Containment Of Secrets

Chapter 10

(Mallory's point of view)

We walk along the downtown area holding hands, attempting to blend in among the rest of the people. The sun baked our backs as we went from shop to shop, it was mid-afternoon when we stopped for lunch. It was a simple family diner tucked away from the rest of the world.

We found a booth near the back of the diner. A waitress walked over to us with a menu for each of us to order from. As we looked through our menus, a middle- aged couple walked in. They sat in the booth next to us.

We found a booth near the back of the diner. A waitress walked over to us with a menu for each of us to order from. As we looked through our menus, a middle- aged couple walked in. They sat in the booth next to us.

The couple seemed to be in their own little world, until they spotted us. The middle-aged man was the first to speak. He pointed between the two of us and said, "New to being a couple?" By instinct, I was quick to be defensive. "Oh, no, we are not-." I was quickly interrupted by Braxton.

"We are newlyweds." Braxton chimes in. He reaches over the table to grab my hand. He gives it a gentle squeeze and I give him in return, a small, but convincing smile.

"Yes, we are newlyweds. We just got married the other day." I replied.

The middle-aged woman props her chin in her hand, as she grins from ear to ear. "Oh, I do love a good romance story. Please, tell us how the two of you met."

I look over at Braxton for some help on a way to approach this, but he too was also giving me the same look. I was flying solo on this one. I quickly fabricated a quick story. "Well, I hail from Chicago, but I moved to Los Angeles after becoming a teacher. One year, when the school was hosting kindergarten orientation night, Steven here, brought his nephew in for kindergarten orientation. The rest was history from then on."

"Aww, I do believe everything happens for a reason." The middle-aged woman states.

"Margie, you say that about everything. You said that about the former king and queen too."

"Luke, now you can't deny those two were made for each other." She says, as she shakes a finger at him.

"Not everything is fairytale, Margie."

"I never said everything was a fairytale!"

The middle-aged man turns to look at us. "Sorry, folks, my wife has never moved on from the former king and queen's reign. Heck, I don't think any of us did. That boy of theirs is something else, he takes the cake for the most reckless king if I ever saw one. It's a shame their daughter never stayed and ruled. I always wondered what she would have been like. I truly think she would have made an excellent queen."

"It is nice to see the citizens here appreciating their ruling body of government." Braxton replies. Relief washes over me as the current topic seems to be dissipating.

"We do for the most part, that King Michael is something else though. Like I said earlier, he is reckless. At times, he makes decisions in the last hour that could put all Wilachians at risk. He is arrogant at times, but quite the smooth talker." The man says, as he looks over at his wife.

"Oh, yes! He will never hold a candle to his father's reign. No, Abel was something special. I was lucky enough to attend the first appearance ceremony, when Queen Saige showed their newborn daughter for the first time in public. Then, a few years later, I attended Michael's ceremony. Luke and I even attended Michael's coronation" Margie boasts.

Braxton smiles and asks, "I take it that most of the events held are public?"

"Yes, the royal family love connecting to their citizens, especially through festivals and events." She replies.