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C H A P T E R   F I V E

"Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you."

- Jeoffrey Gitomer

It's been three minutes since I sat down on the table for tea. A hundred and eighty seconds since the party began, and I haven't spoken a word at all.

"I highly think you should spend more time creating an actual kingdom instead of war armies." Queen Gisela of Zedour commented for the fifth time at the past minute. "All this fighting is too violent, if you consider peaceful alliances, It will make people actually want to visit Savaria."

Queen Aisha didn't even bother giving her an explanation. "We fight for our kin'dom. We need no Allies, we're good on our own. We 'ave been for the past centuries."

"And that's exactly why you should begin now, who knows what'll happen in the future!"

Princess Fatima was too busy inspecting her sword for miniscule particles of dirt to care and Prince Walter, well he was as bored with all of this as Fatima was. I fiddled with my aquamarine, and gently stroked the petals of the rose Lucas Beaufort gave me. I felt bare, exposed, a lowly Amber among Ivory royalty.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably, everything was getting intense. Queen Lynne sought this as her chance to contribute to the conversation.

"Speaking of the future, haven't we decided to come and ask about Princess Willow's?"

Instinctively all heads turned in my direction, oh how I thought Queen Lynne was going to calm the conversation, not focus it on me.

"Quite right." Lady Hannah murmured and Liam's eyes lit up excitedly, looking like I wasn't the only one who found Queen Gisela's conversation dull.

I gave a tight lipped smile. "Oh of course not, Queen Gisela can continue, it is quite informative."

"Yes, thank you-" Queen Gisela started until she thought better of it. "Actually, no. We came here for a reason, and that reason is you. It's only fair if we follow it." Prince Walter let out a large sigh and Princess Fatima just rolled her eyes.

"Oui! We should begin, there's too much bickering between these two." Queen Rosalie solemnly nodded.

Pierre and Lucas sat directly opposite me, next to Queen Rosalie. Pierre was reading a book underneath the table, and Lucas kept smirking, and winking at me, much to Conroys annoyance. I tried taking a peek at what Pierre was reading, almost falling off my chair in the process.He seemed to notice this and tucked the book further under the table, where it completely vanished from my sight.

Queen Hannah was happily chirping to Liam about the castle's lovely garden, not noticing that Liam and Lanying were playing a duel of thumb war.

"Shall we have tea first?" I asked, politely. I did not want the party to start off on the wrong side. When I got everyone's confirmation I nodded to Henri, near the gates, and he went ahead to inform the maids.

"So, from what Patrik has told me, you are the missing daughter of King Alexandro, may his soul rest in peace, and you were raised by one of the committee members who recently moved kingdoms?" Hannah began.

I gave another tight smile and a strained chuckle. "Yes, I believe so, I was given a blood test which was a 70% match to the blood test of the King while I was leaving Mithalore." I lied, remembering the cover story Patrik had recited to them. I hated lying, but it was something Ivories were forced to do, and now, so am I.

"Interesting." She murmured. "So how did no one notice this sooner? I wonder how many other royals are hiding in here right now!"

With another constrained grin, I replied, "No, I was working for the palace my whole life, I don't think they'd ever think that a simple-" I paused not knowing what job I was working at in my story. "- a simple seamstress would ever be close to anything royal."

At this Queen Rosalie perked up. "You were a seamstress?" she asked with great interest. "Did you stitch the clothes or design them?"

"Neither." I replied curtly, remembering the stories mother used to tell of her life as a royal seamstress. "I just did the washing and collected fabrics."

"That is most peculiar. A Princess who used to be a seamstress. Even if you just did the washing and collecting, can you imagine what would have happened if there was no one to do it? une catastrophe!" It was only at this time did I notice that the only people paying attention were the Queens, the first borns were off in a world of their own, it looked like they were forced here. I could understand.

"You sound like you sew yourself."

