Princess! Handong x Suitor! Reader - Queen of Aces
A/N: Hi guys, girls, and non-binary pearls! I hope everything is well for everyone! ❤️
TW: Reader and their family is struggling financially, crowds, reader is kind of mean and a nervous wreck under pressure, Handong's parents are kinda shady (obviously not irl, this is just part of the storyline, please just go along and ✨️suspend your disbelief✨️)
Summary: Desperate to single-handedly save their family from ruin, Reader takes a wager and tries to woo the princess. What happens when their last resort actually works, and, to complicate matters further, they fall in love with said princess?
♡ Masterlist ♡
Why are the fanciest clothes so insufferable? Is it really such a crime to look good?
You pull at the collar of your top for what must be the millionth time as the sun beats down on you. You grab a lace handkerchief from your pocket as you attempt to wipe sweat from your face.
I’m meeting royalty, right? I have to look as best as I can!
The royal gardens in this castle make the one at your mansion look like child’s play. Flowers from many different countries and empires line every walkway, and the walkways themselves twist and turn around every possible space that encloses the garden. The fence of the garden is a eight-foot tall hedge that surrounds the palace on three sides, and it naturally combines with the castle to create a privacy wall that keeps prying eyes away.
You’re not the only suitor that’s waiting under the scorching sun for a chance to meet the famed princess herself - Handong. Her beauty is said to be unmatched by any other in the land, but no one has ever seen more than a black and white sketch of some of her basic features. Even then, it was rumored that it was commissioned by none other than the princess herself to settle the rumors that she was some sort of horrid monster because she stayed hidden from sight.
The others in line ahead of you are experiencing varying degrees of nervousness. Some look like they’re ready to bolt when given the chance to go, and others look like this is something that they do every day. All of them, however, share one difference to you - they all have an expensive gift in their hands. Some are holding jewelry boxes, others have roses and chocolates, and some even have items that are famous in their home countries or kingdoms.
You, on the other hand, had gone for a more understated approach. One of you dearest friends, Lisa, had taken up tailoring and sewing as a way of “curing her endless boredom”, or so she said. It didn’t take much convincing for you to get her to make a small stuffed cat, one that was big enough to be cradled between your arms. Although Lisa made you promise to tell her where her work was going after it was delivered, it was a worthy sacrifice to make in order to have the cute yet odd creature in your hands right now, at this moment.
I wonder if any of these people are in the same situation that I am?
The truth was, your family was struggling for money. They had enough money to scrape by, but the maids and servants that you dearly loved as a child were now jobless and looking for other forms of employment. From what you had heard from late-night discussions that you weren’t supposed to hear, the family would only have enough money for another month or so before they had to start selling off farmland and the other properties, like the lake that you and your friends had gone swimming in as teens.
So, a potential marriage with royalty would more than solve your family’s money issues. You weren’t looking for love nor a happy marriage; instead, you wanted a way to save your family from becoming one that lived on the rugged roads. Was this surefire? No, but it was better than leaving everything up to fate.
What is fate, if not a cruel mistress to everyone that happens to meet it?
You feel your nerves start to rise as the line starts to diminish in front of you. You weren’t the last person to go because whenever you looked back, the line that gathered behind you seemed to grow longer and longer as time dragged on. You dared to glance back one last time before a royal guard approached you.
It’s now or never, I guess.
“Are you ready to meet the princess?” They ask, and you gently nod your head.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” You mutter at a barely audible volume as the guard leads you along another path.
The flowers seem to increase in intensity, number, and color as you continue to travel along this path.
This place is stunning… no wonder why the princess wanted to meet her future partner here.
You remember the day that the announcement was made - an announcement about the future Queen needing to find a partner urgently before her spot on the throne was given to someone else.
~
Lisa dragged you down the main crossroads in the middle of the kingdom as you protested against her.
“Lisa, for the thousandth time, I do not give a shit about what the royals have to say!” You loudly exclaimed as Lisa scoffs.
“Well, I do happen to give a shit about what the royals have to say, so I’m here. Since no one else will let me drag them along, I had to bring you. If I knew how much complaining you were going to do, I would have left your ass at home.”
“Thanks, Lisa, I appreciate the invitation.” You rolled your eyes before intentionally trying to keep up with Lisa’s long strides. “Do you always walk this fast, or are you just excited because the castle is releasing correspondence with the kingdom after ten years of unbearable silence?”
