Chapter 65

5 days later

Princess Fallon

It had been five days since the incident occurred in the forest, Cole was getting better, but then again, the recovery was slow.

Since his ribs were the ones that were fractured, the record time for that wasn't always the easiest. But something was troubling her; it was Cole who had told her the day he was hurt.

Flashback

"No, please stay... don't leave me." Said Cole as she took a seat, and he instantly fell asleep from the pills he took.

End of flashback

'What does it mean? Did he only say that because he took the pills, or is it because he meant it's, thought Fallon as she put the book down and saw that Courtney was also in the library with her?

"Courtney, I didn't hear you come in." Said Fallon as Courtney smiled.

"Oh, sorry, I just needed a quiet place to think for a moment." Said Courtney.

"Is everything alright? Court, you know you can always tell me anything." Said Fallon.

"You remember Duke Bailey." Said Courtney as Fallon nodded.

"Yes, I remember him." Said Fallon.

"Well, he actually had a moment with me." Said Courtney as she began to tell her sister what happened.

Flashback

Courtney and Bailey were walking through the garden admiring the sunset; suddenly, Bailey took hold of her hand.

"Princess Courtney, I think it's been too long, but I must confess to you something now, but first I must know if I can trust you." Said Bailey as Courtney's eyes widened.

"Yes." She said, wondering what he wanted to tell her.

"Firstly, I am so glad that you are no longer married to that insane man Levi, and secondly, I must confess to you something." He said as she grew a bit more impatient.

"Yes, I am glad that issue has been addressed, but now I'm worried about the war. Hopefully, Derek wins and gives back the other kingdoms." Said Courtney.

As Bailey looked confused. "What do you mean, Courtney?" he asked.

"When their mother died, and he remarried to the princess Cleo of Genovia, he took over that kingdom. But mysteriously, she too died three months after he took the kingdom, and since no former ruler from her side claimed the throne, they kept it, and Levi has now full control of it." Said Courtney.

Suddenly Bailey looked depressed.

"What's wrong, Bailey?" asked Courtney.

"What have you heard about that kingdom? What do you know about it?" he asked with a sound of hope.

"Nothing much, but when I went to the village, a woman told me she escaped from there because the kingdom is a mess. Levi destroyed the town, and the people are starving." Said Courtney.

"Courtney… my real name isn't Bailey; I'm not a duke. My real name is prince Alex; I am the former prince and rightful ruler of Genovia; my mother was Queen Cleo." Said Alex as Courtney's eyes widened; she was thinking the worst. Was he just like Levi? Did he only use her and her family for his own good?

"What?! Why didn't you tell anybody? Why are you just telling me this now?" she asked worriedly.

"I know you have lots of questions, and I am willing to answer them; when my mother remarried, I was away in school training to be a king, but she never mentioned telling me she was remarrying, and they would take the kingdom with it. I found out the day of her wedding from my friend Stella; I met the guy and his sons they were young, but they thought I was a friend of their dad's, I guess; I came to you guys because I knew we could unite. I have a couple of connections if you ever need something in Genovia." Said Alex.

As Courtney turned away from him and tried to push her tears away, she felt betrayed; she had always tried to help that kingdom ever since she heard of the disaster it's been; she recently discovered Levi owned that place, and yet she couldn't do anything for all those people.

"In any way, have I ever tried to lie to any of you? In fact, I told Derek the day the trial ended, and he told Tobias. He has agreed to give me back my kingdom that belonged to my mother soon as Levi is out of the picture." Said Alex.

A couple of tears escaped her eyes; how could this happen? She thought her heart had earned a lesson with Levi; never again must she feel anything for a guy.

If it is true, why does she feel so terrible being lied to? Was it because he lied to her once that he could do it again?

Or is it because she got attached, and maybe she thought he did too, but it was all a lie? She suddenly felt an arm touch her shoulder and one on her waist to turn her around; she knew who it was but was looking at Alex's boots as he lifted her chin up, and they locked eyes.

"But things started to also change; one thing that is for sure and that is not a lie is that I have developed something special for you, Courtney." Said Alex as he wiped away her tears.

"Through the days passing, they seemed to grow stronger, and no matter how I try, I can't get you out of my head… I don' know how else to say it, but I…. I love you, Courtney; I want you to become my wife and queen." Said Alex as Courtney felt as if her heart stopped for a minute; she couldn't even speak.

"I….. I…" was all that came out of Courtney.

"You don't have to answer immediately; please think about it and tell me when you have an answer." Said Alex as he left Courtney to think.

