Perdita walked alongside Billy in the courtyard, holding his hand and leaning into him, she was laughing at a story he was telling.

"And so me and Jake, we were trying to stay quiet you know? I mean if we got caught we'd be in deep trouble, and it just so happens that Jake jumped right into a nest of spiders."

'Oh no," she said, covering her mouth to try and stop giggling.

"Oh yes," Billy said with a smile, "we hid for maybe five seconds before Jake started screaming like a little girl and jumped out of the spot, right in front of the officer."

"So you were caught?"

'Oh no, Jake was caught, I got away." He grinned, "Jake covered for me, told the teacher that I went to the gym."

She shook her head with a soft giggle, "well aren't you a lucky boy."

"Not lucky, skilled."

"I doubt that very much Billy." She laughed.

"Oh, you wound me my queen." He said dramatically, clutching his chest, Perdita giggled and pushed him playfully.

"You silly boy," she said with a smile.

"Queen Perdita." Someone called, making her turn around, Cherbov was waiting with Mouse, "it is time for the meeting."

"I will be there in a second Cherbov," she said, turning to Billy, "I have to go."

"Okay," Billy said with a smile as she gave him a small kiss an started walking away, "Um Perdita!"

She turned around, "yes Billy?"

"I…I'll be waiting." He finished lamely.

She smiled once more, "i'll try and make it quick." She said, walking away once more.

Billy watched Perdita leave with a rueful smile; he slowly turned around and started walking out of the courtyard.

'She seems to love you very much," a deep voice said, making Billy turn around and watch as Makarov walked in.

"L-l-love?" Billy gulped, "I…um…"

Makarov gave a booming laugh, "not good with feelings are you?"

"I…no, no I am not." Billy confessed, "That's why I'm really scared."

"Scared? Why?"

"I…I already lost her once…and I'm scared that she'll realize I'm no good for her…"

Makarov hummed as he walked up to Billy's side, "let me tell you a tale," he said, putting his arm around the younger boys shoulders, "about a young stable boy who had fallen for a lords daughter,"

"Is the stable boy you?" Billy asked.

Makarov laughed, "yes, yes the stable is me, I was like you once, scrawny, awkward, scared of any kind of emotion, but one day, while I was cleaning the muck out of the stables, I saw a beautiful woman ride by, oh she was beautiful, made my heart stop when our eyes connected. And I was surprised when she rode over to me; me, a stable boy covered in horse shit and mud…" he smiled at the memory.

"What happened between you two?" Billy asked.

Makarov sighed, "I got scared," he confessed, "I thought that there was no way a woman like her could love a man like me…I started pushing her away, until she left me, and I have never been able to get her." He looked at Billy, "don't make my mistakes Billy, do not be afraid to love her."

"Thanks." Billy said, 'Um…who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Makarov, Ian Makarov." He held a calloused hand out and shook Billy's hand, "you might want to go get something to eat, I hear your friend was making his way to the kitchens."

"Damn it!" Billy groaned, taking off down the halls, "thanks Ian!"

Makarov smiled as the young boy ran away.

"I do so love that story."

Makarov stiffened at the familiar voice behind him, "it's too bad that I had to lie to the boy," Makarov muttered, turning to look at Queen bee.

"Was it a lie? You did push me away." The queen said, walking around Makarov, who mirrored her moves.

"After you chose the life of a royal, instead of a life with me."

"You couldn't give me what I wanted." She said.

"I could've given you love, I could've given you a farm, my livelihood." He stopped walking and let his eyes bore into hers, "but then everything became about power, about who could give you more then what you really needed; you became a fool, drunk on power."

"Who's the fool," she spat, "the woman who went for power, or the man who denied it?"

"I never wanted power," he said, "I still don't."

"You have a funny way of showing it." She said, walking up to him, swaying her hips as she did, his eyes never left hers, "you attempt to gain the power of a monarch for yourself."

"I do it for my people," he said, "they chose me, and so I will lead them, until such time as I am no longer able, that seems to be where you have failed as leader."