“So you do admit that you’re curious too!” Lisa teased as a large crowd began to gather around the town square, which was where the announcement was to take place.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Lisa, but I do have to admit that I am a little intrigued. What would be so urgent that the royals feel the need to hold such an old-school method of communication?”
“You really are a mood-killer, Y/N!” Lisa whined as you finally stopped moving.
You two managed to find a good spot in the crowd where you could see the stage, yet you still had the anonymity of being in a crowd.
“Considering the fact that neither of us are supposed to be out, don’t you think that my behavior is warranted?” You folded your arms in disapproval as Lisa offered you one of her infamous shit-eating grins.
“You are criticizing the royals for an ‘old-school method of communication’, yet you talk like my grandmother half of the time!”
You smacked Lisa square on her right shoulder, which caused her to howl out in pain.
“You deserved that, Lisa. Don’t say you didn’t.”
“I hate you, Y/N.” She huffed.
“I strongly dislike you too.”
“You see what I mean Y/N-” She stops talking before pointing to the stage, “-there! Right there! The town crier is here to deliver the news!”
The crowd went into an uproar as the town crier held a piece of parchment in their hands. They clear their throat, and the crowd’s noise dissolved into hushed murmurs as they began to speak.
“It is my absolute pleasure and joy to be giving such an announcement on behalf of the royal family.” They pause to clear their throat again before beginning to read from the parchment.
“Dearest, kindest folks of our gracious and noble kingdom - we appreciate your continuous support throughout the past ten years. It has been a rough journey for our family, and although this is a story we are not yet ready to share, we still have exciting and invigorating news to deliver to you all. As you may or may not know, we, the King and Queen, are starting to age in a less-than-graceful way. We are more than excited to say that our eldest daughter, Handong, has verbally expressed her interest in the throne, and we are more than willing to step down to allow her to lead as well as we know she can. The issue arises with the constitution that states that only men can lead the throne without a partner to rule by their side. Since Handong does not have a partner, she cannot take the throne unless we either make a constitutional change, or if she marries within the next year; otherwise, the ability to rule the kingdom will pass down through the line of succession until we find an heir that can take the throne. Our daughter has decided to willingly accept these terms - to find a partner - but she wishes to do so on her own terms. As her parents, we fully support these terms as we find them to be fair and reasonable in every possible way. Therefore, we are more than happy to announce that any unmarried land-owning or descendant of a land-owning person can come to the castle next week for a chance to marry the princess, and we will welcome them with open arms. Handong believes that anyone is fit to rule next to her, no matter how much or little wealth they may have. We look forward to seeing who all may come to us next week. Prepare as much or as little as you wish, but come with a desire for nothing but the best for our kingdom and our daughter.”
The crowd broke into another uproar as the town crier slinks off of the stage. Every person is talking with their minds going much faster than their mouths can articulate. You don’t blame any of them at all - it isn’t every day that a silent empire says that they’ll welcome any person into their castle with the intention to marry their daughter.
“Well, I’ll be damned. I guess I owe Jisoo those coins.” Lisa shrugged as you just sighed.
“You really bet about what the announcement was about?”
“What can I say: I like to play the game!” She laughed before shaking her head. “I said that it would be about the state of the kingdom, and Jisoo bet me that it was about Handong. I thought she was totally bullshitting me, so I bet against her. I swear she’s a witch, I mean, how could she know that?”
“Handong’s our age, right?” You mutter softly as the gears in your head start to churn.
“Yeah, somewhere around us. She might be a year or two older.” Lisa snapped her head in your direction. “You’re not thinking about actually doing that, right?”
“No, I wouldn’t do that. I’d never have a chance!” You lied straight through your teeth to Lisa, but it wasn’t like she would know the difference.
She didn’t know about your money troubles, and if you had everything your way, she would never have the chance to.
~
You take another deep breath to calm your fast-beating heart as the guard awaits for you to cross under the white-painted wooden arch. Once you passed through there, all bets were off on what would happen.
And I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t say that was a terrifying possibility.
You give the cat in your arms a reassuring squeeze before you nod at the guard. They move from their position, and you get a soft and quick ‘good luck’ before they’re off to gather the next suitor in line.
It’s just a one-time thing, and it’s not like this crazy plan of mine will work anyways. What’s the chance that she will actually like me based on my first impression? I should just hurry up and get this over with.
You sigh while setting yourself up for preemptive disappointment. You loosen your grip on the stuffed cat as you pass through the wooden arch.
