Reign • After The Crown One Shots

Eikko

If you haven't read The Heir nor The Crown, this will be a mega spoiler for you soooo....be warned!

Here goes....

♕

Lady Brice mercifully let me go for the rest of the afternoon after sitting in the office with her, Neena, and Josie the whole morning to figure out how to push through with the big announcement I made two weeks ago.

I let Eloise, my maid, walk with me through the gardens to get some fresh air. The guards stationed there bowed and greeted me. All I could do was nod until I caught sight of General Leger with Miss Lucy beside him. That made me smile.

"Your Majesty." They both said in unison.

I smiled and nodded, "General Leger, Miss Lucy. How are you both?"

"We're doing really well, My Queen." Miss Lucy replied with her bright smile.

They excused themselves and I gladly let them go on their way so I can be on mine.
I can hear the faint sound of the piano playing in the Women's Room, making me smile knowing that my mother is spending her freedom doing what she loved.

Just then, I saw a familiar figure standing a few distance from us. His back was turned with his camera pointed to the rose bush which bloomed red roses recently. My smile grew wider.

"Go enjoy the afternoon yourself, Eloise. I'll ring for you this evening."

Eloise smiled in gratitude and curtsied before going back inside the palace. I walked towards Dad just when he took the shot. I stood there, just watching him until he noticed me.

"Eadlyn, sweetheart. I'm pleased to see you out here." He said with a wide smile of his own.

I smiled and hooked my arm around his, "I'm as pleased as you."

He chuckled and give my hand on his arm a gentle pat as we began our stroll. Mom's playing can still be heard from here and I can tell that it's making dad relax.

"How's my Queen?"

I chuckled, "Wishing she can already get on with her wedding."

That made him pause and look at me, "You really do love him, don't you?"

I smiled, thinking of how he bit on his nails during the parade. If I were my old self, marrying someone like him would be ridiculous. But time sure took care of that. Thinking about it only made him endearing.

Seeing my smile made him chuckle, knowing he got his answer. We walked around the garden while he talked about how he and mom used to do the same when they were my age which only made me smile at the thought.

"Oh, there he is."

I looked up from the grass and there he stood. He was carrying a book with him while he focused on the words on the page that he failed to notice us. I smiled and cleared my throat, about to ask my dad a favor but he beat me to it.

"I'll see you at dinner."

He kissed me on the forehead and gave a playful wink before walking off. I set my attention back to the man just a few distance from me, still oblivious.

"I do believe, there's a library in the palace." I said, walking closer to him.

That made him jump in surprise.

"Eadlyn!"

"Eikko." I replied playfully, fighting the urge to laugh in amusement. 

He's usually very reserved and composed but seeing him like this is just....

"I was just enjoying the fresh air." He said, closing the book as he smiled.

I smiled back and nodded before doing the same thing I did with dad, I hooked my arm around his.

"Funny, I'm here for the same reason. You don't mind if I walk with you, do you?"

He chuckled and shook his head, "I don't mind at all, My Queen."

We walked around the garden in comfortable silence but I can tell he was a bit tense. I peeked at him while he kept his eyes to the path we were taking.

"What were you reading?" I asked instead.

He blinked several times before he found his voice, a confirmation that his thoughts were somewhere else until this moment, "I rather not say."

"Oh so you're being stubborn now?" I raised a brow but kept a small smile, the last thing I wanted was to make him more anxious.

"No, I'm simply trying to avoid humiliation." He replied

We stopped walking and I eyed the book in his hand. What he said only served to heighten my curiosity.

"What can be so humiliating about that book?"

"Just...don't make me say it."

"I'm afraid I really want to know."

"No."

I stood straighter, raised my chin and looked at him like how I did to the selected boys during the first day of my selection.

"You should know that I don't take no for an answer."

That made him let out a sigh, knowing he lost and that made me smile.

"An etiquette book for princes."

That took me by surprise. I bit on my lip just when he looked up at me. He rolled his eyes playfully and that's when I let out a small giggle.

"And there's the humiliation I've been trying to avoid."

I shook my head, "Eikko, you are already a prince to me and there really is no need to read that."

"Oh but I think I should. I wouldn't want to look like a fool next to you after marrying you."

"That would never happen. You'll never come across as a fool."

He sighed, "To you but there's no guarantee I won't to everyone else in Illéa."

That caught me off guard. I knew what it felt like to be disliked by the people and I wasn't sure if I can protect him from it bit then again, I didn't think he needed it and I still do. He's been a dear friend to the selected boys and I haven't heard ill comments about him. Mom, Dad, Aunt May, Grandma Singer, and even the Woodworks approved of him.

"Believe me when I tell you, the possibilities are slim."

I told him honestly and that made him smile again.

"Is that why you were so tense?"

He chuckled, "one of the reasons."

"How many reasons are there exactly?"

"Two."

I raised a brow at him, "Do tell."

"If there are cameras around here."

That made me laugh. He chuckled along and I took his hand.

"You're still not over your fear of cameras?"

"It might take a while."

I smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek, "You better hurry it up, my dad would take thousands of photos of us when he finds the chance."