Realistic or Modern Marry the Night [Ama & Blossom]

[_amaranth_]

Desert_Blossom x _amaranth_​

 

[_amaranth_]

Ama's Royalty


Name: Payton Camden
Age: 22
Face Claim: Jane Levy

Personality: While her brother was about become the next king and her sister was a victim of arranged marriage, Payton, despite understanding her status very well, was never really required anything like that which resulted in her bubbly, natural personality. She is kind and always has a smile for everyone. Her open mind allows her to be extremely tolerant of a lot of things. The playful spark in her eyes predicts that she is definitely not your ordinary quiet princess. But make no mistake, she is not just some naive little bird raised in a gilded cage. Her sharp tongue and fiery nature have gotten her in trouble already. Though she understands duty and honor, Payton is never shy to express her opinions and sarcasm can be her second language.

History: Being the youngest among three royal siblings, Payton was always cut the most slack when it came to duties. She was the youngest, the tiniest and the most mischievous out of the siblings. While her brother spent a lot of time in his classes to become the perfect monarch and Danielle was already raised like a proper lady, Payton ran around the castle and spent a lot of time with their mother who, of course, made sure that Payton got her education but also taught her to play the piano and brought love to literature to the young girl. When the Queen fell ill, Payton was more than scared and whenever she was not playing and running around with Danielle, whom she got very close to, she was sitting at her mother's bed. Until the very last moment.

Nothing could reverse the sickness of the Queen and when she passed away, it felt like one part of Payton died too. She grew even closer to Danielle and the two were basically like twins, spend all the time together, shared secrets and everything. Imagine her surprise when finding out that Danielle was about to be married to the Prince of Northern Astoria. Payton felt like another person was leaving her but she also knew that Danielle's heart belonged to another man. Loving her sister beyond love, Payton abided the lovers in their escape but realized that this was going to be a scandal. And so, she decided to take her sister's place, become her royal highness Princess Danielle and marry to Prince she has never seen.






Name: Leonard Davenport
Age: 28
Face Claim: Stephen Amell

Personality: Leo is a man who takes his job very seriously. He is quiet and responsible when it comes to working. Hired by the royal family, he knows the importance of every little detail and always makes sure that everything is prepared for the princess, no danger looming over her, no reporters or annoying paparazzi bothering her. Outside of work, Leo is a little more relaxed, he likes awkward dad jokes and is always ready to improve people's mood if they need to. He is the perfect companion for a rainy day, cheering you up when upset, day at the amusement park, anything really. And while he takes his job extremely seriously, he can always take the mask off if only to try and make the princess smile. However, he can also get pretty rough and hot-headed, especially if he witnesses injustice or someone tries to put people he cares about in danger.

History: Leo was born in the family that had been working for the royal family for decades. It was only natural that he also became a member of the security detail. His early childhood is no different from any other stories of happy children. His mom took care of him and his younger brother, never really worked because she didn't have to. The royal family provided accommodation for the Davenports and just her father working was enough to keep the family alive and well. Seeing his dad working as a security detail for the royal family members also shaped young Leo's personality and he realized that he wanted to do the same thing. When he started high school, those feelings got only stronger. Every time he saw people getting bullied, his protective nature got activated and that got him in many fights and battles in the school yard. Before, Leo was ntohing but a scrawny kid who hated injustice but after a few knockouts, he decided to get some muscles. It took an absolute change of his lifestyle and around a year but Leo became the best physical version of himself. His strong build, smart mind and ability to think on his feet guaranteed him a spot in the royal guard and was assigned to the older princess herself.​

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Blossom’s Characters​

Name: Danielle Camden
Age: 23
Face Claim: Holland Roden


Personality:
Danielle is a spirited young woman who struggles to balance her duty and her heart. She loves her family deeply, but is now hurt and angry with her father for arranging the marriage with the prince. Danielle believes herself to be much more independent than she actually is and, while intelligent, lacks street smarts. Her studies have taught her about the world but not how to live in it beyond the castle walls and royal circles. She has tried to be the perfect princess growing up, wanting to be a good example for her sister, but her porcelain facade is cracking the closer the wedding draws.


History:
Princess Danielle is the second child and oldest daughter of the King and Queen of South Astoria. With her older brother being next in line for the throne, Danielle luckily wasn’t raised as strictly as him, but was also rarely paid as much attention by her father as the prince. Only a year older than her sister, Danielle and Payton were inseparable and often mistaken for one another. After the Queen’s untimely death, the two girls were raised by governesses and nannies as proper princesses, and enjoyed a happy childhood playing together when not in the public eye. While their father was strict, their mother had been fiercely protective over her children and wanted them to find happiness in life. The King did his best to grant the Queen’s desire, and though the Prince had to marry a woman of noble birth, the Queen’s dying wishes insured that he was able to court many girls until he found a beautiful Duchess that he was happy to marry. Danielle hoped that she too would be able to marry for love when it was her turn.

Unfortunately, the king made some poor trade decisions and South Astoria began to experience economic and financial difficulties. These difficulties soon brought to light the need for aid from North Astoria, and the king looked to Danielle, his eldest daughter, to help strengthen the ties with the Northern Territory. A marriage between Danielle and Prince Graham was arranged, much to Danielle’s dismay. As it turns out, Danielle has become close to her bodyguard, Leonard, and doesn’t want to marry the Prince. Danielle and the Prince have not met during their few months of engagement, and have only spoken on the phone.





Name: Graham Alton
Age: 27
Face Claim: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Personality:
Prince Graham is a very serious young man, with a strong sense of duty towards his family and country. Intelligent, well-mannered and handsome, Graham may appear to be quite the catch, but even this Prince Charming has his flaws. Out of the public eye, Graham can be a little controlling and demanding of others, perhaps as his way of compensating for the lack of control he feels over his own life. With little patience for mistakes or slip ups, Graham can be a bit quick to anger, and has a sharp, sarcastic tongue. The prince does have a soft spot for his younger siblings though, and does his best to hide his envy of them and their comparative freedom.

History:
Prince Graham is the oldest son of North Astoria’s King, and, as such, is the next in line for the throne. From a young age, Graham has felt extreme pressure to live up to his parents’ high expectations. Unlike his younger sister and brother who enjoyed more freedom to pursue interests and attend private schools, Graham received his education from instructors at the palace. His hobbies chosen for him and his friends hand selected by his parents based off pedigrees, Graham has not been able to lead his own life, despite being expected to lead his country. When his parents told him of their expectation for him to marry the eldest daughter of South Astoria to strengthen relations between the two territories, Graham did not protest. His whole life had been decided for him, so why shouldn’t his wife be decided for him as well? His strong sense of duty for his country has softened the blow of not being able to find true love.

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Danielle Camden

The wedding gown was exquisite, but the seamstress's compliments of how beautiful Danielle looked in the ivory dress fell on deaf ears. The redhead was lost in thought, looking at her reflection in the large mirrors in front of her. She definitely looked like a bride, but Danielle did not feel like one. This moment, her final dress fitting, was supposed to fill the Princess with joy and excitement, but instead her heart was breaking.

Her marriage to Prince Alton was not what Danielle desired, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself she was doing the proper thing. She had always done the proper thing. Well, almost always had done the proper thing. Her relations with her security detail, Leonard Davenport, had hardly been proper, and yet, it was those relations that she replayed in her mind during her fitting. It was those relations that she would lose as soon as she married the Prince of North Astoria. And it was those relations that now had her running out of her dressing room in the beautiful wedding dress that she now no longer had any intention of wearing. The surprised cries of the seamstress and her attendants echoed behind the Princess as she ran the long corridor to find Leonard.

It didn't take long for Danielle to locate the man who had stolen her heart, he was never that far from her, and she breathlessly confessed that she couldn't go through with the marriage. It was completely insane, she knew, but she asked Leonard to help her escape from... well, her life as she knew it. Danielle had tried to to refrain from revealing that her reason for betraying her father, her country and Prince Alton was because of her feelings for Leonard, not wanting him to have to carry any of the burden of her decision, but as her words poured out, so did her feelings for Mr. Davenport.

To Danielle's great relief, Leonard did not turn her away, and agreed to runaway with her. Whether his agreement was because Leonard truly did share her feelings or because of his sworn duty to protect the Princess, Danielle did not have time to ask. Prince Alton was arriving this afternoon to meet her, and Danielle knew that she would have to disappear before said meeting if she wanted any chance at a happy life. Just as Danielle was having Leonard help her out of the wedding gown, Payton walked into the room, interrupting their secret plans.

Payton had always been Danielle's dearest companion and friend, and without even waiting for her younger sister to ask what was going on, the eldest Astorian Princess explained her intent to escape from her pending marriage. Danielle begged Payton not to tell anyone, but begging was unnecessary. The younger Princess, true to her kind heart, was supportive of Danielle, and agreed to help the fleeing couple. Packing only what was easily accessible, Danielle made what little preparations she could after changing into her interpretation of casual clothes.

