Moments in Between

by DalishEssence

You know, I never once resented my best friend and that's saying a lot, considering he's the Crown Prince of Cordonia. That changed the night Camilla Myers walked into our lives and changed them forever. She was supposed to be one of his suitors. She turned out to be everything I'd never known I wanted. And for the first time... I resented my best friend. (Royal Romance Drake POV)

35. Chapter 35

Hopes and Dreams

"Drake… Drake! DRAKE!"

I turned, the ballroom in absolute chaos. Camilla was right there again, a few steps away from me.

This is a dream, I realized.

Said realization did nothing to calm me in the face of the assassin pointing his gun at Myers.

This is a dream…

But no, he pulled the trigger and the bullet was slowly but surely making its way to her heart. I could see it clearly from where I was standing.

"No!" I ran as fast as I could, tackling her out of the way as the bullet pierced my skin. And yet, there was nothing I could do but watch as Camilla seemed to disappear from view.

"Camilla!" I yelled, pressing a hand to my shoulder in order to stop the bleeding.

"Drake!" She called again.

I turned around and made my way to the vault.

The vault?

In the Nevrakis Keep.

"I trusted you!" Her voice floated from somewhere beyond.

I tried to follow it, to run, but I was so tired… Blood dripped down my arm and off my other elbow as I tried and failed to staunch the bleeding.

"There are so many vital details to be learned…"

I had to keep going, to run.

I came upon the vault just in time to watch it collapse over her head.

I woke up with a jolt.

"Ssh… Ssh… Look at me." A pair of deep brown eyes held my gaze. "Breathe." Myers sat up behind me, wrapping her arms around my chest and pressing her chest to my back. "Breathe with me. In… Out… In…"

I breathed with her, letting the rise and fall of her chest guide the rise and fall of mine.

"There you go…" Myers said after a while, before shifting to sit next to me again.

"Myers…" I pulled her in, needing to feel her close.

Myers hugged me right back just as tightly, and let me hold her for as long as I needed to. When we finally pulled apart, Myers tenderly brushed some hair from my eyes. "Are you okay? It's… been a while since you had such a bad one…" She murmured.

"I'm fine…" I shook my head. "I'm okay."

"Okay… Come here." She laid back down and pulled my head to her chest. "Wanna talk about it?"

I shook my head. "Nothing much to say. It was the ballroom again. Followed by the Nevrakis Vault."

"The Nevrakis Vault…" she sighed.

"I didn't get to you in time. The charges went off and… I couldn't save you."

"I'm sorry…"

I shook my head, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "It's not your fault."

She sighed. "Yeah, so you keep telling me."

"Myers. It's not your fault." I told her firmly.

Myers looked at me for a moment, before deciding to let it go. "Okay."

"Did I wake you?" Myers pressed her lips together. I groaned. "Myers…"

"Hey… if it makes you feel better, I was starting to doze off before I felt you stirring…" She gave me a toothy grin.

"Camilla…"

"Drake." She cut me off with a stern stare. "It's okay. It's getting better. We're going to get better. Because we're in our home. Nothing is going to get to us here."

I sighed, really wanting to believe her. "Okay."

"Okay. Now… let's both try to get some sleep. We need to be well rested for the tour tomorrow."

---

Tomorrow came quicker than I would've liked.

It was the day after we'd arrived in Valtoria, and Bastien arrived, officially out of the hospital. He, along with the rest of the King's Guard, accompanied Liam, Myers and I as we officially toured the capital city of the duchy: Ardestan.

"It means 'great forest by the still waters'," Liam told us in the car, as he gave us a rundown of the capital's history, geography and people.

The city was nothing like most cities I'd ever seen; a damn near perfect blend of urban architecture and flourishing nature. There were massive skyscrapers in many corners, just as there were tall trees along every sidewalk, providing shade to pedestrians. In almost every entrance to the buildings there were bushes or grass or flower beds. It was as if the city respected and peacefully coexisted with the natural surroundings of the Duchy. And behind it all was the backdrop of the Valtoria Mountain Range.

"Wow!" Myers was absolutely ecstatic as she stared out the window.

We arrived at city hall, being greeted by the press and people alike. After a small press conference, where Liam and Myers made it clear they'd address Anton in the next press conference, we met the governor of Valtoria and his husband. After a small private luncheon - where Myers was, of course able to charm them, and I somehow managed not to fumble - they personally gave us a tour of city hall and the most prominent historical buildings in the city.

We rode in convertible cars through the streets, and I was astounded by the sheer amount of people in the streets, people who'd come out in hopes to get a mere glimpse of us. Their cheering was thunderous as they called out for Camilla and Liam, and I still couldn't help but be shocked that they screamed my name too. All through the streets there seemed to be choruses of "Camilla! Drake!" or "Duchess Camilla! Duke Drake! Look over here!"

Through it all, Myers right there beside me, holding my hand. She smiled and waved and got out of the car a couple of times to shake hands with people and take selfies or accept flowers from children. Mara was always next to her, of course, and there were police officers everywhere.

"She's like Cordonia's own Lady Di." Mara commented at one point.

"That… is actually a very accurate comparison." Liam nodded in agreement. "But, truth be told… She actually reminds me of my mother in that sense."

"The crowds always went crazy around Eleanor…" Bastien mumbled under his breath, his eyes scanning the crowd.

I thought back to when I was a kid. To how kind and pretty Liam's mom was. To how much my own mom admired her and how my dad used to say he could barely control the crowds around Eleanor. As I looked at Myers and how she drew in the crowd, I couldn't help but agree.

---

As the days passed, we continued settling in the duchy nicely. As Gladys suggested, we spent the next few days exploring the keep, getting acquainted with our new home and getting to know the staff. Some of the staff almost got dangerously close to getting to know us a little too intimately, given there were a couple times Myers and I were almost caught, er… christening several different rooms as we discovered them.

"Hey, what good is a brand new castle if we can't have crazy, wild, animal sex in every single room?" Myers joked when we were alone.

The day after the tour of the capital, we took the guys to the field for a bonfire picnic. I made a fire - with all the necessary safety precautions, of course; we wouldn't want to start a forest fire three days after getting here - and we brought food and drinks and blankets, and Myers told the guys all about her sports park idea.

Liam thought it was a marvelous idea and they immediately began talking logistics. She asked how she could make that happen and he began an impromptu tax lesson with the means for investing in her citizens. Hana and Maxwell also contributed to the conversation; Hana with a shrewd business-like perspective of how to optimize funds and Maxwell offering some surprisingly incredible suggestions for the design of the park itself. Myers and I listened intently, and it got to a point where I felt we should have been taking notes. I looked at Myers and knew she felt the same way. Before the lesson got too overwhelming however, we took a break to eat lunch. We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the picnic with our friends.

The next day, Bertrand and my sister arrived in Valtoria with the baby. I hugged Savannah tightly as Myers held Bartie, cooing over the little man. After all the hugs hello, Bertrand wanted to get to work immediately, but Myers actually put her foot down and told him work can wait for later. He sputtered at first, but was convinced when Myers told him she wanted to give them the grand tour personally.

We showed them around the estate, Myers walking two steps ahead of us with Bertrand and Bartie, while I hung back with Savannah.

"So… what's the deal with you and Bertrand?" I asked

Savannah immediately clicked her tongue. "You had to ask, didn't you? You couldn't wait until after the tour, at least?"

"Well, I mean, you guys got here together, I just wanted to know if…"

"We're… It's complicated. We're talking almost everyday and he's been coming over frequently, to see Bartie." Savannah's lips quirked into an involuntary smile that disappeared when she noticed I was staring at her. "Anyway, for now, we mostly drove here together for convenience's sake. Why pay for two different cars and drivers when we can ride up together, right?"

"... Right."

She took that and immediately changed the subject. "So… your duchy is beautiful! This estate, the grounds…"

I sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."

"I think you and Milla are going to be very happy here."

"Yeah… Thanks, sis."

On our fourth day in Valtoria, Myers got up at the crack of dawn out of sheer excitement. I woke to her slightly-off-key singing in the shower, and when she came out she had the audacity to ask, "Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

I gave her a deadpan stare.

"I did… sorry." She smiled apologetically, before taking off her towel and jumped on the bed next to me with a squeal. Her hair was wet and the smell of coconut wafted off of her as she straddled me.

"Well, if this is how you make it up to me, you can screech in the shower every morning if you like."

Myers slapped my right shoulder playfully. "Hey! I'm not that bad."

"You were a little pitchy."

"Well excuse me, Mr. I have-the-voice-of-a-rugged-angel. Not all of us were born to sing in a barbershop quartet, you know." She leaned down to press a quick kiss on my lips. I cupped the back of her neck and deepened the kiss. Myers began laughing against my mouth as she tried to push me away. "Oh, no, Walker. I can't do this right now. I have a fitting in twenty minutes."

"More than enough time." I mumbled against her mouth.

"Awfully cocky, aren't you?" I could feel her grin against my mouth.

"Is that a challenge, Myers?" I ducked down to kiss her jaw and down her neck.

She sighed, and when I peeked at her face, her eyes were closed. "... M-Maybe."

