The Throne of Andy and Leyley

by leyleygraves

Summary:

The Gravis dynasty is in a state of transition as the Monarch of the Graves family dies, and Andrew is soon to take his place. Internal and external factors start to take a toll on the populous, and the Graves deal with a complicated mess of intrigue and betrayal.

Chapter 1: Ultimatum | Andrew POV

Summary:

The monarch of the Graves family is dead. Queen Renee Graves seeks to marry off her son Andrew and place him on the throne. However, Andrew finds this task difficult as his obsessive sister takes up the majority of his attention.

The sound of the church organ blasts through the cathedral. I am seated in the front row on the left column with my mother to my left and my sister to the right. We all watch as the priest starts the ceremony. The painting behind him is of my father, the previous monarch of our kingdom. People behind me quietly sob while others mourn in silence. I, however, simply watch. I was never fond of my father, nor did I hate him. He did his job as the king, but as a parent there was room for improvement. I must have looked weird as I feel my mother shove her elbow into my gut and say,

"Hey, don't look so uninterested. It makes us all look bad."
"Sorry." I respond before taking a deep breath. I try and fake a sad face.

Over the next half hour, we hear many people speak about my father. Then, as I was about to zone out completely, my mother called me up to the front of the room. I sigh and walk up and take her place in front of everyone. I hadn't planned on speaking, but mom forced me to, saying it would cause people to question my position as heir.

"My father was a stoic man." I start. "There were times even I couldn't understand his thinking. I'm sure there were times all of us in here experienced that. As king, he needed to stand tall and lead us all through our troubling times. He was good at that, and I will always look up to him for that reason. As we lay him to rest, I hope he knows that we were always there for him, and that he left this land beside his loving family. I will live the rest of my life knowing that I was raised by one of the best of men."

With that, I turned to the coffin beside me and placed my right hand over my heart and bowed before returning to my seat. The rest of the funeral passed by in a moment, and I end up standing outside the church overlooking the kingdom I am soon to inherit. It's not an eye-catching sight, but it has an odd form of tranquility that other nations never seem able to replicate. I smile softly as I think back to how simple life was before I needed to worry about relations with other kingdoms and the perception of my family. However, my one moment of peace is broken when my sister walks up behind me and flicks the back of my head.

"Hey, don't be such a loner. The nobles want to talk to you before we go home."
"Do they now?" I ask before letting out a sigh. "Guess it was stupid to think I could take a moment of silence."
"Don't you have enough of that when you lock yourself in your room? We just sat through dad's funeral, you can at least act like them showing up makes you happy."
"Oh yeah? Is that what you're doing?"
"I'm not the heir of the kingdom. My perception only matters when I do something scandalous."
"Well, then you must have a pretty bad reputation."
"Hey, barley anyone knows what happens in that gloomy castle, unless you're blabbing about it to your few actual friends."
"No, your secrets are safe with me Ashley."
"Good, I mean, not like I'd care or anything." She says before faking a pout.
"Alright then, guess I better go humor our guests."
"I used to be jealous about you being the heir, but if I had to deal with stuff like this all the time, I'd go crazy."
"As if you haven't already..."

We walk over to the noble families near the doors to the church. I spend what feels like an eternity speaking to every one of those snobs. I may have held on to my sanity this long, but I feel like I'm only moments away from it slipping. After so many conversations my throat starts to feel raspy, I finally get to take a breath and step back from all my royal duties. I walk down the steps outside the church and wave off the carriage that was waiting for me. I decide to walk back to the castle alone, if you don't count the two men in armor wielding swords behind me. As I walk the stone streets, the commoners all stare and whisper about me. Everyone knows I'm moments away from taking the throne, and I hear there are already plots from the nobles about how to control me. Not that I care, the less governing I need to do the better.

As I reach the gates of our not-so-humble abode, the two sentries guarding it slowly open the door for me. My two guards follow me inside until I enter the throne room. As I enter, I see my mother and my dad's old advisors speaking next to the throne. Ashley is huddled up on a couch scribbling violently into a notebook. I've seen a bit of what she writes in there. If mom saw, she'd send Ashley to a solitary cell to deal with her insanity. I approach the throne and look at my mother. She looks back with a tired look in her eyes. The advisors take a step back and mom walks closer to me.

"Andrew, as you know you are going to be crowned the king soon. However, before that happens I hope that you will have wed. A king without a queen can be quite unstable. If it wasn't for me, your father would have broken a thousand times over."
That all hit me by a truck. It's probably obvious as my mom looks at me confused. I stutter a bit before responding. "Uh, wed? Like, find someone to marry? Seriously, that's what you're thinking about right now?"
"Yes. The crown is heavy, you'll need to find someone you can trust to help hold it."
"I mean, I'm not against finding a wife, but are you going to hold back the ceremony until I do?"
My mother looks unamused before she composes herself. "I can't hold it back, but I definitely won't go out of my way to plan it until you do."
I slouch over as she finishes talking. "Alright."
"I do have a person in mind."
I twitch as I hear that. There's only one person she could be talking about. "You mean Julia, don't you?"
"Of course. You two have been friends since you were little. She'd be a perfect other half. And her calm demeanor will definitely help."
I knew she would go there. I'm not the composed polite type, and I can get pretty aggressive when challenged. "Do I get a say at all?"
"Of course you do. But I'll need to give my blessing to whoever you choose."
"Alright then..." I straighten my stance and look my mother in the eye. "I'll let you know when I've made my choice."
"Good. Don't take too long." As she finished speaking, she turns around and exits through the door behind the throne.

