Adam

She hadn't let me in her room in days. Every time I knocked, or asked, she refused me. For the first few days I didn't push her, I knew she needed time to grieve but it didn't stop the pain of her rejection sitting heavily on my heart. I even went to some of the other girls for comfort, something I never thought I would ever do, but I missed her.

I was currently strolling around the garden's with Callie Linderson as she talked incessantly in my ear. I chose her purely because she looked nothing like Aisling but it wasn't helping. Every time I looked over at her it only emphasised how much she wasn't the girl I wanted to be with. She was beautiful, no doubt, probably one of the most beautiful girls here. That was most likely why I chose her to be in this competition in the first place. She had dark brown hair, steaks of gold catching in the morning sunlight. Her eyes were a brilliant blue which seemed to change with her moods and her bronze skin looked so warm you wanted to touch it to see if it delivered on what it promised, but she wasn't Aisling.

'…and I hope to have at least seven children.' I only caught the end of her sentence but it was enough to cause my eyes to go wide. Children? I wasn't ready for that. I was still a child, I know my parents had Amberly young but I didn't want that and seven? That was a lot of children, would I even be able to remember all their names if we had that many? Maybe I could give them name tags. Wait, what was I thinking? I wasn't going to have seven children with this girl, that was ludicrous. Suddenly an image of a blonde haired, green eyed baby jumped into my head and I quickly tried to shake myself. I needed to get my thoughts straight otherwise I might accidentally promise to have this girl's children and that was something I really didn't want to do.

'You seem distracted prince Adam,' she asked hesitantly, as if I might send her away for asking a simple question.

'Oh, it's nothing, I just have a lot of things on my mind. I'm sorry,' I smiled trying to regain some composure. 'Why don't we head in for breakfast? I know I'm starving.' I offered her my arm and she took it eagerly as I led her back to the palace trying to keep my thoughts away from the girl upstairs.

She may have refused me up until this point but this morning she wasn't going to be able to hide in her rooms. I had instructed her maids that she was to come down to breakfast no matter what. I was tired of waiting. She couldn't hide from me forever.

Anthony

I couldn't find her anywhere. She was hiding from me again and I was past the point of frustrated. I had tried to follow her after breakfast again but Elliot had distracted me for the second time in two days and I was beginning to wonder if she had planned it that way.

'Jared, did you find her?' I asked hopefully, as my younger brother approached with an amused smile on his face.

'No, she isn't anywhere inside the castle,' He answered, not even bothering to hide his amusement at my frustration.

'This is insanity, it was just a trick, how can she be so angry that she won't even speak to me or look at me?' I demanded angrily.

'Anthony, you pretended you were dead, to try and get her to admit that she cared for you,' my soon to be dead brother chuckled.

'Shut up Jared and keep looking,' I instructed in a growl.

'I'm done, you can find her yourself. This is your mess, not mine. I have things to do.' He replied raising his hands in surrender, before turning from me and walking confidently down the corridor.

'Great,' I grumbled turning back the other way to search for her again. Where could she be?

After a few more hours of searching and still not finding her I was about to give up. How could she hide in my own home? Shouldn't I know where all the hiding places are? I had spent my entire life sneaking around the back entrances and secret passageways. How was it she was eluding me?

I was walking passed the tapestry that hid the secret passageway to the rooftop of the castle when I noticed it was swaying slightly as if there was a breeze moving it. Running back for the tapestry I pushed it aside and found the door was ajar. How had she found this place? It had taken me years and in the end dad needed to show me. How had she found it so easily?

Opening the door, I let the tapestry fall back into place and ran up the stairs, eager to finally find her. When I reached the door which led to the roof I slowed slightly to calm my breathing. I wanted to be calm when I confronted her. Eventually, I deemed myself steady enough to venture out onto the rooftop.

I opened the door slowly and thankfully, it made no noise as I stepped out into the afternoon sun, breaking through the dreary English clouds.

I smiled to myself triumphantly as I saw her sitting on the edge of the roof looking down at something in her hands. I slowly approached her, not wanting her to know I was here yet. She was so unguarded and relaxed I wanted to watch her a little longer, before her serenity disappeared when she released I was here and her walls returned, keeping me at a safe distance.

