Caught Up in the Waves


A/N: Hey, guys! As always, I hope you are safe wherever you are in the world, washing your hands often, hopefully in quarantine or self-distancing, and making funny videos on TikTok for my entertainment - nah, just kidding. I bring you just a short - but hopefully sweet! - chapter for you guys today, that I was able to write despite everything. Thankfully, my anxiety has subsided a bit, and this story is largely to thank for that. So, hopefully, this chapter brings you a little bit of peace of mind, or a distraction, or just some levity in these troubled times, just as it has for me. I love you all, and as always, thanks for giving this story a chance and sticking with me.


"Close your mouth, Drake, please." Madeleine scowled at me. I shut my jaw with a clack. "You have two hours to get ready before we leave."

So we have time to get a good hour of training in, I thought. "Madeleine, could we, uh… could we use the gym downstairs?"

"Of course. Just make sure to be on time for the train. The motorcade leaves for the station at 8:45 sharp. The train departs at 9, and we should reach Portavira at exactly 12:30. A motorcade will then take us to an exclusive seaside restaurant that's apparently very popular with Penelope and her parents. After lunch, we will make our way to their estate, where we will spend the following two days. Any questions?" Madeleine looked at both of us.

"Uh… no." Myers said slowly.

"Very good. I suggest you get up now, Camilla. I will see you downstairs in…" She looked at the dainty watch on her wrist, "one hour and thirty-eight minutes." With that, Madeleine turned on her heel and sashayed out the door, closing it.

Myers let out a sigh of relief. "Have you packed yet?"

I gave her a sly smirk. "Myers, I never bother to unpack during these tours."

"Hey, me too!" She raised her hand for a high-five, which I promptly gave her.

"Now, let's get some breakfast and get downstairs quickly." I told her.

"We can get breakfast on the train." Myers answered. "I'd rather use the time to train a little bit more."

God, I think I fell in love with her all over again.


Sadly, as soon as we got on the train, Myers got whisked away by Madeleine to the boutique. Maxwell shot me an apologetic look, before following. And so, Hana, Liam and I made our way to the dining cart. As Hana and Liam got their breakfasts, I made sure to make two plates: one for me and one for Myers. I piled some pancakes on her plates, while I filled mine with eggs, bacon, sausage and some bread. And cheese. Hana saw what I was doing and decided to make another plate for Maxwell too. I was just about to pour Myers a cup of tea, when I saw her coming back with a garment bag, a huge white binder, and none other than the Ice Queen herself.

"Olivia? I didn't know you were here!" Hana stood up to greet her.

"Yes, I arrived early this morning to catch the train. I figured you would need all the help you could get." She said, gingerly sitting down at our table.

"Ooh! Is that for me?" Myers' eyes lit up when she saw the pancakes, and happily took a seat next to me.

"Even if it wasn't, you already claimed it." I snorted.

Myers laughed, before moving to press a kiss on my cheek. "Well, thanks anyway. I'm starving!"

"Ugh, must you two do that when we're having breakfast?" Olivia asked.

I narrowed my eyes at her, but Myers merely laughed it off. "I missed you too, Olivia." She immediately began drizzling more maple syrup on them, before digging into them with gusto and washing them down with green tea.

Liam, Olivia and Hana stared at her, open mouthed, until Maxwell sat down and began giving her some serious competition.

"Hey, what's that?" I gestured to the binder.

Myers snorted. "Madeleine's 'dossier' on Penelope's family. I have the rest of the ride to study it before we get there."

"You want some help?"

"You wanna be my study partner?" Myers asked, a teasing grin on her face, but her eyes were earnest.

I shrugged. "Yeah. I told you last night, Myers. I want to get involved in this. I want to help you and Liam." And to do that, I apparently have to stalk these people and learn everything about them that I possibly can. Oh, and I have to stop calling Penelope 'Poodlelope'. It wouldn't do for the nickname to slip out at the worst possible moment, and knowing my luck… or rather, my ability to put my own foot in my mouth...

"And I deeply thank you for it." Liam said, raising his cup of coffee, not looking up from his own reports.

"Okay, great. We'll crack it open after breakfast." Myers mumbled with her mouth full.

And crack it open we did.

It was really well organized, and I honestly wondered when and how exactly Madeleine made it. It must've taken her hours to color-code every single section. There was one on Landon, Pood- Penelope's father; another on Emmeline, Penelope's mother; one on Penelope herself; one on her poodles, Merlin and Morgana; one on the Duchy itself; and finally, the last section was about the recent earthquake, which in turn caused a tsunami, which in turn caused flooding. All in all, this place had been through hell for the past month.

"Okay, so according to Madeleine, Landon is more dad than Duke. He really cares about Penelope's well being and opinions." Myers told me. "Emmeline, on the other hand, might be a little more Duchess than mom. Not only did she thrive in court when she was younger, but she's also really involved with running and overseeing all affairs in her Duchy. That means…?"

"That she's going to be more open to come to our wedding if we offer some way to help them with the relief efforts." I answered.

"Exactly." Myers winked at me proudly. "Now," she continued, turning the page. "I don't think we need to read the 'Penelope' section. I think I've spent enough time with her to figure out a way to convince her to come back to court." She grabbed the tab that marked that section, and pushed it to the side, flipping the whole section over. "Okay… so Merlin and Morgana. Purebred miniature poodles… born in 201-"

I took the binder and pulled on the poodle tab, quickly overturning that whole section. "We are not wasting time reading up on the dogs, either."

