Amberly

After leaving Anthony I went back to my room to change. After, rather than go immediately to talk with my grandfather like I told Anthony I walked aimlessly around the castle trying to organise my thoughts. My mind couldn't seem to settle and when I finally found myself at my grandfather's door I still had no answer to my troubling questions. His past frightened me but so did not having him in my life now. What would I do if I couldn't forgive him for this?

Taking in a shuddering breath I raised my hand to knock on his door. Each knock echoed loudly down the empty corridor. My nerves rattled through me as I waited in silence for my grandfather to open his door. Eventually, the door opened to reveal a man I had known all my life but was now struggling to recognise.

'Amberly,' he sighed sadly. 'I was wondering if you would come and see me.'

'Well, I'm here,' I answered shortly, unsure how to act around him now.

'Do you want to come in?' He asked hesitantly, stepping back from the door so I could enter. I nodded silently and moved past him into the room.

He shut the door softly behind me and then motioned for me to take a seat at the table in his room, near a set of glass doors overlooking the gardens. The soft scent of grass drifted in on the afternoon breeze but it did little to calm me. I moved woodenly over to the table and sat stiffly in the chair. My body was so filled with tension it was almost unbearable.

'Can I get you anything?' He asked and when I shook my head he took the seat across from me, sitting uncomfortably in his own chair. Silence hung between us for what felt like an eternity. Who was the man sitting across from me? I just didn't know anymore and it frightened me.

'Amberly, will you let me explain?' He asked sadly and I stared at him for a long time, uncertain if it was an explanation I had really come for.

'Why did you do it?' I finally forced out, not bringing my eyes to meet his.

'I'm not proud of who I was when I did that to your mother, or your father. I was consumed by greed, hatred and fear.' I nodded, allowing his words to wash over me, wondering if anything he said could make me forgive him. I needed to know if I could trust him again, but I just wasn't sure.

'I guess you know I never liked your mother and often I disagree with the way your parents rule the nation,' he admitted, confirming everything I had always known about my grandfather. He may have been my favourite person but we didn't always see eye to eye and my parents ruling style was one of the things we differed on. From Anthony I had learnt there are many ways to rule a nation but I had always known my grandfather's way was not one of them.

'Well, before your father's selection I was at my worst. I was uncertain about many things, especially who would be your father's choice. Back then, it was believed that the selection was a random lottery but that was never the case. It was a calculated competition to reinforce our strength over the people. When I looked at your father, I saw another way to control the people and better Illea in the world standing. I needed him to marry a woman who had status and influence. I needed him to marry anyone but your mother and yet your father would look at no one else for much of the competition. The attacks increased, allies were few and far between and the people were growing increasingly restless not only with the competition but with my rule. For the first time since my ancestors took the throne it looked as if the people were willing to challenge me for it. Everything seemed to be unravelling. I tried everything to remove your mother, I even tried to have her killed.' I gasped at his revelation and felt a wave of anger and fear wash over me.

How could my grandfather have wanted my mother dead? If he had succeeded I would never have existed. If he had succeeded, how much different would Illea have been? What would have happened to Anthony? He would have married someone else, ruled by another's side and never have missed the girl who didn't have a future because her grandfather had been too selfish.

'I didn't intend to pull the trigger but I knew others would,' he continued, not willing to stop now that he had begun. He was oblivious to the anger, fear and sadness passing through me as he relived his past. 'I sent her to the southern provinces where violence was rife and the people were the most resistant to my rule. I knew the southern rebels at the time had the largest presence there and I also knew they wouldn't miss an opportunity to hurt the royal family. They would never pass up the chance to kill one of our own.'

'Grandfather, what did you do?' I breathed and I watched as he shut his eyes, guilt washing over him.

'Your mother was shot that day. Fortunately, your father defied me without my notice and he sent a few guards with her that he trusted to protect her. She returned days later weak and near death. Your father was distraught and I…I was disappointed she had returned at all.' He admitted reluctantly and I raised my hand to my mouth in disbelief how could he have done this? Worst of all, I knew it wasn't the worse crime he had committed against my mother.

'I threatened her again as she lay there weak and vulnerable, I needed her gone. I didn't care how it happened. I threatened her family, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles. I even threatened to harm Maxon if she refused to leave.'

'Why were you so cruel?' I breathed, trying to understand how my grandfather could have been that person.

'There are no excuses for my behaviour. No matter how bad my childhood was, no matter how I was raise what I did to your mother and father was a mistake I'll never be able to rectify. Over the years after I married your grandmother, I began to lose sight of what was important, what I had promised her. I tried to shake my past but it never stayed hidden for long and eventually, I stopped fighting it. It was easier to just be what I had always been, what I had been raised to be. My parents were the darkest people I have ever known. They claimed to love each other but they fought tirelessly for supremacy over the other. I was nothing but an instrument to prolong their legacy. I was never a child to them. I never even saw them unless I did something wrong.' He said bitterly, his eyes clouding over with darkness and unmasked hatred for the people who were meant to have raised him, who were meant to love him unconditionally.