"I do. In fact it was all I did during my childhood days, sewing, creating, designing... all what I came to be known for."

I would be lying if I said I felt jealous of a Queen, she knew exactly what her passion was. "You must be very wonderful at it then, I wonder if you could bring some creations next time."

She waved her hand in the air. "There isn't going to be a next time for a very long time. Didn't Patrik tell you? I'm staying at the castle till the coronation. Coslitus is at the peak of wars, from le nord et le sud. We've requested the council to let us stay until it's safe to go back."

My face turned pale. They were staying? I'd have to live in a bigger web of lies now. I absentmindedly fiddled with the Aquamarine around my neck, again, it really was becoming a habit.

"My, you look sick, I think we need some tea." Queen Lynne motioned to one of the maids to start serving.

A lot of the royals at the table flinched uncomfortably as the maids inched closer to serve them. I noticed Queen Gisela's fingers burst into tiny flames. A Pyro. All because an Amber maid was serving them. I completely forgot how I was seated on a table full of Ivories.

All it did was remind me of who they really are, and the reason I accepted the crown in the first place.

While one maid was pouring in my tea, Queen Gisela spoke up. "I hear you still have the Ambers helping here. I think that once you become Queen you should eliminate them completely. Keep a side for them and for us, Ivories. It'll keep the segregation permanent. It is what Zedour did, and look at us. We've prospered."

Queen Lynne let out a sigh, and I tried not to glare at Queen Gisela. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, the Ambers makeup eighty five percent of the population and they are the key to our economical and financial balance. If we banned them from Ivorial grounds, we'd have a shortage of staff and we- er- the Ambers will have a shortage of jobs."

Princess Fatima looked up, and I saw something in her eyes that I'd never think of seeing before. Admiration.

"But still." Queen Gisela continued. "Don't you think it would be wiser to keep the Ambers away from the Ivories, it will cause disputes, like how it does already. It'll just add to your plate. It's not like you will have trouble migrating them to the south of the kingdom, there are ports there and plenty of jobs."

"Not all Ambers are fishermen." I bit back. "Some of them rely on castle jobs and services, depriving them of it is depriving the kingdom's treasury. Separating them could lead to fights and revolts. Ambers are nothing less than Ivories, they work for us, and definitely harder than us. I doubt being Queen takes as much effort as being an Amber."

It was evident she didn't like the tone I was using. "And how do you possibly know this much about them? You grew up as an Ivory and you'll be ruling as an Ivory. You are no Amber, how can you possibly tolerate this?"

I bit my tongue, I had no answer for this one.

She smiled triumphantly at my silence. "Exactly, In Zedour all our Ambers were sent up north to work in the factories, we kept the best as castle staff and left the rest. We haven't had a single altercation since then. It did the kingdom good."

I found myself remembering Lady Sienna's words. If you find yourself in a prickly situation, just give a vague answer. "I'll try and see if I can." I replied through gritted teeth.

"The kingdom is not an experiment, you can't just-"

"Oh spare us the lecture Gisela." Queen Hannah came to my rescue. "Let us have a chance to properly speak to her."

Queen Gisela huffed like a child and sipped on her tea while commenting on the architecture of the castle to Walter.

"I actually want to know somethin'... How do you plan on buildin yer army? You can't have a good kin'dom without good security." Queen Aisha spoke. "I suggest you check up on yer 'armies and guard forces. Incase any war breaks out, especially since one of the longest wars in hist'ry just ended."

Queen Lynne agreed. "We must, the royal army is in a fragile state, you have to recruit stronger forces or build secure protection."

"I'll say." Rosalie commented. "We've been fighting for months now. And all our men are either dead or almost dead. Fredrique is trying his hardest to strategize war plans, and us being there will only cause him more stress as it is. Tout ce que mes fils font, c'est bien paraître et ne rien faire. jouer avec de jolies filles et boire du vin toute la nuit, horribles garçons."

