#drake x olivia implied

[harleybeaumont]

Searching For The Truth

Book - TRR AU (The Other Nevrakis)

Pairings - Drake x Lilith (OC), Liam x Riley (implied)

A/N - This fic was initiated from a writing prompt. For some reason, my mind went this direction with it, but I can’t say I’m mad about it. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I’m pretty proud of it. So thanks @choicesprompts​​ for letting me take part in this! The bolded section at the beginning is from the prompt and the rest is mine. 

A/N 2 - This is from my fic, The Other Nevrakis, set shortly after the book ends. If you haven’t read my fic, Lilith is my OC who is Olivia’s younger sister. You don’t need to have read my fic to understand this one shot.

Word Count - 4,880

Warnings - Language, blood, violence

18+ only

The cool wind pushes my hair back as I walk along the familiar path, every step taking me deeper into the past. It’s been years since I’ve been here; everything is different.

Everything is the same.

I’m not paying attention to the present as I walk, I’m too lost in memories of long ago. That’s why I don’t notice the person walking towards me until I hear a familiar voice call my name.

I freeze. It can’t be. What are the odds?

I lift my head as my eyes dart wildly around before finally landing on a face I’d recognize anywhere, even now.

“It’s you.” She says coldly. 

I’m speechless. How did that old shrew manage to sneak up on me like this?

My heart pounds as I look into the pale, harsh face of the woman who resembles my father.. The father I only know from photographs. The father who I discovered never even wanted me. The father who, along with my mother, planned a coup to overthrow the royal family when I was only a toddler. The father who was arrested and mysteriously found dead days later.

 I don’t know why I’m so surprised to see her. I mean, I am in the gardens of her home and I did come here with the intention to talk to her. I suppose it’s because I was hoping for more time to collect my thoughts before I spoke to her. Perhaps it’s because the last time I saw her, I was a small frightened child. Her red hair is now streaked with coarse, gray strands, and the years have only managed to make her frown even more callous and abrasive than I remember.

“Why did you come back here, girl?” The severe red-head woman demands, as if I’m an unwanted guest and not her niece.

I take a steadying breath, preparing to ask what I had rehearsed in my head a hundred times before. 

Lucretia has always been cold. I mean, she left Olivia and I to be raised by strangers for our entire youth after our parents passed away. She could have taken us in. Hell, any of our distant family members could have. Although, looking back I can't help but feel grateful that they didn’t. Life had been difficult growing up with Olivia, but I can't imagine Lucretia being the warm, friendly, mom-figure I always wanted. 

I hold my head high when I speak, despite her penetrating gaze that leaves me feeling as if I’ve suddenly aged in reverse and once again am that trembling, intimidated girl who just wants to be loved by her aunt. “I came to ask you something.”

Lucretia cuts her eyes across the garden we’re standing in, looking toward her imposing, forbidding manor. “Come inside then.”

I follow behind her, while the frost covered leaves crunch underfoot. It’s September, although in Lythikos it feels more like January. We only have two temperatures here: cold, and fucking freezing. I always felt as if the Nevrakis heritage had something to do with that. Some ancient curse from hundreds of years ago. Maybe some old witch hexed our duchy to be as cold as our hearts. It makes sense.. the Nevrakis have never been known for anything else.

I step inside, and the temperature isn’t much warmer than the frigid outside air. I haven’t been here since I was young. I honestly never thought I would come back. Why would I want to? That question had been easy to answer up until recently.

“May I take your coat, my Lady?” A stooped, frail man asks as he approaches me.

I wrap my fur-lined garment around myself tighter. “No, thank you.” This place is an icebox, there’s no way I’m taking this coat off. The cold never used to bother me.. That is until I met someone who made me realize how much better life is when you aren’t alone. I really wish he was here to wrap his arms around me and warm me up. It still amazes me how much I changed for the better since I met him. 

Lucretia clears her throat loudly and intentionally, pulling my thoughts from Drake, and bringing me back to the dusty, dank foyer I’m standing in. 

“Come on, girl, we can sit in the parlor.” She turns and walks off without waiting to see if I will follow.

The entire estate is dark. Like dark, dark. It feels like something out of a horror film. I half expect Dracula to be skulking around the pitch black hallways, and once again I am very thankful that I wasn't raised here.

I follow my aunt into the parlor, which is only lit by candles and a meager fire in the hearth. What the hell is with this woman?

She sits in an antique chair and I reluctantly take a seat across from her, unable to miss the smattering of dust particles that fly into the air as I do so. There are several old paintings of past Nevrakis nobles and warriors adorning the walls. Many I’ve seen before, as they are also lining the walls of our estate. I can’t help but think of how Drake would feel if he was in here. He’d probably be telling me to get the hell out of this creepy ass house. Riley is a straight up coward and would have never even gone in. Liam.. well Liam is a bit of a wild card. I never know what to expect from him. His sense of duty and propriety would probably have him play the perfect guest, even though Lucretia's home looks like a haunted house. I cannot wait to tell them about how creepy this place looks on the inside. Maybe I should discreetly snap some pictures so they’ll actually believe me.

An elderly woman with trembling hands approaches the two of us, holding a tray with a black and gold china teapot and two cups and saucers. “Here you are, my ladies.” She bows and slips back into the shadows.

Lucretia pours her own tea first. An intentional gesture from her that says she has no respect for me whatsoever and doesn’t want me here. I’m tired of the passive aggressive bullshit. “Lucretia, I-”

“Ahem.” She clears her throat loudly. “I know why you’re here.”

“Ok.” I maintain eye contact while her red lips curl into a snarl.

“You want to know more about your parents.” She says matter of factly.

I don’t suppose it’s any surprise. There’s no other reason why I would ever want to come here or speak with her. But she is the only one who can tell me anything about them now.

I nod and pour myself some tea. “Not just that. I-”

“You want to know how they died.” She interrupts again with a smirk.

I wait to see if she has more to say, but she just raises that pointed eyebrow that looks exactly like my sister’s and continues her cold grin. 

“Yes.”

Lucretia places her cup on the table and sits back crossing her legs, adjusting her velvet crimson dress over her lap. Instead of answering me, she lets out a laugh that feels as if she’s taunting me. Of course this isn’t going to be easy. I knew it wouldn't be, but I hadn’t planned on her being so damn smug. 

She wants to be a bitch? Fine. I can play that game. “Look, I don’t remember anything about them, obviously, seeing as how I was practically a baby when they died. As my father’s only sister, I thought you would have obtained plenty of information about their death. But I suppose some Nevrakis are not as competent as others.”

Lucretia’s eyes narrow to slits as she glares. “You’re one to talk. Traitor.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” I cross my arms, refusing to back down from the challenging look in her eyes.

She lets out a condescending laugh. “Why don’t you just head on back to the palace to your cronies? I mean, one of them is the son of the man who killed your parents.”

Well.. Constantine killed them. That’s not as much of a shock as it probably should be. “Liam has nothing to do with what his father did. He was a child when it happened.”

Lucretia rolls her eyes. “You think Constantine didn’t raise his sons to be just like him?” She scoffs, taking a sip of her tea before speaking again. “That entire family is corrupt.”

“You think that my parents planning to overthrow and murder their entire family isn’t ‘corrupt’?”

Lucretia leans forward, speaking quietly. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Enlighten me then. Please.” I scoff. “Tell me how my parents were justified in their actions of attempted treason and murder.”

“My god, Lilith. You’re in so deep with the Rys family that you are becoming one of them!”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Lucretia smirks and I can tell she knows something she’s not saying. She thinks she has the upper hand and I need her to keep talking. “Little girl, if you think I don’t have sources, then you are sorely mistaken. For instance.. I know you and your low-born lover are involved in the occasional dalliance with King Liam and Queen Riley.”

I try to mask my surprise and keep my face neutral. How the fuck does she know anything about that? Nobody knows about that. No, she doesn’t know. She’s bluffing or talking about something else. Come on, Lilith calm down. Don���t forget why you’re here. “Yes, I am friends with them, but I’m not sure what you’re trying to imply.” I try to look aloof as I sip my tea, which by the way, tastes like old potting soil.

“I wonder what the Cordonian citizens would think about their King and Queen fornicating with a commoner and a Nevrakis.”

Ah fuck, she really does know. It’s not like it’s even a daily thing that happens. Like once a month.. Maybe twice. But we have always made sure to keep things very discreet. She would have to have cameras in our bedrooms or something to know about this. “That’s ridiculous.”

She chuckles. “I agree. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

“Lucretia, I didn’t think a Nevrakis would stoop to rumors and slander.”

She leans across the table toward me again, “Liam isn’t the only one who has loyal underlings inside the palace.”

“Bullshit.”

Lucretia flips her hair behind her shoulder. “You stupid girl. You know your parents didn’t act alone. And not everyone who was involved in the coup was caught.”

I shake my head, trying to keep her talking. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to. It’s true whether you believe it or not.” Lucretia says with a grin.

I can’t help but laugh at her boldness. “You are a delusional old hermit! There’s no way anyone would ever bother to report to you. You’re just a washed up, has-been!”

Oh ya, she’s pissed. I see her dig her fingernails into the table as she speaks with a hiss. “I am the only real remaining Nevrakis! You are literally sleeping with the enemy!” Lucretia sighs loudly. “And your sister.. has always been too soft for Liam to handle this. Even though he clearly doesn’t want her, she just doesn’t have the stomach to accept that and do what she needs to do.”

Holy fuck. “Oh and you do? Give me a break.” I gesture around the pathetic state of her home. “Look at this dump! Do you even use electricity?! Indoor plumbing? There’s no way you could lead a coup when you refuse to even join the rest of the world in the twenty-first century!”

“I have no less than twenty-five people working for me at the palace at this very moment!” Lucretia snaps. “I could say the word and they would execute the King and Queen in a heartbeat! No questions asked!” Lucretia crossed her arms over her chest. “I have people watching you too.” Her mouth twists into a maniacal grin. ‘Even right now.”

Suddenly the room feels even darker and more haunting than before, and I’m trying not to show the trepidation that's stirring inside of me as it feels like the walls are closing in. Every instinct I have is telling me to run, but I came here for a reason. And I’m not done yet. “I don’t believe you.” I swallow down my fear to try and keep her talking. I’m not a child, and she doesn’t get to make me feel afraid anymore.

“You really are an impudent little brat. No wonder your parents never wanted you. They could tell from the get go that you were worthless. A pathetic excuse for a Nevrakis.”

“Ha! I assume you were nowhere around when they stormed the palace. If you were so involved in all this, then where the hell were you?!”

“I was the mastermind behind the attack, you dumb bitch!” Lucretia’s eyes are burning with rage. “I told them where to enter. I was the one who made sure the Nevrakis had loyal servants on the inside! Hell, I was the one who branded each of them with the Nevrakis family crest on their forearms after their initiation!” Lucretia was now standing, her piercing green eyes looking down at me like she was ready to sprout horns and breathe fire, while she continued to scream wildly at me. “Your parents were the ones who messed up and didn’t follow orders like they were supposed to! I told them to go to the children’s rooms first and take them as leverage, but they insisted on going straight to Constantine and Eleanor.”

I’m even more confused than before, but I think we’re past the point of keeping our thoughts and feelings quiet. “Take the children as leverage?”

“To get the King and Queen to surrender. Then when their guard was down, your parents would finish all of them off.”

I feel my heart drop into the bottom of my stomach. This woman is sick.. Fucking mental! “Are you serious?”

Lucretia folds her arms over her chest as she grins triumphantly. “See, this just proves that you know nothing about me. You don’t know what I am capable of.”

“Apparently you’re capable of conspiring to commit treason and murder!” I rise to my feet to match her height. She doesn’t have the upper hand any longer. “Although..” I casually turn my back on her and walk closer to the fireplace. “I still think you’re full of shit.” I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me, and I turn back around to face her. “My parents were brutal strategists with genius IQ’s. I’ve heard enough about them to know that much.” I run my finger across my lips as I taunt her further. “It doesn’t seem plausible that you would be the mastermind behind the whole thing.”

Lucretia slowly stalks over to me, grinning all the while. She grabs a candelabra from the mantle and tips it downward. I have no idea what she’s doing, but I know I can take her if she’s going to try and attack me with it. Suddenly I hear a grinding noise resonating beside the fireplace as the stones start to shift and slowly slide away, revealing a small crawl space. No fucking way. My mind is torn between the shock of what she is telling and literally showing me, and the fact that she is this stupid. Did she think this was a good place to hide something? I’m starting to think she has never seen a movie in her life. I mean, come on, the trigger for the secret passage is always in the candelabra! Could this bitch be more of a stereotypical evil spinster aunt?

Lucretia has her hands on her hips, watching me carefully. “Go on.” She gestures at the dark aperture that has just opened up. “Reach in and see for yourself.”

I take out my phone and turn on the flashlight. No fucking way I’m reaching in there blindly. When I crouch down and peer inside I see a stack of documents. I pull them out, all the while staying aware of my surroundings - Which, by the way, I can barely see in this dark, grim room. 

I don’t have to look at the documents for long to recognize exactly what they are. Blueprints of the palace. Points of entry and schedules of guard changes. Notes written in detail depicting where the Nevrakis undercover agents were stationed. I try to will my heart rate to return to normal, certain that she can hear it as it pounds in my ears. When I glance back up at my aunt, she is leaning against the wall, arms crossed looking completely pleased with herself. 

I flip to a page that shows Liam and Leo’s bedrooms with notes saying to take them first, and my stomach twists. “You’re sick.”

She smiles. “No. I’m a real Nevrakis. You could have been one too if your parents didn’t fail, and had been able to raise you properly. Hell, you would be a princess and your sister would be queen.”

“And what would that make you?”

“The mastermind. I may stay behind the scenes, but I pull the strings.”

I can’t help but shake my head in disgust as another thought hits me. “Liam’s mother died a few years after this..”

I don’t have to ask, and Lucretia doesn’t have to answer for me to know the truth. “Eleanor got too nosy. Too pushy. One of my idiot informants turned traitor against me and told her everything. So naturally he and Eleanor had to be dealt with.” She shrugs and looks down at her fingernails as if she just told me the most casual thing in the world. 

“You killed Liam’s mother?”

“I did. Made the poison myself.” 

She admitted it. She actually admitted it. My blood runs cold as I realize what this means. She has no intention of letting me leave with this information. I take a deep breath. It’s ok. I knew this was a possibility when I went down this rabbit hole. I’m prepared. 

“So. Why are you telling me all of this incriminating information?”

Once again, a sinister grin pulls at her lips. “Because I know you won’t tell anyone.”

I casually reach into my pocket and feel around. I’m going to need backup very soon. I slide my fingers along the plastic until I feel the raised button, pushing it repeatedly.

“Lucretia, if you think-” I’m cut off by a cold, sharp feeling against my throat as someone holds me from behind. A knife. Someone has a fucking knife against my throat. God dammit, I let the shock of the information get the better of me and I wasn’t watching my back. Olivia would kill me herself if she knew I had gotten so sloppy.

Lucretia pushes off the wall she had been leaning against and makes her way over to me with a foul grin. “I told you, little girl. You’re. Not. Telling. Anyone.” She makes sure to emphasize each word as she gets closer and closer to my face.

The knife digs into my flesh slightly, but I don’t struggle. I know better. I can get out of this and take down her and whoever the fuck is holding a knife to my throat. But what I don’t know is how many other people are hiding in the shadows of this room at this very moment.

I feel buzzing in my pocket and grin.

Lucretia is just a breath away from me at this point, and I can see the fire in her eyes. “And why are you smiling, Lilith?”

“Because you’re a dead woman.”

Without another word I slam my head backwards, crashing into the forehead of the person holding the knife to my throat. The knife clatters to the floor and I wrench the man's arm backward before slamming his head into the stone hearth with a sharp crack. He goes down easily. Lucretia hasn’t moved, and through the firelight I can see a bead of sweat start to form on her brow. Lucretia looks toward the shadows in the corner of the room and jerks her head at me. 

“Take her out.”

Before anything else happens, the doors to Lucretia’s manor are thrown open and windows shatter as armed guards burst into the parlor where we are currently standing. Flashlights are streaming in and the sound of boots and shouting can be heard echoing from every room.

Lucretia is breathing heavily as she realizes what's happening. “You did this?!” Her rage and panic is music to my ears.

“Now who has the upper hand, bitch?”

I hear fighting all around me in the room, which is now illuminated, and I see half a dozen of Lucretia’s henchmen struggling against the armed palace guards. Lucretia turns and starts to run out of the room. Oh hell no. I grab the other candelabra from the mantle, hoping that it's real and not some other mechanism for a secret passageway.  I only have a moment to look at what I’m holding, and oh my god, there’s a dagger sticking out of the bottom. Jesus, this woman is extra. I hurl it at her with precision, and it sharply lands in her shoulder. She goes down to the floor with an ear piercing scream as the blade sinks into her flesh, and blood begins to pour from the wound, the same shade of red as her dress. In seconds, the guards have my aunt restrained and are leading her and dozens of her lackeys out of the estate. A commander and medic are at my side checking me over to see if I’m ok. I show them where the documents are. All I want to do is get the hell out of here. Some investigators help me remove the concealed wires and bullet proof vest I’m wearing and I feel like I can breathe a bit easier.

As I make my way outside, sirens fill the air and guards, police, and investigators are everywhere. But there’s only one person I want to see.

“Baby!” I hear that familiar voice call out as he makes his way through the throng of people toward me.

I’m strong. I’m independent. I don’t need anyone.. Except him. My stoic facade breaks as his strong arms wrap around me holding me tight. I relax completely into his touch, allowing myself to just be loved. It took a long time to come to terms with the fact, but I know he’s got me. And I am never letting him go.

Drake steps back to examine me. His eyes wander frantically over my face as his hands are cupping my cheeks. “Are you ok? Did you get hurt?”

I can't help but smile. “I’m fine.”

He tilts my head to the side and gasps when he sees my neck. “Oh my god, Lil! You’re bleeding!”

“Am I?” I don’t feel like I am. I touch my neck, and a small drop of blood coats my index finger. “Drake.. This is a tiny little scrat-”

“We need a doctor over here! Someone fucking get over here and help her! She’s bleeding!”

I can't help but laugh and I know there’s no point in trying to stop him from fussing over me. My god he is the best. A doctor cleans the scratch and places a small bandage over the cut. Drake pulls me to his chest once more. “Come here.”

I want to tease him for being so protective, but I just can't. No one ever cared for me the way he does. And damn it, I love it.

Liam purposely makes his way over to the two of us, concern written across his face. “Lilith, are you ok?”

Drake whirls on him. “I told you this was a bad idea! Your guards were listening the whole time! They should have gone in sooner! She could have gotten killed!”

Liam opens his mouth to speak, but I grab Drake’s arm, turning him around to face me. “Hey. This was my idea, remember?”

“Ya, but..”

“No buts. I wanted to do this, Drake. You know that. Don’t take it out on Liam.”

Drake sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, as Liam places a hand on either of our shoulders. “I really am sorry, both of you. Lilith you were so brave. And Drake.. I can't imagine the fear you must have been-”

“Ya, you can’t imagine it!” Drake interrupts, jabbing a finger into Liam’s chest. “You wanna send Riley into a house of fucking murderers and see how it feels?”

“Drake!” I cry out in shock. I’ve never seen him this angry at Liam before. Although I know it’s not Liam he’s upset with. It’s the situation.

Liam doesn’t say a word. He only stares at the ground, ashamed.

“Drake Walker!” I put my hands on either side of his face but he refuses to look in my eyes. “We had a plan. Everything worked out fine. Lucretia not only confessed, she showed me hard evidence! And now that we know who the traitors are, we can ensure the palace is safe!”

Liam spoke up softly. “Thanks to Lucretia branding them all with the Nevrakis crest on their arms, we can weed them out pretty easily. The guards are doing that at this very moment.”

Drake still refuses to meet my eyes, but I can tell he knows it was the right thing to do. “Drake. Baby..” I’m still softly holding his face in my hands, when I feel his envelope mine.

“I just-” His voice cracks and when he finally meets my eyes, I can see his are rimmed red and shimmering with tears. “I just can't bear to lose you, Lil. It would kill me.”

My heart shatters into a million pieces and I throw my arms around him. I hold him tightly as I feel his body shudder with quiet sobs. I can sense Liam has walked away to give us some privacy, and the two of us hold each other as if we’re afraid to let go. Sirens still ring out around us and people are running about, but the two of us at this moment are the only ones who matter. I can’t help the tears that begin to fall as I feel the deep love and affection he has for me. This man is crying for me. Because he was worried about me. If that’s not love then I don’t know what is. 

“Hey.” I pull back and gently wipe his tears with my thumbs. “I love you. So much. I’m sorry I scared you.”

Drake takes a deep breath before speaking. “Lilith, you mean everything to me. I’m sorry I lashed out.. I know it was part of the plan. I just.. When we heard what was happening, and the guards said you pushed the panic button.. My heart just stopped. All I could think was that I might never see you again.”

I hate that I made him feel that way. It hurts my heart more than anything.“Oh, Drake.” I rise on my toes and give him a soft kiss. “I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never go undercover and infiltrate an evil family member’s home ever again.”

A laugh bursts out of him and it warms my heart. I can’t help but join him. 

“God, I hope not.”

We smile at each other for a moment, and he takes my hand in his. “Guess I should apologize to Liam.” He says quietly.

I bump his shoulder with mine. “For sure. But, I know he understands.” I know Liam and Drake didn’t hear exactly what Lucretia had said to me, and Liam is going to be grieving the loss of his mother all over again when he learns that my aunt was the one who killed her. I can’t help but feel guilt and shame deep within me knowing the Nevrakis were responsible for even more terrible shit. But.. Lucretia will be in prison for life. Olivia and I are the only remaining Nevrakis nobles now. We pave the future of our bloodline. And while it’s taken Olivia a while to come around, she’s finally starting to accept that we are better than our ancestors. 

