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kristinamae093 · 6 months ago

Text

Ghosted

Ghosted — Betrayal (Chapter Twelve)

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach, but everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x f!MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N 1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found. Not beta'd.

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Tags - @choicesficwriterscreations

It's another long one 😬👉👈🥹. Oops.

Liam and Drake closely followed as the guards led Bastien into the depths of the Portavirian estate. The halls remained eerily quiet as the nobility slept; not a soul to be found other than those involved with Penelope’s homicide investigation. Neither male spoke a word, but both reeled in this blindsiding revelation.

The betrayal Liam felt was like no other. Bastien was like a father to him, always around when he needed someone, but now he wondered if he ever knew him. Bastien saw him at his lowest and protected him at all costs, but somewhere along the way he changed; he couldn’t determine when that shift happened or if his guard was that good of a deceiver from the start, and felt like a fool for not seeing his insubordination sooner. It didn’t matter what he said, nor how much he pleaded; Liam already knew he was guilty, but didn’t know the extent of his involvement.

So many unanswered questions ran rampant through his mind, but ultimately the one he cared about was, where is Riley? The scandal was no longer relevant; all that mattered was finding her and ensuring she was safe. Justice would be served to all who deserved it later but right now, she was the top priority. That wasn’t a new revelation, but the urgency suddenly skyrocketed.

Liam did his best to stay afloat, but couldn’t stop his mind from wandering. If Riley was still in the country, what did that mean? Was she being held hostage somewhere? Would a ransom note appear at some point? Is she even alive? The continuous spiral intensified and formed a vortex of frustration and confusion, enveloping him from the inside out. He wanted to scream and cry to the heavens, anything to relieve some of the never-ending tension slowly constricting his muscles. Every second that passed without knowing she was safe, he grew weaker, feeling control slip right through his fingertips. The never-ending vat of unanswered questions took their physical and mental toll on Liam as a monarch and man alike.

However, every ounce of strength that remained pushed him forward. The adrenaline coursing through his veins mindlessly carried him, as he and Drake walked in deafening silence.

They continued until they entered a dark room with a table and two chairs. The guards sat Bastien down on one side and secured shackles in place over his wrists, much to his displeasure. Liam took the seat that mirrored his, shooing the bystanders out as he did. Drake lingered close by, reeling in his feelings of hurt, betrayal, and anger. Bastien quieted, but his entire body went rigid after his former subordinates exited the room. Liam placed his hands on the table and stared at them for a long while, trying to slow the wild rush inside his mind.

He finally raised his head and spoke to Bastien in the flattest, calmest tone he could muster. “Do you know why you’re here?”

“I don’t, sir.”

“First, let’s talk about Penelope. You and I both know she did not take her own life, so I’m curious to know how you came to that conclusion.”

Bastien furrowed his brow. “Not to be forward, but she was literally hanging from the ceiling… We found a note in her room, and she had every reason to want to do it — considering she was about to be arrested.”

“Right… Speaking of that… I want to see that report again.”

“Pardon?”

“The report — the one that says Penelope’s DNA was all over the murder weapon because honestly, I think you’re full of shit.” Liam hissed.

“I most certainly am not, sir. The documents are in the security office. If you remove these cuffs, I will gladly retrieve them.” Bastien confidently responded.

“That won’t be necessary.” Liam knew if he told the truth, Olivia would find them and if she didn’t, Bastien just caught himself in another lie. “Now, the next order of business — where were you the night of the jamboree? I don’t remember seeing you at all.”

Bastien stiffened. “I was doing security checks around the estate—”

“If you were doing security checks, how’d a rogue photographer make it in?” Drake interjected.

Bastien swallowed thickly, his gulp echoing in the silence. “... What?”

“You heard what he said — answer the damn question.” Liam snapped.

“She must have—”

“She?” Liam interrupted with a chortle. “That’s funny — because I never mentioned gender. Do you know something that I don’t?”

“I only took a guess — there was a fifty percent chance I would be correct.” Bastien calmly, yet firmly, answered with a dismissive shrug. “I’m not precisely sure how they breached the perimeter, but we’ve been working to strengthen our units ever since.”

“Right…” Liam nodded and forcefully clenched his jaw. It took every ounce of his restraint not to reach across the table and wrap his hands around Bastien’s throat because he couldn’t trust a single word coming out of his mouth.

Drake spoke again before Liam could act on his intrusive thoughts. “What about the Apple Banquet? Where were you then?”

“I was with His Majesty while he spoke to the Beaumonts. Someone alerted me to the body, and I immediately sprung into the proper protocol.”

“No, not when the maid was found — earlier. Where were you before that?” Liam demanded.

Bastien hesitated, but quickly fixed his features. “I was addressing an issue regarding Countess Madeleine’s security arrangements. Her old guard needed to take personal leave, so I had to find a suitable replacement.”

“... And she will vouch for you?”

“Yes, sir.”

Liam’s frustration skyrocketed, as he didn’t know how to take that statement. The number of people he could trust seemed to only shorten by the day, yet Madeleine was never present, nor even an honorable mention on that list; the time to trust her word was not amid this chaos.

“Okay, then—” Liam started again, his agitation noticeably rising. “Do you know where Riley is?”

“I don’t, sir. All I know is she returned to New York, and—”

“How did you come to that conclusion, exactly? Because I’ve done some digging and found nothing to point to that. There are no traces of her after she left the jamboree whatsoever, Bastien; not flights, not vehicles — nothing.”

Bastien shifted in his seat. “My information led me to that conclusion, Your Majesty.”

“Well, your information was wrong, and I can’t help but feel you knew that all along, didn’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you’re insinuating, but—”

“You knew she didn’t return to New York because you took her away, right? Is that how she made it out undetected? Or are you the one who assaulted her?” Liam thought back to his out-of-body experience and remembered the shadow lingering in front of her door. “Or did you stand guard while it happened? Is that it?”

“I did no such thing.” Bastien hastily replied, but cleared his throat and added, “What would I gain from any of this? Why would I give a damn who you choose?”

“That’s kind of what I’m wondering.” Drake inserted with a skeptical eye. “Look, Bas — I don’t want to believe you had a hand in all this, but it’s not looking good, man.”

“What doesn’t look good?” Bastien returned. “All I’ve done is look for her! I’ve been trying to help you!”

“Bullshit,” Liam seethed. “You know something and I demand you tell me — right now.”

“I know nothing, sir. I’ve kept you updated on every piece of information uncovered.”

“You need to understand something —” Liam's breaths turned heavy and his face flushed every shade of crimson. “I am not fucking around. This is your final opportunity — if you know something and do not tell me, I will serve your head on a silver fucking platter at the next state function. Is that clear enough for you?” He rumbled through clenched teeth. The hand he raised to point at Bastien visibly trembled, as the dam broke and rage flowed freely through his body.

Bastien’s eyes widened, and he visibly swallowed. He quickly composed himself and softly answered, “I understand the circumstances have been — tense — for everyone involved. You’ve had a rough couple of weeks, and —”

Liam slammed his fist onto the table and shot up from his seat. “Do NOT fucking patronize me!” He bellowed.

The door suddenly swung open and Olivia marched inside. In her hands, she carried a folder along with a few smaller items, but her facial expression was the picture-perfect image of unrestrained fury. “You have a lot of explaining to do.” She rumbled as she bore her eyes into Bastien.

Never could she have imagined the man sitting before her would betray them in such a way, but now they had proof; undeniable, unavoidable, but yet — incredibly unsettling evidence.

Bastien audibly gulped as he recognized the documents and all traces of pigment in his complexion vanished. With so much going on, he didn’t have the chance to dispose of everything properly. Liam and his group of friends moved faster than anticipated, and with their unexpected changes to the tour, he fell behind. The important information was extracted long ago, but what remained was still very incriminating — for Bastien.

Powerful forces expected him to pull off the impossible, but he was only one person — how was he supposed to fend off four people, plus a hired professional? Multiple ends that should’ve received immediate attention didn’t. Penelope ranked fairly high on that list, but his concerns got cast aside. His instructions were to deflect, deter, and stay silent regarding the madness; trust the process and your reward will be bountiful, they would say. Regardless, he didn’t want to aid in this crazy scheme, but had no choice — they knew information about his past nobody should have uncovered, so he found himself backed into a corner.

But as Bastien stared at the evidence of his transgressions, he realized silence would no longer be an option. He knew one way or another at that moment he was as good as dead; the question was would it be at the hands of his seething monarch, the man he practically raised, or the people who made his life a living hell to begin with?

Olivia rifled through the things on the table until she found what she searched for. “Remember when Bastien told you he disposed of Riley’s phone and her note?” She held both items up to show everyone along with her letter, noting how the guard immediately tucked his chin into his chest. “The penmanship matches mine, meaning it’s the same as Penelope’s.”

Liam forcefully clenched his jaw. “You lied to me?”

“That’s not all,” Olivia continued. “Bastien told us Penelope is the one who killed the maid, but that’s not true. Sure, the gum was hers — hair too — but the funny thing is that as it turns out, there are two sets of results on that knife.”

“There’s not—”

Olivia cackled, cutting Bastien off. “Don’t even try to lie. I’m holding what appears to be the real results in my hands. What kind of moron keeps the original if he’s planning on cloning it to frame someone else? Fucking nitwit.” She shook her head, distaste lacing her words. “Of course, we’ll have these confirmed for legitimacy, but considering who this one lists as the culprit, I can see why you’d want to cover this up.”

Liam snatched the documents from her and scanned them. His eyes widened as he went through the text, his jaw falling further and further the longer he read. Penelope's fingerprints were on the murder weapon, but unlike the last report he saw, this one went more in-depth. Her DNA might've been on the knife, but only one or two barely distinguishable smears on the blade itself belonged to her. However, the lab noted prominent traces from someone else located everywhere, but mostly on the handle, indicating that their person of interest should be whoever the second set of prints belonged to.

But Liam never received this report, and when he read who the database found as the owner of that second set of prints, he realized why he wasn’t shown.

“It was you…” Liam gasped, finally tearing his attention off the file to center his glare on Bastien. “Why?”

Bastien remained silent. He kept his gaze locked on the table, but the sweat forming on his brow wasn’t unnoticed.

“We know why, Liam. He was trying to shut her up because she spoke with us. And that’s why he offed Penelope too — right, Bastien?” Olivia answered. “Dispose of the loose ends before they can out you?”

“I did not harm Lady Penelope in any way,” Bastien stated with utmost determination, looking directly into Olivia’s steely eyes as he did.

“But you know who did, and you were working to bury that too, correct?” She quickly retorted, arching her brow.

Bastien clenched his jaw and looked away, refusing to speak, but he didn’t need to — Olivia knew she was right.

“You can deny those accusations all you want, but the next ones will be fairly difficult to talk yourself out of,” Olivia snapped as she produced another file and showed it to everyone.

“Operation Ghost?” That title caught Liam’s attention, and his mouth fell agape when he read it. He flipped through the papers inside and realized this was a meticulously planned mission, not a coincidence. While he spiraled deeper into the abyss, further away from reality, intentional carnage ran rampant within his court, and it was all a part of the elaborate plan from the beginning.

Someone plotted to hurt Riley and take her away from him, and that thought momentarily left him breathless.

“Apparently so,” Olivia answered, remorse cracking through her stony features upon seeing Liam’s broken shock. She’d already searched the file and knew what lay ahead, but didn’t know how he would react; it wouldn’t be good regardless. “Someone altered or destroyed most of this —” She paused to throw a death glare at Bastien. “But… There’s something else…”

“What is it?” Drake inquired as he and Liam took in her hesitancy, causing the hair on the nape of their necks to stand at attention.

With a heavy sigh, Olivia opened an envelope and produced a few smaller documents. She slammed them down on the table one at a time, directly in Bastien’s downward cast line of vision. “Here’s Riley’s ID, her passport, and even her goddamn credit cards. Now tell me, Bastien — how did you think she got to New York without those?”

Liam snapped his head over to her. “What?!” He snatched the items off the table and stared at the photo on Riley’s passport in his trembling hands, his heart rate taking flight.

His worst fears suddenly became reality, because he knew it would’ve been impossible for her to get out of the country without identification. This confirmed that Ray was right; she never left Cordonia. Of everything he suspected of Bastien, the things he knew and worked to cover up completely blindsided Liam. It hurt him in a way he didn’t know was possible, to be betrayed by someone he put every single ounce of his trust in.

Plus, had it not been for Olivia and Ray, he probably would have gotten away with it, too. The thought alone created a forceful swarm of guilt as Liam realized once again — this was what he ignored for so long. His breaths turned shallow as his mind took this new information and ran with it, automatically assuming the worst and with no signs to point in a different direction, he couldn’t find any strings of hope no matter which way he looked.

The waves came crashing down, sending him into an instant spiral of equal parts devastation and fear. He swayed on his feet, but eventually lowered himself back into his chair, willing the wild rush to slow.

“What the fuck is this?!” Drake exclaimed, smoke nearly barreling out of his ears. “Where is she?!”

“I don’t know.”

“Bullshit! She couldn’t leave without this! You’ve been lying to us all along!”

“I did what I had to,” Bastien returned, his voice devoid of all emotion. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“What did you do to her, Bastien?!” Olivia reiterated. “You can’t deny you know something — if she’s in danger, you need to tell us so we can find her!”

“I did nothing to her! All I did was escort her from the premises to the airport — that’s it.” Bastien huffed, immediately regretting the slip-up, which earned him a unanimous gasp.

“What did you just say?” Liam rumbled with clenched fists, his daze of self-hatred shattering on the spot.

Bastien hesitated but realized it was useless to redact. “I said I escorted her from the premises—”

Liam lunged for him without a second thought. He slammed his face into the table and held him there with all his might by the back of his skull. “So you not only knew, but you fucking helped too?!”

“I did what I had—”

“You son of a bitch!” Liam yelled as he lifted Bastien’s head, only to bounce his cheek against the table with increased force. “I trusted you!”

Bastien tried to respond, but Liam swiftly continued. “You have manipulated and made a fool of me for the LAST fucking time! I told you what I’d do, yet you still lied to me? YOUR MONARCH?!”

Again, Bastien attempted to speak, but Liam wasn’t quite finished. “This WHOLE TIME… You’ve known — you fucking helped — but you continuously led me astray.”

“Sir—”

“YOU DO NOT SPEAK OVER ME!” Liam bellowed, slamming Bastien’s head a third time.

A long silence passed as Liam securely held Bastien by the back of his neck, using more force with every passing second. He saw nothing but blood — everything that would’ve gotten covered up ran through his mind; the murders, Riley, and what seemed to be a never-ending list of other possibilities.

Finally, Bastien timidly sliced through the tension. “Sir, I’m willing to tell you what I know and what I’ve done in exchange for safety. If you do not ensure my life, I will be dead within hours.” He pleaded, preparing to meet the table again. “You have no reason to trust me now, but I will tell you what I can…” He emphasized.

Liam met eyes with Olivia and Drake, a silent conversation taking place. In all honesty, nobody cared what happened to him after the fact; all that mattered right now was getting Bastien to talk by any means necessary. Whoever wanted him dead was more than welcome to finish the job, but not until after he confessed.

Liam released him with a shove but never said a word. Instead, he strode back to the chair across from Bastien and slowly retook his seat. When Liam lifted his head, the pure fury staring back at him slightly took Bastien aback. The patient presence he’d grown accustomed to was long gone, replaced by a man driven to the brink of insanity. Those typically bright baby blues were now dark, vicious, and wild — nearly animalistic as his stare tore through Bastien. It sent a shiver of dread down his spine and made him momentarily fearful of his usually calm and composed king. His head throbbed, but he knew that would not be the worst of what he received — regardless of whose hands he suffered from.

Liam intently held his gaze for a long moment, clenching and unclenching his jaw, but finally spoke in an eerily calm voice. “... Tell us.”

Bastien strode through the country jamboree with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he recalled what would happen tonight. A suitor would be removed from the competition, with or without her cooperation. The trap was loaded and ready to go; all they needed was the prey — Riley.

Bastien located Penelope in the crowd and watched her approach Riley. She was deep into a conversation with Maxwell, but Penelope slipped in and played the part surprisingly well. He recognized her shaky hands even from afar, but she discreetly slipped at least half of the pharmaceuticals into Riley’s drink, unbeknownst to her or Maxwell. He didn’t think that part was necessary, but the force beyond insisted it was essential so they would force her to her room before everyone else.

After a time, Bastien observed as Riley hugged Maxwell and headed toward the estate. He quietly followed behind in the shadows as she walked through the deserted halls to her room, cursing the creaky floorboards underneath his feet, but the woman he trailed didn’t notice a thing. Riley skipped, hummed a tune, and even did a little twirl; she had no cares in the world and had no clue that her perception of a fairy tale was about to be shattered.

As her door shut, Bastien took position outside, crossed his arms, and waited for the job to be completed. Everyone else remained at the party outside; it was his assignment to ensure the vicinity stayed clear. He knew who occupied the room neighboring hers, which only fueled the need to get this done and over with as quickly and smoothly as possible.

People spoke behind the door — the voices escalating by the second — but Bastien made it a point to drown them out. The situation could go one of two ways, depending on Riley's cooperation, and it didn't take long for him to realize she chose the hard way. Although he found it difficult to ignore her pleas for help, his allegiance aligned elsewhere.

After a time, a few gentlemen approached but Bastien allowed them access, as he expected them. He didn’t know who they were, just that they would deal with ‘relocating’ Tariq; his task was Riley. One had jet-black hair, while the other donned a baseball cap. They wore a matching dark ensemble, aside from the hat and one having thick, circular lens glasses. A holster of weapons surrounded their belts, making the hair on his arms stiffen. The pair went inside without a word, but Bastien felt their eyes on him as they entered.

The deafening silence hung for what felt like centuries, but eventually, they re-emerged with their cargo in tow.

“Unhand me this instant!” Tariq demanded as the muscles dragged him away.

“Not a chance, fancy boy.” The man with glasses snickered. “Got a special place for you.”

“I did what I was supposed to do!” Tariq pleaded, his tone changing once he realized the seriousness of his situation. “Please — have some compassion!”

“No can do. Boss’s orders were strict — toss you in a hole and throw those God-awful loafers into the ocean.” The dark-haired male snapped his fingers before adding, “I can leave the shoes on if you’d prefer — put some cement in them and send you both on a journey to the bottom of the Mediterranean.” His delight showed brightly, causing Bastien’s pulse rate to skyrocket.

Tariq suddenly planted his feet firmly on the ground. “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! OR WHO MY FATHER IS?” He bellowed. “You won’t get away with this — I WILL ENSURE THAT YOU—”

Out of nowhere, the male with the ball cap hit him with the butt of his pistol, silencing his tirade. Tariq slumped to the floor with his eyes rolled back, blood gushing from his nose in an instant.

“Thank you, Claudius. I couldn’t stomach another second of his useless ranting.”

“You and I both.”

“Get him loaded up — we’re on a schedule and need to move.” Claudius hefted Tariq on his shoulder with ease and quickly left out the servants’ exit. As he disappeared, the remaining man shifted his attention to Bastien. “So… You’re prepared to handle the fallout?”

“Of course.” He confidently responded.

“Are you sure? Because I don't think you understand how messy this situation could get in the future… And honestly? If the boss hadn’t enlisted little Miss Penny, this entire operation would’ve crashed and burned before it even took off.” He rolled his eyes. “You thought she would agree to this just for a spot beside the queen?”

“It might surprise you what people will do to get ahead around here.”

“Yes, but they’re willing to execute better with a little — added motivation.” He flashed a wide, sinister smile. “You should know better than anyone…”

Bastien swallowed thickly, his entire body going rigid. “I’m not sure what you’re referencing.”

“Of course not.” He snickered. “I don’t blame you — I wouldn’t want anyone to know you’re the one who mur—”

Bastien held a hand up. “That’s enough.” He spat out.

The male’s smile widened. “As I said, people execute better with added motivation.” He patted Bastien’s shoulder with a little too much force.

“Was there a point to this?” Bastien rumbled through clenched teeth, shaking off the man’s palm.

“I just wanted to make sure it’s one hundred percent clear — you need to ensure anything regarding this stays buried. If too many people ask the right questions before we reach the finish line and the boss has to get involved again… Well —” He grinned, baring his teeth. “That’d just be a shame, wouldn’t it?”

A chill shot down the length of Bastien’s spine. “What is that supposed to mean? Are you threatening me?”

“You may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but you’re not that stupid — you know what will happen.” He responded, amusement written on his cold features. His almond eyes deepened to black, leaving Bastien momentarily speechless.

“I’m certain that won’t be necessary.” Bastien confidently answered after he regained his composure. His companion nodded with an eerie smirk but casually lingered around the door. “Is there something else I can do for you?”

“I was just wondering about Lady Riley… Where you’re planning on sending her since you received the — opportunity to handle her?” He nonchalantly inquired, acting as disinterested as possible. “Such a great honor you have… One I practically begged for.”

“The States, where she came from.” Bastien’s direction was to ship her back to New York as discreetly as possible. Even though the plan took a drastic turn, that was the one constant that couldn't change because otherwise, they would out themselves for taking the reins and disobeying a direct order. She would land on her feet, start a new life, and forget all about Cordonia. Liam would surely want to search for her, but all Bastien had to do was stall until the coronation, when their cover for removing Riley would come to light.

“I see, I see… Well, hopefully, that works out for her.” He smiled, the sight raising goosebumps on Bastien’s arms.

Before Bastien could respond, the door creaked open, and a hooded presence strode out. He paid Bastien no mind, instead focusing on the dark-haired male. “Let us vacate. The party is nearly over, and we have tremendous amounts of work ahead of us if we want to pull this off.”

“What about the court? We can’t go back to —”

“Do not fret, Anton… We have a plan… Trust the process; this is only the beginning. Everything will work out as it should in due time, but we must move — now.”

The pair quickly walked away, but not before Bastien heard Anton loudly whisper, “About that — pit-stop…” to his companion.

Bastien momentarily pondered that statement, but shook off the queasiness inside his stomach, concluding they must be referring to Tariq. As he stared at Riley’s door, a brief flicker of guilt traveled through him. Riley did nothing wrong, and he knew that, but this is the task he regretfully accepted. It was not a personal vendetta, by any means, but this clueless woman aimlessly landed herself in the middle of the nobility; she didn’t understand the untold, dark side of the court and its inhabitants, but would learn on this day.