"I'll be more than happy to step up to the plate…" I murmured, my lips still on her skin and my hands running all over her body.

"Mmm… yeah- no!" She pushed me away with a grin. "I can't be late today, Drake. Hana and Savannah are waiting for me! And I'm starving. I want to get breakfast real quick."

I groaned, immediately releasing her. "You are an evil woman, Myers. I mean, you can't just…" I motioned to her naked body on top of mine, "torture me this way."

"I'll make it up to you later tonight." Myers pressed a final kiss to my lips, then my cheeks, then my forehead, before swinging her leg over me and walking away.

As she began to dress for the day, I sat back and enjoyed the view. "So your fitting's today? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I forgot to mention it last night," Myers absently ran a comb through her hair. "Madeleine called me last night to let me know that Ana de Luca, who's designing my dress - or well, dresses - as well as Hana's and the bridesmaids' dresses, will be coming by today for a couple of fittings."

"She called you from the hospital?"

"Yep. She never seems to stop working, that one." Myers shrugged. "When I tried to turn the conversation around and asked her how she was feeling, she told me she was recovering well and to 'please focus and pay attention to the matter at hand'." Myers snickered.

"Wow…" Madeleine was even worse than Myers at taking time off. "Wait, did you say you were trying on more than one dress?"

"Um…" Myers blushed. "Yeah, actually. Apparently, Ana is designing one for the ceremony, another one for the reception and my trousseau." She grinned at that.

"Your what?"

"My trousseau. It's…" She narrowed her eyes impishly as she slipped into a casual lilac dress. It took me a second to realize it was the one I'd gotten her. As she noticed me staring, her grin widened. "You know what? I'm not telling you. If you really wanna know, look it up, big boy."

With that, she took her phone from the nightstand, pressed one last quick kiss to my forehead and left the room with a wink. I immediately reached for my phone and was about to google it, when I got a text from Maxwell.

"Hiya! Breakfast in the solarium?"

"Sure, what time?"

"I'm here with Liam now! Avo toast waits for no one!"

I sighed. "Sure. Be right down."

I got up, got in the shower and got dressed as quickly as possible. I was hungry. I practically ran down the stairs and true enough, Liam and Maxwell were having breakfast already.

Liam smiled when he saw me coming. "Good morning, Drake."

"Morning." I muttered, sitting down.

Maxwell looked at me and frowned. "Oof. What happened to you? You're looking rough."

I shook my head. "I'm just tired. I was planning on sleeping in, but Myers woke me up nearly at the crack of dawn."

"Ah, right." Liam nodded. "She has her first fitting this morning."

I stared at him for a second, a little… uncomfortable that he knew that when I'd just found out this morning. "Uh, yeah. That's right." I turned to Maxwell. "Hey, whose idea was it for her to get two wedding dresses?"

Maxwell was in the middle of chewing and he swallowed quickly in order to answer me. "Oh, it was Ana's! She asked Bertrand and he approved. Said it was a 'splendid idea'." He deepened his voice in order to sound like Bertrand.

"But why?"

"Well, since Camilla has become such a sensation here in Cordonia, and worldwide, it's actually an amazing opportunity for Ana. Not every fashion designer can say that they designed not one, but two wedding dresses for Cordonia's most famous duchess. She will get worldwide recognition in the fashion industry." Liam told me.

"Right." I nodded. "I guess I'm a little surprised Myers went along with it. She doesn't really care about that stuff, y'know?"

Liam and Maxwell shared a look.

"Uh… I think this time she does." Maxwell said, raising his eyebrows in a way that said that I was missing something pretty obvious. "It's her wedding, Drake! Her wedding to you!"

"I know that, Maxwell."

"What he means is that… even though Camilla is not generally a vain woman… She wants to look her best for this occasion. For you." Liam looked down and quickly reached for his cup of coffee.

"She doesn't need two wedding dresses for that." I shrugged. I mean, I wasn't complaining. If she wanted to get two wedding dresses, fine by me. But it wasn't necessary. She could walk down the aisle in an oversized brown paper bag and I'd still think she was the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on.

Holy shit Myers, what have you done to me? I shook my head, a small smile creeping up on my lips.

"Yes, well." Liam cleared his throat. "I think it's a marvelous idea. She seems very happy."

I sighed. "Yeah… at the end of the day, that's the only thing I want." Another thought popped into my mind. "Hey, what's a trousseau? Myers said Ana was designing tha-"

Liam choked on his coffee.

He began coughing violently, so much so Maxwell began clapping his back forcefully, and I almost got up and was about to start the Heimlich maneuver.

"I'm fine." He croaked, still coughing slightly. His eyes were watering and he wiped them quickly.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yes." He tried to clear his throat. "I'm okay." He stood, fixing his tie, and looked at his watch. "I have to go now. I have a meeting that starts in a few minutes and I need to prepare. And, uh, change this shirt. I will see you all later." With that, he turned on his heel and practically ran out of the room.

"What was that about?" I mumbled.

Maxwell once again looked at me as if the answer was obvious. "Do you really not know?"

"No."

Maxwell sighed. "Maybe the mention of Milla… in a trousseau…"

"Maxwell, I don't know what that is."

"It's lingerie, Drake. For the wedding night? You know… bow chicka wow wow!"

My eyebrows shot up. So it was lingerie. For the wedding night.

For our wedding night…

Liam's reaction suddenly made a lot more sense.

I groaned, covering my face with my hand. "Shit. Should I… should I go talk to him?"

Maxwell shook his head. "No. I think it's best to give him time, you know?"

I sighed. "I guess."

"Liam will be okay, Drake." Maxwell clapped my shoulder, shooting me a sympathetic look. "But now, let's get back to our food. Then we can take a walk around the grounds!" He yelled enthusiastically. A little too enthusiastically.

"Um… sure… But why are you so…"

Maxwell sighed. "Well… Liam's gone so it's going to be a lot easier if I just tell you. Milla asked us to keep you busy and make sure you don't go snooping to get a glimpse at the dresses."

I rolled my eyes. "Maxwell, I'm not a child. I wasn't going to go anywhere near… wherever she's having her fitting."

"So you're not even a little curious? 'Cause I know I was first in line to say yes to the dress, but then she asked me this favor." He gasped. "Hey, if you promise you won't go snooping, I might still be able to get there in time!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah! I really wanted to be there! Not for the trousseau part!" He added quickly.

I fought an almost instinctive eye roll, since I knew how much he cared about Myers. And I could see he really wanted to be there. He'd always been there in the boutique with Myers since day one. It was sort of their thing. Why should her wedding dress be any different? "Fine. Go."

"Thank you!" He scrambled up off his chair and then stopped at the door suddenly. "Uh, promise you won't go anywhere near the boutique?"

"Yes, Maxwell. I promise. I think I'll take that walk around the grounds you suggested."

"Cool, great, thanks, see ya!" With that, he bolted out the door. A second later, he stuck his head in again. "Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I talked to Milla's friend, Hailey. Everything's set for your bachelor/bachelorette extravaganza!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, we leave the day after the Lantern Festival! Gotta go, gotta say yes to the dress, see ya, bye!" With that, he darted out again.

"O...kay, bye, Maxwell." I shook my head and chuckled to myself.

As I sat there alone, I couldn't help my own giddiness as I thought of what Myers was doing right now, and now that I finally knew what a bloody trousseau was... My mind instantly supplied a dozen different pictures of Myers in red silk bra and panties, or white corsets with garters, or lacy black bustiers. That coupled with the memories of just this morning, where she mercilessly teased me with her wet naked body… I groaned. Best not to go there, or else I was going to find myself very frustrated, and it might just cause me to break my promise to Maxwell about not snooping.

Nope, better go on that walk and soon. As in, now. I decided a ride around the estate might do me good, and it'd give me the chance to explore the tougher trails I couldn't bring Myers to yet.

I made my way down to the stables, only to be surprised by Liam talking to Alister.

"... you've been working here for the past twenty years?"

"Almost twenty, Your Majesty. I st-" Alister caught my eye. "Hello, Drake."

I stepped inside. "Hey, Alister. Morning. Liam, I uh… thought you had a meeting."

He shot me an embarrassed smirk. "I, uh…"

I shook my head. "It's okay… Wanna go for a ride?"

He nodded.

"Alister, can you prepare a horse for King Liam, please? I'll prepare Lone Star."

Alister nodded and we both got to work. He saddled a brown stallion for Liam, and I got Lone Star ready. A few minutes later, we were on the trails.

We rode in silence for a bit, until it got stifling.

He decided to break it first. "Drake, I… I'm sorry about this morning. Running out the way I did."

"It's okay. But… wanna tell me what was going through your head?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

I wasn't going to take that. I knew this thing was going to be hard for him, but the wedding was a week away, and I didn't want… things to be weird with my oldest friend.

My best friend.

"Was it Camilla? What I said about the…"

He sighed. "Drake…"

"You can tell me."

"No, I can't!" Liam snapped suddenly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a deep sigh. "I can't… I can't talk to you about this, Drake. You're my best friend, and I love you, and I'm so happy for you," he rambled. "But I can't…"

"Hey. It's okay. I get it. I shouldn't have pushed it. And for what it's worth… I'm sorry."

