#mc x liam

[phoenixrising0308]

The day I watched you marry someone else.

Books: The Royal Romance Book 3

Rating: M (Mature content and implied sexual activities)

Pairing: Liam & Jessica (MC)

The Arrangement -  This is the story of how Liam Rys and Jessica Garcia enter a Cordonian arrangement. This is a 4 chapter story arc and fits into a story in between called the Promise, which is in the Agent Phoenix A/U. 

Detailed disclaimer

Triggers: none identified by the author

Chapter Summary: Jessica's POV of the wedding

A/N: This is reposting an original chapter released in 2019/2020 under a previous blog name with new added content sprinkled in.  Im sorry it took so long to get back into the writing space life has been heavy.

Song Inspiration: The Arrangement Playlist

Word Count: 2,500 *As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors*

New York, One week prior...

Liam walked Jessica back to her hotel room and wiped away her tears.

“He just slipped away; we just missed him.” Jessica cried out on Liam’s shoulder.

“We will find him; this isn’t over for us. It will never be over for us.”

“I don’t know what I want to do, Liam. I can’t walk away from you.”

The tears he held back, trying to be strong, started streaming down his face. They rested their heads against each other. 

“I am expected at the wedding. I don’t know if I can sit there and watch you marry someone else. Maxwell and Bertrand did so much for me and I can’t have them look even worse by not showing my face. I need to think. But I’m not getting on that plane with the rest of the court. I don’t know what happens after that, I don’t know if I can enter into a Cordonian arrangement.”

I don’t know what to say. But if you come back and want to stay, we can solve this together.  Will you wait for me?

—

Ramsford - Jessica’s room

Liam’s Wedding day

 Everyone was in a frenzy trying to get ready. Jessica sat in a daze as the letter she read, hand-delivered to her by a footman in familiar cursive writing. When she finished she let it fall to the floor.

Lady Jessica, you should know that I have invoked on behalf of the Crown prince ‘Sex primis noctibus’ or the first six nights. As Cordonian tradition dictates, the King is to be in close quarters with the Queen with no outside interruptions to get familiar with each other and bed each other for six consecutive nights in hopes that they can produce an heir. In fact, the wedding date is chosen based on the future Queen's fertile window. Liam might love you but he loves his country more. I encourage you to move on and have your sponsor find you a respectable match and marry or return to the states before you waste any more time chasing a dream that simply can not be. There has never been a divorce or annulment in the history of the Rys line of succession, and we have held the throne for a century.

-Constantine Rys 

It would be the first royal wedding in Cordonia since Constantine married Regina. But this was a larger affair. It would be a first marriage, and that hasn’t happened in decades. The last time it did was Constantine’s marriage to Leo’s mother.

Maxwell picked up the letter and briefly read it; he crumpled it up in disgust and threw it in the trash before returning to her side and lovingly combing her hair. “I’m so sorry, blossom. I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

Jessica held Maxwell’s hand stopping him and putting the brush down. “Me too.” He took her in his arms and they cried. 

Bertrand walked into the room with a large box and said, “Maxwell, I would like to have a word with Lady Jessica.”

Bertrand took Maxwell’s place in front of Jessica and said, “This will be a very difficult day. I thank you for doing this for us. You could have easily stayed in New York, but you came. Should you want to make a life for yourself, allow me to offer you my assistance. You are to stay here as long as you want. You are our sister, this home is yours as well to make use of. But it is my duty to inform you that a suitor has approached me and asked if you would consider a proposal.”

Jessica blinked her tears away in surprise at that before speaking again. “Thank you, Bertrand. But I don’t think I’m ready for anything. I know that it is your custom to arrange a match for a lady of your house, but would it be out of the ordinary if I don’t want to be married?”

“Jessica, it is your choice. I just don’t know how to mend a broken heart. I just thought since you came here to be wed that perhaps that could help.”

Jessica gave Bertrand a half-smile. “I came here for Liam.”

“Jessica, as you know, we have no lady of the house, and surely when I marry Savannah, I would like to commission something for her, but what I am giving you is a gift. You helped me find her, and connect with her and our son, and I could never thank you enough, but I hope this is a start.”

Bertrand placed the box on Jessica’s lap. “It would mean the world to me and Maxwell if you wore this and perhaps you can channel the strength of its owner.”

Jessica opened up the box and gasped, “Bertrand, do you mean it? I can surely wear it and give it back.”

“Maxwell and I insist. This is yours to have. We can offer you our name and our protection and we have given you our mother's ring but one thing remains that should be yours. As you know, a hat is customary at court functions when not at a gala. I was not always kind to you, yet you stood by us. Your loyalty was unwavering even after I doubted your ability to be a suitor. Please accept this as a gift as a sign of our gratitude and a welcoming gift to joining our house.”

Jessica pulled out the light blue fascinator hat with a birdcage veil; made of sinamay material that glimmered in the sun-like diamond dust. 

"Maxwell tells me you favor hats, and well, this was my mother's pride and joy. It serves no purpose locked away in a closet when it should go to an owner that wears it when called upon."

Jessica was awestruck as she softly asked, “This belonged to Duchess Annabelle?”

“Yes, it belonged to our mother. The world will be looking at you today, the press will look for you to crumble. They think you are alone, that you have lost, but in this, you have gained family and friends. We are better people because you walked into our lives. Jessica, you surprised me time and time again. Liam told me you were his choice. Had it not been for his father’s interference and the loyalist on the royal council, this would be your day.”

Jessica placed the fascinator on her head and said, “It certainly is beautiful. I will wear it with pride. Thank you.”

Bertrand’s lips trembled as he fought back his tears and said, “You honor this house regardless of title or status. Lady Jessica Garcia Beaumont”

Jessica looked at herself in the mirror as she placed the fascinator on her head and sighed deeply, trying not to cry again.

Bertrand gave her a soft smile and said, “Tungsten… impact strength determines how much energy a metal can absorb. Tungsten can hold the highest temperature even in a forge; its melting point is the highest of any element; it will not shatter or be broken. That's why all the items in our armory are made of it. This house is your shield. When you look at yourself, remind yourself of your resilience and strength. That will get you through this painful ordeal.”

—

Royal Cordonian Abbey

Jessica stepped into the Abbey dressed in the house colors of the Beaumonts. She wore an off-the-shoulder knee-length dress that coordinated perfectly with the late Duchess Annabelle’s hat. She held her head high as people snickered at her, but she walked with grace and class paying no mind to the hurtful remarks people whispered as she passed by. Reporters attempted to get her to comment and she declined to give a statement. She took her place in the pew next to Hana. 

Hana said, “My mother wanted me to sit next to the other ladies of the court, but my friend needs me more.” Hana took Jessica’s hand and squeezed it.

Olivia entered and was directed to a pew. “I will choose my own seat. I wish to sit next to Lady Hana and Lady Jessica, should the Queen take issue with it then so be it.” Olivia took her seat next to Jessica.

Jessica said, “Thank you, Olivia.”  

Olivia quirked a brow and said, “Why are you thanking me?”

Jessica lowered her gaze. “People hate me and you have enough problems. You could have sat anywhere and yet you sat next to me.” 

Olivia smirked. “I hate the word friend you know, but there is something that can be said about sitting next to someone with the courage you have shown throughout this. You have my respect.” 

Jessica smiled, “And you have mine.”

Olivia said, “Please know Liam opted for the Abbey as he said the Cathedral before God is reserved for his marriage to you. He won’t give up until that crown is on your head.” 

Jessica whispered, “I just want to marry him. Sure, being a Queen would be amazing, but being his wife... That’s all I’m concerned about. I would marry him anywhere and not care how fancy it is.”

20 minutes later…

Madeleine’s assistant walked over to the pew and said, “Lady Jessica, the future Queen has summoned you.”

“Do you know why?” Jessica frowned as she asked.

“I’m sorry, she wouldn’t disclose, but she told me if you refused to remind you that it is a direct order.”

Jessica sighed. She stood up and smoothed her dress. “Excuse me, Hana and Olivia.” Olivia stood up so Jessica could exit with a skeptical glare on her face at the summons.

Abbey vestibule

Jessica entered and saw Madeleine admiring herself in the mirror. A few ladies of the court including Kiara and Penelope fussed over Madeleine’s dress.

Madeleine waved her hand and dismissed them. Then, she turned her attention to Jessica and coldly said, “Exactly who I wanted to see. Liam refused the use of the cathedral, and I won’t even have a reception. I will just have a small dinner... How embarrassing. For a Queen not to have all the fanfare owed to her. I have been robbed of an opportunity to be admired on my wedding day. Not to mention this lackluster necklace. It seems I was an afterthought. I should be a priority but I'm not since your insignificant little feelings matter to him.”

Jessica rolled her eyes, “Geezus Madeleine, you sound so pretentious and entitled. Let’s not forget this is a forced marriage so Liam could ascend the throne.”

“Liam isn’t playing the part, and so I must remind him that I can still get to him. Despite him not giving me control of things, there are things that I can control, and he is powerless to stop me from doing so.”

Jessica lost her temper and finally snapped at the woman who ruined everything. “Madeleine, what do you fucken’ want!?”

Madeleine smirked, “I think you want to stay here, Jessica. Your visa can be revoked for crimes against the crown, and that means not following orders. There is a lifetime ban, and there is no appeal process. Liam cannot do anything for the next six days to help you thanks to our um... the bridal bed, which surely he will enjoy. So, for the next six days, if you so much as jaywalk, I will ensure you are in a position to be deported.”

Jessica frowned deeply at the mention of their honeymoon. “Fine. I will stay locked up at Ramsford. Happy?”

Madeleine hummed as she fussed with herself in the mirror. “Some people favor you, and if they favor you, that means they don’t favor me. I want people to love me, to know that I was the best choice for this Kingdom, and not sympathize with you. I want the security of being a Queen, and you are endangering that. You have Liam’s protection, but that won’t stop me from driving you out of the country.”

“Madeleine, why do you insist on making his life difficult?”

Madeleine turned to her with a smirk and said, “By my order, a senior member of the court, you are directed to carry my train to the Abbey. You will stand there and watch me and Liam marry. You will be allowed back to your pew when the coronation ceremony begins.”

The clicking sound of heels entered the Abbey vestibule from the end of the hall. Olivia’s voice echoed.  

Olivia growled out with  murder in her eyes. “God Madeleine, how low can you stoop? In the end, you are nothing. This day will be forgotten. I don’t know what you have done to get all this favor. First, it was Leo, now it’s Liam. Who are you in bed with truly?”

“Petty words from petty people. I have it, and I will use it.” Madeleine waved her hand in the air and said, “Love? Is that his little pet name for you? Well, LOVE, pick up my train.” Madeleine commanded with sadistic glee.

