Roberto was straight onto my phone with texts, one after the other, something about 'passing out on paperwork' and could I come back?

I knew that was going to be a no without asking Prince Keith. He was gazing distracted out of the window, an awkward silence hanging there, and I couldn't blame him for being a bit disgruntled. We kind of had put off this for ...well, for us.

The further away I got from the Manse the more I sank back to earth. Roberto behaved like a Prince around everyone, smooth talking, knew exactly what to say or now, but when we were alone... I really saw the raw side of him. The side of him that was inexperienced, clumsy, and uncertain. I was his first. And the thought of it sent warmth throughout my chest. Silly man. We were both kind of silly and clumsy about it.

Even with the warmth... I was anxious. Two proposals in two days, clumsy ones, once while he was drunk and once while we were trying to seduce each other. It was like he couldn't hide a thing when we were like that. But what kind of role did Roberto want me to take and... and what would he have to do if I just couldn't take on that role?

What did it mean anyway? That I'd become a Princess? A Queen eventually? I wasn't even sure how to use fancy cutlery correctly and half the time I could be way too blunt to be that kind of smooth talking fancy Princess figure he probably needed. But what if he gave up his crown for me. Because I couldn't handle it? I'd seen his enthusiasm for his country and his role yesterday with the orphan talk, like he couldn't contain it, this real genuine love and desire to make his country better.

Well, maybe also to compete a little with Prince Keith, but he had barely mentioned that. It was probably a bonus.

Deep down I knew that I couldn't ever accept that.

A foot prodded me and I met Prince Keith's eyes. He cleared his throat again. "Did you hear me?"

"No... sorry."

"Of course not." He frowned and gazed back out the window. "You're going to shop."

"Shop?"

"That's what I said. In there." He pointed out the window.

I turned to see a massive shopping complex, complete with fancy lights and lasers pointing at the sky, crowded with people everywhere. "Wow, it's a little big..."

"Why not?" He didn't ask. Prince Keith offered me another credit card with a slip of paper for the pin. "There. Go shopping. Two body guards will be on hand to help you. When you are alone-"

"I get it. Slip away."

"Exactly. But do not leave the building." He fixed me with a look. "Not unless you're forced to... in which case, don't panic, and remember..."

"Pretend I wanted to escape and be glad they are the ones helping. Right?"

"Security is already in place and ready. Security cameras will give us extra visual information on the targets. We'd planned to do this yesterday, when it was less crowded, but..."

But Roberto had said no. And Prince Keith had listened, even though it probably annoyed him, showing he probably did care about Roberto.

"Thanks for that."

"You will stand out on crutches. It won't be a problem." He didn't even respond to my thanks and held out a list. It had several types of candy and Prince Keith muttered, "Get this too."

"This for Cathy?"

He flinched, staring at me, surprise on his face. "You know?"

"Roberto."

"She is not to be spoken about."

Okay then. A secret sister. I wasn't sure I wanted to know why Prince Keith had a secret sister lurking around. Where did he keep her anyway? I hadn't seen a child anywhere. "I won't breathe a word."

"When you return, perhaps you may meet her, but... I can't guarantee it." Prince Keith offered me the crutches. The car was slowing now, outside the front, and several bodyguards were already waiting for me. "Enjoy your time. Spend what you need to. They'll organise how to get it to the Manse."

"I'll do my best." Spend what I needed to... I still felt a bit weird about that. Once I'd shoved the card and pin number into my bag I carefully climbed out of the car. Prince Keith was gone again within a second and I was left with two big bodyguards who looked like nearly identical twins around their forties.

"Miss."

"Miss."

They sounded like twins, it amused me, and I headed inside. Okay then.

I wasn't usually the best shopper, compared to some friends, I tended to get distracted. Or bored. Today at least I managed to start it off by heading straight to the food court on the third floor for some good old fashioned junk food. Prince Keith's chefs were incredible... but sometimes there was nothing better than a burger, chips, and a drink that was probably very unhealthy. Onion rings as well. When I found a place that sold all these things plus beer, sitting just off the food court in a little restaurant...

