SOFIA
The meeting takes place in Father's personal study. He's already there, so are Karl and the Head of Congress. Darrel leads me inside, yet knowing this is a private meeting, he's forced to walk out. Before he leaves though, he assures me he'll be waiting outside the door, and in case anything happens, I should just shout for him. I smile at him thankfully and take a seat on the empty armchair, the one next to Karl's.
"I'm sorry, Fia." My brother whispers to me as greeting. I know it isn't polite from me, but I don't answer. I'm too shaken from everything that has happened. This time, it's not only my duty on the line. It's also the chance to spend time with my boyfriend and my friends. The people I love most. I can't let my guard down now.
"Your Royal Highnesses," the Head of Congress, Mr. Antigone, greets us and hereby officially begins the meeting. The bodyguards outside close the doors and lock them. No one except for us four is able to hear this conversation.
"I believe you both know why we've called you here today." Mr. Antigone continues, trying hard not to stare at Karl. My brother notices and tenses. "The future line to the throne of Cordelia is at stake."
Karl and I nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"Karl, son, the way I see it, you have two options: you leave the woman..." Father says, yet he's interrupted by my brother.
"Her name is Sierra."
Father looks past his comment and continues: "You either leave the woman and remain heir to the throne, or decide to spend your life with her and Sofia will be the next ruler of Cordelia."
"No", I whisper, loud enough for them to hear. They look past my comment as well.
"Why can't I have both?!" Karl shouts annoyed, standing up. I still remain like frozen on my chair. "Take Fia for example. She's allowed to be with Alec Dunn, a non-royal person who might as well use her, and no one has tried to break them up so far."
Hearing him talk about my relationship with Alec like that pisses me off. Which is why I also stand up: "How dare you?!" I shout at him and he freezes. I've never shouted at him before. Truth is, he has never heard me shout at anybody before. I've always been the nice princess in front of him. Well, that nice princess is gone. The moment he dared to speak of me and Alec like that, she died. All that's left is anger now. "How dare you talk about my boyfriend like that?! You don't know half of the things Alec and I have been through to be able to be together. You don't know how many times I had to look at him and know I couldn't call him mine. Be afraid to share looks in the hallways. You don't know a thing about him. Which gives you no right to insult him."
"It still doesn't make sense." he continues. "You get to live your fairytale life as some of us are forced to choose between love and duty."
"Right. That's what you think my life is. A fairytale." I say, letting out a dry laugh. "If only you knew..."
"Karl, Sofia; that's enough." Father stops us, his voice showing how annoyed he is. "We're here to find solutions, not to create more problems."
I sit down rolling my eyes. Before anyone can add anything, I whisper again: "I am not going to be queen."
Karl sighs furious and we let the two men speak.
"So, Your Royal Highness, what will your decision be?" the Head of congress asks my brother. I get annoyed again.
"So, let me get this straight. Karl gets to decide what he wants to do, and I just have to go with whatever works for him?" I ask.
Neither of the men in the room give me an answer.
I laugh dry again.
"I want to make a few things clear. First of all, he's not the only one with a title here. He might be the heir and all, but last time I checked, you also addressed me as Your Royal Highness." I reply. Again, no one speaks, yet Father gives me a proud look. I get encouraged and continue:
"Secondly, he's not the only one with love around here. If he decides to go get married to her or whatever, I'll have to stay here and be queen. However, I also have a boyfriend at home. And I am not leaving him just because you say so."
I want to continue with my rant, yet Mr. Antigone interrupts me: "Your Royal Highness..."
Point proven.
"Yes?" I ask, trying to fake being interested.
"Neither of you two can get married." He answers. I freeze.
"I am sorry, what?!" I ask annoyed, and I swear I can hear Karl let out a chuckle. He's enjoying this right now.
Screw him.
It hurts how some people can go from your best friend to your enemy in the course of a few seconds.
"It's the law. You can't get married, unless the person comes from a royal family."
"But can't we change the law?" I ask hopeful. The Head of Congress shakes his head.
