Isaiah reached down to grab his erected morning wood with a low groan, and his eyes opened moments later to see Namiko crawling up his body. Her arms wrapped around his neck in a hug and she greeted him with multiple kisses all over his face, as loving as she was every morning.

He'd never met someone so eager to be awake—and it was an every day thing. She never missed a beat.

"Happy birthday my love. I let you sleep in until noon but now I want you to get up. You're going to miss your own holiday." She changed her tone to say the last part in fake annoyance, making him smile.

"Dada!" Naia screamed from the side of her before blowing into a party horn directly in his face, and Namiko laughed at how he winced in shock of how loud the noise was.

"Aight mama. I'm up." He chuckled, holding Namiko in one arm and Naia in the other, just for her to climb up his back.

Namiko got out of his grip so that he could stand up and followed behind him into their bathroom while Naia rode on his shoulders. She really did use him like a tree and he was always so unfazed. Namiko thought that was the funniest thing ever.

Eventually she got bored of holding on to him while he completed his morning routine at the sink, so she got down and ran out of the bathroom to resume the SpongeBob cooking game on her iPad at full volume and simultaneously continued blowing the party horn.

"I'm so excited as if it's my birthday. I really want you to enjoy yourself today so I'm a bit nervous as well, especially since Jamell couldn't come. I know you miss him." Namiko sat on the counter to be next to him, watching him rub CeraVe moisturizing cream on his face.

Jamell's son had a crossover ceremony to commemorate graduating middle school today and Isaiah told him not to fly in to celebrate with him because that milestone was far more important, especially since he didn't consider his birthday a major event anyway.

"You really overestimate how I feel about my birthday." He chuckled, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Care to explain?" Birthdays—and holidays in general—were always so grand for her. She didn't know what a small celebration was.

"I never do anything, by choice. I didn't even do nothin' as a kid. I mean, my folks threw me parties but I always ended up in my room on the game. Not on no depressed shit but because it just feels like a regular day to me. I'm only letting you go all out 'cause this the first one I'm spending with you."

"Well I hope you enjoyed your 34 very sad birthdays because there will be no more of that. I will celebrate you even if you don't celebrate yourself. And you know that I don't take no for an answer, so come on. We need to get eat and get dressed." Namiko grabbed his hand to lead the way, and all he did was smile.

He knew that she planned to do nothing little today when he saw the dining room table that contained probably a million dishes for breakfast. Just in his line of sight were different flavored muffins, crumpets, French toast, pancakes, hot honey butter chicken strips and waffles, different textured eggs, turkey bacon and sausage, and fruit filled crepes.

There was also a dessert bar that held bread pudding, different flavors of cheesecake, long churro sticks—which were his favorite—a plethora of cookie options, a chocolate syrup fountain, brownies, cupcakes, pies and another one of his favorites—strawberry crumble cake with a 'Happy Birthday' topper on the third tier.

Every worker in the castle gathered in the dining hall to sing happy birthday to him, and as awkward as it was, Namiko was overly enthusiastic which caused him to feel the same. Her energy was so loud that he couldn't help but to be as excited as her. He loved this girl.

After breakfast, they visited with the team of seamstresses to be dressed in their outfits of the day. Since they had to stand in front of the kingdom today, Isaiah had a navy blue suit and tie tailored to fit him perfectly while Namiko and Naia both wore similar colored ball gowns.

He always loved when the girls got dressed up. It constantly slipped his mind that they were real life royalty but he was reminded of it every time they wore their gowns. It made him think of the scene where Belle came down in her dress for the first time in front of all the dishes on Beauty and the Beast.

"Nah man. None of that." Isaiah stopped Rose, the newest addition to the glam team, from adding foundation to Naia's face to get started on a very light beat of makeup.

"It's fine Rose. He doesn't like for her to wear makeup. He says she's too young for it." Namiko chuckled, doing a hand motion to gesture her away from Naia.

