A Royal Mate

Past Meets Present

My Dearest Si,

If you are reading this, then I am no longer with you. I did not get to see the woman, I know you would become. I hope that life wasn't too harsh on you, but I cannot be too sure of anything. I, we, your father, and I wanted to tell you that you were not born in New York, but you were born in a small country near the Mediterranean called Aenidaea. Your father was actually a Duke, and we secretly wed once I found out I was pregnant with you. He had an arranged marriage but she was an awful woman, her name was Luscinia she and her sister and her husband wanted to overthrow the King and Queen. The King and Queen were our close friends, that is how I met your father, I was the Maid of Honor in the Royal Wedding, as I was the roommate of the new Queen in college. Your father was the Best Man to the King, so of course, we spent most of the night together much to that horrible woman's dismay.

Over the next couple of weeks, I got to know your father more and more, one night he told me that he had fallen in love with me, and that was it. I gave him my heart and soul. We courted for about 3 years, of course, Luscinia just thought I was one of your father's mistresses, but it was I who held his heart and he was looking for ways to get out of the betrothal contract. A few months later, I found out I was carrying you and we wed quickly. He was afraid that your birthright and our union would be challenged if we did not marry in a reasonable amount of time. We did not want them to be able to place my pregnancy before the marriage. Luscinia found out about the pregnancy and swore if she ever found out that we wed behind her back, she would demand that your father is stripped of all he had. I could not let that happen, so we kept our marriage a secret, and everyone thought that I was just the mistress.

One day, when you were about 25 weeks old, we took you to the Palace to see King Constantine, and Queen Ariana could finally meet you. They had two sons, a precocious 8-year-old named Louis and a 4 -year-old named, Liam. I had you swaddled in an ivory, silk blanket, Liam took one look at you, and said that you were the most beautiful "Little Pearl" that he had ever seen. The King and Queen were shifters, once Liam saw you, he would not let you out of his sight while we were in the Palace. We knew then, that you were his mate, and we made plans for you two to be betrothed, once you had finished college. My princess was going to be a real Princess.

Not long after the formal documents were signed and sealed, Queen Ariana was poisoned, your father was afraid that I or you would be next, so with Constantine's blessing we ran. He sent us with members of the Royal Guard assigned to your father's house as he was now the last in of his line. It was always our intention to tell you all this on your seventeenth birthday, and maybe even take you back to Aenidaea for a visit.

We have left your inheritance, also your Aenidaean birth certificate, along with our marriage certificate so that you can claim you are rightful place as an heir of Pallios. Pallios is yours, you are a Duchess, guide them well. I know that it is in you. A copy of the betrothal as well. Guard them well. My step-sister cannot be trusted. If we are gone, I fear it may be her doing.

Liam is a good man, and he will always look out for you. Do not be afraid to love him. I love you, my darling girl, we will be watching over you. Si, I am so sorry that we had to leave you too soon.

Always loving you,

Mother.

Si could feel the river of tears falling down her cheeks. She had no clue about who she was, her parents did not mean to leave her, they always meant for her to find Liam. Maybe they made sure that they would meet. Her aunt, Josi, had she not meddled, had she not been so jealous, Si's life could have been different. She could not regret want happened, as she could not change it. Every step leads her to this moment. To the man of her dreams, to the love of her life. Here is where she is supposed to be. All she knew, is that she would not shed another tear for Josi.