The advisors step closer to me, and we start another boring discussion on the defense and tax rate of the kingdom. By the time it's over, I can't even remember what we talked about. Before I can even take another breath, Ashley is standing in front of me, with her fists pressed against her waist and her journal pressed against her torso.

"Done with all that boring stuff?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Let's go do something."
"Seriously? What do you even want to do?"
She scoffs. "I dunno! Just something. I'm bored out of my mind."
I let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, fine. Let's go find something to do."
"Yay! Another adventure for Andy and Leyle-"
I lightly slap the top of her head before she finishes her sentence. "How many times do I need to tell you not to call me that."
"Okay okay! Calm down your highness."
"Or that."
I hear her grumble. "Whatever, loser."
We begin to walk towards the castle's garden. "Mom wants me to marry Julia."
"WHAT? That hussy? Why does she get to be the queen? All she does is try on fancy outfits and host dinner parties."
"That's probably why mom wants it to be her. And I haven't decided anyways, so it's not like she's being crowned along side me tomorrow."
"I'd make a better queen than her! I can actually do stuff that helps the kingdom!"
I smirk. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
"I- uh, I can-" She stutters before falling silent with a confused look on her face. "I can talk to the nobles all day without crying!"
"Oh. Maybe you do have a point."
"See!"
I look down at her with an annoyed expression. "You're not serious, are you?"
"Of course I am! I can do so much better than her."
"No, I mean you don't actually think you can be the queen, do you?"
She stops in her tracks with a shocked look on her face. "I-"
"ASHLEY!"
I see her jolt. "H-hey! Don't scare me like that!"
"You can't be serious. We were just talking about my perception in the kingdom, and you're thinking about actually trying to become the queen? Do you know what that would look like? A king married to his sister?"
"You know it's telling that you're only worried about your image in this conversation..."
My annoyance turns to anger. "Don't analyze me here. You should be analyzing your fucked up aspirations."
"Well maybe you should be analyzing why you have any interest in that shriveled up whore."
"I just said it's not set in stone, and don't talk about my friends like that."
"Whatever! Who cares about what other people think. If I'm a better fit for the position, image shouldn't matter."
"Coming from the person who was just bragging about not having to portray an image, this is insane."
"Again, telling."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
I stare down at her and feel my left eye twitch. Before I say anything else, I sigh. "Whatever Ashley. You go find something to do. I'm going to lay down."
"Hey! You said we could go do something fun!"
"Yeah, before you tried insisting I marry you." I turn around and walk towards the staircase leading to my room.

As I enter my bedroom, I lightly close the door and turn the lock. I slowly hobble over to my bed before falling onto my covers. What is wrong with her? I knew she was crazy but this is another level of insanity. I bet any sane person would run to my mom and immediately agree to her set up marriage. Well, then I guess I'm not sane...

Chapter 2: Facing the Music | Andrew POV

Summary:

Andrew mulls over his mother's proposition.

I wake up as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. Slowly, I push myself up and off of my bed. As I get dressed, I hear a knock on my door.

"Your highness, you have an audience in the throne room." It's the voice of my servant, Owen.
"Thanks, I'll be down as soon as possible."

I finish dressing myself and make my way downstairs. As I walk into the throne room, my mother and Ashley are standing on opposite sides of the throne. Ashley waves at me excitedly and beckons me over. As I approach, I notice her outfit is a lot more formal than usual. I genuinely can't remember a time she put together an outfit this appealing. I finally step up next to Ashley and look at the group of people standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to the throne. It's a mesh of nobles and foreign diplomats. It seems as they had just been in a semi-serious conversation, as they all seemed to loosen up when I walked in.

"Your highness. Good morning." One of the nobles starts.
"Good morning. You were wishing for an audience with me?"
"Yes. We wished to speak with you about the northern kingdoms."
"Ah, the trio kingdoms. What are they up to now?"
"Scouts report that they have started conscription. There don't seem to be any threats to their stability, so of the few reasons to start a military buildup-"
"They might be seeking to take advantage of our instability."
"Yes, your highness."
"I see." The trio kingdoms have always been proud of their armies. They're both renowned and feared for how organized and merciless they are. Our kingdom has had many altercations with them in the past, but we've been at peace since before my father took the throne. "We should order our sentries to double their forces at the walls, and have the commanders build up contingencies for an attack."
"It will be done." As the noble finishes, he and his family turn and exit the castle.

The ambassadors take a step closer to the throne. Out of the corner of my eye I see my mother's eyes narrow. The guards surrounding the room take a step closer. As they do, I wave them off and descend half of the staircase. I can hear my sister start vigorously scribbling in her notebook again. The ambassadors all seem unfazed as they begin to speak.

