#liam alioto

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

“What the hell is going on in here? Dad? You’d better be wearing pants!”

Crown Princess Theodosia of Crystal Cove stormed the main palace, looking angrily at the mess around her. Cups of wine and articles of clothing littered the front entryway and the princess was absolutely certain that she knew how they’d gotten there.

For most of her life, Theodosia had been cleaning up her parents’ messes. Her father loved to party and have countless meaningless flings, while her mother had thrown herself into dark magic and had been killed attempting to destroy the Grim Reaper with the delusional, nearly extinct Strangetown witch coven. Her twin siblings had never shared the burden of their parents with her, and since her sister, Holly, had died in the explosion with the queen of Twikkii Island, her brother had been even less helpful. While her father was a widower, his flings were no longer considered adultery, but his daughter still thought less of him for them.

She had been married to a near stranger, the former queen of Pleasantview Queen Charlotte II after a diplomatic incident required a sacrifice to Pleasantview be made. King Liam hadn’t asked his daughter what her thoughts on the matter were before the engagement was announced. He’d stood at her rushed wedding and grinned like this was all going according to his elaborate design. Theodosia loved her father, she truly did, but most days she felt like she was the parent in their relationship. Her mother had already been pressuring Liam to abdicate the throne in favour of their daughter for years when she died. If she were still alive, he may have gone through with it. 

It was hard enough knowing that she had to run a country one day, Theodosia didn’t need the stress of being the default leader of her family, especially considering that her father was still alive and seemingly interested in filling the role. All his daughter could see was the seemingly endless political fires she had to put out due to Liam’s carelessness.

“Dad?”

The princess stormed past a group of party guests enjoying the sights of the palace from the kitchen floor. To her horror, she could vaguely recognize one of them as an occasional visitor from Arkhelios who she had the misfortune of meeting before under circumstances like this one, along with what she was desperately hoping wasn’t Twikkii Island’s palace head of security.

“Dad! We need to talk!”

As she suspected, Theodosia found her father wooing a man she wasn’t familiar with. She tried to breathe as her therapist had recommended, but staying calm was increasingly difficult with every second she stood there.

“Pelle, you’re amazing,” the king gushed, brushing his lips against the other man’s hand and watching him melt. “Maybe I could speak with the staff and organize a room for you so that we could spend more time together.”

“Absolutely not! Mom has been dead for just over a decade, and Holly less than six. We are not having any more scandals with you parading people younger than your children around the castle. Think of your reputation. Think of the country’s reputation. Do you really want Claudia to walk in here some day and evict you from your luxurious lifestyle because she’s convinced our people that she’s the better option compared to you?”

The king frowned, though he looked like he was weighing his daughter’s words.

“Claudia has no claim here,” he said at last in his defense. “Your mother is dead, and I’m not married, so who I decide to spend my time with is no one’s business but my own.”

“Do you really think that’s going to stop Pleasantview?” Theodosia hissed, glaring at the young man literally trying to hide behind her father. “That’s never stopped them historically and it won’t now. Unless you want to watch a second Crystal Empire take away your throne, you have to play your part. Mom’s not here to protect us anymore with whatever hellish dark magic she had and Pleasantview is still a prime suspect in Holly’s death. You are going to run this country into the ground if you don’t change things!”

“I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to cause a scene,” the young man said earnestly. “I never wanted to-”

“Pelle, relax. You haven’t done anything wrong,” King Liam sighed. “If I want you to stay here, then you’re allowed to stay here. Theodosia isn’t queen yet, even if it seems that she’s forgotten that fact. Her mother filled her head with nonsense about an abdication long ago and tried to bully me into doing it. The country is still here and thriving over a decade later, so what did she really know?”

Silence swept across the room as the princess continued to try to lower her blood pressure. Her mother had been terribly wrong about many things in life, but she hadn’t been wrong to suggest that her husband “retire” from the throne, especially when this current mess was the result of Liam making his own choices.

“Pelle, I’m sure you’re a nice person caught up in the glamour of the castle and my father’s...charms,” she said coldly, ignoring her father in favour of his lover. “You’re not the first person to do so, and I know that you won’t be the last. Let me tell you about your predecessors. I have four recognized half-siblings from my father’s many affairs. There are likely more, but those are just the ones I know about. The ones who grew up without a word from my father. The ones who had mothers and fathers plead with the palace for child support or for the father of their child to spend a single moment with his child. The ones that I write WInterfest cards to every year under my father’s name so that they don’t have to feel the same crippling rejection from their absent father that I do. You are nothing more than a plaything, a toy. He’ll get tired of you too, so be prepared and use protection. I would hate to see history repeat itself with you.”

“That’s both treason and unfair,” Liam growled, but quickly withered under the glare of his daughter. “I had a traumatic childhood. I didn’t have my parents to raise me or protect me or teach me how to endure a loveless marriage to your sociopath of a mother. I’m doing my best here. Everything is fine. There’s hardly rioting in the streets because I entertain guests in my private quarters.”