Well, how could I resist?

Inside it was beautiful, a little dark casual place with tables, chairs, lounges, and several long bars with soft chairs where people could sit and watch either the food court or the street down below. Red candles were glowing in the dim corners, soft lamps lighting the walls and showing off artwork from 'local artists', and even though it was crowded, my bodyguards got me a seat right against the bar near the food court. It was probably not the most popular spot anyway... but I found the view entertaining.

They probably wanted that spot to keep an eye on the food court.

At the moment though I didn't feel that nervous. The food court was packed with people, groups of teenagers, teenagers on dates, families, elderly couples, single people on their way home from work eating burgers in suits, this incredible mix of people from all areas of life as they came to gather in the court. There was a cinema complex just a five minute walk away in the shopping complex so often I'd hear people talking about films, wanting to see something or on their way back from a film, or the latest 3D films.

I honestly didn't know what 'suspicious characters' were even supposed to look like.

Roberto was messaging me every few minutes now, apparently not working any-more, and so eating dinner took a very long time. He wanted to know what I was eating, wanted a photo, offered to come down, and while I was pretty amused at his attention... when I told him to ask Prince Keith, he was apparently told to stay in his room or else. That wasn't surprising. I suspected he was nervous about this whole bait thing- he wasn't letting up on the messages. Demanding a message every ten minutes.

Still, as an hour went past of me eating, drinking a beer slowly, and Roberto messaging me, nothing much happened. So I headed off to the shops and gave in the resistance I had against spending Prince Keith's money. I'd just have to repay him somehow.

Only, what shop? Clothing? Candles? ...pets for the dog? That last one seemed the best, although I changed my mind quickly as I wondering if letting on that I had a dog might suggest I didn't want to go anywhere. So instead I headed for the book store.

I wandered around for a while, book stores, clothing shops, already tired and wondering if I was getting old for getting tired at ...what, eight at night? The shops were, if it was possible, even busier, and although the bodyguards were clearly trying their hardest to keep up with me, the crowds were making it very interesting.

It wasn't clear if they were genuinely having trouble or if this was their 'plan'. Maybe it was genuine trouble- Prince Keith had mentioned that they'd planned this for a less crowded time. People were happy to part for me, the girl on crutches, but the two bodyguards? Less so.

Deep down I had the feeling that this probably wasn't the plan. Which might mean a problem.

But then I had to act as if I didn't want to be around them. I couldn't go skipping back to their sides... hopping, anyway... and stay close to them. So I just went ahead as if this was no issue for me.

In one of the newsagents, which sold papers and magazines, I found myself staring at magazines discussing Prince Glenn. Not the real one, clearly, but the fake one. Before I'd thought about it I'd bought them all... I wasn't sure if anyone at the Manse was interested in him or not but I was. Anything more I could notice or discover about him the better... and I wasn't sure if there were clues in the background or not.

Once I'd bought them I decided to go get one last coffee. One hour to go. As I left the store with magazines in hand the phone rang. Roberto calling.

"Um, hi." I muttered. "Working."

"I don't like it." Roberto snapped. "You've been gone hours and it's dangerous. Come home right now."

"Come on, I'm protected. Don't get clingy..."

"How would you feel if you were sitting here waiting for me to come home from a dangerous place?"

...well, okay, that was a good point. I sighed and leaned against the phone, shoulders slumping, and nodded wordlessly. "I'm sorry. I think we're here for an hour- till nine thirty. I'm nearly done."

"Can you at least talk to me a while?"

"I guess." I sank down onto a bench and tried to relax. "I'm sitting down."

"So am I." I heard in the background the creak of a bed, my bed, and the soft snuffling of a puppy. "We didn't get to talk about your family."

"You want to talk about my family?"

