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angelasscribbles · 4 months

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Chain of Love

Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.

Fandom: The Royal Romance

TRR characters in this: Regina, Drake, Riley.

Rating: G

Warnings for this chapter: None

Word Count: 990 <- Me trying to keep any song rewrites under 1,000 words and succeeding!!

A/N: This is my first submission for the @choicesprompts song rewrite challenge. This is a complete AU. No Cordonia, no royalty.

The song I chose is The Chain of Love by Clay Walker

My other stuff: Master List.

Regina guided her Mercedes over the icy road with trepidation.

She shouldn’t be out here alone, but she had wanted to beat the winter storm that was coming. She was on her way to visit her sister and determined to make it before the bad weather set in.

There was a loud thump and her car pitched to the left. She fought to get it under control and brought it to a stop on the side of the road.

Shit. Just what she needed, a flat tire.

Regina had led a charmed life. Some might call her spoiled. Changing a flat tire was not something her parents had taught her. It was not something she’d ever done. First her father, and then her husband, had always taken care of such things. But her father was long dead, and her husband was two hundred miles away, unable to get off work for the holidays.

She pulled out her cell phone to call AAA, but there was no signal. She fought the panic rising in her throat. She couldn’t get stranded out here in the middle of nowhere.

A beat-up ancient truck pulled up behind her. A pair of dirty work boots hit the ground. A man who looked about the same age as her youngest son walked up to her car.

She cracked the window, unsure if she should trust a stranger.

“Howdy, ma’am. Need a little help?”

Relief surged through her. “I really could use some, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem. Happy to oblige. Do you know where your spare tire is located?”

“I…I’m not sure. I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay. They’re usually in the trunk. If you could just pop it for me, I’ll find your tire and if you don’t have a jack, that’s all right because I do.”

Regina exited the vehicle so she could move her suitcase from the trunk to the back seat, but he shooed her away, telling her to stay in the car where it was warm. He moved the suitcase, then walked back to his truck and returned with a floor jack.

Fifteen minutes later, he was at the driver’s side window again. “All set, ma’am.”

She tried to pay him, but he refused the money. “I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror if I took money for helping someone who was stranded like that.”

“But I could have sat here all night until the car ran out of gas and I froze to death. You saved me!”

The man laughed. “Not likely in these parts. Someone would have stopped.”

“Please let me give you something for your trouble.”

He shook his head with a grin as he wiped the grease from his hands. “Tell you what. If you really want to thank me, then just pay it forward to the next person.”

“What does that mean?”

“Just do a kindness for a stranger that seems to need it.”

“Okay.” She agreed. “What’s your name just so I know who rescued me?”

“Name is Drake Walker.”

“Well, thank you, Drake. My name is Regina Rys. I appreciate you more than you will ever know. I’ll be sure to pay it forward.”

He waved at her as he walked back to his truck. She put the car in gear and navigated back onto the road, realizing how hungry she was. Glancing at the clock on the dash, she decided she had time to grab a quick bite to eat.

The parking lot of the unassuming brown building that housed the town’s only restaurant was about half full when she pulled in. She pulled her coat on and hurried from the car to the warmth of the restaurant, where she was seated quickly.

The waitress was young, pretty, and very pregnant. She made polite chitchat as she filled her water and took her order, but Regina could tell the young woman was exhausted. Dark circles ringed her eyes and her hand kept going to the small of her back with a small grimace of pain. Despite her obvious discomfort, she was efficient and friendly.

“When are you due, dear?”

“In a week or two.”

“Oh, my! Shouldn’t you be at home resting?”

The waitress smiled ruefully. “Probably. But the rent doesn’t pay itself.”

Regina finished her meal quickly, pleased with the quality of the food and the service. As she was counting out bills to pay her check, her eyes fell on the waitress across the way and Drake’s words came back to her.

She patted the woman on the shoulder on her way out. Glancing at her name tag, she said, “I left your tip under the plate, Riley. Congratulations on your baby.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Riley smiled. She waddled back over to the table, expecting a five or ten-dollar bill. Her mouth dropped open when she saw two crisp hundred-dollar bills. Her head spun around, looking for the woman. It had to be a mistake. She ran to the door, but the woman was already pulling out of the parking lot.

Her eyes widened when she realized the lady had meant to leave her that much money. Elation soared through her. This would be enough to pay what was left on the doctor’s bill and to finish paying off the stroller she had on layaway. She squealed with delight as she pocketed the money.

She drove home tired, but happy. She peeled off her clothes and took a hot shower before crawling into bed next to her sleeping husband. She wasn’t surprised he was asleep already. He had been working double shifts to make extra money so she wouldn’t have to work after the baby came.

She’d tell him about the extra money in the morning.

He shifted in his sleep as she slid under the covers next to him, moving closer to her. She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek and whispered, “I love you, Drake.”

#choicesprompts #song rewrite #trr au #drake x mc #drake walker #angelasscribbles #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

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ao719 · 2 years

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The Family Squabble

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #3: “Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation.”

A/N: A while back, @dcbbw sent me an ask for this little dispute to be set in my Moirai AU. Thank you to her and @burnsoslow for looking it over! Please excuse any errors.

Pairing: Liam x OC (Alina)

Warnings: none but some mild language

Word count: 1558

Gathered in the living area of their quarters after dinner one evening, the King and Queen smiled as they watched their bundle of joy being doted upon. Liam had his arm resting across the back of the sofa, and nestled into his side was Alina, watching her parents coo and awe over their granddaughter.

“Aplós tin agapó tóso polý,” Alina’s mother grinned, looking down at a sleeping baby Eleanor snuggled in her arms after she had managed to wrestle her away from her husband.

“She’s hard not to love,” Liam said with a proud smile.

Crown Princess Eleanor made her grand debut into the world two weeks earlier than expected. At a month old, Alina’s family, save for her brother and three cousins who lived in Cordonia, were finally able to come and meet the tiny princess in person.

The whole family.

Liam sent the jet, flying in Alina’s parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and her yiayia and papou. Five third-row SUVs met them on the tarmac and shuttled them all back to the palace. They were taking up half of one of the guest wings. It had been a week since their arrival; tomorrow they would be heading home to Mykonos.

Alina had always been very family oriented. With her role as Queen, she didn’t get to see her family as often as she once did or as much as she wished she could. So she was soaking up every moment she had with them. And Liam was being his usual charming self, welcoming her large and loud family with open arms and a smile.

Despite having so many people around all at once over the past week, Liam and Alina were both enjoying having them there. For Alina, getting advice, tips, and tricks from the women in her family on how to handle a newborn was much more comforting in person than over the phone. For Liam, he always wanted a big family, and he got exactly that when he married into Alina’s. He loved every minute of the chaos, not to mention yiayia’s baklava she made sure to bring.

As the chatter in the room began to pick up, Alina glanced over at Liam with a knowing look as she pressed her hand against her chest; he nodded in understanding, and she looked back at her mother as they rose from the sofa. “Mamá, I need to feed her, and then we’re going to put her to bed.”

Alina’s mother pouted her lip through a smile before nodding. She placed a soft kiss on the baby’s forehead, whispering that she’d see her in the morning before gently passing her to Liam. The rest of the family bid their goodnights to the princess before the pair excused themselves and disappeared down the hall toward the nursery.

****

After going through their nighttime routine, Liam and Alina returned to the living area and plopped down on the sofa. Alina began speaking with her mother and aunts while the others were lost in chatter of their own. In the chair beside Liam, Leo glanced around the room; there were so many people, all talking all at once, some louder than others.

Leo leaned over, dropping his voice down so only Liam could hear. “I can’t believe you’ve dealt with this many people all up in your space for an entire week.”

“They’re not that bad. Plus, I deal with you all of the time,” Liam teased. “This is a walk in the park,” he chuckled.

“I’m not a whole Greek family,” Leo scoffed.

Liam shook his head. “They’re more laid back than you think.”

“No Greek family is simply laid back,” Leo chuckled. “And you forget, I knew most of these people before you. I bet I could get them riled up,” he smirked.

Liam cut his eyes over to his brother. “Let’s not.”

Leo’s gaze had already settled on Alina’s yiayia, who was uncovering a container of her famous homemade baklava to pass around for dessert. “Too late,” he whispered before perking up in his seat and raising his voice. “Hey guys, is it true that baklava originated in Turkey … or was it Armenia?”

The entire room fell silent as everyone snapped their shocked gazes toward Leo.

Liam and Alina’s eyes went wide along with her parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Nikos, Cy, Matteo, and Theo’s mouths hung open as their gazes flickered between their friend and their grandmother. Alina’s grandfather sat expressionless as he eyed Leo carefully.

And Yiayia … her eyes were narrowed with her lips pursed in a thin line as she took a small step forward. “Ti eípes mólis?” she ground out, asking what he just said.

Everyone knew it was a rhetorical question; she was giving him a chance to correct his mistake.

Next to Liam, Alina grabbed a bottle of wine from the table; she uncorked it and took a giant sip straight from the bottle. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Alina shook her head. “Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation we’re about to witness. Trust me—” she handed Liam the bottle “—have some.”

This may have been a bad idea, Leo thought as he stared up at the woman from his seat. If looks could kill, he was certain he’d be dead on the floor of the royal quarters. “I was only curious, Yiayia, ma’am,” he choked out. “I’m, uh … very into history. Yes! So into it. And, well, I’ve read that there’s a … controversial history regarding the origins of baklava.”

“Eísai anóitos, agóri,” the old woman grumbled, calling Leo a foolish boy.

Leo watched her continue to slowly advance on him. I could totally take her if it comes to that. “I meant no disrespect, Yiayia, ma’am.”

Yiayia flew off the handle. “Thélete proélefsi? Ti tha légate gia tin proélefsi ton asevón mikrón skatá! Den xéreis típota! Ópos kai oi Toúrkoi! Kánete láthos! Ftiáchnoume baklavá apó ta vyzantiná!”

Liam watched Alina’s grandmother continue to lay into his brother; her voice was raised and her arms were flailing. For a woman her age and petite size, she was lowkey terrifying.

“Perhaps what I read was wrong,” Leo’s voice shook, now trying to backtrack on his statement. “Ya know, come to think of it—” he snapped his fingers, pulling a lie out of thin air “—I believe it said it was the Romans.”

“Oh god,” Alina breathed.

At Leo’s words, Liam covered his face with his hand, not so subtly peeking through his fingers at Alina’s grandfather; he was tensing his jaw as he gripped the arms of the chair to use as leverage to help himself stand. That was one of the first rules Liam learned when he met Alina’s family for the first time: Do not, under any circumstances, mention the Romans to her papou. “Eínai állo prágma pou mas éklepsan! Kataraménoi Romaíoi!” he shouted as he shook his fist angrily in Leo’s direction. He remained standing, scowling while mumbling Greek obscenities under his breath as his wife continued to scold Leo.

Liam finally took Alina’s suggestion and raised the bottle of wine to his lips, taking a long pull before handing it back to her. “Drink more,” he whispered.

“Maybe you should step in,” Alina said quietly.

“No way! He chose to pick that battle, not me.”

“He’s your brother!” Alina said, fighting back a laugh.

“She’s your yiayia, and the one yelling. Why don’t you step in?”

Alina giggled. “Are you afraid of my yiayia?”

“That is …” Liam scoffed. “Just ridiculous.” They both stared at one another for a moment; it was a member from each side of their family, and they were in their home. One of them had to say something. “Is that … yup! I hear Eleanor.” Liam shot up from the sofa, dodging out of the way of Alina’s hand as she went to grab his shirt.

“Liam!” Alina whispered through a laugh, but he kept going, disappearing around the corner and into the hallway. She looked back at her yiayia; she was now going on about the Byzantine Empire, and she was doing it with gusto. She sighed as she stood from the sofa. “Papou, sit down,” she said, helping him back into his chair before turning to her grandmother. “Yiayia,” she put her arm around her shoulder. “He gets it, I promise.” Alina shot her brother-in-law a look over her shoulder as she started to guide the old woman away. “Right, Leo?”

“Yes!” Leo nodded vigorously. “Absolutely! Baklava, it is most definitely Greek.”

“Min to amfisvitíseis xaná!” she yelled as Alina guided her toward the kitchen.

“The fuck, man?” Nikos said once his grandmother was out of earshot.

“What the hell was that?” Theo questioned.

“I’m sorry!” Leo held up his hands defensively. “I was just trying to have a bit of fun! I didn’t think asking about baklava would become my villain origin story!”

“It does when you question where it came from to an 87-year-old Greek woman!” Cy chided.

“And then you brought up the Romans in front of papou?” Matteo shook his head.

Nikos chuckled. “They’ll never look at you the same again.”

As Alina walked with yiayia past the opening that led to the hallway, she saw Liam cautiously peering around the corner. She rolled her eyes. “It’s safe now.”

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

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alj4890 · 1 year

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Just Try

(Liam x Madeleine) in a Choices The Royal Romance drabble

Thirty Kisses in Thirty Days Challenge with the prompt: an "I'm in love with someone else, but you're here," kiss.

May 2023 Choices Challenge: lies | first heartbreak

A/N Here's my take on what Liam was going through at the beginning of Book 2 while Riley was at Ramsford. When I saw this particular kiss prompt, I immediately thought of him being forced to live a lie where he is happy with Madeleine. This is nothing but pure angst. Sorry 😬

Rating: G

@gkittylove99 @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @twinkleallnight @lodberg @amandablink @neotericthemis @mm2305 @sfb123 @tessa-liam @thesvnsins @krsnlove @busywoman @choiceschallenge-may2023 @jerzwriter

Masterlist

Another day as the new King of Cordonia was over at last. Liam trudged his way upstairs to his bed chambers. Each step felt heavier than the one that came before it. His mind buzzed from the numerous meetings he'd gone through since being crowned. Nothing so far came close to how he thought his life would be once he became ruler.

As he closed his door, he allowed his shoulders to droop. In here, he was able to be simply Liam, a young man grieving for his deathly ill father and for the loss of the woman he so desperately loved.

Riley.

He closed his eyes for a moment. His head tipped back to rest upon his door while images of her danced in his thoughts. Everything had seemed so perfect to have only come to an abrupt end.

He was so tired of the pictures of Riley and Tariq being brought up in the news. It hurt to see her nearly naked with another man, even though he knew they weren't true.

Thank God for Drake, he thought to himself.

Liam pushed away from the door to prepare himself a needed drink. In honor of his best friend saving her, he poured a liberal amount of Macallan 1928. He then did his best to relax.

This life he was forced to lead wasn't easy. He knew before he'd even been made to take his older brother's place that it wouldn't be. Liam honestly did not anticipate it being this hard.

He'd always suspected he would have to marry someone out of duty because of the crown. As the spare, he thought it would be to help secure ties with another kingdom. Nothing brought about an alliance faster than marriage. Then when Leo abdicated, Liam knew his choices had diminished even more.

Especially when his father insisted on the very public suitor events.

And of course, Maxwell and Drake's insistence that he have a bachelor party.

Those two instances of being pressured had led to Liam feeling this depressed. Though he was grateful to his friends wanting to give him a night he'd never forget, he almost wished it had never happened. If he'd been allowed to remain here, stuck in a lifestyle he understood, he might not feel like he was now living a lie.

Instead, he'd lost his heart to an American. He'd begun to dream of an impossible life by her side. He almost attained it.

Then it was snatched away at the very last second.

He couldn't even call Riley and discuss any of this with her. Fear of someone finding out kept him from doing so. He couldn't ask anyone if she had decided to remain in the country. Who could he trust with that? He at first thought of calling Ramsford in an act of kingly benevolence to reassure Bertrand that he didn't hold any ill will for bringing, as the media dubbed her, that beastly American to him so he could discover whether or not Riley returned to New York. But who knew who would be listening in?

Even if she had remained in Cordonia, would she still want him? After all, mere minutes after declaring his love for her he'd gone and announced he was marrying another.

He took a long sip of his whiskey, allowing it to burn in his throat as memories of making love to Riley that night came to mind. Why didn't he rush inside after she told him she loved him too to declare her his choice? He instead had given in to the moment and selfishly kept her to himself for a little longer.

And look what that cost me, he thought bitterly.

"Come in." He called out at the brisk knock to his door.

Madeleine poked her head inside. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

The words sat on the tip his tongue to say that she was. She was intruding on his nightly torture of what his life had almost been. He was ready to wallow in his misery without the added reminder of being trapped with her as future queen.

"Not at all." He took another sip. "Please, sit down."

Madeleine beamed over his manners still being intact even though he was drinking. She knew many noblemen who couldn't contain their baser instincts once alcohol was involved. She was a little relieved to see him imbibing. Hopefully it would help with her plan.

She wasn't a fool. She knew she wasn't his real choice. Madeleine believed though that they could find a way to be a couple, even if it was an act on both their parts.

But she also knew that in order to be a successful queen, she would need to one day bear him a child.

"How was your day?" She asked politely.

"Busy." He forced a smile. "But productive nonetheless."

"Good." She sat up a bit straighter. "I've begun to plan our engagement tour."

Liam took another sip, nearly finishing off his glass with that reminder.

"Have you?" He got up to top off his glass. "May I get you anything?"

"I'll have whatever you're having." She decided.

Maybe a drink would help her too with discussing what was on her mind.

He handed her a tumbler halfway filled.

"Thank you." She took a dainty sip, nose wrinkling over the taste.

She'd never enjoyed drinking straight spirits, but desperate times called for such.

"I think we need to discuss how we should act at these events." She began.

Liam softly sighed. "And how do you think we should?"

Madeleine narrowed her eyes at his tone. Was that irritation or resignation? Either way, it didn't give her much hope.

"I know ours wasn't the typical courtship," she added.

"Indeed, it was not." He snorted.

"But, it needs to look like it in front of everyone."

Liam downed his glass. "I believe in the public's eyes, I am a dutiful fiancé."

"Dutiful, yet not happy." She stressed.

"I've smiled for every picture." He argued.

"Not the way you smiled with Riley."

He couldn't believe she had the unmitigated gall to say his love's name.

"Do not dare," his tone turned a touch sinister, "presume to compare yourself to her."

Madeleine blinked. Had she misjudged Liam's easy going demeanor?

"I'm not." She replied, her own tone turning peevish. "I'm simply pointing out a fact. People knew you favored her above all the rest of us. Since you didn't pick--"

"Couldn't." He corrected.

"Couldn't pick her," Madeleine continued, "then you must at least pretend to be content."

"And what do you think I've been doing?" He pushed out of his chair to pace. "I've made certain to praise you in interviews. I've stood by your side, smiling like an idiot. I've--"

"Not kissed me."