"The southern kingdoms would like to extend a hand in support of your defensive efforts." One of the diplomats says. "We are prepared to send one division each from our kingdoms."
"I see. And what do you seek in return?" I ask in response.
"Nothing your highness. We believe each kingdom that has been a victim of the trio have mutual responsibility for defense."
I stay silent for a moment, thinking over the meaning behind this proposition. "We do not know the target of their buildup, what makes you so sure that we are their target?"
"Well as you just said, your kingdom-"
"Is one of the possibilities, yes. However it is not assured that we are the target. Until that time, I will have to say no to this proposition."
The ambassadors have a look of annoyance in their eyes after that last sentence. "We understand your highness. Thank you for sparing us your time."

With that, the rest of our visitors exit the room. I turn back and see my mother has a slight look of pride in her eyes. I bow my head and return to my sister's side. She'd stopped writing in her book and is now looking directly at me. She has a wide grin on her face, and as the doors close she quickly wraps her arms around my chest.

"That was amazing Andy! You tell those annoying bottom feeders!"
"They obviously had a hidden reason to want to move their forces to our land. And don't call me that."
"Whatever. Either way, you're starting to actually act like a king!" She lets go of me and holds the book tight to her chest.
"You did well to see past what they were saying, Andrew." My mother says to me. "Even without your father's guidance, you seem to be a natural born tactician."
"I wouldn't say that. It was obvious. They were too eager."
"Maybe so, but you handled it swiftly. Well done."
"Thank you, mother."

With that, my mother nods and begins to walk to our meeting room. As she opens the door, I can hear the advisors bickering. She looks back at me and smiles before disappearing behind the doors. I once again walk towards the garden, and call my sister over. She quickly runs over to me and we walk together, this time in silence until we reach the grassy path. We walk past the flowers and crops, admiring their beauty and the fertility of our well maintained estate. I stop in front of a bench and sit down, as my sister follows suit. As I slouch over and sigh, my sister opens her notebook once again. I look over her shoulder and see her messy handwriting. I try to make out what is written down before deciding not to. Who knows what she's thinking about since yesterday. I take a deep breath and look over the garden.

"Ashley."
"Yeah?" My sister responds, still violently writing down whatever crazy things go through her head.
"I'm going to need help as king from everyone around me. That includes you and mom."
As I finish my thoughts, Ashley softly closes her notebook. "So you mean-"
"No."
"You didn't even let me finish!"
"I knew what you were going to ask."
"You just said you need my help! And you know what mom said, you're going to have to find someone to help carry the crown."
"Yes, someone who is going to be my wife. Which means not you.
"Ugh, you're such a puritan."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"It means you're boring."
"Boring brings stability."
"Whatever. I just thought you'd be more interesting."
I roll my eyes. "I bet everything is boring when you have such a messed up soul like yours."
"Hey, my soul is perfectly normal!"
"Normal for one that's going to hell." I say with a soft chuckle.
"Well, at least I'll have company."
"Company? You mean me?"
"Obviously."
"..." She's probably right. There's something wrong with me, many somethings. "I guess neither of us will be experiencing it alone."
"It'll be one last adventure for Andy and Leyle-" She stops herself for a moment. "-for Andy and Leyley." As she finishes, she has a look of confusion on her face before she shrugs it off.
"...I'm going to accept moms proposition."
"WHAT? You're actually going to marry that coward?"
"What else am I going to do? It's not like I'm great at talking to women, Julia's the only one who sees me as more than my bloodline."
"No way, I'm not letting her steal you."
"What is there to steal? I'm still going to be here."
"Yeah, but instead of taking me to events you'll be taking her!"
"You can still come Ashley, you're still going to be a princess."
I see her pout. "Yeah, whatever."

We continue to sit there in silence for a while. The only sounds being the wind and Ashley's pencil gliding over paper. Her writing is more aggressive than usual. I tune it all out. Thinking about what's to come, my anxiety begins to peak. Making vows and sharing my life with someone in such a vulnerable way, I've never prepared myself for something like this. I guess Julia's not the worst choice, I just never saw her like that. Her and Ashley used to be close, but around the time Ashley was 15 they grew apart for some reason. My sister started cussing her out any time her name was mentioned, and she can't even be in the same room as Julia without looking like she's about to break something, or someone. After a while, I stand up.

"I'm going to talk to mom. Tell her about my decision." I tell Ashley.
"Whatever. Just don't leave me behind. I'll kill you and myself if you do."
"Whatever you say Ashley."

With that, I walk towards the meeting room. As I reach the doorway, I take a deep breath and walk in. At this point, the decision has already been set in motion.

Chapter 3: Heavy is the Crown | Renee POV

"Mom. I'm going to propose to Julia." My son tells me.
"Well then. That's good to hear. Do you have a plan?" I ask.
"Not really. I'm probably just going to ask. Nothing too crazy."
"Well then," I sigh. "As long as she says yes."
"I hope so. I don't want to spend my life looking for someone else."
"I'm sure she will. It's a once in a life opportunity for her."
"I guess. Well then, I'll be back. Wish me luck."
"Mhm."

