Royal Destiny: The Forced Union of Princess Leonor and Princess Catalina

part 15

Part 15: New Beginnings

The morning after the celebration dawned bright and clear over Genovia, the remnants of last night’s festivities still lingering in the air. The palace was abuzz with activity as staff prepared breakfast, and the sounds of laughter and chatter echoed through the halls.

Alryana awoke to the soft rays of sunlight streaming through her window. She stretched and glanced over at Leonor, who was still peacefully asleep beside her. A smile crept onto her face as she thought about the wonderful night they had shared—the love, the laughter, and the promises made.

Suddenly, a soft knock on the door interrupted her reverie. “Mama! Mama!” came the eager voices of Felipe, Constantine, and Paul, their excitement palpable.

Alryana hurriedly threw on a robe and opened the door to find her three sons beaming up at her, their eyes sparkling with energy. “Good morning, my little princes!” she greeted, bending down to pull them into a tight embrace.

“Good morning!” they chorused, giggling and wiggling free.

“Is it time for breakfast?” Felipe asked, bouncing on his toes.

“Almost! But first, let me wake up your other mama,” Alryana replied, turning back to Leonor, who was now stirring awake.

Leonor opened her eyes, a look of love and warmth washing over her face as she saw the boys. “Good morning, everyone,” she said, stretching and sitting up. “What’s all the excitement about?”

“We want pancakes!” Paul exclaimed, his little hands clapping with joy.

“Pancakes it is, then!” Leonor laughed, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and rising. “Let’s go see what we can whip up.”

The family headed to the kitchen, where the staff had already begun preparing breakfast. Alryana and Leonor joined in, the boys chattering about the fireworks from last night, each of them trying to outdo one another with their favorite moments.

As the smell of pancakes filled the air, Leonor set to work mixing the batter, while Alryana poured the pancake mix onto the griddle. The boys, eager to help, scrambled to fetch toppings like strawberries, whipped cream, and maple syrup.

“Can we make a tower of pancakes?” Constantine asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

“Of course!” Alryana replied, grinning. “Let’s make the tallest pancake tower in Genovia!”

With teamwork and laughter, they created a towering stack of pancakes, the boys taking turns adding whipped cream and fruit on top. It was a delightful chaos, and for Alryana, it was a perfect representation of their new life together.

Once breakfast was served, the family gathered around the large dining table, their laughter echoing off the walls. The boys dug into their pancakes, faces smeared with syrup, while Alryana and Leonor exchanged fond glances, savoring the moment.

As they finished breakfast, Leonor’s phone chimed with a message. She glanced at it and saw it was from her parents. “It looks like my family is planning to visit Genovia next week,” she shared, a mix of excitement and nervousness in her voice.

“Really? That’s wonderful!” Alryana exclaimed. “They’ll get to see our home and meet the boys.”

“Yeah, but what if they don’t like the idea of us being together? What if they have concerns?” Leonor’s brow furrowed with worry.

“Leonor,” Alryana said gently, taking her partner’s hand, “we’ve built something beautiful together. It’s natural for family to have questions, but they also love you. Trust that they will see how happy we are and how much love we have for our family.”

Leonor nodded, taking a deep breath. “You’re right. I just want everything to go smoothly.”

“It will,” Alryana assured her. “We’re a team, remember? We’ll face everything together.”

Just then, Archie entered the room, stretching and yawning. “Morning, everyone! I heard there’s a pancake tower. Mind if I join?”

“Of course not! Come eat with us!” the boys cheered, eager to include their older brother.

As they all sat down together, the conversation flowed naturally, and the worries that had initially burdened Leonor began to fade away. Archie entertained them with stories from his childhood, including his own experiences with family visits and the surprises that came with being part of a royal family.

After breakfast, the family decided to explore the palace grounds. They wandered through the beautiful gardens, which were bursting with color, and the boys ran ahead, playing games and chasing each other among the flowers.

“This place is incredible,” Leonor said, walking hand in hand with Alryana. “I can see why you love it here.”

“It truly is my sanctuary,” Alryana replied, smiling. “And now, it’s ours.”

As they reached a secluded corner of the garden, Alryana stopped and turned to face Leonor, her expression serious yet tender. “I know our family is growing, and with that comes challenges, but I want you to know that you and the boys are my world. We will create a future full of love and happiness together.”

Leonor felt tears prick at her eyes, overwhelmed by the depth of Alryana’s love. “I feel the same way. Thank you for being my partner in all of this.”

Their moment was interrupted by the cheerful laughter of their sons, who came running back toward them, their cheeks flushed with excitement. “Mama, Mama! We found the best place to play!” Felipe shouted.

“Yeah! Come on!” Constantine added, tugging at Alryana’s hand.

As they followed their boys, laughter echoing in the garden, Leonor realized that they were building a life filled with love, adventure, and countless memories. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, hand in hand, as a family.

In that moment, she knew that no matter what the future held, love would always guide their way.