These preparations included writing her father a letter to explain why Danielle could not go through with the wedding- careful not to name Leonard though- and how she believed there to be other ways to reach better diplomacy with North Astoria than through an archaic tradition such as an arranged marriage. With the letter written, Danielle turned to her sister, placing everything in her hands.

"Payt... I can't even begin to thank you for understanding," Danielle said, her cheeks flushed from adrenaline and eyes teary from the thought of parting from her sister. "I'm so sorry for leaving so quickly, I wish this wasn't how things had to go, but father... Father won't listen to reason. If mother were here, she'd never have allowed this." The eldest princess handed the letter intended for their father to Payton. "Don't tell father that you helped us. Just say that you found this letter after it was too late." She directed, before hugging her sister tightly. "I will find a way to talk with you so that we can stay in touch, I promise."

Distraught> Rebellious

Dressing Room> Her Bedroom

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Graham Alton

The private jet had landed in South Astoria a few minutes ago, and Prince Graham slipped on his sunglasses as he stopped in the doorway of the plane. The sun was nearly directly overhead, and the warm weather was the first to welcome Graham to the homeland of his future bride. Descending the staircase onto the tarmac, the Prince was ushered over to the waiting limo. This was not Graham's first visit to South Astoria, but this trip was not like those he had enjoyed before. Despite being in his country's sister territory to visit with his bride to be, this was a business trip and not for pleasure. Ironic, Graham thought as the car door was shut behind him, that what should be a terribly romantic visit in any normal circumstance, was hardly more than a business transaction for him and Danielle.



The marriage between the Prince of Northern Astoria and the Princess of Southern Astoria had been born not out of love, but out of the diplomatic schemings of their respective parents. The betrothed couple had never met, and their phone calls had been awkward and forced. What little Graham knew about Danielle he had learned from his assistant and what could be found from a google search of the eldest princess. As such, this visit with the Princess ahead of their wedding was a critical last step before their "I do's". Not that anything would change, even if the two did not get along, but Graham hoped that meeting the young woman would at least ease some of the wedding day concerns.



The limo carrying Graham pulled away from the airport and began the drive towards the main residence of the King and his daughters. Despite the fair weather and comfortable transportation, Graham could feel his mood worsening the closer he got to his intended. Soon their engagement would not just be something on paper, but would be a living, breathing beast that they'd both have to bear. Praying that his future wife was at least half as amiable as she was beautiful, Graham tried to salvage what he could of his charming demeanor, reminding himself that he too was being judged today.

Discontent

Limo

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

anxious

location:

walking to the gazebo

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Payton Camden

The whole kingdom was now upside down. Naturally. A royal visit was expected and things couldn’t be less than perfect. Even more so since the crown Prince himself was coming. Payton could feel the buzz from the very first second she opened her eyes that morning and despite all the circumstances, she was kind of looking forward to this. She was not the future queen to go to the official visits, that was her brother’s deal. And the last time the Northern Astoria monarchs came over, she was way too young to attend that dinner. Of course, she wanted to see the Prince who was subject to all that talk.

Especially because it was the Prince Danielle was supposed to marry. This was the main thing that was making this whole day sour. Payton loved her sister more than the world itself and would do anything in her power to secure her happiness. Happiness that definitely wasn’t lying in a marriage with Prince Graham. Not many people knew about the secret between the wall of the royal home. Definitely not the girls’ father. But the younger princess was very well aware of who captured Danielle’s heart. And that it was the most forbidden fruit ever. But she kept Danielle’s secret. Danielle’s and Leo’s.

Today was the day the older princess was supposed to meet her betrothed for the first time. The first time they were really going to see each other. Payton was nervous for her. This could go either very well or it would be a total disaster. Yet Payton couldn’t stop the excitement that was washing over her as she was rushing across the hall towards Danielle’s room. “Hey! I was just---” Imagine her surprise, seeing her older sister hastily throwing clothes in a bag, assisted by her security detail, the man holding her heart and soul. “What’s happening?” she asked quietly and closed the door to prevent any prying eyes from seeing this scene.

What Payton learned next broke her heart and made it flutter at the same time. Danielle running away with Leonard was the most romantic thing Payton ever heart. A runaway bride, following her heart. But it also brought her to tears because the sisters were closer than close. There was no way in hell Payton would ever betray Danielle by telling anyone, quite the contrary. The redheaded princess was going to keep this secret and guard it as her own. She even helped Danielle to pack and waited for her to write a letter to their father.

“I will take care of everything. Just go. Go!” she encouraged Dani and sighed softly, biting back tears. “And you…” turning to Leo. “…you take care of her, promise me.” With a shaky voice, Payton let both lovebirds go and only after the door closed after them and they were well on their way to find better life, Payton fell on the bed and let her tears run free. The piece of paper in her hand became heavier with every passing second and her curiosity got the best of her. But reading those lines was a mistake because it touched her even more and brought more tears to her eyes.

In that very moment, Payton knew what she needed to do. She understood. Dani needed her best chance to run as far as possible before father’s wrath started looking for her. The tall mirror reflected the younger princess, currently resembling a pile of misery. But she wiped her tears and stood up, walked to Dani’s closet and opened it wide. The idea was risky but very well worth it. Prince Graham had never seen Danielle before. And many said that the sisters almost looked alike. It was worth a shot.

It wasn’t until later that Payton was walking outside of the residence. The day was the epitome of summer, warm and breezy, so her father decided to hold a meeting outside in the gazebo. Payton’s natural curls were straightened and her appearance reflected a true monarch. A large hat covered her face a little and it was a clever piece to trick her father. The man would not recognize her before she herself would want it. Her whole body was trembling because this was definitely one of those spur-of-the moment ideas. Danielle’s letter was resting in the drawer of Payton’s bed side table. And the younger princess was now walking to meet the Prince, making sure no one recognized her face. Not just yet.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

running away

location:

onto the garage

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Leo Davenport

To Leo, this day was dragging. Seriously. Not that he was in for a thrill every day, just following her royal highness princess Danielle around. But things happened, one led to another and his job became much more interesting than Leo could ever be hoping for. One thing his father kept repeating to him over and over again. Never make it personal. Under any circumstances, do not let the job get to you and keep your distance. And even this fairly easy lesson, Leo failed.

Keeping his distance from Danielle was easy at first. She was the Princess, he was her bodyguard. That was the setting. But the more time the two spent together, the more Leo actually saw her. He was a young boy, twenty-four year old one when he started this job. And Daniele was basically still a child, not even twenty back then. Adult but not legal to have a drink. Leo didn’t see her as anything but the subject of his job which he always took extremely seriously.

But as the years went by, he remained by her side for four years and watched her turn into a beautiful young woman. Not a child anymore, strong-willed, decisive and proud in the best way. And it was when he started to notice her more that he failed his father’s lesson. No wonder the two ended up tangled in their own feelings. The girl was smart and funny, the perfect combination in a girl. Leo always saw behind her royal status, a girl stripped of her titles and crown jewels, just her without all that pompous glory. And Leo loved what he saw.

Little talks changed into little secret meetings that left his lips burning after the kisses and Leo yearned to hold her in his arms just a second longer. Yet, the royal residence was not the place for anything more than they had. It was already too much and he was overstepping his boundaries. Thank god for the greatest ally the two could get. The younger princess knew about them and it was sometimes her who covered for Danielle’s absence and Leo could squeeze her petite body in his embrace for a while longer.

But what happened that day, Leo would never expect. The girl flew in his arms, flustered, on the verge of crying and her words hit him like a bag if bricks. Sure, he dreamed about grabbing her and carrying her away from this house, to a place where they wouldn’t be her Highness and Mr. Davenport but simply Danielle and Leo and they would stay there until the end of the world. But now, when her lips uttered those words, when his dream became a reality, Leo almost fainted.

Naturally, he agreed. There was no way in hell he wouldn’t. Danielle crazed his head in the best way and the man would fight the world for her. He wasn’t thinking straight, he wasn’t taking anything and anyone into account just them. And then she took him to her room, he helped her with packing. When the door opened, Leo’s heart sunk but thankfully, it was Payton. Once Danielle told her sister everything, they finished packing and he let the sisters to say their last goodbyes.

“I will guard her with my life.” he promised Payton and then turned to Danielle. “We should go. The Southern Astorians will be here soon and we want to be out of here when that happens.” His fingers laced with hers and they disappeared in the hallway, heading straight to his room. His packing took even shorter, just the bare necessities and he didn't even change from his "bodyguard" clothes. Leo grabbed the car keys, this time, he was driving his old jeep, not any of the posh cars. And just like that, he looked at Danielle, making sure she knew what she was doing. “I hope you’ll never regret this.” he whispered, taking her face in his hands, and pressed a long kiss on her soft delicate lips. Just a second before he took her hand again and off they were, running towards their new life.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Danielle Camden

Saying goodbye to Payton was a foreign feeling to Danielle. The sisters had hardly ever been apart, and even when they did enjoy the occasional trip separate from one another, it was only for a few days. But now... now Danielle was saying goodbye, and she didn't know when she'd next see her darling sister again. Everything was happening so fast, and Danielle wished she had more time for a longer goodbye. But Leo's reminder that the Prince would be arriving soon brought Danielle out of her thoughts and back to reality. Glancing up at the handsome man that she was giving up everything to be with, Danielle nodded, giving his hand a tight squeeze. "You're right."

