#trr eleanor

[choices-binglebonkus]

The more times I read TRH, the more I feel that the writers just pulled Lena out of their ass for TRF.

When the MC and Olivia relive the latter’s memories, they realize that Queen Eleanor was pregnant, and they assume that she died while pregnant. The MC even goes so far as to speculate that maybe she was killed because she was pregnant. More on this in a moment.

It’s also mentioned in Liam’s last memory of her alive that she had just come back from an extended (but pointedly unspecified) period of time away on a trip, which in TRF, is said to be the trip she took to give birth to Lena in secret up in Vallenheim, because she was so afraid of the political climate in Cordonia at the time.

When the gang finds Queen Eleanor’s secret room with all her intel, books, secrets, and even her diary, it becomes clear that Eleanor left it all there for Liam to find. In her diary she even says as much, letting him know that that’s why she’s writing the letter to him: because she feels her enemies closing in, and that if something should happen to her, at least he would have that letter.

And throughout the diary, specifically in the letter to Liam, there’s no mention of Lena anywhere. You’d think that if Eleanor was in such a desperate state that she explicitly wrote a letter to Liam about feeling her enemies closing in and fearing for her life, that she would have mentioned Lena anywhere in the diary to alert Liam that he had a little sibling she gave birth to in secret months prior.

Alas, no such thing. Eleanor drank wine from the poisoned goblet and died that night.

You may stop me right here and say, “Why did Eleanor drink wine from the poisoned goblet if she was pregnant? Clearly she must not have been, and this theory has fallen apart.”

Well, we know Eleanor was hellbent on concealing the pregnancy, especially from Constantine, who was there when Godfrey gifted her the poisoned goblet. She probably felt that she had to imbibe at least a bit of alcohol to avoid suspicion in her husband. So perhaps Eleanor did drink the wine; as little as she could get away with.

We also know that the poisoned goblet didn’t act right away. Eleanor was able to finish her drink with Constantine, discreetly slip away to her secret room (where the goblet was found twenty years later by Liam and co.), get out of the passage, and then an undetermined amount of time later, the poison kicked in and she died.

After she died, the medical examiners determined the cause of her death to be poison, leading Constantine to test all the wines in the cellar. They also likely discovered she was pregnant when she died, which they definitely would have informed Constantine of. Given the nature of paranoia and secrecy of Constantine we’ve come to know over the course of the series, it’s probably safe to assume that he kept the discovery of her pregnancy a secret so as to not show any further signs of weakness within the monarchy.

So. With that out of the way, let’s go back to the MC speculating that Eleanor was assassinated because she was pregnant.

When the gang confronts Godfrey in the Auvernese prison in TRH book 3, Liam is understandably furious with him for killing his mother, saying, “You monster! She was your queen! …She was pregnant.”

You’d think this would evoke some sort of reaction from Godfrey. Surprise, shock, remorse, something. Anything. But he doesn’t react at all…which leads me to believe he was aware of her pregnancy somehow.

And yet he and Barthelemy still went through with their plot.

It was stated that the two had Eleanor killed because she was overextending her power and influencing Constantine, taking power away from the nobles who are “owed” it.

Given Godfrey’s lack of a reaction (what I presume to be because he and Barthelemy knew Eleanor was pregnant), I suspect that Godfrey and Barthelemy feared Eleanor’s pregnancy, should she choose to eventually disclose it to Constantine, would make her even more influential to him, not to mention further cementing her position as queen with another heir. So, the traitorous snakes that they are, they conspired together and had her killed before she could bring the pregnancy to light.

Because there was absolutely no mention of Lena anywhere in Eleanor’s secret room, nor through any of the investigations conducted by Liam or Olivia, I’m convinced that the writers originally had Godfrey and Barthelemy assassinate her because she was pregnant, just as the MC postulated, and tried to retcon it when they started working up to The Royal Finale and realized that having a secret Rys sibling could be a major plot point and weak link to exploit against the Big Bads.

[angelasscribbles]

Princess Eleanor's First Birthday Cake?

This is a real, honest to God, actual cake ya'll!!!

[choicesficwriterscreations]

TRR F/AtoW: Jul 28 - Aug 3, 2024

✒️ = Fanfic | 📱 = Text Fics/Edits | 🎨 = Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 = LGBTQIA+

ELEANOR RYS

Royal Love (Series) ✒️ | Eleanor Rys x M!OC - @eadanga Chapter 19

LIAM RYS

Marabelle (Series) ✒️ | Liam Rys x F!OC - @tessa-liam Chapter 14: Lovers in a Dangerous Time

Princesa Real 2 (Series) ✒️ | Liam Rys x F!MC - @belencha77 Chapter 9: Entre dos mundos Chapter 10: Dilemas del corazon Chapter 11: Plan perfecto Chapter 12: Cortesias peligrosas Chapter 13: Red de intrigas Chapter 14: Noche Inesperada 🔥 Chapter 15: En Busca de la verdad Chapter 16: Encuentro elegante Chapter 17: El peso de la traicion Chapter 18: Entre perdonar y proteger Chapter 19: Susurros bajo la luna

MULTIPLE CHARACTERS

The Royal Romance (Series) ✒️ | Multiple Characters - @eadanga Chapter 9, Part 2

MULTIPLE PAIRINGS

What Happens in Vegas ✒️ | Drake Walker x F!MC, Liam Rys x F!MC - @angelasscribbles

Main F/AtoW List: July 28 - Aug 3, 2024

[txemrn]

Déjà Vu

Chapter 4

New? Check out the first THREE chapters HERE! (Go ahead; we'll be here. 😉)

Series Summary: After an unforgettable night with a stranger, Princess Eleanor finds herself caught in a secret love triangle between a noble and a commoner.

Chapter Summary: Drake heads to Club Core with Leo; he unexpectedly meets a young woman that reminds him of a past life.

Pairing(s): mention of Liam x Riley; Drake x Riley (former)

Word Count: ~4970

Warning: 🔞 Mature Audiences Only 🔞 language (tons; it's Drake); sexual references (crude); mention of excessive drinking; drug-use reference; brief violence

A/N: Welcome to my Crack Fic! If you are new, hi! Thank you for joining us! This story takes place approximately 2 decades after TRR/TRH. I have made some canonical changes (they will be mentioned). Although this is from my crazy mind, it takes a village! Huge thanks to my sweet writing buddies for helping me figure out various parts! Love y'all! Characters and some plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry! This was not Beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

Drake

What the fuck was I thinking? I hate large crowds and eardrum-piercing music. I hate being around people who can't hold their liquor, not to mention I hate dancing. But even worse, I hate Leonardo Anselm Phineas Rys. Old thorn in my side. What in the actual fuck made me agree to hang out with blondie in the first place? At a club? On opening night?

Because you're lonely, and he offered free booze…

My twisted expression relaxes as I shrug my shoulders. Meh. I guess it could be worse.

"Okay, baby… I'll be home later… yes… I'll tell Liam you said, 'hello'..." Leo gives an obnoxious kissing sound before disconnecting his call with the touch of a button. He lets out a sigh, taking a hit of his vape pen. "Dahlia," he answers to the question I never asked. He glances at me, sucking in his bottom lip before giving me a slow flutter of a wink.  "She's a bit clingy."

I nod, drumming my fingers against the leather interior, playing it cool like I care. "Is… she your–?"

"Friend."

Ah. Okay. 'Friend.'  The term just glides off of his tongue. Nonchalant. Sweet and syrupy, almost as if he believes the bullshit he's feeding this poor girl that's waiting at home for him. 

And she thinks what now? That he's coming over after an evening with his brother's family which, no doubt, she has never met. And judging by that brief interaction with goldie locks here, she doesn’t seem to have the intellectual capacity to wonder why she wasn't invited to the dinner in the first place.

Side-piece. Booty-call. Friend. It's all just semantics to douchebags like Leo Rys.

I fidget with the navy collar to the button-down shirt Leo loaned me. I could barely fit my broad shoulders into the lean cut of his tailored threads. The guy has a rock hard physique, but tough, manual labor creates a different kind of body. A strong one. Like mine.

The buttons pull slightly across my chest as I flash a glance in the car visor mirror. I look like a fucking tool. I'm not used to my stubble brushing up against starched cotton; I'm usually wearing a tee, my work denim and my steel-toes. I mean, unless I'm meeting with a client or going out to dinner where you have a waiter and utensils. But, other than that, I am a fish out of water: this shirt is uncomfortable. And I have a feeling this is just a prelude of what's to come.

At least Leo approved of my jeans and Tecovas. He tried throwing my trusty chambray shirt in the trash.  "No one has worn this for at least twenty years… and they weren't even wearing it then."

Fuck off.

We pull up to this club, and I swear everyone in Cordonia has turned out for this spectacle. The moment Rys steps out of his 'I didn't want anything too flashy' red Ferrari, the paps were on him like white on rice. Flashes of light rain from every direction as reporters flood him with curious questions about his Gucci loafers and gray Brioni blazer. 

Lucky for me, I'm a nobody, and the press quickly discovers that the moment I step out onto the red carpet. Dropping their cameras and microphones in disappointment, they instantly turn their attention elsewhere.  I don't know if I should be grateful… or offended, to be honest. At least confuse me for Leo's new lover… bunch of dickwads.

I push past the commotion, combing my hair out of my eyes as I look around the red carpet. This place is pretty snazzy, but holy fuck, they didn't spare with any expenses. It’s like a fucking fortress: a tall, wrought iron fence encased with stone surrounds the perimeter. Armed security in black tie a la James Bond swarm the space.

Now, the entrance? This wasn't just any ol’ red carpet; oh, fuck no, that wouldn't do for such a prestigious guest list. Contortionists and acrobats on pedestals perform sultry poses and maneuvers, leaving the crowd bewildered and amazed. 

Scantily clad women tend to the average Joe commoners waiting in line. They serve hors d'oeuvres and complimentary spirits, fooling them into thinking they're still important even though they're on the outskirts of the main event, and truth be told: they'll never get in.

Taking it all in, I suddenly feel a massive clap against my back before an arm hugs tightly around my neck.

"Ready, Walker?" Leo pops his gum in between his smarmy grin. "Let's get our dicks wet."

—

Fucking. A. I'm pretty sure I just entered the third level of hell.

"Hey-yo, Walker!" 

Make that the fourth level…

I glance back at Rys who is now flocked with an entourage of, and I quote, ‘aspiring models,’ all with their fake tits falling out of their tops, their overly-injected blow-job lips, and lashes so thick, you can't tell if they're sleeping or having a stroke.  He flashes those pearly whites as he dangles a small, gram-size plastic bag of white powder.

Now, I'm not against tokin' up or getting obliterated with alcohol, but cocaine isn't my style… not to mention, if we got caught–no doubt, Leo knows people that could bail us out, but if Liam and Riley were to hear about this? They'd kick me to the curb in an instant, especially with their kid around. They’d label me as a bad influence, and Liam would give me that fatherly disappointment glare.

"What do you think, Walker?" Leo nods with eager anticipation. "Wanna join… all of us?" He lets out a knowing laugh, winking at the women around him. They take his cue and begin to giggle, as if he was the funniest, most charming man they've ever met.

And my IQ just dropped two points.

"I think… I'm going to… " I notice a large bar area, quickly throwing a hitched thumb back at it. "...I'll check out the bar," 

"Suit yourself." The women practically swallow him whole with their arms. "Don't forget: give 'em my name. Drinks on me!"  

The drove of venereal diseases buzzes off with their king, and a sense of relief washes over me. Would I rather be at home? Absolutely, but since I'm already here…

I make my way toward the crowded bar area, ducking between drunken cat fights and groping couples. Finding a stool, I plant my ass down, and despite how busy it is, the bartender tends to me quickly–probably because I'm a 45- year-old man alone in a club. Translation: I have money, I know what I want, and chances are, what I order doesn't require my rim being bedazzled with seasonings, flowers, or fruit.

"What can I get ya?"

Oh, shit, I haven't heard that distinct nasally Portavira accent in so long. My God…

"Um… Larceny. Neat."

"Double?"

My man… I nod as I watch him pull out the bottle and a clean tumbler.

"Do you have a tab started, sir?"

I reach for my wallet, but I abruptly stop, remembering Leo's words. 'Give 'em my name. Drinks on me!'

"I do. It's under Rys," I smirk, "and actually, do you have Macallan?"

The bartender stops, giving me a glance over when finally a Cheshire grin creeps across his face as if he just struck oil. "We sure do, Mr. Rys." He extends his hand to fist bump me before reaching to the top shelf for a new bottle of the liquid gold. Before I knew it, he's twirling the tumbler across the bar. "Enjoy, Mr. Rys."

Taking a sip, I give him a wink as a thank you as I bask in the much needed woodsy burn of clove on my tongue. Damn, that's tasty.

Feeling more relaxed, I glance out onto the dance floor as other club-goers get lost in the hypnotic buzz of the ethanol electrifying their veins. The tantric beat of the music and the flashing swirl of multicolored lights feeds the adrenaline and raging hormones as people grab and grope one another.

I am way too old for this scene.

I grab my glass to take another pull when out of the corner of my eye, I see a familiar face at the bar. Turning my head to get a better look, I suddenly swallow my whiskey down the wrong pipe, causing me to fall into a fit of coughs. Smooth, Walker, real smooth. 

Blinking back the tears, I sniff into a napkin before looking back at the beautiful face. Shit. She's absolutely…wow. Gorgeous dark, silky waves, porcelain skin, that pouty mouth with those big, doe eyes… She's the spitting image of… Riley. 

"Fuck," I growl at myself before rubbing the shit out of my eyes. No way, it can't be. I look up again, and instantly I can feel my jeans begin to tighten. 

You're just wanting to see her. You're just wanting it to be her, especially with what happened back at the palace.

I down the rest of my drink before allowing my attention to be completely saturated by this girl. 

It's not Riley. It's not…

See? Her nose appears more prominent from the side, and-and her neck. Her neck seems longer, slender. And her eyes. They're gorgeous and big… they aren't Riley's navy blues, but damn, that sparkle–

"Would you like another–?"

"Please," I grumble as I stare at this Riley look-alike. I just… can't tear my eyes away. Her presence feels so real, so intimate. Now, judging from this woman's creamy, velvet skin, she's young. Maybe early 20s. Way out of my league… but still that face. It's like looking into a past life, a life I once loved.

—

(Two decades ago…)

"Brooks," Drake whispers loudly, "come on!"

