She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Father said he wasn’t going to make the announcement until after we were back from our honeymoon. I thought we had more time.”
“What do you mean?”
“Our honeymoon… It was our only chance to really be only together. But now we have to cut it short and return home. The second that crown touches my head, I’m…” She trailed off, unable to find the right words.
“What, sweetheart?”
“Once I become Queen, I’m worried we won’t be able to see each other as much. Everybody’s going to want me. I have weekly meetings with the prime minister. I’ve got conferences to attend to internationally. I’ve got open throne consultation sessions that I need to host everyday so my people can voice their concerns. It’s going to take a miracle to have a moment alone together.”
I turned Giselle around and held her in a tight embrace. “There’s nothing to worry about,” I said calmly. “I promise to be there with you every step of the way. Even if I’m off on the sidelines, I promise I’ll be with you.”
“I’m just… Life’s going to be so different, Leo. For the both of us. I’d hate to see you get bored because you have nothing to do. It can be really uneventful, watching from the sidelines.”
I kissed her on the forehead, then on both her cheeks, and then the point of her chin. “Giselle, it’s an honor just to be able to breathe the same air as you. I promise, no matter how busy you get, I’m here. I won’t ever leave. To share in your triumphs and your struggles is enough for me, so long as you never send me away.”
Giselle sighed and pressed her face into my shoulder, reaching around to dig her fingers into my back. It was as though she were trying to grasp at me, eager to never let go.
“You’re going to be Queen,” I whispered into her hair.
“I’m… I am, aren’t I?”
“Do you have trouble believing it?”
“Sometimes. I always knew that I would be one day. But now it feels like a dream.”
“A good dream?”
“I think so. It’s going to be weird to see the crown on my head instead of Father’s.”
“It’ll be a good change,” I hummed. “Idolia’s going to flourish under your leadership.”
“You sound so sure.”
“If I were a betting man, I’d put money on it.”
“What if they don’t like me?”
“The people?”
Giselle nodded and held me tighter. She was this close to squeezing the air out of my lungs, but I honestly didn’t care. To have her this close after a year of aching to hold her… I was never going to complain if she was a little clingy. Her touch was an instant relief to me, a comfort I could always rely on.
“They’re going to love you, Giselle.”
“How do you know?”
“Because,” I said simply, shrugging my shoulders. I moved to cup her face in my hands. “Because you’re sweet. You’re kind. And the fact that you’re worrying so much about doing a good job is proof enough that you’ll do what it takes to be a good queen.”
She let out a slow sigh, closing her eyes in an attempt to relax.
“We have four more days here,” I continued calmly. “So we might as well make the most of it. What do you say?”
“You’re right,” she agreed.
“I know.”
“Then what do you propose we do for the next four days?”
I smirked. “There’s a massive seafood buffet in the restaurant downstairs. And a little birdie from the reception desk told me the best time to go for a stroll on the beach is in about an hour. All the tourists tend to leave for the day since the sun’s going down.”
Giselle playfully brushed her fingers through my hair and stood on her tiptoes. “And in the meantime, what then?”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “Did you have something in mind?” I asked coyly.
She fluidly slipped her hand beneath my cotton shirt and ran her fingers up and down my abs suggestively. Without another word, I captured her lips with mine and lifted her off the floor. Giselle hooked her legs around me and circled my neck with her arms. I carried her with ease to the bedroom, placing her down on the soft sheets. Our honeymoon location had been kept a tight-lipped secret so we wouldn’t have to deal with any overachieving paparazzi during our time away, but the tropical heat we were experiencing was a dead giveaway that we were on an island somewhere to the east. The hot weather we’d been having was the perfect excuse to shed all of our clothes and walk about in the nude.
When I climbed onto the bed, Giselle immediately got on top of me. She grinded her hips in a circular motion, teasing my cock with the soft touch of her ass. I reached up and gave her breasts a squeeze, teasing her nipples between my fingers. Giselle moaned languidly, the sound going straight to my length.
“How do you want to do this?” I asked.
“You don’t mind me on top, do you?”
“If I ever say that I do, know that I’m lying.”
Giselle giggled as she reached behind her, stroking the underside of my cock with her slender fingers. My member twitched at the contact, immediately swelling in a desperate attempt for more attention. She guided me in, and I easily slipped into her thanks to her slick, wet walls. I thrust up into her, nearly losing my mind when I felt her tighten around me. Giselle wasn’t being quiet, and I definitely didn’t want her to be. There was no reason for us to hide anymore. We could finally enjoy ourselves the way we wanted, make love how we wanted. Protocol had no place here, and neither did restraint.
Her hair curled about her face, streamed over her shoulders as her breasts bounced with each of my upward movements. Giselle pressed her hands to my chest for support as we both came undone, trembling together as pleasure rocked through us. We were both panting hard, the exertion leaving us breathless in the humid island air. Giselle carefully got off and lay down in the crook of my arm, drawing absentminded circles into my chest with the tip of her finger.
“Do you want to get in the shower with me?” I whispered.
“In a moment,” she sighed contently. “It’s nice and quiet here.”
“Hopefully it doesn’t stay too quiet. I’m hoping to hear the pitter-patter of little feet soon.”
