#choices the royal heir

[tessa-liam]

Roses/Monuments, Day 3

"Thank you, Riley. With so little permanence in this world, there will always be this little lock on this bridge just for the two of us. I want to believe it will be here forever, no matter what else happens to us." 

A monument to eternal love and commitment....

Pont des Arts, 'Lovelock Bridge' Paris, France

Inspired by Liam and Riley's visit to this Bridge during the engagement tour....

Bridge of Dreams , Chapter 15

Turning the Page Series

✨️Artwork Commission by /@artbyainna

Thank you @lizzybeth1986 & @sazanes for hosting #KLAW 2024🥂⚘️

@kingliamappreciationweek @choicesmonthlychallenge , prompt 01- appreciation

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicescommunityevents

[choices-binglebonkus]

You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me.

[sfb123]

Leaping to Conclusions

Pairing: Liam x Riley

All characters belong to Pixelberry

Summary: The pressure to produce an heir is getting to Liam and Riley, leading them to turn to some unconventional methods.

Rating: PG, Adult Language

Word Count: 1,395

A/N: This fic is insanity guys, I'm not even going to pretend it's anything but. I learned the most absurd fun fact this week, and after sharing it with pretty much everyone I know, @ao719 convinced me that it needed to be a fic, and here we are.

For the record, this story doesn't take place in any of my timelines. My Liam and Riley can be weird, but never this weird. 😂

I am participating in @choicesflashfics, the prompt: “Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?” will appear in bold below.

And finally, nobody has pre-read this, so apologies in advance for my horrendous grammar, and anything else about it that sucks.

Riley’s eyes fluttered open as she felt Liam’s lips trailing slowly across her shoulder. She moaned softly and arched back into him. 

“Good morning, love.” He whispered huskily into her ear. 

“When it starts like this it is.” She replied, reveling in the attention she was receiving from her husband. 

As his hand traveled up her body, her stomach started to lurch. Her hand flew to her mouth and she leapt out of his arms and rushed to the bathroom of their guest room in the Walker ranch. Liam sat up and watched with worry as the door slammed shut. 

After a few moments, Liam stood and approached the door. He could hear his wife on the other end, and he knew exactly what was going on. He rapped gently on the door. “Riley, are you alright? Can I get you anything?”  

The only response he received were a few more retching noises, followed by the toilet flushing. Soon after, the door opened, and Liam met Riley’s red, blotchy eyes. “Sorry.” 

Liam wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush against him. “You don’t have to apologize, it’s not your fault.” They stood there in silence as Liam held her. “Riley, do you think you may need to take a test?” 

Since the royal couple had gotten married, they’d been facing pressure to produce an heir. While they did not take their positions as monarchs lightly, for them, it was more about building a family together. 

“It wouldn’t hurt.” Riley shrugged before returning to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Liam took a seat at the end of the bed to wait for her. 

“Oh no!” Liam stood and rushed back to the door at Riley’s cry. She came back into the bedroom, more distraught than she had been before. “I dropped the test in the toilet.” She buried her head in her hands. 

Liam chuckled slightly, as he wrapped his arm around her. He had read that pregnancy hormones could cause overreactions; he assumed, hoped, that was why she was so upset. “It’s alright, just take another one.”

“Liam, it was the last one!” She snapped.

He stepped back, shocked by her aggression. “That’s alright, we can go into town and get more.” 

“Are you kidding?!” Riley threw her hands up in frustration before moving to the bed and dropping down, burying her face in the pillow. “The press has been all over us, the last thing I need is for them to get a picture of me buying pregnancy tests!” 

Liam sat beside her on the bed, rubbing her back gently as he racked his brain for a solution. “I’ve got it!” 

Riley rolled over and sat up, leaning against the headboard. “What?” 

“We’re in Texas, surely there is a frog around here somewhere.” He said as he moved to the dresser, pulling out a pair of jeans. 

“Liam, this is no time to go wildlife gazing, I might be carrying the heir!” Riley chided him.

“Love calm down, the frog will be able to tell us.” He said matter of factly as he continued to get dressed. 

Her face contorted into a confused expression. “Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?” 

He sat beside her on the bed and slid on his boots. “For about twenty years, starting in the nineteen forties, before the pregnancy tests we are familiar with today, there was the Hogben test. A British zoologist, Lancelot Hogben, discovered that when urine samples from pregnant women were injected into frogs, the frog would spawn eggs within eighteen hours. It was the most rapid and reliable pregnancy test of the time.” 

Riley stared at her husband in stunned silence. “How the fuck do you even know that?” 

“I like history.” He shrugged. 

Still befuddled by her husband’s solution, Riley took a deep breath. “So you want to inject a frog with my pee, and then in 18 hours either nothing happens and I’m not pregnant, or I am pregnant and we also have a hundred and seventy two frog eggs?” 

“They’re called frogspawn, love.” He corrected. 

She slapped her palm against her forehead. “Yeah, because that’s the most crucial thing in this conversation.”

“I’m sorry, force of habit,” Liam smiled sheepishly. “Would you like to try it? It’s a fascinating concept, I would be interested to see it in action.” 

“Liam, I don’t even want to touch a frog, let alone do science experiments on it.”

“I’ll take care of everything,” he insisted. “I’ll just need your… well, your um… sample.” 

Riley chuckled when Liam started to get flustered. “Alright, if it’ll make you happy, and all I have to do is pee in a cup, then let’s give it a try.” 

Liam grinned and leaned in, planting a quick kiss on Riley’s lips. “Excellent!”

“I guess Kermit was right, it’s not easy being green.” Riley said, shaking her head. 

Liam made his way to a nearby pond in search of the perfect frog. His eyes roamed the banks in search of his test subject. “If I were a frog, where would I be?” 

Finally, he noticed a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see a frog seated on a nearby rock. “Perfect.” He stalked toward his prey, making sure to stay as quiet as possible. 

Liam was so laser focused that he didn’t notice Drake coming up behind him, curiously observing the actions of his best friend. “Li, what the fuck are you doing?” 

Drake’s words startled Liam and before he had time to catch himself, he tumbled over into the pond as the frog lept away. Drake cackled as the King of Cordonia sat waist deep in the pond glaring at him. 

“Sorry,” Drake apologized as he reached down, helping Liam out of the water. “But seriously, what are you doing?”

“Riley might be pregnant,” he answered.

Drake furrowed his brow, even more confused now that he had the explanation. “Okay, so you decided to go frog hunting to celebrate?” 

“No, we lost the test,” he responded. When Drake continued to stare at him with a blank expression, Liam sighed and explained the Hogben test just as he had done for Riley earlier. 

“And Brooks agreed to go along with this?” Drake chuckled.

“We would do anything for eachother.” 

Drake rolled his eyes and moved toward the pond. A few moments later he returned with a frog. 

“How did you do that?” Liam marveled. 

“You had your training growing up, I had mine.” He shrugged in reply. 

Liam took the frog from Drake, thanking him for his efforts and began walking back to the house. 

“I’ve gotta see this.” Drake said to himself as he followed Liam. 

Liam entered the house heading toward the stairs, until he saw Riley sitting with Madeleine on the living room couch. When he stepped up to them, he noticed the crestfallen expression on his wife’s face. 

“Love, what’s wrong?” 

“I’m not pregnant,” she responded, her eyes trained on the floor. 

“But how do you know? I’ve got the frog right here.” He held it up to show her. 

Madeleine stood from the couch, glaring in confusion and disgust at the sight in front of her. “When I was in town this morning, I bought some tests. I figured you would need them.” 

“Oh Riley,” Liam moved to Riley, outstretching his arms. 

“Liam,” she held a hand up to stop him from getting any closer. “You’re slimy, and wet… and holding a frog.” 

“Oh, right.” Liam looked down at himself, and the frog in his hands. “I should shower. Care to join me?” He asked slyly. 

“Um… maybe you should handle this one solo,” she cringed. 

Liam handed the frog over to Madeleine, who grabbed it instinctively. He signaled for Riley to follow him, and they made their way up the stairs to the bedroom.

“So you’re not going to pee on a frog?” Drake called out as they exited the room. 

“Ugh,” Madeleine groaned. “None of this would be happening if I were queen.” She turned to Drake, thrusting the frog in his direction. “Make yourself useful and deal with this thing.” She stormed out of the room, mumbling to herself, questioning where things went wrong for her.

Drake looked down at the frog with a grin. “God I love Texas.”  

Permatag:

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

Liam:

@amandablink @custaroonie @jared2612

TRR:

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

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics

[playchoicesconfessions]

Sent by anonymous

‘I personally don’t understand the love for the royal romance books. I don’t think they are really bad, but the amount of books they got was just a bit insane to me.’

POST/CONFESSIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE MOD’S PERSONAL OPINIONS!

[harbingerofdespair]

Yes I paid $15 to sleep with Olivia, yes it was worth it.

[justcallmefox89]

Cinderfella's Adventures in Cordonia - Chapter Twenty-Three

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

Masterlist

Return to Cordonia

Liam restlessly drums his fingers against the armrest of his seat, occasionally darting irritated glances towards Callum and Drake.  Pangs of anger and jealously shoot through him as he watches the two interact; his chest tightening as his observes the tender way Callum treats Drake, as if he is something fragile and precious.

Callum tucks a soft blanket around Drake then slouches lower in his seat, allowing Drake to comfortably pillow his head on Callum’s shoulder.  Callum presses a soft kiss to the top of Drake’s head before picking up a battered paperback and starting to quietly read out loud.  Drake’s eyelids begin to flutter, and his breathing becomes deep and even as he quickly drops off to sleep.  Callum tenderly smiles down at him and resumes his reading silently, remaining as still as possible to avoid disturbing Drake’s sleep. 

If they weren’t currently 40,000 feet above the Atlantic ocean Liam would have thrown himself out of the plane without a second thought, anything to escape the painfully sick feeling he gets seeing Drake and Callum together.

Someone slides gracefully into the seat next to him, temporarily drawing his attention away from the two men. 

“I took the liberty of making you some tea,” Hana murmurs, passing him a steaming mug.

