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packedwithpackards · 1 year ago

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Bowdoin College, academia, and the two Alpheus Spring Packards

Left: Engraved illustration of Alpheus in 1882 from History of Bowdoin College: with biographical sketches of its graduates from 1806 to 1879, inclusive (also Wikimedia). Right: Illustration of his son of the same name in 1888 from Popular Science Monthly Volume 33 (also Wikimedia)

In an interesting twist of fate, there are two Alpheus Spring Packards who are my ancestors. One of them, Alpheus Spring Packard, Sr. (1788-1884), is my 3rd cousin, 6 times removed. The other, his son, Alpheus Spring Packard, Jr. (1839–1905), is my fourth cousin 5 times removed. In this post I'll examine each of them and explain how they are different from one another, and note their similarities.

Alpheus Sr., as he will be called for the rest of this article, was born on December 23, 1798 in Chelmsford to a reverend, Hezekiah Packard (1761-1849), and Mary Spring (1773-1829). At the time of his birth, he was an only child. He would be joined, by 1816, by five siblings: George Thomas (1803-1876), Hezekiah (1805-1867), Sarah Spring (1808-1894), Joseph (1812-1902), and William (1816-1834).

He was educated at home, educated from Bodwin College in 1816, and became tutor in Bodwin College in 1819. A few years later, in 1824, he became professor of Greek and Latin, staying as such until 1865. He later became a religious professor in 1864, wrote many publications, and even served as college librarian. There was much more to his life than this simple biography. In June 1827 he wedded a 23-year-old woman, Elizabeth Frances Appleton, said to be a "woman of rare excellence". Unfortunately, their marriage was short-lived, as she would die 12 years later in June 1839. [1] Before that time, they would have five children: Charles Appleton (1828-1909), William Alfred (1830-1909), George Lawrence (1834-1916), Frances Appleton (1837-1902) (herein Frances A.), and Alpheus (1839-1905). The latter will later be described in this article as Alpheus Jr. or known as "Alpha" for short.

A few years after Elizabeth's death, in September 1844, and at age 45, Alpheus Sr. would marry again in Portland, Maine, this time to woman named Caroline McLellan, who was over 15 years younger than him! They would have one child: Robert Lawrence (1847-1913). Caroline married one time before to a man named Peter Osgood McLellan in 1836, with her original name as Caroline W Bartels, named after her father John Bartels. Her first husband, Peter, had died five years before in September 1839. [2]

Despite the fact that Alpheus Sr. and Caroline only beared one son, Robert Lawrence, as noted earlier, she lived most of her life, from age 30 to age 70, with Alpheus Sr. She even lived beyond him to 1893, to the ripe old age of 79, and was buried in Brunswick. She would be a mother of sorts to the children from the previous marriage of Alpheus Sr. with Elizabeth. At the time of Elizabeth's death, Charles Appleton was only 11, William Alfred was nine, George Lawrence was five, Frances A. was two, and Alpheus Jr. was not even one year old. In 1850, all of them were living together in Brunswick, Maine, along with George O. McLellan, the 12-year-old son Caroline had with her husband, Peter, and a 17-year-old woman named Joanna Sillers. [3]

In 1860, the household of Caroline and Alpheus Sr., still in Brunswick, would include Caroline's son, George O., now a seaman, Alpheus Jr., their son Robert L., and an Irish servant named Winifred Leonard. Alpheus Sr. would have real estate worth $2,000 and personal estate worth $1,000. [4] Unlike in 1850, Charles A., the engineer, and William A., as a student, were not in the household. Neither were Frances A. or Joanna Sillers. By 1870, the household had changed again. A 62-year-old woman, Rebecca P., and her seeming 31-year-old daughter, Charlot M., were in the same house as Alpheus Sr., Caroline, and Frances A. The real estate owned by Alpheus Sr. had grown to $3,500 while his personal estate was $7,500, much more than the combined real and personal estate owned by Rebecca, numbering at $3,000. A deeper dive shows that Charlot M. refers to Charlotte Mellen (1838-1923), the daughter of Charles Packard (1801-1864) and Rebecca Prentice Kent (1808-1905). A clergyman, Charles was another brother of Alpheus Sr., who was living in Biddlefield, Maine with Rebecca, and their children, Charlotte, in 1860, and in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts in 1850. [5]

By 1880, the household would be small. Frances A. would be living with her mother of sorts, Caroline, and father, Alpheus Sr., in Brunswick. Also, an 18-year-old Irish servant named Margaret Cusick would be living in the same household. [6] This is the last census Alpheus Sr. appears in, as he died in 1884. By that time, he had also corresponded with Charles Darwin, taught writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882), was acting President of Bowdoin College from 1883 to 1884, wrote 25 publications, and was key figure in the Maine Historical Society, along with a literary society known as the Peucinian Society and other historical societies. He would die on Squirrel Island of heart disease while on a trip with his family and be buried in Brunswick's Pine Grove Cemetery. He was said to be involved in the anti-slavery and temperance movements as well. [7]

Undated via wikimedia and illustration of him in 1905

Alpheus Jr. would be different. He was born in February 1839 in Brunswick, Maine, and the last child of Elizabeth and Alpheus Sr. By age 21, in 1860, he was a student, likely at Bodwin College. He would marry a 25-year-old woman named Elizabeth Derby Wolcott a few years later in Salem, Massachusetts. By 1870, he and Elizabeth would be living in a house headed by 67-year-old woman, Martha P. Wolcott, and include a 36-year-old mariner named Samuel P. Wolcott, a presumed one-year-old daughter named Martha M., and two servants: 60-year-old Irish man named Daniel McDoregh and his 50-year-old wife Bethsheba, from Massachusetts. Martha was the mother of Elizabeth, while Samuel was likely Elizabeth's brother. It is curious that in 1860, Bethsheba was living with Elizabeth and her family, as was a man named John, who may be the same as Daniel. [8] In the 1870 census Alpheus Jr. is curiously listed as a naturalist.

That occupation was fitting. By 1870 he had already published works about collection and observation of insects, study of languages, Socrates, the Bunker Hill Monument, and how insects could benefit and harm crops. This would be the beginning of his career as an "eminent zoologist", which would lead him to become professor of zoology and geology at Brown University in 1878, building upon his role as custodian of the Boston Society of Natural History from 1855 to 1865 and connection with the Peabody Academy of Science from 1865 to 1876. He was also Massachusetts state entomologist from 1871 to 1873 and editor-in-chief of the American Naturalist for 29 years! [9]

By 1880, Alpheus Jr., Elizabeth, and their children were in the same household, now in Providence. Their children included Martha Walcott (1868-1956), who was at school, Alpheus Appleton (1871-1948), Elizabeth Darby (1877-1885), and Frances Elizabeth (herein Frances E.) (1880-1971). There were also two Irish domestic servants in the household: 20-year-old Bridget Maguire and 30-year-old Ellen Donahue. [10] By this point, Alpheus Jr. had published even more works, this time on Mammoth Cave, common insects, life histories of animals, zoology textbooks, and insects that can harm shade trees. Since no full census for 1890 exists, we can't say for sure what was happening at that time. However, we do know that by 1900 he had published books about geology, cave fauna, entomology, the Labrador Coast, French philosopher Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, a volcano in Sicily, and prehistoric tombs in eastern Algeria. A sketch of him written in 1888 in Popular Science Monthly notes his naturalist expeditions over the years, that he served for three years as assistant surgeon in the First Regiment of Maine Veteran Volunteers from 1863 to 1865, and said to have a "very pleasant and entertaining companion".

In 1900, the census enumerators described him as a professor of zoology. He lived in Providence that year with his wife Elizabeth and their children Mary W., Alpheus A., and Francis E., along with an Irish servant named Ritta Hackett. This is the last census he would appear in. By 1903 he was said to have written over four hundred geological and zoological works, and living at 275 Angell Street. He also was said to have grey eyes, tall, very slight, and was an immaculate dresser. [11]

A sketch by Albert Davis Mead of Alpheus Jr. after his death, in February 15, 1905 from an ulcerated tooth, causing necrosis to develop and septic poisoning, would describe him as an American naturalist. It would also praise his "sterling quality and the wide range of his life work", note his lineage, and praised his "scientific career". [12] He had also been a member of American Philosophical Society. There was even a 1920 biographical memoir of Alpheus Jr. written by T.D.A. Cockerwell. That book notes his lineage, that while in Brunswick an unnamed "maiden lady" assisted him about shells and naming native plants, while a Miss Ann Jackson told him about Lamarck as a boy, and notes that Alpheus Jr. "never knew his mother" due to her death when he wasn't even a year old. It also reveals that his aunt, Sarah, took charge of the household in the wake of the death of the mother of Alpehus Jr., and notes his antislavery sentiments, even at a young age, although there is some racist anti-Kurdish views mixed in there. At the same time, it reveals his use of local libraries as a form of self-education, excerpts from his diary, and his naturalistic trips, support of evolution, and more. [13]

In the years following Alpheus Jr.'s death, his wife Elizabeth would move to Haverhill Ward in Essex, Massachusetts, in 1910 living in a household headed by Percy W. McClellan and Frances E. By 1920 she would be seemingly be living in Andover with her daughter Martha, and a 51-year-old boarder named Lara Black. [14] In the end, there were similarities between the two Alpheus Packards, but also differences which separated them from each other, with Alpheus Jr. called Alpha in his early life, and had his own life separate from his father.

Notes

[1] "Death of Prof. Packard - Jul 17, 1884 obit" clipping from The Republican Journal, Belfast, Maine, 17 Jul 1884, Page 2; Francis E. Appleton in the Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Index, 1784-1840, Index of Marriages in Massachusetts Centinel and Columbian Centinel 1784 to 1840, page ****94, American Antiquarian Society. Index to Marriages in Massachusetts Centinel and Columbian Centinel, 1784-1840, Vol. 1 A-D. Boston, MA, USA: G.K. Hall, 1961; Frances E. Appleton in the Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850; Family History Library; Salt Lake City, UT; Film # 0818093-0818095, Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850; Frances A Packard in the Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915, New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Massachusetts; Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911–1915, Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840–1911. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911–1915. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts; Nehemiah Cleaveland, History of Bowdoin College: with biographical sketches of its graduates from 1806 to 1879, inclusive (ed. Alpheus S. Packard, Boston: John Ripley Osgood & Company, 1882), 188-190.