Jessica stood in defeat. Olivia stepped forward. “I outrank your little entourage.” Olivia walked over and picked up the train and said, “Surely a Duchess carrying the train of a future Queen is an honor. Especially the Duchess of an established house. Liam created a duchy for you reserving Valtoria for Jessica. That must sting. You seem to just want to wound her, to take for yourself, the things he is holding for her when he can rid himself of you." She huffed and continued. "How sad. How sad to be a Queen and have nothing. If you insist on this pathetic game with Jessica, just know she is not alone and never will be. The house of Nevrakis and the house Beaumont are loyal to each other. Jessica is under Beaumont's protection, and she is also under mine as well. My protection is worth an army.”

Madeleine sneered slightly at Olivia. “Fine. Have it your way, but she is still ordered and must comply.”

Jessica sighed and took the other end of the train. Forcing the lump in her throat to die down and to get it over with. 

15 minutes later…

The entrance song to the wedding began. Liam stood at the altar, never turning to look at  Madeleine. He just wanted the ordeal over so he can lock himself in the palace for the next six days as tradition dictated. Leo reminded him, although tradition stated he must be in closed quarters, it did not state he needed to cohabitate in the same room; just in the same wing. In fact, other than that tradition, he was under no obligation to live at the palace at all. Liam would remain in his room in the wing alone while Madeleine would remain in her room. That was his final verdict. 

Olivia and Jessica trailed behind Madeleine into the Abbey holding her train. The tears welled in Jessica’s eyes. She laid Madeleine’s train down and stood next to Olivia with their heads held high, even though she couldn't look Liam in the eyes without sobbing. 

Madeleine smiled coldly and said, “I received your message. I hope you received mine. If you listen closely, you could hear her poor heart shatter into little pieces.” Madeleine turned to Jessica and handed her her bridal bouquet, and hissed out low enough for only them to hear, “Hold this, LOVE. You will never get an opportunity to hold a bridal bouquet otherwise.” 

Liam made eye contact with Jessica as she stood by Olivia. She looked down at the flowers and averted eye contact, trying not to cry in front of the entire court, knowing that this was Madeleine’s intent all along. Liam, on the other hand, became emotional at the sight of what Madeleine forced her to do in public, humiliating her, and he was completely powerless to comfort her. 

Constantine presided over the ceremony and said, “I welcome you all here today as I am fortunate to marry my son to his Queen. It brings me great joy to unify them not only by law, but by love. Looking at Liam so emotionally over this day tells me he is completely in love.” Constantine smirked as he looked at Jessica. Then he returned his attention to the crowd. 

Constantine said, “Liam, Crown Prince of Cordonia, repeat after me:

 I, Liam Nathaniel Rys, Crown Prince of Cordonia, take you, Madeleine Elizabeth Amaranth of Fydelia, as my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and bad times, through sickness and health. I vow to love you, honor you, and be faithful to you for all the remaining days of my life.”

Liam looked at Jessica as both of their hearts broke for each other. Tears in their eyes, and hope dwindling.

[lennncu]

just two silly friends together. nothing bad will happen, right?

[tessa-liam]

Chance of a Lifetime

Chance of a Lifetime 

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

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

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

Rating:                mature 

Category:           fluff, one-shot, ask/prompt 

Words:                 2.4K, with sprinkles of Canon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes. Thank you for everything, Max." 

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

‘Arf!’ Chance barked, agreeing with him. 

"Can Chance come?" Riley wondered aloud. 

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

"Okay, that's good, thanks, Max." 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Maxwell mentioned that you recently adopted a puppy.” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"That sounds lovely." 

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

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

"Okay."  Riley beamed

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

"Yes, Liam ... later." 

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

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

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

“I never liked her.” 

“You don't like anyone, Liv.” 

“True, but I especially dislike her.” 

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

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

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

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

"Olivia, I think --"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liam grinned. "Looks like he missed you."

"Aw, I missed you, too."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Well, that was unexpected," Riley giggled. 

"I'll say," Liam laughed. 

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

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

"Lady Riley," Liam breathed. 

"Hmm?" 

"You're getting wet." 

"I am." 

"And you don't even seem to care." 

"I don't." 

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Let's play." 

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

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

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

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

"Liam," she whispered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What is it?" 

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

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

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

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

"Close your eyes," Liam said. 

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

"Now, take my hand and step forward." 

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

"Can I open my eyes?" 

"Not yet," Liam chuckled.

Riley waited patiently, the anticipation building. 

"Okay," Liam said. "Open your eyes." 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What's that?" 

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

"Sounds like a plan," Liam grinned. 

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

"Perfect." 

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

🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

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

[lamieboo]

❤️Arlyn x Liam💛 (or what we like to call this ship “Ayam”)

I love my oc ships

[devilcantspeell]

multifandom doodledump + animation

TWO gay couples??? And haha lonely mentally ill bag

Also, shitpost animation!!!!!! 👽 tap the alien to get there by ufo (obviously)

[lostinlads]

So like idk if any of yall were one direction fans but the news abt liam really fucking hurts and i was going to try and wait a week to write/post the second chapter of sylus's story and start off by posting one chapter each for all of theirs but i think to treat myself i want to write chapter two and post it as soon as i can. I need just smth to write before i like have a breakdown man this doesnt even feel real.

[kristinamae093]

Ghosted

Ghosted — Betrayal (Chapter Twelve)

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

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

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

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Tags - @choicesficwriterscreations

It's another long one 😬👉👈🥹. Oops.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I don’t, sir.”

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

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

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

“Pardon?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“She must have—”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“... And she will vouch for you?”

“Yes, sir.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“There’s not—”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I don’t know.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I did what I had—”

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

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

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

“Sir—”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You and I both.”

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

“Of course.” He confidently responded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What about all my stuff?”

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

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

“That is confidential information.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bastien slouched. “I never lied—”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Bas, you need to fucking—”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And that was simply too easy — right?

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

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

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

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

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

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

But would he go this far?

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

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

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

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

[gaiuskamilah]

for @choicesfandomappreciation's secret pal event, i got @tessa-liam! here's a liam and riley (and chance the corgi) for you, i hope you like it and happy holidays!! ❤️

bg & silver medal from pb official art bc i was too tired to draw it by hand lol

[cordonianroyalairlines]

Staking a Claim

Series: Cordonian Royal Airlines

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for series: Various

Pairing for this chapter: Riley x Drake

Word Count: 2,340

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Language mostly

A/N: This is for the @choicesholidays Valentine's Day prompts: "Be my fake date for a wedding."

The hair color is wrong for my Riley, but this image was perfect!

The copilot twisted around in his seat one too many times, craning his neck as if searching the cabin for something, jostling the pilot in the process.

Liam grunted in consternation. “Drake!”

Drake spun back around, “What?”

“What is your malfunction?”

“What do you mean?” Drake blinked at him in confusion.

“What do you mean what do I mean?” Liam grunted, “We haven’t made it through the preflight checklist because you keep turning around to stare into the cabin! What the hell is so interesting out there?”

“Nothing!” Drake rolled his shoulders, stared blankly out the cockpit window for a moment then turned back to Liam, “Can you see the guy in 12B?”

“What?” Liam’s head swiveled around and then back. “No. Why?”

Drake’s bottom lip protruded as he shook his head. “No reason.”

Liam watched him skeptically. Drake had been visibly agitated since he’d reported for duty. “There has to be a reason.”

“I…he just….he looks a little squirrely. You know what I mean? Untrustworthy.”

Liam’s eyes widened in alarm. “Is he a threat? Do we need to alert security? Did you see a weapon?” He whipped his head around quickly to try and get a good view of the man in 12B. “I can’t see anything. Riley’s blocking my view.”

“Is she talking to him?” Drake’s entire body moved just as Liam turned back around. Their heads collided with a resounding thwack.

“Ow! Fuck!” Liam grabbed his forehead.

“Sorry, sorry!”

“Seriously man, tell me what’s going on right now. I’m calling security!” Liam reached for the microphone but just as he got it to his mouth, Drake slapped it out of his hands.

“No!”

Liam watched in astonishment as the microphone flew out of his grip and hit the window then bounced off the dash. “Are you on drugs right now? Do I need to get another copilot?”

Drake gaped at him. “Seriously? When have I ever done drugs?”

“I don’t know man, but you’re acting really fucking weird.”

Hana ducked her head in to ask, “Are we almost ready? A couple of the passengers are getting antsy.”

“Which ones?” Drake asked.

Hana’s brows pulled together for a moment then smoothed out as she chuckled. “Oh. You know Riley’s ex is out there, don’t you?”

“What?” Drake’s eyes shot to Liam then back to Hana as he denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

A relieved breath whooshed out of Liam. At least he now knew Drake wasn’t on drugs and there wasn’t a terrorist on board. He stifled a laugh. “Sure you don’t.”

“I don’t!” Drake glared at them both.

Hana giggled as she backed out of the cockpit.

They finished the checklist and got airborne, but Drake’s agitation quickly returned. “Do you think he’s better looking than me?”

“Who?”

“The guy! In 12B.”

“How would I know?”

“You’re bisexual, right? You can judge that kind of thing.”

Liam scoffed. “First of all, I haven’t laid eyes on the guy. Second of all, I thought you didn’t care.”

“No, I don’t! I mean….just objectively speaking, out of curiosity….I overheard Hana call him eye candy. He can’t be that good-looking, can he?”

“I dunno Drake, Riley is a ten, so I imagine her ex is no slouch in the looks department either.”

“Great.” Drake huffed as he spun around in his seat again.

“Oh, for the love of God, just go look!”

“I can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Because then she’ll know I care!”

Liam cocked an eyebrow at him, “So you do care?”

“I mean she’ll think I care!”

“You’re really an idiot sometimes, you know that?”

“I don’t follow.”

“Of course you don’t.” Liam shook his head. “The only person you’re fooling is yourself. Put the rest of us out of our misery and just tell the girl that you like her already!”

“I’m not going out there.”

“Okay.”

Drake tapped his fingers on his knees for several seconds before jumping out of his seat. “I need to use the bathroom.”

“Sure you do.”

“I had a lot of coffee before we boarded.”

“Sure you did.”

“Fuck you. I’m going to take a piss.”

“Great. Tell Riley I said hi.”

Drake ignored him as he exited the cockpit and headed for the back of the plane where the restrooms were located. He slid his eyes sideways as he passed aisle 12 and scoffed to himself. The guy wasn’t that good-looking.

He was clean-shaven with a strong jawline, and raven hair swept back and gelled to perfection. Was that an Armani suit? How were his eyes that blue?