Liam inhales the fragrant steam and takes a sip, the scalding tea burning his tongue and temporarily distracting him from his misery.  “Thank you, Hana,” he says, smiling at her gratefully.

“How are you?” she asks, concern shining in her brown eyes.

Liam takes another sip of tea, trying to collect his thoughts.  “This is a situation I never expected to find myself in,” he finally admits.

“I doubt many people do,” Hana replies, stifling a smile.  “I don’t envy you, Your Majesty.  Madeline is furious.”

Liam stretches in his seat, picking out a familiar head of blonde hair sitting several seats ahead of him.  He shrugs, unable to muster enough energy to care about his fiancée’s anger.  “It’s no secret that our marriage isn’t a love match,” he sighs.  “I’m not sure what she expects from me.”

“Probably for you to not openly stare at Drake and Callum as if you’re a jealous lover.”

The king turns his head to stare at Hana, shocked at her uncharacteristic boldness. 

She nervously tucks her hair behind her ears and clears her throat.  “Her pride is hurt, Your Majesty.  No matter the truth of your arrangement it is important to her that the two of you appear to be a loving and committed couple to the public.”

“It’s getting harder and harder to pretend,” he admits, slumping back into his seat.  “I see those two together and I remember every wonderful moment I’ve had with them, and I can’t help but imagine what kind of future we could have together.”

He speaks without thinking, unwittingly admitting to his previous relationship with Drake.  Hana smiles to herself, happy to have her long-standing suspicions finally confirmed, but allows the moment to pass without comment.

“But then I remember how easy it was for Callum to give up, to walk away from me without a fight,” Liam continues.  “And I see how easy it was for Drake to just fall into his arms and I feel… betrayed.  I’m furious, Hana.  With both of them.  And I don’t want to be, but I can’t help it.”

Hana levels him with a disappointed look and he squirms under her gaze.  “I would hope you know both of them well enough by now, especially Drake, to know that none of this is easy for them.  It wasn’t easy for Callum to leave Cordonia, but at some point he had to prioritize his well-being over the chance you might choose him.  For you their relationship came out of nowhere, but Drake was Callum’s rock during the social season, sometimes even more than myself or Maxwell.  They understand each other in a way we never will, because in many ways they will always be outsiders in court.  They bring out the best in each other.  Drake grounds Callum.  And Callum makes Drake free.”

Liam frowns, silently ruminating over her words.

Hana sighs, softening her tone.  “I understand that you’re angry, and that’s fair.  But you need to understand that you played a part in all of this too.  You decided to prioritize your duty to Cordonia, and you have to accept all the consequences that follow.”

“You know better than anyone that I didn’t have a choice.”

“There is always a choice, Liam.”  Hana tentatively lays her hand over his and gazes at him earnestly.  “Drake and Callum chose happiness, it’s not too late for you to do the same.”

“I…” Liam hesitates, the very thought seems overwhelmingly daunting.

Hana squeezes his hand reassuringly.  “I will remain your friend whatever you decide, Liam.  But bear in mind that if you do marry Madeline you run the chance of losing them both forever.”

“I know,” he whispers sadly, glancing over towards the pair.  Callum has joined Drake in slumber; his cheek rests on the top of Drake’s head and he smiles faintly in his sleep.  “I know.” 

[cadybear420]

I'm thinking of edit of Drake baby cg with a background of trans and/or gay flag but I can't edit 😭😭

I gotchu fam

[txemrn]

Déjà Vu

Chapter 4

New? Check out the first THREE chapters HERE! (Go ahead; we'll be here. 😉)

Series Summary: After an unforgettable night with a stranger, Princess Eleanor finds herself caught in a secret love triangle between a noble and a commoner.

Chapter Summary: Drake heads to Club Core with Leo; he unexpectedly meets a young woman that reminds him of a past life.

Pairing(s): mention of Liam x Riley; Drake x Riley (former)

Word Count: ~4970

Warning: 🔞 Mature Audiences Only 🔞 language (tons; it's Drake); sexual references (crude); mention of excessive drinking; drug-use reference; brief violence

A/N: Welcome to my Crack Fic! If you are new, hi! Thank you for joining us! This story takes place approximately 2 decades after TRR/TRH. I have made some canonical changes (they will be mentioned). Although this is from my crazy mind, it takes a village! Huge thanks to my sweet writing buddies for helping me figure out various parts! Love y'all! Characters and some plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry! This was not Beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

Drake

What the fuck was I thinking? I hate large crowds and eardrum-piercing music. I hate being around people who can't hold their liquor, not to mention I hate dancing. But even worse, I hate Leonardo Anselm Phineas Rys. Old thorn in my side. What in the actual fuck made me agree to hang out with blondie in the first place? At a club? On opening night?

Because you're lonely, and he offered free booze…

My twisted expression relaxes as I shrug my shoulders. Meh. I guess it could be worse.

"Okay, baby… I'll be home later… yes… I'll tell Liam you said, 'hello'..." Leo gives an obnoxious kissing sound before disconnecting his call with the touch of a button. He lets out a sigh, taking a hit of his vape pen. "Dahlia," he answers to the question I never asked. He glances at me, sucking in his bottom lip before giving me a slow flutter of a wink.  "She's a bit clingy."

I nod, drumming my fingers against the leather interior, playing it cool like I care. "Is… she your–?"

"Friend."

Ah. Okay. 'Friend.'  The term just glides off of his tongue. Nonchalant. Sweet and syrupy, almost as if he believes the bullshit he's feeding this poor girl that's waiting at home for him. 

And she thinks what now? That he's coming over after an evening with his brother's family which, no doubt, she has never met. And judging by that brief interaction with goldie locks here, she doesn’t seem to have the intellectual capacity to wonder why she wasn't invited to the dinner in the first place.

Side-piece. Booty-call. Friend. It's all just semantics to douchebags like Leo Rys.

I fidget with the navy collar to the button-down shirt Leo loaned me. I could barely fit my broad shoulders into the lean cut of his tailored threads. The guy has a rock hard physique, but tough, manual labor creates a different kind of body. A strong one. Like mine.

The buttons pull slightly across my chest as I flash a glance in the car visor mirror. I look like a fucking tool. I'm not used to my stubble brushing up against starched cotton; I'm usually wearing a tee, my work denim and my steel-toes. I mean, unless I'm meeting with a client or going out to dinner where you have a waiter and utensils. But, other than that, I am a fish out of water: this shirt is uncomfortable. And I have a feeling this is just a prelude of what's to come.

At least Leo approved of my jeans and Tecovas. He tried throwing my trusty chambray shirt in the trash.  "No one has worn this for at least twenty years… and they weren't even wearing it then."

Fuck off.

We pull up to this club, and I swear everyone in Cordonia has turned out for this spectacle. The moment Rys steps out of his 'I didn't want anything too flashy' red Ferrari, the paps were on him like white on rice. Flashes of light rain from every direction as reporters flood him with curious questions about his Gucci loafers and gray Brioni blazer. 

Lucky for me, I'm a nobody, and the press quickly discovers that the moment I step out onto the red carpet. Dropping their cameras and microphones in disappointment, they instantly turn their attention elsewhere.  I don't know if I should be grateful… or offended, to be honest. At least confuse me for Leo's new lover… bunch of dickwads.

I push past the commotion, combing my hair out of my eyes as I look around the red carpet. This place is pretty snazzy, but holy fuck, they didn't spare with any expenses. It’s like a fucking fortress: a tall, wrought iron fence encased with stone surrounds the perimeter. Armed security in black tie a la James Bond swarm the space.

Now, the entrance? This wasn't just any ol’ red carpet; oh, fuck no, that wouldn't do for such a prestigious guest list. Contortionists and acrobats on pedestals perform sultry poses and maneuvers, leaving the crowd bewildered and amazed. 

Scantily clad women tend to the average Joe commoners waiting in line. They serve hors d'oeuvres and complimentary spirits, fooling them into thinking they're still important even though they're on the outskirts of the main event, and truth be told: they'll never get in.

Taking it all in, I suddenly feel a massive clap against my back before an arm hugs tightly around my neck.

"Ready, Walker?" Leo pops his gum in between his smarmy grin. "Let's get our dicks wet."

—

Fucking. A. I'm pretty sure I just entered the third level of hell.

"Hey-yo, Walker!" 

Make that the fourth level…

I glance back at Rys who is now flocked with an entourage of, and I quote, ‘aspiring models,’ all with their fake tits falling out of their tops, their overly-injected blow-job lips, and lashes so thick, you can't tell if they're sleeping or having a stroke.  He flashes those pearly whites as he dangles a small, gram-size plastic bag of white powder.

Now, I'm not against tokin' up or getting obliterated with alcohol, but cocaine isn't my style… not to mention, if we got caught–no doubt, Leo knows people that could bail us out, but if Liam and Riley were to hear about this? They'd kick me to the curb in an instant, especially with their kid around. They’d label me as a bad influence, and Liam would give me that fatherly disappointment glare.

"What do you think, Walker?" Leo nods with eager anticipation. "Wanna join… all of us?" He lets out a knowing laugh, winking at the women around him. They take his cue and begin to giggle, as if he was the funniest, most charming man they've ever met.

And my IQ just dropped two points.

"I think… I'm going to… " I notice a large bar area, quickly throwing a hitched thumb back at it. "...I'll check out the bar," 

"Suit yourself." The women practically swallow him whole with their arms. "Don't forget: give 'em my name. Drinks on me!"  

The drove of venereal diseases buzzes off with their king, and a sense of relief washes over me. Would I rather be at home? Absolutely, but since I'm already here…

I make my way toward the crowded bar area, ducking between drunken cat fights and groping couples. Finding a stool, I plant my ass down, and despite how busy it is, the bartender tends to me quickly–probably because I'm a 45- year-old man alone in a club. Translation: I have money, I know what I want, and chances are, what I order doesn't require my rim being bedazzled with seasonings, flowers, or fruit.

"What can I get ya?"

Oh, shit, I haven't heard that distinct nasally Portavira accent in so long. My God…

"Um… Larceny. Neat."

"Double?"

