MIRACLE. *

ᶤᵗ'ˢ ʰᵃʳᵈ ᵗᵒ ʳᵉˡᵃʸ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʰᵒᵘᵍʰᵗˢ ᶤᶰ ᵐʸ ᵇʳᵃᶤᶰ ᶤ'ᵐ ʷᵒʳᵏᶤᶰᵍ ᶠᵒʳ ᵃ ˡᶤᶠᵉ ᵗʰᵃᵗ'ˢ ᶰᵒᵗ ᵈᵒᵐᵉˢᵗᶤᶜᵃᵗᵉᵈ 𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈 𝐙𝐔𝐋𝐔 ; 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑠𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑎.

[omxriis]

barbara.  *

     - ‘ NO JUMPING on dindo, he’s got a booboo arm. ’ and that was when she saw eva kiss his arm — to make it better she assumed — and couldn’t help but laugh. it didn’t really seem like the soon to be two year old girl understood what the cast on omari’s arm was meant for though even after being explained about it twelve times. ‘ don’t fall for it, she wants something. ’·

        “    thanks,  pudding.    ”    omari  laughs  at  the  toddler  and  looks  away  from  the  pleading  gaze  she’s  giving  him,  glancing  over  at  his  best  friend.    “    you’re  just  jealous  because  she  likes  me  more  than  you.    why  do  you  think  she  always  plays  with  the  christmas  present  i  bought  her  ?    because  her  uncle  mari  gave  it  to  her.    ”

[omxriis]

louise.  *

❝ My grandma sent some chocolate for you ! ❞ Louise presented a box to Omari. Wilhelmina had mailed a huge care package for her five grand children and Louise had been surprised to find something for her fiancé in it. ❝ She wishes you the best recovery. ❞

        “    told  you  old  people  have  a  soft  spot  for  me.    ”    omari  grins  as  if  this  is  living  proof,  but  the  smile  softens  when  he  takes  the  box,  hooking  his  good  arm  around  it.    “    tell  her  i  said  thank  you  ;    she  didn’t  have  to.    how’s  your  siblings  and  cousins  holding  up  ?    ”

[omxriis]

reginald.  *

“ so WHAT’S the story ? “ with omari, there must be one, reggie mused, shifting in the hospital chair. his concern has reduced greatly from their first encounter post-hike, replaced with banter. something that felt normal. “ played the hero, lost your group, or what ? “

        “    i  went  looking  for  you,    ”    omari  explains,  as  if  it  should  be  obvious.    he  attempts  to  reach  for  his  cup  of  coffee  with  his  broken  arm,  and  frowns  when  he  realises  he  needs  to  get  used  to  using  his  left  now.    “    that  worked  out  amazingly  well,  clearly.    you  should  be  saying  thank  you.    ”

[omxriis]

        he’s  been  trying  to  move  the  rock  off  his  arm  for  what  feels  like  hours,  but  the  stupid  thing  won’t  budge  and  it  doesn’t  help  that  his  arm  ceased  to  feel  anything  shortly  after  the  rock  fell  on  it.    why,  oh  why  didn’t  he  stay  with  the  group  ?    but  the  desparation  to  find  his  cousin  left  him  trying  to  find  a  path  that  would  take  him  in  reggie’s  general  direction,  a  path  which  took  him  away  from  safety.    omari  tries  again  to  move  the  rock,  but  it  remains  pinning  his  arm  stubbornly.    the  sound  of  footsteps  on  the  gravel  gives  him  a  sense  of  hope.    “    help  !    ”

[omxriis]

leonor.  *

“I know the hiking is the main event of this trip.” Every word was a struggle, Leonor was out of breath. “But I’m just really looking forward to the camping bit. I don’t think I brought enough water for this weather.”