A vein in Theodosia’s head was beginning to throb angrily. She tried massaging it away with no luck. Some days she wished that her mother had been the one to survive the marriage and that her father had died in her place. Queen Celeste had been emotionally unbalanced, incredibly self-centered and frankly, an actual danger to society, but at least she owned it. Her mother had accepted blame and talked to her daughter about critical things that a ruler needed to govern effectively. She had had insight and ideas and strategies for her kingdom, where her husband...didn’t. One parent was maliciously ambitious and the other had spent his life running away from his problems. No wonder Theodosia had been plucking grey hairs from her head since her early twenties.

She wanted to rage and scream about the injustice in her life, but there was an audience and her mother had trained her better than to throw tantrums about her father’s childish behaviour in front of the public. Who was her father to whine about his orphaned childhood when Theodosia had never once been allowed to have a childhood at all? She’d been the one to try to clean up her parents’ messes, while also helping to shield her young siblings from the disaster that was their family.

“I have a meeting to discuss the Harvest Moon Ball,” she spat. “Something that the monarch should be doing. By all means though, you stay here and cry about your dead mom who you don’t even remember. My losing both my mother and sister could never compete with that, Your Majesty.”

The princess curtsied dramatically, mocking the respect she was supposed to have for her king and father. What she really longed to do was flip him off and shout obscenities like the frustrated teenager she was never allowed to be, but she was better than that. For his part, Pelle did try a clumsy bow as she retreated, though the princess was far too angry to notice. 

"Your Majesty! What a surprise."

No sooner than when she’d entered the hallway, yet another situation appeared. Queen Claudia was in the main hallway, lazily looking at the portraits on the wall. Had talking about the threat Pleasantview posed somehow summoned the monarch or was this just exceptional bad luck?

Theodosia tried to suppress her surprise at the queen of Pleasantview and her heir just walking into the castle unannounced. Formality had never been Claudia's strong suit, and she clearly had no intention of changing. Theodosia remained convinced that Claudia enjoyed the element of surprise and the uneasiness it inspired.

From down the hall, Theodosia's wife, Charlotte, was just leaving the kitchen with a small snack in her arms. Her wife frantically signalled her to be on alert and Charlotte laid her snack aside and came running as elegantly as she could. 

"Your Majesty," Charlotte said with a deep curtsy. "We didn't expect you here, what an honour."

Claudia couldn't help laughing at the situation, despite its seriousness. Charlotte had been the monarch that she'd replaced in Pleasantview and now she was bowing to Claudia. The whole thing was silly, but protocol was protocol. She and Charlotte weren't close and hadn't spoken outside of events in the past few years, so formalities needed to be established. She had Victoriana as an audience, looking for an example of how to treat foreign royalty.

"Your Highnesses," Claudia said, following proper procedure and not bowing or curtsying to either princess. Beside her, Victoriana remained silent. "I'm just visiting today. There's a matter I need to consult the archives about. A private matter. I've consulted the archives in Pleasantview, but I need some titles from your archives. I trust this is the estate where the records are kept?"

Theodosia nodded gracefully.

"Yes, since this is the king's formal residence, all the archives have been moved here as is the custom. Did you need any title in particular? I can summon the royal librarian to assist you if you'd prefer."

"It must be nice having so many royal residences that you have to move archives around," Claudia laughed. Theodosia's mask of politeness never slipped in reaction. "You guys have what? Three castles? Four? I'm jealous. I only have one royal residence and the ruins of the old one. I'm thinking of expanding my estate to catch up with you guys. Maybe add a few new houses."

Claudia watched the princesses closely, hoping that her light threat had hit her targets as she'd hoped. Neither woman moved from their place, still politely bowing and showing no reaction. Pleasantview had a history of absorbing Crystal Cove over multiple centuries, freeing it and then capturing it once again years later. There was a good reason why both women were so cautious of Claudia and it never hurt to remind them of why. Claudia had no intentions of going to war to conquer any country, but it was good to mention every so often that she always could if she ever changed her mind.

"I think I'll just poke around by myself for now," Claudia announced. "I'm looking for the archives regarding the Empress' reign. I assume that they'd be here?"

A worried look passed between Theodosia and her wife, though they tried to hide it.

"E-empress Anastacia?"

Claudia fought the urge to roll her eyes. It was hardly acceptable behaviour for a queen, but it was so tempting.

"Yes, there's only been one empress, unless I'm missing one," she replied irritably. 

"But, she reigned over Pleasantview mainly, surely you have all the records you need in your archives. Everything from the Crystal Empire remains under your control, if I'm remembering correctly," Theodosia answered.

She was remembering correctly. There wasn't an inch of this castle or this government that she hadn't meticulously studied in preparation for her eventual ascent to the throne. Whatever Claudia was looking for should be in Pleasantview, or at the very least, be able to be sent to Pleasantview at the queen's request. Why did she need to arrive in a foreign country unannounced to look for records she already had?

"I'm sure having a quick look won't hurt either. Victoriana, stay with the princesses until I return," Claudia ordered. "It will be boring in the archives, so go explore with them. I'm sure you two don't mind looking after her for a bit?"

"Of course not," Theodosia said, clenching her teeth in a grimace she hoped was convincing. First she had to babysit her father and now she had to entertain a foreign princess without notice. She had had plans of her own for the day, but they had all been ruined, as usual.

"Have fun," Claudia called out, heading in the direction of the castle archives.

When she had disappeared from eyesight, both Crystal Cove princesses sighed deeply, releasing the breath they'd been holding.