I watch as he walks out of the room. As he does, I turn back to the group of advisors. They all look back at me and a small smile grows on my face. I take a step forward and sit in the chair at the head of the table. I nod and the group in front of me return to their conversations. I'm not here to involve myself, just to keep tabs on what's happening in the kingdom. Hopefully soon it won't be my job to do all of this. Once Andrew finally marries someone it will be his or his wife's job, and I can finally rest after decades of holding this ship together. I look to the portraits lining the walls of this room. The founder of this nation and his descendants, all leading up to a painting of my husband. In the picture he stands tall in front of the throne. He holds a sword in one hand and my hand in the other. Andrew and Ashley stand beside us, each of them barley over 10 years old. The two kids I raised, who now spend their time living their lives with me less and less. I wonder if this is what I really want, to hand over the reigns and step back from a public life completely. I rub my eyes with my thumb and index finger. Either way, it's what our succession laws dictate. I'll soon be relegated to the role of queen mother. Not gone completely, but without the same responsibility I've bore for the majority of my life.

I was thrust into this life when I was 14. Married to my husband as an alliance with one of the neighboring kingdoms, but a year after I moved to this court my family's kingdom fell to sabotage, most likely by the northern kingdoms. Our family, the Gravis dynasty, took control of what was once my fathers land. I'm the last surviving member of my bloodline, and soon we may be forgotten. I am no longer Renee Read, just the mother of the current Graves family. I can't remember the last time I visited my homelands. Maybe I should take a vacation there once Andrew is crowned.

Before I'm allowed to be lost in thought any longer, I hear the door behind me open. I turn back to look and see it's my daughter. My eyes narrow. "Ashley. Can I help you?"
"Hey mom." She says, mirroring the malice in my voice. "Andrew left to go propose, huh?"
"Yes. Hopefully he will return with good news."
"Well then. Guess we just have to wait."
"Mhm. Hey, Ashley. I need to talk to you about something." I stand up and walk over to my daughter. "Julia is a good kid, but she doesn't have many female friends, at least not noble ones."
"Wait, you're not going to ask me to be her maid of honor, are you?"
"Of course I am. You've been friends with her just as long as Andrew."
"We WERE friends, not anymore."
"I never understood why that is. She didn't seem to do anything bad, what was it that caused your division?"
"Ugh, that slut-"
I raise my palm and swing, connecting a blow to Ashley's cheek that sends her stepping back against the door. "Do not speak about another family like that. Especially not in front of our advisors."
"God you're a psycho! Just wait until I tell Andy about this!"
"And what is he going to do? Attack me? That would be the end of his time as a free man. Yell at me? Scream? Do you think that's like your brother?"
"I- well..."
"Just as I thought." I hear as Ashley mutters something under her breath, but I can't make out what it is. "What did you say?"
"I said you're a crazy bitch who obviously isn't over the fact you were used as a political pawn as a child."
As she says that, my blood starts to boil. I take a step closer, but as I do one of the advisors taps me on the shoulder. "Your highness, maybe this isn't the best course of action. I can't imagine the outcome of such an altercation being anything positive."
I turn to face the man. "I suppose you're right." I sigh and turn back to face Ashley, but she'd already slipped through the door. "I can't believe I raised such a disgrace..."

I return to my seat, as does the Advisor that approached me. After a moment of silence, they return to their discussion. I sit here for another hour or so, listening to them bicker over the smallest issues. I guess I should start planning the coronation. I quietly excuse myself from the room and go to find the royal planners. I'm finally sure that I'm done with this exhausting public life.

Chapter 4: Jealous Doll | Ashley POV

Summary:

Ashley watches as Andrew is wed to Julia, an uncomfortable bout of jealousy fills her soul.

I'm in the cathedral again, in an itchy black dress. Standing next to the podium alongside a group of commoners that have attached themselves to the worm known as Julia. It's disgusting that I have to be here. I hoped I would at least get to be standing next to Andy. He's standing in the middle of the room under a white arch, and Julia slowly starts to walk down the aisle. My whole body tenses up and I grit my teeth, tying to maintain a normal demeanor. As she finally steps up next to Andy, the priest starts the ceremony. However, all I hear is ringing. My vision starts to pulse, and I'm staring daggers into the back of Julia's head. Her hair is silky and straight, her gown is sown and worn to perfection, and her skin is soft as- wait. No, shut up Ashley. This whore is the one taking your brother away from you.

Finally, the two exchange vows. They are each given a ring, and I look away before they kiss. The crowd cheers, and my mom walks up to the two of them. She's holding the crown my father wore, and the priest has a crown in his hand as well. Mom slowly places the one in her hands on Andy, and the priest places the one he's holding on Julia. I feel like I'm going to pass out, my blood is boiling and it feels like I'll shatter my teeth any minute. Once again, the crowd cheers, and the two lovebirds wave to the applauding attendees. The organs play a song as the two walk back down the aisle and out towards the street where a carriage is waiting for them. A picture perfect wedding for the new king of Gravis. Me and the other unimportant attendants follow them outside. Everyone else waves at them as they're carried away back to the castle, but I just clasp my hands together, my nails digging into my knuckles.

I see my mom call me over to another carriage. I walk over to her and she grasps my hand, pulling me up and in. We sit across from each other and the wheels start to turn as we're carried off following behind Andy and the meretrix who's taking him away. I slowly start to ease up as I take a deep breath. I see my mom staring at me with her cold, tired eyes. I let out a loud sigh.

