Summary: Princess Amberly begins her adventure in Gardenstone’s Homecoming ball. // The first chapter of my King!Luke fanfic.
Author’s Note: Welcome to Regnum, hope you enjoy! English is not my first language so let me know if there are any mistakes. Gif made by Sheisbea in wattpad!
Word count: 2,452
“… The paradisiacal view of Gardenstone is, without a doubt, one of its greatest attractions. With special mention to the Flaney Forest, the national pride full of ruins of the ancient world …”
The presentation brochure did not lie at all, if in mere images the forest looked beautiful and imposing I can imagine how majestic it would be to see it live. But for now, I could only do that, imagine the places that Gardenstone offered as the time passed since my arrival locked in a room.
One day passed since my picturesque journey from my kingdom to Gardenstone … my kingdom-to-be. I was traveling like a bunch of lobsters, the most important thing Maredale exchanged with Gardenstone, to realize the longed-for union between both kingdoms and in the process, marry someone I had not seen in my entire life.
I’m trained to be a strong leader but not arrogant, humble but not naive, and seductive but not easy, but something had been missing from the list and that was how to be a good wife. I knew how to run an entire country, but the heart of a man? Lost cause. And it was normal, with only 19 years it is not my fault to know absolutely nothing about the subject, more than the common and what I read in my romance books, of course. I kept telling myself over and over how important it had been to pay attention to my parents’ relationship when I was a child, maybe I would know how to start a conversation with my husband, was that important? Should I speak to him?
“Your Highness, I’m sorry to interrupt. Queen Susan has sent this maid to you.”
The guard’s words helped me get out of the spiral.
I nodded as I watched a freckled red-haired girl approach with a box in her hands that she balanced as she bowed.
“Good morning, Your Highness. My name is Lidia and I have come to help you.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Lidia. You can call me Amberly,” I smiled. “Excuse me, but help me with what, exactly?”
Lidia gave a little laugh, taking brushes and makeup from the box and placing them on the dresser; the only piece of furniture in the room along with the bed. I took a seat watching Lidia inspect my curly hair in the mirror.
“King Robert has organized a homecoming dance in your honor, Queen Susan seems to have convinced him that leaving you locked up until the coronation is done is not the way to treat a guest … much less if it will be our future Queen.”
“Future queen.”
The words echoed in my mind, realizing the seriousness of them.
Years ago, “The International Revolution” had been present, everything got out of control. There were no intermediaries, intentions to fix it, faith, or hope. In a world where more than 80% of the earth was uninhabitable, a scattered society grew up and far from all the horror; Lauxwell, Gardenstone, and Maredale; three kingdoms that from the beginning asked for their expansion. Lauxwell and Maredale boast coastlines and rivers, while Gardenstone lives in the middle of both. There was a deal to be made and everyone knew about it, two united kingdoms would cause the fall of the one who was left behind, it was fate. My mother, Queen Elizabeth, had made a deal with the Kings of Gardenstone where both kingdoms would unite, and eventually, Lauxwell must do so as well, leaving one of the kings’ children and me in command.
I watched Lidia place four different dresses on the bed, needing to ask her a question.
“Lidia, what do you think of the princes? Jake and …?”
“… Luke, Your Highness.”
“Yes, Luke … I’ve heard about both of them but I need to know more. Tell me your opinion, without fear.”
Nervous, the maid spread one of the dresses in my direction. Immediately, I went to change behind a curtain while she spoke.
“Well, if you want to know … Prince Jake, your future husband, is charismatic and reserved. Nothing like the brother.” She shook her head. “Prince Luke is an open book, predictable and, excuse the audacity, extremely spoiled. I’ve lost count of all the girls who claim to have been with him, your high- Amberly.”
I chuckled when I heard how Lidia spoke about my future brother-in-law. She wasn’t wrong; Prince Luke was handsome, his blond hair looked like pure gold, and his blue eyes weren’t far from a replica of the ocean, but his arrogant, carefree, and selfish personality made him look like the worst candidate for any throne, or so they said. It was curious to analyze the capabilities and goals that I possess compared to those of Luke, who despite being two years older than me, seemed to have practically no training as well as his interest in the crown.
“I appreciate your honesty, Lidia,” I said sincerely. “I haven’t had the honor of meeting them yet, but something tells me that Prince Jake is a good person.”
“He is, and you will be astonished when you see him. You’re ready, by the way.”
The dress she had given me was light pink; made of pure silk, short sleeves raised slightly at my shoulders that guide the viewer to the factory V-cut, and a remarkable length to the floor, without being floaty. This color highlighted my light brown hair -like my eyes- which reached a little before my ribs dropped in majestic waves - my favorites. I looked radiant, although I would always prefer to wear a pair of pants and a jacket on casual days.
Two knocks on the door made Lidia cross the room quickly to attend to it.
“Excuse the interruption, Your Majesty.” A rather formally dressed boy appeared. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Hood, the son of the Diplomatic Advisor of the Kings, but to be honest, I think I am a bit of everything. The dance guests are here. The kings asked me to escort you to the ballroom.”
“Right away. Thank you very much for your help, Lidia.”
The maid nodded, a little taken aback by my thanks. Hood extended an arm and I reciprocated.
“So Hood… that doesn’t seem like your name, is that your last name?”
“You’re perceptive, Your Highness, I like it. It is my last name, my name is Calum but my father does not approve of saying my name. In the palace, I am best identified by my surname.”
I allowed myself to look away from the virtual paintings that adorned the halls, slowly reproducing old and new photographs of the royal family. Prince Luke looked happy in the older ones and there was no sign of him in the newer ones.
“… So I recommend you not drink the yellow liquid, it leaves a pretty bad mouth odor.” For a second I had forgotten that I was walking with Calum. “Any questions, princess?”
I opened my mouth to reply, being interrupted by some strong footsteps coming down the stairs at the end of the hall.
“There you are, Calum! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
A youthful voice was present, it was Prince Luke.
I allowed my eyes to roam his face. If I weren’t going to marry his brother, I would dare to think of his features as those of a Greek god I read so much about. So thin they were shocking. His blond curls gave a familiar air after having seen the queen’s hair, he had stopped at a point where the sun was shining on him, making the delicacy of the fabric of his white shirt revealing a little of his body. Suddenly, I was not surprised because he had many young women at his feet.
The blonde stopped when he noticed my presence. His demeanor changed radically and he became serious, his look bordering on arrogance.
“Good night… princess.”
His blue eyes peered up and slid boldly over my silhouette. My body tensed and the prince smiled when he noticed.
“If you allow us … Even if not, I honestly don’t care …” He laughed. If he hadn’t said that, I would have found him adorable. “I’ll take Calum with me for a moment.”
The prince tugged at Calum. I looked at the young man with concern, I still needed to know where to go.
“Follow the hall to the end, the door is open. See you later, Your Highness.” Calum indicated as if reading my mind.
"Thanks, Hood.”
I smiled walking past them with my posture restored. I regulated my breathing as I made my way to the living room when I realized that I had stopped breathing.
¥
The queen had wanted to mix the past of our world with the modernity of the present, starting with a classic giant chandelier right in the center of the room. Below, a circular platform with the thrones for the hosts of the evening. The people of the kingdom enjoyed the food displayed on a long table to one side of the room and the classical music that played in the background invited them to dance.
The sigh of someone behind me caught my attention.
“Oh! Nice to see you, Prince Jake.”
Prince Jake perfectly wore a suit that undoubtedly highlighted his arms, which looked strong and his spectacular form. Years of difference and experience showed in his handsome face adorned with a blond beard.
“Let’s not be formal with each other. We’re going to be husbands, after all, ”he suggested, extending his hand at the invitation of a dance.
I had a hard time knowing if his tone was friendly or serious, however, I took his hand and we began to dance.
“You’re right”.
“What would you like me to call you? Amberly, your highness, fiancée…?” Jake asked, this time clearly friendly.
I smiled.
"You can call me Amberly, Ams … My father used to call me Amber,” I said, too lost to notice that I had said it in the past tense.
“I heard about your father, I think he was one of the best kings the new world could witness. And he was very considerate in changing the laws to allow your mother to reign without him … Ams.”
My father had left my mother to take a year off, a year that lasted since I was seven. He left, leaving my mother in charge of the kingdom as the first queen to do it on her own.
I looked at my mother across the room. She was the older, talented, and brave version of me. She was talking with the King and Queen of Gardenstone using an air of born charisma and smiling. Our eyes met, suddenly I wanted to ask for the thousandth time the true importance of this union. But I couldn’t, it would be absurd, so I just smiled.
King Robert was a man with a fair complexion, brown hair, and a not very expressive face that was affected by stress and age lines, wearing a suit with insignia representing different achievements. Next to him, the flawless Queen Susan settled in a red dress noticeably longer than mine and long sleeves that her collected blonde hair revealed. Her air of excellence and at the same time warmth was incomparable, I felt happy with the simple idea of being able to exchange ideas, doubts, and advice with the queen.
