redrose-arrow:

I was going to call this another one of my fantastically horrible AUs, but then I realised that technically, there’s nothing canon that can prove that this did not happen, sooooo who’s gonna tell me i’m wrong?–

anyhow. 

remember in Red Fox Clan, how both Cassandra and Horace are hinting at Maddie possibly developing romantic feelings for Dimon? what if Maddie acted upon that? she already feels like she’s letting her parents down by training to be a Ranger and never being home, so at least she can give them this, right? right? 

so she initiates it. seeks out Dimon’s company. and when he tries to go further, and further, she lets him. it’s how these things go, don’t they? she’s heard enough courtiers talk to know that men decide in the bedroom. that’s how it supposed to be. so she lets him. 

they keep it a secret, initially (just like Maddie continues to keep her Ranger training a secret). they need to test the waters. but then Dimon asks Maddie to dance with him, at one of the summer balls, and she accepts, and it’s practically an announcement to the world. that they’re together. 

it’s great. Dimon is great. his protectionness just means he cares, right? her dad and Will were protective when her mom and Alyss wanted to seek out the Kikori in Nihon-Ja. 

and sure, he can get a little rough-handed, but that must be the firey passion the stories talk of. 

and yet-

yet Maddie doesn’t feel the sparks that her parents always talked about. she doesn’t feel that invisible bond that everyone said always drew Will and Alyss together. he doesn’t make her laugh like Gilan always makes Jenny laugh. and when they talk, it’s nowhere as in-sync as Halt and Pauline. she doesn’t feel that magical, delightful, all-encompassing love, no matter what they do. 

she knows she’s supposed to. 

but she doesn’t. 

when Dimon turns out to be a traitor, Maddie’s almost relieved. almost. but not entirely. because he told her it was real. what they had, even if she wasn’t sure of it, even if she didn’t understand it, didn’t yet feel it, was real love. he told her that. so either he lied to her, used her, didn’t care about her. 

or-

or she’s just so despicable that, once he got to know her better, he decided that she wasn’t worthy of him. 

of the crown. 

of life. 

Protect and Serve (revised) 2

Following on from Bastien’s confession of his feelings for Sophia - what will her reaction be?

In this AU, Bastien is loyal, efficient and decent, just as he should be.

Bastien’s Confession Part 2

Do you think I’ be so rude as to eat a guest’s dessert? There was an agonising pause which he had to break with another reply. Come down and find out.

On my way

He rose, swiftly putting on boxer briefs and dressing gown. After a while there was a soft knock on the door and he went and opened it to see her standing there, also wearing a dressing gown, holding a spoon, a winsome smile on her face.

‘Sophia…’ He drew her in and closed the door, wrapping his arms around her, inhaling the scent of her hair, her soft curves moulding into him. She was a little shorter than him and her head nestled into his shoulder comfortably. She relaxed into him, sighing softly and they stayed there for a few moments. When she pulled away and raised her face to his he couldn’t stop smiling as he pushed her hair back off her face and leaned down to kiss her full on the lips, cradling her face in his hands. She rose to meet him, the kiss soft and tender. His heart hammered and his head swam, leaving him as giddy as a teenager.

‘So – dessert?’ she prompted.

‘I’m afraid it’s in the ice box – in my bedroom.’ he said apologetically ‘I can bring it out to the lounge if you like.’

‘There’s no need for that. Just take me to it.’ Her tone was husky, her pupils large. He took her hand and led the way to his bedroom. It was significantly different to the lounge - oak panelled like his office, the bare boards of the floor dark and varnished, a rug beside the bed. There was a desk beside the window with a padded swivel chair. One wall was taken up by wardrobe and cupboard doors and a dressing table where he left his cufflinks, comb and clothes brush lying, neatly positioned. He fetched the dessert from the ice box next to the desk, and she boldly sat on the edge of the bed. She kicked off her shoes, letting her bare legs dangle enticingly. She arched an eyebrow.

‘Aren’t you having any?’

‘I most certainly am – may I have the spoon?’ Puzzled, she handed it to him, realisation dawning on her face as he sat on the swivel chair and wheeled it across so he sat in front of her. He dug into the rich dark mouse and held out the laden spoon for her to taste. Silently they shared the dessert, one after the other, eyes locked on every mouthful, on every look of surprise and pleasure, every lick of their lips until the dish was empty. He ran his finger round the inside to get the last trace and held it out for her with a challenging smile. Eagerly she took it into her mouth and sucked, her eyes never leaving his. He felt heat in his groin and saw her eyes darken.

He cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned forward to press his lips to hers, a taste of the dessert still lingering. Without breaking the kiss, carefully he got off the chair and moved toward her. Together they lay side by side on the bed, kissing softly, hands starting to explore each others’ contours. He relished the discovery of her soft breasts and the curve of her hip and soft belly. Respectfully he steered clear of sneaking a hand under her dressing gown, letting her set the pace. Their soft kisses deepened, lips opening and tongues exploring, and he felt himself harden.

Sophia ran her fingers through his hair and down to the back of his neck, circling to his collarbone and pressed her palm to his chest. He felt her start to search for bare flesh, smoothing down over his abs but not venturing any lower. He shifted, hoping to keep the secret of his size a little longer. He was large in every way – not unmanageable, but generous in length and girth.

Thankfully she stopped for breath, and rolled away from him a little. He reached out to feel the softness of her blonde hair, gazing into her eyes. She didn’t flinch, returning his scrutiny and smiling.

‘You took me by surprise. I didn’t think you were attracted to me. You’re a busy man, Bastien, and hard to read.’ He chuckled in reply.

‘To be fair, at first we were pretending to be attached, so that couldn’t have been easy to interpret. Tell me - what drew you to me?’

‘Everything.’ She said simply. ‘Just a little frisson at first, then you grew on me.’

‘Everything? I’m not perfect, Miss Turner.’

‘Nobody is, but I’ve not found anything against you so far.’ She ran her finger along his jaw. ‘Seeing you in the pool clinched it for me. You looked like Poseidon emerging.’

‘I do feel at home in the water. I lived by the sea as a child and learned to swim very young.’

‘Didn’t you feel anything before I bounced you in the training hall?’

‘I liked you the minute I set eyes on you, but I knew you were a lot younger than me and didn’t presume to think you’d be interested. Not only that, but if I knew, and didn’t have such a demanding job, we might have ended up here much sooner.’

‘I’ve not long come out of a relationship.’ She confessed. ‘I was glad to be somewhere different, get my teeth into a new job. I wasn’t really looking for anything, so I was genuinely irritated getting hit on so much.’

‘I could tell. Cordonian men don’t hold back – and neither do the women.’ Sophia’s expression changed.

‘Well that explains a few things. I think I had a few more propositions than I realised.’

‘I was pleased when you said you’re attracted to men.’ Bastien murmured, and kissed her again. He pulled gently at the belt to her silky dressing gown. ‘May I? She bit her lip mischievously.

‘Please do.’ Softly he pulled at the garment, revealing a silky slip and slid his hand under it, over her belly and up to let his palm glide over her breasts. ‘Mmmm, that’s nice.’ she breathed as he bent over her to kiss along her jawline and down to her collarbone. She rolled toward him, letting her knee rest on his thigh. He felt along her side, down to her thigh, feeling the side seam of her panties. Her hand went to his belly, sliding down…

‘Wait..’ he cautioned, but saw her eyes widen in shock as she found her target.

‘Bastien, you’re – you’re pretty big.’ He rolled over on his back in resignation.

‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let you get so far. I usually give my partners a warning.’

‘It’s okay, it was just a surprise.’ She answered. He ran his fingers through his hair.

‘Sophia, I’m not going to make love to you tonight, but it’s not because I don’t want to. The truth is, it’s not easy for most to accommodate me.’

‘I would imagine so’ He turned over to meet her gaze.

‘Indeed. I have to plan the first time with a new partner. I’ve never hurt anyone, though there was one time I had to give up on full penetration. Every other time, it just took time and patience to allow my partner to stretch for me. Every woman I’ve slept with has come back for more – sex isn’t just penetration. I promise you I have a lot more to offer.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ They fell silent for a while, the mood broken. ‘Can I stay and sleep with you tonight?’

‘As long as we don’t sleep naked I think I can remain chaste – can you?’

‘I’m willing to give it a try.’ He sat up and took his dressing gown off, wearing only his boxer briefs and pulled back the covers, getting in and beckoning her. She took her gown off too and slipped into bed beside him. She lay on her side, putting her arm over his chest and nuzzling into his shoulder. He turned off the light and listened to her breathing.

After a while, Sophia realised he was muttering under his breath.

‘What’s that?’ she asked, and he sighed.

‘I’m reciting all the duchies of Cordonia and all the Dukes and Duchesses so that I don’t give in to temptation. It also bores me to tears and helps me to get to sleep.’ She laughed softly.

‘I’m sorry Bastien, I can go back to my room if you like.’

‘No, just turn your back to me please.’ She did as she was told, and he turned toward her to spoon her, throwing his arm over her side and resting his hand on her hip. She sniggered slightly

‘Now I know how much you’d like to go further.’

‘Shhh temptress, go to sleep. I’ve a busy day tomorrow.’ Sophia closed her eyes and smiled to herself. She liked the word ‘temptress’ and resolved to live up to it…

——

Bastien woke bright and early, opening his eyes to see Sophia fast asleep beside him, lying on her back with her arms thrown out, dusky blonde hair spread out on the pillow and her face serene. He wasn’t as young as he used to be, and it was less common for him to awake aroused – but this morning he had reason to be. He slipped out of bed carefully, going to the bathroom and closing the door quietly before taking a cold shower, which solved one problem. The other one was whether to wake her or leave her sleeping. It was a long time since he’d woken with a woman in his bed, and a rare occasion generally as he didn’t like sharing his living space.

The decision was made for him as she stirred and stretched. He went to kneel on the bed and lean over to kiss her forehead. He felt his heart skip as her green eyes locked onto his and a slow smile came to her lips, closely followed by his name. Her voice was husky and he couldn’t think of a better thing to greet him first thing in the morning. He had a sudden vision of them lying together, limbs tangled. She reached up to feel the scratch of his beard on her palm. It took a supreme effort of will not to slip under the covers with her, but he needed to go training and he didn’t want to hurry things between them.

‘Sophia.’ her name fell from his lips effortlessly and he realised that now he had admitted his attraction there was no limit to how deep he was falling. ‘I’m going to the training hall, how about you?’ She sat up and blinked sleepily ‘Do you want me to see you back to your room? Are you concerned about being seen?’ She smiled at him and stretched.

‘We started the ball rolling by making sure we’d be seen. We’ve no reason to hide. I’ll be fine.’

‘Now I have a real reason to call out anyone who ogles you or makes a pass. I realise that’s a little chauvinistic - would it offend you?’

‘No, that would be very gallant of you. I do like a little chivalry.’ she grinned. He got up, resolved to get dressed before temptation lured him any further.

‘I have to go. I expect you in the training hall in fifteen minutes, and I warn you that I show no favouritism there.’

Note - this is an extract from a series which I am revising. You can read it from the start here

@sirbeepsalot@katedrakeohd@rainbowsinthestorm@stopforamoment@endlessflame@bascmve01@camillemontespan@kingliam2019@texaskitten30@tessa-liam@indiacater@slytherincursebreaker@killerkennacrisp

Protect and Serve (revised)

Captain of the King’s Guard Bastien Lykel admits his attraction to Sophia Turner, newly employed by King Constantine and Queen Regina as the social season to find a Queen for Crown Prince Liam kicks off.