"Maman!" Lucas and Pierres heads shot up as they both yelled. "Nous en avons parlé ! nous aidons papa!" Lucas criticised his mother, while Pierre shut his book close rather loudly.

"We always help you!" Pierre reasoned. They continued to converse in French while the rest of the royals at the table watched them in confusion.

Queen Lynne cleared her throat. "May I?" she asked, I didn't realise she was asking permission to ask me a question.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Queen Rosalie and her sons were still in a deep argument.

"What are you going to do about the rebellion attacks?"

I completely dismissed those. "I haven't quite thought about it." I admitted. "But since I've come to stay in the castle, there hasn't been a single attack so far."

"I understand, a Queen can't always have the solution to all the problems at their fingertips, that's what the kings are for. I'm personally glad I have Thorne, I wouldn't be able to Handle an entire kingdom by myself, that's for sure." This made me sick, what if I couldn't handle the kingdom either? Would I need to marry a suitor? My thoughts crossed to Lanying, who mysteriously disappeared along with Liam.

"In orane, we always had threats of rebellion attacks, and we never gave into them. There are many ways to end them, but the best way is to look strong and intimidating, it'll come to an end eventually."

Queen Hannah chuckled. "Aren't us Queens always intimidating? How else would people take us seriously?"

Queen Aisha smiled. "I'll 'ave to agree."

Queen Gisela joined in, "Never reveal any trace of humanity in you, it could lead to your weakness. All former Queens ruled with this statement, and all followed it too."

I nodded, oh how I wish I had taken a notebook to write all of this down. "King Alexandro- my father- how did he manage all this?"

Queen Hannah put on a sour look. "He didn't, King Alexandro piled up all the work on the council and then Claimed the whole idea was his. I personally don't like him, but he's dead, and in Bastenia, we always honour the dead, and respect their living choices, there's not much ill I can say about him."

Queen Lynne nodded, "It's the same in Orane, though we hardly ever mention a dead soul, brings a grim fate."

"What about in Mitha-" But before I could finish my hand slipped from the edge of the table, and completely spilled the tea on my dress, breaking the expensive-looking teacup in the process. The tablecloth was partially stained and my dress was completely soaked.

"Why me." I mumbled, my face turned an incredibly dark shade of red, almost black. Here I was, hosting a royal tea party, with a bunch of elegant and graceful Queens and firstborns ruling their entire kingdom, while I couldn't even handle how to place my forearms properly.

Prince Walter put on an amusant face while Princess Fatima scoffed and went back to her tea. Lucas was purley shocked, while Pierre barely batted an eyelash. The Queens were staring intently at me expressionlessly. There were no maids around to come to my rescue, and Henri and Conroy were too far to notice the mess I made. How in the world am I going to get out of this, Lady Sienna will have my head for sure.

But instead of lecturing me or excusing themselves out of the party, like I supposed they would've done, instead the Queens Laughed. Laughed at me. At this point I was beyond humiliated.

"Oh dear!" Queen Rosaline breathed in between laughs. "c'est amusant, oui, oui."

Queen Aisha chuckled while Queen Gisela was practically rolling on the floor. "You- You should have seen yourself! Pure horror, I swear!"

Now I was confused, were they laughing at me or my mishap?

Queen Lynne was giggling too. "Oh, don't worry Willow, it's happened to all of us before, No royal was born refined."

"Oh, you should have seen my husband's face when he witnessed me drop the plates of stew during our one year anniversary party, broke the bowl and spilt it all over. I couldn't stop laughing for weeks. Good fun that was." Queen Hannah recollected.

Queen Gisela too had something to share. "Oh, then wait till you hear how I tripped over my cape at my very own coronation, the poor priest couldn't even put the crown on my head before I rolled down the stairs. It was all over the press for two months."

The Queens giggled in response and retold their stories and experiences of being Queen, I tuned in to some of them and laughed along with everyone during the jokes.