"What do you want to do? We could play a game if you want," Victoriana suggested, oblivious to the tension in the air. "Or watch TV."

"I have to go for another meeting on the Harvest Moon Ball, I can't stay and babysit Claudia's kid on top of everything else. Make sure my dad's still wearing pants by the time the witch council meets tonight. Maybe someone on staff will look after the kid until Her Majesty is done pretending that she owns the place."

With that, Theodosia stormed down the hall, intent on accomplishing at least one of the items on her schedule.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"Why do we have to be here exactly? I have a test to study for tomorrow."

"I'll help you study for it," Adam promised, looking a bit irritated with his boyfriend's complaining. "Guarding the queen is an honour and she asked for us specifically. Do you know how many people would kill to be in our place?"

Theo rolled his eyes, but tried to lose the irritation in his voice.

"It's so stuffy here though. How can you stand the whole uniform? I need to take this off, I'm dying."

Adam blushed, thinking about the possibility of his boyfriend starting to strip even if it happened in this very inappropriate place. They'd kissed and held hands so far, but imagining what Theo looked like underneath all of his clothes was both terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. He'd seen Theo swim and change for gym class, but anything else felt forbidden and heart pounding. Adam was just working up the courage to ask Theo to the Harvest Moon Ball this year where they would dance together in public for the first time. 

"What was that cooling spell again? It was something to do with the left index finger and the right pinky?"

Adam stopped spiraling about seeing a naked Theo just in time to see the closest curtain to Theo burst into flames.

"No, you have to shake your hand a little," Adam replied, demonstrating the correct hand gestures and being rewarded with a gust of cold air that snuffed out the curtains before the fire department was summoned. "Please don't burn down the castle while Miruna is here. Our family can't afford to rebuild it."

"Right. Sorry. I forgot that demons had a harder time with elemental magic," Theo apologized. "I don't use it a lot. Are you still hot though? I'm boiling here. Do you think they have an air conditioner? Is this place too old for one?"

"Adam! Theo! You made it!"

Both boys turned to see Miruna Maricourt gesturing wildly at them. 

"Your Highness," Adam said stoically, nudging Theo to do the same beside him. "We're here to protect you, as ordered. What do you need of us?"

Miruna laughed in response.

"Relax, the summons was just a formality," she replied. "Your school needed a reason to allow you to miss class. Claudia and I just wanted to see you both. We never get to see you and this was the perfect excuse. I think you even get extra credit if we sign a document, so it's win-win."

"So you don't need us to protect you from foreign threats?" Theo asked, his disappointment clear in his eyes. "I'm really good at fighting off demons and my dad is making me take defense classes against vampires too. I can protect you."

Miruna watched the little demon hybrid try to pose dramatically while her half-brother stared at him in lovestruck awe. She wasn't sure which one of them was cuter.

“I’m sure that you could,” Miruna gushed, hugging Theo while winking at her half-brother. “This one’s a keeper, Adam. No wonder the demon sovereign has her eye on him.”

“Yeah, Theo’s pretty great,” Adam stated, once again blushing. “Even the other demon kids can’t do some of the magic he can.”

Theo felt his face flush with the compliment. Despite Adam reassuring him that his feelings for him were real, there were days where Theo irrationally worried that Adam would find someone else who was stronger or more talented than Theo, leaving him alone and brokenhearted. Even with that reassurance, it still calmed some of Theo’s insecurities to hear Adam compliment him in front of other people.

“Well, Claudia has asked me to give you two a special mission if you want one,” Miruna teased. “We have to have some boring, long conversations with the king today and Victoriana could use some highly skilled warlocks to escort her around the castle.”

“You want us to babysit?” Adam groaned. “You signed us out of school to babysit your step-daughter? Why?”

 “Because she’s the future queen of Pleasantview and your future niece. It would mean a lot to Claudia if you and Theo spent some time with her before the wedding. She’s not much younger than you two, so it’s not really babysitting. You’re hanging out together while protecting her from harm.”

“I guess,” Adam grumbled. He paused for a moment, remembering the long talks with his parents about duty and sacrifice and keeping the family name untarnished. “I mean, we’d be happy to babysit for Her Majesty.”

“Liam! It’s been too long. How are you?”

Miruna watched as her fiancee greeted the Crystal Cove king without formality. She had never been certain if Claudia’s lack of formality with other monarchs in private was because of her upbringing or was just a way to assert her own power over them. It went without saying that King Liam knew the history of Pleasantview’s occasional annexation of his country-his mother was once heir to both thrones. Miruna could never be certain about Claudia’s true motivations. She greeted Maura in a completely different way because of their friendship, but she also tended to wander around other castles wherever she wanted unchallenged.

“Your Majesty,” Liam replied gracefully. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”

There was power in being so closely associated with Claudia. Miruna had gone over the pros and cons of her engagement with her father for as long as she had been dating the monarch. Claudia was a great person, but these little displays of power always made Miruna uncomfortable. Even the tiniest conversation seemed like a power struggle with Claudia, which was honestly a little tiring.

“Hey, Victoriana! How are you? You get to ditch school today too?”

