-25-
a week prior
luke's pov
"This is INSANE. IN-SANE I tell you" Carrie paces her dorm room floor while I lay on her bed.
"All we need to do is get married... no big deal" I shrug as I sit up and lean against the backboard of her bed.
"No big deal? How would our fathers react when we get an annulment? We can't get a regular divorce. Luke there are so many things to factor. You can't plan a royal wedding in a short time!"
I stand up, walk over to her tracks and grab her shoulders, "Princess Caroline Wilson. Pink princess of Evander. You've done some of the most humanitarian type work. Just think of it like that stuff"
"Right. Because instead of helping sick children on the streets of my own country, I'd be stopping the execution of the love of your life. No pressure" She laughs with no emotions on her expressions.
I drop my shoulders and sigh, "It's not like I'm in love with you or you're in love with me. We just have to pretend"
"Nobody will believe us!" She shouts, dropping her shoulders.
I roll my eyes and sigh, "We've fooled the whole continent, if not the world that we're in love"
She sits down on a beanbag chair in the corner of the room. She curls her knees to her chest while her arms circle to body to a tight hug. "What about Riley?"
"What about him?" I walk over to her and sit on ground beside her.
"What if he doesn't approve? What if he-"
"Riley isn't a jealous kinda guy. Besides, we're doing this for Julie remember? Julie is his best friend, I don't think he'd have a huge issue with this"
Carrie sighs and looks into my eyes. Her little pout breaking my heart. "I don't want Julie to die"
"Then please can we just do this? We'll get the annulment soon but just- I need to do this. For Julie"
"Fine. But do you have some sort of plan?" She sighs and I stand up, cracking my knuckles with a laugh.
"Oh do I have a plan? Do I have a plan?" I cackle like a witch as I lean back against the wall across from Care. "When I was fifteen, I heard my father in the middle of some conference"
"Ok and?" Carrie raises her eyebrow.
"I'm getting there" I groan and roll my eyes, "I heard him. Apparently, my father has been accepting money from Emmanuel Macron, also know as-"
"The president of France?" Carrie looks at me with confusion and probably a thousand questions.
"Exactly. Apparently, my father want blood shed. He wants to start another war, this time taking over more of Europe. None of Amaranth's citizens would be willing to enlist in another war when we don't have anything to fight for. If word gets out he's planning an uprise, the country would go crazy" I point towards her, "And for proof, I have a recording on my phone. Just incase"
"So what's your EXACT plan?" Carrie gets up and crosses her arms. "You just have black mail it sounds"
"Yeah well that's where I'm stuck. I don't know how to approach someone like that- 'Hey I know you're getting money from France so that you don't invade their country. Let Caroline and me marry, crown us as the monarchs?' No that won't slide"
"Actually it might. Maybe another idea, what if we tell our fathers that- Ew I don't wanna think about this" Carrie shakes her body in disgust, scrunching her nose.
"What! Tell me!"
"What if we tell them we're expecting? Then they'll have no reason not to marry us. We live in a Catholic dominated country, the citizens would go berserk if they hear of an out of wedlock heir to the throne" Carrie says quickly, taking a steep breath afterwards to catch herself.
My eyes widen as the idea dosent sound to bad. "We've done worse" I shrug. "Only thing is, we'd need some kinda pregnancy test"
"Oh" Carrie laughs, "I got that covered"
"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" I shout as I look at the test infront of me. Yup. Pregnant. Two pink lines sitting in that white plastic stick. The ultrasound photo with the nine week old fetus taken yesterday sitting in my other hand.
Flynn and Reggie laugh as they awkwardly smile, "We didn't necessarily want you to find out this way but... ba da?" Flynn chuckles as I pull her to a tight hug.
Flynn doesn't look pregnant. She's not showing. She just looks like normal but there's a fetus in there for sure. I mean I'm sure she wouldn't start showing till a quarter way through.
"Well this makes our plan ten times easier" I look over to Carrie who's laughing her ass off, "I thought you were going to tell me you and Riley are having a kid"
"Not now. Evander dosent need an heir at the moment. I'm still fit to be Queen" She scoffs, leaning back against the couch in the visitors room.
I hug Reggie as I sigh, "Let's get home shall we?"
Reggie looks over at Flynn with a small smirk, "Actually, we brought home to you"
"You don't mean-"
The door to the visitors room opens and in comes King Trevor and my father. I quickly pick up the test and shove it and the test in my pocket.
"Father!" Carrie exclaims in surprise. She doesn't have the best relationship with him but she hasn't seen him since she was dropped off in January.
"We should get going" Reggie laughs, standing up to make room for the Kings. "Mitchell, Trevor" He nods towards his fellow Kings.
"Reginald. How is your family doing? Your country?" My father tugs at his past.
Reggie tightens his jaw before releasing a breath, "We're perfect. Thriving actually. We just passed a new bill towards minimum wage. Now if you don't mind, our country can't run itself so we must get back" His hand rests on the small of Flynn's back.
"Of course. Being a Duke couldn't be easy" My fathers smile is to evil.
"Hey Mitch, why don't you just tear up your invite to my Coronation" Reggie smiles as he and Flynn leave the room.
"The nerve on that boy" Father mumbles as he sits down.
Trevor rolls his eyes at my father before he sits down beside him, "We hear you kids have news?"
I nod as Carrie looks to me, taking my hand in hers. "Papa, Mitch, I- both Luke and I care about you guys so much. You're our fathers, nothing can replace that" She smiles wide. Her arms circling around my bicep.