"My country is respected!" she snapped, "My people are happy with their lot in their life."

"They're too scared to even speak their mind." He said, his voice rising with his temper, "the men are enslaved by your power, and the women scared to lose their husbands, so they fall into servitude so as to save their families; the world does not respect you, they fear what will happen if you decide to extend your reach past your borders. You have failed Anya."

'Do not call me that." She hissed, "You have lost that right!"

"Right?" he roared, "Right!? Who are you to speak to me of rights!? You who have enslaved your own people!"

Queen bee tried to slap him, only for Makarov to catch her hand and push her against a nearby tree, gripping her throat, she gave a smirk, "and you say you can protect yourself from me." she whispered, "I can see the lust in your eyes."

He leaned in, his face mere inches from hers, her eyes slowly started to close, leaning into a kiss that never came; instead, Makarov whispered into her ear, "you don't know the difference between lust and love." And then dropped her, turning away as he walked.

Queen Bee tried to get herself under control, "you are weak." She said spitefully.

"Do not mistake self-control for weakness Anya," he said, putting a cigarette between his lips, "you were always confused when it comes to telling the two apart.'

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Perdita left the meeting with a smile on her face, she had finally done it, she had gotten the support she needed to turn the monarch over a democratic system, and while it would take a few months before the new system could take over, the hardest part was over.

"You look happy," Billy said, walking up to her with a smile.

Perdita gave Billy an even wider smile then she had and threw her arms around him, he spun her around as she laughed, "I have finally done it," she said as he set her back on the floor, "in three months time, I will no longer be the queen of Vlatava, my people will have a voice for themselves."

"That's great," Billy said, kissing her cheek and making her giggle, "But aren't you going to miss being a monarch?"

She shook her head, "my entire life has been full of royal duties and putting a country before my wants." She put a hand on his cheek, "I will finally be free to do what I want, when I want to."

"But what will you do? You know when you're no longer a royal."

She smiled, "I would expect you to know," she said, "I will go to America, make a new life for myself." She kissed him softly, "I will go to America with you…"

Billy felt his heart soar, "to America with me." he said, returning her kiss, "I love the sound of that."

Perdita smiled and let go of Billy, but kept a hold on his hands, "follow me." she said, pulling him along as she went down the hall.

"Where are we going?" Billy asked.

"To my favorite spot in the castle." She said, looking around as she went, "it's a place that no one really knows about, a place where I would spend time to gather my thoughts and find peace." She lead him up a set of side stairs that was hard to see in the dark hallway, soon they reached a wooden door, which she stopped at hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" Billy asked.

"I…this is a special place Billy…I really want you to like it."

Billy hugged her from behind, "if it's special to you, it's special to me."

Perdita smiled, and then slowly pushed the door open, once again taking Billy's hands and lead him into the cool evening air, what Billy saw stunned him a little.

They were on one of the highest towers on the castle, giving them a breath-taking view of the mountains that surrounded the castle, the setting sun making them a deep purple, "wow…" Billy said softly.

Perdita smiled, leaning against the stonework, "this is where my father proposed to my mother," she said softly, "he proposed to her as the sun set, just before the Christmas ball."

Billy walked up behind her and hugged her from behind once more, "this is amazing." He said, resting his chin against her shoulder, Perdita smiled.

"I'm glad you like it Billy…" she whispered, intertwining her fingers with his.

Billy closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath as he kissed her cheek, "I love you…"

Those three words made Perdita stiffen, "w-what?"

"I…I love you Perdita…" he said again, a little apprehensive that he had said it at the wrong time.

Perdita felt herself relax, "oh Billy…I love you too." She said, turning her head to kiss his cheek, instead, Billy met her with his own lips; they stood there for a few minutes, lost in each other. Until they had to break apart, their foreheads still touching, Perdita's eyes were drooping slightly as she leant into Billy.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

"A little," she admitted, "but I am not ready to leave…just a few more minutes?"

Billy smiled a little and kissed her forehead, "okay.'