My man… I nod as I watch him pull out the bottle and a clean tumbler.

"Do you have a tab started, sir?"

I reach for my wallet, but I abruptly stop, remembering Leo's words. 'Give 'em my name. Drinks on me!'

"I do. It's under Rys," I smirk, "and actually, do you have Macallan?"

The bartender stops, giving me a glance over when finally a Cheshire grin creeps across his face as if he just struck oil. "We sure do, Mr. Rys." He extends his hand to fist bump me before reaching to the top shelf for a new bottle of the liquid gold. Before I knew it, he's twirling the tumbler across the bar. "Enjoy, Mr. Rys."

Taking a sip, I give him a wink as a thank you as I bask in the much needed woodsy burn of clove on my tongue. Damn, that's tasty.

Feeling more relaxed, I glance out onto the dance floor as other club-goers get lost in the hypnotic buzz of the ethanol electrifying their veins. The tantric beat of the music and the flashing swirl of multicolored lights feeds the adrenaline and raging hormones as people grab and grope one another.

I am way too old for this scene.

I grab my glass to take another pull when out of the corner of my eye, I see a familiar face at the bar. Turning my head to get a better look, I suddenly swallow my whiskey down the wrong pipe, causing me to fall into a fit of coughs. Smooth, Walker, real smooth. 

Blinking back the tears, I sniff into a napkin before looking back at the beautiful face. Shit. She's absolutely…wow. Gorgeous dark, silky waves, porcelain skin, that pouty mouth with those big, doe eyes… She's the spitting image of… Riley. 

"Fuck," I growl at myself before rubbing the shit out of my eyes. No way, it can't be. I look up again, and instantly I can feel my jeans begin to tighten. 

You're just wanting to see her. You're just wanting it to be her, especially with what happened back at the palace.

I down the rest of my drink before allowing my attention to be completely saturated by this girl. 

It's not Riley. It's not…

See? Her nose appears more prominent from the side, and-and her neck. Her neck seems longer, slender. And her eyes. They're gorgeous and big… they aren't Riley's navy blues, but damn, that sparkle–

"Would you like another–?"

"Please," I grumble as I stare at this Riley look-alike. I just… can't tear my eyes away. Her presence feels so real, so intimate. Now, judging from this woman's creamy, velvet skin, she's young. Maybe early 20s. Way out of my league… but still that face. It's like looking into a past life, a life I once loved.

—

(Two decades ago…)

"Brooks," Drake whispers loudly, "come on!"

"Shhhh!" Riley presses a finger to her lips, stifling her giggles as she looks down from her palace window. "Are you trying to wake everyone up? You're going to get me into trouble."

"You are trouble, lady."

Riley looks back at the commoner, the glint of mischief in his eyes making her adrenaline pump faster through her veins. "Now are you sure about this?" She bites her lip, "you'll catch me if–"

"For the hundredth time, yes," Drake rolls his eyes, holding his arms out wide. 

Since Drake's confession to Riley at Applewood, the two of them have been enjoying each other's company, especially after hours. They flirt with danger, sharing in kisses that they swear will never happen again for obvious reasons: she is there to pursue Liam and his hand in marriage; Drake is his best friend.

After watching Liam share a kiss with Riley, a dam of excruciating jealousy broke in Drake's heart. He already shared with Riley before that he was developing feelings for her, but now, it was… something else. Something more.

During dinner, the commoner passed her a note, asking her to meet him outside her window after midnight because they needed to talk.

Riley is staying in the guest quarters off the West Wing with the other suitors. She's only on the second floor, but still, a jump from that high could be dangerous. So, Drake helped the brunette construct a climbing rope with her top sheet. 

"I've got ya. Just… ease yourself over."

Riley takes one step at a time, following Drake's directions; but when she gets close to the ground, she looks back at Drake, raising an eyebrow, then jumps. 

"Whoa!" Drake stumbles as Riley crashes into his chest, his arms quickly cradling her close. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Riley giggles, combing her fingers through Drake's thick hair. "Sometimes a girl just wants to be caught."

Their eyes lock on one another, Drake's hand finding her cheek. He gently rubs his thumb across her soft skin, her eyes fluttering closed as she leans into his touch.

"Come with me," he whispers softly while grabbing her hand.

"Wait… I thought we were going to talk–"

"I want to show you something." Riley gives him a curious glare. "It's a surprise," he smirks, pulling her to follow him.

They walk silently, hand-in-hand across the grounds, playfully gazing back-and-forth at one another–that is, until all a sudden a bright flashlight skims over where they are walking.

"Who goes there?" A palace guard bellows.

"Brooks, take off your flip-flops," Drake commands under his breath, watching the guard in the distance.

"What? Why?"

"Just trust me," he squeezes her fingers. 

Riley quickly kicks them off, holding them in her hands. "Okay… now what?"

Drake grabs her hand again, his grip tight. "Run!" Giving her a warning tug, they both take off across the wet lawn, Riley following Drake's lead.

"Where… are we… going?" She pants, laughter bubbling from her chest.

"You'll see," Drake chuckles, "but we have to lose Barney Fife first!"

Dodging the glow of the searching lights, Drake and Riley finally make it to a large wall of greenery. Finding an entry, they pass through the walkway and hide behind the vines and leaves.

Drake looks to see if they finally lost the guards, but Riley takes a moment to look around the thicket they just entered. 

"Whoa," her eyes widen as she looks at the well-manicured covert. "Where… where are we?"

"It's… a maze. A hedge maze that we used to play in as kids."

"Are you serious?" She meanders down a corridor, looking around a corner. "It's so dark. Did you ever get lost?"

Drake chuckles, reaching into his pocket. "Plenty of times." He saunters closer to Riley, pulling out a flashlight and handing it to her. The air crackles around them as the charm of the blue moon ignites the twinkle in their eyes. Drake lowers his voice into a deep gravel. "Come get lost with me, Riley Brooks."

With that, he smiles and takes off jogging, Riley staying close behind. "Hey, not so fast Drake." She turns a corner and notices his denim shirt discarded on the grass. "You lost your shirt."

"Did I now?" He snickers. "Can you bring it to me?"

Riley scoffs into a giggle as she continues through the maze at the sound of his voice. "Maybe if you'd stop running away–"

"Maybe if you weren't so slow–"

"Hey!" Riley chides, "I just jumped out of a window–" she falls silent as finds Drake's belt tossed on the ground.  She collects it in her hand, biting her bottom lip. "Drake?"

"You're getting warm," he teases. Riley stumbles through another corner, turning left, then right. The sounds of her toes in the grass compliment her heavy breathing as she stops again to the cooing of his voice. "Warmer, Brooks." 

She continues until suddenly, she notices a warm glow just up ahead. Her steps quicken until finally she reaches a small clearing in the maze that opens to a stunning backdrop of the star-filled sky. Gas-lit sconces illuminate the garden, revealing tapestries of vines and flowers fixed to wooden lattice work amongst the bushes.

"Wow," Riley gasps, her eyes glowing with the wonder all around her. "This is beautiful." She feels Drake's warm touch on her hand, their fingers lacing together. 

"Cmon," he tugs on her, "I want to show you something."

"There's more?" She giggles, following his lead. They walk a short, pebbled path until they are standing in front of a large gray-stoned well. Riley presses her fingertips to the cold marbled edges before looking down into the dark abyss. Her eyes shift to Drake, "Is this where you murder me?" He chuckles, shaking his head as she turns back to the well opening. "Hello!" She shouts, the echoes welcoming each other back and forth.  

"I'll be honest, Brooks." Riley looks back at Drake. "I'm kinda shocked Liam hasn't already brought you here. It's one of his favorite places to show off in the entire estate."

"Oh," Riley's eyebrows knit together with a pained expression. 

"Hey," Drake nudges her playfully. "What's with the long face?"

Riley snickers into a scoff before finally succumbing to tears. "I'm just exhausted," she pulls her hands to her face.

"Brooks," he pulls her into his comforting arms.

"This social season bullshit is just … it's really screwing with my head," she sniffles. "I've never been more insecure in all my life, and what for?" She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, clearing her throat. "I wish I knew where I stood. I wish the competition was over. I wish–"

Drake reaches into his pocket, pulling out a couple of worn copper coins. He offers them to a confused Riley.

"Pennies?" She sniffles.

"Yeah," he chuckles, "I forgot to get rid of them when we were in New York. They're worthless here. No conversion."

Riley's lips begin to curl. "Then why keep them?"

Drake starts inspecting the coins in his hand, allowing them to softly clang together in his palm. "I read a book once–"

"--picture books don't count as reading."

"Ha. Ha." He smirks, feigning annoyance as he starts to jingle the coins in his hand. "I read that in ancient civilizations, finding random metals was a sign or a blessing from the gods."

"You see them everywhere back home. The streets, sidewalks," she snickers, "a whole cent. How generous of the gods."

"What? A penny isn't enough for you?" Drake playfully growls, slowly leaning closer to Riley.  She coyly bats her lashes, a soft titter in her throat. "Here." He puts a coin in her hand.

"What's this for?" Riley studies the trinket.

"For something bigger, citizens would offer the metal back to the gods, like a payment.  So they would say a silent prayer, then toss it–"

"--into a well," Riley softly finishes.

Drake nods over his shoulder to the stoned well. "Let's make your wishes count."

One by one, Drake and Riley silently take pennies, casting them into the well with unspoken hopes and dreams until every last coin was gone. Feeling his close proximity, Riley stares up into his dark eyes, getting lost into a charming stillness.

"What did you wish for?" She whispers.

Drake slowly shakes his head. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

He offers a crooked grin. Combing his fingers into Riley's dark, espresso waves, his hand gently grips the back of her neck, pulling her closer. "All my wishes have already come true, Brooks."  He closes the space between them, their lips grazing one another. The feather-light touch instantly ignites a hunger, one they both feel and crave. Drake pulls back, chuckling under his breath as he fidgets with the hem of Riley's shirt. "So... why didn't you take off any clothes?"

Riley bites her bottom lip. "Maybe... because... I wanted my wish to come true." She pauses, her fingers tucking into the front pocket of Drake's jeans, pulling his hips flush against hers.

