A/N: Ok so this may be a royal story, but it's a modern one set today. So it's going to much more realistic and isn't going to be 'cheesy' like a lot of other royal stories. It is going to feature THREE romances which will become clearer in time.
Chapter One
Nathan POV
"Sir?" I hear somewhere in the distance but I ignore it. I hear the voice that was disturbing my sleep speak again twice, before I roll over in irritation.
"What?" I grumbled, not bothering to open my eyes, "you know I don't like to be disturbed. I only got in like two hours ago."
"I know sir, and I do apologise," I heard Corbin, one of the newer workers who just started said. He sounded literally petrified at my reaction. Was I really that bad?
"What is it Corbin?" I said opening my eyes and feeling slightly guilty. He was probably just following orders and didn't need to be subjected to my mood, which had been created from lack of sleep and alcohol, which was still probably in my system.
"Your mother wanted to see you," he said.
"Right now?" I said, reaching for my cell phone to see the time. The digital number told me it was only seven am and groaned.
"That's what she said," he responded.
"Can you just tell her I'll see her later?" I said, pulling the covers over me.
All I wanted to do was sleep off the hangover that I could already feel coming, wake up at my own pace, and spend the day watching TV before I went out again tonight. Exchanging pleasantries with my mother at 7am did not fit into that in any way.
"She was very insistent," he said.
I sighed loudly, and pushed the covers off.
"Fine, I'll go," I said, reaching for my hoodie which had been picked up off the floor where I had left it when I came in and placed on the back of my chair.
Corbin stood there looking unsure.
"You can go," I said, and he looked relieved someone had given him a direct order. I rolled my eyes at the newbie and walked over to my mother's chambers without bothering to change out of my pyjamas.
The guards outside opened the doors as soon as they saw me, and I gave them a friendly nod as I went through.
"Good morning," my mother said, from the arm chair. There was tea and breakfast laid out on the coffee table in front of her and my father was sitting opposite her with a mug in his hand.
"Yes, morning," I said, going around and taking a mini muffin off the tray.
"Nathan, if you're going to do that, take a plate," she said disapprovingly.
I ignored her and sat down.
Dad put the mug in his hand down slowly, and my parents exchanged glances.
Oh dear.
"We need to talk," she said.
Dad hadn't said anything since I came in which told me he was either really mad or really disappointed; two looks I'd come accustomed to over the years.
"Go on, hit me with it," I said waiting for the lecture.
Dad reached beside him and put two newspapers in front of me.
"Do you really think this kind of behaviour is acceptable?" he said.
"Leaving a nightclub at a ridiculous hour with a British supermodel? Really Nathan?" Mother said.
"She was Irish actually," I said, smirking at the memory.
Mom sighed loudly, and gave me a look.
"You are embarrassing the family Nathan! How do you think the people of Carolina feel to see immature, inappropriate behaviour from their future monarch?" Dad said, "we've worked hard to maintain the publics confidence in our rule and you're completely tearing all that down!"
He put another newspaper down with a picture of me getting out of a completely wrecked Ferrari after a street race with the Duke of Milton's son.
"You cleared a street where a weekend market normally took place just to race cars? Dangerously, I might add!" Mom said.
"I wasn't the only one involved in that," I said.
"Well you're the only one with the power to set that up!" she said, "and I don't care about everyone else! You're the one about to inherit a throne! You're not some rich twenty-four year old playboy with no responsibilities like the rest of your friends!"
"Ok calm down," I said.
"And the state of that car!" she continued.
"It's fine, I got it fixed," I assured her.
"You can't use funds to keep fixing cars you treat like disposable toys!" Dad said.
"Ok, fine, I won't have car races," I said, "can I go back to bed now?"
"I can't believe this is all you're taking from this conversation," Mom said.
"Nathan you need to start acting more like a prince," Dad said, "taking responsibility for your actions, acting like a future monarch should."
They exchanged looks again.
"Which is why we've decided its time for you to settle down," Mom said.
"We think it's the step you need to fall into your true position and stop with these childish antics."
"And what does that actually mean?" I asked.
"We're arranging your marriage," Mom said.
As soon as she finished speaking and I realised she was serious, I burst out laughing.
They both looked at me confused.
"You do realise this isn't the stone age right?" I said.
"Nathan we're being completely serious," Dad said.
"You can't just go about 'arranging' someone's marriage," I said laughing, "It's the 21st century…"
"Nathan we're travelling to Charlotte tomorrow. We've worked out an arrangement for you to marry Princess Haley Elizabeth. We're going so you can meet her tomorrow."
"And what? You just expect me to go along with this?" I asked amused.
"Well yes," she said. She was clearly out of her mind if she thought I was just going to agree to marry some spoilt princess and commit to her for the rest of my life, "if you want to have access to your trust."
"Excuse me?" I asked, sure the colour drained from my face. There's no way they would go that far…right?
"You heard me," she said.
"You can't do that, I'm of age," I said.
"That money is inheritance and royal imbursements, which by the way you aren't even doing any duties for," she said, "which means we have a say over it."
