A/N: another chapter for you guys! I love hearing what yall think so pls send me some asks after you read to lmk ur thoughts on this story!
word count: 3.4k
warnings: mild language
previous chapter
There's many dances and joyous songs sung in the prince's honor, and Alice finds Luke amongst the crowd and spends her night laughing and sharing glasses of champagne with him as they fake their prosperity as if they don't go home to sleep on lumpy beds with dingy frames.
"And where might the birthday boy be?" Luke asks as they receive cake for the celebration. Red velvet, Calum's favorite.
She takes a bite and shrugs. To be honest, she lost track of him ages ago, and now the sky is dark and scattered with stars, and the moon creates a slice of it's face up through the windows.
Her eyes take a glance to the royal thrones, and his is left barren, only his father sits there, unhappy and distressed. Maybe Calum's run off. She wonders, eyes doing a very intent look around the boisterous celebration, his baby blue princely attire and shiny crown is nowhere to be found.
Her heart hammers in his chest. This is not good.
"I'll be right back." She abandons her seat and picks up her dress so she can walk without toppling over. Luke shoves a forkful of cake into his face while muttering an okay.
She rushes through the party-goers, eyes searching for someone familiar, and when nobody with deep onyx eyes is found, she leave the ballroom and enters the foyer.
It's dead quiet when she walks up the stairs, the second floor remains a ghost town, her heels click against the tiles as she listens for any sign of him being in here.
She sees a light in the Western wing, and follows it eagerly. Here dress heavy as the tulle blows with the wind from the open windows, her hand pick up handfuls of it, if anyone catches her in the act of doing this they'll just about kick her out.
Her hands pry open the door, and the stone stairwell is silent, the cobwebs around the windows and the vines climbing the walls have her grimacing. Especially when the musty smell of moss hits her senses.
"Calum?" She calls, voice echoing.
Her feet start up the old stairs, the tiny tower has her spinning with each wobbly step, and her worry heightens as she makes her way up. She wrestles with the door, it clearly isn't used often, it's hard to budge open, her foot gives the bottom a kick and she walks into the very top of the tower. The open air rushes over her, the night sky consumes her.
Calum stands there, knuckles burning white as he grips the edge of the tower, he's looking out. Eyebrows furrowed as he gets a view of what's beyond the walls. He can see the villages, and the marketplace, every church and school within miles from here.
"It's not-" He can't think of what to say. Can't put it into words how confused and- disappointed?- he is.
"It's not what I expected." He bites his bottom lip, Alice takes a step closer so she's beside him, her hand finds the top of his and he flinches at the sudden contact.
"I know it doesn't seem like much," She whispers, "But there's a lot more to it than tiny houses."
"Yeah?" He whispers, "Where's your house?"
She tries to follow the minuscule buildings, she can make out the marketplace and backtracks it to the school and furthermore until she sees a misshapen village she calls her own. Her eyes squint as she points to it.
"Right about there." Alice's voice is gentle and Calum ducks down to try and see it through her line of vision. His face is right beside hers, and he can hear her breathing hitch, he squints and follows her finger until it's in his view the same way it's in hers.
His jaw is beside her cheek, and he can feel the way heat radiates off of her skin, she's melting against his touch. He finds himself taking notice of her body language, how responsive she is to his actions.
"That tiny grey speck is my house, and if you go over about three to the right, that's where Luke lives."
He stops staring at the land in front of him, dark eyes studying the way her lips curl into a smile as she explains everything, how her eyelashes curl so effortlessly, how the stars glisten in her evergreen eyes.
He doesn't know what sways him to do something at that very moment. Maybe the mood, or the setting, or the fact he just knows he's done for when she looks back at him with those big doe eyes and that grin that makes his chest feels painfully tight and his hands clam up.
He's never felt so nervous before. It has to be the wine he had tonight, that he kept irrevocably chugging whenever they offered it to him. It's the air, and how it's brisk against his heated skin. His burning, burning skin that goes to ash wherever she lingers.
Calum's not one to become wary, and the fact it's over the way she's looking at him sends his mind haywire.
"It's a wonderful land, Calum." She tells him, but his focus is on the way her lips curl into a smile whenever she speaks. "You're ruling it well."
"You seem to be the only person who thinks that." He admits lowly, as he watches the way the roads and streets tangle and weave together through the nation. He's never seen past the walls, this is incredible. He may not be on the other side but it's just as surreal to look at what he's been protecting all these years.
Muffled in the background, through the open windows, a song starts, and it's a waltz that he remembers from every ball they do. Alice recognizes the tune and finds his hands once again.