I smiled, it started to feel a lot like this was a family discussion at dinner, arguments in the background, suggestions and lots of engagement, something I didn't expect from Ivories.

●・○・●・○・●

Henri walked towards us and glanced at his watch, a deadline. Tea must be over now.

"I regret to say this, Your Majesties." He announced. "But the carriages to Zedour and Savaria have just arrived and Carriages to Batenia and Orane have been waiting for a while now. It is time to return."

Queen Hannah clapped her hands in delight. "We must do this another time!"

"Agreed." Queen Lynne stated. Lanying was magically at her side, like she hadn't disappeared at all.

"Mommy, I want to stay!" Liam whined as Queen Hannah dragged him to the exit gates. "I want to see the castle!"

"Another time for sure." she promised and stood near Henri, waiting for the rest of the royals.

"It's been a pleasure hosting for all of you, I hope you all can come again."

"Oh we will." Queen Aisha remarked. "The Coronation is happenin' aint it? We'll all be there for the ball after."

Ball? I had no idea of what she was talking about but went along with it. "Of course." I smiled. "I'll see you then." I bid goodbyes to each of the Families until it was just me, Conroy and the Beaufort family.

"Colonel Richett will escort you to your guest suits." Conroy stood tall in his uniform, his shiny badge twinkling in the last rays of the setting sun. "I hope you'll have a nice stay."

"Oui, Oui. I hope we aren't a burden or a bother."

I laughed. "Of course not! Stay as long as you like," I gave her a faux grin and left with Conroy as soon as Colonel Richett came to take the Beaufort family to their suit.

"Take care, belle princesse." Lucas gave me one of his infamous winks as Pierre dragged him to reach his mother, who was chatting Colonel Richetts ear off.

"Oh look! A magnolia! We grew a lot of them in Costilitus. We had a lot of flowers. Beaucoup de fleurs." she chirped away. I felt bad for her elegant dress tugging on the floor and catching dirt.

"I don't think I like that twin prince." He said glaring at Lucas.

"Who? Lucas? He's a real gentleman." I teased. "Not anything like you."

Conroy mocked being offended. "And here I was sneaking you to the west wing like a good friend, but alas, you have torn apart my ego, my pride is permanently scarred. I don't think I'm in the right mental state."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be dramatic. Now, how do we get there?" I didn't like how comfortable I was feeling around him, I wasn't supposed to be with any Ivory, but somehow Henri and Conroy seemed to have warmed up to me.

"Leave that to me, all you have to do is make sure to be awake till the ringing of the grandfather clock in your chamber, I'll be waiting down your balcony."

It seemed simple, so I agreed.

●・○・●・○・●

When I was seven, mother first started working as a seamstress at the castle.I remember the times father didn't need to have a job since mother made triple of what he used to make. Father was a crafter, much like mother, which I assume was what led him to be first attracted to her, their passion of creating.

Father was a carpenter when he was my age, helping his father who owned a small garage near the southern coast. When mother spent the week working shift at the castle, father would be tinkering with all kinds of objects.

He once made me a bicycle for my eighth birthday. He built it from scratch and traded many pieces of old furniture for parts. I remember how elated I was when he presented it to me. My mother was home that day and I promised myself I'd learn to ride it and then I wouldn't have to walk to the selling grounds anymore, it was another promise I wasn't able to keep.

I was so afraid, afraid if I lost balance, afraid if I hit the curb, afraid that someone would run into me, but the only thing that kept me peddling was the fact that my foot on the pedals of the bike my father made for me and my mother behind the seat pushing me forward, I knew nothing would happen to me. And that dependency led to ignorance, I forgot to look both sides of the street before pedalling forward.

My bike hit the carriage moving on the road. I made it with minor injuries but the horses trampled over my bicycle. It was torn apart and shredded to tiny metal pieces.