"My sincerest apologies, Prince Consort. Please forgive me." She quickly closed the lid to the liquid and bowed in front of him, holding her hand over her heart.

"They always try to sneak and do that shit. She three years old yo. She can't wear that shit 'til she thirty." Isaiah told Namiko once Rose walked away, making her laugh.

"Oh please. I used to get mine done younger than her. It's apart of being a princess. She will start wearing it whenever she chooses to, whether you like it or not, cupcake." She booped his nose with her index finger, laughing again at the way he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah aight. We gon' see." He looked down as a 36mm blue alligator leather strapped Happy Sport Joaillerie watch was fastened around his left wrist along with two Van Cleef and Arpels bracelets and one 14K white gold Cuban link bracelet. That was a little over $165,000 on one wrist.

"Damn." He watched the diamonds dance in the lighting of the dressing room, the iridescent sparkle damn near blinding him.

Then, he looked up as Angela finally moved out of the way to where he could see Namiko fully, and another 'damn' escaped. Her gown wasn't the typical over the top fluffy style she normally wore, and instead it was fitted against each curve of her body.

The dress had very thin shoulder straps and was completely backless, showing off the naturally deep line in her back. She smelled of a very mature vanilla scent, almost a bit woody and masculine but perfectly feminine at the same time. Her makeup wasn't done with a heavy hand at all and the most prominent part of it were her plump lips that were outlined in a Charlotte Tilbury 90s pink lip pencil and filled in with a tone that matched the natural color of her lips.

Her hair was probably his favorite part. Her natural tresses were accompanied by 32 inch layered tape ins that were styled in a no part type of look with light baby hairs. It fell perfectly over her shoulders in a loose body wave pattern and was purposely pulled back from her face a bit to show off her diamond pear drop earrings.

"I take it Angela did as well as she normally does?" She smiled at how he had yet to even blink as he continued to stare shamelessly at her.

"Can I get a kiss?" Was all that he said in response.

"Sure but I have lipstick o—," she was cut off by him kissing her anyway, and she grabbed his face with a smile that faded away in seconds as his tongue wasted no time to explore her mouth.

"Isaiah!" Her cheeks flushed red while she gently pushed his head away from hers, hearing the ladies of her dressing team giggling in awe of the two of them.

"Never seen a face this pretty, man.. you one of a kind Namiko." He spoke softly in her ear as if he truly couldn't believe it, trailing his hand down her side and over her hip before coming to rest at the cuff of her butt.

"Thank you baby. But will you let me compliment you first? It's your birthday." She looked up at him with a smile on her face, holding on to his arms.

"Come to the bathroom with me real quick and let me taste my gift." He didn't crack the slightest grin because he was that serious, and Namiko's eyebrows raised once she realized what he meant.

"You freaky frog." She squinted her eyes suspiciously at him and his expression immediately raised into a smile as he burst out laughing.

Within the next ten minutes or so, the three of them made their way to the main entrance of the castle and loaded into the biggest carriage that would carry them from First Castle to Second Castle, which would become their home once Isaiah proposed to her. That was also where the 'Birthing Homage' took place. That was the name of the tradition where the Monarch and their significant other were gifted by commoners of the kingdom on their birthday—and it was optional, of course, but was always a huge success.

Since Isaiah was Namiko's first boyfriend; one that she got at the age of 23 unlike most monarchs who were usually in their destined relationship by age 16—over twelve thousand people had shown up to give him offerings and speak with the Prince Consort for the first time about his relationship with the First Queen and Head Empress of San Senova.

There were two tall throne chairs and a much smaller one for Isaiah, Namiko and Naia to sit in with a whole room behind them dedicated for all of the gifts Isaiah would receive. It took a good minute for them to be situated because they had to pass the line of commoners that stretched for miles, all eager to meet Isaiah.

Mind blown was an understatement. He still couldn't believe he was actually considered royalty. This was crazy.