We are the Nevrakis. And this is a new era. 

[lovealexhunt]

2022: ☆ January ☆ February ☆ March ☆ April ☆ May ☆ June  ☆ ☆July☆ August ☆ September ☆ October ☆

Thomas Hunt x Alex Spencer  [HollywoodU]  [Red Carpet Diaries]

An Evening Drive: Thomas and Alex take an evening drive to get away from the city.

The Bogart Diaries #34: Bone Appétit: Alex pitches a new idea for a project to Thomas

The Bogart Diaries #35: The Painter’s Tape Challenge: Alex has a special challenge for Bogart based on a new social media game for dogs.

Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley[Open Heart]

An Early Morning Proposition: Bryce wakes Olivia up early to hit the gym. (drabble + insta edits)

Between the Falling Leaves: Bryce and Olivia take a walk in the Public Garden. [Art]

Mal Volari x Daenarya [Blades of Light and Shadow]

Plot? What Plot?: Mal is gorgeous and Daenarya wants sex. (As the title implies there is no plot, just smut). 18+ Only

Levi Schuler x Laura Day [Mother of the Year]

Services Rendered: Laura needs her washing machine repaired but forgot to go to the bank. Luckily, Levi is willing to accept other forms of payment for his services. 18+ Only

Commissions, sketches, and edits below the cut

☆ Threep Chibi Art by @weetlebeetle

☆ Mal x Daenarya sketch art by @rosefuckinggenuis

☆ Bryce x Olivia kissing under the falling leaves by @/irdeinfierno on Instagram ---Choices Official sharing the art

☆ Emo Drake Chibi Art by @weetlebeetle

☆ Thomas and Alex Chibi Kiss by @weetlebeetle

☆ Bryce x Olivia hug sketch by @rosefuckinggenius

☆Thomas x Alex: A Quiet afternoon reading The Princess Bride by @/artbyainna on Instagram

☆ Headcanon/Drabble ideas for Thomas/Alex, Bryce/Olivia , Ethan/Ellie, + Mal/Daenarya

☆ Pixel Hunt Art (my attempt)

☆ WIP snippets

☆ Ask: If Olivia didn't become a doctor what would she be?

☆ Self-Care Ideas

I feel like I'm missing things, but I can't remember what else I did this month. This may be updated if I can figure it out! 💖

Thank you for your love and support always, I know I say it all the time, but I mean it... I really can't say thank you enough. It truly means so much to me! 💖💖💖

[boneandfur]

Closure [5]

Chapter Five ~ The Bodyguard (Drake)

Song: Runaways, The Killers

Words: 1765

Catch up:  Masterlist

Tag list: @drakewalkerwhipped @mfackenthal @alicars @youwontlikewherewewillgo @ninamckenzie22 @theroyalweisme @hopefulmoonobject @pbchoicesobsessed @topsyturvy-dream @viktoriapetit

Summary: Drake's obsession with Lilly has already destroyed three marriages. Why he stays at court is anyone's guess. But tonight is a night for intrigue and dark secrets -- and some people will do anything to discover them...

"Are you Aunty Vannah's big brother?" Big bwuvver. 

Drake looks down at Sophy. She's been brushing, braiding and decorating  the grey pony's mane for half an hour, clearly in little girl heaven. "Yeah, Short Stuff. I'm her big brother. Guess that makes me your uncle in law." 

Sophy screws her face up thoughtfully. "Why?" 

"Because -- never mind. Just call me Uncle Drake, kid." It's uncanny, but this little girl could pass for the miniature version of Liam's mother. She has that Rys look about her too. For a long time he'd thought she was his daughter too, but now, meeting her face to face at last, he's not so sure. Hell, the entire foundation he built his life on cracked when he met Lilly that night in New York City. What's one more? 

"Tell me about yourself, kid. What's your favorite color?" 

Sophy frowns at him. "Silver, silly! But Mummy made me wear this. I don't like it." She has a temper. It would be painfully adorable if Drake were a sentimental man (he isn't). "Is Aunty Vannah here? I miss Percy." For a long moment he thinks she might cry, but she composes herself admirably. She is strangely self-possessed for a mere seven year old. 

Percival. Drake's nephew is a mischevious, dark haired child of four, about to start école maternelle in the autumn. He has a stuffed hippo he takes everywhere with him. Drake has always found it to be an odd attachment, but now he is beginning to wonder, a suspicion creeping into his mind. Savannah has never shared why she left Bertrand a second time, throwing herself into her career as a freelance columnist in Paris. Bartie and Percy look as alike as cheese and chalk. Bartie looks like Drake and Savannah's side of the family, and Percy... Drake runs a hand across his face. Percival Maxwell Beaumont. 

"Yeah, maybe. Do you want me to ask her?" Savannah covers the European nobility beat. It is her connections to the Cordonian court that got her the job in the first place, without a university degree she would have been doing menial work. He has to acknowledge -- grudgingly, but still -- that their royal patronage has come in handy. For two kids who grew up on the fringes of the Cordonian court, they couldn't have done better. 

Whether or not they could have done worse remains to be seen. Sometimes, Drake thinks he's already had a lifetime of courtly intrigue twice over. No wonder Savannah ran twice. 

"Please," Sophy says, batting her lashes. She looks so much Lilly in that instant that it rocks Drake to his core. 

Are you coming tonight? he texts Savannah.

Yes, I'm just pulling in. Nervous. It's been awhile. Why, is my big brother worried for me?

Lilly's here. 

He can almost see her grimace on the other end. Fuck. Thanks for warning me. 

What's the problem? LOL

You of all people should know the answer to that, Drake!! >:(

Does it have to do with my nephews?? Because you might want to brace yourself, their fathers are here too. With that, he silences his phone. He's no Cupid, but maybe at least one couple can walk away happy this night. 

At that thought, his gaze falls on Jack. He's feeding an apple to his pony, talking in a soft voice to it as he looks deeply into its eyes. Drake's heart leaps in his chest. 

When Olivia had first broken the news of her pregnancy to him, he'd run away -- straight into Lilly's arms. Lilly had stoked his greatest fears about Olivia's fidelity as they drank whiskey together, and then she had kissed him. He'd fallen into her familiar arms, drunk on the scent of her arousal, wanting nothing except to forget the world with his cock buried in Lilly. And he had -- Oh, God, he had. And every time he tried to end it, there was always another (small, helpless) reason he could never cut the ropes that bound them together. 

I can't leave him, Lilly would sob, so wretched that he hated both her and himself. Who else would have me? 

He would. How many times had he begged her to run away with him, to the ends of the earth and beyond? But she always had an excuse, always had some unarguable reason to stay with Maxwell. Irresponsible Maxwell, frittering away their fortunes in the casinos of the Cote d' Ore. 

As for proud Olivia, she had become Liam's mistress in truth, and it was easier to believe that Jack was Liam's son, rather than take the responsibility for abandoning his own child. Yet he'd stayed at court, never able to stray far, never able to forget Olivia despite his failed marriages, despite his obsession with Lilly.

His lust for Lilly has already ruined three marriages. She is his downfall, his greatest addiction. When he fucks her, it feels both wrong and right. She always claimed Beaumont didn't know how to please her, that he couldn't make her come. But it's painfully obvious to anyone with eyes that Maxwell is still in love with the woman. Maybe he never got the memo. 

Well, he certainly has now. 

Drake's glad these children aren't in the ballroom. Jack is one thing -- with Olivia for a mother, he always lands on his feet. Just what was Lilly thinking, bringing Sophy along? 

She's just like me, Drake, Lilly told him once. She needs to learn how to be strong. When I was her age, my childhood was already over, and I didn't even know it. She needs to be prepared. Pull one stick out, and the whole structure collapses. You think your life is hard? You've had it easy. 

Lilly never would explain further, but her words chilled Drake to the core. My childhood was already over... Lilly never shared anything about her past with him. It was as if she'd arrived in Cordonia newly brought alive from clay by the gods, as though she'd had no life before this one. 

And there are not many records on her either. Bastien has shared the background check with Drake, and back then he hadn't cared, but now he wonders. He has so many questions for Lilly. Whoever she is. 

Nothing beyond a registration for a social security number some twenty three years before, and a slew of hospital records. After fourteen, there is nothing. Radio silence. She claims she went to university, but where? Under what name? In this day and age it's nearly unthinkable that a person can fly under the radar for so long. 

"I thought you'd be in here." Savannah hugs Drake, setting down her clutch, a black and gold Prada. She is wearing a press badge and is dressed like a Parisian, all black clothes and an air of elegance despite the shadows under her eyes. She looks at Jack and Sophy, then back at Drake, but says nothing. Little ruffles Savannah these days. 

"Aunty Vannah!" Sophy squeals, flinging herself into Savannah's arms. "Did you bring Percy?" 

"I did not," Savannah says in a soft voice. "He is asleep, I have a nice girl watching after him and Bartie at the hotel. This is a party for grown-ups, Sophy."

Sophy frowns, stamping her foot. "Mummy said it was a party for me."

Savannah's eyes meet Drake's over Sophy's head. Her mouth is pressed in a thin, unforgiving line. "Where is Lilly?"

"Dancing with Liam." The hurt those words would once bring has faded to a mere echo. "A solid power play by House Beaumont. Their star is rising. Olivia is... unpredictable. Hana wants her out." 

Savannah smiles, stroking his cheek. "My big brother, who hates all nobles, talking about courtly intrigue?" 

Drake stiffens. Sophy has joined Jack on the other side of the ring, their heads bent together, whispering. He turns his attention back to Savannah. "They're not nobles. They're my friends."

"Even Olivia?" she teases him lightly. "I remember there was a time when you were head over heels for her. And she -- well, she's always been in love with you." 

Drake remembers -- a screaming match and then a scorching kiss, Olivia in his arms until the sun rose, waking in surprise to find her in his arms, curled up against him like she had always belonged there. Yes, Olivia. He sighs. "I never thought I'd fuck this life up so bad, Vannah."

She laughs, and he's glad to hear it. Savannah has had little enough joy in her life besides her children, since she went away. "You didn't fuck your life up, Drake." 

"No, but I --"

"Here." Savannah passes him a Polaroid photo from her purse. "Gemma, Talia, Annelyse and Valentina." Four little girls with his mother's eyes stare up at him from the glossy paper. "Do you think their lives would be any easier if they lived with you?"

"How can you ask me that?" Drake chokes, overcome with emotion. "They'd be my little girls and they'd live --"

"Here at the palace, while their mother fucked the king? Or a hand to mouth life on the run?" Savannah shakes her head. "And what about Sophy and Sei? Would you take their mother from them as well?" 

Drake clenches his jaw. "Why did you show me this, if you were only going to break my heart again? Are you a monster?" 

"Of course not," Savannah whispers. Her eyes glitter in the lantern's light, and he can see that she is crying. "I want to help you."

"Well, you have a funny way of showing it."

"Listen to me, Drake. Maxwell is the only father those girls know. You don't know how much he loves them. He'd give anything to keep them safe." 

"What are you implying?" Drake demands. "Blackmail?" 

"One star falls and another rises. Such is the way of the court. With their star on the rise, House Beaumont will want to sweep everything shady about Lilly under the rug. I've already made the  arrangements with Bertrand. The girls will live with me in Paris, except..." she turns her head, her eyes going wide in shock. "Sophy? Sophy!" 

Drake feels his heart sink like a stone. "Jack!" He shouts, his heart in his throat. "This isn't time for games, Jackson Nevrakis! Come out right now!" 

But the children do not answer. Sophy and Jack have vanished, as if they've never been. Only a scrap of green fabric flutters sadly on the edge of the corral, twisting and turning in the wind. 

==

Ecole maternelle - kindergarten

Let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list. Sorry if I forgot anyone!

[write-baby-write]

Fanfiction 101: The Basics

Fanwork is a crazy thing because it can be fun and frustrating at the same time. Obviously, it’s fun because it’s a way to express passion about something. But it’s also a demanding activity. To create something good, it’s crucial to have the skills to do so. Writing fanfiction is no different from any other form of fanwork: it takes time, a lot of effort, some basic knowledge and some specific knowledge. But for now, I’ll stick to the basics.

When it comes to fanfiction, an author has to consider a few topics during the creative process. The most common ones are genre, length, characterization, relationships among characters and how similar the piece is to canon. Let’s talk briefly about each one of them.

Genre

It sets the tone of a scene or an entire piece. Aside from the ones used on literary world, fanfiction also has fluff, smut, humor, angst, hurt/comfort, dark and vent. Yes, there are others, but don’t forget that we’re talking about setting the tone of a story.

One thing some writers do a lot in one of the fandoms I’m part of is to add the genre in the warnings. I could ramble a lot about the misuse of warnings and what I think about revealing the gender of a story, but I would digress too much from the basic notions of fanfiction. This is a subject for another post.

Length

The length of fanfiction is determined by its word count, which is precisely what makes this metadata part an important information in a fanfic. By definition, any form of writing, even if it has just a few words, qualifies as fanfiction. Each story has its own length and it can have as many words as the author see fit.

Dribble: 55 words long

Drabble: though some might say anything under 1000 words is a drabble, its definition specificies that drabbles have exact 100 words.

Double drabble: 200 words long

Trabble/tribble: 300 words long

Pentadrabble: 500 words long

Flash fiction: 500 words or less

Ficlet: any work with word count between 100 and 1000 words (A.K.A. what people usually call drabble 😏)

Short fic/short story: word count between 1000 and 17500 words

Novella: word count between 17500 and 25000 words.

Novelette: word count between 25000 and 40000 words.

Novel: over 40000 words.

Long fic: though the concept may vary, works with more than 10000 words are considered long fics. It usually has a complex plot and multiple parts/chapters.

Characters and Pairings/Relationships

Not every story has one, but on Choices fandom, those are the things that usually draw fans to a certain book. Fanfic authors can either keep the essence of a character (canon compliant) while writing them or give them different traits writing them out of character. Though it’s common to find fics mentioning the presence of OOC characters on the header because some of us don’t appreciate significant changes in characterization, it isn’t mandatory.

Pairings refer to any characters in romantic and/or sexual relationships. Though the original concept implies romantic relationships between two characters (one true pairings), some can extend its meaning to polyamorous relationships (OT3/4, moresomes). When we think about relationships in fanworks, it’s important to mention a few concepts:

Main pairing: a relationship that exists in canon and is popular in the fandom (e.g. Liam Rys x MC, Damon Salvatore x Elena Gilbert, Peter Parker x Mary Jane Watson);

Rarepair: a relationship that may exist in canon, but isn’t popular in the fandom (e.g. Hana Lee x MC, Jeremy Gilbert x Anna Zhu, Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff)

Crack ship: a relationship created by fans and it only exists in fanworks. It includes pairing up main characters with non-romanceable characters, relationships between love interests, love interests and non-romanceable characters, relationships between non-romanceable characters (i.e. Drake x Olivia, Klaus Mikaelson x Stefan Salvatore, Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes)

Fanfiction which doesn’t include any sort of romantic or sexual rellationships are known as gen. They’re not so popular in our fandom, but I love them. I mean, who doesn’t like a good friendship or family fic?

Canon compliant x Canon divergent

This is probably the best part of writing fanfiction in my opinion. So many things can be done if you explore canon complaint stories like writing missing scenes to give further explanations about a event or character’s behavior, fix-it fics to adapt the scene to your liking, flashbacks, future fics and so on. On the order hand, canon divergent stories are the ones because they allow a fanfic author to be creative and imagine those characters in a new setting. The possibilities are endless when you write an alternate universe version of a story.

But much like characterization, some people are only interested in stories based on the original setting. It’s important to give a heads up to your reader if your story is canon compliant or divergent.

That’s it for this week! Did I miss any topics? Do you have any suggestions? Let me know by commenting, reblogging or sending me a message/ask.

Happy writing/reading!

[dcbbw]

Six Sentence Sunday (Late Night Edition)

Thank you for the tags @ao719​, @bebepac​, @bbrandy2002​, and @burnsoslow​.

I am working on a lot of stuff, but not much to share at the moment, but I do have some things in my goody bag.

Everything is still in draft mode and subject to change.

Complete list under the cut. 

Dress Up (Kinktober | Day 17 for SGL x Riley B.) :

“You wanted our first time to be special,” he said with a trace of wonderment.

Riley nodded vigorously.

Liam leaned in, his lips brushing hers softly. His mouth drifted to her cheek, then her jawline. He pressed kisses against her skin, going lower until his face was nuzzled into the crook of her neck. Riley let out a shaky moan feeling the tip of his tongue lick her skin.

“Try it on for me,” he urged.

“But the surprise …”

Liam pulled back, shaking his head with a slight chuckle. “You will never cease to surprise me, Riley B.,” he whispered. “And I’ve already seen it, might as well see it on you,” he reasoned.

Riley and Liam stared at each other. Finally, Riley nodded. “Okay. But STAY OUT HERE!”

Liam nodded in agreement and watched Riley’s hips undulate against the soft knit of her olive colored dress as she disappeared into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. He flopped into a wingback chair as his eyes crossed and his hand covered his growing erection.

She’s going to be the death of me.

Inside the bedroom, Riley had pulled off her dress, bra, and pantyhose. She sat on the edge of her bed as she held the black overbust corset in her hands, working the ribboned fastenings loose. She wrapped it around her, hooking the front eyelets closed.

The bodice of the corset was black leather; the remaining material was a gorgeous black lace. She rose, standing in front of her full-length mirror, marveling at how her breasts were pushed together and up; her cleavage was magnificent. Her head turned at the sound of the bedroom door being pushed open.

“LIAM!” she yelled. “You said you would stay in the living room!”

Liam’s shirt was untucked from is jeans and fully unbuttoned; glimpses of a broad, well-defined chest caught Riley’s eye. He stood behind Riley, his lips kissing the nape of her neck.

“I thought you might need some help,” he murmured  in a husky tone as his fingers drifted down her back, caressing black satin ribbons.

 To Form a More Perfect Union:

Olivia smiled as she patted the guard’s arm. “Well, don’t let me keep you. I simply came down to check in with your men that their accommodations have been satisfactory and to inform them that breakfast will be available at 8am in the Main Hall dining room.”

“Very thoughtful and generous of you, Duchess. Check in with Severus; he’s my second-in-command and will be sure to relay any and all communications to the officers.”

The thud of the Armory door thudded as it swung shut; Bastien turned as Oliva looked up. Anton Severus was striding down the hall towards us.

“Anton, is anything wrong?”

Anton shook his head. “No, sir. Just stretching my legs.”

Bastien glanced at his watch. “I have to go. Duchess, you can tell Agent Severus about breakfast.”

Olivia smiled thinly at Anton before shifting her gaze to Bastien. “I shall. And I will have staff prepare an early luncheon given that plans have changed.”

Bastien nodded before leaving Olivia and Anton alone in the hallway. Olivia gazed at Anton with a raised brow.

“You’re not going to bow to nobility?”

With a sardonic smirk, the guard gave a stiff bow. “Your Grace.”

Olivia bridged the distance between them, pressing her hands against his uniform. “You were correct. The itinerary has changed.”

“We need to have a solid plan in place, my pet. So, which will it be? Accident or robbery?”

“Accident. We can’t risk any witnesses until after he’s dead. You’ll arrange for the rental car?”

 DC AU, Chapter 6 (Untitled):

Drake pulled into the gas station next to Riley’s apartment building; he wanted a Pepsi. Riley only had diet and sugar free sodas at her place. Drake needed the sugar. He frowned at the flashing multicolored lights that surrounded the doors and windows of the building. It looked like Christmas on crack.

He stepped inside, wrinkling his nose at the pungent odor of the oversized incense sticks on display just to the left of the door. In the short time he and Brooks had been broken up, it was evident the gas station was under new management. The establishment was now brightly lit and sold everything under the sun. Windex, motor oil, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, feminine products, and toilet tissue were crowded on a top shelf.

His eyes glanced downward, and he saw gallons of water, paper towels, shampoo, bottles of bleach, and cans of wet pet food on another shelf. Multitudes of snacks, candies, chips of all types and sizes, nuts, and food products including instant ramen, canned soups, canned tuna fish, and sardines were scattered throughout the store.

Drake felt almost embarrassed to have only two bottles of soda in his hand as he stepped up to the cashier.

The man scowled at Drake through thick plexiglass. “Is that all?”

Drake was scanning what was behind the counter: tobacco products of every type, bongs, ashtrays, false eyelashes, TOPS wrapping paper, cigarettes by the pack or carton, doo rags, hair gel, lighters, sexual enhancement pills, and was that…..weed? In a jar?

Drake pointed to the jar. “Is that weed?”

The cashier looked affronted. “It’s hemp!” he said contemptuously.

Drake looked at the jar again, then back at the cashier, clearly puzzled.

“What’s the difference?”

The cashier looked furtively around the shop, making sure he and Drake were alone. “The po-po.”

 Future Riam (Untilted)

Riley smiled down at her son, making wide eyes and funny faces at him. She pulled the infant closer to her bosom as she inhaled the baby smell coming from him. Suddenly, a look of panic crossed her features. She had two arms around one baby.

Where was the other baby?

“LIAM!” she shrieked anxiously. The baby in her arms began to wail, frightened by the volume of his mother’s voice.

Liam was running to her side. “What’s wrong, love?” His eyes darted over her body, worry in his eyes and tone.

“Where’s my baby?? I have TWO babies!” Riley rocked her arms to soothe her now quieting son.

A relieved smile split Liam’s lips. “He’s in the bassinet, where I laid him when you screamed like a banshee.”

Riley exhaled a loud breath. “Oh, thank God! I need to do better at keeping track of these guys.” She smiled again at her son. “You know, Dr. Felger gave me these babies.”