'I was the same, it was the only way I had known how to be. Then I met your grandmother and she changed everything. She opened me up to a world where I could know love. Not only could I know about it but she allowed me to feel it too. She was strong, but years by my side weakened her. I promised her more than I was ever capable of achieving. I broke her heart everyday and I knew it but I couldn't stop the darkness in me. For years I believed my weakness would be love but only by watching you mother and father did I realise that those who possess true courage were the ones willing to love another. Those who are willing to give their heart away and entrust it in another's protection.

'I tried to have that with your grandmother when we were first together but I never possessed that kind of courage.' He fell silent after this, staring at his clasped hands resting in his lap.

He was replaying and reliving a lifetime of broken memories, where the darkness had always trumped the light. Yet, despite everything he had told me he still hadn't reveal what he had done to my parents. He had never admitted to how they had received their scars and I needed to know. I couldn't be ignorant of his past anymore.

'Grandfather, how did my parents get their scars?' I asked in a small voice watching as his body tensed and then moments later slumped in defeat.

'I put them there.' He answered bitterly. 'Your father suffered for years before he even knew your mother but when my power was slipping and he was becoming more rebellious he received more at my hand. Every time he stood up in defence of your mother I punished him. Over the years I had conditioned him to obey me. I needed him compliant and when I gave him the throne I needed to know that I would have the ultimate control. I needed to know he would carry on what my parents had started before me. However, your father was nothing like me. There was too much of your grandmother in him for him to ever follow in my footsteps. He saw his selection as an opportunity for happiness and the chance to find the woman he would love for the rest of his life. He saw that and more in your mother.'

'But you never did,' I stated flatly.

'No, I have never hidden that from you but I have hidden my final attempt to force her compliance.' He answered taking a deep breath before continuing.

'I regret it everyday, I regretted it moments after I did it when your mother's body became lifeless and I saw what a monster I had become. That night I was moments from extinguishing the flame that was your mother. That night, I lost everything.' He finished in a soft voice. I waited for him to continue, my heart racing and my mind swirling with all he had revealed.

'It was the night of the Christmas ball and the Italian and the British royal families were in attendance. Princess Nicoletta at the time was finally promising the alliance I had sought for so many years but she would only agree to an alliance if America sat on the throne beside Maxon. It was the last thing I wanted and yet if I wanted what I had been seeking for so many years I had to allow your mother into the family.' He paused for a moment as the memories consumed him and I waited impatiently to finally learn what had occurred all those years ago.

'I couldn't do it, I couldn't allow her to be the new princess. I was in a murderous rage when I found your mother running from me. I could have killed her with my bare hands if we hadn't been found. King Frederick had seen the two of us leave when everyone else was focused on Nicoletta but I escaped with your mother just before he could follow us. I took her to my office and when I threatened Maxon she begged me to hurt her instead. I was too angry to care who was the victim of my wrath.' All the blood ran from my face as I realised what my grandfather had done to my own mother, who only wanted to protect my father.

'How many times?' I asked in a low voice, not even able to look at him anymore.

'She lasted till five but passed out on the sixth.' He explained simply. I nodded but felt my stomach turn. How could he have done this?

'Amberly, it was a mistake. I regretted it immediately and when I realised what I had done I tried to get her to the infirmary but we were attacked by rebels. I took her straight to your father, but your grandmother was missing. In my rage at your mother I had missed my own wife disappearing from the ball and I lost her last moments on this earth. I lost the only person who had ever loved me no matter who I was.'

'What, do you want me to feel? Sorry for you because grandmother died the same night you brutally attacked my mother? Do you want my sympathy?' I demanded angrily, glaring up at the man who had been masquerading as my grandfather.

'No Amberly, I wanted you to know the truth. After you were born your father said you and your siblings never needed to know what I had been before and I agreed but I guess deep down I always knew you would find out. A secret that great could never stay buried forever. Everyday I've waited for you to revolt against me. Everyday I've waited for you to see me for what I truly am? Everyday I've waited for the darkness to return and I feared this time it wouldn't just ruin me but you as well. I was terrified any one of you would become what I was. I never thought I deserved redemption or forgiveness but your mother and father convinced me we could all start afresh. They were certain I could be more, for you.' He replied sadly.

'I don't know who you are,' I admitted, angrily.

'Yes you do, you know me better than anyone. The man I am now is the one I wanted to be for your grandmother but I was never strong enough. You Amberly, you made me strong enough. I wanted to be the man who you imagined. I wanted to be the man I saw in your eyes.' He answered earnestly and I felt my heart twist in my chest. I was so confused. How could I forgive him for what he had done? Although, how could I hold it against him when it was so far in his past? Over my entire life he had never shown those tendencies again.

I felt a single tear run down my face as thoughts swirled in my head. Could he have really changed? Does anyone really change or will they always be the same? Then who was my grandfather truly? The man from his past or the repentant, defeated man sitting before me now? This was too much for one person to handle.