"Drake, you don't need to apologize. That was not…" He sighed again. "I don't want you to feel guilty for marrying Camilla. I don't. I'm only saying… this is something I have to work through without your help."

Okay… that's fair, I guess. I mean, I stole the woman he loved and he still talked to me and looked me in the eye. The least I can do is give him more time.

"Okay. I just don't want…"

"It won't." He told me. "Has our friendship been affected so far?"

"Well, no. But-"

"We're fine, Drake. Our friendship is still strong. I just need some time."

Now it was my turn to sigh. "I know. I understand. And I'm sorry about earlier. I really didn't know what… that thing was."

That actually earned me a chuckle. "It's okay. I'm sorry, for reacting the way I did."

"You had me worried there for a second." We both laughed.

"Well, I'm sorry for worrying you."

We got quiet as we got to a particularly steep part of the trail, both of us focused on leading our horses. The mountain air around us was crisp this early in the morning, a stark contrast to the sun, which warmed us up as we rode. Around us, birds were chirping and in the distance, you could hear rushing water from the river. I took a deep breath, taking it all in.

We kept on riding in silence, both of us lost in thought.

Once more, Liam broke the silence after a few moments. "The other day, in Lythikos…"

"Yeah?"

"When Mara and I knocked on Camilla's door… I was actually surprised to find you there as well."

"Liam…"

He didn't seem to hear me and kept going. "In retrospect, I don't understand why I was surprised. I should have expected…"

I thought you didn't want to talk about this with me…

He seemed to read my mind, as he answered that unspoken question. "I know I said I couldn't talk to you about this, but then again… I thought I should at least try."

He looked at me then, and I nodded.

Liam took that as his cue to continue. "Anyway, I still don't know why it surprised me so. I know you're getting married. I know the wedding is a week away."

I sighed. "I know it too, and I still don't believe it."

Another beat of silence.

"It doesn't hurt as much anymore." Liam said quietly. I looked at him questioningly. "When I see you both together."

"Ah." I pressed my lips together. "That's good… right?"

"I suppose. Yes."

"Good…"

Hello, silence, my old friend...

"I really am happy for you." He said finally.

"I know. Thank you." I cleared my throat.

Liam also cleared his throat, before chuckling awkwardly. "So… Last one to reach the top of the hill owes the other ten push-ups?"

I grinned. "You're on."

---

And so the days passed quickly as we all tried to get our bearings. The rest of the court trickled in slowly, arriving during the course of the week. Soon, before we knew it, it was the morning of the inaugural ball. Myers and I were woken up relatively early, not by Gladys or Maxwell, but by Hana.

Anxiousness radiated off of her in waves as she told us that she'd invited her parents for the ball, rambling - Hana… rambling - of how she'd done it mostly out of formality, and that she never thought they'd actually accept, given how they hadn't spoken to her since she stood up to them back in China. That had been over a month ago.

For a second there, I couldn't help but hate them. They hadn't spoken to their daughter for a month, even if in said month their daughter had been present for not one, but two terrorist attacks in another country. They hadn't had the decency to call her, even if it was just to ask if she was okay or safe or even alive! All because she'd told them where to stick their two suitors.

"Hana, maybe they're coming all this way to apologize…" Myers suggested.

Hana wasn't convinced. Myers and I tried to reassure her some more, before Hana reminded Myers she had an appointment in the boutique with Bertrand in an hour. Myers immediately suggested breakfast as a way to get Hana's mind off her parents, or if that failed, to strategize how they were going to play it.

And so that's what we did.

We had breakfast in the solarium, along with Liam and Maxwell. As we all ate and conversation flowed, Myers lost track of time, and soon enough, she was running out of the solarium, late.

"Holy crap, Bertrand's gonna kill me!" She hastily wiped her mouth and stood. She pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before waving at the guys. "Gotta go, love ya, bye!" Myers bolted out of there before I could even mutter an 'I love you, too.'

"And then there were four." Maxwell muttered.

"And since we are here, just the four of us, I wanted to discuss something with you guys!" Hana smiled. "I once heard of this wonderful American wedding tradition-"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Maxwell raised his hand in the air. "Is it that saying about weddings and something old and true or something?"

Hana giggled. "Close. To get married, the bride must have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue."

"Why blue?" Liam asked, puzzled.

They all turned to me.

I shrugged. "Don't look at me, I have no idea why it has to be blue."

"Anyhow…" Hana shook her head. "I was thinking we each could gift Milla something old, new, borrowed or blue!"

"Yeeeeeessss! Hana, you're a genius!" Maxwell yelled.

"Was that ever in question?" Liam chuckled.

"Nope. Anyway, I like it. I'm in." I nodded towards Hana, who shot me an enthusiastic smile.

"Me too." Liam added.

"Me three!" Maxwell practically jumped in his chair and suddenly gasped deeply. "I call the 'something old'! I have something really old- I'd have to call Bertrand now to see if he could call the staff at Ramsford to find it before the wedding, but yeah! It'll be perfect!"

Hana giggled. "Very well, Maxwell. I have to admit that I designed something for Milla, for the wedding…" She paused, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "But now that I think about it… my something would look marvelous in blue! I was going to propose it be her something new, but…"

"What is it?" I asked.

Hana shook her head. "It's a surprise. It will be a lovely blue surprise."

"Okay, that's fair, I guess." I nodded, thinking about what my 'something' could be. I mean, Myers' engagement was my grandmother's, but it was hers now so it couldn't exactly be her 'something borrowed'. It could be her 'something old', but Maxwell had already called that. I tried to think about what my something could be… I wanted it to be meaningful, something to let her know how much I loved her and trusted her.

And then it hit me.

My father's pocket watch.

It was… one of the only things I had left from my dad. And it meant the world to me.

I pictured Myers walking down the aisle with it and my chest tightened. Because not only would it show her how much I trust her, but it would be like… like having a piece of my dad with me there that day.

I cleared my throat, reminding myself to breathe. "I, uh… have something she could borrow."

Hana nodded. "Great."

"So that leaves me with 'something new'." Liam grinned.

"Yep." Maxwell grinned. "Milla's gonna love this."

"I hope so!" Hana squealed excitedly.

"So we're all in agreement, then?" Liam asked. We all nodded. "Right, then, we should be getting ready for the ball."

Maxwell turned to me. "Hey, Drake, have you thought about what you were going to wear for today?"

"Uh… yeah. I was thinking of wearing my dad's tux. The grey one."

"Oh yeah!" Maxwell nodded.

"The one you wore to Liam's Coronation." Hana said.

"That's right." I nodded.

"That's great. You looked very handsome in that tuxedo." Hana conceded with a nod.

"Thanks, Hana."

"Well, if you have your tuxedo already picked out, would you like to practice your grand entrance?" Liam suggested.

I groaned. "Not really."

"Ye- aww…" Maxwell puffed his chest with excitement before deflating.

"Drake, I strongly advise at least a bit of practice." Liam pressed.

"Yeah, come on! You've got the three of us now!" Maxwell jumped and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"We could continue our diplomacy lessons…" Hana pondered. "You did very well after our micro-lesson in Portavira, and some more practice couldn't hurt."

"Especially considering that, as the future Duke of Valtoria, you will have to do a fair share of… mingling today." Liam added.

I groaned petulantly again.

"Come on!" Maxwell squeezed my shoulders and I knew exactly what was coming.

"Don't-"

"Drake! Drake! Drake! Drake!"

"... chant my name. Fine! Fine."

"Great!" Hana squealed. "Shall we go to the ballroom? I'm sure the staff won't mind as long as we don't get in the way."

"Let's go!" Maxwell pulled me up and began pushing me out the door.

"Maxwell, I can walk by myself!"

"Oh, sorry!"

We walked towards the ballroom, which already looked amazing. The staff had already polished and placed the phoenix statues next to Myers' throne and around the room. And on top of that, they had already hung the banners, too. They were currently setting the tables and vacuuming the carpet and arranging the centerpieces, but the space from the door to the throne was clear.

"Okay, so…" I looked to Liam.

"Right, so… Well the court will already be in attendance by the time Camilla makes grand entrance. She will come in through this door," he pointed to the arch where we'd just come through, "and you should be waiting here with us. As soon as she comes in, you'll greet her and escort her to the throne. So, let's start there. Hana, will you fill in for Camilla, please?"

"Of course." Hana walked towards the hallway, before emerging from the arch.

Liam cleared his throat and shot me a pointed look.

"Oh! Right!" I walked towards Hana. "My, erm… lady."

"Drake." She curtsied, and I offered her my arm.

Hana took it and we walked towards the throne, while Maxwell cupped his hands over her mouth and exhaled loudly, to mimic a crowd cheering.

"Woo, go Drake and Camilla! You're so amazing!"

I rolled my eyes and Hana laughed as we arrived on the throne. "Okay, what now?" I turned to Liam.

"Now, Camilla will present her welcoming speech as the Duchess of Valtoria, and you'll both have to greet the members of court in a receiving line. After that, it is merely mingling, dancing and eating." Liam answered.