In this AU, Bastien is all he should be - loyal, efficient and devilishly attractive.

This is an extract from my TRR AU fic featuring Bastien Lykel and introducing his love interest. Part Two to be posted very soon. Nothing too adult in this chapter, but it gets smuffy so NO UNDER 18s

Introduction. Sophia has had some trouble with nobles and royalty making passes at her. She asks the head of security for help, and he suggests that they pretend to be an item to deter them, which she agrees to. One evening he invites her for dinner in his apartment in the servant’s wing where she also lives.

Sophia didn’t have long to get ready to go to Bastien’s quarters for dinner so she swiftly showered and put on a dress that she’d thought might be useful for socialising. It was nothing special, she thought, but it made a change from her usual slim legged jeans or slacks, blouse and jacket. She didn’t really have much else that was different.

She knocked on his door punctually at seven as he had asked, and he opened the door into a small hallway with two doors leading off it which she presumed to be the lounge and the bedroom. He was casually dressed in suit trousers, an open necked shirt with a thin woollen sweater and looked very much at ease.

‘Sophia, how was your day – not too taxing I hope?’ He took her jacket and ushered her into the neatly furnished living area. It was light and airy with a view over the courtyard, whereas her own room on the floor above looked the opposite way toward the stables. An easy chair and couch faced the fireplace and TV screen, and there was room for a small dining table under the window. A shelving system groaned with books and trophies and a sideboard sported a selection of spirits and a compact but modern music system. The décor was simple and fresh, the floor boards bare save for a couple of rugs in a concession to comfort. Ther was a small kitchenette are with a breakfast bar off to one side of the room

‘It was busy but it was good to keep working. I helped housekeeping to tidy up and serve dinner.’ Bastien went to the breakfast bar, where two glasses were set out.

‘Will you have a drink? I can offer red or white wine – the white will complement the main course if you just want to stick to one thing.’

‘Yes please,  white will be fine. I expect your day was busy too.’ He went to the fridge for the wine.

‘On and off. I was on point for a lot of the time so it wasn’t too taxing.’

‘On point?’ she asked as he handed her a glass and started to pour.

‘Oh I’m sorry – basically just staying close to the King and observing.’ She took a sip of the wine, finding it cool and crisp. ‘The food is ready, cook sent a trolley so we won’t be disturbed.’ He pulled a chair out for her. ‘Please sit.’ He turned his gaze to her attire, his grey eyes scanning over her, making her feel a little hot.

‘I don’t think I’ve seen you in a dress before.’

‘It’s not very practical when I’m working, and it seemed fitting to wear it tonight.’

‘I’m flattered that you wore it. Cook sent melon with parma ham, I hope that’s acceptable.’ They settled down to eat and talked about their day. The main course was pasta with a creamy sauce with flaked fish, and Sophia tucked in with relish. She declined dessert, saying she’d rather let her dinner settle for a while before she had anything sweet. They settled down with their drinks – Bastien in his recliner, Sophia sitting comfortably on the couch.

‘Sophia, I thought it expedient to discuss our arrangement. I respect that you want to I quote ‘find your feet’ in your job before you consider any emotional entanglements, and I feel that may be something to do with your cultural norms. You are English, and from what I have seen with others from your country, you are reserved and don’t express your emotions easily.’ He toyed with his glass, looking at the amber liquid ‘I know affairs are not uncommon amongst the English, but I gather that such matters can cause a lot of upset and emotional turmoil.’ He looked at her with his piercing grey eyes ‘Here in Cordonia we have a more Mediterranean outlook on affairs of the heart. This may be difficult for you to accept, but I’d like to explain a little more – are you comfortable with that?’

‘I’m in a foreign country, I appreciate that your customs are different. Anything you can tell me is welcome if it helps me adjust and fit in with my work mates.’ Bastien widened his legs and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

‘First of all, allow me to explain about marriages in Cordonia, and other matters will follow.’ Again he paid attention to his glass, tracing the cut glass patterns at the base ‘It’s not unknown – in fact its very common for married couples to have lovers or partners outside the marriage – of either sex. As long as their spouse is aware and there are no secrets, it’s considered quite normal. Marriage is seen as a safe harbour for children to grow up supported and safe.’ Sophia took a sip of her drink, her stomach tightening a little. He looked up at her, his gaze solemn but with a trace of warmth.

‘All this means that in general, Cordonians are very free in expressing their desires – as you witnessed at the hands of several of the men, and I’m sorry if that distressed you. However, I hope you can adjust and realise it’s not meant to be threatening – the men that approached you simply found you attractive and hoped you would return their affections.’ Sophia interrupted him.

‘Thankyou for that Bastien. I said I could handle it, it was just – distracting, that’s all, and I’m grateful for your help. I’m not a damsel in distress, as I explained I didn’t want to jeopardise my position here. I’m learning fast.’ she swallowed, thinking that perhaps he had tired of  their arrangement, and she realised she didn’t want that. She dropped her gaze to her glass, watching the bubbles form and rise and pop. Vaguely she heard Bastien saying her name.

‘Sophia, look at me please.’ She slowly did as she was told, meeting his gaze. His expression was soft and friendly.

‘Sophia, I’ve asked you here to find out if we need to redefine our arrangement. There is quite an age difference - I’m ten years older than you – but you’ve told me that you find that attractive. You strike me as very self reliant, and that is important. My job means I often keep irregular hours and am sometimes away for days or weeks. That is partly why I found you a position within the court while it travels, to keep you close, because I find that…’ He twisted his glass in his grasp ‘I find that I like your company, and bluntly put, I’m attracted to you.’

Sophia caught her breath as he held her gaze, grey eyes piercing green. She felt her blood surging in her veins, her head growing light. She stood up, uncertain of what to do, but that made her even more light headed so she sat down again. He put his glass on the coffee table.

‘Forgive me, I’ve shocked you. I should have chosen neutral ground to speak to you, been more gentle. Please forgive me.’ She wanted to answer but her mouth was dry so she took a swig of her drink, her hand shaking. She found herself choking and Bastien swiftly came to her side to take her glass and pat her on the back. After a while she regained her breath and he rested his hand on her back, making smooth circles with his palm until she spoke

‘I – Bastien, that was the last thing I expected.’ she admitted. ‘I thought you’d gotten tired of babysitting me, or you were too busy to carry on. I need some time to think about this.’ He sat away from her.

‘I understand. Whatever you decide, I will respect. The job offer is open, or you can remain here when the court moves out – it’s entirely your decision. Your answer won’t affect your position here. I won’t take advantage of you.’ She turned toward him, trying to stay calm.

‘Thankyou Bastien, you’re very considerate. I – I do have feelings for you but I have to work out what they are and if it’s realistic to go any further. Our work situation…’

‘Is not a problem as far as I’m concerned, as long as you realise that I’m not always available, and there are things I can’t discuss. You seem as if you’re happy with your own company and don’t expect to be cossetted. I’ve had work affairs before and it has never stood in my way. You must understand that for me, work comes first.’ Sophia drew a deep breath.

‘I think perhaps I should go back to my room.’

‘Of course, will you allow me to take you there?’ he asked. She reached for her bag and jacket, and the guard went to open the door to the vestibule. He kept his distance and let her out into the hall, following and closing the door behind him. They walked in silence up the stairs as her thoughts whirled in her head – it felt odd for him to be following her as it was usually the reverse. She turned to him when they reached her door and he leaned on the door frame, pausing as though he was going to move closer, then pulling away.

‘Thankyou for dinner, Bastien. I’ll think about what you said – and I’ll try not to keep you waiting. I appreciate I need to make a decision about the job as soon as possible.’ She barely dared to say anything about the attraction between them, his confession had been so sudden. He raised his eyebrows.

‘Please Sophia, don’t be afraid of hurting my feelings. I won’t take any decision you make personally. It’s a huge part of my job to remain impartial and objective.’ She smiled awkwardly, thinking that every word he spoke made her fall for him more – beyond the physical attraction she felt, he was respectful, honourable and patient. She could tell him that right now, but she needed breathing space.

‘I hope it won’t come to that. I’ll let you know soon, I promise.’ When the door was closed she leaned her back against it. She realised that the attraction between them had grown into something undeniable. Knowing that he felt somewhat the same – what should she do? Her head called for caution, but her body reminded her how long it had been since she had been in a physical relationship.

TO BE CONTINUED

@sirbeepsalot@katedrakeohd@rainbowsinthestorm@stopforamoment@endlessflame@bascmve01@camillemontespan

@kingliam2019@texaskitten30@tessa-liam@indiacater@slytherincursebreaker@killerkennacrisp

Heads up for TRR Bastien fans - I’ve been reworking my TRR AU Protect and Serve series and have more or less rewritten the scene where he admits his feelings for his LI Sophia Turner. I’ll post it on Valentine’s day (it’s smuffy) so keep your eyes peeled!

If you haven’t read this AU, my Bastien is the Captain of the Royal Guard that Cordonia deserves - upright, loyal, efficient and ruthless, not the travesty TRH turned him into. No under 18s please.

@sirbeepsalot@katedrakeohd@rainbowsinthestorm@stopforamoment@endlessflame@bascmve01@camillemontespan

Everything Has Changed fanart

My very first masterpiece by the one and only @/artbyainna and I’m so emotional right now. My babies in Everything Has Changed singing together … they’re so in love! Thank you Ainna, you are LITERALLY the best. Same time next month yeah?

This is a paid commission. Please do not repost or alter.

Suddenly, the door to the music room slammed shut so loudly that Ella thought she peed her pants. She turned and saw a smiling Liam.

“You scared the shit out of me! And aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

“I’m sorry,” Liam moved to grab a guitar and sat next to her on the bench. “Classes are done early.”

“Early?” Ella’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you left early.”

Liam shrugged. “Tomato, tomato.”

“You really do this every week?”

“Only when you’re here,” he flashed her that charming smile and Ella could only roll her eyes. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I was listening to you sing. I shut the door to give us privacy.”

Ella arched her brow. “Privacy?”

Liam chose to ignore her question. “I know that song you were singing.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

“I like singing in my spare time,” Ella smiled. “I don’t have any siblings to do this with.”

“I’ll play with you.”

Ella’s eyes widened in surprise. “You know how to play that?”

Liam smiled. “I know how to play everything. Keep going please.”

Ella’s fingers danced over the keys once more.

**

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TRR/TRH@jared2612@marshmallowsaremyfavorite@iaminlovewithtrr@nikkis1983

Happy birthday @foreverethereal123❤️❤️❤️

A little birthday sketch of Liam and Ella for my dear friend by the talented @neonravensart P, thank you so much for always being in my corner and sending me videos of freaking cute animals to make me smile. You are the best cheerleader ever! Love you a butt ton!

This is a paid commission, please do not alter or repost.

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TRR/TRH@jared2612@marshmallowsaremyfavorite@iaminlovewithtrr@nikkis1983

The Only Gift - The Loft

I know it’s been a long, long time since I’ve been on here and posted anything but I wanted to share this gorgeous fanart done by the amazing @gokushairgel thank you for bringing my babies to life and being my popcorn soulmate!

