Chapter 30

Queen Genevieve

Genevieve still couldn't believe her eyes; right in front of her were her sisters Courtney and Kathleen; she thought she would never see her sisters again.

"Kathleen? Courtney? You are finally home, with no harm, right?" she said as she hugged them.

"Yes, we're fine." Said Courtney as she knew Levi never laid a finger on Kathleen since she changed her character toward him; he never harmed her.

"Kathleen, why don't you go find the rest of your sisters and tell them that you and Courtney are back." Said Genevieve.

"Okay, Genevieve." Said Kathleen as she left the room, leaving only adults.

"My dear girls are finally home; I'm so sorry, Courtney, and you too, Genevieve." Said Randolph.

"Why me, papa?" asked Genevieve.

While Courtney said, "It's fine, papa, you were trying to find me happiness." Said Courtney.

"Because you warned me, Genevieve, and I didn't listen to what you said, I thought Courtney would too since the rest of your sisters had a successful marriage. But I guess I was wrong; only you truly know your sisters and the people they are to be with; you can see right through them." He said with a sad expression on his face.

"Since I had a good friendship with Levi's father, he would be the best for her." Said their father; he sounded so disappointed in himself.

"Oh, papa," said Genevieve, speechless; instead of saying anything else, she hugged her father first.

"Papa, you weren't the only one who was fooled. I was too, I thought Levi was nice and would never do this to my family or me, but he did." Said Courtney.

"Yeah, papa, don't feel bad; you are only looking for our best." Said Genevieve.

"Can you two ever forgive me?" Said their father.

"of course, papa." Said both Genevieve and Courtney.

"You remind me so much of your mother Genevieve; she had that gift that you do; whenever we had the problem with Rowena, you took charge like a true leader; that's when I found out that you would make a terrific queen and mother someday." Said Randolph.

"Oh, papa." Said Genevieve as she hugged her father.

"What are we going to do?" asked Courtney.

"Do what we always do, protect Glidonia; why don't we start from the beginning." Said Derek.

"Well, for starters, remember the letter we got a couple of months ago from king Willard," said Genevieve.

"What letter Genevieve?" asked her father confused.

"There was a letter we got from king Willard a couple months ago, papa; he wanted to talk to Derek. He wanted Derek to agree to an arranged marriage for them about the triplets," she said as her father looked surprised.

"He insisted Janessa since she is the older one, but months passed, and we haven't even answered the king's letter yet." Said Genevieve.

"Why didn't you tell me anything?" asked Randolph.

"Because I would never allow that Randolph, whenever that time comes well search, or if they find someone, they want to be with. I would never arrange a marriage for them; as I said, when the time comes, well discuss it." Said Derek.

Genevieve was proud of Derek; he had spoken like a true king; she knew that he loved her and her sister way too much to do that.

But she could see that her father was worried, especially about little Lacey; he would always worry about her since she was the little one.

"Thank you, Derek." Said Randolph.

Derek nodded and said, "I'll write a letter to king Willard tonight."

"Okay, so we solved one already; what is the next one?" Said Edaline.

Outside the room

Princess Lacey

"Hey, stop pushing!" said Isla.

"Sorry," said Janessa.

"Can you guys be quiet, or we will get caught." Whispered Kathleen.

Lacey was so happy that her sister Kathleen and Courtney finally returned; she was most surprised to know that King Levi's men had captured her and held her hostage. Whenever she met him, she thought he would never do this to them, especially Courtney since it looked like he loved her, but it wasn't loved; it was just evil and cruel.

It was also weird because whenever she automatically trusted her brothers-in-law initially, it took a while for her to trust them with her sisters, except one, Derek. From the very first she saw him, she knew he was different from the other princess that had come once.

He knew how to gain her trust and the rest of her sisters, too; he would help them whenever they needed help and play with them. So, when she found out that he would marry her sister Genevieve, she was overjoyed.

Her sister would be happy and have a trusting and fun-loving brother-in-law; he hoped that she and the rest of the sisters would have the same luck as Genevieve and get a good man.

"Shhh! I think I hear Derek saying something to papa." Said Isla.

"Because I would never allow that Randolph, whenever that time comes well search, or if they find someone they want to be with, that will be fine. I would never arrange a marriage for them; as I said, when the time comes well, discuss it." Said Derek.

They all heard Derek say this and were thrilled, especially Janessa; she was worried that she would have to marry someone she didn't know, a total stranger.

"Did you hear all that?" whispered Lacey.

"Yes." Said Janessa, Kathleen,

"Derek said he won't let us marry a total stranger." Said Janessa.

"He also said that if we want to be with someone else, we can; he will support us." Said Kathleen.

"I know that Derek and Genevieve won't let anything happen to us; they'll be like our parents." Said Lacey.

"They'll be excellent ones; look how well they're taking care of you. They'll be naturals when their baby is born," said Isla.

"What, baby?" asked Kathleen confused; of course, she just got here; she didn't know what was happening.

"Genevieve and Derek are expecting a baby; it should be here in five months." Added Hadley.

"So, that's why she looked a bit different when I saw her?" said Kathleen.

"You mean her stomach? That's nothing compared to what she will look like in five months." Said Hadley as she and Isla chuckled.

"Hey, quit it, guys, wait, Shhh. I think Courtney is about to speak." She said Lacey but didn't hear anything until she heard footsteps approaching the door.

"Guys run for it; we're about to get caught." Said Lacey; as they were about to run down the hall, the door opened to reveal her father with a frown on his face; behind him were Genevieve and Derek with their arms crossed and a smile.

While Edaline had her arms on her hips while frowning, Fallon had her hands covering her mouth since she was laughing that they had just gotten caught.

"Courtney!" said all the girls as they raced inside to hug her, except for Kathleen; she went towards Derek and Genevieve.

Queen Courtney

"Oh my, I didn't know I was missed this much?" she said as she hugged her sisters; she had wanted this hug since she got here.

"What are you girls doing here?" asked their father.

"We wanted to come to see Courtney; we missed her so much." Said Hadley

"Aw, thanks, guys. I missed you all too." Said Courtney.

"How long were you standing there?" asked Genevieve.

"And how much did you girls hear?" added Derek. There they go again; they always finish each other's sentences; they were meant to be two people like Derek and Genevieve who love each other and think like each other should always be together, though Courtney.

"We just got here," said Kathleen.

"Uh-huh, sure you did, guys." Said Edaline.

"We were your age once too, you know." Added Fallon.

"Why don't we discuss this matter later, after dinner." Said, Derek

"I think it's a great idea." Said Randolph.

"I like that idea too, and look the time; it's time for dinner; let's go, everybody." Said Genevieve.

They all headed happily to the dining room to see that they had just finished setting the table, and the maids were about to exit.

"Your highnesses, I was just about to call you." Said one of the maids.

"Thank you, Mary." Said Randolph and Derek; she curtseys to both and headed back to her way to the kitchen.

They sat in their places and started to eat; during the meal, Courtney wondered where Tobias was? The guards took him whenever they found them, and since then, she hasn't seen or heard from him.

But now she remembered that her father made them be taken to the dungeon whenever that happened until the king could attend them.

It was a rule he put a long time ago; when we were kids, she knew that Genevieve and Derek would leave law because it could come in handy someday. But she also knew that they never let them starve; sure, they did something terrible, but they still had food to eat, bread, and water three times a day.

But whenever the meeting starts again, she'll bring that up and see what they will do about him; after all, he did help her and Kathleen escape from his insane brother.