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The duchess' welcome - pt 1
Last Updated:
2023-02-08 14:51:31Related chapters
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes The duchess' welcome - pt 2
2019, March 22ndAs James sent Zoey off for what would only be two days, he was in two minds. On the one hand, he was glad that she would not be here when Bart and CC arrived. He could only imagine the state they must be in, always somehow ending up in the middle of things. On the other hand, his heart could not help but yearn for her, yearn to touch her and dance with her again.Not long after James had sent Zoey away, Bart's black SUV showed up at the gates of the Beaumont mansion. CC got out of the car hurriedly when she saw James come into view. She jogged up to him and flung herself into his arms."You're okay, right?" she asked, more to reassure herself than anything."No assassination attempts yet, if that's what you mean," James laughed.She elbowed him in the ribs."It's not funny! I'm so worried about him, Jimmy. Dad's missing and Aaron-""I know Carr, it's okay. We'll get them both back for you, I promise," James said, stroking her hair reassuringly."I wouldn't be so quick
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes The duchess' welcome - pt 3
So comforted was he by her smile after the news he had received in their time apart, that he wanted to take her hand and run, like he did on their first morning together. He wanted to take her somewhere where it would be just the two of them. Somewhere where he could dance with her forever. More than that, though, James really wanted to kiss her. He wanted to pull out all the pins that held up her golden hair, tangle his fingers up in her curls and kiss her. He must have been wearing his heart on his sleeve, because Zoey was getting uncomfortable. They were still at the foot of the staircase, his arms around her waist. "Ladies and gentlemen, Duke and Duchess Beaumont will now dance The Lovers' Dance!" said Cassandra. The crowd cheered and applauded again, but still James didn't budge. Zoey licked her lips nervously. "Jamie, I think that's us," she said softly. Damn those eyes! Damn them to hell! She thought as she felt herself getting light-headed the longer he looked at her with
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes It's not what it looks like - pt 1
2019, February 12thJames and Aaron were sitting in chairs across from CC, who was sitting behind the desk, waiting impatiently for someone to say something."Let's start with you!" CC snapped. "What are you even doing here?""Emily said she lost her ring and-" Aaron began."So you thought you'd stick your tongue down her throat to find it?!" James roared."Nothing happened, okay? And you know, so what if it had? Come off your high horse, man! I know why you’re really here."James' gaze followed Aaron's back to the photos on the table."You be very careful with your next words, Ron.""Why do you have these?"The two men were glaring bullets at each other now."You mean photos of my family? My childhood? Our childhood?"Aaron grabbed the set of photos and pulled out the one he wanted."So you weren't going to use this and whatever else you have to try and hijack my coronation?! The Secret First Son of King Henry! It’s gold!""How can you even ask me that?! I gave up the woman I love fo
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes It's not what it looks like - pt 2
2019, February 14th(The Arden Mansion)“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Zoey sighed, rejecting another call from Aaron.The duke and the duchess had taken CC and Bart with them to some or other party or something. Zoey couldn’t quite remember the details. She hadn’t been listening. They had asked her to come too, but she didn’t want to be the fifth wheel. Besides, she was just going to jump into bed and eat chocolate all night. Sounded about right to her.She was just settling in when she heard the knock. At first, she was sure she was hearing things, but as Zoey unwrapped a piece of Belgium chocolate, the knocking got louder. She looked to the terrace.“Zoey! Open up!” said Aaron’s voice.Zoey practically jumped out of her skin. She ran to the terrace and opened the doors.“What the hell are you doing here?!”“Shush!” he said, putting his hand over her mouth while he pressed a finger to his lips.Aaron pushed her into the room and closed the doors.“Sorry about that. There’s an entire army
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes No one touches him! - pt 1
2019, March 23rd “I still think you’re all blowing this way out of proportion. Aaron loves James. For better or worse, he wouldn’t hurt him,” said CC at the breakfast table, where the issue of what to do about the new regency was being hotly debated. “Regretfully, I fear Your Highness may be wrong,” said Derek, running into the drawing room in a frenzy. “He’s here, isn’t he?” James asked. “I’m afraid so, Your Grace.” “How many?” Bart asked. “If I had to guess? His Highness brings with him half of the TSA.” “What does that mean? What’s the TSA?” Zoey asked, looking around at the faces of dread in the room. “Terres Somnia Armies,” Bart answered. “What about our numbers? Will it be enough to take on theirs?” Cassandra asked. “Yes, but only just. So far, we are evenly matched, but it’s not looking good. The word is His Highness has more men on the way even as we speak,” Derek replied. “Then we need to call in The Crimson-” Cassandra began. “No,” James interjected. “We’r
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes No one touches him! - pt 2
2019, March 23rd“Shouldn’t we stop this?!” Zoey asked, feeling an eerie, numbing dread come over her. “Let’s give them a few,” said Cassandra. “Boys will be boys, right? They’ll stop soon.”“I hope you’re right, My Lady,” said Bart, settling in to watch.10 minutes later…“The fight is still ongoing and both sides are starting to look trigger happy. Now can we shut this down?!” CC exclaimed. “Alright, here’s the play. Everybody does exactly what I say and hopefully we won’t lose anyone today. Now I just need to know one thing. Emily, rumour has it your father’s army never knew a better sniper than you. Is that true?”“Put a gun in my hand and we’ll find out.”Aaron and James had both been training rigorously since they were able. Aaron was faster, lighter on his feet, but James had brute strength and his time on the run on his side. Both men were getting tired, but of the two, Aaron was taking more hits than he was landing. James had a rage coursing through his veins the likes of
