#the prince & me 3: a royal honeymoon

[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: The Prince & Me

Rating: PG

Director: Martha Coolidge

Cast: Julia Stiles, Luke Mably, Ben Miller, Miranda Richardson, James Fox, Alberta Watson, John Bourgeois, Zachary Knighton, Stephen O'Reilly, Elisabeth Waterston, Eliza Bennett, Devin Ratray, Clare Preuss, Yaani King Mondschein, Eddie Irvine

Release year: 2004

Genres: romance, comedy

Blurb: Premed student Paige falls in love with Danish Prince Edward, who refused to follow the traditions of his parents and has come to the U.S. to quench his thirst for rebellion. Paige and Eddie come from two different worlds, but there is an undeniable attraction between them.

[sukirichi]

[ DUSK ‘TILL DAWN : 008 ]

“we who bear the burden of the crown do not need to love. you only need to stay here, with me, in power, in greed, in lust – in victory.”

c/w. modern royal au. infidelity. angst. gaslighting. toxic characters. toxic relationships. mentions of neglect and abuse. hurt and comfort. unedited.

notes. thank you to everyone who waited patiently, i hope you guys enjoy this chapter <3 this will be the beginning of kiyoomi arc!

wc. 11k

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[ EIGHT ] all they keep asking me is if I’m gonna be your bride – the only kind of girl they see is a one-night or a wife

The Kingdom of Inarizaki was at a loss whether to celebrate the early return of the latest married couple from their honeymoon. The couple seemed to be doing great – according to the tabloids, anyway. When they arrived, the Princes and their wives waved to the people, all eager for a glimpse of the infamous couple who had married for love. For two years, society had their eyes on you – the shy, reserved noblewoman who caught the eye and heart of their one and only Crown Prince Suna Rintaro. And oh, what a wedding it was, broadcasted all over the world and celebrated like a holiday.

What the world didn’t know was that it was an entirely different story behind the Palace walls.

You may share a bedroom, but never the bed. You’d been acquainted with the couch for the next few nights, only seeing your husband once in the mornings before he left to do his duties, and every now and then when the Queen wanted to have dinner. Not that you were complaining – the space was most appreciated. Without Suna lingering, there’d be less reminders of how much of a fool he took you. A naïve, young woman who really deluded herself into believing a Prince could want her. Although…

Suna didn’t not want you, either.

In the few spaces in between, he would look for you. He would make small talk and ask if you’ve eaten. If you liked breakfast, which was a silly question, since it was always tea and waffles. If you enjoyed yourself while he was away, this, again, was a silly question. You spent the mind–numbing hours blaming yourself for being in this predicament. That, perhaps, if you had just been brave to walk away that night you found out the truth, then you wouldn’t be out here wondering if the maids’ whispers were true – that Suna spent most of his nights at Belleview Manor, because quote unquote, “he was unwelcome in his own quarters.”

As if somehow it was your fault he did not feel comfortable to sleep under the same roof with you.

Sighing, you flipped your novel closed. No one had given you official duties yet, other than the blatantly obvious one of giving the Crown Prince an heir. ‘They will have such sleepless nights!’, the Queen’s goons crooned. ‘So young and virile, they are, we’ll have a new Crown Prince in no time!’ Oh, if only it were that easy. If there were to be a Prince, Iris would most likely be the mother, considering he saw her more often than you did. And how funny of a thought that was – you wanted distance from him, yet something died inside you little by little the colder your room got.

“Since we have returned, my schedule will be full.”

You glanced up from where you sat. Suna had sauntered back into the room, his tie loosened; hair messed up like he ran his fingers through it several times. Already, a servant stood beside him to comb his hair back neatly. You couldn’t help but stare. How long had it been since you combed his hair for him? You knew he hated it when they gelled it back. He preferred it messy and unkempt, saying his bedroom hair felt most natural. The bedroom hair he’s shown only to you in the quiet breaks of the night when he was in your bed.

The bedroom hair Iris had seen, as well.

Just the thought of it forces a smile on your face. Standing up, you brushed off the imaginary dust off your skirt. Less than a week in the Palace, and you were already so miserable. You could at least try to look less bothered by his unrequited affections.

“Do what you must.”

Once his hair had been brushed to perfection, Suna gestured for his servant to step away. The man politely bowed down before exiting the room. “I mean to say,” he continued, stepping closer now that there was no one else around. Your breath hitched the closer he got, but you dared not move, not even when his warm, familiar hand cups the curve of your cheek. “The meetings I must attend and people to deal with will take up most of my time.”

You knew what he was trying to say – that he wouldn’t be around, and you had to entertain yourself in his absence. Gently, you take a step back from his touch, watching as an unreadable expression crosses his face.

“And as I have said, do what you must. I have my own duties to fulfill as well.”

“You do not sound bothered by this.”

“Why should I be?” you shrugged, “If I am to be stuck with you for the rest of my life, surely I can enjoy what little time left I have for myself.”

Suna’s lips thinned. “You could act a little less eager to get rid of me.”

“On the contrary, I have no intention of leaving.”

“So I will see you tonight?”

“If we run into each other at the palace, yes, yes you will.”

If he seemed discontent with your half–hearted response, he did not show it. Must be the practiced regality and composure befitting for a Crown Prince like him – all lazy, yet wary, watching eyes. He, too, must know the true meaning behind your words. There was no need to pretend.

You both knew Suna would run into Belleview Manor as soon as the night ends, and his duties for the day had been tended to. Meanwhile, his wife would stay up all night in her couch.

Not quite waiting for him, but not quite imagining if he slept better at her side, either.

It was an unspoken deal between you two already. So he leaves without another word, and you let out a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding when the door finally slams shut.

Tears prick at your eyes for the umpteenth time. You were tired of this. Tired of not knowing where you truly were in his life – were you his wife, his friend? After you’d heard of his passion and dedication to Iris, you weren’t so evil to stop him from seeing her. He loved her first. And you of all people should know the pain of not having the one person you wanted most. To him, she was his unattainable treasure. She was already making him smile before you even came to his life. She was already offering companionship and the comfort he desperately needed in this tiresome world of politics and power. She was his solace in all this chaos.

And you… you were just his wife. And without a baby in your belly, you might as well be just another useless figure in the Palace.

You refused to be so.

You may be worthless to him as his wife, for you truly couldn’t have his heart, but you refused to be a worthless person. Deep down, you knew you weren’t. It was just the title of ‘Princess’ that made you feel incapable and short. Did that mean you weren’t meant to be Princess, then? Should you go back to your manor, learning how to handle the household and managing the family business like your parents taught?

If you were not for Suna, did that mean you were not for the Crown, as well?

You bit your lip in contemplation. There was only one person who could provide you a solution to this.

“It is not every day I am summoned by a Princess,” a smooth, deep voice filtered through the garden. Smiling, you stood up to greet the Third Prince. A curtsy, a bow, and soon you two were sipping tea – the momentary peace a guise of what was to come. Kita must have sensed it, too, his gaze flitting over your pinched face with understanding and patience. “To what do I owe this pleasure? Surely we are not here to discuss the pleasantries of your honeymoon.”

You grimaced. “Definitely not. There were no pleasantries to begin with.”

His face fell.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Are you… My apologies. I’m not sure how to proceed with this.”

Nodding, you set your tea town. You had a feeling he truly meant his apology, which felt good, seeing as most of the Princes had too much pride to know the word ‘sorry.’ But you hd always known that Prince Kita was unlike the other Princes – he had more honor, and a stronger sense of morality compared to his brothers. Maybe it was due to his being raised by his mother, who was a lawyer, and therefore was not so exposed to the greed and competition experienced by the other Princes.

Whatever it was, he was just different. And you could rely on him to be truthful, too.

“Have you always known about them?” you muttered, refusing to look at the Prince’s face in fear of being met with pity. That was the last thing you wanted – to be seen as the poor, unwanted wife. “Iris and Rintaro?”

“I have.”

“I see.”

Kita sighed. “Please don’t misunderstand, Princess. I never meant to keep it from you. None of us did – except for those truly involved. It was just… I grew up with them, too. Keiji and I were only a year ahead of Rintaro and Iris. When I heard the Crown Prince had become acquainted with a foreign royal scholar, we didn’t think too much of it. Her sudden marriage with Kiyoomi surprised us all, and none of us would’ve thought that her friendship with Rintaro would turn into something more.”

“You don’t need to explain all of this to me, Your Highness.”

“Perhaps, but…” reaching over the table, the Prince squeezed your knuckle. You chuckled, not having realized you’d balled up your hands into a fist. It turned out you couldn’t fool anyone, not even yourself, to act like you didn’t care how much it all hurt. “I do not want you to think I am not on your side.”

“You do not need to be on my side. He is your brother.”

“Blood means little to me when my own kind is cruel to others,” he retorted, looking offended you would suggest otherwise. “I have always been against it, Princess. I told him from the beginning that to covet one’s brother’s wife is one thing, but to involve someone else, all for his selfish reason of ascending a throne that was always rightfully his just seemed heartless.”

Heartless. Gods. To know that your husband was capable of being cruel was one thing, but to hear it coming from his own brother’s lips was another.

“But Rintaro is Rintaro. Of course he is stubborn.”

“Indeed, he is,” Prince Kita sighed in defeat, leaning back against his seat as he stroked his chin in thought. “Princess, while I cannot guarantee I can take all of your woes away, I want you to know you can trust me. If there is anything you need, let me know and I will do it for you. It’s the least I can do to make your stay here in the Palace tolerable.”

“Do you mean that?”

“I do, and I am a man of my word.”

“Then I suppose there’s no point beating around the bush,” you gritted your teeth, forcing the words to come out.

It had always been a lingering thought at the back of your mind – to leave Rintaro – but there was this prideful, equally stubborn voice at the back of your head telling you it was too early to give up. That you needed to fight. But what was there to fight for? It wasn’t like Rintaro would learn to love you. And neither do you plan on wooing him. So, instead, you swallowed up your pride and called for Kita, knowing he would never judge you for the choices you were about to make.

“I actually called for you today because I wish to discuss royal marital laws, possibly with your mother. She would know about it best.”

“You need legal counsel,” he caught on, and you nod, “I can arrange that. I assume you want it discreetly, too. That is no problem at all. But if I may be bold, I wish to ask something from you in return.”

“Name your price.”

“It is about this maid that I am fond of. Airi,” her name came out breathily from his mouth, almost like a whisper. You noticed the Prince glancing around the empty garden almost warily, though you already took measures to ensure no one would be around to witness this conversation. Reassured, Kita sat up straighter and looked you in the eye, nothing but sincerity and determination in his expression. “I will do anything you ask of me, as long as it is within legal reasons, if you take her in as your personal maid.”

“I’ve heard rumors about you having affections for a maid in your quarters,” you mumbled, feeling almost sorry for the kind–hearted Prince. It seemed he, too, did not escape the heartbreaking torment for falling for a person you could never have. “So it is true, after all.”

“It is. You seem surprised about it. Is it so shocking to learn of a Prince having genuine feelings for another?”

You shook your head. “Not at all. I think I should know best that passion is something you brothers certainly have,” you snort, and Kita fights back a grin. “Very well, then. I will take care of your lovely maid, although I do wish to know – why are you assigning her to me? Have you… done anything to stain her honor?”

The color seeped out of the Prince’s face.

“I would never do such a thing.”

“I figured you wouldn’t.”

Kita’s shoulders squared before he exhaled. “Airi is… Ever since I set my sights on her, she has been in danger. People have been very unkind towards her, especially with the staff in my quarters. And as much as I would love having her by my side in my every waking hour, it would break my heart to know that she is being looked down upon simply because I admire her. But I figure with her at your side, with a new assignment, she will have some peace.”

Your heart ached for him. You could tell this was not an easy decision to make, but a necessary one if he wanted to ensure his lover’s well-being.

“You can still see her, Your Highness. It’s not like I will take her away from you.”

“I wouldn’t let you, either, but these are very difficult times for everyone in the Palace. The security of the throne weakens every day. The Parliament is restless, and there is only so little I can do with all these failed unions,” he rattled on, eyes widening when he realized it too late. Bowing his head, the Prince’s brows furrowed. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to–”

“Our marriage is not a failed union. Not yet. I will make certain it will not be a failure.”

It couldn’t be a failure. There was only one way out of this dreadful marriage, and as much as you hated it, that exit only existed in a path where you had no choice but to let him be a great King. This is why you need Kita’s mother’s counsel. Surely there could be a loophole in the clause that would invalidate the marriage. But until that opportunity presents itself, you were stuck here in this Castle, surrounded by everyone but your husband.

You had to make it work.

“With all due respect, Princess,” sighs the Prince, looking more remorseful than irritated. “Why is it that you try so hard? You do not need to stay with him, you know. It may be against the law for royal marriages to be annulled, but surely we can find a way. You do not need to torture yourself by spending one more day with your husband.”

“I know that.”

“Then why do you stay?”

“Because,” you croaked out, feeling a lump grow in your throat. “Because loving him is all I had known, and perhaps it is time I learn to despise him, as well.”

Silence stretches. The prince sat there, unmoving, as your words hang in the thick air between you two. You knew he would understand; he wouldn’t judge. But there is still concern in his handsome features that made you realize how pitiful you really are. And maybe there was no one else to blame but yourself, because you were foolish, and in love. But you were trying – by the Gods, you really were doing your best – to just be in love and not have to be foolish anymore.

Kita could see this as well. Your strength, your grit. He could see everything from where he sat, and that was why he simply nodded. “Are you getting there yet?”

“I will get there someday.”

Before the Prince could say anything else, a servant appeared from the bushes. He looked sheepish upon the intrusion, an apologetic smile on his face directed to the Prince. “Your Highness. It is time for your lessons.”

The Prince sent you a knowing look. This was not to be the last time you see each other, and you smiled up at him, grateful. It felt good to have at least one person you could lean on in the Palace. You stood up, too, shaking his hand just as his servant excused himself. If your memory did not fail you, the Third Prince studied law outside of the Palace and had to attend university, unlike his brothers who had chosen to indulge in their promised wealth after graduating high school.

“Excuse me, Your Highness. I have matters to attend to, but my words still ring true – I am only a call away should you need me.”

“Thank you so much for your time, my Prince.”

“It was my pleasure. I will inform you right away of my mother’s availability.”

“Oh, and Princess,” piped up the servant from somewhere around the bushes, “Princess Maiko is looking for you. She is waiting for you in her drawing room.”

You should’ve expected that Princess Maiko would come looking for you. The whole ordeal she witnessed back at your rest house must have come as a shock for her. Sure, her marriage didn’t go so well, either, but at least Tooru hadn’t gone around sleeping with someone else. For a man who didn’t want to get married, he kept to his vow of loyalty to his wife. Still, you didn’t want this to be a competition on who had it worse – Maiko was simply worried, and you had to explain yourself for your untoward behavior on everyone’s getaway.

“Princess! Oh my gosh – how are you?! I was worried sick!”

“Princess,” you return her hug, smiling despite the fact the smaller Princess had a bone–crushing grip. “Thank you for your concern, but I assure you, I am well.”

“Oh, Princess, you couldn’t be,” she pulled back with tears in her eyes. You almost apologized on the spot now that you remembered demanding to return to the City without informing the others why. Especially not Maiko, who seemed to be clueless. “I… I heard from Tooru about everything. The entire situation with Iris and the Crown Prince – truly, I did not know a single thing. If I had, I would have told you right away.”

“I know, and I’m thankful for your support.”

You squeeze her hand in reassurance, and the Princess leads you to sit on the couch. She slumps on it rather ungracefully, her innocent, wide eyes moist as she shakes her head.

“I had no idea Iris could do that. I just… the moment she arrived in the palace, she was so lovely, you know? She was always a little reserved, and liked to keep to herself, but I never would’ve guessed. I truly thought she was a good friend of mine, and now I have no idea who she really is.”

“Neither did I.”

“How are you, though? And please, tell me the truth. You do not need to pretend all is well.”

You shrug half-heartedly. “I am the Crown Prince’s wife. I must learn to be strong.”

“You mustn’t torture yourself any longer,” she licks her lips, chuckling without a trace of humor in it. “Although I do not blame you for staying in a marriage without love,” she smiled sadly, holding your hand firmer where it sat on her lap. “What do you plan to do?”

“I will divorce him,” you announced, and finally saying it loud felt different than just having the thought float in your head. It now felt like a reality. A choice you had to be firm in making. Licking your lips, you couldn’t help but glance at the beautiful wedding ring sitting on your finger – how just like your marriage, it is sparkling yet meaningless.

Leaving him would be the right choice. It would not mean you were weak.

“Once I meet with Kita’s mother and work our way around the law… I’m going to leave him. If it is a proper marriage he wants, then it is the one thing he will not get,” braving to look her in the eyes, you force a determined smile. “I believe it is the right thing to do, Your Highness. I must pick my battles wisely.”

“I understand, and I support you if this is what you want to do.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Although…”

“Although?”

“I still find it hard to believe,” she quipped, momentarily letting go of your hand as she stood up, pacing around the room. Her dark hair, neatly braided and adorned with headpieces, slowly started falling into curled pieces around her delicate face with how fast she’d been pacing. Almost as if her feet couldn’t quite keep up with her thoughts. “Iris and Kiyoomi had been married for five years, and Tooru told me they’d loved each other long before then. I am aware I am not the best at reading the room, but surely I am not so foolish to miss the love in their eyes. I would have known, Your Highness, I swear.”

You smile, confused. “I… am not sure I understand what you mean.”

“I mean Iris never looked in love,” she reiterated. “Granted, she was never affectionate with Kiyoomi, so that much is clear, but with the Crown Prince? They barely even speak to each other.”

“You couldn’t have known if they did spend time together,” you told her as softly as you could, “I heard they often hid in Belleview Manor, away from the eyes of the public.”

“But I live here,” she argued, and you stopped trying to butt in. For such a small thing, you had already learned once Maiko had her head set on something, almost nothing could stop her. “I live in Honor Hall, just five minutes away from them! I could have heard something. And on the few times I do see them together, Iris had always seemed… walled off. If Rintaro was able to display his affections openly, Iris was not the same. That night you weren’t at the house, they did not seem like a happy couple to me.”

“What are you talking about?”

Maiko shook her head again, causing more curls to loosen. “They seemed familiar with each other, but not intimate. It was almost as if they were lovers purely in the bedroom, but they couldn’t have known each other’s heart,” her eyes lit up, before it dimmed again when she took in your somber expression. “I do not mean to give you false hope, Princess, but believe me. I know a man in love when I see one, and it is not the Crown Prince with Iris. But… but when you were not married yet, everyone could tell the Crown Prince smiled more. He laughed often, too, and he even spent more time with his brothers.”

“Well, that is only natural. He has a lot of siblings. Of course he would enjoy their company.”

“No, no, you do not understand, Princess. The Crown Prince… didn’t grow up that way,” she bit her lip, and then scooted next to you. “As the only son of the King and Queen, he was already more important than the rest. Because of that, he was raised differently – away and isolated from his brothers. He was always tutored alone, and never played with the other Princes. He spent his childhood locked up in his study, but then the Queen allowed him to attend regular school, and when he graduated… he met you. And I swear, he was different then.”

“Because he already met her,” you remarked, hoping she would stop already. Rintaro does not love you. “He’d become happier because Iris was already in his life.”

“I went to the same school with them; grew up with them. I had crushed on Prince Tooru for so long that I followed wherever he went, and where Tooru was, the Crown Prince would follow. They were born just months apart. And Iris never made the Crown Prince look… look…”

“Look what?”

“Look content,” she finally supplied. “But when the Crown Prince introduced you to us, he had this look on his face. When you spoke to others, he would always be looking at you, listening to your every word. Even when you were not in the same room, he would speak fondly of you. And he even once told me he still could not believe someone as precious as you had been attending the same lousy balls he’d been enduring all his life. He said that if he had met you earlier, he might have never skipped out attending the dances.”