"Hello Mr. Prince Consort Isaiah." A little girl that was no older than eight or so was the first guest to enter Second Castle.

"Wassup beautiful?" He gave her one of the blue roses from the bouquet next to him, and she smiled as her cheeks flushed red, briefly tucking her face against her mother's leg.

"Happy birthday to you, Prince Consort..and for my question, I wanted to ask you what made you fall in love with First Queen Namiko?" She twirled the thornless rose nervously between her fingers, speaking into the microphone that her mother held.

"She seen me the way nobody else did—not even myself. She taught me how to love myself again without even trying 'cause that's just the type of person she is, and through loving me, I fell in love with her." His answer was immediate as if he didn't even need to think about it.

Namiko was a smiling mess for the next few hours. Every question they asked and even when they complimented him, he somehow made it about her and Naia. It was like the two of them were really all he thought about and she loved that so much because she knew it was genuine.

That's why nobody could tell her anything about her man. He was for her and nothing would ever change that.

"You tired baby?" A little less than three hours later, Namiko used her free hand to reach over and rub the bottom of Isaiah's face.

"Mhm. I can't lie though, this shit was fun. I wasn't expecting it to be like this." He said truthfully, watching the small crowd of people leave gifts at a table a few yards away from them.

"I'm so happy to hear that. Tomorrow will be fun, too. It'll just be us like you wanted." She told him, shifting Naia on her chest where she currently napped.

Isaiah originally asked to just do something small with just Namiko, Naia, and Nonna Mae if she was up to going out. He didn't mind participating in the Birthing Homage event, though, because he knew that it was one of many traditions he'd have to be apart of now that he was with Namiko. She loved how open he was to stepping up to his role of Prince Consort and the future King of San Senova.

But tomorrow, it would be just them.

"I'm looking forward to it. And to my other gift I asked for earlier." He looked over at her and she instantly looked ahead to prevent eye contact, becoming shy under his gaze.

"Wassup? I can get that too?" He turned her head in his direction again, and she rolled her eyes at the smirk on his face.

"Of course." She said sweetly against his lips as he left multiple kisses on hers, letting another smile take over her face.

Suddenly, loud murmurs began to fill the room in unison, replacing the mostly calm atmosphere. Namiko looked away from Isaiah to see almost everyone now staring at them, and nobody looked happy. She looked down to see if her microphone was still on, and when she saw that it wasn't, confusion struck her face.

The Prime Minister, Mark, and Namiko's personal assistant, Angela, rushed over from where they were directing people with gifts in the direction of the two of them just as Namiko's phone began to buzz off the hook.

"Don't check it. Come, it's time to go back to First Castle." Angela pushed Namiko's phone down just before she could look at it and helped her stand up with Naia still on her chest.

Namiko frowned at her for a second and then looked down at her phone anyway, reading over the headlines that were being broadcast on every news website in the Kingdom.

"Just in: First Queen and Head Empress Namiko Lei Sato of San Senova is housing a felon in first castle, which deliberately coincides with penal four seven dash three in the San Senovan Constitution. We've learned from investigative journalist Kenji Akh that First Prince Consort Isaiah Brewster has a sealed record of six charges; vehicular manslaughter, vehicular assault, reckless endangerment of a child, involuntary manslaughter, resisting arrest, and assault on an officer." The news reporter on Namiko's phone spoke at a volume where Isaiah could hear.

"Prince Consort Isaiah is from Harlem, New York—a state in the United States of America, where Queen Namiko visited earlier this year. It is reported in official court documents that Prince Consort Isaiah killed his own mother, and his five year old d—," Namiko shut her phone off before the reporter could finish just as the entrance doors to second castle burst open with at least ten news crews running inside.

"Time to go. Come, Queen Namiko. Come." Mark ushered both her and Isaiah off of the display stage, and Isaiah took Naia from her after noticing that she was struggling with trying to run and carry her at the same time.

