Page 49 of Finding Closure

“Okay, calm down before you have a heart attack,” I said gently, waving Shael off when the guy broke down sobbing. “You didn’t film me in the shower, or—I’ve done way worse things than dance around with kids. I think this is the first live anything where I didn’t even swear, so it’s—well, it’s not fine, but please calm down.”

Except he didn’t. He sobbed begging not to be beheaded and it was really an accident.

I glanced at Shael and gestured for her to handle it. She was the one who scared the shit out of the guy, and… I didn’t do well with this sort of thing.

And Neldor looked like he was waiting to be in big trouble as well. I wasn’t sure why until I realized he’d called me “baby doll” a few times.

Then I wanted to groan.

I gave him a look and kind of shrugged. Whatever. It wasn’t his fault, and—yeah, he shouldn’t have done it in front of any outsiders, but I’d forgotten that they were there too.

I made a note to talk to Izzy about no more breakfast interviews or things like this. Clearly, we couldn’t handle that like adults.

I focused back on my food and goofing around with the hobgoblin kids.

“Your Highness, you’re still live,” Shael reminded me.

I sighed. “If we cut it now, it looks like we were up to something, Commander. Mistakes happen. I hope people gota good laugh from us being idiots, but we’re in our twenties at breakfast after working too much and all tired. If people expected prim and proper, they need to live in reality more.”

I shrugged. What else was there to really say?

The kids all started dabbing to try and change the mood and we all chuckled. It worked for me.

I did one better and used my phone to play some music, bouncing all around with the kids.

“You guys wanna see a live teddy bear?” I offered. I nodded when Lucca chuckled. “Yeah, I can go get him some fish real quick and you guys can feed him, okay?”

“Can we?” one of the kids squealed. “We never could go near the shifters at school. They didn’t like us.”

Lucca instantly melted and moved over by them. “A lot of us did. We didn’t want to scare you guys, and some people were mean to you at school. We worried your parents would be upset we might do something.” He chuckled when they all begged him and winked at me. “You promised fresh fish, cream puff.”

“I’ll handle it,” Neldor chuckled when I went to pull off my sweater so I could let out my wings. “I’ve gotten familiar with the docks and fishers of Theripolis shadowing your father and working with Hudson. I know who to go ask and pay later.”

“Thanks, Nel. I’ll get you some Arby’s later.” I laughed when he snapped his teeth at me.

He flew off and came back about five minutes later with a huge basket of fresh fish… Like some were still flopping around. Lucca had already shifted to Harry and was sitting on the ground with the kids. He about drooled when he saw the fish and jumped up to hug me before getting his present.

Julian came over and hugged me too as we watched the kids toss fish at him. “I think your father is right that you’ll never have a normal life, my sweet mate.”

“Yeah, but it would be great if it could be fun like this more often,” I whispered as I snuggled up to him.

We all died when one of the kids dropped a fish and it flopped towards the edge of the terrace as if knowing where the ocean and freedom would be. Poor little guy was never going to make it. Instead, I caught it with magic and gave it back to Harry who gobbled it up without making it a mess.

He made a few funny noises and I realized what he wanted, nodding when I listened in.

“Okay, that’s all he can eat before his tummy hurts,” I told the kids. “Lucca ate a lot already, so we don’t want them to get sick. Everyone give the bear a hug, and then I think you guys have more going on with your day, right?”

“Thanks, Lucca,” they all cheered and practically attacked him with hugs.

Too fucking adorable.

Lucca had to actually go back inside the castle as a bear, but then someone rushed over with a large bath sheet for him. He nodded and took it from them, wrapping it around him enough to shift back and then readjusted it.

“Well, that’s a morning in Faerie we’re never going to forget,” he joked. “Seriously, cream puff.”

No, no, we would not. I chuckled as I hugged him and we headed to our rooms to get ready for the day.

Or unpack for a bit first.

---