You look around and you see a mostly-blank grassy area that’s closed off from the rest of the garden by more tall hedges. A small wooden shed sits in the way back of the private garden, and you assume that’s where the gardeners keep their equipment.
It’s just like our property… except for the fact that it’s much smaller and we no longer have any gardeners to take care of our property.
The only other thing in this private garden is a small picnic table, and sitting at that table is none other than the princess herself.
My goodness, she’s prettier than I could’ve ever imagined!
Wearing nothing more than a simple black, knee-length dress and matching black flats is Handong herself. Her blonde hair is neatly combed back to show off her beautiful facial features. She gently sits at the table, as if any motion would cause the picnic table to break into a million pieces. Her brown eyes express nothing but pure boredom as she waves you forward.
“Another suitor?” Handong huffs as you immediately make your way over to her. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m sorry about the disturbance, Princess.” You quickly apologize before offering her a short bow.
Maybe that will get me in her good graces?
After bowing, you look at her face, and you notice that her eyebrows are scrunched, and an amused smile is on Handong’s face.
“You aren’t royalty, right?” She asks before softly giggling to herself. “If you are, then it’ll be the first time that a royal has ever bowed to me.”
“Oh no, my family owns a few farms just outside of the kingdom.” You explain as you glance over to the open spot on the picnic table. “May I sit?”
Handong laughs again, which causes you to frown.
Have I done something incorrectly? I thought those courtesy lessons from my private tutor were supposed to help me in situations like this…
“Go right ahead. I could use some…” She trails off as she looks at the sky. “How should I word this… competent company, perhaps?”
“I’d be more than delighted to, Princ-”
“Please call me Handong. I hate when people use such formalities with me. It feels like I’m talking to my grandparents.” She chuckles as you take a seat opposite from her. “May I ask what you’ve brought with you? It doesn’t look like you’ve brought a crown jewel or something else of extreme value.”
She gestures towards the stuffed cat in your arms, and you immediately hand her the cat.
“My best friend made it.” You explain as she admires every feature of the cat, as if it’s the most interesting thing that she’s ever seen. “I wanted to bring you something that would bring you comfort after a rough day. I used to have many stuffed animals like that one, and they would comfort me after I had a tough lesson with my teacher or I got scolded by one of our maids for sneaking out some baked goods.”
“I love cats. My parents never let me have one since I was too busy, you know, training to be the future leader of a country. I appreciate the gift.” Handong gently holds the stuffed cat in her arms, and a smile settles on your face as you feel yourself start to relax.
You can do this, Y/N. She’s just like any other person. There’s nothing to be scared about!
“Are you scared about being the future Queen?” You ask out of curiosity, and you notice Handong tense up, so you immediately backpedal. “I mean, you don’t have to answer the question. It’s totally personal and I’m such an as-”
Handong reaches out and squeezes your hand, which silences you from the moment her skin touches yours.
“It’s okay. You didn’t grow up in this environment, so it makes sense that you would be curious. I’m just so used to having to lie around everyone by saying that I have no fears about ruling an entire kingdom.”
You, in an effort to comfort her, move your hand so the two of you are holding hands. Handong notices, and a light blush appears on her face.
“You don’t have to lie around me, I promise. There’s no judgment here.” You honestly say as you place your free hand over your heart. “I swear on it.”
“That’s a serious promise. Do you seriously mean it?” Handong softly asks, and you nod. “Of course you do, you’re a part of the reason why I want to rule this kingdom. The good people out there, the kind-hearted people like you, they need someone who’s looking out for their best interests. I want to be that person, the one to advocate for them when no one else will.”
“That’s a noble and bold mission to have, Handong, but I’d love to see the day where you are crowned Queen. The kingdom will be in good hands - I just know it.”
Handong blushes again before smiling at you.
“You’re too kind, but I appreciate the sentiment.” Her eyes widen before she laughs. “Where are my manners? I never asked for your name.”
“Oh, yeah!” You say before laughing along with her. “My name’s Y/N.”
“Y/N, huh? I’ll have to remember that name.” Handong has a serious look on her face for a moment before she relaxes again.
“Handong, I wanted to say that I-”
The voice of a guard interrupts your statement.
“Your Highness? The next suitor is ready.”
You both visibly deflate as Handong lets go of your hand.
“Of course, let me finish up here.” She turns to you again with a warm smile on her face. “I think you’re the first person I’ve met that I could actually talk to for hours on end. Thank you for being you.”
