momentsofmusings:
“Not for a while,” Ivan admitted. He was probably a child the last time his family had gathered around to do so and he didn’t count Maggie’s sing song every year, because that was usually as she was charging towards him to force him into a hug. But perhaps he had wanted to hear Zoey’s voice just for him.
Taking a deep breath he exhaled, watching as just over half the candles were extinguished. Perhaps his lungs weren’t as good as they used to be. Another puff and there was nothing but a thin strand of smoke rising from them, adding a rather nice illusion to the Starry Night surface. It was done now, and his wish made. Not that Ivan expected any of it to come true, it was tradition more than any superficial hope that magic existed.
“Oh definitely, a whole year’s worth of wisdom has just smacked me in the face,” he replied, turning round with her movement to find her grabbing a blanket. His brows furrowed momentarily until she explained it. He was surprised to find something stirring inside of him with the picture in front of him, a strange feeling twisting in the pit of his stomach before settling. With a cool smile he looked between the cake and the blanket. “Well with that offer, I think it’ll have to be dessert first. Pass me the knife.”
Zoey knew better than to ask someone what they wished for- otherwise it wouldn’t come true! And him getting his wish meant more than satiating her curiosity.
She couldn’t help but smile at his response, biting back the urge to quip if it had hurt. “You sound wiser already,” she piped as she walked over the knife, offering it handle first with a playful bow. “And you’re not even thirty-one yet, you still technically have..” she glanced over her shoulder to take a peek at the clock “another twenty three minutes and some odd seconds to go.”
Celebrating his birthday the night before had been strategic planning on her part. She knew he’d be swept up in his princely duties on the actual day; having to mingle with diplomats and other royals, there was no room for the help on that occasion. Zoey had had enough experience with Nate to know when to make herself scarce. And well.. she couldn’t forget the very real possibility of his future wife wanting to spend time with him also.
The engagement was the only novel part of walking the very fine line that had been befriending royalty. She’d long left the Philippines before Nate had gotten betrothed, and though it didn’t make it any easier pill to swallow at least she saw that one coming. This betrothal, however, had snuck up on her. It seemed like just yesterday they were joking about him being one of the most coveted bachelors and now he was just one ceremony away from being someone’s husband; as if their meetings weren’t clandestine enough.
Zoey deflected the thought with a sharp inhale as she turned to grab the plates; taking the moment her back was turned to the prince to redirect her thoughts to something more.. productive. “So what does a prince typically get on his birthday?” The plates that had been borrowed from the kitchen clanged against one another in her grasp. “A jet?... Keys to a city?... A stable full of horses?” She asked with as lighthearted a smile she could summon, knowing that what she got him probably paled in comparison.