Affording herself one more glance at Payton, Danielle's heart ached seeing her sister biting back the tears. "Love you, Payt." The older princess said, before she and Leo departed from her room for quite possibly the last time. Danielle clung tightly to Leo's hand as they hurried to his room, doing her best to convince herself that Payton would be okay. Her younger sister was an amazing young woman, and Payton didn't need her older sister's protection, but still... Danielle felt like she was abandoning her, and beneath all the excitement for the road that now lay before Leo and her, the redhead felt guilt for leaving Payton. That guilt though, would have to wait.

Danielle sat on the edge of Leo's bed while he packed quickly, her hazel eyes following him around his room. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her hands tingled slightly from nerves. It was hard to comprehend that in the very near future, she and Leo would be free from all the rules and regulations that had been restricting their feelings for one another. At least, they would be free as long as nothing went wrong. Danielle's stomach tightened at the idea of getting caught, and she didn't know if she'd be able to handle the despair of having everything she now dared to hope for, taken away.

When Leo grabbed the keys to his jeep, Danielle hopped off his bed, taking it as a sign that he was finished packing. The princess's nerves calmed a little when Leo looked down at her, but it was his kiss that truly steadied her. Time seemed to slow for that moment, and Danielle knew that she was making the choice she wanted. There was no other man that she wanted to be with, even if that man was a Prince. Leo's warm lips against hers was all she needed to be sure of that, and she returned his kiss affectionately.

"I won't." Danielle replied in a whisper when they separated, looking up at her soon to be ex-bodyguard with flushed cheeks and a confident look in her eyes. She couldn't imagine ever regretting her desire to be with Leo. Danielle had spent much of the last four years admiring the charming, handsome man tasked with protecting her. And this admiration had turned into something quite stronger the last couple years. Sure, sneaking about the castle for stolen kisses had been thrilling... but the thought that she could have more than secret dalliances with Leo was even more so.

Today's visit from Prince Graham had at least one benefit, as the castle was so busy with preparations for his meeting with Danielle, that no one noticed the Princess and her bodyguard make their escape to the garage. When Leo's jeep came into view, Danielle couldn't help but smile, now enjoying the thrill of the adrenaline running through her. She had never been this daring, and she had never felt this alive before. Once Leo unlocked the car, Danielle reflexively went to get into the back, before realizing that now she could sit in the front seat whenever she wanted.

Laughing to herself a little at experiencing her first taste of freedom, Danielle hopped into the front seat next to Leo. Her eyes sparkling with excitement, Danielle looked over at the handsome man. “I don’t care where we go, just take us far from here.” She said breathlessly, leaning back and ducking down a little in the seat so no one would spot her through the window the jeep. “And Leo... thank you.” Danielle added earnestly, understanding that she wasn’t the only one giving things up as they made their getaway.

Excited

Leo’s Jeep

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Graham Alton

The rest of the limo ride to the castle passed in a blur for Graham. He had been lost in thought, replaying the day his father and mother had broken the news of his own engagement to him. They had given him no say in the matter, so his response had been composed and muted. At least it was when he was in the King and Queen’s presence. Later that day the prince had taken his anger and frustration out on his fencing instructor, before drinking himself into a numbed state with his closest friend. Graham frowned a little at the memory, shaking it off as his limo pulled into the castle driveway.

Stepping out of the limo, Graham looked up at the palace. It was a grand estate to be sure, but Graham was partial to his own home and thought his palace to be larger and finer. When the King’s Royal Advisor greeted Graham with a bow, the prince politely nodded and returned the greeting. He was informed that the King and Princess Danielle would be joining him outside in the garden, and Graham was led across the palace grounds.

The Royal Advisor attempted to make small talk with the Prince to fill the silence as they walked, and Graham replied just enough to not seem rude. Silence didn’t particularly bother Graham, and he almost preferred it to the idle chatter that some people resorted to. While his younger sister and brother had gotten to yell and shout outside while they played, Graham grew up accustomed to the heavy silence of the castle study and library. That was where he was most comfortable now, for better or worse.

Not that Graham disliked the outdoors though, and today’s summer weather made him appreciate the beauty of the garden. Ahead the prince could see a gazebo that looked to be set up for entertaining, and he imagined that was his destination. At least they would be in the shade. Even though Graham had elected to forego his suit jacket, the high sun still served as a constant reminder that slacks and a collared button up were not proper summer attire. Speaking of which...

On the opposite side of the gazebo, Graham caught sight of a young woman walking towards them, her blue and white summer dress fluttering in the breeze. The prince’s gaze followed the woman, drinking in her picture perfect appearance. Her large hat swooped down over her face, but Graham noted her long red hair. Ah, Princess Danielle, in the flesh. It had to be. A small grin tugged at the corner of Graham’s mouth, and he quickened his pace to keep up with the advisor.

From afar, Princess Danielle did not disappoint. And as the prince and the princess grew closer and closer to the gazebo, each coming from the opposite direction, Graham became more and more confident that at the very least, he would have a stunning wife. He’d seen pictures of course, but one could never fully trust the validity of photographs these days with photo editing software. So to see Danielle now, in person, and have her beauty confirmed, put Graham more at ease. Sure, looks weren’t everything, but it couldn’t hurt to be attracted to one’s future wife.

The prince reached the gazebo just a few moments before the princess, with the king nowhere in sight yet. As, who he believed to be, Danielle stepped into the shaded meeting spot, Graham bowed cordially. “Princess Danielle, I presume...” He said, looking up at her from his bowed state, before straightening. “It is a pleasure to meet you, at last.” It might have been a stretch to say anything about this situation was a pleasure, but it wasn’t like married couples never lied to one another.

Intrigued

Gazebo

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

anxious

location:

the gazebo

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Payton Camden

The little plan Payton developed in her head in the little time she head was everything but safe. It wasn’t like the sisters never appeared in tabloids, separately but also together. There were simply way too many things that could go wrong here and the Prince was not an idiot either. He had to conduct his own little research, see Danielle in the magazines and newspapers and though the royal sister had not appeared in any media for quite some time now, making space for their brother, the future King, this past time did not change their faces so much.

And then there was their father. What kind of dad would ever not recognize his own children? He would do so even if they were twins. This was calling for a scandal but Payton knew she had to do it. There was no questioning from her side. Danielle needed time and Payton was going to give it to her. As much as she could stall. And maybe things would work out for the best anyway. After all, South Astoria needed this marriage and it would also be beneficial for its Northern sibling. Lying was not what a proper Princess should profess but it was definitely inevitable in this situation.

Despite spending so much time together, the sisters were different. Being the youngest, Payton was always the most carefree of all the siblings as yes, she was the third in line for the throne. But only for now. Once her brother got married and had kids, her claim would be delayed. Not that she ever wanted to rule over Astoria. God knew she would not be a good ruler. But this decoy required a certain change of her personality.

Danielle was always that perfect princess. Not that Payton was ever jealous, of course not. But that was the difference between them. While Dani could hold her decorum one hundred percent, Payton always missed a detail or two, got her skirt dirty or even torn, stumbled on her high heels, burst out laughing in the most inappropriate situation…and though Dani was in for every joke, any mischief Payton came up with, she was the one to be able to keep her face straight when necessary. Payton? Not so much. She was the tom boy of the royal household.

Now, walking towards the gazebo, she had to remind herself that she was Danielle Camden, the Princess of South Astoria, the one who was about to marry the Prince Graham of North Astoria and make sure her home country was going to prosper thanks to this marriage. Sure, Payt had her own ideas about meeting her one and only, about her own wedding and the life filled with love and laughter. Well, that all just dissolved in the thin air right at the moment when Payton decided to ensure her sister’s happiness. And if Dani was living her happy little life with Leo, that was enough for the younger Princess.

As she came closer to the gazebo, Payton noticed that Graham was walking toward it as well. Her heart skipped a beat or two but she kept her back straight, face perfectly radiant. Then it hit her. She was so not supposed to have her shoulders bare. The protocol forbade it and now she broke the roles and he might notice and…and… Payton was positively hyperventilating, trying her hardest to calm down. There was no use in crying over the split milk now. That was just a detail. And she was at the gazebo anyway.

