It was late at night when Katherine's door opened, and Sylvestre Thériault slipped through the cracked doorway.

He was used to Princess Katherine calling for him around this time of night, and he hadn't had a moment to even talk to her. He was glad that he finally got a chance to talk to her-he needed to see her, after his last conversation with his accountant.

One of his casinos wasn't making enough money as it should, and he needed to come up with a plan fast before he looses it for good.

"Kat," he said the moment he spotted the princess in bed, flipping through a magazine. Seeing his friend like this, in her nightclothes, hair a bit unkempt and her mouth set in a pout, made the world a tiny bit better. She didn't look up as he sat down next to her, hands in front of him, not knowing what to tell her about his business. "We need to tal-"

"I'm not giving you no more money." was the first thing out of the princess' mouth the moment he opened his mouth.

Sylvestre got confused the moment she said that. "How'd you know I was going to ask you for money?"

"I read the report about your failing casino." she closed her magazine and turned to him. "It's going down the drain because of those old machines and the Rossetti Family always using it as a base. No shops or any company wants to work with you after that stupid-ass shootout in front of the casino. I say you get rid of the Rossettis and everything will come back up."

"But I can't," Sylvestre groaned, running a hand down his face as he stood back up. The Rossetti Family was part of the mafia, and they were secret shareholders of the casino. They would do anything to keep the casino running, even if it means letting it go to hell and making it a mafia-only casino. "If I let go of the Rossettis, then they'll come after me. And on top of that...I'm about to marry one of their daughters soon." That was part of the reason why he came up to Samphire in the first place-to break off the friends with benefits part of their relationship and move on. He hoped that he and Kat remained friends after all of this...

Katherine slipped out of her bed the moment Sylvestre said that he was about to marry one of the Rossettis. She crossed her arms over her chest, wondering who she should scream at more: her best friend whom she's been fucking for the past two years, or a Rossetti that would do anything to keep what they got. "Which one?" she asked. When Sylvestre didn't answer, she went over and punched him in the arm. "Which one?" she asked again, hissing the question.

"Francesca Rossetti."

The name made all the breaks stop. Francesca Rossetti was the only one out of the whole damn family that Katherine liked-had even went shopping with her a couple times. She was smart, cunning, and knew exactly what she wants. She wasn't a daddy's girl per se like Katherine and Abby was, but this girl had her father and brothers around her finger. Anything Francesca wanted, they were the men to get it.

"You're marrying Francesca," she said slowly. She felt the tears come to her eyes as she placed a hand over her belly. "When you could've married me and had everything you ever wanted."

"I'm sorry, Kat."

"Sorry? You're sorry?" the words felt a bit hollow as she started to laugh. "You don't need to be sorry, S. I should be the one who's sorry."

Sylvestre started to laugh and shake his head. "Why are you sorry, Kat?"

"Because in a couple months, I'm leaving this place to go to my grandparents place."

That made him laugh even more. "Why are you going there?" when she didn't answer and the room became silent, Sylvestre stopped laughing and the corners of his mouth dropped. "Kat. Katherine. Why are you going to your grandparents place in a couple months?" when she didn't answer, instead turning around and having her back to him, he got worried. "Kat." he reached over and gently turned her around, seeing the tears in her eyes-Katherine never cried. Not even once. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Closing her eyes, Katherine wondered if she should tell him her secret-well, actually, theirs. He was the last person she slept with over the years, and on top of that, she hadn't had her period in a couple days. Something was wrong, and after taking a test earlier, well...

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth and told him what was wrong...

***

"I thought I'd find you in here," Percy said when he found his boyfriend in the huge library.

Weston looked up from his book and gave him a smile when he walked in, seeing him wearing just a simple henley t-shirt and jeans. "Hi there," he said, giving him a kiss that Percy gladly returned. A low moan rose in Weston's throat as Percy kissed him deeper, almost hard enough that their tongues clashed. "What was that all about?" he asked once they broke the kiss.