So it's basically like all the other balls we've ever been to… we need to practice why exactly? I sighed. "Okay. Great. I can do this."

"You will have to make the rounds this time, Drake." Liam told me. "Greet and speak to every noble in the room, have drinks with some of them, dance with others, not just Camilla. Would you like to practice your small talk?"

I would have laughed out loud if I couldn't see by his face that Liam was completely serious.

Thankfully, Hana bailed me out. "I don't think that will be necessary." She smiled kindly at me. "Drake has improved significantly since the beginning of the tour, and he already knows most of the court. They've also warmed up to him considerably since the duel. I don't think he'll have any problem at all hosting tonight."

Aww… "Thanks, Hana. I appreciate it."

Liam chuckled, before nodding. "Very well. If there's nothing more to be done I should get going. Regina is arriving in a bit, and I want to be there to greet her."

"Regina?" I asked. "She's coming? I thought… She was going to take some time off, after… Constantine."

Liam shook his head. "No. While she didn't go to Lythikos for that particular reason, she said it was important for her to be seen today, in support of Camilla."

"How is she?" Hana asked.

Liam sighed. "She's… struggling. But she's trying to be strong."

"I'm sorry, Liam."

"Thank you, Hana. Now, I really should go now. I'll see you all at the ball." With a nod, he left.

"Okay, then… what time is it?" I took out my phone and looked at the time.

"It's almost eleven." Maxwell said.

"And this thing stars at…?"

"Noon." Hana said. "We should go get dressed and ready."

And so we did. We made our way up the stairs of the keep, and I continued up to the master suite. Once inside, I went into my walk-in closet, which already held my clothes - although not nearly enough to fill the whole closet - before taking out my dad's grey suit.

I laid it out on the bed, before looking out the window. The balcony looked so inviting, and if I was going to spend the whole day schmoozing up to nobles…

You know, you're going to be a noble in one week…

I know! Can you just… let me relax for a minute before bringing that up again?

I sighed, fighting with my conscience. But if I was going to do this, I needed some air. With that thought in mind, I walked out into the balcony and let the cool mountain air calm me down.

Except it didn't calm me down.

I couldn't stop thinking about what Liam had told me, and suddenly, all of Madeleine's notes flashed through my mind.

Godfrey, Duke of Karlington in England and Krona in Cordonia, stuck up, doesn't like commoners.

Adelaide, Duchess of Krona, loves gossip, a stiff drink and Maxwell. Maybe I can have him as a wingman when I approach her.

Madeleine… wait, will Madeleine be here today? Forgot to ask Myers if she's been released from the hospital.

Landon, Duke of Portavira, loving father, caring duke, and former polo player. Remember to ask how the relief efforts are going.

Emmeline, Duchess of Portavira, hardworking duchess, loving mom, a former fixture at court.

Penelope, heir to Duchy Portavira, suffers from anxiety, and loves poodles. Merlin and Morgana are her latest emotional support poodles. Must remember their names!

Hakim, Duke of Castelsarreillan, world-class diplomat, make sure to ask about Cordonia's entry into the International Art Association.

Joelle, Duchess of Castelsarreillan, world-class artist, so maybe talk about that? I'm doomed here. Approach her with Myers or Hana.

Ezequiel, heir to Duchy Castelsarreillan, loves animals, actually a nice guy.

Kiara, wants to work in the Foreign Ministry, speaks multiple languages, got stabbed in Homecoming Ball, suffers from PTSD manifesting in insomnia.

And so many others, on and on I went.

Okay, enough, enough! I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Why was I so nervous? I'd spoken to these people before.

But not when you're hosting.

Because I'm hosting. With Myers. Because this is our Duchy.

Holy shit.

I took in several deep breaths, trying to calm down.

I can do this. I can do this.

Without a thought in my mind, I picked up my phone and called Myers.

She picked up after the fourth ring. "Hi, babe! So this is us right now? Calling each other even though we're both in the same estate but in different rooms?"

"Yeah, sorry. I…" I didn't know what to say.

"Are you okay?" She asked quickly.

"Yeah. Just… just nervous, I guess."

"I know. I'm nervous too. Bertrand's glare isn't exactly helping the jitters."

"Excuse you, I'm merely-" I heard Bertrand in the background.

"I know, I know! You're only trying to help. Sorry, I kid, you know I love you!" Myers chuckled, before her voice turned serious. "Remember what I told you after our date in Castelsarreillan?"

"I love you. And as long as we have each other and our 'moments in between'... I think we'll be able to get through anything."

"Yeah," I sighed. "Yeah, I do."

"Whenever I get nervous, I think about that night and that moment… and suddenly I'm not nervous anymore."

And just like that… I wasn't that nervous anymore. I still had jitters, but that was normal. But I knew that with her beside me, it was all going to be okay. "I love you. You know that, Myers?"

"I do. I love you too. Are you… feeling better?"

"I am. Thanks, Myers. You… you always know just what to say."

"Writer's brain, remember?"

"Writer's brain." I repeated, nodding. "I should go… y'know, shower and get dressed."

"Ooh, I'd love to join you for th- wait, you're still not dressed?!"

I chuckled. "Not yet. But I'm not you, Myers. My showers don't take longer than 7 minutes."

"What, do you put a timer or something?" She teased.

"No, I just don't pretend I'm at a concert and sing into my shampoo bottle for 20 minutes."

"Yeah, yeah, go take your shower. I'll see you soon."

"See you in a bit. Bye, Myers."

"Bye, baby." With that she hung up.

I took a final deep breath, and with a final look at the mountains, I went back inside. After taking a quick shower, I put on my grey tux and made my way downstairs.

After meeting up with Maxwell and Hana just as they were leaving their respective rooms, we walked towards the ballroom. Most of the court was already inside, talking in groups, drinking or at the canape table. I heard many comments and whispers of "what a beautiful estate", "what lovely decorations or flowers" and whatnot, which I admit, did ease my nerves slightly.

Which then led to a downward spiral and near existential crisis, because who am I right now? Why would their approval on place settings, wall drapings and canapes ease my nerves?!

"Drake?" Hana smiled at me, "Is everything okay?"

"Fine." I nodded.

"Here." Maxwell took a tumbler of whiskey from a passing waiter's tray and handed it to me.

"Thanks." I took a drink… and nearly choked when I saw Myers lurking outside the doorway.

Liam cleared his throat and nodded in her direction. "Drake. That's your cue."

"Oh, right." I handed him my whiskey and walked towards Myers.

She grinned widely at me, pointing a finger to a red, feather brimmed monstrosity on her head. "Babe, look!" She whispered. "My very own fancy hat!"

I nodded. "Damn, Myers… you trying to give me a heart attack?"

She rolled her eyes. "I can take it off…"

But she looked so happy… And truth be told, if you took the hat out of the equation, she'd look gorgeous. Her hair was swept into a side bun that was meant for a hatted head, and her dress was red with gold details that resembled our sigil.

I shook my head. "As if that'd make you less gorgeous." I cleared my throat. "What I meant was you look great."

"You're lying and I know you didn't like my fancy hat, but I appreciate you acknowledging my endless beauty nonetheless." She laughed, before fixing on her duchess smile and taking my arm. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Myers nodded to Gladys, who cleared her throat. She waited until all the nobles were silent before announcing us. "It is now my honor to announce Duchess Camilla Myers of Valtoria and Sir Drake Walker!"

We walked inside to resounding applause and cheers. I escorted Myers to the dais, helping her step up. She smiled pleasantly at the crowd, waiting for them to quiet. Once they did, she spoke. "Welcome, everyone, to my first official ball as Duchess of Valtoria." She paused for more applause. "I'm sure you're all ready to get on with the party, but before we start, I just wanted to say that this is an honor. As long as I'm Duchess of Valtoria, I promise to be the best ruler I can be. I'll work with my fellow nobles - all of you gathered here today - to make sure Cordonia's future is a bright one!"

"Hear, hear!" I took a glass of champagne from Gladys and raised it in a toast.

The rest of the court cheered and clapped as we made our way off the dais.

"Gladys?" Myers called, taking off her fancy hat.

"Yes, Camilla?"

"I think I'm done with this bad boy for now. We got our moment in the sun, which was awesome, but also… it's really hot in here." She smiled at Gladys and handed her the hat reverently.

"Of course, Camilla. I'll store it back right away."

"Thank you, Gladys. And thank you so much for all the arrangements you made. Everything looks beautiful."

"Oh, it's no problem, Camilla." With that, she bowed, before walking away.

"Goodbye, my feathered friend. We shall see each other soon." Myers stared longingly at the hat in Gladys' hands.

I rolled my eyes, causing her to chuckle. "Anyway… We should each make the rounds and shake a few hands." I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I know. You'll be great, Drake. I know it."

"I love you."

"I do too. Kiss for good luck?"

I grinned, cupping her neck softly before pressing a chaste peck on her lips. We couldn't do more than that in a ballroom.

"I'll come find you soon." I told her when we pulled apart.

I helped her step down from the dais, where we were immediately greeted by a few minor nobles from our duchy.