One look at his face and Payton’s lips parted in surprise. She knew the prince was handsome but the reality exceeded her expectations. And she even needed to remind herself to speak. “The pleasure is mine. Please, call me Danielle. No need for official titles.” she smiled, trying to mask her shaky voice. “My father should be joining us shortly, I believe. Why don’t we sit?” Good, good. She remembered at least something from her etiquette classes. She herself folded her petite form in a large chair at the table and then, silence fell upon them. But the uncomfortable kind. Thank god, one of the attendants appeared and brought a tray with freshly made lemonade, all kinds of fresh fruits and biscuits. “I hope your flight was pleasant.” Payton peeped, looking at Graham but only for a little while as her gaze fell back down on the glistening strawberries, grapes, balls of cantaloupe and blueberries beautifully arranged in front of them.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

relieved a little

location:

on the road

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Leo Davenport

Leo knew more than well what Danielle was going through. Seeing the sister share their last goodbye was heartbreaking. He knew what was possibly going through mind of the woman he loved. Was she ever going to see Payton again? Was she ever going to come back? Was she ever be forgiven for running away from her life, her duties, her family? Leo couldn’t help but feel guilty. He fell in love with her and she with him, it was because of him she was now running away from the life she had been born for. And he felt extremely selfish for making this happen.

What they were doing right now was extremely risky. Anyone could recognize the Astorian princess and they were going to have all royal guards behind their back. Those were going to chase them anyway, once realizing the princess was missing, but help from the people would only accelerate that process. Leo was planning to hide somewhere until the greatest humbug receded and then they would have greater freedom. If caught, he could definitely be arrested for kidnapping her, no one would ask if it was true or not. Aiding the member of the royal family in their escape from their duties could very well equal to treason.

But the moment when he pulled her closer, when his lips covered hers in a kiss that took the solid ground from his feet, it was the moment when Leo knew everything was worth the risk. For her. For his girl. The one that was willing to compromise her future only to be with him. He held her close for as long as they could afford, his lips caressing hers, quietly promising that she was his from now until the end of the world. Her promise of not regretting this decision flood a new surge of energy in him and he led her to the garage where his old vehicle was parked.

A small smile tugged on his lips when he noticed her reflex to take the backseat. She always did when he drove her around, when he was still her bodyguard and she was his princess, the one he was sworn to protect with his life. Now, he was not the bodyguard anymore. But the girl, who took the passenger seat next to him, was still the princess he would protect with his life. The one he was leaving his family for without as much as saying goodbye. His father would beat the shit out of him anyway and mom would collapse. It was much safer to act first and then let them know.

With bags thrown on the backseat, the couple was ready to go. By this time, not only the plane from North Astoria definitely landed but the prince had to be in the palace, making his way to meet his future wife only to be disappointed. Leo turned the key in the ignition, the jeep coughed but came to life and Leo darted out of the garage, using the back gate for their escape. Fortunately for the two, the people in palace were too busy with the preparation for the official engagement meeting of the young royals so the old scrappy jeep could slip under the radar. Leo was speeding until they were away a good distance and he was able to join the highway.

Without any proper plan, the two were trying to flee and start a new life. And they definitely needed a shelter for their first days. And Leo had such place, out in the countryside. A small rural house, standing alone in the middle of nowhere. No one was going to find them there. The place belonged to Leo. He bought it as he imagined it as his future home. It needed a lot of renovation work but it was going to be enough for now. And the best part? He never told anyone about it as he wanted to surprise his parents. The perfect hiding spot.

“Are you alright? Feel okay?” he asked Danielle when the car slowed down and they were finally able to breath. His hand found hers, laced their fingers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “I’m in this for a long haul.” he added, hoping she knew he would never betray the trust she had put in him. She was his girl and Leo was going to make sure she had everything she deserved. Eventually.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Danielle Camden

As Leo drove away from the palace, Danielle watched the grand estate and her old life fade from view in the side mirror. There were so many people that she hadn’t been able to say goodbye to, namely her brother and father. Danielle felt horrible about leaving without a word to her older brother, he had always been kind and watchful over Payton and her. But Danielle knew that Philip would have tried to talk her out of her decision. He had always been the more sensible sibling, and he would have reminded Danielle of her duty, of what was at stake and of all the things that could have changed her mind about running away. So while she would miss Philip terribly, he would never understand how Danielle felt, and she couldn’t risk telling him goodbye.

As for the king, Danielle was angry with him, and felt betrayed by the marriage he had arranged for her. She had pleaded endlessly with him to change his mind, but he had dismissed her distress. The needs of the country had come before the needs of his daughter, and for this Danielle couldn’t forgive the King. She hadn’t spoken to him for the last couple weeks, except when absolutely necessary, so Danielle was hardly upset that she didn’t part ways with her father properly. The king would never have let her leave, so telling him goodbye was utterly impossible.

Danielle knew that Leo also had left without saying goodbye to those he loved, his mother and father. As Leo drove away from his life as well, Danielle watched him intently. She was terrified that he’d suddenly realize what being with her would cost him, and decide the price was too high. But as they got farther and farther away, Leo showed no signs of remorse, and Danielle’s love for him swelled within her. While the princess’s own father was willing to trade her happiness for the country, Leo was willing to trade his way of life for the princess’s happiness. Danielle would be eternally grateful to the man who swore to protect her.

Leo slowed the car once they’d put a good amount of distance between themselves and the palace. Guards would soon be in pursuit if they weren’t already, but Danielle didn’t want to worry about that now. She was a little surprised by Leo’s questions about if she was feeling okay, when it was her that should be asking him the same thing.

“Yes, yes I’m wonderful.” Danielle replied, squeezing Leo’s hand in return. She brought her other hand over to his as well, and lightly traced her fingers across his back of his hand. Danielle opened her mouth to ask if Leo was alright, but his comment about being in this for the long haul silenced her question. Tears pooled in her eyes for a moment, touched by Leo’s devotion to her, and she did her best to blink them away quickly. While they were happy tears, Danielle hated crying, and she’d already done enough of that for one day. She also didn’t want Leo to mistake her waterworks for sadness.

“That means more to me than I’ll ever be able to tell you...” Danielle replied softly. Right now, Danielle wanted nothing more than to kiss Leo til they were both out of breath, but that was a dangerous idea while he was behind the wheel. Her passions and show of gratitude for Leo would have to wait.

“But how are you feeling? I know I haven’t given you much time to think things over... And I honestly don’t have any idea of what to do from here.” Danielle admitted, feeling terribly guilty that she’d gotten Leo into this mess with no plan for how to get out of it. “Do you have an idea of where we’re going? Or are we winging it?” She trusted Leo more than anyone, and if they were winging it, there’s no one else she’d feel safer with.

“When we need money, I brought valuables that I can sell. I left my phone at the palace so they can’t track me with that... Um, how does one get a false identity?” A million thoughts and problems that now lay ahead of them rushed through Danielle’s mind. She spoke quickly, just rattling off things as they popped into her head. “I’ll have to come up with a new name. Can I cross the border without a passport? Are you going to have to get a new identity too?” Danielle’s questions did not expect an answer. They were more rhetorical and stream of conscious musings. When the runaway princess realized she may be overwhelming Leo with her chatter, she stopped, taking a calming breath and shooting him an apologetic smile.

“We can figure all that out as we go...” Danielle decided, not wanting to add anymore pressure to the situation. Leo had enough on his plate for the moment, being their getaway driver. A very handsome getaway driver, Danielle added to herself, sighing contently. Tearing her gaze from Leo, Danielle looked out the window, taking in the scenery fully for the first time since they started out on the road. “Beautiful...” She breathed, admiring the countryside.

Excited

Leo’s Jeep

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Graham Alton

Graham studied the princess intently as he rose from his bow, and thought he saw a look of surprise flit across her features for a moment. Her expression piqued his interest, but before he could contemplate what may have been the source of her surprise, the redhead spoke, asking the prince to call her simply by her name. Graham nodded compliantly. “Very well, Danielle...” He replied, testing the familiar use of her name on his tongue. “I imagine the king is very busy, so for him to join us at all is an honor.”

On his best behavior, Prince Graham mirrored Payton, taking a seat across from his fiancé at the table. A silence fell between them, and Graham took the opportunity to take stock of his bride to be. The photos of the princess had not captured her properly, Graham thought to himself, noting that she looked differently in person than in the tabloids. Graham chalked it up to shadows and lighting, having no reason to expect any dubious reasons for the slight difference. How could he have ever imagined that the woman who sat across from him now didn’t perfectly resemble Princess Danielle’s photos because she wasn’t actually Danielle?

The feature that did catch the Prince’s attention though was just how blue the princess’s eyes were. They were as blue as the sky, shining brightly in the summer light. Graham had thought they looked darker in the photos, more green than anything, but... Payton’s question about his flight and the arrival of refreshments disrupted Graham’s thoughts about Payton’s brilliantly blue eyes. And perhaps the most noticeable difference between the two sisters was forgotten, for now.

