A/N- ACK! I'm sooooo sorry you guys, I know this took forever and I know this is really short, but please, bear with me.

Chapter 12

Tonight was the night.

Clarisse was supposed to announce the world that Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo was missing. Officially.

I nervously straightened my bowtie as I adjusted my headpiece so it was invisible. Maloney decided that I was to go to the ball, but I could not look to conspicuously like a security officer. I had to blend it. Undercover.

I smiled sadly at what Mia might say.

Ah! I can't think that. I'm going to save her today. I promised myself that under no circumstances would she fall into harm.

And I always keep my promises.

"Tsk, tsk," My captor shook his head. "You cannot go to the ball like this."

I was too scared to reply, so I kept my head down.

"You must get ready, your highness." And with that he untied my ropes and helped me stand up. Then he gently led me to the bathroom where a severe looking woman awaited me.

"Victoria will help you get ready. Don't anger her," He warned, "Or she might feel the need to discipline you."

I said nothing.

"Please have her ready in two hours."

"Yes sir." And when the door was closed, she menacingly descended upon me.

I perused the ballroom floor, absent-mindedly accepting an appetizer here and there, keeping my eyes peeled for any strange happenings.

Laurel whispered in my earpiece to ask a few women to dance, so as not to look suspicious. She wasn't laughing, but I could hear the amusement in her voice. So I politely asked a woman to dance. I cringed at the insipid giggle that she gave and ignored her meaningless prattle while watching a shifty waiter from the corner of my eye.

When the song ended, I bowed quickly and was met approached by Clarisse with an oily looking man at her side. "Michael, I would like you to meet the Monacoan Ambassador to Genovia, Signor Pietro Montessori."

My hand enclosed over his plump, soft fingers. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Signor Montessori."

He smirked. "Likewise…?"

"Michael."

"Oh yes. Michael. Well unfortunately I cannot stay and chat, I have some business to attend to. I'm sure I will see you later." And with one last mysterious smirk, he glided away.

"Laurel?" I whispered into my earpiece.

"What?"

"Do a background check on Pietro Montessori."

"Sure thing."

Assured the Laurel had it covered, I made my way to the corner of the room and cast a wary eye over the dancers.

The bath was therapeutic to my sore bones. And despite her stern appearance, Victoria had a gentle hand in styling my hair and placing my makeup. She did her job so perfectly, in fact, that no one would have been able to tell the bruises underneath the layers and layers of cover-up.

After my hair and makeup were done, she pulled out a large golden box and opened it to reveal a lovely, ivory colored dress with a dark gold ribbon sewn into the princess waistline and small crystals on the skirt. It had delicate off the shoulder sleeves and a neckline edged with the same dark gold ribbon around the waist.

"Isn't it beautiful, your highness?" Victoria said with the same raspy voice as my captor.

I nodded slowly.

"And," She added as she turned the dress around and gestured to the faint, blinking red light in the folds of chiffon. "It was made especially for you."

Right before Clarisse was about to make her announcement, Laurel came running into the ballroom with several papers clutched in her hands. "Michael!" She yelled in my earpiece.

I nearly jumped when I turned around and saw her waving frantically at me. "What?" I asked as she handed me the papers.

"Pietro Montessori isn't his real name," She said breathlessly. "His real name is Federico Montebello, and he's been arrested on numerous occasions for possession of explosives and illegal firearms. He also comes from a family of well known crime lords, who have been known to be extremely patriotic for their homeland."

"Monaco," We said in unison.

"That's not all," She said. "He changed his name after the judge let him off on parole and now he's acting as the Monacoan Ambassador to Genovia. For some time now, word on the street is that his new goal is to get back at Queen Clarisse."

I nodded. "Great work Laurel. Tell Maloney, I'll go tell Philippe."

I found him behind Clarisse, ready to make a public address. "Your Highness," I hissed as I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him aside. "We have a lead."

"Who?" He asked.

"Pietro Montessori."

He glanced around the ballroom floor and nodded. "Alright."

At that moment, Clarisse walked up onto the stage and positioned herself in front of the podium. "Good evening to all," She said in a clear, ringing voice.

"As you all know, tonight was a special night. I was supposed to introduce to you all the heir to the Genovian throne, my granddaughter, Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo.

"Unfortunately, she is not here with us today."

I heard a collective gasp wave across the crowd, and immediately the fury of whispered rumors rose up.

"Yes, she is not here with us today, because she has been…"

She never finished that sentence. Because at that moment, the crowd parted and slowly walking down the middle of the crowd and up to the stage was Mia.

At that moment, I forgot all protocol and rushed off the stage to take her up in my arms. "Mia!" I cried as I held her closely to me. I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders as tightly as she could. And before my mind could register what I was thinking, I kissed her.

He took my breath away.

Michael, my bodyguard, my confidant, my friend…

My love.

He kissed me for all the world to see, right in the middle of that ballroom.

And I kissed him back with all the strength that I had left.

And after a few more moments, reality tore my dream apart. "Michael," I whispered as I pulled away, "You have to get everyone out of here now."

The urgency in my voice concerned him. "Why?"

"Because if you don't, everyone will die."

A/N- I needed a cliff hanger right here. I think the ball might be two more chapters. Might be. It will definitely be at least one more, that's for sure.

I'm glad ya'll liked the clues! It took me forever to come up with them.

I start school this Thursday, so I might have a chapter up on Friday, to celebrate back to school.

And I know it took forever for me to update, I'm so mean to you guys, I'm soooo sorry, but a lot of stuff has been going on, a lot of drama, and I couldn't really find the time to write.

Well, thank you again for bearing with meand be sure to review!