A/N: Sorry for not updating since-well, forever. I will try to get into a schedule but I'm not very organized-gulp!

So here is the new chapter! Lately it has all been in Adrian's POV but it will be shaken up a bit later in the story.

Adrian's POV

"And that's how I ended up in a marriage with Lady Ask-A-Lot," I finished my story to Eddie, the guy who told me about Sydney.

"Have you tried to see Sydney yet?" he asked.

"Yes!" I jumped up and ran a hand though my hair in complete frustration. "They wouldn't let me in!"

"Stanton might have put a ban on you being able to see her," Eddie mused.

I tossed him a look. "You couldn't have told me that before?"

"It didn't cross my mind."

Eddie stood from the cushy white chair in my chambers.

"I'll have to talk to the guards; maybe I can get Ian to let you in."

"Ian?" I asked. "Will he let me in?"

"Yeah, he'll do anything for Sydney. Got a crush on her."

He tsked. "Poor guy. Sydney doesn't care for him much."

I hadn't realized I had tensed until I relaxed after hearing about another guy liking my angel. "Good. Will it work?"

"I'll check when his next dungeon shift is."

After assuring me three times that he would, he left through the big double doors. I sat on my bed and put my head in my hands.

How the hell my life got so messed up, I'll never know.

Three weeks ago, I was an idol in my palace. I had girls left and right. Now there was one I wanted who was in a cell, one who I was going to marry who annoyed the shit out of me and one who was about to have a heart attack when I told her I was getting married.

I groaned thinking about my mother. For once my father had helped me, keeping her at the palace while I figured things out with Sydney.

A soft knock at the door sounded. My eyes shot up to the entrance.

"Enter," I called, sitting up. I ran a hand through my hair to look semi-presentable.

A small girl entered. She looked around six or seven, another woman coming in after her-clearly the girl's mother.

"Yes?" I asked, trying to keep my voice soft for the child.

"We have been sent up here by Miss Stanton to say…" the older woman started before nudging the little girl.

"Th-th-that d-dinner is going to be s-served s-s-soon," she stuttered out.

The woman looked exasperated at her nervousness. I, however, found it adorable.

I stood and crossed the small space between me and the girl. I kneeled down so I was the same height as her.

"Tell me. What's your name, child?" I asked.

"L-L-Lia," she whispered.

"Well, Lia. Thank you for telling me that. I will be right down."

I gave her a small smile. She returned it with a huge bubbly one.

Her small arms were thrown around my neck, her giggles filled my ears. The mother looked quite horrified at her daughter's behaviour. I carefully hugged her back.

"You can leave now," a rude voice announced from behind the mother.

I looked up as Lia pulled away. Rose. Of course.

It was an understatement that Lia looked upset and distraught from this.

"Aww," she complained.

I smiled at her then said to her mother. "Do you mind bringing her another time?"

Both of the looked delighted by this.

"Can we?" she begged her mother. "Please! Can we bring Mia too?"

She turned to me. "Can we bring Mia next time? She's my twin sister and my best friend!"

I chuckled. "Sure."

Rose, who looked quite impatient now, ordered out, "Leave."

They walked away, Lia skipping, joyfully.

My smile dropped as my eyes shifted to Rose. "I was having a conversation."

"With servants? Well, it's always said that Prince Ivashkov was really out-there."

I gave her a glare.

She looked at me innocently. "What?"

My attitude towards her grew colder. "What do you want?"

"I was telling you that dinner is soon."

"That's what Lia and her mother were telling me," I snapped. "If you hadn't been so rude then maybe you could have figured that out!"

"Don't yell at me. I am your future wife after all."

How smug she looked while she said that…

I narrowed my eyes on her; I opened my mouth to return with a biting comment.

"Your highness," a voice called out.

Both our gazes snapped to the approaching figure. It was Eddie.

"Go away, kitchen boy!" Rose snapped. "Can't you see your betters are talking?"

Eddie looked at her with an emotional mask, hiding everything. His gaze turned back to me.

"You have dinner now, I will escort you."

That look in his eyes that said he had information.

"Of course."

I left with him, leaving Rose behind us.

"His next shift is tonight," Eddie said, once we were out of an earshot.

"Tonight?" I questioned in surprise. "We can't do it tonight."

"Well his next shift after this is after the wedding. It has to be tonight."

"You sure don't make things easy, do you?" I muttered.

We quickly hashed out a quick plan before more bad news came.

"The King and Queen of Russia are visiting."

"Here?" I asked, incredulously.

"Well, the palace is at its highest capacity at the moment and your father suggested here considering you are the front of the kingdom."

"Crap," I groaned. "How am I going to sneak into a dungeon to see Sydney when I've got Rose stalking me, the Russians visiting and the fact that I'm so tired I can barely walk."

"Well," he started, stopping at the door of the dining room. "The way I see it. If you love her enough you'll figure it out."

He left before I could say anything. I pushed the thoughts of Eddie's vague words out of my head-well as best as I could-so I was able to prepare myself of what was to come. Soft murmuring voices were coming from behind the doors.

I knocked respectfully before entering; the conversation was halted as I entered. Apparently Rose has made it down here before me and was seated next to the Queen of Russia; whom she seemed to be glaring at.

"Prince Ivashkov, an honor to meet you," an accented voice said. "I am King Dimitri Belikov of Russia."

He was a tall man, very tall. His brown eyes matched his longer hair. Rose seemed to swoon at this (along with every other woman in the room).

"As to you, King Belikov" I said, shaking his hand.

The Queen was next to rise. She dipped her body as a sign of respect before offering her hand.

"Queen Tasha Ozera-Belikov of Russia."

I pressed my lips to the back of her hand. Unlike the man she had a more American accent. She was a beautiful woman. Her hair was raven black and her eyes an ice blue, a scar was dragged across her cheek that didn't seem to mar her beauty at all.

"Lovely to meet you, Queen Belikov."

Although her last name was hyphenated it was only appropriate to call her the royal name when associating it with her title.

The dinner progressed slowly until the time came for Eddie to pull me out.

"You ready?" Eddie asked as he closed the door, keeping our words private.

"As ready as I'm ever going to be."