Someone Gave Me A Hug 2 Days Ago And While I Was Passing By, I Saw A Little Flower That Was More Than

Someone gave me a hug 2 days ago and while I was passing by, I saw a little flower that was more than happy to hug you too! *hugs you and hands you the flower*

(Thank you for being a great writer and for the things you do for the Fandoms!😌🥺❤)

what what WHAAAT!!!!!!! 😳😳😳YOU CANT JUST COME AND GIVE ME A-

This is just LOVELY and i will be saving it to my gallery for personal viewing purposes (as long as you dont mind!!)

im dying it's so silly but also adorable but also the message accompanying it is making me blush and AND....... im dying!!!!! You're going to be the death of me Nadia!!! Thank you SO SO SO much for thinking of me like that and for the kind words and for this lovely little drawing, and THANK YOU for being a part of these lovely fandoms and THANK YOU for everything you create for them, and thank you for the support you show for me and many others, it's truly a gift to have you around!!

...I wanted to give you a flower back ... unfortunately i cant use my tablet right now so.... it looks a little silly... and the person depicted might come for my head, but before this happens:

✨Here is a Chev daisy for you! ✨

Colors of Love

Colors of Love

Fandom: Ikemen Prince

Pairing: Chevalier x MC

Prompt: Day 1 - Leaves

Part of  Fall Fluff / Autumn Angst Content Creator Challenge hosted by @aquagirl1978 and @violettduchess

Tag: Insecurity Comfort Forbidden Love Fluff

Word Count: 2.192

Author’s Note: A month was enough to settle disarray in her routine, throwing her in a wirlwind of emotions and unexpected encounter, one of them leading her to the man of her dreams, defying everything rational with Love, blossomed amidst interdictions and rules not afriad of showing them his full strenght, able to make crumble and create empires and kingdoms with his spell. 😉

Tag list

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @lordsisterxotome @rhodolitesrose @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess @atelieredux @klutzyroses @randonauticrap @scorchieart @thewitchofbooks

You can find me on AO3 as QueenJuliet 😊

Thank you for everyone who will like, reblog, or comment please be gentle with me english is not my first language so please do not leave rude comments I apologise for eventual errors I hope you will like it. 😊

The autumn steeped boldly in Rhodolite getting down to business since the first day every piece of the Kingdom a canvas ready to be colored with bold strokes overlapping the bright yellows and light blue of the  summer with a warmer palette of orange and reds, gifting people breathtaking colorful rainbows after fleeting storms brushed away by the same frizzy wind that carried over the scent of fireplaces and wet grass through the town, melting with the sweet scent of roses as it billowed through the garden sneaking through the window of each house while a suffused melody of hearty laugh and carefree chats resonated in the fresh air of the evening.

The light of the chandelier flickering lightly but she hardly noticed, lost in her thoughts as she stared at the leaves fleeing with the wind before gracefully plan on the ground, it was such a wonderful spectacle she could not help but admire longingly how the two red leaves dancing in the air like two lover waltzing in a ballroom, lost in each other deaf to the crowd around them eyes she sighed softly adjusting her shawl unconsciously tighter, another season that passed her by, alike but different somehow from the last year one, twelvemonth that felt so near yet so far away as she wished for that month to last forever.

It was an autumn like that when she was called to serve the Kingdom she was proud to call hers, brought to the palace for a turn of fate to choose the new King and nothing more, a bitter smile crossed her lips at the recollection of that devilish Clause 99 that so much sufferance brought to them both.

A whole month and one alone in which she lived her dream participating in the events of the court, festing her unquenchable thirst for knowledge on the huge library of the palace and sharing delicious treats and funny conversation with the princes, so friendly to make her feel, be it for a fleeting moment, welcomed inside these walls that she would have loved to call home, yet there were times in which she felt all the weight of her status, remembering her that no matter how much she tried she did not and would have never belonged there, she was nothing more than a commoner so lucky to see the glimmering world of the royalty, but the brightest light casts the darkest shadow as she slowly learned of getting to know more of each one of them, seeing how serious they take their duties and how much love they put to protect the Kingdom working hard to make it work.

