👉 Follow 👉Kiara Theron Appreciation Week👈 👉 Follow 👉Hana Lee Appreciation Week👈 👉 Follow 👉King Liam Appreciation👈 👉 Follow 👉Sloane Washington Appreciation👈 👉 Follow 👉 Hayden Young Appreciation👈 Hi, I'm Sabrina! And I love making art! 🌸Twitter🌸 🌸Instagram🌸 🌸Ko-fi🌸 🤓My arts🤓 🤓My edits🤓 🤓Fanmade🤓
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Text
Love the energy coming in from our Liam stans! We've gotten some incredible work so far - so many stories, artwork and headcanons! We can't wait to see more!!
Day 4, like all the other days, has two themes as well. Our first is Relationships. You can interpret this any way you like - it can refer to a range of things, from romantic, to platonic, to antagonistic to even family. Think about Liam's personal dynamics with people in any of these roles.
Our second theme is based on another thing Liam is fond of - Coffee! Did you know that tea is Cordonia's national drink? Liam tells us this in the date scene in Book 1, but also maintains that he prefers coffee. It would be fun to explore this little-known fact about him!
Any content is welcome!! Just make sure your work centers Liam, and presents a positive depiction of him. Fic, art, meta, headcanons, edits, icons, interactive media, even simple character appreciation posts!! We also accept WIPs, so if your piece isn’t entirely complete by the end of the week, fret not – you can still send us the WIPs!
The themes are simply inspirations. If you bring a piece for one of the days later, it’s entirely okay...just make sure you tag the posts with the day you meant it for! We will always be keeping a bonus week in case you couldn’t complete the piece during the week itself, so our official deadline for pieces will be Dec 1st!
We’d also like all of you to know that KLAW 2024 will be open ALL YEAR ROUND. So if you’re unable to finish a piece before Dec 1st, pls do send it whenever you’re ready to (and tag us!), and it will definitely be up on our masterlist!!
Be sure to do the following while making your posts!
1. Use the tags #kingliamappreciationweek and #KLAW in your posts. Make sure to tag the day as well (#KLAW Day 1, #KLAW Day 2, etc)
2. Tag @kingliamappreciationweek, @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes in your posts so we can keep track!
Fan Community blogs are super important to our promotion of events, so we’d definitely love for you to check out some of these awesome blogs and their challenges:
@choicesficwriterscreations – Accepts most styles of creative works (no AI allowed). Check out the guidelines here!
@choicesmonthlychallenge – Any content accepted (no AI). Here is the prompt list for November as well as an event called Choices Reheated.
@choicesholidays – Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Winter Holidays!
@choicesprompts – Any and all content welcome! Currently, the blog is hosting Angstgiving!
@choicespride – Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around LGBTQ+ characters and themes. While not directly associated with this event, we’d like to give a shoutout to their current event – Transgender Awareness Month. If you have any content that you think would fit, definitely give the prompts a look!
We can’t wait to see what our wonderful Liam fans have in store for us!
#king liam#liam rys#the royal romance#kingliamappreciationweek#KLAW#KLAW 2024#KLAW Day 4#KLAW Day 4: Relationships#KLAW Day 4: Coffee
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Love this series, and it's my canon. A lot of your stories are my canon 😍 and love the relationship with Leo, and little Liam is gold 🥰
Eleanor's Kitchen
Books: The Royal Romance/Heir, Rules of Engagement
Pairing: Queen Eleanor & Prince Leo + Liam (mother-sons/siblings), Leo x Damien (mentioned in RoE) (romantic), Liam & Jason (OC) (platonic).
Rating: PG
Summary: Liam notices Leo's friendship with Damien, their gardener's eldest son, becoming stronger.
Series: Eleanor's Kitchen
Note: Damien (not Nazario from PM!) has been mentioned in this scene in Rules of Engagement, Book 2. I played fast and loose with the timelines for this backstory, and have given Damien a younger brother who was Liam's age.
This chapter takes place almost a year following Ch 3. Liam is now 8 years old, Leo is 14.
Word Count: 3, 718 words
Tagging @kingliamappreciationweek for KLAW Day 4: Childhood, @aprilchallenge for the prompt "just want to be with you", @choicesholidays for National Sibling Appreciation Day (April 10th) and @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW.
Chapter 4: Garídes Saganáki
(Photo from this recipe)
Liam greets the salt air that briefly kisses his face, and the sand that pools around his toes at the beach, with a sense of homecoming. This beach has felt as much like his home as the palace he was born in, suffused with memories of sandcastles and uniquely-shaped seashells and the rush of excitement that came every time a wave crashed against the shore.
And most of all, it feels like home for the moments long past. For the rare times both he and Leo did things together, back when Leo actually liked taking him along for things. When his talk was actually more talk and less eyerolling and "oh you're too young to understand". The love is still there, and so is the need to protect each other (especially against Father's acid remarks, usually aimed at Leo) - just...the companionship isn't, any longer.
The sad, sinking feeling that used to emerge from realizing that is, thankfully, rare now - Liam much prefers the company of his own friends - but when he was four and hanging on to his big brother's every word, it had stung.
"Every big brother does that," his newest friend, Jason, shrugged. Jason is the palace gardner Giorgos Vasilakis' youngest son, accompanying his father since last year on visits to the Queen to discuss the plans surrounding her dream project: the palace hedge maze, that was to echo the one in Château de Villandry in France. Jason's older brother Damien had always been the one at Kýrios Vasilakis' side before that, but of late Liam has begun to associate his presence more with his own elder brother.
Jason is lonely. Unlike Liam, who has managed to bring together his own motley band of merry playmates, Jason has only the one older brother and has never gotten the chance to venture beyond the palace and his father's cottage. Liam has experienced only a fraction of that kind of loneliness and it had felt like hell. He and Jason may not know each other well, but he'll be damned if he let the other boy he has no one. And so he brings Jason along to meet all his friends.
Both Liam's and Jason's older brothers accompany the group of exhilarated children to the beach, but slip away in another direction before the group can notice. Liam notes the direction Leo and Damien are headed - their heads leaning towards each other as they walk - but says nothing. More friends, Liam reminds himself of his purpose here, first make sure we give Jason more friends.
Liam isn't disappointed. Before long, Jason's name has been shortened to Jase, his shorts and shirt have been drenched from jumping over the crashing waves with Maxwell, and he's snacking happily over pine nuts with Drake and Olivia. He even enjoys collecting seashells with Tariq, even if he did find him a little odd at first.
"I can understand not wanting to get your shoes wet but why would he want to keep them 30 feet away from the sea??"
Liam giggles a little. "They're not just shoes! They're...uh... Salvatore Ferra-somethings!" he says, already forgetting the Italian names that slip so easily from Tariq's tongue when he's talking about a shoe brand. Liam would too, if his father spoke his ears off about shoes as much as Tariq's did.
"If you say so," Jason replies doubtfully. What a funny bunch of people these nobles and royals are, he must be thinking, "but what if they get stolen?"
"Then Tariq will sniff and say he hopes they were stolen by someone who truly understands the value and beauty of Italian shoes."
Just before they leave, the children build a sandcastle. Liam and Jason deem themselves the architects of the main structure, Drake and Olivia choose to build a fortress. Maxwell ropes in a skeptical Tariq to help him construct a fantastic "Tower of Fun and Parties" right next to the castle itself. They are almost done when Jason stands up, declares the castle incomplete without a good garden, and pokes dots into the sand to form imaginary flowers.
For a moment all they can hear is the shriek of the gulls and the buffeting crash of the waves. They are all silent, and smiling, and very, very proud of themselves.
This structure is the biggest sandcastle the children have ever built themselves thus far, and by the time Leo and Damien return (hair damp, skin glistening, breathing hard as if they'd jumped down the steep cliffs of the Forgotten Falls and climbed back up, hands very close but not really touching) they are all convinced it is the biggest castle they ever will conceive of building. Even if it is one built in sand, soon to be a victim to the crashing waves.
--
Liam puts on his baking gloves, balancing himself on the balls of his feet as he waits to take his freshly-baked bread out of the oven. It's a moment he likes to gear himself up for - there's just something, some magic, about that first, comforting, soul-filling whiff. He'd experienced that feeling the first time he actually watched Chef Anais bake, and he's felt it ever since.
His version of Greek village-style bread is perfect today - the crust a lovely brown with little cracks and ridges to show off how crisp its outside is, and he is certain the inside will be soft and a light shade of yellow from the semolina he added to it. The aroma is good enough to make his mother stop in the middle of her own cooking just to breathe it in.
Her face covered in a fine sheen of sweat today from the heat in the kitchen, her hair bunched into a wrap and her hands waving away steam and smoke from her face. Liam can't quite tell whether it is excitement he sees on her face or exhaustion. But from the corner of his eye as he carries the bread to the table to rest, he can tell it is more of the former.
There are two pots boiling away at once on the stove: one a creamy, garlicy, peppery fish broth; the other a beautifully silky tomato-based sauce that he knows from experience will become even silkier and creamier when Mum adds a sinfully liberal amount of feta chesse to it.
He almost reaches out for it with a spoon when his mother stops him.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Mum says, playfully wagging her finger, "Not yours, thisavré mou. This is for your brother and his friend only. That's why I'm making something with your favourite Stone Bass fish as well. For you and your friend."
Liam frowns. "But I've had shrimp saganaki before. You know I like it too. Why couldn't you just make a bigger batch?"
Mum lets out a sigh suffused with embarrassed laughter. Her hand inadvertently motions itself towards a bottle of alcohol on the table titled Ouzo. "This one is... different. Not for children."
Liam pouts in petulance. Of late reminders that he is still a child and his brother isn't have begun to annoy him. There is something so mythical about teenagehood, Liam is beginning to realise, something he wants to know more about but is too out of his reach to even begin to understand.
Don't be so eager to let go of your childhood, pet, then you'll spend the rest of your life wanting it back, Mum would often tell him. All that phrase does now is make him even more impatient.
The smell of ripened crushed tomatoes, mixing in with the garlic, onions, and chilis, makes for a heady combination. He secretly thanks Uncle Franci for sending them yet another carton of San Marzanos - Mum said he'd written in his last letter that his wife, Aunt Pari, would be making a trip down to her home province of Bethulia soon for the Navroze festival, and was hoping Mum would come celebrate it with her this year.
There is another aroma in the sauce Liam has never smelled before, and has a hard time identifying - it's slightly pungent and makes his eyes water a little. It must be from the bottle of Ouzo.
Mum tosses the feta into the small, two-handled heavy-bottomed frying pan at will - she has never really been one for measurements - and quickly places the pan beneath the broiler to melt the cheese. Liam watches in fascination as her hands crumble extra feta; there is no rubric for how much, she just stops when she feels like it. Just throw! she will tell him anytime he asks her for a measuring cup. Cooking for Mum has always been just a play of hands; trust your hands and give them their time with the ingredients - and the results may not always be consistent but over time they will be forever delicious.
Liam has timed his baking closely enough that by the time both his and Leo's dishes are ready, his bread will have rested long enough, and is ready to serve as a side.
They find Leo talking to Jason's brother at one of the more intimate drawing rooms of the palace, their heads so close they're almost touching. Both their hands are jammed into their pockets, as if they'd hurriedly put them there from whatever their original position was. Their eyes dart everywhere and both seem to turn a little pink. A curl from Damien's dark hair rests carelessnessly on his forehead, and Liam catches his brother looking at it at least twice.
Jason skips to Liam's side. "Where is everyone else?" he whispers.
"Drake and his sister have gone to Texas to stay with their aunt, Olivia's with one of the Elders in Lythikos, Maxwell and Tariq are back home. It's just me, I'm afraid." Liam shuffles his feet in uncharacteristic awkwardness. He knows that a lot of the things he likes to talk about can either bore or confuse his own friends.
"Good enough for me," Jason says, grinning. "Her Majesty says she's got us fish stew."
"Bianco. And shrimp saganaki for Leo and Damien." Liam lowers his voice in a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't tell your dad - Mum made those herself. Father built her her own kitchen two and a half years ago. Not many besides some of the kitchen staff know."
Jason's eyes widen at the bowl that's just arrived, and then brightens. Imagine that, being treated to the cooking of an actual queen!
Mum had wisely decided to seat the pairs of brothers in different areas, confident that they would be bored stiff if they were made to eat together. It's a lot better this way, Liam thinks, as Jason talks animatedly of the new toys his dad got him with the increase in his salary from last month onwards. Leo and Damien would perhaps find their chats rather silly, and a lot of the things they say fly like seagulls over Liam and Jason's heads.
The Bianco is as good as Liam and Jason had hoped: the sauce smooth and creamy, the fish mildly sweet and with flesh so soft it crumbles a little on the tongue. Liam can't help but puff his chest in pride as he and Jason use the bread he made to sop up the rest of the sauce, the heat from the pepper and garlic and the delightful tang from the lemon warming them all down to their toes. Jason tells Liam to tell Her Majesty to forgive his lack of manners but he is this close to licking his plate.
Normally, Liam would be ecstatic about getting to eat a Stone Bass, especially here where the catch is always today's, wild and fresh and soul-stirringly tasty..."not that garbage you get from the fish farms" as Grandmother used to say.
But his thoughts keep crawling back to the meal his and Jason's older brothers got. The dish that has been so familiar to him all these years, yet seems so alien now. All because of an added mysterious... thing that seems all the more exciting because he isn't allowed to touch it.
Liam goes and sneaks a look at where their brothers sit, enjoying their shrimp. Leo looks over to his friend's plate, notices his bread is over, breaks his own loaf apart and offers it to Damien, looking straight into his eyes as he dips it into his sauce and eats it. Damien's fingers lightly brush his as he takes the bread.
"You know who made that bread?" Leo's voice for some reason sounds different, warmer and deeper and a little more serious. Liam turns pink with forgotten filial pleasure at the note of pride in his words. "Liam. My baby brother."
Damien grins. "There's sauce near your lip."
Leo makes a great show of pretending not to know where. "Where?"