“I may have had something to do with that.”

“You are not their real father, Liam. You know that.”

“Oh, yes. Their resemblance to Mark Sloan is uncanny.” Liam chuckled as he kissed his wife’s cheek. “I love you, Riley Brooks.”

Riley scrunched her nose but couldn’t stop the smile from forming as her husband’s breath caressed her skin.

“Okay, I think we’re ready for this interview.” She looked between her son and her husband. “Which one do you have? Fric or Frac?”

Liam gently lifted the sleeping infant from his bed. “I have no idea.”

 Autumn In New York, Chapter 2:

“I don’t even know why you’re here,  or what you’re hoping to accomplish Liam,” Riley huffed as she tossed clothes into her suitcase. “I have someone.”

Liam looked at Riley, eyes wide with surprise. “Already?”

Riley turned to him, her eyes narrowed, and lips pressed into a thin line. “What in the hell is are you implying?”

“You just left Cordonia love. You seemed to return my affections. You never mentioned having anyone before.” Liam rocked on the balls of his feet, hands in his pockets.

“Well, I do. When I chased behind you, I left a boyfriend behind. A good boyfriend, a decent boyfriend. Who still loves me and wants me to live with him.”

“And I am chasing behind you. I am working to clear your name. I have broken off the engagement to Madeleine.”

Riley’s head lifted quickly, an expression disbelief on her face.

Liam walked over to Riley. His head bent so his mouth was next to her ear. “I just don’t want you to live with me. I have come to take you home, in whatever capacity you wish. My girlfriend, my fiancée, even as my wife.”

Not tagging anyone (I think everyone I know has been tagged), but if anyone sees this and wants to play/share, feel free!

[bobasheebaby]

She’s So Gone- Cordonian Ruby chapter 11

Pairing: mentions of Bradshaw x Hana

Word count: 844

Warnings: none I can think of

Summary: Maxwell explains what happened to Hana.

A/N: Next week we will have my fluffy ABC’s interview and then we will finally be in Cordonia (I think?)

A/N2: A major thanks @sirbeepsalot for all your graping, prereading snips between work. I love you boo! Thank you to my snippet readers @loveellamae and @burnsoslow who screamed appropriately.

Series warnings: character death, blood, surgical procedures done by non medical personnel, may go NSFW in the future. May contain gun violence, knife violence, threats, not sure how dark this will go. By requesting to be tagged you acknowledge you are at least 18 years of age.

Let me know if you want to be added or removed from the taglist.

Disclaimer: I own Ruby, Galen, Lovett, and Beau, I’m borrowing Bastien and Olivia from PB.

“What do you mean Hana is Bradshaw’s mistress?” Olivia’s sharp tone echoed through the suite.

“For the record this is why I didn’t tell them, it’s not my story to tell and I thought Hana would be here.” Drake said walking towards the stocked minibar. He was tempted to leave the room completely but he doubted Olivia’s aim became less accurate over the years, better to be a victim of her sharp tongue than her blade.

Maxwell gave a meek smile, “she was coming, but then Bradshaw showed up and she couldn’t leave.”

“Maxwell, how did Hana become Bradshaw’s mistress?” Olivia spat the last word from her mouth.

She hadn’t been as close to Hana as Carolyn, yet it was hard to picture Hana as anyone’s mistress, let alone the man who stole the lives of her best friends.

Maxwell shifted uncomfortably. He was used to having all eyes on him, but not like this. No wonder Drake didn’t tell them. “I only know a second hand account …”

“Which is?”

Maxwell gulped, not getting out of this now. “As Hana told it, Bradshaw always had a wandering eye. He had been attracted to both Carolyn and Hana, and as he said it ‘he couldn’t keep Carolyn around for obvious reasons’.” He shuddered as a shiver ran down his spine. “Hana really tells it much better, maybe you should just wait until we get to Cordonia …”

“Spill it.”

Maxwell gave a resigned sigh before continuing, “Bradshaw had his eye on Hana and kept her from leaving the country.

He was aware how close she was to Carolyn from the girls trip to Auvernal.

With Liam and Carolyn out of the picture, he moved onto Hana. He figured with the close relationship she might have been privy to information that could prove useful for him.

He offered her Valtoria since the duchy was once again without a Duchess, and a large stipend to stay as his mistress.

Hana agreed, though she played down her eagerness.

She was smart enough to understand he wanted information but Hana was positive that somehow the heir survived and made it out. She saw his offer as a way to help if the true heir ever returned.

She was frantic when she first told me, she felt like she was betraying Carolyn and Liam, but she figured it was better than death.

I don’t know how she knew,” his eyes fell once more to Ruby, “she just kept telling Bertrand, Savannah and I that she couldn’t lose faith that somehow Carolyn and Liam had managed to get their child to safety.”

“So Hana became Bradshaw’s mistress on the off chance that Liam and Carolyn’s baby was still alive?”

“Well yeah, but also to stay alive.

He didn’t say it, but she said it was heavily implied that if she didn’t agree she wouldn’t be returning to Shanghai.

Her parents were shocked, they said she was raised better than to be a mistress. It wasn’t until she mentioned the elevation of her title that her parents backed off, though not by much.

Over time she became Bradshaw’s favorite. He’s seen more frequently with Hana than his own wife.”

Olivia snorted, “oh I’m sure Isabella loves that.”

“She hates it, she’s threatened more than once to remove Hana, but she knows she wouldn’t be any better off even if she did.” Maxwell paused, idly tapping his fingers against his knee, “there is just one tiny little thing …”

“Go on.”

Maxwell nervously cleared his throat, Olivia and the others seemed to be taking the news relatively well, he was sure that was all about to change. “First I need to tell you Hana assured me that it would be no problem to slip you into the masquerade unseen …”

“But?”

“But, she’s fallen in love with him.” Maxwell flinched as he spoke.

“She what?!”

“Hana loves Bradshaw, I know it’s crazy and doesn’t make sense. Bertrand was sure she was drugged, but she truly loves him.”

“Maxwell, how the hell are you just telling us this now?! How do you know she isn’t setting us up to be caught?”

“Hana wouldn’t do that.

She still wants to remove him from Cordonia, take him down, but since she loves him … she asked that we spare his life.”

“You have got to be kidding me!

This man has a long list of transgressions he must pay for and she expects us to what pardon him simply because she loves him?

I could look past her being his mistress since she was playing him, but for her to even suggest that we leave him breathing, unharmed, and I’m assuming still in power of Auvernal … after all he’s done.

He murdered her friends.”

“What the heart wants right?” He attempted to joke, clearing his throat when he was met with shocked stares. “I get that it’s not ideal, but Hana knows all of his weaknesses, she knows his schedule, if we want her help …”

“Then we have to let him live …”

Feedback fuels me, please like, comment reblog or send an ask. Feel free to scream, I promise I can take it.

Masterlist can be found in my bio.

@speedyoperarascalparty @liamxs-world @annekebbphotography @itsstillnotwhatyouthink @ao719 @stopforamoment @akrenich@gardeningourmet @daniv2278 @bella-ca @gibbles82 @choiceslife @blackcoffee85 @sirbeepsalot @cheeto-choices @dcbbw @alicars@desireepow-1986 @mfackenthal @bhavf @indiacater @drakesensworld @kingliam2019 @walkerswhiskeygirl @ladyangel70 @jovialyouthmusic @edgiestwinter @rainbowsinthestorm @janezillow @sleepwalkingelite @texaskitten30 @traeumerinwitzhelden @bbrandy2002 @jared2612 @blackcatkita @darley1101 @innerpostmentality @lolablackwrites @endlessflame @fullbeaumonty @hhiggs @itsalliepg @smalltalk88 @littlegreenmoo @mynameiskaylabella @bobbersb @imma-winchester-addict @cordonianroyalty @loveellamae @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @katedrakeohd @forthebrokenheartedthings @super-secret-fandom-blog @burnsoslow @queenjilian @bebepac @datynasuha @malvolari-take-my-soul​ @hopefulmoonobject @queen-arabella-of-cordonia​

[axwalker]

Tears in Heaven 2: Falling

Synopsis: Alexis O’Brien is about to get married but memories of her old life are coming back to haunt her.

MASTERLIST

Pairings: Liam x MC Drake x MC (TRR)

Warnings:  

NO ONE UNDER 18 should read this story. This is an 18+ blog. This story will deal with very dark subjects such as death, severe depression and suicide attempt (among others) if you’re triggered by any of those issues, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS STORY

A/N: The story will go back and forth between three different periods of time (2009 / 2015 / 2019) 

A/N: In most European countries the legal age to drink is 18, as Cordonia is clearly in Europe, I ‘ll use the same legal age. 

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Word count: 4,600

Songs inspiration: Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton

THANKS TO:  To  my awesome beta read @pedudley​

And to the beautiful  @burnsoslow​   who beta read the whole scene with Liam. 

I love you both!!

Tagging: 

@mskaneko​ @pedudley​ @burnsoslow​ @pug-bitch​ @lauzales​ @yukinagato2012​ @kingliam2019​ @texaskitten30​ @loveellamae​ @nomadics-stuff​ @flutistbyday2020​ @mrsdrakewalkerblog​ @ladyangel70​ @kimmiedoo5​ @debramcg1106​ @ao719​ @msjr0119​ @ac27dj​  @forthebrokenheartedthings-blog​ 

JUNE 2015

Nine months. Nine months since the ‘accident’. That was how her friends called it: ‘An accident’. The word infuriated her. It implied something so avoidable, something so small and simple. A finger caught in a door, a bad fall, a glass of whiskey spilled on the table. He didn’t have a broken leg, or a soared finger, he was dead. He was never going to come back again, his laughter vanished, his chocolates eyes gone, forever.

She would love to know how her friends called what had happened three months after his death. The day she had lost the last shred of hope she had left.

Every day she repeated the same routine, she woke up, drank, and stayed in bed looking through the window. Some days when the alcohol had numbed her enough, she was able to go through her albums and live in her memories. But most days, she couldn’t bear to see their happy faces, the joyful moments, so she just drank and cried.

Liam, Olivia and Max came every day to check up on her. Sometimes together, sometimes separate. They all had different methods to bring her back to life. None of them worked but they kept trying anyway.

Liam was caring and protective, he tried to make her eat or drink something else besides alcohol. Sometimes he tried to talk some sense into her, others he simply read to her.

Olivia’s approach was more direct, she arrived at the house like a tornado, cleaning the mess and throwing all the wine bottles and pizza boxes in the garbage, disgusted. She scolded her in the hope to see her strong friend fight back, but Alexis had gave up, nothing that Oliva said made her react.

Maxwell was kind and compassionate. He sat with her in silence, rubbing her back or crying with her. He only wanted to make her feel that she wasn’t alone. That he would be there when she was ready.

She knew that deep down she loved them, or that she had loved them once, but there was nothing left anymore for anyone else.

One morning, after yet another sleepless night, Alexis looked at her reflection in the mirror. She barely recognized herself. She touched her face, trying to remember how she looked like only nine months before. Her eyes drifted to the bottle of sleeping pills next to her toothbrush. Her decision was taken. He had died. He had left her. She had no reason to live anymore. That night, when her friends were gone, she would write some good-bye letters and she’ll go to sleep to never wake up again.

Ironically, that was the first day since it all happened that she had something to look forward to.  After Savanah’s birthday, her life had stopped anyway, she was merely finishing the job.

August 2009

Maxwell and Olivia were having coffee after class while they waited for Alexis. When she arrived thirty minutes later, Max frowned, she looked like she wanted to bite someone’s head off.

Instead of greeting them, she threw her bag on the table, almost spilling Olivia’s coffee on her lap.

Olivia growled. “Careful there Alexis! This is Balmain.”

Maxwell rolled his eyes. “I’m sure that you meant to ask Lexie if everything was ok.”

Olivia snorted. “No, I meant to keep my very expensive outfit safe. Thank you very much.” She brushed her hand over her skirt making sure it was still spotless. “but yes tell us what happened to put you in such a dark mood, Alexis.”

“I can’t have coffee with you. Frickin Neville wants me to work tonight. Argh! I had the day off.”

Max looked at his best friend worried “Do you think that he’ll try something like the other night?”

“After all the self-defense classes Olivia has given me? I’d like to see him try” She took one French fry from Maxwell’s plate.

“So? What’s the problem?  More hours mean more money, right?” He seemed confused “You’re always looking for extra hours.”

Olivia wasn’t fooled, she squinted at her friend. “She has a date with Walker.”

Maxwell squeaked. “Blossom!! You have seen him every day since you met him four days ago!”

“I know, Max. I can’t even explain it. He’ like… a drug” She ran her fingers through her head trying to hide her giddiness. “When he kisses me. I can’t even think or…”

Maxwell knew Drake Walker since they were kids, and he was well aware of his reputation. “What did you do last night?”

“We just walked all night, I waited until my father and Cindy were in their room, sneaked out and took him to the cove”

“The one you haven’t even show me?” Max looked hurt.

“I’ll take you next time Max, I swear” She hugged him. “Anyway, we just walked and talked until dawn.” She said leaving out that they had kissed senseless all over the beach.

Olivia feigned to yawn. “Can you please get to the part where you two fuck, all of this is very sweet but is giving me diabetes.”

A crimson blush spread all upon her cheeks. “We actually haven’t done it yet.”

Maxwell almost spilled his coffee. “What? Drake Walker? According to my brother, he’s a man-whore!”

Alexis shrugged. “We have kissed, a lot, but nothing else.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Alexis for Christ sake! Don’t be such a fucking prude!”

Alexis threw her hands in the air “I’m not! I don’t know what he’s waiting for.” She checked her watch “Fuck! I’ll be late!”

Maxwell and Olivia exchanged an amused look. “When had you been on time before?”

She flipped them off and ran to catch the bus.

--------------------------------------------

It was a calm, summer night so the college pub where she worked wasn’t busy, only two tables and some guys hanging out in the bar with Dany, her coworker.

She checked her phone for the third time that night and sighed disappointed, he hadn’t answer to her text cancelling their date.

Lost in her thoughts, she barely heard the tinkling of the bell hanging above the front door. When she finally turned her head, she saw Drake standing next to it, looking at her.

Her heart immediately skipped a beat. “Hi, stranger. What are you doing here?”

He cut the distance between them in two steps, took her in his arms and kissed her. “I’ve missed that.”

She played with the collar of his shirt, inebriated by the smell of sandalwood. “Me too, Drake.”

If he was completely honest, not only he had missed her, but he had been incapable of thinking about anything else all day, and at that moment seeing her so beautiful, with her bright eyes looking so intently at him, he was about to melt. He kissed her again.

“I can’t go out tonight, though. I have to close the place.” She said softly still fluttered by his kiss.

He didn’t want to come out to strong but decided to be honest anyway. “I did get your text, Lex, I just don’t like the idea of you walking at night and taking the bus alone so late.”

She shrugged, she was used to it. “I’ve been doing it the whole year, Drake. I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, just let me help you a little.” He brushed her face with his fingers. “I can come get you when you work late, and we can spend more time together.”

She looked at him touched, besides Max who gave her a ride whenever he could, no one else cared how she got back after a nightshift.  “Thank you.”

“Waitress!”

“Shit! I have to work. Wait for me at the bar, Daniel is actually pretty funny.” She winked. “and he knows his whiskey.”

She hurried to the table that was calling her. A group of college girls desperate to use their new ID’s. The rest of the night was calm, and Alexis could spare some moments to talk and laugh with Drake while he waited for her.

At one o’clock, they said good-bye to the last clients, Daniel headed home and Drake and Alexis stayed to close the bar.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

She leaned against the counter smiling shamelessly. “Really? You’re going to help me for free?”

He smirked trapping her with his arms against the counter “Who told you it was for free?” he leaned against her and softly kissed her lips. He inhaled her perfume enjoying her soft moans when his kiss became deeper and his fingers wandered all over her hips. “Fuck, you’re so sexy, Alexis”

The phone rang three times until they were able to break contact. She picked up and talked to her boss. When she hung up, they spend the next hour cleaning and sweeping the bar until it was ready to close.

She checked her watch. “I have to be home at three. My father knows at what time I close the bar, and it usually takes me more than an hour to get to the house.”

Drake arched his eyebrows. “So, he doesn’t come to pick you up, but you have a curfew?”

She nodded. “That’s pretty much it. He has a lot of ideas of what a well-behaved young lady can and cannot do.”

Drake was starting to strongly dislike the man.  “Well, we closed the bar way faster.” He encircled her with his arms. “and I’ll take you back in the jeep, so we have one hour for ourselves.” He upped her chin to him and kissed her cheek. “Aren’t you hungry?”

She was starving but it was past midnight, she would eat a bowl of cereal at her house. “Yes, but everything is closed.”

He gave her a conspiratorial look “This classy joint has a kitchen, right?”

She smiled. “Yes”

He offered her his arm. “Well, let’s cook something then.”

The night before, during their walk, she had told him she used to love Mac & Cheese when she was a little girl, so he looked for the ingredients in the pantry.

“Can I help you there, Walker?”

He nodded his head towards a chair. “You were working all night, O’Brien, it’s your turn to sit.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “O’Brien?”

“Well, you haven’t stop calling me Walker since I told you my last name the other night, turnabout’s a fair play.” He winked playfully.

Alexis watched him cook for her. They had spent the last four days getting to know each other, and she had loved every minute of it. She loved how attentive he was, how he seemed to remember every little thing she said. She loved that he walked around looking brooding and angry, but he was the kindest person she had never met. She loved how protected she felt with him, like never before.  

He loved animals, and great books but only liked boring music, he listened too much classic rock, and definitely needed more Latin songs in his playlist. His taste in movies was impeccable though, fan of Harry Potter and Tarantino.

Her mind drifted to the previous night, she shivered thinking about it, about the way he kissed her, desperate, passionate, wild but always a little gentle, she felt like he could read her mind and sensed exactly what she needed better than herself.  

He put two plates with Mac & Cheese in front of her and she clapped happy. “Drake! Mac & cheese! I love it.”

He had never met someone so full of life before, she seemed to enjoy every single minute of her life. He shrugged trying not to think how much he loved that about her. “It’s only pasta, O’Brien.”

“Well, I love it.” She placed her hand over his and he locked his gaze with hers before he leaned to kiss her.

The talked about their lives while they ate. Drake told her about his childhood with Bastien and Savanah. Bastien worked for Constantine, the Duke of Valtoria, one of the most powerful men in the country, and a personal friend of King Godfrey. He worked at their estate all the time, so Drake had practically grown up with Leo and Liam Rhys. Alexis already knew that his father had died protecting the duke and that his mother had left when he was barely twelve years old. She hated the woman.

“I’m sorry she left, Drake.”

“I’m not. She was never a good mother for me or Savvie. Bastien is the only parent I have now.”

She squeezed his hand. He changed the subject, the less he talked about Bianca Walker, the best.

They finished the rest of their meal in silence, both deep in thought. He looked at her and couldn’t help but admire the strength she irradiated, a sort of light she wasn’t even aware she had in her. He had never opened himself so deeply to someone else, not even Liam. If he was honest, she scared him to death, she held too much power over him, he cared for her too much already but seemed incapable to stay away. She woke in him so many…things in such a short amount of time, that it made him feel overwhelmed.

She got up and reached for his plate, but he stood up and pulled it away from her reach. “I'll wash the dishes… you worked all night.”

“And you cooked.” She grinned at him. “we’ll do them together.”

The cleaned the kitchen playing and laughing with each other.

“It’s late now, I should take you home.” Drake sounded disappointed.

She wiggled her brows giving him a mischievous smile. “I have another idea, come on.” She grabbed two tumblers from the kitchen and took his hand guiding him to the cellar under the kitchen.

“Where are we exactly, Lexie?”

“In Walker’s Paradise.” She laughed pointing at all the Whiskey bottles on the floor.

“Isn’t this going to get you in trouble?”

Alexis took a bottle from one of the cabinets and opened it, then she poured the amber liquid into the tumblers.

Drake smiled shaking his head. “You really like trouble, hein? Breaking the rules, out after curfew, all that”

She looped her arms around his neck. “Maybe you make me want to break them.”

He grinned down at her and kissed her. “You’re going to make me blush, O’Brien.”

She chuckled. “That I would love to see.”

They sat on the floor with their backs against the wall, Drake pulled her against him with his arm around shoulders.

He took a sip from his glass. “It’s not bad.”

“I know.” She took a big gulp as well.

Drake looked at her questioningly. “I spilled my guts about my family earlier, but you never talk about yours.”

She fiddled with one of the many bracelets she was wearing. “My father is very religious, very strict but that didn’t stop him from leaving my mom for Cindy. He has a lot of rules and ideas about how I’m supposed to live my life.” She gave a half shrug. “I’m used to it; I just need to get through college and I’m out of there.”

“I may be intrusive here Lex, but why do you need to work? You live in one of the best neighborhoods in Cordonia. I mean, you live next to the Beaumont.”

“Well, first, because my father has a lot of debts. Cindy, his wife, is obsessed to be part of Cordonia’s high society, so she wants to live in the best neighborhood and she only buys designer clothes, or when she can’t its replicas. And second, because my father hates my major, he thinks I’ll end up being a starving writer.” She laughed. “He’s probably right, but I don’t care.”

He shook his head taking her chin with his fingers. “You’ll be whatever you want to be, O’Brien.” He fixed his piercing eyes on hers. “You’re brave and passionate and I have no doubt you will get to be a fantastic writer.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

She looked adorable when she blushed. He cleared his throat. “How about a toast, Lexie.”

“What’re we toasting to?”

“To the moments in between.” He grinned.

She looked puzzled. “Huh?”

