and we promised

Chapter 18

NATHAN & OLIVIA

NATHAN

Where is she?

Where is she where is she where is she

I look around the room, trying to get a glimpse of her. Trying to find her.

She was here a few hours ago. I tried to stay awake all night, to watch over her. At some point the exhaustion of walking kilometers kicked in, and I think my eyes must have closed.

Now I woke up.

And she's gone.

"Livie", I find myself yelling.

She doesn't respond.

I run inside the bathroom, I go inside the hallway, I run wherever I can see but she isn't here.

She is not here.

"Princess", I let out, the word coming out muffed from my shaking voice.

What if someone hurt her? What if they took her? What if they came here to finish what they started?

I try to take some deep breaths.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

It's then I see it.

A small note.

Lying on the coffee table next to the side of the bed I slept in.

I walk over there, terrified it will be a blackmail note. Someone asking for money so that they would give me back my Livie.

Yet it's not a blackmail note.

It's a goodbye one.

In her handwriting.

"Nathan,

thank you for helping me! I appreciate what you did for me and will forever be grateful.

I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye.

I didn't want us to be apart from each other again.

But my kingdom needs me. Now more than over.

I can't let the one that hurt me hurt my people.

I missed you. I'm sorry.

Livie"

I keep the note in my hand as I sink on the bed, sinking my head inside the pillow so that I can let out the scream that was building inside me.

OLIVIA

"Are you sure, Your Royal Highness?", the Prime Minister asks me.

I nod. "Will this secure me the title?"

He looks down at the constitution in his hands, then lets out a nod. "It will officially make you the Future Queen. You'll get the title once the official coronation is over, in exactly one month after you said the oath."

One month...

That's too much time.

Too much fucking time.

He'll kill me by then.

Car. Cliff. Gun.

"And what are the chances Stefan gets the crown in this month?", I ask, forcing away my thoughts.

The Prime Minister looks at me sad, and I can feel his eyes wonder to the scar on my face, where the bullet scraped me. The news about the accident came out in the world. Yet there is no word from Stefan in there. Only Thomas, the big villain of them all. He is a villain. But there is a greater monster hiding behind.

One that could take control of my kingdom if I don't do something.

"Not to push my limits, but are you sure you're alright, Your Highness?", he asks me. "I heard about what happened with Mister Alderidge. I am so very-"

"What are Stefan's chances to the throne?", I ask again, not wanting to discuss last night. With him. Or anyone. I only want to forget.

"Not so many. Unless you pass away or don't present yourself to the official coronation, the throne is secured", he responds.

So he has two options.

The first one seems more plausible. He tried to kill me before. He poisoned me and paid someone to drive me off a cliff.

I sigh. "I want to take the oath."

"As you wish", the Prime Minister counters. He doesn't seem convinced, but since it is my birth right, he doesn't comment anymore.

I take a deep breath as he opens the constitution and takes out the royal crown and scepter from a vault.

As I face them, I promise myself one thing. I will never kneel in front of anyone and anything instead of the crown and my duty ever again. I will give all I have to protect my people. I'll fight every day, I'll survive every threat and every hardship I'll have to face, if that means that they will never have to go through what I went through last night.

I close my eyes and make that oath to myself as I can hear the Prime Minister say four words.

Four words that will define my life from now on.

Long live the queen.