But it wasn't the fact that I lost my birthday present that made me so guilty, it was the hard work that went into it. I knew the value of effort,I was an Amber, and since then I never asked for presents nor did I care to make my parents work so much to get me one.

Good things come out of bad situations. The people you love can't always protect you from the inevitable and sometimes, you have to look at both sides before making a decision.

And all my years of living, these statements have never been truer than before this week.

It was a couple minutes before midnight, I lay awake reminiscing on past memories of my parents, sometimes my thoughts would stray away to Georgia Waters, my birth mother, but other times it'd be about all the things I learnt from my parents, and how much I've missed them so much these past weeks.

At times I would be so deep in thought I'd forget to sleep, other times, I'd be so drowned in nostalgia that I would sneak my history book under my blanket and spend the night reading. A better alternative to facing reality.

It's funny how the night sky I used to ponder upon, is the same night sky over here, through the castle window, but it still doesn't feel the same as how it did upon my terrace, with the night winds blowing through my hair and pecking my skin.

DING DONG DING DING DONG DING DONG The grandfather clock rang. Both of its handles were positioned on the number 12.

Now all I have to do is wait for the-

Thonk "Willow?" Thonk. "Open your window." Thonk. "I sound like Mother Gothel." Thonk. "Oh Willow, let down thy hair!"

Could he get any more dramatic? "I'm coming! Gee, not even 20 seconds have passed after midnight." I harshly whispered to him from my balcony, while dodging the flying pebbles.

"When you're a part of the guard, midnight is midnight, the very second and nanosecond."

"Drama Queen." I muttered while climbing down my balcony, thankful it wasn't too high up, which made it easier for me to land down.

"What was that!" He shrieked, before realising we were supposed to be discreet, then he brutally whispered in my ear. "I. Am. Not. A. Drama. Queen. I'm not even the Queen, YOU ARE!"

"Hush, child." I chastised. "You're causing a ruckus, we have to be discreet, rember?"

"First off, I'm not a child, just a year younger than you, second of all, if there's anyone who can be discreet. It's me."

I sighed in exasperation, but did not comment. It was too late for more drama and petty arguments.

I followed him through a bunch of identical hallways and offices. The exact same painting hung on every wall, the vases were of the same designs with similar flowers. The wallpaper was the same too, which made me wonder if it was wallpaper at all, just the natural colour of the wall itself. Suddenly I heard a tiny crack sound, and then the sound of glass falling on the plain wooden floor tiles. I turned back to see if I had mistakenly toppled something over in the dark.

"What is this!" I jumped back at the voice that echoes from another hallway. "Is this what you're paid to be doing!"

Conroy didn't seem fazed by his fathers loud voice.

"I asked you to transport the vases from the Late King's room! Not break them all!" Then I heard another glass shattering and then another, but it wasn't just the glass the was shattering it was an Ambers future too. "Pathetic! All you Ambers! Clean it up! NOW!"

I heard sniffles, and so I ran.

"Wait!" Conroy grabbed me by the waist as soon as I passed him. "You can't go there, They'll see you!"

"I don't care!" I seethed, struggling under the grip of his one arm. "He yelled at a maid! Just like how he yelled at me!" I didn't see the purpose of fighting Conroy, nor did I see the purpose to confront the Colonel, but I wanted to do something. Anything. Instead of standing aside and watching the Ambers suffer, just like how everyone else did for me.

"He hates it as much as you do!" Conroy took in a breath pulling me back as I was pushing forward. "He's forced to, by the law. Trust me when I say there wasn't a single time he never felt guilty for what he's done,but there isn't anything he can do, he needs this job."

"So he rids everyone else's jobs instead!" My fingernails dug deep into Conroy's arm, but he didn't flinch, he didn't even look like he felt it at all. "I hate him! I always will!"

"Don't hate him, Willow Please, he was forced into this, just like how you are." At this I stopped. Sometimes Conroy did say the most sensible things at the most sensible times.

