Same View, Different Perspective
A/N: Hey guys! I just wanted to say that I appreciate all the kind comments I got on the last chapter, and I really appreciate all of you for sticking with me this far.
That said, I just wanted to let you all know that one of my university professors has kindly asked me to assist her in one of her major investigations, so I'll be working all January with her. What does this mean for this story? Don't worry, I'm not abandoning it! But I've been working with my professor for the past week and a half and... it's cut severely into my writing time. So I just wanted to let you guys know that this is probably the last fixed-no-fail Sunday update, at least for the whole of January. We break for the summer (southern hemisphere) in February, so I hope to get back to a fixed weekly update then. As for January, I'll try to post chapters as I finish them, following a few days of revision and editing, of course. But, like I said, don't worry, I'm not abandoning Drake and Milla.
With aaaaall of that said, I hope you enjoy this new chapter, and I wish you all the happiest possible holidays, wherever you are in the world!
I woke up the next morning, after what I could only describe as the most horrible day and the greatest night of my life simultaneously, with Maxwell shoving me awake. "Drake! Wake up! We have a plane to catch in, like, two hours."
"I'm up!" I groaned. "I'm up." I yawned, as Maxwell flopped on my bed.
"You were out pretty late last night…" Here we go, I thought, rolling my eyes. "Did you talk to Milla?!"
I couldn't help the grin from spreading over my face, and the blush that crept up on my cheeks. I tried, but I really couldn't.
"You did!" Maxwell practically squealed. "So…?"
"Don't you have anything better to do?" I asked, shoving him playfully off the bed.
"Nope. Not a thing. Now tell me!" He got up and sat on my bed again.
I sighed, yielding. "Fine…" I grumbled. "After we met up at the balcony, Myers told me… she rejected Liam's proposal. And I guess you could say… we're… together." I shrugged, trying to act nonchalantly. No big deal, the woman of my dreams and I finally got together, but it's no big deal.
Maxwell's eyes widened, his jaw dropping. I could tell he was a tiny bit conflicted, but he soon broke out in a grin. "Drake! That's amazing! I'm really happy for you! For both of you! I know… I know how hard these last few weeks have been for you both."
I nodded. "Thanks… I know it didn't workout exactly like you planned when you initially invited her to Cordonia… and I know House Beaumont really needed this, but-"
He shook his head, cutting me off. "Drake… You're one of my best friends. Milla is practically my little sister. I… I meant it when I said I want you both to be happy…"
I was honestly moved… so much so that I pulled him into a hug, which he returned, clapping my back. "Thanks, Maxwell."
"You don't have to thank me. Now… what happens to House Beaumont is my problem, and Bertrand's. I made sure Milla knows that, and now I'm telling you. So don't go around feeling guilty, okay?"
I exhaled, another, lesser weight - but a weight nonetheless - lifting off my shoulders. "Okay."
"Good. Now let's go, we've got a plane to catch."
"Right." I got up and jumped into the shower, making it quick.
As soon as I was dressed, we grabbed our bags, and met up with the girls in the lobby. They were talking quietly, with Hana facing in our direction, Myers' back to us. But when Hana spotted us, she grinned and quickly whispered something to Myers, who turned, eyes glued on mine, and gave me the most angelic smile I'd ever seen. Her eyes were shining brightly, a pink blush tinting her cheeks, and those beautiful dimples adorned her cheeks. My breath caught in my chest, my heart rate sped up instantly, blood pounding in my ears, and yet… I grinned right back. It was like all my senses narrowed and zoomed in on Myers, and it was like tunnel vision: she was all I could see, and I walked straight towards her.
We stopped just in front of the girls, and Myers looked down to the floor, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, before looking back up at me from under thick lashes. Just like that... I blanked.
Thankfully, Maxwell had my back. "Hey, Hana, Milla."
"Maxwell…" Hana greeted, an excited grin on her face. "Drake."
I took my eyes off Myers for one second, shaking the spell off. "Uh, hey Hana!" I turned back to Myers, who I could tell was suppressing a chuckle. "Myers."
She nodded, perfectly cordial. "Drake. Maxwell."
"Have you guys eaten breakfast yet?" Hana asked.
"No, we were going to get something at the airport." Maxwell told her.
"Oh, well we haven't either!" Hana exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Maxwell, why don't we go get something to go, while Drake and Milla… catch up?" She winked at him.
Very subtle...
Myers' eyes widened, and she gave me an amused and surprised grin, which I returned.
"That's a great idea!" Maxwell yelled, in a very over the top manner. "We'll be right back!"
They rushed off, Hana giggling like a schoolgirl.
Myers bobbed her head awkwardly, still smiling. "So… Hi."
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a bit self conscious. "Hi."
"How was... the rest of your night?" Myers asked, trying to very awkwardly make small talk.
"It was… good." I bobbed my head.
"Great…" She looked away, biting her cheek.
"Oh, to hell with this." I said, causing her to look back at me.
"Wha-"
Before she could even ask, I dropped my bag and cupped her face in my hands, pressing my mouth to hers. She immediately melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around my waist. After we broke apart, I pressed my forehead to hers, and she sighed contentedly.
"Hi." I told her.
"Hey." Myers sighed contentedly. "I woke up this morning thinking maybe I'd dreamt everything that happened last night." She pressed her lips softly to mine.
"And…?"
She smiled the sweetest, most tender smile I'd ever seen. "It still feels like a dream. I think I might need a little more convincing that this is real…"
"Well, I think I can help with that, Ms. Myers." I smirked, slowly caressing her cheeks with the backs of my fingers, before tangling them in her hair. She angled her face upwards, but I didn't meet her lips yet. Not yet. Instead, I bumped her nose with mine, our mouths only a breath away, letting the moment linger. Her lips twitched upwards, amused, before I crushed my mouth to hers.
The kiss was slow, meant to be savored, as our tongues danced and warred with each other. It really did feel like a dream for me too, and I was determined to show her, and myself, that we were finally real.
A delighted squeal made us jump apart, Myers blushing furiously as we saw Hana and Maxwell a few feet away, a paper bag in Hana's hand, and Maxwell carrying a cup holder with our drinks.
"Uh… We could go back for more cronuts if you want." Maxwell grinned impishly.
"Yes, our car isn't here yet." Hana added.
I rolled my eyes good naturedly. "Nah, don't worry about it." I took Myers' hand. "I guess the cat's out of the bag now, isn't it?" I looked at her.
"Yeah…" She twined her fingers with mine, but looked self consciously at Maxwell. "Maxwell…"
He shook his head. "You don't need to explain anything, Milla. I told you yesterday, your happiness is important to me, and if that happiness lies with Drake… then I'm very happy for you."
"Aww…" Myers let go of my hand and moved to hug him. He handed me the coffees, and hugged her back. "Thank you."
"Besides… I kind of… already knew about you and Drake."
"You knew?!" Myers stepped back, holding him at arm's length, and giving me a bewildered look. "Since when?!"
"Since the fox hunt! You told me you had feelings for someone else! It didn't take me long to figure out that someone was Drake…" He shrugged.
"Did you know about this?" Myers asked me.
I scratched the back of my ear. "Um… yeah. He confronted me before the Beaumont Bash…"
"Why didn't you say anything?" Myers asked, and I wasn't sure which one of us she was asking. "It would have saved me so much time of tiptoeing around you." Myers grinned indulgently at Maxwell.
