My desktop protests though lagging as I open yet another tab on my screen

"Latinx customs," I murmur typing the words into the search bar.

Millions of links, web pages, and images pop up instantly. I prepare myself for the inevitable headache I will receive from scouring the worldwide database for Latinx holiday customs.

There has been unrest in the regions by the equator, again. We had enough trouble with the Canal region in June.

My mother proposed the idea that the Elders, John, and I should go to the regions of unrest and announce our engagement there. While will lead to a party at least three days long.

While we give the people a reason to celebrate they will be distracted, giving us time to send out members of the Guard to dismantle the organization attempting to upset the peace and arrest the instigators.

Just as I'm copying down a list of traditional foods to pin to my corkboard a red and blue colored box pops up at the bottom right side of my screen.

The official seal of Legibus is displayed in the middle of the box as I select it. Expanding into a page there is an official royal document. There is a short paragraph written on the top half of the page along with the insignia of each of the Elders. The seal is below their names and a small message declaring the page one hundred percent authentic.

My eyes flit over the message before my brows furrow and I read it more closely.

"A summons," I hear myself mutter. "What in the world?"

As I reach down to my feet to pull my coral pumps back on the door to my study opens revealing Kennedy.

They stand with their hand on the knob looking at me. "Emmalyne- I mean Princess, you've been-"

"Summoned," I finish. "Yeah, I saw."

"What does it mean?" Kennedy questions.

"I have no idea," I reply, adjusting my white shawl made of tulle and embroidered with flowers over my grey bodycon dress.

As I open the door from my chamber to the corridor I see Bobby poking his head out of his own door, looking confused.

Today is his last day in the palace, but that doesn't stop rage from boiling in the pit of my stomach the moment I lay eyes on him.

As I step out in the hall my lips pull to a frown I study his face. His eye is no longer purple but it's still red and slightly swollen.

"Tattled on me, did you?" I sneer. My arms cross my chest as I jut my hip out and glare at him. "Gone and cried to Grandfather?"

Before he can retort the door to David's chamber swings open. Stopping us both short. David walks out into the hall smoothing his hair in a boyish manner.

He looks up to see my and Bobby glaring at each other from ten feet away and give a small laugh. "You guys were summoned too?"

That kills my accusation of Bobby alerting the Elders of my violent expression of my opinion towards his actions.

Not soon after Juilet's door opens. She steps out into a hall wearing a pastel orange dress with golden jewelry glittering from her wrists and neck. The skirt on the dress could qualify as a ball gown and she must be wearing heels because her steps are clicking.

Seeing our gaping expression Juliet lets out a huff of laughter as she moves her bangs out of her eyes.

"I was having a fitting," She explains. "It had just finished when I received the summons. I thought it was best not to keep them waiting and take the time to change."

"Smart girl," I smile. "If only our other siblings had your clever insight."

Moments later Marcus emerges from his chamber decked out in his full polo uniform. The heels of his boots echo around the corridor as he walks towards us his head hung.

He looks up as we fail to withhold our snickers and giggles.

"I was on my way to practice," he says meekly.

"Mhm," David nods, his lips pursed. "Sure."

As the rest of us burst out laughing Sloan pushes both of her doors open and status out. "Good, you're all here."

That's our cue to begin walking to the throne room. We make it down the first flight of stairs before I hear Sloan snort as she looks at Marcus.

"What's with the getup, Charming?" She sniggers.

"Polo practice!" Marus cries his voice exasperated.

"It's not our fault you didn't take the time to change." Sloan shrugs. "You could have saved yourself the embarrassment."

"What, and be the last person out like you?" Marcus shoots back.

"Not so friendly," Sloan smirks. "At least I look presentable."

Marcus scoffs and Sloan gasps in reply.

"What are you implying, Marcus?" She breaks his names up into two syllables.

"Touchy touchy," Marcus says in a high pitched voice.

Sloan stops walking. "If you want touchy Marcus Lee Adam Edward Faust I will show you touchy!"

Marcus stops too, towering over Sloan he looks down at her threateningly.

"Nope!" I call pushing between them. I shove both of their chests forward. "We have places to be, you two can brawl out your issues later."