My footsteps didn't make a sound as I crossed the rooftop to her and I soon found myself looking over her shoulder to see what was holding her attention captive. My breath quickly left me as I realised what she was doing. It was a sketch and it was magnificent. I had no idea she could draw like that.

However, it wasn't the drawing which had me searching for air, but the subject. It was me, but it didn't look like me. Every physical detail about me was perfect but there was something about the drawing which made it look like a different person. There was something about the eyes or the expression on the pictures face that made me look at it a little harder. I wondered what he was thinking to make him have that look and why was she drawing me that way? I don't ever remember having a look like that, it was so serious and focused. What was she seeing that I wasn't?

I moved a little closer and accidentally scuffed my foot on the floor causing her to jump a mile in the air, dropping her pencil to the floor and clutching the book to her chest. For a horrible second I thought she was going to fall over the edge but she quickly caught herself and looked over at me in alarm.

'I see you found me,' she mumbled when she finally calmed from my sudden appearance.

'It took me two days and the reluctant help of Jared but yes I finally found you,' I admitted looking at the back of her head as she turned to look out at the castle gardens, still clutching the drawing to her chest.

'What are you doing here? Want to pull another trick on me, pretend to fall over the edge maybe? I can push you if you want?' She offered sarcastically.

'No Amberly, I just couldn't stand you ignoring me anymore,' I admitted defeatedly.

'Maybe you should have thought about that before you pretended to be dead,' she shot back, never turning to face me.

'I've been told that wasn't one of my smartest ideas.' I admitted remembering my brother's words from earlier.

'Can you just leave me alone? I'm not really in the mood for talking or any more of your games,' she answered quietly but I wasn't ready to leave her yet. I had just found her.

'You're very talented,' I said changing the subject and ignoring her request.

'You…you saw it?' She asked in alarm, finally turning back to face me.

'Yes, it's amazing.' I admitted with a small smile.

'I didn't want you to see it.'

'It doesn't really look like me.'

'It doesn't matter,' she mumbled looking down at the ground, never loosening her hold on the leather book.

'I don't mean to hurt you love. This is just the way I am.' I said sadly, afraid for the first time since she arrived that I would never be able to win her over.

'I know,' she replied quietly.

'Can I do anything to make it up to you?' I asked hopefully.

'No,' she answered simply and I felt my chest depress. I needed to fix this.

'I can't apologise for who I am.'

'Nor can I,' she replied, bending to pick the pencil up and shuffling away from the edge. 'I'm serious and boring Anthony. I can't change that.'

'I don't want you to change,' I answered, startled that she would even think about being anyone but herself. It was who she was that made me fall in love with her in the first place. 'And you aren't boring Amberly.'

'Neither are you, maybe that's the problem,' she muttered walking past me towards the door of the roof top and I couldn't find the right words to make her stay. I listened as her footsteps disappeared down the stairs until it was just me and the whispering wind hiding out on the roof top. I felt a chill run through my body as the sun went behind the ominous looking clouds. It was going to rain but I couldn't bring myself to move. What was I going to do?

Aisling

It had been several days since I had woken up and I was finally able to move around with more ease but I had refused to leave the four walls of my room. I hadn't even seen the rest of the palace but I didn't care. I refused to see him.

I missed Flora so much, it hurt every time I thought of her so I tried not to, but it was hard. Every time I thought of something I wanted to share with her I had the sickening realisation that she wasn't there anymore. I would never be able to laugh with her about how crazy some of the fashion was in Angeles or dance around the gardens barefoot when Malvolia wasn't around. I would never be able to hug her again or say goodbye. I would never see my friend again and it left an emptiness in me that I just couldn't seem to fill. How was this ever going to get better?

Worst of all he wasn't going to let me wallow in my misery anymore. I still couldn't move too quickly or lift anything but I could walk and sit and that meant he wasn't going to let me hide anymore. I was going to have to face him and the rest of the selected girls.

He came to visit me every day and every time I refused to let him come in, I refused to talk to him. If it wasn't so infuriating I may have found his efforts endearing but it just made me double my resolve to get away from here.

