Sean raced out of the house determined to get back to England before something terrible happened to Maeline. He pulled out his phone and called Adam. In hopes that maybe there was someone there that could get him to Lancaster castle as fast as possible.

The phone rang three times before Adam picked up on the other end.

"Hello?" Adam's voice boomed over the phone's speaker.

"Adam? It's Sean, listen I don't have time to explain but I need you to take me back to Lancaster, Castle," Sean stated.

"What? Why?" Adam asked. "Is she in some sort of danger?"

"No time to explain, just pick me up from the airport I'm getting the earliest flight out of Ireland." Sean responded. "And bring a suit while you're at it."

"You got it sir," Adam said. "I'll meet you at the airport."

The call disconnected. Sean arrived at the airport and quickly bought a ticket to England as fast as possible.

The plane ride back to England seemed ten times longer than when he originally flew over. When his parents questioned him about why he needed to go back to Lancaster, England. He explained to them that there was a situation and that the princess was in danger. Sean carried the note with him as proof that Mark was up to no good. Sean arrived at the airport just as the black limo pulled up. Sean got into the car and in the driver's seat he saw Adam.

"Did you bring the suit?" asked Sean. In hindsight, Sean felt like he was part of a secret spy network bent on trying to defeat the most hated villain in the land. The only difference, Mark was a thief and gold digger impersonating a duke. It made him wonder what happened to the original duke. Knowing Mark, he probably killed the original archduke.

"Yeah," answers Adam. "It's in the bag next to you." Sean took it and opened it to see the right sized suit. "Are you sure that the princess is in danger?"

"I'm positive, this has been Mark's plan the entire time," Sean Said. "That's two of the reasons why I came back," the limo driver started to drive back to Lancaster castle. "and the other is that I discovered Mark isn't actually a duke, he's nothing more than a common thief and gold digger."

"That's a big accusation sir," Adam said. "What's the other?"

"That's not important right now." Sean said.

"It seems that you came back because you love her." Adam suggested.

"That's not true." denied Sean. Sean blushed, embarrassed. Why did Adam have to keep grilling him?

The charity ball already began. Guests entered the ballroom in beautiful gowns, some of the most elite royal families were there enjoying the music. Maeline was standing by a food table with a drink in her hand. She wanted to enjoy the party but couldn't, all her thoughts kept going to Sean and how he'd been gone for over three weeks. She couldn't help but think that Mark had done something to Sean which caused him to leave. Maeline snapped out of her thoughts. She began to look around until her eyes landed on Mark who had been making his way through the crowd and to her.

Mark's stomach was in knots, and he kept worrying that Sean could come back. Digging into his pocket, he took out a ring box. His plan was simple, ask the princess to marry him and when she put the ring on, she would become sick and bedridden, eventually, the poison would settle in and head towards her heart. With Sean gone for three weeks, he had to start his plan as fast as he could. Mark bowed toward the princess as the Waltz came on.

"Milady?" he said. "May I have this dance?" Mark held out his hand.

Maeline hesitated at first, but reluctantly she agreed.

"You may." said Maeline reluctantly as much as she hated dancing with Mark it was for the best considering she had a role to keep. But her feelings were not for Mark they were for Sean. Her beautiful blue sparkly dress twinkled in the ceiling lights as they danced to the waltz. they moved with grace on the dance floor.

Sean arrived at the charity ball dressed in a blue tuxedo. He stuffed Mark's note into his pocket and entered the castle. The ballroom was on the other side, and there was no time to lose as Sean ran through the hallways until he eventually arrived at the ballroom.

"Excuse me Princess," Mark stepped away and made his way over to the band and singer who were currently playing and singing "The Christmas Waltz."

"Sorry to interrupt," Mark said. "But I have an important announcement that I need to make."

"Sure, thing sire." the singer nodded and handed the mic over to him.

"Maeline," says Mark. "I know that this month has been hectic and we've kind of had a few bumps on the road," he continued. "But I know in my heart that we're doing the right thing, and I believe that everyone has been waiting for this day to come since we were eighteen," he kept going. "I wanted to let you know you've changed my life for the better, so I have to ask," Mark handed the microphone back to the singer and pulled out a ring box, Maeline had been standing in front of the stage slightly surprised by Mark's actions. However, it caught the entire balls attention, and they waited for the next thing to come.

"We'll you make me the happiest man on Earth and," Mark opened the box revealing a beautiful emerald ring. "Marry me?" Maeline didn't know what to say as all eyes were now on her. She was in shock. Maeline started to say something when Sean burst through the doors a loud echo spread throughout the room as everyone turned their attention to Sean.

"Wait!" Sean exclaimed. "Don't say yes Maeline!"

"What the hell is going on?!" demanded Mark, standing up. "How are you back? I thought you left this country!"

"Sean?" asked Maeline.

Mark closed the box. Sean pushed his way through the crowd.

"Don't agree Maeline! Mark is a fraud!" spoke Sean. Everyone gasped accusing the duke of being a fraud was grounds for arrest. Sean raced over to the microphone and took from the singer's hands. "He's been lying to all of you! Even you Princess!"

"This is ridiculous!" exclaims Mark. "Your highness," he said laughing nervously. "How can you allow a mere commoner to speak about me like that?"

"Well dumbass, this mere commoner knows that you are a fake," Sean responded and turned back to the crowd. "He's not royalty, he's a common thief. The real duke is missing."

"Sean what are you talking about?" questioned Maeline in confusion. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"I may not have an idea what I'm doing," says Sean. "But I found something that you must read," handing the microphone back to the singer, Sean pushed Mark aside and pulled out a folded sheet of paper and gave it to Maeline. The minute Mark's eyes landed on the paper he started to get nervous as that paper was the same one, he had in his room. Maeline politely took the paper and read through it fast, as she read a gasp slipped from her mouth as she turned toward Mark.

"Mark?" she questioned. "What is this? What am I reading?"

"It's nothing," says Mark as he tried to take the paper back. Maeline stepped away from Mark as Mark clenched his hands into fists. "You can't seriously believe that I wrote it,"

"Did you really murder my father?" asks Maeline who was now trying her best not to tear up. For years she had been told that he died of natural causes an illness or age, never by murder. "And you were planning to poison me?"

"Look," says Mark trying his best to redeem himself. "I don't know where that paper came from or how it came to be in his possession, but I can assure you, I did not do that," at this point all eyes were on Mark and Sean. "You don't know that I wrote that, hell Sean probably wrote it to frame me." Sean rolled his eyes and took the microphone.

"Your precious Duke murdered the king thinking that he could take all the money for himself," says Sean Mark glared at Sean and grabbed the microphone from his hands.

"Don't listen to him," responds Mark still trying to defend himself. "I would never do anything like that to the people I love let alone Maeline's father." Sean snatched it back.

"However, he knew that once the king was dead, the princess would inherit the throne," says Sean. Mark looked around his heart had been pounding, and he wanted desperately to get rid of Sean, he turned toward the door as an idea hit him.

"Guards!" he called out, the guards entered and made their way over to the stage but not before Maeline stopped them.

"Wait!" she said. "I want to hear the rest of this!"

"With the princess still in the way, he hatched a plan," said Sean. "He planned to propose to the princess and give her a poisonous ring, while his plan was almost complete it failed the minute I arrived at the castle," he continued. "He saw that I was a threat because the princess was starting to fall in love with a commoner and as it turned out, he had to try everything to get me out of the way including sending a sniper to kill me."