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blazerina · 6 years ago

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Pain into Power (Liam x MC)

Summary: A few years into their marriage, Cordonia is at war and Charlotte is learning to live in her new normal; missing her husband, trying to lead her country and keeping herself together is proving to be much more difficult than she ever anticipated.

Author’s Note: I have no idea where this story came from. I just started writing and it came out…but I kind of love it? I may keep exploring this AU for Liam, Charlotte & Drake…we’ll just have to see! As always, thanks for reading this little drabble. I appreciate it so much!! xoxo

Word Count: 2328

Thunder roared as Charlotte stepped out of the black town car and immediately muttered a word of thanks to the staffer holding an umbrella above her head. She scanned the crowd gathered along the stairs for a glimpse of her husband, but he was nowhere to be found. The press called out to her as she clutched her coat, trying to keep it closed near her neck. She looked down at her feet for a brief moment and realized her insides were shaking.

She didn’t want to do this. Putting one foot in front of the other was harder than it had ever been before. Somehow it felt as though this was the first time she’d ever spoken in public or met with hurting people. Everything in her wanted to crawl back into the backseat of that car and cry. She wasn’t sure that she could hold it together when she found Liam. How could she explain to him what she was going through? What had happened? He didn’t even know…it was yet another secret she had kept from him for far too long. Not to mention it was selfish to ask him to be there for her, when the country they ruled together was in the middle of a war.

Everyone else was looking to him for guidance as a king, as a soldier, a leader and monarch – the portrait of stoic perfection and fierce devotion, all in one. In this moment, she just needed him to be her husband; her partner in life – but Cordonia was the one who needed him most right now. She knew when she became queen that she would have to share him. He would put Cordonia first, now she would too.

Taking a long, deep breath, she slowly resumed her walk towards the steps leading into the town hall as the press and local citizens called out to her.

“Queen Charlotte – now that the enemy is close to taking over, how will the palace respond?”

“Charlie, you’ve always been on the people’s side of things. Why isn’t anyone telling us what’s going on?”

“Booo. You say you care about us but you would rather watch us starve and die on the streets than surrender. Your pride will take us all!”

Charlotte plastered on a smile and tried to nod a gracious hello to anyone that would make eye contact with her. It was already hard to be queen of a country she didn’t know – it was already hard giving up the life she knew and accepting one in which her every move would be noted and dissected – it was already hard not having her husband by her side and feeling alone most of the time, while he fulfilled his duties to everyone else – and days like today made this life even harder.

Cordonia had been at war for almost two years and she had been married to Liam for three. The first year of their marriage was spent in anguish and turmoil when Liam found out that Drake and Charlotte had a short, but significant, relationship before Charlotte ultimately accepted Liam’s proposal. Thankfully now, Drake was still loyal to Liam and was by his side always. Liam only trusted Drake more knowing that Charlotte was truly devoted to him.

Things were just starting to get better for Liam and Charlotte when the capital of Cordonia was bombed in the middle of the night and war broke out the next day. The past few years had been full of daily ups and downs; rebels attacking palaces while farmers and other lower wage earners began protesting the rich. Soon those angry mobs found their way to Liam and Charlotte’s front lawn as the war continued to grow.

Charlotte had started off strong; by Liam’s side through it all – appearing everywhere with him. Speaking to those who would listen and offering support, shelter and encouragement. She was on the cover of magazines, all over the television, trying her best to promote the good works of her husband and tell the world of the smart decisions he had made and the ways in which he would ensure a victory for Cordonia, promising a quick return to life before “the blast” as they called it.

For a while, Charlotte’s popularity was soaring. She was carrying the country through a difficult time. People were loving her positivity and the ways in which she helped others believe the best about the current situation, despite what they were seeing or hearing from others in the news. Liam continued his quiet but steady style of leadership. He pushed her to the front, urging her to speak and be the face of the royal family during this time. Charlotte was exhausted and missed him terribly, but wanted to prove to him that she could be strong and not needy.

Things looked to be all right when out of nowhere the highest-ranking general in the Cordonian military, General LeVaille, who had been working closely with Liam, surrendered his post and left suddenly, causing all the positive movement they’d made to crumble and wither away. The soldiers were upset that their fearless leader in the war had abandoned them and the enemy took full advantage. The countryside was ravaged and taken over quickly. Entire towns and cities were taken over before Liam and Charlotte could blink. The tables had turned on them so quickly; and when the General took to the airwaves to share his grievances and problems with Liam and some of the decisions he made, the rest of the country followed.

Liam and Charlotte were no longer safe together. Security for the two of them was tighter than ever and it seemed that anyone who was still loyal to the Rys family was constantly worried, crying, or reminding the two of them they could not be together for longer than 24 hours. They had to keep moving, changing their locations, in order to keep assassins or anyone else wanting to harm them, off their heels.

Charlotte couldn’t remember the last time she had slept in her own bed or been in the palace that she and Liam called home. It had been two and a half weeks since she had seen him. She was crumbling. She was scared. The people who loved her yesterday, hated her today, and the one man who promised to protect her through it all, couldn’t even hold her hand. But maybe this speech would change everything. There was a small sliver of hope for them tonight. Liam had decided to surrender.