As irrational as it was, every time I thought of him I would think about what he had taken from me. Deep down I knew it wasn't his fault but Flora wasn't here and I was exactly where I never wanted to be. Why couldn't he just let me leave? I didn't want to be here, I wanted to leave Illea and I didn't care how I did it anymore. I just couldn't be here.

Apparently, my continued absence was causing discomfort in the palace. It was the only reason I could come up with when my maids; Rose, Annette and Meredith came into my room and informed me I needed to attend breakfast with the rest of the selected girls and the royal family. Needless to say I was unenthused but the prospect, so I was less than cooperative when my maids tried to dress me in the light pink day dress that fell just bellow my knees, flowing freely with my movements. They even managed to shove my feet in small heels, but these were even more unwelcome. However, I didn't have the energy to fight them. I was grateful for them because they didn't show me any pity, so I didn't really want to cause them any trouble.

Once I was dressed they quickly ushered me out of the room with directions to the dinning room. I dragged my feet the entire way and unfortunately due to my terrible sense of direction I got lost several times until a guard finally took pity on me. I had passed him once or twice until he finally offered me a small smile and took my arm to help me find where I was meant to be. Despite his help I continued to move slowly hiding behind the excuse of my injuries. If I was honest I was moving slowly because I never really wanted to arrive. It was a small act of defiance against the prince, hoping it might anger him and he might give up on me. There was nothing left for me in Illea anymore and I was more determined than ever to escape the stifling country.

'Here you are lady Zander,' the guard announced, looking down at me kindly and I returned the sentiment when I thanked him. He quickly rushed off to attend to his actual duties, leaving me standing reluctantly in front of the intimidating doors, hoping maybe I could slip in without anyone noticing.

Grudgingly, I moved forward and pushed the doors open with great effort. They were heavier than they looked which was saying something because I already thought they looked very heavy. Immediately, the murmuring around the room ceased as I continued to struggle with the door when I realised my hopes of going in unnoticed were in vain. I looked up and found that every pair of eyes in the room were on me and I stopped abruptly, considering walking back out and risking getting lost in the palace again just so I wouldn't be here anymore.

'Lady Aisling,' I cringed away from his deep, worried voice and knew there would be no escape now. I watched in a mixture of annoyance and fear as he rushed over to me. He quickly opened the door the whole way and I stumbled slightly as I had been using it to support most of my weight. He quickly released the door and moved to my side, taking my arm to help steady me.

'I've got you,' he murmured leading me away from my escape.

'I guess you're not angry I'm late them?' I asked defeatedly keeping my eyes trained on the floor so I didn't have to face all the curious eyes in the room. His only reply was to chuckle quietly before he looked up at everyone in the room.

'Ladies, I'd like you to meet Lady Zander. I'm sure you're all as excited as I am to get to know her.' He beamed, obviously missing the looks of hatred and disgust on most of the other girls faces. The only people in the room who seemed excited to meet me were the royal family. Little princess Harmonia was almost jumping out of her seat in excitement.

Somehow, I found myself giving her a small smile as Adam led me over to the only empty chair in the room, apart from the one he had vacated to come and help me.

I was between two girls who looked kind enough, at least they weren't staring daggers at me like the six girls at the other end of the table. However, their hostility didn't really phase me. After Malvolia, these girls petty problems were trivial. Nothing they did to me could possibly be any worse than what I had already suffered. I still had the scars to prove it.

Once I was settled in my seat Adam leant down and placed a quick kiss on my forehead obviously glad I was finally out of my room. Immediately, the room erupted into hushed murmurs and outraged gasps of surprise. I looked up at Adam in alarm and noticed he was wearing a sheepish smile. Obviously, he had forgotten the audience who was watching his every move carefully.

I quickly turned my attention to the royal family and noticed queen America had lost herself in a fit of giggles and the king was trying to calm her as he hid his own amusement. While princess Harmonia had a knowing smile on her face. She was twelve, what did she know about this? Prince Michael and Princess Marinda watched their older brother with wide eyes as he hurriedly moved back to his chair.