[2] Caroline W Bartels in the Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook), image 10071; Peter Osgood McLellan in the U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930, Newspapers and Periodicals. American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts, image 97.

[3] 1850 United States Federal Census for Caroline W Packard, Maine, Cumberland, Brunswick, Year: 1850; Census Place: Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: 251; Page: 254b.

[4] 1860 United States Federal Census for Caroline Packard, Maine, Cumberland, Brunswick, Year: 1860; Census Place: Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: M653_437; Page: 58; Family History Library Film: 803437

[5] 1870 United States Federal Census for Caroline W Packard, Maine, Cumberland, Brunswick, Year: 1870; Census Place: Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: M593_539; Page: 75A; 1850 United States Federal Census for Charles Packard, Massachusetts, Worcester, Lancaster, Year: 1850; Census Place: Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts; Roll: 343; Page: 172a; 1860 United States Federal Census for Chas Packard, Maine, York, Biddeford, Year: 1860; Census Place: Biddeford, York, Maine; Roll: M653_450; Page: 384-385; Family History Library Film: 803450. Also living with Charles and Rebecca in 1850 was an 18-year-old woman from Ireland named Catherine Conway, likely a servant.

[6] 1880 United States Federal Census for Caroline W. Packard, Maine, Cumberland, Brunswick, 024, Year: 1880; Census Place: Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: 477; Page: 55C; Enumeration District: 024.

[7] "PROF. ALPHEUS S.PACKARD," New York Times, Jul. 15, 1884; "Pine Grove Cemetery Walking Tour," Pine Grove Cemetery, October 2011; "Guide to the Alpheus Spring Packard Papers, 1819-1886 undated," George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Hawthorne-Longfellow Library, Bowdoin College, accessed September 26, 2022; "PACKARD, Alpheus Spring," Database of Classical Scholars, Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, accessed September 26, 2022. The latter source notes that he was college librarian from 1869 to 1881, and librarian of Maine Historical Society, was a legend at the college, and said teachers are "like faithful guides we are to show the pupil the most direct path to knowledge and become the companions of his way." Even Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reportedly paid a tribute to him in his poem "Morituri Salutamus," which spoke of "Honor and reverence and the good repute / That follows faithful service as its fruit."

[8] 1860 United States Federal Census for Caroline Packard, Maine, Cumberland, Brunswick, Year: 1860; Census Place: Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: M653_437; Page: 58; Family History Library Film: 803437; 1900 United States Federal Census for Alphius Packard, Rhode Island, Providence, Providence Ward 01, District 0007, Year: 1900; Census Place: Providence Ward 1, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: 1506; Page: 1; Enumeration District: 0007; FHL microfilm: 1241506; 1870 United States Federal Census for Alpheus F Packard, Massachusetts, Essex, Salem Ward 5, Year: 1870; Census Place: Salem Ward 5, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: M593_613; Page: 654A; 1860 United States Federal Census for Elizabeth D Walcott, Massachusetts, Essex, Salem Ward 5, Year: 1860; Census Place: Salem Ward 5, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_497; Page: 1131-1132; Family History Library Film: 803497.

[9] The Boston Herald – Wednesday, February 15, 1905, page 3 via Find A Grave Memorial. This obituary claims that his mother Frances was a "sister in-law of President Pierce". It also notes that he was "member of the national entomological commission from 1877 to 1882 and president of the zoological congress in Paris, and a member of the National Academy of Science".

[10] 1880 United States Federal Census for Elizabeth W. Packard, Rhode Island, Providence, Providence, 011, Year: 1880; Census Place: Providence, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: 1211; Page: 181A; Enumeration District: 011.

[11] 1900 United States Federal Census for Elizabeth Packard, Rhode Island, Providence, Providence Ward 01, District 0007, Year: 1900; Census Place: Providence Ward 1, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: 1506; Page: 1; Enumeration District: 0007; FHL microfilm: 1241506; U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-2016 for Alpheus Spring Packard, Rhode Island, Providence, Brown University, 1903, p. 15; entry in Encyclopedia Brunoniana by Martha Mitchell, 1993.

[12] The Boston Herald – Wednesday, February 15, 1905, page 3 via Find A Grave Memorial; Albert Davis Mead, "Alpheus Spring Packard", Popular Science Monthly Volume 67 May 1905 (1905); "Packard, Alpheus Spring", The New Student's Reference Work (1914).

[13] He is also mentioned in "Folder 5 Packard, Alpheus Spring, Jr., 1870-1879" within Box 31 of the Spencer Fullerton Baird Papers, "Folder 14 Packard, Alpheus Spring" within Box 4 of the Marcus Benjamin Papers, 1886-1929, "Folder 6 Packard Jr., Alpheus Spring, (1839-1905). Includes biographical sketches, 1920, 1966. See Series 2 for photograph" within Box 10 of Photographs and Biographical Information, 1797-1988 and undated, "Folder 28 Packard, Alpheus Spring (1839-1905). Includes an obituary, and a biographical memoir, 1905-1920" within Box 12 of National Museum of Natural History. Division of Mammals Biographical File, 1860-1973 and undated.

[14] 1910 United States Federal Census for Elizabeth Packard, Massachusetts, Essex, Haverhill Ward 5, District 0317, Year: 1910; Census Place: Haverhill Ward 5, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_582; Page: 25A; Enumeration District: 0317; FHL microfilm: 1374595; 1920 United States Federal Census for Elizabeth Walcott, Massachusetts, Essex, Andover, District 0008, Year: 1920; Census Place: Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_688; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 8.

Note: This was originally posted on Apr. 10, 2023 on the main Packed with Packards WordPress blog (it can also be found on the Wayback Machine here). My research is still ongoing, so some conclusions in this piece may change in the future.

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expert-painter-melbourne · 3 months ago

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Remodelling Your House: Advantages of Employing Weatherboard Painters in Caroline Springs

Let's explore the advantages of working with qualified weatherboard painters in Caroline Springs, what to look for in a painting company, and advice on selecting the ideal paint colours for your house. The distinct appeal of weatherboard dwellings embodies the spirit of Australian design. For many Caroline Springs residents, they are a popular option because of their timeless style and natural beauty. However, regular maintenance is necessary to preserve their longevity and beauty, and a new coat of paint can do wonders.

Skilled Assembly and Utilisation of High-Quality Materials

Applying a quick coat of paint or stain is not the only step in the deck painting process. Expert deck painters in Kurunjang are skilled in thoroughly cleaning, sanding, and restoring any damage to the surface. This thorough preparation is essential to guaranteeing the finish's durability. Skilled deck painters can use premium paints and stains that are made especially for outdoor use.

These treatments ensure that your deck will stay gorgeous for many years by offering superior protection against the elements, such as UV rays, condensation, and temperature changes. It might take a lot of time to paint a deck, especially if you're doing it alone. Expert painters do their tasks quickly so you may start using your outside area sooner. In order to complete the task efficiently and fast, they also have the necessary tools and equipment.

Time and Effectiveness with Care for Details

Painting a weatherboard house takes a lot of time, particularly for inexperienced homeowners. Skilled painters work quickly and effectively, guaranteeing that the task is finished on schedule without compromising quality.

Expert painters focus on the little things, making sure that every crevice is painted perfectly. In order to avoid further problems, they can also detect any spots, such as cracked boards or mould, that would require repairs before painting. Your home's kerb appeal can be greatly improved with a new coat of paint, which could raise its value.

Well-maintained homes frequently attract the attention of potential buyers, and in the crowded Caroline Springs real estate market, a professional painted job can make your weatherboard home stand out.

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localexpertz · 1 year ago

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real estate agents caroline springs vic

Explore the vibrant real estate agents in Caroline Springs, VIC, with Local Expertz – your trusted partner in property transactions. Our seasoned real estate agents bring local insight, ensuring a smooth buying or selling experience. Connect with Local Expertz for personalized guidance and tap into the expertise that transforms real estate aspirations into reality in Caroline Springs, VIC

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n7realestate · 2 years ago

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Selling your property can be a daunting task, but with the right guidance, it can be a smooth and successful process. If you’re considering selling your property in Fraser Rise, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the process. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to sell your property in Fraser Rise, and explore the role of real estate agents in Caroline Springs.

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diamondestateagents · 3 years ago

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Best Real Estate Agent Point Cook

Buying, selling or just want a market appraisal? Diamond Estate Agents is a boutique agency that prides itself on being able to help their clients with all thing's property. We are your best real estate agent point cook when it comes to planning on buying, selling, adding to your investment portfolio, or requiring land. You will have our professional guidance throughout the process.

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harmonyrealestateblog · 2 years ago

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Caroline Springs Real Estate Agents

Real Estate Agents Caroline Springs is a well-established agency with a team of experienced agents who know the Caroline Springs market inside out. They offer a wide range of services, including property sales, property management, and appraisals.

To know more about Caroline Springs Real Estate Agents do click here.

#Caroline Springs Real Estate Agents

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harmonyrealestate · 1 year ago

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Harmony Real Estate: Your Trusted Partner in Caroline Springs

A Commitment to Excellence

Harmony Real Estate, a prominent agency located in Caroline Springs, offers unparalleled services for all of your real property requirements. With a team of committed experts, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality when it comes to purchasing, selling or renting property within Caroline Springs.

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Our highly experienced agents know the intricacies that make up the Caroline Springs real estate market. When you're searching for your ideal property or looking to invest in the purchase of an investment house, Harmony Real Estate is your reliable partner. We take pride in providing personal service that is customized to meet your specific needs, and ensuring an effortless and enjoyable real property experience.

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Check out the Caroline Springs Real Estate Agency page to discover the exciting opportunities that this area has to offer. The site provides useful insights on the local market to help you make informed choices. Harmony Real Estate is dedicated to helping you find that perfect home located in Caroline Springs or achieve a successful sale.

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If you're a first-time purchaser, experienced investor or planning to sell your home, Harmony Real Estate is here to help you through throughout the process. Our local knowledge and dedication to excellence makes Harmony Real Estate the top real estate agent for Caroline Springs. Let us help you transform your dreams of real estate into reality. Visit our website to begin with beginning your Caroline Springs real estate journey today.