"Your Graces, I am Marquees Timothy Spencer, this is my wife, Marchioness Anne." A tall man with blond hair and piercing brown eyes introduced himself, bowing deeply. Next to him stood his wife, Anne, who curtsied.

Myers plastered her duchess smile on once again, before curtsying. "My Lord, my lady, I'm sure I speak for the both of us when I say we're so pleased to make your acquaintance. We look forward to working with you for the good of Duchy Valtoria."

"As are we, Your Grace." Timothy, or er… Marquees Spencer, smiled at us pleasantly. "And may I introduce Countess Victoria and her eldest son, Viscount Anthony?" He gestured to an elderly woman and her son. "And over here is…"

He continued making introductions and we made small talk with the Valtoria nobles for about fifteen minutes. I was honestly surprised by how well they already seemed to know us, and even though I was pretty nervous, they seemed like okay people. They'd been keeping up with the tour and they'd been pretty impressed with that, as well as with the ball today. Myers thanked them gracefully, and after promising to schedule a meeting with them after the wedding to discuss the Duchy, we were able to break away from them.

My first stop in the mingling train was… Hana. Her eyes lit up as she saw me coming. "Drake! You did amazing!"

I shrugged. "Yeah?"

"Yes! Now, don't waste your time talking to me. Look, Hakim and Joelle are right there. Go!"

"Going, going. Hey, Hana," I looked back at her. "Thanks."

She smiled and nodded.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself, before approaching Hakim and Joelle.

"... the red and gold is absolument magnifique!"

"Yes, it is, dear."

I cleared my throat. "Duke Hakim, Duchess Joelle."

They turned and greeted me with a smile.

"Ah, Mr. Walker!"

"Bonjour, Monsieur Walker! Your estate is simply merveilleux!" Joelle complimented.

"Thank you. I'm glad you're, er, finding everything to your liking."

Joelle laughed a deep rich laugh. "Oh, of course!"

Remember to ask about the International Art Association!

I turned to Hakim. "And how goes Cordonia's entry into the International Art Association?"

His eyes widened for a moment, before he gave me a pleasant smile. "It's certainly going, Drake." He laughed. "We're in talks with many local artists about the chance to showcase their works in time for the next festival, which will be held in Florence next year."

"That's great."

Hakim nodded. "Yes, I think so."

"Will you be featuring any of your work for the festival, Your Grace?" I asked Joelle.

She chuckled, and shook her head. "Please, Drake, call me Joelle. After all, you're to be one of us soon, non? There's no need for such formalities." I smiled and hoped it was a smile and not a cringe. "But alas, I have decided not to submit any of my works-"

"Which I've told her many times is a mistake." Hakim interrupted. Joelle smiled at him indulgently.

"I would have to agree. From everything Myers'- I mean, Camilla's told me, you're very talented." I told her.

"Merci, Drake, but I feel that my place for now is to lift newer talent up. There are so many talented artists in Cordonia, and they too deserve the chance to shine." She told me.

I nodded. "That's very admirable, Joelle." We were silent for a moment, before I decided it was time to move on. "Well, thank you both so much for coming."

"Oh, of course!"

"We wouldn't have missed it, Drake."

With a slight bow, I stepped away, sweating bullets. One down… a whole ballroom to go.

The rest of the ball went by much the same. I approached Landon and Emmeline, and asked about how the relief efforts in Portavira were going. They both answered that they were going well, thanks in large part to the charity polo game. Then I approached Kiara, Zeke and Penelope. I was really glad Kiara didn't end up going home, and when I told her so, she said that Myers and I were the ones who changed her mind, actually. After making sure they all had drinks and they were having a good time, I went on to greet Liam and the Queen Mother. Regina looked… miserable, but she tried to put a brave face on. And then I made the mistake of going to talk to Adelaide alone.

I shudder to remember it.

"You know, Drake, I knew you and Camilla were going to end up together! From the moment I heard she threatened to slap Duchess Olivia if she didn't stop picking on you! Actually, that's not true… there was a moment there I thought she'd end up with Maxwell Beaumont, but…"

I tried to get out of that conversation as quickly as I could, before deciding I needed a break. I walked towards Maxwell.

"Drake! You're here!"

"Yep."

"Great, that's great! I was just going to call you guys!" He had his phone in hand, and I saw his shoot off a text, before my phone vibrated. "Meet outside in five!"

"Maxwell, what's going on?"

"My surprise housewarming present arrived! It's outside! Let's go!" He nodded to Ezequiel from across the room, waving his hand, before practically pushing me outside, all the way over the bridge. Liam met us outside a few seconds later, with Hana and Myers rounding us out.

I wrapped an arm around Myers and she gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "There you are." I told her.

"I thought you were making the rounds. What are you doing out here?" She smiled quizzically.

"The rounds led me to Maxwell, and he led me out here. Very insistently."

Myers chuckled at that, before Maxwell called for our attention. "Okay, Milla, I've been waiting all day to tell you about this and it's finally here and ohmygod I'm so excited!"

"Whoa, slow down, Maxwell! Breathe." He took several deep breaths. "There. Now, tell me what's going on."

Maxwell seemed to forget his breathing, practically vibrating with excitement. "I kinda sorta got you a duchy-warming present and I think it's basically the best thing I've ever done!" He waved to Gladys.

She stepped up, carrying a large box covered with a blanket. As she got closer, she uncovered what turned out to be a crate holding two red panda cubs.

Myers' jaw dropped. "Oh… my… god. Are those red panda cubs?!"

Maxwell grinned widely, nodding. "I know right? I can't even!"

"Eeeeee!" Hana squealed. "They're so fuzzy!"

"Maxwell, this is really above and beyond!" Liam said.

"From their size and coloration, I'd guess this specimen of Ailurus fulgens are about four months old." Ezequiel commented.

"I asked Ezequiel to come along so he could share his animal expertise." Maxwell told us. "When Liam told me that Duchy Valtoria had a menagerie, inspiration struck!"

"Wait, Myers' got a menagerie?" I asked, genuinely surprised. That wasn't in the tour…

Liam nodded. "Yes, built by Camilla's predecessor."

"I know there are animals all over the world who need a safe home, and when I heard about these twin cuties who got rescued from poachers, I just had to adopt them in Camilla's name. The menagerie here already has a staff, a habitat, all-you-can-eat-bamboo, and… I remembered how awesome it was spending time with the giant panda cubs in Shanghai." He looked at Myers softly. "You can give them the comfy home they deserve here in Valtoria… or we could send them to a conservatory."

I watched as Myers' resolve wavered. "Aww… This is so incredibly thoughtful, Maxwell."

"If you want to take them in, we can go right now, and settle them into the menagerie. And I thought you'd want to know that they haven't been officially named yet." Maxwell grinned. "If we keep them, you'll get to do the honors."

That did it.

A slow grin crept on Myers' face, before she jumped and hugged Maxwell tightly. "Oh, Maxwell, I accept! Best present ever!"

"Okay!" They broke apart, and Maxwell clapped his hands. "First things first, what're you going to name them?"

"That one looks like an Iniya to me." Hana said, gesturing to the female twin. "It means 'sweet'."

I shrugged. "They both look like puffballs to me."

Myers looked at me through narrowed eyes. "Seriously babe? Still putting on the tough guy, impervious-to-adorable-animals act? Because remember, I have a picture of you holding a panda on my phone."

I rolled my eyes, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "You better delete that." I growled softly into her ear.

"And if I don't?" She whispered back.

"Oooh, Pabu would be cute!" Hana's yell brought us back to the moment. "That's Tibetan for puffball!"

"Remember, it's up to Camilla." Liam told her gently.

Myers immediately shook her head. "No, it's okay. Hana's suggestions are excellent, and honestly, I have no idea what I would've named them. Iniya and Pabu it is!"

"Hooray for Iniya and Pabu!" Maxwell cheered. "So d'you want to help take them to the menagerie?"

"Oooh, we have to go!" Hana took Myers' hand.

Myers nodded. "You don't have to ask me twice."

Ezequiel asked to tag along and Liam called a car. Within minutes, we were driving away from the estate and the party, and pulling up to the menagerie. A guide saw us arrive and quickly began giving us a tour through all the glass+walled exhibits. They had so many animals, it was more of a zoo than a menagerie. Hell, Myers even had a black panther.

We got to the habitat for the red panda cubs, and after a brief inspection from the vet, we helped the cubs get settled in. We played with them for a bit, and then fed them - or rather, Myers suggested that Ezequiel feed one and I, of all people, feed the other cub. We helped them get comfortable with their new habitat, before finally convincing Myers she shouldn't totally ditch her own party.

We made our way back to the estate, arriving just as Hana's dad was helping her mom out of the car.

"Mother! Father!" Hana tried to get out of the car as quickly and gracefully as possible.

"Oh, crap." Myers muttered under her breath.

"I think 'oh crap' might be correct." Liam whispered. "Lady Lorelai looks like she's come prepared for a confrontation."

"I know… She does not look happy to be here." Maxwell added.

Myers sighed. "Hey, will you guys do me a favor? Can you hold down the fort while I greet Hana's parents?" She looked directly at me when she said that.