Damien looks left and right - and satisfied that they cannot be seen (Liam heaves a sigh of relief as he emerges from behind a corner Leo and Damien cannot clearly see) takes his napkin and dabs softly at the corner of his mouth. The two boys suddenly cannot look each other in the eye, and their smiles hold secrets that make Liam feel like an intruder on this little moment, for perhaps no reason. Damien's only cleaning Leo's face.
But when he returns and tells Jason what he saw, the other boy stays silent for a few minutes.
"Babás almost saw Prince Leo at our home once," Jason says quietly, "Mamá had to hide him in a cupboard."
"But why?" Liam asks back, puzzled, "I thought Kýrios Vasilakis liked him. Ever since he started attending his lessons regularly and actually -"
"I know. I thought so too. I'm not sure why Leo and Damien and Mamá look so scared these days. No one ever tells me." Jason finishes with a nonchalant shrug that belies his petulant frustration at not being told things he cannot fully understand.
Liam sighs, all thoughts of their brothers forgotten. "No one thinks I'm old enough to understand anything either."
As Liam watches Jason's older brother reluctantly take leave of his own, their gazes lingering more than their touches ever could...and realises how childishly enthusiastic their own goodbyes are, Liam goes to bed wondering what Leo's shrimp saganaki tastes like. Is it pungent? Is it sweet? Does it leave a bitter aftertaste?
That night, Liam lies in bed in his silk unicorn-and-rainbow pajamas, burningly aware of how like a child he looks in it. How unlike his older brother - in his leather jackets and carelessly tousled hair. He begins counting the months before his mother can properly deem him "of age", and falls asleep before he can even reach his pre-teen years.
--
Days later, Leo takes a walk around the Wishing Well with his mother.
It's amazing how much things have changed in the years Eleanor has been married to Constantine, and therefore into the Royal Family. His little son had only been four then, and he'd hidden behind his father the first few times she tried to come near. Constantine and his mother had fumed over this in the beginning, wanting to help ease him into trusting her but neither having a whole lot of patience - so it had been up to her to reassure him that they would only set his relationship with her at his pace.
And it had paid off. Little Leo had once seen the "new mother" outside, trying to stargaze, and sat beside her in silence, listening for half an hour as she pointed out constellations. She'd known he loved stargazing and knew he needed a companion of sorts The first ever times they talked were all about stars...until five months later when he lost interest and Eleanor found out whatever it was that captured his fancy next.
Still, because that night was the night they tentatively began to consider themselves mother and son, she often brings back memories of it by calling him astéri mou.
"Your tutors have been very pleased with you this year," Eleanor says, suppressing a little smile, "they've been seeing how hard you've been working at your studies lately." There's a mischievous glow in her eyes. "Any more efforts and you'll soon be surpassing Liam, they say."
Leo snorts. He knows, no matter how hard he tries, that he can never reach his kid brother's level in either interest or acumen for politics. That is a quality unique to just him and he's more than happy to let him bask in it, but ever since Damien....
A quick, intense memory of him flashes. Dark curls, full lips, skin smooth beneath Leo's fingertips. It had amazed him how they'd been playmates one minute, pretending to be pirates and running around the palace gardens, and he'd never in all that time noticed that kind of gut-capturing beauty. His voice deep and passionate at the Forgotten Falls two weeks ago, as Damien whispered into his hair, "Let me hold you for a bit. We don't have to talk...we don't have to do anything. I just want to be with you."
He knows becoming a good King will be a hundred times harder for him than it was for his father, than (he is beginning to realize) it could be for his brother. He had made his peace with that at some point this year. But being around Damien...knowing that in his future position a relationship like theirs could be both legally permitted and morally viewed as sheer irresponsibility (and this is in only the kindest of parallel universes) and still knowing it is a relationship he cannot ever conceive of giving up...
If he could just prove himself capable in every other area of his life, just please his father and bring pride to his mother in other ways, maybe both his father and Damien's may just not force what they could have together, to die.
Mamá sighs. "Leo...astèri mou. You don't understand. I am already proud of you."
Oh no. Had he just said the words aloud?
He responds to her answer with another question. "How did you find out about us, Mamá?"
She shakes her head. "Kyría Vasilikou." Damien's mother, who hid Leo in a cupboard that one time Kyríe Vasilikos almost caught them. She had been extraordinarily kind and very contrite - sending Leo with a box of melomakarona and begging him never to come to this house again for fear of what Damien's father may do to him next.
He remembers Mamá's words from that evening.
"Damien's father - and his father before him - are extraordinarily dedicated to the King. It was His father that ensured their family would be set for many, many years to come...and his gratitude towards them can make him blind to what could make his own son happy."
The mother who had birthed him, the one he had often called Mummy, is at best a faded memory now. He called Eleanor Mamá almost a year after she'd married his father, because he finally felt ready and because it suited her. That evening, he understood his Mamá's underlying message.
I will always support you. But until we can figure out a way, you must be careful.
And so he will be. Both Damien and he will try their darnedest not to be too obvious about their love for each other...and Leo will continue to work harder on his lessons.
Smiling, Mamá changes the subject. "Liam's very upset we won't let him have shrimp saganaki."
Leo bursts out laughing. "He's had it so many times already!"
She shrugs. "Oh no, not that way. He's demanding the "Leo and Damien special". Ouzo and all. I suspect the baby of our family wants to be seen as a baby no more."
He rolls his eyes. "He's going to be really disappointed. It's not going to be that different from regular saganaki. Just makes it taste a little bit more like anise."
If that isn't a fitting symbol of what adolescence feels like when you come out of your big impractical dreams of what adolescence might be, Eleanor doesn't know what is. It is a lesson they all learned the hard way, only to see their children struggle with it too. They can only sit back, knowing that nothing they can say will change the kids' minds.
Leo at age 14 is already bored of his teenage years and raising his eyes towards the glamour of adulthood. Liam at age 8 has a far too rosy picture of adolescence, and envies his brother for being the whole-body-manifestation of everything he now wants but knows he needs to wait to have.
And while Eleanor will be forever grateful Liam has inherited her vast capacity for patience and not his father's, she is also aware that that patience is beginning to wear thin.
Leo may be too focused on his feelings for Damien to see it, but a time will come when the brother he has always considered a kid will grow before his eyes, and he will be too surprised by the change to understand, or know how to communicate. She can only hope they'll find their little ways, as they once did before.
Sighing, she passes her eldest a coin, and takes a second in her own hand.
"Ready to make a wish?"
Leo nods. Eleanor smiles. She knows already what he's going to ask.
Eleanor tosses hers into the well, watching as it makes its rapid descent down.
Whatever else changes, just make sure these two never forget how much they need each other.
Eleanor returns to the palace with her son, smiling. Between the Wishing Well and the official gardens, there are bits and pieces of a plan taking shape, a plan for a garden maze. Around it, she can see her youngest playing tag with his friends: one of whom is the youngest of their gardener, a little boy Liam seems to have taken under his wing.
Leo and his mother stop by to watch the children. Both sigh, and both realize it's for the same reason.
Liam will be thrust into his adolescent years before he even knows it. But at least they both can enjoy this sight of him enjoying his childhood completely, wholeheartedly, for what it is. If only for today.
--
Recipes:
Shrimp Saganaki
Corfoit Bianco
Horiatiko Psomi
A/N2: For Sibling Day I really wanted to do a fic that explored the dynamics of a sibling pair with a significant age gap. There is some amount of awe at older people - esp older kids- at their age, as well as a little envy and a desire to become them.
Meanings:
Kyríos/Kyría: Greek for Mr and Mrs usually.
Thisavré mou - my treasure
Ouzo - Ouzo is an anise-flavored liquor produced from grape must (the remnants of wine-making). It can only be made in Greece and Cyprus
Feta cheese - A brined, white cheese with a soft and creamy texture, often made from sheep's milk.
Navroze - Festival for Parsi New Year, often celebrated with Iranians around the world as well as other Zoroastrian communities.
Babás/Mamá - Greek for Dad and Mum.
Astéri mou - my star
#king liam#the royal romance#kingliamappreciationweek#KLAW Day 1#KLAW 2024#KLAW#KLAW Day 1: Throwback
34 notes
·
View notes
Text
Love Hakim at first sight he and Joelle are my favorite nobles, and I love the way you add so much richness to trr, and I love this 😍 Liam and Hakim interaction are gold ❤️
Legacies
Book: The Royal Romance, Book 3
Pairing: None - mostly Liam and Hakim bonding, mentions of Hakim and Constantine's friendship
Rating: G
Word Count: 4, 813 words
Summary: In the aftermath of his father's death, Liam struggles with the lionizing of Constantine's rule, and wonders at the legacy he wants to leave behind. Answers emerge from an unlikely source.
Tagging @kingliamappreciationweek and @sazanes for KLAW Day 2: Historian theme, @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW, and @aprilchallenge for the prompt "Garden".
Music: "Father to Son" by Queen.
Chapter 1: The Statues
(Faceclaims:
King Liam - Daniel Henney
Hakim Thorne: M’Barek Bouhchichi)
There is a gaping emptiness in Liam's chest, from the minute his father died right before his eyes. No overwhelming grief, no soul-ripping pain, not even anger. Just a void where a beating heart should be.
Father is lying in state now at the Queen Kendra Hall - not too far from Bossina Cathedral - where he will remain for the next twelve days. Liam almost hates himself for having far clearer memories of his father's cleaned, lavishly-decorated (in every medal he'd recieved since the age of 18) corpse, than of the moment he died - before reminding himself that at least with Father he remembers something. With Mum he doesn't even have that.
Liam keeps his eyes down, his head bent and his face studiously blank as the current crowd of mourners disperse, making way for more. The Vigil of the Princes is only twenty minutes...but in that time he can see, from the corner of his eye, a wide range of people come and go - most of them from the military and the coastal communities. As Liam had suspected, the people who benefited most from Father's rule were the most invested in soaking in that one last glimpse of him.
Leo is at the other end of Father's casket, also dressed in military garb, the torchlight from the walls making both his and Liam's medals sparkle. Liam cannot see his elder brother now but he knows, instinctively, that the struggle on his face to hold himself together must show. In the past this struggle had baffled him. There had been times when he pitied Leo his inability to uphold the family propensity towards being stoic. Over the years there have been times he was grateful Leo didn't have to worry about the consequences of his emotions showing on his face anymore.
But not today. Today, Liam envies his brother for the luxury of feeling.
Five minutes before Bastien - from his vantage point on one of the smaller balconies - taps his staff five times to signal the end of their vigil. A brief flash of Father in his last seconds blazes behind Liam's closed eyes, before disintegrating into an image of his gnarled, faintly-discoloured hands this morning. Clutching a book in his right hand, his left barely touching a blue flower placed on his chest.
Every member of the royal family is buried with at least 3 items that were either close to their hearts, or that acted as symbols for their reign. Father was one of the... dubiously fortunate few in recent times, who could draw up a will that included this (and other) details: a fresh blue Aster - their national blossom - plucked the day they prepared his casket, a small decanter of the calvados that had been made almost 62 years ago in celebration of his birth, and a copy of An Insighte Into The Great Apple War of 1244 by Artemisia Fierro and Sofonisba Vescovi, two scholars of the Renaissance who had once held connections to Cordonian nobility.
Liam takes in a deep breath as memories of his father's love for that book flood him. It had been only the second tome ever written on one of the last and most successful war campaigns in Cordonia, he'd whispered almost conspirationally to Liam once, and was considered the better-researched text of the two.
Father had always had a fascination with studying past wars. Almost as if to gear himself up for some sort of battle.
Was any of that ever worth it? Liam wants to ask his father one last time. The fear, the paranoia, the frowns that deepened almost to permanence on his skin in his final years, the forever impulse to look over his shoulder for the knife in his back...did any of it do any of them any good in the end??
As if in answer to his questions, Bastien's staff hits the floor five times. Without even looking around, Liam's footsteps move on instinct alone towards the area where Esther stands patiently with the Queen Mother, waiting. Her eyes are sheilded by the half-veil from her black box-hat, and the rest of her face is the very portrait of serenity. But as she places a hand over the crook of his elbow, he notices how they tremble.
They both nod in Mother's direction, their hearts turning over at the sight of her pale, pinched face, and move away.
This week cannot possibly have been easy for Esther. All week she has had to give interviews - as the last person outside of the King Father's family to speak to him before he died. All week the press has been badgering her to wear the medallion he had bequeathed to her, if only in his honour. She has been listening to every kind word, every eulogy, every speech with studied calm - only the rise-and-fall movement in her throat giving her away.
Brilliant strategist. Ruthless towards his enemies and devoted to his people. A truth pioneer of his times. The lifeblood of this land, a lion among men. A man who devoted his life in pursuit of ensuring the safety of all under his reign.
Liam's eyes were trained towards the dias when that speech was being given. On his arm, the light sting of Esther's manicured nails digging into his flesh grew sharper. He pressed his lips together and bore the pain, shaking his head and smiling weakly as she fretted over the half-moons left behind on his hand an hour later. It's nothing.
And that isn't a lie.
The truth of her feelings towards the father he had once loved and hero-worshipped...the father he still catches himself admiring sometimes...settles on Liam's chest like an unbearable weight. It is one he is prepared to carry - their whole lives if need be. Because as much as it hurts him to see the woman he loves lose all respect for his childhood hero, it is nothing compared to the hours and hours she has spent sitting through a thousand emotional tributes to the man who had so coldly planned such a complete violation of her space. A space that, as a foreigner in King Constantine's land, she had trusted him to keep safe for her...at the very least.
As he turns away from Esther to watch The Vigil of The Great Houses - their observance half the time of the Princes' - Liam steals a glance towards Olivia, the ruby on her brooch the only spot of colour against her black attire and pale visage. Her countenance is solemn until the moment her eyes rest on her aunt - the sight of the woman making her lock her jaw in such defiance that he can almost hear the message she is sending.
I am the Duchess of Lythikos. I will make sure we do our duty and pay our respects to the man who was once our king. Yes, auntie, Lythikos' king. Fight me.
Standing a few feet away is Bertrand, his senses strangely attuned nowadays to the cries of babies and toddlers...the mental calculations of what his little son sounds like now writ large on his face.