'Amberly?' My grandfather asked as I got to my feet and ran for the door, more tears falling down my face. I didn't answer as I raced out the door and down the corridor. I couldn't deal with the questions or the fear of learning the answers. I needed to be somewhere else, I wanted to be someone else. I needed to run but there was no where to run from the thoughts circling around my brain.

Anthony

'What do you mean there might be a threat on Amberly's life?' I asked with equal amounts of fear and anger in my voice. Who was trying to take her away from me?

'I just got off the phone with Maxon and he said there was an attempt on Adam's life and they are threatening the rest of the royal family as well. They believe that because Amberly is here, she will be an easier target because we aren't as prepared as they are for rebel attacks.' My father explained.

'No, no one is getting to Amberly, I won't allow it,' I answered adamantly. I wasn't going to let anyone close enough to hurt her. I trusted our defences, far more than I trusted her own country's. She would be safe here.

'Anthony, we're going to do everything we can to keep her safe, no one is going to get near Amberly but until we can be certain, we need to increase our own defences and limit her appearances in public. We need to reduce the ways they can reach her,' my father explained, seriously.

'I can't lose her dad,' I answered in a small voice, remembering waking up with her that morning. I had thought nothing could bring me down from the high I was on. Apparently, life had other plans for me.

'I know Anthony,' he sighed as I finally settled in the chair across from him. I had been pacing his office for the past twenty minutes after his phone call with Amberly's father. He had waited till the very last moment to inform me of the threat on Amberly's life and I understood why, because now I had no focus for other issues. All I could think about was how to keep her safe. One involved handcuffing her to my side but I figured she might saw my hand off to get free and unfortunately, I was rather attached to all the limbs currently residing on my body.

'So, what are we announcing later this afternoon?' I asked, trying to keep my mind off all the ways Amberly could be taken from me.

'We are going to start calling up people who are willing to fight in the war. If New Asia can ready their armies then so can we,' my father reasoned. 'We tell them everything we know so far without frightening anyone. We need to keep it upbeat for now.'

'Sure,' I agreed distractedly.

'Anthony?'

'Hmm?' I mumbled looking up at my father.

'What did I walk in on this morning?' He asked with raised eyebrows.

'My proposal,' I admitted.

'Did she at least say yes before you father intruded?' He chuckled.

'Yes, she did,' I beamed, remembering the morning I had.

'I guess having her grandfather here was a good idea after all,' he mused leaning back in his chair.

'Yeah it was but probably not for the reasons you are thinking,' I answered cryptically.

'What do you mean?'

'She knows what happened between her mother and him. I don't really know the specifics but it's not good. He must have done something truly awful to cause that reaction in her, she just seemed so…lost.'

'What's she going to do?' My father prodded.

'I have no idea, I don't even think she knows,' I replied shaking my head.

'So, I guess she finally told you she loved you?' He asked and I felt my cheeks flame.

'She did,' I answered, uncertain about having this conversation with my father.

'What did you need to do to get those words out of her?' He asked, amused by my discomfort.

'Humiliate myself,' I smiled remembering how she found the ring under my pillow. She couldn't even let me propose on my own.

'I can see it wasn't the worst thing that has ever happened to you,' dad laughed as I continued to smile foolishly.

'I hated that you interrupted our time together,' I mused, wishing she was in my arms now.

'Well, you won't be apart for long. In fact you should probably go and find her, we need to get going soon. There's a festival tonight in the centre of London we are to attend. We'll make our announcement then,' he informed me, getting to his feet as I got to my own.

'Is it safe?' I asked worriedly, thinking about the threats that had been made on her and her family.

'While we'll limit her appearances Anthony, we can't hide her away. We can't be seen as running scared and right now that involves showing a united front. That includes your fiancé being by your side.'

'You promise nothing will happen to her?' I asked firmly, no trace of humour in my tone from our previous conversation.

'Anthony, I promise you nothing is going to happen to her,' dad answered confidently and I had no choice but to believe him. 'Go make sure she's ready to leave, we'll be heading out soon.'

I nodded in reply and walked out of his office my heart a mix of worry and relief. I was still reeling from this morning but I couldn't ignore the danger Amberly could be in. I walked determinedly down the corridors of the castle looking for her. I refused to go to her grandfather's room, I just hoped she was finished her conversation with him by now.

I didn't have to search long before I found her in the gardens, her back facing me and her body shaking slightly. I knew without even seeing her face that tears were in her eyes again and I hated seeing her this way.

'Love?' I said gently, sitting beside her but keeping my distance.

'Anthony, it was horrible, he was horrible,' she sobbed, turning her red, watery eyes to me. I hated this man for making her this way. If I didn't have so much respect for Amberly I would have him sent home immediately for daring to make her cry but I knew it wouldn't solve anything.

'Amberly, it's going to be all right. You're going to sort this out,' I soothed wishing I could hold her but knowing she needed to be the one to bridge the final distance between us.

