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tessa-liam · 1 year

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Marabelle

Chapter 3 - Falling

Book: Choices - The Royal Romance, an AU series

Series Premise: An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobles, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret?

Catch Up: Marabelle Masterlist

Main Pairing: Liam Rys v F!OC (Sophia)

Other Pairing: Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except Sophia Taylor, Bethany Beaumont, Melanie Smithson, Tyler Gregson.

Rating: M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material, crude language. Not Beta’d: Please excuse all errors.

Category: Alternate Universe/on-going series/angst/fluff

Words: 2149, Read 10 minutes

- 3 – Falling

Chapter summary: Marabelle is settled in her new home at the Beaumont stables. Sophie starts to prepare for the start of the social season that begins with the Beaumont Bash.

Music Inspiration: The Climb - Lucy Thomas (Sophie’s FC)

Falling - LeBlanc And Carr

A/N1: This is my submission for Choices March Challenge @choicesmonthlychallenge @lovealexhunt Prompts, Sunrise, Talking to Animals & art commission/moodboard #choicesmarchchallenge

A/N2: This is my submission for @choicesflashfics Week #25, Prompt #3 - "I haven't laughed like this in a long time."

A/N3: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the US; is Barthelemy Beaumont’s 2nd wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) was Bertrand’s mother.

A/N4: Melanie Smithson is a love interest for Drake. Tyler Ericsson is Prince Liam’s personal assistant.

A/N5: Social season in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in balls, dinner parties and charity events.

🐎🐎🐎

Beaumont Estate

“Good morning, Auntie Bethany.” Sophie sing-songed as she entered the huge country kitchen of the Beaumont estate.

“Morning, sweetheart, you are up early this morning.”

Sophie nodded, kissing her aunt’s cheek. “Breakfast smells so good! What are we having today?”

Maxwell smiled, already seated at the table, “my favorite...blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and bacon.”

"mmmm...sounds good!" After pouring herself a cup of coffee, Sophie took a seat at the table across from her cousin as the waitstaff began to set down breakfast plates of food.

“So, Sophie, tell me what happened yesterday? Maxwell mentioned that you found a horse.”

“Yes, I did!” Sophie was beaming. “Oh Auntie, she is beautiful! Her name is Marabelle, and she is a retired Derby winner. She is black with white socks and has a star on her forehead.”

“That’s so exciting, my dear! Maxwell tells me that she will be arriving this morning with the other horses that Bertrand bought yesterday.”

“Drake and Melanie should be arriving very soon. I think I will get changed now to get ready to go help.” Maxwell finished his coffee and stood up.

“Are you coming out to see the horses, Mom? "

“Oh, definitely, but I’ll let the horses be settled first, though. I don’t want to get in the way.”

“Sophie, I will see you outside.” Maxwell grabbed one more piece of bacon and winked at his cousin. “I know Sophie won’t wait!”

Sophie giggled at his comment. “Try and stop me, Max.”

Bethany paused and looked at her niece, noticing the look of happiness and sparkle in her eyes.

Unbeknownst to Sophie, Maxwell had already mentioned to his mother that it was Prince Liam who had arranged for Sophie to ride Marabelle for the first time.

“What’s that look for?” Sophie asked her aunt, noticing her grin.

“I am delighted that the boys found the horse for you so quickly. And, I hear that a certain ‘gentleman’ also had a hand in the find?”

Sophie blushed furiously, “Yes, well, actually...”

She hesitated, then blurted out, “It was Prince Liam.”

Bethany looked pleased and patted her niece’s hand, “Well, that’s certainly a nice surprise. Prince Liam must think very highly of your riding skills to suggest a prize winning champion for you.”

"I was thinking of thanking him with a small gift. I could present it to him the night of the Bash."

"That's a lovely idea, my dear."

"Auntie Bethany, for the Beaumont Bash this weekend, I am not sure what I should wear. Talking to Bertrand, he says to wear a formal ballgown. When I asked Max, he said to wear a party dress.

What do you suggest?"

"First of all, you will look lovely in anything you choose. Second, if I had to choose between the two dresses, I would choose the party dress. It looks more modern than the traditional ball gown."

"Max invited the princes, shouldn't I dress more formal?"

Bethany chuckled, "No dear, I am pretty certain that the princes would prefer a more casual evening. I tell you what. Tomorrow, I am taking you up to the Capital to find your dress. We can pick up a gift for Liam as well."

‘...I may not know it

But these are the moments, that

I’m gonna remember most, yeah

Just gotta keep going...’

🐎🐎🐎

It was an hour past sunrise, as Drake maneuvered the long horse trailer into the driveway and then through the side gate of the Beaumont Estate grounds. Stopping alongside the horse stables, he texted Maxwell to come out and unlock the doors for the new arrivals.

Unhitching the trailer door, Melanie stepped up into the long horse trailer and entered the main compartment. Upon seeing Melanie, many of the horses started to whinny.

“It’s all right, this is your new home,” she spoke soothingly as she walked down the row of horses. Melanie loved talking to animals, especially the horses; she understood that they were social creatures and could display a wide range of emotions. They were definitely anxious, at the moment.

“Good morning, Mel,” Maxwell, wearing casual jeans, jacket and boots, called into the trailer as Drake followed in after him.

“Beaumont, there you are; I just messaged you.” Drake tapped his shoulder and began to also prepare the horses for their transfer to the stables.

“Morning, Max,” Melanie called back, the horses nickering softly.

“My two stable hands are ready for them.” Maxwell stated and started to help Drake.

“Perfect Max, thank you.”

The stable hands entered the trailer and began untying the horses from the railings. They led each horse inside the stable and settled them into their individual stalls.

🐎🐎🐎

The Tavern Beer Garden, Capital

Later into the evening, Bastien had positioned two royal guardsmen discreetly inside the beer garden, well before Leo and Liam were set to arrive.

Drake and Rashad, already sitting at a table, watched as a black SUV rolled to a stop at the entrance of the beer garden. As Leo and Liam stepped out of the vehicle, Bastien approached them, “Your Highnesses, please follow me.”

Leo didn’t waste any time in ordering a double scotch as soon as he sat down at the table. Liam greeted Rashad with a handshake, while Drake slid a cold beer over to Liam’s seat.

“Why so wound up, Rys?” Drake looked over and questioned Leo with a smirk.

Can you say M..M..Maddy?”

Leo scowled back, clearly annoyed at his comment, answered, “Don’t go there, Walker.”

The less time Leo had to think about Madeleine the better. Since she is betrothed to Leo, and rumors were circulating that King Constantine was planning to relinquish the throne sooner than expected, Madeleine had become unbearably obnoxious. She felt that she was more than ready to assume the role of Queen now and made a point of reminding anyone and everyone in the Kingdom that would listen to her.

Liam shook his head, knowing that his brother was agitated, and rightly so. His father’s announcement to his sons last week that he was gravely ill was a shock. News of his potential early abdication explosive. The tension of having to face an arranged marriage for Leo, palpable.

“So, Liam, will you be attending the Beaumont Bash this weekend?” Rashad asked, trying to change the direction of where this conversation was going.

Leo glanced at his friend, silently thanking him for correctly reading the room.

“Yes, let’s see what Bertrand and Max have planned for this year,” Liam confirmed.

Both Princes Leo and Liam were expected to attend, since King Constantine and Queen Regina were stepping back from some royal duties, letting the princes represent the monarchy.

“I am assuming that you will be attending this year? I know that your father has asked Regina for assistance in finding you a marriage match.” Liam questioned grinning.

Sighing, Rashad nodded yes. His parents were adament that he take a partner this season. “I hear that there are several new faces joining the social season this year. Anyone interesting?”

Smiling knowingly, Drake joined the conversation, “one of the young ladies caught Liam’s attention yesterday. Isn’t that right Li?”

Liam’s smile was huge, as he remembered his day with Sophie on the trail at the polo club and horse ranch, when she asked...

'I bet you’re used to putting everyone else first.'

'And why would you say that?'

From the short time that they had talked earlier, she already had an accurate insight of him. She asked about his thoughts and feelings, showing a genuine interest. They were having a heartfelt and sincere conversation. She had just met him!

Gathering his thoughts into words, he began...

“I have never in my life met anyone like her. We connected on so many different levels. She is incredibly sweet, interesting funny, and had a great sense of humor. I could talk to her for hours. ‘I haven’t laughed like this in a long time.’”

Rashad chuckled, “well, that answered my question.”

Liam nodded, looking delighted, continued. “Sophie was more concerned about why the horse she was riding was startled that morning at the ranch, than about herself; she was fearless.

...and when she found out about me being a prince, it didn’t change anything for her.

‘No one’s ever seen me as just...me. No one’s ever listened to me the way she did.’

She brings a new, fresh and exciting perspective to everything.

…and her eyes, I could stare into those beautiful blue eyes forever! She is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out.”

As Leo listened and watched his brother speak, he remained silent. He mentally erased his current thoughts and ordered another drink.

��🐎🐎

Beaumont Stables

Drake and Melanie had already left to drive the trailer back to the horse ranch.

Maxwell was speaking to the stable hands when Sophie entered the stable to see Marabelle.

"Hi guys, good morning," Sophie greeted.

"There she is, ready to ride Marabelle?" Maxwell smiled.

"Yes, yes," Sophie exclaimed, excitedly.

The stablehands led Sophie into the stall where Marabelle was standing.

"Hey girl! Come here," Sophie cooed as she stroked Marabelle's neck.

Marabelle nickered happily in return, nuzzling her cheek.

"Come on then, let's get you saddled up. We're riding today."

🐎🐎🐎

Sophie rode Marabelle down to the winding stream, that was adjacent to the vineyard of the estate.

Memories flooded back of her time with Liam.

'We walked together hoping forever, please don't let go of my hand,

cause I'm falling, woah, I'm falling in love with you'

⚜️using my tag list, please let me know if you would like to be added or removed

#choicesmarchchallenge #choicesflashfics #choices fic writers creations #liam rys #the royal romance #trr #trr fanfic #drake walker #leo rys #trr liam x oc #prince liam

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justcallmefox89 · 9 months

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Cinderfella's Adventures in Cordonia - Chapter Seventeen

An AU of The Royal Romance with a male MC and a bisexual prince.

Masterlist

Callum speaks to his former competition and receives an offer from Madeline.

“What just happened?” Drake asks, stunned.

Liam slowly shakes his head. “I honestly have no idea.”

***************************************************************************

I lean my head against elevator doors, the cool steel soothing the sharp pain stabbing at my frontal lobe.

Hi, God. It’s me, Callum. I say this with full disrespect… you have a sick sense of humor. Believe me when I say I am not one of your strongest warriors; I definitely don’t need to be tested any further. And another thing –

The doors spring open, interrupting my impromptu heart to heart with God. I unobtrusively straighten my jacket as I step out of the elevator and back into the ballroom, and quickly work my way to the bar, keeping an eye out for Maxwell and Hana as I do.

I slide onto a barstool, coming face to face with the bartender from earlier.

“Back so soon?” he asks coyly, leaning his elbows onto the bar top, bringing his face close to mine.

“Couldn’t stay away.” I manage to give him a half-hearted smile. “Could I get a bottle of the Baird Dark Sky and two shots of the seventeen year old Hibiki whiskey, neat? Please?”

“Anything for you, sir.” he says playfully, smirking as he turns away to get my order.

Hi, God. It’s me again… am I a joke to you, old man?

“Here you are, sir.” The bartender slides my order to me, peeking up at me from beneath his lashes. “I was wondering if you had any plans – ”

“Seducing the help already, Callum?”

I’d know that shrill voice anywhere. I still hear it in my nightmares.

“Excuse me, darlin’. I need to speak to Satan’s mistress for a moment.” I twist on my barstool to come face-to-face to with her. How’ve you been, Smokeshow?”

She takes a sip of her drink, gazing at me over the rim of her glass, and shrugs one delicate shoulder. “Busy. Traveling with the court as we partake in this,” she grimaces. “Engagement tour.”

I toss back my first shot, chasing it with a sip of beer before I say anything. “Yeah, about that.” I lean forward and lower my voice. “What the hell happened? Madeline? Madeline, of all people?!”

“She was the best choice out of all the remaining suitors,” Olivia says sourly. “Liam had very few choices by the end of the social season.”

“Where the hell were you when he was making his choice?”

“I was forced to leave the competition shortly after you dropped out.” She gives me a tight smile.

“Why?” I squint at her suspiciously.

“Someone had information about my parents. Something that could hurt them, damage their memory. I couldn’t let that happen. Not even for Liam.”

“Somebody was rigging the competition,” I realize. “They wanted Madeline to win.”

“Exactly,” Olivia says grimly.

“Did you ever figure out who it was?” I ask, sipping my beer.

She looks away, draining the last of her drink before answering me. “Constantine.”

“Why am I not even surprised?” I mutter, throwing back my second shot. “Does Liam know?”

Olivia nods.

“And he still chose to go through with this?” I raise my eyebrows.

She shrugs. “Liam agreed with Constantine that Madeline was the most qualified suitor left. He wasn’t willing to leave Cordonia without a queen.”

“And he’ll do anything for Cordonia,” I finish her thought.

“What else could he do? You had already left; all Constantine had to do was eliminate the remaining competitors until the only appropriate choice was Madeline. He backed Liam into a corner.” She gracefully slides off her barstool. “As fun as this little reunion has been, I’m ready to leave now.”

“See you around, Smokeshow.” I give her a slight finger wave, watching the back of her red dress until she disappears into the crowd. I swivel in my seat, leaning back against the bar top and gazing out into the ballroom. I slowly sip my beer as I study the party guests, scanning carefully as I attempt to locate a certain former king.

Gotcha, old man.

Beer in hand, I slide off my barstool and weave my way into the crowd, moving towards a recessed corner of the room where Constantine stands, accompanied by two bodyguards.

Where’s Bastien?

I leave a few people between myself and the trio, patiently waiting until Constantine becomes distracted by the mayor, who draws him into a lively conversation. A few seconds later the bodyguards turn their attention away from the king and begin scanning the ballroom for threats, each one looking in a different direction. Using the surrounding party goers as cover, I slink over towards Constantine, coming to a stop directly behind him.

“Don’t move,” I say quietly as the mayor moves away, drawing my index finger down his back until it rests between his shoulder blades.

“What are you doing?” he hisses, stopping himself mid-turn.

“I didn’t appreciate you leaking all the private details of my life to the Cordonian media,” I say conversationally.

“MacKenzie.” Constantine clenches his jaw so tightly I can hear his teeth grind together.

“I heard you threatened to do the same thing to Lady Olivia.”

“Liam could not be trusted to make the decision on his own. I needed to make sure that he would make the correct choice for Cordonia,” he says coldly.

“He deserves to have better than you as a father,” I seethe.

“Think what you want. Liam’s decision to wed Madeline is final, and there is nothing that can change that. Did you come over here just to discuss my son’s engagement?”

“No,” I say softly. “I just wanted to let you know I know exactly what you did. And to you remind that no matter how many bodyguards you have, someone will always be able to get to you. Have a lovely evening.”

I melt back into the crowd, quickly putting some distance between me and Constantine’s bodyguards. I spy Hana and Maxwell on the dancefloor, and move to take up a spot nearby to watch them, hoping to speak to them when the song is over. After a few moments, someone steps over to stand next to me. I glance down and see Madeline scowling at me.

“What are you doing here?” she demands.

“I was invited,” I say in a bored voice.

Madeline snorts. “If you’re back in Liam’s life that’s fine. Have all the feelings you want for one another. A tryst here and there can be managed but do not embarrass me.”

“You don’t care that you’re about to marry a man who is in love with someone else?”

“When you’re behind closed doors, you can have his heart and whatever other part of him you want. As long as I have the crown and an heir and a spare, I really don’t care what he does. This is practically the best thing that could’ve happened to you.”

I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. “I think you’re severely overestimating my interest in your future marriage.”

“I’m trying to work with you,” Madeline sighs.

“Once again, not interested.” I shrug my shoulders. “But… if I do decide I want Liam again, I won’t be sharing him. Don’t get too comfortable, Madeline.”

She opens her mouth to snap back, quickly closing it as she sees Maxwell and Hana hurrying towards us. Madeline sneers at me one last time before stalking off.

“Was that Madeline?” Maxwell asks, peeking around me. “Where’s Drake? Have you talked to Liam yet?”

“Drake is with Liam. I’ve talked to him… we’re just taking some time to think about things.”

“We don’t time to think about things,” Maxwell replies. “Liam is getting married in a few days!”

Hana gives him an exasperated look. “Callum is well aware of that, Maxwell.”

“As fun as this has been, I think I’m ready to call it a night,” I quickly interject. “Hana, I’m going to text you my address. If you happen to see Liam or Drake…”

“I’ll be sure to pass it on,” she assures me with a smile.

*****************************************************************************

One long Uber ride later I’m finally back in my building and unlocking the door to my apartment. Sashimi meets me at the door, purring and winding herself around my ankles. I bend down to scratch beneath her chin, and she rumbles with happiness. “Hey, my beauty. How was your night? Did grandda stop by and feed you?”

After living in the same building as my father and his boyfriend for the past nine months, my girl has become accustomed to their visits and the pampering the two of them shower on her. I shed my suit jacket and dress shirt as I move through my apartment, dropping them on the floor as I make my way to my bedroom. I fall backwards onto my bed and stare up at my ceiling with a deep sigh.

What a fucking night.

I close my eyes and sink deeper into my mattress. They shoot right back open a few seconds later as someone loudly knocks on my front door. Groaning, I roll off of my bed and shuffle towards the door. I press my eye to the peephole and have to stifle a gasp when I see who is standing outside in the hallway. I quickly unlock my door and throw it open.

“Now what are you two beauties doing here?” I ask, leaning against the doorjamb and raking my gaze over Drake and Liam.

“We need to talk,” Drake says bluntly.

I arch one eyebrow in interest and step aside, silently inviting the two best friends into my apartment. I wait until we’re settled in my living room to say anything. “So… who wants to start?”

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sfb123 · 1 year

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I Know Places (Happy Birthday Burns!)

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Liam x Riley, Drake x Alyssa

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except for Alyssa Devereaux, who belongs to the birthday girl @burnsoslow

Summary: In a prequel to last year's birthday fic, Riley notices some odd behavior from Drake and is determined to find out what he is hiding.

Song: I Know Places - Taylor Swift

You are the only person on the planet who could get me to drop a Taylor Swift song anywhere. That's how much I love you.

Rating: PG (a couple of swear words)

Word Count: 2,703

A/N: Happy birthday to my wonderful friend @burnsoslow. You are so sweet, and funny, and thoughtful. When I came to Tumblr however long ago, and started obsessively reading your stories, I never, in a million years, thought that I would actually be lucky enough to call you my friend. I'm sitting here trying to put together words about how much having you in my life means to me, but I'm not sure they even exist. I just love you so so much, and hope that you spent today partying like it's 1999! 😘

A/N 2: No pre-reader, so you get what you get. If it sucks, and the grammar is terrible, that's all on me. Godspeed.