"Shhhh!" Riley presses a finger to her lips, stifling her giggles as she looks down from her palace window. "Are you trying to wake everyone up? You're going to get me into trouble."

"You are trouble, lady."

Riley looks back at the commoner, the glint of mischief in his eyes making her adrenaline pump faster through her veins. "Now are you sure about this?" She bites her lip, "you'll catch me if–"

"For the hundredth time, yes," Drake rolls his eyes, holding his arms out wide. 

Since Drake's confession to Riley at Applewood, the two of them have been enjoying each other's company, especially after hours. They flirt with danger, sharing in kisses that they swear will never happen again for obvious reasons: she is there to pursue Liam and his hand in marriage; Drake is his best friend.

After watching Liam share a kiss with Riley, a dam of excruciating jealousy broke in Drake's heart. He already shared with Riley before that he was developing feelings for her, but now, it was… something else. Something more.

During dinner, the commoner passed her a note, asking her to meet him outside her window after midnight because they needed to talk.

Riley is staying in the guest quarters off the West Wing with the other suitors. She's only on the second floor, but still, a jump from that high could be dangerous. So, Drake helped the brunette construct a climbing rope with her top sheet. 

"I've got ya. Just… ease yourself over."

Riley takes one step at a time, following Drake's directions; but when she gets close to the ground, she looks back at Drake, raising an eyebrow, then jumps. 

"Whoa!" Drake stumbles as Riley crashes into his chest, his arms quickly cradling her close. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Riley giggles, combing her fingers through Drake's thick hair. "Sometimes a girl just wants to be caught."

Their eyes lock on one another, Drake's hand finding her cheek. He gently rubs his thumb across her soft skin, her eyes fluttering closed as she leans into his touch.

"Come with me," he whispers softly while grabbing her hand.

"Wait… I thought we were going to talk–"

"I want to show you something." Riley gives him a curious glare. "It's a surprise," he smirks, pulling her to follow him.

They walk silently, hand-in-hand across the grounds, playfully gazing back-and-forth at one another–that is, until all a sudden a bright flashlight skims over where they are walking.

"Who goes there?" A palace guard bellows.

"Brooks, take off your flip-flops," Drake commands under his breath, watching the guard in the distance.

"What? Why?"

"Just trust me," he squeezes her fingers. 

Riley quickly kicks them off, holding them in her hands. "Okay… now what?"

Drake grabs her hand again, his grip tight. "Run!" Giving her a warning tug, they both take off across the wet lawn, Riley following Drake's lead.

"Where… are we… going?" She pants, laughter bubbling from her chest.

"You'll see," Drake chuckles, "but we have to lose Barney Fife first!"

Dodging the glow of the searching lights, Drake and Riley finally make it to a large wall of greenery. Finding an entry, they pass through the walkway and hide behind the vines and leaves.

Drake looks to see if they finally lost the guards, but Riley takes a moment to look around the thicket they just entered. 

"Whoa," her eyes widen as she looks at the well-manicured covert. "Where… where are we?"

"It's… a maze. A hedge maze that we used to play in as kids."

"Are you serious?" She meanders down a corridor, looking around a corner. "It's so dark. Did you ever get lost?"

Drake chuckles, reaching into his pocket. "Plenty of times." He saunters closer to Riley, pulling out a flashlight and handing it to her. The air crackles around them as the charm of the blue moon ignites the twinkle in their eyes. Drake lowers his voice into a deep gravel. "Come get lost with me, Riley Brooks."

With that, he smiles and takes off jogging, Riley staying close behind. "Hey, not so fast Drake." She turns a corner and notices his denim shirt discarded on the grass. "You lost your shirt."

"Did I now?" He snickers. "Can you bring it to me?"

Riley scoffs into a giggle as she continues through the maze at the sound of his voice. "Maybe if you'd stop running away–"

"Maybe if you weren't so slow–"

"Hey!" Riley chides, "I just jumped out of a window–" she falls silent as finds Drake's belt tossed on the ground.  She collects it in her hand, biting her bottom lip. "Drake?"

"You're getting warm," he teases. Riley stumbles through another corner, turning left, then right. The sounds of her toes in the grass compliment her heavy breathing as she stops again to the cooing of his voice. "Warmer, Brooks." 

She continues until suddenly, she notices a warm glow just up ahead. Her steps quicken until finally she reaches a small clearing in the maze that opens to a stunning backdrop of the star-filled sky. Gas-lit sconces illuminate the garden, revealing tapestries of vines and flowers fixed to wooden lattice work amongst the bushes.

"Wow," Riley gasps, her eyes glowing with the wonder all around her. "This is beautiful." She feels Drake's warm touch on her hand, their fingers lacing together. 

"Cmon," he tugs on her, "I want to show you something."

"There's more?" She giggles, following his lead. They walk a short, pebbled path until they are standing in front of a large gray-stoned well. Riley presses her fingertips to the cold marbled edges before looking down into the dark abyss. Her eyes shift to Drake, "Is this where you murder me?" He chuckles, shaking his head as she turns back to the well opening. "Hello!" She shouts, the echoes welcoming each other back and forth.  

"I'll be honest, Brooks." Riley looks back at Drake. "I'm kinda shocked Liam hasn't already brought you here. It's one of his favorite places to show off in the entire estate."

"Oh," Riley's eyebrows knit together with a pained expression. 

"Hey," Drake nudges her playfully. "What's with the long face?"

Riley snickers into a scoff before finally succumbing to tears. "I'm just exhausted," she pulls her hands to her face.

"Brooks," he pulls her into his comforting arms.

"This social season bullshit is just … it's really screwing with my head," she sniffles. "I've never been more insecure in all my life, and what for?" She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, clearing her throat. "I wish I knew where I stood. I wish the competition was over. I wish–"

Drake reaches into his pocket, pulling out a couple of worn copper coins. He offers them to a confused Riley.

"Pennies?" She sniffles.

"Yeah," he chuckles, "I forgot to get rid of them when we were in New York. They're worthless here. No conversion."

Riley's lips begin to curl. "Then why keep them?"

Drake starts inspecting the coins in his hand, allowing them to softly clang together in his palm. "I read a book once–"

"--picture books don't count as reading."

"Ha. Ha." He smirks, feigning annoyance as he starts to jingle the coins in his hand. "I read that in ancient civilizations, finding random metals was a sign or a blessing from the gods."

"You see them everywhere back home. The streets, sidewalks," she snickers, "a whole cent. How generous of the gods."

"What? A penny isn't enough for you?" Drake playfully growls, slowly leaning closer to Riley.  She coyly bats her lashes, a soft titter in her throat. "Here." He puts a coin in her hand.

"What's this for?" Riley studies the trinket.

"For something bigger, citizens would offer the metal back to the gods, like a payment.  So they would say a silent prayer, then toss it–"

"--into a well," Riley softly finishes.

Drake nods over his shoulder to the stoned well. "Let's make your wishes count."

One by one, Drake and Riley silently take pennies, casting them into the well with unspoken hopes and dreams until every last coin was gone. Feeling his close proximity, Riley stares up into his dark eyes, getting lost into a charming stillness.

"What did you wish for?" She whispers.

Drake slowly shakes his head. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

He offers a crooked grin. Combing his fingers into Riley's dark, espresso waves, his hand gently grips the back of her neck, pulling her closer. "All my wishes have already come true, Brooks."  He closes the space between them, their lips grazing one another. The feather-light touch instantly ignites a hunger, one they both feel and crave. Drake pulls back, chuckling under his breath as he fidgets with the hem of Riley's shirt. "So... why didn't you take off any clothes?"

Riley bites her bottom lip. "Maybe... because... I wanted my wish to come true." She pauses, her fingers tucking into the front pocket of Drake's jeans, pulling his hips flush against hers.

He swallows thickly. "Which is?"

"Take them off for me, Walker."

—

(Present)

Damnit.  I adjust myself in my jeans, but my cock always hardens at the memory of Riley and me that night. We fucked. A lot. But that night, our first night together, it was more than just sex. We made love.

I take a swig of my new drink that the bartender must've dropped off while I was taking a stroll down the boulevard of broken dreams when my eyes dart to my Riley look-alike.

And I feel my dick shrink.

She's with someone, some blond tool, probably named Chad, with a tool haircut that shops at Tools-R-Us with a matching trust fund. 

I sigh to myself, polishing the rest of my drink before staring at my empty glass. 

He is pretty hot; I don't blame her.

I glance at them one more time, kissing my own dirty fantasy away when I notice something odd. His hand is sternly gripped around her wrist, staring at her like she's his next meal. 

But her face tells a different story. She seems to be struggling, trying to tear her arm away from him. Those big, doe eyes are panicked, large as table saucers as she frantically looks for help. 

I sigh. Goddamnit...

I wipe a napkin across my mouth as I stand, my glare fixed on this commotion transpiring before me. I shrug my shoulders, loosening the tight fabric off my back as I stretch my muscles. Just in case.

I hurry my way through the dense crowd of patrons gathered around the bar. I flex my fingers, bending my wrist as I get closer.

Ah, shit. This is the part I'm bad at. What do I say first? 'Stop that!' No, that's lame. I need something clever, like maybe, 'Is there a problem here?' How about–

My clenched fist meets his jaw, knocking the asshole in one swing into a bartop table before he crashes down onto the floor.  He's so disoriented; he's trying to get up, but he keeps slipping on shards of glass, falling back into the pathetic rumple he calls his life.

Fuck. My hand. I know it will hurt like a bitch in a few minutes when my body depletes of adrenaline, but for right now, I'm basking in the moment. 

A smirk grows on my mouth, but it doesn't last for long. The young woman. I turn to the Riley look-alike, her terrified stare already fixed on me. Instinctively, I carefully put my hand on her shoulder. She's shaking.

"Excuse me, miss. Are you alright?"

Ho.ly. Fuuuuuuck. 

Brooks? Seeing her up close is almost painful; I can feel my balls beginning to ache.  This woman is hauntingly stunning: the subtle freckles on her nose, the curve of the bow to her top lip, even the flounce of her long, flirty eyelashes. She's beautiful; she's… like somebody I used to know…

The young woman shyly nods, but she's trembling. She's clearly not alright. 

And I suddenly possess this overwhelming need to take her in my arms, hold her tight and let her know she's safe. 

Calm down, Walker. 

"Let's get you away from this." I look up, noticing an open lounge-type area near the dance floor with large, plush couches. Offering my arm, she holds on tightly as we escape through the debris of the nightmare that just happened. Placing a reassuring hand on her back, I encourage her to sit. 

I, on the other hand, keep an eye on douche canoe who is being helped up by security and his friends. But, I don't think he'll be a problem for us anymore tonight.  He never got a good look at me, and even if he had, something tells me his ego would keep him away from telling the truth of who made him taste his own blood.

Turning towards the young woman, I notice she is anxiously looking around, her body on edge.  I tilt myself to her ear, shouting over the blaring music, "Are you here with anyone?" 

She nods, "B-but it's okay," she yells back, waving her hands. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

She fakes a smile, and my God, it knocks me back. Stunning.

Focus on her words, Walker...

"I don't exactly want to…" 

I don't quite understand the rest of her statement, her words lost in the heavy beat of the music. I give her an inquisitive look, causing her to careen towards my ear, her hand brushing across my shoulder.

And my cock twitches. Breathe, buddy…

"I said… I don't want to interrupt their fun." She motions aimlessly to the dance floor. Got it.

"Can I call someone for you? Family perhaps?"

Her eyes widen. "What? No, no." 

She grins, but it's clearly hiding her true feelings. Which is fine. I'm a complete stranger. Shit, she probably thinks I'm some creepy old man, hitting on her at the bar. And sure, maybe on a night where she wasn't assaulted, maybe I would've bought her a drink, asked for her number.

But the fact of the matter is this: I really don't feel comfortable leaving this girl alone. She  just got into a physical altercation with… whoever that guy was. Her boyfriend? Oh shit, husband? I look at her hand; I don't see a ring, but that doesn't mean anything. You never know these days. Still, she doesn't need to be by herself right now. She really doesn't need to be here, but again, who am I but another creep at the bar.

I run my fingers through my hair. Oh, what the hell. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

A hint of fear crosses her expression as she looks me over. 

I hold up my hands in defense before leaning over her shoulder. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone in a place like this," I shout, "especially with what happened with your boyfriend."

She takes a deep breath. She flashes those big, brown eyes at me before finally nodding in agreement. 

And my heart melts. 

I offer my hand. "Drake."

The corners of her lips curl as she takes my hand, leaning towards my ear. "Jake?" She yells.

I shake my head, facing her ear more directly. "Drake!" I holler over the deep thrumming of the bass.

She raises an eyebrow. "Jake?" 

Eh, close enough. I smile in agreement.

"I'm Nora," she smiles, already more relaxed.

"Nora?" I repeat, ensuring I heard her correctly. At least one of us should be called by our real names this evening. 

She nods innocently, a beautiful rosy pink painting her cheeks. "Oh, and, um… he's not my boyfriend."  A piece of her hair falls like liquid silk into her eyes as she looks down at her lap. She quickly shoos the wisp away, chasing it behind her ear before looking back at me, trying to figure out my angle. Am I here to hurt her? Flirt with her? Invite her home for a messy, drunken fuck?

Don't worry, sweetie, you're safe with me.

"American?"

She catches me off guard with that one. "Uh, yeah. How did you–?"

She points to her mouth, her lips perfectly rounded and plump, painted a deep crimson. Oh, duh. My watered-down accent. Toto, we're not in Texas anymore. It's hard to believe that at one point in my life, I actually sounded like these people. Every once in a while, the Cordonian beast pounces, but these days, I sound like the typical American mutt.

"Are you on vacation?" Nora asks.

I smirk, shaking my head. "I… moved here for work."

"To Cordonia?" She snickers. "Of all places?"

"Fair," I chuckle under my breath as I feel the heat rise up my neck. "I… grew up here, so I have… connections, friends and family. It makes for an easy transition. How about you?"

Her eyes brighten, like a pageant contestant being asked about world peace. "Cordonian. Born and raised."

"That's unfortunate," I joke. Sorta.

"Hey," she giggles, scrunching up her nose playfully.  She swats the back of her hand against my shoulder. The touch sends a shockwave of familiarity, robbing me of my breath. "I love Cordonia–"

"Spoken like a true Cordonian."

"And… what's wrong with that?"

Drake guffaws. "What isn't wrong with that?"

"Your tone is suggesting that there's something wrong with having pride in your country–"

"It's egotistical–"

"The only thing egotistical is thinking that your opinion about Cordonia is the only opinion to be had." She furrows her brows. "If you hate it so much, why did you come back?"