Liam stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened at the mere thought of kissing the proper, icy countess. His already tender stomach from drinking without dinner churned at the thought of kissing a woman his brother had been with.

It was wrong. He couldn't think of another way to put it.

Madeleine got to her feet and stood before him. Taking a deep breath, she titled her head back.

"Madeleine, we can't--"

"I know you hope things turn out differently." Her eyes held his. "But the likely hood of Riley's name being cleared is far fetched at best. We need to be prepared for our future."

Liam briefly closed his eyes. His heart ached to hear that his dreams were getting further and further away from becoming a reality. All he had was hope in finding out what happened at Applewood. He didn't even know how he would secretly conduct an investigation. He couldn't, not without discovering first off why the security had failed so miserably that fateful night.

The thought of the rest of his life spent with the woman before him was too much right now. The pain he felt in having to choose her was still so raw. He couldn't think about the notion of truly marrying her.

Was the crown even worth it? Was his duty going to be the very thing to keep him tethered to an unhappy life?

Perhaps Leo is right. Maybe abdication is the only way.

"I think we need to kiss." Madeleine broke through his tortured thoughts. "At least for practice for when we need to pose for pictures and such. We need it to look natural."

Liam shook his head. "We do not have to kiss in public."

"Very well." She knew she had an uphill battle on her hands. "But we will one day have to have children."

Children. Liam ran his hands over his face. He was supposed to have children with Riley. He even told her that was his dream on his first date, to one day have a family of his own. He'd already imagined them looking like his love. He hoped they would have her dark hair, her warm smile, her easy laugh, and her tender heart.

Now the likely hood was that they wouldn't exist. He would be forced to have children with Madeleine.

He needed another drink.

Madeleine watched in silence as he hastily gulped his third glass. She wasn't insulted. After all, she knew the type of loyalty Liam had. His devotion to a woman who had shamed him was admirable, if not foolish in her mind. It boded well though for their own future that she could trust him.

She decided she could be magnanimous in their current situation.

"If Riley did remain with the Beaumont's," she added, "I will gladly turn a blind eye to you making her your mistress."

Liam nearly choked on his whiskey.

She rolled her eyes over that reaction.

"I understand how much you care for her."

"I love her." He stated.

"Be that as it may," her voice was tight with conviction, "we are the ones getting married."

Liam set his empty glass down. Why was she hounding him about this?

"Now, we need to kiss at least once so it won't be as awkward as it will be if done for the first time in front of others."

Her frown firmed on her lips. "My mother is the type to demand such demonstrations of love."

When Liam still remained away from her, she reminded him that her irreverent parent would be the first to throw a party for their engagement.

Seeing no way out of this nor getting a chance for peace, Liam returned to her and took her in his arms. Before he could think too much about it, he captured her lips in a kiss.

It felt wrong. Madeleine's body was stiff as she forced her lips to ease under his. He didn't even try to deepen it. What was the point? She wasn't even remotely interested in him physically. He couldn't even use her to help him in his loneliness.

That thought made him jerk away from Madeleine. He couldn't believe he ever considered taking advantage of another in such a despicable manner.

His eyes darted over to his empty glass. Was it the cause of such a notion?

He decided he would never drink that much again before dealing with his fiancée. It wasn't fair to her, to himself, and it certainly wasn't right to do to Riley.

Even if he was to never see her again, she was still worth being true to.

"There are other ways we can have children if forced to marry." He told her. "You need not worry about having to demonstrate your affection to me physically ever again."

Madeleine's relief didn't escape his notice.

"Very well. Thank you for discussing it with me." She walked out with her head held high.

Once the door shut, Liam buried his head on his hands. He was embarrassed and disheartened with how this night was ending. He knew he should have never let Madeleine inside, much less entertained their conversation. Look what it had done to him. It had brought Liam nothing but more pain and sadness.

He honestly wasn't sure how he could continue this life of his without Riley.

#thirty kisses in thirty days #choices the royal romance #liam x madeleine #liam x riley #king liam #choices liam x mc #choices the stories you play #choices fic writers creations

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unsettlingconclusions · 1 year

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Upturns

Pairing: Hana Lee x MC (Riley) (mentioned). Hana Lee. Madeleine Amaranth. Summary: While Hana contemplates how everything will change after Riley's name is cleared, she gets some unexpected company. Set during TRR 2. Genre: Angst Rating: T Word Count: 900 Notes: I have always contemplated how Madeleine had feelings for Hana and decided to write this. Set at TRR 2 ch 16 (parallel to the scene Liam proposes to MC). This could work both as Hana's train of thought before the balcony scene (Hana's route) or as a scene to establish Madeleine's feelings for her. I had fun with it! Hope you will.

Warning: it doesn't depict graphic violence, but it may be a bit uncomfortable.

It was a fine night. Or it was supposed to be a fine night. Hana was sure at some place in New York some couple was having the best time of their lives right now.

She chuckles lightly to herself. "Some". She would keep it as vague as possible in her head. If she could pretend she didn't know Liam had planned an special night for Riley, she could lavish in the feeling the woman she loved wasn't far off her reach for just a little while longer.

If only she hadn't read Maxwell's text. Now not only she knows Riley will wake up tomorrow as the future Queen of Cordonia, she'll have to come up with something to justify the note she slipped through Riley's door. With her extraordinary ability of lying.

She hid herself in the rooftop of the hotel that night, and let the gentle breeze sweep through her hair while she mindlessly paced around. Only yesterday she had found herself so close to Riley. They had strolled around New York and Hana delighted in seeing Riley in her element and in being invited into it. Shaking her head, she feels that damn oppressive tightness in her chest yet again, and finds herself fighting the urge to kick some imaginary rock on the tile floor.

She knew cleaning Riley's name would change things. Did it have to take less than 24h?

Clenching her jaw, she looks for a secluded spot where she could sit and just let the hours go by. Her whole plan was to keep the abstract far away down the street New York citizens as her company. It was fascinating observing how time seemed to move differently for all those people, with some idly moving while others dashed swiftly. Were they on their way to change their lives or was it just another ordinary day?

"You think that with your intelligence you would've made a better choice than to handle her right over to him".

Startled by the unexpected voice, Hana's eyes widen as she turns around trying to make out the intruder's face. "I'm- I'm sorry?" her words come out disarranged as she grips the railing of the balcony, her heart pounding.

"Riley." The shadow replies coming closer, a low grumble piercing through the silence.

"Oh, Madeleine." with a tentative smile, Hana holds her hand to her chest as Madeline leans against the wall. "Good evening. I'm not sure I follow."

"Is all that innocence real? Or are you just exceptionally skilled at faking it?"

Hana tilts her head to the side and gawks back at Madeline, opening her mouth ready to protest, although not exactly sure to what. Madeline simply scoffs, narrowing her eyes back to Hana. "You're in love with Riley."

"I, I--" Hana stumbles, only to be cut short by Madeline waving a hand at her. "Yes, you. Save it, Hana. You're far too good to manage to lie or deceive anyone."

Hana blinks and stares down, her head filling with a muffled but sharp sound. The other woman pushes herself off the wall, stiletto heels connecting hard against the floor. "I know you're in love with her. Anyone with eyes can tell that." Madeleine sneers, putting one hand on each side of Hana's, trapping her against the railing. "What gets to me is why did you never do anything about it?"

The smell of bourbon coming off from the blonde was numbing to Hana. It was a powerful contrast to the softness of Madeleine's skin and the floral essence of her perfume. Hana kept moving her face to side to side to try and clear her thoughts "I... I didn't want to impose."

"Do you imagine yourself going any far in life by regarding your wishes as impositions?"

"Why are..."

"And to help her clear her name and become eligible again." Tightening the corner of her lips in a lopsided smile, Madeleine moves one hand to brush away a lock off of Hana's eyes, surprising her with the gentleness of the action. "Just why would you do that?"

"I... I wasn't going to let her be slandered-“

"You weren’t going to let her be slandered," Madeline mocks, disdain dripping through every word.

"...Only because it would decrease her chances of being chosen by him."

Getting impossibly closer, Madeline reaches for the back of Hana's head and brings her voice into a whisper, "How is that serving you right now? You're here pathetically mourning her."

That snaps Hana back into herself. She might not know well how to read people, or she might have grown up sheltered and manipulated, or maybe not. She wasn’t sure of much, but she knew she was so tired of letting people walk over her. She straightens her posture and pushes Madeleine off with enough force the blonde staggers, losing her footing for a moment.

"And how has all your ambition served you so far, Madeleine?" she grits her teeth, now her turn to invade the other woman's space. "As far as I can see, we are both morning the same event, with the exception I at least have made a friend, while you are collecting enemies. Excuse me."

She strides away feeling a renewed sense of confidence. In her heart she knew she meant it, regardless of Madeleine's or anyone else's opinion. Meeting Riley has deeply changed her, and even though she still needed to learn how to navigate through this new side of herself, she could bask in the fact she was on her way to be her own person and nobody would this away.

If she had looked back and noticed Madeleine's expression, she would've seen the woman pressing her lips into a tight line, her eyes not holding still and the rapid up and down of her chest. She would've noticed how this night has changed everything in more ways than one, and that there was also another woman being faced with the path of completely changing herself.

#the royal romance #mc x hana lee #hana lee x mc #madeleine x hana #hana lee x madeleine #madeleine amaranth #hana lee

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lizzybeth1986 · 2 years

Text

Eleanor's Kitchen

Book: The Royal Heir Book 1/The Royal Romance series

Rating: G

Pairing: None. Queen Eleanor & Signore Francesco friendship. Mention of Joëlle Theron & Queen Eleanor's friendship.

Summary: After a visit from one of his mother's old college friends, little Liam realizes he doesn't actually know as much about her as he thinks. (Eleanor's Kitchen)

Word Count: 3, 261 words.

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for Fics of the Week.

Choices May Challenge (Day 8) - yellow | Mothers | "do you trust me"? (@choicesmonthlychallenge)

Chapter 2: Spaghetti al Pomodoro

There are many moments when Liam thinks he's seen his mother at her happiest.

When she sees him and Drake, weaving their way through the still-in-construction garden, their shins darkened by mud. When Leo briefly drops his disinterested-teenager demeanor, and actually looks happy to be at home. The now-rare days when she and Father go a full day without disagreeing on something (alright...maybe not that. You can still see her eyes nervously darting, like she's aware that the day isn't over and there's still time for things to go wrong). When her projects seem to take off. When people appreciate her new garden. When she goes to the public library. The rare times she gets to cook.

None of that compares, Liam realizes now, to the shine in her eyes at the sight of a carton of ripe, red, oval-shaped tomatoes in the palace.

As Mum closes her eyes, breathing in the sweet scent of the tomatoes, Liam surreptitiously picks up a note that seems to have fallen from the box.

Nori,

Got this straight from Zio Guiseppe's farm. He still remembers you! Keeps telling me how often you wolfed down their sfogliatella first time you visited. He even offered to just send you a bottle of homemade sauce to save time...but I told him if I did that you'd kill me!

Here's to serving your sons real pasta with real pomodoro, not those pathetic pink travesties you Cordonians call tomatoes.

Franci.

Mum sniffs in frustration when she finally reads the note. "I may be Cordonian now," she murmurs as if Francesco de Rosa himself is in the room, "but on the subject of tomatoes I will never be anything but Auvernese."

Liam frowns in worry. For the past year, Mum's home place hasn't even been mentioned in the palace. If this ever reaches Father's ears there will be hell to pay.

So instead of stoking the flames by asking his mother what's so special about Auvernal's tomatoes (not that he likes tomatoes, anyway, unless they're cherry tomatoes - the bigger ones always make your mouth pucker in the worst way, and Mum always needs to drown them in fresh herbs to make them taste halfway-decent), he asks about Uncle Franci instead.

"When did you go to Naples, Mum?" They've gone to Capri, they've gone to Venice, they've seen the Colloseum at Rome, he's even seen Father and Mum meet the Pope - all veiled and dressed in black - at the Vatican. He knows Napoli is where Uncle Franci stays, with Aunt Perizaad his wife - and they've come over to Cordonia a handful of times - but Liam can't for the life of him remember Mum ever going there!

"Oh, that?" Mum sounds a little surprised, almost as if she's just remembered something that never occurred to her before. "Of course you wouldn't know, sweetheart. I was still in university then."

Liam's eyes grow round as saucers. "You met Uncle Franci in college?"

Mum's laughter tinkles like glass, light but also a little hollow - her smile only half-there. "I met many people at college. Some of them you see almost every month."

"Really? Do you have pictures, Mum?" It's hard, to think of a time when his mother wasn't a queen, wasn't the woman on his Father's right side, wasn't the woman who considered this palace her home. Wasn't his mother.

Until now, he's never had to think about what Mum's life looked like before all that. Almost as if she emerged from the earth of their Capitol, like the goddess Venus did atop a shell from the sea. But Mum's eyes light up with a need Liam cannot name yet, so when she asks him if he'd like to see them right now, he says yes.

And he's excited at first, truly. He wants to see all these memories that seem to bring her so much joy. So he sits through thousands of pictures (Mum and Father. Mum and Global Leaders. Mum and a delegation of Applewood farmers. Mum and himself, now as a small child. Now as a toddler. Now as a baby, bawling his head off in a very uncomfortable christening robe. Mum and a very young, very scared Leo perched atop her lap). And as each yellowing album-page takes an agonizingly slow step back in time and Liam's childish enthusiasm begins to flag...Mum's own anticipation dims a little bit more, the dewy joy that lit up her entire face when she first saw those tomatoes slowly fading.

But then they're interrupted by the palace staff for teatime. And then they're expected to see Ana de Luca, Trend's newest and most popular interviewer, about a photoshoot. Then by the time they're done with all that, Drake runs to him, panting in exhilaration, telling Liam it's time for them to play.

And Liam runs, forgetting instantly all albums he's left behind and all the questions that led his mother to show them to him, too caught up in the promise of his own childhood adventures to wonder about her youth.

Eleanor shakes her head, chuckling fondly - tiredly - at the fading shadow of her son and his best friend, racing madly through the halls without another care in the world, before she puts the albums away.

"Mmm," Uncle Franci takes a seat next to Liam, greeting the smell of spaghetti slathered in tomato sauce with a sigh of appreciation. He'd called in last week, mentioning to Mum that he had work at the Capitol; to which she immediately suggested he drop by for lunch. "Smells just like Nonna's. I bet Pari gave you that recipe. But cherry tomatoes?"

Mum lets out an unladylike snort. "Just because they're not in your Nonna's recipe doesn't mean no Italian has ever used them."

"But these are Cordonian tomatoes. You may have the best baking apples but with respect to this one ingredient we beat you hollow."

"Pssh! Those are different. You haven't even tried our cherry tomatoes yet." Mum gets even more passionate in her defense of Cordonian produce, a strand or two of her hair easing themselves off her neatly-tied bun as she spritedly argues.

Liam breathes in a whiff of the pasta dish while the two keep sparring. He won't lie: it does look, and smell, divine. The basil smells fresh, the sunlight streaming from the windows casts a silky gleam over the already-thick sauce on the spaghettoni. The subtle pungent perfume of crushed garlic teases his nostrils. The mini-tomatoes that seem to offend Uncle Franci so much have a slight char, the blackness standing out against all the bright colours of the dish.

He's just not sure the pasta will taste as good as it looks, because they're tomatoes.

But Liam is sure of one thing. He's never enjoyed being in the kitchen with his mother, as much as he did when she was making this sauce. She's always been one to sing, do a little dance, tell a story, in the middle of cooking. Fairytales, old myths, childhood memories, little anecdotes of his life with Father and Leo, before Liam came along. Little folk legends she's read about in the public library.

But since she got that carton of tomatoes from San Marzano sul Sarno, her stories have started sounding different. They're brimming with love, but with a sense that she's lost something too. She talks about her father's wonderful, forever-fertile farm, that grew everything from root vegetables to dragonfruit. About her time at university, learning Cultural Studies and meeting a young Italian batchmate named Francesco de Rosa - now an up-and-coming Italian politician. Mum said they'd bonded instantly, teasingly calling each other "Volcano Children".

Volcanoes? Liam whispered as Mum sweated the garlic, why volcanoes?

Volcanic soil was very important to both our childhoods, she told him, sighing wistfully, Uncle Franci's birthplace isn't too far from Mount Vesuvius. Your Grandpa's farm was very close to Mount Ionia, which is our dormant volcano. The ash from all those ancient eruptions does something to the soil over time.

What does it do? Uncle Franci's tomatoes, crushed yet still a little whole, now joined the garlic-infused oil, what does that do to the food?

Mum didn't answer. She'd just tasted a spoonful of sauce, closing her eyes and smiling, occasionally moving her tongue around her palate. As if the taste of the tomatoes themselves transported her somewhere else.

He sees the same expression on both her and Uncle Franci's faces now, at the dinner table, feasting on the pasta. Perhaps a hint of surprise in Uncle Franci's expression.

Liam shifts in his seat, embarrassed; his plate is the only one left untouched.

Just one bite, he promises himself, lazily twirling strands of spaghetti around his fork. Just a little bit, and if I can't get through the meal I can complain of a stomachache. Mum will understand.

That one bite releases a whole bouquet of sensations all at once. The pasta is luscious, the tomatoes are shockingly sweet and vibrant, their richness unfurling over his tongue in a way that coats his entire palate. He's never had a tomato that tasted like this. The garlic and basil play hide-and-seek with his senses, only occasionally making their presence felt. It's almost like there's no need for the flavourings to take centerstage!

"More, Liam?" Mum says, her lips unfurling into small smile at the sight of his almost-empty plate.

"Yes please," Liam responds immediately, before realizing both their eyes - amused, a little relieved - are trained on him. "I mean, er, it's nice."

"Perks of living near a volcano," Uncle Franci says, grinning.

Liam giggles, twirling pasta around his fork into a huge cocoon, "Mum said so too."

"She's not wrong, cucciolo mio. It's all that volcanic ash. You won't believe how rich with minerals that soil is."

Liam nods even though some of the phrases are a little hard to understand, his mouth for once stuffed with pasta and tomatoes. He understands enough. But Uncle Franci's praise for Mum's pasta dish has only begun.

"I hate to say this, but I was wrong about the cherry tomatoes, Nori. Charring them really made all the difference!" he lets out a dramatic sigh. "Pari will be so smug when she finds out."

"Once a Cordonian, always a Cordonian, I'm sure," Mum laughs, a light, spirited one that Liam hasn't heard in a while. "She's in Bethulia right now, isn't she?"