"I've been wanting to do that since you came here," Percy admitted with a sheepish smile. "In fact...I've been wanting to do that all day."

Closing his book, Weston sighed. He knows why Percy was in the closet-because of his parents and what they would think, and all the prejudices that came with it. Weston came out to his family a couple months ago, and they all excepted him. But when it came to Prince Percy, well...he wasn't so lucky. All this secretive shit, and only his siblings knowing that he was gay, was getting on Weston's nerve. But he knew that it takes time for him to be comfortable in his own skin, to be ready to tell his parents himself that he was gay. But for now, Weston was happy to be with his boyfriend, and would stand by him for however long it took.

"I'm not rushing you or anything," Weston said slowly, putting his book down so he could wrap his arms around his boyfriend, "But when are you going to tell your parents the truth?"

"Weston..."

"It can't be that hard."

"It is when my parents are anti-LGBTQA+, and had nearly sided with a TERF once," Percy grumbled. He sometimes worries about his parents whenever an issue about the LGBTQA+ or trans community comes up, and either his mother or father make comments that make him deeply uncomfortable. Once or twice Victoria or his siblings spoke up about them, but still, it hurts him, knowing that the Pershing Family Matriarchs are bigots. "So imagine them shocked that their son is gay and is in love with the most beautiful man ever?"

"Well I could've told you that they would have to understand," Weston answered. "Or we force them to forget their bigotry and accept their son for who he is. If they can accept that Abigail's a diabetic, then they can accept their son being gay, and being damn proud of being one."

Percy sighed, knowing that he was right. His parents had to accept him for who he was, no matter what they say or do. He was still their son, but he was also a gay man, and he should be able to do whatever the hell he wanted, with or without repercussions. "Christmas," he said at last, thinking about it. "I'll tell them Christ-"

"Telling auntie and uncle that you're gay, Percival?" Marcella's voice said from behind Weston, making both boys jump and turn to her.

Marcella was just wearing a simple robe, a cup of Fortnum and Mason's Countess Grey tea sitting on the huge armchair. Her dark red hair was over her shoulder, and she looked like she'd been up all night reading or..something. In fact, the boys were stunned to even seen Marcella in the library, especially Percy. He thought his cousin would be out on the town by now, appearing on TMZ and every gossip rag around town. But seeing her here...felt a bit weird.

"What are you doing in the library, Ella?" Percy asked, stunned. "And how long were you listening to our conversation?"

Marcella lifted a shoulder. "For a while. And who would've thunk that Percie found himself a really hot boyfriend."

"El." the warning tone in Percy's voice made Marcella chuckle.

"Don't worry your pretty little head over it, Percie. I won't tell auntie and uncle that you're gay and happy. I'll keep on the downlow until Christmas."

"You...you will?" Weston asked, shocked. He had his guard up about Marcella ever since he met her earlier today, and now...well, he was starting to like her, a lot. "You'll keep our secret?"

"Please-I've kept so many secrets about gay people that I one hundred percent am on their side. You two make a beautiful couple and if I have to, I will sit them down and make them accept you."

A smile appeared on both men's faces at that, glad that they had one more ally on their sides. "Thanks, Ella." Percy went over and hugged his cousin, and Marcella hugged him back.

"I'm just glad that I'm here to set the record straight-again. And also James might be coming Christmas anyway. He loves Spain and all, but he really misses me more." Marcella told them with a wink. "Now come on. Let's have some tea and figure out how we're going to tell auntie and uncle about you two, because it's about damn time Pershing House has a gay prince."

"This is good and all..but what are you up to, Ella?" Percy couldn't help but wonder. Marcella was always the wild child, always doing something extremely different than the rest of the family. Whenever Marcella was up to something, it was kept hidden until it was finally revealed, and the spotlight was on her or James, for that matter.

"Me?" The Duchess of Albion asked with a gasp, shaking her head. "Why, nothing to worry your little head over."