It had been three years since Alexander's coronation as King. And throughout those three years, Alexander never stopped sending his letters to Isabelle. Yes, he sent her letters. The first one cleared the misunderstanding, and the rest were just him talking to his fiancee. He missed her, and he mentioned that in every letter.

But...she never responded.

During these three years, Alexander tried his best to go to Scotland and personally talk to her, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to take out time for anything besides the welfare of France. However, despite a majority of Alexander's time being spent maintaining France, he proved to be an exceptional King.

France flourished in his reign. The empire expanded, the trade blossomed, and overall France became one of the strongest monarch countries in a very short time. He became a respected and feared king. He gained the complete trust of his loyal subjects and ensured that his enemies knew whom they were dealing with if he was ever crossed. The tales of Alexander, the highly regarded King of France, were known far and wide. His name was bound to be remembered in history.

It was 7th February today.

Not only Isabelle's coronation.

But her twentieth birthday as well.

Everyone was gathered at the Royal Scottish grounds. Awaiting Isabelle's arrival. Soon she was walking down the aisle wearing a maroon gown with a white cape draped over her shoulders. She had grown rather beautiful during the three years, more mature, and more like an elegant queen rather than a naive princess that she was before.

Isabelle's mother stood to her side, standing proud and tall that her daughter had grown up. Isabelle bowed her head as the crown was placed on her head. The priest then stood to the side as she advanced towards the throne as the priest recited in latin, then finally said:

"Queen Isabelle of Scotland!"

"Queen Isabelle of Scotland." The crowd roared.

"Long live the queen!"

"Long live the queen!"

"Long live the queen!"

***

Isabelle now had changed into a beautiful black lace gown as she greeted her guests. Suddenly she was tackled in a hug causing her to stumble back a little. Pulling back, she squealed in excitement when she faced Natalia.

"Natalia!" She laughed as she hugged her tightly.

"It has been too long Isabelle!" Natalia exclaimed as Isabelle agreed wholeheartedly. Once she pulled away from Natalia, she was greeted by the 15-year-old Claire, who looked absolutely adorable in her pink gown. She then met the Queen, who embraced her so tightly that Isabelle couldn't manage to breath for a second. After her, she smiled up at the 22-year-old Nathan who looked handsome as ever. He smirked down at her before giving her a quick hug.

"I'll beat you in swordplay this time for sure, Belle," He whispered into her ear causing her to laugh.

Pulling away from them she peered over their shoulders in hopes to see Alexander.

"Where is Alexander?" She asked the French Royals. Everyone glanced at each other solemnly.

"Umm...He couldn't come. He had to remain back in France due to some matters that required his immediate attention." Claire informed slightly hesitant when Isabelle's smile drooped. "He apologizes for not being here."

"It is alright," Isabelle said with a dismissive wave, trying her best to hide the distraught she was feeling inside. "He has duties as a King after all. I understand."

Instantly they all relaxed then made their way to the ballroom. They all spent time talking with each other, catching up with lost time. It felt as though time melted away when they danced and conversed. She found out that the French Royals would be staying in the Sottish Palace with her for the duration of their stay.

She was overwhelmed with joy to know that her friends would be with her, but there was this deep sense of sadness in her heart at Alexander's absence. Isabelle was looking forward to meeting him, but it seemed like he had other plans. Soon the feast came to an end as everyone retired to their chambers.

Isabelle walked down the hall towards her chambers and greeted her guards as they opened the doors for her. Thanking them, the great doors shut behind her as she proceeded to remove her jewelry.

"Congratulation, Queen Isabelle." A voice spoke from the far corner of the room. Instantly Isabelle's heart rate increased as she could recognize the voice anywhere.

"I didn't see you today," Isabelle responded calmly.

"I was here waiting for you."

"Why are you in my chambers again, Phillipe." Isabelle sighed as the familiar face of her cousin came in view in her mirror. Phillipe was fairly tall and handsome with dark brown hair and corresponding eyes.

"What? Can't I come and congratulate my cousin?" Phillipe asked in exasperation as he stepped closer to Isabelle.

"You can, but it is not befitting for you to be in my chambers at such a time."

"And why so?"

"Phillipe." Isabelle started when suddenly she felt her dress go slack around her shoulders. With a gasp, she pressed her back towards the wall as she grabbed onto the torn fabric of the back. She looked at Phillipe who was grinning maniacally at her with a small dagger in his hands as he stalked forward.

"Do not come any closer Phillipe! I have a fiancee." Isabelle stated in panic. "I'll call the guards!"

Isabelle opened her mouth to call for her guards when suddenly he clamped his hand over her mouth as he was hovering over her.

"Tsk. Tsk." Phillipe shook his head slowly as he leaned down towards her. "Oh, Isabelle. How long I have waited for this."