After casting a nervous glance around the room I noticed most of the girls were now watching me with fire spurting from their eyes and I quickly ducked my head uncomfortable with their attention.

A server quickly came up beside me and placed a plate in front of me, piled so high with food I was certain I could have lived off it for a week.

'Hello lady Aisling, I'm Piper Cove,' a brisk voice announced next to me and I raised my eyes from my intimidating plate of food to look at the brown-haired, blue-eyed girl beside me.

'Nice to meet you,' I muttered uneasily, under her intense gaze.

'You know the prince has shown none of us any attention since this competition began. Rushing off to save you and what not,' she mused, looking me over appraisingly. 'I suppose we all know who the favourite is then.'

'Piper,' the girl beside me interrupted a little outraged, but her bubbly tone made it hard to take her seriously. 'Be nice, she's clearly been through a lot.' Piper scoffed beside me and returned her attention to what remained of her breakfast.

'Hey, I'm Alice Wonderly,' she introduced brightly, her golden curls bouncing with her bubbly attitude. 'I'm from Allens.' That was when I took in her outfit. She was wearing a bright blue dress with several ruffles but that wasn't what was so intriguing about her. On her feet she wore brown cowboy boots instead of the flimsy slippers or uncomfortable heels the rest of the girls were wearing. I also noticed there was a gold chain that was pinned to her dress that disappeared into a pocket and a delicate silver necklace that had a small white rabbit hanging from it. I found myself admiring her confidence to stand apart in a room full of girls who all seemed to have gotten the same message on how to dress, extravagant and over the top. Some of their jewellery was so large and bright, it was almost blinding.

'I'm so glad you are finally out of your room. I've been dying to meet the girl the prince ran off to find,' she gushed and I didn't sense any of the bitterness or resentment I could feel from some of the other girls. Startlingly, she took my hand in hers and I was forced to look in her eyes.

'Your eyes are so beautiful. You know many people believe the eyes are the window to a person's soul.' She informed me seriously and I found myself wanting to pull my hand away from her as she leaned a little closer than I would have liked.

'It's so bright,' she whispered and I started to question her mental stability. All of a sudden she released my hand, leaving me stunned beside her as she turned to the girl on her other side, chatting away incessantly about tea parties on the moon.

'You don't get used to her,' Piper commented and I turned back to her a little dazed from my conversation.

'Is she…' I trailed off, unsure how to word my question about the curious girl.

'Crazy? No, for the most part she's very intelligent. Sometimes, you lose her in the mixed up, mangled web which some refer to as her mind, but she's harmless.' Piper said looking over at Alice who was still talking animatedly.

'So what happened to you Aisling? That bruise your maids have tried to cover on your face and the limp when you walk tell me it was something horrific,' she asked bluntly and I recoiled from her question, tugging the sleeves of my cardigan down over my wrists, nervously.

'I don't want to talk about it,' I muttered looking down at my untouched food.

'I won't be the last to ask you that question,' she warned, knowingly. 'All the girls here are very interested in you lady Aisling.'

'They shouldn't be, I'm nothing special,' I muttered, shifting anxiously in my chair.

'The prince thinks otherwise and everyone seems to see that but you. Watch your back Lady Aisling because many of the girls here are ready to sink a knife in it as soon as you're not looking.' Suddenly, she got to her feet gracefully and straightened her dress before walking away. I realised most of the room had cleared out during our conversation. Looking around the only people left were the prince and the group of unhappy looking girls at the end of the table.

Adam, caught my eye and winked at me before getting to his feet and walking over.

'You haven't eaten anything,' he frowned taking the chair beside me.

'I'm not that hungry,' I grumbled returning my eyes to my lap.

'Your ribs would say otherwise,' he motioned, brushing his hand against my protruding rib cage, the layers of fabric couldn't conceal. I shifted away from him, his touch sending unwelcome warmth through my body.

'How about I help you back to your room then? You're looking a little worn out,' He said softly, taking my hand in his. I quickly pulled it back and saw the rejection flash across his face.

'No, thank you, I'll be fine to get there on my own.' I replied defiantly, crossing my arms over my chest.

