#Eyes and ears of the via Imperii

[masked-alien-lesbian]

The TRR friend squad as the new Via Imperii

Liam Rys the Emperor and his queen Riley Rys the Face of the Via Imperii

Raelyn Lee the Ears of the Via Imperii and the love of their life, Hana Lee, the Eye of the Via Imperii

Maxwell Beaumont the Voice and Drake Walker the Fist.

[tessa-liam]

The Morning After, October Weekend Retreat

Book: TRF AU 

Summary: It’s the morning after, part 2 of October Weekend Retreat. 

Main Pairing: Liam x MC Riley Brooks-Rys (Liri/OTP) 

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except Delaney Liegh, she is mine. 

A/N1: My first foray into NSFW writing! 

A/N2: In this AU, there is no Via Imperii, but Lena is found by Leo in Monterisso after he moves there, and she is reunited with Liam soon after. 

A/N3: Thank you to @phoenixrising0308 for helping me to navigate Tumblr once again and pre-reading. 

A/N4: I am taking part in Choices Flashfics Week#6, @choicesflashfics  

Follow-up to October Weekend Retreat 

Rating: NSFW🍋🍋, adult conversation. 

Word Count: 1392 

Riley’s POV: 

Stretching her arms above her head, languishing between the silk sheets on her stomach, Riley slowly starts to stir. Keeping her eyes closed, she moans “...ohh” as she feels hands grasping her hips, and then slowly moving up her sides to cup her breasts. Riley smiles recognizing the very familiar scent of Liam’s cologne as she lifts her backside off the bed pressing upwards and back as the sheet slides down. She feels his knee swiftly pushing her legs apart from behind, while fingers from his one hand pull and roll a nipple into a peak. His other hand moves down to pay attention to her intimately between her legs. As her long hair is moved away from her neck, she feels his mouth gently kissing and nipping, stopping to suck on her earlobe. A taut hard chest pushes her body down on the bed while teasing her from behind. “....mmmmm Liam, ahhh!” 

He plunges his hard, thick shaft into her and at a steady and rhythmic pace, Liam begins to rock her world. closing his eyes, he feels her tight walls surround him. “Let go Riley, come for me, mmmm...” moaning in her ear. He knows he won’t last long, she feels too perfect, so soft, so wet.  Feeling and knowing she was close, Liam quickens his movements, searching for his own release. 

🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️

It was early morning when Riley awoke to rays of sunlight streaming into their bedroom from the large bay window overlooking the gardens. She is disappointed to find Liam already missing from their bed, after searching for him, to enjoy some bliss wrapped in his arms.  Riley stretches and rubs her eyes, swinging her legs off the bed and sits up. 

Immediately realizing she was going to be sick, she bolted to the bathroom, losing whatever little she had in her stomach when she got there.  

She knew it was time.  

Time to test her theory. 

Taking out the test stick, she completes and sets it down to wait for the results to show.  Riley starts the shower, stepping into the hot steam of the water. Letting the water cascade down her body, she shampoos her hair and then leisurely uses her loofah to help the time pass. 

Sliding the shower door open, she calmly walks over to the counter to get the test results. 

She looks down. 

...and smiles. 

After drying her hair and then getting dressed, Riley goes in search of Liam.  

🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️

Sitting out on the balcony with his laptop, Liam is enjoying his morning coffee while reading the minutes of the last Royal Council meeting. His cell chimes with a call from Leo. 

“Hey Leo, good morning.  How are you doing after last night?” Liam asks, wondering where Leo was calling from and why.   

“Morning Li, doing great. Did you hear from Drake this morning?” 

“Not yet, why do you ask?” 

“I am at his cabin, and he is not answering the door or my calls. I left my luggage here last night, and I am flying home later tonight, and I need to pick it up. I am going to go back to Beaumont’s now, I hate waiting. Drake’s truck is not here. I thought maybe he went to the palace this morning.” 

“I don’t think he is here; I will message Bastien to track him down for you.” Liam, starting to wonder if Drake was okay from last night’s adventures, ends his call with Leo and taps Bastien’s number. 

*************** 

Hearing Liam speaking outside on the balcony with someone, Riley decides to wait until his calls were complete before she joins him to share her news. Grabbing a bottled water from the fridge, she sits down on a stool at the kitchen island and nibbles on a slice of dry toast she picks up from the breakfast trolley. 

A smile spreads across her face. 

She knows that he will be ecstatic. They started trying to get pregnant at once after their conversation, when he confided his desire for another child a few weeks ago in Valtoria.  

That fast...Riley shakes her head. 

This is something they both want. 

Riley glances over to see Liam standing up from his chair, starting to walk towards the kitchen area. She briefly contemplates getting up to greet him, but she doesn’t trust her stomach to cooperate, so she stays put. 

“Good morning, my love.  Did you sleep well?” Liam bends down to kiss Riley’s lips. 

“I slept well, especially after my surprise!” Riley cheekily replies. “My pleasure to surprise you, love”, he winks with a smile. 

“How was your evening with the boys? What trouble did you get into?” Riley chuckles mischievously.  

“Hey, I was well behaved...I may have gotten myself roped into hosting the next get together in Valtoria. 

Maybe some camping and horseback riding to celebrate Maxwell’s birthday.” 

“Max would love that...are you going to invite Bertrand?” Riley snickers and stands up, a bit too quickly, feeling dizzy, and she clasps the table to steady herself. 

“Riley, hey, are you OK?” Liam quickly steps over to steady her, asking concernedly. 

Riley takes a breath and sits back down. 

“Liam, I have to......” Riley stops as Bastien stops at the door. 