“Ah, yes, as pleasant as could be expected.” Graham replied, recalling how he had considered not getting on the plane at all that morning. The flight was smooth, but he had not enjoyed it. “How did you pass the morning?” Graham asked, doing his best to make the type of small talk that he despised.

Surely they both must be feeling the same way about the marriage, and yet they were performing the expected dance of manners and smiles, pretending nothing was wrong. Graham looked away from Payton for a moment, raising his glass to his mouth and taking a sip of the lemonade. The food looked delicious, and Graham was hungry, but they’d need to wait for the king before tucking in for lunch.

Graham’s dark eyes traveled back to his fiancé for a moment. Her hair fluttered in the breeze for a moment, sweeping along her shoulders and drawing his attention to them. The princess’s skin was fair, unmarked by the sun, and Graham wondered if the customs in South Astoria were different from those in the North. Typically ladies only bared their shoulders whilst wearing gowns and evening attire, but perhaps that was not the case here? Or, perhaps the perfect princess was not so perfect after all? Not that forgetting to bring a shall or cardigan would derail the marriage. If only it would be that easy!

“Lucky that the weather is so warm. You might have caught a chill in the shade otherwise.” Graham commented, wanting to see if his observation would warrant any reaction from the princess. If so, then the lack of shawl was definitely a mistake on her part. And if not, his attempt at tripping the princess up would just be interpreted as weather conversation. Graham was hoping for a little entertainment from this luncheon. The princess was putting on such a proper show that Graham decided to make it a game to break the facade.

Intrigued

Gazebo

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

irritated

location:

the gazebo

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Payton Camden

Payton’s heart fluttered so much when approaching the gazebo that she almost choked on her own breath. She was definitely going in with an advantage of her father not being present just yet. That gave her a moment to see who the Prince really was. What she was going to do once esteemed King Philip made his presence, Payton knew not but she was definitely hoping that her father was not going to mess this up. Not that this was some carefully crafted plan that had been developed for weeks but still, South Astoria needed this marriage.

So many thoughts were flowing through her mind. What if he noticed the difference in appearance? What if he knew already what Danielle looked like? Could he even be fooled by the exchange? And what if father ruined everything? If the truth was revealed, the deal would be immediately off the table and the Camden’s would even face the accusation of fraud. But if this went on, Payton was going to be Danielle forever and her sister would have to completely disappear or return home under changed identity. Sophie’s choice right there.

The whole situation around the marriage was a little lighter for the younger princess. She didn’t have to go through all the lessons on North Astoria, getting to know the royal family, having her wedding dress sewn, learning everything there was about her future husband. The fact itself still didn’t fall very well through because all Payton could think about was playing a rile of Danielle as best as she could.

The questions and answers between them were exactly that type that always made Payt wrinkle her nose. It was mechanical, artificial and everything but honest. But since she was supposed to be well-mannered and perfect princess, she had to suppress the eye roll and smile as if there was no other place she’s rather be. Graham was a perfect gentleman and very nice to look at. His dark chocolate eyes scanned her curiously the very same way Payton was gazing at him. They resembled two opponents measuring each other, trying to figure out who had the better chance to beat the other one.

Payton couldn’t stop wondering how this meeting was going to go. They were engaged…well, he and Danielle were, details, details. But it was all just an agreement between the families. But was this the official meeting? Was there going to be a ring? Or was that little piece already in the castle, lying somewhere in Danielle’s jewelry box? Payt didn’t know and even if she wanted to ask Dani, there was no way now. For now, her sister was gone. Completely.

“My morning was pretty sweet, thank you for asking.” she answered Graham’s question and wouldn’t go into details unless he asked. A proper little lady she was, not bothering the gentleman with her rants. But what he did next made her skin crawl. The picture of gentleman disappeared very quickly as he, in an extremely polite way” pointed out her little fashion faux-pas. Of course, it would never happen to Danielle. Payton’s eyes narrowed and lips tightened for a brief moment. “Well, thank you very much for your concern. Let me know if I can do something to make you feel comfortable. Another jacket maybe?” she spoke in an overly sweet tone, looking at his slacks and long-sleeved button up. And despite the fake smile she decided to flash him, her eyes spoke louder than her words, shooting a set of daggers at him.

“Your Highness, welcome!” A voice from behind made Payton shiver. The moment of truth was here. Father made his appearance and now there was a high possibility that her cover was going to be blown. King Philip approached the young man and offered a handshake before turning his attention to his daughter. Payton was faster, jumped up and gave the man a tight hug. Seeing the face of a girl under the large hat, Philip frowned and his lips parted to speak again but he found himself in that hug which he returned, still very much confused. “Please, play with me, daddy.” Payton whispered and let go, sitting back in her seat, smiling politely, ankles crossed. “We were just getting to know each other, father.” she chirped and reached for her glass, but gave the prince a death stare over the brim. She was still pretty irritated that he called her out like that. “I for one was wondering what is the next step in this brilliantly drawn plan.” Payton continued and her eyes flicked between her father and her future husband.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

content

location:

on the road

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Leo Davenport

Leaving his life in such haste and hurry was certainly not what Leo imagined when thinking about running away with Danielle but he was going to take what he got. Maybe it was for the best that it happened even before Dani’s meeting with the prince. Sure, it was going to be difficult and scandalous to tell the prince his visit was in vain and that his engagement was called off but doing so after the two met and basically confirmed the plans, it would cause even more trouble to everyone. This way, Leo got to drive his girl away before any further promises were made.

For a moment, Leo allowed his mind to wander a little, thought about his parents and how they were never going to approve of his actions. And he also thought about Danielle and her life. After this little stunt they pulled, there was no way King Philip was ever going to accept him as a suitable man for his daughter. Not that Leo ever had a chance. But the escape ruined even the tiniest speck of hope that it could ever happen. Not now. Not anymore. But it was still harder for Danielle. She needed to run away from everything she had ever known and join the world that was so far away from her reality.

Holding hands, they drove towards their allegedly better future and Leo felt that squeeze her small hands gave him. And in that moment, his lips curled in a smile and he knew that he was going to be happy with this woman by his side. And she said she was wonderful. He really didn’t need to hear anything else from her. When she was happy, so was he. The perfect balance right there. The road was almost empty and straight so Leo allowed himself to look at her and keep looking for a few second. Her profile was beautiful in the sun peeking inside the jeep through the windows. Sun rays reflected in her fiery hair and added her a little extra, bringing that beautiful crown to life. Her eyes shone like emeralds and her lips, those luscious lips, Leo had to fight the urge to lean closer and kiss her like his life depended on it. She was one hell of a woman and now, she was his. She decided to be with him despite all the difficulties. What more could a man want?

“I never needed time to think this through. Honestly…I’ve been thinking about this already. So many times. I’m…happy, Dani. I’m so happy.” Leo spoke and knew that maybe he was sounding like a sappy mess but it was all true. And he was about to answer her first question when the flood of others followed and made him chuckle in amusement. She was so adorable, worried about everything and trying to solve every question right now.

“Hey…hey!” Leo called out, trying to stop that little rant. “You don’t have to worry, Dani, okay? I know a place. Well, I actually have a place for us. It’s not perfect, not nearly as beautiful as the palace but it’s mine. Ours. It’s ours. And no one will ever find us there. We have at least a week or two, maybe even longer, to figure out what we want to do and that place will provide a safe haven for us to do so. No one, not even my parents know I’ve bought it so calm down and enjoy your freedom, okay?” he laughed and lifted his hand to touch her face, caressing her cheek softly.

It was a little while later that she actually relaxed and noticed the country around them. “And just wait until you see where we’re going.” Leo smiled, snaked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer. “If this is beautiful, then you’re in for a real treat.” he hummed and pressed a kiss on top of her head, driving towards the horizon.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Graham Alton

The princess's reaction was composed, at least it would have appeared as such to the attendants around them, but Graham noticed her eyes narrow at his observation. So the absense of a shawl had been an oversight on Danielle's part after all. The corner of Graham's mouth quirked into a grin. His reportedly flawless fiance wasn't so perfect after all. Good. Perfection would have been boring, and as Payton replied with polite words while her eyes shot daggers, Graham knew that his future wife would at least not be boring.

"Oh I'm plenty comfortable, thank you." The prince responded, leaning back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other. He met Payton's fake smile and dangerous eyes with an amused grin, contemplating his next move. Though the opening moves of this game of chess were interrupted by the appearance of the king.

Replacing the grin on his face with a stoic expression of respect, Graham rose from his seat and bowed to the king. "Your Majesty." The prince greeted before taking the offered hand of the king and shaking it. "Thank your for your hospitality. My Father and Mother send their regards to you and your family."