Tags: This is my first run with the new tag list, so if you're not on here but would like to be added, just let me know!

Liam and Riley sat on the couch in his office, reviewing their opening remarks for the Five Kingdoms Festival that would be happening the following day. A knock on the door pulled their attention away, Liam called for the visitor to come in.

“Well, well, well,” Riley said as Drake entered the room. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

Drake rolled his eyes and approached the pair. “Hello Brooks.” He walked over to Liam, who was now standing. “Hey, Li.”

“Drake,” Liam shook his friend’s hand. “It has been a while.”

“Yeah,” Drake rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been pretty busy lately.”

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?” Riley suggested, noticing that something was off with him. “Eleanor has been asking for you, she misses her Uncle Drake.”

Drake’s expression softened. He hadn’t been spending as much time with Eleanor as he usually would. She had just become a big sister, and he knew how hard it could be going from being an only child to having to share attention with a younger sibling.

“I really wish I could…” He trailed off, his eyes darting between his friends. “I promised Savannah I’d go up to Ramsford tonight. But I’ll be at the festival tomorrow. I’ll take Eleanor for some cotton candy or something.”

“Sure, she’d love that.” Riley agreed.

Drake said his goodbyes and exited the office. Once he was gone, Liam and Riley settled themselves back on the couch, Liam lifted his wife’s legs to rest across his lap.

“That was weird, right?” Riley asked.

“Not really,” Liam shrugged as he slipped off her shoes and began rubbing her feet. “Drake and his sister are close, of course he would want to have dinner with her.”

Riley sighed at her husband’s response. “You know, for someone who was trained to read people, you can be awfully thick sometimes.”

Liam’s movements stopped as his head snapped in her direction. “Excuse me?”

“Come on Liam, he was being so dodgy! He couldn’t give us a straight answer about where he’s been.”

“To be fair,” Liam began. “We never asked him for one. Besides, Drake has always been a pretty private person, if he wanted us to know, he would have told us.”

She returned her feet to the ground, retrieving her shoes and putting them on. “Ugh! You’re so bad at being nosy!” She groaned. “Let’s go, I miss our babies.”

Regina had offered to watch Eleanor, and the newest edition to the royal family, Prince David, while Liam and Riley worked on the final preparations for the festival. They left Liam’s office and met up with Regina to pick up the kids before returning to their quarters for the evening.

***

After dinner, and a few rounds of Candy Land, it was time for Eleanor to go to bed. In an effort to help her with the transition from only child to big sister, her parents decided to take turns putting her to bed each night ensuring she had some quality one-on-one time with each of them. It was Liam’s turn to tuck her in, so Eleanor said goodnight to her mother and brother and walked hand in hand with her father to her room.

Liam sat on Eleanor’s bed, his arm wrapped around her, holding a book in front of them. Eleanor was learning how to read, so as they made their way through the story, Liam would pause, pressing his finger against the words, encouraging his daughter to read along, and helping her as she went.

“... and they,” he pointed to the next word and nodded encouragingly at her.

“Lived happ… happy…”

“Almost, princess. Happil…”

“Happily!” She exclaimed, Liam chuckled at her excitement and kissed the side of her head. “Happily ever after!”

“That’s right! Good work, Eleanor!” Liam pulled her close, kissing the top of her head before closing the book and carrying it to the bookshelf. “Now, I believe we have one more item of business,” he made his way to the collection of stuffed animals that were gathered in the corner of her room. “Who would you like to keep you company tonight?”

Eleanor’s eyes traveled through the crowd, her index finger tapping against her lips as she contemplated her selection. Her movements halted, and her smile grew upon making her decision, “Hunny Bunny please.”

“Excellent choice.” Liam turned to the pile searching for the golden rabbit. He moved the other animals around, trying to locate it. “Hmm… she doesn’t seem to be here.”

“But where is she, Daddy?” Eleanor looked at her father with tired, sad eyes.

“I’m… well, I’m not sure, princess. Where do you last remember having her?” He made his way around the room, looking anywhere Hunny Bunny could possibly be hiding.

“I… I don’t know.” Eleanor replied through her sniffles. “Daddy, please find her.”

Liam looked up at his daughter, her eyes were beginning to water, and her chin was trembling. He knew between Eleanor being tired, and wanting her toy, a meltdown would be inevitable if they didn’t find this rabbit.

“Oh Eleanor, don’t cry.” He rushed to his daughter’s side. “Why don’t we ask Mommy if she has seen Hunny Bunny?” Eleanor rubbed her eyes as she nodded at her father. He kissed her on the forehead before going to the door. “Riley, love, could you come here for a moment?” He called down the hallway.

Riley entered the room to find Liam consoling a crying Eleanor. “What happened here?” She said as she approached the pair, placing a comforting hand on Eleanor’s back. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”

“We can’t find Hunny Bunny.” Eleanor cried before falling into her mother’s arms.

Riley looked up at Liam and she could see the worry in his face. “Okay, it’s all okay. Let’s just calm down here. She has to be somewhere, she didn’t get up and hop away.”

“When do you remember seeing her with it last?” Liam asked Riley as she continued to console her daughter.

She racked her brain, thinking back over the past couple of days, trying to picture everywhere they went, when it suddenly hit her. “Ramsford! She wanted to show Bartie, so she brought it when we were there for lunch the other day.” Riley put her hands on Eleanor’s shoulders and pulled her back gently. “Eleanor, I’m going to go call Uncle Max to see if Hunny is there, okay?”

Eleanor nodded as she rubbed her eyes. Riley stood from the bed and pulled her phone out of her back pocket as she stepped into the hallway.

“Hey Riley!” Maxwell greeted her on the second ring.

“Max, thank god! We have a bit of an emergency.”

“What’s wrong? Who’s coming for the throne now?”

Riley chuckled at his response, which helped ease her concern about the issue. After everything they had been through, if the worst thing to happen to them is a lost stuffed animal, then everything was going to be just fine. “It’s nothing like that. Eleanor can’t find her Hunny Bunny. I think we may have left it there.”

“Oh yeah, she’s here. I’ll bring it tomorrow when we come for the festival.”

“Actually, could you just give it to Drake? I’m sure he won’t mind dropping it off on his way home.” There was silence on the other end of the line. “Max? Are you still there?”

“I’m here, but Drake’s not.”

“But he said he was having dinner with Savannah tonight.”

“Nope, he hasn’t been by in a couple of weeks actually.”

“Man, I knew he was being shady!”

“Wait, what do you mean? What’s going on?”

“I’ll fill you in tomorrow. For now, please please bring Hunny Bunny with you tomorrow.”

“You bet, see you then!”

Riley hung up the phone and took a deep breath before returning to her daughter’s room. Without Eleanor’s stuffed animal of choice, it was going to be a long night.

***

The next day, the royal family walked through the crowd greeting people, and exploring everything the festival had to offer.

“I get what you’re saying,” Riley said to Liam. “But he’s not just not telling us stuff, he’s straight up lying to us. That’s not a Drake thing.”

Liam looked at his wife thoughtfully. “That’s true. As much as he’s kept to himself, I’ve never known him to lie to me.”

“So, we can confront him and ask him what’s going on?”

“Uncle Drake!” Eleanor’s excited shout pulled Liam and Riley’s attention. They looked ahead and saw Drake approaching them.

“Hey, kiddo.” Drake smiled as he lifted Eleanor into a hug.

As Eleanor and Drake greeted each other, Liam and Riley had a conversation with their eyes. Liam pleaded with Riley not to confront him, to which she agreed.

“So Eleanor, how would you like some cotton candy?” Drake asked.

The princess’s eyes went wide as she turned to her parents for permission. Liam and Riley chuckled at her hopeful expression. “Mommy, Daddy, please?” Eleanor begged. “I’ll bring some back for baby David.”

“That’s very sweet of you, princess,” Liam leaned in, kissing his daughter on the cheek. “But babies can’t eat cotton candy.”

“That’s right, baby girl,” Riley added. “So why don’t you just go ahead and eat extra for your brother?”

Eleanor cheered and jumped up and down in excitement. “Come on, Uncle Drake!” She grabbed his hand and rushed him toward the food vendors.

A while later, Riley was mercifully pulled away from a conversation with Hakim and Joelle Theron when David started crying from his stroller. She excused herself, and once she was out of their earshot, she thanked her son profusely for his timing.

“Riley! Riley, wait up!” Maxwell called as he rushed to catch up with his friend.

“Diaper emergency Max, no time.” She replied, just as he fell into step with her.

The pair stepped into the palace and into a small sitting area. As Riley set up a makeshift diaper station on a nearby table, Maxwell bounced on his heels behind her.

“Riley, you’re never going to guess what I saw?”

Riley recoiled back as she opened David’s soiled diaper. “Ugh, it can’t be any worse than this.”

“I think I know what’s going on with Drake.”

Riley turned to face Maxwell. “Spill right now, Beaumont.”

***

The next day, as the Royal Council meeting let out, Liam caught Drake before he could slip out, and invited him back to his office for a drink. As soon as they walked in the office, Liam’s desk chair slowly turned, revealing Riley, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Welcome, Drake.” She said as she rested her elbows on the desk, steepling her fingers in front of her.

Liam pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. When he and Riley talked about confronting Drake, they agreed that they would speak to him rationally. His wife appeared to have other plans.

“What’s up with you, weirdo?” Drake asked at Riley’s dramatic display.

Liam invited Drake to sit before stepping to the bar cart and making two drinks. He handed one to Drake before stepping around the desk and standing beside his wife. “Drake, we wanted to talk to you. To make sure you were alright.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He responded. “Why would you ask?”

“Because you’re a big fat liar!” Riley blurted out. Liam placed a hand on her shoulder at the outburst as Drake’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Drake,” Liam interjected. “The other night, when you told us that you were going to Ramsford, Riley spoke with Maxwell, and he told her you hadn’t been there.”

“Hold on,” Drake stood from his chair. “You guys are checking up on me?”

“Not intentionally. We lost one of Eleanor’s toys, and I called Maxwell to find it.” Riley crossed her arms over her chest. “And don’t try to turn this around on us.”

“Love, stand down.” Liam leaned down, kissing her on the cheek before turning back to Drake. “Drake, we’re just worried about you. You know we don’t mind that you keep to yourself, but it’s not like you to lie.”

Drake let out a deep breath as he fell back into his chair, finishing off the rest of his drink. “I’m sorry you guys. I didn’t mean to worry you, I just needed some time to myself for a while.”

“Well that’s another lie.” Riley scoffed, Drake arched a brow at her. “You have a girlfriend!”

Drake’s eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped. “How did you…”

“Maxwell saw you canoodling at the festival yesterday.” She responded. “What’s wrong with her? Why don’t you want to show her off? Does she have an eyepatch? Pegleg? Hook hand?”

Liam and Drake both froze and stared at Riley curiously.

“What the fuck, Brooks?” Drake finally broke the silence.

“Love, I don’t think Drake is seeing a pirate.”

“Sorry, Eleanor’s been on a real Peter Pan kick. I’ve got pirates on the brain.” She shrugged.

“Riley, can you give Drake and I a moment alone?” Liam asked.

Riley stood from the chair, and moved to leave the office, pausing before she opened the door and turning back to her husband and her friend. “I just want the chance to be there for you the way you always have for me.” Before Drake could respond, she was gone.

“I’m sorry, Drake.” Liam apologized as he sat in his chair. “I didn’t mean for this to be an attack on you.”

“It’s alright,” Drake shrugged. “And for the record, I’m sorry I lied to you guys.”

The pair sat in comfortable silence for a moment. Liam finished off his drink and stood, tilting his chin toward Drake’s glass. He nodded, affirming that he wanted a refill. Liam took the glasses and took them to the bar cart.

“So,” Liam began as he refilled their drinks, “What’s her name?”

“Alyssa, Alyssa Devereaux.” He said. Even with his back to his friend, Liam could hear the smile in his voice.

“You’re happy?” Liam asked as he handed Drake his drink.

“I am Li, she’s amazing. I never expected to fall as hard as I did.”

Liam nodded as he returned to his seat, placing his drink down in front of him. “Why wouldn’t you want to share that happiness with your friends?”

Drake shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, it’s just,” he trailed off, trying to find the best way to explain what he was feeling. “This whole world, the court, nobles, all that, it’s a lot. I know what it can do to an outsider, I wanted to protect her from it.”

“That’s reasonable, I understand wanting to protect someone you care about, you know that.” Drake nodded in response. “But Drake, if this is something that you see as long term, it’s an inevitability that you will need to start introducing her into this whole world. As much as I know it pains you to admit it, you are a part of the court.”

“Yeah, you’re right. There are just so many things that could go wrong. I don’t want to lose her, Liam.”

Liam smiled, he had known Drake his whole life, and he had never talked about a girl like this. He had it bad, and it was painfully obvious. “Why don’t you ease her into it. She doesn’t have to dive into it all at once.”

“What do you mean?” Drake asked.

“Introduce her to people that will be at court functions ahead of time. That way, she will have allies to turn to if she gets uneasy.”

Drake arched a brow. “Allies like the king and queen?”

“If you’re going to have allies, it doesn’t hurt for them to be at the top.” Liam grinned sheepishly.

Drake let out a deep breath. “I guess I can’t keep her hidden forever.”

“Wonderful!” Liam exclaimed. “You should bring her by for dinner this weekend. Just a small, unofficial get together. We’ll do it in our quarters, Riley will cook. Completely informal, just your friends meeting your… girlfriend?” Drake nodded, confirming Alyssa’s title.

“I guess that sounds alright. I mean, if it’s just you guys, I can’t imagine what could go wrong.”

Permatag:

@3pawandme @alj4890 @busywoman @charlotteg234 @cordonia-gothqueen @cordoniaqueensworld @differenttyphoonwerewolf @emkay512 @foreverethereal123 @hopelessromanticmonie @iaminlovewithtrr @imashybish @kat-tia801 @kingliam2019 @malblk21 @mom2000aggie @neotericthemis @nestledonthaveone @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @secretaryunpaid @sincerelyella @theroyalheirshadowhunter @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @txemrn

Liam:

@amandablink @custaroonie @jared2612

TRR:

@21-wishes @ao719 @belencha77 @burnsoslow @lovingchoices14 @the0afnan @xpandass420x

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queenmiarys · 1 year

Text

Good day people, I hope you all had a wonderful start to your New Year and it continues. I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my work, and thanks to all who like it. Please excuse any typos or grammar mistakes

Book: TRR

Summary: Aliania returns to the Palace and she and Liam spend time together. The newcomer confesses her feelings to Drake.

Pairings: Liam x Aliania (mc), Drake x Riley (oc)-kinda

Rated:M

🍋

Word Count 3, 025

All characters belong to pixelberry, but Aliania Perez belong to me

Warning: Strong sexual content, Drinking and deception. This content is for persons over the age of 18 and older. You are advised not to read if you're under the age of 18

Song inspiration for Liam and Aliania

I would like to thank @dcbbw for pre reding and doing some editing for me and giving me some good ideas, I really appreciate it.

Song inspiration for Liam and Aliania

Song inspiration for Drake and Riley

Blinded Lines, Part 2

Liam and I were in a weird place:Two days after making love, he announced that he was looking for a wife; he ended our relationship, saying that I needed to give Drake a chance. I can hardly look at Drake without feeling super guilty. I tried to be a good girlfriend to him, but I can't when another has my heart.

It’s been almost two months since the last time I was at the Palace. Drake and I were walking down the hall, and there he was looking all good. It looked as if Liam had been working out more or something. He stood with a dark headed woman named Riley, Drake told me as we approached them, whom I avoided speaking to. It seemed as if time had stopped. I couldn't breathe.

"Please, can someone get me some water?'' She said just before passing out.

Drake went to fetch the beverage, while Liam stayed with Aliania. He asked Riley to get Bastien.

"Aliania are you okay?”

"Thanks but I got it. Enjoy your little date."

"We need to talk, meet me in our room later? Please, Aliania.” before she could answer Riley and Bastien emerged.

"Are you okay Ms. Perez?" Bastien asked

"Yes, I think I just need something to drink, although I haven't eaten anything today. Oh, there's Drake now."

"Sorry it took so long, I got you something to eat and drink. I know you, Perez; when you are stressed you don't eat.”

Liam let Drake take over, after all she was Drake's girlfriend. He got up and walked over to Riley, wrapping his arm around her. My blood was boiling, I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t see them

Drake and I made our way to his room, where I laid down for a while after I ate the food he got me; when I woke up, at 9pm, Drake was watching me sleep.

"Oh my God, Drake! I slept from 3pm until now?" Omg Liam, he probably thought I stood him up.

"I need some fresh air, I'm going for a walk. "

"After your episode today do you really think that's a great idea?"

"I'm okay."

"I can come with you." She placed her hand on his arm."

"Drake baby, while you’ve been amazing today, I just need some space please don't take it personally. "

------

I wandered down the hall, and as I reached the east hall, I took a deep breath as I got closer to the door. I opened it, and there Liam sat shirtless, I must say he looked so sexy his muscles were more tone then before.

"Hey, my love, I didn't think you'd come. We need to talk.” He was wearing my favorite Creed cologne, while smooth jazz played softy in the background .

"Are you okay? Or did you just want get me away from Riley? He smirked

"I am okay as long as I got the job done, she's not really into you.

"How do you know she's not?"

"I'm pretty sure the way she looked at Drake when he returned says it all."

"Really? So you're not just jealous over her liking Drake?"

"I'm not, because I love you and only you."

"Can you stay with me tonight?" I haven't been able to touch you in almost two months! Please stay? I need you."

"I will, I miss you so much, let me just text Drake and tell him I went home."

________________

Riley sent Liam another text but still no response

She made it down to bar to see Hana and Maxwell already there.

It was late, and Drake found himself at the bar. Not alone; Riley and Maxwell and Hana were all there. Drake smiled a greeting to the others, feeling happy he had a chance to see Riley again

"So, where's Li?”

"I'm not sure,he's not answering my calls or text.

"So no Aliania tonight?" Max asked.

"She went home."

"Are you sure?" Max asked

"Beaumont, what do you mean?"

"I saw her car outside, that's all."

Maybe she took a cab." He didn't say anything to the others. but he had a feeling that his girlfriend was lying about something.

He tapped her a quick text

_______________

"You like what you see?" Liam asked with a chuckle. "That's the third time you’ve looked at me like that."

"Well I must admit, you looking damn good." She smiled.

"Honestly, I been hitting the gym extra hard for last few weeks now." I try my best not to think of you and Drake and no matter how hard I try,all I see is him touching you and doing other things and it drives me crazy. "

"Honestly we only been together once since the last two months, I ended up stopping him right in the middle, you had announced that your looking for a wife, I had to really process this

"I love you too, but are you sure? I mean, I know you don't want to ruin my relationship with him, but I made this bed. I gave in to loving you, so I must face the consequences of losing my best friend."

"I believe he'll be mad, but there is a certain person who can pull him through, I'm telling you Riley really likes him, she likes you but it's not the same as Drake."

" It's okay, I don't have feelings for Riley meeting her in NY, I mean for most part it was to try to get over you, I didn't know Maxwell would convince her to come here."