Uncle Franci bristles slightly, and Mum purses her lips in response. Liam pretends not to know why; he's heard whispers about Bethulia often over the years, but has only visited the estate once. Its current owner, Baron Cyrus, is younger brother to the then-presumptive heir, who had left the estate years ago to start a new life in metropolitan China. She hasn't been seen since. "Yes."

Nervously, Mum runs a nail over the pristine tablecloth. "She'd told me her cousin Lorelai had come down for a sudden visit."

Uncle murmurs beneath his breath "You can imagine how well that turned out," before turning to Liam and saying - his voice falsely bright - "Did you know, Liam, that I met Aunt Pari through your mother?"

Liam straightens up in his chair, his eyes suddenly brightening, "Really?? You never told me that, Mum!"

Liam knows how fond Mum is of Aunt Pari, but the smile on her face remembering their first few months looks extra special. "Pari was my junior in university...she used to meet me every week for help with class notes. We grew quite close."

"Which is where I come in," Uncle Franci interjects, grinning, "because I was your Mum's roommate, and that's how Aunt Pari met me. Might I add I was the more fun of the two of us; no wonder she stayed around..." Mum rolls her eyes, suppressing a smile. "Both Pari and your mum always carried cameras around. Took pictures of everything and everyone. I actually have a few of those pictures on me right now," he says, passing a conspiratory glance Mum's way. She says nothing, but when Liam steals a glance her way he can see her mouth the words thank you.

Guiltily, Liam remembers they'd never gone back and checked Mum's albums, after the cart of tomatoes had come. The few times he'd remembered, something else had always come up.

"Can I see?"

Uncle Franci is still smiling, but the smile looks different now - softer and more thoughtful. Briefly, he places his hand on Liam's hair. "Of course, cucciolino mio."

The pictures are beautiful, dappled in sunlight, brimming over the four corners of the photograph with bright, happy faces. Here is one of Mum standing at the center of a university campus, holding a bouquet of sunflowers, her eyes crinkled in laughter as Uncle Franci and Aunt Pari mischievously kiss her cheek from either side. And another of Mum and Uncle Franci in plain cotton pyjamas - a far cry from the luxurious sleeping robes she and Father wear - wolfing down pasta, their faces nearly smeared with sauce.

"You have no idea how desparate we both would get for a good tomato pasta. We were so homesick that first year." Mum says, chuckling fondly at their younger selves.

"I'd still argue our San Marzano tomatoes have the slightest edge over your Auvernese ones!"

"Shut it, you," Mum lightly punches Uncle Franci in the arm, her eyes a tiny bit watery, as Liam leafs hungrily through the other pictures. This is a side of his mother he's never seen - and now that Uncle Franci has shown it to him, he can't help but want to know more.

The next photograph shows only a paper, with writing that Liam instantly recognizes as his mother's swirly, almost-calligraphic script. He reads most of the title easily, as well as her name ("Eleanor Moon") only faltering when he reaches the last word.

Breaking Bread: Exploring the History and Practice of Mediterranean Gas...Gas...Gastro...

" - gastrodiplomacy," Mum helps him, rubbing his back in encouragement. "It means you look at how people from different places cultivate alliances and friendships through food."

Liam looks up from the pile of photographs. "Like you and Uncle Franci?" The memory of today's tomato pasta still sends tingles through his tastebuds.

Uncle Franci guffaws in response. "More like your Mum and every soul she meets."

"This was my thesis - that's a research paper you present in the course of getting your degree. Mine and Aunt Pari's was in Cultural Studies, Uncle Franci did his in International Politics. Your father pursued the same degree...but he was a fair bit older than any of us." There is a glow of pride on Mum's face, the same kind that he often sees when an initiative of hers succeeds. "This was the most frustrating, most rewarding, tastiest research paper I'd ever written."

"We both gained weight when you wrote that one," Uncle Franci laughs, before setting the final photograph on the table, "oooh...I think Liam might recognize a person or two in this picture!"

The last picture shows Mum standing behind a huge banner, in a bright purple sundress and a hat, standing next to a vibrant black woman dressed in sunshiny lemon-yellow. They fashion their poses in a way that looks poised, yet casual enough so the onlooker deems them approachable. They wear their best smiles, but their eyes are razor-sharp with purpose. In blue and silver letters, the banner reads

Joëlle Moreau for President!

Eleanor Moon for Cultural Secretary!

Liam draws a deep breath. "Mum, is that -"

"Yes, sweetheart," she responds, eyes softening at Joëlle's deep brown curls, her warm, open smile. "You know her now as Duchess Joëlle, House Thorne. We won that year, too."

"Kiara's Maman," Liam murmurs, remembering it's been months since he's seen the playmate he's been playing soccer and "diplomatic doll games" with. "I didn't know you were in college together too!"

Uncle Franci lets out a small chuckle. "There's a lot of things you don't yet know about your mother," he tells Liam, sitting on his haunches so he can look the young child in the eye, one hand on his shoulder, "but I promise you, finding out will be fun."

Liam takes that little lesson to heart long after Uncle Franci leaves, making promises to arrange for Aunt Pari to visit soon. There is something about Mum's face in those pictures that tugs at him: expressions and hand gestures that he can't even remember seeing from Mum since the time he was born. Things about her he never knew, he never even thought to know. And the look on her face whenever he asks a question about them...that's a happiness Liam wants to grab with both hands and store in a bottle, so he can preserve the glow on her face and the shine in her eyes, forever.

Liam likes to keep this a biweekly ritual, Eleanor realizes three weeks into Francesco's last visit. The first time they went back to that cabinet of albums, he looked closely at the pile as if to imprint which ones had all the family pictures, and which ones featured his mother alone, imprinting them in his memory to save time. Since then, he's walked gingerly to the cabinet each time, plucking out whichever of his mother's albums he's in a mood for. Seeing him pore over each photograph, in awe, makes Eleanor's heart swell.

Something in her hurt inside when Liam left those albums aside...when it looked like he didn't even show interest in the parts of her that had little to do with him or their family. It's childish, she knew. She should be the mature one, she should understand how difficult this life is for any child to navigate. But it didn't stop the hollow feeling inside from constantly creeping in.

Liam points to another photograph now, chirping exitedly his guesses for who the figure in the painting at the background might be (He's right). This photograph is of Joëlle, dressed in a silky maxidress in one of those bright colours she used to wear so well, the head-wrap covering her hair, boldly patterned. She is holding the tip of a paintbrush to her chin, gazing at an oil painting of a young black man in a waistcoat, the fingers of his left hand fiddling with a cufflink, his eyes intense and vulnerable all at once. Jo's features are soft and delicate as she continues gazing at the painting, her eyes already brimming with a million dreams. Eleanor can almost smell the turpentine in Jo's small studio emanating from the picture, if she closes her eyes long enough.

Joëlle is perhaps the only courtier she's this close to... the only one she knows she can trust blindfolded. She won't forget how deeply troubled she'd been all those weeks ago, how much gibberish she'd poured out onto her old friend from Castelserraillan over phone. But somehow Joëlle figured out the problem she'd been plagued with, because Eleanor could understand it herself.

Prince Liam will only show interest in seeing what you are passionate about showing, Elle. Jo had told her in her deep, soothing voice, I've seen you in the past few years, followed your news in the past months. You've been spending far too long trying to be everything to everyone. The perfect Queen for Cordonia. The perfect wife and consort for the King. The perfect mother for your sons. Where are you in all this?

It was a simple enough question; it still stunned Eleanor into silence.

We may be queens and wives and mothers, Elle, was the last thing she said before she kept the phone, but we owe it to ourselves, and to our children, to remember - always - that we are more than that.

Eleanor runs a thumb softly over Jo's face, her heart twisting with love. They meet regularly, she knows, but it's never the same. It's been too long since they've sat down for a heart-to-heart chat. Since they've giggled over the precocious younger children's games together.

Tomorrow, Eleanor promises herself. Tomorrow she'll call Joëlle, ask when she's free. Have her come over. Her youngest could join in, keep Liam company. It'll be a little like the old days, Eleanor whispers to herself, her spirits already soaring.

But for now... they'll shut the albums, keep them neatly back in the cabinets, and have lunch.

It's Liam's new favourite today. A simple tomato pasta.

Italian Words:

Zio - Uncle

Sfogliatella - a shell-shaped filled Italian pastry originating from Campania. It means "small, thin leaf/layer", as the pastry's texture resembles stacked leaves.

Pomodoro - Tomato

Cucciolo/Cucciolino mio - an affectionate term used for young boys (typically refers to a young animal like a young puppy or a young kitten - in this context Franci means "little cub" since the lion is such an important royal symbol)

Author's Note: Inspired by a line in Liam's Book 1 date scene, about how he used to enjoy simple tomato pasta as a kid, and another line about Franceso, the Italian statesman, being a friend of Eleanor's. Takes place roughly a year after the events of Ch 1, so Liam is over 7 years old.

Recipes for Spaghetti al Pomodoro:

Chef Carlo Cracco

Vincenzo's Plate

#choices fanfic #king liam #prince liam #eleanor rys #the royal romance #the royal heir #trr #trr fanfic #series: eleanor's kitchen #cfwc fics of the week #choicesmonthlychallenge

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phoenixrising0308 · 2 years

Text

Wacky Drabbles: Crave Case

Books: The Royal Romance Books all of them

Rating: M (18+) Sexual situation and adult themes.

Trigger Warnings in this chapter: 🍋

Pairing: Liam x Jessica Garcia (MC)

Wacky Drabble A/U: This story exists on its own and may or may not be a part of their journey together. Traits, personalities, and characters are all the same. Some canon characters may appear but in a different manifestation and by no means exist in that form in Agent Phoenix A/U this is not meant to be anything other than an A/U onto itself. Catch up with wacky drabbles here

Disclaimer

The Wacky Drabbles prompt “I’ve never lied to you.” and “I think it’s time I teach you about respect.

A/N: Onia is a fake comical kingdom I made up for comedic purposes

Chapter Summary: Drake and Leo make a bet

Word count: 2,000 *please excuse any typo’s or grammatical errors

Average reading time: 8 minutes

* Leo’s face claim changed over the time I wrote him so this is an old moodboard the actor /model onced used for Leo quit working so I had limited pictures to choose from*

Cordonia- White Castle

The former Onian stripper punched the time clock ready to start her last shift. Casey was living in exile, she got into a fight with the king. They had agreed on a price for a lap dance 45 Onian rhinestones the county’s currency. The King ejaculated in his pants after 35 seconds and he refused to pay her. Fearing he would make the front page of a tabloid he imposed his sentence that very same night.

Casey took the opportunity to start off fresh and decided that try her hand at acting her true passion. Before she clocked in she received a call from her agent she landed the leading role in ‘Twilight the musical’ as Bella Swan. Her day couldn’t get any better or so she thought.

White Castle -Drive-Thru

Drake’s head was pressed against the steering wheel he was fed up with his new charge… the recently crowned queen Jessica Rys. He clung to hope that after the baby came she would be easier to work with and perhaps her brother in-law wouldn’t be so needy and return to his former glory.

“I want a crave case, chicken rings, and Mozzarella sticks.” Leo said as he took a sip from his big gulp diet soda then bit into the remainder of his Jalapeño cream cheese taquito.”

“Hmmm. I think I want two bacon cheeseburger sliders and one chicken waffle slider. Got to save room for the empanadas.”

Drake moved up in the drive-thru line and turned to look at Jessica and Leo. “Are you two fuckin’ done? I mean what the fuck. All I do is drive you around ordering food. Garcia, they don’t make empanadas here and if they do they probably taste like shit.”

Jessica said, “Why do I feel judged?”

“Because you are. I’m fuckin’ judging you.” Drake retorted.

“The baby wants White Castle,” Leo yelled.

“When did you become a womb psychic?”

“I’m a UILTF now I know these things. I’m in tune with OUR baby’s cravings. It’s a blessing and a curse.”

“What the fuck is a UILTF?” Drake asked.

“An uncle I’d like to fuck.” Leo said with a smile.

“Really? With a beard full of cream cheese. I will buy you a crave case if you fuckin’ pick up someone in an hour.” Drake teased.

“I’m UILFT. One hour? How insulting I could do it in 30 minutes or less.”

Drake chuckled and said,“Stop lying to yourself.”

“I’ve never lied to you. Drake, I think it’s time I teach you about respect. Papi agrees to your wager. I will sweet talk the next woman we meet.”

Drive-thru intercom: How I’m Casey how may I take your order.

Leo answered, “Hello sweetheart I’m Leo and I will be giving you my order for my pregnant sister-in-law, myself of course, and our grumpy chauffeur.”

“You fuckin’ ass hat,” Drake muttered.

Casey said, “That’s nice. Bet you must be excited to be an uncle.”

Leo said, “I’m thrilled. But Casey I want to know more about you this beautiful stranger behind the intercom. Tell me about yourself.”

Casey said, “Well I used to live in Onia.”

20 minutes later…

White Castle - Bathroom

Casey put her hands on the sides of Leo’s face and said, “Right here. I want it right here.”

She bit the bottom of Leo’s lip and started to unbuckle his pants.

“Casey I just want to make sure-”

“This is a one-time thing. I get it and I’m okay with it.”

Leo nodded, taking her word for it. He leaned in to kiss her gently, his hands eagerly exploring her body. Casey reached up to remove her baseball cap and toss it to the side, letting down her hair. He smirked, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth for a brief moment. His beard brushing on her delicate skin and making it redden a bit. She ground her hips against his, and he felt himself becoming harder.

Leo was quick to haphazardly ride her shirt up to unbutton her pants, taking her pants half off. One of the pant legs was on, the other off. Casey didn’t mind the chaotic setup, it seemed like she just wanted something inside of her to celebrate her impending stardom. Leo was happy to comply, pulling down his own jeans and boxers briefs to reveal his half-hard cock. Casey chewed on her bottom lip, staring down at it. Leo simply smiled in pride.

“Jump,” Leo mumbled, and she did. He carried her, turning so she was against the wall. Casey gasped when her body fell against the tile wall of the bathroom, spreading her legs further for him. He looked her up and down and it made his cock twitch against her thigh. “Look at you,” he cooed, lining himself up. “Beautiful” he mumbled, teasing her core with his member.

“You are an Uncle I’d like to fuck. I want it so bad,” Casey whispered. Leo smirked at her desperation, pushing his hair out of his face as he began to push into her, relishing in the way that she moaned almost immediately. “Fuck! You huge.” she groaned, tightening around him. Leo groaned, continuing to push inside of her. She melted against him as he bottomed out. He paused for a moment, letting her adjust to the overwhelming feeling of being so full. “More” Casey mumbled, clawing at his back desperately. Leo complied and began to thrust his hips up into her, making her moan pout, and shove her face into the crook of his neck, grinding down into him.

“You feel so fucking tight,” Leo groaned, his calculated thrusts driving her crazy. Pleasure ran down his spine, and it felt like electricity. He reached up to grab at her breasts, lifting up her shirt and bra so she was even more exposed. Casey loved it, tightening around him more and making him moan. He thrust up even quicker at that, setting a fast yet pace. He hit all of the rights spots inside of her, and it made her even wetter.

“Fuck yes,” Casey babbled, moaning out. She ground her hips down onto him, and the sound of their skin slapping was becoming louder and louder. She moaned, growing closer as he sent shocks of bliss through her body, her core thrumming in both desperation and satisfaction. “I love your cock.” she moaned, holding onto his shoulder and stopping her grinding so Leo could quickly thrust up into her, hitting so deep inside of her that her legs turned to jelly. She wasn’t even sure if she was going to be able to walk.

Leo spread her legs further to get to a better angle, finding the best one and staying there. “I love it, I love feeling like this,” Casey whimpered, tilting her head back until it was hitting the wall gently. That did not last long, as Leo wrapped his fingers in her hair, tilting her head up gently so he could see and admire what a mess she was over his cock. It was bringing him closer. He rubbed at her clit with his free hand, getting faster and faster. Casey cried out, so he let go of her hair to cover her mouth, her breathing becoming quick and messy as Leo pounded relentlessly inside of her. She cried out against his hand. Leo was proud of himself, almost arrogant as he sharply thrust into her.

When she finally fell off of the edge, she opened her mouth in a silent scream, thrusting her hips down and tightening around him. She began to moan in overstimulation when Leo kept thrusting into her, over and over again. Casey felt the aftershocks of her orgasm, twitching a bit in his arms. She tightened around him once more, and her noises sent him over the edge, groaning as he came inside of her. He pulled out, watching as it went down her thigh. That was amazing,” Casey whispered, tilting her head back against the wall once more. Leo nodded in agreement.

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sfb123 · 3 years

Note

I just read your drunk Liam fic and I just HAD to send you some prompts!!! From the prompt list you hyperlinked 9, 16, and 17 maybe? (Preferably liamxriley) pretty plz?* insert puppy dog eyes🥺*

Well… since you inserted puppy dog eyes…

I wanted to try to incorporate all three of these into one story, which actually worked out really well. Then, the issue came of how to make that apply to Liam and Riley. Luckily, my current binge obsession is the 90′s sitcom Mad About You, and there was an episode the other night that set a lightbulb off in my head, so this fic is loosely based on that episode.

Prompts:

“We should grab coffee together sometime.”

“I’ll walk you home.”

“You need a lift?”

(Prompt pulled from this list. Feel free to send me more!)

Word Count: 1,431

Warnings: Adult language, mild innuendo

A/N: Thank you @phoenixrising308 for pre-reading. Your kindness and support are unparalleled, and I love you dearly.

Also a thank you to @txemrn for dealing with my unnecessary back and forth about this moodboard. I ended up going with it, even though we were both so wishy washy about it.

A/N 2: This is my third prompt story this week, I’m going to take a break and quietly write by myself for a while. I’ll continue to work on the asks I have received, and please please feel free to send more. I’m having so much fun! I just don’t want to bombard you all, so I’m going to start pacing my posting. When I finish a piece, I just get so excited when I finish something that I want to show you all so badly!

***

Liam and Riley sat across from each other at the table, sharing the piece of cake that sat between them. They were in New York visiting Riley’s family for a few days, and her mother had insisted that Eleanor spend the night, so the royal couple was taking full advantage of their child-free night, wrapping up the evening with dinner at one of Riley’s favorite restaurants.

“Hey, check that out.” Riley tipped her head toward the bar, where a man was approaching a woman who was sitting alone at the bar. “He’s going to shoot his shot and try to pick her up.”

“How do you know?” Liam asked, watching as the woman nodded, the man immediately sitting down beside her.

“I worked in a bar long enough, I can read the body language and tell you exactly what’s going to happen.”

He turned to his wife, a skeptical expression on his face. “Prove it.”

