Smoke and Mirrors
8- The Mirror Doesn't Lie
Book: The Royal Romance Finale+, Alternate Universe
Series Premise: Hidden in the shadows, poised to challenge the status quo are enemies of the state. The loyalties and honesty of family and friends will be tested. ‘Keep your friends close, your enemies closer’.
Smoke and Mirrors Masterlist
Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks-Rys, OTP ‘LiRi’
2nd Pairings: Leo Rys x Amalas, Drake Walker x F!OC Delaney Leigh, Olivia Nevrakis x M!OC Alex Cossoy
*Most characters belong to Pixelberry
*Not Beta’d, please excuse all errors.
Rating: M🔞*Series Warnings: NSFW material, sexual innuendo, adult language/swearing/drinking/gun violence. Not recommended for anyone under 18 years of age.
Category: Alternate Universe/on-going series/angst/fluff
Words: 1990
8- The Mirror Doesn’t Lie
Chapter Summary: Preparations for the Celebration Ball continue for the upcoming Saturday at the palace to officially inform the court of the princes and their expected arrival date in August. Drake’s revelations about his future are revealed with memories of the past for Liam. Lena, under custody with Interpol is transferred to Lyon, France.
Music and Title Inspiration:
Simply the Best, Sara Beth Mirrors, Justin Timberlake
A/N1: My submission for @choicesflashfics Week #38, Prompt #1 - “I love your curves. I think it’s one of the best things about you.”, Prompt #2 - “Pretending to be happy is pretty damn exhausting.”
A/N2: My submission for Choices June Challenge, Prompt – Nature – Run (jogging), beach, sunshine, summer. @liaromancewriter
A/N3: My submission for Character Summer Challenge, Prompt – beach @choicesficwriterscreations
Bright, early mornings in the summer always brought a calming solace for Liam. As he jogged along the coastline of the private, secluded beach near the Capital, the sunshine and cool sea breeze invigorated him and allowed for clarity of thought; a guilty pleasure that he took for himself. Listening to calming music through his ear buds, and with the steady pace of his jog, his thoughts eventually turned to the conversation that he had had with his brother the previous evening. Liam shook his head, remembering with regret how the phone conversation quickly got heated...
‘Leo, are you trying to tell me that I need to give this woman, this stranger, the benefit of the doubt?”
All I am saying Liam, is that our father turned his back on his own daughter, on your sister, my half sister.
Oh, in that case you are trying to tell me that I am just like our father?!
This woman threatened my daughter, stalked my wife, told you that she wanted my throne because she felt that I was not worthy of it.
And what, I should just let her have access to me and to my family without consequence?
Are you insane?! '
Liam stopped abruptly, not realizing his calming jog had turned into a fast-paced run. He bent over, slowing down his breathing as he swept the sweat from his brow.
The sunshine glinted off the bows of the yachts docked at the marina just up ahead as he looked up. Chuckling to himself, he realized how far and fast he ran.
This argument had swiftly spiraled into a shouting match and ended with Liam curtly ending that conversation.
Shaking his head, he chastised himself, thinking that when he returned to the palace, he needed to call Leo to further explain his reasoning and to apologize for the conversation getting out of hand.
Of course, he was curious, and wanted answers from this woman, his ‘sister’. What he really needed was answers from his father.
Why did he not embrace his own flesh and blood? Why?
Why would he knowingly abandon his child?
Why keep this child away from him?
Was his father’s paranoia the reason?
These are missing pieces to this puzzle that confounded him. Should he give her the benefit of a doubt? Yes, he can. However, there are qualified Interpol Inspectors that are trained to vet situations like this.
His responsibility, no... his duty was to protect his queen and family at all costs. Which makes it a critical priority to keep this woman physically away from Cordonia’s borders.
Liam made a mental note to call back Olivia and Inspector Cossoy back to the capital, once Lena was secured in Lyon, France.
Picking up his jog again, he continued at a steady pace, changing his thoughts to the upcoming celebration ball being held at the palace on Saturday. Deciding to formally invite Amalas, he was sure that his brother would follow her back to Cordonia. That would be the perfect opportunity to extend an olive branch.
“Li, hold up.” Drake appeared walking on the dock, interrupting his thoughts.
“Hey, Drake, good morning.” Liam slowed to a stop, turning to greet his friend.
“Welcome back, how was your trip?” This being the first conversation that the friends had since their talk; Liam was curious about how his trip to the U.S. played out.
“Pretty good, all things considered.” Drake acknowledged.
“Delaney’s parents were very welcoming. Her older brother, not so much.”
“Oh, oh! That must have been uncomfortable, what did you do?” Liam joked, clapping Drake on the back.
“He was asking me more questions about my intentions than her father did.” Drake rolled his eyes, shaking his head.
“It made me wonder what Laney told him about me.”
“Why would she disparage you?”
Drake ran his hand down his face, sighing, “we had an argument just before we left the hotel to meet her family at the restaurant. She seems to think that I am afraid of commitment.”