'Oh, all right then, I guess I'll see you later,' He answered, embarrassed by my rejection. I continued to stare angrily at the table until he had left the room and it was just me and the grumpy group of girls at the end of the table.

Letting out a tired breath, I gingerly got to my feet, not sparing them a glance, uninterested in their hostility.

I was almost to the doors before I realised they had gotten up from their seats as well. Suddenly, the six of them were standing before me in all their extravagant glory, blocking the doorway from me.

'Excuse me,' I muttered, hoping they would simply let me pass. When they didn't move I made to go around them but a hand shot out and clamped tightly around my shoulder, causing me to wince slightly at a bruises I didn't know I had.

Despite my best efforts to hide my discomfort, I knew they realised they had hurt me by the maniacal grin on the girl's face. I looked up at her and assumed she must have been their leader. She had a certain air about her that commanded everyone's attention. She had straight ebony hair and a slightly tanned completion. She was tall and willowy just like the others who stood slightly behind her. Looking at all of them it was obviously they were all breathtakingly beautiful and they knew it.

'Hello lady Aisling,' she purred and I tried not to flinch at her unnaturally smooth voice. 'We just wanted to introduce ourselves, the prince gave the impression you might be a little lonely,' she patronised and I felt my face twist in anger but she continued her childish introductions.

'I'm Medea Linh, this is Corabella,' she said motioning towards the girl on her left, who had brown hair and brown eyes that were glaring down at me menacingly, 'this is Poppy,' the girl she indicated to had blonde hair and startling blue eyes that felt like they were analysing me harshly. 'And that's Anastasia, Madeline and Penelope.' I didn't have time to look at the other three, assuming they were equally beautiful and tall. Medea quickly pulled my attention back to her by holding my shoulder tighter and I fought the urge to cry out.

'Nice to meet you,' I muttered, trying to subtly shake her hold but she didn't release my shoulder.

'I can't say we feel the same way lady Aisling,' she glared down at me, making me feel even smaller than I already was. 'You pose a problem for us. You steal all the prince's time and attention, even when you were unconscious.'

'I don't want his attention,' I shot back, but as usual no one paid my words any attention and she carried on her monologue as if I hadn't spoken at all.

'You need to stop your foolish behaviour, you would be a sorry excuse for a princess. You have nothing to offer this country. You don't deserve the chance to try,' I didn't want to be princess, I didn't want any of this. Why was I being blamed for something I never had any control over?

'Stop coveting all the prince's attention or we will make life very difficult for you,' she threatened before turning on her exceptionally high heels, the five other "Willows" storming off behind her in a flurry of bright skirts and clicking heels.

'Wonderful, I'm only out of my room for a day and already I have enemies,' I muttered, shuffling slowly out the door of the dining room. I came to an abrupt stop only moments later when I realised I didn't know which corridor to take.

I looked at the three options, not really in the mood for another aimless stroll around the palace. After a few moments of thought I decided on the left one, walking down it, not too hopeful in the prospects of returning to my room anytime soon. This was the moment when I regretted declining Adam's offer. I could have avoided so much trouble if I had just let him take me back to my room.

Marinda

I was hurrying down the corridors by the kitchens looking nervously over my shoulder hoping I wouldn't find my father chasing after me. It was an accident this time, I didn't mean to release the seven canaries in my father's office. I was just going to rearrange his papers and then take the birds outside to the avery but then I knocked them over and they went everywhere. I didn't know what to do so I closed the door to the room and ran to the other side of the palace, trying to get as far away from the scene of the crime as possible. I just rounded a corner when I found a girl sitting on one of the window seats and I recognised her immediately. She looked so sad, staring out the window longingly. I wondered what she was thinking about as I approached her. She didn't notice me at first.

'Lady Zander?' I asked a little confused as to why she was over this side of the palace.

'It's Aisling,' I heard her mutter, but she didn't turn to face me.

'It is you,' I answered excitedly and finally she turned to face me. 'What are you doing over this side of the palace? The only thing over here is the kitchens and the hospital wing.'

'I was trying to find my room, but honestly, I don't even remember what it looks like.' She admitted sadly and I almost laughed. She wasn't anywhere near the selected's rooms. I would know I had already scoped them all out trying to get to know all the girls better and possibly planning out an attack.