Shit. She's feisty. And this conversation has gone completely off the rails.  I can't tell if she's really pissed… or if I'm just really turned on and wanting a sparring match. 

Fuck. You just had to be a jackass…

"Okay, truth?" I offer, even though I'm sure she wants to toss a drink in my face at this point.

She turns to face me, tucking her leg underneath her. "Please."

"I had a rough time fitting in here. Except for my best friend. He's–" I grin thinking about Liam and I, growing up together, how perfect and inseparable we were. "--as Cordonian as you can get. Well, except… I mean, his mom… nevermind," I shake my head. "He's the nicest person I've ever met in my life. I needed some help after a bad business deal, and… he was there and… now I'm here."

"Huh." She sits back, crossing her arms as she takes me in. She raises an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling. She's clearly unsure of me, and I don't blame her. 

"Drinks?" A cocktail waitress dressed in a skimpy, leather skirt interrupts us.

Rubbing the back of my neck nervously, I turn to Nora. I have a feeling that this might be the end of the night for us, especially if I don't offer her a cocktail.

I stare at the sparkling flecks of bronze in her eyes. There's something about this girl, more than just the memories she stirs up in me. I can't explain it… shit, then again, maybe I'm fooling myself, wanting something to be there that never was. Still… I clear my throat… you never know unless you try.

 "Would… you like one? A drink?"

She narrows her eyes in thought… and fucking hell, she's so goddamn beautiful. Like Riley incarnate. The mannerisms, some of her expressions. Watching her literally robs me of speech and air, and I am dying to spend more time with her. Hell, who knows where the night will take us. 

I really hope she agrees to this drink. I can tell I haven't exactly won her over in the past twenty minutes, but if she would just agree to one more drink, just a few more minutes with me, maybe history could repeat itself. Maybe I could experience the woman of my dreams in a different way. Now, I could never tell Nora this; she could never find out. I mean, I am attracted to her, it's just…

"Sure," Nora interrupts my thoughts, her lips curling. "I'll take a drink."

~🖤~

Thank you so much for your support! Every like, comment and reblog means the world to me! 🖤

~🖤~

Tags (Please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed)

PERMA

@alj4890 @ao719 @charlotteg234 @issabees @kat-tia801 @kingliam2019 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @nikirennie87 @peonierose @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam

ALL TRR

@3pawandme @alyshak92 @iaminlovewithtrr @kristinamae093 @lovingchoices14 @malblk21 @rubiwalker @sfb123 @twinkleallnight

DEJA VU

@busywoman @katedrakeohd @walkerdrakewalker

[griffinsabina]

[choatic-bumblebee-agenda]

Telling you more about my characters but it's just their opinions on Hamilton

Avery - Surprisingly likes it. Maggie got her into it. Appreciates the historical aspect.

Maggie - Obsessed

Cole - Dislikes it because of how popular it is, but if he tried could probably end up enjoying it. Has all the lyrics memorized because Eleanor is always playing it.

Claire: Likes it a lot, not quite obsessed though

Eleanor - Obsessed

Ezra - Hates all musicals, especially overly popular ones like this

Hailey - Only knows a few songs but likes it okay

Jonathan - Tf is Hamilton? Musical about a an old guy?? Wait it's basically a history lesson??? no thank you

Gabriel - No strong opinions

Emma - Only likes Schuyler Sisters, Helpless, and Satisfied

[thefirstcourtesan]

I can’t believe I never reblogged this? I adore this fic. I love the interaction between young Kiara and Liam and how Joelle is able to figure out what he doesn’t like about ta vine. I really enjoy your Eleanor’s Kitchen fics and the way you weave food I tot he history of Cordonia and Liam’s personal history.

Eleanor's Kitchen

Book: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairing: None. Queen Eleanor & Prince Liam (mother-son), Queen Eleanor & Joëlle Theron (platonic), Prince Liam & Kiara Theron (platonic)

Rating: PG for one cuss word.

Summary: Eleanor and Liam get a visit from Joëlle and her daughter Kiara, along with a few surprises. (Takes place a few weeks after Chapter Two. Liam is seven years old, Kiara is five)

Note: In this series, Hakim, Joëlle and Kiara's surnames are spelt Thorne. People close to Constantine call him "Kontos".

Series: Eleanor's Kitchen

Word Count: 3,532

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for Fics of the Week

Tagging @choicesmonthlychallenge for the May Challenge - Day 31 - smile | macaroons | "This isn't goodbye"

Chapter 3: Djaj M'qualli bi Zeitoun

Today is one of those rare days when Liam finds both himself and his mother in a bad mood, near-identical pouts jutting out from their lips.

He suspects Mum's has something to do with a phone call today from Duchess Joëlle Thorne, instructing her strictly not to cook, because this time she wants to be the one bringing food. Mum had practically forgotten she was Duchess Joëlle's Queen and got on the verge of pleading, several times. But the other woman, miles away on holiday in France, would not budge.

I think I know where Kiara gets her stubbornness from, Liam thinks to himself - remembering his sometimes-playmate who always drove hard bargains during their "toy trade wars" and beat him, Drake (and Maxwell whenever his father Duke Barthelemy brought him over to the palace from Ramsford) in raucous games of football.

He almost-smiles at the memory of the three of them stomping off the palace grounds after yet another defeat, but the sudden flash of memory of a recent state dinner abroad, sitting next to his older brother, makes him scowl again.

Seven tagines. Seven alone this year, and Liam has lost count of how many people have fed him tagine over the past year. And each one with such a lovely, glowing, expectant look on their faces that he hasn't had the heart to tell them that he's hated tagines ever since that first tongue-numbing bite (Mum would later wonder if the cinnamon might have been a little much on that dish, but then brushed the idea off, being the Biggest Cinnamon Lover Ever) at a diplomat's house in Fez last March. Some of the dishes had ingredients he loved (apricots. shrimp. meatballs) and things he would never touch (prunes), but that first awful experience haunted him every time he took a forkful, making him dread even the possibility of going somewhere where it could be served.

"You could just say no," Leo had once said, smirking. That little shit, Liam had murmured a phrase he'd picked up from his own brother under his breath, knowing his parents would take offence at the last word, and Leo at the second. It would be so easy. He could go tell Mum right now and she'd make sure everyone - palace chefs, Heads of State, everyone - stopped bringing him tagine, court protocol and social embarrassment be damned. After all, she's now grown suspicious enough to ask. But he can't.

This is a game the brothers have been playing ever since Liam turned four: you never let the other side know they're winning. Not unless you wanted to everyone to think you'll forever be the little baby around here, always crying to your mother.

He will never admit to Leo how much he hates it, and he will never admit to himself that over the last few months he's begun to hate it a little less. So now, whenever the tagine gets laid out on the dinner table, warm in its brightly-patterned pot alongside a bowl of jewelled couscous, Liam defiantly stabs the meat, staring his older brother straight in the eye as he forks it into his mouth. You lose!

Mum is still flicking her thumb over the other fingers on her hand now, lost in her own thoughts. It takes her a couple seconds before she speaks. "Joëlle loves the Cordonian Ruby, Kiara likes puff pastry. I could make them chaussons aux pommes to take home!" she says in a low, triumphant whisper.

Liam stares at his mother in confusion. "I thought Auntie Jöelle said no cooking."

Mum shrugs her shoulders in a rare show of childlike glee. "What's she going to do, fly a plane back to stop me?" she says, and Liam can tell she's already keeping a mental note of the ingredients, "By the time she gets here, we'll make her a dessert she can't refuse."

--

For a split-second when Auntie Joëlle and her daughter arrive, Mum seems to search for something behind them, then at their faces, with a rapidly dimming smile. But the look is so fleeting Liam wonders if he'd imagined it.

"Where's Uncle Hakim, Mum?"

Mum's hands involuntarily tighten on his shoulders at the question, it is a smiling Auntie Joëlle who answers. "He's in a meeting with your father, Prince Liam."

Mum greets little Kiara with a warm hug, before moving back and admiring her hair. Kiara's half-ponytail zigzags in waves along her shoulders, her heart-shaped face framed on either side by thin long braids studded with tiny butterfly clips. A very tiny topknot adorns the top of her head, and Liam can see small braids covering it too. She looks very pretty and very proud of her mother.

"Now you're just showing off, Jo," Liam can hear Mum whisper, chuckling. "You've really outdone yourself this time. And that dress!"

"Butterflies and ladybugs," Auntie Joëlle grins, waving her free hand in the general direction of Kiara's bright red frock, dotted with tiny ladybugs. "Her latest passions."

"My cousin Céleste saw this in a magazine and asked her maman to do it," Kiara whispers to Liam, fingering a green butterfly on her braid as they walk towards the table, "so I asked mine. Maman got all the clips from back home too."

"Lots of butterflies come to our garden but you won't see a lot of them now," Liam whispers back, "ask Auntie Joëlle to bring you in the morning next time, Drake and I play everyday there."

Kiara gifts him a wide, sunny smile, showing off the gap from her first fallen baby tooth. "Okay!" Liam is amazed at her confidence; he was only a year older than she is now when his first milk tooth fell, and he couldn't open his mouth in front of anyone for weeks.

"I've been hearing from several people that this is Prince Liam's favourite," Auntie Joëlle says, and Liam's heart sinks to his stomach as she opens one of the parcels of food she brought with her.

Of course!, Liam mentally kicks himself for forgetting, I should have known! Uncle Hakim is half-Moroccan!

The thick gravy is an inviting deep golden brown, coating tender, browned pieces of chicken. The pickled lemon slices glisten moistly, and the entire room is filled with scents of citrus and caramelized onions. If only this wasn't -

"- tagine?" Liam says, realizing too late, and to his horror, that he sounds just as disappointed as he feels. Somehow without Leo around and without spite to drive him, Liam can't find it in him to pretend.

"Oh," Auntie Joëlle's voice sounds soft and bemused. She looks at him blankly for a few moments, then shifts just as quickly to a cheery smile and an overly-bright tone. "Well! It's good I have backup then!"

Liam looks towards Kiara, but she's staring at the tagine instead, mouth pursed and eyes wide.

As Auntie Joëlle quickly rummages for something else, Mum moves closer to her and mouths a "sorry". "I've had a bit of a suspicion for a while, but he's always told me very strongly that he liked that dish."

"It's alright," Auntie Joëlle whispers back, taking out a small box. When she opens it Liam can already smell the citrus notes in the air intensify, but this time it's oranges. "I should have asked you first. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"You did save the day by bringing dessert," Mum says smiling, her hand on Auntie Joëlle's shoulder. Kiara is still suspiciously silent, but Liam can see a pout growing, and she looks at him like she's caught him cheating at tag.

"If there's one thing we all know for certain, Elle, it's that your youngest has the biggest sweet tooth in the palace." She laughs, then turns to Liam. "Have some meskouta, cheri. I know you like nuts and honey, so we got you an almond-orange cake, with a little honey and orange blossom water."

She lays the cake on the table, letting him admire its simple golden hue, studded with green-pink pistachios.

"Don't worry about the tagine, we can save it for the rest of the -"

Kiara finally speaks up. "Prince Liam doesn't like tagine?"

Her voice is pitched high and drips of disappointment. He's heard Auntie Joëlle tell Mum and Leo about Kiara's growing love for the dish since last year, but she's always been the kind that took opinions she didn't agree with with a shrug, before moving on to something else. Except, it seems, when it comes to playing tag. And tagine.

"How can you not like tagine!" Kiara turns to her mother, aghast. "Maman, do you hear this??"

Auntie Joëlle shakes her head, looking at Kiara in a mixture of exhasperation and fondness. "Oh, you're just being dramatic now, ma fée. Not everyone has to like it!"

Kiara's raises her chin and scowls in defiance. "Well I think that's just a vatful of mer-"

"Language, Kiara!"

Her mother's eyes narrow dangerously at her, and Kiara freezes mid-sentence, before frowning and folding her hands on her lap.

"- mercredi," she mumbles instead, sulkily.

Mum turns to Auntie Joëlle as they leave the children to move towards her private kitchen. He can only barely hear them. "Was she about to say merde?"

"Yes. Only five years old, and already managed to pick up that kind of language. I ought to have a word with her brother...when he's back from my sister's house in Loire," she hisses, stealing an apologetic glance in Liam's direction. Ashamed at being caught eavesdropping, he turns away. "I just hope le petit prince doesn't find out what that means."

Relaxed now but still pouting, Kiara turns to Liam. Her tone is low and a little grudging, like she thinks she's being too nice. "When did you have tagine?"

"The first time was last year," Liam murmurs resentfully, his foot tapping rhythmically against the table. "I hated it. My tongue went numb."

Suddenly thoughtful, Kiara softly clicks her tongue. "My worst tagine ever tasted like that. Maman said that was because it had too much sin...sin... ugh! -" she groans in frustration, "the brown curly stick. I forget what she calls it."

Liam giggles quietly. Already he can hear Father's booming voice in his head, telling him that's not how boys laugh. But he's sure Kiara won't mind. "I think she meant cinnamon."

"Mhm. This tagine doesn't have that. Maman said you wouldn't like it."

Liam's eyes widen. "How would she know?"

"She says you always ignore the things on the dessert table that use a lot of it."

I didn't even know that. He shifts a little in his seat, uncomfortable but a little touched that Auntie Joëlle noticed something about himself that he hadn't. And the dish does look and smell lovely...and she did take the effort to make him not one, but two, dishes.

Would a tiny taste really hurt? Besides, he'd always thought he hated tomato pasta until Uncle Franci gave them tomatoes from his uncle's farm.

Liam sighs in defeat against his own thoughts. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try.

He tears a piece of very soft, very fluffy khobz, and dips a little bit of it in the sauce, letting a little bit of chicken fall like butter off the bone. He eats it slowly, gingerly, waiting in dread for that odd, tingling sensation on his tongue to hit.

It never comes. The sensations that hit his tongue make his tastebuds come alive rather than numbing them. The chicken and the gravy mesh and dissolve in his mouth as he takes one bite, then one more, then several; the hum of spices wrapping his entire body in a blanket of warmth. And underneath it all, a subtly silky sweetness, one that he decides comes from the browned bits he can spot atop the tagine.

"Daghmira, my Jiddah used to call it," Kiara finally speaks after finishing off her own meal, looking very smug. "She'd cook onions until they were dark and sweet and sticky like jam. So goooooood."