The Duchesses Emmeline and Adeleide, of Portavira and Krona respectively, fold their hands in front and bow their heads solemnly. Liam supposes he can only be grateful that Countess Madeleine's mother chose the sheer dreariness of sobriety today rather than her usually unflappable high spirits; for besides a few furtive glances in her determinedly stoic daughter's direction she shows nothing but a muted (but perhaps not entirely sincere) sorrow.
But it is the Duke of Castelserraillan - standing directly in line with Liam's field of vision - that captures Liam's attention. Jaw set, eyes dark and glittering, his face such a tapestry of restrained grief and resignation that Liam is certain he juat imagined the flicker of bleak anger in the older man's eyes.
The last time he had seen Duke Hakim was at the Costume Gala. Amid the festivities, Liam spotted him with Father, their heads leaning slightly in each other's direction, as if exchanging long-repressed confidences...the Duke on occasion placing a hand on Father's arm with a familiarity that Liam had only heard of secondhand. There was even a point in the conversation where Duke Hakim looked directly at his father, eyebrows raised, a subdued delight glimmering in their dark depths.
Esther would inform him later on that the two had fought over Father's repeated snubs and Duke Hakim's fraying patience at the beginning of the ball, but patched up in seconds.
Looking at Duke Hakim's face now, he wonders which sentiment haunts the older man the most - relief over that one second chance they got, or an unhealed hurt. Unhealed hurt over the the fact that King Constantine didn't have a chance to make good on the promises he'd broken, long ago.
Promises, perhaps, that the Duke may not even be sure his best friend intended to keep.
--
For as long as Liam can remember, he has always associated the moonlight with the Capitol Square. Walks around the city were a luxury the little prince could ill-afford with his Father's packed schedule. When these little excursions did happen, they happened at night, in the light of the moon and the street lamps, the air fragrant with the scent of wildflowers. He would take Liam alone. Mum would often find reasons to demur...although in later years Liam suspected she made them up so her husband and youngest son would have their own time together to spend.
He would look up at the strong, chiseled features of his father's beloved face, admiring the way the moonlight emphasized its sharp, decisive angles. Father loved to show strength and control, even on a casual outing with his children. His was a jawline that seemed carved out of marble, softened only by full lips that dazzled when he offered the rare smile. A smile Liam saw most often when they stood at the Capitol Square.
Look at these statues, young man. Father would say, his hand gesturing vaguely towards the sword on famed Captain Guard Valentina Greaves raised left hand. At the age of 5 the statues - with their weapons and their fierce gazes - terrified him, at age 12 they intimidated him. Look at these faces, look at the resolve in them. To better their country. To fight for it. To keep it safe. Cordonia has always depended on the best of us to take her forward into the future - and these indeed represent the best of us.
He hasn't come here since his Coronation. Indeed - one could always put it down to the amount of travelling the new King had to undertake since...but Liam knows better. He has been hesitant to visit this place since the night he had confronted his father on his hospital bed in Shanghai.
Tonight is different. Tonight he needs answers. Tonight he needs to understand, for himself, if in refusing to play in the shadow of his father he is making a mistake - or circumventing another tragedy.
Both he and his future Queen have been sitting through three days straight of eulogies. Of stump speeches that have been lightly modified to suit the gravity of the moment, of stories and anecdotes that lionized and whitewashed the man King Constantine was. Not just from nobles but from businessmen, fisherfolk, soldiers and generals.
Liam has long determined that he will never follow the route his father swore by. It is not who he is as a man; it will never be who he wants to become as a king. But on nights like tonight those words of praise for his predecessor haunt him. If the ghost of his father were to ever take shape, it would do so in just one question.
You have become so stubborn in your need to be the antithesis of me. Will Cordonia end up paying price for that?
So tonight he takes that walk to the square alone. In anticipation and in dread.
Until he finds himself at the foot of the statue of Valentina Greaves, and discovers he isn't alone, after all.
"Your Majesty," the voice behind him is deep and rumbling, its sound resembling the depths of a pounding waterfall. Duke Hakim has discarded his jacket this warm night, the waistcoat and shirt registering the straightening of his shoulders. In his right hand, an ornate gold pocketwatch.
Liam smiles briefly in welcome, letting the older man know he isn't intruding in on a private moment of mourning.
"Good evening, Duke Hakim," he straightens his own shoulders. There was once a time - a time that has faded into blurred memory - that he took joy in calling this man "Uncle". When did that stop? It has been so long he cannot even recall.
The two keep silent for a time. There is, after all, far too little and far too much to say. Stripped of their titles and reduced to the basics, Liam is the son of the Duke's best friend. He is also the son of the man that had his friendship and loyalty in the palm of his hand for years, and never understood or appreciated it. So much of what Liam knows of Father's friendship with Duke Hakim, he knows in bits and pieces: in the exchange of disappointed glances between his mother and Kiara's parents, in piling-up of invitation cards to events on Father's desk that went unanswered. In the too-long pauses Queen Regina would take every time she returned from an event at Castelserraillan, where she went as the King's representative. Even in the rare moments Father remembered his university days. There isn't a single second in those memories that Duke Hakim didn't play a starring role in.
It is in silence that they move from the statue of Val Greaves to the next. The night breeze brings with it the scents of orange blossom and french lavender - gifts from Duke Hakim's great-great-grandparents to an ancestor of his. The next figure of marble glares defiantly to his right, a spear in one hand and an apple cupped in the palm of the other.
"King Aithan." Is it his own imagination or is Duke Hakim's smile truly trembling on his lips? "who won the Great Apple War of 1244 in the most decisive victory since his grandmother united the Five Kingdoms."
Queen Kenna, the aforementioned ancestor, is right behind them, her legs standing apart and an array of weapons from all over the Five Kingdoms at the base of her statue. If you took in the sight of both figures together, Father had told him once, you could almost convince yourself that she seemed to stare directly at Aithan, imparting her blessings and her wisdom. More than the words, it is the shine in Father's blue eyes that Liam remembers most.
Duke Hakim's eyes glitter oddly in the moonlight. There is a moist sheen to them now that Liam is almost afraid to ask about for fear of intruding. The next words that come from his mouth are uttered softly, so softly that it's as if he is saying them to himself, as if he has forgotten that the man next to him exists.
"I've lost count of the times we used to played tag here." Absently, he runs a tender finger along the back of the watch fob he is holding, staring at it with a gaze soaked in muted grief. "It wasn't very hard to find Kontos. He always chose King Aithan's statue to hide behind."
Liam offers a sad smile of his own. "My father was nothing if not predictable."
The two men share halting, reluctant chuckles over this shared image. An image neither of them expected the other to recognise. It unravels some tightened cord between them - one that made it impossible for them to speak as if they knew each other.
"I didn't realize you and Father knew each other so well as children," Liam whispers as they pass other statues. Queen Ilona, 1346, who staged several successful attacks on the more hostile of their neighbours. King Calix, 1420, who thwarted at least three coups in his lifetime and finally managed to keep the Nevrakis family in a stronghold that they found impossible to wriggle out of until two centuries later. Queen Flora, 1492, who held her two year old child in one hand and slashed down the traitors who had entered her bedchambers with the other. The sword on her right hand is sculpted to appear as if it's still in midair, perhaps to complement the fire and brimstone in her eyes. "All the stories Mum told me of the two of you seemed to happen in university. I always assumed you weren't close till then."
A small frown pierces the skin between the Duke's eyebrows. When he speaks, his words are suddenly clipped, as if they are strangers again. Liam bites his tongue, chiding himself on his uncharacteristic carelessness.
"We weren't close until University. Just playmates whenever my mother brought me down to the Capitol. Duchess Emmeline and Duke Barthelemy could have boasted of the same." His voice is a hoarse rasp, his nails scraping lightly over the watch. "I'm more surprised you heard those stories from Ellie's mouth, not his." As if she were the only one who cared enough to keep them alive, Liam can imagine him thinking, and on an instinct fostered by years of now-destroyed blind worship, he leaps to his father's defence.
"I did hear a few from him. Just not as many. You'd know when he was the happiest because those were the stories he'd tell."
Duke Hakim respectfully appraises his King in a speculative glance, not entirely convinced. Liam cannot find it in him to blame the elder man. For years, Queen Regina - and then himself - had been the mouthpieces Father used to deliver excuses for his rejections of Castelserraillan's overtures. Each time the Duke would briefly glance over their shoulders as if expecting someone else - each time the glow of hope would dim from his eyes when he saw no one. Over the years it has made him wary not only of his old friend, but of them too.
The distance between the men has undoubtedly created a chasm amongst the families - one Liam doesn't know yet how to break through. There is no real reason for Duke Hakim, or his wife, or his daughter (who he had befriended himself over the course of the social season, and who has been around less and less since the Gala. It's gone long enough for him to begin worrying. Should he change the subject and ask the Duke about her?)...no reason at all to believe that Liam is different, that he is a man who will not abandon his well-wishers. Or even that he is a king who shares their goals, their dreams for this country.
There may come a time when Duke Hakim will believe Liam cares about what he thinks. Today is not that day.
As if to encourage a change in the subject, Liam looks around at the many statues dotting the Square. "Every single figure here is that of a warrior."
Duke Hakim grants him a weak, resigned smile. "I hear there used to be more. It was your grandmother who had them removed."
Yiayia Cassandra. Whose intimidating, terrifying countenance made his own father appear like a lamb in comparison - a statement both mother and son would've loathed to hear. Who hated the Nevrakises but kept tomes and tomes of their ancient books on war strategy. Who scoffed at art as being a useless, ego-fuelled and far too fanciful exercise.
Father would often speak of her with the same blind worship Liam had once reserved for him. It isn't surprising then his politics turned out the way it did, that despite his disdain for Olivia and her lack of courtliness, a part of King Constantine wouldn't wholly disagree with a lot of what she could propose.
Strength and authority. Those were the qualities the Royal Family wanted above all others in their heirs; anything different would spell failure.
Already, as Liam poses the question to the man beside him, he realises with a lump in his throat that he knows what the answer will be. "Which statues were those?"
"Artists. Scribes. Inventors. Scientists. People who advanced the nation in times of peace."
Liam smiles sadly. "And who are often overlooked in favour of the drama and glamour bloodshed brings." He responds with a shiver.
He is rewarded for this admission with a sharp, shocked look from Duke Hakim. An emotion, a memory, seems to flicker in his eyes before it swiftly disappears in the neutral game-face he has been showing around Liam all this time.
"I don't have the most trustworthy memory on the ones I did manage to see; it's been too long." The watch fob disappears into his fisted hands. "One of our own was part of this esteemed gathering. Dominique Lavigne, a master sculptor of her own time, who dressed as a man to get recognition. Yusuf Hadid from Domvallier, who combined Arabic calligraphy with our own Cordonian arts in handwriting. Saengdao Adair from Krysanthe, a pioneer in herbal medicine and the reason Krysanthans excel in both traditional and allopathic medicinal fields even today."
Liam freezes. "That last name? Could you repeat that again?" It's a name he's read about, vaguely, in obscure texts...but the fact that there's a statue...
"Saengdao Adair," the Duke says, locking his companion in a quizzical gaze. "Her statue -"
" - was mentioned in my father's will. Among others." Liam whispers, almost to himself.
Hakim's eyes widen. The contents of a passing monarch's will - even one who had passed on his throne to the next in line before his death - would be jealously guarded by the Palace, only released to the public years or maybe decades later. This is clearly information the King wouldn't impart so arbitrarily to just anyone.
More than once he has tried to stop himself from wondering if the boy had more of his mother in him. It was a hope he'd always held to his chest in the early years of Constantine's withdrawal...one that died when it became clear that he wanted little - if at all - to do with the Thornes. Against all wisdom, this small exchange is beginning to allow that hope to flare up within him again. Belatedly, he loosens his grip on his old, trusted watch fob - a gift from Kontos the year they graduated.
Liam rubs the space between his brows, trying to remember. "His will mentioned the King Fabian Alcove," he whispers, "that arrangements were to be made to shift it there from the Stirling Halls."
"Stirling Halls," Duke Hakim repeats, his voice suddenly hollow. Liam knows he must be remembering it as the place that was open to no one barring the Royal Family - not even members of the Great Houses. That was where all art went to die?
"The date on the will is from two and a half weeks before the Costume Gala," Liam says softly, his eyes searching Duke Hakim's face, then the hands that have dropped to his sides. The pocket watch is still there, his thumb running distractedly over it. "They only transfer artifacts to the alcove when they -"
"...when permission is granted to reveal those works to the public."
The two men stand still, soaking in their collective memories of the man whose body now lies in wait, to be descended into the Royal Family Vaults. To be buried beside men and women he'd read about in textbooks, loved, idolized. Who embodied his favourite words: Bravery. Valour. Strength. Warriors.
But he would also be buried next to men and women who understood the value of times of peace. Who - as he had often heard in Duke Hakim and Duchess Joëlle's speeches - advocated that a country gave you its best when its environment made you feel safe enough to create. And that was a safety that went far beyond border protection and weaponry.
People that Father would regularly dismiss when he and Leo were growing up. People that Cordonia wouldn't give a second thought to, nowadays. Because the value of their advancements were seeped so deep into public consciousness that they were often taken for granted.
Here in Cordonia, the mindset of the reigning monarch and the collective mindsets of their people often fed on each other. Yesterday's history books could hail one man a hero one minute, and a weakling the next. And for at least two centuries - perhaps bored from decades and decades of peace and good diplomacy, who knows? - the popular view seemed to favour a fondness for the most dramatic and bloodthirsty of their ancestors. Father was no different in holding that view.
When had that changed?
The moonlight casts the Duke's face into a fascinating interplay of light and shadow. The lines of his jaw are softer than Father's, but signify its own unique brand of strength. The air around them is scented and heavy, almost as if this moment promises a watershed of sorts, and that very air is drawing a bated breath.
"I haven't visited that alcove in a long time," Liam admits, looking away, "I don't remember where it is."
Duke Hakim swallows, then motions his hand vaguely to their left. "It's this way."
The alcove is inside a garden - a fairly large one, made of old red brick and surrounded by an array of beautiful creepers. The two men stop short of going inside, halting their steps and drawing a gasp at the sight in front of them.