'The palace is pretty big,' I admitted, barely hiding my amusement. 'It's hard to figure it out, but you aren't even close. Didn't you come from there this morning to get to the dining room? Why didn't you just follow the same way back?'

'I couldn't find my way to the dining room either, a guard took pity on my after about twenty minutes of aimless wandering.'

'Maybe we should draw you a map?' I laughed, unable to hold it in any longer.

'It wouldn't help,' she sighed looking back out the window, and I sat on the seat beside her, watching her watch the sky.

'Maybe my brother should just stay by your side all the time so you never get lost again. I know he wouldn't be opposed to that idea.' I answered slyly.

'What are you doing on this side of the palace Princess Marinda?' She questioned, her discomfort for the conversation evident. Did she not like Adam's attention?

'Hiding, I find that's the best option after I do something to make my father angry, or at least he will be when he finds out.' I smiled guiltily.

'Do I even want to know?' She asked a little alarmed, turning back to me.

'No, I think plausible deniability is your best option.'

'Wonderful, I don't think I could take any more people hating me today,' she admitted.

'I noticed many of the girls didn't seem to be very happy about your arrival this morning at breakfast,' I mused thinking back to when Adam kissed her on the forehead in front of them all. Some of them looked like they wanted to kill her because of the simple sign of affection.

'Apparently, I'm stealing all of Adam's attention from them and they aren't happy about it.' I smiled at her casual use of Adam's name. I don't even think she noticed she was doing it.

'I don't suppose they would be. Have you met Medea Linh yet?'

'We've already had words, apparently, I'm to somehow stop your brother from spending time with me. If I knew how to do that I would have done it already.' She finished a little frustrated. I had tried to tell Adam about Medea but he wouldn't listen to me, I was just his sixteen year old baby sister who couldn't possibly understand what was going on.

'Did she hurt you?' I asked her cautiously.

'Nothing, I can't handle,' she answered brushing off my concern.

'If you tell Adam he'll fix it. He'll probably do anything for you, just to make you happy.' I admitted truthfully. That boy was lost to this girl and she had no idea or refused to believe it. I could see why he was so obsessed, I just hoped she didn't break his heart. He was still my brother and I wanted to see him happy.

'It's my problem, I can handle it,' she answered determinedly and I realised that there was a fire behind her eyes I hadn't notice before. Maybe she wasn't as defenceless as I first thought.

I looked at her for a moment trying to decide what Medea had done but then I shook it off and jumped from the window seat and stood beside her.

'Let's go,' I announced, extending my arm as she looked at it accusingly.

'Where are we going?' She asked carefully, still not taking my arm.

'I'm going to help you find your room,' I announced, knowing exactly which one was hers.

'Be warned, I don't move fast,' she said finally taking my extended arm and I took most of her weight to help her to her feet.

'That's all right. I need an alibi anyway and this is perfect,' I smiled mischievously.

'Glad I could be of some help,' she smiled for the first time since I had seen her on the window seat, as we walked arm in arm down the corridor. Looking at her I knew why Adam was so captivated by her. It was hard to miss, there was something in her that was special.

'Princess Marinda?' She asked after a few moments of silence and I looked down at her curiously. 'I was wondering, if you were going to make Adam mad, what would you do?'

'What do you mean? Are you planning on getting on Adam's bad side?' I asked a little confused.

'Maybe,' she replied not lifting her eyes to mine.

'What were you thinking?' I encouraged, a little excited where this was going. I had been trying to get Adam for years. It was just so hard to pull one over on him.

'I don't know yet, I was hoping you could help,' she questioned hesitantly.

'Well, he hates it whenever I go in his room and mess around with his things. I guess if you wanted to start somewhere that would be it.' I answered already thinking about the possibilities.

'Can we go there instead?' She asked and I saw the glint in her eye. This was going to be fun, Michael was always so unwilling to help me.