Liam's laugh comes out in a closed-mouth, satisfied hum, his mouth full and his spirits high and his tongue ready to leap out of his face from the medley of flavours it has been greeted with. Between the two of them, the tagine bowl gets empty quite soon.

The two of them make quick work of the almond-orange cake too. It's a moist, dreamy slice of heaven, dissolving easily on his tongue, the earthy, nutty bitterness of the almonds blending with a flavour that is sweet, and bright, and quite floral. Kiara's right - you can't pick out the cinnamon from the medley of subtle spices infused into the cake - the saffron, the cardamom - it's a gentle caress of that spice rather than a punch in the face. Liam used to think coconut macaroons were his favourite Moroccan dessert, but his dreamy confection of a dessert seems to be beating them hollow.

Mum and Auntie Joëlle return to empty plates and a pair of talkative children, their moods both considerably more subdued than what it was when they left. For a minute Liam feels like Mum's eyes look a little reddened, and Auntie Joëlle's smile a little weaker, a little more tired...but he quickly brushes it aside when he sees just how impressed they are with all the food their children managed to finish.

"Did Liam eat some of it too?" Joelle says, her face breaking out into a smile.

"He ate half," Kiara tells her mother, raising her chin and looking very proud of herself. Liam forgives her easily for her smugness this time - at least for the flavour of that tagine still lingering on his tongue.

"It was very nice," Liam tells his and Kiara's mothers, smiling for real, "I liked the cake too."

Mum says nothing, simply beaming, her hands clasped in a single clap. She shares an amused look with Auntie Joëlle, then gasps and leaves, almost like she's just remembered something - only to return with a little box of apple turnovers. Kiara immediately makes a beeline for the dessert, asking her mother if she can sample some right now.

"Elle?" Auntie Joëlle gives her a very pointed look, "what did I tell you before I got here today?"

Mum suppresses her laughter, gently nudging Auntie Joëlle with her shoulder. "You're the one who gave me that recipe. Of course I'm going to show off!"

Kiara, already full from the chicken and the cake, seems to have an extra stomach for desserts too, because she has already begun sinking her teeth into the crisp puff pastry. She does not forget to wipe the crumbs from her mouth delicately with a handkerchief like a good lady-in-the-making would. "Please tell Her Majesty to show off more."

When Mum (looking a little more exhausted than usual) tucks Liam into bed that night, Liam allows himself a tiny, triumphant smile. He isn't sure whether tagines will ever replace tomato pasta and fragrant fish stew for his favourite dish - he isn't even sure if he will like it that much later, or whether Auntie Joëlle's cooking was just that good - but he is sure of one thing.

When he is served his ninth tagine this year, and Leo smirks across the table in anticipation, his older brother will be in for a surprise. This time he's not going to just stab that meat with a fork, look Leo square in the eye and eat the damn tagine. He's going to fork that tender piece of meat into his mouth, look Leo square in the eye, eat the damn tagine and enjoy it.

I win!

--

Some time earlier....

The first thing Joëlle does when she enters Eleanor's private kitchen, is to close her eyes and breathe in deep, as if to memorize the scents of this place.

"Mon Dieu...it even smells like you."

Eleanor laughs nervously, trying hard to cover her trembling hands by busying them with the cabinets. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Cinnamon...black pepper...vanilla beans...dried roses...coffee. Can a combination of those smells ever be considered bad?"

Her laughter is a little louder, a little more genuine this time. "Far cry from our university days. When both our rooms used to smell of new books and old clothes we never wanted to throw away?"

Joëlle nods, sighing at the memories. "And then we got married."

Eleanor's smile dims. "To a Duke and a King. Who would've thought." It's hard, thinking about Hakim and Constantine now, remembering a time when the two were her and Joëlle's seniors, distant, mysterious, only visible through fleeting glimpses. And you would almost never catch a glimpse of those two apart. Every university event, every auto race, they seemed joined at the hip. Kontos would tell her later how his first month in university was also his loneliest, having been tutored all his childhood in private, and how much Hakim had cared for him, helping him with class notes and giving him company when other classmates were too intimidated to approach him.

The irony, Eleanor thinks as she runs a thumb over the rustic wooden surface of a kitchen counter, that two men so close together can look each other in the face and hardly recognize what they're seeing. For the millionth time, she wonders at the role his new friends...advisors - whatever they are, the lines are so blurred now - have to play in this, and at her own failure.

It hits her like a punch in the chest. Her guilt is suddenly so intense that Eleanor looks away, unable for a moment to face her own friend. Her mouth twists in a grimace and she presses her lips tight together, as if that attempt will stem the tears she knows are coming.

"Elle?" Joëlle says softly, "Are you crying?"

"No." Damn this voice, Eleanor thinks, hating how hard it's always been to hide the tremor in her tone.

Jo sighs. "Is this about Hakim and Kontos? Am I right in assuming you're beating yourself up over their friendship again? As if you don't have enough on your plate already?"

"I tried to talk to him before you three came here," she says, still unable to face Joëlle, "and I don't think it worked. I know it sounds like another excuse, but -"

"Excuse??" Joëlle whips around to face her, her face rife with confusion, "Ellie? Who told you that? Just where are you getting these ideas from?"

The tears now stream down her face in freeflow. "I'm trying. To help Kontos realize just how valuable Hakim is to him. To make him see what he'll lose if he gives up such a friend...such an ally...for two people who I know in my bones he can't trust. But I feel like I'm not trying hard enough."

It isn't just about saving a personal friendship they've seen from afar - both Eleanor and Joëlle know that. There is a vision of what this country can be - beyond the tribalism, beyond the suspicion and naked fear. They both know they want Cordonia that doesn't simply think about barely surviving from day to day, but feels safe enough to create. To share. To thrive. Hakim is the only Great House member far-sighted enough to understand that.

Joëlle covers Eleanor's hands in her own. "We know you've been trying, Elle. Doubting that is out of the question. I'm saying you shouldn't have to."

Eleanor looks up, incredulous, "You're... you're telling me to stop trying?"

Joëlle shakes her head, running a hand through Eleanor's hair before resting it on her right cheek. Her face is such a medley of conflicting emotions that Eleanor can't single out just one. "No, Elle. I'm saying stop holding yourself responsible for things you can't control."

She winces. "I don't understand."

"I knew you wouldn't. That's just how you are," Jo lets her hand fall, turning away, "You're trying. Hakim is trying. But ultimately the decision to honour that friendship...that lies with Kontos. And he is his own man. If he decides he doesn't want Hakim - he doesn't want us - then that's his decision, Elle." She turns around to Eleanor, worry for her old friend shining in her eyes. "I want you to be certain that when..."

Eleanor winces.

"...if nothing works out, you will know you gave this your all. And we both know you didn't need to. Neither Hakim nor I will love you any less."

Speechless, Eleanor can do nothing but hug Joëlle, sobbing weakly on her shoulder.

"Promise me," Joëlle whispers to her before they leave the kitchen, even though they're the only ones in the room, "Promise me that the compassion you show everyone else... you'll at least start showing a fraction of that to yourself."

Eleanor opens her mouth to argue this, then closes it. "I'll... I'll try."

Hakim comes out of his talk with Constantine, not too long after Joëlle and Kiara are done with their meal. Eleanor can tell, from the bleakness in his eyes and the strained lines around his mouth, that it didn't go well. Still, he doesn't hesitate to smile at her and Liam when he's about to leave, and she's comforted by the small gesture.

It's a comfort she doesn't yet believe she deserves...but it settles her heart a little, nonetheless.

She serves the rest of the tagine that night, beaming as Liam eats it with genuine enthusiasm, frowning at the thought of Leo (he's out late and avoiding his father...again), and looking back innocently when Kontos asks her, his face giving away nothing, whether this dish came straight from the Thorne house.

"Yes," Eleanor replies, "yes, it did."

A corner of his mouth goes up the tiniest bit. "I can tell," he replies, taking more bites and refusing to say any more, pointedly not seeing the small smile on his wife's face, "Good tagine. Good tagine."

--

Recipes:

Classic Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons, Olives and Daghmira (Onion Sauce) from the Taste of Maroc blog.

Recipe for Meskouta from the book The World Cookbook: The Greatest Recipes from Around the World.

Translations:

French:

Chaussons aux pommes - French-style apple turnovers

Chéri/Chérie - Darling

Ma fée - My fairy

Merde - Shit

Mercredi - Wednesday. But in this context, Kiara is using it to cover up the above cuss word

Le Petit Prince - literally, the Little Prince, also a reference to a book of the same name.

Mon Dieu - My God

Darija/Arabic:

Djaj M'qualli bi Zeitoun - Usually used to refer to a chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives, made in a traditional tagine clay pot. Djaj means chicken, m'qualli is a cooking technique that involves frying, and zeitoun means olives.

Meskouta - A traditional Moroccan cake, often served for teatime, featuring a range of ingredients. It's usually made in bundt shape. The popular ones used almonds or yoghurt in their base for the batter, and the most popular flavourings are lemon, orange/orange blossom, or vanilla.

Khobz - A type of bread

Daghmira - Sauce made of caramelized onions. In tagine it's used as a topping.

Jiddah - Grandmother. Kiara is using this to refer to her paternal grandmother, and Hakim's mother.

Reference hairstyle for kid!Kiara in this chapter:

--

[tessa-liam]

I need to share my commission of my OTP family, King Liam Rys & Queen Riley Rys with their children, Eleanor, William and Stefan! Finally!

I posted the corresponding chapter of Smoke and Mirrors, chapter 11, The Lantern Festival , today.

Thank you so much Ainna /@artbyainna (IG) for bringing my idea to "Life"🥰😘❤️ once again!!!

📌All fics & edits: @ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @charlotteg234

📌TRR/TRH/TRF Liam & Riley: @irisk12 @walkerdrakewalker @thesvnsins @jared2612 @emersyn-in-cordonia @mainstreetreader @belencha77 @iluaaa @mysticalfangirl @queenwalton @bascmve01 @umccall71 @choicesfrog

@choicesficwriterscreations

[kristinamae093]

Hey There! I saw this, and I couldn't agree more! Nothing says I love you more than "I'm willing to try this for you." And this works for all kinds of relationships: romance, friends, and family, too.

Would you be able to create something showing this for one of your characters or pairings? It could be a drabble, fic, edit, art - anything at all!

NO PRESSURE AT ALL - only if you want to, but I'd love to see what you could come up with!

Hey @jerzwriter! 👋 Thank you so much for sending this my way! This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy this silly nonsense I came up with! 🙂

Baking Memories

Everything else can be found here.

Book - TRR

Characters - Constantine, Liam.

Warnings - There's like, one bad word.

Word Count - 2489

A/N 1 - This is a one-shot from my HCTS AU, but this can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. The only thing you really need to know is Constantine didn't die as he did in canon and beat his cancer, but has been diagnosed a second time. Kyla (F!OC) is mentioned but not present, so I guess this takes place sometime between the previous chapter and the next.

A/N 2 - I slipped in the third @choicesflashfics prompt — “Why are you being so weird?” that will be bolded.

A/N 3 - (last one) - thank you SO MUCH @ao719 for reading through this for me and your suggestions! Any errors found are mine and mine alone, and I didn't really edit this a whole lot to be honest, so...... There's your warning lol 🙃.

Most characters belong to Pixelberry.

Constantine Rys was once a hard man; born and bred for royalty, he never got to enjoy and experience the little things in life. It never bothered him before, considering he was the reigning monarch of an entire nation with the world at his fingertips. However, since his retirement he found himself longing to experience all the things he missed out on. Today specifically, he wanted to learn how to bake; not just anything, a very specific recipe. 

His first wife was clueless in the kitchen and Regina knew very little, but Eleanor spoiled him with various baked goods consistently while she was alive. When she found the time for it Constantine never understood, but she always had warm cookies for him and the children to enjoy. He'll never forget the memories of retiring to his quarters after a long day and opening the door to hear the boys and Eleanor’s laughter, accompanied by the sweet, heavenly smell of whatever she prepared for them that day. 

Now, especially since his time left on earth was limited, he wanted to learn all these things he never had the opportunity to experience before. He found an instructor and Bastien vetted the person before scheduling a private lesson right in his quarters. His intention was to set everything up so Kyla could join him, but the teacher was only available on a specific day and Kyla was off. He knew she would still come if he asked, but he didn't want to impose on her personal time. Regina was his backup, but unfortunately, that day was a no from her as well. 

Even so, Constantine was still excited about his lesson. It may only be a class of one, but he was looking forward to putting his new skill to use. 

A knock sounded on his door and he quickly scurried over to answer it. On the other side stood Bastien, a woman who he assumed to be his 'teacher', and Liam, who Constantine hadn't told. It wasn't that he was trying to hide anything or keep secrets; he initially wanted to recruit Liam for this venture to begin with. However, he knew all too well how busy a Friday afternoon was as a solo monarch and figured it would be of no use to ask. However, his unexpected presence made Constantine hopeful that perhaps they would get to share this experience after all.  

"Son! What're you doing here?"

"I just so happened to be taking my lunch when I saw Bastien with Mrs. Finch." Liam motioned to the woman with a polite smile. "Care to explain to me why you're having bakers come to your quarters?"

"She's going to teach me."

"You want to bake?" Liam asked with an arched brow. 

"Precisely." 

"Why?"

"Do you remember those cookies your mother would make? The molasses ones?"

Liam's mouth involuntarily started watering. "I do… That's what you want to make?"

"Eventually I'd like to try other things, but that's where I’ll start. I haven't had them in years and the staff just can't make them the way she did, anyway. I was hoping if I took some lessons, perhaps I could give it a go." Constantine stopped talking as he took in Liam's nostalgic expression. "Care to join us?"

"I don't bake, or – haven't in quite a while."

"Then this is the ideal time to perfect your skills!" Constantine hopefully suggested.

Liam's face instantly fell at seeing him so excited. "I really wish I could, but I have a meeting soon." 

Constantine was trying his hardest to smile, but on a few occurrences he realized Liam was doing what he'd done to him and Leo for years; putting the crown first. He never realized how much it truly hurts to be left alone when the person you're longing to spend time with is occupied. Of course, he understood Cordonia does ultimately have to come first, but perhaps since his time was limited he was beginning to develop a love-hate relationship with the word duty. 

"Ah, I see... No worries, son." Constantine sadly smiled and motioned for the woman to come in. "If everything goes right, perhaps I can bring you some." 