“Wow, you don’t even believe your own wife. I’m wounded.” She placed her hand over her heart in mock devastation. “Fine, I hope you saved room after that cake, because you’re about to eat your words.”

Riley went on to explain what each was saying to the other, and accurately predicted each move that was made. Liam was so impressed that part of him felt like she may have hired these people specifically to act out this scene.

“Now watch, he’s going to pull out his phone and try to get her to put her number in.” She said, as the man reached into his back pocket.

“Is he going to get it?” Liam couldn’t help but be invested in the story that his wife was narrating for him.

“She’s going to give him a number, but see how she’s already almost standing up?” Liam nodded, waiting with baited breath for her to continue, “She’s going to give him a fake number, and then leave immediately. She doesn’t want to reject him to his face.”

“That’s cold.”

“It’s life, we’ve all done it.” Riley replied nonchalantly.

Liam’s gaze snapped to face her. “You’ve given men fake numbers before?”

She nodded and shrugged. “Lucky for you. You never know, I could have ended up suckered into marrying one of those creeps. Or like locked in their basement or something.”

He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I consider myself very lucky for that.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

“Oh oh, here we go, look!” Riley brought his attention back to the bar where the woman was shaking the man’s hand. “Ooooh, not even a courtesy hug. Game over, dude.” They watched the woman exit the restaurant, as the man started typing on his phone. “He’s sending a text to the number she gave. It either won’t be delivered, or he’ll get a reply from someone who is most definitely not that woman.”

“That poor man. He just wanted to find love.”

Riley sighed, shaking her head. “Ahh my sweet, romantic king, your naiveté is so heartwarming. That man is just looking to get laid.” She laughed, “For all the normal experiences you missed out on, aren’t you glad that you never had to pick up women at bars?” She paused for a second. “Present company excluded, of course.”

Liam laughed, his expression quickly turning serious. “Actually, I kind of wish I could have had the opportunity. I think I would have been good at it.” Riley arched a brow at him. “I mean it, I got you to quit your life and fly all the way to Europe because of one night, didn’t I?”

“Touché.” She drummed her fingers against the table in a brief moment of thought, “But can lightning strike twice?”

“What do you mean?”

“Pick me up. I’ll go sit at the bar, you come over and shoot your shot. No social season, no friends, no boxy work uniform. Just a regular guy picking up a regular girl.”

Liam smirked at the proposition. “You’re on.”

Riley left the table and took a seat at the far end of the bar. Once she was seated he put down some money to cover their dinner, and made his way to the bar. “Excuse me miss, is this seat taken?”

She looked up, smiling politely and shaking her head, motioning with her hand for him to have a seat.

“I’m Liam.” He extended his hand.

“Riley. Nice to meet you Liam.” She placed her hand in his, and he brought it to his lips. “A hand kiss instead of a shake, bold move. You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, I actually just moved to the states from Europe.”

The bartender approached and took their orders. Liam instructed him to open a tab to cover himself and Riley. He took Liam’s card and stepped away to make their drinks.

“So, why is a beautiful woman like yourself sitting here all alone?” He asked once they were alone again.

Riley tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down at the bar, playing up her role. “You’re sweet. I uh… I was supposed to be meeting someone, but I think they stood me up.”

“Well, their loss is my gain.” As the bartender set down their drinks, Liam lifted his glass in Riley’s direction. “A toast,” He waited for Riley to raise her glass before he continued, “To the missteps of old friends, which allow the opportunity to make new ones.”

“So we’re friends now?” Riley asked as she tapped her glass against Liam’s. “That’s awfully presumptuous.”

“Well, we’ve only just met. I’m hoping that perhaps we could get to know each other and see where the evening takes us.”

Riley agreed, and they began with some small talk. Riley stuck to her pre-Cordonia life, while Liam had done a pretty good job of coming up with a non-Royal backstory. They sat there talking, and drinking and ‘getting to know’ each other. Riley was impressed with Liam’s subtle flirting skills and decided that he was right, he would have been pretty good at this had he been given the chance.

The lights came up, and Liam’s bill was dropped on the bar in front of him. “It looks like they’re closing up.” He said as he reviewed the receipt, signing his name at the bottom. “This was a lot of fun Riley, I would like to see you again. We should grab coffee together sometime.”

“I actually don’t drink coffee, I think it’s gross.”

“Oh.” Riley smiled to herself at the disappointment in his voice.

“I would like to see you again, though.” She reassured him.

He looked up at her and smiled. “Could I take you to dinner, maybe?”

“Dinner would be nice.”

“Great!” He noticed the annoyed expression on the bartender's face, they were officially the last customers in the bar. “We should probably go. I’ll walk you home.”

“I actually have a car waiting for me outside.” He dropped his head, again disappointed by the rejection. “You need a lift?”

He smiled widely, standing from his seat. “I’d like nothing more.”

He offered his arm, she slid off the stool and linked hers through his. They exited the restaurant, and were greeted by Bastien, standing in front of their SUV. Before the guard could reach the door handle, Liam released Riley’s arm and jogged ahead, opening Riley’s door for her.

“Such a gentleman.” She smiled coyly as she slid into the backseat. He smiled and got in after her.

“Back to the hotel, your majesties?” Bastien asked as he entered the driver’s side.

“Yes please.” Riley answered.

Liam looked at her curiously. “Assuming I’m going to come home with you, bold move.”

She laughed. “You don’t have to come, but I promise you’ll have fun if you do.” Riley said in a sultry tone, closing the distance between the two of them.

“Riley…” Liam’s voice was just above a whisper as she leaned in, finally pressing her lips to his. They pulled back breathless from their kiss, their eyes remained closed as they rested their foreheads together. “I guess lighting can strike twice.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is the second time I picked you up in a bar, and the second time you kissed me first.” He grinned triumphantly.

Riley leaned back, laughing as her eyes met Liam’s. “I guess that means you win?”

“Great, let’s go back to the hotel so I can collect my prize.” He brought his hand to her cheek and pulled her in, kissing her again.

Permatag:

@anjanettexcordonia @athena-penrose @bbrandy2002 @chemist-ana @choiceskatie @cordonia-gothqueen @cordoniaqueensworld @emersynwrites @emkay512 @gabesmommie1130 @gkittylove99 @hopelessromanticmonie @iaminlovewithtrr @kat-tia801 @khoicesbyk @kingliam2019 @lucy-268 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @mile9213 @mom2000aggie @nestledonthaveone @phoenixrising308 @pixie88 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @queenrileyrose @secretaryunpaid @shewillreadyou @sincerelyella @sweatyrysconnoisseur @tessa-liam @theroyalheirshadowhunter @twinkleallnight @txemrn

Liam x Riley:

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Liam:

@amandablink @ao719 @yourmajesty09

One Shots:

@bebepac @darley1101

#choices the royal romance #choices the royal heir #choices the royal finale #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #trr #trh #trf #play choices #choices stories you play #liam x mc #liam x riley #trr fanfic #trr fandom #trh fanfic #trh fandom

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sillydg · 2 years

Text

“A Walker knows, when a Walker knows” Part Eight. Car trouble.

Book: The royal romance

Pairing: Drake Walker X F!MC (Riley Herreld)

Rating: 18+

Word count: 2.782

Series Summary: Fate interferes when Riley’s supposed to be working on that big Bachelor night. She gets drawn to Cordonia in another way. But what happens when a Workaholic, meet a Walker come together? Will they provide a Christmas miracle and get over their own love skepticism?

One way to find out!

Part eight. Summary: Drake drives Riley home in her deathtrap car, who finds herself struggling with her feelings as fluffy part after fluffy part of our so beloved marshmallow is revealed. A/N: For everyone who takes time to read it, thank you!! Please let me know if you want to be tagged for this series A/N: Due to a very long chapter, overload on work and writing for two other series, I had to cut it in three. So first this one. Italian nights part one will release next saturday. A/N: Please excuse grammar mistakes. English is not my first language.

Category: Over the top a bit predictable Christmas fluff, with an edge.

Warnings: Swearing, Please do not read if you’re under 18.

CHARACTERS BELONG TO PIXELBERRY STUDIOS

A Walker knows, when a Walker knows.

Car trouble.

Still Sunday, five days before Christmas.

Drake arrives at her building after a thirty minutes car ride. He smiles softly, glancing at the woman on the passenger seat who's still fast asleep, snuggling into his coat. He undoes his seatbelt, before gently brushing her cheek, "Herreld, hey, time to wake up."

"Mmh," she snuggles against his hand and her breathing turns steady again.

"Herreld," he whispers, caught between her blushed cheek and soft hand. He's not keen on disturbing the peaceful sight of her wrapped in his jacket, but it's what's best given the two nights of sleep she skipped, "I'm sorry, but you have to wake up!"

"Mmh," She slowly opens her eyes, mumbling, "Are we here already?"

"Already?" Drake snorts softly, gently retrieving his hand, "It's a miracle that we arrived at all considering the deathtrap you drive, Herreld."

"Yeah," she stretches, unabashedly yawning, "she keeps me on my toes this one!"

"Keeps you on your toes? Your engine gave up on life three times during a freaking thirty-minute ride. Tell me, how long is this scream for help blinking?" He taps onto the 'maintenance needed' indication light.

"Uhm, well you know... A while I guess..." Riley stumbles, "Does it really matter?"

Drake scoffs, "Nah, why would it matter? It's for decoration purposes anyway. No function, just a pretty little addition to your dashboard."

She tries to change the subject by bopping his nose, "Did you know that your nose slightly wrinkles when you're being sarcastic, Drake? It's cute."

"Cute?" He scowls, "Wanna rephrase that, Miss Herreld?"

"Did you know that your nose slightly wrinkles when you're being sarcastic? It looks so dangerous, tough, and terrifying, I don't even dare to boop," she tries to do it anyway, only to get stopped by a gentle hand on her wrist, "your nose." She pouts, but Drake's more prepared this time, "Are you done?"

"Fine... If you really want to know," she slowly lowers her hand. "It's round and about forty-seven months."

"FOUR YEARS? It's already blinking for four years? Oh God, talking about pure madness."

"It is, but sometimes it is, what it is. "Her head falls back against the headrest. "I went to a garage two years ago, found out that my car was beyond saving. So, I bought a second-hand car, then found out that there was a family in my hallway who could put it to way better use than I did. They just had a baby, their car broke down. You know how it is. So, I was very lucky that the garage was willing to give me my old car back for free after tweaking it a bit."

"For fucks sake, Herreld. You gave away a car?"

She gives him a side smirk, "Technically... No."

"Technically?" Drake snorts, shaking his head, "They refused it, didn't they?"

"Oh, they absolutely refused the car."

"But I guess you managed to find a way since we're still sitting in this deathtrap?"

"Well, I may or may not have abused their sleep delusion due to a week-old baby, to trick them into signing a borrowing contract. They're only allowed to return the car in exchange for a drawing created by their kid Emily-Rose, which has to be at least on the same level as a Picasso." She chuckles, "I've been receiving art every day for the past year."

"They've been trying to give your car back for over a year?" Drake laughs warmly, "Oh Herreld, please tell me, how hard has it been to lie about what you think of those drawings?"

"I've been rating all of them with cute little glitter drawings, and a note 'better than Picasso's work." She turns her head, cheek resting against the headrest as she glances him sideways, "I hide them in a binder in my closet to make sure her parents don't find out."

Drake matches her movement, booping her nose affectionately, "You're officially something else, Herreld."

The sincerity in his eyes makes her heart flutter, whispering, "Thank you, Drake."

"Just calling it how I see it," he shrugs, fingers tapping on the steering wheel, "But you know, I can always give this wreck a check-up if you want. I simply need a toolbox, duct tape, and I can fix almost anything with wheels."

She chuckles, "There might not be enough duct tape in the world to save this car, Drake."

"Do not underestimate the scary amount we have at the Palace, Herreld. I think I could wrap this whole car into a bouncing ball."

"Even though I really want to see that, I simply cannot accept."

"Okay," He gently takes his hand in hers, "Let me specify. This is a 'this is going to happen rather than an 'up for discussion' kind of situation, Herreld."

"Interesting technique, Walker. But I do have a question..."

"Of course, you do, "He laughs, "I don't even know why I ever expected you to accept help with a simple thank you..."

"Hey," she smacks him teasingly against the arm, "I'm very capable of accepting help with a simple 'thank you! Thank you, very much."

"Right and I'm a fairy godmother who's going to Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo this car into a brand new one."

She looks at him with wide eyes, biting her bottom lip before bursting into a full-blown belly laugh. "Hahaha, imagine you... hahaha..." He stares at the bundle of shaking adorableness as she's not even capable of finishing her sentences, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Hahahaha..."

Drake feints being insulted, but seeing her laugh so freely, warmly, and fully makes his heart beat faster and faster. It's Full-filling him with utter happiness, causing a broad smile to breakthrough no matter how hard he tries to stop or deny it. "Stop picturing me like a fairy godmother, Herreld..."

"But, hahaha, I'm seriously impressed by how fluent that Bibbidi flowed out of your mouth, Walker! I mean... there has to be a story here. I hope I'm not offending you, but you don't strike me as a 'Cinderella-story' guy."

"Oh, no, no. I never got the appeal of the whole, commoner marries the prince stuff, but it was my sister's favorite movie growing up, the one we always watched as she woke up scared in the middle of the night when our dad was on a mission..."

"Drake, that's..." Her wide blues water, her hand clenching around his as her heart fills with warmth at the image of younger Drake so caring, so protective over his sister. Realizing that he must have been carrying so much all these years. When his dad was away from home to work, after his dad died, his mom moved back to Texas and leaving him alone with his sister.

How he must have tried to protect her, how powerless he must have felt after her running away. How he must have lived in uncertainty, but despite all that welcomed her, and Bartie back into his life with open arms anyway. Without blame, only making sure they're safe and loved unconditionally.

This, and all she has seen tonight, all that she has heard over the past few months from Savannah, Maxwell and Bartie simply set her heart aflame. Oh no... Seriously... If you decide to fall for someone for the first time in your life... Don't fall that for the most eligible Bachelor of Cordonia.

"Herreld, are you okay?"

Just let go of his hand.

"Herreld?"

I don't want to let go of his hand.

"Captain Marshmallow for Sparkles."

"Ha?" She snaps out of it, her hand still clenched around his. “I’m so sorry, Drake. I would've never laughed so loud If I have known the story behind it. I'm so, so, so sorry, it was so inconsiderate."

He squeezes her hand, taken aback by her sincerity, "The only thing you need to apologize for, Herreld, is for apologizing because that's the only crime if you have an enchanting laugh like that..."

Their eyes lock, and the air thickens as both lean towards each other like magnets.

"Drake," she whispers, her heart on the brink of exploding, "That's..." She swallows, realizing… I'm utterly, properly and sparkly fucked. Her eyes snap to his full lips so close to hers, licking hers briefly and feels control slipping out of her hands. Get your head out of the gutter, Riley. Come on. This guy is the whole package, heart of gold and just look at him. He’s constantly surrounded with models, gorgeous women at court, and you’re you. Simply you. Snap out of it. Don’t lose it. She shakes her head, snapping out of it and quickly blurting, "So, my question!”

Drake yanks himself backwards, thank full for her interruption since he was one second away from doing something really stupid. What the hell is happening? “Yes, question. You had a question. Thank God, for you having a question!”

“Alright,” Riley takes a deep breath to compose herself, “I understand that you fixing up my car is not up for discussion, but how do you feel about discussing conditions?"

"Conditions?" He rubs his forehead to clear the fog, before giving her an impressed side-glance, "You're a clever one, aren't you? You know, I'm okay with negotiations about conditions! Please, the floor is yours."

"Okay, one. You're not allowed to spend a dime, and two... I want to do it together to learn something about cars."

Drake looks at her in sincere surprise, "That's it?"

"Yes, what did you expect? Me watching, while you fix the car full-on Magic Mike style?"

"What the hell is a Magic Mike?"

"You know what. Doesn't matter and most of all, please don't google it."

"Alright. Counter conditions, I'm paying half."

"Nope."

He takes a second to think, conceding when an idea comes to mind, "Alright, agreed."

She narrows her eyes, "Okay, I'm suspicious."

"You should be,” he shrugs, “but I'm agreeing to your conditions and that's what matters."

Their hands find each other naturally, and their fingers entwine despite their scare only a minute ago. "You know what. I'm just going to trust you in this one. We've got a deal. Thank you, Drake."

He strokes her hand with his thumb as if he has done it a million times before, "I'm doing this for the car, Herreld. Your engine is literally screaming in pain, it's a true miracle that you slept through it."

Riley snorts softly, "It's almost like I'm really tired after two nights of no sleep."

"Yeah. Weirdly human of you, Sparkles. But..." His hand slips out hers, tapping her leg, "Let's get you home. Oh, and before I forget... You need to text Mable about arriving because I'm pretty sure I'm a dead man if you don't. She's terrifying."

She chuckles, immediately taking out her phone to text her. "You've got that right! Or else' Mable is very, very scary Mable." Drake leaves the car, her eyes fall onto a bunch of texts from Liam, and an idea comes to mind.

Her door opens, Drake appears with a grin and offers her his hand. She takes it with a big smile, his jacket in hand. He hands her, her car keys after she's safely back on two feet. She offers him his coat back, but he only accepts it to drape it over her shoulders once more.

"We're not at your warm apartment yet, Herreld."

"I'm just going to have to accept this, don't I? Another one of those 'this is not up for discussion things..."

He slides an arm around her shoulder, "Most definitely, yes."

She smiles shyly, instantly causing his heart to skip a beat, "Really sweet, thank you."

He squeezes her tight against him, murmuring against her hair, "Your welcome, Sparkles."

Before long they arrive on the third floor, and when Riley opens the door to a long hallway, an unexpected, delicious smell hits Drake's nose. It reminds him of something, but where his mind fails to place it, his stomach rumbles loudly in approval.

"You okay there, Walker?" Her arm slides naturally around his waist, tapping his stomach, and his arm finds her shoulder again. "I'm fine. No need to worry about me."

Together they walk through the hallway where several doors are wide open. "Is this normal?" Drake asks as they walk past the fourth open door where Riley gets greeted, and he's stared at in uttermost surprise.

"We do our best to look out for each other in this hallway, so, yeah." She holds still after a few more steps, "Ahh, this is me."

He points at a rolled-up piece of paper on her door with a grin, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes!" She carefully removes it and turns to him in excitement, "Want to see it?"

Drake nods, moving behind her as she unrolls the drawing. His hand slides onto her hip, studying the drawing with his chin resting on her shoulder. The sketch itself is far from impressive, but the expression on her face is something else.

She leans into his touch, whispering, "Isn't it precious?"

