[ It feels like a lifetime since Prince James was just Bucky and he and Steve had been inseparable. He remembers those days so fondly, but these days he has so many duties he's started to take over and a lot more is expected of him. He has less and less time for fun or even remembering fun.
It's been a few years since he's seen Steve, who'd struck out on a journey to prove himself to the crown. He'd never had to do anything to prove himself to Bucky, but Bucky's father hadn't favored Steve the way Bucky had.
At first, he'd worried that he would never see Steve again, but he'd tried to quell his anxiety. Steve had always been strong-willed and capable. Bucky had to have faith that he would return safely.
Finally, he'd settled into a rhythm of learning the duties he was to take over and thinking of Steve out there when time permitted.
Today, though, he's thinking of Steve quite a bit more. His childhood friend has finally returned to court and though he hasn't managed to get away from his meetings with his father to see him, they're to greet him formally in just a few short hours. If he's honest, he hasn't heard a single word in this meeting. Has Steve been thinking of him as much as he's thought of Steve? Bucky would be lying to say he hasn't worried that Steve might fall in love with the freedom of his adventures.]
[ he rides with the seasoned knights of the realm, and the dust of the roads is still on his shoulders; he tastes it settled into the grooves of his tongue where it lays against his teeth clenched together.
homecoming.
the trumpets welcome them, the banners ripple through the air and the skies are blue and kissed with clouds. an auspicious day after a week of rain, and the fields around them swell with the moisture of it, the color of health. the harvests will be soon, their arrival timely. a festival will greet them to celebrate their return and their victories abroad.
but his teeth remain clenched as he smiles down on village faces at the outskirts of the castle, well-defended by its fortress.
homecoming.
will it feel like home, at all? he was a different creature, here, years ago. a small thing, a weak thing, a boy stuffed to the brim full with dreams no one but he, a common squire, believed would come true.
he and one other. his best friend in all the world. the crown prince.
he'd wanted so much to make his cherished friend proud, but now... it's been so many long, hard-worn years that he's no longer certain how much the prince would even remember of their time together. he'd left as a wisp of a teenager, a squire, and now he's returned for the knighting ceremony this evening a changed man. no doubt, prince james has undergone his own changes, has his own weighty concerns as the crown inheritor.
all steven wants is to serve him well. at least let him do that. defend him and the realm with his life and full honor.
he follows the rest of the riding party into the courtyard where they dismount, where he does his best to treat his horse gently and not betray his nerves. they are not provided with much time before the swearing of the oaths; he does his best to wash the road from his face and body, change into a formal tunic, and wipe clean his armor.
then he's entering the great hall with the others, trying to look straight ahead, pay attention, and not look anxiously about the crowd for the face he once knew. ]
[ The trumpets blow and all Bucky can think is that he wishes everything would hurry up. All this formality is killing him. He's gotten used to it, but the prospect of seeing his dearest friend sends him back to the impatience of his youth.
As the ceremony approaches, Bucky sits to his father's left. It's his father who will do the knighting today, but it's a responsibility that will one day fall to Bucky, so he is here to watch and to be seen. Most of his time these days is spent making himself visible in the right places and learning about everything he'll do once his father dies. It's a morbid sort of thought to have to dwell on so much, but the country demands it of him.
He scans the soon-to-be-knights, hoping to catch a glimpse of Steve, but the angle isn't helpful and all he can see are broad shoulders and strong arms. Surely they wouldn't have lied to him about Steve's return!
It's not until Steve's name is called for him to step up to the throne that Bucky gets a good look at the man Steve has grown into.
Steve is no longer the skinny squire who had left Bucky here. He's filled out with hard muscles and a confident gait that suits him.
Bucky can't help staring, but once he catches himself, he smiles at Steve as much as he can without drawing too much attention to himself. Surely, if anyone has earned this, it's Steve. He'll have to find him at the banquet later.
Even his father gives Steve a smile and glances back at Bucky. It's not easy to make a king proud. ]
[ prince james... bucky is much taller now, standing proudly to the right of his father. his hair is long and well-tended beneath a delicate circlet inlaid with fine jewels, and his fine robes compliment a robust figure, clearly the result of arduous formal training. he's a man, now. they both are, though bucky was never so waiflike as steve was in danger of being.
but that smile is as bright and almost impolitic as ever. he'd recognize it anywhere.
steve stops himself just in time from biting down on his lip, the gesture of someone shy or anxious he hasn't known in a long time, moving instead to moisten it as he returns the smile warmly, politely, to his friend and to the king.
it is his turn to kneel. he's almost dizzy with the weight of this dream he's bled for, finally come true.
he hears the words — ]
— Sir Steven, Knight of the Realm. Rise and serve.
[ he stands slowly, bows once more to the king.
his eyes lock with bucky's for just a moment too long before he turns and walks to the banquet table, trembling.
he thinks for all the world his armor cannot contain him, he will go everywhere at once, and is infinitely glad a squire is there to help him out of his various plates before he makes for his seat. ]
[ The rest of the ceremony is a blur to Bucky, because he can't take his eyes off of Steve. He's spent so long missing his friend, he tells himself. That's why he can't look away or stop admiring the way he looks now.
Other men are knighted, but Bucky can only passively glance at them a second or two at a time before his eyes go back to Steve, whose own squire is helping him out of his armor. As the pieces fall away, Bucky can only be more impressed by the man beneath. Steve must have worked hard to become so fit and muscular.
If a man can be beautiful, he thinks the man Steve has become must be.
He finds himself seated at the same table as Steve, but too far away to talk without yelling over others and he knows better than to do that, but as they eat, he keeps sneaking glances at Steve that eventually turn into little smiles. By the end, he has no idea what Sir Odinson has been talking about next to him, but the man seems unaware that Bucky hasn't been listening and on his other side, a knight whose name he doesn't know is deep in conversation with a man he recognizes from his father's personal guard.