"What?"
"Good job holding yourself together, however if you were a good sister it wouldn't be that difficult to keep your composure."
"Oh, is it a crime for me to care about my brother?"
"It's not, but the way you do it treads the line."
"God, mom. You don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't? Guess that notebook you're always writing in isn't about you then?"
My whole body goes cold. "Y-you didn't read it, did you?"
"No, I had one of my attendants skim through it and give me a report."
"What the fuck mom?! Why would you do that?"
"Because I suspected something, and when I heard what you had written in there, it was confirmed."
I fall silent, just staring in horrendous awe at what is being spoken. I knew mom was horrible, but to look through my diary? I thought she would want to avoid all of that... She's always trying to distance herself from me as much as she can. And now she knows about everything I write about, including how I talk about Andy... The next minute is silent, as we just awkwardly stare at each other. Finally, I get the courage to respond. "W-what are you going to do?"
"Nothing, as long as you don't even think about sabotaging the king's relationship."
"Oh... okay." I look down and clasp my hands together on my lap.

When we reach the castle, me and my mother step out of the carriage and go inside. Once we pass through the doors, mom goes up to her room and I walk into the throne room. As I walk in, I see Andy and Julia next to the throne. Andy walks around the throne for a minute before slowly taking a seat on it. His face is conflicted. Like a mesh of pride and anxiety. Julia says something to him, and he responds, but I can't hear them from across the room. Andy laughs, and I feel my heart sink. I slowly approach the throne, and Andy looks up to meet my gaze. He seems to calm down for a moment, before tensing up again and looking up at Julia. I reach the foot of the stairs leading to the throne and wave.

"Hi Ashley." Julia says. I see Andy cover his eyes with his palm.
"Hello Julia." I respond in a solemn tone. Andy moves his hand away from his face and reveals a shocked expression.
"Thank you for being the maid of honor. It really meant a lot, it's good to know you still care about me."
"Yeah, thanks for having me. It was fun."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know it was pretty quick, but Miss Graves didn't want it to go on too long. Still, it was beautiful, don't you agree?"
"It really was, truly breathtaking."
"Ashley." I hear Andy beckon. I jolt and look back to my brother. "As my sister, I'm going to need your help with ruling this kingdom. I expect the same from mother and Julia. We'll hold this together as a family, not just a single man."
"Whatever you need from me, I'll do anything for my big brother." I respond with a somber grin on my face. Andy responds with a soft smile.
"Well then, I should help Julia get settled in here. Before I go, Ashley, would you mind meeting me in the garden in two hours?"
"Of course. I'll wait for you then." I turn to look at Julia. "Congratulations, guess it's nice to have a sister-in-law, especially if it's you."
"Thank you Ashley." Julia grins, and it's intensely sincere. My heart beats faster, similar to when I watched her in the cathedral.

The two newly-weds walk through the door behind the throne, and I walk towards the garden. I place my hand on my heart and take a deep breath. I'm so confused. Usually, I'd be freaking out and throwing a fit, but since mom said what she did in the carriage, I've felt totally defeated. This is so unusual for me, but at the same time I have no clue how I feel about Andy and Julia, it's like my whole personality has been flipped. Finally, I reach the garden and sit on the same bench as yesterday. I reach for my diary, but it's not there. Either left it in my room, or mom confiscated it. Whatever, I just lean back and look at the sky. It's clear and light blue, like God made the perfect day for Andy... and the worst day for me.

Chapter 5: Ruling Behind the Throne | Andrew POV

Summary:

Andrew has a proposition for Ashley, it partially satisfies his anxiety about the foreign nations, yet only deepens his confusion about his relationship with his sister.

I help Julia bring in all of her bags and help her unpack. As we work, we talk. Mostly just catching up, and partially about her role as queen. We decide it would be best if she spent time getting used to her title before she makes any major moves. Honestly I should do the same, but it doesn't feel like I have that luxury. I need to tie together this nation, this family, and the loosening web of alliances and treaties we have with our neighboring kingdoms. Gravis has stood for five centuries, and I will not be the king to let it fall into disarray. Even if I never asked for this job, I am going to do my best. Screw the nobles and their greedy aspirations, screw the ambassadors hoping to use us as a staging ground for war, and most importantly, screw my mother. Not only for neglecting me my whole life, but also for abusing my sister.

I heard about what my mom did to Ashley the other day. When I was told, I wanted nothing more than to walk up to her and give her the same treatment she gave my little sister, but I know that wouldn't fix anything. Once I get a stable hold on my position here, I'll force her out of the capital and back to her home territory, far enough away from the happenings of the royal court, yet close enough to keep an eye on her. I told Julia about this as well, she helped me calm down last night. If not for her, I would have been too overwhelmed with anger to focus on the wedding. My mom was right about one thing, Julia seems to be a perfect pair for me. Maybe not romantically, but as another half of the throne. After just over an hour, I tell Julia that I'm going to meet with my advisors and Ashley. She nods and walks towards me, wrapping her arms around my chest and resting her forehead on my shoulder blade.

