AN- A continuation of V for Vea. After Vea and Phobos admitted their feelings to each other, what became of the two of them? Can Vea adjust to being a Prince's lover or something even more? Another series of 26 ABC drabbles in sets of 5, not in ABC order.
P + V = L
(Phobos + Vea = Love)
-F: Forever Yours
Vea couldn't be happier with her everyday life. She had gone from that plain old baker girl to the Prince's love interest in less than a year. It was a wonderfully euphoric feeling to know that there was someone there that loved her and that she loved in return just as much if not more. Even though it had only been one month since they had first admitted their feelings to each other, Vea felt as if it had been forever. She really couldn't imagine her life without her Prince in it anymore.
-G: Growth On Many Levels
The relationship had changed both of them for the better, she truly believed. She was less shy, less reserved, and defiantly more confident in her self. Before she had shied away from other people and thought she was plain or ugly - now Vea knew she was quite pretty. Phobos had had a few changes as well - he wasn't as grumpy as he had been before and he seemed more tolerant of the simple little mistakes the other servants made. They had both had some influence on each other and were both now reaping the rewards of that.
-H: Haircut Is A Dirty Word
Vea learned that Phobos had never cut his hair once in his life; it was some kind of family tradition that no Escanor cut their their hair. She had suspected it before, but had never asked why it was allowed to grow to such a ridiculous length. Her own hair was short and dark and Vea found herself neglecting to cut it just so that Phobos wouldn't give her that look of disapproval. But when a group of rebels broke in and held Vea hostage, holding her back by her hair as they threatened her and went off to find the Prince, Vea didn't hesitate the chop the whole bunch of it off to get free and fight them off. Only a short ponytail could be salvaged, but as Phobos himself trimmed the rough edges of her now very short mane, she didn't think he minded that fact at all.
-I: Introductions
Phobos had a few cousins, relatives who had been dropped from the royal line generations back and long longer possessed any magic, whom he rarely dealt with unless it was an absolute must. He was sour for the entire week leading up to their arrival and extraordinarily grumpy the morning of the arrival. Three men, two women, and four little kids were the guests - the elder man and woman greeted Phobos right away with sweeping bows. The young men, who introduced themselves later, were the ones who started bossing Vea around for the mundane tasks one would assign a basic maid and Vea, too polite to say what she really felt, was stuck taking their coats - at least until Phobos noticed. A real maid quickly relieved her of that duty and a very annoyed Phobos made it very, very clear to his guests that Vea was his girlfriend, not their personal servant: Vea didn't think he face had ever gone so red before.
-J: Jealousy Is Mean
Despite the fact that she knew that Phobos loved her dearly, Vea often found herself feeling a bit jealous. Sometime at night, she'd still hear him whisper his sister Leira's name, a sister whom she had learned he had been in love with when she had been around. Every time he murmured her name, Vea's jealousy went though the roof and she would gently nudge him slightly, just enough to rouse him from the thought but never enough to wake him completely, just so she didn't have to hear her name muttered again. Phobos never seemed to remember dreaming of Leira or he never mentioned to her at least. Still Vea couldn't help but wonder that if Leira ever came back, would Phobos drop her for his beloved sister?
-P: Proposal Shocker
Vea noticed one morning that Phobos's behavior seemed...strange to say the least: he was unusually jittery, especially around her. A very confused Vea spent her afternoon wondering if she'd done something wrong or said something that had offended him and promised herself she would ask over dinner. Dinner normally took place in the grand hall, but today the table was barren - Phobos instead led Vea outside into the garden where a table and candles had been set up under the rose covered terrace. Suddenly his odd behavior made sense and Vea found herself blushing brightly at the prospect of a very romantic evening under the stars. After dinner, a walk though the garden, and a bit of a dance near the spring, Vea thought the night couldn't get any better - then Phobos was kneeling before her and holding out a very glittery diamond ring.
-Q: Queen Vea?
She had almost fainted right then and there, all the blood draining from her face in complete shock of the situation. He had told her to think about it, not to answer Right away as he knew it must have been a huge shock for her, and led her back to bed. Phobos had fallen asleep right away with his arms around her but Vea couldn't sleep a wink all night - her mind was racing. If she said yes, that would make her a princess...no a queen for a Prince of Meridian only became a King after he was wed. Could she really be a Queen worthy of Phobos, worthy of herself?