'Anthony, what if he never changed? What if everything has been a lie?' She asked desperately, looking up at me as if I should have all the answers but I didn't, no matter how much I wished I did.

'Amberly, only you will know who he is, I can't answer that question for you,' I answered sadly, watching uncertainty flood her features.

'I'm so confused,' she whispered finally wrapping her arms around me and burying her head in my chest.

'I know, but it will all sort itself out,' I murmured, wrapping my own arms around her firmly.

'What if he's that same man, the one who gave my mother those scars? What if the man he's been since I was born is a lie and it's only a matter of time before he becomes that man again?'

'You need to trust yourself. If in your heart you believe he's the person you've always known him to be then that is the man he will always be to you. You can't know everything about everyone Amberly. Trust and faith in another person is believing that the person they show you is their true self.' I answered. 'I think you've already made up your mind Amberly.'

She was silent for a long time but thankfully, her tears had stopped and now she was simply lost in her thoughts.

'I want him to be the person he has always been to me Anthony. I want him to be my grandfather. Does that make me weak or naive?' She asked, pushing back from me, her vulnerability shinning brightly in her eyes.

'Amberly, no one would ever use the word weak to describe you,' I smiled sadly, brushing a strand of her hair from her face and cupping her cheek as she leant into it.

'I know what he did was unthinkable but I love him.'

'Then there's your answer,' I replied, stroking my thumb along her cheek and moving my other hand to entwine with hers. I absently spun the ring on her finger reminding myself that it was still there. Reminding myself that everything which had transpired between us had been real.

'Thank you for listening Anthony. You are full of surprises aren't you?' She mused, her expression giving away how deep in thought she truly was.

'I took that class off my father for years,' I smiled.

'I don't doubt that for a minute,' she smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

'I love you Amberly,' I murmured. I would never grow tired of saying those words to her and I knew I would relish every time she said them in reply.

'I love you too Anthony,' she smiled, finally allowing it to consume her face. 'How do you make everything better? Why didn't I notice that before?'

'You were too busy being stubborn to realise the true extent of my charms,' I answered arrogantly, earning me an elbow to the ribs.

'I am not stubborn,' she mumbled unconvincingly.

'You sure about that love?' I teased, loving that I was the one to put that smile on her face. It was all I ever wanted.

'Shut up Anthony,' she grumbled.

'Come here love,' I beamed wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her into my side. She struggled but eventually relaxed against me, her tears long forgotten. We sat in silence looking over the gardens, watching the birds settle down in their nests for the day and the butterflies flit from flower to flower in the twilight.

'Amberly, as much as I would like to spend the rest of the evening like this we both need to get ready for an announcement. We need to leave very soon,' I told her looking down at my watch, knowing we really didn't have much time left before we needed to leave.

'Where are we going?' She asked, not moving from where she rested on my side. I wasn't the only one who was reluctant to leave.

'There's a festival in the centre of London, we'll make an announcement, spend some time with the people and then we'll leave. I promise, we won't spend too long with the crowds,' I reassured her, tightening my hand on her waist.

'Its fine, I'm not sure I'm as terrified of crowds anymore,' she admitted and I looked down at her in surprise. The first time I appeared in front of a crowd with her, she had frozen.

'Are you sure?' I asked skeptically.

'Yes, as long as you're by my side they don't seem as frightening anymore,' she admitted, a slight pink blushing her cheeks. I sat beside her unsure what to say, so for once in my life I said nothing and instead just soaked up the moment. She had admitted she felt safer if I was there and I wasn't going to ruin it.

'So, should we go and get ready then?' Amberly asked and I remembered we were meant to be somewhere.

'Right,' I answered, jolting from my blissful moment. 'Let's go, wouldn't want to keep my father waiting. Who knows what he's already concocting for this little outing. If we give him anymore time he could plan something even more extravagant than he already has.'

'You know Anthony, you're just as bad as him,' Amberly pointed out as I pulled her to her feet, keeping her left hand enclosed in mine.

'I am not,' I shot back a little defensively. She just shrugged her shoulders in response but I didn't miss the smile on her lips and I knew she still believed I was just like my father.

'Anthony, I love you, tricks and all. You can pull a hundred pranks as long as I'm the one who gets to scold you when you're done,' she whispered before leaning up and placing a kiss on my cheek.

'You don't really think I'm like my father do you?' I asked, frowning at her as we made our way back to her room.

'If he was twenty years younger the two of you could be carbon copies of one another.' She smiled, squeezing my hand in hers.

Harmonia

'Nia?' He croaked and I felt something flutter in my chest before I threw my arms around his neck.

'Justin,' I whispered excitedly, keeping my arms firmly locked around him.

'Ouch,' he grunted and I pulled away from him quickly, looking down at him with concern.

'I'm sorry, did I hurt you?' I asked worriedly, standing beside him, not knowing what to do.

'No, my arms just a little tender,' he laughed, trying to sit up in his bed.

'So you're okay?' I asked hesitantly.