“Me too,” she giggled.
I wrapped her up in my arms and breathed in her hair, kissing the top of her head. Everything around us was changing fast. But in this tiny slice of heaven on Earth, I felt unhurried. We could take our time here, enjoy each other without another care in the world. I’d found a new purpose in life—to see Giselle smiling and ever-happy.
28
Giselle
I knelt before Father and his throne, more than aware of all the eyes that were on me. The coronation was taking place in the exact same cathedral where Leo and I got married. They’d decorated the interior differently, taking out all of the pews to make way for the long, elegant red carpet I was to tread upon. Members of the royal court and important politicians were all up in the stands, observing from the sides with red robes hanging from their shoulders. The inside of the cathedral felt a whole lot grander and regal, its gigantic size leaving me feeling entirely overwhelmed. I walked a fine line between being thrilled and solemn. As much as I’d been looking forward to this day, it also meant that Father would be stepping down.
It was going to take some time to adjust to the changes, and I knew that meant in more ways than one. Our old currency with Father’s face on bills and coins would eventually be phased out and replaced with new designs featuring my visage. Portraits of Father that hung in schools, public libraries, hospitals and the like would be replaced with portraits of my recently crowned head. History books across Idolia and around the world would have to be updated to precisely dictate the end of Father’s reign and indicate when mine began.
Standing before me, Father looked every ounce a king. While he still hadn’t gained all of his weight back, he was doing a lot better health wise. His skin had returned to it
s normal complexion, his hair was beginning to grow back now that his chemotherapy treatments were over, and he was able to hold himself upright with little issue. He was dressed in his official white robes, passed down through generations of my family. I was similarly clad in a white dress, gold embroidery stitching its way down the fabric. Over my shoulder, a golden sash lay elegantly, bearing the seal of the Idolian Royal Family to mark me as the Crown Princess.
Father spoke clearly, his booming voice echoing off the walls. “Princess Giselle Rénee of the House of Idolia,” he said, “do you hereby swear to uphold your office with all the honor, respect, and love for your countrymen?”
“I swear.”
“Do you hereby swear to lead with a righteous hand and a moral heart through plentiful triumphs and difficult times?”
“I swear,” I repeated, breathing in slowly through the nose.
“Then I, King Maximillian Wallace of the House of Idolia, abdicate my position as king.” Father lifted the crown off his head and slowly lowered it onto mine. It was heavier than I thought it would be, encrusted with so many sparkling jewels I was worried the weight of everything together would topple right over if I made any sudden movements. “I dub thee Queen Giselle, first of her name. May your reign be long and prosperous. You may rise.”
I carefully rose from my kneeling position, holding my neck as stiff as possible so my crown wouldn’t fall off. As I rose and stepped up onto the platform to take the throne, the people observing in the sounds rang out in a volley of, “God save the Queen!” Their voices were thunderous, loud enough to vibrate right through me. It filled me with a sense of wonder and fascination, a warm tingling sensation that left me feeling both hollow and overflowing with pride and amazement. As I took a seat on the throne, the one Father had occupied for years, I felt like an entirely different person.
I was no longer the younger girl, the carefree princess looking for a thrill that I was a year ago. The crest I bore across my chest and the crown on my head made me more than I was, a symbol for my people to look up to. As the people continued to cheer and the cathedral bells rang loudly over our heads to announce the crowning of a new monarch, I dared a glance to my left. Standing directly beside me, Leo was watching with the biggest smile I’d ever seen him wear. There was nothing but pride behind his pretty blue-green eyes, a loving warmth that he only reserved for me.
A flare of trumpets ripped through the air as I stood. Leo held his hand out to support me as I took a step down from the throne and walked forward. There was a carriage waiting for me just outside, ready to parade me around and show me off to the people of Idolia. A sudden rush of blood shot up to my head, leaving me suddenly dizzy and disoriented. It was a good thing that Leo was holding my hand for support, because I accidentally tripped over the bulky fabric of my dress. It was a small stumble, hardly noticeable thanks to Leo’s quick reaction.
He squeezed my hand. “Are you okay?”
I tried my best to suppress a nervous grin. “Yes, thank you.”
“I’ve got you, Your Majesty,” he chuckled in my ear.
Your Majesty.
The words sounded downright sinful rolling off his tongue. It was going to take some getting used to. But I knew that, deep down, as long as Leo was there to catch me when I stumbled, to give me words of encouragement whenever I was full of doubt, I’d be ready to face every challenge life had to throw our way.
We stepped into the carriage together, Leo and I, sitting in the back as the driver snapped the reins. The streets were even more crowded than the day of the wedding, but just as celebratory, loud, and vibrant. The large wooden wheels of the carriage rolled seamlessly over the paved streets, which had been taped off along the parade route. People threw flowers and confetti while small children blew bubbles in their jubilation. They cheered and whistled and laughed, joyous and optimistic for new beginnings. People pressed themselves up against the metal barriers, doing their best to get a glimpse of their new queen and the Royal doctor, all of them wishing us luck and a long future.
