Hi everyone, it's been a long time since I've written this story,and I got a lot better at writing. Not amazingly, of course, but definitely not as bad as the previous story, so I decided I would revise it finally. YaY! So for those who stuck around waiting for it, thank you, and to those who just got here, welcome to my story. I hope you love it!

Chapter 1

The Big Lie

The castle's foreboding figure loomed over the quiet morning of the dam's square, as the once restful citizens awoke, preparing for a somber event. News had spread fast concerning the death of the previous heir of the royal family, and disbelief could be felt throughout the country's land.

How could a royal, the heir of Orange, suddenly die?

Too many felt that it was like a lucid dream, one that everyone wished they could wake up from. The citizens of Orange, for the second time since William became king, cried for losing another precious life in the royal family. Thousands of people came to the memorial service of the now deceased Arnold of Orange, the heir apparent and first son of William and the deceased Victoria Del Monte of Orange. Many brought gifts to lie on his memorial stone, and some even brought treats to be shared amongst the masses. It would seem that all loved and cared deeply for losing the heir and were here to show it, or at the very least, appeared to be such. The Royal family themselves,at the forefront on a heightened stage surrounded by guards and fencing to keep the crowd from getting too close to where they sat. Dressed in attire fit for a funeral, but too regal to be confused with the rest of the citizens. They all sat side by side in unison, each with a look of remorse, especially the twin sister of said brother, Arabella de Monte of Orange. Losing a twin is like losing a part of your heart, so seeing the sister's look of anger made them believe she was heartbroken. However, that couldn't be further from the truth, she thought. She clenched her fists in her lap as the speaker spoke of Arnold with such compassion and earnestness that Arabella couldn't help but to think how funny it was that this was all occurring. She was getting blisters on her hands, so she unclenched her fists and instead crossed her arms over her chest as she performed breathing exercises to calm her thoughts. Unfortunately for her, it didn't seem to work.

Arabella's blood boiled at the thought of her brother, her twin Arnold, as she sat in her chair on the stage set by her family for the memorial service. Her legs shifted back and forth in irritation, whilst keeping her head low so that she wouldn't show her displeasure to her people. After all, none of this was their fault. They didn't deserve to have to sit here for someone like him.

She felt a tap on her leg from the right of her near the speaker, trying to gain her attention. She shifted her eyes towards the hand that dispersed her thoughts momentarily, and of course, it was her father, William. He wanted her to focus on the speech. Straightening her body into a more professional manner, she crossed her hands over and held them together, as if to stop the tremors of anger from taking over her body. Her eye's then trailed next to her where the rest of her family sat on the stage to the left of her.

Her stepmother, Christine, cradled the youngest boy, Stephen, who was exhausted from being woken up earlier than usual. Next to him was the second youngest, Lillian, who looked at her feet, holding herself still. Lily didn't want to make her mother and father angry again for swinging her feet, which broke Arabella's heart at the sight. She shouldn't have to hold it in for this farce, she thought. She then noticed the security towards the back of them, for of course they were there, ready for anything that may arise. Though having that many is excessive, she thought. Deciding that she was becoming bored at the long drawn speech the speaker was giving, she then glanced at the people in attendance of this grand memorial, hoping that it would stop her mind from wandering to darker thoughts.

She recognized many of the faces belonging to families of wealth. The Roberts and France's being the most notable as their responsibilities lie with public image and cover-ups. The heads, Felix Robert, and Timothy Frances, often had to assist her father with many aspects of his work as the King of Orange, to where they were practically considered family. However, at the moment, they are playing their roles as appointed dukes, stoned faced and apathetic. Why would they mourn? After all, this whole memorial was unnecessary.

Arabella sighed once more, thinking that if she continued to look, she would grow a headache. Before Arabella could focus her attention back on the speaker whose name she couldn't recall, her gaze zeroed in on a particular figure. Arabellas face contorted, distressed at the face of the person who was dear to not only herself, but her brother as well.

It was Arnold's secret girlfriend, Melaina Rutherford.

Her long blond locks, usually kept down as an act of rebellion towards those who would demean her in her life, were now strung up into a loose bun. She wore a formal dress like most of the women here, but instead of black, it was a darker blue, his favorite color. Her bright ebony eyes, which normally had laughter and fire, were now dulled, her face morphed with deep lines because of sadness. Melaina kept rubbing her face, as if to wipe away the evidence of her heartbreak, however it seemed to make her more distraught.

"... and now the final closing speech from the new heir apparent, her highness Arabella." announced the speaker. The eyes of the people quickly zeroed in on her, and the cameramen changed the angles into her direction, recording this massive historical moment. As for Arabella, the being in question, she was frozen in shock.

Did she mishear him? What did he just say, Heir Apparent? A speech? Just what the hell are they talking about?

She then whipped her head towards her father with a look of mouth formulated a question, but before she could do so, William quickly grabbed both of her hands as if to appease her, eyes revealing the answers to her thoughts. It was the first time her father's face conveyed a sense of guilt, and the first time in a while that she wanted to punch him in the face. Arabella's face shifted from betrayal to sheer rage. Her father wincing at the look of accusation, knowing just what she thought of him at the moment.

Of course he knew, she thought. After all, it was always his intention to leash her back into the family. He never approved of her intentions to travel the world, or settle in a country not her own. Her father wouldn't even allow her to get a boyfriend, but he let her brother. He was the next in line to become king, so of course he can do whatever his heart desires, which is what got them into this shitty mess. She had just got off an exhausting emergency flight right after pulling an all nighter for her finals, whilst simultaneously having to contact her professor to reschedule because of the situation back home. She then had to be informed about her brother's actions, which pissed her off even more and being told to get ready for a memorial for said twin at the earliest time possible, leaving her not only tired but frustrated as well, and now she's being presented as the next heir, by the speaker no less, and wasn't informed by anyone. To say she was angry is an understatement.

She's the next queen of the Netherlands, and her father decided that without her consent.

Williams' mouth opened and closed, as if debating his next words, but before he could get out what he wanted to say. Arabella snatched her hands from his grip, quickly stumbling up from her chair as it fell back.

Audible gasps can be heard from the crowd, stripping away her gaze from her father to them, realizing that they were just as shocked as she.

Arabella never hid herself from the public, which is what she's known for. Whenever they had asked her questions, she would always be completely honest with them, or steer the conversation to the ones she could not answer. OnLive television, she even told them of how she never wanted the throne, and how her soul steered her in a different direction that was more towards traveling. She never wanted to be queen of anything, and now the choice was taken from her.

Her breathing became erratic at all the attention, thoughts jumbling up in her head from all directions. She could feel her heartbeat, hear it even, and her vision was getting blurry. She could hear her father's voice shout her name, and the cries of the crowd. Her sight was getting darker.

"Arabella, calm down please, let me explain," her father cried desperately.

Calm down? How?! She's been up for the past 48 hours, then gets told that they are having a memorial, and now she's being told that she has to take the throne?! She exclaimed in her mind. Her words are stuck in her throat and she's gasping for air as if her lungs were filled with liquid. The world was spinning, and she couldn't stop it.

'Am I blacking out?' Thought Arabella.

She felt the wooden planks of the stage digging into her back, the sounds around her becoming muffled. The last thing she saw was her father's face, a horrified expression taking over, mouth moving in a rapid pace that she couldn't even follow what he was saying. She decided she was too tired to continue listening, to continue going on with this farce of a memorial. Her thoughts switching back to her brother.

After all, he's not even dead in the first place, was her last thought before completely succumbing to the darkness.