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Stiles honestly didn’t think he’d ever be used to being served food by a maid. He was used to helping make the food for pretty much the entire castle, and then just eating his own serving at a little table in the kitchen. But here he was, the king’s consort, getting served a sumptuous breakfast at the far too large table in the royal dining room.
Even though he could have pretty much anything he could desire now, he still missed cooking. He would sneak into the kitchen and still help out for a meal or two. His husband never minded. In fact, it was his cooking skills that helped make King Derek fall in love with him.
A grin bloomed on Stiles’ face. He just had a wonderful idea. He quickly finished the rest of his breakfast, gulped down his tea, and rushed off to the throne room, where Derek was listening to the townspeople and their grievances.
He stood in the doorway, watching Derek on his throne, speaking to several farmers standing before him. He looked so regal with the large crown sitting on top of his head and the rich, soft fabric of his clothes. Derek’s gaze happened to pass by the door, and a small smile appeared on his face as he saw Stiles standing there. He grinned back and gave a small wave, feeling elated but silly at the same time.
He approached the throne. There was a smaller throne next to the King’s throne which was his for whenever he chose to use it. He’d sat there a few times, but he’d felt a little self-conscious having the kingdom’s eyes on him, even after being married to the king for nearly a year.
The farmers bowed low to Derek, then turned and saw Stiles approaching. They bowed to him as well and greeted him with a “Your Highness”, causing Stiles to blush.
Derek smiled and rose to his feet. He took Stiles’ hands in his own and kissed him gently on the lips. “Good morning,” he rumbled.
“Good morning to you, too,” Stles murmured. “Do you have plans this afternoon?”
“I have meetings all morning, but I am all yours for lunch and all afternoon,” Derek confirmed.
“Excellent!” Stiles pressed his hands together. “I have plans for us. Meet me in the courtyard at lunchtime?”
Derek took Stiles’ hand and kissed it. “I will be there with bells on,” he confirmed.
Stiles beamed and rushed off to the kitchen.
**********
Stiles was waiting at the courtyard past the noon hour. He held a picnic basket over his arm, filled with delicious things. Some of the food the kitchen staff prepared for them, but there were a few quick treats that Stiles begged his old companions to let him make.
Derek finally appeared, looking sheepish. He had taken off his crown, but was otherwise dressed as he was in the throne room. “I’m sorry, my love,” he said, walking over to Stiles and kissing his cheek. “There were more complaints that arrived after you already left, so it took longer than I intended.”
“It’s alright,” Stiles smiled at him. “There’s still plenty of daytime left to enjoy!”
“What plans did you make?” Derek asked, his eyes twinkling. “I see a picnic basket on your arm.”
“Indeed!” Stiles said. “It’s a lovely spring day, and flowers are blooming all over the land. There’s a hill over there about half an hour walk away with the most beautiful daisies. I thought maybe we could have a picnic over there.”
“Lead the way!” Derek said, bowing to Stiles and gesturing him forward with his arm.
The two walked to the hills side by side. The conversation between them never ended. Stiles told Derek about his adventures in the kitchen that morning, and Derek told Stiles about the problems that some of the townspeople had been having.
Finally, they arrived at the hill, which really was beautiful. Daisies of all different colors were in full bloom down the hillside, with bright green grass poking through between the patches of flowers.
Stiles selected a grassy spot more than big enough for the two of them and spread out a soft blanket that had been packed inside the picnic basket. The couple sat down on the blanket and Stiles began taking out all of the food that he had packed.
There were some savory sandwiches using freshly baked bread from the kitchen and the leftover meat from their dinner the previous night. Then there were muffins that Stiles baked himself that morning with butter and honey to drizzle over them. There were extra pastries that the kitchen provided as well. Finally, there was a jug of lemonade kept cold with ice.
“This is quite the feast you’ve brought for us,” Derek approved.
“Yes, and I made the muffins myself! Here, try one.” Stiles passed one of the muffins to Derek.
The king carefully added a bit of butter and honey to the muffin before taking a bite out of it. “Mmm, delicious!” he declared. “You really are the best cook in the kingdom!”
Stiles blushed. “Well, I would still cook every meal if you would let me!” he pointed out, tapping Derek’s nose. “Then you could have my muffins daily if you wanted!”
“No,” Derek said, pulling Stiles closer. “I would rather have you with me on the throne, and in my bed.”
“Derek!” Stiles hissed, turning even redder. “Your guards might hear!”
Derek’s guards were never too far away from him, or Stiles for that matter. They were further down the hill, and Stiles could barely make out Erica’s blonde hair blowing in the breeze.
“I’m pretty sure they already know,” Derek laughed, kissing the tip of Stiles‘ nose.
And he was right, considering one of the three guarded the door to their private rooms every night.
The meal was delicious, and when they had eaten every bite and drank every drop of the lemonade, the pair laid down on the blanket and looked up at the sky.
“Have you ever looked at the clouds and seen shapes in them?” Stiles asked. A cloud looking a bit like Derek’s favorite stallion floating by.
Derek leaned on his arm to look at Stiles. “No,” he said. “Tell me what you see?”
“Well, that one looks like your horse,” Stiles pointed out the cloud he‘d seen. “And then that one…” He pointed to one on the other side. “That one looks like that ugly vase in the throne room.”
“I’d get rid of it, but it’s been in the family for centuries,” Derek laughed it off. Then he pointed in front of them. “That one there, don’t you think it looks like a flower?”
Stiles peered up at it. It did look like one of the many daisies around them. “You have a good eye for this!” he said approvingly. “Speaking of flowers…” He started scanning the daisies around them and started picking the ones with the longest stems.
“What are you doing?” Derek asked.
“You‘ll see,” Stiles winked at him.
Once he’d gathered a good amount of flowers, he started carefully weaving them together with long, dexterous fingers. Derek watched intently as the weaving formed into a circular shape, creating a crown. “There you go,” he said, placing the crown on Derek’s head. “Your Majesty,” he bowed from his seated position.
Derek grinned up at his crown. “But now you need one. Can I try?”
“Of course,” Stiles said, dropping the remaining daisies into the king’s lap.
He patiently guided Derek through the creation of a flower crown. Derek worked slowly and meticulously, but eventually he held a completed flower crown as well. “How does it look?” he asked, holding it up.
“It’s perfect!” Stiles smiled. “You did a good job.”
“I had the best teacher,” Derek told him, then proceeded to put the flower crown on Stiles’ head. “My king.”
Stiles laughed. “I am the king, and this is my domain!” he declared. “This hillside of flowers. I shall be the king of flowers!” He stood proudly with his hands on his hips.
Derek laughed as well. “Perfect! And you’re the king of the kitchen as well!”
“Good enough for me!” Stiles said, then looked up at the sky. “The sun is starting to set. We should probably head back to the castle. No one will be mad that you were gone all afternoon with me?”
“Not a chance,” Derek said. “I am the king, and time with my husband is an important royal duty.”
They packed everything back in the picnic basket and, with the guards trailing behind again, headed back to the castle hand in hand, flower crowns still on their heads.