Isabelle tried to struggle out of his grip, but he was restricting her movements. As one hand clamped her mouth shut, the other one pinned her hands over her head.

'Oh God. Please save me.'

Suddenly the weight of Phillipe's body was thrown off her as she heard a thud. She wasn't sure if it was the sound of her body colliding with the wooden floor or if it was Phillipe's. Her breathing was erratic as she tried to blink the dark spots away. Her guards came to her rescue.

She could hear the sound of punches being thrown, grunts of efforts and those of pain as well. The sound was sickening to hear, and Isabelle didn't know what was going on, until a pained yelp brought her back to reality. Blinking rapidly, she looked up. Isabell noticed a dark figure looming over her, the face veiled by a shadow as something comfortable and warm was draped over her shoulders.

This was definitely not her guard. Her guards wore armor, not a coat. Isabelle tried hard to find out who the man was, but he backed away much too soon. She heard Phillipe being pulled off the floor, most likely being dragged to the door. Suddenly her doors swung open as she made out the figure of a tall and muscular man standing there. His back towards her, as he held a semi-conscious and bleeding Phillipe by the back of his collar.

"I want him thrown in the dungeons." The man stated as Isabelle's eyes widened in realization. "And sent one of Isabelle's maid's to help her."

"Of course." She heard her guards say at the same time. "King Alexander."

"Alex?" Isabelle managed to mutter before darkness consumed her vision.

***

Isabelle awoke with a start. Her maid hovering over her, concern evident on her features.

"Your majesty. Are you alright?" She asked in concern. Isabelle disregarded her question as she stood up, searching for her robe.

"Alexander? Is he here?" Isabelle asked as she peered out the dark window while pulling on her robes.

"The King of France? Yes, he is in his temporary chambers."

Emotions bubbled inside Isabelle's chest as she suppressed them. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself.

"When did he arrive?" Isabelle asked in a small voice. Her maid looked at her strangely.

"Your majesty." She started slowly. "He arrived sometime during the ball. I assumed that you had met him since he was always near you."

"H-he was?" Isabelle asked as her maid nodded in response. "W-where are his chambers?"

"He is staying in the chambers that have the view of the front gardens." Her maid informed her as Isabelle nodded and made her way out the chambers as she walked down the hall. She didn't realize it, but soon she was running as she neared the doors.

Slamming the doors open, she stood breathing heavily as Alexander's back was towards her. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Nathan! How many times have I told you to knock?" He stated in agitation.

Alexander' voice sounded deeper now, more alluring. Isabelle didn't know what came over her, but she ran forward and wrapped her arms around his waist as she buried her face in his back, inhaling his familiar masculine scent. Soon she felt the tears stream down her cheeks as her grip around him tightened.

"Isabelle," He called out softly as he turned in her arms so that now he was facing her.

"Why would you do that?" She sobbed as her hands curled into fists beside her.

"Do wha-"

"Why would you stop sending me letters? Why weren't you there at my coronation? Why didn't you tell me that you were there at the ball? Why were you hiding from me? Why didn't you come when I invited you to my birthdays!? Why Alex! Why?!"

"I was so upset when I stopped receiving the letters from you! They were the only things that managed to console me when I needed you by my side. And when you didn't come to my birthdays, I always felt disheartened, and felt as though you were distancing yourself from me, and that suspicion only increased when I didn't receive a letter from you at the start of the month."

"My birthday and coronation were supposed to be the happiest days of my life! It was already difficult to celebrate these occasions without the proud smile my father would have had to greet me, but it became even more so when you never appeared."

"I know that you have duties as a king! But I missed you so much over these past three years, I yearned to be back in France. I didn't care if I was disregarding my obligations as a princess, I just wanted to be back in your arms! I just wanted to be back with you! It physically hurt me whenever I learned that you weren't there to attend the functions, and I nearly broke down when Claire informed me that you weren't there at the ball."

"Have you ever missed someone so much that even the thought of them...it made you burst into tears?! I constantly have to keep myself busy so that I don't think about you, but every time I pause, I still think of you. Every time I close my eyes my eyes, I see you, but whenever I open them, I miss you."

"The other day, I realized that the French don't say 'I miss you' instead, they say: "Tu me manques" which when translated into English means 'You are missing from me'."

With everything Isabelle said she hit him with her fist, but ended up kneeling on the floor as she wiped away her tears that were continuously forming and streaming down her face, her voice diminishing from a loud yell to a soft and hurt whisper.

"What would have happened if you weren't in my room?" Isabelle asked as she looked up to look in his gray orbs. "What would have happened to me, if you weren't there when Phillipe advanced on me?"

