break, it’s you.”

You nodded, keeping silent as you reached the copse of trees where you’d had so many rendezvous together, whether to pass messages from the Princess to her knight, or to meet each other. Despite the forbidden nature of your excursions, it had filled you with a giddy joy to be with Hunter. Knowing that you wanted to be with him and he wanted to be with you, but the carefree nature of your intrigue had consumed you and almost erased any idea of your affair ever ending.

And it was all about to come to a head.

“Milady?” Hunter pushed your hood back to cradle your cheek, “Are you certain you’re alright? You look ashen. Do you need a snack from the kitchens or-”

“No,” You said, surprised at your own sharpness, “It’s not that, it’s just-”

To your horror, a sob tore its way out of your throat, and Hunter’s eyes went wide with alarm.

“What’s wrong?” He pressed, “Whatever it is, we can fix it.” He pulled you into his arms, caressing your hair and shielding you from the biting wind that cut across the field. All you wanted was to stay in his arms, shielded and protected from everything and anything that could ever hurt you, but you had to resist. Letting it go on much longer would only make this more painful for the both of you.

“Duchess Kryze is going to offer her sister’s hand in marriage to you.”

Hunter’s arms froze around you. You had found him out.

“They- they discussed it at the council meeting this morning. They’re going to split Serenno between you and your brothers, and then when you marry Lady Kryze, you’ll receive her lands too.”

Hunter took you by the shoulders and stepped back to look you in the eyes. You had never seen him look so confused before.

“Don’t wor-worry,” You tried to put on a brave face for him, “this will be good for you, and your brothers. You and Lady Kryze are both splendid warriors, you’ll be powerful allies for the King, and you’ll be able to help your brothers-”

“Who told you this?”

Hunter’s eyes narrowed, not looking at you, but at the castle just over your shoulder. You looked, but you couldn’t see what he was glaring at.

“The…the council?” you stammered out, “They discussed it all this morning.”

“No, who said I wanted to marry Lady Kryze?” Hunter threw his arms up in the air and spun about, pinching the bridge of his nose with a hand on his hip.

You felt very small and confused. So he hadn’t brought you here to let you down easily? He didn’t even know?

Your heart beat faster. If Hunter wasn’t going to marry Lady Kryze, there was only one other option before you.

You couldn’t let him do it, not with the fate of the kingdom hanging so precariously in the balance.

“Hunter, you’re a Duke now, you’ll have the responsibilities of a nobleman, you need someone who can help you with that.” You wrung your hands, “Someone who isn’t a chambermaid.”

Hunter’s eyes flashed to yours, but instead of anger, there was shock. His mouth dropped open and you could almost see the heartbreak etch itself across his face.

If you looked at him for too long, you were going to lose all the nerve you’d built up for yourself, so you looked down at the ground and turned to leave.

“Goodbye Hunter,” You whispered.

Before you could get too far, Hunter grabbed your arm, yanking you back towards him and crowding you up against the trunk of the ancient tree.

"I'm not marrying Lady Kryze, so get that idea out of your head. Whether or not I'm a Duke, there's only one person in the world I'm marrying and that's you."

Even the birds went silent as Hunter's confession rang out across the meadow. You took deep, heavy breaths as he kept his eyes locked on yours, intensely ablaze like a fire, waiting for your reply.

In the silence, Hunter seemed to rethink what he had said.

"That is... If you'll have me," He whispered. His hands slipped from your shoulders, catching your hands and holding them tightly as he dropped to one knee at your feet.

"But the title-"

"Means nothing unless you're at my side," He implored, "We saved this entire kingdom, King Ruwee can throw a fit all he wants, but I want you. If, and only if, you want me too."

The tears burned their tracks into your cheeks, and you slipped one of your hands from his grasp to cover your mouth, as if that would mask the ugly sobs echoing behind it.

Hunter pushed himself to his feet, wrapping his arms around you tightly.

"I need an answer, my lady," He whispered around the lump in his throat, pulling you closer and tucking your head beneath his chin as you grasped at his tunic, "As much as I love you I cannot read your mind and I have to know-"

"Yes!" You gasped at last, "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes."

Hunter covered the top of your head with kisses. He took your face in his hands, wiping tears away with his thumbs. "You're certain?"

"Yes," unladylike as it was, you wiped the tears away with the sleeve of your blouse, "They are happy tears."

He snorted with you, and pulled you in for a sweet kiss. It was short, you were having trouble breathing as is, but Hunter gathered you into his arms again and you both sat on the roots to save your strength.

