A/N: Wow that last chapter aged super poorly huh. Sorry it's been a bit, I need to set reminders to update this fic lol.

Summary: Izzy meets the best friend her boyfriend won't stop talking about.

Dating the crown prince was the best thing in the universe. Izzy considered herself to be the luckiest girl in the entire kingdom.

For one, she had all the desserts she could ever ask for. Once upon a time, she barely had enough to buy any kind of food let alone fancy croquembouche, but now she could sit on a throne of gold-leaf macarons.

Her wedding was coming up soon, and she'd be crowned Queen, her to-be husband king. Honestly, of all the things she'd imagined would happen in her life, becoming queen was last on her list.

Ah, why should she complain? She was on top of the world!

She was walking inside the Plaid Palace; she remembered when she first arrived, she couldn't get over how big it was. Even now, it still blew her mind.

She clung onto Prince Leland's arm. He was gazing off into the distance, his red eyes clouded over. He was lost in thought, it seemed.

"Bae?" she asked.

"Huh?" Leland blinked. "Oh, sorry, babe. I was just thinking."

He liked to think a lot. He sat around, brooding, his brow furrowed. Izzy didn't mind too much, since he always looked pretty hot whenever he did it.

"We're going to meet my best friend tomorrow," he told her.

Ah yes, Leland's best friend, Prince Jack of the Pastel Kingdom. He had brought him up many times.

Leland's neutral gaze turned nasty.

"… and his fiancée." he spat.

If Izzy didn't know any better, that was jealousy. She gasped. Was Jack's fiancée a hot woman?! Did Leland want her instead?!

"Sounds fun," Izzy grinned. "A double date?"

"It was his idea," Leland sighed, almost dejectedly. His expression hardened once more.

"… are you really okay?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Leland replied, daydreaming once again.

Izzy held onto her boyfriend's arm, walking through the Plaid Kingdom. This was definitely one of the nicer areas of the kingdom, judging by the fancy restaurants and expensive tablecloth.

Izzy sighed; only a few weeks ago, coming here would've been just a dream.

She was dressed in a fancy plaid dress, frills on her sleeves. Admittedly, she missed her black and red grunge t-shirts and ripped tights, but according to her prince boyfriend, it wasn't a good look for a queen.

Well, at least he let her keep her makeup on. Black lipstick and eyeshadow, her auburn hair sprouting around her.

She gazed at Leland, who looked the same as he always did; black plaid prince jacket, his spiky blonde hair brushed aside. Izzy sighed. Man, he was so hot.

He was looking around, almost as if they were being watched.

"Leelooo!"

An upbeat voice. Leland's face immediately lit up; he raced off.

"Whoa!" Izzy was almost dragged behind him.

Leland stopped, reaching a glowing human being. Izzy blinked. So this was Jack. Leland had offhandedly-mentioned Jack was a looker, but Izzy could've never guessed how beautiful he really was; long, flowing hair, gorgeous eyes, sparkles that bloomed around him. He was like an Angel.

"Leeloo!" Jack grinned.

"Jackie!" Leland opened his arms, picking up Jack in a bone-crushing hug.

(Jack looked small in Leland's arms, though Izzy had to admit that Leland was a pretty big guy. Most people looked short next to him.)

Izzy grimaced, watching the two. Leland had never been that affectionate with her.

"Oh!" Jack gasped. "Where are my manners!"

He jumped down, pointing to the… creature near him. Izzy almost hadn't seen her; Jack's sparkles had thrown her off. The creature had green skin, with long, messy hair that reminded Izzy of seaweed. Her teeth were pointy. She was dressed in pastel, completely clashing with her colour scheme.

"This is the love of my life, Lilyth!" Jack grinned.

Lilyth waved, making a dolphin nose.

"Yes," Leland got out through ground teeth. "We've met."

Izzy eyed him, cautiously. She'd never seen him so… tense before.

"And you, you must be Leland's lovely fiancée!" Jack turned to Izzy. "Isolde, wasn't it?"

"Izzy," Izzy corrected. She'd always hated her full name; it was so long and formal.

She blinked at Jack. "You, uh…"

Words failed. He was just so sparkly.

"It's so nice to meet you, Izzy!" Jack shook her hand. "I'm so glad Leland is with someone who makes him so happy."

(Well, he was right, but not in the way he expected.)

"Mmhmm," Leland nodded, narrowing his eyes. "We'll be getting married very soon."

Jack clapped, joyfully. "That's great news!"

Izzy just giggled in response. She tried not to stare at Jack's, ahem, lover, who couldn't be further from him in terms of appearance. It was like Jack had pulled her out of a swamp somewhere, and that was being generous.

Leland was glowering at her; jealousy was almost radiating off him.

I mean, she's ugly, but she's not that bad, right? Izzy wanted to say to her fiancé.

Or maybe it was something else. Jack seemed to bring out a whole other side of Leland; he was like a totally different guy.

"Anyway," Jack waved a hand. "Wow! I can't believe we're having our first double date!"

He had so much energy, so much life. Leland was staring at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread.

Izzy gulped. Leland had never looked at her like that.

(Wasn't she supposed to be marrying him in a few weeks?)

"Lilyth and I have been so excited," Jack said, turning back to his fiancée. And Leland was glowering once again.

"Yayyy?" Izzy waved her hands.

"Let's go!" Jack clapped, racing off again.

…

A few moments later, everyone was sitting in a fancy cafe. Leland went back and forth from grinning at Jack to glowering at Lilyth.

Lilyth had a strange accent. It was obvious enough she didn't hail from the Pastel Kingdom, but Izzy had to wonder where she did come from.

"Isn't this great?" Jack gushed. "All four of us!"

"Yeah," Leland put his chin on his hand, eyeing Jack.

Izzy gazed at the menu; the prices made her eyes bulge. Of course, to a prince they were merely chump change.

"Hey, baby?" Izzy tugged on Leland's arm.

"Yeah?" he asked, still staring at Jack.

"Are you sure I can have this gold-leaf frappe?" she asked. "It's, like, super expensive."

"Sure you can," Leland replied, dreamily. "Have whatever you want, babe."

Izzy squeed.

"Oooh, what do you want, Lilyth?" Jack gazed at Lilyth. "The croissants sound nice!"

"I'll just have some tea," Lilyth replied.

"What are you having, Leeloo?" Jack asked Leland.

"Coffee," Leland replied.

"Good choice," Jack nodded. "Me, I'll have a sundae!"

The waiter came over, so the four gave their orders.

"Sooooo," Jack waved his hands. "Izzy, has Leland told you what I do?"

Oh yes, he absolutely had. Once he was under the influence of alcohol, the gloves came off… especially when it came to complaining about Jack. Jack was a reverse Robin Hood of sorts, returning precious items back to their original items.

Waste of damn time, Leland would complain. He broke his oath anyway! Took a treasure for himself.

And Izzy would just go along with it, if only to make her grumpy to-be husband feel a bit better.

"Yeah," Izzy replied, eyeing Jack. "It's, uh, cool stuff!"

"Until he became a hypocrite, that is," Leland spoke up, coolly.

"Not this again, Leeloo," Jack sighed. "Let's just relax and enjoy ourselves!"

The bitterness still remained. Leland's glare hardened.

Izzy grimaced. From what Leland had rambled, he and Jack had had some… disagreements in the past. Something to do with the death of Leland's parents, something do with Lilyth.

Lilyth looked away, avoiding Leland's eye. Jack cleared his throat.

"Anyway…" he said. He gasped, sitting up.

"What?" Leland asked.

"Whoa, what's that out there?" Jack got up. "That's gotta be the ancient stolen cup! Someone's got it!"

He raced outside.

"Jackie, wait up!" Leland chased after him.

Izzy was about to get up, but Lilyth shook her head.

"Don't bother," she said. "They'll be a while."

Welp, Izzy was all alone with Lilyth now. The women sat in an awkward silence.

"So…" Izzy coughed. "Nice weather, huh?"

Lilyth smiled. "Indeed."

Izzy sipped her soda.

"How long have you been with Prince Leland?" Lilyth asked.

"Uhh!" Izzy coughed. "Few weeks."

"And you're getting married soon?" Lilyth asked.

Izzy nodded. "And uh. You and. Jack. You gettin' married as well?"

Lilyth nodded. "Yes, yes! I'm very excited."

There was an edge of sadness in her tone.

"You seem kinda down," Izzy noticed.

"Oh, it's fine, it's just…" Lilyth looked away. "Sometimes, it is a bit hard, fitting in with Jack's family."

Izzy frowned. The poor woman, she seemed so nice.

"Sorry to hear that, Lilyth," she said, sincerely. "Uh… welp, I'm here for you. And stuff."

"Thank you, Izzy," Lilyth smiled. "That means a lot."

The waiter arrived, delivering the food and drink. Izzy gasped, eyeing her frappe. Lilyth picked up her tea cup.

"By the way," Lilyth coughed, "my name is actually Leelathae, but Jack… can't really pronounce it."

"For real?" Izzy asked. "Well, my name's actually Isolde, but… no one calls me that."

The women laughed.

"They're very good friends, aren't they?" Leelathae asked, watching Jack and Leland.

Izzy stared at the two best friends. Leland was giving Jack a piggyback, holding the ancient cup. His eyes were wide, full of wonder.

"Yeah," Izzy sighed. "They really are."

Finally, the date was over. Leland and Izzy walked back to the Plaid Palace. Leland was tense, his eyes furrowed into a tight scowl.

"You okay, boo?" Izzy asked.

"That hypocritical bastard…" Leland muttered.

Izzy felt awkward once again.

"Oh, babe, just a heads up," Leland turned to her, "'Izzy' is a little too… y'know, informal for a queen?"

But that's what everyone calls me, Izzy wanted to say. Isolde is just too long and regal.

The words failed.

"Yeah, you're right," Izzy - or Queen Isolde, she would be - replied.

In some ways, she was just like Jack. A hypocrite, throwing away everything she once stood by… for a lover. But in other ways, she was not like Jack at all, for while she could catch Leland's eye, only Jack could keep it.