“I don’t know,” your lips trembled, “I do not know what to do, Princess. Hearing of this does not make it any better.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, but you must understand,” she squeezed your hand, desperation evident in her tone. “Your husband looks at you the way I wished mine would at me. He may say otherwise, but his eyes cannot lie. He softens when you are around, Princess. That night you did not return home at Greenville, the Crown Prince could not sleep at all. And these past few days…”

“I believe that is enough. I do not wish to hear how he spent his nights at Belleview.”

“He didn’t, Your Highness. The Crown Prince has never even spoken to Iris ever since we returned from your honeymoon.”

Rintaro could count the number of things pissing him off with one hand.

One: You had barely acknowledged his existence the past few days.

Two: Iris wouldn’t stop pulling him into dark, secluded corners in the Castle each time she chanced upon him. Two-point-five: She couldn’t understand he was not in the mood for another one of their trysts.

Three: Kiyoomi skipped another meeting concerning Itachiyama again.

Seriously, Rintaro understood being a Prince was tiresome work. It was not as grandiose as the tabloids made it out to be. Even in his sleep, he sometimes dreamt of paperwork, or he would wake up in the middle of the night with his hands signing off imaginary papers. The pressure was tougher on Kiyoomi, too, because he was expected to be ready to take after Wakatoshi at any time he even faltered – note: the First Prince never did – and to also act as representative for the other territory thanks to his birthright. But his brother was an hermit, and seemed to fear the sunlight, considering he never left his quarters. Or on the rare occasions he did, he would be hiding away in other countries doing who knows what.

He had just finished a meeting with some of the territory leaders regarding a public complaint that the price of goods had gone up, and some daily necessities were now ridiculously overpriced. One of the main suppliers of good livestock and coconuts, Itachiyama, made it even more expensive – not for any good reason, just that their leader loved to remind Inarizaki constantly that they needed him more than he needed the monarchy.

His goading affected his people, and Rintaro has had enough. Kiyoomi could at least try to pretend to be interested in the meetings. Out of all the nine princes, Kiyoomi was the most influential for being a half-blood. The Itachiyama president adored him. He wouldn’t have had to struggle negotiating for prices had he been doing his work. He was the damned mediator between the two countries, for goodness’ sake!

And to make it all worse, his life did not get any better outside the meeting rooms.

No, because his wife was intent on acting like he did not exist. And on the few times he did manage to be in the same space as you without you running off, you always looked through him. Like he wasn’t even a real person. As if he was just an apparition, a ghost in your mind that you could overlook if you tried hard enough.

He already knew you wouldn’t be in your quarters once he returned, but Rintaro still couldn’t help the pang of disappointment washing over him. He chose you to be his future Queen for many reasons, one of them being your wisdom in these kinds of things. You just needed a little encouragement to speak up, but Rintaro was confident you would make a great leader. You had genuine care for your people. You would have been able to help him make the best decisions for everybody – if you would just listen to him. Wasn’t that how marriages work? To share the burden of the Crown together? The Crown was too heavy for one person alone, which is why Kings cannot be crowned without their Queens.

Rintaro couldn’t do it alone. Each day was becoming more challenging for him, and he so desperately wished he could discuss the country’s future with you. He would feel more confident in his choices. He would be more reassured that he was doing the right thing, but it seemed that all he knew how to do lately was fuck everything up.

On his way back, Rintaro stopped trying to look regal. He let his shoulders slump and ran his fingers through his hair again. The gel be damned. Loosening his tie, he rolled his shoulders back and winced at how stiff his back was. Sitting on his ass all day long, having to listen to old men argue back and forth over money, and simultaneously having to deal with a marriage he’d already screwed over – Rintaro just wanted to disappear.

He wanted to return to Greenville.

It was peaceful there. People minded their own business, everyone had their own purpose and reason for waking up each day and there, he could just be himself. Not the Crown Prince, not a young man who had to hurt you for the sake of the throne. He could just… be free.

“Your Highness,” a servant bowed in front of him, keeping a respectful distance but enough to let him know he needed his attention.

“Good evening,” he greeted back, “Have you seen my wife?”

“Her Highness was with Princess Maiko this morning. Last I heard, she has not left the Palace, at all.”

“I see,” Rintaro was already moving towards Honor Hall before his feet could register it. It was a good twenty minute walk, and the chances of running into Iris weren’t miniscule, but it would be worth it. He could use some fresh air, anyway. And he figured with Maiko around, you would be less opposed to spending the evening with him – until he realized Maiko must have known everything, too. How he manipulated you, and left you in the middle of nowhere.

On second thought, having two Princesses who clearly did not welcome him would not make for a great night.

“My Prince!”

Rintaro stopped on his tracks. He had a split second to school his expression to surprise – the good kind – when he came face to face with the last woman he wanted to see.

“Mother,” he greeted, taking her gloved hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles whilst she fanned herself. “I wasn’t informed you would be visiting.”

She waved her fan around. “Oh, I had to nearly knock down the guards when they wouldn’t let me in, but I had to see my daughter. I heard from the news that you came home too early. Well, what is wrong? Is she sick? Does she not like the countryside? Or perhaps there was an emergency you had to attend to?” fanning herself harder, Rintaro’s hand wound at the small of her back to guide the older woman into a nearby seat. “She hasn’t answered any of my calls, and I am worried, my son.”

“Your concern for her will put her at ease, I’m certain,” he reassured, swallowing the uncomfortable lump growing in his throat. “This is just… a difficult time for us, Mother. I fear Her Highness is having doubts about our marriage once she saw how overwhelming the Crown could be. She simply wished to return home because she felt there were things to be done here.”

Your mother sighed and shook her head. “My poor daughter. She always felt the need to prove her worth by working herself to death,” spinning to face him, she pointed her fan in his direction – which would be considered a threat to the Crown Prince, but she was his mother–in–law. Her presence itself was a threat to his life. “Promise me you won’t let her exhaust herself, son. Promise me you’ll take care of her.”

“She is in good hands, Mother, I promise you this.”

Pleased with him, your mother beamed. “I was also… Well, I may be crossing the line, but now that you tell me my poor daughter is anxious about her royal duties, I was planning to hold a ball in her honor. A welcoming ball for the new Princess, of sorts. It should help her integrate into your world better, but still with the comfort of our support.”

“A ball sounds lovely. We can hold it anytime as we are still in our honeymoon period and she will be free for quite some time.”

“That is perfect! I will make the arrangements, then.”

Wearing his best Prince Charming smile, even if he was anything but, Rintaro found himself mindlessly agreeing to everything your mother wanted. He would have to squeeze all these events in his already hectic schedule, but he was not complaining. She was right. You deserved to relax and enjoy yourself. He should know best that having royal titles did not promise a life of gallivanting and endless tea parties. Once your mother had exhausted herself from all the planning, Rintaro escorted her out to the palace entrance, stopping only when your figure appeared from the corner.

Finally, you were looking at him.

But with a glare.

Well, he supposed beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“You are a far better actor than I give you credit for – lying to my mother like that.”

“I did not mean to.”

You rolled your eyes, and Rintaro bit his lip. Cute, he thought, but he would never say it out loud. He would simply enjoy the fact you did not push him away, or walk away as if you were scalded when he started walking next to you. For a moment, everything almost seemed normal. Minus the extreme glaring, of course.

“Surely. It’s not like telling her you manipulated me for the past two years was on your to-do list.”

“Do not use that tone on me.”

“I will speak with you however I wish. You do not get to tell me what to do.”

“You are right; I cannot tell you what to do, so do as you please, then,” he surrendered, and you must be surprised by how he easily gave in from the way you froze. Glaring harder, Rintaro bit his cheek, tilting his head to the side as he gazed upon your pretty face. And oh, how badly he wanted to smooth that frown you’re wearing. “I missed you. I have not seen you all day long.”

“Must have been a lovely day for you, then.”

It was hell, actually, was what he wanted to say, but even that did not seem enough to articulate what he truly felt. I missed you, and I’m sorry I hurt you. Please sleep on the same bed with me again. I want to hold you all night long, and your scent calms me. But instead, all that comes out of his mouth was, “It was not lovely at all.”

“Hmm. I’m not Iris.”

“No, you aren’t.”

He agreed wholeheartedly – you were not his lover. Iris would not argue with him like this; in fact, they never argued at all. Whenever they had misunderstandings, they resolved it by taking out their frustrations on the bedroom, and the next day, all would be forgiven and forgotten. It was easier with Iris, in some ways, because with you he actually had to use his words, and he had to say the right ones. Both of which he wasn’t good at, but would try his very best anyway.

“I heard you spent the day with Maiko. How was it? Did you two have fun?”

“As fun as two women suffering at the hands of men who despise them could have.”

Rintaro took a larger step to stand in front of you, his eyes narrowed into slits. “I do not despise you.”

“Really? You made me feel otherwise.”

Sighing, he ran his hands through his hair again, feeling much more exhausted than he did after the meetings ended. “You do not have to make this so difficult, you know. I am trying to fix this.”

The laugh you let out is sardonic, teetering on the edges of borderline angry. But he would take it – because arguments with you were better than having you ignore him, and he would take a thousand more arguments if it meant you talked. He would consume your wrath over your coldness every other day. Even when you cross your arms and look at him like he was the most vile creature to ever walk the Earth – because your eyes are on him, and in that moment, in the middle of another of a hundred hallways in his Palace, there was no one else but you and him. A husband and his wife. A Prince and his Princess.

“Oh, are you now? Because last time I checked, you were still in love with someone else, and I’m still nothing but a pawn in your silly game.”

“I may be in love with someone else, but it was you who I couldn’t get off my mind.”

“Is that supposed to make my heart flutter?”

You reel back as if burnt, and Rintarou couldn’t fathom why your expression hurt him so much. As if his declaration, his vulnerability, of being putty in your hands repulsed you instead of excited you. However, he refused to show he hung desperately to your every word, refused to admit that you held all the power in your hands, not him. So, he plays it off, and flirtingly lifts a brow just to get you even more riled up.

“I was hoping it would.”

“Whatever it is you’re planning, Rintaro, you won’t win.”

His eyes darkened. Suddenly, all self-restraint he previously had had been thrown out the window. The urge to press his lips to you – yes, those same lips scowling at him – becomes all too consuming. He fools himself into taking the heat in your eyes as desire instead of anger. And he takes one step forward, two, then three, until your back hits the wall and his large frame prevents you from escaping. He liked you best here, he realized, under his mercy and staring up at him with your soft lips, pliant and open to release a gasp when he leans in. Closer, closer, only for his lips to meet the skin of your cheek.

Rintaro stifled a disappointed groan.

Masking it with a chuckle, he trailed his lips down your cheek and to your jawline, all the way until he’s inhaling your intoxicating scent – he wants your damned perfume to stick to his skin for days to come so everyone in the Palace knows he is yours. And like a flower, you bloom only to him. Craning your neck and pushing your chest upwards to his despite your resistance, breathing hard and heavy to let him know he wasn’t the only one affected by this.

And by the Gods, he wanted nothing more than to take you in this wall right here and then.

Brushing his lips just above your pulse point, Rintaro smiled. Your heart was beating a mile a minute, and he was certain his was, too, when you began to crumple his shirt in your hands. “I never knew my name could sound so important without the titles attached to it.”

“Wh–what?” your query came out breathily. Not that he could blame you, for his words have also begun to sound more like a whisper.

“Rintaro,” he echoed, nosing your neck to greedily take in more of your scent. If not on his skin, then he will settle for the evidence of you all over his clothes – and damned the servants who dared wash his dress shirt. “Not Prince, not Your Highness. Just Rintaro. It makes me feel like… it is just you and I, husband and wife, as simple as that,” you draw in another gasp just as his fingers start ghosting over your waist, fighting the urge to pin you in place, or to just hold you delicately because he knew he’d broken you enough. Rintaro felt weak, his head dropping in the column of your shoulder. “I truly did miss you. And I do not like how I spent many nights, in our bed, alone.”

“You do not deserve to share a bed with me.”

“I know,” he lamented, and that firm resolve of keeping him at a distance was enough to wake him up. Pushing himself off of you, Rintaro took a solid minute to admire you like this – lips parted, expectant for a kiss, and skin flushed with a thin layer of sweat, with eyes so bewildered he could see himself clearly in the reflection – that he was just a man now, and not really the husband you wanted him to be. Once he had his fill, Rintaro smoothed down the wrinkles you fisted in his shirt and took a step back. “But you do not deserve to sleep in just a couch. Take the bed tonight. I will sleep outside.”

“But that’s–”

“I’m the one who fucked up,” he smirked, sarcasm dripping from his face, “So I should be the one sleeping uncomfortably. I know I cannot tell you what to do, and neither do I plan on ordering you around, but this is the one thing you cannot argue with me on. You will take the bed. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Back to titles. Back to formality. Back to reality.

“Good girl,” he murmured absentmindedly, nodding in the direction of your bedroom. “Let us head back to our quarters. I’m buying you a new dress for the ball first thing in the morning.”

To say Rintaro had changed would be an understatement.

He was a completely different person than your husband in the honeymoon. It was as if… last night’s intimate encounter had brought him back to the Rintaro you fell in love with, but this time it felt different. He felt more intense. Maybe it was the fact that his secrets were now laid out in the open, which could mean his attentive actions toward you no longer held the purpose of winning you over. Maybe now he truly just wanted to spend time with you because he could.

Cancelling his plans for the day, he’d told the servants you were going out shopping, and oh, what a cunning, devilish Prince he is. He knew you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands off of him out in public. With so many eyes watching, you spent nearly every second of the day with your arms looped around his, laughing and smiling at every word he said, and not daring to keep your eyes off him lest someone took a photographed and headlined it ‘Newly Married Royal Couple Having Their First Lovers’ Spat In Public.’ No. No, that would be catastrophic. The Queen would be furious.

Here, in public, you were forced to act sweet and touchy with him, to which the stupid Crown Prince basked in as he led you from boutique to boutique. He complimented you on everything, even when you wore a hideous bright orange gown that made even the designer flinch. But in Rintaro’s eyes, you were simply mesmerizing. He even got a suit that matched all of your dresses, claiming that everyone should know he was married to you. Everyone already knew that – the whole world knew – but you didn’t want to burst his bubble.

Aside from having a day off, your husband genuinely did seem to be doing things other than paperwork.

You stopped being kind once you entered the car, however, when the windows had rolled up and you had both stopped waving to the people. Here, it was just the driver and the both of you, and the driver knew better than to comment on whatever happened, anyway. Sighing, you scooted to the other end of the seat, prying yourself off of Rintaro’s tight grip around your waist.

“Drop the act.”

“What act?”

“Oh, please,” you scoffed, taking off your gloves and folding them neatly in your lap. “We are in the privacy of our car. You needn’t pretend any longer.”

“Who said I was pretending?”

You looked at him dead in the eye. “You are not fooling anyone. This was all a PR act – you did not actually mean whatever it is you said to me out there, but worry not. I’ll get out of your hair and divorce you – surely that will make everything easier.”

The way Rintaro’s eyes nearly popped out of his head would be comical if he didn’t look so scared. In a flash, your husband crossed the distance and sat next to you, his hurried movements causing his bangs to fall into his eyes. His large hands began to engulf yours, and you suck in a breath – without the gloves, it felt more intimate. “What divorce?” he chuckled nervously, brushing his lips over your bare knuckles. It was the faintest of touches, only done to appease you, but it still didn’t stop the bolt of heat coursing through your thighs. Gods, it was just so hard trying to stay mad at him.

“You know that’s impossible. Royal marriages are forever. Look, if you truly wish to divorce me, fine. But you know you will have to help me become King first. Once I am crowned, I can write a new law that says royal couples can be separated.”

“You are despicable.”

“I am,” he whined. Whined! Seriously, who was this man? “But I promise you, if you help me, I will let you go. Look, I’ll even find a high–ranking nobleman for you. The best of the best. You wouldn’t have to be lonely anymore. Just… don’t ever mention divorce to me right now. I won’t let you.”

Scoffing, you pull your hands back from his heavenly lips. “You seriously think after everything, loneliness is somehow my biggest issue?” Rintaro opened his mouth to retort, but you shook your head, making yourself small between him and the window seat. You hated it, how helpless you felt, from wanting his touch to being burnt by it. You hated it even more how you couldn’t look him in the eye as you mumbled, “Have you ever thought that maybe I just want to forget you?”

“I do not want you to,” he breathed out, and your eyes snapped shut when you felt his fingers brush over your cheeks. “But I am not so selfish to deprive you of a good thing. You will find someone who can love you better than I could.”

Your heart fell.

“Well, that would be easy. You never loved me to begin with.”

The Crown Prince never spoke again. You both mulled over your silences as you arrived back at the Palace, heading into the bathroom to do your nightly routines. Rintaro was to your left, taking out his razor blade and shaving foam while you stood to his right, lathering on your cleanser and toner. Thankfully, the silence did not feel as heavy as it did on the ride back home, but it was still far from being comfortable. It was only after you’d moisturized and turned to leave the room that Rintaro caught your wrist, glancing down at you with a pleading expression.

“Please. Can we stop fighting? I thought today was fun. Let us not end it hating each other.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, if I ruined your precious day,” you snapped, leaning back to examine how he missed a spot below his jaw. A slight stubble was visible, but you had to stop your hand from reaching out to him. You sighed. “All this space in the Palace and they couldn’t give us separate bathrooms?”

“Traditionally, royal married couples slept in separate rooms. Everything was separate, too, including bathrooms,” he gestured around you, “Perhaps you would’ve liked the old ways.”

Screw it. The small talk is the most awkward thing you have ever experienced.

“…You missed a spot,” you finally mumbled, taking his razor from him and gesturing for him to crouch down so you can reach. “Do you want me to finish it?”

Rintaro, despite his surprise, nodded and obeyed. It must have been uncomfortable for him to slouch, but he did so without complaints. He let you shave him as you saw fit, turning his head side to side, lathering on more foam, and you watched as his shoulders visibly deflated. Eyes fluttering close, Rintaro sighed, the tips of his fingers gingerly tracing circles as they laid beside your hips.

“You will take the bed as discussed,” he reminded, “You will not argue with me on this.”

“Okay,” you answered, because you, too, had no energy for more arguments. Once you were done with him, you wiped off the rest of the foam with a warm, wet towel. You both left the bathroom and went your separate ways – you to your king–sized bed, and him just outside the bedroom and into the lounge room, where you spent the past few nights sleeping. You realized he must not be sleeping well from it because of his large frame, yet Rintaro did not seem to mind.

Just as he was about to close the door, he lingered for a few beats.

“Thank you for going along the happily married couple act today,” he said, lifting his gaze from the carpeted floors to gaze into your eyes. “And for the record, I meant it when I said you looked beautiful.”

Then he turned, and swiftly closed the door, leaving you to be with your thoughts – all filled of him.

It didn’t help that the sheets and pillows still lingered with his scent.

You had your upcoming ball to thank for distracting you from your confusing feelings for your husband. That in itself was such a ridiculous statement, but one that ringed true. After Rintaro’s surprising gentleness, and the revelation from Maiko that he hadn’t spoken at all with Iris, you were now in a dangerous zone called Getting Your Hopes Up. Truly, you should know better. You had known Rintaro for years to know he could be effortlessly charming. He could have you wrapped tight around his finger, smiling like a lovesick fool, only for him to break your heart once more.

If not for that cold, hard truth, you would have invited him to bed with you that night. It seemed too tempting. It felt like the right thing to do. But you didn’t, and you were glad you held back on your desire, because you weren’t sure you could handle another heartbreak.

Especially because these past few days made you realize one thing – that you were still in love with him. The next morning, you found yourself wishing you had woken up next to him, and that was enough to make you avoid your husband all over again. And much to your disappointment, Rintaro stopped trying to chase after you, too, after countless rejections on your part. He had kept his distance, and only spoke with you momentarily when you arrived at your mother’s ball and had to exchange niceties with everyone.