"I would have asked you the moment the battle with Serenno was over, I just-" Hunter's fingers flexed as if they threatened to close into a fist, "You'd just been kidnapped and almost forced into a marriage, you'd dealt enough with that already, and I didn't want to upset you."

You looked up at him, tracing your finger along his tattooed jaw, "Marrying you is an entirely different matter from marrying Dooku."

"Glad to hear it," Hunter chuckled, and kissed you again.

You took a moment to just breathe in each other's arms, both of you processing the conversation that had just occurred.

"So now what do we do?" You asked.

Hunter nodded, "I have to tell King Ruwee of our... engagement. And you might have to help the princess find a new maid."

"Do you think the king will be mad?" You squeaked.

Hunter kissed your forehead again, "I doubt it. If he does, at his age, it could very well kill him and we won't have to deal with it anyway."

"Hunter!" You scolded him and went in to slap his shoulder, but Hunter caught your hand. He splayed your fingers against his palm, studying them closely.

"What kind of ring would you like?" he asked.

"Ring?" you blinked at him.

"We're engaged now. Isn't it tradition for the man to present his bride to be with a ring that symbolizes their future union?"

"Ah, yes?" You shook your head, "I've never thought of it." you never imagined you'd be in such a situation, where any proposals of marriage were made to you, where someone actually noticed you in comparison to the princess that you served.

"Any ring will do, really."

Hunter kissed your temple, "I have something that may work," he murmured to you.

"I found this,” He pressed something into the palm of your hand, and you gasped to realize it was the pendant he made you.

“Where-”

“It fell in the river when the princess escaped,” Hunter rested his head against yours. "When I was first making this, I thought... Perhaps it could be a wedding present. Like a ring. But then..."

You knew what had happened. You found him carving it and just had to see what he was carving. Then war had broken out and you had been captured.

“Milady I was so worried when the princess told us you’d been taken too. I don’t know what I would have done, if…”

Instead of finishing his sentence, Hunter wrapped his arms around you, cradling your head to his shoulder.

But there was no "if". Dooku was foiled and killed, and you were safe. Hunter had rescued you. It was just like the stories of old, where the Prince always rescued the Princess.

What an odd princess you were, then.

You held the necklace to your chest, resting against Hunter's shoulder, not worried in the slightest who could see you. The breeze whispered through the trees, carrying with it the scent of drying lavender and the sound of the laundry workers singing as they went about their chores

You stood arm in arm with Hunter in the center of the throne room. Hunter held your hand to keep it tucked in his elbow. If he wasn't holding your hand, you were certain that you would have fallen. Your legs were trembling, and your breath was caught in your throat. Everyone was staring at you and whispering. You had no idea how Padme did this every day.

Padme was seated in her throne, beaming at you as she fidgeted in excitement. Duke Anakin stood just behind her, leaning against the throne as he sent you and Hunter a wink. Queen Jobal sat in her throne, regal and composed as ever, King Ruwee paced the dias, studying you and Hunter with a passive expression.

“This is…an unprecedented request,” King Ruwee said at last.

Hunter squared his shoulders, “Perhaps so, your majesty. But it is hardly a troublesome thing to ask.”

Several of the nobles began to shout in protest, insisting on “order” and “propriety” and “society as we know it collapsing.” Padme hand to hold Anakin back, though she looked livid at everyone’s reactions as well. If it weren’t for Hunter holding you so tightly, you would be running from the throne room. A thousand dragons were preferable to facing the entire court of Naboo.

You told yourself not to look at any of your spectators, as it would only serve to make you more upset, but Duke Kenobi caught your eye.

He had been the start of all this, a dance with him at a Royal ball that brought you to everyone’s attention, but especially Hunter’s. He had seen you as a lady then, mistaken you for a highborn noble, and treated you as such, but from the way he looked at you now, he might still be thinking of you as such. He and his wife were seated calmly, watching the display of the rest of nobility with something akin to disgust. Even though her plans were being ruined, Duchess Satine didn’t seem the least bit perturbed. Duke Kenobi smiled at you, offering his support, and it made you stand a little bit taller.

If Duke Kenobi could see you as a lady, if Hunter saw you as the most noble of women, then you would have to make everyone else see it too.

“If I may, your majesty,” Your voice carried through the throne room, and King Ruwee held up his hands for silence. He was dealing with this a lot better than you thought he would.

You took a few steps forward, letting your hand slip from Hunter’s as you fell into an easy curtsy.