I looked back towards the hallway where I could hear the scraping of glass from the floor and sniffles. I wanted to go. I wanted to go and comfort whoever was subjected to the wrath of the Ivories, I wanted to calm her down and tell her that I was going to find a way to end this all. But as much as the Colonel was, I was forced into this arrangement too, and I couldn't let out my intentions to anyone. No one can know.

"Let's just go." I said despondently. "I want to see my birth mother's chamber." A tiny comfort amongst the grief settling around.

"Ok. Wait here. The entrance to the west wing is always heavily guarded, I'll try to distract them and you have to sneak into the hallway." He seemed fine and back to his energetic self.

Finally, something I can do other than touring butteries and expired grains.

"Yes!" I whispered excitedly,forgetting about the incident a couple seconds ago. I didn't forget though, I just chose to. Sneaking, thieving, pickpocketing. One of my favourite past-times with Bree.

Bree! How could I have forgotten about her? Oh God, I feel horrible, she must be still waiting near the Willow tree for me to come back. I wonder how the Council will be able to hide all this? I'm not very well known in our village, but there are a few people who'd recognize I'm missing.

"Willow?" Conroy gave me an odd look. "You zoned out for a second. I asked if you're ready? Clearly not, I hear sleep-deprivation leads to neuro-"

"Spare me the lecture Wallace, don't you have some distracting to do?" I nodded my head towards the crowd of guards in front of two large doors. I chose to ignore Bree too, oh how ignorance is a bliss. I just wish I didn't have to,

"If they were ladies, it'd be much easier."

That earned a nudge in the ribs.

When he got his chance, Conroy slipped past me and towards the guards, but hid in the shadows of the moonlight.

"The council has repositioned guards." he said in a deep authoritative voice that was similar to the Colonel's. "They want all guards to assemble in their new posts." he passed me a sly wink, which I knew was our signal.

"But this is our post, we were posted here permanently-" one of the guards began

"In preparation for the coronation, all guards have been given new positions, either you follow them or go back home postless." he commanded, just like how the Colonel would have.

Slowly I tip-toed near the door handle and prayed that the floor wouldn't creak, fortunately enough, it didn't. Once I was hidden behind the shadows of the Dark hallway, I waved my hands to Conroy. The guards did not leave, they were persistent.

"Enough!" Conroy silenced them, still in Colonel's voice. "I want you all to take a round around the West Wing, make sure no one is lurking around." At this command, the Guards seemed satisfied.

"Of course, Sir!"

Once all the guards had dispersed into different directions, Conroy ran towards me.

●・○・●・○・●

"Phew." he wiped some nonexistent sweat off his forehead. "Being my dad is tough, they won't stop asking questions."

"I don't think they'll be gone for much long." I pointed out.

"I know, thats why I have another trick up my sleeve." I rolled my eyes, his sleeves seemed to be filled with them.

"What are you going to do once they find out it wasn't him?"

"...If I'm caught, which never happens." he smirked

I rolled my eyes.

"Take me to Georgia Waters chamber." I declared and he gave me a mock salute.

"Aye, Aye, capt'n" he replied while marching through, what seemed like, an endless hallway.

●・○・●・○・●

"Here." He held open the door for me that led into, yet another hallway. "Be careful. This is the hallway where the Ex-Queen's royal chamber is, it's completely surrounded by guards, I can set off an alarm as a distraction and you'll get at least one minute and forty seconds to explore before they realise it was a false alarm."

"Something tells me you've done this before?" I teased in an attempt to lighten my nerves. I was going to visit the same chamber my birth mother spent her time as Queen in. The same place where she could have given birth to me, died, or worse.... Killed herself.

I was overthinking. It was just a room, but the fact that I knew nothing about my own mother troubled me.

"And something tells me you're right." He teased back, smirking, before walking off to an opposite direction, presumably towards a fire alarm.

One minute forty seconds. One minute forty seconds. I repeated to myself, it was probably the only minute I'll get if I pull off this stunt successfully.

