Royals

Chapter 19: izze

"These napkins or these ones?" Lillian asked.
Adrianna and I were of course stuck planning for our big sixteenth birthday. Right now Lillian, our mother's maid, was tending to us. With party favors and other things.
      "Why do we have to decide again?" Adrianna asked glancing at me.
    "It's our birthday?" I say slowly.
    "Your highnesses I do need an answer. August 15th is approaching soon." Lillian said.
    "Sorry Lillian." I say turning towards her again. "How about these royal blue ones."
     Lillian nodded before turning towards my sister, "Adrianna?"
    "Uh sure.." She said clearly not interested.
     Lillian sighed and put her hands in her hips. "Do forgive me for asking, but what is wrong? You act all down in the dumps, dear."
    "I don't want to do this!" Adrianna exclaimed throwing her arms in the hand.
     I laughed, "Now you sound like Collin."
     "Don't izze." She sighed.
    "Come on! It's our sweet sixteen! I am not going to be the only planning. Remember last time?" I say staring at her.
     "You didn't plan it on your own. I helped."
    "But you almost didn't. Don't make this a repeat of last year." I said pleadingly.
     "Okay fine! I'll try to have an interest." Adrianna said putting up a fake smile.
     I shook my head before turning back to Lillian. Why is she acting like this? We always used to have so much fun planning these. It was basically the only thing we really had an input in. 
      "So what's next?" I ask.
    "Party toppings." Lillian replied grabbing some from the table she set up.

~*~

knock, knock.

   Adrianna and I's head shot up at the sound of a knock. Our mother stood there in a deep blue dress with a simple golden crown on her brown hair. Her hair was pulled back into a bun.
    "How is the planning going?" She asks.
    "We actually are done." My sister replied.
    Our mother stepped forward revealing two identical crystal tiaras with little specks of blue. "These are for you both. To wear on your birthday..."
     I stood up and carefully picked up one of them. "Wow...they're beautiful."
   She nods, "I had them prepared for a while now." Mother paused before speaking more quietly, "Your father picked them out.."
     "Well thank you mom." Adrianna said gently taking hers.
     It was silent. All three of us stood in Adrianna's room not moving.
     I cleared my throat, "I forgot to ask, how was it with Collin?"
     She lifted her head, "Ah yes..it was good. We have a few ideas, but yet again we still are going to see them all."
      My sister and I nodded in response.

   "Excuse me your highnesses..." A voice said causing us to turn around. "Queen Elizabeth."
    "Yes?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
    The guard cleared his throat, "someone wishes to see your presence for a moment." He glanced between Adrianna and I before settling on our mom.
    "Oh. Of course." She turns to us, "I'm sorry I must go. I'll see you both at dinner."
     Spinning on her heels our mother left with the guard leaving us alone.

