We remained in a small silence watching the butler disappear in the surroundings, when he finally did and we lost sight of him, I turned to the prince to hit him on the shoulder.

"Are you out of your mind?!" You've got us in big trouble! No! Worse yet! It's me who's in big trouble! What the hell is wrong with your head?!

I tried to hit him again, it was my way of showing my dissatisfaction with what was going on. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but it was my way of defense, Frederick struggled with me until he grabbed my wrists and prevented me from continuing hitting him.

"Enough..." he muttered in a peaceful tone; how can he keep calm? "First, stop hitting me and second, take a breath so we can talk like two civilized people."

I was civilized and have manners; however, I have lost them in a fit of hysteria. Roughly, I let go of his grip and pulled away from him, then started pacing back and forth, running my hands through my hair.

What have I gotten myself into? Taking a couple of breaths, I managed to calm myself to face him again.

"Good. Speak up."

I demanded, he nodded and cleared his throat.

"On any other occasion I would be asking for an apology for all this, but since you are in my palace and you are practically like an intruder, I reserve it" he spoke serenely and somewhat mockingly, I crossed my arms over my chest, I had. "But I apologize for the last thing, I promise I'll talk to my parents and make sure they don't involve you in anything. I also won't ask for a finger to be cut off or anything like that, you won't retaliate for coming in....."

I froze, could they cut off my finger? God, of course they could, it was royalty. The prince must have seen my terror because he guffawed, it was there that I notice he was joking. Again, I reached over to punch him, this time in the chest.

"It's not funny."

Of course not, he had managed to scare me. That was even funnier to him. I detested the fact that he had an infectious laugh.

"Again, not funny."

I said crossing my arms again, I made my efforts not to laugh along with him.

"To me it is, I've been dying to make a comment like that."

He confessed, cutting off his laughter. His gaze made contact with mine, he tried to offer me a smile that I couldn't respond to in kind.

"Well, Miss Anderson."

"It's Danielsson."

I corrected immediately, I thought I had made it clear. With a nonchalant gesture, she corrected him.

"Danielsson, I'm Frederick Kallenberg," he extended his hand in my direction, waiting for me to shake it. Hesitantly, I did.

"You can call me Beth," I replied, my full name had never been to my liking, I preferred to be called Beth rather than Bethany, Frederick raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"In that case, you can call me Freddy," he winked. He was flirting. I got nervous with that, he was attractive, too attractive, dark brown hair, greenish blue eyes and an extremely flirtatious and daring smile, plus he had a good body, muscular and somewhat toned, including his perfect height. He was the clear definition of handsome. I rolled my eyes in response, wishing he didn't notice the blush on my cheeks, then, I took a breath of air and spoke.

"What was all that?"

"All what?"

He asked with a raised eyebrow. He was playing dumb; I raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be. You know what I mean."

I answered with no intention of joking with him, I had not been amused by everything that had happened, it was hard to understand why he found it funny.

"Well, it was a nice experience, don't you think? I would have liked to have been able to get to my room, but I couldn't, even so, it was fun."

Is he out of his mind?!

"How can you find it fun to run away from your parents?"

I ended up asking, Frederick took a step forward. Since he was a couple of centimeters taller than me, he leaned down so he could whisper close to my ear.

"A little fun wouldn't hurt anyone."

He said in a tone of voice that made the hairs on my skin stand up. I recoiled uncomfortably from his closeness.

"Clearly it wasn't fun for them," I looked him up and down, he had an imposing personality. "And it wasn't fun for me either."

A sly smile appeared on his mouth.

"Ah... You're the lying type...." he said to himself. "Bethany Anderson, you, and I are going to get along just fine."

He clarified and I rolled my eyes.

"I told you it's Danielsson not Anderson."

I corrected him again. It was he who rolled his eyes, now.

"Well," he replied, uninterested in discussing my last name. "I'm sorry about all this fuss you got involved in on your own. I mean it, I was avoiding my parents, and you crossed my path the instant I was doing it, that I had no choice but to drag you into this whole mess along with me. I had no idea this would happen; things got a little out of control from my point of view."

