The Inherited Series Book 1: The Inherited

by Lily Burlington

  She had never been a morning person.

  "Sorry," I blushed, and took my seat beside Leopold. "Good morning. I didn't think you guys would be awake."

  "Did you sleep well?" asked Leopold, playing the perfect host.

  "Wonderfully," drawled my mother. Her eyes danced between Leopold and I in amusement. She smiled into her orange juice. "We are ready for whatever you can throw at us."

  I put my hand on Leopold's back, gently pushing him forward. He took the hint and went to his seat at the head of the table. I sat beside him and our usual breakfasts were delivered to us.

  "We were just in a council meeting with Felip and the Governors and they said I just have to clear whatever we want to do with my bodyguard and make sure we are back in time for the planned events. I thought we could go and explore Old Dumasville today," I said, around a spoonful of yogurt.

  "Sounds good. Will you be joining us, Leopold?" asked John.

  Leopold put down his mug of coffee. "Unfortunately, I have a lot of paperwork I have to get through today, but my family and I will be eating dinner with all of you tonight."

  "My God, it's gorgeous!" cried my mother an hour later as we emerged from one of the small cobblestone streets and into the square at the heart of Old Dumasville. "It looks like a fairytale village."

  "It's pretty cool isn't it," I agreed. "Wait until you see the shops and cafes, many of them specialize in creating historically accurate products. There is a Solisian chocolate and pastry shop, a blacksmith's where they still make weapons and armor, antique shops..."

  "I so call going to the weapon shop first," said Alexander, squinting at the different shop fronts to see if he could find it.

  "Fine," said Tess, "But only if chocolate can be next. I read that it's world famous."

  "So, you had a meeting with the King this morning? That sounds pretty wicked," said Alex. "I still can't wrap my head around this whole Princess thing."

  "I still have trouble sometimes too. The meetings aren't so exciting; basically, I just get a bunch of info dumped on me like wedding dates, virginity clauses and paparazzi updates."

  "You're getting married!" cried Tess excitedly.

  "Virginity clauses?" questioned my mother in disgust.

  My eyes grew big as I realized my mistake. These were just normal topics of conversation for me now and I knew that just because they were being discussed didn't mean they were put into action. My parents and friends however, were not accustomed to the ins and outs of my new lifestyle.

  "No, no, it's nothing like what you are thinking. Those are old rules. They were figuring out how to change them for me," I rushed, hoping that would be a good enough explanation.

  "You better hope so, or I will be talking to Leopold and his parents, and then bringing you home before the summer is over," said Grace.

  "I promise, they have been nothing but good to me. It was a hyperbole," I defended.

  "Alright then," she said, placated, "Now, where are these swords."

  I was going to have to be more careful. While my two worlds were currently meeting, it was now clear that they would not see eye to eye.

  "This chocolate is absolutely delicious," my mother cried.

  "To die for," Tess agreed.

  My dad watched the two as he ate his own bar, clearly not sharing the same thoughts as the girls.

  "I preferred the wine," said Alex.

  Tess and my mom shot them death glares.

  We had spent most of the day exploring the various shops, cafes and markets that made up Old Town. I felt very official as I listed off facts about architecture and history as we made our way through the various buildings and gardens. They had been completely enchanted by the charm of the old village and the Solisian delicacies and sights.

  "I am bringing an entire crate of this stuff back home with me," announced Tess loudly, as she licked her lips.

  I hushed her, looking around nervously to see if someone had noticed us. So far, people did not seem to be recognizing me out in street clothes as I window-shopped with my family. I guess, without the fancy clothes or Leopold at my side, I blended in enough to be overlooked as a tourist. I glanced vaguely to my guard who stood at attention by the doorway to the pastry shop, calming when he didn't seem to be concerned about us being attacked for the moment.

  "Where to next, Cat?" My mom asked.

  "Ummm, jewelry or stained glass," I told her.

  "Jewelry," she and Tess said simultaneously and made a bee-line for the door.

  The boys groaned beside me.

