"Talk about what?" King Kain snaps.
"Something I don't think your queen wants to hear." My father speaks calmly.
"Screw it! You are Annabelle's father. Her mother loved you and you two had a...loving time... and she came home pregnant with Annabelle." Alexon snaps, taking a defensive stand in front of me.
Mason tightens his hold on me, cradling me against his chest.
"What!? I would never-"
"She looks like you. You and Marcus look similar." Queen Alissa responds, looking at me.
Everyone turns to look at me as I am rubbing my cheek to try and stop the pain.
"Mother told me and I just wanted to ask. I never meant any harm." I explain.
"Tristan, why did you slap her?" Alissa asks, calm and quietly. Almost as if she is scolding him like he is an animal.
Tristan looks to the floor and takes a step back.
"I can't have the future king of the Northern Kingdom fighting with the future queen of Aldron. It starts a war between the two and before you know it, Tristan, your entire kingdom will be dead. Annabelle might be friendly and loving but the elves and fae aren't." Kain warns.
I suck in air. What!? I'm becoming queen? I thought Alexon was supposed to take the crown since he is the eldest. He was trained for it!
"Father, this girl can't become queen! She doesn't know currency fro-"
"Excuse me, Tristan." I say sweetly, causing him to instantly become quiet. "I think I know how to do more things than you. Just because I am a female doesn't mean I am useless."
His eyes narrow at me and he steps forward, towering over me.
"Oh? Is that so? A girl knows how to run a kingdom?"
"This girl was able to successfully do things you have been trying to do. Doesn't my tiara show proof of my alliance with the elves? Doesn't my horse show proof of the fae? Doesn't my my people count as proof for me being able to take care of them?"
"You lowlife-"
"TRISTAN BE NICE TO YOUR SISTER!" Kain bellows, making everyone jump.
Tristan sighs and I hold sigh. "Fine. Let us start all over again." I curtsy polietly. "How nice it is to see you again, Tristan."
He bows politely. "As is the same with you, Annabelle."
"There we go. Put past arguements behind you. It is a good thing. It creates a unity and doesn't destroy the alliance between the two kingdoms." Kain humms in approval.
"I feel as if I'm being judged all over again like when I was learning things that are deemed necessary." I whisper lowly for only Tristan to hear.
He smiles. "Agreed."
"I came here to tell you all wonderful news!" My father suddenly says, excitement clear in his voice.
"I love wonderful news!" Alissa exclaims.
"Annabelle and Mason are getting married. He will be crowed prince then king. And don't worry Tristan, he was raised to know how to run a Kingdom incase anything ever happened." My father pointedly looks at Tristan.
"Oh! May I help set it up!? I just love weddings!" Alissa asks.
"I would love your help, Alissa. A female insight would be wonderful."
Alissa looks at me and smiles. "Wonderful. She needs a dress and I know the exact dressmaker who will be perfect for her."
I gulp in fright. "Yay?"
"I will have her back in two days time."
"Your highness, I-" Mason begins then abruptly stops midstence.
I place my hand on his arm. "As much I would love to go see the dressmaker, I would prefer if he or she would meet us here. I get night terrors and Mason seems to be the one who scares them away."
Everyone looks at me in shock. "Shocking? It shouldn't be with everything that I've gone through." I mutter.
Alexon looks away and catches my father's eye. They nod and look to Kain who gives me a small smile before looking to Alexon and my father.
"Follow me. We need to talk. Tristan, come along too."
They leave Mason with me and Alissa.
The guards move back to position.
"You have night terrors?" Alissa asks, worry dripping from her voice.
"No, I don't."
"I do."
Mason and I speak at the same time.
Alissa looks to Mason with a small smile. "It is about losing her, isn't it?"
"How do you know?" Mason whispers, pulling me against him.
"Because Kain was the same way before Tristan. You stand close to her, close enough to always hold her just in case something happens."
"That is exactly how I feel." Mason whispers more to himself than us.
"I will go send a page out to the dressmaker. Would you like me to show you to your room?"
"If it isn't any problem, I would enjoy that." I respond.
Alissa smiles and leads out of the room and up the stairs.
"You are on a record, Belle." Mason whispers.
"What?" I look at him in confusion.
"For not tripping."
"Oh! Well, I haven't moved very fast since we got home. I tripped when we went on our adventure."
"Adventure?"
"When you asked me to marry you."
"Oh yes." He whispers. "Then I guess the record still stands."
I laugh and we walk into an elegant room.
"I hope this is okay. I hope sharing won't be a problem." Alissa asks, a small smile on her face.
I smile back. "No, this is fine. He can sleep on the floor."
Alissa laughs as Mason looks insulted.
"I will leave you two then. I will send a maid up to show you to the dining hall when dinner is ready."
"Thank you." I respond as she leaves the room.
"Guess what I packed." Mason suddenly blurts and leaps over the bed to find his bag.
I laugh at his behavoir before opening my bag and pulling out a book.
"What?"
"This!" I hear him yell out before a loud thud sound fills the room.
I turn around and see a thick, worn out leather book sitting on the table.
I walk over and set my book on the table to look at Mason's.
"What is it?" I ask, turning it upside down and try to read the cursive on the back.
"My journal."