He swallows thickly. "Which is?"

"Take them off for me, Walker."

—

(Present)

Damnit.  I adjust myself in my jeans, but my cock always hardens at the memory of Riley and me that night. We fucked. A lot. But that night, our first night together, it was more than just sex. We made love.

I take a swig of my new drink that the bartender must've dropped off while I was taking a stroll down the boulevard of broken dreams when my eyes dart to my Riley look-alike.

And I feel my dick shrink.

She's with someone, some blond tool, probably named Chad, with a tool haircut that shops at Tools-R-Us with a matching trust fund. 

I sigh to myself, polishing the rest of my drink before staring at my empty glass. 

He is pretty hot; I don't blame her.

I glance at them one more time, kissing my own dirty fantasy away when I notice something odd. His hand is sternly gripped around her wrist, staring at her like she's his next meal. 

But her face tells a different story. She seems to be struggling, trying to tear her arm away from him. Those big, doe eyes are panicked, large as table saucers as she frantically looks for help. 

I sigh. Goddamnit...

I wipe a napkin across my mouth as I stand, my glare fixed on this commotion transpiring before me. I shrug my shoulders, loosening the tight fabric off my back as I stretch my muscles. Just in case.

I hurry my way through the dense crowd of patrons gathered around the bar. I flex my fingers, bending my wrist as I get closer.

Ah, shit. This is the part I'm bad at. What do I say first? 'Stop that!' No, that's lame. I need something clever, like maybe, 'Is there a problem here?' How about–

My clenched fist meets his jaw, knocking the asshole in one swing into a bartop table before he crashes down onto the floor.  He's so disoriented; he's trying to get up, but he keeps slipping on shards of glass, falling back into the pathetic rumple he calls his life.

Fuck. My hand. I know it will hurt like a bitch in a few minutes when my body depletes of adrenaline, but for right now, I'm basking in the moment. 

A smirk grows on my mouth, but it doesn't last for long. The young woman. I turn to the Riley look-alike, her terrified stare already fixed on me. Instinctively, I carefully put my hand on her shoulder. She's shaking.

"Excuse me, miss. Are you alright?"

Ho.ly. Fuuuuuuck. 

Brooks? Seeing her up close is almost painful; I can feel my balls beginning to ache.  This woman is hauntingly stunning: the subtle freckles on her nose, the curve of the bow to her top lip, even the flounce of her long, flirty eyelashes. She's beautiful; she's… like somebody I used to know…

The young woman shyly nods, but she's trembling. She's clearly not alright. 

And I suddenly possess this overwhelming need to take her in my arms, hold her tight and let her know she's safe. 

Calm down, Walker. 

"Let's get you away from this." I look up, noticing an open lounge-type area near the dance floor with large, plush couches. Offering my arm, she holds on tightly as we escape through the debris of the nightmare that just happened. Placing a reassuring hand on her back, I encourage her to sit. 

I, on the other hand, keep an eye on douche canoe who is being helped up by security and his friends. But, I don't think he'll be a problem for us anymore tonight.  He never got a good look at me, and even if he had, something tells me his ego would keep him away from telling the truth of who made him taste his own blood.

Turning towards the young woman, I notice she is anxiously looking around, her body on edge.  I tilt myself to her ear, shouting over the blaring music, "Are you here with anyone?" 

She nods, "B-but it's okay," she yells back, waving her hands. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

She fakes a smile, and my God, it knocks me back. Stunning.

Focus on her words, Walker...

"I don't exactly want to…" 

I don't quite understand the rest of her statement, her words lost in the heavy beat of the music. I give her an inquisitive look, causing her to careen towards my ear, her hand brushing across my shoulder.

And my cock twitches. Breathe, buddy…

"I said… I don't want to interrupt their fun." She motions aimlessly to the dance floor. Got it.

"Can I call someone for you? Family perhaps?"

Her eyes widen. "What? No, no." 

She grins, but it's clearly hiding her true feelings. Which is fine. I'm a complete stranger. Shit, she probably thinks I'm some creepy old man, hitting on her at the bar. And sure, maybe on a night where she wasn't assaulted, maybe I would've bought her a drink, asked for her number.

But the fact of the matter is this: I really don't feel comfortable leaving this girl alone. She  just got into a physical altercation with… whoever that guy was. Her boyfriend? Oh shit, husband? I look at her hand; I don't see a ring, but that doesn't mean anything. You never know these days. Still, she doesn't need to be by herself right now. She really doesn't need to be here, but again, who am I but another creep at the bar.

I run my fingers through my hair. Oh, what the hell. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

A hint of fear crosses her expression as she looks me over. 

I hold up my hands in defense before leaning over her shoulder. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone in a place like this," I shout, "especially with what happened with your boyfriend."

She takes a deep breath. She flashes those big, brown eyes at me before finally nodding in agreement. 

And my heart melts. 

I offer my hand. "Drake."

The corners of her lips curl as she takes my hand, leaning towards my ear. "Jake?" She yells.

I shake my head, facing her ear more directly. "Drake!" I holler over the deep thrumming of the bass.

She raises an eyebrow. "Jake?" 

Eh, close enough. I smile in agreement.

"I'm Nora," she smiles, already more relaxed.

"Nora?" I repeat, ensuring I heard her correctly. At least one of us should be called by our real names this evening. 

She nods innocently, a beautiful rosy pink painting her cheeks. "Oh, and, um… he's not my boyfriend."  A piece of her hair falls like liquid silk into her eyes as she looks down at her lap. She quickly shoos the wisp away, chasing it behind her ear before looking back at me, trying to figure out my angle. Am I here to hurt her? Flirt with her? Invite her home for a messy, drunken fuck?

Don't worry, sweetie, you're safe with me.

"American?"

She catches me off guard with that one. "Uh, yeah. How did you–?"

She points to her mouth, her lips perfectly rounded and plump, painted a deep crimson. Oh, duh. My watered-down accent. Toto, we're not in Texas anymore. It's hard to believe that at one point in my life, I actually sounded like these people. Every once in a while, the Cordonian beast pounces, but these days, I sound like the typical American mutt.

"Are you on vacation?" Nora asks.

I smirk, shaking my head. "I… moved here for work."

"To Cordonia?" She snickers. "Of all places?"

"Fair," I chuckle under my breath as I feel the heat rise up my neck. "I… grew up here, so I have… connections, friends and family. It makes for an easy transition. How about you?"

Her eyes brighten, like a pageant contestant being asked about world peace. "Cordonian. Born and raised."

"That's unfortunate," I joke. Sorta.

"Hey," she giggles, scrunching up her nose playfully.  She swats the back of her hand against my shoulder. The touch sends a shockwave of familiarity, robbing me of my breath. "I love Cordonia–"

"Spoken like a true Cordonian."

"And… what's wrong with that?"

Drake guffaws. "What isn't wrong with that?"

"Your tone is suggesting that there's something wrong with having pride in your country–"

"It's egotistical–"

"The only thing egotistical is thinking that your opinion about Cordonia is the only opinion to be had." She furrows her brows. "If you hate it so much, why did you come back?"

Shit. She's feisty. And this conversation has gone completely off the rails.  I can't tell if she's really pissed… or if I'm just really turned on and wanting a sparring match. 

Fuck. You just had to be a jackass…

"Okay, truth?" I offer, even though I'm sure she wants to toss a drink in my face at this point.

She turns to face me, tucking her leg underneath her. "Please."

"I had a rough time fitting in here. Except for my best friend. He's–" I grin thinking about Liam and I, growing up together, how perfect and inseparable we were. "--as Cordonian as you can get. Well, except… I mean, his mom… nevermind," I shake my head. "He's the nicest person I've ever met in my life. I needed some help after a bad business deal, and… he was there and… now I'm here."

"Huh." She sits back, crossing her arms as she takes me in. She raises an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling. She's clearly unsure of me, and I don't blame her. 

"Drinks?" A cocktail waitress dressed in a skimpy, leather skirt interrupts us.

Rubbing the back of my neck nervously, I turn to Nora. I have a feeling that this might be the end of the night for us, especially if I don't offer her a cocktail.

I stare at the sparkling flecks of bronze in her eyes. There's something about this girl, more than just the memories she stirs up in me. I can't explain it… shit, then again, maybe I'm fooling myself, wanting something to be there that never was. Still… I clear my throat… you never know unless you try.

 "Would… you like one? A drink?"

She narrows her eyes in thought… and fucking hell, she's so goddamn beautiful. Like Riley incarnate. The mannerisms, some of her expressions. Watching her literally robs me of speech and air, and I am dying to spend more time with her. Hell, who knows where the night will take us. 

I really hope she agrees to this drink. I can tell I haven't exactly won her over in the past twenty minutes, but if she would just agree to one more drink, just a few more minutes with me, maybe history could repeat itself. Maybe I could experience the woman of my dreams in a different way. Now, I could never tell Nora this; she could never find out. I mean, I am attracted to her, it's just…

"Sure," Nora interrupts my thoughts, her lips curling. "I'll take a drink."

~🖤~

Thank you so much for your support! Every like, comment and reblog means the world to me! 🖤

~🖤~

Tags (Please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed)

PERMA

@alj4890 @ao719 @charlotteg234 @issabees @kat-tia801 @kingliam2019 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @nikirennie87 @peonierose @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam

ALL TRR

@3pawandme @alyshak92 @iaminlovewithtrr @kristinamae093 @lovingchoices14 @malblk21 @rubiwalker @sfb123 @twinkleallnight

DEJA VU

@busywoman @katedrakeohd @walkerdrakewalker

[alj4890]

Love Drabble

(Liam x Riley) along with their daughters from this drabble

A/N Yes, I couldn't stay away from this story. I thought it would be a good time to return to this to show how Liam and Riley are doing along with Charlotte and Hope. Romance is in the air for not just our main couple, but for their daughters too 🥰 On a side note, I started this before Valentine's Day, then writer's block struck in the middle, LOL! Hopefully I can finish up this two to three part miniseries soon.

