Royal Arrangement

XII

Annie 

I wake up to Daniel licking my face.

I think it's weird, but then again, so is he, so I don't think much of it. Instead, I roll over to escape his strange actions and mumble incoherently into the mattress for him to let me sleep. I'm so tired. It feels like I just fell asleep an hour ago.

But the licking continues and this time, he's licking my ear. And I mean, inside my ear. That's weirder. "Daniel... cut it out..."

I hear him chuckle. "Wake up, Little American."

I groan as he continues to lick me. His entire tongue is inside my ear and I try to shake him off but he's persistent. "Daniel... stop being weird..." I whine.

He's a pretty kinky guy, but this is too far. I'm not all about him sticking his tongue inside my ear. That's not sexy, that's just gross. He continues to chuckle and I groan, finally rolling over. I come face to face with two wide, dark eyes, and a dark little nose. I practically jump to a sitting position, completely ignoring the lingering soreness in my ass, and tackle the small corgi puppy who was just assaulting me with it's little tongue. "Oh my gosh!" I cry and wrap my arms around the bundle of fluff.

I feel the bed sink with Daniel's weight and I can hear him laughing but I am focusing too hard on the little dog in my arms to really register anything but the pure ball of fluff.

"Meet Baxter." I swear I can hear the smile in his voice.

Baxter licks my face and makes an adorable yipping noise. He blows his puppy breath in my face and I giggle, stroking his soft head. "Hi, Baxie! Aren't you just the cutest?" I coo at him and he's practically smiling in my arms.

"He likes you."

Suddenly remembering Daniel exists and that he's the reason I have my Baxter, I turn to him and smile as wide as I can. 

~~~

Daniel

I practically fall backwards. The force of her smile nearly knocks me on my ass while it warms my chest. It's a strange feeling I get anytime she beams and looks at me with her wide, blue eyes, and it's one that's not completely unwelcome. Which is odd. I'm not used to feeling this way, and especially not about a woman.

Every time she smiles it's like my world brightens, what was once black and while is now painted with vibrant colors. When I'm with her, things taste better, my chest feels lighter, I see the world with a new light, her light. When I am without her, she's all I can think about.

Annie completely incapsulates my thoughts and it scares me shitless.

I am unconditionally obsessed with this woman.

She beams as Baxter squirms in her arms, desperate to lick her face like it's an ice cream cone. I love dogs, I had many growing up in the palace but I usually had bigger breeds like Great Danes or German Shepherds. I never had such a fluffy, helpless, little dog. In a way, he reminds me of My Little American.

As I grew older, I moved around a lot and never really had time for a pet. I mean, I could obviously hire someone to watch over it, but it just isn't the same. Now that I have Annie, I have an excuse to get one.

Baxter takes a big leap and practically sticks his tongue in her mouth, his little bottom wiggling. She kisses him all over his face and hugs him close, all while petting his head.

I've never been so jealous of a damn dog.

"Daniel? I love him! How did you know I always wanted a corgi?" She squeals when Baxter licks her cheek.

I can't help it. I feel the corners of my lips tilt up in a rare smile. I seem to be smiling a lot lately. "I overheard you speaking to your mom yesterday. Call it a wedding gift."

I'm downright helpless when her blue eyes fill with tears. She gives me a watery smile and practically launches herself at me. Annie hugs me tightly, the dog wiggling between us, straining to lick one of our faces. "Thank you! Thank you! This means so much to me!"

I'm not a touchy-feely kind of guy, but I find that I enjoy it when Annie hugs me. I love the way her firm breasts press against my chest. I love the way I can smell her vanilla scent. I love stroking her silky blonde hair.

I add it to the list. Not only will I strive to make her smile, but I'm now going to do everything in my power to keep her this close to me, always.

I can't help but frown at that last thought.

Nothing about this is always. She's going to leave. We're going to part ways and I'll be free to live my life just the way I want to: Alone.

Now why does that hurt so much?

~~~

BREAKING NEWS: ROYAL BABY CAPTURES OUR HEARTS

Can we say swoon? Earlier this morning, Prince Daniel surprised his brand new wife, Princess Annalise Windsor (Formally Annalise Shaw), with an addition to their ever-growing family. Prince Daniel met the new Princess while she worked as a maid in the castle. He kept their love a secret until the engagement when they were seen out on the town, holding hands. The couple just tied the royal knot yesterday in a quick but lavish royal wedding in the Church Of Verilia. One would think this would be the end to a fantasy fairytale but the Prince and Princess have just captured our hearts again.