It was almost exactly at that moment that I realised that something was wrong with my surroundings. There was a crowd of people encircling me. Literally. I was suddenly inside an open gap of people. My voice had carried further than usual in this weird situation and as Roberto's voice came out of the phone, a body came through the circle of people.

"Yeah, tell me about them."

"I'm not telling you that." I tried to sound annoyed, as I watched 'family' approach, my heart thudding fast. I was so afraid of that face. "Your Highness."

"Hey, what are you talking about?"

I felt bad, really bad, but … if I didn't do this right, not only would he who was standing in front of me not believe it, but Roberto... might not clue into what was happening. Even as guilt joined in with the fear I snapped, "You're all the same, you Princes, thinking you can keep asking me that with all your charms and gifts... I told you. I'm not telling you anything about them. Google them or something."

Then I hung up on him.

Sorry, Roberto... but I was staring at my family right now. One member of it anyway.

I stared at my father a very long time, as the crowd grew thicker around us, and I realised. It must have been apart of his doing. "Crowded today."

"You seem busy." He offered, voice low but still somehow carrying over the noise of the shopping centre, and raised an eyebrow. "The captive is shopping?"

Did he know that I wasn't a captive? Had he seen through me? I didn't know! I was sure that something in my face was giving it away, some expression or look, and I couldn't read him well enough to know if he was being serious or sarcastic. So I tried to assume for the best. Of course I'd started to internally freak out by now. Father. I wasn't sure if I was afraid of him or hated him or … I didn't know. "They... are hoping to make me happy somehow."

"And gather information about us." He stepped closer and I flinched as a hand came to grasp my arm. "Have they been feeding lies about us to you?"

"I... I don't know." I tried to remember what Prince Keith had said. Act like I wanted to go home but hesitant. "I mean, I was shot..."

"The patrol was dealt with." He didn't say anything more but there was something in his voice that made my blood run cold. My Father gazed past me, hand tightening, the bodyguards shoved backwards instead of forwards. This wasn't apart of our plan. They were supposed to leave me and protect me from a distance, hidden and watchful. Now they were still out in the open and easily moved around.

"Good." I muttered and stared down. This was clearly the right 'shy daughter' thing to do because I felt a hand pat my head suddenly.

"I see you're interested in His Highness." My father must have noticed the magazine I'd bought about the fake Prince Glenn. "These royalty are no different, Sophia, they simply use you as an excuse to pass on their lines. You would be bypassed in a moment. Are you still curious about them?"

"No..." I frowned and muttered something about, "Not that much, really, I... I saw how arrogant they really are. I just … I just wanted to know what was happening with you, and..."

Father interrupted me quickly. "Good. Don't get attached to them. Marry Prince Glenn, let him breed you, and I'll make sure you don't have to endure him for longer than needed. You understand? Give birth to the crown Prince or Princess and we'll do the rest."

I nodded again. He clearly took my silence as submissive agreement.

"Are you ready to come home? Are you done with your fascination with the others?"

"Y..yes, but..." My head went up then, meeting his eyes, shocked. Now? I glanced over my shoulder to see the bodyguards making their way closer now. "Now? With... with the guards? I'm guarded all the time, I..."

"Answer the question."

"Y... yes..."

"Good." And like that he melted into the crowd, vanishing into it, and I was left standing there stunned and afraid.

Be ready for what?

I couldn't deny that I was petrified. It wasn't just anyone trying to get me. My Father had personally come to Liberty for me.

By the time the bodyguards had reached me, a car was already waiting, as none of Prince Keith's security had missed THAT display. My Father had openly stood there under all security cameras, in front of the bodyguards, protected by a crowd of people from any guns... and had vanished just as easily. Just strode off into a camera black spot and vanished.

Prince Keith was still in the car when I was there, several books beside him, and as soon as I was in the car I was handed a drink. Milk. I stared at the glass in my hand and realised that I was shaking.

My entire body was shaking. I had been so freaked out that I hadn't noticed. I stared at the milk until Prince Keith snapped, "Drink it already, woman, it'll relax you," as he gestured to the front. "Drive!"