Amberly

'Elliot, how do you put up with your brother?' I asked the young prince as we strolled around the gardens after the rain had finally stopped. I loved the smell after it had just rained. My favourite thing to do when I was younger was to run out after the rain and jump in all the puddles to see how muddy I could get before mom and dad would call me in. When my siblings got old enough they would join me and we'd all come in dripping wet and covered from head to toe in mud.

'Ant is a good brother. He helps me when I can't talk to all the grown ups. They're so tall and sometimes I can't make sense of what they are talking about. Sometimes they ask me questions and I can't answer,' He said and I felt sorry for the little boy who was forced to live in a world of manipulative adults who were only trying to get ahead at his expense.

'What does Anthony do Elliot?' I asked curiously.

'He rescues me,' he answered simply before running ahead of me and preparing to climb a very tall pine tree. I walked over after him and sat down in a dry patch of grass under the tree as the beautiful boy climbed as high as he would dare.

I remembered the time Michael had climbed a tree and gotten stuck in one of the branches. Dad needed to climb up to rescue him, just like he always did for all of us. He had always been the hero in our eyes when we were growing up, but his hero had always been mom. Whenever he looked at our mother you could tell she was his hero everyday they were together. I wanted someone to look at me like my father looked at my mother. It was how I had drawn Anthony when he found me on the rooftop earlier. I thought I saw it when I first arrived but I was mistaken. I don't know what I saw anymore. My heart was confused. Everything I thought was clear, wasn't anymore.

I was suddenly jolted from my thoughts by the voice of the annoying prince.

'Hello princess, don't you look lovely in our English sunshine,' he announced obnoxiously, sitting bravely by my side. I thought after earlier he would leave me alone, but I was wrong. Here he was trying again.

'What do you want?' I growled as the oblivious boy above us, rustled in the branches of the tree.

'Now, that's no way to greet your future husband,' he scolded with a playful smile, only making my blood run hotter. Why couldn't he take a hint? I didn't enjoy his games. I felt my anger spike as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, but I quickly elbowed him in the side making him withdraw the arm to rub at his side. However, he was laughing so I didn't think my elbow had the desired effect.

'Glad to see I'm growing on you,' he chuckled.

'Hardly,' I scoffed, moving to get up but suddenly his arm was wrapped around my waist and I tumbled into his lap, my eyes wide with horror and disdain. Who did he think he was?

'Anthony, let me go this instant or I'll-,'

'You'll what love, leave?' He mocked, and all I wanted to do was slap that smug look off his face. Where was the repentant prince from earlier this afternoon? I wanted him back.

'I can't stand you,' I hissed, just inches from his face.

'Luckily you're sitting then,' he retorted with his cocky smile.

'Why are you so infuriating?' I groaned in exasperation, trying to pull from his grasp but his arms were linked tightly around my waist and I couldn't go anywhere.

'I'd be boring otherwise and the you'd never fall for my boyish charm.'

'I'm not falling for anything. You overestimate your appeal.'

'No, love, you underestimate how far you've already fallen,' he whispered against my ear, finally releasing me from his hold. I quickly got to my feet, throwing him one last scathing look before storming away from the conceited prince.

'Oh Amberly,' he sung, but I didn't slow my pace as I marched back to the castle. 'Remember the ball to announce our engagement's next week and you'll get the chance to spend the entire evening on my arm.'

'Lucky me,' I mumbled, ignoring the odd flutter in my stomach at the thought of spending the whole night in his arms.

Anthony

I watched her walk away smiling to myself. I had spent a long time on the roof before coming down to find her again, considering everything and I had come to the conclusion that I just needed to try harder to win her over. I already knew she cared for me, from my stunt a few days ago, I just needed for her to truly admit it to herself.

'She's perfect, isn't she Elliot?' I asked as my younger brother climbed back down from the tree.

'I don't think she likes you very much Ant.' He answered dropping to the ground beside me in a heap.

'She's falling in love with me Elliot, she just doesn't know it yet,' this I was sure of. I got to my feet and helped Elliot to his and we both started to walk back to the castle.

'Ant?' Elliot asked cautiously.

'Yes, buddy?' I asked following the path my princess had taken.

'I need to tell you something, about Amberly,' he said nervously.

'What is it?' I asked curiously, a little amused by my little brother's anxiety.