"Thanks…" 

The woman stepped inside and disappeared with Constantine. Liam remained outside the door, suddenly feeling guilty for leaving. His whole life all he wanted was a genuine relationship with his father, and now that he'd been blessed with it he often had to put the crown first. However, now that his father's time left was dwindling, he found it was practically impossible to walk away.  

"Bastien," Liam started, "Clear my schedule for the day – no, the weekend. I'm unavailable unless it's an emergency." 

Bastien smiled and bowed. "Of course, sir." 

Liam made his way inside his father's quarters to the in-suite kitchen and couldn't help but laugh as he saw his father wearing a white, puffy chef's hat. When Constantine looked up and saw Liam enter, the pure excitement radiating off of him was enough to fill Liam’s heart so full he was sure it would burst any moment. 

"Liam! What're you doing here?" 

"As it turns out, I had a cancellation." Liam winked. 

"Get in here, then! You need a toque as well." 

"I don't think–" 

"We are pastry chefs right now; it's absolutely necessary." Constantine held out a hat to him. 

Liam stared at it for a long moment before he took it and reluctantly put it on. "Happy?"

"Elated. Now, Mrs. Finch, what are we doing?" 

"First we'll start by creaming the sugars and butter together." She showed the pair her measurements, as well as how to soften the butter. Using a hand-held mixer, she swirled the bowl until the task was completed before continuing, "Now, the eggs. The biggest thing to remember is don't over mix, or your cookies won't turn out properly."

Constantine nodded and picked up an egg from the supplies laid before him. “I’ve never done this before…” He held it up with furrowed brows as he intently studied it. "How do we get – inside?" 

Mrs. Finch laughed. "We have to break it, sir. See? Like this." She gently cracked an egg on the counter and emptied it into the bowl. Liam silently chuckled at Constantine's flabbergasted expression; something so simple was blowing his mind, and his elation was incredibly contagious. "It's easy, you just need a hard surface. You try."

Constantine nodded and tried to mimic her by using the counter, but that resulted in multiple yolks in his palm after a number of failed attempts. Finally, he looked around the area searching for a different surface to try when he got the perfect idea. He took the egg and although he intended to lightly tap it, he ended up smashing it against Liam's forehead; the egg splattered but thankfully most of his hair was shielded by his new accessory. However, the yolk and slimy membrane started dripping down his face, accompanied by the remaining shells. 

Liam squeezed his eyes closed as the goo slipped over them and his mouth fell open in shock, but he quickly closed it to not ingest anything. He felt something soft on his forearm and blindly reached out to accept a towel someone offered him. 

After cleaning his face, Liam turned to Constantine with narrowed eyes. "Seriously?!" 

"I guess I do still have some strength left." Constantine nervously chuckled before he added, "I apologize, son, I had no intentions of being so… brute."

"Why my head, though?!"

"She said a hard surface…" 

"Ha. Ha." Liam grabbed an egg and without breaking eye contact used one hand and cracked it perfectly against the side of the bowl. "Gently, grasshopper – and it goes inside the bowl." 

Constantine’s mouth fell open. "You may be upset, but you will not refer to me as a bug–" 

"It's – Nevermind… Mrs. Finch, please continue." 

She did as instructed and walked them through the various steps to make the cookies, plus gave them tips and tricks along the way to help make sure the recipe turned out correctly. They sifted their dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and were preparing to combine everything together, but Constantine insisted he wanted to be the one to use the hand mixer this time. Liam was absolutely reluctant, but ultimately caved after a five-minute debacle. 

Liam stood beside him watching Constantine's every move; so far, he was doing incredibly well with this specific job. Mrs. Finch was slowly adding their dry ingredients and Liam started to relax, thinking that things were smooth sailing from here on out. 

His phone rang and he stepped away to answer it but remained in Constantine's line of sight. Liam spoke with furrowed brows, his face red, and Constantine could tell he was speaking sternly; it instantly piqued his interest. 

The conversation was short and Liam reappeared a moment later completely unfazed. "Who was that?" Constantine practically shouted over the mixer still whirring in his hand. Liam answered, but Constantine couldn't hear him. "What?!" Again, Liam said something, but Constantine couldn't make it out. 

There was text beside each button on the machine, but they were so small Constantine couldn't see which one was labeled power. He ended up increasing the speed to the maximum setting, causing the mixer to shake and vibrate in his hand. Liam walked back beside him and spoke again, but Constantine paid him no attention as he was trying to read the tiny prints. Instead of leaning over to try and find the correct one, he decided to bring the mixer to eye level. 

It happened in slow motion; everything was fine one second, and the next their still very thin batter was flying all over the front of Liam’s suit. Constantine naturally turned his direction to Liam instantaneously as he held the mixer at arm's length, away from his own body. The machine continued to forcefully whirl until the beaters were clean, all its contents now covering the front of Liam’s face, body, and a little of the surrounding area. Liam could only stand there in shock; mouth agape, arms raised, completely flabbergasted. 

Constantine finally pushed the correct button and the mixer slowly stopped. He had a sheepish smile as he lowered it back into the bowl before speaking in a soft, timid voice. "The good news is there's still plenty left…" 

Liam only stared at Constantine with narrowed eyes. Constantine nervously chuckled and swiped his finger across Liam’s cheek before licking the contents. "Mmm – delicious indeed." Liam opened his mouth to speak, but Constantine quickly added, "Don't be mad, son… It was simply a mistake…" 

Liam took a deep breath and slowly let it out to keep his composure. "I'm not upset," A vengeful, mischievous idea struck him. He smirked and said, "matter of fact, perhaps we should hug this out." 

"I don't think that's–" Constantine tried to protest, but soon found himself engulfed in Liam’s strong arms. He looked down and saw Liam rubbing his face on his shirt, thoroughly cleaning it, and couldn't help but chuckle. "I suppose I deserved that." 

Mrs. Finch was quick to take over and simply talked them through the rest of the process to avoid any more mishaps, although they did help form the cookies. The sweet, heavenly aroma that filled the air as their delicacies baked brought back memories for both. Their goods came out of the oven and Mrs. Finch was dismissed, paid very well for her services, and Constantine even insisted she take some with her. 

Now, they were simply relaxing on the couch, enjoying the product of their work, and reminiscing with a cup of hot tea. Although they were missing Leo and Regina, it was nice for just the two of them to relive moments they’d shared while creating new memories at the same time. Constantine expected his ‘class’ to be rather boring but informative; never did he think it would turn into a chaotic, beautiful memory for him to relive for the rest of his limited days.

"Liam," Constantine started as he sat forward and grabbed another cookie. "Thank you for joining me today. I know things didn’t go quite as smoothly as they could have, but I'm thankful you were here… I had fun." 

Liam smiled. "I’m glad… There were definitely some mishaps–” He stopped to rub his forehead. “–but I had fun too. And, these cookies turned out amazing." 

"I concur. Mrs. Finch did an excellent job and I have to say, they are quite close in comparison to your mother's." 

"Here, here," Liam agreed whilst holding his cookie up to Constantine, which he returned before they both took a large bite. Liam swallowed and spoke again, "Listen… I know I'm busy, but I'll always try to make time for stuff like this – especially now…" He trailed off with a sad expression. 

Constantine signed and patted Liam on the knee. "I know. But I'm also aware of how demanding the Crown is. I don't want you canceling obligations on my account – again." He gave Liam a knowing look. 

Liam held his free hand up in surrender. "It wasn't that important! Neville comes here and bitches consistently, I'm sure he'll be back in a few days." 

Constantine couldn't help but chuckle. "Perhaps I could give you a warning next time, then… So you can try to pencil your old man in." He playfully grinned. 

Now, it was Liam’s turn to laugh. "You don't need 'penciled in', but a notice would be appreciated." 

"Done," Constantine suddenly stood and extended his hand. Liam shoved his last bite into his mouth and took it, confused, but Constantine was quick to pull him into a tight hug as Liam rose. "I love you, son." 

"I love you too." 

Their moment hung for a few seconds before Constantine stepped away with a bright smile. "Let's plan our next endeavor! It'll need to be during Kyla's work time, which proves beneficial to the both of us…" He stopped talking to wiggle his eyebrows. "Actually... What would you like to do? Perhaps something to woo her? We could go to a massage–" 

"Why are you being so weird?” Liam interjected. "You decide what you want to do and we'll figure everything out from there." 

"Hmmm…" Constantine trailed off, deep in thought. He snapped his finger a moment later. "We enlist Duchess Olivia and–" 

"I'm going to stop you right there; anything pertaining to Olivia means weapons and that's an automatic no." Constantine tried to retort, but Liam held a hand up. "Do I really have to pull the King card again? Think of something else, and we'll talk." 

Constantine opened and closed his mouth a few times before shaking his head and mumbling something as he sat. "What was that?" Liam asked with an amused grin. 

"I said you can be a bit of a hard ass sometimes." 

Liam smirked and confidently replied, "I learned from the best."

HCTS Tags (If you'd like added or removed, please let me know):

@choicesficwriterscreations @ao719 @queenrileyrose @tessa-liam @angelasscribbles @kingliam2019 @differenttyphoonwerewolf  @bascmve01 @busywoman  @belencha77 @mysticalfangirl @nestledonthaveone @lovingchoices14 @lunaseasblog  @malblk21 @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @emersyn-in-cordonia @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @queenmiarys @choicesflashfics

[choices-binglebonkus]

I’ve got a lot of gripes with The Royal Heir but I think my biggest one is how unsatisfying the conclusion of TRH 3’s plot was.

Barthelemy is, in my opinion, the most maddening Choices villain there is, and we didn’t get nearly enough of an end to his arc. Even with Bradshaw and Isabella we got the choice of whether or not we reveal the truth about the twins or keep it as leverage before we banish them from Cordonia and reject their alliance, and then later on in The Royal Finale we learn that they’ve lost the crown, and depending on who becomes Queen of Auvernal, risk being tried for their crimes and imprisoned. A pretty fitting conclusion to their characters and arc, in my humble opinion.

But TRH 3’s plot (and by extension, Barthelemy’s arc) just…kind of ends? We trot out during his coronation, interrupt it, play the recording implicating him in Queen Eleanor’s assassination, and he’s just…immediately arrested, never to be seen again. It’s very anticlimactic to say the least, especially when you take into account just how much torment Barthelemy put the MC and their family through, and how much he seemed to enjoy that torment, too!

The Royal Heir should’ve been a single book of about 10ish chapters that served as a supplement to TRR, showcasing the MC and her spouse’s married life and a few moments in time as they start their family. It did not benefit from any of what was done in regards to the Auvernal betrothal plot, the Barthelemy regent plot, or the Via Imperii plot.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

Sunday Six #2

Six Sentence Sunday 05.21.23 / Mood Music Monday

I have a new obsession peeps.  I am watching this series called FROM currently, and it  has all my senses tingling.  Talking to some friends I have realized, 1. I like shows set in small towns where weird stuff is happening. 2. If the people are trapped in said town and there is spooky, weird or supernatural stuff going on, or something that just can’t be explained, I’m all about that life.   And From tickles my fancy,  watch it be cancelled tomorrow, as this tends to happen with all of my weird favorited shows.  

Work has been crazy, but just recently in the past few days, even though work is still insane,  I’ve been inspired to write, even though my whole day is spent typing for  my job.  Go figure.  

So here’s amazingly what i’ve posted in the last little bit:

The Life of Riley: Book Two:  Garden Party Photo  Op

The Rotten Apple 🍎:  The Last Part: 

Original post: 05/21/23 at 7:52PM EST.

Keep reading

[alj4890]

Snowed In

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a TRR Christmas One Shot from the series Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

Song Inspiration: I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Dean Martin

A/N Hello again! I think I might be back for good or at least will try to be back 🤦🏻‍♀️. The writer's block that has been keeping me away along with life has been slowly killing me. But look! Sound the alarms! I finally wrote something! I will get back to this crackship series starring these two and their complicated love story. For the time being though, here is a glimpse into the future and their first Christmas together as requested by @angelasscribbles It is chock full of fluff for the holidays.

Masterlist

December 21st, Lythikos, Cordonia...

The holidays were, in a word, complicated.

Olivia had spent the majority of her life alone with nothing more than a special meal prepared by good natured servants and a single gift sent over from her aunt. The gift wasn't something one would expect for a little girl/young woman. It was usually a reminder of the Nevrakis illustrious past, one meant to instill the rather harsh, no sentimentality allowed frame of mind.

And let's not get into what the brief time with her parents had done to her.

There was the one precious year Olivia spent Christmas with Liam and the Royal family. Queen Eleanor made certain the newly orphaned duchess received more child appropriate gifts such as a new doll holding a felt sword, a miniature porcelain tea set, and a leather bound collection of fantasy children stories. Olivia was encouraged to help Liam decorate a Christmas tree in the palace nursery and then put frosting on freshly baked Christmas cookies. The pair sat before their tree, eating their creations, and made plans for spending the next day playing in the snow.

It had been the closest to a perfect Christmas Olivia had ever experienced.

When little Olivia shared what all had occurred that particular holiday, Lucretia was beyond livid that the commoner queen was setting her niece up on a path of ruin with useless gifts and experiences. How was she to one day rule the country with an upbringing that included such ridiculous traditions?

It didn't matter. The following summer, Queen Eleanor was dead and Constantine sent Olivia back to Lythikos to remain under the strict supervision of her servants and a nanny he personally hired. They were tasked to keep the duchess healthy and schooled.

Nothing was ever mentioned or demanded that she also be made happy.

Life went on. Olivia learned to sneer and roll her eyes whenever she heard her peers gush over their holiday plans with family and loved ones. Christmas was nothing more than another day of the year. She had little time and even less patience to remain in conversation with the lot once December first rolled around.

She did allow a tree to be decorated in the main hall and accepted the traditional Lythikos Christmas Eve dinner of a turkey basted in their specially brewed Skull Cracker Ale with all the trimmings. Other than those two concessions, she ignored the holiday as much as she could.

She made certain though that her people had all they deserved during the Christmas season. The local orphanage was sent a shipment of toys that would put Santa to shame. Lythikos General Hospital also received gifts for not only their children's ward, but for each patient stuck there during the holidays. Any family/person struggling financially was gifted a tree and traditional meal.

It was, she decided, her duty to take care of these needs herself. After all, she was supposed to make certain her people thrived. For some odd reason she never quite understood, having a good holiday helped people look forward to a prosperous year. Who was she to question it?

Though she had the satisfaction of taking care of these minor needs, the Christmas following Liam's coronation and marriage was more difficult for Olivia to face.

Alone.

