Hidden Princess

Chapter 6

By 10 o'clock, everyone but Alex and Cami had left. Xavier ended up getting a ride back with one of the other guys earlier. Apparently his cousin is in town and he needed to get home. Alex, Cami, and I are sitting up in my room after changing out of our swim suits. Alex and I are sitting on my bed while Cami lounges on the window seat.

"Are you sure you guys don't have to be going home?" I ask. "It is getting pretty late."

"It's fine," Alex says. "Our parents aren't home this weekend so they won't care."

"Yeah, not that they would care anyways," Cami laughs. "As long as we let them know where we are, and when we head home, they let us stay out however late we want to on the weekends."

"Your parents sound so cool. I was barely allowed to stay out much after dark back home." I shake my head at the memories. I was barely ever let off of palace grounds after I was named heir to the throne at fourteen. My dad always thought it was too dangerous.

"Seriously?" Cami asks. "I don't think I would survive that! I like to go out and do whatever I want, whenever I want!"

"Well, Dário isn't nearly as strict as my parents were. He will basically let me do what I want. Which is why he didn't argue when I just told him you all were coming over after the game today."

"Well today was great," Alex smiles. "It was the most fun we've all had in a long time."

"I'm glad you guys enjoyed yourselves," I say with a smile.

The three of us sat there and talked until about 2AM. Dário still wasn't home yet, and that worried me. I pulled my phone out and checked it for the fifth time in 20 minutes.

"Everything okay, Nia?" Alex asks me when I sigh again. Cami is in the bathroom at the moment, so its just the two of us out here.

"I don't know," I say, putting my phone away. "Dário isn't home yet, and he's never out this late. He's usually always home by midnight. And he hasn't text me or anything saying he was going to be out later than usual. I'm starting to get really worried. Plus, I don't like being here by myself."

"Cami and I can stay here with you tonight, or until he gets home, if you want." Alex says as Cami comes back and takes her spot on the window seat.

"Really? You guys would do that?" I ask.

"Of course we would!" Cami says. "Alex can call dad and let him know we are staying here with you. Our parents won't mind."

"Exactly. I'll call him right now." Alex says, pulling out his phone and dialing it, putting it on speaker.

"Hello?" Their dad's voice comes through the phone after a few rings.

"Hey dad," Alex says,

"What's up Alex? Did something happen?" Their dad asks.

"No, everything's fine. I just wanted to call and let you and mom know that Cami and I are going to stay here with Nia tonight," Alex explains. "Her brother isn't home, and she doesn't want to be alone tonight, so we are going to stay with her. We will be home tomorrow sometime."

"Alright, son. Thank you for letting me know your plans and we will see you and Cami tomorrow."

"Thanks, dad. See you tomorrow." Alex says before hanging up the phone and turning to me with that smile of his and my heart flutters. "There all set."

"Thank you guys," I say, letting my shoulders relax a bit. "Seriously, thank you. I really don't like being left alone."

"Its not a problem, NIa." Alex says.

"Seriously, anytime you need someone around, one or both of us will come stay with you," Cami says, "Or you can come stay with us at our house if you want."

"You guys are the best." I smile. "There are 5 other bedrooms in this house that aren't being used, you guys can stay where ever you want."

"Well in that case, I'm going to go find a bed to sleep in," Cami says as she stands up with a yawn. "I think I saw an empty bedroom at the end of the hall. I'll see you two in the morning." With that she walks out of my room, leaving Alex and I alone, sitting on my bed.

"Thank you again, Alex," I say, turning to look at him. "I don't know what I would have done if you guys hadn't of stayed."

"You don't have to thank me Nia," Alex says. He reaches over and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. "I would have stayed even if you hadn't of said anything. I wasn't going to let you stay here alone." He kisses my forehead softly before standing up and walking to my door. He turns back to look at me with a soft smile. "I'll just be in the room right next door if you need anything. Good night, Nia. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Alex."

He flicks my light off for me and closes my door behind him as he leaves the room. I sigh as I climb under my covers and lay my head down on my pillow. If I had any doubts about what Xavier said about Alex liking me flew out the window with that kiss he placed on my forehead. I've never wanted to be a normal teenager more than I do right now. If my father hadn't of signed that treaty with Agrana, my life would be slightly more normal than it is, but either way, I don't think anything would ever be able to happen between Alex and I, and that upsets me.

With those thoughts plaguing my mind, I fall into a restless sleep.

Unknown POV

"Dário." I call out to him as he passes by where I am sitting on a bench at the park. He turns to look at me and I see the shock pass over his face when he sees me.

"What the hell?" He asks as he walks over and takes a seat next to me. "Everyone thought you were dead. Nia cried for weeks after she found out."

"What the hell happened that you had to bring her here?" I ask, skipping the explanation of how and why I'm here right now. Dário gets the idea and goes straight to business mode.

"There was an attack at the palace. King Aloísio was assassinated."

"He's dead?" I ask, feeling my heart drop to my stomach as Dário nods. "Shit."

"That's not even the worse of it," he says. "I'm pretty sure Agrana was behind the attack. Apolônia is engaged to Prince Demétrio of Agrana, as stated in the treaty that was signed three years ago. She is to marry him when she turns 18, and when she is 21 the crown would be passed to them. I think they wanted Demétrio on the throne faster than that."
"She's engaged to that asshole?" I ask, my blood boiling. "Over my dead body will that marriage ever happen. He shouldn't have even entertained the idea of a treaty like that with Agrana. Of course something like this would happen! When I get my hands on that asshole of a prince..."

"I feel the same way. That's why I brought Nia here. I knew Agrana wouldn't be able to find her and try to force her into the marriage early due to the untimely death of the King."

"Agrana will never have a claim to the throne of Eplea, no matter how hard they try to get their foot into our country."