He slammed into the lavatory and locked the door to glare at himself in the highly polished silver surface of the mirror as he regarded his deep copper-colored eyes and messy, fly-away hair that barely saw a brush, much less hair gel. He ran a hand across the stubble dotting his jaw. It was a strong jawline, wasn’t it? Should he shave?

The guy in seat 12B looked like a CEO or something. Did she like that type? Drake was far more likely to be found in a tent than a boardroom. Did he even own a suit? He owned uniforms. Didn’t women like men in uniforms?

He made pretty good money as a first officer for Cordonian Royal Airlines.

Not CEO money.

“Fuck!” He spun and lashed out at the toilet. His foot connected to the stainless steel sending a sharp jolt of pain shooting up his leg.

There was a knock at the door. “Everything okay in there?”

Shit! It was Riley! “I’m fine. Dropped my…. Wallet…” Fuck, Walker! What the shit is wrong with you, man? Your wallet really?

“Are you sure because that didn’t sound like—”

“I said I’m fine!”

“Okay. Just let me know if—oh, excuse me what?”

From the other side of the door, a man’s voice murmured something he couldn’t make out then both people moved away.

Was that the ex talking to her? He forced himself to count to twenty so he didn’t just barrel out of the bathroom after them. He took several deep calming breaths like Max had tried to show him last time he had been upset about something. At least he thought it was what Max had done. At the time, he had mostly ignored him.

With an air of calm he most certainly did not feel, he exited the lavatory. His eyes went straight to seat 12B. Empty. He backtracked and ducked into the crew area.

Sure enough, there was Riley standing in the middle of the empty inflight catering kitchen talking to Mr. CEO.

All his jealousy evaporated in an instant as he took in her demeanor. Her arms were folded defensively across her chest and her face was furrowed into a frown. She was shaking her head as she leaned forward, her voice lowered but her entire body radiating her discomfort with the conversation.

The guy reached out and grabbed her arm.

She flinched away.

Oh hell no.

Drake didn’t remember moving but he was suddenly next to them, his hand wrapped firmly around the man's wrist. He flung the other man’s arm away from Riley and through gritted teeth asked, “Is there a problem here?”

The man gave him a startled look then annoyance flashed across his face. “We were just having a discussion.”

“Doesn’t look like the lady’s enjoying the conversation.”

“Mind your own business,” he shook his head dismissively and reached for her again, “Riley, if we could just talk privately—”

Drake intercepted the motion before he could touch her. “If you’re attached to that hand and wish to keep it, then I would strongly advise you against touching her again.”

He jerked his hand out of Drake’s grasp and rubbed his wrist. “Was that really necessary?”

Drake never took his eyes off the man as he leaned his body toward Riley, “Do you want to talk to this guy?”

“No.”

“But, Riley—”

“We have nothing to talk about, Nick!”

Drake angled his body so that he was blocking Riley from Nick’s view. He crossed his arms over his chest. “You heard her.”

Nick looked like he wanted to press the issue, but after taking in Drake’s stormy expression, thought better of it. He straightened his suit jacket with a sharp tug. “Fine. I’ll see you at the wedding. We’ll talk then.”

“You’re not coming to my sister’s wedding!”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I’ll be there as Clarissa’s plus one.”

Riley shook her head back and forth. “Seriously? When we were dating, you couldn’t stand her!”

A gloating smile crept across his face. “Jealous?”

“Why would I be jealous?”

“Because you’re not over me, Riley. If you were, you’d have bothered to line up a date for the wedding.”

“I—”

“She has a date for the wedding.” Drake cut in as he casually slung his arm around her shoulders.

Nick turned his gaze to Drake for a long, evaluating moment. “Are you the new boyfriend then?”

“Yep. And I’m only going to ask you once to return to your seat. If you don’t stop harassing the flight crew, I will land this plane and have security escort you off of it.”

Nick’s eyes widened slightly as he huffed out, “You wouldn’t dare!”

Riley ran her hand down Drake’s arm as she smirked at Nick, “He would. He’s very protective when it comes to me. I wouldn’t test him if I were you.”

“Whatever,” Nick bumped Drake’s shoulder as he shoved past them and exited the kitchen.

Drake’s arm was still around Riley as he turned his head to watch Nick leave. “Let me know if he bothers you again and I’ll—”

Riley spun on him in fury, her fists raining blows on his chest. “What the fuck did you just do, Drake?”

His hand flew to his chest. “Ow! What the hell, Riley? I just rescued you from that guy!”

“I didn’t need rescuing, Drake. I can handle Nick. He’s an asshole, but he’s not a serial killer or something!”

Drake scoffed with a shake of his head, “I think the phrase you’re looking for is thank you.”

“Oh yeah? Really?”

“Yeah, really!”

“Do you know what you just did? Do you?”

“Um…got the asshole ex-boyfriend to leave you alone?”

“No, you fucking jackass.” She slapped his arm. “You just told him that you’re my boyfriend and my date to my sister’s wedding!”

“So?”

“So?” She threw her arms up in the air. “So when I show up at the wedding with no date and no boyfriend he’ll know that was a lie and I’ll be humiliated!”

“Oh.”

“Yeah…oh!”

They stood in silence for a long moment, Drake rubbing his chest and Riley fuming. Then Drake quietly said, “I’ll go to the wedding with you.”

“What?”

“I mean….if you want me to.”

“I…”

“I did get you into this situation. Let me make it up to you by getting you out of it. One fake boyfriend slash date for sister’s wedding coming right up!”

All the fight went out of her as she took in the hopeful smile on his face. “I can’t ask you to do that, Drake.”

“Why not?”

“Because the wedding is on Valentine’s Day and I’m sure you already have plans. I can’t ask you to cancel—”

“Pfffftttt.” He waved a hand dismissively in the air. “I do not have plans for Valentine’s Day!”

“You don’t?”

Did she sound hopeful?

“No, I do not. No girlfriend, no friend with benefits, no romantic entanglements at all.”

Except with you.

A delighted smile broke out across her face. “Okay, then.”

“So, we’re good?”

She gave him a flirtatious smile as she flipped her hair and turned to leave. “We’re good.”

“Okay, good.”

He watched her walk away with a contented smile on his lips then followed her out of the kitchen and back to the front of the plane. He glowered at Nick as he passed aisle 12.

Nick returned the glare as he adjusted his headphones and slid down in the seat.

When he stepped onto the flight deck Liam greeted him with smug satisfaction. “That was the longest piss in the world.”

“Shut up.” He slid into the copilot seat without looking at his best friend.

“So how’d it go? Did you get a good look at her ex?”

“Um….yeah… he’s a pushy bastard. I had to tell him to keep his hands to himself and….”

“And?”

Drake released a long-suffering sigh knowing Liam was going to find out sooner or later. Riley would tell Max and Max would tell everyone else. “I’m going as her date to her sister’s wedding.”

“Wow! That’s quite a jump from ‘I don’t like her like that’.” Liam chortled gleefully.

Drake kept quiet but his foot started tapping nervously.

“Oh, shit, there’s more! What is it?” Liam prodded.

“Ah…”

“Don’t make me call Max and find out.”

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath.

“Come on, what else?”

“It’s on Valentine’s Day,” he answered with a resigned sigh.

Liam practically danced out of his seat. “This is amazing! This is epic! Mr. I will never take a woman out on Valentine’s Day because that’s far too much pressure and it’s all about commercialization anyway is taking a woman out on Valentine’s Day. To her sister’s wedding!”

“Why does this make you so happy?”

“Because I get to say I told you so forever!”

“It’s not even a real date.”

“Sure it’s not.”

“It’s not!”

“Does she know that?”

“Yes! I just said I was her boyfriend so that Nick guy would stop—”

“Wait! Wait! You played the pretend boyfriend card to back off her ex?”

“Yeah…so?”

Liam threw his head back and belly laughed. “You are such a goner!”

Drake pressed his lips into a tight line and returned his attention to the control panel. He wanted to argue, he really did. But he couldn’t.

He was absolutely a goner.

And he was going to have to buy a suit.

Shit.

[greyspirehollow]

Vesuvia weekly ; Sleepy Mumblings

Pairing : Liam (my mc) x Julian Devorak Fandom : The Arcana visual novel Warnings : none that I can think of (slight angst maybe, sum tension/anxiety idk)

Summary : A doctor can only do so much when it comes to healing what forbidden magic does to a man...

Nota Bene : upright ending timeline

Asra being away yet again, Liam had invited Julian to stay the night. Being on the run from everything and everyone had proven to be exhausting, and while he could always hide at Mazelinka's, Liam had really insisted that he sleep at the shop tonight. Julian could only guess he needed a little company... Which was understandable. It's not like the doctor didn't need company as well.

He was glad to stay at the shop, albeit a little anxious to be found by the guards. But feeling the warmth of Liam's body against his own was worth all the anxiety that came with it. The magician was already asleep in his arms, his breathing slow and regular. His short curly hair tickled Julian's chin as it rested atop of his head, and his pajama felt soft under his hands. The blankets added an extra layer of softness and warmth to it all, making the moment almost... Too good to be true. Julian's heart fluttered in his chest ; it had been forever since he'd felt this safe and content holding someone. His mind went back to his time with Asra, and he tried to shake away the thought. No. Liam was different from Asra. He couldn't compare the two.

He shifted a little in the bed, holding the magician closer, as he slowly but surely felt himself be lulled to sleep. Liam's soft and regular breathing, his slow and steady heartbeat, his softness and warmth... It seemed to gently caress Julian's mind, trying to bribe him to fall asleep and let go of his worries. And it was working. He almost chuckled at that. His eyelids threatened to close at any moment now, but he shifted his position and hold on Liam one last time, to be sure both of them would be comfortable, and then only did he allow himself to succumb to unconsciousness.

Late in the night, Julian felt himself stir awake. Something was amiss... He opened his eyes, only to realize he was laying in an empty bed. His heart clenched with fear in his chest as he sat up straight, patting the spot beside him. It was still somewhat warm. Julian looked around the bedroom, but his silent questions were only answered by the mute furniture and the half-opened curtains, the thin ray of moonlight peeking through only to reveal the door to the bedroom wide open. Julian felt his heart race as he slowly got up from the bed, approaching the threshold of the bedroom ; the corridor was dark, nearly pitch black. He wanted to call out, but it's as if the already silent room was keeping him quiet. He took a hesitant step into the corridor, hands gently resting against the wall as to not get lost.

As he walked, he faintly heard what sounded like whispers. He froze in his tracks. He could not make out any of the words, nor could he see whose mouth they were spilling from. His heart hammered anxiously in his chest ; could it be a ghost? He shook the thought away. He had to make sure Liam was alright first. He walked forward, his uncertain and tentative steps making soft creaks against the wooden floorboards of the corridor. The more he walked, the closer the whispers got ; and eventually, a silhouette sketched itself at the end of the corridor. Julian's eyes widened and he was pretty sure his chest was going to explode. He took a deep, steadying breath, and continued to walk forward. But yet again, his heart threatened to stop when he realized it was Liam at the end of the corridor, whispering, and facing the wall. The doctor's jaw hung slack for a hot second, before he got closer, calling out softly :

"Liam...?"