My taglist isn’t up to date at all so I apologize if you’re there and you don’t want to be. Please let me know and I’ll remove you asap, no hard feelings ☺️

“What do you want for Christmas this year?” Ella tossed a kettle corn up into the air and Liam caught it in his mouth.

“I don’t need or want anything, love,” he tossed one up in the air and cheered when Ella caught it.

“You say that every year,” she protested.

“It’s true though,” Liam caught another kettle corn in his mouth before doing the same for her. “I just want you.”

“Fine, I’ll figure out something,” Ella munched as she shook her head.

“Alright, alright, I do want something,” Liam smiled as his heart thrummed in his chest.

“What?”

“A fiancé.”

Ella froze mid-throw, the kettle corn landing on the floor next to Liam. “A-”

“You heard me, I said fiancé,” he smirked as he looked down at her bag of kettle corn. She followed his gaze and gasped when she saw a diamond ring. “Ella Christianne Brooks, will you-”

“YES!” She tossed her bag into the air and jumped up to tackle him onto the wooden floor. “Yes, Liam!”

“Ouch, love,” he murmured between kisses. “Can you maybe find that bag with the ring?”

“I don’t want anything but you,” she mocked.

“Very funny … but seriously it was really expensive,” Liam pleaded.

“Okay fine,” she stood and began to look around the room. “Put it on my finger and we’re doing it in the living room.”

Liam’s jaw slacked. “Against the window?”

“Yep,” Ella’s smoldering look made his cock jump in his grey sweats. “With all the lights on.”

“Merry Christmas to me,” Liam yelled as he searched for the engagement ring.

**

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TRR/TRH@jared2612@marshmallowsaremyfavorite@iaminlovewithtrr@nikkis1983

Because I was missing our TRT babies @ofpixelsandscribbles thank you for this gift and thank you @neonravensart for capturing our group so well (as usual)

“I hope you don’t mind me being too forward, but I know that this is your first time in Cordonia, I would love for you to experience just some of the finest things that our country has to offer. There is an exquisite dining place that the three of you may enjoy. I can make an arrangement for you, if you like. Consider it as my welcoming gift. ”

“A recommendation from the prince himself? Sounds cool! Besides, I’m always down to trying new things, so I’m in!” Bryce replied exuberantly as he turned to Liam with an eager smile.

“I’m with Bryce!” Aera agreed enthusiastically as her arm unconsciously linked with Bryce’s, much to the latter’s enjoyment.

“Well, if you insist, how can we refuse?” Ella shrugged her shoulders with a grin, making Liam chuckle in response.

“Great!”

**

@foreverethereal123@burnsoslow@ao719@debramcg1106@sfb123@neotericthemis@gkittylove99@kingliam2019@alyssalauren@aestheticartsx

Caught In The Act - happy birthday Sri!

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Pairings: Liam x MC (Ella); Drake x OC (Alyssa)

Characters belong to Pixelberry; Ella Brooks belongs to me; Alyssa Devereaux belongs to the amazing @burnsoslow​ and is used with permission.

Summary: The gang goes to Sonoma Valley for a week and shenanigans happen of course. Ellyssa (Ella + Alyssa = besties forever) enjoy time alone with their men … along with Max.

A/N: Set in The Loft AU, my favorite of favorites of all time lol

A/N2: It’s @neotericthemis​ birthday today and I am soooo sorry this is late! Sri, you are so damn supportive, loving, kind, and HILARIOUS. I love that you squeal and yell at me when I write something ridiculous or when cheating Leo pops into the scene and you message me immediately LOL I can’t do this whole tumblr life without you, thank you for never forgetting about little old me. I love you so so soooooo much! I hope you like this along with the edits!

Thank you @burnsoslow​ for reading this entire thing and loving me so hard.

Warnings: Adult language; sexual innuendos; compromising situations

Words: 689 

The gang was headed to Sonoma Valley for the week and they were all excited. Drake and Alyssa were celebrating their engagement and, to Drake’s dismay, Lyss wanted everyone to join them on the trip. Liam and Ella were looking forward to having a week to unwind after working several days in a row. Leo adamantly refused to go on a “couples trip” while Max shrugged and agreed.

“I’m sorry you’re the fifth wheel, Max,” Lyssa hugged her friend and gave him a cute pout as they wandered towards their rooms.

“I’m fine,” he squeezed her back. “I love spending time with you guys, it doesn’t matter if you’re matched up and I’m not.”

“Don’t even think about walking into our rooms without knocking, Beaumont,” Drake pulled his fiance by her hips against him. “This was supposed to be ourtrip.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Just keep it in your pants and your bedrooms and we’ll be fine.”

“Can’t make any promises,” Liam smirked as he stole a glance at Ella walking in front of the group.

“I heard that, Rys,” Ella turned and returned his smirk. “This kink of yours gets sand in the weirdest places.”

“Guys!” Max yelled as he put his hands over his ears.

“He won’t be able to resist,” Drake whispered to Lyssa as she chuckled beside him.

The next day

The group enjoyed an entire day of horseback riding.

“Oh my God, El,” Maxwell had tears in his eyes from laughing. “Your horse loves you!”

“Summer is the best,” Ella laughed. “Aren’t you girl?” She ran her hand over the soft mane of her horse.

Liam let out a chuckle as he stared at the picture. “Best horse ever!”

Day four

“These wine tours on a boat could potentially be dangerous,” Lyss peered over the edge of the boat as she clutched her wine glass to her chest.

“Dangerous how?” Drake murmured as he nibbled on her earlobe.

Alyssa shuddered. “Drunk people, boats, the swaying … someone could fall overboard!”

“Hey!” Max appeared behind the couple with a full glass of wine. “Where’s Liam and Ella?”

“Honestly, they’re probably doing it in the back of the boat,” Lyssa snorted.

“I don’t doubt it.”

“Let’s play a board game!” Max announced when he brought over Monopoly.

“Devereaux gets waytoo competitive,” Drake shook his head. “I don’t know if you want to see that side of her Beaumont.”

“She can’t be that bad,” Max shrugged.

“I do not get competitive,” Lyssa rolled her eyes. “But I will beat your ass, Max!”

Day six

“I love that we have nothing planned today,” Ella snuggled against Liam’s side as she sipped her coffee.

“We just wanted to relax before we have to leave tomorrow,” Lyssa said as she made a sad face.

Drake leaned over to kiss her temple. “We need to plan something with just us, baby.”

“Guys! We gotta go to brunch!” Max squealed as he ran up to his friends.

“Alright, I’m hungry, let’s go,” Drake grumbled as he stood and pulled Alyssa up with him.

“We’ll meet you guys there,” Liam said and the friends separated.

Ella stuck her bottom lip out. “I’m hungry, babe, where are we going?”

“I wanna show you something,” he flashed her a mischievous look.

An hour later

“Where the hell are they?” Max mumbled as he wandered outside the hotel looking for Liam and Ella. Creaking noises and moans got his attention and he raised his brows. “They wouldn’t …” Max slowly made his way towards the sounds and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He pulled out his phone, quickly snapped a picture, and scampered back inside.

“Oh my God, Beaumont, why are you so red?”

“You’ll … see …” Out of breath from laughing and running, Max’s thumbs were flying over the keyboard of his phone.

Lyssa and Drake’s phones went off at the same time showing a notification.

“No, they didn’t!” Alyssa dropped her phone as she began to snort with laughter.

“Told you he couldn’t help it,” Drake shook his head and put his phone face down on the table.

Golden Boy

Moodboard for chapter DerbyofGolden Boy

Since I vaguely cover the lawn party in text, since it was already sitting at 10k words, I decided I’d show a bit of the party via collage ☺️

Ps. Very proud of the Savannah and Bertrand pic. Mashed 3 pictures together for that one.

Tags:@saivilo@karahalloway@petiteboheme@shewillreadyou@lovingchoices14@twinkle-320@walkerdrakewalker@tessa-liam@kingliam2019@differenttyphoonwerewolf@queen-arabella-of-cordonia@txemrn

Golden Boy

Derby

Pairing: Drake X F!OC

Warning: language

Rating: PG-13

Word count:10931

Series blurb: Lily never made a habit of getting close to any of her customers, especially the travelers who always left. So what is it about this suit clad Cordonian that makes her want to get to know him better? Drake has always been the dutiful son, followed in his father’s footsteps to become one of the most promising King’s Guards since Jackson and Bastien were rookies. When he goes to New York for a short vacation and meets a quirky bartender he starts to question his life decisions. What happens when a certain Crown Prince asks Lily to come be a guest of the Crown for this year’s social season?

Chapter Blurb: Lily goes to her first horse race after standing her ground to the brothers Beaumont.

A/N: surprise! Sorry it took so long. I’ll make a separate post about what’s been going on in the real world, but I’ve been going through a lot. Plus I’ve been working on 6 chapters for AA consecutively, and I’ve started a few side businesses. Thank you to everyone who is still willing to read this, and I can’t promise anything but I’ll try not to take so long for the next chapter. Which I already have a good chunk of written so hopefully things go according to plan.

A/N2: sorry if anything sounds weird or not exactly me. Despite multiple assurances I still feel like I’m off my game a bit.

A/N3: HUGE shoutout to @karahalloway for not only reading over bits, but for being there to support me as I deal with these bumps in the road. You’re an amazing friend and I love seeing your name pop up in messenger because I know I’m about to laugh.

Golden Boy

Tags:@saivilo@petiteboheme@shewillreadyou@lovingchoices14@twinkle-320@walkerdrakewalker@tessa-liam@kingliam2019@differenttyphoonwerewolf@queen-arabella-of-cordonia@txemrn@choicesficwriterscreations

True to his word, Drake got her back to the palace with plenty of time to spare to get ready. No one – other than other Guards – noticed them leave the day before; so they weren’t confronted when they walked through the front door as if they had only gone on a stroll across the grounds.

They kept their distance through the main hall and went separate ways at the top of the grand staircase. Neither of them wanted to part, but Drake said it would be more suspicious if he walked her to her room in the palace. The king prided himself on heavy security so the nobles could move around freely without a shadow – other than the Royal Family of course.

So Lily made her way to her room alone, smiling at any Guard she happened to cross paths with – thankful that Jackson hadn’t ended up being one of them.

While she prepared for the Derby she thought back to the night before, the low throb between her legs intensifying the further her imagination ran.

———

“I fucking love you, Lily.”

She sucked in a sharp breath as she tried to process the sudden confession. Drake seemed to have read her hesitation because the intensity in his eyes softened before he kissed her forehead again.

“You don’t have to say it back.”

“Drake-”

“You don’t even have to say it at all if that’s not how you feel. I just want you to know that’s how I feel. Okay?”

Instead of answering, she closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around his waist while nuzzling her head into his chest. She didn’t know what to say and assumed anything less than a returned ‘I love you’ would hurt him, so she opted for a physical response.

Her heart hammered in her chest, she was certain he could feel it against his abdomen but she didn’t pull away. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back in soothing circles.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love him. She did, she knew she did. That didn’t stop the fear. In the short time spent together, they broke many barriers within one another, but she was still hesitant to cross that final line. Her history of abandonment made it hard to completely open herself to others.

She wanted that with Drake – to give him all of her.

She just needed a little more time.

