"Who the hell is Prince Nicholas?" I screamed frantically at my friend to gain his attention.

I knew better than to disturb him while he played his video games but this was an emergency.

When his face turned white as a sheet of paper, I knew that name meant something to him. He paused his game and turned to me in horror.

"Where'd you hear that?" he asked in a panic.

"Look" I pointed to the article I'd just come across on my phone, "It says right there, 'Lenorian Prince Nicholas spotted with mystery woman after disappearance from public eye'"

Normally I wouldn't care about shitty tabloid gossip but incredibly the grainy photo that accompanied the headlines was quite visibly one of Nick and I.

He took my phone and inspected the screen in disbelief.

"Oh no"

"What do you mean 'oh no'?" I half shouted.

"Morgan, I can explain"

Can you believe it? That was how I found out that my best friend, my only friend really, was Prince Nicholas, second son and last child of King Richard and Queen Arabella of the Kingdom of Lenoria, one of the last surviving absolute monarchies.

"You're really a prince?" I asked him again still trying to overcome my disbelief.

"Not by choice" he answered defensively.

"We've known each other for 8 months, you didn't think to mention it? What, it never came up?"

"I was trying to get away from all that" he answered as if that made it all better.

"I can't believe this" I paced around our shared living room.

Three months after we met, I'd expressed to him that I was looking for a roommate due to an increase in my rent. He'd offered to move in with me. He had been living full-time in a hotel so I figured he simply had a bit of money to throw around but now it made so much sense.

"You arsehole, you even had us split the bills" I stared daggers at him.

"You know, I would have thought you'd be more upset that they called you a woman. I know how much you hate that"

"We'll I'm getting there".

I threw myself back on the sofa and took a deep breath. This couldn't be happening.

I rubbed my forehead. That article was already going viral. The most likes I'd ever gotten on a post was 200 and suddenly, there was a photo of me floating across the internet with millions of likes.

Even worse, thousands of people were speculating about who the mystery woman was.

I really shouldn't have put off that haircut. But I could barely survive on my paycheck as it was; I just couldn't afford a haircut, which was crazy to say since my roommate had been a prince all along.

"What am I going to?" I groaned.

"Nothing," Nick said as he sat on the sofa next to me "People have short memories. A few days and they'll have moved on to the next thing".

I turned to see him smiling reassuringly. He was trying to not make me worry but I could tell he was. Looking at him, I still couldn't believe he was a real-life prince. He looked just like a regular guy. A really attractive guy but regular still.

I was always jealous about how popular he was with girls. They fawned after him. He mostly just ignored them.

Eight months and I'd never seen him work a single day. I guess it made sense now.

"I'll have to disappear now" he added nonchalantly like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Why? What are you a Bond villain?"

He laughed. "Now that they know I'm here, they won't stop looking. It'll be worse for you if they see us together"

I guess that made sense. It was bad enough already, but if the whole world found out that I was the mystery woman, I would quite literally die.

"Where will you go?" I tried getting over the fact that I was losing my best friend. That's if he even qualified as such anymore.

"I don't know yet. Milan, maybe" He answered.

Damn, he really was a Bond villain.

Suddenly, his loud and annoying ringtone rang out breaking my train of thought. Nick was one of those people who actually listened to TikTok music. I mean, his Spotify library was filled with songs you'd find in TikTok edits. Utter disgust every time his phone rang.

"Sorry, gotta take this," He said. He looked worried still trying not to show it.

He got up and briskly walked through the sliding doors and onto the balcony of our apartment.

Nick had two kinds of phone calls. Those where he had no issue sitting next to me and talking loudly and those which he took in absolute secrecy.

Usually, I wouldn't have cared. Let a man have his privacy, you know how it is. But not today. There would be no more secrets in this house.

I tiptoed and got closer to the window that had the balcony on the other side of it. I carefully slid it open just enough that I could hear without arousing any suspicion.

"... Mother, I told you I'm not seeing anyone"

...

"He's not even a girl. He just has long hair. You know how they are here"

...

"No, we're not dating"

...

"We've been through this"

...

"I'm not coming"

...

"Mother, don't send him, I'm not coming back"

...

"I know Father can't stand me"

...

"It's true and you know it"

...

"It's not my fault. I didn't choose this"

...

"He's the one that told me to go!" Nick raised his voice.

He composed himself before continuing.

"Let him tell me himself then"

...

...

...

Nick was shaking. He was always so carefree. Seeing him like this felt wrong, but I couldn't step away. I knew I shouldn't have been eavesdropping but I had to know. You understand, right?

...

"Yes father" he continued.

...

...

"Yes he's a boy"

...

"I don't know"

...

"He doesn't really date. I don't know what he's into"

...

Was he talking about me? Surely not.

"What's this about?"

...

"Fine, I'll ask"

...

"Okay, I'll text you the address"

...

"Yeah"

...

"Bye"

What the fuck?

I didn't have time to think however because Nick hung up and was making his way back to the sliding door.

I quickly ran over to the sofa, picked up my phone, and pretended I'd been scrolling the whole time.

Nick came back in and looked at me awkwardly before making his way to the sofa across from me.

"What's up?" I asked him since he wasn't making any moves to say anything.

"Are you free?" he asked.

"Tonight?"

"I mean for like a week"

"Uh yeah, 2 weeks PTO remember?"

He did know that. I'd told him several times already and again yesterday at the Cafe where we'd been photographed. Why was he acting so weird?

"My parents want to meet you?"

"What?"

"My parents..."

"The king and queen..."

"Yes"

"..want to meet me?"

"Yes"

"Are they coming here?" I asked with clear confusion written on my face.

"My mother hasn't left the country in eight years. She didn't even attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral, you think she's going to come see you?"

"Alright, alright, no need to be such a dick about it" I rolled my eyes "Why exactly do they want to meet me?"

"No idea, they're sending this guy Percival. He'll know more"

=^..^=

To his credit, Nick had told me multiple times to just stay indoors. I obviously hadn't listened to him as I was now walking the aisles of the grocery store.

I had been looking for toothpaste as we were running out as well as other essentials we would need if we were going to be stuck at home for the few days it would take Percival to arrive.

In truth, I'd already decided to accept whatever invitation was coming. A free vacation to a beautiful foreign country? Why would I pass up on that?

Lenoria, while small was very wealthy and as a consequence, very secretive. From what I'd heard, getting visas to visit was no easy feat. I was essentially getting an all-expense paid trip to stay in a castle.

I'd seen pictures of it online. Absolutely breathtaking. When I managed to calm down, the reality of things had finally dawned on me. My friend was a prince.

A stingy one sure, but a prince nonetheless.

I'd be a guest of the royal family. Percival couldn't get here soon enough.

"Is that her?" I picked up some hushed voices to my left.

"Looks like her" another voice said.

I tried my best to ignore it. Hopefully, they weren't talking about me although they almost certainly were. If they were, no good would come from looking.

My appearance was a constant bane of my existence. 22 years old, 5'5, and 137 pounds soaking wet. I knew my exact weight because I kept a scale in my bathroom to check for progress that never came.

Pair that with a dainty frame and pretty face and you have my unfortunate predicament. Nick had actually thought me a woman when we first met as well. Not that he was hitting on me or anything. That wasn't something he did.

I saw the flash and heard the camera click and my heart skipped a beat.

"Can you please delete that?" I turned and spoke before I had a chance to think.

The two girls looked so scared after. I hadn't meant for that to happen. I just really didn't want another picture of me out there.

I realized I'd subconsciously used my girl voice. It was something I'd started doing a while ago. I know it may seem counter-intuitive since I didn't like being mistaken for a girl but there was a reason.

The only thing worse than being seen as a girl was being seen as a boy that looked like a girl. So when in situations like this where I'd already been judged to be a girl, I used the voice to complete the image and prevent any embarrassment.

It was just a temporary measure. As soon as I managed to bulk up, I wouldn't need it anymore.

"I just really don't like people taking pictures of me" I continued.

"Oh okay," the one girl holding the phone said. She sounded innocent enough. Just a fan girl probably.

"You're dating Prince Nicholas?" the other girl asked.

"I really don't know what you're talking about" I answered.

I knew if I confirmed their suspicions, this encounter would probably end up on social media. Plus it was just plain false. We weren't dating. Far from it.

"I'll delete the photo," the other girl said again.

"Thank you," I said finally as sweetly as I could. I hated it, but it worked.

I picked up the rest of my items, bought a face mask to hide my identity, and hurriedly left the store.

=^..^=

I sat on the couch partially watching Nick's video game but also scouring the internet for information about Lenoria and its royal family.

Nick had two siblings. That bit he'd actually mentioned to me before. What he hadn't mentioned of course was that they were Crown Prince Theodore and Princess Sophia.

Sophia at age 33 was actually the oldest but Lenoria was still in its 'boys have precedence' phase so 28-year-old Theodore was first in line and 26-year-old Nick was second.

As an added blow to Sophia, both her uncles were third and fourth in line.

The firstborn child being fifth in line was just brutal if you ask me.

A bit about Lenoria, only 8 million people lived there. While it wasn't very open to the general public, it still enjoyed very good trade relationships with its neighbors. Lenoria's position as one of the region's wealthiest countries per capita is firmly established, owing to its substantial reservoir of natural resources, notably its abundant gold reserves.

"Why are you out here living in this shitty apartment when you could be living in a castle?" I asked him after seeing yet another picture of his family home.

"Trust me, it's not as fun as it sounds"

To be honest, it did sound pretty fun.

"I'd rather just live my life like a normal person" he continued.

"You don't work. That's hardly normal"

"I would if I could" he replied.

"That's weird"

"Yeah maybe"

I wanted to ask about the conversation I'd overheard but didn't want to give away the fact that I'd been eavesdropping. Instead, I turned my attention back to my phone and let him return to his game.

I particularly focused on the numerous speculation pieces that had been popping up online trying to figure out my identity.

Some people thought I must have been a royal due to both Nick's siblings dating within their social class. Most thought I must be some foreign celebrity but there were those who fantasized that I was a regular girl like them.

How wrong they all were.

=^..^=

Two days later.

After handing over my beat-up Mazda to the valet outside the Grand Aurora Hotel, the place Percival had requested we come to, Nick and I strolled toward the elevator.

Each step I took into the elegant building left me feeling more and more self-conscious but Nick strutted confidently even though his outfit didn't look much better than mine.

The mirrored walls of the elevator allowed me a brief respite to examine my appearance. Maybe I should have tried to dress up a little bit more. Following Nick's lead may not have been the smartest idea.

After all, I was meeting someone from his home country. No matter how I looked at it, my blue jeans and hoodie combo just didn't cut it.

I smoothed my hair with my palm and tucked some of it behind my ear. I looked a bit better but also girlier as a consequence. I alternated between zipping my hoodie up and leaving it open. Neither was satisfactory.

"What a waste" I heard Nick say.

"What?"

"Your looks. It's wasted on you"

I sighed. "If I need your opinion, I'll ask".

He raised his hand in surrender.

The elevator doors opened to reveal the most exquisite corridor. A red carpet ran throughout the entire length of the hallway.

Twelve women wearing black and red skirt suits stood six aside down the hallway. They were almost perfect copies of each other with the same hair color and hair styled in an exactly similar bun.

They stood at what looked to be equal distances apart and bowed as we stepped out of the elevator. They kept their heads low even as we passed. Nick seemed to pay them no mind. I thought they were fascinating.

At the end of the hall was a man wearing a simple but perfectly fitted black suit. He looked to be somewhere in his forties or fifties. I couldn't tell with that serious expression he had on.

"Your highness," he said with a short bow as we finally approached.

"Long time no see, Percy," Nick said.

"Indeed sir. This must be your... acquaintance" he said turning to me.

"Percival, Morgan. Morgan, Percival. Now why does Father want to see us?"

"This way please," Percival said finally gesturing to an open door.

=^..^=

"May I speak freely with him here?" Percival asked as the three of us sat in a large beautifully furnished sitting room.

"Go ahead" Nick answered.

He cleared his throat. "Your absence has been a sore spot for the king and queen"

"They sent me away. This whole thing was their idea"

"Forgive me sir but you know why" Percival glanced at me. Something told me he wasn't in fact speaking freely.

Nick turned his head away.

"Nick, is there something I should know?" I asked.

This seemed to anger Percival but he kept whatever he was feeling inside.

Nick seemed to be fighting a thought and gathering the strength to talk.

"It's okay" I assured him "You know all about my shitty family. I'm here for you"

"I'm gay" Nick blurted out like he had one shot to say it before it was locked away forever. "Sorry for not telling you".

Did I already know? Maybe a suspicion? All I knew was that I wasn't surprised when he said it so it was easy for me to keep my cool.

"They sent you away for that?" I asked. I knew many parts of the world were still backward about it but it seemed a bit extreme.

"Yeah which is why I'm wondering why they want me back now"

"Sir if I may, your father never wanted to send you away. He did it to protect you. So you could live the life you truly wanted"

"I wasn't allowed to go to my sister's wedding, Percival please"

"Sir, you have to understand people were starting to suspect" Percival was trying to reason with him. "You never entertained any advances from the ladies and there was that spectacle with Duke Charles"

"I haven't changed if that's what they're hoping for" Nick retorted.

"Their majesties were overjoyed when your sightings with a young woman were brought to their attention. They hoped..."

"Well, you're looking at her." Nick gestured to me. "Another man. So you can go back and tell them nothing's changed"

I couldn't help but notice how Percival always waited for Nick to completely finish his sentences before he spoke where I had no problems interrupting him if I didn't like what he was saying.

"His Majesty has a proposal. In his words, a way for you to have the male company you desire as well as provide the monarchy with the heterosexual relationship it demands. A way to bring you home once and for all"

"How?" I asked. I had a feeling about where this was headed and I didn't like it.

"You pretend to be a woman. You're doing a good enough job already," he spoke directly to me.

"I refuse," I said sharply.

"Morgan, hold on."

"To the outside world, you will be a woman. Completely. Personally, I detest the plan as this would leave the monarchy vulnerable if the truth is ever found out but His Majesty seems set on it"

"I don't want to do it," I said in case they hadn't heard me the first time. I got up and turned to leave.

"Of course, you will be employed with a contract so there will be substantial financial compensation among other things".

I stopped. Fuck I needed money. I hated my shitty low paying job with even shittier hours.

"Think about it" I heard Nick say.

Did he really want to do this? Did he want to go back? What happened to living his life like a normal person?

"How much?" I turned and asked.

"Substantial" was Percival's answer.

"How long would this go on for?"

"I would think that's up to how long you're willing and able to keep it up for. However, I should warn you."

He somehow grew even more serious and stared directly into my soul. I looked to Nick for support but he seemed to be pondering his own dilemma.

"Under no circumstances should your true situation ever be revealed. Is that clear?"

"Uh yes okay" I answered. Ever since he mentioned financial compensation, I think I may have been getting more and more on board. A 'substantial' payment just to live with Nick like I'd already been doing just in a more luxurious environment. How could I pass up on that?

Sure I hated the idea of living as a woman but one would argue I'd already been doing that for 22 years.

"What would I need to do?" I asked.

"Before you accept, you should know this will involve some cosmetic changes to your body. We can't afford any slip-ups"

Well, that caught my attention.

"Cosmetic changes?"

"All temporary. You will get a look at the actual contract when we get to Lenoria and you can change your mind at any time."

"Uh.. okay" was all I managed. Even now I still wanted to do it. It was easy money. A well paid vacation basically.

"Are you okay with this?" Nick asked me. "As far as everyone's concerned, you'll be my girlfriend"

"I'm sure there's worse things to be. Are you okay with this?" I asked him.

"Honestly, I miss home" he answered "If this gets me there, I'm grateful. Plus, you're not the worst person in the world" he smiled.

I smiled back "Yeah well don't flatter me too much"

"Excellent" Percival seemed pleased the matter had been resolved "Isidora will get you both ready then we leave for Lenoria"

"We'll just go home and pack some things?" I suggested to Will. I couldn't believe I was about to leave the country just like that. What should I bring with me?

"I assure you, there's nothing you have that we'll need. You get dressed and we leave. The plane is waiting"

=^..^=

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Is there anything more fun than starting a new story and building a new world? Thanks for reading the first one, hope you'll stay for the rest. Let me know what you thought about the first one.

If you're looking for something new to read, The First Mother is completed.

Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for Isidora's Hunger Games Capitol-looking outfit. Her designer either really loved frills or really didn't like her.

There was also so much pink it was almost blinding and for some reason known only to her, she'd decided to pair it all with some shade of blue lipstick. She looked more like an art project than a person.

And this person was supposedly the stylist?

I hadn't been expecting to have to make the journey to Lenoria as a girl but it made sense when it was explained to me.

The whole purpose of this charade was to fool the Lenorian people. I couldn't show up dressed as a boy. No, I was going to have my first transformation here.

To be honest, I was really dreading it. My dad had drilled in me a core fear of anything remotely feminine throughout my childhood.

I wasn't even a particularly feminine kid but God forbid he caught me watching a "girly cartoon" as he called them or playing with any toys that weren't action figures.

In case you were wondering, Barney and Friends was one such girly cartoon. One time he walked in on me watching Winx Club and blew a fuse. It was an ad.

This carried well into my teens. He acted as if my feminine appearance was my fault and made sure to get my hair buzzed regularly not that it was much help.

Don't get me started on the time I dared have a girl as a friend. Then he had the audacity to ask me why I never visited after leaving for college.

He didn't even know that I was leaving for Lenoria this afternoon and he didn't need to. I wanted to at least tell mum but I knew she'd just tell him and my brother anyway.

"We have a lot of work to do" Izzy, which was the name she'd insisted I call her, told me as soon as Percival and Nick left us to do their own preparation.

"Really?" I asked surprised. Word on the street was that I looked like a girl already. Maybe she meant it was a lot of work to get me to look like her which would be true. I hoped that wasn't the goal anyway.

Pictures I'd seen online of Lenorian society told me her fashion was a rarity. Thank God.

"No offense sweetie, you look poor."

Couldn't fault her powers of observation.

"Take off all your clothes. In there. Put this on"

"Underwear?" I cautiously received the weird-looking garment.

"It's called a gaff. You'll figure it out".

Spoiler, I did not figure it out. Not initially at least. I'd settled for just slipping them on like normal underwear but they turned out to be too uncomfortable.

A quick Google search and a horrified realization later, I finally understood what I needed to do and I wasn't happy about it.

Long story, the unfamiliar feeling of my constrained bits and the now totally flat front told me that I'd at least done it correctly.

I turned to the mirror to admire the result and was left so shocked that I may have yelled some profanities.

"Are you done yet?" Izzy asked with a raised voice. "A lady should never keep a prince waiting".

Fuck the prince, I was completely flat up front. The little guy wasn't even putting up any resistance.

"Come on hurry up, we have a lot to do"

=^..^=

Izzy couldn't stop staring when I finally emerged. Seeing her lingering gaze on my naked form, I had to actively try to keep myself from getting aroused which I must say was very eye-opening.

Surely I wasn't enjoying it. It didn't feel like I was enjoying it but my body was betraying me nonetheless.

When she spotted my discomfort, she gestured to a folded white robe and offered it to me.

"You're going to be a woman for quite some time. You'll have to get used to being naked around other women".

After adorning the robe, she tapped twice on the chair in front of her which signaled to me to sit in it.

"You'll even have ladies-in-waiting who will help you dress"

Little by little, it was dawning on me how different my life was about to be.

Every five minutes, I thought about just changing my mind before it got too messed up. It would suck but I would have to go back home to hide from any other scenarios like the one that happened at the grocery store.

If any of my coworkers had seen the posts, then I'd probably have to quit altogether. I wasn't particularly close with any of them which was probably why they hadn't called me yet to ask but if I ever went back to work, it would surely come up.

I watched closely as Isidora snipped and trimmed my hair. I thought they'd want it as long as possible but I guessed she had a different vision.

Soon she got swept up into her craft and I got swept up into my head.

I wondered what Nick was doing. Was I really going to pretend to be his girlfriend? 3 days ago, we were normal guys hanging out. How had things changed so much and so fast?

"What do you think?" I heard Izzy ask.

I raised my head to get a better look and was shocked by what she'd managed to accomplish in such a short amount of time.

Somehow, she'd managed to get my short hair to frame my face so delicately that I ended up even more feminine than I had begun.

"When we get to Lenoria, I should be able to give it a proper treatment but this should do for now"

There was more? It looked perfect... for what we were trying to accomplish.

Izzy opened up a hefty, shiny case that I found was filled to the brim with an array of cosmetics. That must have been how she achieved that unique look she had.

She set herself to work bidding me to sit perfectly still as her nimble fingers danced across my face with one device or another. I sat there patiently with my head slightly elevated and felt my whole way through the process since Izzy stood between me and the mirror.

The longer it went on, the more I anticipated the final result. I hoped she wasn't turning me into a jarring art piece but somehow I knew that wasn't the case. She was careful with her application and used only the gentlest of strokes.

When she finished and she stepped away satisfied, my fears were confirmed. I was pretty. It shouldn't have been this easy. Just hair and makeup shouldn't have been enough to turn me into every guy's fantasy.

It would never have worked on Nick, I knew that much. He'd have looked like a horrible caricature no matter how skilled Izzy proved to be. Not me though. The girl staring back looked like she belonged there. I hated her already.

I hated that she didn't look like a freak sitting there. Was I allowed to be attracted to her if she was me? Was that weird? Well, it meant that my sexuality was still intact at the very least.

"Remove the robe, I need to put this on" Izzy informed me effectively pulling me away from my thoughts.

Breast forms. I'd expected that. At least they were fairly small. They even seemed undersized for a girl my age, not that I knew what that was supposed to look like.

Without a word of defiance, I pulled the robe off my shoulder and slipped my arms out of the sleeves making sure to leave the bottom half intact.

Izzy applied a generous amount of adhesive before sticking them on. To ease my worry, she assured me that they were easy to remove with a special solvent but the adhesive would prevent any mishaps.

While I adjusted to the new weight on my chest, she proceeded to blend the seams carefully until you couldn't tell they didn't naturally belong to me. I couldn't help but observe that my new breasts matched my skin tone too well to have been a random pick but didn't comment on it.

I watched my now undeniably female upper body in the mirror, every time I moved, the breast forms jiggled or bounced realistically.

"Like them?" Izzy asked.

"They're interesting" I answered.

As if that wasn't enough, she then proceeded to help me into a bra that seemed purpose-built to accentuate them further and create cleavage.

By the time she moved on to the dress, I was ready for the whole thing to be over. She threw one dress after another on the bed and seemed to be struggling to make a pick.

I noticed she kept falling back to one red piece but would always decide against it.

"Something wrong with it?" I asked one time after she'd inspected it and put it down again.

"No, it's perfect. I just think it's a bit much for your first dress."

"What do you mean?" I asked again letting my curiosity get the better of me.

"Just try it on, let's see".

=^..^=

It turned out she was right. The dress was a bit much. The bright red dress had what she described as a boned bodice and a sweetheart neckline. The whole thing was cut from a soft satin fabric and had an aggressive side slit that went up to my mid-thigh.

The structure of the dress seemed to manufacture a shape that I never even knew I had... or never acknowledged.

"It's perfect" Izzy commented.

I just stood dumbfounded in front of the full-length mirror. The completed look was just too much to bear. Everything from the pretty face to the prominent cleavage, down to the waist, hips, and eventually legs just screamed woman.

It shouldn't have been this easy.

After debating which shoes I was to wear, Izzy finally acquiesced as we settled for simple open-toe sandals with a small heel.

Her original idea featured an admittedly beautiful but unrealistic pair of silver high heels.

I'd maintained the entire time that it simply wasn't going to work and my resolve only strengthened when she explained that I would be learning how to curtsy.

If I couldn't even walk in them, I'd certainly fall and break my back if I attempted what she'd just demonstrated to be a standard curtsy for non-royals.

"Since you're going to meet the king and queen, you need to know how to curtsy and do it well. You might meet them for the first time at the airport if they decide to come out to welcome His Highness, if not, it'll be in the castle"

I listened intently. If I was going to do it, I thought I might as well do it correctly.

"You want it to be in the castle. A few friends and family, it will be a private audience. If it happens at the airport, there'll be a lot of cameras. Lenorians are already very distrusting of foreigners so they'll be looking for any reason to discredit you so better not mess it up"

The notion that this was going to be an easy payday was flying out the window.

"Here, I'll show you," she said as she entered the first pose "First, stand tall and graceful, keeping your back straight. Now, gently step one foot behind the other, just a little. Slowly bend your knees, but keep your back straight as you lower your body."

She spoke as she demonstrated making the whole thing look easier than it probably was.

"Now, as you lower yourself, let your skirt or dress fan out slightly. Remember to keep your hands relaxed at your sides or lightly hold the edge of your skirt. Now do it with me"

We practiced it enough times until I no longer looked as awkward as I felt. To Izzy's credit, she was being extremely patient with me which I appreciated even if this was probably just her job as it was mine.

We went on for several minutes longer, the whole time, she made sure to correct my posture when I was leaning in a bit too far to the left or bending my back.

"Let's go show you off," she said excitedly as soon as I'd nailed it three times in a row with minimal mistakes.

=^..^=

I saw Nick before he saw me. He looked nothing like the boy I knew. This guy looked regal and commanding, clad in a tailored military ensemble that exuded authority.

The structured red jacket was adorned with intricate gold braiding along its edges. It hugged his form with precision and accentuated his stature, the masculine equivalent of what my dress did for me.

My dress. What the hell?

His outfit was entering the realm of larger-than-life. Upon his left shoulder, a distinguished epaulet with crimson feathers lent an air of grandeur and distinction. A pristine white shirt with an embroidered collar, paired with tailored black trousers and black boots completed the look.

Nick, the guy that never made any attempts to hide his farts, now looked like he had just walked out of a fantasy novel. I'd expected someone dressed as he was to be holding a ceremonial Sabre but instead, he scrolled through his phone and laughed at whatever passed as humor for him.

"Ahem" Izzy loudly cleared her throat to gain his attention.

Nick did a double-take when he saw me.

"My goodness Morgan" he stood abruptly "If I was attracted to women, I'd be all over you"

"It's a good thing you're not then" I replied.

I took multiple steps forward thankful that we'd agreed to forego the heels for now.

"Where's the Grinch?" I asked.

"He's right here" Percival answered as he'd been coincidentally walking into the room at that moment.

I turned to him and smiled awkwardly.

He too seemed very taken aback when he got a proper look at me.

"You clean up nice" I wiped a hand comically across Nick's jacket.

"May I use the opportunity to suggest that you treat him with the respect that befits his position" Percival said in response.

"Percy, it's okay. We're supposed to be madly in love, aren't we?"

"Sir, she's still a commoner"

Four words and two of them annoyed me. Percy had a gift.

"You forget that she's not a subject" Nick argued.

"Your Highness, as long as she's in Lenoria, she is bound by the same rules"

I figured I'd have to get used to my new pronouns sooner rather than later.

"We should go, sir" Percival resigned "The car is waiting".

=^..^=

Our party got numerous stares immediately after we exited the elevator. The twelve women that Nick explained were some form of trained guards were already waiting in the lobby. The few cameras inside the lobby that belonged to patrons of the hotel were nothing compared to the professional cameras that we could see waiting on the other side of the street outside the gates.

Someone must have let slip that they'd spotted Prince Nicholas at the Grand Aurora because the paparazzi had swooped in like vultures.

The guard hurriedly ushered us into the third of the four-car convoy. Somehow, I had gone from being virtually unknown to having paparazzi desperate to take a picture of me overnight.

Our SUV contained Nick and I in the back, one of the women driving and Percy in the passenger seat. Izzy had been relegated to one of the other identical vehicles.

Upon exiting the gates, the cars were swarmed by the paparazzi but thankfully, they had mostly given up when they realized the windows were all tinted.

"Regretting it yet?" Nick asked with an 'I told you so' smile.

"You wish" I replied.

=^..^=

The convoy drove through the gates of the private airport and directly to the foot of the enormous private jet. Due to the form-fitting dress, I struggled to get out of the car almost as much as I had to get in.

Though embarrassing, I'd been grateful for Nick's arm as he led me up the steps into the aircraft.

Oh, how beautiful it was on the inside. I'd been in a few airplanes but this easily dwarfed all the rest by a very large margin when it came to splendor.

"Is that a couch?" I asked Nick who was amused by my expression and reaction. Can you really blame me? Who would have ever expected to see a whole couch in an airplane plus a large television taking up the other side of the aisle?

In fact, I wouldn't really call the space in the middle an aisle since the seating arrangement was structured more like a living room.

"The bigger ones have whole bedrooms" Nick informed me a little too proudly.

'Live a normal life' my foot.

=^..^=

I did my best to contain my excitement and wonder as our pilots instructed us that we were ready for take-off.

Nick and I shared the couch so we could talk to pass the time of the 8-hour flight.

Percy and Izzy both sat in the cabin space but far enough away not to intrude on our conversation.

The guards were stationed in a different room although one or two of them would occasionally show up to bring us refreshments. There was also a button on each of the chairs that served to summon them whenever we needed anything.

The little things made this whole thing worth it. Yes, my feet hurt and this dress left me feeling extremely self-conscious more often than not, but then again, I didn't need to worry about anything anymore.

I didn't have to work or deal with annoying customers anymore. Having cleavage was a small price to pay.

"Are you excited about going home?" I asked Nick.

"I haven't been back in three years. It's more nerve-wracking than anything"

"You haven't seen your siblings in three years?"

"We've videocalled a few times but they're very busy so not as often as we'd like. Sophie has a family now, a son, and Theo is preparing to take over from Father"

"What does the second son do anyway? Just party and have fun?" I asked genuinely curious.

The slit of my dress was riding up higher than I'd have liked but I didn't want to go through the motions of adjusting it.

"Military service probably. As it is, I'll probably be shoved into some role far away and out of sight."

"I don't think your parents would want that," I said in an attempt to make him feel better.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Nick asked me clearly trying to change the subject "You always talked about how much you hated being treated like a girl and now you're fine doing it full-time?"

Nick didn't get it. But how could he? He was out of touch with the real world.

"Do you know what my salary was?"

He shook his head.

"Thirty-three thousand a year" I gave him the answer "Do you know when I'll be able to retire at thirty-three thousand a year?"

He didn't respond. He knew the answer and now he knew my reasons.

"Never," I said anyway.

I figured I'd suck it up for a year or two. Whatever they did to me would be reversible. By the time I was done, Nick and I would stage a breakup, we would go our separate ways, and I'd be rich.

"Fine. I just wanted to make sure you know what you're getting into. The castle isn't empty. I have a big extended family. There are princesses that grew up spoiled and princes that never got told no"

Okay, that was worrying but what was the alternative? Go back? Not a chance.

"I'll be fine," I said finally.

"Well don't say nobody warned you" was his final piece.

=^..^=

I must have fallen asleep sometime during the movie because I was woken up by the jet's tires hitting the runway.

My eyes had darted open but I hadn't dared move yet after realizing I had been sleeping on Nick's shoulder. Nick was using his phone as usual and from my position, I had a clear view of his contents.

It was a news article with the headlines:

"THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS?"

I faked a yawn, "Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked at the end of it.

He quickly swiped up to remove the page from view.

"You looked so peaceful... which is a rare sight" he joked.

"Haha very funny" I turned to look at Percy who was as alert as a hawk. Izzy was nowhere in sight.

I got up to my feet and walked barefooted to the windows to get what limited views I could of the world outside.

I could see the actual airport coming into view but enveloping us on both sides as the aircraft decelerated was a large forest.

"So this is Lenoria" I marveled. There wasn't much to see right then but just the thought that I was in a different country was enough for me.

"Come on Morgan, I'll fix your makeup and get that bedhead under control" I turned to Izzy as she spoke.

"Actually, is he keeping the name Morgan? I think it's unisex" Nick asked.

Yet another thing my dad didn't like about me, as if it had been my fault. They're the ones that named me after Morgan Freeman but did that stop him from sneering whenever someone called me by my actual name? No.

"She." Percy cautioned "Sir, you need to get used to it so there aren't any slip-ups. And no, an entirely new identity is being crafted for her with full background and documents."

The aircraft was making a turn off the runway which caused me to stumble and need to be caught by Nick.

"Thanks," I said shyly.

"Get her ready. We don't want to keep them waiting"

=^..^=

I desperately tried and failed to get my heart under control as Nick and I stood just inside the aircraft's open doors.

I'd felt fine until I exited the powder room with Izzy to find at least a hundred people waiting out on the tarmac.

I didn't do so well being the center of attention. I knew it was a side effect of being self-conscious about my body. I knew I didn't, and shouldn't have had that problem here but I still couldn't stop my heart from beating out of my chest.

"I can't do this" I whispered.

Everyone was patient enough with me even though I was keeping several important dignitaries waiting including the Heir Apparent.

"I can't..." I paused.

What if I went out there and messed up? What if I tripped? What if I got nervous and used my boy voice? A million things could go wrong and every single one of them could ruin my life.

I turned to Nick and saw the concern on his face.

Don't do that.

I'm ruining your homecoming. Don't care more about me.

"Hey hey hey, it's okay," he said as he took my hand. This caused my heart to beat even harder.

What was he doing? This wasn't helping.

"Just focus on me," he said to me.

It really wasn't helping. I pulled my hand away but he didn't let go.

"If we're going to do this, we do it together so just follow my lead okay?"

"Okay," I answered no more than a whisper. I let my hand remain in his.

"We walk out on 3, okay? 1..."

Nick took a step forward and so did I before I even had a chance to think.

As soon as we stepped out into the cool evening weather, a loud booming voice rang out from somewhere down on the tarmac.

"Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, may I present His Royal Highness, Prince Nicholas, and his companion, Miss Amelia Beaumont."

I took a deep breath followed by another step and then another. Showtime.

=^..^=

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Hello, thank you so much for reading.

I'd really love to hear your honest thoughts on this chapter.

And of course, I hope you'll stick around for the subsequent chapters.

Cheers.

"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.

"What does an appeal for judicial reform mean to the monarchy?" King Richard asked.

Yes, that was how he began a conversation with his son. No 'hello', no 'how are you?'.

Didn't he even wonder where Nick had been all this time? He didn't seem to care. A lousy hug seemed enough for him and apparently Nick as well, because he too got right into answering the question.

"A challenge to its authority" Nick's voice was calm and collected. All three of them seemed to think this was normal.

Naturally, I just sat quietly waiting to be addressed as you would when in private audience with a monarch.

"And how would you handle this challenge?"

Without wasting a breath, Nick answered, "By rounding up their secretaries and councilors. They would have received the appeals and reviewed them. They are responsible".

The king nodded. He seemed pleased.

"The intricacies of government always came easy to you, my son. I always wished your brother was like you in that regard. Isn't that right, my queen?"

She nodded gracefully. Her range of motion was so limited you would have expected her to break if she exerted herself any further.

"I have a task for you" The king spoke again.

I listened carefully. I briefly wondered which came first, the commanding voice he possessed or kingship? Nick didn't have it. Neither did Theodore.

"Focus on publicizing your relationship. Be seen together, clear all suspicions. When there is no shadow of a doubt about you, we will discuss the next steps."

"Yes father" Nick answered obediently.

"I will have Percival schedule both of you for a tour of the capital. Be affectionate with each other. I expect that will not be a problem."

"No, father".

Nick who never missed an opportunity to let his thoughts known was being so obedient. It was kind of off-putting.

"Good, and you..."

When I realised the King was speaking to me, my heart skipped a beat.

"Yes sir" I answered as though I was addressing a commanding officer. I didn't even know where that had come from.

He seemed amused.

"It's 'Your Majesty'" Nick whispered to me.

"Your Majesty" I corrected.

"You will receive your contract in the morning. Sign it and begin your duties"

He paused.

"Yes your majesty" I filled the silence.

"Your role here is crucial. Usually I wouldn't leave such an important task to someone like you" he sighed "... but you are uniquely suited for this, so I'll allow it."

I stayed silent while keeping my gaze locked on him.

"Son.." Queen Arabella spoke again "Your father and I understand you believe this to be your nature but still you must prepare to marry... a real woman"

"Yes Mother"

"What we do is for the good of the kingdom." The king added "We will allow this arrangement for now but eventually the games will have to end".

He was looking at me when he said that. There would be no argument from me. The last thing I wanted was to do this forever anyway. No, I was here only to make enough money to never work again. That was it.

I had my contract to look forward to.

=^..^=

Eventually I'd been dismissed and was now being led by a guard through the castle. Nick had been asked to stay back so I hoped they were finally giving him that much needed welcome but somehow I doubted that.

The guard hadn't said any more words to me after requesting I follow so I stayed quiet and just admired what was easily the most jaw dropping scenery you've ever seen.

Every room or hallway I passed through managed to amaze me just as much as the last. After climbing several flights of stairs and even more halls, the guard finally announced that we had arrived.

I wondered how I would ever learn to navigate this castle that felt much like a maze.

When he opened the door for me, I was greeted by a beautiful large bedroom covered in welcoming pastel colours.

Inside stood two girls who were probably around my age wearing relatively simple black dresses. Upon closer inspection, I noticed one of the girls' dresses had subtle golden trimmings.

"Hello" I said softly as I walked through the door. I did a small turn to get a better look at the whole room.

"My lady" One of the girls spoke "I am Gwen and this is Celeste. We will be serving you"

I turned back to see them finishing a slight bow.

"Hi" I said again.

"Celeste will be handling your day to day care but I will assist in preparing you for big events" Gwen with the gold trimmed dress said.

"We're both aware of the situation so there's no need to worry" she continued "But please refrain from speaking about it in public or anywhere anyone might hear"

I walked passed the girls and took a seat on the bed. It was soft. Comfortable.

I started to unbuckle the sandals and Celeste quickly rushed and took over. I let her.

"If there is anything you need, please let either of us know" Gwen finished.

"I need wifi" I told her immediately it came to mind.

She nodded. "I will have to relay that request to Sir Percival"

"Alright"

"Your documents are on the vanity. Shall I retrieve them for you?"

I shook my head. I would read them later. Now I needed to rest.

Celeste who had finished removing the sandals and had placed them neatly in the wardrobe returned to massage my feet.

I hadn't asked her to but it felt nice so I let it happen. I didn't yet know how to feel about the situation.

Were they really going to do whatever I asked? Somehow it felt wrong. They were people even if they didn't seem to mind.

I didn't know if Celeste actually enjoyed the work but she had a pleasant expression on her face that made it seem like she did.

"Dinner is in an hour, my lady" she continued. "Celeste will help you freshen up before then. Will that be all?"

I could only let out a soft moan as an affirmation. Celeste's trained hands felt amazing after the long day of walking in those heels.

The fitted bodice of my dress had grown uncomfortable and so would definitely be the next to go.

"I will take my leave then" Gwen stated before bowing one more time and heading for the door.

"Is the dinner with the King and Queen?" I remembered to ask Celeste as soon as Gwen closed the door behind her and we were left alone.

"No, my lady" Celeste answered. "The royal family takes their dinner privately. Yours will be brought here"

I realised this was the first time I'd heard her voice. She sounded young. I briefly wondered about her age before remembering I could just ask her.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen, my lady"

Three years younger than me. Well, five years now.

"Do you have to call me 'my lady' everytime?"

She didn't answer. Was she allowed to ignore me?

"Can you just call me by my name Mor... Amelia?" I asked her. It was going to get exhausting hearing that title all day long.

"I will do as you request but I must address you properly whenever we are in public"

"That's fine. And that's enough" I moved my feet out of her hands which caused her to stand and resume her original stance with both hands in front of her, one covering the other.

My back ached. I stood up.

"I need to remove this dress" I said.

A moment later she was unzipping the red dress and granting me freedom from my satin prison. She moved the straps off my shoulder and held the dress in place for me to step out of it.

She really wasn't going to let me do anything. Not that I was complaining.

With the dress completely off, that left just the bra that covered the breast forms and the gaff.

I walked towards the large full size mirror to get a better look at my new form. It looked to me that my lack of breasts had been crucial to keep a somewhat male structure to my body.

Now though, the female form was complete and there was no denying it.

Through the mirror, I could see Celeste suppressing a smile.

"What is it?" I asked with my own smile through the mirror.

She immediately ceased.

I turned to her and frowned.

"I want us to be friends" I said to her "I wish you would be open with me"

She seemed reserved so I walked up to her and took her hand. This seemed to shock her. It felt like I had so many enemies already. I could use someone looking after me, and not just as a job.

"Please?" I asked with a smile.

I could see her inhibitions slowly fade away.

"We were told about you this afternoon. I didn't believe it was possible. I thought it wasn't possible for a man to pretend to be a royal lady"

I let go of her hand and turned back to the mirror, "And now?"

