Anthony

'Dad, she hasn't come out of her room since last night', I told my father fearfully. After she left me last night and I entered the ballroom again it was alight with murmuring about the fight between myself and my princess. The murmurings only got worse when I made an announcement to thank them for attending, alone. I mentioned our engagement of course but I didn't miss the skeptical looks in the crowd or their questioning glances. They all said the same thing, 'Where is your fiancé?'

I left her alone last night to cool down, hoping she would be more forgiving in the morning, but she wasn't. Admittedly, standing outside her door for an hour, begging her to come out probably wasn't my finest moment. Finally, I came down to breakfast to find my father wearing a smug smile behind his coffee and the morning paper which had my shame plastered all over the front page. Wonderful.

'I told you that wasn't the best way to handle it,' my father teased from across the breakfast table. We were still the only two in the room.

'I don't need gloating dad, I need advice. How do I fix this?' I asked in frustration.

'Grovel,' he replied simply, putting the paper down to butter his toast calmly.

'What?'

'You need to beg, grovel and plead at her feet. Kiss them if you think it will help matters.' He shrugged.

'I can't tell if you are being serious right now,' I answered in disbelief.

'Anthony, you humiliated her last night,' my mother said entering the room and taking the seat by my obnoxious father, placing a kiss on his cheek. 'You're lucky she wasn't on the first plane back to Illea.'

'I didn't mean it. You saw her, dancing with that…that Italian,' I spat, as the anger from finding her in another man's arms last night ripped through me.

'Anthony,' my mother scolded. 'Your behaviour last night was deplorable.'

'Mum, she was being unreasonable, how could she let him dance that close to her?' I demanded.

'She was doing nothing wrong, it was a ball, people were meant to be dancing.'

'She didn't let me dance that close,' I grumbled, sitting back and crossing my arms over my chest like a petulant child. My father's annoying chuckle ringing in my ears.

'Ant! Ant!' Elliot shouted, running into the dining room clutching a piece of paper in his hand tightly. 'Look what Amberly drew for me,' he said, excitedly thrusting the paper at me and I looked down at it to find my brother sitting on the back of a very realistic dinosaur.

'Wow,' I muttered in awe, she was so talented.

'Look she drew me on a stegstastraust,' he continued eagerly, climbing onto the back of my chair and looking at the drawing over my shoulder.

'Stegosaurus,' I corrected, still looking down at her drawing.

'She gave it to me when I went to see her before breakfast,' he informed me taking the drawing from me and running over to show mum and dad.

'Wait,' I shouted, startling my younger brother a little. 'You saw her this morning? How did you get in her room?'

'I knocked silly,' he answered and I quickly got up from the table and raced towards the door.

'Anthony, maybe you should leave her for now,' my father suggested with an amused chuckle. However, I ignored his suggestion and pushed past a startled Jared, running through the castle, almost knocking over two maids in my haste to get to her.

Finally, I reached her door and started pounding on it.

'Amberly,' I shouted at the closed door. 'Open up, I need to talk to you.'

'Go away Anthony. I don't want to see you,' she answered angrily only causing me to slam my fist against the door with renewed ferocity.

'Please Amberly, open the door. We need to talk about this,' I begged.

'I don't need to discuss anything with you,' she sniped and I could almost feel her anger through the door and it caused me to pause mid knock. What if she came out breathing fire? I wouldn't be surprised.

'Amberly, I'm sorry, please let me in,' I answered bravely, reminding myself that my fiancé wasn't a fire breathing dragon. 'You can yell at me all you want, just…talk to me.' I begged, dropping my hand to my side and hanging my head in defeat.

I waited several long minutes until surprisingly the door cracked open and half her body was revealed to me. I took a hasty step back from her glowering look and knew I should have been dead with the severity of her glare.

'Amberly?' I asked cautiously, stepping towards her gingerly, afraid of what she might do.

'I want you to admit your behaviour was unwarranted and you are a despicable human being for what you did to me last night,' she demanded in a low voice opening the door fully but blocking my entrance to her room. However, at that moment, the last place I wanted to be was alone in a room with an unpredictable Amberly.

'Well?' She prompted impatiently and I could almost feel the fire from her eyes scorching my skin.

'You're right Amberly,' I sighed.

'About what?' She smiled smugly, looking up at me triumphantly.

'My behaviour was unwarranted,' I ground out, like a child reciting lines in the classroom.

'And?'

'I'm a despicable human being for what I did to you last night.' I finished, my wounded pride on full display. Maybe I should have just let her roast me. It might have been less painful than this.

'Thank you,' she stated before she turned and slammed the door, harshly, in my face.

'Amberly?' I demanded, outraged before I began knocking viciously on her closed door again. 'Open up, I did what you said.'

'No, I don't wish to speak with you,' she shouted back obnoxiously and I felt my anger begin to heat within my body.

'Then why did you make me say all those things if you weren't going to let me talk to you?' I yelled, trying the handle but she had locked it again.

'Because, that's who you are. You should learn to admit your faults,' she answered haughtily.

'You can't stay in there forever Amberly,' I answered, clenching my fists at my sides.

'I don't plan to. Just until my grandfather arrives,' she answered smugly.

'What? When is he coming?' I asked, a little fearful of the arrival of her grandfather. I'd heard stories about him from my father. He never liked the former king. When we visited last time I saw a tension pass between the two and when I asked him about it he simply said there was history between Clarkson and queen America which he didn't agree with.

'I already asked your mother Anthony and she said it was fine,' she answered. 'He'll be here this afternoon.'

'Amberly, what are you doing?' However, I was only met with her silence. After several minutes of her ignoring me I finally left in a huff. My mother was going to hear about this.

Adam

I had been in here for hours. I just needed to keep my hands busy and my mind blank. I couldn't deal with all the emotions flooding my heart and spilling over into my mind. How could this have happened?