With the amount of siblings he had, speaking to children came naturally to Theo. Not that Victoriana was much younger than him really. She was just slightly older than his twin sisters, so hanging out with her seemed just like hanging out with them. Adam was jealous of his boyfriend’s ability to just socialize with anyone, no matter where they came from. Adam had spent years being told what to do, when to bow and what topics were forbidden to discuss, while Theo had no hesitation. He still mostly remembered when he should bow but he was truly fearless,much like Claudia herself was. Adam chalked it up to his boyfriend’s unusual childhood. Not much would be scary if you had grown up fighting your own demonic family just to survive.

“Yeah, my mom said I had to ‘get out more’,” Victoriana replied. “She wanted us to spend some time together so I can practice my magic skills with other kids.”

Probably because my half sister is marrying her mom. I’m not sure why else the queen would want her daughter practicing magic in a foreign castle with Theo and I.

Adam frowned, but the young princess didn’t seem to notice. Her attention remained focused on the simple magic tricks Theo was demonstrating for her.

“So about my wedding,” Claudia began. “I was thinking that I might want to wear one of your mother’s dresses for the reception. You know, to celebrate our special relationship with Crystal Cove. Obviously my wedding dress is being custom made and designed, but I can barely walk in it, let alone dance. Everyone always says how much I resemble my aunt, so I’d like to honour her at my wedding.”

“That can easily be done,” Liam replied, relieved that the favour she’d come to ask was incredibly easy. She had the power to demand whatever she wanted and if she wanted one of his long dead mother’s dresses, no one alive would complain about it. “I believe my dear wife locked them in her castle to hoard away when we got married. I’ll have Theodosia search for them. She knows where most of her mother’s things are.”

“What’s the big deal about a dress?” Theo asked, only to have Adam shrug in reply.

The two boys and Victoriana skulked around the hallway, eavesdropping on the two monarchs for any juicy gossip. To listen to two adults talk about clothes and insurance rates that would be needed to allow royal artifacts to leave the castle was incredibly boring.

“Probably just to remind people that she inherited the throne from her blood relative,” Adam guessed. “People weren’t thrilled when Queen Charlotte I and Queen Charlotte II ruled after Queen Juniper’s death. They were installed by a foreign government with a weak, manufactured claim to the throne. Because she’s Juniper’s niece and they look so similar, wearing one of her dresses would be a great opportunity to remind any doubters of her claim.”

“What’s your sister going to wear? Do you have to wear something fancy to the wedding? Do I as your date?”

Adam shrugged again.

“Maybe. I have a list of ‘suggestions’ to pick from for the wedding. Maybe they’ll have suggestions for you too.”

“I could wear a tiara,” Theo exclaimed, his mind filled with expensive jewelry like he’d seen his Aunt Ulyssa and Adrian wearing. “Are you going to? Do you have family pieces to choose from? How many?”

Adam gave his boyfriend a strange look.

“No, we don’t have jewelry pieces, we’re witches. There’s not much use for tiaras if you cover them with a witch’s hat. Why would you wear a tiara? Your parents aren’t nobility and you don’t have a title. Your sisters do, maybe you can borrow one of theirs.”

Frustration enveloped Theo’s face as he thought about how non-royal his family was. His parents were heirs to old Arkhelios money, but Roman was no longer a widower duke now that Adrian was alive and in a new relationship. Grandma Elaine didn’t have a title either, though she did inherit her father’s land and fortune. When he subtracted all of the demons in his bloodline, Theo’s genealogy was actually pretty boring. Suddenly he could sympathize with his great-aunt Wanda. All she wanted from the global community was recognition and to be treated as an equal. Without a title or impressive family tree, the leader of Arkhelios was frequently laughed at or judged by the monarchs.

“Well, I think your family should buy one,” Theo decided. “It’s only fair.”

"Sorry, Theo. If you want a title, you're going to have to find someone else," Adam replied irritably. "I have enough problems living up to our non-royal family legacy without having to add in nobility drama."

Adam didn't usually show his irritation or anger, or if he did, Theo never saw it. So seeing him visibly upset about Theo's words was a new experience. 

"Sorry, I guess I've just lived with the twins long enough that I'm used to tiaras and estates," Theo apologized. "My family really isn't important at all outside Arkhelios and sometimes your parents make me feel bad about it. Not that they would ever say anything, it's just how they look at me sometimes."

"That's the whole point," Adam replied icily. "For there to be special people, the rest of us unspecial people need to exist. At least demons rank you by your power and not who you're related to."

Theo paused, remembering the importance every demon he'd ever met placed on bloodlines. It was hardly a meritocracy like Adam assumed it was. When he thought about it, just about every part of society was focused on who you came from. The demons, the witches and the royal families all demanded proof that you were related to someone with power in order to wield power yourself. It was a crushing reminder to the teenager that the world wasn't fair. 

"Aren't you related to Duchess Spencer Lane?" Victoriana asked quietly. "I've been studying the early Maricourts for school this semester. She was a duchess in Pleasantview and her daughter died in Strangetown as a teen. Her son Casper Maricourt had some kids in Strangetown too. Isn't that where you're from?"

Adam shook his head.

"No, my mom's a Darktide through and through," Adam sighed, giving Theo a pointed look. "My dad is the Maricourt. Trust me, I know my family tree."

"Well, when I'm queen, you can have a title," Victoriana decided, making Adam smile kindly in response.