After washing each other they laid in bed in a tangle of naked limbs. Ready to succumb to sleep but not wanting to miss any time together, Drake continued to move his hand along her spine as her head rested against his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to his steady heartbeat, her chest tightening at the sound.

“Why do you love me?” She whispered.

His hand paused on the nape of her neck as he thought about his answer. He let out a deep sigh and resumed his affectionate touch.

“Honestly?” Though he spoke softly his chest still rumbled beneath her cheek. “You’re amazing, you’re real. You don’t have any hidden ambition, you’re a ‘what you see is what you get’ person. You don’t care about my past or my status. You want me for me, not for what I can do for you or the places I can take you.”

She tipped her head up to look into his eyes as he continued.

“Your laughter is music, your smile is the sunrise. I’ve never been a rainbows and butterflies type of guy and I never will be, but I appreciate the little things. Like the way you take care of others even when there’s nothing in it for you or when you think nobody is watching you. Then you get embarrassed if you see you’re being watched,” he cracked a smile. “You know you’re pretty but you aren’t vain about it. You’ll rock my oversized shirt and a ball cap just as well as a sundress. Nobody can go from heels to boots as quickly and happily as you, not even Savannah. I love the attention you give Lonestar, he’s the only pet I’ve ever had and it means a lot to me that you two get along as well as you do. He doesn’t like many people, but you won him over fast.”

“It’s hard not to love that giant puppy,” she chuckled.

“I know, you’re a hard one not to love too. I don’t want to be that guy, but I was looking for his approval.”

“I kind of figured that when you took me to meet him.”

“You caught me,” he chuckled and scratched his jaw. “My point is… I love everything about you. I told myself I wouldn’t tell you until I was completely sure about you. After tonight… the way you stood by me with Margot, and encouraged me to speak my truth…That meant a lot to me, Lily,” his arm tightened around her.

“So,” he tucked her hair behind her ear with a sigh. “I’m just laying here, madly in love with you, and I don’t mind waiting for you. As you said, this is worth it.”

She smiled softly before leaning up to kiss his scruffy chin then settling back on his chest.

“I feel bad for not saying it back.”

“Don’t. I told you there’s no pressure. You don’t have to say it just because I did.”

“I know, but I want to,” she admitted and dropped her gaze to his Adam’s apple. “It’s just too soon for me.”

“I get it. It’s fucking soon for me too. After the way you handled Margot, then watching you take my dick like a champ – I couldn’t contain it any longer.”

A grin spread across her flushed face. “I guess that would make anyone fall in love with me, huh?”

“Only an idiot wouldn’t.”

Lily kissed his chest before turning to cuddle closer into his side, resting her ear over his heart once again. Even though they were naked and the fan overhead was wide open, she didn’t feel cold. Not with Drake’s body heat soaking into her.

His body temperature usually stayed a few degrees higher than normal, which meant he was always warm. Hence how he could walk around in the biting cold without a jacket and not be bothered. Lily didn’t mind, it made him the perfect heater and gave her ample excuses to snuggle in close–

———

She had just finished adding the final touches of her makeup when there was a sharp knock on the door half a second before it opened. She walked out of the bathroom to see Maxwell walking in with a dress bag slung over his shoulder followed by a peculiar sight. Bertrand strutted through with his head held high – his face covered in a thick layer of hair. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed she was out of bed – never mind that it was ten in the morning.

“Ah, good to see your makeup is already done.” Bertrand piped while examining her face. “It’s a little understated but it should work with the dress we picked out.”

“Excuse me?”

“Show her Maxwell,” he snapped his fingers. “Hurry up.”

Maxwell hung the hanger on the bathroom door hook and unzipped the bag. He pulled the bag down to reveal an outfit that she could immediately tell would be too uncomfortable for the event they were headed to. The sheer dress started with a halter neck and fell to the floor in a long flowing skirt. The thin material would hug her and leave little to the imagination of what was underneath – which would certainly exclude underwear of any form outside of nipple tape. Sequins covered the fabric, but only just enough to hide her erogenous zones. She didn’t know how she was supposed to squeeze all of her curves into the thing, let alone breathe or move in it.

“I’m not wearing that to a horse race,” Lily laughed.

She didn’t add that she wouldn’t wear it anywhere, not wanting to insult the Beaumont men’s taste. She knew Bertrand was prideful and Maxwell prided himself on being a fashionsita.

Bertrand’s smile fell.

Before he was able to speak Maxwell stepped forward and asked, “what did you have in mind then?”

With wide eyes, Lily gestured at what she had on, a simple outfit of dark jeans and a loose olive blouse. Normally she would wear a t-shirt or a button up to such a place but figured a blouse would be better received. Bertrand stared at her for a second, trying to figure out if she was joking or not. When he realized she meant what she said, he scowled.

“You are not wearing that to the Derby. This is one of the most public, highly talked about events of the social season – second only to the Regatta. All eyes – especially that of the press – will be on the members of the exclusive guest list – what they do, who they are seen with, and especially what they wear.”

“Well, I’m not wearing something I can’t even move in. It’s a horse race. There’ll be dirt and bugs and heat and I’m not going to be miserable all day.”

“You will do as you are told,” Bertrand growled.

Lily recoiled with a scoff. “The hell I will.”

“I will not stand idly by and watch you make a mockery of House Beaumont! I have enough to deal with keeping Maxwell from smearing our name,” he shot Maxwell a glare, “I will not have some random girl come in and tarnish everything I, my father and generations of Beaumonts have worked so hard to achieve.”

“How is dressing comfortably tarnishing your name? I don’t feel comfortable showing that much of my body at such a public event, I doubt I could even sit in that without tearing it,” she pointed at the sparkly dress, “let alone drink or eat. That thing screams body dysmorphia issues - no thanks. I’m not here to impress anyone or win anything, I don’t know why you want me to dress like I am. I’m here-”

“I do not care why you are here or where you came from. You will dress for your station or you will not be a Beaumont, that is final.” Bertrand snapped, his face growing red. “The only reason I’m assisting you is because my future king asked me to do so. If you want to dress like some hippie vagabond on your own time – that is repulsive but fine, I will not stop you. But when you are in the public eye, and representing my House, you will dress as a lady.”

“Then let’s go change that,” she challenged. “Right now, let’s go talk to Liam and fix this problem for you. And you can explain to him how me not wanting to flaunt every inch of my body to the whole world is hurting your family name. Look Liam in the eye and explain to him why I have to expose that much of my body at your command,” she stepped closer to him, her eyes burning as she fought to contain her emotions. “I dare you. You don’t have Savannah walking around all saran-wrapped for everyone to see exactly what she’s packing! Why do I have to? I’m not here for anything that requires people to know what’s under my clothes.”

Bertrand’s brows nearly touched while she continued, his scowl deepening with every word.

“You will do as you are told. I am-”

“Repeating yourself more firmly isn’t going to make me listen to you,” Lily scoffed and crossed her arms defiantly. “I’m not a child and I refuse to be treated as such.”

“I would not have to treat you like an impudent child if you would not insist on behaving as one!” Bertrand’s face was starting to turn red, the vein in his neck bulging as he glared down at Lily. “I am the Duke of Ramsford of the great House Beaumont, I will not abide by your insolence!”

“I already said let’s go talk to Liam!” Lily snapped and turned to wave an arm towards the doorway. “After you, oh Great One.”

She would rather keep Liam out of their argument since she knew he already had two full plates, but if it would cause Bertrand to back off and reconsider his insane demands she would consider involving the prince. He did say he would help her if she needed it.

Bertrand’s only waver in his resolve was a slight quiver of his full brow. “‘Your Grace’ will suffice, no need to drag my superiority into play. Nor is there reason to bring His Highness into this. The Crown Prince has more important matters to attend to than to listen to the petty bickerings of a disgruntled Yankee commoner.”

“Disgruntled? Really?” She snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Is that not an accurate reflection of your current attitude? I will gladly replace it with something more fitting. Resentful, perhaps?”

“I was fine until you tried to come in here and treat me like an object.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic Lily. It is unbecoming.”

“No, what’s unbecoming is the way you’re trying to bring the Jeremiah Johnson look back in style.”

Bertrand narrowed his eyes when Maxwell was unable to contain a loud snort.

“Pardon me? I do not know this Johnson fellow you speak of, but I am sure he is an exemplary gentleman.”

“Neither of those words have ever been used to describe Jeremiah,” Lily scoffed with a smirk.

“Then I fail to see the correlation.”

“Your beard Bertrand. You look silly and you sound ridiculous telling me that I’m shaming the family name, while you’re walking around looking like you just walked off the set of a Grizzly Adams episode.”

Bertrand’s jaw hardened and his nostrils flared. “I will have you know that throughout history, beards have been venerated as visual symbols of a man’s power, wealth, influence and strength. They have been an influential staple in the history of the Beaumont family. The most noteworthy being-”

“Percival Beaumont, I know, I took history lessons,” Lily cut him off in a huff. “You do realize this is the twenty-first century right? Not the fifteenth.”

“There are quite a number of notable contemporary noblemen who sport beards-”

“And yet, none of them are in Cordonia. I’ve only seen beards on the Guards,” she shrugged.

“Of course,” he hissed. “That’s where all this is coming from, isn’t it? I leave you under Mr.Walker’s care and he-”

“Drake treats me like a human being, like I’m able to make my own decisions about things like what clothes I wear. Don’t try to spin this and make him the bad guy when that’s your role,” she stepped closer to poke him in the chest. “Just because I’m new doesn’t mean you get to bully me or flaunt me around like some car! I’m not some mindless doll or accessory for others to fawn over.”

Tight clothes didn’t bother her, she had a fair number of tight or revealing outfits, some were even bought by Liam – she could easily wear seductive dresses. But on her terms. She refused to be a show pony for a man who barely spoke to her. And when he did, he acted like it was driving a knife between his vertebrae.

Plus, after the things Drake said the other day she was sure he would lose his mind if she wore that outfit in front of half the country. Especially knowing she was going commando underneath. Not that she thought he wouldn’t want her to wear something tight if she wanted it, but she wasn’t going to risk him glaring at her all day over Bertrand of all people.

Because she knew that would be what pissed him off the most – not the dress, but that Bertrand demanded it and he was powerless to intervene.

Bertrand grew silent, giving her time to collect herself under his piercing gaze.

“If you will not wear the modish – and expensive – outfit that we spent all morning putting together for you - fine. But you will not step foot outside of those gates in anything less than haute couture or we are done. Am I making myself clear?”

Lily’s face was hot with anger, tears threatened to fall at any second but she couldn’t let Bertrand see her cry. He would take it as a victory, not knowing it was either cry or punch him in the nose. The longer he stood there staring down that holier-than-thou nose at her – the more appealing the second option was becoming.

“Get out,” she growled through her teeth.

“I beg your pardon?” He scoffed.

“Get out! I don’t want you in my room, Bertrand, so get out!” She jabbed a finger towards the door, “leave!”

He recoiled, his scowl dropping in uncertainty. He glanced over at Maxwell who scratched the back of his head and shrugged a shoulder. Without saying another word he turned on his heels and quickly stalked out of the room.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Lily deflated. She sat on the edge of the bed and dropped her head in her shaky hands with a sniffle. Maxwell hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder which made the dam break. She tried to hide her face as silent tears streamed down her cheeks.