"You really have no feelings for her?

"Aliania my love, honestly I only have eyes for you, I know what's expected of me but I don't know if I can do it if your not by my side.

"We've been here for over an hour. I'm hungry, how about you?"He asked.

"I could eat something. I want scallops, roasted potatoes, and mixed greens”. He looked up at her and smiled.” What? I didn't eat much today."

Someone brought the food up.

Riley watched from a corner of the hallway.

She remembered when Maxwell gave a tour, he said no one stayed in that wing of the Palace, but she was curious to whom was using it. Making sure no one was around, she pressed her ear to the door; she made out Liam's voice, but she barely heard the female's voice. Riley hung around the doorway for about 20 minutes until she saw a guard walking the wing’s hallway. He asked her what she was doing there.

She replied she had gotten lost, which wasn’t a total lie. When the guard led her to her room, she saw Drake was knocking on her door.

________

"There you are Brooks, don't tell me you got lost again. Well, you'll learn.”

"Yeah, I was for a minute, but Spencer showed me the way.Thank you Spencer."

"So do you want to go get some real food? I heard a new American restaurant just opened up in the Square. It’s called Wayne's Chicken and Waffles.

"Sure,I’d love to. I really haven't ate much, because a certain someone stood me up for dinner." He won't even answer my calls or texts."

"It's something you might need to get used to; I mean, if you marry him he is the king and gets very busy at times."

"Do you think he's seeing someone?"

"Why would you ask such a thing?"

"It might be my imagination, but he seems kinda distracted. I don't have his full attention."

It crossed her mind when he changed. Liam was getting to know her, but today he cut their date short as soon as Aliania came around. But that couldn’t be the reason because Aliania was with Drake.

How could she choose him over Drake? Riley thought.

She and Drake ate, then went to the beer garden where they spotted Maxwell with a female.

"Drake, can we speak?" Max asked

"What's up, Beaumont?"

"What the hell do you think you're doing with little Blossom?

"What? We’re just friends, nothing more."

"Are you sure? I believe she likes you. I caught her checking you out the other day."

Drake tried not to look excited about Riley checking him out.

"Beaumont why don’t you and your date join us, you'll see for yourself nothing is going on. "

------

After a delicious dinner, Liam and Aliania watched a movie before falling asleep. Aliania woke up around 2am. Liam had been watching her sleep for about an hour, sitting in a chair next to the bed. "Hey, why are you over there?"

"Just watching the most beautiful woman in the world sleep.I couldn't sleep with so much on my mind lately, especially you my love."

She smiled. "You've been on my mind as well. I can't stop thinking about you, no matter how hard I try. I had a dream that you married someone who wouldn't let you see any of your friends. This lady was so evil towards you. Drake woke me, saying I was cursing in my sleep. Don’t look at me like that, we didn't sleep together. He just thought I would sleep if he was there, and I did for a minute but after he woke me I couldn't go back.For weeks now this social season has been bothering me."

"I'm sorry to worry you, it's just I need to marry and have an heir; it would fulfill my duties, but what I feel for you is not just a duty, I'm actually in love with you." You consume my every thought. "Enough about that, let's focus the rest of our night on us."

Come here my love?" I miss everything about you, no other can compare."

She sat in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her while caressing her breast. He moved his mouth, kissing her neck and nibbling her earlobes a whimper escape her, he continued to get her worked up, She felt her body relax under his touch. He scooped her up and took her to bed. Her eyes closed as he dipped between her legs.

It had been almost two long months of not touching her, seeing her; he wanted to make her never want anyone else but him. He worked his tongue before inserting his finger deep inside of her; he worked his finger making her come multiple times.

He knew what he was doing.

He smiled as she came a fourth time.

"Shit, Liam! You are an amazing lover. I want to taste you, please?"

Aliania wrapped her lips around him, stroking him up and down. She loved satisfying the man she loved. Liam looked in her eyes as she took him all in.

He was now ready.

He pulled her up and flipped her over, licking her from the back before he slipped inside. "Damn baby, you're so wet and you feel so good."

"Yes, my king! Oh yes! I missed you too.”

He had her lay on her back as he entered from the side. She loved every inch of him.

He pulled out and rolled off the condom. " I want to feel you, If that’s okay. I have another condom if you say no.”

"Yes, My king she said almostout of breath. I've been wanting to feel you.”

He slipped back in and she wrapped her legs around him. He pulled himself into standing position while holding Aliania in place,he could feel himself getting harder, he started lifting her up and down they both could feel every inch of each other, she closed her as his movement because more rapid and faster, he was definitely in the zone, she tried to protest saying she was too heavy, but he just laughed." My love, do you know I lift weights heavier than you? He said a little out of breath.

He walked the room while pumping inside her a few more times before he could feel his own release coming, Both collapsed on the bed after Liam laid her down. After all, Liam was 6'4 and she was only 5"3.

"That was incredible." Liam praised.

"Yes, my king it was."

"My love, please don't feel guilty. I can tell you that you do."

"Sorry, but I can't help it, my king. I mean, what we're doing is not right yet we can't stay away from each other.You can't stand to see me with him, and I can't stand to see you with any other woman. We need to tell him because I want to just be yours."

"I'm only yours, my love. I've tried to move forward, but as long as you're around I don't see that happening. I only see us getting married, us having children, us together forever."

—---

Riley and Drake returned about 4 am, both tipsy but not too drunk. Once they got to Riley's room, she stood for a minute.

"Thank you, Drake. My date abandoned me, and you came to my rescue. I know at first you hated me, but I hope we're good now."

"Brooks, why do you believe I hated you?”

"Well you're so mean sometimes Drake, I just assumed.”

"Look Brooks, I'm sorry if I made you feel any kind of way. I had to get to know you first. See, the world I lived in for all my life wasn't the best, so my walls are always up.”

She took Drake's hand. "Please don’t get mad at what I'm about to say?"

"What's that?"

"Ali doesn't deserve you, she's not good for you. How could she have a man as incredible as you, and not value you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

" But you just met her, Riley. You don't know her."

"I don't need to know her.I know plenty of women like her, and she doesn't deserve you.”

Riley stood on her tiptoes and kissed Drake; he pulled back. "Brooks, you know I have a girlfriend."

She let out a sigh. "I know, but I can't help how I'm starting to feel for you. I mean I've tried to fight my attraction to you, I've tried giving Liam a real chance. But honestly, his heart is somewhere else. It seems like he forces himself to spend time with me."

"Brooks, what are you talking about?"

"Well Liam is sweet, but he only kisses me on the cheek. I went to kiss him and he pushed me away, like he’s keeping me at arm's length because he's waiting on someone better to come along. He's canceled a lot of dates he's planned with me. It's like he's sabotaging finding a wife."

"Interesting, Brooks. Li is usually a smooth operator."

Drake laughed out loud. “Look, it's almost 5; I’d better be going. Get some rest okay?”

"Okay, I will and thank you for a good time. I wish we could have gone further." She winked before disappearing into her roo.

The wheels in Drake's mind started turning: The way Perez reacted when she saw Riley with Liam; how she had been behaving the last month. She had definitely been keeping him at arm's length. Since Liam’s announcement two months ago, Perez hardly wanted to be bothered.

He found himself at Liam’s door. Drake knew Liam got up around 5am, but no answer. He was still standing in front of the door when the maid arrived to do her morning cleaning.

"Good morning Estelle?" "Is Li having a meeting this morning?”

"I'm not sure, Mr. Walker. His Majesty did not stay here last night; I came earlier and his bed was not slept in.I just went to get a few things; since His Majesty is not here, we will deep clean his quarters.”

"Oh okay, I'll let you get to it."

It didn't make sense, Liam not in his suite.

Riley was with me, that's the only woman he's showed any interest in.

Perez had disappeared.

Max said her car was still here. She said she took Liam asked someone to take her home after what happened earlier

That explanation came through in a text that she had sent Drake after he texted her about her car. He got to his room, and crashed down on the bed, for a few minutes before taking off his clothes. He fell asleep, forgetting to shower.

Iit was now 5:30.

Riley on the other hand, couldn't sleep. All she could think about was who Liam was with.She also thought how nice it would have been if the kiss she laid on Drake had been returned. She thought of how good Drake must be in bed.

He was so fine. She could see his ripped chest through his shirt he wore.

Riley got up and made her way to east hall; this time when she got to the room, she was in luck. That was most definitely Liam leaving the room. But, she wasn't prepared for what she saw next.

Stunned and in shock, Riley stood with her mouth open in disbelief.

Aliania came to the door with a very revealing nighty on; there was no mistaking that they were indeed involved with each other.

Author's note: hello everyone I would like to ask what Riley's next move should be?

Confront Liam or Aliania?

Confront both?

Go to Drake?

If you don't like any of those ideas please, tell me your opinion of what Riley should do next you can inbox me or leave a comment.

----

@bebepac @shewillreadyou @mom2000aggie @tessa-liam @ao719

#Spotify #Liam x mc #Drake x oc #TRR #blended Lines #betrayal #king of Cordonia

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txemrn · 2 years

Text

Stay

Chapter 2: "Ten Feet Under and Upside-Down"

Catch up here!

Word Count: ~6835 (I apologize; it's a long one)

Series Summary: With her family facing deportation back to Auvernal, fun-spirited Reid Ambrose quits college to support her family. But as fate would have it, she accepts a temporary job as a caregiver for the royal family, an experience that will challenge her, break her, and devastate her world in the most exciting of ways.

Chapter Summary: An old face returns to Cordonia to work for the royal family. But even after almost a decade away, not much has changed, and he's more miserable than ever.

Series Warning: ⛔ Please Be Advised: 18+ Only ⛔This series will contain mature material, including foul language, NSFW 🍋, discussion/depictions of war, violence, gun violence, assassination attempts; medical situations, including major character injuries; ethical dilemmas including euthanasia & bodily autonomy; mental health, including depression, PTSD, suicide

Series Music Inspo: “Awake” by Secondhand Serenade

Chapter Music Inspo: "Storm" by Lifehouse

AN: Majority of these characters and some plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry. Special thanks to my amazing friend @kat-tia801 for prereading, and my sweet friend @ao719 for helping me dial-up a scene as well as pre-reading it. Also, you will recognize some items from canon; other items may be completely contradictory to canon. Just got with it, and enjoy the story. 😊

~🖤~

Present (as a reminder: 3 years after Leo's tragic birthday party)

Coasting into the assigned parking spot at his apartment complex, Drake Walker haphazardly downshifts his truck before ripping the keys out of the ignition. All the lights seem to be out in his place, which will work in his favor for a possibly quiet night at home. No talking, especially no arguing. Hopefully with his quick maneuvering, the rumble of his old pick-up won’t disturb his wife and son from their sleep.

Fuck. It did. A lamp in the master bedroom flickers on, a glow illuminating through the window.

Drake lays his exhausted head on the steering wheel, unsure if he should turn back around and go back to his job and stay the night there. At least then he wouldn't have to hide himself, hide his emotions from his bride, pretend to be the man he promised her he would be.

Jodi doesn't deserve this. Any of this. The silent treatment. The avoidance. The denial of connection. She's too faithful, too fucking loving for her own good. Truth be told, her gentle answers, loving support, and abundant encouragement are the reasons Drake has been so successful both in college and starting his career as a physical therapist.

Why was he shutting down on her now?

It all started about six months ago, when Drake found the crown prince of Cordonia wandering on their front porch of their newly-built Texas home.

“Leo?” Drake cocked his head, furrowing his eyebrows in disbelief. He hadn’t seen the tall blond since the aftermath of his birthday party almost three years ago.

“Walker!” he extended his hand, striding widely to greet the commoner. “Long time no see, brother!”

Brother? Drake eyes the prince’s outstretched arm before hesitantly gripping it. Taking in Leo’s appearance, he notices a thick file folder under his arm, filled with what looked like a stack of disjointed documents with tabs and post-it notes.

“Jesus Christ, Texas is fucking hot,” Leo chuckled, dabbing his forehead, but his perfect pearly white smile remained on Drake. “Beautiful place you got here.”

Always the charmer. “Yeah,” Drake shifted his gaze to the screen door, seeing a curious Jodi with their son Finn on her hip. He gave her a nod with the notion that everything was okay before turning back to his visitor. “Listen, Leo…” he clapped his hands, “um, what are you doing here?”

Leo snickered. “Straight to the point as always, Walker. Is there some place we can talk?”

“Right here is just fine,” Drake fired back quickly, not trusting the future king’s intentions. He folded his arms, leaning a shoulder against a wooden post.

“On behalf of the Cordonian royal family, we’d like to hire you.”

Leo had offered Drake a full-time job to be the prince’s personal physical therapist. This, of course, made the commoner scoff, making it clear that he would never cross onto Cordonian soil again. Not for anyone, not even him. But when he stormed inside, he was stopped by Jodi who had been listening.

“He traveled halfway around the world, Drake Walker,” she quietly scolded, “at least talk to him. We’re talking about your old stomping grounds, your family… I know they treated you like shit, but… at least hear him out. Maybe it’s time to bury the hatchet, you know? Let go of your bitterness.”

“Jo… I don’t know.”

“Think of the good example you’ll be setting for Finn,” she smiled, batting her puppy-dog eyes.

Fuck, she was good.

Luckily Leo hadn’t retreated too far away from their land. Drake waved down his driver, and then invited Leo back to the house for a drink and for the opportunity to discuss his proposal. Once the crown prince was introduced to Jodi, the three of them sat down at the kitchen table while Finn took a nap on the couch.

Looking like an episode of Criminal Minds, the documents in the folder were carefully explained and spread out before the young couple’s eyes. It was a medical file, complete with lab test results, written diagnoses and prognoses by doctors, some of which were second and third opinions. Lists of medications, photographs of scarred skin, MRIs of nerve damage, degeneration and muscle atrophy: it was clear that there was a serious need.

But why him? Why Drake?

“We’ve already been through three therapists, and all of them have left us,” Leo answered somberly. “I’m not going to lie; it’s… difficult, and not just because your job is already difficult. But… he’s difficult.” Leo folded his hands on the table, mindlessly fidgeting with his thumbs. Suddenly something came over him, something more honest, something more human. “Please, Walker,” his voice shook before clearing his throat. “We… We need you.”

Drake quietly sits in the driver's seat in the stillness of the night, fidgeting with his wedding band as Leo’s words echo in his head.

We need you…

He reminisces about his childhood in Cordonia, about games of tag in the hedge maze, fishing trips out on Lake Malus, and sleepovers on the back lawn of the palace with only his sleeping bag, a flashlight and comic books.

But, along with the fond memories of his childhood came the bittersweet remembrance of his friendship with Liam. He was always there. Always–well, for the most part, at least up until the end. The prince was Drake’s confidant, his greatest support. He gave sound advice, but also knew when to sit, whether it was to listen or because Drake needed silence.

He didn’t turn his back on Drake even after he felt abandoned by his own family.

Maybe that’s why Drake finally agreed to this arrangement; maybe he felt indebted somehow to the royal family, to the memory of Liam being patiently supportive when tragedy struck. The sacrifice probably didn’t seem great to the leaders of a country, but to Drake, it was everything.

Never in a million years would Drake have guessed this would be his life, a selfless life of servitude to the royals, a miserable life putting them first before his own family. Just like his father. When he left Cordonia almost a decade ago, his decision seemed so certain, so clear, and he swore that he would never see any of these horrid people again.

He glances towards the orange glow, pouring from his bedroom window, and he worries about his marriage. The pent-up regret and festering anger has been building since the moment he stepped back onto Cordonia soil. The job was difficult, and it was near impossible to work with his ornery client. Drake returns home late every night with battle wounds on his heart.

But, tonight he suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of guilt as he watches the shadows shift against the ambient lighting. Has he been silently taking out his frustrations on his wife? He’s trying to spare her his heartache by keeping it to himself; but in doing so, is he neglecting her needs?

Damnit, my family needs me, too.

He reaches into a secret pocket of his duffle bag, and pulls out two cigarettes. Tucking one behind his ear to chainsmoke later, he lights the other one, pulling in the deep burn. He combs his fringe out of his eyes before leaning back on his head rest, exhaling his smoky breath. But still, the haunting anxiety remains.

How the fuck did we even get here?

------

9 Years ago

A sudden loud clatter jolts nineteen-year-old Drake awake from his impromptu nap. Unsure of the time or how long he has been asleep, he intently rubs his eyes with his fists before succumbing to a large, vocal yawn, stretching his sculpted arms over his head. Quickly noticing the darkness outside, he reaches for his phone and notices the time.

1:24 AM

The fuck, Liam?

Last year, the young prince started his rigorous royal training in preparation for his older brother Leo’s ascension to the Cordonian throne. Being separated from his best friend, Drake quickly made himself busy around the palace, mainly serving as a stablehand, until Liam would retire from the evening. But, with constant travels, the wearisome studies and the long diplomatic meetings, the two men discovered less and less free time to spend together. Liam was forming new bonds and new relationships with fellow dignitaries and politicians while his friendship with Drake was starving for a connection. After a few short months, they were barely texting one another.

Today is Liam’s birthday, and the two men had agreed to finally catch up with drinks at the beer garden to celebrate. Drake came home early to make himself presentable before heading over to Liam’s quarters early. He was nervous, not because he was finally going to come face-to-face with Liam, but he was anxious about talking with him. Drake had come to an important conclusion, and having Liam’s support meant the world.

When he arrived to the room, no one answered the door. The commoner let himself in with his spare key only to discover a dark room with the young prince nowhere to be found.

After leaving multiple voice messages and sending off several unopened texts, Drake contacted Lars, Liam’s personal guard.

“Walker, you know it’s against protocol for me to tell you where he is at–”

“Lars, just… c’mon,” Drake sighed, “we had plans. Tonight. I mean, maybe he forgot? Or–or maybe he thought I stood him up?” The silence on the phone spoke loud and clear, giving Drake the answer he didn’t want. “When you find a heart, tell him I was looking for him.” Ending the call, Drake slumped into a leather loveseat in Liam’s bedroom.

Sitting alone in the dimly lit room, Drake was left to his own thoughts. He remembers his mom lecturing Savannah all the time about the importance of the quality of friendships rather than the quantity of friends she claimed she had. She would say kitschy phrases, like, “Some people come into your life for a lifetime while others come into your life for a season.”

But the latter was for other people and their failed relationships; this didn’t apply to Drake and his childhood friend Liam. Right? They grew up together; they became men together. They’ve seen each other at their best and at their absolute worst. They’ve rejoiced together; they've grieved together. Liam was his ride or die.

Then why was it all of a sudden so goddamn hard to even be around each other, let alone talk to each other?

Drake rakes his fingers through his hair, finally resting his forehead in his hands as the racket continues. First, he hears keys pawing at the door, like a cat to a scratch post, followed by poorly stifled giggles and even more obnoxious hushes. Finally busts open with an unkempt, very drunk Liam with lips glued to a shapely brunette, her dress already unzipped.

Drake clears his throat, causing the couple to jump apart.

