CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Monday, April 16th
"Okay, so this week is rather busy." Alyssa was saying as I cuddled into Shane in the car on the way back to school. Trevor was sleeping on the seat opposite us and I had my head resting on Shane's shoulder whilst his head was on top of mine. "You have today free, but tomorrow there's a dignitary dinner which you will have to leave for as soon as classes are let out." I sighed, it was too early to be told my entire week was booked and I wouldn't have ten minutes to myself. "Wednesday you will be out of school to do the anual tour of the Royal Garden where you will have to pick a flower to represent the Royal family this year." No pressure, just the flower that will represent the Royal family that's been made by my ancestors for hundreds of years. "On Thursday you don't have to do anything, but there is a dinner and ball on Friday with visiting leaders from other countries." Great, more dinners. And if I had to do another ball I was going to have permanent blisters on my feet from the shoes they made me wear. And the stupid dresses were impossible to breathe in and were uncomfortable to wear... They did look pretty though...
"It's too early for this." Shane whined, burrying his face in my hair.
"Well, then lucky for you I'm finished." Alyssa frowned and I smiled, turning and moving so I was straddling Shane.
"Love you, Baby." Shane mumbled, his lips hot against my pulse.
"Love you." I mumbled back, settling against him sleepilly.
"Not so fast, we're almost at the school, time to wake up." Alyssa sighed and I pouted.
"I hate school." I whined, turning in Shane's lap and resting my head back against his chest with his chin on top of my head, snoring lightly. "Wake up, Baby." I nudged him lightly making him groan. It was almost seven in the morning and just like every other Monday we'd had to get up at four so we could get the helicopter to the small town near Prince Arthur's then drive the rest of the way. Sometimes I just couldn't understand why we didn't just get the chopper all the way to school. And I especially didn't understand why Alyssa insisted on telling us all about the upcoming week when we usually slept the entire way.
"Quiet, Teddy Bear." Shane shushed and I laughed as he cuddled me tighter.
"Come on, Shaney, we're almost there." I cooed, tilting my head back to kiss his unshaven jaw. My lips trailed along his jawline, occassionally nipping at him before I had to shift in his lap to kiss down his throat.
"Mmm... If I wake up will you keep doing that?" Shane smiled and I grinned against his neck, continuing to search for the soft thrum of his pulse point. I found his pulse and parted my lips, sucking the small patch of skin between them and grazing my tetth across it lightly. Shane moaned and I felt him start to stir in his pants. "Fuck." Shane swore in a whisper and I giggled, pulling away to admire the small mark.
"Really, Your Majesty?" Alyssa arched an eyebrow. "The boy's bruised enough without you biting him." Alyssa said and I frowned, his bruises really were looking better, they still made me sick to look at, and his eye was almost completely healed.
"Don't listen to her, Babe." Shane denied, waking up, but I still shifted and started to move back to my seat.
Queen Miley
Tuesday, April 17th
I sighed and tried to readjust the dress I'd been stuffed into. It was a pretty dress, and the heels I was in were beautiful, but they were uncomfortable and gave me blisters. I was getting ready for the dinner and dance tonight. Sometimes I wondered what I'd be doing if I was normal, still in Malibu. The only times I'd wear anything like this would be on the red carpet or something as Hannah. I hadn't been allowed to perform since Hannah came out, everyone kept insisting it was too dangerous for the Queen to be a popstar, or that it was unbecoming of a Queen. I just wanted to go back to Seaview and hang out with my friends at the beach and make music.
"Hey, Gorgeous." The good thing about not being in Malibu, though, was Shane Gray. I wouldn't trade him for anything, he was my light in all of this.
"Are you two ready?" Alyssa asked as I smoothed my hands over Shane's jacket. Shane tugged on the ends of my hair lightly and smiled as I straightened his bowtie.
"Yeah." I sighed again, wishing I could just stay here, in this little room that lead to the ballroom. In this little room everything was uncomplicated. Then we had to leave and reality came crashing back to us.
"Let's get this over with." Shane pressed his lips to my temple and snaking an arm around my waist.
It happened halfway through the dinner when the third course came out; chicken. Nobody seems to have told the planners or the chefs or whoever decided the menu that I can't eat chicken. Even just looking at it set me off and I had to run out of the formal dining room to find a toilet. I barely made it to a bathroom before I leant over and lost my lunch and the first two courses of dinner.
"Princess?" Shane had come after me. I sat next to the toilet and groaned, when was this stupid 'morning' sickness going to end? It wasn't even in the morning, most of the it was either at lunch or night time.
"I hate being pregnant." I whined as Shane knelt next to me and grabbed a damp hand towel to wipe the vomit from my mouth. He really was a Prince, he could stand there and watch me be sick and still be so sweet and caring.
"It'll be okay, Baby." Shane sighed, flushing the toilet.
"I know, I just hate it." I pouted, getting up from the floor and scooping a handfull of water to rinse my mouth out. "You don't have to put up with the vomitting much longer, Doctor Livinstone says the sickness should subside in the next couple of weeks." I smiled weakly. Shane looked visibly relieved and it made me happy that he was actually normal.
"I love you, Princess." Shane said, brushing my hair back. "But, vomit is so not hot, Baby."
"You actually are normal?" I mused and he rolled his eyes.
"A man in love, but a man no less." I rinsed my mouth again, trying to get rid of the taste. "And I'll be a happy man when the vomitting stops." I laughed and tried to put my hair back to the way it was. "Come on, Gorgeous." He kissed my temple and brushed the loose tenrils of my hair back.