“He’ll get over it. He’s always-”

“I don’t care, Max…” her voice cracked.

“Hey, I’m on your side,” he squeezed her shoulder. “I would have stood up for you, but he’s right. I kinda am the family fuck up so I didn’t think it would have helped your cause any.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she sniffled and pulled away from his hand to wipe at her eyes.

“Lily…”

“Will you just go… Maxwell… Please…”

She didn’t look up when he gave her another squeeze or as she heard his footsteps falling away. Once the door shut behind him she laid back on the bed and wiped her face clear, her chin still trembling. She hated that she ended up crying when she was just mad.

And the way he talked to her… unacceptable.

After allowing herself a few more minutes to let the anger and embarrassment subside she went into the bathroom to fix her make-up. As she reapplied her eyeshadow she made up her mind to talk to Liam. If Bertrand thought he had the authority to dictate how much of her body the world got to see then she didn’t want anything to do with him. She would rather everyone know she was “just an American” than to be put on display like that for a bunch of horny strangers. She did not sign up to be a piece of eye candy for Bertrand or anyone else. It wasn’t part of the deal and she refused to submit.

She changed out of her first preference and into a white one-shoulder sundress that hugged her down to her hips then flared out as it dropped almost to her knees. In one last act of defiance, she slipped into a pair of flats instead of heels like she knew Bertrand would want.

Even if she liked the outfit they brought, she wouldn’t wear heels to an outdoor event knowing the heels would constantly be sinking in the soil. Once she approved of her look in the mirror she went to snatch her phone off the charger but her hand hovered over the phone.

Shaking her head, she picked it up and dialed Liam’s number before she was able to talk herself out of it. The phone rang twice before she hit the end call button, her hands shaking. She couldn’t drag Liam into a disagreement with Bertrand. She wasn’t a child, she refused to behave like one by running to the authority.

Bertrand would just have to get over himself.

“It’s so big!” She gasped looking out the limo window when it rolled to a stop.

“That’s what she said,” Maxwell snickered.

Lily rolled her eyes without looking away from the window, “are you going to do that every time?”

“Every time,” he agreed with a grin.

“You’re such a dork,” she elbowed him in the side playfully.

“You love it.”

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “do I?”

He cast her a crooked smile and winked, “I think so.”

Before she could counter his claim, an attendant opened the door and Bertrand stepped out to offer Savannah his hand. Lily watched the group of reporters swarm over to them, cameras flashing and microphones jutting towards their faces as question after question was lobbed at them. A groan escaped her as she prepared herself for the intrusion.

“Do you want to skip this part?” Maxwell asked, looking at her with concern etched across his face.

“Can we?”

“We aren’t supposed to, but they can’t exactly stop us. They can always interview you later, or at the Regatta.”

“Not in Lythikos?”

He shook his head, “no, they don’t usually follow us there. There are certain events we are expected to showcase for the media – especially with this being the season Liam is supposed to choose a suitor. The public is going to want to be informed about what’s going on, and to get to know their potential queen.”

“I should probably talk to them. The more they get to know about me now, the less they’ll bombarde me later…” She glanced over at him hopefully, “right?”

“Eh, maybe. Or they’ll just become obsessed with you,” he snickered then nudged her with his shoulder when she paled. “I’m kidding. They have an assortment of suitors to parade after. You’ll be old news by the time we get back from Lythikos.”

“I hope you’re right. Let’s do it,” she hardened her jaw with her decision. “I want to prove to Bertrand I have some fashion sense.”

“Okay, after you.”

After navigating their way through the line of reporters and across the sand track, they found themselves in the center field. The lush green grass was peppered in different colored canopy tents with the majority being red. Over by the finish line stood a deep royal purple canopy with shade sides on for privacy – that was where Liam was, Maxwell explained. The bright pink one was reserved for the suitors, and the red were for the rest of the nobles while the white stood for food and beverages. Only nobility and those working the event were allowed inside the center field, no commoners and no press. So, despite there being nearly five hundred bodies on the grass, there was still a semblance of privacy.

“There’s still a half hour before the races start. I’m going to go find Bertrand and Savannah, you should mingle.”

Lily looked up at Maxwell and chewed the inside of her lip before nodding slightly, “okay. Where’s Drake?”

“Probably with Liam,” he shrugged. “He has today off, he always has the opening day off.”

“Really? Even though he had yesterday off?”

“Yeaaah, about that. He didn’t actually have yesterday off. When Jackson came looking for him I had to cover for you guys. I told him that Drake escorted you to town. Which, technically, is true. Anytime he’s off with you somewhere he’s working, he’s just multitasking like a mofo. So, if you’re asked…”

Lily felt a chill roll down her spine, “he called his dad last night to tell him we were staying in Lythikos.”

Maxwell frowned then lifted a shoulder, “not our problem. Drake can handle his father, don’t worry about it.”

“I don’t want him to resent me,” she whispered. “Wouldn’t it be bad to be on the bad side of the head of the Guard?”

After glancing around to see who all was around them, Maxwell grabbed her by the elbow and pulled oher off to the side rail of the track.

“You won’t be on his bad side, because his son cares for you. I’ve known Jackson practically my whole life, all he wants is the best for his kids. And besides, if Bertrand isn’t on his bad side you have nothing to worry about.”

“I hope so. I don’t want him hating me.”

“Don’t stress yourself over Jackson. Cross that bridge when you get to it. If it makes you feel any better, I think you’re great for him.” He smiled softly before his eyes drifted over her head. “Oh, I see Savannah, gotta run,” he squeezed her arm before turning to watch Savannah’s yellow dress flitter through the crowd.

“Okay. See you around.”

She barely got the words out before Maxwell strutted off after his brother and sister-in-law. After running her hands through her hair, she scanned her eyes along the crowd looking for one of the three faces familiar to her. She didn’t want to end up in the middle of a suitor cat fight, and after Drake’s warning about the noblemen hunting her for their sons she didn’t feel partial to the idea of being cornered by one of them either.

Suddenly, she saw what she was looking for. A flash of golden locks with short black hair not even a foot away. A smile lit up her face and she was moving towards them before she had time to think about it. Not wanting to draw attention to herself – since she wasn’t supposed to be on a first name basis with Liam, and Drake had the day off – she didn’t call out to them when they started to walk away. She slipped through the throngs of bodies, dodging arms and eyes as she tried to catch up to them. Just when she thought she was in the clear to be able to speed up and slip into step with them – two of the ladies she hadn’t spoke with before cut her off. She recognized the blonde as a Countess who was a suitor, the other suitor slipped her memory.

Not wanting to be rude, Lily followed a few steps behind them, waiting for the chance to slip around them.

“I will never understand that friendship,” the Countess on the right stated not so quietly.

“What do you not understand?”

“How can Prince Liam — who founded a charity for his tenth birthday — happily say his best friend is a Guard? And not even one of his own – Maxwell’s!”

Lily bit her tongue as she listened to them, unaware of the woman walking behind them.

“Because they grew up together. His dad has been the King’s personal Guard since their sons were just boys. The Prince has grown fond of him over the years.”

“But to call a Guard his best friend? Do you not think that is a little tactless?”

“Maybe if he were unsightly. But I can not see the downside of having such an attractive Guard at his side at all times. He certainly gives us something better to look at than these ridiculous animals.”

Lily rolled her eyes and scoffed under her breath. Of course the noblewomen would go from insulting Drake over his status, to mentioning his looks as his only positive attribute.

One of the women must have heard her scoff, because she suddenly found herself face to face with both women. Instead of being greeted with hostility the way she was with Olivia and her pose, she was greeted with curious smiles. The brunette on the left raised a manicured eyebrow, her eyes flicking to the woman beside her before coming back to rest on Lily.

“Pardon us for talking about your Guard in such a manner.”

Lily shook her head nonchalantly, “he’s not my Guard, he works for Maxwell. I’m just borrowing his service from time to time.”

“You are far too considerate,” the Countess laughed. “You are a Beaumont, therefore the Beaumont Guards are at your disposal just as much as that of your beloved cousins. I know you are not used to this way of life, but I do hope you grow into it. You are of nobility after all, act accordingly.”

“Oh… I’m still getting used to everything. It’s all so new to me still. Maxwell and Drake have been such a big help.”

The two exchanged a look and Lily suddenly felt uneasy. Had she said the wrong thing? Should she have left Drake out of it?

The brunette returned her deep brown eyes to Lily with a coy smile, “we can help you some time. And maybe you can introduce us to Drake on a more… personal level?”

Lily wasn’t able to hide her shock, “Drake? Why do you want to get to know him? I thought-”

“Come now, darling, do not act daft with us,” the Countess cut her off. “We might not taint our bloodline by procreating with them, but that does not mean we are blind to someone who is soft on the eyes.”

“I mean – yes – he’s attractive, but isn’t it frowned upon to bed the staff?”

“Of course. Did I say we meant to bed him?”

Lily swallowed hard as she watched the blonde eyebrow raise and the red lips pucker in amusement, “well, no.”

“You do know what is said about assumptions, don’t you darling?”

“They make an ass out of us all,” the brunette answered before Lily could. “Anyhow, I hear he is gay. Is that true?”

The Countess swiveled on her heels to look at her friend with wide eyes, “I’ve heard that as well. He and Lord Maxwell are awfully close, and you know the rumors about him.”

Lily didn’t like the way the conversation was turning. She didn’t want to talk about her friend’s sex life, nor listen to implications of her lover being with him. She might discuss those things with Maxwell, but he was the only one she felt comfortable talking about his sex life with – and that was like walking on a knife’s edge. All she wanted to do was shut down the insinuations by telling them she was the one in Drake’s arms at night – that he was between her legs and didn’t want to be anywhere else.

But his words pulled her to a stop, she couldn’t do that and take publicity from Liam’s social season. She couldn’t wait to return and let everyone know that Drake was hers.

“Well, either way,” the brunette smacked her lips, “he could get us closer to His Highness.”

“Yes, any time he’s not with a Beaumont he’s with the Prince.”

And there it was.

She felt stupid for even thinking for a moment that either of the women would be interested in Drake for himself. Of course they were only interested in using him to get closer to Liam.

“Pardon me Marchioness Ilithyia, Countess Erin.”

The deep familiar voice nearly caused Lily to jump.

She didn’t think he knew where on the vast field she was, let alone that he would come rescue her. But, yet again, there he was. Placing himself between her and the nobles he so desperately wanted to protect her from. All three of the women turned to look up at him. It was a strange sight, to see him in just a white v-neck and black jeans. She had grown used to his blazers or overshirts to hide his holster. She knew he still had a gun on him though, most likely tucked into the back of his pants the way it was the night before.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I must steal Lady Lily away from you for the time being.”

Where anyone who didn’t know him personally would have seen cold indifference, Lily saw annoyance. The slight hardness in his eyes, the way his words filtered through gritted teeth.

“Absolutely not,” Ilithyia scoffed while crossing her arms. “I do not condone this behavior Mr. Walker. I think I am going to have to have a discussion with Bertrand about this insubordination.”

Lily glanced at her with raised eyebrows, but Drake kept his head about him.

“You would be better off talking to Prince Liam, since he’s the one who sent me,” he stated matter-of-factly. “He hasn’t had a chance to talk to her one-on-one and thought it would be a good way to kill some time before the races start.”