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes She's the one - pt 1
2019, March 1stAaron was in a world of misery. The proposal had been a disaster, ending with Zoey simply walking away without responding. He hadn’t seen her since. To make matters worse, neither of his siblings was talking to him. CC hadn’t been home since she found out how James had gotten shot and James, though he and Emily managed to patch things up and were once again engaged, was staying clear of the palace. With the impending coronation around the corner, King Henry and Duke Arden were done waiting on Zoey and Aaron. And so it was that Aaron and Zoey’s engagement party was scheduled, without them meeting or resolving anything, for the 3rd of March. The palace had spent the last two weeks preparing for it. Aaron was in two minds. Of course, he wanted her to be his wife, more than he wanted there to be oxygen in his lungs, but not like this. He didn’t want to force her. As he was wrestling with this, there was a knock on his door. “Your Highness has visitors,” came Jesse’s voi
Last Updated : 2023-02-09The Girl Who Loved Two Princes She's the one - pt 2
2019, March 1stAs soon as they slipped out, Aaron planted a soft, slow, sensual kiss on Zoey’s lips. Perhaps their problem was that they’d been talking too much lately. He didn’t know if he could undo the seeds of doubt he’d sown in her heart, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to try. She didn’t pull away. Maybe she was just caught up in the moment, but she responded to his kiss with a longing, a need, the likes of which Aaron had never experienced before. He didn’t care if it was just her being caught up in the moment or if she would, in her next breath, say that she didn’t want to marry him. Because she had opened herself up to him in a way, she’d never done before. It was like she was handing him her heart with her lips. And try as she might, there would be no getting rid of him now. “Give me the next two days,” he whispered on her lips. “Aaron-” She wanted to say she would give him forever. If he had asked her to marry him at that moment, she would have said yes without qu
Last Updated : 2023-02-09
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(Sartis Est: Some time ago)It was over, at least in real time. In her head, it was still ongoing. She was still imagining the agony, the fear her brother and parents and thousands of her people had experienced when they were blown to bits. Even as she watched her country still alight, still burning while what was left of her people worked tirelessly to put it out, she was kneeling in the dirt and the ashes to receive the crown, her father’s crown. A crown that was never supposed to touch her red-haired head. She remembered her father’s strict words to her brother every time he showed that he was hurt or wanted to cry. “Tears are not for monarchs,” he’d say and Ethan, her brother, would immediately stop crying, like it was a switch he’d just flipped.She kept saying the words to herself like a mantra, softly so that only she could hear them. When the other side’s surrender came, she gave the order to annihilate them. What good was their surrender now? Her entire family was dead and s
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Epilogue: the her before you pt 1
(8 Months Later)Their loved ones had, at last, convinced James that it was time to take Zoey on their honeymoon. King Henry had managed to detain the newlyweds for far too long, both he and James recognizing that he had a lot to learn about the ins and outs of what exactly being a prince entailed. Since James wanted to be with his wife and involve her as much as possible in his life, his world, even if that meant that they spent a lot of their time together working, Zoey was always with him, picking up the tricks of the trade along the way. They even managed to make it look romantic somehow, stealing little moments wherever they could, disappearing when they could. So their marriage wasn’t exactly on the rocks, but they had earned some time to just be with each other, like they’d always wanted. They had been gone for two weeks when the news that the palace would be having a new guest reached them. “Your worry lines are showing, Jamie,” said Zoey, wrapping her arms around his neck
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Anywhere, anything - pt 4
2019, March 31st & April 1stShe was like a woman on a mission, running her fingers all over his body, touching his face with her eyes closed, like she was mapping him out for future use. He just watched her, letting her words settle into his heart. Her touch comforted him, made him feel loved, like he had all her attention. Maybe he was just letting it all go to his head, but he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, they were forever now. They really were a bunch of besotted fools. She was absolutely out of her mind for him and he for her and nothing and no one was going to change that."I love you too, James Beaumont, Condor, whomever," she whispered, as she watched him fall asleep. She had seen the questions in his eyes, the concern. Maybe she had taken on more than she could handle. There was peace in his eyes too when he picked her up afterwards, though. That moment that he looked at her and seemed to believe, seemed to realize that she was never going anywhere again, she wou
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Anywhere, anything - pt 3