After the meal, he knows there will be entertainment and the mood will turn less formal. He'll be able to slip away from his own guard and the eyes of the court so that he can great Steve more personally.
He only hopes Steve will still want to speak to him informally. Surely a brave knight will have the attention and even friendship of many people more interesting than Bucky, who's spent all these years in the same dusty old castle that Steve had left. ]
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keepcruising2018-06-24 09:11 pm
no subject
It's been a few years since he's seen Steve, who'd struck out on a journey to prove himself to the crown. He'd never had to do anything to prove himself to Bucky, but Bucky's father hadn't favored Steve the way Bucky had.
At first, he'd worried that he would never see Steve again, but he'd tried to quell his anxiety. Steve had always been strong-willed and capable. Bucky had to have faith that he would return safely.
Finally, he'd settled into a rhythm of learning the duties he was to take over and thinking of Steve out there when time permitted.
Today, though, he's thinking of Steve quite a bit more. His childhood friend has finally returned to court and though he hasn't managed to get away from his meetings with his father to see him, they're to greet him formally in just a few short hours. If he's honest, he hasn't heard a single word in this meeting. Has Steve been thinking of him as much as he's thought of Steve? Bucky would be lying to say he hasn't worried that Steve might fall in love with the freedom of his adventures.]
no subject
homecoming.
the trumpets welcome them, the banners ripple through the air and the skies are blue and kissed with clouds. an auspicious day after a week of rain, and the fields around them swell with the moisture of it, the color of health. the harvests will be soon, their arrival timely. a festival will greet them to celebrate their return and their victories abroad.
but his teeth remain clenched as he smiles down on village faces at the outskirts of the castle, well-defended by its fortress.
homecoming.
will it feel like home, at all? he was a different creature, here, years ago. a small thing, a weak thing, a boy stuffed to the brim full with dreams no one but he, a common squire, believed would come true.
he and one other. his best friend in all the world.
the crown prince.
he'd wanted so much to make his cherished friend proud, but now... it's been so many long, hard-worn years that he's no longer certain how much the prince would even remember of their time together. he'd left as a wisp of a teenager, a squire, and now he's returned for the knighting ceremony this evening a changed man. no doubt, prince james has undergone his own changes, has his own weighty concerns as the crown inheritor.
all steven wants is to serve him well. at least let him do that.
defend him and the realm with his life and full honor.
he follows the rest of the riding party into the courtyard where they dismount, where he does his best to treat his horse gently and not betray his nerves. they are not provided with much time before the swearing of the oaths; he does his best to wash the road from his face and body, change into a formal tunic, and wipe clean his armor.
then he's entering the great hall with the others, trying to look straight ahead, pay attention, and not look anxiously about the crowd for the face he once knew. ]
no subject
As the ceremony approaches, Bucky sits to his father's left. It's his father who will do the knighting today, but it's a responsibility that will one day fall to Bucky, so he is here to watch and to be seen. Most of his time these days is spent making himself visible in the right places and learning about everything he'll do once his father dies. It's a morbid sort of thought to have to dwell on so much, but the country demands it of him.
He scans the soon-to-be-knights, hoping to catch a glimpse of Steve, but the angle isn't helpful and all he can see are broad shoulders and strong arms. Surely they wouldn't have lied to him about Steve's return!
It's not until Steve's name is called for him to step up to the throne that Bucky gets a good look at the man Steve has grown into.
Steve is no longer the skinny squire who had left Bucky here. He's filled out with hard muscles and a confident gait that suits him.
Bucky can't help staring, but once he catches himself, he smiles at Steve as much as he can without drawing too much attention to himself. Surely, if anyone has earned this, it's Steve. He'll have to find him at the banquet later.
Even his father gives Steve a smile and glances back at Bucky. It's not easy to make a king proud. ]
no subject
but that smile is as bright and almost impolitic as ever.
he'd recognize it anywhere.
steve stops himself just in time from biting down on his lip, the gesture of someone shy or anxious he hasn't known in a long time, moving instead to moisten it as he returns the smile warmly, politely, to his friend and to the king.
it is his turn to kneel. he's almost dizzy with the weight of this dream he's bled for, finally come true.
he hears the words — ]
— Sir Steven, Knight of the Realm. Rise and serve.
[ he stands slowly, bows once more to the king.
his eyes lock with bucky's for just a moment too long before he turns and walks to the banquet table, trembling.
he thinks for all the world his armor cannot contain him, he will go everywhere at once, and is infinitely glad a squire is there to help him out of his various plates before he makes for his seat. ]
no subject
Other men are knighted, but Bucky can only passively glance at them a second or two at a time before his eyes go back to Steve, whose own squire is helping him out of his armor. As the pieces fall away, Bucky can only be more impressed by the man beneath. Steve must have worked hard to become so fit and muscular.
If a man can be beautiful, he thinks the man Steve has become must be.
He finds himself seated at the same table as Steve, but too far away to talk without yelling over others and he knows better than to do that, but as they eat, he keeps sneaking glances at Steve that eventually turn into little smiles. By the end, he has no idea what Sir Odinson has been talking about next to him, but the man seems unaware that Bucky hasn't been listening and on his other side, a knight whose name he doesn't know is deep in conversation with a man he recognizes from his father's personal guard.
After the meal, he knows there will be entertainment and the mood will turn less formal. He'll be able to slip away from his own guard and the eyes of the court so that he can great Steve more personally.
He only hopes Steve will still want to speak to him informally. Surely a brave knight will have the attention and even friendship of many people more interesting than Bucky, who's spent all these years in the same dusty old castle that Steve had left. ]