From Maxwell's lap, Chase raised his head and whined at me.

"Sorry, boy." I reached over to pet his head. "I just meant that… I know you'll charm them enough that me and Myers won't have to do anything to convince them to help." Chase barked in agreement, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"Good boy."

"Nice." Myers told me as I leaned back on my chair.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on, let's keep going."

"Okay. Let's see… the Duchy of Portavira is located in the southern west region of Cordonia. With 835,015 residents in 1,597 square kilometers, the Duchy is among the most populated regions of Cordonia…"


The train pulled out into the station just as we were finishing reading up on the last section of the binder. I felt like we now had a good sense about who Landon and Emmeline were, and that we were well informed regarding the Duchy's recent hardships.

Myers stepped inside our- I mean, her sleeper car to change, and came out wearing a gorgeous purple dress with a plunging neckline. "Wow."

She raised an eyebrow hesitantly. "Really? It's not too much, is it?"

"Uh…" For a simple luncheon… it might be… "No. You look great."

"Okay…" Now that I actually got a good look at her, and not just her body in that dress, I could see that she did look a little uncomfortable.

"Myers," I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "You look amazing."

"Thank you." She grinned at me. "Come on, let's go charm some nobles and poodles."

With a laugh, I walked out with her and into the motorcade.

A few minutes later, we arrived at a small restaurant right on the pier. I got out of the car, and as I helped Myers out, I couldn't help but take a deep breath of salty sea air.

"I can't believe this view." Myers said, looking around with a smile upon her face.

"Portavira is said to have the clearest waters in all of Cordonia."

"Too many windows, if you ask me." Olivia looked around with a scowl. I watched as her eyes darted around the room, immediately finding at least two other exits. "This is hardly a defensible dining location."

"Are we expecting a siege?" Maxwell said, only half teasing. I think it was because he's kind of afraid of her.

I rolled my eyes. "I thought we were already under one, considering the company." I looked pointedly at Olivia.

"Ha ha." She said, giving me a matching eye roll.

We all jumped when we heard a gleeful shriek. "Aaah! You all made it!" I watched as Penelope dashed towards us, her arms outstretched.

Here we go… Never in my life I thought I'd be caught in the waves of politics - literally, in this case.

Myers gave her a warm smile and met her in a hug. "Penelope! I missed you!"

"I'm so glad you're okay." Penelope whispered, hugging her tightly.

"Me too."

They separated and Penelope turned to all of us with a smile. "Welcome to Cordonia's premiere yacht club!"

"It's nice to see you again, Penelope." Hana stepped forward.

"Hi Hana!" Penelope waved excitedly, her enthusiasm wavering as she turned to… "And… Olivia. And, um… Madeleine." She bowed slightly, looking almost afraid.

I honestly wasn't surprised. From some of the things that Myers told me, Madeleine was absolutely ruthless with both Hana and Penelope. She was even cruel, sometimes. But now, the Wicked Witch of the West greeted her with a smile and like she'd never bullied her before. What a hypocrite. At least Olivia had the decency to greet her with that same condescending glare and resting bitch face that she gave the rest of us. I rolled my eyes. "She's with us, Penelope. We won't let her bite."

Penelope gave me a hesitant smile and nodded. "Well, if you say so… Let me introduce you to my parents!" She took Myers' hand and began leading her further inside the restaurant, back to a reserved table where a smiling couple was patiently waiting for us.

Alright, Drake. Game face on.

"Mom, Dad, this is Camilla! Milla, these are my parents… Landon and Emmeline."

"Are those our house colors you're wearing?" Landon asked.

"And the narwhal from our crest!" Penelope added. "It looks so cute as a necklace."

"I see that all the compliments we've heard about you were well-deserved." Emmeline said appreciatively. "It's wonderful to meet Penelope's best friend."

Wait, what?

Myers' eyes widened only a bit, before she gave Emmeline a beaming smile. "Oh! It's good to meet one of my closest friend's family!" She said sincerely. I knew she and Penelope were friends, but I wouldn't go so far to say they were best friends… and neither would Myers.

That didn't stop Maxwell from blurting out, "Hey! What about us?"

Thankfully, Hana saved the day. "People can have multiple best friends, Maxwell."

Landon chuckled. "That's what Penelope told Kiara when she started becoming friends with all of you. You've certainly made an impression on her."

Liam stepped up to formally greet the Duke and Duchess of Portavira. "On behalf of myself and the rest of the court," All ten of them that agreed to come on this Tour, "I'd like to thank you both for your hospitality."

"We're all very happy to be here." I had to forcibly stop myself from rolling my eyes at Madeleine's smile.

"It's an honor, King Liam." Landon bowed his head. "Now that we are in good company, let's have some good food to go along with it."

We all laughed politely before we were seated. I sat to Myers' right, with Liam at her left, and Penelope and her parents across from us. Almost immediately, servers came out with trays of crab legs and we dug in. With the compliments on the food came apologies from Landon for not being able to 'offer us more variety', since the flooding had obviously taken a toll on the fishing industry. And that's where the politics began.

"These are hard times for all of Cordonia, as I'm sure you're aware." Emmeline sighed.

"That's actually why we're here." Myers nodded.

"Right. You've probably seen the news about the wedding." I added.

Landon nodded eagerly, wiping his mouth with a napkin before speaking. "We did! Congratulations to you both."