“Drake!” Liam slurs, “Just the man I was looking for!” He glides towards his best friend, patting him on the shoulder before turning his attention to the woman in the room. “I want you to meet Lady… Lady… Latvia–”

“Actually, it’s Leilani,” she kindly interrupts, “Lady Leilani of Latvia.” She offers a crooked smile to Drake while Liam plays cool, snapping his fingers and pointing to her in acknowledgement that she was correct. She stumbles forward towards the commoner with an extended hand to shake while her other arm keeps her bodice covering her chest.

Raising an eyebrow at the trainwreck in front of him before glaring at the inebriated prince, Drake raises his voice. “We need to talk, Li.”

With Leilani giving Liam a concerned look, he walks up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist as he nuzzles his nose into her neck. “Can this wait until tomorrow?” Liam calls out, his words nasally and muffled against her skin.

Drake stands quickly with a heavy foot. “No.”

With his friend’s words shooting through him like an arrow, Liam quickly gives a sober nod. He whispers something into the young coed’s ear, causing her to giggle as he helps her back into her dress. She makes her exit, swaying her hips through the door, but not before she blows a kiss to Liam.

Liam catches the airborne kiss, touching his palm to his face as she finally exits the room. “Isn’t she something?”As he turns to face Drake, the prince is met with a cold stare, a lump suddenly forming in his throat. “Well,” Liam clears his throat as he makes himself comfortable on the side of his bed. “So, what’s up–hey! We missed you tonight, bruh” he jokes, finger-gunning towards Drake.

“‘Bruh’?” Drake scoffs. “I was here, Li… waiting for you… like we had planned.”

Liam gives him a funny look. “We did?” He shrugs off his sports coat, letting it crumple on the ground as he untucks his pale pink oxford. “Well,” the blond lays back on his bed, letting out a hefty exhale. “You should’ve joined us–”

“Are you fucking for real right now?”

“Drake, relax,” he waves his hand flippantly in the air, closing his eyes. But, when he hears a loud sigh, he sits up on his elbows with one eye open. "Wait… are you seriously mad at me? For not drinking with you? Last I checked–” Liam extends his arms above his head, allowing his head to hit the plush comforter. “It’s my birthday!”

“Fuck it,” Drake mutters, standing up to head for the door. “I’m leaving–”

“Whoa, whoa,” Liam jumps up to stop his best friend from leaving, tripping over his jacket on the way. “Seriously, dude,” Liam puts his hand to his chest as he begins to sing, “talk to me. Tell me your name–”

Drake pushes Liam out of the way, causing him to stumble to the ground.

“Whoa there, old friend,” Liam pulls himself back up. “That was kinda hard.”

“It wasn’t that hard.” Drake opens the door.

“I thought you wanted to talk,” Liam shouts, a twinge of humor in his voice.

“You’re drunk–”

“And for once,” Liam draws closer to the shaggy brunette, jabbing his finger into his chest, “you’re not!”

Drake sees red as he glares at the shell of the man that he used to consider his brother. When did he become so rude? So flippant? So careless? So… Leo? “You know what, Li?” He raises his hands in surrender, slowly stepping backwards through the door. “We’re done.” He turns on his heel and storms towards his private quarters.

“Drake? Drake, c’mon,” Liam calls out, jogging towards the commoner. He grabs him by the shoulder, turning him around. “Listen, I’m sorry. I–I'm dunk–drunk. Let’s just talk about this tomorrow–”

“No, Li. There is no more time to talk.” Drake shrugs off Liam’s hand as he returns to his pursuit. “Besides, I have a plane to catch in the morning.”

“A plane?” Liam catches up to Drake again, this time cutting in front of him. “Where–where are you going?”

"Away," he grumbles, finally reaching his room.

"Okay," Liam curiously stops, raising an eyebrow, his voice becoming softer. "When are you coming back?"

On cue, Drake unlocks his door to reveal a few packed boxes and luggage. Liam flips on an overhead light, his eyes registering the scene. He furrows his brows, as he tracks his pacing friend. Drake finally turns around, shoving his hands in his pocket before daring to look up at the prince.

"You're moving," Liam states matter-of-factly.

"To Texas," Drake finishes, eyes trained to the floor.

"But… but what about your life here–"

"What life, Liam?" Drake angrily interrupts. "I see the same three guys every day down in the stables. I eat breakfast and dinner by myself," he suddenly chokes on his words, his breath hitching as he turns away to collect himself. He looks back to Liam, his eyes reddening with the threat of tears. "I spend my free-time wondering if my fucking best friend will actually talk to me today."

"So this is my fault?" Liam shifts his weight, putting his hands on his hips. "Drake," he scoffs, "we knew this day was coming, my noble training, my duties. And this is harder, harder than I ever imagined. I’m sorry that we don’t hang out as much. But, cut me some slack."

"I have… For a long time now."

Liam looks away, his lips twisting. Every emotion flashes across his youthful, chiseled face. Confusion. Anger. Worry. Betrayal. Running a hand over his stubbled chin, he looks back at his friend.

"How do I fix this?"

Hearing the genuine desperation in Liam's voice, Drake drops his head. He rubs the back of his neck, his eyes still trained on the floor. "Li, I–"

"Just tell me. And I'll make it happen. Anything."

Drake sardonically snickers, shaking his head. "Don't you want better for me? For me to make something of myself?"

"Is it a job? Because I can get you a better job. Or we can get you into Cordonia U in the Fall–"

"Wow," Drake blows a raspberry with his lips. "Do you seriously think I need your help? That I'm incapable of creating my own life? My own future?" Fuming, Drake catches his breath. “Jesus fucking Christ, you nobles are all the same. You think you can just throw your wealth, your fucking title and get your way–”

“It never stopped you from accepting my help before.”

A dark stillness engulfs the room as the two friends stare daggers into each other. Liam crosses his arms, his physique growing rigid as he towers his extra three inches of height over denim-clad commoner. Breathing madly, Drake’s broad chest rises and falls as his hands grip into fists. They stood there for a few minutes, hurling silent insults at each other, tearing each other apart with their quiet thoughts.

Finally, Drake shakes his head in disgust, throwing up his hands before heading for the door. “I’ll send for my stuff,” he mutters under his breath as he intentionally bumps his shoulder into the prince’s arm, pushing him off balance.

Liam scoffs. He brushes off his arm as if Drake had left something dirty on him from impact. He follows him out the door to watch him walk down the main corridor.

“Like mother, like son.”

Drake spins around, his jaw tightening. He closes the space between him and Liam before launching a wrathful swing of his arm, his fist abruptly meeting a hearty crack against the prince’s chiseled face.

Liam stumbles backwards, falling to a knee as he holds his cheek. But before he can retaliate, Liam’s guard Lars quickly apprehends Drake, knocking him to the ground as he calls for reinforcements over his earpiece. With six more guards swarming the floor, Drake is picked up by his pinned arms.

“Stop!” Liam bellows, struggling to stand up. With the help of another guard, Liam steadies his gate before drawing closer to Drake, He wipes at his lip, noting the dark red crimson trickling from his mouth. He locks his eyes on his childhood friend before slowly shaking his head.

“You ungrateful bastard,” Liam growls before turning to Lars. “Show Mr. Walker out.” Liam turns on his heel, walking back to his quarters before slamming the door.

------

Present

An abrupt knocking on the glass breaks Drake’s reverie. He anxiously sits up, but his troubled heart instantly takes comfort at the sight of her, his bride, his person. It was his Jodi. Even in a ratty old SFA t-shirt and an old pair of his boxers, she was still stunning. Her hair reflects the moonlight, turning her usual golden strands into ethereal white. Her warm caramel-chocolate eyes hold the universe, Drake’s whole universe, as they sparkle and dance just for him. She delicately presses her fingertips against the pane, her heart-shaped lips offering a pleading smile. Baby, please. I’m here.

Drake furrows his brow at the sight of her. His lips can’t help but frown as the pricking of tears sting his eyes. He finally drops his head into hands, shielding his face from her view. He knew the dam that was holding back his emotions would eventually break, and his heart would bleed out as the unbearable weight on his shoulders came crashing down around him. But, he didn’t want to do this in front of Jodi, not in front of the woman that trusts him to be her rock and strength.

“Drake?” She softly calls to him. “Drake baby?” She gently taps her fingertips against the window again to get his attention, but he doesn’t answer her.

Jodi quickly rounds the truck, climbing in on the other side while shoving his duffle bag into the back of the cab. “Baby? Baby?” She slides her arms around Drake’s broad shoulders, pulling him snuggly into her embrace, resting her chin in his tousled hair. Her face etches with worry, but she’s not a fool; she knows her husband, and she knows that this–whatever this is– has been building like a cancer inside of him for a while now.

At least since they moved to Cordonia.

“I’m sorry,” Drake whispers, but Jodi quickly hushes him endearingly, combing her fingers through his hair and behind his ear. “I promised you a better life than this. I promised you a better husband than–”

“Don’t you dare talk about my husband that way, Drake Walker.” She playfully scorns, planting kisses on the crown of his head.

Drake sits up, giving his wife a half-crooked smile as he quickly dries his eyes with the heel of his hand. He then wraps a strong arm around her, pulling her to his side, their lips tenderly meeting.

Jodi reaches over, lacing her petite hand with his large fingers. Her eyes find his glassy stare, but he quickly looks away from her, clearing his throat.

She squeezes his grip before casually looking out the window. “Your mom used to say, 'He's just like Jack.'

Drake's eyes widen, turning back to his wife. "What?"

The corners of Jodi's mouth turn up as she continues. "Apparently your dad was incredibly strong. Tough. Hard-headed–"

Drake guiltily chuckles under his breath. "Sounds slightly familiar."

"And yet… very emotional. Haunted even." She looks up at her husband, their eyes locking on one another. As silence fills the truck, Jodi's attention falls to their laced fingers. Gently letting go of his hand, she begins twirling his platinum wedding ring.

"Listen, Jo–"

She holds a finger to his mouth and sweetly grins. "I love you, Drake Walker," her eyes twinkle, "just the way you are, even when you feel like being quiet and I know,” she chuckles, “I know. You have to mull things over before you can talk about them." She cups his face, gently stroking the coarse hairs of his bearded jaw. “But you married me. You don't have to shoulder the pain alone anymore. You don't have to worry about tomorrow or about decisions or about life alone anymore." Watching a tear swell and threaten to drop from his long lashes, Jodi gently rubs her thumb across his lower eyelid. "You can be quiet, that's fine. But you eventually need to talk to me, Drake. Please–" she sniffles, "don't shut me out. Don't–don't shut us out–"

"Oh, baby," Drake exhales, his arms enveloping his wife. He leans in, resting his forehead against hers as he closes his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry… I–" he sighs, "I never meant to do this to you. All I want to do… is protect you, be a man that you are proud of–”

“Drake–”

“Jodi Walker… you are the most precious thing this life has ever given me… damnit–” his breath hitches as he presses his face intimately into her hair, "I need you. God, everyday. I need you every fucking day. More and more."

"I need you, too, baby," Jodi sweetly whispers in his ear, her voice hoarse from tears. She presses a firm kiss into his hairline, her fingers tangled tightly in his hair. “And I am proud of you.”

For the first time in almost six months, Drake suddenly understands what it means to be supported, to be heard and to be loved. It's not that his wife failed to do these things for him. But he realizes it's easy to feel comforted when he feels positive about himself and rewarded by life. He promised Jodi happiness, and he is bound and determined to ensure she always has that.

Even if that means hiding himself and his own demons.

But he had forgotten one very important detail: Jodi made the exact same promise of a happy life, to love him, and to comfort him through every curve ball thrown at them. He’s not that little boy anymore, suffering through his father’s death and mother’s abandonment alone. He has someone now, his person, his better half, his forever.

After spending some much needed time in each other's arms, whispering sentiments of love and sharing sweet kisses, the couple is interrupted by a tiny voice on the baby monitor. They both stare at the device intently, finally raising an eyebrow to one another, holding their breath as they try to decipher the message.

"Damnit! Okay! Fine. I have no idea,” Jodi confesses, throwing up her hands as a guilty expression paints across her face. “I have no fucking idea what the hell he is saying half the time."

"Shit, I thought it was just me," Drake snickers, rubbing his forehead.

Jodi slowly furrows her eyebrows. “You think he’s normal?”

“Meh,” Drake shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t think we’ve fucked him up too badly just yet–”

“Drake!” Jodi swats at her husband’s arm as he pretends to shield himself. They tumble into a fit of snickers as Drake puts his arm around her shoulders, hugging her tightly.

"Well, I better go check on him," she gives a sorrowful smile before pressing her lips to Drake one last time. "Take your time… but don't dare keep me waiting alone for too long, Mr. Walker," she winks as she begins to slide out of the truck.

Drake grabs her elbow, pulling her back to his side as their mouths meet again. A soft moan tumbles from her chest as he strokes her hair back.

"We're in this together… right, Mrs. Walker?" he kisses her nose, making her scrunch it up.

"Always."

------

By the time Drake makes it upstairs, a lone kitchen light illuminates his path in the open-concept layout of his apartment. He quietly sets his bag down next to the front door before kicking off his tennis shoes. He strips down into his white undershirt and boxer briefs, gathering his dirty scrubs to throw into the wash.

Softly padding to the kitchen to warm up some dinner, he notices a certain little 3-year-old’s upside-down handprint on a piece of construction paper. As he draws close to the craft, Drake’s smile begins to grow as the gray blob of paint begins to take the shape of an elephant, complete with a googly-eye glued near the base of the tiny thumb and his ear, toes and tail drawn on with a permanent marker, no doubt drawn on by Jodi.

To: Daddy

Drake traces the hand print, a sense of pride billowing in his chest. My boy. Feeling the tight ache in his cheeks from smiling, he glances towards Finn’s room and notices the door is ajar, his night light pouring through the crack out into the hallway. He quietly moseys to his son’s room, peering in to see his son, sleeping soundly with his chestnut strands sprawled out carelessly on his pillow. With a secure grip on a toy firetruck, the young child’s arm is relaxed over his head while the thumb of his other hand is tucked barely into the waistband of his dinosaur underwear.

Drake chuckles to himself, admiring the adorable vision when he suddenly looks down, noticing that he had his own thumb tucked into the waistband of his boxers.

And it hits him: what else am I unknowingly teaching him?

Drake has fond memories of his father: camping, fishing, learning how to tie a tie, grilling the perfect steak, tuning up a car. But one thing he doesn’t like to think about are the times his father wasn’t there–especially since those times outnumber the moments he was present.

And it was all for the sake of the job. Drake remembers phone calls in the middle of the night, impromptu international trips, interrupted holidays. And then when his dad was home, he wasn’t always present with them. Often times, his mother would shoo Drake and his younger sister away to allow for Jackson to rest by the fire with a bottle of scotch in his hands.

But Drake has nothing, but admiration and gratefulness for his dad, for all of the good times, the life lessons and pep talks. Because of the early, pleasant experiences, Drake always imagined raising his children the exact same way.

Only now that he’s in Cordonia, he’s not.

But that stops tonight.

Drake tenderly picks up his son, Finn’s head instantly nuzzling back to sleep on his dad’s shoulder, gripping tightly to his shirt. He knew that Jodi was probably going to kill him for getting the little one out of his bed, but at this moment, holding their boy, reminding him that Daddy is always there seems more important.

Drake strolls into his bedroom with a snoozing Finn in his arms, wrapped up with his patch-work blankie. With her eyes growing heavy, Jodi is mindlessly scrolling through TikTok in the dark when she hears her husband’s heavy steps. She sits up on her elbow, and then notices her son.

“Drake?” She turns on a lamp, slowly sitting up in bed. “What are you doing? Is he okay—?”

“Yeah,” Drake looks down at his son, nestled in his arms, “everything is perfect now.”

------

The next morning, Drake feels renewed, like shackles have been broken off of his hands and feet, setting him free. There’s no sense of dread or anxiety. He doesn't feel agonizing guilt or slithering voices of self-loathing. Rather, he's at peace; he's comforted. He has a swelling of confidence in his chest and a new lease of determination in his soul. And when he wakes up next to his wife and son, his heart almost aches from the overflow of love for them.

He contacts his work, notifying them that he would be present for his client at the regular scheduled start time in accordance with his contract. He took a very excited Finn to the kitchen for breakfast, knowing that his early-bird of a wife would be in shortly.

Only she wasn’t.

After bribing his son to take five ‘big boy bites’, Drake cleans Finn up before securing him inside a baby gate with his blankie and a new episode of Dino Ranch. Returning to the kitchen, he pours a mug of piping hot coffee for Jodi while preparing a short stack of pancakes with spiced apple butter, his wife’s new favorite topping since moving to Cordonia. Arranging the meal on a rustic, wooden tray, he carries it, tiptoeing carefully into the bedroom. He finds her already up, rinsing out her mouth before returning to bed.

“Morning, Mrs. Walker,” he smiles, presenting her breakfast like a trophy..

“Mmmm, morning, Mr. Walker,” her voice is raspy. “I see you’ve been cooking–”

“Jo–” he interrupts, putting the tray down and cradling her face. “You okay?” He gently strokes his thumbs across the dark, purple circles under her swollen eyes.

“Yeah,” she reassures, putting her hands on his wrists. “I–I’m just tired. Someone invited a certain little boy into our bed that I swear is going to be the kicker for the Cowboys someday."

“A kicker instead of a… walker?” he mischievously raises his eyebrows, ensuring his wife got the punchline.

Oh, she did. Jodi playfully glares at her husband. "You know? Just because you're a dad now doesn't mean you have to tell dad jokes."

"You love my jokes," he badgers, his voice growing heated as his mouth grazes gently across her lips.

"Mmmm… I love you," she croons.

Their mouths meet again, but the intimate touch is gone too quickly. Jodi playfully pouts, the adorable sight coaxing Drake to kiss her again. And then again. And then once more. “Greedy girl this morning,” he growls, handing her the coffee before pinching her ass.

“Baby," she yelps. "Hey, wait… shouldn’t you be at work?” Jodi furrows her eyebrows before sniffing her mug and stealthily setting it down.

“Technically my contract says I have to be in by 8:30 AM. The only one that wants me there at 6 is my fucking client–”

“Drake,” she warns.

“What?” He shrugs his shoulders, feigning ignorance.

“Are you going to always refer to him as your ‘fucking client’?”

“That’s all he is, Jo,” he spits back. He watches his wife calmly push her loose tendrils behind her ear before she dips her finger into the apple butter. Drake sighs, “I’m sorry, okay? It’s just… it’s different. He’s different.”

“I guess I don’t understand. What about all the phone calls and facetimes?” She licks her finger. “I mean I know that all stopped when… uh, well… after everything happened, and–and–and you and I had Finn, then the wedding. But I thought surely you two would go back to–”

“It’s not like that anymore, Jo,” he sighs. “I know you were hoping that somehow moving back here would be like some magical family reunion. It’s not. We’re not family anymore.”

“Have… you… talked to–?”