She could not help but feel like an outsider looking in, peering in the private lives of the princes, losing herself over and over again in their home, huge and unwelcoming walls leaving her confused, dumb and naive nothing more than a nuisance for them all, wandering aimlessly through the crowd struggling to find a way by herself like she always did to not bother anyone, a delicate flower bud a ong beastly nobles ready to step on her, arrogant and boasty imposing themselves on others with nothing but their huge ego and dumb words like the one she had the misfortune to meet at her first ball.

She was about to sneak off apologizing for her clumsiness with a bright smile and few polite words, but this seems far from enough for him who kept raising his voice to protest for his ruined shoes attiring the attention of the whole crowd on them, she felt panic surging inside her as her smile faltered a little at each word, desiring desperately to slip away before her emotion could get the best of her feeling tears already pricking the corner of her eyes, she was about to reply, or at least try to, when suddenly a candid coat fluttered around her while his hand planed softly on her forearm, his grip delicate yet firm as he keep her close, his warmth emanating even through his soft gloves on her skin, under the velvet fabric of her long sleeved dress gold like his, she felt relief growing in her along a glimpse of pride and resolution she was unaware of having in her until now.

His icy gaze alone enough to put him back in his place, the noble almost hoped in vain for it to be enough to sate the brutal beast but he had to know better he was far from done, he not dared to spoke a single words as he keep his head bowed humbly with his gaze locked on the floor, flinching at the whip of his voice commanding and resolute resonated in the still air of the ballroom as he would in a battlefield, eliciting respect and fear from the nobles of both factions 

“Is it something the matter, Baron Favre ?” the question court and concise in need for an answer he surely would have not get

“N-nothing your highness.” blabbering with fear he kept his eyes on the floor shivering under his stern implacable gaze

“Then stop wasting my time.” his eyes cold as he looked at him nodding frantically before stumbling away as far as possible from him.

Not sparing him any second though he fretted over to look at her, seeing her gazing at him with such wide innocent eyes shining with gratitude he could not help but feel a light smile curl the corner of his lips 

-You really are such an innocent little rabbit to be grateful for something as little as that, but he kept this thought to himself as he spoke to her a single command, taking her hand in his hastily, dragging her away from the wicked crowd of the nobles ready to feast on her embarrassment as soon as he would have sneaked away from the noisy ball.

“Come.”

Ignoring all the puzzled gazes of his brothers he slid down the halls with her on his tail, their hands still laced together, it seemed so natural he did not bother changing it, in truth he felt that contact strangely pleasant, while she was far away from being the one to complain taking it away, his touch comforting her after that unsettling encounter, before they knew she find herself in his private library accommodate on a golden armchair his voice unusually soft as he spoke to her, asking information, she was sure he already knew, about some books he desired her to order for him, the idea he was talking of idle things to keep her focused on him warmed her heart, his secretive kindness moving her deep to the core as she promptly answered all his question adding some information of her own to thank him for the precious time he was spending with her.

The clock forgotten as they engrossed themselves in deep, meaningful talks about culture and knowledge of any kind, sharing thoughts and advices making her forget all about that nasty encounter with the baron, so lost in their discussion they did not hear the clock struck midnight looking up at it only after a generous hour, noticing the yawns she stifled wearily he bring her back to her room, recommending her to get a good sleep, gently he raised her hand to his lips placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles staring in awe at her pretty face blushing with embarrass, strange emotions flickered in his heart as a light soft smile crawled on his lips, once she was safe in her room he begin to walk away, immersed in thoughts but in vain, for no matter how much he dwelled on it he failed miserably to find a decent reason for his heart beats sudden increase, unaware of the fact that the warmth spreading in him when she smiled was the bud of what everyone else would have not hesitated to call love, but he was far too rational to think of absurdities like that, as a beast could ever experience emotions such as love, unbelievable was to him his heart, he was sure to have for the sole use to pump blood, could succumb to such weakening feeling more so for a shy little rabbit far too innocent for him, who still revealed to be more outspoken and bold than what he imagined, worthy to have elicited his curiosity, only one to truly enjoy his company seeing an human where everyone else saw a beast, unable to love anyone but himself.

Fate had other plans for them, that involved feelings of all sort and dates, where he taught her any sort of things that could have helped her blend in the court, be it for one month, determined to teach and learn everything by his side learning all, knowledge shared freely between them leaving her desiring for more making his heart swell with pride for her boldness, tucked in the library away from the world.