"Thank you." I couldn't help the smirk that crossed my face as I met Myers' eyes for a split second before returning to the conversation.

"Yes, thank you, Landon. We're inviting the whole court to the ceremony, and we're hoping your house would attend."

"It'll be a demonstration of Cordonian Unity to our allies and enemies alike…" Liam added, "and a celebration of the love that brought my friends together."

"We're delighted for you, but…" Emmeline looked at her husband and they both sighed.

"I'm not sure we can leave Portavira while it's in such dire straits."

I nodded. I could respect that, if the situation wasn't desperate.

"Not sure? Your country needs you. Your King needs you! We don't have time for cowards." Olivia glared at Penelope's parents.

"Excuse me?" Emmeline brought a hand to her chest in a dainty show of offense.

"Meaning the uh… the attackers at the palace!" Myers smiled reassuringly at Emmeline. "That is who Duchess Olivia was referring to."

"Right! Those cowardly… cowards." Maxwell added, and we all murmured in agreement.

"They were too scared to even show their faces."

"Such cowards."

"No honor among assassins."

Myers cleared her throat, as if saying 'don't over do it, guys.' "We need to unite Cordonia in the face of it's newest threat. Like Olivia said-"

"I was referring to-" Olivia seemed ready to jump in again.

"There's no time to waste." Myers effectively cut her off. Damn, Olivia was worse than me at this diplomacy thing.

"I do appreciate what you're trying to do, Duchess Camilla, but Portavira needs our undivided attention. I'm not sure how we could leave." Landon said apologetically.

"It'll be hard enough parting with Penelope now that you've come to return her to court." Emmeline said, a small smile on her face.

"What?" Penelope looked at her mother with wide eyes before turning to us.

"That's part of why you're here, isn't it?" Emmeline patted her daughter's shoulder. "I told you everyone at court would miss you, dear!"

"But I only just got home! Merlin and Morgana still haven't forgiven me for leaving! At least they'll play with me now, but they keep giving me those sad puppy dog eyes..."

"They're dogs, darling. Those are the only eyes they have." Emmeline's smile became slightly more forced.

Landon, however, seemed genuinely upset. "Does Penelope really have to go back to court?"

Myers immediately shook her head. "Only if she wants to go back. I could really use more friends in court right now. Cordonia could use more friends. But if she's not ready to come back yet, I understand."

"Thanks, Milla." Penelope gave her a beaming smile, before grimacing. "I've just missed being home so much, and then when the attack happened…"

Landon immediately put a hand on her shoulder. "You're safe here, sweetheart. Like Camilla said, you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to."

At that moment, waiters began to clean up the dirty dishes, and a moment later, began serving us the main course. We all got different types of seafood: Myers got salmon, Liam got sea bass, Maxwell got some sort of seafood linguini, Hana got some bisque, and Olivia got lobster. Whereas I got a clam chowder bread bowl. The smell was simply heavenly, the bread was fresh and crispy and warm, and my mouth began watering immediately. I began tearing off a piece off my bread bowl, when I heard someone politely clearing their throat. I looked quickly around the table, only to meet Hana's eyes, who shot me a kind, yet pointed look. She then took the larger of the two spoons next to her plate, and began eating. I copied her, reaching for the larger spoon next to the dinner knife, and began to eat. The chowder was really good, but… it would've been even better if I could've eaten it with the piece of bread I was about to tear out.

I fought off a sigh and decided to make some polite conversation. Just something simple; don't overthink it. You've seen Liam and Myers do it a hundred times. "This is a, er… nice place you've got here." I told Landon and Emmeline.

"Oh, thank you." Landon smiled kindly at me. So far, so good! I mentally patted myself on the back. "We don't own the restaurant, but it's-"

No! I didn't mean that! "No, no, I didn't mean… Not that it would be bad if you did. I just meant, uh…" I meant Portavira, in general...

"I think what Drake is trying to say is your duchy's a lovely place." Hana swept in to rescue me… for the second or third time today. I've honestly already lost count.

"Yeah. That." Myers squeezed my hand under the table and gave me an encouraging smile. I lifted the corners of my lips in a half smile. I tried, Myers. I tried.

"From what we've seen so far, it's as welcoming as our hosts." Liam added.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Landon nodded.

"If you don't mind, Emmeline, I'd love to hear more about Portavira. I know this estate has been in your family line for generations." Madeleine asked politely.

Emmeline smiled fondly at Landon before speaking. "We may not be the richest or grandest of houses, but we've always lived on the water… and we've always looked after our people." It was clear they loved this place, and their people.

"We like to judge our success by their prosperity." Landon added.

"That makes it even harder to see them struggling now." Emmeline sighed sadly. "Between the earthquake, then the persistent flooding, our funds can only go so far."

"About your relief efforts, is there anything we can do to help?" Myers asked.

Both Landon and Emmeline looked taken aback, but recovered quickly. "That's very kind of you, Duchess Camilla." Landon said.

"I've allocated all the resources the Crown can spare, but if there's anything we can personally do…" Liam said.

"We're here to help." Myers finished for him.

"Thank you both, but… we'll just have to hope that tomorrow's charity polo match raises the money we need." Emmeline nodded gratefully at them. "So far, we've only sold half the tickets."

"A fundraising event… how interesting." Madeleine looked shrewdly at Myers, who looked to Liam in turn.