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philipcole · 2 years ago

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NAME: Philip Russell Cole GENDER & PRONOUNS: Cis man & he/him AGE & DATE OF BIRTH: 50 years old / September 6th, 1972 HOMETOWN: Chicago, Illinois NEIGHBORHOOD: North Side TIME IN BRADFORD SPRINGS: 17 years OCCUPATION: Chief of Obstetrics & Gynecology Department at Rocky Mtn. Medical Center SEXUALITY: Heterosexual

Trigger warnings: illness, death

As the oldest child in the family of five, Philip always knew what he wanted for himself - a big family of his own, and a better and far easier childhood for his children. Do not take him wrong, he was more than grateful to his parents for everything they have done for him and his siblings, but growing up in the South Side, Chicago, wasn’t the prettiest childhood exactly. His father took two, sometimes three jobs, to make ends meet, while his mother was a housewife. Philip was only eight when he got his first job of a delivery boy, and to this day he has never stopped working.

Fortunately, the boy was smart, and despite a brief encounter, or let’s call it a year or two of spending time with the wrong crowd, he managed to graduate from high school and enroll into the University of Chicago, on a scholarship. Definitely not a big step for a human kind, but certainly a big one for the boy from the working class family. After getting his bachelor in pre-med, the logical step was to enroll into the med school, which he did at the same university. It wasn’t a childhood dream of his to become a doctor, but it was the quickest way to get out of the South Side, wasn’t it? Fortunately for him, it was the right choice because not just that he fell in love with Medicine, but he was also really good at it.

While still in med school, he met Caroline, a single mother of a four year old girl, who came to Chicago from Bradford Springs, Colorado, to work as a personal asistent in a real-estate company. If you ask Philip, it was love at first sight.. he still remembers seeing her for the first time in front of the post-office, wearing that long camel coat of hers, her hair flying around in the wind. It was surely a sight.. and from that moment on, the two were inseparable. Soon they got married and just a couple of weeks after his graduation, the young doctor and his wife have gotten twins, a boy and a girl. It was truly everything Philip had ever wanted, a big family and the bright future ahead of them.

After finishing his OB-GYN residency at one of Chicago’s hospitals, the family of five decided to move to Caroline’s hometown of Bradford Springs so they could raise their children in a close-knit and safe community surrounded with nature. And it was perfect.. more than perfect.. until Caroline got ill. It was ten years ago, Philip was forty years old, their oldest daughter was eighteen, while the twins were only fourteen.. three months after her diagnosis, the beloved mother and wife died. The Cole family lost their core. And Philip lost the love of his life.

It wasn’t easy to all of a sudden become both mom and dad, and to raise three teenagers on his own, but his family was everything to him.. despite the long and hard hours, Philip tried to be by his kids through everything, and God, how did he miss Caroline by his side. However, many wondered would the town’s favorite gynecologist marry again, but it had never happened. It wasn’t that Philip wasn’t dating, he was.. but he simply never met anyone whom he wanted to welcome into his family. Though, Philip was aware of that old saying - never say never.

Wanted connections:

kids: Piper Cole

siblings:

ex(es):

friends with benefits:

best friend:

friends:

co-workers:

neighbors:

#bsco.intro #tw illness #tw death

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cupcakemolotov · 4 years ago

Text

Our Bones are Iron

Synopsis: When Mikael starts a war with the Throne over his wife's execution, Caroline's world is thrown into chaos. Two years later, and she finds herself facing her ex-betrothed from opposite sides of the war. Klaus has defeated her father for the King, and now she must find a way to strike a deal with him to save the people her father nearly destroyed to aid Mikael's rage.

Tags: Alternate Universe × Alternate; Universe - Fantasy; Alternate Universe - Magic; Knight!Klaus; Lady!Caroline; Broken Engagement; Family Drama; Dark Magic; Magic; Light Angst; Angst and Feels; Implied/Referenced Torture; Aftermath of Torture; all non con elements are not the main characters and referenced only; Esther is not a nice person in this fic; magical rituals gone bad; Post-War

I wrote this after being inspired so, so long ago by this post. If you would prefer you can read it here on A03.

It was the clink of armor that left her heart in her throat. Caroline’s fingers tightened on the satchel she carried with her, and she forced herself to breathe. Six steps below, and she could see the light flickering from the soft mage lights and the movement of a shadow just visible beneath the heavy wood. For a single moment, she allowed herself the fantasy of fleeing back up the darkening staircase to the safety of her room but she was no longer a child. At twenty-four years of age, she should have already been wed and looking after a home of her own, but the Civil War had put many dreams on hold. They had been boxed up and tossed as easily aside as a servant cleaning a room.

But now the war was over and her family had lost.

By every tradition, it should have been her mother walking these steps. But Elizabeth Forbes had retired hours before the army had arrived on their doorstep, and she had made no move to rise once it had become clear that they would be occupied for the evening. Caroline had long since learned that no amount of pleading would stir her mother once she’d taken to her room. She tried not to resent her for it. Something had broken in her mother when her father had turned his back on the kingdom, and no amount of wishing or magic could fix it. But tonight, it would have been the worst of slights to leave this Knight to his own bath. And rudeness wasn’t something she could afford. Not when the lives of everyone in her household depended on her. And they would continue to depend on her as they walked the tightrope her father had left them on.

Caroline had little hope that they would be rid of the Knight and his men anytime soon, and it’d been made abundantly clear that they were being evaluated for weaknesses. Her father’s surviving Senschels had been requested for dinner that night, and the exquisitely polite note sent along requesting that the household to keep to their rooms had been a request she’d been more than willing to keep.

Except for this one thing.

Her fingers shook, and she closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a slow breath. Caroline had known this was coming the moment she’d seen the banner cross the ridge. She’d been tending her mother when word of the soldier’s approach had reached them, and she’d paced at the window waiting for the first glimpse of who approached. Somehow, she’d known what she would see before the first banner had crept over the ridge. The Black Knight’s banner had been easily recognizable as the crossed the ridge, and unavoidable proof of who had won. The King’s grasp had held firm, and they were now on their own. No remaining allies would offer them aid as long as this Knight occupied their castle.

It had taken most of the day, the long arm of evening shadowing the courtyard before they’d reached the gates. Caroline had already given the order that they would offer no resistance. The remaining lives of the young boys and elderly left behind would not be sacrificed on the ashes of her father’s arrogance.

Now she just had to ensure their futures.

In that one regard, Caroline knew she was the better advocate for her people than her mother. With her father gone for the last two years, the duty of caring for her people had fallen to her. She knew the lands, the people, their lives. Tonight, alone with their conqueror, it was her duty to advocate for those who remained.

And she would.

Caroline just... needed a moment.

Her nails dug tightly into her palm and she struggled to find the composure that had been missing since she’d seen the first clear view of his banner. It had been two years since she had last seen Lord Niklaus Mikaelson, and nearly as long since he had broken their bethroment. All her life, she’d grown up under the weight of that marriage. Klaus had been the third son of William’s closest friend, and he and Mikael had looked forward to combining their bloodlines.

Klaus had still been mostly a boy then.

Freshly knighted with long bones and a face he hadn’t yet grown into. But even then, only a fool had ignored the raw violence of his magic, the way he seemed to hunger for the world. Once, she would have called him something like her friend. Their relationship had always been a bit contentious, the families expectations an unrelenting pressure between them, but she’d found herself learning to trust him. He was rough around the edges, darkly cynical and had a temper that was so very easily pricked but he’d never deliberately hurt her. In a world where she was her father’s daughter first, his betrothed second and Caroline third, she’d always appreciated that. Quietly, in the secret corners of her heart, she’d let herself like him.

Then a year to nearly the day before their marriage, on her twentieth birthday, everything had gone to hell. Esther had been executed by the Crown for magical treason, and Elijah and Klaus had denounced their parentage, taking their younger siblings with them. Her father had taken her silence as he’d announced the end of her bethrothment as agreement, but it had been shock that held her tongue. In the span of three days, all her expectations, all of her plans, had been upended violently and she’d been left clutching bloody shards of a life where she couldn’t find her footing.

But the worst had been yet to come.

Her family had been banished to their country estates in sudden disfavor from the crown when her father chose to side with Mikael and all his rage, and nearly all Caroline’s court friends and acquaintances dried up like a spring stream. Her mother had disappeared to her bedroom, her father fell into drink, and she’d been left trying to hold together their estate and people with a grim determination. For weeks, she waited for Klaus to send her word. Something. Anything that could explain why he hadn’t warned her of his plans, given her time to shore up her defenses before he’d abandoned her.

It’d been a bitter, angry pill to swallow when he sent nothing.

Two years later, her father and Mikael had instigated a Civil War that had split the kingdom nearly in half. And now her father was likely dead, killed by the man he’d once viewed as the future of his family. By right of conquest, everything her family had owned for generations, everything she had worked so hard to preserve now belonged to Klaus.

Caroline let out another shaky breath, sudden exhaustion leaving her winded. She couldn’t afford to let it show. Tonight was her only real chance of finding mercy for those who had been left behind by her father’s armies. She couldn’t let the memories of the boy he’d once been interfere with her negotiations with the man Klaus had become. Becoming a Knight, earning the Black Banner for his own? It was proof that Klaus had grown into his strength, that he was considered worthy by the King. No easy feat, when his parents were both traitors to the crown.

And now he was here.

She didn’t know how she wanted to feel.

Sometimes, in the dark of her chambers, she’d let herself wonder if things had been just a little different between what might have gone differently. What would her life have been like? Would she have been brave enough to make a similar decision if she’d seen what her father had become before it was too late? Did it matter? In the end, those were nothing but foolish, girlish thoughts. She would never abandon her mother or her people to her father’s capricious whims and Mikael’s unquenchable thirst for vengeance.

And so while the heart that Klaus had bruised had healed, it hadn’t forgotten.

And knowing that if she stepped through those doors and she’d see him for the first time in years, that she would be close enough to touch him, left her breathless. And she couldn’t afford that kind of weakness. Klaus who might have been hers once was gone. Lord Klaus Mikaelson thought her the enemy. Squeezing her trembling hands tightly together, Caroline took another bracing breath and squared her shoulders. Avoiding Klaus any longer wouldn’t give her any more clarity of thought than hours of waiting hadn’t already wrought. Jaw set, she set her palm flat on the bath door and pushed it open.