Bastien cautiously opened the door and entered to find Riley on the edge of her bed, cradling her side. She snapped her head over to him as she heard his footsteps, and her eyes filled to the brim with tears when she met his gaze. He once again fought a wave of remorse at seeing her hopeful expression, knowing he was not the knight in shining armor she assumed he was.

“Bastien, you—you have to help me… Please…” Riley croaked. Her words came out slightly slurred, although it surprised him that the earlier sedatives hadn’t taken a harder effect.

“I’m going to, Lady Riley. First, I need to ensure you’re not carrying anything on you.”

Bastien assisted Riley to a standing position, which she slowly did without question. He didn’t know exactly what transpired, but she had a gash on her side, blood soaking through the thin hoodie she wore. With her permission, he checked the wounds, none of which were bad enough to seek immediate medical attention. Her face was littered with cuts, surely bruises to follow with time, as one of her cheeks was already tinted with a light purple. He started at her shoulders and patted down to her abdomen, but stopped when he felt something in her pocket and pulled out her phone. He nonchalantly slipped the device into his jacket, but despite his best efforts, Riley watched him do it.

“That is my property! You can’t take that!” She protested.

“I’m afraid I can… You are to leave completely empty-handed. Now, we have to get going — you have a flight to catch.” Bastien placed a hand on Riley’s arm to lead her away.

Riley firmly planted her feet in place, shaking away his grip. “Don’t do this, Bastien!”

“You have no choice in this matter and we’re on a time limit,” Bastien replied as he checked his watch.

“What about all my stuff?”

“As I said, empty-handed.” He didn’t understand that part either, but concluded it was easier to shove her on a plane with no items to accompany her.

“On whose authority?!” Riley exclaimed. When he didn’t answer, she reiterated, “Who told you to do this to me, Bastien?!”

“That is confidential information.”

Riley snorted, her frustration written all over her face. “Bullshit! At least be man enough to tell me!”

“Fine. You want to know who did it?” He held her glare, letting the tension linger, but finally answered, “It was Liam.”

Riley stepped away as if she took a blow to the gut, but her devastation quickly morphed into the polar opposite.

Riley laughed; hard enough that tears spilled down her cheeks. “You expect me to believe that? Liam? Of all people?” She shook her head, slightly bouncing from her chuckles. “You think I’m that naïve and stupid?”

“Believe what you will, that matters not to me but my instructions were simple, so we must get moving.” He stated, very matter-of-factly.

“Bastien,” Riley pleaded, any signs of amusement suddenly disappearing. “Don’t do this. I’ll just — I don’t know!” She cried, anxiety prominent in her features. “I won’t say anything to anyone — I swear on my grandmother’s life! Or–or we can tell Liam! Whatever got you wrapped up in this, he will understand.” She reasoned. “Please — you don’t have to conform. We can find a way out of this together.”

Bastien considered it for a second, but ultimately gave Riley a sad smile and nudged her toward the door. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, but he remained firm. He quickly dropped her phone and the pre-written note he received inside her bedside table and went to the threshold, stepping over shards of glass from a broken planter and a bloodied garment.

Leaving her phone there meant it would be an immediate dead end for Liam and her sponsors. He would want to call her — possibly track her — but this ensured that door was closed before it could even be opened. It was a distraction tactic to keep the prince occupied until his reason for her departure would present itself to him, where hopefully, he would drop the matter for good.

Bastien held her stare for a moment before he cleared his throat, emphasizing the need to move. Riley hung her head and eventually slowly walked out the door, quietly sobbing as she did.

Bastien led her down the long hallway toward the servants’ exit, as their SUV waited close by. Riley was incredibly unsteady on her feet, whether it was from the earlier medication or her injuries, he wasn’t sure, but he held his hand out to steady her wobbly steps on multiple occasions. He glanced back and locked eyes with the maid he summoned to clean the area, and even with his dark sunglasses, he still spotted her apprehension. The interaction was brief as he and Riley reached the end of the hallway, but something in his gut said he would have to deal with that later.

Assisting Riley down the stairs turned out to be tricky, as she was in an incredible amount of pain. By the end, he hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her the rest of the way down. She didn’t yell or scream, not that it would have mattered if she tried; the party still ‘raged’ in the opposite direction, leaving the vicinity barren of wandering ears. If she got combative he had a plan for that as well, but was glad she opted to cooperate, instead of throwing a tantrum and meeting a fate similar to Tariq.

He sat her on her feet when they emerged outside and escorted her to the vehicle, quickly securing her inside. He used no restraints, but she didn’t resist one bit; almost as if she’d accepted her fate, or her body just didn’t have the strength to fight back. There were no remnants of Tariq or anyone else, but Bastien moved with fire under his feet as if someone lurked right around the corner.

Within the blink of an eye, they were at the airport, where Bastien unloaded her from the back of the car. The entire ride he heard Riley’s sniffles from the backseat, but he drove faster — to unload this package and hopefully, this would be a straightforward operation. Once she was out of the vehicle his job should be done, unless too many questions arose.

Bastien parked toward the back of the abandoned parking lot so the only thing on security footage would be Riley entering the airport. With his connections, he knew exactly where the cameras were and discreetly slipped into a blind spot. Riley could hardly stand as he pulled her from the vehicle, but that was not his concern.

He did his part — all she had to do was walk inside and leave Cordonia forever.

He shoved a small envelope into her hands and said, “Here is your ID, passport, credit cards, and a ticket to New York. It’s been a pleasure, Lady Riley.” And with that, Bastien turned on his heel and returned to his vehicle, speeding away before he could second guess his decision.

He glanced back in the rearview mirror and saw the silhouette of a woman standing there disoriented, wounded, alone, terrified, and defenseless, but quickly averted his gaze, centering on the road. He nearly pushed his foot through the floorboard to get away faster, but bile rose into the back of his throat as a chilling realization sat in; he didn’t know how, but this was far from over, and the chances of him making it to see his next birthday just substantially dwindled.

“I assumed she boarded the plane, but I later received her identification and credit cards in a sealed envelope from an unidentifiable source. I tried to help her… I really did…” Bastien finished with his head bowed.

“No, you sure as shit did not!” Drake bellowed, a mix of fury and shock written on his features. “I can’t believe you!”

Bastien flinched. “I did what I had to do—”

“Where is she, then? Because she never got on that fucking plane, Bastien!” Olivia hollered.

“I don’t know! I told you everything I know about it! I tried to find out, but I can’t!”

“This is fucking unreal.” Drake shook his head and scoffed. “You expect me to believe you really don’t know? You have her ID! Her goddamn passport!”

Bastien forcefully clenched his jaw. “I received them before the tour in a sealed envelope. I don’t know where it came from and I can't trace its origin.”

Drake scowled. “We’re supposed to believe that?” He looked away and rubbed a hand down his face, his frustration steadily rising. “Let’s say I do — you chose to keep that to yourself? You didn’t think that was worth mentioning when we opened an investigation into her goddamned disappearance?!” He over-enunciated, sarcasm dripping off every syllable.

“What was I supposed to do, Drake?!” Bastien responded, but couldn’t fathom meeting his eyes for even a brief second.

“Not be a spineless piece of shit, for one,” Olivia answered. “For two, you could’ve refused to cooperate from the beginning. Or, told the truth, regardless of what would’ve happened to you then… Or, made sure she got on the plane, at least. You drugged her and left her for dead, Bastien! Who knows where she’s at by now?! Do you realize how much time we’ve wasted because of you?!”

“I did not drug her or leave her for dead—”

“But you didn’t fucking stop it either, and that’s just as damning in my eyes,” Drake spoke in a bland, empty voice as he tried to comprehend this betrayal. “I don’t know what happened to you, but you’re not the man I used to look up to, not anymore… I can’t believe you did this and continuously lied to us about it!”

Bastien slouched. “I never lied—”

“Bullshit! You’ve done nothing but lie! You’ve gotta stop and tell us the truth for once!”

“I told you everything I know, everything I’ve done. I killed the maid and had every intention of Lady Penelope taking the fall — I’ve led you astray and tampered with evidence — I admit it.”

“I don’t care about any of that shit right now!” Drake shouted. “We wanna know what you did with Brooks, Bastien.”

Bastien sighed. “Drake, I told you, I don’t know where she’s at! She was supposed to go inside and board the plane!”

“But you didn’t wait and ensure she did, at least?” Olivia asked with an arched brow.

“I didn’t think I needed to! After what I heard coming out of that room, I assumed she would run inside to get away… If anyone knows, it’s probably that Anton character!”

“Anton…” Olivia repeated, her curiosity peaking. “What do you know about him? And the other guy? Claudius?”

“Absolutely nothing. I’d never seen them before and haven’t since. All I know is they were in charge of relocating Tariq.”

“And you don’t know where that is, either?”

“No, I don’t. I didn’t ask questions, and I wasn’t told. I ran their names in the system to see if I could figure anything out, but they’re ghosts — there aren’t even medical records with either name on it.”

Olivia scoffed. “So, why do it, then?”

“I have my reasons…” He finally gathered the courage to take a peek in Drake's direction, but when he spotted the wild blaze of fire in his eyes, swiftly glanced away.

“Yeah… Okay…” Olivia indignantly laughed. “So was this your idea, or were you working under someone else’s watch?” He didn’t reply, but she and Drake noticed his shoulders tense. “That’s all the answer I need. So who is it? Who’s pulling the strings here?”

Bastien shook his head. “That I can’t tell you.”

“You’re already a dead man no matter which way you look at it, so you may as well just tell us. If you do, there is the tiniest chance that you may receive mercy,” Olivia growled as her hand instinctively reached for the dagger hidden in her waistband.

“I’m aware of that, but I cannot tell you.”

“Bas, you need to fucking—”

“Damn it, Drake, I can’t!” Bastien shouted. He knew the pain Drake felt was nothing compared to what he’d feel if he knew the truth, but he refused to open that can of worms.

Liam remained eerily quiet as he listened to Bastien retell the events of that night. To say he was fuming would be the understatement of the millennium. Bastien’s continuous misleading and knowledge of Riley being drugged, assaulted, and potentially still in Cordonia sent Liam overboard. Not to mention, he basically left her for dead in a parking lot. Bastien did all of that; he may not have physically harmed her himself, but he stood guard, let it happen, and actively worked to cover it up, making Liam physically sick to his stomach.

The all-consuming rage he tried to control reached its boiling point. He was no longer asking nicely — he was demanding.

Liam slowly stood from his chair, the loud screech halting the surrounding bickering. He leaned over the table on his knuckles and positioned himself at eye level with his former guard. “You told her that I did it?”

Bastien’s eyes spread eagle. “I just needed to get her out of the door… I assumed that would get her to leave willingly, but she didn’t believe a word I said.”

Liam indignantly laughed, the sound sending waves of uncertainty through everyone in the room. “So it wasn’t enough to physically break her — you had to pile emotional pain on top, too?”

“Sir, she did not believe me,” Bastien reasoned. “She knew you would never do such a thing. It was only a last-ditch attempt on my part to get her out.”

Liam mindlessly nodded, ignoring the new wave of dread filling his veins. He’d convinced himself even through all this madness, when they reached the bottom of this intricate web, there was still a slight chance Riley could love him back, but that hope burst into flames instantaneously. Regardless of whether she believed the lie, he was more determined than ever to find her, ensure her safety, and make sure she knew he played no part in this. He had no intentions of hiding his prolonged negligence of the situation from her, but wasn’t willing to let her hate him over something he had no part of.

Liam took a deep, steadying breath and spoke in a low, timbre rumble. “I’m ordering you to tell me who orchestrated all this, Bastien — you owe me that much.”

Bastien remained silent for a long moment as he held his monarch’s intent gaze. Eventually, he sat back in his chair and broke eye contact while pursing his lips together. “Damn it, tell me!” Liam shouted, his voice echoing against the concrete walls.

Bastien hesitated, as he quickly planned his path from here. The potential to get caught was always there, and he thought extensively about what he would do and who to say in this situation. His secrets fueled a small portion of his decision, but the majority centered around fear. He wouldn’t be safe either way but would take his punishment from the crown. Aside from keeping his skeletons inside the closet, to defy the — others — would essentially put nails in his coffin, just waiting to be hammered in. He’d seen firsthand the carnage they were capable of; a couple of treason charges were nothing in comparison.

But if he pointed them in the right direction, it wouldn't be him outing the culprit.

The tension lingered but right when Olivia opened her mouth to push, Bastien quietly answered, “It was your father…”

The room went silent; not a single breath to be heard. Olivia took in the steadfast determination in Bastien’s features and knew for once — he wasn’t lying. And it made some sense; Bastien was purely manpower, not an active brain contributing, and Constantine had the power to force him into anything. However, she instantly knew the former monarch was not the person behind that door with Riley.

Constantine was in high demand and there was no way he could’ve slipped away from the jamboree that early unnoticed. Olivia recalled that night, and to her knowledge, Constantine retired at the same time as Liam. Plus, if they believed Liam’s out-of-body experience to be reality, Constantine was right beside him while the attack took place.

She believed him but also realized while he told the truth, he didn’t tell all of it. There was more to the story, and she intended to get any and every ounce of information out of him, no matter what it took.

Olivia opened her mouth to address Bastien, but Liam beat her to it. “My father?” He repeated, confusion showcased brightly on his face.

“Yes, sir,” Bastien softly spoke. “I know that may be hard for you to hear, but—”

“Shut the fuck up!” Liam suddenly bellowed as his shock quickly morphed into dangerous fury. “You’re still trying to lie?!”

Bastien’s eyes widened. “I swear to you — he’s the one who told me to send her back to New York.”

Liam shook his head, his face reddening with every sullen breath. “No… You’re just trying to cover your own ass, that’s it!”

Bastien sighed. “I don’t expect you to believe me, but that is the truth. Your father is the one who—”

Liam paced the small area, his racing thoughts spiraling out of control. “My father would not do this, regardless of how strongly he felt about it. This is fucking evil and deranged — he is a lot of things, but he would never do something like this to me.” He seethed. “So I will ask you one final time — who was it?”

Silence commenced once more, but Bastien eventually answered. “I told you who it was. If you choose not to believe me, that’s your prerogative. I did what he ordered me to do.”

Fast as lightning, Liam brought his fist up and connected with Bastien’s jaw. He went around the table and hit him again, and again, until Bastien was on his knees with his head dangling in between his still cuffed hands. Liam didn’t care if he killed him or not at that moment; all that mattered was exacting revenge on behalf of his beloved, even if she wasn’t there to witness it. The monarch checked out, replaced by a vicious beast — a starved one, at that.

Liam saw nothing except Riley’s face, the sound of her cries from his out-of-body experience echoing in his mind. His hand throbbed as he relentlessly took his frustrations out on Bastien, but he barely felt it because of the pure hatred and adrenaline pumping through his veins.

Olivia and Drake watched, exchanging worried glances as Liam continued his assault. Both felt incredible amounts of anger toward Bastien, but they saw the bits of truth. Liam might not want to believe it, but Constantine made the most sense.

However, Olivia wholeheartedly believed Constantine was not the one in that room. He may have ordered Bastien to engage, but deep down she knew he was not the one calling the shots that night. As Liam continued to pummel him, she had half a mind to stop him, but the person taking out his anger on his crumpled guard was not her childhood friend, and even she was hesitant to interfere.

It was Drake who finally intervened, laying a firm hand on his shoulder. “Li…” When Liam shook him off, he tried again with more force. “Liam!”

“Get your fucking hands off of me!” Liam shouted, quickly returning to his mission. Every bone that snapped underneath his fist soothed a portion of his soul, but he wasn’t willing to stop until Bastien felt even a small portion of the pain enveloping his entire being.

The door crept open and Leo went to step inside, Maxwell close behind, but halted when he spotted a bloodied and battered Bastien dangling from the side of the table. Liam continued his attack, completely oblivious to the additional presences in the room. Leo noticed the mixed expressions from Olivia and Drake and quickly pieced a vague conclusion together. Never in his life did he think Bastien could be capable of such atrocities, but clearly they found something to tie him to it.

Leo stepped toward Liam and timidly tapped his shoulder to gather his attention. “Li, we found Penelope. She was headed to the palace with orders for incineration upon arrival, but we stopped it and she should be back soon. I talked with Landon and Emmaline and they’ve agreed to send her wherever you see fit for autopsy. Ray recommended a specialist, but I wanted your input before I started the process.”

Liam finally stopped his assault and stared down at Bastien’s crumpled body with labored breaths. “The amount of which you’re willing to go to bury this is ridiculous! WHO could be that important that you would do all this — risk EVERYTHING for?!” He bellowed, his voice booming against the walls.

Bastien never answered, whether by choice or from his injuries, but a silence took over as Liam really pondered that question for a moment. This wasn’t just some measly scandal anymore; this was an extensive operation concocted to remove the top competitors and ensure he married Madeleine. At first assumption, it would be easy to point a finger at Madeleine herself, but Bastien held no allegiance to her, and the two hardly spoke before the start of the engagement tour. She held no power over him and had no way to get him to bend to her will.

And that was simply too easy — right?

Bastien’s involvement suddenly narrowed down the potential list of suspects, as Liam knew there was a very short number of people he would have no choice but to obey. Despite everything, he didn’t want to believe Bastien willingly did all of this. He expressed feeling some kind of remorse while it was happening, but he still aided and lied about it afterward, making his guilt irrelevant.

He had no reason to trust Bastien, but the more he thought about it, the more his heart accepted the tale.

The betrayal from his former guard was a lot to process, but knowing who could have ultimately constructed the whole thing shredded him into a million tiny pieces. Half of him was ready to unleash a wrath like no other, while the other half wanted to crumple into a ball and cry. His already fragile heart couldn't take the strain; right when he thought this situation couldn't get worse, it did. Someone so close forcefully took something so precious, knowing how much Riley meant to him, and it completely blindsided him.

His back hit the wall and he slid down it, clutching his chest. Leo and Drake quickly moved to catch him, thinking he was having another episode, but Liam shook them off. As everyone took in his dejection, they realized he accepted who their next subject of questioning would be.

“Leo…” Liam swallowed thickly, his breaths rapid and labored. “Tell me — tell me our father wouldn’t do this… He’s not evil, just hard-headed — right?”

Leo winced. “I… I wish I could, Li, but…” He didn’t want to believe it but with Constantine’s infatuation with the throne, he couldn’t put it past him. Their father was never malicious, but he had a control problem regarding the crown; Leo knew firsthand.

But would he go this far?

Liam let out a forceful huff of air and ran his hands down his face, trying and failing to keep his tears at bay. “I — I thought it was bad that Bastien betrayed me, but — him? Why would he do this?”

“I want to answer that, Liam, but I’m not the person to ask… One way or another, you know we have to confront him…”

Liam grimly nodded. “I know… I just — what if he is the one who did all of this? What am I supposed to do then, Leo?”

Leo remained silent for a long moment, gathering his thoughts, but was to no avail, as he genuinely didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know, Liam… I really don’t…”

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mysticalfangirl · 1 month ago

Text

A Cordonian Christmas in New York

Summary - Liam and Riley have planned a family trip to New York City on Christmas as the city brings special memories for the couple. They want to share with their little ones the magic of the season and their first Christmas together as a family of four.

Main pairing - Liam x Mc

Rating - General

Category - Fluff

No of words - 960

Warning - none

*Most of the characters belong to pixelberry

The gentle rumble of the private jet filled the cabin as it swooped over the Atlantic Ocean. Inside, the royal family of Cordonia was finally experiencing something they hadn't had in years: a quiet moment of togetherness.

King Liam of Cordonia sat on the plush leather seat, holding his daughter, Ella, whose sleepy head rested against his shoulder. Across from him, Queen Riley bounced their son, Elias, on her lap, his bright blue eyes wide as he tried to squirm free, captivated by the sights of the cabin.

"This might be the first time I regret choosing a plane over a royal carriage," Liam teased, his voice soft as he brushed a curl from Ella's forehead.

Riley laughed. "Trust me, this is better. I don't think a horse-drawn carriage could make it across the Atlantic. Besides, the kids are loving the adventure."

Liam grinned, glancing fondly at their twins. “True. And I’m glad we’re doing this. Our first Christmas as a family of four deserves something special. A proper adventure.”

The decision to spend Christmas in New York had been spontaneous—a way to give their children a taste of Riley's home country and enjoy a little secrecy, something that Cordonia rarely offered. Liam had always been curious about New York at Christmas, and Riley had eagerly embraced the idea of showing him her city all dressed up in holiday cheer.

Are you ready to experience the chaos of New York during Christmas?" Riley teased, nudging him with her elbow.

Liam smirked. "After hosting countless royal galas, negotiating trade deals, and chasing down two very mobile toddlers, I think I'm well-prepared.

As the plane descended to land at JFK, the twins began to stir awake. Ella blinked sleepily; her golden curls were tumbling over her little face much like Liam's. Meanwhile Elias clapped his hands and looked excited about their impending landing.

"Here comes New York," whispered Riley excitedly as she kissed his forehead.

---

The moment they stepped outside, Riley's heart swelled. New York was alive with holiday magic—twinkling lights lined the streets, snow flurries danced in the air, and the hum of traffic mixed with carolers singing on every other corner. Liam looked awestruck, his hand gripping Riley's tightly as they stood bundled up in their coats, the twins nestled in their arms.

“This is incredible,” Liam murmured, his breath fogging in the cold air.

“Told you,” Riley replied, grinning. “You’re going to love it.”

They made their way to Rockefeller Center, where the giant Christmas tree towered over a bustling ice rink. Leo and Ella squirmed excitedly in their parents’ arms, their little faces lit with joy as they took in the twinkling lights and festive decorations.

"Can we take them skating?" Liam asked, his boyish grin making Riley's heart flutter.

"Are you sure you can handle toddlers on ice?" Riley teased.

"Challenge accepted."

And so, half an hour later, Liam and Riley found themselves on the rink, both grinning, skating slowly with their load, Leo squealing in ecstasy as he clutched at Riley's scarf, while Ella nestled into Liam's chest, giggling at every time he lost his balance and regained it.

"You know," Liam said, his voice low as they skated side by side, "this might be one of the happiest moments of my life."

Riley smiled up at him, her cheeks flushed. "Mine too. The four of us… this is what Christmas should feel like."