This afternoon, Princess Annalise posted this photo of the newest addition to the Verilian Royal Family with this caption.

"It is an honor to introduce my new son, Prince Baxter I. I have the best husband in the world! Thank you baby! I love you!"

Awwwwww.

In an exclusive interview, the pet store owner tells the Verilian Digest: "He (The Prince) came into our little store and we were all so shocked," she recounts the event that has skyrocketed her family business. "He was definitely a man in love... So passionate, so sweet... By far the best moment of my life."

Can we just say: Where can we find a Prince who'll give us a puppy?

PRINCE BAXTER: THE NEXT KING?

This afternoon, the Prince and Princess were seen walking through Verilian National park with Baxter, their new corgi puppy. They held hands and showed public affection while de-stressing from earlier events.

The King of Verilia has formally announced that he will soon be stepping down. All eyes are on the family as we prepare to welcome not only a new King, but hopefully a new prince or princess.

Will it be Prince Michael?

Or will it be the once known to be unlikely candidate, Prince Daniel?

Fans are rooting for the ever-loveable little Baxter to take the throne. Support is high for both him and his new parents, the Prince and Princess. Sources inside the palace say that Prince Daniel, who was once the last person anyone wanted to be king, is now a serious contender for the Royal Title.

But can we just say, we're all secretly rooting for Baxter?

BABY BUMP PATROL

The new princess, Annalise Windsor has made no comments about her current condition. After raising suspicions about a royal pregnancy in her first interview, there have been no further statements regarding a royal baby. Here at the Digest, we've reached out to both the Royal Family and the Shaws, who are still residing in Verilia.

Is her mother staying close to provide support?

The Princess was seen out today with her new husband and puppy sporting a light blue sundress and a white cardigan covering her midsection. Could this be her hiding a bump?

According to The Crown, the answer is no.

"Princess Annalise is not currently pregnant at this time. The couple are both happy and healthy and are not expecting."

Hmmm….

We're not so sure.

The Shaws declined to comment about a royal baby but have stated that they are happy for the loving couple and wish them a prosperous marriage. It's rumored that the mother of the bride is secretly yearning for a royal baby.

So are we, mama! So are we!

TAMING THE PLAYBOY: WILL THIS MARRIAGE LAST?

Here at the Digest, we've been thinking, how long can this possibly go on? We all know Prince Daniel; He's quite the controversial character. Between the dropped allegations of abuse and the way he plays the field, we're starting to worry for the new Princess that we've already fallen in love with. And how can we not? The newest addition to the royal family has proven to be caring and a little shy, the complete opposite of His Royal Highness.

But we have more questions. Such as: Does she know about his past behaviors? She isn't Verilian. Princess Annalise (Annie) was born in Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. It's entirely possible that she isn't aware of the true nature of the man she married. After all, he's certainly lied before, as we all remember.

Another question we find ourselves here at the Digest asking is: Can Prince Daniel truly change? We've all seen the photos, we've all read the tabloids, we all know what kind of man The Crown Prince truly is. He's a player, through and through, and doesn't stick to one woman for too long. We can't help but worry for the little Princess. I mean, we've all seen the way she looks at him: That girl is clearly in love, and why shouldn't she be? She's a newly wed woman who's married to the man she loves.

And that brings us to our last question, and it's a two parter: How long will this marriage last, and does Prince Daniel truly love Princess Annalise? It's obvious that she loves him, but does he feel the same? Is Prince Daniel capable of committing and loving just one woman?

Well, here at the Digest, we'll all be watching and waiting.

