Hi everyone!

I have returned with the latest chapter! This one is helping to set up the next chain of events, so I made sure to add a little more Kile and Eadlyn time into it so it wouldn't be quite so boring. Besides, I felt like I was missing some Kile and Eadlyn romance for a bit.

hunterofartemis126 - Thanks! :)

lav - This month was really hard to get any writing time in, but hopefully that will change soon!

Guest - Glad you like the story! Trying to get more writing time in soon.

Luuuiiisaaa - I'm glad! I wanted to give Ahren a proper wedding and show how happy he was to be marrying the love of his life, but I also didn't want to spend too much time on it, because I have the next part of the story that I am anxious to start on!

Enjoy!

:)

The Crown - Chapter 12 - Re-Write

THE FLIGHT HOME WAS TEAR-JERKING at best. I was so sad that I had to go home early while the rest of my family was able to stay and celebrate with Ahren and Camille. One week was not enough.

I had spent more time with Gunner than with Ahren and that was disheartening. I did learn several things about him, though, so it wasn't a complete disappointment. He loves books and could be very sweet when I was alone with him.

"I'm sorry that you didn't get more time with your family," Gunner told me as we rode in the car toward the palace.

"It's not your fault. I have responsibilities," I told him, looking out the window.

"Ouch," he said, wincing.

I realized what I had said and turned back to him. "Not that you are just a responsibility! I just meant that there was a lot going on and, as the future Queen of Illea, I was unable to simply spend time with my family. Even if you hadn't been there I wouldn't have had much time with them-"

Gunner smiled at me slightly. "It's okay. I get it. Dating is basically a chore at this point to you, especially with everything else that is going on."

I sighed. "I wish it wasn't. I really have come to like all of you so much," I told him honestly. I gave him a smile. "And I am very glad I got to know you better during the trip. I'd love to hear which books you think my library is lacking sometime."

Gunner grinned at me. "I'll make you a list."

:)

Travel was so exhausting that the piles of paperwork that had been building while I was gone was a complete nightmare. Not to mention trying to maintain a strong presence in my boardroom with the advisors. Lady Brice and Neena were there for me as always, which was a comfort.

After my work was done, I retired to my bedroom. I had not joined the Elite for dinner, I was far too tired for that. And I had picked at my food while working in Dad's office anyway. I had regaled them all with stories of the wedding over breakfast and lunch anyway. The date schedule would pick back up tomorrow and they would all get their fair share of time with me anyway.

I opened the door and saw Kile laying on my bed. "How did you get in here?" I asked him.

Kile stretched and sat up. "Your maid likes me," he said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes but smiled at him. "I'm not going to be very good company tonight. I'm completely worn out," I told him as I stepped up to the bed and flopped down on it next to him.

Kile leaned over me, smiling. "I've tolerated you in far worse moods. I think I can handle tired."

I smirked at him. "And what about my tolerating you?"

Kile brushed a curl from my face that I was too tired to even bother with. "I think you will manage."

I looked up at him for a long moment, wondering how I would feel right now if he had been with me all week to help me during the wedding instead of me entertaining Gunner. I wondered if I would have felt as at ease as I did in this moment.

I slid my fingers across his cheek. "I missed you."

Kile smiled at my softly. "Not nearly as much as I missed you."

I grinned at him. "Mind proving that?"

Kile grinned and brought his lips to mine.

My chest filled with air as I felt the warmth of his lips on mine. In the entire week that I was in France, I hadn't kissed anyone and I had forgotten how good it felt. And Kile was such a good kisser. My whole body ached for his attention.

Kile pressed into me and wrapped his hand into my hair.

I had missed him. I hadn't realized how much until that moment.

He releases me from the kiss too soon and grins down at me. "I should let you get some rest."

I sighed. "I can't even deny it."

He kissed my forehead and pushed off of the bed. "I'll see you at our date tomorrow."

I nodded and watched him leave.

He winked at me as he closed the door.

I groaned as I pulled myself up to change into my nightclothes. Tomorrow. Right.

