I don’t own any of these images, their rights belong to their owners
Important – My MC is Viktoria Petit and my King Liam is called Istvan.
Rating – this chapter’s not NSFW, relationship talk, but nothing explicit
Disclaimer – Characters are Pixelberry’s, sadly not mine (with the exception of Cassie and Giselle) – I don’t make any money from my fics, it’s just for fun.
@tmarie82 this whole fic started out as a ½ parter for you because you said you missed Drake and Cassie, and look what’s happened, a ten-parter lol!! 😉
Thank you for reading, please feel free to comment and I’d love to hear what you guys think 💖💖💖
—
Istvan and Olivia glided together across the frozen lake effortlessly, beautifully in sync with one another. Viktoria rubbed her gloved hands together, blowing into them for heat as she watched them spin and laugh together. Viktoria was amateur at best on the ice. It wasn’t the first time she’d taken her partner down spectacularly: she loved the idea of whizzing around full of grace like Olivia, wrapped tightly against Istvan, but it was probably safest for all involved if she stuck close to the edge… She smiled as she watched on from the side, her thoughts interrupted by a skid of ice spraying her as Maxwell came to a halt directly beside her. He handed her a polystyrene cup as he planted a kiss on her cheek,
“Hey Blossom. Oh you smell amazing!! What is that??”
Viktoria beamed at him as she sipped at the warming drink,
“It’s the oils from my massage this afternoon, it was orange and, maybe rosemary or something? It was to die for.”
Maxwell grinned,
“I’m glad you enjoyed it! We’ve been here for a while now.”
He jerked his chin in the direction of Istvan and Olivia,
“I see they’ve found the girls. Why are you way back here?”
Viktoria snorted,
“This is probably safest for all involved! I’m just going to watch Liv and Ist have fun skating, it’s their special thing I guess. I don’t mind.”
Maxwell wrapped an arm around Viktoria’s waist, shifting her close to him as her skates wobbled and he felt her body go rigid, the hand without the cup flying to clutch at his forearm,
“What the… Maxwell?!”
A mischievously bright smile crossed his face as he slowly shifted his feet, pushing off from the edge, guiding his best friend along with him despite her protests. Maxwell spoke in an unusually low, calm tone as he held onto Viktoria’s waist,
“That’s it, keep your weight on the fronts of your feet, loosen up a little, your back and legs are too straight, good girl, you’re getting it…”
Viktoria let out a shaky laugh, never releasing her death-grip on Maxwell’s hand,
“You’ll regret this when we wipe out…”
Max chuckled,
“I’ll turn you into an ice-dancing queen in no time… Now, let’s get you over to your King…”
After a few tentative circuits of the lake, Maxwell and Vik slid to a hault beside the others. Istvan’s smile could have lit a whole room as he watched them approach,
“Vik that was great!”
His wife shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly as Maxwell edged her towards Istvan who pulled her into a tight embrace as he spun her around on the ice, squeals of laughter ringing out in the air around them. As Istvan pushed off to the centre of the lake taking Viktoria with him, Maxwell gestured a hand out towards Olivia, a warm expression on his face. Rolling her eyes at Maxwell, Olivia retorted,
“I’m perfectly capable of skating around this lake without any assistance, Maxwell…”
Maxwell flinched visibly at the harshness of Olivia’s tone: it was like a different woman to the one he’d been thinking of ever since last night, ever since their easy conversation, the vulnerable look in her eyes as he tucked a loose wave of hair behind her ear, her soft curves held tight against him during their embrace… Maxwell had felt something special between them last night, something that he couldn’t quite describe, but something that he knew was real. It wasn’t a connection he’d imagined, she’d felt something too. That’s why she was pushing him away, building walls around herself to prevent him from getting close to her… Maxwell fixed his cornflower blue eyes on hers as he reached out once again, this time catching her small hand in his,
“I know you’re more than capable Olivia, but I guarantee it’ll be more fun if you skate with me…”
Olivia stared down at her hand, with Maxwell’s clasped around it. Her line of sight travelled up his arm to his big chunky scarf to his dazzling wide grin. She felt her lips curl up as she watched his frozen breath, making him look like a happy dragon standing on the frigid lake. What was wrong with her? He was like a pet with his affable demeanor, that floppy hair and those big eyes… A Nevrakis could eat him for breakfast… Olivia gripped his hand, pulling him close, she felt Maxwell inhale sharply as she tilted her chin up at him,
“I will race you ten circuits, then to the drinks stall at the other side, that’ll make things more fun. Especially when I beat you…”
And with that, she took off at speed, Maxwell stuttering to a start seconds behind her.
—
Drake and Cassie had headed straight to the hot tub when they arrived back at their lodge; they’d had a beautiful day out in the woodland, but despite being wrapped up in layers upon layers, they were both freezing cold. Drake let Cassie slip into the piping bubbles and heard her sighing in delight as he slipped back to the bedroom, taking out the little box that had felt like an albatross in his jeans pocket all day. He took out the delicate ring and stared at it hard… It was beautiful, like Cassie. He felt angry at himself for losing his nerve earlier – they had been in the perfect setting… But there was one thought that kept running around and around in his mind that paralysed him from acting: ‘What if she says no? Where do we go from there?’