Verilian Digest signing of but first: Congratulations to the Royal Couple!

~~~

Daniel

I shut my laptop with a frown as my mother and stare back at me with looks on their faces that I'm having trouble deciphering. When I was called into their audience, I was sure it was about my father naming the next king, not the stupid media. I hate the media. They're damn bloodsucking vultures and will write about anything. The earlier articles made me smile, the one about Annie having a baby bump made me laugh, the last one made me want to hit something. Sadly, I can't do that with my parents sitting directly in front of me.

It's been a few days since the wedding. Annie is currently out spending the day with her family. They're set to leave tomorrow. I wanted to go with her, but alas, I have things to attend to.

Like this latest news article, for example.

I'm frowning not because I'm annoyed by it, but because I'm irked by how right these questions are. The Verilian Digest is spot on with their predictions and concerns. I don't love Annie and I really don't think I'm capable of it.

My father clears his throat.

My mother places her hand on top of his to calm him.

"Son, I believe this needs to be addressed." He says slowly.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "You know the Digest, their news is fluff at best."

My mother sighs. "Danny, you and I both know how badly this article can impact your public persona." Even more negatively than now is what she silently added. I'm no fool. I know I don't have the greatest public image. Everything the Digest said about me was right... well, all except that one thing.

I clench my fists and my nails bite into my palms. My father sees this and clears his throat again. "What your mother is trying to say is that we understand that not all of this is true. We're just concerned about your well-being." He looks at my mother for a moment, she nods and he continues. "So... How's your new wife?"

I furrow my brow. Why would he care about how Annie's doing? I flick my gaze to my mother, who's as stone-faced as ever. Damn, she always was good at poker.

"She's fine. Why do you ask?" I raise a brow.

"Is she... happy?" My mother supplies.

"What the f**k is that supposed to mean?" I snap, too far gone to care. "Of course she is, I just got her a puppy! She likes that damn thing more than me sometimes!" It's true. There have been times in these past few days where I genuinely regretted buying her Baxter. The little guy has grown on me, but he has a damn master's degree in the art of cockblocking. That little bastard just knows when to inject himself into our lives to directly ruin my plans. He wanted to sleep between us in the bed. Of course, I had to deal with Annie and Baxter's puppy dog eyes (I'm weak to Annie's eyes), but I drew the line and said he can sleep at the foot until I get him a nice dog bed. There's no way that dog is going to deprive me of the right to hold my wife in our own bed.

Damn.

Who the hell am I?

What has become of me?

I don't dwell on the f****d up severity of anything I just said, instead, I shake the thoughts away and focus on my father and his grimace.

"It's just... This latest article is... damning. There's no way around it." He pauses and takes a settling breath. "I just have to ask, did you tell her about Vanessa?"

My nostrils flare and I feel my jaw involuntarily clench. Vanessa. I don't want to talk about her. Nor do I want Annie to ever find out about her.

"No."

My mother sighs slowly. "Honey, you really should. If she finds out on her own..."

She doesn't have to finish her sentence. If Annie finds out about what happened with Vanessa, she'll bolt. There's no way around it. At first I thought she'd stay because of my blackmail (still have no regrets about that by the way), but now I'm thinking she'll just say f**k you and f**k your money and leave me.

My chest aches at the thought of that. I don't want Annie to leave me.

I shake my head, both to clear that thought and to deny what my mother is saying. "She won't. Don't worry."

She doesn't believe me. I look to my father, he doesn't believe me either. "Son..."

"Dad. I'm serious. This shouldn't even be a concern of yours. Annie will never know. I'll make sure of it." I didn't mean to interrupt him, it just happened. Thankfully, we aren't so formal in private.

They once again exchange that unreadable look. My mother nods. "If you say so, but just know this, if she finds out before you tell her... It won't go well."

My father nods. "And you need to be focusing on bigger things, not the media, and certainly not a complication with you marriage."

I nod. I know they're right about everything, and maybe it's my ego, but I'm going to make sure Annie never knows about my past. My Submissive Little American is sweet and unaware and that's how she'll stay if I have anything to say about it.

~~~

Annie

Saying goodbye to my parents shouldn't be as hard as it is, but I find myself wiping tears from my face as I see them off at the private airstrip. One of my guards, whom I've become quite close with, Arlando, hands me a white handkerchief with a stoic nod. He's a man of few words and an older gentleman, but I've come to see him as a father figure. I give him a watery smile in gratitude and wipe my eyes. I can't hear the cameras clicking, but I know that my face will be all over the tabloids. I can see the headline now: New Princess Sheds Tears in Heartfelt Goodbye.

Baxter wriggles in my arms and lets out a soft whine. He's come to bond with me and doesn't like seeing me upset. I give him a scratch behind his ear and he yips happily. "Don't worry Baxie, I'm okay." He tries to jump up and lick my tears away and I can't help but let out a small giggle. "Down, Boy! Easy killer!"

Verilian royal guards are supposed to be rock silent but I hear a few of them stifling laughs and it makes me smile. I don't know them all by name yet, but I've come to like the men who've been assigned to guard me. At first, it was a little annoying (I like my privacy) but now, I find I don't really mind as much.

We leave the airstrip in my private car. It's not armored but I'm sure it's bullet proof. I overheard Daniel talking to the head of my guard this morning about what kind of transportation they have set up for me. It was a bit of a fight, at first Daniel wanted to go and he wanted to double my guard. Thankfully, I convinced him I'd be fine by myself. He frowned and told me to behave because the guards would be reporting to back to him. I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at that. I've since learned that Verilia is somewhat a... how do I put this delicately?

A Patriarchal country?

