Mateo's hand shook in Maia's as they waited for the palace doors to open.
Everything felt like it was moving too fast. The accident, the protest, his step mother's deceit...
He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath.
Becoming King.
In less than twenty-four hours.
He wasn't ready to address the people.
He squeezed the slip of paper in his hand. A simple speech he and Maia threw together while Demetri worked his magic on them.
Mateo let out a slow breath.
All he wanted to do was crawl into bed with Maia and have a moment to process what happened to them.
Opening his eyes as he turned to Maia. "We're not doing this," he said, unfastening the sash across her shoulder.
"What do you mean?" She frowned, grasping his hands. "You have to speak to the people, Mateo. They should know you're alive."
"I know, but not like this," he said, tugging her sash off and slipping his over his head. "I'm sorry, father, but I won't be speaking to the people as king." He held the sashes out to his father who was watching them with wide eyes. "Not right now."
"But...but why not?" he said, taking the sashes from him.
"Because Maia and I have been through enough," he said, turning to her and sliding his hands to her cheeks. "And I want to announce this when we're both ready. After we've had some sleep and a few moments of peace. Is that okay with you?"
Maia's weary eyes filled with relief. "Yes," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Let's not complicate this any more than it needs to be."
Mateo nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he looked at his father and his sister. "We're going to make this speech and then Maia and I are retiring to Vijverwoud. In the meantime, you will handle things here until we're ready to come back."
Adrie and his father bowed their heads. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Mateo looked down at Maia and thread his fingers through hers. "Are you ready, liefje?"
She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. "I am."
Mateo kissed her cheek before he turned to Ruben. "Open the doors."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
Mateo held Maia close as they were driven away from the palace and the barrage of cameras and reporters in the swell of the joyous crowds chanting 'long live Prince Hendrik' and 'long live Miss Jefferies.'
for a few days while he and Maia took care of themselves under the watchful eyes of Eline who refused to be anywhere without him.
Looking across the car at Eline twisting her black rebel beret in her hands. She refused to go anywhere without him and demanded to keep a watchful eye on him and Maia while they rested in Vijverwoud. His heart sank that she was so afraid something was going to happen to them again, but he understood. He barely wanted to be anywhere without Maia after the scare she gave him from the attack.
"Eline, are you sure you're okay?" Maia said, reaching across the seat to take Eline's hand. "It's over now."
Eline gripped her hat. "You don't know that. What if Jorien planned something else with that man he was working with?" she said as her eyes welled with tears. "What if this is just the beginning?"
Mateo frowned. "Why would you think that?"
"I don't know." She shook her head. "It just felt too easy."
"I know what you mean, but it wouldn't have been easy if Nelis didn't catch one of the attackers and you didn't start that protest," Mateo said, rubbing Maia's back. "All we can do now is make sure this doesn't happen again and Arnaud Haro doesn't have any more influence in our country."
Eline nodded. "I want to help," she said, wiping a tear rolling down her cheek. "I want to protect you and Maia."
Maia raised an eyebrow. "But I thought you wanted to write?"
"I do," she said, looking down at her beret. "But I think this is my calling. I want to train like the guards and work in security."
"You can shadow me and train with the guards in Miss Jefferies team," Willem said from the front of the car. "As long as, His Majesty and Miss Jefferies approve."
"I would love for you to join my security team." Maia smiled, squeezing Eline's hand before she leaned back into Mateo's arms. "And I would hope you'd agree with that, Mateo."
Mateo nodded. "I do. it's Eline's choice and I won't stand in the way of this, but we'll talk about it again after you've slept on it."
"Thank you," Eline said, shifting in her seat. "But I won't change my mind. I never want something like this to happen again.
"I don't either, but right now isn't the time to make any rash decisions," he said, pressing a kiss to Maia's head. "Maia and I need a few moments of peace before we face any of this."
"Yes we do," Maia said, stifling a yawn. "Because I'll be honest, these last twenty-four hours are catching up to me and I'm exhausted."
"I know, liefje," he said, massaging the back of her neck. "I am too."
Mateo crawled into bed beside Maia who was scribbling notes in her writing journal and a smile tugged at his lips. "I thought you were tired," he said, laying his head on her shoulder and sliding his arm around her waist.
"I am," she said, closing her notebook and setting it to the side. "I just wanted to get my thoughts down about everything before I lost them." She brushed her fingers through his hair and the gentle scrape of her nails against his scalp made him sink further into her embrace. "Are you okay?"
He tightened his grip around her waist and shook his head as tears pricked the corners of his eyes. "No," he murmured, closing his eyes. "I didn't think coming home would turn into a disaster like this so fast." His voice hitched. "I'm sorry I brought you here." Tears rolled down his cheeks and dampened her shoulder. "Your life will never be the same. I-I took that from you when I became king."
"No you didn't," she said, sliding her hand to his cheek and wiping his tears. "Mateo, look at me."
He opened his eyes and his heart thumped at the tenderness swirling in her warm brown depths.
"I never expected my life to be the same when I chose to fall in love with you. You being king hasn't made me regret my choice and I know that's not the only reason you're feeling like this," she said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "You don't need to hide your anger or your sorrows from me."
The weight hanging around him shattered and bled through the tears that poured down his cheeks at her tender words. "I-I never thought Jorien would try to kill me," he said as he shook in her arms. "And m-my mom." He curled his fingers into Maia's shirt as a sob choked from his lips.
"I know," Maia whispered, holding him tight as she pressed her lips against his head. "I'm so sorry."
"I-I don't want that to happen to you," he said, pulling away from her to gaze into her too gentle and too sweet eyes. "I promise I'll keep you safe."
"I know you will," Maia said, wiping away his tears and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "But you have a whole country to keep safe too."
"Yes," he murmured. "But you will always come first," he said, catching her lips with his.
There would never be a moment when his duties as king would come before the woman who held his heart.
Mateo dragged his lips across her jaw to her ear. "I love you, mijn liefje," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the skin below her ear. "Mijn koningin."
She tugged his face to hers and the smile splayed across her succulent lips made his heart simmer. "I love you too, mijn koning," she whispered. "I always will."
Mateo drowned and melted in the warm embrace of the woman who held his heart and his soul and he vowed to never make the same mistakes as his father.
Because no one could ever replace Maia and he would ensure there would never be a reason he'd lose her like his mother.
A/N: I love that Mateo didn't hide the fact that he wasn't okay and I love that Maia knew that he was more upset than he was leading on 🥰 I also think it was a good shout to leave out the exchange of power...Mateo had me feeling anxious too, I'd barely want to address anyone after the fucked up 24hrs they had. And Eline joining the guard?? She said it's the military life for me and no one is going to make an attempt on my big brother's life! I also agree with her...it did kind of feel too easy...or maybe we're all just overthinking it 🤷🏾♀️