The king gave his wife a kiss on the palm of his hand and looked at Jake just as the current piece was coming to an end, asking him to join him in talking with my mother.
"See you after my speech,” Jake apologized.
Queen Susan approached silently offering her arm, I reciprocated and we began to walk around the people in the room.
“You look beautiful, my dear,” the queen said, breaking the silence. “Sorry we didn’t have time to talk earlier, but tell me how are you handling all this?”
I had even thought-rehearsed the correct answer.
“It is new and certainly a little scary, but I am not closed to the advantages and possibilities that there are in achieving this union, your majesty.”
“It’s a real honor to have you here, I can’t wait to show you everything so that you will soon be queen, I mean it. But we can start with my son, what do you think of him?”
"I don’t know him well enough, he seems to be a man who knows what he wants and has good manners.”
The truth is, I just thought he was very attractive and I only knew what Lidia had told me before. What I couldn’t help was being curious about Prince Luke.
“He can be when he knows what he wants but he doesn’t know what that is yet. Hope you help him figure it out if it’s not too much to ask.”
I nodded. In an instant, the king was beckoning me from a table set discreetly in the corner of the room, Luke was beside him. He was holding the hand of a fair-skinned blonde girl who looked almost angelic in the white dress she was wearing. She might seem like a princess. Seem.
The queen followed my gaze and lowered her arm.
"Oh, don’t worry dear, go to the King. We´ll have plenty of time to talk.”
I bowed and walked over to the King and Prince.
“Princess, excuse me for abusing your kindness, I know that you have received war planning lessons since you were little and I thought I would show you this simulator. My useless son does not know what would be the necessary movement to attack this blue base.”
The king says indicating the piece in the center of the map. I began to analyze it, the king had three large troops occupied and two small ones unoccupied and the base did not seem large. Luke moved the two little ones to the base, getting a glare from his father. I looked at them curiously for a moment, was this a test for me or for Luke?
Regardless of the answer, I took a large one taking it to the side with a small one, and did the same with the ones that were left at the base, leaving them balanced. The king smiled and applauded.
“Wonderful! Very simple, isn’t it?” The King exclaimed, clearly annoying Luke.
"As simple as there is, actually.”
An unknown voice caught the attention of everyone at the table. The owner was unknown to me but seeing that raven-haired man move in my direction, I knew it was his intention to change it.
"And I'll follow him to the edge of the Earth" - Luke Hemmings and let's not deny the look on Luke's face as he said it while looking at Ashton. He is not joking around, sis. He's very much serious about it. Ashton is the love of his life and he'll follow him until the end of time.
Author´s Note: Chapter 5 of my king!luke fic already, we finally meet Duke!Michael tho! English is not my first language so lemme know if there are any mistakes.
Word count: 3,808
C1 - C2 - C3 - C4
I have never felt so nervous. Not even the day I arrived at Gardenstone did I remember feeling the headache and tension that had been eating away at me since the night before.
I´d committed great disrespect to the King. I had hurt Luke who- no matter how much he deserved it- was still a possible ally. I could hear my mother scolding me once I was in front of her: “I raised you better than this! You are the Princess of Maredale, Amberly Sarah Campbell! Are you proud of your actions? Your actions affect the entire kingdom and you forgot all about it…"
“Your Highness” Calum spoke on the other side of the door. I opened it and he didn’t smile. “The King wants to see you. The parliament is gathered together with His Majesty Ashton and Queen Elizabeth.”
“Let’s go.”
I avoided the looks at all costs. I did not want to show the fear in my eyes as we walked to the parliament office in the farthest part of the palace. I wouldn’t let Luke look at me either. He would call me a coward and I would not be able to deny it, after all - I was the cowardly princess.
I was lost enough reliving Luke’s words in my head that I hadn’t noticed when we arrived at the office. I did not greet the parliament, a mistake my mother would repeat to me until the end of time.
Calum escorted me to a table with them around at a considerable distance sitting seriously in their seats, with Luke in front of me behind a dais and Ashton behind him. I barely got a good look at him, nor did we make eye contact.
Murmurs began to pour out around me, I couldn’t tell anything from them. I let my head formulate its phrases; surely they were a punishment.
Luke took a few seconds before he shut up the parliament, looked at me waiting for me to say something.
He was giving me a chance to defend myself before I was sentenced.
“I’m sorry.”
My voice was loud and firm enough to achieve silence and get attention. Luke leaned over on the dais inviting me to continue.
“I’m deeply sorry, Your Majesty. I know what I did was truly disrespectful and I regret it.”
From the corner of my eye I saw Ashton whispering something to Calum, he stood up and lowered his shoulders in confusion. Luke’s gaze remained fixed on me for a few seconds, he lowered it, and with a mocking smile, he stood upright again.
“Although your apology was touching, Princess, that’s not why you’re here today.”
Oh…
… What a piece of shit.
“An informant arrived in the early morning from the Gardenstone/Maredale border, apparently there are people-families who have decided to cross that border without the use of official documents thanks to a petition that was approved. The people who cross from Maredale to live with their relatives in Gardestone are asking to have a voice in this kingdom, someone to represent them.”
I had warned him, I did. He signed a petition without reading it and these were the consequences. My mother must have found out days before and this was Luke’s way of dealing with his mistakes without fully recognizing them. Nothing foolish about that.
“Migration has always existed, Your Majesty, why are you asking for this representation now?”
He had more than understood what I was getting at but since I had humiliated myself in front of parliament, the most I could do was to see Luke dismantle his intentions in the wake of his mistakes.
He rolled his eyes, he knew well what I wanted.
“It was not necessary before since this migration was moderate. Now, they can come and go as they please, something that had not been considered possible except for the union that Maredale and Gardestone were going to make.”
"They were”, not “they are” or even “they could”… he really didn’t like the idea.
“Due to this lack of control we will give them what they need and the parliament present with me has come to the conclusion that it is you, your highness” He began to talk heavily, it was hard for him to ask for help. “If you wish to extend your stay in Gardestone, the position of Ambassador is available and eager to be filled.”
Bingo.
This was my chance to be something more, to be useful. My mouth and my thirst to be needed again were ready to say yes…
“It would be an honor to represent my kingdom in this way… but first, I would like a moment alone with His Majesty, if possible.”
In the background, Ashton smiled with approval at my action. I heard my mother’s heels in the distance.
I took the way the parliament cleared the room too quickly as a silent “Thank you”. Something told me that moments before the discussion with their new King had not pleased them and had left them tired.
Luke came down from the dais, hands in his pockets and a tired, disinterested expression but still hard enough to make people kiss his feet. Emphasis on “the people”- me being the exception.
“So? What does the little Maredale beetle have to say?” He laughed when I opened my mouth in protest. “Don’t start, be thankful that last night’s slap will only cost you the mockery.”
He wasn’t just talking about the nickname.
“Why didn’t you tell me what this was all about before…?”
“What for? You humiliated yourself pretty well on your own. And yet I stopped you before I got you down on your knees in front of me… Don’t worry, you’ll do that on another more private occasion. That’s the equivalent of another nickname, dipstick.”
Asshole.
Although his words served the purpose of distracting me, I had to get back to the important issue where I was in control. Because he needed me, to see him admitting it was far from happening but I could take that tiny advantage.
“I accept the position, representing my people,“ I spoke out, or so I thought. “On one condition… I want to be treated as such.”
The laughter that he sent out echoed through the room, at least all the people in the corridor had heard it.
“I’m serious,” I said. He mockingly composed himself. “We are both sick of dealing with the princess. As long as I’m an ambassador I’ll make a living on my own, you can pretend the princess isn’t here and I’ll keep her quiet. I promise. I just want to help.”
He raised an eyebrow with interest.
“That means you’d be serving me too, you don’t know what you’re saying.”
I tried to hide my doubts from his words. If I wanted to be respected I really had to stop living in my mother’s shadow. I couldn’t give up the title, but this deal was taciturn and only until my obligations needed the part of me with a kingdom as my inheritance.
Besides, the princess had nothing to do but observe Luke’s poor decisions. In this way, I would also observe Luke’s poor decisions - even more closely, but I could satiate the needs of the Maredans and I could do so with my own voice.
“I’m serious.” I analyzed the remnants of doubt in him. “Don’t worry about my mother, I’ll talk to her and she’ll understand, I know.“
He snorted, caressed the cheek on which my slap was. He put his hand down and walked over to me, holding it out.
He said, “We have a deal, prin… Amberly.”
The title change made me smile, just a little, as I shook his hand. Then I saw his blue eyes with malice tints disguised. I understood the discreet warning he had given me seconds before, "That means you’d be serving me too, you don’t know what you’re saying,” and no, I didn’t.
¥
My hand shook slightly when I turned the knob in the room my mother was occupying. I walked in a circle down the hall five minutes earlier, organizing my thoughts and how I would explain the business of being an ambassador. After all, I was qualified to be an ambassador; those classes were not in vain. Even if I wasn’t running a country, something was better than nothing and I would defend my position.
