"Alice I believe you had questions earlier, and now is the perfect time to answer them." Mary-Ann says with a gentle smile towards her daughter.

Alice and Alec look at each other, knowing that something is different from usual.

"As you well know, Nathaniel and I were summoned by the King earlier this morning. When we arrived the King immediately held a meeting," Mary-Ann pauses glancing towards Nathaniel, and seeing him nod continues. "The meeting he said, was of uttermost importance."

The twins glance at eachother before asking their parents a question. "Is someone ill, or hurt?" Concern evident in their speech.

Mary-Ann and Nathaniel smile at the twins. "No one is sick or injured my little rabbit and mouse," Nathaniel speaks, pausing for a few seconds before he continues. "The meeting was of the King voluntarily abdicating."

Alec widens his eyes, shock stiffing his body. Meanwhile Alice furrows her eyebrows in confusion. "Abdicating, what does that mean?"

Alec looks at his sister, and quickly explains. "Abdication is the act of renouncing the throne, it means he'll no longer be the King."

Alice reals back in suprise. "Stepping down, but... but why? Don't you only do that if you're sick! Mother, Father did you tell the truth about him not being ill?"

Mary-Ann glances at Nathaniel in concern before looking at Alice. "Alice, we told the truth. The King is not sick, in fact he is perfectly healthy."

Alice pauses her panicking, looking at her mother. "Then why would he step down? He's healthy so shouldn't he still stay as the King?" She questions trying to wrap her mind around what's happening.

"Little rabbit, abdication can also happen if a ruler is of old age," Nathaniel explains to the confused Alice. "The King is over sixty years old, and he has ruled this kingdom for more than forty years. Do you not think he deserves a rest?"

Alice pauses stummbling over her words as she tries to voice her thoughts. "I... I think that... the King deseves a rest, but if he steps down... then who would be the new King?"

Alec looks up from his lap, glancing at his sister before looking at his father. "Father, if the current King steps down does that not mean the next King is the crown prince?"

"That is correct, the crown prince is the heir apparent. For that reason when King George steps down the crown prince Arthur and his wife the crown princess Adela will succeed the throne." As Nathaniel explains Alice and Alec move closer to one another.

"Mother, what will happen to us then? Will father and you still be an advisor?" As Alice asks that she glances to each of her parents.

"Yes, we will still be adviors to the King. It's just that instead of King George being who we advise, it will be Prince Arthur." Mary-Ann explains with patience.

"Little rabbit, little mouse this is what we really wanted to talk to you about." Nathaniel says as he gets up from his seat.

Going to stand behind Mary-Ann he explains what he means. "Because of Prince Arthur not being completly use to making important decisions, King George has asked us to stay with him in London for the next two years," Nathaniel pauses, taking a breath as he does so. "Mary-Ann and I wished to speak to you two before we finalized our decision."

"We wish to know what you think," Mary-Ann says, allowing Nathaniel a chance to rest. "If you are okay with coming with us. For if you are not, then we will figure out who will watch over you as we are gone."

Alice and Alec lean their heads close to eachother and whisper to one another.

"Alec?"

"Alice"

"Should we?"

"Why would we not?"

"London."

"That's a good point Alice."

"Why do you?" Alice blinks as Alec replies to her question.

"My health."

"Then we will ask?"

"Here and there?"

"Of course."

Alec finishes their conversation with a sarcastic, "As you wish Alice." causing Alice to giggle.

Alice and Alec look towards their parents. "Mother," Alice begins pausing for a second, as she does so Alec continues. "Father, we have a few requests if we are to go to London." Alice then jumps in, continuing what Alec was saying. "First, we wish to stay as far away from the nobles as possible, for they are rather rude." She pauses, allowing Alec to take her place. "Second, because of my health Alice and I think it's impotant that i'm allowed to return here every once and awhile for fresh air, of course Alice would come with me too."

Nathaniel and Mary-Ann glance at each other, secretly amazed by their children's maturity.

"Those are very good points, both of which we agree to, we will arrange for you're trips back here and try to find away for the nobles to stay far from you two." Nathaniel says with a smile.

Privately both Nathaniel and Mary-Ann were relieved, for they did not want the court to taint their precious children.

"Then we agree to go to London!" Both Alice and Alec say with a grin. "When are we going?"

"In two weeks time, we have to be there before the coronation to help Prince Arthur." Nathaniel replies to his eager children.

"Now that that's out of the way, who would like to help me make dinner?" Mary-Ann asks towards her family.

"Me!" Alice happily shouts. "I would as well." Alec says more quietly than Alice. "This would ruin my reputation in the castle, but I will as well dear." Nathaniel replies, smiling gently at his beloved wife.

"That's simply marvalous, lets get started then shall we?" Mary-Ann says with excitement and happiness.

Author's Note

Hello Everyone!

It's only been around two days since I last updated! This is amazing, i'm not usually able to do this.

I was laughing when I wrote the coversation between Alice and Alec, I just think it's really cute.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please vote and comment your opinion on how I did, I would love the feedback.

A few things about this chapter

1. Abdication - an act of abdicating or renouncing the throne.

2. crown prince - a male heir to the throne.

3. heir apparent - an heir whose claim can not be set aside by the birth of another heir.

4. crown princess - the wife of a crown prince.