"You are beautiful. More beautiful than many real women" she said to me.

How should I have felt about that? Proud? Hurt?

"Why would they even tell you?" I asked still studying myself in the mirror. She was right, I was beautiful. "Aren't they worried you will talk?"

A sudden sadness took over her face.

"They tell us because they know we won't talk" she answered.

She seemed saddened so I didn't press.

"I want to shower" I said.

Through the mirror, I saw her nod, "I will prepare a bath".

=^..^=

After an uneventful shower and dinner, Celeste had finally left me alone but only after exphasizing that I should pull the rope next to my bed if I needed anything.

Did people really go through their entire lives not doing a single thing for themselves?

I had made a fuss about the sheer nightgown when she'd first brought it up but I had to admit, it was extremely comfortable.

A far cry from the dress from earlier, the white lace gown felt like I was clothed in clouds.

"Focus" I said to myself. I had to learn everything there was to know about Amelia.

And there was a lot to learn.

I studied the documents again with my full attention.

One interesting thing though was that Amelia had actually died in Lenoria. Only one of about 70,000 visiting visas granted that year, she'd been taking a year off after completing high school six years ago.

In her visa interview, she had said visiting Lenoria had been a dream she shared with her father who was a History teacher.

There was no information about how she died.

Her.. my parents were Henri and Jennifer Beaumont.

'Both parents are alive and living in America' I read the words of the page to myself. How did that work?

What did they feel about some random girl posing as their deceased daughter?

According to the story, Amelia lived in Lenoria until three years ago when she met and fell in love with the Prince Nicholas which caused them to run away together.

So it seemed Nick and I had been together already for some time. Which didn't leave any room for awkwardness in our relations.

I decided I was tired and would read the rest the next day. I didn't know if it was the softness of the bed, the nightgown or the day I'd had but soon I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

=^..^=

I awoke to the smell of eggs and opened my eyes to see Celeste pulling aside a curtain and opening a window I hadn't noticed last night.

For a second, I wondered if it might have all been a dream and I surprised myself when I felt relieved that it wasn't.

I winced at the light rays passing through the windows and hitting my eyes.

"What time is it?" I asked groggily.

"7:30 my lady" she answered.

"We talked about this" I groaned as I sat up.

I could honestly say I hadn't had such a good night sleep in a while. I wondered where Nick was this morning and why we were sleeping separately if we were supposed to be dating.

Were they worried we would actually have sex or was this just the norm?

"There is a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom"

With no complaints, I forced myself to my feet and headed for the bathroom. When Celeste began to follow, I stopped her.

"I can handle it".

=^..^=

I was met with a surprise after breakfast when Celeste requested I lift the skirt of my dress.

She had walked into my room earlier holding a tray with a lone syringe containing a clear liquid and a needle.

"What's that?" I'd asked.

"I was instructed to administer this once per week.

"Okay but what is it?" I'd asked again.

She shrugged. "I was just told to do it every week"

Okay that was worrying. I didn't think they would go through all this trouble to harm me so it probably wasn't anything bad.

Maybe some weird secret drug to make me obey? Possibly but unnecessary since I was planning to anyway.

"Can I say no?"

Celeste shook her head.

I really didn't think it was anything bad so I lifted the skirt of the knee-length purple dress she'd chosen earlier and waited for the prick.

Thankfully, it came and went and I was free to go about my day. Nothing felt different after the injection so atleast there was that.

=^..^=

Percival knocked on my door around 11am which marked my first time seeing him again after the audience with the King and Queen.

"Hello, Percy" I felt like I could say that now. I was the prince's girlfriend. That probably put me above him.

This annoyed him but he tempered his reaction. "It's Sir Percival" he replied simply as he walked through the door.

"Oh don't be like that" I said turning to walk back to my bed. "Tell me, are my parents really still alive?"

It was easy to start thinking about the Beaumonts as my real family. After all mine sucked. If my dad saw me now, he'd probably have a heart attack.

"They're actors. Do not worry about that. I have your contract. Read it and sign it" he said handing me another envelope before turning to leave.

"What about the real Beaumonts?" I asked to a back turned Percy.

"Read it and sign it" he said again before walking out the door.

There was the usual stuff you'd expect. Confidentiality, a duration of 1 year subject to renewal, behavior in public, implications for breach of contract, additional duties as required, media interaction and more.

There were two areas that really caught my attention. One was obviously the financial compensation where it was stated that I'd be getting Seven hundred and thirty five thousand euros per year which I thought was a very specific sum but also a second clause where they outlined their rights to cosmetic and surgical alteration of my body within reason to fulfill the role.

I didn't like how vague it was not specifically naming any procedures but for seven hundred thousand euros per year, they didn't need to. I wasn't passing up on over 20 times my current salary.

And so I agreed to it. I carefully placed the signed document on the vanity and pulled the rope. I'd decided I needed a walk.

=^..^=

Celeste had chosen comfortable shoes that matched the purple dress and led me through the halls of Eclipton and out the massive front door.

There were actually people outside now unlike yesterday evening when we'd arrived.

Some tended to the various ponds and others tended to the various trees and flowers. All of them stopped to look as I passed.

Celeste had returned to her stiff self and was walking a few steps behind me so I was left to entertain myself and marvel at the beautiful gardens.

Among the workers, there were those in fine garments that watched as I passed. Men and woman, young and old. I was sure they were all people of some importance but of course I had no clue who any of them were.

I could have asked Celeste for a crash course but instead I decided to play a game with myself where I would try to guess their station based on their looks, clothes and overall smugness.

"Marchioness" I said after looking at a middle aged woman wearing a funny hat.

"Minister" Older man wearing a gray suit.

"Duke"

"Councilor"

"Yes, my lady?" Celeste spoke breaking my concentration.

I waved her off.

"Marquis"

"Viscount"

I was probably wrong about all of it but it kept my occupied while I took in the evening breeze and stretched my legs.

"Countess"

"Baron"

"Princess"

That was my reaction when I saw her. An almost otherworldly beauty standing next to and admiring one of the ponds. She wore a simple green dress with a wide collar but she wore it so elegantly it looked more expensive than it probably was. Unlike most of the women in the garden, she wore her hair unshackled and free down her back.

"Who is she?" I asked Celeste promptly ending my little game.

"Lady Olivia" Celeste closed the distance between us to whisper in my ear "His Majesty's ward"

I signaled for her to go on.

"She was the daughter of the Duke of Huxley. His Majesty and the Duke were very close"

"So not a princess then" I said to myself.

"No, my lady" Celeste answered anyway.

"I told you not to call me that"

"Sorry, my lady"

I sighed.

"Is she visiting the castle?" I watched her movements. Perfect in every way. She looked like a queen.

I wanted to go talk to her.

"She lives here. She has since Huxley manor burned down" Celeste informed me.

Now that she'd said that, I could see a tinge of sadness there. I wanted to talk to her even more now.

I carefully approached. It was high school all over again. I was approaching a pretty girl hoping I could get her to see the nice guy that I was. The only difference was that guy was gone now.

"Hello" I said when I reached the pond.

"Hello" She replied. Even her voice was perfect.

"I'm Amelia"

"I know. I'm Olivia"

I know.

"Nice to meet you Olivia"

"Are you enjoying Lenoria?"

"I haven't really seen it. Just this castle, which is really beautiful"

"Well I hope you get to see it. There's places more beautiful than this" she spoke whimsically.

"Really?" I found that very hard to believe.

"In the ways that really matter" she smiled.

"Oh, okay"

"I haven't yet seen Prince Nicholas. How is he?" She asked.

I had thought she would be shy but that was proving not to be the case.

"He's fine. Though I haven't seen him today" I answered.

"When you see him, tell him I said hi"

She was pleasant. I saw an opportunity to make a friend and so I took it.

"I will. Um..." I paused to gather my words "Do you think you can show me around the castle?"

"I..." She started to say.

"Olivia, you shouldn't talk to strays" Another girl's voice cut through the air from behind me.

I turned around to see Celeste stepping aside and bowing as two girls approached. Emily from yesterday and another girl dressed in a similar fashion.

'Fuck, not this again' I thought to myself.

=^..^=

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Hello! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Just getting all the pieces in place to start the real story. Thanks for sticking around.

I'll have to apologise in advance for irregular uploads. Might be a busy couple days.

Anyway see you in the next one. Let me know your thoughts. Always love to read them.

"Ginny, how does it go again?" Emily pretended to ask the other girl "Lay down with dogs, get up with fleas?"

What was her problem? This reminded me of middle school. Looking the way I did back then, I was an easy target. A boy that looked like a girl? The jokes basically wrote themselves.

Middle school taught me to have a thick skin. So whatever Emily here thought she was going to achieve by insulting me, I had bad news for her.

By the time high school came around, I had learned to stand up to the bullies. Could I stand up to her? Decorum puts her well above me so I would have to think of another way out of this.

"Princess," I said as I bowed my head slowly.

"What are you still doing here?" Emily asked much more directly and seriously.

"I am a guest of His Majesty. I hope I have not offended in any way" I answered innocently.

"Oh, but you have" She didn't even attempt to mask or water down her opinions of me "Your very presence offends me."

I bowed again, "I will do my best to stay out of your sight"

She scoffed, "At least you know your place. Now just return where you belong"

I know I shouldn't have but I just couldn't resist.

"My place is at Nick's side," I said only just managing to maintain my innocent expression.

When her face scrunched up, I knew it had really annoyed her. She liked him. Wasn't he like her cousin or something? Gross.

"How dare a commoner refer to His Highness by his name?" Ginny asked angrily.

"My apologies, I am only acting as he requested" I answered trying to sound as genuine as I could.

That was the trick. Pretending I only innocently spoke the truth. It was kind of fun.

"I know what you are. A parasite. I will make sure Great Uncle sees that" She said finally before turning to leave.

I bowed again because Ginny was still staring at me even as Emily began walking away.

'Yeah good luck with that' I thought to myself.

When the two girls were out of earshot, I turned back to Olivia with a smile but she seemed disappointed somehow.

"I don't know what her problem is with me," I said while folding my arms.

Olivia didn't respond.

"So like I was saying, can you show me around?"

"I'm sorry I can't" she replied quickly.

"Why not?" I was genuinely confused.

"I do not like the games people play here. I do not want to be a part of it. I do not want to be friends with someone that plays these games"

I didn't respond. How could I respond to that? I didn't even really understand what she meant by it.

"I'm sorry" She added before leaving me standing alone by the pond.

=^..^=

My walk had turned sour after that so I had decided to return to my room. The next few hours had been boring with absolutely nothing to do.

I had to remember to ask about wifi or cable the next time I saw Percy. If I had to go a whole year like this, I would probably lose my mind.

They wanted Nick and I to get out there and publicise our relationship but here I was lying in bed with nothing to do and he was nowhere to be found.

Even worse was that Celeste had other duties when she wasn't attending to me so I couldn't even spend the day with her. All around shitty day.

The contract was no longer on my vanity by the time I returned so there was no going back now.

I wondered about the syringe from earlier. I didn't feel any different which was a good thing right? I made another mental note to ask Percy about it.

I'd have to get his phone number and a carrier as well. I couldn't remain cut off like this.

Sometime around 4 pm that day, my wandering thoughts were interrupted by knocking on the door. Who could it be? It wasn't Celeste because she would usually just walk in after knocking.

"Who is it?" I called out.

The door wasn't locked so this was really just a courtesy.

Nick maybe? Did he finally return?

I quickly arose from the soft bed and smoothed my dress in the mirror making sure I looked presentable. My hair was a mess so I ran my fingers through, followed by a palm over it.

Strangely, I never got a response.

Still, after I was satisfied with my appearance, I made my way to the door and opened it.

"Ta-da" Izzy exclaimed excitedly.

"Hi," I stepped aside for her to pass. That was all the invitation she needed.

"So how are you enjoying your first day in Lenoria?" She placed a small chest on the vanity before turning back to me.

"Awful" I answered while heading back to regain my former position in bed. "I'm bored out of my mind. I need wifi"

"Oh, I don't know about that. I'll ask Sir Percival" she offered.

"Yes please, I can't carry on like this"

"So, anything interesting happen?"

I thought quickly about whether I should tell her about my day and decided there was no harm in it.

"Celeste injected me with some liquid. Should I be worried?" I asked.

"Celeste?"

"Oh, my lady-in-waiting. Is that what you call it?"

"Oh yeah," she took the seat at the Vanity table. "It's probably just estrogen. To keep you from getting any more masculine"

Oh, I guess I should have expected that. It would put a dent in all our plans if puberty finally decided it was time. As long as it was temporary or reversible, this was fine.

"Right. Oh yeah, I think Princess Emily hates me"

"Why? What happened?" Izzy asked as she opened the case.

"She called me a parasite"

"Ooh" Izzy voiced "Between you and me, I think she's in love with the prince"

Well, I figured that out for myself already. She thinks I'm stealing her man. Wish I could tell her that Nick would never be hers regardless of my existence.

"Aren't they cousins?" I asked.

"Second cousins I believe. Same as the King and Queen. It's quite normal"

"Ugh, whatever. I just wish she'd leave me alone" I complained.

Izzy seemed understanding. "You can ask His Highness to talk to her. I'm sure she'll listen to him".

"Run to Nick for protection? No, I can handle her"

Izzy shrugged and accepted my choice, "Can you stand for me?"

"Why?" I asked while already complying.

"I need to get your exact measurements" She replied while revealing a tape measure from her case.

=^..^=

Izzy had measured every part of me specifically the shoulders, breasts... er breastforms, waist and hips. She'd revealed that the measurements were for my ball gown.

"You're going to love it" she'd claimed. Somehow I doubted that. The nightgown and the purple dress I had on had managed to make it so I didn't mind wearing dresses due to how comfortable they were or could be, but we were still a long way off from 'loving dresses'.

As of yet, they were simply work attire.

In any case, she'd left after informing me that she would be back in the morning to sort out my hair. We said our goodbyes as she exited the room once again leaving me to my boredom.

=^..^=

Late that night, I got another quiet knock on my door. Celeste had been around earlier to bring my food and draw me a bath so unless she'd forgotten something, it wasn't her.

"It's me" Nick's voice was faint and quiet but still instantly I knew it was him.

I hurriedly opened the door. I looked at him but couldn't see the carefree boy I'd known for 8 months. He looked so serious.

"Walk with me?" he asked.

He wasn't asking to come in. He wanted me to follow. My short nightgown was hardly appropriate attire to be walking around the castle with.

"Sure give me one second" I turned around and headed for the closet. Even though he peered into the room, he made no attempts to come in.

I quickly slipped on a matching night robe and slippers and headed back out the door.

=^..^=

Nick expertly navigated the corridors which thankfully were all empty. At the end of one hallway, we came to another flight of stairs heading upstairs.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll see"

This floor seemed even more barren in the night than the one we'd just come from. We walked through its hall and upon reaching its end, we came to a winding stone stairwell going even higher.

"I want to go back," I told Nick.

This place was dark, and uninviting, and didn't seem like I was allowed to be there.

"Don't be afraid" he took my hand in his and led me up the stairs.

Round and round in circles we went in the dark stairwell until we reached a wooden door. Nick pulled it open and we were greeted by the night sky.

We stepped out into the night and I realized we were at the very top of the castle in one of the towers. There was only a narrow circular space that would fit only a few people at the most.

It was scary, but also peaceful. I looked over the tower's high walls and could see the battlements below and the garden even farther down.

"I used to love coming up here as a kid" I heard him say.

"Did you bring me to your special place, Nicky?" I teased him using the name Theodore had called him.

"I wanted us to have a place we could talk and not worry about being overheard" he answered. "I wanted to ask you a question".

He was being very serious so I thought I should at least try to be as well.

"Okay"

"Do you want to leave here?" was his question.

It caught me off guard. We just got here. The work hadn't even started so why was he asking me this already?

"Say the word and we leave tomorrow" he added.

He did seem very serious which was concerning but I really didn't want to leave. I'd just had a day where I had done absolutely nothing, had my meals brought to me and taken a walk, and I was to be paid a salary that I could never earn working back home.

Admittedly, it had been boring so far but compared to a 9-5, this was heaven.

"I want to stay" I answered him.

He seemed disappointed. Did he want to leave? Already? What had happened?

"Nick, what's wrong?"

He forced the most bogus smile I'd ever seen.

"I'm not sure but I think my father wants me to take his place"

"He wants you to be king?" I asked making sure I understood what he meant.

"I think so" Nick confirmed.

"What about your brother?" I felt that was the obvious question to ask.

"I don't know"

"Do you want to be king?"

A sudden gust of wind blew past us. I studied Nick's face. I'd gotten pretty good at reading him. He looked conflicted.

"No, that's not why I came here"

So I asked the obvious question again. One I suspected he wanted me to ask.

"Why did you agree to come?"

They weren't exactly forcing him. He's the one that agreed to it.

"I came for Charles but understandably, he was upset with me for leaving in the first place"

"And so you want to leave again?" I asked.

"Not because of him"

"So you do want to leave?"

He turned away from me. He didn't say anything and so neither did I. I just watched his broad, tall frame in the moonlight. One I could never hope to achieve, not in a million years.

"I want to leave because I am afraid of what I have to do" I heard him say. He sounded so unsure of himself. This version of him was so at odds with the boy I knew.

I reached out and touched his shoulder. I wanted to understand but I didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"I'm here" was all I managed.

"Kiss me" I heard him say.

I stepped back in shock. He turned to face me. I half expected or even hoped for a joking smile but even then, he was serious.

He walked forward and took my hand.

"What are you talking about?" I tried not to panic but my hand enveloped by his was sending waves of shock through my body.

"If we stay, then I won't be able to sit idly by while people suffer"

"I don't understand" I was trying to but he wasn't making any sense.

"If we stay, then I have to make him choose me and maybe then I can do some good. For that, we have to be perfect. We have to give the appearance of two people in love. I know it will be hard for you but you have to try. If you can't then we leave tomorrow"

So this was a test? Didn't he know that I'd already signed a contract? I guessed my job hinged on him anyway so without him, it would be worthless right?

"Okay," I replied.

We'd have to kiss sooner or later anyway so better now that it was just the two of us.

He stepped forward and I did my best not to take a step back.

He leaned in awkwardly, I strained as I leaned in as well.

'Try to enjoy it' I thought to myself before our lips connected. The first thing I noticed was how fast my heart was beating.

The electricity at the points where our hands and lips touched was too much to bear. It felt like I was having a heart attack. The feeling as he pulled me tighter dwarfed any other in recent memory.

When I moaned, I realized I hadn't even been trying to enjoy it. I pulled apart from him, my eyes wide with shock.

We were both blushing. He stepped back and cleared his throat.

I knew I couldn't let the moment linger so I spoke to clear the air, "Well? Did I pass?"

"Uh yeah, you did".

Oh God, I'd moaned audibly. He knew I had enjoyed that. Why did I? And why did he suddenly look better in the moonlight?

"I'll walk you back"

=^..^=

I was in a daze the next morning even as Izzy finished with my hair. I'd been so utterly absent-minded, I hadn't even noticed when she'd finished washing and styling my hair.

I'd had such trouble falling asleep last night and even now, I still couldn't focus. My mind was entirely preoccupied by that kiss even if it was the last thing I wanted to think about.

The suggestion had come entirely out of nowhere but Nick's reasoning made sense when I thought about it. What didn't make sense however was how it had made me feel.

"Amelia?"

"Yeah?" I answered.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing"

Izzy looked at me suspiciously but didn't press.

"I was saying, now that we're done you need to try out the shoes and make sure you can walk... and dance in them"

"I can't dance, period"

"The important thing is balance. The men will lead, you just have to stay on your feet and follow. Don't worry, all it takes is practice"

It turns out normally, Nick and I would have had to do the first dance since the ball was in our honor but thankfully, that idea had been tossed aside.

As it was, I was going to make a fool of myself. I'd rather not do that when everyone was staring at me.

"Why do I even have to wear heels anyway?" I whined as Izzy handed me the silver rhinestone heels that were at least a foot taller than the one from two days ago.

She had shown me a picture of the admittedly beautiful tulle gown she'd be delivering later in the day so I knew it was a floor sweeper. Nobody would see the heels anyway.

"I accounted for the heels when designing the dress. It's meant to give you the illusion of longer legs. Trust me, okay?"

I reluctantly slipped on the heels and checked to make sure it wasn't too tight. Perfect fit again.

"Here, let me help," Izzy said taking my hand.

Shakily I managed to stand to my feet but struggled to find any balance. I took one unsteady step after another. I could walk but the tiniest bit of contact would probably topple me over.

"It's okay, you'll get it. Just focus on finding your balance" she encouraged, her gentle tone was very welcome and helped to calm me down. "We have..." she checked her watch "... eight hours. Plenty of time".

=^..^=

Between the lessons I'd received and the breaks where we'd talk which did a lot to calm me down, I'd gone from barely being able to walk to confidently strutting around the room in a more composed stride.

She'd left me to my own devices a few hours ago after renewing the adhesive on my now familiar breasts and bidding me to keep practicing which I had obeyed.

As Celeste helped me into the numerous dress layers, it really began to dawn on me that I was going to an actual ball. Even now, members of the aristocracy were arriving and mingling in anticipation of the night's events. I was in uncharted territory for most women and my life would only get more unrecognizable.

How was I going to go back to being a man after all this? I'd been living as a woman for two days now. My nails were painted a soft blue color and Celeste was fitting me in layers upon layers of undergarments to create an hourglass shape that far exceeded normally attainable proportions.

My gaze focused on the gorgeous tulle dress and silver heels that awaited their turns. How was I going to do all of this and then turn around and be a man again?

"Please sit, my lady. I will help you with the shoe"

"I really wish you would call me Amelia" I replied as I took a seat on the bed.

"Sorry," she replied before encasing my feet in the familiar footwear.

"Time for the dress"

I nodded and regained my feet.

I watched my small frame in the mirror. A blessing or a curse, I wondered. Soon Nick would be holding me as we dance together.

Butterflies in my stomach.

Celeste helped me step into the dress and then slowly and carefully began to zip it up. The dress seemed to melt and hug my body perfectly.

Next came jewelry and other adornments and when the final piece, a beautiful diamond necklace found its place on my neck, I was done and ready.

=^..^=

From the moment Celeste opened my room door, I could instantly hear loud chattering coming from downstairs. I was so nervous my palms were sweaty. I was so grateful for all that practice or I wouldn't have even been able to make the journey to the staircase in my current condition.

"Don't worry, you are perfect" Celeste said to my right.

I turned and smiled at her. Surprisingly, that was part of my worry. Maybe people were coming to see me. The prince's girlfriend. Me.

I was worried I'd be a disappointment. I wanted to measure up.

Celeste hadn't led me down the usual path. She explained that this path led to a special ballroom staircase that led directly down into the hall. As we approached, the chatter got louder.

The final stretch of the hall was a balcony with a full view of the ballroom floor.

It was quite the sight. Like something out of a fairytale. The lights reflected off the golden surfaces which produced the most brilliant ambient atmosphere.

Along the edges of the walls were numerous round tables where the guests would feast before the dancing began.

I scanned the crowds. They were all smiles as they drank their wines and engaged in conversation. A refill was only a snap of a finger away. So this was how royalty lived, not a care in the world. And not even as a reward for any hard work, they were simply born into it.

But I didn't care about them. There was only one person on my mind. Nick. I scanned their faces looking for him. I'd expected him to be somewhere in the middle of the crowd mingling with those who were desperate to speak to him again after all these years but that wasn't where he was.

Nick stood just at the top of the staircase that my current path would eventually lead me. He was waiting for me right below.

I hurried to the end, turned the final corner, and stood at the top of the staircase. He looked so handsome. How hadn't I noticed that before?

I mean, I knew he was handsome through the way the girls acted near him but I hadn't seen it for myself until now. Though he didn't need the help, the black coat and the red sash enhanced his image even more.

I think I understood a bit of the despair Emily must have been feeling.

I hadn't noticed it but the crowd had quieted and now watched me watching him. Our eyes met and I felt how I'd felt yesterday all over again.

Butterflies.

One step at a time, Nick climbed the staircase to meet me at the very top.

"Hi," he said charmingly.

"Hi," I croaked. My voice had failed me. It wasn't my fault. I'd challenge anyone to be in that situation and not falter.

"Get any more beautiful and you're going to make every girl here hate you"

I blushed.

He outstretched his arm for me and I placed my wrist through. Together we walked down those steps hand in hand.

None of the onlookers could take their eyes off us.

=^..^=

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Hi there. Thank you for reading this story. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. As always I'd love to hear what you thought about it.

The crowds parted as Nick and I made our way through. The guests - who all belonged to Lenoria's highest echelon - bowed their heads in respect and admiration.

I knew that symbol of respect was probably aimed at Nick and not me but that did little to dampen the impact of the moment.

I was so nervous I ended up clinging tighter to his arm. I dared not look up at him because I feared that would only amplify all I was feeling.

These feelings were so new and foreign and I couldn't control them. I don't know what caused the tightness in my chest as I held his arm but that tightness caused me to hold on tighter.

It was a vicious cycle.

"There's someone I want you to meet," Nick said shortly before we arrived at a group conversing.

I couldn't hear what they were saying over the chatter of the hall that had now resumed, but the whole group seemed entirely captured by whatever one woman was saying.

I recognized her from the research into the Royal Family. Princess Sophia, King Richard, and Queen Arabella's first child. The older man that stood next to her I also recognized as her husband, the very well-decorated Grand Duke Rowland Stanhope, Supreme Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces of Lenoria.

His title of Grand Duke was actually just an honorary one with no accompanying territorial responsibilities. That privilege was given to his and the princess' 1-year-old son.

His most significant title was his military one as Supreme Chief of Staff which made him the second most powerful man in the country.

His marriage to the princess made it so both families had absolute control over all facets of the nation.

"May I introduce Miss Amelia Beaumont, my love" Nick spoke as soon as the entire group turned their eyes to us.

Following his introduction, I proceeded with the most intense, most revering curtsy I could manage. I didn't recognise the other members of the group but if they were engaging the Grand Duke and Princess in conversation then they had to be important as well.

"My, my, she is even more beautiful in person" The Grand Duke spoke first "Well done lad"

'Lad'? Was he allowed to call him that? I guess he was family so it could have been alright.

"I have heard so much about you," Princess Sophia said warmly "It is nice to finally meet you".

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness" I responded.

Speaking was a gamble. I didn't know the etiquette yet so I could have said the wrong thing at any moment but I felt like that was a safe enough sentence.

"Maybe one day you will join the family and you won't have to be so formal" she smiled warmly.

This was probably just an act for the rest of the group. Sophia most likely knew the situation and knew very well that I was never going to be 'part of the family'.

I wondered whether the Grand Duke knew. Would they keep such a secret from him? Would she? It all depended on how much the king trusted him.

"It would be such an honor" I tried my best to make it seem genuine.

"Quite a gem you've found, Nicholas," she said with a smile "Amelia, would you join me for tea in the morning?"

"Of course, your Highness" I bowed my head slightly before Nick and I made our exit.

=^..^=

Nick introduced me to several other dignitaries and it really started to feel like the work had begun. My job was fairly easy so far. All I had to do was smile, be charming, and pretend to be entirely in love with Nick.

If I was being honest, that last part was proving easier than I'd have expected.

Each time he introduced me, he added some term of endearment or another and it would make my heart flutter every time. I hated it. It felt like my heart was betraying me.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" A familiar announcer's voice came through the speakers "It is my honor to present to you His Royal Majesty, King Richard, and Her Royal Majesty, Queen Arabella of Lenoria".

All eyes turned towards the ballroom's grand entrance to witness their entry. A moment after the ceremonial music began playing, they appeared in the doorway and began the journey to the front of the ballroom. As they approached, the guests bowed or curtsied as they passed.

Nick and I patiently waited our turn as we were towards the front. I wondered what it must have been like to be in that position. Surely, that kind of reverence from an entire country had to get to your head.

When Nick started his bow, I began my curtsy and turned my face to the floor. I was getting pretty good at it.

=^..^=

Now that their majesties had arrived, it was finally time for the ball to begin which would be opened with a speech from the King.

The entire ballroom was quiet as he was handed the microphone and he cleared his throat to begin. Only those of us in this room would ever hear this speech as it was a private event. His words here would be lost to history upon our deaths.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, esteemed guests, and cherished friends," he began.

"Tonight, within the walls of this castle, we gather to herald the return of Prince Nicholas and his beloved, Amelia Beaumont. Their arrival, a beacon of hope, should cast a luminous glow upon this evening's affair. And alongside their homecoming, let us not forget the return of my daughter, Princess Sophia, from her diplomatic efforts in Italy that proved to be a resounding success"

He paused, a flicker of unease crossing his face.

"However, as we bask in the joy of their reunion, I cannot ignore the thorns that have infiltrated the delicate fabric of our kingdom. An unwelcome shadow, an appeal unbidden, challenges the very essence of our sovereignty, casting doubt upon the sanctity of our rule."

The crowd hung on his every word. I wondered how many understood and appreciated his words. Was the culprit in the room with us? Surely they had to be. This was everyone that was anyone in Lenoria. I scanned their faces for any signs of guilt and wondered if the King did the same.

"Miss Beaumont's presence, a testament to unity and love, stands in stark contrast to the deceit that festers within our realm. The betrayal... it lingers like a foul stench, threatening the harmony we strive to maintain."

"Nonetheless, let us not permit these shadows to eclipse the radiance of this evening. Tonight, we honor the return of Prince Nicholas and Amelia Beaumont, their love a beacon in these turbulent times. We celebrate the return of Princess Sophia and her unwavering dedication to our kingdom. And let us not forget my wife, Queen Arabella, and our diligent son, the Crown Prince Theodore.

"Enjoy this moment, my esteemed guests. Eat, drink, and dance in celebration of my family together again under one roof. May their presence illuminate this evening with hope and unity. Thank you, thank you for gracing us with your presence amidst this fragile peace. Please take your seats, let us eat."

=^..^=

I was sat at an incredible table. The King, the Queen, the Crown Prince, Princess Sophia, the Grand Duke, Lady Olivia to my right, and Nick to my left. I was so nervous I could barely eat the food in front of me.

Other than Nick, the only person at the table I could reasonably hold a conversation with was Olivia and she wanted nothing to do with me.

I'd found out more about her situation since we first met. Since her father, the former Duke of Huxley died without a male heir, the title and lands would normally have been returned to the Crown for the King to pass on as he saw fit but due to the friendship the King and Duke shared, the title would be allowed to pass on to her firstborn son which made her one of the most sought after ladies in the kingdom.

"Have you met?" The queen broke the silence "I believe you two are around the same age. I'm sure you'll make very good friends".

I looked to Olivia who looked back to me. I didn't think she had changed her mind about me.

"We've met, your majesty" Olivia replied.

"Oh good, people in our position need friends that they can trust. The Duchess of Huxley was my dear friend. It's a shame what happened"

"It is" The king agreed. "A terrible tragedy".

The entire table agreed.

"I thank you for your kind words" Olivia answered softly.

"I would love to see the two of you bond. Amelia, you could learn so much from you Olivia" the Queen reiterated again.

It wasn't like I hadn't tried.

"I am eager to learn, Your Majesty" I replied "I admire Lady Olivia so very much"

"Good, good" The queen seemed pleased. "It is very fortunate you girls have more sense than we did when we were your age. So many senseless fights back then".

I listened carefully as she reminisced. When it was clear she wasn't going to say anymore, the King spoke again.

"So Sophia, how was your trip?"

"Good, although you know how the Italians are"

God, how many people would love to be a part of this conversation?

"Yes, yes" The king agreed. I didn't know what he was agreeing to. What were the Italians like? I was missing crucial context. The Grand Duke although quiet was nodding as well.

"Nicholas and Amelia are starting their tour tomorrow, would you like to join them?" The king asked Sophia. "I'm sure the people would love to see you"

"I want to spend some time with George now that I'm back" George was her son.

"Of course" The king understood.

"But I may make an appearance" she compromised.

The group ate quietly until it was the Grand Duke's turn to start a conversation. This time, addressed to me.

"Amelia, how are you enjoying Lenoria so far?"

Questions about Amelia were what I'd spent a good amount of my endless free time preparing for so I was ready.

"It's my first time in the castle so it's quite a different experience from the last time I was here"

"Was that when you met Prince Nicholas?" The Grand Duke asked.

"Yes," I placed my hand on Nick's and smiled "We actually met one of those times when he snuck out of the castle" I looked at him and smiled "And I'm so glad he did".

The truth was Nick did actually sneak out a lot back then. Someone had the brilliant idea to integrate that into our fake story.

I studied the Grand Duke but couldn't figure out whether he was just testing me to make sure I had my story straight or if he was asking to get to the bottom of our relationship.

I'd have to ask Percival. Where was he anyway? Shouldn't he have been there?

=^..^=

There was small talk here and there for a while until the music started playing to signify that dinner was over and it was time to dance.

The king took this as his cue and stood offering a hand to his wife.

"Would you do me the honor of having the first dance with me?"

She took it graciously with a smile. Whatever else I thought about them, I think they did love each other-- or at least, that's how it looked to me.

The crowd applauded as the King and Queen took to the massive open area of the ballroom.

The two of them began a routine that I wouldn't have expected from them. It was complex and graceful and much more than I could ever hope to learn. The soft melody of the orchestra enveloped the room, casting a romantic ambiance that seemed to ignite with their every step. The king held her with an air of reverence and guided her effortlessly across the polished marble floor.

I especially kept my eyes on Her Majesty and at some point in their dance, I really began to admire her. How she made the most powerful man in the kingdom handle her with such love and care.

The room seemed to sit still as they moved, the world faded into the background as their dance became a display of the trust they clearly had in each other.

One by one, couples began joining them on the ballroom floor. The music slowly sped up and became a tune they all recognized because the floor was filling up fast with the high-ranking members of society moving together and dancing in circles.

At first glance, it seemed like nonsense but the more I looked, I began to see an order to the madness as they paired into larger and larger groups and danced together.

It was like a wonderful secret that only they knew. Eventually, Princess Sophia and the Archduke as well as Prince Theodore and Lady Olivia in pairs joined the circles.

This form of dancing went on for several minutes and would only occasionally change to a different but just as elegant variation. To my surprise, no one seemed to tire. This style of dancing was as old as Lenoria itself and they seemed intent on passing it on to their children just as it had been passed on to them.

I decided I would learn this dance if only to do my part in keeping it alive just a little longer.

I only felt bad for Nick who remained by my side through it all. At first, I thought he looked longingly to the dance floor but when I traced his eyes, I saw that it led to a dejected-looking Duke Charles. He too hadn't heard the call of the dance and remained in his seat.

They couldn't keep the energetic dancing going on forever though because eventually, the music slowed down and so did the dancing.

It was at that moment that Nick invited me out to the ballroom floor. It was time for us to put on our own show. I prayed the heels would allow me.

=^..^=

Nick held me closely as we swayed together. Even though he tried his best to play the part of the loving boyfriend, I could tell his mind was elsewhere so it was up to me to put on a convincing show.

I placed my arm around his neck and pulled myself close. A quick glance around told me we had an audience.

There were the usual crowd stares aimed at us but among them, Duke Charles' and Princess Emily's eyes watched us.

As crazy as it sounded, I was hoping for another moment like yesterday. Ever since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It was like I had no control over my head or my heart. It scared me and excited me at the same time. What was happening to me?

But this was nothing like yesterday. It was tense. Damn it, I wanted him to hold me and kiss me but instead what I got was the bare minimum.

"What's wrong?" I had to ask. He was the one who said we had to do this properly.

"Nothing" he responded. "I just need some air".

Slowly he pulled away from me and planted a kiss on my forehead to end the show before leaving me by myself on the ballroom floor.

What had just happened?

Before he could go far though, Princess Emily intercepted him and asked for a dance. Ever the gentleman, he obliged her.

I couldn't help but think how that must have looked. He'd just left me to dance with Emily. Optics aside, it annoyed me that he would do that.

Standing on the dance floor alone was too embarrassing for me to bear so I decided our table would be a better place to be.

I managed only about three steps before a man I didn't recognize placed himself in my path.

"Excuse me," I said.

"May I have this dance?" he responded.

He was good-looking and very sharply dressed. I had to admit that his interest in me was a confidence boost. Besides, that's what we were here for right? To dance?

I nodded. He smiled and walked closer to me taking my hand.

"And you are?" I asked as he placed his other hand a little low on my back.

"Carter" he smiled.

"Just Carter?" I placed my free hand in the traditional position on his shoulder.

"Sinclair" he flashed me another smile.

"Just Carter Sinclair?" I followed up.

"Just Carter Sinclair"

"No titles or are you just deliberately being vague?"

"I'm not anything like these pompous pricks if that's what you're asking"

"My boyfriend is one of these pompous pricks".

"The same one currently being manhandled by that blonde?" he smirked.

I started to turn but he stopped me with a hand on my chin, "Don't."

He wasn't Lenorian, I knew that much. No Lenorian would talk about the aristocracy that way, at least not to someone like me who was close to the family.

"You're very bold, Mr. Sinclair" I moved my head to get his hand off. His bold hand went back to my back and if it wasn't my imagination, went a little bit lower than before.

"Is there any other way to live?" He asked.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. He intrigued me.

"I'm a guest, same as you"

"Whose guest?"

"You ask a lot of questions"

"Well you are a strange man"

Did his hand just creep lower?

"You should move your hand" I suggested careful not to disrupt the flow of our swaying.

He moved it even lower. The audacity of this man. What was I even doing? I was in a room with my boyfriend and his family with another man's hand dangerously close to my butt.

"I'll answer your question if you promise to answer one of mine" he offered.

It sounded harmless enough so I nodded. The height difference caused me to look up at him.

"My company does business with the Lenorian government. Don't look now but your prince is leaving" Carter's gaze looked past me.

This time, I completed the turn to see Nick walking away towards one of the side exits leaving Emily standing alone. I broke away from Carter and followed Nick.

I needed to know what was going on. He didn't seem himself at all.

I was several paces behind him so when he exited the doors, it took another half dozen seconds for me to pass through the doors as well.

Through the doors, I found myself in a section of the garden that was barely illuminated. Still, I spotted Nick walking deeper into the garden so I followed.

I didn't want to call out to him to avoid drawing attention to us so I simply kept at it until we were a sufficient distance away.

He took one turn and another and just when I was about to call out to him, I spotted another figure. As I got closer, I was slowly able to make out the slim figure to be Duke Charles.

I hid out of sight. What were they doing out here in the dark? I peeked careful not to expose too much of myself.

I saw Charles caressing Nick's cheek and Nick let him. I wasn't prepared for what came next, they kissed.

I covered my mouth to keep from making a sound.

=^..^=

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Hehe, we're getting into it now. Stay tuned for more. And please, let me know what you thought about this one.

I left quietly and made my way through the garden and back to the side door. I contemplated whether I should confront him or not.

Should I have gone back in and pretended not to have seen anything? How could we proceed with the plan if he was seeing Charles behind my back?

What the hell was he doing anyway? First of all, he left me to dance with Emily and then he kissed Charles after all he'd said last night. No, I needed to confront him. He was putting me in such a tough spot.

And so I waited for him, right at the door. It took a few minutes for him to emerge from the garden with a worried look on his face.

My blood boiled. I couldn't stop thinking about the two of them pressing their faces together.

'Where is Charles?' I wondered. Probably hanging back to avoid suspicion.

I walked sharply up to him full of determination.

"We need to talk" I said pulling him to another section of the garden that I thought was quiet enough.

When we had gone far enough away, I checked around to make sure it was clear then whispered but in a way that conveyed my anger.

"I saw you"

"What?"

"Don't deny it, I saw you with Charles, what were you thinking?"

"You followed me?"

Really? That was his response?

"I wanted to see if you were okay. You've been acting weird all evening. Kind and loving to me one moment and distant the next"

"Sorry, I've just been dealing with a lot" he said in his defense.

"Is that why you kissed him?"

"I didn't know he was going to kiss me" he insisted "I went there to say goodbye, that's all."

"what do you mean?"

"He's leaving Lenoria"

"He is? When?"

"I don't know, tomorrow, next, all he said is he has to leave and this may be the last time I ever see him so I wanted to say good bye. I really didn't know he was going to kiss me"

"But you let him" Understandably, that fact still annoyed me.

"I'm not going to apologize for not pushing him away. He was my first love and tonight may be the last time we ever see each other"

"Well what about leaving me to dance with Emily" I accused "Do you realise how that made me look?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. She came up to me and I couldn't just ignore and embarrass her like that"

I took a breath and tried to calm down. He seemed to behaving a hard time and here I was making it worse.

"I'm sorry..."I said to him. There was a lot of apologizing going around.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I haven't had my head in the game since I saw him but I promise it'll be better tomorrow"

"Okay" I breathed.