-R: Remembrance Of Father
The next morning after Phobos went to do his daily duties she found herself wandering to the portrait of her father and standing before it, wishing she could ask him for his advice on the whole situation. He had always been the one that she had run to as a child when she had problems and she wished he was still there for her now. One one hand, she really loved Phobos a lot and the idea that he loved her enough to want to spend the rest of eternity with her made Vea's heart sparkle in ways she never knew were possible. But on the other hand, marrying Phobos would make her a Queen and Vea wasn't sure she would be good at all at that job - and she didn't want to turn Phobos into a laughingstock because she was stupid. As she stared at his portrait, she tried to think of what he would say to her if he were standing there - she knew it would be 'make the choice that's right in your heart'.
-S: Security Priority
Even though Elyon was dead, the rebels still hadn't given up on ousting Phobos and they made regular attacks, most of which ended badly for them. Vea was in the kitchen one evening when the alarm signal that said the rebels were coming again sounded off. She was surprised to see Phobos appear and half drag her off in a hurry towards a safe room - as they passed the throne room she noticed Cedrik and the guards were assembled and waiting. Once she was in a safe room, Phobos kissed her and then quickly took off and Vea was left to think - he had gone to get her before giving out the orders to the guards and Cedrik. He hadn't worried about anything else, her safety had been his first priority tonight and probably every night; the thought left Vea feeling warm.
-T: Trust In Myself, Trust In You
Vea spend the night in that safe room waiting for the attack to be over - she knew Phobos would return as soon as it was safe to leave. Once or twice, she heard footsteps right outside or someone pulling at the door but to no avail; it remained firmly sealed. Sometime in the early morning, well past midnight, the door finally opened and Phobos returned, looking quite exhausted. Vea smiled brightly and rushed to hug him and shower him with gently kisses. And before she allowed him to lead her away to the bedroom for a half a night of rest, Vea answered the question she had been asked two days ago with a joyful yes and the knowledge in her heart that everything would be alright with them as long as she trusted in the love they had.
-K: Kindness of Vea
The word spread really quickly throughout the palace and seemingly by dinner the next night everyone knew there was going to be a royal wedding. The maids kept asking her if it were true and Vea found that most knew it to be true but just wanted to see Vea's ring; the cook was already preparing a menu for the event. The laundry ladies now bowed to Vea in the hallway, calling her the Princess-to-be, and the cooks started acting weirdly when she was in the kitchen, taking away all of the tasks she normally did and leaving her with the most mundane of jobs. Vea took them aside and explained that until the wedding, she was still Vea and expected to be treated like Vea. The cooks didn't know what to think at first but one in particular knew it was just like Vea - even when she was a real Princess, he doubted she would change at all.
-L: Love Between Us
The ring that had once worried Vea so much now was the symbol for her new found joy. Vea found herself wandering into the throne room or the library when she knew Phobos would be there to spend even more time than usual with her dear Prince often bringing sweets for hm or luring him off into the corner for some more affection. Phobos seemed to be of the same mind and kept turning up where he knew Vea would be, even going so far as to helping her with the dishes one night to get her out of the kitchen faster. The more time that passed, the more often she seemed to be held in his arms in an intimate situation. Vea wondered if this was what a honeymoon phase was like...
-M: Message Through Body
A while after saysing yes finally, Vea woke up early on a weekend feeling positively awful and worried she had caught the flu that had been spreading about the kitchens. She spent her morning in the bathroom for the next week, then as suddenly as it had come, her flu left. A few days later, she found herself almost collapsing in the hallways from a dizzy spell and started to worry that something serious might be wrong with her. Not wanting to unnecessarily worry Phobos, she sneaked off one afternoon to see a town doctor and returned before dinner, feeling slightly numb. At dinner, Phobos noticed her odd behavior but Vea assured him she was fine; she wasn't sure of just how to tell him she'd just found out she was pregnant.