Boy had they gotten out of control!

"You see, I'm not usually much of a...."

His explanation was half-hearted, again, Mark appeared at the top of the stairs and interrupted us.

"Sorry for the inconvenience your highness, but in case you have forgotten, I remind you that there is a press room waiting for you in the north wing lounge."

He said politely, Frederick frowned, it took him a few seconds to remember.

"Oh yes," he said with a dry chuckle. "I had forgotten."

I raise an eyebrow in his direction. Mark nods in satisfaction, knowing he's right.

"Would you like me to help you with anything, your highness?"

Frederick hesitated for a few seconds.

"No need Mark, I can take care of the situation." He said. "Do you know if my father said anything?"

"No sir, your father has not left his office, he is still in conversation with the Duke of Luxembourg."

"Good. That will take time," he said thoughtfully. Again, there was a brief silence formed around us, murmurs echoed in the hallway and my instincts became alert, my gaze shifted to Frederick who looked at me with the same anxious expression as I did. I wasn't ready for another fuss. "Is it Bryson?"

He asked Mark almost in a whisper, the man stood still, as if he was trying to analyze the person's voice. The voice sounded closer; it gave the impression that he was talking on the phone.

"It is, sir."

Mark confirmed. Frederick cursed.

"We'll have to get out of here," he said in my direction not at all happy, it took me a few seconds to understand who the person approaching me was. Bryson Kallenberg was the youngest prince of the kings, the third heir to the throne after his twin brother Brayden Kallenberg, as I understand it, Bryson was born one minute after his brother Brayden so he had the third place in the line of succession, however, Prince Brayden had died a year ago, so that left Bryson as the second heir and Ryleigh the Kallenberg's seven year old younger sister as the third on the throne, it was a somewhat large family.

Prince Bryson's voice was heard much closer than before, I became nervous, I wasn't ready for another encounter with another royal, with my eyes, I searched Frederick's face for an answer. It took him a few seconds to immediately descend the stairs.

"What do you intend to do, your highness?" asked Mark, observing Frederick's movements, who put the nail of his thumb on his left hand to his mouth before speaking.

"We'll go where the servants leave, Bryson can't see me, much less her."

He said pointing at me. I wobbled on my feet uncomfortably, what was this prince running away from?

"All right, your highness, it will be as you say."

Frederick turned in my direction and beckoned me to come to him, I hurried down the stairs at full speed and reached his side, when I did, we started walking down one of the right corridors, on the opposite side from where Prince Bryson's voice was coming from.

The prince and Mark walked at great speed, I tried to keep up with them, I don't know if it was the fact that I was much shorter than both of them that made it hard for me to keep up, I was behind them and every now and then I turned behind me to make sure we were not being followed, Frederick did the same, we turned in one of the corridors until we reached what turns out to be the kitchen, it was huge so it took us almost a minute to get to the exit door.

"Do you have any other ideas, your highness?" Mark asked when we finally got out of the palace, Frederick nodded.

"Mark, I know I always involve you in my troubles and you are one of my most loyal accomplices, so I ask you to lend me your car, I promise to reward you."

This last sounded more like a plea on the prince's part, he really needed to run away. A grimace was drawn on Mark's mouth, it was not a request he was expecting, it took him by surprise, even so, he reinstated his posture, put his hands inside his pants pockets and then took out a set of keys.

"Please your highness, take care of it, it's my favorite car."

He confessed cautiously and the prince nodded.

"I never disappoint," he said and snatched the keys smiling, Mark raised his eyebrows not believing the prince's words, even so, he did not question him.

I had no idea where the staff cars could be inside the palace, but they were definitely not where we were, it was deserted. Frederick turned in my direction and tried to offer me a smile that I couldn't answer, he pointed his index finger at me.

"You're coming with me," his comment was more like an order.

I hesitated.

"I can't."

I managed to say. The prince raised an eyebrow and then frowned.

I couldn't leave with him, all this was crazy, things had happened so fast that I had been acting without thinking ─which I did most of the time─, but I couldn't leave with the prince, that was already reaching a limit. Both men were staring at me waiting for a response from me, I coughed nervously.

