This is a different fanfiction that takes place a year after the war ended. I also wanted to keep Guilford the same as he was when he was introduced, he was so much cuter then. <3
It was March of 2019 and the war that had shaken Britannia to its very core and liberated Japan as a free nation once more had been over for roughly a year. The 100th empress of the Holy Britannian Empire, Nunnally vi Britannia, had held the domain once ruled over by her corrupt father and older brother ever since the end of that terrible conflict.
Other residents of the rebuilt royal palace included Nunnally's older sister Cornelia li Britannia, and her knight Gilbert G.P. Guilford. There were other inhabitants, but they mattered little in the grand scheme of things.
Cornelia still slept peacefully in her sleeping chambers. She wore a silky light purple top with matching pajama bottoms. Her knight had no idea his princess was still sleeping.
“Princess, are you still sleeping?” Guilford peeked into her room and blushed. “It’s time to wake up, your highness. I hope you aren’t going to sleep all day.”
Cornelia laid there sleeping as any gorgeous princess would. He really wished he didn’t have to wake her. His cheeks turned bright red as he found himself adoring how cute she looked laying there.
“Your highness. You must wake up.” He stroked her cheek and placed a strand of her violet hair behind her ear. “Don’t make this difficult for me.”
Cornelia finally started opening her silver-violet eyes as she looked up at her night. The strap of her pajama top slung over her bare shoulder. This caused his cheeks to turn extremely red.
“Um… I-I’ll s-s-stay outside u-until you are dressed, milady.” He walked out of her room and closed the door behind him. “But your highness, please open the door when you are ready.”
“Well, well… what do we have here?” The voice of a strange man with rectangular glasses replied. “Peeking in on the princess while she’s asleep, Lord Guilford?”
“I would never do such a thing as that. It is my duty to awaken the princess for today’s errands.” He explained as his cheeks reddened again.
“Lord Guilford, I apologize for his behavior. He really doesn’t know how to act around people.” She explained with a smile.
Cornelia opened the door, causing him to almost fall backwards. His cheeks were still red when she came out wearing her usual white gloves, maroon cape and a matching puffy sleeve shirt with gold buttons and royal patchwork embroidered down to her stomach. She also were dark blue capris that matched this outfit.
“Milady, you look very… pretty today.” He replied as his cheeks continued to stay as red as they could.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to flatter me?” She nudged his arm with her elbow and smiled. “Anyway, are we all set on going to the opera, my knight?”
“Yes, your highness.” He walked beside her as he had always done for years.
Guilford was wearing his usual uniform which was a Red coat with gold ornamentation held in place with a purple sash. He also wore white trousers and black boots to go along with it.
“Cornelia, where are you and Guilford going?” Nunnally had asked them. “If you’re going to the opera again, I want to come along too.”
“Sorry, Nana but… this is something Guilford and I do on our own time.” She smiled at her little sister.
“Oh, so you guys are going on a date?” She teased her sister.
Both Cornelia and Guilford blushed at the same time. Neither of them thought of their outings as dates. It was simply a daily routine, or a usual thing they did together.
“I-I wouldn’t c-call it that e-exactly…” She couldn’t ever think of a date with her knight. “He is my knight and my trusted friend! I couldn’t possibly think of him as more.”
“But you two would make such a cute couple.” Nunnally giggled as the blushed more.
Cornelia managed to escape her sister’s teasing before it got too much for her. The two of them climbed into the car in total silence. Sometimes they said nothing at all to each other and other times they had.
“Princess, do you even know what we are going to see?” He asked her, as his eyes met hers. “We never see the same show twice.”
“The one we are seeing now is called, Phantom of the Opera. I’ve heard its quite good as well.” She told him.
“But isn’t it kind of… romantic?” His cheeks blushed slightly at the sound of that word.
“Does that bother you?” She looked up to see him blushing. “Guilford, don’t even think of getting any ideas.”
“Yes, your highness.” He resisted from running his hand over thigh. “Let us just have a good time at this play.”
“That is all I ask of you, my knight.” She didn’t seem to scold him when he finally mustered up the courage just to rub her thigh. It only seemed to make her blush. “Can I put my head on your shoulder?”
“If you wish, milady.” He knew she hadn’t been sleeping well lately. “I don’t mind if you fall asleep on me either, princess.”
“Guilford, don’t push your luck.” She replied, as she placed her head on his shoulder. “I never said I was going to fall asleep.”
“Yes, your highness.” He started to blush when her head really was on his shoulder.
It was long before she did end up falling asleep. Guilford placed his arm around her so the bumps wouldn’t wake her. She hadn’t woken up until they reached their destination.
“You said you wouldn’t fall asleep, your highness.” He knew it was a bad idea to pick on the princess but he couldn’t resist how cute she looked sleeping on him like that.
“I didn’t do it intentionally. I happened to get too-Oh never mind.” Her cheeks turned bright red. “It doesn’t make any difference either way.”
“You were about to say you got too comfortable, huh?” He smiled at her.
“Didn’t I tell you not get any ideas?” She replied to him though with a smile. “Let’s get our tickets and proceed to the balcony.”
Once their tickets were acquired, the two of them sat in the balcony part of the stage. It was the one place that only those of the Holy Britannian Empire could sit. Cornelia and Guilford had sat here since no one else seemed to enjoy plays that were alive.
Cornelia had fallen asleep during the first half of the play. Her knight had picked her up and carried her back to the royal car once it was over. His cheeks were red the whole time her head had rested against his lap.
Guilford noticed her finally waking up as she rubbed her eyes. She sat up immediately after realizing where her head was. It didn’t seem right for her to act this way towards her knight.
“It’s okay, Princess Cornelia… if you’re still feeling tired you can rest in my lap.” He had advised her. “You’ll have some comfort while the car is moving.”
Cornelia placed her head into his lap which at first felt a little awkward. It was rather comforting to lay like this while her knight rubbed her back. Her feelings to him were quite obvious and she really did love him.
Guilford realized how quiet it was with his princess sleeping. His cheeks turned a bright red when he realized how cute she looked. There was so much he wanted to do but considering her royal position, it would only seem wrong.
“I love you, Princess Cornelia.” He whispered to himself, knowing she wouldn’t hear what he said.
Cornelia lifted her head from his lap to see he had fallen asleep. His elbow was resting against the arm rest while his cheek lay against his fist. This made her blush since she had never seen her knight sleeping before.
“Your highness… we’ve reached the palace.” The chauffer had told her. “You can get out now.”
Guilford had woke up open hearing his voice. His cheeks turned red when he realized he had also fallen asleep. It wasn’t something he did on a daily basis when he was with the princess.
“Looks like I’m not the only that hasn’t been getting much sleep.” She smiled as they got out of the car. “You always complain when I get no sleep.”
“I apologize for that, your highness.” He gave a huge yawn. “Seeing you sleeping kind of made me a little tired too.”
Cornelia was glad to be home and couldn’t help feel compassion towards him. It only felt right that they somehow belonged together. She just didn’t want to lose him again because their devotion to each other was so strong.
To be continued…
Chapter two is coming up after this by the way.