-N: Name Game
Vea struggled with the idea of how to break the news to Phobos about the pregnancy and then decided it was better not to tell him until she had to - no reason to worry him if it wouldn't stay (Vea's aunt and mother had a history of losing babies). But the though didn't stop Vea from secretly making a list of names, both boy names and girl names, that she found in books at the library. Most came from fantasy stories that Vea loved and a few from the history books. Every week Vea found herself going though the list, adding new ones she liked and erasing the ones she no longer felt were appropriate. She decided that in the end, she'd let Phobos pick the name from the list; he had a good eye for things like this.
-O: Opportunity Knocks
A month before the wedding, the topic of Leria which hadn't been discussed since before the whole Unicorn incident came up again. Vea, who'd viewed Phobos's proposal as a sign he was no longer in love with his sister, was a bit uncomfortable about the discussion at first and then grew angry midway through. It appeared her worries were not misfounded as Phobos talked about Leira as if he still loved her - quite upset Vea got up to leave and got three steps before the little one inside her decided to kick a sensitive area and she half collapsed. Vea was carried back to the couch by Phobos who proceeded to worry over her, the discussion forgotten, and Vea found that under his concerned gaze she could hold her secret no longer. She was expecting him to be mad with her, either for not telling her of for it happening at all, but the reaction she got was the complete opposite and in the midst of the nuzzling that followed, she knew for sure that Leira
was no longer an issue - for in the heat of the moment, Phobos responded to her query with "Leira who?"
-U: Unrest Is Expected
A week before the wedding the palace was in a frenzy with a million decisions still left to be made. Vea had been shown the gown that Phobos has ordered made for her just that morning and had gawked at the ammount of feathers, rhinestones, glitter, and lace that could be fit on just one garmet. Phobos had an argument with the gardner over the flower arrangements and Vea held a heated debate later in the day with the other baker over the cake. Phobos had to intervene and tell Vea she couldn't bake her own wedding cake to which Vea made a pouty face and Phobos convinced the other baker to do it Vea's way. There was almost no time left and there seemed to be everything to do, but Vea couldn't help but be excited.
-V: Visions Of The Future
Two days before the wedding, Vea finally handed over her list of names to Phobos to pick one for the baby. The name from the boy list, Maelrys, was chosen quickly and then Phobos stared at the list and debated over the girl's name for at least an hour before Vea pulled the list away. It wasn't needed, she assured him, for she was 100% sure that it would be a boy. Phobos sat besides her, his arms over her barely showing stomach, and wondered how she could be so sure. Vea shrugged to show she didn't know why but she was sure she was right.
-W: Wedding Royale
The morning of the wedding, Vea was woken up in the afternoon by a trio of maids and led off into a separate wing to prepare. One girl did her hair and makeup while another helper her slip on her clothes starting with the undergarments and tights and the third brought her a light breakfast. The sun was almost ready to set before they led the fully dressed Vea, decked out in her extravagant gown and holding a bouquet of black orchids and bluebells, to the church. The ceremony was held outdoors and as the sun set into the horizon Vea had her first kiss with her new husband. A swirl of magic changed her hair from pure black to black and white, giving her her own magic, and a smiling Phobos placed a delicate tiara on her head; the party went on through the night under a sky filled with stars that mirrored Vea's shimmering heart.
-X: XXX
After a discussion following the wedding, a smiling Vea managed to convince a very over-protective Phobos that wedding nights meant sex, even if the bride was already pregnant. Vea knew she would store the memory of the night in the back of her mind for forever; no night could have been more perfect. From the way Phobos gently peeled off her gown to the fit of giggles they shared when neither could figure out the snaps on his coat for a few minutes, everything was lovely. And Phobos was very gentle on her that night, even though Vea screamed for more and more. Vea's mind raced that night before she fell asleep, wondering if the added pleasure was due to her excitement over the wedding, her new found magic, or her pregnancy.
-Y: Yours Forever
Vea's first question the next morning had been about her hair which had changed from just black to and mixture of white and black after the wedding kiss and was now past her waist in terms of length. Phobos explained over breakfast that all women who married into the Escanor line had their hair turned white, as becoming a royal gave them access to the magic that supported Meridian; the hair was the proof of that. Vea was excited at the prospect ob being able to do some magic, having watched Phobos be able to do it for years. It wasn't until Cedrik arrived for breakfast and addressed her as "My Queen" that the rest of the changes finally dawned on Vea and she teasingly joked that she would have to get used to not being able to call Phobos her Prince any loner (as he was now a King). The brought Phobos to hilarious laughter that she joined into soon after; it seemed as if nothing would ever be able to tear them apart.
