The next morning I was up super early. I had eaten breakfast and video chatted the girls. They were dying for details. "So how did he propose?" Cam asked. "He didn't yet." "Oh, so when are you getting married?" Sadie asked. "We don't know yet. We have to do a press conference first to let my country know. Then in two months I will become queen. So I'm thinking five months. We have a lot to plan though and I don't even know where you start with all of this!!" I gushed. "Right, planning a wedding is no joke." Said Cam.

       "Right? And this feels very much like a dream. Is that crazy to say? I thought I was going to have to marry Daniel, but I wanted to marry Andy and now here I am." "Did you want to marry Andy? Or where you just in love with him?" "Isn't that the same thing?" I asked Sadie. "I mean I know you have to marry someone, but are you ready to marry him? Ready to get married at all?" She asked. I burst out laughing. "I'm not even ready to be queen, but here we are. Look I love him. I've never loved anybody like I love him. So it's a little rushed it is what it is." I shrugged.

       Cam let out a yawn. "Sorry long day." She said. "No you're fine, ya'll should get to bed. I've gotta get ready for the day. Andy is coming over to pick me up." I said. "Oooh where are you going?" Sadie asked. "I'm not sure, he's going to propose to me I think, since were doing the press conference tomorrow." I said. "That'll be on tv? Can we get a copy of that?" Cam asked. "I'll see. I'll see ya'll soon." I said.

       I looked at my clock realizing I needed to get dressed to head out. I let Cathryn know that I was going to be working over the press conference with Andrew. She had liked all of my answers thus far. But I was still very new to this. "Don't worry you are the next heir this is your right. They will accept you. And honestly? Most people will be glad that you are trying. Trying to fit in. Trying to do the best job you can." She smiled warmly at me. "Thank you." "And for what it's worth, I'm proud of you." She said. I never got tired of hearing that.

    I ran down stairs to wait at the front of the gate. Andrew pulled up moments later on a white horse. "You know if you unbutton your shirt a little bit you'll look just like one of those guys off of the romance covers." "Oh would that do it for you?" He asked laughing. "Absolutely." I said smiling. He reached his hand out and helped me hop onto the horse in front of him. "This is Pearl." "Nice to meet you Pearl." 

       "We have a stable at the castle, lot's of horses. They do Royal horse shows and such." "Wow, I have so much to learn." "Don't worry, I'll be able to help you out with all that." "Will You?" I asked. "Well yea, I mean just because I opted out of the fancy parties and such doesn't mean I wasn't trained. My parents had hoped..." "It all makes sense now!" I said. "What does?" "You said your dad wanted you to join the family business." I said. "Oh yea that. Well he did want me too. But look I need you to know that I love you. So much. So much that this isn't going to be a burden for me. It's going to be one crazy adventure after another, and I can't wait." He said.

       "Me either." I sighed. He led the horse forward and before long we stopped at a beautiful garden. Flowers went as far as the eye could see. A light wind ruffled through the petals. He hoped off and then gingerly helped me down. He had laid a blanket out and had a picnic basket full of goodies just waiting. "Ah before we do that...I just wanted to...wow I'm really nervous." I smiled taking his hand. "Don't be. You've got this." I said. He nodded getting ready.

     "A few months ago I was minding my own business at the skate park when you showed up. I stopped dead in my tracks. I'd never seen someone so beautiful before. Someone so care free. You captured my heart by being exactly who you are. Unapologetically you. The sweetest, most loving, compassionate, and sensitive person I have ever known. You have been my very best friend. You have been the reason I smile and you have given me comfort beyond measure when I was upset. You have shown me how to love with passion, purity and unconditional acceptance. I'm sure a lifetime is long enough to return all you have given to me but for the rest of my days I'll spend by your side. To laugh with you, and cry with you. To rule with you and and believe in you. To support you and hold you up. Together we are better than we could ever hope to be alone, and today I give you my love, my trust and my fidelity forever. You will always be the best part of my day. Mackenzie, will you marry me?" He asked getting down onto one knee and pulling out the ring.