It was a little like stepping into a different world, and she could almost taste the magic that layered the walls and windows, an unsubtle reminder that he was now the power here. For a moment the humidity from the steam made it difficult to adjust to the low lights, and she let the door shut quietly behind her. Klaus stood with his back to her, gaze directed through the windows that were kept were usually cracked open to let out the worst of the steam, but he had left closed. She didn’t know how he stood the heat in the heavy armor he wore.

Still, he said nothing, and so she took the time to study him. To absorb the changes time had wrought in an attempt to shore her heart against them. The lanky youth she’d known was gone, and the man was built on lean but powerful lines. The armor added a layer of bulk, but it was clear that there was solid muscle beneath it. The short curls were familiar, for all that the steam had turned them riotous.

Finally he made a soft sound, nearly a sigh, and turned. His gaze locked on hers immediately and the hard line of his jaw softened as he was clearly caught off guard by her presence. For a long moment they simply stared at each other, and Caroline tasted blood as she struggled to contain her reaction to the impact of him.

“Caroline,” he said finally, slowly. He drew out the consonants and vowels of her name as if he was remembering how to say them. “I expected your mother.”

Caroline dipped in a quick curtsy, refusing to allow his casual use of her name rattle her even though it had. The flush on her cheeks could easily be mistaken for the heat. For a heartbeat, she allowed herself to wonder what he could possibly have wished to speak to her mother about that required this level of spell work to maintain their privacy. She supposed she’d find out, and dread filled her stomach. “My Lady Mother is unwell, Lord Mikaelson.”

Something hard flickered through his gaze, the fullness of his mouth tightening. “I am sorry to hear that.”

She sincerely doubted that. But there was something about the way he stood, the slightest hint of his magic between them that warned her to be cautious. Lifting her chin, she nodded. “Thank you.”

The corner of his mouth tilted upwards before his eyes skimmed down her body, and it took teeth gritting composure to keep from reacting to the edge in his gaze when it returned to hers. “You’ve lost weight.”

The familiarity of his words had her spine stiffening. “I cannot imagine that is any of your concern.”

An arch of his brow, something undeniably arrogant behind his gaze. “No?”

Caroline lifted her chin. She would not let him make this personal. “No.”

Klaus studied her face. “You’ll find that there are very few things that are not of my concern, Caroline. Particularly now.”

His refusal to use her surname and title left her stomach churning, but to give an inch now would mean being at a disadvantage later. Her people couldn’t afford her to be weak, no matter her tangled feelings. Tongue sliding briefly between her teeth, she took a deep breath. This particular conversation would get them nowhere. “Should I take your words to mean my father is no longer alive?”

Something jumped at the base of his jaw, a muscle pulled too tight. “Your father chose death over a trial. I am sorry for that, Caroline.”

Something inside her chest cracked open at the acknowledgement, and her next inhale was shaky. It shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did, the acknowledgement of her father’s fate when she’d already known the likelihood of it. Her father had never intended anything but victory, had allowed no plan for failure to be brought to his attention. A more charitable person would perhaps attribute such a decision to choose death as not wanting to drag his family though the pain and horror such a trial would bring, but Caroline knew better. Her father had finally seen the consequences of his actions before him and chosen to abandon his family to their fates, again.

And it hurt.

Her father had done so many terrible things in the name of friendship, had allowed Mikael’s rage to feed his own, but once he’d been a father who had cared for his daughter and people, a man who had honored his wife. But that pain, that mourning for the man he’d once been, that was a private grief and she would not let Klaus see it. Setting her teeth, Caroline clawed her emotions into place, and when she spoke, her voice only shook a little.

“You cannot be comfortable in that armor in this steam.” She motioned for him to turn. She would do her duty. When she had nothing else, there was always duty.

Caroline did not expect him to catch her hand, palms and fingers warm and calloused against her skin. Her gaze snapped to his and he studied her with a familiar intensity that left her mouth dry. “It is your mother who should be here, now, Caroline. There are a number of things she and I need to discuss. Why did she send you?”

“As I have told you, she is not well.” She repeated, voice sounding hard and flat to her own ears. He sighed, mouth tightening as he looked at the door behind her, and then those blue eyes touched with gold returned to hers and nothing there was comforting in the depths. Iron and fire, a hint of the power that clung to him like a shield. A sort of resolution that left her shoulder tight with strain.

Klaus had always been powerful, but she had never feared that power. Even then, with the weight of it sitting behind his eyes like judgement, the strength of it tangible between them, it did not frighten her. It should have. He had never hidden what he was and how terrible he could become, though as a girl she’d foolishly thought he’d never have cause to use such strength against her family. How wrong she had been.

When he spoke, his words were measured, pulled taut by an emotion she could not name.

“Yes, I imagine she is. Defying a geas is never easy, but she has done it before and as all of the holders are now dead, it should be gone.” His words pounded in her ears like blows, and she stared at him, not comprehending his words. “She should have found the strength to finish what she started, not offer her daughter as a sacrificial lamb.”

She jerked against his grip, shock replacing the hard knot of grief. “Do you jest?” she rasped, shaking her head. “That is impossible. My mother could not…” Her words died as he continued to watch her, expression unyielding. “A geas is blood magic.”

“So it is.”

Anger flashed hot and potent through her veins. “You are accusing my father of blood magic. Is it not enough that he is dead? That all that he worked for is now laid to waste?”

“No, Caroline. Not your father, though we will always wonder what part he played in my mother’s schemes as he chose his sword instead of confessing his part to the courts.” He set his jaw, and she almost didn’t recognize the judgement he wore on his face. “Though I am sure we will find bits and pieces of the scheme as we go through his things and question his remaining people. But the blame, the magic that built the conspiracy that lies at the feet of Esther.”

Caroline opened her mouth and closed it, something hard fisting around her lungs. Shaking her head, she curled her fingers tightly against her palms. “Esther is dead these two years past,” she pointed out around a throat gone tight. “Powerful she might have been, but even she cannot perform magic beyond the grave.”

Blood magic did not linger, after its holder died.

“If it was only so easy,” Klaus returned, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “To cut the head off of the snake, and everything ends. But my mother schemed far better than anyone realized, Mikael upheld his part of them, until the very end.”

She didn’t want to ask, but she needed to know. “My mother would never have willingly committed to aiding black magic.”

He shook his head. “I cannot speak for the motivations of your mother, Caroline, only of the actions she took to protect you. Esther was many things, but trusting? Never. Your mother was her confidant for many years. There were secrets shared between them that she would allow no one to spill. How do you think she survived so many years practicing forbidden magic?”

She couldn’t breathe. Of all the terrible things that she had imagined Esther to have committed to receive a King’s Execution, she had not once thought of this. That Klaus thought her mother had been a victim? That Mikael had willingly helped her do these terrible things and that her father had fought at his side. Had he known? Had he also been a victim. Did it matter?

Emotions carening, she took a shuddering breath. He said her mother had protected her. Not abandoned her to her duty, to the fate that her father had chosen for all of them. He said she was weak for not doing this duty instead of Caroline. She didn’t know what to think.

“Turn around.”

His head tipped, brows lifting. “I beg pardon?”

Caroline gestured impatiently, her lungs stretched too tight. “You lay serious accusations at the feet of ghosts, while damning my mother for her lack of strength in nearly the same breath. I need to think, and if you insist on having this conversation here, I will not be accused of failing to show you the full kindness of my house. Turn. Around.”

She needed him to look somewhere else than at her, needed a moment to drag back a little of her shattered composure. A hint of something like understanding softened the look behind his eyes and he obligingly turned, giving her access to the ties and buckles that would loosen his chest plate and arms. Her next inhale was shaky, and not something he could miss, but at least she wouldn’t have to deal withhim facing her while she refitted her mental armor.

“I would never dare lay such an accusation of a lack of manners at your feet.” Klaus said after a moment, and his words were light, nearly teasing, and she made a noise of disagreement.

“You toss words such as blood magic and geas about quite easily,” she rebuked as she set to work, her fingers strangely steady. Such a duty should have been merely practical, the duty of a Lady for a visiting Knight, an old tradition that built a formality between them, and yet. She had never done this for him before, had never seen him in less than fully armed or in the many layers of court garb. The sudden pounding of her pulse was not merely from her temper. Forcing herself to ignore the strange intimacy, she kept her eyes on his armor. “Let us not pretend that you believe manners to be important when speaking of such things.”

“I would never be so foolish as to forget their importance, particularly after having been taken to task regarding them by you, more than once.” Now she could hear the smile in his voice and it annoyed her. That he would remind her of what he had walked away from so many years ago now and just how well he had once known her. “Manners, the correct way to fold a tablecloth and the proper way to curtsy to cut someone from your social circle. Were those not the skills you informed me in these very halls that should not be underestimated for their importance?”

She paused, gaze flicking to the nape of his neck, eyes narrowed. “Now you jest.”

“About the importance of how to fold a tablecloth? I would never.”

Annoyed, because his words were helping her steady, she tugged the first piece of his armor away from his left arm and set it on the bench to her right. It was a struggle, not to study the shape of him so clearly defined by the thin cloth that ran down the length of his arm. The hard muscle she could have felt beneath her fingertips if she fumbled a buckle even a little.

She could not let her mind wander in those directions or to allow him to distract her from the hard truths, if it was the truth, that he spoke. “Do you have proof?”

“Of what?”

Caroline rolled her eyes now that he could not see and started on the ties for the other arm. “What do you mean of what? You have declared my mother was under a geas, that she kept Esther’s secrets because of magic. What else could I possibly wonder about?”

There was a long pause and she had finished his arms and was working on the complicated buckles for his chest piece when he finally spoke. “Did you ever wonder why I never sent you a single message in all the years since we last saw each other? We did not part on harsh terms, indeed, we both rather looked forward to upcoming nuptials the following year.

She bit down hard on the side of her tongue as she tried to steady herself from his question. They had looked forward to the wedding, to the future they were building together. Those curious, heated promises Klaus had made as they had danced carefully around the discussion of the marriage bed. It was why his silence had hurt. She had trusted him.