“Amberly?”
She spoke from her seat in front of the dresser as a couple of maids packed their things, walking back and forth.
“Go ahead, little one. I was going to look for you before I left just as parliament was meeting” I felt invited into the room by the gesture of her hand, as elegant as ever. “I thought you would be with King Ashton or his sister.”
“Oh, no,“ I said, taking a seat in the corner of his bed. “By the way, what do you think of them, Mother?”
She moved the cigarette holder she was holding in one hand, looking for the answer to my question.
“They are both here while their political advisor directs and cares for Lauxwell. It’s a risky move… Do you know why they do it, to visit Gardenstone?”
Great, I had gotten a trivia lesson by accident.
I forced myself to think about it, curious that I hadn’t done it before. “One, to show Luke that even if it was for a few lousy months they had more experience running a country. And two, analysis of territory; to know if Gardenstone would be willing to make the alliance with them instead of Maredale. I already see that as impossible, Mother. King Luke hates Ashton.”
And me. But he hated Ashton more.
I could bet that Luke would make that change.
“What do you think of him?”
He wasn’t really bad like everyone said. I found Luke eviler than most people, but Ashton…
“He shows dedication to his people, the simple fact of recognizing the damage his ancestors have done is very… sincere,” I answered, without thinking of his other qualities or the friendship (or something more than that) that was growing between us. “I heard that they began to forgive debts.”
“Lauxwell doesn’t forgive debts, the Irwins don’t forgive debts… they just stop collecting for a while.”
The thought of Ashton collecting the kiss we might have had the other night was fleeting and went away instantly.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else.”
“I’m listening.”
As if she knew what I was going to talk about, she put on a voice that had frightened me since I was a little girl: her queen voice.
“I accepted to be an ambassador” Her silence indicated that I could continue: “It is necessary that the people who come from our kingdom know that there is someone advocating for them. Luke - King Luke has approved a petition for the free movement between the two -”
“If this is your way of throwing a tantrum because the alliance didn’t work out, give me five seconds and I’ll talk to the King.”
“It’s not that, not at all, and please don’t do it,“ I asked, my nerves were stable but I couldn’t find the courage anywhere. “I want to make a living here, be useful here.”
She sighed a couple of times before speaking again, that’s what she did when she was arguing with herself.
“I guess if you accepted you know the consequences. My political power can’t get in the way if something doesn’t feel right in your new job…”
Triumphant with the results of this talk, I threw myself at her in a tight hug.
“Good luck, child. You’re going to need it.”
“Thank you” I let out the air I didn’t know I was holding. “Thank you, Mother.”
“Save your thanks for when I get back. I hope to return and see something new in the King, for a change” We both laugh. “Keep an eye on him, so that he doesn’t give me any more trouble with my border. I love you.”
“I love you.”
¥
“I guess it went well,” Ashton leaned against the door frame. “How do you feel, Maredale Ambassador?”
“Pretty… good,“ I smiled.
His body language betrayed him, it seemed he wanted to come into the room and maybe say goodbye to my mother or ask her for some advice, but something was holding him back. He noticed that I noticed.
“Come with me. Luke asked me to introduce you to… a colleague.”
I nodded, interlocked my arm with his in a strangely familiar act and we started walking.
“Will you tell me a little about your "colleague”?”
“First I need the details of the prank you pulled, why did you apologize to Luke?”
“I slapped him last night, he had nothing important to say to me and started talking nonsense.”
Ashton laughed without discretion, his laugh was very nice.
“Typical of him, I’m glad you did,“ he said proudly, leading us to another part of the palace I hadn’t seen before, "not the apologizing part. Don’t do it, he doesn’t deserve it.”
I played with the long sleeve of my jacket, accidentally pulling his. Instead of getting angry, he held my hand.
“His name is Michael. Son of Queen Susan’s sister, Luke’s cousin, Duke of Greenbush, and your boss,” he explained. “There are no ambassadors, you’re the first, so Luke had to create a system…”
“He needs an alibi in case something goes wrong and my mother arrives asking for someone’s head, he made sure it wasn’t his,” I analyzed aloud. “What a… coward.”
It was liberating somehow to use the word with someone who wasn’t me, for once.
“Why do you know him?” I asked as we walked out of some doors.
“Before, many years ago my father used to visit Gardenstone and bring us on his travels. Luke, Calum, and Michael were the only kids I could talk to… and fight with,“ he looked at the horizon, revisiting his memories
We stopped at what looked like a very perched and forgotten greenhouse behind the palace. The vines covered it quite well, from a distance it looked like a giant pot. Who knows how many animals had made their home there.
“Good morning, Princess Amberly… and Ashton.”
A blond hair appeared behind our backs. Michael’s beard made him look a little big but he bet he was the same age as Calum. He looked formal but not at all scary or anything like his cousin.
Ashton gently slid his hand out of mine, taking a step towards him. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”
“And we needed more than a while,” Michael replied rather dryly. “If you’ll excuse us, Amberly and I have work to do.”
Ashton nodded, came over and put a kiss on my cheek, and then left. I was left reliving the softness of his lips.
“Are you guys dating?”
Michael’s voice came back. Boss. Work. Focus.
“Ashton and I? No, not at all.” I said quickly. “So… where’s the workplace?”
In a far-from-elegant gesture, Michael pointed to the greenhouse. He was joking, he had to be…
“Luke didn’t want to spend so much on building an office, so part of the budget will go to remodeling this greenhouse,“ he said disinterestedly. “Sadly you can’t remodel if you have all those plants and soil and… diseases. That’s your first task, see you when you’re done!”
“I can’t do it alone is-”
“-Of course you can, Luke said you could…”
Luke was an asshole.
¥
I had spent my whole afternoon in the greenhouse. I took out plants, pulled out beetles, and even moved a family of birds from there, and yet it seemed like I had only tickled it. My hands were broken, I thought about wearing gloves but it was too late and the guards said Luke had given orders not to give me any tools. Just what I needed.
I shook off my black pants and the browner than white blouse I was wearing once not a ray of sunshine was present in the sky. I headed back to the palace through the kitchen entrance. Some servants greeted me, a friend of Lidia’s offered me an apple that I accepted with enthusiasm and we even talked about the stories of ghosts that haunted the place. Somewhat shaken, I walked through the great hall.
I hadn’t visited the place since the incident, just getting close gave me the creeps. I couldn’t help but remember the faces of the kings and Prince Jake. Sometimes I thought about what I would be doing if such a terrible event had not happened and I found a picture of Gardenstone and Maredale together, Jake and I on the throne and none of the self-centered Luke present; I would have made a deal with Lauxwell just to get him away from me.
A hand touched my shoulder, my reflexes and self-defense classes came out, taking the hand and twisting it on the attacker’s back. The blonde hair scared me for a moment, if it had been Luke I wouldn’t have forgiven myself, but thanks to the Sea it was Michael.
“That’s my hand!” He shouted I let go. “Didn’t anyone teach you not to hurt people?”
“Didn’t they teach you to announce yourself before touching a lady’s shoulder in the dark, Duke?”
He snorted. A few steps were heard in the room, it was enough to look at Michael’s face to know that he had heard them too. Without thinking twice, we hid behind two pillars.
“It’s none of your business, Ashton.”
Luke’s voice echoed. I looked at Michael a few steps away, we both let go of the air.
He pointed to the doors I had entered, no doubt we could get out of the room if we were careful enough with the squeaking door. I shook my head and whispered, "It’s noisy.”
“I still don’t understand the game you’re playing…” Luke’s voice was much closer.
Michael ran a finger down his throat with humor. If we didn’t leave our presence was going to be suspicious and punished.
“I’m not surprised, you were always very slow. But I hope that when you find out, you’ll let me know. If it’s not too late.”
A servant came out of the kitchen leaving the door ajar. Perfect.
“…She has the last word, don’t forget,” I heard Ashton say before leaving.
Michael and I ducked, carefully passing through the door. Just to be safe, we went all the way back to the greenhouse.
“Why did we do that?!” I exclaimed.
“I…“ he hesitated a bit. “The place was scary.”
I nodded, chills ran down my skin again.
“What were you doing there, Duke?”
He ran a hand through his hair, looked at the greenhouse, and answered.
“I wanted to see the salon once more, they will soon start rebuilding it. I spent a lot of time there as a child,” he looked through the greenhouse. “You did a good job for the first day…”
“Thank you, it was difficult without the gloves but-”
“Without the gloves? Did you work without gloves?” he asked, I nodded and showed him my hands. “For the Forest… that was what was missing. I’ll talk to Luke, I don’t think you’re as bad as he says. “
Of course, he had told him I was bad, maybe then he wouldn’t be guilty of treating me badly.
He went over to the greenhouse, looking at the big pots that were blocking the entrance.
“Do you mind if I give you a hand with these?”