“All the nobles or the people like Cindy or my mother think about are the big events, the banquets, the press events, the grand balls. They don’t even realize that the moments that matter the most are the ones they’re missing. Moments like right now, just the two of us and some cheap whiskey. The ones that really mean something.” He brushed her lips with his thumb. “At least they mean something for me, anyway.”

She rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand “To me too, Drake. More than you can imagine.” She raised her glass. “For the moments in between.”

He grinned. “For the moments in between.”

They both gulped down their glasses. She moved to lay on the floor with her head in his lap. He racked his fingers through her hair, looking down at her eyes, and thinking how much he was enjoying that moment, having her like that, her head casually on his lap.

He lowered his head and crashed his lips with hers, she was still holding her glass so he grabbed it and casually put it next to them, as he laid over her, kissing her more, moving his mouth from her soft lips to her chin, and then lower to her neck. He smelled her perfume and got lost on her. Alexis could barely think, he seemed to be everywhere around her, she felt his warm breath and his teeth softly biting her neck and felt like she was losing all control.

He stopped himself, he wasn’t going to do it there. She was a goddess, she deserved much, much more than a dirty cellar.

“What’s the matter Drake?”

He sat against the wall again but this time he scooped her in his arms and sat her in his lap, she looped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, still trying to recover her breath.

“I can’t believe I’m the one saying this, O’Brien, but we should wait to be in a better place to do this”

He looked at her, she was four years younger than him. She seemed almost innocent one second and the next one her eyes were black, charged with lust. He cupped her face “Can I ask you something, Lexie? Something personal?” He asked not sure how to address the subject.

She blushed a deep shade of scarlet, guessing exactly what he wanted to know. “If you want to know if I’m a virgin, I’m not. I had a boyfriend the last year of high school.”

He tried to hide the fact that he was jealous of a guy she had dated more than one year ago. “Did you love him?”

“I used to believe that, but” She stopped in her tracks not knowing how to continue. “I don’t know anymore. We had a lot of fun. Everything was very nice.”

He smirked “Nice?”

She stood up angrily leaning her back against the wall. “Yes, nice. Is there a problem with nice, Walker?”

He stood up and pressed her against the wall, roaming her back with his hands, burying his head on her hair, so she’d feel his breath warm, his hoarse voice in her ear “Love is burning, Alexis.” He softly nipped her earlobe as he pressed her even more. She gasped as a million goosebumps appear all over her arms. “Love is consuming.” He kissed the spot between her ear and her neck, and she shivered, the urge for him almost painful. “Love is messy and desperate.” He buried his head even more kissing the nape of her neck “Love is not nice.” He crashed his mouth with her lips again. She was addictive.

JUNE 2015 

Alexis let herself get lost in her memory. That had been the day where she had fallen in love with him. Only five days after meeting him. Hearing his ideas, his views about the world. Seeing him taking care of her, making her feel so deeply safe. And getting lost in him, in his lips, his low voice, in the sandalwood. In the passion they shared for each other. Before closing her eyes and joining him for good, that was the image she’ll take with her. The image of the day she had lost her soul to Drake Walker.

APRIL 2019

Alexis’s eyes got lost in the clouds. She had always loved to fly, especially at that moment where the plane was so high, that the clouds were beneath them and the sun cast its light on them. She didn’t believe in anything, not anymore, but there in the heights, in the middle of the sky, she wondered, if maybe there was an afterlife, if maybe someday she would see him again.

Five years had passed, but the wound was still there, raw and ready to hurt, ready to pull her back to the abyss. She turned to look at Liam sleeping beside her. Now she had someone to fight for.

He had fallen asleep as soon as the plane had left the ground. He had to be exhausted; he worked really hard at making Valtoria the most productive duchy in Cordonia, and yet he managed to always be there for her when she needed him.

She was aware that the only reason he had left in the middle of the negotiations with the biggest export American company was because of her. Because of the date that was coming to haunt her. A warm feeling spread through her chest at the thought of all the things Liam had done for her. She took his hand between hers, careful not to wake him up.

Paris was beautiful in April. Alexis admired the blossoming trees and the warmth, spring light bathing the majestic buildings while they walked hand in hand.

Liam knew that the next weeks were going to get difficult, especially at the beginning of the next month, his birthday, so he wanted to distract her as much as he could, showing her his favorite city. He wasn’t naïve; he knew nothing he did was going to erase that day, but he was going to try and do anything in his power to bring her some joy. After all, they had been friends for nine years and together for almost two; he thought he knew her well enough to know what could make her happy.  

“What would you think if I took you for some macarons?”

She grinned. “I love Ladurée.”

He shook his head, smiling. “See, everyone thinks the best French macarons are those from Chez Ladurée, but they’re the most famous ones. The best ones are the ones prepared by the chef Pierre Hermé.”

“Lead the way then.” She took his arm and they walked together through the Parisian streets. Every now and then, Liam would show her a small boutique or a gallery that he knew she’d enjoy. They passed the Orsay Museum and the Louvre, and he promised her they would go the next day. Alexis was dying to see the impressionist collection. When they crossed the Pont-Saint Michel, he took her to the Quai de Tournelle, the little quay in Paris where dozens of second-hand booksellers sold their finds at small prizes.

Alexis beamed, truly happy for the first time in days. “Li, this is perfect; I can’t imagine the thousands of first editions or old books that are hiding in here.”

His heart swelled, seeing her smiling. “I knew you would like it, my love.”

She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I love it.”

After they walked for a while, they finally arrived at the Teahouse, and Alexis had to admit that they were the best macarons she had ever eaten.

“What now, Mr. Frenchman?”

He cupped her face and kissed her. “I have a surprise for you. Just wait here.”

He left her for a moment to prepare his surprise. When he came back a few minutes later, he spotted her leaning against a stone railing overlooking the Seine River. Her expression was clouded, but when she saw him approach her, she broke into a smile.

He cut the distance between them and wrapped her in a tight embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder.

“Are you all right, darling?  He smiled down at her.

“Better now that you’re here, but I can’t stop thinking about everything.”

“I know, Alexis. I’m here now.” He took her hand, joining her at the railing. They spent a long moment holding hands, gazing across the river.

“It’s so quiet,” Alexis said, placing her hair behind her ear “It feels like the whole city is sleeping, like we’re the last humans on earth.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

She shook her head. “No, a little bit of peace is very welcomed.”

“I’m very glad you think so, love. Come here.”

He led her further along the bridge, where she saw a basket sitting on the paving stones. He pulled a small blanket from the basket and spread it out before her.

He saw her astonished expression, so he explained. “I know picnics are not my favorite activity, but I knew you were going to like it. Besides, you’re the one telling me I should be more adventurous.”

She laughed. “I don’t know if a picnic in Paris counts as an adventure, but ...” She caressed his cheek. “You’re right, I love it.”

They settled down on the blanket as he uncorked an expensive bottle of Chateau Margaux, and Alexis pulled some cheeses, bread, and a couple of glasses out of the basket.

“I want to make a toast for us, Lex-“ He cleared his throat. “Alexis, sorry. I forgot.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her old nickname. “It’s fine, Li. Don’t worry. I just hate to hear it” He took her chin in his fingers and kissed her.

“I know, love. Let’s forget about it. I wanted to toast to us, to our life together”

She raised her glass.

“Thank you for everything.” She looked in his eyes. “I mean everything, Liam. The sacrifice you’re going to make for me.” Her eyes watered. “I can’t believe it.”

He placed his hand on hers. “There’s no sacrifice, love. I’ll do it because I’m crazy about you, and the only thing I want in life is to be with you. I just wish you knew how much I love you, Alexis.”

He stroked her face and kissed her softly, gently caressing her back with his hands.

After a moment of kissing next to the river, they started eating their delicacies.

Liam observed his fiancée, unsure of how to address the subject. “We’re getting married in two months, love.”

She nodded, smiling. “I’m aware of it, Li.”

“So, you’re also aware that you can’t postpone it anymore. We can go together if you want. You need … closure.”

“Do we have to talk about it now?”

“You never want to talk about it, Alexis. It’s time.”

“I promise, I’ll take care of it as soon as we arrive in Cordonia.”

He nodded, unconvinced; she had made him the same promise several weeks ago.

He just hoped that after everything that had happened and the guilt he carried with him every day, he was going to be able to marry her and make her happy for the rest of their lives.

[argylemnwrites]

I Shouldn’t Care (But I Still Do)

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)

Book: The Royal Romance (The Royal Heir 2, between Chapter 3 and 4)

Word Count: ~1200

Rating:  R (adult language)

Summary: Drake struggles with some media coverage surrounding his daughter’s presentation.

Author’s Note: This marks the last of my Fluffy Friday drabbles, even though I clearly struggle with keeping these things consistently fluffy. I’m sorry, but this concept has been in my brain for a long time, and I just needed to explore it. I know PB has committed to the “modern fairy tale” tone, but there is just so many other aspects that come to mind if you apply even a hint of realism. The fact that Liam named another couple’s child heir to the throne would have ramifications with media and public speculation and discussion. It doesn’t help that in my playthrough, I selected the East Asian MC and the East Asian Liam, meaning that Drake and Riley’s daughter in my canon looks like she could be Liam’s. I just think that it’s naive to think that no one would wonder.

So, after that little ramble, this is my pick for the last (semi-)Fluffy Friday fic, 18. Hugs on the Domestic Fluff prompt list. I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

Drake wasn’t sure if he should even be reading these stories. Part of him justified it by telling himself he needed to know what the press was saying about him. About her. About their family. It would be worse to be blindsided by some horrible speculation on the upcoming tour during a press conference or have Madeleine or Olivia reveal it in some snide comment.

On the other hand, he didn’t want to give the bullshit they published any attention. Because it was just that - complete and utter bullshit. They just wanted to sell a story. They didn’t know anything about him and Riley and Bridget. Nothing real anyway. But during her pregnancy, Drake had fallen into the habit of reading the stories that were published. Most of them had focused on Riley at that point and had usually been pretty positive, although there were the ones that had a lot of thoughts about what she was eating or drinking or how active she was or wasn’t being.

There had been ones that seemed to have a lot of opinions about their relationship. Those had been harder to stomach. The ones that called him a leech, a chronic coattail rider, that sort of thing, well those hadn’t been too bad. It was nothing he hadn’t heard for years. He was used to it. But the ones that speculated that Riley regretted marrying him, that the baby was likely Liam’s… well those had stung. They’d poked at those deep-seated insecurities, the ones that still reared their ugly head from time to time. Still, he’d usually managed to shrug them off, ignore them as the tabloid trash they were. It had helped that Riley had been pissed as hell about all of them. Listening to her profanity-filled rants about how insulting, how stupid, how disgusting they all were reminded him time and time again how much he loved her.

Now that Bridget was here and had been presented to the people, the articles were back in full force. Some, like the ones from Trend or the CBC were upbeat and optimistic. But the one he was reading now was… well, it wasn’t negative or anything. But it was hitting Drake unexpectedly hard.

Maybe it was the photo that sat on the top of the website, Riley holding Bridget and Liam standing right behind her, both of them smiling. Drake knew he had been right off to Riley’s other side. But he’d been cropped out of this photo. He was in the wide group shot further down in the article, along with Hana and Maxwell. And there was another one that showed him, Riley, Liam, and Bridget on the dais. But even there, they’d selected a shot where Liam had been leaning forward to say something to the press, making him appear very close to Riley, while Drake’s head was turned to the side.

He felt stupid fixating on this. He didn’t even want to be featured in an article like this at all. He’d be happy to never speak to the press again. But somehow seeing Bridget, Riley, and Liam, looking like… a cozy little family or some shit while he was shoved off to the side like some awkward godfather… well, it hurt. There was no other way to put it.

Reading the actual content of the article did nothing to make Drake feel any better. He was mentioned twice. Two fucking times. Meanwhile, Liam was quoted four times and mentioned an additional dozen times. 

Drake got it. Liam was king. He was nowhere near that important. Being a less important figure than Liam was not a change for him. But he’d never considered that people would consider him a less important figure in his own daughter’s life.

He knew he was being dramatic about this. This article meant nothing. But he couldn’t bring himself to set down the tablet, to turn it off and ignore the implications. So he just kept reading and staring at the photos, sinking into a spiral of self pity.

“She’s finally asleep.” Drake jerked his head up, surprised to find that Riley had joined him in their private den. He had been so caught up in the article, he hadn’t heard the door open at all.

“I thought she was never going to stop feeding,” Riley continued, sitting down next to him on the couch, tucking her legs up under her. “Watcha looking at?” she asked, pointing to the tablet in Drake’s hand.

“S’nothing, Walker,” Drake mumbled. She had enough to deal with, what with nursing and her own hormones and all that. She didn’t need to soothe his stupid insecurities, too. But he knew he hadn’t kept his tone light enough. Sure enough, her hand was grabbing his arm almost instantly.

“Drake, what’s wrong?”

He just shook his head, “It really is nothing. I’m just…” but he trailed off, feeling so dejected. He didn’t know what else to say.

Riley grabbed the tablet out of his hand, her eyes roving of the screen as she scanned through the article. Her jaw clenched several times, and when she reached the end of the page, she turned to look at Drake, a fire burning in her eyes. “Well, this is fucking bullshit. How can they publish shit like this?”

Drake shrugged, “There’s nothing technically inaccurate in there.”

She shook her head, “Well, it’s still bullshit. How can they try to erase you from the story like that?”

“I don’t think it’s that malicious. I think I just don’t matter.”

Riley opened her mouth as if to argue his point, but after a second, she just wrapped her arms around him, tugging him close and wrapping him in a warm, reassuring hug. Drake felt a little embarrassed, needing to be comforted like a child over a stupid article. But he couldn’t lie, it felt fucking good. So he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight, tucking his head into the crook of her neck.

“I guess it doesn’t matter why they did it,” Riley muttered into his hair, “It’s shitty no matter why it happened. I’m so sorry, Drake.”

“It’s not your fault,” he mumbled into the skin of her neck, “And I know I’m being overly sensitive about this.”

He felt Riley shaking her head, and then her fingers were under his chin, tipping his head back so she could look in his eyes.

“I would feel like shit if the situation was reversed, Drake. You’re her father. It’s fucking infuriating that they are implying anything different. You’re allowed to be upset by this.”

“I know I should ignore it, I know it, but seeing you and him and she just looks like-”

But Riley put her finger over his lips, cutting him off, “She’s our kid. Mine and yours. And everyday I see more of both of us in her.”

With that, she wrapped her arms back around him, pressing a tender kiss to his forehead. Drake closed his eyes, trying to focus on what mattered. Him and her. Their daughter. The rest was just noise. And right now, wrapped up in each other’s arms, he could appreciate this moment of peace and calm.

Permatag: @speedyoperarascalparty @mfackenthal  @lilyofchoices  @thequeenofcronuts  @jamesashtonisbae

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir: @kingliam2019   @sirbeepsalot  @texaskitten30   @princessleac1  @ladyangel70  @dcbbw  @yaushie @octobereighth

Drake x MC only:  @jovialyouthmusic  @iplaydrake  @gibbles82  @drakewalkerisreal  @riley--walker  @notoriouscs  @butindeed  @addictedtodrakefanfic​  

[harleybeaumont]

(The Royal Romance, Bloodbound, and Veil of Secrets)

My Masterlist was getting kinda cluttered so I decided to move my one shots here! 

🔥- smut

Teddy Bear’s Picnic - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - MC x pretty much everybody

Synopsis - Since the Beaumont’s are short on funds, Riley comes up with a way to pay Justin for his services, discovering a particular kink he has in the bedroom in the process.

Click here to read. 🔥

The Shower Slip Up - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - Maxwell x MC (Harley), Bertrand x Savannah

Synopsis - Each thinking their significant other is in the shower, Bertrand and Harley have an embarrassing and hilarious encounter!

Click here to read. 🔥

Maxwell’s Jolly Holiday - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - Liam x Maxwell

This story gives a glimpse into Maxwell’s high school days at an all boys school where he joins the drama club and performs in his first play. Lots of fluff.

Click here to read.

The Birthday Bash - (The Royal Romance)

Synopsis- Liam and Drake attend Maxwell’s 22nd birthday party and wake up to an unexpected surprise the next morning.

Click here to read.🔥

Lady Lilith - (The Royal Romance w/Veil of Secrets crossover)

Pairings - Lilith Nevrakis (TRR OC) x Flynn O’Malley

Synopsis - Lilith is bored at a party Olivia is hosting at the Nevrakis estate. She meets a handsome bartender who makes her night a little more interesting.

Click here to read. 🔥

Just One Night - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings- Drake x Lilith, Liam x Riley (but in this story it’s more like a combination of the four)

Synopsis - Lilith and Drake are hosting Liam and Riley’s bachelor party. They have had the time of their lives, but when Liam asks if there is something more Riley would like to do, she has an idea.

Click here to read.🔥

Searching For The Truth - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - Drake x Lilith (OC), Liam x Riley (implied)

Synopsis - Lilith pays a visit to a distant relative she hasn’t seen in years, and hears a shocking revelation.

A/N - This is set in my AU The Other Nevrakis.

Click here to read.

Between Friends (two shot) - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings: Drake x Maxwell

Synopsis: Maxwell convinces the guys to go out partying to take a break from the stress of studying for finals. Liam tries to prove to everyone that he isn’t a perfect prince. Drake comes to terms with his sexuality, realizing that maybe the person he wants/needs has been there all along.

Click here to read.🔥

Shut Up And Dance With Me - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings- Maxwell x MC (Harley)

Synopsis - Maxwell and Harley have a dance party in Ramsford late one night.

Click here to read.

The Royal Tea Party - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - Maxwell x MC (Harley)

Synopsis - Maxwell and Harley’s 4 year old daughter is invited to Princess Eleanor’s royal tea party. When Harley gets sick and is unable to attend, Maxwell is left alone to deal with the antics of his 4 year old mini-me at the party. 

Click here to read.

Unworthy (two shot) - (The Royal Romance)

Pairing - Maxwell x OC (past girlfriend)

Warnings- emotional abuse, toxic behavior

Click here to read.

I Met You Just In Time - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - Riley x Anton/Justin

Synopsis - After meeting and falling in love with Riley, Anton is at war with himself and must come to a decision regarding his future with the Sons of Earth.

Click here to read. 🔥(<-- a tiny bit)

The Full Beaumonty (three shot)- (The Royal Romance)

Pairings- Maxwell x MC

Synopsis - Maxwell takes on a secret job to make some extra money for House Beaumont, but gets the surprise of his life when he sees that his next audience is none other than the ladies attending Madeleine’s bachelorette party.

Click here to read.🔥

Sinister Smile - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings - Liam x Riley (implied)

Synopsis - Young Princess Eleanor’s sudden strange behavior has her father shaken to his core. TW- Horror

Click here to read.

Happy Anniversary - (Bloodbound)

Pairings - MC (Victoria) x Adrian x Jax

Synopsis - Victoria has a present for her boyfriends to celebrate their anniversary, but the guys give her something first. 

Click here to read. 🔥

Hope Your Birthday is Ink-redible-(The Royal Romance)

Pairings- main: Maxwell x MC (Harley), implied Drake x Liam

Synopsis- Maxwell’s friends throw him a squid themed birthday party, but a surprise item on the dinner menu causes quite a stir. TW- vomit

Click here to read.

Type One-derful - (The Royal Romance)

Pairings- Maxwell x MC (Harley), implied Drake x Liam

Synopsis- Max and Harley make a surprising discovery about their daughter’s health.

Click here to read.

[storyofmychoices]

Assorted Masterlist

I have a couple assorted things that don’t fit on any of my master lists, so this is just to organize them and any other random things I do. 

Shadows and Deceptions: A Royal Murder Mystery (Mini Series) [TRR, COP, BOLAS, & D&D]

In the heart of Cordonia's grand ballroom, an eclectic cast of characters gathers, their lives interwoven as a result of a shocking turn of events. Trystan Thorne, the exiled prince with a taste for mystery, Olivia Nevrakis, the snarky Duchess skilled with daggers, Tyril Starfury, the noble elf Lord a defender of the realm, Amalas, the enigmatic spy queen, and Prince Hamid, the charming and formal imperial prince. Amidst the grand party of the birth of King Liam's third heir, Princess Ariana, the joyous celebration is broken by a piercing scream, a dead body, and a room full of royal suspects.

Blades of Light & Shadow

☆ In the Arms of Night (gift for dutifullynuttywitch): Mal and Autumn reflect on their meeting as the enjoy a quiet moment alone. 

Desire & Decorum [Ernest Sinclaire x Clara Mills (MC)]

☆ Love Conquers All 

The ever sullen Ernest finds reflecting on the past even more painful with the loss of Ledford Park; luckily, his fiancee is by his side to remind him he is never alone. 

Mother of the Year [Thomas x Amara (MC)]

☆ Double Trouble 

Audriana (daughter) and Luz have the perfect surprise for their parents. *Christmas fluff*

The Royal Romance [Emo Drake x King Liam]

✰ In the Garden

Part One: Emo!Drake is sad because the gang is teasing him (again). Liam follows to make sure he's alright. The two rekindle old feelings for each other and make a little wager. (teen +, sexual situations implied)

Part Two (Mature/Explicit) : After Liam wins the race, it’s time for Emo!Drake to make good on his promise to give Liam his reward. (sexual situations explicitly described)

✰ An Emo & An Emu : Emo!Drake sulks while the royals are attending a function. King Liam finds him and helps him relax (teen)

Other The Royal Romance 

✰ Happy Birthday, Burns [Drake Walker x You]: Drake has a birthday surprise to help you celebrate your special day.

Rules of Engagement [Bartender (David) x MC (Dani)]

☆ Morning, Sailor 

Dani wakes David up the morning after their engagement.

☆ Make a Wish 

Sometime following their engagement, David and Dani enjoy a night of stargazing.

