I opened my eyes, and almost jumped back at the sight of Nick's sleeping face just inches from mine. I snuggled closer and wrapped my arms around him, knowing that once he was awake I probably would not be able to be this close to him for a long while.

It reminded me of the last time I had woken up in Nick's arms, then I had freaked out, but now I felt more than comfortable there. Everything had changed the second we confessed to each other. Things Nick had done in the past made more sense now. Things I had done in the past… seemed more foolish.

The moment I told Nick I loved him was the same moment that I really realized that I would never be able to live without him. So Nick had found out that I love him at the same time I had realized it myself. Excitement that Nick actually loved me back coursed through me. The feeling was almost addicting.

I buried my face in the front of his shirt; never wanting to let him go.

A deep moan escaped his lips. I pulled back, afraid I was hurting him. He was asleep, but his face was twisted in agony.

I couldn't watch him in pain like that, "Nick, wake up. You're having a bad dream." I whispered as I gently rubbed his jaw line.

Instead of just opening his eyes like I expected, he sat bolt up, almost knocking me off the narrow couch.

I watched the muscles in his shoulders relax as he looked at me. "Good morning." I said quietly.

I cleared my voice when he didn't say anything. "You were having a bad dream…" I didn't explain any further, he was making me nervous, the way he was staring.

"What's today's date?" He suddenly asked.

I watched him, unsure what he was talking about. "It's the nineteenth, why?"

He studied me, "July nineteenth…" He said slowly.

My face broke into a smile, "Oh! It's my birthday!"

He nodded almost in a sad way, then he was suddenly, urgently, kissing me. His arms held me so tight I was literally having trouble breathing.

He let go and stood, I stood with him, "What's the matter?" I asked worriedly.

"I have some business to take care of, you should go speak with Matthew. I believe he has something to say." He sounded hurt, but I hadn't even done anything.

"Are-"

He interrupted me, "You really need to talk to Matthew now." Then he walked out, leaving me with the feeling that whatever Matthew would tell me would be the worst thing in the world.

I stepped hesitantly into Matthew's room, he was sitting at his desk in the corner writing something on a sheet of paper. "Matthew?" I asked.

He turned towards me, "Good morning Rachel." He said as he stood and gave me a warm fatherly hug, "How's my birthday girl?"

"Fine." I said slowly.

"What's the matter?" He said as he sensed my unease.

I sighed, "Nick said you have something to tell me."

"Oh." He said, looking away from me.

"If it's really that terrible, you should just do it quick, like pulling off a bandage." I said, bracing myself for something terrible.

"We should sit down; this could take awhile." He said, pulling me into the living room.

He took a deep breath, "This goes back to before you were born, even before the Great War started.

As you know, there used to be a king and queen for every country, most of them had many sons and daughters.

The countries lived in harmony, every one was happy. That was before Queen Olafa began the war that wiped out most of the worlds population." He rubbed a hand over his face.

"She had what some people call a silver tongue, she planted lies everywhere she went, turning rulers against each other with only a few words.

Quarrels started up all over the world, it began with the smaller kingdoms. But once she realized her power she started visiting larger kingdoms.

She was a beautiful woman, her husband had died, some say she killed him, but no one ever found out the truth about that.

She thought that if all the other kingdoms were at war she could gain something from it.

But soon the other rulers figured her out. Some attempted to assassinate her, she lived through every effort. She figured out which ones wanted her dead, and she sent her own assassins, and instead of just ending the kings' lives, she killed their heirs to the throne.

The nations rose up in a flurry of hatred and pain, so much blood was shed in that decade, no one even knew why the wars were going on, they just knew that their husbands, and fathers, and sons were going to their death.

The people of Olafa's kingdom were loyal to her for some reason I can't explain, and when she was finally killed, they took up what they thought was their duty. They began killing off more of the royals.

They were soon defeated, but there were still rebellious countries that had supported Queen Olafa. They kept up the wars with the other countries, and the Great War is still going on, to this very day.

The rulers that had more authority than most others got together after Olafa died and declared a council to be assembled so that things like this could not happen again.

They decided that the kings with the largest kingdoms would make up the council. Once they tasted the power they had over all other royals though, they turned into the bad guys.

The council started to force all royalty to act a certain way, and they engaged their own children to other wealthy princes and princesses. If any one of them resisted, or had a different personality than that of a "normal" royal, they would execute them.

The ones that were executed were usually the ones that showed love and kindness. They quickly learned… after their friends and family were put to death. And whenever the council was around, the royals would act like cruel, spoiled people. They would freeze their hearts, so that no emotions showed. But behind the councils back they were passionate and, most of the time, loving.

The council would always fake some sort of poisoning or riding accident, so that the public wouldn't have any reason to rebel.