Drake handed Cassie a glass of pink fizz as he stripped and slipped into the hot tub beside her. The heat was stark in contrast to the frosty Lythikos air and instantly relaxed Drake’s tense muscles, as he sunk deeper into the water, he caught Cassie smiling at him, biting her lip,
“What…?”
Cassie giggled as she shifted closer to him in the water,
“Nothing… You’re just… You know…”
Drake wrinkled his nose,
“Nope, I don’t know?”
Cassie smoothed her dark hair back as she leaned into Drake’s ear, whispering,
“You’re so damn sexy Drake… You don’t even seem to realise…”
Drake felt a grin spread across his face as he pulled his girlfriend into a deep, searching kiss. Cassie’s fingers ran through Drake’s dark hair as their lips parted, eyes gazing into one another’s; comfortable and happy in their intimacy. Drake pulled her closer, his muscled arm draped around her slight shoulders as her head rested against him. Cassie murmured that she loved Drake as he stroked her shoulder tenderly with his thumb, spurring a little courage within him,
“I love you too, Cass… Do you ever, uh, think about, you know, the future..?”
Cassie nodded against his chest,
“Mhhmm, sometimes. Do you?”
Drake cleared his throat as he mumbled,
“Yeah… What do you think about?”
Cassie sighed happily,
“Just simple things Drake… I think about us taking a vacation soon. I think about us getting another dog. Maybe we…”
She bit her lip, suddenly shy,
“Oh, I dunno, I just see you and me being happy… That’s the future I want.”
Drake, emboldened, pressed his lips into her hair, breathing her in as he whispered, his voice loaded with emotion, “You really see us in the future?” Cassie laughed a little as she answered what seemed like a completely obvious question to her, “Well of course, I’ve never wanted anyone but you Drake, I love you.”
Drake felt his heart thumping inside of his chest, threatening to burst out at any moment, it wasn’t a winter wonderland picnic, but it wasn’t exactly unromantic: a hot tub under a canopy of stars, the scent of the forest, champagne… Was now the moment? It just wasn’t what he imagined, all the ideas he’d come up with: from taking her to Paris and proposing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, to taking her to her favourite restaurant and getting down on one knee, to putting the ring in a bauble on their Christmas tree… Maybe he needed to stop worrying about making that one moment perfect and think about making the rest of their lives perfect… Drake took the glass of wine from Cassie, sitting it on the side as he took her dainty hands into his, the hot water lapping around them,
“Cass I don’t ever want to imagine a future without you. You are the single best thing that’s ever happened to me. Baby I count my blessings every day that our paths crossed…”
Cassie’s whole face illuminated as she gazed into Drake’s dark soulful eyes through the steam; he certainly was the strong and silent type, so when he did share his innermost thoughts and feelings, she was honoured to be so entrusted by him. Listening to him bare his soul made Cassie’s heart soar,
“Me too…”
Drake silenced her, kissing her knuckles gently,
“Shhh Cassie, let me finish baby… I wasn’t in a great place before I met you. I didn’t really have anything to call my own. I’d found Savannah – and Bartie – but they were starting a new life with Bertrand. Istvan and Vik were beginning their own chapter. It felt like I was just going through the motions, I guess I was sort of broken… Until – until you Cassie… You changed everything, you and Thor. I’ve loved you since the moment I met you. Every day, I am amazed that you’re with me, I never know what I’ve did to deserve you. Cassie Kapranos, I swear I will do everything I can to make you as happy as you make me, for the rest of our lives…”
Drake reached out of the hot tub, grabbing his jeans, pulling the small box from the pocket as Cassie watched him, mouth agape, hands trembling in front of her face. Drake dipped his head so that his eyes were level with Cassie’s,
“What do you say, baby? Marry me? Be my beautiful wife?”
Cassie nodded her head profusely as tears spilled from her twinkling eyes, she whispered,
“Of course I’ll marry you Drake.”
Drake flipped the ornate box open, taking the sparkling ring out, taking Cassie’s left hand in his as he peppered kisses to her lips frantically but with such tenderness, her free hand twined around his neck, a sob leaving her chest as he slipped the delicate ring onto her wedding finger. Drake pulled his shaking fiancee closer, kissing her over and over as he wiped away her tears; his heart so full of love in that moment, he felt his whole world was complete.
—
The last of weak sunlight was giving out, fiery red and purple streaks emblazoned across the sky. By the drinks stall at the far edge of the lake, most of the group were gathered. Viktoria and Hana had moved away from the rest of their friends, hot cider in hand, the women leaned on a small wooden poseur table draped with fairy lights. Viktoria touched Hana’s arm as she smiled warmly at her,
“Hana, it’s been so wonderful to have you here. We’ve all missed you so much, and I’ve honestly never seen you look so happy. You really love Giselle, don’t you?”