“I don’t need your help, Duke.”
He clicked his tongue.
“Call me Michael, no problem. I won’t be here tomorrow, let me help you.”
He seemed genuine, and since he mentioned it he did need help carrying those pots.
I nodded, we both took a big pot from both ends and started lining them up on the side of the greenhouse.
“What did you do to upset him, my cousin?” he spoke after releasing the second pot.
“Today or since he has known me?” We loaded the third one. “I have a couple of ideas but whatever the reason, he earned my displeasure in the same way.”
We let go of the pot, heading for the other one.
“This one is broken,“ he said when we picked it up. “He said you were a… coward,” he panted.
The words came back to me in Luke’s voice, distracting me enough to let go of the grip on my side of the pot. It hit the corner of the greenhouse, and Michael and I squatted to pick up the mess.
“Yes, I heard it,“ I muttered, pulling pieces of the pot off.
“And? Will you prove him wrong?”
I passed Michael’s question unnoticed as my fingernails bumped into something hard in the dirt. I took the material out and shook it aside, a set of three metal keys with unrecognizable details gleaned through the soil
“Keys.” I put them in his hands. “Do you recognize them?”
“No, but I can bet they open a passage,” he admired them for a few seconds and placed them back in my hands. “Finders keepers, I guess.”
I put them in the pocket where my Jhin was to show them to Lidia in the morning.
Michael stopped talking about Luke and we talked about his life at the palace and the visits he made every Christmas. It seemed to be a tradition that Queen Susan invited her family to cook delicious desserts and cut wood while King Robert’s family had been away for a long time.
After a few minutes, the entrance to the greenhouse was free and ready to be fixed but that would wait a few hours.
“I’d better tell His Majesty about my departure tomorrow, so we’ll know what torture awaits you,“ he joked.
...He joked?
We walked up the stairs to Luke’s quarters, a light under his door indicated that he was still awake. There was sobbing coming from below, I didn’t know whether to warn me or run away.
“Is it… him?” I asked, not bothering to hide my surprise.
Michael didn’t either, he was as perplexed as I was at the door.
“I’ll leave you the directions in a note, your maid will give it to you in the morning.”
His indication was enough to start my way to my room. From my shoulder, I could see Michael opening Luke’s door. A girl came out fully dressed and closed the door behind her.
I turned my thoughts off halfway through, I would not analyze the situation thoroughly. Luke wasn’t sobbing, it must have been that girl. Now, he was bringing more brunette girls than blondes, who knows what would have changed.
Summary: In a dystopian future, a tragedy leads Prince Luke to become King of Gardenstone. From her neighboring kingdom Maredale, our protagonist Amberly must choose between King Luke and King Ashton of Lauxwell to close the alliance that the three kingdoms are destined to make. In the process and after, Amberly will encounter mysteries, a love triangle, and betrayals that will define her future. (Basically, enemies to lovers)
Word Count: 2,611
MASTERLIST.
I admired the distribution of each blanket along with the front garden of the palace. Each one with a basket full of fruits, a small cake from the bakery at the foot of the palace, and a bottle of wine accompanied by its corresponding glasses. Even with the perfect organization of the picnic finished and the satisfaction of having finished everything on time, the matter of the glove was still hanging over my head.
"-L.", they signed. I had three options in mind: Lidia, the most obvious, she could be thanking me for what had happened - which I prevented from happening to Julia. Lauren, I did, after all, tell her about my work at the greenhouse. And the least possible, Luke; I thought about including him in the list since I started working, I really couldn't think of a reason why I would have done it if he was the one who left me without gloves in the first place; however, I didn't rule it out. Whoever it was I owed them one.
Michael's first task had been the easiest and no one had ever stopped my work. In the best-case scenario, Luke had decided that I was a person capable of organizing events. At worst, he was saving his ideas with malice for later.
I watched people start filling up the tablecloths; gardeners, cooks, stable people; everyone had come to enjoy themselves as they should after the hard work they were doing at the palace; everyone with a smile on their faces.
“Blue suits you perfectly, your highness.”
Behind me Ashton approached slowly, admiring the scene. I think that years could go by and I would never cease to be surprised at her bright hazel eyes.
“And as far as I can see, you did a magnificent job with the picnic," He added. “Everyone seems to be enjoying what you prepared.”
“They are. Come with me, I have an extra basket," I invited him to hold his hand and stand on an empty blanket. “You should have seen how their eyes lit up when they heard they had the afternoon off and the food was ready.”
Ashton took a seat on the blanket as soon as my knees touched it. I took the basket I'd left for me as a personal reward and placed it between him and me. I took out the fruit while Ashton poured the wine glasses.
“I can imagine. You did an excellent job for a Queen's task... but it's something innate in you.” The last thing he said was so honest that I felt my chest shrink.
“In a way it is," I admitted, offering him a piece of bread which he accepted and exchanged for my glass. “I would have liked to have done a task...”
I shook my head in search of the word I needed while eating a fairly juicy piece of apple. Ashton pulled out a napkin and wiped the side of my mouth.
“...that suited your job?” he said, in a new closeness that took me by surprise and limited me to nodding. “Maybe Luke thinks it's too soon for that. Besides, whatever you do, the tasks on your level will come to you.”
“My "level" is... simple, then?” I asked, taking a piece of crusty bread for myself.
“No, no, no, not at all," said Ashton, "I mean tasks for a Queen. Luke is lucky to have someone with your potential organizing events like this picnic.”
I laughed at how quickly he had corrected himself. “Luke is lucky to have anyone at all.”
As if he had been called out, Luke came out of the main gates of the palace and with a steady pace approached our blanket. I left the bread half-eaten and got up immediately, shaking the crumbs off my dress just as Luke stood in front of me with furrowed eyebrows and a tense jaw.
“Your Majesty-”
“Save the formalities," he ordered, pausing his words as he noticed Ashton's presence. “Can we talk for a moment, Amberly? Alone?”
It took me longer to nod than he did to hold my wrist and take me with a quick step in another direction.
“Ouch!” I shook my free hand from him as I stopped the pace away from the others. “What's your problem?”
With his hands on his waist and his chin up, enjoying the difference in height between us, he laughed as short as he was sarcastic.
“What´s my problem? Is the question serious?” He asked the seriousness on his face indicated that he didn't need an answer. “You organized the picnic without my permission! In answer to your question, you are my problem!”
“I'm sorry?”
“You should be. When I told Michael that he could do whatever he wanted, I didn't mean to leave the event in your hands," he interrupted. “And you... Of course, you wanted to organize it and show off your skills as the loser of the year.”
I took my hands to my waist just like him and I approached him now enraged.
“At least I have skills, your majesty," I answered. “At least there is a picnic and at least there are people who are grateful for it. You should stop acting like a little child," I corrected myself, "-even a little child has more manners than you do.”
In a clean move, Luke grabbed me by the waist and pushed it into a vine-covered palace wall. Dangerously close, he pressed his chest against me to stop the effort to get out of his grip.
“Manners, Princess? I have enough to keep you from saying goodbye and sending you back to your sad kingdom after the disrespect you have just committed," he took my chin and raised my eyes, forcing eye contact, whispering in my ear. “This is what you'll do: you will say goodbye to that Ashton idiot, go up to your room and not set foot in the garden until the event is over. Do you want to help the servants? Perfect. You'll clean up all things you put on my lawn without any help.”
The more he talked the more I felt the vines burying themselves in my back. Even with the slight lack of air that was increasing, Luke's fragrance filled my lungs.
“Don't come for me, princess, cause you forget you are in my kingdom, in my palace..." He added, "Are you planning to stay? I'm afraid you must adapt to my rules.”
As he let go of my chin, he asked, "Any questions?”
I went through the buttons of the red shirt I had chosen today with displeasure, but willing to play along.
“Actually... “ I said, opening the shirt a little more by removing a button. Luke didn't refuse the strange move he seemed delighted, which made me even angrier. “Something was not quite clear to me, your majesty.”
He raised an eyebrow without saying anything else. I moved a finger at the height of my face asking him to come a little closer, and it wasn't until I was at the height of his ear that I asked, "At what point in all this did you say you were going to hell?”
With that I used closeness in my favor and finding momentum in the wall behind me I pushed him, freeing myself from his grip and getting a gasp from him.
“And leave you here alone?”
I heard him ask aloud as I turned the corner of the palace and headed to my room.
¥
I entered the palace again through the kitchen door. I climbed each oak wood step with great effort, not knowing how I had reached the floor of my room without crawling. I was exhausted. The idea of taking a bath with bubbles and scented candles had kept me sane while cleaning. Now all I could think about was collapsing in bed and not waking up for a week.
The sight of a male figure in front of the door made me discard all of the above.
Ashton, as flawless and handsome as ever, was the only thing standing between the soft, comfortable bed in my room and my exaggerated exhaustion.
“Amberly, you look..." he looked up and down at me, smiling sideways. “Tired.”
