“I’ll keep my comments to a minimum,” I said. “And I’ll try to be polite.”
“I know it’ll be hard.”
After a few more scrutinizing moments, Kimera had us turn around and made some minor adjustments to our makeup.
“I don’t even see what you did,” I said, gazing into the mirror once again.
“It doesn’t matter,’ Kimera said. “Now you’re perfect.”
Then Prince Byron was standing in the washroom doorway. “Wow…” was all he could manage to say.
“Don’t you knock or something?” I teased.
“Victoria, I presume,” he said with a smirk.
“Remember, polite,” Bethany said and passed Prince Byron to exit the washroom. She gave him a kiss on the cheek as she did so.
“Do heels ever stop sucking?” I said, partially to Kimera, but projecting enough so Bethany could still hear me.
“I wouldn’t know,” Prince Byron said, approaching me, taking my face in his hands, and planting his lips on mine.
Kimera slunk past us to join Bethany in the other room.
“No,” Bethany called, but I was already consumed with other thoughts, burning desires as the Prince continued to kiss me.
When we parted, he said, “We’re being summoned downstairs. People are starting to arrive. Kale and his father are on their way—I don’t know who else. But they should be here in the next few hours. Do you have your phone?”
“No, I forgot it in the camp,” I said.
“That explains it,” he said. “But it’s okay. Kale will call me when they get here, so we can all locate each other.”
I took a deep breath. It was all happening. I needed to remain calm. I could handle whatever happened.
“Are you ready for this?” Prince Byron asked.
I nodded, not wanting to lie, nor verbalize the rising panic I was feeling.
He took me in his arms, sensing I wasn’t all right or ready for this. But I’d do it all the same. This was for everyone the Queen was holding under her thumb. For the remaining girls. It was for the true Princess, for Kale and his family. And most of all, it was for myself.
Bethany and Kimera wished us luck, and the Prince and I headed down to the commencing Foundation Day celebration.
We were greeted by impeccably dressed staff members at the bottom of the stairs, who bowed and curtsied. Others were by the door taking tickets from arriving guests. I could see guards stationed just outside the door, patting down the guests before being allowed admittance.
We followed the other guests through the halls, leading to the primary Event Room, not that other rooms were off limits. There were bars and cozy nook lounges set up throughout the first floor.
Prince Byron stopped at one of the bars and got us each a glass of champagne. The bartender would not take his money, so the Prince dropped the bills into the tip jar.
“Here you are, my dear,” he said, handing me a flute. Then we clinked glasses. “To new beginnings.”
“To surviving the party,” I said and we both drank.
We continued toward the Event Room hand in hand. Beautiful stringed music played in the distance, which was also broadcast throughout the first floor from speakers in nearly every room.
More staff members in long black dresses curtsied.
“My Princess.”
“My Prince.”
I bowed my head as we passed. Prince Byron gave slight nods. I didn’t know if my name would be Bethany or Amelia, and I’d have to be sure to answer to either. Hopefully, no one would mention Victoria because that would really throw me off.
I focused on my walking, very aware my grace in heels was not on par with Bethany’s natural abilities.
“There you are!” came a frantic voice through the crowd.
I saw Tabatha pushing past some of the guests, holding her headset to her head to keep it in place as she rushed toward us.
“The Queen’s been waiting to prep you both,” she said, snapping her fingers. “Come with me.”
“Prep us?” Prince Byron asked.
“For the unveiling,” she said. “The camera crew’s all set up. Can’t you walk any faster?”
“I’m walking as fast as I can,” I said, sharply.
Tabatha glanced back at me, one eyebrow raised.
“I’m just tired,” I said. “Didn’t sleep well last night.”
She seemed to lighten up after my comment. “You’ve put in a lot of work the last few days to make all this come together. You did a good job. I barely slept a wink either.”
Tabatha led us past the Green Room and the Roman Pool. She pointed out the Press Room, now overflowing with people, cameras and other equipment, but guided us around the corner to an unmarked dressing room.
Inside, Queen Hart was seated at one of the makeup stations, legs crossed, kicking her foot impatiently.
Tabatha held the door open but didn’t enter with us. Then she was gone and we were alone with the Queen, who eyed us suspiciously.
“Since the drama of the Choosing Ceremony, I’d planned to postpone the great unveiling of the future of our Kingdom until the situation had been resolved,” Queen Hart said. “But in light of more recent developments, I’ve decided to return to my original plan and have the new couple revealed at the Foundation Day celebration. But I think we should briefly talk first. Both of you, have a seat.”
I glanced at Prince Byron, who nodded that we should comply with the Queen’s request. I took a seat in the next makeup station over and the Prince stood tall behind me.
“It is amazing how similar—identical you can look,” the Queen said. “Yesterday, you surely had me fooled. Welcome back to the château, Victoria.”
42
Byron
Victoria just about jumped out of her seat at the mention of her real name. I placed my hands on her shoulders to help keep her calm. I hadn’t expected this from the Queen either, but the fact she was willing to talk to us without onlooking soldiers made me want to listen to what she had to say.