The large wooden doors creaked as they shut behind her and the yelling finally stopped as she stepped into the foyer of the building. It felt as though there were just as many people inside the building as there were outside. Again, Charlotte took a deep breath, feeling relieved. She opened her coat to let the air fill her lungs. She began to feel a little light headed and her breath quickened. Grasping for something to hold on to, she felt a pair of hands and strong arms catch her as she wobbled, about to go down.

“Charlie. Charlie. Can you hear me?”

Her body had gone limp, but her eyes focused on Drake’s face in front of her.

“Get some water for the queen!” He ordered. “Now!”

The hustle and bustle had stopped abruptly, everyone watching the interaction between Drake and Charlotte. Pretty much everyone knew that they had been together before Liam proposed; it had never been officially addressed or talked about, but the gossip had spread.

“Here. Lean on me. Come sit down.” Drake instructed, leading Charlotte to a nearby chair.

Someone brought over a glass of water, handing it to Drake as he knelt down beside Charlotte. He was still, and always would be, in love with her. He gently swept away a few loose strands of hair from her face, looking her over, making sure she was okay. He used the back of his hand to pat down the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead.

“Are you eating?” He whispered as her eyes fluttered open.

As her breathing stilled, she looked deep into his eyes and was instantly so grateful for his presence next to her. Anything normal or familiar brought so much relief in these trying days. She had not wanted to admit the toll it had taken on her emotionally and physically, but there was no denying that this war had taken a lot out of her in more ways than one.

“Thank you.” She whispered, reaching for the glass of water.

“You look like hell. You have to eat, Charlie.” Drake instructed before giving her the water.

She smiled warmly, feeling his hand against hers briefly. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Her eyes closed for a moment as she tried to savor a moment of peace before the world would know that Cordonia was in agreement with the rest of the globe, that they had lost this war. As horrible as she felt about the way things had turned out, she was eager to get back to some semblance of life. Even though she knew this would mean walking Liam through a very difficult time, they had been through so much already, she was sure they could get through more.

Seeing each other and being together had to make a difference, right? And once they could put the war behind them and focus on the future – whatever it may be – life would begin again. It would be a relief to not have to worry about their safety anymore. To be in each other’s presence for more than 24 hours at a time. To tell him things he should know about. To inform him of the things he’d missed. To reassure him. To love him. To be in his arms and show him the passion for him that still existed. So much of their relationship had all but been forgotten over the course of this battle.

Charlotte was by no means happy with the decision to surrender, but she knew most of the Cordonian people would be. It had gotten so ugly and so horrible; they wanted something, anything, other than what they had right now. She knew it would be tough but she was tougher. She knew it would be a long road, but she was ready. She knew that Liam would be devastated, but she also knew no one could make him feel better or help him heal faster, than she could.

“Charlotte? Charlotte’s here? Charlotte!”

Her eyes flew open upon hearing his voice. She sat up straight, handed the glass back to Drake as he stood up, and then helped Charlotte out of her chair.

“Liam!”

She practically leapt into his arms, tears stinging her eyes as she threw her arms around his neck and held him as tight as humanly possible. Her senses took over and she almost melted, remembering his sweet, floral but masculine, scent and feeling his broad chest against hers. He slid his hands up from around her waist, along her arms then to her shoulders and ultimately her face. He pulled her away from him and stared into her eyes, locking his gaze with hers for a long while.

“My god, I have missed you.” He said slowly, taking in every part of her face from the light freckle underneath her left eye, to the small scar under her chin.

Not speaking another word, he leaned in and kissed her softly and sweetly, but with so much emotion at the same time. The tears Charlotte had been trying so desperately to hold back, came tumbling down her cheeks and she smiled as he pulled away. Liam gently ran his thumb over each cheek to wipe the moisture away.

“Every happiness in my life is because of you.” He searched her eyes, pleading with her to believe him.

Charlotte held his wrists and nodded. Slowly she dissolved into him for a brief moment and laid her head on his chest while he slowly rubbed his hand in circles on her back. She tried to savor the sound of his heart beating – she had missed falling asleep to that sound every night. Soon, with the war ending, this would be hers again. She’d have her husband, the love of her life, by her side and the future would be bearable, no matter what, as long as they were together.

The soft groans and moans from outside the hall were growing louder as the crowds began to get rowdy, waiting for the king to speak. They had no idea what was about to happen, but to keep everyone safe, Liam needed to go.

“I’m coming with you.” Charlotte said, as Liam pulled away.

“Of course you are, my queen.” Liam kissed her hand, smiling.

“Drake told you the news, yes?”

Charlotte shook her head. “No, dear. What news?”

“We’re not giving up. The war can be easily won according to our new general. Cordonia will survive this along with the storied history that built her thus far. We no longer have to surrender.”

She froze. Not wanting to show Liam her disappointment, Charlotte couldn’t move; didn’t breathe, but could have been knocked over with a feather.

“Well then!” She inhaled sharply, adjusting her coat and buttoning it once more as she prepared to go outside. “Let’s share the news with the Cordonian people. They need to know we will continue to fight.”

As Liam walked out onto a balcony in the cold and pouring rain, he addressed the angry, tired, worn out crowd of Cordonians below. And in that moment Charlotte realized why she was so easily able to win over the people before – while she would still press on and support Liam with everything she had, she was just as angry, tired and worn out as they were.

Turn the pain into power, Charlotte. She told herself. Pain into power…

#TRR #liam x mc #liam x charlotte #blazerina babbles

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