☆ “A New Dawn” Drabble + Dani Rae Moodboard

David goes searching for Dani and finds her on the bow of the ship looking out at the sea in the early morning hours.

☆ Endless

David and Dani enjoy a quiet evening on the beach.

☆ Sketch Commission [Bartender x MC]

☆ ROE Siblings + Hogwarts Houses

Open Heart

☆ A Cozy Christmas [Ethan x M!MC] Gift for PeonyBlossom

Ethan, Sydney, and Caramel spent a cozy Christmas at home.

☆ Talk of the Town [Ethan x F!MC] 

Ethan and Claire attend a red carpet event

☆ Baz Mirani Moodboard

☆ Baz & Zaid Mirani Icon/Avatars

Veil of Secrets

☆ Study Habits: Midterms are next week and Kate hasn't begun to study. Luckily, Calli is there to help.

LoveLink (app)

☆ Cianán O Faoláin x Reader (oneshot) ( + art/commission)

You spend a quiet moment with Cianan under the moonlight. 

☆ Cianán O Faoláin x Reader (oneshot) (Explicit / 18+ Only)

You and Cianán enjoy some alone time (inspired by the recent date scene) (please read warnings on fic before reading)

[walkerduchess]

A Game of Hearts - Chapter Ten: Split (The Royal Romance AU)

Pairing: Drake x MC [Liam x MC]

Notes: Again I took too long whith this chapter, sorry. The next should be out faster since I’m off from work for the next 10 days. No flashbacks in this one because SO MUCH HAPPENS. I hope you like it, and if you read, please tell me what you think!

I do not own these characters, they belong to Pixelberry.

Summary: Princess Sapphire’s secrets still hangs between her and Drake, while tensions are rising in the kingdom she’s left.

Word Count: 4579

Tagging: I’m tagging everyone who asked me to. If you want in or out the list just let me know!  @confessionsofabrokegirl​, @museofbooks​, @stopforamoment​, @annekebbphotography​, @queenodysseia​ , @drakewalkerisreal​

Prologue: Promised | Chapter One: Unveiled | Chapter Two: Tied | Chapter Three: Acknowledged | Chapter Four: Disarmed | Chapter Five: Gone | Chapter Six: Unbarred | Chapter Seven: Assisted | Chapter Eight: Suited | Chapter Nine: Breached

Chapter Ten: Split

His eyes search hers, his lips slightly parted, awaiting for her to say something.

It is a foreign feeling, at least for the princess, to look into someone’s eyes and finding oneself recognized in them. It’s a sentiment similar to that she had upon meeting Hana again, after all those years. It’s alluring and overwhelming at the same time. Her breathing is uneven, and she gives him a small, careful nod.

“How?” He breathes out, “why-- what are you doing here?” His rushed words register the turmoil inside his brain, where a multitude of questions scream at the same time. 

She opens her mouth but she doesn’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have dropped all of these questions on you.” Drake says, uncharacteristically soft. “It’s just…” he seems to search for the right words, “you were gone.” His voice doesn’t sound accusing, but rather pained.

Elia doesn’t have to ask to know what he means. She used to see him every morning at sword class and then her father decided she didn’t need further lessons. Without even a chance to say goodbye, she simply never went back. 

“I know,” when she finally speaks, her voice is weak, “I was forced to--”

“I asked Max about you,” he blurts out before she can end her sentence, “he… he never gave me direct answers and kept changing the subject, so one day I... stopped asking.” His gaze shifted from her to the ground in front of him.

“I’m sorry, it’s just,” the woman begins, but she knows she cannot give him the truth. She tries to dismiss the thought, a futile attempt in waving away the irrefutable conclusion - a decision, made deep in her conscience, to disclose to this man only the part of her that is easy to accept, the part of her he used to like once, that doesn’t involve any title with a bigger meaning such as Promised Princess or Builder, instead is simple as… Elia. Her face falls and her features turn somber as she speaks words that, despite being true, don’t really give anything away, “some very complicated family things.”

“I gathered it was something like that,” he looks up at her, eyes sympathetic yet clearly waiting for further explanation. 

She can only look away, biting her lower lip. It’s not that she doesn’t want to trust him, she simply can’t. Instead, she chooses to change the focus, just a little bit. “I asked about you, too,” she speaks truthfully. At the beginning, every time she’d see Liam, the princess would ask about Drake. Of course she asked as if it was nothing, for she had way too much pride in her pre-teen years - not that it has ever gone away - to admit how much she cared. And she cared a lot. As the years went by, time took him away from her mind for days, then turned it into weeks and even months and years in a row. But she never truly forgot him. And, she realizes now, she also never really stopped caring.

He gives her a small smile, that don’t reach his eyes. She responds with a similar one. They gaze at each other for a while, only the crackling sounds of the fire breaking the silence between them. It’s comfortable, however Elia starts to fear he may ask more questions if they stay there longer, or worse, she fears she might spill it all out just from staring into the abyss held within his dark eyes.

“I better go to sleep,” she gestures at the tent behind them, her voice breaking the moment, “you can wake me or Jonah when you’re tired.”

Drake watches her make her way into her tent and mutters a quiet “good night.”

-

The Council room is large, yet right now it’s almost claustrophobic, with the voices inside higher than usual, most of them resonating at the same time. Liam closes his eyes and rubs his temples, his elbows resting on the big wooden table. He is exhausted. Even in the few nights he was able to get a good sleep, he’d still wake up feeling drained.

The prince spent the past month in a lethargic state. For the first time in his life, his future isn’t laid out in front of him. He doesn’t know what to do really. He repeats to himself, day after day, that he needs to stay strong for his people. That he can do. He chooses to focus on that, instead of thinking Sophie is gone, and now Drake, too. He couldn’t even tell his best friend he didn’t need to go searching for someone who doesn’t want to be found - again, Liam remembers with a pang of guilt - because Sophie asked him not to tell anyone.

Council meetings have been held daily since Sophie left, to no avail. The Promised Princess was still missing, the war was still happening and everyone in the kingdom seemed to be distressed. The holders clearly don’t know what to do, only repeating the same questions, concerns, search parties’ updates and any other futile idea to solve the situation. At the beginning, Liam felt bad. He knew the princess wasn’t kidnapped but he had to respect her wishes. He can’t say he hasn’t entertained the idea of telling the truth, many times. But something in his heart keeps telling him Sophie must have a very good reason for not wanting people to know she left willingly. She must have a marvelous reason for leaving. Liam is afraid to let himself think otherwise.

“Prince William?” The voice makes him open his eyes to find Lord Hakim glaring at him through his glasses.

“Yes?” He forces a casual tone, straightening up in his chair.

“I just said,” the man’s large shoulders tense and he exhales before continuing, “there is word of a traitor in the South’s army. Other than the Builder, that is.”

“The Builder is likely out of the picture,” Lady Olivia speaks up, “it’s been about a year since their army last showed new weaponry.”

“That does not mean--” Lord Bertrand tries to cut in but Liv is not having any of it.

“Besides,” the red haired woman speaks the word louder, shooting daggers at Bertrand with her eyes, “the odds shifted in our favour again. I say it’s time to attack with full force. I could send resources--”

“Thank you for your assessment, Lady Olivia.” King Brandon stops her war talk, to which she frowns but shortly lets go. “But we are, in no way, attacking our enemy while they have Princess Sapphire.”

The king’s words are cold, but there’s a hint of new moisture in his eyes that doesn’t get past Liam. King Brandon was never the same after Queen Aurora died, everybody knows that. He became somewhat smaller and grimmer. Now, after Sophie left, he only leaves his chambers to go to Council meetings. And even then, it’s as if he’s lost his strength.

“Please, Lord Hakim,” the prince decides to get to the point, at last, “tell us what you know about this traitor.”

Lord Hakim clears his throat then, “My spies reported they heard some talk from the South’s soldiers. They call their commander ‘The Cordonian’ and also mentioned that he is ‘no stranger to castle life’.”  

“That could be anyone,” Olivia speaks again, “a guard, a servant…”

“Or a holder,” Hakim adds cautiously.

“What are you implying, Lord Hakim?” King Brandon asks in what seems an unpretentious manner, yet his full attention is turned to the man.

Hakim brings one of his hands to adjust the glasses in his face, “I am just saying,” he speaks hesitantly, “we should take into consideration that Prince Leonard has been gone for eight years, and we are all familiar with his rebellious attitude--” 

“Not this again!” Former king Constantine exhales, letting his annoyance show. “We have absolutely no evidence of Prince Leonard’s whereabouts, and therefore no reason to make these assumptions.” The tinge of worry in his voice probably goes unnoticed by every other person in the room, but not to Liam. He knows his father all too well and he knows that, despite all the criticism and dismissiveness when it comes to his eldest son, Constantine loves and misses Leo. Entertaining the idea that Leo could betray his kingdom is painless compared to an infinitely more terrifying one - the idea that Leo could betray his own family. Liam can’t believe this either. He won’t.

“Well,” Lord Landon is the one to speak this time, “Prince Leonard has had exceptional war training his whole life, so it would not be a stretch to say he could become the command--”

“No.” Liam’s voice comes out strong and even, and before he can realize it. The prince is often quiet during the council’s meetings, especially lately, so all eyes turn to him after he speaks. After a brief moment, he sighs, standing up. “My brother has always been… impulsive. But he is a good man. I will not have we defining him a traitor,” his voice is commanding, in that tone the prince knows very well how to but almost never uses. The holders will acquiesce to whatever he says, yet they will be very much aware of how biased he is, so he adds, “not without clear evidence.” He sits down again, closing the matter.

-

Elia wakes with a light tap on her shoulder. The sky is already lightning up and Jonah is mumbling something to her about going to sleep before he disappears to his tent. 

The young woman sits up and stretches, quietly so not to wake the girl sleeping next to her. They’ve been putting up three improvised tents every evening now: one for her and Nora, one for Jonah and Elliot and one for Drake. The sheets she brought aren’t big, so they don’t have much space in the tents, but since Elliot and Nora are small, they can share with someone else without preventing a good sleep.

Stepping outside, Elia proceeds to inspect the leftovers of their meal from the past evening - boiled potatoes and chicken - to see if they can still have it for breakfast. They’re cold, so she manages to light up some branches that have fallen out of the fire the night before to heat the food. 

She sits while she waits, humming some made-up melody to herself in an attempt to push Drake-thoughts out of her brain. She focuses on the bright side of things: the Device is finished - thankfully she did it before Drake arrived, with the help of the children -, they have no shortage of food and water, and they’re advancing South. 

As if she can’t get the man out of her mind for five minutes, Drake emerges out of his tent and promptly joins her. “Good morning,” he declares, voice hoarse from sleep.

Before her mind can make sense of it, she catches herself smiling at him.

“So you can finally light a fire,” he gives her a side look, the ends of his mouth perking up, “if I keep successfully teaching you things, soon enough I’m going to be sparring you in the field instead of Jonah.”

Elia smiles, joining his tone, “yeah, and I might even beat you.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, now.”

“Hey!” She gives him a light punch in the shoulder, “I did beat you.”

“Once. Over a decade ago. It doesn’t count,” his voice sounds different somehow, lighter. His smile isn’t big, yet it’s contagious nonetheless, and she can’t help but smile too.

Soon enough her smile changes into a wistful one. He remembers too. She hugs both her legs in front of her, resting her head in her knees, face turned to Drake. She wants to say how much she misses those simpler times, however she keeps the thought to herself. 

Drake’s smile slowly fades and the princess sees one of his hands twitch slightly towards her, as if he is struggling with himself whether to touch her or not. “Why did you leave?” He finally asks, voice a little lower than before.

His eyebrows are knitted together and his face looks somewhat troubled, in a way that makes it almost physically painful to deny him the answer. But she won’t tell him, so she shifts her head, positioning her forehead in her knees so that she doesn’t have to look at him. 

Elia swallows, searching her mind for the right words, but there are none.

“You don’t have to tell me what happened but,” he speaks again and she feels his hand settling on top of hers, between them, “I’m here.”

The princess brings her head up to stare at him again, “I want to, I just…” And it’s true, and she has to make a huge effort to remember why, for his touch on her skin has fogged her mind. “I can’t now.”

His gaze is almost pained, as if it hurt him to leave her alone with her burdens. She holds it, however, in a way of asserting how certain and strong she is, despite how much his eyes burn through hers right into her soul. He takes a moment before speaking again, nodding shortly, “alright.”

-

Lord Bertrand massages each one of his temples with two fingers with his eyes closed, trying to make his headache go away. When the car stops, he barely acknowledges the “good evening” his driver wishes him, jumping out of the car in a hurry to finally have a good bath and then sleep. He didn’t really need a car, for Thorngate Castle is hardly ten minutes by foot away from Ramsford Castle, but Bertrand isn’t one to walk as if he were a youngster.

Climbing up the stairs, he wills his mind to stop worrying with problems he cannot solve - at least for today - and, especially, wondering what consequences will come upon them all if Sapphire isn’t found soon. It’s been long years since he held a close relationship with his cousin, yet he can’t help but worry about her wellbeing. Of course, Bertrand will not show this weakness, instead he can very well put on the façade that his concern is only for the fate of his kingdom. Besides, his brother is mournful enough for both of them.

Upon remembering his brother, the older man makes his way to Max’s chambers, meaning to check how the tasks he left for him in the morning went. Bertrand usually sticks to his manners, but he doesn’t have enough patience for it tonight, and definitely not with Max. Therefore, he simply barges in through  his brother’s doors, in time to see him standing by an open bag, already filled with clothes and some other belongings.

Bertrand’s expression turns confused, “where are you going?”

The younger man turns to him, a bitter look in his eyes, not unlike the one he has ever since his parents died, but this one just looks… defeated. “Away,” he snarls.

“What does that even mean, Maxwell?” Bertrand runs a hand through his face, “It’s certainly too late and it’s been a hard day, so if you could not pull one of your pranks--” 

“I’m not a child!” Max interrupts, almost yelling. 

It leaves Bertrand brother gaping, thinking for sure something must have snapped inside his younger brother, for he has never in his life spoken with such rage and firmness.

“And you needn’t worry,” Max continues, in a calmer tone, even though his face remains in a scowl, as he turns his attention back to the bag on the floor and begins tying it closed, “I won’t be bothering you or smearing our family’s reputation.”

Bertrand just stands there, pathetically so, while his brother puts the bag in his shoulders, brushes past him in the door and proceeds down the stairs.

The front door shutting startles him, bringing him out of his stupor, and before he knows he is running - the Lord Bertrand running, and he is glad there’s no one but a servant to see it - down the stairs and out the front doors.

“Wait!” He calls when he sees Max struggling to place his bag inside a car outside, aided by the driver, his voice above the appropriate volume, “Maxwell! Wait!”

He stops in a halt beside the car, breathing hard and placing a hand in his chest in an attempt to dull the ache in his lungs. 

Max turns to him, “yes?” He’s got the same cold, bitter tone from before.

“Are you leaving? Where to? Why?” 

The younger man’s expression softens a little. “Sorry, brother. I made up my mind. There’s nothing for me here.”

Bertrand still doesn’t understand. “Is this about Sophie?”

Max sighs, shaking his head. “You don’t get it. It’s not just Sophie, it’s mum and dad, it’s Leo, Sav, and even Drake now. They’re all gone!

“You have me!” Bertrand yells, not knowing where this came from. But, as he finishes saying it he realizes… it’s true. He does want Max to be with him.

“You have your duties and your council. I won’t drag you backwards anymore.” With a last, somewhat sorrowful glance, the younger brother gets in the car and shuts the door.

It feels like being slapped in the face. Before he can even say anything, the car starts to pull away. “Max!” He screams after the car, pitifully hoping it would turn back around. “Max!”

-

A week has passed, and Drake’s been nothing but understanding. Elia would never have guessed, in a million lifetimes, that the suspicious and stubborn boy she used to be friends with would give her space instead of pressing her to tell him everything. She doesn’t think he would act this way before he knew she is Elia. The notion of it brings a painful twinge to her heart. Drake is actively choosing to trust her, and yet she won’t do the same for him.

Which is not to say their relationship hasn’t changed. They exchange smiles often, talk more - sometimes even about people they both used to know - and of course, tease each other all the time. It's one of the times like these - when they’ve just eaten and are getting ready to resume travel, talking casually - when he asks, “have you been wandering for long?”

It catches the princess by surprise, because in this moment, in the softness of early morning, she’s let her guard down. A heavy weight settles in her gut again, yet she can’t tell if it’s from guilt or another, more primal feeling that climbs up her throat and threatens to spill from her mouth - betrayal. It causes her eyes to go wide, looking into his for ulterior motives, any hidden wickedness to show how he’s been out to get her this whole time, but the only thing she can find there is care.

He must have noticed her starting to retreat back into herself, for with one step he is close, so close to her and his hand finds hers. “Elia…” His eyes search hers, in a desperate and silent plead. “I don’t know what happened,” he uses his other hand to brush a strand of light-brown hair behind her ear and cups the exposed skin of her cheek, “but you can tell me.”

Her mind screams at her to flee, to not give in to the warm feeling spreading from where his hands touch her. For a second, she listens to it, pressing her free hand to his chest in order to push him away, but, before she can realize it, something switches inside of her and she uses no force, instead just rests her hand above his heart.

Standing close, like this, she has to bend her head up to look at him, his gaze soft and bare just inches away. Elia notes the distinctive movement of him reaching down, incredibly slowly, and she doesn’t really have to think to know what happens next. His lips are inviting, so is all of him, yet in a flash of better judgement she holds back.

“You’re right,” it comes out in a whisper since their faces are less than a breath apart.

Drake knits his eyebrows and she takes it as an opportunity to leave his embrace. Elia takes a deep breath before continuing, “I have to show you something.”

She can’t be sure whether she’s completely out of her mind or simply making a bold move. A leap of faith, like people from before would say. She has to tell Drake or she’ll go insane, she tells herself to soothe her nerves while she fetches the Device from the inside of her bag. The children watch, apprehensive and without saying a word. Maybe she is, indeed, crazy. 

When she places the heavy yet compact mechanism, carefully, in the ground, Drake stares at it for a while, looking as concerned as the kids, before finally asking, “what is this?” His eyes are not soft like moments ago, they are straight back to being the cold suspicious ones he had when they first met at the abandoned building. 

Elia swallows, summoning up all the courage within her. “This is a device meant for cleaning the poisoned water in Cordonia,” she explains, voice deadpan.

Drake’s expression turns even more perturbed, “and what are you doing with it?” He looks a little scared of the thing, and Elia does not miss his hand going to the hilt of his sword.

“I…” she says carefully, “I built it.” She emphasizes the word on purpose, so he can truly understand. She may be a coward for not speaking the plain truth already, but she holds his gaze throughout the seconds it took him to grasp what she just said.  

“You…” he mumbles, and Elia recognizes bewilderment turning briefly into hurt before his expression hardens again. Without saying a word, he unsheathes his sword, causing her to panic a little.

“Drake, this is not a weapon,” the princess holds her hands in front of her, trying to make him listen.

He stares at her then, and there’s a fire in his eyes she has never seen before, so intense that Elia thinks he may rip her head off her body just by looking at her. 

“Are you the Builder?” He asks, voice stern but somewhat composed.

“Drake--”

“Answer me!” He almost shouts, and the princess doesn’t miss the littlest of trembles in the man’s hand while holding the sword.

She gathers up her courage. It’s not as if she has much of a choice now, “I was," she chose her words carefully.

“Give me one good reason for me not to end your life right now.” His voice is almost bitter, sword pointed at her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Jonah stepping ahead, hand reaching for the hilt of his own sword.

“Jonah, stay back,” she orders. He opens his mouth to protest, but she doesn’t let him speak, “stay with Nora and Elliot. They need you.”

The boy reluctantly steps back then.

The princess has to take some quick breaths to keep her calm, but she is determined to get to the bottom of this. She started it, right? She’s imagined this scenario in her head, multiple times now, and Drake reacting like this is perfectly predictable. Only the hard part begins now.

“My name. My whole name,” she searches his eyes to make sure he is listening, “is Sapphire Aurelia.”

Realization downs upon him when he recognizes the name. He chuckles is disbelief. “Right… you’re the Promised Princess,” he speaks in a sarcastic tone.

“It’s true!”

The fire in his eyes seem to fade a little, giving way to something else… disappointment. “I trusted you, Elia. I let myself be vulnerable around you and--” he stops himself, shaking his head, “I never should have.” And just like that, the fire is back, and he steps a little closer, flawlessly sharpened blade reflecting the sunlight in a threatening gleam.

Although, Elia is not afraid, at least not of being killed. “I’m telling the truth and I’m going to prove it to you.”

He could call her bluff… but Elia sees the hesitation in his eyes even before he speaks, “how?”

Well, there is the problem of the lack of physical proof, so she proposes the only thing she can, “ask me anything! Something only Princess Sapphire would know.”

He chuckles again, shaking his head. “This means nothing.”

Elia did not foresee a moment such as this would become her newest mini-existential crisis. What makes her the Promised Princess? What makes her who she is? The prophecy may say it’s her blood, and her time of birth, and such things, but she lived in hiding for so long it would not surprise her if she came home and there was an impostor in her place. No one would know, she’s certain. So no, this is not it. What makes her the one and only Sapphire Aurelia, the Promised Princess of the Last Prophecy, true and irreplaceable if not for what she knows and what she has lived? No one can take that from her. “This means everything.”

He seems to read the certainty in her expression, because it doesn’t take long for him to decide. “Fine.” He takes a breath and straightens himself, lowering his sword a little. 

She knows it’s a small victory, and her lips threaten to pull back in a small smile, yet she holds it back, not wanting to push her luck with Drake.

“Where could Liam always find you?” 

It takes her by surprise, for she wasn’t expecting the interrogation to start right away. It’s an easy one, at least, “the library.”