He smiles sheepishly, taking in the glow of pure happiness radiating off her, her eyes sparkling with love and pride. "I would say beautiful," he whispers with his eyes far from the drawing. His arms find their way around her, pulling her close against his chest, nuzzling into her hair. She chuckles, "Drake, that tickles!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Herreld! I didn't mean to do that!" He teasingly brushes his nose against the sensitive skin of her neck, enjoying every bit of her warm flowery perfume, "Is this better?"

Riley laughs warmly, making Drake's heart flutter. God, I love this sound...

"We really should head inside, Drake."

"Mmh," he murmurs against her hair, still holding her close against his chest while she fiddles with her keys to unlock the door, "You should get inside. I should get going because I have a brisk evening walk to look forward to..." She opens the door, and he gets hit by the delicious smell of tomatoes, onions, and garlic, his stomach grumbling.

"You sure about that, Drake?" She spins to face him, casually leaning against the doorpost, "Because I think your stomach is really looking forward to a plate of steamy spaghetti meatballs..."

"Oh, I really shouldn't Herreld..."

"A homemade pizza..."

His stomach grumbles louder than before.

"Yeah, that's it, mister Walker. Your stomach has spoken, and I have a quick one-question pop quiz for you. Can you guess what kind of situation this just turned into?"

Drake grins, leaning against the doorpost with his arm above her head, "Wow, this is biting me in the ass way earlier than I expected."

"You know, I'm going to count that answer as correct." Riley slyly reaches in her pocket to take out a glittery pen, and she takes his hand in hers. He raises his brows at the sight of her taking the lid off with her teeth, eyes fixated on where her full pink lips softly encircle it. God. That’s… He swallows, murmuring flustered, "Do you always carry a glitter marker with you?"

She mumbles inaudibly due to the lid in her mouth, until Drake takes it in hand with a snort, "Okay, let's try that again, Herreld."

"Yes, you never know when you have to rate something, Drake! This being the perfect example!"

"You know..." He smiles, "I don't even know why I was surprised there for a moment..."

She stops before touching his skin with the penpoint, "My annoying drive to constantly do the right thing forces me to warn you about this being a permanent marker, though..."

"Just do it, Sparkles."

Riley draws a 100% on his hands with small marshmallows as zeroes, and a little captain head on top of them, Drake enjoys the gentleness of her fingertips on his skin and the sight of her biting her bottom lip in concentration is mesmerizing.

"There, and now..." She motions him to come in with a victorious grin on her face.

He leans in towards her instead of entering her apartment. His hands find their familiar way back onto her hips as he whispers, "You know, as far as 'this is going to happen,' situations go... I could do far worse than sticking around for food. Especially because I'm the one deciding on conditions..." Her victorious grin disappears when he meets her eyes with an excited twinkle in them, gently guiding her backward into her apartment, “and do I have one for you.”

Thank you so much for reading!!

–Catch up here, masterlist.–

Chapter nine: Italian night. Part one. coming next week

Taglist:

@queen-arabella-of-cordonia @rubiwalker @karahalloway @angelasscribbles @lovingchoices14 @kingliam2019

@walkerdrakewalker @queen-arabella-of-cordonia

@tinkie1973 @tessa-liam @ladyangel70 @princessleac1 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @rubiwalker

@kachrisberry @jerzwriter @gkittylove99 @secretaryunpaid

@choicesficwriterscreations

#choices royal romance #drake x mc #drake walker #choices trr #the royal romance #choices fic writers creations #fics of the week #fanfic #choices the royal romance #choices #when a walker knows #A walker knows

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walkerismychoice · 3 years

Text

Queen of My Heart - Chapter 36

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake X MC, Liam X Olivia, Hana X OC Lydia

Rating: NSFW (I didn’t intend it but it just happened

Summary: Liam finally clears the air with Constantine, and we go to the Fire and Ice Ball at Lythikos, the final social season even before Liam chooses his future Queen.

A/N: Umm, I don’t even want to know how many years it’s been since I updated, but it is with the encouragement of you readers that I was compelled to finish. My tag list is probably way outdated and I’m sure I’ve missed some poeple who’ve asked to be tagged along the way. Feel free to let me know either way if you want to be tagged or removed from the list.

Tag List: @khakie4 @dreadpirateemma @ritachacha @blackcoffee85 @choices-fanatic @boneandfur @butindeed @simplyaiden-blog @bobasheebaby @traeumerinsworld @theroyalweisme @umccall71 @lizeboredom @debramcg1106 @enmchoices @jadedpixiescribbles @withice @viktoriapetit @mfackenthal @drakesfiance @drakelover78 @speedyoperarascalparty @silviasutton1989 @krisnicjack @devineinterventions2 @choiceswreckedme @notoriouscs @blackcatkita @hamalu @akrenich @drakewalkerfantasy @jamielea81 @andy-loves-corgis @jlouise88 @jovialyouthmusic @sleepwalkingelite @i-miss-trr @dragonball-luver @gkittylove99 @lovingchoices14

Word Count: 2861

Queen of My Heart Chapter Index

“Hello, Father.” Liam greeted Constantine as he walked into the hospital room. He noted the King's color was back to normal and he seemed in good spirits.

"My son, I knew you'd come!" Constantine reached towards Liam with arms outstretched.

Liam just shook his head and held up a hand to stop him. "This is not that kind of visit. I'm here because I know... I know everything."

"What-" Constantine choked out before a coughing fit ensued.

Liam fought the instinctual urge to comfort his father. "Enough with the theatrics. I know about Madeleine...about you threatening the show if they didn't help her win...as if me choosing the woman I plan to spend my life with is some political game to be won."

"How did you find out? I gave strict orders that my demands were confidential."

Liam scoffed. "Seriously? I just told you I found out you tried to have the producers manipulate me into marrying a woman I don't love, and that's all you had to say for yourself?"

"You have to understand," Constantine pleaded. "Madeleine is what's best for Cordonia, and what's best for Cordonia is what's best for you."

"Unbelievable!" Liam felt the anger rising in his chest like a simmering pot ready to boil over. "You may have told yourself that to feel better about choosing your commitments to Cordonia over happiness, love, family... Maybe you’ve lied to yourself for so long you’ve actually started to believe it, but it's one hundred percent bullshit. I know I'll be a more effective leader if I get to choose the woman I want by my side, and that woman is Olivia."

Constantine's jaw dropped and there was a long pause before he gained his composure to protest. "Absolutely not. You know her family's history. I'd rather have you on the same page as me, but I am still King-"

"Save your breath," Liam shut him down. "You should know that your perfect candidate Madeleine has displayed some behavior quite unbecoming of a future queen, and it is all on film. I know Cordonians are generally flexible with their views on monogamy, but I don't think Madeleine sleeping with the host of the show while she's trying to compete for my affection will look good in anyone's eyes. She has been eliminated from the show and is no longer in the running. That leaves only Riley aside from Olivia, and I know you know what's going on there."

Constantine's face fell momentarily in resignation, but then he perked back up again. "Well, then you can bring back someone else. Kiara is quite lovely and is fit to play the part."

"Enough!" Liam practically shouted much too loud for the thin hospital walls. "Not that I owe you an explanation, but Olivia is stronger, smarter, and more capable of ruling a country than anyone you could hope to pair with me. You seem to forget that I am the son who stuck by you and am now the rightful and only heir to the throne. Your reign is coming to an end, and you have no choice but to accept my decision."

Unexpectedly, Constantine's demeanor changed, a sly grin creeping across his face. "My boy, I've always been a bit worried you were too soft to be king. However, seeing you stand up for yourself today gives me hope. I still don't approve of your choice, but I will no longer stand in your way."

Liam shook his head and let out an incredulous laugh, reeling from Constantine’s sudden change of course. "Bastien will take you back to the palace. We can talk more when I know it's not just the medicine that's gotten to your head."

-----

“Well, this place certainly explains a lot about Olivia.” Riley mused aloud as she scanned the ballroom. Ornate floor to ceiling windows with deep alcoves were surrounded by walls with intricate, gilded accents leading up to a hand-painted ceiling measuring at least 3 stories high. The grandeur of the space was both intimidating and beautiful at the same time, much like its owner.

“Has she shown you all the toys in her armory yet? That too says a lot about Olivia," Drake chuckled at his own joke.

Riley laughed along. “No, but she does constantly remind me she keeps a dagger hidden under her skirt. Are you sure Liam knows what he’s in for?”

"Heh. Better him than me, that's for sure. Liam's warm and fuzzy exterior can make him seem like a pushover, but he can hold his own when it matters. Olivia needs someone who can roll with her mood swings but still call her on her bullshit when needed."

"You know, I admit I had a little trouble wrapping my brain around Liam choosing Olivia, but when you put it that way, it makes sense. Now I suppose I need to find Kat so I can figure out if I need to dance with Liam or something. Ugh, I cannot wait until all these balls are over.

Drake almost doubled over laughing. "Oh, Bennett, I hate to break it to you, but this shit never ends. Next will be the coronation, then some charity gala, Liam's wedding...the list goes on. Welcome to your life as a noble woman."

Riley stared ahead blankly as a giant wave of realization washed over her. It was all so much, so fast. She'd never had time to think past the next day to consider this was all ending soon, and then what? Did she stay with her new-found family and live this life that was still foreign to her in so many ways? What about her life in New York? Sure, she didn't have much going on at the moment, but she still had her aunt Susan and best friend Sarah along with some good friends at work like Daniel. Becoming a therapist was still one of her goals, at least it was until the day she left for Cordonia. Now everything was so unclear, and she could hardly breathe.

Drake must have noticed her face looking some kind of way because he placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her to an open doorway to a nearby balcony. "Why don't we get you some air before you go off and do your thing for the show?"

Once outside and around the corner of the wraparound balcony, Drake pulled Riley into his chest, holding her securely, and she was almost instantly calmed. All the what-ifs fell away, and it was just them. All she needed was the be with him, wherever that turned out to be, and everything else would fall into place.

But what if Drake didn't quite feel the same? They'd been talking as if they'd be together indefinitely, but in reality, they'd only known each other two months. The anxious fluttering in her chest started up again.

Drake pulled back to look her in the eyes. "Riley, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. You know, we're both still half American. We can move back to the states....or uh, I mean you can move back to the states if that's what you want." His eyes darted bashfully to the ground.

Riley's face lit up, the nervous thumping in her chest giving way to excited butterflies. "I like the sound of 'we' better if that's what you really meant. You'd really move back to the U.S. with me? I mean I've hardly had the chance to think about what I want, so that may be irrelevant, but you seriously see a future with me?"

"I do." Drake smiled earnestly. "I'm sure anyone who knows me will think I've gone mad, but whether it means being in New York City and putting up with cramped apartments and way too many people, living a quieter, simple life in Texas, or stealing moments away at dreadful Cordonian events such as this, I know we can make our own happiness...together."

"Wow, the Drake Walker I met two months ago would not believe what's coming out of your mouth right now." Riley touched the back of her hand to Drake's forehead in jest. "Are you sure you aren't running a fever?"

"Haha, very funny." Drake swiftly but gently pushed Riley back again the stone wall. "I'm not feeling ill, but I know how to make your temperature rise.

"You pushing me against duchy walls is becoming a thing, huh? Must have really enjoyed the almost public sex last time."

"Possibly," Drake teased as he slipped his hand through the side-slit in her icy-blue gown, gently gliding his fingers up her thigh. Riley braced herself as Drake neared the place she wanted him the most. Goosebumps gave way to a burning need before she remembered where they were.

"Wait." She pushed a hand against his chest. "We're not exactly alone here, and we've gone to such lengths to keep this under wraps. Someone could walk out here at any moment."

Drake shrugged. "I know it may be a bit reckless, but honestly at this point, I don't care. I just want you."

Riley opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out before Drake swooped in for a searing kiss. She instantly melted into him, Drake continuing his earlier action and deftly plunging two fingers inside her, his eyes widening slightly in surprise when he noticed there was no fabric barrier to work around. A strangled moan escaped Riley's throat as he stroked the exact spot he knew always left her at his mercy.

Drake pulled back with a satisfied grin. "Do you want me to stop? Just say the word and we'll go back in right now."

Instead of answering, Riley yanked him by the collar and crushed her lips to his. Drake responded by hoisting her up and over to the balcony. He perched her atop the railing, one hand grasped firmly around her waist and the other making quick work of undoing his pants.

Teetering on the narrow ledge two stories high, Riley clamped her hand tightly to the railing on either side of her and Drake noticed. "I've got you Bennett, no need to worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I'm just doing my job after all," he said with a smirk.

She smiled at his reference to what was now an inside joke between them. But all joking aside, he always made her feel safe. She released her grip, flinging her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

Drake eased his cock free and Riley could tell how hard he was just by sight, the skin stretched taught from his perfect proportion of thickness and length. He lifted her dress and she couldn't wait any longer. She pulled him in and he took the invitation to thrust inside her. Even as wet was she was, his size created just the right amount of fullness and friction to take her breath away.

Riley moaned and gasped with each thrust, which in turn seemed to turn Drake on even more. The thrill of being up so high with nothing but him to hold her only added to her excitement and when he began rubbing circles over her clit with his thumb that was all it took to push her figuratively over the edge. She tightened around him everywhere, her orgasm eliciting immense heat and pleasure with every pulse, resulting in Drake picking up his pace until his own release followed shortly thereafter.

Drake carefully set Riley down before putting himself back together. "I'm almost a little disappointed we didn't nearly get caught this time."

"If I don't get back in there immediately, that's still a possibility." Riley had no idea how much time had passed but it was probably more than she thought. "Fuck, Kat is going to be pissed." Riley straightened her skirt and started towards the ballroom door.

"Wait!" Drake puller her in for a quick kiss. "I love you. Just so you don't forget."

Riley rolled her eyes but smiled. "You know you have nothing to worry about. If Liam's charms haven't wooed me yet, I think you’re safe. But I love you too. Now go do your job." She smacked him on the ass before hustling back to the ballroom, Drake following shortly thereafter.

As expected, Kat was frantic when Riley found her. “Where the fuck were you? You were supposed to meet up with me twenty minutes ago?”

Overhearing Riley’s scolding, Olivia smugly sidled up next to them. “I mean, I didn’t mind getting extra time with Liam, but you know Jo and Kat and there ‘ratings’, Olivia said while gesturing with air quotes. She scanned Riley from head to toe and then glanced over to Drake on the perimeter. “Ugh, I can tell you exactly what, or rather who she was doing. Gross. I guess that just makes my position more secure, but really, couldn’t you have waited until after my ball to fuck him?”

Riley sheepishly smoothed her hair and adjusted her dress. “I just needed some air, that’s all. I was having a moment.”

Olivia scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Whatever you want to call it. Although I still cannot fathom why you chose Drake, I suppose I should be a little easier on you for eliminating yourself from the competition and allowing Liam to break free of his distraction of the shiny new object.”

“Aww, Olivia, that’s so sweet. Next thing you know we’ll be best friends,” Riley replied sarcastically.

“I don’t know about friends...but I do dislike you less than the rest of them.” Olivia tried and failed to hold back a smile.

“I’ll take it,” Riley said with a laugh before turning to Jo. “Okay, now tell me where I need to be.”

Jo set Riley up with Liam on the dance floor. It still wasn’t hard to pretend to be into Liam because it wasn’t all pretend, but there was no lingering pining between them.

“Well, I spoke to my father this morning.” Liam spun Riley around and brought her back to face him.

“Finally!” Riley exclaimed. “How did that go?”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it to be completely honest, but it went surprisingly well. I told him I knew everything, and he no longer had a say in my decision. He tried to argue with me at first, but somehow something I said made him respect me. He still may not agree with my choice, but I think this is finally all over! I am free to choose who I want without any threat or blackmail hanging over my head.

Riley pulled Liam in and hugged him tightly. “That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you, and for all of us.” The weight on Riley’s shoulders was suddenly ten times lighter. She hadn’t let herself think too deeply about how much was at stake, but now that the air was clear, she realized how stressed she had been. “Now all that’s left is for you to tear my heart to pieces on national television, and you get your fairy tale ending.”

Liam chuckled. “I’ll try to let you down easy.”

-----

Drake stood in his usual position off the side of the dance floor. This may not be the last of these events he’d have to endure, but at least it should be the last time he’d have to stand on the sidelines watching Riley dance with someone else. He was secure in what they had, but it still didn’t stop that twinge of jealously seeing her and Liam together talking, touching, and having fun. But it wasn’t a bad thing that his best friend and girlfriend get along so well. Girlfriend...that’s the first time he’d used that term for anyone he’d “dated”, even if only in his head. It was hard to believe everything was falling into place.

Drake took his eyes off Riley to scan the perimeter. What he saw didn’t immediately register as out of the ordinary, but then he quickly recalled this person walking towards the dance floor wasn’t supposed to be there.

“Bastien, check out three o’clock.” Drake altered Bastien via his radio earpiece. “How did she get in here without security clearance?”

“I don’t know.” Bastien replied. “I’ll check with the other guys to see who let her in. Keep an eye on her.”

Drake watched in concern as Madeleine marched towards the dance floor. She’d been banned from the rest of filmed events after her stunt. Not wanting to let her cause a scene, Drake was about to stop her from getting any closer, when she pulled out an unmistakable object. She had a gun and it was pointed right at Riley and Liam.

Before Drake could alert the rest of the team, people started to scatter. He heard a familiar click and knew he had to disarm Madeleine immediately, but it was too late. A shot went off and he didn’t hesitate. Drake dove between the bullet and his two best friends on the dance floor, and that would be the last thing he remembered before he hit the floor.

#QOMH #TRR #drake x mc #ns*fw #playchoices fanfiction #the royal romance #my fic

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sim-nanigans · 3 years

Photo

After Liam left, the reality of her situation hit her and she became overwhelmed with emotion. She leaned back on the door and slid down. Damn these hormones. Damn Liam. Damn... everything. Grayson reacted as he heard her body hit the door.

Grayson: “Are you alright?”

Tears started running down her eyes.

Naima: “I’m fine.”

He could hear light sobs coming from the other side of the door. He couldn’t believe that this was the same woman who only a few hours ago gave him so much shit and attitude. Now, she’s an emotional mess sitting on the floor. She was definitely not fine.

Grayson: “Can I get you anything?”

Naima: “I said I’m fine.”

She slowly gets up and heads for the bed.

Grayson: “Naima-”

Naima: ‘Goodnight, Grayson.”

Grayson: “Goodnight, Your Majesty.”

He slumped against the door. An overwhelming urge to open that door and check on her washes over him. That’s not my place. Why did he have to remind himself of that?