"... Saengdao Adair?" Liam whispers, drinking in the sight of this pioneer with his eyes. Her hair is long, her voluminous folds of her robe billowing almost realistically as if they were real linen, not marble. A mortar and pestle rests in one hand; her other is raised, delicately holding a sprig of stinging nettle.
There are others. So many others. A woman with a map and a compass, staring ahead into horizons not yet explored. A man with a richly-feathered quill in his hand, a book in the other. A woman holding a jewel-embellished half-mask. A simple sculpture of a man dressed in the garb of the ancient Technocrats, his eyes glowing at the sight of the nails and bolts in his hand, ready to invent something new.
A woman seated on her heels, hammer and chisel in hand, lips pursed and eyebrows scrunched together as she worked at transforming stone to a work of art.
Liam lets out a small, watery laugh. "A sculpture for a sculptor."
The Duke responds with a smile, shaking his head. "Fali Kraine from the Blackspine Mountains."
Liam nods. "They say she had this precise look on her face and sat exactly this way while sculpting this piece. What I wouldn't give to witness that."
But the centerpiece of the alcove is a woman. A scribe. Hunched over - in the rough cotton garb of a scribe from the Renaissance - books and parchment. Transcribing - letter for letter and word for word - the history of her nation so that her descendants could share it with their children. His ancestor. Queen Lisabetta.
"King Fabian commissioned this," Hakim's voice is a hoarse, shaky whisper, "to remind his beloved wife of the value of the work she had once done."
Liam swallows a painful lump in his throat. Back in the palace, an hour ago - he had stayed in Esther's room, knowing she would need him more these next few nights if she were to preserve an ounce of her sanity.
"You're a good man, Liam," she had murmured against his throat.
He held her tighter, smiling slightly against her hair. "That won't always translate into becoming a great king, my love."
Against her own will, she let out a long yawn. Her fingers ran lightly over his chest before resting against his heart. "But it certainly helps."
He had held her until he was sure her body was resting softly and heavily against his, her breathing slow and deep...and then quietly slipped out of her arms to walk to the Capitol Square.
He looks at the Duke too. Both he and his children took this trip without Duchess Joëlle, who chose to go to Switzerland. He remembers every account of how attached the couple are and how much they dislike being apart - including his own mother's. Liam winces; he never recognized until now the sacrifice Duke Hakim made in coming here without her.
Yet here he is. For a country that will not always respect him. For a friend who would not always accept him. For a King he isn't entirely sure he can trust.
For an ideology that won't capture the country's imagination, the way valiant heroes on horseback do. But if these commemorations had been shifted to this alcove, with the intention of placing them around the Capitol Square...that must mean some change was underway. Within his father, and with Liam's help perhaps within the rest of the country too.
"It's getting late," Liam says, straightening up and getting ready to leave the alcove. "We'd better head back to the palace."
"In a minute, Your Majesty," Duke Hakim says, giving him a brief bow, then turning to the statue of Queen Lisabetta.
As Liam leaves the alcove, he hears a voice so soft he wonders if he had imagined it.
"Kontos," the voice said, a sigh released from deep inside a man's chest, "Kontos, you listened."
--
A/N: This mini series takes place in the Petals and Thornes universe, that revolves around a romance between Hana and Kiara. While a lot of the story beats follow canon, I do make a lot of deviations from the text, including with other characters who aren't central to the story but whose stories have a definite influence on the larger plot. I'm hoping to make Legacies one of them. At present I plan for it to be a four part series.
A/N2: In canon, Constantine's funeral and burial arrangements lasts just a week, all of which was skipped entirely to the Lythikos leg of the Unity Tour. I have increased that time to 12 days.
The Vigil of the Princes is based on the British tradition (of the same name) in royal funerals - esp that of the monarch - where the family members stay vigil for 10-15 minutes near the casket of the deceased. Family who has served in the military perform this ritual in their military uniform.
The Great Houses' Vigil is my own creation but with elements borrowed from the above tradition. My HC is that it is shorter and unlike the surviving royals, the members of the Great Houses are not required to wear military uniform.
Kontos is a playful nickname that Constantine's close ones were allowed to use for him, as long as they didn't use it in public (because apparently the meaning in Greek is "short")
Krysanthe is the modern-day Aurelia, with Hana being their current Duchess/Head of House. Saengdao is indeed Annelyse's descendant. Here is my HC on the duchy and Hana's rise to Duchess.
Characters from my playthrough of TRM in this story:
Artemisia Fierro - Hunter (f!Asian)
Sofonisba Vescovi - Kayden (f!Black)
Lisabetta Rosario - MC, who fell for Artemisia initially but married Fabian later on. Artemisia and Sofonisba keep in touch with the royal couple and are protected by the Crown.
43 notes
·
View notes
Text
Now Added: Nia Ellarious
Nia in her BK3 outfit has now been added to the Transparents folder
With thanks to @farizrz
14 notes
·
View notes
Text
Every Shakespeare's Code MC with her signature flower in the background of the wardrobe:
Rosemary 🌹
Camellia 🌺
Periwinkle 🪻
Sage 🌿
‼️Currently the feature is bugged and only works just once in both chapters — when MC is dressing up to visit the tavern‼️
14 notes
·
View notes
Text
💔
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
Awww, what a beautiful proposal 😍❤️ after so many challenges. They finally can be together🥹💕 and I love that Liam is so mature and can comfort Riley heart on the moments of doubt 🥺
Turning the Page
Chapter 15
_Bridge of Dreams_
Choices, The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir AU
Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son.
Turning the Page Series Masterlist, My Complete Masterlist
Main pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks
All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who both belong to this series.
Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match.
Rating: M 🔞 - Warnings – Series will have crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors.
Bridge of Dreams
Chapter 15
Chapter Summary: Liam and Riley revisit the Pont des Arts, ‘Lovelock Bridge” in Paris, France. Olivia begins a relationship with Damien Nazario. William enjoys his first camping trip with Uncles Drake and Maxwell & Bartie
Music Inspiration: I Won’t Give Up, Jason Mraz
A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.
A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’)
Santorini, Greece
Rubbing away the fog off the bathroom mirror after his hot shower, Damien Nazario could now see his reflection to shave. After waking from a rejuvenating sleep, his plans included enjoying the white sand beaches that were here in Santorini and maybe some sightseeing on the island. He was afforded a couple of free days of relaxation to enjoy the beaches of Santorini by King Liam before he was to return to his duties of guarding the young crown prince in Cordonia.
...and he was determined to enjoy this free time. Damien finished shaving and splashed water on his face. He felt refreshed and energized, ready to take on the day.
He grabbed a towel and dried his face. Then, he headed into the bedroom to get dressed.
Damien padded slowly into the bedroom of her hotel suite and grinned.
He had every intention of enjoying his time with his fiery red-haired companion, whom he shared a bed with after the wedding festivities ended.
After Olivia invited him to extend the celebration in her hotel room -- which he accepted without hesitation -- they spent the night in each other's arms, exploring their desires. It had been a while since he had been with a woman, and even longer since he had been with a woman like Duchess Olivia. She was confident, intelligent, and beautiful. And she knew how to please a man.
Ever since the first day they were introduced, he found himself drawn to her and intrigued by her personality.
Damien had to admit, the redhead was very sexy, and it wasn't just her appearance. It was also the way she carried herself and the way she spoke. Her confidence of knowing exactly what she wanted and was not afraid to go after it.
The way she spoke so eloquently and with such passion was very arousing. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she talked about something she was interested in; her intellect apparent.
He was intrigued by her confidence and her ability to be assertive. Most women would shy away from taking charge, but not Olivia. She was bold and unafraid to express her feelings. He found that to be incredibly attractive and erotic.
Damien smiled, biting his top lip as he thought about the previous night and all the things they did. They had made love until the early hours of the morning leaving them both exhausted but satisfied.
Olivia was already up and dressed, sitting on the bed. She was wearing a pale coral sundress that complimented her skin tone, and her red hair was pulled back into a loose chignon.
"Good morning," Damien said as he approached her.
"Good morning," Olivia replied coyly, a smile playing on her lips.
Damien leaned down and kissed her, his hand cupping her cheek. He couldn't resist pulling her close, inhaling her sweet scent.
"I was wondering if you would like to join me on the beach today," Damien suggested, his fingers brushing a stray hair away from her face.
"Actually, I was planning on returning to Cordonia today."
"Why so soon?" Damien asked, slightly disappointed.
"I have important business to attend to."
"Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine," Olivia reassured him, placing her hand on his chest. "I just need to get back to work."
"Of course," Damien nodded. "But you still have the day free before your flight".
"True," Olivia agreed. "I suppose we could spend a few more hours together."
"Excellent," Damien smiled, his brown eyes twinkling. "Would you like to have breakfast first?"
"Actually, I have a better idea," Olivia said, her voice low and seductive.
"What do you have in mind?"
Olivia smirked, her green eyes darkening with desire. "Why don't you come back to bed?"
"Now that sounds like a perfect plan."
Damien's mouth curved into a grin as he gently pushed her back and joined her back in bed.
As she looked out the 18th floor window, Riley could see the Seine River winding its way through the city. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
The Suite Impériale at the Ritz, Paris, France
This is it.
Riley knew that she would have to relive the bittersweet memories from the engagement tour. It would be hard, but she knew that it would also be cathartic. She needed this.
She needed to let go of the past.
She turned and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. She was wearing a flowing, white sundress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her hair was falling softly onto her shoulders, and her makeup was simple and elegant.
She was ready.
She slipped on a pair of white sandals and made her way down to the lobby. Liam was meeting her at their spot once he finished his meeting with the French president and he should be there momentarily.
When Riley stepped outside, the sun was shining, and the sky was a brilliant blue.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air, trying to calm her jitters.
As Riley made her way along the Seine, she could not help but think about the last time she was here.
It was a day she would never forget.
The day she and Liam placed that small gold lock on the bridge.
It was the day they declared their love for each other and sealed it with a kiss.
Riley sighed, remembering how happy she was that day. How hopeful.
She had been so naïve.
Tariq was never found and the scandal lived on. Liam would abide by his duty and marry Madeleine, making her his queen.
As Riley rounded the corner, she could see the bridge coming into view.
Her heart started to race, and her palms became sweaty. She felt her tears travel down her cheeks.
She was nervous.
She didn't know what to expect or why Liam was so insistent on revisiting this exact spot.
Riley reached the bridge and stopped. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
She was ready.
The memories came flooding back.
'You spot Liam leaning against a stone railing overlooking the Seine. His expression is clouded, but when he hears you approach, he breaks into a smile.
"Riley!"'
"Liam. You are a sight for sore eyes."
Liam chuckles. "That's my line."
He pushes himself off the railing and takes a few steps forward, closing the distance.
'"I wasn't sure you'd come."'
He wraps you in a tight embrace, resting his head against your shoulder. You feel his chest heave with a sigh.
"After the bachelor party, I found Maxwell and he filled me in on your ... mission earlier."
To think that Bastien helped set you up ..."
Liam nods. "It's ... shocking, yes, but ... I think it might have been a blessing in disguise."
"How so?"
Liam pulls away and smiles. "If we hadn't been interrupted, I may not have had the opportunity to spend the evening with you. And as much as I love spending time with my friends, being with you was ... a much-needed escape."
"I wasn't sure if we should risk coming here. If the person behind this is so powerful that Bastien is afraid of them ..., are we really safe? I don't know how deeply this goes or who we can trust. All I know is that I couldn't bear it if something happened to you. The only way to keep you safe might be for us to leave. Permanently."
Liam smiled sadly, I remember asking you, saying,
"We could ... we could go anywhere. Anywhere in the world. Where do you want to go?"
"You're joking, right? We can't leave Cordonia."
"No, we can. We'll just go somewhere no one will ever find us. We can live in peace and happiness together."
"We could have a family. We could be happy."
"Liam ... no. No matter how tempting that sounds ...
"You can't abandon Cordonia."
His shoulders slump. "I know that. But if you asked me to, I would. In an instant."
"I could never ask you that. Your people need an honest King now more than ever. And the Liam I know would never leave them behind.
Liam tenderly takes your hands in his.
"We will get through this, Riley. We have to. I refuse to believe otherwise."
He lifts one of your hands and kisses the back of it, his eyes never leaving yours.
"We'll find a way. Together."
Liam pulls you close and kisses you, his arms wrapping around you tightly.
After a moment, he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against yours.
"I promise."
"I won't give up on you, or us."
"Nor will I."
"Thank you, Riley for not letting my fears get the better of me."
Liam steps back and holds out his arm to you.
"Now, shall we continue our walk?
"I'd love that, Liam."
The two of you start walking down the bridge, hand-in-hand.
"You know, Riley, there's one good thing about this whole Tariq situation."
"And what's that?"
"It's made me realize how lucky I am to have someone like you by my side. You're strong, kind, compassionate, and so much more. I love you, and I'm so grateful that you're a part of my life."
Liam gives you a small smile.
"Thank you, Liam."
"For what?"
"For always knowing the right thing to say."
"Well, I try," Liam says with a smirk.
"I know it's hard. But no matter what happens, at least we'll face it together."
At this, Riley gets very emotional, thinking that by leaving him when she found out she was pregnant, she betrayed him.
Riley was lost in thought as she walked, the sun beating down on her shoulders. It had been a long journey, and she was still processing everything that had happened.
She thought about her decision to leave, and how it had affected Liam.
She thought about William, and how she faced the challenge of being a single parent.
The guilt was overwhelming.
She knew she had made the right decision at the time, but she couldn't help but regret the pain she had caused Liam.
She had left without a word, without a trace.
And while she was certain that the time away had been necessary, she couldn't help but feel like she had let him down.
Joining Liam at the railing they both gaze across the river. The streets around them are practically empty, though many lights still glitter on the water.
It's so quiet. It feels almost like a dream. Like they're the only ones in the city.
Liam puts his arm around Riley's shoulders and pulls her close.
"Love, you look ... you look like you are miles away from here.
Penny tor your thoughts?"
"Liam. Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course ... anything, Riley."
Taking a shaky breath, speaking in a very small voice,
"After you married Madeleine, did ... did you ever grow feelings for her? When I left?"
Liam took a deep breath and sighed. He knew Riley wanted him to; needed him to be truthful.