The next day was clear blue skies and fresh powdery snow. The day took them to Central Park, where the twins dressed in tiny snowsuits that made them resemble small marshmallows.

Ella was in the snow within minutes, giggling as Liam helped her make her first snow angel. Riley was sitting on a bench, watching Elias as he patted the small snowman she helped him make.

Liam turned to wave at Riley, and his smile shone so bright. "Do you think they're having fun?"

"They're definitely having fun," Riley said with a grin as she snapped a photo of the twins.

The next stop was to a department store to visit Santa Claus. Riley had been excited to share this tradition with her children, but she couldn't help but laugh when Elias stared at Santa suspiciously, his tiny brow furrowed.

"I think Leo's not convinced this guy is the real deal," Liam said, holding back a chuckle.

On the other hand, Ella cooed happily at Santa as she tugged at his fluffy white beard; the photographer caught the photo op.

---

On Christmas morning the family assembled in the living room of their rented townhouse where the fireplace crackled warmly. A small tree sat in the corner nicely decorated, with a few little presents scattered around it.

Liam sat cross-legged on the floor, Ella perched in his lap as he helped her tear the wrapping paper off a soft stuffed bunny. Riley sat beside them with Elias, who squealed in excitement as he uncovered a toy train.

"Look at their faces," Riley whispered, smiling as she watched the twins delight in their gifts.

Liam's eyes softened as he looked at his wife. "This is perfect, Riley. A small, quiet Christmas. Just us."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly. "I couldn't agree more."

As the morning light streamed through the windows and laughter echoed through the room, Liam reached for Riley's hand.

"Merry Christmas, my love," he said softly.

"Merry Christmas, Liam," Riley said smiling, her heart full.

The twins crawled into their laps, giggling happily, as the family sank into a blissful, peaceful moment-one they'd never forget. In this little corner of New York, the king and queen and their two little subjects found the ultimate gift: love, laughter, and the pure bliss of togetherness.

Tags

@kingliam2019 @kristinamae093 @ao719 @tessa-liam @busywoman @twinkleallnight @jerzwriter @malblk21 @emersyn-in-cordonia @marietrinmimi @kingliam2019 @choicesficwriterscreations @delmissesryanandcassi @belencha77 @mom2000aggie

#choices liam x mc #trr mc #trr liam #king liam #liam x riley #choices trr #choices fanfic

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eadanga · 1 month ago

Text

Royal Christmas

Liam looks at the decorated tree and smiles “This is amazing”

“Dada!”

He looks over and sees his 2 year daughter Angel toddling towards him ornament in hand

He chuckles as he lifts her up and puts her near a branch “There you go my little princess”

Angel puts the ornament on and claps her hands “Yay!”

He kisses her on the cheek “Thanks for your help you love our Christmas tree”

“Ya!”

“I’m glad I know your mother would love it too can’t wait till she gets back and sees this”

“Juicy!”

Liam chuckles “Ok let’s get you some juice” He leads her to the kitchen and opens the fridge “What would you like” Angel thinks for a moment then points “The orange juice excellent choice” He sits her on the table and pours juice into her cup “Here you are your highness”

“Yay!” She takes the juice and shoves into her mouth

“Whoa!” He stops her then guides her cup slowly to her mouth “Slowly we changed your clothes once today”

“Sowy dada”

“It’s ok my princess now are you ready for Christmas and to open your presents”

“Ya!”

“Good Santa left many gifts under the tree and so did Daddy and Mommy and Uncle Drake Hana Maxwell and”

“Yay!” Angel throws her arms around him “Wub you dada”

He sighs tears coming to his eyes as he returns the embrace “I love you too my princess”

“Dada sad?”

“No sweetheart I just love you so much so glad you’re here with me”

“Aww look at my two favorite people”

Liam turns around and sees Riley standing there looking at them

“Mama!”

“Hi baby how are you”

Angel throws her arms up “Whee!”

Riley giggles “That’s good to hear” She kisses her cheek then turns to Liam “I see you’re having fun”

“Well I was just getting her juice and getting her excited for the holiday season”

“She sure is and so am I can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned for this year can’t I get a hint”

“Nope it’s a secret my love” He kisses her forehead

“Well ok can I at least see the tree”

“Right this way my queen” He takes Angel in his arms and walks to the Christmas tree

Riley grins “Liam this is amazing you out do yourself every year”

“That look on your face well worth it and this year I got some traditions I know you’ll love”

“Can we build gingerbread houses too?”

Liam chuckles “I didn’t forget about that we’re gonna do that every year”

Riley grins “I love it Liam”

“But you know the best part”

“What’s that Liam”

He wraps his arm around her waist pulling her closer “Spending the holidays with my two favorite girls”

“Aww Liam I love you”

“I love you too and your family is flying in right?”

“Yup mom and dad are boarding the next flight”

“Great this is gonna be an amazing Christmas”

He kisses her deeply “I love you”

“I love you too”

“Wub you too!”

They both laughs “We love you to cutie”

Tags: @choicesgodfanatic @indiacater @princess-geek @iaminlovewithtrr @gkittylove99 @the-soot-sprite @kingliam2019

@twinkleallnight

#choices fanfiction #choices fan fiction #king liam #trr liam #liam x mc #the royal romance #trr fanfic #choices trr #trr/trh

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lorirwritesfanfic · 2 months ago

Text

Break - Part I

Book: The Royal Romance Pairing: Liam Rys x MC (Jade) Rating: M Word count: 2124 Reading time: ~8min Summary: After dinner in Fydelia, Liam sent a message to Jade asking her to meet him so he explain why he didn't stood up for her and chose Madeleine to be fiancee. But neither of them were ready to face the outcome of their conversation. Based on the prompt: @kingliamappreciationweek day 4: Relationships

Author's note:

Jade Bourbon is a creation of this author. The other characters belong to Pixelberry Studios;

This year's KLAW brought me back to the days I wrote incessantly about Liam, so I decided to revisit some old fics and revamp them. This piece was originally part of Coming Back With a Bang, but because I've been frustrated with book two scene in the balcony with Liam since 2018 and my attempt to write a fix-it fic then lacked emotion, I'm rewriting it and hoping this time I can do justice to Jade and show how she felt;

There may be some lines from canon in here. I just don't know which ones 😅

Thanks to @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes for hosting KLAW again. I don't know if a rewritten fic will be accepted, but regardless it is or not, thank you for once again inspiring me with prompts to write Liam.

While Maxwell waited outside the ladies room, Jade looked at herself in the mirror and heaved a sigh. She was a mess. Sure, she could fix her makeup and go back out there. But what for? Watching Madeleine snaking her hands over him? For more people to tell her how she became a pariah in the kingdom and should just leave? What was the point of all this anyway?

Turning on the sink, she washed her hands and placed them on the back of her neck to freshen up. She was still resolute not to give up. But for the night, she had enough.

As she walked out of the ladies room, Maxwell stood up from the settee with his usual encouraging smile.

"You seem better."

"Thanks..." She simpered. "Can I go back to my room now? We congratulated the happy couple, toasted, dined on their honor and blah blah blah..." Jade gesticulated as she twisted her lips in annoyance.

"Sure. I think the staff already has it cleaned. I'm kinda beat too."

"Let's go then."

Lacing arms with her friend, Jade and Maxwell walked towards the grand staircase.

"Wait, we don't have to go back and say goodnight to them, do we?" Jade made a face.

"Nah... It's okay. It's been a long day for all of us."

"Tell me about it..."

A soft knock on the door echoed in the room, waking Jade up. She had no idea how much time had passed or who could be knocking on her door right now.

After getting out of bed and taking a quick look in the mirror, she reached for a robe and answered the door.

"Hey you!” Her eyes soften at the sight of Maxwell. “What’s with the flowers?”

“Special delivery!” Maxwell beamed as he walked in carrying a huge red roses arrangement. “Housekeeping sent over a new centerpiece for your end table.”

"Now?"

"The staff apologized for sending it so late, but they thought it'd be nice for you to wake up and see the flowers."

"Aw, it really is nice..." She smiled, burying her nose on the centerpiece to smell the roses when she noticed a small envelope wrapped around one of the stems.

Opening the envelope, she picked up the note inside and her eyes rose in surprise.

“Oh, that’s Liam’s handwriting," Maxwell prompted.

"I wouldn't blame you if you're furious with me, but please meet me so I can at least explain. I'll be on the balcony outside my room in twenty minutes." - L.

As if pulled by a magnet, Jade walked outside to search for Liam's balcony.

Maxwell picked the note from the floor, read it while following Jade outside. "You're thinking about it, aren't you?"

"I shouldn't..." Jade bit down her lip as her eyes began to water.

“Hey..." Maxwell approached her, placing his hand on her arm. "I cannot imagine how much it stung to see him with Madeleine. But Liam wouldn't send you this if he didn't think he owed you an explanation."

"Should I go?"

"You're my friend, but I'm also his friend and I kinda want to say 'hell yeah! Go get your man!'" Maxwell enthused, making her giggle, but immediately his features grew a bit serious. "I'm rooting for you two, but if you say it's too much for you right now, I'll get it."

Jade chewed on a nail.

“Whatever you decide, I'll support you. Don't forget to get some rest, okay?”

"Thanks, Max."

"Have a goodnight, Little Blossom." Maxwell said as he left the balcony and then left her room.

Alone once again, Jade mulled over Liam's note and remembered their encounter earlier. The way he gazed at her, complimenting her, kissing her hand as gentle and passionate as ever, his eyes searching for hers throughout the dinner...

Jade walked back into the room and searched for the nicest yet comfortable clothes she had in the closet. She needed to be ready to climb his balcony if necessary, but still look her best in case they end things. Maybe he did have an explanation. She just hoped it'd be a good one.

As soon as Jade stepped into the garden, her eyes darted to Liam's balcony. As one of his fingers idly ran on the rim of a nearly empty wine glass, Liam sat by himself, lost in thought. Ignoring her racing heart and dry mouth, she walked towards the pillar under his balcony and hoped she could not only climb it, but manage to tell him everything that was choked inside her.

“Jade!” Liam murmured in surprise as he rushed to help her get into his balcony.

Her feet barely had touched the ground when Liam swept her into his arms. His nose buried on her hair, tears fell down her cheeks as the inebriating scent of his cologne overtook her. It was so hard not to lose herself in his embrace. If there was any place she yearned to be again, it was certainly within his arms.

Yet, flashes of coronation night and the dinner earlier came to her, reminding her of her current situation. Reality always seemed to hit her as hard as a slap on the face.

After wiping her tears discreetly, Jade pulled away from his eyes and said, “You're engaged."

Liam swallowed hard and nodded.

"We need to talk."

“Yes, of course. It’s just…" Liam took a step closer, gazing into her eyes. "Damn, Lady Jade, how I’ve missed you.”

Jade averted her gaze for a moment to gather strength and say what she had to tell him. “Aren’t you going to ask me if it’s true?”

“No. I don’t need to ask to know it was a set up.”

“You knew?”

Her eyebrows rose as she tried to process what he said.

"You knew?!" As she repeated, a wave of anger took over her. “Then why? Why did you let me go?" Her eyes glisten with tears again. "Why didn't you try to reach out to me? Why did I have to hide like a criminal if you knew I was the victim? Why did you have to choose… her?” Her lips quivered, her emotions taking the best of her as she cried again.

"Oh, Jade..." Liam whispered, pulling her back into his arms. "If only you knew how much I wanted to tell you that I believe you, that I always knew you'd never spoken more than a few words to Tariq because you were simply polite to him... But I couldn't."

Her hands balled into fists as she tried to push him away, yet Liam didn't let go. She continued, hitting his chest harder as hot tears streamed down her face.

And in spite of it all, Liam didn't pull away nor tried to defend himself. He simply continued to hold her as tight as he could. When she finally hugged him back, Liam kissed her forehead in adoration. He waited for as long as it took her for her to calm down then led her to the settee so they could talk.

"Why did you say you couldn't?"

"Though I knew it was set up because Drake told me about the broken lock on your door, I had no proof. No one knows where Tariq is, who could've told him to go to your room. Someone had gone to great lengths to frame you." A muscle in his jaw twitches. "If I chose you that night or tried to remain in touch with you or the Beaumonts, I might have put you in greater danger."

"Oh?"

"I haven't told you about my mother."

"You mentioned she died when you were young."

"The details of passing weren't disclosed to the press, but she was poisoned."

Jade's mouth fell open.

"We still don't know who caused my mother's death. And if that person is still out there, walking freely into the country estate that was built to be secure..." He shook his head. "I can't think about the possibility of losing you, Jade."

Jade chewed on a lip, not knowing what to say.

"I'll regret what I did at the Coronation for the rest of my life because it hurt you and I'm sorry that it happened as it did. But in that moment, the only thing that I could think of to keep you safe was to make whoever is behind this believe that they won. But I am so, so sorry... This must have been miserable for you."

Liam reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"You could've called..." Jade murmured.

"I had to make it seem like I had no more ties with you. But I knew you were safe at Ramsford. Bertrand kept you distracted with etiquette, ballroom dancing and Cordonian history lessons."

Her eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"Bertrand and I talked briefly through a secure line. I told him to cut you slack so you could have time to go jogging. I heard you were playing the piano sometimes..."

"He did keep you up to speed," she concluded, still annoyed.

"In case you were wondering, we only had short calls. If I had talked to you, I wouldn't be satisfied with a one minute call every now and then."

"Me neither..." Jade sighed. "Okay... I guess it makes sense. But I still have one question. Why her?"

"Madeleine is different from the other suitors. We never really got along, she doesn't care about that I feel nothing for her. I couldn't ask any of the other ladies to go through an arrangement like this. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone else's feelings."

"But you don't care about Madeleine?"

"You've had time to talk to her."

"Unfortunately... Is she awful with you too?"

"To put it mildly..." Liam made a face.

"I thought she was mean to us girls because we were competition."

"Perhaps it was, but in my opinion, that's Madeleine being herself."

"This arrangement you have with her…" Jade pressed her lips together, struggling to think about what she was going to ask. "Does it make me your mistress?”

“Hardly. You’re the woman I love. The only one.” Liam locked his fingers through hers. “I know this is not what any of us hoped for, but all I could think about at that moment was finding a way to keep you in my life.”

“Liam, I—" She shook her head. “This is a lot.”

“I know. But my hope is that it's all temporary. Just until we find whoever schemed against you. After all of this, if you still have me, our love won't have to be a secret.”

“But what if we can't find who did this?"

"I'll still be all yours even if I have to marry Madeleine. But if you don't want it, I..." He trailed off, then took a deep breath. "I won't stand on your way."

As tears welled up on her eyes once again, Liam went down one knee and cupped her cheek, wiping a tear with his thumb. “Stay."

"Liam..."

"I'm talking about tonight. Stay here. I need to see with my own eyes that you’ll be safe.”

Jade sobbed. This was too much. Becoming his mistress was a hard limit for her. Yet, how could she leave him if every part of being came alive under his gaze? Unable to find words to express what she felt, she just sat there and sobbed while Liam took a plce by her side again, pulling her close in his arms.

It was still dark when Jade woke up. Around her waist, one of Liam’s arms pressed her back against his chest. On the sleeve of his shirt, makeup stains. Signs of how much all of this has been tough on them.

She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of his aftershave lingering on the pillow, the warmth of his arm and chest protecting her. She knew deep inside he would do anything to shield her from insults, dirty looks and any threats. But it still was a lot for both of them.

“Liam,” she whispered, rubbing his hand.

He frowned a little before opening his eyes.

“Hey...” she turned to face him and gave him a weak smile.

Hey,” he said, stifling a yawn. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I just have to go back to my room now.”

“Of course. Let me talk to the guards outside first.”

He then got out of the bed, ran a hand in an attempt to fix his tousled hair and opened the door. A couple of minutes later, he returned.

“You can take the hallway. None of the guards will ask questions. As far as they're concerned, you were never here,” he said, placing his hands inside his pockets.

“Thank you.”

Jade sat up, put her flats back on her feet and headed to the door.

“Jay...” he called, taking one of her hands before she reached the doorknob. “What about us? Will we be okay?”

“I hope so... But I need time to think. It’s a lot to process.”

Liam nodded, looking down at her hand as his thumb stroked her mother’s ring on her finger.

“Hey," she uttered, cupping his cheek gently. "We're not over. I just..."

"I know."

Before they could think about it, her arms wrapped his neck as his hands clenched on the back of her sweater. Would things change between them if they stayed away from each other? Would life give them another chance? They didn't know. But as far as anyone else knew, there was no way back for them.

#choices fanfic #the royal romance #king liam #liam x mc #kingliamappreciationweek #klaw day 4 #lorirwritesfanfic #lorircreates

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sfb123 · 2 years ago

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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

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sazanes · 2 years ago

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Day 5 - Friendships/Relationships/AU - Cordonian Waltz

"He spins you out of the move in time to the music, and you hold his gaze..."

This is one of the scenes I love the most in The Royal Romance. I shiver every time I play… These words from Liam awakened in Sophie the courage to not give up on him, to open her heart and to live this love.

@kingliamappreciationweek and @lizzybeth1986 Lizzy thank you so much for your support and your patience 🥰🥰🥰🙏🙏🙏

#kingliamappreciationweek #king liam #the royal romance #playchoices #king liam x mc #myart #digital art #choices fanart #KLAW day 5

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justcallmefox89 · 11 months ago

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Cinderfella's Adventures in Cordonia - Chapter Twenty

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

Masterlist

Drake and Liam learn more about Callum's past.

“What’s going on, Pops?” Callum asks again.

“You’re back earlier than I expected,” Niall answers, shooting a dirty look at Donny.

The blonde man shrugs nonchalantly, taking a pack of cigarettes from his jack pocket and tapping it against the palm of his hand.

“Yeah… turns out there wasn’t a problem at the club after all.” Callum narrows his eyes at his father.

Niall innocently widens his eyes. “I must have misunderstood.”

“Then you just mistakenly let yourself into my apartment while I was out?”

“I do own the building, Callum,” Niall sniffs. “Technically I can go into any apartment I want to, with or without your permission.”

Donny lets out a slightly breathy and panicked, “Oh shit.”

Drake’s eyes bounce back and forth between the men like ping-pong balls and Liam sits rigidly next to him, tension evident in every line of his body.

“That’s how we’re going to do this? Seriously, Pops? You didn’t try that line on me when I was sixteen but you’re doing it now?”

“You had better sense at sixteen,” Niall snaps. “Back then you weren’t jumping at the chance to ruin your life every time a hot piece of ass smiled at you.”

“I need a smoke,” Donny suddenly announces loudly. He points at Liam and Drake. “You two. Come with me.”

Confused, Liam blurts out, “We don’t smoke.”

“You can hold my lighter,” Donny replies, tugging the pair to their feet.

Ioan rises from his chair. “I think I’ll join you -”

“You better keep your ass in that chair, old man,” Callum grinds out between clenched teeth.

Stunned at his grandson’s tone, Ioan plops back into his seat, and Donny seizes the opportunity to hustle Drake and Liam out onto the balcony. He manages to slam the sliding glass door closed just as the shouting starts.

“What the actual FUCK were you two thinking?” Callum yells.

Donny lights a cigarette and inhales deeply, letting the pale grey smoke slowly curl out of his nostrils. “I hope the two of you are pleased with yourselves.”

“Us?” Liam gapes, pointing between himself and Drake. “You think this is our fault?”

“Isn’t it?” He takes another drag. “Callum was fine, happy again. You two are back in his life less than three days and him and his father are at each other’s throats with Ioan snapping at their heels.”

Liam’s cheeks flush and he scowls. “The MacKenzie family’s dysfunction has nothing to do with us.”

“It has everything to do with you, cupcake.”

Drake braces his forearms on the railing that runs around the perimeter of the balcony. “I didn’t mean for anything like this to happen. I never wanted to cause Callum any problems.”

He sounds so miserable that Donny takes pity on him. “I know you didn’t mean to, kid. But goddamn… why couldn’t you just stay away?”

The voices from the living room get louder and the three men wince in unison.

“He’s going back with you,” Donny says, flicking his cigarette butt onto the ground and crushing it with the toe of his boot.

Liam sighs. “He hasn’t made a decision one way or the other yet.”

“I know my son. He’ll go.”

Drake and Liam exchange startled looks.

Donny chuckles at their shocked expressions. “I’ve been raising that boy for nearly thirty years, and I’ve been with Niall for almost as long. Callum’s my son.”

“We didn’t realize…” Drake trails off, embarrassed.

“Did Callum ever tell you about his mother?”

“From the way he phrased it I assumed she died when he was very young,” Liam says slowly.

Donny barks out a harsh laugh. “Fuck. That woman will still be alive when there’s only cockroaches roaming the earth.”

Drake’s mouth drops open and Liam frowns uncomfortably.

Taking in their shocked expressions Donny sighs and lights another cigarette. “That was probably unfair to Cassie. We’ve always had a… complicated relationship.”

“So his mom is alive?” Drake asks.

Donny shrugs. “He’s never met her. She showed up once when he graduated high school. Niall almost had an aneurysm. She futzed around a bit, said she wanted to finally meet her son. But in the end she did what she always does and disappeared before anything could happen. Thank god we didn’t tell the kid anything and get his hopes up.”

“How did… How long… um…” Liam flounders, unable to articulate the potentially offensive question.

“You wanna know how I fit in to all this?” Donny grins around the cigarette in his mouth.

Drake and Liam nod in unison.

“I met Niall when I started working for Ioan, back when the old man was still running everything. I was young, stupid, pissed at the world. Dishonorably discharged from the military. At the beginning I was just supposed to be muscle at a few of the different strip joints, but for whatever reason Ioan took me under his wing. Brought me into his home, started teaching me about the business.”

“Is that when you started dating?” Liam asks.

Donny laughs and rolls his eyes. “Fuck no. Back then there was no telling me I was anything but straight. But we got to be friends and if I had the occasional thought about how good his ass looked then I would just ignore it. I knew Niall batted for both teams and it never bothered me… but back then I just wasn’t ready to accept certain things about myself, you know?”

“Oh, I know.” Drake gives Liam a slightly dirty look from the corner of his eye and the king’s cheek flush a soft pink.