“What game did you love playing so much you inserted you and your friends in it?” Despite Drake’s impassive tone, Elia can’t hold back her smile now. She can’t help it, she’s too fond of the memory and Drake’s wording is amusing.

“Chess.”

“What piece were you?”

“The knight.”

“And Liam?”

“The rook.” She’s impressed. Drake doesn’t even flinch nor takes time thinking of the next question. Elia wonders if he ever really interrogated someone. He must have. And he knows so many details. In her mind, she tries to picture Liam telling Drake about his day and it baffles her how much Drake kept in his mind, even what must surely be boring details for an outsider. “Did Liam tell you all of this?”

“I’m asking the questions.”He did not seem amused by her distraction. “When did you find out about the undercroft?”

She couldn’t possibly forget that day. “Right after mine and Liam’s engagement party.”

He nodded his head, as if he’s at the brink of reaching a verdict.“When did you and Liam first have sex?”

Ah, a trick question. Or - no, Liam wouldn’t have lied to his best friend, would he? “We didn’t.”

Drake purses his lips and Elia can almost burst from the anticipation of not knowing what’s in his mind.

After a moment, he nods to himself, “very well, Princess.”

Elia’s brows shoot up at his words, half of her optimistic about him believing in her, and the other half apprehensive because his threatening posture still hasn’t changed.

She should have seen it coming, she really did, but for some reason, Drake’s next words catch her flabbergasted, as he brings his sword up again and towards her, “gather your things, you’re coming back with me.”

[ownworldresident]

Side by Side. Chapter 7: Challenger

King Liam x Rayne (MC): With new additions to their family, Rayne and  Liam re-evaluate their relationship dynamic.

Disclaimer: Most  characters are the property of Pixelberry studios. I am just borrowing them and will return them when I am done.

MASTERLIST

Special appearance by @hopefulmoonobject as Clair, thanks Nesha!

The door flew open and she entered with a twisted smile. She breathed hard at the speed of her coming and a sense of foreboding came over Liam.

“What is it Madeline? I have things to do” the last couple of weeks had been particularly trying with his ‘wife’ and Liam had all but given up on propriety. It wasn’t as if she exercised any in return. For example, rather than reply, Madeline went to the small television screen along one side of his office and started to switch between channels.

“You have to watch this” she said, still looking at the screen, “there” it was a news reporter with an American accent, and though he was not keen to entertain Madeline he stood and put down his work, coming around the desk to see the screen better. Madeline was much too happy about this, which filled him with dread. He narrowed his gaze at her for a moment before switching his focus to the reporter who sat before a picture of the New York City skyline.

           “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! For those of you just joining us, we have just been joined by a special guest, Genevieve O’Mara. Along with being fixture in the New York  legal scene, some of you may also know of Genevieve’s daughter and only child, Joanna Rayne Stevens, currently residing in Cordonia” a photo of Rayne in her old waitress outfit comes on to the screen, “Rayne is the mistress of recently married King Liam, we have a photo of the wedding here” Liam clenched his fists tight and tried to ignore the satisfied smirk on Madeline’s face as a picture of the two of them outside the Basilica filled the screen. It zoomed in to the corner of the screen where Rayne was smiling with Olivia and Leo, “so Genevieve, we have been wondering for a while now, what happened there? How does a young woman like Rayne, who surely has so much more to offer the world, end up as just ‘the other woman’ to a European monarch?”

Genevieve sat in a chair opposite the reporter, the same sweet smile on her face as when he had met her last year.

“Please Richard, call me Gen” she looked from the reporter to the camera, “my beautiful baby Rayne, who I have not seen in months, is a strong woman. It breaks my heart that she is being used in this way. I only hope that with enough support, we can liberate her from the grasp of the king” Liam stared at the screen, heart sinking, he could feel how much Madeline was enjoying Genevieve’s discreditation of her own daughter.

“Are you saying that King Liam is holding her against her will?”

“As I said, I raised my daughter to be strong. I was surprised that she was not there beside me after the passing of my son, two years ago, but I attributed it to her needing her own space” Genevieve wiped a tear from her eye and Liam’s compassion battled with anger at the blatant lie, “understandably, it is likely that Ray was still in a vulnerable place when she travelled to Cordonia, and I’m sure the king made her a good offer” Liam felt Madeline’s gaze on him and ensured his concern was well checked, “I can only think of one other reason that my daughter would allow herself to be manipulated like this, but it is difficult to see how it could be the only reason she has stayed…” Liam held his breath.

The door opened again, and he looked up to see Rayne come in, her expression transitioning quickly from panicked to polite as she registered Madeline.

“You’re just in time Joanna” Rayne’s facade faltered for a moment at the use of her first name before she drew herself up to her full height and nodded.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesties” she came around to stand between them and Liam took her hand and squeezed it briefly.

“Good afternoon Rayne” he said softly as they turned back to the screen just in time.

“So what you’re saying is that the reason we haven’t seen your daughter out in public recently is that she’s pregnant?”

“Oh my god...” Rayne put a hand over her mouth and stumbled backwards to the lounge on the other side of the room. Liam followed her, steadying her gait and holding her hand when she was seated. Madeline had barely glanced at them.

“Exactly. I have the transcript of the last phone call we had where she indicated as much-”

“Turn it off” Liam looked determinately towards Madeline, who still held the remote. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“-so all I can ask is Rayne, if you’re watching-”

“Turn it off Madeline. Now” his tone was commanding, they had heard more than enough. Beside him Rayne’s breathing was shallow and quick, her gaze still fixed on the screen

“-you know that I love you, don't let this man be-” Madeline switched off the television and turned to face the two of them.

“You need to put together a statement husband, this won't take long to become cancerous to your rule. Our people will need answers” Liam reminded himself to remain calm, if not for his sake then for Rayne’s.

“I am well aware of this Madeline. Now leave us” she didn't get a polite request. She had earned the opposite.

“We need to work on this together, and we need to do it soon” she was challenging him. It wouldn't get her far.

“I will take care of it, leave us” Rayne was still silent, she hadn't been well in the last few days and she was too pale as she stared at the screen. When Madeline moved towards the desk he stood to intercept, squaring his shoulders and looking hard at her, “that was not a request Madeline”

“You cannot force me to go” she said coldly.

“Yes, I can. You were not born a monarch Madeline, you married one. You do not have the final say, I do. Leave us” Madeline stared at him, and it gave him some satisfaction to see her struggling with herself before she smiled.

“Be wary of where you lay your threats, darling. I will draft a response” she put the remote down and finally headed out the door.

As soon as she was gone he locked the door behind her and rushed to Rayne’s side. She looked up at him.

“I can't believe she would do that” she said. Her breathing was returning to normal and she stood up slowly.

“It doesn't matter now. We will deal with it, it will be fine” she frowned at him.

“Liam they're implying that you're keeping me here against my will. Even if I go out there now, you're still going to be under fire from the press. They won't let this go easily”

“We will be fine my love, I will be fine. Do not worry yourself further on my behalf” he needed her to believe him, needed her to take some of the pressure off her shoulders, “and in any case, we had planned to make a statement about the pregnancy in only a few days now that we are out of danger, we will explain that, we will be fine. I promise” he gathered Rayne in his arms and held her close. She didn't relax, she hadn't in days.

“I'm worried for what this means for you”

 Rayne walked quickly into the quiet cafe and lit up when she saw her friend sitting at a corner table. Quickly she moved over, and Clair stood up just in time to receive a tight hug. "I'm so sorry I'm late, I honestly didn't think I'd have to take a back entrance... the press have been so persistent lately" she puts down her bag and takes off her heavy coat, sitting down and schooling a warm smile. So expertly had she cultivated that smile that she didn't even think about it anymore, "how have you been?" Clair smiled as she sat back down.

“I am good, Rayne, it is so good to see you” it was refreshing to hear a New York accent, she wasn’t sure she had a very strong one anymore. Clair tented her fingers and rested her elbows on the table between them, and Rayne felt like she was under a microscope as she waited for her friends conclusion, “now, how are you really doing” she smiled again.

"I'm really well. We've been working on a development for Valtoria, it's an unclaimed duchy, it's been fun, but Liam has been putting in a lot of work" Rayne pulled out her phone and smiled at a picture of Liam with Evie and Leo. There was about an hour and a half before she needed to get back. Looking up she saw Clair peering at her phone.

“Rayne you have a beautiful family” she smiled fondly, “so those are my godchildren? Cannot wait to meet them, and I have some time, I can help where ever you need me too.  the letter I got said that you needed my help” Rayne froze.

“What?” Clair continued as if nothing she had said was out of the ordinary.

“Honestly I am kinda worried about you”

“No, wait, what letter?” her friend frowned.

“I got a letter and plane ticket that said you needed back-up, don't know who it was from, but I heard that mommy dearest is here so I came as soon as I could” she frowned, “can you tell me what is really going on, but maybe not here, there are too many ears” Rayne stared at her. It was one thing for her to get in touch, another entirely for someone to have called her over. She scanned her friends for who would be the most likely to have contacted Clair. Drake... surely it was him… Clair eyed her with some concern.

“Rayne don't be mad, I have always said if you need me, I would come running, but we both know you are too stubborn for your own good” "Okay" her polite facade was natural to her now, it had been tested enough, "let's go up to the palace. You can meet your godchildren" Clair reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

“I am here because I love you, you are my best friend. you deserve the world” she grinned, “but I need to spoil some babies”

"I..." swallowing hard, Rayne gathered her things and nodded, "come on then" her old smile took over her face, a vulnerable smile that showed too many emotions, "let me show you my home"

“Lead, the way! A palace wow, this will be interesting” Rayne laughed. "That's one way to put it"

 The entire drive there Rayne watched nervously as her friend peered out at the city and the route to the palace. She wanted Clair to approve of her new home but was also worried of what had been in that letter, and what her intentions were.

“Okay, Rayne, I can feel you thinking, What is it? What do you want to know?” Clair smiled at her friend, grabbing her hand and giving her a reassuring squeeze.

Rayne was momentarily surprised at the question. Not many people really asked her how she was very often. Liam was there every day, but her other friends weren’t, and though Regina occasionally came by she was more interested in the twins than in Rayne herself. It was something she was accustomed to, but she turned away to think of an answer, because anything she said her friend would see right through. She sighed.

“I was wondering what was in the letter that you received. And also… what you think of my home” she offered a weak smile, then turned to look out the window again. How did her friend bring out the most vulnerable side of her? One she thought didn’t exist anymore.

“Rayne, I have to ask something first, and I ask that you answer me, no bullshit.  I you completely happy here?” she answered without hesitation.

“I am, Clair. Overall, I am” she smiled as the car stopped and again as someone opened the door for her, suddenly self-conscious about the way she was treated by the staff. As soon as she stepped out of the car her defences were firmly back in place and she breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see her friend getting out behind her, “ready to meet your godchildren?”

“You mean spoil them, so they love me more than you? Absolutely.”  Rayne smiled at her friend, it was a polite smile, but there was genuine appreciation behind it.

“Come on then” she started to lead the way around to her preferred entrance.

“PS, when we are not in front of people, please let me see my friend, flaws and all. Miss that girl” Clair whispered, “I am here to help, I will always have your back.”

“I know that” Rayne smiled politely at the doorman who let them inside and nodded to him, “thank you” before turning back to Clair, “I missed you as well” her friend was smiling at the doorman.

“Hi, I am Rayne’s oldest friend, so if you need any scoop on her, well I cannot help you,” he tried not to smile as Clair followed her friend through the halls.

“Are you going to say that to all the…” Rayne frowned momentarily as she heard footsteps coming from the furthest room, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, resuming her polite smile. Just who she had hoped to avoid, “good afternoon, Your Majesty” she bowed her head as Madeline approached them, surveying Clair disapprovingly.

“Rayne, shouldn’t you be with your children? As far as I was aware they were the only things you cared about” there was slightly more malice in her voice than usual. As expected, Clair didn’t wait for an introduction.

“Hello, your Majesty, I am Clair Raymonds, I believe we have a meeting in a couple of months, I am a Human Rights Officer, within the UN, and we have you slated to speak about children at risk of exploitation” she smiled at Madeleine, but Rayne knew it was the smile reserved for being was deliberately disrespectful.

“Of course, Miss Raymonds” Madeline barely blinked, “I have the memo on my desk, but I did not expect you to be in the royal wing, and without a proper escort. Lady Rayne does not spend much time out of her apartments” her polite smile sent a shiver down Rayne’s spine, but she didn’t move a muscle.

“Well, your Majesty, it is truly remarkable how increasingly small our world is. Lady Rayne and I have been friends since we were seven. Even college roommates. So when I found out that I was now a godmother, well I dropped everything to come and meet them. Those things, as you put it are the reason, that I am here. And I look forward to getting to know them and your beautiful country better.”  Madeline smiled.

“Indeed. We must hope that no ill-fate befalls Lady Rayne” she glanced at her watch, “I am afraid that I will have to leave you. I have a council meeting in less than an hour and need to retrieve a document from my husband, the King” she smirked at Rayne, but she had heard that so many times before that externally it didn’t appear to affect her.

“Give Liam my best, Madeline, if you would be so kind” Rayne smiled, knowing that in no way would that make it back to Liam, who at this time in any case would almost be back.

“It was my pleasure to have met you, Your Majesty, hopefully by the time we see you at the conference, I will have got the council to accept you for one of our chair positions. It would be a great privilege for your small country” still Clair maintained that smirk.

“It would be indeed. I look forward to your favourable observations” she brushed past them and down an adjoining hall towards Liam’s office. Rayne turned to Clair with a strained smile and started to lead them towards her rooms, eager to get back to Leo and Evie.

“So, that was one of our Monarchs, what did you think?” meeting Madeline, especially unexpectedly, was always draining.

“I think I am glad, I am here. Rayne, I will play nice for your sake, but what the HELL? ‘Ill-fate befalls Lady Rayne’, I don’t think that basic …. sorry, my mother told me not to speak ill of the dead” Clair chuckled “but that is a demon”

Despite herself, Rayne laughed, “only towards me and company, which I can deal with” she stopped outside her door and grinned, the unpleasant interaction rolling off her, “are you ready to meet them?”

“Umm yes!!! Open the door already. You are the worst at making me wait for my surprises” Clair laughed.

Rayne rolled her eyes as she opened the door and gestured for her friend to enter, “please be slightly less excitable when you meet them? Come on”

“I will try, but you know how much I love babies, they are cute with their chubby cheeks.” she looked at Rayne, “Ok, I will try, but it isn’t every day you find out you are the godmother to Royal heirs”

“How could I forget your niece? The poor girl is scarred for life” Rayne grinned and led her friend to the nursery. Jackie, the nanny that she finally agreed to, smiled when she met them in the hallway.

“Hey, that was her other Aunt.” Clair protested in regard to her relative.

“You can keep telling yourself that” she turned her smile to Jackie, who greeted them with her warm, motherly smile.

“Good afternoon Rayne, and this must be Clair, wonderful to meet you, I am Jackie” Jackie had been Liam and Leo’s nanny and the first one Rayne trusted to care for the twins.

“Hello, Ms. Jackie, it is so good to meet you as well. Are they asleep?” Clair beamed.

“They just woke up, so you came at a good time, I was trying to find Evelyn’s blanket” Rayne turned to Clair.

“It smells the most like Liam” she explained, then turned back, “I’ll get something from the bedroom. Thank you, Jackie, you can go for today”

“That sounds like a good idea” she smiled, “and thank you, I will see you tomorrow” pulling Rayne into a hug, she squeezed her tightly, before heading out. That hug always lifted her spirits and was one of the reasons she liked her.

“Ok, I am going in, I can help you with diapers and such if you like..” Clair offered, “and you can tell me everything.  I need to know how to help you. I can see that everyone on the staff loves you, and from how Cruella treated you... well. I am glad I am here. You need a someone in your corner. That kitty needs to be declawed”

Rayne laughed, “what are you doing to me Clair? I am perfectly comfortable avoiding her. And…” she blushed, the stopped herself, a skill which had taken time, “the staff are nice to everyone. They are all lovely people” she opened the door the nursery and smiled, “feel free to start with that diaper change, I’ll go and get one of Liam’s t-shirts” she started to walk down the hall., hearing her friend speaking to one of the twins.

“Hello, my little prince, I am Clair, your favourite Aunt. Do you need a diaper change?” Rayne smiled as she listened. “Rayne is in trouble, you are a little flirt already.” Clair chuckled.

 Once in her room though Rayne gently closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. In no way had she expected that conversation to be so intense, or to meet Madeline in the hall, and the effort to maintain her composure had been draining. Clair was her closest friend, but she wanted to go deeper than anyone she saw regularly other than Liam, and it wasn’t something she wanted or needed. Trying not make any noise, she wiped a few tears from her face and cleared her throat.

“You are stronger than this Rayne… you need to be stronger than this…” after a few moments she stood up straight again and smiled, heading towards Liam’s walk-in robe but stopping when she saw Evie’s blanket on a chair in the corner and smiled, “should have known” Liam brought her in here when she woke up, rather than take her to the living room. She loved that man, him and their children, more than anything.

 Walking back to the nursery, Rayne saw Clair at the table along the wall with Leo, and leaned on the doorway for a moment watching them, “having fun?”

“Yep, one down, One to go. This little boy is such a flirt, wonder who he gets that from?” Clair giggled as she lifts Leo up, turning around. “Rayne, I am here until the conference I mentioned, I will let you truly talk to me when you are ready but please, no hiding. I will never judge you, I absolutely will judge the stand in, but only in my head. Mostly”

“I know” Rayne knew that her tone was not as definitive as she would like, and walked in to pick up her daughter, placing her blanket around her and waiting for the table, “and if you’re suggesting that that flirt is his father and that that is all it took? You’re correct” Clair chuckled, nodding to Evelyn.

“If she is not the spitting image of you... Rayne, they are beautiful, does daddy have a brother?” Clair winked.

“Already you ask Clair, I should have expected that” she smiled, and as a matter of fact, he does. I haven’t decided whether to introduce the two of you yet, not if you’re staying in this suite” Leo had managed to find out that Rayne had a friend here, but she hadn’t confirmed for him whether that friend was single or not.

Clair laughed softly, trying not to startle the babies, “I have no idea of what you are talking about. His scent calms her still, huh? So when do I get to meet the father of my godchildren?”

“Sometimes I wonder if my girl recognises that she has two parents” Rayne smiled, leaning her cheek on Evie’s head and swaying slightly, “and Liam should be here really soon, he gets off early today. To meet you, actually” Rayne frowned, “um, what time is it?”

Clair looked at her watch, “It is almost a little after three. I would expect punctuality from His Majesty”

“One of his many excellent qualities. And he should have… been here already” Rayne didn’t want to worry her friend, her near panic was internal, “I’ll message him, can you take her?”

“Sure, I got them if you want to go his office, I will tell them the story of how I met the most tenacious little girl ever.” Clair smiled.

“Good idea, and thank you so much Clair, really” she passed Evie to her friend and pulled out her phone, confirming that she hadn’t received any messages from Liam, “will you be okay with them for a while? His office isn’t too far, I’m sure he’s just caught up with something”

“I have been around babies longer than you, I will be fine. Do what you need to do.” Clair reassured her.

“Will see you soon then” she headed out the door, her gait steadily increasing with her heartbeat as she made her way to the office.

 The door was unlocked, and no one answered her knock. There was something wrong, she hadn’t allowed herself to believe it before, but something was wrong. Not hearing any voices, Rayne gently pushed open the door and looked to the desk.

“Liam!” she ran over to him and around the desk. The King didn’t move. Still sitting in his chair, his head was resting face down on his arm and his desk, surrounded by the work he had been doing and still with a pen in his slack hand. Rayne shook him, but he didn’t move, leaning down close she tried to blink away her tears, begging for him to still be breathing, “please…” she whispered to him, turning his head and placing her fingers near his nose to feel the intake and exhale of breath there. She almost collapsed, that moment of panic still overwhelming her. There was no explanation for him to be unconscious here, but then she noticed the document directly beneath him, and saw the messy scrawl of a bad imitation of Liam’s signature. Gently pulling the document out from under him she stared at the heading, frozen.

Rage took her over.

Tag List: @leelee10898 @umccall71 @indiacater @speedyoperarascalparty @brightpinkpeppercorn @riseandshinelittleblossom @bella-ca@custaroonie @furiousherringoperatortoad@missevabean @thequeenofcronuts @hopefulmoonobject@kuladekiwi @mfackenthal @iplaydrake @lodberg@annekebbphotography @carabeth @wannabemc

(If you would like to be added or removed from the tag list please let me know!)

[bobasheebaby]

COMING THIS WEEKEND!

The Rise

Choices Zombie Crossover AU

I know some of you have been waiting for this since I announced it the end of December, we’ll give me a few days to comb through chapter 1 one more time and I will give you the zombie AU you want. I’m not sure how often I will be updating, I’m still holding out hope that I can add in Nightbound, we shall see. Thanks for bearing with me. The warnings will apply to all chapters and one shots just in case.

If you need to avoid The Rise postings, filter #choices zombie au or #the rise to ensure you won’t see my zombie fic posts.

Books: Endless Summer, The Royal Romance, Bloodbound, Perfect Match & possibly Open Heart.

Pairings: Maxwell x Quinn, Drake x Damien, Liam x MC, Bastien x Olivia, and a mystery crack pair that will make a super fun love triangle. My muse surprised me or shall I say the characters and my muse ganged up on me and I’m going for it. There are a few implied pairings or pairings from the books that will be more general than the focus. I also will probably have accompanying one shots to go with the series that may feature more surprise pairings.

Summary: The end of the world has come, the dead are walking the earth. Trapped in a forgein country, forced to fight for their lives. Who can they trust, who will live, and who will die?