@bebepac, @hopefulmoonobject, @queenjilian, @sims-for-semi, @honeyviesims, @khoicesbyk, @texaskitten30, @itslaniquelove, @jessiembruno, @anotherbunnyblog, @hopelessromanticmonie, @iaminlovewithtrr, @indiacater

#the sims 4 #sims 4 #ts4 #the sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 gameplay #ts4 gameplay #simblr #cordonia side save #the royal romance #trr #royal romance #liam x mc

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angelasscribbles · 1 year

Text

Home For Christmas

Series: American Girl

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Riley x Liam (past)

Rating: PG

Warnings for this chapter: Language, alcohol consumption by people under 21

Word Count: 4,080

A/N: This is a complete AU, my first one that takes them out of Cordonia and makes them normal, average people.

I have no idea what this is. I went to a Christmas party and people watched a group of college-aged kids interact and I shit you not, one was named Riley. Creativity was sparked and here we are.

Fair warning, this is only a Christmas story in so far as it's set over the Christmas break. This story isn't exactly happy, merry, bright or festive. It's a lil' angsty not gonna lie.

I know I am not the first person to write Riley and Liam as high school sweethearts. Notably, @bebepac has a very adorkable version of high schooler Liam Rys. This is simply my twist on that trope and hopefully doesn't step on anyone's toes.

@choicesholidays themes "So glad we found each other" and: "If we hurry, we can still save Christmas", very loosely.

My other stuff: Master List.

Liam checked his appearance one last time in the mirror of his childhood bedroom before bounding down the burgundy carpeted stairs two at a time and skidding to a stop at the bottom.

“Whoa, there!” His father laughed, “Where’s the fire?”

“Sorry! I’m just ready for the party!”

“Ok, son!” his father laughed as he made his way around him, “I’ll be in the kitchen helping your mother.”

The Rys house, nestled in an affluent suburb of Dallas, was draped in Christmas splendor. From the seven-foot tree in the foyer to the holly-adorned fireplace in the formal living room, the house was ready for the annual Rys Christmas party.

Held the week before Christmas, it was a four hour long come and go affair showcasing his mother Eleanor’s considerable baking skills.

“Every surface is covered in food.” She always told her guests, as they circulated through the kitchen, living, and dining rooms all spread lavishly with homemade goodies.

It was true. Every table and counter in the three rooms were covered in food, from freshly chopped fruits and veggies with dip, to baked goods like walnut fudge brownies, coconut rum balls, meringue Christmas trees, four types of fudge, peppermint bark, various assorted cookies, and her homemade Chex mix, a recipe passed on from her mother and affectionally called Texas trash.

There was a chocolate fountain that was always the hit of the party with the ten and under set.

But it wasn’t the food, or the decorations, that had Liam excited for the party.

It was the hope that his high school girlfriend might put in an appearance.

Liam joined his older brother and younger sister in the dining room that graced the front of the house. Guests had just started trickling in.

“Is Riley coming?” Leo asked.

“I…don’t know,” Liam answered honestly.

“Why the hell would she?” His sister Lena looked back and forth between them like they were stupid.

“Uh…because we’ve known her since she was in kindergarten and she always comes….” Leo answered.

“That was before our idiot brother broke her heart.”

“Hey!” Liam protested, “That’s not what happened!”

Lena leveled a skeptical stare at him as she asked, “Did you or did you not break up with her after graduation?”

“It was mutual!” he protested, “Because we were going to college on opposite sides of the country!” He was so tired of explaining his reasoning to everyone.

Their friends all seemed to think he was either an idiot or an asshole for breaking up with her at the beginning of the summer instead of the end.

But he had thought it was better to rip the Band-Aid off.

Long-distance relationships were difficult to maintain and he wanted them both to have options.

Especially Riley. He knew how much getting a scholarship to college meant to her. She was the first one in her family to go to college and she felt all the pressure that entailed.

He had done it for her.

“Have you talked to her since you both left for school?” Lena asked.

“No,” he admitted.

He had typed out, and deleted about a thousand text messages.

He had tried calling a couple of times.

She hadn’t answered.

The one time she had called back, he had been taking a test and missed the call.

She hadn’t left a message.

“Hey, she’s here!” Leo called over his shoulder from his spot near the window, next to the chocolate fountain.

“Really?” Liam felt his heart simultaneously rise and fall. He wiped his suddenly sweaty palms on his pants.

“Yeah, really, she just got out of Drake’s truck.”

“What?” Confusion pulled through Liam, “What are they doing together?”

“I don’t know,” Leo shrugged as he grabbed a brownie and covered it in chocolate.

Lena tilted her head to the side, “Have you talked to him since you left for college?”

“A couple of times…” the truth was that Liam had been busy with schoolwork and his own self-imposed heartbreak, so he hadn’t done the best job at keeping up with his childhood best friend.

“Have you asked him about his dating life?” Lena pressed.

Liam’s eyes widened at the implication, “You don’t think they’re together, do you?”

Leo shoved the entire brownie in his mouth as he looked out the window again, “They look pretty together to me.” He mumbled through a mouthful of brownie and chocolate sauce.

Liam leaned forward so he could see out the window.

Her body language screamed that she was nervous as she made her way up the sidewalk, side by side with Drake.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Liam said out loud, “They live next door to each other, he just gave her a ride!”

“Whatever you say, buddy!” Leo slapped him on the back hard enough to jolt him forward, “I saw Mr. and Mrs. Nevrakis come in a minute ago, I’m going to find Liv!”

“But-“

“I think you’re on your own with this, Li.” Lena told him, “you broke it, you fix it.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled as he followed his sister to the front door, “if it’s fixable.”

Lena threw herself on Riley the moment the door opened, “Riley!”

“Hey, Lena!” Riley’s face broke into a genuine smile as she returned the younger girl’s hug, “It’s good to see you!”

“I’ve missed you!” Lena said as she stepped back and pulled Riley through the door.

“What? No hug or I missed you for me?” Drake laughed.

Lena rolled her eyes, “I see you all the time!”

It was true. Drake had stayed in town after graduation and enrolled in the local community college. He was working on a certification in automotive technology. He was paying for it with his job at the local bowling alley, the same one he’d had since he was sixteen.

He was good with anything mechanical, including the pin setters. It made him invaluable to the owner.

In addition to bowling, the place had a video game arcade and laser tag, making it a popular afterschool and weekend hangout.

“Riley!” Eleanor Rys swept into the room, Constantine on her heels.

Greetings and hugs were exchanged between Riley and Liam’s parents as Liam slapped Drake’s opened palm, “Good to see you, bro.”

“You too! Can’t wait to hear all your college stories! Bet they’re wilder than mine!”

“Doubt it,” Liam scoffed, “I spend my weekends in the library studying!”

“Lame. But predictable. How are we friends?”

“You just got lucky I guess.”

Drake snorted, “Yeah, I’m the lucky one, okay!”

Liam’s parents went back to the other adults and Lena joined a group of teenagers on the other side of the room.

Riley hung back with Liam as Drake headed to the hot chocolate, “You want anything, Brooks?” He asked over his shoulder.

“I’m good!” she told him as she watched him walk away before turning to Liam with open arms, “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” he replied as he pulled her into an embrace.

His body relaxed as he held her tight against him, the familiar scent of her washing over him and flooding his senses with memories.

“You look good,” she told him as she pulled away with a hesitant smile.

“You look great,” relief swept through him that she was there, standing in his living room, smiling at him.

“Liam! Riley!” a voice called out.

“Hey, Rashad,” Liam high-fived his friend and attempted to squash his irritation at the interruption.

Riley was cornered by several more of their former classmates, effectively ending their conversation, at least for the time being.

She gave him an apologetic glance as their friends came between them.

After about half an hour, Riley sidled over to Liam and said, “We should go hang out in the rec room and play pool like we used to.”

“Yes!” Liam agreed, then in a lower voice, “I’ll go sneak some of my dad’s beer!”

“Just like old times!” The smile she gave him filled his heart with hope.

Word passed quickly among their core group of friends and they all filtered upstairs to the rec room.

Several minutes later, Liam glanced up and down the hallway before darting into the room with his ill-gotten gains.

His good mood dampened a little when he spotted Riley in the corner with Drake. She was laughing at something he said, and he was standing far too close to her for Liam’s liking.

Not that he had any right to say anything about who she stood close to. But when they broke up, he had thought that one of two things would happen.

Either one or both of them would move on, eventually, or they would find their way back to each other, after college.

But in the event that one of them moved on, he had thought it would be later down the road, and with someone new, someone that they met at college, in another state.

Not less than six months later with his best friend, her lifelong next-door neighbor.

Riley spotted him over Drake’s shoulder and waved, “Did you get it?”

“Yeah,” he forced a smile as he produced the six-pack from under his shirt.

He didn’t miss the disappointment in Drake’s eyes when she stepped away from him and headed in his direction.

Liam sat the beer down on a table and handed them out.

“Thanks,” Rashad took the proffered beer with one hand and gestured toward the pool table with the other, “Are we going to play pool now or what?”

“Sure,” Liam replied, “If Riley wants to.”

“I’ll play!” Drake answered.

Liam ignored him and turned to Riley, “You and me against Drake and Rashad?” He asked as he handed her a pool cue, “Just like old times.”

“Just like old times.” She grinned at him.

“Or we could switch it up,” Drake interjected, “Riley and me against you and Rashad.”

“No,” Liam gave him a sharp look, “this is good!”

Rashad looked back and forth between them then at Riley, “What’s happening?”

“Nothing,” Drake shrugged as he turned to grab a pool stick, “just trying to shake things up a little.”

Rashad turned his attention back to Liam who also shrugged, “Things are fine the way they’ve always been.”

“Okay…”Rashad’s gaze slid to Riley who just shook her head.

“Let’s play!” Riley said.

“I’ll break,” Rashad decided to ignore whatever weirdness was going on with his friends.

An hour passed while other friends drifted in and out of the rec room. They played pool until Rashad had to leave.

“I’m going to get some of your mom’s famous punch!” Riley told Liam.

“How?” He demanded, “It’s alcoholic!”

“I’m going to have Leo get it for me,” she smirked.

“Oh yeah, that’ll work,” Liam chuckled.

He swore his siblings both liked Riley more than they liked him.

“Make sure the cup is full so we can share,” Drake called after her as she slipped out the door.

Liam found himself alone with Drake for the first time since last summer, “So…you and Riley…what’s that about?”

“What?” Drake looked at him in surprise, “What do you mean?”

“Come on, man. I’ve known you since we were five. Something is going on with you two.”

Drake shrugged, “I mean, we’ve hung out a few times.”

“A few times? Like when?”

“I don’t know,” Drake hedged, “last summer a little and then over Thanksgiving break.”

“She came home for Thanksgiving?”

“Yeah, said she was homesick.”

“Is she…having a hard time at school?” Liam asked with concern.

“Maybe you should ask her that,” Drake responded, “I don’t speak for her.”

“Right, of course, you’re right. Sorry. It’s just still…weird…”

“Why is it weird? I thought you two broke up amicably, by mutual agreement.” Drake leaned on his pool stick as he watched Liam’s face carefully as if the answer was important.

“We did but…I don’t know, we agreed to stay friends, but I swear she avoided me all summer after that!”

“Huh.”

“What’s huh mean?”

“Nothing, man!” Drake threw a hand up in the air, “just trying to figure things out.”

“What things?”

“Who brought it up first?”

“Brought what up?”

“The idea of breaking up. Who floated it out there?”

“I did.”

Drake nodded, “So you could go off to college free and unattached, I get it.”

“No, that’s…I mean, yes but… fuck, shit, I don’t know what I mean!” Liam threw his pool stick on the table and slumped into a nearby chair.

“So, what? You regret it now?”

“Yes!...No!...Maybe, okay?” Liam dropped his head into his hands.

“Okay…” Drake tossed his stick down as well and took the seat across from Liam, “But you did break up with her so if she started seeing someone else, someone you know…would you be mad about it?”

Liam’s head snapped up, “Someone like you?”

“I didn’t say that…”

“But it’s what you meant, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know, maybe. I’m just saying-“

“You can just tell me, Drake! We’ve told each other everything since grade school!” Liam snapped.

Drake looked up at the ceiling instead of directly at Liam as he responded, “I’m interested, okay?”

“Since when?”

“Since always! I dated her before you did if you remember.”

Liam’s mouth fell open, “Are you talking about those two weeks in seventh grade?”

“Yeah.”

“You were twelve!”

“So?”

“So, that’s not really dating!”

“I took her to the sock hop.”

“Your mom drove you both to the sock hop and Riley spent the whole night dancing with Maxwell Beaumont! Then she dumped you for him!”

Drake shrugged, “Like you said, we were twelve. I forgave her for that, and Max turned out to be gay so…”

“Drake, we’ve been best friends since first fucking grade and you have never expressed a romantic interest in her before!”

“I don’t tell you everything, Li.”

Liam stared at his best friend in disbelief, “I tell you everything!”

“You didn’t tell me why you broke up with Brooks.”

“Fuck. I guess I didn’t.”

Drake pulled in a deep breath, unwilling and unable to admit that he’d been in love with her since they were four, “Look, I’m sorry, Li. It’s not like I was keeping things from you. I mean, it was just a crush when we were kids, then in high school, she dated Rashad most of freshman year, and sophomore year I was with Kiara…then she was dating you. It just never seemed like there was anything to tell.”

“I guess.”

“You’re my best friend, Li, and I don’t want to lose that…but…”

Liam’s heart sank, “But?”

“But you did break up with her, she is single, and something did happen between us last summer! I’m sorry, I thought you two were over….”

“We were…I mean we are…I mean…shit… I don’t know what I mean!” He sighed in frustration. All the reasons they broke up in the first place were still valid.

But the thought of her with someone else, anyone else, but especially Drake, stung.

The door creaked open, and Riley came back in, “Got it!” She crowed triumphantly.

Liam shook his head, “I told you he likes you best, he would have never done that for me!”

“Well, I did promise to give him all the dirt on that guy Anton that Liv’s been seeing.”

“Can you deliver on that?” Drake asked.

“I’ll do my best!” she answered with a grin.

Liv and Riley were attending the same school. Riley was a freshman while Liv was a senior, but they still saw each other and ran in some of the same circles.

“You always do,” Liam replied as he stood, “can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure…”

“Privately, I mean,” He said with a pointed look at Drake, “in my room.”

Drake suppressed a sigh as he stood up, “I’m going to find some of those sugar cookies. I’ll be downstairs when you’re done.”

Liam retrieved the last beer from the shelf where he had hidden it behind the trivial pursuit game.

Riley trailed behind him to his room, her heart pounding in her chest. Her mouth went dry as she stepped through the door into his bedroom.

A room she hadn’t stepped foot in since the day he’d broken up with her six months prior.

She blinked rapidly several times to combat the tears that welled up in her eyes at the memory.

The familiar scent of his room rushed over her as she took a seat on the edge of his bed and sat her red solo cup on the nightstand.

She glanced surreptitiously around. Everything looked exactly the same. But nothing was the same anymore.

She clenched her fists tightly in her lap as she struggled to contain her jangled nerves.

Liam sat down next to her on the bed and turned his body to face her as he fidgeted with the unopened bottle in his hand, “Ah…Drake said you came home for Thanksgiving because you were homesick. Is everything okay at school?”

She considered her words carefully before finally replying, “It’s fine. It’s just a big change, you know?”

Liam nodded. His eyes locked on the label he was pulling at on the beer bottle, “Yeah. I do.”

They sat in awkward silence for a moment then Riley asked, “Why did we break up?”

Liam nearly dropped the bottle, as his head jerked up, his eyes wide with astonishment, “What? I thought we agreed it was for the best!”

“I mean…it was your idea,” Riley replied slowly, “What was I going to say once you brought it up? No?”

Liam’s world spun, “I thought….I thought it was what you wanted! Are you telling me I was wrong?”

“Yeah. But once you brought it up, I thought it was what you wanted so….”

“But…you kept talking about how hard long-distance relationships were…did I misread that?”

“I kept bringing that up because I was stressed out and worried about what was going to happen to us, Liam! I wanted reassurance, not to break up!”

“Wow. Okay, so I totally misread that! I am…a fucking idiot, just like my sister said…”

He drew in a deep breath, working up the courage to tell her it was a mistake and he wanted her back.

Long distance was hard, but not impossible. They could do it.

He wanted to do it.

“I don’t know, Liam. Maybe you were right.”

“What?” Disappointment surged through him, “What do you mean?”

“I mean…college is a lot; you were right about that. And we’re not just in different states, we’re on opposite coasts!”

“Yeah, but we have technology! We can text, talk, facetime, all of it! Maybe I could fly out to you one weekend a month or something.”

“Until you need to study for a test on Monday, or want to go out with your new friends. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing? Exploring, growing, learning about ourselves?”

Liam felt like he’d been slapped. They were the exact words he’d used to break up with her.

“Yes, but-“

“I don’t want you to start to resent me, Liam. Flying across the country once a month? Missing out on parties and study groups and all those new experiences you told me we were both going to have? And what if you meet someone new at Princeton? I don’t want to be broken up with for someone else. It’s better this way. Our friendship stays intact.” She nodded as she spoke, as if reassuring herself of the facts.

“Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

“I have,” She assured him, “I was pretty fucked up when you dumped me but-“

“I didn’t dump you, Riley!” He protested, “I thought it was mutual! I thought-“

She reached for his hand, smiling through the tears that suddenly pooled in the corners of her eyes and trickled down her cheeks, “I know that now. And that actually makes me feel so much better about everything!”

“Is that why you avoided me all summer?”

“Yeah, I was pretty hurt but I didn’t want to give you the satisfaction of knowing it.”

“Satisfaction?” He shook his head vigorously, “Riley, I’m man enough to admit that I cried myself to sleep every night for the first two weeks!”

“Really?” She sniffled as she wiped an arm across her face.

“Really…” He scooted closer and pulled her into an embrace, “I’m so fucking sorry. I never meant to hurt you!”

“It’s okay,” she assured him as she buried her face in his chest.

It felt so comforting to be wrapped in his arms.

But college was all about pushing out of her comfort zone. Liam had been right about that.

She pulled away and wiped at her eyes, “Oh my God, it feels so good to be able to talk to you again!”

“Same!” He laughed, “I’ve missed you so fucking much!”

“Me too! I’m used to sharing everything with you!”

“Just to make sure I’m clear this time… you don’t want to get back together?”

The tears flooded her eyes again, “Part of me really does, Liam, but part of me knows you were right about all the reasons we broke up in the first place.”

“To focus on our schoolwork and make new friends?”

“It’s not just that…I have some…things I need to figure out.”