“I think I should be the one thanking you for not dismissing me right away.” You chuckle before standing up. “Have a nice day, Handong. I can only hope that our paths cross once again.”
You get up and head towards the exit, but you hear Handong say something that piques your interest.
“Me too, Y/N, me too.”
~
“Y/N!!!!”
“Yes, Lisa?” You ask as Lisa excitedly wraps her arms around you.
You shake your head in disapproval at your best friend’s child-like behavior.
She’ll never grow up, but I don’t want her to change anyways.
“Where have you been all day?” She squeezes you again before letting go of you. “Have you been out doing business for your family? Did you meet somebody and fall in love?”
Lisa gives you a once over before her infamous teasing smile spreads across her lips.
“So you did fall in love with someone… Who are they? Do I know them? Are they cute, beautiful, or somewhere in-between?”
“Okay, Sherlock, you need to back off.” You sigh and pinch the bridge of your nose. “Nothing’s for certain now… but I can only hope that I’ve charmed them as much as they’ve charmed me.”
“Oh, you lovesick fool!” She giggles for a moment as you give her a confused look. “That’s who the stuffed cat was for, right?”
“Yeah… it was.” You scoff as you try to shake off any sort of visible embarrassment. “Don’t look at me as if I’ve grown a third arm, Lisa!”
“I just never thought I would see the day that my dearest Y/N actually fell for somebody!"
“Oh, you’re never going to let this go, are you?”
Lisa laughs loudly with a grin on her face.
“You know me so well, Y/N!”
~
“Lisa, believe it or not, I can walk just like any other normal person!” You holler as she drags you down the main road that leads to the town square.
“Yeah, but you walk slowly! It’s probably ‘cause you have a stick up your as-”
“You can’t go a day without being vulgar, can you?” You mutter with an accompanying sigh as Lisa finally stops.
“It’s one of my charming points!” She loudly announces as you have to stop yourself from ramming into her.
“Uh-huh, keep telling yourself that.” You say as a crowd starts to gather around you. “Are you sure this is where the announcement is supposed to happen?”
“Positive!” Lisa doesn’t hesitate to shoot you a confused glance. “I thought you weren’t interested in the royals, Y/N.”
“I never said that…” You whisper as the town crier walks up to an already set-up podium.
They pull a paper from their coat pockets which causes the crowd to gasp, and then everyone falls into complete silence.
That’s got to be the official document about Handong’s choice. I wonder if I even should’ve bothered coming here… I felt a spark, but how do I know that she felt the same? Handong could’ve been polite because that’s who she is as a person. Not every person that’s nice to you is in love with you, Y/N!
You cringe at the scolding you’re giving yourself as the town crier clears their throat.
It’s time to know, whether or not it’s good news or bad news. Either way, you’ll be able to make a plan about what to do in order to get your family out of financial trouble.
“To our dearest citizens… our prized daughter, Handong, has come to a decision about her future marriage partner. The problem, however, is that marriage cannot be easily decided in such an informal and minimal setting. What we are trying to say is that we, as Handong’s mother and father as well as the King and Queen of this Kingdom, wish for our daughter to get to know the best of the best of who came to see our daughter; therefore, the following marriage suitors are invited to reside at our castle until Handong believes that she, in good faith, has discovered the best marriage partner to rule beside her for as long as she may reign. Any person who is mentioned in this list is expected to be at the kingdom in twenty-four hours, and if they are not to be found, then their spot shall be forfeited. With no further disturbances, we are happy to announce that our daughter has chosen the following candidates:...”
Your head is buzzing at the thought of spending a long period of time in that castle.
You do realize that if you marry Handong, you’ll spend every waking moment in that castle, right?
You glance over at Lisa, who is enthralled at every word that the town crier is saying.
I really should be paying attention to what they are saying. What if they are calling my name and I don’t hear?
You softly chuckle before turning your attention back to the town crier.
She’d strangle me for not telling her, so I’m sure that I’d know one way or another.
“...and our final candidate who has the honors of competing for Handong’s heart is Y/N L/N!”
I beg your pardon… ME?!?
“What?” You exclaim softly as Lisa screams at the top of her lungs.
Oh God, I’m really never going to live this one down.
~
“Okay, so when exactly in this grand scheme of yours were you going to tell me that you were planning on trying to court the PRINCESS herself?!?” Lisa whines as you sit next to her on her bed.
“I wasn’t… I didn’t think they would make this such public news!” You complain as Lisa smacks your arm for the fifteenth time today.