I pressed my lips together in a thin line, before nodding nonetheless. "Yeah. Go support Hana. We'll uh… see you both inside."

"Yeah, if Hana's parents don't decide to drag her kicking and screaming back to China…" Myers breathed in deeply, before exhaling.

With that, her mask was on, and her duchess smile off. She was serious here. That look in her eyes was the one she got when she was faced with a threatening unknown, and I knew she was already planning for multiple scenarios in her head on how she could help Hana. "I'll see you guys inside."

With that, she walked towards Hana and her parents. I looked at Maxwell and Liam, and we began making our way slowly across the bridge. Before we could actually open the door however, servants stepped out of the estate and began crossing the bridge, all of them carrying trunks… Hana's trunks. I knew because I'd helped carry them up the stairs when we arrived.

"Excuse me, I cannot allow you to remove private property from this estate without Duchess Camilla's explicit consent!" Gladys was yelling at the servants.

"We don't work for Duchess Camilla." One of the servants responded.

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop!" I stood right in front of them. "What the hell's going on here?"

The servant looked at me, and I didn't miss the spark of recognition in her eyes. "Du- uh… Sir Drake." I did my best not to cringe there and then. "My mistress, Lady Lorelai had asked me to retrieve Lady Hana's luggage. All of her possessions belong to the Lee household."

"Those are Hana's things!" I told her. "And you have no right to take them from the estate. You're trespassing on private property, and if you take those, you're practically steal-"

"Drake." Liam said softly.

"What?!" I whirled on him.

"She's right." He said quietly, craning his head to look back at where Hana and Myers were speaking with her parents.

"Are you serious right now? They're taking all of Hana's stuff!"

He quickly pulled me aside, dragging me by my sleeve. "Come here." He shushed. "And calm down."

"But Hana-"

"Drake, calm down. Look." He nodded pointedly in Hana and Myers' direction.

I took a deep breath, and somehow managed to calm myself down, before looking in their direction. Even from here I could see things looked tense. Hana was glaring at her mother, her father was trying to make himself smaller, Myers was rigid, silently fuming, and Hana's mother had that same unmoving, unflinching expression on her face.

"I think it's safe to say things are not really going well." Liam told me. "It's best to not interfere, and allow Camilla and Hana to handle it."

"But-"

"Drake, all of Hana's things can be replaced, should worst come to worst. Let them take it. But let's not make things more difficult for them."

I sighed, frustrated. "Fine." I nodded to Gladys, who stepped aside and let the servants pass.

With a final look in their direction, we stepped back inside and into the party. Everything seemed to be going great, and apparently no one had noticed our absence. The guys and I separated, as Liam went off to mingle, Maxwell went to talk to Olivia, and I… went to get a drink.

I'd barely taken a sip of my whiskey, when Myers and Hana walked quickly inside, both of them craning their heads to get a better look at the ballroom. I walked towards them, but before I could get two words out, Myers said, "Hey, babe, we need Maxwell. Now."

"He's, uh…" I looked around and spotted him talking to Olivia. "Right there."

Without a word, Hana walked purposely towards him. Myers was about to follow, before I held her back with a hand on her elbow.

"Wait, Myers, what's going on?"

Myers sighed, and her shoulders sagged. "Long story short, Hana's mom disowned her unless she goes back to China tonight, and we're staging a heist to get her favorite dress back." Hana gestured for Myers. "Gotta go, keep holding down the fort, love ya, bye!"

With that, she stepped away and out of the ballroom with Hana and Maxwell. Liam caught my eye, and I simply shrugged.

Back to mingling it is.

---

Just as the ball was ending, the girls entered the ballroom through a back door, damn near power walking and giggling madly. Myers pointed to another door that was barely visible, and they slipped through it. One of Lorelai's servants stepped inside a couple of beats behind them, looking quickly around the ballroom, before he turned back when he didn't see them.

A moment later, the girls stepped back out, Hana wearing a different dress. They laughed and hugged, before Maxwell, Liam and I made our way towards them.

"Hey, everything okay?" I asked.

"It's… not completely okay, but it's a little better. Right, Hana?" Myers looked at her.

"Right." Hana nodded resolutely.

Liam cleared his throat. "Well, I'm glad for that. But Camilla, you should deliver the closing speech, and invite everyone outside for the beginning of the festival."

"Oh, right." Myers took my hand and squeezed, before walking towards her throne. She took a glass of champagne from a server, and raised it lightly, clearing her throat. "Good evening, everyone. Before we head outside for the Lantern Festival, I just wanted to thank you all for coming and supporting Duchy Valtoria, as well as the Crown, during these troubled times…"

I sidled up to Hana. "Hey," I whispered. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She smiled and nodded. "I will be fine, Drake. I meant it when I stood up to my father, and I'm not going back to Shanghai with them, no matter what they say."

"Good. I'm… I'm really proud of you, Hana."

"Aw, thanks, Drake. I'm proud of you, too."

"Yeah… we've come pretty far, haven't we?"

She chuckled at that. "That we have."

"... And now it is my pleasure to invite you all outside, for the beginning of the Lantern Festival! May all your wishes come true!" Myers finished her speech to resounding applause. She stepped off the platform and made her way towards us. I wrapped an arm around her waist. "Now I can greet you properly." She pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Milla, we should get you to the boutique." Hana said, her head tilting sympathetically to the side.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go. Thanks, Hana." Myers squeezed my hand before leaving with Hana to the boutique.

"We'll wait for you outside." I told her, and made my way out with the guys.

Along with the rest of the court and the servants, we made our way outside to the lake. I was shocked to find how many people had arrived in the past hour, all of them with their lanterns in hand. There were several lanterns already floating in the sky, their light reflecting off the lake beautifully. Some people were sitting on the grass by the lake, others were walking around, and others were lurking near the bridge to try and get a glimpse of the nobles.

"King Liam!" Someone shouted.

Liam immediately raised a hand and flashed his signature boyish grin, and several people in the crowd began clapping. Jerry and several other guards immediately stepped next to Liam, creating a protective yet approachable shield around him.

"Duchess Camilla!" I heard suddenly, and I turned to watch Myers make her way across the bridge.

My jaw dropped. It dropped all the way down to the floor, to the bottom of the lake, to the center of the earth. My girl looked stunning. Stunning.

Her hair was still up in a side bun, only now she'd added a single white rose to the side. But her dress… it was blue and shimmery and skin tight, and she just lit up the room. Or, er… the grounds. Her eyes shone as she took in the lanterns in the sky, and her smile… That smile was angelic. She seemed to float across the bridge, hand in the air and she waved to the crowd.

They went wild. The people sitting on the ground stood up to get a glimpse of her, all of them on the tips of their toes. The press turned their cameras and surrounded her immediately, and she flashed them that charming duchess smile.

"... Drake?" A hand got in my face, waving up and down. "Hello…?"

I shook my head, shoving Maxwell's hand away. "What?"

"Come on, let's go get our lanterns!"

I followed him, sparing one last look at Myers. We went to a table, where they were selling lanterns, and we got one for each one of us.

"So, uh… you already planned the bachelor party?" I asked as we walked back.

"Oh, yeah! We leave tomorrow afternoon, by the way! At 1 pm sharp!"

"Yeah, you told me that yesterday. So, what are we doing?"

"Hailey told me she wants to surprise Milla, so her and the guys are going to take a plane to Vegas from New York and meet us there. And guess what?"

"What?"

"I booked the penthouse of the Cordonia Grand for you and Milla!" He was practically bouncing on his toes.

"Wow, really? Thanks, Maxwell. But, um…"

"Nope, don't say a word! You guys are my best friends and you deserve the best!"

Aww… "Thanks, Maxwell." I pulled him in for a brief one-armed hug.

We heard someone clearing their throat behind us, and turned to find Gladys. "Excuse me, Drake. Camilla is about to give the press her official statement and she has requested your presence."

"Oh, thank you, Gladys."

We followed her back onto the bridge, and I stepped next to Myers. She shot me a smile over her shoulder, before turning back to the press.

"Your Grace! Your Grace, over here!" A reporter, Donny, called her. Myers nodded in his direction. "Duchess Camilla, let's cut right to the point. You've revealed the traitor Anton Serverus, formerly of Yours Grace's own inner circle."

"Hey!" Maxwell immediately piped up. "Justin was never part of the inner circle! He was… middle circle at best!"

I squeezed his shoulder slightly. "Myers' more than capable of speaking for herself." I told him gently.

"As I was saying," Donny continued. "Anton is on the loose. Maybe even watching tonight's broadcast. Cordonia wants to know… if you could say one thing to Anton, what would it be?"

Myers took a deep breath and looked straight at Donny's cameraman. "I'd say 'do the right thing and turn yourself in'. I can't promise mercy, but I do know that things will be better for him and for Cordonia if he does the right thing."

There were cheers and applause from the crowd beyond. There was even a "We love you, Duchess Camilla!"

Once the crowd quieted, Ana asked, "Your Grace, tonight we'll hear your first wishes as the Duchess of Valtoria, a moment your people have no doubt been looking forward to."

"Right! My lantern…" Myers' eyes widened, but when she turned, I held up the lantern I'd gotten her.