After that, your husband excused himself and spoke with his brothers, but not after your parents couldn’t stop cooing at how adorable you and the Crown Prince were. He handled it with grace; kissing your cheek and thanking them for raising such a wonderful daughter. But the moment your parents became occupied with welcoming other guests, you were now left to entertain the other women in the ball.

Until the music began playing.

Until your song reverberated all across the room.

“This is the song you and the Crown Prince danced to the night you met,” your mother whispered beside you, giggling in your ear. “I requested it specifically for this night. Enjoy the dance with your husband. He’s already waiting.”

True to her word, you could feel Rintaro’s heated gaze on you from across the room. He’d stopped speaking with his brothers – the twins smirking beside him, Akaashi smiling at you softly, Tobio waving enthusiastically while nursing a glass of wine, and Kita firmly hovering from the walls with a concerned frown. Not that you paid attention to them. Your gaze was held by your husband and him only, bewitched as he started walking forward. The crowed parted for him like a true Prince until nothing stood in his way. Everyone smiled, giggling behind their gloves at the apparent ‘romance in the air.’ Beside you, your mother pushed you encouragingly, and you could feel everyone’s eyes on you, waiting to see if you would take the Crown Prince’s outstretched hands.

“My love,” he whispered above your gloved hands, and your heart skipped a beat. He didn’t call you Princess, or Your Highness. You knew it was for the sake of keeping appearances, but by the Gods, you loved him. You were so hopelessly in love with your husband that you placed your heart in his hands once more, silently pleading with him not to break it as he led you in the middle of the dance floor. “May I have this dance?”

“Yes,” you breathed out, your hand resting on his shoulder as naturally as his arms came to your waist. The exact same movements from the night you first met, with the same song, but with your love for him stronger tonight than it did when you first laid your eyes on him.

This time, you danced as man and wife, and you recalled his words from the other day.

How there were moments it seemed so simple – where there were no titles, just you and him, having this dance like it was the most natural, inexplicable thing in this world.

The chord struck. The crowd parted. He took the first step in the dance, and you took a step back. Not once did you tear your gaze away from him, happily drowning in the depths of his hazel eyes you could look at forever. And isn’t that what you’d always wanted? To spend a lifetime with him, to grow old together. It would have been so easy if it weren’t for –

“Don’t think about anything else,” your husband shook his head lightly, “Just enjoy this moment. Tonight, there is only you and I.”

“Okay,” you found yourself nodding, and his grip on your waist tightened for a second. “Just you and I.”

Rintaro’s lips curled into the faintest of smiles. “Just you and I.”

You and him in those moments – you felt immortal. Like nothing could stand in your way. Or perhaps you could die tonight, and you would die happy. Because you were in your husband’s arms, and he was looking at you and only you, murmuring how you were becoming more and more beautiful with each passing day. You were melting in his arms, like goo. Like pudding. And he was strong enough to catch you, to brush his nose against yours at each dip, or letting his lips linger on your forehead each time you came back to him with each spin.

But happy moments never lasted long enough, and soon the rotations were beginning. More couples have joined the dance floor. Through one spin, you caught sight of Tooru and Maiko. Neither of them looked happy, but Tooru visibly brightened when he caught your eye, and shamelessly winked. On the other side of the room danced Iris and Kiyoomi, with the latter looking so nauseous you worried dinner would be spilled on your mother’s floor. And then too soon, Rintaro’s hands were leaving yours as he moved to the nearest dance partner, and you were caught by a pair of strong, muscled arms.

“My turn,” Tooru teased, a grin now on his handsome face as he nudged his head in Rintaro’s direction. He was now dancing with your mother, and you could tell, even from this distance, the smile he wore was genuine. “Should I beat him up?”

You chuckled, throwing your head back. Despite his jokes and jabs, Prince Tooru was a surprisingly great dancer – less stiff than Rintaro, and more confident in his receiving when you spun and dipped. But dancing with him did not feel the same. There was no passion, no yearning, no longing – just the lighthearted air of good humor and his calming nature.

“I don’t think beating the Crown Prince up would be a very wise decision.”

“Indeed, but I was never the Prince known for making wise decisions. That would be more Shinsuke’s forte,” he snorted, and the song reached a part for another rotation. However, Tooru refused to let you go and intentionally spun you away from what was supposed to be your next dance partner. Out of shock, you slapped his chest, and his broad chest rumbled with laughter.

“Your Highness! That was unbelievably rude!”

“As I have said,” you both laughed when he spun you again, “I am not the Prince known to be socially adept.”

You bent over in giggles, your head resting on his chest as you danced more throughout the night. Your feet were getting tired, but your mother was right – this was a night to enjoy. You danced to your heart’s content, exchanging jokes with the handsome Fifth Prince until you craned your neck to the side, only to be stopped by Prince Tooru’s large hand. This time, he no longer smiled as he gazed upon the dancing partners behind you, and your skin turned cold.

You had a feeling you knew exactly why.

“Don’t look. You won’t like what you’ll see.”

Nodding, you pursed your lips and forced a smile at him. “It’s okay, Princess,” he comforted, “Just look at me. You need not concern yourself with others.”

So you danced, and danced, until you could hear your father pleading with the Fifth Prince to give his daughter back because he didn’t get a chance to have a dance with you yet. Reluctantly, Tooru handed you over to your father, but not without a faux frown.

“That was a lovely dance, Your Highness. I wish we could’ve danced more.”

“I think we danced enough.”

Tooru’s smile was guarded; secretive. “I’m afraid it was not enough.”

You danced with your father next. And it was lovely, seeing him up close with all his smile lines and wrinkles. You missed him so, dearly, and he felt the same way. It hurt having to lie to him when he asked how you were settling in the Palace, but you didn’t want to concern him with your personal matters, and for some reason, it didn’t sit well with you if your father disliked Rintaro. So you swallowed your discomfort down and told him everything was great – silently wishing he wouldn’t pry further. He didn’t. And when the song slowed, your father kissed you on the cheek before letting you meet with your next dancing partner.

Stood in front of you was a great wall of what could only be described as majestic. Dressed in white with gold ornaments, Prince Kiyoomi’s curls framed his handsome face beautifully. You had been so accustomed seeing him in more comfortable clothing, and in the privacy of his own home, that seeing him out here in society, it reminded you that he, too, was a Prince.

The Second Prince – the would have been next King should Ushijima and Rintaro falter.

“My Prince.”

“Princess,” he bowed, taking your hand in his as you made your way back to the dance floor. The music played again, this time louder, and the Prince leaned down until his lips were brushing against the shell of your ear. You repressed a gasp, unable to help yourself from digging your nails into his palm when you were greeted by how good he smelled – like mint, new leather, and pine. It also dawned on you how tall and firm the Prince was – perhaps taller and more muscular than Rintaro.

“Y–Yes, Your Highness?”

“Remind me to thank your mother for extending her invites to the forgotten Prince. Imagine my shock when I saw her invitation letter this morning.”

You chuckled nervously, thankful that he had now slightly tilted his head back. “I hardly doubt you are a forgotten prince.”

He snorted, effortlessly spinning you with one hand. “It’s not like I do my duties to begin with. I wouldn’t be surprised if I truly was forgotten,” distracted by his scent, you unknowingly stepped on the hem of your dress and slipped backwards. A scream nearly tore out your throat when the Prince’s large hands cupped the small of your back, your chest pressed to his and his curls brushing against your cheeks as he held you close. “Careful.”

“Th–thank you.”

You were a mess after that. You were never the best dancer, but something about being in the older Prince’s presence made you extra nervous. If he noticed, he didn’t comment on it. He simply danced with grace, and hid his grimace well each time you stepped on his toes. He had also convinced you to stop apologizing every time you did, and by the time the dance was over, you were more than ready to disappear.

“Thank you for the dance, my Prince,” you bowed, words hurried, “I shall see you–”

“Kiyoomi!” a woman appeared out of nowhere, her thick, dark curls pinned up beautifully with some loose strands swaying in time with her hips. She had the same moles as Kiyoomi, and you watched, entranced, as the older woman wrapped her arm casually around the prince. The two shared a silent conversation with their eyes before Kiyoomi glanced at you, and the woman followed his line of sight. “Oh! Your Highness. Greetings. I don’t believe I have introduced myself before – I’m Kanami; Kiyoomi’s mother.”

You smiled at her, politely taking her hand as she extracted herself from her son’s arms and taken to draping herself all over you. Discomfort must be written all over your face, because the Second Prince sent an apologetic smile your way.

“It is an honor to meet you, Miss Kanami. Are you enjoying the night so far? The travel all the way from Itachiyama must have been exhausting.”

“Oh, it was, but it’s all worth it now that we’ve met again!” she squealed, and you paled.

“We have met before?”

Just as she nodded and went about to retelling this so–called meeting, Iris popped up behind Kiyoomi, her smile stiff as she regarded Kanami. Instantly, your mood soured. She hadn’t spoken to you at all tonight, which you were thankful, but something about the thought of her dancing with your husband, and probably being suggestive while at it had your blood boiling.

“Mother! Such a shock seeing you here. I wasn’t aware you were invited.”

Kanami barely glanced her way, her dark, curious eyes still on your face.

“Hello, Iris, and it’s Miss Sakusa, dear,” she corrected, her enthusiastic smile momentarily fading into a scowl before it returned. “Say, Your Highness, since you’re still on your honeymoon period – and I’ve heard your dear husband is too busy these days – would you want to come visit Itachiyama with me? I would be honored to be your host. It will also be a great opportunity to learn more about your Princess duties and politics!” leaning closer, she whispered behind her gloves, although her words were loud enough to be heard by Prince Tooru and Iris. “Although if I will be honest, politics does not interest me in the least bit.”

Your mouth fell open and closed, unsure of what to say, until you settled on chuckling and patting her hand wrapped around your arm. “I… Thank you for invitation, Kanami. I am most tempted to see your beautiful country, but Princess Iris should be the one visiting her territory, should she not?”

Kanami scrunched her nose.“The Princess never grew up in Itachiyama. She would be just as clueless as you. Besides, I have always wanted to invite you over ever since you had Kiyoomi as your last dance on your eighteenth birthday!”

“He… was?”

“He was! Don’t you remember, dear?” she turned to Kiyoomi, who looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him already. But judging by his reaction, it seemed true – Kiyoomi was your last dance on your debut ball. “Well, in that case, I was always fond of you. I may be crossing the line here, but it was always a famous royal saying that whoever was your last dance on your debutante ball was your destined lover.”

[maryleclerc]

𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 — charles leclerc

pairing: prince!charles leclerc x reader

summary: when the people of monaco witnessed a royal wedding of prince charles leclerc and princess y/n

vote for the royal baby name here ❤️

part 2 of 𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 ; should i do a part 3 and 4? honeymoon and kids

warning: i do not own any of these photos, haven’t experience any close communication to any royal family, i am not royal so i don’t know lots about them

y/n_leclerc

36,018,722 likes

y/n_leclerc We are all really happy that the people of Monaco able to join us in this ceremony, sharing the happiness between our love. Today is a wonderful for both of us! 06/18/2027 ❤️

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charles_leclerc ❤️❤️❤️ You made me the happiest man

⤷ y/n_leclerc And you always will be the greatest man i’ve ever met in my life ❤️❤️❤️

laylagween I am just a tourist and accidently saw this grand wedding ceremony, can’t believe it’s was the Prince and Princess wedding!!!

princecharlesandy/n_ Her dress!!!

fan1_ofy Prince Charles is so handsome today and i can’t stop thinking about him

⤷ y/n_leclerc I know how you feel but sadly he’s mine now

eugineaa I wonder will they announce the pregnancy or will keep it secret, i mean most royal wife are chose to kept their pregnancy private :((

⤷ pmai I hope she will let’s everyone know when she is pregnant, but if she choose to keep it a secret then that’s totally fine. You know maybe we should choose what’s best for mother and her baby

⤷ twighttt Just imagine she attent some public engagement and her belly started to show 😩

charles_leclerc

12,873,610 likes

charles_leclerc I can’t describe how happy i am

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y/n_leclerc Aww

timegotmeeeeee I had to admit that she’s so pretty in that dress, like an angel

poeqb Maybe we can meet the heir Leclerc of Monaco soon

⤷ hibyeme Oh stop that, you’re making me even more excited now 😆

lowloo She’s is a real life princess stepping out of a fairy tale

princecharlesmyhub_ Prince Charles what do you think about getting a second wife?

⤷ charles_leclerc No, thank you!

⤷ penelopee WTF!? 😂

[theangrycomet-art]

Sonic Underground Reprise: Hedgehog Family Tree Hedge

Here- the parents, the aunts, the uncles, the grandpa and grandma's and even some cousins.

Now, are most of these characters relevant to the main plot? No. But if you have followed me for any amount of time you should know of my love of expanding character's family trees.

COMMISSIONS OPENED

Kofi

Family Notes: (this gets kinda long)

Parlouzer Lore (paternal side)

Charlotte was a sailor who split her time exploring and fishing with her crew

she may or may not have been a pirate

Maurice was a skilled carpenter who worked from his home workshop in Port Mobius

he was just a humble, if a bit on the quiet side,

the two met by chance when Charlotte was exploring the area while Maurice was trying to get groceries

instantly charmed with one another, they kept in touch and she made it a point to always come back to see him every chance she could

after about 5 years of this she proposed to him and the two were married the next day

Chuck was born shortly after (honeymoon baby)

he mostly stayed on the mainland with his father while Charlotte continued working on the high seas

Julius was born when Charles was 12, and Pauline Pauli when he was 19

Chuck left for college early at 16, so he wasn’t particularly close with his younger brothers until they were practically adults

Jules ran away when he was 13 to join the circus, completely cutting off contact for nearly 5 years

At 17, he and several other members of the circus (including Argus) were arrested in Casino City after being framed for treason by a rival performance troupe. Due to their age however, the two were given an alternative to jail time: enlistment, which they begrudgingly accepted (this was HIGHLY illegal btw, as both were underage and therefore not qualified to be enlisted)

around 3 years into service, Chuck got wind of the bullshit charges placed on his brother and threatened to raise hell if the two were not brought back home immediately

Jules and Argus were then hired as a part of the Royal guard where they were charged initially with guarding King Max’s son, Crown Prince Nigel

Pauli avoided trouble growing up, having taken more after his father than his lovely, impulsive older brothers

Ihe developed a passion for piloting and decided to start his own delivery business, which would be how he would meet his future wife Bernie

Bernie

Nadim Lore

ditch the royal family part and exchange it for a powerful magic fam

Hatshe is the matriarch of a powerful magic guild, the Rising Sun, though she has retired from any official position

the Rising Sun was formed by Aman-Rapi long ago

Hatshe met Olgilvie when traveling through the Kingdom of Mercia when the then King requested the aid of the Rising Sun’s strangest magician (they had meant to request “strongest” but their had been a slight typo, luckily for them Hatshe was both)

Bastard son of a a duke, Olgilvie was knight renound for his skills with a blade as well as the strings

he was assigned to aide Hatshe in her assignment

the two did not get along initially, as both were headstrong individuals who had their own way of doing things, but eventually became friends, and later lovers

He ran off after her once her assignment had been completed and continued courting her back home

Layla is Aleena’s older sister, as well as the current leader of the Rising Sun

Though she may appear calm, collected, and regal, outside of official appearances she is a very much a dork who is not above a little mischief

she met Terios when the were children during the family’s travels

more specifically, she found his half dead body lie partway out of a river bank

he was taken in to the guild, where he showed strong promise in healing magic

childhood friends-> lovers, slowburn 160k words basically

everyone knew that they liked eachother except themselves

despite some initial mishaps, the guild has been thriving under her leadership

despite Robotnik’s efforts, their guild halls have remained hidden to him, as well as serving a safe havens for those trying to escape his reign

they work loosely with the Resistance, though Layla leaves it up to the individuals to come forwards and offer aid

[chirp-a-chirp]

Devour and Delight: Roy’s Wedding and Wedding Night

Fandom: Court of Darkness (Roy X MC, MC named Carla)

Rating: First third PG/Sugary sweet; last 2/3 R/Sweetly Spicy (Minors/folks under 18 do not interact please!). The spicier section is in dialogue format.

Description: Roy and MC get hitched—and clearly enjoy their first honeymoon night. Part One to this story here: LINK HERE

Word Count: ~2700

Tags: Wedding; wedding night; fluff; sweet and spicy; soft smut

…

A private ceremony takes place in a garden near the Invidian royal chapel. A little girl clutching a basket marches down the aisle, the frills of her dress bouncing energetically. Roy smiles indulgently as the girl curtsies to him at the altar.

“You performed admirably, Nica.” He adds. “Your excitement mirrors mine.”

“Yay!” Nica runs to her older brother, Rio, who serves as Roy’s best man. She had practiced her flower girl routine diligently for a week. No one had the heart to tell Nica that, in her excitement, she forgot to drop any of the petals.

“Sorry about that mate,” Rio says quietly to Roy after ushering Nica to her seat.

“There is nothing to apologize for, my friend.” Roy eyes Nica’s overflowing flower basket, grinning. “I have a better use for the petals this evening.”

“What use could that be—“ Rio stops himself. Roy’s gaze is transfixed upon seeing Carla.

King Klaus walks Carla down the aisle. “I thought I’d only get this honor with Sherry,” Klaus murmurs, his voice choking. Carla can’t help but be moved that the King is reacting like a proud parent this day, his emotions clearly etched on his face.

The audience witnessing this wedding is small—some palace staff, Rio, Lynt and their immediate families, Sherry, Grayson, and Roy’s parents. The Invidian people and other foreign princes will be present for the public ceremony—and all the royal trappings along with it—in a week’s time. But this day is for Roy and Carla.

Carla can hardly contain her emotions as she grasps Roy’s hand.

“No escaping now,” Carla whispers jokingly, her eyes drinking the sight of him in his suit.

“Escape was never an option for us, Heartspell.”

King Klaus makes a gracious escape and sits next to his wife and daughter Sherry. He’s all but sure from Roy’s lovestruck stare that his son did not remotely register his presence.

“Roy’s brimming with passion. It just took the right woman to unlock it.” Roy’s mother notes fondly to King Klaus.

“If he can keep it unlocked until the ceremony ends!” Sherry giggles.

The officiant intones some very poignant and meaningful words—of which Roy would confess later to not recalling much of at all. He does recall every word of his and Carla’s personal wedding vows. When that time arrives, Carla turns and places a gold ring with an etched rose motif on his finger.

“The world is comprised of darkness and light. For years, I struggled in the dark, seeking a life worth living. But then, you arrived. Thank you for being my light—my source of inspiration and joy. I vow to spend every day giving you the same love and happiness you’ve gifted me. To ease the burdens you carry. To lift your spirits in times of sorrow and doubt.”

A beautiful smile forms on Roy’s face from Carla’s words. He places a diamond ring on her finger before clasping her hands.

“The world may be comprised of light and dark, but you brought color into my life. I love you with all that I am. My soul has transformed from knowing you—your goodness, your kindness, your perseverance. I vow to cherish you for eternity, to be the one you can turn to when you require. To comfort, soothe, and protect in times of need.”

The officiant asks if there are any objections. Carla withholds a giggle when Roy scans the crowd and briefly narrows his eyes as if anyone would object. Her thumb caresses his wrist to soothe his nerves.

The officiant pronounces them man and wife. Carla represses the urge to leap in Roy’s arms due to the audience. Roy senses her hesitation and pulls Carla to him in a tender embrace. As their lips touch, Carla whispers on his lips.

“I love you…husband.”

Time stops briefly. Affections overflow as they gaze into each other’s eyes.

“And I love you...wife.”

There’s a joyous celebration at the Castle. The festivities blur in a series of dances, feasting, and good natured ribbing of Roy and Carla being unable to keep their eyes off each other. The moment King Klaus and Queen Charlotte leave, Roy makes his excuses, picks Carla up in his arms, and dashes away.

Carla: Roy! So impatient! Her voice echoes the hallway. What will people say?

Roy: Patience would be rather unusual at present. It is not as if tonight’s plans are a secret. Roy smirks while carrying Carla towards their chambers. Upon feeling her cheeks blaze, his voice lowers. I have the most beautiful wife in my arms. All I desire is to spend time with her.