        “    they’re  not  supplying  the  water  ?    ”    panic  begins  to  set  in.    omari  really  should  have  been  prepared  for  this;    but  when  was  he  ever  prepared  for  anything  ?    “    don’t  worry,  there’s  got  to  be  someone  in  this  group  that  has  their  backpack  full.    ”

[omxriis]

teodore.  *

Teo sat down heavily, sending a disgruntled glare at the half-finished tent in front of him.  “Not gonna lie, I didn’t expect there to be so much work involved when I signed up for the camping option.”  At the time, it had sounded better than a stuffy resort full of people who were, no doubt, too boring for a bit of adventure ﹔ now, the prospect of actually sleeping in something he had built was slightly concerning.

        “    you  don’t  have  yours  up  yet  ?    ”    omari  had  his  tent  built  and  filled  within  the  first  hour.    currently,  he’s  sipping  a  hot  brew  that  probably  isn’t  wise  for  this  weather,  but  he  needs  some  form  of  caffeine  in  his  body  after  the  day’s  trek.    “    just  enjoy  the  experience.    try  to  imagine  yourself  stranded  on  some  island  or  something,  and  you’re  bear  grylls  having  to  survive  the  wild.    ”

[omxriis]

aisling.  *

❝ Can you be my Reggie for the trip ? Since he’s not here ! ❞ She joked. Zulus were not interchangeable. ❝ This means that you will have to share your food with me. The things I can eat at least. ❞

        “    cousins  by  association  ?    that’s  fine  by  me.    ”    they  basically  are  cousins,  through  marriage.    the  least  he  can  do  is  take  her  under  his  wing.    “    what  do  you  like  ?    i’ve  got  some  stuff  stashed  away  in  my  backpack.    ”

[omxriis]

louise.  *

                                                                            BRUSSELS,  21ST  MARCH  2021.

❝ And they will ask questions. ❞ Omari was right to be prepared. They both were under constant scrutiny. People wanted to know everything and they documented their every moves. ❝ But the public should understand that we have our own lives. ❞ A relationship whether it was a genuine one or not, was not everything there was to someone’s life. They were individuals and not lovebirds. They could spend time apart.  ❝ Just tell me when you want to leave so I can add seeing you off at the airport to my schedule. ❞ A picture of a goodbye hug would do wonders in tabloids. 

She was curious to know what Omari wanted to talk to Reginald about. She wondered if it was related to politics or family. ❝ Oh.❞ Louise tried not to let the disappointment show on her face. She had been hoping for soldiers. The Zulus ruled over several countries and she had specifically sought an alliance with them for that reason. They were a powerful family. She had thought that they would send military support. They could probably spare some men but apparently that was not beneficial. She took a minute to think about what she could reply to Omari. She needed to thread carefully. ❝ I was hoping for soldiers but I will be happy to take funds for refugees and displaced people. ❞ That could be a start that would hopefully lead to something more.  ❝ Can all of you make a joint statement supporting Belgium ? That would also help. ❞ Perspectives could be a weapon. They might not even need to send troops. If the French believed that the Zulus were willing to actively engage in the war, Arnauld might be ready to negotiate the withdrawal of his men. 

❝ Amazing ! ❞ She flashed him a smile. ❝ Now that you agreed, I can disclose that she will probably grill you. ❞ Her grand-mother was not opposed to arranged marriages like Lola but she was a tough woman and she would try to make sure that Omari was a good fit for her grand-daughter, especially since Anne and Albert were not there.  ❝ She means well. ❞ Hopefully Omari would convince Wilhelmina that he was an asset for Belgium. 

        some  sort  of  relief  releases  from  his  shoulders  and  he  finally  smiles.    betrothals  have  a  tendency  to  feel  like  a  prison;    so  many  expectations,  so  many  people  watching  you  to  see  if  you’ll  slip  up.    they’ve  managed  to  escape  this  by  appearing  inseparable,  but  at  some  point  it  will  start  looking  as  if  they’re  too  attached.    people  will  begin  to  look  through  the  facade,  so  him  going  back  to  argentina  without  louise  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction.    “    perhaps  this  weekend.    a  couple  of  my  friends  are  going  through  some  stuff.    i  want  to  be  there  to  support  them.    ”    he  figures  barbara  and  natasja  will  have  a  field  day  mocking  him  about  the  engagement,  anyway.