"Okay?" His eyes pleaded.

"Okay"

=^..^=

Nick and I composed ourselves before walking back into the building. Horrified, I realised that the Queen was in the middle of her closing speech.

"Being here with all of you has been truly special. Your laughter, your stories, they've made this night unforgettable." she spoke warmly unlike the serious nature of the King's opening speech.

"I want to thank each one of you for being here to celebrate my family. Your warmth and kindness have made this a beautiful evening."

Hand in hand, we made our way to our dinner table that was full again save for Her Majesty. There weren't any more stares than usual so everything seemed okay.

"Where did you go?" King Richard asked as we took our seats.

"Just needed some air" Nick answered for us.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Theodore retorted.

"Amelia, are you okay?" I heard Princess Sophia ask. My face must have betrayed all that I was feeling.

"Just tired, Your Highness" I answered with a forced smile.

"You may retire then" the King suggested.

The Queen's voice grabbed my attention again "As we say goodbye to this wonderful night, I hope the joy we shared stays with you. Remember these moments, the happiness, and let them brighten your days."

I bowed my head, "I couldn't, Your Majesty. Not while the Queen is speaking"

"Tomorrow is an important day. You have my permission"

"In that case..." I stood and curtsied "Thank you for a wonderful evening"

Nick held my hand from his position on his chair and said, "Let me come with you"

"Please, stay and enjoy the rest of the evening" I leaned in and planted a convincing kiss on his lips. I couldn't help but think about what I'd seen earlier. My lips were sharing his with someone else's. I forced a smile, "I'll see you in the morning"

With that, I began my journey to the grand staircase where the night had began. I was hyper aware of the numerous eyes that watched me and also the Queen's words in the background but I kept walking.

The night hadn't gone according to plan. Far from it. This job was decidedly less fun all of a sudden. I hoped it would atleast pick up when the tour began.

"Miss Beaumont" I heard a voice from behind me just as I made it to the staircase.

"What now?" I muttered annoyed under my breath.

I turned to see Viscount Montague requesting my attention. Couldn't he see that I was trying to get away?

"Viscount" I smiled at him. "How are you?"

"Very good, Miss Beaumont"

"Viscount, if you don't mind, I'm very tired and I have a long day tomorrow"

"I understand, Lenorian balls can be a lot to the uninitiated" He smiled.

Did he really understand? Because he was still talking.

"But this will only take a moment of your time" he came closer "If I'm correct, your family relocated to America several generations ago. I just wanted to inform you that I reached out to the Normandy Beaumonts and they are very excited to meet you. I would be willing to facilitate a meet if you would so choose. It isn't right for a young girl like you to be without family"

I hadn't asked him to do that. What was his play here? The Queen's speech had ended so this conversation had run its course.

"Thank you very much, if I wish to meet them, I will let you know" I bowed slightly to signify the end of our discussion "Now I am afraid I must go. See you later, Viscount"

"Until then, Miss Beaumont"

=^..^=

I struggled to navigate the maze that was the halls of Eclipton and eventually had to ask a guard to escort me. The heels were starting to hurt so I was glad my suffering would soon be at an end.

I had survived my first ball but only barely. How was I going to navigate another year of this?

Atleast I wasn't so worried about Nick anymore. With Charles gone, he could finally get his head in the game. The sooner we achieved our goal of clearing his image, the sooner I could get back to my own life and leave the dresses behind.

I thanked the guard when we arrived at my room and hurried in. I pulled the rope to alert Celeste that I had returned. I couldn't reach the zip at the back of the dress so I was locked into the contraption until she arrived.

My feet were finally free from their heeled prison though so I was thankful for that atleast.

=^..^=

I requested Celeste to remain with me even after my night routine was completed and I lay comfortably in bed. I studied her as she sat at the edge of my bed. Like most of the workers in the castle, she struck me as a bit plain although I thought she would probably make a decently attractive woman with a bit of extra care.

"Tell me about your family" I asked her. I wouldn't be able to sleep anytime soon as it was still relatively early but I also didn't want to be left alone to my thoughts.

"My family, my lady?"

"Yes, where do they live? Do you have siblings?" I sat up. The short skirt of my night gown revealed most of my legs which reminding me that I hadn't worn pants in days.

"I have many brothers and sisters" she told me ".. but I haven't seen them in some time"

"Where are they?" I asked.

"At home, with our parents" Celeste wasn't looking me in the eyes. I wondered if she didn't want to talk about herself or simply didn't enjoy it.

"Why haven't you seen them? Are you not allowed to leave?" I asked concerned.

"I am allowed. I just have many duties so I do not have the time" she explained.

"And your parents? Can't they come here?"

"They can, but they have many estates under their care. They are much too busy"

"Estates?"

"My father is a baron" She told me.

"You're nobility?" I was shocked. Since she was serving me and so diligently, I'd expected her to be, for lack of a better word, a commoner.

"We all are. A commoner would never be allowed to serve closely with the royal family"

I guessed it made sense but it was still strange to me that someone from a respected family albeit low on the ladder would be serving me.

"And you don't mind being my lady in waiting?"

She shook her head. "You are the prince's companion, my lady".

Their system was so strange. They made such a fuss about noble blood but any girl could jump to the front of the line simply by being picked by someone of a higher status.

"But you know I am not really his companion" I clarified "We're just pretending"

"I think the prince holds you specially in his heart. That is enough".

That caused me to smile and blush. Celeste saw this display and smiled as well.

"You love His Highness" she said. I wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement.

"I don't know how I feel. I have never felt anything like this" I figured if I wanted her to open up to me, I should open up to her as well.

"I've never felt attraction to men before." I continued "...now I can't stop thinking about Nick and I get jealous too"

"You enjoy being a woman" she said. Again, was that a question or a statement "You are very good at it"

"Thank you?" I wasn't sure what to think. I had certainly taken to it very quickly. It forced me to consider whether I had always been like this. Were there feelings I had been suppressing?

I didn't like this conversation anymore. I faked a yawn.

"Good night, my lady" Celeste said as she stood.

"Good night" I replied.

Busy day tomorrow.

=^..^=

I woke up refreshed and ready to go just before Celeste knocked on my door. Going to bed early last night had helped tremendously. Today I was finally going to see more of Lenoria and its people. There were also going to be lots of cameras so I had to look my best. I hoped Nick had gotten over whatever that was yesterday.

I smiled brightly at Celeste as she walked in. She had finally relaxed around me which was evident in the relaxed bow she gave me.

"Her Highness Princess Sophia has requested you join her in the garden" Celeste announced.

I had totally forgotten about that. What did she want to talk about with me? Should I have been worried? She seemed friendly enough with me last night but that was also in public?

I decided to just get it over with. How bad could it be anyway?

=^..^=

Turns out nothing could have prepared me for how that conversation went. It started off harmlessly enough.

Celeste had led me behind the castle to an area I hadn't been in yet. I spotted Princess Sophia sitting under a gazebo and noticed she had already started without me.

She'd invited me out for tea but was drinking wine instead. I considered that I may have been a bit overdressed because while I was dressed in a long cottagecore dress and flats, the princess was in sweatpants, a cardigan and slippers. When she saw me and waved me over, I realised it was too late to turn back.

I smiled brightly as I approached hoping to catch her in a good mood. I began to curtsy but she stopped me.

"Take a seat, Amelia" she gestured to the empty seat across from her. She waved away the girl that had been serving her and waited until she was out of earshot and in the castle before continuing, "or do you prefer Morgan when it's just us?"

I tried to keep my composure. It wasn't surprising that she would know. Was she testing me? Seeing how easily I would cling to my old identity?

"Amelia is fine, your highness"

"I should commend you" she spoke again "You're doing a splendid job so far"

"Thank you, your highness" I replied.

"You don't have to say that every time you speak"

"Sorry" I said softly.

"But yes, I wouldn't have ever guessed it if I didn't already know" In one move, she finished the rest of her wine and held her glass to me.

I quickly understood what she wanted. I removed the cork from the almost full bottle of wine on the table and poured into her glass until she asked me to stop.

"Pour yourself a glass" she offered, or was it an order? Still, I obeyed. "Drink" she said as soon as I was done. I obeyed again.

The wine was sweet with a strong cherry flavor and scent.

"You seem to be a natural at being a woman" she continued as soon as the glass left my lips "Do you want to be one permanently?"

Where was this conversation going? Why would she bring me here to talk about that? Was she simply curious about me?

"No I.." I started to answer but my voice trailed off ".. I don't think so"

"So tell me, why are you doing this?"

I knew the answer to that question but still I thought hard before I answered.

"I don't want to work till I'm old and never get to enjoy my life. I want to be able to retire and this seemed like a way to make that happen" I explained.

Whatever she thought about my answer, she kept hidden behind a strong poker face.

"So, money. I can understand that" She said to me. I didn't respond.

"Seven hundred and thirty five thousand euros" she continued after a short pause "How many years do you think that gets you?"

I didn't reply to that either. It seemed like a decent amount of money to me but of course I hadn't thought that far.

"How old are you, Morgan?"

"22" I answered.

"You'll be broke before you turn 30"

She paused again but I wasn't keen to speak yet so I just listened.

"10 million euros. Now that's a sum you retire with" she let out a sly smile. "Are you interested?"

Her face was dead serious. Was she offering me that much? For what?

I nodded.

"Before we proceed, I need to make sure you understand that this conversation stays between us."

I nodded again.

She leaned in and gestured to me to do the same.

"Don't worry, you won't have to do much"

=^..^=

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Hiya, sorry for the short chapter. Traveling for the holidays in a few hours and wanted to get this out before them. Might be the last chapter till the new year but I hope you've enjoyed it so far.

The worst part? Sophia didn't actually tell me what she wanted me to do for the money.

"When the time comes, you'll know"

That was what she had said. What the hell did that mean? Would it be today? Tomorrow? Next week? I wished I could just get it over with, claim the money, and sign out today.

But no, my life was to proceed as originally planned. I must have had a blank look on my face as Celeste dressed me for my first tour day. I couldn't keep my mind from darting from one detail to the other trying to uncover any piece of information I may have missed that could shed some light on her goals.

"Are you alright?" Celeste asked pulling me out of my trance. She was holding the white mid-length dress she'd chosen for me for the day.

Noticing the worried expression on her face, I reassured her with a smile, "I'm fine".

I took a deep breath and watched my half-naked reflection in the mirror do the same. I welcomed the help as Celeste held the dress for me to step into and brought it up and over my chest. My sole task was only to pass my arms through the short-sleeve holes.

We'd done this dance enough times to know there was no need to demand independence.

Next came the makeup that she purposefully kept very light but sophisticated. I watched her as she carefully and expertly worked.

I didn't have many friends here if any at all. I was surrounded by people I either couldn't trust or those who couldn't trust me. Other than Nick and the girl that was currently painting my face, there weren't any others I could really count on if it came to it.

"You're coming with me today, right?" I asked and hoped.

She nodded after applying a few more touches to my face.

"I'll be there the whole time, don't worry" she answered.

That reassured me a bit but in truth, I was still worried, and not just because of Princess Sophia's proposition. Nick and I were about to have our first public appearance. We would need to convince the entire nation that we were in fact in love and to make it worse, there were all the cameras that would be eager to catch even the slightest slip.

Celeste made a press then pucker motion with her lips and signaled for me to do the same. I followed and felt the cool liquid spread evenly across my lips. When she was satisfied, she returned with her brushes to make the finishing touches leaving my mind to wonder some more.

Even worse was the fact that I didn't only have myself to worry about. I had to babysit Nick as well and make sure he wouldn't go off script like he did at the ball.

At least I wasn't too worried about myself. With the way I'd been feeling recently, something told me it wouldn't be too hard to pretend to adore Nick.

Celeste took a step back and admired her work before stepping aside to give me a clear view of my reflection in the mirror.

I'd gotten used to the girl that stared back. Previously I would have been taken aback by how pretty she was but now, I only admired what looked to be Celeste's best work yet.

"What do you think?" she asked me.

I shrugged, "Pretty good".

=^..^=

As much as I tried, I couldn't stop gawking at Celeste when she returned to my room wearing normal people's clothes. I couldn't get over how normal she looked. Gone was the drab uniform and in its place, a beautiful orange, tiered dress. While she still wore her hair up, the usual bun was replaced with a ponytail which resulted in her looking much more like any girl her age and more importantly, from this century.

"You look beautiful, Celeste" I complimented her.

"Thank you" she blushed.

It seemed to me that the royal household preferred for us to look like friends as opposed to master and servant which suited me perfectly. I'd have to ask for this to be the norm moving forward.

"The procession is waiting. We should go" She informed me.

"Procession?" I asked, "What do you mean by that?"

=^..^=

Turns out she'd meant exactly as she'd said it. Walking through the castle gardens in my pretty dress, the convoy slowly came into view as we neared the car park.

5 cars and a whole lot of security had been assembled just for Nick and me. I would later find out that this was actually a conservative approach compared to the King's trips.

The first one was a very serious vehicle that looked like it could take a big hit and come out unscathed.

It was followed by two luxurious SUVs. I spotted Nick standing right next to the first one having what looked to be an intense discussion with Percy. Neither of them had noticed me yet.

The final two vehicles were identical SUVs, the only noticeable difference being one had an antenna.

I tried to listen in but apparently even while they had their heated discussion, their voices were still hushed. I couldn't make out whatever had them both so worked up.

Percy turned and spotted me before signaling to Nick who turned and expertly cleared every last bit of tension from his face.

"There you are" he smiled brightly almost in an exaggerated manner before walking up to me.

Before I could get a word in, he pulled me close and planted a firm kiss on my lips that made me squirm.

"Save some of that for the road" I managed as soon as our lips parted.

"Don't worry, there's plenty where that came from" he replied.

I forced a smile. It seemed it was already showtime. It hadn't dawned on me that we'd be putting on the show for the guards and staff as well. I'd expected to have some more time to get my game face on but no such luck.

I kissed him again after noticing the quiet stares from all who were present.

"Excited?" I asked.

"Of course, there are so many places I want to show you"

He genuinely seemed excited but I couldn't be sure if that was really the case or if he was just being a good actor.

He took my hand and led me back towards Percy who'd remained by the cars. I guessed I wouldn't have to worry about his act after all.

"Long time no see, Percy" I teased. "Where have you been? You missed the ball. I even saved a dance for you"

He grunted, "Unfortunately, I had business to attend to".

"Surely not more important than me" I pouted.

"We should get going" He moved and opened the car door, holding it open "We're on a schedule".

Always so serious.

=^..^=

Just like we'd done during our arrival, Percy occupied the front seat while Nick and I occupied the back. There were still times when I wondered whether I'd made the right decision accepting this job but riding in style like I was now, how could it have been anything but the right decision?

We rode mostly in silence as we cleared the massive forest that surrounded the castle. Soon we were back on the capital streets and I allowed myself to drink in the sights.

Clean streets, large buildings, magnificent monuments and statues but so few people in sight.

"Where is everybody?" I whispered to Nick.

"These are the government reserved areas" he leaned in to say.

"Government reserved areas?"

"The capital city has GRAs separate from residential areas so you probably won't meet that many people except those with a pass"

"So the people can't come here?" I asked puzzled.

"Not without a reason" he answered matter of factly, "But I mean there's really no reason to anyway. It's mostly just government buildings"

"But it's so pretty" I protested. There were so many wonderful structures to look at. What was the point of having all this here if no one got to see it?

"They could always get a pass," Nick explained. "I don't think they're that hard to get anyway"

I didn't have any more to say so I let it go. It wasn't really my concern anyway.

=^..^=

The tour turned out to be fairly uneventful. The convoy would make its way to a building or landmark of significance to the Lenorian people and there we'd be bombarded by paparazzi and a thousand lights.

Nick who seemed used to the treatment helped me through it. Mostly, he did that by holding me close which was part of our job anyway. Sometimes, he'd lead me by my hand, other times I'd hold onto his arm.

At each location, some man or woman would be there to pass along information about the site while pictures were taken. A lot of the history was boring but some of it was very fascinating.

One that caught my attention was a golden statue of a revered man they explained was King Emeric, Nick's great grandfather who emerged victorious from the 8-year civil war. His victory kept Lenoria an absolute monarchy, a status that hadn't been challenged since.

Another interesting part of the tour was our visit to the Royal Army headquarters where I received a proper military welcome. Well Nick did, I was just along for the ride by his side.

That part was very eye-opening. They were all muscular and extremely well-built, a lot of them even dwarfed Nick who wasn't small by any means. I would have welcomed the shame of being outclassed by other men but that never came. I didn't feel inferior because I now felt different from them. I no longer felt the need to compare myself to them.

During our mingling, Nick received a salute from a young man that must have been fairly important because Nick parted from me for the first time today to hug him.

They were all smiles as they exchanged pats on the back. Only when they were finished did Nick turn back to introduce us.

"Amelia, this is my old friend Corvus" Nick started. I outstretched my arm for a shake before I had the chance to think it through. "Corvus, this is Amelia".

Corvus took my hand but only to lean in and kiss it.

"Lovely to meet you, Amelia" His voice was deep with a rich flavor.

I nodded slightly at him. "Nice to meet you" I smiled.

"The pictures don't do you justice" Corvus added as soon as our hands parted.

"Careful with this one" Nick cautioned "he's a charmer" I managed another smile.

Corvus laughed "Nicholas, those days are behind me. I'm married now. You'd have known that if you'd been around"

"Really? Congratulations! Who's the lucky girl?" Nick seemed genuinely happy for him.

"Remember Eloise?"

"How could I forget, how'd you manage that?"

"Ah, you know me..."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Carter of all people. He was hard to miss as he was the only one not wearing the Lenorian Army uniform. He did look quite handsome in that two-piece suit.

"I'll let you two catch up," I said with a smile after touching Nick's arm lightly. He nodded his approval.

I made my way through the small crowd.

"Mr. Sinclair? What are you doing here?" I asked him as soon as I got in range.

"I work here, I should be asking you the same" he answered.

"I'm on tour, which you know. Are you following me?" I smiled.

"Guilty. How could I not when you stormed off so quickly last night?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Something came up"

"Trouble in paradise?" He gestured over to Nick who was now in an even more animated discussion with Corvus.

"What? No" I said abruptly.

"Relax, I'm only teasing. Anyway, you should go" he glanced around the room, "We shouldn't be seen together"

Desperate for a dance yesterday, shooing me away today?

"What do you do for the Army?" I probed.

"Top secret, I'm afraid. Now run along, I'm sure there's someone that needs your attention more than me"

Awkwardly, he didn't even wait for my response, he just turned and left. Weird.

I entertained small talk with those who worked up the courage to talk to me until Nick returned.

"Have fun?" I asked.

"Corvus invited us out on his boat. A kind of double date. I said yes" Nick informed me.

"Aren't we busy?" I asked. It sounded fun but I'd rather not put too much on my plate at once. "I have the interview tomorrow and there's another tour coming up"

"We'll make time" Was his response.

=^..^=

We made a stop at the King's residence in the city before the final item on our schedule for the day. The large residence was used by the royal family during extended excursions into the city so it struck me as odd that it was so fully staffed for what was essentially a second home.

After the convoy completed the short drive from the gate and parked in front of the house, the first thing I noticed was the row of maids and butlers standing at the main entrance with their heads bowed. And they remained so even as we made our way passed them and into the residence.

A woman I assumed to be in charge led Celeste and I into a room where we'd be changing. A pretty bedroom but mostly bare. For guests, I assumed.

The final item on our schedule was apparently a ballet show choreographed with elements of Lenorian culture and for some reason unknown to me, demanded a change of clothes.

Celeste got right to work unveiling a gold satin cocktail gown that made my current outfit look painfully simple.

Naturally, Celeste helped me into my dress and touched up my makeup but I was caught off guard when she nonchalantly asked me to help her unzip her dress.

"Umm.." I was confused by the request. She'd been freer with me lately but this was entirely new.

Still, I slowly made my way behind her and gently undid the zipper just as she'd asked.

When she pulled one of the dress sleeves off her shoulder, I quickly turned around which caused her to chuckle.

I heard her shuffle with the dress behind me which was my signal to leave.

"You don't have to go" I heard her say which effectively stopped me in my tracks.

What was happening? Did she like me? What could she be proposing? That we be intimate?

I peeked behind me to see that she was standing only in her underwear and turned back to face the door. I'd been in that exact state of undress only a moment ago. I'd somehow gotten used to being undressed around her, I hadn't realized just how weird and unusual it actually was.

"We're friends right?" she asked. "Even more than that, you're almost like one of my sisters now"

"Sure we're friends but still it's wrong for me to see you like that," I said without turning.

"Why?"

"I'm a man"

"It doesn't feel like that"

'I am' I thought to myself but didn't respond. I took another step and reached for the door handle.

"I'm glad I was assigned to you" I heard Celeste say just as I was leaving.

=^..^=

I returned to the living room to meet Nick and Percy dressed smartly in their evening attires.

"You look pretty," Nick said as I approached.

I curtsied playfully. "You don't look too bad yourself" I replied.

"High praise" he smiled then surprised me by pulling me onto the couch beside him.

There were only two other guards in the room so this was wholly unnecessary. When he placed a palm on my lap, I just had to speak up.

"It's just us. You don't have to" I whispered to him.

"Just staying in character" he replied.

"Do we need to talk about Charles?" I asked. He only shook his head in response.

I hated the idea of him. Charles. Even if outwardly, Nick pretended to be all about me and honestly he was doing a pretty good job of it, I knew I wasn't who he really wanted.

Nick would want nothing more than to be on this tour with Charles. I was just a means to an end for him. I knew that from the start so why did it bother me so much now? Especially since that kiss in the garden.

I was Nick's duty. Charles was his desire.

"You've both done really well today" Percival commended us from his chair across the room. "Our arrival at the ballet will be the final test, but make sure not to let your guard down at any point during the show. There may still be cameras".

When Nick nodded his acknowledgment, so did I.

=^..^=

True to his word, our arrival was a test. A red carpet covered the entire distance from the car to the theater entrance with paparazzi on either side. As usual, Nick exited first and then held a hand to assist me.

I was grateful for the help. The high heels I paired with the outfit brought me a lot closer to my boyfriend's height but left me severely lacking stability as a consequence.

The flashes were disorienting and almost blinding in the night sky so I relied entirely on Nick to be our navigator. I simply focused on maintaining the smile Lenoria had come to know and hopefully love, because it would be plastered all over the papers tomorrow morning.

Inside, the theatergoers gathered in what I could only refer to as a lobby to mingle before the night's performances began. In expected fashion, I was fawned over by those who wished to get a word in with me and those who were perfectly content with a sighting alone.

Unlike last night's ball, though which was exclusively for the aristocracy, tonight's gathering was opened to those of humbler births who were able to afford the exorbitant prices of the tickets. And so as you may expect, being in the presence of the Prince and I sent them into a frenzy.

As I reveled in my own newfound celebrity status, I was introduced to an actual celebrity. A woman they all referred to as Miss Penelope. A misleading title due to her advanced age.

Miss Penelope was a figure skating champion who represented Lenoria internationally with great success. She seemed to be very well respected which was particularly impressive since she was technically a commoner. If she had been a man, the King would probably have given her a title. Unfortunately, her only husband died before her successes and she'd never remarried.

"Miss Penelope, it is wonderful to make your acquaintance," I said respectfully.

She clicked her tongue, "Americans are always where they don't belong"

"Sorry?" I turned around to see if anyone had heard what she'd just said but no one paid us any mind.

"Go home child, before you hurt yourself"

"Umm..." I stood there confused. I'd been expecting an enlightening discussion with a legend but she was clearly in no mood for conversation.

"Go home," she said again before walking off to join another conversation.

=^..^=

Thankfully, I was able to get that encounter out of my head before we took our seats in the VIP booths of the grand theater. One by one the performers took to the stage and expertly began their routine.

To be honest, I understood little of their presentation but I could appreciate the level of skill it demanded as they balanced on pointe and spun with calculated grace.

I was mostly just happy that the cameras were finally off me and focused on the stage. Contrary to Percy's suggestion earlier, I felt I could finally relax after what had been an activity-filled day. I couldn't wait for the night to be over to return to the castle for some much-needed rest.

I'd been able to keep my mind off Sophia's request but of course, it wasn't going to go away just because I hadn't been thinking about it.

I looked to Nick, Percy, and Celeste who shared the booth with me. They all seemed engrossed in the presentation. I focused on Nick who looked to be enjoying the show.

Should I have told him about my conversation with Sophia? What good would that bring? She hadn't asked me to do anything yet. No, it was best to...

My train of thought was interrupted by murmurs coming from around the theater. I looked for the source amidst the dark venue. Soon I received my answer when I spotted a man running from his seat down the theater steps and onto the stage.

Understandably, this halted the presentation as all eyes were now focused on the man who now commandeered the entire right section of the stage.

Was this all part of the show? The dancers looked terrified as they ran behind the curtain and out of sight.

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!" he screamed again.

I spotted guards approaching the stage and so did he.

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!" Over and over again as he ran to the far side of the stage.

Two, then three, then five guards converged on the stage.

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!"

We all watched in disbelief at the scenes. It didn't take long for them to corner and take him into custody.

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!"

Even as they dragged him off behind the curtains, he continued:

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!"

=^..^=

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Happy New Year everyone!

We're back! Can't wait for you to read the rest. Let me know what you think so far.

The murmur and clatter around the arena began slowly but crescendoed as people started to panic over what they had just witnessed.

Sedition, and in the presence of the Prince no less.

Groups formed and people began talking to each other, some stood as if preparing to leave.

I was no less in shock over what had just happened. A man had run on stage, interrupting the performance, and screaming the words "Dethrone the tyrant king".

What did that mean? I turned to Nick who looked equally lost in thought.

More of the audience shuffled to their feet and began making their way towards the aisles before which another man rushed on stage to preach calm.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats" he called out into the microphone, "The ballet will resume shortly"

Some obliged him, but most continued their journey down the aisles. I watched the small crowd make their way toward the exit doors and listened to the man on stage urge them back.

"You are in the presence of His Royal Highness. You will act accordingly" The man called out to the disinterested crowd, more of whom were now making their way to the exits.

There, they were met with another shock. The doors were locked.

On the stage, the ballet performers had returned and were scurrying into position behind the speaker.

"Return to your seats this instant"

"Your Highness, Amelia" Percival called out to us, "We must leave"

Nick hurried to his feet and I followed behind him. He took my hand while we walked briskly behind Percival back out of the booth and into the halls where our security was stationed.

I would occasionally turn back to ensure Celeste was following closely behind us.

At the end of the hall, we rendezvoused with the rest of the security detail and together we made our way towards the stairs.

I could feel the tension in the air, something was wrong. I could tell from the way the guards gripped their weapons and how Percival urged us along.

I could tell from how empty the theater was, even the staff were nowhere to be found. As we reached a spiral staircase that led down to the lobby, I could tell from how the soldiers stood guarding the doors that led into the ballet hall.

I could tell from the total lack of paparazzi in front of the theater building, a stark contrast to earlier that night.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Nick as we made our way into the vehicle. He only shook his head in response.

I could tell something was wrong when we passed multiple police cruisers heading back in the direction of the theater as we drove away.

=^..^=

The entire time I feared something would happen but the world outside was quiet. Here there was no sign of the unrest that had occurred in the theater except the occasional cruiser that roamed the streets.

Maybe we had all just been overreacting. We made our way through the GRAs and eventually the forest around the castle in silence. No one seemed in the mood to talk so I kept to myself.

Sometime during the journey home, I realized how exhausted I felt. It had been a very eventful day starting with the drink with Sophia and ending with the theatre spectacle. I wanted it to be over.

I just wanted to get home, take off this dress and heels, and climb into bed.

When the convoy drove through the gates of the castle, I sighed in relief. We were finally home.

I turned my attention to my boyfriend who seemed to be wrestling difficult thoughts. To show that I was there for him, I gently placed my hand over his and squeezed. I was glad when he seemed to relax a bit and throw a smile in my direction. It made me happy to know that I had the ability to ease some of his worries.

It was a strange feeling, the validation I got just from a brief smile on his lips.

"Your Highness, His Majesty has requested your presence immediately" Percival called out from the passenger seat as soon as the car rolled to a halt.

"Alright," Nick replied in such a feeble tone I wondered whether Percival had even heard him.

"I wish I could come with you" I squeezed his hand again as I said the words even I believed to be a lie. Though I wanted him to know I would always be there for him, I couldn't handle an audience with the King that evening.

"So do I" he whispered back.

"Amelia, you have an important day tomorrow" Percival turned his attention to me, "Make sure to get sufficient rest"

Right, the interview was tomorrow. It had seemed so far away but almost in the blink of an eye, here it was. How did they expect me to go on Live television? What if I made a mistake?

"What if I make a mistake?" I asked.

"You have nothing to worry about. It's not actually live, just presented as such" Percival explained, "Just try to relax and read off the prompter in a natural tone. Any parts we don't like will be edited out"

"Okay," I answered meekly.

Percival exited the car and following a single gesture from him, one of the guards stepped up and opened the door for us. I waited patiently as Nick stepped into the night sky and offered his hand to me. I took it graciously.

I had gotten used to our little dance at this point. It was one of the many things that might have bothered the old me but now felt natural.

"Thank you" I muttered to him as I stepped out into the night. A cold breeze blew past sending a chill down my spine.

"Hmm," he grunted. I hated how much he seemed to be carrying the world on his shoulders.

I would have said something to him if we hadn't been led in different directions as soon as we stepped through the doors of Eclipton Castle. I went back to my bedroom with Celeste in tow, and Nick went in search of his father.

=^..^=

"Good morning, my lady" Celeste called to me the next morning. I had gotten used to hearing her voice by now. She was usually the last person I saw at night and the first of the new day.

I like to think we had grown closer in the past few days. Maybe a bit too close judging by what had happened yesterday. I still couldn't make any sense of her behavior back at the King's city residence, but she seemed back to normal now so I certainly wasn't going to bring it up.

Besides, I had much more important things on my mind this morning.

"Good morning, Celeste" I replied while pulling myself out of bed.

Together, we went through our usual morning routine ticking off one item after another until it came time to get dressed. I stood only in my underwear waiting for her to get started helping me dress when she walked up to my dresser to retrieve a file I hadn't noticed earlier.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Your talking points, my lady" she replied while handing it over to me.

I skimmed through the questions and answers contained within while Celeste went about preparing me for the day. I couldn't say I wasn't feeling a bit tense. Of course I was, I was about to speak to an entire country. This was insane.

I was just some guy working a crappy job a few days ago. I wasn't prepared for this. It did help a bit that I wouldn't have to think for myself. On those pages were written everything I would have to say. I had nothing to worry about.

Everything about my attire today was more subtle, especially when compared with the golden gown from last night. The dress was very professional, mid-length with a slightly flared skirt in a very welcoming shade of blue.

To my surprise, Celeste had only helped me with the dress and undergarments after which, she'd stepped away.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" A small laugh accompanied my words.

"Miss Isidora will be handling your makeup today" she informed me.

"Izzy's here?"

"She is waiting in the drawing room. Whenever you're ready, my lady" Celeste bowed as she spoke. She was acting very formal with me this morning, which was a far cry from the casual stance she'd taken only yesterday.

Still, I focused my attention on what mattered, the questions I was to expect.

Questions about how Nick and I first met, questions about the girl who captured the Prince's heart, questions about our future together, and many more.

I studied them as long as I could until it was nearing time for the interview. With a deep breath, I pulled myself to my feet and out the door.

 =^..^=

Celeste and I didn't make it very far before another member of staff walked up to me and bowed her head.

"Good morning, my lady"

"Hello," I said to her.

"His Majesty has requested you join him briefly in the dining room"

"The King?" I asked surprised.

'Yes, my lady"

I looked over at Celeste but she only had her gaze on the floor. It wasn't as though I had a choice anyway. If the King called, you answered and that was that.

=^..^=

"Good morning, Your Majesties," I said the words I'd practiced in my head several times in the minutes it took to reach the dining room. "Good morning, Your Highnesses. Good morning, Lady Olivia"

I desperately hoped that I hadn't made any mistakes regarding etiquette to avoid getting on their bad sides.

"Amelia dear," The Queen was the first to speak to me, "Come closer, will you?" She smiled.

I took several unsteady steps further into the dining room at her command. As far as I knew, I hadn't done anything wrong so I had nothing to be worried about. However, that helped calm me only a tiny bit. It was an intimidating feeling being in the presence of royalty.

"I believe you have your interview soon" The Queen commented.

"Yes, Your Majesty" I replied.

"Are you prepared?"

"I believe so" I replied deciding to neither confirm nor deny anything concretely.

"That's good" The Queen smiled once again. I liked her, she was nice, certainly less intimidating than the King and even her daughter.

I glanced over at Princess Sophia who sat quietly eating her breakfast. As though she possessed a sixth sense, she looked up and our eyes met in that brief moment.

I'd wondered why her husband wasn't present but of course, kept my thoughts to myself.

I quickly shifted my gaze over to Nick. His warm expression back in my direction felt like safety.

"I trust you slept well--" The king spoke for the first time, "Despite last night's disturbance"

I nodded before speaking up, "I did, Your Majesty"

I wished I had a teleprompter to tell me what I was supposed to say.

"This interview comes at an opportune time--" he continued, "It provides us a chance to project strength and unity, the love you must show for my son is in many ways symbolic of the faith the people must have in the monarchy. It must be absolute."

I remained quiet and only listened.

"Do you love my son?" he asked me, catching me off-guard. Why would he ask that? He knew more than anyone that this was all an elaborate game of pretend.

"Uh--" I paused while trying to process the question.

"Remember, silence leaves room for doubt"

"I love him" I answered and breathed a sigh of relief when King Richard didn't press me any further.

"You two must be the band that holds us all together" The King added but those words were not directed at me.

"Yes, Father" Nick answered quickly.

"I want the two of you making more appearances" he continued, "Be affectionate. Show the people your love. I trust that will not be a problem?"

I shook my head.

"No, Father" Nick spoke.

"Good" he replied before turning back to me, "I will be watching your performance very closely"

=^..^=

King Richard hadn't done much to help my nerves. In fact, he'd had the opposite effect so much so that I was shaking by the time I reached the drawing room.

The drawing room windows were closed and the only lighting was coming from all the artificial lights that had been set up. And there were almost as many cameras as there were lights.

My palms had started to sweat when it dawned on me how real all of this was. I was to be seated in one of the two chairs at the front of the room.

"Amelia, this way" Isidora called out to me immediately she spotted me.

Her words seemed to garner the attention of every last person in the room who had been in various stages of preparation. Every last one turned to look at me.

"That's her" I heard someone whisper.

"Hi, Izzy" I waved back as I began closing the distance between us, trying to ignore all the attention. It was something I was going to have to get used to one way or another for as long as I was Amelia.

"How are you?" She gave me a big hug. "I heard what happened yesterday, that must have been so terrifying?"

I shrugged.

"Well, we better get you ready" Izzy quickly ushered me into a chair, "We want to have you looking your very best, don't we?"

I smoothed the skirt of my dress and lowered myself as gracefully as I could into the soft leather seat. I was being watched by everyone in the room. The performance had already begun, even before the cameras began rolling.

"Celeste, can I have the script?" I asked.

Celeste, ever so diligent, hurried over to me.

'It wouldn't hurt to go over the questions and answers one more time.' I thought to myself.

=^..^=

Soon, I found myself in front of all the cameras in those few moments before they began rolling. A member of the crew was showing me the teleprompter and was performing checks to ensure I had no issues reading the text or keeping up with the speed.

Annie, my interviewer had also arrived. We'd said only the briefest of hellos before she'd retreated to the makeup station.

This was real.

I coughed then cleared my throat when Annie approached and took the other seat by my side. I closed my eyes briefly and prepared myself as the other lights went off around the room except those focused on the two of us.

My gaze shifted to the director whose fingers counted down to zero. It then turned to Annie who was saying something in a very animated manner. I froze when she stopped speaking and looked at me expectantly.

Oh fuck, had she said something? I had no idea what she'd said. I quickly turned my attention to the teleprompter which read, "It's a pleasure to be here, Annie"

I tried to say the words but no sound left my lips. I'd messed up. Not even 10 seconds in and I'd already messed up.

"Cut! Reset." I heard the director call out and my face must have been white as a sheet.

"It's okay," Annie quickly said to me, "We'll go again" She added before she stood and walked off to have some conversation with the director.

I was stuck in that chair, unable to move. It was so embarrassing having Izzy come over to lead me back over to the makeup table.

"I can't do this" I whispered to Izzy when we were back by ourselves.

"They'll do this as many times as you need to get comfortable," she told me, "Just try to relax."

"Can I have some water?" I asked, my throat suddenly feeling dry.

Fuck, how was I going to do this? My heart was beating much quicker than usual and my fingertips suddenly felt cold.

This wasn't me. I wasn't the type to seek out attention. I wasn't the type to pretend to be a woman for that matter. This was all my usual fears rolled into one.

Before long, Izzy was retrieving a glass of water from Celeste and handing it to me.

"Than--" my voice cracked.

I took a sip from the glass using the included straw and then another. When I returned the glass, there was a clear imprint of my lips on the straw.

"Feeling better?"

"Not really" I confessed.

"You'll get there" she assured me, "Now sit still, let me just retouch your lips"

"Good morning, Your Highness" I heard the words repeated all around the room. A moment later, Isidora stepped away from me and bowed in the direction of the entrance.

I turned to look and prepared to offer my own greetings but found only Nick standing there. What was he doing here?

I stood and made my way over to him with a questioning expression on my face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked when I was close enough. By that point, every other person present had ceased whatever they were doing and quickly made their way to the other side of the room, offering us some privacy.

"It looked like you needed help" he answered.

"Wait, were you watching?" Even though he didn't answer, I knew the answer was a resounding yes, "Is everyone watching?"

He nodded.

"So the King saw me--" I whispered even quieter because who knows if they were listening even now.

"Don't think about that okay?" he interrupted, "In fact, don't think about anything. That should be easy for you right?"

"Hey!" I punched his shoulder lightly and pouted.

"I'm sorry," he smiled at me, "But I mean it, don't think about the cameras or anything else. Pretend they're not even there. It's just you and the interviewer"

"How am I supposed to do that when all those cameras are staring me in the face?"

"Try to focus on her. I hear she's really nice. Just pretend you're having a casual conversation with her." he explained, "Nobody else matters"

"I don't think it's --"

Nick took my hand in his. They felt warm to the touch.

"There you go thinking again" he smiled, "No more of that okay?"

I chuckled, "Okay"

"You can do this"

"Will you stay?"

"I can't, I would if I could--" Nick looked a bit sad as he spoke, "There's something I have to go do"

"Okay"

"But I'll come see you when I get back, okay?"

"You don't have to do that," I told him.

"I'll come" he confirmed, "Remember, you got this" he added after a quick glance around the room.

He leaned in and I closed my eyes expectantly. A moment later, I felt his lips on my forehead.

"I gotta go, but you got this," he told me as he stepped away. Why did I feel so disappointed?

=^..^=

"Good evening Lenoria" Annie once again spoke with very animated movements, "Tonight we have a very special guest with us. It is my great pleasure to present to you, Miss Amelia Beaumont"

"It is a pleasure to be here, Annie," I said with a bright smile.

"Miss Beaumont, we're so happy to have you on the show" Annie had continued after a brief pause, "Thank you for taking the time. As you can expect, all of Lenoria has been eager to know more about the young woman who has captured our Prince's heart"

"Oh please, you can call me 'Amelia'" I replied, "And I assure you, the feeling is very much mutual. I am very eager to learn more about the beautiful people of this country"

"Oh, can I call you 'Amelia'?" Annie showed me an infectious smile, "It is such a pretty name?"

"I don't know about that," I briefly glanced at the teleprompter and then back at Annie, "I've always thought it's such an old-fashioned name"

I knew my lines well enough at that point but I remained worried I would make a mistake and we'd have to start over. Knowing the King was watching didn't make it any easier either.

"Regal is perhaps the word you're looking for" Annie chimed in.

"I appreciate you saying that"

"Speaking about Lenoria, what do you make of our fine country so far?" she asked me.

"Oh Annie, I absolutely adore this country" I tilted my head slightly to sell the performance. It wasn't exactly a lie anyway. Compared to my previous job, I was swimming in comfort. "It's so beautiful, and I love the people so much"

"Someone more that most, I imagine" She gave me a knowing smile that caused me to blush. That wasn't a lie either.

"Okay, okay, back on track" she reprimanded herself, "There will be time enough for that" she added with an excited look on her face.

"Okay," I let out a nervous laugh.

"Some of our viewers at home might not know this but this isn't your first time in Lenoria, is it?"