"It is the way it is. To change the law, you have to get every vote of the Congress to support your cause. The Congress doesn't want to change the law. It's impossible. No matter which one of you will try to change the law as our ruler, we won't support you."
Delightful.
Silence installs in the room. After a while, Karl asks: "Would you mind if I'll get a few minutes with Sierra? I'd like to talk to her, before I make my decision."
The two men change a look and end up nodding. Karl stands up and leaves the room. I do the same, only to call Alec. Who isn't answering.
Alec, pick up. I curse at the phone.
Still no answer.
Few seconds later, I get a text from him.
HIM: I'm in a meeting with Rachel, sweetheart.
HIM: I'll call you as soon as I'm done.
Oh my gosh. Rachel is his mother. Something must have happened, since he never talks to his mother unless forced to.
Although he might not be able to answer, I still send him a message.
ME: Alright. But can you tell me if you're okay, babe? I'm getting worried.
He answers.
HIM: I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, Foxy. You know I'll be fine.
His answer creeps me out yet I don't write it to him.
"Trouble in paradise?" Karl asks, as he randomly passes by me.
I don't answer, only show him the middle finger. Karl chuckles and reenters through the door. I follow him and we go sit down on the chairs from before.
"Sierra and I reached a conclusion." Karl begins. The whole attention shifts to him. He continues: "I'll continue with my duties as heir to the throne and take title as King after my Father. However, Sierra will move to the palace like Gillian and will continue being in a relationship with me, hidden from the rest of the world."
You must be fucking kidding me.
"You are aware you can't just keep bringing people and hiding them inside the castle?" I mumble, more to myself than to them. It's not like they would listen.
"This is my condition. If you don't agree, I'll abdicate." Karl says, probably hearing my comment.
"The fuck you will." I reply to him.
Father throws me a look warning me to mind my language. But I don't care anymore. This whole thing already started to get too much.
"Son, if you choose this, there's no going back. Sierra will never be allowed to see the world outside of the palace grounds. She'll be trapped here. Are you sure this is what you want?"
Karl stops and nods. "I told her what it would mean. She agreed. It's either Sierra stays, or I'll go."
What love does to people. I hope for his own sake that it's true love between them and not just a fling.
"We'll need a minute to discuss." The Head of Congress says, sending us back outside. I follow Karl out of the door, and he immediately heads to a blonde hair woman waiting in a corner. He wraps her hands around her waist and the two start kissing like the world would end.
It might. If he ruins my life, Alec might be tempted to kill him.
Which reminds me of the fact I miss my boyfriend.
I look at my phone again and don't see any new messages. I'm getting worried again, based on the fact he might still be in a conversation with his mother. And I meanwhile sadly got to know what Rachel is capable of.
"For you," Darrel's voice breaks my thoughts pulling me back to reality. He's handing me a paper bag with something inside and a cup of tea.
I thank him with a nod and look inside the bag. A chocolate croissant. My favorite food.
"You know me so well," I whisper chuckling, trying to force my mind away from Alec and how scared I am right now.
"Well, I've had ten years to learn." he answers, his mouth twitched in a corner. He never actually smiles. The mouth twitches are the only things one gets.
"I bet you regret working for me." I say, thinking back at how many times I've made his life a living nightmare. Forcing him to move to the States, getting kidnapped...He must hate me.
"Me? Regret working for you? Never." He answers surprised that I could ever even think of that. "Your Royal Highness, if I could go back in time to the moment I decided to work for you, I wouldn't do anything differently."
I throw him a smile and take a bite from the croissant. Damn, it really tastes good.
"You know, Sofia?" He begins in a whisper tone, so that no one can hear he addressed me by my first name. "No matter what might happen today, I just want you to know that it would be my honor to keep serving you as your bodyguard. Second-in-line or heiress to the throne, this doesn't change anything about who you are. As a person. And even if fate won't be on your side and you will somehow become queen, you will do an amazing job. Because I've seen it. I have to spend every moment in your shadow, and I've seen it. Your kindness. Your determination. All qualities of a great queen."
