A/N : I know you all want to know whats happening with the Moscovitzes and you will find out in Chapter 3, I promise. This is another 'Mia's feelings' type chapter which will lead to a 'Michael & Lilly explanation' type chapter - was that clear?

Thanx to all those who reviewed ; CrazyNut2002, SWIMCC, Meg*, Ali Simmons, WNTrumpet (sorry for the depression - I promise, it will get better!), little-princess, reyn (you can have the fake, so long as I get the real thing!), Angel, Dez, Kori Lewis (looking forward to more of your story), angelica358, ndblue123, princess miki, Phoebe Darklight, Aimzy-chan (hope you feel better soon).

Okay, I think that's everyone, so let's get on with the story...

Disclaimer : Meg Cabot owns the lot, except the new prince himself (Phillippe), he is my little creation!

"But how do you tell a boy, on his sixteenth birthday, that the man he thought was his father, isn't his father at all, that he has never actually met his real father and that you were never in love with the man you were married too!" Mia rambled to Lars. Her bodyguard had remained with her since that first day she had required him and she knew he would be there always. He smiled at her.

"Your majesty, you are not the frightened princess you once were, you are a wise queen now and I know that you can do this".

Mia felt a little calmer, knowing that her bodyguard and friend had faith in her even if she was unsure.

"Thankyou Lars" she said, with a smile, "What would I do without you?"

"MOM!"

A joyful yell came from the next room.

"Mom! Come and see this!"

Mia and Lars exchanged looks as she left the room and went to join her son.

"Phillippe, sweetheart, please don't yell like that" she told her son gently as she entered the room.

"Sorry but look at all this!" he told her, gesturing to the sacks of mail all around the room. "Birthday cards, presents, letters, more than I've ever had before!"

"Well, you're sixteen now, you're a young man, it makes sense you'd have more letters and cards I suppose. Although the day you were born we got more mail than this" she told him, truthfully. The day Phillippe was born there were more teddy bears, flowers, cards and presents than Mia had ever seen in her life - but nothing from Michael. She didn't really expect there to be and she was half grateful that he hadn't sent anything, but it was painful too.

Mia watched her son drag a pile of cards out of the nearest bag and start to rifle through them. She loved her son so much and yet sometimes when she looked at him, he looked so much like his father, like Michael, that it hurt deep in her heart, and that was a pain she felt would never leave her.

"Phillippe, there's something I need to tell you..." she began, but a tap on the door interrupted her.

"Come in" she called and Lars appeared.

"Excuse me, your majesty, but I think you should see this" he handed her an envelope. Phillippe did not look up from his own pile of letters and cards as Lars handed over the supposedly important note and leave the room.

"Thankyou, Lars" Mia called, as he left, before turning her attention to the item in her hand. The envelope was neatly addressed to Mia Thermopolis. This confused the queen. No-one who wrote to her used her shortened name on the front of the envelope, not even her mother, and she had not been Thermopolis for years. It was then she saw the postmark. The letter was from America. Realisation dawned as Mia recognised the hand writing - the letter was from Michael.

"Oh God!" Mia's surprise made her think aloud.

"What is it Mom?" Phillippe finally looked up at his mother. When he noticed how pale she looked he got up and went over to her. He knelt beside her chair and asked again.

"What is it?"

His mother shook her head and glanced at him.

"Nothing, really, I'm fine. You keep looking through your mail, I just have to go and do something..." she trailed off, as she stood up and hurried out of the room. She was glad that her son did as he was told and didn't follow her.

Mia leant against the wall and held the envelope tightly with two hands. She wanted to open it. She wanted to know what he had to say. She no longer blamed him for not marrying her. Her final memory of the man she loved had been on the day of her wedding. She had been shocked to see him, and pained too, from that day to this she had always wondered if he had come because he had changed his mind, but she never found out. Now she probably held the answer in her hand and she could not bring herself to open the envelope.

She decided she must, and so she went straight up to her bed chamber. If she was going to read this letter she felt she would probably be better of sitting down and alone.

When Mia reached her room, she closed the door and locked it, before sitting down on the end of her bed and prising open the envelope in her hands. She pulled out the paper inside, and began to read.

A/N : Let me know what you think (cos I love reviews!) and I will post the Michael/Lilly/explanation chapter ASAP.