That Royal Bad Ass

17. He Knew...

PSYCH

btw, for all of you readers from before the revision, I made a few changes regarding to her familiarity with Keller.

Chapter 17-Saturday

"Happy birthday dear Nikki. Happy birthday to you."

I sat awkwardly at the table with my eyes fixed on the rose bush a few feet in front of the picnic table. Why were the roses here never red? I tried to distract myself. I really hated it when people sang the birthday song. Like, what on earth am I supposed to do? Clap? Sing? I giggled at the thought of clapping and singing along. That'd be so awkward.

I sighed and looked around the table one more time, taking in the grinning, singing faces of my friends—well, two friends and the others were children of my parent's 'acquaintances'. They honestly looked like they wanted let loose and run around the gardens. Of course we couldn't do that, our parents wouldn't allow it. We were all eight—except for Jane—and we were expected to be perfect little girls—seen but never heard.

The only boy there was Mark anyway... So far I tried to convince myself it's still early... there's still time.

I sat listening to the adults chattering at the table on the gazebo about royal gossip—or rather 'politics'—an hour after I blew out the candles, Jane—being five year old Jane—,who seemed to have behavioural problems at the time, knocked the cake off of the table onto the lap of the president of India's daughter. There was this big commotion, I got up as soon as the cake fell and walked as far away as possible only stopping to hide behind a rose bush. I could still hear them... I swore there would have been a serious international incident if everyone hadn't gone quiet after five minutes of pointing fingers and shouting. My curiosity peaked but not enough to go investigating. He hadn't come so I didn't feel like going back to the party. He promised that he'd come.

I sat on the grass, not caring if it would stain my dress and hugged my knees to my chest. He promised... I sighed and closed my eyes. Happy birthday to me I thought bitterly.

"I know I'm late," he breathed hesitantly and my pulse sped up immediately, "Please forgive me, I was in Paris the entire weekend trying to find—

I hopped up and cut him off with a tight hug.

"Keller?" I breathed in disbelief.

Keller stood before me at the side of a very familiar, older version of him—who Stephen pointed out to be the king of Boulos, King Gladiole... his wife died giving birth to...—Keller gave me a pleading look but I just stared at him confusedly. I was so confused that the fact of the decorations in the chateaux's ball room being all white didn't seem to matter to me. Not even the white roses.

"Hello Nicola," the older man smiled down at me with the same warm eyes as Keller's, "I haven't seen you since your eight birthday, I'm surprised that you remember Keller at all!"

He chuckled heartily and my pulse started to pick up its pace. This can't be right... I touched the bracelet on my right wrist and Keller glanced at it. He almost looked happy.

"I'm surprised myself!" I faked laughed waving my hand half-heartedly, "I have a hard time remembering to do my homework."

"I hope it gets done," he said almost jokingly and I forgot how much I liked my parent's friends—they were much nicer than them.

"I hope so too," I smiled at him and avoided Keller's gaze, "It was delightful speaking, but I've got to make my turn about the room."

"Happy Birthday Nicola," he smiled at me and I curtsied and turned to walk away quickly.