“My apologies, your majesties, for the interruption,” Bastien states. 

Liam looks at his wife, concerned at her almost falling, taking her hands in his. 

“It’s alright Bas, go ahead.” Riley responds. 

“His majesty asked me to find the whereabouts of Mr. Walker this morning.” 

“Any luck with that?” Liam asks. 

“Yes, sir.  Mr. Walker is in the Capital, at a townhouse belonging to a Miss Delaney Leigh.” 

Liam raises his eyebrow, while Riley starts chuckling. 

“He is with a mystery lady?” Riley smirks. 

At that moment, Liam’s phone chimes. He looks down and sees Drake’s face appear. 

“Thank you, Bastien, good work.” 

“Drake, how are you? Liam asks. 

“Hi Li, I am good. Is everything okay at the palace?” 

“Everything is fine here....” Liam responds.  

“I’m just...I’m a little bit confused.” Drake says reservedly. “Why did you send Bastien in search of me?” 

“Well, there is a situation with Leo’s luggage. He left them at your cabin last night and went to pick them up this morning. You weren’t there and you were not answering your phone.” 

“Oh right, he did leave them there. I will be home later this afternoon. I will call Leo to let him know.” 

“Thank you, Drake. And Drake, who is Delaney Leigh?” 

“Put him on speaker! I need details!!!” Riley laughs. 

Liam sets his phone down and taps speaker. 

“Yeah, yeah Brooks. No one you need to know about at the moment.” 

"AAHHH! I will break you down, you know!” Riley smiles. 

Drake laughs and ends the call, and Liam slips his phone into his pocket. 

Liam sits down on a stool in front of Riley. He tenderly takes Riley’s hands in his again. “Are you feeling better now, love? What happened?” he asks worriedly. 

Riley’s heart melts at his look of adoration and concern. 

It’s time!  

“Well, as long as I don’t move quickly, I should be all right.” 

“Riley, what is it?” His anxious look of worry makes her feel guilty for not telling him sooner. 

“Don’t worry, Liam,” she tenderly strokes his cheek. 

“All is good, perfect actually.” getting emotional, as a tear rolls down her cheek. 

“Liam, I’m pregnant.” Riley smiles widely. 

Liam looks at his wife, his queen. “Really?!” 

Riley emphatically nods her head yes, as Liam wraps his arms tightly around her. Nothing could wipe the smile off of his face. 

🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️🔹️

💐Thank you to everyone who reads, re-blogs, and/or comments. Your support means the world to me💕💕 

@txemrn @bebepac @ao719 @peonierose @phoenixrising0308 @queenmiarys @karahalloway @twinkleallnight @703cowbarn @mom2000aggie @malblk21 @queenrileyrose @sfb123 @kyra75 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @differenttyphoonwerewolf @winkyluxhumanoid @dcbbw @harleybeaumont @kingliam2019 @marietrinmimi @busywoman @delightfullysweet @lovingchoices14 @angelasscribbles (@tinkie1973 blog not found)

[angelasscribbles]

Savage Love Chapter 21: I Guess I'm in Love

 Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: NSFW       

Warnings: Lemons 🍋🍋🍋

Song Inspiration: I Guess I'm in Love by Clinton Kane

Word Count: 2,330

A/N: This was a completely unplanned chapter. I was going to briefly cover Riley and Liam together in the morning and Drake coming to take her to the meeting. But damned if these characters didn't have other ideas. So, the next chapter will get back to all the drama with the Via Imperii, Mendez cartel and secret heir investigation. This one wanted to explore some feelings or something.

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley

I woke up to soft kisses on the side of my neck. I smiled before my eyes opened as I pressed back into him.

“I’m so sorry, love.” Liam murmured into my ear, “I have an early breakfast meeting with Leo and my father. I have to go. I’ll see you at the briefing later this morning.”

“Mmm.” I hummed in response as I snuggled back into the covers. Wait. Did he just call me love? It was too early to think about it, so I didn’t. I dozed right the fuck back off to sleep.

Some indeterminate amount of time later, my phone rang, and I reached for it with a groan. I wasn’t ready to crawl out of the warmth of the bed. I glanced at the screen. Drake. I swiped to answer the call.

“What do you want, Walker?” I complained.

“Are you still asleep?” I could hear the amusement in his voice.

“Not everyone gets up before the chickens, Captain.”

“No, just those of us that need to get shit done.”

“I get plenty of shit done, sir. I just do it at a reasonable hour, generally speaking.”

“Sure, Brooks. Whatever you need to tell yourself. Time to wake up, I’m here to escort you to the meeting.”

“I don’t need-“

“I have my orders and they don’t come from you, so just don’t be a pain in my ass about it, ok?”

“Ugh. Fine!” I wasn’t really annoyed. I mean, I didn’t need an escort. I was already in the most secure wing in the palace. The conference room wasn’t that far away. But it wasn’t exactly a hardship to be in his company. “I’ll get up and let you in.”

“Not necessary. I have the door code. Which room are you in?”

“Uh…Liam’s.”

There was silence for a couple of heartbeats. Well, this was awkward.

Or not.

Drake came through the door of the bedroom and unceremoniously threw himself onto the bed next to me. He grinned down at me, “We have an hour to kill before the meeting. Should I have breakfast sent up or do you want to do other things?”

“What?” I laughed.

He waggled his eyebrows at me, “You heard me. We could take advantage of the fact that you’re already in a bed and still naked.”

Drake was close enough for me to smell him and the bed I was laying in had Liam’s scent all over it. The combination of the two at the same time was definitely not unpleasant. There was no denying that it was doing something to me. But still. “Drake, we can’t have sex in Liam’s bed.”