No response. Only the whispers. Julian couldn't even understand them... It seemed as if the magician was speaking a whole other language. The doctor swallowed back the anxious lump in his throat as he continued to walk forward :

"Liam, it's me, Julian..."

Still no response. More whispers. It was unnerving. The panic made Julian's chest tighten more as he got even closer, looking anxiously at the back of Liam's head. He kept whispering. The doctor put a hand on his shoulder, calling out a little more loudly this time :

"Liam ?"

The magician whipped around with a startled gasp, which nearly made Julian flinch as well.

"Julian!" Liam exclaimed in a whisper, before his tense shoulders relaxed. He seemed to look around briefly, before his eyes looked back into Julian. This is when the doctor noticed just how vibrant his green pupils were in the dark, a testament of forbidden practices. It made Julian's heart clench in his chest.

"Love, what are you doing out of bed...?" He inquired softly, tucking a curl of brown hair behind the magician's ear.

"I... I uhm..." Liam sighed "I'm sorry. It hadn't happened in a while and... I thought..." the magician shook his head. Julian's brows creased in worry.

"What? What happened ?" the doctor asked, but just as he inquired it, the answer seemed to come to his mind. "... You sleepwalk."

"huh?" Liam looked up at him, a little confused.

"You... You sleepwalk. Uhm... In your sleep, you become active as if you were awake." Julian explained, his hands coming to rest on the magician's shoulders, trying to provide a grounding and reassuring presence.

"Oh, so that's what it's called... I guess I'd forgotten." Liam nodded "Yes, I have little episodes like that. Can I ask what I was doing?"

Julian let his hand caress his face, as if to reassure both himself and the magician "you... You were facing the wall and whispering... The Arcana knows what. You weren't even speaking vesuvian."

The magician nodded, thoughtful. "Asra told me when he saw it happen himself. Those... Those are incantations." At that, the doctor's heart clenched in fear yet again. Even if he was far from an expert in magic, he knew what an incantation was.

"Is... Is it dangerous? What kind of incantations?" he inquired

Liam waved his hand dismissively, wanting to reassure him "Necrotic incantations. But they don't work, not while I'm asleep. To be effective, there has to be a conscious will to... Provoke or execute the spell, and while I'm asleep well it can't work, since I don't know what I'm doing. No, it's... More like I'm studying, y'know? Saying the words again and again so I can know them by heart" he explained, attempting to lighten the mood with a little chuckle to punctuate his explanation.

Julian sighed. He knew just how much danger Liam was putting himself in just by practicing necromancy. His life was at stake, and seeing the magic have this much of an impact on him was... Somewhat devastating. "Liam... I'm no, uh... Magic doctor but I think all of this is getting to you much more than it should.."

Liam raised an eyebrow "What is getting to me?"

Julian refrained a frustrated sigh "This. The whole necromancy thing-" he took the magician's left arm, running his hand over the bandages and talismans "you're decaying, for gods' sake"

Liam stayed silent for a moment, his gaze falling on his arm as well. His expression became somewhat remorseful "...It's... It's more complicated than it looks, Julian. I can't just... Stop"

The doctor knew this was not the time to argue about it ; it was the middle of the night and they both needed sleep. But oh how he wished he could shake some sense into the magician... He sighed and took his hands.

"Let's go back to bed. You need to sleep..."

Liam nodded and complied, following Julian back to the bedroom. Once again, they both settled down under the covers, without a word. Liam gave him a soft kiss on the lips before laying back down to rest into his arms. Julian's heart clenched in guilt and love as he looked at Liam fall asleep again.

He ran a hand through his curls, bitterly realizing that no matter how good of a doctor he was, he couldn't cure or alleviate what Liam was going through.

[angelasscribbles]

Savage Love Chapter 38: Here Comes the Bride?

Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: R         

Warnings: Mature themes

Word Count: 2,169

My other stuff: Master List.

The moment we were back on Cordonian soil, and I was free of Madeleine, I texted Liam, asking for an immediate meeting.

He responded instantly. Come to my quarters. Leo is here now.

I made my way to Liam’s private suite. He was alone with his brother. He swept me into his arms, pressing me close to his body as he whispered, “I was worried about you. I’m so glad you’re back.”

I melted into his embrace for a moment before remembering that I was there to give my official report about what I’d learned in Hidar. Noting that no one else was present, I asked, “Should we wait until the entire team is assembled?”

Liam shook his head. “We can brief them later on the parts they need to know. Tell us what happened in Hidar. Was Lena there?”

“No. She wasn’t. Was she in Rivala?”

Leo looked at Liam, who nodded, then turned to me and said, “She wasn’t home, but her mother was. Her mother turns out to be my mother. My biological one, I mean.”

“Oh wow! Oh, Leo.” I crossed the room and sat on the couch next to him so that I could throw my arms around him. “That must have been so hard for you! Are you okay?”

He returned the hug quickly, then released me as he answered. “Yeah…I mean, no, not really, but yes. Liv was with me. I’ll be fine. It’s a lot to process, but the short version is that when Eleanor was alive, she let my mom see me secretly. The plan was for her to take me and Liam with her when she went back to Auvernall for Lena. Obviously, that never happened and Helena ended up adopting an alias and raising the baby herself.”

“That is a lot!” I sympathized.

“That’s not the biggest bombshell,” Liam interjected. “Turns out Constantine wasn’t the baby’s father and that’s why she ran away.”

Oh, boy. The hits just kept coming. I stood and turned to Liam, my eyes tracking across his face, looking for signs of distress. “And how are you handling that news?”

“I’m not judging her if that’s what you mean, and I don’t blame her either. Our father isn’t an easy man to love and I’m sure he wasn’t a great husband. The bigger twist is who she was having an affair with.”

My head swiveled between the two men. “Who was it?”

Leo answered. “Jackson Walker.”

“Drake’s father?”

“Yes.”

My heart dropped. “Does he know?”

Liam gave me an understanding smile as he reached out and took my hand in his. “You’re worried about him.”

“Yes, Liam. I’m worried about all of you! This is a huge shock for everyone, I’m sure, and it’s not even the biggest issue in your life at the moment.”

The biggest issue was the threat to life and limb that the Via Imperii posed. Not to mention Liam having to get up to speed on becoming king since he’d had the crown unexpectedly thrust upon him just days before.

I filled them in on everything that had happened in Hidar.

“Wow.” Leo grasped a handful of his own hair as he took in the information. “First, we find out we have a sister, then I find out she’s not my sister, and now we have a brother.”

“One that’s been weaponized against us,” Liam added.

“We can try to extract him when take them down. Give orders that he isn’t to be killed,” I offered. “Maybe he can be deprogrammed.”

“Maybe,” He replied doubtfully.

“It’s worth a try,” Leo argued. “We don’t know what he’s been told or how he feels about any of it.”

“Great.” I nodded, “I’ll make sure the team that breeches has his photograph and understands he’s to be taken alive.”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “Are we ready to breech?”

“Hopefully soon.” Getting their brother safely out of Via Imperii control added yet another layer to my resolve to take down the entire thing, not just the local branch.

“Did you learn anything else that we need to know?” Liam asked.

I shook my head.

“Well, I have news. While you were gone, I received the same invitation to join the Via Imperii that Leo received.”

“I don’t suppose you’d be open to playing along by accepting the invitation and pretending to—”

“Absolutely not.”

I suppressed a sigh of frustration. “You are expected to pick a bride at the end of the week!”

My time was running out.

“That seems unreasonable given that I just took over the role of crown prince less than a week ago.”

“About that.” Leo interrupted. “I’ve met with father and we agreed to a course of action. I’ll be officially announcing my pick and my abdication at the same time. So technically, the goal of me finding a wife will be satisfied, so hopefully the suitors won’t feel they have wasted their time.”

“Oh, that’s brilliant!” I nodded my approval. “Announce your choice first, so that the suitors and their families don’t feel tricked, and then announce that you’re stepping down so that the Via Imperii don’t see your choice as a threat.”

“That’s great!” Liam’s face brightened. “Then I can just wait until next year to pick a wife!”

“Yeah…. sorry, but I pitched that idea to dear old Dad, and he insisted that you choose someone now.”

“But—”

Sympathy passed across Leo’s face. “I get it. But I also agree that it needs to happen now.”

“Why?”

“Because you have to be engaged to ascend the throne and let’s face it…. Our father is getting worse by the day. He needs to retire. This morning he was sharp as a tack, but by lunchtime he thought I was Uncle Fabian.”

Liam uttered a string of swear words that I would have sworn he didn’t know.

“I know. And I’m sorry. If I hadn’t dropped this in your lap—”

“What? No!” Liam shook his head adamantly. “Your hand was forced, Leo. It’s fine. I don’t mind picking up the crown. It’s just the marriage part…” he trailed off as his eyes found mine.

The desperation in his eyes killed me a little. He had to marry, there was no choice about that. The only choice was who. He didn’t want to marry someone he wasn’t in love with.

He was in love with me.

That thought sent warmth cascading through me. It wasn’t the time to think about that, though. “What about just pretending to pick Madeleine? You can always break the engagement after we take down the—”

“That won’t work.” Liam shook his head. “A marriage contract must be signed at the conclusion of the selection ceremony. I would need cause to break it.”

“Proof that she’s a member of an organization trying to take over the government ought to do it, right?”

“The wedding is two weeks after the engagement,” Leo broke in. “If you don’t take them down quickly enough, then she will be queen, with access to classified information and places inside the palace. We can’t risk it.”

Liam stepped closer to me and took my hand in his as his eyes searched my face. “Does the idea of me marrying someone else do nothing to you, Riley?”

“I….” I had no easy answer for him, or for myself. I had no issue with him getting fake engaged to Madeleine for the purpose of taking down the bad guys. Hell, I’d accepted a proposal or two in the course of my career. But the idea of him actually marrying someone…. anyone…. bothered me far more than I was willing to admit.

My personal feelings aside, choosing any of the other suitors was going to get him killed. I stared into his eyes as all the available options fell through my mind. The thought of him being hurt…. Or worse... sent all my professionalism flying out the window.

“Of course I don’t want to see you marry someone else,” I said softly before snapping back into work mode and stepping away from him. “And there’s the added wrinkle that if you choose anyone that the Via Imperii doesn’t approve of, her life will be in danger. Not to mention yours.”

“I’m open to ideas.” His voice was suspiciously devoid of emotion.