She desired for that moment to last forever, but much to her dismay it came to an end when Sariel informed her that the rose had only one petal left, one more week in which she dwelled on about her decision, reading through her notes and overthinking of each prince ideology, until she make up her mind, her heart should have felt light and easy when instead was everything but as she write his name on the King’s proclamation, she knew he would have not been happy about it considering it a mere sign she was too weak to truly belong among the court but still she could not help but feel her eyes get misty as his name stared at her from the paper, mocking that love that should have never been, guilt of having forgotten too soon the contract she signed merely a months ago, lost in the bliss of that forbidden passion she knew to have no future despite her desire for it to be so, aware of the fact he had obligations to marry accordingly to his status, putting the Kingdom needs before his own.

She was ready to give up on her feeling, to give up on the only man she would have always loved but fate had other plans and this time the long awaited sign she needed to cling to her desire was his closer brother, no less attractive and clever but much more different and playful than him, whom they both owned their happiness to.

A year later and that dream became her life, she smiled softly at the sensation of his strong arms curling protectively on her waist, his voice the soft purr of a tamed beast as he whispered in her ear

“Is pretty dangerous for a rabbit to stand all alone and defenseless like that.” 

softly he brushed his lips on her earlobe making her sigh softly as his voice husky and tender stirred things inside her 

“You never knew when a beast may surprise you.”

she chuckled softly at his tone, faking incredulity

“Oh my I should be more careful then.” her giggle resonating in the air, warming his heart as he unconsciously tighten his arms around her nuzzling lightly on her neck

“Even though I must confess I was expecting to be found by my King.”

he never took her for a playful type but her tricky side intrigued him, making him yearn to discover more about the woman he loved with all his heart, her hidden sides all his to find.

He placed a gentle kiss on her temple smiling at her gazing up at him adoringly, his light blue eyes crinkling with affection, warm and quiet like a sea so different from the ice cold one gaze he reserved for anyone else, his voice unusually soft as he murmured in her ear

" You are and always will be the only one worthy of my love, my precious Queen.”

a tender smile curled his lips as she nuzzled into his chest, turning around only to place a soft chaste kiss on his cheek, leaving him desiring for more, strangely eager to show the depth of his love to the only woman who earned he melted his lips on hers in a surprisingly sweet slow kiss they reluctantly pulled away from, their gaze locked to one another as he lifted her in his arms carrying her to their shared bedroom ready for a night of cuddles in which he would have showed her all the love he had in store for her, thanking her in his own away for staying and make him discover for the first time what love was, capable of change people’ hearts in a way he never thought possible, determined to spent all his reign showing to her how deeply madly in love he was and would have always been with her, the only woman worthy of the king affection, only one capable of making human what once was a brutal beast all with the greatest force in the world forcing to bow down  kings and emperor alike simpletons were subjected to the power of love.

If a writer is able to make me think of Junji Ito, then I know I'm reading something perfect🥲💖

Sad Gilbert look and kiss😌

Gilbert and apology cuz.... Idk I'm a sadist? I want him on his knees? I think he'd look pretty crying? I'm salty he didn't come home and I hold a grudge like nobody's business? Jokes aside feel free to decide who's apologizing to whom and for what here

Love, V ♡

A/N: This request fit so well into the Gilbert series I stumbled into writing that I decided to make it part four. It can totally be read on its own but if you are interested, the first three are here: Sturm und Drang (Part one) Thorns (Part two) I am not free (Part three)

I'm sorry @viohasgoneintothewoods but he doesn't cry (yet)

TW: mild choking

Word Count: 1836

The night is dark and you will yourself to blend into it, to become one of the shadows born of the moon’s thin, silver light. Your horse is tied to the hitching post at the small inn on the edge of town. It cannot carry you where you need to go: Through the woods with their black, grasping branches and sharp, yellow eyes that watch from hidden, leafy alcoves. Over gnarled roots and wet leaves with only the wan light of your lantern to guide you. And once you hear the sounds of the Obsidian camp, you have to extinguish even that. Setting the trusty lantern down in the damp grass, you carefully enter the camp. The tents and lean-tos are illuminated by a combination of torchlight and moonbeams, giving you plenty of shadows to slip through. You move through the darkness like a wraith, silent and grim. You made the choice to come here. You know the risks. 