@gkittylove99 @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @ofpixelsandscribbles @twinkleallnight @lodberg  @amandablink @neotericthemis  @mm2305 @sfb123 @tessa-liam @thesvnsins @krsnlove @choicesficwriterscreations

Rating: G for major Fluff ☺️

Masterlist

Song inspiration:

L-O-V-E (part 1)

Cordonia...

"Purple is Hope's favorite color." Charlotte explained. "So I think we should change some of these landscape paintings to highlight the new bedspread and chaise lounge."

Liam watched with a smile upon his face as the servants eagerly began to do as the princess suggested.

He wrapped his arm around his daughter and squeezed her in a side hug.

"Hope's going to love all the ways you are trying to make her first visit here special."

Charlotte bit down on her bottom lip. "I hope she does. I want her to feel at home here."

"So do I." He led her out of the bedroom towards their informal den. "How are the ball preparations coming along?"

"Everything is set." Charlotte scrolled through her tablet for her to-do list. "I went with a red theme since it is so close to Valentine's Day"

"Perfect." He replied. "That should put everyone in a more romantic mood."

Charlotte nearly tripped over that observation.

"Dearest?" He stopped her. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing's truly wrong." She sighed. "I've been so focused on discovering I have a sister that I forgot about choosing a suitor."

"You know I'm not going to pressure you into naming someone." Liam pointed out.

"I know." She slipped her hand in his to gently squeeze. "But the public is anxious for me to do so." Her nose crinkled. "As are some of our nobles."

"I see." He could very well remember all the pressures of that nature. "Perhaps this ball will be the one to eliminate that worry."

Charlotte began to smile. No one could be more optimistic about her uncertain future than her father.

"You come from a long line of Rhys who have found their significant other at a ball." He wrapped his arm around her as they continued down the hallway. "I have no doubt you'll continue that tradition."

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

"I'm so nervous." Hope quickly buckled her seatbelt. "I don't know if I'm ready to meet a whole country."

Riley laughed as she buckled her own. "You're not having to meet everyone in Cordonia. Just most of them."

"Not helping, Mom." Hope grumbled.

"Do we have to stay by your side while you greet everyone or can we go on to the palace?" Her best friend, Sean, teased.

"Don't make me regret forcing you to come." Hope playfully pushed him. "If you do, I won't introduce you to my sister."

"Just as I thought." He settled back in the plush leather seat of the private plane. "Already acting like a spoiled princess."

He clucked his tongue in disapproval.

"Ms. Brooks, what are we going to do with Hope?"

Riley studied her daughter for a moment. "Only one thing to do, Sean."

Hope's eyes widened. "No! Please! Not that! Anything but--"

They both began to belt out Don't Worry, Be Happy.

Hope covered her ears to the song she'd always despised.

"Alright!" She yelled out when they got to the chorus. "I'll introduce you to Charlotte!"

"Thank you." Sean's unrepentant grin appeared on his face. "I can't believe I missed all the excitement of a king and princess appearing on your doorstep."

"It was crazy there for a while." Hope motioned towards her mom. "She was speechless for a good ten minutes."

"In my defense," Riley softly smiled over the memory of seeing Liam again, "I'd had a very hard day and was not suspecting to see any former flames of mine."

"Former flames?" Hope chuckled. "I don't think my father really fits in that category anymore."

"Hope." Riley shook her head.

"He calls you, my love." Hope reminded her. "I think he is still in love with you."

Riley tried to dismiss that.

"He did fly all the way to New York for you." Sean added.

"He came to see the child he'd unknowingly fathered." Riley reminded them.

"He came for you first though." Hope argued. "You were the one he went to first to explain everything."

"It doesn't matter." Riley ended the conversation. "He's a king and I'm still that same girl I was twenty years ago who was nowhere near a part of his world."

She closed her eyes and tried to stop her own butterflies in her stomach from fluttering too much. Too much time had gone by for her to begin to hope for another chance with Liam.

He and Charlotte remained in New York over the holidays. For nearly two weeks, she'd had daily contact with the man she'd thought she had gotten over. Seeing him be so open and happy over finding out he now had two daughters made her want to melt.

Deep down, he was still that shy prince who only wished for a family of his own.

Why was he the one man she could fall in love with each time she saw him?

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

"I have to hurry!" Charlotte held up two dresses. "I don't want their plane to land and not be there to greet them."

Lord Bartie Beaumont sat on the edge of her bed, head tilted in thought over her choice of clothing.

"Maybe you shouldn't go with a dress. How about something a bit more casual?"

She dropped the dresses on her floor and rushed back into her closet.

"I can't wait to meet your sister." Bartie said a bit louder so she could hear him. "After all that Uncle Max told me about Riley, I bet Hope will be just as much fun as her mom."

"She is!" Charlotte responded excitedly. "You're going to love her!"

His dimple grin appeared when she came back out to talk about her sister, forgetting the need for the perfect outfit.

"Lottie?" He interrupted her descriptions of Hope. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

He motioned toward the pile of clothes she'd yet to choose from.

He laughed when she squealed and ran back into her closet to find just the right outfit.

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

"They're here!" Charlotte nearly bounced in excitement. "Hurry, Father!"

Liam chuckled as he followed his daughter out to the tarmac. He couldn't help but feel excited himself. He'd been just as anxious in welcoming Hope to Cordonia. He was also just as nervous to welcome Riley back.

The time he spent with her in New York was perfect. He loved every moment being with the ladies who held special places in his heart. Seeing his two daughters grow close and his former love embrace Charlotte as a member of her family made him, for the first time in his life, wish he didn't have to return to Cordonia.

He'd wanted to remain in Riley's small apartment forever.

He couldn't stop his imagination from thinking that this is how it would have been. The two of them watching their children enjoy the holidays together, sharing a bond he knew so well. That bond had been what had made his marriage to Madeleine more easy to endure.

Yet, he felt so much more for Riley than his late wife. He always had.

Liam wondered if this could be his chance at the love he'd lost twenty years ago.

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

"Hope!" Charlotte hurried over and hugged her sister the moment she stepped off the plane.

Hope hugged her just as tight.

The two began to talk over the other, laughing and answering each other's questions.

Liam looked up at Riley standing on the next to the last step of the plane. Her delighted smile over the girls' greeting made his own appear.

He edged his way around them to offer his hand to her.

Riley's fingers fluttered in his hand at the contact.

"How was your flight?" He asked.

"Perfect." She responded. "You didn't have to send a private plane for us."

"Nonsense." He glanced up at the young man who followed after her.

"Oh!" Hope exclaimed. "Sorry. This is my best friend, Sean Yeoh." She waved towards Liam. "That's my dad and this," she kept her arm around Charlotte, "is my sister."

Sean chuckled as he held his hand out towards Liam to shake. "Hope hasn't stopped talking about either of you. I feel like I know you already."

Liam shook his hand with a welcoming smile. "She did the same with you while we were in New York."

Sean turned towards Charlotte to shake her hand and stilled for two heartbeats.

A slight blush covered her cheeks from the way he stared at her as she held her hand out.

"Welcome to Cordonia." She managed to get out.

"Tha--thanks." He stuttered.

Hope only smiled over the way they were reacting to one another.

She'd planned for just this reaction to the two finally meeting.

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

"This is my room?"

Hope's jaw dropped over the immense size of her bedroom and bathroom. The closet alone was bigger than her bedroom back home in New York.

"And this is your sitting room."

Charlotte opened a hidden door to reveal a room filled with plush furniture, a large flat screen, and a wall covered with bookcases.

"Holy crap!" Hope exclaimed.

Riley snorted in amusement.

"If you want to change anything," Charlotte said quickly, "please let me know and I will have it done at once."

"Change anything?" Hope's eyes widened. "I wouldn't change a thing! These rooms are gorgeous!"

Charlotte visibly relaxed in hearing her sister gush about how much she loved it.

"Charlotte's been working ever since we returned to make sure you felt at home here." Liam gently placed his arm around Hope's shoulders. "We both want you to feel like you belong here."

Hope hugged him before pulling Charlotte into the hug.

"Thank you." Tears of joy sparkled in her eyes. "Both of you."

"We'll let you get settled." Liam pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Once you've recovered from the flight, I would like to introduce you to Regina and a few other close friends." His smile was warm. "I managed to keep the other nobles away until the ball, to give you time to adjust."

"Right." Hope paled some. "I'm still not sure how to act as a princess."

"Just be yourself." Charlotte told her.

Liam nodded. "I only want everyone to meet my daughter. Nothing else is expected of you."

Hope tried to smile at that.

"We'll be right by your side the whole time." Charlotte promised.

"And you've got us in your corner too." Sean reminded her.

Riley slipped her hand in her daughter's. "You'll do great."

They all filed out, leaving the new princess alone with her thoughts.

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

"Charlotte, would you mind showing Sean his room?" Liam asked. "I need to have a word with Riley."

"Of course." She smiled at them both before leading Sean away.

"What's wrong?" Riley asked once they were alone in the hallway.

"Nothing at all." He opened the door to her room, following her inside.

She paused at the sight of the room she'd been given her first visit to Cordonia.

A reminiscent smile graced her lips as she thought back. The flood of emotions swept over her. Excitement over being in a palace and being a suitor for a handsome prince. Delight in making new friends. Hopefulness in a future with the man she'd fallen in love with.

And then sadness when he chose another.

"Riley?" Liam cleared his throat. "There will be a ball while you are here."

"Yes, I heard about that." She turned towards him. "I hope Drake, Hana, and Maxwell will be there."

"They will be." He chuckled. "The moment I told them about Hope, they insisted I allow them to visit you both first."

"Good." She sat down and motioned for him to do the same. "I take it no one has objected to Hope once you received the paternity test results."

"You were right to make me go ahead and have that performed before I left New York." Liam sighed. "I suppose it was naive on my part to assume they would accept Hope without question like I did."

"Perhaps."

Riley felt her heart she had tried to protect from him grow softer with remembering how he didn't see a reason for a test. He'd accepted her explanation without a shadow of a doubt. After all these years, he still believed the best in her.

