When I woke up the next morning, I immediately started laughing, remembering that I was engaged to Liam and that we were going to celebrate with the whole court at the Homecoming Ball that night. I was strangely energized, and hopped to my feet, jumping up and down on my bed. That was how Maxwell and Bertrand found me. Maxwell ran to join me, and got a few good bounces in, before Bertrand commanded us to show some dignity. Together, Maxwell and I bounced onto our butts and sat cross-legged, staring up at Bertrand like scolded children.

"Haven't I earned a little celebrating?" I asked him.

"Celebrate, yes," he replied, "But don't think the pressure's off simply because you're achieved your goal."

"What do you mean?"

"You may have won Liam, but now you're really in Cordonia's limelight. Don't make yourself a laughingstock. How you comport yourself tonight will affect not only your standing at court, but also House Beaumont's."

Maxwell waggled his head a little as he thought about this, and finally agreed with his brother. "If it looks like Liam made a bad choice by proposing to you, it'll weaken his stance as king. I mean, we know he made the best choice in the world, but you've got to show them that."

"You've won the race," Bertrand summed up, "Now don't trip over the finish line."

I slid off the bed and stretched. "Okay, no jumping on beds in front of the court. What else have you got for me?"

"You can start by-" Bertrand started, and I held up a hand to cut him off.

"Finding the right outfit," I said.

He closed his mouth, then nodded. "Hana is actually waiting for you in the palace boutique. I'm sure you can find something appropriately regal there."

"Okay," I said, moving to shoo them out so I could get dressed. Before I shut the door, I asked, mostly to myself, "How many new dresses have I bought this year? And, when do I start getting that sweet, sweet duchy money?"

I showered and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. I threw my wet hair up in a bun, knowing it would be done by a stylist later that day, anyway. Then, I hurried out my bedroom door towards the palace boutique, nearly running into Liam as I went. He was on his way to my room, apparently, and his eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Riley," he said, "I'm glad I caught you."

"You look nice," I told him. He was dressed in a royal blue suit with a white shirt and yellow bow tie. A pale pink boutonniere was pinned to his lapel. "Are you dressed for the ball already?"

"Not exactly. I have something more important to do first."

"More important than the huge party that's being thrown in your honor tonight?"

"Yes." He offered me his arm, so I took it and we began strolling down the hallway. "What do you think about having engagement photos taken?" He asked.

"Of course, I'd love to. When did you have in mind?"

"Right now?"

I looked up at him with an amused face. "Really?"

"I didn't want to mention it earlier, because I wasn't sure I'd manage to secure a photographer on such short notice. But, it's all come together, and she's waiting for us in the ballroom. I even found what I hope you will consider appropriate attire for the occasion."

I crinkled my eyebrows. "Did you get me a dress?" I asked.

"You'll have to join me to find out," was his coy reply.

I patted my hair. I hadn't even done my makeup. "Can I have like, thirty minutes to make myself presentable?" I asked.

He chuckled. "I think you look gorgeous as you are, but if you'd like, I suppose I can stall the photographer for a while."

I stopped walking and reached up to kiss his cheek. Then, I took off running down the hallway, back towards my room. "I'll meet you in the ballroom," I cried over my shoulder.

I texted Hana to let her know it would be a while before I could join her in the boutique. Then, after fixing my hair and makeup, I found Liam in the ballroom with Ana de Luca from Trend magazine.

"Ana?" I asked, looking confused. "You're the photographer?"

She smiled warmly. "King Liam asked if I would facilitate the photoshoot as part of a feature in Trend. I told him it would be my honor to capture the first pictures of the royal couple." She leaned in towards me and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "I was always secretly rooting for you two, you know."

I laughed and shook my head, turning towards Liam, who was looking thoughtfully around the room. I touched his shoulder and he looked down at me, his face warming instantly. "I hope you don't mind I chose this location," he said. "I know we've had a...mixed history here. But, to me, it will always be the place where I first saw you in Cordonia. The moment I realized you had come into my life to stay." Turning to face me fully, Liam took my hands in his. "Since then," he said, "I have wondered time and again if I'd ever stand beside you like this."