       I was crying. "That was beautiful, of course I'll marry you." He slid his grand mothers ring onto my finger. He had two brothers, I guess they would each get one. I took a look at the diamond. Holy crap! I know his grandmother was Queen but this was the biggest diamond I'd ever seen. That was something I was going to have to get used to. I mean wearing my crown was still new for me. He stood back up and wrapped me into a hug. "So were really doing this?" I asked. "Yes mam." He grinned. Andrew was very handsome. His eyes were a light green. His hair was light brown with a slight curl to it. He was tall and muscular. Everything I ever dreamed I would find in a husband.

       He grinned his eyes crinkling around the corners. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked. "You're just handsome." I said. "Oh? Well thank you." He said. He took a sigh of relief. "I mean I already knew you were going to say yes and everything. But I was a bit nervous about asking you to marry me." He confessed. "Awe you were?" "Yea just a little. I mean i must've rehearsed that speech a dozen times." "Awe that's adorable." He bowed his head blushing a bit. "Anyways. We did it. We're engaged now." He nodded taking a seat onto the blanket. I sat down next to him.

       He dug out all of the goodies he had brought for us to snack on. "This was so kind of you." I said. He shrugged. "It was nothing. I was happy to do it." We finished the meal. "Okay, do you wanna go over the list of questions for tomorrow?" I asked. "Can't hurt to be on the same page." He nodded. We practiced a bit. But it wasn't really much use. We'd say what we'd say and that would just have to be okay. I wasn't bred for this but I was certainly trying to do my best.

       When we had finished we hopped back onto Pearl and headed towards the castle. "Do you want to come in for a minute? I have something I wanna show you." "Yea sure." He handed the reigns to one of the guards. We walked into the grand hall and up the stairs. Then towards my new room.

       "So this will be our room once we get married. Sorry if I didn't ask your opinion on everything, I was kind of not sure about all of that." "Did you ask Daniel? Because it's okay if you did." I laughed. "No, and that was so weird." "What that you were almost about to marry by brother? The less cuter brother I might add." "Well I only got a quick glance at Christopher...so I'm not sure..." He jokingly hit my arm. "Are you being serious right now? Come on Mackenzie." I laughed. "You know there's no other guy for me." I said wrapping my arms around him. He placed a quick kiss on my lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

       "So you like this color okay?" "Sure it goes with everything, and I so don't blame you for redecorating. Is it going to be weird sleeping in here knowing this was your grandparents room?" He asked. "Not really. It's nice. Bigger than my room. Oh let me show you the bathroom." I led him into it.  "Wow, this is gonna look super cool. Double vanity? Very nice." "You think this is nice? I haven't even shown you the best part yet." I led him back out into the hallway.

        "Okay keep in mind it's still under construction but, we have a courtyard smack in the middle of the castle. My grandmother kept flowers here, but I don't garden. And I really thought this was better use of the space." I stopped and put my hand out with a flourish. "Woah is this a skate park!?" He asked getting excited. "Yea it is, and I've been meaning to ask you, how did you get away with skating at the park and not being noticed?" I asked.

       He laughed nodding his head. "Yea that. I don't know. I guess I wasn't really to keen on being in the public eye. I mean I don't know if they knew who I was, nobody said anything." He shrugged. "Yea, okay." He laced his hands through mine. "Are you ready for the press conference tomorrow?" He asked. I took a deep breath. "Yea, I guess as ready as I'll ever be. I mean Cathryn and I have worked for so many hours on my speech and how to be processional. I'm worried that it still won't be good enough."

       He wrapped me up in his arms. "Hey listen to me. You are doing the best you can. This is still very new for you. Your people will understand and have Grace. Just hold your head up high, walk in there as if you have all the confidence in the world. And know that I will be right off to the side cheering you on. And then I'll join you. And I promise you it gets easier the more you do it. I mean I've been practically shoved into the spotlight since the day I was born."

       I buried my face into his chest. "I'm not going to cry." "It's okay if you do. Nothing says that future queens can't cry. This is a lot." "Thank you, you are so amazing. I am so glad I'm going to have to by my side through all of this." "Me too, nowhere else I'd rather be." He kissed the top of my head.

       "Good." I let out a sigh of relief. "Wanna meet me at the skate park? Nothing else chills you out as much." "Absolutely, I'll meet you there." "Okay, I'll get Pearl home and I'll get changed. See you in a bit." He gave me a kiss and I walked him towards the front door.