Chapter 0617

Anna's words stayed with me all through the night. I was haunted by them, even as I eventually drifted off to sleep on the air mattress.

Was I truly considering the King's demand because I wanted what was best for the country? Or was I simply hiding, pushing off responsibility to retum to a life of normalcy?

Bridget would make a lousy queen. I knew that.

Anyone would be a better choice.

Even... me?

Could I be queen?

I had labeled the idea as outlandish straight from the start, so much so that I barely considered it even when I tried to think critically about it.

I was constantly making excuses: I knew so little of politics. I knew so little of royalty. Everyone looked down on me. No one would take me seriously.

But these were just excuses, I was realizing now. Anna was right. I was running away.

I needed to do better. I needed to think about how I could actually contribute as a queen, and showcase those abilities. No more hiding. No more putting myself down.

If I wanted a family with Nicholas, I had to earn it.

The thoughts and worries stayed with me even when I woke up again. I had a dreamless sleep, though I felt rested. My body must have decided enough was enough and shut off my brain.

I was resolved to lie on the air mattress until Elva or Anna woke first, but a knock sounded on the door. It was soft at first, but with a growing urgency the longer no one answered.

I wasn't sure who it could be. It seemed too early for the camera crew, and Anna hadn't said she'd been expecting guests.

Crumbling, Anna emerged from her room and slunk herself toward the front door.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" she shouted, when the knocking continued. "Someone better be dead, to get me up this early."

the door. The

she said

the living room, I could easily see the front door. The apartment was still dark, with black out curtains hanging over the window, but the hallway light was

up. I was self-conscious in my pajamas, but Nicholas had seen me at my

I came closer. "I think it's for

a prince standing in the hallway. What will the neighbors

saw me. "They'll

the kitchen light as he entered

keep an eye on Elva..." Anna said. She was looking at Nicholas with wide eyes. I can't imagine she ever

nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet

I told him, when Anna just looked at him

finished with a

like it was an impulse,

grinned wider, pleased

uh.. same!" She fled. "No one is ever going

to me.

It had been less than a day, but his

time,

It calmed some part of myself, deep down, that felt strung out by the distance. That part of me hummed

them. He closed his

long moment. Out in the living room, I heard Anna waking Elva and shuffling around, cleaning no doubt. She'd worry about having

he was used too. It even seemed smaller to me than it had been before, having lived in the

I braced myself for his judgement as

Nicholas had never been the judgmental type. He was the kind of guy who worried about everyone, and helped out

gazed around this place that I used to live, he seemed

you give me the

but it had all of the major amenities. Stove, fridge, oven, coffee pot. Not

out into the living room, we could hear Elva and Anna talking in Anna's room. Elva was asking Anna if she was a

gaze snagged on the boxes in the corner.

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