"Thank you so much, I'll look forward to it one day," he replied. "Though I hope your mom lives a long, long time."

"I'll ask her for you then. Mom never stops talking about you guys anyway, she'd probably give you whatever you want."

"Your mom talks about Theo and I?" Adam asked nervously. "Nothing about the wedding, right? We're still invited and assigned the same roles? I just memorized the poem she wanted me to read."

Victoriana shrugged, already bored now that the topic of conversation had changed to her mother's expensive, boring wedding.

"As far as I know. But she talks about Theo all the time, and how I should follow his example and learn about the stupid demons he's related to. Boring stuff like that. I think she's thinking of hiring you after you graduate school or something. There's a folder on her work desk with your name on it."

Victoriana didn't seem alarmed by this information, but Theo's entire body went numb with shock. The queen of Pleasantview was watching his academic career with interest? Enough to keep a file on him? Theo didn't know if he should feel flattered or frightened by this knowledge. First the demon sovereign sponsors his education and now the queen of the most powerful country could possibly be thinking of adding him to her staff one day. What other reason could she have for following Theo's academic career? 

"It's probably just because he's dating her half-brother in law," Adam suggested. "We all have files for her to review, I'm sure. She's just making sure that Theo isn't going to shift into his dark form and try to take over the country at the reception."

It was a plausible scenario, one that Theo wanted more than anything to believe. Still, some remaining doubt clung to his mind. 

There's a reason for this and you may not like the answer.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"Your Majesty, it's so great to see you again. Come, sit down. I've arranged for tea to be served if you'd like."

King Liam of Crystal Cove was a timid creature. His parents had been murdered when he was a child, and he had been raised under the thumb of King Ben Siew to be a compliant puppet to Twikkii Island's needs. Ben had married him to his granddaughter, Celeste, who had run the country for Liam until she and Charlotte Maricourt attempted to kill the Grim Reaper with the full force of the Strangetown coven. Since Celeste's death, Liam was trying his best to rule effectively and was utterly failing. His daughter, Theodosia, had been raised by her mother to force her father to abdicate the throne upon her mother's death, but Liam had refused to budge. The throne had been his mother's final gift to him and he wouldn't release it until it was his time to join her in death. It would be him who faced off against Claudia, even if Theodosia insisted on helping him.

Claudia was more than fine with the arrangement. All she needed was her heir by her side, and her number one secret weapon, Theo.

"How kind of you," Claudia replied dismissively. "It's a bit too hot for tea, don't you think? This meeting shouldn't take very long anyway."

"We'll see," Liam answered, attempting to sound authoritative and failing. "We do have so much to talk about."

Claudia only smiled in response. With a practiced nod, she gestured towards Theo. Victoriana walked to her mother's side (though two paces behind her at all times as appropriate for an heir). Theo nodded stiffly and marched carefully towards the front of the palace. He'd been doing lots of training with the queen lately since school was out for the summer and was loving every moment of it. He got to sleep in a castle, in a luxury bedroom all to himself. He'd been allowed to visit his parents twice now, but could only call or text Adam. Adam's parents had decided to keep Adam close to them for the summer and had forbid him to be alone with the demon hybrid until school resumed. Even if Theo's powers had been healed with divine intervention, neither Edana or Ewan wanted to risk another possible injury to their son.

"So, let's just get this out of the way," Theodosia began. "The Harvest Moon Ball will not be held this year. Our sovereign ruler has given his final decision on the matter, and you won't change it."

The crown princess glared at Claudia, but Claudia didn't seem to notice. Theodosia's wife, Charlotte, had gladly abdicated the Pleasantview throne to Claudia years ago, but Theodosia still had mixed feelings on the matter. True, Claudia had a better claim to the throne, and Charlotte was almost universally hated there, but the daughter of the Red Queen had to have some sway there.

But Theodosia was failing her mother's guidance. She had been too blunt, too quick to offer her opinion. Claudia had seen her true emotions on the matter, but Theodosia had seen nothing of Claudia's.

"Of course," Claudia responded, looking appalled at the insinuation of her having come to question the king's decrees. "Pleasantview has allowed your country to govern itself for what, seventy years now? My grandfather saw the potential in a second empire during his rule, but I made a very sincere vow to your nation upon taking the throne. Under my rule, you're free to make any decisions you'd like about your country. I do hope that Victoriana extends you that same courtesy when she takes the throne someday."

"You don't have a drop of Alioto blood in your veins," Theodosia said sharply. "My grandmother is your aunt on the Goss side only. You can claim relation to any other kingdom but this one. Your claim would have to go back all the way to the first emperor, who lived centuries ago. You don't know the first thing about Crystal Cove. We aren't so helpless these days."

"Ladies, please. Let's not let the heat get the better of us," Liam pleaded, looking sternly at his daughter. "Queen Claudia has sworn to keep the peace, and so have I. There's no need for arguments."

"It would help me learn about your country and traditions if Princess Isadora transferred to Princess Zarah Academy," Victoriana chimed in. "Queen Maura’s children and King Charley's grandchildren attend Pleasantview academies, and they love it there. It would no doubt be beneficial if your future queen studied alongside her royal peers. It would be unfair for the other future monarchs to have strong friendships with each other and poor relations with Crystal Cove."