“Why not?” He pulled the sheet slowly away from my body, “Afraid the comparison will highlight my superior abilities?”

“Oh, my god! Does that ego of yours ever take a break?” I smacked his hand away from the sheet as I propped up onto my side. The sheet fell away from my body again. I didn’t bother to pull it back up. I watched in amusement as his gaze was drawn away from my face.

“My eyes are up here, Walker.”

“What?” He asked as he pulled his eyes back up.

I shook my head, “Are you always this easy to distract?”

“Only for you, baby.” He leaned over and kissed me. The suddenness of it surprised me. His hand went to the back of my neck as his body scooted closer to mine. I leaned into the kiss. Don’t judge me. It was a hell of a good kiss. Then again, his kisses always were.

I pulled away when his hands started moving down my naked body. “Tell you what. We’ll split the difference. You go have breakfast sent up then come join me in the shower. That way both things get accomplished.”

“Efficient. I like it!” He gave me a sexy grin as he hopped out of the bed.

I climbed out of bed bare ass naked and walked to the bathroom door. I could hear him ordering the food, but when I looked back, his eyes were locked on me. I gave him a flirty smile and a wave as I disappeared through the doorway.

It didn’t take him long to join me. First Liam in the tub last night and now Drake in the shower. This bathroom was getting some serious action. I do enjoy the water. I must have done something really right in my last life for the gods to have blessed me like this.

It took almost no time at all before he was inside me and I was pinned against the shower wall. I realized with a start that I had lost track of how many times the two of us had been in this exact position. It had been a long time since I’d been with the same man long enough for things to feel….familiar. This felt familiar. The smooth skin of his back under my fingertips, how I could picture the mole on his back perfectly in my mind as my fingers brushed across the tiny bump. How I knew exactly where his hair would be if I opened my eyes and looked. It always fell the same way across his face. How I knew exactly how close he was by the sounds he made, the subtle changes in muscle tension, the way he nuzzled into my neck.

Shit. When had that happened?

My panic was temporarily replaced by a feeling of rightness as my body overrode my mental consternation. If he was familiar to me, I was just as familiar to him. He knew exactly what I liked, exactly where to touch me, exactly how to push me over the edge.

My head thumped back against the wall as I let go of my thoughts and let myself just feel. The orgasm crashed over me, and my vision faded a little as stars swam in front of my eyes. Then he was pushing himself into me even deeper as he released inside of me. His body pressed forward, trapping me between him and the wall and goddamned if I didn’t love the way it felt. The way he felt.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

This was not the way to maintain distance and detachment.

He lowered me back to the floor. That cocky ass smile that he always gave me right after faded from his face as he took in my expression, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I lied, “I’m just worried about…everything. You know, psycho mob guy trying to kill me and all that.”

“Uh huh.” He was absolutely not convinced. Because he knew me. While I was busy not getting emotionally involved, we had somehow, nonetheless, gotten to know each other very well, and now we were all kinds of emotionally entangled.

He turned the water off and shook his head, sending water droplets flying everywhere, before turning to cup my face with his hand. He tipped my head back so I was looking up into his eyes, “You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

Yes, I did know that and that was kind of the fucking problem. How the hell had I let this happen?

Drake

I knew she was lying, but she clearly didn’t want to talk about whatever it was, so I backed off. I was very aware that she was skittish as a fucking colt that’s never been handled before.

Not that I blamed her. It was ironic though. I’d spent most of my adult life dodging commitment and the women that wanted it. So of course, I went and fell in love with the one woman who was probably even more commitment avoidant than me. It was a karmic joke, is what it was. I probably deserved it. Hell, I knew I did.

It had snuck up on me. The whole love thing. In the beginning, her rules hadn’t bothered me. Why would they? Amazing, hot woman wants sex with no strings attached? That sounded like exactly what I had wanted. It’s all fun and games until somebody catches feelings, and that somebody was me.

I never saw it coming, but I should have. She knocked me off kilter on day one, made me nervous in a way no other woman ever had. I felt a pull toward her I’d never felt before. It was more than simple sexual attraction and I couldn’t explain it. Still can’t. I just knew that she was it for me.

She was it for me. I was unreservedly in love, and I couldn’t tell her. Couldn’t say those words. I was afraid to, and not because I was afraid of my own feelings. Not because I wasn’t in touch with my emotions. I’d like to think I’m more evolved than that. No, my hesitancy stemmed from my fear of her reaction.

She had been nothing but clear about her lack of desire for any type of romantic relationship. But I’m not a stupid man. I’d caught her slip after the derby gala when she’d said she couldn’t let her feelings get in the way of her case. I just chose not to call her out on it. Like I said, she’s a skittish fucking colt and I knew better than to push it. It did give me hope though.

She said and did little things that made me think she wasn’t as immune to me as she pretended to be. I saw other men at court vie for her attention and I saw her shoot them down. Everyone but Liam that is. Liam was definitely in the picture, but I had no idea how she felt about him. She was less than forthcoming about her feelings for him. Or me for that matter. Or feelings at all.

Because she doesn’t do relationships.

So, I knew I couldn’t push too hard, I was terrified of scaring her away, because if that happened, I knew I’d never see her again. I was well aware that once the investigation was over, she could disappear into another job. She was a goddamned undercover agent. Once she left Cordonia, she was only findable if she wanted to be. I wanted her to want to be.

So I didn’t want to push her, but I also didn’t want her to leave without knowing how I felt. It was a hell of a catch-22 and I struggled mightily to find my way out of it.