  "Not that the Old Town isn't great, Cat, but how much longer do we have to shop?" asked Alex, as he re-arranged some of the shopping bags he had in his hands. "I mean, the blacksmith shop was great, and lunch, but I don't know about jewelry."

  I looked at my watch, noting that it was just past four.

  "This will be the last one," I promised him. "We have to head back for dinner soon."

  He smiled, relieved, and followed the girls out of the shop.

  To be honest, I was glad it was almost over too. I was exhausted from touring around all day, and constantly being on alert, although it had been nice spending time with them. So far, everything had been light and fun, but I knew they were going to start digging for information soon and I was afraid I wasn't going to have all the answers.

  "How is tonight going to work?" Tess asked, as she peered down into the case of artisan crafted rings. "I mean, are there rules and stuff we have to follow? What do I have to wear?"

  "It'll just be casual," I assured her. "Felip and Beatrice are very warm and welcoming, they won't make this uncomfortable. That being said, I will be in a skirt."

  "I can do that," she said, as she fastened a pearl necklace around her neck.

  "You should probably let someone lead you to your seat though, there are rules about that," I added, as I ran my fingers over a Sapphire pendant that looked very similar to the one Richard had given me.

  "I can't choose my own seat?" Alex questioned.

  I shook my head no. "There are some things you just don't mess with."

  "How about tomorrow? Do you think Leopold would take us to see that game you were telling us about?" asked John excitedly.

  "Leopold is leaving after dinner tonight; he has to go back to the air force base. We are supposed to go to see him play in the Solisian Canette Tournament Finale on Wednesday though," I told him.

  "That's too bad, I would have liked to spend more time with Leopold," said my mother.

  "He is really busy," I defended mildly.

  "Well, I would hope so if he is running a country," said Tess. "Plus, whenever he gets a free minute he seems to just want to be around you."

  "It is strange the way they interact together isn't it?" my mom said to Tess, completely ignoring me now.

  "I know, I was just telling Cat that last night," Tess rolled her eyes.

  "He tries to act all reserved but then he is so in tune to her. They are like magnets, any slight movement in one causes a reaction in the other," observed Grace.

  I pursed my lips and suddenly busied myself with examining a display of rings. It was a good thing they didn't know about my little sleepover last night. It was bad enough that Felip had somehow found out.

  "I don't know, I still don't trust Prince Charming," added Alex, "I mean, he needs Cat, right, this could all be an act to get her."

  I opened my mouth to comment but M. Arsnault caught my eyes and tapped his wrist pointedly. I huffed. It was probably a good thing we had to leave though, it isn't a good idea to talk about this in such a public area.

  "Thank you so much for having us," said John an hour and a half later.

  "It is our pleasure and honestly, it's the least we could do in return for you allowing Catherine to come and stay with us," replied Beatrice, smiling warmly.

  All of us, Felip, Beatrice, Hector, Rose, Phillipa, Hugo, John, Grace, Tess, Alex, Leopold, and I, were all seated around the dining room table. So far, it had bee
n introductions and small talk, but it was only the first course so there was still plenty of time for things to go wrong.

  "I can't believe all the stuff you have convinced her to do!" added my mother. "Every time we speak she tells me about horseback riding, swimming, TV interviews, dancing. It all sounds so incredible. I would never have imagined my Cat doing half this stuff."

  "Well, I wouldn't say she exactly 'does' some of it, but she definitely tries her best," said Hector. Rose elbowed him in the ribs.

  "That sounds more accurate," chimed in Tess.

  I blushed furiously and suddenly became very interested in the plate of salad in front of me.

  "I can't believe you got her near a horse," said Alex. "She has been absolutely terrified of them ever since she was bitten by one on our fifth grade field trip to a ranch. It barely nipped her, but she ran right back to the school bus and wouldn't get off the bus for the rest of the day."

  I glared at Leopold who was beside me as he tried to stifle a laugh.