        her  face  drops  and  he  knows  that  she  was  expecting  something  else,  but  what  else  can  he  do  ?    the  zulus  have  a  lot  of  power,  yes,  and  a  lot  of  money  behind  that  power  but  at  the  end  of  the  day,  their  countries  come  first.    sending  their  men  out  to  fight  in  a  war  that  looks  more  dreadful  every  day  will  only  bring  into  question  their  leadership  skills.    it’s  better  to  have  a  zulu  on  your  side  at  all  than  not  having  them  at  all.    “    we  value  our  men.    you  already  have  soldiers  coming  from  germany,  sweden,  and  south  korea.    i  doubt  you’ve  even  had  time  to  think  about  the  charities  that  are  severely  lacking  in  funds.    ”    he  nods  his  head,  though.    not  every  war  requires  soldiers;    it  needs  outsiders,  people  who  don’t  get  physically  involved  but  are  always  there  as  a  support  bracket.    “    of  course.    i’ll  get  my  father  to  speak  to  my  aunt.    they’ll  be  able  to  release  something  within  the  next  few  weeks.    ”

        if  they  still  think  it  will  be  worth  it.    the  more  he  thinks  about  the  whole  situation,  the  bigger  the  headache  he  receives.    “    don’t  worry  about  it.    i’ve  dealt  with  the  elderly  more  times  than  i  can  count.    they  tend  to  have  a  soft  spot  for  me.    ”    and  he  has  a  soft  spot  for  them.    holding  doors  open,  carrying  their  groceries.    he’s  very  considerate  towards  them.

[omxriis]

fanni.  *

“Oh, grea-”  Her mouth snaps shut. The silence that falls between them feels unfamiliar. It’s not the awkward kind that follows stuttering. It’s not the comfortable kind that exists between kisses before sleep. It was foreign and cold. It is difficult to decide what to say. There is no point in being confused about the statement, she knows exactly what he means. He has said the words that she has expected to fall from the lips of her friends for quite some time. It feels unnecessary cruel that it is Omari who is the first to corner her with the unsavory truth. “Well this is slightly disheartening.” It is. There is no lie there. “But I suppose this is better than you keeping it to yourself.”

        for  a  split  second,  he  regrets  his  words.    this  surely  wouldn’t  help  them  progress  the  stage  of  awkwardness  that  they’ve  been  stuck  in  for,  well,  the  past  few  years.    but  then  he  remembers  that  lying  wouldn’t  be  beneficial  to  anyone,  so  he  decides  to  stand  his  ground.    being  honest  won’t  change  anything  between  them  anyway,  so  he  supposes  she  at  least  deserves  to  know  what  people  are  thinking.    how  many  have  deliberately  not  said  anything  at  all  ?    “    it’s  just  ,  why  ?    ”    it’s  baffling,  to  say  the  least.    “    and  don’t  tell  me  it’s  because  he’s  different  with  you.    that’s  no  excuse  to  accept  somebody’s  actions.    ”

[omxriis]

raymund.  *

       “I’ve never been to one of that size. Though after New Years, it did seem to be going on without any hiccups,” he mused. The words were mostly for himself. It had been months and he was still getting used to being in the program. “I never said thank you, by the way. For, ugh, talking to me.”

        “    you’re  thanking  me  for  talking  to  you  ?    ”    it  comes  as  a   surprise,  especially  since  omari  has  never  really  been  thanked  for  talking  to  anyone.    it’s  never  been  considered  a  favour  to  him.    “    you’re  welcome,  i  suppose.    but  why  would  you  thank  me  for  something  like  that  ?    ”

[omxriis]

louise.  *

                                                                                             BRUSSELS,  21ST  MARCH  2021.