    "Who do you think that someone is?" Adrianna asked sitting on her bed.
      "I don't know, but it makes me want to go find out." I say.
     I hear her sigh behind me. "Izze, you always want to find out things. Maybe you just shouldn't."
     "I know." I say quietly. "It's just why would they say 'someone?"
      "Gods izze I don't know!" Adrianna exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air.
     I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair once before heading towards the bedroom door. "I'm going to get some air. Before you ask, it's not an excuse to go found out things!"
      I walked down the hall. Passing servants along the way. I approached the stairway and took my time going down them. A guard marched past me and I quickly turned and ran up to them.
     "Yes your highness?" He asked after bowing.
    "Do You Know where my brother is?" I ask.
   "Dining area."
   I smile. "Thanks."
    My feet spring over to the dining area's doors, but I stop once I hear voices coming from by the throne room. They seemed loud and made me wonder. Even though I promised I wouldn't, I just had to.
     I let go of the handles and crept towards the throne room. The doors were opened ajar. I poked my head and saw nobody, so I slipped in. The voice grew a little louder, but not loud enough to hear. It seemed like the voices came from the dungeon. That's when I came to realize that 'someone' was either those guys who almost killed my brother...I gasp aloud. There was no way.
     Was my mother speaking to Jake. After all he did? Why did he want to speak to her? Was this their first time talking?
     Suddenly it grew quiet and footsteps were approaching. I scrambled away from the dungeon doors and made my way towards the doors that led out of the throne room.
    "Isabella?" A voice called. I froze and knew that voice. It belonged to my mother. I slowly turned to her and out on a fake smile.
   "Hello mother. I was just looking for you." I say.
   "You were..?" She said slowly.
     I sighed and my smile dropped. "Mother why were you up there?"
    She frowned, "I've been speaking with Prince Jake.
    I threw my hands in the air, "After all he did? How could you speak to him!"
     "Isabella Primrose, this does not concern you. I know you want to know, but this is not the place nor time." She snapped at me, causing me to flinch slightly.
   "I'm sorry..." I said flatly before heading to the dining area. My hand grabbed the door swinging it open. Collin jumped out of his seat, startled.
    "Geez izze.." Collin exclaimed slightly.
"Sorry, sorry!" I say putting my hands up.
    He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So what do you want?"
     "Can't I just come say hi to my favorite brother?" I say wrapping my arms around his waist.
    He chuckled, "I'm your only brother."
    "Well you're still my favorite."
    "I highly doubt it. What's up Izze?" He asks unraveling my arms. I sigh and plop myself down into a chair. Collin following my actions.
     I watched as my brother quietly looked over a sheet. He looked up and motioned for me to talk before staring down at the paper.
    "Did you know about mom visiting Jake?"
     He froze and dropped the paper. "W-what?"
    "Did you know abo—"
    He waved at hand at me, "I heard you the first time."
     "so...?" I say slowly.
    "No I didn't.." He deadpanned.
     I slightly nodded and bit my lip, thinking. Why wouldn't she tell us?
     Collin poked my forehead, "I know that look izze. What are you thinking?"
     "Why wouldn't she tell us?" I ask. "Wouldn't you think she would tell us? This is kinda big."
    He folded his hands and leaned on the table. "Hmm, think about it. This is big, but also dangerous. Maybe she didn't want us
involved."
    "But we are involved!" I exclaim.
   He narrowed his eyes at me, "Iz, sometimes people don't want others involved. For reasons. So just let it go."
   "And I thought you were supposed to be here for me." I say before storming out of the room.
    From behind I could hear my name be called, but I simply ignored it. I swiftly made my way through the castle. Pounding up the stairs, through the corridor and right into Adrianna's room. I slammed the door shut making her jump up from her couch.
    "What happened?" She asked as she approached me. I brushed past her and plopped face down onto the silky sheets. The smell of flowers overtook me as I inhaled. "Well..?"
     I sighed heavily before facing her, "It's all his fault. I was trying to get help with the whole mom seeing thing and, and...he wasn't even, ugh!!"
    "Wait hold on..." Adrianna says putting a hand up. I sit up and face her. "So you did go find out, not get some air?"
     "Yes..."
    She laughs, "Should've know that."
    "Adrianna..." I say.
    "Isabella..." She mimicked slightly.
    I fall back on the bed and stare at the ceiling. "Anna, you know we were involved, right?" I ask using her old nickname from when we were younger. She nods and I continue, "Wouldn't you think we should be involved in the whole talking to the person thing?"
    "I don't know, it doesn't seem overly important..." She says quietly.
     I sit up again and grab her hands. She looks at me. We both look at each other in the eye, not once breaking contact. "She was talking to Jake.."
     It was quiet for a moment before she looks down and let out a breath. "Wow."
    "I know." I whisper.
   "Why would she not tell us?" Adrianna asks.
    I sigh and shake my head, "See now you understand. If only Collin did. Or even mom knew how important this was to me, and now you.."
    She nods and walks over to her window. "There's not much to do now, but for right now we just need to sit back and watch."
     "I agree for a some reason...." I say resting my chin in my palm.