Carla: Define spend time. Carla nuzzles her nose against his neck as Roy opens their chamber door. I have some ideas…

Roy: Roy chuckles at her coyness. His eyes close briefly at feeling of Carla’s breath against his neck. He steps inside their chambers and locks the door.

Well then, please enlighten me.

Roy puts Carla on the ground. His thumb traces her jawline before lifting her chin towards his gaze. His eyes reflect adoration, love, and rising heat. Carla’s thoughts scatter at his look.

Carla: Roy…She is overwhelmed. A part of her wonders if she closes her eyes if she’ll find this day, nay their entire relationship, nothing more than a dream. She grasps Roy’s free hand. It’s real, solid, radiating warmth. His fingers curl against hers on instinct.

Allow me to burn this beautiful image of you in my mind. Please.

Roy: His eyes widen with surprise—he has been called fair of face by many, but none have mattered before meeting Carla. His expression softens.

Take your time. The corner of his mouth quirks. Please inform me if I pass your inspection.

Carla: She walks a full circle around Roy, eyes roaming up and down from the tips of his shoes to the top of his head. Roy breathes heavier at her examination.

It’s not everyday a girl marries the most handsome prince in Saligia—inside and out. Her voice trails as her arms wrap around Roy’s back.

Roy: He embraces Carla softly, resting his head on top of hers. You understand you've completely melted me, yes?

Carla: You’re standing upright, so not ALL of you has melted. She kicks off her heels and nuzzles against his chest.

Roy: He is determined to make this a night she’ll never forget. One of joy, of gallantry—

Carla: How about we unwrap our…wedding presents? Her fingers untuck shirttails from Roy’s pants so she can caress his sides.

Roy: …gallantry be damned.

Carla: Her hands wander to Roy’s shoulders as she removes his jacket. Carla hums in approval as Roy’s hands travel up her back and slowly undo her dress.

I REALLY despise buttons. Her hands shake as the top three buttons of Roy’s shirt are undone. There is an innate satisfaction in unveiling one another’s skin with their own hands versus using magic—even if their wedding attire consists of the tiniest most cumbersome buttons in existence. Her lips lap Roy’s chest as more skin is exposed. Carla’s wedding dress falls to the ground in a pool of fabric.

Roy: You are exquisite. Beyond exquisite. Heartspell. I love you.

There are more eloquent ways to express these overflowing emotions. But, those are the words that matter.

Carla: Though they’ve come together many times before, this feels different. Her skin is covered in goosebumps as Roy’s fingers trace her curves. His touch is revenant yet burning. When Carla finally gets Roy’s shirt off, she gasps as she’s lifted in his arms. Her legs wrap around his waist, their kisses quickly becoming ravenous. Roy walks to the bed and lowers Carla down, his lips never leaving hers.

Carla’s hands drift to Roy’s waist to take off what remains of his attire. Despite their passionate sounds, Carla can’t help laughing as Roy kicks his shoes off with serious impatience.

And YOU may hate shoes as much as I hate buttons! Even as she laughs, her lips seek Roy’s body vigorously.

Roy: He half laughs, half growls in impatience. His hands finally remove the few articles of clothing clinging to their bodies.

Believe me, you’re well worth the effort of unraveling, dear wife. Roy groans as their lips devour each other, caressing said and unsaid desires.

Carla: Her fingers dig into his rose gold locks. Oh God Roy…

Roy: He moans at her touch, her body, her heart—it is pure heaven. His hands travel up her thighs, tracing every inch, seeking her heat.

Carla: This…this is a problem. She murmurs softly against his lips and neck. I want this moment to continue, but your fingers…oh, just like THAT.

Carla’s fingers dig into his shoulders as Roy’s fingers concentrate on her most sensitive spot, lightly at first and then encircling intently.

Roy: He laughs softly as she murmurs against him. Roy’s touches become all-consuming, her reactions driving him wild.

Just like this…yes? Roy feigns his questioning tone. He knows Carla loves it.

Carla: Her legs quiver from the sensations of Roy’s fingers in her. Carla feels rather than sees Roy smirk as his head is buried against her neck.

Roy, I…her eyes close as she becomes undone by his touch.

Roy: You already need me this much? He grins at her body’s quivering, the lurid wet sound of his fingers loving her. While he wants to savor his Carla, the wanton desire on her lips fuels a need to make her delirious with pleasure. Roy continues to twirl and pump his fingers the way she enjoys it until he brings Carla to her peak.

Carla: Her body convulses against Roy, her mind going blank. Carla clinches his shoulders and cries his name, lips pressed against the top of his head. Her body sinks in the bedsheets in the aftermath.

Roy…though her limbs still shake, Carla pulls Roy closer to her. She should not be the only one delighted this night. Plus, Carla wants to replace the slightly smug look on Roy’s face with another expression. She whispers in his ear.

Your turn. Her hands slide towards Roy’s waist, tracing light circles on his hips and upper thighs.

Roy: He groans softly in anticipation, his mind clouding as Carla pulls him closer. Roy’s breath is shallow and short, Carla’s fingers sending his body into overdrive.

Carla: I’m not the only one in need it seems. Carla purrs against his skin. One arm encircles Roy’s waist while the other tantalizes his length. Her lips press a wet trail across his upper chest and neck.

Just like this…yes? Carla mimics Roy’s previous teasing tone. Her face is flushed, but seeing Roy slowly come apart is an absolute treat. Her tongue swirls on his chest as her hand moves faster on him.

Roy: He groans as Carla’s tongue and fingers perform wonders. Carla’s name falls from his lips, as if it’s the only thing he can utter. Roy is certain his heart will explode from Carla’s ministrations. His hands clinch the bedsheets, his vocalizations intensifying.

Carla: And now to test how soundproof our chambers are.

She nips his neck, stroking him faster still until he comes undone. Carla takes her other hand and glides her fingertips across his whitening knuckles until they relax into her touch. Light kisses now cover bite marks in soothing pecks as Roy recovers.

Roy: Her actions send him to a point where he doesn’t care if the whole Castle hears him. His voice cries out and his body shakes and slumps. A towel is magically summoned to their bed.

It appears we both need this, Heartspell. Roy chuckles ruefully, wiping their bodies as he catches his breath. Carla rests her head on his chest. A smile spreads across her face when Roy drops a kiss on her forehead.

Carla: It appears so.

Carla breathes in a mingled scent of sweat and roses—Roy always smells sweet Carla thinks. She drapes an arm across his torso and lets a comfortable silence remain between them before speaking.

I said you were handsome in your suit Roy. But I prefer what you wear now. Carla can’t see Roy’s face from her position, but she can easily imagine his cheeks turning pink.

Roy: Is that so? Even when I am all...sweaty like this?

Carla: Yes. It’s you in your most natural state—no political trappings, no formal words, no masks. Just you and your heart exposed. Her speech is a bit sentimental so she tacks on an addendum. And no one else gets to see your pretty body and reactions but me. I rather like that.

Roy: He responds back in a teasing tone. You just had the best view then, did you not?

Carla: Carla buries her head against Roy’s chest and laughs heartily. Cheeky man.

Roy: I can never resist teasing my gorgeous wife.

Carla: You couldn’t resist teasing when I was your consort or fiancé, you know.

Roy: Well, you make it so easy. How am I supposed to ignore teasing someone as beautiful as you?

Carla: Carla sits up, looking down at Roy in mock indignation. Oh, so it’s MY fault?

Roy: Of course it is. Who else's could it be?

Carla: Perhaps, JUST PERHAPS, the rascal prince I’ve married!

She throws a pillow in Roy’s direction, but then notices rose petals on it. She scans her surroundings and sees the bed and most of the carpet sprinkled with rose petals, the room cast in a golden light from numerous candles.

Roy… Carla gestures to candles and roses. You sweet man…. Her cheeks turn pink.

Roy: His eyes catch Carla’s glances at the room. It’s a cute reaction he’s compelled to play with. Roy sits up, grabs another pillow, and tosses it towards Carla. Oh, did you just notice the candles and flowers?

Carla: YES! She deflects the pillow.

Roy: You can thank Nica for supplying the petals. A much better use of them I dare say. Roy smirks and tucks a strand of hair behind Carla’s ear. Too bad you didn’t see them until now. Were you distracted?

Carla: I was as distracted as YOU were! Or were our moans not indicative of this?

Roy: You do inspire quite the response from me. His fingers caress the back of Carla’s neck. And here I thought I was a good, quiet boy.

Carla: HA! She launches herself so Roy’s on his back and she’s lying on top of him. You’re good in another context though…

Roy: And what context is that?

Carla: The “your wife wants to pounce you” context. Carla straddles Roy’s hips enticingly and presses her lips to his.

Roy: Her playful desire envelopes Roy. Their kisses grow intense, thorough, and ravenous. They crave without hesitation or restraint. Roy twines his fingers in Carla’s hair and uses momentum to flip their positions. His hips move against hers, entering her in one smooth powerful stroke. They gasp at the instant fireworks unleashed.

Carla: She is mesmerized—his lips, his touch, the way he yearns for more intimacy, the blaze of Roy’s golden eyes as they give into the moment of being husband and wife in every sense of the word.

Roy…Carla hopes he can feel the passion she has for him. More.

Roy: Roy calls out to her, eyes aflame, skin on fire. He presses further into her, their rhythm increasing rapidly.

Feel me. With all that I am.

Lips devour, seeking her everything—her cries, her sighs, the words she tries to express. Roy tries slowing their pace to prolong the moment, but it’s no use. Carla matches his pace, digging her fingers against his back as the pounding pressure crescendos. Roy encircles one arm under Carla’s waist and tips her slightly upwards, pressing further until they hurdle over the edge together, their voices crying out.

Carla: She feels Roy collapse on her shoulder. They roll onto their sides, clinging to one another. Carla maneuvers her position slightly. She closes her eyes and slowly massages Roy’s scalp, his head resting between her breasts.

Ahhh, so this is what happens when we pounce each other.

Roy: Yes, and your claws are truly sharp.

Carla: What would people say if they knew WHY their prince was so tired now? Her words are soft.

Roy: He murmurs. They would understand it was due to our constant pouncing. Very constant.

Carla: Carla yawns, her fingers slowing to a stop.

Roy: Roy moves back upwards, gathering Carla in his arms. Rest up Heartspell. There’s still the rest of the honeymoon to enjoy. He runs his fingers through her hair, savoring her presence, until they both succumb to slumber.

[writerthreads]

10 enemies to lovers book recommendations

By Chatgpt because I don’t have enough recs sorry!!

1. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

This classic novel follows the spirited Elizabeth Bennet and the proud Mr. Darcy as they navigate misunderstandings and societal expectations on their journey from initial disdain to true love.

2. "The Hating Game" by Sally Thorne

Lucy and Joshua are coworkers who share an intense mutual dislike. However, when they're up for a promotion, their relationship takes an unexpected turn, leading to a delightful romantic comedy.

3. "The Unhoneymooners" by Christina Lauren

Olive and Ethan despise each other but are forced to go on a honeymoon trip together. This leads to a series of humorous mishaps and eventually a change of heart.

4. "The Kiss Quotient" by Helen Hoang

Stella, a successful woman with Asperger's, hires an escort, Michael, to help her gain more experience in romantic relationships. What starts as a business arrangement turns into something deeper.

5. "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

In this dark fantasy novel, Jude, a mortal girl, despises the wicked faerie prince, Cardan. But as she becomes embroiled in the treacherous world of the fae, her feelings for him become complicated.

6. "Red, White & Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston

Alex, First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry of Wales have a longstanding rivalry. After a public altercation, they're forced to fake a friendship, which turns into something much more.

7. "Vicious" by L.J. Shen

This steamy romance novel features enemies-to-lovers dynamics between a ruthless billionaire, Baron, and a young woman, Melody, who is determined to get her revenge.

8. "The Wall of Winnipeg and Me" by Mariana Zapata

Vanessa works as a personal assistant to a gruff football player, Aiden. Over time, their contentious relationship evolves into a deep and heartfelt love story.

9. "The Simple Wild" by K.A. Tucker

Calla heads to Alaska to reconnect with her estranged father, who's a pilot. She butts heads with Jonah, one of her father's employees, leading to a tumultuous and passionate romance.

10. "The Flatshare" by Beth O'Leary

Tiffy and Leon share a flat but never meet. They communicate through notes and slowly discover each other's lives, forming a unique connection that turns into a sweet love story.

[jamneuromain]

If we fast forward a bit in the wild child storyline (assuming they end up together) what is Ari getting his queen for the holidays?

Hi nonnie😌❤️

oooooohhhhhhh I like the sound of that😋😋😋 I've thought about their honeymoon (which is more like honeyweek lol), where they spend the week in a private, royal-owned spring resort since their wedding is well into November. (They are going to spend more time on the king-sized bed than in the hot spring but you didn't hear that from me👀

Due to the specialty of their identities, I don't think they will spend their holidays abroad. Before most of the important holidays like New Year, they would spend a few days visiting the cities of Ballenia, and making sure the Ballenians are living a happy (or at least, not struggling to make ends meet) life. Ari would indulge her to visit museums or she would accompany him to a sports match after the formal itenirary.

Though every once in a while, Ari would plan a special non-holiday trip, because the holidays are often a busy time for them. Maybe a cabin in the woods, or a ski trip, or simply a few days in the (used to be) Prince's palace, for both of them to forget about the heavy workload for a while.

I hope this answers your question :3

[vulpes-fennec]

Happy Day 3 of @sjmromanceweek!!!

Pairings mentioned: Nessian, Gwynlain, Rowaelin

I’m going to leave all the “Dear Suriel” parts a mystery to the readers hehe. You can read the regular text below the cut!

Dearest reader, if you did not have the pleasure of attending Nesta Archeron and Cassian’s mating ceremony last week, I feel sorry for you. But Suriel, I thought you were dead? Rest assured that death is merely the gateway from one realm to the next. 

Under the flower-bedecked temple by the flowing Sidra, Nesta and Cassian exchanged tender vows and offered each other sweet cake. Cynical readers may question the purpose of such extravagance. Is such formality necessary when two people already love each other, when they have already accepted their mating bond? This author posits a different question: why live, if we cannot find causes for celebration? 

But sending well wishes to the happy couple was not my sole reason for attending the mating ceremony. As we all know, there is nothing this author loves more than a scandal. It has become common knowledge that a singular stained glass necklace was offered to Elain Archeron, and then Gwyneth (Gwyn) Berdara last Winter Solstice by an errant Azriel Shadowsinger. I can only hope Mr. Shadowsinger’s future partner does not have the love language of gift-giving! 

Society, like a snarling, salivating hound, has hungered for an explosive resolution to this whole debacle. With both ladies attending the ceremony, has the other shoe finally dropped? 

Not in the way you may presume. For the gentle Kingslayer and the cheerful Valkyrie were spotted giving each other shy glances while walking down the aisle. After the luncheon, Gwyn sidled up to Elain with an innocent request to dance. As the rest of the party grew raucous over copious cups of wine, Elain gave Gwyn a tour of the peaceful River House garden, demurely clasping the priestess’s hand midway.  

Surprised, reader, by this budding romance? Not I. Miss Archeron spoke true of not wanting a male, and perhaps Miss Berdara will find solace in feminine intimacy as she ventures out of the library. 

Thanks to the revocation of Cassian’s Summer Court ban, the happy couple is currently soaking up the sun in a stunning overwater bungalow. Let us pray that the Illyrian general does not destroy yet another Summer Court dwelling with his…honeymoon activities. 

One can only assume that Nesta and Cassian had their hands full, as they did not pay a visit to the Adriata’s annual Turtle Days Festival. A shame! This author is particularly fond of turtles, for they are some of the longest lived creatures in the sea. Wise, yes, but also prone to chit chat like me. After all, life can get incredibly dull without gossip… 

There is nothing like the warm sun and ocean breeze to put one in the mood for love. Summer Court’s most eligible bachelor, Tarquin, was spotted with a pretty female at his side the entire time! 

As schoolgirls tearfully take down the posters of their handsome High Lord, several of them wrestle with the silver lining: perhaps one day, they may have a shot with him. For it appears he does not limit himself to the court ladies when it comes to relationships! Tarquin guided his companion down the art gallery, listened attentively to her input while judging the seafood bisque contest, and tore up the dance floor with quadrille after quadrille. The two looked positively over the moon as they stole away to a secluded beach for an evening swim in the warm summer sea. 

Enjoy the honeymoon phase, young lovers! This mystery lady is certainly a lucky one, for the high lord of summer is working hard to ensure all fae are elevated to equal status in his court. For workaholics everywhere, this is a sign: perhaps finding love is the quickest way to make you all take a break.

Across the worlds, Her Majesty Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius (a mouthful of a name!) and Prince Rowan Whitethorn have retreated to the royal summer estate on a much-delayed honeymoon.

While much of the estate has fallen into disrepair over the years, the remaining locals did their best to fend off looters and even buried the late prince and princess in the estate gardens. 

Queen Aelin is renowned for her love of luxury, but one can imagine that peace and quiet are of higher priority on her honeymoon. The opportunity to retreat from the hubbub of court should not be taken for granted, and I fully expect the couple to make the most of their privacy. 

Perhaps revisiting this once-beloved home and forging new memories is the final piece of healing needed for the young queen. This author does affirm Prince Rhoe and Princess Evalin were contentedly watching over the newlyweds from their garden bench. That is, before that pesky dog Fleetfoot decided to charge at me, snapping at my robes! All right, all right. This author will leave the happy family be. 

Dear Suriel, I am thinking of proposing to my girlfriend. Marriages, engagements, most of all love…these are foreign to us Ironteeth witches. So I have been doing my research: I’ll need to procure a diamond ring, take her to an upscale dining establishment, plan a fun sedentary activity for afterwards, say a sappy speech, and get down on one knee. But I am worried she will decline because this may be a long-distance marriage (we have duties to our respective queendoms). Respectfully, Abraxos’s Mom. 

Dear Abraxos’s Mom, I am honored you consider me the expert in marriage proposals. I commend your commitment to researching an unknown area, but I am sure your darling would find more meaning in a personalized proposal over an expensive (and sometimes gaudy) one. I suggest finding a ring that will, most importantly, fit. I also recommend focusing on her favorite dishes, rather than expensive fine-dining. Speeches are not a must before the fateful words “will you marry me,” but if the moment calls for it, opt for genuine words over spouting poetry. Wishing you luck!  

Win a free honeymoon trip to Terrasen National Forest! A three-night stay at the Peregrine Resort, complete with deer park, Kingsflame meadows, Staghorn mountains aerial tramway, spa, and fine dining vouchers for two! 

Erilea residents only. Submit your wedding invitation and the story of how you met your partner to Terrasen Parks Service before Beltane Eve.

[wr0temyway0ut]

Hey dude hey, okay so I want to know about so so many of this but pretty please tell me about king boy alex who’s having lots of emotions 🙏🏻

Thank you for the ask Kyleigh!!

This au my beloved <3 It's my unhinged poly arranged marriage royalty au (I actually have 2 of those but this one is my favorite).

So basically how it goes is Prince Alexander's parents decide he needs to be married so they arrange a marriage between him and Princess Lucinda (aka Luke), who is trans but not out to his parents. And their whole honeymoon is Alex being like "oh no I can't get to close bc she actually likes me but I'm gay" and Luke being like "oh no I really like him but he must be pushing me away bc he knows I'm not a woman" and then they both accidentally confess to each other and actually fall in love now that they know they're both men interested in men.

But then Alex's parents find out that Luke is a man (and is intent on living as one) and since royals can't get divorced, they decide to tell the kingdom that "Princess Lucinda" has died tragically in her sleep, which allows Luke to transition (Alex's parents are against this part but Luke's parents ended up being supportive so they were kinda forced to go along with it).