'I asked her to marry me,' he admitted guiltily and I tried really hard to hide my amusement.

'What did she say?' I asked gravely as if he had wronged me.

'No, she said we should just be friends.' He said in one big breath. I think her answer was as much a relief to him as it was to her.

'Why did you ask her Elliot?' I asked, confused why my younger brother, who was afraid of girls would ask one to marry him.

'I thought she needed saving, like when you save me,' he answered as I opened the door for him.

'What do you think now?'

'She doesn't need to be rescued, does she?'

'No, she's perfectly capable of saving herself,' I smiled, just thinking about how mad I could make her, when it was obvious I was the only one who need saving from her.

'Then why would she need you?' He asked innocently and I paused for a moment still holding the door open, pondering my younger brother's wise question. He stopped to look back at me, as I tried to come up with a reason.

'You know what Elliot? I think I might need her more than she'll ever need me.' I mused, confident in my answer. Since we were young she was the only girl not to fall for my charm. The only girl to push me away and it only made me love her more. I wasn't afraid to admit that Amberly Schreave had stolen my heart when she was ten years old and scolding me for picking flowers in her mother's garden. I was terrified that she would run away with it, leaving an empty gap in my chest where it once was.

'Why?' Elliot demanded, bringing my thoughts back to the present.

'Because Elliot, she makes my heart happy and the most important treasure in the world is a happy heart.' He nodded at me as if all of this made complete sense to him and a boy like me could find his bliss with a fiery tempered princess.

I left Elliot to return to my office and maybe get some work done that I had been ignoring the past few days but when I arrive at my office I knew that was never going to happen. Apparently, the truce between my father and I hadn't lasted very long.

'What is his obsession with string traps?' I muttered looking at the millions of lengths of string criss crossing around the room. What does he do all day?

Slowly, I walked into my office looking around for the water balloons but when I accidentally bumped one I almost jumped out of my skin. These ones were not rigged with water balloons. I was covered in confetti and my ears were still ringing from the first cracker when several more went off after I had jumped in fright the first time.

'It's about time you returned to your office,' my father chastised playfully from my door watching his masterpiece. 'You've been gone for days.'

'I'm sorry I wasn't here to entertain you. I was busy trying to find Amberly.' I answered dusting off some of the confetti.

'I noticed she refused to look at you at meal times.' He laughed and I shook my head at his lack of concern for my problems.

'She has been hiding from me for the past few days, ever since I faked my own death,' I replied stepping over a few threads of string to get to my desk.

'And you abandoned your duties to chase after her?' He demanded in mock outrage.

'You can't talk, how long did this take you?' I replied motioning to the mess that was once my office.

'Long enough,' He smiled. 'But it was definitely worth it.'

'I'm glad,' I answered distractedly.

'How is Amberly, Anthony?' He asked seriously, straightening up from his slouched position in my doorway.

'I'm not sure yet, I'm almost certain she cares for me but I'm a lot to handle,' I admitted looking at my father, a little lost.

'She'll come round,' he said confidently.

'How can you be so sure?' I asked exasperatedly.

'Your mother did,' he answered simply, shrugging his shoulders and turning back to his office. Sometimes, I wished my father was a little more serious, but then he wouldn't be him.

However, he was right. Mum was and still is very serious. I had seen it first hand when my dad did something she didn't approve of. She was always there pulling him back in line and I knew at the end of it all they loved each other even more for it. Why couldn't Amberly give us a chance?

I sighed heavily and went to rest my head on the desk but instead I fell out of my chair as ten more crackers went off and I heard the distant laughter of my father from his office. He was going to pay for this.

I know a lot of you wanted more Amberly and Anthony and I know in this one there was a lot of Aisling but I promise their time is coming. The chapter was exceptionally long because I wanted to give you guys more of Amberly and Anthony. I hope it has satisfied you until next time. I'll make the chapter more focused on them. It was just I already had this written. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it :)

Maxon's rose, thank you for reading and reviewing, I'm glad you're enjoying it and I hope you liked the Anthony and Amberly in this chapter.

Thank you to every one whose been reading and reviewing, until next time my lovely readers.