“Anyway, one night we’re out with some of our other friends doing a bar crawl and we wind up at this dive that has live music.” Donny stubs out his cigarette on the balcony railing. “Cassie’s band was playing that night. I hate to say anything nice about the woman but she’s a fuckin’ stunner and goddamn talented to boot. Long story short Niall starts chattin’ her up after her band has finished for the night and they start seein’ each other. This goes one for a few months, and Niall and I started drifting apart a little. I didn’t really understand it then, but looking back I was jealous of Cassie and seeing them together… hurt.”

“I get that,” Drake murmurs softly, looking down at his feet. With a sad smile, Liam silently reaches out and takes his hand.

“So after they’ve been together a few months Niall gets picked up on some charges related to uh… a few substances that were being sold out of a few of the clubs. Gets sentenced to five to ten. Cassie disappears.” Donny rolls his eyes. “Me and Ioan weren’t all that surprised, she was never all that serious about Niall and it’s hard enough being in a relationship with somebody on the inside when you’re committed. We moved on thinkin’ she was gone for good. Niall being locked up was hell on the old man, and I wasn’t taking it much better, but we were doing the best we could. Then about eight months into Niall’s sentence, I get a phone call from Cassie.”

Drake and Liam lean forward, drawn in by the older man’s story.

“So it’s two in the morning, and I’ve got this chick I can’t stand calling me at the club I was working at that night. I was ready to tell her to piss off, but she starts crying, telling me she’s at the hospital and I’m the only one she can call for help. And me being a total fucking sucker I went to the hospital because I knew that’s what Niall would’ve wanted. I show up and she’s in a hospital room, lying in bed, holding a fucking baby of all things.”

“Callum,” Liam says quietly.

“Bingo.” Donny shoots a pair of finger guns towards him. “At first I didn’t know what the hell to think. Honestly I just wanted to leave her there and pretend I never saw a thing. She breaks down crying again, saying she doesn’t know what to do, didn’t know who to call since Niall’s in prison, she’s scared of Ioan, she needs help, and on and on.”

“Wait, why was she scared of Ioan?” Drake asks.

“You’ve met the old man, yeah? Are you scared of him now?”

Without hesitation Drake and Liam both nod.

“Now imagine him thirty years ago and pretend you’ve been hiding the fact that you were pregnant with his only son’s child.”

The pair shudder.

Donny nods. “Exactly. I didn’t know what the fuck to do anymore than she did, and I told her so. She begged me to stay with her just a little while, asks me to hold the kid so she could take a shower and get some things situated with the hospital. I didn’t have the heart to say no. I mean, the poor girl had been alone in the hospital with a brand new baby for three days at that point, I figured that was the least I could do for her. So she gives me the kid, just this squishy little thing, and I settle down with him while she goes to clean up. He was the cutest fucking thing, all fuckin’ chubby baby rolls and this thick, curly black hair. I didn’t mean to but as some point I fell asleep holding him. Next thing I know, Callum is screaming his lungs out and I got a pissed off nurse shaking me awake asking me where Cassie was.”

“And where was Cassie?” Liam asked.

“Fuck if I know. As soon as I fell asleep she grabbed her shit and got the hell out of dodge.”

“She just left her baby with you? Without telling you where she was going? She didn’t even really know you!” Drake exclaims.

“I feel like we’ve already established she’s not a good mom, kid.” Donny gives him an exasperated look. “So I’ve got Callum, fresh out of the oven, Niall’s locked up, and I don’t have the first fucking clue how to find Cassie. I’m only 28, living in a shitty apartment, spending nearly all my free time drunk, high, or both.”

Drake starts to speak, hesitates, then powers on. “Why didn’t you just call Ioan and let him take care of it?”

“Siobhan, Callum’s grandma, was fighting a losing battle with breast cancer. Ioan wasn’t handling it well… didn’t seem fair to add something else to the bullshit he was dealing with. He wasn’t in the best headspace then anyway. Siobhan was the only thing he cared about, only thing he could focus on. Even if I wanted to let him have Callum I don’t think he would’ve been able to take care of him. So I told the hospital I was Callum’s father, signed the birth certificate and everything. Cassie hadn’t even named the kid yet, so I had to do that too.”

“You named Callum?” Liam arches an eyebrow in question.

Donny’s cheeks turn pink and he squirms in place, an oddly endearing gesture for a man in his fifties. “I knew Niall would want to honor his dad in some way, so the middle name was easy. Then I just thought about what name I’d want to use if Niall and I would ever… you know,” he mumbles.

Liam and Drake share a conspiratorial smirk. “That’s adorable,” Liam says.

Donny coughs, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Anyways. The nurses gave me a crash course in fatherhood then shoved me out the door. I waited a few days before I told Ioan and Siobhan… I wanted some time to think on what I was going to do. I brought Callum to their house, told them everything that happened, and said I wanted to take care of Callum until Niall got out. Siobhan wasn’t on board at first, and I don’t blame her. I was young and stupid, never taken care of a baby before, didn’t know a damn thing about kids. But for whatever reason, I knew I was meant to protect that baby. Ioan was relieved, in a way, I think. God only knows why but he trusted me with his grandson, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay him for that.”

“What did Niall have to say about everything when he found out?” Drake asks.

“Oh he was pissed,” Donny laughs. “He would’ve taken care of Cassie if she’d told him she was pregnant, made sure she had everything she needed. But the fact that she just abandoned Callum without a word was the thing that really rustled his jimmies. He would’ve forgiven anything else but that I think.”

“How did that work though?” Liam asks delicately. “With Niall being… indisposed?”

“You can say he was in prison, Your Majesty.” Donny smirks. “Niall didn’t want Callum to see him in that place, so they didn’t actually properly meet until Callum was six. Niall wrote letters every week, and I read them to him. Things got a little more complicated when Callum started to talk and then he had a whole lot of questions. I always made sure he knew that Niall was his dad, but I never let him forget just how much I loved him too. The adjustment period after Niall got out was rough on all of us. Callum didn’t want to leave me, and Niall didn’t want to be away from his son. Understandably. So Niall got a bigger apartment and Callum and I moved in with him.”

“So is that when you and Niall got together?”

Donny grins at Drake question. “Not quite. By that time I had pulled my head out of my ass enough to realize that I wasn’t quite as straight as I wanted to believe. It was a couple more years before Niall and I got into a proper relationship. But that is a story for another time.”

Donny sighs and runs his hands through his hair. “Look, at the end of the day Callum is going to do whatever he wants to do… no matter what me, Niall, or Ioan have to say about it. Just… just take care of my boy, ok? Try not to hurt him any more than you absolutely have to.”

“I don’t… I never want to hurt Callum,” Liam protests.

“Are you still going to marry that girl you’re engaged to?”

Liam stay silent, anxiously gnawing on his lower lip.

“Then he’s going to be hurt,” Donny replies with a sad smile. He looks through the sliding glass door into the living room, frowning. “Shit.”

Drake and Liam whip around just in time to see Niall glare up at his son one last time before stalking out the front door, Ioan following closely behind him. Callum tips his head back and his shoulders slump, but he quickly collects himself and moves into the kitchen.

“That went about as well as I thought it would,” Donny sighs. “Give me a few minutes.”

Drake and Liam wait out on the balcony while Donny says goodbye to Callum.

“We’re being selfish,” Drake says eventually.

Liam glances over at him. “Excuse me?”

“We have royally fucked up Callum’s life.”

“I see what you did there.” The Cordonia king smirks over at his friend.

Drake shoves him away half-heartedly. “Stop. I’m being serious. I wasn’t thinking about Callum when I dragged him back into this. Not the way I should have.”

“I don’t understand.”

“When we got to New York all I was focused on was finding Callum again because I missed him. Because I wanted to remind you that you could actually be with someone you loved instead of Madeline. I didn’t think about what would happen to his life, how all of us being back together would affect him.”

“Considering how close the two of you have gotten I wouldn’t say our returning presence has been all bad.”

Drake blushes furiously. “I... That’s not… Liam!”

“Just saying.” Liam shrugs innocently.

“What I meant was that I only considered how having Callum back would make our lives better, make us happier. I didn’t even stop to think about what that would mean for his life here… with his family, and his job, and his other friends. How can we ask him to leave all that for us again? Especially when you’re still going through with the wedding to Madeline.”

Liam groans. “Why do we keep having to go over this? I have a duty, an obligation to Cordonia. That doesn’t mean we can’t be together. All three of us.”

“This!” Drake smacks Liam’s chest. “This right here is the problem! Callum won’t be happy just being your affair on the side.”

“And you will be?” Liam challenges.

“Of course I won’t! But if that’s the price I have to pay to be with you again I will. Callum can’t do that though.”

Liam scowls. “Can’t or won’t?”

“That’s not fair,” Drake sighs.

“What Callum’s asking isn’t fair either.”

“Callum actually isn’t asking you to do anything,” Drake points out. “He only told you what he was willing and not willing to do given the circumstances.”

Liam falls silent, unable to come up with a reasonable counter argument. The pair stare out at the bustling city streets for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

Drake is the first one to break the silence. “Liam, what are we going to do?”

@superharriet

@angelasscribbles

@kingliam2019

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txemrn · 2 years ago

Text

A Bushel and a Peck

Book: TRR

Pairing: Liam Rys x Riley Brooks-Rys

Word Count: ~3160

Warning: For mature audiences only; TW: major character deaths; mention of cancer, declining health, miscarriages; depiction of an afterlife

A/N: This is a follow-up to Wounded (you don't need to read it to understand this fic). I was asked to "fix it," and I think I did--I mean, I tried... but in a non-traditional way, that still leads to a true HEA. In a way, this is fairly fluffy, but sad fluffy.

A/N 2: Some of these characters, plot points and dialogue belong to our friends at Pixelberry. This was not beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

"Can you show us another one?"

"Please, Auntie Ri? Just one more?"

Riley chuckles under her breath before a dry cough robs her titters. "You two aren't tired of those yet?"

Seven-year-old Monie grabs another leather-bound photo album as her five-year-old sister Ginny finishes a snack. The two girls visit with their great-great aunt every Thursday afternoon during the summer months while their mother runs errands.

"How about this one?" Monie passes the scrapbook to Riley, her frail, old hands gripping tightly to the heavy collection of photographs.

"Oh!" Riley squeals, a gravel to her voice, "you picked one of my favorite ones–"

"You say that about every album," Ginny retorts.

"Shhh, your manners!" Monie shakes her finger at her little sister.

Riley smiles warmly. "You're right; I do say that about my photo albums because I just love all of them." She pauses, licking her lined lips. "But this one…" her breath catches in adoration as she opens the front cover. "This one is very special. Here," she pats the empty spaces next to her on the bed, "let me show you."

The nieces eagerly climb on to the bed, sitting close on either side of Riley.

"Who is that?" Ginny exclaims in shock, looking over her aunt's arms in awe. "She looks like a Disney princess!"

Riley curls an arm around her petite body, giving the little girl a gentle kiss in her raven curls.

"He's cute!" Monie croons, "he looks like–like Ken!"

Riley lets out a heartfelt laugh before coughing into a handkerchief. "This," she points to the tall, broad-shouldered man, dressed in full regalia, "is King William the first of Cordonia."

"Whoa," both girls hum in unison, their eyes glittering in awe.

"And this woman?" She points to the bride in the picture, "is me."

Ginny gasps, staring up at Riley. "But, Auntie Ri," Ginny puts a finger to her mouth, "where's your crown? And–and why is your hair a different color–?"

"Ginny!" Monie scolds.

Riley coughs into her hand, clearing her throat. "Those are some good observation skills," she boops Ginny on the nose, the little girl then turning to stick out her tongue at her older sister. "This picture was taken on my wedding day, over seventy years ago."

"Wow, that's older than Daddy," Ginny announces.

"So, that's Uncle Liam?" Monie guesses hopefully, pointing to the blond groom.

Riley hums approvingly. "That is your great-great-uncle Liam."

Monie sighs dreamily looking at the picture. "You're so beautiful, Auntie Ri. Did you love him with all of your heart?"

Riley smiles, a sudden twinkle in her stormy blue eyes as she softly caresses her niece's cheek. "I still do."

After receiving Liam's grim test results for his cancer treatment, the young royal couple was advised by the Council to seek a second opinion. And then a third. But, the conclusion was always the same. Liam was dying.

With the uncertainty of his time left, he made the difficult decision to step down as king. Cordonia was finally stable and strong enough that it could–and it would– thrive with the sudden change.

But, once the choice was made, Liam never looked back to the country he loved so dearly. He couldn't. All he could see now was his wife, the woman that held his heart, the woman who wholly and bravely kept her vows…

… for worse…

… in sickness…

Liam and Riley savored every last moment they had with one another during his final eight weeks, laughing and revisiting old memories of their seven years of marriage. They enjoyed one last private waltz before he was confined to a wheelchair, one last café and baklava at their favorite late night bistro before he was restricted to the palace walls. They held each other close at night, whispering prayers of love over one another, for just one more day, for just one more chance to say, 'I love you.'

And then he went.

Olivia Nevrakis assumed the throne as queen of Cordonia. Liam's short reign will always be celebrated in history as a time of rebuilding, as a time of peace, as a time that set the small country up for success.

Though not reigning, Riley is still revered as a queen, but shortly after Liam's death, she returned to New York to be near family. She did return to Cordonia for visits, but otherwise, her life resumed back in the states.

She never remarried. And after the four pregnancy losses she had with Liam, Riley had lost all hope and interest in ever becoming a mother.

But even though her heart was shattered, she discovered abundant joy in a different familial role: being an aunt. After the first generation of nieces and nephews had grown up, Riley quickly became the cornerstone of the Brooks family, highly regarded and respected. And loved. She was known as the fun aunt, the one with the best stories, the one that remembered birthdays and sporting events and recitals. She made sure every child in the family felt seen, heard, and above all else, loved.

Lost in the memories of her former life, a knock on the door interrupts Riley from her daydream. "Come in," she calls out, her soft timbre strained and gruff.

A young woman with dark hair bounds into the room, bracing her heavily pregnant belly. Monie and Ginny jump up from the bed, running to her with arms wide open. "Mommy!" They crash into her legs, nuzzling sweetly into their mother's sides.

"Hey, sweet girls," she croons, before she looks towards Riley, raising an eyebrow. "At least… I hope you two were sweet girls for Auntie Ri today."

"Oh, Jamie," Riley titters. "You know they are always perfect angels with me." She winks at her great-niece, hugging her daughters.

"Girls, Daddy is right outside. Can you go hold his hand? I need to talk with Auntie Ri for just a minute."

Nodding their heads, the two young girls run back to their great-great aunt to give her hugs and kisses goodbye.

"I love you–" Riley singsongs, giving them a knowing grin. Monie and Ginny chime in with her as they all sing in unison, "a bushel and a peck."

The girls raced to the hallway, instantly meeting their father. Jamie closes the door, letting out a sigh before turning her sad, glistening attention to her great aunt.

"Aunti Ri," a lump grows in her throat, "the doctors said you're refusing your heart cath."

Riley straightens out her posture, firming her jaw. "That's right, dear."

"Why?" The young woman whispers, wiping away a tear.

"Because what difference will it make?" Riley carefully grabs her walker, slowly making her way to her niece. "I'm almost 98-years-old, baby girl," she grabs Jamie's hand, comforting her as she watches her begin to cry. "It's time. I'm… ready to go home."

"But," Jamie exhales a trembling sob, "what about us? What if I'm not ready for you to go?"

Riley grins endearingly, "I know that feeling all too well." She gently rubs her thumb over her niece's fingers. "Did I ever tell you what my Liam said to me the night before he passed?"

Jamie dabs away her tears, shaking her head.

"We would stay up late into the night, dreaming of the life we could've had if it wasn't for, y'know, the cancer. But," Riley licks her lips, "that night. Our last night… Liam was quiet. There were no more what ifs or discussions of what could have been. Instead, he just smiled. Completely at peace." Riley's eyes flutter as she recounts the distant memory. "He simply said, 'I'm ready, love.'" Riley shrugs.

"Do you think he knew?" Jamie sniffles, "you think he was ready to die?"

"I think," Riley removes her bifocals, letting them hang around her neck as she draws closer to her niece. "He was ready to live again. He was ready for the next adventure that life has to offer."

Jamie tilts her head. "What's that?"

"Eternity," Riley chuckles, gripping tight to her great niece's arm. "He's been waiting for me a long time." She sighs with contempt, "You kids?" She chuckles to herself, "you are so strong. You all are. My presence isn't what makes you strong. It was our time together… and sure, you'll be sad. But this life?" Riley shakes her head. "It's not the end of the road. And as for me… I'm ready to live again. I'm ready for my next adventure." A tear rolls down Riley's cheek as she smiles brightly. "I'm ready for eternity."

Jamie helped Riley into her favorite rocking chair for her afternoon nap before dinner, covering her up with her favorite knitted blankets. The women hugged each other close before they finally said their goodbyes.

Turning to leave, Riley calls Jamie back to her side.

"Baby girl?" Riley titters before she begins to sing. "I love you–"

Jamie lets out a heartfelt laugh, wiping away the last of her tears. "--a bushel and a peck."

----------

Warm beams of light crawl across Riley's skin, stirring her awake from her deep slumber. She sits up, rubbing the remainder of her sleepiness from her eyes when suddenly, she freezes. She blinks a few more times as confusion--and fear–billows through her veins.

Her room. It's different. The space was large, filled with the gorgeous scent of pink Cordonian hydrangeas, fresh picked rubies… and something else. Someone else.

Riley takes in the soft gray hue of the walls, accented by the navy toile window treatments. Everything beautiful in its place, everything perfectly neat, everything… oddly familiar. Like a distant dream, like the memory of another life.

Cautiously taking in her new surroundings, Riley begins to mindlessly fumble with the intricate stitching of a throw pillow, the threading comforting to her fingertips.

Then she stops.

She holds up her hand, her ocean eyes growing wide with wonder. Her skin. It is pure like the first Lythikos snow. No blemishes, no creases. It's perfectly smooth, perfectly pink and supple. Speechless, she reaches up to touch her own flushed cheeks.

And she gasps, the lines of the past century remarkably gone. Her face. It feels impossibly soft. Like velvet.

A thread of panic unfurls in her stomach as she throws the covers off her body, retreating to the en suite bathroom. Riley has had dreams like this before–many times, actually. Fantasies about her younger years, about her life in Cordonia, about the precious moments she had with the love of her life.

But there was something strange about this one. Something life-like. Something real.

Riley stares at her reflection in the mirror, her hands curiously exploring her body. Espresso tresses. Slender slopes of her waist and hips. She swivels to the left, then to the right, chuckling at her age-rewind. If she could only tell herself then what she knows now…

As she pretends to pin her hair up in different regal styles, the whisper of a melody floats into the room. Startled by the accompaniment, Riley twirls around, listening more intently. She takes a step forward. Then another. She cranes her neck towards the bedroom door, her only exit.

It was a guitar. Someone was playing it.

Riley carefully opens the door, and pads softly down the hallways, through the kitchen and to the foyer. She presses her ear to the front door of her quarters, the music crescendoing through the air.

Swiftly exiting the quarters, Riley tiptoes through the halls down to the main corridor, following the strumming of notes. She finally comes to a set of double doors, one of them sitting ajar as a heavenly light pours out.

Placing her fingertips on the ornate wood, the vibrations of each chord stirs the wings of butterflies in her heart. Taking a deep breath, she pokes her head into the room.

A woman–an older woman–sits casually in a chair, her fingers meticulously plucking the strings. Riley focuses on her kind face and soft features. Her wavy blonde hair is pinned back into a low bun, exposing the brilliance of her crystal blue eyes. Though expressionless as she played, the curves of her rosy lips are pleasant, friendly.

"Oh!" She exclaims, noticing Riley. "You're finally here!"

Riley's eyes grow into saucers. Does she know this woman?

She watches the older woman set down her instrument before bounding towards where Riley stood.

"We have been waiting for you," she smiles sincerely, taking Riley's hands endearingly into her own. “We have so much to talk about–”

"Grandma!"

"Oh!" She lets out a hearty laugh as four small children file into the room, dashing quickly to her side. She bends over and greets each one with a tight hug and a kiss. "How are my darlings?"

Riley smiles at the interaction, admiring the love this woman has for her beautiful grandchildren. She then casually surveys the room; are their parents nearby?

She looks back to the family when suddenly, she notices one of the blond boys with striking eyes like his grandmother is gazing up at her. He doesn't say a word, but his stare is friendly, warm and inviting.

Riley climbs onto her knees, her attention not leaving him as she soaks in his handsome mannerisms. Even for such a young boy, his hair was perfectly combed to the side. His collared shirt was properly tucked in, and he politely held his hands together behind his back. So precious, so refined and orderly, just like…

Riley gasps as a sea of tears gather in her eyes. She reaches out, combing her fingers through his short hair before stroking his freckled cheeks. And she lets out a silent whimper. "William?"

The young boy giggles, turning back to his brothers and sister. "I told you she would remember me!"

Wrapping her arms around his frame, Riley pulls him to herself tightly, his arms securing around her neck. "My–my baby boy…" One-by-one, each child approaches slowly, excitement written on their chubby faces. Riley caresses the cheeks of two more little boys: another blond and one with dark brunette hair like hers. "Henry?" She sniffles as he nods, chewing coyly on his fingernail. "Alexander?" The two boys join the embrace with their brother William, rivers cascading down their mother's face as she peppers them with kisses.

"Do you remember me, Mommy?"

Riley glances up to see a little girl with stormy blue eyes, her espresso waves tamed into two braids. Though she wore a pretty pink jumper with bows, she was wearing a pair of muddy galoshes.

That's my girl.

"My Eleanor," Riley whispers, extending her hand to join the fold with her brothers. She presses her lips into the little girl's temple as she holds her close. "Oh, my baby, I love you," she squeezes her grip around the boys, "all of you!" She snickers, "I love you."

"A bushel and a peck," Alexander pipes up. "Right, Mommy?"

New warm tears pour down Riley's reddened face as she lovingly dotes on her children. "That's right, baby," her breath quivers, "that's right. But… how did you–?"

"You used to sing that to me at night–"

"Me, too!" Henry exclaims while William nods in agreement.

"You and Daddy told me that over and over," Eleanor giggles, "until I woke up in Grandma's arms!"

Riley freezes as she peers up at the older woman, now overcome with her own tears of joy. She slowly stands, her lips parting in awe. "Your majesty?"

"I haven't been called that in over 85 years!" The older woman shares a contagious laugh, “But, how about we just stick with ‘Eleanor’ for now?” She quickly reaches out, pulling her daughter-in-law into a snug embrace. Riley quickly slinks her arms around the woman, holding her close as they both weep silently together. "You," Eleanor whispers, "were more than I ever dreamed for my Liam. You were–You are everything he deserves… and more.”

Riley suddenly lets go, staring into her mother-in-law's eyes. She bites her lip as she tilts her head curiously, almost in disbelief.

"Where… where is he?" She sobs into a smile.

Eleanor tucks Riley's hair behind her ear before resting her hands on her daughter-in-law's shoulders. "Where do you think, my dear?"

Riley stumbles backwards as a bright smile crawls across her face. She finally turns around, pushing through the double doors and out into the main corridor. After descending the grand staircase, she exits into the pure daylight, a gentle breeze greeting her. She glances around the grounds, the fresh greenery invigorating her senses. Without thinking, she abruptly takes off down the steps, sprinting through the bushes, across the courtyard and around the fountain. Finally, she reaches a thick hedge of beautifully twisted vines and leaves. The garden maze.

Riley closes her eyes as she catches her breath, another gust of wind tangling in her hair. A tug on her heart beckons for her to keep going as she fumbles her way into the maze. She frantically runs around the corners and through the turns, her hands outstretched to catch her if she trips.

Making it around the last twist of the path, Riley spills into the center of the maze: the garden. Her eyes frantically search, scouring through the area, looking behind lattice work and dense pieces of foliage until finally, she gasps.

Around the corner along a private path, a tall, strongly-built man slowly paces next to a swing, his hands casually in his pockets. With his short locks of blond ruffling in the breeze, he glances at his watch before instantly feeling a pair of stormy blue eyes fixed on him.

As he peers over his shoulder, a smile tugs at his lips, his breath escaping his lungs as his eyes begin to shimmer.

"There you are, my love."

With reckless abandon, Riley dashes down the dirt path, gasping for air between her wails of disbelief. Leaping into the air, Liam's strong arms instantly catch her, pulling her close to his broad chest. His large hand cradles her intimately as his other fists tightly into her careless waves. She locks her legs around his waist, her fingers combing hungrily into his hair as she presses her face into his neck.

And she weeps, deep groans escaping her chest as her body shudders in his arms.

"Shhh," Liam gently croons, warm tears coursing down his chiseled cheeks. "It's alright now. Everything is alright now."

Quieting down, Riley looks up to her husband, his lips immediately finding hers. "Is this real?" She pants, claiming his mouth again. "Please tell me this is real life, baby."

Liam pulls her into another deep kiss, his tongue gently caressing her lips apart as he elicits soft mewls from her mouth. He pulls back, his crystal blue gaze meeting her hopeful, tear-stained eyes. "It's better, love." He pushes a wayward tendril from her face. "This is eternity."

~🖤~

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 @anjanettexcordonia @ao719 @bascmve01 @charlotteg234 @issabees @kat-tia801 @kingliam2019 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @nikirennie87 @peonierose @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam

ALL TRR

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

~🖤~

#the royal romance #choices the royal romance #choices trr #king liam rys #liam rys #liam x mc #liam x riley #liam rys x riley brooks #tw: major character death #tw: cancer #tw: miscarriage #tw: afterlife

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rosesnink · 10 months ago

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the royal romance mc; queen primrose st claire

#playchoices #the royal romance #choices trr #the royal heir #the royal finale #trr mc #the royal romance mc #mc: primrose st claire #king liam #prince liam #liam rys #king liam rys #liam x mc #liam rys x mc #liam x primrose #myedits*#mine*

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tessa-liam · 3 months ago

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Chance of a Lifetime

Thank you @kyra75 for your ask -- prompt #2, Rainy/Snow Day for @choicesprompts -- Flufftober event!

Choices Book: The Royal Romance, Book 2 -- timeline/the engagement tour in Paris

Pairing: Liam Rys x Riley Brooks (F!MC)

Rating: mature

Category: fluff, one-shot, ask/prompt

Words: 2.4K, with sprinkles of Canon

A/N1: not Beta'd, please excuse all errors.

AN2: my submission for@choicesmonthlychallenge Prompts: pets/holding hands/laughter

🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

Stretching her arms over her head, Riley slowly opened one eye as she heard the familiar knock on her cabin door. The morning sun shone through the train window and across her bed. She softly smiled and swung her legs over the side, her feet touching the cool floor. She yawned and walked over to the door, pulling it open.

"Rise and shine, queen-to-be!" Maxwell Beaumont was his usual jubilant self. "Did you sleep well, little blossom? I brought you some breakfast!"

The rich aroma of medium roast coffee hit her senses while Chance jumped up excitedly at the smell of pancakes and bacon. ‘Arf ... Arf ...’

“Ah, yes. My entrance is welcomed by the corgi choir."

"That smells amazing. Thank you soooo much, Max."

"You are very welcome, Your Majesty," Maxwell winked, giving a little bow and grinning at her. "You'd better hurry and get ready."

The Royal court was in Paris, France; today's event ... the Royal tea party.

Riley took the tray from Maxwell, and Chance sat at her feet. "Good morning, little pup," Maxwell cooed, as Chance happily accepted a pet and scratch behind his ears.

"So, are you ready for afternoon tea with the former queen?" Maxwell asked.

"Yeah, I guess. She's not exactly my favorite person, but... I'm still curious."

"She's a formidable woman," Maxwell shuddered.

"But on the bright side, this could be the perfect opportunity to corner her about her involvement with the scandal and get your answers!"

"I hope you're right," Riley sighed, slipping Chance a small piece of bacon.

"At a public event, she'll be caught off guard! She won't be able to run off or dodge you." Max added.

"And if she's not forthcoming, we might be able to do a little digging with the other nobles at the tea party."

"That's the spirit!" Maxwell grinned. "If you ever need a little extra confidence, you know who to call."

"Yes. Thank you for everything, Max."

"Of course. But first, get ready for the day! We don't want to be late!"

‘Arf!’ Chance barked, agreeing with him.

"Can Chance come?" Riley wondered aloud.

"I wish he could, but the venue doesn't allow pets. I'll bring him along to the duchy later, though."

"Okay, that's good, thanks, Max."

"Now, go and get ready. Don't worry about a thing. I've got the corgis covered. See you at the tea party!" Maxwell gave Riley a mock salute before he closed her door behind him.

After finishing her breakfast and a quick shower, Riley pulled out a gorgeous light blush dress with a delicate floral print. She applied her makeup, dried her hair, then snapped a gold barrette into place.

She stepped out of the train and went into the waiting limousine. After a short drive, Riley arrived at the extravagant tea party at an uptown Parisian hotel. It was a beautiful spring day, and the hotel was decorated with the finest flower arrangements.

Riley entered the formal tearoom; hearing soft, elegant music and people's chatter. The room was decorated with luxurious chandeliers and intricate floral arrangements. Tables were covered with fine linen tablecloths, and chairs were upholstered in plush velvet. A small orchestra was playing softly in the corner, and servers were carrying trays laden with exquisite tea sets and delicious-looking cakes. Riley recognized a few ladies and gentlemen from the court, but everyone else was a mystery.

She spotted Madeleine and Hana chatting at the far end of the hall. As she approached, Madeleine spotted her and quickly ended the conversation with Hana.

"Lady Riley, its good of you to join us."

"This is lovely; I am drowning in ruffles," Riley quipped.

"I'm afraid that's one of the finer points of an elegant event like this one. To be honest, I wouldn't expect you to appreciate it lady Riley, so don't strain yourself."

"Oh, we wouldn't want that, would we?" Riley countered, rolling her eyes.

"Well, do try to enjoy yourself." Madeleine sauntered off before Riley could say anything else.

"Wow. That was... nice." Riley responded sarcastically under her breath. Stepping to the side, trying to read the place cards, she bumped into someone.

"Well, hello. What a pleasure to see you here, Lady Riley. You look stunning, as always." Liam smiled, expressing tenderness as he kissed her cheek.

"Liam! Thank you. It's great to see you, too! I didn't think you'd be here."

"My schedule's been quite busy lately. I am only here to make the opening remarks. I was actually hoping to spend some time with you after this event."

"That would be wonderful." Riley answered, delightedly.

"It's been too long. I'd love to hear how you're doing."

"Liam, ...wishing I could kiss you right now."

"Lady ... Riley you shouldn't say such things." Liam murmered as he looked at her hungrily, his eyes sweeping over her face.

"Maybe I'm hoping you'll get a little reckless." Riley whispered.

“Maxwell mentioned that you recently adopted a puppy.”

Riley’s eyes lit up, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh, yeah, his name is Chance. He's a little ball of orange and white fluff. He was lost when Maxwell found him.”

"That sounds wonderful. I'm glad you're enjoying his company."

"He's a really good boy. He's so friendly and happy. He loves to play, and he's really good at fetching."

"I can't wait to meet him. Maybe I'll even steal him from you," Liam teased.

"You can try, but I'm pretty sure he'd choose me," Riley shot back, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I would love to meet him sometime. In fact, we could spend the afternoon together at the park."

"That sounds lovely."

Noticing dignitaries walking towards them, behind Riley, Liam sighs regrettedly,

"I fear our time alone is coming to an end ... I better greet these guests. But, please wait for me. I don't want to delay any longer to spend some time with you. Let's go after the tea party."

"Okay." Riley beamed

"There's a break in the tour schedule tonight so I can slip out for the night. See you later?" Liam looked at her pleadingly.

"Yes, Liam ... later."

Riley felt the heat rise in her cheeks and butterflies in her stomach as Liam kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger on her cheek.

Squeezing her hand, Liam turned away to greet the nobles.

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Placing the linen table napkin on her lap, Riley’s attention was pulled to the sound of Madeleine's voice as she stepped in front of a microphone on the dais. As she begins her formal address to the court, Olivia slid into the chair next to Riley.

“I never liked her.”

“You don't like anyone, Liv.”

“True, but I especially dislike her.”

“Oh, dear, let's get something to drink.” Hana responds trying to change the subject of conversation.

“Of course, let's engage in frivolous social conversation and engage in witty banter.” Olivia snidely responds. Her mood quickly turning despondent as she watched the King address the room.

Riley noticed her abrupt change in mood as her expression shifted to sadness as she watched Liam across the room.

“Olivia, are you okay?” Riley asked in a whisper as Olivia shakes her head, “No ... he's engaged to Madeleine and in love with you ... I can't help how I feel about him, can I?”

"Olivia, I think --"

Abruptly standing up from the table, “at least I still have my pride. Just let me leave with it.”

Olivia walked out without looking back. Hana watched her leave with a concerned look on her face. “I wonder what that was about.”

Riley bit her lip as she turned her gaze to regard Hana.

“I hope she's able to sort things out. She's been through so much."

"Speaking of which ... how are you doing, Riley?”

“I'm holding up okay,” Riley sighed, seeing the opportunity to talk to Queen Regina.

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After a disappointing conversation with the queen mother, and later, saying goodbye to Hana ...

Riley looked up to see Liam waiting for her at the front entrance, appearing eager to spend some time together.

Riley couldn't help but smile as she approached him.

"Your Majesty," she dipped into a small curtsy, smiling coyly.

"Lady Riley," Liam greeted her, a smile lighting up his face.

As he escorted Riley to his SUV, Liam leaned close and softly spoke,

"we'll be having company." Liam chuckled at her confused look, as the sliding passenger door opened.

Riley peeked inside and saw a fluffy ball of orange and white fur curled up on the back seat. "Chance!"

Chance's ears perked up at the sound of her voice. He jumped out of the car, barking happily. He jumped around her, wagging his tail so fast that his entire butt shook.

Riley laughed, dropping to her knees. Chance jumped into her lap, licking her face.

Liam grinned. "Looks like he missed you."

"Aw, I missed you, too."

Arriving at a Parisian dog park, the crisp autumn air filled Riley's lungs as she breathed deeply. Puffy, white and gray clouds were overhead, and the trees were ablaze with red, orange and yellow around you.

Riley and Liam walked hand-in-hand, Chance trotting ahead of them. The leaves crunched under their feet, and the sounds of children playing nearby filled the air.

"It's such a beautiful day," Riley remarked, looking around.

"It is," Liam agreed. "Autumn is my favorite season. I love the changing colors of the leaves, and the way the air feels chilled."

Riley looked over at Liam, admiring the way his blue eyes shone in the sunlight. "I love the way you see the world, Liam."

"Likewise. You make me want to see everything in a new light."

They continued walking, taking in the beauty of the park. Chance ran ahead, chasing birds and squirrels.

As they rounded a bend, Riley spotted a man and his dog. She watched as the man tossed a ball, and the dog darted after it. The dog returned, the ball in his mouth, and the man pet him lovingly.

"That's what I want," Riley said suddenly. "To have a relationship with Chance like that."

"You will," Liam assured her. "Chance loves you, and you're already doing a great job with him. You're a natural."

As they reached the center of the park, Riley looked up. The sky was now darker; the sun hidden by the clouds.

"I wish we could just stay here, in this moment," Riley breathed. "It's perfect."

"It is." Liam gazed into her eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.

Riley leaned closer, and Liam closed the distance between them. Their lips met, and Riley felt her heart flutter. Liam's lips were soft and warm, and Riley sighed contentedly.

The moment was interrupted by the sudden downpour of rain. Riley squealed and grabbed Liam's arm.

"Let's get under the gazebo," Liam chuckled, bending down to pick up Chance.

They ran to the shelter of the gazebo, laughing and wiping the rain from their faces.

"Well, that was unexpected," Riley giggled.

"I'll say," Liam laughed.

Riley wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. This time, the kiss was deeper, more passionate.

They stayed under the gazebo, kissing, as the rain fell around them. It was a perfect moment, and Riley never wanted it to end.

"Lady Riley," Liam breathed.

"Hmm?"

"You're getting wet."

"I am."

"And you don't even seem to care."

"I don't."

Liam laughed, shaking his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I can think of a few things," Riley grinned, kissing him again.

Liam returned the kiss fervently, wrapping his arms around her tightly. They stayed under the gazebo, the rain pouring down around them, lost in each other.

They pulled apart reluctantly as Chance barked and ran onto the grass and runs quickly back over to them, with a ball in his mouth.

"It seems he's ready for a game of fetch," Liam chuckled.

"I'm ready, too," Riley said, winking at Liam.

"Let's play."

Riley tossed the ball for Chance, and they both laughed as they joined the chase, returning to the downpour outside of the gazebo.

Riley giggled as she spun around, her arms extended. Liam grabbed her hands and pulled her close, the rain dripping from their hair.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Liam stroked her cheek and gently moved her hair behind her ear.

Riley's breath caught in her throat.. She didn't know what to say.

"Liam," she whispered.

Liam leaned down, his lips brushing hers. Riley's heart raced, and she kissed him back, the rain falling around them. Liam's hands were warm on her back, and she pressed herself closer to him, deepening the kiss.

It was the most perfect moment Riley could have imagined. She didn't want it to end.

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the park. The rain had stopped, and the air smelled fresh and clean. Riley and Liam were walking hand-in-hand, Chance trotting along beside them.

"Today was wonderful," Riley said. "Thank you, Liam."

"I should be the one thanking you," Liam replied. "You've brought so much happiness into my life."

"You deserve all the happiness in the world, Liam," Riley said, smiling up at him.

Liam leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. Riley's heart fluttered, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

"I want to show you something," Liam murmured, breaking the kiss.

"What is it?"

"Come on." Liam took her hand and led her down a path, Chance following close behind.

"Where are we going?" Riley asked, her curiosity piqued.

"It's a surprise." Liam grinned, and Riley's heart skipped a beat.

They walked through the park, the sunset painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. Riley could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, and the streets of Paris were bustling with activity.

"Close your eyes," Liam said.

"Okay." Riley did as he asked, trusting him completely.

"Now, take my hand and step forward."

Liam's hand was warm and strong, and he guided her carefully. After a few steps, he stopped.

"Can I open my eyes?"

"Not yet," Liam chuckled.

Riley waited patiently, the anticipation building.

"Okay," Liam said. "Open your eyes."

Riley opened her eyes, and gasped. They were standing at the edge of the lake, and the water reflected the sky perfectly. The colors were vibrant, and the Eiffel Tower was lit up, casting a golden glow over everything.

Riley's hand was warm in his. Liam glanced at her and smiled. They were walking through the park, the stars twinkling above. Chance was trotting alongside them, his tongue hanging out.

"It's such a beautiful night," Riley remarked, looking up at the sky.

"It is," Liam agreed. "Though I am a bit hungry."

"I'm starving," Riley laughed. "All that exercise has me worked up an appetite."

"Let's head back to the train, then." Liam started leading them towards the edge of the park.

"Oh, no, you don't," Riley teased, tugging him back. "I have a better idea."

"What's that?"

"Let's grab some food first and then bring it back to the train."

"Sounds like a plan," Liam grinned.

"There's a little café not far from here. We could get something to go."

"Perfect."

"C'mon, Chance," Riley called. "You're eating too!"

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@choicesprompts @flufftober @lovealexhunt @choicesficwriterscreations @angelasscribbles @kyra75 @choicesmonthlychallenge @choicescommunityevents

#choicesprompts #flufftober #tessa liam writes #the royal romance #liam rys #tessa liam asks #trr fanfic #choices fic writers creations #liam x riley #riley brooks #king liam x mc #choices community events #choices prompt challenge #choices fanfic #cfwc fics of the week #choices monthly challenge

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kristinamae093 · 4 months ago

Text

Ghosted

Ghosted - Family Ties (Chapter Thirteen)

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x f!MC (Riley Brooks)

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Tags - @choicesficwriterscreations

It's another long one 😬👉👈🥹. Listen I'm only slightly sorry, lol. A lot is happening here, LOL.

A few evenings later, what would have been a polo match in Portavira was canceled, and instead, a small, intimate memorial took place for Penelope near the water. The forecast for the day perfectly matched the melancholy atmosphere, as storm clouds rolled in and painted the sky in dark hues of blue and gray, the crisp breeze causing the temperatures to drop well below average.

The nobility mourned alongside the family, but whispers of what happened and why spread like wildfire. An official announcement about her death was released, but the details were incredibly vague; they wanted to withhold that information until they had someone to hold accountable. Emmaline and Landon cooperated with Ray, who worked around the clock to find some kind of suspect or a clue to lead them to one.

Liam was confident Ray would promptly produce an answer. Olivia helped him scour the crime scene from top to bottom, but little clues remained. However, Penelope’s note had fingerprints on it and her body showed prominent signs of a physical altercation, all of which pointed to her trying to fight back. The coroner extracted DNA from underneath her fingernails and found bruising and discoloration on her forearms and shoulders. He concluded this case was a homicide, which didn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

Every ounce of evidence was sent off for further analysis, and everyone anxiously awaited the results. The cross reference in the national security database would surely produce a name to match those fingerprints, and they hoped it would put them one step closer to unraveling the chaotic web around them. Ray looked at the surveillance system but found someone deleted the footage from the camera positioned outside of Penelope’s room for a certain period — no doubt when whoever took her life was inside.

They had a time frame, which was at least a start, but that was the only thing they knew.

Ray did as asked and backtracked to look into Rhonda’s demise. Liam was correct in his assumption that most of the damning evidence was long gone, but they confirmed the legitimacy of the second report they found; Bastien’s fingerprints were indeed on the murder weapon. Although they remained unsure of where the brutality initially took place, Bastien would face charges of homicide — and more — as the story unfolded, and Liam intended to serve him multiple platters of cold, hard justice. He was being monitored at a local hospital under a continuous watch from three heavily armed guards and medical professionals.

Liam told the guards if Bastien miraculously disappeared, they would face charges of aiding a dangerous criminal, even going as far as threatening to make them stand trial for treason. He didn’t use the term hate lightly, but he hated Bastien and was determined to make him stand before God and everyone to take accountability for what he’d done. His doctors had no choice but to put him into a medically induced coma while they tried to stabilize internal bleeding from Liam’s relentless assault, but when he woke, he would get moved to a permanent cell.

They still knew who held that kind of control over Bastien, and that was Constantine. Liam avoided him at all costs in the short time since that revelation. He wanted to question him and knew he needed to, but he honestly didn’t know how he could remain calm and keep his head level, and this wasn’t something he could send Olivia to do; he needed to hear it, straight from the horse’s mouth. However, he genuinely didn’t want to hurt the man who gave him life, but if it came out that he harmed or acted against Riley, his body might react without a second thought and he knew that would not be pretty. Perhaps he should have kept his cool with Bastien to get more information, but he didn’t regret taking out some of his aggressions; if anything, it was a release he didn’t realize he needed.

Since Ray was now officially investigating the homicides, Olivia took over the search for Riley and Tariq. She wasn’t as skilled as Ray in tracking missing persons but had some basic knowledge. Her results were the same as his — there were no traces of either. She contacted the airport and requested security footage for the date and time Bastien specified, but unfortunately for them, he told the truth when he said he dropped her off in a blind spot; the SUV wasn’t on camera and Riley was nowhere to be seen.

She watched the footage from every angle until the sun broke out and illuminated a nearly empty parking lot, but never saw a single sign of anyone relevant.

They dissected the file ‘Operation Ghost’ from top to bottom for every detail. It held no other useful information, but enough to charge Bastien with murder and prove Riley did not disgracefully leave with another suitor. Technically, it was enough to clear her name, but it did nothing to ensure her safety or help them locate her. Her phone also received a thorough examination but uncovered nothing of importance.

Liam knew he could not wait any longer because time was of the essence, and they needed answers; he had to corner Constantine and demand an explanation. It crossed his mind more than once that his father could know something, but he shook it off, concluding there was no way Constantine would do something of that nature. In retrospect, he was the reigning monarch at the time of the incident; something of this magnitude couldn’t have gone completely undetected, especially if Bastien was involved. The thought alone shredded his fragile heart, but he pieced it back together with bandaids and pushed forward.

