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"A-Alice... Alice!" I fell to my knees beside the girl, who was coughing up an alarming amount of blood.

"My girl! My baby! You're alive!" Jerome wept, "And I've killed you! Is this God's cruel way of punishing me for my sins? Oh no, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"D-Dad..." Alice coughed up blood, "I forgive y-you."

Jerome choked on his own tears, picking the gun back up, "But how can I forgive myself? God... Have mercy..." he cried as he held the gun to his head.

Before anyone could move, he pulled the trigger, splattering even more blood on the balcony. I gagged as his lifeless body fell to the floor. George sank down beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as I grasped Alice's hand.

"He was-was b-broken." Alice said weakly, as a tear fell down her cheek, "Has been f-for as long as I-I can remember."

"He told us his daughter died..." I sobbed.

"I took her in. That's what I was trying to tell him. I'd never kill a child, let alone for something so petty as tax evasion." George spat angrily.

So that was it. Alice had been left to take the heat for her father's mistakes, and George allowed her to live at the castle. It had all been a misunderstanding. So much bad had come from a misunderstanding. Suddenly, the balcony door creaked open, to reveal some weary and worried guests, among them, Trinity, Anthony, and Samuel.

"We heard gunshots, is everything-" Anthony stopped short upon seeing the scene layed out before him.

Jerome laying motionless on the ground in a pool of blood, a gun in his lifeless hand. And Alice, coughing up blood and laying on her deathbed. Trinity gasped when she saw her, and immediately fell to her knees at Alice's side, tears welling in her eyes. Hadn't we seen our share of death already? God couldn't take Alice too. No, he wouldn't, we'd help her, she'd live.

"Get a doctor! Somebody get a doctor!" I called to the crowd, and a few of them disappeared in search of help.

"Oh, Alice!" Trinity wept.

"Shh-" Alice spluttered, "It's okay, I'm okay..."

"You're not!" she cried, "What the hell happened?!"

"Alice saved our lives." I whispered through tears.

"Seemed like th-the honourable thing to do..." Alice chuckled, clenching her side where the gunshot was.

She closed her eyes, and her breathing grew sparse, and for a brief moment, I'd thought we lost her.

"No, don't leave us, no!" Trinity begged.

We all released a collective breath of relief when she opened her eyes again, her face growing weaker and weaker by the second.

"Trinity, please... Don't be sad." she coughed, "I'm going to be okay, no matter what happens."

None of us realized it then, but Alice was counting on dying, of being with Anne and Darwin, her mother and father, in heaven.

"You've come so far, you're so different from your mother, and if she could see you know, she'd know what a mistake she made in leaving you, Trinity." Alice took in a shaky breath, before turning her head to face me, "And Rose. You are such a brave and strong woman, I know you'll be the greatest Queen-" she coughed again, "The greatest Queen Britain has ever seen... You're so strong..." finally, she turned to George, "Thank you, for what you did all those years ago. You saved me, and I'll never be able to repay you for that."

"You've already repaid me hundreds of times over." George wept.

There was a ripple in the crowd as someone rigorously fought their way through. My heart sunk as Fran laid eyes on Alice. Her face fell, as silent tears began to pour down her face.

"W-What-" Fran spluttered, falling to her knees at Alice's side.

"Fran." Alice's mouth curled into a weak but happy smile.

"What happened?" Fran asked, looking frantically between Trinity, me, George, and Alice.

"I was shot-" Alice coughed violently, "But I'm okay. It's all okay now."

"It's not okay until you're better." Fran argued, crying allthewhile.

"Fran, please, we have to face reality." Alice took in a shaky breath, "I probably won't get better."

"But-But I-" Fran wept.

"Shh..." Alice silenced her softly, "I'm going to die, Fran. I know that. But I'm not going to die without telling you something I've wanted to tell you for a good long time."

"Tell me what?" Fran asked.

"I-I-" Alice coughed again, "I love you, Fran. As more than a friend, I love you."

Fran's eyes widened at this, and more tears cascaded down her face.

"I love you too." Fran said, lowering her head and kissing Alice softly.

Alice reached up to stroke Fran's hair, but her hand faltered and fell to the ground out of weakness. Fran pulled away, worried.

