Forty One-The Parents Pick
“Your positive your not in pain?”
“Charles,” I groan, “for the millionth billionth time, I’m not in pain.”
Charles grabs my arm as we walk out of the hospital. Bart went home a week ago, so now it’s my turn. “I’m just making sure. The doctor said-”
“I don’t give a damn what the doctor said! All I want to do is go home.” I snap once we get to my car. Charles brought my car, and thankfully, it will only be him and I. So no awkward lap sitting.
Once we’re in the car, Charles in the drivers seat, he frowns. “Home? As in?”
“Your house?”
His whole face lightens. “Okay.” He puts the car in drive and we’re off.
“Why? What did you think I meant?”
“I thought you meant your condo. There’s no more Bones and I just thought you wanted to go to your house.”
I laugh. “Actually there is one more itty bitty problem. Your parents.”
His happiness flies straight out the window. “Oh yeah. About that…” He smiles sheepishly, “We have to go there in two hours. My parents said it’s time to pick the new ruler.”
“So you just now tell me about this, why?”
“I didn’t want to worry you. If I get chosen, that means I need to marry someone else. Damn rules.”
Pain tugs at my heart, but I brush that aside. There’s four out of five chances he wont be picked.
“I forgot about that.”
“I know.” He sighs and pulls into the driveway. “But come on, don’t worry about that right now. Just go see everybody.” He plants a kiss on my lips, then helps me out of the car.
We enter the living room, where everybody’s anxiously waiting for me. “I’m home!”
Everybody snaps their heads to me, grinning widely. “Nora!” The brothers go to hug me, but Nell slaps them away.
“She’s my sister!” She scowls, then wraps me in a bone crushing hug. “Your okay! Oh thank God.”
“Nell, I’m not gonna be okay if you don’t let me out of this hug.”
She gasps and releases her arms. “Sorry, not use to my vampire strength yet.”
I laugh and sit down on the couch. “Neither am I.” The brothers sit down next to me, probably exploding with questions on the inside. I haven’t told them what happened et in the woods because I didn’t want them to worry too much about me.
I sigh and go into the story of what happened after I ran away. The brothers listen like I’m telling an action story to eight year old boys. Oh wait, I am.
After my story, they stare at me with wide eyes. “Bones told you I was dead!? What an ass!” Bart curses.
“I told you he did already.” I point out.
“Yeah, but you didn’t tell me that he told you all those gruesome things!”
“Sorry. I didn’t want to worry you guys too much.” I shrug, putting my legs up Indian style.
Charles laughs. “Nora, you should have seen them while you were in the hospital for the whole week. Henry was freaking out so bad that he almost fucking fell in a well. We were coming to see you, and there was this well near by, and we stopped to make a wish in it, because of your sister.” He glares at her. “And Henry here, tripped over his own two feet and almost went head first down it.”
Henry glares at his laughing brother. “Should I tell her about how when she lapsed into a coma, you sat there every minute until she was awake? Oops! Too late.”
“Thanks bro.” Charles snaps sarcastically, stopping his laughter.
“Anytime.”
I frown. “When I woke up he wasn’t there.”
“That’s because we had to literally drag him out of the room to get him to eat something.” Edward nods. “I came back in the room for my wallet, and then I saw you awake.”
“Well,” I clap my hands together, “I’m perfectly fine now. No more worries.”
“About that…”
“Shut up Charles. I know.” I roll my eyes.
“About what?” Nell frowns.
“Our parents need to pick the new ruler today, in two hours to be specific. If one of us get’s chosen, we kinda need to marry a total stranger.”
Nell’s mouth drops. “I remember that. Is Clinton apart of this?” Clinton nods. “I’m gonna die alone with only twenty four cats!” She groans, burying her head in Clinton’s chest while he comforts her.
“Correction. I might die alone with only twenty four dogs.”
Charles looks at me weirdly. “Dogs?”
“I hate cats. Nell likes cats, I like dogs.” I tell him.
Charles chuckles and shakes his head. “It’s a good thing I like dogs too.”
“We should all get ready.” Henry points out. “We need to leave soon.”
“Do I have to wear a dress and heels?” I groan while Henry nods. “I absolutely loathe dresses.”
“I think dresses look good on you.” Charles smirks.
“Pervert.” I snap and stand up, Nell following me. “We’ll go get ready.”
Just as we’re stepping out of the living room, I hear Charles yell, “Wear something short!”
Pervert.
“Now Nora,” Nell starts. “You need to wear what I’m about pick out for you. If you want to see Charles’s eyes pop out of his head, you’ll wear this.”
She pulls out a white strapless dress that goes a little above my knees. On the right side, there’s black flowers that go up to the side of my shoulder, off the dress. There’s a black belt hugging the waist to match, and black heels.
“Fine.” I mutter that one word, quickly changing into the dress.
Nell squeals in happiness. “Great! Now I’ll do your hair and makeup.” She sits me down and curls my hair so it flows like a waterfall over my shoulders. She puts on black eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow. And for the final touch, she adds blood red lipstick.
“Wow Nell.” I breath. “You did a fantastic job.”
She snorts. “I know I did. I didn’t waist my whole life, you know. Every time my friends go out to parties I was the one to dress them up. I want to work with makeup and fashion.”
I grin at my sister. “Thanks Nell. Now, I’ll help you with your dress.”
We pick out a black v neck dress that shows off her legs. We add a hat and some stilettos, then straighten her hair. For her makeup, we added smoky black and a light red lipstick.
“We make a good team.” I comment, looking at ourselves in the mirror.
“We do.” She murmurs. “Now! Let’s go give the boys something to drool about.”