He took a step back, his hands slipping into his pockets as he sighed. “I’ll just go tell him you are refusing to release her and you think he should fetch her himself.”

“No need in such dramatics Walker,” Erin chimed, stepping towards him while batting her eyes. “She can go, since the Prince is requesting her. Although, it is a little confusing why he wants to speak to her over one of his suitors.”

“You don’t think it’s wise for him to get to know all the members of his court?” Drake countered. “I can let him know you disapprove.”

“No, no,” Erin chuckled nervously. “That is hardly necessary.”

“Let us not keep them any longer, Erin.” Ilithyia said, looping her arm through the brunette’s then settled her eyes on Lily. “We shall see you later Lily.”

“Of course,” Lily smiled weakly. “See you around.”

Drake gave a stiff bow, “Marchioness, Countess.”

Before the other women were able to be the ones to walk away, Drake placed his hand on the small of Lily’s back and propelled her forward. Once they were out of ear shot, he dropped his hand and visibly relaxed. Lily glanced up at his clenching jaw then down at his hand hanging by his side. The urge to grab it and soothe him was wearing down on her. She crossed her arms behind her back to keep from touching him in the middle of a sea of court members. Drake didn’t look at her or say anything as he led her towards the purple tent where she assumed Liam was waiting.

She wasn’t sure how it would look to everyone for her to be in the enclosed tent with two men, but assumed if they both thought it was okay then she shouldn’t worry. Drake had already proven his top priority was keeping her safe, both from physical and slanderous harm.

When they reached the tent, Drake pulled the flap to the side for her and ushered her inside. The large tent was mostly empty, a folding table sat over to the side with pre-prepared plates of snacks. The opening of the tent faced the finish line of the track with a row of chairs a few feet back. Lily glanced around at everything and quickly noticed a major fixture was missing – Liam.

She turned to Drake, “where’s Lia-”

“You need to stay away from those two, Ilithyia is nothing but trouble. She’ll sweet talk you into scandalizing yourself.”

“I was handling myself just fine,” she huffed and crossed her arms.

“Sure, that’s why your face was screaming ‘save me’, right? I could read you from across the field Lily.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek with a sigh. “What did they want?”

She stepped back from his hand and narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t mind you saving me from the creepy noblemen, but the women I can handle. I’ve dealt with mean girls my whole life. I handled Olivia, I was handling Ilithyia.”

“Ilithyia and Olivia are two completely different animals,” he stated, his hands going back into his pockets. “Olivia is brash and straightforward with what she thinks of – and expects from – everyone, she’s a lion. You know exactly what you’re getting with her. Ilithyia is a snake, she’ll pretend to be your friend then turn around and stab you in the back as soon as you piss her off or she gets what she wants.”

“And Erin?”

He gave a slight shake of his head, “she doesn’t matter. She’s under the Marchioness’ thumb, her brother is engaged to Ilithya’s sister. She won’t save you or defend you. She’s a puppet.”

“Oh, well…” she looked out at the racetrack and hugged herself. “I was holding my own. I can’t have you constantly coming and pulling me away any time I talk to someone for more than two minutes.”

“I’m just trying to protect you. The longer you talk to these people the harder it is to keep to your lines.”

“Lines?” She scoffed and wheeled around to glare at him. “You sound like Bertrand-”

“Don’t you dare,” he growled.

“No, don’t you dare, Drake Walker. You don’t get to control every aspect of my life. You don’t want me talking to any nobleman outside of your ridiculously short list? Fine. But you can’t jerk me around anytime I’m with someone you don’t like. If I can’t talk to anyone outside of those you’re related to and Liam, I’m going to go insane.”

“You can do whatever you want with Hana Lee,” he shrugged. “She’s not a threat.”

Lily rolled her eyes with a low growl and turned her back to him, “you’re impossible.”

She started to walk over to the railing, but Drake quickly grabbed her arm and spun her back around to face him. A gasp barely slipped past her lips before his hand cradling her jaw and tipping her head up to look him in the eyes.

“I’m not impossible, I’m doing my job.”

“Are you? Or are you just being a dictatorial asshole?”

“They aren’t mutually exclusive.”

“I don’t want to be dating Mussolini.”

“I’m sorry,” his eyes softened, “it’s hard for me; I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Lily deflated and rested a hand on his chest, feeling his strong steady heartbeat beneath her fingers.

“We need to come up with a look or a signal I can give you to let you know if I need your help. Because, while what they were saying was shocking, I was standing on my own just fine.”

Drake’s eyes softened before he brushed his knuckles up her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Okay. We’ll talk about it later.”

She nodded and stepped closer to him, not needing or wanting to add more words. Her hand on his chest gripped his shirt while her free hand slid along the waistband of his pants. Not giving anything away in his expression, he studied her with a raised eyebrow.

“Are you copping a feel, Starke?”

“No,” she batted her eyes and slipped her fingers under his shirt to trace along the skin of his hip.

“I wouldn’t mind if you were. It would give me a reason to take this dress off you.”

He ran a finger down her neck, along her collarbone then over the swell of her breast. He didn’t stop when he reached the hem of the dress, instead he hooked the crook of his finger on the fabric and pulled down on it. They held each other’s eyes as he slowly exposed her, the cool air under the canopy instantly hardening her nipple when it popped free. She didn’t remain exposed for long, his hand quickly replaced the dress after thumbing her aroused peak.

“I can’t wait to bite this until you scream.”

She sucked in a sharp breath, “Drake…”

“Did you fi – Oops,” Liam said as he walked through the flap, coming to a stop when he noticed the pair. “Am I interrupting?”

Drake stepped away from Lily and shook his head as he turned to the prince, deliberately placing himself to block her from sight, “no.”

“If you’re certain,” Liam smiled and let the flap fall behind him.

Lily turned to the side and quickly adjusted her dress, her cheeks burning. With a shaky breath, she ran her hands through her hair before turning to smile at Liam. If he saw anything other than his friends standing close, his face gave nothing away. Lily was grateful.

“I’m happy to see Drake was able to extract you from the claws of the Marchioness,” he chuckled.

“He pulled the maneuver off flawlessly, even made her backtrack,” Lily said with a grin.

“He does have a way with catching the nobles’ fumbles.”

Liam walked over to the railing and looked out at the yet to be touched sand with a soft smile on his face.

“Are you ready, Drake?”

“You know I’m always ready to kick your pampered ass,” Drake said, walking to his side with his arms crossed.

Lily came to Drake’s other side and rested her arms on the top railing, “what are you two going on about?”

The question earned her two shiteating grins from the friends. Liam’s eyes cut to Drake, expecting him to explain. Drake ran a hand over his hair with a chuckle before meeting her inquisitive eyes.

“The reason I always have opening day off is because we have this long standing bet. We choose the horse we think will win each race and at the end of the day the loser has to do ten push-ups.”

“It’s the bet we’ve been doing since we were kids,” Liam continued.

Lily grinned as her eyes shifted between the two, “that’s adorable.”

“The hell it is,” Drake huffed. “It’s rugged… and manly.”

“Yes, very tough I’d say,” Liam nodded in agreement.

“Ten push-ups is rugged and tough?” She teased. “I expected better of you Walker.”

“Not just ten regular push-ups Lily. The winner will be sitting on the loser’s back.”

“But still,” she giggled, “only ten?”

“Hey,” he scoffed, “let me see you do ten push-ups with me on your back.”

She scrunched her nose, her eyes drifting over to Liam. “I could probably pull it off with him. He looks like he’s a good bit lighter than you.”

“How much of a difference do you think there is between us?”

“I dunno, maybe fifty pounds?”

Drake belted out a laugh and turned to smirk at Liam who tried his best to contain his own amusement.

“I… don’t think there’s quite that large of a difference,” Liam said hesitantly while running a hand through his hair.

“I didn’t mean to offend either of y-”

“I’m not offended,” he chuckled with a shake of his head. “But I believe the difference is closer to fifteen kilos.”

“Oh, okay. I wasn’t too far off then.”

“Not too far,” Liam smiled at her then raised an eyebrow at Drake. “Do we have a bet?”

“You’re on,” Drake chuckled. “But I think we should include Lily this time, since she’s here and thinks she can hang with the boys.”

“Oh?” Lily raised an eyebrow and poked him in the side, “what’s that supposed to mean?”

Drake cast her a smirk. “Well, you should pick a horse each round as well.”

“I don’t really know anything about derby racing though,” she murmured.

“Backing out on me already, Starke?”

“I’m not backing out, I just think you have an unfair advantage. You guys have been coming to these races all your lives, betting on them for how long?”

“Since we were – what – ten?”

Liam nodded, “that sounds about right.”

“Yeah,” she rolled her eyes, “that’s far from fair.”

“How can we rectify the difference?” Liam inquired.

Lily tapped her chin, her green eyes drifting between sparkling blues and challenging browns.

“How many races will there be today?”

“Sixteen,” Liam said quickly.

“Okay… so why don’t you both let me have two of your wins?” She shrugged nonchalantly. “That way I have at least four wins.”

The men exchanged looks, Drake shrugged when Liam raised an eyebrow. They stepped away from her to mumble under their breath in a tight huddle, occasionally casting a glance back at her way. Lily rolled her eyes but a playful smile worked its way onto her face after the third time Drake met her gaze. When they returned their attention to her Drake wore a lopsided grin.

“You may have your advantage,” he stated, “but just know – if you lose, you have to take the punishment.”

‘So ten push-ups with Liam on my back?”

“Ten push-ups with both of us on your back,” he corrected.

Lily’s jaw dropped. “That’s not fair. I can’t even pick you up, let alone both of you.”

“We’ll just lean on you when you lose,” he said with a wink.

“When?”

“Did I stutter?”

“Don’t get cocky now.”

Drake grinned and stepped away from the railing, “I’m going to go get drinks. Is beer good for everyone?”

“Yes,” Lily and Liam said at the same time.

“Okay, three cold beers coming up. Maybe it won’t take too long.”

He turned his back to the others and headed for the flap of the tent. Liam turned his soft smile towards Lily then gestured at the chairs.

“Shall we wait comfortably?”

“Sure,” she followed him to the chairs and sat after him, making sure to leave one between them for when Drake returned.

“I nearly forgot, forgive me -”

“Huh?”

“- I didn’t answer when you called earlier, I was having a discussion with my father before I left.”

Drake – who was half a step away from exiting the tent – turned around sharply to study Lily with narrowed eyes, “you called him?”

She turned in her seat so she could see him, “no – well, yes – but I hung up almost immediately.”

“Why?”

“I was going to talk to you about it later, I didn’t want to drag Liam into it.”

“But you called him, not me?”

Lily glanced past him to Liam who was now looking at Drake in uncertainty.

“Yeah, I was going to call him in to play mediator, but decided he had enough on his plate so I hung up. I didn’t call you because I knew there wasn’t a way for you to help my situation.”

“What situation?”

“Are you okay?” Liam added in concern.

“I’m fine. Bertrand was being an asshole, he wanted me to wear this see through dress today and when I said no he threw a hissy fit,” she explained coolly. “He said I’d better wear haute couture when I left the palace or I was pretty much kicked out of the Beaumont circle.”

Drake’s shoulders softened, but his scowl deepened, “he wanted you to walk around exposing yourself?”

“Yes! And I told him to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine,” she scoffed.