"Then again," she smiled at him, "perhaps that simply makes you a good man."

"I hope so." He dropped his gaze to his clasped hands. "I have a request."

"You do?"

He nodded. "Would, would you allow me to escort you to the ball?"

Liam's bashfulness flashed making Riley melt even more.

"I'd always wanted to escort you to one when you were last here."

He swallowed a touch nervously.

"Are you sure you can be seen with such a scandalous woman?" Riley halfheartedly teased.

"You aren't a scandalous woman." He argued.

"I am." She pushed out of the chair to stand at the window. "I was caught with another man and managed to have your child." She snorted. "If that isn't scandalous with a capital S then nothing is."

"Riley," he got to his feet, "I know you were innocent with Tariq." He rubbed the back of his neck when she remained silent. "And I am just as guilty for Hope's creation."

When Riley remained silent, he took another step towards her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and take her mind off the past. If he could only redirect her thoughts to the possibilities the future held for them.

Liam instead reached for her hand.

"I won't pressure you into allowing me to be your date for the evening." He lifted her hand to his lips. "But I do hope you allow me the pleasure of your company."

He bowed to her and left.

Riley softly groaned as she sank down onto her bed.

It might as well be twenty-one years ago. She was more than ready to be with Liam as much as he wanted her to.

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

"Thank you, Charlotte." Sean said. "Er, I mean, your highness." He flushed when she smiled at him. "Your majesty?"

"Just Charlotte." She insisted. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call the staff or myself."

She waved towards a phone on his nightstand.

He walked over to it, reading the various extensions to the kitchens, housekeeping, and stables.

"What's your number?" He asked.

Charlotte brushed past him to reach for the notepad and pen.

He stilled at her being so near.

She quickly wrote her number down.

"Here." She looked up at him with a shy smile. "Just in case."

"Just in case." He repeated with a grin, trying to summon his usual confidence around beautiful women.

"I'll see you soon, I hope." Charlotte said on her way out.

"I'll make sure of it." Sean promised.

The moment she shut his door, he collapsed face first on the bed.

"I'll make sure of it?" He groaned into the mattress. "Brain, you failed me again."

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

An hour later, Hope peeped outside her room. She'd been unable to get ahold of Charlotte. She knew her mom was probably napping. Sean most likely was too since he didn't respond to any of her texts.

Her curiosity over the palace had grown to the point where she didn't think she could wait any longer without doing a bit of exploring.

Once she saw that the coast was clear, she slipped her tennis shoes off and padded silently down the hallway.

Bartie Beaumont was walking past a connecting hallway and saw her creeping further away from where he was, holding her shoes. Grinning, he took his own shoes off and tiptoed quickly until he caught up with her.

Hope didn't notice him behind her as she paused before stepping out in the open area of the second floor. Glancing right and left, she softly huffed over not knowing which way she should go.

Bartie was about to whisper a suggestion when she suddenly threw one of her shoes in the air.

When it landed the toe pointed towards a little to the left. Swiping it back up, she dashed over toward that hallway.

The young lord covered his mouth. Tears of laughter filled his dark brown eyes as he realized she'd used her shoe as a substitute coin. Shaking his head in wonder, he followed her on to see what other mischief she'd get into.

Voices could be heard further down, causing Hope to freeze in uncertainty. She spun around and crashed into Bartie.

Her eyes widened as she looked up at his smiling face.

"Hide me!" She pleaded in a breathless whisper.

He quickly unlocked his bedroom door and shoved her through, closing her in there.

"There you are." His father, Bertrand, grumbled. "Your mother and I were wondering if--why the devil are you not wearing your shoes?!"

Bartie dropped the objects and did his best to appear innocent.

"Your uncle perfected that expression." Bertrand softly groaned. "I don't believe I have the stomach to hear what you've truly been up to."

Savannah laughed, looping her arm through her husband's. "Knowing Bartie, he's probably helping Princess Charlotte entertain her sister."

His dimpled smile appeared. Bartie could always count on his mother believing he was doing something worthwhile. Even if he occasionally, on a regular basis, got up to trouble with the crown princess.

Bertrand merely humphed in response. "Do try and keep the Beaumont name free of ridicule this time."

"Yes, father." Bartie promised.

Once the couple disappeared, he collapsed back against the door in relief.

Bartie tried to catch his balance when his door popped open. With arms flailing he crashed back into his room, landing on a soft, definitely feminine figure.

Hope's muffled cry of surprise turned to a painful laugh.

Bartie quickly rolled off. Worry clouded his features when she flopped her arms weakly over her face. Hope's entire body trembled violently.

"Where are you hurt?" He pleaded. "Did you break or--"

She lowered her arms to reveal how hard she was silently laughing. Unable to hold it in any longer, she released the biggest guffaw Bartie had ever heard.

He joined in, delighted to finally meet a lady able to truly ugly laugh without worry over how it appeared.

He got to his feet and offered his hands to help her stand.

She grasped them with one more giggle and allowed him to pull her upright.

She slid in her socks, crashing against his chest.

Bartie's arms instinctively wrapped around her to keep her standing.

"Thank you." She smiled up at him.

"My pleasure." He smiled back. "I'm Bartie, by the way."

"I'm Hope." She responded.

"I guessed as much." He chuckled. "My uncles were friends with your mom."

"They were?"

"Drake Walker and Maxwell Beaumont." He added. "Given how much they spoke of her, I believe we are destined to be friends too."

"My first friend in Cordonia." Hope said with a great deal of relief. "I can't tell you how grateful I am that you aren't pompous."

She realized she was still in his arms.

Breaking away with a blush, she held her hand out.

Bartie took it. Instead of shaking it like she intended, he swept an elegant bow before her and kissed her hand.

Her lips parted in a delighted surprise.

He winked at her. "Shall I escort you around the palace? Or would you rather continue to sneak about?"

Another giggle escaped her.

"Sneaking is more fun." She pointed out.

"I couldn't agree more."

Bartie kept her hand in his, and tiptoed the two of them further into the castle.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Cordonia and Drakovia fr

[storyofmychoices]

Geometric Maxwell Beaumont

For @fictionangyl

There are 150 shapes (not including the squid...I merged those layers before counting them)

[Geometric Art Masterlist]

[tessa-liam]

Character Appreciation/Vanilla, Day 2

On their honeymoon... MC praised her King on his physique❤️‍🔥✨️...Liam explained, "A King should be strong to defend his kingdom... and his Queen."

Core strength is power; a vital character trait for a King! 💪 💪

🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️

Keeping that thought and image in my mind since first reading that chapter🥵😏, when I won an art commission last June from @indiacater, I asked @pilitella to draw a scene of Liam in the shower with his OC ... from my Marabelle Series, upcoming chapter #20 - 'Betrothed'.

Thank you, ladies,for bringing my fantasy 'to life'. This is an incredible gift💐 @indiacater ! & gorgeous art commission✨️ @pilitella !

Thank you @lizzybeth1986 & @sazanes for hosting #KLAW 2024🥂⚘️

@kingliamappreciationweek

@choicesmonthlychallenge, prompt 01 - appreciation

@choicesficwriterscreations

@choicescommunityevents

[choices-binglebonkus]

The more times I read TRH, the more I feel that the writers just pulled Lena out of their ass for TRF.

When the MC and Olivia relive the latter’s memories, they realize that Queen Eleanor was pregnant, and they assume that she died while pregnant. The MC even goes so far as to speculate that maybe she was killed because she was pregnant. More on this in a moment.

It’s also mentioned in Liam’s last memory of her alive that she had just come back from an extended (but pointedly unspecified) period of time away on a trip, which in TRF, is said to be the trip she took to give birth to Lena in secret up in Vallenheim, because she was so afraid of the political climate in Cordonia at the time.

When the gang finds Queen Eleanor’s secret room with all her intel, books, secrets, and even her diary, it becomes clear that Eleanor left it all there for Liam to find. In her diary she even says as much, letting him know that that’s why she’s writing the letter to him: because she feels her enemies closing in, and that if something should happen to her, at least he would have that letter.

And throughout the diary, specifically in the letter to Liam, there’s no mention of Lena anywhere. You’d think that if Eleanor was in such a desperate state that she explicitly wrote a letter to Liam about feeling her enemies closing in and fearing for her life, that she would have mentioned Lena anywhere in the diary to alert Liam that he had a little sibling she gave birth to in secret months prior.

Alas, no such thing. Eleanor drank wine from the poisoned goblet and died that night.

You may stop me right here and say, “Why did Eleanor drink wine from the poisoned goblet if she was pregnant? Clearly she must not have been, and this theory has fallen apart.”

Well, we know Eleanor was hellbent on concealing the pregnancy, especially from Constantine, who was there when Godfrey gifted her the poisoned goblet. She probably felt that she had to imbibe at least a bit of alcohol to avoid suspicion in her husband. So perhaps Eleanor did drink the wine; as little as she could get away with.

We also know that the poisoned goblet didn’t act right away. Eleanor was able to finish her drink with Constantine, discreetly slip away to her secret room (where the goblet was found twenty years later by Liam and co.), get out of the passage, and then an undetermined amount of time later, the poison kicked in and she died.

After she died, the medical examiners determined the cause of her death to be poison, leading Constantine to test all the wines in the cellar. They also likely discovered she was pregnant when she died, which they definitely would have informed Constantine of. Given the nature of paranoia and secrecy of Constantine we’ve come to know over the course of the series, it’s probably safe to assume that he kept the discovery of her pregnancy a secret so as to not show any further signs of weakness within the monarchy.

So. With that out of the way, let’s go back to the MC speculating that Eleanor was assassinated because she was pregnant.

When the gang confronts Godfrey in the Auvernese prison in TRH book 3, Liam is understandably furious with him for killing his mother, saying, “You monster! She was your queen! …She was pregnant.”

You’d think this would evoke some sort of reaction from Godfrey. Surprise, shock, remorse, something. Anything. But he doesn’t react at all…which leads me to believe he was aware of her pregnancy somehow.

And yet he and Barthelemy still went through with their plot.

It was stated that the two had Eleanor killed because she was overextending her power and influencing Constantine, taking power away from the nobles who are “owed” it.