We resume walking after another flight of stars Marcus leans down next to my ear and whispers, "She's just mad because you're getting engaged and Lance was deemed unfit."

Before Sloan can charge Marcus, Bobby grabs her around the waist and lifts her from the floor.

"Emmalyne said no!" He says placing her in front of him. Far away from Marcus.

He looks back at me after Sloan huffs and pushes forward leaving the rest of us in the dust. If that's Bobby's attempt to make nice with me he's going to have to try a lot harder than that.

The throne room is dark. The vast room is full of windows, but the shudders are drawn all except one. My Grandfather stands on the raised floor where our thrones would be if this were a formal occasion. Or a sentencing. 

My parents, Uncle Clint, and baby Lily all stand before my Grandfather, they watch me and my siblings enter. My grandfather stands alone, his hands clasped behind his back and his shirt wrinkled.

Nick and Brooke walk in with Uncle Barney and Aunt Molly not far behind. As we all reach the same point in the room I reach the realization that we've all been summoned, my Grandfather summoned the entire court. 

Well, almost the entire court. Grandmother isn't here. 

Nick walks around his mother to stand next to me. "What's happening?" He whispers in my ear.

"I think we're declaring war on Obses," I whisper back.

"Really?" Nick gasps.

"No you moran." I poke my elbow into his side. "I haven't the slightest clue."

My Grandfather rubs his hands over his face. Smothering a yawn he looks up at us. "You're probably wondering why I've summoned you all here."

Afraid to speak out we all nod.

"I'm afraid I have some troubling news." My grandfather sighs. "Follow me please."

He steps down from the raised floor and walks out the door. My mother and father lead the rest of us, it's considered rude to walk in front of the king. 

We descend down to the first floor and take the back gate through the stable yard to Noble Lane. 

"Why does he need to bring us to the Gratitude Mansion?" I ask Nick. "Why can't he tell us in the throne room?"

"Beats me," Nick shrugs. "Maybe it's in his study."

As we reach the gate to the mansion I servants stand at the doors ushering us in. The front hall is large and empty, the ornamental table that used to be in the center was gone.

My grandfather does walk further into the house where I know his study is, instead he walks up the staircase on the right. 

"Something's not right," I whisper to Nick. 

"That much I've gathered." He responds back as we all reaching the second-floor landing. 

My grandfather makes two rights then a left down the hallways before we stop at a pair of silver doors. He turns around to face us. In the dark throne room, I wasn't unable to see the bags under his eyes. 

But now he's looked as if he's aged three decades in two weeks. 

"I want to prepare you for what you're about to see." He starts. "It's going to be hard, but it's high time the rest of you knew."

Oddly enough the first thing my mind goes to is war prisoner. There's a prisoner behind those doors. But we kept prisoner in the palace, why would there be on in my grandparent's home? 

Then it makes sense.

The entire family is here except for my grandmother. The coughing at Bobby's wedding, all the early nights, the events she couldn't attend. I was right. 

She's sick. 

My grandfather is still talking. "This came as a shock to my and Kelly, I want you all to know that everything is going to be okay-"

He's stalling, he doesn't want to show us. My stomach squeezes and my legs go hot. His hand isn't even touching the knob. He's talking and talking. 

"Open the damn door!"

All heads turn away from my grandfather and their gaze falls upon Brooke. Hear my Aunt Molly hiss into Brooke's ear as she grabs her shoulder. 

"I agree with Brooke," I say firmly. "Open the door."

My grandfather's head falls and he swings the door open. All the nightmares in the world couldn't have prepared me for what I saw. 

My grandmother was laying in a small cot with dark blue linens and a white nightgown. She had a clear mask over her mouth and nose helping her breathe. There were tubes and wires coming out of her chest and arms. 

Her hair which was once a shiny silver has thinned and faded to white, clumps of her hair have fallen out and it's become frizzy. Her spine is curved and her skin translucent. She looks to be a shell of the woman she once was. 

"No." 

I make it three steps into the room before my mouth goes dry and my eyes burn. I stop, my shoes sinking into the plush carpet. 

My grandmother ignores the people who are flocking around her and looks at me. "Emmalyne," she calls. Her voice is weak and broken. She tries to reach her hand out but her arm shakes and falls to her lap. 

