Royal Fake

“I’ll let my father know you’ll be designing for the wedding, and fashion week and what else? Will I be seeing you at all before we walk down that aisle?” I was already starting to miss her knowing how much she was planning on working.

“Well, you’re seeing me now. Tell your father thanks for letting me do what I do. I’m so excited, Liam. I have so many ideas.” She turned to me and wow, there it was that sparkle in her eyes I hadn’t seen in a while.

“All I ask is that you run them by me and Georg before you hit the sewing machine.” I meant it as a joke.

“Oh, we’ll need to hire people to assemble the clothes. Can that be done? It can right?” She was really in the zone.

“I’ll look into it and I’ll see if U2 is available. How is tomorrow for the tasting? And Finnegan is almost seventy years old, I’m afraid Twister might be out of the question. Maybe you should just come out of your room every once in a while.” I remained gentle though I had to admit it was hard. “And… my love. We should call the doctor now. Might as well know, the sooner the better. He did make it seem rather urgent.” I didn’t want to scare her, but the doctor was insistent that we speak to him together.

“Sure.” She flashed me one of her royal grins, but I don’t think she actually heard me.

“Great, I’ll get people in here tomorrow to start to work on filling your orders. Now, do you want to tell me what you’re thinking before we make that call?” I stood and started to massage her shoulders which were hard and tight.

“Are we talking?” She grabbed my hand. “Or are we going to start having sex?” She laughed but it was forced.

“Just trying to chisel away at the Ice Princess.” I halted my hand.

“I’m disappearing…” she finally admitted. “I don’t have anyone here I trust, and my people are all in New York. With the wonky time zones and everyone’s lives being so full, I just feel like I live in a glass box with a scepter and a crown.”

“I know the feeling well.” I gathered her in for a hug. “You don’t trust me?”

“You have ulterior motives.” While she was playful, she hit the nail on the head.

“What? World domination?” I lowered my voice to a sinister whisper.

“Yes, exactly. And ravenous baby-making…”

“Think of poor Lucy, she’s lived her whole life thinking she’d be my wife. She’s been held captive by the monarchy since she was two years old. Imagine knowing you’d given up any chance for freedom for nothing.” I suddenly was starting to see the world that had been created around me and how it affected the people I cared about.

“Are you having second thoughts?” she asked, and I was happy to hear a little worry in her voice.

I wasn’t having second thoughts, but rather, oddly, growing more of an empathetic spirit. Watching Avery’s slow decline had made me take a better look at things that usually had come second nature.

“No. You, now more than ever, are the woman I want to marry. It’s just I’m starting to see how the restrictions of the monarchy are changing you and it made me think of the sacrifices Lucy must have made her whole life waiting for me. To my credit, I never told her she was a contender, but she always thought she’d be the last choice. I don’t think anyone in my family ever believed I’d find you.” As I stared into her gorgeous hazel eyes, I was even more happy that I had found her, despite the pain she was sifting through.

“Maybe I should invite Lucy to tea. Do you think she’d meet with me?” Wow, she was asking to meet Lucy? Why?

“She might meet with you as it would give her a better chance to poison your drink, but why would you want to meet with her?”

“I don’t know. I feel like she hates me and suddenly has been kicked out of the life she hoped to live. Maybe if we can forge a friendship she’d feel better.” Ah, there was my big-hearted little lass.

“Or she may feel worse.” I stroked her arm. “You have a lot on your plate right now, but if it would make you feel happier, she’d probably appreciate the gesture. Now… since I have to convince my father that you are designing your own wedding dress and not be burned at the stake for it, I would very much like to see what you have in mind. It’s bad luck to see you in your dress before the wedding, but I’m pretty sure we’re throwing most of our time-honored traditions to the wind.” I offered a broad smile and finally, her face lit up.