"Well… I wanted you to come to me first… and when you didn't, I figured it must have been because you felt guilty or because of how I overreacted when you tried to tell me during the fox hunt. I'm sorry about that, by the way."
"Oh, honey, that's okay."
"No, it wasn't. I was selfish and… inconsiderate. I felt… really bad about it afterwards, and even more so when I found out it was Drake, and that he felt the same about you."
Myers pulled him into a hug once more. "That's okay. You've more than made up for it."
At that moment, Bertrand stepped into the lobby, his phone in hand, and a bellhop following dutifully behind him. "Oh, good. You're all here. Our car is outside, so if you will make your way to it… We have a very long plane ride ahead of us." We all nodded, and began walking to the car, when… "Except for you, Lady Camilla. I wish to hear how everything went last night."
Myers stopped dead in her tracks, her whole frame tensing. She gulped, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were full of determination. She nodded at us, "It's okay, you guys. Go."
"I'm not leaving you alone, Myers." I knew Bertrand would probably freak out, and I would not let him walk all over her like he did my sister.
"Drake-" Myers began to protest, when Maxwell cut her off.
"I'm not leaving you alone either, Milla. I know how Bertrand can get, and… well, someone has to be there to control him."
"Well, what's the hold up?" Bertrand urged. "Why are you all whispering?"
Myers turned around to face him, all of us behind her. "Bertrand, I want you to hear this from me. King Liam proposed to me last night-"
Bertrand clapped his hands. "Splendid! We shall begin planning the wedding as soon as we get bac-"
"I rejected his proposal."
Bertrand's eyes widened and his mouth opened. He said nothing for a few seconds, almost in a catatonic state, until finally… "W-what?" His voice was merely a whisper.
"I rejected his proposal." She repeated, taking my hand.
Betrand's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "It was Drake… the 'someone else' you mentioned in the airport… wasn't it?"
"Yes." Myers said simply.
Bertrand sighed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. We all waited with bated breath for what he would say. Myers bit her lower lip, her eyes glued to him. I was tense next to her, waiting for him to say anything remotely out of line. If he thought he had any right to berate Myers, he was in for-
"I suppose... I understand. And I offer my congratulations. To the both of you." He nodded once, looking at us.
"You do?" Myers failed to hide the surprise from her tone.
"Yes." He said simply.
"But… don't you want to know-"
He shook his head, and Myers stopped talking.
"There's no need to explain yourself to me, Camilla. I am not angry."
"You're… not?"
He shook his head. "I confess I am… a bit shocked… but then I considered your reasons." Bertrand met my eyes, simply acknowledging me as said reason. "And, after all, you did tell me many weeks ago that your heart lies somewhere else. I just refused to listen, and for that I apologize."
"Bertrand…"
"I insist." He turned serious - well, more serious - as he turned to the both of us. "You both have been given a chance at love. At happiness. Who am I to blame you for taking it? Instead, I will only ask that you take advantage of this opportunity. Seize it, harness it, and don't let it go."
"Bertrand… thank you." I looked down to find Myers on the verge of tears. "Can I… can I hug you?"
The corners of Bertrand's lips twitched. "Of course, Lady Camilla."
Myers threw herself onto him, and he hugged her tightly, running his hand down her hair. He whispered something into her ear, and she nodded before letting him go. Myers stepped back, and took my hand freely. I squeezed.
"And Mr. Walker." Bertrand turned to me.
"Yeah?"
"I know we've had our… ups and downs." That was the understatement of the year… "And I know we have no cause to get along, save for our friendships with Lady Camilla, and my son Bartie, of course." Oh dear... I could see he was about to launch into a unity speech, of how we should mend our relationship for Myers and for Savannah and the baby, when… "So I will only say this: if you ever hurt Lady Camilla, if you are ever the cause for a single tear she sheds… you will face the wrath of House Beaumont."
I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping at the ridiculousness of the situation. Bertrand was warning me not to hurt Camilla? After all he'd hurt my sister? Well, that is rich. I almost laughed out loud, and was about to respond when Maxwell and Myers expertly defused the situation.
"Well, nothing to worry about then! We all know Drake would never hurt Camilla!" Maxwell said, laughing nervously.
"Exactly! Hey, didn't you say the car was outside? I think we've kept it waiting long enough!" Myers added.
Bertrand held my eye, and nodded. I clenched my jaw and nodded back, only for Myers. I didn't want to cause a scene.
"Good. Now that that's settled, we should get on." He ordered.
Once at the airport, we were greeted with almost all of the court, just standing around… Bertrand separated from the group in order to try to find out what was going on, while we looked around for Liam. We found him surrounded by the King Father and the Queen Mother, as well as Bastien and a number of the King's Guard. The guys and I looked at each other, as they continued to confer. Liam finally nodded, and stepped forward to address the court.
"If I may have everyone's attention please…" He waited until they all quieted, "after conferring with the King's Guard, where they came to me with several concerns regarding our journey back to Cordonia, I have decided that we will not fly directly to the capital. Instead, we will arrive in Rome, and then head back to Cordonia via train. So, if you will please let all your pilots know… I hope you all have safe flights to Rome." He nodded, and the court immediately dispersed to their private jets to make the necessary arrangements.
Bertrand made his way back to our group and led us to the tarmac where the Beaumonts' jet was waiting. He instructed the pilot Liam's new orders and we buckled in for the 9 hour flight to Rome.
Myers sat in the seat next to mine, and took my hand. It felt so good to finally be able to be with her in public - or at least in front of our friends. We finally had nothing to hide, and judging by the content gleam in her eye, I could tell Myers felt the exact same way I did. As we flew, I encouraged Myers to keep writing, which she did until the flight attendant brought us lunch. There, she told everyone about Liam making her a duchess, and immediately began talking with Bertrand about all that it meant to manage an estate, and care for the people within her lands. Bertrand immediately recommended some books on governance that she should read, as well as some online courses she could take on matters like economy and such, but for Myers…
"That's not enough. I need a tutor."
"Camilla…" Bertrand shook his head.
"Bertrand, I don't have your education. You knew since you were born you would be a Duke someday. You studied the Cordonian constitution, and political science, as well as economy and other… stuff I can't even imagine! I'm a writer! I need a tutor… and I know you're too busy to do it yourself… I mean, it's one thing to train me in etiquette and fork placement, and quite another to teach me diplomacy and duchy administration..."
Bertrand sighed. "Very well… I will inquire to the Dean of the University of Cordonia's School of Government about which professor in his department would be best suited to tutor the new Duchess, or even if he might find the time to tutor you himself, of course. He was one of King Liam's professors, so I should think he would be keen to continue his role as an educator of the nobility, and the University of Cordonia, which is right here in our capital, is the most prestigious University in the country. If you are to receive an education here, I will make sure you receive the highest quality education possible."
"Thank you…" Myers visibly relaxed after that.
"For now, I suggest you begin reading the books I recommended, whenever you have some spare time."
"I will." She grinned cockily. "I'm a fast reader."
The rest of the flight was spent smoothly, all of us eating, watching movies, just hanging out. When we finally arrived in Rome, we were immediately ushered to the royal train, where we were served dinner and then escorted to our sleeping cars. Since I knew I would be bunking with Maxwell again, just like last time, I decided to walk Myers to her car and maybe get some time alone.
