Happy Birthday to Maxon Schreave and HAPPY 400 REVIEWS!
Photo #101: Birthday Business
There is never really a day off when you're a royal. The media might portray the lifestyle as bougie and glamorous and for a fraction of it, it actually is. But behind the cameras, it's strictly business that is tougher and much more brutal than many are led to believe. They're in charge of an entire country and something always happened everyday. Laws have to be passed or emboldened; allied countries need to have their act together; and so much more.
Eadlyn's opinion, as one in line for the throne, might be considered as biased but she believes that being a royal is one of the hardest tasks to have.
But with that in mind, every once in a while a little surprise could be thrown into business.
-o-
On a fine early morning in the palace, Maxon walks down the hallways as he finishes buttoning his sleeve. The smile on his face is bigger than usual and it doesn't falter when Brice joins him, looking as sharp as ever in her pantsuit and pointed heels. She glances at Maxon and recognizes that gleeful expression on his face, hiding her own.
"Today is a special day for you, your Highness," Brice says to him.
"Quit it with the formality, Lady Brice Mannor," Maxon replies, using her title on purpose. "But yes, it sure is a special day."
He looks at Brice expectantly, waiting for her to say those two magic words but when her eyes meet his, all he sees is a deadpanned expression on her face. Brice blinks up at him, with a smile appearing on her face as they both enter his office. Maybe now, she'll say what he wants her to. It's only a matter of time.
"You sure have a lot of paperwork ahead of you," Brice says as she swings open the door for him.
Maxon's expression drops. He wasn't expecting to hear those words from her first. He was expecting something more topical, more exciting.
"Wait, what?" Maxon questions, believing that he heard her wrong just to boost his spirits.
Brice heads over to Maxon's desk and pulls out his chair which is just behind a giant stack of paperwork that's on his desk. Maxon heads over, trying to hide the part of him that wants to cry. Brice taps the head of the chair with a big smile on her face, urging Maxon to take a seat and all he wants to do is glare at her. He eventually sits down and sighs as Brice makes her way around to the front of his desk. Her arms are crossed against her chest as she looks at him.
"Are you okay, your Majesty?" Brice asks. Her face barely shows concern but Maxon appreciates her asking.
"Are you going to help?" Maxon asks, gesturing to all the paperwork.
"No, but I'm going to ask if you're okay."
Maxon ignores her as he sits back in his chair, slouching his shoulders as he swivels his chair from side-to-side, staring right at that paperwork. He hears Brice's heels click as she takes a seat in the chair in front of him and crosses one leg over the other. Maxon flickers his eyes upwards to look at her.
"It's good to be busy," Brice tells him optimistically. "At least it means you're good at something."
Maxon's expression is deadpanned. "Lucky me."
"You know who said that?"
"No."
"Neither do I."
Maxon glares at her before looking back at his paperwork. He can't believe that his birthday just had to be the one day he has more work than usual. Maybe he could tell Brice he should put it on hold for tomorrow but she'll probably say it's all urgent. (And to think that she would say that rather than a long overdue birthday wish). When he glances back up at Brice, she sees her staring right at him with the corner of her mouth with half a grin.
"Can you stop staring at me?" Maxon asks her.
"Why?" Brice wonders as she leans forwards to get a better look at him. "Is it freaking you out?"
"Yes."
"Then, no." Brice smiles as she continues to stare at him. "If you tell me not to do something, I'll do it twice and take some pictures for you."
"I hate that my kids are like that."
Brice pulls out his camera and holds it up.
"You had that the whole time?!" Maxon exclaims, covering his face even though Brice didn't take a photo yet.
"Yes," she responds.
"Well, you could go excuse yourself, my Lady," Maxon orders. "I'll talk to you when I forget how annoying you are."
Brice snickers. "Only if you insist, my King."
Brice stands up to leave, flattening her pencil skirt before making her way out. She opens the door but turns back around, leaning against the doorframe as she watches Maxon go through his paperwork. She observes how Maxon opens the first envelope and his jaw drops when the card inside explodes with glitter.
Maxon drops the card and spreads out all the other papers on his desk and that's when all the colorful envelopes are revealed, hiding under blank pieces of paper just to look official. A small laugh escapes Maxon's laugh as he looks at all of them, seeing all the birthday cards that were addressed to him from his family, the castle staff, everyone. There was even one from Brice somewhere in the pile.
This wasn't paperwork. It was far from it and so much better.
A small exasperated laugh escapes Maxon's mouth as he feels his insides fluttering with excitement. He looks up at Brice and she snaps a photo of him and his birthday surprise. She laughs a little to herself for keeping this from him and seeing the pleasant result.
"These are all birthday cards," Maxon states in disbelief.
"You better get on that paperwork," Brice says smirking. "Happy birthday, Maxon."
"I love and hate you in equal parts."
"As long as that's how we're cutting the cake."
Maxon looms up at her like a hopeful child. "There's cake?"
"Of course there's cake. But you actually have some paperwork to do first."
"Don't you want to do it for me?" Maxon pouts a little. "It's my birthday, dear half-sister."
"I would, darling half-brother, but it's covered in glitter from that card you opened."
I should really write more Maxon and Brice centered one-shots.
Stay Tuned - (no clue lol)