Caroline found that she didn’t want to admit to that now, of how much his silence had cost her. She also couldn’t lie convincingly, not with his magic still tangible in the air between them. He would know the moment she tried. It was a particular quirk to his magic he did not advertise, but one he had once admitted to her.

“No.”

A shift of his weight, the slightest shake of his head, but he did not call her on the lie. “The bargain I struck with your mother - her condition was that I not contact you until after we had won.”

The back of the chest piece slipped from her fingers and clamored loudly between them, barely missing her toes. He spun and she took a hasty step back, eyes wide. He impatiently removed the rest of the amor and for a long moment, they stared at each other. Klaus, stripped to his waist of his armor and suddenly so touchable her hands trembled with it, but his words were a sudden, intangible barrier between them.

“Bargain? What possible bargain could you have made with my mother?” Caroline demanded, reeling. That was impossible. What he said should have been impossible. Her mother...

“She knew the identity of my father.” His eyes were steady, and he started to move and stopped himself at her careful step back, his chest rising in a careful breath. “Once my mother was executed, it gave Lady Elizabeth a window of opportunity and she took it. But she had conditions.”

“Your father? That isn’t a hard question to answer.” Caroline retorted, hiding her shaking hands in her skirts. “Mikael.”

A laugh, bitter and harsh. “Did you ever wonder why Henrik died?”

She paused, staring at him. Henrik had been the heart of that family, the tiny, pestering glue that had brought them all together. Even Finn, with his remote manners and unbending distaste for those he considered beneath him had smiled around Henrik. “He caught a wasting sickness.”

“My mother liked to accomplish her plot in threes. For every two children Esther gave Mikael, she birthed one to another man.” Klaus’ eyes shimmered with magic, the rage beneath his words palpable. “I was the first child born out of wedlock. Henrik was the next. The magic he was born with was not what my mother had hoped for, so she considered him expendable. She drained him dry. She planned to use the magic in her play to take the throne, and she nearly got away with it, except for Kol.”

Caroline swallowed hard. “Kol was always in places he didn’t belong.”

He tipped his head in agreement. “It almost cost him his life. Elijah and I did not understand what he had found until weeks after we had buried our brother, the evidence he stole from Esther’s hidden chambers, until weeks later. It was by his testimony that Ester was executed.”

Mikael would never have forgiven Kol for it.

“It was your mother who warned us that we had to cut ties with Mikael immediately, that returning home would cost us more than we could bear. She is who told us the truth of Esther’s and Mikael’s ambitions, though we had little other than her word for what it meant.”

“But that’s…” she stared at him, aghast. “What could my mother have known? She has so little magic and no use for it.”

“My father’s name is Ansel,” he said bluntly. “He was thought to be dead, but your mother not only knew his name, but how to find him. But her information had a price. She wanted us to cut ties with Mikael publicly, and she wanted my promise that I would not attempt to take you with me.”

Her own laugh bubbled in her throat, hysterical and disbelieving. “And why should I believe you? What purpose could such a bargain have served either of us? I am not so dear to either of you that such a thing should make any sense.”

His mouth tightened into a slash of anger, but his words were cool. “Ansel is the King’s brother, Caroline.”

Her lips parted, and she stared at him in shock. “What?”

“My father is the King’s youngest brother. Esther planned to kill him, to kill everyone in the royal family, and then place me upon the throne as a puppet. But my magic was too strong, too violent to be easily bent, so she tried again with Henrik. And while his magic bred true for the royal line, it wasn’t a magic that would easily see him put on the throne. I imagine she had other plans, but Kol caught her in her act and her schemes started to unravel.”

“And so your mother was executed for blood magic, and what? My mother told you how to save yourself?” Caroline crossed her arms and stared him down. “Why should I believe you? To do as you have said when she would have to have known how my father, how Mikael, would have reacted to such a move by the Throne. Neither would have easily given up power, and our family was tied too closely to yours to do anything but suffer from your mother’s death. And I am supposed to believe that she let us suffer? That she helped instigate the Civil War that would leave so many of our people dead?”

“Yes.”

The room went from warm to stifling and she swallowed. Throat closing, she tried to find the words to rebuke him, to tell him to speak truly and not whatever this was and she couldn’t find them. She didn’t want to believe him. She wished she didn’t. But Klaus had never lied to her before, and she couldn’t see any gain for him to do it now.

Not looking at him, she sat down on a bench, staring at the glass panes in front of her. “Why?’

Klaus moved carefully and knelt beside her. The steam had turned his clothing opaque, and it clung shockingly to the line of his shoulders and the breadth of his chest. Seeing Klaus nearly bare from the waist up was a sight she shouldn’t have appreciated even in her shock, but there was a strength to him that she had missed.

“I do not know, Caroline, but before we spoke tonight, I thought you did.”

Caroline looked at him, suddenly exhausted. “Why would I know?”

“Because that was part of my bargain with her,” he said, words gentle. “That if I were to walk away from you, if I was to leave you to your father’s whims while I worked to destroy Mikael and Ester’s legacies, that she would tell you why. That she would explain. And when I walked back into this castle, she would meet me here as tradition demanded so that we could finalize the rest of our agreement before protocol and the King’s will complicated matters.”

Shoving a riotous curl away from her eyes, she laughed bitterly “And what could you two possibly have to discuss that would be so important?” She flung her hand out in the direction of the courtyard, where his men were camped and her people were sleeping in their homes. “My people are close to starving, my father’s men have stripped this land of everything of value, and only the very young and the old have survived this grab for power. All in the name of a woman who schemed to destroy the Throne and killed innocents. My mother has told me nothing, Lord Mikaelson, and if what you say is true about her being bound by a geas and then a bargain with you, she could be suffering from any number of magical ailments. Such magic is not kind to its hosts, willing or not. So tell me, what could possibly be so important that she should drag herself down several flights of stairs to meet you in person? What could you have to discuss?”

He caught her hand, eyes cautious as he tangled his fingers with hers. She blinked, but couldn’t bring herself to protest. Her emotional equilibrium was a disaster and the conversation she thought they would be having, how best to save her people, had fluttered away at the first mention of the word geas. Thumb tracing the line of her knuckles, he leaned his head forward and spoke with a quiet determination. “My forthcoming marriage to you.”

Caroline’s lips parted on a sharp inhale, eyes wide. “What?”

Not even a flicker of a smile crossed his mouth and her breath turned harsh in her throat at the set look behind his eyes. “Our marriage, Caroline.” She shook her head, words failing her, and his fingers tightened around hers. “Did you think I would abandon you?”

“You did abandon me,” she snapped back, her temper rousing with her words. The hurt she’d tucked away into the quiet parts of her heart burning. “No promise to my mother could have been worth the silence between us if what you say is true and you have wished to marry me all these years.”

A short nod, as he accepted her rebuke, but the steeled determination did not falter behind his eyes. “Be as that may, I am set on this course Caroline. The King’s messenger will be here in three days time, and I plan on us to be wed before their arrival. The King will be angry, certainly, but he owes me a great boone, and Ansel is awake. I may have failed you, unintentionally or not, but I will not do so again.”

“Boone or not, you could insight war,” she rasped. “My bloodline…”

“Is of no consequence. I am who I am, Caroline. Every man here belongs to me, and if the King wishes to incite a second war over the daughter of his enemy, he is welcome to do so, though I do not believe it will come to that. Now when he becomes aware of your mother’s sacrifices.”

She wanted to say no on principle, to rage against him, her mother, everything she hadn’t been told. But she had walked into the bath house desperate for a way to save her people, to find a way to survive. Klaus was offering her more than survival. For her people, she would say yes.

For herself...

Caroline lifted her chin. “This may save my people, but it does not absolve you of my anger.”

“I would expect nothing less.” Klaus murmured. He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her cold fingers. “But I will still marry you tomorrow at sunset before our people, and I will have you as my wife.”

She forced herself to stand, to tug her fingers free. Klaus stood with her, those blue eyes burning. “If I am to be married to you tomorrow, arrangements must be made. I will leave you to finish.”

He tipped his head. “Sleep well, love.”

Caroline sucked in a breath once she was outside, shivering in the cooler air. Eyes squeezing shut, she pressed her hand to her pounding heart. Tomorrow, she was to be married, her mother had not truely abandoned her, and Klaus was the bastard nephew of the King. So many things to digest, not enough time.

Squaring her shoulders, she headed for the stairs. She would wake her maid and dig through her closet for something appropriate for tomorrow. The cook would need to be alerted. Her mother told. The mental list grew until she knew the sleep Klaus had wished her would be hard to find. But underneath the rage and confusion, the pain of her abandonment and two years of loneliness was the smallest kernel of hope.

Klaus had come for her. Had fought her father and his father’s armies, had brought his people here. Tomorrow they would be married. She wasn’t sure what she felt about him, his bargain with her mom, or anything he’d said.

But that small bit of hope was stubborn.

But none of that made her any less angry. Curling her fingers into her palms, Caroline squared her shoulders. She would protect her people, but whatever this was between her and Klaus? If he thought a hasty marriage and an apology were enough to cool her temper, he find himself quite surprised. She had no intention of making things easy between them just yet. Cheered at the though, she picked up her space.

Everything was changing, and this time, she was determined to have a say.

#my fic #klaroline #klaroline fanfic #klaroline drabbles #please enjoy

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writer-or-whatever · 3 years ago

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✨Fresh New Pinned Post✨

Howdy! I’m James (they/them) and I write sometimes. :)

You can find my AO3 here | My tag for writing (and sometimes complaining about writing) is #james writes | I also have a podfic sideblog here

Current Writing Challenges I’m working on:

Bad Things Happen Bingo

100 Prompt Fills

If you take a peak and have any suggestions/requests/etc for either, send an ask! I’m totally open to ideas :)

Masterlist under the cut (updated 01/21/25)

Original Work

-> Card Trick [Horror & Comedy, T, 555, 2024] — Never Walk Into The Bog

-> Sleight of Hand [Horror & Comedy, T, 1k, 2024] — Caroline moved to the foothills to have an escape. She gets to work nine to five and then the world is her oyster from five to nine—that’s what the real estate agent promised. She hasn’t been on a walk once in the six months that she’s lived here. Today that changes.

Avatar: the Last Airbender

-> No Offense To The Universe or Whatever, But I’d Choose My Family Over Mystic Cosmic Energy Any Day [Gen, G, 1k, 2019] — A rewrite of the scene in S02E19: “The Guru” where Aang locks his final chakra because he can’t give up his earthly attachments but with more platonic love and sibling bonds this time around.

