To Be a Princess

To Be Home

We had finally made it back to the castle and my heart was racing as he led me to his room this time.

"Here is where you can find me, if you need me." He had given me a short tour. Our kitchen for our side of the castle, the shared bathroom, his office, the armory, the treasury, and the throne room. He grabbed my hand and leaned against the wall pulling me towards him. He brushed my stray hair out of my eyes studying me.

"Today was the best day." He said and I smiled and nodded. He kissed my forhead and then pecked my lips and released me. "Lets go get you some sleep." I frowned at the lack of kiss that was. He walked me down the hall some ways and opened my door for me. When the door opened a man was on one knee. I recognized him even without the emerald mask. He was the one who wanted to have me as a possesion, as bragging rights. This wasn't good. My breath caught.

"Theo." Cole barley croaked and I gasped. No. No. No. My heart was beating so hard it hurt.

"Marry me and be the queen of my kingdom." My heart sank and I wanted to throw up. A French princess couldn't deny a proposal. It was law. It was a rule because they were so stubborn they would never marry. Tears formed.

"Je ne paux pas." (I can't) No. No. No.

"Theo, please." Cole begged. My breathing quickened and I reached out for Cole but he wasn't there. My stomach was flipping. Theo was too much like my father, too contolling. I turned to find Cole, to run to him and ask him to take me away. When I turned his six foot height was shrunken as he was on one knee also.

"Like hell im letting him take you."

"A rivalry proposal?" Theo out bursted. "What is wrong with you? I want her."

"Yeah well I need her. She is worth this fight." Cole said genuine as he stared at me grabbing my outstretched hand in his, I gripped it like I eas going to be taken away. "I would do it now, I would do it later. It doesnt matter when because it was going to happen." He made sure to keep eye contact the whole time so that I knew it was honest. I nodded noticing that the thought of marriange with Cole was the dream not my utter nightmare. I stepped closer to him a Cole stood his arm wrapping around my waste.

"No." Cole said. "You can't have her."

"I belong with you." I whispered to Cole staring up at him he glanced down at me.

"Then expect Ella to be with me next time we speak." Theo challenged.

"Perfect match." Cole said smiling a cold smile and I felt his grip on me tighten as Theo walked past me. When he was gone and I faced him all Cole did was embrace me. He only released me to cradle my head and stare in my eyes apoligetically. "I didn't think I would do it. I refused to watch you be taken from me. I can't explain it Sophie, but something inside me screams that it belongs to you."

"Same with me. The thought of Theo scared me. It wasn't exactly because he was Theo, but because he wasn't you..."

"I'm not leaving you here." He pulled me back down the hall to his room and shut the door. He grabbed a phone and dialed three numbers.

"Code opal." Cole said softly into the phone trying to hide what he was saying. "You heard me... Id never thought it possible either... Theodore Helmings was in her room... yes... no shes fine... no shes not leaving me. Yes that means im going to ask her to marry me. James. Stop with the questions." He glanced at me and my face burned. His best friend and trusted adviser, James his brother. He hung up and disappeared into the closet. He came out shirtless and in pajama pants he threw me a button down and I bit my lip. Cole shirtless was something else. My underwear was black lace. You would definetly see that through a white button down. I slipped into the closet and changed and when I came back out a whistle sounded.

"I've always dreamt of doing that." I giggled at the fact that he never had. "You're on the bed, of course." I smiled at him and sat next to him on the couch. He laid down and I followed his back hit the back of the couch and his arms held me tightly to him snuggled against his chest. I felt like a human teddy bear and yet there was no safer place I could be. His fingers trailed up and down my back and I pressed my lips to the bare skin at his collar bone.

"Im sorry you had to sacrafice so much for me tonight." I whispered. "I know you probably didnt want that."

"You?" He whispered and he tugged on a strand of my hair. "There's nothing I want more." My breath hitched and my hands laid flat against his back. "You're home now, Sophie."

"Only when I'm with you." I replied softly. I felt his heart skip under my head and his hand pushed me even closer against him.

"Always." He replied and we both drifted off to sleep.