Liam

It was hard to concentrate on the meeting when my mind kept slipping back to the night before. When I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I thought about her a lot. Ever since that first night in New York, in fact.

I’d spent five months trying to find her after all. I hadn’t been able to get her out of my head then, and I couldn’t get her out now. I suspected she had feelings for Drake, real ones. They sure spent a lot of time together. I was well aware that I was at a disadvantage in that department. They worked together, they hung out after work together, they spent a lot of nights in the same bed. It was easy for them to fall into bed together at the end of a long day already spent in each other’s company.

Drake certainly had feelings for her. That was painfully obvious to me. He wasn’t going to back off. He was going to press every advantage he had.

That didn’t deter me. It made me work harder to ensure that the time we did have together was quality time. More wasn’t always better. If she wanted to be in a relationship with Drake, she would tell me so. She wasn’t the type of woman to string someone along. She was still interested in me, I still had a chance, and as long as she was receptive to my attention, I was going to keep giving it to her. I was more than willing to fight for what I wanted. More than willing to show her how I felt about her, to make sure she didn’t forget that all she had to was tell me yes.

This wasn’t about winning a competition or beating Drake at something. She wasn’t a prize to be won or a possession to be bartered for. She was the most amazing human I had ever met. She saw me for who I really was, and she understood the world I came from, the pressures that came with it, the responsibilities, the obligations. She managed to make me laugh at the absurdities of this life without belittling or dismissing my sense of duty.

I didn’t know how I could go back to living without her. I didn’t think I could marry out of obligation as if I’d never met her, never found the perfect match for me, never found my person.

I would have wanted to marry her even if she had really been a waitress from New York, but the fact that she was a member of the royal family of Monterisso made her even more of a perfect match for me. Someone that both the council and my father would approve of. Someone who already understood my world. But I had no desire to trap her in my world. She didn’t want that; she had run from that life.

I had no idea how to get around that fact. In my mind it was the only real obstacle between us. I knew she eschewed relationships, commitments, but I wasn’t asking for more than she was willing to give. I am a patient man. I could wait until she was ready. I just needed her to let me in, let me love her. Everything else was just details to be worked out between us. And if she did have real feelings for Drake….well, that was something else that could be worked around.

I knew what I wanted. Nothing was going to stand in my way.

[sfb123]

Sapere Aude - Part 4

Book: The Royal Heir

Pairing: King Liam Rys x Queen Riley Brooks

I introduce one original character in this chapter, all characters belong to Pixelberry.

Catch Up Here

Series Description: I developed a theory of what I think will happen in TRH Book 4, and I was encouraged by some very lovely people to turn my theory into a fic, so here it is. Basically, Riley is recruited to join the Via Imperii, this series will follow her as she joins them to try and bring them down from the inside, and all of the drama and bombshells she learns along the way. Sapere Aude is Latin for “dare to know” it seemed like an appropriate title.

Rating: PG-13 Adult language, allusions to smut (but nothing graphic), discussions of death, conspiracy, blackmail, and other adult themes.

Warning: The Royal Heir Book 3 Spoilers all over the place.

Word Count: 2,954

Notes: My only real note for this one is to make sure you’re sitting down. Other than that, enjoy!

As always, one love to my pre-readers @texaskitten30​ & @txemrn​ (who is also always down to hear my crazy ideas, thanks for fact checking references to books I didn’t read!). And thank you @twinkleallnight​ for my moodboard! 

Tags: My tag list is below. If you would like to be added or removed, just let me know!

“Mommy, I don’t want to go to my lessons today. Can’t we play instead?” Eleanor pouted and threw her shoe across the room.

“Baby girl, you need to go to your lessons, and mommy and daddy have to go to work.” Riley knelt down to her daughter’s level and brought her in for a hug. “I know sometimes lessons can be boring, but I promise if you’re a good girl, we can talk daddy into a game of maze tag when you’re done.”

“Pinky promise?” Eleanor pulled out of the hug with a hopeful look in her eyes. 

Riley lifted her hand, pinky extended, and moved it toward Eleanor. The princess did the same and linked her pinky with her mother’s. They each kissed their thumbs before separating. “Now go get that shoe, Thomas is waiting outside to walk you downstairs.”

Thomas had been a member of the King’s Guard for a few years. He had been mostly tasked with general details, and would regularly accompany the family when they required extra security for their outings. It was during those outings where Liam and Riley saw how good Thomas was with Eleanor. He was able to take the parts of a public life that would seem terrifying for most adults, let alone a five year old, and help her navigate them as if they were a fun game. They saw the care he took for their daughter, as if she were his family, and decided that he would be assigned as her permanent detail. 

As soon as Eleanor saw Thomas standing by the kitchen counter, she let go of her mother’s hand and charged toward him. “Tommy!”

“Good morning, Your Highness.” He grinned and caught Eleanor before she collided with him, lifting her up and spinning her in a circle. 

“Thank you for walking her down this morning Thomas, Liam is dealing with a last minute call in the study, and I still need to finish getting ready.” 

“Of course ma’am, all in a day's work.” He gently placed Eleanor back on the ground, and bowed as Riley approached. 

Riley gave Eleanor a hug and a kiss before Thomas escorted her out of the royal quarters to attend her lessons for the day. Once the door shut, Riley returned to her bedroom to finish getting ready. It had been a week since she had accepted the invitation to join the Via Imperii, and she hadn’t heard anything from them about what that meant, or what to do next. She wasn’t sure if she was now a member, or if there was some kind of hazing or initiation ceremony that she would need to partake in, but she was sure she should have at least heard something by now.

