Christmas came soon. Aurora and Nicholas knew each other pretty well in the months she was in Lincolnshire. He knew what her favorite color (blue), movie (Sleeping Beauty), and actor (Tim Allen) was. Aurora found that it was difficult figuring Nicholas out. She didn't really know much about her future husband. So she talked to James about it.
"When did Nicholas meet his wife?" she asked.
"Sophomore year of college," James said. "Her name was Jamie. They got married a year later. Two years after that, Jamie became pregnant with the twins. When the girls were three, she died of heart failure."
"Oh my!"
"It was later found out Jamie never loved Nicholas. She was more in love with the idea of being queen and being catered to all her life. She would use the money Nicholas gave her to buy expensive useless things and drugs. Nicholas was quite hurt when he found out."
"Poor Nicholas," she said sadly.
"I don't think he has fully recovered from the hurt she gave him," he said.
"Do you think he will?" she asked.
"With time," he said. "And with your help."
"How?"
"Just be patient and understanding. Since you are already a princess and your marriage is arranged, he knows that you are not marrying him just to become queen."
"I never really wanted to be a queen. I'm too quiet and not much of a leader."
"Our people need a compassionate queen. A queen who will listen to their needs."
"I will try," she promised.
"Thank you, my dear," he said.
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As tradition at the castle in Nottinghamshire, the family decorated the tree together in the throne room. Alexander's brother, Michael, and his family came from their family's vacation home in Ireland. Aurora and Justin met their uncle and cousins for the first time. Michael's wife, Sophie, was the same age as Aurora's mother, Samantha. Brian was the oldest at seventeen. Emily was the middle child at age ten. Sophie just had a baby girl named Susan.
On Christmas Eve, everybody got to open a present. Justin received a mountain bike. Aurora received a silver tiara.
"It was my very first tiara," Victoria explained.
"Thank you, Grandmother," Aurora said, hugging Victoria.
After Michael read "A Christmas Carol", everybody went to bed. Aurora stayed up most of the night, trying to think of what to get for Nicholas and the twins. Right before she fell asleep, she decided to get the twins dolls. She still didn't know what to get Nicholas.
***************************
In Lincolnshire, Nicholas sat in a chair in his bedroom. He stared at the velvet box in his hand. James had given it to him earlier.
"It was your grandmother's engagement ring," James said. "I think you should give it to Aurora. It would look pretty on her finger."
Nicholas opened the box. The ring band was gold. A diamond shaped as a heart was set. It sparkled in the light. Nicholas wondered why James hadn't given him the ring for Jamie. Maybe James knew that Aurora was different from Jamie and wouldn't hurt him. He closed the box. He put it on the dresser and went to the nursery to read his girls a story.