I let my hands fall limply against the piano, hearing the noise of mistimed keys and rested my chin against my chest shutting my eyes against the pain. Why was everything so complicated?

'Prince Adam?' I heard a sweet voice ask from behind me and I jumped in alarm.

'Oh, sorry my dear. I didn't hear you come in,' I apologised turning to find Medea hesitantly walking into the room.

'Is everything all right?' She asked in concern and I tried to give her a reassuring smile as she approached me but I don't think I was very successful.

'Its fine, my dear,' I answered as she stopped only a few steps away from me.

'Did you want some company?' She asked with a warm smile and for some reason I found myself agreeing. I thought all I wanted to be was alone, to wallow in my mistakes but strangely I was craving attention, comfort. Anything to distract me from the hatred I had found in Aisling's eyes yesterday and her last words running on repeat in my mind. Yet despite it all I found myself wishing it was a different girl who was perched beside me on the piano stool.

'You play very well your highness,' she said in a soft voice and I looked over at her as she fingered some of the keys.

'Please, call me Adam.' I had asked her several times before but it seemed this time she was willing to indulge me.

'All right, Adam,' she smiled. She was beautiful. Her long dark hair flowing freely down her back and her almond shaped eyes so focused. A terrible thought rushed through me and I quickly worked to squash it down, to hide my feelings, to hide from every thought that was about Aisling. She didn't want anything to do with me anymore. There were still twenty-six other girls here who wanted to fight to be my wife whereas all Aisling was fighting for was to be as far away from me as possible. She had never wanted me and now that I had betrayed her there wasn't any chance of it happening in the future. Over the sleepless night I had gone through several stages of denial and unmanageable anger. How could I be falling for a girl who refused to give me chance?

'Do you play?' I asked trying to shake all thoughts of Aisling from my head.

'Since I was four,' she admitted bashfully and I watched as her fingers twitched above the keys. It was a familiar feeling for me whenever I was around an instrument. It was so natural to play, as if it were simply an extension of who I was. I realised I had never even revealed this side of me to Aisling. Thinking about all the time we had ever spent together I realised she knew hardly anything about me. How could she when she always refused to be near me? Yet here was a girl who shared my love of music and was willing to sit with me even when I wasn't at my best. Was this what love was meant to be like?

'Would you like to play something with me?' I asked with a genuine, if somewhat small, smile.

'I would like that very much,' she smiled looking down at the piano keys.

Feeling the keys beneath my fingers I felt all thoughts wash away from me but I could still feel Medea beside me playing the notes perfectly. I could feel myself smiling and I didn't even know why. It was nice to feel this free as if the weight of what happened yesterday no longer sat so heavily on my shoulders. Being away from Aisling gave me perspective. Maybe not everything needed to be as complicated as it was with her but in my heart I knew it refused to let her go. My mind may be arguing heartily for her to leave, to fight for self preservation but my heart was adamant in it's resolve. In the end it didn't matter which side won the battle because Aisling had already made her decision and I needed to come to terms with it. I didn't know anything that would make her forgive me.

When the song finally came to an end I looked up to find Medea watching me with pensive eyes. How long had I been sitting here lost in thought?

'Sorry,' I muttered.

'Do you want to talk about what has you so upset Adam?' She asked gently, resting her hand delicately on my forearm and I felt warmth from the contact spread around my body.

'I'm not ready for that yet,' I admitted sadly and felt guilty for the look of disappointment which crossed her face, but how could I tell her about my heart ache for another girl?

'We can talk about anything,' she offered and I shook my head.

'How about I play you another song?' I smiled woodenly before turning back to the piano and playing out a melancholy tune. She sat quietly by my side, simply watching as I lost myself to the mood of the music. When I felt her thigh brush mine I faltered slightly but continued to play, a confused thought rushing thorough my mind. Boldly, she outstretched her hand and pushed back some of my blond hair, letting her hand rest there longer than necessary.

When silence consumed the room I looked over at her and noticed she had inched herself closer to me. Apart from Aisling, Medea had always been one of the girls I had enjoyed spending time with. Over the past few days, when Aisling had been hidden away, I spent quite a few hours with her, more than any of the other girls.

Before I knew what was happening she had leaned into me and I felt myself do the same until our lips met and her hands quickly came to entangle themselves in my hair pulling me closer. I hesitated only a moment as Aisling's green eyes flashed across my vision but I quickly pushed the image aside. There was no future in those thoughts.

It was a strange sensation and as soon as we both pulled away I felt guilt wash over me. What had I done? Most startling of all was that although the kiss was nothing like the one I shared with Aisling, I found I didn't hate it. In fact, it was quite pleasant and I almost leant back in but finally I came to my senses when I heard movement at the door.

'Your highness, Lady Medea needs to be in the women's room so we can prepare the girls for the report tonight,' Anne announced when I turned around.

'Right, of course,' I answered a little shakily as my mind descended into chaos. Medea slowly got to her feet and followed Anne out of the room, throwing me one last glance before disappearing.

I let out a long sigh, running my hands through my hair wishing the answers would hit me in the face.

'Your highness?' Anne's voice caused me to jump back from the piano in fright. I thought she had left.

'Yes, Anne?'

'I was just wondering if you had seen Lady Zander, I can't seem to find her anywhere and her maids haven't seen her this morning. I really need her with the other girls,' Anne asked a little nervously.

'I don't know where she is,' I sighed and I wasn't inclined to look for her either, not after yesterday. Wherever she was, at least I wasn't there hurting her anymore. Should I just give her what she wants? Should I just let her go?