But you need to see him. You need to explain yourself. 

You need to see him. You need…..

His tent is easy to find. It is the largest, the one with the gold trim that glints even in the faint light. Oddly enough, there are no guards standing watch at the entrance. Maybe they have been called away. Maybe he frightens even them. Your heartbeat roars in your ears with every step you take but you press onward, one glance over your cloaked shoulder before you part the heavy entrance flaps and step inside.

It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the even dimmer lighting inside, everything painted in gray shadow and black night. A slight frown pulls on your lips. The tent is empty….Disappointment replaces apprehension. All this way and he’s gone. Did he go ahead to the Obsidian border? Or is he out, meeting someone? Where–

Your thoughts are cut off by the hand at your throat. He emerges from the shadows, as if they have released him from their embrace, his hold on you breathtaking in its suddenness. His hands are bare, his touch a shock of cold against your skin. Not long ago you sought out that kiss of winter. Now it bites you, drawing a whimper from your lips. 

“What a very dangerous thing to do, Häschen,” he murmurs. His voice is calm, smooth as mirrored glass. He could be sitting across from you at tea instead of holding you at his mercy in his extravagant tent. “Sneaking your way into my camp after rejecting my proposal to come with me.”

What terrifies you most isn’t the hold he has on you, but the way you can’t read his face, the blank beauty of his expression, the flat red of his eye.

“What on earth would ever make the rabbit so bold as to wander into the predator’s lair?”

“I wanted to talk to you.” 

Your voice is thin as rice paper, fragile as wet silk. He holds you just enough that you can’t break free, but not so hard as to cause pain. That small favor gives you a spark of hope. “I couldn’t leave things the way they were.” You can practically see the memory of that night in the royal gardens and a sky flooded with stars in his expression. The way he asked you to join him, begging you as he held you in his arms, trailed frantic kisses over your skin. And the way your “No” cracked that unforeseen, ungoverned connection between you.

Now he takes a step forward, forcing you to step back, as he searches your face. “You made yourself clear as your lovely Rhodolite crystal. You chose here. And with it, you chose him.” Him. The looming figure of King Chevalier Michel. The only man Gilbert hates. The only one you believe he fears. 

“Please,” you whisper. “I don’t want to fight.” Whether you mean as nations or as lovers does not matter. It is true for both. “I don’t want a war between us.” Your words fall like shards of glass on stone, splintering even as they leave your lips. 

Quiet settles over the two of you like a heavy mantle. That red gaze, dark as blood in the weak light, holds you in place as much as his hand does. You’re frozen, a rabbit caught in the brightest of spotlights, all movement suspended as you wait to see what the predator will do.

The hand at your throat loosens, slides down and then around, pressing into the nape of your neck, holding you there. You remember when that hand held you there in the glow of desire. Now all you feel are the cold chains of command.

“You are too kind.” It doesn’t sound like a compliment. The words slide across your skin like fingers of ice, burning and leaving red in their wake. “Too empathetic.” His voice drops to a whisper as rough as the winter wind through naked branches. He lowers his head. Electricity crackles in your veins as you feel his breath against your ear. “Too soft for war.” He breathes in, inhaling your scent and your eyes fall closed, your body swaying slightly like a leaf clinging only by a few thin fibers to its branch. His lips brush against the line of your jaw and against all sense, your heart begins thrumming with the memory of wanting this man, this dark prince. “So…..very…..soft…..” His nose brushes against your cheek, his fingers tighten their grip on your neck and you know that for all his anger, he still wants you. The connection between you, however precarious, is still there.

“Gilbert….” Your eyes open, his face obscured by a veil of tears. The quiver in your voice pulls him out of his daze and he leans back once again, away from you and your scent, that unique mix of seductive rose and soothing lavender. The scent which has haunted him from the moment he met you. The one that lurks in the corner of every memory and wraps itself around him like the softest of silk in his dreams.

His head turns, his profile as beautiful as you remember it. The sharp lines of his cheek bones, the soft fall of hair across his forehead whose color echoes the night sky. The line of his jaw, the slope of his neck, the pale moon beauty of his skin. Unbidden, the tears fall from your eyes like liquid stars. “Gilbert….please….”