"Will you come in?" Myers asked, stepping into her car and flopping down on the bed.
"Uh… I think I'd better just leave you here." I leaned on the door frame, watching her with a small smile on my face.
She shot up off the bed. "Are… you sure?"
I grinned, shaking my head. "I'm sure."
Myers' lips twitch, a knowing gleam in her eye, and nodded. "Okay. But you're not leaving me without a kiss first."
Now it was my turn to grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."
The next morning, we all met up for breakfast - and by all of us I mean Liam, and even Olivia. That was fun… but at least it wasn't all that awkward. By now, everyone - save Olivia- was in the loop of all that happened, and Liam, Myers and I really tried our best to not make everything awkward. We actually had managed to succeed until Olivia just had to ask…
"If no one else is going to ask about the elephant in the room, then I will."
"Olivia, I thi-" Hana tried to stop her. Tried being the operative word there.
Olivia cut her off, ignoring her, and turned to Myers. "Your reputation has been restored, and with Madeleine out of the picture… I assume Liam asked you to marry him."
Liam very visibly paled. "Olivia, I-"
"Judging from the fact that neither of you have mentioned it, I also assume you said no."
My jaw clenched, as the Ice Queen had the gall to look pointedly at me for a split second before turning back to Myers. Myers looked a bit annoyed, looking to Liam and I, trying to find the right words.
In the end, she decided to just be honest. "You're right. I said no." She shot Liam an apologetic look. He nodded.
"You…" Olivia gaped at her. "Why would you-"
"Olivia, please." Liam pleaded. "This was a personal matter between Camilla and me. She doesn't need to explain her reasons to you, or to anyone."
"I… I'm sorry, Liam." I could see she was genuinely sorry, but whether for embarrassing him or feeling sorry he got rejected… I didn't know. She glanced at Myers, before looking away quickly. "My… apologies, Camilla."
"It's alright. But I'm afraid I must take my leave of you all. The press will be waiting when we arrive at the palace, and I have a few notes to prepare." Liam began to stand.
"They'll probably want to hear from Camilla too, after what happened at the wedding shower." Hana added.
The corner of Myers' lips twitched into an unenthusiastic half smile. "I'd better get ready."
We all stood, Myers giving my hand a light squeeze, before leaving with Maxwell and Hana to the train boutique. Olivia saw it and glared daggers at me, indignation and anger clear in her eyes, and she turned with a huff and walked away.
I followed Liam to his suite. "Hey… are you okay?"
He tried to give me a small grin, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine."
"Liam…"
"Drake… you don't have to worry about me, or tiptoe around me."
"But…" I sighed. "I… don't want things to be weird between us. You're my best friend… I don't want what happened with Myers to come between us..."
"I promise… it won't. I told you the other night, I would never hold it against you." He shook his head slightly. "Drake… I will say this once, and only once more. You've been my dutifully loyal best friend since we were children. You've given up so much of your life to stay beside me, and keep me safe and sane here at court; something which I will never be able to repay you. So, with that being said, please understand I will never hold what happened against you, nor will I break apart our friendship over this. And I will not let you give up Camilla. She has made her choice and I respect it. And you, my friend," He placed both hands on my shoulders, looking me directly in the eye, "you deserve her."
"But-"
"Not buts." He sighed, lowering his arms. "Now… I want you to stop worrying about me, and allow yourself to enjoy your new relationship, openly. Do I make myself clear?"
Wow… he used his King's voice on me… I couldn't help the tiny smirk that popped onto my face. "Uh… yeah. Okay."
"Good. Now if you don't mind, I really do have to prepare for this press conference."
"Right. I'll, uh… I'll see you later then."
"Yes, you will." He pulled me in for a hug, clapping me on the back, before heading to his suite.
I made my way back to the boutique, having nothing else to do, and walked in just in time to see Myers come out of the changing room. She'd chosen - or probably Justin had chosen - a sleek purple blazer over a striped top and ripped jeans, topped off with high heels. She looked at me and smiled.
We all heard the train's whistle, as it began to slow, and eventually stopped. "We're here!" Myers walked next to me, and I squeezed her hand.
"Good luck out there." I told her.
"Thanks. But I need-"
"A kiss for good luck. I got you." I told her, and playfully gave her a kiss on the cheek.
She shook her head, rolling her eyes good naturedly. "The world's biggest tease, ladies and gentlemen."
Soon, we were all escorted out of the train and into the Royal Motorcade. Liam would be riding with Myers, while I was riding with Maxwell and Hana. When we got to the palace, its was crawling with reporters, so they took us to another entrance, since the press was only interested in talking to Liam and Myers.
I practically ran to my room - and my bed. It was so good to be back home, and I practically threw my bag on the floor and tumbled onto my bed. After a few minutes of vegging out, I took out my phone and video called my sister. She picked up after a few rings, a cautious smile on her face.
"Hey, big brother."
"Hey, sis. I was just calling to say we're back in Cordonia."
"Oh, good! Everything okay? The flight?"
"Eh, it was okay."
"Good."
"How's Bartie?"
"He's good. He's napping now, so…"
"Okay, well give him a kiss for me."
"I will. So…" She bit her lip, and I knew she was dying to ask about Myers.
"So…" I repeated, a teasing smirk on my face.
"Anything else you want to tell me?"
"Uh… nope. Nothing else comes to mind right now." My grin grew and Savannah snapped.
"Drake!" She practically growled at me.
"Okay, okay!" Down, girl. "I, uh… talked to Myers the other night."
"And…?" Her eyes widened excitedly.
"And… Liam did indeed propose to her."
"And…?"
"And… she said no."
Savannah jumped up on her couch, squealing. "Aah!"
"Okay, enough. You'll wake up Bartie."
"So, are you two…"
I could feel the blood rushing to my face.
"Are you?!"
I nodded.
"AAAAH! I'm so happy for you!"
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Thanks."
"Oh, this is great. I'm so happy everything worked out for you guys!"
"Yeah… I guess it did."
"Really, Drake, I'm so, so happy for you. Milla seems great, and I can't wait to get to know her better."
"Yeah, I can tell." I widened my eyes, giving her a pointed look.
She laughed. "Yeah. And on that note… I also have news." I leaned in almost subconsciously. "I decided… to move back to Cordonia."
Now it was my turn to jump. "Really? You're coming back?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "I am!"
I breathed out a sigh of relief, of happiness, of… joy. "That's awesome! God, I've missed you so much! I can't wait to be closer to you and Bartie."
"I know, me too! I actually made the decision after you left for New York, but with everything that happened… I was actually going to tell you the other day, when I called you, but… you seemed so down about the whole thing with Milla and Liam… so I decided to wait until things settled down a bit to tell you." She showed me around her living room, which already had several boxes piled up. "I already finished packing and everything. The moving company will be by later to pick the boxes up."
"Wow. And where are you going to live?"
"I thought about coming back to the palace, but with Bartie… I'd rather get my own place in the city."
"Have you talked to Bertrand about it yet?"
She shook her head. "I haven't told him yet, but with the money he sent me last week, it should be enough for our tickets, and for first month's rent. I actually already have an apartment picked out."
"You do?"