I shake my head and take a step backward. Tears blur my vision as they pool in my eyes. 

"Emmalyne," My mother says. Her voice softened to hide the warning in it, but not soft enough. 

"No," I whisper back shaking my head like a toddler. "No."

Then without looking back I flee from the room. Making a right and two lefts, rushing down the stairs and into the afternoon air. 

My breaths come quick and short my tears are falling and I feel like a fish in the middle of the open ocean. Alone and exposed. 

I don't know when I started running or when I lost my heels. But my hair has fallen from its ponytail and is whipping behind my head like an angry viper. I can't see through the tears flooding down my face as I try to sprint back to the castle. I ran through gardens, sticks, and rocks stabbing the bottom of my feet. I don't stop until my toe snags on the root of the bush and I tumble to the ground. 

My hands tear against the dirt and burn when I push myself to a sitting position, my knees are scraped and bloody, yet I can't feel a thing. Maybe I can. I don't know. The only thing I do know is that my grandmother is dying. 

That pain is unbearable.

I look around trying to figure out where I am. Winter is upon us and it takes me a moment to recognize the hedge maze in its leafless state. I don't know how long I've been blindly running through this maze. But I'm here now.

I look back at the ground and feel my body tremble with sobs. They take me over. I can barely catch my breath, my chest burns with each breath and my face is soaked. 

Unable to control myself, I look to the sky and scream. My voice shrieks and echoes off the buildings around me. My throat rips can I crumble to the side. Sobbing myself into oblivion. 

I cried until I didn't have any tears left to shed. My cheek is pressed against the ground a wet patch of dirt expanding with each tear rolling off my cheek. Blood from my knee smears on my dress and onto my shins. 

Footsteps pound and grow closer. I can't identify where they are coming from and I can't bring myself to care. 

Maybe it's an assassin coming to end me.

I can hear the sound of rocks being crushed by a boot. The footsteps screech to a halt and I hear a man speak from behind my head. 

"Princess," His voice is soft but then it's yelling. "I found her! She's over here! I found her!"

People run at me from all directions. Feet everywhere, they surround me. I don't lift my head and stare at the blue shoes that the guard wear.

"Princess?" Is thrown around the crowd, each from a different person trying to get my attention.

"Princess Emmalyne?" That voice is different. It's a servant's voice. Who's I don't know. They all sound the same anyway.

The servant grows closer. "Princess!" There is a thud and the footsteps of the servant stop. 

"Sa- Kennedy. I can't let go over there." The first guard says to Kennedy, who must be the servant calling for me. "Our orders were to find her."

"I am her servant!" Kennedy says their voice strong. "It's my job to be there for the princess. Move Bruce!"

"Let them through," I croak. I don't move anything other than my mouth when I speak. 

There is the sound of shoving, which must be Kennedy shoving the guard out of the way. Their feet crunch and I see Kennedy's shiny black shoes stop in front of my face. 

Kennedy squats down and places their hands on my arm. I feel my fingers wrap around their forearm. Kennedy lifts me to a sitting posting and dusts the rocks from the cheek. 

I must look a mess because the guards avert their eyes. "Should we fetch Sir Johnathan?" One of them asks. 

I shake my head. Kennedy looks up and shakes their head. My chest pulls and apparently I have more tears to shed after all.

"Make them leave," I whisper.

"Yes, princess," Kennedy whispers. "Leave us! Tell the King she is safe. I will take care of her from here!"

"But-" Bruce begins. 

"The Princess gave you an order!" Kennedy cuts him off. "Leave us!" 

The people walk away quickly after Kennedy shouts, leaving me and Kennedy alone in the November air. 

Kennedy shifts their feet and sits on the ground with me. My face finds their shoulder and I bury my eyes into it. Kennedy strokes the back of my head gently untangling the knot in my air. 

"She's dying Kennedy," I whisper. "She dying and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

My voice breaks and tear appear on my cheeks once more. Staining Kennedy's white shirt with my makeup. If that bothers them they don't act as they care. 

"You're going to be okay," Kennedy says to me. "Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to be okay."

I sniff to keep the snot from dripping onto Kennedy's already ruined shirt and give a small nod.

"I hope so."