The same day Riley accepted the invitation, Liam met with Bastien and ordered a full sweep of both offices, as well as their private quarters. He made sure to instruct Bastien not to remove anything, just to report on what was found. It was determined that their offices, as well as the study in their home were bugged. Liam was relieved but, after everything sunk in a bit more, he realized they should have been more vigilant before speaking so openly about what Riley had uncovered. 

In addition to the sweep, Liam spoke with Bastien about the Via Imperii, and told him about the conversation he had had with his wife the night before. Bastien said that he had been recruited to join many years ago, but after Jackson Walker’s death, they rescinded the offer. The only information Bastien knew was that they were an international organization whose mission was to keep world leaders in check. When his membership didn’t happen, he tried to do some research on them, to gather intel for Constantine, but he couldn’t find anything. Like they didn’t exist. This was deeply concerning to both of the men, no group that is out to do good works so hard to stay anonymous. 

As Riley stood in her closet picking out her dress for the day, she felt Liam’s arms wrap around her waist. “I don’t want to go to work today. Can’t we just go back to bed?” He trailed light kisses down the side of her neck. 

“Like father, like daughter. I swear, if you throw your shoe across the room, I quit.” Riley chucked as she turned in his arms. 

“You had a hard time getting Eleanor on her way this morning?”

“I had to bribe her. We owe her a game of maze tag when she’s finished for the day.”

“Hmm...that shouldn’t be a problem. But only if I get to play with you alone first.” His kisses turned more heated.

“Liam, we have to get to work. We have a whole kingdom to run.” Riley tried to push him away, but he only pulled her tighter against him. 

Liam’s lips gently brushed her ear as he whispered, “You know, as King and Queen, the more children we have, the more stability it means for the monarchy. If we stay up here and play the games I have in mind, it could technically be considered working.”

Riley was just about to give in when there was a knock on their bedroom door. They both groaned and pressed their foreheads together. 

“I’ll get that. You cool off. You’ve got a meeting with Rashad in 20 minutes.” She kissed him quickly, as she removed herself from his arms and walked away.

Riley opened the door to find Mara on the other side. “Good morning, Your Majesty. Can I have a word with you in your study?”

They entered the study, Riley motioned for Mara to sit as she walked around the desk and sat behind it. Mara didn’t have to say anything for her to know what this was about. She was about to receive her marching orders from the Via Imperii. She was nervous, no question, but telling Liam seemed to lessen the anxiety. She knew she wasn’t alone in this anymore. “What can I help you with, Mara?”

“I have received word back from the Via Imperii, there will be a small gathering this weekend to welcome you into the society. You will be formally inducted at that time.”

“Ok, where will this gathering be held?” 

“I am unable to divulge that information at this time. The only information I can provide you is that you will need to plan to be in Valtoria for the weekend. Leaving the palace Friday morning, you will return on Sunday night. His majesty’s schedule will be arranged so that he is unable to travel with you.”

“And Eleanor? I’m assuming she’s not on the guestlist, but she will need to travel with me.” Even if she was on the guest list, there was no way she was going to bring her daughter anywhere near this mess. 

“Of course, it is fully expected that the princess will be traveling with you. That is why you will be leaving out of Valtoria. The house staff will be on hand to care for her while you are at the event.” Mara stood from her seat before continuing, “We will need to leave for Valtoria by 10AM Friday, the event will begin at 6PM that night.”

Riley walked Mara out of the office and paused before she headed down the hallway to her bedroom. “Thank you Mara, I will make sure Eleanor and I are ready to go. If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish getting ready. Please return to your post, I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

When she returned to the bedroom, she told Liam about the conversation that she had just had with Mara. It was then that Liam filled her in on the phone call he had taken earlier that morning, (not so) coincidentally, it was Francesco inviting Liam to Italy to partake in some trade agreements the same weekend that she would need to be in Valtoria. Of course Liam was concerned for his wife, she was being whisked away to some mystery location, and neither of them had any idea what was going to be done to her. However, he also held a great deal of concern for his daughter, who would be alone in Valtoria. What if their end game was to get Eleanor alone and something were to happen to her? The two most important people in his life, the centers of his universe, were going to be left without him and vulnerable, and there was nothing he could do about it. 

Liam suggested one of their friends travel with her to Valtoria, that way someone from their inner circle would be there to protect his family if needed, and there was no question who Liam’s choice would be. He invited Drake to lunch where he asked him to escort Riley and Eleanor to Valtoria for the weekend. The royal couple had agreed not to tell anyone else about the Via Imperii just yet, so Liam simply told Drake that he didn’t want his family traveling alone. Since Riley would frequently invite her friends for ‘slumber parties’ at the palace when Liam had to travel without her, this didn’t seem like a particularly out of character ask, so Drake agreed without hesitation.

On Friday morning, Liam escorted his family to the vehicle waiting out front to take them to Valtoria. Drake was helping the driver load the bags in the back. He nodded at his friends as they came into sight, then quickly went back to what he was doing to allow them some privacy for a goodbye. 

Liam bent down on one knee, so that he was eye-level with his daughter. “Now Eleanor, I trust you are going to be a perfect little Princess for your mother and Uncle Drake while you are in Valtoria?”

“Always daddy!” She placed her small hands on her father’s cheeks and pushed them together. 

Liam chuckled in return, and pulled her into a hug. “Wonderful. I love you angel, I will see you in a few days. Why don’t you go see if Uncle Drake needs some help so that I can say goodbye to mommy?”

As Eleanor ran off to the waiting car, Liam stood and took both of Riley’s hands in his, stroking her knuckles with his thumbs to soothe her. “How are you feeling?”

“Terrified. I don’t like one single thing that is about to happen.” Riley’s voice wavered as the reality of the weekend began to sink in.