What was I supposed to do? First of all, I was supposed to be inside the conference room, waiting for the prince to show up so I could interview him, however, none of that had happened, I had hidden inside one of the palace rooms with him by accident and then run away from the kings of Sweden, it was the craziest thing I had ever done in my life and of course, it was all drama, I couldn't add more drama to that by leaving with the prince.

"Mark?! Are you around here?! I thought I saw you and Frederick! Is he with you?!"

He and Frederick shared a knowing look. Frederick denied after a few seconds, pleading with his eyes not to answer Bryson.

"He's out there, isn't he?!"

Bryson insisted. I tensed in my place, again, I was going to be in trouble.

"I'm sorry, your highness," Mark apologized to Frederick and then answered his brother, "No, your highness, I'm alone!"

He shouted; a little relief crossed Frederick's eyes.

"I'll be right there!"

Bryson shouted; Frederick tensed.

"Go now!" demanded Mark in our direction. "I'll try to throw him off."

He assured Frederick, who smiled again.

"I owe you one."

"You owe me a lot, sir."

He corrected, Frederick shook his head in amusement and turned to look back at me.

"Come on, we must go now."

I know I had said I shouldn't go with him, but I didn't want to stay by Mark's side, I had a feeling that meeting Prince Bryson would bring trouble to the three of us, so running away with Frederick sounded like the most reliable option at the moment. I didn't protest, I walked over to him to start walking briskly in search of Mark's car.

It was more than clear that Frederick would bypass the press conference, there was no way he was going back to the palace to give the interview, he couldn't do that. It took us some time to find the car, which was parked near the gardens along with other cars piled up, Frederick was pointing to each car with the alarm button, when we finally found it, I hurried to get into it.

Once inside the car, Frederick let out a sigh.

"We were close," he said with his gaze fixed straight ahead, for my part, I was too confused.

For one reason, I was not sharing the same feeling as before, I had been able to control my nerves, there was something about the prince that gave me some confidence since our first meeting, yes, I have been scared to know that I was locked in a room with a complete stranger, however, talking to him was easy, maybe it was due to the utmost confidence he possessed and the fact that he was charismatic, everyone knew that, if there was one characteristic that magazines always pointed out about the prince it was his pleasant and likeable attitude.

I held my hands to my face, regardless of all that, things had gotten out of control in my life.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He asked in a serious tone, I didn't respond.

What was I doing, how did I end up in this?

Just thinking about it, I experienced emotions that left me with a bad feeling, I blushed with embarrassment, I had done something crazy.

I shouldn't have been completely surprised, I often got involved in compromising situations, but nothing that had happened to me in the past compared to this. I kept covering my face for a while.

"Bethany?"

He insisted. I didn't answer, I didn't want to. Suddenly, I felt his hand brush the side of my cheek.

"Beth...? Are you all right?"

He asked gently. That gesture surprised me, and I was a little startled, he removed his hands from my face to turn to see him, he looked at me worried.

"Are you all right?"

He asked again.

Was I?

I managed to catch my breath and nod. I forged a smile, Frederick did the same, averted his gaze from mine and looked straight ahead.

"I'm really sorry for getting you involved in all this," he finished. "I never imagined things would get out of hand."

He confessed. He sounded sincere, evidently, I hadn't expected to meet him the way I had, none of this was planned for both of us.

In a moment, the atmosphere became different, somewhat heavy. Frederick took the opportunity to start the car's engine and began to drive, it took us almost half an hour to get out of the palace. The prince turned on the radio determined to appease the silence that was between the two of us.

Stockholm was huge, I had grown up in Gothenburg most of my life, however, I had moved to the capital when I decided to study journalism at university, I had an apartment near the center and I was happy with the environment around me, I was happy with where I lived.

"Where are we going?" I asked when I noticed that we were moving away from the city.

"Solna," he answered immediately. "I live there."

I was surprised by his answer, he swore he lived inside the royal palace like his family. Suddenly, I felt the curiosity to ask him a million questions. I held back the urge.

"I have a small apartment in the center of Stockholm," I mentioned in the hope that he would take me home.