“Things like Drake Walker?” He worked hard to keep his voice even as he watched her face for her reaction.

She cut her eyes sideways at him, “Maybe, but it’s not just that either. It’s…everything.”

“You know I’m here if you ever want to talk. About anything.”

She smiled softly, “I miss our talks.”

“Me too,” he admitted, “I want us to be friends, Riley. Like we were before we dated. I mean, if we’re not going to be together, can we at least go back to being friends? I regret the distance that’s between us now. I don’t want to go back to Princeton and spend another semester not talking to you!”

“That would actually make me really happy,” She gave him a brilliant smile.

Liam hadn’t wanted to break up with her…it changed everything… and nothing.

She couldn’t turn off her feelings for Liam, but she also couldn’t take back what had happened with Drake or the feelings that had unlocked within her.

She needed time, and space, to process everything.

Liam’s phone dinged. He pulled it out and scanned the text, then looked up at Riley, “Drake wants to know if we want to meet out on the roof.”

Riley’s face lit up, “Hell fucking yeah! Talk about just like old times!”

Five minutes later the three of them climbed out of a second-story window and dropped onto the roof of the first-floor kitchen.

They climbed up the peaked roof of the living room and clambered up onto the roof of the second story.

The sound of barely suppressed giggles and quiet shushing noises drifted across the sharp stillness of the night as the lifelong friends made their way to the spot where three gables came together, giving them a place to sit as well as hiding them from the view of anyone on the ground.

Riley shivered inside her jacket as she lowered herself into sitting on the cold shingles, Liam on one side of her, Drake on the other.

Both boys scooted closer to her, and she relaxed into the shared body heat.

They all three tipped their heads back to watch the stars twinkle in the night sky hoping to catch a glimpse of some meteors from the annual Ursid shower as they streaked towards the earth, just like they’d done every year since they were twelve.

She was acutely aware of each of them as they pressed close against her on either side.

They were both intrinsic parts of the fabric of her life and always had been.

She hadn’t lost Liam; their relationship had just changed.

Her relationship with Drake had changed too, but she wasn’t sure exactly how. All the reasons she couldn’t be with Liam also applied to Drake.

There was an entire world out there waiting for them to explore and conquer.

They couldn’t set sail together, but maybe they could be a homeport for each other.

“Hey,” she said softly, “Let’s agree that no matter what else is going on in our lives, we’re going to be right here doing this exact thing next Christmas.”

“Agreed,” Drake answered quickly.

Liam smiled in the darkness as his hand found hers and squeezed gently, “It’s a date.”

#choicesholidays #holiday season #college au #trr au #angst #the royal romance #texas version #angelasscribbles #the royal romance fanfic #trr fanfic #choices the royal romance #trr #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

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alj4890 · 10 months

Text

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a Choices The Royal Romance Crackship AU

Masterlist

A/N This chapter focuses mostly on Olivia's thoughts and actions just as the prologue focused on Maxwell's. The following chapters will show both sides as they begin to see each other more and more during the social season. On a side note, you have no idea how delighted I was to replay Book 1 the other night and notice the colors Maxwell wore to the Masquerade Ball. It was meant to be 😉

Song Inspiration for Olivia: Cold as Ice by Ava Max

Chapter 1

Olivia's chambers, The Royal Palace, Night of the Masquerade Ball...

Olivia eyed her dark gray and silver gown critically. Even though Liam had seen her more times than anyone else in Cordonia, she still wanted to appear at her best for the new crown prince. After all, this was her moment to finally make him consider a future with her.

Who knew when Leo abdicated that this could be the beginning of a dream she'd held onto since she was a little girl?

There was no one like Liam. He was everything good, loyal, and true in her world. His patience and unending kindness was something she herself struggled with, yet admired all the more in him. Since he had the heart, she knew she could be just what his life was missing: strength.

Her very genetic makeup was overflowing with the attribute. It also was filled to the brim with a cold, calculated ruthlessness that few women of the Royal Court possessed. Since Liam's compassion might possibly make him a target, she knew she was the perfect person to protect that rare gift from the ones who would take advantage of it.

She finished brushing her hair, placed a diamond clip to hold her rich red curls in a cascade over her shoulder, and then reached for her locked travel case that held her jewelry she saved for balls and formal dinners.

Her eyes fell upon a rather worn set of papers that were slightly singed in places that she hadn't seen in a few years.

Without wondering why she was doing so, she lifted them out.

Maxwell's poem had caught her eleven year old self completely off guard. After all, she had eyes for no one but the younger prince. Maxwell might have been a good friend and fun playmate growing up, but to actually have him as a significant other...that was...well...

It was something she could never allow herself to contemplate, much less even give a chance. It was a forbidden, almost taboo subject that her aunt spent one of her rare visits harping upon.

She could recall her Aunt Lucretia's reaction to finding the poem a few days after she received it as if the irritating woman was recreating the scene in her room right now.

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

"What is this, Libby?" Lucretia demanded.

"It's nothing!" Olivia felt both embarrassed to be caught with something like that and furious that her aunt had gone through her personal keepsakes. "Maxwell gave it to me."

"Beaumont? The Spare of Ramsford?" Lucretia's eyes narrowed. "Are you encouraging his," she spat out the next word, "love?"

"No!" Olivia snapped. "We're just friends! I don't know why he wrote that!"

"A Nevrakis doesn't have friends. She has allies, ones who give more than they receive." She crumbled up the papers that Maxwell had poured his heart into.

Before Olivia could stop her, Lucretia threw the wad of sentimental drivel into the great room's fireplace at Lythikos.

"You are meant for far greater things than some spare to a dukedom. Your parents intended you to sit and rule over people, not lower yourself for some lesser noble. You might as well dirty yourself with that commoner Constantine allows to live in the palace with his sons. That's closer to Maxwell Beaumont's level in society." Lucretia narrowed her eyes at her niece. "Besides, love makes one weak. It makes a fool out of people. We Nevrakis are never fools. Do you understand?"

Olivia nodded, watching as the poem began to burn along the edges.

"Good." Her aunt rang for one of the servants to have her car brought around and her bags taken. "I expect to never see anything like this in your room again."

Without so much as a farewell, Lucretia swept out of the room.

Once the door was shut, Olivia dashed over to the fireplace and quickly pulled the crumpled papers out. She ignored the burns to her fingers as she quickly patted out the flames. She gently smoothed the wrinkles out as best she could.

She didn't quite understand why Maxwell had given her this. He always acted strange whenever it was July, saying and doing things to get her attention. She just chalked it up to him being simply Maxwell. She also didn't understand why her aunt acted like a noble born from a bloodline almost as impressive as her own was basically a pariah social wise.

All she did know was that she wanted to keep this poem. Nothing would ever come from it, but it was still something that somehow held a great deal of importance to her. She felt almost a sense of pride for being the first girl amongst her peers to receive a love poem from a not so secret admirer.

She'd keep it hidden for herself as a trophy of sorts. There was no reason anyone should ever know just how important it was to her.

Or that she liked it.

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

Olivia found herself rereading Maxwell's old love letter once more. Her lips curved somewhat as she came to the part where he described her hair as a crown of flames that put the beauty of a setting sun to shame. Shaking her head over such foolishness, she slipped it back in her jewelry case.

She'd gotten used to his overly dramatic professions of love. It at first embarrassed her, but as she grew older she simply took it for what it was: Maxwell saw her attributes and couldn't help himself. Olivia knew what others admired about her. She knew her worth and what her greatest assets were: her sharp mind and her striking good looks.

Why stop the compliments when it was simply the truth?

She noticed the time and quickly finished getting ready. Once her mask was firmly in place, she smiled at her reflection.

There is no way Liam will be able to even think of choosing someone over me.

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

The ballroom was packed with nobles and dignitaries from around the globe. Olivia eyed some of her competition with an amused smile.

It's almost too easy. There's no way these other ladies can possibly compete with me.

Her attention snapped to the door when she heard Maxwell's name announced. Her amused smile slowly fell when another name was mentioned tied to House Beaumont.

Who in the hell is Riley Brooks? And why is Maxwell practically doting upon her?

Olivia meandered through the crowd, keeping the pair within her sights. It was strange that Maxwell had not looked around for a glimpse of her. He always sought her out at these types of events. She'd humor him for a while with conversation and a dance or two. He wasn't a bad sort and she probably was more fond of him than she would ever let on.

But he wasn't acting normal. His dimpled smile was directed only on this mystery woman. He was unusually calm. There was no thrumming with the excitement he typically had for a party. He didn't laugh. He hadn't even made a move to get out on the dance floor nor was he sneaking sweets from the nearby buffet.

Olivia despised change, especially in a man who up to this point behaved in a consistent, outrageous manner.

She also hated the unknown, an unknown who must be a suitor for Liam. Her prince.

Summoning a smile, she made her move once this Riley was talking to Drake.

"Will you excuse us," Olivia said in a syrupy tone that made Drake's eyes widen with shock, "but I must have a word with Lady Riley."

She grasped the other woman's arm and practically dragged her away.

"Hey!" Riley wrenched her arm free.

"You're new here." Olivia somehow managed to remain pleasant.

Her gaze swept down the woman's red clad figure. It lingered on the well placed horns.

She really is a devil, Olivia thought. Who else would have the unmitigated gall to wear my color?!

A devious smile curled Olivia's lips.

"Have you met the king yet?" She asked.

Riley shook her head. "No. Maxwell said he would go talk to him first."

"He did, hmm?" Olivia felt an unusual amount of anger flood through her in hearing that. "Let me give you some advice, since you're clearly not a Cordonian."

Riley only quirked an eyebrow in response. If Olivia was already not so set against her, she'd have admitted she was impressed with Riley keeping her cool.

"When you greet the king, remember to kiss his shoe."

Riley blinked. "Kiss his what?"

"Shoe." Olivia replied. "It is customary for all in attendance to pay homage to our king. We being so far below our monarch," her dispassionate gaze swept over Riley once more, "some more so than others, we all must prostrate ourselves before him."

"I see." Riley mumbled, eyes narrowing somewhat in thought.

Olivia noticed Maxwell approaching. She met his eyes and felt a jolt to her system. It was an unusually guarded look in those ocean blue depths of those eyes of his. She couldn't quite tell what he was thinking.

Feeling a bit off kilter in not seeing the obvious adoration in his gaze, she excused herself from Riley. She glanced back to see Maxwell smiling once more at this interloper. He took her arm to lead her over to the line of nobles waiting to greet Liam and Constantine.

Olivia couldn't find a good enough vantage point inside the ballroom. She slipped outside into the courtyard and made her way over to a set of glass paned double doors that allowed her a perfect view of the dias on which Liam stood.

Though she watched Riley with a hint of irritation greet Constantine with a proper non kissing of the shoe curtsy, she could not stop her attention drifting over to Maxwell. He was still acting so out of character. His ramrod posture. The proper tilt to his head. The simple polite smile. She wanted to go over and slap the back of his head to knock the real Maxwell back into place!

If there was one thing she always knew she could depend on, it was that Liam always did the right thing and that Maxwell was always doing his own thing.

She rather admired that quality in Maxwell. No matter what the consequences might be, he never hesitated in doing what he wanted. If he'd been a touch cruel and ruthless in his actions, she'd have thought that a Nevrakis might have at one time been with a Beaumont. But, his antics were innocent and almost always somewhat endearing.

What made him change?

She scanned the crowd for Bertrand. Was he the root cause of Maxwell's new behavior. When she didn't see that more serious minded duke anywhere, she settled her attention once more on Riley.

It has to be her that made him like this. When did it happen? How did they meet? What power does she really have over Maxwell?

And why does it look like she and Liam know each other?!

Olivia was practically seething. She briefly nodded to Kiara and Penelope when they joined her outside. Their conversation revolved around those in attendance and all the usual bits of gossip. Hana soon came outside to greet them.

She was one of the new women to enter their world. Olivia had investigated her the moment she was mentioned to be visiting Cordonia. She might be a possible contender for Liam. She'd been trained in everything and succeeded beyond what many of the ladies could do. She was gorgeous. She also seemed genuinely kind.

She's weak. Too weak. She won't be an asset to anyone, much less Liam.

If she'd known about Riley, she could have investigated her beforehand too. Now she'd have to go about it during the season.

Riley came outside, smiling brightly at them all, and settled between Hana and Penelope.

"Hello." She said to the others. "Everyone having a good time?"

"Of course." Hana replied, relaxing somewhat. "How did it go with meeting the king and Prince Liam?"

"Great." Riley sent a brief smug look towards Olivia. "Both were very happy to meet me."

Olivia humphed. "It looked like you and Liam already know one another."

"Funny how looks can be accurate." Riley quipped. "We've met before."

Olivia's eyes narrowed. Kiara and Penelope took their cues from her and also glared at this unknown entity.

"And where would someone like you possibly meet a prince?"

Riley shrugged with a smile. "The usual places."

"When?" Olivia snapped, irritated with getting nothing out of this woman.

"Once upon a time." Riley teased, thoroughly enjoying this conversation.

"Cute." Olivia bit out. "Regardless of your relationship with Liam, you don't stand much of a chance with him."

"And why is that?" Riley asked as if they were discussing the weather.

"Look around you. You are surrounded by noble ladies who possess the stature and knowledge one needs to reign over a country."

Olivia gestured towards Penelope and Kiara, explaining their lineage and talents.

"Even Hana has a better chance than you despite her broken engagement."

"Thanks?" Hana grumbled.

Seeing Riley still unfazed with the notion of competing with women so far out of her league, Olivia released her frustrations on Hana.

"You should be proud of yourself, Hana. I can't think of too many women who are brave enough to face everyone after such an embarrassing end to their engagement. I mean, to think that after being dumped by some minor earl that you could capture a future king is truly remarkable."

The tears filling Hana's eyes gave Olivia the reassurance she needed that she could still cut people down with her sharp tongue as well as she could with the dagger strapped to her leg.

Riley had somehow made her doubt that ability for a few seconds.

"Hana?" Riley reached out to comfort the distraught lady. "You don't have to listen to her."

"But she's right!" Tears began to fall down Hana's cheeks. "I should have never thought--"

Grasping her skirt, she fled back into the palace.

Riley whirled back towards Olivia.

"You," she hissed, "are a bitch!"

Olivia puffed up with pride.

Damn right I am.

"For what? Reminding her of her place in society?" She asked with a delighted smile.

Riley eyed Kiara and Penelope. "You're really okay with her talking like this?"

"Olivia's only speaking the truth." Kiara snapped.

Penelope added, "If anyone can't take it, then they don't belong here."

Riley glared at them. "I see."

"Do you?" Olivia needled.

"Oh, I definitely do." Riley replied. "Tell me, what makes you so far above the rest of us?"

Olivia began to explain her status as a duchess and why her chances were so great with Liam.

"He would be stuck with a friend like you." Riley taunted. "Good thing I'm here to save him from having to pick his princess from a bunch of children pretending to be so called ladies."

Before Olivia could respond to that, Riley went after Hana.

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

Later that night...

Olivia caught sight of Maxwell leaving a bedroom that must be Riley's. Determined to find out what was going on, she called out to him.

He paused mid-step and walked towards her.

"Good evening, your grace." He greeted politely. "Did you enjoy the ball?"

Olivia glared at him. "What's wrong with you?!"

He blinked. "Nothing. Why?"

"Because you're acting weird!" She snapped.

"I am?"

"Yes!" She hissed. "And I don't like it."

Maxwell's eyes drifted over her face.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?" She demanded.

"Why don't you like how I'm acting?" He reiterated. "I thought my behavior tonight was pretty appropriate for the most part."

"That's what I don't like! Since when have you ever acted like some proper, boring nobleman?" Olivia jabbed her finger into his chest with each word.

Her eyes widened when she finally noticed his suit. It was black and red...Lythikos colors. Had he chosen it on purpose for the Masquerade Ball or was it just a coincidence?

"You don't like proper, boring noblemen?" He asked, a hint of a grin forming upon his lips.

Her eyes lifted once more to his. She was not going to dwell on the fact that her colors suited him.

"Who does?!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "Did she make you do this?"

"Who?" He asked.

"That woman you brought tonight."

Maxwell put his hands in his pockets then propped his shoulder against Olivia's doorframe. He studied her about two heartbeats, then shook his head.

Olivia felt her frustrations quadruple. Maxwell was being unusually quiet for once in his life.

She hated it.

"Where did you find that woman?" She demanded.

"In New York." He replied.

"New York? When did you go to New York?!" She nearly screeched.

"Not too long ago."

Olivia groaned. He was giving her a headache with his evasive answers.

"Riley is House Beaumont's suitor." He told her.

"Yeah, I gathered that. And?" She prodded.

"And since this is her first time in Cordonia, I'm going to do my best to make her visit with us as pleasant as it can be." He explained.

Olivia took an involuntary step back.

"You like her, don't you?"

Maxwell nodded. "Of course I do. She's sweet and a lot of fun! Once you get to know her, you'll like her too."

His dimples deepened with his warm smile.

"Riley's really great." He added.

Olivia felt angrier than before she began this conversation.

He never says that about other women. I'M the only ONE he thinks is GREAT!

"I really need to go talk to Bertrand." He glanced down at his watch, completely oblivious to how upset he'd made her with his comments. "He just got to the palace."

Pushing away from her doorframe, Maxwell grinned once more at Olivia.

"See you around, Liv."

Olivia stood there in shock as he walked away without a backward glance.

#choices the royal romance #maxwell beaumont x olivia nevrakis #trr maxwell #trr olivia #trr crackship #can't take my eyes off you #choices the stories you play #choices maxwell beaumont #choices olivia #choices fic writers creations

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bbrandy2002 · 3 years

Text

Fool’s Rush In -- Chapter 16

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Liam x MC

Warning: Some language, mild sexual talk

Since it’s been awhile since I last posted an update, in the previous chapter Madeleine had confronted Riley with a video after she left the ball.

Thank you @burnsoslow for the preread and beta.

-------------

Riley sat on a leather bench at the foot of the bed with a television remote held loosely between her hands, folded in her lap.

Somehow her worn-out body managed to walk from the corridor after the encounter with Madeleine, up the many stairs of the quarters she shared with Liam and to their bedroom. The shock of the situation combined with exhaustion and throbbing pain in her lower back was secondary to the fear she felt at possibly giving up the man she loved.

With trembling hands, she had slipped the DVD into the player and watched her nightmare play out on the screen -- It was all true. Madeleine acquired an illicit video of Riley and her ex-husband that the Queen had no clue was recorded of her or existed.