There was only one answer, and we both knew it.

“Choose me.”

A storm of emotions chased each other across his face. “I want to, Riley but I can’t ask you to—”

“You’re not asking. It was my idea.”

“Yes. However, I know that you don’t actually want to get married.”

Leo stood from the couch. “I should go. Let you two sort this out.” He stopped on his way to the door to lean in and whisper to me, “Don’t let your intractable stubbornness get in the way of your happiness, double oh seven. Tell him how you feel.”

Once we were alone, we turned to each other, the air around us laden with emotion. “I can’t choose you, Riley.”

“Yes, Liam, you can!”

A sad smile flittered across his face. “I’ve made no secret of my feelings nor my intentions. I would marry you tomorrow if that’s what you wanted.”

“It is what I want.”

He shook his head. “As I said, you would be expected to sign an iron clad marriage contract upon acceptance of the engagement. One you would not be able to break later. Agreeing to marry to take down the Via Imperii will not constitute adequate cause to terminate the contract, as you will have entered into it knowingly and willingly, no matter your motives.”

I stepped closer to him as my heart began to thud in my chest. My eyes locked on his, drinking in all the longing and desperation that I found there. “I understand that.”

Hope flashed through his eyes. “You’d have to actually marry me.”

“I know.”

He stepped into my personal space, his eyes searching mine. “You’re prepared to spend the rest of your life with me?”

I shrugged, trying for a nonchalance that I did not feel. “Unless we can take them down in the next six days.”

“Is there any chance of that happening?”

“To be honest, we could take down the Cordonian branch right now.”

“But?”

I traced my fingers down his face and across his lips, my eyes taking in his hopeful expression.

His hand reached out to grasp mine. Bringing my fingers to his lips, he kissed each one individually.

My voice was thick as I whispered, “They’ll just come back. New people will take their place and you’ll never be safe.” I cleared my throat and forced a smidge of professionalism into my voice. “We have to cut off the head.”

It was the only way to keep him safe long term. It might take the Via Imperii months to years to regroup and set up a new branch in Cordonia, but regroup they would and Liam would be their first target.

His eyes lit up with delight. “You’re worried about me.”

“Of course I am.” Pulling my hand out of his grasp, I scoffed. “I’d be an idiot not to recognize the danger. Not only will they want to realize their original ends, but they’ll be out for vengeance on the monarch that helped take them down.”

“Do you always worry about the long term repercussions of your missions? Or do you usually just complete the assignment and get out?”

I stared at him in consternation. I didn’t want to answer that because the truth was that I never worried about what happened after I left. I took down my target. Cleaning up the aftermath was someone else’s job. Leo’s words echoed through my head, and I suppressed the smile that fought to bloom across my face. With a shake of my head, I lost the fight. “You’re incorrigible, you know that? I see what you’re doing.”

“What?” He grinned as he reached for me and pulled me back into his embrace. “Tell me you’re not acting illogically because you love me.”

“Shut up,” I breathed as my head fell back, giving him access to my neck and anything else he wanted.

He was right, but I wasn’t ready to say it out loud. I couldn’t.

Maybe it was a toxic trait. Maybe it was a self protection mechanism. Maybe I was just bad at relationships. Or maybe it was my equally strong feelings for his best friend that kept those three little words off the tip of my tongue.

Spoken out loud or not, my feelings…. And yes, it was time to admit that I had them…. My feelings for him were driving my decisions, not my professional ambition or my years of experience as a field agent. Leaving him vulnerable to assassination was simply not an option for me.

I would do whatever I had to do to ensure his safety, and I didn’t care about the cost.

[phoenixrising0308]

The Time Apart: Faded Memories

Books: The Royal Romance

Rating: G

Triggers: None Identified by this author

Pairing: (no pairing) The Beaumont Family & Jessica Garica (Friendship)

A/U: Agent Phoenix: Forged in Fire - The time apart: This timeline occurs during Jessica's absence in Cordonia or when not formally paired in Cordonia with Liam as the TRR cast and original characters deal with her absence as well as Jessica and Liam attempt to go through life without each other. Stories may or may not have an in the present timeline component and are not always in order. It depends on the prompt, random inner thoughts, and the muse whenever they stop by. There are no chapter numbers as they are written as just a series of events in story form. Multi-part stories, as always, are labeled.

Detailed disclaimer

Catch me here

A/N #1: Bartie remembers Jessica after their time apart

Choices Flash Fic Week # 6: Prompt 3: “I’m just ... I’m a little bit confused.”

Song Inspiration:

Word count: 2,000 *As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors.

* Reading time: 6 minutes

Years ago...

Liam & Jessica's Apartment in the Captial

Liam and Jessica sat on the floor, letting Bartie show them his toys. The toddler was walking and starting to talk as he used short names for all his prized toys and stuffed animals. 

Bartie excitedly handed a toy to Jessica. 

"Oh, what's this?" She said as she held the toy squid. 

"Squid!" Bartie informed while Jessica acted surprised.

"Wow!" 

"Yeah! It's…" Bartie thought for a moment and continued. "Our…Our-" He trailed off, not knowing the word.

Liam smiled fondly at the toddler and said, "That's right, the Squid is your family's emblem." 

Bartie looked confused, and Jessica added, "You know, like a mascot! Or a favorite animal." 

Bartie nodded to himself.

"Did Uncle Max give it to you?" Liam asked. 

Bartie shook his head and eagerly showed them a stuffed hippo. "Uh uh. This." He showed Liam and Jessica. 

Jessica chuckled to herself, remembering the tattoo Maxwell was embarrassed to show them at first…Or more like Bertrand was embarrassed Maxwell had it. 

"What's his name?" Liam asked.

"Max!" 

Liam gave him a puzzled look. "So he's named after Uncle Maxwell?" 

"No." Bartie simply gave as Liam smirked to himself. 

Jessica chuckled and nodded at Liam to just agree with the toddler logic. "Makes perfect sense to me. It's a good name, Bartie. I'm sure Maxwell agrees. " 

Bartie mumbled words here and there as he shuffled through his other toys. 

Liam held up Sir Winston and said, "What's his name, Bartie?" 

Bartie excitedly smiled and replied with a slight lisp, "Winston!" 

Liam smiled as Jessica sat beside him on the ground. "That's right. He goes by Sir Winston. Aunty Jess gave this to me." Liam said. 

Jessica smiled down at the toddler and patted the bear on the head. "The moment I saw him, I knew Uncle Lamb Lamb should have him." 

Bartie sat the stuffed bear down and extended his arms out to Jessica. 

Jessica smiled and didn't hesitate to pick him up as she stood up with him in her arms. She gave a playful groan as she lifted him. Spinning around with him in her arms as he released a contagious giggle. "You're getting to be such a big boy! I swear you were lighter the last time I watched you. Have you grown?" 

Bartie nodded. "Big!" He wrapped his little arms around her neck as she grinned at him. 

Liam said, "Don't get too big! How will Cordonia handle a giant?" 

Jessica snuggled up to Bartie and said, "Don't worry, we'd build you the biggest house Cordonia has ever seen if you become a giant."

Liam chuckled and got close to Bartie and Jessica as he placed a hand on Jessica's back while looking at the toddler in her arms and said over her shoulder, "I heard you have Mac n Cheese waiting for you in the kitchen for lunch." 

His eyes lit up. "Dino nugs?" 

Jessica replied, " I don't care what your Daddy says; Uncle Max is right. They taste better and are shaped like Dinosaurs. " 

She heard Liam chuckle at that as she sat Bartie down, only for his tiny fist to refuse to let go of her shirt. He protested, his lower lip jutting out with a whine. 

Liam sadly smiled and shook his head. "I wish I could eat some dino nuggets and stay longer, Love, but I've got to go back to the Palace soon." 

Jessica frowned just as Savannah came in to get him. She took him off Jessica's hands and cooed to him before she gave a grateful smile to Jessica and Liam. 

Savannah said, "Thank you so much for watching him. Bertrand has been so busy lately, and I have my own duties now that I'm being reintroduced back to the Court, so to speak. I just don't want Bartie to grow up with maids and Governesses his whole life. Drake and I didn't, and I want Bartie to have as much of a normal childhood as possible." She offered with a sigh.

Jessica smiled and replied, "I understand completely, Savannah. It's really no big deal. I love playing with Bartie." 

Liam nodded and added, "We really appreciate you letting us watch him for a while, Savannah. It's great practice for us one day, hopefully soon." 

Jessica smiled at Liam as he wrapped an arm around her and smiled tenderly back down at her.

Savannah said, "I truly hope you both get the joy of children one day as King and Queen when this is over. You both would be wonderful parents…Please excuse me; I see lunch is ready for him so I will feed him so he can nap on the car ride home." 

They both watched Savannah leave as Liam kept an arm around Jessica's shoulder as they walked. He whispered to her, “You will be an amazing mother, Jessica. I don't know how you can be even more beautiful than you are, but every time you hold Bartie or any other child, it's the first thing I see. I can't wait till it's our own child." 

She leaned into him as they walked. "I can't wait, Liam. It sounds like a dream come true to have our own…I hope it's soon, and we can start our life together." 

Jessica walked Liam to the door, and he stopped at the entrance cupping her face in both hands to gaze down at her. "You are my life, Jess. You know that." He kissed her forehead before continuing. "We will be rid of Madeleine and any pestering from Constantine, and you will be my wife for everyone to see. And the Mother of our children. We'll have a quant home somewhere with a simple garden and pattering feet running around, and you will have the life we both deserve together." 

Jessica smiled softly up at him. "Promise?" 

"Promise." 

Many Years Later…

Cordonia Capital Square park

Bartie played in the park as his Mother and Father watched him from a bench. His Father tended to get nervous over him climbing things or falling as well as being too dirty, but his Mother always seemed to smooth it over that he was supposed to get dirty or a bruise once in a while

Bartie was sitting in the grass when he saw a woman he couldn't help staring at. She wore her long dark hair in a ponytail and was slightly taller. He couldn't help staring at her as she busied herself talking to a man. 

He couldn't put his finger on it, and then it came to him and said, "Aunty Jessie." He pointed at the woman and ran towards her Savannah ran after him. Bartie tapped the woman, getting her attention, and said, "Aunty Jess?."

Bartie's eyes began to water as he said, "But." the woman gave him a puzzled look and coldly said, "Are you lost?" Savannah caught up to them and sighed, "Im so sorry." 

Savannah looked at her son and could feel her heartbreak for him and herself and said, "It's not her."

"Momma, she looks like..." 

Bertrand rolled his lips and said, "Bartie, she looks like…Like Lady Jessica. The resemblance is there." He mumbled as the woman started walking away.