"Would you like to join me in a dance, your highness." She gives her best fake posh accent that seems to make him laugh before nodding.
"Why, of course." He mocks back as she steps closer so they can dance alone, no one to stare and critique his sometimes sloppy steps and fumbling feet. He watches the way she slowly melts into his body, fitting against him perfectly as her head rests against his chest, his own chin on top of her hair as she relaxes against him.
He hums along to the tune, no longer tense or stiff as he realizes he can let down his walls. She won't judge him. She won't glare like the other girls do. He has Alice here, and she's letting him be himself despite the world yelling at him for not doing anything right.
"Be honest, Alice," He speaks, slow and raspy. "Did my mother tell you to come here tonight?"
He finds it rather suspicious that she's in the same color dress as his tux is and her all too quick decision to go to it made him weary.
Her hesitation in her voice is a sign, too.
"I mean," She won't lift her head, too comfy up against him like this, "She did, but I wanted to go. She just asked me without knowing I already had the idea in mind."
"And the dress?"
He feels her smile against him, "She may have sent it to my house this morning." She breaks away from him so her eyes can meet his, "I really did want to go though, we're friends, Calum."
He finds comfort in her reassuring words and even more in the fact that she calls him a friend. He's grown up as a tolerated younger sibling who is constantly under the public eye and now that he's found someone who likes him for the person he truly is, he has no clue how to react.
"Would you like to see something?" He asks, eyes hopeful as they gaze down into hers. His hands squeeze hers to silently plea for a yes, even though she's nodding the second he says it.
They race down the stairwell and bust open the door to the corridor, he's laughing and grinning and dragging the girl along as she holds some of the fabric of her dress in one hand to keep from tripping. No guards in sight on the second floor as he brushes past columns and statues, spins her around in the marble hall that's covered in paintings and glorious chandeliers. Savors the way her laugh echoes through the vast space before hitting his ears.
He brings a hand to a door towards the end of the hall and opens it to reveal, what has to surely be, his bedroom. His master bedroom with three rooms to it.
She feels her laughter halt as her words get caught in her throat at what he lives in, what he sleeps on. Everything is pure beauty and masterfully created. The condition of it all is polished and brand new, he has red silken sheets on his bed and it's dark wood is carved to perfection. He has a glass case against the wall full of his crowns that sit on black velvet pillows.
She steps towards the case and catches her faint reflection in the glass, how she's gazing at one of the more abstract ones. It's silver with blue jewels trimming the bottom as a plethora of black diamonds are stuck in the center.
"These are beautiful." She whispers as she admires them.
"Here." Calum speaks from behind her. There's a box in his hand, small and wrapped with a tiny yellow bow.
"If I recall correctly, today's your birthday."
He hands her the gift nonetheless, "I-I. . ." He let's it land in her hand, "Just open it."
She feels bad for not getting him anything, and now him giving her a present for no reason is the icing on the guilt cake.
She pulls apart the bow until the ribbon falls apart and she tears the wrapping paper off slowly.
"Get on with it," He teases, "Don't have all night."
Alice smiles as she sees a delicate velvet box in her palm, it clicks open and she feels a lump form in her throat.
"It's a necklace, for you." He explains, and watches her bite on her lip to fight back the silly emotions she's overwhelmed with right now. She can't accept something so ordain, so luxurious.
It's a simple set of three diamonds, one large one in the center as the other two are snug on each side.
"Calum-"
"I see you wearing that locket all the time, and I thought you might want another necklace to wear with it."
She smiles up at him and holds back her sappy tears. Her hand not holding the box clasps over her locket instinctively. It's an old thing, from her mother when she was young, it has her father's photo in it while he's out.
"I love it." She turns it towards the light so it shimmers. "Thank you."
He picks it up from the box and guides her so he's facing her back. Alice gathers her blonde hair to one side so he can put it on her.
She watches their reflection, how he intently works on getting it clasped correctly, jaw firm and eyes casted down, his hair falls over his forehead.
She finds herself smiling at his reflection, how he looks so different from the man who had entered the ballroom earlier today.
Once it's on she turns and takes a few more steps around his room, it's high ceiling has beautiful designs on top and a heavy, but elegant, chandelier to light it. He has his own private bookshelf of his favorite novels and beside that is a desk with letters stacked on top for him to read and respond to. He has more in one bedroom than she has in her whole house.
"To the left is my bathroom, to the right is my closet." The maori briefly explains, then falls onto his bed with a huff.
"Are you not going back to the party?"
"I hope not." He rolls onto his bed, it's already ten thirty, too late for his liking when he's usually asleep by now. He still needs to catch up from his lack of sleep from the past week full of planning and preparation.