"Madeleine and I, well, we grew fond of one another. As friends; but, nothing more."
A tear slipped down Riley's cheek, but Liam quickly rubbed it away.
"Our arrangement was that we would marry, have children, and rule Cordonia together. However, as time went on, I ... we both realized that we were never going to love each other. We would be nothing more than friends."
Nodding her head, her eyes were locked onto the floor. She was trying to hold herself together.
"Madeleine did try, at first, to seduce me. She was quite insistent on producing an heir, but I couldn't bring myself to bed her. Cordonia be damned."
Liam placed his hands on Riley's cheeks, cradling her head as she cried.
"I knew that, as long as you were out there, somewhere, I would always be yours. I couldn't move on."
"I'm so, so sorry," she said. "I don't know if I'll ever stop feeling guilty for what happened."
"Don't," he said, shaking his head. "It wasn't your fault. It was my choice. I had a responsibility to Cordonia, and I had a duty to the Crown. I knew what I was getting into when I married Madeleine."
"You didn't have a choice," she whispered.
"Neither did you," he replied.
Riley sighed, her eyes filled with tears, looking up to the sky.
"The night when William was born ... I was so happy. But you weren't mine. you belonged to someone else. It killed me ... that I ran and took your son away."
"Riley," Liam said softly, taking her hand.
Riley pursed her lips, and began...
"Riley," he said tenderly, cupping her cheek.
"Liam, when William was born, I was ecstatic. But then, when I held him for the first time, and he looked up at me ... I couldn't help but think that you should have been there, too. That he should have had his father with him, on the day he was born. And I just couldn't stop thinking about how I had left you behind, and that it was all my fault."
"Riley," he said again, pulling her into his arms. "You were the one who was abandoned, Riley. Not me. I understand why you did what you did. It wasn't your fault."
"Liam ..."
"Riley, I know how difficult it was for you. How painful. But I am so glad that you found the strength to return to me, and with our son. You are a wonderful mother, and I can't imagine my life without you and William in it."
"I love you, Liam,"her lip quivering.
"And I love you, Riley," he replied. "More Than you will ever know."
"Always," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Always, my love."
The two of them stood there, watching the sun set over the water, holding each other close.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Liam turned to kiss Riley's forehead.
"Yes. It is."
Liam looks down and smiled. "I have a surprise for you."
Leading Riley further along the bridge she sees a wicker basket sitting on the paving stones. Liam pulls a small blanket from the basket and spreads it out. As she settled down on the blanket, Liam pulled a bottle of champagne from the basket, followed by two flutes, a loaf of crisp bread, and several rounds of cheese.
Riley smiled. "Wow, Liam. This is quite the spread. And very familiar."
Liam deftly pops the cork and pours two glasses of champagne. He hands one to Riley, and then raises his own.
"To you, Riley. The most unforgettable woman I've ever met."
"To you, Liam. Meeting you changed my life. But out of all the places I've been and the things I've done since then, the best part has been getting to know you."
"That's more of a toast than I deserve, Riley, but, thank you."
Clinking glasss they each take a sip. There is a faint hint of mint and lemon to the cool, bubbly drink.
"Liam, how long have you been planning this?"
"A few days."
Riley sips her champagne. The sweet and bubbly alcohol is warming.
"How did you manage to sneak a whole picnic out here without anyone seeing you?"
Liam chuckles. "A king can do many things."
"Like bribe the French palace staff?"
Liam laughs. "Perhaps. But no, I was simply able to utilize my authority. And I can assure you, no one will disturb us. This bridge is closed to traffic."
Riley looked up at him, incredulous. "How did you manage that?"
"With great difficulty." Liam winks mischievously.
She raised her eyebrows.
"I have connections," Liam says with a smirk.
"So, you pulled some strings, and now we have a private bridge all to ourselves?"
"Indeed." Liam responds sheepishly.
Riley took another sip of champagne. "I must say, this is quite impressive."
"I thought it would be nice to have a moment alone together, away from prying eyes and listening ears."
"I'm glad you did." Riley giggled.
"Good," Liam says, pouring more champagne into her glass.
"So, what do we have here?"
"Well, we have champagne, of course," Liam says, motioning to the bottle. "And then we have some delicious cheese, courtesy of France. And a fresh baguette, still warm from the bakery."
"This is amazing, Liam. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure, Riley."
Once the food is gone and the blanket and glasses are put away, Liam takes the basket under one arm and offers you the other.
"I believe tradition requires that we continue our evening with a stroll, my lady."
As Liam and Riley walked along the Seine, more and more locks could be seen hooked through the railing.
As she looked down at the locks, Riley couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart.
They were symbols of love and hope and somewhere in the sea of locks, Riley knew their lock was still locked in place. She bent down to take a closer look.
A reminder her of a time she had tried so hard to forget.
...Remember When...
"Thank you, Riley. With so little permanence in this world, there will always be this little lock on this bridge just for the two of us. I want to believe it will be here forever, no matter what else happens to us."
Riley's eyes filled with tears with this memory from years ago.
"Riley, my love..."
Wiping her tears she stood and turned ...and gasped --as she watched Liam drop down onto one knee before her.
"Liam?"
"Riley, you are my heart and soul. You're the reason I wake up every morning. You're the reason I smile. I cannot imagine a life without you by my side. You've stood beside me through the hardest moments of my life, and you've never once wavered. You've given me the strength to face my fears, and you've shown me that true love can conquer anything. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you."
He opened his hand, and she saw a small, black velvet box sitting on his palm.
"Liam ..."
With steady hands, he opened the box to reveal a stunning diamond engagement ring.
"Riley Louise, will you marry me?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed. "Yes! ... A thousand times, yes!"
"Really?"
"Of course," she tearfully replied.
Liam beamed as he slid the ring onto her finger.
"I love you, Riley."
"I love you too, Liam."
Tears ran down her cheeks as she leaned forward, kissing him passionately.
She was his.
Forever.
As they kissed, her heart was bursting with joy.
This was the happiest moment of her life.
They stood on the bridge for what felt like hours, locked in each other's arms.
"So, we're really going to do this, huh?" Liam looked intentedly at Riley, trying to stop his smile.
"What, get married?" Riley giggled.
"Yeah," he said. "It seems crazy, but I've never been surer of anything." Liam started to kiss down the side of her neck, pausing to gently nip her skin.
"Ohhhhh .... me neither." Riley moaned as he squeezed her ass pulling her flush against him.
"Let's get out of here," he growled, leading Riley back to the hotel.
Fontainebleau cliff (outside Paris)
At Maxwell’s request, William, along with his nephew Bartie was joining Drake for a camping trip outside of the city...on the condition that Bastien would be included...at Liam's insistence.
"This is going to be great," Maxwell said. "I can't wait for a boys' night."
After a few hours of driving, and a long hike later ... Maxwell, Drake, William, Bartie and Bastien arrive at a cliff overlooking the lake.
Maxwell sets his backpack down. "All right, guys. Let's make camp."
"I thought you said we were going camping," Bartie says.
"This is camping," Maxwell replies.
"No, this is a cliff. There are no trees or tents or anything."
"We're in the middle of nature. What more do you need?"
"Um, a place to sleep?" Bartie replies dryly.
"I got that covered," Drake says, pulling a bundle of canvas from his backpack. He unfolds the fabric, revealing a large tent.
"You brought a tent?" Maxwell asks.
"Of course. What did you think we were going to do, sleep under the stars?"
"Well, yeah." Maxwell answered.
Drake shook his head, thinking it was a good idea to teach these nobles a thing of two about camping.
"No way. That's how you get eaten by bears."
William looked up at Bastien, questioningly.
"Don't worry, William," Bastien says. "I have an excellent track record for keeping the royal family safe from bears."
"Okay, everyone. Let's get this tent set up," Drake rolled his eyes knowing he had to take the lead.
With the tent secured, the group thrn gathered wood to start a fire.
"Now, we can finally start having fun," Maxwell says.
"First things, first... who is hungry?"
William and Bartie look up at Drake.
"We are," they reply in unison.
"Who wants s'mores?" Drake grins.
"Yum," William exclaims.
"I don't know what that is, but I'm in," Bartie adds.
"S'mores are a camping classic. They're made with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. I guess your father hasn't taken you camping yet?" Drake shakes his head at Bartie.
"Ha, too funny!" Maxwell laughs. "Drake is an expert on s'mores."
"What do you mean?" William asks.
"Well," Maxwell begins. "S'mores are the only food that your uncle Drake can make. So, when we go camping, we have a lot of them."
"That's not true," Drake scoffs. "I can cook other things, too. Like, hot dogs. And hamburgers."
"You heat those things up. That doesn't count," Maxwell argues.
"Okay, fine. But I can make a mean cup of coffee over the fire."
"That's true," Maxwell admits. "But you still can't cook anything else."
"Whatever," Drake says, rolling his eyes.
The group laughs as they begin to roast their marshmallows over the crackling fire.
Thank you for reading, tags are in the comments. Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from tags.
@choicesficwriterscreations
43 notes
·
View notes
Text
This is so stunning 😍💖 the eternal symbol of love ❤️
Roses/Monuments, Day 3
"Thank you, Riley. With so little permanence in this world, there will always be this little lock on this bridge just for the two of us. I want to believe it will be here forever, no matter what else happens to us."
A monument to eternal love and commitment....
Pont des Arts, 'Lovelock Bridge' Paris, France
Inspired by Liam and Riley's visit to this Bridge during the engagement tour....
Bridge of Dreams , Chapter 15
Turning the Page Series
✨️Artwork Commission by /@artbyainna
Thank you @lizzybeth1986 & @sazanes for hosting #KLAW 2024🥂⚘️
@kingliamappreciationweek @choicesmonthlychallenge , prompt 01- appreciation
@choicesficwriterscreations @choicescommunityevents
27 notes
·
View notes
Text
We are now halfway through our Liam Appreciation Week! Loving the entries that are coming in, and can't wait to see what else you all have in store!
Day 3 of KLAW has two themes - both related to things Liam likes. Our first is Roses! Besides being a symbol of love and romance, they are also one of Liam's favourite flowers! We'd love to see how you incorporate that into your Liam content.
Our second theme is Monuments. Every Liam stan knows how deep his love for history and historical sites is - whether it is The Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the pagodas of Hangzhou Lake, or even the ruins in Cordonia. In Liam's case, they hold a specific significance for him - they remind him that like his ancestors, his actions and ideals will leave behind a legacy. So we'd love to see all kinds of content that feature him and how he feels about monuments!
Any content is welcome!! Just make sure your work centers Liam, and presents a positive depiction of him. Fic, art, meta, headcanons, edits, icons, interactive media, even simple character appreciation posts!! We also accept WIPs, so if your piece isn’t entirely complete by the end of the week, fret not – you can still send us the WIPs!
The themes are simply inspirations. If you bring a piece for one of the days later, it’s entirely okay...just make sure you tag the posts with the day you meant it for! We will always be keeping a bonus week in case you couldn’t complete the piece during the week itself, so our official deadline for pieces will be Dec 1st!
We’d also like all of you to know that KLAW 2024 will be open ALL YEAR ROUND. So if you’re unable to finish a piece before Dec 1st, pls do send it whenever you’re ready to (and tag us!), and it will definitely be up on our masterlist!!
Be sure to do the following while making your posts!
1. Use the tags #kingliamappreciationweek and #KLAW in your posts. Make sure to tag the day as well (#KLAW Day 1, #KLAW Day 2, etc)
2. Tag @kingliamappreciationweek, @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes in your posts so we can keep track!
Fan Community blogs are super important to our promotion of events, so we’d definitely love for you to check out some of these awesome blogs and their challenges:
@choicesficwriterscreations – Accepts most styles of creative works (no AI allowed). Check out their guidelines here!
@choicesmonthlychallenge – Any content accepted (no AI). Here is the prompt list for November and another event called Choices Reheated!
@choicesholidays – Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Winter Holidays!
@choicesprompts – Any and all content welcome! Currently, the blog is hosting Angstgiving!
@choicespride – Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around LGBTQ+ characters and themes. While not directly associated with this event, we’d like to give a shoutout to their current event – Transgender Awareness Month. If you have any content that you think would fit, definitely give the prompts a look!
We can’t wait to see what our wonderful Liam fans have in store for us!
Happy King Liam Appreciation Week, everyone!!
#liam rys#king liam#the royal romance#kingliamappreciationweek#KLAW 2024#KLAW#KLAW Day 3#KLAW Day 3: Roses#KLAW Day 3: Monuments
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
Ai meu coração 🥺 sempre sofro com essa separação, porque eles se amam tanto e tudo parece impedir a união deles 🥹 mas eu amei que eles se entregaram um ao outro no fim, superando a dor e as feridas 🥹💕 (Oh my heart 🥺 I always suffer with this break up, because they love each other so much and everything seems to destroy their union 🥹 but I loved that they gave themselves to each other in the end, overcoming the pain and the wounds 🥹💕)
Rosas de Aniversário
Sumário: No feriado de aniversário do monarca, em Nova York, Riley visita um antigo amor. Ela lhe leva rosas.
Classificação Indicativa: 12 (Exposição ao perigo)
Palavras: 1779
AO3
Sob o tom rosa do pôr do sol das sete horas, Riley exala levemente em uma tentativa fútil de se acalmar.
Hoje. Um feriado em sua terra natal. Seu aniversário.
Maxwell fez a gentileza de informá-la sobre o número de seu quarto e o nome falso que ele usava no Plaza Hotel.
Com o tempo, ao relembrar seu tempo em Cordonia e suas experiências, ela entendeu o motivo por trás de sua partida abrupta. Por que ele de repente escolheu Madeleine, por que ele não a escolheu. Mas isso justifica a dor, a dor dela? Ele sentiu dor? Ele é capaz de sentir dor?
Olhando para as rosas que ela trouxe para esta visita, Riley prende a respiração, vira-se para a porta e bate.
"Entre."
Girando lentamente a maçaneta, ela silenciosamente entra. Ela não tem certeza do que tem medo de ver. Riqueza? Prosperidade? Seus olhos tempestuosos? E ainda assim ela vê todos os três.