But Alex is once again wifeless. So they decide, okay, you blew it with the "princess," so the next best thing is marrying Duke Covington's daughter, Lady Wilhelmina (aka Willie). Alex is planning on telling Willie that he's gay in an attempt to get him to call the marriage off, but he realizes almost immediately how abusive Caleb is and tells Willie "look I will marry you to get you out of there but I need you to know I'm gay and this is my husband who used to be my wife." And Willie is like "thank god bc I'm a man too" and Alex and Luke are like "a man you say 👀 did we happen to mention how handsome you are" and they bring Willie into their relationship. When Willie is ready, they tell Alex's parents that Alex's wife is once again his husband now and they tell the kingdom that Princess Wilhelmina has tragically died in a fire (he was a known arson enthusiast).

Aaand once again Alex needs a new wife bc there are still no heirs (and any made with Luke and Willie would be illegitimate). Alex's parents are running out of eligible women, but they meet Duchess Regina Peters (who runs the estate with her twin brother Reggie, or at least that's what Reggie, who is genderfluid and is also Regina, wants the world to think). And they're like you seem female and eligible will you marry our son. And Reggie's like yeah sure why not, except when he finds out Alex is gay he shows up to the wedding in Man Mode and it starts a riot but Alex finds a way to make the marriage go through anyway (maybe that they put Regina on the marriage certificate idk). And then two weeks later "Duchess Regina" is tragically trampled by sheep.

Alex's parents are exhausted. They're furious. They're 99% convinced Alex has hired a witch to turn all his fiances into men. And they're like fuck it. This time you pick a woman (bc maybe he's turning them all into men bc he doesn't like that his parents picked them.) And Alex sees an opportunity here. Bc back when Luke first came out, Alex's sister had a lady in waiting named Robin. And Robin had confided in Luke and Alex that he was trans as well. And so when Alex's parents say "you pick" he immediately points at Bobby and says "That one." (important to note that he did not consult with Bobby on this beforehand, Bobby nearly chokes on his food). And after they get married, Bobby comes out and suddenly Lady Robin has tragically drowned.

So now Alex has four husbands who are also in love with each other and still no wives, and it's at this point that Lady Julie (Luke's lady-in-waiting who just kinda stuck around after Luke's legal death) is like "You know I'd marry you to get your parents off your back right?"

And so Julie and Alex get married, and after she stays a woman for a year Alex's parents finally relax. And then Julie gets pregnant! And they're so happy that they finally step down and let Alex take the throne. Except... how is Julie pregnant? And when she gives birth, why does the baby look nothing like Alex??

Maybe bc after wedding #3 Reggie mentioned to Alex that he has a friend from school who is a trans woman named Flynn. And maybe Alex decided to hire her as his new royal advisor to give her an opportunity to transition. And maybe just maybe she and Julie fell in love.

And THAT is the tale of King Alexander, his four undead husbands, his wife, his wife's wife, and the royal-ish baby they're all raising together

[dreamofjoys]

Hi! If your requests are still open may I request wedding followed by a spicy honeymoon one shot with Yandere!Malleus. Maybe Y/N and Malleus becoming parents too 👉👈The Ghost Bride event made me sad there wasn’t Groom Malleus so that is where I got this from lol🤣

a/n: i love your idea omg T-T the reason why this took kinda long is cause i spent the past few days thinking about where malleus would bring us for honeymoon ..... i wished disney include malleus in more events :( / i hope the spice is spicy enough! i tried to make it long <3

scenario: yandere!malleus getting married to darling in valley of thorns and brings her to honeymoon on a beach~ he aims to pump darling full of his cum until she gets pregnant

characters involved: yandere!malleus draconia x fem reader

tw: i forgot how to describe clothes, imagine the honeymoon is at maldives, virginity loss, unprotected sex, oral (fem darling receiving), slight praising, possessive malleus, belly bulge kink, overstimulation, manhandling, pregnancy

getting married to one of the most powerful mage in the world is pressurizing. moreover, the mage is a descendent of a dark fae, blood of a royal family. eyes from all over the world are looking at the both of you, eager to see what kind of future you guys would bring under your ruling.

lots of royals who are from other countries that are on peaceful terms with briar valley were invited to the wedding.

the wedding was held in the ballroom of briar valley's castle. the venue was decorated with beautiful red roses, a red carpet has been laid down at the middle of the ballroom, for you and malleus to walk down the aisle. all of the esteemed guests sat down on their assigned seats, excited to finally witness the wedding that briar valley hasn't had in ages.

"now, let us all rise and welcome the groom, malleus draconia, crown prince of briar valley, and the bride, y/n l/n!" everyone rised onto their feet, staring at the doors with anticipation as it opened, revealing you and malleus. the orchestra started playing the wedding song while you hold onto malleus's arm, slowly walking down the aisle with him.

malleus was dressed in a black suit, paired with a luxurious gold brotch that shines brightly on his right chest. his black cape reaches his ankles, matched with a stunning white fur that circles around his shoulders. you wore a black gown that was decorated and lined with diamonds, a black translucent veil covers your face as you walked with malleus, fearing that you would fall down. but malleus placed his right hand on the arm that was linked to yours, assuring you that nothing will happen. you are safe with him.

"do you, malleus draconia, take y/n l/n lawfully as your wife?"

"yes, i do."

"do you, y/n l/n, take malleus draconia lawfully as your husband?"

"yes, i do"

"from this moment onwards, i pronounce the both of you as husband and wife, you may now kiss."

malleus lifts off your veil slowly, trying to take in your lovely features and have them memorised at the back of his head. in his eyes, you have always look beautiful. but today, you are gorgeous. one kiss is all it takes to tie the both of you together. you are his now, and he is never going to let you go.

-

"hmmm, this place is quite pretty." you told malleus while looking around. you were at one of the private beach resorts that was owned by malleus. deciding that a beach will be a nice honeymoon destination, you and malleus decided to come here to relax for a month before going back to the castle.

"not as pretty as you, dear." malleus hugs you from behind and nuzzles into your neck while you bask yourself into the scenery in front of you. the tides were mild today, wind blowing on you and birds flying in the sky. the resort was situated right on the sea, near the coast area. it will surely be relaxing to rest on a windy day near the beach, right?

unfortunately, malleus has other plans. once the both of you had settled down into your shared bedroom, he throws you onto the bed and started cuddling you.

"my dear lovely wife, i want you to give yourself to me." malleus trail kisses from your neck down to your shoulder blades. you furrowed your eyebrows, not understanding what he mean. "malleus, i am already married to you. am i not yours?"

"yes... you are my wife, i have your love and attention. but i want your body, that's the one thing that i still don't have. my lovely wife, are you going to deny your husband?" malleus looks at you and pouts as you sigh.

truth to be told, you had always knew that malleus had developed an unhealthy obsession towards you. he seems to always cling onto you, gets overprotective and possessive, gets jealous when other guys talk to you. despite how scary he is, he is always soft around you, only wanting your love and affections. perhaps thats the part the made you fall in love with him, wanting to be given the special treatment. you love him and he loves you, so who are you to deny his request?

"sure, we can do it now." malleus growls and pulls you closer, one of his hand lingers on your thigh while the other one holds you by your waist. "are you sure, y/n? tell me that you want it, because i will breed you so full that you won't be able to walk anymore."

"yes i am sure, malleus. i want this. let's make love to each other." with your given consent, his hand slides under your dress and travels up to your private region. to his delight, you were only wearing an underwear, making it easier for him to do the job. he pushes your panties aside and rub your clit, earning a moan from you.

parting your legs wider, malleus pushes his middle finger in, feeling your virgin walls sucking him. "fuck, you are tight." malleus breaths out, feeling excited that he finally gets to explore you. he inserted his ring finger in, and started finger fucking you at an insane speed. you groaned, body squirming under his hold as he holds you flush again his body, not allowing you to squirm away. "a-ah! so fast!" it was your first time having such an intimidate moment with anyone, you don't know how to feel about this pleasuring sensation that is coursing through your body.

"i know this is your first time. so whatever that i give you, just take it." malleus whispers into your ear as you moaned again, feeling a tight knot pooling down on your stomach. "mal-malleus, i think i-i am going to cum!" right after you said that, you started milking on his fingers, staining them white. he pulls out, bringing his stained fingers close to his mouth, side glancing at you before licking them.

you shivered under his gaze, feeling a little embarrassed. for a moment, you wonder if you tasted good.

malleus lays you down fully on the bed while he positioned himself between your legs. with a snap of his fingers, your clothes were gone, leaving the cold air to touch on your bare naked body. he placed both of your legs on either side of his shoulders, making sure to spread your legs wide open for him to see your cunt.

you squealed, hands reaching your chest to cover your breast and attempting to close your legs, but malleus's firm grip on your legs said otherwise. malleus frowned, unhappy that you are covering your naked self in front of him. "remove your hands from yourself, i want to see all of you." you gulped and complied to his wishes, knowing that it wouldn't do any good if malleus is angry. angry malleus is never a good thing.

he hummed in approval, before returning his gaze back to the feast that is displayed in front of him. your cunt was already drenched in your own fluids, providing a shine on it. malleus licks his lips, suddenly feeling hungry.

“don’t resist me, love.” with that, he dives into your cunt, licking your labia and clit. you shuddered at the new sensation, back arching as you let out a small gasp. malleus only smiles, before burrowing his face further into your cunt, sticking his tongue into your pussy. his tongue harshly thrusting in and out of you, feeling your velvety walls clamping down onto his tongue, pulling him further into you. you moaned in ecstasy, hands flying to grip onto his horns, pulling him closer.

“fu-fuck!” you gasped, unable to believe how good malleus is at eating you out. if you remember correctly, this was also malleus’s first time too right? but how is he so good at it? he is already lapping at your cunt like a hungry beast, eating you out dry and pulling orgasms out of you. he promptly inserts two fingers, wanting to further explore your insides, scissoring you and trying to hit on different spots that would pull an reaction out of it. “ma-malleus!” “yes love?” “a little too much- a-ah!”

malleus grunts, playing with your bud in circular motions, flicking it aggressively. and then, you cummed on his face, just like how he wanted. he lifts his head up and observes you, watching the rise and fall of your chest. you, who were lying in front of him, all vulnerable and naked. a thin layer of sweat covers your body as your pant heavily, plump lips slightly opened, your boobs bobbing a little as you try to catch some breath.

malleus’s face was drenched with your fluids, some of sliding down from his cheeks and dripping from his chin. he leans down to give you a passionate kiss, stroking your cheek affectionately. “what a good girl, you will take in more of me.” he praised you, giving you another kiss, before lifting your legs up onto his shoulders.

he unbuckled his pants and cast it aside, revealing his thick and long shaft. it was standing up straight, the head was slightly thick with a ring of pre-cum decorating on top of it. he gives himself a few pumps, ensuring that is hard and nice before aligning it to your entrance. he use his cock to gently rubbed on your folds, using your fluids as a lubricant for the insertion.

when he was done, he leans down again, one arm placed beside your head while the other holds onto his cock, positioning it firmly on your entrance. and whispers against your lips. “when i insert my cock inside you, you will finally and forever be mine, do you understand?"

"yes, im yours! forever and always will be." your confession send more blood running to malleus's throbbing cock as he slowly sinks his cock inside you. you took a deep breath upon feeling the intrusion of malleus's cock. god, he was so so big. how is your pussy going to accommodate him?

malleus looks down, witnessing his cock slowly disappearing inside you. your pussy feels so small, and yet it is calling out to his cock, eagerly sucking his cock deep into you. "fu-fuck, so tight." malleus breathes out, before abruptly thrusting his hips, forcing the rest of his cock to enter you. you screamed, feeling painful from the sudden thrust but malleus only hush you.

"this pussy is mine, mine." he starts to move his hips, sliding his cock in and out of you, making sure to hit your cervix with the tip of his cock. every time he thrust his cock back into you, he watch as your his cock touches on your belly area, causing a small prominent bulge on your belly. "can you feel me, y/n?" his palm pressed onto the bulge and you yelped, feeling overly sensitive.

"y-yes, mal-malleus! i-i can feel you!" you croaked out your words, trying to be presentable. but the truth is, you are far from that. mouth slightly agape with drools coming off from the side, your tongue was lolled to the side, half lidded eyes staring at the ceiling, only thinking about malleus and his big fat cock that is abusing your pussy. malleus was splitting you apart, and he knows it.

to know that his cock is the one making you feel this way, to know that he is the reason why you are so vulnerable and dumb, it makes him even more horny as he increased his pace, ruthlessly pounding onto you. if anything, your small fingers that were clawing at his back didn't help at all. it only boost his ego to know that you can do nothing but only to rely on him.

"ma-mal- i think- im-" how cute, you can barely form a sentence. feeling your walls suddenly increasing its speed and spamming around him, he knows that you are close. he rubs your clit to stimulate you even further, making sure that his balls would hit your ass every time he thrust into you.

"let's cum together, o-okay?" you didn't respond to him, not like he expected you to do so considering how fucked out you are. you could only moan and scream out his name, because all you can think about is malleus malleus malleus.

"say that you love me and that you are mine, y/n. say it, i wanna hear from you." malleus groans, feeling himself getting close. "i-i lo-love you, i-im yo-yours! forever" oh dear, your undying love had the both of you snapped as you cummed together. thick hot ropes of cum painting your walls, filling your womb up with malleus's seed as your cum milked onto malleus's cock, decorating him with you.

you didn't know how long the sex ended. you could remember malleus flipping you onto your stomach afterwards, continue pounding you and cumming inside your pussy. the night was definitely long. even as you slipped into darkness, malleus had no intention stopping. he cums until the sheets are stained with it, your cunt and ass being painted with his seeds. one thing for sure is that malleus never pulled out. he keeps his cock plunged into you, making sure that you are pump full of his seeds and that none of it escapes.

-

the honeymoon was fun while it lasted. though malleus would still fuck you every night, you still got to enjoy the sea breeze and try out different types of food.

when the both of you went back to briar valley, malleus was once again stucked with paper work while you just sit back and relax. when you asked malleus why do you not need to do any paper work, he only smiles and pat on your head. "the mother needs to rest and be healthy," was what he said.

sure enough, you woke up one day rushing to the toilet, vomiting out your stomach contents. malleus pulled your hair back with one hand, while the other rubs your back. the royal doctor was then summoned to check up on your health. when he broke the news of you being pregnant, everyone in briar valley was so happy that a ball was held to congratulate you on your pregnancy. you were kinda confused on how you got pregnant, but then you realised that you did have many rounds of unprotected sex with malleus. you were a little nervous, but happy that you are having a baby with the man you love.

and then theres malleus, who was over the moon when he heard about your pregnancy. he gave you a bone crushing hug; but not too tight that would hurt you, whispering how much he loves you and how he would protect you and the baby in your belly. though he was loving to you, he was also extremely overprotective and possessive. only female guards and maids are allowed to be near you. you are not allowed to do any work, but just sit back on the comfy chair that he specifically customised for you and bear the baby healthily.

the maids and guards would constantly eye at you, watching out for any harm that might hurt their queen and the future heir of briar valley. the one time you accidentally got a paper cut, malleus made sure to fire everyone for their "incompetency" and replaced them with someone who is more suited to care for you. you tried to tell him that it was okay, a paper cut doesn't mean anything. but malleus only frowns, kissing on your healed wound, promising you that you just have to leave everything to him. he will take care of you, so just sit back and be a mother to the child growing in your stomach.

when you finally gave birth, it was a small baby girl who inherited most of your looks, but with small horns poking on her head and green slitted eyes that she got from her father. malleus swears that he had never been so happy, and the fact that the baby looks just like you had fueled his possessiveness. be prepared, cause you won't be leaving your shared room for awhile.

[shadowofchwe]

❣️ darling (m).

Word Count: 818

Genre: Smut, pwp, established relationship

"How can something so sweet sound so filthy when it's coming from him..."

Read here!

🖤 blind (m).

Can be read as a drabble for darling or a standalone

Word Count: 2.4k

Genre: Smut, pwp, bdsm elements, fluff, established relationship

"No one has ever looked so good in black lace before..."

Read here!

👔 tied (m).

Can be read as a drabble for darling or a standalone

Word Count: 3.8k

Genre: Smut, pwp, bdsm elements, fluff, established relationship

"You’re no stranger to your boyfriend’s punishments, but this time he really seems determined to push you to your limits…"

Read here!

🌅 paradise (m).

Word Count: 1.4k

Genre: Smut, pwp, fluff, crack humor, honeymoon au, established relationship

"An ocean view is great, really. But the best view is your gorgeous new husband between your legs."

Read here!

More works coming in the future!

💙 his laugh is a symphony

Word Count: 492

Genre: Fluff, established relationship

“All of them are so different but equally precious to you.”

Read here!

🎧 dance with me

Word Count: 473

Genre: Fluff, established relationship

“An odd request leads to dancing all night in your living room with the love of your life”

Read here!

🎤 adrenaline (m).

Word Count: 1.5k

Genre: Smut, mainly pwp, some fluff, established relationship, rockstar au

"When you’re your boyfriend’s favorite post concert ritual"

Read here!

🧡 (3...2...1...) domino (m).

Word Count: 5.1k

Genre: Best friends to lovers, fluff, smut

"Turns out stealing your best friend’s food wasn’t the best idea. Especially when said best friend has recently gotten much stronger and faster than you. The consequences of something so simple set off a domino effect, and before you know it you’re both falling into something faster than you ever thought possible."

Read here!

💒 getaway car

Word Count: 4.8k

Genre: Best friends to lovers, fluff, minor drama/angst, wedding au

"A surprise confession from your life long best friend the night before your wedding sends your mind reeling. Now you’re left to decide if you’re going to walk down the aisle or walk out the door."

Read here!

🌑 so it goes... (m).

Can be read as a drabble for getaway car or a standalone

Word Count: 5.4k

Genre: Best friends to lovers, smut, fluff, minor angst

"Your honeymoon turns into an impromptu road trip after running off with your best friend the day of your wedding. Your feelings have certainly changed since the surprise turn of events, but you worry that Vernon’s have too and formulate a plan to get some answers."

Read here!

👑 sovereign sin (m).

Word Count: 3.6k

Genre: Enemies to lovers (with emphasis on the enemies), mainly pwp, smut, royal au

"Lust born from a mutual loathing. All the prince wants is your crown. You’ll never give it to him. But that doesn’t stop you from giving him everything else."

Read here!

More works coming in the future!

Last updated December 11, 2022

[sukirichi]

[ DUSK ‘TILL DAWN : 010 ]

“we who bear the burden of the crown do not need to love. you only need to stay here, with me, in power, in greed, in lust – in victory.”

cw. modern royal au. infidelity. slight angst. reader is beginning to question everything she knew. reader almost drowns. toxic characters. suggestive. toxic relationships. unedited. SHIRTLESS KIYOOMI SHIRTLESS KIYOOMI

notes. the end of kiyoomi arc... mayhaps? also highly recommend listening to the linked song for this chapter and the fanmade playlist linked in the masterlist <3

wc. 8k

series masterlist 

[ TEN ] you’ll see me in hindsight, tangled up with you all night, burning it down. someday when you leave me, I bet these memories follow you around

You underestimated Kiyoomi’s enthusiasm.

Blame it on the fact you would’ve never figured the word ‘enthusiasm’ and Kiyoomi could fit in the same sentence, but as always – the Prince was full of surprises. At precisely seven in the morning, he had knocked on your door to wake you up. Not the maid, nor the butler. The Prince himself. He’d asked you to join him for breakfast, boasting that everything was from farm to table – the cheese from the milk of his cows, the meat from his poultry, the scrambled eggs neatly placed around the plate – save for the wine he’d brought all the way from Greenville. ‘Nothing like liquor from your lands,’ he’d commented, and poured you a drink. You stifled a laughter. You hadn’t thought one could have wine for breakfast, but alas, the customs in the Palace were different. Here, you were just you, and Kiyoomi could simply be.

After breakfast, he’d given you a tour of his farmhouse, although calling it ‘house’ was entirely too humble.