"No, Nick and I actually--" I paused when I realized I'd deviated from the script a bit, "I'm sorry, His Highness and I met here in Lenoria several years ago"

"That's alright" Annie didn't make a big fuss about my slip-up either and simply moved on, "Can you tell us what that was like? How you met."

"It's not a particularly exciting story" I confessed, "I had been on holiday. I was visiting Lenoria like I'd always dreamed. You know, I'd always been fascinated with Lenorian history and culture"

I watched Annie nod in response as I spoke. I focused my attention on her just like Nick had suggested, only occasionally glancing at the teleprompter.

"We met at the National Park here in the capital. For the longest time, I had no idea who he was. In fact, I still find it hard to think of him as anyone but my first love. I think--" I paused and gathered myself, "I think meeting him was fate. He's my soulmate"

It was a strange feeling. At no point did I feel I was lying.

"That was beautiful," Annie told me. I felt my cheeks turn red.

"Sorry, that was a bit cheesy"

"No," Annie quickly objected, "I think we can all see just how much you love him. That much we understand"

She looked me deep in my eyes before delivering the second question. Of course, while I knew what was coming, I had to act like I was hearing it all for the first time.

"What we'd like to know is why our beloved Prince seems just as smitten with you. Tell us a bit about the young woman he's fallen so in love with"

"I really don't think I'm anyone special" I answered, "His Highness has a very big heart and I'm just glad he has space in it for me alongside the people of this country. But if you must know, I'd say-- I'm honest and loyal, and I like to think that I support those I care about. While this is all very new to me, I am eager to learn and show the people just how much I care about them"

"Hmm" Annie smiled with a pleased look on her face, "I think it's clear to everyone watching that you are someone special, and so is our prince. What do you like most about him?"

"Okay Annie, I know this might be a bit cliche" I laughed, "But I love how kind he is. I already mentioned his big heart, he does so much for everyone around him. He never sits still as long as there's work to be done. He would be here with me right now if he wasn't so busy attending to important matters for the good of the country"

"Yes, I imagine he must be very busy" She nodded, "That can't be easy sharing your partner with the whole country"

I let out a small laugh as prompted, "We make time for eachother, but I know I can't have him all to myself. In the end, he is a member of the Royal Family and that means sacrifice and responsibility."

"Yes," Annie agreed, "That is the life. Can we expect you to take on more of that responsibility going forward?"

"I would certainly love to," I answered, "As I've mentioned, I absolutely adore this country and I look forward to doing whatever I can. But I know I have much to learn, so for now, I am content to keep learning until I can prove useful"

"I think I can speak for all of us when I say we look forward to seeing more of you," she told me, "And hopefully, more of you and His Highness together"

"Better together, I think" I laughed and so did Annie, "I think our relationship symbolizes unity. I'm just a regular girl like many watching tonight and I hope what everyone sees when they see us together is the shared values that made this country so wonderful in the first place"

"That is beautifully said, Amelia" Annie turned to the camera and frowned, "It's just so heartbreaking that there are those that would seek to trample on those values that you spoke of"

"It is heartbreaking" I agreed.

"At the risk of giving negativity a platform on a day such as today that should be filled with joy," Annie continued, "after the recent unrest, many citizens are rightfully anxious. How would you reassure them?"

Just as I had managed to do inconspicuously throughout the interview, I glanced at the teleprompter to glimpse the answer.

"De--" I'd started reading before quickly catching myself. I froze when I realized the words on the screen. My eyes remained glued to the teleprompter, my unfiltered shock must have been clear on my face. Annie's gaze must have followed mine because I heard her gasp a moment later.

The words written on the teleprompter were "Dethrone the Tyrant King".

I turned to look at Annie who stared wide-eyed at the screen. I glanced behind the cameras at the crew members who had begun to murmur. A second later, the teleprompter was turned off which freed me from my trance.

I cleared my throat, wiped the shock from my face, and settled back into my seat. I decided it served none of us to dwell on it.

"Could you repeat that?" I forced a smile in Annie's direction. I knew the words. I'd read them over and over again.

Annie recovered a bit but I could see traces of worry remain on her face. Nevertheless, she equipped her pleasant expression.

"That is beautifully said, Amelia" she repeated. This time, when she turned to the camera, there was more emotion, "It's just so heartbreaking that there are those that would seek to trample on those values that you spoke of"

"It is heartbreaking" I agreed once again.

"At the risk of giving negativity a platform on a day such as today that should be filled with joy," Annie spoke earnestly, "after the recent unrest, many citizens are rightfully anxious. How would you reassure them?"

I knew the words.

"I can understand those who are anxious," I answered, "It's clear why tensions may be high when there are those among us who seek to undo many years of hard-won stability. But I don't think we have anything to worry about. I believe in the strength of the people of Lenoria, and I believe they will come together now more than ever"

I watched Annie place a hand on her chest and let out a big sigh, "Isn't she just a darling?"

"You flatter me"

"So Amelia, just between you and me--" Annie smiled seemingly having fully recovered, "and all our viewers. Can we expect wedding bells anytime soon?"

I blushed and smiled sheepishly.

"There's the face of a girl in love" Annie commented with a big smile.

"I do love him" I replied, the King's words ringing in my head, "But we're taking things slowly for now. We're both young. For now, we're just enjoying being together"

"And we wish you all the best," She told me.

"Thank you" I replied with a smile.

"Amelia, you've been such a delight," she said to me finally, "I hope we can do this more often"

"I look forward to it, Annie"

In the end, it was decided that we needed to redo the entire interview but I don't think it turned out quite as well as the first time.

"You did very well," Annie told me after we'd just finished the second run.

I thanked her as I stood. It wasn't as terrifying as I'd expected when it was all said and done. Turns out Nick was right. All I had to do was get out of my own head.

That said, there was still the matter of the elephant in the room. The teleprompter had turned back on at the start of the second run and the ominous message was nowhere to be found this time around.

"What was that about?" I asked her, "The thing with the--" I pointed at the screens.

She looked tense and I couldn't blame her. That couldn't have been good.

"I don't know" That was her answer before she hurried off to meet the producer.

"That was amazing!" Isidora squealed when I walked over to the makeup area to meet her. "You were so good. No, you were better than good. I still find it hard to believe you're the same guy I met in America"

"Thanks-- I guess" I replied with my voice trailing off, "Hey, should we be worried about what happened?"

Izzy shook her head, "I wouldn't worry about it" she said before pulling out the chair for me, "Come on, let me take off your makeup"

I didn't argue.

I'd let myself relax in the chair as Izzy went to work, content to let my worries float by when I suddenly heard people clamoring.

"Good morning, Your Majesty" those in the room spoke in unison.

I quickly opened my eyes and hurried to my feet to find everyone bowing their heads. It was like father like son to walk in so unexpectedly it seemed.

I curtsied briefly to match the unofficial occasion while everyone else kept their heads bowed.

"Amelia, come," he said in that commanding voice.

Slowly, I advanced towards the entrance to meet him. My gaze shifted from him to the two large men who stood just outside the door and back to him. He was even more intimidating now that we was in full royal attire as opposed to during breakfast when he was dressed more casually.

"Good work," he told me.

"Thank you, Your Majesty" I replied finally able to relax a bit.

"You may retire," he added and I curtsied in response, "You may take your ladies with you"

Izzy and Celeste hurried over to meet me by the door, Izzy bowed and Celeste curtsied before following me out the door.

I couldn't help but feel bad for Annie when the door closed behind me.

=^..^=

"Are they going to be alright?" I asked Izzy, visibly worried for them. I had understood almost immediately that what had happened was bad. Who could have done such a thing? There were suspects and they were all in that room.

"I wouldn't worry your pretty little head about it," Izzy told me with a forced smile, "Just focus on how well your interview went. I say we celebrate"

"Celebrate?

"Yes," Izzy squealed happily, "What do you say we get a bottle of wine from the cellar, go back to your room, and drink it all"

"I don't know, aren't you busy?" I asked her.

"I'm not, thanks to you" she replied while touching my shoulder lightly, "I'm scheduled to be here till 2pm. We foresaw this being multiple takes and taking several hours but you turned out to be such a natural."

"I'm not" I objected, "I was so terrified at the start. I don't want to do that again"

"But you are, the people are going to fall in love when they see you tonight. Hang on--" she paused before placing her makeup case on the floor and retrieving small wipes from within, "You still have some smudges here and there"

I stood still while she went to work cleaning my face right there in the hallway.

"Better" she proclaimed a moment later, "Come on, let's have a drink to celebrate"

I sighed when I saw her pleading expression, "Fine"

"Yay," Izzy squealed again, "You'll join us too won't you, Celeste?"

"I can't" my lady-in-waiting quickly replied.

'You can if you want to" I told her, thinking she was worried about what I might think.

"I am working, my lady" she replied, "But thank you for the offer"

=^..^=

That's how we found ourselves face to face with a butler in a wing of the castle I'd never been in.

"Good morning, my lady" he bowed elegantly to me.

"The lady requires a bottle of your finest wine" Izzy spoke up. Why had I let her drag me into this?

"Very well, might I suggest a Château Margaux?"

"Cha-what?" I muttered to Izzy.

"She'll have that" Izzy proclaimed excitedly.

"Very well, my lady" The man nodded, "Shall I have it sent up"

"That's okay, we'll wait"

=^..^=

"Oh my God" Izzy moaned as she lay in my bed drinking what was admittedly a delicious red wine. I was sitting on the bed beside her taking small sips.

"Celeste, can you atleast sit down?" I called out to my friend who was standing as though constantly on duty.

It was weird seeing as out of the three of us, she was the only one that was actually a member of nobility.

"Yes, please sit" Izzy agreed, and even then, she looked reluctant.

"It's okay," I told her before taking another sip.

"So--" Izzy let out what looked to me like an intoxicated smile after Celeste found a seat at my vanity, "am I just imagining things or is there something going on between you and His Highness?"

"What are you talking about?" I took another sip from my glass.

"I saw the way you were looking at him" she teased.

"I have no idea what you mean" I replied turning away from her embarrassed.

"Oh my Prince," she said in a mocking tone, "won't you kiss me before you leave?"

Izzy leaned in, pretending she was going in for a kiss before I pushed her away.

"I didn't say anything like that," I protested.

"But you were thinking it, weren't you?" she probed.

"No!"

"You don't have to hide it," she said, "It's fine. Pretty much every girl in Lenoria has an undying crush on His Highness. He's tall, handsome, insanely rich, did I mention handsome?"

"And that's fine, but I don't have a crush on him" I argued, "He's just a friend"

"That you're dating, uh--" Izzy sighed, "I'm so jealous of you"

"We're just pretending to date. It's all part of the show" I sent the rest of the wine in my cup passed my lips and swallowed quickly.

"Well you're pretending extremely well" She side-eyed me as I poured myself another glass. "The concern, the longing looks, oh it's perfect" She squealed.

"Enough about me, let's talk about you now"

"What would you like to know, 'my lady'?" she spoke in a manner that told me she was enjoying this.

"You're dressing a lot more normal than when I first saw you"

"Oh, that?" she laughed then shrugged, "It was my first time in America and I wanted to do it in style"

"You call that style?" I asked with a sly smile.

"Was that a joke?" Izzy looked so proud, "Oh my goodness, is it the alcohol talking?"

"Hey, I'm funny, okay?" I objected, "I just don't have anyone I can be relaxed with. Nick is always so serious these days. He used to be so fun"

As I spoke, I started to realize that he'd lost that lightheartedness he'd had when we were living together in that tiny apartment. I wanted to help him have fun again if he still could but it seemed to be a lofty task.

I didn't know how to help him because he was always so locked in his own head, shouldering all the problems of the world alone. I wished he would talk to me. How could I show him that he could trust me?

"You were thinking about him, weren't you?" Izzy asked me.

"Of course I was, he's my friend" I replied, choosing not to deny it.

"Okay," she said simply.

"What?" I asked her, sensing that wasn't all there was to it.

"I know that face," she revealed without needing any probing, "That's not how people look when they think about their friends"

"What, are you an expert on faces now?" I asked after a little eye-roll.

"I kind of am" she answered, "I'm a makeup artist, remember?"

"That may not have been my best argument" I conceded.

She shook her head, "It wasn't. But would it--"

We were interrupted by a knock on the door. Celeste who had been sitting quietly listening to us bicker quickly rushed to open it.

"Who is it?" I asked after Celeste and whoever was at the door had been whispering back and forth for a bit.

"Her Majesty has requested you join her in the salon, my lady" Celeste turned to inform me.

My heart skipped a bit when I realized I was in no condition for an audience with the Queen.

"Why'd you make me drink?" I turned to Izzy with a panicked look on my face.

"Oh relax, you've had like one glass" she replied, brushing away my concerns.

I looked at the glass in my hand, it was half empty.

"One and a half" I corrected her.

"You'll be fine, don't worry" She assured me, "Celeste darling, can you get her some water while I freshen her up? Let's see what you have in that closet"

=^..^=

I tapped my foot uncontrollably while Izzy went to work on my face.

"Are you sure this dress is appropriate?" I asked a bit concerned. The almost-white tea-length dress had a noticeably daring neckline alongside exposed shoulders. I didn't know for sure but the Queen struck me as someone that valued modesty.

"Oh relax, it's fine, I promise" Izzy replied without missing a beat as she applied the mascara.

"That's not the wine talking, is it?"

"Of course not, I'm not a lightweight like you are," she laughed, "I wish I could take you to a real party, get you shit-faced drunk. Too bad you're so famous?"

"You could put me in that car crash style of yours," I suggested, "I bet no one will recognize me"

"Very funny" Izzy let out a small laugh before taking a step back to admire my finished look.

I stared closely at the girl in the mirror and she stared back at me. At this point, we were very much closely acquainted. It felt natural to have her as my reflection.

"Stand, let's get a good look at you" Izzy said and I obliged her, "What do you think?" she turned to look at Celeste.

"Very pretty" Celeste replied.

"Right?"

"Okay, okay, let's get moving" I quickly hurried the two girls along, not wanting to be the center of attention any longer than I had to.

=^..^=

Our paths divulged at the end of the hallway. Izzy would be heading down towards the main entrance and I would be following Celeste's lead in the direction of the salon.

"Good luck with the Queen," she told me before we parted ways.

"Thanks" I replied even if I didn't think I'd need it. After Nick, she was the most manageable member of this family.

Izzy reached forward and adjusted the straps of my dress, then stepped back one last time to ensure everything was perfect.

"Good?" I asked.

She nodded, "See you later, 'Amelia'" She said my name in a sing-song manner, "Say hi to His Highness for me, will you?"

I rolled my eyes in response.

"Bye," she said finally.

"Bye"

=^..^=

The guards at the door took one look at me and stepped aside, pushing the door open. I stepped through with Amelia following close behind me.

I was astonished by how beautiful this room was. Unlike most of the castle, the walls here were a smoky salmon, with the intricate gold patterns that I'd come to expect lining the ceiling. The chairs were a beautiful shade of pink, with paintings mainly of landscapes hung on the walls. It was almost immediately my favorite room in the castle.

I quickly scanned the room and while I did find the Queen, I found others seated as well. Lady Olivia, Princess Sophia, and Princess Charlotte who I hadn't met since that day at the airport.

All four of them turned to me as I stepped into the room. I curtsied respectfully and prepared myself for battle.

=^..^=

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Thank you so much for reading. We've still got a lot of story left and have barely even begun so I hope you'll stick around till the end.

"Amelia, come have a seat with us, dear" The queen called out to me following my curtsy, "Lovette, prepare Amelia a cup, will you?" she spoke to one of three servants that stood quietly in the corner.

"Yes, Your Majesty"

"Sit, sit" Queen Arabella turned her attention back to me as I approached.

I eyed the group cautiously carefully calculating where to sit. The chairs formed an oval around a low, elegant center table with the Queen sitting on a single couch at the head.

Emily sat with her younger sister on the triple couch to the Queen's left, Lady Olivia sat alone on a double couch to the Queen's right and there remained an empty single couch at the other end of the oval.

I'd almost immediately eliminated the single couch fearing the implication of sitting on equal footing with the queen. The triple couch had more than enough room for me but it also had Emily. In the end, I made the only sensible choice, settling in beside Lady Olivia who from the looks of things, was paying me no mind.

I decided that my strategy here would be non-confrontation no matter what happened.

"I'm glad we finally have the opportunity to speak outside all the fuss" Queen Arabella started, "I hope you girls have gotten acquainted since Amelia arrived"

Oh, we sure had.

"Yes, Aunty" Emily replied innocently, "Although Charlotte hasn't had much of an opportunity"

"Oh, that simply won't do," The Queen chimed in, "Charlotte say hi to Miss Amelia. She is Prince Nicholas' close friend"

"Ugh I know she is his girlfriend," Charlotte groaned, "I'm not a baby anymore"

"Quite right" The Queen smiled at the little girl.

"Are they going to marry?" Charlotte asked, "I can't wait to get married"

"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves," the Queen clicked her tongue. "You're still very young, and so are Nicholas and Amelia. If they do marry, it will be sometime in the future yet."

"Oh how I love weddings," Charlotte mused, "And I love 'love'. I can't wait for my prince to come and take me far away from here. Far away from Dominic"

I watched her squeeze her face in a manner that made me giggle.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized.

"No, that's alright" The Queen smiled.

"Charlotte has strong feelings about her brother" Olivia explained. It was the first thing I'd heard from her all day.

"'Cause he's annoying" Charlotte agreed.

"'Because'" the Queen quickly corrected her.

"Because he's annoying"

"But you wish he was here, don't you?" Emily chimed in.

"Yes, 'cause--" she paused after looking sheepishly at the Queen, "because he whines when he's left out and gets even more annoying. Can't we have him over, Aunty?"

One of the servants arrived and handed me a cup of tea before offering me my choice of pastries. I thanked her for the tea and gracefully declined anything else. The last thing I wanted was to look uncouth while eating a scone.

"We've talked about this, Prince Dominic is a boy and he spends too much time around women as it is," the Queen conveyed her disapproval, "That's why he's so effeminate"

"I caught him wearing one of Charlotte's dresses," Emily added making matters worse.

"Did you?" Queen Arabella asked in disbelief, "Why, I never! We must do something"

"Is it so bad?" Olivia asked in almost a hushed tone, "Why not let him if it makes him happy?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Olivia," The Queen looked disapprovingly at her, "I should ask Nicholas to spend some more time with him now that he's back home. Dominic just needs good male influence in his life. Now that I think about it, he's surrounded by ladies. His servants, and even his teachers"

Olivia had given her opinion and it seemed that was enough for her since she wasn't saying anything else.

"Lovette, have Prince Dominic brought to me later"

"Yes, Your Majesty" Lovette replied quickly.

"Amelia, how are you adjusting to life in the palace?" she turned her attention to me.

I wondered if she recognized how hypocritical it was to pay me to do this but be so against the Young Prince wearing dresses. Not that we were anything alike of course. I would never have done it willingly. Now that I had though, I could definitely see the appeal.

Dresses were a lot more comfortable and much better looking too. I couldn't fault him for preferring them to those dreary suits the men all had to wear.

"I enjoy it very much, Your Majesty" I answered.

"Much better conditions than what you're used to, I imagine," Emily said off-handedly.

"Emily, that's not very nice" Olivia surprisingly came to my defense.

"It's okay, It's true," I quickly stepped in, "Everything here is so exquisite and I'm glad to be here"

"We're all happy to have you" The Queen said to my satisfaction. Non-confrontation for the win.

"Where did you live before?" Charlotte asked.

"In the United States of America," I smiled at her, "have you heard of it?"

"Yes, I'm not an idiot" she replied sharply.

"Charlotte!" The Queen reprimanded her.

"I'm sorry," I quickly apologized.

"It's okay. Everyone here treats me like I'm a child" she complained. "I'm not. I'm 14 years old already"

I knew that from my research but you wouldn't have known it just looking at her. She looked much younger in face and stature.

"You are a child, pipsqueak. Get used to it." Emily told her and received a nasty glare from her younger sister.

"Now, now girls, I want you all to get along" The Queen called them to order, "Remember you are the ladies of the royal family. You need to set a good example for the whole country"

"Yes, Aunty" the two girls replied in unison.

"Amelia dear, you were speaking about your home" The Queen brought the attention back to me yet again.

She would have known everything I would say was fabricated information from Amelia Beaumont's dossier. Was she testing me?

"I lived with my parents back home in America" I continued.

"With the prince?" Charlotte asked.

"No, he lived on his own but he came to visit me often" I lied.

Charlotte looked starry-eyed as she spoke, "That is so romantic. I can't wait to fall in love"

"You need to stop reading those books," Emily told her sister, "I've told you they're unrealistic. You'll only end up marrying some ugly boy because his father is Duke or something tedious like that"

"No, I want a prince. Amelia got a handsome prince, why can't I?" Charlotte complained.

"Amelia doesn't have anything yet" Emily replied but her gaze was focused on me.

"What about you, Olivia?" The Queen turned her attention to the quiet girl, "Do you have any preferences? I'm sure you know you have numerous suitors hoping for your hand"

"I don't know, I haven't thought much about it" Olivia replied.

"Well you will have to sooner or later, Huxley needs a duke as I'm sure you're aware"

"I could do it" I heard Olivia blurt out.

The Queen chuckled, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about"

"I could be the Duke-- or Duchess" She replied, "I can do it"

"What has gotten into you today?" The Queen asked.

"I know more about the Huxley dukedom than anyone else," she argued, "My father agreed I would make an excellent ruler. He taught me everything he knew. Why do I need a man to rule people he knows nothing--"

"That's enough from you," Queen Arabella interrupted, "Now, I don't know where this is coming from but I suggest you turn your attention to choosing a husband and bearing a son that will continue your father's legacy"

"I can continue my father's legacy" Olivia spoke up again.

"That's enough!" The Queen sighed and rubbed her forehead, "Do not overstep. You are fortunate we decided to let your father's titles pass on to your child at all. You will choose a husband by your next birthday and turn your attention to producing an heir"

Olivia sat back in her chair defeated, "Yes, Your Majesty"

The Queen sighed once again, "We are spoiling Amelia's first time with us." Turning to me, she added, "We are so sorry, dear"

"It's alright, Your Majesty" I replied politely.

"How was your interview?" She asked me.

"I think it went well although I can't really say for sure," I replied, "It was my first time after all"

"And you are heading out tomorrow again, aren't you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty"

"Good, that's good"

It felt to me like the mood had soured a bit since the exchange between Olivia and the Queen so it wasn't much of a surprise when she asked to be excused.

"I wasn't able to get enough sleep last night" Olivia explained. I think it was both a way out and an apology for her outburst.

I think the Queen understood this too because she offered her leave without any trouble, "Shall I have them send up a tonic to help you sleep?"

"I would appreciate that" Olivia agreed as she rose to her feet.

"Have a good rest, my dear" The Queen said finally as Olivia made her way out of the salon.

"Bye Olivia" Charlotte called out to her.

"Bye Charlotte" Olivia flashed the younger girl a charming smile alongside her response.

I knew Olivia and I could be good friends if she would only let us, but alas, I didn't think she had any interest in being my friend.

"Aunty?" Charlotte voiced once again.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you think we could invite Willie to the castle?"

"Willie? Do I know this person?"

"He's some popstar she's obsessed with," Emily took it upon herself to explain, "She's boy crazy right now so just ignore her"

"I am not!"

"Why do you want this boy here?" The Queen asked.

"Well, you never let me go anywhere. I wanted to go to his concert, but I wasn't allowed" Charlotte complained, "I figured he could come here instead"

This gathering wasn't nearly as vicious as I'd been expecting. Sure, Emily might throw the occasional jab my way but she was being relatively civil with the queen present.

I turned my attention to the Queen to listen to her response, "I don't know sweetie, this may be our home but it is also the nation's seat of power. We can't invite just anyone here on a whim"

"Oh, but couldn't you try?"

"I will see what your uncle thinks about this idea"

Charlotte squealed in delight.

I wasn't sure why the King and Queen were addressed as 'Aunty' and 'Uncle'. You'd quickly realize just how inaccurate that was if you could get your hands on their family tree.

The King and Emily and Charlotte's father shared a grandfather. Basically, they were grandchildren of the King's uncle so not exactly a close relationship. If you looked hard enough, you could probably work out how they were related by blood to the Queen but it didn't concern me enough to try.

The conversations continued in a similar fashion for a while. I remained quiet until the Queen saw fit to include me in the discussions. Emily and Charlotte spoke more freely talking about everything from their studies to other royal families on the continent and what they got up to.

I will admit it was a relief when I was finally set free. I breathed a sigh of relief when the Queen thanked us for spending the afternoon with her.

Was this how they spent their days? Just hanging around, having chats, and drinking tea? It wasn't a stretch to say they lived in their own world. But now, I got to live in it too.

=^..^=

The next bit of excitement came much later that evening. The King had requested my presence for the second time that day and I now stood outside his drawing room, waiting to be allowed in.

The day had come and gone and it was already dark outside, but there wasn't any sign of Nick. He'd promised he'd come to see me when he got back right? So, where was he?

I'd hoped I'd get to see him when I walked through the doors of the drawing room but there was no such luck. Only their Majesties were in attendance.

"Come in" The King called out to me and I walked in sheepishly, "Have a seat"

How did I get here? A nobody like me was having a private audience with a King and Queen.

I obeyed the order and took a seat on one of the sofas, carefully tucking my skirt underneath while I sat. This was already my third outfit today. God forbid a lady wears the same dress throughout right?

To make matters worse, every dress that served its purpose and came off my body seemed to disappear forever.

I watched the King point a remote at the large television and then sat back when what looked to be a news channel appeared on the screen.

"--Evening Lenoria, tonight Capital Current brings you a very important broadcast. We all know of her, it's time we learned more about her. Join our correspondent Annie Harrington in her famous segment 'One-on-One' live from Eclipton Castle."

"Good evening Lenoria" I saw Annie on screen and I saw myself sitting beside her, "Tonight we have a very special guest with us. It is my great pleasure to present to you, Miss Amelia Beaumont"

It was surreal. Watching myself on TV. Everything about the scene was just how I remembered it. Even my makeup was the same style Izzy had done.

It may sound silly but it's the little things that really trip you.

"It is a pleasure to be here, Annie," I heard my own voice.

At that point, I realised they were broadcasting the first take. It was my preferred as well but of course it had that one problem. I turned to the King and Queen who watched intently, they seemed relaxed. Pleased even.

I listened as Annie and I talked about Nick, about me, and about our future together. I heard us talk about me taking on more responsibility, I heard us talk about the recent unrest and then I heard us talk about a potential wedding.

It was perfect, not a hiccup in sight. I might have even wondered if the thing with the teleprompter had even happened if I didn't remember it so vividly.

I watched as Annie declared her hope for future interviews and I watched the news anchor eventually retake center stage. It was perfect. I passed as a woman on high resolution cameras, and even more unbelievably, I passed as a royal.

The king got up from his seat and walked up to the television pointing repeatedly at it.

"This is it," He said to me, "This is what we want. This is what I expect from you tomorrow and every day after. Keep this up and you will gain favor"

"You have done well, my dear," The queen told me.

"Thank you, Your Majesties"

"You will be going on tour tomorrow" The Queen continued, "A children's hospital among other places. Be warm, kind, and loving just as I know you can be"

"I will, Your Majesties"

"Go and rest, prepare," The King said finally while gesturing to the door.

I stood, curtsied, and took my leave. I had survived yet another day.

=^..^=

It was late at night when I was roused by knocking on my door. Celeste and I had finished my night routine and I was lying in bed in my night gown trying to fall asleep when the first faint knocks came.

At first, I wondered whether Celeste had forgotten something but again, she'd have come in already.

"Who is it?" I called out.

"It's me" It's was Nick's voice but it sounded different, little more than a groan.

I got out of bed wondering why he'd show up at this time. He'd promised to come see me when he got back but wasn't it a bit too late for that?

I opened the door and took one look at him before asking what was wrong. He looked so distraught, even more than usual.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure,"

How could I say anything else? I needed to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

It was only when he stepped into the light that I realized his eyes were so very red.

"Nick," I reached over and touched his arm when he began to walk past me, "What's going on?"

"I just need a break, can I stay here for a bit?" he asked while sitting on my bed.

"Of course," I replied while taking a seat beside him, "If you tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help"

"You can't," He told me. Why did he look so broken?

"Hey--" I took his hand before thinking it through, "We're doing this together, right? I wish you'd let me in"

His hair was disheveled and his shirt was creased with a popped collar.

"You'll hate me"

"I won't," I squeezed his hand, "I could never"

"I did something--" he began but just seemed to break down in front of me. It was the first time I ever saw him cry. I just had to hug him and let him let it all out.

"I don't know how it--" he continued when he felt able but couldn't put the words together, "Everything is so messed up"

"What's messed up?"

"The whole system, everything" As Nick spoke, I realized he really wasn't doing good so I couldn't dare let him go. I hugged him tighter, "Everything I have to do--"

"It's okay" That was all I could say. My only option was to just be there for him and hope one day he will feel ready enough to tell me what was going on.

I just let him cry in my arms for as long as he wanted to. I felt as the tears got more intense but also felt when he began to calm down. Slowly but surely, his intense feelings had begun to subside. I hoped he didn't feel embarrassed.

"I'm so tired," he said.

"You should get some sleep, do you want to stay here?" I asked. I figured I didn't want to leave him on his own in this condition and imagined he wouldn't want to be on his own either anyway.

"No, I should go back to--"

"No, you're staying here tonight" I decided. It was for the best.

"I don't know, are you sure?" he asked, "I'm sorry for barging in this late. I should let you sleep"

"I already decided," I stood firm, "It's not up for discussion"

He sighed, "Fine, I guess. But the servants are going to talk. They'll think we--"

"Whatever. I'm supposed to be your girlfriend anyway right?"

"Right but--" he paused as if looking for another excuse, "I don't even have my sleepwear"

"Feel free to pick out a nightgown from my closet" I smiled and listened to him laugh for the first time that night.

"I appreciate that, but I don't think they'll fit me"

"Yeah, probably not" I replied.

"You really don't mind me staying here?" he asked me and I shook my head in response. It wasn't the first time we'd slept in the same bed. Nothing had changed.

"I'll just sleep in my trousers then" he decided.

"Yeah, go for it"

'There was no need to be weird' is what I thought until he took off his shirt. He was so chiseled I caught myself staring at his abs.

I stared at him as he walked the short distance to place his folded shirt and jacket neatly on my vanity.

"Thanks for letting me stay here," he'd said on the journey back to the bed.

"What?" I asked. I'll admit it had taken me a good while to process what he'd said. His body was just so distracting.

"You okay?" It was his turn to ask me.

"Yeah of course I am" I laughed to hide my discomfort. No wonder the girls always chased after him. Somehow it just clicked and I understood it now.

"Which side of the bed do you prefer?" he asked while standing in front of me shirtless.

"No preference" I managed.

"Okay," he smiled making things worse, "I'll take the other side then"

"Good night," he said as he settled into bed.

"Night"

=^..^=

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Thanks for reading, let me know what you think

I had woken up and found myself in a compromising position. The universe had given me a headstart, an opportunity to save myself from the compromised state I found myself in.

I had been sprawled all over him, my left arm draped the whole way across his torso and my head resting on his chest. I'd had the opportunity to withdraw and fling myself back to my side of the bed but what did I do with that chance? I stayed because God it felt nice.

It was my own fault for staying but I couldn't pull myself away from the way his chest rose and fell as he breathed. I slowly looked up at him. From my position, I could only really make out his jawline. His beard which he always diligently shaved when we lived together was now starting to come back in.

His broad frame which I'd always been jealous about still drew my attention but for altogether very different reasons.

As if to punish me for wasting my opportunity, I heard the door handle rattle followed by a crack as my lady-in-waiting pushed the door open.

My heart sank when I realized it was that time already. Celeste had arrived to begin her morning routine. She would usually begin by tidying up the room for the day and putting out clothes for me to wear even before I woke up. I'd always enjoyed this system because it offered me a few more minutes of sleep before she'd gently wake me up. Not today.

I quickly closed my eyes and lay perfectly still. The only thing worse than being caught in this position was being caught while conscious.

I heard the door close a moment later. The lack of any sounds inside the room told me she'd postponed her morning routine and stepped away, leaving me with Nick once again. I imagined this would come up eventually when Celeste and I got to talking later.

I was about to take this chance to roll away from my pretend boyfriend when I felt his hand on mine. I felt him raise my hand and move it closer to my body. I didn't fight him. I pretended to be asleep. I was so embarrassed, I wished I'd just disappear.

I felt him shuffle slightly and then I felt him gently raise my head and place it on a pillow. Have you ever pretended to be asleep when under close inspection? Much harder than you'd think.

He'd sat on the bed beside me for some time. I know because I counted the seconds in my head until I felt his weight left off the bed. There were about 40 of them. I counted the seconds until I heard the ruffle of his shirt and jacket near my vanity. There were about 23 of them.

He was really taking his sweet time.

I wondered how I looked lying there in my nightgown. I wondered whether he would tease me about it someday when this was all over.

I counted the seconds until he made his way quietly out the door. There were 80 of them. It wasn't until I heard the door close behind him that I dared open my eyes.

=^..^=

It had been very difficult to look Celeste in the eyes while she prepared me for the tour. I couldn't help but think of how she'd caught me in bed essentially cuddling with Nick, a man.

Although it had to have been on her mind, she didn't say anything about it so neither did I. I'd just let her dress me in silence. It seemed we were taking a small break from the dresses the royal family seemed to love so much. Today, we were settling for a soft, pastel blouse paired with a midi skirt. When Celeste helped me into a pair of flats, I knew we were in for a day of walking. Not that I minded, I much preferred exploration to being cooped up in this room all day.

Among my jewelry for the day was an elegant gold necklace.

Celeste handed me a printed itinerary as we exited the room together that detailed all the locations we'd be visiting. I thought it was strange how I always seemed to be the last to know my plans for the day but it was already more trust than they had shown me on day 1. Back then, I wouldn't even know where we were going until we arrived.

The first item on the list was the children's hospital after which, we'd be off to visit a World War memorial. After that, we would head to the Lenorian State University and then end our day with a quiet dinner in one of Lenoria's finest restaurants.

I met Nick just outside Eclipton having a conversation with Percival just as I often found them. Sometimes it seemed the older man was the only person Nick ever truly opened up to. I was jealous of that.

I eyed him thoroughly before he saw me. He was dressed about as casually as I was, wearing only navy slacks and a white button-up shirt neatly tucked in. His naturally styled hair seemed intended to make him look approachable.

"Hi, Percy," I spoke when within range, interrupting their conversation.

He sighed, "It's Percival. You've been made aware of this."

"Eh, I like Percy better" I brushed him off with a smile.

"Hey baby," Nick wrapped his arm around my waist, pulled me in, and kissed me. We lingered a bit in each other's arms as if to really sell the performance before we stepped away. Like me, he'd noticed the many members of aristocracy dotted around the grounds that were pretending to ignore us.

"Hey," I smiled back at him.

As far as I understood, displays like that would have been frowned upon for members of the royal family but Nick and I were operating under entirely different rules from everyone else. There were those in Lenoria who still believed what was thought to be rumors about Nick's sexuality. We were to make them look foolish.

"If I may, I watched your interview yesterday," Percival said as we began walking towards the motorcade, "I dare say you did very well"

"You're pleased," I turned to Percival although very aware that Nick and I were holding hands as we walked, and so we would be for much of today, "I never thought I'd see the day"

"I can admit when credit is due, but you mustn't lose focus," he wasn't going to allow me even a moment to bask, "This is just the beginning. There will be more cameras, and thus more opportunities to fail. And I don't need to tell you how catastrophic failure will be".

"Oh Percy, you worry too much," I said to his discomfort.

"Don't worry," Nick added, "We won't fail"

"I know you won't, sir. It's her I'm worried about"

=^..^=

"Ready?" Nick asked me as our motorcade drove through the gates of Lenoria Paediatric Center. As expected there were already rows of paparazzi barricaded and awaiting our arrival.

It was curious that Nick hadn't even broached the subject of our night together or the position we'd woken up in. I figured he was focusing his attention on our day ahead but I couldn't help but think that maybe he was just as embarrassed as I was.

I gave him a thumbs-up when I realized he was waiting for a response. The car slowed to a halt and I got a better look at all the cameras that were waiting for us to make our appearance.

"Now Amelia," Percival turned from his position in the passenger's seat to look at me, "Remember, lots of smiles. You absolutely adore children and you very much want to be here. Smile, and wave if it feels appropriate. Stand upright, do not curtsy to anyone"

"I know," I felt the need to say. Was it arrogant to think that I had a handle on things by this point? As far as society was concerned, the only person that stood higher than me here was my boyfriend. I only had to act accordingly.

"We'll stop for a photo with the director and some of the senior staff before we continue into the hospital. A smaller, pre-approved crew will follow us while we're taken on a tour of the facility, but expect more independent photographs from the hospital's patrons"

"I think she's got it, Percy," Nick said lightheartedly.

"I hope so, sir" Percy replied not even showing the slightest annoyance in response to the name when coming from the Prince's lips.

Percival stepped out into morning air and a moment later, one of the guards opened Nick's door. I stepped out with his help, carefully keeping my legs closed as I did.

Nick waved as we ascended the steps together but I thought it enough to just smile. When we reached the top, following protocol he offered his hand to the director who looked positively ecstatic as he took it, bowing in the process.

"Your Highness, it is a tremendous honor to have you visit our facility"

"The honor is mine," Nick replied, "Amelia and I have always been very interested in the work you do here"

I wasn't the only one of us who seemed to have gone through a jarring change. A week ago, the Nick I knew was lying in bed laughing at 'funny' videos on TikTok. Now here he was, admittedly looking very impressive.

"We work at His Majesty's behest, Your Highness," The director replied, "And Miss Beaumont, we are very pleased to make your acquaintance"

"As am I" I replied following a confident smile.

I stayed by Nick's side the whole time, our hands spending no more than a few moments apart. At least until we began making our way into the various hospital wings. To say I had a hard time in the wings would be an understatement.

We began in the Oncology wing where we had the opportunity to speak to the children. It thoroughly broke my heart to see so many children struggling with cancer.

"Are you a fan of Thor?" I asked one boy who was lying in bed clutching tightly at a God of Thunder action figure.

He nodded.

Nick and I had split our efforts here and he was having a conversation with a different child.

"Where's Mjolnir?" I asked noting the lack of a weapon in the action figure's hand.

"I lost it," he replied in a frail voice.

"You lost Mjolnir?" I asked in fake disbelief.

"Yes,"

"How is he supposed to fight against Loki without his hammer?"

"Loki is his brother," the boy countered, "They don't want to fight. They love each other"

"Is that so?" I asked wide-eyed.

He nodded.

"Do you have a brother?" I asked him and he shook his head in response, "A sister?"

"Ava"

"I bet you love her very much"

He nodded. It struck me immediately how slow he was. Nothing like how you'd expect a boy his age to be.

"And what is your name?"

"Henry"

"Oh, like Henry Danger?"

"Who is that?"

"Never mind," I smiled at him. It was either that or cry, "How old are you?"

"12"

He was so young.

"Me too" I shot him a playful look.

"No you're not," he smiled and I was that much closer to crying.

"I am too" I argued.

"No, you're not" he giggled.

"Fine, how old do you think I am?"

"40"

"40?" I gasped.

"Tee-hee"

I flashed him a suspicious look and then conceded the battle, "I guess I'm 40"

It was more of the same as I tried to talk to as many children as I could. It was hard. There was a bit of relief when the staff announced that Nick and I had brought presents for them. It was a bit better, but not nearly enough. I wished I could heal them. That boy was so young. He should have been out in the world, not here surrounded by white walls breathing in air that smelled like disinfectant.

I braced myself before walking into the rehabilitation and physical therapy wing but that was thankfully better. These kids were excited to get back to their lives and I was just as happy for them.

In the cardiology unit, I got to speak with the mother of a girl who adored the royal family. Unfortunately, she was in surgery and would miss her chance to meet the Prince. I made a mental note to ask Nick if we could come back even though deep down I knew our time was no longer ours to do with as we wished.

There, I also met the most precious little girl who brought me a doll made of yarn. When I asked her why, she told me, "Y-you look sad"

In a brief lapse in judgment, I tossed decorum aside and knelt down to her level, pulling her into a hug. She hugged me back and I felt like I would do anything for her.

"Thank you," I told her while accepting the doll, "What's her name?"

"Yoko"

"Oh, so pretty!" I squealed to her delight, "And what's your name, sweetie?"

"Edith"

"Nice to meet you Edith, I'm Amelia"

"Nice to meet y-you too"

It sounded to me like she had a bit of a problem with her Ys but no matter, she was already a lot more intelligent than I was at her age.