"Yeah, I got in touch with a realtor a few days back and she sent me a whole bunch of apartment listings. I picked one out that's close to the palace, in case of anything, and she handled everything else. Now, I just have to sign the lease contract when I get back, and… it's mine! And… it's already furnished, so I won't even have to worry about that!"
"That's great!"
"Yeah!"
"So, when are you coming?"
Savannah gave me an impish grin. "We actually leave tonight, on the 10 o'clock train! I wanted to come back just in time for the Homecoming Ball!"
"You're kidding."
"Nope."
"So, you'll be back tomorrow?"
"Yup."
"That's great! I'll go pick you up at the station and we can go to your new place together!"
"Really?"
"Are you kidding? Of course! I'm so happy you're coming back! And I can't wait to be able to spend more time with you and Bartie!"
"Aww, Drake! I'm sure Bartie will also be happy to spend time with his uncle Drake." I heard Bartie's wail as he woke up from his nap, and Savannah looked at me apologetically. "I have to go."
"Okay. Call me tonight when you get on the train, and I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."
"Will do!"
"What time do you get in?"
"I think we there around… 9:30, 10."
"I'll be there."
"Great! Love you, big brother!"
"Love you too!"
With that, she hung up. I laid down on my bed, and closed my eyes. I was just drifting off into a pleasant sleep, when-
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
I was jolted right out of it with a groan.
"Drake! Open up!" Maxwell's cheery voice came through the door. "Can we come in?"
"Yes!" I sat up, covering my yawn with one hand.
Maxwell and Hana entered my room. "Hey, were you sleeping?" Maxwell asked.
Yes. I nodded.
"Oh, Drake, I'm so sorry!" Hana began apologizing, but I just waved it off.
"Don't worry about it."
"We were just coming to see if you wanted to come get some lunch with us." She continued.
"Uh, yeah! Yeah, sure."
"Great! The palace is putting out this sweet 'welcome home' buffet! I want to get there before all the good food is gone." Maxwell was practically jumping.
"Maxwell, they make food for hundreds of people. I don't think it will run out if we get there 10 minutes later."
"Well, I'm not taking any chances, so… Come on, let's go!"
I sighed and stood up. "Let's go."
I shot off a quick text to Myers, and she replied that she was having lunch with Liam and his parents, to 'discuss her new station'. She told us to come get them later, and I put my phone away. It hit me then that Myers was a duchess… She was actually part of the nobility now. My girlfriend - wow, that sounded weird… Myers was my girlfriend - was a duchess… I, of all people, was dating a duchess. I let out a small laugh at the absurdity of it all. The guys looked at me funny, and I just shook my head.
We headed down to the buffet, getting in line. I looked around at all the caviar and other frilly food, looking for anything remotely edible. I finally settled on some finger sandwiches and some salad that looked like it had chicken - or at least, I think it's chicken - so… some protein there, I guess. Hana led us to an empty table and we sat down.
"It's so good to be back in Cordonia." Hana commented, sitting down.
"Have you talked to your parents?" Maxwell asked her.
"Yeah, what's going to happen to you now, since you're no longer one of Madeleine's ladies in waiting?" I added.
Hana shook her head sadly. "I actually haven't spoken to my parents since that day in the Tea House. I don't know what they plan to do, but for the meanwhile I will be staying. Liam has graciously offered me to stay as long as I like, and Milla also offered me a place in her new duchy, so…"
"You're staying!" Maxwell shouted.
Hana laughed, fixing him with a tender smile, and nodded. "That's right. I'm staying."
"Good." I told her. "Hey, I never got a chance to actually tell you, but… I'm really proud of you for standing up to your parents."
"Aww… Thank you, Drake!"
I shrugged. "You're welcome. I always knew you had it in you."
Hana gave a beaming smile, before we got back to our food. Conversation ranged from the Homecoming Ball tomorrow to my telling them about Savannah coming back. Hana was really excited to finally meet her, and my nephew, and Maxwell was really excited to be closer to Bartie. I sometimes forgot Bartie was his nephew too! It didn't seem real… I have a blood connection to the Beaumonts…
I have a nephew, a blood connection to the Beaumonts, and I'm dating a duchess.
It really has been a crazy year… and it wasn't even over yet! We still have almost two months to go! I shook that thought out of my head as we finished eating. I told the guys Myers had asked me to come get her and Liam, and Maxwell immediately suggested we hang out together.
"What do you want to do?" I asked him.
"Why don't we got to Sólás Biergarten?! It'll be nice to unwind from all the traveling, and to celebrate we're home!"
"Isn't that the point of the Homecoming Ball?" Hana asked.
"Yeah, but the Homecoming Ball is for the whole court… this could be just for us…"
"Yeah, ok… Let's do it." I was actually in the mood to celebrate, just us. "Come on, let's go."
We got up as soon as a server picked up our dirty dishes, and went to find Liam and Myers.
"Yes, let's go!" Hana said excitedly, taking out her phone. "Let's see…" she typed, "Sólás Biergarten… Cordonia's favorite cozy respite…" She mumbled under her breath as she perused the beer garden's website. "Oh! 'View full menu'! Perfect!" She turned to us. "Where are Milla and Liam?" Hana asked.
"In the King's private dining room." I told her. "The King Father and Queen Mother asked to have lunch with her and Liam."
"Oof." Maxwell said. "Awkward…"
I rolled my eyes. "You know as well as I do Myers isn't the type to hold grudges. I'm sure they smoothed everything over." Even if I still wanted to kick Constantine's ass… I know Myers already forgave him.
"Yes, that's right." Hana added distractedly, still glued to her phone. "Oh, my… I never thought so many types of beer existed…"
"Are you sure they're still there though? What if they already left?" Maxwell pressed.
"Then I think they would've come to find us by now." I answered.
"What if they're walking towards the buffet as we're walking to the east wing?"
I shrugged. "Then we'll meet them on the way."
"What if-"
"Maxwell! If we don't find them, we'll call them, okay?" He was beginning to get on my nerves.
"Okay!"
We made our way to the east wing, where the King's private dining room was, and spotted Liam and Myers just coming out.
"Milla! Liam!" Maxwell waved from down the hall.
"Told you we'd find them here."
Myers fixed us with a curious grin. "Hey guys. What's going on?"
"We just came to invite you to the best beer garden in Cordonia!" Maxwell sing sang the last part.
"Camilla's in the clear, we're home in Cordonia… that calls for drinks if you ask me." I told her.
"Hana's s been reading this place's menu for the last hour."
"Don't judge. They have a lot of options!" She said, still glued to her phone.
"Think you can get away for a little while, Liam?" Myers asked him.
He frowned as he looked at her. "I have at least a dozen meetings this afternoon, but if you're willing to wait until the evening…"
Myers nodded. "Of course. We'll meet up in the Main Hall when you're done, say around… 9?"
"Yes, I wager I'll be free by then… hopefully." He mumbled the last word under his breath, earning a chuckle from Myers.
The corner of my lips twitched upwards as I watched their exchange. It seemed Liam really was doing his best to preserve their relationship, and Myers… I realized Myers did mean it when she said she considered him a friend. Her smile was easy, her frame was relaxed, her eyes were unguarded, and she looked at him with genuine affection. His frame and smile were exactly the same way, as they teased each other lightly… but his eyes were guarded. Of course, I understood why, but I hoped… it wouldn't last long. They really could be the greatest of friends… if Liam managed to get over her. Hell, I bet Myers could even replace me as his best friend… or maybe not replace me, but it could be a tie.
