by C R Riley
When we approach the steps, I put her hand in mine, motioning for her to continue ahead of me while I offer her assistance. This is a most taboo gesture, so when I hear the audible objections, I twist my head and let them all know I will not tolerate it. Once we are both standing in front of our designated thrones, I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it.
The Thorne Room falls silent. This room was designed so that all in attendance could hear a simple whisper if spoken from where I am standing. So, I don’t need a microphone to give my prepared speech.
“We would like to thank all of you for joining us this evening. I can identify several different reactions and expressions on all the faces staring back at us. Many of you are probably shocked, maybe even disappointed, that you were not informed that this venue has been changed from a simple engagement party to a celebration of our recent nuptials. I … pardon me I misspoke. I mean we meant no disrespect by keeping you all in the dark.”
A female voice echoes off the walls. “Yes, you did.”
I know the voice so I direct my attention to where she is standing with the other women in her group. “I can assure you we did not, and to question me about it is calling me a liar. I will not stand here and defend my actions or my decision to marry the woman of my choosing. I will however enlighten you that it was executed properly last night in this very room. The Vicar conducted the traditional ceremony that not only united us as husband and wife, but also unified us as your King and Queen. My family and Queen Larkin’s were both present to share in the scared ceremony with us. A choice we made as a couple.
“And for those who have assumed a union like this goes against the conventional protocols that have been laid out and always followed, let me remind you that as King I say what is and what is not acceptable. And it is always acceptable to marry for love over conventions that are outdated and should have been abandoned long ago.
“There will be no more arranged marriages, or marriages of convenience performed from this point forward. Our children will be allowed to freely choose their spouses. My brothers and sisters are also free to marry for love. The Royal family will no longer entertain negotiations.
“This is a brave new world and there will be many modifications to how the Royal family conducts its personal affairs moving forward. We no longer live in the Dark Ages so it is time we bring this family, along with this country, into the twenty-first century.
“Accordingly, tonight Queen Larkin and I, King Antonio, for the first time in the history of Hermosa Islas, formally announce that we will rule as one. I, King Antonio, grant my Queen equality in all things.”
Larkin squeezes my hand as she prepares to speak. “And I Queen Larkin Moon Reyes accept the equality my King wishes to grant me, with one exception.”
We had an argument about this early this morning, when I told her of my plans. She has no desire to have any say in the way the kingdom operates, the political aspects of it. I however strongly disagreed with her and warned her that if she tried to pass on it, I’d simple not accept it.
“I will gladly voice my opinion on all matters when asked, support my husband in all things, and stand by his side united as his equal. But should we disagree, or should I feel the need to not provide an opinion, then the King’s decision will be mine. After all I believe the Lord made the husband the head of the house, because there cannot be two heads, otherwise things would never get done. As a loyal servant of God, I chose to follow his law in this matter and submit to my husband when I must.”
Well, I believe I said earlier that one never knows how others will react in certain situations. Case in point. Apparently, my wife has been busy endeavoring to figure out the best way to pass on those political responsibilities, and I must say I am very impressed.
“I accept my wife’s amended proposal.” For good measure, and because right now I just really want to, I lean down and kiss her. “Shall we make this official?”
My loyal family starts and my faithful audience follows. “All hail to the King and Queen. May your reign be long and prosperous, a strength that will lead us and make us a stronger nation.”
The crowd shouts and bows. “All hail to the King and Queen.”
I take my Queen’s hand and raise it high, and much like we did last night we take our seats together. I glance over at her and notice she is doing her best not burst into laughter like she did then. So, I lean over and whisper in her ear to hopefully make it look like I said something funny if she does.
“Welcome my love. I must declare that you are absolutely the most gorgeous Queen to date. I propose we fix the portrait currently hanging, replace it with a more fitting one. Perhaps you would be willing to paint it.”
Larkin giggles and rotates her head so she can look at me when she declines. “I don’t paint portraits, or at least not the kind that would be appropriate to hang for all to see. The one I plan on painting of you will be for my own private viewing, no other eyes but mine will be allowed to look upon it.”
Forget about her bursting into hysterics, I beat her. The sound of my laughter bounces off the walls as I throw my head back, knowing that she unknowingly just announced to the entire room about her plans of painting a nude portrait of me.
Chapter 36
Antonio
If you assume our announcement went over without a hitch, then you haven’t been paying very close attention. There will always be those who believe they know better. Those who think that they can get away with almost anything and never have to pay for it.
Once everyone was escorted into the dining hall and we took our seats, the gossipers started. Larkin and I did our best to ignore the whispers and focus on us. After all this was basically our wedding reception, therefore we planned on making sure to have a good time and incorporate a few traditions from both of our countries.
Wedding cake traditions, in case you didn’t know, vary around the world. Here in Hermosa Islas each table is presented with a portion of the cake after the bride and groom serve the family. However, in America the bride and groom cut the cake and then share a portion of the cake before the rest is offered to their guests. We opted to combine the two.