It was baffling that she'd become close to Liam's new bride, Riley. It was even more mind blowing that she'd also become friends with Hana and Drake. Riley and Hana were once her competition and she was convinced that Drake was Satan himself, but somehow she'd come to care for them.

Then...there was Maxwell.

One could only shake their head over the fact that Cordonia's most fun loving lord had been harboring a love so deep for the icy duchess that rivaled that of the new king's for his queen.

Jaws were still on the floor from the realization that she, Olivia Nevrakis, the very woman who made people tremble with fear of her waspish tongue and ability with a dagger, happened to have lost her heart to Maxwell Beaumont as well.

"It's been an odd year." Olivia muttered as she gazed out her window at the snowy landscape.

Even odder still was the fact that she was somewhat depressed. With the amount of snow falling, roads would soon be closed leading in and out of Lythikos. No one would be able to drop by for a visit.

No one at all.

"It isn't like I've never spent Christmas alone." She grumbled, turning away from her window. "What's one more year?"

But...

It did matter. There'd been talk of her new group of friends coming to snow ski and spend New Year's Eve together in her home.

Maxwell hadn't mentioned if he'd planned to spend Christmas with her. She hadn't asked him to. She only assumed he might since he bragged about the surprise gift he planned to give her.

Now though, the mail wouldn't even be able to get through to deliver it.

Olivia glanced over at her Christmas tree. One lone gift sat under it. She grimaced somewhat that she spent not only time but a great deal of thought in finding the perfect gift for Maxwell. Instead of allowing her servants to wrap it like she normally would have, she'd personally wrapped it herself.

Lost in thought of not being able to give it to him on Christmas Day, she jumped in surprise when the wind picked up out her window. A typical Lythikos blizzard was revving up with the immense power that usually left her in awe. Now, it made her heart drop even more in disappointment.

Christmas was going to be another lonely day after all.

**************

December 24th...

Snow continued to fall. The providence had already received well over four feet of snow. Temperatures dropped to dangerously low readings, keeping everyone within the cozy confines of their homes.

Olivia glared at her phone. It'd been nearly a week since she'd last spoken to Maxwell. He'd been in California for most of the month speaking to Hollywood execs about turning his best selling novel into a movie. Though she was secretly proud of him for such an accomplishment (especially since he wrote her so flatteringly), she also wanted to strike him down with all her might for not even sparing her a moment for a simple phone call.

He's the one insisting we do all the normal couple things! Isn't wishing a Merry Christmas to the one you supposedly love fall somewhere on that list?

I wouldn't answer the phone now if he did call. In fact, I don't think I'll EVER answer another call or text of his again. He can go straight to---

Olivia's eyes widened when she heard an unusual pounding coming from her front door. She knew that no true Lythikosian would step foot from their fireplaces in this weather. Death would greet that level of stupidity.

Setting her steamy cup of nog aside, she went to see what fool would dare be outside.

She should have known only her fool would do so.

Maxwell dashed past her and began to stomp the snow off his boots.

He was covered from head to toe in ice and snow. Shivering, he began to peel off the layers that were partially frozen to one another after dropping a caked in snow suitcase on the floor.

"It's cold out there." He told her with teeth chattering.

Olivia blinked a few times. She glanced back and forth between him and her door.

"How in the--What are you doing here?" She managed to say.

Maxwell paused in rubbing his numb hands together.

"It's Christmas." He told her.

"Yeah, I know." She placed her hands on her hips. "But there is a blizzard out there."

"Yeah, I know." Maxwell mimicked with a grin. "That's why I almost turned into a popsicle."

He grinned at her on his way towards her fireplace.

Shivering even more violently, he got as close as he could to the crackling flames without catching on fire.

Olivia followed after him.

"How did you get here?" She demanded.

"That journey is worthy of an Epic Poem." He began to rotate, letting each side of his body slowly thaw with the welcoming heat.

Olivia groaned. She wasn't in the mood for this type of conversation.

"Plane ride from L.A. to New York." He began. "Then onto London. I couldn't get a flight out of London to here because of the weather. Not wanting to wait, I decided to travel by train as close as I could. Train rides from there to Barcelona, then onto Rome. Don't ask me how many trains I had to change. I lost count after five. Then, I rented a car and drove the rest of the way."

He ended his explanation with a shrug then turned back to face the fireplace.

"But the roads and bridges are closed!" Olivia exclaimed.

"It's amazing how easy it is to move those barricades." He quipped over his shoulder.

"Okay, but there was no car outside." She reminded him.

"It couldn't make it up the mountain to your duchy." He turned back around to face her. "So, I walked."

"You walked?" Her eyes narrowed. "You walked in a blizzard up this mountain knowing you could slip off or freeze to death?!"

"Yep." He grinned at her. "It wasn't too bad."

Olivia walked up to him, gripped his shirt, and gave him a hard shake "YOU IDIOT! You could have died out there and we wouldn't have found your body! I wouldn't have known to look for you because you haven't called me in a week!"

"I tried to call." He explained. "But it kept going directly to voicemail."

She paused in berating him. "It did what?"

"I've been calling and texting all week. I checked with Liam when I couldn't get a hold of you and he told me the towers and phone lines were down in this region due to the weather."

Olivia's hands dropped from him.

"Oh." She mumbled.

Maxwell leaned down a little bit to study her face. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't make certain to spend Christmas with you?"

"I..." She folded her arms across her chest, averting her eyes from his.

The last thing she wanted was to reveal not only how vulnerable she'd been since they'd gotten together nor the fact he made her feel depressed with the thought of being unable to be with him on Christmas.

"I thought you would stay at Ramsford." She straightened her shoulders. "After all, this is the first Christmas with Savannah and Bartie."

"That's Bertrand's family." Maxwell reminded her.

"They're yours too." Olivia argued.

"Christmas is about being with the ones you love." Maxwell explained. "And you happen to top my list."

Olivia bit back scoffing at something so eye rolling sweet that she needed to hear from him.

He slipped his arms around her waist, tugging her close. He tilted his head down, resting his forehead against hers. His cold nose rubbed against her own, reminding her of how cold he still was.

"Let me get you a cup of nog." She took a step back, pausing when he tightened his arms around her.

"Wait." He softly pleaded. "All I've thought about since I left you was this."

Olivia moved closer within his embrace, arguing with herself she was only doing it to help him warm up. Surely she wasn't doing it because she'd missed being held in his arms.

He hugged her, sighing over how good it felt to have her near again. Nudging her chin up, he pressed a tender kiss to her lips.

"I've missed you." He murmured between heated kisses.

"I missed you, too." She admitted with a resigned shrug.

His delighted, dimpled smile over her words brought an all too familiar fluttering to her stomach.

She pulled away, keeping her hand in his, and tugged him over to a nearby couch. She prepared him a hot cup of Nog and covered him with a blanket.

He insisted she sit close against him for warmth.

"I'll use any excuse I can to have you near." He teased.

Olivia snorted, unable to stop her smile from forming.

She rested her head on his shoulder, tucking herself within his side.

As she readjusted, she felt something hard against her hip.

"Almost forgot." He mumbled, digging into his pants pocket.

He pulled out a little blue box with a white bow.

"Merry Christmas!"

Olivia merely stared at it.

"Don't you want to open it?" Maxwell asked.

"Of course, but I thought we would wait until Christmas morning to exchange gifts." She explained.

"I can't wait! Plus I'm pretty sure it's Christmas Day somewhere in the world. Probably Australia." He placed the box in her lap. "This is something I promised you during Liam and Madeleine's engagement tour."

Olivia stilled in the midst of opening the box. Her thoughts drifted back to those tense months of trying to find out who had threatened both Riley and herself. She knew the night she reappeared in Venice was when the promise he was talking about was made.

"When this is over, I'm going to ask you a question." Maxwell told her as they stood on the Ponte degli Scalzi. "One that will once and for all decide the future for us."

She untied the ribbon and allowed the small velvet box to drop in her hand. Taking a deep breath, she cracked it open.

There sitting amongst the cushion was a ruby ring surrounded by a halo of diamonds.

"Maxwell?" She breathed, carefully lifting the ring out of the box.

"I want to spend every holiday with you." He replied. "And all the days in between."

She looked up at him. The vulnerability in his expression made her own seem not so silly.

"Will you let me?" He asked. "You already know I've been in love with you since I was seven. Don't you think it's about time you put me out of my misery and marry---"

"I will." She declared, cutting off his proposal.

He swooped in to kiss her, knocking the ring out of her hands.

"Wait!" She said in the midst of a laugh. "I don't want to lose it."

"Who cares?" He kissed her again. "I'll buy you all the replacements you need for my impulsive behavior."

"Yes, but I want that one." She mumbled against his lips.

He groaned, pulling away to find her ring.

He got down on his knees and found it under the couch. Grinning at her, he slid it over her ring finger.

She held her hand up to admire it, watching the firelight set the precious stones aglow.

Maxwell cleared his throat and lifted an eyebrow in expectation.

Olivia's eyes widened. "Your gift! It's--"

"You." He climbed back on the couch, covering her with his body. "You officially agreeing to marry me is the best gift ever."

Olivia pulled him down for a deep kiss. "You know? I actually did buy you a present."

"Thank you." He kissed her again. "But it will never beat this one."

[choicesficwriterscreations]

November Creator of the Month: Lizzybeth1986

Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @lizzybeth1986 We hope you will enjoy learning more about them and their work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog: Blog Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr?

Lizzy, absolutely 😁

*Center art by @sazanes

More below...

When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played?

I started playing mid 2017, I think. I played the flagship books (TF, TCaTF, MW), and def preferred TF at the time.

When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined the Tumblr fandom in 2017, around the time of the TRR finale. Mostly because the Liam hate at the time was intense and I wanted to write metas about why Liam was, in fact, not “a dick who betrayed the MC” 😂

I did have a Tumblr account before that (made it in 2015 to follow Bollywood film posts), but never actually used it.

How did you pick your blog name?

I was lazy af so it was my middle name plus my birth year haha

Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it! 

I started out with a couple reblogs, but my first actual post was about the romance points mechanism in TRR1. There was a point in the middle of the book where one nice word to Drake would give you an automatic romance point, and I was like, “Huh??? Either treat him like shit or risk him catching feels for me? Is that how it is???”. Thankfully, that stopped after two chapters. After that, I did an essay series analyzing Liam’s actions in the finale called “The Crown, The King and The Flame.” Romance Points Post The Crown and the Flame

How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Almost 6 years now! I started doing Liam fics around the beginning of TRR2.

What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to write about?

I’m the most invested in TRR and PM, but between the two I’d probably say PM is my fave book overall. But yeah, my favourite book to write about would be TRR, because Liam, Hana and Kiara are such fantastic characters to write about! (Hayden and Sloane, too, but I’m still in the process of getting comfortable writing them).

Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were writing it today?

It was Keychains, my two part fic series featuring my MC and Liam. It was set around the time the MC was waiting in the airport in TRR2, just before Maxwell and Bertrand intervene. It had a follow up with Liam’s PoV too.

I really like it. It included some really good hc’s I made at the time, like Esther buying an apple keychain to represent Cordonia at the same time, and Liam calling her his wife in Greek and Esther not realizing what the phrase meant. I thought the pathos and slight humour was quite well-done. I can’t think of much I would want to change in the story.

Keychains 1 Keychains 2

What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

As a series – Eleanor’s Kitchen! It’s ongoing, and it’s a joy to write. I love exploring food from a cultural lens, and since Cordonia was a fictional country, I could explore a variety of ethnicities and food cultures. Liam had a literal diamond scene that explored gastrodiplomacy, and I wanted to explore his childhood and Eleanor’s friendships too.

Individually – I would say my Kiara fic “An Ear to the Ground”. Kiara is a delightful character and exploring the social season through her eyes was a real journey! I also love “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” which explores the early days of the Sloane & Hayden friendship. I used asterisms and constellations to symbolize moments in their friendship.

Eleanor's Kitchen An Ear to the Ground The Stars (Are Out Tonight)

Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but found could use a little more love?

Cordonian Waltz was definitely a surprise in terms of reception!! It was written in the style of headcanons I was seeing at the time, and I wrote it in second person. It became my most widely-read fanfic very fast, and every once in a while it would experience a major surge in readership. I enjoyed writing it and thought it was a lovely, romantic piece, but I really wasn’t expecting it to finally have 250+ reblogs out of it, and people coming and telling me this was the fic that got them into Liam x MC in the first place. I find that deeply gratifying 😍

There’s a lot of fics that I feel need more engagement and appreciation, but I can understand that those characters also don’t exactly get much of an audience. My entire PM set comes under this category; they typically get low readership. I think my Hana and Kiara fics too could do with more of an audience.

@twinkleallnight once told me that when she reads my stuff, she usually takes a long time just to ruminate on the story, and I like to believe that often, that’s why the engagement isn’t always immediate. Which I like too!! I like that some of my stuff can make people stop and think, and I like to believe that over time, the work will have its own impact.

Cordonian Waltz PM Set

If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

Probably fluff but with a lot of observation and sometimes somber reflections. I’m not that great with angst…and I’ve never actually tried smut? But maybe one day 😄

Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

Yes! Some of my MCs are v different from me but I always incorporate something from my life experiences in them. Like Esther taking photos of the sunset or Basil not being science oriented but still having an interest in space.

Character wise I find I put a lot of myself into a lot of the characters I write. Notably, Liam, Hana, Kiara, certain Haydens and Sloane. Liam’s love for learning, different aspects of Hana and Kiara’s experiences as queer women, Sloane’s experiences as a neurodivergent woman, and especially my Scholar!Hayden’s (Iris) observations. I tend to incorporate a lot of my feelings and experiences more into certain canonical characters than in MCs.

What element of writing do you struggle with most?

Dialogue, I think. Especially when it’s a character I don’t relate to that much. But also sometimes when it’s a character I love but am only starting to write because then I really overthink it!

Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

Hmm…probably neglected wouldn’t be the word I’d use…I just take a very long time to kickstart them 😂

But yeah, definitely my Petals and Thornes series? That’s the fic series I’m doing for Hana x Kiara, that is supposed to explore TRR2 and 3 from their PoV (with significant changes). So far I’ve only been able to do some one-shots and hcs in that universe, but I do want to start the actual series soon!

I have some essay series’ I’d love to work on too! My Hana essay series which has two essays left, The Hayden Young Project, and a possible series on the alternative Lis of TRR!

Petals and Thornes Hana Lee: A Study in Erasure

If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?

Hmm. A few people have asked me, actually, and while I’m not fully opposed to showing them I’ll probably take some time before I do show my work. I’ll probably overthink how much will be understandable to a reader who doesn’t have the context of the source, and what they may not understand.