The sound of his name, tremulous and delicate, sends a visible shudder through him. He drops his hand from your neck and begins to turn fully away from you, but your heart lurches in your chest and your hand shoots out, grabbing his wrist. 

“I’m sorry.” Like silver iodide to clouds, your apology releases the rain, the torrent of words that spill from your quivering lips. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I can’t explain what…this….feeling…between us is.” Your grip on his wrist tightens, but he doesn’t pull away. He shifts, his gaze finding you over the line of his shoulder. With tears still spilling like starlight down your cheeks, you keep talking, almost breathless with the weight of what you want to say, the need to make him understand. “I only know that the thought that I have hurt you causes every heartbeat to ache, every breath to sting. I…I need you to know that I would never do anything to cause you pain.”

Unbeknownst to you, your words pierce his armor, brand themselves into his heart where they will throb in every quiet moment he experiences from here on in. Your tears and your voice spawn an unbearable tightness that coils its way around his throat, holding it as surely as if you were mirroring his earlier action. Your fingers curled tightly around his wrist feel like shackles and he has the wild inclination to fall to his knees and beg not for release, but to be fettered to you eternally.

Slowly he turns to face you completely and his expression sends a wave of emotion crashing over you, nearly pulling you under. There is a latticework of anguish and anger and desire and one eye blazing like a crimson solar flare with the force of it all. You’re pinned in place, his wrist your only lifeline to the surface else you would drown. The pendulum of time is suspended mid-swing and neither of you moves, your breath held captive in your lungs. And then the frozen moment rushes forward to the present, the pendulum arcs swiftly back onto its trajectory and suddenly you are in Gilbert’s arms, crushed against him.

His kiss is not the hungry, greedy kisses he's given you in the past. This is something harder, something angry that leaves ashes on your tongue as he plunders the depths of your mouth. It hurts, both physically in the crush of his lips, the edges of those white teeth, and emotionally, in the squeeze of your heart caught in the jaws of undeniable fear and burning desire. Your fingers curl into his shirt, a gasp ripped from your throat when he breaks the kiss as suddenly as he started it.

You don’t need a hand over his heart to know it’s drumming as hard as yours is. His eye closed, he presses his forehead against yours even as his hands grasp your hips, holding you still once again, roots of iron twining around your legs. When he speaks, his voice is astonishingly calm.

“I will come for you when this is over,” he murmurs, his voice just above a low whisper. One hand cups your face, rough and cold. 

“What…..what happens then?” The question is barely audible. You’re trembling as if outside, exposed to rough winds that pull on your garments and drag incy fingernails across your exposed, vulnerable skin.

He nuzzles the side of your neck, his inhale tremulous. “The question of what I do when I find you….” His lips graze the shell of your ear, his fingers slide down the line of your neck to grip your shoulder. “...will haunt you until the time comes.”

Your blood turns cold in your veins. Color seeps from your face, leaving you blanched and breathless, as he steps away from you, something only possible because of his absolute control over himself. He’s slipped the mask of amused indifference back on and part of you wants nothing more than to launch yourself at him and tear it to pieces with the ferocity of your desire to see him, the real him. But another, more rational part takes the chance and slowly widens the distance between you.

"Hop away, Häschen." He glances at the flap of his tent and then turns back to you, his face bathed in shadow, his features opaque except for the flickering red flame of his eye. "You have five minutes before this camp knows you are here. And they won't be as kind to you as I have been.”

You turn. 

And run.

Tagging: @aquagirl1978 @alixennial @alexxavicry @queengiuliettafirstlady @rhodolitesrose @ikemen-writer @bellerose-arcana @thewitchofbooks @redheadkittys @dear-mrs-otome @firestar-otomeobsessed @curious-skybunny @kpop-and-otome @writingwhimsey @mxrmaid-poet @silver-dahlia @wendolrea @otomefoxystar @nightfoxqueen @myonlyjknight @queen-dahlia @aceuuuuu @scorchieart @joiedecombat

☆ put this star into the inbox of your favourite blogs. it’s time to spread positivity.

