The soft chime of the bell above the cafe door rang out as Diana placed a fresh batch of scones on the counter, a contented smile gracing her face. The warm scent of baked goods filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of freshly brewed tea. She hummed a little as she wiped her hands on her apron, glancing out the window at the bustling street.
For the first time in years, her life felt peaceful. No more looming piles of paperwork, no cold mansion filled with judgmental stares, and—thank the heavens—no mistresses to ruin her day. Diana never imagined she'd find joy in the simple life of a commoner, but here she was, genuinely happy.
Her eyes flicked to the man behind the counter, her husband, Cassian, who was busy pouring tea with his signature lopsided grin. His auburn hair was slightly tousled, and he wore an apron that proclaimed, "World's Best Tea Brewer (Self-Proclaimed)." It was ridiculous, just like him, but it made her heart swell.
"Cassian, table three wants a refill," she called out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"Aye, aye, Captain!" he replied, mock saluting her with a teapot. He poured the tea with a dramatic flourish, nearly spilling some in the process.
Diana rolled her eyes, laughing despite herself. It was moments like these that made her cherish this life even more. No grand balls, no exhausting politics—just the simple joy of running a cozy cafe with a man who always found a way to make her smile.
She moved to the next table, greeting an elderly customer who had become a regular. "How's the tea today, Mrs. Marnes?"
"Perfect as always, dear," the woman replied with a wink. "You've got a good one there. He's quite the charmer."
Diana smiled warmly, her heart filled with gratitude. "He is, isn't he?"
The peaceful moment shattered with a deafening crash as the cafe doors flew open, nearly ripping off their hinges. Diana spun around, eyes wide in alarm, as armored soldiers poured into the room.
"What in the—?!" she started, but her voice caught in her throat when she saw the familiar figure marching in behind them.
Raizel. The crown prince himself, looked every bit the royal storm he was reputed to be. His golden cloak billowed dramatically, and his piercing gaze scanned the room before landing squarely on Cassian.
"There you are, you damned bastard!" Raizel's voice boomed, shaking the room.
Cassian froze mid-pour, the teapot hovering comically in the air. "Oh... hey, Raizel. Fancy seeing you here. Tea?"
"Tea? TEA?!" Raizel roared, striding across the room. Two soldiers flanked him, snapping handcuffs onto Cassian's wrists with practiced efficiency.
Diana's jaw dropped. "What is going on?!"
Raizel turned to her, his face a mixture of fury and exasperation. "What's going on? I'll tell you what's going on. This idiot—" he jabbed a finger at Cassian, who was now grinning sheepishly— "is the Empire's runaway prime minister, and he's been hiding out here, making tea and scones, while the Empire is on the brink of collapse!"
"Prime minister?!" Diana screeched, her head spinning. "Cassian, is he serious?!"
Cassian gave her his best innocent smile, which only made her blood pressure spike. "Well... I mean... technically, he's not wrong..."
"You married me under a fake name?!" she demanded, her voice climbing an octave.
"I didn't fake my name," Cassian protested, looking genuinely hurt. "I just... omitted certain details. Like my past career. And my relation to the crown prince. And, uh... a few other things."
"A few other things?!"
Raizel groaned, rubbing his temples. "By the gods, how do you deal with him?"
"I—! I don't know anymore!" Diana threw her hands up, utterly exasperated.
"Diana," Cassian said, his voice soft and pleading. He looked up at her with those puppy-dog eyes that had gotten him out of trouble far too many times. "Listen, I retired, okay? I left that life behind. No more politics, no more responsibilities. Just tea and scones and—"
"And hiding while the Empire burns?" Raizel interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I was going to say, 'a peaceful life with my lovely wife,' but sure, let's go with that," Cassian muttered.
Diana blinked, trying to process the insanity unfolding before her. Her sweet, carefree husband—her second chance at happiness—wasn't just a cafe owner. He was the Empire's runaway prime minister, a political genius who decided to shirk his duties and bake pastries instead.
"Cassian," she said slowly, her tone dangerously calm, "explains. Now."
Cassian sighed, his shoulders slumping as he gave her a sheepish look. "Okay, so here's the thing. I'm technically the crown prince's cousin, born from his aunt, Princess Caryn. And, yes, I was the Empire's prime minister for a while. But then things got... complicated. Too much paperwork, too many assassination attempts, and, well... I just really like making tea."
"You ran away because you didn't like paperwork?" Diana's voice was incredulous.
"And the assassination attempts," Cassian added helpfully.
"You're unbelievable," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Raizel, meanwhile, looked ready to throttle his cousin. "The Empire needs you, Cassian. War is brewing, the council is in chaos, and I can't do this alone. Get back to the palace and do your damn job!"
Cassian looked at Raizel, then at Diana, then back at Raizel. "Yeah... no. I retired, remember? Retirement means no more imperial drama. I'm happy here, running my little cafe with my lovely wife. So if you could just—"
"You're coming back if I have to drag you by your ridiculous apron!" Raizel snapped, grabbing Cassian by the collar.
"Diana!" Cassian yelped, reaching out dramatically as Raizel began hauling him toward the door. "Save me! Tell him I'm retired!"
Diana crossed her arms, glaring at him. "I'm still deciding whether I'm furious with you for lying to me or relieved you're not a criminal."
"Both are valid!" Cassian called over his shoulder as Raizel and the guards dragged him out the door.
The cafe fell silent, save for the murmurs of stunned customers and the faint sound of Cassian's protests fading into the distance. Diana sank into a chair, her head in her hands.
"Well," she muttered, "so much for a quiet life."
Outside, she could still hear Cassian's voice echoing down the street: "I'll come back for tea time, Diana! Don't let the scones burn!"
Diana sighed. Life with Cassian was many things, but boring was certainly not one of them.