'Wonderful,' he smiled, looking at me funny and I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. A strange energy felt like it passed between the two of us, finally settling on my heart.

'Justin, you scared me,' I continued trying to shake off the strange feeling.

'I'm sorry Nia,' he replied, finally settling in the hospital bed. 'However, everything's a little fuzzy, what happened?'

'You don't remember?' I asked worriedly. What if the knock to his head had caused all his memories to fall right out of his head?

'I remember listening to you complain incessantly about your tutor, then there was a loud alarm. After that, nothing,' he shrugged, pushing his blond hair to the side of his face.

He looked so much like his father but his hair was definitely Marlee's. His older brothers had picked on him for years because of his blonde head of locks. He was constantly pushing his hair aside, earning him the name, "pretty boy" from Jacob and Miles his entire life. They both had hair cut close to the scalp because of their jobs in the military, whereas Justin wanted to be just like his father and tend to the animals. Out of the three brothers Justin had gotten all the tenderness and compassion whereas the other two were in a boys group where being rough and tough were the membership qualities required to join.

'You saved me Justin,' I told him, reliving the terrifying minutes where the rebels came tearing down the corridor, guns raised.

'Rebels?' he asked, sitting up further and looking down at me with concern in his eyes. 'Were you hurt?'

'No, but you were,' I answered motioning to the bandage on his arm and head.

'I gathered that Nia,' he joked and I slapped him across the chest, unhappy with him for making light of the situation.

'This isn't funny Justin, you were shot,' I answered seriously.

'And you would hit your saviour?' He asked dramatically, lying back against his pillows throwing his arm over his eyes.

'Justin,' I said warningly, crossing my arms over my chest and jutting my hip out.

'Come on Nia, we're safe now,' he reassured me.

'You could have died Justin,' I answered angrily.

'But I didn't,' he reasoned with a playful smirk and I was tempted to knock it right off his face.

'Justin this is serious,' I whined, dropping my arms to my side in frustration.

'Not when you act like that it isn't,' he laughed.

'I hate you,' I glared at him, only causing him to laugh harder.

'Justin,' Marlee breathed from the hallway and I quickly stepped out of her way so she could embrace her still smirking son.

'I'm fine mom,' he assured her as she started to check him over.

'You scared me half to death, I think I have a patch of grey hair,' she scolded and I muffled my giggles behind my hand.

'Don't you ever do that to me again,' Marlee instructed before showering him in kisses. This time the laughter couldn't be contained and I slumped in the chair beside his bed as Justin tried to act all tough as his mother successfully removed any manliness he had been trying to exude.

'Mom,' he complained, trying to wipe off her many kisses and stop her from giving him any more.

'I'm going to get your father,' she announced before placing one last kiss on his forehead and then scurrying from the room.

'Not a word Harmonia,' he warned, flattening down his hair his mother had tried to part down the middle.

'But your mommy loves you Justin, that's nothing to be ashamed of,' I teased, still giggling in the chair beside him.

'Shut up Nia,' he grumbled, finally getting his hair the way he wanted it.

'I have to go anyway, wouldn't want to get in the way of your mommy and me time,' I laughed getting to my feet. Justin took aim with one of his pillows but I dodged it easily. 'My parents need to talk to me about something.' Justin just glared at me as I stood beside him staring down at where the bullet hit his arm.

'I'm okay Nia, I'm just glad that you're safe,' he said earnestly, settling my unspoken worries.

'Thank you Justin,' I whispered, wrapping him up in another hug. 'I'm so lucky to have a best friend like you.' Justin remained silent as he wrapped his good arm around me. When I pulled away he had a sad look on his face but it was quickly covered up by one of his wide smiles that brightened the whole room. Another trait he had gained from his mother.

'I'll be back soon,' I promised and he nodded his head, his smile dropping slightly as I turned to leave the room.

'Dad?' I asked walking into his office after leaving Justin.

'Harmonia, just a minute,' he said answering someone on the phone before hanging up and turning his attention to me.

'How's Justin?' He asked as I walked around to stand beside him.

'He's awake and he seems normal but he doesn't really remember much,' I shrugged.

'That's good news,' he answered.

'Yeah, I guess.' I replied uncertainly.

'He's going to be fine Harmonia,' he said confidently and I just nodded my head in reply.

'You wanted to talk to me about something?' I asked, deflecting the subject from Justin.

'Yes, I wanted to discuss your birthday,' he announced, his mood shifting.

'My birthday?' I asked confused.

'Yes, remember the day where we celebrate your birth?' He joked.

'Dad,' I whined.

'Come here,' he laughed and he picked me up easily, settling me on his lap. 'You're not getting too old for this are you?' He asked and I shook my head with a small smile dancing on my lips. 'Good, now your birthday, I was thinking we should have a big ball considering your will be turning thirteen.'

'A ball?' I asked excitedly.

'Yes, I remember you saying we needed to have one after the trip with your mother and Adam,' he smiled.

