A/N: GUESS WHAT?! GUESS WHO'S HERE TO RUN THE SHOW?! ⚠️ IT'S TIME Y'ALL. And yes, I know you all hate Catalan but he's such a cinnamon roll I can't.
TW: Sexual content ahead
Rhea:
I never expected the day before my wedding the enemy who wants me and my entire family dead would escape and be at large.
And I never would've expected a falcon to arrive with a journal from Dorrenhid with a note from Castien saying that this is what we've been looking for.
And that everything we've been trying to find is here in these pages.
Nicasia is beyond traitorous. She shouldn't even be exiled for her crimes, she should be killed for them.
What an interesting last day as a single woman.
We; consisting of me, Catalan, Mom, Dad, Taryn, Oak, my circle, Nara, and Mom and Dad's circle, have been up for hours now, and I look at Dad who just shakes his head.
But I disagree; I have to tell my mother.
"Mom," I say and she looks at me with quiet fury in her eyes, "We've been... hiding something that could change the fabric of our relationship with the Undersea," I say and Nara shakes her head.
"Rhea, don't-" she tries but I glare at her.
"She deserves to know," I say and Mom raises an eyebrow.
"I deserve to know... what?" she asks and I sigh as I close my eyes.
"Nicasia has done far worse than try to kill me and betray us. She's been behind everything. And I received a source from Prince Castien earlier tonight saying that Catalan's father was under siren song control... Nicasia is the only one who can order the sirens to attack someone to do some seriously sketchy mind-control. Everything Lord Jasce did, the idea of taking over the continent, using Aunt Taryn as a way to kill the family... was under Nicasia's orders. We're trying to find a way to effectively end Nicasia's reign over the Undersea. And she also was behind the order that she wanted to kill me by using Catalan as a scapegoat, which is why we thought he was the villain. It's been Nicasia all along," I blurt out and I watch as the blood drains from my mother's face.
"You knew this?" she asks and I nod.
"Everyone in this room did," I say, feeling guilty when she whirls on my father and says, "You hid this from me? That Nicasia was the one targeting our family for decades?" she screams and he closes his eyes.
Mom is enraged as she screams at him before I say outraged at her behavior, "This is exactly why we didn't tell you! We need to come up with a plan and not act rashly!"
Mom's eyes glint dangerously as she hisses, "Forgive me for wanting to take revenge on what Nicasia has done to all of us in the past and placing you and your brothers' lives in danger. You'll understand my rage when you have children of your own someday. But for now, you betrayed me, Rhea. All of you did. Rhea, because you were immature and selfish in hiding this, we might all be in danger-"
"I suggest you stop blaming my fiancée and realize the sacrifice she has made to protect you," Catalan snaps as his eyes flash and his teeth are bared and Mom practically snarls, "She's my daughter."
Catalan's expression grows even more darker as he says coldly, "And tomorrow, she's my wife."
Mom looks like she's about to attack Catalan when Dad yells, "Enough!" and everyone freezes and stops their bickering.
"Arguing amongst ourselves solves nothing," he seethes, "But if Rhea's right, Nicasia has not only committed treason, but is guilty for the thousands of lives lost and she is a murderer. Now, let's please focus."
Nara sighs as she leans her hands on the table and shakes her head.
"The only way you can stop my mother from creating more problems and to end all of this would be to declare war," she murmurs and everyone inhales sharply, and stops breathing.
War.
"We can't go to war against the Undersea. We're risking our lives, and the lives of our soldiers and people if we go to war! And for what?" I declare, and Catalan sighs.
"Because of the treason she has committed. It may be the only solution, Rhea. We keep trying to find ways around war, but eventually it's inevitable to fight," he says and I close my eyes.
"No. We can't. The people of the Undersea are innocent in all of this! If we wage war, we kill them too. It'd be blood spilled on both sides rather than just going after Nicasia."
"I don't think we have the luxury to afford that idea, Rhea," Nara says and when I look at her, I can see the heartbreak in her eyes.
"She's my mother, Rhea, and the Undersea are my people. I don't make this decision lightly but even if the people of the Undersea are innocent, they'll defend my mother, their queen, if it comes to that. They will have no regrets or hesitancy at launching a full-scale invasion of Elfhame if we attacked them... so neither can we."
"Can we really do this so easily?" I whisper as I look at my parents and they both nod grimly.
"Nara's right. I think it's the only solution," Bay says and Oak's mouth is drawn in a thin line as everyone nods their agreement.
I bow my head and shake my head.
"I knew we'd have to take extreme measures against Nicasia, but war?" I ask and Catalan places his hands on my shoulders.
"Rhea, at this point I don't know what else we can do," he says and I'm silent as I look around the table.