(To the fella who spreads positivity everywhere she goes)

Scorchie🥺💖💗💞 Thank you so much for the kind message 😭 You do exactly the same with your creations 😌

OMG OMG OMG I JUST THAT THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO REQUEST TvT. I hope I'm not too late. I wanted to ask for Sariel, Litch, Chevalier and Clavis. Secret lovers. Pairing with MC ofc. Again I hope I'm not too late. Lots of love from me. I love you. AAAAAAH I LOVE YOU😩 YOU'RE AMAZING

Ok tq sorry for the sudden love declaration but I still love you💅

A/N: Here you are, @ludivineikewolf 💜 Thank you for the kind words and for the request!

Word Count: 1706

Licht Klein

There is something fearful in Licht that still has its claws sunk deep in his heart. Something that still breathes hot worry through its chamber like Dust Bowl wind across a faded prairie. He knows he is not a faction leader, but his prowess on the field of battle is known. He is renowned for his military mind, for his expertly trained soldiers. Licht Klein is a name that would make most men think twice. And it is because of this, he says, that he wants to keep your relationship secret. He has enemies and they must not know how close you are to him.

Night has fallen over Rhodolite and deep within the heart of the palace, you lay in his arms. Though his skin is warm against yours, though you are safe within the circle of his embrace, though your limbs are heavy with the exhaustion of your lovemaking, you can’t help but tilt your head up to look at him in profile, wakefulness buzzing in your mind like a swarm of insects. Thankfully, Licht is asleep. His rubine eyes are closed, his breathing is slow and even. His face holds a peace in it that almost breaks your heart at how rare the sight is. 

You love him with the strength of your whole heart, with the force of every breath you take, with a ferocity that could bring a mountain to its knees. And all of that is held tight, locked inside yourself, but threatening to burst free at any moment. Because how can you keep your gaze from finding him across a room? How can his voice, the one you know can be soft and cloying and whisper its desperate need and gentlest love for you, how can it not turn your head? A boot presses down on your heart every time you force those feelings down and away, back into the shadows. 

He is uneasy, afraid of what loving him may cost you. But you ask yourself, as your gaze wanders his sleeping visage, could the cost of hiding it be even greater?

Sariel Noir

You know it’s wrong. He knows it’s wrong. There are so many reasons why it is simply wrong. He is your tutor. He is an important member of the administrative arm of the palace, if not the most important person aside from the princes themselves. You are his student, learning all you can about your role as Belle. You are a commoner, unfamiliar with the palace aside from it being some distant entity that has always loomed over your life like a star in the night sky. Far away, untouchable, yet ever-present. All this and more should be enough to keep each other at arm’s length, to maintain those boundaries between you as solidly as a stone wall of propriety. 

And yet....even now....your feet are carrying you down darkened hallways, up winding steps within narrow tower walls, dusty with disuse. At the top your hand finds the dull, worn brass door handle and pulls, the wood creaking a testament to age and dereliction. You shouldn’t be here, sneaking around like a thief in the night...but there. There is his figure silhouetted by moonlight. He stands at the small window, looking down on the distant, empty courtyard. Your breath catches in your throat. The moon is a loving artist, painting his pale skin with radiant silver, his dark hair in glistening argent light. For once, he is not moving, not writing, not reading, not hurrying from one meeting to the next. He is perfectly still, his dark violet gaze never leaving the glass. Maybe you should leave. Some part of you, some tiny thorn that has dug its way into your mind, is telling you that would be the right thing to do.

You step backwards and the floorboards creak underfoot. He turns and you are lost. One look at his face, at the way his breath caught at the sight of you, at the sudden flash of light in those amethyst eyes, and you know that backwards was never an option. It will always be forwards, always towards him.

You meet in the middle, mouths finding one another, bodies pressed tightly together, held that way by strong arms and blazing hearts. As you drink him in, as you stumble together over the wooden floor toward the bed of this long-forgotten guest suite, the one whose sheets have been unobtrusively replaced with clean, soft linens, you know in the deepest part of your heart and quietest part of your soul that for him, for this, the risk is worth everything.