“No. And we don’t talk about her either.” He bites back, a silence falling between them as he stares at his twiddling thumbs. He finally sighs. “Look, Jo, I’m sorry. I know I’m being short with you, but this? This is my nightmare. Every-fucking-day. I spend my entire day trying to save him, and he’s a stranger, as if we have absolutely no history. He’s… just a fucking asshole.”

Jodi places an endearing hand on his upper back. “I know, baby. But, you’re doing the right thing–”

“Right thing?” Drake blows a raspberry with his mouth. “The only reason why I’m even here in Cordonia is I was a last ditch effort. He wants to move on, and they thought I’d be the cure,” he sarcastically snickers, “he doesn’t want a fucking cure.” He looks away from his wife, taking a moment to think. “You know? They are actually considering hiring another ‘caretaker’,” he air-quotes, “but she has to be a young female–”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. Who knows? Maybe that will interest him in wanting to stay.”

“Will she have big tits and dollar bills hanging out of her g-string?” Jodi jokes.

“They can’t hire you,” Drake winks, earning him a swat from his wife. He gets up and retrieves her plate and mug. “Which… how is the training going at your new job?”

“It’s good,” she brightens, as she follows Drake into the kitchen where they can see Finn playing with his toy cars in the living area. “I start at the embassy on Monday, and then I’ll go to the satellite campuses for interviews after that—”

“Jodi?” He interjects, his voice becoming worrisome as he observes her untouched plate. “Aren’t you hungry? That’s fresh apple butter.”

“I can tell it is,” she grins. “I’m just not hungry yet.”

Drake nods in understanding, but suddenly notices her untouched coffee, an early morning staple for a fully functioning Jodi Walker.

“So,” she continues, “I found out some good news.”

Drake sits down to put on his shoes, turning his ear to her. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“A spot opened up at the employee daycare, so I don’t think we need Sav afterall.”

“Jo,” Drake runs his hands down his face, “we talked about this. Sav is family–”

“And this is the start of our son's education. Did you know that they use the same programs that the nobles use for private lessons–”

Drake grumbles. “Weren’t you just asking me if I thought he was normal?”

“Drake.”

“--about how if we’ve fucked him up yet?”

“Drake Walker.” Jodi crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Please don’t start with that noble shit right now. I’m only wanting the best for him. I love Sav, but I want him doing more than just playing with cars and watching television. Not to mention that drive? Everyday? Especially in Valtoria traffic?”

“You also don’t have to go back to work,” Drake mutters. When he notices the room is silent, he turns around to see a glaring Jodi with her hands on her hips. He nervously clears his throat. “Sorry. Continue, sweetheart.”

“He needs structure–”

“Have you met Bertrand?”

“Drake,” she rubs her head as if she is developing a headache. She quietly saunters towards her husband, slowly snaking her hands around his abdomen. “Please. This will be really good for Finn. I promise.” She tightens her embrace, pressing her forehead into his broad chest. “They have an open house in a few weeks that we can go to. Would that make you feel better?”

Drake gently runs his hands up and down his wife’s back, milling around the information he just learned. He takes a deep breath, finally looking down and meeting her pleading gaze. “Fine. Open house, but Savannah until then.”

“Deal.” Their lips meet briefly, eliciting a soft moan from Jodi.

“Any other benefits I should know about?” Drake sasses.

“Actually…” Jodi bites her bottom lip, “remember how I only got eight weeks off after I had Finn, and only six of them were paid for?”

Drake huffs under his breath as he pulls out his lunchbox to pack. “Don’t remind me… fucking school district is a bunch of crooks.”

Jodi widens her eyes, placing her pointer finger on her mouth as she shifts her eyes to Finn. Drake retracts his head like a turtle before mouthing the word sorry.

“Anyway,” Jodi jovially rolls her eyes, “so get this: even as a part-time employee, I still get six months of paid maternity leave. Guaranteed.”

“O…kay.” Drake titters, opening up the refrigerator, “is this your subtle-not-so-subtle way of bringing up the baby conversation again?”

“No–I mean… sortof?” She cocks her head, her tongue pressed to the back of her teeth.

The moment Drake hears the inflection in her voice, he freezes. Then whirls around to face his wife, noticing how extremely tired she looks. Then he turns to face the sink, glancing at her untouched plate and mug of coffee.

“Jo?” His eyes shift suspiciously towards his wife.

“Drake?” She smiles sheepishly.

“You’re… not…” he tries hard to stifle his smile, but the joy in his gaze betrays him.

Jodi shrugs her shoulders before nodding her head enthusiastically, biting her bottom lip. Within seconds, her husband scoops her up in his arms, lifting her off the ground as their lips melt in a tender kiss.

“Are you serious? Wait… are you sure?” He whispers. “You’re not fucking with me? We–we’re really having another baby?” Watching her husband fumble with his words, Jodi is consumed with giggles, her cheeks pinking with joy. Before she can even answer a single question, Drake pushes his mouth back into hers, tracing a trail of heated kisses to the back of her neck before finally embracing her tightly, burying his face into her gold locks. Wrapped in each other's arms, they fall into a pleasurable silence as they gently rock each other back and forth, basking in the blessing of turning into a family of four. “I love you, Jo.”

“Love you, Walker," she echoes hoarsely, sharing one last peck on his lips. Suddenly, she bounds to the baby gate where Finn is watching intently, reaching for his parents. Jodi picks him up, saddling him on her hip as she spins him around. “And… I love you!” She squeals, grabbing his belly, tickling him lightly as he throws his head back with giggles.

“Oh, damnit.”

Jodi abruptly stops, growing concerned as her husband’s face drops. “What’s wrong?”

“I just realized… I’m not gonna have any extra dollar bills for that new stripper–”

Jodi scrunches up her face. “Let’s get Daddy,” she whispers to Finn. They begin to tickle Drake as he shields himself, all the while laughing hysterically. “No strippers, ya hear me? Y’all are going to hire a sweet girl with manners… that can keep her clothes on during working hours.”

“That’s what strippers do during working hours,” he snorts, enveloping his small family, planting a kiss on Finn's chubby cheek. As Drake tries to smooth down his son's inherited cowlick, he grows quiet, his expression pensive. “You’re right, you know.” Drake exhales, becoming more serious. “I do still care… And if I can’t make him feel better, then I hope this crazy plan of hiring a nice girl works.”

“I hope so too, baby.”

“I just hope she can break through to him,” he sighs, “and that it’s not too late.”

~🖤~

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angelasscribbles · 2 years

Text

Savage Love Chapter 14: Derby

Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: R

Warnings: Mature themes

Word Count: 2,215 (not counting text messages)

My other stuff: Master List.

The next morning I slipped from Liam’s room back to mine through the secret passageways. After morning sex and breakfast, of course. He made sure there was coffee and sugar. I could only shake my head. These men. As if one of them was going to win my heart on the basis of getting my coffee to sugar ratio right. I mean, I’m not complaining. All the attention to details, all the catering to my needs. I didn’t hate it.

I was still with Liam when Drake text the first time.

The second time was right after I got out of the shower.

Then Liam.

They both made me smile.

I finished getting dressed just as knock rang out. It was Maxwell Beaumont. “Max, hey! What are you doing here?”

“Ah…I’m here to escort you to the derby. As your sponsor, remember?”

“Ok. Are all the suitors being escorted by someone from their house?”

“Not really, but Liam asked me to make sure you made it there ok and found your way to the royal box by ‘accident’.” He did air quotes with his fingers.

“Alright, then. I’m not complaining, we can get to know each other a little on the way.”

He smiled and it was a wide, open, genuine smile. The kind that makes you smile back without realizing you’re doing it. I returned it and we headed for the Beaumont limo.

In the car, Max was focused, funny, and engaging for the roughly fifteen minutes it took to reach our destination. He escorted me into the derby, stopping for the reporters to ask me questions. They were the standard questions they asked everyone. What did I think of Leo? What did I think of the other suitors? How thrilled was I to be here? Max stood by with his hands in his pockets looking bored.

Once we stepped away from the reporters, he explained how to get to the royal box then sauntered off into the crowd looking vaguely distracted. He did a good job of projecting the image he wanted the world to see. I was sure no one at court had any idea he knew any more about computers than how to update his Instagram. I could see why the crown used his services.

His directions took me right to where I needed to be. I tugged my skirt down and smoothed the top before opening the door and entering the box.

Every head turned in my direction. Leo, Liam, Neville and a couple of other men I didn’t recognize.

“Lady Riley! What are you doing here?” Liam called out.

“Oh! Sorry! I….I must have gotten turned around! I was looking for the box for the suitors, obviously.”

“It’s fine Lady Riley.” Leo responded, “Come on in and let me introduce you to everyone.”

Leo quicky made introductions. The other two men were Lord Tariq Lambros and Lord Rashad Faheem. When he got to Neville, I exclaimed, “We’ve already had the pleasure of meeting at the Masquerade ball!”

A smile the size of a football field crawled across his face, “I’m so gratified you remember me!”

“Of course! You made quiet the impression!” I let him kiss the back of my hand as I fluttered my lashes at him.

I had to make small talk with everyone for two reasons. One, because it couldn’t be obvious that I was sucking up to Neville since I was allegedly there to court Leo and two, because Rashad and Tariq were both tripping over themselves for my attention as well.

When Neville stepped away to take a phone call, Liam pulled me aside. “Excuse me while I borrow her for a moment gentleman.”

“Certainly.”

“Of course.”

“Just make sure you return her the way you found her.” Leo joked. I shot him a look and he laughed.

“What could you possibly need to talk to me about? I just saw you this morning.” I asked him.

“I just wanted to ask if you’d like to get together later-“

“I’m sorry, as you know, there’s a luncheon with the queen after this, a cocktail party for all the suitors later followed by the Derby Gala, then I have plans for a late dinner with-“

“Will you at least save a dance for me at the gala?”

“Oh, I will save you several!”

He started to respond but just then the door opened, and Drake stepped into the room. “Sorry I’m late, I got tied up with some last-minute bullshit.”

“Hey Captain.” I greeted him.

Drake turned to me with a smile then froze as he caught sight of Liam’s neck. His eyes flicked from Liam’s neck to me then back again. When his eyes went to Liam’s chest, I somehow knew what was about to happen a fraction of a second before it did. Drake stepped in closer to Liam and landed a punch on his chest. The right side to be exact, precisely where the bruise I had left with my teeth resided.

He didn’t hit him hard enough to be a real punch, an angry one designed to start a fight, but more of a playful one, the kind guys give when they’re horsing around. It was hard enough to hurt just a little, except for the fact that he was already injured there. Liam flinched and his hand flew up to cover the spot, “Ow! What the hell, man?”

Drake smirked, leaning in close so no one else in the room could hear, “You think I don’t know where the fucking teeth marks go when she cums?”

“What?”

Drake pulled the collar of his shirt down just enough to show the patchwork of bruises on his own chest, quite a few of them, all in varying stages of healing, from almost completely faded to dark and angry.

Liam’s eyes flicked from Drake’s chest to my face then to Drake’s face as he settled back on his heels with a cocky grin in place, “It’s ok to feel threatened by me, Drake. I get it. I am a pretty damn good catch.”

“I’m not threatened by you, Li.”

“Could have fooled me.” Liam leaned in closer to Drake, so I had to strain to hear his response, “Quality over quantity, right?”

I cleared my throat and leaned in to hiss at them, “Stop it, both of you! This is not the time or place for a pissing contest and if your posturing fucks up my case, I’m done with both of you, understand?”

They stepped away from each other immediately, both flushing as they tried to apologize.

“I’m sorry Riley-“

“Brooks, I didn’t mean-“

“Just drop it! I’m literally in the middle of trying to build a rapport with a suspect right now! If my personal life starts interfering with my job, I’ll have no choice but to shut it down!” I was not going to start bungling investigations at this late date. I always got my man, or woman as the case may be. I hadn’t become the agent with the highest clear rate by letting myself get distracted by my personal life and I wasn’t about to start now.

They both opened their mouths but before either one could get a word out, I told them, “Don’t say anything else! Just nod if you understand.”

They both nodded. “Ok. Good. I’m going back to work now. Don’t either of you talk to me for at least an hour!” I spun and walked back to Leo and the rest of the group.

Leo leaned over to whisper in my ear, “Everything ok?”

“It’s fine.” I told him, “Just a bunch of male ego bullshit.”

He stifled a laugh, “What did you expect? They’re both crazy about you. Don’t act like you don’t know that miss reverse harem.”

It was my turn to stifle a smile as I punched his arm playfully, “Shut up, Rys. I’m here for a reason, remember?”

“Right.” His eyes searched the room for a moment then he called out, “Neville, a favor?”

“Certainly, Your Majesty. What can I do for you?” He asked as he hurried over.

“Lady Riley requires an escort to the proper box. As much as I enjoy her company, it would cause quite a scandal if I’m accused of favoring one suitor over the others, so it can’t be me that escorts her.” Just like we’d rehearsed. Leo really would make a good agent. Too bad he’s going to be king. What a waste.

Neville looked hesitant at first, likely not wanting to miss out on an opportunity to suck up to the future king. So, I leaned toward him, placing my hand on his arm with a coy smile, “I requested you.” I shot my eyes over to Tariq and Rashad then back to him to emphasize the point that I had other options.

That did the trick instantly. His face brightened as he offered me his arm, “I would be honored and delighted to escort you, my lady!”

I wrapped my arms around his as we left the room. I made eye contact with both Drake and Liam on my way out. I glared at them to be more specific. They both looked completely chastised but hell if I was letting them off the hook. Let them stew for an hour wondering if I was going to forgive them or not. They deserved it.

I plastered a fake smile on my face and tipped my head up to stare at Neville with a calculated look of adoration as he droned on about his collection of elephant figurines. His collection of ivory elephant figurines.

It was disgusting. Imagine slaughtering an endangered animal then carving its likeness out of its own tusks. Who does that? Who buys that? Do they not see the horrible irony?

“That’s so interesting.” I lied. “I’d much rather spend time with you than go back to the rest of the suitors.”

“How are you getting on with them?” He asked, “Any impressions so far?”

“Well,” I demurred, “I do find Lady Madeleine interesting. We share some similar philosophies and I believe she’d make a fine queen.”

It was a calculated gamble. If I was correct that both Madeleine and Neville were members of the Via Imperii, this should net me both his approval and trust as well as hers. It worked. I could see the wheels turning in his head before he asked me, “Similar philosophies? Such as? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh, I don’t mind at all, Neville! I’m sure that you would agree, being the man of great discernment that you are.” I gave him a dazzling smile before leaning in to confide, “I just hope that whoever Leo chooses is one of us, you know what I mean? Someone that understands how to prioritize the interests of the upper classes. I mean, if poor people were so important to society, they wouldn’t be poor, would they?”

The smile that spread across his face told me I’d struck pay dirt. He squeezed my hand as he replied, “My God, yes! It’s so refreshing to meet a woman that gets it! I know that being charitable is all the rage right now, but interest in the lower classes is really just a hobby and should have no place in government.”

I managed to give him a real smile by imagining shoving his face into a pile of steaming dog shit as I responded, “Oh, absolutely! I mean, spend your money on whatever you want. I suppose giving it away to the filthy hoards isn’t any less wasteful than gambling it away. But at least when you gamble, you have a chance of getting a return on your investment!”

He laughed like I’d said something hilarious. “Ah, here we are, this is your box. But before you go, I’m attending a dinner party tomorrow with a group of friends I think you’d fit right in with. Would you care to accompany me?”

I fluttered my lashes and adopted body language that screamed I was shy. One of my best moves considering I am actually the opposite of that. But all those years of community theater while I was at university certainly paid off. “Well, I would love to, Neville, but if it’s not an engagement for all the suitors, I can’t risk my reputation….”

His face fell then I pretended to reconsider, “Unless…”

His head snapped up, “Unless what?”

“I mean…if I could bring one of my sponsors with me, then no one could think anything untoward was going on.” I mentally held my breath as he considered that.

“Do your sponsors share your…philosophy?”

“Oh, yes! I can assure you that they do!”

His smile broadened, “Excellent! Bring them along then! I’ll send a car for you at six.”

I suppressed my glee, not only was I going to a dinner party most likely filled with Via Imperii members, but I’d wrangled an invitation for Max as well. Two sets of eyes was always better than one and if we were exceedingly lucky we might be able to tag team, one of us providing a distraction while the other planted some listening devices.

I practically skipped into the box. Drake’s plan had worked like a dream.

#savage love #angelasscribbles #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #trr #choices #captain drake walker #agent riley brooks #liam rys #the royal romance fanfic #the royal romance #drake walker #choices stories you play #drake x mc #liam x mc #liam x oc #drake x riley #love triangle #angst

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findingdrake · 2 years

Text

The Common Romance

I finally landed in Melbourne, Australia. I have worked my ass off to get this dream job as a Software Engineer in this dream city. Getting the job wasn’t as difficult as getting the Visa. Even though my employer has sponsored me, the last formality for the visa is still pending. After landing in Oz, I have to attend an interview and get my visa stamped by the immigration officer. Pheww... "Keep calm, it’s the last step, and there are hardly any rejections at this step... Deep breaths...", keeping my composure, I head to my sister’s place, where I’ll stay for the initial days.

The next morning, I hurriedly collect my documents, and then take a cab to the Immigration office. As I walk across the Immigration Office my clumsy and anxious ass drops a document or my mobile or wallet every few steps.

Drake Walker, Immigration officer, I read the nameplate outside his office. I wait outside in the waiting lobby, impatiently making E-O-E-O faces. It’s been 2 hours, and my name has not been called. Everyone seems to have a prior appointment except me. Waiting... And waiting...

It’s lunchtime now. I know this because I see the immigration officer move out of his office, and yes, also there is a display board that says ‘Office will be closed for a lunch break between 12:30-1:30’. But mostly the immigration officer. I didn’t get a good look but he’s ruggedly handsome. Tall, I guess 6 feet and a good build. I follow him as if I was charmed. “Pss.. stop following the immigration officer you idiot!”, says my rational self. They win this time, but I am already in the canteen following him. I head to the vending machine while he is, well, I lost him. I look around as I get my snack pack. Obviously, he’s eating a salad. “Handsome men don’t eat like pigs and you”, says my critical self.

“How about we sit next to him? He’s eating alone”, says my swooned self.

“Have it occurred to you that maybe he wants to, not like he can’t get a company”, says Miss rational.

“I’ll sit next to him and bring up my visa appointment”, says my smart self. “And we can ogle at his handsomeness”, says Miss Swooned. So after a detailed discussion with myself, I decided to head to him with my snack pack and a water bottle. I hope he’s not done by now.

I am at his table and he’s busy looking at his phone. My tongue seems numb, but somehow I mutter, “I sit here!”. I wanted to make it a question, but it came out as an exclamation in broken English. He looks up. Those gorgeous eyes filled with depth and annoyance? He looks around, and he can see a few empty tables. “Covid protocol, can’t share tables”. “That’s not a covid protocol!”, my ego frowns as I take a seat at the next table.

“Ok! We have lost hope of a romantic relationship because of this pathetic and desperate start. Now, he’s the immigration officer, and you are the applicant. Try it that way”, came Miss Smart for rescue.