Friends

-> The One Where Rachel Comes Out [Rachel/Monica, T, 3k, 2021] — A rewrite of S01E24 “The One Where Rachel Finds Out” where Rachel and Monica are together, and finding out about Ross’s feelings sort of throws them for a loop since no one knows.

Gilmore Girls

-> All To Reveal A Secret We Can’t Hide [Gen, T, 1k, 2018, Fandom Ace Fest] — Asexual and Biromantic!Rory coming out to her mom. Set approximately in Season 3, so mentioned Rory/Jess, but no actual Rory/Jess scenes or anything.

-> Five Times Rory Asked Paris About Parenthood & One Time Paris Asked Rory [Paris/Rory, T, 1k, 2018] — A 5+1 with Rory and Paris as they talk about starting a family.

-> I Can Hate You From A Distance, I Can Learn To Let You Go [Gen, T, 839, 2024] — Rory & Paris take on this prompt: roommate A grabs the baseball bat only to find roommate B eating pickles and macarons in the kitchen at 4 in the morning. AU after Bridesmaid Revisited where Rory and Logan stay broken up.

-> The Art of Failing [Rory/Jess, T, 2k, 2023] — It’s the 2008 recession. Rory loses her job, but finds a friend.

-> this could be good (i can’t change even if i wanted to) [Paris/Rory, T, 3k, 2018] — Rory’s girlfriend invites her to a fancy Hanukkah celebration held by her family, but there are a few problems: Rory has no idea how to act at a fancy event and nobody knows that Rory and Paris are dating.

-> three words, two hearts, one maybe [Paris/Rory, T, 2k, 2018] — Rory and Paris (finally) get together. Set in their senior year at Yale, slight AU, where Doyle broke up with Paris at some point and Rory didn’t get back with Logan after she found out about all the girls he slept with during Thanksgiving (because she actually had standards- and another blonde in her life).

-> we are not perfect, but we’ll learn from our mistakes [Paris/Rory, T, 1k, 2018] — Paris tries to make coffee for Rory with horrible results. Set sometime after season seven but the Revival doesn’t exist here.

-> Why Do You Feel So Down [Paris/Rory, T, 928, 2018] — Rory has been distant lately and Paris is going to get to the bottom of it.

-> Would You Be So Kind As To Fall In Love With Me? [Paris/Rory, T, 5k, 2019] — A Spring Break AU wherein Paris and Rory get together. Well, about three weeks after the fact anyway.

Harry Potter

-> A Specter of the Night [Remus/Sirius, T, 1k, 2018] — Roaring 20s Wolfstar AU OR The one where Sirius turns up out of the blue as a Jazz singer and Remus is confused and still very much in love.

-> Aesthesis [Harry/Hermione, T, 1k, 2024] — After surviving the killing curse a second time, Harry is left with a magical variation of synesthesia.

-> Can’t Fight The Friction [Harry/Severus, T, 1k, 2018, HP Crossgen Fest] — Severus Snape doesn't die in the war and, though it took quite a bit of time, he's a lot easier to get along with than Harry previously thought.

-> Cinnamon And Smoke [Remus/Sirius, T, 1k, 2018] — Mankind has made many great contributions to society and the world: the wheel, modern medicine, and public education. The best, at least as far as Remus Lupin is concerned, are cinnamon chewing gum, cigarettes, and leather. His obsession and subsequent mental declaration that they were the pinnacle of human creativity revolve around one Sirius Black.

-> Five Conversations and a Dinner Date [Remus/Sirius, T, 2k, 2018] — The one where Sirius is a cashier and both Remus and Sirius bond over their poor eating habits.

-> Game Night [Remus/Sirius, T, 1k, 2018] — The one where Remus is pining and there’s alcohol and monopoly involved and Things Happen.

-> He Kept The Universe Alone (Alternatively: December 1981) [Remus/Sirius, T, 1k, 2018] — It's December 1981 and Sirius and Remus are alone.

-> Just Another Thursday Night [Remus/Sirius, T, 686, 2018] — The one where Sirius is asexual and awkward and this is all James’s fault, honest.

-> My Fair Lady [James/Lily, T, 8k, 2025] — Every summer for as long as Lily can remember, the Evans family goes to a Medieval Festival. This year, Lily invites James along. A slice of life for James and Lily, Post-Hogwarts Graduation.

-> On The Ground [Harry/Draco, T, 1k, 2024] — After two years of being rivals in the professional quidditch league, Harry and Draco are both selected for the English National Quidditch Team for the next Quidditch World Cup. They’ve now got to learn to get along (or at least pretend).

-> Seasons [Remus/Sirius, T, 415, 2018] — The Seasons of Sirius Black.

-> The four times Sirius surprised Remus and the one time Remus surprised Sirius [Remus/Sirius, T, 2k] — The four times Sirius surprised Remus and the one time Remus surprised Sirius. OR The historical AU where Remus is a servant and Sirius is a prisoner in the castle where he works and the two become friends and things happen.

-> The Life and Times of Harry Potter [Harry & Sirius, minor Harry/Draco, T, 2k, 2018] — Little snippets out of the Life and Times of Harry Potter.

-> The Life and Times of Sirius Black [minor Remus/Sirius, T, 2k, 2018] — Little snippets out of the Life and Times of Sirius Black.

-> Tightly Knit [James/Sirius/Lily, T, 1k, 2022] — Sirius struggles, but James and Lily make it better.

-> we need a melody, a gorgeous four part harmony, so it all makes sense. [Remus/Sirius, T, 2k, 2018] — The one where The Marauders are a band and they move in together but forgot some stuff. OR The one where Remus is the only responsible one in the group, Target is some sort of unholy labyrinth, and it all works out in the end.

Marvel

-> What In The World’s Come Over You? [Peter Parker-centric Gen, T, 1k, 2024] — Peter’s senses are on the fritz, and he can’t seem to fix them.

-> You haven’t got one good reason for being alone [Peter & Peter B., T, 4k, 2022] — It’s May’s birthday, the first one since she died, and Peter is not doing well.

The Adventure Zone: Amnesty

-> Training Montage [Duck & Aubrey, T, 1k, 2024] — Aubrey decides she wants to expand her skillset and asks Duck for help. Set between Season 1 and Season 2.

#maintenance post #James speaks #James writes #new pinned post babey!!!

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localexpertz · 1 year ago

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licensed real estate agent

Local Expertz - Your licensed real estate agent in Caroline Springs. Trust our accredited professionals for expert guidance in buying, selling, or renting properties. With local expertise and a commitment to exceptional service, we ensure a seamless and reliable real estate experience for our clients

#australia #melton #real estate #land for sale

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argylemnwrites · 4 years ago

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Why Are We Still Waiting? - Chapter 2

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)

Book: The Royal Romance (It Couldn’t Wait Another Moment universe)

Word Count: ~4900

Rating: PG-13 (language)

Summary: A trip back to Cordonia, meeting someone new... just not the new person they thought they would be meeting.

Author’s Note: Well, I’ve utterly failed at posting this with any semblance of regularity, but... it’s back. And I’m trying to get back in the habit of more consistent editing/writing (so things don’t take me five times as long because I am rusty). We left Drake and Riley engaged, but with a postponed wedding due to Savannah and Bertrand’s unplanned pregnancy. They just recently had their second child, a little girl, and Drake and Riley are off to Cordonia to meet their niece. To catch up on this series, you can check out the It Couldn’t Wait Another Moment masterlist (link in bio).

Drake twisted slightly, stretching out his back as he waited for the rows ahead of them to exit the plane so he could stand up and finally move his legs. He’d gotten more used to flying coach in the past couple of years, but that still didn’t exactly make it a comfortable or enjoyable experience. But there was obviously no way that they could make the trip to Cordonia a few times a year if they didn’t keep the flights as cheap as humanly possible.

As soon as he could, he shifted into the aisle, handing Riley her coat from the overhead bin before grabbing his own jacket and their duffle bags. And then they were off, shuffling through the airport, over to immigration, then off to baggage claim and customs.

Drake pulled out his phone as soon as he and Riley and their luggage were cleared. It was odd that Bastien hadn’t responded. He had texted him when they landed. It had become their habit over the past couple of years. Since Drake had sold his car, having Bastien take it to a dealership for him a few months after he permanently vacated his old quarters at the palace and putting the money towards some furniture for their new apartment, Liam had let him just borrow a car from the palace garage to use during his trips. With expedited immigration and customs, giving Bastien a head’s up when they landed in Cordonia usually worked out pretty perfectly with time, with Bastien waiting for them in short term parking by the time they got out, keys in hand.

But today, he hadn’t confirmed that he’d even seen the text. It was strange. Drake was just about to give him a call, when Riley nudged him with her elbow.

“Look,” she said, pointing across the concourse. There was a tall man ahead of them, wearing a navy sweater, a pair of jeans, and a bright blue baseball hat pulled very low, almost entirely hiding his dark hair. He was holding a sheet of paper that said “Walker/Liu,” but he wasn’t looking for them. In fact, he was clearly avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Drake just shook his head as he smiled. He should have known.

“Real subtle, Your Majesty,” Drake said as soon as they were close enough that he could drop his voice and still be heard by Liam.

Liam’s head jerked back and forth. “Not so loud!” he hissed out.

“You look so suspicious right now. You know that, right?”

“I’m trying to keep a low profile,” Liam said, shaking his head as he welcomed Drake’s loose hug.

“By doing what, dressing vaguely casual and then acting like someone who is terrified of being picked up by security?” Drake stepped back, shaking his head yet again.

“It’s not that bad.”

“No, Drake’s right. At JFK, you would have been carted off for an interview in some secret back room already,” Riley added before giving Liam a hug herself.

“I used to think your snark was rubbing off on her, but now I’m pretty sure I had that reversed,” Liam said over Riley’s shoulder towards Drake, earning himself a little shove and an eye roll as Riley stepped back. “Come on, let’s get out of here before I get recognized.

The three of them strolled out of the airport into the crisp winter air, the sun bright and blinding even as Riley shivered and handed Drake her duffle bag so that she could put on her coat.