"I have something for you, Edith," I told her. She seemed to light up at my words.

I removed the necklace Celeste had placed on my neck and then smiled at the little girl, "Turn around" I told her.

I moved her long brown hair out of the way and clasped the necklace around her neck.

"Do you like it?" I asked when she'd turned back to me.

She nodded.

"Take care of it, okay?"

I figured the royal family wouldn't miss one lousy necklace. And as far as I was concerned, it was a fair trade for Yoko.

=^..^=

By the time I made it through the NICU, I was in a corner crying in Nick's arms. I had tried to keep my composure. Those babies already had enough people crying for them, but I couldn't help it.

In the end, I had to be led out of the wing and into a private area.

"I'm sorry," I told Nick when I had calmed down a bit.

"It's okay," he replied, placing his hand on mine. I'd gotten so used to the feeling of our fingers touching each other that it felt as natural as anything else.

"Did I ruin everything?" I asked him while clutching Yoko tightly.

"You have nothing to apologize for," he kept his gaze locked on mine as he spoke, "You care about people. It's one of the things I love about you"

"Oh yeah? What else?"

"How you love putting me on the spot," he chuckled.

"Oh come on, tell me" I pressed him, "Can't you see I'm in a bad mood. It's your duty as my boyfriend to cheer me up"

"Is it?"

I nodded repeatedly.

"Well, you're strong, kind, a bit annoying--"

"Oh come on, that is so generic," I complained, "Give me something specific"

"Fine, you want specific? I love how I could come to you in the middle of the night to help me make noodles and you'd never complain"

"Yes, because you were always totally useless" I replied, taking the chance to complain, "I guess it makes sense now with you being a Prince"

"No, I just really liked the way you made them" he revealed.

"So you were taking advantage of me?" I asked in disbelief.

"A bit, yeah" he laughed, "Sorry"

We heard the door to the private room open and close and turned to find Percival bowing, "Your Highness, the staff are waiting for us to continue the tour"

"I will handle the rest of it," Nick announced, "You, rest," he said to me.

"Very well, sir" Percival agreed.

Nick turned to look at me one last time before making it out the door. There were no cameras, no audience, and no need for any show of affection. How unfortunate.

Celeste stepped into the room a brief moment later, revealing that Nick had asked her to attend to me and make sure I was comfortable.

I don't know why he was making such a fuss. I'd just been a bit overwhelmed. He was acting like I was suddenly an invalid.

"My mother made me one of those," Celeste said gesturing to the doll in my hand.

"Yoko?"

"Lenorian mothers make them for their children," she explained, "They are meant to bring good luck"

After I learned that, I realized I probably shouldn't have taken this even though Edith had offered it. I was wrong, the gold necklace wasn't a suitable trade. It was nowhere near as valuable.

=^..^=

It was a day of learning. At the World War Memorial, I pieced together more of Lenoria's history.

Under the rule of King Emeric, Lenoria had sided with England and France against Germany. Though the campaign to rid the world of fascism was successful, the victory served as a double-edged sword for the monarchy. The country’s alliance with England and France introduced democratic ideals and a shift in national thinking, planting seeds of change.

In the late 1940s, inspired by these democratic principles and the post-war restructuring seen in other nations, the people began to demand democratic reforms. This surge for change would ultimately escalate into an eight-year civil war throughout the 1950s.

Emerging victorious from this conflict, King Emeric solidified Lenoria’s status as an absolute monarchy. The memory of this devastating war, combined with Lenoria’s relative economic stability, has since kept the monarchy unshaken to this day.

=^..^=

The learning continued at the Lenorian State University where none other than my boyfriend would address the students.

I watched him on stage speak with such fervor I almost didn't recognize him. He spoke to the students and faculty about the Lenorian scholars that came before, most of whom walked those very halls and stood on the same ground we stood. He made the auditorium we stood in sound like a hallowed site and the crowd listened intently to him.

He spoke about how they were the hope for the future and how the monarchy believed in them. This point led to the introduction of grants for exceptional students sponsored by the Royal family.

By the time he finished, every last student there believed themselves to have the ability to bring Lenoria into the future. He walked off that stage to a roar of applause. They loved him, and I was proud of him as we walked towards the exit together.

=^..^=

We ended our day on a much more relaxed note, sitting in a booth in a beautiful restaurant next to other lucky patrons.

The paparazzi as they had throughout today waited outside hoping to take pictures of our exit as though they didn't have enough already. They had no view of us from our place on the second floor so for once, we had a semblance of privacy. Just Nick and I sat together waiting for our food which was explained to be traditional Lenorian dishes.

I'd tried to ignore it but I couldn't anymore. As we'd passed the lounge on our way upstairs, I'd gotten glimpses of today's headlines on the television. It was of me crying at the hospital. That's all anyone would talk about for the next few days. There would be pictures of my most vulnerable moments plastered across the front page of every magazine. There would be more angles of Nick holding me while I cried than I ever thought possible because, at every moment in public, there would be cameras on me.

"Do you think we should have left?" I asked Nick, "Back when we had that conversation?"

"Maybe," he replied, "But it's too late to think about that now. We have to see this through. You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

I was.

"No" I replied still clutching onto Yoko.

=^..^=

When all was considered, the day was a great success. Despite being embarrassing, the public had taken very well to what happened at the hospital choosing not to see it as unprofessional like I feared but seeing it as endearing and human.

Unfortunately, the people of Lenoria grew to love us together and couldn't get enough. This emboldened the King to have us more in the public eye moving forward, spawning what I like to call 'The Socialite Arc of my life'.

Very soon, the pre-qualification rounds for the Ice Hockey competition at the Winter Olympics would begin with one of the groups being hosted in Lenoria. It went without saying that Nick and I would be there, holding hands, cheering our country on. I would be dressed in whatever finery the stylists saw fit for such an event and I would sink deeper into femininity.

It would be the first of many more events together as a couple.

=^..^=

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Thank you for reading. Leave a comment letting me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome :)

November 16, Early Evening.

It had been three weeks since the debacle at the Paediatric hospital. As expected, that story ran for as long as the media outlets could justify it. There were so many pictures of me in tears floating around the official channels and even more online.

When I realized most people weren't treating my behavior as something awful, I was eventually able to stop worrying so much about it.

Mothers of all ages had taken it especially well it turned out. You should have seen my reaction when I was told I was polling really well with that demographic. Imagine me of all people, polling.

My reaction while exiting the NICU also raised the question of a Royal baby on the horizon. Not officially, but on various pages and gossip blogs on the internet. You know the type. It turned out people really cared about what was going on in our lives-- and I in turn really cared what they thought about me.

Since I'd been allowed a phone weeks ago, I'd developed the bad habit of egosurfing about myself on the internet. Apparently, Lenorians weren't the only ones interested in Nick and I.

The Americas were eating it up just as much, and so was most of Europe. I was famous.

"Whatever happened to this gown?" I interrupted Celeste while she painted my nails by putting my phone in her face. I took the chance to admire my perfectly manicured nails. Gold and black, the hockey team's colors.

"I don't know, my lady" she replied, "I can ask"

"Can you? Please" I retrieved my phone to take another look at the blue gown I'd worn to some charity thing. I'd thought it was really pretty and it was a shame that it had disappeared forever like all the other gowns.

"I will, my lady," she told me before returning to her task.

I scrolled down some more to find yet another video talking about the possibility of a Royal baby. We weren't even married yet. They seemed to be treating that fact like a forgone conclusion.

They reasoned that the royal family wouldn't allow us to be seen together so frequently if things weren't serious. I wondered how people would react if they knew the real circumstances behind our relationship.

When I was done entertaining myself with videos centered around me, I turned my attention to what was really trending today. The first match of the Pre-Qualification rounds, Lenoria vs Slovenia.

From the discussions being had on the boards, I gathered that the sentiment was we had a really strong team this year and Lenorians were cautiously entertaining the possibility of making it to the Winter Olympics when it arrives in less than two years.

And would you know it, the King was one of those hopefuls. He was a man with actual interests if you could believe it and Hockey was one of them. The two of us had had more conversations since the tours but none nearly as nerve-wracking as those earlier sessions.

He was a man of results, and so far I'd given him little complain about.

Nick and I had been instructed to attend the opening game to represent the Royal Family just as we'd often done recently. I even wore the team's jersey to fit the occasion. Black skinny jeans and white sneakers completed the look.

This was the most like a boy I'd dressed in the month since I'd been here and I still looked just like any other girl.

I'd had to put my phone down when Celeste finished painting the nails on my right hand and moved to my left. I now had only my thoughts to entertain me.

I thought back to what had transpired in the last month.

Celeste still gave me those injections every Saturday and had done so just that morning. For the life of me, I still couldn't tell you what they were for. I never felt any different following any of the shots.

Izzy had suggested it might be HRT intended to feminize me. If it was that, wouldn't it have done something by now? Anything? The possibility of my body being feminized even more than it already was didn't bother me nearly as much as not knowing what it was for.

In other news, Nick spends more time in my bed now. Multiple times a week in fact.

At first, he would return from whatever errands his father sent him on, sad and exhausted from whatever he was up to, and ask if he could stay with me.

Now though, he just shows up randomly, walks past me, and climbs into bed. I wake up in the middle of the night, find myself cuddling next to him, and fall right back to sleep.

One time he'd woken up to use the bathroom and had clumsily woken me too. I'd stayed quiet and pretended to sleep while he went about doing his business. He'd returned about a minute later, quietly climbed back into bed, and resumed holding me right how we'd left off.

Neither of us spoke about it because there was nothing to speak about. It was comfortable sleeping in each other's arms and there was nothing more to it.

I admired Celeste's finished work. Beautiful as always. Makeup was already done so there was nothing left but to put on my jacket and make our way out the door. Nick and I had a game to attend.

=^..^=

I'd gotten used to the paparazzi by now. They'd take a thousand photos from the moment we stepped out of the car until we made it into the arena.

Some of those photos will make the headlines tomorrow morning. The rest would fade into oblivion like so many others before.

While we were being led into the VIP area and up to our booth, I could tell from the noise that the arena was packed. Few would miss the opportunity to come into the capital. They would rush to buy the tickets for the games regardless of whether they were interested in the sport or not because those tickets came with a Pass that allowed them to move around most of the capital city. Except the GRAs of course.

"Are you okay?" I asked Nick as we walked hand in hand, guided by security. "You seem quiet today"

For once we were dressed almost identically. We both sported the jersey and jeans trousers but where I'd opted for a jacket, he must have thought a black sweater underneath his jersey would suffice-- or his stylist did.

I'd probably have frozen to death if I dared try that. It was the middle of November and even though it wasn't snowing yet, it was already reasonably cold.

"I'm okay, A few things on my mind is all" he replied.

I knew better than to ask for any specifics by now. I knew I wouldn't get them so why bother?

"Okay," I said simply.

The inside of the hockey arena was even colder so I was thankful our Booth had its own ventilation.

I walked up to the glass to get a better look at the arena beneath us. I could barely make out any of the players fighting it out on the ice below. There was even less chance of making out the puck from all the way up here. If we wanted to follow the game, we'd have to do it from one of the televisions.

"Darling, do you mind coming over for a moment" I heard Nick call out to me.

I turned to find several men with cameras who had followed us into the room.

"Of course," I replied with the smile Lenoria had come to recognize over the past weeks.

"These gentlemen are going to announce our arrival," Nick explained as I took a seat beside him, just before he threw his arm over my shoulder. I leaned into him and felt that familiar feeling. It reminded me of just last night.

The men worked on setting up their cameras while another seemed to liaise with someone else through his headset.

"Are you ready, Your Highness?" one man asked.

"Darling, are you ready?" Nick asked me. I loved the way it sounded when he said it.

"Mmh" I moaned my approval.

Nick gave the guy a thumbs up with the arm that was around my shoulder.

It took another 30 seconds for a call to halt the game to arrive.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," I heard an announcer's voice come through both the arena speakers and the television in our booth, "It brings me such profound pleasure to announce that His Royal Highness, Prince Nicholas, and his companion, Miss Amelia Beaumont are here with us in support of our National team"

It took all I had in me to keep from turning to look at the television. It was tough but I managed to keep my focus on the camera in front of me, smiling and waving as I'd done on many occasions before.

The crowd in the arena erupted in cheers and applause. It was a feeling that never got old and one I could never explain.

In the end, Lenoria did win the match but not by much. That was worrying to the supporters since they believed we had a caliber of players that should have been able to easily dispatch with Slovenia. But a win was a win. Who could complain about that?

=^..^=

December 3, Late Evening.

"Are you coming tonight?" I asked Nick while we sat together in the backseat headed to yet another event. I was thankful that tonight's occasion was more of a private affair. I was less thankful that the King and Queen would be in attendance. Events always seemed to be overwhelmed with ceremony when they were present. But this was Prince George's fifth birthday so there was no avoiding it.

The Grand Duke and Princess Sophia had opted to host the party at their own residence, Rosemont Hall instead of at Eclipton so we were all making the trip.

"I think so," Nick replied, "Did you have something in mind?"

"Not yet," I answered, "Could just watch a movie?" I offered.

Somewhere along the line, we'd taken to spending those nights when he showed up at my door -- which was most of them now -- doing more than just sleeping together.

"Depends, what movie do you have in mind?"

"You still haven't watched Birdbox, have you?"

"Oh goodness no, no more horror movies please," he pleaded to my amusement. I would admit I had the tendency to make my fear his problem but this one wasn't really a scary movie so I told him as much.

"It's barely horror, I promise"

"No," he stood his ground, "You'll still end up screaming and waking up the entire castle. I'd like to keep my hearing thank you very much"

"Well, what do you suggest then?" I looked at him expectantly.

"I'll figure something out"

"Last time you said that, we ended up looking till we fell asleep"

"We'll look faster this time,"

"Really helpful" I teased him.

By now it was common knowledge that we spent most nights together. Servants talked and I'm sure the rest of the lords and ladies did too but we didn't mind. The way they saw it, we were madly in love and would be married soon. I'd caught myself wondering if that would be the worst thing if it were to happen.

Rosemont was absolutely beautiful. It wasn't nearly as big as Eclipton, not even close but that served it in its own way. It felt more like a home where people lived more than Eclipton ever could.

The hall that had been set up for George's celebration was breathtaking. It was adorned with elegant floral arrangements with crystal chandeliers hanging overhead, casting a soft, golden light over the gathering.

I thought the lighting was particularly flattering on my champagne-colored gown.

"There's my little man," I watched with a smile on my face as Nick spoke to his young nephew.

"Uncle Nick!" The boy exclaimed at the sight of his uncle, "I want a fort but mummy won't allow it"

Nick picked the boy up from the care of his servant. Nick was really good with children, related or not. I couldn't help but wonder what his plans were regarding that.

"A fort? We can build you a fort in secret," my boyfriend replied playfully, "We don't have to tell mummy, do we?"

"Nicky, if he's telling you about his fort, it's a lot bigger than you're imagining" Sophia's voice came from somewhere behind behind us.

"Well, anything for the birthday boy," Nick spoke after we both turned our attention to his sister and I'd finished my curtsy. If you'd told me I'd be able to so easily curtsy while wearing heels, I would have called you crazy.

"Well don't say I didn't warn you," she added finally, "May I speak with Amelia for a moment?"

My heart skipped a bit following her words. Princess Sophia and I hadn't had a moment alone since that tea session. I'd all but locked that encounter away in the far corners of my mind.

What could she want to talk about?

"I'll have George here to keep me company," Nick told her.

"Don't spoil him too much," Sophia added while gesturing for me to walk with her.

"I won't take up much of your time-- or mine," Sophia started as we walked, "If I remember correctly, your motivation for doing all of this was the salary you were promised, correct?"

"Yes, Your Highness" I replied shyly. I'd grown much less wary around the King but she was still another matter entirely.

"And is that still accurate?"

I nodded.

"I just sense other motivations at play and wouldn't want them to come in the way of our arrangement," she told me, "You do remember our arrangement, do you not?"

I watched her seemingly manufacture a genuine smile when one of the guests we were walking past greeted her with a bow.

"Duke, I'm so glad you could come"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," the man responded, "You know how fond the Duchess and I are of Prince George"

"Oh, you are very kind. Enjoy the party"

"With pleasure, your Highness"

I watched the pleasant expression dissolve from her face the moment she turned away.

"About our arrangement?" she asked turning back to me.

"I remember,"

"Do you love my brother?" she asked me.

I shook my head in response because unlike with the King, a negative felt like the right answer this time.

"If that changes, you will talk to me, won't you?" she looked me deep into my eyes.

"I will," I answered. Again, that felt like the right answer.

"You may go," she turned away from me. "And Amelia?" I heard just as I'd begun to turn to hurry back to Nick.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"I'm here if you ever need anything" She flashed me that genuine smile before turning away.

=^..^=

Viscount Montague had stepped in my path while I'd been trying to make my way back to Nick. He'd caught me so off-guard I'd desperately tried to hide the fact that I'd been shaking following the conversation with the Princess.

What was he even doing there, I wondered.

This event was exclusive even among the aristocracy. I found it hard to believe a lowly viscount would be in attendance.

It wasn't my fault. I was already tense when he began speaking in that almost pretentious way he spoke and it only made things worse.

"Miss Beaumont, I had been hoping to get another moment to speak to you," he started, "As I mentioned, I have managed to get in contact with the Normandy Beaumonts if you remember. They are most eager to meet you if you would be interested. As I say, family is of the utmost importance"

It wasn't my fault. I was still tense and he hadn't even allowed me a moment to decompress before saddling me with this.

"Enough, Viscount," I let out a frustrated sigh, "I have no interest in meeting these people. I don't know them and do not wish to. You're wasting your time here. I'm sure you have better things to do"

He was quiet for a moment which finally allowed me the opportunity to think. I glanced at our surroundings and let out a sigh of relief. The guests were engaged in their own conversation and were paying us no mind. I turned back to the Viscount and found a saddened expression in place of the previous vibrant one.

I promised I was going to apologize but he beat me to it.

"Quite right, Miss Beaumont. I will leave you to it" he said before he walked off leaving me standing there feeling like a terrible person.

It soured the entire party for me and I went to bed early that night leaving Nick to wonder what had befallen.

=^..^=

December 31, Near Midnight

Every once in a while, the encounter with the Viscount would pop into my head and I would feel terrible all over again. It had been going on all month.

I had fully intended to apologize to him tonight but he was nowhere to be found. I even had Celeste on the lookout for him but no luck.

Surely he wouldn't miss the King's New Year's ball. It was perhaps the biggest event of the year.

I really wanted to apologize to him so here I was doing a lap around the ballroom yet again.

I stomped my foot signaling my frustration when I still couldn't find him after yet another lap. Why was I the one dealing with such heartache? I wasn't the one at fault here.

I never asked him for his help but he had offered it anyway and wouldn't take hints. Speaking of hints, couldn't he see that I hadn't been in the mood at the party? This was all his fault.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped in shock. Bringing my hand up to my chest, I let out a sigh of relief when I turned and saw my boyfriend reflecting my shock.

"You scared me," I told him.

"I scared you?" he asked with his own shock subsiding, "I've been looking for you everywhere"

"Well, you found me," I said before starting my advance past him. Ugh, Viscount Montague had put me in a mood yet again. Another ruined party. The thought made me even more upset.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nick asked after stopping me in my tracks by taking my hand in his.

I sighed, "I told you about the thing with the Viscount right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I was hoping to apologize to him tonight but I can't find him anywhere"

"Yeah, he's not here, I told you--" he paused, "Wait, did I tell you?"

"Tell me what, Nick?"

"I thought I told you," he stepped forward and spoke in a soft whisper, "Father stripped him of his land and titles"

"What?"

"Well yeah, that happened weeks ago,"

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I thought I did,"

"Wait, tell me what happened," I told him as we began walking together.

"Why are we talking about this? It's almost midnight," he complained, "Come dance with me"

"Just tell me," I whined.

"Umm, Apparently he got into some illegal gambling, lost his fortune, news reached father and he stripped him of everything else. Of course, we can't have nobility acting like common criminals," Nick groaned and then stepped closer to me, "Amelia, none of this matters. It's about to be the new year. Can we stop talking about old news and have fun?"

"Okay," I conceded. There was no point thinking about this now anyway.

"Get him out of your head, okay?"

"I got it"

"Let's dance"

=^..^=

A few things were different from the last time I danced in this ballroom. For one, I was wearing a silver dress this time around. More consequential was the fact that Mr. Carter Sinclair was nowhere to be found. In fact, I hadn't laid eyes on him since that day at the Royal Navy headquarters.

I figured he had concluded whatever business he was here for and had departed. Good riddance.

Another thing that was different was the fact that I had Nick's full attention this time around as we danced together.

"Are you worried about the surgery?" he asked me as we swayed together to the slow music.

"You make it sound like I'm getting cut open. It's just laser" I replied.

"Yeah but doesn't that mean you'll never be able to grow a beard? Isn't that a big deal?"

"It's not 'never'," I corrected, "But yeah for a while. It's not really a big deal, to be honest. It's not like I'm able to grow one now. And I never really liked them"

"Right,"

"I could never look as good as you with one anyway," I brought one of my hands up and lightly rubbed his beard.

"So you're really okay with this?" he asked.

I was. Perhaps I wouldn't have been so okay with it in the past but I wasn't so defensive about stuff like that anymore.

"I am" I smiled.

"Okay then,"

"How many minutes to midnight?" I asked him.

He checked his watch, "Two, give or take."

"I don't want to spend that time talking, do you?" I asked him while returning my arm around his shoulder.

"No"

"Then shut up and dance with me"

And that's what we did. We spent those last few minutes in each other's arms holding each other tightly like we'd gotten used to.

At midnight, we kissed to welcome the new year.

=^..^=

January 12, Wee hours.

I was awoken that night like I usually was when Nick pulled away from me. He had the nasty habit of needing to pee in the middle of the night.

I'd have to tell him to go before we climbed into bed. He had just ruined a pretty good dream that was lost to me now.

As he stepped away in search of the bathroom, I glanced around the room, quickly remembering we weren't at Eclipton.

Following the first session of my laser procedure a few days ago, the King had offered us a holiday, a break from our responsibilities.

At least that was the official word. More likely he'd seen the redness and swelling following the procedure and decided to ship me away to recover away from prying eyes.

So Nick and I were staying at this sort of country estate that belonged to the crown while I recovered and waited for my next session.

Nick wasn't actually supposed to come with me but he'd insisted. I hadn't been there so I couldn't tell you how the King had taken it.

In any case, I'm very happy he'd agreed to it. I couldn't imagine being in this large house alone with only Celeste to keep me company. Even worse considering she didn't even reside in the main lodge. None of us did. That privilege was reserved for just Nick and I.

Nick was returning so like I always did, I pretended to be asleep.

He climbed back into bed and wrapped his arm around me from behind.

'Is he hard?' my eyes shot open as I thought to myself. 'No, that's not it'

Either way, I could definitely feel him pressed against my butt. He felt so big. I adjusted and pushed closer to him.

I may have just been imagining it but I swear I felt him tense up.

'Fuck,' I closed my eyes in an attempt to regain my senses. I wanted him so bad.

Slowly I brought my hand over his and rubbed gently. I definitely wasn't imagining it this time, I felt him get harder.

Following a very awkward shuffle, I managed to turn around and face him. His eyes were wide open, watching me.

I leaned in slowly covering only an inch at a time before my lips connected with his.

There was no audience, no cameras, just us. That kiss was just between us and felt all the better for it.

I pulled away to gauge his reaction. There was no pretending. Up till now, I had the plausible deniability that I was doing it all for the job.

That kiss, if he didn't want it just as much as I did, I had no defense.

He leaned in and kissed me. I felt a wave of shock run through my body, forcing me to moan.

He kissed my neck and sent shivers down my spine. When his lips returned to mine, his hand caressed my face.

My hand in turn went exploring, feeling every last inch of his body that only my eyes had ever had the pleasure of.

By the time I was done, I would be able to draw you a map from memory.

I felt my way down his chest, abs, and into his underwear. If he hadn't been hard before, he was now.

Our eyes met as I felt the length of his member.

My eyes asked if this was okay as I began stroking. His eyes conveyed only desperation.

He tilted his head back as I went to work. Everything I needed to know about pleasing a man, I learned on the spot.

I must have done something right because only two minutes later, I watched his whole body convulse and felt the member in my hand grow harder.

He let out a relaxing grunt just as I felt a warm liquid on my hand.

He kissed me again and I kissed him back with everything I had.

I felt his own wandering hand search beneath my nightgown and as if I lost control of my body for a moment, I recoiled away.

There was shame present among all I was feeling.

I apologized when I saw the expression on his face. I didn't understand why I'd scurried away from his touch like it would kill me.

"It's okay," he told me, "We should go wash up"

"I'll go first," I said. I was desperate to get away my hand was still wet after all.

=^..^=

January 12, Morning

I had a brilliant idea just after taking a shower. I was just about to put on my gaff when the thought popped into my head.

I knew what I had to do.

I walked up to the vanity and searched for the solution to remove the breast forms' adhesive.

Nick hadn't been in the room when I woke up that morning. That wasn't unusual. He was probably in the library studying like he'd taken to doing recently.

Knowing him, he was probably being noble and giving me space. Space wasn't what I wanted, far from it.

I wanted him, that much was clear. If he wasn't going to come to me, I would go to him.

I placed the breast forms back in their protective container before stepping up to the mirror to admire my naked body.

Slim, slender, petite, any one of those words would have been accurate. Neither of them bothered me anymore.

I'd pretty much ruled out HRT as the contents of that injection.

No matter, there were much more important things afoot. I walked to the door and stepped through.

'Now where's that library?' I thought to myself.

=^..^=

"Nick?" I called out after pushing open the door to the library, "Are you in here?"

"Yes, morning" I heard him before I saw him sitting at a desk facing the wall.

"I didn't see you when I woke up,"

"Yeah I figured I'd let you sleep in," he said just as he was putting the book down, "Didn't want to wake--"

I smiled at the dumbfounded look on his face.

I closed the door behind me and walked ever so slowly towards him.

"Amelia, you're--"

"Naked? Yes, I'm aware" I laughed.

"Why?"

I caught him glancing down before expertly returning his attention to my face.

"I figured we could continue where we left off last night," I answered. "You don't object, do you?" I asked while making the final steps to stand before him.

"N-no"

"Good, take off your pants"

I giggled as he fumbled with his shoes and then tossed his trousers aside.

"Underwear too"

He obeyed. It felt nice giving a prince orders.

Slowly I dropped down to my knees, maintaining eye contact the whole way down.

Nick would fuck me right there in that library for the first time. It would be the first of many.

=^..^=

February 14, Late Afternoon

"Close your eyes," Nick said to me while I lay on our bed pressing away on my phone. Unfortunately, from my latest surf session, I'd found that the people were starting to miss their favorite couple.

"Why?" I giggled in excitement as I sat up.

They didn't know that their favorite couple had only recently become a real couple. It pleased me to say that none of our kisses moving forward would be for the cameras.

I'd recently had my second laser session so Nick and I were still away in our own kingdom, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

"I got you something," he told me.

"Oh my God Nick, no!" I whined, "I didn't get you anything, don't do this to me"

"I don't need anything, just close your eyes"

I sighed before closing my eyes as he'd requested, "You better not hold this against me later"

I felt the bed depress slightly as Nick sat behind me. I felt him place a cold metal chain around my neck and immediately knew what it was.

I raised my hand to touch the pendant to confirm but Nick was too quick.

"No cheating," he said stopping me in my tracks.

"Fine," I laughed.

When he had finished fumbling with the clasp, he led me off the bed and toward the vanity mirror. He was being so obvious it was kind of cute.

"Open your eyes"

What I found was a small heart-shaped locket with our initials engraved on it.

"Open it," he told me.

I fumbled with the small locket until I managed to pry it open. Inside was a photo of the two of us on either side.

I looked at him and frowned. I really should have gotten him something.

"I love it, thank you. And I hate that I don't have anything for you" I pouted when I saw how proud he looked.

"Yeah, shame on you" he laughed.

"Stop!" I whined which only made him laugh harder.

"Okay," he conceded, "You'll just have to make it up to me, won't you?" he leaned in to say.

"Oh?" A smile crept onto my face, "What did you have in mind?"

=^..^=

April 3, Late Evening.

We'd returned to Eclipton Castle a little over a month ago following my third and final laser session and it had been non-stop events since then.

Tonight was no different. Nick and I were back at the Arena celebrating the Hockey team's qualification for the Winter Olympics.

Unlike last time when Nick and I were stationed in a booth high above, tonight, we were much closer to the action.

A stage had been set up in the middle of the arena above protective flooring for the ice below.

Nick was addressing the large crowd, and I stood proudly beside him. It felt good to be back in the public eye by his side.

"Lenorians have even more to be proud of tonight. The boys behind me have proven themselves worthy of our love and admiration as they carry our pride with them to the biggest stage of all" Nick spoke into the microphone.

There were camera flashes coming from all directions. Almost a little game of mine at this point, I wondered which of those photos would make the front page tomorrow.

"Give them a round of applause," he called out and the crowd erupted in response.

"Yes, they have indeed proven that they can compete on equal footing with the very best and it is with great joy--"

There was a loud bang quickly followed by two more. Three gunshots. And then another before anyone knew what was happening.

I froze for a moment, staring wide-eyed into the crowd as chaos erupted.

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!" I heard someone shout.

It was only then that I came to my senses.

Nick.

The sound seemed to fade away, and the world moved in slow motion.

Nick.

I turned to look at him but he was already several layers deep in a wall of security.

Was he okay?

"DETHRONE THE TYRANT KING!"

There it was again from somewhere in the audience. I scanned frantically.

"My lady, we have to get you to safety" one of our guards took my arm.

"Nick" I muttered to him.

"We have to go, my lady" he repeated.

The sound returned and I realized just how loud it was in the arena with all the screams.

The man pulled me off the stage and into the tunnels behind.

"Is Nick okay?" I asked him as I stumbled forward in reaction to the man's forceful pulls.

He didn't answer. Something felt wrong.

"Take me to His Highness right now" I pulled at his forceful grip that was already causing my skin to bruise. "Take me back to him right now"

No answer.

"Nick!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. A cloth covered my nose and mouth no more than a second later.

I tried to scream but no sound escaped the man's tight grip. I couldn't even breathe except through the cloth.

'Help' That was the last thought that crossed my mind.

=^..^=

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Hiya, hope this doesn't feel too rushed. I had more side stories to tell in this section but just wanted to get to the main story before I got bored lol. Anyway, hope you're enjoying this story.

I groaned as I slowly but very painfully regained my consciousness. I had the most intense headache I'd ever had and my world spun violently.

Not that I could see it. My vision was dark as a result of the cloth that covered my eyes. I wanted to scream but even my mouth was restrained. It was a terrible realization that I was cut off from the world. I felt that much more helpless when I tugged at my arms but they were secured firmly behind my back.

The only one of my senses that still offered any input was my hearing but even that was dominated by the sound of my loud, irregular heartbeat.

I could feel my heart in my chest pounding away. This paired with the tightness in my stomach produced what I believed to be the worst I'd ever felt in my life.

I was struggling to breathe. It felt as though my lungs hadn't yet recovered from the oddly sweet-smelling chemical forced into them.

I groaned weakly as more of my feeling came back to me. The floor felt hard and uneven. My shoulder was sore from bearing the full weight of my body.

Slowly I began to hear the humming of an engine and the sound of tyres on a road.

I desperately wanted to scream but all I could manage was no more than a whimper.

Oh God Nick. I hoped he was alright. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to him.

"She's awake" I heard a voice originate from somewhere around me. I could tell it belonged to a man but little else. Mature maybe? A Lenorian accent could be detected but that didn't help me much.

It wouldn't matter anyway if I couldn't find a way out of here.

I forced myself into a roll in search of more sensory input. It took a rotation and a half to hit a wall. A van?

"Dose her again" I heard another voice.

"Mmh" I forced the sound through my restraints. I remembered the feeling of the gas all too well. I couldn't handle another round.

I turned and kicked as a deterrent but my feet only flailed helplessly in the air.

My heart sank when I felt a strong hand grip my chin and hold it in place. A moment later, he placed a rag to my face once again.

I'd tried not to breathe for as long as I could but it was hopeless, he had all the time in the world. It took about 30 seconds after first breathing in the slightly sweet and a bit musty odor for me to lose consciousness once again.

=^..^=

I woke up feeling like I was about to cough up my internal organs. I opened my eyes and was stunned by the bright light in the room.

I wasn't bound. I forced myself to my knees thinking only of escape but my body was betraying me. I couldn't stop wheezing as I struggled to breathe.

What the fuck was that? I wouldn't force it down the throat of my worst enemy not to mention doing it twice.

'Who are these people?' I thought to myself as I groaned in pain.

When I began to win the struggle to breathe, I realized just how much of my body hurt to no end.

I forced my eyes open, taking in only a brief second of my surroundings before forcing myself off the bed that I was apparently lying on.

I managed to stand on my own two feet for only a few seconds before a wave of dizziness washed over me and I stumbled over to the wall.

There I remained until my bearings returned to me. Slowly my condition improved and if I ignored the sweating, I was beginning to feel like my normal self again.

This feeling of normalcy finally allowed my thoughts to shift to figuring out where I was.

While still leaning against the wall, I studied my surroundings. It looked to me like a room belonging to a little girl. Beige walls, pink curtains, wooden floors, a pink bedspread and more.

There were toys, drawings on the wall, and a dresser with a discolored, oval-shaped patch on the wall above it. It looked like a room where a normal girl would have slept, not at all like a prison cell. There was even a door that led into a bathroom.

It was almost worse that it wasn't a prison cell. It felt eerie. L

Why would they kidnap me only to bring me here? What did they want?

I hurried over to the only other door that had to have been an exit. I tried but it was locked.

I kicked the wooden door in anger.

"Let me out of here!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and then listened. I was met only with silence.

I kicked the door once again in frustration before pulling at the handle, "Let me out or I swear--"

I stopped only when I heard footsteps approach the other side of the door. I took multiple steps back when the footsteps stopped just outside.

I heard the lock rattle and prepared myself. I looked around the room searching for anything that could be used as a weapon. Everything was frustratingly soft.

My heart skipped a beat when the door slowly opened. With bated breath, I waited to see the person on the other side of that door.

A large man walked through dressed in what looked like black tactical gear, carrying a rifle on his hips. I couldn't see an inch of him except his eyes. He looked like bad news.

Who was I kidding? There was no way I could fight him, not in a million years.

He took more steps into the room and I realized he was carrying a tray of food. I retreated with each step he took into the room until I reached the foot of the bed at the other end.

"Who--" I faltered, "Who are you?"

He only got as far as the dresser, on which he placed the tray before turning to leave.

This made the fact that I was their prisoner feel all the more real. Did they think I would just quiet down and stay here willingly? I needed them to know that I would defy them till the end.

I walked up to the dresser, picked up the tray, and threw it at him as he retreated with his back turned. Most of the food fell short, spilling on the floor, but some made the whole journey splashing on his trousers.

I looked defiantly as he turned to look at me. I could detect a hint of annoyance in his eyes but he paid me no more mind beyond that. I fell down to my knees as I heard the door lock behind him.

Where the fuck was I? Who were they? What did they want?

=^..^=

I scoured every inch of the room looking for anything I could use as a weapon but came up short. It felt like everything that could be used had been purposefully stripped.

I sat back on the bed in frustration as I slowly realized that there was little chance of making it out of there by myself. I sighed after turning my attention to the discolored patch above the dresser. It looked about the right size to have been a mirror.

"What do you want?" I screamed.

I lay back in bed exhausted. At the very least, I was thankful that I wasn't dressed very femininely. The blue jeans and hockey team jersey I wore were a lot better than the dresses the stylists would usually have me in.

My outfit reminded me of Nick once again. It was strange but I felt a bit closer to him knowing we were dressed the same no matter where he was.

I hoped he was in the castle, perfectly okay, and getting the king to act on my behalf.

Yes, he was okay. I couldn't think anything else.

I began to realize just how tired I was as I lay in bed. Being knocked out was nothing like being asleep. I needed actual sleep.

'I'm hungry,' I thought to myself as I drifted off to sleep. The smell of the food scattered on the floor certainly did not help.

=^..^=

I was awoken by a twisting and turning of the lock on the door and hurried to my feet.

Slowly the door was pushed open. I could smell the food before I managed a glimpse at the woman carrying it.

"Miss Penelope," I said in shock as she carefully avoided the spilled dish on the floor.

"I know the food here isn't quite up to the standards you're used to but tossing it away is very rude, wouldn't you say?" she frowned.

"I don't understand," my confusion was clear on my face, "you brought me here? Why?"

"You would understand things better if you would only listen," she walked up and placed the new tray on the dresser, "But that isn't something you're very good at, is it?" she added as she walked up to me.

I looked at her as she approached and then at the ajar door behind her.

No, don't be stupid. It could never be that easy.

Miss Penelope closed the gap between us further and I retreated until I hit the edge of the bed.

"I am old so forgive me if my memory isn't what it used to be," she continued, "But I seem to remember telling you to return from whence you came"

"Why bring me here?" I asked her again, "What do you want with me?"

"Hmm," she smiled before turning away from me, "Foolish girl. Do you have any idea how much harm you've caused my country?"

I watched her take a few steps back towards the door.

"I don't understand," I screamed at her, "Just let me go! Why are you keeping me here?"

"Eat now, we will speak later," she told me as she approached the door, "And don't spill this one. I am not against letting you starve"

"Fuck" I hissed in frustration as she locked the door behind her. What the fuck was going on?

I did eat after staring at the meal for a good long while. I figured if they wanted me dead, there was little I could do to stop them. And if they wanted to poison me, they could just force it down my throat like they'd proven they could.

Most importantly, if I was going to find a way out here, I would need my strength to do it.

=^..^=

I couldn't tell you how long it had been since the last time anyone walked into the room.

I'd fallen back asleep after quenching my hunger and thirst and had only woken up a little while ago. If I had to guess, it had been about an hour, maybe two since I awoke and began pacing around the room.

I had no way of telling how much time was passing with all the windows sealed. I couldn't even tell you if it was day or night outside.

I scurried back over to the bed when I heard the lock on the door click and open.

I watched Miss Penelope take one step after another into the room. This time, she didn't speak to me so I in a similar fashion kept my mouth shut as she walked around the room.

She ran her fingers through the curtains before walking over to touch the dresser gently. I could do little else but follow her with my gaze as she quietly examined the room.

"This used to be my daughter's bedroom," she spoke when she was ready, "Gillian slept in that very bed. Comfortable, isn't it? She was the perfect child so I wanted everything to be perfect for her"

I didn't respond. What could I say? This was the person who kidnapped me. I was very much on guard.

"A lot of parents think their children are perfect but Gillian actually was. Beauty and brains to spare. People loved her even more than they loved me. That girl could do no wrong and I knew right from the start that she was going to do great things"

Miss Penelope paused for a moment taking her time. I watched her in silence as she gazed at the floor.

Once again, the door behind her was left open and I could probably push my way past her and make it out into the hall.

However, I stood unmoving because I knew there was little I could do against the man from earlier.

"Well, I'd say my perfect daughter had one flaw," Miss Penelope turned to look at me again, "She adored the royal family"

Miss Penelope took one step towards me and then another. I had nowhere else to retreat to so I stood still as she approached.

"She would spend all her time reading the magazines, looking for any new information about them. My smart girl lost all reason when it came to that family"

Miss Penelope who now stood in front of me reached out and touched my shoulder-length hair, "She would have loved everything about you"

She touched my face gently, "And she would have been more than a bit jealous of you, I think. Oh how she dreamed of marrying into that family"

She abruptly turned and stepped away before continuing, "I never liked the obsession but it made her happy and there was nothing I wanted more in the world. When you have your own children, when you hold your baby in your arms, you'll understand. You only want them to be happy"

"It will break your heart when they fall ill" she continued, "And you will realize there is nothing you won't do to make them feel better again."

Miss Penelope who had been walking away turned back to me and I stood frozen once again, "So of course I sold everything I could to afford her treatment. Which wasn't much because how much can a commoner really own in this country no matter how much they've served"

She finally ended her pacing around and returned to meet me at the bedside.

"Still, I sold everything" she spoke with sadness in her voice "I took her to the LPC. You received a pretty tour of the hospital but what do you really know about it?"

"Paraded around, take a few pretty pictures and you think you know what's really going on in this country?" she asked. "I carried my sick daughter in my arms to the only place in the country with the equipment to treat her weak heart and they turned me away"

She chuckled to herself, "No available beds they told me. They were full. I went home to watch my daughter die" She closed her eyes as if searching her memories.