Liam looked at his friend, “well, she may have a point there.”
“Not you too,” Drake complained. “I just like my space.”
“Yes, well, it sounds like she wants a future with you, Drake, and that means compromise.”
Groaning, “I get that, Li, it's just that.... Drake paused and exhaled loudly, closing his eyes.
Liam noticed the tells of Drake’s nervousness and stopped to look directly at his friend.
For whatever reason, Drake was having a rough time returning eye contact.
Without looking up, Drake reached into his backpack that was slung over his shoulder.
“I have something for you. It is an invitation for you and Riley.”
Surprised, Liam reached for the sealed envelope. “This? An invitation for what?
Drake, speaking very quietly, “well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise... But it is something incredibly special from Delaney and I.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, reading the look on Drake’s face as apprehensive.
“Delaney and I have come to an agreement.” Drake looked everywhere but did not return Liam’s questioning gaze.
“We have decided to set up roots, here, in Cordonia, as a couple.”
“Really? What happened to change her mind about moving back to Austin?”
“We came to a compromise.”
This piqued Liam’s curiosity. “What exactly did you agree to?”
“In your hand, Li, is a wedding invitation.” Drake revealed, his eyes not looking up from the ground.
“Well, well, well...this is, a surprise. Congratulations, my friend! Riley will be delighted to hear this.”
Still looking at the ground, Drake nodded, “thank you, Liam.”
Furrowing his brows, Liam looked at his friend in confusion, not saying a word.
“Watching you with Brooks, all these years.... I want that too.” Drake spoke hesitantly.
It wasn’t lost on Liam; the meaning behind those words. Knowing that Drake had feelings for Riley, once upon a time, that had sparked during his social season. Confessed feelings that still lingered for Drake, but feelings that were never returned by Riley.
“Pretending to be happy is pretty damn exhausting,” Drake confessed.
♤♡◇♧
Royal Boutique, Cordonian Palace
Eleanor squealed, “mommy, look at all the pretty dresses! I want that one! Oh, oh, look at this one! Mommy, pleeease, may I have both?”
It was the Friday before the Celebration Ball at the Palace. Promising her daughter, the particularly important grown-up task of choosing her formal wear, Riley watched her little girl excitedly choose two dresses to try.
“Well, Ellie, since you can only wear one dress to the ball tomorrow, the other dress you can wear to the next event. Choose the one that you think fits the purpose of having this ball.”
Eleanor tapped her finger to her chin, debating her choice.
“You handled that situation perfectly, your majesty.” Riley’s personal assistant, Claire, whispered.
“Mommy, I have decided.”
Riley looked expectantly at her daughter.
“These dresses are wrong,” Eleanor answered. “These dresses aren’t blue.”
Claire grinned watching Riley’s reaction, as Ellie plucked the blue dress from the rack to try on, leaving the other selections behind.
Shaking her head with a smile, Riley resumed looking through the ball gowns in the boutique. It was time to find a gown that would fit her now rapidly changing body and her personal assistant suggested an A-line pastel yellow tulle ball gown with an embellished plunging neckline.
Gazing at her reflection in the full-length mirror she smiled as she felt flutters in her tummy. The twins were very active in their daily movements tucked securely inside her body.
“Claire, this is the one.” Riley called out to her assistant from the dressing room.
Hearing the dressing room door click behind her, Riley was delighted when she felt Liam’s strong arms wrap around her; clearly not Claire.
Riley closed her eyes, when she felt his lips kiss her ear.
“Mm mm... what did you do with my assistant?” Riley tittered.
“I sent her away. You have me to attend to your needs.” Liam responded, kissing down her neck.
“In that case, what do you think of this gown? Do you think the bodice is too revealing?”
“I love your curves. I think it’s one of the best things about you.”
Giggling, Riley playfully swatted his arm. “Liam, I am serious!”
“I am too, love.... You are ravishing.”
♤♡◇♧
Monterrisian Royal Palace
The unmarked black SUV passed through the palace side gate as Alex and Olivia watched. Lena was being transported out of the country by Interpol today.
Once Lena arrives at the Interpol headquarters in France, she will be given a psychological evaluation and be officially charged for her crimes.
Alex overheard Leo's question for Olivia...
“She did not look happy, but at least she wasn’t resisting or trying to escape.” Olivia answered Leo on her cell speakerphone.
"Good to hear. Amalas notified Liam this morning about the transfer."
"Are the two of you planning to attend the celebration ball tomorrow?"
Olivia was well aware of the 'conversation' between the brothers.
Agreeing with Liam, Olivia was very vocal about her position to Leo after their conversation ended.
"Yes, Liv, I will go but I am going solo."
Olivia looked at Alex, raising her brow, and answering Leo.
"This will be an interesting evening,"
Thank you for reading🤎🤎🤎
Please let me know if you would like to be added@ or removed from tags⚘️
@ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @jared2612 @thesvnsins @irisk12 @walkerdrakewalker @charlotteg234
@choicesficwriterscreations
47 notes
·
View notes