End of flashback

"and that's what happened? Wow! Well, what do you feel for him, court?" asked Fallon, as Courtney shrugged. "I don't know. I think I'm scared to open up and admit my feelings again with everything I've gone through." Said Courtney as Fallon got up to hug her sister. "I know what you mean, but you deserve to be happy, especially with what you've been through, don't lose that opportunity." Said Fallon as Courtney nodded.

Queen Genevieve

Genevieve was heading to the study room; she knew that's the place she would go to find her husband; she didn't like it one bit that he didn't inform her of any movement he was planning.

She was the queen of Glidonia and needed to know what was happening with the kingdom. She opened the door to see Derek reading some papers; he didn't notice her enter until she locked the door.

"Genevieve, what are you doing here?" Asked Derek as she smiled happily and walked up to him.

"What can't a wife come to see her husband? Plus, I came to see if you need help with anything." She said.

"Well, that's nice of you, but no thanks, I'm all done here." Said Derek as she frowned.

"Derek, why don't you let me help you?" She asked him.

"The less you know for now is better, Genevieve, but I promise that after all this is over, I'll tell you everything." Said Derek as she signed.

"Fine, but you owe me." She said as she was getting closer to Derek.

She saw that he was still organizing the papers when she sat down on his lap; he was confused for a second and didn't understand.

"Gen, what are you?" He said but was cut by her.

"Shh, don't say anything, Derek or I will get upset with you, and I don't want to be. Don't say anything and just go with the flow." She said as she started kissing him, and he responded to her by kissing her passionately.

It looked as if he wanted her simultaneously, and the moment she needed him, something inside her was telling her that she should worry about her husband.

It was like she knew something terrible would happen, and Derek wouldn't be with her anymore; she decided to make the best with her husband; who knows, it might be the last.

Derek slowly started to untie the bow she had on the back of her dress and started unzipping her gown as he continued to take off the top part of her gown.

Putting his hands-on Genevieve's waist as she pulled him closer to her, she started to unbutton his shirt.

Revealing his chest, she was going to remove his pants, but then he laid her onto the small couch they had in the room.

Genevieve put her hands on his neck as both gazed into each other's eyes, Holding each other tighter.

The kiss became more passionate. As Genevieve used her legs and wrapped them around the male's waist. Their desires for each other grew with each moment that passed.

"I Love you," Said Genevieve.

"I love you too, and I'll always be here with you." Said Derek smiling as he kissed her again.

Queen Courtney

'What should I do? This is too complicated, Courtney, I don't want to get my hopes up, but the girls are right; I deserve the right to be happy.

Maybe I should give it a try, Courtney thought; she went to find prince Alex. She found him talking to her father.

"Well, my boy, you have been a wonderful help to us, especially my daughter Courtney. But I can't interfere; this is her choice, not mine, if you want to be with my daughter, you have my blessing, but you'll have to get hers." Said Randolph.

"I guess I'm the one with a say here then." Said Courtney as she entered the room.

"Thank you, papa; I will handle things here." She said as her father left, being proud of his daughter.

"So, you were looking for me? Was that it, princess?" Asked Alex as she slightly blushed.

"Well, I guess I am then; I was wondering if you like to join me for some tea?" She asked, thinking it was a horrible excuse and maybe a bad idea too.

'I am such an idiot; this is stupid; no guy would ever say yes to this; I hope I didn't embarrass myself with him now.' Thought Courtney.

"I would love to; it gives us a chance to talk." Said Alex as Courtney nodded and started heading towards the library again.

As they got to the library, they sat on the couch they had, and she poured him some tea, but he was shaking a bit.

'Hopefully, he doesn't notice,' she thought, but when she looked up, it was too late; he raised an eyebrow and looked curious.

"Are you alright, Courtney?" He asked her as she smiled.

'He cares? He actually cares!' He thought in her head with overjoy.

"Yes, I am sorry I don't know what's wrong; my hands usually shake when... I'm nervous. But it's stopped when..." she said but remembered the last time.

"Was it when you first met Levi?" He asked.

"Well... here's the thing I think we met Levi when we were younger? I just don't remember much because our mother got sick, and when she died, we don't remember much about our past; we just remember her dying; I think it's a trauma we had." She said as he nodded.

"When our mother died, my hands started to shake, and I would stutter a lot, but when we met Levi, it changed; I don't know if it was because I started talking to other people. I usually isolated myself with books and forgot about my other life, but when a boy showed up, it made me want to fight. I started talking and reading books about speaking up, and with some time, It stopped; it comes once in a while when it's stress." She said as he nodded but looked at her with concern.

"You're stressed? Why is that?" He asked her as she got a bit nervous.

"Well... there's finding Levi and." She said but was cut off by Alex.

"Are you worried about him? Or is it that you still love him?" He said but sounded a bit jealous, making her smile a bit.

