Without The Grace

"Is this real?"

It took hours for everyone to be round up and brought into the palace.

Inside the throne room was Mama Lily, my mother, Raul, Ezekiel, Alex, a few guards and myself.

The room had been cleared of everyone. Even the animals.

"What. Are we gonna do?" Raul asked.

The room erupted into chatter. Everyone wanted to speak at once.

My head pounded from the voices reverberating around the room.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Hey!!"

Finally they all fell silent and looked at me.

"The island still belongs to my mother. I don't understand why there's a question. We'll return it to its previous state. I'll stay here and the rest of you can go about your lives." I announced.

Another round of arguments.

"What about the boy?!" Was the question I heard. It came from Mama Lily.

"What boy?" I asked. "Ezekiel?"

She nodded.

"He can go wherever he wants. Why would we need to do anything with him?"

Mama Lily stepped forward. "Aaliyah. He may have brought us to you and brought your kidnapping to our attention, but he's a criminal. He kidnapped you himself and committed a murder. Your own boyfriend. That kind of crime should result in death here and a long time behind bars back in the states."

I gave her an incredulous look. "We are not throwing him in jail. And we are certainly not going to kill him. He'll work in the castle." I suggested.

"Bu-"

"Aaliyah is the princess. She has a right to pass judgement." Raul spoke up.

Mama Lily sighed in resignation, finally dropping the matter.

"Okay. So what about the island?" My father asked. "Your mother is not taking back control. She believes it will be yours."

My eyes widened in shock.
"I-I-no. I can't. I don't even know how."

"Nonsense." Mama Lily interjected. "You were just displaying your authority a moment ago. You'll be perfect." She said smiling.

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

I sighed. "This isn't over. But right now we have to fix the island."

My mother held up a finger. "I have a solution."

€

I was now sitting in the throne room by myself. It was off limits as of now but I was preparing myself for the Royal ceremony.

My mother was sticking to her word. She was giving me time to find my "king" so that I could be queen.

I touched the soft material of my future throne. I couldn't imagine myself sitting here. Giving people orders that could change their lives forever.

My mothers solution was to ask the island to repair itself. She planned on asking the island to reverse everything that Hans had done or influenced. Every person he had killed or banished or injured.

I had decided to hide in the palace while everyone worked. It sounded selfish but I really needed time for myself to really digest what happened and rightfully mourn Kenneth.

Alex was taking me back to the states next week so that I could explain to Kenneth's family. It was gonna be really hard but I felt like I needed to.

"Chickening out?" A voice asked.

I turned and smiled at Ezekiel. "Hey." I said.

He approached me and stood silently across from me.

"What?" I asked tucking my hair begin my ear nervously.

"Do you remember what I said at the ceremony?" he asked me.

I shrugged though I did remember, every word.

"I wasn't pretending." He told me, staring at me intensely.

I couldn't meet his eyes

"I really like you Aaliyah." He finally said. "I know it's bad...but I can't help it. I tried not to like you but I can't. I'm sorry...if you don't..."

I looked up at him now. He looked so vulnerable. Nothing like a killer.

I touched his cheek softly, a faint smile on my lips.

"I-"

"Aaliyah?"

Ezekiel cursed under his breath and we turned to see who it was.

My heart literally stopped. I couldn't think or process any words. I felt like my world had collapsed and my feet couldn't hold me anymore.

I collapsed to the ground in tears unable to believe the sight in front of me.

"This isn't real is it?" I asked.

Ezekiel didn't answer so I knew he could see him too.

"Kenneth?"