"And now that you are?" I prompted.

He smiled broadly. "Now that we're engaged, there are a million memories I want to make with you. This engagement photoshoot is just the first."

I bit my lip as I stared at his beaming face. I felt full to bursting, and wanted to tell him so, but with Ana there, I just said, "Now, can I please see this mysterious dress?"

He laughed and nodded to Ana, who said, "His majesty asked me to call a few of Trend's top fashion designers for the occasion." She reached towards the grand piano, where there was a garment bag resting. She carefully unzipped the bag and handed the dress to me. My eyes bulged.

"Seriously?" I said, looking between her and Liam in awe.

"I only hope it fits," Liam said.

Quickly, I ducked into one of the ballroom's curtained alcoves to change. It was a beautiful bridal gown, covered in lace and beading. I stepped out and asked Liam to help me; It was a little big, but there were white ribbons criss-crossing down my back that could be used to tighten it around me. After he tied the bow, he leaned in and kissed the curve of my neck. I smiled, then spun around when I heard the sound of a camera shutter. I blushed as I saw Ana already snapping photos.

"Don't worry, Lady Riley," Ana assured me. "You'll have final say in what pictures we use for the article. I'd like to get some candid shots and then set up a few formal poses, if that's alright."

Liam looked questioningly at me and I shrugged. "Whatever you think is best," I said. "So...what do we do?"

"Just be natural!" She said. "Pretend like I'm not here."

I stepped closer to Liam, leaning in so only he could hear me, "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Why?" he asked in a low voice.

"Because if she weren't here, I'd have jumped you by now."

Liam let out a loud laugh and his face turned bright red. I crinkled my nose and stuck my tongue between my teeth as I laughed with him. Then, he pulled me in for a hug and I buried my face in his shoulder for a moment before looking up at him. With one hand, Liam tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. He let his hand rest there on my face, rubbing his thumb in circles on my jaw while he stared deeply into my eyes.

"Yes!" I heard Ana say. "That's it, you two are naturals!"

Satisfied with her candid shots, she guided us through a few basic poses, and then took some close-ups of my ring before finishing up.

"Thank you so much, Ana," Liam said as she packed up her camera.

"Of course, your majesty. I'll have framed prints ready as soon as possible." She nodded politely to each of us and then hurried off, leaving Liam and I alone in the ballroom.

Liam took my hand and twirled me into a waltzing position, swaying to music only he could hear. "Everything feels so much more real now," I told him, leaning my head against his shoulder. "We're engaged. I'm going to be your wife. And Queen of Cordonia."

"I'm glad the title wasn't off-putting," he said. "Most marriages don't come with so much responsibility."

I laughed and pulled back to look at him. "Oh, Liam," I said, cupping his cheek with my hand.

"What?" He asked, confused.

I sighed. I had never talked to him about how insecure I had been with the idea of being queen. I pursed my lips, then let it all fall out. Everything I had been holding in and trying not to think about since I first came to Cordonia. "I have been worried about that title since the moment Maxwell asked me to come here. When you were engaged to Madeleine, I thought more than once that maybe she really should be queen instead of me. It almost made me want to pull back, keep you at arm's length. To be honest, I think that's why I kissed Drake." I shook my head. "But I couldn't stay away from you. I feel so selfish sometimes, but I couldn't give you up. So I decided I just have to figure out a way to live up to your expectations of me...somehow." I looked down, my breath spent.

"Why didn't you talk to me about this sooner?" He asked.

I shrugged. "You would have just told me that I was wrong; that I am the right person to be queen. Like you always do."

"But it's the truth."

"I just can't understand how that's possible. Madeleine trained her whole life to be queen."

Liam took my hand and led me to the only seating in the room, which was the bench of the grand piano. He sat me on the bench and then knelt before me, grasping my hands tightly. "There are many aspects of being queen that can be learned. And yes, Madeleine has already learned them, but you will learn them too. What cannot be taught are the qualities which you possess. Qualities such as empathy, passion, and courage. The ability to inspire those around you. Humility and openness. I could go on, Riley, because the truth is, every single thing I know about you - and every new thing I learn - shows me that you are a true, natural-born leader. I'm happy that you thought I was worth marrying in spite of my titles, but it's important that you understand that you are the queen Cordonia needs."

