#king of stein

[incorrectmidc]

Belated happy birthday, Byron! ❤❤❤

Art by @kakihoden

With permission to post :)

[rierru]

Here’s my time lapse video of my Byron sketch ! I didn’t realize I was drawing it flipped until I saw the video hahaha 😂 also I ended up redrawing it because it felt off!

Sketches for my midcin fan merch 💖

[catharia-catharsis]

[MidCin] : And the Clock Struck Midnight ~ {MCxByron}

Catharia’s Note: Just an excuse to write about Byron Wager. I have been stewing over this and because of work I haven’t really had a chance to type this out.  I hope you guys will enjoy and feel free to comment and whatnot.

Warnings: (Good Ol’) Angst, Post-Break Up 

The myriad of beautiful gowns swirled around the young woman who gracefully stepped in unison with both the music and man before her. She met a pair of watchful gray-blue eyes who trailed themselves over her delicate form which almost made her falter. A small smile appeared on her painted lips as her husband gracefully lead her into the final sequence of steps as the music reached a conclusion signaling the end of the dance. The Grand Ballroom was them engulfed with the sound of applause coming from the  dancers as the orchestra stood up and bowed towards them.

"Are you tired?" The deep baritone of her King caught her attention as he offered her his arm which she immediately accepted.

"I'm fine." The woman replied and allowed her husband to lead her towards one of the vacant chaise lounges by the elaborate decorated wall. "Maybe just a bit thirsty."

With an elegant flick of her husband's hand, a butler shortly approached the couple and Byron offered his wife a glass of champagne before taking a seat beside her. Presently, the newly-wedded King and Queen of Stein had been invited to the occasion and it was the first public event they attended as a couple.

Silence stretched between the two and the young bride could only sip the cold glass of alcohol she had been offered while the man beside her remained unmoving. It was like the  first time he met her--a diplomatic visit from Stein, which not under special circumstances. She was timid and soft-spoken for the duration of their brief conversation but she took a liking to him. Of course, she was beautiful and charming like most women who came from nobility yet it was not enough to break his icy demeanour.

The  Crown Princess of Protea--now Queen of Stein--watched as the dance floor cleared once more when another group of guests made their way unto the center. In a few moments, a new song started and she immediately recognized the melody being played as one of Wysteria's popular waltzes. The soft melody sailed through the room and in the corner of her eye, the Princess watched her husband's eye begin to scan the floor as if in search for something--rather, someone, through the crowd of dancers.

She was here.

Their engagement was brief and rather rushed, she would say. But who was she to complain having to marry another powerful and handsome man of another kingdom. The crown Princess of Protea had been blinded by the prospect of marrying the esteemed and noble Byron Wagner that she paid no mind to the gossip--she was a rebound from his previous engagement to another well-known individual, the Princess-elect of Wysteria.

It was halfway through the dance that the young woman finally spotted her--The Wysterian Princess. The said royal was gracefully twirled by her dance partner, sending her lace and pearl embroidered satin skirts in an elegant flurry. The young woman's chestnut tresses had been styled in loose curls and decorated in small diamonds to compliment her own features--especially those gentle cinnamon-coloured eyes. Beside her, the King of Stein remained quiet but she could tell that he had caught sight of the other woman for his body stiffened ever so slightly.

I wish you would look at me like that.

Jealousy welled up in the girl's chest as she  bit her tongue and lifted the flute of champagne to ease the slight sting. It was unfair. She was the Queen of Stein who is greatly admired and  could get anything she wanted. Anything but her husband's affections which remained elsewhere.

Although her husband had never mistreated her for the duration of both their engagement and marriage, the Queen of Stein could not bear to watch her husband stare longingly at the woman who broke his heart in the first place.

"May I be excused?" The female spoke after setting down the empty glass then making a move to stand.

Before the raven-haired King could offer his wife any accompaniment, the female quickly dropped into a curtsy and made her way towards the lieu with one of her ladies-in-waiting following closely behind.

As lively melody ended, the Wysterian Princess moved unto a curtsey as she bowed her head towards her dance partner who returned the gesture. Shortly, the said female weaved through the crowd to make her way towards one of the refreshment tables where she briefly stood and conversed with a few Laurellian nobles.

Giles had promised her that an hour or two of dancing and conversations with a few noblemen and women would be sufficient enough until she could return home. The Princess had prayed hard to whatever gods were above that she would not run into the king yet fate seemed to have other ideas.

A calm gray eye trailed over the familiar figure of Wysteria's Princess as she excused herself from one of Laurella's nobles. The brunette soon disappeared behind one of the glass doors leading unto a balcony that looked over Stein's royal gardens--perhaps for some fresh air. It had only been a few years since the two had last seen each other and yet the mere sight of the woman he loved flooded him with emotions. Five years had since passed since Byron and the Princess of Wysteria both decided to dissolve their engagement and live separate lives--much to the shock of both Wysteria and Stein's citizens who approved of the match unlike the nobles.