"Good luck Andrew. We'll make this the start of the Gravis golden age, together."
"Yeah, we will." I say before softly kissing the top of her head. I hug her back softly before she lets go and sits on the bed.

I turn around and open the door. Before I close it, I look back at Julia and wave. She smiles and waves back before I close the door and walk towards the garden. On my way, I see Ashley's notebook on the floor outside of her room. I grab it quickly and look around, nobody nearby. Did she drop it? Nevertheless, I should return it to her. In truth, I'm not really going to talk to my advisors, I have a plan that only me and Ashley can know about, and it's going to take some explaining. More than an explanation, it's going to need a carrot on a stick, something to get Ashley to agree to it... I may not be religious, but as I walk I silently pray for forgiveness towards what I'm about to do. I reach the door to the garden. There's a window next to the door, and I see my sister on the bench, just staring into the vast blue sky. I open the door and walk towards her. She looks over at me and smiles. She's calmer than usual, it's uncanny. I walk up and sit next to her on the bench.

"Hey Ashley."
"Hi Andrew. Is Julia settled in?"
"As much as she can be. I think she's pretty exhausted."
"Yeah? I think I would be too."
"Heh, I bet in a week I'll end up looking like mom. The cold gaze and bags under her eyes."
"God, please no! You don't want to look like that old hag."
"I think I'd rather die before looking like her..."
"Make sure to take me down with you!"
"Hah, that would be a romantic gesture, if we slit each others throats and they found our corpses next to each other."
"Don't tell Julia you're talking like that around me."
"No, not that kind of romantic you weirdo."
"Oh? Then what could that possibly mean?"
"Poetic romance you dunce."
"There's a difference?"
"YES."
"Oh..." I see Ashley slouch down. I bite my lip and turn away.
"Anyways, Ashley. I wanted to ask if you could do something for me."
With that, she perks up again. "Oh? What do you need?"
"It's nothing easy... I want you to help with some behind the scenes stuff."
"Like what?"
"Well... sabotage, spying, maybe assassination..?"
I turn back and see Ashley staring at me. Her eyes were shining. "Really? Me? You want me to do all that?"
"Well, yeah. But you'll need to do training. What I'm asking of you isn't as simple as going to dinners in a fancy dress and talking to royalty."
"So what would I need to train for?"
"Well... fighting."
Her excitement fades. "Oh. That sounds like a lot of work."
I stand up. "Listen, Ashley, I really need you to do this."
"I don't know Andy..."
I ignore her use of that nickname for now. "Please... Ashley, trust me with this."
"..."
I sigh. "Maybe, I can reward you for all that work..."
With that, Ashley looks up at me. "Oh?" She stands up and I turn to face her directly.
"Yeah... whatever you want..." I take a step closer. "I'm ready to give whatever you need in return."
Ashley stares straight up at me. "Like-"
I place my hands on Ashley's waist. "Whatever you ask for."
"Oh- wait, are you serious?"
I take my right hand off of her waist and place it on her chin. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
"Wh- I mean, no, you don't. But-"
I pull her face up and lean down a bit. I connect my lips with hers for a moment before straightening my back. "Don't act like this isn't what you want."
"I- I won't." She falls silent for a moment. "If you mean it, and you keep up your end of the bargain, I'll do it."
"Good. Then it's a deal." I let go of Ashley and take two steps back. "I'll send for one of our commanders to take up training you. It's going to be difficult, you better not back down from this, Ashley. I really need this."
"Of course. I'll do my best. I won't let you down!"

I nod and turn back towards the castle. I walk back inside and as I close the door, I see Ashley grinning ear to ear. I smile for a moment before shaking my head. I shouldn't be enjoying this. I just married Julia, this isn't healthy. But, for some reason, it feels like a weight was just lifted off my shoulders. I head back up to my room and slip in silently. Julia's asleep on the bed. I quietly get ready myself and slide onto the bed. I lay on my back and look at the ceiling. My head is spinning, I can't focus on a single thought. I lay here trying to make sense of everything in my head until I finally nod off and fall asleep.

Chapter 6: Floral Queen | Julia POV

Summary:

Ashley is sent off to train and Julia gets a strange feeling.

As I wake up the next morning, I see Andrew in front of the dresser putting together today's out fit. I slide out of bed and sneak up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and nuzzling the back of his neck. I see him smile when I peek over his shoulder and look into the mirror. I let go of him and start putting together my outfit for the day, mimicking the soft smile Andrew had. As we both finish getting dressed, Andrew begins a conversation.

"Ashley's being sent off today. She's heading out to one of our outposts to learn basic combat." His smile is gone as he tells me this.
I look over at him with concern in my eyes. "Oh? Is that what you were talking about yesterday?"
He just stares into the mirror, his eyes narrowing. "Yes. She's going to act as my personal saboteur."
"Oh." That kind of surprises me. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his left elbow. "Come on then, let's see her before she leaves!"
Andrew looks down at me and smiles. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

We both walk out of our room and as we do, two guards start following us. We start walking down the hall, our hands interlaced. As we walk, we pass Ashley's room, then an upwards staircase, then at the end of the hallway a stairway leading down. We slowly walk down together and as we open the door at the bottom, passing into the throne room, we see Ashley being set up in what seems to be leather armor. She does not look too happy about the crowd she's in, but as she looks up and sees us, her face lights up with a wide smile. If it weren't for the measuring tape and chunks of armor being taken on and off of her, she most likely would've ran over to us. I roll my eyes and start walking up to her, Andrew following alongside me. As we step closer, maybe only five feet away, she starts talking in her usual energetic way.