THERE WILL BE CHARACTER DEATH! Someone dies in the second chapter, and I may have enjoyed it a tad too much.

Warnings: death, rotting flesh, gore, blood, biting, turning, blood consumption, may get NSFW. It’s zombies, it ain’t gonna be pretty! By requesting to be tagged you acknowledge you are at least 18 years old and can stomach the gore.

WARNING: I CAN’T GUARANTEE THE SURVIVAL OF ANY OF THE CHARACTERS!

The Rise Taglist: @speedyoperarascalparty @liamxs-world @annekebbphotography @syphaxs @hopefulmoonobject @itsstillnotwhatyouthink @riseandshinelittleblossom @cocomaxley @ao719 @blackwidow2721 @katurrade @leelee10898 @stopforamoment @akrenich @cora-nova @gardeningourmet @daniv2278 @bella-ca @gibbles82 @choiceslife @tornbetween2loves @sleepwalkingelite @carabeth @traeumerinwitzhelden @blackcatkita @boneandfur @bobbersb-fanficfun @endlessflame @kadencantarella @innerpostmentality @imma-winchester-addict @strangerofbraidwood @darley1101 @sirbeepsalot @itsalliepg @likethetailofacomet

[mind-reader1]

Queen of Hearts (Ch. 29 Part 2)

Drake x MC (Emma Barnes)

TRR AU: What would happen if Emma loved Drake but had to marry Liam?

Catch up here

Warnings: major angst

Note: I’m sorry. Next chapter we get to some even juicier drama (and some NSFW)!

Word Count: 1,171

Summary: It’s been 3 years since Drake and Emma got married, 2 since they found out she was infertile. How has treatment and the fake marriage affected them and their relationship after so long? 

Chapter 29 Part 2: Better Life - P!NK 

I've been up late watching you breathe Wondering if you're going to leave Don't tell me what you see That you actually believe it

But I've been up late nights Staring at the street lights All the cigarette smoke, can't escape a closing window And my head's like "what happened to you, it's alright" Baby, it's not alright What if we're a closing window

But I can't shake the feeling That you picture a better life, better wife, better nights, better high I can't shake the feeling (I can't shake the feeling) Do you picture a better life?

*** 2 years later ***

Emma was laying with her back to Drake, wide awake. More and more events had been calling Emma away for Royal duties and she could tell there was a rift growing between them. She had been through six rounds of IVF and they had all been unsuccessful, it was taking a toll on them. Last week had been the first time they'd had sex in months, whereas three years ago when they first got married they couldn't keep their hands off each other, now it felt like they barely looked at each other. She got up to get dressed because she was needed at the palace, they were holding a press conference today and she was dreading it. Liam had gotten Olivia pregnant, after lots of arguing about how they were going to explain it, they settled on telling the press that she was a surrogate for them since Emma couldn't get pregnant. She hated that she had to tell the nation, but it was important, rumors had already infiltrated the court, she seemed to be at the center of them all. A loveless marriage with Liam, her relationship with Drake in a bad place as they watched Kiara throw herself at him more and more every council meeting, rumors that Emma didn't want children, people even beginning to wonder if Olivia was really a surrogate. In an effort to spend some more time with Drake and try to fix what was wrong with them, she brought him to the palace for the press conference.

“Are you going to be watching?” She asked as she changed into a little black dress. Drake shrugged.

“I don't like watching you play house with him Emma.” She sighed.

“I don't either, but I could use a friendly face in the crowd.”

“Yeah, I guess I'll watch then.”

“Thank you.” Emma found Liam and Olivia, all of them walking out together to face the press. Cameras flashed the instant they appeared, Emma plastered on a fake smile and stood on one side of Olivia, Liam on the other.

“Thank you all for coming! We have an announcement we would like to make. Before we do though, we ask that you be respectful, and we will be answering questions at a later date.”

“As you're all very aware, I haven't produced an heir yet. This has been a trying time for us, and we have discovered that I….” Emma took a deep breath to calm her nerves and searched for Drake in the crowd, locking eyes with him. “I cannot have children; Lady Olivia has been so generous as to be our surrogate.”

“I'm just so glad I was able to help my friends, and, no the baby won't come out with bright red hair, Emma is still the baby's mother!” Olivia joked, and Emma prayed she was right.

“Yes, we're so grateful to Lady Olivia for helping us, we can't wait to finally start our little family!” Liam placed a hand on Olivia's very pregnant belly and Emma did the same, her smile faltering as Drake walked out of the press conference. They said good-bye to the press and Emma chased after Drake. She found him in the secluded courtyard he had taken her to after he won his duel, that felt like so long ago now as she stepped up beside him, staring into the fountain.

“Drake.” He wouldn't look at her.

“Drake please!” he finally looked up at her and Emma didn't like what she was seeing. He was upset, she could see it in his eyes, he had never looked at her like that though, only Liam.

“Give up the charade.”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about Drake.”

“The marriage, your marriage to Liam! Ask him for a divorce, give up the charade Emma!” she looked down at her feet.

“You know I can’t Drake. It’s not a good time.” Drake scoffed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Really? Give me one good reason you can’t end it now! It’s been three years since Anton was defeated. Liam's secured the crown, the people love him, now he's even got an heir. Do you not want everyone to know about me? Are you ashamed because you've been queen for so long?” Emma took a step back reeling, she couldn't believe he had even implied that.

“How could you say that?! I love you Drake Walker and if I could tell the world that right now I would! I can't though, if Liam and I got divorced now, think of the consequences. It would ruin my reputation; the tabloids would never leave us alone.” Drake laughed incredulously.

“You think your reputation and Liam's won't be wrecked when that baby has bright red hair? Everyone already whispers about it at court anyways. The problem is you won't commit Barnes, you won't commit to being with me.” Emma reached out for him, but he pulled away and she flinched. He hadn't called her Barnes while they were alone for three years, it sounded foreign to her.

“I lay in bed next to you every night Drake! I wake up, happy to be by your side in our home. I've been trying for three years to give you the baby we want so desperately. Tell me that's not commitment!”

“We're still hiding behind closed doors and you haven't given me one good reason why. Oh, and while we're at it, all this talk about kids was great before we got married, but let's be real. Those kids would be raised as royalty and I'd never stand a chance, it was a great dream, but it can never happen, I'd never get to be their dad.” Emma was crying as she tried to grab Drake's hand.

“That's not true Drake! They would be my kids too and I'll be damned if Liam takes that from us after everything else. I want nothing more than to be with you and only you Drake, but Liam would never give me the divorce even if I asked. It's just not possible.” He shook his head and forced back the tears welling up in his eyes.

“Then maybe this isn't working anymore Barnes. I'm done. I'm tired of sharing my wife, it's all or nothing.”

“Drake please!” She begged stumbling towards him, but he turned and walked away so she couldn't see the tears streaming down his own face. Emma fell to her knees, she couldn't believe what had just happened.

“Fine! Why don't you go fuck Kiara then! Everyone knows she's obsessed with you!” It felt like a nightmare. Drake had just left, just walked away without turning back. She didn't want to believe they were over, but his words were so final. She decided that she'd sleep at the palace tonight and go back home in the morning to talk to him after they both had some time to calm down, she couldn't believe that he would just walk away like that.

Next Time: Drake left, will they be able to fix things or are they done for good? Will Drake find comfort with Kiara or will he fight for Emma? Will Emma finally ask Liam for a divorce? 

Tagging: @notoriouscs @brightpinkpeppercorn @ooo-barff-ooo @leelee10898 @princesstopgun @choicesyouplayandmore @sleepwalkingelite @roonarific  @indigo39 @skyila @speedyoperarascalparty @andy-loves-corgis  @furiousherringoperatortoad @drakewalkerfics @findingdrake @sue9659 @smritysriv @larryssunflower @likethetailofacomet @zaffrenotes @mrsdrakewalkerblog @agent-bossypants @endlessly-searching-for-you   @cgd03 @simsvetements @jovialyouthmusic @akrenich @jlouise88

[argylemnwrites]

It Couldn’t Wait Another Moment - Chapter 17

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)

Book: The Royal Romance (Canon Divergent from Book 2, Chapter 15)

Word Count: ~5100

Rating: R (language, implied inability to consent)

Summary: Drake goes to Ramsford while he figures out his next steps, Leo has something to ask Liam, and Hana is at her wit’s end

Author’s Note: I’m just gonna throw a trigger warning here that there is an interaction in this chapter where a man is clearly looking to engage in sexual activity with a woman who is not able to consent at that time. There is no actual sexual assault or violence, but it’s the type of thing that may hit close to home, so I thought I’d give some warning. It’s in the third and final “section” of this chapter if you wish to avoid it.

This series diverges from TRR canon, where instead of waiting to discuss his relationship with Riley until their last night in NYC, leaving her a note while Liam is proposing to her, Drake tackles this topic as soon as possible after Tariq makes his statement and Riley’s name is cleared. To catch up on this series, you can find the previous chapters in my masterlist (link is located in my bio).

“Hello?” Drake called out, glancing around as he stepped into the foyer of the Ramsford estate. He wasn’t surprised that there wasn’t any staff to greet him, given the Beaumont’s current financial situation, but he figured he should announce his presence somehow. Not just lurk around until someone found him. He was pretty sure he was the only person invited for dinner tonight, after all.

He hadn’t really wanted to come for this dinner, but when Savannah had called him, excited that he was still around and inviting him over now that she was settled at Ramsford, he just couldn’t bring himself to say no. He’d seen so little of his sister over the past couple of years, and even before then, he’d always found it hard to tell her “no.” So here he was, hoping that Maxwell and Bertrand had enough whiskey to get him through the evening.

“Drake, is that you?” Maxwell’s voice called out, echoing through the halls as he rounded the corner, “Hey, glad you could make it!”

“Yeah…” Drake trailed off as Maxwell came over. Maxwell was clearly going in for the hug, but thought better of it when he saw the look on Drake’s face. 

“So, yeah. Dinner might be a bit yet. Savannah is cooking but Bertrand has decided to ‘supervise’ as this is ‘their first dinner party’ as a couple or whatever. I wandered through the kitchen about 20 minutes ago, and it was not exactly going great.”

Drake just shook his head, “I hardly qualify as a dinner party.”

“Yeah, well… try telling Bertrand that. Do you want a drink while we wait for whatever the hell we’re gonna get for dinner at some point?”

“What do you think?”

“Right, stupid question. Come on, I’ll get you some whiskey.”

Drake followed Maxwell through the halls to the private lounge and took a seat on one of the couches as Maxwell wandered over to the bar cart and preparing a whiskey on the rocks and a glass of white wine before he joined Drake on the opposite sofa.

“So, has Riley been having a good time with Hana?”

“What?”

“Hana told me they were going to check out Riley’s favorite place for Chinese take out today and that she was going to see how it stacked up to authentic Cantonese cuisine. I was wondering if you’d heard the final verdict.”

“Maxwell, what the hell are you talking about?”

“Hana’s in New York,” said Maxwell, squinting slightly as he took a sip of his wine. “Drake, did you not know that?”

“No, she uhh… didn’t tell me that.” Drake downed his whiskey in one, pushing himself up off the couch and stalking over the liquor. That information warranted another drink.

Hana was in New York with Riley. Riley couldn’t be bothered to text him, but she was taking Hana out and keeping Maxwell posted about everything they were up to, apparently. It just was him she wanted nothing to do with. 

It was like every other time, and this time, he knew it was his own damn fault that she left him. He’d fucked everything up. He drank his second glass in one swig. He just wanted to go back to his quarters and be alone with his pain, but he could hardly duck out of a family dinner where he was the only guest. Pouring himself one more whiskey, he took a deep breath and rejoined Maxwell. He was gonna have to get through this night somehow.

Maxwell glanced up, tapping his finger on the side of his wine glass as Drake sat down. The silence was tense for a few moments before Maxwell broke it. 

“Drake, I wasn’t trying to pry, I swear. I’m just worried about Riley and I thought maybe-”

Drake jerked his head up and stared at Maxwell, “Why are you worried about Liu?”

Maxwell tensed for a second, “Look, I’m not trying to butt in where it’s not my business or anything-”

“Really? Since when have you had any sense of boundaries?” Drake snapped

“Hey! I’ve given you plenty of space! I get that you and Liam had to work through your… issues, or whatever. But she’s like my sister, and I have a right to be worried about her, too!”

“Yeah, I get it. It’s all my fucking fault. I already feel like shit about it so-”

“Oh come on, that’s not what I’m saying at all.”

“Then what’s your fucking point?”

Maxwell let out a sigh, “I’m just trying to make sure that both of my friends are doing okay and not isolating themselves and being all lonely and mopey and deciding that it’s better if no one knows that they are actually hurting.”

Drake took a deep breath, “Since when did you get so fucking insightful?”

“My greatest strength is that everyone underestimates me. It let’s me see things,” he said with a shrug.

“Huh,” was all Drake could muster, taking another sip of his whiskey.

“So, if you can promise not to jump down my throat, I’d like to ask how you are.”

Drake grimaced, “I’ll be fine. It just sucks right now because all I can do is wait for the other shoe to drop.”

Maxwell frowned at that. “What do you mean?”

“Well, as you could probably guess from my reaction, Riley’s basically ghosting me. I’m just waiting for the inevitable breakup text.”

“Or, she’s mopey and isolating herself, you know, like I said,” countered Maxwell.

“I don’t know. She won’t talk to me.”

“So go back and talk to her. The people behind the attacks are behind bars and you, Liam, and Olivia all said that things are looking good from that standpoint. You took care of what you needed to here, time to go take care of things with one Riley Liu.”

Drake shook his head, “It’s not that simple, Maxwell. I don’t even know if she wants me there.”

“I never said it would be simple. But you don’t know what’s going through her mind right now, right? So maybe she wants you there with her or maybe she doesn’t. There’s really only one way to find out.”

Drake bit the inside of his cheek, willing himself to keep calm. He couldn’t let Maxwell know that he didn’t know if he could deal with the possibility of face to face rejection from Riley. Not now, after he’d come to think that she might be the one woman who would stay. When Savannah left, it had nearly broken him completely. If he had to watch Riley leave him, too… well, he didn’t know if he could handle it.

“Hey,” called out Maxwell, forcing Drake to divert his attention away from his spiraling thoughts, “for what it’s worth, I don’t think she wants to leave you. But even if she does, wouldn’t it be easier to move forward knowing you did everything you could to try and make things right?”

After a few seconds, after processing the fact that Maxwell could apparently read him like a book, all Drake could say in response was, “Damn, you’re right.”

Maxwell smiled, “I’m fucking insightful, remember?”

Drake laughed at that, raising his glass to clink against Maxwell’s.

After taking a sip of his wine, Maxwell pulled out his phone, “Speaking of being insightful, what do you think the odds are that dinner preparations have completely fallen off the rails?”

“I’m going with about an 80% chance.”

“My thoughts exactly. So shall we preemptively order some pizza?”

Drake smiled and nodded as Maxwell called the restaurant he always used for late night sustenance at Beaumont Bashes. It was strange to think that Maxwell was now a close enough friend that he felt okay about talking with him about anything he was feeling. More than that, he realized that he had misjudged Maxwell a lot over the years. But if the past year had taught him anything, it was that Maxwell had pretty decent awareness when it came to a lot of things. He’d seen the value in Riley before any of them, after all. 

Drake knew he probably should apologize for some things he’d said in the past, both to and about Maxwell, but maybe bringing up his past intolerance of the man was not the best way to go. So instead, he waited until Maxwell finished placing the order and hung up the phone before he got up and walked over to the liquor once again.

“You need a refill, best friend roomie?”

The subsequent shriek of joy was loud enough to bring Savannah and Bertrand running.

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

Liam sighed, rubbing his eyes as he scanned through the final reports on all the interrogations. Starting tomorrow, some the initial hearings were happening in public court. Liam had pushed for expedited trials, knowing that the people had been through enough with these attacks and didn’t need the court proceedings to drag at a glacial pace. Of course, this meant he was giving himself less time to develop a firm grasp on the details of the three men whose trials were starting this week for when the press inevitably asked for comments. Still, he knew the prosecutors had it worse, and he was grateful the team of attorneys had agreed with his plan yesterday, even agreeing to meet with Bastien’s agents on a weekend.

He’d slept in his office last night, reviewing the files well past midnight. When he woke up with his head hanging over the arm of his sofa, he’d scurried off to the Monarch’s Quarters, quickly getting freshened up before heading back to his office. He chose his desk this time, hardly able to risk drifting off to sleep again, but it was still hard to stay focused. The reports were full of so many conflicting details, it was hard to keep who said what straight, and he’d been at if for hours at this point. He was about to get up and stretch his legs for a few minutes, but heard a couple of knocks on the door. Before he could call out a greeting, the door swung open, Leo walking straight in and over to the side cupboards.

“Why hello, Leo. Please, come in.”

Leo paused to turn to Liam. “Why, thanks brother!” he said in an exaggerated manner, winking as he looked back towards the wall units, “I was thinking of fixing myself a drink; would you like one?” 

Liam glanced at the clock on the wall. “Leo, it’s not even noon,” he chastised, “and you won’t find the whiskey in that cupboard.”

Leo stopped rifling through to cupboard and walked over to Liam’s desk, a wide grin spread across his face. As he plunked himself down in one of the chairs facing Liam, he raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side. After a moment, Liam sighed and opened the bottom drawer of his desk, pulling out the Highland Park whiskey and two glasses.

“Keeping it close at hand, nice. I have to say, I like your style. Dad always kept his booze tucked behind the books. Your way is much wiser,” Leo said, accepting the glass from Liam.

“So what brings you by my office? We haven’t seen much of you around the palace the past couple of days.”

“Well, it seemed like things were pretty hectic around here. I thought I would give you some space while you dealt with all the official business. Besides, the casinos worry that something has happened to me if I’m around for more than two days and don’t make an appearance,” he joked. “Anyway, I just came by to let you know I’m flying out tomorrow.”

Liam took a sip of whiskey and nodded. He’d been expecting this since the funeral. He was actually kind of surprised Leo had stuck around Cordonia as long as he had. “Where are you heading this time?”

“I’m spending the next week in Havana, then it’s on to Rio.”

“Of course. Well, you know you’re welcome back anytime. Keep in touch, okay?”

“Yeah…” Leo said, trailing off and looking down at the surface of the desk. It seemed odd to Liam. Usually, when Leo said he was leaving, he appreciated a light-hearted goodbye. Liam figured years of Father attempting to guilt him into staying had taken their toll, so he always tried to show Leo that he understood his need to explore, to go elsewhere. But today, that seemed to bother him, and Liam wasn’t sure why.

“Is something wrong, Leo?”

Leo paused for a moment before he spoke, “You’re doing okay, right?”

“Of course.”

“I mean, you’re okay with the fact that I don’t spend much time in Cordonia, right?”

“Where is this coming from, Leo?”

Leo shook his head, “You don’t have to pretend you didn’t hear what Drake said to me the other day. I know you overhead us.”

Liam nodded slowly. He hadn’t heard everything, but he’d heard enough. And while the fact that Drake had mentioned being torn away from his life had been of more interest to Liam at that time, the fact that Drake had told Leo that he was a bad brother was also something that had stuck in his mind.

“It didn’t seem like the type of statement you’d put much stock in, if I’m being honest.”

Leo tensed at that. “He called me a shitty brother, Liam! Of course it stuck with me! Do you think so little of me that you thought I wouldn’t care about that?”

“Of course not. I just thought that you knew better than to hold Drake’s anger as a source of universal truth, not to mention you never seemed to mind being told you weren’t living up to expectations in this building.”

Leo gave Liam a small smile, “So, you don’t think I’ve been a bad brother to you?”

“No, I don’t feel that way.”

“But Drake was right. I haven’t really been around, I tend to get caught up in my own interests. I definitely have failed you in some ways.”

Liam shook his head, “I don’t expect you to care for me in the same fashion as Drake. He has his way of doing things, you have yours.”

“He called me your drinking buddy.”

Liam chuckled at that, “That’s an interesting perspective. It lacks some nuance, but yes, I suppose you do get me to let go of certain stressors temporarily by encouraging me to indulge in a variety of vices. It’s helpful at times, so I wouldn’t be so dismissive of it.”

Leo just shook his head, “Come on, you don’t need to shield me. If you need to get pissed at me, I get it.”

“Why would I need to get pissed at you?”

“I abdicated, for Christ’s sake! I left you with all the responsibility.”

“And didn’t I encourage you to take that course of action?”

“Yes, but Drake said-”

“Forget what Drake said. His interpretation of our relationship is highly irrelevant, and Drake is going to think what he’s going to think. I am telling you, I do not resent you for abdicating. Being Crown Prince was killing you; you were miserable. I love you, and I want to see you happy. How could I ever hold you taking an action that greatly improved your happiness against you?”

“But I want to see you happy, too.”

“I know you do. I presume that’s why you are very willing to take the full blame for indiscretions conducted by either of us.”

Leo scoffed a little, “Sure, when we were little.”

“And now. I heard Regina had some choice words for you after our night of drinking before the funeral.”

“She said she was amazed that after all this time, I still found a way to be a bad influence on you,” Leo said with a little smile.

“Exactly, and you let her believe that. Leo, you’ve always shown you care about me in your own way. I’ve never felt like you didn’t love me just because we want very different things out of life.”

“Still, the weight of the crown-”

“Is something that I don’t see as a barrier to my long-term happiness. It’s a responsibility, sure, but I am honored that our people trust me as their leader.”

Leo stared at Liam for a few seconds before throwing the whiskey back and finishing his drink. “You’re a good king, you know that right?”

Liam smiled gently, “Thank you, Leo. I appreciate that.”

“And I don’t just mean better than I would have been. You are a good leader. Cordonia is lucky to have you.”

