"Your name is Amelia" I repeated to myself as Nick and I descended the airplane steps. I clutched the small purse that held my phone plus a few other 'essentials' with a grip tight enough to turn my fingers blue.

"Your name is Amelia" I repeated again.

This served two functions. One obviously was an attempt to get used to my new name as quickly as possible. The other was to keep my mind off the hundreds of repeating camera flashes that were going off every second.

"Remember to curtsy" I heard Izzy say from behind me "Just like we practiced".

I looked ahead to find a young man I recognized to be the Crown Prince, Nick's older brother approaching the steps from a canopy farther away.

I studied him carefully noting that while the princes did pass as brothers when the fact was established, an ignorant passerby wouldn't easily make that connection.

The only real similarity between them was in the curly brown hair they both shared.

In truth, Theodore paled in comparison to Nick, at least to me. Where Nick had strong features and a frame that demanded reverence, his brother just came off as a bit more awkward granted his simple blue two-piece suit was a good amount more casual than Nick's current attire.

When Nick's hand left mine, I knew it was time to focus. The Crown Prince was approaching.

He was all smiles as he met his brother with a big hug. I guessed decorum and policy didn't apply to them.

"Welcome back, brother" I heard him say to Nick after they broke apart. "I've missed you dearly".

Nick managed a smile even as many eyes and cameras witnessed their reunion. It was a feeling I would need to eventually get used to. Having cameras witnessing and recording my every move.

Even now, several close-up shots were being taken of my face and body. Those pictures would be analyzed by the entire country like it was the Super Bowl highlights. A frown would be reported on and speculated about. If there was a pimple, it wouldn't go unnoticed.

"I've missed you too, brother" Replied Nick.

"And who do we have here?" he turned to me.

That was my cue. Just like we'd rehearsed.

Tall and graceful. Keep back straight. Gently step one foot behind the other, bend my knees, keep my hands relaxed.

Perfect.

"She's quite a beauty, Nicky. I didn't think you had it in you." Theodore commented with a smile.

Was that a jab? At Nick? At me?

Just how much did he know about the Situation? They wouldn't keep it from the Crown Prince, would they? Surely not.

I made a mental note to eventually ask Percy who knew and who didn't.

I arose when my curtsy had run its course to catch a glimpse of Theodore's lingering eyes on my chest.

"Come" he exclaimed before turning away "Everyone is excited to meet you"

Nick followed his retreating brother and of course so did I. Farther down our current path stood a collection of individuals dressed in lavish and expensive garments. They were the only ones standing in front of the long metal barricade. The rest stood a ways behind it.

"Percival, come" Theodore called. A second later, flustered and in a rush, Percy hurried passed us to catch up to the Prince.

I watched Prince Theodore whisper something in his ear which was followed by a nod of acknowledgement.

"Everyone will be introduced to you." I heard Izzy say from behind me. "If they're introduced as a prince or princess, Duke or duchess, curtsy. If you hear anything else, Marquis, Count, Viscount, or worse nothing at all, just bow your head slightly"

Everything seemed to be happening at lightning pace. I glanced briefly at the long line of cameras that dotted the other side of the barricade. I wondered which of those flashes would capture the image that would make it to the front of tomorrow's paper.

One after the other, the entire canopy was introduced to Nick and me, some individually, some in groups of two.

I paid special attention to the princes and princesses who were introduced first.

"His Highness, Prince Alexander" the man to whom the booming voice from earlier belonged to spoke again. A young boy no older than 16. I curtsied to him. He nodded in response. He looked bored.

"His Highness, Prince Dominic" the man announced again. This one was even younger. 8 years old if I had to guess. He held the hands of an older girl that hadn't yet been introduced. I tried my hardest to ignore the look of disgust on her face as I curtsied at the young prince.

"Her Highness, Princess Emily"

It was the girl's turn so I made sure to get it exactly right when I curtsied. Maybe if I showed enough respect, she would find it in her heart to lose the air of hostility that I felt from her.

I hadn't even done anything. What could she possibly have had against me?

"Her Highness, Princess Charlotte"

Again and again, I went through the motions even as my knees started feeling sore. Both girls as well as the youngest prince had the same blonde hair which signified some relation. How close or how far they were to Nick, I had no idea.

Even though I knew this was an auspicious moment, I was already getting over the whole thing by the time the announcements had gotten to the dukes. It had been a long flight. My body was sore.

"Duke Edward and Duchess Eleanor of Eldwin"

"Duke William and Duchess Victoria of Astralyn"

"Duke Oliver and Duchess Matilda of Serena"

I tuned out the names and simply focused on my cues to curtsy and my counts to rise.

That was until I heard one name that I recognized.

"Duke Charles of Caelor"

Charles' eyes met mine following his introduction. Just like normal, I went through the motions. I felt a bit of kinship with him due to his obvious softness. Charles was what you would call a twink. At least that's how he appeared to me. I would never have said that to his face.

I was sure if Izzy got her hands on him, he could come out a passable woman. Perhaps with a few tells unlike me, but passable nonetheless.