"Good morning Andrew! Hi Julia! Doesn't this just look great?" In that last word is a heavy serving of sarcasm.
"You need to get fit properly before you start your training, Ashley. While it's important to know how to fight normally, in most situations you'll need to be used to fighting in armor." Andrew tells his sister.
"Well, I'm sure you'll look great when you're done. I'm sure they'll let you chose a little bit of your own style." I reassure her.
"Ooh, if I do, I'm gonna look like a demon! Get two horns and-" Before Ashley can finish, Andrew slightly chops the top of her head.
"You can choose your own style to an extent, but you will need to be able to blend in with crowds. Having horns protruding from your head is just going to stick out."
Ashley rubs the top of her head "Yeah, alright I got it. I'll probably stick with the outfit being all black. Not like our family deviates from darker colors. Maybe a hood and a mask to cover my jaw?"
Andrew nods in approval. "Basic, to the point and practical. I like it."
"Well, guess that's the plan!" Ashley says with a wide grin.

Andrew looks to the designer next to Ashley and nods, and the designer shrugs and gets back to work. Me and Andrew walk over to the throne. As I look at the throne, I notice a second one placed next to the main one. I look at Andrew and he just smiles. He takes my hand and guides my into sitting in the new throne. He takes a seat beside me and I look at him as he looks back. I grasp his right hand and hold it between my two palms, smiling from ear to ear. Andrew's soft smile is subtle yet breathtaking. I've spent my whole life wishing Andrew would look at me like this, and now that he is I feel complete. I look back over the group of attendants working with Ashley. She looks really annoyed again, but she doesn't seem to be arguing. After another ten minutes, the group spreads out and we get to look at Ashley's new outfit. It's straight out of a mystery story, the hooded spy that works to sabotage a rival kingdom. The only deviation from the all black and brown outfit is the belts and strings. The belts metal are a deep pink, and the strings are the same. Ashley looks up to us and her eyes close. I assume it's a smile since we can't see past the mask covering the lower half of her face.

Andrew waves Ashley over to us. She walks up to the two of us and places her right hand over her heart. Andrew stands up and I follow his example

"Ashley. You are being sent to one of our military outposts just outside of the capital. You will meet up with the local division commander and he will train you in everything he knows. Once that is complete, return back here. We will discuss your future past this training then." Andrews tone is firm yet caring. Ashley smirks and responds with:
"Of course, I'll do my best! Just keep up your end of our deal." She turns to me and waves. "I'll see you later Julia!" And with that, she turns around and skips out the door.

She'll be gone for a few weeks at least, and as the door at the opposite side of the room closes, Andrew lets out a heavy sigh and sits down. He places his thumb and index finger on opposite sides of his forehead and rubs his temple. I sit down beside him and stare off into nothing for a moment. Ashley's been really nice to me ever since the wedding. I heard from my friends that Ashley hated me, so I was worried that she'd be angry with me around. It's better this way but definitely not what I had expected. I also know Ashley and Andrew are super close, and when we were all younger separating Ashley from Andrew would result in a screaming match or something worse. I look up at the ceiling before swinging my head to look at Andrew again.

"Hey, Andrew, what did she mean by your end of the bargain?" I ask softly.
"Hm? Oh, she just wanted a favor from me in return. I think it's fair, favor for a favor."
"Yeah, I guess."

That answer had a mixed effect. It satiated my curiosity, but something just didn't feel right. It's probably just my anxiety again, so I push the confusing feelings down and smile. I'm married to the one man I've loved all my life, everything is perfect. I just need to settle in and everything will be fine.

Chapter 7: Vigorous Training | Ashley POV

Summary:

After 3 months, Ashley is finally sent back to the Gravis capital city.

Notes:

oh they fuckin now.

I'm riding back home on the back of a horse given to me by the commander. Twelve weeks have passed, longer than I thought it would last, but whatever. I finally completed my training. All that's needed now is for me to get home and show Andy what my training has led up to. As I am carried through the streets, the commoners place their hands on their hearts and bow to me. I smile and wave at all of them, I'm extremely grateful to be back home. Training was difficult, and the commander was harsh, but I can tell that I learned a lot. Definitely not some super soldier who can hold off an entire army, but enough skill to hold my own against almost any sentry. As I gallop up to the castle, I am met by my head assistant Octavia. I hop off of my steed and rush up to her, wrapping my arms around her.

"Octi! It's been forever!"
"I know- I know! I missed you too Leyley."