After a few seconds, Myers turned back to Landon and Emmeline. "Hey, here's an idea… What if me and Liam played in the match tomorrow? Think about it. We could use our titles to your advantage. If Cordonia's King and newest duchess are playing in a charity match, people won't be able to ignore it." Oh, she's good, I thought, as I watched Myers smile politely. "I'd be happy to spend a few hours on horseback if it'll get Portavira the relief money you need."

"And that's saying a lot, coming from Myers." I added, giving Myers an affectionately teasing look. "You know she really wants to help if she's willingly offering to get on horseback."

The whole table, including Myers, laughed politely. Landon wiped his mouth on a napkin before speaking. "I must say, it's refreshing to see other nobles taking an interest in our little province."

"It's an excellent proposal, Duchess Camilla." Liam nodded. "I'd gladly use the Crown's influence to help serve its people."

"That's a very generous offer, Your Majesty." Landon's eyes widened and his jaw slackened with a bit of shock.

"A celebrity match would help draw a crowd…" Emmeline pondered. "If you're sure you're up to it, who are we to refuse?"

"Great!" Myers clapped her hands. "It's a plan, then!"

I nodded, mentally patting myself on the back for thinking to bring Midnight Rose and Lone Star along. Liam was a pretty experienced rider, so I knew he'd be comfortable in any horse they lent him. But for Myers, I'd rather she ride her own horse, one she knows, and is comfortable with. Besides, I seriously doubt she's ever actually played polo before, so I don't want to add to the stress of learning to play with pressure to adjust to another horse.

As the finer details of tomorrow's match were settled, the rest of the meal passed by quickly. I made a fool of myself yet again, when everyone started complimenting the meal, and I decided to compliment the view. I began rambling on how the water would look great on a postcard, but Landon and Emmeline just gave me questioning looks. Then Emmeline actually felt the need to apologize because they didn't have postcards. And the way she'd said it made me think she didn't even know what a postcard was. I couldn't help but cringe.

Luckily, lunch was over and Penelope and her parents excused themselves to go back to their estate. Landon pulled Myers aside for a minute, and when she came back, she did so with a soft grin on her face.

"Hey. What was that about?" I asked her, as she took my arm and pressed herself against my side.

Myers shook her head slightly. "Landon thanked me for being a good friend to Penelope, and… he agreed to come to the wedding, if everything went well tomorrow!" She said excitedly.

I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her closer for a one armed hug, and kissed her temple. "Myers, that's great."

"I know." She said softly. "I have a good feeling about tomorrow. I think we might actually be able to pull this off."

"You can do anything, Myers. I'm sure you'll do great."

"Thank you. Come on, let's head out."


The five of us walked down the boardwalk, Liam and Myers lingering behind, while Maxwell and Hana were talking excitedly in front of me. Suddenly, Myers sneaked up from behind me, wrapping her arms around my torso and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hey. I'm going to hang out with Liam for a bit. Is that okay?"

I shook my head. "You don't need my permission, Myers. Liam's your friend, too."

"Oh, I wasn't asking for permission." She chuckled. "But that doesn't mean I can't be considerate with my fiance and ask him if it bothers him."

I grinned. "I trust you, Myers. And I trust Liam, too."

Myers smiled sweetly at me, stopping me in my tracks and kissing me sweetly. "I don't, and never will, take that trust for granted. I love you." She whispered, her eyes going from sweet to mischievous in the blink of an eye. "Meet me in my room tonight?"

I chuckled. "You know I can't say no to you, Myers."

"I know. It's one of the reasons I love you." She laughed, her dimples fluttering to life. "I'll see you later then." Myers pressed a quick kiss to my lips, before bouncing back to Liam.

I turned to stare after them, watching them as they walked away. A sliver of insecurity tried to slither inside my head, but I simply shook it away. I trusted Myers more than anyone in the world, and I knew Liam would never go behind my back. And… I also knew he was doing his best to get over her, even if the wedding had been like rubbing a bit of salt to his wound. Or a lot of salt...

"Hey, Drake, keep up!" Maxwell shouted at me.

I jogged a bit to keep pace with them, and we walked back to Penelope's estate, taking the scenic route. All along the boardwalk there were small shops, filled with trinkets or local seafood. "Come on," I told the guys. "Five star restaurants got nothing on small places like this."

"Is it safe?" Hana asked, looking at some of the food dubiously.

"Just as safe as the outdoor market you took us to." I told her, looking at the food on a small stall. Maxwell immediately ordered a ceviche, slurping it down before Hana and I even had a chance to pick something out. After looking at all the options, I ordered a crab sandwich, and Hana ordered a shrimp and calamari salad. Maxwell ordered more crab legs to join us while we ate, and together, we made our way to a small bench. The next few moments were spent in quiet contentment as we all ate our meals.

"So, Drake…" Maxwell began, between bites. "Have you and Milla listened to the playlist I sent you guys?"

I groaned, shaking my head. "No, buddy, I'm sorry. With the tour and everything… it just completely slipped my mind."

He shrugged. "That's okay. I get it."

"We'll get around to it soon, so you can start making arrangements on that front."

"You could listen to it while we travel." Hana suggested.

I thought back to the massive binder Madeline had given us to read this morning… and knew that there would probably be another one ready for us tomorrow. "I don't think so… I think we'll use that time to study Madeleine's dossiers."

"Oh, of course." Hana nodded. "Speaking of which, Drake, I'd be happy to help you brush up your diplomacy skills a bit."

"Was I that bad?"

"No!" She said quickly. "No, not bad at all. But I could tell you were nervous and stressed."