Clavis Lelouch

You and Clavis have been through many obstacles during your time as Belle. And while that time has come to end, the challenges haven’t. Because of all the things Clavis may be, he is still a prince. And you are still a commoner. And in the eyes of the nobility, your worlds are as incompatible as oil and water. But you love him, this one-of-a-kind man of yours, this golden-eyed song your heart can’t stop singing. And he loves you. Of all the people in all of Rhodolite, you have captured his affection and devotion and passion and there is no way you are ever going to let it go.

And so your love for one another has become good at sliding through shadows. A visit for tea with the princes that ends in a dark alcove, exchanging kisses sweeter than any baked treat. A stroll through the palace gardens in palest moonlight, arm in arm, whispered laughter drifting across roses as dark as pomegranate seeds. Nights in your small bedroom, in your cozy cottage, listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops on your roof while nestled together safe and warm under your patched bed quilt. 

Now the sun is just readying itself for its daily climb, the first rosy-fingers of dawn testing their grip on the dusky, pre-dawn sky. Clavis groans, his hands clasped tightly over yours, whispered curses at the sunrise already falling from his lips. You burrow closer against him, your body wrapped around his from behind. As much as you love feeling sheltered in his arms, you can’t deny there is a satisfaction in being the one to hold him like this, to press your forehead against the bare skin between his shoulder blades, as if willing all your thoughts of love and lust to sink into his skin, to become a part of him. 

“I have to go, my love.” If ever a man sounded like he disliked the feel of words in his mouth, it is Clavis right now. With a groan to emphasize how much he hates what he said, he rolls over, turning to face you. “Oh no,” he murmurs as his gaze locks with yours. “This is so much worse. Now I won’t be able to leave at all.” He reaches out, his fingers pushing your loose hair away from your bare shoulder, then drops his hand to the soft skin there, his touch lingering. A sigh is torn from your chest and he shakes his head. “I know that sound. You’re going to be cruel.”

“It isn’t Chevalier you’re meeting with today. And you were late last time.” If it were Chevalier, Clavis may very well stay in your arms for another few hours. The King never once said a word about his brother’s more frequent absences or tardiness. You know Clavis has been pushing himself even harder, getting all his work done and then some so Chevalier would have no reason to complain. But you also suspect the king already knows and does not care. Maybe some part of that cool heart is even happy for Clavis. But the men he is meeting with this morning would not be happy if they knew. Not at all. They are nobility of the old guard, the kind who look down their noses at anyone without a title and would certainly file official complaints if they even suspected a prince of Rhodolite was acting so callously as to have an affair with a commoner. Even if it was one who had been chosen as Belle. 

He knows you are right and it hurts to see the way his eyes dim. His hand slides across your shoulder to the back of your neck. Leaning forward, he pulls you close for one last kiss. He tastes like the sweetness of adoration tinged with the bitterness of necessary departure.

There is a knock at your front door. Two short raps, then one final, stronger one. Cyran’s code for “Get moving.” The kiss breaks as another soft curse leaves his lips before he summons all the willpower he has to pull away from you. You slide out of bed, not one to linger there when he has spent the night. His absence only makes it feel empty and cold. You dress, neither one looking at the other. The lightening sky brings misery along with it. Not wanting him to see the pain in your eyes, you keep your back to him, a hand pressed over your mouth to stifle any soft cry that escapes the tight back of your throat.

He knows anyway. He feels the same noose tightening around his heart. There are no jokes, no quips. He slides one arm around you from behind, pressing a kiss just behind your ear. “Just a few days. Then you’re coming to the palace to deliver those books for Chev.” You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to stop the flow of tears that threaten to spill over. “That’s the weekend of the Diplomat’s Ball. I can’t stay.” Too many nobles, too many unfamiliar servants, too many eyes and ears. His moment of silence speaks louder than any words. A heartbeat. Two. Then he speaks. “We’ll find a way, little bunny. We always do.”

Cyran knocks again, irritation practically traveling along the soundwaves. Clavis kisses your cheek, the tenderness almost rendering your heart in two. He whispers against your soft skin: “Remember who loves you.” And then he is nothing but the sound of boots as they leave your bedroom, hurry down the short hallway and turn into the slamming of the door. Closing your eyes tightly is a failure. The tears streaming down your cheeks have triumphed, once again.

Chevalier Michel

He does not see the point in hiding your relationship. Anyone who does not like it, be damned. Or meet the end of his sword. 

(They are very likely the same thing.)

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