“Thank you. But I think you would have been a better king than you give yourself credit.”

Leo just laughed, “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that point.” He stood to leave and strolled over to the door, but before he opened it, he spun back to face Liam.

“Do you mind if I give you a piece of advice?”

Liam inclined his head, “I would be a bad king if I couldn’t handle friendly advice.”

“Right, well this more personal than professional.”

“If it’s about Madeleine, give your history, that seems like a rather awkward topic-”

“Nah, it’s more general than that. Just... you need to be selfish sometimes. Not often, let’s say once a week. But you need to do something, no matter how small, that’s just for you.”

“Leo…”

“Promise me you’ll at least consider it. Remember, I love you, so that means I like seeing you happy. And I know you well enough that you might forget about your own happiness if things get hectic. So add it to your schedule or something, but remember, once a week, one thing, just for you.” And with that he was out the door.

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

Hana felt... well, the only way to describe it was gross. She knew that her plan for the evening was not something that was completely acceptable, morally speaking. But she hadn’t known what else to do.

All weekend, Riley had been completely uninterested in talking about anything of substance. She’d listened to Hana just fine and told plenty of amusing anecdotes. However, anytime Hana asked her how she was doing or if she needed to talk about anything, Riley had just brushed her off, saying she was fine before suddenly remembering a story about a funny customer or something of that sort. It was always lighthearted and superficial. There was never one iota of depth to anything she said. It had been shopping and restaurants and tourist attractions before Riley scurried off to get ready for work both Saturday and Sunday, and Hana was done with it. 

Maybe she wasn’t being fair. Both Saturday and Sunday evenings, when she’d been alone, trying to devise a strategy to encourage Riley to open up, she’d come to the realization that most of the weight that she’d felt in their friendship had come from her opening up, not so much the other way around. While Hana had discussed her distorted dynamic with her parents, her failed engagement and romantic inexperience, and her very lonely and isolated childhood, there was very little Riley had told her. She briefly mentioned that her father was long gone and her mother dead, but it had been Maxwell who told her that her mother had died of a heroin overdose. She wasn’t even sure if Riley had any family beyond that, any aunts, uncles, cousins, or grandparents. And Riley certainly hadn’t confided in Hana about her growing feelings for Drake at any point during the social season or Liam and Madeleine’s engagement tour.

The fact that her friendship with Riley appeared to be fairly lopsided filled her with both pain and guilt. It certainly hurt knowing that the first person in her life she saw as a best friend had probably not felt so connected with her. But more than that, she felt guilty for depending so much on Riley for emotional support and strength without offering anywhere near enough in return. But tonight, that was going to change.

Hana had tried being friendly and open. She’d tried asking gentle questions. She’d point blank asked Riley if she’d heard from Drake while they were at the Guggenheim. But Riley had deflected every single attempt. So tonight, Hana was getting her drunk. She hated thinking of it that way. It sounded so predatory, so malicious. But her intent was merely to use a bit of alcohol to help Riley feel comfortable enough to actually let her guard down and communicate openly. 

Her plan had been simple to execute, at least initially. Riley was off Monday, and given her apparent desire for all things fun and frivolous, it had been very easy to convince her that while in New York, Hana really wanted a little taste of the nightlife. Riley had been thrilled, offering to lend Hana club wear and taking them to a small little lounge after dinner before they headed to a nightclub. She hadn’t been out dancing in ages, apparently, and was very enthusiastic about the idea.

At first, it had gone exactly as Hana had hoped, with Riley downing vodka sodas while Hana just sipped on an amaretto sour as they sat in a little booth at the lounge. When they’d paid the cover to enter the nightclub, the bass from dance tracks resonating through Hana’s entire body, Riley appeared to be tipsy. Hana figured a couple more drinks, an hour or so of dancing, and then they could head out and actually talk.

What she hadn’t accounted for was the swaths of men who didn’t seem content to let them dance without butting in, invading their personal space without even saying hello. All of these men came with offers to buy them drinks, and while Hana always declined, Riley seemed keen on taking every single one of them up on it, wandering over to the bar time and time again, dragging Hana along with her.

Currently, Hana was standing there, watching as a tall man with very blond hair ordered Riley yet another Long Island Iced Tea. Riley was well passed the point of tipsy and was incredibly intoxicated, leaning heavily against the bar, the words she was practically yelling over the loud music slurred into a giant mess. The man in question didn’t seem to mind at all, though, handing his credit card over to the bartender.

“Excuse me!” Hana called out, the bartender pausing to look at her.

“Sorry!” yelled the blond man, leaning close to Hana so he could speak directly into her ear, “I didn’t know you were drinking. What do you want?”

Hana just shook her head and rolled his hand off her shoulder, leaning over the bar to speak directly to the bartender, tugging her skirt down as she did so. The length was not something she was used to, and she was feeling self conscious of how high it would ride up her thighs with her movement.

“Cancel that Long Island Iced Tea, please. She and I are leaving.”

The bartender glanced between the three of them, but after just a couple of seconds, he nodded with understanding. Hana then spun towards Riley,  hoping that she would be a cooperative drunk.

“Riley, sweetie,” Hana said, leaning to speak directly in her ear. 

Riley spun to face her, stumbling slightly on her heels as she moved, grabbing Hana’s arm. “Yeah?” she said, a concerning glazed looked to her eyes as she seemed to struggle to meet Hana’s eyeline.

“It’s time for us to leave.”

“I think she can decide if she wants to leave for herself.”

Hana rolled her eyes. She had hoped that the blond man would have moved on, but it seemed like he had set his sights on Riley. Ignoring him, she linked her arm through Riley’s and started to navigate them toward the coat check, but the man grabbed Riley’s wrist and tugged her back towards him.

“Riley, why don’t you tell your friend you’re having a good time and that I can get you home.”

Riley just looked dazed, her gaze unfocused, so Hana stepped forward and tugged her towards her side. “Riley, come on,” she said before looking at the man, “You are a disgusting excuse for a human being if you think that she is in any state to go anywhere with you.”

“Bitch!” the man spat out, but he seemed to decide that having this fight with Hana was not worth his time as he turned away and walked away from the two of them, probably looking for some other woman to ply with alcohol. Shaking her head, Hana wrapped her arm around Riley and moved them towards the exit. When they were waiting for their coats, Riley seemed to gain a little awareness of her surroundings.

“Where’d Peter go?”

Well, Hana had a name for the blond man with ill intentions now. “He had to go, and so do we,” she said, trying to guide Riley’s arms into her jacket.

“Oh,” said Riley, “Is Peter, I mean, where’s he, yeah, you know?”

Hana just blinked, not really having any clue what Riley’s drunken ramblings were supposed to convey. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get a cab back to my hotel.”

Hana was able to shepherd Riley out onto the sidewalk, but when she attempted to flag down a taxi, Riley batted down her arm, almost falling into the gutter in the process.

“No taxi, only three blocks,” she slurred, stumbling away from Hana and down the sidewalk with surprising speed.

“Riley, wait!” Hana cried out, “Where are you going?” But Riley didn’t give any response, so Hana took off after her. Any efforts to redirect her were met with groans and slurred grumbles and complaints, so after a few attempts, Hana just followed along. Riley was clearly on some sort of drunken mission, and Hana was going to be along for the ride, apparently.

It was a tricky route to wherever Riley was going. There were numerous other bars, clubs, and restaurants in this part of the city, and even though it was after midnight, there were still many people on the sidewalk, many of them just as drunk as Riley. Trying to prevent collisions, dodging cat callers, and keeping Riley upright was taking a lot of effort. Hana barely felt like the sidewalk was any less of an overwhelming place of noise and bodies than the dance club. Her ears were ringing and she was exhausted. She just wanted to get Riley safely into a bed and then go to sleep herself.

After a couple of blocks, Riley stopped in front of a small market, veering towards a side door. Hana was about to correct her that not only was the market closed, but that she was trying to enter what was clearly an employee entrance, but Riley fished a set of keys out of her pocket and fumbled with them, trying to unlock the door. At that moment, Hana realized that this door wasn’t to the market, it was to Riley and Drake’s apartment building.

After a couple of tries, Riley got the door unlocked and open, so Hana followed her into what appeared to be a mailroom for the building and then up a flight of stairs. Hana didn’t know what she had pictured for where Drake and Riley lived, but it certainly wasn’t this. She was trying hard not to be judgemental, but she’d never been inside a building so run down. It had probably been an adjustment for Drake compared to living at the palace.

As Hana trudged up several flights of stairs behind Riley, catching her from falling twice, she couldn’t help but think about Drake and Riley, not only living in this building, but in this neighborhood, in this city. Riley she could kind of imagine, out at a different bar or restaurant everyday, trying new foods and drinks, charming different people left and right. She was so bubbly and outgoing and had a definite wild, impulsive streak.

But Drake? Nearly agoraphobic, routine loving, scoffed at the new and unknown Drake? She just couldn’t see it. He would have punched at least five people on their walk back from the club alone. Try as she might, she couldn’t picture him in a place that was so loud and with so many different people. It seemed like the type of thing he would avoid at all costs. She didn’t know what to make of that. Did Drake have some secret, social side that he only let Riley see? Or was he just miserable and surly all the time? Hana felt like it was probably the latter. It made her sad to even think about. Here he had made a grand romantic gesture, moving to be with the woman he loved, and it was probably draining and stressful beyond his wildest dreams.

Eventually Riley turned down a hallway and made her way to a door labeled 4B. She tried to use her keys, but was struggling to figure out which key went into which lock. After a few seconds, Hana stepped up to grab the keys herself, but before she could even offer her help, Riley started crying, sinking to the floor.

“Riley!” she cried out, crouching down and grabbing her shoulders and rubbing circles against them. “It’s okay; I can unlock the door. It’ll be okay.”

“S’not that,” Riley mumbled. “I jus’ wanted t’forget t’night… T’not feel so bad…”

“Shhhh,” hummed Hana, sitting down on the floor next to Riley, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“I’m so lonely. But no one cares,” Riley slurred, head thrown back against the door, “He’s never coming back and I’m gonna always be alone.”

“Riley, plenty of people care about you,” Hana said, trying to provide words of reassurance, but it was like Riley was just giving some sort of emotional speech, and she just kept mumbling the same thoughts over and over again. That she was alone. That she had no one. That everyone would always leave her. So Hana did the only thing she could think to do. She sat there with her, letting her ramble and release her pain. She wasn’t going anywhere, and hopefully that fact would provide at least a little comfort.

Permatag: @mfackenthal @lilyofchoices @thequeenofcronuts @jamesashtonisbae

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir: @kingliam2019  @sirbeepsalot  @texaskitten30  @princessleac1  @ladyangel70  @dcbbw @yaushie @octobereighth

Drake x MC only: @jovialyouthmusic @iplaydrake @gibbles82 @drakewalkerisreal @riley–walker @notoriouscs @butindeed  @addictedtodrakefanfic

It Couldn’t Wait Another Moment: @wickedgypsymoon @thesumofmychoices @cosigottahavefaith @thequeenchoices @katedrakeohd  @feartheendlesssummer  @ao719  @ooo-barff-ooo​ @sunnyxdazed

[blznbaby]

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Liam x MC (Marcella)

Audience: PG (innuendos and implied language)

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixleberry Studios.

Tags: @museofbooks @callmetippytumbles @cocomaxley @hopefulmoonobject @pixieferry @i-choose-liam @zaffrenotes @choicesseasonalprompts

Christmas Day

It was Christmas day at the palace. A time for great celebration. Decorations were everywhere and a Christmas tree adorned almost every room in the palace filling the air with the minty aroma of pine. Miles of presents and wrapping paper littered the floor, it was definitely a party.

Everyone was dressed in different colors that symbololized the holiday; an array of red, green, gold, blue, and silver. Everyone was having a great time. Liam was socializing with everyone and getting his fill of Lythikos nog. Leo was hitting on Hana, with no success. Drake was avoiding Olivia and Kiara again. Marcella was going around the room offering nog to everyone. Maxwell was documenting the party for his scrapbook. Bertrand and Savannah were canoodling under the mistletoe. Regina was at one of the tables with Adelaide and Madeleine, enjoying each other's company. Penelope was animatedly talking with Zeke about poodles. Meanwhile, all the others were dancing and laughing while the children played with the toys they got from Santa.

After while, Liam, Marcella, and Fabian went to the front of the room so Liam could give his annual Christmas speech and thank everyone for coming. The servants passed out flutes of champagne and cider as the King’s speech came to a close. They all lifted their glasses in a toast.

"I know I've wished this all before. But every year I wish it more...A merry Christmas." They all toasted with gusto.

"Daddy! Can I say something?" Little Fabian asked gently tugging at his father's pants.

"Sure, son." He smiled in approval.

Fabian turned to face the guests. "Thank you all for coming. I'm so glad that you're all here and I'm thankful for all my presents."

Liam and Marcella exchanged a smile. It looks like those lessons in manners are paying off. He looked back and forth between his parents.

"But, what I really want is a baby brother!" Fabian yelled at the top of his voice.

Marcella nearly choked on her drink she had just taken a sip of. Complete and utter silence descended over the room. It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. The color drained from Marcella's face as she fought the urge to clasp her hand over her son's mouth and apologize to their guests. Instead she cleared her throat and smiled graciously. "Ok. Thank you baby. Moving on. Hana. Would you like to say a few words?" She looked to her friend for rescue, who was always graceful under pressure. She knew Liam wouldn't be any help in the matter. She was right. He raised his eyebrows in a silent "I think Fabian may be on to something here..." If it were up to him and Regina she'd been pregnant right after giving birth, but Marcella had no interest in turning her vagina into a clown car.

"But, mommy I'm not done." Fabian cried. "I was going to say that I think I might get one because I saw you kissing Santa Claus last night!"

Oh fuck. It's over now. The children look dumbstruck and the adults are turning red, trying to hold their laughter. Tears are streaming down Drake and Leo's face, shaking, both on the verge of losing it. She glared at them, trying not to smile. Meanwhile, all eyes were on the little prince who looked like he had no idea what he'd said or done. Liam exchanged another glance with Marcella wondering how the hell they were going to explain this one.

The night before - Christmas Eve

Marcella grabbed the 'The Night before Christmas' from the bookshelf on Fabian's room and settled down on the bed next to her son. As he snuggled close, she began reading. Then, suddenly a figure appeared in the doorway. Fabian gasped at the sight and Marcella struggled to hold in her laughter. If only she had a camera. There was Liam, decked out in a red santa suit, complete with hat and beard. He even stuffed a pillow down the front to serve as a big belly.

He walked toward them, hand on belly, and laughed merrily. "Is your name Fabian?" He asked in his best santa voice.

Fabian sat frozen, unable to speak or blink. Marcella gently nudged him, smiling for him to reply.

"Yes, sir. It is."

"You can call me Santa. Come here." He replied, sitting down on a nearby chair and opening his arms to him. Marcella smiled as Fabian slowly made his way to him, gently sitting on his lap.

"You are real."

"Of course I am. What would you like for Christmas?"

"Ummm." He put his finger on his chin looking contemplative. "I want a firetruck, a new sled, a train set and...." he stopped and whispered his last request in Santa's ear. Marcella imperceptibly leaned in trying to listen. Santa smirked under his beard, he noticed, but kept his full attention on the little boy on his lap. "That's some Christmas wish! I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Santa." Santa lifted the boy off his lap and stood up himself. He reached into his sleeve, pulling out a candy cane and presented it to Fabian. "Now, get to bed. I can't put out presents if you're awake." He gave him a big hug before climbing back into bed. Marcella walked Santa to the door. She closed it behind him to turn around and see Fabian sitting up in bed holding his candy cane looking at her hopefully. She shook her head.

"Not tonight, love. Maybe tomorrow. Now, let's finish this story and go to bed."

Marcella descended the staircase and walked into the living room. Fabian was finally asleep. There was Liam, sitting in a chair near the fireplace, still in the santa suit eating a christmas cookie. And by the remnants of crumbs on the plate Marcella knew it wasn't his first one.

"My son and I made those special for my husband." Liam looked as though he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I'm sure he won't mind my having just one."

"Oh, but he will. He's very stingy with snickerdoddle cookies." She teased.

"Really. Well, I know something I love more than snickerdoodle cookies." He said, a playful gleam in his eye. She walked over and sat in his lap, looping her arms around his neck. He reached in his pocket, pulling something out, holding it above their heads. She kept her eyes on his. She didn't need to look to know it was misteltoe. She kissed him deeply, but soon pulled back, laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Your beard is ticklish. Can't you take that thing off?"

"You sure you want me to take it off?....I can think of other places to tickle with this beard, if you're a good girl. Have you been a good girl, Marcella?" His voice dropped to a deep husky tone.

"Yes. I've been a very good girl." She purred.

"Why don't we turn in Mrs. Claus?" He whispered nibbling on her neck. "We have an early morning and I want you to have a very *kiss* merry *kiss* Christmas."

"Santa, you're so naughty." She giggled, playfully slapping his chest. Liam instantly shifted and stood up with Marcella hanging over his shoulder. A yelp escaped her as he gave her ass a smack.

"Let me show you just how naughty I can be." He growled, bounding toward the stairs.

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"Was she now?" Liam asked, his voice full of mirth.

Fabian nodded his head enthusiastically.

"On the lips?" Liam couldn't resist

"Yes!"

Everyone couldn't help but smile and laugh. He wanted to ask if it looked like mommy was enjoying herself with Santa, but by the death stare his wife was giving him he decided against it.

"Fabian. Perhaps your mommy was just thanking Santa for coming to see you." Olivia chimmed.

Fabian rolled his eyes in a way that only a four year old could. "Auntie Olivia. I'm four. Not stupid. Mommy only kisses daddy that way." He responded, matter-of-factly.

"Touche." She winked.

Then it occured to Liam, a thoughtful look on his face. "Wait, young man. How do you know all this? You were supposed to be asleep."

"I woke up to use the restroom and I was too excited to go back to sleep." He explained. "I wanted to see if Santa left my presents, so I went to the landing. And I saw him daddy! He was with mommy holding a plant above her head and they were kissing!"

"It's called mistletoe. When two people are underneath it they kiss." Liam explained. "So, mommy had to kiss Santa."

Fabian's eyes grew wide. "Oooh! I get it!" He said, as if he made the greatest discovery known to man. "Mommy was under Santa's Christmas spell."

The adults collapsed in laughter, enjoying the spectacle even more now that the initial embarrassment was over. Liam picked up Fabian and Marcella collectively hugged her son and husband, quivering in amusement. Liam ran a hand through her hair and pressed a kiss on his son's forehead. Fabian didn't understand why everyone was laughing, but he was glad to have solved the mystery.

"Hey Fabian." Leo mumbled drunkenly. "Your story reminds me of a great Christmas song."

He looked at his Uncle Leo curiously. "It does?"

Everyone smirked. They knew exactly where Leo was going with this. The first notes of a popular Christmas song filled the room. "Oh, yea!" Maxwell yelled excitedly, pumping his fist in the air. "The Jackson 5! Sing along everyone!"

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus (kissing, kissing Santa Claus)

Underneath the mistletoe last night

She didn't see me creep

Down the stairs to have a peep

She thought that I was tucked up

In my bedroom, fast asleep

The entire palace got into the spirit, singing and dancing to the song, disregarding the King and Queen's predicament. Even Drake joined in blaming the alcohol for his merry-ness.

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus (tickle, tickle Santa Claus)

Underneath his beard so snowy white

Oh, what a laugh it would have been

If Daddy had only seen

Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night

The holiday celebration continued well into the night, filled with laughter and happiness as they joyfully celebrated Christmas.

Christmas Night

After putting Fabian to bed the royal couple walked hand in hand to their bedroom. Once inside Liam ran into the closet and came out handing Marcella a small gift bag. "Another gift for you, my love."

She looked at him curiously, reaching into the bag and pulling out a sexy black negligee. He gave her a dirty grin and she ran into their bathroom to change while Liam sat on the bed anxiously awaiting his treat. Marcella emerged a few moments later, looking as hot as ever. Liam felt his blood rushing down south. She smiled as she did a few turns to model it for him. "You like?"

"I love." He replied, his eyes moving up and down her body. "Though I'd love it even more if it were on the floor."

"Ya know, I'm starting to believe THIS," she gestured to the lingerie she was wearing. "Is more for you than it is for me." She said slyly.

"I'm certain that it will bring you as much satisfaction as it will me." He grinned. "Now, enough talking, woman -- get over here so I can unwrap my gift."

Later, they laid in each others arms, Marcella's head on Liam's chest while he absentmindedly stroked her shoulder.

"So...what do you think?" He whispered in her hair. "Do we grant Fabian's Christmas wish?"

Marcella softly laughed. "I know now that's what he whispered in Santa's ear last night. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to feel pressured by Fabian and I -- you know I'd be thrilled with another, but it is your decision entirely. I'll follow your lead." He said, planting a kiss on her head.

"Thank you, Liam. And that reminds me...I have a gift for you, too." She said, lifting up from his chest and reaching over to retrieve a box from her bedside table drawer. Liam sat up when she presented it to him.

"What's this?" He asked, surprised.

"Just open it and you'll see." He tore the wrapping paper off and lifted the lid. Liam's eyes began to sting as he stared into the box. A pair of baby booties.

"Marcella...does this mean...I."

"Yes, Liam," she said as she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "I'm pregnant." She beamed.

"But, how long have you -- when were you going to --." He was over the moon and could hardly form a coherent sentence, but she knew what he was asking.

"I found out two days ago and I planned on telling you tonight. But, I never thought your son would grant me the perfect opportunity to do so. Merry Christmas, Santa." Overwhelmed with joy, he grabbed her and kissed her passionately, falling back into the cloud of pillows.

It was a very merry Christmas indeed.