Given Godfrey’s lack of a reaction (what I presume to be because he and Barthelemy knew Eleanor was pregnant), I suspect that Godfrey and Barthelemy feared Eleanor’s pregnancy, should she choose to eventually disclose it to Constantine, would make her even more influential to him, not to mention further cementing her position as queen with another heir. So, the traitorous snakes that they are, they conspired together and had her killed before she could bring the pregnancy to light.

Because there was absolutely no mention of Lena anywhere in Eleanor’s secret room, nor through any of the investigations conducted by Liam or Olivia, I’m convinced that the writers originally had Godfrey and Barthelemy assassinate her because she was pregnant, just as the MC postulated, and tried to retcon it when they started working up to The Royal Finale and realized that having a secret Rys sibling could be a major plot point and weak link to exploit against the Big Bads.

[playchoicesconfessions]

Sent by anonymous

‘King Liam is one of the best LIs of all time. ’

POST/CONFESSIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE MOD’S PERSONAL OPINIONS!

[angelasscribbles]

Heir Apparent Chapter 21: Not According to Plan

Series: Heir Apparent.

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Drake x Riley, Liam x Riley (past)

Rating: MA

Warnings: Mature themes, language, Depression

Word Count: 2,307

Everything else: Master List.

In the months following the press conference, things settled considerably with Liam. He had stopped pushing the idea of a Cordonian Arrangement and had been nothing but solicitous and courteous with both Drake and Riley.

All of them continued with therapy and progress had been made. Liam and Drake gradually fell back into the patterns of their lifelong friendship as the tension between them eased.

Riley and Drake agreed to relocate temporarily to the palace as they awaited the birth of Cordonia’s heir. While things had calmed between the three of them, the press had only ramped up their frenzy over the impending birth.

Riley couldn’t go anywhere without being set upon by the paparazzi, so she stopped going out. Everything and everyone came to her. It was both a perk and a restriction of being the mother to the heir apparent to the throne.

The baby was doing well, they had collectively decided to wait and find out the gender at birth. They had learned to do a lot of things collectively, everyone was settled and happy, or at least content with the way things were.

Then all hell broke loose.

“Remind me again why I have to attend this ball tonight?” Riley grumbled as she pulled at her dress while frowning at her reflection in the mirror.

She was tired. She was huge. Her feet hurt.

“Because it’s a tradition, καρδιά μου,”  Drake told her gently as he grasped her shoulder and turned her around to face him. “And you can stop fussing with the dress. You look beautiful.”

“Well, it’s a stupid tradition,” she muttered with a shake of her head. Her bad mood evaporated as she looked up into her husband’s face. “Can you sneak me out of there early?”

“You know this ball is in your honor, right?”

“It’s in the baby’s honor not mine,” she quipped, “And the baby wants to go to bed early tonight.”

“Okay, okay,” he laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you. And if Bradshaw and Isabella start pushing a marriage alliance again, I might punch someone so be prepared for that.”

“I thought Liam was clear with them that he was abolishing marriage contracts on behalf of minors.”

“He was.” She heaved a deep sigh as her hands caressed her stomach. “That hasn’t stopped them from trying.”

He pulled her tight against him. “Just let me know if you want me to have them thrown out.”

That got a laugh out of her. “If only. But I’m pretty sure that would cause a whole political incident.”

“I’m willing to risk it,” he told her with a teasing grin.

“Stop,” she giggled as she playfully hit his shoulder. “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

The grand ballroom was filled with Cordonian aristocracy and a few foreign dignitaries. There always seemed to be a few of them visiting at any given time.

She had agreed to one dance with Liam. She was afraid that was all her feet could take, but the dance was also a tradition. The expectant parents taking one last turn on the dance floor before the little one's arrival.

Of course, that dance was usually between a married king and queen. Not always though. Bertrand had listed seven specific examples from Cordonian history that defied the tradition when she had complained about it. She and Liam were the parents and that was what mattered, and no one seemed fussed about the fact that she was married to someone else.

Riley entered the ballroom on her husband’s arm but quickly found herself whisked away by the king. She stood by Liam’s side as they accepted congratulations from the nobility. When the meet and greet portion of the evening was over, he led her out onto the dance floor. Her eyes found Drake in the crowd. He gave her an encouraging smile and the tension drained out of her body.

She forced her attention back to Liam and smiled up into his eyes for the benefit of the crowd.

She had learned well how to play the game of swaying public opinion.

The smile faltered as she correctly clocked that the grin he was giving her in return was also forced.

No matter her own feelings on the subject, Liam always had a ready and genuine smile for her. Her brow creased in concern. “What’s wrong?”

A look of startlement crossed his face quickly replaced by gleeful satisfaction as he beamed at her. “You know that you’re the only one that can see through my diplomatic façade, right?”

Despite her sore feet, despite the unconventional situation they found themselves in, despite the drama and trauma of the past several months, despite the fatigue that had set in her very bones, she found his simple, pure joy at their connection contagious. The smile on her face broadened and ripened into a true expression of happiness. “Am I?”

“Yes,” he assured her without hesitation as he spun her around the room.

“Then don’t you think you should tell me what’s wrong?”

His face fell as he considered the problem weighing on his mind. “I don’t want to burden you.”

Riley’s heart dropped. No matter what else had gone down between the three of them, she and Liam had always maintained a close friendship. Placing and holding boundaries that needed to be held to maintain her marriage had not always been easy, but she thought they were finally all in a good place. “Liam, please. I’m here to support you. I want to help if I can, even if that means just listening.”

He hated himself a little for the way her simple declaration made his heart start dancing wildly in his chest. She might be carrying his child, and he might be in love with her, but she wasn’t his. Not anymore. He drew in a deep breath as he fought against confiding in her, but he knew he was going to. There was no one else he wanted to discuss this with.

His grip tightened around her as he leaned closer so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Bastien has a lead on my mother’s death.”

“What?” Shock coursed through her. “Since when? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Liam shook his head. “You’ve had so much on your plate getting ready for childbirth, Riley. You’ve been tired and—”

“That’s all true but—"

“The doctor said you should avoid stress.”

The next few minutes were a chaotic haze that she would barely remember later.

Their conversation was interrupted as the dance ended. They bowed politely to the crowd and before she could ask follow-up questions, Bastien had whisked him away.

Drake got pulled into the conversation, leaving her on the sidelines with Max when she was hit by a wave of dizziness, followed by the worst headache she’d ever experienced. She reached out for Max as she struggled to keep her balance. Everything went blurry.

“What is it, blossom? What’s wrong?”

“I….I…..” everything went black. She felt Max’s arms catch her before she hit the floor. She heard the ballroom burst into panicked shrieks and yells. Somewhere in the distance, an alarm was clanging.

When the room swam back into view, she found herself looking up into several concerned faces. Drake, Max, Liam, Hana, Olivia. “What happened?”

“That’s what we want to know.” Drake smoothed her hair as he peered into her eyes with urgency. “Are you okay?”

“Maybe.” She pushed up into sitting, glancing around at the room that had been plunged into semi darkness. The main lights were out leaving only the emergency lighting powered by the backup generator. The music was gone and there was a loud roar coming from the crowd. She swung her arm around the room. “I meant what happened here.”

Every eye shot to Liam. His jaw tightened. “It would appear that Godfrey was behind my mother’s murder. He got away by activating the new security system. Give us a few moments and we’ll get you out of here and to a hospital.”

“Oh, Liam, I’m so sorry!”

He gaped at her in astonishment. “I appreciate that but it’s hardly the important thing at the moment. I’ve waited this long to get justice, I can wait a bit longer. Right now we have to make sure you and the baby are okay.”

Drake and Liam helped her to her feet but the moment she was upright, her vision swam again, and she stumbled as a contraction ripped through her.

Through the ringing in her ears she was vaguely aware of a lot of shouting. Drake was yelling for a doctor, Liam was yelling for security to open the door, Max might have been crying. Hana was definitely crying and Olivia was barking orders about finding the nurse that was supposed to be on duty.

Liam’s voice pierced through her consciousness as he roared, “What do you mean you can’t? You’re the head of palace security how do you not have the goddamn security codes?”

She felt herself lifted into Drake’s arms. “I’m taking her to the hospital wing, someone find the fucking doctor!”

As Drake disappeared carrying Riley out of the ballroom, Isabella materialized at Liam’s side. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Unless you can get those doors open or happen to have a doctor with you, I doubt it.” Liam snapped before turning to scream at his personal assistant, “Where is Dr. Russo?”

“You can’t find your doctor? Seems wildly irresponsible on her part, doesn't it? To be missing when Her Grace is so close to her delivery date.”

Liam’s rage trembled, the white hot anger the only thing holding him on this side of falling into the abyss of hopelessness. Both his assistant and the head of his guard had told him that the palace had been searched thoroughly and Dr. Russo was nowhere to be found. Her phone was going straight to voicemail.

“We would be happy to lend you ours.” Isabella purred with smug satisfaction.

Liam’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, you just happen to have an OB with you? While ours is missing. That is suspiciously convenient.”

“Oh, he goes everywhere with us.” Isabella waved her hand dismissively. “He's our children’s personal doctor. We never leave home without him.”

“So, he’s a pediatrician?”

“He’s double board certified in pediatrics and obstetrics.”

“We can also get that door open,” Bradshaw popped up to interject. “So your doctor can get in. Whenever you find her.”

Overwhelming relief poured through him. “Yes, thank you, that would be amazing! We would appreciate it immensely. Where’s the doctor? How soon can you get the doors open?”

“Not so fast.” Isabella gloated. “Before we do either of those things, we need to discuss terms.”

Icy cold dread snaked down Liam’s spine. “Terms?”

“Yes. Our doctor isn’t licensed in Cordonia. But if we were allies—"

“Not to mention,” Bradshaw added, “We can’t just break down your palace doors unless we’re allies. That could be seen as an act of war.”