I'm not one for breaking the law riskily like this, but I'd do anything to find out more about my birth mother. The council is forced to keep mum, the staff and maids know nothing about her, so it's up to me. And I won't stop until I've got what I was looking for.

I noticed the tingling feeling on my neck, reminding me of the Aquamarine dangling on it.

Brrrinnnggggggg The alarm rang. My one minute and forty seconds started.

The guards turned towards the sound of the alarm,leaving the chamber completely unguarded. Something I did not expect from trained royal guards. I ran towards the chamber doors and did not let out a breath until I secured the door tightly behind me.

And once I made sure it was locked I started searching around. There were no lamps, so I was stuck using whatever light was reflected from the moon.

But there wasn't much to see, because the room was completely bare.

The beds had no spread, the cupboards were empty and chairs were catching dust. The curtains looked like they hadn't been drawn for years and the room didn't smell great either.

I rummaged through closets and bookshelves, only to be met with dust bunnies. I brushed through a plethora of broken shelves, fallen due to instability, but still found nothing. What was I even looking for anyway?

One minute was already over. The alarms were no more blaring. Only forty seconds to go.

I was in my birth mothers room, yet there wasn't much in it that should be hidden from me or anyone, why was it heavily guarded? There must be something in here

I shackled through the mattress and pillows again, but not to much avail. My last hope was the drawers in the wardrobe, but just to my luck, they were stuck.

Ten seconds left.

In a last and miserable attempt, I kicked the wardrobe, expecting a portal or a spell book of some kind to magically fall, but instead one of the drawers got unstuck and popped straight out.

Not being able to see anything, I dejectedly went to close the drawer when the aquamarine around my neck dangled and reflected the moon light in all directions. That's when something caught my eye, a dusty old box.

Five seconds.

I tucked it away in my nightgown and dashed out of the room, only to bump into Conroy in the Hallway. The guards were coming, I could hear their ragged breaths and heavy footsteps.

"Hurry!" he yelled and carried me, bridal style, outside to the back gardens, because I couldn't run fast enough with my nightgown.

"This will not be mentioned to anyone." I whispered to him while wrapping my arms around his shoulders to keep them from flailing around. "Or I might really have to execute you.

"That'll be hard. I bet a lot of people would pay to see the man who carried the Queen in the middle of the night for an escapade, be executed for simply carrying her because she has short legs." I wacked him on the back of his head.

●・○・●・○・●

Once we were completely sure it was safe, I climbed out of Conroys arms and took out the box while Conroy took a round to double check. I kissed the aquamarine pendant, I'm starting to think this is my lucky charm. Examining the box I found a tag.

Edelynne Cassida V.

But wasn't the Ex-Queens name Georgia Waters? It could be someone else's too. I turned the box around, and almost dropped it with the sudden presence of Conroy.

"You exceeded two seconds! I could have been stripped of my post!"

"To be fair, it was your idea." I retorted playfully. I found something worth all of this, at least.

"Don't play the blame game, I did it for you!"

"Well I didn't ask." I bit back as he quietly led me to my chamber.

The only reason I haven't gotten lost in this castle too many times is because of Conroys midnight tours. Looking at the night sky makes me homesick, and Conroy knows first-hand how that feels, so he agreed, on the third day I was at the castle, to give me some tours when I couldn't sleep because of it. "Thanks."

He seemed surprised. "What was that? Did the Willow of Mithalore just thank me? After two entire weeks of secret service, now is when she gets it into her head that I needed to be thanked? How outrageous!"

I let out a sigh. "No really, thank you. All of this." I gestured to the empty hallways. "It gets my mind off my parents and everything I left behind for this, so thank you. It means more than you can tell."

He gave me a genuine smile. "Anything for the Queen."

The box felt heavy in my gown.

Where would you like to travel?

I'd like to travel to Rome or Greece or Italy