“I am.” A bone in my back had cracked as I straightened up, I was sure, I put what was left of my energy into a smile.
“Go ahead," I invited him into my room, leaving the door ajar to avoid rumors. “Make yourself comfortable, I'll go clean up.”
I went into the bathroom and rubbed soap on all the places in me that were covered with dirt.
“I see that you have gloves now," I heard his voice a little far away. “The ones on your dresser.”
I wiped the soap off my face with water and a towel, hoping to get rid of the smell as soon as possible.
“Yes, they were a gift," I said, spraying me with perfume.
“My sister said that before she left she met you in the corridor and you told her about your work in the greenhouse.”
A part of me was relieved, it seemed that the gloves had been Lauren's gift, not Lidia's... or Luke's.
I returned to the room after applying the light pink lipstick I used in the morning. Ashton entertained herself by sitting on the edge of the bed. Once he realized I had returned, he touched the mattress at his side, an invitation to sit down that I did not refuse.
“When She comes back, I'll thank her... When will she do that, by the way?” I asked noticing our legs rubbing a little bit because of the closeness.
He let out a sigh, running a hand through his shiny black hair. A simply lovely gesture.
“A month, exactly. She will be very busy with meetings, business, implementations... who knows, she may even be back engaged before I am.”
"Amberly Sarah Campbell of Irwin, Queen of Lauxwell," Lidia's words went through my mind as fast as a breeze. Which reminded me of the necklace.
“The necklace," I spat, without first ordering my thoughts. “Forgive me, I... “
Stealing my attention, one of his hands covered one of mine placed on my lap, his thumb caressed me. I didn't push him away, I didn't feel like it.
“I heard what you did with it, it's the purest and most humane use anyone could have given it..." his other hand wandered across my chin, connecting our gazes effortlessly. “Of all the things you can ask for as a result of your noble act, do not ask for forgiveness. There is nothing to forgive.”
I smiled, his gift of words could stun me again and again.
“What else could I ask for? It was for the good of others. No offense, but the last thing I thought about was the negative consequences of giving him to Luke.”
The thumb on my chin traveled slowly to the edges of my mouth, so did his eyes. If I wasn't sitting down my knees would be failing from the weak they felt.
“A reward. For having such a good heart, Amberly.”
I didn't think I would like so much to hear my name coming out of his mouth in the proximity we were in, a proximity that we disappeared the next second.
It wasn't clear who approached who first, I didn't care. His lips felt soft against mine at first, shy and delicate. The hand that was now on my cheek slipped subtly to the back of my neck to deepen the kiss, intertwining some small locks of hair between his fingers. My hands remained on the sides of his face, his beautiful face. My right leg, on the other hand, was threatening to get into his lap. He got permission from the hand that moments before had caressed mine, which positioned itself in the hollow of my back holding me tightly against him.
“Amberly..." he let go so exquisitely as he took a breath.
Finally, I slid my fingers through his hair. All the regret that accumulated in my body disappeared with each little kiss that he left from the crescent of my lips to my neck. His hands shook as they went up to my back. I kissed him behind his ear, gently biting his earlobe which caused a brief sound to come out.
Then another sound interrupted us. Knocking on the half-open door interrupted the trance I had entered and I had trouble getting out.
I jumped out of his lap without calculating the distance between the bed and the chest of drawers by throwing my gloves in the process, picking them up and leaving them in my grip as I walked out the door. I didn't bother to look at Ashton, I felt my whole face burn with shame. I walked out into the hallway through the half-open door space with my hands behind me holding the gloves.
“Amberly, sorry to bother you at this hour…”
Luke, again. His presence replaced all happiness in me with anger. I still felt the displeasure of looking at him…
Necklace. Lauxwell. Ashton. Focus.
Ashton was still inside the room.
“I hope you enjoyed cleaning up the garden.”
“I didn't know you were so worried about coming to see me. A note would have sufficed, Your Majesty.”
I spoke quickly, stumbling over the words. I was never good at lying, the pressure in moments of desperation helped me work and think but lying about such simple things made me nauseous.
“Don't be so disappointed, I might think you don't like me. But really, I wanted to know if-”
“Your Majesty, what a surprise... “
Ashton opened the door by leaning against the frame, crossed his arms and I could tell he didn't worry about fixing the fuss in his hair or removing the lipstick marks from his face. Luke noticed it too, it must have been that which made him change his carefree posture to the one where he was walking around his office, ready to make you beg for forgiveness.
“What a surprise, I agree with you.”
I was probably still in Ashton's trance, but I could swear that what was behind those blue eyes was anger. The kind of anger you get when one of your friends cheats at a card game. Funny.
“Ashton, this is not the time…” I turned around trying to get him back in the room. I stopped. I had the gloves on my hands.
Luke saw them. I held my breath, nothing could have been worse.
“The gloves…” He spoke again.
“They are a gift from Lauren, aren't they, Amberly?” Ashton interrupted him again.
Luke did a bad job of hiding the confusion on his face.
“Yes, I... Can I keep them? I'll need them for when I start the greenhouse," I asked Luke. He blinked a couple of times, then nodded.
He looked at Ashton from head to toe. I wondered if he would scold us since it was clear what was happening before his arrival.
“I need to talk to Ashton," he pointed to him with his chin.
Ashton walked out of the room completely looking at me with a hint of mischief.
“Amberly, it occurs to me that tomorrow you can switch the greenhouse assignment with the boy you forgot to save. I took care of him and in exchange for overtime, he will go back to work. First thing tomorrow morning you have an appointment with the horses in the stables, no one else will work, you will be alone... “
Author´s Note: Here´s Chapter 4 of my king!luke fanfic, here you can check the other chapters: Intro - C1 - C2 - C3
Word count: 1,456
A few minutes ago, Ashton and I had wandered away from the path that indicated the correct way to go through the garden; "The right thing is not always the right thing to do," he´d said.
I began a round of rather informal questions as we continued to walk around.
“Your turn, has anyone ever conquered that heart of yours before?” He asked.
“Not really, it's a... territory that hasn't been explored or not much.”
That was true, I've never had a relationship with anyone before. Since I was a little girl I only had time for the duties that a princess in training has to do. I had flirted with some, yes, but I promised myself to keep those moments to myself. Besides, my mother's words always echoed in my head; "Wanting and needing are different things, to reign you don't need a man... but if someday you want him, go after him".
“What about you?” I asked.
“No, not at the moment. I've had lovers, of course, but in the end... I return to the throne alone.”
“Explain to me, since you and Lauren are kings... what will happen when one of you gets married?”
The subject had some relevance for me: it was a mystery that was not described in the books or exposed in the classes, a singular case.
“If that happens... when that happens," he corrected himself, "then the other abdicates the throne. We made that pact when my father died.”
Covenants, promises, and favors were of high importance to everyone in the three kingdoms. Believing someone else's word was difficult, but whoever did not keep it should be prepared to lose his honor and deal with the consequences.
We remained silent for a moment; I didn't know how to follow the talk.
“Tell me, what did you think of the dinner?” Ashton asked, encouraging our passage. “Lauren said that the decoration was a lot, but in my opinion, it's more appropriate to use our colors.”
“The food was delicious, I didn't know such exquisite things existed.” I looked at it out of the corner of my eye. He didn't say anything, that's not why we were here. “You don't want to know that, do you? We came here for another reason.”
He blinked as if he had been taken by surprise, maybe he had. It wasn't on purpose, just an accident.
He raised his eyebrows to indicate a bench in the middle of the garden, surrounded by flowers as we were now.
We took a seat. I didn't bother to remove my arm from his until he did.
And he didn't.
“I noticed that you were a bit strange with His Majesty King Luke," he said Luke´s title in a tone close to mockery.
I couldn't tell him the things Luke had said about me, except that I believed them myself. The truth was that I felt small, an heiress from one country staying in another without an expiration date, hoping to bring them together... soon without my family, without answers, and power.
I couldn't tell him that, not exactly.
“You know Luke, his attitude and... his existence, in general, has overwhelmed me a bit.”
The hand that I had free approached slowly and caressed my cheek delicately as if touching the outline of a bubble.
“Your situation is not easy. I know you are not telling me everything I think you are not telling me anything... but I understand. You are afraid.”
As accurate as he was, I didn't admit it. Although I had liked his comfort.
“I have nothing to do here, at least not now. I don't know if I'm any good at this moment and that's... I don't like it, it's not good for me. It is frustrating.”
He nodded, understanding every word. His eyes were very close to mine. I took his hand resting on my cheek and gently pushed it away.
He was still the King of Lauxwell. As attractive, understandable, and friendly as he was, I couldn't forget such detail.
“I think the answer to your sorrows is closer than you think... How do you think the leaders we know came about?”
I took a breath.
“Each one had their impulse and purpose based on their interests and of course, their environment, ideals, values, needs... their geographical location and family tree have a great influence too. Oh, and it depends a lot on the psychological state they were in when-”
He placed a finger over my lips, suddenly silencing them with a loving smile. He pushed it away when he saw me surprised.
