Chapter 58

General Pov

"Done." Said Genevieve as she put down her brush; she had just finished Charlotte's eyeshadow as charlotte looked at herself in the mirror; she was so surprised she felt like crying, and Hadley handed her a handkerchief.

"No, Charlotte, please don't cry; you'll ruin your makeup." Said Hadley as she cleaned her and then helped her stand up; she looked beautiful; she had on a Dark light blue dress with black strings.

She had on black heels but not that high, and her hair was in a bun with curls, long earrings, and a golden necklace that Hadley had given her.

"Thank you, Hadley; this is too much. I feel bad for taking it." Said Charlotte as Hadley shook her head.

"No, it's fine, Charlotte; like I said before, you deserve this and more; please accept my gift." Said Hadley as she smiled at her.

"Alright then, thank you, Hadley." Said Charlotte as she gave her a hug and Lilian because she had also received a small gift from Hadley; it was a small golden locket with a flower painted on the front.

"Are we ready?" asked Genevieve as they all nodded and left the room; as Genevieve closed the door, Derek came up to her from behind and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then handed her Henry; he was all well dressed up like Derek very princely or king wise.

"Charlotte? You look amazing," said Derek as she turned around and hugged him.

"This feels like a dream; I mean, here in the palace, the queen, king, and the princesses attending a royal ball. Wearing these clothes with my children, watching you with your family. If your mom was here, she would be very proud." Said Charlotte as Derek smiled at her.

"Ever since she died, you took me in and never let me starve, you were like a mother to me, and for that, I thank you." Said Derek as Charlotte smiled, grabbed her children's hands, and followed them to the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the royal family." Said one of the former assistances as everyone looked up.

"King Derek followed by his wife queen Genevieve and their son prince Henry, and the princesses of Glidonia." He said as everyone clapped, and Randolph could see that some formal men were staring at his daughters, such as Philip, Phoenix, Cole, Tobias, and Bailey.

He hoped his daughter would soon find their happily ever after; when they entered, Hadley quickly spotted Phoenix and rushed to him.

"Phoenix." Said Hadley as he smiled at her.

"You look wonderful." Said Phoenix making her blush; she had on a light sky-blue puffy dress with a tail, sparkles on the top of the shirt with white earrings, and loose curls with her princess crown.

"Thanks, you do too. Phoenix, I have a surprise for you. Can you follow me, please?" Said Hadley as she was leading him closer to the door.

"Hadley, you didn't have to get me anything." He said as she smiled.

"I know, I wanted to; you can enter now," she said.

As Charlotte, Liam and Lilian entered the room, Phoenix was shocked; until Liam raced to hug him, he reacted.

"Phoenix." Said Liam and Lilian as they raced to hug them, and he hugged them back.

"I'll let you guys catch up." Said Hadley as she left happily.

"But how?" asked Phoenix.

"It was Princess Hadley's idea." Said his sister Lilian.

"I missed you guys so much, Lilian; you look stunning, and Liam, you look dashing; why don't you guys go get some cookies while I talk to mom." Said Phoenix as they nodded and left.

He still couldn't believe his sister could pass off as a princess; she was wearing a brown and red dress with flowers top right of the skirt, followed by a line, gold earrings and a necklace, and a half up and down ponytail with loose curls.

"Mom, you look amazing, but how did you guys end up here?" asked Phoenix.

"I missed you too soon, and before I answer that, honey, I need you to tell me who Hadley is?" asked Charlotte.

"Hadley…... she's the best person ever known; she's like my best friend; when I feel lost, I find her and always talk to her, I guess you could say I," said Phoenix but was cut by his mom.

"Do you love her?" she finished for him as Phoenix stopped for a minute.

"Uh, I don't…..." he said, but his mom cut in again.

"Oh, stop it, Phoenix. I'm your mother, I know these things, you love her, and by the looks and thoughts, maybe she does too." Said Charlotte.

"You think so, mom?" he questioned his mom as she sighed and turned him around, so he would be looking at Hadley.

She was talking with her sister Fallon and Tobias.

"Son, she's the one that brought us here; she knew it would make you happy; they even invited us to stay for a few days. She's a keeper, I know she's a princess, but what she did for us, it doesn't look like she cares about your position, fight for her because I know you two would make a great couple." Said Charlotte as she hugged her son, and they reunited with the rest.

Later on, it was time for the royal waltz, and everyone was into pairs; the king and queen started before each pair got to ask the princesses to join in.

Philip had asked Edaline to dance, and she accepted they were dancing as her white, orange gown with white flowers twirled, her hair in loose curls, and her tiara.

Then there was Fallon and Cole; she was wearing a pink strap dress with her hair in a bun and dangling earrings; it took a while for him to ask her; in fact, it was his brother that had convinced him to dance with her because he knew that they like each other.

There was Lilian and Gabriel, Randolph and Charlotte, Courtney, and Bailey, he was the first to ask her when he saw her with her dark blue dress with sparkles on the top, but they decided to let Derek and Genevieve open the dance floor before they danced.

Then there was Hadley and Phoenix; he had asked her to dance as she talked to her sister before she pushed her to dance with Tobias.

Her sister's hairstyle was like hers, only she had it half up and down, then she had the loose curls with her crown, dangling earrings, and her dress was a simple dark purple two-piece dress with black heels.

The triplet's dresses were almost the same but different; although they did have their tiaras with dangling earrings and loose curls, Janessa had on a dark blue dress with jewels on the top, but it was a one-side dress.

While Kathleen and Lacey had the same style of dress, it was shoulder-length sleeves with sparkling jewels, Lacey's was the color of Periwinkle, and Kathleen's was the color of a sunset, orange-pink.

Phoenix

Phoenix felt so happy we wondered what he had done to deserve to meet someone so special as Hadley; his mother was right; he was in love with her, but does she feel the same about him? Or was it just confusion? He needed to know.

But how could it be just friendship? She had done something so meaningful to him; she brought his family for the holidays and was always there for him.

He thought as he looked at her teal eyes and beautiful smile; she outdid herself tonight.

"Do I have something on my face?" said Hadley smiling, making Phoenix snap out of his thoughts.

"No, you just look wonderful." Said Phoenix as he saw Hadley slightly blush.

"Thank you." She said as he quickly stopped her.

"No, it is I who has to thank you, you have made me the happiest person on earth. Seeing my family was the best present I could have gotten." Said Phoenix as Hadley smiled.

"Well, you still have your mother, so you should enjoy her while you can; I know I would give anything to have my mother be with us today." She said.

When the song ended, they bowed to each other and then exited one of the ballroom doors that led to the balcony; the next song started as he slightly left the door open.

"Wow, look at that sight." Said Hadley.

"Yes, it's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" said Phoenix as he took her hand and joined with his and with the other one; he slightly rubbed her cheek as he looked into her eyes, and he could see the full stars shining.

He was about to snap from his thoughts when she did the same with her other hand.

Phoenix didn't know where this could end up; for one thing, he remembered what his mother had told him.

"Phoenix, I'm your mother; I know these things; you love her. She's a keeper," said Charlotte.

At that moment, it had clicked to him what his mother had told him; he led in closer and took her lips; it seemed as if time had stopped for a bit as he was kissing her lips, and he held her like the most precious jewel.

Then they parted for air as he looked at her and was about to say something when Hadley pulled him in and kissed him, then she slowly started parting her lips away.

She then looked at him, and he too could see that behind her shining eyes, something was going on,

"What took you so long?" she said as she hugged him and was about to kiss him again when.

Crash!

They quickly turned around and hurried back inside to see Tobias and Brandon about to fight.