The Veretian soldier used the Akielon word 'Exalted', a choice made weeks earlier. And maybe this is the most important thing really:.'Thank you, I can be said to be faintly aware of that.' 'I'm here to inform you that the King of Akielos has arrived.' Laurent was like the edge of a blade, but sometimes he was like this.

Like breathing, it was necessary, even as the tenderness of it was too much, gentleness where he had never expected Laurent to be gentle. It was healing something he hadn't known needed to be healed. The cleansing was slow, attentive, drizzling water, then soaping his skin. But the flogging is still there between them, its scars will never fade. They know there are still open wounds between them, even though I believe Laurent has by now fully forgiven Damen for Auguste.NIKANDROS IS TEACHING LAURENT TO WRESTLE ARE YOU FUKCING KIDDING ME I WASN'T READY FOR THIS, I FUCKING KNEW THEY'D BE FRIENDS.

Laurent pouring ice-cold water over Damen.

No but for real, can we talk about Laurent plucking a flower to put in Damen's hair, Damen returning the gesture, and then Laurent keeping the flower behind his ear as long as he can and then only removing it once he needs to wash?.

Laurent's skin is so sensitive to the sun and he will burn within seconds and I feel this on a deep emotional level.

Damen arriving alone without his entourage and surprising Laurent.

Laurent arriving at the Palace early and waiting for Damen.

I'll give my life for his people.'īecause I cannot form coherent thoughts, allow me to just bullet-point my favorite things (except like, you know, tHE WHOLE THING): 'I'll take care of your son, I'll protect his kingdom as if it were my own. So let the fluff gates open, let my babies be together, let them walk naked through Akielon palaces, let Laurent put a fucking flower in Damen's hair and wash him and kneel to him, let him talk to the statue of Damen's mother and say, This is fluff that out-fluffs every single piece of fluff out there, but it's not cheesy, it's not gratuitous, it's not without meaning, because it's fucking Damen and Laurent we're talking about, okay?Įvery soft moment has been earned through a path of loss and pain and regret and conflict and healing and slowly trusting each other. I can't believe this is officially canon Lamen fluff. Whatever shit will happen this year, whatever nuclear war is waiting for us, The Summer Palace single-handedly, retroactively saved 2017.

If this was still 2016, I would be writing something like ' Yuri On Ice and The Summer Palace saved 2016'.Īs it happens, this is 2017, so allow me to say:

I honestly need a different rating system for the Captive Prince books because there's no way this is ONLY a five stars Imagine giving this less than 5 stars, can't relate

The summer palace captive prince