She quickly recounted the exchange with Bertrand for the two men, each listening with different intensities. For the most part Liam seemed concerned, but Drake was fuming. She wouldn’t have been surprised if smoke started to rise off him. But it wasn’t the anger in his eyes that made her chest draw tight.

It was the pain.

She knew how it would affect him to hear what Bertrand tried to do. It would hurt him to know that if she hadn’t stood her ground so well, there would be nothing he could do to stop his brother-in-law from showcasing every inch of her body.

He hated being powerless against the nobles, especially when it came to her.

She hated putting him in that angry helpless state-of-mind. She wished Liam hadn’t mentioned the call until he was out of the tent.

“I can’t do this right now,” Drake growled while dragging a hand down his face. His hand fell limp to his side and he met Lily’s eyes across the void. “We’ll talk about it later, I just want to focus on having fun and watching some fucking horses run.”

“Okay,” she nodded softly.

His eyes flickered between his best friend and the girl he loved before he turned on his heels and stalked out of the tent. As soon as he was gone Lily deflated and dropped her head into her hands to rub her temples.

“Is everything okay between you two?”

She nodded twice, paused then shrugged. “I feel like I’m going to screw this up. He has clear cut boundaries and I keep crossing them. I shouldn’t have called you — even though I hung up, I should have called him.”

“He will come around. He doesn’t like to be useless and, as you said, he wouldn’t be able to help in that situation.”

“I didn’t mean he was useless.”

“I know that, and so does he. He’s just upset right now, as any man would be in this situation. When he returns he will be back to his happy snarky self.”

“I hope so.”

“Trust me, I’ve known him the majority of my life. Once he gets a beer in him, he’ll cheer up.”

“Okay, I’m trusting you,” she laughed.

“Good.”

Two hours later the final race had finished. They placed their bets each race, and sometimes things got heated. It didn’t take long for Lily’s mood to lighten, between their banter and joining in the ruckus over each race she felt like one of the guys. Things seemed almost normal, if she didn’t think about how Liam was royalty and that his loyal followers were only a canvas sheet away.

Much to her dismay, Drake won the bet.

Even with them handing her four races, she was in third to Liam’s five and Drake’s seven. She kept her head held high though, despite Drake’s teasing. Of course she didn’t pick any actual winning horses, she’d never even watched the Kentucky Derby back home let alone felt confident enough to place bets. She mainly chose the jittery ones, the horses pawing at the gate eager to bolt at the ring of the bell. Little good that did her.

“Okay Starke, ready to pay up?”

“I suppose so. Isn’t there a towel or something we can lay on the grass?” She asked as she kicked her shoes off to the side.

“Afraid to get a little dirt on your hands?”

“No,” she scoffed. “I don’t want grass stains on this white dress. Last thing I need is to be seen coming in here with the two of you in a white dress and leaving with green knees.”

Drake snorted with a roll of his eyes. “I’m not letting you off that easy woman.”

“I’m not trying to get out of the bet. It’s a legitimate conc- what are you doing?”

Her eyes had been drawn past Drake to Liam who was busy unbuttoning his shirt. Drake glanced over his shoulder at his best friend then scowled.

“What gives?”

“The lady requested something to protect her lovely dress and delicate skin.”

“I doubt anyone would call her delicate,” Drake snorted.

“That is of no concern to me, I’m simply supplying the cover,” Liam stated while pulling his shirt off and opening it.

They watched him lay the shirt on the ground, then when he stood back up he locked eyes with Lily.

“Rest your knees on my shirt and your dress will remain unsoiled.”

“Thank you Liam.” She grinned before cutting her eyes at Drake. “A real gentleman.”

Drake scoffed, “whatever. He has fifty of the exact same shirt. I’m not ruining one of the few t-shirts I have that I actually like. Chop chop now.” He gestured at the shirt. “Let’s have those push-ups Starke.”

Lily dropped down to the push-up position and glanced up at the pair. Without hesitation, Drake bent over her to press his hands on the small of her back.

“Come on Liam, don’t go easy on her,” he chuckled.

Liam glanced down at Lily for a confirmatory nod before he bent and pressed his hands to her shoulder blades. She tried to contain her discomfort, but was unable to stop a low huff as she began her push-ups. After she struggled to complete her sixth push-up, she felt Liam lessen his resistance on her back. Not wanting to out him to Drake, or repeat the exercise, she stayed quiet and grit her teeth through the remainder of the push-ups.

Once she was done Drake helped her back to her feet and watched her fix her hair with unreadable eyes, the corner of his lips lifted in a slight smirk.

“Got to say, I’m impressed, Starke,” he admitted.

“Thanks.”

“I knew you could hold your own with us.”

Lily crossed her arms with a grin and bumped her shoulder into his side. “I’m one of the guys now. We can chew the cud together, bro.”

Drake’s smirk dropped to a scowl, “don’t call me ‘bro’.”

“Why?” She laughed.

“Because I’m not your bro. We aren’t on that level.”

“Oh,” she raised an eyebrow at him, “excuse me. And what level are we on, exactly?”

“Not the ‘do stupid shit-”

“Hey, have you guys seen- Oh, there you are!” Maxwell cut him off as he barged into the tent. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Lily.”

“Sorry, I was here the whole time. I joined their bet.”

Maxwell grimaced and sucked his teeth, “who won?”

“Who do you think?” Lily rolled her eyes in the direction of Drake.

“Yeah, that checks out. But hey, everyone is getting ready to head over to the lawn party. You don’t want to be late.”

“Oh, I forgot about that. Will there be food? I didn’t grab anything the whole time we were in here,” she grimaced and laid a hand on her stomach to emphasize her hunger.

“Oh yeah, there’s always loads of food.”

“There’s snacks,” Drake snorted.

“Snacks in your opinion.” Maxwell countered, rolling his eyes.

“What do you think of the food, Liam?” Lily asked the prince as he pulled his suit jacket back on.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s quite delicious. Cucumber sandwiches, petit fours, a large charcuterie board with a variety of meats and cheeses to pick to your taste.”

Lily narrowed her eyes. “Is it a test?”

Liam raised an eyebrow, “test?”

“Yes. Will I be judged based on my meat and cheese selection?”

“Haha, no. Though there will possibly be some raised eyebrows if you pair prosciutto with raspberry goat cheese instead of parmesan.”

“Good tip to know.”

Maxwell grabbed Lily by the elbow and tugged her towards the opening of the tent. “I’ll give you a small run through of the dos and don’ts of the lunch on the way there. We don’t want to be the last one to show up. Bertrand-”

“Bertrand can suck my-”

“Toes,” Drake cut her off sharply. “She was going to say toes.”

“That’s disgusting. Why would he-” Maxwell trailed off as he remembered the argument he witnessed earlier. “Gotcha. Well, let’s go.”

“What about Liam and Drake?” She asked, tossing a thumb over her shoulder as he pulled her out into the bright afternoon sun.

“Drake has the day off so he does what he wants. Liam should arrive fashionably late. That way everyone has already arrived and will be looking at him.”

“Does he really have to do that everywhere he goes?”

Maxwell nodded with a sigh, “tis the curse of being the Crown Prince. The only one who will arrive later than him, is the Queen herself.”

“I think I’m starting to understand.”

“Good, you’re a quick study,” he chuckled. “So did you enjoy the races?”

“Yes, they were very fun!” She laced her arm through his with a happy sigh. “I could get used to days like today.”

“That’s great to hear. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, I was worried for a bit there. I like having you here.”

Lily glanced up at Maxwell and met his twinkling eyes. She smiled softly before running a hand through her hair to pull it over one shoulder.

“I like being here too. I like you Max, you’re a great friend.”

“I do what I can,” he laughed shyly while rubbing the back of his neck. “And honestly, it’s worth it to see the way you-know-who lights up around you.”

Her cheeks started to burn so Lily looked away, but based on the soft chuckle she knew he had likely seen it. She bit her lip and let him lead her back across the field to the line of nobles pouring out of Honeyhill into their waiting cars.

The lawn party was everything short of uneventful. Thankfully, they weren’t the last car to arrive at the extravagant venue so there was ample food and drink for Lily to splurge herself on. The pair found Hana, who was impressed to see Maxwell in a white cotton button up opposed to his regular black polo. Together the three made their way to every table, filling their tiny tea plates full of finger sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres. They found a nice table under a string of willows, in nice shade but not so far away from the croquet games that Hana would be looked over.

Roughly ten minutes after the last noble arrived, Liam and Drake made their entrance. Liam made his rounds while Drake casually meandered over to the table of his familiars with a plate stacked high of food. Once the Queen arrived and the formal games started, she dropped a bomb on the whole social season – especially Liam’s courtship of the dozen suitors he had lined up. Before her first game, Regina announced that there would be a thirteenth suitor joining.

Maxwell had to explain to Lily that the blonde bombshell beside the Queen was none other than Madeleine Amaranth; Leo’s ex-fiancee and Regina’s own niece. While Drake complained about the food options - or lack thereof - Liam chose Hana to join him in a game of croquet against the Queen and Madeleine. Hana graciously took the winning shot which seemed to impress the Queen, though the woman at her side looked less than entertained.

After the ‘main’ game was finished, the nobles dispersed and multiple smaller games were played while others stood watch and gossiped. Olivia, beyond irritated at Madeleine’s arrival, stormed around the garden with her mallet on her shoulder. Not paying attention to those around her, she nearly knocked a few heads off; and by the end of the evening she had managed to upend a large lemonade dispenser. She quickly righted herself, her cheeks burned a deep red to match her hair. Spewing a string of insults at the unfortunate soul who happened to be nearest her, she left the garden.

The rest of the evening carried on as usual, light banter amongst the group of friends followed by a nice stroll through the gardens with Liam. Lily wasn’t sure if she was allowed to be alone with Liam since she wasn’t a suitor, but Drake seemed comfortable with it so she didn’t worry too much. She liked hanging out with Liam, especially when he could be himself and relax. He showed her his favorite archway which was covered in English ivy and white roses.

Once the evening had drawn to an end and the inebriated nobles were returned safely to the palace, Lily was exhausted. She and Drake dropped Maxwell off at his room before he demanded he escort her to her room as well. Given the way the day started, she felt like it had drawn to a much better conclusion. There was little more she needed to be happy, walking the halls in the late evening with Drake, any noble they passed being too drunk or tired to care about how close the Guard was to his charge.

They rounded the final turn before they would be at her door when someone called out.

“Lily, I would like to have a word with you.”

Turning around, they saw Bertrand approaching with his head held high. He stopped a few feet away with his hands hanging stiff at his sides. He eyed Drake in disdain for a split second before speaking again.

“Leave us Walker, I need to speak with my cousin in private.”

Lily felt Drake go ridgid beside her, but ultimately he stepped back. She reached out to grab his arm, her eyes narrowing on Bertrand.

“No, I refuse to be alone with you. Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Drake.”

Bertrand’s nostrils flared and he rolled his eyes with a grimace before exhaling sharply. “You wish to humiliate me further I see. So be it.” He tugged at his vest as if to straighten it. “I was remiss in my behavior earlier this morning. I came to apologize for the malicious tone in which I spoke to you, as well as the outfit I asked you to wear. It was not my place to try to persuade you-”

“You mean bully me.”

Bertrand grit his teeth. “It was not my place to bully you into a dress that I – through years of experience – knew the press would love.”