Located in the countryside, surrounded by thick greenery and a dense forest with overlooking hills, Kiyoomi’s farmhouse felt like a sanctuary compared to the Palace. He didn’t even need much security, whatnot with the tall trees decorating the driveway to offer privacy. His gardens contained lush greens, and a diverse variety of flowers you hadn’t ever seen before. He knew them all by heart, even their scientific names. You teased him about it, how he was just showing off at this point, because who spews scientific names of flowers when no one asked? He took it with grace, though, or as much grace a flustered Prince could, anyway.

He’d scratched the back of his ear, looking at everywhere but you. “You spend enough time reading books and you can’t help studying everything.”

“I think it’s impressive,” you nudged his shoulder, “I’d certainly boast, too, if I had that knowledge.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “But maybe not about flowers. No one cares about flowers.”

“I do!”

“Sure,” he snorted, “As long as they’re pretty enough to look at, you’ll like them.”

“I can’t help that I like pretty things.”

“No, you can’t,” his face smoothened, and he snuck a glance at you – all too quickly before straightening up. “I certainly can’t.”

Sometimes, you wondered if Kanami made herself busy on purpose. If maybe, just maybe, she had installed cameras all around the farmhouse and giggled to herself if she could see you and her son interacting. Bent over a bed flowers, with Kiyoomi explaining their origins, and you listening intently. Or Kiyoomi introducing you to his chickens (yes, he’d named them), and then snickering (which you soon learned was his version of a laugh) when you ran away after a mother hen mistook you for a threat. Of course, you didn’t share the same sentiments of humor. The mother hen’s claws were not a laughing matter, but Kiyoomi thought otherwise. He’d simply shaken his head because he wouldn’t let any form of harm come to you, anyway.

You wished that offhanded comment didn’t make you feel so warm inside.

Being here with Kiyoomi was… Well, it was better than anything you’d expected. This was how you wished your honeymoon had been – filled with laughter, sharing in good, lighthearted conversation, and being a part of nature. Spending minutes in silence while you took in your daily dose of sunlight. Being in good company. You were glad you accepted Kanami’s offer, and you only enjoyed yourself more with each passing hour you’d made yourself acquainted with Kiyoomi and his precious farm.

And then there was that nagging voice that told you he wasn’t Rintaro.

You snorted. He definitely wasn’t. If he had been Rintaro, you would probably be in the middle of nowhere, miserable, and crying yourself until you’ve dried up like a prune. No – you didn’t want to think about him right now. It would defeat the entire purpose of this getaway. You wanted to enjoy yourself, and enjoy you did. For now, you gazed upon everything your human eyes could take in – the slope of the hills, the slight swaying of the tree leaves from the fresh breeze, the cows grazing on the grass, and Kiyoomi’s dog, Kael, herding those who went astray. Such a confusing image to paint, that of a Prince wearing his riding boots at the porch of his back garden.

“Wow,” you exhaled, following him into the stables. He’d lent you some boots, too, and was now reigning the straddle parts for the horses. “I underestimated your place. Do you own all of these lands?”

“I do,” he proudly said, and swung open the tiny, white wooden gates to reveal a tall horse with shining black fur. He chuffed upon the sight of Kiyoomi. His tail wagged, his snout reaching over just when Kiyoomi extended his palm to cup his nose. In front of you, a ghost of a smile flittered on his lips. “This is Astra. He’s mine. Had him since he was an infant; Kanami got him for me on my twelfth birthday.”

You couldn’t help but smile too. For all his grumpiness around his Mother’s fretting of him, it was clear the Prince loved her. And it was such a nice thing to see since the other Princes weren’t so lucky when it came to their mothers.

Kiyoomi beckoned you to come forward, and so you did. You were hesitant at first, because Astra was enormous. He stood at least two heads taller than you, with thick, powerful legs that could easily crush you with one kick. But Kiyoomi was there holding him close by his reigns, and you grew more confidence with each step. Smiling at him, you bravely lifted a hand to cup his face.

“Hello, Astra. You are so beautiful.”

Astra chuffed at your compliment, and Kiyoomi let out his barely audible breathy chuckles.

“He’s flattered by the compliment. And that one next to him is Lucy, his girlfriend. She’s great for beginner riders,” he was now fixing Lucy’s reigns as he spoke, adjusting the foothold before leaning over her to glance at you. “Have you ridden one before?”

“Only several times.”

Nodding, you followed as Kiyoomi led the two horses outside the barn. Astra seemed to be over the moon upon being with Lucy without being separated by their gates, chuffing and whinnying repeatedly while bumping noses with her. Lucy was much more reserved, but returned the gesture and even licked him adoringly, which made your chest ache. Gods. Now you were jealous because these horses had a healthier, more loving relationship than you.

Before you could dwell on it, however, a pair of strong arms were already lifting you up. You yelped as you rose mid-air and flailed wildly. The ground below you disappeared, and soon, you were perched on Lucy’s back, while Kiyoomi effortlessly hopped on a much taller Astra. The action seemed so natural to him as if he’d done it multiple times – and dare you say, infuriatingly attractive. The Prince had the top three buttons of his shirt undone because he’d worked a sweat chasing the chickens away from you a while ago, and his curls stuck to his forehead in a way that showcased high-chiseled cheekbones you hadn’t seen before. And… wow. He was breathtaking without realizing it. It felt wrong to think that way, to feel this way, but it was just admiration, was it not? He was a literal Prince Charming, with a dash of awkwardness, and a spritz of unexpected geekiness.

You turned away when his large, calloused, and veiny hands began stroking Astra’s mane. You’d rather not have to think about how those same strong, yet gentle hands lifted you up as if you weighed nothing, and truly, that white shirt of his did little to hide his muscular build. Clearing your throat to rid yourself of those thoughts, you tightened your grip on the reins. “Where to, my Prince?”

“To the edge of the world.”

A smirk was all he gave you before he tapped Astra with his ankles, sending the stallion running off. Your jaw dropped. You hadn’t expected he’d leave you behind, and you refused to be left alone. Mimicking his gestures, you tapped on Lucy and bellowed. She ran and ran, hard enough that your bottom began to feel sore, but that was nothing, absolutely nothing compared to the sensation of the fresh wind whipping at your cheeks, the sun shining down on your skin, and the sounds of hooves hitting the Earth. Your racing heart matched the beat of Lucy’s footsteps as she easily caught up to a carefree Astra. She whinnied, and he responded with one of his own, making the Prince smile when you showed up beside him not a moment later – the smile on your faces proud.

“I knew you could catch up,” he shouted from over the wind, and your smile broadened.

The two of you rode aimlessly for what seemed like hours, even if it was just only minutes. Kiyoomi took you everywhere – in the middle of the forest, where you squealed as the horses ran over puddles and the dirt muddied your boots. But you found yourself unable to care. You were filled with so much glee, with so much life, that you were certain your heart was now pulsing in your arms. It was surreal how much you could see in slow motion despite the speed you were riding at. How your vision had become crystal clear as you took in the tall trees surrounding you, the deers running off and hiding when you’d ran past them. How Kiyoomi always seemed to be a few steps ahead, but always looking back to see if you’d follow him. You did, and you always would, even as he led you deeper into the forest and past the clearing.

Astra slowly skidded to a halt as you took in the scenery in front of you, and you tugged on Lucy, eyes wide open and jaw dropped. A nearly torn down fortress built of stone that was probably piled hand by hand stood before you, vines and moss growing from the walls from old age. It seemed sturdy, yet the holes and cracked towers said otherwise. It must have been centuries since someone last used this place.

“Are those castles?”

“Castle ruins,” he corrected, clicking his tongue as he led Astra to circle around the ruins. “Before Inarizaki split from Itachiyama, the first rulers set their base here.”

“So this was where the original monarchs were.”

It was the typical layout of a castle, with a flatter centre in the middle, and two, tall pillars on its side to serve as its towers. The right tower had already been destroyed, though, leaving a hole in its wake. The large wooden doors from the entrance of the castle had multiple marks on it, as if people had repeatedly tried to beat the doors down with their stakes and weapons. Black marks also decorated the stones, and judging by the empty, darkened patches of soils that was blatantly contrasting with the otherwise growing greenery around the ruins, this Castle must’ve been burnt down at some point.

“Yes, but as you can see, they’re nothing but ruins now. Inarizaki took with them whatever old rules and scriptures they had back in the old days. That’s why we still keep some traditions in our country, although its true origin was from the True Land. The old Itachiyama.”

“Traditions such as last dances on a debut ball?”

“Traditions such as that,” he agreed, rather shyly. His voice had grown distant now that he rode before you, more out of protectiveness as he peeked in the open windows. Once satisfied with what he’d seen, he jumped off Astra and walked to you, absentmindedly placing his large palm on your knee. “We can go see the ruins for ourselves, if you would like.”

Heat spread from where his hand came into contact with your skin – or leggings. Blinking back your nervousness, you reached your hands out to Kiyoomi, letting him gently place you down until you were steady on your feet.

“We are allowed? Wouldn’t that be trespassing?”

“We are royals. Technically, these are the homes of our ancestors,” he stated, and then pursed his lips when you didn’t laugh. “It was a jest. Everyone is free to roam around as they please. As I have said, Itachiyama has less rules.”

You venture inside the castle ruins, fascinated by it all. You kept thinking about what Kiyoomi said – how these were the homes of your ancestors. Once, a long time ago in history, Inarizaki and Itachiyama were united as one, huge territory. Their Kings and Queens lived here and wrote history for themselves. People roamed these hallways once, and it must have been bustling with life. These same stone staircases in which you climbed on were probably littered with torches beside the walls, with their knights guarding each mysterious and hidden door. And gods, the things done behind those doors. Did the Princesses giggle amongst themselves during tea times? Did the Princes like to sharpen their swords and had their choice of horses, as well?

Did the Kings love their Queens?

So many questions unanswered, except Kiyoomi did have answers. He satisfied your unending curiosity by telling you everything you wanted to know – that yes, Kings did love their Queens and former monarchs had many heirs and heiresses. Or how the original Castle only had a right and left wing, but the last King before the country was split in two dedicated a South wing as a burial spot for his wife, the last Queen, who had died in childbirth. He was nicknamed ‘The King of the End’ because his wife’s death led him to a dark path of war, bloodshed, and ultimately, the separation of Inarizaki and Itachiyama. He had become so cruel in his grief that he wielded his power as King wrongly; starving his people, abusing his servants, and neglecting his daughter, who had become the leader of a movement that gave way to Itachiyama becoming an independent territory. Unable to handle anymore of her father’s evil ruling, she’d banished him to Inarizaki, to the northern areas of the country, where her father continued the monarchy.

The story – heartbreaking and dark – caused the mood to dampen. You watched as Kiyoomi stopped inspecting the rooms, probably imagining for himself how this place held a lot of memories, both good and bad. He’d even made a point that he technically wasn’t a half-blood foreigner, since Inarizaki and Itachiyama all originated from one nation.

But he brushed it off, and you wondered if the Prince somehow felt alienated for being the only ‘half-blooded Prince.’ Which you found ridiculous because if that was the logic you followed, then all the Princes except Rintaro would be a half-blood for being illegitimate children. You made no other comments, however, and instead let the Prince reveal things about himself that he could in his own pace. Still, it seemed his mind had gone off a different path the quieter you got, and you nudged his shoulder, a teasing smile on his face.

 “I still can’t believe you attended my debut ball. I was a nobody at the time. To hear of a Prince coming…”

Kiyoomi looked confused.

“You were not a nobody. Your father is the kingdom’s general.”

“Yes, but we like to keep to ourselves, and Inarizaki hasn’t fought wars in decades. It isn’t like my father is an active soldier when he has no battles to partake in.”

“He is still an important figure for the Crown. Not to mention your mother comes from a family of business tycoons,” he reminded, narrowing his eyes at you in what seemed to be ridicule – more out of puzzlement than rudeness. “You truly are unaware of your influence, do you? Your family is one of the three noble families that helped Inarizaki’s kings hold the crown.”

You shrugged. You were well-aware of your family’s position in the Kingdom, but it did not feel the same. “That may be true, but I did not go out much. People did not make efforts to befriend me, either. I cannot help but think people do not care much about me.”

“All of the Princes received the invitation letter for your birthday, but we get them enough that Her Majesty discards them, or leaves it up to our judgment should we wish to go,” as if recalling the memory crystal clear, the Prince went beet-red from his neck-up. He tried to hide it by puffing out his collar, but to no avail. The redness of his skin still peeked from his shirt, and you stifled a giggle. “I had just turned twenty-one at that time, so my mother had visited. I guess you could say it was sheer luck that she chanced upon your invitation and insisted I go.”

“To establish connections and form alliances with the general’s daughter?” you cajoled.

“To find a wife, actually,” he sputtered out, “My mother worries I will die a lonely man because I do not speak with women. Or to anyone, at all.”

“You speak plenty to me.”

“Only because I enjoy your company, and our conversations are not mindless, boring politics.”

“True, but if we were back in the Palace, I would have probably talked about politics with you. Or worse, biscuits and tea. We would not have been able to talk casually about flowers, or say,” you gestured around you, “The history of our countries and all the wars caused by a man in love.”

“May history never repeat itself,” he replied drily, and you laugh.

You roamed the ruins for a little longer, noticing details like the dusty and faded portraits of the old monarchs. Some of them have been torn up, save for a portrait of a beautiful young woman who must have been the last Queen. The one buried at the South Wing.

The rooms had been emptied, too, which you found off. You expected to see at least remnants of a bed, or a study, but Kiyoomi had explained that not much survived the fire. You were enamored with everything, though, feeling like you were time travelling. And you didn’t stop exploring until you’ve turned every room upside down without bothering the evidence of history, and Kiyoomi was content to let you be. Later, when you’d both grown tired and weary of the weakening rock fortress, you returned to where you tied Astra and Lucy.

The way back home was blissfully silent. The horses were no longer running, since Kiyoomi said the sun would shine brightest at this time of day, and he wanted to take you somewhere beautiful. Letting him lead the way, he led you back inside the forest and towards a lake hidden by the tall trees. It almost felt like a gated pathway, with all the trees lined up to the side and the lake sitting smack in the middle of it all.

He was right – the sunlight made everything a hundred times more beautiful.

The water glinted, gleamed like it was made of crystals. The water was so clear you could see everything underneath, from the tiny pebbles, down to the fishes swimming underneath in all bright colors. Even your reflection smiled back at you brightly. Unable to help it, you dipped a finger into the water, fascinated by the small ripples it caused, and how the smaller fishes scurried away from the motion.

Meanwhile, Kiyoomi secured the ties of the horses around a nearby tree and opened his satchel, handing you a red apple. “I grew it myself,” he nudged the fruit towards, “Here.”

“Thank you.”

You bit down on it, and held back a moan. Gods. Was Itachiyama heaven or something? Or did fruits just taste better fresh and without preservatives? His apples were juicier than the ones you have back at home, and you were gobbling it, uncaring of the juices that ran down your wrist, leaving a sticky trail in its wake. Kiyoomi had an apple for himself, too, but he seemed too amused by your reactions to start eating his.

“So,” you leaned back on your palms, bum flat on the bank, “What do you do back in the Palace?”

“Avoid Belleview at all costs.” He casted another sideways glance your way. “Do not ask me why.”

You wouldn’t dare ask why – you both knew – but you couldn’t stop your tongue from expressing your curiosity.

“Has… has Her Majesty ever pressured you and Iris to have children?”

“That is a very personal and uncomfortable question,” he sighed, exasperated, “But to answer you, no. She could care less about us as long as we fulfill our duties and do the necessary work. I imagine the case will be different for you, though, seeing as you married her precious son.”

“She hasn’t told us anything, but on the dinners we share with her, she will imply a thing or two.”

He snorted, and took a bite of his apple. “Well, good luck with that.”

“Have you known Iris a long time?”

“No. I never even knew she existed until Her Majesty told me I was getting married,” gently, he took the leftover apple core from your hands and pulled out a handkerchief, dipping the ends of it into the water before reaching for you. You stared at him, confused, when he gestured to your palms. Realization dawned on you, and you handed him your palm. Carefully, the Prince rolled up the sleeves of your blouse all the way up to your elbows and wiped the sticky remnants of the juice with his damp handkerchief.

His actions – so gentle yet intentional – made you feel all kinds of things you shouldn’t be feeling in the first place.

Yet, you couldn’t make yourself pull away from his grasp even if you wanted to.

“Why do you keep asking about her? I figured you would avoid anything that concerns her.”

You winced. “I just… I cannot help but compare myself to her. I often wonder what she has that I do not. Why Rintaro is completely smitten with her, and why he cannot love me just the same,” you admitted, thankful that the Prince has your hand in his, otherwise you’d make all sorts of flailing gestures and make yourself look more like a bumbling fool compared to the ever-so-graceful Iris. “It’s not to say I am the better choice, but have I not given him everything? I gave him my heart and soul. I vowed to spend a lifetime with him. What has she given him that I could not?”

“My brother is a fool. You cannot intellectualize a fool’s decision.”

“On the contrary, your brother is very smart.”

“Academically, maybe, but he knows nothing about life.”

“Oh, and you do?”

“I have lived longer than him.”

“Only by three years!”

“And yet it is crystal clear to me what Rintaro cannot see,” he pulled your sleeves down and stashed his handkerchief back into his satchel, leaning forward with his hand on his knee as he cast you a hard look. You couldn’t read whether it was anger, or something else entirely on his face. “He is a witless excuse of a husband, and more so of a man, because he truly deluded himself that he is in love with Iris when he is not.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Those two do not even talk,” he scoffed, “They merely use each other’s bodies as a way of getting oneself of. But I doubt Rintaro has shared anything intimate with her, and knowing Iris, she will not open her heart to him, either. At least I know very well she does not share the same affections.”

You shook your head, consciously rubbing your wrists together.

“What you speak of is impossible. They care about each other.”

“Rintaro doesn’t even know Iris is allergic to shellfish. He has tried feeding it to her plenty of times on their ‘dates.’ And Iris has not an effing clue over what Rintaro likes outside the bedroom – things that a lover should know about their significant other. What makes Rintaro smile? What makes Iris tick? They know none of that. They are not in love. They are just lonely.”

You flinched. “I was lonely, too, when I met the Crown Prince. Does that mean I was not in love, as well?”

“You are in love,” he gritted his teeth, “Hopelessly so. And I honestly wish you had chosen better. Anyone instead of him.”

You opened your mouth to retort – somehow, his words sounded like an insult. As if you were an idiot for falling for Rintaro, and even worse, for marrying him. Fine, you were stupid. Sure, you didn’t make the best decisions when you were in love, but must he be so cruel about it? His words had pierced your pride and shattered it, and you felt humiliated. So you stood up, determined to walk away from the Prince when your foot slipped on something, and the world turned upside down.

The blue of the sky shifted from the clearness of the water as you were submerged. The scream you were about to let out was lodged in your throat, and you kept sinking, sinking, sinking. You thrashed your arms out wildly as your wet clothes weighed you down. You struggled to breathe, your eyes stinging until you were pulled out of the water and hefted into Kiyoomi’s lap.

“Princess! Are you well?”

His hands were everywhere. Cracking your eyes open to ensure you were with him, his thumb brushing over your lips numb from the cold, and his other hand, warm and comforting at the small of your back. Briefly, in the haze of post-shock and the urgent need for air, you could vaguely see your bra peeking out from the white shirt sticking to you like a second skin. A pastel pink bra – and suddenly you were cold for an entirely different reason. Thankfully, Kiyoomi didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he was too much the gentleman to comment on it.

“Princess,” he tapped your cheek, and this time, you had no choice but to look him in the eye to reassure him. The Prince audibly sighed. “Thank the heavens you didn’t go too deep. Are you okay?”

Your teeth chattered, but you managed to flash him a thumbs-up.

“Th-the water is effing cold.”

Alarm painted over his features. The next thing you know, the Prince was shedding off his shirt and motioning for you to remove yours, as well. He’d already turned around before you could be embarrassed, taking his shirt from his outstretched hands. And my, was it warm. It smelled like him, too, of freshness and mint and nature. But mostly, it was dry, and you had no protests as Kiyoomi carried you once again – this time on Astra’s back instead of Lucy.