O choque respinga em seu rosto. Ele olha para ela com descrença e... Isso é confusão? Remorso? E talvez, mesmo que seja apenas um pouco, saudade? Mas tão rapidamente quanto essas emoções aparecem em seu rosto, ele as mascara em uma fração de segundo.
Tentando se sentar, ele sussurra, como se tivesse medo de que ela fugisse, "Oi."
Ela tenta decidir se deve caminhar em direção a ele. "Oi, aniversariante. Parabéns."
Liam visivelmente se encolhe, claramente impressionado com a ternura em sua voz e a culpa borbulhando em seu sistema. Quando ele vê seus lindos dedos segurando as rosas que ela trouxe para ele, ele simplesmente não aguenta mais.
"Não, por favor, pare. Eu não mereço..."
Quando essas palavras saem de seus lábios, ela rapidamente balança a cabeça e o interrompe. "Ei, ei, é seu aniversário. Todo mundo merece se sentir especial e amado em seus aniversários."
Riley sorri para ele. É o sorriso que faz coisas com ele. Ele sabe disso. No momento em que a vê, ele sabe que terá de sofrer algo doloroso e bonito que definitivamente o deixará machucado, mas ele não se importa, Deus sabe que ele não se importa nem um pouco. Ele é capaz de suportar horas de dor física apenas para vê-la sorrir por alguns segundos.
Mesmo que seu sorriso não signifique o mesmo de antes. Mesmo que ele pare de mentir para si mesmo que não a tenha perdido para sempre.
Deus, ela é ainda mais bonita do que Liam se lembra de antes de ela partir. E agora, meio sentado em sua cama, papéis e garrafas de bebida meio cheias ao seu redor, tudo o que ele sente é amor, mas tudo o que ele merece é culpa. Dor. Palavras brutais. Ódio dela por ele. Talvez tivesse sido melhor morrer naquele ataque a bomba do que ter de enfrentar seu amor depois.
De alguma forma, ela consegue dar a ele as rosas e não tocar em seus dedos, com medo de faíscas que podem não existir mais. De alguma forma, ela consegue recuar em várias etapas, deixando algum espaço entre os dois.
Segurando o peito, olhando para as mãos agora segurando as rosas, ele sussurra: "Eu, meu Deus, er, muito obrigado. É bom ver você."
Liam cede ao desejo de apreciar sua beleza enquanto olha para Riley. Há tanta coisa que ele não diz.
Eu sinto tanto a sua falta que está me matando. Eu não queria te machucar. Eu sinto muito, muito mesmo.
Ela vê um pequeno sorriso dançando em seus lábios. É uma expressão vulnerável e genuína de gratidão e, sim, agora ela tem certeza, saudade. Como ela ainda poderia estar brava com ele quando o vê meio atordoado e sobrecarregado, mas ainda dando voltas no estômago? Tentando cobrir seu rubor, ela olha em seus olhos.
"Eu realmente não sabia o que comprar para você desta vez. Porque..." Ela começa a se mexer, lamentando essa frase que começou. "Bem, você sabe. A coisa com a Estátua da Liberdade foi minha melhor ideia, mas eu já gastei essa."
Um suspiro de dor sai de seus lábios e Liam não pode deixar de se encolher novamente. Riley está sofrendo, ela ainda está sofrendo, é tudo culpa dele. E ele tem mais evidências do que os anos em que viveu.
Mas ela continua falando, agora evitando seu olhar ilegível fixo em seus lábios. "Então, eu quero perguntar a você, qual é o presente que posso lhe dar? O que você realmente quer?"
Ele pondera a questão. De novo e de novo, a voz em sua cabeça murmura: Dê-me outra chance. Deixe-me te amar. Me tenha de volta.
Dê-me outra chance. Deixe-me te amar. Me tenha de volta. Dê-me outra chance. Deixe-me te amar. Me tenha de volta.
Depois que um silêncio tangível envolve a sala, ele decide: "Por favor, saiba que eu ainda te amo."
Ora, os desejos de aniversário não deveriam funcionar assim, certo? Seja qual for esse desejo, o que quer que signifique, isso está longe de ser o que ela esperava dele.
Antes de sair de seu apartamento, ela até considerou os cenários mais loucos. Talvez ele peça a ela para levá-lo a uma cafeteria famosinha que ele tenha acabado de descobrir, talvez ele queira que ela compartilhe suas listas de reprodução do Spotify com ele, talvez ele queira que ela cante uma música ou escreva um poema para ele. Ela realmente pensou que ele pediria alguma coisa. Uma coisa real, material. Isso não.
Riley encontra seus olhos. A maneira como Liam olha para ela, como se ela fosse um anjo e ele fosse um mortal, saboreando a luz que ela traz, mas não sendo capaz de segurar suas mãos porque tem medo de quebrá-la, contaminá-la, revelar a escuridão por trás de sua figura esbelta.
Mas ela não se importa. Ouvir essas palavras, o afeto dentro delas, seus sentimentos, sentimentos, deixam-na com uma sensação vertiginosa de melancolia sobrenatural.
"Lembra daquela vez em que eu disse a você como sou muito ruim em levar as conversas adiante?"
Ela acena com a cabeça.
"Isso é o que quero dizer. Não consigo levar as conversas adiante."
Ela desvia os olhos.
"Não, por favor, olhe para mim."
Riley começa a mexer as mãos e volta para seu rosto angustiado, mas bonito. Olheiras, lábios ligeiramente rachados, cabelo um pouco bagunçado. E as rosas em suas mãos. A maneira como Liam os segura. Como quando ele uma vez a segurou contra seu corpo. A maneira como um artista torturado olha para sua musa. Sua salvação. Sua amante.
"Diga alguma coisa, por favor. Eu cruzei algum limite que não deveria ter cruzado? Minhas palavras soaram falsas? Estou te machucando de novo? Eu posso...?"
Ela o interrompe ali mesmo. "Liam."
Há algo sobre ela chamando seu nome. Este ato mantém uma intimidade solene que só existe quando ela sussurra seu nome sob o pôr do sol rosa dourado.
Ele segura o tecido de sua camisa na frente do coração com o punho, respirando pesadamente, enquanto um leve traço de lágrimas brilha em seus olhos. Vê-lo assim, nesse estado de ser desgrenhado, mostrando vulnerabilidade, só para ela, faz com que seus joelhos fiquem fracos.
"Eu quero confiar em você."
Ela sabe que sua mente brilhante sabe exatamente o que ela não disse.
Mas eu não consigo.
Agora é a vez dele de desviar o olhar, virando frente para o pôr do sol no Central Park pela janela. "Eu quero que você confie em mim também. Eu sei que não mereço o seu amor, mas uma parte de mim estava tão desesperadamente agarrada à esperança que você veio me ver porque você ainda, hum..."
Ele se vira para segurar o olhar dela.
"Talvez, talvez, eu realmente esperasse que... Ainda existe a possibilidade de..." Seus braços apontam para o coração dele e dela e o espaço entre eles. "Nós."
Nós. Ela deixou a palavra ecoar em seus ouvidos.
"Mas tudo isso é tão confuso. Por que sou tão bom em machucá-la quando tudo o que quero fazer é te amar para sempre?"
Riley tenta não ser tão afetada pela confissão agora em que Liam diz que quer amá-la para sempre.
"Você não está me machucando agora, Liam." Ela sussurra baixinho, não ousando quebrar a fragilidade da abertura no ar.
Corando, ele olha para baixo. "Oh."
Outro período de silêncio.
Sua voz falha. "Então por que você está tão longe de mim?"
Desta vez, uma lágrima cai livre de seus olhos, descendo por suas bochechas coradas, em uma pétala de rosa.
Ele olha para os olhos dela como se estivesse olhando para a alma dela, procurando respostas, explicações, pensamentos, qualquer coisa, que pudesse explicar essa situação em que se encontraram, e por que ela está tão, tão distante.
"Eu..."
Ela não sabe como responder a ele. Claro que ele considera sua hesitação como rejeição. Mas, ao contrário de todas as vezes no passado, quando seus sentimentos vêm à tona, desta vez ele não os mascara.
"Você sabe que eu realmente te amo, certo?" Suas palavras saem como um apelo.
Talvez seja a maneira como o pôr do sol lança um brilho rosa em seus longos cílios, ou talvez seja a maneira como o coração dela dói por ele, por sua dor, por suas emoções reais.
E seu amor por ela. E sua confiança nele.
"Eu sei." Ela tenta um pequeno sorriso, apesar da intensificação da vontade de chorar.
Ele olha para ela por um momento e relaxa, mais algumas lágrimas caindo nas rosas. "Então você me deu o melhor presente de aniversário que eu poderia pedir."
Riley não pode mais ficar tão longe dele. Em grandes passos, ela atravessa o espaço entre eles e segura seu rosto, com ternura, e Liam apenas a deixa segurá-lo, olhando gentilmente para ela.
Neste momento em particular, sob este pôr do sol em particular, sentindo esta brisa particular de ar fresco com uma leve fragrância de rosas, seu coração bate mais rápido, mais rápido, mais rápido, enquanto uma paz interior se instala dentro de sua alma.
"Eu senti sua falta. Muito."
Mantendo contato visual, mas também com medo de fazer algo errado, Liam estremece enquanto seus braços circulam suavemente sua cintura.
Dê-me outra chance. Deixe-me te amar. Me tenha de volta.
Dê-me outra chance. Deixe-me te amar. Me tenha de volta.
Dê-me outra chance. Deixe-me te amar. Me tenha de volta.
O canto em sua mente fica cada vez mais alto a cada segundo que passa. Ela o ouve. Ela sente seu batimento cardíaco. Ela lentamente se abaixa e pressiona um beijo suave e suave em seus lábios.
Instintivamente, seus braços seguram sua cintura com mais força, protetoramente, embora aqui em seus braços, Riley saiba que não há nada que possa machucá-la e nada que ela precise ser protegida.
@kingliamappreciationweek; @lizzybeth1986; @sazanes
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Omg 😱 what is going on? The angst is escalating by every minute, and what the hell that guard was thinking 😡 but I love that Kate doesn't go down without a fight, and Liam, even heartbroken, doesn't give up too 🥹 💕
Heartstopper (Part 1)
This is my entry for King Liam appreciation week. @kingliamappreciationweek
@tessa-liam @sazanes
@lizzybeth1986 @kingliam2019
Klaw Day 2
Character Appreciation/Vanilla
Summary:
It's Coronation night and the unthinkable has happened for the new King of Cordonia as the woman of his dreams gets dragged out of the ballroom.
Cast: the usual TRR gang, with Kate Darling as the MC from New York. In this story the King's name is Nicholas instead of Liam.
Author's note:
Prepare yourself for all the angst and heartbreak as the story is told mostly from the young King's perspective.
Rated: M for Mature - Angst, swearing, violence, bodily harm, car chase, fluff
-__-----_👑_-----__-
The crowded ballroom was filled with a cacophony of sound, but Nicholas tuned it all out. At the back of the room, the love of his life, Kate Darling, was being dragged away by his own security guards. Her face was twisted in a look of shock and betrayal as their eyes met. He mouthed a silent, Kate, as the crowd poured into the space where she had once stood. His eyes frantically searched for her, but she was gone.
Next to him on the stage Madeleine stood with a perfectly crafted fake smile on her face. He was still holding her hand, because he had just named her as his choice as Queen. Her name had left a sour taste in his mouth, and he felt queasy. A cold sweat bloomed on his upper lip, and he lifted his other hand to his mouth to wipe it.
"Nicholas?.. Nicholas?..."she said behind her clenched white teeth, "Say something."
She curled her fingernails into his palm to get his attention and he recoiled, dropping her hand.
He raised his hands up in an attempt to appease the uproar of the people as the wave of sound finally enveloped him like a tide. "Please! Please Everyone! If you could direct your attention this way." He raised his voice and the heads started to turn and the crowd began to still.
"Thank-you." He stepped closer to Madeleine and tucked his forearm stiffly behind her back to draw her to him. He looked at Madeleine and then turned back to the crowd and forced a happy smile onto his face.
"Please allow me to present her Royal Highness, Queen Madeleine Amaranth."
The crowd of strangers erupted into applause, their faces beaming with pride for their new King and Queen.
As he held his smile in place, his stepmother Regina walked over to stand at his other side. She grasped his hand, and he squeezed back tightly, making her wince. "Where are they taking her?"
Regina waved to the crowd and then leaned in to answer. "They're sending that insufferable slut back to New York, where she belongs."
"Over my dead body," he grounded back angrily and dropped her hand. He took a step back and with a quick salute to the crowd he slipped through the curtains and then out the door to the balcony.
The warm Mediterranean air smelled much sweeter than all the sweaty heavily perfumed party goers crowded into the ballroom. Not that he didn't wear cologne himself, but he missed the sweet scent of Kate's vanilla perfume most. He took a deep breath and then pulled out his mobile phone. Below the balcony there was a sea of paparazzi photographers and reporters with news cameras and microphones. When they saw him, their shouted appeals for his attention overlapped like squabbling water fowl. He turned away from the camera flashes and the video spotlights to stand in the sliver of shadow next to the building. He tore a small hanging flower pot off the wall and used it to smash out the bulbs of the light sconces by the doors. This gave him a little more darkness and he heaved a deep sigh to calm himself as he dialed Bastien, his head of security.
Bastien picked up on the second ring, "Yes, Sire? How may I be of service?"
The relative calm in the guards voice made Nicholas lose his own. "..be of service?! What the fuck, Bastien? We never agreed to have her dragged out like a criminal."
"I'm sorry, Sir."
"What happened to quietly escorting her out after the gala was over? And where are Drake and the Beaumont Brothers?"
Bastien broke away to talk to someone else briefly and then returned, "As per your Father's request the Beaumonts and Mr. Walker have also been removed and detained..."
Nicholas interrupted, "Detained? But why? They're hardly threats to anyone."
Bastien calmly replied,"I was just doing as I was told, Sir. But as for Mr. Walker, he is no longer in custody."
Nicholas chuckled, "Of course he isn't. Let me guess, he hit you."
"Not me, Sir. But one of the junior cadets now has a sprained wrist and a broken nose."
"Good, tell him he's fired."