I shrugged. "I guess..."

"I'd be happy to help you, Drake."

"Yeah, me too." Maxwell added.

"Yeah… okay. Thanks. I'd really appreciate it, actually."

"Great. Shall we begin?" Hana asked.

"What, right now?" I looked around the boardwalk, full of people walking by, going about their day.

"Yes! Why not now?"

"Because…" I motioned to… everyone walking by.

Hana rolled her eyes. "Come on." She stood, motioning for me and Maxwell to stand. "First things first, we need to work on your posture. People always tend to respond and have better disposition when presented with someone who seems confident and calm."

"So, basically… stand up straight?" I shrugged.

"Standing up straight is a part of it, yes." Hana said, motioning with her finger for me to stand straight. "But, don't forget about the other part: looking calm and… collected."

I took a deep breath, and stood straight.

"Lift your chin a little bit." Maxwell told me. "It really defeats the purpose of looking confident if you're looking at the floor the whole time."

I rolled my eyes, but conceded.

"Exactly." Hana agreed. "Keep your eyes forward and don't be afraid to make eye contact. This shows the other person you're not intimidated by them, but also that you're open and attentively listening and participating in a conversation."

"Okay…" I tried to keep my chin up and my eyes on her and Maxwell.

"Good!" Hana nodded, smiling. "Now, make sure that all your movements are slow and deliberate."

I shot her a questioning look. "Why?" She looked to Maxwell.

"Okay, um… Ooh! Have you noticed how lions prowl around the jungle, like they don't have a care in the world? Be a lion!" Maxwell told me, leaving me equally lost.

"Wait, what? What do lions have to do with anything?"

"It's a metaphor, Drake." Hana explained. "A great one, at that. What Maxwell meant is that, if you look closely at a nature documentary, for instance, you will notice that when the lions go to the watering hole, all other animals give them a wide berth and the lions stroll calmly along the water's edge. That's because lions are predators. They don't feel the need to move quickly, because they don't fear an attack."

Wow, that was a good metaphor… Court as a lion's den…

"Jerky or quick movements betray your nervousness or awkwardness." Hana continued to explain. "But if your movements are slow and deliberate, it's a sign of confidence."

"Okay…"

"Now, let's say Maxwell is a dignitary you're visiting…"

My eyes widened as Maxwell immediately assumed the part. In a matter of seconds, he stood taller, his face turned serious and he gazed at me impassively. A very "noble" air seemed to surround him, and in that moment, you'd never guess he was the lovable, free spirited, fun loving Beaumont.

"How would you greet him?"

"Uh…" I cleared my throat, and shook my head. Get into character, just like he did. Maintaining my posture, I bowed my head slightly. "Lord Beaumont."

Maxwell returned my bow, offering his hand. "Duke Drake." I shook it. "Ooh, good shake!" He broke character for a second, before turning serious again.

"Yes, very good. A strong shake is a good sign of confidence." Hana nodded approvingly.

I sighed. "Hana, this is all great, but… I don't see how it's actually going to earn me the respect of these people."

"Well, there is your first problem." Hana told me. "Drake, when you marry Milla, you'll be part of 'these people'."

"I know." I grumbled.

"So the first thing you have to do is get that concept of 'otherness' out of your head." She continued. "The nobles are not 'the others' anymore. You're their equal, so you have to have the confidence in yourself to address them as such. If you start by addressing them as an equal, they will respect you as one."

I sighed. "That's easier said than done." I've spent a lifetime thinking of them as something 'other', something different. And I never fit in.

"I know you can do it." Maxwell said quietly. "Milla did it. I know you can, too."

"Myers is… different."

"Yeah, she had less of an advantage that you have." He countered, and I looked at him. "She came here knowing nothing about court. You have been here your whole life. You know what to do, how to behave… Even if you make fun of it all, you know what to do… What fork to use, which is dance is what... She didn't, and she had to learn it all from the ground up."

Wow… I'd never thought of it that way. On one hand, it made me respect all Myers' accomplished even more. On the other, it made me see he was right. I never fit in here because I'd never wanted to… But if I thought back to all I'd seen… I did know the basics, at least. Warmth surged through my chest, and I clapped Maxwell's back. "You're right. Thanks."

"Hug it out? It feels like a 'hug it out' moment." He grinned.

I rolled my eyes, but pulled him in for a brief hug nonetheless.

"Aww…" Hana giggled.

"Get in here." I told her, and she did.

After another brief group hug, we spent the rest of the afternoon on this. I know I wouldn't learn all I needed to in a single afternoon, but I still threw myself into it. For Myers, sure… but for me too.


After a lot of courtly training - which included how to give direct compliments, as opposed to 'nice place you've got here' - we made our way back to Penelope's estate. Once we got there, a servant offered to show us to our rooms, and began leading us through the enormous mansion, but when Maxwell and Hana spotted Penelope by the pool, they decided to go hangout with her for a bit.

I followed the servant to my room, which coincidentally was right next to Myers. I grinned as I realized this would make it easier for both of us to sneak into the other's room without anyone noticing. I thanked the servant and went inside my room, when it hit me… Was I supposed to tip the servants now? I forgot to tip the guy, but… I never tipped them before… Do I have to start tipping them now that I'm marrying Myers? I groaned. Nothing about the nobility was easy.

Hana's words echoed in my mind. 'When you marry Milla, you'll be a part of the nobility.'

I know, I know… I told myself, promising to ask Myers or Liam in the morning if I was supposed to tip the servants.