“I have an appointment for my 186 application with you. I need to get it stamped before I can join the office, so how long does it generally take”, I am suddenly more confident when I talk professionally, in a totally unprofessional and inappropriate setting.

At first, the handsome officer tries to ignore me and pretend that the question was not directed at him. But taking a quick look at my leaning posture, question mark face and constant stare, he sighs. “It can take 1-46 days.”

“His voice is so raspy and the accent…. Shut up slut!”, fight Miss swooned and Miss rationality.

“46 days?”, I was seriously concerned until I saw him give a sly smile.

“Emm... I can keep coming here for 46 days, no problem. Not like I have a job”, I smile confidently at him. I’m sure he can sense the cockiness in my voice.

“Should I wait the second half of today, Mr Walker?”, I dare to ask him, while this is going in my head, “Mr Walker, that sounds so sexy!”

He finished up, and I think early, because of my irritating presence. “I’m afraid we are all booked today and won’t be able to take any on-spot cases. You got your appointment right? You can come when you get a call”

“I’ll definitely cum when I get your call”, I blurt out.

“I won’t be calling you, my office will”, he said with a straight face.

“Why don’t you just jump into his arms, that will be more desperate and embarrassing”, he leaves with his salad plate while I’m being slut shamed by myself.

…………………………………………………………………………

“Come in!”, Drake tries to stifle a giggle and keep a straight face as he calls in the next applicant. A few routine questions before he stamps the Chinese family’s Visa.

“Come in!” he calls in the next applicant. “Fuck that idiot tiny woman! She ruined come in for me.��, Drake frowns, thinking to himself and the Pakistani applicant gets nervous. “Is anything wrong Sir?”, asked Ahmed. “No, Mr Khan, your papers seem just right. Welcome to Australia”. Drake goes about stamping his Visa.

“Next!”, Drake sighs tiredly as he calls the next applicant. 4 more hours of this before he glides towards his car.

…………………………………………………………………………

He likes taking the scenic route home. It’s long but has no traffic, it does remind him of a far land he once called home. This is a bittersweet path because Home is the beautiful memories, but home is also the pain and the betrayals. Some days, he can’t brace the memories, and either take a sharp u-turn to a different route or speed past this one. Today, was not such a day. Today he tried to distract himself. His hand reaches toward the car radio, but who is he kidding. Australian music doesn’t excite him like the Cordonian classics. It has been almost 2 years in Aussieland, but he still hasn't completely adapted. “Huh.. hmm. Hmm.. hmm..”, he tries to hum, but he knows he can’t do it. He’s clicking his fingers on the steering wheel. “Today was fine, that Syrian family totally deserves to move here. That’s what the humanitarian Visa is for. I’ll speak to Kyle to escalate the process tomorrow.”, he tries to think about something interesting in his day. “What else... the British journalist and that tiny lady can wait a few more days. The tiny lady, she was utterly annoying.”, he involuntarily chuckles at her naiveness. Then he freezes for a second. He clearly remembers how Naive Riley was. That’s exactly how she used to look at him, at Liam. He sharply crams the accelerator and speeds home, to his kids.

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ao719 · 7 months

Text

…Sometimes Not (Part 10)

Love is Ruthless

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #3, “Well … that was unexpected.”

Title inspo: Foolish - Forest Blakk

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Pushing open her apartment door, Reyna stepped inside with Liam following behind her. She slung her bag over the back of one of the stools at the counter before heading to the living area and flopping onto the sofa.

“Tired?” Liam chuckled as he sat next to her.

“No,” Reyna smiled. “Just need to sit for a minute. We did a lot of walking today.” After walking around Battery Park earlier, the pair headed to Coney Island. “Are you hungry?”

Liam looked at her, mirroring her grin as they tried to read each other’s thoughts. “Pizza,” they said in unison. “Jinx.”

Reyna pulled her phone out of the pocket of her sweatshirt and brought up the website of the nearest establishment; after a few moments, she set her phone down beside her. “Should be here in about 25 minutes.”

Liam nodded as he stood from the sofa; he walked to the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator before returning to the living area. “Here,” he said, handing her one as he sat.

“Thanks,” Reyna grinned.

Reyna subtly glanced over at Liam. He’d been in the city for a week, and while she intended to finally talk to him during his visit, she hadn’t been able to. Every time they hung out, she’d build up the courage to bring it up, and then something would interrupt them.

The first day they met up, their time together was cut short when Liam got a phone call and had to go back to his hotel for an unplanned virtual meeting. They met up later that evening for dinner, but Reyna struggled to talk herself back into it after the moment had been ruined earlier.

The following evening, while at her apartment, just as Reyna talked herself into broaching the subject, Daniel showed up. He was a tad tipsy and had taken an Uber from the bar he’d been at to her place to tell her all about the terrible date he’d been on. After telling them his dramatic tale, he ended up passing out. Liam helped Reyna get him to the spare bedroom before he left to go back to his hotel.

The next day, Reyna had been intent on bringing it up; she had the entire conversation planned out in her head. After Liam arrived at her apartment that afternoon with lunch, she was about to bring it up when Maxwell called to tell him that he’d just heard from Drake for the first time in nearly three years. That, of course, threw Liam for a loop and altered his mood entirely … along with her plans.

Reyna didn’t attempt to bring it up in the two days that followed; she wanted to make sure Liam was in the right headspace for the conversation. Tonight, however, was his last night in the city before he’d be heading home. It was a now-or-never situation. She had to tell him tonight.

As a silence settled between them, Liam shifted his gaze in her direction; he noticed that Reyna had been acting off all week. Whenever they were together, she seemed a little on edge with her thoughts seemingly occupied by something else most of the time. He couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with his confession. They’d talked via phone calls and video chats since then, but this was the first time they’d seen each other in person since that trip she made to Cordonia. He was worried that what he’d confessed in a moment of weakness when he was unable to keep quiet about his feelings any longer — something he regretted doing almost instantly — had now made things awkward and weird.

The truth was that Liam was left feeling both guilty and humiliated by his confession. Not only was it something he sprung on her out of nowhere but something he didn’t put any thought into, which was why it had come out in a frustrated word vomit. He’d spent the time since working on coming to terms with the fact that she no longer felt the same.

Glancing at her again, Liam took note of the way Reyna’s leg was bouncing nervously. His eyes flickered up and he knitted his brows when he saw the contemplative expression she wore as she stared straight ahead. “Are you alright?” he finally asked.

Reyna looked at him. “Fine. Why?”

“That is a lie,” Liam chuckled. “You’re doing the anxious leg jiggle and you look like you’re trying to solve world peace.” She offered a smile that he noticed didn’t reach her eyes. “Seriously, Rey, what’s wrong?”

Reyna let out a breath and shifted her body on the sofa to face him. Now or never. “I … I need to talk to you about something …”

“Ok …?”

“It’s something I’ve been meaning to bring up all week, I just … I haven’t found the right time,” Reyna explained. He nodded as he stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. “It’s about what you said when I was in Cordonia. Your … confession.” She watched him stiffen uncomfortably at her words, and she let out a breath. “Listen, I know you said not to say anything, but I need to tell you why I didn’t push harder to respond and—”

“Rey, don’t,” Liam interrupted. “Can we please not do this?”

“I just need you to hear me out because—”

“Stop,” Liam pleaded as he shifted his position on the sofa. “Please … stop talking.”

“Liam,” Reyna admonished.

“Reyna, you don’t have to do this. Really.” Liam sighed, running his hand through his hair.

“Do what?”

“Give me an explanation out of pity,” Liam said as he threw his hands up in frustration. He didn’t want to sit there and watch her suffer through trying to explain herself. She didn’t owe him an explanation of any sort. “I get that three years went by … that your feelings changed and our chances slipped away. I just … I just want to move on from it and not think about it.”

Reyna stared at him, both puzzled and frustrated. She’d been hesitant enough about telling him, having to build up the courage just to do so because that fear she had still lingered. She’d chosen to do it, however, because she finally conceded that the risk was worth it … he was worth it … they were worth it. And now, here he was, begging her to stop talking when she was finally ready to pour her heart out and tell him everything … because he had come to the conclusion that she simply fell out of love with him over the years.

What the hell am I supposed to do? Reyna thought as she closed her eyes and let out a breath. I have to tell him tonight. Then, an idea struck. She hadn’t known what exactly she was going to say or how she was going to say it, and clearly, she hadn’t started out well since the conversation seemed to be over before it began. But there was a way for her to tell him how she felt and show him how wrong he was without having to say anything at all.

“Stay here,” Reyna said.

Liam watched her stand and disappear down the hall, leaving him flustered on the sofa. As he muddled through the thoughts filling his head, a knock came on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Liam called out, assuming it was the pizza she’d ordered. He rose from the sofa and pulled his wallet from his back pocket, opening it up and fanning through the cash inside; he slipped his thumb between the bills to hold his place as he opened the door.

Liam froze when he saw Luca standing on the other side … holding a bouquet of roses.

The two men stared at one another. They’d never met face-to-face, but they knew exactly who the other was, both in real life … and Reyna’s.

Liam cleared his throat as he stood a little taller. “Luca, right?” he said, extending his hand for a shake in an attempt to be polite.

“Right,” Luca nodded, shifting the bouquet of roses into one hand while he shook Liam’s with the other; he gripped it a little tighter than necessary as he held Liam’s stare. He certainly didn’t expect to see him there.

“Luca?” Reyna questioned from behind Liam. Both men turned to look at her, meeting her surprised gaze as it flickered between them. “What … what are you doing here?”

Luca slid his eyes to Liam then back to her. “Can we talk?”

“Uh … sure …” Reyna nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Liam before she stepped into the hall to join Luca, closing the door behind her.

Liam could feel his heart racing as he stared at the door. Are they …? He let out a breath. Perhaps this is what she wanted to tell him. Maybe … maybe they were getting back together … or already were, and that’s what she was trying to explain. His heart sank at the thought. Too curious and nosy for his own damn good, he took a step forward and quietly pressed his ear to the door.

In the hall, Reyna’s eyes dropped down to the bouquet in Luca’s hand, and his gaze followed. “I, uh … brought these for you,” he said as he handed them to her.

“They’re beautiful,” Reyna replied somberly; she had a guess as to why he was there. “What … what did you want to talk about?”

“Us …”

Inside the apartment, Liam drew back from the door. He’d heard enough. No, he didn’t know the whole context of their conversation and he wasn’t going to continue to listen in; it wasn’t his place. Regardless, the evening had taken a turn.

Liam chugged the remainder of his water bottle before heading down the hall to use the restroom; he was biding his time. When he returned to the living area and Reyna still hadn’t come back inside, he thought it best to leave them be and go back to his hotel. He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a quick message to Bastien that he’d be out front in a few minutes.

Just as he slipped it back into his pocket, the door opened, and Reyna stepped inside, holding the roses. “Well … that was unexpected.” She noticed he was standing, lingering near the door. “I’m sorry about that.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for,” Liam said. “I think I’m going to head out.”

“What?” Reyna said, feeling a slight panic at his words. “Why?”

“I’ve still got to pack for my flight in the morning and you’re heading to the mountains with Aunt Elsie bright and early, so …”

“Liam, I hope you don’t think … Luca stopping by, that wasn’t—”

“Rey, it’s fine,” Liam interrupted, knowing she was going to attempt to explain again. He moved, stopping in front of her, and resting his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t want anything to ruin this friendship we finally got back. I’d rather you be in my life as my friend than not have you at all. I can’t go through that again. So, it’s ok. Really. You don’t need to say anything else.”

Reyna stared up at him, once again puzzled and frustrated; she sorted through all the jumbled words she both wanted and needed to say but was too bemused by what was happening to speak.

“I’ll see you when you get to Cordonia. Have fun on your trip, and tell Aunt Elsie I said hello,” Liam halfheartedly smiled before leaning down and kissing her cheek.

With that … Liam left the apartment, leaving Reyna standing in a still-stunned silence as she stared at the door he’d just walked out of. What the hell just happened? She let out a breath as she glanced down at the roses in her hand. Luca had come there intending to see if there was a chance they could work things out; why he had that thought after all this time she didn’t know. He said that once he saw Liam there, he knew there was no point. He apologized for dropping by unannounced and left.

With a grumble, Reyna threw the roses onto the counter and headed to her room. She flopped down onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow as she let out a muffled frustrated scream. She sat up a moment later and her eyes landed on the item she had come to retrieve to give to Liam; she had tossed it on her bed in surprise when she heard Luca’s voice carry down the hall.

As she stared at it, Reyna decided she wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet. She’d finally talked herself into doing this and she was going to be damned if she let it go without Liam knowing the truth.

*******

Early the following morning, the SUV pulled up to the jet on the tarmac at JFK. Liam slipped out of the backseat and followed behind Bastien, who had his bag.

As Liam made his way up the stairs of the jet, a horn blaring startled him; he whirled around and furrowed his brows when he saw the familiar black Navigator belonging to the Aldridges screech to a halt alongside the jet. He slowly made his way back down the steps as Reyna came into view from around the vehicle.

“Rey?” Liam said as she approached him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving with Aunt Elsie this morning?”

“I am. I made a pit stop here on my way to pick her up.”

“A pit stop for what?” Liam asked.

Reyna stared at him, forcing herself to not hesitate with this. “You think that you have me and my feelings all figured out—”

“Rey—”

“Shut up, Liam!” Reyna barked in exasperation, and his eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve said enough. It’s your turn to stop talking,” she said. “I will respect your wish to not say anything not just because you won’t listen to me but because neither of us has the time to stand here right now and hash all of this out. But I need you to read this …” She revealed a book he hadn’t noticed was tucked beneath her arm and held it out to him; it was what she went to grab from her room last night before they were interrupted.

Liam took it, furrowing his brows; it looked familiar, but he couldn’t place why at the moment. “What is it?”

“You think I simply fell out of love with you over the years … but hopefully reading this will make you understand. It will tell you everything you need to know. Promise me you’ll read it.”

“I …” Liam met her gaze again with both hesitance and confusion but nodded. “I’ll read it.”

Reyna eyed the book for a moment; it held her entire heart … and now it was in his hands. She let out a breath as she glanced back up at him. “I’ll be off the grid while I’m with Aunt Elsie … but I’ll see you when I get to Cordonia in a week. You have until then to read it … and then we’ll talk.”

Reyna perched up on her tiptoes, and Liam instinctively leaned down; she kissed his cheek before turning away, walking back toward her vehicle without a backward glance. He watched her disappear behind the SUV before it drove off the tarmac a moment later.

Liam glanced down, realizing he was looking at the worn brown leather cover of a thick journal; he turned it over in his hands, examining it as he made his way onto the jet.

***************************************

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justcallmefox89 · 9 months

Text

The Royal Romance: Cinderfella’s Adventures in Cordonia - Chapter Sixteen

An AU of The Royal Romance with a male MC and a bisexual prince.

It all comes out...

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

“You said ‘don’t give him the same speech you gave me’,” I murmur.

The two friends freeze in place.

“Were you together?”

My words hang heavy in the air, the tension around the three of us so thick you can practically see it crackling in the air.

“Answer the question,” I demand. “Were the two of you in a relationship?”

Drake and Liam glance over at each other guiltily.

“Look at me, not each other!” I snap impatiently, running my hand through my hair in agitation. “And tell me the truth or I am walking away right now, and this time I will not look back.”

“We were… together, yes,” Liam admits haltingly.

I grit my teeth and pinch the bridge of my nose to ease the pain of a rapidly oncoming headache. “For how long?”

Drake mumbles something under his breath and I glare at him, knowing that he’s trying to avoid telling me. “Five years,” he repeats, loud enough for me to hear this time.

“Five years…” I stupidly parrot his answer. “Five years?!”

“Callum…” Liam takes a step towards me, reaching out to take my hand.

I slip away from him, holding up my hands to keep him away. “No. No, no, no, no, no. No kissing or sweet talking your way out of this one, Liam.”

Drake smirks and huff out a laugh, quieting instantly when I scowl at him. “You’re not home free either Chuckles, so don’t get all giggly just yet.”

I pace back and forth, trying to arrange my racing thoughts. “Ok, so you guys are exes and still best friends. That’s fine, I can work with that; I can deal with that. When did the two of you break up?”

The pair avoid my gaze, staring at the ground and shuffling their feet.

“Oh, let’s not all go talking at once now.” I cross my arms and give them my best disappointed schoolteacher look.

“A few weeks before we met you,” Liam finally answers, still not able to meet my eyes. “The social season made it impossible for our relationship to continue.”

My mouth drops open. “Run that by me again, big man?”

“We broke up a few weeks -”

“I fucking heard him the first time!” I shout, interrupting Drake. “What I require some clarification on is why neither of you thought that this little nugget of information was something I should have been told about!”

“And another thing!” I take a few steps towards Liam, poking him in the chest with my index finger. “What the fuck is your damage? Why did you need to have a social season if you were already with Drake? Is my Brat not good enough for you, huh? Or is he not good enough for your father?”

Liam’s eyes harden at my mention of Constatine.

“Oh, did I hit a nerve with that one, Your Majesty?” I poke him again. “Little Liam, always doing what daddy wants. But I’m not sure why I’m surprised; ditching me was easy enough for you, of course you didn’t have the balls to stand up for Drake either.”

His face flushes with anger, he steps closer to me, close enough that now his chest is lightly pressed against mine. I can feel him through the thin fabric of my dress shirt, feel the heat radiating off of him and every labored breath he takes as he tries to control his temper.

“Things are never as simple as you want them to be, Callum. I have commitments, responsibilities to the people of Cordonia-”

“Fuck them!” I throw my hands up in frustration. “There, I said it. Fuck the people of Cordonia. Fuck your commitments to your family, to the monarchy, to the absolutely insufferable asshats that make up the Cordonian nobility. Fuck ‘em all! What about your responsibilities to me? To Drake? What about us? The men who loved you, who wanted to build a life with you! What about us, huh?”

Liam freezes in place, staring up at me with wide, brown eyes. “You loved me?” he whispers, his voice quiet and pained.

I take a step back as I feel my cheeks heat up. “What… no, what? This is… no, we’re not talking about me right now! This is about you and your… your inability to… to…”

“You loved me,” he says again, this time a little louder. “Do you still love me?”

I glance over at Drake, telepathically promising him the best blowjob of his life if he will just get me out of this situation. He stares back at me, one eyebrow arched, seemingly just as interested as Liam in my answer to the question.

I begin to pace in a tight circle, flapping my hands in front of myself in an effort to wave away the two men’s searching looks. “No. No, this isn’t fair. I’m pissed off and I'm horny and you can’t expect me to answer a question like that when I’m like this!”

“I’m sorry… you’re what?” Liam asks, struggling to keep a straight face while Drake snickers.

“You both kept a huge secret from me! I’m fucking pissed! And it was a sexy secret… Like people probably have written fanfics about the sexy Cordonian prince and his dark and broody best friend and you’re telling me that you two banged like a screen door in a hurricane for real?! For five fucking years? My imagination is in hyperdrive right now…” I link my hands behind my neck and take a few deep breaths. “I need a drink. Or five. Don’t you dare follow me.”

