Riley grabbed a flute of champagne as soon as her and Drake sat down in the limo. Drake stared at her as she downed it in one gulp.
“You okay, Walker?”
“Just a stressful day,” she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“You ready to do it all over again in a few weeks?”
“I am,” she said with a sigh, “but Gladys has pretty much set everything up already. I just have to approve plans.”
“Anything I can help with?”
“I don’t think so,” her eyes settled on his face and studied the genuine smile his lips carried. She absent-mindedly did the same. His smiles were few and far between lately so on the rare occasion she saw one, she couldn’t help but have one of her own.
“You know, I’m not one for big parties but I’m pretty excited about our wedding.”
“Look at you, Drake Walker. You might be able to be rehabilitated after all,” Riley laughed.
“Don’t get any ideas. I’m just saying after all we’ve been through, we’ve earned a night to celebrate,” he held her hand tightly in his and leaned back into his seat.
“We sure have.”
“So where are we going to sneak off to tonight?”
“Already planning your great escape?”
“Our great escape.”
“Wouldn’t be a true Cordonian party without it, huh?”
“There’s a courtyard off the grand ballroom meant just for such occasions.”
“Really?” Riley tried to recall ever seeing a door she wasn’t familiar with. Her mind came up blank.
“Behind the third curtain to the left. We generally don’t make its whereabouts known. It’s used mostly as an emergency exit. But yeah, it’s there.”
“Well I’ll keep that in mind for when I get caught up in tax talk.”
“Great.” Drake leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.
They quickly arrived at the palace to much less fanfare than the cathedral. She was relieved to be able to enjoy the rest of the night without an audience. All eyes would be fixated on the king and queen. She was ready to let loose and make the best of the evening.
After the wedding party was announced they all took their seats at the head table. It wasn’t long after dinner that Liam and Olivia began their rounds and Drake and Riley began to as well. After brief conversations with a few delegates, they found themselves at the Beaumont’s table. Bertrand and Savannah were mid conversation while a sullen Maxwell pushed around dessert on his plate.
“What, no dancing or outrageous party tricks, Max?” Riley sat down next to him and patted him gently on the back. Drake took a seat next her.
“I don’t really feel like dancing,” Maxwell set his fork down, “and I don’t really feel like being at this party if I’m being honest.”
“Wow,” Drake stared at him bewildered, “I wish I had a camera so I could prove you ever said those words.” Riley elbowed Drake and he took in a small gasp.
“What Drake meant to say is what’s wrong?”
“I just feel bad that Hana is laying in a hospital bed and I’m here trying to ‘enjoy myself’.”
“So, go,” Drake shrugged, “you’ve been seen. Bertrand is here to represent house Beaumont. There’s nothing stopping you.”
Maxwell looked to Bertrand, who nodded at his brother.
“Really?” Maxwell’s eyes lit up.
“Of course. I know if it were Savannah and I in your shoes I’d be feeling much the same and I know you’d do the same for me.”
“Okay,” Maxwell quickly stood, not wanting to question it any further, “I’m going to get going then. Thanks brother!” He called out as he slipped through the grand hall’s doors.
“I have never in my life seen Maxwell Percival Beaumont turn down a party. That Hana must really got a hold on him.” Savannah raised her eye brows.
“You know, they’ve only been together, what? A few months? But I think Hana might be the one.” Riley took two glasses of whiskey off a passing tray and handed one to Drake before turning back to her sister-in-law.
“Maxwell? Getting married? Wouldn’t that be the party of the century.” Savannah bumped shoulders with Bertrand.
“Don’t anyone go and get too excited. We all have to survive tonight and get through the next three weeks and then make it through our wedding.” Drake swirled his whiskey and glanced over at Liam, who was waltzing with Olivia on the ballroom floor.
“Drake, I hope I’m not being presumptuous but you seem quite nervous about the wedding. Are you worried about an attack? I couldn’t help but notice you scanning everyone in this room like they have a bomb attached to them when you walked in.” Bertrand studied Drake, watching his brow furrow.
“That’s one of the things that’s been on my mind today, yeah. Am I that obvious?”
“No, not to anyone who didn’t know better, but I know better.”
“Well I’ll work on my delivery then I guess,” Drake downed his drink and stood, “looks like the floors about to open up, Walk-, I mean Duchess Riley. May I have this dance?”
“Of course.”
Riley placed her hand in his and he guided her to the floor. They naturally fell in step with the music and he spun her without effort. The crowd around them seemed muffled and she giggled, the whiskey lightly dulling her senses. She tripped over her dress and Drake caught her before she landed.
“You’re a light weight sometimes, Walker,” he whispered in her ear, “and now might be a good time to take that tour of the courtyard.”
“Some fresh air sounds great. It’s so hot in here.” Riley delicately waved a hand at her face.
