They Call Me Princess

Chapter Twenty: Family Reunion

Isabelle's P.O.V.

I sat in the car silently. I didn't dare look at them, much less speak to them.

"Come on Isabelle, you have to understand. We need you back." I rolled my eyes and stared straight ahead. I've been in this car for most of the night since they decided to take some of the back roads. We were already in Romofski territory by now.

As if on cue a fort appeared in my line of sight as we approached at a fairly rapid speed. It was at this point in time that I really hated my life.

Has Alexei even noticed that I'm not there? Does he know that I've been kidnapped?

I doubt it.

The car came to a stop in front of the structure. I watched as Eric exited the driver's seat and walked around to open one of the doors. Lawson, who was sitting to the right of me got out first before assisting in helping me exit. Freddie stood up behind me and grabbed my arm. He knew me well enough that if I ran, they wouldn't catch up. Lawson and Freddie sandwiched me between them as we entered the fort, Eric was too busy with my luggage, and an angry cat that was trying to scratch him through the cage like bars.

I watched as multiple men sneered at me while others gave me suggestive looks. To say that I was disgusted was an understatement. We, luckily,  walked by them quickly without sparing them a second glance.

I was guided into the actual inside, the hallway was dark and cold while moisture dripped from the ceiling. In other words, it was disgusting. Does anyone ever clean or take care of this place?

I gagged quietly when a drop landed on my head and soaked my hair. Perfect. They didn't stopped walking, at least not until we came across a specific door.

Yelling.

One thing that I never missed was the yelling, screaming, items being thrown while one tried to stand as quietly and as far away as possible.

Freddie knocked on the door with his free hand and almost instantaneously all of the noise stopped. I could hear a sigh, the whispering of further arguments before the door was opened.

"Come in Captains."

There he stood. His brown hair was a bit long, but was easily pulled back into a short ponytail. His eyes were just as green as I remembered and he stood towering over my five foot six' frame.

"Nicky..." Was all I could manage to say before Lawson pulled me into the room. Even as I was being torn away from him I could still see his eyes, the grief and sorrow.

He was my brother after all, and he knew that my last chance to escape was now long gone.

"Isabelle. How kind of you to visit after... how long has it been? Eight years?" I looked away from my sibling to see my father, his dark hair greying after long hours of making battle plans, his eyes just as insane as the last time I saw him.

"Father." I didn't dare speak above a whisper. He had too much of an advantage over me. I was a deserter, a traitor, and was bound to be executed. Making him any angrier was fruitless.

"Oh, she speaks." His voice was teasing, but there was an evident sound of insanity mixed in with it. "And how have you been, hmm?" I watched from the corner of my eyes as he made his way from around the desk to be right in front of me.

"I've been fine thank you for asking." He smiled, what seemed to be sincere before back handing me across the face.

The sound echoed around the office space. No one dared to move in fear of a worse fate. "Just like your mother. She tried to do the same thing you did, escape with her lover to be free from me."

Nicholas clenched his fist while I moved my head back to its natural place. "Would you like to join her? In a nice damp cell with only a wholley blanket and two square meals a day?"

I shook my head. "No sir." He chuckled and walked away, only to seat himself behind his desk again.

"You know, Nicky and I were having a lovely discussion over what to do with you. I said that we should execute you, but that seems like such a hassle. Plus, if word got around then..." He stopped mid-sentence as if he was debating with himself all over again.

"No, no, no. What would weaken the other side more than seeing their beloved princess-to-be parading around with their enemy? Killing you would only strengthen them, make them angry and what-not." He waved his hand behind him, making me wonder if he even remembered if we were here or not.

"Eric, drop her things in her old room, Nick take her to meet the rest of the family, Lawson and Freddie, finish your work." A chorus of 'Yessir' was followed by a salute as all four of the men began to leave the room.

I looked at my father one last time before shaking my head and following Nicholas out the door.

It had been nearly a decade since I last saw my brother, but it was almost like nothing had changed at all. Same hair, eyes, and posture. It was almost like the teenage him had been shoved into an adult.

"Do you love him?" He finally asked when we reached the outdoors.

"Love who?" He looked away from me before he continued you walking.

"The Prince." My arms instinctively wrapped themselves around my waist as I looked down at the ground.

"I'm not sure if I can say that it's love, but I am most certainly attracted to him." He gave a small smile and chuckled ever-so-slightly under his breath before leading me into one of the homes on base.

"Angelica?" He called out as he closed the door behind me. "Mommy! Mommy! Daddy's home early!" My eyes widened with shock as a woman came out holding a young child in her arms.

"Nick, who's this?" She almost seemed threatened by my presence, but I was too shocked to care. "Nicky, you got married? And had a kid!" I was slightly laughing when I saw his flushed face.

"Yes, Angelica, this is my sister Isabelle. Isabelle, this is my wife Angelica and my daughter Tatiana." I happily shook hands with the older woman who instantly relaxed when she heard that I was his sister.

"So you're the one who ran off? Went missing only to come back into the limelight as the 'Modern Day Cinderella?'"

I couldn't help but laugh while nodding my head. "Yes, that is me indeed."

And just like that I sat with the woman that I only just met and talked for three hours straight. About my story of woe, how I ran off, why I ran off, what my life had been like before and after I met Mr. Leroy, how I ended up being the Prince's date, even how the scandal started.

In return she told me about how they met, started dating, how he proposed, the wedding, even when she found out she was pregnant with Tatiana.

Speaking of the child, she was seated on the floor next to us playing with some dolls, while Nicky was doing... I don't really remember.

All I needed to know was that someone was by my side and that I, for once in my life, had a family.