Nicholas hung up and then went to the far corner of the balcony to catch a glimpse of the black line up of fleet vehicles by the gate. Only one had it's engine running. He used his phone to take a picture of it, zooming in on the serial number badge on the back window. 725
He dialed Drake, hoping he was nearby.
A few agonizing seconds of dial tone tone later, Drake answered. He sounded slightly winded as if he was running. "Nic?! ..what the fuck? This is not a good time. .. I'm being chased by one of Bastien's minions."
"Hold on.." Nicholas hung up and then sent an angry text to his head of security.
HRH : Tell your god damned attack dog to stand down and let Drake go.
Nicholas looked back toward the gate. He saw a pair of guards forcefully trying to escort a woman in blue toward the waiting SUV. Kate was putting up the fight of her life. Bless her heart.
His heart sank as he saw one of the guards slap her hard across the face. She went limp in the other guard's arms.
Nicholas's phone started ringing. It was Drake. He kept his eyes on the guards as they shoved her bodily into the back of the SUV. He answered the call.
"Talk to me."
Drake was clearly out of breath, he struggled to put his sentence together. "I ..*huff*..gue..guess ..*huff* I lost him."
"Good, where are you?"
Drake was a little more composed as he replied, "I .. I'm heading toward the service ...entrance by the East Courtyard. I can see a crowd of reporters waiting outside."
Nicholas nodded his approval, "Good, that's right below me. I'll distract them so you can get through."
Drake stopped at the door, "Where do you need me to go?"
Nicholas walked back to the right and closer to the balcony railing. "They're trying to send her back to America, Drake. I just saw some guards shove Kate into the back of an SUV."
"Those bastards! Where, what SUV?" Drake spat back angrily.
"Number 725, over by the gate, and hurry I think they're leaving."
"On it. Just get these paps outta my way. Are you giving me permission to use whatever methods I want."
"Affirmative, BFI is now in effect. Good luck."
Nicholas reached the railing, and as predicted, the reporters followed. A flood of flashing camera light and a chorus of demands met him as he casually leaned on the railing. He ignored their questions and struck up a casual conversation with them instead, determined to take their attention off Drake so he could get away.
"Good Evening everyone. Lovely weather we're having tonight for the Coronation..."
Drake pushed the door open and elbowed his way through the crowd. "Excuse me...pardon me...move! ..Hey, look over that way. The King is doing interviews.."
He stomped through the garden bushes on the edge of the courtyard, taking a short cut to the gate. There were four black SUVs parked by the curb, but none of them had drivers. 725 had already left.
Drake presumed that the airport was the destination, but with the extra traffic in the city tonight clogging the roads because of the gala they shouldn't be too far ahead. On the other side of the gateyard civilian and diplomat cars were parked and waiting. A silver sedan had it's engine running and a chauffeur behind the wheel. Bingo
He looked left and right to check for moving vehicles and then cut across the gravel to the sedan. He knocked on the window and the startled driver looked up from his phone. He buzzed the window down. "Uh, Hello? Is the gala over already?"
Drake shook his head, leaning heavily on the door so he could look the driver in the eye. "No, but I need a ride."
The driver looked over at Drake's large hands as they gripped the door frame. He visibly swallowed. "I'm s..sorry Sir, but I'm here for the ambassador." He glanced down at the phone in his lap and then back at Drake. He started tapping out a message.
"Nope, I wasn't asking."
Drake reached in the window and grabbed the guy's phone out of his hands and threw it like a frisbee off into the bushes. "Go fetch."
The driver protested, "Hey!" And then reached for the door handle to open the door. Drake stepped out of his way and then jumped into the driver's seat. He slammed the door shut and locked it, and then threw the shifter into drive.
Gravel sprayed up from the tires as the Audi dug in deep with its four wheel drive. He tugged the seatbelt across and clicked it into place as he shot through the open gate. He glanced to his left and right quickly to check for impending collisions and then cranked the wheel hard to the left and fishtailed into the line of traffic. He wiped the trickle of sweat off his brow and quickly assessed the road ahead. He eased off the gas and slowed down a little, searching for an opening to weave into. A car up ahead signaled and then changed lanes to turn left. He pulled into the left turning lane and then cut sharply to the right to squeeze into the gap. A chorus of honks protested this move and he shrugged, bite me. As the line of traffic rolled up to a red light, he shifted into Park and struggled his way out of his suit jacket. His phone slipped out of his pocket as his coat got turned inside out and tossed on the passenger seat. His phone rang from where it had landed on the floor as the line of traffic moved again. He shook his head nope and shifted back into Drive.
Nicholas held court with the reporters for about five minutes, just long enough to see the silver sedan exit the gate in a hurry. With a smile he waved goodbye to the reporters and then went back inside the Palace.
The gala was in full swing as if he hadn't left. Music was playing and people were dancing. Everyone else mingled and drank his champagne. He didn't feel like partying. He meandered through the throng of dancers and drinkers. Some of them stopped him long enough to shake his hand. He graciously accepted their congratulations and then moved on. He finally made it to the double doors at the back of the ballroom and the security guards held people back as he passed. He nodded his thanks and then headed for the wood paneled "door" beside the suit of armor in the hallway. It looked like any other carved alcove like all the others, but this one led to his own private elevator. He pressed his thumb print on the scanner hidden inside the shiny button. A vibration signaled that his thumb was read correctly and the panel opened. He stepped in and then pushed the arrow up button. The door slid closed and he sagged back against the wall. He hoped that Drake was successful and got to Kate in time.
Drake crept forward with the traffic, whipping out into the left turning lane to leap frog whenever he could. He wasn't sure how effective this method was, but at least it alleviated the tedium of stop and go traffic. He kept scanning the line of traffic up ahead for the telltale high roofline of the royal fleet SUV. So far no such luck. The exit for the airport was coming up soon, about a kilometre away. Hopefully that route wasn't as crowded as this one.
In the backseat of 725, Kate Darling was lying down with her eyes closed. She wasn't asleep, but listening instead to the two guards arguing in the front seat.
"I told you, we should have taken the turn onto Spencer Avenue. We'd be closer to the airport by now," the guard on the right complained.
"And I told you not to smack the girl around. If that hit gets leaked back at the Palace we're screwed."
The guy on the right shrugged, "Who's she gonna tell? She'll be on a flight back to America within the hour."
Kate touched her sore cheek. There was going to be a big bruise there soon, and it was going to speak for itself. The thought of going back home to America made her want to cry. She had left her old life behind four months ago, and didn't want to go back. She felt the SUV swing hard to the left, and held onto the seat to stop herself from tumbling onto the floor. The vehicle sped forward and Kate's stomach lurched with panic. If they had turned onto another road, it most likely meant that the airport wasn't far away. She had to do something.
Drake saw the turn off for the airport coming up on his left, he signaled and went into the left turning lane. After turning left he took the onramp that swung around to cross over the boulevard that he'd just been on. This road had a faster speed limit and the traffic had thinned out considerably. He leaned into the gas pedal and sped up to make it into the flow of traffic. Now he could definitely catch up. He just hoped he wasn't too far behind.
Kate sat up, and the pain in her head throbbed. He had evidently hit her harder than she thought. She caught the driver's gaze in the rearview mirror and he jumped in surprise. "Oh shit, Cinderella is awake." He smiled uneasily.
She narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't call me that. I have a proper name you know."
The guard on the right turned to look back at her, "It's the color of your dress. It reminds him of Cinderella."
Kate looked down at her dress, "Oh right. I'm Kate by the way. And when Nicholas gets a hold of you two, you'll wish you'd never been born."
The driver scoffed, "We're not afraid of him."
Kate quirked her eyebrow and smirked, she pointed to her swollen cheek. "And when Drake sees this and finds out who you are, you're gonna beg for mercy."
The guy on the right scoffed, "Drake who?"
Kate laughed, but then winced in pain, instantly regretting it, "Oh, He's just the King's best friend and my personal bodyguard. And when I say he takes any harm done to me personally I'm not exaggerating."
The guards up front went quiet, and Kate slid over in her seat and buckled up. This was going to hurt, but it was time to put her plan into action. The doors were all locked because they were traveling forward, but she knew that in the event of an accident that the locks would disengage. She crossed one leg over the other and removed her high heeled shoe. The guards up front weren't paying attention to her anymore. She looked out the darkly tinted window and noticed it was starting to rain. It was go time.
"Hey!" She shouted, and got the startled reaction from the driver that she was expecting. He looked over his shoulder at her and in the process jerked the wheel to the right, at the same time she launched her high heel at his face and it lodged into his eye. He screamed in pain and his hands flew up off the steering wheel, "You Bitch!"
Kate braced herself as the car swung wildly from left to right, and then she heard the tires crunch onto the right hand gravel. A split second later the SUV started to roll and she hugged herself and prayed that the airbags would catch her.
16 notes
·
View notes
Text
Wow 🔥🔥🔥🔥 so hot. Today was a hot day for Liam lovers 🥵 amazing, and @pilitella is the best 🥰🥰🥰
Character Appreciation/Vanilla, Day 2
On their honeymoon... MC praised her King on his physique❤️🔥✨️...Liam explained, "A King should be strong to defend his kingdom... and his Queen."
Core strength is power; a vital character trait for a King! 💪 💪
🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️
Keeping that thought and image in my mind since first reading that chapter🥵😏, when I won an art commission last June from @indiacater, I asked @pilitella to draw a scene of Liam in the shower with his OC ... from my Marabelle Series, upcoming chapter #20 - 'Betrothed'.
Thank you, ladies,for bringing my fantasy 'to life'. This is an incredible gift💐 @indiacater ! & gorgeous art commission✨️ @pilitella !
Thank you @lizzybeth1986 & @sazanes for hosting #KLAW 2024🥂⚘️
@kingliamappreciationweek
@choicesmonthlychallenge, prompt 01 - appreciation
@choicesficwriterscreations
@choicescommunityevents
16 notes
·
View notes
Text
🔥😳🔥 Não esperava por isso mas que coisa mais quente 🔥🔥🔥😏 (🔥😳🔥 I didn't expect this but wow so hot 🔥🔥🔥😏)
O Bom Nome do Rei de Cordonia
Sumário: Anos de casamento e, apesar de tudo, ainda há algo que Liam esconde. Depois de uma noite difícil, Riley, sem querer querendo, arranca isso dele.
Classificação Indicativa: 18
Palavras: 1260
AO3
Riley está feliz com sua vida.
Ela tem um marido maravilhoso e uma linda filha. Não há mais segredos ridículos da realeza para lhe perturbar, sua rotina é administrável, a imprensa não os incomoda tanto e sua vida sexual é incrível.
Bem, incrível, exceto por uma coisa. Há algo que Liam está escondendo dela. E ela vai descobrir o quê!
É sempre quando eles estão fazendo sexo também, e em nenhum outro momento. Ele é terrivelmente sincero sobre tudo em sua vida, ele parece gostar de contar seus segredos, dos grandes aos fúteis. Exceto o que quer que isso seja. O que é um pouco mais do que suspeito.
Ele sempre parece estar segurando algo sempre que ela fica em cima para montá-lo. É como se ele estivesse tentando não dizer algo. No começo, ela pensou que ele não gostava de alguém em cima dele, mas depois descobriu que é porque ele gosta demais. Bem, demais para seus padrões, que é um padrão ainda mais alto a ser cumprido.
Não que ela julgasse. Sua posição favorita é montá-lo no colchão. Ela adora vê-lo desmoronar assim. Ela gosta muito. Mas não é só porque ele gosta, há algo mais lá também, com a tentativa, até agora bem-sucedida, de não dizer o que quer que ele queira desesperadamente dizer.
Riley só precisa fazer alguns, ah, experimentos para ver se ela pode de alguma forma fazer Liam tropeçar e finalmente dizer.
***
Assim que os dois saem de um evento compartilhado, Riley está puxando Liam para o quarto. Ele vai sem protestar, as pupilas dilatando enquanto ele é jogado na cama.
Riley segue depois, sentando-se em seu colo e moendo sua ereção. Ela se esforça para abrir o zíper de seu terno.
"Porra, estive esperando o dia todo por isso..." O rei murmura, desistindo de seu terno para abrir o zíper do vestido.
Ela está impaciente e, honestamente, um pouco chateada. OK, mais do que um pouco. E com tesão. E seu homem é tão flexível aos seus desejos. Então, ela realmente não consegue se conter quando suas roupas estão finalmente abertas o suficiente para expor seus lugares mais íntimos. Exceto que ela não está tirando o sutiã. Ela não vai ser atingida no rosto por um peito voador quando estiver montando nele, não importa o quanto ele adore ver seus seios saltarem quando ela está sendo fodida.
Riley não perde tempo afundando no pau de Liam, estabelecendo-se com um suspiro de prazer. Ele agarra os lençóis, um gemido patético caindo de seus lábios quando ela começa a saltar. Ela se inclina de uma maneira que atinge seu ponto G com cada impulso. Qualquer coisa que ela faça é prazerosa para ele, então ela realmente não precisa se preocupar se ele está se sentindo bem.
Mas Riley está montando nele rápido e forte, e ela se sente tão bem, e Liam, Senhor, Liam lhe parece tão bom também, agarrando os lençóis, soluçando de opressão mesmo eles tendo acabado de começar.
"Porra, você parece tão patético. Chorando assim que você molha seu pau."
Mas que merda. Ela não queria dizer isso. Mas isso realmente não importa, não é? Não, porque sua cabeça voa para trás e ele geme alto, murmurando bobagens e agarrando seus quadris como uma tábua de salvação.
Ah. Ah!
Então, é isso que Liam está escondendo dela. Oh, Riley vai provocá-lo mais tarde. Mas agora, ela tem um pouco de raiva para desabafar, e quem melhor do que seu precioso marido que ela agora sabe que tem um pequeno fetiche com degradação? Ela se inclina para frente, colocando as mãos sobre o peito dele para se segurar e arqueia as costas. Ela ofega enquanto cada impulso atinge tão profundamente. Isso faz com que sua boceta se aperte em torno de seu pau. Ele fica ansioso, piscando para ela com olhos turvos.