"Very well. I'll meet you at the Main Hall at 9 and we'll drive down there together." Liam told her.
"I'll be there. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on these two." Myers shot Maxwell and I a teasing look.
"Meaning… Maxwell and Hana?" I asked, playing dumb.
"I don't think Milla was talking about me." Hana gave me a big toothed grin.
We all laughed.
"Well," Liam looked at his watch, "I should get going now, but I will try to meet you in the foyer as soon as I'm finished."
"Good luck." Myers told him.
He nodded his thanks and walked off. Hana yawned, and also excused herself. "If we are going to be out late tonight, I think I should get some sleep while I can. I'm very tired from all the traveling."
"Yeah, me too." Maxwell said, "But I should check on Bertrand before I tumble into my bed. My sweet, beautiful bed."
"Okay." Myers shrugged. "Remember, meet at the Main Hall at 9."
"Well, duh. This whole thing was my idea." Maxwell said.
We said our goodbyes, and then it was just me and Myers. "So…" I said, "What are you going to do, Myers?"
"I was going to go to the stables to see Midnight Rose. Maybe practice my riding…?" Myers looked at me invitingly. "Wanna come?"
"Sure." I smirked. "Someone has to make sure you don't fall off the horse."
Myers laughed, smacking my shoulder lightly. "Hey! I'm not that bad."
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "I guess not. You did manage to stay on your horse for the fox hunt… barely."
She laughed good naturedly as we made our way down to the stables. We kept talking quietly as we arrived at the stables, our voices causing several horses to whiny. When Midnight Rose saw us, or Myers specifically, she snickered, her ears perked up and she began bobbing her large head.
"Hey, gorgeous!" Myers cooed, walking away to wrap her arm around the animal's neck. Midnight Rose leaned into Myers, almost like she was trying to hug her back. Myers patted the horse's mane, which caused Midnight Rose to try to lick her. Myers squealed gleefully, and I smiled as I looked at them. It was amazing how far she'd come from that scared girl who was so tense on her first ride.
I left them to their reunion, moving to the back to get a couple of saddles, saddlecloths, and bridles. I went to my own horse, Lone Star, and began getting her ready for the ride. The old girl snickered and whinied as she saw me, probably still a bit sore about all the extra attention I gave Midnight Rose those few weeks Myers was gone. I patted her neck, ran my hands softly over her maze, while apologizing softly - yes, I apologized to my horse - and soon, Lone Star moved to lick my face before resting her head on my shoulder. I hugged her back, before getting her ready for the ride.
Once Lone Star was all set, Myers stepped back to let me tend to Midnight Rose. Meanwhile, she switched her heels for comfortable riding boots, before leaning back to watch me with Midnight Rose with a small smile on her face. I secured the saddle and tightened the bridle, before rubbing my hands. "All set."
"Great! Now, where are we going?" Myers asked.
I shrugged. "Where were you planning to go?"
She shrugged. "I honestly didn't have anywhere in mind. Any ideas?"
I grinned, knowing exactly where to go. "Let's go."
I led both horses out of the stables, and then helped Myers onto Midnight Rose, before getting onto Lone Star. I gently dug my heel into her hind legs, and she began a slow trot. I turned, only to find Myers next to me, surprisingly relaxed as she kept pace with me. I led her all through the grounds, past the orchard and to the very edge of the palace grounds, until we came to a small clearing.
"Wow." Myers looked around, eyes bright and hair shining in the sunlight.
"What do you say to resting a bit? Let the horses graze for a bit?" I dismounted Lone Star, removing her bridle, and patted her mane softly.
"Yeah, that sounds great." Myers swung her leg over Midnight Rose and dismounted, doing the same.
I took out a thick blanket from Lone Star's saddle bag and laid it under the shade of a large tree, Myers moving to help me while both mares grazed on the field. Then, Myers moved to lay down on the blanket looking up at the sky. I sat next to her.
"So… what did you dad say when you told him you were coming back to Cordonia?" I asked.
Myers' lips twitched into a crooked smile. "He wasn't too happy about it, until I told him about Duchy Valtoria. Then he was just…"
"Ecstatic?" I ventured.
"No… I guess he's still in shock. His daughter… a Duchess. Wendy was more excited, and supportive."
"And the guys?"
Myers chuckled, giving me this look… like she was happy I was already calling her friends 'the guys'. "They were are pretty supportive. They were just a little bummed about me moving back without getting a chance to say goodbye. But… with social media and all… we'll all try our best to keep in touch."
"What'd they say when you told them?"
Myers scrunched her nose, still looking up at the clouds. "I think there was about five minutes of genuine, jaw-dropping silence. Then they asked about me moving here, what the position entails, what's going to happen with my career…" She shrugged.
"What will happen to your career?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
Myers met my eyes, her own softening. "Come here." She pulled my hand and I laid down next to her. Myers then cuddled closer to me, resting her head on my chest. I ran my finger through her hair. She signed. "I guess… I've been thinking a lot about this, and I think… I'm going to give up writing."
"What?! Myers! Y-you can't do that! You love writing!"
"I know… but… I won't have much time for it now, will I? I have a to Duchy to learn to run, and I have people who actually look up to me now, who look to me to protect and care for them… the common people of Valtoria, and Cordonia… they trust me. Liam trusts me. I can't - and I won't - fail them."
I sighed reluctantly. I knew her new… position would demand a lot of her time, and many sacrifices on her part, but I was hoping… it didn't have to come to this.
"Drake…" I looked down to meet her eyes. They were peaceful and calm. "It's okay… I'm… surprisingly okay with this. I mean, yeah, I'm a little sad… but I know this will be for the greater good. This is my chance to actually do some good… to give back to the country that's become my home… isn't that what public service is truly about?"
"I guess…" I mumbled, before sighing. This is her decision and I have to respect it, I reminded myself. Besides, she's already made up her mind about it, and once Myers has her eyes set on something… there's nothing anyone can say or do to change her mind. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You'll be a great Duchess."
"Thank you."
"So… Valtoria, huh?"
Myers nodded. "Valtoria."
"That's all the way up in the mountains…"
"I know! Liam showed me some pictures! It looked beautiful. I can't wait 'till you take me camping up there."
"You wanna go camping again?"
"Definitely. Just the two of us this time." She grinned and pressed a soft kiss on my cheek. Before she could completely pull away, I turned and caught her lips with mine. The rest of the afternoon was spent peacefully, just the two of us, a blanket on a field and a couple of horses.
As the sun finally began to set, Myers yawned and stretched as she got up. "Okay, I have to admit I'm kind of regretting to agreeing to go out."
I chuckled, moving to kiss her cheek. "Come on, lazy bones. Let's go."
We got out horses and rode them back to the stables. After we were done taking care of them, I took her hand and led her through the castle. I let go of her hand when I spotted Maxwell, Hana and Olivia waiting for us. We waited for Liam, and when he finally came out, we got into the car and I drove everyone to Sólás. As soon as I parked and shut off the engine, I felt the bass thumping, lively music as well as lively chatter coming from the garden. Myers and Hana looked at each other excitedly, before making their way inside - or rather, outside…?
"Wow, this place is happening!" Hana squealed excitedly.
