Classic

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Cammie pov

There was no mistaking the familiar pair of eyes and dark hair. She locked eyes with me and smirked sending a shiver down my spine.

Amelia.

I immediately look to Zach who has the same shocked expression on his face. What was she doing back in Blackthorne? A billion other questions were running into my mind about her sudden reappearance. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to voice my questions aloud. It gave me solstice knowing I would be questioning her motives later.

"Your majesty." Amelia says bending down for a curtsey. Beside her, Lord Sandars bowed to the sovereign.

"How was your journey here?" King Edward asks standing up to give them a proper greeting. He kissed Amelia's hand and gave her adoptive father a warm handshake. It's safe to say he has no idea who she was.

Did Catherine know?

"Better than can be expected on short notice." Lord Sandars jokes, or at least I thought it was a joke.

"Well we are glad you have come. We have much to discuss." Edward claps him on the back. "But first let us celebrate your arrival. My wife has all the festivities planned."

Catherine stood up, put on a phony smile and made her way over to them. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. It hsocked me that she could even be polite, even if it's just a facade. "This is my son Zachary."

He always told me he hated whenever someone called him that.

Zach stepped forward and gave the both of them a polite nod. "I'm sure you will get to know him well soon enough." Catherine states looking directly at Amelia who had the nerve to blush. Zach looked just as uncomfortable as I did.

"Zachary, why don't you show Amelia her room? Oh and take the servant with you." She adds on glancing at me. I had my fists clenched at my sides, it took everything inside me to restrain myself against acting out.

"I'll be sure to ask one to help your majesty." I say saying her title sarcastically. She glared at me for that, but didn't say another word.

"If you don't mind I would like to be with the prince alone." Amelia told me. It was the first words she'd spoken to me in a year, and she was asking me to leave. I think I had a right to be weary of her actions, she threatened to come after me for taking Zach from her. I would be damned if I left her alone with him.

It's not that I don't trust him, I don't trust her and her actions. I would be an idiot to trust a woman who threatened me.The second I lookaway she wouldn't hesitate to strike. Things can change a person's perspective, specifically fleeing the country and making threats.

"I don't see a reason why we all can't go." I say attempting to be as polite as I could be given the circumstances.

"I insist." She says firmly. I was going to protest some more when Zach put a hand on my shoulder.

"It's fine Gallagher Girl, it won't be long." He gave me a small smile and a quick kiss on the cheek. I put my faith in Zach despite my doubts in Amelia. I gave him a quick nod and walked out of the throne room swiftly.

There was much to ponder on. And thus, I was left alone with my thoughts to keep me company.

There was much to discuss with Zach, starting with the argument we got into before. Catherine couldn't have put all those ideas in his head, there must have already been a seed of doubt for her words to register in his mind.

Now with Amelia back, how will that change our relationship? It's clear Catherine wants Zach to marry her, all just to spite me. And on top of this, I still haven't found the time to tell him about Catherine trying to kill Edward. This whole situation was warped and unfair and I wonder what I have done to deserve this.

I need to find a way to make things right between Zach and I, which includes telling him about his murderous mother which hopefully would put a stop to her plan for him to be engaged to another woman.

Out of all the ladies and princesses in the kingdoms, she had to find the one that shared a history with Zach. I still can't decide whether she did this on purpose or if it was purely coincidental. It was too sneaky of Catherine to be purely coincidental.

I was going out of my mind wondering what Amelia was saying to Zach. They've been gone for a few minutes but with the wait combined with my swarming thoughts made it seem like a lifetime.

I was pacing back in forth in Zach's room wondering when he would walk in. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait too long and since he walked in looking a little disgruntled.

Before he could even say anything, I ran up to him and put my arms around his neck for a hug. He was shocked at first but within a few seconds pulled me in closer to him.

He untangled himself from my grasp to kiss me on the forehead. "We have a lot to talk about." Where do we even start?

"What did Amelia say?" I couldn't help myself, I needed to know what went on.

Zach sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nothing much, she just sprouted a load of nonsense." He was keeping something out purposely so it won't hurt me. It was a nice gesture but completely useless.

"I'm tougher than you think Zach, I can handle whatever she said." I place a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

"She said I should be thankful for leaving you to marry her, she said it was a nice upgrade. Oh how badly I wanted to leave her right then and there. She certainly has a lot of nerve coming back here."

"Did she say why she came back?"

"Isn't it obvious Cammie?"

"Do you know if your mother had any part in this?" I had to ask to ease my mind.

"I wouldn't put it past her. She clearly doesn't want us to get married, and I don't know why." I do. I was about to tell him, the words on the tip of my tongue but he continued to talk.

"And I know I let her words get to me this morning. I knew she was wrong, and we've been over this before but seeing the two of you together always puts a knot in my stomach, especially when he kisses you on the forehead. I had no right no let my misguided jealousy cause any harm in our relationship. I was just stressed under all the pressure of this stupid and unnecessary arranged marriage."

"Mark my words, this is the last time I'm going to say this to you one Zach, nothing has gone on with Grant and I, and nothing will ever happen between us. I love you, just not when you let your jealousy get the better of you. I understand we are stressed and driving ourselves crazy with this situation, but we have to come up with better ways to handle the stress. Exploding on each other isn't going to solve anything."

"I just need to know if you meant what you said to me Zach?"

"Of course not. I want to make it clear you would be the only woman I marry. It's you I want to spend the rest of my life with, not Amelia or whoever else my mother tries setting me up with. We will find a way out of this, I promise." I hope he can keep it.

"Just for the record Zach, I didn't mean anything I said either." He smiled, leaning forward to kiss me.

"Good, because I hate when we argue." As do I my Blackthorne Boy.

"Now, tell me how we are going to get out of this situation?" I asked the million dollar question. Amelia was part of a wealthy and well respected family now, it's going to be hard to stop the engagement,especially since her new family seems to be pushing for it.

"Perhaps we can appeal to her adoptive father? Or I could propose to you right now, and save us the trouble." I couldn't tell if he was joking or serious.

"Let's hold onto that idea." I say patting his shoulder. If we get engaged now, it would cause a rift between the royal family and Lord Sandars because he will feel like he got cheated out of a powerful alliance.

Maybe another idea would come to us later on. It has to.

A/N: I am going to post the next couple of chapter quickly, this story is getting closer to it's end :( I want to finish this before I start class  in 2 weeks but we'll see how that goes. 

Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter even thought it was mostly filler. As always, vote, comment and share this story!