Bartie remembered her. It was vague with how young he was, but he remembered her. She was always kind to him, playing with him when she and Uncle Lamb Lamb came to visit. He missed her and never knew what had happened to her.

Bartie tugged at Savannah's jacket, a bit of urgency in his little voice. "Wait!" The boy was trying to get one last look at the stranger he believed was Jessica.

Bertrand sighed heavily and grabbed his son's hand. "It's not, Bartie. It is not like you to run up to a stranger like that. Frankly, "I'm just a little bit confused as to why you would do that." 

Bartie felt tears welling up in his eyes. He felt as if it was her and his parents weren't trying. He whimpered in protest, "It has to be her! It has to be!" 

Bartie began crying as Savannah picked him up, tears in her eyes as Bertrand frowned sadly at his family. Bertrand cleared his throat and kissed her forehead while rubbing his son's back. 

"I think it's time to go home, Bartie… We'll talk on the way." Bertrand gave.

Meanwhile...

Central Park, New York

Jessica sat on a bench in central park on her day off. It was something she tended to do to pass the time. It reminded her of happier times when she and Liam would walk hand in hand in the palace's gardens.

She reclined on the bench watching all the people pass by. 

Then she heard a little boy laughing a high-pitched contagious shriek as his Dad chased him in the grass. 

Jessica smiled as the boy's Dad caught him and held him in his arms. However, her smile faltered and slowly faded as a memory came to her mind.

She sat on a blanket in the grass next to Savannah as Bertrand and Maxwell went inside the Beaumont Estate for something for the picnic. Jessica smiled to herself as Liam chased a shrieking Bartie in the grass. Bartie ran towards Jessica for safety.

Jessica held up a hand and said, "Back, Beast! You have no power here!" 

Liam chuckled to himself as he crouched down, crawled towards them, and said, "That's where you're wrong, Princess. For I have THIS!" He held up a simple flower.

Jessica played along, shielding herself. "Oh no! Bartie, the Brave, save yourself! He has…The scepter! He's too powerful!" 

Bartie screamed with laughter as Liam pounced on them both, growling and kissing Jessica's cheek and tickling Bartie. Jessica couldn't contain the excited giggle contagious from Bartie's giggles. 

Savannah laughed to herself as Liam sat back with a chuckle to himself. 

Bartie hugged Jessica as she smiled down at him, and he smiled up at her. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. She loved Bartie, but the idea of one day having her own child with Liam filtered through her mind.

Jessica kissed Bartie's little head, cradling him to her, and she sat up as Liam kissed her head too. Both watched Bartie wobble over to his Mother.

Jessica sat on the bench and watched that little boy around the age Bartie should be now run to his Mom to hold her hand. The Dad wrapped an arm around the Mom as they walked away.

Jessica couldn't help staring. Remembering Bartie and how soft his little cheeks were, how his eyes twinkled when he smiled at her, how excited he was to see her. The idea that she hurt him by leaving, that she would never get to hug him again…It was heartbreaking. She just prayed he understood and maybe barely remembered her being as young as he was. At least that way, it wouldn't hurt as much on his part.

The little boy must have noticed her staring. He smiled and waved at her. As she watched them leave the park, Jessica waved back with a sad smile.

Her hand shakily went to her mouth as she felt her eyes water. She had no choice but to leave Cordonia, no matter how much it pained her.

Jessica sniffled to herself as she stood up. Thoughts of what she left behind and what she almost had were painful reminders to her now. She hoped that one day she could have the courage to return to see her Cordonian family again, even if it meant having to face the fact that in her mind Liam was happily married with children because maybe in knowing that she could find her own sense of closure and start anew.

@choicesficwriterscreations

@choicesflashfics

[belencha77]

CAPITULO 53 - UNA NOCHE INOLVIDABLE

|| ¿Cómo están mis dos chicas favoritas? || exclamó Maxwell al entrar en la habitación con una gran sonrisa, abrazándonos con calidez. Luego, me miró de cerca y notó la alegría en mi rostro. || Te ves radiante, mi Flor. ¿Es por fin porque estás libre? ||

|| Eso es parte de mi felicidad, pero también hay otra noticia que me tiene así || respondí, sonriendo ampliamente.

|| ¿Es una buena noticia o una grandiosa noticia? ||

|| Creo que es grandiosa... Liam canceló su compromiso || dije, haciendo que Max abriera los ojos en sorpresa.

|| No puede ser... ¡Esta noticia sí que es inmensa! ||

|| Y quiere hablar conmigo esta tarde || añadí, mientras Max comenzaba a saltar de emoción.

|| ¡Santo Cielo! Esto es gigantesco... ¿Y le vas a decir que sí? ||

|| Max, no estoy segura de qué quiere hablar || respondí, mi incertidumbre reflejada en mi expresión.

|| Mi Flor, ¿no te das cuenta? Este es el momento que hemos estado esperando || dijo Max con entusiasmo.

|| Mira, amiga, es casi seguro que Liam va a proponerte matrimonio. Max y yo pensamos lo mismo || agregó Hana, sonriendo ampliamente.

|| Este es el momento que tanto esperabas, mi Flor. Tú y Liam, sin complots, mentiras o barreras. Como diría Bertrand, si todo sale bien esta noche, la Casa Beaumont será el tema de conversación en todos los bailes, y la estima y la riqueza que seguirán seguramente estarán a la altura || exclamó Maxwell, lleno de emoción. Hana y yo nos miramos asombradas y luego soltamos una risa sincera.

|| ¡Santo Cielo, Maxwell! Fue como tener a Bertrand en frente || le dije, sorprendida.

|| Sí, cariño... Fue extraño escucharte || comentó Hana, mientras Maxwell solo se reía.

|| Bueno, chicos, necesito seguir buscando qué ponerme || dije mientras revisábamos mi closet. De repente, tocaron a la puerta. Maxwell abrió y encontró a un hombre con un paquete. Lo trajo adentro, donde había una nota que decía:

“Para la mujer más hermosa de mi vida”

Era, sin duda, la letra de Liam. Al abrir el paquete, encontré un vestido impresionante de color carbón.

|| No es por nada, pero Liam piensa en todo || exclamó Maxwell, admirando el vestido.

|| ¡Anda a probártelo, amiga! || me urgió Hana con entusiasmo. Me dirigí al vestidor, emocionada y agradecida por el regalo tan significativo.

El vestido que Liam había elegido para mí era de un profundo color carbón, cubierto de lentejuelas que brillaban como las luces de un rascacielos. Tenía un escote en forma de corazón que realzaba mi figura de manera elegante y sutil, mientras que el corte asimétrico en la pierna derecha añadía un toque moderno y audaz. La tela caía en ondas suaves, resaltando cada curva con gracia.

Al mirarme en el espejo, me di cuenta de que era perfecto. Al salir del vestidor, ambos abrieron los ojos sorprendidos.

|| Bueno… ¿Qué les parece? || pregunté ansiosa.

|| ¡Riley te ves preciosa! || exclamó Hana con entusiasmo || Liam no podrá apartar los ojos de ti ||

|| Es un vestido ganador para una ganadora. Te ves hermosa, mi Flor… Deslumbrante como siempre || dijo Maxwell, mirándome con orgullo y lágrimas en los ojos || Me siento orgulloso de mi hermanita ||

|| ¡Oh Maxwell! || respondí, abrazándolo con emoción || No tienes idea de cuánto te amo, de hecho, a los dos || Dije, abrazando también a Hana || No sé qué haría sin ustedes ||

Después de derramar algunas lágrimas, me dediqué a maquillarme y a peinarme. Quería estar más que lista para mi encuentro con Liam.

**

Después de un pequeño paseo en el auto que Liam había dejado para mí, le pedí al conductor que me dejara cerca de las calles de mi antiguo trabajo. Una oleada de recuerdos inundó mi mente. Cuánto ha cambiado mi vida desde el día en que Liam entró en ella. Me siento tan feliz de tenerlo a mi lado y ahora, sin ninguna barrera que se interponga entre nosotros, podemos mostrar nuestro amor al mundo sin problemas.

Al llegar a las afueras del bar, vi a Liam esperándome en la puerta. Su rostro se iluminó con una sonrisa radiante en cuanto me vio.

|| ¡Riley! || exclamó lleno de emoción. Mi corazón latía con fuerza mientras aceleraba el paso, ansiosa por estar a su lado. En cuestión de segundos, estaba en sus brazos, envolviéndolo en un abrazo y encontrando sus labios en un beso profundo y apasionado. Se separó un momento y me dio una vuelta para admirarme. Vi cómo su expresión se llenaba de asombro, sus ojos recorriendo la longitud de mi vestido.

|| ¿Te quedaste sin palabras, Majestad? || pregunté juguetonamente.

|| Es que... tú... ¡Wow!... La ciudad de Nueva York, a pesar de toda su belleza, palidece en comparación contigo || dijo Liam, su voz llena de admiración || El vestido es precioso, pero no más que la mujer que lo lleva || continuó. Sus palabras me hicieron sonrojar. Él siempre sabe qué decir para hacerme sentir bien. De repente, volví a mirar mi antiguo bar y mis ojos se llenaron de nostalgia al contemplar su fachada || Es extraño estar de vuelta aquí || dijo Liam, sonriendo.

|| ¿Y me lo dices a mí? || respondí, riéndome ante tantos recuerdos mientras contemplaba el lugar.

|| Muchas veces he pensado en esa noche... Y hay algo sobre lo que aún tengo una duda... ¿Qué pensaste de mí cuando nos conocimos esa noche? || me preguntó con curiosidad, mirándome directamente a los ojos.

|| Para ser honesta, lo primero que pensé fue que eras demasiado apuesto || dije, sonriendo mientras le pellizcaba un poco la nariz. || Pero también noté que eras un hombre fuera de este mundo. No muchos clientes, especialmente en su despedida de soltero, se toman tiempo de su noche para preguntar cómo está la camarera. Pero claro, tú no eras un cliente cualquiera, ¿verdad? ||

|| Pues no... Supongo que no lo era || respondió Liam, con una sonrisa.

|| Yo sabía que eras diferente desde el principio. Y dime, ¿qué pensaste de mí? ||

|| Cuando te vi por primera vez, me deslumbraste. Eras la mujer más bella y asombrosa que había conocido. No podía parar de pensar en ti... Tú me viste como "Liam", no como el príncipe... Tú irradiabas posibilidad, me ayudaste a ver que podía creer en el amor. Yo no creía en el amor a primera vista, pero cuando te conocí, todo eso cambió. Nunca supe lo que era el amor hasta que te conocí. ||

Mis ojos se llenaron de lágrimas, emocionada por escuchar sus palabras.

|| ¡Liam! || Fue lo único que pude exclamar.