“No.” Liam’s head shook vigorously. “I’m giving you the go ahead, there would be no—”

“Still. International opinion, NATO regulations, Council rules—”

“Fine!” The fury was back, and Liam could barely restrain it as he tried to push the discussion along and secure help for Riley before it was too late. “What are your terms?”

Two minutes later Liam entered the hospital room to find an unconscious Riley hooked up to an IV and monitors. He sent a silent prayer of thanks that he’d had the hospital wing installed when his father was dying. “How is she?”

The nurse on duty approached him. “Not good. She has sudden onset preeclampsia. She’s stabilized for the moment, but the baby needs to be delivered right away.”

“Can you do that?”

“Me?” the young woman gave him a deer in the headlights stare. “No, Your Majesty. I’m a nurse, she needs a surgeon.”

“Have they found Dr. Russo?” Drake demanded.

“No. But there is another solution.” Liam quickly updated Drake on Isabella and Bradshaw’s offer.

Drake stared at him in disbelief. “This is a setup. You see that, right?”

“I admit that it’s very suspicious, but the fact remains that we need a doctor, and we need the palace doors opened. They can provide both.”

“But only if you affiance your unborn child to their heir! That’s extortion!”

“It is.”

“You promised her you would never do that!”

“I did. But these are exigent circumstances.”

Drake shook his head in denial. “Dr Russo... You've known her all your life there's no way she would just disappear without telling anyone anything! Isabella and Bradshaw are using this to get what they want!”

“They are.” Liam agreed, his voice cracking a little, betraying his fear and pain. “But what choice do we have?”

Drake’s head swiveled from Liam to Riley and then back. “But we can’t agree to what they’re asking!”

 “We need a doctor, Drake.”

 “She needs her doctor, Liam!”

“Her doctor isn’t here.”

“As her husband, I’m forbidding you—"

“As the father of the baby and the king, it’s my call. You can sue me when all this is over if you want.” Liam spun and headed for the door.

“What if she never speaks to you again? What if she hates you for it?”

He paused for a fraction of an instant with a glance back at the unconscious woman. “At least she'll be alive to hate me.”

Before he made it out the door, Riley’s body convulsed. The nurse pushed some medication through the IV as she yelled over her shoulder, “If you have a doctor that can get the baby out of her, do it now!”

Liam's eyes flicked briefly to Drake who was openly weeping. “Do it,” he whispered hoarsely, “Do whatever you have to.”

[ownworldresident]

This was hilarious and also absolutely wild 🤣 I was drawn in by your intro and it did not dissapoint! Please add me to your permatag list!

Leaping to Conclusions

Pairing: Liam x Riley

All characters belong to Pixelberry

Summary: The pressure to produce an heir is getting to Liam and Riley, leading them to turn to some unconventional methods.

Rating: PG, Adult Language

Word Count: 1,395

A/N: This fic is insanity guys, I'm not even going to pretend it's anything but. I learned the most absurd fun fact this week, and after sharing it with pretty much everyone I know, @ao719 convinced me that it needed to be a fic, and here we are.

For the record, this story doesn't take place in any of my timelines. My Liam and Riley can be weird, but never this weird. 😂

I am participating in @choicesflashfics, the prompt: “Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?” will appear in bold below.

And finally, nobody has pre-read this, so apologies in advance for my horrendous grammar, and anything else about it that sucks.

Riley’s eyes fluttered open as she felt Liam’s lips trailing slowly across her shoulder. She moaned softly and arched back into him. 

“Good morning, love.” He whispered huskily into her ear. 

“When it starts like this it is.” She replied, reveling in the attention she was receiving from her husband. 

As his hand traveled up her body, her stomach started to lurch. Her hand flew to her mouth and she leapt out of his arms and rushed to the bathroom of their guest room in the Walker ranch. Liam sat up and watched with worry as the door slammed shut. 

After a few moments, Liam stood and approached the door. He could hear his wife on the other end, and he knew exactly what was going on. He rapped gently on the door. “Riley, are you alright? Can I get you anything?”  

The only response he received were a few more retching noises, followed by the toilet flushing. Soon after, the door opened, and Liam met Riley’s red, blotchy eyes. “Sorry.” 

Liam wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush against him. “You don’t have to apologize, it’s not your fault.” They stood there in silence as Liam held her. “Riley, do you think you may need to take a test?” 

Since the royal couple had gotten married, they’d been facing pressure to produce an heir. While they did not take their positions as monarchs lightly, for them, it was more about building a family together. 

“It wouldn’t hurt.” Riley shrugged before returning to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Liam took a seat at the end of the bed to wait for her. 

“Oh no!” Liam stood and rushed back to the door at Riley’s cry. She came back into the bedroom, more distraught than she had been before. “I dropped the test in the toilet.” She buried her head in her hands. 

Liam chuckled slightly, as he wrapped his arm around her. He had read that pregnancy hormones could cause overreactions; he assumed, hoped, that was why she was so upset. “It’s alright, just take another one.”

“Liam, it was the last one!” She snapped.

He stepped back, shocked by her aggression. “That’s alright, we can go into town and get more.” 

“Are you kidding?!” Riley threw her hands up in frustration before moving to the bed and dropping down, burying her face in the pillow. “The press has been all over us, the last thing I need is for them to get a picture of me buying pregnancy tests!” 

Liam sat beside her on the bed, rubbing her back gently as he racked his brain for a solution. “I’ve got it!” 

Riley rolled over and sat up, leaning against the headboard. “What?” 

“We’re in Texas, surely there is a frog around here somewhere.” He said as he moved to the dresser, pulling out a pair of jeans. 

“Liam, this is no time to go wildlife gazing, I might be carrying the heir!” Riley chided him.

“Love calm down, the frog will be able to tell us.” He said matter of factly as he continued to get dressed. 

Her face contorted into a confused expression. “Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?” 

He sat beside her on the bed and slid on his boots. “For about twenty years, starting in the nineteen forties, before the pregnancy tests we are familiar with today, there was the Hogben test. A British zoologist, Lancelot Hogben, discovered that when urine samples from pregnant women were injected into frogs, the frog would spawn eggs within eighteen hours. It was the most rapid and reliable pregnancy test of the time.” 

Riley stared at her husband in stunned silence. “How the fuck do you even know that?” 

“I like history.” He shrugged. 

Still befuddled by her husband’s solution, Riley took a deep breath. “So you want to inject a frog with my pee, and then in 18 hours either nothing happens and I’m not pregnant, or I am pregnant and we also have a hundred and seventy two frog eggs?” 

“They’re called frogspawn, love.” He corrected. 

She slapped her palm against her forehead. “Yeah, because that’s the most crucial thing in this conversation.”

“I’m sorry, force of habit,” Liam smiled sheepishly. “Would you like to try it? It’s a fascinating concept, I would be interested to see it in action.” 

“Liam, I don’t even want to touch a frog, let alone do science experiments on it.”

“I’ll take care of everything,” he insisted. “I’ll just need your… well, your um… sample.” 

Riley chuckled when Liam started to get flustered. “Alright, if it’ll make you happy, and all I have to do is pee in a cup, then let’s give it a try.” 

Liam grinned and leaned in, planting a quick kiss on Riley’s lips. “Excellent!”

“I guess Kermit was right, it’s not easy being green.” Riley said, shaking her head. 

Liam made his way to a nearby pond in search of the perfect frog. His eyes roamed the banks in search of his test subject. “If I were a frog, where would I be?” 

Finally, he noticed a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see a frog seated on a nearby rock. “Perfect.” He stalked toward his prey, making sure to stay as quiet as possible. 

Liam was so laser focused that he didn’t notice Drake coming up behind him, curiously observing the actions of his best friend. “Li, what the fuck are you doing?” 

Drake’s words startled Liam and before he had time to catch himself, he tumbled over into the pond as the frog lept away. Drake cackled as the King of Cordonia sat waist deep in the pond glaring at him. 

“Sorry,” Drake apologized as he reached down, helping Liam out of the water. “But seriously, what are you doing?”

“Riley might be pregnant,” he answered.

Drake furrowed his brow, even more confused now that he had the explanation. “Okay, so you decided to go frog hunting to celebrate?” 

“No, we lost the test,” he responded. When Drake continued to stare at him with a blank expression, Liam sighed and explained the Hogben test just as he had done for Riley earlier. 

“And Brooks agreed to go along with this?” Drake chuckled.

“We would do anything for eachother.” 

Drake rolled his eyes and moved toward the pond. A few moments later he returned with a frog. 

“How did you do that?” Liam marveled. 

“You had your training growing up, I had mine.” He shrugged in reply. 

Liam took the frog from Drake, thanking him for his efforts and began walking back to the house. 

“I’ve gotta see this.” Drake said to himself as he followed Liam. 

Liam entered the house heading toward the stairs, until he saw Riley sitting with Madeleine on the living room couch. When he stepped up to them, he noticed the crestfallen expression on his wife’s face. 

“Love, what’s wrong?” 

“I’m not pregnant,” she responded, her eyes trained on the floor. 

“But how do you know? I’ve got the frog right here.” He held it up to show her. 

Madeleine stood from the couch, glaring in confusion and disgust at the sight in front of her. “When I was in town this morning, I bought some tests. I figured you would need them.” 

“Oh Riley,” Liam moved to Riley, outstretching his arms. 

“Liam,” she held a hand up to stop him from getting any closer. “You’re slimy, and wet… and holding a frog.” 

“Oh, right.” Liam looked down at himself, and the frog in his hands. “I should shower. Care to join me?” He asked slyly. 

“Um… maybe you should handle this one solo,” she cringed. 

Liam handed the frog over to Madeleine, who grabbed it instinctively. He signaled for Riley to follow him, and they made their way up the stairs to the bedroom.

“So you’re not going to pee on a frog?” Drake called out as they exited the room. 

“Ugh,” Madeleine groaned. “None of this would be happening if I were queen.” She turned to Drake, thrusting the frog in his direction. “Make yourself useful and deal with this thing.” She stormed out of the room, mumbling to herself, questioning where things went wrong for her.

Drake looked down at the frog with a grin. “God I love Texas.”  

Permatag:

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

Liam:

@amandablink @custaroonie @jared2612

TRR:

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

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics