Cornelia couldn't believe how quickly her former friends replaced her; furthermore, she was angry that they replaced her with a boy. Though she knew there was no way she could forgive Will for betraying them and everything they stood for to marry and sleep with that monster that wears the Meridian Crown, she had hoped they'd find a decent replacement for her. In addition to that, her boyfriend had been acting oddly in the past couple of days. From suggesting a quick visit to Ero, what she learned is a kingdom neighboring Meridian, to muttering in his sleep about needing to visit Ero. She wasn't sure how Caleb was going to Ero in the first place since he got banished from Meridian and the only way she knew to get to Ero was through Meridian.

Cornelia had to admit to herself that Caleb hasn't been the same since the trial. Since that day, he had been more cold and distance; he no longer treated her to lunch or dates, he no longer smiled, he preferred his time alone in his camp in the woods, and he stole liquor from her father's old cabinet. Most of the bottles were old and covered in dust, so Cornelia was certain that her family wouldn't miss them too much. The only positive thing the trial had brought about was how close it brought her and Caleb together, both emotionally and physically. Whereas before he kept his distance, he now spent every night that her parents were away with her; however, even the physical intimacy wasn't what she had expected. Sure he was able to give her what she wanted, but it lacked any form of comfort and warmth. In a way, it felt like he was only going through the motions but that his mind was somewhere else.

Lastly, it bothered her that the P.E. teacher had scheduled a run around the block in the cold weather. Begrudgingly, Cornelia entered the girl's locker room, which smelled of deodorant and old shampoo with a hint of sweat and headed for her locker. To her surprise, someone was using the previously empty locker beside her. She couldn't see who it was since the open locker door blocked her view, but whoever it was seemed to live a rough life judging by the various cuts, scrapes, and bruises on their legs. Still, she didn't pay the girl too much mind, since she only had a few minutes to change into her sportswear. Just as she opened her locker, the girl beside her closed hers and Cornelia nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the boy that had tackled her earlier.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cornelia hissed at the boy whom she was certain Irma had called Danny.

Danny, more calm and relaxed than Cornelia, only raised an eyebrow at the pretty blond. "I didn't see your name on this locker room, Cornelia."

"That is not what I meant; you do know this is the girl's locker room, right?" At that, Danny narrowed her eyes at the pretty blond for a moment before it dawned on her that this girl thought she was a boy. Without much hesitation, Danny lifted her baggy shirt to flash the blond.

"Listen toots, I know my hooters aren't as big as yours, but you gotta have piss poor eyesight to think I got a dick." With her check flushing red, Cornelia was greeted with the sight of a slightly too feminine figure and barely existing breasts.

"You know, A's are for kids." Cornelia countered in a vain attempt to save face.

"Real mature, coming from a bobblehead like you." Replied Danny as she pulled on her sports shirt. With that, Danny slammed her locker shut and pushed past the blond, not caring that she roughly bumped her shoulder against hers. From then on, Cornelia made it her mission to top Danny in some way shape or form; however, that seemed more difficult than expected. During warm-ups, Danny bested Cornelia by being faster and stronger by being able to do more push-ups and sit-up in a shorter amount of time. During the run around the block, Danny was easily keeping the lead with the new gym teacher without even breaking a sweat; which earned her a compliment from Mr. Clementine. It was because of that compliment that Cornelia discovered why Danny was so much better at sports than most of the class; this rag-tag girl practiced parkour. It became very clear from that moment on that Cornelia would have to find another way to best Danny; she could always best the girl with her looks, but it was very clear that Danny didn't put much value on external appearances. Still, Cornelia was determined to be better than Danny in some way. She wasn't going to give up.

However, as the day passed on, Cornelia's determination began to wither. During Home Economics, Cornelia forgot about her pancakes on the stove while whipping heavy cream for toppings. Danny, on the other hand, managed to both fry the pancakes and a fine strawberry whipped cream with chocolate sauce. When the teacher asked her how she thought of such a dish Danny responded that she had to cook for her family. Next, in Science class, the class was tasked with completing electrical circuits to make a lightbulb glow; no matter what she tried, Cornelia couldn't get her bulb to glow. Danny, on the other hand, was done with in the first 15 minutes with all 5 circuit examples and managed to help most of the class with their problems. For that, Danny's excuse was that she learned from watching her brothers build computers. Apparently, Danny had learned everything from everyone and by the time lunch rolled around, Cornelia was grinding her teeth about her goal of besting Danny.

After gathering her school-issued tray of questionable food, Cornelia dared a glance at the table her former friends sat at, only to see them having fun and enjoying their day; the morning's events seemingly forgotten.

XXXXX

Unlike Cornelia, Will's day passed rather smoothly; she had a short dizzy spell during Science and took things a little slower during P.E. but she managed fine without getting sick. Still, it annoyed her how difficult it became to act normal around her friends. Furthermore, the longer she tried to act normal, the more she wanted to confess to her friends about her pregnancy. Then again, Irma's actions that morning reminded her why she wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible and she was thankful that Hay-Lyn managed to keep it a secret. However, Cornelia's words that morning bothered her and part of her wanted to snap back at her former friend about how Caleb didn't love her and was only using her because he couldn't be with the woman he loved; but that would only open a can of worms she didn't feel energized enough to deal with.

It was Danny's laughter that brought her out of her deep thought. "And then, I lifted my shirt and flashed her. I can't believe she thought I was a guy. Can you guys believe it?"

"I can't," replied Irma through hysterical fits of giggles. "I mean, you don't look like a guy to me."

"Give old Corny a break." Replied Taranee after catching her breath. "To her, Will probably qualifies as a boy because of her short hair."

"Well, according to old Corny, I am prime pedophile bait." Muttered Will as she poked at her macaroni, which barely responded to her touch; luckily, the other only rolled their eyes and Danny even playfully poked Will's side.

"Oh don't mind what Corny said. It ain't her business what you and your hubby do behind closed doors." Replied Danny before whispering in a low tone. "Besides, you can be honest with us. You two have been getting jiggy with it on the regular."

"No, we haven't because Phobos respects my mother's wishes." Hissed Will as her cheeks began to turn red.

"You, a teenage girl with a guy as love-struck as yours at your beck and call, not doing it? You honestly expect me to believe it?"

"How hard is it for you to imagine that nothing is happening? You act like all teenage girls are hormone-driven." At this point, Will was having trouble keeping her voice low and restraining herself from strangling her best friend's cousin.

"Guys, can we please change the subject? I don't want to think of my friend and my former enemy getting jiggy." Muttered Taranee and rubbed her head as though she got a headache. "I think I'll need brain bleach if this conversation keeps going the way it has."

"Sounds great," replied Hay-Lyn, worried that Will might break and confess if Danny kept needling her. "Personally, I want to know more about the visit from that Gia King. What did he have to say?"

"Well, nothing much and he didn't stay for long. He just asked us to keep an eye on something important when he passes away." Replied Will, glad that the conversation shifted. Obviously, her friends weren't going to off the hook with a vague statement like that.

"What does he want you to keep an eye on? Doesn't he have someone else to look after it? Doesn't he have a son or daughter? Why did he think to ask you?" it was one question after another that left Irma's mouth and Will felt nothing short of being steamrolled by her questions.

"Well, he asked both me and Phobos and it is something very important; for all we know, the King might still change his mind about everything and find someone else to look after everything when he passes." Will tried to continue but was interrupted by another jab to the side by Danny.

"Come on sister, spill the beans. What is so important that you were worried about it all day yesterday?" Finally, Will couldn't keep it a secret any longer and, with a heavy sigh, she confessed.

"King Royan wants Phobos and I to take his kingdom into ours when he dies." Finally, the group became silent and stared at her with a mixture of shock and surprise. With another deep breath, Will continued. "Used to have a son, but he died many years ago and he doesn't have any other heirs. He is worried that his kingdom will fall apart if the other royals fight over it. Personally, I hope Royan does have a secret heir. It is not like Phobos and I would be against uniting the two kingdoms, but it just feels so sad that Royan sees no other option than to will his home to us."

After a short moment of silence, Danny burst out laughing and roughly clapped Will on the back; apparently, nothing about Danny was gentle. "That is awesome to hear Willy. You're gonna be double rich once that geezer kicks it. Maybe I should ask you for my student loans in a few years."

"Not cool Danny." Muttered Irma while shaking her head. "Not cool."

Will, feeling herself growing close to tears, excused herself from the table and rushed to the girl's bathroom. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of everyone; luckily, the room was empty and she was allowed to let the tears drip from her eyes in peace. She wasn't even sure why Danny's words had her so worked up; the only thing she could think of how she had compared King Royan's situation to hers should she loose Phobos. Ever since the assassination attempt on him, she was worried she would lose him again and now, that they were expecting a child, she feared that day more than anything. After a few minutes, Hay-Lyn came in and wrapped Will into a tight, comforting, hug. "I am sorry for what Danny said. She probably didn't mean to be so insensitive."

"It isn't just of what she said," muttered Will between tears. "I am not sure why everything bugs me so much. This morning I got annoyed by my husband trying to get me out of bed so bad I was sure I'd snap at him. I feel like I am turning into a monster."

"You are not turning into a monster, Will." Replied Hay-Lyn and rubbed her friend's back in an attempt to comfort her. "You are just pregnant. You'll get used to it."

"Will this last forever?" asked Will as her tears finally stopped.

"Nah, only for the next 8 to 9 months and I'll be by your side to help you." Answered Hay-Lyn and smiled at her friend. "And once you are comfortable to tell the others, so will they; no matter what Cornelia says."

Will thanked Hay-Lyn and together they returned to the lunch table where Danny was getting her ear chewed out by Irma. When Will took her seat beside Danny, the rag-tag girl looked up at Will as though she were a goddess sent from the heavens and with heavy eyes and a low voice she muttered. "Will, I am sorry."

"It is okay Danny; it seems you have suffered enough." Replied Will and gently patted her back. Irma only shook her head at Will's response.

"Will, you can't always forgive people like that. Danny will never learn her lesson if she is always forgiven." She then turned her attention to her cousin, still fuming. "Don't think I'll let you off the hook that easy."

"Oh give her a break," said Taranee, deciding to side with Will on this subject. "But now I gotta ask, Danny, why are you so fascinated by Will and her relationship? Aren't you planning on getting married one day?"

"What do you mean? I am already married to Irma." Replied Danny in an overly sarcastic tone.

"What do you mean?" asked Hay-Lyn, knowing this was going to be fun as Irma slid deeper into her seat.

"Well, she already yells at me like we are. Besides, we can all admit that she has a shit taste in men; I mean how else could you explain a girl with looks like hers to still be single? I have no real desire to ever get with a guy or getting with anybody ever! Lastly, I already have this image in my head where we are both old fuddy-duddies she helps me off the easy-chair while I help her off the toilet."

XXXXX

Meanwhile, in Meridian, Lord Cedric couldn't get his mind off the nightmare he had. Despite knowing it was just a dream, it just felt so real to him and the feeling of being abandoned by his best friend lingered. Furthermore, he couldn't get the image of Will smiling down at him with a sadistic glint in her eyes; just remembering it sent an icy chill down his spine. In addition, it annoyed him that Will was allowed to attend the meeting with King Royan and no information was passed onto him. He had been friends with Phobos for years and knew him longer than anyone else in the castle, especially Will, so he couldn't understand why he was left out. Lastly, it seemed that his friend had abandoned his plans of world conquest in favor of pleasing his new wife. In fact, the longer Will stayed in Meridian, the more his friend changed into a stranger to Cedric. Now, with the trip to Ero only days away, Cedric felt like it was time to confront his friend and master about his behavior and how he has changed. Gathering all his nerves, and let himself into Phobos's study, where the King was sitting at his desk looking over a list that Cedric didn't bother to glance, but if he had he would have noticed they were contractors and nannies. Without worrying about his friend finding out, Phobos glanced up at his friend and asked, "What do you need."

"Your highness, pardon my interruption, but I must speak with you."

"You have my full attention, Cedric." Replied Phobos, wondering what Cedric needed from him. As far as he knew, there were no special tasks scheduled for the day.

"I apologize if this sounds rash, but I must ask, what happened about the plan?" at this, Phobos raised an eyebrow and looked at his friend as though he had grown a second head.

"What plan?" asked the King, honestly unsure what his friend was talking about.

"What plan? What plan?" Cedric couldn't believe his ears. Had his friend completely forgotten about his life goal? Forgotten about everything they have worked towards all these years? "Your plan! The plan we have worked so hard for all these years! The plan to conquer this pathetic world. Have you been too preoccupied with the guardian to remember?"

It was only after these words left him that Cedric realized how they might be perceived. With the list forgotten, Phobos rose from his seat and glared at his friend, his before somber demeanor having soured.

"What are you implying, Cedric? That I have gotten soft with my marriage?" his voice low and threatening, daring his friend to continue. Cedric, now feeling his opinion validated, fell right into the trap.

"What I am implying is that she has made you forget and that all our hard work has been for nothing." Hissed the Lord, but he was not ready for the response he earned.

"Well, Lord Cedric, I apologize if I have been a little preoccupied with my new life considering all that has happened. I never asked for my life to be tethered to another person, but fate had other plans for me." Despite not showing it, Phobos felt cornered. Since getting married to Will, he had completely abandoned his plans in favor of living a peaceful life, a life Will could be proud of him living. Now, his oldest friend and most trusted ally was needling him; confronting him on a subject he had hoped he could let die like an unwanted plant in a dark room.

"Simply being married to the leader of the guardians doesn't mean we must abandon everything we have worked towards-"

"And who said I abandoned anything? After all these years of serving me, you should know me better than this, Cedric." Interrupted Phobos before Cedric had the chance to get more riled up. "Being married to Will simply means we must go about obtaining our goal differently. We can't go about fighting one battle after another with my life being tied to the guardian's presence and the Oracle watching our every step. Instead, we must show patience and pull the strings behind the scenes." Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves and keep himself from striking his friend with lighting, he continued. "If it calms your nerves, we have already gotten our goal a lot closer than you realize. The other day, when King Royan visited, we signed a contract that unties Gia and Meridian upon his death; meaning our kingdom will nearly double in size and so will our army. When that happens, the only kingdoms that would be of any trouble would be Ero and Morovia. Considering Queen Isabella is a peaceful person, Ero will be of no trouble, but the mountain kingdom of Morovia will be a lot harder to conquer. This further validates my point that we have to be a lot cleverer about our plans."

"I still don't see why we must put up a front for the guardian girl." Muttered Cedric, feeling like a schoolboy after a scolding from his teacher. "Wouldn't it have been easier to keep her prisoner and continue as planned?"

"We have tried this before and each time we captured her or one of her friends, the others come to rescue her. This is something I cannot afford if I wish to live long enough to see my plan come to fruition." Feeling as though he had come with a satisfying excuse, he asked. "Have I calmed your worries or do I have to paint a clearer image for you?"

"No your majesty, I have understood." With that, Cedric bowed his head and left the study; leaving Phobos to sink back into his seat and wishing Will to return as soon as possible.