Some of the braver princes began formulating a plan; a way that the mistreated royals could be free of the council. They started with some of the younger royals, the ones that wouldn't be missed as much as the older ones. The first one was a young princess, the princes faked her death and dressed her in peasant clothes, then they sent her to an orphanage. Of course they kept an eye on her, but they had succeeded in freeing her. That was all that mattered.

They began sending older children to different countries, so that they would not be recognized.

One of the princes' father was on the council, he found out that his son was meeting up with other princes and he executed him on the charge of being suspicious.

The other princes were severely angry at that one king, they had loved that prince as a brother.

They decided that it was too risky to be meeting in their own royal clothes, so they put on disguises and went to a hideout deep in some deserted forests.

They began a rebellion, they had no idea then that they would be the saviors, not only of almost all the oppressed royalty, but also many civilians lives would be saved because they had decided not to just stand by.

These were the best swordsmen in the world. It was an infamous group, they aimed to make the council think that they were just another small group of thieves and bandits, so that no more attention was directed their way than they needed.

There were four of them, they began 'kidnapping' the royals that wanted to be free, then they would send them to hide until someone could stabilize the situation with the council. They called the free royals "The Hidden".

The royal guard could never catch them, no one knew who they were. They had completely fooled the council, they had been thinking that there was a terrible sickness going through the royal families, but in truth every single one they thought was dead was actually in hiding.

One of the rebel princes fell in love with a princess he had rescued, they got married in secret, the only witnesses at the wedding were the other three princes, and the princess' best friend. They lived right under the councils noses, they had to change their names but that was the easy part. They had a beautiful daughter after about a year.

The council men died off slowly, most of them are dead now, and The Hidden princesses and princes are aloud to come out of hiding to rule their countries." Matthew watched me as he finished his story.

I had never heard that version of the beginning of the Great War.

"How could any human being kill his own son? And what was wrong with Olafa's mind? Was she insane? What happened to the other three princes? I've seen one of the council men before, he didn't look like he was capable of killing anyone. I wish I could have been there to beat those evil people up." I ranted as I glared at the wall.

"I myself don't know how anyone could betray their own family, especially enough to kill one of them. But that man was full of hate ever since he was a child. I believe Olafa would have been insane if anyone had taken the time to examine her closely. On the subject of the princes you will soon find out. The councilman that you saw actually is very nice, so were his brothers… their father is not though." Matthew explained.

"It would be sort of sad to be one of The Hidden now, just knowing that all of your family and friends were killed for being normal… that would be torture."

"You are not helping me at all." He said with a sigh. "Your question earlier, about the princes? Well, your father was the one that married the princess. And I am one of them also. Nicholas's father was the third one. And the fourth one is the man you heard me talking to that night. The one I told you was just a friend. He was the prince that died's brother." He told me quickly, waiting for me to see the truth.

"You were the baby at the end of the story Rachel. Today is your eighteenth birthday, your parents wanted you to be kept in the dark until today."

"So, you're saying that Nick and I are royalty? Does Nick… know?" I asked dumbly.

"Yes, Nick has known for several years now. Your parents felt that you would be able to handle what was coming your way… once you were older." The way he said it sent shivers down my spine.

"Wait! What's coming my way?" I said, as the feeling of fear overtook me.

"Your father knew he was going to die when he left for that war, he was set up, they told him that he either fought or they would kill you, his daughter. He didn't back down. Nick's father went into the war trying to save him. The council had found out that we were the ones that helped The Hidden escape. They were trying to get us back for it, and they succeeded. My punishment was living." He said painfully.

Tears were falling from my eyes, my father had sacrificed himself for me, "What is going to happen to me?" I asked through my tears. The whole thing was finally sinking in, my world was flipped upside down.

"Nick was also forced into the war, but apparently they had underestimated him, and he survived. The murderer, that killed not only his own son, but also your parents, Nick's father, and countless others, is in your country, oppressing your people." Matthew said gravely.

"I have a country." I realized.

"Only David's child can get it back from him, it is rightfully yours. He doesn't know that you are still alive, he has been thinking this whole time that you died in an accidental fire. That's why he hasn't added you to his list of slaughters yet." Matthew had said it all bluntly, the time for secrets was over.

"He's a monster."

"Well then, what are you going to do about it?" He asked.

I closed my eyes tightly, hoping my anger towards that man wouldn't explode all at one time as I calmly said, "Matthew, I think I'm going to go on a little trip. Care to join me?"

Matthew smirked in answer, "I'd be delighted to."

A/N

New chapter is up! Finally.

Okay, you guys, I'm sooo sorry it took so long to update!

I had internet issues.

Anyway, its up now. I hope you all enjoy it.

Please leave a review!

I seriously love you guys.

Happy independence day!