Liam’s mental state was fluctuant, at best. He felt unending guilt for allowing all of this madness to happen, and that pit doubled in size with every passing hour. If he had been more attentive and alert from the beginning, none of this would be happening. Innocent lives were taken all too soon from a path of unrestrained fury, and he truly felt like that blood lay on his hands. Not to mention Riley’s heinous assault rested heavily on his conscience, creating wave after wave of remorse mixed in with soul-consuming rage. His out-of-body experience continued to taunt him; her screams and those vile chortles flowed through his mind on an insistent loop, taunting him with shreds of the truth, but he still couldn't put a face to that man's voice. And now, he had the added stress that she suspected he ordered her assault. He hoped she wouldn’t believe the lie, but without seeing her, he automatically jumped to the worst-case scenarios all the way around.

They decided Liam and Leo would quietly pull Constantine aside and question him after the memorial concluded. There were only a few events left of the engagement tour, and now the wedding had much more at stake than only the future of the monarchy. It wasn’t a hunch they had confirmation for, but they just knew if they didn’t locate Riley before it was time for Liam to say I do, something drastic would happen.

During the ceremony, Liam’s heart broke for the shattered remnants of a mourning family, but he couldn’t help but feel they were on the verge of a breakthrough. If his father was involved, this couldn’t climb the social ladder any higher, meaning Constantine could hold all the answers he desperately sought. He kept telling himself he would control his emotions regardless of what his father said, but everyone knew that was a lie, especially given his unfiltered and raw reactions as of late. Leo expected a knock-down, drag-out between Liam and their father, but he would stand beside his brother through hell and high water when it came down to it.

As the service winded down, Liam made a bee-line for Constantine, who was deep in conversation with Godfrey and Adelaide, with Leo hot on his heels. He made it to the group and plastered on the politest smile he could muster, ignoring a glare from the duke. “Excuse me, but I need to speak with my father.”

Constantine waved him off, barely even glancing in his direction. “Not now, son. I’m in the middle of a discussion.”

Liam forcefully clenched his jaw and swallowed down the ball of rage forming in his throat. “I insist on speaking with you. It is urgent.” His eyes pleaded, but he didn’t make it too noticeable; just enough for Constantine to read because the last thing he wanted was to alert Godfrey and Adelaide. It took every ounce of willpower he had not to get irate and start screaming right then and there, but he was determined not to lose his head — at least until after his father answered some questions.

Constantine’s irritation rose, but he paused and observed Liam and within a second, his resolve weakened. For the first time in weeks, he truly took in his son and what he saw left him speechless; his sunken and darkened eyes with large bags underneath, his slouched posture, and he spotted Liam fidget with his hands, even though he tried to hide it. He knew Liam spent a few hours at the hospital recently, but since he was released so quickly, he assumed it was a farce, or someone being overprotective of the monarch. However, at that moment, he started to question his well-being.

Leo stood beside him, but wouldn’t look up to meet any of their gazes. Constantine heard he was around somewhere, but hadn’t seen him until the beginning of the ceremony. That wasn’t unusual, as Leo typically avoided his father like the plague, but he consistently interacted with Regina when he visited, and even she hadn’t mentioned him. His body language seemed nervous compared to the usual cocky demeanor Leo always wore, as he continuously bounced in place and mindlessly trapped his fingers against his thigh, raising multiple red flags.

Constantine had never seen his sons in such a way; the tension within them was palpable, making it impossible to ignore.

He casually finished the rest of his wine, doing his best not to raise suspicion of their distress to the current audience. “Alright, boys, you have my attention.” He politely waved toward the lingering duke and duchess, before following Liam and Leo away from the crowd.

Liam silently led them down the beach, away from the surrounding commotion. While they walked, he racked his brain, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. When he ascended the throne, he never imagined it would lead him here — questioning the man he put on a pedestal his entire life about his one true love's disappearance.

His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he was sure it would jump out at any moment, and the bites of finger foods he consumed tumbled in his stomach, threatening to reemerge. Every step crunched in the sand, the sounds echoing in the deafening silence. The ocean lapped against nearby rocks, but was the farthest thing from calming, white noise; every violent crash amplified the tension, the air nearly crackling from the combined stress and the distant lightning.

They reached a small enclosure away from the gathered nobility and sat inside. As they did, Constantine quickly asked, “What’s going on? Are you alright, Liam? Were you in the hospital?”

“I was, but that’s not important right now… ‘’ Liam trailed off, his voice soft; a stark contrast to the swell of emotions in his head. He remained silent momentarily before murmuring, “I need to ask you about something…”

“Alright, well, what is it?”

“Before I begin, will you promise to be honest with me? I — I’m begging you.” Liam pleaded, but wouldn't meet his father's curious gaze. His hands trembled violently, leaving him with no choice but to clasp them tightly in his lap.

Constantine furrowed his brow. “I shall do my best, son, but what’s this pertaining? What’s the matter?”

Liam glanced at Leo, his distress shining brightly, and his brother gave him a reassuring nod in return. He wanted so badly to believe his father was innocent, but deep down, he knew he wasn’t, and the thought alone made him fearful; he wasn’t sure he could stop the wrath that may ensue once the confession left his mouth, but he needed to hear it, regardless.

With a deep, shaky breath, Liam began. “I think you know something about what happened with Riley. We know she didn’t leave with Tariq and the photos were fake. We found her things in Applewood with evidence to suggest she suffered an attack. Bastien has been working to cover it up and is responsible for that maid’s death — possibly Penelope’s too — to ensure this stays hidden. He confessed and told us you ordered him to engage… I don’t want to believe it, but I think he told the truth…”

He sat forward but kept his vision cast downward, dread hitting the pit of his stomach like an anvil. “I need to know where she is. I don’t care about everything else, aside from the murders. Just — tell me where Riley is.”

Constantine’s jaw dropped further and further the longer Liam spoke. Leo observed with a critical eye, but his father’s confusion only intensified throughout the story. Constantine was good at a stoic facade, but he was no actor and Leo knew all his little tells — he was genuinely shocked. However, there was guilt in his eyes; when Liam mentioned the scandal, Leo saw the flash in his gaze, but otherwise, he only showed bewilderment.

“Liam… I —” Constantine started before he forcefully coughed, but quickly cleared his throat and tried again. “I admit to knowing of the scandal and her relocating back to New York, but I know nothing about the rest.”

Liam’s vision turned crimson, but he squeezed his hands into fists and used every speck of restraint to deny the urge to act on his intrusive thoughts. “How? Bastien has been working to cover it up this entire time! I didn’t tell him to do that — you did, didn’t you?”

“I — I did, son.” He stopped to take a steadying breath. “I told Bastien to bury the tracks, but I only approved the scandal and her returning to the States.”

“You approved the scandal?” He repeated, his brows nearly touching his hairline. “What does that even mean?”

“That’s correct —” Constantine admitted with his head held high. “But I assure you, I did not partake in any of these other things, nor did I know they were happening.” He sighed heavily when Liam and Leo merely stared at him, disbelief etched on their features. “Son, I knew how you felt about her — it was clear. If given the chance, you would have selected her as your queen, but I couldn’t let that happen…”

“Why?” Liam demanded, his tone sharp and harsh.

Constantine’s shoulders slumped, an air of melancholy clouding his expression. “I was afraid, Liam. Look at me — I’m withering faster than an apple rotting in the summer sun. I needed to do everything in my power to ensure you had a stable, capable queen to rule beside you.”

Liam shook his head, the rosy hues in his complexion brightening with every sullen breath. His willpower teetered, hanging on by less than a thread. “Riley would have made an excellent queen. She thrived during the social season! She may not have been born royal, but she fit right in! Everyone accepted her! The people loved her!”

“She was inexperienced, Liam.”

“She could have learned everything she needed to know,” Liam bit out, his patience dwindling rapidly. Leo noticed and shifted in his seat, praying with everything in him that he wasn’t about to go postal.

“Inexperience equals weakness. I was protecting you.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Liam scoffed.

“Liam, believe it or not, I only did it to protect you—”

“So you made me turn my back on her to protect me? She’s in fucking danger because of you! I ignored her because you shoved this down my goddamn throat!” Liam yelled, not caring who heard.

Constantine winced at his volume but calmly responded, “I didn’t know she was in danger. Bastien told me—”

“I don’t believe you. I can’t believe you.” Tears blurred his vision as his entire world came crashing down. He felt a fool for giving him the benefit of the doubt, but that was a mistake he wasn’t willing to make more than once.

“Son—”

“No, you — you’re not my father, not anymore. You threw my mother in my face so much, but look at you! What you’ve become would disgust her!” Liam seethed. “I should banish you right now for lying and betraying your own flesh and blood. Do I mean anything to you?!”

“You mean everything to me, son.” Constantine held his hands up in surrender but remained calm as a cucumber. “And I understand your anger, but I need you to listen to me for a moment—”

“Fuck. You.” Liam growled. He got into Constantine’s personal space quick as lightning and grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him to his feet. “I hope you rot in hell, you spineless piece of shit.”

Liam balled the fabric in his hands and bore his eyes into Constantine, who merely let it happen, but he didn’t recognize his son; Liam was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what this monster before him was. He’d never seen him so worked up, but knew he needed to calm him down so he could plead his case.

Leo approached and rubbed Liam’s shoulder, gently pulling him from his enraged trance. “Li, man —” He gave him a sad smile as Liam faced him. He understood his brother’s fury over the situation, but Constantine hadn’t even started talking. Until they got useful information from him, he had to keep his cool — for Riley. His eyes pleaded with him, but he breathed a sigh of relief when Liam’s features softened as if he got the silent message loud and clear.

Liam turned back to his father and held his intent gaze for a long moment before he pushed him away with a firm shove. The former monarch stumbled, but quickly regained his footing.

Constantine straightened his jacket and sat back down while avoiding the judgemental glares from his sons. He took a deep, shaky breath before he softly started. “Do you remember what happened to your mother? Did you want something similar to happen to Lady Riley?”

“Look around!” Liam bellowed, his face red as a ruby. “It is happening, and you fucking did it!”

Constantine sighed. “I told you, I knew of the scandal and her departure — nothing else. I ordered Bastien to send her back to New York so you both could start over.”

“She never returned to New York!” Liam and Leo yelled in unison.

Constantine furrowed his brow. “... Pardon?”

“Bastien told us he left her for dead in a parking lot after Penelope drugged her, with a plane ticket, but she never went inside!” Liam hastily explained. “She didn’t board, and Bastien told us he later received all her forms of identification in a sealed envelope. We have no fucking clue where she’s at!”

Constantine’s mouth fell ajar. “Bastien told you this?”

“Yes! Are you really trying to sit there and tell me you didn’t know any of this?!”

Constantine remained silent for a long moment, gathering his thoughts, but both Liam and Leo noticed his anger escalating; neither was aware his elevating state caused his already labored breaths to shallow themselves further. His chest tightened and a strange discomfort erupted and traveled the length of his spine, but he shook it off as best as he could, and focused on the need to prove his innocence.

But Constantine was having trouble keeping his composure because he realized he'd been played and lied to — that was abundantly clear. Someone took matters into their own hands and ignored a direct order, and he was unwilling to take the blame for that. Bastien was at their disposal but even he disobeyed his wishes.

They went rogue.

As he took in the deadly determination staring back at him in Liam’s eyes, he realized it was time to come clean. Whatever happened that night did not go according to plan; not his plan, anyway.

“Liam — let me tell you what I know because I did not wish for any of those things to happen. As a matter of fact, I strictly forbid them…”

Lythikos, during the Winter Ball

Constantine retired to the king’s suite much earlier than normal. Usually, he would keep Regina on the dancefloor until both of their feet ached, but he just didn’t have the energy. He insisted she stay at the gathering, as it was still fairly early in the night and one of them needed to be in attendance, but he couldn’t withstand another minute. He was exhausted and found his lung capacity was nowhere near what it should have been; no doubt from his recent cancer diagnosis.

Since Liam’s social season was in full swing, he knew he needed to step down and let him take the position of reigning monarch. He and Regina made the difficult decision together, after hearing his condition was fatal. However, Constantine realized in doing so, he would dump a world of responsibility on Liam’s shoulders, and he remained uncertain if he could handle the pressure so soon after taking on a role that was never meant for him.

Regardless, the suitors all proved themselves capable in one form or another; some more than others. He hoped Liam would make the best decision for Cordonia when the time came, but knew his heart already belonged to a specific candidate. He wanted to forbid Liam from picking her but realized he would ultimately follow his heart. And, at one point, Constantine defied his father and married Eleanor; to speak ill of their hypothetical union would make him a hypocrite, and he knew that. He tried to convince his son to be reasonable and view the situation from a governance perspective, but Liam couldn’t see anything past his puppy love.

Just as Constantine was about to begin his nighttime routine, a sharp knock echoed throughout the room. He furrowed his brow, as everyone knew not to bother him after he retired for the night unless it was an emergency. He hastily dashed to the door and swung it open to find a familiar face on the other side.

“Your Majesty.”

“Hello…” Constantine answered unsurely. “It’s been a while…”

“I’ve kept myself rather busy these days.” Constantine’s face contorted, but before he could press, they continued. “Respectfully, I’m in a bit of a pinch for time.” His company heartedly chuckled. “Do you mind if I come in? I have a proposition for you. One where we both get something we want…”

Constantine eyed his visitor for a moment, but ultimately let them inside as his curiosity got the better of him. He ushered them to the seats situated around the fireplace and took one across from his guest, a thick silence filling the air. “What is this proposition you speak of?”

His companion took a short moment to collect themself but soon began with utmost certainty. “It’s clear who your son intends to choose at the end of this… Lady Riley.”

Constantine noticed the hint of distaste in their tone. “Yes, I believe that as well…”

“And you’ve done nothing to stop it? You and I both know Madeleine is the one who rightfully belongs on the throne.”

“Really?” Constantine challenged. “I’m not sure I understand why—”

“She is a commoner, sir — nothing good will come from that for anyone.”

“I agree with you to an extent, but what am I supposed to do?” Constantine shrugged. “I’ve tried speaking with Liam about it, but he’s not listening.”

“He’s thinking with the wrong head.”

“I concur, but again, how am I supposed to remedy this situation? It’s not like I can send her home before he has the chance to choose her!”

“Perhaps you can.”

His visitor smiled, and Constantine had never seen such a chilling sight. “Pardon?”

“I have a plan… We set her up.”

Constantine’s interest rose. “… How so?”

“We get her alone, send someone to her room, and have a photographer waiting to capture a scandalizing scenario… I’m not sure where just yet, but we can dispose and erase all traces of her after.”

“Dispose?” Constantine shook his head when his comrade nodded, completely stunned by the suggestion. “No, we will not be doing that.”

His guest winced. “Perhaps not dispose, but only ensure she leaves and can never return.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?”

“We detain her somewhere — perhaps use the tun—”

“No.” Constantine sternly interrupted. “I will not allow you to do such things to her. Staging a scandal I could agree with, but I will not let you imprison her simply because of her origins.” He scratched his chin, deep in thought. “Perhaps a ticket back to New York would suffice, instead.”

“We can’t just send her back to New York! She will surely find her way back, or Liam will—”

“If Liam is heartbroken, he will let his duty guide him; that’s the only way he will leave her behind.” Constantine returned but kept his vision locked on the floor.

“We can’t simply rely on breaking his heart!”

“I know my son — he’s emotionally driven. If he’s devastated, he’ll keep going…” Constantine admitted in a low voice. He felt guilty about even entertaining the idea; to manipulate his son and the situation, knowing how he felt about Riley, but the past would always be there to haunt him and he couldn’t let it go, no matter how hard he tried.

“... So, you’re agreeing to the scandal?”

Lady Riley’s presence was pleasantly surprising and she had undeniable chemistry with Liam. In another universe, he would eagerly support their relationship. However, the throne was not to be taken lightly; it was a dangerous position that would put not only her but Liam at risk as well. He’d already lived through one assassination attempt and buried his mother after her demise, yet he still entertained the idea of letting a commoner rule beside him. He didn’t understand this weakness could bring Cordonia crumbling to the ground, taking his heart and man-hood down with it.

Constantine briefly thought back to the torturous months after Eleanor’s death — how heartbroken and hopeless he felt. Those were the darkest times of his life, and he truly didn’t know how Cordonia wasn't brought to its knees then. He wanted to protect Liam from experiencing that type of pain at all costs. A harmless scandal and sending Riley back to New York was a decent option; he would ensure Liam continued for the greater good of Cordonia and, eventually, she would become a distant memory.

His country and his son would be safe, and Constantine could rest in peace, knowing he did everything to protect what was important to him.

However, he didn’t know if he could genuinely trust the person before him. The solutions they suggested were extreme, and he did not wish for those to come to fruition. On the other hand, he recognized his time left dwindled rapidly, and as it was, he physically could not make any plan come to fruition and he couldn’t step away at such a crucial moment either. He needed to ensure the transition from monarch to monarch went smoothly, especially after Leo's sudden abdication.

There was no other choice than to take a chance and hope for the best.

“Will you be present during the operation?” Constantine questioned with a curious eye.

“Yes, sir. I will make sure everything goes according to plan and they’re removed from the premises after.” The response came immediately, with not even a single second of hesitation.

“They? Who’s the other?”

“Lord Tariq — he’s the perfect candidate. He’s naïve enough to go along but still noble. The goal is to photograph them in a compromising position.”

“Compromising how?”

“That will depend on how the situation flows, I suppose, but something to disgrace her and make your son and the nation believe she left to be with Tariq. We’ll find a media outlet or something to leak the story and soon, her name will leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths — including Liam.”

“And how will we enlist this photographer? We can’t do it ourselves — it’s too risky.”

“I'll request the aid of Lady Penelope.”

Constantine’s brows rose. “And you expect she will agree? What will you offer in return?”

“Don’t worry about her,” His guest smirked. “I have my ways, sir… She will comply with the request willingly.”

After a moment of deep consideration, Constantine slowly nodded. “I can agree to this, but perhaps we should let her finish out the season to avoid raising suspicion.”

His visitor tensed. “Respectfully, I don’t see that as a viable option. If someone has the chance to get to her, they may convince her to stay. It has to happen before the end of the social season — at a random moment, without notice.”

Constantine stared off into the fireplace as he pondered that statement, but ultimately knew it was true. He could admit Riley was kind, funny, and incredibly smart, but those features couldn’t grant her the specific birthright she needed. He couldn’t let it happen; it wouldn’t end well for anyone involved, especially Liam and Riley.

This had to happen.

“I suppose you’re correct.” Constantine finally agreed with a heavy sigh.

“She has to leave beforehand. It’s the only way we can make it work.”

Constantine bowed his head, overcome with a rush of various emotions, as their plan snapped itself into place. “... Alright, I’ll allow you to oversee the operation.”

“Marvelous!” His company grinned. “Perhaps you have a few guards to spare? Just to ensure everything runs smoothly… Maybe — Bastien?”

“Alright — you have Bastien at your disposal to assist in whatever you may need and he will report to you, but he is to be in charge of Lady Riley’s departure at the end of the night.”

“As you wish, my liege… Just to clarify, you’re putting me in charge of this operation?”

“I — am.” Constantine reluctantly agreed, but quickly added, “Do not make me regret it… Now, what of Tariq?”

“I'll handle him. You and Bastien deal with the commoner.”

“Okay, but neither of them is to be harmed in any of this, and I shall tell Bastien the same — do you understand?” He eyed his visitor critically, searching for any signs of ill intent, but found none.

“I do, sir.” His guest snickered, a small notion the monarch didn’t notice.

Constantine mindlessly nodded, sufficed by the answer. “This needs to happen fast — perhaps in Applewood, as it’s an older estate and it’ll be easier to have all of this go unnoticed.”

“I agree.”

Constantine inspected the person across from him once more, causing his cohort to shift in their seat. “Remember what I said — neither of them is to be injured, only removed — that is an order. And you had better make this quick and quiet — nothing that’s going to end up causing more harm than good.”

“Understood, Sir… Now, what can we do about Duchess Olivia?”

“I ordered Bastien to ensure she went back to New York — safely, and he told me he did. I pushed the scandal on you because I assumed the plan came to pass as instructed. It wasn’t until this conversation that I realized they played me.”

Liam couldn’t believe what he’d heard. It hurt him in a way he didn’t know was possible, to know his father acted against the woman he loved in such a way, even if he says his intentions were pure. Plus, the manipulation he suffered at the hands of the person who should’ve shielded him from the animosity shredded the frail remnants of their relationship. He felt the tear within his chest, as that father-son bond crumbled into a million pieces. He truly didn’t know who the man sitting across from him was, and couldn’t conclude if he could trust his confession. Constantine looked genuine, almost remorseful, as he spoke, but he knew his father could shift and mold himself to adjust to any situation.

That’s what snakes do best.

“I don’t believe you,” Liam suddenly declared, breaking the tense stillness.

Constantine’s shoulders sank. “Liam, I —”

“No!” Liam shouted as he shot up from his seat to tower over his father. “You’re lying and I demand to know the truth!”

“Look at me, Liam!” Constantine breathlessly pleaded. “What do I have to gain from lying at this point?! I’m dying! I never wished for harm to come to her — I only wanted to remove her from the situation—”

Liam sardonically laughed. “Yeah, well they fucking did, alright!”

“Liam, I apologize. I trusted the wrong person and—”

“Me too — me too.” Liam shook his head, tears of rage burning his eyes. “How could you?”

“Son —”

“YOU LET THEM HURT HER!” Liam wailed, not caring if anyone could hear their altercation.

“I didn’t! I specifically told them not to!”

“But yet — you ordered Bastien to go along with it?”

Constantine winced. “I did, but he never mentioned any of the additional things you speak of. I told him to cover up the scandal — nothing else. His job was simply to escort Riley to the airport and ensure it stayed quiet. Anything additional, he did under the supervision of someone who was not me.”

“But you told him to clean it up?” Leo questioned.

“Yes…” Constantine swallowed thickly, followed by a small coughing fit. He recovered quickly and continued, “But I didn’t know—”

“Yeah, well, for once, Bastien understood the assignment — maybe even a little too well.” Leo retorted, completely blown away by Constantine’s admissions. He regained himself rather quickly, however, and a light bulb suddenly went off inside his head. “Have you ever heard the names Anton and Claudius before?”

Liam froze, but centered his death glare on his father, watching for any waivers in his facade but Constantine’s face only contorted, his confusion showcased brightly. “... Who?”