"What am I gonna say?" I frowned, looking at the door, we'd have to leave and go back to the dinner soon. "They already think there's something wrong with me. I don't want to tell them, Shane, I'm not ready for that yet." I looked up at him with my big blue eyes and he sighed.
"We can't do stomach bug again?" He asked wearily.
"Alyssa said they didn't even buy it the first time." I groaned, "stupid pregnancy." I knew I should be happy about it, but I just couldn't bring myself to. I didn't want this. I knew I was outspoken with Dad and Jackson, but inside I was just felt like the scared little kid Dad knew I was.
"Nine weeks." Shane murmured, his hand moving to splay on my stomach through my dress. He liked the idea, he wanted to have a baby, to be a Dad. I didn't blame him for it, I wanted it too... Just not now. "Thirty-one to go." 31 weeks, 7 months, a lifetime of being responsible for a child I don't even feel anything for. It makes me both sick and guilty to think about. But, Shane is happy. Shane is happy, and that's what I want most. I can't bear to tell him the truth because after the inital, after the initial not wanting this because of my age, or his age, or because we had to because of the constitution... He wanted this; he wants to be a Dad, he wants to have this baby, he's excited about it, and I can't take that away from him by letting him know I'm dreading it.
"Let's get this over with." I sighed, looking at the door. I felt Shane's hand moved down and his fingers entwined with mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze. Looking up at him, that's why I couldn't tell him, his hazel brown eyes were sparkling with happiness and excitement just talking about how long until the baby would here, how could I take that away from him with the truth? It would be cruel.
Shane walks slightly in front of me, protectively, as we re-enter the dining room and everyone stops to stare at us. I blush, feeling comfortable and Shane squeezes my hand again. The chicken's been cleared away and for that I'm gratefull as I take my seat, trying to avoid looking at anyone.
"Your Majesty." Alyssa is the first one speak, having been hovering just out of sight through the first part of dinner, she was now in the room with her trusty clipboard. She wants me to tell everyone.
"I'm fine." I whisper, looking down, I should be used to everyone looking at me, expecting things from me, judging me. But, I don't like it. Especially after I've just thrown up.
"Would you like to explain, Your Majesty?" Alyssa pressed, this was apparently a good opportunity to assure the members of Parliment that were here that they'll get their precious heir to the Throne within the stupid time limit, so they could spread the news like wildfire.
"Not really." I muttered uncooperatively and she sighed.
"A word please, Your Majesty?" She requested formally, her voice crisp and authoritive. I sighed and got up, following her. Yeah, I'm Queen of 13 countries, I'm married, and I'm pregnant. But, I'm still a 15-year-old kid who gets bossed around, how fun? "You can't keep doing this, Miley." Alyssa hissed when we were in a private room away from the dining hall. Shane had started to follow me, but he'd stayed outside the room.
"I don't want to tell them." I whined petulantly. "Can't we just wait?"
"You wanted to wait until after your family knew, Miley." I could see in her soft brown eyes that she really did care, that was the thing about Alyssa; she was all business and could run the Monarchy way better than I'd ever be able to, but she really did care when it came down to, she was just trying to look out for me because the people around here who actually cared could be counted on one hand.
"I just don't want to, okay?" I couldn't tell Alyssa, I couldn't tell anyone how I really felt, they'd judge and probably think I was some sort of monster. "I'm not ready for the world to know, everyone knows everything about, can't there just be one thing that isn't headline news?"
"You can't keep going like this." Alyssa sighed, slowly caving in. "One more incident like tonight and you tell, okay?"
"Fine." I groaned, hoping my stupid sickness would stay away in public for as long as possible.
Queen Miley
Friday, April 20th
"Hi." I had a forced smile on my face as I shook hands with people and welcomed them to the country, to the Palace. My face hurt. "Thank-you for coming, welcome to East Northumberland." I repeated with fake cheerfullness.
"Queen Miley." A somewhat familiar voice spoke and I looked over, a genuine smile taking over for the first time since Shane had to leave for security checks earlier.
"Queen Mia." The older woman was like a mentor. She was only 23 and she was already a veteran at this stuff.
"Hi, welcome to Cyrus." I smiled and shook another hand as someone else came through the doorway. Mia had found out she was a Princess when she was 15, almost 16, we were almost in the same boat.
"It gets easier." Mia said, coming to stand next to me, smiling politely and greeting the other leaders as they came.
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow, I couldn't imagine this ever getting easier, I think my face would be permanantly sore after tonight let alone every other time I'd have to do this.
"No, it's a pain in the ass." Mia grinned and I rolled my eyes. "But, I thought I'd try."
"Thanks." I smiled, trying to subtly glance at the clock on the wall; everyone was supposed to be here at 8, it's already 8:34 and they're still arriving. "So what happens at these things?" I wondered, waiting for an elderly King to walk up the stairs.
"Everyone's immaculately polite, we pretend to all get along whilst secretly everyone wants to be anywhere else." Mia replied casually. "And usually good food, moderate music, and forced dancing."
"Fun." I commented dryly.
Next chapter is in Shane's POV :D
And since LOL comes out on DVD on July 31st (happy birthday harry Potter :P) can anyone tell me if that's just for America, or if it's in other place (namely Australia) too?
MileyLover231855: Welcome back :D And I hope your Grandma gets better :)
Let's see if my psychic powers are still working? (see my prediction of a big announcement from Miley followed by her announcing she was engaged the very next day) I'm sensing a music announcement or teaser by the end of July :D
And if that comes true I'll be predicting the lotto numbers :P
Reviews are very welcome; they fuel my psychic abilities.
XOXO
Miley Hemsworth!