I stared at him for a long while before nodding slowly. Tears filled my eyes, and I blinked hard to clear them away. "I trust you in every way," I said. "So I'll trust you in this."

He reached up and kissed me softly, then sat back. After a moment, he stood, giving me his hand to help me up. "I have a few more things to prepare before tonight," he said.

"And I'm supposed to meet Hana at the boutique."

He kissed the back of my hand, which he was still holding. "Then I shall see you later, my queen."

Hana was still perusing the racks when I arrived at the boutique a few minutes later. "Have you been shopping this whole time?" I asked her.

She laughed. "No! Since you were busy, I took care of some other things first. I just got here."

I nodded and joined her at the racks. "Anything good?"

"It looks like there's an all new stock since we left."

Just then, Olivia walked in, and as she so often did, she jumped into the conversation as if she had been there all along.

"Rightly so," she told us as she started sifting through hangers. "The selection was growing rather tired before the tour."

"Hi Olivia." I glanced at her, and saw she was already dressed in a floor-length crimson dress. "You don't look like you're here for a dress."

"Well, I was looking for a pair of shoes," she said, "But since you obviously need help, I thought I'd offer my services first. I can't have you embarrassing Liam when he presents you as his betrothed tonight."

"Um...thanks?"

"Oh," Hana gasped, interrupting our conversation. She pulled out a pale pink ball gown and held it out to me. "Riley, you would look so magical in this!"

Olivia rolled her eyes and snorted, then continued looking through racks. I slipped into a dressing room and tried on the dress Hana picked. When I came out, Hana squealed with delight, but Olivia looked less impressed. I twirled in front of the row of mirrors, smiling. "This does feel very romantic," I said. "I look just like a Disney Princess!"

Hana came and placed a matching pink tiara on my head. "There," she said, stepping back. "Now it's perfect!"

"Or," Olivia said, holding out a gold gown, "You could go with something a tad more...regal. Why look like a princess when you can look like a queen?"

I smiled at her offering. "It is beautiful," I agreed. "But...does it come with a matching tiara?"

She rolled her eyes and found a gold tiara, holding it out. I flounced back to the dressing room to try on Olivia's dress. When I came back out, both Hana and Olivia looked pleased.

"You look beautiful in both dresses," Hana assured me. "Which one is your favorite?"

I pursed my lips, thinking. "I love them both! But for tonight, I think I'm feeling...pink."

Hana beamed, and I changed back into the pink gown. When I came out, Olivia moved to leave, but I put a hand out to stop her. "Wait," I said. "I wanted to tell you thank you for everything you've done for me."

"We had a shared goal," she said flippantly.

"I still appreciate the help. And...I know you really care for Liam. I hope there's no...hard feelings, with my engagement and all."

Her face was softer than usual as she answered. "If it can't be me, I'm glad Liam chose you." Then, she nodded, and rushed out the door.

I turned to Hana, twirling in my dress once more. "I wish you would pick out my outfit every day," I told her with a grin. I looked her up and down. She was wearing a slinky black and gold dress. "Is this what you're wearing tonight?"

She looked down with a slight blush. "I was thinking of it. I designed this dress years ago, with my grandmother."

"You made it? Hana, it's gorgeous!"

"Really?" She looked up expectantly.

"Yes! Seriously, you may have missed your calling as a fashion designer."

She smiled, but changed the subject quickly. "So, since we're both dressed, we have a little time before the ball. I was hoping we could take a walk. I'd like to talk to you about some things, and there's this beautiful spot on the far side of the grounds that I'd love to show you."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, lifting my skirts gently as we walked towards the door.

We spent most of the walk in silence, despite Hana's earlier request to talk. Finally, we reached a small lake with a short wooden dock. The sun was beginning to set, and the orange light reflected brilliantly off the mirror-like surface of the lake. "Wow," I breathed quietly. "This really is beautiful."