"Looking for this?"

Myers shot me that smile she saved just for me. "Yes, thank you." She squeezed my hand, before turning back to the cameras, raising her voice so the crowd could also hear her.

"People of Valtoria, it is my great honor to be here with you tonight. These have been trying times, but tonight's festival represents a light that those who wish to harm us can never extinguish." She raised her lantern, poised to let it float away. "With this lantern, I leave behind… fear." Her eyes flickered to mine for a second. "People like Anton want us to be afraid. The best thing we can do, I can do… is refuse. It's time to stand tall."

My chest swelled with pride in that moment, knowing she meant every single one of those words.

"Hear, hear!" Liam cheered, prompting the rest of the crown to clap and cheer as well.

"A fine sentiment." Ana nodded. "And your wish?"

"My wish?" Myers grinned. "There are many things to wish for. I could wish for eternal love, but I've been lucky enough to have found it already." She looked back at me lovingly, and the whole crowd and several reporters aww'd.

"I mean, it's no secret that Drake and I are getting married soon, so I guess I don't need a wish for us to be together forever." She chuckled. "So, with that said, what I really wish for, and what I'll work hardest for, is a Cordonia united. No matter where we began, and no matter which region we call home, we're all Cordonians. It is my deepest desire to see us all stand together as one."

"Well said, Your Grace!" Ana said.

The crowd cheered once more, before they quieted down just as Myers raised her lantern. With only the sound of the water and mountain air, Myers let go, and her lantern floated up to the sky, joining all the others out there.

"Thank you, Duchess Camilla. That was a moment to remember." Donny said.

"Can Trend get a photo of the duchess with His Majesty before we wrap? I'd like to tie a national angle to tonight's event." Ana said.

"Of course," Liam nodded. "It would be my honor."

Myers and Liam stepped aside, with Liam wrapping an arm around Myers' waist. Despite the trickle of jealousy that tried to course through me, I remembered Myers' words. "Do not get insecure every time King Liam and Duchess Camilla have to make a public appearance." And so, I tried my best not to.

"May I just say, Your Grace, that dress is on trend." Ana complimented. "That should play very well for the cameras."

Liam and Myers flashed their King and Duchess smiles, and then Liam tilted his head downwards ever so slightly, whispering something in Myers' ear. Something that caused her smile to become more genuine.

"Thanks, these photos look great!" Ana nodded, putting her camera down.

Myers and Liam separated immediately, Myers shooting me a meaningful look.

I'm okay. I wanted to say. Instead, I lifted the corner of my mouth and gave her a half smile.

At that moment, Hana's mom stepped up to the press. Oh, crap.

"I believe I promised the press a statement."

"Mother, wait!" Hana whispered loudly. "There's something I need to tell you!" She tried to step up, but was nearly pushed back by the press. I moved immediately to help her from getting trampled.

"Lady Lorelai, we've heard conflicting reports about your relationship to Duchess Camilla." I heard Donny say.

"Is it true that your house will have nothing to do with the wedding?" Ana asked.

"Absolutely… not true." The woman smiled and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. "My husband and I offer our full support to Duchess Camilla, and look forward to attending her wedding."

Myers didn't miss a beat. "And we look forward to having them."

"I'm sure the people of Cordonia are pleased to hear it!" Donny grinned.

Reporters asked a few more questions before Bastien stepped forward, ending the press conference. Hana practically ran towards her mother, and Maxwell and I followed.

"Mother! Father! You… declared your support for Camilla?"

Her father nodded. "Your mother and I just had a very interesting discussion with Rashad."

"And we wanted to… thank you." Her mother added.

"And to apologize. Whatever you said to Rashad accomplished something in minutes that I haven't managed in years. We were wrong to think you couldn't thrive without our oversight." Her dad told Hana.

She took his hands. "Thank you, Father."

"After seeing what we saw tonight, it seems that the Cordonian court may have been a good influence on you after all." Her mother said, her eyes darting to Myers, before returning to Hana. "I should've had more faith in you."

"Really?"

Lorelai nodded. "And in the duchess as well. I'm sorry if I was… rude before now."

Myers shook her head. "Lorelai… Hana deserves that apology more than I do."

"You're right. Hana, if it wasn't clear before… I apologize to you."

Hana nodded. "Thank you for saying that. It means a lot to me. So does this mean you'll stop trying to make me come home? Because like I told you both, this is where I want to be."

"What it means is that I have misjudged things, and I need to… think about the future." Her mother answered. "In the meantime, I'll instruct my staff to return your things."

Hana straightened slightly. "That's not what I want."

"Hana…" her father's eyes widened.

"I was never as worried about losing my clothes as I was about losing my family. Despite everything, I still love you both. I need to know you can respect my decisions and still be a part of my life."

Lorelai actually smiled. "I… can do that. We love you too, Hana."

Hana wrapped both of them in a tight hug.

"Aww…" Myers mumbled, wrapping an arm around my waist and squeezing me softly. I grinned, resting an arm on her shoulder and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, as we watched the scene play out.

As Hana let her parents go, Lorelai pressed a kiss to Hana's forehead, before excusing herself.

"You know, Hana. My wish tonight was not going to be for my business. It was for you to discover what it takes to make you happy." Her dad pressed his hand to Hana's cheek. "I see now that wish is unnecessary." He brought his hand down, before he also excused himself to join his wife.

"Hey, did I just see what I think I saw?" Maxwell stepped towards Hana, wrapping her in a giant hug. "This means you're staying, right?"

"I'm staying." Hana told him with a smile.

"Wooo!" Maxwell cheered, as he let her go. "Our dance rivalry continues. Or begins. Which is it again?"

I stepped up to hug her as well. "Good on you, Hana, for standing up for yourself."

"Whatever you ladies did seemed to have worked a miracle." Liam said.

"It was all Hana." Myers said proudly. Then, she looked at all of our lanterns, and furrowed her eyebrows. "So, looks like no one else has made their wishes yet."

"With my parents finally treating me like an adult, it feels like my wish arrived early." Hana chuckled.

"I'm jealous." Maxwell said. With the important stuff out of the way, you're safe wishing for something amazing, but doable. Like ice cream."

"After today, ice cream sounds perfect." Hana grinned in his direction. "What about you, Maxwell? Have you chosen yet?"

"I know I'm going to wish for Bartie to inherit the Beaumont dance genes, but I'm still trying to figure out what to let go…" He said.

"I've got a few suggestions." I teased. Or, well… half-teased.

"As for my lantern, I feel as though anything I choose leaves a hundred other things unaddressed." Liam rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't suppose I can wish for more wishes?"

"According to fairy-tale law, that's the only type of wish that isn't allowed, Your Highness." Hana answered.

"As they say, even kings must bow to some rules " Liam chuckled.

"How about you, Drake?" Myers squeezed my hands. "You've been quiet. What are you wishing for?"

Um… "I'd rather keep my thoughts to myself."

Myers nodded.

Liam pressed on, however. "Be a good sport, Drake. Everyone's making wishes."

"Ooh, let me guess!" Maxwell grinned. "Whiskey! Or is that too obvious?"

"Guys…" Myers interjected.

"I bet it's something rugged." Hana looked at me thoughtfully. "Like tools. Or a camping apparatus?"

"Perhaps some form of meat-filled soup." Liam teased.

"Guys…" Myers shook her head, though she wasn't able to hide her smile.

I sighed. "Fine. I wish to be left in peace. How's that?"

The guys groaned and laughed, and soon they'd switched topics. Myers rested her head on my shoulder, and I caught her eye. She raised her eyebrows in question and I took the chance to lead her away.

When we stopped near the bridge, she looked up at me. "So… are you going to send your lantern away?"

"Not yet. Honestly… looking around at all this," I nodded in direction to the lake and the estate. "At you…" I let my eyes roam her figure. "Makes me wonder what I even have left to wish for."

"You don't want to wish the crowds would vanish, replaced by open wilderness or something?" Myers asked.

"Heh." I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer. "See, that's exactly why I wanted to talk to you. I figured you could help me with my wish. Maybe somewhere a little more private."

"I actually know the perfect place. We could go to our balcony. I bet the view looks spectacular right now."

"If it means sneaking away from a courtly party with you, Myers, you know I'm in."

"Then what're you waiting for?" She stepped back, keeping her hand in mine and pulling me with her. "Follow me."

I did, and Myers led me through the empty halls of the estate, never letting go of my hands. When we reached the stairs, she took off her shoes and raced up the stairs. About halfway, she nearly tripped and began giggling. I helped her up, and we finished the hike to our bedroom.

As we opened the sliding window to our balcony my jaw dropped. "Wow, you weren't kidding about the view."

There were hundreds of lanterns floating up in the sky, lighting up the night, while others streamed down the river.

"No… I wasn't." Myers was equally taken by the view. She stepped up to the ledge, and I wrapped my arms around her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder.

"I don't know if there's anything in the world as beautiful as you, but this place is surely trying tonight."

Myers blushed all the way up to her ears, dropping her head as if to hide.

I cleared my throat. "Right, so Hana was saying I'm supposed to let a part of me go with the lantern?"