At that moment, my phone beeped, and it was a text from Liam asking if I wanted to get some dinner. I shot him back a text, and met him downstairs in a small, private dining room. When I got there, he was being updated by Jerry. I knocked, and as soon as he saw me, Liam beckoned me to come in.

"I'm sorry, Jerry." Liam apologized kindly, as I walked in.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Jerry bowed his head, before nodding at me. "Drake."

"Hey, Jerry." I offered him my hand, and he shook it.

"Congratulations on your engagement." My eyes darted to Liam, but his eyes were glued to a report in his hands. "Your old man would be proud."

"Thanks, Jerry." I told him uncomfortably. I knew Jerry didn't say it out of malice, and while he was fond of me, we weren't close enough for him to know about the whole mess between me, Myers and Liam.

Liam gestured for me to sit down next to him, and turned to me. "Jerry was just updating me on the King's Guard's latest conclusion regarding the assassin's video."

"Okay…"

Liam nodded and Jerry cleared his throat before speaking. "As I was telling his Majesty, King Liam, just a moment ago, our initial suspects, based on their choice of rhetoric, was the Liberation Core." I nodded. "However, upon further analysis, we realized we'd actually seen the location where it was possibly filmed before, in a video sent by the Sons of Earth last year. Bastien, as well as a contingent of agents, are preparing to leave right now to secure the location. We've called in forensic reinforcements from the capital, which should be at the location in less than an hour. We also have the cooperation of the local authorities as well. Our plan is to infiltrate the building, which has probably been abandoned by now, and gather as much evidence as he can."

I shared a worried look with Liam, and he gave me an imperceptible nod. I sighed. "Look, Liam, Jerry… I don't want to overstep, but… is Bastien really okay to lead this mission? His leg…" I looked at both of them pleadingly.

"We don't expect them to walk into any trouble, Drake. It's most likely the whole building has already been abandoned. These terrorist groups don't tend to stay in the same place for long." Jerry kindly told me. "The plan is, however, to comb through the entire place, looking for any evidence about their whereabouts or their next plan. We will also be in constant communication with Bastien and the others."

I nodded, slightly relieved. "Okay."

I knew this was the job. The risk, the danger, it was all a part of the job. And as the son of a guard, I knew every single member of the Royal guard - and their families - knew what they were getting into. But that didn't mean we liked it, that we didn't worry, especially when the situation or the case was particularly dangerous, like now. We were dealing with a literal terrorist group that had managed to successfully infiltrate the palace. And so… yeah, I was worried. Really worried. For Bastien, for Tanner, for Jerry, and for all who were going.

"They'll be safe, Drake."

"Thanks, Jerry. Will Mara be going?"

"No, Mara will be staying here, with Duchess Camilla."

"Good." Liam said. "Thank you, Jerry. Please, let me know when Bastien and the others come back right away. I wish to be updated on all their findings as soon as possible."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Jerry bowed, before clicking his heels and leaving the room.

As soon as he was gone, Liam slumped in his chair with a sigh.

"Tired?"

"Exhausted." He shook his head. "This whole… situation is very stressful."

"I know… But you're doing a great job. You've reassured your people, and you're doing everything in your power to keep them safe. And you're doing all the politicking with Myers to unite Cordonia."

Liam laughed ruefully. "I know. Thank you, Drake."

A couple of servants walked in the room, carrying two dinner plates, and set them down in front of us. I looked to Liam, who was already picking out one of the forks, but I knew that with the two of us here, I could just use any fork I wanted. After today's luncheon, this was exactly what I needed.

"So, speaking of politicking, Hana and Maxwell gave me courtly lessons today." I told him.

Liam's jaw dropped slightly. "You're joking."

"Nope. We spent the rest of the afternoon pretending Maxwell was a high lord and I had to impress him."

"Well, that's not far off from our current situation." He chuckled. "But Drake, I'm so sorry…"

"For what?"

"That's what I was doing today, with Camilla. Giving her diplomacy lessons. I honestly didn't think to invite you, because I didn't think you'd be interested. But if you are…"

I began waving away his concerns. "Don't worry about it." Liam had known me for close to twenty years now, and in all that time, I'd never once shown an interest in courtly life. Why would he assume I'd have one now?

"But I really am sorry, my friend."

"Liam, seriously. Don't worry about it." I shrugged.

"But if you'd like to learn-"

"Well, I don't really like to learn about this stuff, but I figured, since Myers and I… you know… And Hana and Maxwell offered. It was really spontaneous, it's not like I asked them for help or anything." He still looked unconvinced. "Anyway, it's better if you focus on Myers. She's a fast learner, and I know she really wants to step up and be the duchess you and Valtoria - and Cordonia, in general - deserve."

"Are you sure? If there's anything you'd like to learn, I'd happily-"

"Liam, it's fine. Myers taught me how to dance-"

"Yes, I noticed back at Madeleine's estate." He grinned.

I rolled my eyes, trying to fight off a blush. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, she taught me to dance, and Hana's trying to teach me how to talk. I think I'll be fine with that."

"Well… there might be a little more to diplomacy than that… but if you're sure…"

"I'm sure. Now, I only have one question."

"Of course."

"Am I supposed to tip the staff?"

Liam looked at me for a second, before bursting into laughter. A rich, full, genuine laughter that was so contagious, I couldn't help but join him. He actually teared up, and when his laughter finally subsided, he wiped at his eyes. I think he really needed that. To laugh at something simple. "That depends entirely on you. I usually tip the staff, especially if they've gone out of their way to do something special for me."