What to show them first? I’m not sure! Maybe the smaller ones first, like Cordonian Waltz. Or my RCD fic Snowstorms, because it doesn’t have more than 2-3 canon characters featuring and I do talk a little about being a closeted queer teen figuring out their sexuality through cinema, which is an overall relatable experience to some! Snowstorms

Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

In my early years I used to emulate Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s style. Much of her work that I read as a teen was pretty flowery, sometimes bordering on purple prose, and I really loved that style and tried to go that way. But now I think a variety of writers from different genres inform my writing. In terms of published authors, Jhumpa Lahiri, Helen Hoang, and non-fiction ones like Rukmini Pande, Ruby Hammad and Mikki Kendall.

In Choices fic, @callmetippytumbles for sure – a lot of the questions she was tackling with her MC in her Home series served as inspiration for some of the ideas I’ve been having in mind for Petals and Thornes. @thefirstcourtesan is a great writing buddy to have, too, and she has a knack for saying a lot in very few words! There’s also my amazing group of friends (shoutout to @cassiopeiacorvus, @thecapturedafrique, @mand-delemonde, and @beyonceswigs, as well as @twinkleallnight , @dcbbw @mariemarieohcontrary , @choicesfrog, @grapecaseschoices and @ohsnapitzlovehacker…the discussions are so good and leave some much to think about afterward 💖💖). All these discussions ALWAYS fuel my ideas and make me think out of the box.

I’ve also recently started writing polyamorous characters and relationships, and @angelasscribbles stories and resources have been such a great help in navigating that!

Home

@angelasscribbles Poly Resources

Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series?

Haha! I’ve not even started the proper series yet but I think Petals and Thornes? But besides that maybe Eleanor’s Kitchen may work as a series idk 😄

Do you write original fiction?

I do try! I’ve done a few short stories but before I started fanfic, I did a lot of spoken word poetry and that was fun.

What other hobbies do you have?

Reading, watching video essays, spending months on hyperfixations 😂 and a little cooking. My kid’s gotten into craft recently and has succeeded in taking me down that rabbit hole too haha.

I used to be into making fruit wines but have gotten inconsistent with that over the years.

What’s your favorite emoji?

Because I have a huuuge thing for nerds – this one: 🤓

BONUS – tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

A story my mum often tells about how I got into writing, began with some good old-fashioned sibling rivalry. Apparently as a child I was notorious for writing things on the walls of our house. One day my older brother got a hardbound royal-blue covered notebook to write in, with gold lettering on the cover…and I got instantly jealous that I didn’t get one (I was 6 or 7 and already fond of telling stories). When I complained my mum made me a deal – she would get me the same notebook…IF I stopped writing on the walls and began writing in that instead 😂 It worked. My mother is a smart woman.

I love spoilers!! I will read the end of a novel I’m reading and then go back and read the rest. Sometimes I even read books all the way backwards lol.

I love romance, and my favorite tropes include second-chance romance and mutual pining while believing the other person will never love you back! Because, at heart, I’m a dramatic bitch.

[dcbbw]

Taking the L

I am participating in #KingLiamAppreciationWeek (#KLAW), hosted by the ever-lovely @lizzybeth1986​ and @sazanes​. This is my offering for Day 1: Throwback/Character Appreciation. I will be providing at least one more story for the event; if I do it correctly, the fic will cover the additional themes/days.

So, this is basically me giving my opinion and head canons about Liam while linking throwback fics into the dialogue; while I have all the love and appreciation in the world for my first, true LI, it may be best to have some of my Rileys express what they treasure and cherish most about the Liam they are paired with. After all, they are the ones with the man day in and day out.

Thank you to all who will read this brain dump; I can only hope it makes sense and comes across in a coherent manner. Everything is below the cut.

PB birthed Liam Rys, but us content creators raise him.

Song Inspiration: Fanfiction on the Internet, Jake Timothy

Word Count: 1,207

Why Liam?

My reason is incredibly simple (and it isn’t because it’s The Royal Romance) … I have dated enough Drake Walkers and Maxwell Beaumonts in real life; no way am I doing it in an alternate universe and spending real dollars to do so.

I dealt with enough games and guards/walls and insecurities and mothering of men; I have done more than my share of putting forth efforts and ego-stroking and reminders and pushing and prodding. I have begged men to love me and proved (to no avail) that my love is worthy of acceptance.

Playing the game with Liam as my LI is my form of escape from reality … the refreshing openness, honesty, and emotional availability Liam Rys provides gives me hope, and will always be my why.

Which Liam?

My preferred Liam is Asian Liam (Asiam). When I first joined the fandom almost 5 years ago, Caucasian Liam (Whiam) was the King of choice for the majority of the fandom, and I remember being nommed for a Clown Award for fetishy writing because I wrote a tall, black MC with Asiam. (I received 7% of the vote)

Asiam is my default Liam, and not just because I see him (looks-wise) as a cross between Gong Yoo and Alex Landi; in my head canon, Asiam is patient (more than most), more sensuous than sexual, logical, an overthinker, and has a humility that is rare for someone born into and raised in an environment of the highest privilege.

He is the driving force behind Riam, Sock Game Liam in the DC AU, UnRomance, and the majority of my TRR-themed one-shots and limited series including The Platinum AU, Driam, and Laxwell.

My love for Asian Liam does not stop me from using the other versions of Liam.

I know I’m in the minority here with my thought process, but I see each version of Liam as a separate person with a distinct je ne sais quoi who just happens to share core characteristics and personality traits with the other two.

I think it would be especially true for Asiam (whom PB did not even classify as an ethnicity, and let's not get into the whitewashing of his mother, Eleanor), and Black Liam (Bliam). While all versions of Liam have a mother who is both a commoner and foreigner, two of them have a parent of color, which (again, to me) has to influence how they are perceived by the international audience they are constantly paraded in front of.

White Liam (Whiam) to me, is trusting, definitely carnal, and has a boldness ...a recklessness if you will; yet he is hesitant to fully embrace his role as King. This Liam takes the lead in stories such as The Commoner’s Wife, Streets of New York, One Night Stand, and he is the Liam of choice in the upcoming stories, Sins of the Father, Best Friend, and Body Count.

I have plans for Bliam; he is the star in a few upcoming fics: Looking, Heartland, Life in a Southern Town (the Election AU), and Eight Minutes. For me, Bliam exudes a confidence the other Liams do not, which is at odds with my head canon that this particular Liam is more guarded than Drake and more of a loner.

Currently all three Liams can be found in my Remix series (only two chapters in, but more is coming!) where Asiam is a complete thot. (He can be an anomaly at times)

Head Canons (strictly my envisionings, opinions, and thought processes that formulate my version of Cordonia’s favorite King)

·         His name is Liam, not William; his mama named him Liam and that’s good enough for me. And coming from a family where me and my siblings all have names that begin with an R, I like the Leo, Liam, Lena thing; bonus that the first syllable for each is pronounced “Lee”

·         He has BDE, and the BD to back it up

·         He is not submissive in the bedroom. Being King is a 24/7 job, and I do not see him just shedding that type of power the second nakedness enters the picture

·         I also do not see him as dominant in the bedroom; for his partner’s pleasure, he can be assertive (not to be confused with aggressive). The man is still kinky though

·         However, he has no problem with a transference of power between he and his partner between the sheets (within reason)

·         Liam grew up in an environment where unilateral decisions that affect the entire country are made in a millisecond; hence the Coronation night fiasco. If keeping you a secret from Cordonia means you’re safe … it’s worth the fallout

·         Madeleine was his only choice that night because another suitor’s acceptance would immediately become a political arrangement, with their families/houses effectively trapping Liam in a marriage neither party wants

·         It doesn’t happen often, but he and MC argue. Loudly

·         He’s a social smoker, especially when networking or brokering a deal/arrangement/alliance

·         If he’s pouring a scotch, he’s stressed

·         MC is his first true/real relationship

·         He is not perfect

·         He makes mistakes

·         Two of my Liams can cook; the rest are at the mercies of the kitchens and Riley

·         He doesn’t flaunt his wealth

·         He is deeply spiritual (believes in a higher power and prayer), but doesn’t begin attending church until he and MC have created a family

What is the one thing Riley appreciates most about (her) Liam?

Riam Riley: I’ll have to get back to you on that.

Riley B.: I would have to say his thoughtfulness. When he borrows my car, he returns it with a full tank of gas. When he comes to my place, he brings in my mail and packages. He’ll Venmo me money when it’s a couple of days before payday. He looks out for me.

Mermaids Riley: His vulnerability. It’s hard to open to someone you hated for absolutely no reason, then find out you’re going to marry them, and now you have to get to know said person and let them get to know you as well. The more we talk and spend time together, the more I learn and not just the surface stuff. That takes more than courage, and I admire it.

Platinum AU Riley/Raleigh: I haven’t seen him in 10 years, but I remember his intelligence. He was more than educated or smart; Liam had a hunger for knowledge, and constantly fed it. He was open-minded as well, so prone to listen to opposing perspectives and broadening his mindset.

Discontent Riley: What I appreciate most about Liam? His selflessness. We’ve had … we’re having our share of problems, but he is always there for me despite public opinion, and at great risk to his reign. I can only imagine the toll our losses and my drinking have taken on his health on all levels, but he only cares for mine. I don’t deserve him.

UnRomance Riley: I appreciate the way he takes care of me. It may not always be the way I would want or even like, but he knows what I need without me saying a word.

Riam Riley: Oh, dear Lord! It’s my turn again? Okay, okay … I got one. It’s his even-temperedness. He’s the calm to my storm, he listens to me go on and on and on, especially when I’m hormonal which is all the time. Liam is steady. He makes things make sense. Not saying he doesn’t get frustrated, fed up, and angry … he does. But he’s never volatile, and it never lasts long. He truly forgives and forgets.

And there you have it, dear reader … a few things I think makes my Liam(s) tick and sets him apart (if only slightly) from the others. Your mileage may vary.

Tagging: @jared2612 @ao719 @marietrinmimi @queenjilian @indiacater @kingliam2019 @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie @liamrhysstalker2020 @neotericthemis @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam @beezm @gardeningourmet @lovingchoices14 @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @lady-calypso @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234 @queenrileyrose @alj4890 @yourfavaquarius111 @motorcitymademadame @queenmiarys @kingliamappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes​

[the-unconquered-queen]

*Examples of books in which you can tell there is a main LI:

Bloodbound - Adrian

Bachelorette Party - Aisha

Foreign Affairs - Blaine

Open Heart - Ethan (practically canonized in WEH)

The Haunting of Braidwood Manor - Eleanor

[cadybear420]

Best and Worst LI from each series

Inspired by this post by @choices-binglebonkus from a couple of years back. I came across it recently and I felt compelled to do my own.

Keep in mind that I haven't played some of these stories in a while, and there are a handful where I haven't even started or completed them. So a lot of stuff here is subject to change.

TCATF

Best: For Kenna: I'm not sure. For Dom: probably Sei because I loved their relationship in Book 2. But it's been a while.

Worst: For Kenna: I'm still not sure. For Dom: either Rose because of how she's written out of Book 2 with the inability to transfer data, or Will Jackson with how he was so obviously a last minute addition.

[MW: Haven't played yet, and IIRC this one didn't really have any LIs or romance.]

[TFS: Haven't played yet.]

ROE

Best: As pleasant as the 3 main LIs were, all their romances with MC felt very empty and rushed, which to be fair is expected when Nana's forcing you to marry by the end of the summer. As for the other characters, it's still hard to pick one that's the best cause I didn't find any of the romances particularly remarkable. I'd have to go either with Party Twin's LIs or cousin's romance with Chaz because they were the only ones that didn't feel like clusterfucks.

Worst: Like I said, all of MC's romances were empty. But since I'm including the other characters' romances too, easily Audrey and Elena. Audrey was a very unpleasant character towards Bookish Twin in Books 1 and 2. And same for Elena in part of Book 2 and all of Newlyweds; she had every right to be upset at Brother for hiding his past ex wife, but she acted incredibly petty and immature over it.

ES

Best: I didn't really get to romance anyone in my playthrough but either Jake or Estela. Jake has some really funny one-liners and nicknames. Estela I saw has the "Dont. Touch. My. Husband/Wife!!!" line that makes me really want to do a romance with her as a m!MC. I love protective gfs, I aspire to be a protective gf.

Worst: None of them because all of them are great characters. But if I had to choose... maybe Quinn? She didn't feel as fleshed out to me as the other 3. But it's been 2 and a half years since I last played so yeah.

LH

Best: None of them really grabbed me, but I'd have to go with either Leah or Ben. Ben is just a sweetheart, but I also liked the interactions between Leah and MC in Book 2.

Worst: Mark wasn't bad, but I couldn't buy into the relationship with him as well as I could the other two.

THOBM

Best: Eleanor for sure. She is partly responsible for my realizing that I'm not straight. She's supposed to be this stoic ghost woman, but gets super flustered and blushy when you flirt with her??? Bye bye heterosexuality.

Worst: Victor wasn't bad but he was just... a total non-character. Yeah, a rare story where a female LI takes the spotlight and a male LI is sidelined.

TRR: I haven't really played past Book 1, but I've already deemed Liam as my favorite LI. Though I am biased because this is the first book I started when I first got into Choices back in February 2021 (I'm a fandom baby I know), but he won my heart instantly in that premium scene where MC can take him on a boat to see the statue of liberty. And throughout the rest of the book he's just a very sweet and pleasant character. So I'm just gonna leave it at that and not deem a worst LI just yet.

Hero

Best: It's been a long time but I strongly remember quite liking Grayson. He was sweet and cute. Kenji was also pretty decent but I don't think I liked him quite as much as I did Grayson.

Worst: Eva isn't a bad character, but she was introduced way too late into the story for me to truly care about her.

OG HSS

Best: AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN ZHOU AIDEN-MOTHER-FUCKING-ZHOU!!!!!! Sweet mother of all things holy how am I supposed to talk about this in only one paragraph???

As if it wasn't obvious, I love everything about him and he's easily my favorite Choices character of all time. For one, I love male characters who are more on the soft and gentle side. Aiden is definitely that, and his tendency to get flustered and blushy is adorable. For two, he's passionate, dedicated, just very earnest and down-to-earth. And especially in Book 1, we see how he struggles with self-esteem. He's passionate, but he doesn't consider himself as such. He considers himself a failure for the screwed up halftime performance. He doesn't feel he knows how to communicate to MC right and thinks lower of himself for preferring to communicate through music.