“Even if I could sit and listen to you quote the entire dictionary from memory, let's focus on the first part. They had a purpose, just like you, and they followed a path to achieve it. Moreover, they knew how to take control when they were given an opportunity.”
My purpose at that time was to have power. I was stuck in the shattered remains of what once seemed to be my future.
“You are a smart woman, you will think about how to do it and if you need help I will be with you every step of the way.”
He was close, very close, his eyes looked especially beautiful in the moonlight. I allowed myself to lose a second in them, imagining what it would feel like to see them after a kiss. His eyes came down to my lips, his hand placed on my cheek as just minutes before, the caress of his thumb made me surrender to the touch. I approached, the warnings in my head went unnoticed, what was a kiss under the moon? innocent, pure, vulnerable.
“Ahem... “
We both jumped out of the seat, taking a few steps away from the sound of a voice in the darkness. When I looked for the emissary all traces of happiness in me vanished.
“I would have regretted the interruption, believe me, but your faces were very good... “
Luke walked forward as if to let us know that he was there and had seen it all. Or worse, listened.
“What can we do for you, Your Majesty?”
Luke let out a raw, unfunny, cynical laugh.
“You can't help me at all. She can, I need her for the official business. It has to do with Maredale.” He looked at me, pure malice he let me see. “Are you coming with me, Princess?”
“Right away.”
I didn't turn to see Ashton, I knew he would understand and I followed Luke down the dark path back to the castle. Once inside, he started walking so fast that I had trouble keeping up with him.
“Will you tell me what this is all about?” I asked as we walked up the stairs.
He shook his head. I had a buffet and we stopped outside my room.
“Well?”
I looked forward to his words. Was he regretting keeping me here as my mother had asked?
Or maybe it was bad news, I couldn't think of anything that could go wrong in Maredale.
“You're welcome.” He said without further ado. He turned around and started walking down the hall.
You're welcome?
“What?” I walked over to him and stopped him in his tracks. He turned his eyes. “What happened to Maredale? What was the official business?” He smiled mischievously. “There was no official business, was there?”
He laughed out loud. The urge to hit him grew and grew inside me. I frowned and crossed my arms until he fell silent.
“Come on, it was fun! Stop looking at me as if I've interrupted something, princess... oh, right! a kissing session with the "oh-so-hot" King of Lauxwell.”
“Shut up!” I shouted. “It's not funny. It's not funny, Luke. You used the name Maredale in vain.”
“As if you didn't do it.”
My purpose: to shut up Luke.
My way: a slap in the face.
My right hand struck Luke's left cheek hard enough to disrupt him. He swayed a little, I saw his red cheek and anger- rage and indignation in his blue eyes. My body shook.
The sound of the slap echoed down the hall, drawing the attention of two servants who were passing by. One of them was Lidia who analyzed the scene in amazement.
"I said shut your mouths, not make them bleed," she seemed to say.
“Don't use Maredale's name in vain.” I slammed the door behind me. I smashed into the door and held my breath. I held it for a few minutes waiting for a sound, a knock on the door from him, something.
The seriousness of what I had done fell on me. I slapped Luke.
Three delicate knocks on the door sounded in the room. I had been awake since the early hours of the morning, sleep came and went, and the intrigue of last night's sobbing didn't help. I refused to believe it was Luke, it made me uncomfortable to even imagine him crying.
“Good morning, Amberly.”
“Lidia, come in," I offered her two pins. “I tried to put these on my braid but it was impossible.”
She laughed a little, closed the door, and settled down behind me, and I saw her face in the mirror on the dresser. She wasn't wearing any makeup, she didn't need any. She was just a few years older than me and looked spectacular.
“So... ambassador," She began to talk, struggling a bit with the pins. “How do you feel?”
I sighed while fiddling with a pair of earrings within my reach.
“Well, except that I have to do my work, I can't wait to make some real changes," I smiled. “How did you end up working here?”
“My father was a great friend of the king, they played together as kids. When they grew up, he married Queen Susan... Jake, Luke, you know that part... and my father, on the other hand, married my mother who died when I was five... “ I touched one of her hands in a comforting gesture, she looked at me and nodded. “Before he died, my mother made my father and the king meet again, so the king felt a responsibility to... help us. He gave my father a job here, but he is old now and... it is my turn, I must help him.“
Her face was disturbed by memories, sadness threatened her.
“You do a wonderful job, Lidia. Your father must be proud of you…”
She nodded at my attempt to encourage her. She finished the braid and started to put the pins in.
“That's enough of that, I'd like to know... How is Duke Clifford?” She asked with more curiosity than she should have. “I heard the girls in the kitchen say that he was back and that he looked more charming than usual…”
It was by lowering her tone of voice, which made me laugh.
“Did I hear wrong or did you call Michael charming?” I said, laughing as she blushed. “DUKE CLIFFORD…”
“AMBERLY! -I have your hair in my hands!” She pulled gently on the braid.
I raised my hands in surrender.
“He's not here today anyway," I smiled, she rolled her eyes.
“By the Forest, I almost forgot!” she exclaimed, looking for something in her cross-bag. After a moment she pulled out a letter. “It's from the Duke, for you.”
I took the letter that Michael had told me he would leave with Lidia, not without first smiling mischievously at Lidia who only hesitated.
"Amberly,
Hi, ´tis Michael!
Your task will be to put the greenhouse aside for a while and organize the annual picnic for the employees at the palace. Naturally, this would be a task for the Queen and King but Luke has refused to participate and because of the tone in which he said "Do whatever you want, Mike" I have taken the liberty of asking you. I know you'll do a great job.
-M.”
“...employee picnic," I repeated aloud. “Sounds interesting.”
“Just like him," Lidia replied, a little distracted before she realized what she had said. “Sorry!”
“By the sea, Lidia, you should talk to him.”
She looked at me as if I had told her a very good joke.
“I'm serious, he's... “ I couldn't find the words to describe him after our brief time together. “He'll make you laugh!”
“More than you do with such quips? I doubt it.”
She took the earrings from my hands and placed them in the jewelry box, exchanging them for gold ones that matched the short yellow dress I chose today.
“We haven't spent much time together, but he looks different... “
“Than Luke? Even my mare is better than him," we shared a laugh.
“What about Ashton? I see you more with him... “
I shook my head and stopped myself from developing the thought. However, Lidia continued:
“Imagine for a second..." She took the necklace Lauren and Ashton had given me from the jewelry box and placed it around my neck. ”Amberly Sarah Campbell... of Irwin... Queen of Lauxwell.”
Laughter flooded my room again, the last time I laughed so much had happened so long ago that I didn't remember it.
I took a few seconds to imagine it seriously, reigning next to Ashton... quite an adventure, who knows what he would plan every day to go out and distract us. And Luke... I imagined his anger at the fact that his kingdom had to surrender, which shook me a little.
“I don't think it's possible," I told her once we weren't laughing.
“Oh, come on! We all know how crazy the great King of Laxuwell is for you," She left the necklace on the dresser. “I think he's not the only one... “
Before I had a chance to ask what exactly she meant by that, someone knocked on the door desperately. Lidia opened it and a girl with gardening looks and short hair looked at her with fear.
“Julia, what ...?” Lidia seemed to see her face in terror until that moment. She inhaled, understanding what was happening. “It's today…”
The gardener nodded, wrapping Lidia in a tight embrace as she sobbed against her clothes, despair was palpable on her face... she seemed to be about... sixteen or fifteen years old.
“Julia..." whispered Lidia, pointing at me with her chin.
Julia sipped her nose, arranged her clothes, and looked at me with shame.
“Your Highness, excuse me, I didn't see you before," she spoke quickly.
“It's all right, don't worry," I smiled, hoping to relax her a little. “What exactly is today?”
They both looked at each other, Julia closed the door behind her. I had never seen Lidia so scared, she saw her partner with sadness.
“King Robert started a system for us by marrying Queen Susan," the redhead swallowed. “The palace would lend money to the servants who needed it and they would pay it back within two months. The salary they give us is good if you've been here a while, Julia started recently. Her older sister had to have emergency surgery because of an accident at work so she asked for a loan... today is two months ago... “ Lidia turned her gaze to Julia, I nodded in understanding. “Since His Majesty Luke turned ten years old he has had to carry out this task in his father's eyes, collecting from workers who ask for this loan. Now he's the King, I don't think there is a difference... much less a pardon. He's going to fire her.”
“It's just me and my sister…” Julia shuddered.
It hurt to see the girl in that state, who knows what so many tragedies were going through her head... How did they expect her to pay?
I could help her, I needed to do something, to negotiate... to talk, even if it was with my least favorite person at the moment.
I got up from the dresser, opened each drawer in search of something of sufficient value, of spare. The green glow of the necklace Lauren and Ashton had given me danced in the corner of my vision right where Lidia had left it after it landed on my neck. I took it and walked over to the girls.