“I know it is an intimidating situation. But you, my Queen, are the strongest person I have ever known. I have no doubt that you will be fine.” He pulled her into a tight embrace. “And you will come home, and we will work together to figure out how to stop all of this. Just like we always do.”

Riley sighed deeply into her husband’s chest, trying to memorize this moment to draw back on when she was away from him. “I love you Liam. So much.”

“I love you too, Riley”

They both pulled back, Liam resting one hand on Riley’s cheek, wiping the stray tears away with his thumb.They were not afraid of facing another enemy, they had defeated their fair share in their short time together. However, when they fought those enemies, it was always together. They drew from each other's strengths, and would compensate for each other's weaknesses. This time, Riley would have to do the fighting on her own, while Liam sat alone, waiting. It was similar to the battle they fought during his engagement tour to Madeline, but the stakes were much higher this time around. They both knew this, and it made it that much harder to part ways. 

They leaned in and shared a deep kiss that expressed all of their feelings in that moment. As they pulled away, Liam gave Riley’s hand one final squeeze. She wiped her eyes and got into the car where Drake and Eleanor were waiting for her. Riley watched Liam through the window until he was completely out of view, then she turned and faced the seat in front of her, sniffling a couple of times. 

“Mommy sad?” Eleanor reached across the seats and touched her mother’s hand on the center armrest.

“No baby, mommy’s not sad, I’m just going to miss daddy while we’re gone”

“Jeeze Brooks, get a grip. I know you guys love each other, and are all but surgically fused together, but it’s only a couple of days.” Drake chimed in from behind them. 

“Yea, thanks Drake. Helpful.” She brushed off his comment, the hurt evident in her voice. 

“Hey, I was just joking around. You guys are ok, right?” 

“Yea, we’re fine.” She nodded towards Eleanor to signal that she didn’t want to have a heavy conversation in front of her daughter. “It’s just been a while since we’ve been separated for more than 24 hours. We’ll survive.” I hope. Drake bowed his head in understanding and patted her on the shoulder. The rest of the car ride was mostly silent, Eleanor sleeping for a majority of the drive. 

After settling in, and a quick mother-daughter walk through the gardens, it was time for Riley to leave for the Via Imperii induction event. She went into Eleanor’s playroom to say her goodbyes, making her best effort to hide the emotions that were running rampant inside of her at that moment. There weren’t many people who would have been able to see the worry and panic deep within Riley’s eyes, but Drake wasn’t just anyone. He was one of her best friends, and had been with her through so much already that he could tell that wherever she was going, it was not someplace she wanted to be. And it was much more than the average mother not wanting to leave her daughter. Between that, and how she acted after they left the palace, he knew something serious was going on with his friend. He made a mental note to check in with her tomorrow. 

As her car pulled up to the large estate where the ball would be held, Riley looked out the window, reaching through the recesses of her mind, trying to match it up to one of the pictures in the many history books that she had studied in her journey to become Queen. She knew it looked familiar, but she wasn’t able to place it. “Mara, this place is gorgeous. Where are we?”

“Welcome to House Fierro. This is the Via Imperii’s base of operations in Cordonia”

“Wait, House Fierro as in Hunter Fierro?” Riley had learned about Hunter, he was personally appointed by Queen Kendra Rhys as heir to the throne, and became King-Regent of Cordonia after her assasination.

“Yes ma’am. He was Cordonia’s first Via Imperii member, he donated his family home to them.” As the car came to a stop, Mara exited and walked around to the other side, opening Riley’s door for her. 

Riley entered the estate, paying attention to every last detail, looking for anything worth reporting back to Liam. However, there was nothing that particularly stood out, it looked just like every other fancy party she had attended since she arrived in Cordonia. She made note of the faces she recognized, mostly minor palace staff members, a couple of members of the King’s Guard, including Thomas, Eleanor’s personal guard. Great, they’re still trying to take my daughter away from me. In addition to staff, she also recognized a lot of faces that she knew she’d seen before, but couldn’t place. Aside from the members she was already aware of, there was only one other notable person she recognized. Donnie Brine. A local paparazzo that had been on hand to cover all of the Royal events and functions. He was no Ana De Luca, but he was definitely popular with the people. 

As she walked around the ballroom, she shook hands, made pleasantries with those she knew, and was introduced to those she didn’t. She would ask leading questions to try to understand people’s roles, or try to get some information of their plan for her, without coming off as too eager to gather intel. She didn’t get much information, it seemed this was merely a mixer, not so much an official ‘plan the fall of King Liam’ meeting.

Later in the evening, Riley stood in a back corner with Mara, evaluating the scene in front of her. “This seems like an awfully small group for a major worldwide organization.” She whispered to her bodyguard. She really expected a better turnout, considering the build up she was fed. 

“This is just the Cordonian chapter, Your Majesty. Each territory occupied by the Via Imperii has its own chapter, with its own leader. Rest assured, there are many more members around the world.”

“So who is the Cordonian leader?” Riley tried to act casual, she didn’t want to come off like she was just phishing for information, which is exactly what she was doing. 

Mara nodded to the front of the room, where a woman started to approach the podium. “That’s her, she’s about to give the opening remarks.”

Riley’s eyes followed Mara’s as she watched the older woman step up to the podium and clear her throat. She could have sworn that this woman looked familiar, maybe she had seen her around the palace. Perhaps their paths had crossed during one of her Royal appearances. Then it hit her, she knew where she had seen that face before. She immediately got dizzy and felt her legs start to give out underneath her.

Queen Eleanor?

Then the room went dark.