  "Everyone is scared of something," said Felip gently. "For example, I have never liked dogs. I had a pet bird when I was young whom I was very fond of. My father never liked the thing and told me I needed a real pet, so he gave me a hunting dog and dragged me out to the forest to see what he could do. I watched in disgust as the dog brought back birds and rabbits to my father. One day, when I returned from school, the dog walked up to me and dropped something at my feet, my pet bird. He had caught it, killed it and brought it to me. I have not been comfortable around dogs since."

  "So Leopold, what do you do at the base?" asked my mother around a forkful of lettuce.

  "Search and Rescue mainly. We are actually going out on a practice mission next week to try out a new fleet of jets," Leopold explained.

  "How long have you been involved with the army?" asked John.

  "As long as I can remember," replied Leopold before taking a sip of wine. I could tell he was uncomfortable with all of the attention on him.

  "He was so cute," gushed Beatrice. "When he was really little he would get all dressed up in his uniform and run around the gardens with his arms spread wide, pretending to be a plane."

  Beatrice laughed, her eyes twinkling. "His nanny always used to bribe him with chocolates so that he wouldn't wear his uniform to bed."

  I pictured a little Leopold asleep in the middle of his giant four poster bed decked out in his full militia regalia and smiled. It was hard to imagine he had ever been so young and carefree. It sounded like his stubbornness had been there from day one though.

  The rest of the dinner passed without much incident, other than a few minor embarrassments on the parts of Leopold and I. It seemed that our families were bent on sharing the worst parts of our childhoods.

  "Shall we run through the schedule for tomorrow, Mademoiselle?" M. Arsnault asked me. It was nine at night. Dinner had just finished so, in staying true to my word, I had said goodnight to my family and returned to my wing of the castle to wait for Leopold so that we could say goodbye.

  "Sure, may as well," I conceded, as I emerged from my closet now wearing pajamas.

  "Most of your day tomorrow is fully booked. You and your family are to meet with Mme. DuBeche in the morning. Then you will be going to Le Mechant Steak for dinner and out to the Amphitheater to see the Solis Symphony Orchestra Play."

  "How much free time does that leave us with in the afternoon?" I asked my guard turned secretary.

  "Five hours, Mademoiselle," he replied.

  "I'd like to take them on a ride around the grounds. Do you think we could have a lunch made up so that we could have a picnic in the meadow by the cliffs?" I smiled at the thought of subjecting my family to the evil horses. They would see that it wasn't as easy to ride one as it seemed.

  "Yes, Mademoiselle," said M. Arnault making note of my request in a time book he produced from his breast pocket. "Anything else?"

  "Can I ride Jacqueline or Dave if possible?" I asked hopefully. There was no way I was going to get back on my horse. Leopold's two seemed much more reliable.

  "Very well, Mademoiselle," he said and bowed slightly.

  There was a knock on my bedroom door and Leopold entered, coming directly over to stand behind me. He was dressed in his uniform, rucksack over his shoulder. He dropped his bag to the ground and pressed himself close to me, his hands on my sides, fingers strumming against my hipbones. M. Arsnault quietly excused himself from the room, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

  "Come with me," Leopold said, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  I laughed lightly, "I don't think that would go down well."

  He shrugged and half whispered, half growled against my neck, "Too bad."

  "It's just one week," I said, swallowing hard. I wasn't sure if I was trying to reassure him, or myself.

  Leopold spun me around suddenly so that I was facing him and kissed me passionately. His mouth was full of unsaid need and desire. I threw my arms around his neck trying desperately to hold on to him. He pulled back after a minute, resting his forehead against mine and licked his full lips.

  "I will be back soon, promise." He unlocked my arms from around him and picked up his bag off the floor

  "Be safe," I whispered. Then he was gone. Again.

  "So, ahh, why exactly are we playing, royal Barbie?" asked Alex the next morning. He was standing up on the pedestal in the yellow room, Mme. DuBeche plucking irritatedly at the seams of the suit she had forced him into.

  "Il est si grand!" she murmured angrily under her breath.

  "Huh?" asked Alex frowning.