Charles of course couldn't feel the same kinship. When he looked at me, he saw a woman, not a fellow man with a similar ailment.

To his credit, he tried to hide his disgust beneath a well-practiced smile but the facade would occasionally break especially after glancing over to Nick.

I hadn't said a word yet so why did I feel like I already had enemies? I literally just got here.

When the dukes in attendance were exhausted, I gracefully bowed my head to the rest of the guests as they were introduced to me, their names lost and disregarded almost as soon as they left the announcer's lips.

All except Alexander, Dominic, Emily, Charlotte, and Charles.

When the high nobility introductions were done, it was finally the turn of the advisors, ministers, councilors, and the like which were made up mostly of lower nobility and commoners.

In Lenorian society, those were the highest positions of prestige a commoner could attain regardless of how much money they had. If they wanted to climb any higher, they would need to perform deeds for the monarchy to earn lands and titles.

If their deeds were particularly impressive, they got to them in perpetuity.

It was quite unbelievable just how many high-ranking members of society seemed excited to meet me. Me of all people. The same person who was barely scraping to survive last week.

As I was busy adjusting the skirt of my dress following the conclusion of introductions, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I realized that someone had been calling my name at least a few times. Well, calling 'Miss Beaumont'.

"Yes, hi, sorry" I turned to greet the older man who had been introduced to me earlier but I couldn't remember his name for the life of me.

Count something or the other.

"Viscount Montague," he said to my relief.

"Nice to meet you" I forced a smile. My social battery had officially run out and I was running on fumes. Somehow speaking with him seemed underwhelming now even though he was a Viscount and a lot more important than Morgan could have ever hoped to meet.

"Forgive me for asking but 'Beaumont', is that the Yorkshire Beaumont or the Normandy Beaumonts," he asked "I am very familiar with those regions".

What? I understood what he was asking but I had no clue what the answer could be. Should I have just picked one? No that was a horrible idea. Follow-up questions would certainly trip me up. Should I have just gone with a random location? Surely he couldn't possibly know every Beaumont in the world.

But if he went in search of it and came up empty, wouldn't that raise red flags?

I still don't know what I should have done at that moment. Excuse myself? Just walk away? Thankfully, I didn't have to make a decision because Nick promptly came to my rescue.

"Babe, we're leaving," He said taking my hand.

"Your Royal Highness" The Viscount descended into a strong bow after taking a step back to an appropriate distance.

"Viscount" was Nick's acknowledgment. I could have been wrong but it didn't look to me like he was enjoying all the fuss. If so, we had that in common at least.

"Miss Beaumont, let us speak again at the ball" he bowed again before making his exit.

Ball? What ball?

"Ball?" I asked.

"To celebrate my return" Nick answered.

Why was this the first I heard of it?

Nick and I were ushered into one of the parked Cadillacs that had those little white, black, and red flags at the front. As soon as we were seated, Percy took the passenger seat and after some more waiting, the procession was on its way.

=^..^=

I watched in innocent wonder as the unfamiliar country flew past me. The first thing that came to mind was how clean the streets were but then again this was the route to and from the airport so you would naturally expect that.

But even as we went farther and farther into the journey, the trend remained. The next thing I noticed was how bare the streets were.

By now, it was late evening, and being used to the usual crowds that filled my hometown, this was a shock.

"When is this ball?" I asked turning my attention back to my fellow passengers.

"In 2 days. To commemorate His Highness' return" Percy answered. "Before I forget..." he reached over from the front seat and handed me an envelope.

"what is it?" I asked inspecting the sealed package.

"Everything you need to know about Amelia along with some documents, a new passport, birth certificate, and so on"

I wondered if it was alright to talk about this with the driver there but quickly let it go. If Percy was fine with it then it was probably fine.

"Can I open it?" I asked. I glanced over to Nick who looked to be lost watching the world go by through the windows.

"Yes, but give it back to me when you're done" Percy instructed "I'll have it delivered to your room. Make sure to study it tonight and have it all memorized as soon as possible. Expect lots of questions about your past"

"That reminds me, some viscount asked if I was from Normandy or something like that"

"Originally, but your branch of the family emigrated to the United States from France in 1901"

"So I'm French?"

"Third generation American" he corrected.

"I'm 24?" I asked after spotting my new Date of Birth. September 5th, 1999. A year and ten months after my old one. "Would it have killed you to make me younger?"

I heard Percy sigh all the way from the back seat.

"Amelia's profile suited you best"

"I don't understand, didn't you just create it? Just use the same age"

"Amelia was a real person. She is deceased. Does that bother you?" He asked.

Did it? I turned to Nick who at least seemed to be listening now. He looked like he was battling a hundred different emotions. It seemed to me that coming back after three years was proving to be overwhelming.

"I don't know" I answered.

"Don't worry about it." He assured me "Your identity is airtight this way as long as you memorize it"

"Okay"

I was stealing someone's life. Stealing her name, family history, likes and dislikes and who knows what else.