Liam scoffed. “Keep lying and see what happens.” He laughed indignantly, his hands balled into fists at his sides. “I’m not playing these games. I want to know the truth, and I want to know now.”

“I am being truthful with you. Listen to me, Liam — I never should have gone along with it and I am so incredibly sorry,” Constantine pleaded, but as he finished, his lungs screamed for air. He inhaled deeply, searching for oxygen, and found just enough to continue. “I never should have agreed, but I was afraid, and I let that fear guide my decisions in the matter.”

“I do not accept your apology! You–you’re a monster!” Liam yelled, his voice cracking on the last syllable as one lone tear traveled down his cheek.

“I — I know, son…” Constantine hung his head. “I regret the things I’ve done, even more so now that I know Lady Riley is potentially in danger.” He hacked again, but then forcefully clenched his jaw. “I told him not to…” He grumbled to himself, which Liam nor Leo heard.

His lungs burned with every shallow breath, and his pulse steadily rose, causing his hands to shake and turn clammy. He wanted to blame his sudden change in state on nerves for being caught, but realized it ran deeper than that; something was wrong. A tight sensation in his chest made him feel as if a weight sat on top, growing in pounds by the minute, and every breath seemed to do the opposite of what it should. His windpipe slowly narrowed, and the erratic thump of his heart was so forceful, that he felt it from the tips of his toes to his temples.

Leo interjected himself. “You don’t know where she is? Or Tariq? Really?”

Constantine didn’t answer but stared off into space with furrowed brows as he recalled conversations, while simultaneously trying to catch his breath and settle his elevating state. He and his conspirator spoke only a few times regarding the ordeal, but every time, they subtly asked for insignificant details regarding a specific location within a few of the duchies. He never thought much of it because the areas were abandoned, never used, and inaccessible; but it would be possible if someone knew where it was, and he’d practically given them a detailed road map to it.

His eyes widened as he slowly turned to Liam and spoke just above a whisper. “The tunnels…”

“You mean that old wives’ tale about underground passageways?” Leo returned.

“It’s not a tale, but very real,” Constantine replied, matter-of-factly.

“And you think that’s where she is?”

“It's a huge possibility. If you go deep enough, the passageways lead to cells, almost like a hidden dungeon. Our ancestors used them as torture chambers when someone spoke out of line against the monarchy, but those accusations are mostly hearsay. He kept asking about it when we spoke, but I didn’t make the connection.” Constantine coughed again, trying his hardest to hide his rapidly deteriorating state.

Liam’s heart rate involuntarily quickened, the light at the end closer than ever before. “The tunnels?”

“Yes… If you believe Lady Riley is still in the country, I would almost guarantee that’s where she is if you haven’t found her by now.” Constantine answered through a wheeze, but neither Liam nor Leo noticed, as they processed this new information.

“Where? Which estate?”

“I’m not entirely sure which duchies still have one. A lot of the dukes and duchesses opted to have them filled with cement long ago to erase the remnants of what their ancestors used them for. All I know is they are only accessible through a hidden door, likely on the outside, but it won’t be easy to find without knowing what you’re looking for. It will take you underground, but the chambers will have concealed doors as well. I know for a fact the one at the palace remains open, but Portavira and Ramsford are closed.”

“Why is the one at the palace still open?” Leo demanded. “And how do you know so much about this if you’re ‘innocent’?” He air quoted.

“My father’s father brought forth plans to fill it, but uprisings started and it got lost in the hands of time. As far as my knowledge of it, I was young and curious once as well. There is a book in the library that has a lot of useful information on it, and I know for a fact that it has not moved from its spot on the shelf.”

“How?”

“Maybe I knew in my subconscious that something wasn’t right, and I wanted to ensure it was there so I knew it wasn’t being used to gain access.” Constantine shrugged. “As long as it was there, I didn’t have to face the possibilities of what I allowed to happen, I suppose.”

“Yeah? How’d that work out?” Leo rolled his eyes but centered his attention on Liam. “Applewood, maybe?”

“Yeah… Yeah — that makes the most sense, right?” Liam responded, his mind racing a million miles an hour. Every muscle in his body shook as wave after wave of adrenaline rushed through him. “Perhaps I’ll send teams to all the duchies.”

“Not a bad idea — knock ‘em all out at once, and we can’t leave any stone unturned. And I think we should check all of them, despite what he claims.”

“I agree, boys,” Constantine hoarsely interjected.

“Don’t even act like you helped us at all. You knew about all of this and never said a word to me about it! And you had Bastien fucking me around this entire time!” Liam bellowed.

Constantine let out a slow breath and spoke in a low, quiet voice. “I understand you’re upset. However, I truly thought she safely returned to New York. Bastien mentioned none of these things to me, nor you. Granted, perhaps I should have stayed more on top of the situation. I was aware of the deaths, but you never told me there was foul play involved or that you suspected Bastien. If you had come to me sooner, I would have told you what I knew.”

“Yeah, I bet you would have.” Liam huffed.

“I would have, Liam. I never meant for this to happen — all I wanted was to ensure you and Cordonia would be safe after I’m gone. It was my duty as Cordonia’s king—”

“No, it wasn’t! And you’re behind Olivia leaving too?”

“She’s far too irrational to sit on the throne, Liam. I knew if you had her as an option, you would choose her.” Constantine’s face contorted as the knife in his chest suddenly twisted. He somehow pushed through it, but the pain only flourished, alternating between sharp, sudden jabs and a dull, throbbing ache. “You still tried to select her, but I assumed she would speak to you and not leave without saying a word.” He breathed, his face turning a bright shade of pink.

“I don’t understand something—” Leo spoke with furrowed brows. “Why was all Riley’s stuff in Applewood?”

“I didn’t have any part of that. I was not interested in taking things from her — I only wanted her to leave.” He wheezed. Liam and Leo both continued to glare at him, but their fury and curiosity blinded them from seeing their father’s deteriorating state.

“One more,” Leo went on. “If you were behind the scandal, why’d you drop it during the coronation of all moments?”

“That was the only hiccup in the ordeal that I knew of; the timing. I realized Liam would have an adverse reaction, but it was supposed to be released early enough to give him some time to let the general shock wear off.” Constantine rasped, and that’s when Leo finally took notice of his father’s struggles. Despite his sideways feelings, a surge of concern bolted through him.

“Wow…” Liam spoke before Leo could address their father's state. He shook his head, tears of rage and devastation stinging the corners of his eyes. “You played me like a goddamn fiddle and I let it happen. You had everything planned out, down to my emotional needs.” He indignantly laughed, the sound sending waves of uncertainty through everyone.

“I — I’m sorry, son. I regret what I’ve done, and I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me for getting caught up in this—”

“Don’t hold your fucking breath.” Liam snapped.

“I’m willing to do whatever I can to help you find her, Liam.” Constantine held a shaky hand over his chest as the pain intensified, momentarily taking his breath away. Leo rose to his feet, torn between his brother's wrath and his father's struggles, but Liam continued before he concluded what to do.

“How can I trust you? You knew about all of this! I think you know much more than you’re leading on, too!”

Constantine’s mind raced so fast, but he tried with all his might to fight off whatever was happening within his body. “I’ve told you all I know, son. I will gladly assist you in any way possible from here on out.”

“You’re going to be lucky if you don’t wind up in the infirmary next to Bastien, or worse,” Liam snarled as he slowly rose from his seat. “Who?”

“Pardon?”

“Who was it? Who came to you that night in Lythikos?” Liam stalked toward him with his hands balled into fists at his sides, his steps loud and menacing. He didn’t even notice Constantine’s struggles — all he saw was the monster who destroyed his life and decimated everything he’d ever cared about. “This is your only chance to come clean because if I have to ask again, you won’t like how I get the answer.” He scowled.

Constantine stumbled upright and took another ragged breath, but realized he was no longer getting any airflow. He coughed, but his hands flew to his neck after, helplessly clawing at his throat. He suddenly gasped for air and grabbed at the front of Liam’s shirt, his knees buckling under his body weight. His eyes were nearly black as the dilation swallowed his iris, but his sclera was tinted with a bright shade of pink.

“What the—” Liam started, but soon recognized the problem. Constantine’s complexion somehow went from a shade of red to white within an instant, his gasps becoming more panic-laced by the second. One moment they were face-to-face, but the fear Liam saw staring back at him momentarily took him aback; it wasn’t a terror rooted around being caught, but something much deeper. His body tensed, the hands securely holding onto his jacket turning white and shaking from the intensity of the seizing. Constantine choked on his saliva, struggling for air, but soon let out an anguished, blood-curdling cry.

The next instant, Constantine crumpled to the floor, his entire body going limp.

Before Liam or Leo could register what happened, the guard stationed close by was already on site. The man spoke into his earpiece and summoned medical professionals to their location, a frenzy of lights approaching in the distance nearly instantly. Constantine’s eyes were open but nobody was home, and before too long, the man had no choice but to start CPR.

Liam could only stand, frozen in place, unable to focus on anything else. He wanted to look away so badly, but couldn’t gather the strength. He felt every push against his father’s chest as if it were his own, and his pulse soon matched the rhythm of the compressions. An overabundance of emotions filtered through him; betrayal, fear, anger, regret, and guilt. Constantine shredded their bond into a million pieces, and he couldn’t find it within him to be sad; he desperately wanted to feel any inkling of remorse that his father might have just taken his final breath right before him, but he wasn’t, and that made him question if he was a monster in disguise all along, too.

He fixated on the fact that Constantine knew who did this and, right now, he wasn’t sure he would get to hear that tale. His heart yearned for Riley, but every time he got even a drop of information, he only met an abrupt wall. He’d almost grown accustomed to having the tiny shrivels of hope dangled in his face and then yanked away, but this time, he couldn’t simply shake it off and pretend like they had the situation under control, because they didn’t.

The abyss of insanity Liam teetered for so long pulled itself dangerously closer. His father had aggressive, end-stage lung cancer, and something like this should come as no surprise. But — for his clock to stop ticking at that exact moment seemed too convenient and at some point, the term coincidence just couldn’t apply anymore. Any other time, he wouldn’t have questioned it, but he instantly fell into a pit of madness as he internally debated the facts.

He couldn’t decide if this was nature taking its course, or a different force pulling strings.

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phoenixrising0308 · 2 years ago

Text

The day I watched you marry someone else.

Books: The Royal Romance Book 3

Rating: M (Mature content and implied sexual activities)

Pairing: Liam & Jessica (MC)

The Arrangement - This is the story of how Liam Rys and Jessica Garcia enter a Cordonian arrangement. This is a 4 chapter story arc and fits into a story in between called the Promise, which is in the Agent Phoenix A/U.

Detailed disclaimer

Triggers: none identified by the author

Chapter Summary: Jessica's POV of the wedding

A/N: This is reposting an original chapter released in 2019/2020 under a previous blog name with new added content sprinkled in. Im sorry it took so long to get back into the writing space life has been heavy.

Song Inspiration: The Arrangement Playlist

Word Count: 2,500 *As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors*

New York, One week prior...

Liam walked Jessica back to her hotel room and wiped away her tears.

“He just slipped away; we just missed him.” Jessica cried out on Liam’s shoulder.

“We will find him; this isn’t over for us. It will never be over for us.”

“I don’t know what I want to do, Liam. I can’t walk away from you.”

The tears he held back, trying to be strong, started streaming down his face. They rested their heads against each other.

“I am expected at the wedding. I don’t know if I can sit there and watch you marry someone else. Maxwell and Bertrand did so much for me and I can’t have them look even worse by not showing my face. I need to think. But I’m not getting on that plane with the rest of the court. I don’t know what happens after that, I don’t know if I can enter into a Cordonian arrangement.”

I don’t know what to say. But if you come back and want to stay, we can solve this together. Will you wait for me?

—

Ramsford - Jessica’s room

Liam’s Wedding day

Everyone was in a frenzy trying to get ready. Jessica sat in a daze as the letter she read, hand-delivered to her by a footman in familiar cursive writing. When she finished she let it fall to the floor.

Lady Jessica, you should know that I have invoked on behalf of the Crown prince ‘Sex primis noctibus’ or the first six nights. As Cordonian tradition dictates, the King is to be in close quarters with the Queen with no outside interruptions to get familiar with each other and bed each other for six consecutive nights in hopes that they can produce an heir. In fact, the wedding date is chosen based on the future Queen's fertile window. Liam might love you but he loves his country more. I encourage you to move on and have your sponsor find you a respectable match and marry or return to the states before you waste any more time chasing a dream that simply can not be. There has never been a divorce or annulment in the history of the Rys line of succession, and we have held the throne for a century.

-Constantine Rys

It would be the first royal wedding in Cordonia since Constantine married Regina. But this was a larger affair. It would be a first marriage, and that hasn’t happened in decades. The last time it did was Constantine’s marriage to Leo’s mother.

Maxwell picked up the letter and briefly read it; he crumpled it up in disgust and threw it in the trash before returning to her side and lovingly combing her hair. “I’m so sorry, blossom. I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

Jessica held Maxwell’s hand stopping him and putting the brush down. “Me too.” He took her in his arms and they cried.

Bertrand walked into the room with a large box and said, “Maxwell, I would like to have a word with Lady Jessica.”

Bertrand took Maxwell’s place in front of Jessica and said, “This will be a very difficult day. I thank you for doing this for us. You could have easily stayed in New York, but you came. Should you want to make a life for yourself, allow me to offer you my assistance. You are to stay here as long as you want. You are our sister, this home is yours as well to make use of. But it is my duty to inform you that a suitor has approached me and asked if you would consider a proposal.”

Jessica blinked her tears away in surprise at that before speaking again. “Thank you, Bertrand. But I don’t think I’m ready for anything. I know that it is your custom to arrange a match for a lady of your house, but would it be out of the ordinary if I don’t want to be married?”

“Jessica, it is your choice. I just don’t know how to mend a broken heart. I just thought since you came here to be wed that perhaps that could help.”

Jessica gave Bertrand a half-smile. “I came here for Liam.”

“Jessica, as you know, we have no lady of the house, and surely when I marry Savannah, I would like to commission something for her, but what I am giving you is a gift. You helped me find her, and connect with her and our son, and I could never thank you enough, but I hope this is a start.”

Bertrand placed the box on Jessica’s lap. “It would mean the world to me and Maxwell if you wore this and perhaps you can channel the strength of its owner.”

Jessica opened up the box and gasped, “Bertrand, do you mean it? I can surely wear it and give it back.”

“Maxwell and I insist. This is yours to have. We can offer you our name and our protection and we have given you our mother's ring but one thing remains that should be yours. As you know, a hat is customary at court functions when not at a gala. I was not always kind to you, yet you stood by us. Your loyalty was unwavering even after I doubted your ability to be a suitor. Please accept this as a gift as a sign of our gratitude and a welcoming gift to joining our house.”

Jessica pulled out the light blue fascinator hat with a birdcage veil; made of sinamay material that glimmered in the sun-like diamond dust.

"Maxwell tells me you favor hats, and well, this was my mother's pride and joy. It serves no purpose locked away in a closet when it should go to an owner that wears it when called upon."

Jessica was awestruck as she softly asked, “This belonged to Duchess Annabelle?”

“Yes, it belonged to our mother. The world will be looking at you today, the press will look for you to crumble. They think you are alone, that you have lost, but in this, you have gained family and friends. We are better people because you walked into our lives. Jessica, you surprised me time and time again. Liam told me you were his choice. Had it not been for his father’s interference and the loyalist on the royal council, this would be your day.”

Jessica placed the fascinator on her head and said, “It certainly is beautiful. I will wear it with pride. Thank you.”

Bertrand’s lips trembled as he fought back his tears and said, “You honor this house regardless of title or status. Lady Jessica Garcia Beaumont”

Jessica looked at herself in the mirror as she placed the fascinator on her head and sighed deeply, trying not to cry again.

Bertrand gave her a soft smile and said, “Tungsten… impact strength determines how much energy a metal can absorb. Tungsten can hold the highest temperature even in a forge; its melting point is the highest of any element; it will not shatter or be broken. That's why all the items in our armory are made of it. This house is your shield. When you look at yourself, remind yourself of your resilience and strength. That will get you through this painful ordeal.”

—

Royal Cordonian Abbey

Jessica stepped into the Abbey dressed in the house colors of the Beaumonts. She wore an off-the-shoulder knee-length dress that coordinated perfectly with the late Duchess Annabelle’s hat. She held her head high as people snickered at her, but she walked with grace and class paying no mind to the hurtful remarks people whispered as she passed by. Reporters attempted to get her to comment and she declined to give a statement. She took her place in the pew next to Hana.

Hana said, “My mother wanted me to sit next to the other ladies of the court, but my friend needs me more.” Hana took Jessica’s hand and squeezed it.

Olivia entered and was directed to a pew. “I will choose my own seat. I wish to sit next to Lady Hana and Lady Jessica, should the Queen take issue with it then so be it.” Olivia took her seat next to Jessica.

Jessica said, “Thank you, Olivia.”

Olivia quirked a brow and said, “Why are you thanking me?”

Jessica lowered her gaze. “People hate me and you have enough problems. You could have sat anywhere and yet you sat next to me.”

Olivia smirked. “I hate the word friend you know, but there is something that can be said about sitting next to someone with the courage you have shown throughout this. You have my respect.”

Jessica smiled, “And you have mine.”

Olivia said, “Please know Liam opted for the Abbey as he said the Cathedral before God is reserved for his marriage to you. He won’t give up until that crown is on your head.”

Jessica whispered, “I just want to marry him. Sure, being a Queen would be amazing, but being his wife... That’s all I’m concerned about. I would marry him anywhere and not care how fancy it is.”

20 minutes later…

Madeleine’s assistant walked over to the pew and said, “Lady Jessica, the future Queen has summoned you.”

“Do you know why?” Jessica frowned as she asked.

“I’m sorry, she wouldn’t disclose, but she told me if you refused to remind you that it is a direct order.”

Jessica sighed. She stood up and smoothed her dress. “Excuse me, Hana and Olivia.” Olivia stood up so Jessica could exit with a skeptical glare on her face at the summons.

Abbey vestibule

Jessica entered and saw Madeleine admiring herself in the mirror. A few ladies of the court including Kiara and Penelope fussed over Madeleine’s dress.

Madeleine waved her hand and dismissed them. Then, she turned her attention to Jessica and coldly said, “Exactly who I wanted to see. Liam refused the use of the cathedral, and I won’t even have a reception. I will just have a small dinner... How embarrassing. For a Queen not to have all the fanfare owed to her. I have been robbed of an opportunity to be admired on my wedding day. Not to mention this lackluster necklace. It seems I was an afterthought. I should be a priority but I'm not since your insignificant little feelings matter to him.”

Jessica rolled her eyes, “Geezus Madeleine, you sound so pretentious and entitled. Let’s not forget this is a forced marriage so Liam could ascend the throne.”

“Liam isn’t playing the part, and so I must remind him that I can still get to him. Despite him not giving me control of things, there are things that I can control, and he is powerless to stop me from doing so.”

Jessica lost her temper and finally snapped at the woman who ruined everything. “Madeleine, what do you fucken’ want!?”

Madeleine smirked, “I think you want to stay here, Jessica. Your visa can be revoked for crimes against the crown, and that means not following orders. There is a lifetime ban, and there is no appeal process. Liam cannot do anything for the next six days to help you thanks to our um... the bridal bed, which surely he will enjoy. So, for the next six days, if you so much as jaywalk, I will ensure you are in a position to be deported.”

Jessica frowned deeply at the mention of their honeymoon. “Fine. I will stay locked up at Ramsford. Happy?”

Madeleine hummed as she fussed with herself in the mirror. “Some people favor you, and if they favor you, that means they don’t favor me. I want people to love me, to know that I was the best choice for this Kingdom, and not sympathize with you. I want the security of being a Queen, and you are endangering that. You have Liam’s protection, but that won’t stop me from driving you out of the country.”

“Madeleine, why do you insist on making his life difficult?”

Madeleine turned to her with a smirk and said, “By my order, a senior member of the court, you are directed to carry my train to the Abbey. You will stand there and watch me and Liam marry. You will be allowed back to your pew when the coronation ceremony begins.”

The clicking sound of heels entered the Abbey vestibule from the end of the hall. Olivia’s voice echoed.

Olivia growled out with murder in her eyes. “God Madeleine, how low can you stoop? In the end, you are nothing. This day will be forgotten. I don’t know what you have done to get all this favor. First, it was Leo, now it’s Liam. Who are you in bed with truly?”

“Petty words from petty people. I have it, and I will use it.” Madeleine waved her hand in the air and said, “Love? Is that his little pet name for you? Well, LOVE, pick up my train.” Madeleine commanded with sadistic glee.

Jessica stood in defeat. Olivia stepped forward. “I outrank your little entourage.” Olivia walked over and picked up the train and said, “Surely a Duchess carrying the train of a future Queen is an honor. Especially the Duchess of an established house. Liam created a duchy for you reserving Valtoria for Jessica. That must sting. You seem to just want to wound her, to take for yourself, the things he is holding for her when he can rid himself of you." She huffed and continued. "How sad. How sad to be a Queen and have nothing. If you insist on this pathetic game with Jessica, just know she is not alone and never will be. The house of Nevrakis and the house Beaumont are loyal to each other. Jessica is under Beaumont's protection, and she is also under mine as well. My protection is worth an army.”

Madeleine sneered slightly at Olivia. “Fine. Have it your way, but she is still ordered and must comply.”

Jessica sighed and took the other end of the train. Forcing the lump in her throat to die down and to get it over with.

15 minutes later…

The entrance song to the wedding began. Liam stood at the altar, never turning to look at Madeleine. He just wanted the ordeal over so he can lock himself in the palace for the next six days as tradition dictated. Leo reminded him, although tradition stated he must be in closed quarters, it did not state he needed to cohabitate in the same room; just in the same wing. In fact, other than that tradition, he was under no obligation to live at the palace at all. Liam would remain in his room in the wing alone while Madeleine would remain in her room. That was his final verdict.

Olivia and Jessica trailed behind Madeleine into the Abbey holding her train. The tears welled in Jessica’s eyes. She laid Madeleine’s train down and stood next to Olivia with their heads held high, even though she couldn't look Liam in the eyes without sobbing.

