A Queen to Be (Liam x MC)

Tippy’s note: This was the first fanfic I wrote for Choices, period.  It was the first fic I have written in a long time. I was inspired to write this after seeing Coming to America.  Specifically, when Akeem first meets his arranged bride, Imani and Oha sings to herald her entrance.  I didn’t want to ask someone else to write this, so I decided to write it myself, and here we are.  I love how as soon as this went up, the next chapter totally had this break canon.  That was great.  I still keep this canon for Halle and Liam though.

 

Summary: With the Engagement Tour coming to a close, Halle and Liam sneak away to the kitchen for a drink.

At the dining table in Applewood Manor, former King Constantine and his wife Regina are sitting down for breakfast.  Liam is next to his father and Halle is across from Liam next to Regina. The tour has returned to Applewood to prepare for the Homecoming Ball. After the ball, everyone will return to the palace for The Wedding.

One of the numerous kitchen servants brought pastries while another refilled water glasses for the table. Both servants walked away humming the same tune to themselves. A third servant entered with a grapefruit for Regina and avocado toast for Halle.  Once Regina and Halle were served, he too walked away while humming the same tune as the servants before him.

“Is it just me or are the servants more ‘lively’ than usual?” Constantine said aloud asking no one in particular.

“They do seem to be humming a similar tune, Connie” Regina replied.

“I do not think they are behaving any differently from normal” Liam added giving Halle a knowing look.

Halle remained focused on her avocado toast while trying to hide a bashful grin. Liam stifled a laugh as he thought back to the previous evening.

He and Halle were in the kitchens trying to find a suitable drink.  The occasion was that the scandal that has kept he and Halle apart for so long was so tantalizingly close to finally being over.  To him, this wouldn’t be over until he could publicly proclaim Halle as his. He was starting to lose hope that he could be with the woman he loved as his wife and his queen as opposed to in secret. He would be fated to live a life waiting for one stolen moment to the next.  He knew the secrecy they had to maintain ate away at Halle at times, though at this moment you couldn’t tell.  Her whole face glowing with joy and mischief.

“We have a wonderfully aged wine back in your room.  Why do we have to venture here?” He asked.

“I know that we have wine, but this is an occasion that calls for hard liquor. We have been sipping wines and champagne for the duration of this tour, and I just miss liquor.”

Halle pressed open one of the cabinets.  “This will more than do.“ She pulled the bottle and handed it to him.

“Hennessey Pure White?”

“Yep. It’s a start.” Halle said while juggling bottles of Grand Marnier, grenadine, gin and orange bitters. She placed them on the counter. Without much difficulty, she managed to get some lemons, a grapefruit, limes and an orange.

“Just what are you planning to concoct?” he asked, a puzzled look on his face.

“An Island Punch.  I am feeling vibrant and festive.”

She sliced and juiced the fruits and placed them at the bottom of a pitcher. She then added the bitters and poured the entire bottle of Hennessy into the pitcher. This was followed by generous portions of Grand Marnier and gin.  She added some soda water and grenadine until she was satisfied with the color. She grabbed two glasses and some ice and served the punch.

“What shall we toast to?” asked Liam, looking deeply into Halle’s eyes.

“Vanquishing our enemies and sending the demons back to hell.”

Demon was a nickname that Halle gave to Madeleine.  It started to creep up just after the bachelorette party, becoming more frequent since then.  She never calls Madeleine by her name unless the situation absolutely requires it.  This is mostly in public.  Madeleine pretends like the moniker is childish and does not affect her, but every now and then she lets it slip how it makes her really feel.

“To vanquishing our enemies.”

They clinked glasses.  Liam took a small sip, and his eyes widened.  The intensity of the amount of alcohol in the punch could not be ignored. Halle downed her first glass as if this was water from an oasis. She looked up at Liam. “Deciding to go slow.  That is good.  More for me.”  Halle poured herself another round.  It was then that Liam knew that this was not a celebration. “I cannot wait until I see the look on IT’s face when IT gets arrested for high treason.”

Earlier that evening, Liam caught Madeleine and Halle in the tail end of a very heated discussion.

He was walking down the hall to where he said he would meet Halle for another rendezvous.  As he got closer to the meeting place, he could hear tense, muffled voices.  As he got closer, the clearer they became.

“You had one job, Halle!  Do. Not. Embarrass. Me. What about that directive was so difficult for you?” Madeleine shouted.

“You do not need my help in embarrassing you.  You have done a terrific job of that one yourself with your half-assed acting.” Hallie said. Madeleine scoffed.

“See love is not something you can fake forever. It’s hard to fake, especially when you don’t know it, Demon.”

Liam quickened his pace.

“Love, Halle? Cute. Adorable, really. The thing that you just can’t wrap your head around is that it doesn’t matter.  Liam can love you as the day is long. At the end of the day, I am still going to be queen.  Liam will always come home to me.  My name will be in the history books as the woman by his side.  I will have his real children. You have no real power here. Power is all that matters. All you would ever be, if anything, Lady Halle, is a concubine.”

Madeleine’s face grew a wicked smile as Liam opened the door. He quickly looked over to where Halle was standing, wounded. Her eyes were wide, almost tearing. She remained silent.