From across the ballroom, Byron watched the moonlight bathe the Princess' silhouette as she stood by the balustrade, gazing at the starry sky all the while holding a small flute of champagne. He silently wondered if it was possible that she looked much more beautiful after all those years they had been separated. The raven-haired king observed for a few more moments  before finally making his way over to her all the while ignoring the glances of some men and women whom he had passed.

Etiquette be damned.

The sound of laughter and idle chatter became much more faint as he entered the balcony. The woman clad in blue remained quiet, not indicating that she had heard him enter the small space, and continued to gaze at the night sky.

"Good Evening."

The Princess of Wysteria blinked at the familiar voice of the man she had been avoiding the whole night. The female plastered on a smile before tuning towards the King of Stein and dropping into a graceful curtsey before meeting a stormy grey eye.

"Ah, Your Majesty." The brunette greeted the regally dressed man with a smile. "It has been a while."

"Yes…It has been." The man replied as he slowly made his way over to the balustrade to look over the dimly lit garden. "You look…beautiful."

"T-Thank you." The female averted her eyes as she sipped the last of her drink while watching the night sky. "It's a bit late but--Congratulations on your marriage."

For years she had done a marvelous job in lying to herself and the one she loved in the hopes of doing what is best for both their countries in the future. Even after five years, the Wysterian Princess dreaded having to take part in any social event that Byron would be attending--forcing her to interact with him which she deemed to be too painful. The Princess of Wysteria turned her head towards her ex-lover and fiancée only to find him staring at her intently.

"I-Is something wrong?"

"Do you regret it?" The sudden question and intense look coming from the King of Stein caught the female off guard making her take a step back.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Do you regret your decision?"

A sudden gust of wind hit the two royals which ruffled the their respective cape and skirts. The blowing wind could not deter the female from turning her gaze away from that burning grey orb. She would be lying if she said that she didn't miss him at all--she loved him still.

"Sometimes." A wistful smile slowly creeped into the young woman's face as she lowered her gaze. "But it was for the best. "

Even after five years, she could not find anyone that filled the void in her heart. She promptly ignored the court's insistence of her finding a husband and instead immersed herself in her work, choosing to rule alone.

Now, here she was. Alone and feeling more miserable in front of the only person whom she had ever loved. She sent a fleeting glance at the entrance to the ballroom and she could see a few individuals who seemed to be peering through the near translucent curtains into the balcony.

"It was nice to see you, Your Majesty, but I must be on my way." The Princess of Wysteria bowed her head an indication that she was prepared to leave. "Please excuse me."

It was risky being alone with Byron for too long and she did not want to make a scene at such a formal gathering--it would be a scandal. A quick retreat was in order and she would do so subtly and immediately make her way home. The female  she slowly edged from the regally dressed royal, promptly leaving him on the balcony.

As the princess of Wysteria approached the ballroom, another silhouette stood in front of making her step aside. Hostility radiated off the Queen of Stein who stared at her intently and she met those eyes with unflinching confidence. If looks could kill then the brunette would have been dead before she could take a step from the ballroom but she would not be swayed easily, especially knowing that she did nothing wrong.

Well…That's not what the Queen of Stein thinks.

"Stay away from him." The woman spoke softly enough for only for her to hear as she passed her while reentering the lively ballroom. "He's mine."

I know.

Years of etiquette that had been ingrained on the brunette kept her emotions from easily being read by others--an advantage she had learned to appreciate. The brunette carried herself with poise and grace that would make Giles proud if he saw her. The crowd parted as Wysteria's princess walked on, ignoring their glances whilst keeping her cool  gaze. A few more people took a few steps back to make way for her as she continued towards the ballroom's large and elegantly decorated doors.

It was only until that the Princess reached the empty halls and was boarding her carriage when she heard the sound of the nearby castle clock tower's bell chiming. The cold midnight air made her shiver as she turned around to cast one last longing glimpse of the castle before disappearing into her carriage.

Goodbye.

Unknowingly, steel gray eyes followed the runaway princess' figure as she cast a brief look over the stone building then climbing unto her carriage. Byron could see past that careful mask the woman wore for the whole evening and he found remorse and sadness although she tried so hard to hide it.

It didn't matter if they still loved each other.

It was already too late for they had chosen their paths.

He knew that they would never meet again.

[incorrectmidc]

"Honey, there's a gun in the footlocker in the garage. If I ever say no to that question, I want you to use it on me." -- Jay Pritchett, Modern Family

[incorrectmidc]

And thus, Emma was born. 😉

[incorrectmidc]

He makes it sound like the couples in Stein do not hold hands lol but hey, HHWW with King Byron this time! 😆😆😆💕💕💕

[incorrectmidc]

Don't get too excited, Byron. 😄😄😄

[incorrectmidc]

"Byron smiled back." 💕