"I thought you'd appreciate it here," Hana said.

"How did you know about this place?"

"I found it during the social season. I would walk the grounds a lot, just thinking and trying to find a moment of quiet."

I watched the sunset for a few moments, and when I turned back to Hana, she was looking sadly at the ground. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" I asked her.

"I...I shouldn't burden you right now, Riley. It's nothing, really."

I put an arm around Hana and drew her close. "Please, Hana. You're my best friend. You've done more for me in these past few months than I could ever repay. If something's bothering you, I want to hear about it."

She leaned her head against my shoulder for a moment, and then stepped back, facing me. Her face was serious and sad. "It's just...I haven't spoken to my parents since Shanghai. After tonight, everyone in the court will be returning home. And I..."

"Can't?"

She nodded. "I don't even want to, really. Cordonia feels like my home, now. And I'm tired of living solely for my parents. But...I still feel sad about this rift between us."

"I understand, Hana. You know, I'm going through the same sort of thing with my parents."

Her eyes grew wide. "I knew they weren't exactly supportive of you being in Cordonia."

I nodded. "I spoke to my father and mother in New York, the morning before we left. We had a huge fight. My dad basically thinks I'm spitting in the face of freedom and democracy, and told me that if I go through with marrying Liam, I'm no longer his daughter."

Hana gasped and hugged me. "I'm so sorry, Riley, I had no idea it was that bad!"

I pushed her back softly and looked at her with a sad smile. "I'm not saying this to make you feel bad for me. My parents and I have never seen eye to eye. This was just the straw that broke the camel's back. I just want you to know, I get what you're going through. Do you know what you're going to do?"

She shook her head. "Liam offered to let me stay in the palace for as long as I need. But I don't know."

"Well, I have my own estate now," I said with a smile. "And I sure could use a friend there. You could make Valtoria your home, if you wanted."

Hana's eyes lit up. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course!"

She sniffed, her eyes wet with unshed tears. But, she smiled. "Can I help you decorate?"

I laughed. "I thought that was a given!"

Hana pulled me into a hug, and when we parted, we stood side-by-side watching the lake until the sun was almost gone. "Thank you, Riley," Hana said at last. "But we'd better get back."

"You're right. The next adventure awaits...for both of us."

We lapsed into casual conversation as we wandered back to the palace, and parted ways at the door so Hana could freshen up before the ball. I started towards the ballroom, but stopped in the hallway when I saw Maxwell and Drake standing around Savannah and Bartie.

"Hey!" I said, skipping towards them and pulling Savannah into a big hug. "I didn't know you were here already!"

"Hee!" Bartie cried, and I smiled at him, letting him wrap his little fist around my index finger.

"And hello to you, too, Bartie," I said.

"Would you like to hold him?" Savannah asked.

"Sure! Come here, little guy!" Bartie reached out for me, and I took him in my arms, savoring that sweet baby smell and the warmth of his soft, chubby arms. I turned to look at Drake, who was smiling unabashedly.

"You look happy," I said with a smirk.

"I am," he said. "It isn't every day your sister and nephew come back to court."

"I feel honored," Savannah said, hugging Drake tightly.

"You should know, Bartie," I said, looking at the little one, "That this is not the way Uncle Drake normally looks. Next time you see him, he'll probably be frowning, but that's just because he's a grumpy marshmallow."

Maxwell laughed and took Bartie from me. "Lucky for you, Uncle Maxwell has more than enough smiles for everyone."

"Maa!" Bartie cried, grabbing Maxwell's nose happily.

"So," Savannah said, turning back to me. "Drake and Maxwell told me the happy news. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," I said with a blush.

Savannah opened her mouth, about to say something else, but then her eyes caught something at the end of the hall behind me, and her eyes went wide. I turned and saw Bertrand, stopped in his tracks, staring at us.

"Savannah," he said softly, then cleared his throat, straightening up. "I just came to speak with Riley."

"Oh," Savannah said, looking sad. "Well, it's nice to see you."

Drake glared at Bertrand. "Just say what you came to say to Riley and get out of here."