“You idiot… What do you think was going to happen? That she’d show up in a carriage and whisk you away to her castle?”
“Now look at who's not being nice and polite.” You grumble as she scoffs.
“You lied to my face!”
“One time, Lisa, it was one time!” You rub your temples with your fingers before deeply sighing. “If you want me to be honest with you, then I will.”
“Of course I do, Y/N, you’re my best friend! I’m just upset that I couldn’t be there to support you.”
You reach over and squeeze her arm in reassurance.
“My family… We've been struggling for money as of late. I’m doing this to keep us off of the streets.”
Lisa looks over at you with a sad smile before grabbing your extended hand.
“Does Handong know?”
“Not yet.”
“Are you going to tell her? She deserves honesty from you.”
You chuckle to yourself.
“You’re still lecturing me about love, even after all of these years. Yes, Lisa, I’m going to tell her eventually. I fell hard when I saw her, Lisa. You don’t get it.”
“I won’t, Y/N, because I’m not you. Be kind and true, okay? I don’t think that’ll be an issue for you, since you don’t mind being brutally honest with me from time to time.”
“I will, Lisa. I can promise you that, but I need to go.” You squeeze her hand and attempt to let go, but Lisa keeps a firm grip on you.
“Does your family know?”
You shake your head.
“I don’t want them to know until they have to.”
“I’ll keep quiet, but you owe me big time, okay? I expect a full castle tour from you once you sign those prenups!”
You feel yourself relax more as you playfully shove Lisa aside before exiting her room.
“As if, Lisa!”
~
With as little luggage as you could manage to bring, you approach the castle with a heavy heart, nervous body, and troubled mind.
Is this really the right thing to do?
“Are you Y/N?” One of the guards asks as you nod your head.
I was told to preserve and never quit, but what if this is the exception?
“Good luck, Y/N.” The other guard says before opening the castle doors for you.
I guess I’ll never know what it’s like to give up. Lisa’s right - I am one hell of a stubborn ass.
~
Exploring and living in a castle was about as amazing as anybody would imagine it to be, but you had to tame your excitement around the other suitors. They were pure royalty, which meant that the grand allure of the castle, in all of its glory, did not affect them in the slightest.
Handong, on the other hand, was more than pleased to see your excitement at your living arrangements. You were able to speak to her during dinnertime, as each suitor was given a designated meal or tea time, which was when they could have some alone time with the princess. You ended up getting very lucky as dinner was often the longest meal of the day, but you weren’t sure if that was because there was so much food served, or if it was because you and Handong spent most of the time talking.
Tonight, Handong sat across from you, as she did most evenings, but she didn’t usually reach out and grab your hand as she was doing right now.
“Y/N, I want you to be honest with me… Are you enjoying yourself here?”
You ponder Handong’s question for a moment before answering.
“But of course, Handong! Everyone here is so lovely and welcoming - it’s hard to not feel comfortable here, if I’m being honest.” You shyly admit before digging into the meal presented before you.
“That’s good, but I think I worded my question incorrectly.” Handong clears her throat before letting the pleasant smile on her face become a distant memory in your mind. “Do you have ulterior motives with me?”
“I-” You pause as Lisa’s words ring in your head.
She deserves honesty from you, Y/N. Lisa was right, and I can’t believe I’m admitting that in my head. I’ll never admit that out loud to her, otherwise, I’ll never live it down.
“I never told you anything about my family, Handong, and there was a reason why. We weren’t living in the lap of pure luxury, but we were well enough off to own multiple properties, along with maids and tutors. The problem is… the fields haven’t been supplying like they did when I was a wide-eyed child. We had to release our maids and other servants from their jobs, and the next step we might have to take in order to try to stay financially stable is to sell our property. I don’t want my family to suffer anymore, and I didn’t want to watch as my family fell into financial despair. So, I took action into my own hands, and I-”
“-came to the castle, and then you try to woo me in order to help your family, correct?” Handong lets go of your hand, and she sighs deeply.
“I know how it sounds, Handong, but I’ve really fallen for you. I understand if you need time to digest this information. I would be upset if I were in your position.”
You look away in shame before setting your fork down.
“Y/N, I knew about your family, and I wanted to ask you about it because my family had me look over tax records this afternoon.”
Your heart sinks because you have a feeling that you know what she’s going to say.
“How much, Handong?”
“I’ll be frank with you since you were honest with me, Y/N. We’re talking thousands upon thousands of dollars on each property. It’s way more than the worth of all of your properties combined.”