I storm off to the elevator and smash the ‘DOWN’ button, tapping my foot impatiently as I wait for the elevator cab to reach the rooftop. I look back over my shoulder to see Drake and Liam watching me with forlorn looks on their faces. I turn back and resolutely stare at the closed steel elevator doors, determined to ignore them.

I will not go back, I will not go back, I will no-

“Goddamn it,” I groan, turning on my heel and stomping back to the two best friends.

“Callum?” Drake’s eyes widen in surprise.

I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and jerk him towards me, causing him to stumble a bit. “Shut up. I’m mad at you.”

I crush my mouth against his in a rough, aggressive kiss. Drake’s lips part beneath mine in instant obedience, and his tongue tentatively brushes against mine. My hand moves from back of his neck to tenderly cup the side of his face while I ravage his mouth, drinking in his taste like a man dying of thirst. I bite his lower lip, hard enough to make him whine, soothing it with a flick of my tongue before finally pulling away. Drake sways forward, chasing my lips, his cheeks red and eyes half-lidded. I smirk at his dazed expression before pressing one last firm, but chaste, kiss to his lips.

Liam awkwardly shuffles next to us, but the interested look on his face says he’s not entirely unaffected by watching Drake and I kiss. I turn towards him, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him flush against me. Liam tips his face up, meeting my lips in a kiss that’s been over a year in the making. There’s nothing hurried about our kiss; Liam takes his time, his tongue languidly sliding against mine in a slow rhythm causes me to softly moan into his mouth. I feel him smile as we kiss, pleased with my reaction. I pull back just a bit, til our lips are only just touching.

“Of course I still love you, darlin’,” I murmur. “I never stopped. Insulted you even had to ask, to be honest.”

Liam giggles softly, his lips brushing against mine. “I’m not sorry… not if it gets you to kiss me like this.”

“And you.” I turn and point directly at Drake. “Before you get any silly ideas in that pretty little head of yours… You should know that fucking I love you too.”

Before either of them can respond a ding sounds from behind us and the elevator doors slide open.

“Fucking finally,” I mutter, stalking into the elevator cab and frantically and repeatedly jabbing the ‘DOOR CLOSE’ button.

*****************************************************************************

Drake and Liam stand next to each other in complete silence, watching the elevator doors close behind a clearly frazzled Callum.

“What just happened?” Drake asks, stunned.

Liam slowly shakes his head. “I honestly have no idea.”

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karahalloway · 4 months

Text

(Less Than) Noble Intentions: Chapter 16 - Snakes in the Garden

Fandom: TRR

Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)

Series Summary: The social season may be over, but Harper Gale’s problems are just beginning. With everyone at court a potential suspect, can she and Drake survive the engagement tour and get to the bottom of the plot against her and clear her name? An AU take of TRR2 featuring my OTP - Harper & Drake.

Masterlist: (Less Than) Noble Intentions

Chapter Summary: Harper greets the world as the new Duchess of Valtoria, but that is not the only newsworthy item that rocks the Apple Harvest Festival...

Word Count: 7,300

Rating/Warnings: M (swearing, angst, possible ulterior motives)

Chapter theme song:

A/N1: Things are slowly coming to a head! Thanks for bearing with me on this series - I know I have a lot of other projects in the works, so I have not been updating as much as I probably should. But, we are finally getting to the exciting parts (as if what's happened until now hasn't been exciting 🤣) as after this chapter, we are into the meat of the engagement tour, and all the juicy plot changes that I have been wanting to write for over a year will finally come to a fore! *evil laugh*

A/N2: If you have not heard of TURN - the TV show from which I borrowed the chapter theme song - then, I can highly recommend it (especially if you like historical dramas, US history (specifically the Revolutionary War period), or just really good story-telling)!

A/N3: This is also much submission for @choicesjanuary2024 Day 12: Smiles / Secret

Chapter 16 - Snakes in the Garden

"Are you sure I look okay?" I ask, nervously pulling at the high-necked strip of emerald lace that circles my throat.

"Stop fiddling!" Bertrand berates, slapping my hand away. "We are running late as it, and we cannot afford to lose any more time to last minute touch-ups!"

"Yeah, but—"

"You look great, Harper," Maxwell assures me with a beaming smile. "Marcie did a great job."

The petite make-up artist that the Beaumonts had procured out of thin air bobs a curtsy to my right. "It was my pleasure, Your Grace."

Her words hit me like a whiplash.

Your Grace.

My new form of address. One I'm not sure I'm ever going to get used to. Lady Harper had been one thing, but that had always felt like a curtesy. A temporary formality that had been extended to me by virtue of my sponsorship by the Beaumonts during the social season.

But there is nothing temporary about my current situation. The weight of the ring on my hand — and its implications — bears down heavily on my finger... and my thoughts. Especially since I still haven't found a moment alone with Drake to finish our conversation from this morning... or bring him up to speed on my new status.

Because no sooner had my ennoblement been sealed with the very expensive — and very potent — champagne, than the Beaumonts had shown back up (somewhat mercifully) to crash Christian's surprise party.

And from there it had been a whirlwind of hair, makeup and outfitting for the all-important Apple Harvest Festival where I am due to make my grand debut as the new Duchess of Valtoria.

A position of some importance — Bertrand has stressed, multiple times — given that in addition to the impressive estate that I am now the official caretaker of, I also have a seat on the infamous Council, as well as a seat on the even more exclusive Privy Council. Not to mention my own fleet of staff, vehicles, bank accounts, and carefully curated online profiles.

Which is why — on top of everything — the ever-industrious press corps have worked at record speed to throw the fruits of yesterday's labours together into an exclusive, twelve-page spread as part of a special edition of Trend magazine, which dropped this morning.

And while I haven't actually had a chance to read through the copy that currently sits on the coffee table of my room (together with every other major national and international news publication), Maxwell has assured me that the social media reactions have — so far — been positive. The snaps of my stress-fuelled efforts at yesterday's apple pick have apparently helped.

Which means that Jonathan's PR gamble is starting to pay dividends, and I now have a public image to maintain. Not just for myself, but for Cordonia as well. Because when I step outside today, I'll be representing everything that the kingdom under Christian's burgeoning rule is striving to be — beauty, modernity, opportunity.

Definitely not the best day to wake up with a litany of awkwardly situated bruises!

Thankfully, both Maxwell and Bertrand seem to have had a chance to pull themselves together after this morning's surprising (and definitely explosive!) turn of events, and — after the initial shock — have set about covering for mine and Drake's mess with the same coordinated precision that they employed to pull the Beaumont Bash out of their butts.

With the result that they somehow managed to transform me from the black and blue disaster I woke up as, into the picture of a polished and refined lady.

I glance apprehensively out at the bright sunshine blanketing the hills. Hopefully, the carefully applied window-dressing survives the literal trial by fire it's about to be subjected to. Because just like yesterday, the temperature is set to climb into the mid-90's today as well, which means I'll most likely end up sweating buckets again, thanks to the Edwardian nature of my dress's neckline.

And what I definitely don't need today is for all the blush and cover-up getting smudged away so that everyone at the event can start speculating about the intimate placement of my of hickeys!

I close my eyes wearily. God, I can't wait for all this to be over...

"No catnaps!" snaps Bertrand, slapping a wide-brimmed hat onto my head. "The people are waiting on us!"

I barely have time to grab my matching clutch before the Beaumonts are whisking me out of my room and down the length of the corridor towards the manor's lawn.

"Surely the Festival can start without us...!" I gasp as I stumble after Bertrand in my heels.

"No, it cannot," he reprimands. "All members of the Council must be present for the ceremonial tree planting."

I frown. "Tree planting? Isn't that a little... agrarian for the aristos?"

"It is a time-honoured tradition!" corrects Bertrand. "Cordonia owes its existence and livelihood to the noble Ruby, so it is the duty of the Council to ensure that the fruits of our bounty are secured for future generations! Hence, the requirement to plant new saplings at the end of each harvest!"

"If you say so..." I concede as we pass through the back doors of the manor.

Based on what I saw at the apple pick, Bertrand's pronouncement seems optimistic at best, given that none of the aristos even bothered to lift a finger to a tree yesterday.

But, looks can always be deceiving, so maybe today is the day that the I am pleasantly surprised for once.

A deafening cheer erupts as the Beaumonts and I step out onto the manor's steps.

Snapping my head towards the source of the commotion, I see what appears to be thousands of people crammed behind velvet-lined cordons, screaming and jostling for position like they're in the front row of a Taylor Swift concert...

...and it takes me a second to realise that it's my name that they're shouting.

"Duchess!"

"Lady Harper, we love you!"

"You're the true Apple Queen, no matter what anyone says!"

"Wow..." I blink, taken aback by the fervency of the crowd's reaction. "I didn't realise I had such a rabid following..."

"Best wave to them," suggests Maxwell, leaning in as he raises his arm into the air with a wide smile.

"Okay..." I concede hesitantly, turning to the crowd to do the same.

The last time I experienced anything remotely like this had been on the red carpet at the Derby — my first public outing as a suitor. But even the bright flash of the cameras and the intrusive questions that the reporters had flung at me paled in comparison to the reaction I am receiving today.

Phones and cameras are thrust into the air as the Beaumonts and I descend the manor's stairs to the accompaniment of the increasingly frenzied cheers and shouts of encouragement. Even a few bouquets of flowers fly through the air, narrowly missing my hat.

And I can't help but smile in the face of the genuine outpouring of support from the crowd. Because it sure as heck feels good to be on top for once!

However, arriving at the edge of the orchard where the tree planting ceremony is due to take place, I am greeted by a very different type of welcome.

Snooty expressions drip down the ends of aristocratic noses as the members of the Council pass silent judgment on my somewhat bombastic entrance.

"They're just jealous," Maxwell whispers to me as we take up our spots at the edge of the gathering.

"Yeah..." I agree with a stilted voice. "That's what I'm worried about."

I know firsthand of the lengths that these people are willing to go to in order to exact vengeance for perceived slights. And I did not particularly feel like painting a target on my back a second time while I am still trying to recover from the hurt caused by the first.

Maybe this is a mistake...

But I don't have time to think on it long, because the public erupts into an even more deafening outburst as Christian appears with Madeleine on his arm.

"Look at her..." snips a voice from behind me. "Acting like she's Queen already."

I whip around in disbelief. "Olivia!"

The Duchess of Lythikos cuts her green eyes over at me with a derisive look. "Oh, don't look so surprised, Harper. Just because you are now a duchess, does not mean that the rest of us have taken early retirement."

"Trust me," I grumble under my breath, "this was not the plan."

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized," she replies sagely.

I quirk a brow at her. "Meaning?"

"Meaning," she expounds surly, "opportunity breeds opportunity. And only by exploiting every advantage will you uncover previously hidden gains. Do they not teach The Art of War inyour schools?"

"No..."

She scoffs under her breath. "Explains a lot."

I roll my eyes at her as Christian and Madeleine pause on the steps for photos and a couple of quick sound bites. "I guess this means your sabbatical was productive?"

"Exceedingly."

I heave a breath. "At least one of us is making progress..."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short," she counters out of the corner of her mouth. "Your recent advancements have served as a welcome distraction..."

"Not sure if that’s a compliment, or not..." I admit sourly.

"You have more power than you realise," she insists quietly. "Make sure you use it."

"Wow..." I mutter, glancing over at her in genuine surprise. "Friendly advice from the Scarlet Duchess? What else have you learnt during your time away?"

"Our interests are temporarily aligned, nothing more," she replies, shooting daggers across the lawn towards Madeleine. "And I'll fill you in shortly."

"Well, it's good to have you back, regardless," I say with a dip of my head. "Your Grace."

Olivia shoots me a sidelong look. "Don't get sentimental on me, Duchess."

But I can see the hint of a smile pulling at her lips.

Christian and Madeleine arrive at the edge of the trees. Stepping up to the row of waiting saplings, Christian pulls a stack of notecards out of his pocket and delivers a short speech to the click of the cameras.

As the mandatory applause dies down, he slots the pieces of paper carefully away... and pulls off his jacket.

"What are you doing?" hisses Madeleine as the crowd descends into a hubbub of excited reactions.

"Taking a leaf out of the Duchess of Valtoria's book," he replies, handing his jacket off to the closest shocked Councillor as he sets about rolling up his sleeves.

"Out of—!" Madeleine bristles in indignation, while trying to maintain an outwardly calm composure. "The only thing you have taken is leave of your senses! Now get back here and—!"

Ignoring his fiancée's outburst, Christian grabs the ribbon-bedecked shovel out of the hands of the footman that was holding it, and steps up to a clear patch of grass. Adjusting his grip on the handle, he digs the metal blade decisively into the ground to the accompanying slew of clicking camera shutters.

"Shall we?" asks Olivia with a sly smirk as she pushes her way to the front of the line of gawping nobles.

"Let's," I agree, instantly catching onto her plan.

"Lady Harper!" hisses Bertrand from behind me. "What do you think you're—?"

"Lending a hand to the King," I throw back over my shoulder as I step to the front of the row of aristos who are looking mutely onto the sight of their monarch working up an actual sweat before them.

Grabbing another shovel from the pile in the corner — these ones obviously having seen some honest work already, judging by the dirt encrusted on their faces — I join the King of Cordonia in enlarging the hole in the ground.

Because regardless of Christian's underlying motives for ennobling me, and whatever his broader game may be, what he is doing right now is bigger than me, bigger than him, bigger than any of us. And that deserves recognition. Especially when he is taking such active — and public — strides towards being the change he wants to see unfurl during his rule. Where the ruling class doesn't just offer empty platitudes and hollow ceremony, but actually practices what it preaches. So, what better way to do that, than by planting the seeds of change in front of thousands of people in the literal heart of the kingdom?

Christian rewards my arrival with a nod and a smile as I take up position next to him.

Hefting my shovel, I slice it into the earth that he's already uncovered, using the somewhat flimsy sole of my heeled sandals to drive it deeper.

Scooping the blade back out, I suddenly feel a presence to my left. Looking up, I see that Maxwell has also joined our impromptu work crew.

Throwing me a wink, he drops his shovel in next to mine.

With the three of us working on tandem, it takes us almost no time at all to dig out a hole large enough to house the new apple tree.

Wiping the sweat from my forehead — the weatherman had not lied, that's for sure! — I see that Olivia, with some assistance from Hana, has already prepared the sapling by shunting it closer to the hole and removing the burlap covering from its roots.

Laying down our shovels, we help her manoeuvre the tree to the edge of the dint. Cheers and applause rise up from the onlookers as the sapling thuds into the earth. Olivia uses one of the knives from her hidden arsenal to slice off the twines holding the branches together, and the tree unfurls itself with a satisfied snap.

"Your Majesty!" shouts a reporter, who I recognise as Frederick Capone. "One for the Cordonian Times, if you please!"

"And for the CBS!" adds Donald Brine, muscling his way to the front.

"Certainly," accedes Christian graciously, holding his arm out. "It was a group effort, after all."

We all gather in — sweaty and dirty, but smiling — as the press corps immortalises the scene...

...and I innocuously sweep my hair over my shoulder in a vain effort to try and hide any bruises that may have become uncovered as a result of the unplanned exertion.

"Thank you for joining me in my moment of impulsivity," Christian acknowledges softly as the bulbs flash.

"Please," scoffs Olivia out of the side of her mouth. "It was coordinated from the start."

"The people don't seem to mind," counters Hana with a demure smile as she faces the cameras.

"With the exception of about half-dozen," I note, glancing back at the disgruntled looks of the Councillors from behind us, as they try to save face by applauding our efforts together with the rest of the crowd.

"They'll fall in line." Christian assures me as he lifts his hand with a wave.

I feel a prick between my shoulder blades. Turning my head, I catch sight of the cold fire radiating out of Madeleine's gaze from behind the mask of her perfect smile.

"Maybe not everyone..." I mutter under my breath as I turn back towards the paps.

I'm already on Madeleine's shit list for daring to return to court after my very public humiliation and banishment. On the night of her engagement tour launch party, no less! So, the fact that I ended up upstaging her — again — probably means that I've sunk even further down the ladder of her estimations.

To what end, I have no idea. But I'm going to have to start being more careful from here on out.

Once the press are finally placated, we disperse across the lawn in search of some much-needed refreshments.

"Harper!"

I swallow a groan as I'm brought up short, mere steps from the freshly squeezed, rosemary-infused lemonade that I desperately need after toiling away in this heat. "What now, Bertrand...?"

"I... uhm..." He clears his throat as I turn to face him. "I wanted to apologise for my earlier outburst. It was unseemly... and in retrospect, short-sighted."

"What do you mean?" I ask with a frown. Bertrand very rarely — if ever! — apologised.

"The public reaction to the tree planting has been overwhelming," he clarifies, pulling his phone out.

My eyes bulge as I take in the view count on the screen. "A hundred thousand views already!"

"And counting," Bertrand adds. "And that is only one website."

"And look at the comments!" I exclaim, scrolling through the feed. "They're loving Maxwell as well!"

"Yes, it appears that my brother has a keener instinct for media relations than I do..."

"You should tell him that," I say. "It would mean the world to him."

Bertrand looks momentarily taken aback. "I... Well..." He clears his throat again. "Yes. Maybe I will. He deserves some recognition for his efforts in diverting — at least temporarily — the negative attention away from our financial predicaments."

"A simple hug and a 'thank-you' will do," I tell him with a knowing look.

Bertrand reels back in abject horror. "I will not subject my brother to such a sordid display of affection! Especially in public!"

I heave a sigh. "And there's your problem, right th—"

I trail off as I spot a familiar figure signalling to me from over Bertrand's shoulders.

"Excuse me," I say, palming Bertrand's phone back to him as I move towards one of the marquees that had been set up at the edge of the lawn.

Slipping inside the flap of the tent, I come face-to-face with Ana de Luca.

"Your Grace," she nods, dipping into a curtesy, something she hasn't deigned to do before. "Thank you for making the time."

"Ana," I nod in return, wondering why the influential editor of Trend chose to pull me away for a private meeting. Especially after I cornered her so forcefully at Madeleine's garden party a few days ago.

"I suppose congratulations are in order," she continues, straightening back up. "Since returning to court you have managed to elevate yourself not just in rank, but in the eyes of the public as well. Rolling your sleeves up in tandem with the King was a masterful piece of image enhancement."

"I didn't do it for myself," I reply evenly.

"Of course," she nods quickly. "We must all step in line with our new King. But your reputation is certainly reaping the benefits as well."

"As is your bottom line," I point out.

"Your initiative is markedly boosting sales of this month's special edition, as well as traffic to our website," she concedes. "For which Trend is very grateful. But that is not the reason I pulled you aside."

"What is it then?"

"I found out the name of the photographer," she replies, reaching into her handbag.

I feel my heart jump in my chest. "You're joking..."

She raises a brow at me from behind the lenses of her black-out Versace shades as she pulls a small flash-drive out. "I can assure you that I am not."

I quickly pull myself back together. "No. Of course not..."

