Royal Misfits

Chapter Six - New Perspective

A/N :
Above is a picture of the King and Queen. Gerard Butler for King James and Julianne Moore for Queen Maria.
We hope you are enjoying the story thus far!

Amelia's POV

As I watched Lizetta leave with Tate, I became more nervous than before. I looked over to Ethan and found that he shared the same feeling. Our gaze was interrupted my mother's voice, "Would one of you care to explain this?". I opened my mouth to talk but for some reason the words refused to come out and left me standing there with my mouth open. Ethan must have noticed because he spoke next, "Your Highn-". Mother stopped him, "First name basis Ethan, it's much more easier for all of us." And nodded for him to continue. He took a deep breath in and let it out before talking, "James, Maria, I don't mean any disrespect to either of you or Lizetta. From the time I've been coming here as a young boy, I've alway been fond of Amelia, and Lizetta is just like a sister to me. I know that you have fixed an alliance between Lizetta and I. Unfortunately, neither of us want that. I am indeed in love with Amelia and I would like to ask for your permission to court her. " He looked at both my parents waiting for a response.

Instead Father turned to me with his eyebrows raised, "Is this true Viola?" My Father loved calling me that, ever since I can remember. He only called me Amelia when he was upset with me and Scarlett when he had a surprise for me, I don't think he has realised that I figured out his calls. I turned to him and dipped my face a little, " It is, Papa". He nodded his head, "I see.". Before he could say something, my mother cut in, "We will only give permission, like we said before, if Ethan eventually marries you, Amelia." At that, Ethan spoke immediately, " I intend to, Maria", he looked at me and smiled. I did the same in return.

"But there is one condition..." Father spoke. I looked between father and mother and noticed the nervousness on their faces. "Can someone tell me already? How many more conditions will there be?" I said in a bit of frustration. Mother let out a sigh as she motioned for all us to take a seat, "You will have to wed exactly a month after Amelia turns 18, which is 3 months away. Which means that your engagement will have to be announced by the end of next month, leaving two months to prepare for the wedding." She caught her breath and my father spoke for her, "Now, do you agree?"

I looked at my parents as if they were talking utter nonsense.
I shook my head in confusion, "What? What do you-". Ethan interrupted me, "Why the rush?". We both looked at my parents expectantly. " I haven't even finished school, I want to study and I'm sure that Ethan has many things he wants to do as well".
"And you will be able to do that after marriage, both of you", mother spoke as if she was hiding something. I rested my head on my palm, "What is it mother? What is it that you're not telling us?". She stuttered as she spoke, "Wha..what..are...yo..you...talking....about?". I stood up and paced back and forth, " I know you mother, you wouldn't push for a marriage at this age," I stopped in front of her, "So what are you hiding?".

She looked at my father for an aswer and he simply nodded, "Okay, its about time you and your sister know." And just then Lizetta walked in with Tate right behind her and the pair took a seat next to Ethan.   "What's going on?", Lizetta noticed the tension in the air. I refused to talk, and Ethan spoke for me, "Well, your mother is coming forward with something."

"Right...", mother motioned for me to sit and continued, "The reason why this wedding must happen in three months because we have reason to believe that both of you might be in danger this time and-". I interrupted, "What do you mean this time?". Father squeezed mother's hand urging her to continue, " When Amelia was born, she was kidnapped and we searched everywhere for her, we paid numerous ransoms and organised many searches... she was returned two weeks later with a note.....and it said that this was not the last time we'd hear from them." I stood up in shock, "What? If that child was gone for two weeks, how do you know that I am still the same baby? Why didn't you tell me this before?", I slumped to the floor crying, lost for words.

Lizetta's POV

When Tate and I walked back into the room, I never imagined that I'd hear what I did. We walked to the doctor and back in complete silence, neither even daring to steal a glance at the other, except for me anyways. I couldn't help but look at him and try to read his expression, but he kept his face unreadable and it was often blocked from view. The silence killed me then, but now I wished for silence. The atmosphere was heavy with tension when we entered it was so tangible, I could cut it with a knife. We took a seat next to Ethan, unaware of the situation at the time. Hearing those words come out of mother's mouth was shocking to me, but obviously devastating to Amelia. I sat there, frozen trying to process what she said. Ethan rushed to her side immediately and I eventually snapped out of my daydream. I looked at mother who looked at Amelia helpless, "Well, mother? Answer her." Mother looked at me, surprised at first but she then regained her composure, "Amelia's birth mark. Only she and James have it." I looked at a sobbing Amelia, she looked up at mother with red eyes trying to blink away the tears. She got to her feet and left the room. Both Ethan and I moved to go after, but she stopped us saying she needed to be alone for a while, and with that she left the room still wiping her tears away.

I turned to Ethan, "Don't listen to her. Go after her. She shouldn't be alone now. I'll handle things here." Ethan nodded and went after Amelia. I then made eye contact with Tate and nodded towards the door, he smiled and left as well. My attention was solely on mother and father now. Mother raised her eyebrow at me as I took a seat in front of them. I returned her expression to her, "Well? Tell me exactly what happened with Amelia and why this is only coming up now. I want every detail." I looked at both of them sternly and they responded by giving me exactly what I wanted. Father spoke first this time, "Lizetta, you must understand that this was a very delicate situation and we couldn't tell anyone at the time and you were just a baby then as well." I nodded and urged him to continue, "She was kidnapped by a group which are outlaws of Eleria, to make us get out of our alliance with Ethan's parents, they kidnapped Amelia. We gave in to their demands and payed ransoms and finally got her back. They were never caught." Father bowed his head in shame and I felt for him, this could not have been easy to admit for him. Mother spoke next, "And there's the note they left of course. So, we had to send you girls away somewhere you'd be safe." That's when I realised it, "The sudden move to the boarding school was because of this." Mother nodded, "Correct. And this wedding will surely mean an alliance with Eleria and this might agitate the kidnappers to return. So, we must prepare timeously and get it over so you both can be safe." I scratched at my forehead, "But if it's so dangerous, why get me married to him?" Mother corrected me, "Your sister will marry Ethan now. It seems as if they're in love." I roll my eyes, "Yeah, yeah. But why allow it in the first place?" Mother scowled at me before speaking again, "A trap will be set with decoys after the wedding and we'll catch them." She was so calm about all of this, I was not impressed, "Mother, so many things could go wrong. This is Amelia's life at stake here." Mother simply nodded, "I understand your concern, but we have everything under control." I couldn't bare to listen to them anymore and I left the room abruptly and headed straight for my room, "I need a shower."