-A: Acceptance Of Duty
Months later, Vea felt fat and tired; it was almost time for the baby to come and Vea couldn't wait for her days of looking like an overstuffed balloon to be over. With her ankles swollen, she couldn't walk too much and Vea felt bad that Phobos had to bear the brunt of their duties because of it. On a warm evening, he couldn't keep the grin off his face all though dinner and when Vea finally asked, he led her back upstairs and showed her his 'project'. Vea spent over an hour in the light gray nursery, examining all the little trinkets that Phobos had snuck in under her watchful eye. With a grin, she asked him what would happen if the baby turned out to be a girl after all and Phobos couldn't help but laugh at her cheek.
-B: Birth Of An Heir
It was the most painful thing Vea had ever felt before, even more painful than the explosion that had almost killed her back when she had been stuck as a unicorn. If Phobos wasn't sitting there with her holding her hand and telling her she'd be fine, she thought she would be screaming so loudly the other side would hear her. His calm demeanor calmed her down, his touch was soothing, and she was more grateful than anything else that the rest of the world could wait for however long it took so he could be there with her, even if it was breaking tradition. Over an hour and a half of excruciating pain later, the maid handed the exhausted Vea the tiny little bundle and Vea could only smile. The little newborn Prince Maelrys had his father's gray-blue eyes and his mother's black and white hair and Vea had never seen something so perfect before in her life.
-C: Cry Away, Cry Away
Maelrys cried a lot, wheather it was night or day, cold or hot, windy or sunny. He cried for food, for milk, for a change, or because he was bored. Vea couldn't fault her little baby for it and tried to keep him in her arms where he'd stay quiet for as much of the day as possible. At night, when Vea was exhausted it was Phobos who held him and put him to sleep with a lullaby courtesy of Leira. Even though they were both utterly exhausted most nights, Vea knew that neither she nor Phobos would ever dream of giving up their precious Prince, not for all the magic in the world.
-D: Dilemma Of The Dears
It became tiring for Phobos quite quickly and he found himself wishing he had inherited the patience that Leira had had. Leira had practically raised him herself and he could never remember her being mad at him at all but Phobos found himself wanting to strangle Maelrys some nights. Vea spent most of her day taking care of Maelrys and had little time if any for him anymore; he knew it was weird, to be jealous of his own son, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to go back to the days where Vea could be his anytime of day he wanted her, when he could just pull her away and kiss her or toss her down on a random table and screw her senseless. He didn't trust himself to watch Maelrys when they were alone, he kept fearing he'd do something irreversible.
-E: Euphoria Again
Despite how Phobos tried to hide it, Vea realized he was beginning to regret their little Prince and struggled for a way to reconnect the two before Phobos drifted away from both of them for good. She did her best to try and balance her time between both of them, but the task left Vea even more exhausted and practically falling asleep during the morning services. When Phobos held night court, she'd sit up with Maelrys in her lap and ask the stars or anyone for something to help them; she didn't want to lose the affections of the husband she'd come to love so dearly nor the little boy she held in her lap. While the stars held no answers for Vea, Maelrys himself proved to hold the answer - his first word spoken was "Dada" with arms outstretched towards a stunned Phobos. When Phobos held Maelrys from that night on, Vea could see the smirk from a mile away - for sure her son would turn out just like her husband.
-Z: Zeal Redux
The days blended into weeks and then months and years and before Vea knew it Maelrys was walking and talking full sentences, failing over steps and running to mommy for a healing or daddy for advice. On night when the thunder was loud, she'd wake up to find that Phobos had lifted Maelrys into their bed, despite having promised he would stricter with their son, and she would snuggle in against her two men. For his part, Phobos continued to shower Vea with little gifts here and there, never once showing the estranged side that had emerged briefly during Maelrys's childhood. Vea found herself happier than ever but somehow something was missing. One night when the night was calm and it was just her and Phobos asleep in their bed after a night filled with passion and pleasure, she heard him mutter that name again in his sleep and she knew what she had to do next - find Leira.