“Bertrand,” Lily scoffed.

“I am sorry. Savannah gave me quite the tongue lashing when she heard about this debacle. My people skills seem to not be up to par for…” he furrowed his brows in determination not to insult her, “someone who is not as used to this life as I assumed they would be. I will continue to improve myself if you agree to continue to be seen as a Beaumont.”

Lily looked over at Drake with raised eyebrows before batting her eyes as she returned her gaze to Bertrand.

“Sure?”

Bertrand straightened his shoulders, puffed his chest out and beamed the brightest smile Lily had seen on him to date. It was obvious that he had been worried about returning to Savannah without rectifying his mistake. Even if Savannah couldn’t care less about the Beumont lie she had to know how much Lily meant to her brother. She wouldn’t have been surprised if it came out that she had advised Drake to confess his feelings.

“I thank you wholeheartedly Lily, you will not reg

Golden Boy

Madeleine Amaranth

What scent reminds her of her childhood?

Fresh cut roses, Scotch and Cuban cigars

What is one thing she always carries with her?

Lipstick

What keeps her up at night?

Mostly her mother

What does she first notice about someone?

Posture

What is her idea of a really fun time?

Photo shoots and interviews with top magazines

What do people first notice about her?

The way she walks

Favorite drink?

Champagne

Distinguishing facial features?

High cheek bones

Job?

Countess of Fydelia

Competitive?

Only slightly

What’s in her pockets?

She carries a handbag, but emergency makeup and mints

Favorite proverb?

A bad tree does not yield good apples

Golden Boy

Tags:@saivilo@karahalloway@petiteboheme@shewillreadyou@lovingchoices14@twinkle-320@walkerdrakewalker@tessa-liam@kingliam2019@differenttyphoonwerewolf@queen-arabella-of-cordonia

Golden Boy

Olivia Nevrakis

What scent reminds her of her childhood?

Lythikos hot cocoa

What is one thing she always carries with her?

A knife, of course

What keeps her up at night?

Absolutely nothing

What does she first notice about someone?

Their mental strength

What is her idea of a really fun time?

Beating all the boys

What do people first notice about her?

Flowing red hair

Favorite drink?

Red champagne

Distinguishing facial features?

Perfectly arched eyebrow

Job?

Duchess of Lythikos

Competitive?

You bet your ass she is

What’s in her pockets?

Probably something to hurt you with

Favorite proverb?

If you can breathe you can stand, if you can stand you can fight

Golden Boy

Tags:@saivilo@karahalloway@petiteboheme@shewillreadyou@lovingchoices14@twinkle-320@walkerdrakewalker@tessa-liam@kingliam2019@differenttyphoonwerewolf@queen-arabella-of-cordonia

Sunday six

Since it’s still technically Sunday for a bit longer here, I’ll toss a Sunday six out. I know I’ve been pretty radio silent, but I’m dealing with a LOT on the home front. I’ve been working on things, it’s just been slow since there’s so much going on and needing my attention.

Autumn’s Awakening

Po Valley

The valley was misery.

It was thirst; with no way to filter the water, each creek crossing filled their mouths with sand.

It was hunger; rationing every morsel of food, splitting a can of beans between four people hardly left anyone feeling satiated.

It was overthinking to pass the time; with no other way to distract their minds from the hell surrounding them.

It’d only been a few weeks since they saw Jack, but in her heart it felt like years.

Random one-shot

“Let’s draw matches,” Leo belted as he swiped a handful of matches off the table.

“This is stupid,” Drake grunted before taking another sip.

“You’re just worried you’ll draw the short match and strike out,” Rashad jabbed.

“No, I don’t want to play this game. It’s demeaning to all involved.”

“He does have a point,” Liam chimed in.

“You can’t always take his side,” Leo elbowed his brother in the ribs. “It’s almost like you two are together.”

“He’s my best friend,” Liam scoffed, shoving him away. “And I don’t always take his side, only when he makes sense.”

A shit-eating grin spread across Leo’s face and his eyebrow twitched, “that’s exactly what someone in a relationship would say.”

Liam’s jaw dropped while his rosy cheeks grew redder, “I-”

“You what, brother? Anything short of a love confession for our sweet darling Drake-”

Golden boy

Lythikos

“My apologies Lady Lily.”

That intrigued her, he had never called her that unless they were around other nobles. It was always Ms. Starke before now.

Chewing on her lip, she lifted her eyes to see he still kept his gaze averted from her.

“Does Liam need something?”

“No. I came on my own behalf. Would you take a walk with me? Please?”

“Sure? I just need to grab my jacket and shoes.”

“Of course.”

Tags:@saivilo@karahalloway@petiteboheme@shewillreadyou@lovingchoices14@twinkle-320@walkerdrakewalker@tessa-liam@kingliam2019@differenttyphoonwerewolf@queen-arabella-of-cordonia

Luck of the Draw

First of all I’d like to thank the lovely ladies over at @moodmusicmonday for hosting this fun event. I’ll be honest and say I was a little surprised at the song that was spun for me, as I’m sure whoever ended up with the song I suggested feels

However, I think it worked out pretty well in the end.

The song I was given is “The Very First Night” by Taylor Swift. I haven’t written fics based completely on a song before, so I hope this is done correctly

The pairing is a secret until the end, but it is a TRR Au one shot. With that said, there is a moodboard at the end.

Many apologies if this is done incorrectly (again). Also, apologies for the way it’s written. Anytime I tried to change tense or perspective my mind would go blank.

Word count: 1205

Rating: PG

Warning: pining, angst, melancholy

Special shout-out to @karahalloway for talking me through this crazy whirlwind I’ve no idea where it came from, but hey, it works.

Luck of the Draw Creators:@ao719@appiomofchoice@arjaywrites@dcbbw@erenphoria@jerzwriter@kat-tia801@lilyoffandoms@lucy-268@nestledonthaveone@peonierose@peonyblossom@queenrileyrose@rookiemartin@socalwriterbee@txemrn@twinkleallnight

My tags: @saivilo@petiteboheme@shewillreadyou@tessa-liam@lovingchoices14@kingliam2019@walkerdrakewalker@differenttyphoonwerewolf@twinkle-320@queen-arabella-of-cordonia@choicesficwriterscreations

Your hair is up today, it’s something you do when you need to concentrate on what you’re doing. A feeble attempt to keep your fingers from playing with the curls that usually frame your face. You’ve been alternating between chewing your lip and the eraser of your pencil for the past half hour; your brow furrows every now and then before you scribble down whatever it was that made you stop and think.

Even though you’re on the opposite end of the library I can smell your perfume, the soft hints of vanilla and citrus mixed with the lingering – what was it? – oh yeah, hibiscus. I never cared about hibiscus until I smelled it on your skin the first time, now it’s one of my favorite scents.

“Just go talk to her.”

Letting out a sigh, I pull my eyes away from you to look at the man seated across from me. His blue eyes sparkle in amusement as if he knows what I’m thinking, but he doesn’t. Not really.

“It’s not that simple,” I grumble before trying to return my attention to the text in front of me. It’s useless, everything is hazy knowing you’re within throwing distance.

“I get it, ‘summer fling’. But if you want everyone else to believe it was just a fling, you got to stop staring at her like that.”

“It was just a fling, nothing else can happen between us.”

Liam lets out a snort before highlighting a paragraph in one of his textbooks, “whatever you say.”

It was whatever I say, it had been from the beginning.

Our ‘fling’ wasn’t supposed to happen. We were never even meant to cross paths.

We’re from different circles, different backgrounds with different futures.

But I needed to pass Biology 103 in order to maintain my GPA for my scholarship, and you were – still are – the smartest person in our class.

I fell into this – fell into you – your galactical eyes and siren laugh.

You were only trying to do what I hired you for, tutoring me to pass that dreaded final. You’re always doing the right thing, the kind thing.

You didn’t want me to lose my scholarship, to lose my place on the team or at this school. Despite us hardly ever talking before the day I asked for your help, you wanted the best for me.

And I did the worst thing I could ever do to you.

I seduced you.

Because that’s the type of guy I am – well, was.

I’m trying to do better now, because of you.

My leg starts to shake under the table as I fight the urge to look over at you again. The last thing I need is to prove Liam’s point right now. I drop my elbows on the table and rest my fists against my temples, my leg shaking harder with each passing minute.

With my head tucked, I risk another glance your way. You’ve changed your position as well, now you have your arm resting on the table with your head in your hand, your fingers brushing along the baby hairs that have broken free of your ponytail. You seem frustrated.

Are you having the same trouble concentrating as I am? Do you know that I’m here, a mere twenty meters away?

Are you thinking about me?

Are the memories of us together taking control of your thoughts?

You lick your bottom lip, my eyes follow the motion of your tongue as my throat tightens. I can still recall how they feel and taste. A low groan escapes my throat before I can stop it, but I can’t pull myself to look away from you.

“Oi!” Liam growls loudly.

His sudden outburst startles you, you glance up and our eyes meet before I can look away.

I want to look away but I find myself unable to. My chest tightens as my heart races and I’m overcome with the urge to run to you.

I don’t move, instead I force myself to avert my gaze. Because we aren’t together.

I miss you though.

Staring back down at the blurring words, time seems to slow and I’m taken back to the summer we spent together. Back to when things were simple and it was just the two of us.

After weeks of extensive study sessions I managed to get a high B on my exam – all thanks to you of course.

Our secret rendezvous should have stopped then, you had fulfilled the purpose I hired you for and the semester had drawn to a close. But we carried on, our meetings growing from library sit downs to hanging out at your place or mine. You even talked me into going to see that stupid Macbeth play.

I hated every minute of it, but you enjoyed it so I didn’t complain.

What I’d give to sit through two and a half hours of Macbeth right now, just to be able to sit beside you and hold your hand.

Eventually these “hang outs” evolved into dates and late night drives through the city together. We told each other everything. When it was happening it made perfect sense to let you see the deepest confines of my soul, but now I’m wondering why I ever opened that door.

Why did I let you in? Why did it feel so right – riding around with the windows down, your hair blowing in the salty wind as you purposefully sang every song off key?

I can’t remember the last time I smiled so much and actually meant it. I smile every day, but it’s never felt as genuine as when I’d smile at you.

My chest never felt so warm and light as when I was with you.

It feels hollow and cold now in comparison.

I just want to go back to summer. Back to you and me. To the simple times. The fun days.

What have you done to me?

It’s now been hours since I saw you in the library with Liam. Hours since we locked eyes for the first time since I broke things off a few weeks ago in my car outside your apartment building. But you are still completely taking up my headspace.

I can’t think about anything but you, your lips, your hair, your laughter, your smile, your skin.

The smell of hibiscus and sea salt. The roar of the engine.

I wish we could go back to that.

The phone rings, I look at it with my heart in my throat – hoping to see your name.

But, of course, it’s not.

It’s Liam.

I ignore him.

A few minutes later it rings again. Expecting it to be Liam again, I grab it with full intent to tell him to leave me alone. I freeze when I see your name.

Kicking myself into action — afraid you’ll hang up or it will send you to voicemail — I accept the call and put the phone on speaker before setting it back on my chest.

I don’t say anything, I can’t. My throat is tightening around me at the just sound of your soft breathing on the other end.

“Maxwell?” You finally whisper.

“Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”