“I-” You bite your lip in an attempt to hide the sadness on your face. “I’m so sorry I dragged you into my mess, Handong. It’s not your issue to fix.”
“Don’t say that, Y/N. You’re a citizen of this kingdom, just as any other person is. I’m just so… sad that you felt like you had to go to such extreme lengths in order to help your family. It’s not fair that kind-hearted, good people like you have to suffer because my family wants more money and chips to cash in.”
Handong looks guilty, and you can tell that there’s more she’s not telling you.
You, however, have to ask the question that lingers between the two of you.
“Handong, have your parents been raising taxes and not telling anyone?”
As a tear runs down her face, she nods and you gasp.
“The years of silence with so many people going hungry in the streets and losing what is most valuable to them… was because your parents don’t understand how to manage money?!?!?”
“I can’t judge you on secrets that you keep because I have so many of my own.” Handong admits, and you immediately grab her hand.
“You’re not your parents, okay? You are your own person, just like I am nothing like my family. The people we are, in this moment, should not be defined by who we were raised by.”
“It’s not like they were bad parents, Y/N. They just kept so many secrets, and I got sick of them lying to good, honest, and hard working people. I decided to start gathering proof for blackmail, and when I had more than enough, I confronted them.” She wipes a few tears from her eyes as you piece together what she’s trying to say.
“Your parents didn’t like this, correct?”
Handong nods, and you continue to talk.
“In an attempt to salvage the situation and to prevent an uproar, they offered you the throne with the stipulation that you should marry someone else. Your parents, however, wanted you to marry another royal so you would be forced to keep their customs so as to not upset your in-laws. Another royal marriage wouldn’t fly with the state of the kingdom and its economy, so they proposed a rigged ‘competition’ in order to keep everything fair. Am I correct so far?”
“Yeah, you are.”
“Fuck, politics suck!”
Handong laughs at your sudden outburst as she wipes away the last few tears.
“You can’t imagine their hidden disappointment when I told them that I wanted to marry someone who wasn’t a royal.” Handong offers you a sly, teasing smile, and you do your best to remain unflustered as she continues on. “My parents told me that I needed more time to decide, since there was no way that I was in my right mind at the time, so they invited a few of their favorite suitors, along with you, to the kingdom to not raise suspicion.”
“Let me guess… these suitors aren’t exactly crowd-favorites, right?”
“Y/N, I don’t think you understand how many people are depending on you. They have only the hope that another commoner, or at least a non-noble, will be able to change how my family has been ruling for years. When you hit rock bottom, tax collectors can take everything from you but the hope that someday, someone’s going to change how the world works.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“That’s why I need you, Y/N. You can speak for the people you represent because you are one of them. I just need you to trust me.”
“I already do, Handong.” You gently squeeze her hand. “You should know that I trust you with all of my heart, and that’s not a promise I make lightly. Name whatever you shall need, and I will do it with no complaints.”
“Marry me.”
You dryly cough before clearing your throat.
“Are you sure that’s what you want, Handong?”
“I told you, Y/N, I need you to trust me.”
“I- I’ll marry you, Handong, and I promise you won’t regret it for the rest of your life.”
You wink at her before bringing her hand up to your lips. You press a soft, lingering kiss to her hand, and she blushes in response.
“We have much to do, Y/N.”
“I know, Dongie, I know.”
“Dongie?” She gives you a confused look.
“What? You don’t like the nickname?”
“I’ve never had a nickname before,” Handong confesses, “but you can keep calling me that if you would like."
“I would like nothing more, Dongie.”
You sweetly smile at her before raising the wine glass in front of you in the air.
“To the future Queen of this kingdom, and to my future wife: May your reign be long, and your legacy everlasting. I adore you, Handong, and I wish for you to, someday, look at me with the same fondness that I have for you. Cheers!”
Handong raises her glass and offers a toast of her own.
“To my Y/N: You are a bright star in a dimly-lit sky. I can’t promise a future of safety and reassurance, but I can tell you that a future with me will be nothing less than an adventure for the ages. Cheers, my dearest.”
You shyly laugh with Handong before you gently tap your wine glass against hers.
Tonight is a different night - tonight, two souls intertwined in a way that no one else shall understand. The future is uncertain, but my love and adoration for you will never be in question.
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Bee story remake✨️
Birthdate: May 23rd, 1958
Legal Names: Pheonix Vera Oh, Svetlana.