"You cannot be serious," I said, leaning forward. I looked to Dad for confirmation this was a threat but he looked as serious as she did.
Without that money I would literally be nowhere. It wasn't like I could just wonder into the streets and get a job.
"Oh very much so," she said.
It wasn't like they hadn't giving me any warning. I'd been subject to many morning lectures over the years; I just never thought they would take it this far.
"So what? I have to marry this whatever her name is, or I get no money," I said.
"You have to get married yes. We're going tomorrow so you can see if the match is agreeable," she said, "if she isn't then we'll travel down to Wilmington to see Princess Mariana."
Oh this was such a joke.
"Be ready tomorrow morning. Nine am sharp," she said.
I waited a few more seconds for either of them to take it back, but when they didn't, I got up off the chair and stormed back into my room.
xxxxx
Brooke POV
If there was one good thing about where I lived, it was that it was so close to the water. I loved how it was so easy to surf first thing in the morning.
I put my board up against the wall, and then pulled my dripping wet hair to the side before twisting it to avoid getting water everywhere.
My t-shirt was where I left it, on the bench and I pulled it on over my green bikini.
I let myself in through the door, and helped myself to one of the apples in the fruit basket, which was big enough to probably feed the whole of Charlotte.
"Good waves?" Rachel asked, putting a spoonful of cereal in her mouth.
"Like you wouldn't believe. I had to be out of bed at five am but it was so worth it," I said. I held the apple in my mouth as I lifted myself onto the kitchen counter and crossed my legs, getting comfortable.
"You are actually insane," she said yawning.
"So I hear you say most mornings," I said.
"I'm sorry but the 'getting up and having breakfast' process does not take this long," Peyton said, coming into the room and putting a basket of laundry on the table.
"Calm down, I'm done," Rachel said rolling her eyes, and putting her bowl and spoon into the dishwasher after rinsing them.
"Good, there's a lot to be done. Everyone else is out there prepping for the royal visit from Carolina tomorrow and you're in here," Peyton said.
"You do realise you're like a year older than me right?" Rachel said.
"And you do realise lack of work on your part makes everyone else look bad right?" Peyton responded.
"Don't take life so seriously," Rachel said pulling a face at me.
"Who are yo—oh your highness, I didn't see you there," Peyton said going red from me clearly having heard the little lecture she just gave Rachel.
"Good morning Peyton," I said sweetly and Rachel bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"You really shouldn't be down here Princess," she said, just like she did every time she saw me here.
"It's my house," I said.
"Castle—" Rachel interjected.
"Yes but this is the workers quarters and I'm sure upstairs would be more comfortable for you," she said. It was actually ironic how wrong she could be.
"Hey bitches," Chris said, coming into the kitchen from the same door as I had, and I guessed he'd already been in the garage. Well garage would probably be an understatement for the complex area designed for all the various vehicles we had.
"Chris!" Peyton said, her eyes widening in my direction, addressing his use of language in front of me.
"Oh she knows it was directed at her, don't worry," he said.
Peyton muttered, "I don't even know why I bother."
"What's happening," Chris said, getting a bottle of water. Rachel sat on the opposite counter to me and Peyton sighed.
"Can you at least try and do something useful," Peyton said to Rachel.
"I'm going in a second!" Rachel promised as Peyton took her basket and disappeared up the stairs.
"Want to do dinner guys?" Rachel asked, leaning back.
"I actually have plans," Chris said.
"Plans?" Me and Rachel both asked at the same time.
"With a girl," he said.
"Enough information," I said holding out my hand. Chris had a tendency to over share.
"Brooke?" Rachel asked.
"I would love to but if I'm skipping out on the dreaded dinner tomorrow I should probably be in attendance today," I said frowning.
"What's happening tomorrow?" Chris asked.
"You mean you haven't been given your orders to make sure every car is sparkling in case the Prince wants to expect them?" Rachel joked.
"Prince? What are you talking about?" he asked.
"My parents are bringing yet another Prince around for Haley," I said, "maybe this one will actually be to their liking."
"They're bringing a suitor for Haley?" he asked.
"Yeah, something about her time ticking and them wanting her married and with kids before she her coronation," I said.
"So there's a Prince coming, here tomorrow to potentially marry Haley?" Chris asked again.
"Yes, stop being retarded," Rachel said.
"I'm planning to hide out all day tomorrow to avoid the whole sham of a day pretending to be the perfect model family to impress them," I said.
"I have to go," Chris said, going toward the door.
"Chris?" I called after him but he didn't stop.
"He is such a freak," Rachel said.
"Rachel?" we both heard Peyton's voice through the intercom.
"Duty calls," Rachel said, hopping off the counter, and tying her hair in a ponytail.
"Yes it does," I said, going up to breakfast with my family.
A/N: This is very different to anything else I have written but I hope it works out and I hope you like it! I want it done by the end of summer so hopefully frequent updates will be the way to go!
Please take a second to tell me your initial thoughts!