I looked around, spotting several familiar faces, such as Kiara and Penelope, Rashad and Neville, and a couple of other members of the court. "I guess we weren't the only ones who wanted to unwind."
"Who wants drinks?!" Myers shouted.
"Ooh, can I try their raspberry lambic?" Hana asked.
"If you get a table, I'll see what I can do!" Myers answered.
"I'll go with you, Hana." Liam told her.
"Me too." Olivia followed, and they went off in search of a table.
I began leading Myers and Maxwell to the bar. "This round's on me." I told them.
"You're buying us drinks?" Myers looked at me, pleasantly surprised.
"Camilla, you should check if he has a fever." Maxwell added, mock concern in his tone.
I rolled my eyes. "Ha ha. Can't I be in a giving mood once in a while?"
Myers grinned at me. "Not without explaining yourself."
"Fine. If you must know… I talked to Savannah today. She's coming back to Cordonia!" I couldn't contain my happiness, and Myers eyes softened.
"That's fantastic!" Myers told me. "You two can finally spend more time together again!"
"Yeah… yeah, we can. It'll be good to be able to be here for her, and really get to know Bartie."
"I'm guessing you aren't the only person she and Bartie are coming to see…" Myers pointed to Bertrand, who was sitting far away, almost in a corner, alone and staring into his beer.
"Oh no." Maxwell grimaced.
I sighed. "I'll, er, let you two handled this."
Myers nodded and they walked off. I got to the bar, getting Hana her raspberry lambic and lager for the rest of us. I carried the tray back to the table, just as Myers and Maxwell made their way over to us, both of them looking sad and conflicted.
"You made it!" Hana told Myers, taking a sip from her beer.
"Ah. So Camilla's deigned to join us." Olivia said.
"Hey, Olivia. I missed you too." Myers grinned teasingly at her.
Olivia shook her head, the corners of her lips twitching. "I admit, this gathering was growing dull without your senseless antics."
"Hey, our antics are of the highest quality." Hana said.
"Come on, Olivia. Have a drink with us." Myers pushed a stein of lager in Olivia's direction.
Olivia rolled her eyes and took the glass. We all cheered and clinked our glasses together. I took a long sip of my beer, it was cool and crisp and pleasantly bitter.
"Mmm. This is perfect." Hana commented, looking around the table at our little group.
Liam nodded. "It's nice to be home among friends."
"Mostly among friends." I shot a look at Olivia.
"For your sake, I'll pretend I didn't hear that." She shook her head.
We all drank and talked, enjoying each other's company late into the night, until at one point, Liam checked his phone.
"It's even later than I thought."
I groaned. "Don't tell me you need to head back to the palace."
"Need to?" He shook his head. "Not necessarily. But I probably should…"
"Aw, come on, Liam." Maxwell told him.
"We haven't even gone dancing yet!" Hana said, way too excitedly. Was she…? My, oh my, I dared to say Hana was a little bit drunk…
"What about you, Camilla? Do you want the party to stop here?"
Myers snorted. "Are you serious?" She looked impishly at Liam. "Let the party continue!" She raised her arms, as Maxwell and Hana whooped.
"You heard her!" Maxwell got up, running to the music controller, and after a few moments, a loud electropop track came on.
Myers jumped up, already dancing. "That's more like it!" She lifted her stein. "I propose a toast! To us! There's no one else I'd rather be here with."
"To us!" We echoed, crashing our glasses together, some beer spilling on the table. Well, all of us except Olivia. She sighed pointedly, before finally lifting her glass to ours.
"You are all… a decent source of entertainment." She said haltingly, almost unwillingly.
"We try." Myers grinned.
A new song came on, and Maxwell looked around. "Music, check. Audience, check. We have almost everything we need for a dance party… except more drinks!"
"I'm on it!" Myers' hand shot up, and she practically ran towards the bar. She came back with a large tray of beer - which reminded me of the day we met her - showing off her waitressing skills. "Drinks achieved. Now, where am I supposed to dance my heart out in this place?"
"There's plenty of space if you know where to look." Maxwell winked at her and hopped up on the table. He began dancing wildly, and singing along with the song. "We could be heroes, We could be heroes, Me and you!"
Myers jumped up on the table next to him, earning a cheer from our little group and some other patrons. She shimmied her hips to the music, her movements loose and sensuals, also singing along. "Everyday people do, Everyday things but I, Can't be one of them, I know you hear me now, We are a different kind, We can do anything, We could be heroes!"
"I think she's got you beat." I yelled up at Maxwell, trying to be heard over the music.
"We'll call it a tie." He winked at her.
Liam tapped on my shoulder as he motioned to some more empty tables. We began dragging some of them back to our table, making one long 'dance floor', despite some people's objections.
"We might have been using that, you know." Lord Rashad told me as I went to get another table that was near theirs.
"It wasn't even touching yours."
"That's not the point." Neville looked at me from over his shoulder, distaste clear on his face. "A gentleman would have asked."
I looked him straight in the eye, and began dragging the table away, its metal legs scraping and screeching on the concrete. He rolled his eyes, and I smirked. When I got back, I found Myers glaring at him. "Ugh. His name should be in the dictionary under 'pompous'."
"Everyone…" Hana took a long gulp of her beer, wiping her face on her forearm. Yup, definitely a little bit drunk. Sober Hana would never do that. "Wait here. There's something I need to do." She squared her shoulders and stood up straight, walking to Rashad and Neville's table.
Neville looked her up and down - ugh, I think I'm going to be sick - and smiled. "Lady Hana! What a delight to find such a radiant flower in so base a setting." He turned back to Rashad. "I told you she'd be back, Rashad. A woman in her situation simply can't resist my charmi-"
"I'm not interested."
Neville reared back, as if he'd been hit. "I beg your pardon?"
"You're self-absorbed and stuck-up, and… and boring!" She glared down at him.
Myers' and Liam's jaws dropped, as Maxwell let out an "Oh!".
"I will never be interested in you." Hana continued, looking at him patronizingly. "And that blazer will never be your color."
Neville opened and closed his mouth, like a fish out of water. Hana turned pointedly on her heel and walked back to us, as Neville looked at her walking away in shock and horror, and Rashad was barely suppressing his laughter.
"That… felt… amazing!" Hana squealed.
"Damn!" Maxwell moved to hug her. "Overly-honest Hana is my new hero!"
"That blazer line was particularly cutting." Olivia smirked approvingly.
"I didn't even know what I was going to say until I was standing in front of him." Hana laughed nervously, before looking at us. "Do you think it was too much?"
"Hana…" Myers put on a serious face, before slowly smiling. "I have never been prouder of you!" She pulled Hana in for a hug. "If I had a trophy, I would give you one."
"I'll contact the royal smithy." Liam joked.
"You guys.." Hana looked at all of us.
"Don't be modest, Hana. You stood up to him with courage. You should be proud." Olivia told her.
"This calls for a celebration." Myers cheered.
"Hold my drink!" Hana handed Myers her drink and jumped up on the table. Myers cheered for her as she began performing a dance I'd not seen since primary school.
"Where did you learn the Cordonian Harvest dance?" Liam asked.
"Well, I wasn't sure which traditional dances were still in fashion at court… so my parents had me learn all 26 of them."