She must have found whatever she was looking for because she took in a deep breath and let out a pained sigh.

"There were beds available," she opened her eyes to look at me, "Many of them in fact. But they were reserved for nobility and that we were not."

"My daughter is dead because of rules made by those she adored. Isn't that funny?" she asked me.

It seemed like a genuine question so I shook my head 'no'.

It wasn't funny. Not in the slightest.

I watched Miss Penelope begin her advance towards the door only to stop halfway through.

"I heard about the methods that were used to bring you here," she said to me, "Please accept my apologies. I hadn't intended for it to be so violent"

=^..^=

How long had it been? Days? A week? More? I couldn't tell anything. I couldn't even tell if I'd ever be allowed to leave this place. No one would tell me anything.

Miss Penelope only showed up one more time after that last conversation and it had been to bring me a fresh change of clothes and inform me that she was leaving for a while.

She'd waited in the bedroom while I walked into the bathroom to change. I'd searched as much as I could for any cameras in there but couldn't be sure so getting undressed was always a gamble.

Nothing ever came up though so I assumed I was fine. They still believed me to be a woman and kept treating me as such.

In the time since Miss Penelope left, the man had brought me food to eat and dresses to change into ever so often. I made a point each time to ask him why I was being held hostage but he never said so much as a word back to me.

At the very least, several days had passed and I had begun to worry that I wasn't being searched for. I couldn't imagine living my entire life in this room-- or worse, dying here.

It might have been petty and short-sighted for this to be a concern but I couldn't help it; I was so damn bored. There was nothing to help pass the time so you can imagine how relieved I was when I heard the lock on the door rattle.

A break from the monotony was just what I needed.

"Why are you keeping me he--" I started to ask before I noticed it was Miss Penelope.

"How about some answers?" she asked holding the door open, "Come with me".

I stood hesitantly. Had the time finally come? Were they finally going to get rid of me?

She nodded me over and I obeyed. When I had gained sufficient distance, she turned and began walking down a hallway.

I paused at the door. It felt like ages since I had seen anything beyond these four walls.

"Hurry up," I heard Miss Penelope's voice farther down the hallway. I obeyed once again.

I followed her until we reached a flight of descending stairs, at which point, I began to hear voices. Many of them.

I followed as she descended the steps. The stairs led down into what looked like a normal household in terms of layout but nothing like that in terms of how much weaponry was lying around.

There were guns, ammo, and various kinds of gear that I couldn't hope to recognize. Next to all that weaponry were people equipped similarly. Naturally, I felt I was definitely going to die.

The room had quieted down since we made our appearance and now they only watched me.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked her. Why else would they let me see all of that?

"I simply wish to tell you a story," she told me as we walked through the house, "Will you join me for a walk outside?"

I didn't respond. I simply followed in silence while trying to ignore all the stares.

I felt self-conscious but not for the usual reason. I had long stopped feeling self-conscious about wearing dresses and skirts.

=^..^=

I was hit with a wave of fresh evening air as we stepped outside. It felt glorious after being crammed in a room for so long. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I couldn't bear to return to my confines.

"Sometime last year, an American like yourself was King Richard's guest here in Lenoria. My sources tell me you met him"

Even out here, there were many people. I guess I could call them soldiers. They certainly looked the part. All of them had their faces obscured by masks. It made me wonder what Miss Penelope was playing at by being so open.

I turned my attention to the surroundings. It was a large compound surrounded by large trees on almost every side. No matter where we were, it certainly wasn't the city.

When I thought about it, it had a vague similarity to the King's forest but that of course made no sense.

"This man belonged to a certain organization unknown to most of the world. They make highly specialized products and supply them to individuals such as our dear King."

I listened as we walked down a beaten path away from the house. We would occasionally pass a soldier who would greet her with a nod. I got the sense that they respected her here.

"One of these products as I understand it is a psychoactive compound designed to alter neural processes making the target more open to external influence, agreeable, and emotionally dependent"

"I don't understand," I replied.

"Parts of your brain particularly those associated with reward and trust were flooded with dopamine making you more likely to seek the trust and approval of those around you"

"What are you saying?" I stopped walking and so did she.

"Everyone around you would have reinforced those feelings," she continued without missing a beat, "They would have made you feel it was entirely natural and justified for you to feel the things they wanted for you. It wouldn't have taken very long for there to be nothing left of you. Nothing but the perfect puppet.

I stared at her blankly. She looked me deep in my eyes, a hint of compassion present.

"Even now, you must still believe those feelings to be your own"

=^..^=

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So sorry this took so long. It's been a shit week. Anyway would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Thanks for reading.

"Just--" I raised a finger to get her to stop talking if only for a moment. I couldn't understand what she was saying. Or maybe I didn't want to understand, "What are you telling me?" I asked plainly.

"You have been manipulated ever since you stepped foot in King Richard's court" she replied. "I had tried to warn you but I'll admit I could never have known to what extent"

"No," I frowned, "I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't manipulated or anything like that. So what, you think they're controlling me? 'Cause that's what it sounds like you're saying"

She looked at me in a way that told me that's exactly what she was saying.

"That's insane" I protested.

"You think that by design"

"Okay, um, I don't know what this is about but I'm over it. You're crazy" I crossed my arms, "Please just let me go home"

"Home? Is that what you think?" She asked me.

"Yes? So what?"

"This is what it does," Miss Penelope tilted her head back, "It makes you desperate to belong but you're not one of them. You'll never BE one of them"

"Well--" I paused to gather my thoughts. It was true that I'd started to feel at home at Eclipton, especially since Nick and I started dating for real but why was that so bad? He was my boyfriend and I missed him dearly.

"Do you really think you of all people, a foreigner, and a commoner, would be accepted into the Lenorian Royal family?"

"You don't know anything. Nick and I belong together. If he insists, they'll have to let us be"

"My goodness, you're even more foolish than I thought" She shook her head at me. "To think a stupid little girl like you has been such a wedge in our plans"

"I really wish you'd stop calling me names," I said slightly annoyed.

"All accurate, aren't they?" she asked, "I should give the King credit. He's played you masterfully"

"I wasn't played," I insisted before turning and walking away. "I'm not being manipulated. You're just a crazy, old lady"

"The compound has to be injected somehow," Miss Penelope followed behind me, "Have you really never noticed?"

I stopped. Of course, it had been in the back of my mind but I couldn't let myself give it any serious consideration for what it would mean.

"There's something," I admitted, "But it can't be."

She walked up to me once again. This time she spoke with a softer tone, "It's not a question of whether you've been manipulated. I have it on good authority. You can't trust whatever you're feeling"

I turned to look at her, "But if what you're saying is true, I would have noticed. I'm not an idiot."

"Well didn't you notice anything?" she asked me.

"I--" I froze. This wasn't possible. There was just no way.

"I hear reinforcement is a crucial part of the process," she continued speaking when it became clear I wasn't going to, "The people around you would have repeatedly steered you in the right direction. That boyfriend of yours especially"

"No," I closed my eyes and said the word quietly under my breath, and then I repeated it louder, "Nick would never do that. No!" I shook my head in frustration.

It just wasn't possible. He was my friend long before we ever came here. He would never.

"A kiss here, a gentle touch there," she continued, "Of course you fell in love with him. Most girls do even without clouded judgment"

"Stop," I shook my head again.

"And not just him either," Miss Penelope wouldn't stop, "Everyone"

Without my permission, my mind searched through everything that had happened since I arrived in this country many months ago. I scoured every interaction that came off as even a little bit odd.

It left me distraught.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, feeling overwhelmed.

"I want you to see what they do," she told me, "How they used you to retain power"

I let out a deep sigh, "I don't understand"

I must have looked visibly exhausted.

"A story for another time, perhaps," she told me. Quietly, I watched her wave one of the soldiers over. My mind raced, scouring every last memory I could think of. It hurt.

"Ma'am" the soldier spoke as soon as he arrived.

"Could you take her back to her room?" she asked him.

"Of course, ma'am" he answered.

"Go with him," Miss Penelope turned her attention back to me, "We will speak again later"

=^..^=

Nick and I lay naked in bed holding each other tightly. I listened to his heavy breathing and smiled. Only a few moments before, he'd been thrusting like his life depended on it. It wasn't surprising that he'd be thoroughly exhausted.

Not that he ever complained.

That time when he'd fucked me in the library had only been the beginning. We'd gone about it like rabbits in the weeks since.

I wasn't looking forward to leaving the country estate and heading back to Eclipton but I knew that time was fast approaching.

My laser sessions were through, I'd fully recovered and the King had given his order for us to return.

These were the last days Nick and I would spend together cut off from the world. I would miss being here with him.

I'd stopped wearing the breast forms and the gaff almost entirely while we were here together. I could just be me when we were together like this. And as a bonus, I seemed to drive him even crazier when I was like this.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.

"Oh um, just thinking about going back to the castle" I looked up at him. God, he was so perfect.

"I wish we could stay here forever," he said quietly.

"Me too"

"Lately I've--" he started saying something but stopped abruptly.

"What?" I rubbed my arm gently across his chest as we lay together.

"Nevermind"

"You can't just go 'nevermind' and expect me to let it go," I complained, "Tell me"

"Fine, well, I've--" he paused again, "I've been thinking a lot about our future"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you know"

"What about our future?" I asked after sitting up to look directly at him. He followed suit soon after.

"I mean, you know how we're just meant to be together for a year or so?"

"Yeah?" I looked attentively at him.

"What if we stayed together for longer?" he asked. I couldn't see much of him in the dark, but the little I could gave me the impression that he was serious.

"What, like 2 years?" I laughed nervously.

"More?" he spoke looking very unsure of himself. If my heart wasn't beating so quickly, I'd probably have thought it was cute.

"How long?" I asked.

"As long as you can stand me, I guess," he told me.

"Even if I wanted that, I don't think that's possible," I said.

"Do you want that?" he asked.

"I-- There's no use thinking about it" I replied, "Your parents have made it clear they intend for you to marry an actual woman eventually and despite how I look--"

"But if it was possible?" he asked again.

I opened my mouth but no sound left my lips. He looked me deep in my eyes. He wanted an answer.

"If it was possible then I guess"

"Morgan, yes or no?"

"Yes," I replied.

I woke up clutching at the sheets beneath me and sweating profusely. I looked around the room to regain my bearings and the events of that evening hit me once again. My heart broke all over when it all came rushing back.

That dream hadn't been just a dream at all. It had been a memory. The day Nick and I decided to stop pretending. And we hadn't said it in so many words but there were the undertones that neither of us would mind spending our entire lives together.

I felt tears roll down my cheeks. I'd been crying when I fell asleep too. At this rate, I was going to be dehydrated. But I couldn't make it stop.

Whenever I thought about him and everything I felt for him. The thought that all of it could have been fake was just too overwhelming.

I didn't want it to be true. In fact, I'd searched desperately for an answer, something that proved that Miss Penelope was mistaken but every memory supported what she'd said.

Nothing else explained why I'd so easily grown to love being Amelia Beaumont. I loved the way she looked, I loved her voice, I loved the clothes she wore.

Most of all, I loved the way she felt about her boyfriend. I loved all of it but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it couldn't have been me.

I loved her friends. Celeste and Izzy. I loved drinking wine and talking for hours, especially about my-- her boyfriend.

I felt like I was losing my mind.

=^..^=

Somewhere along the line, my confusion turned to anger. The isolation didn't help. It allowed my mind to wander and on its journey, it found clarity.

They all lied to me. Nick lied to me. He probably laughed at me in secret when I clung tightly to him.

That anger remained until I heard the lock on the door rattle once more. Slowly, I turned to look at my visitor.

It was the man in the mask. Not that I cared anymore. He pointed at me and then gestured me over.

"Why don't you ever say anything?" I asked him.

No response. Typical.

"Worried I'll recognize your voice?" I asked as I made my approach, "Hmm, do I know you?"

He only looked at me with those cold eyes before stepping aside for me to walk out with him.

When I didn't move, he began to reach out to grab my arm.

"Don't touch me" I stepped away and glared at him. When he retreated, I calmed down, "I'll walk"

And so I did. I stepped behind him and followed the path down the hall towards the stairs.

We made our way down like Penelope and I had done a day before. He led me through the house and through the front door. Even now, I received no shortage of stares.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we walked into the compound and down one of the paths. "Hey!" I raised my voice to get his attention.

When he wouldn't say anything, I stopped walking. The last thing I was going to do was walk willingly to my slaughter.

He turned and stepped quickly towards me but I didn't budge. I only stared angrily back at him.

"I'll take it from here" I heard Miss Penelope call out as she approached.

He turned to her and nodded before he stepped away briskly.

"Forgive him," Miss Penelope said when she was standing in front of me, "He can be a bit rigid. Understanding given what he's been through"

Miss Penelope took more steps forward and placed a hand on my shoulder, "Come dear. How about we continue our story?"

I followed quietly without argument.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked me as we walked.

I shook my head.

"Well, it can't have been easy to digest everything I revealed to you. I can only imagine how you feel."

I said nothing still. There was something about her that made me choose to remain quiet in her presence.

We only walked a short distance before ending our journey beneath the shade of a large beech tree. The sun was too high in the sky to walk like we'd done the day before.

"King Richard had a problem," Miss Penelope began when we were settled in the shade, "There had been growing unrest for a few years. The people were growing more and more opposed to the concept of aristocracy with each passing scandal. He couldn't figure out how those he called nobility kept having their dirty secrets out for all Lenoria to see"

"Some may call us revolutionaries. The king would certainly call us traitors. Regardless of what we were called, we had one goal. To make the people see the true nature of those that ruled over us"

"It wasn't very difficult," she told me, "The dukes, the Marquesses, they all had dirty laundry to spare"

It felt like I was being told something I shouldn't know about. It all felt very dangerous.

"To make matters worse, his succession wasn't secure. Among his children, one was female, the other was a buffoon, and the last had no interest in the company of women." she laughed. "What a cruel joke-- if you were the king. If you opposed the monarchy, this was a golden opportunity"

"The people's approval for the crown plummeted as more secrets were revealed. I began to believe I could see an end to monarchy in my lifetime"

She shook her head slowly and we stood in silence for a moment. I thought it was quite a beautiful day with the light streaming through the trees.

"And then you came along" she continued after a pause, "When we spoke in the theatre, I couldn't possibly grasp what kind of impact you would have on this country. With that smile, you dismantled everything we worked for. The king suddenly had a favorable heir. Smart, decisive, favored by the people, and most importantly, he wasn't a woman which was Princess Sophia's only flaw"

"You gave the King a perfect heir by squashing all the rumors of Nicholas' sexuality. To make matters worse, the people loved you-- they loved the idea of you. They began to see themselves in you, a commoner becoming royalty before their very eyes"

Miss Penelope sighed in frustration, "The more they loved you, the more they loved Nicholas and the royal family by extension. By the time we unveiled Viscount Montague's crimes for all to see, nobody cared"

"Nobody cared" she repeated after a pause, "We'd unveiled all his dirty dealings, and still, all anyone wanted to talk about was how beautiful you looked standing next to the Prince"

"I didn't--" I tried to say but she quickly interrupted me.

"You didn't know? Of course, you didn't. How could you?" she asked, "You were only ever a pawn"

"I'm sorry" I felt compelled to say.

"That doesn't matter anymore," she told me, "All that matters is what you do now that you know everything"

"I don't know what to do" I admitted. Once again, I felt overwhelmed. I'd been oblivious to everything going on around me. Hell, I'd been preparing to spend my life here with Nick, blind to everything.

"We have some time left," She said, "Go back to your room. I'm sure you know your way back by now?"

I nodded.

"Rest now, my dear," she said finally, "And think of what you want to do. I will ask again"

=^..^=

Two days. That was the amount of time we had left. I'd spent the whole time in agony as I replayed every moment in my head. But now it was over. The time had come.

Miss Penelope walked into the room with the soldier by her side. There was a sense of urgency that hadn't been there before.

Miss Penelope invited me to walk with her and I did. I followed her out of that room and down the hall as usual.

"Have you given any more thought to what we discussed?" she asked me as we made our way down the stairs together.

"Yes," I replied.

As soon as we reached the main area, I immediately noticed how much of the usual weaponry was missing. The last of which was being packed away and carried out of the house.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The King's forces will be coming to rescue you tonight," she informed me, "The RGSF no less. The King must really value you if he's sending them after you"

"RGSF?" I asked.

"Royal Guard Special Forces. A brutal bunch. We certainly do not want to be here when they arrive"

"We're leaving?" I asked again glancing around the mostly empty room.

"That is up to you," she told me. "The time has come for you to make a decision. Come with us, or stay and be rescued"

"You'll just-- let me go?" I asked, "Just like that"

"Just like that," she told me, "You've never been a prisoner here, Amelia. If you choose to stay, you will be returning to your actual prison"

I glanced over at the soldier who stood watching me with those cold eyes and then back at Miss Penelope. Sure they could have been testing me but I got the sense that wasn't what was happening here.

"Um, can I have a few minutes to think it over?" I asked.

It was crazy to go with them right? They'd violently kidnapped me and brought me here against my will. Why would I willingly stay with them?

But then, Miss Penelope had been the only one to ever tell me the truth.

"I'm afraid not," she replied, "We're leaving immediately with or without you."

I was tired of being lied to. I admired her bluntness. I had grown to really respect her despite essentially being her captive. I wanted to go with her.

But I couldn't. Not when there was still the unfinished business of Nick's deception. I needed to get to the bottom of everything. I needed to look him in the eyes and ask him if anything we shared had been real.

"I'm staying," I said finally.

She nodded, "A shame. You've spent your time in this country as the King's symbol. I had hoped you would become ours. Truly a shame. On your knees" she commanded.

Was she going to kill me now that I had given the wrong answer?

"Ma'am," The masked soldier spoke for the first time in my presence. We both turned to look at him and found him shaking his head as if telling her to reconsider.

"We will not win our country back by holding little girls against their will," she said to him, "Bind her"

He looked like he wanted to say something but decided against it. Instead, he walked up to me and unveiled a zip-tie, "Kneel!" he said angrily.

Slowly I dropped to my knees after which he walked behind me and bound my hands together.

"You're really letting me go?" I asked her as the soldier stepped away into another room.

"Of course. I am not your enemy, Amelia. I hope you can see that."

"Aren't you worried I'll tell them about you?"

She laughed, "Oh child, this is my home. I think that ship has long since sailed. Besides, I am done hiding. It's time to fight tyranny out in the open for all the world to see. Now the real war begins."

The soldier returned. By now, everything in the room had been cleared out. It was just the three of us left.

I looked at him and found him holding a rag. I scurried backward instinctively.

He approached and I looked to Miss Penelope for assistance. This was always the plan.

I steeled myself as he forced me to breathe the slightly sweet-smelling chemical.

"Returning to the lion's den," Miss Penelope's voice was the last thing I heard, "Is it bravery or stupidity I wonder"

=^..^=

A lot has happened since then. I'd awoken to the front door of the house being broken down and several men rushing in. They'd found me lying there, bound and coughing violently.

I'd groaned as one of the men lifted me effortlessly into the night sky while the others swept the rest of the house.

I remember everything being so loud. Or was that just the helicopter? I don't remember. It was all fuzzy now.

All I know is I'd been brought here, wherever here was. The room looked like a hospital room but a lot bigger.

I remember someone had tried to get me to strip. Something about an inspection but someone else had stepped in. Something about an order from the king that prevented me from being subjected to any of their usual procedure.

I don't know. I couldn't think straight. Like I'd been trying to tell the doctor in front of me asking me all sorts of questions.

I told him my head hurt but that apparently wasn't a pressing concern. I was tired. I understood the importance of this medical checkup but did we have to do it now?

"Do you have any fever, chills, or unusual symptoms?"

"Were you in contact with anyone visibly ill?"

"Did they administer any drugs or substances to you?"

Question after question. I was getting frustrated by it all.

I was saved by the door being pushed open forcefully. I turned to look at the visitor and my heart skipped a beat.

"Your Highness, it is imperative we complete our examination before you come in contact with her" the doctor warned after hurrying to his feet.

"You, out" Nick ordered.

"Your--"

Nick glared at him and he said no more. He only bowed before hurrying past my boyfriend and out the door.

His face softened as he turned to look at me and so did my heart. Where did all my anger go?

Nick rushed over to meet me. He sat on the bed beside me and pulled me into a tight hug. I shuddered at his touch.

My whole body still remembered the feeling of him pressed against me. Tears rolled down my eyes.

Look what he's done to me. My anger resurfaced as I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer.

I was helpless against him. I swore I would make him pay for what he's done to me.

=^..^=

Thanks for reading as always. Let me know what you think of the story so far.

I remember.

We'd been in good spirits when we returned to Eclipton that one time. Sure it'd be hard not to miss the country estate but this castle had its own charm. Rugged and sturdy but there were certainly worse places to be in the world.

And it was particularly beautiful that day. The flowers had just begun to bloom with the start of spring. The sky was especially blue that morning and you could hear the faint chirping of birds.

Nick had whispered something dirty in my ear and laughed when I blushed uncomfortably. Yes, it had been a good morning.

There were only a handful of times in my life that I had been as truly happy as I was that day when we had just returned from our long holiday together.

We were acting like a new couple as we walked the final few steps into Eclipton Castle, holding hands and giggling with one another.

I guess that's because we were a new couple. Not that anyone outside of those aware of our initial arrangement could ever know that.

"What do you say we go up to your room?" Nick whispered in my ear after smoothly pulling me closer.

"And do what?" I asked with a smile.

"I can think of a few things," he replied.

"Welcome back Your Highness, Lady Amelia," One of the staff said after a bow. A butler if I had to guess but who could keep track of these things? There were so many servants with so many different roles, and it was hard to keep them straight. "The King has requested you join him in his study, sir"

I smiled as Nick kicked his head back in frustration, "I guess it'll have to wait" he said quietly to me.

"Don't worry, I'm patient" I leaned in and whispered very close to his ear.

He kissed me deeply, "See you soon"

I remember what it was like on that day. Today the sky was grey and covered in dark clouds as if matching my mood. Somehow the world had lost all its color.

There were a lot more people waiting for me on this return. A good number of the castle staff were lined outside, heads bowed as we walked together. There were cameras this time around as well. It was all so suffocating.

This dress was suffocating. Not because I didn't like it, but because I did when I knew I shouldn't.

The only saving grace was the fact that I didn't have to force myself to smile. I'd just been through a harrowing ordeal, the Lenorian people would understand if I didn't smile for a while.

Besides, Nick was smiling enough for both of us.

When pictures of my return begin to circulate, the people will see just how happy he is to have me back.

I glanced over at him briefly as he placed a hand on my lower back to help me up the stairs to the grand entrance.

I could tell he was happy to have me back here. I just couldn't pinpoint the particular reason why. One reason kept pushing its way to the forefront.

Maybe he was just happy to have his plaything back.

"Good Morning, Your Highness," A butler or some such called out as we walked through the doors and away from the cameras, "Lady Amelia, on behalf of the staff here at Eclipton Castle, I would like to express our greatest relief over your safe return"

"Thank you," I replied. That's when she caught my eye, standing just off to the side.

She smiled at me. She looked so relieved. It made me angry.

"Celeste" I called her name.

She spoke after a small bow, "I am very happy you're safe, my lady"

"Here, help her to her room," Nick ordered.

"I'm fine," I called out as several court ladies began approaching, "I can walk"

"You're not fine," Nick argued, "Let them help. Or would you prefer if I carried you?"

I glanced around the room and found the staff present turning away as was typical when we showed displays of affection.

"I'm fine, really," I told him.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Alright," he eventually stopped making such a fuss, "I need to find my father now so we'll talk later?"

"Yeah," I forced a smile.

That smile proved to be a mistake because Nick almost immediately moved to kiss me. I only narrowly escaped by turning my face away.

"Talk later then," I heard him say awkwardly. I couldn't tell you what expression he had on his face because I still hadn't worked up the courage to look at him.

I remained with my head turned away until he walked down the hall and away from sight.

=^..^=

I was headed to my room with Celeste close behind me but we didn't make it quite that far.

Just after reaching the floor where my room was situated, I found one of the servants waiting for me. I was sure I'd seen her sometime around the castle but couldn't possibly tell you her name.

I could make out that she was older than I was but nothing else.

She stepped up as I made my way down the hall and bowed slightly like they usually did. I thought it was odd how that no longer fazed me in the slightest. But then again, few things about my life here still did.

"Good morning, my lady. Her Highness Princess Sophia has requested you join her briefly in her chamber" she informed me.

I wanted to groan but decided against it. Wouldn't want to appear disrespectful towards the Princess. But still, couldn't she have at least allowed me a moment alone in my room?

I needed time away from everyone. I needed space to gather my thoughts. A private session with Princess Sophia was hardly that.

"Lead the way," I said finally and received a small bow in response.

=^..^=

The lady in waiting first walked into the room and closed the door behind her before reopening it a moment later.

To my surprise, Lady Olivia walked out. What was she doing there?

"Amelia," she stopped briefly in front of me.

"Lady Olivia," I replied dropping my head ever so slightly.

"I cannot imagine what you've been through," she told me, "I'm glad you're okay"

"Thank you,"

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you"

I smiled at her. Where was this coming from? Was she just saying that to be polite? Didn't she say she didn't like 'the games'?

"Go on in," she said finally, "Her Highness is waiting"

And so I did, what I found was a room that was much bigger than mine and several times more luxurious. There were a surprising amount of books as well.

In fact, I found her holding one while perched on a long sofa. There was an open bottle of wine in front of her and a glass that was almost empty.

I wondered why she was here at Eclipton instead of at Rosemont with her husband and child but that is just the sort of thing you keep to yourself.

She hadn't been here in the days before the Ice Hockey celebration so she would have arrived in however long it had been since then.

I curtsied just as I'd done many times up till this point. I had gotten quite good at it.

"You know--" Princess Sophia began before looking up from the book she was reading, "It is forbidden for any man that isn't the Grand Duke to set foot in this room. The penalty is death. With that in mind, you, my dear are either a woman or you're committing a heinous act in my presence. Which is it?"

She'd invited me here so you can understand why I'd be a bit confused. I could only stare back at her. I had nothing to say. I didn't know the answer to that question.

"I don't know," I replied.

"You don't know? I would think one of those options would be much more favorable compared to the other"

She was right. If I had to pick, I knew which one I'd choose. But why was she asking me that in the first place? What did she want? I was too exhausted for this.

Thankfully, it didn't take long to get answers to my questions.

"Here, pick up the phone," she gestured to a smartphone resting on a coffee table in front of her.

I did as she bid.

"Go on, take a look at it," she urged me onward, "That is proof of a trust I've had set up with you as the sole beneficiary. 10 million euros as we agreed"

My eyes widened. I wouldn't pretend to understand all of what I saw but I got enough of it.

'Declaration of Trust,' I read the contents of a document in my head.

Morgan was listed as the beneficiary. There was some law firm I didn't recognize listed as the trustee alongside their contact information.

Initial Amount: €10,000,000.00

That was more zeroes than I'd ever seen attached to a currency. I swallowed hard. If this was real, I'd be set for life. I wouldn't have to deal with this bullshit ever again.

I could just disappear.

"What do I have to do?"

"Take a seat," she tapped the sofa twice to signal me over. "I'll tell you"

=^..^=

I felt like I couldn't breathe even as I stumbled into my room. I could never have imagined she'd ask me to do that. Why would she ask me to do that?

I couldn't, could I?

If she'd asked me to do this when she first offered me the money, I would have surely declined. Right?

I couldn't say for sure. It was 10 million euros. An absolutely insane amount to me. And it was all mine to keep if I did this.

I collapsed on my bed. In normal circumstances, I might have been overjoyed to be back in my own bed but I couldn't think about that, not when Princess Sophia had just dropped a bomb in my lap.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

Her.

I hadn't even let myself think of her. The thought that my closest friend would have been manipulating me was too much to bear so I'd shoved the thought aside just so I could function without screaming.

If I let myself feel what I wanted to, I would surely lose my mind.

"Can I get some water?" I asked her with a smile. How I managed that, I couldn't tell you.

"Of course, my lady"

My smile remained until she exited the room at which point it washed away with no trace.

My hands were shaking. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed once again. I was dealing with the revelations of being manipulated and now this request from Sophia, to betray everything I once loved.

I couldn't do it. I had to decline, right? No matter had happened, how could I do this?

I forced myself to my feet. Things had gone so far out of control.

I began removing the dress. I needed to see myself without all of this femininity. Remember what I look like.

The adhesive on the breast forms was already wearing off. Good, I needed all of it off.

I let the dress fall to the floor before making my way over to the mirror. It had been so long since I'd seen my full reflection.

I frowned at the girl who stared back at me. I still looked way too feminine.

My satin slip and underskirt were the next to go. Still too feminine.

Celeste returned just before I was about to begin removing my bra. I noticed she had brought a pitcher of water but on the tray, there was something else. Something that admittedly sent me into a bit of a frenzy.

How dare she?

I walked briskly up to her and stared at the injection on the tray. Intended for me I assume.

I took the injection in my hands and glared at her.

"Put down the tray," I ordered her.

"Yes, my lady"

I followed her with my eyes as she placed the tray on the vanity.

I couldn't believe this. They just wanted to continue right where they left off?

And Celeste, my friend. It broke my heart.

"Remove your dress," I told her.

"What?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

"Are you deaf?"

"My lady, I don't understand"

"I said--" I reached towards her and pulled at the garment roughly, "Remove it!"

She looked shocked, to say the least, but she began to do as I asked, albeit slowly.

"The underskirt too"

"My lady!" she complained.

"Do it," I replied quickly, "Didn't you say I'm like one of your sisters?" I reminded her of her own words. "What do we have to hide from each other?"

She continued undressing slowly. I didn't press. I had all the time in the world. I waited as she undressed until she remained only in her underwear.

"Stay still," I told her before testing the syringe by pushing in with my thumb until a bit of the liquid shot out.

"My lady, no, you can't!" she stepped away.

"No?" I asked, "You don't like it?"

She didn't say anything else. She only stared in disbelief.

I took one step towards her and she took one away. I sighed.

"Do you know what this does?" I asked her while waving the syringe around.

She shook her head.

"See, I don't believe you. I think you do."

She shook her head again. I could tell she was afraid.

"I'll make this easy for you," I told her, "You either stand still, or I walk up to His Majesty's chambers and inform him that you graciously told me what this does"

I took another step forward and this time she didn't move, "Now I don't know what the King will have to say to that. Maybe he won't care. Or maybe he punishes those sisters that I'm apparently so alike"

I took a step forward and she remained frozen in place.

"Up to you," I added as I approached her. When she didn't move, I went to work. I placed the syringe on her upper thigh just as she always did to me, pushed it in, and pressed the plunger as far as it would go.

"You will not tell anyone about this. As long as you keep quiet, so will I. No one has to know" I told her. "Do you understand?"

God, she looked terrified as she nodded.

"Good, please tell the kitchen I'm hungry, will you?" I said as I walked over to drop the empty syringe in the tray.

"Yes, my lady" she answered dejectedly.

Sure I could have just poured the contents into the sink, but wouldn't that have been too easy on my good, friend Celeste?

=^..^=

'Nothing makes sense anymore' I thought to myself as I stared at my naked body in the mirror. Every piece of Amelia was gone but I still saw her standing there staring back at me.

My body was no different but it felt like everything else was. I'd misplaced the person I once was and it felt like he'd been lost for quite some time. I was only just realizing it now.

I'd gone to take a long shower hoping that by the time I finished, I would feel more like myself again but it was far from it.

I felt horrible about everything that had happened and worst of all I felt alone. I thought coming back here to face my problems head-on was the right choice but I was wrong.

I needed to leave and to do that, I needed to accept Princess Sophia's offer.

I jumped slightly when I heard knocking on the door. Who was it now? Celeste would usually just walk in but after the earlier events, it wasn't far-fetched to think she wouldn't be so carefree around me anymore.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's me," Nick called out, "I'm coming in"

"Don't, I'm undressed," I replied while making my way to the closet to grab a robe.

"When has that ever stopped us?" I heard him laugh. After a short pause, he added, "Is everything alright?"

I remained quiet until I had wrapped the robe securely around my naked body and walked to open the door.

My heart began to beat quicker when I saw him. He was dressed more casually now. The white shirt he wore was missing several buttons, in fact.

How very sly of him. He knew what it did to me when he did that.

"Hey baby," he smiled at me. He knew all my buttons. It didn't help.

He walked up to me, wrapped an arm around me, and pulled me close. Again, I turned away when he went for the kiss.

Once again, he stepped away and there were several excruciating seconds of silence.

"You know, I get it," he told me, "It's common for people that have experienced something horrible like you have to be withdrawn. A kind of reaction to the trauma"

"Did you google that?" I asked him.

"I did," he smiled. If things between us had been normal, I might have found that charming.

I forced a smile.

"What I'm trying to say is I understand," he continued, "I'm not going to rush you. In fact, I think you could do with a little space until you're ready. And I will be here when you're ready. Oh God, I've missed you so much. I've been a zombie for the last 2 weeks not knowing if I'll ever see you again"

He reached for my hand and I instinctively pulled it away.

"Just seeing you here safe is enough for me," I watched his face turn from one of compassion to one of anger, "I will find the people who did this and make them regret ever touching you"

I was quiet until he closed my door behind him.

Surprisingly, that visit cemented my decision. I was going to take Sophia on her offer. I couldn't be here anymore.

It was just too hard.

=^..^=

"This evening, the King will send for you"

Princess Sophia had said that earlier and it had proven true.

Celeste had delivered the message that the King had requested my presence and had helped prepare me for the audience.

The makeup she applied to my face was very light, about as light as the amount of words spoken between us that evening.

It suited me just fine, I had my mind elsewhere anyway.

"One moment, my lady," one of the guards at the door of the King's drawing room said to me, "I will announce your arrival"

My heart began to beat quicker and quicker. There was no going back after this.

My heart beat faster as the guard returned and pushed open the door for me.

Inside, I found the whole family.

The King and Queen sat together like they always did. Theodore sat with his brother to their left and Sophia sat with her husband, the Grand Duke and Supreme Chief of Staff.

I realized this was the first room where I'd met their Majesties, and now we'd come full circle.

"Amelia," the Queen was the first to speak, "We're so terribly sorry to pull you away from your rest. I promise this won't take long. When we're done, I will send a tonic up to help you sleep"

"I'm told there's something I need to hear," The King said impatiently.

"I received a transcript of Lady Amelia's interview post-rescue. My dear, may I say how pleased I am at your return," The Grand Duke stepped in, "Well, of course, it might be nothing but I thought I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't at least bring it to Your Majesty's attention"

"Where is this transcript?" The King asked.

"I thought it best you hear it straight from her lips. Lady Amelia, would you please tell us what you overheard while captured."

I looked around the room, my gaze briefly stopping on Sophia who paid me no attention. She almost looked bored by the proceedings.

I looked at Nick who looked back at me with those eyes filled with care.

I took in a deep breath and prepared to cross the Rubicon.

"'With-- with the prince helping us, we may actually win this war'" I forced the words past my lips, "I heard the ones that took me say that when they thought I was unconscious"

=^..^=

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Thanks for reading :) Leave a comment.

Confusion spread throughout the room as members of the family began looking around at each other.

"The Prince?" the King asked me and I could only nod.

"That's preposterous," the Queen said to no one in particular.

I watched Nicholas and Theodore briefly glance at each other before turning their attention back to me.

I steeled myself so they couldn't tell that I was telling a bold lie. I kept myself from looking at Sophia who hadn't yet said a word.

"Rowland, what do you think about this?" The King turned to the man seated beside him.

He cleared his throat before speaking, "We've long suspected there was a mole close to Your Majesty. I have not once believed the leaked information was a natural occurrence. That said, I find it hard to believe either of the Princes could be involved."

"Father this is ridiculous," Theodore stepped up, "I mean, what are we talking about here? She's obviously mistaken"

"Yes, surely Amelia heard wrong," the Queen agreed, "She's been through so much. She can't be sure of whatever she's saying"

"Or you know, I'm sure they just said that when they knew she'd be listening" Theodore added with a little smile seemingly pleased with himself to have cracked the case.

"I think we take a step back and interview her some more," the Grand Duke spoke up again, "I'm sure we can find some clarity"

"Are you certain?" the king asked me with that commanding voice of his.

I glanced over at Nick and found a look of pure disbelief on his face.

"I'll never forget it," I spoke after turning my attention back to the King, "That's what they said,"

"Did you do this?" King Richard asked his son, Theodore.

"Father, you know I didn't" Theodore quickly replied, "Why would I ever?"

"I almost wish this was you," King Richard replied after a pause, "At least then I would know you have the nerve to be a strong king"

"I have only ever done what you asked," Theodore said.

"I know," King Richard turned to his other son, "Nicholas--"

Nick was staring at me with those eyes, paying his father no mind.

"Amelia, would you leave us for a moment?" The king asked me while the Prince's eyes and mine remained locked together.

I broke away from his gaze. Curtsied respectfully and turned to leave.

"Sit down, Nicholas" I heard the King's voice with my back turned. I turned to find my boyfriend walking up to me.

He took my hand and pulled me out of the room even as his father tried and failed to order him back.

When we were outside the room, I got a proper look at the pain in his eyes.

"Baby, what you're saying is impossible" he spoke with such urgency, "I'm trying to understand but--" His voice trailed away.

When I didn't say anything, he continued, "Are you not feeling alright? You've been acting strangely all day and I thought it was just the trauma-- is that what this is?"

"I'm fine," I turned away from him. I couldn't bear the look in those eyes anymore, "I only answered the question I was asked"

He let go of my hand and I realized I'd been clasping tightly onto his, "What you're saying is impossible"

"It's--" I started to say something but couldn't find the words.

"My brother would never do this. He adores my father, he would never work with some rebels to kidnap you!" I could tell there was no chance in hell he would ever believe that about Prince Theodore. It left only one option.

"Are you saying I did this?" he asked me.

"Did you?"

It's funny how trust works. You lose it and suddenly everything is on the table. He'd manipulated me into loving him, who knows what else he was capable of?

Still, it broke my heart when he turned away from me abruptly. My heart shattered more and more with each step he took away from me back into the drawing room.

=^..^=

My bed felt great, big and empty. Even more so than the one at Miss Penelope's. This one was supposed to have Nick in it. He was supposed to have his arm around me as we slept providing me with warmth.

It was cold and quiet this morning. I began to wonder whether I'd made a mistake. It was the first time I considered that maybe I didn't mind so much if Nick had been controlling me. I wanted him anyway.

Or maybe that was only a result of their conditioning. I remember thinking as I pulled myself out of bed how terrible it was not to be able to trust your own feelings.

Wondering where Celeste was, I pulled at the rope beside my bed. Regardless of her feelings about yesterday, she still had to attend to me whether she liked it or not.

When a minute had passed, I pulled at the rope once again, this time letting my frustration show.

It took her an unreasonable amount of time to arrive at my door. I might have dwelled on it if I hadn't heard the door unlock before it opened.

"Good morning, my lady" Celeste bowed as she walked in holding a tray of food.

"Was that door locked?" I asked her quickly.

"Yes, my lady." she replied, "Her Majesty has requested you remain in your room"

"Locked in my room?" I asked, confused, "Why?"

"I don't know, my lady" she answered quietly, "May I help you get dressed?"

"Why? It's not like I'm going anywhere" I replied in a petulant manner.

"Is there anything else I can help with?" Celeste asked once more with her head turned away from me.

I noticed how rigid she was being and felt just a little bit of guilt.

"Nothing," I replied quietly.

Celeste had no more words for me. She only made her way back to the door, locking it behind her. I could have complained but immediately knew it'd be pointless. No one in the castle would disobey a direct order from the Queen. What I needed to do was figure out why she'd given it in the first place.

=^..^=

As if I couldn't believe it until I checked for myself, I walked up to the door and pulled at the handle. It was indeed locked.

It quickly started to feel like it did when I was Miss Penelope's prisoner all over again. I'd only traded one prison for another.

I returned to my bed still dressed in my nightgown well into the day. I lay in a fetal position and let my mind wonder.

I thought of Princess Sophia and when she planned to fulfill her end of the bargain. It occurred to me that we hadn't actually talked about it but surely she intended to get me away from here.

It was clear there was nothing left for me in Lenoria. That became even clearer when the handle of my door rattled later that day.

It rattled and then it was pulled forcefully.

"Morgan, open the door" I heard Nick's voice come through.

I didn't respond. In truth, I couldn't bear to look at him. Was it shame or anger? Both?

"Morgan" I heard him call out my name once again and this time, staying quiet was an even tougher ordeal.

"Fuck!" he raised his voice and kicked the door causing me to jump, "Open-- fuck!"