Graham remained standing while the princess greeted her father, surprised by the casual way she hugged him. The prince couldn't recall the last time he had hugged either of his parents, let alone in front of anyone else. When Payton and the king each took their seat, Graham finally sat again as well. Payton's death glare elicited a raised eyebrow from Graham, and he raised his own glass, silently cheers-ing her. The prince hid his smirk as he took a sip from his glass and recomposed himself before addressing the king.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Your Majesty, but I was under the impression that after my visit, the next step would be the wedding itself." Graham said, speaking to the king despite Payton being the one to ask the question. "Or are there some formalities that I have overlooked?"He continued, glancing at Payton for a moment. His eyes travelled from her blue eyes, down the delicate curve of her neck, along the fair skin of her shoulders, arms and hand... until his gaze rested on her slim fingers.

"Other than the subject of the ring, that is." Graham added, his brow furrowing slightly. "Were none of the ones I sent you to your liking, Danielle?" He asked, his eyes meeting hers once more. "My apologies if I misjudged your taste, I've not had much experience selecting engagement rings." The prince added, pasting a polite smile on his face. "Or perhaps you're just having trouble deciding, and I should have just sent my favorite instead. More traditional that way I suppose."

The King had been oddly silent on the matter of the next steps in their engagements, and Graham turned his attention back to Philip. Philip's attention, however, was firmly on the princess and he appeared to be lost in thought, the weight of the world weighing heavily on the king's shoulders. Graham feared that perhaps he had said the wrong thing, or had gotten Danielle in trouble for pointing out that she was not wearing an engagement ring. The King opened and shut his mouth, as if to say something, a couple times before finally clearing his throat.

"Excuse me, I seem to have lost myself in thoughts of business matters." The King apologized, trying to recompose himself. "Speaking of which... Daughter, remind me that I have something to discuss with you later. It would be rude to speak of it in front of the Prince, so I won't bother our conversation with it now." Philip said, setting Payton with a stern look. "And I'm sure each of the rings sent over was more beautiful than the last. The princess must just be having a hard time choosing, as you suggest Prince Graham." The King added, finally breaking his gaze away from his youngest daughter to smile at the prince.

Calculating

Gazebo

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Danielle Camden

It's ours. Those two little words uttered by Leo made Danielle's heart skip a beat. And the fact that Leo actually owned a house impressed the princess. She had never really owned anything in her life. The palace and their cars and belongings were either owned by her father or the country and the people's tax money. The fact that Leo had been mature enough to purchase a residence of his own... made Danielle feel a little foolish in comparison. And young. There was so much in the real world that she had no experience with, and now she had thrown herself in the deep end. If it wasn't for Leo, she surely would drown on her own.

Leaning her head into Leo's warm hand as he caressed her cheek, his touch dismissed Danielle's concerns for the time being. For now, she would follow his advice and enjoy her new found freedom. Her new found freedom with Leo. "I had no idea that you were a homeowner, Leo. Had I, perhaps I would have suggested we make our escape sooner..." Danielle smiled teasingly.

When the countryside spilled out before them, Danielle felt very at ease. Everything already just seemed simpler, and the lack of people everywhere was a welcomed change. "I can't wait to see your place then..." Danielle replied as Leo put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, breathing in the smell of his cologne and feeling his firm muscles beneath his shirt. Leo's kiss on her forehead made the princess blush lightly. These tender affections had always been something they could only do in the shadows, but now... it was strange having the freedom to express their feelings openly. It would take some getting used to.

Danielle had been in love with Leo for a while, but their secret meetings and stollen kisses had always been more lustful than traditionally romantic. She’d only entertained the possibility of having an actual future with Leo in her day dreams, so to protect herself she’d kept the L word to a minimum. But they weren’t in the shadows anymore, and she didn’t have to mask her love for Leo with lust. The fact that Leo had mentioned earlier that he had thought about running away with Danielle before too made her hopeful for their future.

“How very scandalous it’ll be though to be left all alone in a house with you.” Danielle grinned coyly. It would be fun to play house with Leo, the princess thought, before correcting herself. She and Leo wouldn’t actually be playing anything. This would be their new reality... unless something went wrong. And they could afford for something to go wrong, so Danielle wouldn’t dwell on it. Not when she had so many happier thoughts to occupy her mind.

“How much further do you think?” Danielle asked, looking out the window, excited to catch a glimpse of their new residence.

Excited

Leo’s Jeep

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

embarrassed

location:

the gazebo

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Payton Camden

Apparently, the Prince was going to be a mighty opponent in the banter and Payton caught herself breaking the perfect role of Danielle. Her sister would never let him to catch her like that. First of all, she would never have appeared here with her shoulders bare. But even if something like that happened, Dani would play it right and wouldn’t have let Graham to pull her out of her comfort zone. Payton was not really able to do that and got riled up immediately, shooting her own sarcastic comment which only made the Prince laugh and apparently amused as hell.

Payton would continue, no doubt, had her father not made his appearance. And Payton could already see it in his face, she was in such a big trouble that no amount of heartfelt hugs was going to help her out of it. She then shot one more dagger look at Graham and the conversation between the three of them started. And it freaked her out even more than she would ever expect because the matter of ring was, indeed, open. Damn, she should have thought this through so much more. But wait, had she ever seen Dani wearing an engagement ring? Those things were huge. At lest the royal ones. But Payton couldn’t recall Dani ever wearing one.

Hearing Graham speak about several rings, Payton had to think fast. “I am still trying to choose the one that fits best. Maybe your royal Highness really should have just sent one to avoid all this trouble and awkward situation.” Payton forced a smile and hated the fact that she plunged herself into this situation head first. What terrified her the most though was how quiet her father was. He only spoke in the end after shooting a warning look to his youngest daughter.

“I will see you right after this pleasant visit, father.” Payton chirped and reached for a few strawberries to muffle herself for now. King Philip only confirmed what they both said and Payton kept quiet, stuffing her mouth with fruit to keep herself from saying the wrong thing before she would think about it first. “I will choose the engagement ring today, Graham and send the rest back to North Astoria. I wouldn’t want to keep something that does not belong to me. As for the wedding, I’ve been assured that the preparations are fully running and I would propose our royal garden as the place of exchanging our vows, what do you think?” Payton batted her eyelashes at Graham, knowing for a fact that Dani would propose the same. If she was to get married against her will, she would probably want to do it at home. And now Payton was about to do the same.

“I for one agree with this idea, your Highness. I hope you won’t feel pressured into anything but I know how much this place means to…my daughter.” Philip spoke, not able to bring himself to calling the redhead at the table by the name that did not belong to her. The servants brought another tray now, this time, one full of freshly made sandwiches, now that the King was at the table too. Payton looked at the food longingly since she had not eaten a lot but yet another warning look from her dad only had her reaching for the lemonade. And then the growl happened. Just as the silence fell over the table, Payton’s empty stomach reacted to all delicious food on the table and she almost choked on the refreshing liquid running down her throat. Philip almost fainted and Payton’s cheeks were immediately colored in crimson hue. “I apologize.” she mumbled and would love for the ground the split open and devour her whole. This would never happen to Dani. Ever. Why couldn’t she be more like her older sister? Just a tiny bit more elegant. Was that too much to ask for?

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

excited

location:

on the road

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Leo Davenport

Driving Danielle towards his own house…THEIR own place, it felt like a dream come true. Sure, they had plenty of people behind their backs and it was more than certain that at least half of the country was going to be looking for Princess Danielle but Leo refused to be thinking about it now. All that mattered was that his old reliable jeep was going to drive them to the countryside where the small renovation-needing residence stood. The place where the two were going to be happy. There was no other possible scenario, they had to be.

“It’s our place, Dani. Our. Never think of it as anything else. Everything I have belongs to you now as well. And it is not much but I will give you every tiny speck of whatever I can think of, I promise you that. I want you to be happy and even though I can’t get you a castle and expensive robes, I will never stop working until the day I can deliver the world to your feet.” Leo spoke, watching the road carefully. He needed to drive just right as being pulled over by the police, that they simply couldn’t afford.

When she leaned into him, trusting and beautiful as ever, a small smile tugged on Leo’s lips. She really trusted him here and he would rather die than to betray that trust. He needed to man up for her, be the best version of himself he could, this woman deserved it and so much more. Definitely after throwing everything away to come and live with him in less than glamorous rural life. “Very scandalous, I say. What are you even thinking, princess? Leaving safety of your chambers to run away with a low life like me? Disaster, absolute and utter shame, it’s outrageous, disgraceful even!” Leo imitated ladies of the upper class before bursting out in laughter.

The country houses around them were becoming more and more scattered and that also told Leo that their new little palace was close. He chose the house for a reason. It stood alone in the middle of an oak grove, there were no neighbors close to it and it offered a peace and quiet they really needed now. “We’re almost there, sweetness. Just a moment longer.” Leo smiled and still held her close as her turned the wheel and got off the main road, hitting a few bumps of the field road that was going to bring them to the house.