"Alright... then we should prepare. But we do this as quietly as possible. We can't alarm the people of Elfhame and we certainly cannot alarm the Undersea as we move soldiers around and make it look like we're preparing for war. Be discreet," Mom tells the generals of the armed forces and they bow before they leave the room.
We're preparing for war.
"I'll say this. Without Prince Castien's help and him sending that source to us, we would have been killed by Nicasia's cunning and wit. Now we have the upper hand thanks to him," Catalan says and I nod.
He's right.
Without that source, we never would've been able to consider the idea of war.
Mom walks toward Catalan and holds out her hand and says, "My family offers you an apology, Catalan. We didn't know that the sirens were the cause of all the hurt we caused and the hurt we inevitably caused you by killing your father," and Catalan smiles at that as he takes her hand.
"I understand why you would have. This new piece of evidence hadn't been found until now," he says and when he looks at Aunt Taryn, he smiles.
"And I'm sorry that my father betrayed you. It couldn't have been easy," he murmurs and she shakes her head with a smile.
"You can't apologize for something that wasn't in anyone's control. Your father was a very brave and very compassionate man. I should've realized when he started acting strange. I owe you an apology for what happened to your father as a result of our actions," she says and he smiles as he bows his head.
"Thank you," he says and I watch as my father's face drops.
"Rhea, we need to instate you as the temporary queen," he says seriously and the friendly chatter in the room dies immediately and the room grows colder.
"What?" I say with a laugh and he sighs.
"You have to be the temporary ruler of Elfhame when we announce war. The decision to go to war against Nicasia and the Undersea cannot come from us or it looks like we're desperate to be petty about what she did to you. If you declare war against her, it'll look like you found some piece of treason, which you did, and you're holding her against it. Besides, everything she's done to us from the past impacted us in the way of you. She's been after you since you were alive," he says and my mouth opens slightly.
He's got a point but... temporary queen?
"I'll lead us into war?" I ask and Mom nods.
"We'll be by your side the entire time to make sure you don't blow up our own plans, but we have faith in you, darling," she says and I scoff.
"I don't have faith in me. I'll probably kill all of us in the process," I say and everyone chuckles.
"Well then we'll die trying," Melanie suggests unhelpfully but everyone laughs just as Aunt Vivi enters the room and raises an eyebrow.
"Let me guess, scheming and danger as per usual?" she asks as Mom goes to hug her and I laugh.
"Always," I assure her and she exchanges air-kisses with Aunt Taryn before looking at me and shaking her head.
"You're getting married tomorrow. I can't believe it," she says and Naercé giggles as she starts dragging me out of the room.
"In that case, Catalan, you can't see your blushing bride to be until tomorrow-"
"Blushing bride to be?" I cackle and Melanie slaps my arm, glowering.
"It's the rules," she confirms and my circle nods enthusiastically and I shrug as I look over at Catalan.
"Girl, get to bed," Aunt Taryn laughs and I smile at Catalan.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" I offer and then mouth secretly, Come to my room in an hour.
He winks at me subtly before saying, "I'll see you on the other side of the aisle, darling."
As me and my girls thunder up the stairs to my room, Nara squeals as she hugs me.
"I cannot believe you're getting married. Also, your dress? I'll slap him if he doesn't cry when he sees you. I'll just have to find ways to make him cry," she proclaims and I cackle as we all sit down together.
My circle, back together again.
"Okay, I know we've had our differences but Nara should be reinstated into the circle again," I say and everyone nods profusely.
"Absolutely," Naercé says and Bay quips, "I've missed talking about boys with her," to which Nara giggles at.
I sigh as I look at my engagement ring before saying meditatively, "What an interesting wedding night," to which Annette laughs at.
"Well, if you're going to be queen, you should get to it," she says sweetly and I chuckle.
The next hour is spent gossiping away wildly about my wedding tomorrow night and as they say their goodbyes, I shut my door and then when I hear the girls' chatter disappear down the hallway, I hear a soft knock on my door and open it to see Catalan.
"Hi," I whisper as I drag him into my room before closing the door and making sure to lock it.
"I can't believe it's tomorrow," he says from where he's already on my bed and I cuddle against him as I smile.
Tomorrow we'll be married and we won't have to sneak around ever again.
He twirls a strand of my hair around his finger and beams with delight as he says, "For the rest of our lives."
I laugh as I look up at him.
"How is it possible that whenever you even think of getting married to me, you grin like a child and your eyes are bright. You should've proposed to me earlier if you really wanted to get married so quickly," I say and he shrugs.
"It's easy to be so excited to marry you when I love you the way I do, Rhea," he says easily and I smile.
