Mia was still stunned and shocked at what she heard the other day. She didn't mean to eavesdrop. She didn't mean to hear everything Michael had said. If given the chance, she'd rewind everything and decide to pass through than to listen. She was sitting on her bed, thinking. Someone knocked at the door, making her startle.

"Hey, why do you seem so jumpy," her fiancé asked as he walked up to her.

Mia held looked at Nick and laughed, trying to cover up the nervousness she felt. "Oh, well you startled me!"

"Very unlike you," he sat beside her. "Wait, why aren't you dressed yet? The party's starting in an hour."

"Yeah well I was just going to do that but then you entered the room," Mia stood up, "and startled me."

"Ok, so I'll leave then." Nicholas stood up.

"Wait, I didn't mean anything about what I said."

He looked back and stopped. She raised both her eyebrows and smiled. "I know," he said reassuringly. "But how are you going to dress up if I'm here! But if you want an early honeymoon package," he started to giggle to make her smile. Then he walked up to her and held her hand, "Are you sure you're going to be ok! Because if not, we'll reschedule the announcement anytime you're comfortable."

She looked at him and smiled, "Yeah. I'll… I'll be fine."

"Hey Jo, can I talk to Mia!" Michael was all dressed and good to go. He was about to leave, an hour before the party starts. He timed this to escape from saying a long farewell to Mia, and to shorten the time to see the people brag about how amazing Mia and Nicholas will be when they get married.

Jo turned around to see Michael. He studied him for a moment then asked, "Why?"

"I'm not gonna stick around much longer. Just about a minute or so."

Jo, in charge of still the security, excused himself from the gentlemen and ordered them to station themselves appropriately. He looked back at Michael, "Let's head to the parlor."

"Hey Mia, can I borrow your shawl? The brown one with silver stones on it!" Lilly said as she entered the royal bedroom.

"Yeah sure," Mia said as she came out from her walk-in closet. Lilly stood there, at awe.

"Wow! Paolo really did a good work on you, didn't he!"

Mia smiled, "Shut up. It's in the 5th closet, middle drawer."

Lilly was digging in the pile of shawls while Mia was studying how she looked in front of the mirror. "So, has Michael said goodbye to you yet?"

Mia stopped for a while, her heart pounded crazy again. "No. Is he leaving!"

"Yep," Lilly shouted. "He's got this band emergency or something."

He's leaving, Mia thought. "Really, like what!"

Lilly came out of the closet. "No idea," she shrugged.

"So you're leaving because you have a band emergency?" Jo asked as he sat down in front of Micheal. "And you think Mia's going to believe that!"

"She wouldn't?' Michael asked back.

"Michael, a piece of advice from someone who's been there, the sooner you talk to her about this, the sooner you'll be able to move on." Jo sipped from his cup of tea.

Michael sat up, "So I should tell her. But where does that leave me?"

Jo placed his cup on the table, "I know you love Mia and clearly, she still has feelings for you. But if she's going to get married, she has to choose the right person."

Michael breathed deep. Nicholas heard everything from outside and left quietly.

"Mia, go down now or else they'll think you're putting on a lot of junk to make you look presentable." Clarisse walked up to her beautiful granddaughter who was sitting in front of her drawer.

"Grandma, can I ask you something?" Mia looked like the 16 year old she was before she took the crown. Her deep set eyes tried to find the answer from the elder.

"Is there something wrong, my child," Clarisse asked comfortingly.

"How will you know that the person you are going to marry is the one you'll be spending the rest of your life with?"

Clarisse sat down in front of Mia and held both her hands, "I say you're getting cold feet." She smile at her granddaughter. "Knowing that you're going to marry someone is determined only by yourself and no one else. Not anyone could tell you to marry someone you don't love. Not a merchant, a hostess or a queen. You marry your love because you are sure of his companionship and his love for you. You don't marry him because society tells you to or because that is what you think is right. You marry him because you love him," Clarisse smiled again. "There is no greater answer than that."

Mia stood up, "But what of you're destined for another person yet you chose to be with another?"

Clarisse stood up and hugged Mia from the back, "Oh my dear, fate works its way. Let it work for you."

During the party before the announcements were made, Nicholas walked up to his fiancé. "Can we talk," he asked Mia.