2019, March 31st & April 1st(Eleganter Ludo) When Zoey and James got to the penthouse around 3 AM, they were exhausted. But the goodbyes had been so emotional that they ended up just staring at the wall. “Having second thoughts?” he asked.“Nope. Are you?” she asked back.“Nope.”“Are you lying?”“Yes.”“Me too.” In a bid to make him and herself feel better, Zoey got up, put some music on, went into the bedroom and put the emerald dress he’d so lovingly saved on. “Dance with me?” she said, holding onto the skirt of the dress. He smiled at her. She had no idea what this gesture meant to him. “I never thought I’d see that dress again,” he said, pulling her into his arms, just holding on tight for a moment. “Do you know why I took it off of you that night?” he asked, as he began to gently sway to the music, moving with her. “You don't have to tell me,” she answered gently, looking down.There was hurt in his eyes, just like the moment he had taken it off of her that night. He
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Anywhere, anything - pt 2
2019, March 31st & April 1st(Caines - palace)By the time James and Zoey showed up in Caines, it was already midnight. Feeling like they were about to betray everyone, James and Zoey were squeezing each other’s hands tightly as they sat in front of King Henry and Cassandra. “So, you’ve decided then,” said King Henry. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning. I’m taking Zoey on our honeymoon,” James said, kissing her hand. “Where to?” Cassandra asked, her face a mixture of happiness and concern. “We don’t know yet. We’re just going to go,” Zoey answered. King Henry was furious, but he said nothing. Cassandra sighed. “Well, make sure to take lots of pictures and enjoy every moment and check in-”“Damn it, he’s only 19, James!” Henry exploded. “And your sister, she can’t take a crown, not after what happened with her mother. You know how she is; she’s absolutely set on that boy.” “Henry, they’ve made up their minds,” Cassandra said gently. Zoey and James exchanged looks. She did know,
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Anywhere, Anything - pt 1
2019, March 31st & April 1stJames had been driving Zoey around all day on his brand-new motorbike. He thought he would have to get her one too and then thought better of it. He liked the feel of her against his back as he drove it, her arms around his waist. They’d been all over Copia. He took her to markets and what he considered to be a better painting class than what she'd been taking. He took her to beautiful clearings and showed her breath-taking flower fields and secret coves he’d found while walking on the beach for hours. The bathing suit she had shown up in last time she wanted a beach day was of course forbidden, but then the wetsuit she had ended up in didn’t make men stop and stare any less. It drove him crazy. He showed her absolutely everything he could think of.Finally, as the sun was setting, he took her up to his favourite tower of Beaumont house and showed her his favourite spot in his city. The sunset, the view, the warmth and safety of his arms, all of it, made
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Our brothers' predicaments - pt 2
2019, March 30th & 31st"Leave my son be, Henry. He's happy. For the first time in his life, he looks unburdened," she said, her voice becoming unsteady as she showed him the pictures Bart and Aaron had collected of the newlyweds. There wasn't a single one in which they didn't look happy, truly, beyond a shadow of a doubt happy, even as they fled from place to place. They looked something like she and Henry had in the beginning. Always touching in some way or another, stealing secret glances and kisses and sharing not so secret ones. Forgetting the world and making their own. "He'll call, he always calls. We have a rule about going off of the grid. We always call within 24 hours. He's probably just-" Cassandra's phone rang. Sure enough, it was James. “Hi honey,” she answered, working hard to steady her voice. “Ma? What’s wrong?” “Nothing. I just had something cold to drink, that’s all.” “Sure you did,” he answered suspiciously. But as James was calling his mother while watchin
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes Our brothers' predicaments - pt 1
2019, March 30th & 31st Zoey woke up to the sound of the shower running. She picked up his shirt off of the floor and pulled it over her shoulders. Most of the wedding night was still a blank to her, but one tiny piece of memory stuck with her and she wanted to see if it was still there. She knew he had had something similar made for her for the Duchess’ Welcome, but that one seemed new somehow. That night, Zoey had woken up midway through James struggling to get her wedding dress off, felt the zipper go down and watched him as he hung it up. She wished she remembered the way he did, or at least remembered a better memory, like the actual wedding. This one memory hurt too much to have. She opened the closet door and there it was, not quite as beautiful as the new modified version, but still as radiant as the night she’d worn it. “I guess you do remember some things after all,” he said, watching her touch the dress nostalgically. She didn’t freak out that he was fresh out of th
The Girl Who Loved Two Princes What James wants - pt 2
2019, March 29thIt was barely a whisper, barely a whimper, but he heard her. He heard her give him her heart, truly and completely. James took a firm hold of her hips and slammed into her, entering her hard and fast. She cried out his name in pain. Sorry that he'd hurt her by being greedy and selfish and impatient, he rolled them back over and pulled out of her slowly, thrusting back in just as carefully, much gentler this time. He hadn't meant to be so rough; he just couldn't quite contain himself. She said the words, and he had to have her, had to make her his, be hers.Zoey's face relaxed into contentment. She was happy that he'd finally taken her, made her his in every way. It didn't matter that he'd hurt her a little, because the rest was pure pleasure, because her heart had never felt so full.They stared at each other as they went at it, painfully slowly at first. But he lost the battle, went back to being impatient and overly eager, didn't want to miss a single chance to make