  I giggled but waved a hand at him dismissively, "It's nothing important. And we are doing this because you guys need to be dressed properly for the concert tonight. It's strictly black tie."

  "I call this one!" exclaimed Tess excitedly, pointing at a manikin who was wearing a glittering, strapless, navy, floor length gown. She and my mother got to choose between the array of dresses which had already been made for me. I wasn't too sure where the suits for John and Alex had come from.

  "I would have preferred it in pink but it seems you only wear blue, white, gray and green, so this will have to do," she continued.

  "That's fine, Tess, I am fairly attached to this one," said my mother as she emerged from behind the dressing screen in a jade halter-neck dress with a ruffled fishtail. John's eyes grew large.

  They were lucky they got to choose. As usual, my clothes had been selected for me. I wasn't even completely sure why I had to put the dress on, seeing as it had been tailored to me and Angelique probably already knew how to make five different outfits with it. They didn't seem to care though, so I sat in an arm chair in my aqua gown, with its lace cap sleeves and back which was barely held together by a line of delicate pearl buttons, as Mme. DuBeche decked out the rest of my family. It was probably a good thing I was here though. Not only did I get to spend more time with everyone, but it quickly became evident that a translator was needed.

  "Est-ce que tu as des soulier que tu peux porter avec ca?" Mme. DuBeche asked my mother.

  "Did you bring shoes that would go with that, Mom?" I paraphrased.

  "I brought a pair of black wedges?" Grace offered.

  I relayed the information to Mme. DuBeche who nodded her consent.

  "So, we are going out to eat and then to a concert?" asked Alex, then blushed as Mme. DuBeche began to work on his inseam.

  "Yes. There will be a security and etiquette briefing for all of you a half hour before we leave. You guys will have to be careful tonight if the paparazzi show up, and listen to M. Arsnault's directions," I warned. It was strange how I had gone from the student to the teacher. It was just a few days ago that Leopold and Phillipa had been teaching me the same thing.

  "Is it going to be strange not having people to do all this stuff for you when you get back, Cats?" asked Tess. "Maybe you could convince Felip to lend some of them to you."

  "What do you mean?" I asked her frowning.

 
; "Well, school starts in three weeks. You know, our fourth year of high school? You are coming back, right?" she asked.

  It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Was that really all that was left of the summer?

  "You said this was only a trial, Cat," reminded my mother. "That was the deal, you would come to the castle for the summer. In three weeks you are going to have to come back and return to normal life."

  "What if I decide to stay?" I asked quietly. "They need me."

  "You can't be serious," spat Alex. "You can't honestly be thinking of saying yes and marrying this guy. You've only known Leopold for a few months."

  "You would be committing to the entire lifestyle, Cat," worried John.

  I didn't reply to them, just slouched down into my armchair, my head spinning. It was too soon to be making this kind of decision. I needed to stay here, to stay with Leopold, wanted to, but the reminder of school and home suddenly brought back a rush of memories. They were the thoughts and plans the old Cat had made, thoughts about going to university, becoming a publicist or a writer, or something else completely different. Thoughts about my American dream style husband and two point five children, dog and picket fence. Suddenly, I felt like I was in the wrong place. Like my dress was choking me.

  Instincts kicked in and I was suddenly out of the room, running down the hall. I burst through the door of Leopold's bedroom and buried myself under the heavy blankets, cocooning myself away from all of the indecision, opinions and paths. I inhaled deeply, the smell of smoke, spice and apple calming me and realized that this was exactly the same as when Leopold had left the last time. The second he was gone, I was filled with doubt and worry, but all of that vanished when we were together again.

  Alex's comment from yesterday floated to the top of my mind. Leopold couldn't really be faking all of this just to get me to stay, could he? No, I decided resolutely. That couldn't be possible. They hadn't seen the change I had caused in him. They didn't know anything about my life here at the castle with Prince Charming. They did know the old Cat though, and that's what had me worried, because I didn't know which Cat I was, or which I wanted to be.