|| No llores, amor... Tú eres maravillosa, una mujer fantástica. Me alegra que el destino nos haya unido. ||

|| Tú también me viste como "Riley", no como la mesera que te atendió. Soy feliz de que el destino nos haya unido. Imagínate si lo hubiéramos dejado así, si Maxwell nunca me hubiera invitado a competir por tu mano en nombre de su casa. Ahora solo tendríamos impresiones, eso sería todo lo que tendría de ti || dije, poniéndome un poco melancólica. Liam levantó mi rostro y acarició mi mejilla, limpiando mis lágrimas.

|| Pero afortunadamente no fue así. || Me tomó de la mano. || Ven, debemos seguir. Todavía hay mucho que quiero mostrarte esta noche. ||

**

Subimos al auto y, tras un breve viaje, llegamos a mi playa favorita, el lugar al que lo llevé la primera vez que nos conocimos. La brisa marina nos recibió de inmediato, trayendo consigo una oleada de recuerdos.

|| ¡Liam! Es increíble estar de vuelta aquí. Este lugar siempre ha tenido un significado especial para mí. || Dije y Liam miró a su alrededor, sus ojos recorriendo el paisaje con una mezcla de nostalgia y asombro. Se volvió hacia mí, y su sonrisa era tan cálida como el sol poniente que se reflejaba en las olas || No puedo creer lo hermoso que es. Este lugar tiene un encanto único. || Y me acerqué a él, sintiendo la conexión palpable entre nosotros. La playa, con sus suaves olas y la luz dorada, parecía el escenario perfecto para revivir nuestros momentos más especiales.

|| Honestamente, este sitio fue un éxito. Aunque los chicos habían planeado una gran despedida, tu sugerencia de venir aquí fue el cierre perfecto para la velada. || Sus palabras resonaron con una calidez que hizo que mi corazón latiera más rápido. Sabía que este lugar tenía un valor sentimental inmenso para mí, y verlo apreciarlo tanto me conmovió profundamente. Tomé su mano, sintiendo la calidez de su piel contra la mía.

|| Si recuerdo bien, ese no fue el final. || Exclamé con una sonrisa. Liam se inclinó ligeramente hacia mí, su mirada se volvió más intensa.

|| Tienes razón, pero cuando nos conocimos, no sabíamos lo que el futuro nos depararía. A veces, me pregunto si este lugar es un recordatorio de cómo nos encontró el destino, o si es simplemente la magia de este momento. || Me acerqué aún más, mis dedos rozando su mejilla mientras hablaba. El sonido de las olas rompía en el silencio entre nosotros, creando una sinfonía de serenidad y amor.

|| Quizás sea un poco de ambos. Este lugar, este momento, parece perfecto para recordarnos lo afortunados que somos de habernos encontrado. || Dije mientras sonreía ampliamente.

|| En buena hora que Maxwell decidió llevarte a Cordonia. || Liam tomó mi mano con suavidad y, con un gesto delicado, me acercó a él. Nuestros rostros estaban a centímetros de distancia, y podía sentir su aliento cálido sobre mis labios.

|| Sabes, es curioso cómo los tres se llevan tan bien… No se parecen en absoluto. ¿Cómo lograste formar un círculo de amigos así? ||

|| Bueno, los conozco a los dos desde que éramos muy pequeños. Nuestras madres solían llevarse bien. Con Maxwell, nuestra amistad se fortaleció cuando, en una fiesta de la corte, mi hermano hizo algo que me molestó. No recuerdo exactamente qué fue, pero estuve tratando de mantener una cara valiente todo el día. Maxwell lo notó y se propuso animarme. Con una serie de cumplidos, distracciones y perseverancia, lo logró. Ese es un rasgo admirable en un amigo. Lo que siempre recordaré de Maxwell es cómo me trató como a cualquier otro niño, no como a un príncipe. Siempre me consideró un viejo amigo y nunca me trató de manera diferente por mi título. ||

|| ¿Y con Drake? ¿Cómo se hicieron amigos? ||

|| Drake era distante al principio, pero todo cambió cuando lo vi en problemas por jugar con una Taser de la guardia. Para protegerlo, inventé una historia en la que yo había tomado el arma. Mi intervención evitó que se metiera en problemas, y desde entonces, nuestra amistad se fortaleció. A pesar de su inicial distancia, Drake se convirtió en uno de mis amigos más leales ||

En ese momento, recordé cuando Drake dijo que no era un amigo leal. Eso debe ser por lo que no puede mirar a Liam directamente a los ojos.

|| ¡Cielos! Este ha sido un viaje lleno de recuerdos, pero… Tengo más planes para esta noche. ¿Vamos a la siguiente parada? ||

Eché un último vistazo a la orilla, luego Liam tomó mi mano y nos dirigimos hacia el próximo destino.

**

Después de otro breve viaje, llegamos a un lugar especial iluminado por las farolas: Battery Park. Este lugar familiar me trajo recuerdos de la noche en que lo llevé aquí para tomar el ferry hacia la Estatua de la Libertad. Me acerqué a la baranda, admirando la vista magnífica que se desplegaba frente a mí.

|| Nunca me canso de esta vista, || dije suspirando mientras miraba el agua y el brillante horizonte de la ciudad. De reojo, noté que Liam me observaba.

|| Yo tampoco me canso de hacerlo… || Respondió él, sonriendo ampliamente. Me volví hacia él y me sonrojé ante su mirada cálida. Liam continuó, con una expresión profunda y sincera: || Riley, antes de conocerte, creía que mi vida estaba perfectamente trazada. Incluso antes de que mi hermano abdicara, estaba convencido de que mi camino estaba predestinado. Había aceptado que siempre tendría opciones limitadas. Cuando supe que me convertiría en rey, sentí aún más la presión de seguir los pasos de mis predecesores y escuchar a mis consejeros. No me daba cuenta de que ser un buen líder significaba tomar las riendas por mí mismo. || Se acercó suavemente y tomó mi rostro entre sus manos, mirándome fijamente. || Pero cuando entré en ese bar y te conocí, no tenía idea de cuán drásticamente cambiarían las cosas. ||

|| Sabes, siempre supe que esto sucedería... Sabía con certeza que me llevarían a un hermoso país mediterráneo donde conocería a mis mejores amigos, competiría por el corazón de un príncipe y me enamoraría de él. ||

|| No me digas ¿Y cómo supiste todo esto? || Liam me preguntó, riendo. Me acerqué a su oído y le susurré con una sonrisa traviesa:

|| Mi hada madrina me lo dijo… || Solté una risa contagiosa al ver cómo él negaba con la cabeza y se reía también. Luego lo miré a los ojos, con una expresión más seria || Bueno, hablando en serio, antes de conocerte, yo no era nadie. Venía de una familia completamente destruida, con el corazón roto y lastimado. Me dediqué a vivir un día a la vez, sin rumbo ni sentido. Pero cuando llegué a Cordonia, todo cambió. Aunque no tenía idea de a qué me estaba apuntando cuando abordé ese avión y llegué a Cordonia, ese lugar se convirtió en mi hogar y ustedes en mi familia || Suspiré, con una mezcla de alegría y nostalgia en el corazón || Liam, tú has cambiado mi vida de una manera que nunca imaginé ||

|| Espero que para bien, ¿no? ||

|| Seguro que sí, en todas las formas posibles || Le dije sonriendo. Liam me abrazó fuertemente, sus latidos acelerados traicionando su nerviosismo. Su respiración era algo entrecortada, y pude sentir que su abrazo estaba cargado de una emoción contenida.

|| Tenemos una parada más para hacer esta noche... || Liam me toma de la mano y me guía por las bulliciosas calles del Distrito Financiero de Manhattan. La noche está llena de luces y el murmullo de la ciudad. Mientras caminamos, siento su mano firme y segura, pero también noto un ligero temblor, una señal de su nerviosismo. Nos detenemos frente al Downtown Manhattan Heliport. Mi corazón late más rápido al ver un helicóptero esperándonos, con las hélices girando lentamente en preparación. Al acercarnos, veo al piloto y a un miembro de la tripulación que nos saludan alegremente.

|| ¡Liam! ¿Dónde vamos? || pregunto con curiosidad. Él me mira fijamente y toma mi mano con más fuerza.

|| ¿Confías en mí? || pregunta con una mezcla de seriedad y ternura en su voz.

|| Claro que sí, con mi vida. ||

|| Muy bien || De su bolsillo, Liam sacó una venda y me la mostró. Asentí con la cabeza para darle permiso. Con delicadeza, la colocó sobre mis ojos, sumiéndome en la oscuridad. Mientras me guiaba hacia el helicóptero, me dijo: || Con cuidado. ||

Dentro del helicóptero, no podía evitar sentirme nerviosa. ¿Dónde me llevaría? A pesar de todo, confiaba en él plenamente. Sentía su mano firme en la mía, y eso me daba tranquilidad.

|| ¡Liam! Ya estamos por llegar || Intentaba ver hacia dónde nos dirigíamos, la curiosidad llenándome.

|| Ya mismo, ten paciencia… No seas tramposa. || Liam ajustó la venda con una sonrisa en su voz y tomó mi mano con fuerza, haciéndome sentir segura y amada.

Después de algunos minutos, escuché cómo el helicóptero apagaba su motor y sentí el viento en mi rostro cuando la puerta se abrió. Mi corazón latía con anticipación.

|| ¿Ya llegamos? || pregunté ansiosa.

|| Así es… Ven, baja despacio. ||

Liam me ayudó a bajar y me hizo caminar algunos pasos. Luego nos detuvimos y, suavemente, retiró la venda de mis ojos. Al abrirlos, quedé maravillada por la vista ante mí.

|| ¡Wow, Liam! ¿La Estatua de la Libertad? Pero... ¿Cómo lo lograste? || Me volví hacia él, mi corazón lleno de emoción y gratitud. || Bueno, no debería sorprenderme de cómo lo lograste… Ella es maravillosa, ¿no es así? ||

|| Sí, ella lo es... || Liam y yo nos quedamos allí por un momento, hombro con hombro, encantados por la espectacular vista de la estatua. Las estrellas brillaban en el cielo nocturno encima de ella. Una caricia de una ligera brisa, que susurraba a través de las ramas de un árbol cercano, me devolvió a la realidad. Liam se volvió hacia mí, su mirada llena de una mezcla de amor y nerviosismo || Riley, ¿recuerdas la noche de la coronación? ||

|| Claro que la recuerdo… ¿Cómo podría olvidar ese día? || Mi mente viajó en segundos hacia ese fatídico día y, con tristeza, respondí. Sentía el peso de esos recuerdos en mi pecho.