Aisling

'Your majesty, Lady Zander,' the tutor, whose name I think was Anne, came running up to the queen and I as we walked in silence down the corridors. I was lost in my thoughts of all the things I had been told about my mother from Marlee. She sounded amazing and I wished she could have lived. Maybe if she had my life would have been different, but I couldn't think about the what ifs because then I would get lost in the images of what my life had been.

'Anne, what's the matter?' queen America asked, stopping beside me and smiling down at the slightly frantic woman.

'The report is tonight and it's the first time the girls will be formally presented to the public and Lady Zander needs to be educated on how to act. Considering how much she has already missed.' The woman shot me a harsh look but there was a kindness behind her eyes that stopped me from curling back from her.

'I'm sorry Anne it was my fault, I guess we just lost track of time,' the queen apologised.

'That's fine your majesty, but I need her now. The report is in a few hours.' Anne replied turning to me.

'What report?' I finally asked, slightly confused. No one had said anything about a report, although I hadn't really spent time with anyone recently.

'There is a report tonight where you will be introduced to the nation and Gavril will asked you a few questions about your experience in the palace.' She informed me as panic started to rise in my throat.

'Questions?' I asked breathlessly, stepping back from the two women.

'Aisling, sweetheart. It's going to be fine. There will only be a few questions.' Queen America tried to soothe.

'Why am I still here?' I muttered, feeling my feet ready themselves to run.

'Aisling,' the queen said warningly, with the hint of a warm motherly tone. No one had ever used that tone with me before and I didn't know how to respond so instead my body simply froze. 'You have to do this.' I simply shook my head, never taking my eyes from hers. I realised they were the same blue as Adam's and I felt something twist inside of me.

'Why?' I asked in a squeaky voice.

'Aisling, you're going to be fine.' She tried to reassure again. Oddly I found myself nodding and suddenly Anne had me moving swiftly down the corridor to the women's room and before I knew it I was sat beside Alice listening to Anne drone on and on about the proper etiquette and how to answer the questions in a ladylike fashion.

'Where have you been?' Alice asked in a whisper so Anne didn't find her out.

'Around,' I shrugged, staring listlessly out the window at the sun shinning outside.

'No, you haven't, no one sees you,' she said but there was no accusation in her tone. 'I thought you were with Adam all this time but I know the other girls have been spending time with him. So where have you been?'

'I've been busy,' I answered vaguely wishing Alice was her crazy self rather than this one with all the questions.

'With what, you never come to the lessons and I can tell it makes Anne angry. What are you doing Aisling?'

'It doesn't matter, all right. Please just leave me alone,' I begged, looking back at her desperately. I just wanted to be left alone. I wanted to process everything I had learnt about my mom. Every story Marlee told me about her made me feel closer to her in some way and I wanted to keep running them through my head so I wouldn't forget them. I didn't want to forget anything about her. I wanted Adam to be the furthest thing from my mind but he popped up now and then. After what the queen had told me I kept picturing him as a young boy, holding a small child in his arms. A girl, with green eyes and golden hair. Me.

I didn't want that image in my head. It made it almost impossible for me to be mad at him, but not entirely impossible. I fingered my silver bracelet, reminding myself of what he had been keeping from me. He had taken the only thing my mother had left me and he had withheld the identity of my father like it was his right to keep information from me. What gave him that right?

I didn't care if he thought he was protecting me, it hurt. Everything hurt. I thought just for a moment I could choose a new dream and I thought if only for a sliver of time that he could be that, but then my world shattered and I found again that the world was filled with people who I couldn't trust. Flora was the only one I could trust and she wasn't here anymore. That left me, alone, but that kiss.

Above everything else last night that was the moment that kept playing through my mind, keeping me awake. Even now, after everything I had learnt about my mother I still felt the ghost of his lips. I had never felt so alive in my life, so safe and I was frightened that maybe I could never feel that way again. Then I remembered I didn't trust him. I could never trust him. He had lied like everyone else and now I was exactly where I had always been, dreaming of an escape.

'Lady Zander, have you listened to anything I have been saying for the past hour?' Anne demanded jarring me from my internal monologue.

'No-I mean yes?' I answered uncertainly as sniggers from the other girls broke out around the room.

'Pay attention, you need the most help of anyone here,' she sighed before returning her attention back to the rest of the room where most of the girls were still laughing or shooting me smug looks. None more so than Medea. It was as if she had won something over me, I just didn't know what race we had been running.

Finally, the torture was over and we had a few hours before we needed to be on the set of the report and as usual I found myself wandering the palace. I never wanted to spend too much time in my rooms, my maids always had concerned looks and an endless supply of questions I just didn't want to answer.

'Lady Aisling?' I spun at the familiar voice and a smile spread across my face without me realising it.

'Mr Schreave,' I beamed as he walked over confidently. Despite him no longer being King he still walked with the authority of a ruler. Tall and strong, commanding the attention of others and demanding the respect of those around him.

'Clarkson, Aisling, we are passed the formalities,' he smiled. 'And why aren't you with my grandson?' He asked playfully, offering me his arm, like he always did whenever he found me wandering the palace.

'It's complicated,' I muttered, keeping my eyes focused on the ground as he led me down the corridor.

'Why don't you decode it for me then? I'm too old for complicated' He chucked and I couldn't help but laugh with him.

'Adam and I…we're not really talking at the moment,' I answered awkwardly. Not wanting to go into the details with Adam's grandfather.

'Would this have anything to do with the stunt you pulled on Michael?' He asked, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

'No, this was after that,' I answered, my cheeks burning red. Of course he knew about that. Why had I thought that was a good idea?

'How about we go and have some tea before the report tonight and you can tell me all about your argument with my grandson. He's been moping around and banging things all morning and most of last night.'

'I don't really want to talk about it,' I muttered as we came to Clarkson's door.