'How big are we talking?' I asked seriously, remembering all the beautiful balls I had attended with my mom and my brother.

'As big as you can dream,' he promised.

'This is so exciting.' I said bouncing on him a little. 'Can grandma and grandpa Singer come?'

'Of course, you can invite anyone you want,' he promised, taping my nose lightly.

'Nicoletta and Tony can come too?' I asked, excited to see the King and Queen of Italy again. Nicoletta was always so much fun and Tony was really good at magic tricks. Last time they came to visit he made Marinda disappear, unfortunately he made her reappear as well.

'Of course, and I think we may even be able to get your sister and her fiancé to come and visit as well,' he smiled and I let out a squeal of delight, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

'I see you've told her the good news,' I heard my mother laugh from the doorway and I jumped from my father's lap and ran across the room.

'Mom, we're going to have a ball,' I told her excitedly.

'I know,' she smiled.

'I'm going to go and tell Justin,' I announced running from the room and heading back for the infirmary.

Aisling

'Michael, I don't get it,' I groaned, staring at the swirling numbers on my page.

'You're just not trying,' he laughed.

'I am,' I whined pushing the papers across to him. 'Why do I even need to know this anyway?'

'If you want to be with Adam you need to know this,' he told me, still laughing at me.

'Why can't he do this stuff?' I grumbled crossing my arms over my chest. However, Michael didn't get to answer because at that moment his bedroom door burst open. Standing in the doorway was a very wet, very angry Marinda.

'Michael,' she growled.

'Yes Marinda?' He answered calmly not raising his eyes from the pages in front of him.

'Care to explain how my bed became a pool?' She asked glaring at her twin brother with angry brown eyes.

'I have no idea Marinda, it seems you have a mystery on your hands.' He answered without emotion as I looked between the two of them in confusion. The silence was punctured only by the water dripping from Marinda's sopping dress as she left a puddle on Michael's bedroom floor.

'Michael, this isn't funny. My room is flooded,' she replied barely keeping her anger in check.

'Marinda, how many things have you destroyed in your lifetime of crime?' He asked finally looking up at her.

'Michael, you flooded my room,' she growled, wringing out her dripping hair.

'You flooded the kitchens, our parents room and somehow the ballroom as well. I still have no idea how you did that?' He mused. 'And you know what? I got in trouble for all of that. Not only did I need to clean up all of those messes on my own but I was forced to do gardening, wash the dishes and I wasn't allowed to visit Italy the last time our family went. What did you get because of all the trouble you caused?'

'I can't believe you did this to me Michael,' she spat, ignoring everything he said.

'Marinda, you've done enough in your life to ruin everyone's lives, did you ever think you deserved this?' He challenged.

'I haven't ruined anything, you're being overdramatic,' she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

'Marinda, at Amberly's eighteenth birthday you rigged the streamers so that at the time she was to cut her cake they caught alight. You set her hair on fire,' he answered, finally raising his voice to his twin.

'That was an accident, her hair wasn't meant to catch fire.' She complained, glaring at Michael who had gotten to his feet to stare down at her.

'It wouldn't have if you could have controlled yourself for one night. She didn't come out of her room for a month because she had to cut off so much of her hair where it had been burnt.' Wow, Marinda was insane, I thought shaking my head at the other half of the disastrous duo.

'She was being vain,' she dismissed.

'What about when you painted all the horses red when we were six because you thought it would make them run faster?'

'I was young and I wanted a faster horse,' she explained without remorse.

'What about the time you ran the lawn mower through mom's rose garden? Who got the blame for that one?' He demanded.

'You helped with that one,' She shot back and Michael scoffed at her accusations.

'Fine, what about when you stole one of the cars and crashed it into the fountain, who got the blame for that, despite you being the only one sitting in the car?'

'You're not innocent in all of this Michael,' she accused, her face reddening with anger. 'What about when we were seven and you wanted to see what it would be like to fly?'

'If I recall, it was your idea to use the curtains as makeshift wings,' he challenged and if I wasn't mistaken I think I saw steam come from Marinda's ears.

'What about when you wanted to turn the stairs into a giant water slide?' She countered.

'And I recall I was the one who was charged with filing for a week, not you.'

'You know what Michael, fine. Be this way, but I know you had fun. Your life would be dull without me and you know it.' She huffed, turning on her heel and marching from the room, a trail of water following after her. I stared at the space she had been standing, gobsmacked. What had just happened?

Eventually, I looked up at Michael and was surprised to find a small smile on his lips.

'Michael? Are you all right?' I asked in concern. Had his sister finally caused him to lose his mind?

'Perfect,' he answered, falling back in his chair.

'Umm, are you sure, because I think Marinda really hates you right now and if I made that girl angry I would definitely be worried. She doesn't seem to be one to let something go,' I answered looking worriedly at the door Marinda had just slammed out of.

'I'm counting on her retaliating,' he answered simply, without a note of worry in his voice.