“What gave me away?” Victoria asked after her initial shock wore off.
“Nothing,” Queen Dorothea said. “You played the role well. From the beginning, I thought you would have made a good Amelia. It was your actions later in the process that convinced me otherwise. I didn’t think I could trust you—and still don’t. But you no longer just have proof of Amelia’s current state, but my actual daughter. And you’ve seen what she means to me. I wish you hadn’t, but that’s beside the point now.”
“What is this?” I asked. “Since you know who she is, what are we doing here?”
“You’re here to be introduced to the Kingdom—or is that not what you really wanted?” the Queen asked, innocently. “If you’ve had a change of heart and now truly want Bethany, then you can go back upstairs and get her right now and I can continue a side conversation with Victoria in private.”
I didn’t exactly know how to respond. “I—umm, of course, I still want Victoria. I chose her originally and I will continue to choose her no matter how many times you ask.”
“I don’t understand what’s happening,” Victoria said. Her eyes shifted from the Queen to me, then back again.
“I am giving you what you wanted,” Queen Dorothea said. “You and Prince Byron can be together. You will be the reemergence of Princess Amelia. You both will continue to live here in the château and will one day rule the Kingdom. Our two Kingdoms will continue to be indebted to each other and my family name will live on. I will give you all this, and all I ask for in return is my daughter.”
“What about Bethany?” Victoria asked. “And the other girls.”
“Bethany will be altered like the others. They did come out beautifully, did they not? And then—”
“They will be escorted to Easteria,” I interjected.
The Queen was quiet for a long moment. I could see the gears turning in her head as she considered what I’d proposed—or rather, demanded.
�
��I need to get my daughter back and I know you both know where she is,” she said. “Victoria, you have fought valiantly, and this is how our feud will end. You will get her back for me and there will be no retaliation against you, Prince Byron, or any of the other remaining girls.”
“I will be Princess Amelia,” Victoria said. “And I will be presented to the Kingdom as betrothed to Prince Byron of Easteria. And we will both be groomed to rule Westeria after your passing.”
“Which I hope will be many years from now,” the Queen clarified. “But yes, all of that is correct.”
It seemed too good to be true. If she knew I was a part of all this plotting against her, I expected her to keep her promise of beheading me and shipping my head back to my parents. To continue with my original mission, and to do so with the woman I truly loved, was beyond words. We could finally put all this ugliness behind us and move forward like the Royals originally intended.
“You don’t look as happy as I thought you would,” Queen Dorothea said.
I didn’t know at whom the comment was directed.
“It’s a lot to take in,” Victoria said and glanced up at me to see what I had to add.
The Princess was taken to help Victoria get herself and the other girls out of the palace. Now their safety was supposedly resolved, it seemed there was no reason the Princess couldn’t easily be returned. But there was one thing the Queen hadn’t addressed…
“And there can be no retaliation against Kale and his family—against their camp,” I said.
The Queen licked her lips and sighed. “In the spirit of good faith we’re establishing right now, I will spare everyone in the camp for getting my Amelia back safely. The search will be called off and the teams directed to return home.”
“Call them now,” I demanded.
“I do not have my daughter back yet,” she said. “You will need to call your people first—after the press conference.” Then she turned to Victoria. “Is all of this agreeable?”
“How do I know you won’t—”
“I’m introducing you to the Kingdom, sweetie,” the Queen said. There was condescension in her voice like we were just expected to trust her word. “Both of you. This afternoon, you will be mingling with the Kingdom’s elite, dancing with your prince, becoming the princess you envisioned a few short weeks ago. We are all in this together, moving forward.”
Victoria reached down into the bust of her dress, revealing the flash drive I’d passed onto her from Kale. She offered it to the Queen.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“All that’s left of the pictures and video I took of Princess Amelia,” Victoria said. “I’ve been assured there are no other copies.”
“I wish I could believe that,” Queen Dorothea said. “But I appreciate the seemingly genuine gesture.”
“What you’ve offered is agreeable,” Victoria said, then looked back at me.
I squeezed her shoulders and stepped forward to stand beside her. “I only want to move forward with this woman right here—Amelia, Victoria—it makes no difference to me as long as I have her by my side.”
Victoria slipped her hand in mine. “I want to be able to visit her regularly. And she should be allowed outside of her room—to have meals with us, to be allowed out on the palace grounds.”
“I don’t know if it will be safe for her to venture out, but you may visit her at your leisure,” the Queen said. If I didn’t know better, I thought I saw a tear in her eye. “You’ll make the call after the press conference.”
Victoria nodded. “We’ll get her back.”
“Good.” Queen Dorothea stood up and wiped her eyes. “Are you ready to address the Kingdom? Normally, you’d be made up for such an appearance, but you look perfect.”
Victoria smiled. “I don’t know… What do I even say?”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “You’ll be fine. I’ll do most of the talking.”