Ela esfrega a bochecha dele, arrulhando: "Ah, olhe para você, todo fodido e tudo o que você está fazendo é ficar deitado aí como um inútil. O grande e poderoso rei de Cordonia, desmoronando sob sua esposa. Não tão gostoso agora, hein?"
Ela está tonta com a viagem de poder. E mais do que um pouco excitado. Acho que ela tem algumas coisas para repensar também.
Liam choraminga, as mãos flexionando em torno de seus quadris. Ele está tremendo, pau latejando dentro de sua boceta molhada e Riley sabe que ele está perto. Ele geme, quando Riley acelera o ritmo, seu estômago se sentindo confuso enquanto seu próprio orgasmo brota dentro dela.
"Vai gozar, Vossa Majestade?" Ela grunhe, as unhas cravadas no peito do marido, o prazer fazendo-a jogar a cabeça para trás e soltar gemidos.
"Sim, sim, sim!" Ele balbucia, com a sensação de ser chamado de seu título de forma depreciativa por sua esposa. "M-Mamãe! P-Posso gozar? Por favor? Preciso gozar, mamãe."
Puta merda. Riley gosta disso.
"Não. Não goze ainda."
Ela quer arrastar isso o máximo que puder, fazendo o possível para manter seu próprio orgasmo para que ela possa torturar seu adorável marido um pouco mais. E talvez para ouvi-lo chamá-la de mamãe novamente.
Liam soluça, mas faz o que lhe foi dito, tentando o seu melhor para evitar seu próprio orgasmo de acordo com os desejos de sua esposa.
"P-Por favor! Estou tão perto, por favor!" Ele implora, delirantemente.
Ela arrulha, amando o olhar em seus olhos vidrados. Ele parece fodido deitado embaixo dela, todo o seu corpo está corado e tremendo.
"Eu não acho que você merece gozar, Vossa Majestade."
Ele estremece, os olhos rolando para trás.
"Eu acho que você realmente não fez nada além de ficar deitado e não fazer nada. Eu fiz todo o trabalho, então por que você é quem deveria gozar?"
Liam dobra os joelhos, colocando os pés apoiados na cama e desleixadamente fodendo em Riley o melhor que pode com o quanto ele está tremendo.
"P-por favor? Eu vou te foder. Eu vou me comportar." Ele choraminga, os dedos apertando seus quadris,
Ela geme, facilmente parando seu impulso patético empurrando para baixo em suas pernas. Ele não luta, as pernas cedendo embaixo dele.
"Oh, parece que você não consegue fazer nem isso."
"M-Mamãe, por favor! Por favor, por favor, por favor!" Ele choraminga.
"Vou usar seu pau inútil para gozar e talvez então, se você me fizer sentir bem o suficiente, você pode gozar." Ela afirma sem fôlego.
"Sim! Por favor, mamãe. Use-me para gozar. quero fazer você se sentir bem."
Riley suspira, seu orgasmo batendo através dela em seus pedidos, mal conseguindo choramingar enquanto ela continua a montá-lo, boceta praticamente ordenhando o esperma de seu pau se contorcendo.
"Goze para a mamãe."
Ele soluça desesperadamente, enrolando-se em si mesmo e descansando a cabeça em seu peito enquanto seus quadris se contorcem minuciosamente, o pau praticamente sufocando no calor apertado e úmido de sua esposa quando ele finalmente pode gozar. O suco de Riley se mistura com o esperma de Liam, sons molhados ecoando enquanto ela se abaixa para ajudá-los a acalmar depois de seus orgasmos.
Quando os tremores secundários desaparecem, ela empurra o marido para baixo, tirando o sutiã cansado e deitando no peito dele para que eles possam ter um momento para respirar.
Ela vira a cabeça, descansando a bochecha em seu beijo e sorrindo para seu rosto bagunçado. "Então... Mamãe, é?"
Ele cora, virando o rosto e choramingando adoravelmente. "Não aja como se você também não gostasse. Havia praticamente uma cachoeira quando você gozou!"
Ela ri. "Eu nunca disse que não gostei. Tenho que dizer, porém, que a tara por degradação não é realmente surpreendente.”
"Riley!"
@kingliamappreciationweek; @lizzybeth1986; @sazanes
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Awwww, delicious 🔥😍😍😍 Jade now is an amazing baker 🥹 and making the baklava for Liam and bringing him the childhood memories was so wonderful ❤️ 😊 I love her confidence and talent in everything she does 😍 and the end was fire 🔥😏
Ways To A King's Heart
Book: The Royal Romance
Pairing: Liam Rys x MC (Jade)
Rating: T
Word count: 1138
Reading time: ~4min
Summary: After a long and tiring week of work, Liam will be rewarded with two things he craves the most.
Based on the prompt: @kingliamappreciationweek Day One: Baklava
Author’s note:
Thank you so much to @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes for hosting KLAW again 😍
This piece is set about a year after the wedding, before they have kids.
The sound of joints cracking echoed on the walls as Liam approached the Royal Apartment doors. The king and his wife would travel to Valtoria the next morning in hopes to have a quiet time away from the hectic life they have in the capital. However, it also meant working overtime and less time spent with his wife before the trip. He didn't realize how tense his back was until he stretched a bit before opening the door. After a long week of meetings, conferences and analyzing documents, he couldn't wait for his one week break in the woods.
As he opened the door to the Royal Apartment, a rich smell of nuts, spices and butter wafted Liam's nose. Traveling preparations to Valtoria often included Jade, Hana and part of the kitchen staff cooking many kinds of homemade pastries they'd take to Valtoria Community Center. Yet, this particular combination of smells ignited a feeling the king rarely gave in to.
"Jade?" He called, placing his jacket inside the closet.
"In the kitchen!"
On his way to the kitchen, his mouth watered, but he shook his head. "It can't be..." He thought to himself. She didn't know how to cook it.
But as he stepped into the kitchen, his jaw dropped. Wearing a silk robe partially covered by an apron, Jade bent over to pick up a tray from the oven.
"Good evening, love."
She smiled and proceeded to place a tray of brownies on the cooling tray.
"It sure is..." He mumbled, ogling his wife's round rear and toned legs as she bent over again to place a tray of cookies in the oven.
"Excuse me?"
"I said 'good evening to you, my queen'." He smiled. "Is everything ready for tomorrow?"
"Yep," she answered, removing her kitchen mittens to set the oven timer.
Liam eyed the counter with many boxes of sweets already packed to go, but no sign of what he thought she had prepared. Perhaps his senses have deceived him.
"Have you been cooking all afternoon?"
"Pretty much." She simpered and ambled over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck for a kiss.
"All by yourself?"
"No. Hana and Chef Nico were here earlier to help. Hana just left."
"Did they actually let you cook this time?" Liam joked.
"Hey!" She shoved him playfully. "Mind you, I did most of the cooking. I left just for a couple of minutes to shower and change. It was too hot in this kitchen."
His eyes traveled from her lips to her neck and décolletage as his hands rested on the small of her back. "It still is," he murmured.
"I know, right?" She fanned herself with one hand, apparently oblivious to the real meaning of his comment. "Go sit on the lounge while I grab some drinks for us."
Liam glanced at his wife one more time and left for the lounge slightly disappointed. Jade rarely didn't respond to his flirting and it only happened whenever she was mad at him. Was it too subtle? Had he lost his touch after so little time of marriage?
As soon as he sat on the sofa, his eyes widened in surprise. Carrying a tray with two glasses of wine and a large plate of his favorite dessert, Jade walked in with her robe open, revealing a sheer bodysuit underneath it.
"I hope you like what you see..." Jade bent over, placing the tray on the coffee table.
"I honestly don't know where to look first."
A mischievous smile played on her lips.
"You've been really busy and we've barely seen each other this week, so I thought you deserved a treat for your hard work."
"How sweet of you, my love," he said as his eyes followed his wife as she sat beside him. "But I'm having a hard time figuring out what's the treat here."
"If the baklava tastes good, it's the treat. If it doesn't, I'll stick to plan B."
"Which is...?"
"Abuela always says the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But I wondered 'why should I take the scenic route if I can take a shortcut?'"
Jade then slid to the opposite side of the sofa, removed the hairpin tying her hair and it cascaded over her shoulders as she rested her calves and feet on his lap.
"Clever. Though I have to say the shortcuts you take always seem quite scenic to me," he said as his hands caressed her legs.
"Oh, trust me. It's so hard to make phyllo dough from scratch and it's so complicated to use it..." She grimaced. "Sex is definitely the shortcut."
Liam chuckled. "I think you did great so far. It looks and smells amazing."
"Now we need to know if it tastes good too."
"Okay."
The king then reached for the plate of baklava and put a small piece in his mouth. The flaky buttery dough with almonds and honey syrup perfectly blended in his mouth. Memories suddenly pervaded his mind: warm summer breeze, the nutty smell of almonds, kids' laughter, opulent table decorations, hiding under the table to steal baklavas from his mother's brunch with her friends. A smile spread across his lips and he took another piece.
"Is it good?"
"Good is an understatement. This is heavenly," he grinned, sipping his wine.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Jade sighed in relief. "Well, I guess I won't resort to plan B."
The queen then proceeded to close the robe around her frame when Liam immediately reached for her hands to stop her.
"I don't think we should dismiss plan B just yet," he said, lifting one of her hands to his lips before opening the robe again.
"What?" Jade frowned, pretending to be wounded. "But you just said the baklava tastes heavenly."
"And I stand by my word. Your culinary skills soon will put the best pastry chefs to shame, my queen," he said, pulling her flush against him and gently kissing her lips. "But..."
"But...?"
"One small piece of baklava has hundreds of calories," he murmured as he gently brushed her hair aside and leaned in to kiss her shoulder.
"Does it?"
"It does." He whispered as he peppered kisses along her neck and jaw until he stopped just a inch apart from her lips. "We're going to have to burn all those calories somehow."
"I did find a great shortcut to your heart, huh?" She grinned.
"And you know it like the back of your hand, my love."
Liam captured his lips in a long searing kiss as she unbuttoned his shirt and unbuckled his belt.
"What about the baklava?" Jade asked.
The king then reached for a piece and lifted it to her mouth, his eyes darkening as her lips brushed against the tip of his fingers. "I think this plate is going to be empty very soon."
Sharing mischievous smiles and kisses, the couple continued to disrobe each other to savor a pleasant first night of their one week break.
20 notes
·
View notes
Text
We're off to a wonderful start! Yesterday's entries sure did make our mouths water. 😁 And we continue on the path of favourite Liam foods with at least one of our themes for Day 2!
Vanilla is a flavour Liam loves, as we find out in TRR Book 1 during his date with the MC at Ramsford. He has a childlike affection for vanilla milkshakes, but also an adult admiration for the complexities of flavours in the vanilla bean itself. Since canon doesn't tell us much more about his love for this subtle spice beyond this, the sky is your limit for how to incorporate it into your work!
Our second theme is Character Appreciation. Pretty straightforward - anything goes as long as it is an appreciation of Liam's character!
Any content is welcome!! Just make sure your work centers Liam, and presents a positive depiction of him. Fic, art, meta, headcanons, edits, icons, interactive media, even simple character appreciation posts!! We also accept WIPs, so if your piece isn’t entirely complete by the end of the week, fret not – you can still send us the WIPs!
The themes are simply inspirations. If you bring a piece for one of the days later, it’s entirely okay...just make sure you tag the posts with the day you meant it for! We will always be keeping a bonus week in case you couldn’t complete the piece during the week itself, so our official deadline for pieces will be Dec 1st!
We’d also like all of you to know that KLAW 2024 will be open ALL YEAR ROUND. So if you’re unable to finish a piece before Dec 1st, pls do send it whenever you’re ready to (and tag us!), and it will definitely be up on our masterlist!!
Be sure to do the following while making your posts!
1. Use the tags #kingliamappreciationweek and #KLAW in your posts. Make sure to tag the day as well (#KLAW Day 1, #KLAW Day 2, etc)
2. Tag @kingliamappreciationweek, @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes in your posts so we can keep track!
Fan Community blogs are super important to our promotion of events, so we’d definitely love for you to check out some of these awesome blogs and their challenges:
@choicesficwriterscreations – Accepts most styles of creative works (no AI allowed). Check out their rules here!
@choicesmonthlychallenge – Any content accepted (no AI). Here is the prompt list for November!
@choicesholidays – Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Winter Holidays!
@choicesprompts – Any and all content welcome! Currently, the blog is hosting Angstgiving!
@choicespride – Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around LGBTQ+ characters and themes. While not directly associated with this event, we’d like to give a shoutout to their current event – Transgender Awareness Month. If you have any content that you think would fit, definitely give the prompts a look!
We can’t wait to see what our wonderful Liam fans have in store for us!
Happy King Liam Appreciation Week, everyone!!
#king liam#the royal romance#kingliamappreciationweek#KLAW 2024#KLAW#KLAW Day 2#KLAW Day 2: Vanilla#KLAW Day 2: Character Appreciation
17 notes
·
View notes
Text
@justanotherrcblog 😍💕
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
I love this story 🥹🥰 Bianca was so prank in the beginning with Liam, and he was so annoyed 🤣 and I love Jade ❤️ and the end awwwww what a beautiful picture 😍
Family Addition
Author’s note: Happy International Cat’s Day! Here’s an extra fluffy story for the eighth day of the Choices August Challenge. [All characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios] Book: The Royal Romance / The Royal Heir Pairing: King Liam x MC (Jade) Rating: T Word count: 2000 Summary: Jade adopts a cat, but not everyone is pleased with the feline’s presence. Based on the prompt: Choices August Challenge Day Eight - Kittens
After a long videoconference with the German chancellor, Liam looked out the window to his office and smiled. In the garden, Maxwell, Bartie, Hana, and Penelope played with the corgis on the grass. It was lovely to have those two little bundles of fluff around, trotting around the halls of the palace. He always loved dogs and was happy to raise two adorable creatures with his wife. Loosening up his tie, he stood up to pick up a glass of water when he heard a knock the door.
“The door is open, my love,” he said with a smile.
When the door opened, he turned to see Jade standing on the doorway looking puzzled. “How did you know it was me?”
Continuar lendo
59 notes
·
View notes