I let go of her and she leads me up the steps. We gossip about what's happened around the kingdom and I tell her all about my training. According to Octavia, Julia's really leaned into her role. She's been helping Andy with his responsibilities, as well as attending as many noble parties as she can. That last part is in contrast to Andy, he's been ducking as many events as possible. I tell Octavia about the mock battles I went through. At first, I sucked. Got a lot of cuts and bruises, but I learned how to stand on my own, and soon enough I was better than the majority of the recruits on the base. I flex my left arm and Octavia pokes at my biceps. As she does, I wrap my arm around her neck and lightly drag her behind me as we both laugh. Once we make it to the doorway outside the throne room, we both straighten up and push the doors open. As we walk in, we notice Andy surrounded by his advisors having an aggressive discussion. My brother looks like he's about to snap, but he looks up and meets my gaze and instantly his face lights up. He waves off his advisors and stands up, running up towards me and hugs me tightly, picking me up and spinning around.

"Ashley! You're back! It's been forever since I've seen you."
"Haha, yeah it has. Put me down before I get dizzy!"
Andrew puts me back on my feet and takes a step back. "Welcome home Ashley."
"It's good to be back Andrew." Our eyes don't separate for a second as we talk.
"Alright, Leyley, I'll make sure your things are brought to your room." Octavia tells me.
I nod in response, still looking at Andrew. "So, Andrew... where's Julia?"
"She's at an event hosted by one of our nobles, out in the outskirts of the kingdom."
"So, she's not going to be home tonight?"
"No, not tonight."
"Oh, well that's too bad."
"I know, unfortunate."
"Well then, Andrew. We should go catch up." I say with a smirk.
"Sounds like a good idea." He responds with a soft smile.

Andrew takes my hand and we walk through the door behind the throne. We run up the stairs and through the door of my room. Once we're inside, I turn the lock and look over at Andrew. He's standing with an air of confidence as he scans my room. I slowly walk up to him and wrap my arms around his waist from behind him. He places his left hand on my wrist and lightly rubs it with his thumb. He lifts my arm and turns to face me, looking down with a light in his eyes I've never seen before. He steps closer to me and I take a step back. He grips my wrists with his hands and shoves them against the wall, pinning me next to the door. He slides my hands together above my head and grasps both of my wrists with one hand. He leans over and lightly holds my chin between his fingers and lifts my head up. Our lips connect and he pushes me up against the wall harder. I feel his tongue slip between my lips as I use mine to fight back against his. He lets go of my face and slides his hand down my torso until he reaches the belt holding my outfit together. He quickly unbuckles it and rips it off of me, causing the leather pants I had on to slowly fall to my ankles.

Andrew pulls his face away from mine for a moment, both of us breathing heavily. He grasps the bottom of my tunic and pulls it up and over my head as I slip my arms out from the sleeves. Andrew throws the tunic to the ground and looks me up and down. I can see the lust in his eyes, and I take a step forward, slowly unbuttoning his dress shirt from the bottom. He starts to do the same from his neck down, and as the entire shirt is unbuttoned he tears it off of his body and into the corner of the bedroom. He quickly takes off his belt and I unbutton his pants, sliding them down until he steps out of them. I straighten my posture and place my palms on Andy's chest, pushing him backwards until he trips and falls onto my bed. I crawl on top of him slowly until we're face to face. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. As I do, he places his hands behind my torso, pulling my chest against his. I bite his lower lip and laugh softly. We let go of each other and I sit up. I position myself above Andy's waist and look down at him. He nods between his rough breathing and I slowly slide on top of his dick, allowing time for me to get used to its size. I then begin to push myself up then lowering back down, speeding up each time until I hit a decent rhythm. I see Andy's face is bright red, and his eyes roll back a bit. I keep up the rhythm for about a minute before sliding off of him. He looks back at me and I smirk. He rolls his eyes before wrapping his legs around my waist, pushing me onto the mattress and positioning him over top of me. He's basically panting at this point as he pushes my legs apart and slides inside me. He's not very subtle, as within a few seconds he's pounding inside as far as he can. In and out, in and out, each movement taking only a second. It kind of hurts, but I kind of like it like that. My breathing picks up as he continues to pound.

We hear someone push against my door and we both freeze. After a moment we hear things being set down outside my room and people walk off. We both sigh in relief as Andy looks back down at me. He leans over and starts laying into me again. It's somehow more aggressive this time, and I feel my whole body shake. My hands lay at my side, but Andy grasps my right hand with his left, squeezing it and smiling at me. I close my eyes and smile back as the bed shakes. I feel him shaking inside me as he begins to grunt. He lets go of my hand and grasps the bedframe as he pushes harder, and harder, and harder until I feel something soft be released inside me as his rhythm slows down. I gasp for air as he slowly pulls out of me and falls on the mattress beside me. We're both breathing heavily as I turn my head to the right and meet Andy's gaze. He reaches out and grasps my hand, squeezing it as his breathing starts to return to normal.

As we both settle down, Andy pulls me closer to him and wraps his arms around my chest. He grabs a blanket from the side of my bed and covers us both with it. I turn myself to the left and turn into the little spoon when I feel Andy's lips caress my neck. I lightly slide one of my fingers up and down Andy's right forearm as I slowly start to nod off. I smile softly as I can tell Andy's already fallen asleep. I lean back into Anyd's shoulder and hold his right hand in mine. These past three months have been totally worth it. I made it through all that vigorous training, and I'm happier than ever that I did. I feel my senses start to fade as I finally join Andy, our hearts beating at the same tempo.