29
Leo
Ten Years Later
“Can you please tell us the story again, Father?” asked Davin. He was already dressed in his starfish pajama bottoms and oversized t-shirt with a soccer team’s logo plastered on the front. I’d already double checked that he brushed his teeth, and that he’d washed behind his ears.
“Pretty please?” added Melody, batting her long lashes at me like she’d seen her mother do often. Her brunette hair was tied into two long braids, little red ribbons tying them off. My daughter was in her neon pink sleeping gown and fluffy bunny slippers, clutching the teddy bear Grandpa Max gifted to her on her fourth birthday.
Philip, my youngest son, clasped his hands together. “We promise we’ll go to bed right after.” His dirty blond hair was a wild mess of tangles, still a little damp from just having gotten out of the bath.
I chuckled and sighed. It used to be so easy when it was just me, Giselle, and Davin. Now, all my children had learned that if they worked together and ganged up on me, there was no way I could deny them their wishes. And with our fourth child on the way, I couldn’t even begin to imagine the sorts of mischief they’d get up to.
We were all gathered in the children’s room. They were still at an age where they were all scared of the dark, so Giselle and I saw no harm in having them share a room together for company. Davin, who was just around the corner from turning nine, would be moving into his own room in the palace soon enough. As the Crown Prince, he was entitled to an entire wing all to himself. But he was a good boy, just as generous as his mother. No matter the explanation, he always insisted on staying near his siblings and taking as much as he needed, not as much as he wanted.
The children’s room had glow-in-the-dark stars taped to the high ceiling, offering a comforting light source at night to stave off any monsters I may have failed to spot under their beds. Stuffed toys were scattered about the room, most notably gathered at the end of Philip’s little bed to keep him company. All of Davin’s books were neatly arranged on the bookshelf just above his headboard, meticulously looked after and deliberately kept out of the sunlight to save the quality of its pages. Melody was the sporty one. She especially loved the game of soccer and was even a forward on her school’s team. Her little pair of soccer cleats, shin pads, and jersey were tucked haphazardly beneath her bed in a storage bin.
I was sitting in an old leather recliner that used to belong to King Maximillian. The leather was worn down and fading, peeling in some corners. I’d asked on several occasions if Giselle wanted to simply replace it with a brand-new chair, but she always declined the offer. She had too many fond memories of it to just toss it. When she was a little girl, she used to climb all over it, pretending that she was scaling some unscalable mountain. Now that she was a mother, she hoped her children could get up to their own adventures with it.
“Papa?” asked Melody.
“Okay,” I eventually agreed. “But then it’s lights out for all of you.” I cleared my throat. “When Grandpa Max stepped down from the throne, all of Idolia was sad. They loved him very much as their king. As leader, Grandpa Max managed to help his people flourish. He ordered massive schools to be built so all children could learn. He was extremely charismatic and was friends with all of Idolia’s neighboring countries.”
“But then Grandpa Max got sick, right?” asked Melody.
I nodded. “Yes, he did.”
“But you’re the one who saved him!” exclaimed Davin.
I smiled fondly at the boy. “In a way, yes. I noticed that your grandfather wasn’t feeling well.”
“Will Mama get sick?” asked Philip.
“What makes you say that?”
“Being queen must be stressful,” mumbled Melody.
“It can be,” I replied. “But that’s why Mama married me. I help her with her work so she doesn’t have so much to do.”
Davin piped up. “Is it true Mama tripped at h
er coronation?”
I chuckled. “Yes, but luckily, I was there to catch her. Mama’s always had weak ankles.”
Behind us, I heard a familiar giggle. I turned to glance over my shoulder and found Giselle leaning against the doorway, one hand rubbing her swollen belly. I rose and walked over to her, kissing her on the cheek. She was practically glowing. Her long hair had a spectacular shine to it, and her skin was dewy and soft. Her kind smile hadn’t changed much in the ten years we’d been married. She was still as beautiful to be as the day I first lay eyes on her.
In a word: perfection.
“I don’t have weak ankles,” she protested.
I laughed. “I beg to differ. Do you remember how we met?” I rose and helped Giselle sit in the recliner. She was heavily pregnant, so moving about took a bit more effort on her part. Our fourth child and third son, who Giselle and I agreed to call Benjamin, was due in the next couple of weeks. Because of her expectant delivery date, I insisted that Giselle take the month off from her royal duties in order to prepare. Since I was still the palace’s Royal doctor, nobody would dare come up with an excuse. It wasn’t like they were going to argue either, understanding well enough that Giselle needed as much rest as possible in the coming days.
Melody gasped. “I’ve never heard this story before. Tell us that one.”
“Yeah!” Davin and Philip cheered together.
I shot Giselle a cheeky wink. “It’s a rather long one.”
“What was the name of the ship again?” she asked. “I can’t remember.”
“The Obsidian Vow, I think it was.”
The Obsidian Vow. I hadn’t heard that name in years. That poor old battleship had long since been decommissioned, pulled apart so that its scrap metal could be repurposed for other things. When I closed my eyes, I could still remember the internal layout of the halls. I could clearly see the secret routes Giselle and I took to sneak away, remembered hidden corners where we shared stolen moments.
Royally Loved Page 67