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God/desses and Festivals A-F

This is the first part of a summary list of god/desses of the Roman pantheon and some of their celebrations and festivals.

Acca Larentia: prostitute foster mother of Romulus and Remus and benefactor of Rome. Her festival fell on 23 December in the Velabrum, where she was said to have been buried. This festival was also dedicated to the Lares, household gods. An invocation may be found here.

Aeternitas: the goddess of eternity and the endlessness of beneficial governmental rule (as Aeternitas Imperii). In her hands, she holds two heads, one in each hand: these are the Sun and the Moon. On her head is a circular diadem. No set festival was celebrated for her, but she was honored in thanks-giving when an Emperor survived a conflict or hardship.

Angerona: often pictured with a finger to her lips and her mouth bandaged, asking for silence, especially in regard to the sacred name of Rome which should not be spoken lest it draw the attention of its enemies. She drove sorrow and disillusionment from people’s hearts. Her festival was Angeronalia or Divalia, on 21 December, during which sacrifices would be made on her alter, in the temple of the goddess Voluptas, of pleasures and delights.

Angitia: ancient goddess of healing through witchcraft and sister of Circe and Medea. She is a charmer of snakes who also has the ability to cure snakebite. She was a master of healing with herbs and charms, and could kill a snake with a single touch. 

Anna Perenna: lunar goddess of the circle or wheel of the year, and of the proletarian struggle. Public sacrifice and prayers were offered to her in order to secure a happy end to the old year and a healthy beginning to the new. Tents and bowers were erected at her festival, in which young couples would make love and pray that the goddess would give them as many good years as they could drink cups of wine. Her festival was held on the Ides of March, or 15 March, or the first full moon in the new year. It was held at the first milestone on the Via Flaminia.

Aurora: goddess of the dawn who flew across the sky to announce the coming of the sun, and mother of the four winds. She was later associated with Mater Matuta, whose festival, the Matralia, was celebrated on 11 June, attended by single women or newly-married women who offered prayers for their nieces and nephews.

Bacchus: god of wine, intoxication, ecstasy, and freedom. His festival orgies, the Bacchanalia, were held at night from 16-17 March, during which attendees would partake of wine and sex freely, mirroring the habits of the hedonistic god. These celebrations were so intense that eventually the Senate stepped in to legislate how they should be celebrated in order to maintain public welfare. Sacrifices of raw meat and wine were given to Bacchus.

Bellona: the consort of Mars, this goddess represented war and bravery, pictured brandishing a bloody spear or sword and wearing a military helmet. She had two festivals: one on 3 June, a feast day in her honor during which war victories were celebrated, and the other on 24 March, the Dies Sanguinis, on which her priests would shed their own blood from their arms or legs as an offering to her.

Bona Dea: a goddess whose true name is a mystery, who protects the women of Rome and whose symbol is a snake. She also was associated with virginity and the use of healing herbs. Only women were allowed at her festivals. Her secret rites were held on 4 December and hosted by the wife of a prominent magistrate. The semi-public festival (still with no men permitted) was held on 1 May. Here, the sick were tended to with herbs in the gardens of her temple. 

Cardea or Carna: Goddess of the hinges of the door, and by extension, the axis of the Earth, and guardian of the vital parts of the body such as the heart. Her festival, the Bean-Kalends, was held on 1 June, and refried beans were given as an offering to her.

Carmenta: a goddess of childbirth, prophecy, invention, and midwifery. She was said to have invented the Latin alphabet, and the wearing of leather was forbidden in her temple. Her festivals, Carmentalia, were celebrated on 11 and 15 January, and were observed mostly by women. She was worshipped as both Postvorta (looking into the past) and Antevorta (looking into the future). 

Ceres: the goddess of grains, agriculture, fertility, and motherhood. Mother of Proserpina. She had twelve helper gods all associated with various acts of planting and harvesting. She protects women through all transition periods: adolescence, marriage, birth, and menopause. Pigs were often sacrificed to her, as well as poppies and grains. The Cerealia was a seven-day festival in her honor some time in mid-April (12-18?). It was opened by a horse race, and an event involving the fixture of lit torches to the tails of foxes. Part of the festival involved the Ludi Cereales, or the Games of Ceres. 

Clementia: goddess of mercy, redemption, absolution, forgiveness. Pictured holding an olive branch in one hand and a scepter in the other.

Cloacina: goddess who presided over the sewer system of Rome-- as an aspect of Venus, protector of sexual intercourse between married couples.

Caelus: god of the sky, especially at night in contrast to the Sun. Castrated by Saturnus, his severed genitalia would fall upon the sea and from them would ruse Venus, goddess of love. 

Concordia: goddess of harmony, agreement, and stability (especially in marriage or government). She was depicted in a long clock, holding a patera, cornucopia, or caduceus. 

Consus: a chthonic god who oversaw the harvest and storage of grain. He had two festivals, the first on 18 August, during the harvest, when games and chariot races were held, and the second on 15 December, at time of storage of the grain, when his shrine was finally uncovered from underground. Equine beasts of burden (the mule was sacred to him) were exempted from work and covered in garlands of flowers.

Cupido: a winged god who was the child of Venus and Volcanus. He embodied desire, both for power and sex. He carried two types of arrows, one which would attract love and one which would repel it. His symbols include the bee, the palm branch, and the bow and arrow. 

Dea Dia: ancient goddess of growth often associated with Ceres. Her festival was the three-day Ambarvalia (beginning 29 May), at which her twelve priests, the Fratres Arvales, made prayers to the goddess while leading three sacrificial animals-- a bull, a sow, and a sheep-- around a cornfield three times to bless the harvest. On the second day, the sacrificial victims were slain in the goddess’ grove. On the third day, another procession was held, with hymns and prayer.