I took a few steps away and pulled Bertrand aside. Maxwell joined us. "What's up?" I asked.

He continued glancing at Savannah, and didn't say anything.

"You didn't come here to see me, did you?" I asked.

He frowned. "I...didn't intend to interrupt her time with family and friends," he said, which wasn't really any kind of an answer at all.

"She lives here now," Maxwell said. "You have to get used to being around her."

Bertrand nodded, and then spun on his heels, taking off in the opposite direction. I shook my head and walked back to Savannah and Drake. "I have to go finish preparing for tonight," I said, "But it was so good to see you. I hope you'll be around later? I'd love to get to know you better."

"I'll be here," she said with a smile, though her eyes were lingering on the end of the hallway where Bertrand had been.

As I turned the corner in the hall, I nearly ran straight into Bastien. "Woah!" I said, backing up.

"Lady Riley," he said, straightening his suit a little. "I've come to escort you safely to the Ball. King Liam's orders."

"Okay..." I said. "Why do I need a personal escort now?"

Bastien motioned for me to walk, and we started down the hall. "Your security detail isn't ready just yet," he explained, "And King Liam wanted to ensure your safety. I've actually been looking for you all day." He stopped a few feet short of the palace's front doors. "Before we go," he said, looking at me somberly. "I owe you an apology. Lady Riley, I regret my participation in the plot against you, and the harm that it's caused you."

I eyed him warily. "Was that King Liam's order, too?"

His eyes widened. "No! No...I sincerely hope you can forgive me. I knew it was wrong when I was doing it, but convinced myself I had no choice, I was just following orders. I feel terribly."

I pursed my lips, considering his apology. Finally, I said, "You might not be my favorite person, but I don't blame you. You were doing your job. What happened was the King Father's fault. And, we never would have found Tariq without your help. So...I forgive you."

"Thank you, Lady Riley," he bowed low, and then opened the doors for me. Once outside, we walked silently through the grounds until we reached the edges of the outdoor ballroom that had been constructed for tonight. Gently, Bastien cleared the way through the staff and guests until we were inside the tented ballroom. I looked at him as if for permission, and he nodded. "Enjoy your evening," he said, disappearing into the crowd.

I found Maxwell and Bertrand alongside a table full of appetizers, and dove in, realizing I hadn't eaten all day. Maxwell was trying to convince Bertrand to talk to Savannah, and Bertrand was being his usual stubborn self and insisting there was no point. I shook my head, swallowing a mouthful of hummus before saying, "Bertrand, if you just set aside your pride and talk to Savannah like a normal person, I know you can clear things up."

Before Bertrand could respond, our attention was grabbed by Kiara, who held a microphone and champagne flute. "It is my honor," she said, "To kick off tonight's toasts to King Liam. On behalf of my family..."

As she spoke, I heard Bertrand whisper, "Oh, Lord."

I looked at him with an amused smile, but it quickly faded as I saw the panicked expression on his face. "What is it?"

"House Beaumont is expected to participate in toasting King Liam tonight," he said, moving towards a nearby table and chairs. He sat, and Maxwell and I joined him.

"Well, you have something prepared, right?" I asked.

His guilty frown said no.

On stage, Lady Kiara finished her toast, and Rashad stepped up to the microphone for his speech.

"Bertrand!" Maxwell hissed, a panicked look in his eye.

"It slipped my mind," Bertrand said, and I followed his gaze to Savannah across the room. I shook my head.

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath, hoping my calm would rub off on the Beaumont brothers. "We'll be fine. It's just a few words. I'm good with words."

Maxwell smiled. "Your confidence makes me confident."

"This is utterly foolhardy," Bertrand said.

As Rashad finished up, Maxwell looked to me and said, "We need to hurry, there's not a lot of time!"

"Well, what sort of toast should we do?" I asked him.

"The usual sort, you know, thanks for coming, blah blah blah, the bounty and beauty of Cordonia, blah blah, to King Liam!" Maxwell mimed knocking back a drink.