She knew he was angry beyond measure from his silence, yet still, he found a way to be worried about her. She felt terrible because in a way, she believed that this was her fault. She shouldn't have made her relationship so public knowing the scrutiny people faced when they were in the spotlight.

"Prince Consort Isaiah, a word, if you will?"

"Prince Consort, this way! How do you feel being a father again to Princess Naia after killing your first child?"

"Queen Namiko, is it true that you are currently pregnant by a man who killed his own child?" One of the yelling reporters made her stop in her tracks, and she snatched her arm out of Mark's grip to turn around.

"Who told you that?" She asked with a frown on her face while a microphone was raised up to her mouth and a camera and standing LED light was positioned in front of her.

"C'mon mama. We good." Isaiah spoke in her ear, trying to get her to stand down.

"Kenji Akh. He says that he's been in talks with Grand Duchess Kamila. Are you aware? And how does that make you feel, Queen Namiko?" The same reporter asked.

Isaiah picked Namiko up in his free arm just as tears brimmed in her eyes, carrying her away from the reporters that were still following behind them on their way to the Grand Carriage that would take them back to First Castle.

"Queen Namiko seemingly confirms her second pregnancy with Prince Consort Isaiah amidst the release of his past criminal charges." The reporter turned around to face her camera and stood to the side to show Namiko being carried off.

The ride back was mostly a blur for both Isaiah and Namiko. Neither of them were listening to the suggestions Mark was making for them to address the kingdom and save face. In a time like this, why on God's green earth would they be worried about making the kingdom feel better? This was the part Namiko hated most about being First Queen and Head Empress because she knew that she would have to do it anyway.

"Dada?" Naia mumbled softly, waking up out of her sleep to hold around his neck for a more comfortable position.

"I'm here mama. Wassup?" He left a small kiss on her forehead as she continued to scoot around to her desired spot.

"Supper? Home?" He knew that she was asking if they'd be going home now to eat dinner using just those base words. They were still in the process of helping her build complete sentences but the progress she'd made with them over the last few months never failed to make him proud.

"Yeah. We gon' feed you fat girl." He chuckled, watching her nod in satisfaction before she laid her head down in the crook of his neck.

Isaiah was trying not to let the reveal of his past life  make him feel a way because he knew that this little girl and the greatest woman he'd ever known that currently sat next to him thought the world of him. Their two opinions were the only ones that really mattered.

He couldn't help but to feel played, though. He hadn't wronged anyone in this kingdom since being here. What pissed him off the most was that he knew that this was being done strictly to paint Namiko as the bad guy. He was mad for her. She was the sweetest person he knew, she didn't deserve this.

And for them to bring his daughter and his mother into this only added fuel to the fire. He wouldn't have cared in the slightest if they'd mentioned his criminal record that wasn't sealed at all and was available to anyone who looked him up in the State of New York database. Speaking on Aaliyah and Cheryl was a different ballgame though.

"Oh my God.." Angela trailed off in shock at even more news crews awaiting their arrival at First Castle.

"To the side entrance." Mark got down from the carriage first and helped the two women step down, and then Namiko grabbed Isaiah's hand to lead him away from the crowd.

"Nami," A familiar voice caused her to come to a halt, and Isaiah turned at the feeling of her unintentionally squeezing his hand; something she mindlessly did to show that she was uncomfortable.

"If you wanted another child all you had to do was ask. After all, Princess Naia is my daughter, which legally makes me Prince Consort." Kenji and his camera crew approached them, and the smirk plastered on his face made her skin crawl as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

She didn't get the chance to drop a second tear after Naia was placed into her arms again to give Isaiah the opportunity to throw a powerful punch into the side of Kenji's face, sending him to the ground within an instant.

He didn't stop there, either. The men trying to pull him back and all of the flashes in his face from recording reporters couldn't even get him to stop swinging. All he could think about was Kenji raping an unconscious Namiko and that was all he needed to beat him nearly to death.

Spin bout Nami 🫰🏼