#lol me a few days ago: its bad enough ruining my own life i don't wanna ruin others! i was so right

[willowchild]

I fucking hate being mentally ill. I hate how it ruins my life and affects others negatively.I wanna kill myself <3

[alj4890]

Chapter 13 Fires in the Snow (part 2)

The Royal Romance Fan Fiction (Liam x MC*Riley) (Maxwell x OC*Amanda) (Drake x Olivia) (Hana x Rashad)

These characters are from the amazing writers of Pixelberry's Choices stories: The Royal Romance and Red Carpet Diaries. The only character of my own is Duchess Amanda Bridgerton of House St Orella. 

Masterlist of The Other Friend TRR

Chapter 13 (part 2) summary: While Amanda rushes to her home to see the extent of the fire damage, everyone else has gathered at Olivia's to begin a week of fun in the snow. How much fun though... well... that depends on who you ask.

Chapter 13 (part 2)

Good Lord! There was no stopping her. Drake can't help but feel irritated as he watches Olivia ice skating. He was hanging out in a small hut where most of the ski equipment was. He sips from his flask, letting the whiskey burn away some of his disgust.

She just couldn't let Liam enjoy skating with Riley, could she? It was so obvious how crazy they were about each other. Many of the ladies were already backing down on their efforts. Either Olivia was the most blind or she was the cockiest woman out there.

Maxwell makes his way off the ice, walking towards where Drake is sitting. A flash of worry crosses his face as he messes with his cell phone.

"Hear anything from Amanda yet?"

Maxwell shakes his head and sits next to him. "No. She should have been there hours ago. My phone keeps losing reception. The only place I had a few bars was in my bedroom. Is yours any better?"

Drake shakes his head. "Go on. I'll keep an eye on Brooks for you. I'm sure Olivia will get tired of twirling soon and allow everyone to go skiing."

Maxwell gives a grateful look. "Thanks Drake. I'll let you know if I hear anything." He hops up and takes off for the house.

Olivia comes over to the hut, not knowing that he is sitting there. She puts her skates on the shelf and reaches for her skis.

"Lovely performance, your grace."

Olivia gasps and spins around.

"Really something. Now tell me the truth, just how many hours have you spent practicing out here? Did you have some guy stand in as Liam so that you could lean in and coo while twirling? I mean, you had to have made sure you were close enough for the performance to have an impact on the targeted audience."

Olivia is shaking with rage. Her eyes sparkle with tears. She refuses to give into them falling in front of him. Why did he do that? Everytime she began to have fun, he went and ruined it with just a few words. She looks up at him, about to deliver the retort that burns him where he stands, when Liam calls out to them.

She quickly puts a smile on her face and agrees that it is time to ski. She invites everyone to make use of the available equipment.

After a fun time skiing, everyone is back in Olivia's spacious living room. Her furniture is set so that there are small groupings of seating around the room. Drake, Riley, and Hana are all together by the fireplace, sipping hot chocolate.

"I still can't believe you made that jump!"

Riley laughs at his expression. "To be honest Drake, I can't believe I did either. I, well, it was either jump or crash. I've never enjoyed pine needles embedded in my legs, thus the jump."

Maxwell comes up and grabs a mug and sits down.

"Did you talk to her?"

"No. There's about a two foot space in my room where I can stand with two bars of reception. I finally got the text she sent a few hours ago. She had made it and was finishing talking with the firemen. She was about to go view the damage. It was an accidental fire. Some campers in the estate's forest had not doused their campfire properly. The wind had blown some embers."

As they all sit there absorbing the news, Olivia walks up. She gives a smile that has a bit of an edge to it. "I hope you are all enjoying Lythikos and its hospitality" Everyone gives their thanks and approval. Hana comments on the lovely selection of pastries Olivia had put out.