Louise had not anticipated how happy she would be playing tour guide for Omari in Brussels. She still felt awkward but it was not the prevailing emotion when she was showing him places and introducing him to people. Being home made her feel more confident. There was a sense of normalcy that was reassuring. ❝ I don’t think I will be returning for a little while. ❞ Her staff had been trying to not bother her while she and Omari were touring the city playing the perfect couple but as soon as they had returned to Laeken castle, the reports and crisis management had resumed. ❝ There are pressing matters I must see through before flying back. ❞ The secret services were planning a rescue mission for the duchess of Namur and she wanted to stay until Cécile would be free or in case they would fail.  

 ❝ But you’re not a prisoner ! I’m already so pleased that you came back with me. I won’t ask you to stay. ❞ She could not ask that much of him. He would be bored and lonely in a foreign country while she was busy with State affairs. Things might have been different if Beau was around to keep Omari occupied. However they already had accomplished their goal by parading around. The people had been able to see the future king consort and the reactions were mostly positive. ❝ I’d like to show you my art gallery and perhaps tomorrow we can walk in the garden and greenhouses with my grandma. ❞ They could spend some time in private with the queen mother. Wilhelmina had met Omari but they did not have the chance to properly get acquainted with the media circus and all the engagements the pair had had to attend. 

          it’s  a  lot  easier  being  around  louise  in  public  when  they’re  not  surrounded  by  the  constantly  inspecting  eyes  of  the  people  within  the  programme.    not  the  most  comfortable  experience,  but  he  at  least  doesn’t  feel  like  they’re  being  constantly  watched  all  the  time.    there’s  also  the  fact  that  there’s  a  reason  he  agreed  to  this  in  the  first  place  ;    for  the  people.    meeting  belgium’s  people  and  getting  to  experience  their  culture  is  eyeopening,  to  say  the  least.    it  makes  the  smile  more  geniune  when  he  doesn’t  feel  under  pressure  all  the  time.    “    of  course.    i  just  wanted  to  ask  for  when  people  start  asking  questions.    ”    and  they  will  ask  questions  ;    he  can  already  see  it.    wondering  why  he’s  not  with  his  fiancée  like  he  has  been  since  the  engagement  was  announed.    omari  rubs  his  head.

        “    i  know.    i  was  hoping  to  go  back  soon,  anyway.    there  are  things  i  need  to  go  over  with  my  cousin.    ”    which  both  omari  and  reggie  are  a  little  fuzzy  over,  considering  they  don’t  really  know  what  aid  they  can  offer  belgium  that  won’t  be  costly.    he  clears  his  throat.    may  as  well  propose  the  idea  now.    “    i’ve  been  speaking  to  him,  actually.    about  what  we  could  do  for  you.    we  don’t  think  sending  our  men  would  be  beneficial  for  us,  but  we  are  willing  to  send  distribute  some  of  our  charity  funds  to  any  of  your  organisations  that  are  in  need.    ”    he  takes  a  sip  from  his  water,  glancing  over  at  louise.    “    that  would  be  nice.    i’d  like  to  spend  some  more  time  with  your  grandma.    ”  

[omxriis]

elyse.  *

Her nose scrunched up slightly. This was less of a congratulations and more of an admonishment. How disappointed. She was sick of people telling her what to do. “I assure you, I dotted all my Is and crossed all my Ts before I did this. I would not put my ambition above my people’s wellbeing. That separates me from many other nobles.” 