'Well, we can talk about anything you want, as long as you do,' he smiled down at me giving my arm a tight squeeze. Just before we made it inside my smile fell from my face as my eyes locked with a set of blue ones and I quickly ducked away afraid of what I might find within them. I told myself I didn't want to see his pain, and I didn't, but what I really didn't want to see and what I didn't want to admit was that I feared I would find hatred in his eyes. There was something else I was afraid of seeing but I refused to even think about it because the emotion was too terrifying.

Once I was inside Clarkson's room I finally let out the breath I didn't even know had been caged in my chest.

Adam

Apparently, I hadn't had enough time away from her because just seeing her for a second had my heart racing and my breath completely evading me. How did she do that?

Once, she disappeared inside my grandfather's room I turned for my parents room. Maybe they would have some advice because I didn't want to live like this. She wouldn't let me try and I couldn't let her go.

'Oh Maxon, thank goodness, I can't get this zip up and Mary had to rush off. Can you help me please?' My mother asked, not bothering to turn around and see who had entered her room. My body froze when she lifted her hair from her back and I saw what was hidden beneath, what had been hidden from me my entire life.

I walked towards her slowly, never taking my eyes off the scars on her back, a thousand questions running through my mind and anger bubbling under the surface of my skin. Who had done this to my mother?

Down her back were long silver scars, crossing over one another. If you looked close enough you could count six distinct marks on her back and I felt my stomach turn.

'Maxon?' She asked in confusion turning to face me. Immediately her eyes went wide when she saw it was me instead of my father and she quickly dropped her hair but didn't move from where she stood.

'Mom,' I started shakily. 'Why do you have scars?'

'Adam, they're from a long time ago, you were never meant to know,' she tried to soothe but all I could see were the scars cutting across my mother's back.

'I don't understand, you're a queen. How can you have scars like that?' I asked, feeling my anger begin to boil. 'Does dad know?'

'Sweetheart,' My mother laughed humourlessly as I realised the stupidity of my question.

'Who did it?' I asked in a low voice, keeping my eyes firmly on my mother's.

'Adam, it's in the past,' she answered vaguely.

'Mom, who did that to you?' I ground out through clenched teeth but she didn't answer me and we stood in a tense silence.

'Hello Adam,' at my father's voice my mother's face immediately flooded with relief. He crossed the room to her not knowing the gravity of the conversation mom and I were sharing. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple before he turned back to me, not noticing my angry stance and glare.

'How did mom get her scars?' I demanded, ignoring my mother's pleading look. Dad looked at me in shock and then turned to my mother.

'I thought it was you,' she whispered, dropping her head and for the first time in my life I questioned the dark look that sometimes crossed my father's face.

'Did you give them to her?' I asked incredulously.

'Adam no, your father would never hurt me,' mom answered quickly pulling away from my startled father and taking both of my hands in her own.

'I got them a long time ago, before I married your father.'

'When?' I demanded, looking intently into my mother's blue eyes. Slowly she turned from me and looked at my father but he had no answer, it appeared he didn't want to relive this part of my mother's history.

'During the selection,' she admitted reluctantly, turning back to face me.

'What, why?' I asked in alarm. No one was meant to harm the selected. How could my father have let this happen? He was meant to protect her.

'There's a price for rash decisions,' she replied looking away from me towards the floor of her and father's bedroom.

'What do you mean?' I watched as my mother shifted uncomfortably and all I wanted to do was hurt the person who had done this to her.

'Your mother made a very brave decision at a time when the country's future was uncertain,' my father answered gravely, walking to my mother's side, wrapping a protective arm around her waist and I knew he couldn't have done this to her.

'What kind of decision?'

'One which led to us winning the war, one that made others angry,' he finished as that familiar dark shadow played across his face. It was the same one I saw when he spoke about grandfather a few days ago.

'Who did this?' I asked again, but deep down I already knew the answer.

'Your grandfather,' my mother whispered and I felt my rage boil over. How could he?

'You let grandfather hurt her?' I shouted, rounding on my father.

'I didn't know,' my father answered dejectedly, his shoulders dipping with the guilt.

'You were meant to protect her but instead you let your own father do that to mom.'

'I know Adam. Don't you think I know that?' He answered exasperatedly as if he dealt with the guilt every day. My mother rested her hand on his chest to try and calm him but he was inconsolable.

'Why is grandfather still here? Why wasn't he punished?'

'He's a different man now Adam,' my mother tried to reason but I was beyond listening to reason.

'He still hurt you,' I spat at my mother. 'Who else did he hurt?' Then realisation washed over me and I felt my heart plummet through my chest as I remembered Aisling going into his room earlier. 'Aisling,' I breathed.

'No Adam, he loves that girl, besides he would never do anything to hurt someone who means so much to you,' dad answered.

'How do you know? Look what he did to the woman you love,' I shouted, gesturing towards mom.

'He loves you Adam, and all his grandchildren. He understands now the importance of family. He didn't back then.' Dad said sadly.

'I can never trust him again. I can't let him hurt her. I can't let my own grandfather be the source of more suffering for her.'

'Adam, please, calm down,' my mother tried to soothe.

'No, it's unacceptable that someone was allowed to hurt you like they did. Why didn't you do something father?'

'It was a very complex situation Adam. Illea was falling. We couldn't risk it getting out. We needed to be united,' dad tried to explain but I didn't want to hear it.

'You were weak. You should have protected mom. Instead you allowed her to be hurt by your own father.' I yelled, disgustedly at my father who wore a dejected, guilty look on his face.

'Enough Adam, you will not disrespect your father in this way. This is something between myself, your father and your grandfather. It is in the past and it is something we have all suffered for.' Mom scolded, but I was past the point of listening to either of them defend the man who had given mom those scars.