“Here, ride with me. Share my heat just until we head back to the farm.”

“O–” Kiyoomi was behind you in an instant, his chest deliciously warm as it pressed flushed against your back. Meanwhile, you burned to your core with embarrassment. He didn’t notice, though, because the Prince was too busy trying to get Lucy to follow him, all at the same time leading Astra forward with you blocking his path. He was so close his natural scent wafted off of you, something so masculine yet comforting. The muscles on his arms also flexed when he reached for Astra’s reign, and you were certain you were being tested right then and there. “–Kay.”

“Princess, can you promise me something?”

The hairs at the back of your hair stood. He sounded a lot closer than you previously thought he was. “Y-Yes?”

“You should avoid Iris at all costs. She is not who you think she is.”

You made it back to the farmhouse in half the time it took you to reach the castle ruins. Kiyoomi had been so worried over your health that he rushed back home. Eventually, he’d snapped at Lucy with such a fierce tone that the poor girl scurried forward, leaving you three behind with a heavier weight. You knew he meant well though – Lucy knew the way back home, and he figured seeing her without a rider would alert one of the servants to anticipate your arrival. True to his words, someone was already waiting.

“Oh, dear! What happened to you?!”

Kanami rushed forward just as Kiyoomi set you down. Like mother, like son – you thought. Kanami wouldn’t stop raising your limbs as if to inspect an injury, and she paled once she realized you were wearing Kiyoomi’s shirt, and her son strutted around the porch in his mighty, shirtless glory. Oh, Heavens. All that farm work really paid off. He was nicely built.

“She fell in the lake,” he responded calmly, though his frantic movements as a servant ran forwards said otherwise. “Please draw a bath for her. And make it warm. Thank you.”

“Yes, sir!” The maid scurried away.

Kiyoomi rushed inside the house first, while Kanami guided you back like you were a newborn foal unsteady on her legs. You didn’t need it, but the kind gesture was appreciated. A moment later, Kiyoomi appeared with a handful of towels.

“Th-thank you.”

“Oh, my, you poor thing,” Kanami crooned, “I will prepare dinner for the three of us. Please do join when you have made yourself comfortable, Your Highness.”

Excusing yourself, you headed upwards and took a warm bath. The tub had already been filled with vanilla and other oils, and you soaked in it, letting the hot water seep into your skin and relax your muscles. It also wouldn’t hurt to smell nice – especially when Kiyoomi always smelled delectable. But just as that thought crossed your mind, and the sight of his abs flexing while he ran around the porch looking for a maid flashed in your memory again, you dunked your head under the water. You’ve heard of cold dunks, but now, it was time for hot dunks.

You had to stop thinking about him.

Or… why should you? Was it to stay loyal to Rintaro? Did it even make sense to be loyal to someone who wasn’t? Was it a sin to be attracted to Kiyoomi when Rintaro was clearly into Iris?

You were exasperated, and by the time you’d finished your bath, the time on the clock told you that you perhaps enjoyed it a little too much. Remembering that Kanami was preparing dinner for tonight, you quickly got dressed and rushed downstairs. You were about to announce yourself when you heard two voices – the loud, clear one of a woman’s, and an aggravated, quieter voice belonging to a man. You froze in your spot, unsure if you should make yourself known. But what if they were arguing? Would that make it worse? Or maybe you should just walk away and not eavesdrop? You should respect their privacy –

“If you have something to say, just spit it out.”

“Silly boy. You could be sweeter to your mother. I cooked your favorite dinner!”

“This was my favorite five years ago.”

“Well, how would I know? You don’t tell me anything!” Kanami argued, and faster than you could blink, her aggravated tone quickly turned into a sickly-sweet one – the persuasive Kanami you knew so well. “Anyways, I just wanted to say I am very proud of you, son. I heard Her Majesty was pleased with the work you managed to finish here, and your people are very delighted to hear you have returned. I really wish you would visit more often.”

“…I will try.”

“And bring Her Highness with you, of course,” she added, and you bit your lip. You could just be imagining it, but Kanami sounded like she had another meaning to it. Like Kiyoomi was somehow by default going to invite you. “Also… speaking of the public. Well, they’re just eager to see you! Both of you! Which is why I am inviting you both to the premiere event of my latest movie-”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“Too many cameras. I don’t like it,” he tried to reason, and you heard footsteps echoing from the dining room. Without enough time to duck and hide, you plastered yourself against the wall, forcing a smile on your face when the Prince caught you red-handed. He smirked, seemingly amused, crossing his arms on his strong chest. “Let me ask the Princess herself if she’d like to go, though. If she does, I might change my mind.”

“I…I’ve never been to a premiere night. I would like to,” you smiled, albeit shyly, your gaze darting between Kanami and her son – who you think is now going to be your biggest problem. Or more like the things he was making you feel was becoming the problem.

“Then it is settled! I’ll bring my stylists over and we will all get ready for tomorrow’s event,” she announced, circling the dining table as she pumped her fists in the air. “Oh, you guys will be the talk of the whole country for weeks! This is going to be great!”

“I look forward to seeing your movie, Kanami.”

“Oh, and don’t forget! You’re each other’s dates,” she winked, and just like that, all hell broke loose.

For a country that claimed to not indulge in the luxuries, Kanami’s premier night could rival that of a Prince’s birthday ball. A red carpet. A hundred photographers, with even more journalists and interviews. Celebrities were everywhere you looked. This night was the definition of a night to be remembered, with all the flashing lights on you that it was actually blinding. Apparently, the public had caught wind that Prince Kiyoomi, and you, a Princess of Inarizaki and a potential Queen, would be attending, so the crowd doubled in size in anticipation. It wasn’t often their lovely Prince made an appearance to public events solely catered for media and entertainment. It was even more baffling he brought a Princess with him – one that wasn’t his wife.

At first, you were anxious they might not like you. You were the date of their Prince, and he wasn’t your husband – but the crowd cheered and screamed as you left the car, your gloved arm looped around Kiyoomi’s. He was extra handsome tonight – his curls gelled back, revealing a handsome face sculpted by the Gods themselves, and he wore a tailored suit nothing short of extravagant.

Kanami’s team did great making you look beautiful too. And dare you say, you felt confident enough to be standing next to the Second Prince. You wore a sleeveless champagne colored dress that hugged your figure well, with a fur cloak wrapped around your shoulders. A Bvlgari Serpenti Viper necklace hang on your neck, a gift from Kanami before she left first for the event. It was a simple look – nothing too flashy, and yet you could tell the difference from your usual outfits were you to show up in royal events.

Firstly, you wouldn’t be allowed to show this much skin. The amount of collarbones exposed for the world to see would have Her Majesty in a cardiac arrest. And the necklace you wore wasn’t dainty or minimal enough – by Her Majesty’s standards. The fur cloak would have her in shambles, too, but somehow, you couldn’t care that much.

Kiyoomi couldn’t tear his gaze off of you, and the cameras flashed at each move you made. Every blink, every smile, every nervous graze of your finger against Kiyoomi’s arm.

The last time people had noticed you this much and showed their love for you was when you married Rintaro. The only difference was you didn’t feel this exhilarated. On that day, you only felt miserable. Like your entire hurt was on display for the world to see. That your heartbreak was being broadcasted worldwide, and the smiles Rintaro sent your way was scripted, perfected for the cameras.

Kiyoomi wasn’t like that.

Kiyoomi wasn’t like him.

He never looked at the cameras once. He only had his eyes on you, and when he spoke, he did so behind your earrings, as if he was aware people could read his lips and this moment was private. It was just you and him, and not even the watchful, inquisitive eyes of the world could take this away from you. He made you feel safe, utterly protected even when presented for everyone to judge and criticize.

“If you wish to leave at any point, tell me and I will take you away from here.”

His voice, deep and smooth and gentle, sent shivers down your spine. It felt oddly intimate taking photos with him like this, how his arms had snaked around your waist to pull you closer to him. How he would always speak secretively, yet the slight curling of his lips would be open for the cameras to witness. How his fingerless ring sits comfortably at your hip, and you were leaning against him, smiling at the cameras whilst he smiles at you. The moment was utterly sensitive that you feared one wrong move could undo it all.

And you wouldn’t let it.

Turning your head to the side, you leaned up to whisper at him. “Thank you, but I think I will enjoy myself tonight.” You kept your voice low like his, spoke your words slowly as if you were treading on icy ground, and when you pulled away, you noticed you’d left a smear of your lipstick on the tip of his ear.

You didn’t tell him to wipe it away.

You didn’t stop when he held your hand. You didn’t tear your gaze away from him when he led you inside the building, and neither did you tell him to stop when he kept his arm around your waist until you’d found your seats. Admittedly, you couldn’t focus on the movie. It was difficult when you could feel Prince Kiyoomi’s gaze on you – how braver he seemed when in the dark. You feign ignorance to it all, or more like you tried, because you lightly pinched his thigh and told him to focus on the movie. For a moment, you thought he didn’t hear you. But then he turned his head away and you both watched his mother’s romance film – which, thankfully, she isn’t the love interest in. It would be extremely awkward if she was. But it was still a rather intense romance film – a forbidden relationship between a man and his best friend’s wife.

Kiyoomi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. You were now at the scene where the female main character and her lover, her husband’s best friend, were under the rain. They had gotten into an argument – the woman didn’t want to continue their relationship anymore, didn’t want to have to continue lying to those close to her, but the man was having none of it.

He loved her.

He’s loved her for a long time.

He loved her first.

And he knew damn well her husband wasn’t treating her right. They only got married anyway because he had gotten her pregnant at a university party, and things went downhill from there. But he could only handle so much. He could only endure so much. Eventually, all the love he’d been holding back had grown too much it had poured out from his veins. He would run after her, chase her, and follow her wherever she went. She had his heart from the moment he laid his eyes on her. He wouldn’t give up on her now.

But it was wrong – she knew it was.

You gripped the edge of your seat.

The man, broken and down to his knees, professed his love to her. His tears were flowing down his face on time with the rain, and the woman… Well, she was devastated for a lack of better words. She didn’t like her marriage. She didn’t even like her husband. But what would people say? They wouldn’t understand. They would only see her as a lowly woman who cheated on her husband, with his best friend of all people. They would never see her pain, or how she, too, craved to be loved the way she loved others.

No matter what she said, the man was never swayed. He would fight for her. He would be brave for her. And then he stood up, took her face into his palm, and kissed her. Your eyes grew wide. The kiss was too intense it was hard to believe it was only acting. No, he kissed her like he was consuming her soul, like he was breathing her in. Like he was the air she needed to live, and without her, he would be nothing. And when she kissed him back, she had melted. Like all of pins and needles she used to hold herself up withered away because there was no need to be strong when she knew he would always catch her, that he would be there to be her pillar, her strength, her fortitude.

You looked away from the kiss. Beside you, Kiyoomi had turned his gaze away from the screen, too, and his eyes were so dark it was hard to see him at all. But you knew he was looking at you. And something about his gaze seemed forbidden – felt like a secret. Because in this theater, everyone had their eyes on the screen, completely unaware that the Prince held the same intensity in his eyes when the man kissed his beloved.

Your lips tingled.

Your fingertips curled, aching, itching to reach out to him. He was right there – just within your reach. You could run your hands through his thick, dark curls. You could stare into those dark eyes and get lost within them. It wasn’t love – no, not really. But it was the beginning of something more, and you didn’t know what was louder – your heartbeat or the cheers of the audience as the movie came to an end.

And then the realization struck you –

You wanted Kiyoomi to kiss you.

The lights flashed on. The audience cheered and applauded. The moment was broken.

You looked back to the stage, feeling cold dread wash over you. You couldn’t believe it. You had thought of a different man that wasn’t your husband in ways that were… inappropriate. Is this what Rintaro felt? When he looked at Iris, did he feel this need to have his lips on her? Did he yearn for her? But what could this mean? Were you falling for Kiyoomi? It couldn’t be. It’d only been a week. You were great friends – yes, friends! And friends didn’t go around kissing each other. Friends didn’t want their friends to kiss them.

But you had wanted him to, anyway, and now your dress felt suffocating.

Wordlessly, you stood up from your seat. You headed for the exit, or the restroom, you were unsure. All you knew was that you had to leave. You turned away from everyone who greeted you, pushed away anyone who asked for a photo, and your blood ran cold. What would the tabloids say? That you were a rude Princess? You were sure you look like a madman running out of the theatre when the night had barely even begun. Maybe you looked like a criminal caught in the middle of her act – and what crime? Adultery.

Tears pricked at your eyes. You willed them away, because you didn’t want to ruin your makeup. But you just… This was all a mistake. You should have never come to Itachiyama.

He was your husband’s brother!

You pushed the doors open, arms raised to call for a driver when a flash of lights bombarded you. It stung, blinding you for a moment until you stumbled back. A horde of reporters were shoving their phones and microphones in your face before you could process anything. You pushed back to the crowd, begging for reprieve, but there were too many of them, and only one of you. They all screamed your name, chanted your title, and in the midst of it all, you heard Rintaro’s name being spoken.

“Please,” you insisted, “I just want to get back to my car. Please, let me–”

“Your Highness! Princess!” a reported shoved his way through the crowd, his microphone hitting your lip hard enough that your teeth ached. Shit. You lowkey missed the strict customs in Inarizaki – people wouldn’t be so comfortable being in your personal space otherwise. But the reporter’s next words made your stomach drop.

“Did you visit here with Prince Kiyoomi as payback?”

“I – excuse me?”

Stunned into silence, you stared back at the man demanding answers from you. There was a crazed look in his eyes, his free hand clutching a camera that had taken multiple photos at the look of surprise in your face. Your sweat turned cold, and you took a step back. You headed back for the building, only to collide with a firm chest and a familiar scent washing over you. Before you could do anything, Kiyoomi had spun you around to face him, your head tucked in his neck as he pushed through the crowd. “Out of my way!”

You clung onto him like a child. You close your eyes, letting him shoulder all the pushing and shoving, all to keep you safe within his hold. The entire way back to the car, Kiyoomi bellowed at the people to give way for the both of you, and you’d never heard him sound so angry. Yet, you didn’t feel scared – at least, not of him.

The night was just taking an unexpectedly wrong turn, and you weren’t sure how much more you can handle.

“Kiyoomi,” you cried into his chest, “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m scared.”

“Do not answer them. Those are reporters and journalists crazed for the latest gossip.”

“Princess! Is it true your marriage is falling apart? Are you here in Itachiyama because of what the Crown Prince did? Answer us, Princess! What will be the future of the throne?”

The car came into view. Kiyoomi’s security team formed a barricade around you to allow you safe entry inside the car, puffing out their chests and shoving away anyone who dared tried to follow. Once inside, Kiyoomi barked on the driver to just move, and the car sped away. Your breathing slowly stabilized, but you were still far from being composed. In front of you, Kiyoomi had his hands balled into fists at his knees, his jaw clenched so tight you feared he’d pop a vein.

“Kiyoomi. What is going on? What were they talking about?”

Kiyoomi visibly relaxed at the sound of your voice. Dragging a hand down his face, he sighed, reaching for a tablet tucked away behind the seats and clicked on something. Then, he handed the tablet to you – and all your worst fears had now come to life. All the secrets you buried, the lies you’d kept – none of it was hidden anymore.

Trending for the past hour was an article recently published by a man named Kuroo Tetsurou, headlined ‘CROWN PRINCE RINTARO AND PRINCESS IRIS: LOVERS WITHOUT THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHER?’

The headline photograph was taken from a window, the photo blurry yet all the details were clear enough. Rintaro, on the bed, leaning against the headboard with his dress shirt unbuttoned and falling down on his shoulders. Iris, on top of him, bare with only her chest censored by a thick, black line. She was kissing him, her hands looped around her neck. Rintaro held her tightly, too, like he was afraid of letting her go – his hand with your wedding ring on it cupping her cheek as he kissed her back. On his neck were multiple hickeys, and her hair let loose and wild.

You felt like you stopped breathing entirely.

“Sir,” mumbled the driver nervously, “Are we going back to the farmhouse?”

“No. Head for the airport. We’re going straight to the palace.”

“But… Sir, your mother is still at the-”

“Kanami will understand,” grunted Kiyoomi, who suddenly snatched the tablet from you and shut it off. You didn’t know whether to be thankful or not. Quite frankly, you didn’t know what to feel. You felt numb and about to go insane all at the same time. Kiyoomi was more composed, at least, but it seemed he knew about this earlier and came running after you. Sighing, he loosened his tie and leant back against his seat.

“We need to go back to Inarizaki.”

You swallowed. You knew it now – you weren’t any better than Rintaro in the photos. But you could be honest, you could tell the truth, you could make it all better and stop it before it gets worse.

“Kiyoomi,” you trembled, spinning your wedding ring around your finger. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

The Second Prince shut his eyes. His placid face a contrast to his fists tightening even more. “Don’t,” he said, his voice sounding more resigned. Funny, how he was inches away from you, and he suddenly felt so far away when he opened his eyes – and you couldn’t recognize the man sitting in front of you anymore. “Whatever it is, just don’t.”

[omar-rudeberg]

List your favorite romantic lines/quotes from young royals for us ❤️

So. There are so many cute and romantic moments and I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about the usual suspects in some of my many many thoughts already. I can also see you’ve done the blog rounds and I agree with the others’ comments, so I’ve chosen three (3) slightly unusual ones for your reading pleasure and I will try to be brief! 

( ...I won’t be brief, but if you know me you know this already. These aren’t very well-thought out though so apologies for inconsistencies or confusing metaphors!)

ONE - “This is about us now.”

Give me creative license with this one as it’s not technically a quote, but. This moment, where we hear the movie voice intone “This is about us now.” right as we have Wilhelm and Simon smiling down at their intertwined hands, grinning so surreptitiously at each other, hearts all giddy and palms sweaty?

God, the epitome of young romance.

Yes, my babies. Yes, it’s all about the two of you. It’s allowed to be. This is what youth is for. (Trippin’ on skies, sippin’ waterfalls; a truth so loud you can’t ignore)

Side note that I also personally love this scene SO MUCH because it’s the first sequence I really looked at and thought... okay, they’ve chosen those lines for a reason. They’ve chosen that lighting for a reason. Those camera angles. This is all done for a reason. It was the first time I marvelled at the unparalleled minds that created this gorgeous show for us.

TWO - “Thanks for rescuing me yesterday.”

Ugh. The gorgeous honeymoon phase they have exactly not-long-enough-in.

Wilhelm says: 

“Thanks for rescuing me yesterday.”

Wilhelm literally means:

“Thanks for getting my stupid ass back into my own bed so some rando doesn’t take a picture of the high-as-a-kite Crown Prince on some random soccer field at a godforsaken hour of the morning, and I’m put in solitary confinement for the rest of my youth.”

But - Wilhelm also means:

“Thank you for being there yesterday. Thank you for being there before, and always. I read your messages while I was at home after Erik’s passing. I cherished them. Thank you for showing me I can love. Thank you for showing me I deserve love. (Thank you for letting me love you, like that, like last night.) Thank you for rescuing me from the future of a fancy Felice-esque face I would have thrust upon my arm before I knew I was allowed to love someone that looks like you. That cares like you. That makes fun of me like you do.”

However, Wilhelm mostly, earnestly means:

“Thank you for rescuing me from me.”

(If that’s not romantic - if that’s not love, I want my money back.)

THREE - “And you can take all the time you need. And I respect that.”

I. Love. This. Line. So. Fucking. Much. 

Look, they’re breaking up here so is this line jaw-droppingly sappy? ...No. But, it’s romantic. Stay with me. Simon’s head over heels in love with this boy. He loves spending time with him, loves talking to him, loves kissing him, loves his energy, his silly little flyaway fringe. Simon loves Wilhelm so much, but he can see (where Wilhelm can’t yet) the short-term future. The hiding, the lying, the repressing, the forgetting, the resentment, distress, distrust, hurt. The potential for further tapes, more gossip, more rumours, more outright denials, more fodder for the palace to be involved in. The potential for pain. 