“So what did we do to earn a ride in the royal motorcade?” Drake asked once they were clear of the crowds and vehicles in the drop off zone.

“I thought it might be a fun surprise.”

There was something in Liam’s tone that gave Drake pause. It was just a little too falsely cheery and rapid. There was something he wasn’t telling them. “And?”

He let out a little sigh, “And your mother and aunt decided to stay two extra nights, so they aren’t leaving until tomorrow.”

“Oh,” said Riley, “and who made the call that Leona and I shouldn’t be under the same roof?”

“That’s not the case, Riley,” Liam said with a shake of his head. “Bertrand wanted me to relay a message that you will always be an honorary Beaumont, and that therefore you are always welcome at Ramsford.”

Drake glanced over at Riley to find her already gazing his way. She raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes, and all Drake could do was shrug. Riley and his aunt had clashed pretty intensely during her first trip down to Texas, and things had only gotten worse the next two visits. It was clear someone decided that Riley and Leona shouldn’t be allowed to run into each other if it could be avoided, and Drake didn’t exactly disagree with that thought process.

"Right," said Riley, “because I'm sure me snapping at her judgemental ass would be much appreciated."

Liam glanced back at Drake, clearly looking to him to see if it was fine to speak candidly. He still was getting used to the fact that Riley didn't need things tied up in a pretty diplomatic bow and honestly preferred blunt assessments. Drake got the sense that Liam still almost felt like it was a trap at times, so used to courtly politics being the norm with everyone but Drake himself. But Drake just gave him a little nod. Riley was self-aware enough of the nature of her relationship with Aunt Leona that she didn’t need Liam to dance around it.

“Well, Maxwell did mention that he thought that… that Caroline might be making enough noise for the estate and there wasn’t a need to add to it.”

Drake let out a chuckle at that, watching as Riley rolled her eyes but otherwise had no reaction. He was pretty sure she vented to Maxwell about his family on occasion, so it wasn't exactly surprising that he was the one who had decided any meetings between Riley and Leona should be avoided if possible. Liam's shoulders relaxed slightly once a few seconds passed and it was clear that Riley wasn't offended by his statement.

"So, I hope you both can forgive the last minute change of plans, but I thought you might find a night at the palace more enjoyable. I know I would like the chance to spend some time with both of you. Plus, there is… well, there is someone I would very much like you both to meet."

"What?"

"Yes. She is waiting over there, by the car."

Drake followed Liam’s gesture and saw a woman standing by a non-descript silver sedan, one of the cars kept in the palace garage for trips where a member of the royal family might need to keep a low profile. They were still far enough away that he couldn’t tell much about what she looked like. This had to be a girlfriend, right? Again, Drake looked over at Riley, wanting to see if she had the same thought. Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows almost comically raised as she mouthed, “What?” at him. Alright, so she agreed. Well, this was definitely going to be interesting.

In all their years of friendship, Drake had never met someone Liam considered to be a girlfriend. In fact, it was rare for Liam to have a girlfriend. The politics, the diplomatic implications, all that shit just made it tough. Or at least that’s what Drake had assumed. It was kind of the whole point of the social season - a safe way for members of the royal family to date.

As they approached the car, Drake got a better look at the woman in question. She was definitely pretty, with warm brown skin, deep brown eyes, and a wide and gentle smile, even if that smile did look a little strained at the moment. That was likely due to some nerves, as she was twisting her hands in front of her waist. She was also wearing jeans and a sweater, although her sweater was yellow, and her tight curls were pushed back with some sort of sparkly headband.

“Drake, Riley,” Liam started, standing next to her, his hand sliding along her back, "This is Iris Dertrain. Iris, these are my friends, Drake Walker and Riley Liu."

"It's nice to meet you both," Iris said, reaching out her right hand. "Liam has told me so much about you."

"Oh… uhhh, nice to meet you, too," Drake said, grasping her hand and giving it a shake. He didn't want to throw Liam under the apple truck, but he had told him nothing about this woman.

Liam stepped forward, his hands raised in front of his chest, smiling rather sheepishly. "Iris, I am afraid I haven't mentioned you to either of them."

"Why not?" She pivoted at that, yanking her hands back to her waist, her eyes wide.

Liam reached out, wrapping his hands around hers and stepping up close to her. Instinctively, Drake looked off to the side and slid backwards, giving them as much space and privacy as possible. Liam’s voice dropped off, but he still picked up a few scattered words and phrases, including “too important” and “phone calls.” After a few moments, he chanced a glance back towards them. Iris was nodding as Liam slid his hand off her cheek, so he cleared his throat.

Iris smiled, then spun around to face Riley, reaching out to shake her hand as well, but Riley wasn’t having any of that, instead wrapping her arms around her in a loose hug.

“Sorry, not gonna do a handshake,” she said, “even if Liam decided it was best to drop you on us without any warning.”

“Riley, I-” Liam started, but she shook her head as she stepped back from Iris.

“First, you change our travel plans by barring us from Ramsford for the night, then you spring a girlfriend on us. Are you trying to make my life hell? You know how he is with the unexpected,” she said, cocking her head towards Drake.

“Hey! I can handle surprises!”

Both Riley and Liam laughed openly at that, which annoyed Drake. Not so much because he thought Riley’s assessment of him was inaccurate, but more because of how much pure glee she and Liam seemed to take in teaming up against him these days. He kind of understood that it was natural, given that they were the two people who knew him best… but still. Oh well, if anything it proved that over the years, Riley and Liam had settled into a comfortable friendship that was their own. And that was something Drake would gladly pay the price of some light ribbing for when it came down to it.

After loading the luggage into the trunk and climbing into the car, they headed off towards the palace. Even though the drive wasn’t that long, Drake was infinitely grateful that Riley was steering the conversation. If it had just been him with Liam and Iris, it would have undoubtedly been stilted, awkward, and formal, no matter how hard Liam would have tried to make things feel natural. But Riley knew how to put people at ease, to keep things flowing.

“So, did Liam have a secret social season he hid from us and the media? Or did you guys meet in a more normal way?”

Iris let out a little laugh at that. “I was one of the teacher representatives on the educational council.”

“So you’re a teacher?”

“Used to be. Now, I work mostly as an administrator, deciding on curriculum changes, making sure schools in different regions are reaching their goals, that sort of thing. That’s why I was on the council - I was lobbying for increased funding so that we could work on reducing classroom sizes in Portavira.”

“Do you miss teaching?”

“Sometimes. I was a science teacher, and there are points when I miss getting to guide my students through experiments, to get to see minds literally learning concepts first hand. But… I taught 12 to 14 year olds, and I do not miss the interpersonal drama that was always brewing between them.”

Riley laughed at that. Even though she was seated behind him, Drake could just picture the way her head was tossed back, her eyes narrowed. It was her genuine laugh, not her fake, customer service laugh. It seemed like with each trip back to Cordonia, the real laugh came out more and more.

“So was it their shitty adolescent angst that pushed you into the admin side of things?”

Riley’s question drew another chuckle from Iris. “No, I’m tougher than that. I just felt like I could do more, make a difference for more students by working for systemic changes. Luckily, we live in a country where our political leaders listen to teachers about how best to educate our children.”

Drake glanced over to Liam, who was smiling broadly at Iris’s comment. “Only a fool would think that he knows everything just because he holds a position of political power.”

“See, I’m lucky.” said Iris.

Somehow, Liam smiled even wider at that. Drake suspected that if asked, Liam would say he was the lucky one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley spun on the couch in the private lounge, swinging her legs up onto the cushions as she took the glass of whiskey Drake offered her and leaned up against his side as he sat back down. Liam and Iris were on the couch across from them, although Riley could tell that Iris wasn’t as relaxed as the rest of them. Sure, she had loosened up a lot over the evening, but there was still this edge of fearing that she didn’t belong in a palace, that she was going to mess this up. It was a feeling Riley knew well.

Of course, Riley could tell that Iris’s fear was not quite the same as the anxiety she had carried during that fateful social season. At first, it had been this belief that she was going to fuck up so badly, let her brash, judgemental, potty-mouthed self shine through, and get kicked out, a joke who was sent packing back to nothing, not even her shitty job since she’d quit that on a whim to fly to a country she’d never heard of before. As time went on, her fears had grown to losing the closest people she had to genuine friends by falling for the wrong guy. She had been a ball of mad nerves by the night of Liam’s coronation.

But Iris’s fears seemed to be centered more on Liam himself. She kept glancing towards him, almost as if she was afraid she was going to let him down or make things difficult for him. It was so much kinder and more selfless than Riley had ever behaved with Liam. It was very sweet to see.

Liam was equally sweet in response, which wasn’t surprising at all. He could definitely sense her remaining traces of nervousness, as he frequently reached over to hold her hand or to run his hand along her back. It was part of the reason Riley was going for a little more PDA than she would normally be comfortable with - she wanted them to feel comfortable with their level of PDA.

Iris took a sip of her wine before noticing what Riley was drinking. “Wait, I’m the only one here not drinking whiskey?”

Riley cocked an eyebrow at her. “I’ve always been a hard liquor sort of girl.”

Iris shook her head before drinking a little more of her wine. “I’ve never really had the stomach for it. I can do those fruity cocktails, but straight liquor?” She let out a shudder at that.

“Better get used to it; it’ll be the only way to get through endless balls and galas and fundraisers for rare pigeon species or whatever is the cause du jour,” Drake quipped. Riley nudged her elbow back into his side, causing him to chuckle.

“He’s exaggerating. It’s not that horrible.”

He let out a scoff, so Riley twisted to glare at him.

“Liu, you bitched to me endlessly about how much you hated all the pomp and pretentiousness and-”

“-and she’s not me! Quit scaring her off!” Riley rolled her eyes at him before spinning back around to Iris. “You seem much less bitchy than me, so I’m sure you’ll be fine. After all, you’ve taught preteens, so that proves you are way more patient and tolerant,” she said, waving her hand in what she hoped was a reassuring way. “Who have you met so far?”

“Only Olivia Nevrakis.”

“Yikes, you really led with her?” Drake called out to Liam, causing Riley to elbow him yet again.

Liam just chuckled. “You know, she can be rather pleasant if she isn’t being antagonized endlessly.”

“Are you kidding me? She always starts it.”