“All my life, I have tried to serve the crown of Naboo. Since I was a child you have given me every opportunity to improve my life, and I am most grateful for it.”

Your eyes fell to Padme, rather than her father.

“When Princess Padme was kidnapped, it was I who helped her to escape so that she could be rescued by Lord Skywalker. I infiltrated the kingdom of Serenno, uncovered Dooku’s plot to destroy Naboo and the Nine Kingdoms, and helped destroy his army of golems.”

The nobles remained silent, and some of them were even going pale. It was obvious they had not heard of your involvement in the war effort before.

“It would be foolish of me to ask for anything in return after all the kingdom of Naboo has done for me, but I love…” The words caught in your throat, and you had to look back at him. If none of this worked out, you needed him to know.

“I love you, Hunter.”

His eyes were filled with warmth and adoration, and if he didn’t know how embarrassed you would be to be swept off your feet and kissed in front of the entire court he would have done so immediately.

You took a deep breath and returned your focus to King Ruwee, “I love Sir Hunter, your majesty. And if you will permit us, we will be loyal to you and to the Kingdom of Naboo for the rest of our days.”

It was silent in the Throne Room for a few moments as King Ruwee contemplated your plea. Your legs were shaking, and you felt Hunter come up beside you to wrap his arm around your shoulder. You always felt stronger when he was by your side.

King Ruwee turned to his daughter, Who sat with her own knight in shining armor at her side.

“My dear princess, what would you decide? Are you willing to let your beloved friend go?”

Your heart soared. You knew what Padme would say.

Padme nodded without hesitation, “Yes, father. If anyone deserves such happiness, it’s her.”

King Ruwee simply nodded.

“Kneel before me,” King Ruwee beckoned you and Hunter forward. Your heart raced as you glanced at Hunter, and he squeezed your hand tightly.

“As King of Naboo, I hereby announce you both as the Duke and Duchess of Serenno.”

A duchess. The King had just made you a duchess. A common-born maid had just become a duchess. Applause rippled through the room, even from those who had opposed. Your marriage was sealed by the King himself, no one could oppose you now.

“Thank you, your majesty,” Hunter held your hand as you both bowed to the king. Your legs were about to give way, but Hunter kept his arm around you, gently easing you through the crowd of congratulations.

The Throne Room was in an uproar, some in protest, some in celebration, and some noblewomen mourning the loss of such a catch as your betrothed would be.

Duke Kenobi was the first to approach and congratulate you. Anakin jogged down from the dias with Padme not too far behind and threw his arms around Hunter. Hunter's brothers surrounded you, clapping Hunter on the back and welcoming you to their family.

Padme hugged you tightly, “I told you it would all go well!” She boasted.

It felt like hours had gone by before the crowd thinned out, and Duke Kenobi offered you his seat.

“That doesn’t mean you’re married, right? You’ve gotta have a wedding!” Wrecker insisted.

“It was merely a betrothal,” Tech explained, “King Ruwee also had to elevate her status as proper.”

“I’m only mad I didn’t get to do it myself,” Padme took your hands and squeezed them.

“Congratulations, Your Grace,” Duchess Kryze said softly. She placed a hand on your shoulder, and you flushed in embarrassment. You had thrown a bowl of punch on her and nearly dropped another pitcher of wine on her lap just that morning. Yet here she was offering you her congratulations.

“Thank you,” You said quietly.

“If there is anything my husband and I can do to help you, please let me know. There is a certain tutor that taught myself and my sister as we were growing up, perhaps you would like an introduction?”

You felt slightly abashed at the idea, but if you were to be a duchess after a life living as a commoner, you were going to need someone to teach you how life as a Duchess worked.

“I would appreciate that, thank you.”

Finally, you and Hunter were left alone in the hall. Your friends stood a few paces off, discussing your upcoming wedding, since in technicality you weren’t supposed to be left alone without a chaperone.

(not that that had stopped you before…)

Hunter sat beside you on the bench and took your hand.

“How does it feel to be a duchess, milady?”

“You’re going to have to stop calling me that,” You rolled your eyes.

“A duchess is still called a lady, even if she has a few other names under her belt,” Hunter said.

“Perhaps,” You agreed, “But I was wondering how it would feel to be called your wife.”

Lady Luck (Prequel)

#lizart writes #sergeant hunter #sergeant hunter x reader #tbb hunter #tbb hunter x reader #the bad batch hunter #the bad batch hunter x reader #fantasy au #medieval au #bad batch au

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