|| Yo iba a proponerte matrimonio esa noche frente a todos. No haberlo hecho seguirá siendo el más profundo error de mi vida. || Una ráfaga de viento agitó mi cabello y Liam extendió la mano para apartar un mechón de mis ojos, su toque lleno de ternura. Vi la lucha interna en sus ojos, una vulnerabilidad que raramente mostraba. || Aun así, quizás el destino quiso que sucediera de esta manera. Tal vez era importante que primero te liberaras de la conspiración justo cuando regresaste a Nueva York, en el lugar donde todo inició. ||

|| Tienes razón… Tal vez el destino lo quiso así. || respondí, tratando de consolarlo.

|| Riley, me has abierto los ojos. Ha sido un verdadero honor ser testigo de tu fuerza frente a cada desafío que has superado. Esa fuerza tuya es la que me da valor. Contigo siento que puedo tener el amor que tanto anhelaba y, a la vez, el fuerte liderazgo que Cordonia necesita. Contigo, Liam el hombre y Liam el Rey finalmente se convierten en una sola persona. Todo lo que quiero en este mundo es dedicar mi vida a ser el mejor hombre y rey que pueda ser... solo para ti. Pero... ||

|| ¿Pero qué? || pregunté, sintiendo un nudo en el estómago. Liam me dio una pequeña sonrisa, pero sus ojos reflejaban un profundo dolor.

|| Riley, no soy ciego, aunque a veces parezca que lo estoy con las cosas que suceden a mi alrededor. || Guardó silencio un momento, suspiró profundamente, y luego continuó. || Como te dije esa noche en la gruta, sé que tienes sentimientos por Drake. Y, lamentablemente, sé por qué él no ha podido mirarme a la cara en estos días ni ha querido hablarme. Estoy seguro de que es porque ustedes dos han sido... un poco más íntimos y llevaron las cosas más allá. || Frunció el ceño levemente, el dolor evidente en su expresión.

|| Liam, yo... || Comencé a decir, sintiendo las lágrimas arder en mis ojos. Rápidamente traté de justificar lo injustificable, pero amablemente, Liam puso su dedo en mi boca para interrumpirme.

|| No vine aquí para juzgarte, ni para juzgar a Drake. Tú eres libre al igual que él. Yo era el que tenía un compromiso encima. || Su voz se quebró ligeramente, y pude ver el conflicto en sus ojos. || No mentiré diciendo que no tengo celos consumiéndome tan solo con imaginarte a ti en sus brazos, pero, a pesar de que lo amo como a un hermano, no puedo evitar sentir lo que siento. ||

|| Lo siento, Liam, yo no quise causarte dolor. || Bajé la mirada de inmediato, sintiéndome terrible. Liam extendió su mano para levantar mi barbilla, haciendo que nuestros ojos se encontraran de nuevo.

|| No es tu culpa, no te sientas mal... Pero he estado pensando mucho en esto y quiero estar seguro de algo. Yo te amo con mi vida entera, nunca te lo he ocultado y lo sabes. Pero ahora quiero preguntarte algo y quiero que me contestes con la verdad... ¿Tú devuelves mis sentimientos? ¿Me amas? ¿O amas a Drake? ||

Miré a sus hermosos ojos azules y vi tal vulnerabilidad en ellos, era como ver a un niño pequeño que necesitaba protección, amor y apoyo. Mi corazón se disparó y latió con tanta fuerza que las palabras salieron de mí tan fácilmente como el aliento mismo.

|| Yo te amo a ti, Liam, y solo a ti. Puede que tenga sentimientos por Drake y hayamos estado juntos, pero no siento amor por él... es decir, siento cariño, pero lo amo como a un amigo y nada más. En cambio, a ti... a ti te amo con todas las fuerzas de mi corazón. || Respondí sin vacilar, llena de ansias y sinceridad. Liam me mostró la más grande de sus sonrisas, una que iluminaba el momento y hacía que mi corazón se llenara de esperanza.

|| Perfecto... Entonces solo queda una cosa por hacer. ||

Sus ojos brillaban con una mezcla de alivio y determinación, y en ese instante supe que lo que vendría cambiaría nuestras vidas para siempre.

@tessa-liam, @kingliam2019, @choicesficwriterscreations, @delmissesryanandcassi, @OneNoeOne, @scentedeclipseghosteggs,  @s0m3thingkmp

If anyone else wants to be tagged, just let me know. I hope you enjoy this wonderful love adventure.

[tessa-liam]

Liam, Riley & William...

Are in Greece 🏖 for Daniel & Matteo's wedding🥂!

Turning the Page Series, Chapter 14 ....coming this week!

Catch up!

Thank you /@Ainna for the beautiful commission 🥰♥️🤗...

I have been sitting on this commission for a while😬! I have a few more coming...😂...soon😁!

📌tagging my lists in the comments✨️

[lamieboo]

💄Lipstick and Lipstick Stains 💋

Happy International Kissing Day

(I have one more but it’s sexually suggestive and I have minors following me here so if you want to see it, it’s on my Twitter page )

[fadingreveries]

The Royal Romance, Bk1 Ch2: Welcome to Cordonia (Pt. 4)

Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰

Story Summary: In this novel-style retelling of TRR, beloved scenes with original commentary from the Choices stories including your favourite group of royals and friends will be expanded upon. Contains extended commentary and scenes from the original story, in-depth descriptions of bonus scenes, and premium choices and outfits.

Chapter Synopsis: Riley travels to Cordonia, but what will await her there?

Word Count:

Disclaimer: All rights to original commentary, scenes, and characters from The Royal Romance series reserved to Choices and Pixelberry Studios. No copyright infringement intended.

~ ~ ~

After quickly unpacking a few of her belongings, Riley made her way out of her assigned room on a mission to explore the palace boutique’s options. Luckily for her, Maxwell had told her that the store was located on the ground floor near the front entrance.

A few minutes later, Riley pushed past the doors into the boutique. The soft pink walls contrasted nicely with the brown mahogany floors and the light gray floor rug covering the entire ground. A silver chandelier with bell-shaped glass shades hung directly in the middle of the room. Several mannequins dressed in various formal attire for men and women were scattered across the rooms.

Absentmindedly, Riley brushed her hand against the silk and satin dresses placed on one of many racks on display. The closest she had ever gotten to seeing such beautiful formal dresses was outside display windows of luxury stores on her way to school and work.

“Oh!” A girl yelped out, stepping out of a changing room and holding a dress.

Startled with the sudden voice, Riley looked over her shoulder to see who it was. However, when she noticed that the girl was only dressed in her underwear, Riley quickly turned back around. While she felt a hint of excitement to meet new people up close and personal, this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Riley apologized, feeling embarrassed at seeing a stranger looking so vulnerable. “I didn’t realize someone was already here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have just barged in.”

With Riley’s back turned, the girl quickly draped the curtain of the changing room over her body to cover herself. Only her head poked out, a sign she was eager to invite Riley into a conversation.

“Oh, it’s no problem at all. To be honest, I didn’t have an appointment. I forgot to book one before my flight landed a few hours ago but thought I would peruse down here before it became too crowded,” the girl sheepishly replied, making Riley turn around to see her friendly smile. “I’m Hana. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Pleasantly surprised with the girl’s bright kindness to a stranger like her, Riley gave a smile in return. “You too. My name’s Riley.”

“I suppose you’re also here to prepare for the Masquerade tonight,” Hana replied, before disappearing behind the curtain to pull on the dress she was holding. “Since you’re here and not already dressed, I must assume that you’re just like me… searching desperately for something to wear.”

“More or less,” Riley replied, with a relaxed laugh. Her neck craned around to catch short glimpses of the dresses in the boutique, wondering how on earth she would be able to narrow it down with the surprising variety.

“The seamstress seems to be running late, but I can show you around! The boutique has the most exquisite gowns. Quite a few of them were shipped just this morning,” Hana answered, pulling the curtain to the side. “Let me just zip this dress up and we can look for one for you!”

Walking to a floor-length mirror, Hana faced her reflection to note her appearance. There was an immense amount of pressure on her from her parents to make a good first impression on the nobility during the court’s social season. She took a deep breath, examining the rose gold laced bodice with rhinestones and a matching floor-length satin skirt.

Her hands arched around her back, trying to get a firm grasp on the tiny zipper. Replaying her parents’ never-ending lectures in her mind about securing the hand of the prince, she felt a slight tremble in her grip and found herself unable to zip herself in the dress. What was she going to do if she failed to secure his attention?

“Need a hand?” Riley offered, admiring how confident and poised Hana looked in front of the mirror with her masquerade outfit.

With a relieved laugh, Hana answered, “That would be amazing.”

Making her way behind Hana, Riley grasped hold of the zipper and slid it all the way up. On a nearby side table, Hana picked up a salmon pink mask with gold accents that matched her dress perfectly. She carefully settled it on her face, making her happily sigh with a satisfied smile.

Turning to face Riley with a grin, Hana complimented, “Thank you. It’s a pity that not many girls here are like you.”

“Helpful?” Riley asked, a smile on her face at Hana’s comment.

“Genuinely nice,” Hana explained, with a simple knowing nod. “It would make the social season much less intimidating if we were here to converse as ladies instead of constantly viewing each other as competition.”

If Drake was right about the ruthlessness of noble ladies, it seemed Riley had found a rare ally in her. Unbeknownst to her, Hana held the same sentiments. Most ladies would secretly turn their noses up at her out of jealousy, let alone help her—something Hana was used to growing up as a noble.

Hana spun for Riley, her full skirts twirling as she giggled. “Ah, this dress is perfect! Now, what about you? One must have a mask for the Masquerade!”The two girls perused through racks of dresses, holding up possible options to the other for a second opinion. Ten minutes later, Hana’s eyes widened in excitement as she pulled two garment bags from a rack. “Have you seen the angel costume? You’d look amazing in white,” Hana suggested, eagerly holding up the white dress in her right hand and the other dress in her left hand. “Or there’s also a red one, if you’re feeling more devilish.”

“I’ll take a look.” Riley giggled, as Hana handed her both garment bags.

Inside a dressing room, Riley eyed the first costume meant to resemble a sultry devil. The crimson red colour of the strapless dress was striking along with sections made of mesh lace fabric highlighting embroidered patterns. Along with the dress were two devil horn accessories and a bold black mask with sparkling rhinestones.

Ultimately, Riley decided on the angel costume that Hana first suggested. It was much simpler with its draped off shoulder straps, a sweetheart neckline, and a shimmery sparkle that brightened the pure white colour. After stepping out of the changing room, Riley fixed the matching halo accessory on top of her head and plucked a detailed silver mask off of the table.

“How do I look?” Riley asked with a smile, giving a little twirl similar to the one Hana had done moments ago.

Hana’s face brightened up, as she grinned and the two made their way out of the boutique. “Heavenly! A costume as angelic as the girl wearing it.”

~ ~ ~

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