Handing the drive over, she adds. "On there you will find all the pertinent information I was able to obtain through my own means."

"Thank you," I say sincerely, taking the piece of plastic from her. "I honestly was not expecting this..."

She shrugs an elegant shoulder. "I said I would look into it, so I did. It is not much, but I am sure you have people who can hopefully take it further."

"I do," I affirm, slotting the device into my clutch.

"After all," she adds with a knowing quirk to her lips. "You are not the only one with a vested interest in seeing your name cleared, Your Grace."

With another quick bob, she exits the marquee.

I let out a low exhale as the tent flap drops back into place in her wake. "Thank God..."

Some much-needed progress at last!

Hopefully, Drake can take the information from the drive and do a deep dive into the photographer to see if they ever crossed paths with whoever it is that has it in for me.

Which reminds me...

Opening my clutch up again, I pull my phone out and type up a quick message to my elusive boyfriend.

I haven't seen or heard from him since the event started. And now I have two pieces of critical information I need to share with him. So, rather than chasing after him like some damsel in distress, I'm going to make him come to me for a change. Because time is of the essence, and I don't want to wait.

Hitting send, I exit the tent and head back towards the orchard. I figure that since everyone is on the lawn, the secluded garden hidden amongst the trees will give me and Drake the best chance to meet in private, away from the prying eyes of the court and the press.

Slipping between the tree trunks, I try to make my way as casually as possible through the orchard, as if I am simply out for a walk, in order to ward off potential suspicion. But, as I drift further away from the Festival, I start to pick up the pace, mindful of the short timeframe I gave Drake... as well as the exposed roots on the ground.

Because as much as I might want to hurry, I definitely don't want — or need — a twisted ankle the day before we're due to start the international leg of the trip. As Mom was right — I should take advantage of the upcoming whirlwind tour of Europe to at least try and get some sightseeing in. As who knows when I'll get the chance to do this again...

...especially if I'm forced to become a hermit because we fail to expose the mastermind behind the press scandal.

I shake my head. No. I need to stay positive. It's the only way I'm going to get through—

"Competing with a herd of elephants, Gale?"

I snap my gaze up at the sound of Drake's voice... and nearly trip over a hidden apple lodged in the grass.

"You try sneaking ‘round in four-inch heels," I grumble back at him, while using the trunk of a nearby tree to steady myself.

He mutters something under his breath as he steps over to me with an outstretched hand. "Here."

Grabbing his hand, I navigate gingerly away from the tree, only to find that the slightly rotten fruit has become impaled on the end of my stiletto.

"Great..." I groan, trying to flick the stupid thing off... But it stays stubbornly stuck.

"You're a walking disaster, y'know that, right?" drawls Drake as he drops down in front of me.

"Ha-ha, funny," I snark back at him while trying to balance on one foot on the uneven ground.

He meets my eye with a wry look as he finally manages to pull the offending fruit off with a squelch. "You're only gripin' 'cause it's true."

"Yeah, well, not all of us have... reflexes... like Neo..." I reply sardonically as I save myself from tipping over by grabbing onto Drake's shoulder.

He stifles a scoff as he tosses the apple into the trees. "You good?"

"Yeah," I confirm, righting myself again and letting go of his shirt.

Drake regards me critically for a long moment — as if expecting me to keel over again at the drop of a hat — before pushing himself up.

"Thanks," I say, laying an appreciative hand on his arm.

The humour fades from his gaze at the contact.

"Drake..." I start...

...but he's already pulled away.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asks, not quite meeting my eyes as he slots his hands into his pockets, the momentary lightness of our previous interaction gone.

I heave a breath.

We really need to talk about what happened this morning. But his suddenly standoffish demeanour makes it clear that he's not quite ready for that yet.

So, I decide to start with something less contentious.

"We have a lead on the photographer," I tell him, reaching into my clutch.

His head perks up with interest. "That was fast."

"Teamwork makes the dream work," I agree with a smile, pulling the flash drive back out and holding it out to him.

His posture suddenly stiffens. "The hell is that?"

I glance around me uncertainly. "What?"

"The fucking ring on your finger," he declares dispassionately, his accusatory gaze scorching into my outstretched hand.

My heart drops. Oh, no...

This is not how I wanted to break it to him. But unfortunately for both of us, the cat has now ripped itself out of the proverbial bag, so I'm just going to have to scamper after it.

Taking a steadying inhale, I look him square in the eye. "It's my new signet ring." I turn my hand over to show it to him.

His face darkens. "Fils de pute de—" he grits under his breath, snapping a hand out to grab my wrist.

My eyes widen. "Drake, what are y—?"

A storm is raging in his espresso gaze. "Signet rings go on the little finger. On the right hand."

"Oh," is all I can manage as he swipes the golden band off my left ring finger.

"You didn't know, did you?" he asks softly, reaching for my other hand... more gently this time.

I shake my head with a constricted throat. "No, I—"

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

My head jerks ‘round at the sound of the unexpected voice. "Christian!"

"I see you couldn't resist a somewhat impulsive stroll through the orchards, either?" he asks, more rhetorically than anything else. "The scent of apples is truly luscious this time of year."

"Erm... yes...!" I manage to squeak out, shoving my right hand behind my back. "Smells like apple juice!"

Christian's brow quivers ever so slightly at my slightly random — and obviously unexpected — comparison.

But I'm too busy coordinating with Drake to get the signet ring shoved back onto my hand while trying to palm the flash drive off to him without dropping either in the process. As both outcomes would lead to some very awkward conversations!

I feel the warmth of the metal slide onto the index finger of my hand (Drake had probably ascertained that the circumference of the band was too large for my pinky), and I'm finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Embarrassing backpedaling, narrowly averted!

Drake uses the opportunity to extract the flash drive from my hand as well, dropping the device casually into his pocket as he moves beside me. "She ain't wrong."

"No," concedes Christian, eying the two of us for a second longer than strictly comfortable. "She rarely is."

"So, umm... Are you hiding from the paps as well?" I ask in a bid to diffuse the growing tension in the air.

"No, I came looking for you, actually," he corrects, taking a step forward. "I saw you slip into the orchard, and thought it prudent to follow you."

"Oh?" I say, feeling my stomach tighten again. "Worried I might get lost?"

"I was hoping to catch you alone," he corrects, coming to a stop in front of me.

I swallow tightly as I see him glance over at Drake.

Please don't fight... Please don't fight...

Christian's gaze reverts to me. "But I suppose it is convenient for Drake to happen to be here as well."

My heart skips an uncomfortable beat. "It is?"

"Yes," he affirms. "I have received some news that you'll both be interested in hearing."

"Well, don't keep us in damn suspense, then..." mutters Drake with a noticeable edge to his voice.

I try to reach discretely out to brush my fingers against his, to reassure him that come what may, we'll get through it together, that—

"We found Tariq."

Christian's words hit me like a kick to the chest. The breath explodes out of me so forcefully that I am actually forced to take a step back in a bid to maintain my balance as the apple trees descend into a spin around me.

No way...

"Where?"

Drake's voice floats across the edge of my awareness. And even in my spaced-out state, I can feel the weight of the cold, calculated fury infused into that single word.

No corner... No mercy.

"Dubai," replies Christian, who also sounds like he's miles away. "He—"

But Drake's already spun away. "Send me the coordinates."

"Harper?"

I blink up at Christian in a daze. "Huh?"

"Are you alright?" he asks, laying a concerned hand on my cheek. "You... You looked as if you were about to faint..."

"I..." I swallow past the sudden dryness in my throat. "I'm okay."

"Are you certain?" he presses, peering down at me. "I could ring for a doctor, and—"

"No," I insist, pulling away from him. "I'm fine. I... I guess I just got caught off-guard..."

"It is an unexpected development, certainly," he concedes. "But hopefully still a welcome one?"

"Yes!" I blurt out. "Of course! I want to clear my name more than anyone, and Tariq is key to that! I just..." My voice trails uncertainly off.

Christian flashes me a knowing half-smile. "Feel some trepidation about the prospect...?"

"I guess so," I concede, my fingers moving unconsciously to the horseshoe charm at my wrist.

Because as much as I may want Tariq to pay for what he did from a rational point of view, from an emotional standpoint, I’m terrified.

As even though I know in the back of my mind that a lot of my trepidation has to do with the fact that I am still trying to recover from the psychological trauma that Tariq inflicted on me, a major part of me is also scared of what setting the record straight would entail in practice.

Christian had mentioned that there were 'methods of persuasion' that could be used to force a confession from Tariq. But then what? Would I be made to very publicly relive the entire horrible episode in the form of TV spots and interviews, or would we be able to get by with one official press release? And given my spotty history with the press, will people actually believe my side of the story...?

I mean, Meghan and Harry didn’t exactly fare well in the court of public opinion when they tried to counter the official royal narrative...

On top of all that, in light of my very visceral reactions to returning to Applewood, I have no idea how I'm going to react to seeing Tariq in person again. Would I burst into tears? Have a nervous breakdown? Dissolve into a panic attack? Stab him in the gut and then the nuts?

And (possibly worst of all) what if we discover that Tariq had been acting alone? And his attack on me — while traumatising — is in no way connected to the larger, and definitely more dangerous plot to remove me from the running for Queen? What then...?

"Your qualms are not as misplaced as you may initially think," Christian consoles. "It is a daunting prospect to face the person who actively sought to harm you."

Something in his tone catches my attention. "What do you mean?"

Christian heaves a sigh. "I do not know if you are aware of this, but several years ago, I was the target of an assassination attempt."

I nod tightly. "Yes. Drake told me."

"Then I presume he also told you how deeply the experience affected me," he says, catching my eye with an uncharacteristically guarded look.

"Yes," I affirm, thinking back to the conversation in Olivia's wine cellar that felt like years ago.

"What he probably didn't tell you, however," he continues, "is that I visited the perpetrator in prison."

My jaw drops. "You what!"

"Not publicly and certainly not in any official capacity." He shakes his head wryly. "I did not even talk to the man."

"Then why...?"

"I... I was having trouble reconciling with what had happened," he explains. "And moving past it. The trauma councillor that I was working with suggested that it was perhaps because I was subconsciously endowing the gunman with too much power, and thereby transmuting the man into something more akin to an evil monster."

A shiver runs down my spine at Christian's words. It's like he's talking about Tariq...

"So, to help break the negative emotional associations I had built up, my councillor arranged a clandestine meeting where I would have the opportunity to face the man."

"How... How did that go?" I ask nervously.

"I was terrified, of course," Christian admits. "I had no idea what to expect and each scenario I imagined in my head was worse than the last. But, when I finally got into room where the meeting was to take place, I was surprised by what I saw. As rather than some hulking, shadowy fiend, it was a pale, somewhat diminutive man sat across from me."

"So… what did you do?"

"We simply sat at a table and stared at each other," he recounts. "He with more than a bit of contemptuous malice, I have to admit, but in that moment, I realised that he was a flesh-and-blood person who had fallen prey to the same misguided emotions as I — anger, fear, resentment — just manifested differently. And that helped set me onto the path of true healing. As ultimately, I was able to forgive him."

"Forgive him?" I gasp disbelievingly. "For trying to murder you?"

"Nobody acts in isolation," Christian advises calmly. "Even the most unconscionable horrors perpetrated by the villains of humanity — torture, mass murder, genocide — sprout from the basis of an emotional or psychological motivator such as love, fear, greed, jealousy... to name but a few. So, while we may disagree with and condemn the action retrospectively from the safety of the moral high-ground, it is very possible that had we found ourselves in a similar situation, we would end up being just as guilty as the person we are looking to condemn."

"So, what?" I demand testily. "I should feel sorry for Tariq for what he did to me?"

"Showing empathy and compassion towards our counterparts does not mean forgetting or excusing the harm suffered," counsels Christian. "But it will certainly allow you to start on the path of true healing."

I shake my head as I turn away. "I'm not sure Tariq deserves that..."

"It is by no means an easy assignment," he admits, laying a hand on my shoulder. "But even if you cannot find it in your heart presently to forgive him, do at least try to keep yourself open to the possibility down the line. You may be surprised by the results."

Looking up, I can see that there is sincerity welling on his emerald gaze. And — for once — I don't doubt the true intent of his words. "Thanks. I'll think about it."

"As diplomatic as ever," he smiles, the tips of his fingers brushing down my back as he drops his hand. "And, regardless of what you choose to do, I'll be right by your side to support you."

"Thanks," I mutter with what I hope is a genuine smile, suddenly acutely aware of the fact that with Drake’s abrupt departure, it’s just me and Christian amongst the trees. Taking a step back towards the way I’d come, I ask, "So, umm... How did you end up finding him?"

"Instagram," replies Christian with a wry chuckle as he falls into step beside me.

My head snaps up in bewilderment. "He posted his whereabouts?"

"No," he laughs, looping my arm through his in reassurance. "Not intentionally, at any rate. He took shelter on his cousin's yacht docked off the coast of the Palm Jumeirah, and—"

"What's that?" I ask with a frown.

"One of a trio of artificially constructed archipelagos located off the coast of Dubai," he explains. "They are so called for their shape, which resemble stylised palm trees."

"Sounds... fancy," I admit, while trying to maintain some semblance of platonic distance between the two of us.

"They really are a sight to behold," he affirms, pulling me back to his side. "But it is part of the reason why we were not able to locate him initially — we knew he has family in the Emirates, of course, but—"

"He does?" I interject in surprise. This is certainly news to me...!

"Yes," he nods. "His father is a Cordonian nobleman, but his mother hails from the House of Al Falasi, the branch of the Bani Yas tribe that also produced Dubai's ruling family."

My eyes widen. "So, his mom is royalty?"

"No," chuckles Christian. "She is not directly connected to the Al Maktoum dynasty. But her family is nevertheless influential in the region. Which is why when we hit a roadblock with the French authorities, we decided to focus our efforts on countries where we knew he had familial or business connections. The Emirates, however, boast a multitude of private airfields, not to mention water-based ports of entry, so attempting to narrow down Tariq’s possible time and method of arrival and determining where he went from there was providing to be a complex undertaking. Especially since we had to ensure to conduct our enquiries outside of the official channels."

"Specifically, via social media," I supply dryly.

"Yes," confirms Christian, only half jokingly. "When we realised that Tariq must have switched off or changed out his phone, Drake suggested that we set up a facial recognition-based search algorithm that could scour the various social media and news portals in a bid to help us pinpoint his exact location."

"That sounds... technical," I admit.

"A few years ago, it would have been, But the technology is relatively commonplace now, thankfully."

"So, you managed to get a hit?"

"Yes," he affirms. "One of his cousins on his mother's side posted a selfie featuring his new yacht a couple of days ago... and someone who partially matched Tariq's features was visible on the edge of the frame. But it wasn't until this morning that our man on the ground was able to obtain independent confirmation that it really was him."

"Wow..." I manage. "Talk about blind, dumb luck."

"Never underestimate the awesome power of serendipity," counsels Christian with a smile as we reach the edge of the trees again. "It certainly played a hand in crossing our paths."

I swallow nervously. "Yeah, I—"

"You have some nerve!"

Before I have a chance to realise what is happening, Madeleine has swooped in from seemingly out of nowhere to intercept us with all the wrathful precision of a homing missile.

"Ow!" I hiss, feeling the ends of her manicured nails sink into my arm as she wrenches me off Christian like I'm some kind of plague.

"One would think you would be grateful to His Majesty for his benevolent generosity in elevating your previously non-existent status to that of a duchess," she spits with barely disguised contempt as she pulls me nose-to-nose with her.

"Get off me!" I grit, trying to shake her loose.

"Madeleine..." interjects Christian from behind me in a voice that I only heard him use once before... in the hallway at Ramsford when he realised that Drake had brought me back to Cordonia. "You overstep."

But the Countess of Fydelia seems to hear neither of us as she tightens her claw-like hold on me. "Yet instead, you repay him by not only by hijacking a royal event to serve your own shameless self-aggrandisement—"

I shake my head in disbelief. "Wait... Wh—?"

"—but then you have the unmitigated gall—"

"Madeleine," says Christian again, more forcefully this time. "That is enough."

But Madeleine is oblivious to the quiet threat suffused into the sound of her name, choosing to continue her tirade instead, "—to sneak off into the bushes with my fiancé in order to do God-knows-what when he should be—"

"I said, enough!" snaps Christian, coming suddenly between Madeleine and me with a face of thunder.

The force of his command is loud enough to cause a few heads on the edge of the lawn to turn curiously towards us.

Even Madeleine startles somewhat in response to the uncharacteristically vehement order. But not enough to let go of me.

"Can you not see what she is doing?" she demands indignantly as she turns to face Christian. "Or does she have you wrapped so tightly around her finger that you cannot even—?"

"How I choose to spend my time with the Duchess of Valtoria in private is of no concern to you, Countess," interjects Christian bluntly. "Or do I need to remind you of the conditions of our engagement?"

Madeleine's alabaster cheeks flush scarlet. "No..."

"Then I strongly suggest that you unhand Lady Harper, and ensure that this kind of juvenile outburst does not happen again."

Madeleine's eyes blaze with cold fury. But she relinquishes her hold on me, nevertheless. "My apologies, Duchess..." she snips, her voice dripping with insincerity.

I reach up to rub the spot where her nails had been on the verge of puncturing my skin.

Bitch...

Christian nods tersely in approval. "Now that that is sorted, I believe our guests are waiting. Lady Madeleine, if you'd be so kind..."

Madeleine takes his arm with a look that could've killed. "Of course, Your Majesty."

"Lady Harper," acknowledges Christian with a dip of his head as he starts to steer his seething fiancée away.

Knowing that all eyes are still on us, I drop into a quick curtesy as they walk past, on one hand grateful to Christian for shutting Madeleine down, but on the other hand wondering how badly we kicked into a nest of hornets in the process.

As it is clear that Madeleine is still raging with jealous insecurity... Perhaps even more so than she had been back at her manor when she cornered me in the bathroom. And the fact that — despite the massive diamond on her finger — I now technically outrank her is definitely not helping the situation!

So much for making allies at court…

Blowing a wayward strand of hair out of my face, I turn back towards the festivities…

…only to be greeted by a wall of judgemental eyes, and more than a few camera lenses.

"Great..." I mutter under my breath.

Whether catching me with Christian had been the genuine straw that snapped Madeleine's cool, or whether she deliberately fabricated the showdown to undermine the positive reactions I got from the press earlier, the end result is the same...

I'm going to be on the front page tomorrow. Again.

Exactly in what form, I have no idea. But I've been at court long enough now to know that the whole thing will be blown completely out of proportion, and the resulting story will generate even more press frenzy.

But if there’s one thing that Drake has taught me, it’s that I cannot allow myself to give the aristos the satisfaction of ever thinking that they’ve managed to squash me into the dirt. Because that would undermine the entire reason why I came back to court in the first place, and given how close we now are to claiming back the truth, it would be a massive and premature admission of defeat.

So, raising my chin defiantly, I make my way back across the lawn to rejoin the remainder of the Festival.

The story continues in Chapter 17 - News Flash

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