the duchess

boarding school

-23-
a month later

lukes pov

"You're kidding me right?" I force a laugh as I lay back in my dorm room bed.

"Nope, nothing I can you your majesty" My headmaster says as he stands by the door, a clip board in hand as he looks it over.

I roll my eyes and lay back, "I'm not going. No way. Not a chance"

"Your majesty, I plead of you. I think you'll enjoy this"

I sit up and lean forward, "I'm halfway across the country from my home. I was taken here against my will just as I got my life back. I've been forced to go to dumb classes and shit to learn how to rule the country once I become king, which I already know how to do so I'm acing my classed. I missed out on one of my best friends eighteenth birthdays. Now you expect me to... go somewhere with you at seven in the morning?"

The senile old man looks up at me while tucking his clip board under his arm, "This is regarding the Peters family"

My jaw clenches and my body tenses, "Where are we going?" 

"Luke, what the hell where have you been?" Carrie shouts as I walk through the bedroom door.

"I fell asleep!" My hands go up defensively, "But I found her, Care. I found her"

Carrie's eyes widen and a smile crosses her lips, "You found her?" I nod. "Oh my god!" The princess pulls me into a tight embrace with a kiss to my cheek, "I'm so happy for you, Luke"

I pull back and smile, "We're going to be ok. All of us. Me, you, Julie and Rylie. All of us will be ok" I state with a breath of relief.

Carrie's hand wipes under my eyes, "We really will" Carrie looks down then back up to me, her expression fallen, "Luke I have something to tell you" She grins with a bit lip.

I raise an eyebrow and smirk, "And what's that?"

That's when a bang hits my our door and minutes later, we're being thrown into royal escort vehicles.

The memories of the night I was taken play in my mind on repeat for hours. The timing of Carrie's news. My father obviously orchestrated the whole ordeal. Carrie and I, thrown into these cars, were taken to St. Jean-Baptiste School for Royal Youth.

Its job was to teach us how to rule when the merger of Amaranth and Evander commenced but after a while, the school had to separate Carrie and I. I haven't seen her in over a week. The class that was originally the two of us, now solo classes. We would talk, not participate or just be flat out rude. They didn't like that.

Whatever. I just need to get home to my girl.

As I walk behind the headmaster, we meet up at a fork in the hallway with the headmistress and Carrie. Her eyes bagged and heavy. Poor thing is sick out of her mind with homesickness.

"Hey, how are you?" I whisper as we continue to walk to the main hall.

"Tired. My back hurts. I want to sleep" She lists, taking my hand and entwining our fingers as she uses me for support. My lips land on the top of her head as we keep walking softly.

"You'll be ok. Remember, we're going home soon. Once we've completed this course, we go home" I whisper, my thumb rubbing over her hand.

"I miss Rye" She whines, looking up at me with a puppy dog like expression.

"I know baby. I know" I stop and pull her into a hug, a tight embrace. "But Im here and just remember I love you, ok?"

She nods as her head tucks into my neck. Both our grasps so tight I wouldn't be surprised if we were stuck together.

"Children come on" The headmaster tisks.

"Barth, give them a minute. They're in love. It's beautiful" The headmistress laughs softly.

"Eww" Carrie whispers softly, making me laugh with her.

The headmistress and master lead us into the fancy visiting rooms for when high level people visit. They guide us to a love seat with two chairs across from it.

Carrie sits to my left as my hand goes to her leg to stop it from the anxious bouncing of her knee, "You're shaking the couch" I force a laugh as I look around, seeing a camera in the corner, "We aren't alone" I whisper.

She nods and grabs a glass of water from the table infront of us, "Do you know what we're doing here?" She asks.

I shrug, "Headmaster said something about the Peters. I swear to god- I'm nervous"

Carrie nods as the door infront of us opens and low and behold, Flynn, Reggie and their daughter come walking in.

"Hello Honey!" Carrie exclaims, taking the baby from Flynn's arms as I hug Reggie.

"I've missed you guys. I've missed all of you. Is Alex here?" I ask as Reggie pulls from the hug.

I look over at Flynn and Carrie who are tight in each others arms along with the baby sandwiched between them, "He's in Amaranth doing some work"

I hug Flynn yet look at Reggie confused, "What kinda work?"

Reggie and Flynn exchange looks, "Humanitarian type I guess you could say" She responds.

"You could say?" Carrie questions, "Guys what's this sudden meeting about"

The four of us take seats, Carrie with Evelyn on her lap as the Peters sit in the spots across from us, "It's about Julie"

"Who's Julie...?" Reggie looks over at Flynn. His wife clearly unimpressed by his question.

"I was talking about her on the plane ride over- y'a know? Luke's guard who turned out to be a girl...? And they're in love" Flynn raises her eyebrow.

"OH!" He realizes, "I thought that was some kinda book concept or something you were reading"

"This isn't a fucking book Reginald" She glares at him before her attention is swapped over to Carrie and I, "She's going on trial now. 'Lex is with her"

I look up at the camera which is clearly deactivated at the moment, "Payed off the guard" Flynn whispers with a small giggle. I nod with a small 'oh' "They cant see or hear us in here"

I breathe out and relax my shoulders, "What's the charge?" I ask, rubbing my hands on my pants.

"Treason, endangerment of the royal family, identity theft and fraud" Flynn chokes on her words, looking down to her lap, "They're looking at execution if found guilty"

My heart drops.

"Wha- what? No no no. Julie never committed treason of any kind! All she did was protect my family, you guys, the other guards and me. She's more than worthy. True, maybe she committed a little identity theft but so what? It's not like this would ruin her brothers life. The guard failed to preform a proper background check that's all! Not to mention the death penalty? I thought we got rid of that after mother passed. What are we going to do" I almost cry at the thought of Julie being killed for her 'crimes'.

"That's what Alex is working on" Flynn says, looking over at Reggie. "He's fighting for her as you're in here"

"I think he's asking us" Reggie says softly, "He wants an answer now. Not a 'we're working on it'"

"Become King" Carrie cuts in. All eyes land on her and she freezes, probably not expecting to be heard at the quiet nature of her words. My lips turn up as I get a horrible idea.

"I think I know what to do"