The large cake was rolled out and I heard Larkin giggle nervously when she spotted it. The white and gold cake was eight tiers and taller than me, which is saying something. I guided my wife to the obnoxious ensemble and together we cut it. She broke off a portion and fed it to me and I did the same for her. I heard the way several didn’t find it appropriate, but I didn’t care. And I proved that when I took the remainder to the cut cake and shoved a large portion of it in my mouth before I grabbed my wife and kissed her. Making sure to smear some of the icing on her lips so I could lick it off, which I did, as she shamelessly did the same. We washed it all down with a bubble glass of champagne that she insisted we try to do while interlocking our arms. I believe I may have spilt a little and laughed a lot. Then when we were done, we served our family while the servers distributed cake to the rest of our guests.
When that was over it was time to dance, which as you might have guessed was not top priority on my lovely bride’s list. She wanted to skip dancing altogether, except dancing at a wedding was what made the reception tolerable. Not to mention I have been eager to get her back on the dance floor and display some of my best moves.
That’s right, this King knows how to dance. My brothers and I have perfected our skills over the years. It was how we got through all of those required events we were ordered to attend as young princes. At least when we were dancing, we weren’t obliged to hold meaningful conversations and could switch partners frequently. After all it was our job to make all the young ladies in the room feel special and thus, we did our best to do so.
Tonight, however I plan on dancing with one woman and one woman only. And while I am dancing with her, we will not only communicate with our mouths but our bodies. I’ve never danced like that before, never wanted to. However tonight I want to seduce her right there on the dance fl
oor and then later finish that seduction in our private quarters.
As you might imagine I am a fan of several Latino artists, so I chose our first song accordingly. Bailando is the very first song that Larkin and I will dance to.
I had my sister, Gabriela, do her best to teach Larkin some moves this morning. You know what most people consider salsa dancing. A little swinging of the hips, hand claps, how to move her arms while doing so. I think we all got a good laugh watching her uncoordinated form attempting to learn while not being all that successful.
Lorenzo stepped in eventually, sliding his body behind hers while I dance flawlessly in front of her. He placed his hands on her hips to help her locate the beat, swaying his with hers.
I’ll never forget when she told him to just give it up, because she obviously didn’t possess the dancing gene. Except my little brother was not giving up on her, said every person had the dancing gene; they just needed to figure out how to activate it.
So, he found a song he believed would activate hers, Bailamos. He instructed her to listen to the words while he moved behind her. Instructed her that dancing is an expression of our emotions. Sometimes it’s all about having a good time, letting off some steam, whereas other times it’s about connecting with the person you are dancing with. A seduction to attract the person you are dancing with while keeping his or her attention the entire time. I’ll never forget the blush that took over her face as Lorenzo whispered something in her ear.
“What did you say to her?” I growled at my brother as he chuckled behind her.
“Chillax Antonio. I only instructed her that dancing was a lot like making love. Haciendo el amor era una danza entre los amantes, donde sus cuerops encontrados ese ritmo perfecto para expresar su amor. (Making love is a dance between lovers, where their bodies find that perfect rhythm to express love.) Do you disagree?” Lorenzo encourages Larkin to step closer. “Now Larkin, dance like you have found your perfect rhythm.”
That had worked almost flawlessly and I hated that my little brother had figured out the key before me. Not really, but you understand what I mean. Because if you knew Lorenzo like I know him, you’d know he just has a way with figuring stuff like that out. And while I worry about my little brother in the way he can charm the women so easily, I know that one day there will be a woman who will be immune to his charm. That will be the woman he falls for and once he wins her over, because I have no doubt he will, she will have a man that will love her like only Lorenzo can.
So here we are just the two of us, dancing to one of my favorite songs. Larkin is swaying her hips perfectly to the rhythm on the opposite side of the dance floor. We are mimicking each other, doing a line dance of sort while we work our way towards the other. Once we meet in the middle she sways seductively in the center while I move perfectly around her for a few beats. I eventually slide in behind her when I’m ready and we salsa together effortlessly. Her arms ultimately find their way around the back of my neck while my hands caress her body. One of mine travels up her arm, where I release her hold on me so I can spin her perfectly like we practiced. Out once and then right back in, bringing her flesh against my body right where I want her. Which is how we remain for the remainder of the song. Her arms around my neck, mine secured firmly against her back as we dance the way lovers do.
The cat whistles, that my brothers and Fernando start, begin as soon as the song ends. They produce the loveliest blush on my beautiful wife’s cheeks and get her to relax. She throws her head back and laughs like she does when it’s just the two of us, which means I do the same.
The next song is the one she chose and I have to say I agree it is absolutely perfect. I Choose You seems to sum up our relationship almost perfectly. I adjust her in my arms, taking one of her hands in mine so I can lead her easily around the dance floor. We have all but forgotten about the rest of the room as we focus on only us. But this bubble cannot last in a room of a few hundred. As soon as the song ends the crowded hall reminds us of their presences when they applaud.