"The king seems worried." She forgets to call his dad 'your father' but that's only because Alice fears he'll hear him call him an unfit title. Her timid voice is growing closer to him as she steps towards his bed, it looks very tempting to lie on. She's had the same lumpy, old mattress her whole life.
"He'll get drunk and forget about me eventually." He peels his already tired eyes open and meets Alice's gaze, she's contemplating getting on his bed with her lips pursed and eyebrows raised. He gives a tired laugh before patting the spot next to him, "Relax."
She lets her gaze move around the room and finds something she never noticed.
"You have a piano?" Her grin creeps onto her face, very few people had the opportunity to learn piano, they're too expensive and hard to learn without paying for an instructor.
He smirks, "I play it, too."
She finds herself in child-like glee at the idea of a piano being at her disposal, she's only seen them at the big events in town, nobody she's known personally has had one.
"Would you play for me?" She asks, all too eager to hear what he can do. She watches his body heave itself up to stand once more. Alice's dress flows as he whisks by her, taking a hold of her hand in the process so she can sit beside him on the bench.
He runs his fingers delicately across the keys, careful not to press any down in the process.
He plays after taking in a deep breath, his hands glide down as he plays a tune that's slow and flows with beauty in each chord. His eyes never lift from the keys as he nods to the tempo ever so slightly. Calum senses her eyes on him and watches her scoot a little closer so she can peer over his arm and see how he's doing things so effortlessly.
"It's beautiful." She says as he plays on.
"You're beautiful." He responds, lips hanging open afterwords as the chord he was on stops, dying ever so slowly as it fades and sinks into the air just like his words. He won't look at her, his head leans down as he winces at his subconscious for not thinking that one through.
"I-" She stumbles over her words, "Thank you."
He faces her with hesitant eyes, he can hear his father's voice in the back of his head telling him that none of this is okay, he shouldn't let someone who serves him into his room to hang out, let alone compliment her. He should be downstairs dancing with a potential girl in waiting who's wealthy and has land to offer him to rule vastly.
But no. He wants Alice. He needs Alice. Someone like her doesn't exactly exist in the royal nations. They're all only trying to leech off of him and his money, his power. Alice likes him, she hangs out with him in his beloved garden that nobody else cares much for- not because she was told to- because she wants to. Her smile isn't forced, and she isn't faking any of her emotions around him.
"Calum?"
"Yes." He answers a little too quickly.
Alice gives him a soft, gentle smile. "You can't say things like that, not to someone like me."
"But it's the truth." He answers incredulously, ignoring the pang in his chest as he hears her say that.
"I am not who you should be saying that to, Calum, you know that, we both do." She moves away and stands with her hands smoothing over her dress to try and focus on something else other than the ache in her chest.
"Alice, I don't think anyone else deserves to hear that from me other than you."
She shakes her head, "This isn't right. You don't mean any of it."
"You're the only person who treats me like I'm human, Alice." He steps up and brings his body up to find her shoulders and try to help her understand. He can't piece together his thoughts without feeling like he's going insane.
"I-" She tries to think, but fails to when she meets his eyes. His lovely brown eyes. Her heart flutters and somersaults in her chest, the anticipation in his eyes grows immensely with each passing second. Calum's a prince, pure royalty, and he's stepping into this with no idea of the repercussions he could face.
"Can I kiss you?" He asks hesitantly, voice soft unlike his usual strict, professional tone. He finds her waist and delicately guides her towards him. Alice stands breathless, eyes wide as she tries to go through this rationally, but finds herself throwing all hell loose when she responds.
"Yes."
Her heart hammers in her chest as she shuts her eyes and feels his lips ghost over hers, his hands hold her up and keep her from swooning the second he connects their lips in a slow, passionate kiss. She falls into his body, curving against it as she finds herself chasing his lips. She rises onto her tiptoes and drapes her arms over his shoulders.
He has to pull apart a few moments later, but doesn't move away entirely, just looks down at her, his heavy crown glimmering and his eyes much softer than she remembers them being beforehand. Upon his lips is an angelic smile, and she blushes at the sight of him looking at her like that.
"Calum," She doesn't know what to say besides his name, and her mind swarms with so many questions. Why her? What does this mean? For how long has he hidden this emotion? Does he know what he just did?
The world feels thrown off it's axis, and he's smiling like an idiot, it's the most genuinely happy he's looked in years. Her heart pounds in her chest when she realizes she's the cause of that.
"Now what?" She whispers, a newfound surge of worry courses through her. What does this make them?
Calum's words are slow, steady. He's unfazed by her question, "We keep things secret, and we'll figure it all out as we go."