"Well that sounds like an outline to me," I said with a smile. "We can each take a part. Maxwell, you do the intro, you know like, 'House Beaumont is honored to be here,' etc. Then Bertrand, you take the middle, where you talk about how the engagement tour was lovely but nothing compares to being home in the beautiful country of Cordonia. And I'll do the toast to Liam at the end."

"Divide and conquer," Maxwell said, "I love it!"

"It will have to do," Bertrand said, "Because we're up next."

I took another deep breathe, encouraging the Beaumonts to do the same, and we all stepped up to the microphone. I grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter on the way, and stood back to let Maxwell speak first. He looked back at me, and I mouthed the words, You got this! He nodded and looked into the crowd, pasting a cocky smile on his face.

"Hello, and welcome to the Homecoming Ball. I'm Maxwell Beaumont. I, personally, want to thank King Liam for hosting House Beaumont and the rest of the court throughout the tour. Because of him, I had the idea to make what I'm calling a 'hip hopera,' and I met the cutest panda cubs in the entire world. And...now my brother Bertrand, a.k.a. Duke Ramsford, will say a few words."

Maxwell handed the mic to Bertrand, who cleared his throat and straightened his tie, then began speaking. "Thank you, Maxwell. I'd like to say a few words about our beloved Cordonia. Many of us have been away for some time, and..." his voice trailed off as he caught sight of Savannah and Bartie in the crowd. I groaned internally and prayed for him to get back on track. "Ahem," he said, "Apologies. I was just saying that many of us have been away and, well, I can't speak for everyone here, but I know that I, for one, have desperately missed Cordonia." He was staring intensely at Savannah, but glanced at Liam to say, "Which is not to say that I did not enjoy the tour! What I mean is..." he looked back to Savannah, and I knew we had lost him. "I regret ever leaving our beautiful country, and I want nothing more than to care for her and...her people...for the rest of my life. I promise that as long as Cordonia wants me, I will be with her."

Maxwell grabbed the microphone from Bertrand and quickly said, "Yep! We're all very happy to be home. Now I think Duchess Riley had something to say." He handed me the mic with a pleading look, and I knew he was counting on me to make up for Bertrand's embarrassing speech.

"Yes," I said with as much of a smile as I could muster. "I would like to propose a toast. Everyone please raise your glasses to King and Country!"

Murmurs of assent and the sound of clinking glasses roiled through the hall, and Maxwell led Bertrand and I off the stage. Bertrand slumped in a chair, head in his hands. "That was atrocious," he said, his voice muffled.

"It wasn't all bad," Maxwell said. "Riley did great!"

I chuckled. "So did you, Maxwell. But Bertrand..."

"I don't know what came over me."

Savannah walked up, and I nudged Bertrand, making him look up. His face showed horror at seeing her.

"Bertrand," she said softly.

"Oh," he said, standing. "You, um. You heard the speech, I suppose?"

"It seemed like I was meant to. Bertrand...is that really how you feel?"

He nodded, as if forgetting how to speak for a moment. Then, all at once, he blurted out, "Yes. Oh, Savannah, I've been an absolute fool. To think that I made you feel like an obligation. I know you must want nothing to do with me, but I have to know if there is any possibility...I want to bea part of my son's life, and yours."

Savannah frowned. "Bertrand, some of the things you've said and done have hurt me. But, I've made mistakes too."

"All I'm asking for is a chance."

"I want to let you back in, but I can't promise anything."

Bertrand nodded, and Savannah reached out, grasping his hand for just a moment.

Maxwell tapped me on the shoulder, and nodded to guide me away, letting them have some more privacy. We took some drinks and appetizers and stood to the side of the dance floor. "I hope that works out," I said.

"I have faith in them. Bertrand may have a knack for saying the wrong thing, but I know how much he cares about Savannah. I gotta believe that'll win out in the end."

I sighed, realizing I had been holding in a lot of tension since the speech. "Okay, are you ready to enjoy this party instead of worrying about toasts and your brother's love life?"

In answer, Maxwell started moving his shoulders, moonwalking to the dance floor and motioning for me to follow him. I laughed and joined him in doing a silly dance that was altogether too wild for the demure dinner music that was playing. It was time to party!