'I will not make your mistakes dad. Grandfather will not get anywhere near Aisling ever again. I'm sure he thinks even less of her than he ever did of mom but she is everything to me.' I growl before storming out on my parents and across the hall to where I saw Aisling disappear moments before. She already had so many scars I wouldn't let him inflict anymore, who knew the ones she was still hiding from me.

Aisling

'Are your ready for the report tonight?' Clarkson asked and I felt my cheeks flame.

'Umm…well, I was present when we were discussing it but…my mind was on other things.' I admitted reluctantly.

'It's not going to be too tricky, just answer the questions and you should be fine,' he chuckled as I took another sip from my tea.

'Maybe I'll get sent home by then,' I shrugged.

'You'll be there tonight,' he answered confidently. 'I've seen the same look in Adam's eyes as I saw in my son's during his selection. He's not going to let you go after one fight.' He may have been sure but I wasn't. The worst part was I didn't even know what I wanted anymore.

'What's England like?' I asked trying to direct the attention away from me. He had told me he was leaving soon to be with princess Amberly and I wanted to know about this new place.

'Cold and wet,' he chuckled. 'But Amberly's there, so that makes it infinitely better.' How could this man have ever been perceived as a monster? If they had seen the way he talked about his grandchildren, especially Amberly, they would have known whatever monster they believed him to be didn't exist.

Suddenly, we were interrupted as the doors to Clarkson's room burst open and a frantic Adam stood there, eyes darting around the room until they settled on me. I had spilt some of my tea on myself and quickly set it on the table as he marched over to me. What was he so angry about? I hadn't done anything today to warrant that anger. In fact I'd never done anything to warrant that anger and I never wanted to. He was frightening and I felt myself tremble and move away from him instinctively.

'Aisling,' he breathed and suddenly I was on my feet, my heart filling with fear.

'Adam, what's wrong?' I faintly heard his grandfather ask over the sound of my heart pumping in my ears.

'Don't you come near her again,' he warned but I was too terrified to comprehend his words. What was he going to do?

'Adam, you need to calm down,' Clarkson reasoned and I realised the tears were already falling down my face, but Adam wasn't paying attention.

'I don't need to do anything you say. I can't believe you did that to my mother,' he accused and I tried to pull free from him as his hand bit into my skin through my thin cardigan. Clarkson didn't answer and Adam went on yelling at him.

'Adam,' I whimpered but he didn't hear me.

'Adam, let her go,' Clarkson said in an even tone, looking down at me in concern.

'No, I don't want you coming anywhere near her, ever again. You've hurt enough people, you won't hurt her,' he growled.

'Adam, look at Aisling then tell me whose hurting her,' Clarkson gestured towards me and finally Adam looked down at me.

'Aisling?' He asked in alarm, bending so his face was level with mine.

'I'm sorry,' I whispered.

'What?' Adam asked with a raised voice, causing me to recoil from him.

'Adam, you need to calm down,' Clarkson answered in a soothing tone.

'You stay away from her,' Adam answered warningly, trying to pull me behind him.

'Please,' I breathed.

'Aisling, what's wrong?' Adam asked, sinking down in front of me again.

'Don't hurt me.'

'What? Aisling I would-' Then it seemed he finally allowed himself to think about his actions. 'I'm so sorry Aisling. I would never hurt you.' I couldn't answer so instead I just stared into his familiar blue eyes and tried to get my breathing under control.

'Aisling you need to believe me. I would never hurt you.' Finally, I was able to nod my head and I felt him relax before he pulled me in gently to his chest until all I could hear was his racing heart and all I could feel were his safe arms wrapped tightly around me.

'I'm sorry,' he kept murmuring into my hair but I was solely focused on the rhythmic beat beneath his chest.

'Adam?' I finally said after several minutes of silence. 'Why can't I spend time with you grandfather?'

'He's not the man I thought he was,' Adam ground out shooting his grandfather an angry look.

'Adam, I think we should talk about this,' Clarkson reasoned taking a step towards us but Adam kept me firmly positioned behind him and I looked up at his back in confusion.

'There's nothing to talk about,' Adam shot back but I couldn't see his grandfather's reaction.

'I'm leaving for London in an hour, so you don't need to worry about me spending anymore time with her,' I heard Clarkson answer emotionlessly.

'You really think Amberly will want you there after I tell her what you did to our mother?' Adam snarled and I grabbed his hand, afraid he might attack his grandfather. His head quickly snapped back down to me and instantly his face softened.

'Let's go Aisling,' he said before turning and dragging me from the room. I cast a quick look back at his grandfather but all I saw was a mask falling across his face. The man I had been talking to only moments before had gone and instead all that remained was an emotionless shell. Then the door closed behind me and it was just Adam and I in the corridor.

'What's going on?' I asked trying to rid myself of my pathetic tears.

'I'm sorry I scared you Aisling, you know I would never hurt you,' he answered earnestly, ignoring my question.

'Even after yesterday?' I asked quietly, knowing the answer to his question had the capacity to hurt me more than anything ever could. Why did I care?

'Aisling, you had every right to be angry with me yesterday. I should never had kept any of that from you,' he sighed.

'But you were protecting me, I shouldn't have reacted so irrationally.'

'I'm beginning to think that's the only way you know how to react,' he smiled, brushing some of my hair back from my face, tenderly.

'I still don't want to be here Adam. This isn't the place for me. I don't want to be a princess,' I answered firmly.

'You don't need to be ready right away,' he offered hopefully.

'I can't,' I whispered looking away from him.

'Okay,' he answered brightly, straightening and linking his arm with mine.

'Okay?' I asked skeptically.

'Yes, okay,' he smiled, leading me down the corridor.

'I don't understand,' I muttered. Was he finally giving up?

'Why don't you just get ready and I'll speak with you after the report?' He said before opening the door to my room where three very nervous maids were moving around frantically.

