Runaway King ✔️

Chapter 20

Mason's POV

The farthest I've gone outside of Verona was all the way to Minneapolis. And now I'm here in Europe, halfway across the world. And right now I'm in Ben's room looking around everything he has. Ben isn't home right now. He's doing king things.

I heard him whispering last night that soon king problems will be my problems too. Whatever that means...

I've lived in the castle for a long time already. I'm used to how the day works. Ben gets up, let's me sleep in for a while. We shower together and go eat breakfast. He does his duties that he was dreading when he came to Verona. He's actually a really good king and I tell him everyday. Then he takes a break mid-day and we walk in his gardens.

He was right, the flowers here are much prettier.

He goes back to work. He comes back and we eat dinner. I spend a lot of my time with his sister Katherine. She's one of the only people who can deal with Ben, besides me and his parents. She tells me stories of her and Ben as children.

I've also started calling her gremlin. And she called me brother.

So... there's that.

Back in Verona, my mother has enjoyed a nice life. We call everyday. Though, when she came to visit us in Artois, I caught her making out with one of the royal guards. Honestly, that guard is a nice guy, better man than my bio-father.

And recently, I've noticed Ben has been putting certain responsibilities on me such as planning events and organizing field trips for the kids of his town. I did some digging in the archieves and found out that the married individuals of the royal monarch have to do things that involve the public.

It was a long day. I felt tired and numb. I had been busy at the town center helping to build a new shop for the people.

Ben walked in and saw me laying down. "Let me go get fixed and I'll be right back. Wait for me?" He asked.

"You know I always will." I responded. I waited in bed until Ben came out wearing a tank top that showed off his beautiful body. Instead of coming to bed and laying down, he went to a gramophone (Yes he has one in his room) and turned it on.

A small crackle was heard before a song started playing. It was Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27: III. Adagio. I know it specifically because it's the song that is always playing in the ballroom. Ben says it was the song his parents and grandparents and great-grandparents danced to on their wedding night.

The song played in small notes that traveled to every corner of the room. No item or being was invisible to the romantic notes.

Ben walked over to where I was laying and stuck his right hand out to me. "Dance with me." Is all he said, but his eyes said more.

I took his hand and got off the bed. He held me like I was porcelain to the center of our room. He placed my hand on his shoulder and grabbed my other hand in his. His left hand was on my waist.

As the music progressed, we took small steps. He moved like he knew what to do. I stumbled every few steps and every time I felt like I was about to fall, he would catch me and say 'Don't worry, love. I'll always catch you.'

He spun me and tiled me back and caught me. His blonde hair fell over his face and looked down at me. He kissed me while my back was arched. I was going to fall. I know it! But I'm not. Because he said he'll always catch me.

He pulled me up and hugged me close to him. We didn't dance, we didn't talk. We just swayed with the music.

"Before I met you, I was in a dark place." I said. Ben snuggled into my hair. "I had nothing going in my life. I felt that I would fall too far and never get up. I was in the darkness." I looked up at him. "But you came into my life. You took me by the hand and led me out of that darkness. You lit the way for me and never turned back. I found what I've been looking for but couldn't see it."

"I'll always be by your side. In sickness and in health." He said.

"It sounds like a wedding." I chuckled.

"You know, you're a shit dancer." He said.

"What- Give me a break! I've never been asked to dance before by anyone else!"

"Well you better learn how to for our wedding night." He responded. I stopped breathing before I looked at Ben's eyes. He knew what he said. It wasn't a slip up.

"What?" I was flabbergasted.

"Mason Howard," He said. He got down on one knee in front of me. The man then pulled out a ring from his pocket and held it out. It was huge. And shiny. And in the shape of a flower.

"I didn't expect to find love when I went to Verona. I should've known the name of the city the same as Romeo and Juliet's would've had something romantic for me. Truth is, I didn't want to fall in love with you. But I did. And it's the best thing to ever happen to me. You brought a gift to me that I haven't found before. You brought me love. Joy. Something that makes me want to be a better person. You're the last piece in the puzzle of my life. And there's no one else I want to be with.

"So... Mason Howard, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

I stared down at him as tears left my eyes. I broke down crying. By this point, the music has ended. But the music of our lives is just starting.

"YES! I'LL MARRY YOU!" I said. He stood up and hugged me so tight and lifted me up from the ground.

"This is going to be the beginning of our lives! You're the one I want to be with!" He said. He slid the ring on my finger.

"So what's my title now?" I jokingly asked.

"Here, it's different. Even if you aren't of royal blood, the spouse of the monarch is given the proper title. Which means that now, you're officially..."

"King Mason the First." I responded.

A year ago, I was sulking around with no plans for my future. Just a plastic bag drifting through the wind. Going wherever the tide takes me.

And now, I'm a king. And a husband. To another king!

Life couldn't be better.

"Can we sneak out? I wanna go outside with you." I said.

"Anything for you, King Mason." He said. He kissed me as we put on our shoes and slipped outside our room.

We walked down the halls, careful to make sure that no one heard us.

But Ben accidentally bumped into an armor stand that clashed and made a loud noise. The door to our left opened and out walked Ben's mom and dad. I guess my mom and dad too.

"RUN!" Ben said. He began sprinting down the hall on his way to the garden.

"GUARDS! We have a runaway king!" Mom yelled. She looked at me, while I was still standing there. Her eyes traveled down to my hand where the shiny ring was obvious. Their eyes widened. I sprinted out of there and followed behind Ben before his father yelled out.

"Make that two runaway kings!"

THE END

awwww what a happy ending!!! these two might make a cameo in a future story *hint hint*.

fun fact: this story was about 25 chapters long but i combined some chapters because a lot of them were very boring. also, mason's last name, howard, and ben's sister's name, katherine, when combined together, is katherine howard. my favorite wife out of king henry viii's wives (also from six the musical iykyk).

but now, mason's and ben's story is over! but time will continue in this universe, and their love will also continue.

make sure you check out my other stories. and i have more coming soon so stay tuned!!

au revoir! je vous aime tous!

♥