“Take me with you.”
¥
We went down the steps quickly, Julia led us through the corridors to the west side of the palace where the collections were taking place.
We went out into the garden of this wing, it had fewer flowers than the rest of the gardens but they looked well cared for and freshly planted. In the middle of it was a U-shaped row of servants surrounding Luke, sitting at a picnic table with safes and papers on it.
“We're on time, it's starting," whispered Lidia just to us.
Luke looked bored, glancing at the paper in his hands, not wanting to look around. He said the first name on the list apathetically.
A boy with clothes full of hay and a couple of stains on his pants stepped forward, said something under his breath, the blond man snorted, and some guards grabbed the boy and dragged him out of the garden. Before he left, he spat at Luke's side, he got rigid about his action, for a moment I was afraid he would call him and give him a terrible consequence but he didn't. Instead, he hunched over again and spoke again as the boy was carried away from the garden.
“Rosé Bellamy Julia.”
The girl covered her mouth beside me, shaking and about to sob again. I put a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her, feeling her body release the tension for a second. I looked at Lidia, she nodded as if she knew I had asked her to protect her if anything went wrong. Then I walked over to Luke.
He didn't hide his surprise, straightened his posture, and left the paper on the table.
“The last time I checked, your name wasn't Julia, your highness.”
Your words came out sharp as a knife, in your usual strong tone of voice.
“The last time I checked you had humanity in you, your majesty. Or who knows, I am not so sure.” I tried (and succeeded) to match his tone, I slipped the emerald necklace close to his hand before he could say anything. “It's for Julia and for everyone on that list.”
Murmurs, muffled screams, and even sobbing surrounded us. Luke inspected the necklace in his hands, looked at a man in a suit who nodded repeatedly.
“Tell me if you need more,” I asked impatiently.
Luke raised an eyebrow, dropped the necklace in one of the boxes, and got up from the table.
“That's enough, we're done here for the month," he spoke for the servants who were already celebrating, raising a hand to quiet the celebration. “Please, thank Princess Amberly.”
He winked at me while leaving the table. I frowned, I couldn't help but think that it wasn't all, that it couldn't be that easy.
But maybe it was.
Julia ran to me, I hugged her tightly, she had such a wide smile.
“Thank you, Princess Amberly. I´ll never forget this!”
Like Julia, all the other servants came to thank and pay their respects. I took their hands which showed perfectly the work and tiredness they´ve invested. I nodded and was glad to see them relieved, carefree, hoping to see the same happiness released from more people in the future.
¥
On my way from the west wing to the east where the greenhouse was located, a line of servants and guards interrupted my path. In the end, I saw Lauren standing in front of a door, as bright and beautiful as ever, wearing a green suit and black heels as her hair.
“Lauren," I called to her, changing her pace to my direction. “What's all this?”
“It's time for me to go back to Lauxwell, I have a couple of things to do. I left my luggage in this room, but apparently, no one has the key to open it," she crossed her arms. “Someone must do something about this lack of efficiency.”
I remembered the keys I had found in the greenhouse. I had completely forgotten to tell Lidia this morning, but they could help Lauren.
“I found some keys in the greenhouse.”
She blinked twice in a row and came closer to me with intrigue.
“What were you doing there?”I looked at her with suspicion, I didn't understand her interest. “I've been told horror stories from there, that's all.”
“As an ambassador for Maredale, I must have a place of work that seems to be there," I explained. “I found them in a flowerpot, I suppose they´re forgotten or old copies but give me two seconds, I'll go to my room and check.
She nodded, a guard stood in the way as soon as we took a few steps and showed a key.
“I'm sorry for the delay, Your Majesty Lauren. We can open the door now.”
“Oh. No need to worry, good man. Go ahead," Lauren left room for me to pass and turned to me. “Princess Amberly, see you soon. I trust you'll take care of my brother, won't you?”
“Count on it," I smiled and she nodded, going the opposite way from me.
I circled the greenhouse, taking a seat on a large rock outside with a feather and leaves in my lap, ready to capture the ideas I had for the picnic. I looked at the greenhouse, it was a matter of cutting some plants here, others there... I had a good space to put two desks and decorations inside once it was empty.
A detail surprised me at the entrance. On top of a small wooden table, there was a pair of gloves ideal for manual work and a note on top of them, I took it and read it:
Summary: In a dystopian future, a tragedy leads Prince Luke to become King of Gardenstone. From her neighboring kingdom Maredale, our protagonist Amberly must choose between King Luke and King Ashton of Lauxwell to close the alliance that the three kingdoms are destined to make. In the process and after, Amberly will encounter mysteries, a love triangle, and betrayals that will define her future. (Basically, enemies to lovers)
Word Count: 2,822
MASTERLIST.
I hid my head under my pillow as I heard knock after knock on the door. The sound became so tired that I had to wake up.
I picked up the sheets I had thrown on the floor during the night, the only window the room had was stuck, I could not open it to get rid of the awful heat that enveloped the room. I looked around in search of the gown that matched my pink silk nightgown, between the sleep and the incessant knocking, I left it behind and opened the door.
“Princess, forgive me... “Luke's gaze studied my silhouette in front of him, instinctively I covered my cleavage, embracing my arms. Annoyed.
“I rather don´t forgive you, thank you very much. What's wrong... “ I tried to correct my tone “... your majesty?” and I failed.
Luke ran a hand through his shiny blonde hair, I had barely had time to look at it in the sunshine coming through the windows in the hallway.
“I didn't know the disrespect started so early, or I would have asked someone else to come and wake you up, princess," he said mockingly, I grimaced. “We leave the palace in an hour, wear something comfortable, and pack lightly.”
He turned around, I stopped him holding his shirt.
“Where are we going?” I asked, quickly covering myself again, he laughed at my action. “Tell me.”
“It is a Gardenstone tradition to share a little trip to the town of Mudtry when welcoming Maredale, now that Queen Elizabeth is coming back here we must leave," he explained. In a moment of distraction, he took my hands gently, letting them fall to my side. “Even though you look better like this, I recommend a coat. It's cold over there, Princess.”
I covered myself again, he laughed again and walked down the corridor.
“Idiot," I muttered.
“Pain in the ass!” he shouted around the corner.
¥
I don't remember ever having been so solicited as this morning, even the instructions came out with little energy and no firmness, it probably wasn't the lack of being needed that made me feel this way, it was the sour taste in my mouth since Ashton decided not to speak to me.
I relived the scene as I watched the blue decorations glow everywhere; I had looked for him when I returned from a few good hours in the greenhouse, knocked on his door, waited patiently outside believing that he would come out at any moment, he did not. Instead, he turned off the lights. I wanted to apologize for my reaction, I had ruined the beautiful atmosphere we had arranged and I longed for his forgiveness perhaps more than I should have. I also didn't know how we were going to talk without mentioning his proposal. I still didn't tell my mother.
“Princess, do you consider it appropriate to roll out the red carpet for the arrival of Queen Elizabeth?” Calum asked, for the third time this morning.
“No, Calum, like the two previous times I do not consider it appropriate since she is only returning from Maredale.”
I replied wearily that it did not go unnoticed, his brown eyes searching for a sign of sarcasm.
“I'm sorry," he corrected himself as he noticed the presence of servants around us, "-Your Highness, for the insistence. His Majesty, King Luke, wishes everything to be in order for your mother's arrival.”
Luke showed - with his attention to detail and investment in perfecting the palace - his clear interest in my mother's return. After all, my mother was the only leader who could bestow real knowledge of value on Luke... even on Ashton, but she wouldn't just do that. Compared to me, the great Queen Elizabeth always has backup plans, analyzes her moves, and lays her cards on the table with all the elegance and authority that can exist in a single human being.
Therefore, my mother's return was important to Luke. An opportunity to learn that he should exploit. And he knew it, his majesty knew it. So he had relieved me of my greenhouse duties and put servants to work in the greenhouse during my mother's stay at the palace, at last, a decent decision.
“Speaking of which, His Majesty the King asked me to give you this portfolio” Calum's arms managed to swing samples of cloth and other paperwork and extend a somewhat thick grey portfolio to me. “It contains your first official cases to be dealt with as Maredale's ambassador.”
I took it with fear that the emotion would shoot out of my fingertips.
“Thank you.”
Calum knew I was serious. Even if it was a bribe to keep quiet about the work I had been doing in the greenhouse or organizing the picnic, the words "official cases" made me smile broadly.
“There is an office available... in the east wing one floor up from his room in case you´d like to look at documents away from this mess.”
I nodded excitedly. I turned around and started my way to the office.
Every step, every step I took was done without my absolute concentration. My mind was distracted by the real actions I could perform during these days, the happy face of the Maredan people who wanted to settle in the capital at the moment of telling them that it was a possibility and that it was going to happen filled me with happiness. It was time to contact the people who had asked, maybe persuade Luke to finance some of the cases now was something I could do.
“Amberly," Michael's voice cut through my step, "What are you doing here?”