"I can't" I replied. In hindsight, not the smartest thing I could have done.

Nick hit the door again, two times too many, before storming off.

I lay back in bed and groaned. I was so tired.

I wished I could return to the country estate before any of this had happened. I wanted to be in that library again. I wished I could go back to the time before I was kidnapped, before learning the truth, certainly before yesterday evening.

=^..^=

Celeste returned later in the day with a light snack and a tonic on the Queen's order.

"Where's Prince Nicholas?" I asked her.

"I don't know, my lady" she replied while placing the tray on my table beside the previous one.

I really did feel like a prisoner.

"Would you like me to help you get cleaned up?" she asked me.

I could only shake my head.

We remained in silence until it grew uncomfortable with her standing in the corner watching me.

"You may go," I told her.

"Her Majesty has requested you drink the tonic" Celeste replied.

"I will when I'm feeling up to it" I replied.

"She's asked me to remain until you do"

Naturally, I grew quite suspicious.

"What is it?" I asked, eyeing the bowl on my vanity.

"It should make you feel better," Celeste replied, "Her Majesty is worried since you've been through so much and you're looking very thin, my lady"

"I'm fine," I told her.

"Please, my lady" She pleaded, "Her Majesty herself is very fond of this tonic. It's very healthy"

I sighed. It didn't seem like there was any way out of this. It was the Queen's order after all.

"Bring it here," I asked her and she obeyed. A moment later, she was handing it over to me while I remained seated at my bedside.

I eyed the liquid in the bowl suspiciously. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. It's not like they could poison me, could they?

I chuckled at the thought. No, that was ridiculous.

I brought the bowl to my lips and poured the tonic down my throat. It tasted a bit like grapes. Again, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, my lady?" Celeste asked again.

I shook my head.

=^..^=

Whatever was in it, it made me incredibly tired and sleepy within the next hour. I found myself dozed off so long that I didn't wake up until late that night. I had entirely missed dinner.

I pulled myself out of bed trying desperately to ignore the feeling that there was someone missing in it.

I pushed my way into the bathroom and sat on the toilet to pee, the whole time wondering what Nick was doing.

I mentally kicked myself for missing him so much. He had been manipulating me, why was it so easy to forget that fact and long for his presence?

And I'd been off the drug for weeks now, shouldn't I have been over it by now?

After peeing, I began to realize how filthy I felt and decided to take a shower.

While I scrubbed, I decided I couldn't just stay locked in here forever. I had to do something about it. I decided I needed to meet Princess Sophia the very next day and demand she come through on her end.

Turns out there would be no need to make a fuss. She would request my presence the very next morning.

=^..^=

I was awoken by Celeste walking into the room. She'd informed me that she was here to help me get dressed to meet the Princess in the garden.

After a quick shower, it was time for the gaff once again, and eventually the breastforms.

With each layer from the silk undergarments to the blouse and high-waisted tailored trousers, I got the sense that it was time to be Amelia again.

I was just glad to be out of the room.

"Come, my dear," Princess Sophia beckoned me over to take a seat beside her underneath the gazebo, "Have a seat"

"Good Morning, Your Highness" I curtsied before accepting her offer. The rules of the Royal household had become second nature to me by now. I knew just how to act as a young lady in the presence of royalty. But how much longer would I have to play this part?

"You look better this morning" Sophia commented. I had thought so too when I glanced in the mirror this morning. I also felt more like my old self after the long rest yesterday.

Well as much like my old self as was possible without Nick by my side.

"Thank you, Your Highness" I replied, "I was hoping--"

"Tut," she interrupted me with a wave of her finger, "I invited you here so it is only proper that you listen more than you speak"

"Apologies, Your Highness"

"I brought you here because I thought you should know that my dear little brother left the country this morning. Your boyfriend, that is"

I stared at her blankly, it was taking me a moment to put her words together.

"I had tried to get Father to make him stay but neither one of our parents has ever been able or willing to stop Nicky from doing whatever he wanted--"

"I don't understand," I finally found my voice, "Nick left?"

"Even when the writing's on the wall that he's betrayed this family, they still let him do whatever he wants. Can you imagine that?" she asked before reaching for a half-full glass of wine in front of her. "Shall I pour you a glass?"

"You're lying," I told her.

"Oh, he left this morning, that much is certain. Father even let him use the jet" she replied.

"No, he wouldn't"

"You believe he wouldn't leave you here? You did--" she paused and I could see hints of a smile, "frame him, you know that right?"

"I know, I just--"

"Our father believes he's feeding this rebellion against our family. You did that"

"You asked me too" I argued.

"And you performed beautifully," she told me, "Truly. I couldn't have done it better myself"

It might have been delusional of me but I still couldn't believe Nick would leave me here alone. I was in Lenoria because of him. He brought me here.

God, I couldn't be here any longer.

"I've done my part," I told her plainly, all decorum was now out the window, "I want to leave. Give me my money and help me get out of here. I did what you asked"

"Slow down now," she replied and I watched her reach out, pour me a glass of wine and slide it in my direction, "Drink"

When I only stared at the red liquid in the glass, she added, "Go on"

I sighed, reached over, and took the glass in my hand. I looked at her once again before bringing the glass to my lips.

"Thanks to your masterful performance," Sophia continued, "I am the one of my father's children that isn't a complete screw-up. He's placed me in charge of quelling the rebellion. They've gotten a lot bolder since you were with them. There was an attack on an outpost late last night. I'd like you to help me get rid of them as you Americans say"

Her words had caused some of the wine to spill past my lips and stain my blouse. With shaky hands, I returned the cup to its previous position.

"That's a very expensive vintage you're spilling"

"I already did what you asked. I need you to hold up your end"

"What do you think this was for?" She leaned forward looking a bit more serious. "You think I just hate my brother and sought to ruin my father's opinion of him on a whim?"

"What do you want from me?" I asked in frustration.

"The job isn't done. Far from it," she told me.

I couldn't believe this. I pushed Nick away, and for what? Now he's gone and I'm here alone.

"I can promise that you'll never have to do anything like that again," Princess Sophia continued, "The hard part is over. From now on, you only need to do what you've been doing all this time."

"I don't want to be here" I said quietly.

"Not long now, my dear" Sophia reached over and touched my hand. I think it was the first time I ever touched her, "Help me quell the rebellion and I give you my word, you can leave Lenoria and forget all about us"

"How can I even help you with this?" I asked her, "I'm insignificant"

"You underestimate yourself," she rubbed my hand slightly, "We will do great things together"

I was going to protest but she stopped me in my tracks.

"Return to your room and get changed," she said finally, "We're going out"

=^..^=

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Hi sorry this took so long. I did lose my job and wasn't in a position to write if you were wondering. Anyway, thanks for sticking around.

April 15, Midday

I was having trouble breathing as I stood in front of the convoy awaiting Princess Sophia's arrival.

I couldn't help but wonder how I managed to find my way back here, preparing to embark on yet another journey in service of the crown.

Months had passed since that first tour day and it felt like nothing had changed. I was dressed in a chic outfit chosen by the stylists, my makeup was expertly done as usual to match the occasion of the day, and the convoy of SUVs and Sedans was ready to carry us across the city.

The only thing different was the fact that I'd traded a Prince for a Princess as my companion.

I glanced around at our entourage. Security was also tighter this time around. For one, there was the expected unrest in the city following the increased rebel activity. There was also the fact that I'd been kidnapped once before and this was to be my return to the public eye.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Princess Sophia's approach as the staff bowed. I straightened up and prepared to curtsy as was expected of me.

"Good morning, Your Highness" I greeted when she was in range.

She nodded, "Get in, we have to get you prepared".

'For what?' I thought to myself as one of the guards opened the door for me.

Inside, I watched an exchange as a woman I didn't recognize who was sitting in the passenger seat handed Princess Sophia what looked like cards.

"Morning, Your Highness" the woman spoke in a polished, reserved manner.

I couldn't pay much attention to her because Princess Sophia was handing me the cards soon after.

"Memorize those," she told me.

"Ma'am if I may," the woman spoke up again, "it's my conclusion that the Lenorian people resonate deeper with Lady Amelia when her reactions are organic and viewed as genuine and unfiltered"

"I'm aware" Princess Sophia replied briefly before turning her attention back to me, "Memorize those," she repeated while nodding at the cards in my hand.

I flipped through the five cards in my hands and eyed the plethora of words written on them.

I read through one of the cards, "Today, we stand on ground soaked with the blood of loyal Lenorians who gave their lives in service of this great nation. Their sacrifice was not an accident, but a calculated act of cruelty carried out by those--" I paused and turned to the princess, "I can't memorize all this" I said as I flipped through four more identical cards.

"You'll have the cards with you, just read through them enough so you don't sound like a robot up there" Princess Sophia replied.

I'd never had to give a speech before. That was always Nick's thing. I was content just being by his side cheering him on. I never wanted to be center stage.

Why'd he have to leave? How was I supposed to do this without him here?

When I noticed Princess Sophia wasn't paying me any more mind, I did the only thing I could do, I read the cards.

=^..^=

You could see the smoke long before we arrived at the outpost. We'd already passed one checkpoint manned by soldiers of the Lenorian Army and had arrived at yet another one.

This outpost was located near the outskirts of the capital surrounded by sparse vegetation. A large dish atop the main concrete structure betrayed a communication-related purpose.

A barricade had been set up away from the main gate behind which members of the press had gathered hoping to get any more information regarding the situation.

As we drove past them and I got a better look at the damage, I remember being drawn to the black, scorch marks along the outpost walls.

When we drove through the gates, I found the first hint at the deadly nature of this attack. There was blood on the guard tower window.

"Welcome, Your Highness," The princess was greeted with a salute by two officers as soon as we stepped into the afternoon. I glanced around inconspicuously to note that the soldiers around were standing still and saluting as well, "I am Colonel Taverner and this is Captain Renaud"

Princess Sophia nodded gracefully before speaking, "Colonel, Captain, I wish you could have met under better circumstances"

"If it were only so, Your Highness," the Colonel responded.

"You know Lady Amelia Beaumont, I assume" The Princess continued.

"Only of her" The colonel responded after which both men nodded in my direction.

"You're in charge here?" Princess Sophia asked while taking in our environment. The broken windows and gunshot holes were hard to miss.

"Yes ma'am, trying to make sense of it all," The colonel replied, "Captain Renaud here was the senior officer at this outpost. I arrived following the attack"

"It must have been a harrowing ordeal," Sophia turned her attention to the other officer.

"Nothing we weren't trained for," Captain Renaud replied, "Although I must admit, I hadn't expected the rebels to be so brazen"

Princess Sophia sighed, "No one did, Captain. The situation is more dire than we thought"

"Indeed"

"I'd like a play-by-play of everything that happened no matter how insignificant"

"Of course, Your Highness"

Princess Sophia turned her attention back to me, "Have you read the cards?"

"Yes, but I still don't think--"

"You can do this," she stopped me, "I believe in you"

As quickly as she'd turned to me, she'd turned away whispering something in the ear of the woman from earlier.

Princess Sophia was headed elsewhere. I had a different job as would be explained to me. My job was to take pictures amidst the rubble.

Sometimes there would be a soldier or another explaining the purpose of the destroyed equipment, other times I'd have to pretend I didn't see the camera in front of me as they captured the destruction in the background.

I couldn't have guessed that all of that was only warming me up for the visit to the makeshift morgue where the casualties were being kept before transport.

It caught me so off-guard seeing those bodies lying there that I audibly gasped in shock and covered my mouth to keep from screaming. I turned to look away and found a camera in my face.

In a frenzy, I pushed passed everyone and hurried outside where I sobbed. It wasn't about the fatalities although that certainly had a hand in it. It was everything. It was the fact that this was my life now.

"Are you ready for your speech?" I heard Sophia's voice behind me.

"Can I have a minute?" I turned sharply with a slightly raised voice.

"No," she replied taking no offense, "Now's the time. Use everything you're feeling and read those cards"

I stared at her in disbelief but she was serious. She was expecting her trained monkey to step onto her stage and perform.

And so I would.

I went to clean the tears from my eyes but she stopped me, "No, leave them"

Princess Sophia led me through the Outpost gates and back towards the barricades where the press awaited. I scoffed when I noticed a lectern had even been set up, atop which my cards were waiting for me.

This was my life now.

I stepped up and took the cards in my hands preparing to clap and dance as instructed.

The members of the press were quiet and waiting eagerly for me to say something. It hit me. They were eager to listen to me, not Sophia.

'They want my honest thoughts? Well here' I thought to myself as I let the cards fall from my hands back onto the lectern.

"Not even two weeks ago, I was taken," I began using the same feminine voice that had long since become second nature. In fact, I wasn't even sure if I could sound like a boy anymore even if I tried.

I tried my best to keep from looking at Princess Sophia who by now must be aware that I was going off script. But it was too late for her to do anything now.

"I was taken by the same people that were the masterminds behind today's attack."

"I was drugged, beaten, starved, but ultimately I was let go. And for a time, I thought maybe they weren't so bad. After all, they could have killed me but they didn't."

I looked at the faces in the crowd and how they hung on my every word. I could say whatever I wanted in that moment and the whole country of Lenoria would listen. I felt powerful.

"But that is the infection they have sought to spread. The thought that maybe rebellion isn't so bad. Go in there and you will see what their rebellion has brought, innocent Lenorians brutally murdered. That is all they can offer and I can't stand for that"

In the end, I chose my survival. The goal was leaving this place and the only way I could see to achieve that was by ending the rebellion as Princess Sophia asked. I did what the monarchy expected of me and passed with flying colors.

=^..^=

April 21, Morning

It had been a week since rebel activity picked up. A curfew had been put in place with only essential personnel exempt from the new rule. There's been increased military presence in and around the capital city and it wouldn't have been public knowledge but communication would have been monitored to an increased degree.

None of that mattered to me though. More importantly, it had been a week since Nick left me here.

At this point, I didn't even care so much about the manipulation which was strange because I'd been off the compound for so long that I could no longer blame my feelings for Nick on it.

As far as I was concerned, I wanted him back. Morgan wanted him back and I had no way to talk to him.

"My lady, can I come in?" I heard Celeste at the door. She'd been there earlier to bring my breakfast and help me dress so I couldn't for the life of me tell you what she wanted now.

"Yes," I replied just loud enough for her to hear.

Celeste made her way into my room while I was looking away, busy on my phone that thankfully had been returned to me. I had been going crazy with boredom in the days after returning to Eclipton.

"I was thinking about taking a walk through the garden, do I need a shawl or is it warm enough?" I asked without turning away from the article I was engrossed with.

"My lady?" I heard Celeste call out again and I turned to look at her holding a tray. From the look on her face, I had a pretty good guess what it was.

I stood slowly and approached her to confirm my suspicions. In the tray was the injection, the tool of their manipulation.

I sighed and picked it up. I could see the fear in Celeste's eyes as I did. At that moment, I became a bit more understanding of Lady Olivia. I too was tired of the games.

I briskly walked into the bathroom and emptied the contents down the sink. I returned and placed the empty syringe back on the tray. It was worth it even if only to see the fear in her eyes dissipate.

I was no longer angry, just tired.

=^..^=

May 25, Afternoon

Lance Corporal Edward "Eddie" Wolcott. The latest name on everyone's lips. A 22-year-old soldier in the Lenorian Army had been 1 of 3 people killed in the latest skirmish between the army and some rebels at a checkpoint.

Lots of people had died so you might be wondering what was so special about Eddie. Well, Eddie was what you might call an influencer with over 650 thousand followers. Eddie who was quite good looking made fitness content right from the barracks.

The people were particularly distraught about his death so Princess Sophia and I were making a courtesy visit to his parents. Cameras were present of course as we sat in the living room having tea with them.

"I could never have imagined we'd ever get the chance to meet you, Your Highness" the grieving mother spoke.

"I only wish it was under better circumstances" Princess Sophia replied, "I hope you know how much your son meant to my family. We grieve all the senseless losses sustained in this pathetic rebellion"

The couple who had just lost their son seemed to take solace in her words.

"I watched Eddie online," I spoke up. It was a lie that Princess Sophia had asked me to tell, "He was always an inspiration to us all"

"He always had his way with people" The boy's father agreed.

"I just can't believe he's gone" The mother chimed in.

"I cannot imagine the pain you're going through," I told her, "I am so very sorry for your loss"

"Thank you, my lady" The mother responded.

"Will you--" his father stepped up, "Will you bring his killers to justice? All of them?"

"You have my word," Princess Sophia seemed pleased to say. There didn't seem to be a doubt in her mind that we would emerge victorious even though up till that point, a vast majority of the casualties had belonged to the army. "We're planning a memorial for those lost when this is all over, would you speak at its unveiling?"

"Of course, Your Highness," the father replied, "It would be our greatest honor"

It had all grown tedious with every one of these engagements that I had to sit through. Not that I didn't care for Eddie but because I knew Princess Sophia didn't.

He was a means to an end for her. A way to turn the people away from the rebellion, and it was working perfectly.

It was all I could think of when we stepped out of the Wolcott residence and noticed the press barricaded down the street scurrying to get pictures of the Princess and me leaving the young soldier's home.

Those pictures would end up on the front page the very next morning as they so often did and the Lenorian people would think a bit less of the rebellion. That was my part to play.

I was busy wondering how I'd look in my black dress in the papers tomorrow when I was knocked off my feet by a loud explosion down the street.

I groaned as my ears wrung from the noise and we were surrounded on all sides by soldiers ready for anything.

The first thing I heard as my hearing slowly returned was the sound of multiple car alarms blaring.

"Ma'am, with me" That was the second thing I heard as I was pulled forcefully to my feet covered in a sea of soldiers offering their bodies as shields.

Methodically, we were guided back up the stairs and back into the Wolcott residence as other soldiers remained outside to secure the perimeter.

"What was that?!" Princess Sophia asked frantically.

"We're assessing the situation, Your Highness" One of the soldiers replied quickly.

"It's the rebels" Princess Sophia followed up quickly. "It's them"

I was leaning against a wall trying to regain my balance. Even then, while the world around me spun, I couldn't help but think how something was weird about the whole thing.

I quickly scanned the room. My gaze briefly landed on the traumatized couple being held away from the Princess and me. I glanced at several soldiers who were speaking quietly presumably into microphones in their headgear.

"Car bomb, Your Highness" One of the soldiers stepped up, "We're sweeping for suspects and signs of any more bombs"

"How could you let this happen?" Princess Sophia asked angrily.

I was wondering that too.

"Apologies, Your Highness," he replied, "We'll get to the bottom of it"

I'd watched enough movies to know that something like this shouldn't have been possible. There was simply no way the area wouldn't have been secured beforehand.

"We can't stay here," The soldier who seemed to be in charge announced, "Prepare to move"

Something else bugged me. Up till this point, the rebels had only ever attacked military targets. There hadn't been any civilian casualties whatsoever. No matter how I looked at it, a car bomb in a residential area just wasn't their style.

It bugged me right until the wall of soldiers led the Princess and me out of the Wolcott residence and back into our bulletproof vehicles.

=^..^=

July 8, Morning.

"So Amelia, tell me, what was it like going back there?" Annie Harrington asked me while we sat together in one of the drawing rooms filming a segment for Capital Current.

I knew what she was talking about. The photos had made their rounds online and it was no surprise people were curious.

There had been another picture day four days ago. I'd gotten used to my role in this fight as a prop. However, I could never have prepared myself for where Princess Sophia and her goons would take me that day.

I remember staring wide-eyed as we took the first few steps into Miss Penelope's compound. The same place I'd been held for several days.

The flowers were dead and the trees were overgrown but I'd remember those surroundings anywhere. Hell, I'd even dreamed of that place once or twice.

To make matters worse, Sophia hadn't even bothered to tell me where we were headed when we left Eclipton Castle that morning.

Something about capturing my authentic reaction. Well, the cameras certainly got good material as I was forced to relive memories I'd sooner forget.

"Annie--" I sighed and sat back in my chair. As usual, the room was dim with the only source of light illuminating the two of us so I couldn't make out who else was in the room but I knew Isidora was somewhere in there watching me. "I won't lie to you and say that place didn't affect me at all."

Annie nodded, almost signaling for me to continue.

"It did," I admitted, "It really did. In fact, that's exactly why Her Highness, Princess Sophia insisted that I face the source of my fears head-on. I'd say it helped me a lot"

"That's very admirable of her," Annie commented, "Is Her Highness always so perfect?"

"Yes" I answered almost immediately with a smile causing Annie to laugh, "She is, she really is, she's been so amazing and I'm so thankful for her for taking the reins and steering me forward especially now that Nick-- His Highness is away"

I paused briefly to look at the camera, "I truly don't know how I would have carried on without her friendship and guidance with His Highness gone for so long"

"You must miss him dearly" Annie continued.

"I do, very much" I'm sure part of me was hoping he would watch this and see that I meant every word.

"The Prince has been away for quite some time now, I'm sure the Lenorian people are wondering when he'll be back" Annie added.

"Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you, Annie," I smiled, "What I can say is that His Highness is busy serving the Lenorian people as he always is. We all miss him dearly, some more than most" I blushed.

"It's always a highlight of my day talking about Lenoria's favorite couple. It's a bright spot in a time filled with so much darkness" Annie expertly steered us to yet another hot topic.

"We'll find our light soon enough" I answered. "The days of this-- thoughtless rebellion are numbered. I promise you, soon we'll all be returning to our lives"

Those words came directly from the Princess. It's something she'd insisted just this morning that I say to reassure the people.

In truth, I wasn't sure how we were going to manage that. Miss Penelope and her rebels had succeeded in thwarting the army so far. A combination of the soldiers being spread too thin and the hit-and-run tactics employed by the rebels have left the Lenorian Army with little to show from months of fighting.

The only saving grace was the fact that support for the rebels was waning with each campaign Sophia set me on, but still I couldn't imagine that propaganda alone would end the fighting.

If I had to bet, I'd put my money on the fighting lasting much longer. But still, I said the words like she'd asked.

"It can't come soon enough," Annie agreed with me, "I think that's all we have time for this week. Lady Amelia, it's always a pleasure having you on the show"

"Pleasure is all mine, Annie" I put on one final big smile until the director gave the signal that we were done.

I wasn't usually one to pay much attention to this stuff anymore. I preferred to keep my head down and not worry about things that didn't concern me but it was hard not to notice that the director was a different one from that very first session with Annie. A coincidence? Maybe.

"Good work today, my lady," Annie said as I helped myself out of the chair.

"You too," I smiled before making my way back over to the makeup table where Isidora was waiting.

"Very nice, my lady" Isidora flashed me a bright smile. "I was telling Celeste here how beautiful you looked up there. Just like a princess"

I didn't bother responding. I just made my way back into the chair for her to get this makeup off me.

She'd tried being friendly even before the shoot and wouldn't take a hint from Celeste's quiet approach.

When I didn't respond, she went to work with a makeup remover. There was only about 15 seconds of silence until she spoke again, "It's been so long since we last saw each other, what do you say we have the butler send up a bottle to your room? It'll be like old times"

"Old times?" my mouth moved before my brain could think, "You mean when you were manipulating me?"

She looked at me with a face full of confusion before turning over to look at Celeste who stood quietly in the corner.

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, don't pretend"

Isidora glanced around the room at the workers packing up their equipment.

"May I speak to you outside, my lady?"

I sat deeper in my chair and crossed my arms.

"Please" she added.

I eventually agreed and moved to stand but she stopped me before I could, "Hang on" she said before using wipes to remove the rest of the smudged makeup.

"Come on," she said quietly when she was done.

"You were supposed to be my friend" I couldn't wait to get it out as soon as we stepped into the hall. I think I'd been bottling it in for too long.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. I could immediately tell that the deference in her voice when we spoke in public was gone and she was talking to me, one girl to another.

"I found out about the injections. You told me it was HRT" I spat accusingly, "I also found out about 'reinforcement'"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" she managed to scream in a hushed tone. "Reinforcement? What?"

"You said it was HRT. It was fucking mind control" I said angrily, "Everyone in this fucking castle has been manipulating me since day 1"

"Okay Amelia, I need you to hear me when I say this, I have no idea what you're talking about"

"You expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth!"

"So what, all the dress up, the girl talk, what was that?" I asked.

"I don't know, dress up and girl talk? What the fuck else would it be?" she asked incredulously.

"You know I'm a man," I argued, "Why else would you do all that stuff with me if it wasn't to condition me"

"If I was conditioning you, it was so you can do your fucking job" she explained, "Remember? Pretending you're a girl is your whole job. I don't know anything about the mind control or whatever. I made a guess, I was wrong, sue me"

The silence between us this time around was longer than 15 seconds. I considered everything she said and for once let myself think that maybe there was a chance she might not have been in on it.

"You really didn't know?" I asked her.

"Were you really mind-controlled?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Shit"

"Yeah," I said under my breath.

"Do you want to take a bottle up to your room and talk about it?"

I nodded once more.

=^..^=

August 9, Late Night

Princess Sophia and I left Eclipton under the cover of night. As she'd instructed, I was dressed comfortably in jeans, a tailored button-up blouse, and sneakers.

The convoy tonight was even more understated than usual with only 3 cars, two of which were heavily armored, security-focused vehicles.

The night was extremely quiet courtesy of the curfew that had gone on for several months now.

Normally, I wouldn't have bothered asking where we were headed if she hadn't already offered up that information but tonight I was understandably very curious.

"Where are we going, Your Highness?"

"I just thought you'd want to witness the fruits of your labor"

That was the only answer I was going to get and it would have to do.

Our escorts parked outside a nondescript residence while our vehicle drove into the garage.

"We're here," she smiled.

In the garage were two soldiers dressed in black tactical gear and armed to the teeth. It worried me a bit.

"Welcome, Your Highness" one of the guards spoke and proceeded to guide us into the house. The first thing I noticed was just how much tech was inside. Seemingly normal on the outside but on the inside, couldn't be farther from the truth.

I tried not to stare too much as we were led up the stairs even as every soldier we passed saluted Princess Sophia.

I couldn't help but wonder why she'd brought me here. I'd get my answer soon enough.

The floor above was a large open space without any walls to create different rooms. On one end, there were multiple screens showing different feeds. Some I decided had to be from some sort of drone, others were very clearly helmet feeds.

I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. The drones seemed focused on a house in the middle of nowhere. The feeds highlighted patrolling guards and their routes.

Another screen had what looked to be the blueprints of a house.

The helmet feeds drew my attention. On the top right of each feed was what looked to me like the names of each of the soldiers we were watching.

"Take a seat, be quiet," Princess Sophia ordered me before turning her attention to the approaching officer that I quickly recognized as her husband.

He took one look at me and whispered something in the Princess' ear and she whispered something back in response.

"Surveillance shows no change," The Chief of Staff informed her, "Still awaiting the go-ahead signal from Shadow"

"It seems we better get comfortable then," Sophia replied to her husband, "It'll be a long night"

=^..^=

"There it is," One of the soldiers whose eyes had been vigilantly focused on the screen voiced about 45 minutes later.

I turned my attention to the screen but couldn't identify anything of note.

"Teams in position," Rowland ordered and one of the soldiers present echoed the orders into the microphone.

On the screen, you could almost immediately see movement as the soldiers sprung into action.

The drone footage was soon displaying their position as they approached the house.

It was particularly intense when viewed on the helmet cams as they advanced methodically toward the house.

They say you never forget your first. I'll never forget the jolt that ran through my body as one of the soldiers fired and the first guard dropped to the floor. No sound, nothing.

Was he dead? Just like that?

It was one, then it was two, and then it was three. One team had breached the front door while another simultaneously made entry using a collapsible latter through a window.

A third team making entry through the back door encountered one of the rebels who spotted them. They shot him and I gasped as he fell but not before he fired wildly into the ceiling alerting the whole house.

It turned horrible after that. Fire and returning fire. One of the soldiers was hit and was pulled away by friendlies. It was closer than I ever wanted to be to that much violence ever again.

There was a bit of a stalemate at the staircase. The rebels had secured a strong position atop the stairs and fired suppressive fire that prevented either team still downstairs from advancing.

The rebels couldn't have known that they had already been breached on that floor through one of the bedroom windows. It was a bloodbath as the soldiers fired down the hallway into the rebels' secured position.

It was obvious they weren't interested in taking any prisoners. All but one. My legs grew weak as the soldiers breached one final room and I saw Miss Penelope through the helmet cameras.

She was standing with her hand raised with her back against the wall dressed in only her nightgown.

There was an uncomfortably long pause as the soldiers remained pointing the guns at her even after she'd obviously surrendered. Too long a pause.

In the end, everyone breathed a little easier when Rowland gave the order for her to be brought in.

At the time, I had absolutely no idea how they'd managed to pull it off. Miss Penelope and her band of rebels had succeeded in routing the Army for so long. I had thought maybe their luck had just run out. But was that really what happened or had there been more at play?

=^..^=

August 20, Early Afternoon

We'd won the battle and put an end to the rebellion with Miss Penelope's capture and Sophia had gone on her victory tour.

As soon as the rumors began to spread that Princess Sophia had personally led that final operation to bring an end to the rebellion, the Lenorian people took on a new tune.

'Future Queen Sophia'.

That's what they called her. She had the birthright - she was first born after all, she had a robust diplomatic portfolio and now she had the support of the people as protector.

She'd quelled the rebellion and suddenly the Lenorian people wanted the male priority done away with.

I didn't care about any of that. I just wanted to go home. I'd done everything she asked. The rebellion was done. It was time for her to fulfill her end but Princess Sophia was nowhere to be found.

In fact, I hadn't laid my eyes on her since that night. You can imagine my relief when she sent for me.

The convoy had picked me up from Eclipton Castle and brought me to the Royal Army headquarters.

I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb as everyone was dressed in their military attire and I was wearing a peach mid-length dress and white heels that were very loud on the marble floors.

But if there was one thing I'd gotten used to at this point, it was attention.

To think that when this all began, I was extremely shy.

"Have a seat, Lady Amelia" the secretary spoke to me as soon as I was led into a lavish room, "Her Highness will see you shortly"

I waited five minutes before the door I presumed led to the Princess' office opened and out came a man.

A man that immediately caught my attention. He was dressed similarly to the other soldiers so that wasn't of any note. It was his eyes and brows. They looked familiar somehow but I couldn't immediately place it.

"Lady Amelia, Her Highness will see you now" the secretary spoke and almost immediately, the man turned to look at me.

Our eyes met and for a brief moment. Somehow he recognised me too.

I didn't place it until he furrowed his brows and I almost leaped out of my skin. It was him.

How could I not recognize those eyes after staring at them day after day? The rest of his face had always been covered but everything else fit. The height, the stature, I was sure it was him.

He was the masked rebel who had brought me my food almost every day I'd been captured.

=^..^=

"Amelia, please come in" Princess Sophia called to me as I walked into her office. I was desperate to calm down to not betray the fact that I knew.

My mind searched for what his presence here could mean and I landed on too many possible answers.

"Are you okay?" Sophia asked me.

I nodded quickly forcing a smile.

"Have a seat," she gestured to a chair in front of her large desk, "I'm sure you've been desperate to speak to me"

"I have," I said as I glanced around the room, "You promised to help me leave if I helped you with the rebellion. I've done that"

"You have," Princess Sophia agreed, "You continue to exceed my expectations. It would be a shame to let you leave Lenoria even if I could"

"What do you mean?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, there's the small matter of how much you know," she said matter-of-factly, "I don't know if you know this but Lenoria is a very secretive country. Letting someone like you who knows so much-- well that just isn't very smart, is it?"

"We had a deal," I said.

"Yes we did, and I was hoping we could make another." She sat back in her chair.

"We agreed--" I started to argue but was interrupted.

"The Lenorian people have been gravely injured by all this fighting. It's not an understatement to say that this is the lowest point in our recent history. The people need cheering--"

"You promised me," I stepped in.

"How dare you interrupt me?" she asked angrily.

I turned away from her, trying to keep my anger from making me do something foolish.

"As I was saying, the people need cheering up" she continued, "And what better way to cheer the people up than a royal wedding?"

"I don't understand"

"I spoke to my brother," Princess Sophia began after standing up from her chair, "I informed him of the situation. Told him the reason for your bad behavior. You were just so overwhelmed to find out that our father had been controlling your actions, weren't you?"

Princess Sophia walked up to me and moved my hair away from my face with a finger.

"You must have believed Nicky was involved. Maybe it was even suggested to you" She moved her finger to my chin, "How tragic to find out the man you loved has been manipulating you? It's no wonder you betrayed him"

"I--" The words hung in my throat.

"He didn't have anything to do with it if you were wondering" She clarified, "Poor, clueless Nicky."

"You did this," I said, "It was you, all of it. It was you, wasn't it?"

"That is not important," she replied, "What is important is that if I know my brother, and I do, he's probably on his way back here right now"

"He's coming back?"

"Yes, and with an elaborate apology, I bet"

"Nick's coming back?" The second time I asked the question, I asked it of myself. What did it mean for my heart? Because I never stopped thinking about him. Even after being off the compound for several months.

I still loved him. And I couldn't deny that I still wanted to be him desperately.

"So, you can't leave," Sophia smiled, "But will you become my sister-in-law?"

=^..^=

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Hiya, it's been a long ride but we're nearing the end now. Leave a comment to let me know what you think about this story.

I was lying in bed that evening thinking about the conversation I'd had earlier with Sophia. It's all I've been able to think about since returning to the castle.

"No, that's not possible" I'd argued when she'd dangled the idea in front of me that I become her sister-in-law.

"Everything's possible, dear" she'd replied, "You only need the power to make it happen. And power is something I find at my disposal lately"

Too many things crossed my mind in that moment. Why? How? What did I even want? Wasn't I tired of deals?

"Thanks to you actually," she'd said as she stepped away from me, "Consider this my way of saying 'thank you'"

"The King and Queen would never let Nick marry someone like me," I told her. That much I was sure of. "They said as much. They expect Nick to marry a normal girl eventually"

"Truth is you're about as much woman as they'll ever be able to force on my brother" she explained, "I can make them see that. It helps that the people love you. I don't even need to mention how much it benefits Lenoria to have its fairytale wedding at a time like this"

"Why would you do this?" I turned to ask as she walked behind me. At this point, I knew the Princess always had her own ulterior motives. I didn't trust her to propose something like this for no reason and I wanted to know what it was.

"Again with the unimportant questions" I heard her say, "The only question that matters now is what you want?"

"What I want?"

"Yes," she confirmed, "Would you like to be a Princess?"

The thought hit me like a bag of bricks. It was all too fantastical. The thought of me being anything special not to mention a Princess. How the hell did we even get here?

"Well, Princess Consort technically but the distinction is rarely important" she clarified.

I shook my head before I worked up the courage to say anything, "What makes you think I'd ever want any of this? I'm a man"

She laughed. Princess Sophia actually laughed.

"I just want to return to my life," I pressed on, "I don't care about any--"

"Don't be ridiculous" she replied sternly and there was quiet between us for a few moments.

"I want to know--" I paused, "why you're doing this. What do you get out of it?"

She let out a frustrated sigh before taking her time returning to her seat.

"I'm sure you know what they say about gifts and horses, Amelia," she said as she sat back in her chair, "This is a tremendous honor. Every girl would jump at this opportunity"

"I want to know" I repeated. A consequence of dealing with the Princess for so long was the boldness I'd grown in her presence.

I watched her rub her forehead slightly as she considered what I was asking. I could see the exact moment she decided on what to say.

"George is going to be King of this country one day," She told me, "You marrying Nicky instead of some ambitious tart our parents deem suitable ensures that George won't have any competition"

"Because Nick and I won't have any children?"

"Don't feel bad," she said, "Just be glad you won't have to birth a child. It's hell let me tell you"

I didn't respond.

"You will be a disappointment," she added, "The tabloids will pry into every possible reason why you don't give the Prince an heir. They will wonder whether you're barren, whether you have a weak womb, they will wonder about your health, or even that you've lost the Prince's favor. They will be downright cruel to you at times"

"What about Nick?" I asked. I didn't want to put him through that. Maybe it would be better if I just let him marry a normal girl like his parents wanted.

"He'll be fine," The princess told me, "These things are never as hard on the man. The blame always inevitably falls on the woman. You'll get used to that eventually, and I'll be here to guide you"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by knocking on the door.

"My lady?" Celeste called out.

"Come in"

The first thing I noticed was the smile on her face.

"What is it?" I asked her with a smile of my own. Seeing her smile again was infectious.

"The staff have been ordered to assemble outside the castle to welcome the Prince," she told me.

I sat up immediately, "He's back?"

"His Highness is on his way here" she confirmed.

I hurried to my feet, "Celeste, quick, help me pick out something to wear"

She smiled brighter before hurrying to the closet to pick something out.

I hurried to the vanity to inspect myself.

"My hair is a mess" I voiced.

"We will fix everything, my lady" Celeste replied as she flipped through the dresses in my wardrobe.

I found myself tapping my feet anxiously and I could feel a tingling sensation in my fingertips as I waited.

"What about this dress, my lady?"

I turned to find Celeste holding up a beautiful lavender dress.

I knew immediately that it was perfect.

"Yes, yes" I repeated excitedly as I gestured her over.

I stripped down to my underwear after which she helped me into the dress and zipped me up. Every last one of these dresses had been tailored with my exact measurements so as expected, they all fit perfectly and accentuated my best features.

The makeup Celeste put on my face was light and my shoe had only the smallest heel.

I asked Celeste to leave my hair flowing so Nick could see how long it had grown.

I smiled at her through the mirror and she could tell I was nervous.

"You look beautiful, my lady," she told me.

Things weren't back to normal between the two of us. Perhaps they never would be. But I was glad it had improved somewhat. I'd let go of my anger a long time ago. I hadn't said it yet but I hoped she knew I was sorry about that day.

"Let's go," I told her, "I want to be there when he arrives"

=^..^=

It was a cool breezy evening. I stood in front of Eclipton Castle watching on as a row of cars drove through the gates.

I hoped the castle staff who were lined behind me couldn't tell how tense I was.

I watched the cars roll to a stop and realized I was holding my breath.

With bated breath, I watched one of the guards step out, walk up to his door, and pull it open.

When I saw him step out, looking every bit like the man I fell in love with, give or take a shaved beard, I just started running.

Maybe one day I'll think back and cringe in embarrassment but not in that moment.

Nick saw me and advanced in my direction meeting me a few feet away from the convoy.

When he opened his arms, there was nothing else for me to do than to dive in his arms.

We held each other so tightly I thought we might fuse into one person.

Holding him felt the same and I started to wonder how I went months without this feeling and how I would go even another day without it now.

I couldn't tell you at what point I started crying but tears were rolling down my face when we finally parted.

With his left hand, he cupped my face and I feared I would break down in his arms.

"I'm so sorry," he told me, "I didn't know. I promise I didn't know, I should've never left"

I didn't care about all that. I leaned in to kiss him and he met me. I wanted to kiss him every day for the rest of our lives.

"Morgan," he encased my face with both his palms, "God, I should have never left you. I'm just so used to running away when things get difficult here and I didn't know what to do"

"I don't care," I brought my own hand to touch his face and my fingers grazed his jawline. I was met with that unmistakable texture of freshly sprouted stubble. Rough, yet oddly soft beneath my touch, "I don't care, I'm just happy you're back."

"Baby, I've missed you so much," he told me.

"Me too," I chuckled and sniffed as a result of the crying.

He kissed me again. I wrapped my arm around his neck and pulled closer. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled until he lifted me clear off the ground.

For a moment, I forgot where I was. It was the sound of Percival audibly clearing his throat that brought me back to reality.

"Let's not give the staff a show, Your Highness" I heard him say.

Slowly, very slowly, we parted from each other. The look in Nick's eyes told me he planned to carry on as soon as we had some privacy.

"Quite right" Nick flashed me that sheepish smile and it was as though the last few months had never happened.

"Lady Amelia," Percival nodded in my direction.

"Percy!" I smiled brightly. I hadn't seen him in so long either, "Is it improper if I give you a hug?"

"Only if you linger" he replied.

I stepped away from Nick but only long enough to hug Percival. There was a time I would have been angry at him. After all, even if Nick hadn't known about the compound, he certainly did.

But my anger had never gotten me anywhere. Besides, I had a feeling if he did know, he would have gotten an earful from Nick already.

"We've kept up with your appearances," Percival told me, "You handled yourself like a proper lady. I will admit you proved me wrong. I'm glad".

"Thank you, Percy" I smiled.

"Sir Percival" he corrected with a smile creeping onto his face. "Let's head in, Your Highness. I'm sure His Majesty is eager to speak with you"

"He can wait," Nick said simply while holding his hand out for me to take it.

I did.

=^..^=

As soon as we made it through my room door, Nick pulled me back into his arms.