'Wait,' I said anxiously, turning around to face him but he was already gone and immediately Rose was by my side, ushering me into my room and prattling on about how little time they had to get me ready for the report, but my mind was focused on the boy who had left here with a hopeful smile on his face.

Adam

'You're looking a little happier than yesterday,' Harmonia whispered beside me.

'Well, yesterday I had no hope. Today I still have a chance,' I smiled looking over at Aisling in her deep green dress, standing out from all the rest, but that was just one man's opinion. I had noticed Medea as well, she was in a seductive red number but she was nothing compared to Aisling who was still refusing to look at me. I could tell she was nervous about being in front of the nation but they already loved her. Marinda had been giving me updates on all the girls, especially Aisling, considering she thought of her as an honouree member of her mischief making club after what happened with Michael.

'I don't understand,' Harmonia whispered her reply as another one of the girls stepped down to start their interview with Gavril. All I could think was at least I had gone on dates with several of them like my father had suggested so it looked like I was showing interest in the competition.

'I'm sure you will when you're older,' I smiled at my younger sister as her face fell into a mask of confusion.

Finally, it was Aisling's turn and then this ridiculous night would be over and I could finally talk with her. I had wanted to do it before but I needed to make sure I knew what I was going to say before I convinced her to stay. However, as I watched her walk over to Gavril I noticed she wasn't watching him or the cameras but was instead focused on me and the look on her face made me nervous. I imagined it was the look she wore as she destroyed my room and just before she kissed my brother. She had something planned and I was powerless to stop it. I nearly unravelled when she sent me a mischievous wink. This was not going to end well for me.

'So Lady Zander, you're the lucky girl who had the prince racing across the country to find you?' Gavril asked as Aisling sat beside him, but as soon as she looked at the camera's her cool demeanour slipped and I watched as her eyes went wide and all she could muster was a sight nod of her head.

'I guess I'll ask the question all of Illea wants to know, how did your friend end up here instead of you?' Gavril smiled, trying to coax some life out of the now terrified girl who sat motionless in front of the cameras.

'I never wanted to be here,' she mumbled, dropping her eyes to the ground and twisting her hands uncomfortably in her lap.

'But you attended the ball and obviously charmed our young prince?' Gavril asked, amused by Aisling's response and motioning towards me. I was sitting perfectly still watching Aisling flounder in front of the camera's but selfishly all I could think was, finally she wouldn't be able to embarrass me. When her gaze collided with mine I realised she was fighting back the pain of her lost friend, her sister, and I knew I was her target to try and get the topic off her.

'He is anything but a charming prince,' she smiled sweetly and I knew I had never dodged that bullet and I also knew I would take it every time if it meant she wouldn't get hurt.

'Please, enlighten us Lady Zander. All the other girls have had nothing but wonderful things to say about prince Adam,' Gavril pressed eagerly and I found myself thinking what an evil man he truly was. He knew Aisling wasn't going to be kind to me. Anyone could see that from the mischievous glint in her eyes. He was digging for trouble and you only had to scratch the surface to find Aisling's. The cameras were all but forgotten as she started to tell horrid lies and embarrassing truths at my expense.

'He's arrogant, selfish and has a complete disregard for others feelings, especially mine,' she emphasised shooting me a look. Gavril didn't miss this, he never did when there was scandal and gossip at stake. His eyes were alight with this exciting turn of events. A chance to embrace the crown prince of Illea.

'Do continue Lady Zander. Tell the people of Illea how you see the prince's true character. How did he get you here?' He asked, amused.

'Without my consent,' she answered innocently and I knew I couldn't let this continue.

'He didn't ask you to come here?' Gavril asked scandalously.

'He asked,' she admitted but I knew what was coming next. 'But I never agreed and yet here I am in a palace fighting for the heart of a conceited prince. A prince who refuses to let me leave despite everything I've done to convince him otherwise.'

'What have you done?'

'Well-' I had heard enough I was already by her side dragging her from the room for the second time that day.

'Hey, I was on a roll,' she complained, but I was angry.

'You are done Aisling,' I answered firmly, without looking at her. I knew everyone was watching us but I didn't care. She couldn't keep doing this, and in front of the entire nation as well.

I still knew I couldn't be as angry as I wanted to be so I gently pushed her out of the studio with my hand placed firmly on her lower back, letting the door slam shut behind me. Without even thinking I pressed my body to hers keeping her pinned against the wall.

'Aisling, why did you do that?' I demanded, desperate to keep the anger from my voice.

'I just told them the truth,' she answered defiantly, raising her chin slightly. How could she ever believe that she wasn't strong?

'What am I going to do with you?' I sighed, lost for how I should approach her next. She continued to stare up at me, challenging me. I just didn't know what the game was anymore.

'Send me away,' she growled and I couldn't believe after everything, she still didn't want to be here. I thought after everything today she may have been willing to give me another chance but maybe I was wrong.

'No,' I shot back, realising my face was barely millimetres from hers. 'What more do I need to do to make you stay?'

'There is nothing you can do. I don't want to be here. Illea is a place filled with people willing to deceive and hurt me. I want to be anywhere but here,' she replied a little unconvincingly as she stared back into my eyes.

'Please Aisling, just give me a chance,' I begged.

'The last time I gave you a chance you hurt me. I have bigger dreams than this Adam,' she replied trying to wriggle out from under me but I held her against the wall. This was my final chance and I wasn't letting her go until I was certain there was nothing more I could do to make her stay.

'Why do you need to be such a dreamer? Why can't your dreams ever be of me? A life with me?'

'Adam, sometimes you don't get to choose your dreams,' she whispered and I thought for a moment.

'Give me one month,' I blurted, completely forgetting my rehearsed speech.

'A month for what?' She asked in alarm.