Dea Tacita: the silent goddess of the dead. She was called upon at Feralia on 21 February to stop ill-meaning tongues from speaking. Feralia was a festival of pubic mourning to appease the spirits of the dead. Wreaths, grain, salt, wine-soaked bread, and violets were left at the graves of the ancestors. No marriages or other joyful ceremonies could take place on this day.

Deverra: a goddess whose symbol was a broom used to sweep away evil influences and prepare the temples for worship. She also protected midwives and women in labour. 

Diana: major goddess of chastity and nature, represented by the moon, oak groves, and the deer. Twin sister of Apollo, she also presided over hunting and pregnancy. Her festival, Nemoralia, was held on 13 August, upon which her worshippers would come at night bearing torches and decorated with garlands of flowers to Lake Nemi. Hunting was forbidden on this day, and offerings of fruit (especially apples) were given alongside votive images of stags or of body parts in need of healing.

Dis Pater: ancient god of the underworld, and of fertile land and mineral wealth. He was celebrated alongside Proserpina in a festival held once every hundred years, beginning in 249 BCE. It was held from 31 May to 3 June alongside the Ludi Saeculares. His altar was buried underground and only uncovered for his festival. 

Disciplina: goddess of discipline in study and living according to the law. She embodies self-control, determination, education, and practice. She was especially worshipped by soldiers.

Discordia: goddess in opposition to Concordia, ruling over strife and discord. Closely associated with Bellona.

Dius Fidus: son of Jupiter, and god of oaths. Associated with Hercules.

Egeria: minor goddess and guide of the king Numa Pompilius. As she is said to have dissolved in tears into a spring at the news of Numa’s death, springs are sacred to her.

Empanda: an ancient goddess who ruled over helping the needy. She gave bread to the hungry and opened her temple door to all who needed protection. 

Endovelicus: ancient god of public health, safety, and oracles. He would give his divine protection to all who venerated him, and if one were to sleep in his temple, they would be visited by him in a dream wherein he would give advice and tell about the future.

Eventus Bonus: a minor god of success and good outcomes, especially in agriculture and government.

Fabulinus: a minor god who watched over infants and was to receive an offering when a child spoke its first words. 

Fama: a goddess with many tongues, ears, and eyes, with feathered wings and a trumpet. She brought fame and renown to those she favored and gossip and scandal to those who incurred her wrath.

Faunus: god of wilderness and fertility and giver of oracles. Protector of cattle, especially from wolves. His wife (or sister?), Fauna, held sway over many of the same things he did, especially prophecy. As the protector of cattle, he was celebrated throughout the Lupercalia, on 15 February. A male goat and a dog were sacrificed by his priests, the Luperci, and an offering of salt meal cakes was also made. The new goatskin was cut into thongs and upper-class men would run naked through the streets, striking people with the thongs-- especially women, as it was believed to increase fertility and bring a smooth pregnancy. His second festival was observed on 5 December, when rustic offerings were brought by the poor to his temple.

Febris: goddess who both protected from and embodied malaria and fever.

Februus: ancient god of purification, riches, and the underworld. Closely associated with Faunus.

Felicitas: a goddess who was the embodiment of happiness and productivity. On 9 October she received a sacrifice on the Capitoline Hill, likely on a shrine she shared with Honos (Honor) and Virtus (Virtue). A sign was found on a bakery in Pompeii that bore the image of an erect phallus with the inscription ‘hic habitat Felicitas’ as a sign for good luck.

Feronia: ancient goddess of wildlife, abundance, fertility, and health. She also granted freedom to slaves and rights to the downtrodden. Her shrines were found out in the wilderness, far from the city. Her festival, Feroniae, was held during the Ludi Plebeii (the plebeian games) on 13 November.

Fides: goddess of trust and good faith. In her temple, the Roman Senate would sign and keep foreign treaties so that she might protect their terms. She is pictures wearing a wreath of olive and a white stola, and holding a turtle dove in her hand. Numa Pompilius instituted an annual ceremony in her honor on 1 October, during which the high priests would be taken in a chariot drawn by two horses to her temple, where they would conduct a service with heads covered and their right hands wrapped in white fabric.

Flora: An ancient goddess of spring and flowers, and by extension, youth and fertility. Her festival, the Floralia, was held from 28 April to 3 May, and included the Ludi Florae (the games of Flora), opening with theatrical performances and closing with competitive events and a sacrifice to the goddess. Beans and lupines, symbols of fertility, were used as a sort of confetti. Prostitutes would dance naked and fight in mock gladiator matches. Multicolored clothing and garlands of flowers were worn.

Fontus: god of wells and springs, and the son of Janus and Juturna. On 13 October, his festival, the Fontinalia, saw the decoration of wellheads and fountains with garlands of flowers.

Fornax: the goddess of cakes and bread, and the divine personification of the oven. During her festival, the Fornacalia, of which the date was variable but likely fell around 17 February, every family in each curia brought spelt flour to be tasted and sacrificed to ensure all bread made in the coming year would not burn. Each curia celebrated on a different day, and so the festival took nine days.

Fortuna: goddess of fate and good luck. Her temple was on the bank of the Tiber, and its dedication was held on 24 June, when celebrants would take a boat downstream to the temple and partake in rituals to honor her.

Furrina: ancient goddess of unknown description, but who was probably associated with water, springs, or perhaps darkness and the underworld. Her festival was the Furrinalia, 25 July, and her rites are unknown, but may have had something to do with prayers for the end of drought.