He’s protecting himself here, yes, of course. But he’s also protecting Wilhelm. He’s protecting Wilhelm the way Wilhelm isn’t protecting himself. And knows it without Wilhelm communicating it to him, the overly perceptive little sunflower that he is.

Simon’s worked out that Wilhelm saying one thing and doing the opposite regarding the denial means he’s not... sure. Of anything. Of what to say, of who he wants to be, how he wants to act. And with this line, Simon is saying I know you don’t know, I’m sorry, it’s difficult, and it’s going to take time, and he’s cradling this tough truth so gently with that’s okay, it’s okay to not know, it’s okay that it’s difficult, it’s allowed to take time. He respects this as Wilhelm’s reality.

I also think... and maybe he’s not consciously looking that far ahead... but somewhere deep down I believe Simon knows this is the only way for the two of them to possibly have a future. And he wants that dearly. There can be no sustained coming together if they don’t respect what the other brings to the table. Wilhelm, with his request here, has communicated that he doesn’t understand or fully respect Simon’s end of the deal here (and the poor thing’s got a lot on his mind, yes, but that’s no way to treat a loving partner). 

But Simon with this line implies: I know you, I love you, I respect you, but no - you’ve gotta work out how to respect me to be in this. He’s pulling apart so they can crash together like oppositely charged magnets, when the time is right. When the growing’s done. 

He’s opened a deep wound, yes, but cleanly. And he trusts, I believe, that a gifted surgeon will be along soon to fix the broken organs and stitch them both back up.

How tragically romantic.

[literaticat]

Hi Jenn, do you have any recs for good rom coms?

okkkkkk strap in lmao

I actually wrote this LONG ASS email to my friend recently when she asked for "escapist romance reads" (for grownups) -- I assume that is what you are asking for? All of these are grownup books - I'm just literally cutting and pasting that email.

So some are more "rom" than "com" but they are all FUN and A DELIGHT.

All Emily Henry books - BEACH READ, PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION and the latest BOOK LOVERS (about an agent and an editor!!) -- these are pure perfection, IMO.

I love all Jasmine Guillory books, they are an absolute auto-buy for me. Her latest is a bit of a departure, it's called BY THE BOOK and is a contemporary Beauty and the Beast reimagining -- it's a lot of fun. (Though I personally prefer her other series, this one is def "escapist" and delightful!)

THE FLATSHARE by Beth O'Leary -- it's about a girl who works days, and a guy who works nights. They share a flat in London that neither of them could afford on their own -- but they have NEVER ACTUALLY MET. They just communicate via post-it notes they leave for one another. Until.....  (I also really liked another book by her, THE ROAD TRIP, about a two exes that unexpectedly have to share a ride to a wedding of a mutual friend, and the trip encounters a lot of snags...)

All 3 of the Talia Hibbert Brown Sister's books (ACT YOUR AGE, EVE BROWN -- TAKE A HINT, DANI BROWN, etc) - Each book is about a different sister, all of them posh Black women in London, all of them close to one another, but that's where their similarities end -- each one has her own issues holding her back in one way or another -- each of these romances is STEAMY and full of BANTER and just basically delish.

An older rec so I may have said it before, but: Any Alyssa Cole book - I'd start with A PRINCESS IN THEORY. It's about a girl who keeps getting these spam messages saying something about an African prince and a betrothal, and she's like YEAH RIGHT, DELETE -- but then he shows up on her doorstep. Very "coming to america" vibes, so cute.

BATTLE ROYAL by Lucy Parker - All of Lucy Parker's previous books are set in the world of London theater/acting communities (and I really liked all of them) -- but this new one is set on the set of a Great British Bake-Off style show. The one super uptight "fancy" man judge and the new judge (who was a previous contenstant, specializing in frilly, sparkly bakes) get along like oil and water... *cough*

IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER by Tessa Bailey - if you liked Schitt's Creek or Northern Exposure kind of vibes - it's about a super-hot party girl (think Alexis in Schitt's Creek) who has effed up one too many times in LA and is relegated to a small fishing village in the pacific northwest. So cute (and hot) - and the companion book, about the party girl's sister, just came out - HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER.

And I really liked THE UNHONEYMOONERS by Christina Lauren -- about the maid of honor and groomsman at a wedding who -- when the ENTIRE bridal party and everyone gets horrifically sick at the reception, are the only two left standing. They hate each other -- but the bride insists that they take the amazing, non-refundable honeymoon on the bride and groom's behalf. And they only have to pretend to be married. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?  (Yes, I guess I really like enemies-to-lovers) -- this is the one that got me out of a horrible year-long book slump last year!

Bonus.... Just a couple to round out the list, a couple of legit funny historical romances!

Courtney Milan - HEIRESS EFFECT: All of Milan's books are terrific, but I really love this Brothers Sinister series. In this one, an extremely rich girl who is not marriage-minded does everything possible (short of contracting a contagious disease) to get potential suitors to stay the hell away from her. Witty and fun and oh also I totally ugly-cried at a certain point. I think this will make you want to read ALL the books.

Tessa Dare - ANY DUCHESS WILL DO: All of Dare's books are delightful - most set in the little village of "Spindle Cove" (aka Spinster Cove), a beach community full of ladies who are pretty much off the marriage mart for one reason or another. In this one, a Duke is charged by his mother to get married. She declares she can make any lady into an appropriate Duchess, so he just needs to choose. NOW. So he picks the most inappropriate wench he can find, determined to foil his mother's plan. (Bonus: has a bookselling subplot!) Again - this is just one book in a totally delightful series.

[foodieforthoughts]

Journey through time - Part 4

Summary: Your relationship with Syverson over the years.

Warning: Super fluff, get ready to grab tissues for your tears of joy

A/N: This got out of hand and I fantasized too much about wedding with Sy 😅 second-last part to go for this photo series (adding part 1, part 2 and part 3 for anyone who wants to read). Images taken from Pinterest and Google, if there are any inaccuracies please ignore because it is fictional.

Since Sy only had ten weeks until his next deployment, the preparation for the wedding was in full swing. He wanted a military wedding, proud as he was about his army life and since Syverson men were all in the army themselves, he wanted to stick to his family tradition. But the hurried wedding meant the army chappel was unavailable. His father suggested the wedding to take place in Austin, offering his house for the ceremony and since your parents did not mind, it was decided that you both will have your autumn wedding in the backyard of the house where he grew up.

You had sneakily asked Sy about his preferred wedding dress style. "I like the long ball gown type, you know, where you would look like a princess." He had suggested, smirking at you and seeing through your trick to find out about his liking. "And you would be the prince at the altar, in your uniform with the saber?" You always ended up sobbing when you thought about the wedding, making Sy cuddle you while assuring you he would do everything in his power to give you the best life possible. With his mother, your own mom and your cousins, you had shopped for dresses until you found the one which had all the ladies reaching for the box of tissues.

Since he was going to wear his uniform for the wedding, Sy couldn't keep the beard. The day Sy had to shave off his beard, you had tried to stifle your laughter while he had whined like a child. He had grown too attached to his facial hair, saying "This is a part of me, feels like I'm getting rid of a limb." Rest of the day you had to hear him complain about looking like a kid, having you to assure him in many ways how he was a man. It was also the day you were leaving to stay at the hotel, since seeing the bride before the wedding was bad luck and you did not want to take any chances. Sy took his time in relishing every moment spent with you, up until the time you had to leave, making you grab your discarded clothes in a hurry while your dad was waiting downstairs in the car.

You had never seen Sy cry, not even when you had made him watch sappy emotional movies. But when you walked down the aisle with your father by your side, in the soft autumn sunlight you saw your man's eyes glisten with tears. You couldn't hold in yours when you laid eyes on him, looking royal in his dress blues with his medals and ribbons decorating his chest. Sy's best man tapped him on his shoulder, saying something which made him nod along with his buddy. "You look beautiful." He had whispered to you when you came to stand next to him, making you blush more than you already were. You could barely speak while reciting your vows, taking a moment to breathe through the tears, finally getting it out with sniffles and wiping under your eyes as a stray tear escaped. When Sy kissed you as your husband, your world exploded and in that very instant you knew your life couldn't get any better.

The wedding reception was a blast. Your first dance with your husband was a tear-jerking moment for both of you. While you had unapologetically cried on his shoulder, Sy had sniffed his welling tears away. By the end of the night, you were tipsy with wine and Sy was getting his friends drunk. You had blushed beet-red when Sy had crawled under your gown to take your garter off effortlessly with his teeth, with everyone cheering on. After the reception, Sy had carried you to your room, pausing in the corridor for a kiss and then entering the room with you cradled in his arms. Giggling as the alcohol made you giddy, you had pulled Sy towards you on the bed by the lapel of his tux and commanded, "We're not getting any younger, Sy, take me as your wife and make me a mother." And Sy had followed your command obediently, taking you countless times in the night until the sun was up.

You and Sy escaped to Hawaii for your honeymoon with sandy beaches and salty air. The days were spent with you mostly lounging on the sand while Sy would take a swim. When you both weren't out at the beach or exploring the island, Sy would keep you busy by satiating his hunger for your body. Nights were spent with lots of cuddles and talks about the future, where you found out Sy was planning to leave the army for you. "As much as I hate to say goodbye to you, I don't want to be the reason why you let go of something you love to do." You had said, laying on his chest and playing with his fuzzy hair. "We'll figure it out together." He had answered, pulling your face up to him and taking your lips for a long kiss.

Sy always joked his beard grew faster than the speed of light. Before you knew it, your captain was back to looking like the rugged handsome hunk you had bumped into. One morning he was trimming the unruly fluff of his beard when you stormed inside the bathroom, holding your hand over your mouth. Dropping down on your knees you were emptying the contents of your stomach in the toilet, as waves of nausea washed over you. Sy was right by your side, rubbing his hand over your back and holding your hair away from your face. "Sy, I don't know I have a feeling we are going to get a jumpstart on your big family dream." Sy had laughed but when you took a test later in the day, he was left speechless. You had stared at him, waving your hand in front of his face while his eyes focused far off. But then he had hugged you so tightly, you were afraid you were going to run out of air. "I'm going to be a dad." He had kissed you before bending down to your belly and placing a gentle kiss on your stomach.

Before you knew it, it was time for Sy to leave again. But unlike last time, you were brave. You understood Sy had a lot to deal with once he was out there, you didn't want to pile your grief of parting ways on top of his worries. Still, somedays were difficult for you when you had to battle morning sickness alone, crying while clutching the toilet hoping if only Sy were there to comfort you. You tried not to tell him that though, while you talked on the phone you only listened to him as he described funny things that happened around camp. One day, out of the blue you got a call from him, dread filled you because Sy wasn't one to call in the middle of the day. Hearing his voice calmed you down because you had expected the worst possible news. "They are pulling out the troops from here." He had said, his voice buoyant with excitement. "I'm coming home, baby."

One would think being the captain in the army and taking care of men under his command, Sy would be reasonably calm about his impending parenthood. But it was the complete opposite and Sy was a mess. He was always making sure you were comfortable, feeding you until you were sure you were going to burst and most of all, fussing about getting the nursery ready on time. He had built a crib from scratch, being awfully proud about his handiwork while you had watched the carpenter in him come to life. He did practice rounds of driving to the hospital for when you went into labor, timing it like he was performing a drill, sometimes driving you insane by repeating it again and again. In the night, he would massage your painfully swollen ankles while you read him from a parenting book, laughing while he joked how he's not going to be this fussy for the next one. "Next one? This bun isn't even out of the oven yet and you are already planning on mixing the dough for the next batch." He would grin at you mischievously and very slyly say, "You see, mixing the dough is my favorite part." And the day when finally baby Adeline was born, Sy had cried like he had never before.

Continued to Part 5

[whatsabriard]

Watch With Me: Hart to Hart 1x11

Episode Title: With This Gun I Thee Wed

Original Airdate: Dec 3, 1979

Why this One?: It has to do with the Harts going to the wedding of one of Jonathan's more serious ex-girlfriends. That in itself is enough. But also, there's a scene in a bathtub that is just *chef kiss*

Favorite Quote?: Jonathan, go to the bathroom. I don't have to go to the bathroom. Yes you do. I do?

This episode opens with the fabled poker game, with Jennifer winning the first hand, natch. (and the second but who's counting)

Jonathan receives an invite to his ex's wedding and he's immediately suspicious because she's marrying someone she hates.

Max tries to be a mensch and is all "They were just good friends" and Jennifer is like bro don't even.

Jonathan wants to white-knight this bitch right fucking now, but Jennifer is holding a royal flush (hearts, of course) so he decides to stay and let her clean Tommy Lasorda's clock.

On the jet to Monte Carlo, Jonathan tells Jennifer she can't win like that or she won't be invited back. She's all "that's what you think it's my house." and Jonathan grumps some more. She offers to make it up to him so they're def having sex 100%.

At the hotel, the concierge wants to give them the honeymoon suite and Jennifer is like "after 4 years do we still qualify" so for those of you paying attention to canon (not the writers of this show, obvs) they were married in 1975.

anyway, they run into Niki Stephanos (with her brother who is using a cane) in the lobby and she's all "so why are you here?" and Jonathan is confused because he got an invitation to her wedding? Oh this isn't sketch af at all.

Brother, not reading the room at all, tries to say that they weren't even invited but Niki cuts him off. Little brother Theo recently had a small accident, hence the cane.

Cut to this character watching them in the lobby. Lookit his little beret! He we Lenny/Lanny on the Humbug episode of the X-Files.

Once in the room Jennifer says it's interesting meeting the competition.

"She never even played in your league", Jonathan says because he's the best husband ever and absolutely gettin laid in the honeymoon suite.

Jennifer tells him "Don't go away, I'll be right back" and goes into the bathroom.

Which is the perfect time for her to find someone in the shower.

This guy is the one who invited them to the wedding. Until a month ago he was Niki's fiancee. He wants Jonathan to stop the wedding.

"I think Niki is in danger."

Niki is also one of the richest women in the world.

Champagne shows up from Alex, Niki's new fiancee. Then the man himself shows up.

This guy claims to have sent them the invitation. But it wasn't an invite so much as a telegram. So they know he's lying.

"Niki is not the same person you knew. She's more mature now." My bestie's ex-husband told me that the first time I met him. He's lucky I didn't run him over with my car and Alex is lucky Jonathan didn't rearrange his face.

Jonathan never liked Alex which is amazingly obvious in the entire exchange.

Out for a stroll Jonathan buys Jennifer a metric ton of flowers and they walk together flirting until they see Niki's true love being kidnapped in broad daylight.

"The princess is captive in the tower, what else can the knight in shining armor do?" Jonathan is going to go try to rescue Niki from the clutches of the Evil Prince Humperdink. I mean ALEX.

There's a whole section of this episode dedicated to Jonathan sneaking into Alex's house to find Niki, complete with guard dobermans. He literally climbs a trellis to her room.

Important date note: Jonathan was dating Niki in 1971 when they spent two weeks together dodging the papparazzi.

This actress who plays Niki also appears in a season 4 episode as well, as a different character.

Jonathan confronts Niki about Paul (love of her life) and she's like 'meh he was a diversion' and whatever.

but the guy with the scary dog has seen the broken trellis so his time is ticking away.

He is on the verge of getting it out of her, why she's marrying Alex, when the dog is at the door.

So Jonathan is alike "trust me" then he kisses the shit out of Niki and pretends he's there to woo her.

but alex is not an idiot and he sees through it. so the men send glares at each other and Jonathan leaves.

the creepy sketchy guy tells jonathan he has a phone call and then gets him into like the basement or something, leaving Jennifer behind.

meaning we get a fight scene in the kitchen set to Offenbach's Gallop infernal

peep these threads tho

Anyway, that brings us to this important scene.

Jennifer wants to leave because they're not wanted. She also wants Jonathan to move his foot. *sly wink*

jonathan is reading marie claire and wants to stay because he's just starting to have fun.

Jennifer says she'll take him home to their perfectly good kitchen and hit him with a chocolate mousse.

Jonathan prefers her strawberry tarts anyway. *badum tssss*

She's serious, theyre in danger here, she says as she throws a sponge at his head.

Anyway, they're gonna give Niki one more chance and if she doesn't tell them the truth pack their bags and kiss the bride goodbye.

Lightly, on the cheek.

Oh, and jonathan needs to move his foot again *wink*

At the cemetery of the grave of their parents, the Harts are there to interrogate.

Niki tells them to go to San Tropez and lay on the beach and make wonderous love. Jennifer tells her they didn't mean to meddle, but that marriage is such an important choice.

Then, going for the jugular, Jonathan plays the "I knew your dad and he loved you" card.

Niki lasts roughly 7 seconds before she spills everything.

Her brother Theo was in a drunk driving accident and he hit two women. One was killed. Alex covered it up, and if Niki doesn't marry him he'll reveal what Theo has done. She promised her dad that she would protect Theo.

Once they're married, Alex gets control of her parents' empire.

Jennifer, that cagey minx, has a plan.

Our girl is stacked in her purple turtleneck. But it bears the question - a turtle neck in the south of france?

Back at the ranch, Jonathan is on the phone with a shitty british accent that sounds more like Cary Grant and Jennifer mocks him viciously. A THING OF BEAUTY.

They meet with Theo and try to figure out what happened.

Jonathan realizes that at 3am on a country road, it was very unlikely there were women out walking.

The one who died was a tourist. The one who was crippled was a dancer.

I've never been to the south of france, but I can smell those trees and they're ALL over the cal state fullerton campus. lmao

they go to see the lady who survived the crash - she holds no grudges, amazingly.

they pretend to be competitors who want to destroy the Stephanos family if she will only tell the truth about the accident. Dancer lady declines, even when they flash the millions.

next stop is to investigate at the hospital re the accident. Jennifer pretends to be an insurance investigator and the doctor is very american, which is lucky.

She sees the picture of the dead lady and asks to take it. Amazingly there's no blood and as she was hit by a car, her hair isn't out of place not a bit. Curiouser and curiouser. The doctor who worked on her is at a seminar and the nurse doesn't work there anymore.

Sketchy Dude in a Beret pops up in their backseat.

They're locked in a wine cellar together.

They're not even bothered.

Paul is down there with them, and they confirm that the wheelchair lady is someone Alex visits on the regular.

So the next day, Jennifer calls for help because Jonathan hit his head. They trick him and dump wine barrels on him, as you do.

"I think the wine went to his head." oh jennifer.

Anyway, suddenly the Harts aren't interested in stopping the wedding, but are looking forward to going and seeing it. With a cardinal to officiate and everything!

they show up to the wedding with the wheelchair lady

jennifer's dress is kind of hideous. it's a sack. Do they hate us?

regardless, i love everything about this cap. It's like the most insane french farce. It has EVERYTHING.

anyway. the wedding goes off without a hitch. I KNOW, what????

but then, the Harts dump the wheelchair lady in the pool

and the cardinal, now falling down drunk, goes "did they schedule a baptism too?"

This lady is supposedly paralyzed and they're watching her drown...or are they?

Certainly not. She swims out just fine. "She's got a heck of a kick, doesn't she."

The drunk cardinal comes up and grabs Jennifer saying the women are fabulous...then he really does fall down.

Guess what? He's not a real cardinal. He's a hired actor.

they stopped the wedding. They're outrageous, both of them, and Niki loves them for it.

Alex is like "if you think you can get away with this..." and i'm like bro I think he just did? How are you going to stop him?

So Jonathan threatens the shit out of him. "If you do anything to Niki or Paul or Theo, you'll answer to me." Then he knocks him tf out.

"You have no idea how happy i am that you tried that."

Since the cardinal showed up, Niki and Paul can get hitched.

Jennifer loves happy endings, so she pinches Jonathan's ass.

the end.

Next up, I'm actually going to go back and cap my favorite moments of the eps I've skipped. Not a full recap, just pretty people looking pretty and sexy with maybe quotables. So stay tuned for that.