        “    that’s  what  it  looks  like.    ”    it  definitely  doesn’t  sound  like  it,  not  with  the  way  it  was  being  portrayed.    after  pulling  troops  from  the  belgium,  it  looks  like  nothing  more  than  a  power  grab  to  him.    “    just  what  do  you  intend  on  doing  with  this  newfound  power  ?    i  doubt  many  would  want  to  be  allies  with  you  considering  you  practically  spat  on  german  soil.    poland  can  only  do  so  much.    ”

[omxriis]

fanni.  *

“Good.” How many times could they repeat the word to each other until it lost its meaning? She brushed hair behind her ear and glanced behind him to keep her eyes from meeting his. “D’Orléans,” she corrected by talking over him. “But I’m sure you knew that.” Her tone was chastising if anything. “He makes time for me, you really shouldn’t worry.”

        “    right.    ”    of  course  he  knew  ;    he  thinks  everybody  in  every  square  inch  of  this  earth  knows  who  arnauld  d’orléans  is.    but  he  doesn’t  bother  saying  it,  anyway.    “    not  worried,    ”    the  words  leave  his  lips  too  fast.    “    just  surprised.    at  you,  really.    ”

[omxriis]

natasja  &  barbara.  *

“fine, fine, since omari did so much work, i’ll take the kid’s room,” natasja rolls her eyes and then laughs, leaning her head back against the couch for a second. she hadn’t realized until that moment that she hadn’t laughed in months, it felt like. if she had, they hadn’t been genuine. but that was just the effect omari and barbie had on her, they could almost make her forget the trouble in reykjavik. she takes a moment to puase after, “i know i already said it, but… thank you both - it’s been a rough few months. staying here will be… good for me, i think.”    //   @bvrbic

     - THERE WAS a second where she pondered just pushing his legs away from her. instead, barbie actually did start massaging his back. with a little too much pressure and full intention to actually hurt. ‘ this good enough ? ’ natasja’s words had barbie getting her hands off omari just to wave that thought dismissively. there was a pattern there: when she fought her husband, mari moved in, and now they were both welcoming nat as things between her and her fiancée went to shit. it’s what best friends are for. ‘ yes, you might change your mind after spending most of your day with the kids. ’ / @omxriis

        “    ow  !    ”    omari  cries  and  jumps  from  the  sofa,  shooting  barbie  an  accustory  look  and  crossing  the  room  to  the  other  one.    “    yeah,  the  kids  are  like  one  big  stress  ball.    ”    he  rolls  his  shoulders  and  moves  his  back  to  try  alleviate  the  ache,  leaning  back  in  his  seat.    “    but,  they’re  good  company.    much  better  than  barbie  when  she  starts  complaining  over  the  mess  you  make  in  the  bathroom.    ”         @nctasja

[omxriis]

raymund.  *

       “We’ve never really discussed it.” He knew she thought highly of him, but he wasn’t sure they were exactly friends. “It went a lot smoother than I anticipated. And you? Did the rest of the night fair well for you?” 

        “    fair  enough,    ”    omari  laughs.    he’s  not  sure  whether  that’s  a  thing  people  even  discuss  ;    it  sort  of  just  happens.    “    it  was  pleasant,  to  be  honest.    uneventful  as  far  as  weddings  go,  which  was  a  nice  change.    ”

[omxriis]

raymund.  *

       “A little,” he replied. He couldn’t exactly say what it was but he had felt the need to elaborate all the time. “She was friends with my brother. We’re kind of friends - I guess.” 

            “    you  guess  ?    ”    despite  himself  ,  omari  laughs  .    what  a  small  world  .    “    well  ,  it’s  always  nice  to  meet  louise’s  friends  .    did  you  enjoy  the  rest  of  the  night  ?    ”

[omxriis]

raymund.  *

       “The kilt stealer,” he countered, smiling as Omari introduced himself. “It’s good to meet you too. Raymund Ortega.” Tilting his head to the left, he eyed the man in front of him for a moment. “You’re engaged to Louise, aren’t you?”

               “    the  very  one  ,    ”    he  grins  proudly  in  response  .    what  a  name  !    “    that  would  be  me  ,  yes  .    do  you  know  her  ?    ”