“You won’t have to give a big speech,” the Queen said. “I’ll introduce both of you. All you’ll have to say is how thankful you are for the doctors who have been helping you all your life, how good you feel, and how much you’re looking forward to serving the Kingdom. If asked, you can confirm it was you on the train a few weeks ago—that the situation was a simple misunderstanding—and your relationship with the Prince has never been stronger.”
“Which is true.” Victoria gave me a sidelong glance and smiled—a bright, genuine smile. “I can do that.”
“Of course, you can. If you can challenge me in a ballroom full of palace staff and guards, you can address a small roomful of reporters.” Queen Dorothea knocked on the door closest to her.
The Queen’s public relations adviser, Janelle Stevens, popped her head into the room.
“Is everyone ready?” the Queen asked.
“We sure are,” she said. “I’ll quiet the room and announce you and the Princess. Please stand by.”
Janelle disappeared into the Press Room and I could hear her voice magnified through the speakers as she announced us. Less than a minute later, the door reopened and we were ushered onto the platform.
The Queen took the microphone first. Bright lights were on us. Cameras flashed like fireworks. Queen Dorothea’s voice boomed throughout the room.
“This promises to be one of the most memorable Foundation Days in recent memory, primarily because of the beautiful young woman standing beside me. Please allow me to reintroduce you to my daughter, making her first official public appearance in fifteen years. Your princess—Princess Amelia Hart. And to her right is the youngest prince of Easteria—Prince Byron DuFour. We are making great strides to bridge our two great Kingdoms, and the joining of our two families is an exciting leap forward. Please welcome Princess Amelia and Prince Byron.”
Applause sounded. Cameras flashed like a crescendo. Victoria and I stepped up to the bouquet of microphones.
I spoke first, giving Victoria a moment to adjust to all the attention. I was used to it from back home, so no longer found it intimidating. Victoria’s eyes were wide and she squeezed my hand tightly, but when it was her time to speak, she did so with confidence and grace. I’d never been prouder of her; I was looking at a girl who in all appearances had grown up as a princess. She paused multiple times, but never faltered.
We didn’t have more than a few minutes at the microphones before Queen Dorothea stepped back in. “That will be all the questions for today. I thank you for coming and look forward to what these two young Royals will bring to the Kingdom. Happy Foundation Day. We have such a lot to be thankful for. There were many people, including family members of mine, who gave their lives and built this Kingdom into what it is today. And today, we especially honor them for all the sacrifices they made.”
The reporters continued to shout out questions, but Janelle returned to the microphone to quiet them down and restore order. No one became unruly, not giving any of the soldiers lining the walls reason to intervene.
But before we retreated to the dressing room, I noticed someone poised at the back of the room—standing tall and stoic amongst the reporters, though he was certainly no reporter. He stood by the journalists as they talked to each other, beginning to pack up. But still, he spoke to no one and seemed to be with no one. His attention remained glued to the stage—to us.
It was Kale’s father—Frank. When he realized I’d spotted him in the dissipating crowd, he began a slow clap.
43
Victoria
I heard clapping coming from the back of the room and looked out over the preoccupied reporters—to where Prince Byron’s gaze was also cast.
Frank was there, wading through the rows of chairs, clapping loudly, eyes trained on us. “This is a truly historic day,” he said over the din of the active room.
Queen Hart stopped before she reached the door to the dressing room and turned to see who was speaking over everyone else in the room. She stopped beside me and asked, “Who’s that? Someone we should know?”
Frank didn’t seem to be with anyone else, strolling confidently through the room alone. When did he arrive? How did he find us in here? Where was Kale—or, where were any of his men from the camp? What about Duke Mackenzie? It was unnerving, to say the least, to see him there alone.
The hair on the back my neck stood up. Something seemed terribly wrong.
“Guards, please see all guests out of the room at once—except for this man.” The Queen pointed menacingly to Frank. “I want him secured. He is a threat to the crown.”
“I have no weapons,” Frank said, lifting his hands in the air.
Of the Queen’s dozen or so soldiers in the room, most herded the remaining reporters out through the open doors. Two soldiers approached Frank, one with his electric baton blazing while the other patted Kale’s father down. No weapons were found, but the two soldiers remained at Frank’s sides.
Once the doors were shut, Queen Hart spoke again. “With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?” The tone of her voice contained none of the warmth her words implied.
“You may call me Frank Calderon,” he said.
“Where is the rest of your party?”
“I am it,” he said with a smile. “I am the party. I’m here on behalf of Victoria for her remaining sisters. She can give you all the evidence you asked for regarding the evidence of the Princess—though that’s rather moot now.”
“I already gave it to her,” I said from the stage.
“Victoria? She knows? Well, it seems you’ve already gotten what you wanted. I guess congratulations are in order.”
“And now it’s time for me to get what I require,” Queen Hart said. “I need my daughter returned.”
“I’ve secured the safety of my sisters,” I said. “I promised the Queen we’d return Princ—”
“No,” Frank said.
“What do you mean, no?” Queen Hart looked astonished by the brazen denial.
“She was only being used for leverage,” I said.
Royal Replicas 2: Royal Captives Page 21