"You're the King, they always do something special for you."

"And I always tip them. It's my way of thanking them for their service and letting them know how much I appreciate them."

"You're right…" I kind of wanted to run out the door and find the guy who'd led him to my room earlier.

"If you listen closely, there's actually rumors amongst the staff about which members of court tip well and which don't." Liam told me.

"You're kidding."

"Not at all. Camilla, for instance, actually has a reputation for being a good tipper." Well, she was a waitress… "So do the Beaumonts. Duke Godfrey, on the other hand…" Liam raised his eyebrows as if saying 'yikes!'. "And I've heard Lord Neville never tips at all."

I scoffed. "I can't say I'm surprised at that."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Liam and I got up as a servant opened the door, and Landon and Emmeline stepped inside. Liam and I bowed, as Landon bowed and Emmeline curtsied.

"Your Majesty, we're so sorry to disturb you…" Emmeline began, but Liam waved away her concerns.

"Not at all, Your Grace. How can I help you?"

"Well, Landon and I were thinking that, if tomorrow is going to be a celebrity match, perhaps your friends would be inclined to join you on the field." She looked at me hopefully.

Okay…

"Yes, we were thinking that more of Cordonia's nobility's presence would be good to raise more awareness." Landon added.

"What an excellent idea!" Liam nodded enthusiastically. "And I know all of our friends, and all of the members of court would be agreeable to that. Don't you think so, Drake?"

"Right! Yeah, of course."

"So you will play as well, Mr. Walker?" Landon asked. "I'm sure it would be quite gripping to see you play against his Majesty and your fiance, Duchess Camilla."

"Yeah! No, of course I'll play."

"Are you sure you're alright to play?" Emmeline asked, sincere concern in her eyes. "We heard you'd injured your shoulder the night of the attack, and we don't want to force you if you're unable."

I shook my head. "Thank you, Emme- I mean, my lady."

She chuckled. "Emmeline is fine. Surely, we can dispense with all the protocol amongst friends."

"Oh, well, thank you, Emmeline. I'll, uh… call my doctor, and if she gives me a thumbs up, I'll definitely play tomorrow."

"Wonderful." Landon shook Liam's hand, and mine. "We were thinking of his Majesty, Duchess Camilla, Lady Hana, and Penelope on one team, and Drake, Lord Maxwell, Lord Rashad and Lord Neville on the other." Oh, boy… "If your doctor doesn't approve of you playing, we were considering asking Duchess Olivia or Countess Madeleine to take your place. But we really hope you are able to play."

"I'm sure Countess Madeleine would be more amenable to playing." Liam chuckled.

"But I'm sure it won't come to that. I'm sure I'll be able to play." I told them reassuringly.

"Thank you. We really appreciate this, Your Majesty." Emmeline inclined her head towards Liam.

He shook his head. "It's really no trouble. Anything we can do to help Portavira, we're happy to do."

"Thank you. We'll let you rest now. Have a good night." Emmeline said, and after a chorus of 'good night's and 'thank you's from me and Liam, they left.

We finished dinner, and I called Dr. Yonekura.

"Mr. Walker. How lovely to hear from you."

"Hey, doc."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was wondering… could I play polo?"

There was a long silence on the line. "You're asking me if you can play polo a week and a half after having surgery?"

"Yeah. It's for a good cause, and… Anyway, you'll see it in the news tomorrow."

The doctor sighed. "I guess I can't stop you, can I? Very well, you can play, but try not to use your left arm, if you can."

"Will do. Thanks, doc."

"How have you been feeling otherwise?"

"Great. I'm on the last week of the pain meds and antibiotics."

"Good. Have you needed the sleeping pills?"

"I…" I debated whether or not to tell her about the nightmares, but... "No, I haven't."

"Okay. Remember, if you need anything…"

"You have the best psychology department, yeah, I know."

That caused the good doc to chuckle. "Okay. Well if that's all, I wish you good night, Mr. Walker. I look forward to seeing you in the news tomorrow."

"Yeah, thanks, doc. Have a good night."

"You as well."

I hung up, and Liam immediately asked me, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I can play, as long as I don't use my left arm too much."

"Great. Should we go tell the others?"

"Yeah, let's go."

At that exact moment, both of our phones buzzed. We looked at each other, before looking at our respective screens. It was a text from Hana in the group chat. "Strategy meeting in my room in five!"

Liam chuckled, and I shrugged, before we exited the dining room. I made sure to tip the staff this time, before leaving. We made our way to the east wing of the estate, where we were all staying, only to find Maxwell, Hana and Myers walking into the hallway from the other side. I couldn't help but notice how Myers had already changed out of the gown, and into some jeans and a simple navy blue top.

Myers' eyes lit up as she saw us. "What's all this? Are we having a sleepover?"

"Hana, you told us this was a strategy meeting." I shot her a pointed look.

She merely rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Relax, Drake. I invited everyone over to brainstorm. We need to make sure tomorrow's polo match is a success!"

"About that-"

"About that-"

Myers and Liam spoke up at the same time. They both looked at each other, before chuckling.

"Please, Camilla. You go first."

"Thanks. I was going to say that… this might come as a shock to you all, but I've never played polo."

I was about to offer to teach her when Hana beat me to it. "If you're feeling nervous, I know how we can get you ready."