"Interesting, but we're going to Solna."

I got nervous.

"Why are we going to Solna?"

"Because I live there."

It wasn't the answer I wanted. I tried to look serious.

"Isn't there any way we can go back to Stockholm?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You ask a lot of questions, don't you think?"

He asked amused.

"Please."

I bit my lower lip; I didn't want to joke.

"I don't have enough money to stay in a hotel in Solna, besides I live in Stockholm."

I clarified, I had little savings, I had acted on impulse by quitting at Nicholas' newspaper company, my damn ex-boss, I was sick of working with him, he used to demand too much from me and say my work was no good, I was sick of it, I hated feeling belittled at that place so I decided to quit on my own, however, I had not measured the consequences, I had no other job and I was running out of money.

Frederick laughed.

"Don't worry about it, there's plenty of room in my apartment."

Was he you serious? I didn't want to go to his place, it made me more nervous.

"Please, let's go back to Stockholm."

I insisted, her smile widened.

"Well.... that's not going to happen," he confessed, I opened my eyes in surprise.

"Are you crazy?"

"Just a little bit," he said waving his fingers, still keeping his smile, I looked at him incredulously, what the hell is in his head?

"I can't go with you," I denied frantically," I don't even know you."

"I wouldn't say that, gorgeous," he hastened to answer, "I'd say we've gotten to know each other very well."

"No, we haven't! I hardly know you, it's not right for me to go home with a stranger.

I protested.

"You said it yourself, you hardly know me, which means I'm no longer a stranger," he pointed his index finger at me, not taking his eyes off the road. "Besides, we are already far away, and it would be a waste to go back."

I denied.

"I don't agree."

"I do. Which means we're one on one," he said with a slightly crooked smile. "It's a close contest."

"I'm serious. We should go back."

"I also mean it. We're not going back."

I was beginning to despair.

"Frederick..."

I sentenced, maybe it was more correct to call him highness than by his first name, but I wasn't thinking at all, I just wanted to go home.

"Bethany..."

He said in the same tone as me.

God, he was hard to deal with!

I covered my face with my hands again, hating not being in control of the situation.

"Well, going back to Stockholm is not the best option, it's already late, it's not long to Solna and I really hate Stockholm, how can you live there?"

"It's nice."

I mumbled taking my hands off my face. Frederick let out a snap.

"I really think we should go back."

I insisted, Frederick snorted.

"Listen, at this point, you're so muddied up in my affairs that you have no choice but to come with me. We can't go back to Stockholm because my parents won't..." he paused, hesitating whether to say what he was going to say or not. Just trust me, okay?

"Those are not the things one stranger says to another."

I muttered with my arms crossed.

"Again. We're not strangers."

Well, if I thought things through, I was right, we were no longer two complete strangers like we were at the beginning. Trying to get some information, I spoke up.

"I'll go with you if you answer me one question."

"Okay. Let her go."

"I have a condition for it."

"What's that?"

"Please, no jokes and detours, just the truth. "

"Okay."

"Why did you say we're dating?"

Frederick didn't answer right away, he kept thinking. I prayed he wouldn't say something stupid.

"I had to."

"What do you mean, you had what?"

"Hey, you said one question."

He joked. Seeing that I was being serious, he cleared his throat.

"It was the right thing to do. We both know you're a journalist, if my parents found out about it, they were going to punish you, if you don't know, it's a crime to be in the royal palace without an invitation."

"Yes, but you shouldn't have told them we went out...."

"I never said in what way," he said and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm sure everyone assumed a meaning, saying you're dating someone without making it clear can be misconstrued."

He snorted.

"Look, I'll give you a good explanation to everything, just let us get home, okay?" he said still staring at the highway. "You ask too many questions."

It's because I'm a journalist, I wanted to say, I was ready to ask a hundred questions as if there was no tomorrow, but I didn't say anything else, I decided to keep quiet until we got home.

*****

Hellooooo! How are you? I'm sorry that i couldn't come before with a new chapter but i have been a little busy with work but today in my small break i finished this chapter so here i am! I hope you all liked this chapter! Let me know what you think about it :D