We kissed only for a few seconds before I decided I wanted more of him.

I began working at the buttons of his shirt while our lips were still locked together.

"I've missed you so, so much" he announced when I finished with the last button.

I bit my lip softly as I watched him toss the shirt aside and I got a view of his full, bare, upper body.

Not to be outdone, I turned away from him, held my hair up, and asked him to help with the zipper.

I quickly moved the dress off my shoulder and let it fall to the floor.

"Give me a minute to undo the breast forms, okay?" I asked as I walked toward the bathroom in just my underwear.

"You can leave it on, it's fine" I heard him say.

"It'll only take a minute," I replied without stopping.

I knew he didn't actually like it when I had breasts. Or at least, he liked me a lot more without them. He was just being nice and trying not to inconvenience me.

There may have been some days I would have let him have his way but not today. Not when it was our first time in months.

When I returned, I returned perfectly naked in all my glory. He was in my bed, presumably naked too with that perfect body of his.

He nodded me over and I basically skipped across the room squealing.

We were enveloped in one another for the better part of that evening. He kissed me all over and I returned the favour. By the time we were through, he'd truly fucked me like he'd missed me.

=^..^=

We held each other well into the night. We said little and just let our bodies do the talking.

But eventually, there came a time when words were necessary. I had to make sure we were on the same page.

"I know this is probably the worst possible time to bring up your sister," I began while laying my head on his chest, "but I had an interesting conversation with her today"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, she seemed to think it would be a good idea if we got married," I said softly.

"She already told you that, huh?" I heard him say, "I was hoping to be the one to tell you. I was even researching proposal ideas on the flight here" he chuckled.

"I-- don't know what to say"

"My sister and I, we came to an agreement," he explained, "She'll support our marriage"

"You know why she's doing this right?" I sat up, "Because I can't give you children. Are you really okay with that?"

Nick sat up in bed as well, "Morgan, I was never going to have kids anyway. That doesn't matter to me. It's also not why she's doing this"

"What do you mean?"

"She'll support our marriage, and I'll support her claim to the throne," he told me, "That's the deal we made"

"Nick, that hardly seems fair" I looked him deep in his eyes, "I can't have you give up a throne for me. I can't let you do that"

"I've never cared about being king," he replied, "And even if I did, I'd give it up a million times for you. This is a very easy decision"

"I don't know--" I paused, "It sounded to me like you were serious about being king. You said you couldn't stand by while your people suffered"

"I know what I said" he replied.

"I know you, I know you would make a good, kind, ruler," I told him, "They would be lucky to have you."

"They would be lucky to have Sophia too," he argued, "She's more experienced than I could ever hope to be"

"But is she the best person?"

"Why does it sound like you're trying to change my mind?" he asked me, "Do you not want to marry me?"

"Of course, I want to marry you"

"Because we wished we could marry and now it's right there"

"I know, I'm just saying--"

"You know what? I don't care about the people half as much as I care about you," he carried on, "Maybe that's selfish but I really don't want to spend my life ruling if you're not there by my side"

"Okay," That was all I could say.

It seemed he'd gotten out everything he wanted to say and so we just sat in silence.

"I love you," he said almost a minute later.

"I love you too"

The next morning, I awoke to find him getting dressed. I must have fallen asleep shortly after we had that conversation.

"I didn't want to wake you" I heard him say. "You looked so peaceful" he added while walking over to plant a kiss on my lips.

"I need to go see my parents," he said as he continued getting dressed, "It was very disrespectful to not have gone when I arrived yesterday. Someone was being very distracting."

I smiled, thinking very fondly about the day before.

"I have to go apologize" he continued, "I have to be in their good books when Sophia and I broach the subject later today"

"Do you think they say yes?" I asked him.

"Sophia can be very convincing," he answered, "If she thinks she can get them to agree then I believe her."

He eyed himself in the mirror as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Wanna go out tonight?" he asked just before heading for the door, "We can go to that restaurant you like"

"Sure"

=^..^=

In the late afternoon, I found myself dancing wildly to some French song. At some point, I was spinning in a manner so out of control that I was feeling more than a little bit dizzy.

I had the unfortunate luck for there to be a knock on my door at that exact moment.

"Yes?" I answered while still laughing giddily.

"It's Sir Percival" the response came back.

There was something funny about him deciding to visit at that moment but I couldn't tell him that.

"A moment" I called out while stumbling awkwardly to grab a robe.

I hurried to open the door right after and met him waiting just outside.

"Hello Percy," I smiled.

"Have I caught you at a bad time?" he asked looking past me when he heard the music and saw me breathing heavily.

"No," I said trying to hide the fact that I still couldn't see straight.

His gaze dropped to my chest which was suspiciously flat and returned to my face with a disapproving glare.

"I hope you don't make this mistake with anyone else?" he commented while walking passed me.

He walked purposefully over to my vanity, tapped my phone, and promptly paused the music.

"Of course not," I replied, "I knew it was you"

"What if the King summons you in this moment?"

"It takes like five minutes to fit them back on," I replied as I closed the door behind me, "You worry too much"

"And you've just kept His Majesty waiting for five whole minutes" Percival complained.

I groaned, "I'll put them on right after you leave. Happy?" I asked.

"Getting there"

"I do know what I'm doing you know? I've been at this without incident for a while now" I told him.

"Complacency breeds failure" he added causing me to roll my eyes, "Speaking of how long you've been at this--" he added while handing me a folder.

"What's this?" I asked while reaching out to take it.

"An update to your contract," he said.

I needed only a brief glance into the folder before responding, "It's empty"

"Seven hundred and thirty-five thousand euros has been paid into your account as agreed." he explained, "That concludes our business on that front."

In hindsight, that was nowhere near enough money for all I had to go through. I couldn't believe how much it had seemed at the time.

"Okay?" I was entirely unsure where he was going with this.

"However, as I understand it, you intend to remain with us as a guest of the Lenorian Royal Family--" he spoke calmly, "of your own accord. Is that right?"

"Yes"

"You may no longer be bound by the terms of your original contract but I trust you will continue to act in a manner that befits this court"

"Of course"

Percival outstretched his hand expectantly and I placed the folder in it.

"I hear congratulations are in order," he told me.

"What do you mean?" I smiled a bit.

He cleared his throat audibly, "I should let events proceed as they must. Good day, Lady Amelia"

=^..^=

That evening, Nick took me out for dinner as promised. Surprisingly, he'd even brought me a dress for the occasion.

A beautiful, deep emerald gown that seemed to catch every light source that was even remotely near.

All of that sparkle was turned up to a thousand when we stepped into my favourite restaurant which Nick had reserved for the evening. It was the same one we'd come to that evening following the tour and I'd fallen in love with it ever since.

Tonight it was particularly beautiful. My satin dress caught the warm glow of candles that had been set up throughout the restaurant.

"Nick, it's beautiful!" I exclaimed as we walked through the door, my arm intertwined around his.

"More beautiful now that you're in it" he replied.

"Stop," I slapped his shoulder lightly, "You're so embarrassing"

He looked me in my eyes with an expression that made me blush.

"You didn't have to reserve the whole place" I complained as we walked up the stairs to the VIP area which was also empty, "I bet you ruined so many people's nights"

"It's our special night," he said, "It should just be us here"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining," I clarified, "I love being here alone with you"

"Well, us and the servers, can't do without them" he flashed me a cheeky smile.

"Of course"

We had a wonderful night as we so often did when alone. It had always been so easy with him since we lived in our small apartment together. I never felt any pressure and I could always just be myself.

For a while, I wasn't sure who I was. I lost myself somewhere during all that mess but now, things had never been clearer.

I existed in the context of all we were together. Friends, lovers, partners.

Yes, it had been a nice night. At first, it had been one dish and then another and then dessert that I'd barely taken a bite out of. And now another tray was making its way from the kitchen.

"I love you--" I reached across the table and touched his hand gently, "but if you think I'm going to eat anything else, you must be all the way out of your mind"

"Just one more, I promise" he replied with a confident smile.

The waiter brought the tray professionally, placed it in front of me, and walked off without bothering to unveil the dish.

I might have said something about his poor service but Nick's smile was so bright, I knew something had to be up.

"What is it?" I asked trying to suppress my own smile, "Nick, it better not be something disgusting. Wait, is it alive?"

"Open it and see," he told me.

"I swear--" I eyed him suspiciously.

"Go ahead"

Slowly, I worked up the courage to lift the lid and what I found made me gasp and cover it back up. I brought my hand up to cover my mouth in a failing attempt to contain myself.

It was the biggest rock I'd ever seen. Maybe impractically so.

"Oh my goodness--" I gasped again when I looked up and found Nick heading down to one knee.

"Morgan, I've loved you longer than I'd like to admit" he began, "I consider myself the luckiest man to have met you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Right then, I was thankful he'd reserved the entire restaurant with the way I screamed, "Yes".

I hurried out of my seat and hugged and kissed him.

"Oh God, yes!" I squealed. "I love you, yes!"

"Hold out your hand?" he asked as he retrieved the ring from its just as elegant case.

He held my hand gently and slid the ring down my finger.

"Nick, I love it," I told him, "It's so beautiful"

I don't know why, but at that moment, I wondered what my parents would think if they saw me now. They were soon to have a son-in-law and didn't even know it. Had they even noticed that I'd completely disappeared one day?

With his finger, Nick moved my hair behind my ear and said, "Morgan, I can't wait to marry you"

=^..^=

That was two nights ago. I had basically been riding on the clouds since then and nothing could touch me. This morning, something would bring me right back to Earth.

Celeste had come to my room as was expected but this morning, she'd brought with her a tray with a syringe in it.

It was odd for two reasons. For one, it wasn't the same clear liquid in it. It had a sort of pale yellow color. Secondly and more importantly, we'd done away with the injections since the end of the rebellion.

I thought we were done so what was this how?

"Why are you bringing this here?" I asked her.

"I was ordered to by Her Majesty, my lady" Celeste explained.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked thinking it had to be some kind of joke.

When she didn't respond and there was no indication that she was playing some kind of joke, I asked her what it was.

"Hormone Replacement Therapy"

"You're kidding me" I frowned, "You have to be"

"I promise I'm not lying," she pleaded, "I'm sorry about last time, I'm sorry I lied, but I'm not lying now"

I took a step forward and stopped, "I don't understand, why?"

She only bowed her head.

"Leave," I said frantically as I walked to pick up the phone. I fumbled as I struggled to unlock the phone and navigate to the Phone app, "Leave!" I screamed at Celeste who hurriedly placed the tray down on the vanity and hurried out the door.

I eventually found Nick's number and dialed it. The whole time I felt like I was struggling to breathe.

"Nick?" I called weakly into the microphone when he answered.

"Yes, babe?"

"Can you come here please?"

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Can you just come here please?"

"Alright, I'm on my way"

Thankfully, it didn't take him long to get here because I was already falling apart.

"Babe, what is it?"

I stood and hurried to meet him at the door.

"Celeste brought this," I pointed at the tray. "She says it's HRT"

"Like hormones? Estrogen and that stuff?"

I nodded.

He sighed, "I think I need to have a conversation with my parents about making decisions about my fiancée without talking to me first"

"That is not what's important here," I complained.

"Right, you don't want to take it"

I gave him a look that said that was obviously it.

"Of course, you're a man," he rationalized, "You wouldn't want to take this stuff"

"That isn't why," I countered, "I don't mind it all that much. I stopped caring about looking like a woman a long time ago"

"You're worried about me" he pivoted.

"Again, yes!" I said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So this will make you look more like a woman and you're worried about how I'll feel" he spoke as though he was trying to confirm how I feel.

Why didn't this seem to be bothering him?

"I don't want to wake up one morning and you're no longer attracted to me," I explained.

"I don't think that's possible"

"Nick, you can barely touch my chest when I have the breast forms on," I argued, "What are you going to do when I have them 24/7?"

"I don't like the breast forms because I like your nipples and those cover them"

"That is not why!" I disagreed.

"Morgan, I promise I'm going to love you no matter what you look like"

"I want to look like this then," I told him, "I don't want to change at all"

"And I love you the way you are, you know that" he stepped forward and took my hand in his, "But if I were to play devil's advocate for a moment, and remember this is just me playing a role so don't get mad at me, my parents are probably worried about what you'll look like when you're 30, or 40, or 60"

"I'll look like me, what?"

"Yes, but we don't know if you'll be so feminine forever" he explained, "If you're marrying into this family, you're in the public eye for the rest of your life. What if you start to look more manly as you age?"

"I would think you'd like that"

"Maybe, maybe not, but you're going to be Princess of Lenoria. I think more than my opinion matters" he told me.

I sighed, pulled away, and went over to sit on the bed. He followed and took a seat beside me.

"I just couldn't bear it if you ever stopped being attracted to me"

He took my head in his hands and kissed my forehead, "I love you, Morgan. That is never going to change. And if you're worried about it, I'm always going to want to fuck you"

"Shut up," I blushed.

"You believe me, don't you?" he asked with a serious expression then followed up with, "That butt is mine. Now and forever"

He kissed my lips. I kissed back.

"We have a lot to worry about," he said reassuringly, "This isn't one of them. We have that interview with Annie for instance. Scary stuff"

"Oh my God, it's the first time we'll be appearing as an engaged couple, I can't wait to show off this ridiculous ring!" I exclaimed.

"That's the spirit," he said as he pushed off my bed, "I love you, baby"

"I love you too"

=^..^=

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck around. I doubt I could have gotten this far without you. Love you.

"Your Highness, it is such an honor to have you on the show," Annie said to Nick a moment after filming began.

Nick and I sat close enough that he could take my hand in his with Annie positioned just opposite us forming a semi circle.

The lights were bright, the cameras were rolling, tonight, Lenoria and the rest of the world would get its first glimpse of us as fiancés.

"Happy to be here on such a wonderful occasion"

"Truly, Your Highness," she beamed, "I suppose very soon, it will be Your Highnesses"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Annie" I smiled at the camera.

"Is there any other way to live?" she asked me before turning to the camera, "In case you've been living under a rock, His Highness, Prince Nicholas is engaged to our beloved Lady Amelia Beaumont. Long time coming I'd say"

"Indeed" I heard Nick reply.

"May I ask sir, what made you finally decide to ask the age old question?" Annie asked.

"I think we've always been very open about our feelings for each other." Nick answered, "I've always been in love with her but I will admit, the recent conflict had a way of really sorting out priorities. And right now, my priority is getting married to the love of my life"

I turned to look up at him and met his warm gaze.

"Your Highness, I think you just melted the hearts of everyone watching" Annie commented, "Your future bride included"

I caught myself blushing and so did the cameras.

"Amelia, tell me woman to woman, when our prince proposed, was it everything you dreamed?" She asked me.

"Oh it was, it really was," I replied, "I've never been happier"

"Surely, you can give us some specifics" She leaned in and spoke just loud enough for the mics to pick up, "What was it like?"

"I can't," I blushed a deep shade of red.

After placing my other hand over his and rubbing gently, I continued, "He went through the trouble of reserving the entire restaurant just for us. I think this story is meant to stay between us"

"Oh, to be a fly on that wall!" She exclaimed.

"Thankfully, there were no flies present" Nick added charmingly.

"Of course," Annie chuckled, "We may not have been able to be part of the proposal but we can all be part of the wedding"

"That's right," Nick agreed, "I look forward to getting married to her in front of God and the people of this great country"

"May I ask if you have chosen a date?" She asked.

"You may." Nick nodded, "We've settled on the 20th of September at the Royal Cathedral"

"If I'm correct, that's a little under a month away," Annie continued, "I wonder if the people might think it's a bit sudden"

"What can we say, Annie?" I stepped in to answer, "We're very eager to be husband and wife"

"We are" Nick agreed.

It was part of the point of this interview to keep the rumors to a minimum ahead of our marriage.

"I think everyone watching can see that," Annie added, "We are so blessed to be able to experience such pure, genuine love"

I did my best to smile gracefully, "You're very kind"

"For our viewers at home, I'm sure the Royal Cathedral venue comes as no surprise to you," Annie turned to the camera, "Most recently Her Highness and the Grand Duke were wed there. Those familiar with Lenorian history should also know that their Majesties were also wed there"

"There's centuries of family history within those walls and I'm just happy to be following in their footsteps," Nick told her.

"I'd marry you under a bridge, I don't mind either way," I commented which caused the two of them to laugh, "But seriously, I'm happy we're getting married on such hallowed grounds"

I smiled warmly as I looked up at him. He'd trimmed his hair a bit in preparation for the interview. He looked handsome either way but I couldn't help but miss his longer hair. Not that I would ever tell him that of course.

"Well I for one can't wait for the day," Annie said lightheartedly, "Expect me in the front row"

"I'll hold you to that," Nick replied finally.

=^..^=

In the days that followed, the entire court seemed wholly focused on wedding preparations.

Not me though, I was right back to work.

Sophia and I were tasked with dedicating the site where the memorial was going to be. It was beautiful location in the heart of the capital.

It wasn't going to bring any of the dead back but it was the hope that the country could begin to heal and put that chapter behind us.

"Congratulations on your engagement," Sophia said to me some distance away from the venue.

It went without saying that I would have rather been there with Nick but since he hadn't been present for most of the actual fighting, it was decided against.

"Thank you," I replied quietly.

"You don't have to be so tense," She told me, "This is a good thing. I'm very happy for you"

"I know it's a good thing for you," I replied, "I know about the deal"

"Deal? You make it sound so serious," she brushed it off, "Nicky and I only found a way to get what we both want. Everybody wins here. Even you. And you don't even have to sacrifice anything."

"Neither do you," I said boldly, "Nick is the only one sacrificing anything here"

"Here's what you don't understand about being the child of a King," she said to me just as the venue was coming into view, "When you're the last born, you don't grow up thinking about the throne. You get to live your life, enjoy it, and not worry about ruling one day. When you're the first, it's all you ever think about from the day you are born."

I listened quietly.

"I lived my life preparing for the responsibility," she continued, "while Nicky did whatever he wanted. He isn't sacrificing the throne because it never belonged to him. I did you both a favor here, you should show some gratitude," she said finally as the car rolled to a stop.

We hadn't even opened the doors and countless photographs were already being taken of our arrival. This was my life now.

"Miss Penelope--" I asked Sophia as the guards approached our doors, "What happened to her?"

"I'll give you one piece of advice," she said finally before stepping out to wave to her adoring fans, "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to"

Princess Sophia gave a heartwarming speech about how the people of Lenoria refused to be divided and stood together when faced with evil. She spoke impressively about those who gave their lives to protect all we held dear.

She mentioned a few names, and Eddie Wolcott was among them. His parents would take the stage soon after to say a few words where they thanked the Princess for keeping her promise to rid the world of his killers.

As she humbly received their thanks and vowed to do her best to not allow such a tragedy repeat itself , it was hard not to admire her.

=^..^=

In the week that followed, I had my first dress fitting.

"A timeless A-line silhouette with a fitted bodice that flows into a softly flared skirt, symbolizing grace and modesty while allowing ease of movement," I listened as the designer described the gown to the Queen in one of the castle's dressing rooms.

I stood quietly in front of the mirror admiring how I looked in the beautiful white gown. There was a part of me that wished my mother could be here at least.

I wondered whether my family would accept me if they saw how beautiful I looked.

"Crafted from the finest Lenorian silk, known for its soft sheen and luxurious feel--" The tall man continued.

"How does it feel, dear?" The Queen interrupted him.

"Comfortable," I answered, "A bit long maybe?"

"It's just right, I think," The designer said quickly.

"It is," The Queen agreed so I said nothing else of it. "Walk across the room let me get a good look at you" She instructed and I obeyed.

This carried on for a few minutes with the Queen issuing instructions and with me following them. All things considered, she did seem pleased with how the dress appeared on me.

"Bring the crown," she told the designer and he hurried off somewhere to get it leaving just the two of us and one of her servants in the room.

This gave me the opportunity I'd been searching for. I stepped up to where she was sitting, cleared my throat, and began.

"Your Majesty, I've wanted to thank you for agreeing to my marriage to your son." I said, "I know I'm far from your first choice but I promise to always do right by your family and be the best daughter-in-law I can be"

She was quiet for a while, long enough that I began to wonder if she'd  heard me at all.

"You lied against my sons," she replied when she was ready, "You, a rat off the street. Do not think for a second that I have forgotten"

She paused as if giving me time to reflect on her words. I didn't respond because what could I even say? How could she even know that? Did Sophia tell her? Did she work it out on her own? Was she only guessing to see my reaction? Was my proof enough that I was guilty?

"But it is clear Nicholas loves you and I suspect he intends to marry you regardless of his father's or my approval--" she said, "whether here or in a hole somewhere. I will not have you taking my son from me so you have my blessing. That is all"

From her expression, I could tell that is all she intended to say on the matter so I curtsied and stepped away and that was that.

The designer returned with the crown I would be wearing on the day.

I couldn't tell what it was made off but I recognized the stones encrusted on it to be diamonds and sapphire. I had one of those on my finger after all.

"Come closer," The Queen commanded as the man placed the crown on my head. She inspected me for a moment before deciding all was in order.

Removing everything turned out to be almost as tedious as it had been putting it all on. I had decided then that getting married was a lot of work but I didn't even yet know the half of it.

=^..^=

Things only grew more hectic as the date neared. There were rehearsals and practice sessions for the procession and ceremony. These went on until it was clear both the bridal party and my attendants knew the protocol like the back of their hands.

I quickly realized that a royal wedding was nothing like a normal wedding. Hell, I'd even received a blessing from the Archbishop the day before.

I grew more and more nervous as the day drew closer and the last thing I needed was a morning in the salon with all the Royal ladies. That is exactly what the Queen requested.

"Amelia, so glad you could join us," The Queen called to me immediately I walked into the salon.

I took one glance around the room and groaned internally. Olivia was already present and so were Emily and Charlotte.

I could have gone a couple more years without dealing with the spoiled princess. The Queen had made known her true feelings for me. I really didn't want to have to deal with Emily.

I got into position and displayed a perfect curtsy after the door closed behind me. I thought I might as well give Emily, Charlotte, and Olivia a good, final one before I outrank them all.

"Come, take a seat, " The Queen offered, "And no need to be so rigid, you're about to be family after all. I expect you are forward to it?"

"Very much, Your Majesty"

"I thought it might be a good idea if we spend the morning together," she explained, "especially since the men are out hunting"

As I understood it, Nick had gone on a hunting trip to celebrate his last days as a bachelor with the other men of the court. By extension, I think that made this my bachelorette party.

"Amelia, congratulations" I heard Olivia say.

"Thank you," I smiled as I took a seat next to her.

"Congratulations," Little Charlotte repeated.

"Thank you," I said again softer this time.

We all expectantly looked to Emily who seemed caught off guard. I'd already braced myself for whatever nastiness was coming my way but it never did.

All she did was repeat what the two girls before her had said. It was low effort and devoid of emotion but as they say, beggars can't be choosers.

"Thank you all," I said softly, "This is all a dream come true. It's like I have so many sisters now. I grew up as an only child so this makes me happy"

"I wish I was an only child," Charlotte said which caused her sister to shoot her a dirty look.

"At your age, it's normal to fight with your siblings," The Queen chimed in, "You'll begin to appreciate them more as you grow older. Eventually, the little squabbles begin to seem petty and you'll realize no one else in the world understands you as she does. That is even more true when you are princesses"

We listened carefully the way everyone did when the Queen spoke. I wondered whether one day, I would command that sort of respect and attention.

"Amelia, you probably don't understand this yet but eventually you'll realize that your station makes you a unicorn and you can only surround yourself with other unicorns"

It was clear she was speaking from experience. I let my expression show that I was eager to learn from her. I figured if she saw in me a teachable lady, we may eventually be able to put the past behind us.

"Those unicorns are the girls you see around you now," She finished. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty"

"Yes, aunty," The three other girls said in unison.

We carried on with typical conversation until we began hearing what sounded like commotion originating from outside the salon.

"What is going on out there?" The Queen snapped.

"I will find out, Your Majesty" One of the servants who stood quietly in the corner announced.

"How tiring," The Queen voiced to no one in particular.

The servant returned moments later with a worried look on her face. She looked unsure of what to say. It couldn't have helped that we were all staring expectantly at her.

"Well, out with it, Lovette," The Queen said quickly losing her patience.

"It's--" she paused, "Prince Dominic, Your Majesty. It appears he's throwing things"

"What is it this time around?"

"His Highness wants to be allowed in," she explained.

"In here?" The Queen asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty"

"Absolutely not," The Queen decided without a second thought, "Have him returned to Goldcrest Castle and maybe serve his lunch early just this once"

The servant bowed and set out to execute the order.

"Oh grandmother, won't you let him join us today?" Lady Olivia asked, "He's probably just lonely all by himself"

"Being by one's self is not the worst thing in the world, Olivia" the Queen countered, "It is often the curse of nobility. And this is a women's gathering, we shouldn't confuse him"

"But all the men are away, and they're too busy to spend any time with him anyway" Olivia added.

I turned my gaze over to the servant who was standing by the door expertly waiting for a resolution.

"Aunty, I'm sure he would have liked to go hunting as well but he is only too young," Emily chimed in giving Olivia a hand. "I'm sure he will enjoy it when he's older and the time comes."

"You girls spoil him," Queen Arabella clicked her tongue, "That is why he remains so effeminate. But I suppose one time won't hurt, and it is a special occasion after all. Charlotte, would you like your brother to join us?"

"I don't mind," The little girl replied.

"Bring him," The queen instructed the servant and that was that.

The young prince arrived a moment later smiling ear to ear.

"Good morning, aunty" the boy greeted. His voice was soft and there was something whimsical about the way he carried himself. Still, I couldn't tell what all the fuss was about.

He could be classed as 'pretty' since he shared a lot of features with his sisters but nothing puberty wouldn't sort out.

The question to me was whether that's what Little Dominic wanted.

"I hear you were throwing a tantrum," The Queen got right to business, "What have I told you about how a prince should behave?"

"Sorry, aunty" he replied sheepishly.

"I better not hear about you acting in such a manner again, do you understand?"

The young boy could only nod.

"Good, now come take a seat near me," The Queen changed her tune when she was satisfied, "Bring the prince some biscuits"

I kinda felt bad for him. Being the only son of his parents meant that he was to inherit their titles upon their deaths. He will be made Duke of some place or another and expected to marry and build a family of his own.

I feared the expectations had only just begun.

"I'm sure you know Lady Amelia, don't you?" The Queen asked, "She's getting married to your cousin, Prince Nicholas very soon"

When he looked at me, I waved at him and flashed him a warm smile. I wished there was a way to show him that he wasn't alone and there was nothing wrong with him. I remember what it was like to be forced into boxes by adults when you were just trying to live in the way that made you happiest.

"You will get married too one day," The Queen continued speaking, "That goes for all of you. Some hopefully sooner than others" The Queen turned her attention to Lady Olivia.

"I know who I'd like to marry," Princess Charlotte announced.

"Who, dear?"

"Lucas," Charlotte said simply as though we were all to know who that was.

"Some hockey player," Emily explained, "The latest boy she's obsessed with"

"I am not obsessed," Charlotte argued.

"Mm-hmm, is that so?" Emily asked, "I suppose it's just a coincidence then that you watch all his games"

"Your uncle enjoys his hockey matches as well," The Queen joined the conversation, "Perhaps you can talk about the games together?"

"She doesn't care about hockey, Aunty-- she only cares about Lucas St. Clair"

While their conversation continued, I turned my attention to Lady Olivia who sat beside me, "I thought it was very nice how you stood up for him"

"You could have said something too," she replied.

I smiled, "No, I couldn't have"

Could you imagine me arguing with the Queen? What a scary thought. Deep down, I knew regardless of rank, these girls would always belong here more than I could ever hope to.

"I just think it's unfair how he's treated," she said quietly. "He's not like other boys, we shouldn't force him"

"It's the patriarchy," I told her, "It affects boys too"

"Exactly," she agreed, "Boys must learn to rule and girls must sit back and be quiet" she made an exhausted face.

"I guess you don't want that"

She shook her head but didn't say anything else.

"For what it's worth, I think you'd make a really good Duchess"

"I thought so too," she said finally.

=^..^=

"Your Highness, I think we got off on the wrong foot," I said to Emily when we found ourselves near one another. I thought if one of us was going to have to offer up an olive branch, it wasn't going to be her.

"You're speaking to me," she said and I wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question.

"I was hoping maybe we can start over?"

"You probably think I care that you're getting married to the Prince. I don't" she said coldly.

"I wasn't thinking that," I said quickly.

"What is this, is it pity?" she asked. I couldn't help but notice her glance down at the ring on my finger, "Because--"

"It's not," I said quickly again. I didn't mean to interrupt her but it felt necessary before we went too off track, "I was hoping we could be friends. You know, unicorns?"

She sighed and looked away, "I wish you both a very happy life together"

When she got up and walked to sit elsewhere, I knew there was no need pressing the matter any further. So I just let it go.

=^..^=

Sometime later, we got ourselves a surprise visitor. Princess Sophia who was no longer staying at Eclipton Castle and had long since returned to Rosemont Hall dropped in for a visit.

"Hello, Mother"

"My dear, please come join us," The Queen invited her daughter with a big smile.

"I'm afraid I'm not staying long," The Princess replied, "Although I was hoping to speak to Amelia before I leave. Can I borrow her?"

"What business could you have together?" The Queen asked suspiciously.

"Just memorial committee matters," Sophia replied unfazed, "Nothing that would interest you, Mother"

"Mhm" Whatever else the Queen was thinking, she didn't let us know what it was.

"Amelia? A moment?" Sophia turned her attention to me at which point I stood, curtsied, and followed her out the door. I had caught lingering glances between Princess Sophia and Lady Olivia but I had also learned not to press these things.

We'd had to walk quite some distance before Princess Sophia was satisfied. I couldn't help but wonder what this was about. I would find out soon after.

"I brought you an early wedding present," She said as she handed me what appeared to be an expensive-looking folder. It was made of leather that felt really nice to the touch and embossed with gold foil accents.

I opened it and found documents inside. The first one was the Declaration of Trust I recognized from one of our earlier meetings.

"Signed and notarized," she told me.

I flipped through the other documents and as far as I could tell, they appeared to be supporting documents for my trust.

"Not that you'll need that now," she continued, "but I'd rather not have you thinking I don't honor my end of bargains"

I stared at her with a blank expression on my face. As she'd said, this was now pretty much worthless to me. With Morgan being the beneficiary, a person I know no longer was, giving me this now was only a show.

"You wouldn't want anyone to get their hands on that so I'll hold on to it for you," she said with her hand outstretched.

I sighed, returned  the folder back to her, all the while wondering what I would do if I could go back to that moment she'd made the offer with everything I know now.

"Try to smile a bit more," she told me before taking her leave, "It's almost your wedding day"

=^..^=

Celeste woke me up that morning much earlier than usual and it took me a while to gain my bearings.

When I did though, I remembered it was my wedding day and a wave of anxiety washed over me. It felt as though I had a pit steadily growing in my stomach.

"What time is it?" I asked her weakly.

"5:30, my lady"

I groaned uncomfortably. My heart beat faster the more I thought about the day ahead. This was really happening, I was getting married.

It dawned on me eventually that we weren't at Eclipton that morning. Last night, I'd been ferried over the King's city residence. Apparently, it was from here that I'd ride in the carriage to the cathedral.

It made sense when you realized how far from society Eclipton actually was.

Additionally, when I arrived last night, I found 'my parents' waiting for me. Not my real parents obviously but Henri and Jennifer Beaumont. Two people I'd never met that I was now supposed to pretend had brought me into this world.

"My lady, we must prepare you," Celeste told me and that is exactly what we did. We didn't have much time because Izzy and the rest of the makeup team had already arrived.

I had only a very light breakfast before I was hurried into a room where a whole team was waiting to do my makeup.

"My lady!" Izzy squealed happily when she saw me, "You're getting married!"

"I know, it's so hard to believe" I managed as I was forced into the chair.

It really was hard to believe. Only a year ago, I had met Izzy for the first time in America before which I'd been a regular guy. Now I was going to be a princess.

"Sit, we're going to make you so pretty," she promised.

It was a bigger operation than ever before. Separate groups of girls went to work on my face, hair, nails, and so on.

I watched the transformation as my makeup was done and my hair was arranged into the agreed bridal style.

They finished around 8:30 am and set out to get me into my wedding dress. I watched the girls fuss on every detail making sure it was all perfect and nothing was out of place.

It might have just been my imagination but I could swear my skin felt just a bit smoother than it had a month ago. What couldn't have been my imagination was the feeling of my nipples against the breast forms.

Next came the jewelry. I was adorned with a beautiful diamond necklace and earrings to match. The crown came down soon after and the veil followed. Finally, I was given a bouquet of flowers and the work was done.

It wasn't long before I could see myself standing in the full-body mirror ready to be wed.

There was something about the way I looked in that moment with all those ladies watching me proudly that made me very emotional.

"Uh oh, here comes the waterworks," One of the women announced.

"No, don't cry," Izzy jumped in in a kind tone, "I know it's very overwhelming. You're okay, I promise"

I sniffed and blinked to try to keep the tears from flowing. They'd done such good work, the last thing I wanted was to ruin it.

"You're very beautiful," Izzy whispered to me. "I'd go so far as to say you're my greatest creation-- Your Highness"

It caught me off guard when she'd said it. It was the very first time I'd ever been called that. Certain to not be the last.

"We better go," Izzy announced, "The country is waiting"

=^..^=

I met my parents again downstairs as well as my bridal party. Women that were supposedly my long-time friends made up my bridal party and the cutest Lenorian girls made up the flower girls.

With each minute that passed, departure time drew closer and closer until it arrived.

It was a perfect day outside. Quite warm for a fall morning with the color of the trees offering an almost magical backdrop. A truly perfect day for a wedding.

I was guided into the horse-drawn Royal Carriage alongside my father and just like that, we were on our way.

Right from outside the gates, we were met with a flood of people cheering from behind barricades. It seemed as though all of Lenoria was in the streets.

The checkpoints had been opened just for the occasion allowing citizens from the other cities to pour into the capital without a pass.

"You should wave to them," my father told me. I briefly wondered about his background. Was he simply an actor hired to play a role? A spy perhaps?

Regardless of what he was, I took his advice and waved to the people of Lenoria as we passed.

They roared with cheers in response.

The people really loved me, and what had I done for them in response? I'd only ever lied to them and told them what the monarchy wanted them to hear. And they loved me for it.

It was now my understanding that the truth didn't matter. Only what was believed to be the truth.

I smiled and waved to the crowd so they would love me even more.

The ride dragged a bit at the end and I began to wonder why they hadn't simply put in a car. We could have covered this distance in a fraction of the time and my arms were starting to ache from all the waving.

If I had to guess why, I would say it was due to the Lenorian monarchy's insistence on rejecting modernity in favor of their long traditions. Understandable but tedious nonetheless.

But eventually, we arrived at the cathedral and it was time to turn my attention to more important things like exiting the carriage as elegantly as possible.

One of the guards opened the carriage door for me, allowing me room to hand the bouquet over to one of my ladies waiting outside.

As I began my exit, 'my father' who remained in the carriage helped with the unreasonable length of my wedding dress that lagged behind before handing it over to the ladies after I'd successfully made my exit. One of them would follow closely behind to keep the dress from sweeping.

I took a deep breath the lady returned my bouquet and my father took my free hand and we advanced into the cathedral, no doubt dignitaries from around the world were waiting to see the bride.

A beautiful melancholic sound played from the organ as I stepped through the doors, my eyes catching the thousands of people waiting within.

Down the terribly long, red carpet, we walked hand in hand as the music played, all eyes glued on me. It was already a day I would never forget.

Near the front, I saw him. Not dressed in a suit like I'd expected but in full military attire more extravagant than on that day when we first came to Lenoria.

I could just make out his brother standing by his side dressed similarly but to less of a degree.

At the front of the church, I found faces of world leaders I recognized and those I didn't. I found the King and Queen sitting there as well. It was the very first time I'd seen either of them outside Eclipton Castle.

My gaze found Princess Sophia who gave me a small, approving smile that reassured me a bit. It meant I was doing well enough.

Nothing was as nerve-wracking as the moment when I was led right up to the front to Nick's side. We would leave this altar a married couple.

"You look amazing," Nick whispered to me causing me to turn to look at him, "No, don't" he whispered immediately after.

Was he trying to get me in trouble?

I may have zoned out as the hymns began. It was hard to be focused as thousands of people read from the papers they'd been given, while my heart beat quicker still.

"We are gathered here today in this house of God to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," The officiant began jolting me back to reality.

It was starting.

He spoke and spoke some more and seemed to be going on forever without end. Whenever you thought he might be reaching the end, he carried on.

Again I let my mind wander, only coming to reality when he asked,

"If any man can show reason why these two souls should not be married, let him speak now or forever hold his peace"

For a second, I thought someone might say something and shatter all my dreams but no one did.

Turning his attention to Nick and me, he continued, "I implore you both as it shall be held against you on the day of judgment when all hearts are opened that if you know of any reason why you must not be wed, you speak now"

I hadn't yet considered it up until that point. Was what we were doing a sin? I could never be accused of being the most religious person in the world, but I had to wonder if it was right to marry while deceiving so many people.

Despite my own internal thoughts, there was silence between Nick and me and after a moment, the window was closed.

"Now I ask, do you Prince Nicholas of Lenoria, take this woman to be your wife according to the holiest law of God? Will you love and cherish her, protect her, and keep yourself only unto her for as long as you shall live?" the officiant asked.

"I will" Nick replied immediately.

"Now I ask, do you Amelia Beaumont, take this man to be your husband according to the holiest law of God?" Will you serve and honor him, comfort him, and forsake all others, keep only him so long as you both shall live?"

"I will," I replied.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" The officiant asked and the man who played the role of my father stepped forward.

He took my hand in his and handed it over to Nick who was waiting eagerly.

"I, Prince Nicholas of Lenoria--" the officiant began as practiced.

"I, Prince Nicholas of Lenoria--" Nick repeated.

"Take thee, Amelia Beaumont--"

"Take thee, Amelia Beaumont--"

God, Nick's voice was so soothing and filled with so much love. This couldn't have been wrong no matter which way I saw it. I loved him and he loved me. Regardless of the deceitful origins, I was sure we'd found something wonderful and pure along the way and I couldn't let doubt taint it.

Before long, I was reciting my own vows while looking into his eyes. Those perfect eyes.

A lot of praying followed and a surprising amount of singing afterward but eventually the magic words were uttered.

"By the power vested in me, and by the grace of our Sovereign and the laws of this realm, I now pronounce you husband and wife. May your union be blessed with enduring love, and the strength to fulfill your duties to each other and to the kingdom. You may now seal your vows with a kiss."

I closed my eyes when Nick did and leaned in. Our lips met for only a brief moment. There weren't any ravaging displays of affection this time as was typical with us but there was something different about this one that made me cherish it all the more.

It was our first kiss with Nick as my husband.

Against all odds, we were now married. Something that would have sounded utterly ridiculous a year ago was now my reality.

And perhaps even more unbelievable was the fact that I was now Princess of Lenoria.

=^..^=

Despite everything that had happened, I grew to really admire Sophia. Even more so when she would become the very first Queen of Lenoria 8 years after my marriage to Nick.

She would be crowned Queen only two years after she would be declared crown Princess following King Richard's sudden illness and abdication.

It was around this time that the pressure would mount from the Lenorian High Society for me to produce an heir. Sophia had been spot on regarding the constant onslaught I would receive. Nick and I would leave Lenoria soon after choosing to return to America almost a decade after I first left.

We would leave once again after purchasing a small castle in Scotland, a far cry from the grandeur of Tynedale Castle that the former King and Queen had given us as a wedding gift but it didn't matter to me because we were finally at peace in Scotland.

I had asked Celeste to come with me, not as a servant but as a friend but she'd refused, opting to stay in close proximity with her family.

Isidora and I remained good friends and she visited regularly. We never grew apart again.

One notably good thing about Queen Sophia's ascension was the fact that Olivia did eventually marry but ruled Huxley as its Duchess. The title would pass to her son or daughter after her death, whichever one was born first. The days of male priority were finally over.

In the end, Miss Penelope's rebellion would come to an end only a few months after she declared war on the monarchy. I never found out what became of her.

There are those who are of the opinion that that conflict might have had a different outcome if I hadn't been present in Lenoria at the time. I believe they are wrong.

It was my conclusion that there were moles and spies among the rebels since the movement was only an idea. Miss Penelope's rebellion would have been doomed from the start.

In the end, the rebellion only served as a catalyst for Queen Sophia's rise to the throne.

The End.

=^..^=

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Thank you so much for reading. Would love to hear what you thought about the whole story. See you in the next one :)