'Michael, I think we should take you to the infirmary,' I suggested. 'I think you may have hit your head recently or you're suffering a psychotic break.'

'No, I know what I'm doing,' he assured me, finally looking down at me, triumph in his eyes.

'I'm not sure you do,' I answered, shaking my head at him.

'Marinda hasn't been handling the last attack very well,' he admitted sadly, his smile finally falling from his face. 'I thought that if I could distract her, give her something other than the attack to focus on she would go back to her old self.'

'Oh,' I answered as the realisation hit me. 'You know she's going to kill you right?'

'I know, but at least she'll be back to who she has always been, my crazy twin sister. No matter how angry I get at her tricks, my life wouldn't be the same without her in it.'

'So she was right before?' I asked trying to keep up with his crazy thoughts, these two were more alike than I think they knew.

'Yes, but never let her hear you say that,' he warned. 'She'll never let us hear the end of it.' He laughed and I rolled my eyes at the insane prince.

'Well, I think I'm going to leave you to it then, because I don't want to be here when she comes back,' I replied getting to my feet.

'Bye Aisling,' he smiled, lost in his own thoughts. I quickly left the room, terrified of what an angry Marinda could cook up. I wasn't sure Michael truly knew what he was getting himself into.

Adam

'Marinda?' I asked in confusion as I made my way to Michael's room where I assumed Aisling was, considering I couldn't find her in the women's room or her own.

'Shut up Adam,' she growled and I stepped back from her as she stormed past, dripping all over the floors.

'Adam?' I turned away from my strange sister and found myself face to face with the girl I had been looking for.

'Thought I'd find you here,' I smiled. 'Do you know what's going on with Marinda?'

'Michael,' she shrugged. 'He just signed his death certificate and I don't really want to be here when Marinda comes back for him.'

'I think that's a good plan,' I laughed, walking over and taking her hand in mine.

'What are you doing here Adam?' She asked curiously as we started walking down the corridor.

'Looking for you,' I replied, giving her hand a squeeze.

'You know Adam, if you keep spending all this time with me I might start to get bored of you,' she answered teasingly without looking at me.

'I don't think so,' I answered confidently and she turned to look at me as we walked down the stairs.

'You're very confident there.'

'Yes I am,' I assured her, placing a kiss on her cheek, silencing her. 'So Aisling, I actually had something I wanted to tell you.'

'What was that?' She asked, looking back at the stairs.

'Nia is having a ball to celebrate her thirteenth birthday and all the selected girls are to plan the event for her,' I announced and watched as worry passed across her face.

'I'm not sure I'd be very good at that,' she admitted stopping a step above me on the staircase.

'It'll be fine and that's not even the exciting news,' I continued.

'Great there's more news,' she deadpanned.

'Queen Nicoletta and King Tony are attending,' I said and watched as her shock transformed into a wide smile consuming her face.

'They're coming here?' She asked excitedly, jumping a little on the stair she was standing on and I shot an arm out to stop her from tumbling down the stairs.

'Yes,' I answered, watching her feet closely to make sure she didn't fall.

'I can't believe it, I've seen them a hundred times in magazines and I'm finally going to meet them in real life. When will they be here?'

'A few days,' I answered distractedly. 'Nia's birthday is only a few days from now.'

'This is so exciting,' she jumped again and I moved to get closer to her but I hadn't seen the puddle of water my younger sister had left and my feet quickly went out from under me and I realised it wasn't Aisling who was going to go tumbling down the stairs.

'Adam,' she gasped as I hit every step on the way down, finally, coming to a stop at the bottom of the staircase in a painful heap.

'Ow,' I groaned, sitting up and rubbing at my back where every one of the steps had dug in.

'Adam, are you all right?' Aisling asked as I heard her hurried footsteps run down the stairs.

'I'm fine,' I groaned as she knelt beside me and started running her hands over my arms and pushing my blond hair back from my face. When she was satisfied that I wasn't injured she leant back on her heels.

'You know Adam, that was not the right way to get down the stairs,' she scolded playfully.

'Really Aisling? Have I been doing it wrong all these years?' I asked playfully.

'Yes, what do they teach you in this palace?'

'Terrible things,' I answered gravely, reaching over for her waist to pull her closer.

'I think I should show you the correct way to go down the stairs,' she announced, pulling away from me and getting to her feet. I watch sadly as she moved out of my reach before she shot me a brilliant smile and raced back up the stairs.

'Ready Adam?' She asked, and I looked up at her wondering what she was about to do.

'Aisling, what are you doing?' I laughed as she positioned herself on the railing.

'Wait and see,' she smiled before sliding down the railing gracefully. She let out a playful giggle before sliding off the rail onto the floor beside me with a triumphant smile on her face. She was beautiful and I had never seen her so free before.

'See, you've been doing it wrong all this time,' she informed me, settling beside me again where I still sat at the base of the stairs.

'I can see that and who taught you how to use a staircase correctly?' I asked, finally pulling her closer, wrapping my hands around her waist.