Hana blushed as she nodded at her friend,
“I really do Vik. We just, connect, you know? I’m just so happy that you’ve all made her so welcome… I don’t know what I would do without all of your love and support. I wish everyone would be as free and accepting…”
Viktoria tilted her head and frowned as she observed the cloud that came down around Hana,
“I take it we’re talking about your folks?”
Hana let out a hollow laugh,
“That obvious?”
Vik squeezed her arm,
“What have they said?”
Hana’s head fell into her hands, her long, slender fingers massaging her temples,
“Nothing, because I haven’t told them anything about Gisele and I… Bringing her here to Lythikos to meet all of you, it was a first step. I kept telling myself that introducing her to you guys, would give me the confidence I needed to talk to my parents. But Vik, I just don’t know if I can… I mean it’s really not so long ago that they weren’t speaking to me at all. You remember how awful that was… We didn’t agree and my mother took back all my belongings…”
Vik frowned as she remembered the unpleasant scene that had unfolded at her Duchy,
“And you think they’ll react the same way when you tell them about Giselle? Surely not Hana. You’ve been out in the world, living your own life for ages now, surely they have to accept your partner?”
Hana massaged her temples again as she looked up at her friend,
“Vik they don’t even know I’m interested in women, never mind that I’m in a committed relationship with one… It won’t be well received…”
Viktoria sighed sympathetically,
“Oh Hana, love is love… What does it matter: man, woman, if you love them and they love you…”
Hana shook her head; she was exhausted thinking about having that conversation with her conservative, old-fashioned parents… She knew they’d be shocked… She wasn’t sure what her father would say, but she was pretty certain that her mother would most tell her that it was a phase or that she just hadn’t met the right man yet… Viktoria could see the discomfort on her friend’s face at the prospect of talking to her parents, pulling her into a warm hug, she smiled,
“It might not be as bad as you think. Besides, whatever they think, it won’t change how you and Giselle feel about one another… Or how we all feel about you.”
Hana felt tears spring to her eyes as she smoothed Vik’s dark curls,
“Thank you, it helps to know I’ll always have my best friends.”
The women separated as they were joined by Istvan, Giselle, Penelope and Kiara, the conversation lightening and becoming more jovial as they enjoyed the beautiful sunset across the lake.
—
As Olivia and Maxwell flew across the ice, Maxwell called after her,
“I’m closing in on you, Nevrakis!! Victory will be mine!!”
Olivia’s heart pounded inside her chest, as she exerted extra effort, pushing further ahead of Max, yelling behind her,
“Never!!”
Maxwell was right, this was much more fun than skating on her own, Olivia laughed and raised her arms in the air victorious as she reached the edge of the lake, inches in front of Maxwell, he slowed as he reached her, but not quite enough, almost knocking her off her feet as he gripped hold of her arms, laughing,
“Woooooah!!”
Olivia clicked her tongue at Maxwell, eyes glinting at him in the dim light, as they spun around,
“Clumsy!”
Olivia felt her stomach flip as she looked up at Max, his kind eyes crinkled as he flashed a handsome smile at her, quickly she moved away, turning her back on him: what was she doing? Maxwell’s smile fell away as he faced yet another snub from Olivia; there was something between them, he was sure of it… Breathless, he called her,
“Liv…”
He reached towards her, catching her dainty hand in his, pulling her gently back to face him as he watched her posture stiffen, snapping at him,
“What do you want Maxwell?”
‘It’s now or never Maxwell…’
Maxwell looked Olivia dead in the eyes as he mouthed,
“You, Olivia…”
as he tipped her chin up towards him, pressing his lips to hers, in a chaste but firm kiss as Olivia gasped. For a split second Maxwell worried that he’d read this all wrong, that she was going to slap his face and yell at him… But the slap never came… After a few seconds, Maxwell broke contact with Olivia’s lips and grinned down at her. Her big green eyes blinked at him as though she was completely shocked, before he watched her draw her bottom lip in with her teeth, tasting his kiss before a small smile donned her mouth. Maxwell took that smile as all the confirmation he needed; he reached out to cup her cheek, bringing his face down to hers, gazing into her clear eyes before kissing her again; less chaste this time, lips slightly open, the tip of his tongue gently teasing Olivia’s as she leaned into the kiss, pressing her body closer to Max, her hands resting on his firm pecs as his arm protectively encircled her…
—
Istvan choked on a mouthful of his hot cider as he nudged his wife, he leaned to her ear quietly murmuring,
“Vik, don’t make it obvious, but look over there…”
Viktoria nodded discretely, turning her head as though she was fixing her hair… She squinted in the low light… Suddenly she whipped back round to look at Istvan, eyes bulging,
“Is that…??”
He waggled his eyebrows at her as she gasped and squeezed his arm.
—
TBC -VP 💖
