Aideen's Answer

-Chapter Twelve-

 Aideen pulled on the dress and rushed down the hall, toward the stairs.

 "Going somewhere, ma'am?" A voice came from the hallway she had just passed.

 "Oh, Regan! I am ever so glad to see you! I need to ask you- what is that?" Aideen asked, pointing to a small white box in Regan's hand.

 "Something I was coming to deliver to you. Let us go in your room, shall we? If there is something , you need to discuss with me, we may as well be comfortable."

 "All right, Regan," Aideen agreed immediately as she turned around and headed back the way she had come.

 "Now, Aideen , what is so important to you that you felt the need to come tearing through the castle to find me?" Regan asked once the door was shut behind them. She placed the box on the dresser and set to work, putting Aideen's bed to rights.

 "I hardly tore through the castle! Why, I had barely exited my room!" Aideen answered with a small laugh.

 Regan smiled, but gave no other answer as she waited for Aideen to answer her.

 "Well, do you remember when I told you all about Kevin?"

 "Quite well."

 "And you said something that day. Something I did not give another thought to until today."

 "Which was?"

 "You said that the time would come that I would be forced to make a choice. To choose between family and love," Aideen said eagerly.

 "I believe i did, why does it suddenly interest you so?" Regan asked as she fluffed up the pillows and turned back to Aideen.

 "How did you know?" Aideen burst out, "How could you see that that was to happen?"

 "Aideen," Regan said slowly as she examined her. "Was I correct? Has the time come for you to decide?"

 "Most definitely," Aideen answered soberly.

 "What has happened? You must tell me everything!"

 Quickly, Aideen repeated all that had happened in the woods, excluding only the kiss.

 "My, Aideen, you have found yourself in quite a predicament!"

 "I realize this. But what I wanted to know was how you could have foreseen this, you were completely accurate in saying that I would be faced with this decision!" Aideen said.

 "So I was," Regan answered with a nod. "But it was the only logical thing that could have happened in your situation." When Aideen did not answer, but simply stared at her, uncomprehendingly she continued. "You have found yourself in love with a man who, by your fathers standards, is not quite suitable for you."

 When Aideen opened her mouth to protest, she held up a hand and silenced her.

 "I am not saying Kevin is anything other than a wonderful man, that is why I said by your fathers standards."

 Aideen accepted this and nodded.

 Seeing this, Regan continued, "You, Aideen, are in an incredibly difficult situation! There is no foreseeable way that you could have the affections of both Kevin and your family. Not if the latter knew of the former. Therefore, it stands to reason that you would come to a point where you would be forced to pick one of the two."

 "That makes sense, Regan."

 "Aye. Now, I have something to give you."

 Aideen's eyes flew to the white box as Regan went to it and lifted it from the dresser.

 "I know this will be very difficult for you, Princess, especially with your curious mind. But you musn't open it yet. You are to take this and go down to your parents' chambers. Your mother wishes to see and to speak to you regarding the contents of this," Regan said softly as she pressed the box into her mistress' hand.

 Aideen was deeply confused as she looked down upon the gift. At least, she thought it would be a gift! Then something occurred to her.

 "Regan," She said slowly. "Regan, has father awakened?"

 "You must go speak with your mother, Aideen," Regan answered. "I refuse to say anything else."

 But Aideen saw a small smile lurking at the corners of her mouth. That caused Aideen to throw her arms around Regan.

 "Thank you," she whispered into her friends ear, before taking off down the hall. With her box clutched tightly in her hand.

 She rushed passed guards, and down the stairs. She saw her brothers and they tried to get her attention, but she refused to stop. She dashed to the doorway of her parents chamber, then stopped abruptly and took a long, deep breath. She opened the door and slipped through, into the small sitting room.

 The king and queen had very different tastes, with Daniel preferring darks and wood while Cara favored gold and many windows. So, she had made sure to combine them in their chambers and the result was breathtaking. The rooms had high ceilings, dark furniture made of poplar and was decorated in varying shades of reds with gold trim.

 But all of this beauty was lost on Aideen, for her mind was solely fixed on the double doors leading to the bed chamber. The same room in which she watched her father sleep for long hours only the night before. She reached for the latch, opened the door, and stepped in.

 The first thing she saw was her father, smiling at her.

 He lifted a hand to reach for her.

 "Daughter, my precious daughter," He whispered.

                               *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 Hello again!!! I know this chapter is a bit shorter but I hope you like it nonetheless :) Yayyayayay!! Daniel woke up!!! :) this is a very important day for me, you know why?

 I REACHED A THOUSAND READS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaay!!

 I'm is super excited about this!!!!!!!!!!!! ;) I know it may not seem huge to many of you, but it means SO much to me!!! I have had such wonderful support from my friends as I've embarked on this journey, and I can't thank you enough! And a HUGE shout out to my readers, Y'ALL ROCK!!! Thank you!!!! 

 This chapter goes to my best friend IN THE WORLD! With this gal, I wouldn't be typing this, cuz I proly never would have gotten this far. Seriously. She's the greatest. And she's MY best friend, hands off ;) btw the term, bestiful? Yeah, that's ours ;) Haha:) So, Thanks Susana, I love you to infinity and beyond!!!!! You mean the world to me and your support throughout this story is incomparable :):) You da bestest!!! @SapphireSana this one is for you :)