'Flora and I would do it when we had the house to ourselves. We would stack up all the pillows at the end of the railing,' she said with a small smile on her lips, her eyes distant.

'No pillows today?'

'No need, I'm a seasoned slider. You on the other hand would need a mountain of pillows. Couldn't have the crowned prince of Illea hurting himself,' she mocked tapping my head lightly, 'Where would we put the crown if you hurt your head?'

I quickly pulled her hand down in mine causing her to fall into my chest. Exactly, where I needed her. I was about to kiss her when one half of the terrible two came storming past.

'Out of my way,' she instructed angrily, carrying a heavy looking tank filled with water and what appeared to be several orange crabs. I quickly pulled Aisling's startled body up and out of my lunatic sister's way.

She stormed angrily up the stairs and out of sight as I held Aisling close to me.

'I guess she isn't going for stealth or subtlety,' Aisling said looking up at where my sister had just been.

'No, I'd say maximum impact is her game today,' I laughed, thinking about poor, unsuspecting Michael.

'I warned him,' Aisling said shaking her head, as if she were answering my own thoughts.

'My siblings never listen,' I admitted.

'I know, you're not very good at it either,' She laughed, pushing away from me and lacing her hand in mine. 'You never listen to me.'

'That's because all your ideas are insane,' I answered. 'You climb trees, destroy bedrooms and try to leave when I want you to stay.' She didn't have time to answer though because there was a loud commotion above which let us know that Marinda had unleashed her wrath on her twin brother.

'Where did she even get crabs so quickly?' Aisling asked as we heard Michael yelling in pain.

'I think she has a deal with the devil. He provides her with everything she needs as long as she continues to wreak havoc on the world.'

'I'm not really surprised,' she answered.

Suddenly, Michael came running down the stairs and we both turned to watch as he tried to pull the crabs from where they had attached themselves to his body. Aisling watched him for all of two seconds before collapsing to the floor in fits of giggles, whilst Marinda came to stand triumphantly at the top of the stairs watching the chaos unfold.

'My family,' I groaned, as Michael stumbled into a wall, knocking one of the crabs, sending it skittering across the floor.

So, there was quite a bit in that chapter. I considered splitting it but then you would have only gotten to see two characters instead of well, almost all of them.

Festival, ball preparations, the ball itself, more Harmonia and Justin, the twins war and much more is planned for the upcoming chapters. Oh and Nicoletta and Tony, a king who loves magic oh and a certain character may have a fangirl moment when she finally meets them ;)

To the beautiful guest who likes to see Adam break through to Aisling, thank you for your continued reviews :) I'm so glad to hear that you like my writing, that means a lot, so thank you. I'm also really excited to hear that you had so many reactions to the previous chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though a lot of it was focused on the relationship between Clarkson and Amberly.

lola5147, wow, either there is two of you or you were just really desperate for an update ;) Sorry, my process takes a while. The writing of the chapter can sometimes take days as I nut out the right emotions for each character and then the editing takes forever. I edit once in the document and then once when I upload it to the site. I feel that sometimes it rearranges my sentences and deletes or adds new words. Rather frustrating but I need to make it just right and even still I go back and notice gammer mistakes. Or even once I changed one of the character's eye colour. In the first few chapters they were brown and then later on I made them blue, freaked out when I realised what I had done. So, anyway hope you enjoyed this update and I promise more humour in the upcoming chapters, there was just some really serious moments we needed to get through there. Also more action as well, sometimes I get too wrapped up in the love stories, sorry about that :)

Anime lover 26, I'm sorry to keep you waiting but I hope you enjoyed this update. I tried to get it out quicker I promise. I don't really have a certain amount of time between chapters, it all depends on inspiration and motivation which can sometimes be in short supply. Damn muses always leaving me hanging :)

Sam :), so excited to hear that summer school is over :) I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I'm going to admit something that is probably going to sound insane but I kind of love writing essays. Any writing really, even when I was in primary school I loved writing. My recounts of the holidays were always epic in length because I was never satisfied with just one or two pages like any other eight year old. I've never really thought of myself as creative, but that may be because I'm actually in my mind so I can see it coming where as you guys don't exist inside my head so you have no idea where I'm going to go next. I recently, got noise cancelling headphones. They're amazing, I no longer hear my mother or father calling me and thankfully I can't hear my younger brother either. Kid always wants me to drive him somewhere, usually just when I sit down to write or just before I need to go to work when all I want to do is sit down and moan about the fact I have to go wait on tables for five hours.

I would like to apologise to fanficlena for not replying to your last two reviews. I realise after I post that I can't message you so I always miss out on replying to you in the author's note because I've already posted, sorry about that I do appreciate your reviews. I'm not ignoring you I promise, I'm just stupid. Also I hope you are enjoying an Aisling who is more receptive to Adam. I hope she isn't unlikable anymore, if she is please let me know :) Thank you again for your reviews and I'm sorry for not replying to you before now.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read my story I am so grateful to all of you :) Happy reading beautiful people.