It's so easy for him to say that he loves me.
I sit up and face him as I take his hands in mine as I say quietly, "I love you. I know it took a long time for me to tell you but I love you and can't wait to marry you, Catalan," I admit as I brush away the hair from his vibrant eyes before he leans forward and kisses me softly and gently.
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
Catalan's hands shift under me and I straddle him as my hands tangle into his hair and his tongue grazes at my lips, pushing me to part my lips and I grant him access without even doubting myself, knowing how sure and confident I am with him.
"Rhea," he breathes out for a second, "Are you sure?" he asks and I pull away before I take my hair down and nod.
"I've never been more sure in my entire life," I tell him before he kisses me more urgently, and there's a sense of annoyance in the way that he kisses me, but there's also another underlying tone.
Finally.
Catalan's hands are pulling at my pants and as he starts tugging them down my body and throwing them off to some corner of my room, he throws his shirt over his head before his lips continue their chase over mine and then his lips move to my neck and when he sucks, a moan escapes my lips from the pleasure and then I cry when he bites down on the flesh before flicking his tongue over the sting before he's tugging desperately at the strings of my corset and he grows more annoyed as we work on my corset before I finally manage to toss it to the side and lift my shirt over my head, my nipples scraping against his chest as we're finally skin to skin.
"You're so fucking beautiful," he whispers as he looks at me, dressed in nothing but my undergarments now and as he lays me down on the bed, his eyes flash with lust so powerful it nearly knocks the breath out of my chest.
His head dips as his lips latch onto my breasts and then when his teeth bite down and his other hand starts palming my other breast, I let out a moan, my back arching as he laughs darkly against my skin.
"I don't think I'll ever get bored of that sound again," he whispers as he looks up at me with a hungry look in his eyes, and I shiver when his darker fingers draw a path up my cream colored skin before settling on my hips and then he hooks his fingers into the band of my panties.
"Are you sure? There's no going back after this. But if you want me to stop, I will," he says and I groan, frustrated as I bend his head toward mine and kiss him.
"If you hold back, I'll kill you myself," I warn and he chuckles before his fingers drag my panties off my body and when he looks at me, he groans.
"God, Rhea," he whispers before he starts kissing his way down my body, his mouth hot on my breasts, my abdomen, stomach, lower...
And then when his face dips into my folds, I moan, squirming underneath him.
"I have you," he whispers as he pulls back before running his tongue up me in one fluid stroke and I pant as I watch him, my body beginning to shake when he lapped at me earnestly, his head between my thighs and me gasping and shaking before I cried out and my body momentarily left the planet.
As he pieced me back together, I scooted toward him and pulled his breeches down and my mouth dried as I looked at his erection.
He comes back up and starts kissing me, and I whimper when I feel his tip guide toward my entrance and he brushes away my hair as he looks me in my eyes and whispers softly, "I love you, Rhea."
"I love you," I breathe just as he sinks in and we both groan, Catalan's hand gripping the headboard and one going to my hip as I fist the sheets.
When he bottoms out in me, I freeze, feeling so full of him and as he pulls out before pushing back in, the pain gives way to a blossoming pleasure before I breathe out, "Move... please," and he chuckles darkly as his eyes grow dark and he pulls out before slamming into me.
I moan deeply, but as it recedes to the most beautiful pleasure I had ever felt in my entire life, the slap of our skin encourages me further as I flip us and sit on top of him before I rise up on him and sheathe myself back down.
"Rhea-" he groans which turned into a cry as I grind against him, his hand splayed on my stomach and one hand on my lower back and I see the hunger in his eyes.
I dip down to kiss him as he thrusts into me and I moan into his mouth.
As I'm about to rise up on him, I feel his hands plant on my hips keeping me firm as he thrusts into me from beneath me, hard and fast and never ending as I moan- no, screamed.
Inside of me, he feels like hard steel that reaches into the deepest part of me and I sob when I throw my head back just as he cups my breast and he moans, eyes screwed shut.
The lewd sound of our skin clapping together with our moans and grunting with the bed squeaking below us made the air around us feel hotter and when he kisses me, I bite on his lower lip as he growls in pleasure before quickly flipping us and effortlessly continuing his brutal pace in me.
"Catalan... oh my god," I gasp as he inserts a finger into me and pinches at my clit before I scream and come as he comes with me seconds later.
He gasps, his body jerking unevenly in me as his come floods me and starts to leak down my thighs and as he pulls out of me and kisses me again and fucks me into oblivion throughout the day, I feel like I was the most at peace in my entire life.
A/N: WOWWW. I know I said that Catalan is a cinnamon roll but he's a beast in bed 🤭