"And if someone finds out?" She gets a heavy feeling in her gut, the floor tilts and spins beneath her feet. "What happens then?"
His eyes don't meet her stare, the prince takes a long, deep breath.
"Don't think about that." Calum scolds, "Just keep acting like we have been in public. We just have to keep everything discrete."
He's trailing his hand to the dip in her back, and Alice gets shivers up her spine when he speaks to her like that. All professional sounding, the giddiness in her is prominent.
"It's getting late." She hears the clock tower ring and strike one in the morning. Her body suddenly aches and she's realizing just how tired she is. "I have work in a few hours, I should go."
Alice is pulling apart from him, her one hand still intertwined with his, he stays put. Instead of letting her head off in a hurry, he tugs her back with a grin.
"Tomorrow afternoon, join me for a picnic, yeah?"
She catches the hopefulness in his eyes, how he's attentively awaiting an answer. She holds her breath for a few seconds, drags his anticipation that much further so she can watch him grow wary at her hesitation.
"Of course. I'll bring the food this time, though."
He nods, happy to hear that. No matter how much she admittedly says she liked him, Calum will still worry she'll decline his offers. Even though every time Alice says yes.
Calum lifts her hand to his lips and places a delicate kiss on her knuckles. "Thank you, for tonight."
"Thank you, Calum." She curtseys with ease. The necklace he gave her glimmers against the chandelier and he sends her off with a promising farewell, his own heart beating a mile a minute, an odd feeling blooms in his chest. It's warm and fuzzy but he doesn't detest it. In fact, he goes to bed with a smile on his lips, and wonders how things could get any better than this.
this isn’t really important to most of you but i just finished @calumh-excess’s dad!luke series with the reader being a muslim south asian and i’m just,,,crying. as a muslim, i don’t think i’ve ever gotten representation in any fandom i’ve ever been in and i get it whatever, but to actually finally read something that even hints to being similar to me?? it made me so happy and i’m so emotional right now. representation IS important
for luke i gotta go with my gal @lukesbalsamic she just adores him so much and Ema’s love for him makes my heart go !!!!!!
the only other people i ship calum with ((besides myself hehehe)) are @calsbalsamic and @calumh-excess phew those ladies with cal??? WOW
@irwinkitten has ashton’s heart no doubt about it. just. wow. they’d be so cute together i’m crying :’)
and who else am i gonna ship michael with other than @tothemoonmikey??? ashley’s love for michael is unmatched and they would be SUCH a wholesome couple ohmygod
🖤 from calumh-excess! I have an about me page linked in the bio. I have my “my face”’tag for more wonderful photos of this ugly mug. Hope your day is going well. I just got home from work and I’m ready to 😴😴 love ya! -H
uh are you joking ur stunning wut??!! i’m obsessed with your hair!! ily
ship: Ashton | Michael | Calum | Luke
blurb: i KNOW Ash would absolutely love that you studied creative writing, especially poetry?! he would 10/10 always write you the sweetest poems on little post-its all around the house i mean comE ON and ya’ll would stay up all night just laying in bed having deep talks about everything yes plz
best friend: Ashton | Michael | Calum | Luke
song: girls like you by maroon 5
URL: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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icon: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
posts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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Following?: | no sorry but i love you! | now following | heck yeah | FOREVER & ALWAYS
Hi! Congrats on 1K babe! 📝🌸 Was wondering if I could have a ship from my 5sos blog (calumh-excess)? Again, congrats! -H
thank you! and of course! I actually ship you with Ashton Irwin!
Like your both very deep and philosophical and just have late night chats about anything and everything. Neither of you were afraid to speak about what was on your mind, because you know that he won’t judge you and you won’t judge him. Like you and him are just sitting close together on the couch, his arm wrapped around your shoulder, holding your body close to his. Him whispering some of his inner thoughts that he sometimes thinks is ridiculous but you just listen and take in all his words. You two would be just so sweet and cute together!
Congrats on the 2.7k babes!!!!!!!! I was gonna ask for a hip, but to be honest, I like shipping people more. Lol. Anytways, my gut is saying to ship you with Calum. It's really the whole 80's music thing. Idk. Calum seems to love a good throwback. -H (calumh-excess, because I forget if people know this is my main account or not)
thank you so much honey!!! and ohmygod stop i love calum ((and 80′s music)) so much we would be JAMMING. and you’re getting a ship anyways bc ily
who i ship you with: ashton bc whether it be your passion for poetry or dancing, he’s ready willing and able to support you through it all oof
who’s your best friend: luke bc god knows he needs your self proclaimed momma bear friendship
what would your couple’s costume be for halloween bc it’s still spooky season🎃: masquerade