"No. Is that jealousy I smell?" She questioned, laughing as he smiled at her as well.

"Maybe a little." He confessed.

"It's not that I worry for him; I worry about my family. I don't want my sister's happiness to end because of me. Derek must fight; what if he doesn't come back alive?" She said, so sad as if she was about to cry, but then Alex put his hand on her chin and lifted her head.

"None of this is your fault, do you hear me. Even if you hadn't married him, nothing would have stopped him from doing what he wanted, and Derek knows the danger as well as everyone else. You shouldn't feel guilty for something that isn't your fault." He said as she smiled at him.

There it was again; something inside her was making her feel butterflies. What is this feeling? Could it be love? She never felt this way even with Levi; with him, it was like appreciation and love like you have for a friend.

But with Alex, it was something different, something new that she had never experienced; she then saw that he brushed part of her hair off to the side.

Their eyes were face to face, and she then noticed him looking at her lips; she didn't know what to do; she was utterly frozen, but they were only inches apart.

She leaned a bit closer to him as he closed off the space between them they had left, and she put her arms around his neck as he held her from her waist.

The kiss they shared was deep and passionate, they didn't want to break apart, but she could tell he was running out of air like her.

As they broke off the kiss, they were both breathing heavily; she was about to say something, but before he could, he kissed her again, and he started to break apart.

"Courtney, from the moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were the one for me. I fell for you like you can't imagine, everyone in this world needs someone, and I need you. If you have me, I'll ensure you're always treated right, like a true queen that you deserve to be, and if you don't, I will understand that too. Please don't spend too much time thinking about when we can be happy together." Said Alex as he was getting up, but then Courtney pulled him down.

"All my life, I dreamt of finding someone who would share the same things I do; when I found Levi, I thought I found the guy, but... part of me didn't feel right. I guess I only agreed because my father wanted that alliance; now, I don't have to worry about that. I am free to make my own choice, and I'm not afraid to make a decision. Yes, I will have you." Courtney chuckled at the last thing she repeated from what he said, and the two shared a passionate kiss.

Princess Edaline

Edaline was going to the library to read something or maybe see one of her sisters; she was about to go in but stopped when she saw Courtney talking to King Alex.

She decided to step back and go in later; she went to the stables instead. She didn't want to ruin her sister's moment; it must be a shock that she found out he's actually a king, it was hard for most of us, but now we k is why he did it.

He wants the same as us to end this, and I don't blame him for what Levi did to him.

When she reached the stables, she saw Thumper, the horse her father had given her when she was six.

They each had their own horse since princesses needed to know how to ride them; no one got it as quick as Blair.

She loved horses since she could walk; she was the second-best, according to her father.

She looked over and reached for the brush, and started brushing him. She suddenly felt a breeze; it was the smell of liberty, a pleasant pine smell; she grabbed the horse seater and decided to go for a ride.

She took Thumper on a ride since he hadn't been out in a while; it felt amazing to get out of the castle and feel the nice breeze; she looked up at the sky and noticed a bit of smoke.

She decided to take a closer peek; quietly, she climbed up a tree and stood there. "We will attack when they least expect it; you are men who have been trained to defend me and my kingdom, are we clear?!" Said Levi as all the men stood straight and nodded before responding.

"Yes, sir!" They added.

"Levi, I must return before anyone notices I'm gone, plus I'll see if I can get you any more information." Said Angel as Levi nodded, and Angel started to leave; he didn't come with a horse but walked to avoid the obvious.

As soon as he was a bit far gone, she jumped on her horse and headed towards the palace to warn Derek, but then she saw him; as she was approaching the middle of the forest, she stopped.

"My, my princess, what are you doing out here?" Questioned Angel as Edaline tried to find an excuse.

"I could ask you the same question, Angel? You said you would stay and help, not leave; you should have informed Derek if you wanted to leave." She told him.

"I am terribly sorry, your highness, but an emergency came up, and I had to leave quickly." Said Angel, slightly smirking.

"Odd, there's nothing at the end of the woods; there are just trees and maybe even caves." Said Edaline as she noticed that Angel raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know there are caves? Just how far did you go into the forest, your highness?" He questioned.

"Glidonia has always been my home; I practically know every inch. I used to play hide and seek with my sisters." She said, getting a bit uncomfortable by Angle's stare.

As she was about to leave, she saw Angel grab her horse and her wrist, she tried to shack off, but he wouldn't budge.

"Let go of me!" She exclaimed as he tied the horse to a branching tree with one hand and pulled her down from the horse.

"Sorry, your highness, but I don't know what you saw, and I can't risk it either my life depends on it!" He Exclaimed at her.

He tied her hands with a rope and took out a small but sharp dagger; her eyes grew with fear as he came toward her.