Laughing, we head downstairs to the living room, where the five vampires are already in tuxedos. They work fast.
“How do we look?” Nell giggles, obviously overflowing from the happiness. The boys slowly turn their heads to look at us, and one by one, they’re mouths drop.
“Whoa. Who let the dogs out?” Bart asks.
Nell and I frown at him. “What the hell does that mean?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know, but I thought it would be a good time to use it.”
We ignore him and turn to our boyfriends, me going to Charles and her going to Clinton. Charles’s eyes are fixed on me, not looking anywhere else.
I smile, suppressing my laughter that wants to spill out. “How do I look?”
His eyes snap to mine. “Hmm? What? Oh! Yeah, you look…” He smiles. “Perfect.”
I snort, rolling my eyes at him. “That’s the best you can come up with? After all, I did wear something short.”
He laughs and takes my hand, leading me towards my car. “My eyes will me glued to you all night.” He murmurs in my ear.
I shrug. “It’s better.” He laughs again and we both get into my car, him in the drivers seat. “You know, I never got to drive this car. Not even once.”
“The doctor said-”
“I cant drive for anther week.” I finish his sentence. “I know.”
He smiles and we drive off to his parents house. Once we get there, he turns to me. “Whatever happens in here, I want you to know that I love you. And, if I do get chosen, I’m not accepting it. They cant force me to.”
I sigh. “I know, Charles. I love you too.” I reach over and give him a kiss, then pull away to get out of the car.
We all meet up to greet Vivian and Nicolas.
Vivian grins once she sees us coming towards her. “Hello darlings! Nora and Nell, such a pleasure to see you again. I’m terribly sorry for your accident.” She frowns.
I grin once she pulls me into a hug. “Nice seeing you again too. And it’s fine, it’s in the past now.” I pull Nicolas into a hug too. “I missed you too, and I know you did too, so don’t hide it.”
He gives a hearty laugh. “Welcome back, Nora.”
We all enter the big room from when they we’re deciding to keep Nell and I alive. I shake that memory off and we all sit down for dinner, chatting about what’s happened the past couple of days. At some point in the dinner, Charles grabs my hand and intertwines them.
After dinner, we get down to the serious stuff. “Alright now. I need my boys to stand up and stand in a line.” Nicolas orders in a firm tone. Reluctantly, they all get up and stand by each other. “We’ve picked randomly, so whoever it is, is the new ruler.”
Nell and I cross our fingers, silently praying it’s not either of our boyfriends. Vivian sadly smiles at me, and my heart starts pumping faster. Why did she smile at me like that?
“The new ruler is…” A dramatic pause follows, “…Charles.”
Tears threaten to spill out of my eyes, but I refuse to let them pass. I drop my head down, looking at the ground. I can’t believe this is happening.
“No.” Charles responds, his voice firm and angry.
“No?” Nicolas is taken aback. “You have to. You haven’t even seen your wife yet!”
Hearing those words is like a knife slicing through my heart. If I saw his new wife I would tear her eyeballs out.
“I don’t want to see my wife.” Charles spits harshly. “I’m not doing it. I have everything I need right now, and I don’t want you screwing it up.”
“Charles, we don’t make the rules-”
“Yes you do!” Charles yells at his father. “I’m not marrying a total fucking stranger who could be a slut for all I know! I have a girlfriend, and I’m not leaving her in the dust like that. I wouldn’t do that to anybody. Plus, I fucking hate this castle. Always have.”
Nicolas starts laughing, despite the anger in Charles tone. “A stranger? That’s what your worried about?”
“Why the hell are you laughing? This is not a laughing matter!” Charles frowns, the angry building up inside him.
“Fine, fine. You don’t have to do it.” Vivian smiles, her too trying to conceal her laughter. I cant find what’s so funny.
Charles stares at her. “Really?”
“Of course.”
“Just like that?”
Vivian nods, laughing quietly. “Of course, dear. We understand.” She turns to Clinton, ignoring her son‘s what-the-fuck look. “I know you wanted to do it ever since you were little. Do you still want too?”
Clinton blinks at his mother. “Not really. I have my girlfriend too, you know.”
Vivian clicks her tongue, shaking her head in amusement. “I know that. That’s why Nell can become the second ruler.”
Nell squeals in excitement. “Are you serious lady?”
Vivian laughs. “Of course! Do you not know what happens if you find your soul mate?” The boys shake their heads slowly while Vivian laughs more. “If one of the next rulers find their soul mate before becoming the ruler, their soul mate may also become the ruler with them, therefore no need to marry a stranger.”
We all let those words sink in for a moment.
“So your saying,” Charles asks, “I would have married Nora and not a stranger?” His parents nod. “Fuck.” He drags the word out slowly.
I bust out laughing, now knowing why the two were laughing before. “Charles! You called me a slut!”
Charles then realizes what he said. “I didn’t mean it like that! I didn’t know it was gonna be you who I would marry!”
Vivian smiles and turns to Clinton and Nell. “Do you two want to become the next rulers?”
“Yes.” The two love birds chorus.
Charles interjects. “You know what,” He laughs awkwardly, “I really do love this castle. And I take back what I said before. Can Nora and I become the rulers instead?”
Vivian snorts. “You’ve had your chance. Besides, all you want to do is marry the poor girl.”
“I agree with your mother Charles.” I nod, crossing my arms and laughing.
He frowns. “So?”
That get’s me laughing more. “So you admit that you want to marry me?”
“Yeah.”
Rolling my eyes at my idiotic boyfriend, I frown. “You have to get a ring, idiot. And you need to ask me. Properly.”
A small smile plants on his lips. “I can do that.”