Olivia turns her narrowed eyes on Drake. It looked like it was time to repay him for the comments he had made. "Those eclairs are to die for. I'm surprised we still have some left. If Savannah was here, I know she would have stuffed her face full. One always knew where she would be if those were available. Hmm. I don't see her. Where is she, Drake? Don't you know?"

Drake looks at her with an expression unlike any she had seen in his face before. Perhaps she pushed him a little too far. "Don't you EVER mention my sister again! If she isn't here, it's because of rotten people like you. Now if you will excuse me, I've got somewhere important to be."

"You have something important? Huh? I don't-"

Olivia is cut off by the door slamming. She shrugs her shoulders and tells Riley and Hana that she is giving Liam a personal tour. "Enjoy yourselves, ladies."

Hana shakes her head in disbelief. "I can not believe she said all that. Poor Drake."

Riley looks over at Maxwell, "Do you know what happened to his sister?"

Maxwell shrugs. "She just left one day out of the blue. It is going on a year now since we last saw her."

Hana looks out the window. "Storm clouds are moving in. Drake needs to get back to the house."

Riley stands up and puts her coat on. "I'll go find him."

Maxwell stands up too. "Be careful. I'm going to head back to my room and try to get another message."

Hana stands watch by the window in the emptying room. Worry begins to cloud her features. A shadow crosses over her. She turns to see Rashad standing next to her.

"Are you...is there anything I can do, Lady Hana?" His gray eyes reflect his concern.

She gives him a small smile of thanks, "I'm just concerned for Lady Ri-oh there they are!" She quickly makes her way to the entry hall. Rashad stands there watching her leave. He rubs the back of his neck and heads to his room.

Hours away, Amanda makes her way to what is left of the observatory. She stands there with the two servants that had been with her family since before she was born. Her butler, Alfred, and his wife, Maureen, stand there with soot covering their faces. Many of the staff were in a similar fashion.

"The good news, your grace, is that the house was not damaged." Alfred looks over at the home he had helped run for decades with pride.

Amanda nodded while she looks at what remained. "Not all the wood was damaged, it seems."

Maureen puts a comforting hand on Amanda's shoulder. "Don't worry, my dear. I'm sure that strapping lad will build you another."

Amanda gives a short laugh. Maureen's Irish brogue had a habit of coming out whenever she referred to Amanda and her friends as children. Alfred shook his head at his wife's sometime refusal that Liam, Maxwell, and Drake were no longer "lads". He too was a transplant from England.

Nicholas Bridgerton had found him on vacation in Surrey. Alfred had at the time no job and had been forced out of his flat due to being behind in his rent. When he discovered that the man's name was Alfred, it was all he could do to convince him to come to Cordonia. Nicholas said he was needed for the bat cave. Alfred had met Maureen a year later and here they had been a part of St. Orella for most of their adult life.

Amanda steps toward what's left. Many of her staff voice their warnings to be careful. Amanda goes over and gently touches one of the beams. She feels some rough spots and notices that it looks like letters. She begins to rub the soot off with her shirt. She looks at it and can hardly believe what it said. There in a heart was engraved M.B + A.B.

"That young rascal!" Amanda turns to listen to the head groundskeeper. "I thought he was up to something that time a few years ago. I never knew him to wake up that early in the morning."

Amanda smiles fully for the first time since she arrived. Leave it to Maxwell to be able to make her heart skip a beat through a past surprise. She asks that the part that has the engraving be cut into a smaller piece. She takes it inside and sets it on her nightstand. She checks her phone as she prepares to get cleaned up.

Maxwell had sent her messages that said the cellular reception was bad and he wasn't sure if she was trying to get a hold of him. His most recent message said, "I'm losing it wondering if you are trying to get a hold of me. Let me know if you need me to come. 💓".

Amanda snapped a picture of the engraved wood and sent it to him. Along with it, she texted "I don't believe I am the only one trying to get a hold of someone 💘"

@fullbeaumonty @darley1101  @cocomaxley

If I forgot to tag someone that asked, I’m so sorry.  First time trying this, LOL.