Looking at Halle’s face now smiling over her drink, Liam could see that her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.  This was the second time Liam has ever seen Halle’s smile not light up her whole face, especially her eyes.  The first time this happened was when she met him on the balcony the night she returned to court. Seeing her work to hide the pain she felt then guts him, the way he feels now.

Halle looked up from her empty glass. “Are you sure what we have will be enough?”

“Halle. I love–”

“I don’t mean that.  I meant in terms of evidence.  Do we have enough to force her to step down?”

“I hope so.”

Halle looked down at her glass again.

Liam was just as uncertain as Halle. The evidence against Madeleine is quite damning.  The only issue is whether or not Madeleine would force this issue to become public.  If this issue were to become public, the fallout would not squarely fall on Madeleine’s shoulders.  Madeleine would be disgraced, but it would be at the expense of the people’s trust in their monarchs. Unlike his father, Liam did not want to risk losing the public’s trust. The situation is very delicate indeed.

While Liam was lost in thought, Halle had finished his drink. Liam looked up at her before he could even ask about his drink Halle put a finger to his mouth.

“You snnnoooze you la-oooze. Don’t worry, your drink was good too.”

This was followed by a hiccup.  Liam embraced Halle, and a kissed her on the forehead.

“I think we should head back to your room.”

“But what about the pitcher?” Halle asked, weakly pointing to the remnants of the punch.

“I will have the staff tend to that. We should get to bed.  We meet with my father, Regina, and Bastien in the morning.”

“Right we have a meeting in the morning. We better get to work.” Halle finishes with a salute.

It took about 10 minutes to get Halle from the kitchens to the foyer.  Halle wasn’t drunk, but she was very tipsy, euphoric and strong-willed. She wanted to walk along the wall of the narrower hallways as opposed to down the middle. She just couldn’t decide which side of the wall to stick with, so she traveled in a zig-zag pattern.

Whenever Liam tried to offer guidance Halle would lightly smack him away.

“I’m a grown woman.  I can walk.” she sing-songed.

As they got closer to Halle’s room, Liam felt more confident in Halle’s walking. They were walking side by side in silence punctuated with Halle’s hiccups.  Liam took it upon himself to speak first.

“Halle, you know what she said isn’t true. You are not a–” He could not bring himself to say it. “There’s still hope.  We can have a future together. I–” Liam looked at Halle, but she was gone.

“Halle? Halle?!?” he whispered through gritted teeth.

“I’m your QUEEEEEEEN TO BEEEEEE!”

Liam nearly snapped his neck following the sound to where Halle was making an entrance.

“A queen to be forever,” Halle continued to sing walking towards Liam.

Liam’s eyes grew wide in the dark hall as she approached.

“A queen who’ll do whatever…” Halle whispers in Liam’s ear, “his highness desires.” She guides his hands along the sides of her body.

“That’s great Halle. I desire to go to bed. Come.”

“Now? This hallway wasn’t part of the list.”

Liam pulled Halle towards her room. Halle reflexively leaned her body away making it harder for Liam to pull her forward.

“I’m your queen to be, a–whoop!” Liam gave up on pulling and simply picked Halle up and started carrying her.

“A vision of perfection–Hi Bastien!”

Bastien was making his last rounds before he turned everything to the overnight patrol.

He quickly walked over.  “Your Highness, is Lady Halle alright? Do we need a medic?“

“That would not be necessary. We–”

“An object of affection.” Halle continued to sing. She was interrupted by a particularly loud hiccup.

“Is Lady Halle–”

“Tired? Yes, Bastien. She is very tired. And it would be nice for us to make it to her room before my arms cramp.”

Bastien raised his eyebrow. Before he could say anything, Halle picked up where she left off.

“To quench your royal fire!” She planted kisses on Liam’s jaw feeling his slight stubble on her lips and tongue.

“That’s nice, please keep it down.” Liam turned and continued on to Halle’s room.

“Completely free from INFECTION!” Luckily they were already at her door, and Liam quickly ushered Halle inside and placed her on her bed. Liam thanking some higher power he did not know that Madeleine made Halle sleep far away from the rest of court save from Maxwell, Drake, and Bertrand. Halle was sleeping closer to where the servants slept than the nobles. One of the few ways that Madeleine’s desire to inflict power has worked in his favor.

Liam rubbed his sore arms. He was certain he was going to feel that in the morning.

Halle stood on her bed as she started to undress.  Well at least she is not going to fight me for that, he thought to himself.

“To be used at your discretion, Waiting only for your DIRECTION!”

Liam took off his shirt and pants. Halle was swinging her shirt above her head like a helicopter.

“YOOOUR. QUUUEEEEEEEEN. TOOOOO. BEEEEEEEEEEEEE” Halle threw her shirt in Liam’s direction and flopped down on the bed.

The shirt hit Liam in the face and fell to the floor.  Liam walked over and helped Halle get into her covers. He finished and was about to walk away when Halle reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I am spending the night here. With you.”

Liam entered the bed alongside Halle and spooned her. Halle pulled his arms closer to her and fell asleep.