:)

The meeting with the advisors was exhausting. At least no one was pushing declarations of war or other stupid ideas in front of me anymore. Still, it seemed that no matter how hard I was working, there would always be something new that needed my attention. Particularly in this meeting, where I was told about some unrest among my people that sounded as though it went much deeper than just thinking I was a spoiled princess. The Castes issue was worse than ever and with my father abdicating the throne to me temporarily, it had only been my main goal to distract the country from it.

I slumped into the chair at my father's desk and sighed. How could I be this stupid? Of course continuing the distraction wasn't going to be enough. My parents asked me to do the Selection in order to create a distraction that would buy Dad the time he needed to handle the situation, not to distract them and hope they would forget about it. While my distraction may have been working better, the living situations in which my people found themselves was not changing in the slightest. How that enormous detail had slipped my mind seemed so juvenile to me now. I needed more than to change the public opinion about me, I needed to get to work. I needed to find a way to settle the unrest. I needed to know what was really happening with my people.

"Neena," I say without looking away from the stack of papers on the desk. "I need to have a weekly meeting with all of the Elite. I need them to come prepared to explain how life in their hometown is and how the Caste issue affects them personally. And I think I should visit each of their hometowns with them."

Lady Brice nearly drops her board. "Your Highness, with the current unrest, it would be very dangerous to be visiting the people right now. There have been several reports of riots and-"

"I know," I assure her. "I need a new distraction now that my brother's wedding is over. This should satisfy that need and give me the chance to see how things are in person. Perhaps even talk to some of my people."

Lady Brice nods. "I will ask General Leger to prepare guards for it."

I nod. I notice the latest Reports on my desk and am momentarily calmed by the fact that they were all about Ahren and Camille's wedding. A few pictures of me were there, but only as a guest, not the main attraction. It was nice to not be the center of attention for once. I was going to make the most of the time that I had.

"What's next?" I ask, ready to get some real work done.

:)

Kile's hands are on my back, pulling me closer as he deepens our kiss. He adjusts to be even closer until he is practically on top of me.

A glass falls over and we both break apart, looking in the direction of the sound.

Kile picks up the glass that hasn't broken but has spilled what little wine was in it on the picnic blanket. "Maybe next time we should actually eat during our picnic," he says with a smirk.

I smiled at him. "But I can have food anytime."

He puts a towel over the wine spot and comes back to me for another kiss. His lips are so soft and warm and I feel so complete when he is kissing me. Like all of the things I am responsible for fade away while his lips are on mine.

He pulls back from the kiss and stares down at me for a moment before relaxing in his seat. "We really should eat though. Our lunch date is almost over."

I sigh. "If you insist."

"So what is the next event for the Selection?" he asks before popping a pretzel in his mouth.

"I'm going to visit the homes of each Elite," I tell him. "I realize you live here, so instead you can pick anywhere you want. I'm hoping to see the conditions my people are living in so I can better try to fix the unrest."

Kile nods. "That's a good idea. Better to work from what you see than your intel from guards."

"And I'm going to start having weekly meetings with all of the Elite. Many of you have experiences that I don't and I would like to put those experiences to work."

Kile grins at me and tacks a bite of his sandwich.

"What?" I ask.

Kile shakes his head, but the grin doesn't fade. "I was just thinking you have come a long way."

I take a sip of my wine and consider that for a moment. Kile has known me the longest of many people, so if he is seeing some personal growth, maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself? "Because I'm not throwing temper tantrums over your sister stealing my tiaras anymore?"

Kile laughs. "It's more than that. You aren't just the attention seeking princess anymore. You are the acting Queen and working your butt off at it. I honestly don't think I've seen so much passion for your people from you before."

I consider his words. Could that be why my brother's wedding was so thoroughly covered in the Reports? My people are actually seeing the sacrifices I am making for them and how desperately I am trying to help them?

"And I enjoy your company a lot more now," Kile says, his eyes on his wine glass.

I smile at him. "I enjoy your company more now too."

He leans over and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek. "Eady," he whispers into my hair. The action sending warmth and shivers down my body at the same time. "I want this."

I turn and kiss him, feeling a warmth fill my chest. When I come out of the kiss, I look at his eyes and see that sparkle that has been growing since we first started seeing each other in the new light. "I want this too."