Iris just gave a little shrug. “I don’t know. I only met her for one dinner, but she didn’t seem cruel or unwelcoming. And her boyfriend was quiet, but seemed nice.”

Riley felt Drake moving beside her as she leaned forward, her eyes jumping to Liam. His eyes were pinched shut as he winced, bracing for the inevitable questions.

"What the hell?"

"Olivia has a boyfriend?"

"Oh crap, was that a secret?" Iris looked horrified at her slip up, twisting around to glance at Liam.

He let out a short sigh. "Well, she hasn't gone public with him yet."

"I just thought that was only because Christopher’s divorce wasn't finalized."

Riley could practically feel the joy rolling off Drake in waves as Liam's slight wince turned into a full on grimace.

"Olivia's dating a married man?"

Liam shook his head. "He has been separated from his wife for over a year now. And I would appreciate you two keeping this to yourselves for the moment. You know how Olivia values her privacy."

"We won't tell a soul," Riley said, nudging Drake with the side of her foot to keep him quiet.

"Sure, but Iris, what other of Olivia's dark secrets do you want to spill?" he teased, ignoring Riley's gesture, instead grinning at her when she shot him a glare. All she could do was roll her eyes.

"I had no idea that it was a secret! Oh Liam, how mad is she going to be?"

"It'll be fine; I promise you. Drake and Riley aren't going to tell anyone, right?" he asked, staring at both of them pointedly.

"Of course. We live in New York; no one cares about Cordonian gossip there," Riley said, trying to lighten the mood and calm Iris's worries.

"Besides, we like you enough to spare you from the she-devil's wrath."

Liam just shook his head. "Drake… Olivia's not that bad. She can just be… intense."

Riley nodded at that. "She’s honestly probably one of the harder ones to impress, so if you feel like she was fine with you, I don’t think you have much to worry about. Except Neville. And Madeleine if she’s still around.”

Liam shook his head. “She’s still in London. No one here has seen her for a year or so.”

“So then just Neville. Otherwise, they’re largely harmless. Just varying degrees of out of touch. Nothing a few cocktails won't help you tolerate.” Liam shook his head gently at Riley’s assessment. She still sometimes felt a little weird being completely honest about her perceptions of things in front of him. He was so kind, and she… well, she knew she judged everyone. But Liam claimed he appreciated honesty from her, and he’d never made her feel bad for sharing her thoughts, so she always made an effort not to censor herself in front of Liam. Well, not too much. He was still a king, after all.

“Well, I guess I’ll find out in a couple weeks,” Iris said, dropping her eyes to her lap and tracing her fingers along the stem of her wine glass.

Liam nodded. “You’ll do fine, love. I know you will,” he said, running his hand along her arm. “Iris will be attending the Twilight Ball at the end of the month as her first official appearance,” he clarified to Drake and Riley.

“So you’ll be going public then?” Drake asked.

“Yes, that’s the plan,” said Iris. “My letter of resignation is being reviewed by the palace PR department currently, and once I submit that, things should be clear for us."

Riley frowned at that. Iris had seemed to really love her job when she talked about it. "You're resigning?"

Iris tilted her head off to the side as she gave a little shrug. "It could be perceived as a conflict of interest. The teachers aren't going to believe I am advocating for their best interests if I am in a relationship with him. And his critics are going to accuse him of being unobjective in his policy decisions due to our relationship."

Riley felt Drake shift against her. "That's… that's a big step," he said.

Iris opened her mouth to respond, but Liam placed a hand on her knee, essentially stopping her. "Yes, it is. Iris and I have had several frank discussions about how complicated my life is, and she asked me if this would be beneficial. Neither one of us has taken this decision lightly.”

Considering how little thought Drake had put into dropping his whole life to move to New York, Riley didn’t really feel like he had a leg to stand on here, questioning Iris’s decision to leave her job for a relatively young relationship. But she also knew that Drake sometimes liked to play devil’s advocate with Liam, even if he didn’t personally disagree with Liam’s decisions. So she didn’t say anything, but instead just glanced over to Iris to see how she was handling it all.

She didn’t look too fazed, but she was squinting at Drake slightly, almost as if she was trying to read him. “Are you worried for him or for me?” she finally asked after a couple of seconds. “Because it would make sense for you to worry about him, but I don’t understand how me quitting my job would be at all harmful to Liam.”

Riley twisted around slightly to look at Drake. He gave a little shrug and took a sip of his whiskey. “Don’t want to see either of you get trapped.”

“This isn’t locking us into anything. I can go back to teaching at any time; I’m just stepping down from my more activist-like role.”

"Sure, but you're going to get a lot of media attention regardless here. Are you ready for that?"

This time it was Liam who started to speak, but Iris jumped right back in. “I can’t know for sure, of course, but I think so. I’ve given speeches and interviews before as part of my work, and while that was obviously on a much smaller scale, I never had a problem with the media.”

“And I wouldn't make this public if I wasn’t sure, Drake. You know that.”

Drake gave a nod. “Okay then. Don’t fully trust anyone besides Liam, though.”

And that was it. Drake leaned back, relaxing fully into the couch, as Liam took a drink from his glass. Sometimes, Riley felt like they had their own little language, their private way of communicating, but she supposed that was only natural after decades of friendship. She caught eyes with Iris, looking almost bewildered at the shift of the energy in the room and gave her a little shrug. Iris smiled and raised her eyebrows. It was nice, having someone else who got to observe the weirdness that was the friendship between those two.

“Alright, so cautious and careful with the members of court. Any other tips for me on how to handle my first ball?” Iris asked.

Everyone else in the room burst out laughing at her question, erasing any last traces of tension.

“What?”

“You could not have picked two worse people to ask,” Riley said, shaking her head. “He’s just going to tell you to get drunk and avoid everyone.”

“Oh, like that wasn’t your strategy by the end as well! How many times did you just straight up steal my flask off of me because they were only offering wine and champagne?”

“I was just making sure you didn’t have to drink alone. It was simply out of concern for you that-”

“-Uh huh. Yeah.”

“Fine. To answer your question, Iris, do the exact opposite of what I did. And as long as you don’t show up in denim to the ball, you’ll be a step ahead of this one.”

“Wait, you wore denim to a formal ball?”

“Oh, not just one!” added Liam, a huge grin spreading across his face, his eyes lighting up as he stared Drake down. “Years and years of formal events saw Drake decide that denim was the most appropriate attire.”

Iris’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. She glanced around the room, almost as if she expected someone to pop out and tell this was some massive prank.

“We aren’t kidding,” Riley said, “He and I just set the bar insanely low for you to clear. Wear a nice ballgown, don’t openly refer to other members of the nobility as ‘little bitches,’ and you should be all set.”

Iris glanced between her and Drake, the shock evident in her wide eyes.

“Yeah, so not exactly surprising we left court,” Drake said, downing the rest of his whiskey.

Iris just shook her head. “Liam told me many things about both of you, but I feel like he left out that you were so…”

“Irreverent?”

“Mad stubborn?”

“Damn foolish?”

She smiled and took a sip of her wine. “I’ll defer to your descriptions. So, I take it your wedding won’t be very formal?”

Riley felt Drake shift slightly next to her, his knee starting to fidget. “Uh no, not at all. To put things in perspective, we invited less than 25 people the first time, and we might do even less now.”

“The first time?”

“Drake and Riley ended up postponing,” Liam said, his eyes flickering over to Drake before glancing back at Iris, “They were originally set to get married this past June.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I had no idea! I never would have brought it up if-”

“-It’s fine,” Drake said, cutting off Iris’s apology. “Something came up with my family last minute.”

Iris looked conflicted as to how to best move on from the topic of conversation she’d innocently stumbled into. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that you had to make that choice. Have you set a new date?”

Drake tensed up at that and Riley had to hold back a sigh. If only Iris could have decided to change the subject instead of talk through it. “No, we haven’t yet.”

"Soon, though," Drake added before standing up, walking over to the side of the room to refill his glass.

Iris looked worried that she had said something horribly offensive, so Riley just gave her what she hoped came across as a reassuring smile as she shook her head lightly. “Yeah, it’s no big deal. Just something that had to happen.”

She could hear ice clinking into a glass, but she resisted the urge to spin around and see just how tense and uptight Drake was. She knew that as the months had passed by, the postponement had become more and more of a sore spot for him, that Drake was frustrated that they couldn’t just plan their wedding over again right away, that they had to save up again after losing all their deposits for a late cancellation. She just didn’t understand why he had gotten so stuck on this one thing. They still lived together, they still had a future together, and they were still getting married. Nothing had changed. Yet as the months had rolled by, the topic of their wedding seemed to just make him more and more antsy each time it got brought up.

Part of her wondered how much of this was due to the fact that everyone else around them was making these big life changes, and much like being back at court, he felt like he was just being left off to the side. Hana and Catherine were married. Savannah and Bertrand had another baby. Back home, Luke and Nicole had just announced they were pregnant. And now Liam was in a relationship that seemed mad serious. It probably was creating this weird sense of being an outsider for him again. She was sure that had to be a factor.

Deep down, she knew it was very sweet that Drake’s frustrations largely stemmed from that fact that he just wanted to be married to her. But part of her wished he could just relax about it all. They would get married when they got married, and until then, they should just enjoy their lives together. Instead, it all seemed to just stress him out.

But until they saved up enough for new deposits and got things planned and organized again, Riley knew that she was just going to have to deal with his… moodiness around this whole topic. As he rejoined her on the couch, she placed her hand on his knee and gave it a gentle squeeze, just hoping that was enough to provide some reassurance and to calm him down. She didn’t want their entire trip to have those worries hanging over their heads. This was supposed to be a fun and happy visit, after all.

Perma: @walkerswhiskeygirl @octobereighth @kimmiedoo5 @mom2000aggie

TRR/TRH: @iaminlovewithtrr @mskaneko @axwalker @jovialyouthmusic @marshmallowsandfire @kingliam2019 @sirbeepsalot @texaskitten30 @princessleac1 @ladyangel70 @debramcg1106 @masterofbluff @sarahx206

Drake x MC: @no-one-u-know @iplaydrake

ICWAM: @thequeenchoices @sunnyxdazed

#drake walker #drake x mc #trr fanfic #trr au #trr au fanfic #choices fanfiction #liam x oc #trr

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