"Does it involve a time machine? Because I'm a few years short on practice." Myers quipped.

"How would that even work?" I asked. "You can't travel back in time and change the year we met. That's already set in stone."

"No, but she could travel back in time to her horse phase years and ask her father to pay for lessons." Liam offered, grinning teasingly.

"Or she could travel forward through time to tomorrow, and play polo over and over again until she's mastered it! And then come back to now." Maxwell countered.

Hana cleared her throat politely, steering us back to the issue at hand. "I was thinking of something more accessible. Nobody's using the polo field until tomorrow, so there's nothing stopping us from going over there now. I could show the basics and we can work on your form. Get out all those pre-game jitters out!"

"Aw, Hana really? You'd do that for me?"

"Of course, Milla!"

Myers pulled her in for a quick hug. "Thank you! Okay, Hana, take me under your wing! Make me a polo champion!" We all laughed, before Myers spoke up again. "What were you going to say, Liam?"

"Right. Well, Penenlope's parents came to speak with me about the match when I returned to the estate."

"Are they getting us front-row seats?" Maxwell asked excitedly.

The corners of Liam's mouth twitched. "You could say that… They want us all to play."

"Wait… we're all playing?" Myers asked.

Liam nodded. "Apparently our offer to participate made Emmeline and Landon rethink the nature of the match. For an exhibition game like this, the more well-known the participants, the better. They've asked several other nobles to join as well. It'll be Camilla, Hana, Penelope and myself on one team..."

Hana smirked. "An excellent team!"

Liam returned her enthusiastic smile with one of his own. His competitive side was showing a bit there. "...Playing against Drake, Maxwell, Rashad, and Neville."

I groaned inwardly, dreading the thought of having to play with Neville.

"Team Underdogs! I can work with that!" Maxwell cheered, clapping me on my good shoulder.

"I can ride a horse, you know." I rolled my eyes.

"It's not you I'm worried about, it's just… you and Neville. As a combo." He explained.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I told him, shaking my head a bit. I mean, yeah, I'm dreading this, but I can control myself, you know…

"Wait a second." Myers cut in. "Drake, are you sure you can even play polo?" She asked, worry coloring her eyes. "Your stitches…"

"Don't worry about it, Myers. I already called Dr. Yonekura and she gave me the okay."

She didn't look entirely convinced, but nodded nonetheless.

"I'm sure everyone wants to win," Liam said, "but remember, this game is about raising as much relief money as we can. Not just for the sake of the Unity Tour, but for Portavira." He looked at each of us intently, using his King's voice.

Hana nodded in agreement. "Liam is right. We need to draw a crowd."

"Say no more! I've been practicing riding stunts for a moment like this." Maxwell added.

Myers raised an eyebrow quizzically. "For a charity polo match at Penelope's place?"

"For a moment… similar to this." Maxwell winked at her. "Anyway, I can almost do that move in cowboy shootouts where they hang off the side of the saddle."

That literally only happens in movies. If the saddle was remotely that loose in real life, you'd risk falling off your horse and getting trampled or die. "Or, here's a crazy idea… we could just play to win."

"Where's the showmanship in that?" Maxwell rolled his eyes at me.

"I'm with Drake. I'm going to kick all of your butts!" Myers teased, her competitive side rearing its head. And you can imagine how competitive she is, since this was coming from a woman who seconds ago just admitted she'd never played polo before in her life! You had to have a lot of nerve - or a lot of confidence in yourself, which Myers had in spades - to do something like that.

I chuckled. "And I'm literally going to knock Neville off his high horse."

"But he's your teammate." Hana looked at me with wide eyes.

"What's your point?" I asked, causing Myers to chuckle.

Maxwell merely sighed, shaking his head. "Team Underdogs is off to a classic, rocky start."

"I'll be honest. A win from Camilla and my team will certainly get the press's attention…" Liam began, "But we all need to give this match our best effort. The crowd will want to see a real competition. I know Hana and Drake have played polo before-"

"Drake's played polo?" Myers' jaw dropped.

I shrugged. "You can't grow up at the palace without someone talking you into it."

Liam grinned impishly. "I take full responsibility for that."

"And I've played once or twice for House Beaumont… Well, back when we had more cash… before the family stable had to go." Maxwell grimaced. I clapped my hand to his shoulder and squeezed.

"And I will be teaching Camilla the basics tonight." Hana rounded us off. "Milla, do you know how to score?"

"Oh, sure, you have to hit the ball through the goal… from the top of a horse…" She said nervously.

"Right!" Hana cheered.

Maxwell sighed. "Okay… If anybody needs me, I'll be watching polo videos on the internet."

"I'll be sleeping. Like a normal person." I pressed a kiss to Myers' temple.

"I could use some rest as well. Goodnight, everyone." Liam nodded, before making his way to his room.

Maxwell hugged each of us goodbye, and I nodded towards Hana, wishing her a goodnight. She discreetly excused herself, telling Milla she'd be waiting for her in the stables.

I turned to Myers, wrapping her in my arms. "Come back to my room after you and Hana are done, if you can."

"Of course." A mischievous smile played upon her lips. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

I chuckled, before pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "I'll be waiting then."

Myers pulled me in for a slow, longing kiss that was full of promise, before stepping away, and making her way towards the stables. I watched her walk away, shamelessly enjoying the view, and as she turned a corner, she gave me a final smirk. I grinned back at her, before opening my door and going to bed.

We all had a big day tomorrow.