It only took a moment for the jeep to near it. There was a long private drive that led them to a white house surrounded by oaks. The front porch was welcoming them immediately and it was obvious that despite being well maintained, the house needed a little work. Leo parked the jeep in the front and hopped out to open the door for his princess. “Well…we’re here.” he smiled and offered her his hand to get out. “It’s not much but…it’s a home. For us. For as long as we need.” he added and led Danielle to the door. “You ready to see your kingdom, Princess?”

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Graham Alton

Graham's concern that he had perhaps gotten Danielle in trouble for not having her engagement ring picked out diminished when she placed the blame on him. Graham's suggestion that he'd sent too many rings was more so to seem polite in front of the King, but for the princess to agree to it being his fault... Well he didn't like that. The princess hadn't mentioned any annoyance at having too many options on any of their calls, for this to come up now was quite irksome, especially when it made him look bad. Had he known the true reason for the princess's finger being bare, he would have been more than irked though.

"No good deed goes unpunished it would seem." Graham replied curtly, forcing a calm expression as his eyes narrowed at Payton. "No matter though. If you select a ring after our meal and before I depart, then I can bring the others back with me, and they won't trouble you any further." He added, stabbing a piece of fruit with his fork before putting it into his mouth.

Graham had sent Danielle the rings weeks ago, and while they had overwhelmed the princess, it was not because she had too many rings to choose from. The eldest princess had dealt with the problem by stuffing them in her desk drawer, and ultimately not making any decision at all. Unfortunately, that now meant that Payton would have to locate said rings and make the decision for herself now.

When Payton brought up the subject of their vows, the prince had wanted to object to the princess's request to have the wedding in Southern Astoria. Aside from purely disagreeing with Payton to be difficult, Graham also didn't like the idea of marrying in a foreign land, even if it was his country's sister territory. However, when the king voiced his agreement with his daughter, Graham was forced to swallow his dissent along with the food he was chewing.

"If it would so please you, then I will let my Father and Mother know that they should begin making their travel arrangements." Graham replied to the King, bowing his head in agreement, before glancing at Payton, resisting an eye roll at her batted lashes. The princess may have won in regards to the location of their vows, but ultimately she'd be the one leaving her land to come live with the prince, so he wouldn't dwell on the matter.

The arrival of the sandwiches was a much welcomed distraction, but before anyone could enjoy the entree, Payton's stomach loudly announced its hunger. Had Graham been taking a drink at that very moment, his beverage likely would have ended up on the Princess. As luck would have it though, Graham was not in the act of drinking or eating anything when the loud growl occurred. The prince's eyes widened in surprise, no, shock that such a sound could come from such a dainty young woman. Though, it was hard for Graham to still think of Payton as dainty, at least until the memory of this embarrassing moment had the chance to fade.

As the shock wore off, amusement took its place and Graham had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. The princess's face had flushed to nearly the color of her fiery locks, and Graham could hardly contain his pleasure at her little snafu- another mark against Danielle. While his laughter was held in, the grin that spread across Graham's features could not be tamed. Clearing his throat a little, the prince did his best to maintain his composure.

"Well, I'd say we should dig in... lest we are honored by another enchanting growl from your stomach, Danielle." Graham said, laughing silently as he smirked at the redhead across from him. What a story he would have for the lads back home about his perfect princess. With that, Graham used the silver tongues to place a couple sandwich halves on his plate. "My compliments to your chef, your Majesty. If these sandwiches taste half as good as they look, I am confident that I am in for a treat." He said, stealing his gaze away from the princess and nodding at the king.

Amused

Gazebo

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Danielle Camden

Leo's imitation of the high society ladies made Danielle laugh and shake her head a little at him. "You're much too hard on yourself, darling. I don't see any low lifes around here." She said with a teasing smile, wanting to point that out, even if he was only joking. "You're the most amazing man I know, and considering the circle of people I'm acquainted with, I'd say that is quite a feat."

All the money in the world couldn't have bought the high option that Danielle had of Leo. No man had ever come close to holding a flame to him, even the princes and noblemen that had tried to court her. Danielle couldn't care less about palaces or fancy attire, and though she had played the role of perfect princess, she was relieved to be rid of that pressure and standard. While some little girls' idea of a fairytale was the life that Danielle had left, Danielle's idea of a fairytale was the life they were driving towards.

Butterflies fluttered in Danielle's stomach when Leo replied that they were almost to their place. She really didn't know what to expect from the house that Leo had picked out, but as the jeep drove up the driveway, the house came into view and... "It's perfect..." Danielle whispered quietly, her eyes transfixed on the white house, nestled amongst large shady trees.

When Leo parked the jeep, Danielle could hardly wait for him to come around and open the door for her. She excitedly took his hand and hopped out of the car. "Not much? Don't be silly, I love it." The princess sighed, holding Leo's hand tightly as he led her to the door. The house was extremely charming, even if it did need a little work, though Danielle hardly noticed any of the flaws.

The pair stopped at the door, and Leo asked if she was ready to see her kingdom. Danielle turned to Leo, glancing up at the tall man with a suddenly serious expression. "Almost... though there's something I need to do first." She replied, taking Leo's other hand in hers as well, so she now held both.

"Mr. Davenport... Your service under the crown has been exemplary, and I cannot thank you enough for your devotion to keeping me safe. However, it has come to my attention that there may now be a conflict of interest that would prevent you from fulfilling your role as bodyguard to its fullest extent. As such, it is with a not so heavy heart that I must inform you that you will no longer be under the employment of His Majesty the King." Danielle said formally, assuming her role as princess one last time.

"In other words, I'm firing you as my bodyguard, Leo." The redhead continued, doing her best to keep a straight face as long as possible. "I hope there are no hard feelings." Danielle added, her eyes sparkling teasingly as a small grin played at the corner of her mouth. "If you can still find it in your heart to be in the presence of my company, despite your lack of employment, then yes, I'm very ready for a tour."

Enamored

Leo’s House

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

irritated

location:

the gazebo

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Payton Camden

First, she didn’t know about the rings. Quite an essential thing actually. And if she was right, if she knew Dani well, those little shiny pieces of jewelry were hidden somewhere in her room. Possibly a drawer or something. Payton made a mental note that it needed to be the first thing to look for today after the visit was over. “No worries, your Highness, it is absolutely no trouble for me to take care of the rings right after I choose the perfect one. Truly. I didn’t mean no disrespect.” she batted her long eyelashes at him, trying to calm the situation for a moment.

Poor Payton was trying so hard to be like older sister that she stopped thinking about those tiny little details that made Dani Dani. Maybe if she had led go a little, all those little faux pas moments didn’t really have to happen. But the poor girl really wanted this small theater to work and there was no real time for her to get ready. Payton was thrown in the water with sharks and she needed to swim. And the person who had thrown her there…was herself. Now she had to face not only Prince but also wrath of her father. Was this whole thing even worth it?

Graham was actually giving her a little hard time there and Payton would have push back, she would have got him right there and win their little banter war but then it happened. The embarrassing moment had to simply come right now. Of all seconds, her stomach had to rumble right in this one and it definitely brough her a horrible case of red cheeks. Her father flashed her an angry look and Payton knew she was literally screwing this up really bad.

“You know what….?” Payton started, her tone a little sharper than it should have been. Thank god she stopped herself mid-sentence and exhaled. “You know what? No, I think I’m done. I apologize for my inappropriate behavior. Not even not eating for the whole day can excuse such expression. I hope you still have your appetite, your Highness.” she sent Graham an overly sweet smile and once he was done with the prongs, Payton waited for her father to fill his plate before getting two sandwiches for herself.

After that, she ate in silence and let the men talk. Her whole insides was shaking and all she wanted to do was call Danielle. But she also knew she needed to handle this on her own, no matter how difficult it was. The game started and it had to be brought to the end. Philip smiled at the Prince and nodded. “I will definitely deliver your praise. I’m glad you are enjoying yourself. I do hope the rest of your visit will go just as well.” A look at his daughter followed. “I would love to get in touch with your parents and arrange the details of the ceremony and the reception. Or would you prefer discuss that with…my daughter and take care of everything yourself?”

See? Why Payton couldn’t have been this smooth in conversation? She had really no idea but somehow, she was hoping the parents would take care of it because she was not sure how much of Graham making fun of her she could handle without yelling at him properly. Not like a princess. But like a proper drama queen.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[_amaranth_]

mood:

pleasantly nervous

location:

new home

outfit:

click!

tags:

Desert_Blossom

Leo Davenport

Leo called himself a low life only for simple reason. He was one. In comparison to Danielle. Or in general. Being in service of the Astorian royal family automatically made him one and he was everything but a suitable partner for the princess. And yet, it was still him who was driving the scrappy jeep away from the palace, with the crown jewel herself in the passenger seat. How did he even get that lucky? That was just beyond him.

The place got close and Leo’s excitement was growing inside him. The place was modest, definitely didn’t stand a chance next to the royal palace but it was his and he was determined to fix it with his bare hands. And do everything in his power to make this place the home his one and only would love and cherish as much as he loved and cherished her. Though Leo never thought he was meant for that, now he was determined to build a pretty little fairy tale here with Danielle. Who said that they needed a castle? All that mattered was that he had his princess and would do anything to become her prince.