"And on the topic of fatherhood. We have news" I kiss Carrie's forehead as I place the test and ultrasound down onto the table infront of us.
The two kings look at us then down at the evidence of our 'baby'. "You two-" Trevor waves his finger between us.
"Papa please don't be mad. Just- Luke and I are in love and- and this baby could be a real push in the unity of our countries" Carrie pleas, looking up to me with a glimmer in her eyes. Her hand ruffling up my styled hair.
"This won't go over well with our citizens" Father runs his hand over his mouth, "We have to push up the wedding to as soon as possible"
"We can send out invites tonight. I want to wear mothers wedding gown so that'll help" Carrie jumps up, "But we should come home too"
"Sounds like a plan my beautiful" Trevor stands up and opens his arms, "Come 'ere darling" With a small tear in her eye, she jumps up and hugs her father. "I'm happy you two have found eachother" He whispers.
I just stare at them, knowing my father dosent want the same embrace. "Let's get ourselves crowned at the same time" I say to him softly, not ruining the Wilson's moment.
"This isn't our timeline son" He mumbles.
"You think this was intended?" I hiss. I collect myself and sigh, "Can you just be happy for me? I'm happy father"
He looks down to Flynn's ultrasound photo and picks it up, "When did you guys find out?"
"Couple days ago" I mumble.
"Let's get this planned out ok? You two are to wed in a week. We need to get this planned. Now"
a week later
"My boy" Morgan sighs, brushing my shoulders of any kind of debris, "You've got a big responsibility on your shoulder now"
I sigh and nod, looking in the mirror, "I don't think I can do this?" I'm getting married at noon and crowned king at three, I'm booked.
"Become a husband or king?" She kisses my cheek as she stands behind me, her hands on my shoulder. "You look handsome my boy"
"Oh thanks" I laugh, "Uh, but both? I mean- I just want to do right by the people" I turn to her quick, "Morgan what if I- what if I can't do this?"
"Well then we can run away to North America together. Let's just get you to your wedding" She takes my hand and drags me towards the door.
I tap my foot at the alter. It's smaller than most royal weddings but it's just right for this fake wedding we have here.
I see the doors swing open and Carrie walks in. Her dress vintage, passed down from generation to generation of Wilson women. The Patterson crown sitting on her head with its Rose Gold metal. It can't be easy to wear as it's pure metal and jewels. Her veil covering her face but the sheer lace makes it so we can see her beautiful makeup. She looks beautiful, Riley's a lucky guy.
"Hey" She whispers once she gets to the front. "Just smile. We have hundreds of people watching us" She whispers.
I nod and take her hands in mine, "My wife" I try not to choke on my own puke saying that. I lift her veil over her head and inspect her face. Her makeup grand and beautiful. "You're pretty"
"Oh shush" She giggles as she looks over at the priest, "Your honour please"
Carrie and I laugh through the entire ceremony. Our fathers will murder us later but by the time the ceremony is over, by the time we're saying the I do's, neither of us are able to keep it together.
My ears ring as I walk down this long hallway. Imagine a scene in a movie. The camera angle spinning in a slow circle from behind me as I walk towards those doors.
My cape, yes I'm wearing a fucking cape, trials behind me and I wouldn't mind if it got stepped on and ripped away from my body. Hating the colour on myself, I'd rather something else but traditional clothing is the way to go for this. The fur around my neck is quite soft. Underneath is a basic black suit jacket and white button down.
My life is about to change for the better... right? I'm walking towards my coronation as a married man. As I keep walking, circled in a casing of armed guards, I look down to my hand and see the wedding band around my finger. Sighing as I know it's not connected to Julie's heart. Never the least, I need to do this for her. This is all for her.
The doors swing open and I see my country infront of me. The coronation outside, infront of the castle on the grounds. "Man" I sigh, walking towards the Archbishop who's about to make me swear on the constitution.
I walk up to the Archbishop and nod. I'd smile at him to be friendly but the whole world is watching. Politicians and monarchs from other countries have come and to those who can't, my crowning is being broadcasted to the world to see.
This would be a fun way to die- don't think like that-
"Where's the future Queen?" I look to the coordinator beside me and raise an eyebrow. "Where's Caroline?" Someone hands me the constitution and I hold the book in between my hand. My right hand flat as it lays in my palm, my left middle and pointer finger on the top of the book.
Step one as king: Free Julie
Step two: change this constitution
My father walks over to us and whispers something to the Archbishop, he nods and clears his throat as my father walks back to the crowd, "Is your majesty willing to take the Oath?"
I widen my eyes then sigh, "I am willing"
"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the Amaranth, and of your Possessions and the other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?" He says with his low voice.
I nod "I solemnly promise so to do"
"Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgements?"
"I will" I keep my head held high but a couple tears do fall down my cheek. I can't help it.
"Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the individual Church's of Amaranth, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in Amaranth? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of Amaranth, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?"
"I will" And there we are.
"People of Amaranth and of the world, may I present to you, for the first time, King Lucas Kayan Patterson the first"
I look straight forward at the front gates of the castle to see Riley bursting out of the gates, looking me dead in the eyes.
I feel the crown-barer placing the kings crown on my head. It's heavy and I know something has to be done right now.
I don't think I have time to cherish my kingship. The second his hands leave my head and the crown sits flat on my head, trumpets and bands play Amaranths national anthem.
Oh my father's going to kill me.
I need to go save my girl.