He lead them to the far wall of the building and slipped them out the door unnoticed. He sat her down on the edge of the large fountain in the middle of the yard and sat next to her.
“Is it terrible that I’m ready to go home already?” Drake loosened his tie and ran his hands through his hair.
“No. It’s been a long, stressful, high anxiety day.” Riley let her head fall back as she listened to the soothing sound of water from the fountain trickling. “Plus we’ve been awake and moving for, what, 16? 18 hours now? I don’t know how Liam is going to survive Olivia. She’s got the most energy of anyone I’ve ever met. It’s like she feeds off being busy.”
“Well luckily for her she’ll have a lot to do at the palace. Press conferences and kissing babies. She’ll never be bored, that’s for sure.”
Riley slipped off her shoes and turned to put her feet in the fountain. Drake watched her, his face amused as his wife used a million-dollar fountain as a makeshift footbath.
“What? They hurt! You try wearing four-inch heels for eight hours!”
“No thanks. I’ll leave that to the professionals.”
“It does seem like all I do is wear heels and get paraded around.”
“Well once we get all these frivolities out of the way you’ll be up to your elbows in courtly work.”
“I know,” she sighed, “and I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. You’d think that this would be the part I enjoyed. The ‘fun part’. The ball gowns and luxurious parties and the free drinks. But since the end of the social season and all the chaos that came with it, I just want the dust to settle, you know?”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Drake took her hand in his and brought the back of it to his lips, “and we’re almost there. Just a few more weeks and we’re home free.”
Riley scooted closer to Drake and laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and let out a heavy sigh.
“We should probably get back to it. Someone needs to make sure Olivia doesn’t declare the dessert table as Nevrakis territory.” Riley chuckled.
“Ah man, Liam has his hands full with that one.”
“And I can’t wait to have my hands full later.” Riley tilted her chin and met Drake’s lip with a kiss filled with heat. His muscles involuntarily tightened under his new gray suit as he resisted the urge to pick her up and strip her down in a secluded corner alcove.
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“You’d better.”
By the time they went back inside the court had broken off into smaller groups, sipping after dinner drinks and engaging in conversation. Riley gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and went to find some water and Drake scoped out the room for Liam. He found him near the entrance of the ballroom talking to a man with multiple military ribbons on his jacket. He and Liam locked eyes and Liam nodded. Drake and Liam had an agreement since Liam was just a teenager: anytime Liam needed saving from a conversation, he’d simply nod at Drake and he’d come to his rescue. Drake smiled and shook his head before quickly putting on his stoic façade and walking up to the men.
“Pardon me, but if I may borrow King Liam there’s an issue that needs resolving. Queen Olivia insists on it.”
“Wouldn’t want to get you in trouble with the wife now would we?” The older gentleman laughed and joyously clapped Liam on the shoulder.
“No, sir. Not this soon anyways,” Liam flashed a bright smile, “thank you so much for coming. It was wonderful to hear stories about my mother and father. I’m sure he would have been thrilled you could make it.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Liam. You enjoy the rest of your evening.”
The man walked away and Liam, pinching the bridge of his nose, turned to Drake.
“Should I even ask?” Drake cocked an eyebrow.
“A retired delegate my parents were friends with for many years. He was just sharing some fond memories.”
“How’re you holding up? I know it’s been a long night but you got married today! That’s exciting.”
“Yes, I suppose.” Liam’s words rolled flat off his tongue.
“Are you not enjoying this lavish party in your honor, Your Majesty?”
“Enough.”
“That’s it? Enough? It should be the happiest day of your life, man.” Drake clapped Liam loudly on the back. Liam’s jaw tensed as his body shifted slightly from the force of Drake’s hand.
“Not all of us are fortunate enough to marry for love, are we Duke Drake?”
Liam’s words came out low and harsh. Drake’s mouth fell open and he struggled to find words.
“I-I-“ Drake stuttered. Liam shook his head and relaxed his body to a more polite stance.
“Save it.”
Liam walked over to Olivia, who was standing with Riley by the bar. Drake watched as Liam took Olivia by the elbow and whispered in her ear. She quickly nodded and briefly touched Riley’s arm and they exchanged words before the king and queen went to the head table. Liam grabbed a glass and gently tapped on it, putting on his best smile for his guests.
“If I may have everyone’s attention please. Queen Olivia and I are humbled and honored so many of you could be here to celebrate this lovely day with us. As always, the Royal Family appreciates the time you all took out of your busy schedules to be here with us and look forward to seeing you all at our next gathering. We will be retiring for the night, but we encourage you to stay and enjoy the refreshments provided. We will see you all again very soon. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
A round of applause broke out around them and Liam and Olivia waved as they left the hall with Bastien and three other guards in tow.
“Is it me or did Liam look a little stiff up there for a man who just got married?”