'A month to win you over. If you still don't want to be here after a month I will let you go. I'll send you to Italy but only on two conditions. You need to stay with someone I know. That way I can be certain you are safe.'

'What's the second condition?' She asked skeptically.

'You need to give me a real chance, no more tricks, no more kissing my brother.' I emphasised, trying to hide my amused smile.

'And he was such-' I didn't let her finish that sentence I was too close to her to resist the temptation anymore. I lent in until my lips brushed against hers, silencing anything else she was going to say. I savoured the kiss anticipating she might be angry with me for stealing one when she hadn't yet forgiven me but when I felt her arms wrap around my neck I knew she couldn't be too angry.

'If you ever kiss him again, I'll have to lock you away in my room,' I warned pulling back from her, not missing the goosebumps which had spread rapidly across her body.

'I guess I can restrain myself,' she murmured trying to get her breath back, and I felt a triumphant smile spread across my face when I realised she didn't seem to be able to pull her eyes from my lips.

'One month?' I reminded her.

'One month,' she confirmed, finally pulling her gaze from my lips. Leaning down, I placed another quick kiss on her lips before the doors of the studio opened and the selected started flooding out.

'I have one month Aisling,' I smiled, holding her there a second longer. 'I'll be by tomorrow morning for our first official date, no sleeping in.' I warned quietly before pushing off the wall and my smile only broadened when I noticed she stumbled slightly at the lack of contact. I said goodnight to the other girls happily before disappearing down the corridor, feeling lighter than I had this morning. This was going to work, I was sure of it.

Aisling

I watched Adam disappear down the corridor, my fingers gently tracing the place his lips had been. What had just happened?

'Nicely played Aisling,' a smooth voice said beside me. I slowly pulled my eyes away from Adam's retreating back to see Medea sneering down at me, two of her dwindling 'Willows' beside her. 'I guess he'll be sending you home to your hovel soon,' she continued smugly, obviously believing that after my display in there Adam would be so enraged that he would remove me from the competition. She obviously didn't know what I had done previously to him.

'I guess you didn't hear our conversation then,' I answered haughtily finally feeling steady enough on my legs to push away from the wall. How did he do that?

'You think you're so special?' Medea asked, enraged but I didn't stick around to hear her snide remarks. I was too busy thinking about Adam's proposal. I could give him one month. I could handle this for one month, then I would finally be out of here. There was no way he could sway me from my dreams and convince me to stay, could he? That kiss had been pretty convincing.

'Traitor,' I muttered at the annoying voice inside my head. So he was a good kisser, who cares? Right?

Amberly

'Oh no,' I muttered watching the recoding of the report. My brother did not look happy. This girl was trouble in more ways than one but I didn't miss the almost smile that ghosted his face before he schooled it into anger. This girl was so far under his skin I'm not sure he even realised how deep she was.

Shutting the television off, I looked around for something to do but I had already exhausted everything and I knew Anthony had returned to wait outside my door after he returned from talking with his mother. At least I guessed that was where he went after I humiliated him and told him my grandfather was coming.

He should be here within the next hour based on the time difference. I had been counting it down since I had convinced my parents to let him come. Finally, they agreed but I think it was only because they didn't want to listen to me complain any more. I was so excited I could barely sit still but I had no way of releasing any energy because of course Anthony had come back and sat outside against my door reminding me that I couldn't stay in here forever. Little did he know, that I had the patience of the family, or maybe I was just more stubborn than most people. If I had to vote I'd choose the second option. After seeing my temper I'm sure no one would believe it was because of my patience.

'Amberly, just come out already love,' Anthony groaned. Why did he always have to call me love? It was so infuriating.

'Go away,' I shouted feeling my anger boiling. Definitely wasn't the patience keeping me here.

'Come on, I apologised for what I did last night. What more can I do?' He whined. How was this man ever going to rule a nation?

'Go away,' I emphasised, glaring at the door.

'Can't do that love,' he teased and I groaned in frustration.

'Come on, you know you can't resist me forever,' I knew he was trying the obnoxious route on purpose. I knew it was just another one of his ploys to get me out of the room but I found myself stomping over to my door and throwing it open anyway. I was satisfied for only a moment when he fell back against the floor missing the support of the door.

'Leave me alone,' I seethed down at him as he looked up at me in shock.

'You're beautiful,' he said with a lazy smile and I narrowed my eyes at him.

'Go away,' I repeated before turning to slam the door on him but something had latched onto my leg and I looked down to find him on his stomach holding my leg like a preschooler afraid to leave his mother on the first day.

'What are you doing?' I growled down at him.

'Please, Amberly, I promise I will never act that way again. Please don't lock me out again,' he whined shamelessly from the floor keeping my ankle locked in both of his arms.

'How old are you?' I demanded looking down the corridor to see if anyone else was witnessing this display.

'As old as you want me to be,' he replied.

'You're insane,' I hissed bending down to pry his arms off my legs.

'Only for you love,' he smiled.

'Get off,' I sighed in exasperation, making no progress in getting my leg free.

'How about we have lunch together?' He asked.

'How about you let my leg go and I may allow you to live?' I smiled sweetly, giving it another tug but he held firmly.

'I'd take her advice Anthony, you saw what she could do with a paintball gun,' Jared chuckled walking down the corridor.

'Jared, please help get your brother off me?' I asked, stepping into the corridor around Anthony, dragging him behind me.

'Umm…I'm choosing not to get involved in this lovers squabble. I, unlike my brother, do remember what you can do with a loaded weapon.' He answered edging down the corridor. Unfortunately, due to the leech attached to my leg I was unable to follow him.

'Guess you're stuck with me?' Anthony laughed and I turned to glare back down at him.

'I'm going t-…ouch!' I shouted as he pulled my leg out from under me and I landed heavily on my rear.