"I'll consider it," Theodosia replied, in a tone that clearly conveyed the message that she would never consider the option. "So, if you're not here to complain about the ball being cancelled, I'm curious about the reason for your visit. We love hosting foreign royalty, but I wouldn't want you to waste your valuable time on something that could have been sent by message. I'm sure there's much to occupy your time in such a large nation."

"That's a good point though. Isadora is rather isolated from her peers. My own mother was born in Pleasantview, and we have a long history of friendship between our nations."

Theodosia cleared her throat, cutting off her father.

"Dad, Isadora loves her school. It's important to maintain our traditions and not be swept up by the culture of larger nations. Especially nations that have a history of making us their colony."

"I'm glad that she's happy with her education," Claudia replied calmly. "Crystal Cove has fine educational facilities. We have a few witches in Pleasantview who like to sign up for the occasional course here to experience your culture. The last one I approved to take a class abroad made me a little crystal tree in thanks. I proudly display it in my formal entryway."

Liam looked like he was about to say something in response, but Claudia cut him off.

"I'm sad to hear about the cancellation of the Harvest Moon Ball, but I can understand your concern for safety. I've come today to share some news I've received about another concerning threat."

"Another assassination attempt?" Liam asked, gasping audibly. "Another attack on Twikkii Island?"

Claudia shook her head solemnly.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. This is a global threat, I'm afraid. It's likely related to the attack that nearly claimed Queen Maura’s life, but it's been only spread by whispers so far. The dead are returning to our realm to warn us of what may come."

"The dead are returning? Is this-could it be...."

Theodosia trailed off, looking uncharacteristically unnerved by the Pleasantview queen's words. When she had gathered her thoughts, she cleared her throat and spoke with purpose.

"Does this concern our shared brother? Has he been...experimenting with the teachings of his mothers?"

For once, Claudia was caught off guard by a question and she didn't enjoy the feeling. She had prepared to talk about the names of dead reapers being mentioned to the living, but not about Travis.

Why would she bring up the shy, sensitive warlock who loved reading more than making a friend? To Claudia, Travis was a sweet, talented young man, who just happened to be her brother. Theodosia clearly didn't feel the same way.

Travis was Theodosia's biological brother by their mother, Queen Celeste, and a powerful threat. Celeste had been a dark, ruthlessly trained witch, and Theodosia was still learning about new terrible things her mother had done. His other mother, Charlotte Maricourt, had been an ancient witch raised in the Old Ways of Strangetown. Entire books could be written about her dark legacy. Travis was made by these two master magic users to sacrifice in their insane scheme to murder the Grim Reaper. Theodosia had seen the rituals for herself the day her mother died and remained terrified of Travis' potential, despite him having grown up into a shy, respectful teen.

Travis was Claudia's biological cousin, and Claudia was no stranger to the darkness that ran in their shared genes. Pleasantview lived at least a little bit in fear of their queen because she descended from tyrants and murderers, and that was something Claudia had been trained to promote. She knew the grey areas of her life and how to reign in the darkness without ignoring it fully. Celeste had been a terrible person, but Claudia's grandfather had instilled fear in the hearts of nations around the world. Crystal Cove had fallen to him in an afternoon and the things he'd done were too terrible to repeat. Hell, Theodosia was related to him as well on her father's side, but she wasn't his direct heir, so she got to be presented as innocent and kind. Claudia knew how Theodosia felt in secret, being a descendant of deranged monsters, but Theodosia wasn't using this insight to help others. Instead, she was placing her own fears and resentment on an innocent child and expecting praise for it. The Goldmans believed in the good of humanity and in redemption. Claudia's father adopted the unwanted son of the sister who had murdered him as an infant and had never once questioned Travis' heart. Theodosia had been telling the truth when she pointed out that Claudia had no Alioto blood in her veins. Maybe if she did, she'd be an asshole to innocent children too.

"No, it doesn't concern Travis," Claudia spat, trying to reign in her anger and failing. She paused to collect herself before continuing. She had business to conduct, and punching a foreign crown princess wasn't going to help anyone. "Ghosts have been seen for the first time in centuries. Have you received intelligence on this?"

"No," Liam answered, looking at his daughter, who shook her head. "I haven't seen any ghosts personally or had reports of them. Honesty, I've always thought that ghosts weren't even real since people like your parents apparently guard the dead so well."

"They usually do. Unfortunately, things happen out of their control sometimes. I believe the ghosts are trying to tell us something important. It's my intention to learn what they want, and my parents have suggested that I might have more success learning that information with a party. Spirits love gatherings of mortals for any reason, but especially when that gathering involves food and dancing. Blood magic is apparently stronger during celebrations involving food and thanksgiving, so their theory is that ghost might feel the same."

"Is that so?" Liam asked, leaning back in his chair. Beside him, Theodosia glowered.

"Now that you've cancelled the Harvest Moon Ball, I have to adjust my plans," Claudia continued. "You see, Lukas also fears what ghosts could mean for our world and has begged me to continue my investigation."

Her words had the desired effect. Liam froze in place, terrified of the mere mention of the being who had taken his throne when they were a teenager. Some nights, he still woke up in a cold sweat at the thought of the deity returning. Claudia had him just where she wanted him.