Drake jumped at the sound of Riley’s voice as she slid up next to him. He shook his head and looked down at her. She handed him a glass of whiskey and furrowed her brow.
“Everything alright?”
He shrugged and shook his head again before downing the drink. The way the liquor burned his throat was a welcomed distraction.
“Are we staying here tonight or did you want to go back to Valtoria?” He asked, ignoring her question.
“I figured we were staying here. Valtoria is an almost two-hour drive and it’s already coming up on midnight.”
“Liam told me earlier my room is how I left it if we wanted to stay. I need to get the hell out of this suit and away from these nobles.”
“You are a noble, Drake.”
“I’m not to them. Not yet, anyways. I’ve had enough of this for one night.”
Drake took Riley’s hand and lead her out of the ballroom and up the grand staircase. When they got to Drake’s room he quietly closed the door behind her, not meeting her eyes. He sat down on his bed and looked around his old quarters, which now felt foreign to him. Riley stood by the door and leaned against the bookcase as she watched his eyes glide around the room but still they didn’t land on her.
“You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Sure,” Drake let out a heavy sigh as he took off his shoes and tossed them across the room. “I asked Liam if he was enjoying his wedding and he said ‘enough’.”
“’Enough’?” Riley raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? Just… ‘enough’?”
Drake took off his jacket and undid his tie, pulling it from his collar with a snap.
“Yep.”
“Okay…,” she drew out the word, “and then what?”
“And then I said ‘it should be the happiest day of your life’ and he said ‘not all of us are fortunate enough to marry for love, Duke Drake.’” Drake’s mimicking tone caused Riley to wince at his words. “Exactly.” Drake pursed his lips together and undid his belt, not taking his eyes off the floor as he hung his head. His pants fell to the floor and Drake kicked them over to join his shoes. He flopped back onto his bed and let out another long sigh, his forearm resting across his face. Riley sat beside him and placed a comforting hand on his leg.
“I don’t know what else to say to fix that, Drake. I-“ she shook her head.
“It’s not your job to fix it. Or mine, for that matter. I just wish I could enjoy being married without having this cloud of guilt hanging over me anytime Liam is around,” Drake sat up on the bed, “do you know how much shit I’ve done for him? People I’ve threatened? How many times I’ve put my ass on the line for him? How many women I’ve backed down from because he was interested in them?”
“Really?” Riley’s head snapped back.
“Contrary to popular belief around the court, I’ve not been single by choice. Half the women I pursued Liam would take a liking to and he’d always start talking to them and before you know it he’d get bored with them and they’d never come back around. Even commoner girls. It didn’t matter. You know, Liam and I have been best friends for a really long time, but sometimes he’d get that holier-than-thou attitude like so many of the royals do. I don’t think he ever did it consciously. But still, it fucking sucked. That’s why even now I still don’t feel like I fit in. Even with being a duke and Liam being the king, it still doesn’t feel right. I’ve had any ounce of self-confidence I’ve had pretty much talked out of me. Once my dad died it was like a free for all on the poor fatherless commoner.”
“Drake…” Riley took his face in her hands, “I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t want pity, Walker,” he pulled his face from her hands, “I’m just sick of feeling like a second-tier human being in this place, and I’m pissed that I still have this criminal feeling for marrying you, and I hate that to even be treated with an iota of respect I need to have some honorific attached to my name. I feel like I’m drowning every time I set foot in the palace. It didn’t really bother me, not until you came along. But it seems like they welcomed you with open arms. It just makes me wonder what’s wrong with me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s them. It’s never been you. I had my fair share too if you remember correctly. What Liam said to you tonight, don’t take it to heart. Aside from your fights when you and I first got together he’s always seemed happy for us. He’s been drinking. It’s been a long day. Maybe try talking to him about it tomorrow?”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Drake moved silently around the room, depositing his clothes into a pile on the floor. He threw on a white t-shirt and a pair of jogging shorts. He sat down to tie his tennis shoes.
“Where are you going?”
“For a run.”
“I don’t think you’ve ever ran in the time I’ve known you.”
“I used to run all the time. I ran when we travelled. I really only stopped once we got together. Even then I just did it in the gym. But right now I need to clear my head, alone.”
“Sure.” She swallowed hard.
She watched silently as he walked around, grabbed his things and put them in his pockets. She’d never seen a side of him she couldn’t sooth, a bridge she couldn’t mend. So often she had been able to tame his abrasive side that she forgot there was still so much history to unpack; so many things she hadn’t touched yet. When they first met, he had always been closed off and distant. Whether it was from duty or if that’s just who he was, it didn’t matter. She found her ways to work around it; to make him more malleable when it was just the two of them. Her stomach turned at the thought of times where he was just out of reach and she couldn’t fix whatever it was that was broken inside of him. Her thoughts distracted her, and she only realized he had left without saying anything when she heard his door slam shut across the room.