When the jeep parked in front of the old white house and the engine died down, Leo hopped out of the car and soon the two were at the door. Keys jingled in his hand and he unlocked, just about to lead her in after she agreed to be ready for the tour but Danielle stopped him. A curious glint appeared in Leo’s eyes but he stopped and looked at his girl as she held both his hands. Her face shone in the few rays of sun piercing the shadows of tall oak trees and Leo basked in her appearance.

When she started to speak, her words made his eyes squint a little. His whole expression became a little serious and at first, the man really didn’t know how to react. What was she trying to say here? She fired him? Wait, there had to be more to it than that. Only once she was finished, Leo understood that little joke and his lips spread in a wide smile.

Taking a deep breath in, Leo looked aside and exhaled, trying to look serious for a moment. “You fired me, huh? Now, princess…I can finally do this without overstepping boundaries of my employment.” he laughed with his last words and lifted her up from the ground, his arms wrapped around her waist, and twirled around with Danielle in his embrace several times, laughing out loud. When he finally put her down, Leo didn’t let go without planting a soft kiss on her lip. “Never been so happy to be unemployed.” he spoke quietly and kissed her again. “Come on. Let me show you around.”

The house was not very well furnished, that much was true. It only had bare necessities and kitchen. At least that. They had a place to cook and a place to sleep. There was a bed which Leo managed to get. It was not exactly the greatest model out there but it would do. For now. He definitely needed to find another job to keep some money coming in but they would make it work. He had some savings as well, had a pretty nice cash withdrawn, they would make it work.

Leo led Danielle across the hall straight to the kitchen with nice wooden counter and the kitchen island. The room opened to the living room, for now, pretty empty, only a large brick fireplace decorated the emptiness. “I know there are many things missing but I promise to get you anything you will desire. However, there is one place I need to show you.” he smiled and led her upstairs to the bedroom. Fresh layer of light beige pain was in the walls and a large bed resided at one wall. The room was turned to the east so the couple would be woken up by the first sun rays in the morning. There was also attached bathroom which Leo was working on for past month and now, this place was ready for them to use. “So? What do you think, your Highness?” he teased and hugged Danielle from behind, resting his cheek by her temple.

♡design by urzula, coded by uxie♡

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Graham Alton

The princess's sharp tone when she began to respond to Graham's teasing elicited a cocked eyebrow from the Prince. Was she finally going to drop the polite act and let him have it? Graham had been intentionally pushing her buttons after all, so he wouldn't say he didn't deserve a curt reply. However, Payton's recovery, switching to a softer tone and asking for forgiveness, almost disappointed the prince. It would have been amusing to see the princess's true colors, which he sensed she was covering up right now. But there'd be plenty of time for that later. It was probably for the best that Payton remained composed in front of the king anyways.

"Graham. You can just call me Graham." The prince replied, looking steadily at Payton when she said Your Highness. "And no apology is necessary. I assure you, my appetite is quite intact." He added, deciding to cut the redhead a little slack. The King's expression was likely punishment enough, and he didn't want her to completely hate him. At least, not already.

Turning to the king, Graham conversed with him for a few moments. "Ah, yes. I am confident that between yourself and my parents, our wedding plans are in good hands. My mother especially is very keen on arranging the ceremony and reception, so she would be pleased to plan with you, I'm sure." The prince said, before taking a couple bites of his sandwich.

The last thing Graham wanted to do was work out the details of a marriage that he didn't particularly want. Had he properly been able to choose his wife, perhaps he would have been more invested in planning and arranging the ceremony. But as it was his parents and the King of South Astoria who were behind the marriage to begin with, then they should handle the heavy lifting as well. It did occur to him though that perhaps the princess would like a say in things, so he glanced back over to Payton.

"Danielle, if you have any preferences of course, feel free to voice them. I know some girls put a great deal of importance on their wedding day, and I wouldn't want you to be robbed of all the grandeur." Graham said. They were both already being robbed of enough as it was. "Though, I was hoping that if we don't need to sort out the details of our wedding day, that we could use that time to instead get to know one another a little more."

The prince turned his attention back to the king for a moment. "If Your Majesty would allow us some privacy, that is, after our meal. I assure you my intentions with the Princess are purely conversational." Graham smiled, charmingly.
The King looked between Payton and Graham for a moment, deciding whether he should allow his youngest daughter to be alone with the Prince. His hesitation was not because he didn't trust the two to be alone for any unsavory reason, but for fear that Payton would give away that she wasn't actually Princess Danielle. The King was also unsure of how long he should let this ruse continue. Was he really going to allow Payton to marry Graham under false pretenses? How long could the charade last? And if they were found out, what would the repercussions be? Surely the relations between the two sister territories would be severely damaged.

On the other hand, the King had missed his chance to correct this unfortunate situation the moment he realized that it was Payton, not Danielle, meeting with Prince Graham. He was now complicit in Payton's scheme, and it would reflect poorly on him if he revealed the switch now. The switch that begged the question of where Danielle was and why Payton was playing this prank in the first place? The King had done his best to remain composed and unbothered, but he was beginning to worry for both his daughters and needed to speak to them immediately.

"It would hardly be fair of me to refuse you an audience with your future wife..." The King began, looking at Graham with a smile before shifting his gaze to Payton. "But first, I would just like to speak with my daughter for a moment after we finish eating." He said, giving his youngest a serious look that allowed no protest. "And then I will leave the two of you to your conversations."

At Ease

Gazebo

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Danielle Camden

Danielle let out a surprised gasp when Leo picked her up and started spinning her around, but her surprise quickly turned into laughter as she held onto her ex-bodyguard. She was on cloud 9 in this moment, and returned Leo's soft kiss when he set her down. If anyone had asked her 24 hours ago where she'd be right now, she would have said she'd be having lunch with the Prince of North Astoria. But now, as she stood on the front step of Leo's house, with the handsome man holding her in his arms, Danielle felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Even if it was a world away from where she was expected to be. Danielle smiled up at her love brightly and nodded. "Yes, lead the way."

The house was charming, but emptier than Danielle imagined it would be. The rooms of the palace had always been filled with fine furniture and decor that had been there for ages. All the rooms were suspended in time, never changing for as long as the Princess could remember. Danielle had never seen a bare room, and perhaps it had never occurred to her that houses started as blank canvases before being filled by their owners. It was a silly thing for Danielle to suddenly realize, the first of many things she'd learn about life beyond the palace walls, but it didn't bother her. If anything, the rooms held more potential for Leo and her to build a life together empty than they would if already fully furnished.

Following Leo as he brought her through the kitchen and into the living room, Danielle looked around, a soft smile playing on her features. It truly was so impressive to her that Leo owned this house. It was his, and now hers to share. Sure the king lived in the palace and acted like he owned it, but it wasn't because he bought the large estate. The King hadn't worked hard to save up to buy the palace. He had just inherited it purely because he was born into the royal family. But all of Leo's hard work and time spent protecting her to earn a living had allowed him to purchase his own residence.

"I only desire you... furniture is low on my priority list right now." Danielle replied when Leo promised to get her anything she needed. He was the sweetest, and the princess was so grateful for how much Leo looked out for her and cared about her being happy. However, she was just as determined to make sure he was happy as well and had everything he wanted. Danielle's escape from the castle had thrown a wrench in both their lives, but she didn't want Leo to lose out on anything because of her. He'd protected and doted on her for so long, but she was looking forward to the relationship being more equal footed and being able to dote on Leo.

Danielle raised a curious eyebrow when Leo said there was a room he needed to show her, and she followed him up the stairs. The princess should have guessed it would be the bedroom- after all, what other rooms were upstairs in houses? But when Leo showed off the bedroom and bathroom that he'd fixed up, Danielle's cheeks flushed a little. This was another thing that hadn't fully occurred to her yet in all of the commotion- that she could actually share a bed with Leo on a long term basis. The reality of what running away, and being with Leo, and this house meant was starting to sink in more and more by the minute. It was a little scary, but mostly exciting. This was a big step from their secret makeouts in dark corners.

Danielle leaned back against Leo when he hugged her from behind, enjoying his warmth. "I call dibs on this room!" Danielle replied, jokingly. She didn't imagine that Leo would insist they sleep separately. At least she hoped he didn't plan to.

Spinning herself around in Leo's arms so that she could face him, Danielle wrapped her arms around his neck. "Honestly though, you've done a wonderful job with this place so far. And this room is so lovely!" She smiled, leaning up and kissing him sweetly. "Though as much as I'm excited to help you fix up the rest of the house... I'm even more excited to help you christen all the rooms..." She whispered against his lips, devilishly.

Flirty

Leo’s House

Outfit

_amaranth_

nine lives