Codenames (not in order): The Glory, Widow, Яблочко (Bullseye), Viper, Boss.
Height: 7ft 3 inches
Weight: Approximately 240-340Ibs
Nationality/Ethnicity (Idk the difference..): Czech/Russian
Languages: Czech, Russian, English, German, Navajo, Vietnamese, Spanish, small bit of Greek.
The lore✨️:
(TWS: abuse, r@p3/SA, murder, mentioned c@nn!b@l!sm, Alcoholism, skinning.)
Early life - Bee was born during the Soviet Union, specifically on Czechoslovakia grounds. Her mother had her very young, so she was forced to hand Bee over to an orphanage despite being nameless at birth. Commonly referred to as Bisytsia (she-devil), Ježibaba (Forest witch that lures kids in via sweets just to catch & eat them), Mamuna (Demoness), and Patercha(?) (Spirit of the dead, unbaptized child), etc. By other children, typically, for her unnaturally glowing eyes and red hair. She tended to be left out of groups and activities because of her appearance and the fact she never spoke or made much of a sound. The caretakers tried to get her to interact with others, but she took no interest and continued to play and draw by herself.
Power awakening - Around 2 to 4 years old, Bee gained her first abilities to read other people's minds and even pick up small items with her mind. Excited, she decided to show one of the older kids that willingly interacted with her at the orphanage while outside by lifting nearby items and putting them in their hands, then frightening the older kid. Out of fear, the older kid shoved her into the pavement, then ran off and proceeded to never interact with her again. This later turned into the older kid telling the other children, which, of course, turned into more bullying towards the toddler. Bee later showed a soviet solider who patrolled the orphanage of some of her abilities the same way she showed the older kid but with more heavier items. The soldier freaked out and proceeded to hit and toss her away from him, later reporting it to his higher-ups.
After power awakening - After the solider had reported Bee and her abilities, she was forced to be isolated away from everyone else for months to about a year. If caught trying to get out she'd be beaten then thrown into the room again by the soliders guarding her door. Commonly given any food the others didn't eat and was only let out to be bathed and use the bathroom, where she would also be supervised. Just before her 5th birthday, Zero had managed to receive words about a child who possessed special abilities and went out his way to adopt Bee. Leaving Czechoslovakia behind then given the name "Pheonix Vera Oh".
With Zero - Under the supervision of Zero and soon The Boss, she was studied and taken care of. Soon, given to The Boss and the COBRA Unit so she's with people who have special abilities like her and help her with her abilities under the codename "The Glory". She mostly took an interest in The Fear out of seeing he was weird like her, sometimes even seen trying to copy him the most. She would watch the Cobras and their moves and then proceed to attempt at copying them, causing her to understand some CQC basics. Still not speaking despite all their attempts to make her form a sentence.
1964 and after - Just before Snake Eater, was given to her biological parents in Czechoslovakia, who could now take her in, and named her "Svetlana" to hopefully protect her. Bee's parents attempted to bond with their daughter, but it was difficult since she would go back to isolation and wouldn't speak to anybody. Slowly, she started to grow more comfortable and interacted with her parents without words. Later on, she notices a financial struggle and decides to help by stealing money and food off of people. One day at the age of 10, she stole some money and rations off of soviet soliders and ended up stealing some off of a high rank solider who proceeded to kidnap her and beat on her and even "took advantage". Bee manages to steal one of his pistols, shoot him, and run off covered in the soliders blood. Discovering her liking to the taste of blood and desire to hurt and kill more
1970-1973 - Around March to early May in 1970, Bee's younger brother Jarek (my headcanon birth name for Mantis) was born. However, their mom died shortly after naming him due to complications of childbirth, leaving their dad to grow apart in depression and later alcoholism. Bee commonly took care of Jarek/Mantis as an infant and toddler, eventually started to speak. However, in 1973, Bee managed to sneak onto a military ship or aircraft that was headed for Vietnam.