"Isabelle." Alexander called to her softly as he knelt in front of her and wrapped his fingers around her chin as he tilted her head up so that she was looking at him. He changed over the past three years. He looked more mature, a stubble around his jaw which accentuated his good looks. His eyes were a beautiful dark gray that lightened in direct sunlight, his pink lips pulled forming a small smile as he wiped away Isabelle's tears. Gently he lifted her off the floor so that she wouldn't catch a cold and made her sit down on his bed.

"The reason as to why I couldn't attend you 18th birthday was due to the obnoxious King of Spain. I am sure you remember that he had come to set up a treaty with my father on your welcome banquet. Alejandro had been requesting a "minute alteration". I found his request unreasonable, and told him I would not change the treaty since it was forged on the basis of his conditions." Alexander told her as he tucked away a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Him being known to be hot-headed, demanded that I change it. So, I gave him two options. Either he accepted the entente the way it was, or he has declared war with France."

"Alejandro being....well...Alejandro chose to go to war," said Alexander. "Soon, he realized that he stood no chance against the French army, he willingly surrendered and sanctioned the consequences of his submission. That is how Spain came under French control."

"I genuinely wanted to be there on your 19th birthday because I was guilt-ridden for not being able to attend your previous birthday. But apparently, I chose a very wrong time to fall ill. The medical doctor had advised me bed rest, and I didn't have much of a choice because I didn't have the strength to move about much. "

"Mother feared that I was dying, however, the doctor told her otherwise, but she wasn't convinced and told him that she would preach to God. Every night when I was going to sleep, she would sit by my bedside and pray to God, saying 'Dear Father, I know my boy has sinned, but that was in the past. He has changed, and will not sin you anymore. Give him health and prosperity. Please father, do not take my boy away from me.' She even had me convinced for a while."

"I was unable to attend your coronation because I left a day after my family did. Just when we were ready to leave, there was a raid in the village square. I told the others to go first and that I'd join them. Soon the raid was suppressed and I set off for Scotland. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to attend your birthday again, much less your coronation. But somehow I managed o arrive during the ball. I wanted to surprise you by asking you for a dance, but I never got the chance because you were busy throughout."

"As an answer to your other inquiry, yes, I have missed someone to the point where the thought of them had tears welling up in my eyes. And yes, I am well aware of how it feels to miss someone dear to you," said Alexander as he inched closer to her, taking hold of her hand in his as he rubbed soothing circles onto the back of her hand with his thumb. They both fell silent for a moment, Alexander trying to formulate his next sentence, as Isabelle absorbed in all the information she just received.

"Honestly, I do not want to think about what would have happened to you if I wasn't in your chambers when Phillipe advanced on you," Alexander said softly as his grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly, his gaze down at their conjoined hands. "But one thing is for sure, I would have killed Phillipe in the most painful manner possible."

"I stopped writing the letters to you because I was discouraged by your lack of response to them. I believe that is why you felt as though I was distancing myself from you. While in all honesty, I felt as though I had lost you." Alexander sighed out as he pulled away his hand from hers, running it through his hair tiredly.

"B-by my lack of response?" Isabelle asked in surprise, causing Alexander to look up at her. "What do you mean to say by my 'lack of response'?"

"Well, you never responded to any one of my letters and I lost all hope due to which I stopped sending you the letters." Alexander clarified as he looked away from Isabelle's gaze.

"No! I wrote a response to every letter of yours! I read them all. I have them in my room!" Isabelle exclaimed in slight panic. "Are you telling me that you never received any one of my response?!"

"Isabelle, calm down," Alexander said as he stood beside her seated self.

"How can I calm down, not knowing why you never received any one of my letters? I always personally handed them to the mail boy telling him that he should ensure that they were delivered to you!"

"Isabelle!" Alexander exclaimed as he cupped her face in his hands, instantly seizing her rant. " Angel. It's alright. At least, I know that you responded to my letters and read them."

A small smile played onto his lips as Isabelle looked at him in confusion, wondering as to why he was smiling. Leaning forward, he pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead as he held her to his chest.

"But you never got to read them," Isabelle muttered solemnly.

"I have no doubt that you will ask the mail boy about them when you awaken,," Alexander said as he pulled away from her and got off the bed.

"Where are you going?" Isabelle asked leaning forward on the bed.

"To change, now you can't expect me to sleep in this." Alexander teased.

After some time Alexander returned wearing shorts as he got on the bed, yawning and ruffling his hair. Soon they both lay down, facing each other, neither one of them wanting to lose the battle to sleep, afraid that it all would be a dream when they woke up. Moving closer, Alexander rested his palm on the side of her face as she leaned into his touch.

Slowly and tentatively Alexander leaned down, his lips brushing against hers before he firmly pressed them to hers in a kiss of reconciliation.