"So, you see, since the Harvest Moon Ball will not be held this year, I plan to hold my own ball to continue my investigation. Because your ball was cancelled, I thought it was only fair that I hold mine in Crystal Cove so that your subjects don't have to travel to Pleasantview to attend it."

"You don't have the right to just announce events in another country," Theodosia seethed. Her father had suddenly gone quiet. "You can't just rent out the ballroom. That's owned by the royal family and I don't grant you permission to use it."

Claudia smiled, her face perfectly calm.

"I wouldn't dare assume to use your property in Crystal Cove. That would be incredibly rude of me. No, I was planning on holding the ball in the piece of Crystal Cove that I own. The ball will be held in the Honora St. Julien Tower, which is the legal property of Pleasantview, so you don't need to worry about helping in any way. You're rightfully concerned about safety, but I can guarantee that my security team, several units of my military, and the brightest stars of my coven will be on hand to protect anyone who attends. Your whole family is invited, of course,"

Theodosia's face was turning from red to purple at this news, while Liam stared at the table, trying to form an objection to this plan.

"Your military in our streets? Your coven out hexing and cursing our magic users while people dance in the background? You don't have the right!"

"Well, actually, my mom legally owns the Honora St. Julien Tower. It's, therefore, a part of Pleasantview, and she can do what she likes in Pleasantview," Victoriana added quickly. This wasn't entirely the plan she had discussed with her mother before arriving here, but it was close. The queen had intended on elaborating on what she knew of the threat concerning old, dead reapers, but Victoriana could practically see steam coming out of her mother's ears. Clearly, the idea of sharing information had been abandoned. Victoriana was okay with that. She hadn't been briefed in full by her mother, but even she had not appreciated the princess' lack of respect for her Uncle Travis.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, hey! Her Majesty thought you'd be here. I'm supposed to delay you while they talk a bit. Then you can barge in all you like."

Theo smiled at the new guests. Claudia had assumed that just because Lukas had asked for her help, they would have also reached out to a second person just in case. Usually, that meant the genetic line of champions they maintained to serve their wishes.

And here they were, standing before Theo. Varia, Vrai, and Leo all waved at the teen. It was just like Claudia had predicted.

"They're making you deal with this too?"

Vrai was old and tired and sick of politics. If his son hadn't nearly literally pushed him out the door, Vrai would be happy at home, ignoring Lukas' call.

"Dad, you were the crown prince of Strangetown when you were young. Politics is what you're good at, and it's not an inconvenience to spend time with me and your granddaughter on a nice day. You're still a prince, actively supported by Uncle Charley. Stop whining like a child and act your rank. We want the king to take us seriously."

Leo stared at the sky, wishing for a hole to swallow up his father and remove him from his sight. Vrai had never been a good father, and despite it being his destiny to serve, he was also a pretty lousy employee for Lukas. He sometimes behaved well when hanging out with his brothers, but overall, Leo found tolerating his father impossible. He would certainly never treat his own kids like that. It was getting to the point that if Vrai showed up properly dressed and with his mouth shut, Leo could usually get some work done. He'd been hoping that his father might pick up the conversation at the royal table and take an interest. He could make their job easier, though Leo knew he wouldn't.

"Theo! It's great to see you again! When did they let you out of school?" Varia ran to Theo excitedly, crushing him with a hug. "I haven't seen Adam in forever either. You must have so much to talk about. Was it a nice school? Did you have any favourite teachers?"

Theo laughed.

"It was the worst. Oh my god. They took my phone and I couldn't see Adam at all. I met Lukas there, though. Did they mention me at all?"

"Hmmm. I don't think so, but I don't always see them. You'd have to ask my dad. He doesn't always let me come on work trips, so I miss out on all the gossip. I have to spend more time in school before he'll let Lukas ask anything of me."

"My dad's ex-girlfriend hired me as a summer intern without asking me," Theo commiserated. "It's really cool, and I get my own room in a castle, but sometimes I wish I was back at school with Adam. Your dad probably has a point about not committing to serving a deity before you've learned how to handle them, though. Following the queen around is sometimes pretty boring."

"Your Majesty King Liam. Your Majesty Queen Claudia. Your Highness Princess Theodosia. Your Highness Princess Victoriana. I've come to talk with you all on a matter of some urgency." Leo stood politely beside the table of frustrated monarchs, waiting for an invitation to join them. The Crystal Cove royals looked furious, while the Pleasantview royals seemed to be enjoying themselves.

So nothing new then. This was how Leo had always seen the royal families act with each other. He had been born and raised in Crystal Cove, but he'd never felt respect for a monarch until he'd spent time with his Uncle Charley. Strangetown may be strange, but at least it had a functioning government.

"Of course you may join us," Claudia declared, once again acting on behalf of the king without permission. "If you have something important to discuss, then we are all glad to hear it. Victoriana, go sit with Isadora at another table and continue to think on our conversation while we speak with Leonid."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Leo said, pulling Victoriana's abandoned chair over to sit at the table.

"Is this news from Lukas?" Liam asked wearily. "If it is, then Her Majesty has already informed us of Lukas' displeasure with our choice about the ball. We were just discussing that matter when you arrived."

"No, not directly from Lukas," Leo lied. "From my uncle, the king."

The king and his daughter shared a worried look at these words.