It's kind of bullshit, but it seems they're very old fashioned and still have certain laws and traditions in effect that I don't really agree with. I was spitting mad when I heard of the Verilian wedding tradition where any man can kiss the new bride if he finagles her away from her new husband. On top of that, the guards can tell Daniel where I am at all times and what I'm doing, but I can't ask them where Daniel is unless he gives them explicit permission to.

I know.

Bullshit, right?

Oh well, I guess it's a sacrifice to make for becoming a royal princess.

I confronted him about this and he said that I can ask anyone where he is and that they'll tell me. When I told him I'd like some privacy and said I would appreciate if he didn't have a tracking device on me 24/7 he said: "That's actually not a bad idea." I rolled my eyes and he swatted my ass. Then we f****d.

So... not a bad trade off.

My phone pings with a text. Since becoming royal, I had to get a new protected phone and change my number. I wanted to keep my older model but Daniel insisted that he gets me the newest most expensive one.

Aline's name pops up on the screen.

Aline: How are you doing?

I smile and respond.

Me: Good. Family just went home. Miss them already :(

Aline: I'm sorry. You'll see them again soon.

Aline: Miss you like silly :((

I chuckle. She means miss you like crazy.

Me: Same. Want to get coffee tomorrow?

Aline: Is your caveman going to give you permission?

I grin and shake my head. Boy, she has no idea.

Me: I want to see you. He'll understand. Meet at usual place in at noon?

Aline: Yes, Your Highness!

I send her a tongue sticking out emoji and place my phone back in my pocket. Baxter sits comfortably in my lap and every few minutes he tries to stick his head out of the window that Daniel specifically instructed that I keep closed at all times. I roll my eyes at the memory. He's too damn protective at times.

I lean forward where the driver is sitting (Daniel told me he wasn't specifically a royal guard, but I know better). "Excuse me?"

Our eyes connect in his rearview mirror. "Yes, Your Highness?"

I frown. "Annie is fine, please call me Annie."

The older guard shakes his head. "Deepest apologies, Princess, but I cannot do that. You must always be referred to with your proper title."

I can't help but sigh. I really don't like being called that. I'd rather everyone just call me Annie. But, I know it's a battle I won't be able to win so I keep my mouth shut on it. Instead, I ask him what I meant to earlier. I was reading up on the local news last night and I read an article that shocked me. Apparently, Verilia's oldest orphanage is set to close down due to lack of funding. It saddened me to hear because not only was it a full orphanage, but there's also a fully-staffed school building. If nothing is done, the children will lose their homes and many people will be out of the job.

"How far are we from Verilia's Children's Home?"

The guard raises a brow but otherwise says nothing except answer my question. "It's about a twenty minute drive, Princess."

I nod and smile. "Can you take me there, please?" Daniel says I need to get used to demanding for things and giving orders, but I can't seem to make myself boss anyone around. Instead, I always hopefully ask for something. At the dinner table last night I wanted pepper so I asked the servant to get me some. Daniel frowned and said I needed to order her to give it to me. It seemed rude and I couldn't bring myself to do so.

The guard looked at me wearily. "Forgive me, Princess, but His Highness said we were to take you straight back to the palace."

I frown. Of course Daniel said that. "Please? I've been stuck there for days. I just want to go see the children."

He looks at me, still a little unsure. Damn. I need to lay it on thick I suppose.

"I'm sure you've heard the news? I need to know if there's anything I can do. What use am I if I don't do anything but smile and look pretty?"

The guard shakes his head. "You are quite useful, Princess. Don't put yourself down like that." Then he sighs and I know I've got him. "Alright. I suppose it will be safe to do as you wish. But... His Highness won't--"

I hold up my hand to stop him from going any further. I know what he means. "Don't worry. I'll handle my husband. He'll be perfectly fine with this and I'll be sure you keep your job." The first part is a lie. I know Daniel will be furious that I didn't tell him where I was going. It's likely that I'll have some marks bestowed on my ass by the time this day is over. I probably won't be sitting comfortably for coffee tomorrow. I've been good these past few days so he hasn't had a reason to spank me and I think my kinky husband has an itchy palm.

The second part is the truth. I won't let anyone lose their job because of me. It's a fight I won't back down from. This is my decision and no one but me is going to face the consequences of it.

The guard stares at me, clearly thinking it over before smiling small and nodding once. "Permission to speak freely, Highness?"

I nod. "Of course."

He stares at me for a moment with a wistful smile on his face. "You're going to make a wonderful queen one day, Annie."

I blush and stare out the window because I have nothing else to say to that.