'Hello love,' he beamed.

'I cannot believe you just did that?' I said in disbelief moving to get up.

'Sure you can, I've done much worse,' he continued to smile his smug smile and I was almost tempted to kick it right off his face.

'What is wrong with you?' I asked brushing myself off and moving back to my door but he was on his feet in no time, blocking my escape.

'Many things, but at the moment your refusal to listen to me is the most pressing issue.'

'Well, I think you need to update that list because this may just take precedence,' I smiled as his father snuck up behind him.

'What?' He asked confused, just before his father wrapped his arms around him and started pulling him down the corridor.

'Bye Anthony,' I smiled smugly giving him a mocking wave knowing he couldn't answer because his father had covered his mouth.

'I warned him to stay away Amberly. Apparently, he can't take no for an answer. I have no idea where he gets that trait from,' his father chuckled as he lugged his protesting son around the corner of the corridor. Despite it all I found myself smiling. These people were crazy.

An hour after Anthony was dragged away there was a tentative knock on my door and turned to see a nervous butler duck his head in and I realised he may have been one of the ones who had seen my outburst last night.

'Yes?' I asked, trying to put as much kindness into that one word as possible. I'm not sure it worked.

'Your grandfather's car has just arrived your highness,' he announced nervously.

'Thank you,' I smiled getting up from my chair and he quickly left my room. I guess I was scarier than I thought last night.

I spared little thought for the nervous butler before running from the room to wait for my grandfather. I assumed everyone would be down here to greet him, instead it was only queen Olivier and Elliot. I didn't mind really, I just wanted to see my grandfather. It had been far too long. However, I was a little nervous that all three of the eldest men in the family were missing. It could only mean disaster was on the horizon.

I stopped beside queen Olivier and straightened my dress looking around for any signs of Anthony or kind Frederick but I couldn't see any. Suddenly, the doors to the foyer opened and my grandfather came striding in with a wide smile on his face when his eyes settled on me.

'Grandfather,' I greeted running over to him, forgetting all decorum, eager to be wrapped up in his familiar arms.

'Amberly, I've missed you,' he whispered as I took in a deep breath of everything that was my grandfather.

'I've missed you so much,' I replied tightening my arms around him.

'I can tell, your hug is so tight it's hard to catch my breath,' he chuckled as I sheepishly unwrapped my arms from me. 'I didn't say you should let go,' he smiled placing one of his warm grandfatherly kisses on my forehead.

'Thank you so much for coming,' I gushed taking his hand in both of mine.

'I would have come sooner but you know your parents,' he winked before his attention was pulled away. I watched as his eyes went wide and slight disapproval wrinkled his brow.

'What's wrong?' I asked stepping closer to him.

'What is that?' He asked, nodding to something behind me. I turned quickly to find my supposed fiancé swinging from the ceiling in nothing but a diaper and a bow and arrow tapped across his back. I'm sure he would have been making a loud ruckus but his mouth had been taped shut and his hands bound. It didn't take too long to find the culprits. Up on the balcony I found both king Frederick and prince Jared clutching their stomachs as they laughed at my future husband.

'That, would be my fiancé,' I said glaring up at him as he swung from the ceiling.

'That's him?' My grandfather asked in alarm. 'No, wonder you called me. Have they had him assessed for his mental stability?'

'There isn't a scale invented to place him on,' I mumbled pulling my grandfather passed the swinging baby.

'Nice to see you again queen Oliver,' my grandfather nodded as we walked under Anthony. 'I see your husband is still up to the same tricks. No cake this time?'

'No, I'm sure he is saving that for a special occasion,' she replied looking up at her son before turning her back and leading Elliot out of the room, shaking her head at the other men in her family.

'Cake?' I asked as the two of us made out way up the stairs.

'Yes, it appears the king has a slight fetish for it. Blew one up at your parents wedding,' he mused as I looked at him worriedly. When would the dreaded cake bomb make an appearance?

'Are you going to let him down?' I asked as we passed the still chuckling Frederick and Jared.

'I thought he would have more luck in love if he was cupid,' his father laughed.

'Cupid can't fall in love, he can only help others to fall in love,' I deadpanned.

'Oh in that case,' before I could even move they had lower him until he was several metres off the ground then all of a sudden they released him so he fell unrestrained to the ground of the foyer. I cringed turning away from where they had unceremoniously dumped my future husband.

'Oops, must have slipped,' Jared tried his hand at innocent but like his father he couldn't pull that particular emotion off and the two quickly dissolved into laughter again as Anthony wriggled around on the foyer floor trying to untie his hands. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

So, the only excuse I have for not posting this chapter is that I didn't like my previous one. But here it is...

Maxon's Rose, I believe Amberly's anger might just be limitless, however that doesn't mean that Anthony isn't suffering because of it. Poor cupid, he has a very unsupportive family and an eight year old brother who has slightly more charm than him.

theoneforever, well she is one feisty princess, but I guess you need to be when you have deal with a child like Anthony. He can't help but let his inner child shine right through. More Adling this chapter and I promise their story gets a little light and fluffier after this, if only for a moment. Glad you like the story so far and as for the long chapters I just can't seem to help myself, it just sort of creeps up on me and then bam I have this really long chapter.

Ash, I'm so glad to hear that you like it and although usually I update pretty fast I'm not that quick. I admire your dedication :)

SAM!, sorry I was a little excited, I love that you came back to post again because you wanted to say more. I have this problem all the time. my poor friends usually get like a hundred messages from me before they can even get a word in :) It's nice to hear that you are always checking for my updates. I usually can't help but update but I haven't been liking what I've been producing lately so this chapter was slower and the last was definitely not my best. Oh well, I hope you like this one :)

Again, thats to everyone who has been reading and reviewing it means a lot. As always happy reading munchkins :)