"Olivia, what about you?" Maxwell elbowed her, and she glared and stepped away from him. "I bet you secretly know how to cut loose."
"I'm quite content with my drink. It'll give me a better view when one of you falls off that table."
I rolled my eyes, feeling pleasantly warm and happy. "Hey, we're a coordinated bunch." I downed the last of my beer, and stepped on the table. I guess I must've misjudged the distance or the height of it, though, because I almost fell off, but Maxwell caught me. I clapped his back in thanks.
Olivia quipped, "My money's on Drake falling first."
I shook my head and began dancing. "Mock me if you want, Olivia, but I'm still going to have a good time."
Hana took my hand and we began dancing, as Maxwell began his overly-complicated moves. I recognized the song playing, and began singing along. "Whoa-oa-oa-oa-oa-oa, whoa-oa-oa-oa-oa-oa, whoa-oh-oh, and went to heaven! We're gonna be birds and fly, We're gonna set the world alight, We're gonna lose ourselves tonight, whoa!"
I heard Myers cheer, adding her voice to mine. "Heaven!"
Maxwell and Hana also began singing along, until Hana yelled, "Milla, what are you still doing down there?"
From the corner of my eye, I saw Myers pulled Liam up onto the table, yelling back, "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
We all cheered as Myers and Liam got up and began dancing. The song changed and Myers danced her way over to me. "Drake, over here." She laced her arms behind my neck, pressing her body close to me, moving to the beat.
"We're doing what now?"
Myers lifted my arm, and twirled beneath it, before clumsily falling back against my chest, laughing. She looked at me, and began singing along to the song, "I'll give you electricity, Give it to you, And even if I could, I wouldn't turn on you, And I would stop the world for you, you know, I wanna let you know, I'll never let this feeling go, This love has no ceiling, I cannot deny!"
Before I could lean in to kiss her, she turned around, pressing her back to my chest, raising her arms over my head, and bringing them down to caress my neck. I shook my head as I wrapped my arms around her stomach, moving with her, but mindful to not kiss her. It was too soon to show too much in public and I didn't want to hurt Liam. Although… when I chanced a look at Liam, he was offering his hand to Olivia, trying to convince her to dance.
Another song came on, and we all cheered… myself included.
I got this feeling on a summer day
Knew it when I saw her face
I just thought that she could be the one
She looks good in the morning
And she don't even know it
I don't want you to go yet
Can we stay in the moment?
Don't look in the mirror, look into my eyes
When you see your reflection, you'll see what I like
Oh, you look good in the morning
And you don't even know it
I knew that
My jaw dropped when Myers began rapping the lyrics almost flawlessly, earning yet another inebriated whoop from our group. "...She a drug got a fast release, Got me sprung wrapped in sheets,Wake up, fuck, and then we going back to sleep!"
"OOOOOOOOOOH!" Maxwell covered his mouth, raising both his arms to high five hers.
We kept on dancing, Myers and I almost naturally gravitating towards each other. Near the end of the night, as I held her close, I whispered in her ear. "This was fun, Mi- I mean, Myers." I shook my head, knowing full well I might be drunk. Might be.
"Yeah." Myers grinned at me, pressing her lips to my cheek softly. "Yeah, it was."
The last song Maxwell had on queue ended, and we all got down, catching our breaths. All of us, myself included, were grinning like idiots. Well, all of us, except for Olivia. As Liam, Maxwell and I began straightening out the tables, taking apart our makeshift dance floor, I spotted Milla walking over to her. They talked quietly, Olivia sneaking glances at Liam, with Myers nodding sympathetically.
As soon as we finished with the tables, Liam sighed. "It's nearly midnight. This time we really should end the evening's festivities."
Myers groaned, placing her hands on Liam's shoulders and squeezing. "Okay. Let's go home."
We were all drunk, but thankfully Bastien came out from the shadows and drove us all home. As we got the palace, our group walked through the gardens, while Bastien went to park the car. I found myself humming that Summer Day song, trying to hit those killer high notes.
Myers lingered behind with me, laughing. "Drake, are you drunk?"
I laughed. "Nooo way, Myers. I don't get drunk." As if I could get drunk! Ha! Ha ha! Ha! "Maybe you're drunk!"
"Uh huh…"
Why didn't she look convinced? I'm not drunk! "I'm just… happy." I pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist, and nuzzled the side of her face with my nose. She smelled so good. Like a tropical island. "We're home, Savannah's coming home… You like me for some reason…"
Myers laughed. "Okay, you definitely had more drinks than I thought."
"My point is, things are going good. For everyone."
"It's about time." She quipped.
"Hey! How about a palace tour tonight? Just you, me, and old portraits of stuffy people."
"We're all staying at the palace. I've seen it."
I shook my head vigorously, so much so I almost got dizzy and leaned into her. "Nah, Myers. You've seen the palace the way the Royal family wants you to see it." I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I can show you the palace… like you've never seen it before."
Myers gasped, but I couldn't tell if she was teasing me or not. "Are we talking… secret rooms?"
Oh, shit, she figured it out! "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret any more."
"Good point."
"So? You coming or what?"
"I'm in. So where does this tour start?"
"Just keep up with me, Myers."
We said our goodbyes to everyone, and I led her to the grand ballroom. I giggled mischievously, while Myers looked around quizzically.
"So you brought me here to show me… tables?"
I whipped my head around to look at her. Seriously? How did she not get it? "Come on, Myers, you've gotta look deeper than that. Take in the scenery."
"Such as?"
I moved to stand behind her, placing my hands on her shoulders and positioning her to face the back east corner of the room. "See how part of that chandelier is shinier than the rest? And how those flowers in the… in the…" Ugh, that shiny gold thing on the walls!
"The molding?"
"Yeah, that stuff!" I snapped my fingers. "See where a couple of them got replaced?" I pulled her over to have a closer look. "Where do you think those came from?"
"You and Liam." Whaa...
"Damn, Myers. How'd you know?"
"You looked way too proud of it. What happened?"
So smart… so pretty and so smart. "There was this one super rainy winter one year. I'm talking cats and dogs for days. So after a while, me and Liam decided to play some indoor soccer."
"That can only end well."
Hey! "I'm great at soccer. Best defense in the palace. So when Liam got frustrated and tried a shot from across the room… pium!… crack!... Crash!" I guided her gaze from the other side of the room to the rose moldy thing to the chandelier.
Myers laughed so hard, she began clutching her stomach. I couldn't help but join her, and soon she sighed and wiped a tear from her eye. "Did you get in trouble?"
Well… Liam and I both got grounded, indoor soccer got banned from the grounds, and my parents and Liam's parents had to pay for the repairs themselves, since it wouldn't be fair to use taxpayers' money for such a thing. But I shook my head. Got to play it cool. Ice cool. Cold. "... Nothing your old pal Drake Walker couldn't handle."
Myers shook her head indulgently. "To think, this top-secret palace history has been in front of my eyes this whole time..."
I grinned, leaning into the wall with my right hand. Except… apparently the wall was, like, two feet away. Don't worry, I caught myself. "Whoa. H-hey. D'you want to know another secret?"
Myers took my hand. "Sure."
I, very carefully, laced my fingers with hers. I know exactly where to take her! "This way!"
