Without The Grace

Beautiful? Yes. Daughter? No.

Gia applied the last finishing touches to my hair and makeup.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked me warily.

I nodded confidently. "We never got to finish the engagement ceremony. It's only appropriate." I told her smiling.

She shrugged. "Well you look great. You'll make a beautiful queen." Gia encouraged.

I pulled her into a hug. "Thanks." I said.

She opened the door for me and I stepped out. I could already hear the crowd.

They'd been invited to see the engagement ceremony but they had no idea who I was being engaged to.

Solveig didn't even know about the ceremony.

After planning it with Ezekiel we'd decided to do it two days later. The sooner the better.

Alex met me to walk me to the balcony.

I smiled at him. "I feel like its a normal day and you're joining me to walk me to school."

His responding laugh sounded bitter and void of passion. "Yeah well it's not a normal day. We're on another island where the princess is about to get engaged to a criminal."

I gave him a harsh look. "Alex." I warned.

He stopped walking. "What? You don't want to hear what I have to say because you know I'm right. How could you want to marry him? How could you love him?"

I shook my head, holding back my tears. "I thought we were friends Alex. My whole life is falling apart." I stressed. "I found out that my mother isn't dead and that's she's queen of an island that shouldn't even exist, meaning I'm princess of an island that shouldn't even exist. My boyfriend gets shot and dies in my arms. An evil tyrant tries I kill me. My boyfriends comes back to life. And then to top everything off. I fall in love with my boyfriend killer!" I shout. "I can't control how I feel! Just like you can't control your love for me! You trail behind me like a love sick puppy! It's pathetic! After all these years of friendship, all you're doing is judging me! You can't even just be here for me!" I gave him a disgusted look. "I hope you have a nice life. I really do. Go finish training to protect other princess from impending doom because I don't need you here. I wanted to fix us, but right now, I'm over it."

And with that I turned swiftly on my heel and proceeded to the balcony on my own.

I stood in the entrance and waited for Ezekiel to come into view.

I could tell that he was afraid. From where I was, I could see him but he couldn't see me. His face was tight as he stared at the crowd.

Finally my father stepped out.

Solveig was looking around with pure shock on her face. When she faced the crowd though, she quickly composed herself.

"Ladies and gentlemen." She announced. "I am very elated to welcome you all to the engagement ceremony of my beautiful daughter Aaliyah Anastasia Grace!"

I scoffed to myself at the fact that she called me her daughter. Beautiful? Yes Daughter? No.

I left the opening and hid beside the curtain so I could watch for Ezekiel to enter the balcony.

In a couple of minutes he appeared and my heart literally stopped. He was so gorgeous.

I was tempted to jump into his arms but I restrained myself, smiling.

He stepped out onto the balcony and there was a hush that immediately followed.

I plastered a smile on my face and stepped out. My steps echoed through the air because of the heavy silence.