Her thumb grazed over the pause button several times, but she knew pressing it wouldn’t stop the hurt and embarrassment she felt at that moment at watching her former husband violating her trust and privacy. It wouldn’t stop Madeleine from releasing the video of it to the press and public. And it wouldn't stop the love she felt for Liam -- no one was powerful enough to take that feeling away from her.

But it was those words Madeleine threatened her with that got equal consideration with that video in Riley’s mind. She tried to envision how the scenario would carry out if the video was released and for those who would be affected by it: her father, her friends, her former students.

Liam.

“It’s a shame that he’ll lose his reign, all because of you.”

“Would you really do that to Liam?”

“Do you genuinely believe you’re worth all the trouble it will cause him?”

Riley hit the pause button, her hands flying up to cover her tear-laden face as she bent over in sobs, shaking her head. She was wrestling with that inner voice, replaying Madeleine’s words like a broken record while struggling to remember everything Liam told her about trusting him and his love for her.

No matter how hard she tried to let his tender voice speak to that sacred place in her heart, Madeleine’s threats and taunts were getting the best of her. If there was even a slight possibility that the Countess was right, and Liam would get dragged through the mud in all of this, then there was no question what needed to be done.

Those scattered bricks that formed the walls she came to Cordonia with, the ones Liam had broken down, were quickly stacking up again, one on top of the other. If something didn’t happen soon, Riley would be surrounded and suffocated inside that impenetrable cocoon that initially caused herself to doubt her worthiness to him in the first place.

All of those insecurities and fears crept up faster than a flooded riverbank, and she felt powerless to stop it from rising. Even if she could, she’d never allow Liam to suffer the consequences of something she had the power to prevent. To hell with whatever happened to her, but not him. He saved her weeks ago, and as her teary gaze slid from her hands to the wardrobe closet across the room, this would be her way of saving him.

Riley picked up the remote from her lap and tossed it aside. Determined to get out of the palace and Cordonia before anyone could see her, she swallowed her anger and grief and swiped a knuckle under each eye to dry the tears shed.

She rose to her feet faster than she should have, feeling an intense shock of pain that began in her hip and shot down to her feet. There were no doubts that the fall from struggling with Madeleine injured her far worse than she wanted to admit to herself. With a shrieking whimper, she ground her teeth together and doubled over, feeling like she might faint.

Riley grasped her back and gave herself a second to breathe through the pain before straightening up and staggering to her wardrobe to pack whatever she could as quickly as possible.

_____________

Liam stepped off the dance floor with Olivia's arm curled through his and escorted her back to their table. The conclusion of the ball was nearly upon him, and most guests had already stopped on their way out to say their farewells and offer congratulatory well-wishes. When they'd ask about the Queen's whereabouts, he'd tell them she had something come up that needed her attention. No one dared press him on the issue.

Checking the time on his watch, Liam looked up as Maxwell ran over with his phone in hand and dropped into a seat. He looked curiously at the out of breath Beaumont and asked, "What's going on, Maxwell?"

"Sorry," he replied before plucking a flute of champagne from a passing server's tray and gulping it down quickly. Wiping the droplets that dribbled from his mouth to his chin off with the back of his hand, he panted. "I ran here as fast as I could. I just got a text message from Drake. He's heading back soon."

"Did he say what the results of the paternity test were?" Olivia asked.

Maxwell nodded. "Yeah. They're Bastien's for sure. Las Vegas officials are allowing Drake to leave, but they've detained Bas until he pays up the $200,000 he owes to Boom Boom. Drake's return flight is scheduled to leave tomorrow morning, Cordonia time."

Liam pulled out his wallet and tossed $100 at a smug Leo, who promptly counted them out and stuffed the bills into his pocket. "I told you those little dudes weren't mine, bro. Really, your doubt in me hurts."

"I'll admit you were right, Leo. But you do have a track record when it comes to being involved in weird stuff like this."

"Yeah, I've gotten myself into some pretty hairy shit a time or two," he laughed as the memories came to him. "Ahh, good times, good times. But, y'know, it wasn't always just fun and games with me, Liam. During those few occasions when I'd show up to train on being the top dog of this place, Father taught me several valuable lessons. Wanna know what they were?"

"Not really," Liam answered dryly, then tossed back the rest of his scotch to prepare himself. "But I assume you're going to tell me anyway."

"Damn right I am! This is good shit to know, straight from the Big Kahuna himself." He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "You must never tell anyone what I'm about to share with you all. This is top secret, classified Cordonian shit we're talking about; lives are on the line here. Father would be pissed if --"

"Just spit it out already!" Olivia snapped.

"Alright, first, never jizz in a jacuzzi unless you want to be covered in a thin spiderweb-like amalgamation of your own gravy. Daddio said he learned the hard way on that one ..."

"Oh, God. Leo!" Sickened, Liam dropped his head.

" ... Next, when you kiss a woman's hand, do it on the thumb side. Most people scratch their asses with their fingers, but rarely their thumbs. I might be an exception to the rule on that one." Leo chuckled to himself. "And lastly ... Rys spermies are MEAN sons-of-bitches, and we should dip my balls in a mug of hot water every day to kill them before having sex."

"What the hell?" Olivia grimaced as she lowered her coffee mug away from her lips and pushed it away.

"My dad told me the same thing," Maxwell boasted. "Except he called them Beaumont spermies. I guess he heard the same story from someone different than your dad."

Liam lowered the hands that were covering his face and breathed out heavily, "Leo, did our father ever teach you about anything other than using protection and sex during these meetings? Anything about negotiations, taxes, treaties ..."

Leo considered him for a moment. "Nope. He said you'd do all that stuff."

Liam grumbled. "Of course he did."

Olivia looked between Leo and Maxwell and scowled. "Well, it's too bad neither of your fathers took their own advice." She grabbed her clutch from the table. "At least I'll rest easier knowing the two of you aren't reproducing. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"I'll walk out with you, Liv." Liam rose and left the ballroom, having had more than enough of his fill of Leo for the night. There was also an incredibly sexy woman upstairs he'd been dreaming of pleasing all day, and he was overly eager to make good on his promise to join her shortly.

______________

Liam made his way through the residential wing and down the long hallway to his quarters. While undoing his tie, he stopped midway when he noticed a vase that usually sat on a decorative table along the wall, tipped over on its side with bundles of long-stemmed roses littered on the ground around it.

As he stooped down to pick them up, he found it oddly peculiar -- they didn't just fall over like this on their own. If a member of the staff had knocked them over, they would have picked them up; he felt certain Riley would have, as well.

After rearranging the flowers in the vase and situating them back on the table, Liam removed his key card from his pocket and swiped it through the key fob next to the door.

"Riley! I'm home," he called out in a sensual tone, knowing she was most likely upstairs -- hopefully naked and ready to get her ass spanked -- and wouldn't have heard him.

Taking a moment to check his reflection in the entryway mirror, Liam smoothed back his hair and tested his breath against his palm, satisfied he was good. After a quick stop in the kitchen to grab a can of whipped cream and chocolate sauce, Liam ascended the stairs, two at a time, to his bedroom.

"Daddy's ready for his dessert ..." his exuberant voice trailed off as the sultry smirk he donned quickly faded away when he walked into an empty room. "Riley?"

Glancing around the bedroom, the en suite door was still open, and the light was off, so he knew she wasn't in there. The bed was still in pristine form and didn't look touched. He wasn't at all worried; Riley likely went for a snack, even though that thought seemed rather odd considering how adamant she was about returning to their quarters earlier.

Liam placed the toppings on a side table and slipped out his phone. He plopped down on the bench at the foot of their bed, thinking maybe he'd missed a message or call from her.

There was nothing.

He scratched his head; it wasn't like Riley not to mention to him if she'd gone somewhere, not that she had to. But in this case, she knew he'd be up soon. Thinking about the overturned vase Liam walked upon, something started to not sit well with him.

With the cell still in his hand, he pulled her contact information up. Just as he was about to hit the dial button, he heard "Liam" in a low, raspy voice.

Relief washed over him as he stood and put his phone away. "Love, you worried me. Everything okay?" Her face was ashen, and her eyes red and swollen. Liam's insides immediately clinched.

Riley didn't answer as Liam crossed the room, frantically approaching her, worry engraved on his features. “Riley, love, what’s wrong? What happened?” His eyes were desperately searching for any clue as to what was clearly something wrong with his wife.

She held out her hand, preventing him from coming too close. “Please ... don’t.”

Bewildered, he asked, “What are you doing, sweetheart?”

Riley turned her head away somberly; she couldn't bear to look at him. She had planned to get out of the palace before he returned from the ball; there was no way she would be able to face him. Liam would want an explanation that she couldn't give him. But when she got to the car, Riley noticed there was something important she forgot to give back to him, and there was no way she would take it. Maybe somewhere inside, even if she couldn't admit it, she needed to see him and do this right. “I ... have to go.” Her words were barely audible.

Liam's brows bumped together. “Go? You’re going somewhere this late? But you were tired before --”

“No,” Her head shook faster than she realized before she spat the rest out. “I’m leaving Cordonia. I’m returning to Las Vegas, and I’m not coming back.”

“Riley? What the hell is going on? You were fine and having a good time 30 minutes ago, and now, all of a sudden, you want to go back to Nevada. What am I missing here? Does this have something to do with what happened at dinner? Because I told you --”

“You’re not missing anything. I came here to prevent you from marrying Madeleine, and I did that. That was the agreement, and now ... I’m going home.”

Liam started to laugh and wagged his finger at her. “Leo put you up to pranking me? He's mad about me sending that damn monkey away and is trying to get me back, right? Because if he did, that's just … just heartless. And I don’t find it funny.”

“No, Liam.." She shook her head again. "Leo didn’t put me up to this, and it's not a prank.” Riley carefully pulled off the wedding bands she came back to give him and held them out to him.

He looked at them and gritted his teeth. “Put them back on,” he commanded.

“I can’t do that, Liam. They belonged to your mother, and I’m not taking something so sentimental with me back to Vegas.”

“You’re damn right you're not taking them back to Vegas with you because you’re not going!”

“I am.”

“No, you’re not!”

Riley choked out into a wispy sob, “I’m so sorry, Liam. I'm so sorry!”

He said nothing as he stared at her in disbelief and saw that she was serious. “Why?” He asked as his throat clenched and the first tear slipped down his cheek.

Her body felt leaden, never having seen him this shattered. “Liam, I just want to go home, okay? I mean ... this has been an amazing experience, and I’ll never forget it, but I miss my home, and my job, and my friends ..."

“Fuck your home! I’ll buy you one here that looks just like it. Visit your friends all you want ... hell, bring them here if you want to; I don’t care. That's NOT what's going on! There’s something you’re not telling me. And I want to know, NOW!”

Riley startled at his yell, wanting to hold him and make it better. “Liam, I don’t want to be in Cordonia anymore, or be the Queen, or live in this palace. I want to go home.”

He motioned around the room.“THIS is your home, Riley ... Cordonia. I’m your home! This palace is your home." Liam scrubbed a frustrated hand furiously over his face. "Again, you were fine 30 minutes ago. What changed between you leaving the ball and coming up here? You're not telling the truth for some reason, but I can’t figure out why. Did I do something to upset you? Did someone else do something to upset you?"

"No!" she responded expeditiously.

"I love you, Riley. You know that, right?" She nodded; the glisten in his blue eyes and the desperation in his trembling voice was destroying her willpower. "Do you … still love me?"

Riley slammed her eyes shut. She loved him with every fiber of her being, and to tell him so in this very moment would only serve to prolong this hellacious situation. The only way to protect him from losing everything -- in her mind -- was to let him go. He would fight her on this, and it broke her heart to see the pain and confusion in his eyes, but it had to be done.

“Do. You. Love. Me?” he enunciated his question once more. The struggle and agony on her face were evident to him.

Riley turned away from Liam and faced the door. Did she have it in her to answer that question with a lie?

"... the council will have no choice but to question Liam's decision-making abilities after not only squandering his pick of a queen on some American nobody but now one whose ass will be featured on the desktops of teenage boys across the world. It's a shame he'll lose his reign, all because of you. Would you really do that to Liam? Are you worth the trouble?"

The sadness crushed her. There was no other way to protect him. Riley swiped at her face and answered firmly.

“No.”

With that, the Queen walked out, leaving the King in an empty room with his shock, his confusion, and an unimaginable pain he'd never get over.

-----------

Tags:

@burnsoslow @dcbbw @ao719 @jessiembruno @texaskitten30 @janezillow @merridithsmiscellany-blog @mskaneko @callmeellabella @queenjilian @sirbeepsalot @drakexwillow @jovialyouthmusic @forthebrokenheartedthings @bebepac @kingliam2019 @lovablegranny @cordoniaqueensworld @amandablink @liamxs-world @choiceskatie @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @charlotteg234 @annekebbphotography @txemrn @ofpixelsandscribbles @alyssalauren @monsoonblooms12 @mom2000aggie @theroyalheirshadowhunter @princessleac1 @kimmiedoo5 @graceful-leah @iam-the-kind-and-thoughtful @thegreentwin @gkittylove99 @neotericthemis @pink-diamond13 @walker7519 @yourmajesty09 @natureblooms24 @gabesmommie1130 @sweatyrysconnoisseur @kat-tia801 @debramcg1106 @shewillreadyou @choicesstan650 @emkay512 @royalromancer

Liam x MC: @cordonia-gothqueen

Fools Rush In tags: @narrytheworld @queenwalton @cordonianprincess @zaffrenotes @zilch3 @drrookie @sfb123 @secretaryunpaid

#fools rush in #Liam x mc #liam x riley #king liam #the royal romance #trr #choices trr #prince liam #bbrandy2002

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katedrakeohd · 2 years

Text

Cordonia 1885

[Masterlist]

Chapter Six

(...at least as much as I have so far. Approx. 1200 words)

For @sirbeepsalot , @fluffyfirewhiskey and whomever is still interested.

Warnings/Pairings: None, just Drake by himself.

~💀~

Drake was left alone in the dimly lit bedroom. The smell of death and rot in the house still assaulted his senses and again he tucked his face into the inside of his elbow. It didn't help much. He goes over to the bedroom door and looks out into the hallway, contemplating making a run for safety.

But where was safe? Both Bastien and Mary had disappeared to whatever dark hollow they languished the daylight hours in. Was the story that Bastien had told him true? Was he really on the edge of death? Apart from a slight dizziness in his head he felt okay, but the memory of waking up in that bloody hotel bed brought the reality of his condition back to him.

What sort of Hell have I gotten myself into?

Pulling the bedroom door shut, he looks around the room again. There was nothing he could use as a weapon against Mary or Bastien if they decided to come back early to finish him off. Not that he knew anything about fighting off a pair of vampires, nor had he the strength to do it anyway.

He felt defeated and trapped, like a moth stuck in a spider's web. He was hoping for a miracle to save him before the spider came back. Unfortunately though, even if he had somewhere to go, he probably wouldn't make it far. With a sigh he sags back against the door, feeling an overwhelming fatigue. If he could find a way to block the smell from permeating the bedroom any worse, maybe he could actually sleep without throwing up.

He looked over at the bed. Maybe the quilt is big enough to seal the gaps around the door. With an effort he pushed away from the wall and yanked the cover from the bed. It's not overly thick, but it should work. Folding it in half lengthwise, he opens the door again and flops the quilt over the top of the door and then stoops to tug it under the edge. Pushing his shoulder into the door he forces it shut until it latches. It was only a temporary fix, but at least the quilt was helping to block the smell.

Encouraged by his work he shuffled over to the window and threw back the curtains. Gripping the wood he tried to open the window for some fresh air. When it doesn't budge right away he grunts and then tries again, hearing the scrape of wood sliding against wood he is rewarded with the rush of cool air as it floods the room. Taking a deep breath, he smiles for the first time in hours, his soul leaping as his nausea fades a little. Pushing up harder on the window affords him about two inches before it sticks, but it was better than nothing. He wedged a candle holder in the gap, and then stepped back, taking another deep cleansing breath. Already the room was starting to smell better.

Although the thought of escape had occured to him when the window finally opened, now that he looked over at the bed the urge to sleep was undeniable. Because he had sacrificed the quilt for the sake of fresh air, he would have to sleep in his clothes to keep warm, but he usually did that anyway.

Climbing into bed and pulling the sheet up to cover his head he rolled over onto his side and succumbed to sleep.

...

The sun was high in the sky when Drake awoke later that morning. He was shivering, thanks to the open window, but the few hours he'd slept had served him well. No longer as weak as the night before, he climbed out of bed and stretched out his arms and arched his back with relief. After being curled up for hours it felt nice to stand up again.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air as he went over to the window, he smoothed his hands over his wrinkled clothes. He looked at the two overcoats hanging on the rack. His old dirty one with its frayed hem, torn cuffs and ripped lining hung sadly next to the other more tidy one. It didn't feel right to put his old trash on over top of his new clothes, so he lifted the nicer one and slid his arms into the sleeves. In the mirror behind the dresser he was shocked to see a stranger looking back at him. His thick shaggy beard was gone, and had been replaced by just a few hours of stubble and a tidy mustache.

It had been a while since he'd seen his chin and cheeks so bare. Tugging on the lapels of his new coat he turned his head from side to side and appraised his new haircut as well. Sleeping had left his hair messy, so he picked up the comb from the dresser and tidied things up. He sighed with a slight measure of satisfaction, looking like a new man, even if he couldn't shake the fear he felt inside.

The fresh image he saw gazing back at him was almost enough to make him forget the horrors of the night before, but the bruised bite mark on his neck was a rude reminder. Pulling up the collar on his shirt he tried his best to hide the mark. In the top drawer of the dresser he found a length of black ribbon and used it as a necktie. That would have to do. Looking at himself again in the mirror, he couldn't help but feel the irony of his situation. He was all dressed up with no idea how to spend his final hours.

Sliding the pile of coins from the dresser into his palm, he quickly counted them and then dropped the money into his coat pocket. It wasn't much, but the sudden painful gurgling in his stomach told him it was more than enough to buy him a meal.

A house that smelled as badly as this couldn't possibly have anything worth eating in it. Even if it had, the rotten smell alone would ruin his appetite. Taking one last look around the room he notices the leather shoes on the floor by the coat rack. His own worn in comfortable shoes were nowhere to be seen, and had been apparently thrown away with the rest of his old things.

Sitting down on the side of bed near the open window, he dusts off the shoes on his pantleg and wonders if they'll fit him. The leather was stiff and dry from being unused for so long, but upon measuring the sole against the bottom of his own foot he was encouraged by the fact that they weren't too small. The rubbing and chafing of new shoes would be a reminder that he was still alive, for the next few hours at least.

(To be continued...)

#drake walker #cordonia 1885 #vampires of cordonia

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