I found a lot of these aspects very relatable myself, outside of music though, because I can't play an instrument to save my life. But I do have a passion for stuff like drawing, writing, and editing. And I think relating to Aiden so much sort of added to how authentic the romance route with him and MC felt for me. There were a couple of moments where I could have my MC sort of connect with him– the rooftop scene where MC can say that seeing how passionate he is inspires them to do better, their scene at homecoming in the band room where MC can say that social interactions don't come easy to them either despite how confident they can be.

And just... the whole romance route feels so earned and well-paced? I mean I'm sure all of the routes in HSS are like that but I especially love it here. How you can give him time of day to listen to him play piano, slowly help him step out of his comfort zone, I love how protective you can be of him in Book 2 and how you can be there for him when Isa and his parents are punishing him, and how he's then being there for you during the Book 3 drama when you're accused of sabotage. And all the moments such as becoming official with him, him confessing his love to MC and how you can confess back... it just all feels so organic.

Also the romance route with him hits so much different if you romance him as a band kid. You get extra moments with him, not to mention when you're about to play his song at the spring concert and they say how "there's a glint in his eyes you haven't seen before" and after you play it they say "his eyes gleam with pride" like HELLO??? That extra bit of connection they have when they're *both* musicians???? Shit like this is why I sing my praises to this trilogy so much.

Worst: None of them! Okay but if I had to choose... well, this is gonna pain me to say this, but Michael.

I adore his character arc and he's my second most favorite HSS character and Choices LI, but when I tried romancing him (and I did so twice), I noticed he actually felt a lot more underdeveloped in comparison to the other LIs. Specifically in Book 2, as he's the only character who isn't really struggling with anything. He felt very lacking in presence for the first half of that book– even moreso than Emma, whose subplot didn't even have anything to do with the main Isa plot. And so Book 2 kinda felt like this big gap in the relationship journey that he and MC can have.

Then again, maybe he and Evie Ayana (my MC) just don't have all that much chemistry and I should try romancing him as a brand new version of the MC.

ILITW

Best: My personal favorite is Lucas, but honestly? It's a tough tie between him, Andy, and Ava. Andy I'd say had the stronger character arc, but I personally related more to Lucas. Ava however is certainly the most memorable and witty of them.

Worst: Connor. He's not bad and I quite liked some of the banter between him and MC, but he is lacking in ways that make him stick out like a sore thumb. All these other LIs are characters attending school with MC, that MC has been friends with since childhood, who have all experienced Jane's death up-front as kids. Connor lacks all of that, being Stacy's older brother of 2 years and not really part of the friend group. And he doesn't really have much of a character arc like the others do to make up for that. I don't mind MC romancing outside of their close childhood friends, but it just felt a bit harder to connect with him on the same level as the others.

HFTH:

Best: Wyatt was probably the most memorable of the bunch.

Worst: Nick was annoying, but he did get better in the second half of the story. Holly was alright but very bland.

[RCD: Haven't played yet.]

PM

Best: Hayden without a doubt, though I'm certainly very fond of Sloane too. Hayden is a literal robot, yet they still feel more like an actual human being than like 90% of the customizable LIs we've been getting. The whole arc with them basically having an existential crisis upon realizing they're an android, then eventually going on to start a new identity for themselves... I loved it. And as a bonus, the customizable aspect is kind of integrated in the story itself rather than being a meta choice.

Worst: None of them. Maybe Alana and Khaan, cause they seemed to be somewhat pushing some romance with them in Book 2, but it felt very muddled and unclear.

BB

Best: All of them. But I'm probably most fond of Kamilah "I'm *her* queen. And she's mine." Sayeed. Jax and Lily are close seconds though as they're incredibly memorable (also the mass fandom hatred for Lily that was apparently a thing... yeah very sus to me. why did y'all hate her.)

Worst: None of them. I'd say maybe Adrian didn't stand out quite as much as the others?

[VOS: Haven't played yet.]

AME

Best: None of the LIs really stood out to me but my favorite would probably have to be Jen, she was sweet and always tried to help MC.

Worst: Derek had to be the most lackluster of them all IMO.

[D&D: Haven't played yet.]

ATV

Best: For MC: I was most fond of Kepler the buff queen and Meridian the sweet medic. For Eos: Gee Zekei, how come PB lets you be a romance option for two playable characters? For Pax: Holmes is precious.

Worst: IDK honestly. I wasn't a fan of Zaniah's betrayal or whatever it was. But IDK.

[BSC: Haven't played yet.]

HSS:CA

Best: Objectively speaking, Skye. She's the one thing that HSS:CA enjoyers and HSS:CA critics and haters can agree that is good about the series, and honestly that's deserved. Everything about her character storyline is pretty damn immaculate. That being said, I romanced Ajay and I'm personally very fond of him. Although I didn't care much for him in Book 1, Books 2 and onwards make him a much more sympathetic and compelling character. And personally, I tend to chalk up the whole siding against MC thing to be lazy OOC writing considering A) he'd warned MC about Danielle in the earlier chapters and B) directors generally have a responsibility to stay unbiased in these kinds of situations, and given how seriously Ajay takes being a director, realistically I think he would have tried to stay unbiased and tell the other accusers to fuck off. PB, you did my boy dirty.

Worst: Rory. I didn't hate them and they're a pretty decent character on their own, but they're easily the weakest LI of CA and of HSS as a whole. They have zero character development over the trilogy. Book 1 forcing our MC to crush on them and agonize so much over wanting their first kiss with Rory on stage was obnoxious and unnecessary, and it didn't help that their entire personality in said book didn't really go much beyond "popular theatre heartthrob". They try so hard to force us to like them by flaunting how popular they are and having Cunt and Nasty– sorry I mean Clint and Natalie– constantly fawn over them. Rory was thankfully no longer forced in Book 2 and had somewhat more character (also the way they called out Morgan's hypocrisy and single handedly destroyed her campaign is peak Rory), but the whole election plotline did nothing for their character. Book 3 gives them some sort of conflict with their parents, but it's just the group thinking Rory's dad is cheating only for it to be the good ole misunderstanding cliche.

ILB

Best: Tom. Parker was pretty adorable too, but nothing beats the part in the premium lake day scene where Tom wishes he'd won a giant teddy so he could put it in the passenger seat and be able to go into the fast lane and then MC can give him the teddy they won (if they did win).

Worst: Danni for how she can be needlessly callous towards Parker's memory if he ends up leaving the group. Even if he's dead. It comes off as extra hypocritical if Danni ended up caving to Astrid's temptations as well.

[TE: Haven't played yet.]

ACOR

Best: Either Syphax or Cassius for their loyalty to MC.

Worst: IDK.

TH:M

Best: Eris Huang is an icon. "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals".

Worst: I didn't care for Sonia. I mean she was alright and I liked her redemption arc, but she just didn't vibe with me as a LI.

ROD

Best: Colt is the only LI I felt had any real character depth, any real significance, any real reason for me to give a shit about him.

Worst: The pushing of Logan as the main LI felt very forced, unnecessary, and undeserved. Like... there wasn't anything all that special about him.

OPH: I haven't really played past Book 1, but I'm quite fond of Bryce.

[PTR: Haven't played yet.]

[WT: Haven't played yet.]

NB

Best: Katherine the "I don't like being saved" was fun to romance as a male MC. But either Vera or Cal would have to be the strongest character-wise.

Worst: None of them really. None of them are super amazing to me, but I didn't have any problems with any of them.

[PT: Haven't played yet.]

[SK: Haven't played yet. Tried to once but I got bored and quit 5 chapters in]

BP

Best: Aisha for sure. She's just a very vibrant and fun character.

Worst: Reed and Ash were nice and cute, but other than that... not much. They were pretty useless to the plot too.

MOTY

Best: All of them. IDC. They're all super compelling.

Worst: None.

[StD: Haven't played yet.]

[TRM: Haven't played yet.]

BaBu

Best: Mayor Dixon was really fun to romance. The female version especially contributed to my possible bi awakening.

Worst: I liked Clint as a character but the first chapter tries wayyyyyy too hard to get the player to be turned on by the thought of having his babies. The Clint fangirls in that scene were so clearly written by someone who's never met a single woman in his life outside of some stereotypical textbook-definition Facebook Karen moms I'm sorry

[HC: Haven't played yet.]

WEH

Best: Well well well, this seems to be the first ever single-LI story on the app. And personally I think Dakota was a pretty decent and compelling character.

Worst: None

BOLAS: I haven't started Book 2 yet but I already know my favorite is Imtura. I especially love how shamelessly RoleReversal her romance is with a male MC. Praying it carries over to Book 2.

AVSP

Best: None

Worst: This book was boring and Simon/Ava's motives for making a fake marriage with the MC felt very contrived.

Witness

Best: Cassian. This book sucks but Cassian was at least a pleasant character.

Worst: None.

DS

Best: None.

Worst: None. Honestly I don't have many feelings for the characters in this one.

TNA

Best: Sam Dalton. I mean he's not brilliant or anything but I do have a bit of a soft spot for them because TNA 1 was the first Choices story I ever completed. Also the first time a f!MC was allowed to get up in her m!LI's bootyhole.

Worst: Also Sam Dalton because of all the "+Desire +Desire +Desire +Desire +Desire +Desire" and shit

QB: I've twice attempted playthroughs of this and ended up neglecting both of them halfway through Book 1. But I did quite like Ian/Ina.

TUH: I started a playthrough back when it was releasing to all and then ended up neglecting it by like Ch10. I'll need to start playing again, but I remember being quite fond of Mr. John Somerset.

MTFL

Best: All the LIs were pretty compelling characters, they just had shit stories with a shit MC. But of the three of them, Ava was probably the most compelling to me.

Worst: None.

MM

Best: IDK. I'm tempted to say Jack/Jacqueline because I did like their banter with the MC, but other than that they were rather bland.

Worst: Like I said, Jack/Jacqueline felt very bland outside of the banter they could have with MC.

[RT: Haven't played yet]

WB

Best: Morgan was easily the most fleshed out and compelling of the two LIs.

Worst: Bastien is derivative as all hell. Seriously, pick up any werewolf-themed YA erotic story and the male werewolf LI in it will almost certainly be identical to Bastien.

[FA: Haven't played yet]

SB

Best: This is a tough one. Chef Flint's character was a lot more derivative and I personally preferred being around Julia(n). But Julia(n) was also an incredibly useless character, you could remove them from the story and nothing important would change.

Worst: See above.

LOA

Best: As much as I didn't care for the series, I did find both LIs pretty decent. But of the two of them, Aislinn is much more fleshed out.

Worst: Gabe, who wasn't bad but wasn't nearly as fleshed out as Aislinn.

SW

Best: Manu was a pretty interesting character. The relationship with them is pretty straightforward, but it was interesting and even a bit sweet later on. And apparently your bond score can determine whether or not you survive in the last chapter? Also this is the only single LI story I know of where you can choose a more platonic route with the LI.

Worst: None.

WTD

Best: I think I liked Angel the most. She was fun.

Worst: I'm not sure really.

Surrender

Best: None. None. None. Noooooooooooone.

Worst: Fuck Reagan Thorne. Worst LI on the app ever. I'll admit Book 2 does go a little more in-depth with their background, but as someone who has been in a similar situation, God they botch it horribly because 90% of this book is spent doubling down on Reagan's toxicity. And just when MC finally gets the self-respect to leave them after that awful "When a woman agrees to be my sub she agrees to obey" line, they then throw it right in the trash with how easily she ends up getting back with them. Bruh throw the whole LI in the trash.

COP

Best: Trystan is a fun character and their relationship with the MC is very refreshing. They're both equals for once in a single LI story, and it'll be interesting no matter which gender you choose for each character (whereas in most single LI stories they're really only interesting if you play as anything other than wlm).

Worst: None.

UT

Best: None.

Worst: Kit is the textbook definition of a soulless personality-less customizable LI. They try to push them as this "player" except it's moreso just people flocking to Kit rather than Kit flirting with others.

TPS

Best: Clarke was a fun character and the female white sprite also contributes to me knowing I'm not straight.

Worst: Devon was nice but they were kind of bland and useless.

TCH: I've only played Book 1 so far and haven't yet started Book 2, but I found Kieran pretty decent and I enjoyed their development.

ID: Gabe was sweeter and I kind of liked their interactions with the MC, but Cas was more interesting, so I'm not sure. But there's a Book 2 on the way so I can't properly judge anyways.

MAH

Best: Tyler! He's arguably the least developed of the LIs but he was my favorite because he's just so babygirl. I miss when we had true softie male LIs. Also, bonus points for the dialogue changes about him realizing he's not straight if you romance him as a male or enby MC.

Worst: Not sure. Maybe Donovan because he could be a bit callous to the MC in the earlier chapters. I get why he was acting like that, but some of it did seem a bit excessive. But even then, he's still a very fleshed out character and his callousness doesn't go on for too long, so it's hard to, in good faith, deem him as the "worst". But I will also say that Stevie being MC's childhood best friend felt very poorly set up.

TPA

Best: None of them. Rowan was underdeveloped and Agent Grey was mostly very one note. They have some alright interactions, but I personally found the two hookup options Lou and Alexis far more interesting.

Worst: Like I said, Agent Grey was very one note. They seemed to be trying to go for the whole James Bond trope with having a companion that he has a bit of bantery romance with, except there wasn't much flavor to the relationship between MC and Agent Grey. Grey's character is pretty much entirely just being a tsundere.

[GNV: Haven't played yet]

[KOD: Haven't played yet]

[GG: Haven't played yet]

RWB

Best: None.

Worst: Drew had some alright character development, but I found them mostly unremarkable. "Baby Bird" was also very infantilizing.

FCL

Best: None.

Worst: How is it that every single character on-screen, even Sky who's a complete stranger, could figure out MC was scheming against Rebecca, but Rebecca's partner themselves apparently could not? Blake is either spineless as all fuck, or was just doing shrooms during the entire trip. Or both.

[TDA: Haven't played yet]

[KND: Haven't played yet]

TBB

Best: None

Worst: Cole/Callie is bland as all hell and very unreliable. Tries to use a baby to save their and Daphne's relationship and then proceeds to cheat on Daphne. Only in like the last chapter do they talk things out like actual grown ass adults, but it's too little too late.

DLS: I'm still catching up but I'm enjoying Charlie King.

[APH: Haven't started yet]

[SOD: Haven't started yet]

[Unbridled: Haven't started yet]