I led her to that hallway, the one Bastien found me staring at her all those weeks ago, before the Coronation. She had to see it. It's the only way she'll get what she means to me. I led her through the maze these people called hallways, until we finally stopped in front of the window. The window… I sighed, looking out onto the garden where I watched her writing, after we agreed she'd marry Liam.
And look at us now! She didn't marry Liam! She's with me! She is with me.
"Uh, Drake?" Myers looked at me expectantly. "I've walked down this hallway dozens of times."
"No, no, this isn't it. You've gotta look…" I once again took her shoulders and led her to the window. "Out here!" I sighed. "This is my faaaavoriite view of the h… the whole… palace. I like how you can see through it, even though you can't move through it." Just like us, that day. I could see you, but I couldn't touch you, I couldn't mooove through the glass to get to you. I put my hand up against the glass. "And there's so much… stuff… out there."
Myers bobbed her head. "It sure is something."
And you looked so pretty, with your headphones and your laptop, writing your next best seller under that tree… "I wanted to show it to you 'cause it's pretty. And Camilla… I mean, Myers! You're pretty, so you and this view belong together."
"Aww…" Myers wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her face in my neck, before giving me a light kiss on the cheek. "I never knew drunk Drake could be so poetic."
I scoffed. "I'm not drunk! You're just reaaaally sober."
"Thank you for taking me to such a romantic spot…"
I grinned. Got her. I knew this window would do it! "I've wanted to take you to this window for a long time."
"That's… very sweet."
"I was hoping you'd think so." I looked back to the window, and reeled back as I got a better look at it. The angle's not right. "Oh, wait. This isn't the spot." Damn it. "It's this window over here. C'mon!"
"... Right. So this was the secret you promised me?"
"Secret?" Did I promise her a secret? Besides the window? Because the window's awesome! It stands for all that we are! For how far we've come! How could she not ge- Oh, right! I laughed. Like Olivia said, revenge is a dish best served at a cold temperature… or something. And Myers deserved revenge. "I remembered the other funny thing about this hallway."
"What about-"
"Kiara's room is over here." I led Myers to her door and knocked. No answer. Perfect. "No one's home."
"Why do you want to talk to Kiara in the middle of the night?"
"I don't. I want to prank her." I grinned evilly. Muahaha!
"You're like a whole different person right now." Myer shook her head, smiling so widely I was able to put my pinky in her dimples. So pretty.
"Come on, Myers. Are we doing this?" It's either this or the petit fours, and I don't see any petit fours anywhere.
"Okay, let's do this." Her eyes took on a mischievous gleam.
"Yeah!" We both laughed, and I started looking for something we could use. Nothing in my shirt… nothing in my pants… "Oh. I didn't actually plan for this part. You got any ideas?"
Myers eyes widened. "Let's mess with her book organizational system!"
"How do you know she's got books in there?"
"Have you met Kiara?"
"Yeah, she's the one who's always with Poodlelope." And always hitting on me, and making Myers feel sad and insecure! Well, no more! No one makes Myers feel bad when I'm around! "Let's rearrange those books." I growled.
I took her hand and we snuck in, zeroing in on her bookcase. Myers laughed as we took out the books, moved them around, turned them upside-down or we faced the spines inward… Ha! In your face, Frenchy!
Finally, we stepped back to admire our work. "It's a masterpiece." Myers said. "The next time she tries to grab a book on Macedonian history, she's going to get Belarus instead!"
"Yeah! That'll show her when she tries to learn about those cities!" Wait, were they cities? Doesn't matter. I took her hand and ran outside. When we were a couple doors away, we stopped, gasping for breath. "Let me take you to our last stop."
I led her up and down through the castle, and pushed open the heavy wooden door. I heard her gasp as we stepped inside, her eyes widening as she looked around the old library. "Whoa… why didn't anyone tell me this was here?! I mean, hello, book nerd over here! Can this be my room from now on?"
Hey! "I found it first!"
Myers laughed, cupping my neck and pressing her lips to my cheek. "I was mostly kidding. I bet this is still an active library anyway. Did you bring me here to read to me?"
Where is it? Where is it? Come on, come on… "Where is-" Ah ha! There it is! Master Harrow's Treatise on Soil Fertility! I pulled the book and pressed a very small lever behind it. The wooden shelves groaned as the panel on the wall opened. "Oh! I found it! C'mon, Myers!" I pulled her inside, looking around to make sure no one saw us. "Welcome to my secret passage."
Myers looked around, stunned. "Where does it go?"
"A dead end. That part's no fun. The cool part is just… this passage. It's like a… a special hideout. That's what I used it for, growing up. Whenever I got too fed up with all the phony smiles and parties… I'd come here. Where nobody could find me. Even Liam doesn't know about this place."
"But… now I do. Why bring me here?"
"I thought, now that you're a Duchess and all… if you ever get tired of dealin' with the court… You can come hide out here too, Camilla."
"You just did it again."
"Did what?"
"Called me Camilla."
"I… Oh. I did, didn't I." I rubbed my chin, debating on whether or not to tell her. If I tell her… but if I don't tell her… eh, I got nothing. "That's the secret I was gonna tell you. About your name. It's not as awesome as this, though." I extended my arms out, gesturing to my passage in all its glory.
"Well, I still want to hear it." Myers said softly. "You just call Liam and Maxwell and Hana… Liam and Maxwell and Hana. Why are you always calling me Myers?"
I sat down, patting the step. She sat down next to me. "The truth is… I started calling you Myers 'cause I didn't want us to get too close when you showed up. Didn't want to get… used to you. But you kept stickin' around, and being you, and after that… I didn't want you to know how I felt." I shrugged. "So now Myers' just my thing. Our thing. I guess." I laughed. "I can't believe I called you Camilla. Felt kinda weird."
"Drake…" Myers called me softly. I met her eyes, and they were shining tenderly. "Thank you for telling me."
I shook my head. "Thank you."
"You mean 'you're welcome'?"
"No, no, no. Thank you for goin' on this tour with me."
"I'd give it five stars."
"Then my work here is done."
Myers moved to kiss me slowly, before pulling back. "Walk me to my room?"
"Yeah, let's go."
We got out of our secret passage, and I closed the door to it, before we began walking back to her room. As we arrived at her door, she didn't let go of my hand, and leaned against it. "So… Maybe I can give you a tour of my room another time."
I looked her in the eye, the fog in my head clearing almost instantly. My heart began thundering in my chest, as I took in the meaning of her words. "I… I'd like that, Myers. I'd really like that. But tonight… I'm not exactly all here." I sighed. "If you're talking about the kind of tour I think you're talking about… I don't want to miss a thing."
Myers' lips quirked upwards. "Another time, then. Maybe when you're more-" I yawned. "Awake?"
I grinned at her. "Yeah. Another time. I won't forget."
She leaned in and kissed my cheek, surprising me for a second. She's my girlfriend now, I smiled. She kisses my cheeks 'cause she thinks I'm cute. "Th-thanks, Myers." I rubbed my cheek, where her lips had just been mere seconds ago.
"Goodnight, Drake."
"Night, Myers."
I went back to my room and tumbled on my bed… yes, today had been a very good day indeed.
A/N: Songs mentioned:
Heroes (we could be) - Alesso
Heaven - Avicci
Electricity - Silk City ft. Dua Lipa
Summer Days - Martin Garrix ft. Macklemore and Patrick Stump of Fallout Boys