"S-Someone get help! Get a doctor!" Fran pleaded.

"Someone's already gone, they should be back any minute now!" one of the guests called.

"We're running out of time!" Fran yelled before resting her head on Alice's chest, repeating it softly, "We're running out of time... We're running-"

"Fran." Alice placed a hand on her shoulder, "My times up. I've caught a glimpse of the other side. Darwin's playing happily on the other side. My father's on the other side, he's with my mother on the other side. Anne, she's watching from the other side. Now is the time to say goodbye."

"No! I won't let you leave us! Don't leave us!" Fran wailed before turning back to the guests, "Please! Does anyone have any medical experience!?"

The guests looked at each other, but no one came forward.

"Fran, please, I want to die peacefully, not amidst chaos and sorrow." Alice spoke softly.

"I-I can't lose you." Fran cried.

"That's not something for any of us to decide. In the end, we have no control who lives, who dies, who tells our story." Alice said, turning her gaze to the sky as the rising sun began to paint it yellow and pink.

"If you could all do me one last favour... It would be to stay happy. No matter what happens. I'll be satisfied knowing-" Alice coughed, "That you all are happy."

And with that, Alice closed her eyes and died peacefully that Sunday morning. The only sound to break the serene morning quiet, was the ear-piercing screams of Fran as she gripped Alice's cold and lifeless hand, coupled with the strewn about sobs of the guests, of Alice's friends, of George and I. But now, I didn't feel a crushing weight of hopelessness pushing down on me. I felt sad that Alice had gone, but in memory, and spirit, she would live on forever. She would forever be known as the shy and happy girl who followed her heart and was always there for others when they needed her. The smallest of her friends, always the subject of their jokes. The strong, and courageous young woman who saved the lives of the King and the Queen of Great Britain; her friends.

She was buried outside the castle's small chapel, near Anne and Darwin, and her grave was the largest and most extravagant of the entire cemetery, symbolizing her sacrifices. A few months later, Fran left for America, where she'd hoped to find a new home. Anthony decided he would move to Paris, so that he and Lafayette could be together, and he made the hard decision of leaving Guy behind with Dot. Samuel and Trinity soon had a child, and Dot was enrolled in an Academy where she rose to be one of the top pupils. Lucien and his family visited the castle frequently to pay us visits. On the second anniversary of Alice's passing, I received a letter from Fran.

Dear Rose,

It's been a hard few years since Alice's passing. I still see her everytime I close my eyes. But I know she wouldn't have wanted me to hold on to grief and sorrow. She would have wanted me to find happiness and love. And, I never thought I would... But I did. I met a girl, her name is Margarita Schuyler, but she insists everyone call her Peggy. I love her like I never thought I could again. I intend to marry her one day. I hope all is well with you and George. And tell Dot that I'm so proud of her work in school! She's grown up so quickly! I plan to visit you all in the near future, and I'll bring Peggy for you all to meet. And, I bid you, pay my respects for Alice at her grave. Sometimes, I wonder if she's looking down at us from heaven. I suppose they all are; Darwin, Anne, Alice. I miss them, but I know that one day, I'll see them all again. Until then, I plan to live my life how they would've wanted, how Alice would have wanted; in happiness. And I hope you do the same.

Sincerely, Your friend,

Fran.

I put the letter down, making my way to the chapel, where I found George on his knees by Alice's grave, laying a fresh bouquet of carnations. I placed a hand on his shoulder, and he smiled up at me.

"Good morning my love." he cooed, coming to stand beside me, and pecking my cheek.

"I still miss her." I sighed, looking down at her grave.

"I'll forever be grateful for what she did that night." George said, "Without her, I might've lost my wife," he wrapped an arm around my waist, before placing a hand on my stomach "And my child."

"Speaking of," I began slowly, "I was thinking, perhaps, if it were a girl..." I trailed off, looking back at the grave.

"Alice would be a lovely name." he said, before leaning in, "I love you, my Rose."

And thus, with a kiss, ended the story of how our love came to be. The story of persistence, adversity, pain, strength, and a love unmatched. The story of a King, and his Rose.

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