The deejay then invites everyone who wishes to join us and of course they do. Not everyone may agree with this union, but I’ve never known anyone to turn down free food and a good dance party.
My love and I dance a few more songs before we make the rounds around the room. Our first stop is to welcome our honored guests. They don’t normally get invited to such an event and are speechless when we actually sit down with them.
My wife was the one who took her seat next to the female constable who was shot in the line of duty. She still wears a sling to keep her shoulder from moving more than necessary. Larkin ask her if there was anything, we could do for her or her family. When my wife learns that they are foster parents, she shares her own personal story with them. Thanks, them for stepping up and looking out for children who are unable to look out for themselves. When she stands to leave, she motioned for her parents to come meet them, and as we walk away, they were sharing stories.
Our next table is that of a single mother who brought her son that has been diagnosed with Tourette’s. This time Larkin ask the young man if it would be okay if she sat next to him. Of course, the smart boy has no problem with a beautiful woman sitting beside him. Once again Larkin opens up to this thirteen-year-old boy and his mother. Talks about how she was diagnosed with ADHD when she was a young girl and how it affected her. Shares how difficult school was because she couldn’t focus on subjects that didn’t interest her.
When she notices the young boy has a backpack with him, she requests to see what he has inside and is pleased to learn he often draws when he gets overwhelmed. So of course, Larkin asks if she can have a piece of sketch paper and a pencil. Explains how as she got older things seemed to get a little easier for her. Then finally discovered that even a girl like her could secure a job she was good at. While they talked, she sketches half of the young boy’s face perfectly, and it looks exactly like him. When she is finished, she thanks him for allowing her to work off some of her nervous energy as she signs and dates her work.
Right as we are about to move on a Black Eye Peas song starts and her whole face lights up. It was a song she claimed had to be played when we handed the deejay the list of suggested tunes. Turning towards the young man—who I bet never gets asked to dance—my wife does just that. When he seems to hesitate, Larkin waves her hand at him as she informs him that there is no wrong or right way to dance to this song. And then she starts jumping around to Let’s Get it Started as she drags us both out to where my brothers are doing the exact same thing. She waves her hands around as she spins that sweet little body of hers, while encouraging the young man to do the same. No one seems to notice when he yelps loudly because he gets excited.
Gabriela even joins us and bumps hips with Larkin. Then she shows them both a few of the new moves the young kids are doing these days while we dance around for three songs. As soon as Larkin catches the young man is getting a little over stimulated, she hooks her arm with his and fakes her own exhaustion.
I escort them back to the table and then offer an excuse so that I can have a few minutes alone with my new wife. Except on our way out to the dressing room, a very drunk Lady Dalia and her equally drunk coconspirators block us.
“Well look what we have here ladies. King Antonio and his pregnant Queen. Bet you didn’t think we’d figure that one out did you. Only one way a woman like that one snags a man like you.” She slurs out as she downs her flute of champagne.
“Not pregnant.” Larkin counters at the same time I also speak.
“You should watch how you speak of the Queen.” I warn her as I attempt to step around the group.
“Or what? We are moving away from the Dark Ages are we not? So, I figure that means we can just call it like it is. Did she spread her legs for you right away? Or did she play hard to get?”
Dalia snags the flute from her sister Paschal. “Now see that may have been where I played my cards wrong. Perhaps I should have feigned the I didn’t give a shit ab
out any of this, instead of the don’t you hate all these fake bitches one.”
The whole lot of them starts giggling and that only encourages her. Dalia walks right past me and gets right in Larkin’s face, staring at her with scorned eyes. “And here I thought we had said all the right things to get you tucking tail before heading back to the land of the free. You are better than we gave you credit for, we won’t be making that mistake again Your Majesty, I can assure you of that. Welcome to the club of ladies who have had the privileged of appreciating what a real man carries between his legs. When you get tired of it, just let one of us know and we will be more than happy to help you take care of him.”
“Enough.” I say it like I have so many times before and the smarter ones seem to disperser.
“Oh. Yes, I agree Your Majesty. You definitely have enough to go around.” Dalia blinks slowly and dares to scan my body. “Don’t you agree Queen Larkin? I hear it’s better to know who your husband is sleeping with than to …”
A loud slapping sound echoes off the walls as I watch Lady Dalia stumbles backwards.
“The bitch just slapped me.” She glares behind her, only to notice her friends have all abandoned her. “You little slut whore. How dare you slap me like that, do you know who I am?”
My wife advances quickly, making Dalia have to backpedal until she finally bumps the table behind her. “I do. You are Lady Dalia Batista. Do you know who I am? You don’t do you? You thought you did when you cornered me last night in that room and tried to share all your dirty little stories about the man I love. But what you didn’t realize is that I have been dealing with little insecure worms like you my entire life. I was able to decipher your little game long before it even started. What you failed to realize was that I don’t play by your rules, never have, and never will. It doesn’t matter to me if you like me or hate me. I could care less if your little posse of worms over there likes me or hates me. I care about one person in this crowd and one person only. I don’t just care about him I love him.