"King Charley sent you here? For what purpose?"

"About the cancellation of the Harvest Moon Ball," Leo repeated, eliciting a deep groan from the Crystal Cove royals.

"Not you too," Liam exclaimed. "It's just a ball! We have several of them each year when it's safe to gather. Doesn't anyone else have a self-preservation instinct? The Queen of Twikkii Island nearly died, and that was just a barbecue!"

"That's why my uncle has sent me to speak with you," Leo replied. "He's been tracking the threat of this spiritual unrest, and he wants to hold an event in place of the Harvest Moon Ball. The barrier between life and death is thinnest at the time of the ball, and the spirits will be displaced if their usual schedule is interrupted. If you are unwilling to play your part in the maintenance of the world, then His Majesty will do so for you."

"It's just a ball! Besides, Queen Claudia has already threatened to have her military in my streets to hold her own ball in place of the Harvest Moon Ball. Are you both going to fight over the same day?"

Claudia smiled at Leo, and he grinned back.

"Not at all," Claudia said confidently. "There's a window of time where the barriers thin. We could easily pick separate days. In fact, if we stretched the events over a weekend, the spirits might be even happier."

"My uncle is very spiritual," Leo continued. "He would gladly hold a spiritual gathering to uphold the Old Ways during the day, with every intention of joining Her Majesty's ball at night."

"I would gladly attend such a spiritual gathering," Claudia added. "My parents and their coworkers might also want to attend. My mother is a descendant of Holy Queen Jasone, after all. I extend the use of my property within the boundaries of Crystal Cove to your uncle to hold this joint event. With my military and coven, and your uncle's military and coven, plus at least my parents' reaper team and possibly more, I think this event will be well protected. People will flock to this event due to the disappointment of the Harvest Moon Ball's cancellation, and we can assure them that we will protect them where their own king could not."

A silence fell over the table as Liam considered his options. This had to be at least partly Lukas' fault. Their employees wouldn't be here unless the deity had forced them to be here. Leo would still be advocating for his uncle, sure, but Varia and Vrai? Liam could hear Vrai complaining from where he sat. Claudia had admitted to speaking with Lukas when she revealed their anger at the ball's cancellation, but she was grinning too much at the thought of holding an event in his country. Lukas might have inspired some of this, but Claudia and Charley were exploiting this weak spot of Liam's. Every second he refused to hold the ball, the greater the chance that the other monarchs got even more ideas to make him look weaker.

"Sorry about my grandfather. Mom says that he's seen a lot of bad things, which makes him paranoid and that we should go easy on him. I agree with your mom. Cancelling the ball is stupid."

Isadora smiled at Victoriana. The gesture seemed earnest, which Victoriana thought was strange. No one in line to a throne ever relaxed in front of the other royals. The teens' mothers certainly never let down their guard around guests. Hell, sometimes Victoriana saw her mother wear her "I'm the queen and you will all obey" face for days. Princess Theodosia seemed to be equally distant, something her daughter didn't seem to share. Isadora was sheltered by her paranoid parents and was deliberately kept out of the school in Pleasantview where she could make political friends. To Victoriana, the princess' life was depressing. Claudia gave her plenty of choices to make on her own, even if the queen frequently interrupted her daughter's life when it was necessary. Even though Theo had been hired for the summer without knowing it, Claudia still allowed him every luxury owed to him as a guest of the queen. Theodosia looked like she ruled her daughter's life without restraint.

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Victoriana said charitably. She smiled back at the princess. Isadora had a beautiful smile.

"Hey guys! I mean, greetings Your Highnesses." Varia charged across the lawn and unceremoniously greeted the other teens. Her dad's work didn't often involve kids her own age, and she'd much rather hang out with princesses than listen to her miserable grandfather. "What's going on?"

Victoriana grinned at the sight of Varia. Varia and her father were frequent guests at the Pleasantview castle. They didn't see each other often outside of their shared science class, but Victoriana liked to think she and Varia were friends.

"We're talking about the Harvest Moon Ball and how much of a baby Isadora's grandfather is," Victoriana explained, causing Isadora's face to flush with embarrassment. "Everyone wants this ball to happen, even Strangetown. I think my mom's about to invade Crystal Cove just so it happens."

"He's just being sensible," Isadora protested. "My aunt died in the attack that killed Queen Cherry. He's never really recovered from that loss. It's okay to be safe sometimes."

Victoriana rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes, but not all the time. The man is afraid of his own shadow. My mom always says that a monarch has to take risks and go on the offensive or they risk everything they have. A lot of powerful people would be angry if she didn't rule the way she does. I plan on following her path one day when I'm queen."

"That's easy for you to say. Your mom has all the resources she needs to act like she does. The queen of Pleasantview gets everything she wants," Isadora complained. "Everyone is too afraid of her to go against her."

"Fine! I will hold the Harvest Moon Ball as scheduled as long as both of your kingdoms leave your militaries at home, and Strangetown's spiritual gathering is contained to the tower."

The teens could hear the king's frustrated declaration from across the yard. Isadora continued to flush with embarrassment, while Varia couldn't keep a snort of laughter from escaping.

Victoriana grinned proudly.

"Like I said, the queen of Pleasantview gets what she wants. One day, that's going to be me."