He was just a few feet away from me coming out of his room, I guessed. Dressed in his typical casual attire of a loose black shirt and comfortable pants.
“Calum gave me this," I happily shook my portfolio and said the following in a shriek: "This is real work!”
Michael laughed nervously at my gesture.
“I'm going to the office two floors up, are you coming?” I invited him, he opened his mouth and babbled out. “What's going on?”
“There's an unoccupied one in the west wing..." he spoke quickly without fear of getting stuck. “I have to go but I'll see you there, okay?”
He closed the door behind him after struggling with the handle, each action more clumsy than the last.
“Of course... “
He pointed to the stairs in a gesture to indicate the change of direction. I nodded, watching his sudden change of... stability.
Without arguing, I walked up the stairs for the remaining two floors. I looked down the long hallway leading to the west wing, diving into the east. A couple of steps joined me a short distance from the door that I assumed was the office. I stopped short and turned, bumping into a figure taller and stronger than me. The portfolio crumpled up against me.
“It's okay- Oh.”
Ashton spoke in front of me. I felt my tongue entangled in my mouth, all the things I wanted to say were trapped in my mouth and I couldn't get them out.
His eyes still had a certain glow in them, he wasn't going to be rude now, I hoped he would be willing to talk... watching his posture and the fact that he didn't bother to increase the distance between us, he even seemed ready to do so.
“I..." I said, at last. “I did not expect to find you here.”
“I come from the other wing... I called my sister in the office, they have a good reception there.”
His voice came out flat, I felt a hand squeeze my heart as I remembered that same voice asking to be his queen under the moonlight...
“I want to apologize” I waited, closing my eyes for a moment to put my words in order. “It was not my intention to answer you like that, I was unprepared and I... did not know that the subject needed an immediate answer…”
I placed the hand that held the portfolio at my side and the other hand slowly approached his, I caressed it waiting for an answer. His glance saw something behind me and fixed on my face gently.
“I understand if you're upset with me, I thought that-”
He joined our lips in a fast and firm movement, passing a hand to my waist. The one I previously caressed closed with mine. I breathed in his essence; masculine and with traces of vanilla; before breaking the kiss.
“Everything's fine, Amberly..." he said in a sensual whisper brushing our noses. “We are fine.”
I nodded and we shared a smile, my cheeks felt warm which made me move away from him amicably.
“Wow, a reconciliation of pathetic lovebirds. Your bags for Mudtry won't be packed alone.”
We both turned around, finding Luke leaning against the door he should have entered, forcing a smile. He had a book in his hands and grabbed it tightly, judging by his white knuckles.
More steps joined in, Michael looked at all of us as he continued walking, stopping between Luke and us. Calum came up behind him practically running.
“What happened?” Luke asked, his blue eyes traveling between Michael and Calum to Ashton and me, who clearly had no idea. “Speak up, that's an order.”
Calum stepped forward, barely catching his breath.
“Your Majesty, there was a problem with... the horses, you see.”
While Calum and Michael were talking to Luke about a problem they had pulled out of their sleeves, Ashton approached them to hear the same. He probably knew it was made up, but knowing him, he wouldn't miss the opportunity to see them humiliate themselves.
I looked at the four of them: two kings, a duke, and a royal advisor. I remembered the time Ashton told me that they used to play together, or rather fight, the simple image of those four figures living together innocently made me laugh out loud. Who knows how much trouble they would have gotten into together, the universe wasn't ready for that... maybe that's why they were now separated in some way.
¥
“Lidia, it's very important that you take the portfolio to Duke Clifford," I pouted without moving from the mirror. “Please.”
We laughed at the same time, Lidia shook her head and patted my right shoulder.
When I finished my work in the office, I thought it was not a bad option to ask Lidia to take the portfolio to Michael, something could come out of that contact the maid wanted so much.
“Okay.”
I jumped up with euphoria and wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight and then looking at her with emotion.
“Your outfit!” she exclaimed, making me stop. “I'll take the briefcase, but I'm not promising anything, that's enough for now.”
I took some fabric samples from the chest of drawers and pretended to give them to her in a seductive voice, "Oh, Duke, take the portfolio... and my heart!”
She burst out laughing, snatching the samples from me and leaving them in their place.
Lidia took me by the shoulders and positioned me in front of the mirror again. “I hope her majesty Queen Elizabeth will like my choice.”
“Queen Elizabeth loves your choice. It captures the comfort and the countryside to perfection.”
Hearing my mother's voice standing at the door, I jumped up to her in an embrace. After that, she insisted on having things to talk to me about before the trip and we walked with our arms intertwined through the gardens.
“It is strange to be here without Robert and Susan, may they rest in peace.”
The desire to know more about the life of the kings fell silent on its own as I remembered the incident - the murder. They had been my mother's friends, as far as I knew, but I couldn't reveal to her what Michael and Calum had discovered, even Luke didn't know.
“You look a little lost, daughter," my mother said, nudging me sideways. “Tell me about your work, is it everything you wanted?”
Memories of my work in the greenhouse crossed my mind. The effort took to make some progress in the first few days, including my day in the barn. But that wasn't my job at the end of the day, helping out was. On the sly or just for blackmail, there was 'my grain of sand' as we used to say in Maredale.
“It's been... satisfying," I sighed. “I understand why you like being a queen, you can help people and you have the power to do it in your hands.”
“Oh, little one... the power is there when you have the intention. There is nothing to stop you if you have your aim clear.”
The voice of reason had returned and I was very grateful for it.
I squeezed her hand lightly and she gestured back to me.
Two young girls passed in front of us carrying their instruments in a cart to transport them to Mudtry and began to play typical Maredale music given by a harp and a violin. Calum who was passing by approached us as he heard the music and rushed to the girls, surely.
“What a marvel! “exclaimed my mother. She let go of my arm and linked hers with Calum's." Young Hood, you must grant me this piece.”
Calum fired an alarmed look before being dragged into the middle of the garden by my mother.
“Poor Calum, he hasn't danced in a good six months.”
Michael stood next to me, watching the queen and the political advisor dance around each other with humor.
“And apparently the Queen didn't either," we laughed. He came a little closer to me, speaking at the level of my left ear.
“ You didn't say anything to her majesty, did you? About what I showed you?”
I shook my head.
“Not at all. But I won't be able to keep silent any longer, you have to tell Luke.”
He laughed softly, neither of them had turned their eyes away from Calum and my mother.
“Oh, no. You will, Amberly.”
No, it wasn't my business. No. A resounding "no".
“Very funny, Duke. -Do I have to laugh now?” I asked with growing anger, he rolled his eyes hesitantly. “I won't do it, I have nothing to do with it.”
“You were there, weren't you?”
“So? YOU found it," I frowned and folded my arms in front of him. “Tell me one good reason why I should do it and I'll go right now.”
Michael crossed his arms as I did, we were terrifyingly close to each other, he opened his mouth a couple of times to talk but nothing came out.
“See?”
I smiled in victory mode with my lips closed. He imitated my gesture.
“It's a direct order from your boss, honey.”
I took a breath to respond when a hand-pulled Michael's shirt abruptly, causing him to stumble backward. Ashton's body came between Michael and my mother's view of the garden, preventing anyone from seeing the scene.
“What are you doing?!” I exclaimed quietly, helping Michael get up from the grass. He shook off the dirt and tried to grab Ashton by the collar of his shirt, so I held his hand. Michael took a step back and I stood between the two of them. “Quiet, both of you!”
Ashton raised an accusing finger near Michael's face, who was still behind me.
“You better keep those compliments to yourself, Clifford. Just because you need them doesn't mean Amberly needs them. Excuse me.”
“Ash... “I muttered walking behind him, he adjusted his grip on my wrist. “Ashton, you're hurting me!”
I exclaimed, releasing my wrist with a strong tug, rubbed it with my other hand, and stopped short. We were closer to the greenhouse than to the celebration, the sun giving the last of its rays announcing nightfall.
“What happened to you? You shouldn't have-”
His arms were wrapped securely around my waist, he approached me with a strong kiss... no, possessive, it felt like he owned me.
We walked away after a few seconds, his face at a distance where his words were barely understandable, nothing more in my field of vision than his glowing eyes overflowing with intensity.
“I don't like it. Both of you spending time together... not since you were found in the office alone.”
I placed both hands on his chest, asking for some space to think.
“I explained that nothing happened-”
“-Unless it's for work, I don't want you anywhere near Michael.”
I was silent for a moment, it didn't seem like a favor, a recommendation... it was an order.
He kissed the corner of my mouth with exasperating slowness.
“Understood, Amberly?”
I nodded.
The next voice heard was Luke interrupting the music, my mother's dancing, and the closeness between Ashton and me.
Here's another proof why Luke is a mf-ing princess. Most especially, Ashton's Princess 😏 (This is a Girl's edition but I erased it and idgaf bc I intended this to be about Lashton. Credits still goes to the source.)
