The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

Pretences

She cried silently in her locked room before it was time to leave Rome for Montenegro. With an hour before leaving the hotel, Valentina took a shower and used all the makeup she had to cover her swollen eyes. Then she looked at herself in the mirror; the princess was appropriately dressed in black and had sad emerald eyes. It was the look of lost love. To be completely honest, Valentina loved Lucius very much but to combine a Dragomir with a Vladonov? It was like trying to marry chicken with tuna. They will both fight for absolute power.

Feeling completely like a teenager with an overload on hormones, Valentina suddenly turned away from her reflection, angered at her pathetic behaviour. Taking a deep breath, she looked back at her reflection demanding its loyalty that it will not coward away into a dark hole but reign like a queen. “Family, power, kingdom”, she reminded herself loudly. “Family, power, kingdom!” She reminded herself why she broke off her engagement to Lucius and repeatedly told herself that it was for the best.

Derrick, Zach and Darim waited for her in the living room, expecting the worst but what they found was a strong princess with a will of iron. “Shall we?” she asked with enthusiasm in her eyes, which was strange to Darim but he didn’t ask her about it. He quietly took her luggage and guided her to the door. He knew she was trying to be strong, trying not to break down. It was what he loved about her…her strength could give any king strength. Darim suddenly realised that now HE would be her intended…and he was absolutely grateful about it.

As they passed the door to Lucius’ suite, Valentina stopped and said, “I …um just want a word with Vera”. Darim knew what she really meant and nodded. Yes, perhaps in time she will grow to love me like a wife loves her husband, he thought and grew hopeful of the mere thought.

Meanwhile, Valentina crept into Lucius’ suite and found Vera asleep on the couch; obviously tired from trying to keep up with Lucius. Before she took another step, she listened. Dante was breathing heavily on the double bed and Valentina felt sorry for Zach’s heavy hand. Lucius was in the master bedroom with the expensive view that the penthouse guaranteed.

Lucius was on his back on the large bed with his face covered in healing paste. He was still dressed and Valentina feared that Derrick forgot to check for broken bones. She remembered Darim throwing heavy punches to Lucius’ ribcage. She removed his day clothes and felt for any abnormalities. Nothing! Even asleep, Lucius still amazed her. With some time to spare, she sat down on the bed and stroked his face.

He is still handsome even with bruises, Valentina thought to herself. She felt his strong brow and jaw. It was something she would not be able to do in the future as a neighbouring sovereign. Then finally, she touched his lips, which woke Lucius slightly but he was still heavily drowsing from the sleeping drought Derrick gave him. Valentina smiled as the grey eyes looked at her and his left hand tried to grab her. Sensing it was time to go, she kissed Lucius passionately before she brushed his hair away from his eyes.

There was silence between the two, Lucius was straining to hold her and Valentina was trying to think of something to say after the end of their engagement. She didn’t want to sound desperate or leave the room on bad terms or give him hope that the Dragomir and Vladonov would join peacefully. So she settled on something smart and simple.

“Good luck Vladonov”, she said with a wink and she quickly left the suite before her tears flowed again.

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Lucius woke up with a heavy head and a rather pissed-off red-head sitting impatiently on a sofa in his room.

“Get up Vladonov”, Vera demanded, “I am to escort you back to Romania.”

“Under whose command?” asked Lucius. It wasn’t a question and Lucius didn’t expect any as he rolled away from Vera and buried his heavy head under a pillow. Who dares order a king? Lucius smirked in his pillow. Surprisingly, Vera didn’t have a nasty comment for him nor did she get Dante to persuade him to get up when Lucius felt his cousin’s presence in the room. Everyone’s shy today, thought Lucius then he remembered what had happened yesterday.