Madeleine smiled coldly and said, “I received your message. I hope you received mine. If you listen closely, you could hear her poor heart shatter into little pieces.” Madeleine turned to Jessica and handed her her bridal bouquet, and hissed out low enough for only them to hear, “Hold this, LOVE. You will never get an opportunity to hold a bridal bouquet otherwise.”

Liam made eye contact with Jessica as she stood by Olivia. She looked down at the flowers and averted eye contact, trying not to cry in front of the entire court, knowing that this was Madeleine’s intent all along. Liam, on the other hand, became emotional at the sight of what Madeleine forced her to do in public, humiliating her, and he was completely powerless to comfort her.

Constantine presided over the ceremony and said, “I welcome you all here today as I am fortunate to marry my son to his Queen. It brings me great joy to unify them not only by law, but by love. Looking at Liam so emotionally over this day tells me he is completely in love.” Constantine smirked as he looked at Jessica. Then he returned his attention to the crowd.

Constantine said, “Liam, Crown Prince of Cordonia, repeat after me:

I, Liam Nathaniel Rys, Crown Prince of Cordonia, take you, Madeleine Elizabeth Amaranth of Fydelia, as my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and bad times, through sickness and health. I vow to love you, honor you, and be faithful to you for all the remaining days of my life.”

Liam looked at Jessica as both of their hearts broke for each other. Tears in their eyes, and hope dwindling.

#liam x jessica #choices fanfic #choices fanfiction #playchoices fanfic #agent phoenix #king liam #mc x liam #liam x mc #liam rys

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eadanga · 2 months ago

Text

The Royal Romance Chapter 10 Part 2

Liam looks as his father continues to address the crowd “I’m sure you all have questions but I promise you in due time I’m gonna release an official statement for now let an old man enjoy the festivities” He steps down from the podium

Liam watches his father I’m gonna be king in a few weeks? Why would he just announce that without discussing it with me? I thought I would have until

“Liam are you ok?”

Liam snaps out of his thoughts and looks over at her then leads her away from the crowd “Yes I’m fine but it’s a shock”

“I can tell by the look on your face you didn’t know about this?”

He sighs “No I always knew that my father would retire just not so soon to be king in a few weeks it’s a lot”

“Not many guys have to ascend to the throne and choose a wife all at once”

“It means that my future bride will be thrown directly into the role of queen”

“Seems like it really caught you off guard”

“My father usually keeps my counsel on all matters I wonder why he didn’t discuss this with me” He shakes his head “I’ll talk later for now he’s right we should just try to enjoy the day”

****

This is bothering him a lot how’s he gonna get through the regatta She looks over his shoulder and sees the press walking over to them And here comes the swarm

Liam grins “We should answer a couple of questions to satisfy them let’s put our best smiles on”

Riley grins “No can do I only reserve my best smiles for you”

Liam chuckles “At least give them half your best”

The reporters come shoving microphones and cameras every where

“Your Highness a few questions please?”

Liam nods “Of course”

“The king’s announcement was quite a surprise what do you think about it? When did you find out?”

“As much as I’d love to answer my father has made it clear he’ll issue statement later for now I can’t comment”

“If we can’t talk about the announcement then we’ll have to talk about something else you’re looking awfully friendly with mystery woman”

Liam raises an eyebrow “Is that what they’re calling Lady Riley?”

He nods “The public does find her an enigma but let’s cut to the heart of the real mystery what’s the connection between you too”

Riley steps up next to him “You wanna know the relationship between the prince and me?” She smiles “I care for him but we are still getting to know each other”

****

Did she say just say? Liam smiles as the press snaps pictures “I couldn’t have said it better myself”

“Do you feel the same way about Lady Riley your highness?”

Liam looks over at Riley who gives him an encouraging nod Guess I’m following her lead “Yes I care for her but as she said we’re still getting to know each other” Can’t tell them the full truth He steps between the press and Riley “That’s all the time we have for today we should really get going”

“Can we get a photo of you two?”

Liam nods “Of course”

He wraps his arm around her waist pulling her closer before they snap a picture Riley kisses his cheek Liam feels it linger as she pulls away and grins as they snap pictures

“Perfect your highness Lady Riley it’s been a pleasure”

Liam nods “You’re welcome” As they leave he turns to Riley “I think that went well”

“Oh?”

Liam nods “I can tell by now when they like someone” He takes her hand “Now come on the race is gonna start soon we should get you to your boat” He guides her to the boat where Maxwell waves

“Riley over here!”

“Your ride awaits”

“You’re not coming with me you can witness my triumph first hand”

Liam chuckles “I wish I could but my place is with the king right now I’ll witness your victory from there good luck” He watches her head on the boat then turns to walk back to where his father stands. He touches his cheek as he walks I felt her resistance to pull away could she feel the same way I do? He shakes his head as he approaches his father Focus Liam you gotta keep your head in the game

****

Riley heads to the boat and sees only Maxwell and Drake on it she looks around in confusion “Drake what are you doing here? And Maxwell didn’t you leave with Bertrand? And shouldn’t there be other people here like an actual crew?”

Drake looks at Maxwell “Yeah Maxwell what happened?”

Maxwell sighs “Well I have good news and bad news”

Riley pinches the bridge of her nose “What’s the good news?”

“The good news is that you do have a crew to man the boat”

“Uh huh”

“But the bad news is that we’re the crew”

Riley’s eyes go wide “What happened to the people Bertrand hired?”

“Yes well our fund being what they are they dropped out but not to worry Drake volunteered to help”

Riley raises an eyebrow “He volunteered?”

Drake leans against the railing “Maxwell begged me”

“I thought I was rather dignified”

“Practically in tears actually”

Riley giggles then sighs “And you both know about boats”

Maxwell nods “I used own several and Drake is an excellent boatman”

Riley turns to hear “But from what I hear you and Liam nearly capsized once and that says you aren’t”

Drake looks at her in shock “He told you about that?” He shakes his head “Ok that was bad but after that I spent the whole summer learning how to sail properly so you’re in good hands I can’t speak for Maxwell”

Maxwell pouts “Hey!”

Riley sighs Well this should be fun

Tags: @choicesgodfanatic @indiacater @twinkleallnight @princess-geek @iaminlovewithtrr @the-soot-sprite @gkittylove99

#the royal romance #trr liam #trr fanfic #choices trr #king liam #liam x mc #choices fandom #choices fan fiction #choices fanfiction

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lorirwritesfanfic · 2 months ago

Text

Ways To A King's Heart

Book: The Royal Romance Pairing: Liam Rys x MC (Jade) Rating: T Word count: 1138 Reading time: ~4min Summary: After a long and tiring week of work, Liam will be rewarded with two things he craves the most. Based on the prompt: @kingliamappreciationweek Day One: Baklava Author’s note:

Thank you so much to @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes for hosting KLAW again 😍

This piece is set about a year after the wedding, before they have kids.

The sound of joints cracking echoed on the walls as Liam approached the Royal Apartment doors. The king and his wife would travel to Valtoria the next morning in hopes to have a quiet time away from the hectic life they have in the capital. However, it also meant working overtime and less time spent with his wife before the trip. He didn't realize how tense his back was until he stretched a bit before opening the door. After a long week of meetings, conferences and analyzing documents, he couldn't wait for his one week break in the woods.

As he opened the door to the Royal Apartment, a rich smell of nuts, spices and butter wafted Liam's nose. Traveling preparations to Valtoria often included Jade, Hana and part of the kitchen staff cooking many kinds of homemade pastries they'd take to Valtoria Community Center. Yet, this particular combination of smells ignited a feeling the king rarely gave in to.

"Jade?" He called, placing his jacket inside the closet.

"In the kitchen!"

On his way to the kitchen, his mouth watered, but he shook his head. "It can't be..." He thought to himself. She didn't know how to cook it.

But as he stepped into the kitchen, his jaw dropped. Wearing a silk robe partially covered by an apron, Jade bent over to pick up a tray from the oven.

"Good evening, love."

She smiled and proceeded to place a tray of brownies on the cooling tray.

"It sure is..." He mumbled, ogling his wife's round rear and toned legs as she bent over again to place a tray of cookies in the oven.

"Excuse me?"

"I said 'good evening to you, my queen'." He smiled. "Is everything ready for tomorrow?"

"Yep," she answered, removing her kitchen mittens to set the oven timer.

Liam eyed the counter with many boxes of sweets already packed to go, but no sign of what he thought she had prepared. Perhaps his senses have deceived him.

"Have you been cooking all afternoon?"

"Pretty much." She simpered and ambled over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck for a kiss.

"All by yourself?"

"No. Hana and Chef Nico were here earlier to help. Hana just left."

"Did they actually let you cook this time?" Liam joked.

"Hey!" She shoved him playfully. "Mind you, I did most of the cooking. I left just for a couple of minutes to shower and change. It was too hot in this kitchen."

His eyes traveled from her lips to her neck and décolletage as his hands rested on the small of her back. "It still is," he murmured.

"I know, right?" She fanned herself with one hand, apparently oblivious to the real meaning of his comment. "Go sit on the lounge while I grab some drinks for us."

Liam glanced at his wife one more time and left for the lounge slightly disappointed. Jade rarely didn't respond to his flirting and it only happened whenever she was mad at him. Was it too subtle? Had he lost his touch after so little time of marriage?

As soon as he sat on the sofa, his eyes widened in surprise. Carrying a tray with two glasses of wine and a large plate of his favorite dessert, Jade walked in with her robe open, revealing a sheer bodysuit underneath it.

"I hope you like what you see..." Jade bent over, placing the tray on the coffee table.

"I honestly don't know where to look first."

A mischievous smile played on her lips.

"You've been really busy and we've barely seen each other this week, so I thought you deserved a treat for your hard work."

"How sweet of you, my love," he said as his eyes followed his wife as she sat beside him. "But I'm having a hard time figuring out what's the treat here."

"If the baklava tastes good, it's the treat. If it doesn't, I'll stick to plan B."

"Which is...?"

"Abuela always says the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But I wondered 'why should I take the scenic route if I can take a shortcut?'"

Jade then slid to the opposite side of the sofa, removed the hairpin tying her hair and it cascaded over her shoulders as she rested her calves and feet on his lap.

"Clever. Though I have to say the shortcuts you take always seem quite scenic to me," he said as his hands caressed her legs.

"Oh, trust me. It's so hard to make phyllo dough from scratch and it's so complicated to use it..." She grimaced. "Sex is definitely the shortcut."

Liam chuckled. "I think you did great so far. It looks and smells amazing."

"Now we need to know if it tastes good too."

"Okay."

The king then reached for the plate of baklava and put a small piece in his mouth. The flaky buttery dough with almonds and honey syrup perfectly blended in his mouth. Memories suddenly pervaded his mind: warm summer breeze, the nutty smell of almonds, kids' laughter, opulent table decorations, hiding under the table to steal baklavas from his mother's brunch with her friends. A smile spread across his lips and he took another piece.

"Is it good?"

"Good is an understatement. This is heavenly," he grinned, sipping his wine.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Jade sighed in relief. "Well, I guess I won't resort to plan B."

The queen then proceeded to close the robe around her frame when Liam immediately reached for her hands to stop her.

"I don't think we should dismiss plan B just yet," he said, lifting one of her hands to his lips before opening the robe again.

"What?" Jade frowned, pretending to be wounded. "But you just said the baklava tastes heavenly."

"And I stand by my word. Your culinary skills soon will put the best pastry chefs to shame, my queen," he said, pulling her flush against him and gently kissing her lips. "But..."

"But...?"

"One small piece of baklava has hundreds of calories," he murmured as he gently brushed her hair aside and leaned in to kiss her shoulder.

"Does it?"

"It does." He whispered as he peppered kisses along her neck and jaw until he stopped just a inch apart from her lips. "We're going to have to burn all those calories somehow."

"I did find a great shortcut to your heart, huh?" She grinned.

"And you know it like the back of your hand, my love."

Liam captured his lips in a long searing kiss as she unbuttoned his shirt and unbuckled his belt.

"What about the baklava?" Jade asked.

The king then reached for a piece and lifted it to her mouth, his eyes darkening as her lips brushed against the tip of his fingers. "I think this plate is going to be empty very soon."

Sharing mischievous smiles and kisses, the couple continued to disrobe each other to savor a pleasant first night of their one week break.

#choices fanfic #the royal romance #king liam #liam x mc #kingliamappreciationweek #klaw day 1 #lorirwritesfanfic #lorircreates

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sfb123 · 2 years ago

Text

Hands Down - Prologue

Pairing: Liam x Riley

All characters belong to Pixelberry

Summary: Can Liam and Riley still find their way to each other despite Riley turning down Maxwell's invitation to Cordonia?

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,945

Song Inspiration: Hands Down - Dashboard Confessional

A/N: I am participating in @kingliamappreciationweek Day 5 (Friendships/Relationships/AU, all of which apply to this prologue), as well as @choicesflashfics Week 29, "That's all we/they are now. A memory. A faded picture. A failed potential." It will appear in bold below.

A/N 2: It's been a minute since I've posted anything, let alone started a new series. I've had bits and pieces of this story forever, but could never figure out how to put it all together. Then my aunt died (IYKYK), and I've been working on this ever since.

A/N 3: Thank you to those of you that I have been bombarding with ideas, snippets, and complaints. They're still going to be coming, probably now more than ever. But I appreciate you listening and humoring me. Especially @txemrn for looking over this prologue and making sure it was okay.

Tagging my usuals, if you'd like to be added or removed just let me know!

Liam was in a daze as he returned to his hotel suite, still thinking about her. They had only spent a couple of hours together, but it was all Liam needed to know that he was destined for so much more with Riley Brooks.

He fell back onto the couch and pulled out his phone, texting Maxwell to see if he was still up, and if he would join Liam in his room. He was, and he would.

While he had his phone in his hand, he opened his camera roll and looked fondly at the picture that they had taken together. Liam told her that it was because he wanted to remember his trip to the Statue of Liberty, but more than that, it was because he wanted to remember her. Not that she wasn’t permanently imprinted on his mind the second they locked eyes, but he wanted to have a photo of her, to have tangible proof that she wasn’t a dream.

A knock at the door pulled Liam’s attention away from his screen. He stood, returning his phone to his pocket as he answered to find Maxwell grinning on the other side.

“Well well well. Have fun, your highness?” His friends crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe.

Liam chuckled, he couldn’t help it. “More than you know. Please, come in.” He moved aside and motioned toward the sitting area.

“Soooooo… tell me everything. You seemed pretty smitten, I’ve never seen you like that before!”

“Maxwell, I’ve never felt like that before. She’s incredible. I’ve never felt more carefree, more happy.” Liam sighed at the memories of his evening. “That’s why I need your help.”

Maxwell’s head tilted in confusion. “Me? What can I do?”

“Ramsford doesn’t have a sponsor for the social season, correct?” Maxwell nodded slowly, still not sure where this was going. “I want you to sponsor Riley, to bring her to Cordonia.”

“Liam… are you sure? I mean we’re not prepared for that. We weren’t expecting to sponsor anyone.” Maxwell hesitated. He wanted his friend to be happy, but he also knew his family’s financial state, and he wasn’t sure they would be able to support a sponsee.

“Maxwell, I know your house has been having some… difficulties financially since your father took ill. I would be more than happy to pay for anything she needs. Discreetly, of course.”

Maxwell studied Liam’s expression, he had never seen his friend like this before. The textbook definition of stoicism, the young prince was never one to show his emotions so openly. But now? He could see the desperation, the need clear as day on his friends face.

“You really have it bad for her, don’t you?”

“More than I ever thought possible.” Liam answered.

“I’ll find her tomorrow morning before I head back.” He patted his friend on the shoulder.

***

Liam stood in the receiving line greeting the suitors one by one. It was the first night of his social season, but all he could think about was her. She was all he had been able to think about since the night before.

I hope she had a safe trip.

She’s going to look so beautiful.

I wonder if she’s been thinking of me the way I’ve been thinking of her.

I need to move through this line faster. She’s in it somewhere, I need to see her again.

Before long, the final suitor dipped into a courtesy and made her way back to the party. Liam looked around the room. Perhaps she had just gotten caught up in something and didn’t make it to the receiving line in time.

“Liam? Is everything alright?”

He turned around, to respond. “Yes father, I was just taking everything in.”

Constantine chuckled. “Well, enjoy it son. This is all for you. It’s the beginning of a whole new chapter.”

Liam nodded, looking past his father to the bar where Maxwell was ordering a drink. “Father, if you’ll excuse me for a moment.” He didn’t wait for a response before stepping away.

“Maxwell.” Liam greeted his friend as he stood next to him at the bar.

“Oh, Liam. Hey!” Maxwell shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “Happy social season!” He held up his drink, smiling awkwardly.

“Where is she?” Liam asked, anxious to see her again.

“Riley?” Maxwell asked, trying to buy as much time as he could. Dreading having to deliver the news. “She… well, she’s not here.”

“Why not? It’s the first event of the season, is she running late?” Liam began rambling, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. “Was there an issue getting her a gown? I could…”

“Liam,” Maxwell interrupted. “She’s not here as in, she’s not in Cordonia. She didn’t come.”

“What… why?”

That Morning

“Riley!” Maxwell jogged up to the familiar figure as she unlocked the door of the bar.

She turned to face him as the door opened. “Oh hey, Maxwell, right? Did you forget something last night?”

“No, I actually had a proposition for you.” Riley furrowed her brows. “Do you have a minute to talk?”

“Sure, come in. We don’t open for another hour, so I can spare a few.” She walked into the building, and he followed behind.

As she approached the bar, she pulled down one of the stools and signaled for him to sit. He took a seat and she stepped behind the bar, grabbing an apron and tying it around her waist.

“So, you and Liam seemed to hit it off last night.” Maxwell said, wanting to gauge Riley’s take on the evening. He wanted to make sure Liam didn’t misinterpret, or misunderstand her side of the outing.

A slow smile spread across Riley’s face, the same one Liam had on his the night before. That’s when he knew the feeling was very mutual.

“We did. I’ve never met anyone like him before. Hell, I didn’t think guys like him existed in real life. I hope whoever wins that social season realizes how lucky they are.” She said wistfully.

Maxwell grinned, this was going better than he had hoped. “What if you were the one to win it?”

“Ha-ha, yeah right.” She replied, shaking her head and turning to empty the dishwasher.

“No, I’m serious.” He assured her. “Each noble house sponsors a suitor. Since we don’t have any sisters we can pick whoever we want. And I pick you!”

Riley froze and turned back around looking at Maxwell with a shocked expression. “You,” she pointed at him. “Want me,” she turned her finger to point at herself. “To come with you to a county I only just found out about like twelve hours ago, to join some fancy royal version of The Bachelor to try to marry a prince?”

“I wasn’t going to word it quite like that, but more or less.” He shrugged.

“But… why me?”

“Riley, Liam couldn’t stop talking about you. He was so happy last night. Happier than I’ve ever seen him, and we’ve known each other forever. His life is full of meetings, and stuffy dinners, and boring things he does because it’s his duty. He gets to break away and have fun sometimes, but those times are getting less and less now that he’s ramping up to become King. He’s such a good person, he puts everyone else ahead of himself. He deserves to be the kind of happy you make him all the time.”

Riley was silent, examining Maxwell’s expression. He seemed to be sincere. “Maxwell, that’s really sweet of you. Liam’s lucky to have a friend like you looking out for him.” She started. “But be realistic, even if I came with you, I’d have to quit both of my jobs and put school on hold. Basically quit my life to travel halfway across the world for the chance to be with Liam. It wouldn’t even be a guarantee.”

“He asked me to sponsor you!” Maxwell blurted out.

Riley’s breath caught in her throat, she hadn’t been expecting that. “But why? He doesn’t even know me.”

“He knows enough to believe that there could be something between you two.”

She blinked back the tears that had started to rise. She felt it too, but it was a major risk. Riley Brooks didn’t take risks. “Yeah, but even if I did come with you, that doesn’t mean anything. He told me about the social season, it’s not like he’s going to be able to just send the other girls home the second he sees me. Everyone gets a say, and I'm a nobody from America. I know nothing about your country. I don’t know about your customs. Hell, I don’t even like fancy foods, I’d probably make a fool of myself and be laughed out of the country at the first dinner.”

“But Riley…”

“Maxwell,” She reached across the bar, placing her hand over his. “You’re such a good friend to come here for him. But my answer is no. Maybe if we were in a different time, or a different place, but we’re here. These are the cards we were dealt, our lives are just too different for it to work.” She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I need to get things set up to open. Have a safe trip back.” She turned and walked to the back, leaving Maxwell alone.

“I’m so sorry Liam. I tried, I really did.” Maxwell said sympathetically. He could see the pain in his friend’s eyes, despite his attempts to remain composed. “I don’t know if it helps or hurts, but she had the same dreamy look on her face when she talked about you that you had when you talked about her. Everything you felt last night, she felt it too.”

Liam cleared his throat, “Thank you Maxwell. It was a longshot, but I’m very grateful to you for trying. If you’ll excuse me.” He nodded solemnly to his friend before walking away, moving to the double doors that lead to the balcony.

He stepped outside and breathed a sigh of relief that he was alone. He approached the balustrade, leaning his forearms against it as he gazed out to the garden maze. He thought about Riley, what she was doing right now, if she missed him as much as he missed her.

Perhaps he had just gotten caught up in the magic of the evening, he had overromanticized their connection. He took his phone out of his pocket and pulled up their picture. He examined their faces, they both looked so happy. He placed his thumb and index finger on the screen, dragging them apart to zoom in on her face. He was trained to read people, and everything about her, both in that moment, and in the photo, told him that she had been feeling exactly what he had been. Even Maxwell had noticed it the next day when he went to talk to her.

It just hadn’t been enough.

“That's all we are now. A memory. A faded picture. A failed potential.” He lamented as he continued to stare down at the picture, remembering their night together.

“Liam.” His father’s short tone startled him so much that he nearly dropped his phone off of the balcony.

“Father,” he turned, discreetly returning his device to his pocket.

“What are you doing out here by yourself? You should be in there spending time with your suitors. The season is going to go by quickly, you need to take every opportunity to get to know your potential brides.”

“Yes father.” Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get Riley out of his mind.

**********

Permatag:

Liam:

@amandablink @custaroonie @jared2612

TRR:

@21-wishes @ao719 @belencha777 @burnsoslow @lovingchoices14 @the0afnan @xpandass420x

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics @kingliamappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes

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