Vietnam - Once she entered Vietnam, she found herself in a village and decided to help our despite not understanding the language and hid their for days to weeks. One day, a napalm bomb struck the village, burning almost all of Bee's backside. While knocked unconscious from the pain, she was captured by American soliders who had treated her wounds but hid her away in a broom closet within their hideout. Commonly handed her food, but she would refuse and attempt to escape multiple times, leading her to being hit, knocked out, and occasionally SA'd while knocked out. One day, she was dragged out of the broom closet and thrown into the middle of a small group of soldiers. The hideout was quickly attacked by an unknown ex-Gurkha solider, eventually leading to the building catching on fire. Most the soliders died in gunfire, but the last one made an attempt on her as a last moment which led to Bee's memory blanking and later finding herself being carried by said Gurkha solider but too exhausted to do anything. Her and the Gurkha took hideout within a forest, the solider teaching her Vietnamese as she taught them English, they ended up bonding to eachother in a parent-child way as the months go on. Upon gunfire and Bee being injured, discovered Bee was pregnant (with a US solider's child). Shortly after the discovery, the soldier is shot lethally and gave Bee their kukri knives as a gift before dying due to blood lost. Bee attempted to bury the soldier but failed to do so, eventually and dreadfully deciding to feast on the soldier's flesh to survive after being unable to catch any wild animal on her own. Sometimes, she would wait for any small group of soliders or singular soldier to come by to take camp in her forest, commonly killing them in order to take their food and even clothes. Later turned into large group of soliders and sometimes dogs to hunt her down, eventually caught and shot in the leg by a solider but still managed to get away by finding a way to kill off the dogs. Later on, in early 1974, Zero had gotten word of Bee being in a Vietnam forest that would end up being carpet bombed, so he decided to send Skull Face to go get her.
1974-1980 - After being retrieved by Skull Face, then given to Zero once more, in April 1974, Bee went into labor, then fell unconscious and even died during the C-Section. Quickly resurrected, but her child was nowhere in sight, never told the gender or anything. Within a day of postpartum, she is sent back to the village and Czechoslovakia. Quickly growing an attachment to the 4 year old Mantis/Jarek out of her postpartum depression of not having her actual child. Taking care of him even more as if he were her child. Once healed, she decided to start stealing again but also killing sometimes for sport. Stole from people & stores, creating her own explosives and chemical gas, burned and vandalized buildings, commonly killing those who went in her way/tried to stop her. She gained more abilities and started to make anyone choke on their own blood or overall mind control for her amusement. In 1976-1980, she started to calm down a bit and went into prostitution in order to get money, quickly resulting in her drug addiction. In 1977, she met Quiet, whose family was posted nearby, and they quickly bonded with each other as friends and then secret lovers. On February 28th, 1979, Bee had twin sons named Alan & Luke from a cryptic pregnancy. Her drug addiction started to dial down due to having her twins. In 1980, she's seen using CQC on a drunk soldier who had attempted to force himself on her by a high rank solider nearby who then recommended her into the Soviet army where she joins then is later called Яблочко (Bullseye).
1981-1986+ - In the Soviet army, she, of course, invaded Afghanistan with her comrades. Quickly promoted, and Skull Face offered her a position in XOF where she accepts and sees Quiet again. In 1984, she was deployed as a spy alongside with Quiet till she read Miller and Ocelot's minds and discovered Paz, Chico, and the other tragedies Skull Face had started over what she calls "childish jealousy". Defecting to DD, then later going MIA with Quiet. Later upon hearing about what happened to the village back in Czechoslovakia and the floating boy in Africa. Shortly after mission 51, Bee hunts Mantis/Jarek down in Afria in a panic frenzy. Later taking him, Quiet, and her twins to the USA to live normally for at least a little while. Contracting the vocal cord parasites in the meantime.
1990s - After years of training/ programming her parasites. She decides to join FOXHOUND and is received the codename "Viper" by The Colonel. Liquid eventually takes over FOXHOUND and Bee decides to side with him, taking the codename "Widow".
2005 - When the Shadow Moses incident occurred, she was the first to find Mantis. Later somehow knocked unconscious since she wouldn't move away from his body and reacted violently when an attempt was made. Upon waking up, she wandered off to find Quiet while completely dissociated. Shortly after finding Quiet, they leave to go to the UK where Zero is placed and Bee completely isolates herself for years, developing an alcohol addiction.
Snake's retirement to modern day - shortly after Zero's death, Cipher as a whole was handed to Bee since she was the last family member in his line. Upon hearing about Snake's retirement, she goes to hunt him down and brutally take her revenge via torturing and killing, later skinning. Keeping his bandana, bones, and chopped up flesh as fucked up trophies (yes they've been preserved) in her office. Claiming his skeleton is just a fucked up and broken school health class skeleton she has in the corner for no reason and glued back together. in between 2015-2021 she decides to leave her complete isolation and is now known as "Boss" as she's in control over Cipher in the UK.
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