Myers nodded, turning in my arms and taking the lantern. "Yeah, a part of yourself that you don't want anymore."

I nodded. "Okay, so…" I thought about it for a moment and came up with nothing. "What should I let go of?"

"You should let go of… trying to be someone you're not." Myers whispered, looking into my eyes intensely. "I know… I know you want to fit in at court, for me and Liam… but we already love you just the way you are. You're more than good enough, for court or anywhere else." Myers brought her hand up to cup my cheek tenderly. "God, Walker, if only you could see yourself how I see you…"

I leaned into her touch. "Thanks, Myers. It… feels good to hear that."

Myers nodded, and I pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. "So… what about the wish?"

I sighed. "Y'know, I keep wracking my brain but I always come back to the same thing… I just want you to be happy. So the wish is whatever you want it to be."

"I want you to be happy, too…" She whispered. "So I guess I wish for a million nights more like this one. I just want to be with you, in our home, staring at this view from our balcony. It feels like a fairy tale."

"Are there any fairy tales that involve spending the entire day in bed?"

Myers groaned. "Way to ruin the moment, stud." She laughed. "There's Sleeping Beauty."

I laughed with her. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"I bet you didn't." She pressed her forehead against mine.

"Y'know… all this talk about the future and everything has me realizing… I can finally settle in somewhere." I turned her back in my arms, so that she was looking at the view.

"But you'd settled in at the palace, hadn't you?"

"Honestly, it's always felt like a room in someone else's home. Liam offered to set me up somewhere, my own apartment nearby, but… For a long time, I was only in Cordonia for Liam, so it made sense to stay close." I sighed. "But this isn't a room in someone else's home. I can see myself growing old here."

"And what does that look like?" Myers rested her head on my chest. I looked down to see her eyes were closed, as if she was trying to picture whatever I was going to say.

"Well, a castle is really just like a big, stone cabin, right?" Myers chuckled at that. "So we can hike, and camp, and I'll teach you how to build fires and tie knots and set up tents, and all of that."

"How about I watch you while you do it? Just promise you'll take your shirt off when you chop wood for the campfire." Myers grinned.

"Honestly, what other way is there?"

We both chuckled a bit, before turning serious.

"It sounds…" Myers began.

"Like more than I could have ever hoped for."

"Exactly what I was going to say."

"Though… isn't it a bit weird to have all this totally to ourselves?"

"Well, we don't. Tons of other people work and live here." She shrugged, ever practical. "Not to mention all the hikers and campers who take advantage of the wilderness. You'll see way more non-nobles around the estate than you ever did at the palace."

"Huh. I hadn't thought about it like that. It'll be nice to see some non-nobles around the estate. Ones who aren't our employees."

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

I noticed Myers was biting her lip. "When you think about settling in here… does that include kids?"

I thought about it, but truth be told… that question had been answered the first time I saw her holding Bartie.

"When I picture it? Yeah, there are kids somewhere in the future. Some of my best memories as a kid are of my dad teaching me the right way to cast a line and how to pick the best firewood. I always wanted to pass those experiences down to my own kids… and give them a piece of my dad, even if they can never meet him."

"That's… really sweet." Myers nodded thoughtfully.

"What about you?"

"I don't know… I've never really given it much thought. I always thought more about getting my life in order, my career… having kids was never really on my mind." She shrugged, looking down at her hands on the rail.

"And now…?"

"And now… I don't know. Maybe. With you…"She looked back up at me. "I just… it's such a big responsibility! I mean, every parent screws up their child one way or another, and if we mess up… our kid could become… a serial killer or something."

I chuckled. "I don't think we'll mess them up that bad. We're both pretty down to earth and have good heads on our shoulders."

"I know… but could we… maybe table this conversation for a year or two? I really want to enjoy everything about us first, before we start thinking about bringing another human being into the mix."

"Yeah… sure, Myers." I can wait.

"Thank you." She chuckled suddenly. "If we do decide to have kids… I hope they have your frown."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "If my sister and I are any evidence, the Walker snark gene is strong."

"But you really think we're ready for a few little lords and ladies underfoot? What about who wakes up in the middle of the night to change diapers?"

"That one's all you." I said, not missing a beat. Myers immediately craned her head to look at me in shock. "Kidding. I'll do it because the Duchess of Valtoria will need her sleep."

"You're going to make a great dad, Drake Walker."

"I hope so… someday. But for right now, I just want to make the wish and get this lantern in the sky."

"Yeah, we should reunite it with its brethren."

I took a lighter from my pocket and lit the candle inside the lantern. Then, I raised it high and we watched it float away.

Suddenly, I felt Myers cup my neck and pull me down. Still facing forward, she craned her head to press her lips to mine. I placed my hands over her abs and pulled her tighter against me, deepening the kiss. Myers let out a soft moan against my mouth, and she tangled her fingers into my hair.

I groaned, taking her hips and spinning her around so she faced me. Myers jumped and wrapped her legs around me, before breaking the kiss. "I assume we're obviously going to take advantage of this alone time?" She asked breathlessly.

"You didn't think I really asked you to come up here just to light a lantern, did you?"

---

A while later, Myers and I sat side by side, our backs resting on the wall.

"Y'know what I'm looking forward to? Doing that anytime we want." I said, still catching my breath. "No courtly duties or stuffy parties getting in our way."

"Oh, come on, admit it. You like sneaking away from fancy parties to do this."

"Hell, Myers, I like doing this, period. If it means I have to sneak away from fancy parties, well… yeah, that's pretty great too."

Myers chuckled at that, taking my hand. "I'm sure we'll get very familiar with that bedroom… And this balcony, and the grand hall, and whatever other rooms we find ourselves in."

"Well… the study was pretty great. Wouldn't mind getting more familiar with that room."

"The study was amazing. Real throwback to our first kiss at the Beaumont's study, only way more… intense."

"Can't wait to get familiar with more rooms with you, Myers."

"Neither can I, Walker. Though for now…" I groaned. "Come on, you knew this was coming. We should probably head back out there. I think sneaking away from your own party - which we've already done twice today - is a bit of a faux-pas, and the longer we're gone…"

"The more people'll notice. Sure thing, Myers." I stood, pulling her up as well. We straightened out our clothes, and Myers quickly went to the bathroom to fix her hair a little. Before we left, though I held Myers back. "Hey, before we go… thanks for helping me with the lantern thing."

Myers merely smiled at me. "What're fiancees for?" She gave me a quick peck on the cheek, and we made our way downstairs hand in hand.

Back out into the bridge, we spotted Gladys.

"So? How did tonight's festival stack up to past ones?" Myers asked her.

"Honestly, Camilla? The others couldn't hold a candle to tonight. Pun… minorly intended. Now, if you don't mind releasing me from my duties for a few moments, I have my own wishes to make."

"Consider yourself released."

Gladys nodded, and with a quick bow, walked away.

We began crossing the bridge, when Maxwell dashed towards us. "Milla! Drake! There you are!"

"Yep, here we are…" I said, wondering why he was so excitable.

Myers noticed it too. He was almost jumpy. "Is something wrong? Please tell me you didn't break anything…"

"I was on my least destructive behavior tonight. You're welcome." He said. Myers sighed in relief. "No, it's about our plans! As I was telling Drake, I finalized them this morning!"

Myers looked back and forth between us. "Okay… Plans for what exactly?"

Oh… I grinned.

"For your bachelor/bachelorette extravaganza! We're throwing your party in Vegas!"

---

A/N: VE-GAS! VE-GAS! VE-GAS! VE-GAS! VE-GAS! VE-GAS!

You guys can't see me, but I'm actually chanting alongside Maxwell hehe! Anyway, as always, I hope you guys are staying safe in the world amidst this pandemic (has it really been almost a year? I remember nothing since last March), and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm soooooo excited for the next one, and I'm already hard at work on it, and I'm so excited, and I think I said that, and okay I'm rambling. Sorry hehe anyway, I will definitely try to have the next chapter out soon, but I don't want to make any promises because life gets in the way and yeah...

Oh, and I added a bit at the beginning where they tour the capital city of Valtoria, because... I'm guessing it would be something they would do? I mean, when I picture Cordonia, I figure that like all countries, it has "regions" or "states" that they call "duchies" because they're a monarchy, so then I figured that every duchy has a capital city, and if said duchy got a new duchess, the least she could do is tour the capital, especially since they've already toured the whole bloody country by this point. Oh, and the comparison to Princess Di was meant with nothing but love and admiration! I figured that MC - not just Camilla, but MC in general - has that same sort of... starpower and presence that Princess Di had, and more recently, Megan Markle has. That warm, kind, alluring presence that is so different from the regular monarchy (like Queen Elizabeth who seems stoic, cold and distant, and who I figured Regina is based off of), and that's part of the reason she has become so popular in her short time in Cordonia, and why Liam (if you're not marrying him) saw fit to give her a duchy.

Aaaand I'm rambling again! So sorry! I'm going now. As always, thanks so much for reading! Oh, the the title of this chapter was inspired by BrunnuhVille's amazing musical piece of the same name. Song link: /rcEkgVWZPVs