A/N: No main characters are in this chapter. But they will become important later. Skip at your own risk.

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In the kingdom of Leyva, King Elias Risland was having trouble with his wife Arabella. "Arabella stop doodling. We have to get going. I don't want to have to travel by magic if I can get out of it. But we have to leave soon to catch the train or we'll never make it to Draglor in time for the ball."

"I told you I can't go. I was exiled. You know this already."

"Honey, that was 20 years ago. That was your old life."

"Still you don't think Gozaburo made certain that my face was well known and instilled into Seto and everyone else that I did who knows what. He probably labeled me as a murderer or a thief and made certain that I'd never be allowed into his country again."

"Arabella, we've been married 16 years. You have changed a lot in the 20 years since you left. I seriously doubt they have pictures of you still hanging. You've even changed your name. Besides, Gozaburo's been dead for 5 years now."

"You're right. I know but…"

"You've rejected me for the past 5 years to go to any ball held near Draglor. I promise nothing will happen. Besides, don't you want to see him all grown up? If you don't get ready you won't."

"I don't know."

"If and that's a big if anyone says anything. I'll tell them they are mistaken. Besides, I'm a king. Do you really think anyone's going to still be looking for someone exiled 20 years ago? Look I'll find a magical amulet to make sure no one recognizes you."

"All right, I'll be ready shortly." Arabella said, sighing.

After she left his bodyguard, Glendive approached. "Sir, where are you going to get this amulet?"

King Elias reached into a draw and pulled out an amulet. "I bought it on my last trip and I decided to wait to give it to her."

"How will you infuse magic? I doubt Renault knows enough magic to do it."

The king put his finger to his lips and whispered, "She doesn't need to know that. Take this to Renault and tell him what I promised her and that if asked that is what he's to say. Tell him to just make it shine or something to make her think it's real."

"Are you sure lying is the way to go, sire?"

'Very well. I shall tell her Renault can't do it."

The guard, Glendive, was happy until the king said, "However you will remain behind with her. You know how sad and emotional she gets while I'm away. Especially knowing I'm going to that kingdom. So I'm personally assigning you to stay behind and comfort her and be by her side. She may want to go shopping or she may just want to cry the whole time."

Glendive paled, he'd heard horror stories from other guards. How the queen would go on shopping sprees and would throw clothes on them to hold until she decided. Sometimes she would also insist on buying them new clothes forcing them to change and occasionally buy stuff they hated and return to the store later as they were afraid of upsetting her so they rarely told her they hated anything.

Then the door opened, "I'm ready, but are you sure Renault will be able to create this amulet?" Arabella asked.

Glendive quickly grabbed the amulet and said, "I shall personally oversee it, my lady."

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Meanwhile in the Kingdom of Zasaugal King Gavin looked at the portrait of his late wife Aria. He loved his wife Clara but Aria always had a spark with her love of travel and of Balls. His assistant Sebastian came in.

"Queen Clara is helping Prince Darin get ready."

"Thank you Sebastian."

"Would it be rude of me to ask Sire, how the queen died and how did you meet Queen Clara?"

"I keep forgetting you've only been my gentleman-in-waiting for six months when Taguchi, my friend and companion since we were children died of a sudden heart attack. Aria and I didn't exactly get along at first. We were only 16. It was an arranged marriage but we eventually fell in love and together had 4 wonderful kids. Two Boy's Lucien now 35 and Calix who just turned 34. Then we had two beautiful twin girls Ansleigh and Andromeda who turned 26 just last month. I still remember the day as if it was yesterday. The twins had just turned 12 a few weeks before. We were returning from a winter ball in the Kingdom of Aquarius when on the train home Aria suddenly fell ill. She died at home a few weeks later. The doctors could never agree on what was wrong, much less treat her."

"That's terrible. Is that when you met Queen Clara?"

"It was two years later. I was taking a vacation to relieve the stress as it was close to mine and Aria's anniversary. By chance I bumped into Clara and we started talking. Before we knew it we'd spent the entire summer together. It all ended much too soon. But I had to say goodbye. We promised to meet next summer but she didn't show, I assumed she didn't feel the same as I did. I was depressed thinking I'd lost someone I had just started to fall for. But I brushed it off thinking it was just a magical summer to show me I was meant to fall in love again."

"Why did you not look for her, sire?"

"We were on the beach free from responsibilities that come with titles. I didn't want to scare her off by telling her I was a king. We only exchanged first names. I returned home to learn the kids were tired of seeing their father depressed. So they secretly organized a brides ball. I hated the idea. I wanted to wait until next summer to see if Clara returned. But at the same time I feared she was just a commoner and my kids and country would never accept her. So I kept quiet. After being forced to dance with so many women I finally manage to escape into the garden. I heard someone crying for help. I immediately go to see what's happening. I see this guy manhandling a woman. I tap his shoulder and as he turns I punch the guy hurting the girl out. The guy turned out to be Prince Lavache, the youngest of 5 kids from the neighboring Kingdom of Savara."

"Lavache has had eyes for me since we were children."

Everyone turned to see Queen Clara standing there. "Clara, is Darin ready?"

"Yes, he's waiting with his nanny by the front door. Why did you bring up the man still obsessed with me?"

"What did you mean still?" Gavin asked.

"You first."

"I was telling Sebastian how we met. What did you mean he's still obsessed?"

"He still writes me letters proclaiming his love. He's had his eyes set on me for years. Going so far as to beg his parents to arrange our marriage. I'm thankful my parents backed me when I said no. He couldn't handle rejection."

She turned to face Sebastian and said, "He followed me to Gavin's ball, again declaring his love for me and again I rejected him. He's also the reason I couldn't return to the beach that summer. I had to go to his castle with my parents despite my being 25 at the time. He made a big show and production and proclaimed his love and asked to marry me. His family was overjoyed. Me and mine weren't. His family wasn't happy I rejected him. I didn't know Gavin was a king. I didn't tell him I was a princess."

"Didn't this affect your kingdom m'lady?" Sebastian asked.

"Why would it? I'm just a princess. My younger brother got the throne."

"How did you react if I may ask sir when you saw m'lady again?"

"After I saved her I looked up to ask if she's alright and was surprised to see the woman I had just rescued was the same one I'd met the year before on a beach. This time I didn't let her go and kissed her. I asked her to be my bride! She rejected me."

"Yes, after Lavache was always up under me I wanted to take it slow. I wanted to wait a couple of years. But Gavin is anything but patient. A year later at the beach we met in, I caved and agreed to marry him. Another year later we weren't even thinking or really wanting kids. But nature had other plans and I got pregnant with Darin who turned 13 this year. Lavache never truly gave up. I even told him I had a son with my husband! He ignores that and sends me letters and flowers. I've had the staff discard anything from him. They were welcome to keep or trash anything he sent. Letters were to be marked return to sender. I was always afraid to send my own get lost letter, afraid he'd take it as a love letter no matter how many cruel things I say or do."

"Do you think he might show up at the ball sire?"

"We're prepared if he does. Extra guards are being taken in case of trouble."

Then a guard walked in, "We're ready to go, sire. Bags are packed and loaded. The guard detail is also ready to go."

"Excellent, so shall we be off Clara?"

"Yes. Let's be off."

"Take care of the place while we're gone, Sebastian."