I look at him with tears in my eyes. Although there are people watching, I lose it and give him a hug. A big hug, to show him how grateful I am for everything he has done for me in the last ten years and everything he'll do for me in the future. Because I already agreed. He will remain my bodyguard, no matter the outcome of today.
"This is inappropriate." he whispers, analyzing the people staring at us.
"Just shut up for five seconds and let me show you how thankful I am." I reply. He chuckles and lets me hug him. After the named five seconds, which he counted, he removes me from him and I continue eating my croissant.
"Your Royal Highnesses, the meeting can continue", the Head of Congress announces us, stepping outside. I look back at Darrel, who nods encouraging and I smile. I follow Mr. Antigone inside, and sit down. A weird feeling fills me up. I try to push it away and focus.
"We came to a conclusion." My Father begins and after throwing me a quick pitiful glance, he continues: "This decision won't come easy for everyone, yet the decision cannot be changed anymore."
What the heck?!
The Head of Congress takes over the conversation, his voice shaking with fear of how we will react. He throws me a short look. He's afraid, of how I will react. "The Congress and His Majesty The King decided, that His Royal Highness Prince Karl will continue to serve as our future ruler and heir to the throne. He cannot wed Miss Sierra Barngle, however, with the help of the palace, the couple will be able to live together in secrecy."
Karl looks happy at the two men, mumbling thank you the whole time.
The men don't answer.
And turn to me.
Sad.
"However, if His Royal Highness Prince Karl will ever have a child, he or she cannot be named successor to the throne, given the fact it results from a relationship that to the world doesn't exist. Because of this matter, the successor to the throne and hereby the next heir of Cordelia after the reign of Prince Karl will be the daughter or son of Her Royal Highness Princess Sofia and her partner, regardless of the fact if it is Mister Alec Dunn or a future partner."
What. The. Actual. Fuck?!
"No", I yell, feeling how my world breaks. "No. Please, no. I've lived my life hating the fact one day I could be forced to be queen. Please, no. I don't want my child to live with the same fear. Please. Please. I'm begging you."
I'm yelling. Shouting. Crying. Tears roll down my eyes. Down my cheeks. I'm choking. I want to disappear. I'm on my knees now. Begging them to change the law.
"Please. Don't do this. Please. I can't live knowing I'll be forcing my future child to a life in which there's no freedom for her or him. Please. Change it. Please."
The two men remain as frozen on the spot. Mr. Antigone looks at my display of emotion with pity, making no move to change it. Father looks at me sad, with tears in his eyes.
I try to find a way to convince them.
"I offer myself as queen. Please. I offer myself as queen. I'll do anything. Just please, don't force my future child in this."
"It wouldn't make any difference, dear." Father says, bending down next to where I am kneeling. "If you were to be Queen, your child will automatically become heir."
"But now? You can change it. I'm sure the people will understand. Alec isn't royalty as well. You said I am not allowed to marry him. How can his child become heir?" I ask. Karl gets interested.
"Because there's a difference between Alec and Sierra. A difference, that said out loud might sound offensive, yet it is the truth. The people love Alec. They have seen the two of you together at dates. In Paris. They see how in love he is with you. And he's a billionaire. He might as well have more money than any duke. All they know about Sierra is that she's having an affair with the Prince. Nothing supports her. They want Alec." Father explains. Karl flinches, yet doesn't say anything for his own sake. I'm so down right now I might kill him myself. Forget waiting for Alec.
"But, it's my baby!" I say, shouting again. "It's my baby!"
Father kisses my forehead and hugs me so tight, my tears make his suit wet. "I'm sorry, darling. I really am. It's the law."
I sink my face in his chest and start crying harder. A few seconds later, Darrel enters through the door, probably worried from hearing my screams. I turn to look at him and he sees my red eyes. He gets pissed.
"Who hurt Her Royal Highness?" he asks, ready to attack.
"No one", I answer, tears still burning my cheeks. "No one hurt me. I'm the one who does the hurting this time. I just hurt my child."
Darrel looks at me confused. Father lets out an "Oh, my love" and pulls me closer.
I close my eyes and hope to disappear.