"There will be a televised interview sometime this week. I understand it's very short notice but the Lenorian people are anxious to know who you are".

I thought this was going to be easy money. The job hadn't even really started and I was already exhausted.

=^..^=

"What's on your mind?" I reached out to Nick who had been quiet for an extended period of time.

He forced a smile. "I'm fine".

"We're doing this together remember?" I reminded him of his own words.

"Later" he brushed me off and picked up his phone.

Whatever. I didn't care. I looked out my own windows.

When Nick dropped his phone on my lap, I quickly scooped it up, proving to myself that I cared very much.

In his phone's Notes app, he had written, "It's about Charles. I'll tell you when we're alone".

I nodded and handed him back the phone.

=^..^=

The castle itself was situated well away from the public's reach. We had taken a turn off the highway about 30 minutes into our journey.

For several miles, we'd followed a path that was surrounded by a deep forest on each side until we arrived at a beautiful ornate gate manned by what looked to me to be a military squadron. They even had the visible gear and firepower to show it.

After the procession was allowed entry, we'd driven for several more miles and I worried we'd never reach the end of the seemingly endless forest.

As if it wasn't overkill enough, we eventually arrived at an actual real-life drawbridge situated over a body of water that separated the castle grounds from the rest of the world.

Thankfully, the journey was now over as we soon came to a full stop after which the vehicle doors were opened for Nick and I allowing me to take in the sights.

First, the grounds featured multiple ponds and fountains alongside perfectly maintained trees, flowers, and shrubs.

The magnificent white castle though the most impressive was only one of four separate castles in the vicinity.

The main building which our party now approached stood proudly, a good amount taller than the rest. It also featured towers and spires and other such extravagant additions that belonged in a distant, more fantastical past.

The group remained intact until the main castle entrance where our journey ended but the other princes and princesses carried on alongside their guards to the other castles.

I would later find out that each castle had a name: Eclipton Castle, Tynedale Castle, Goldcrest Castle, and Ironhold.

Eclipton, the home of the immediate royal family was our destination. I was awestruck as soon as I stepped through the towering doors. The first thing that demanded my attention was just how much gold there was in view.

From the arches of the grand hall, the beautiful chandeliers that hung from the ceiling to the rich tapestries and patterns throughout, it was enough to make me forget about my current predicament.

The sight reaffirmed my beliefs that I was in fact making the right decision. The dress that I'd been wearing for half a day now accentuated curves that I would have rather buried. The slight heels forced me to stand in a manner that I wouldn't normally be caught dead in.

But I didn't care. I would do it all every day just to live here.

Hall after hall and the extravagance never diminished. Thirty-three thousand a year could suck it.

The whole time Nick and Theodore were engaged in deep discussion, but it looked intimate so I decided not to listen in or intrude.

=^..^=

"Announce the Princes' arrival" Percy instructed the guards who stood outside yet another impressive door. With only a nod, one of the guards disengaged his position, opened the door slightly, and slipped quietly through.

"This is the drawing-room," Percy told me. "It is where their majesties receive unofficial or personal visitors.

I nodded. I was grateful for the information. There was so much I would have to learn. Everyone there grew up living this life. I couldn't have even imagined it a week ago.

I wished Izzy would always be around to help but I knew this wouldn't be the case. She wasn't there now anyway. I would need to learn and learn fast.

The doors opened again, this time the whole way to reveal a large lavish room decorated in a similar fashion as the rest of the castle.

Comfortable sofas lined the walls of the room and it was all tied together by a relatively simple wooden coffee table.

I caught a glimpse of the man and woman sitting in the room and immediately felt self-conscious.

I didn't know if it was more because they were the King and Queen or because they were my friend's parents. Probably the former.

With Lenoria being an absolute monarchy, those were easily the most powerful people in the country. With the country's vast wealth, maybe they were even the most powerful in the region. And they were smiling at me. At us.

"My two boys! Under the same roof again" the man exclaimed as he stood to give his son a hug.

'They don't seem too bad' I thought to myself.

"My son, welcome back" It was the queen's turn to hug him. "And I see you've brought back a price. Oh what a beauty you are, my dear".

I took that as my cue to curtsy but to my surprise, she pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek.

I was reluctant to touch her so I just stood there awkwardly.

They seemed so nice. I couldn't have imagined them sending Nick away.

I glanced at the television playing in the background, and on it were clips and reports of our arrival at the airport.

God, I looked like a woman.

"We have missed you so dearly, Nicholas," his father said to him.

"I have missed you as well, Father, and Mother" Nick answered.

"Both of you sit" The king commanded "The rest of you, out."

Honestly, I was under the impression that we were just coming to say our hellos. I was sore and tired and needed the day to end but as you would expect, a refusal wasn't on my cards.

"Me too, father?" Theodore asked sheepishly.

The king all but shushed him away, "I'll see you at dinner".

The King and Queen took their seats and so did Nick and I.

When the room was clear and it remained just the four of us, the King spoke again.

"Now let's get down to business".

=^..^=

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Thanks for reading. As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments.