and we promised

Chapter 6

OLIVIA

It's little past midnight as I sneak down the palace corridor. I probably should be in my room but after being on the phone with my bestie for over one hour since I had to explain to her everything about my date with an impossible amount of details, I decided I can't sleep so I wanted to go for a walk a bit. One can tell I'm crazy walking this late through a castle, but I can tell you I am perfectly safe. I am more than safe. I have two bodyguards behind me. They are also part of the reasons I took this walk. I was reading them fanfics about them on Wattpad, until they got bored or disgusted about me reading them smut with them as the main characters. I have no clue how those fanfics came to exist, but I daily thank whoever created them for offering me the joy of torturing my two bodyguards. Brad is mostly featured in age gap stories, with a young princess falling for her bodyguard. Secret romance, forbidden love and so on. He was rather affected by one quote in this story called "His possession I A Brad Laurey (Princess Olivia's bodyguard) fanfic" that said: He told me to be quiet as he slowly fucked me in the corner of the room. His hands all over my body, his gun still resting at his hip, his mouth devouring me like I'd be his last meal. Let's just say I caught Brad searching the internet for nearby therapists after that. Landon didn't come clean either. I read to him from one of the thousands fanfics about him, he has more than Brad honestly, called: "To save us about I A fanfic about me and Landon (Princess Olivia's hotter bodyguard)". The quote was also very touching. "Faster", I called out to him while I could hear footsteps on the hallway. "Don't", Landon tells me. "I need to take you slow. Enjoy every inch of you. Make you mine. Claim you." I am staring at his deep eyes as I whisper: "They are coming. They'll catch us." He smirks at me with the grin of the devil. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll make sure you won't make a sound."

"I've told you, Karl. She'll destroy us all", a feminine voice catches my attention. It's Sierra's.

I can't help but be curious about what she's talking about. The conversation seems to have caught the attention of my bodyguards too, since they're suddenly no longer behind me, but before me.

Landon comes closer, placing a hand protective in front of me, as if to keep me at his back. With the other hand, he is holding the trigger of his gun ready. Brad is already holding the weapon in his arm, not even bothering hiding it.

I roll my eyes and make them a sound to be quiet, coming next to the closest wall and leaning against it, trying to stay in the shadows and get a spot to hear the rest. I know eavesdropping isn't polite, but I have a feeling this is important. And if they're doing something, I should better know what.

My two bodyguards seemed to have gotten the gist since they now join me. The weapons are still in their hands though.

"And what do you expect me to do, Sierra?", Karl shouts at her. "What do you expect me to do? I don't have a choice. I didn't have a choice last time, I will not have one now. Olivia will be queen, no matter if I end my reign sooner or later."

If I thought this conversation was interesting before, I find it rather alarming now.

"She will end us", my aunt continues. "She will end us. She won't spare us. You're just giving her free pass to do it."

"Stefan will take care of that", Karl tells his wife. I have to swallow hard at what he said. For Stefan took care of that once in the past. And I ended up spending over two months in a hospital.

Landon and Brad also tensed next to me.

"He won't", Sierra counters. "He keeps saying that he will, but he doesn't."

"Relax, darling", Karl replies. "Just trust him."

I highly consider getting a gun of my own right now. You know, just to keep it with me at all times.

"Are you sure you want to abdicate, Karl?", Sierra asks him.

Every single cell I possess stopped working at that. Karl wants to abdicate. My world stopped spinning and I'd rather dig a hole and crawl into it. For if Karl abdicates, it's game over. I'm bound to this place forever. I won't be able to go home unless for very few days a year, I'll have to put up with these people every single day. One can I say I could do it too. Abdicate. But if I abdicate, then Cordelia comes to the hands of Stefan. And I'd rather never go back to New York again then leave my people at the fate of him. For these are my people. My lands. My country. And I am not letting anyone harm them.

"I don't know, Sierra", he says. "I don't know. If the baby comes, we'll need more time together."
What in the-

"We'll figure it out. We figured it out when Stefan was born. He turned out pretty good", she tries to make a joke.

I can't help but raise an eyebrow. Who in their right mind considers Stefan turned out good? The guy literally tried to kill his cousin.

"I know", Karl tells her. His voice sounds a bit more unsteady. "But I also feel like I need more time with you. We started to talk so little. I need you. I want you."

Sierra lets out a chuckle. "I need and want you too, honey. But promise me you'll think about it. Things will never be the same once Olivia Dunn gets her hands on the power."

I notice how she completely omitted my Mom's family name. The name Sierra and I are sharing. As if she would completely reject me as part of her family. Truth to be told, I'm fine with that. However, that's my Mom's name, for heaven's sake. And I might not be proud to share it with Sierra, but I am damn proud to introduce myself as my mother's daughter. I always use both my family names when greeting someone. For both these names represent two of the people I admire most. The ones who taught me love is worth fighting for and no matter what hardships one faces, with good-will and strength, one will find a solution.

Sierra omitting one of my names has my anger raising.

I can see Brad offering me a look saying not to do anything stupid. Like barge in on them and make them know I heard everything. I remember something my Dad told me once. "There is no greater weapon than information. That's why you always need to be a step ahead from everyone. See what they don't want you to see, hear what you should have never heard. Sometimes, telling people you know their secrets frightens them more than any threat could."

I close my eyes and count to that, calming my anger. Information. That's what I need. And that's what I now have.

I make Landon and Brad a sign to follow me and we walk back to my room. I can't close one eye the whole night.

All I am thinking of are the thousands what ifs.