The Royal Trip

Eight

Ainsley stood outside looking up at the light sky letting out a deep breath. She felt peaceful. For once there was nothing moving through her brain. It was just her and the morning sky. Ainsley felt someone stand next to her and she looked over to see Richard looking forward with his hands in his pockets. "You come to start a fight with me again?" Ainsley asked looking forward with a smirk on her face.

"I started the fight with you?" Richard asked and Ainsley slightly chuckled not looking over at him. "I wanted to apologize to you."

Ainsley looked over at him, meeting his gaze already on her. She didn't hide the light shock on her face. "Really?"

"That surprises you?" Richard asked and Ainsley shrugged her shoulders.

"I knew you would do it eventually. I just thought you would put up more of a fight." Ainsley said looking forward again.

She heard him lightly chuckle. "Well, I just happened to realize that I might have started it. I shouldn't have stolen your cab. I was just trying to avoid anyone noticing me. It's no excuse. I'm sorry."

They each looked over at each other again. "Well, i'm sorry for all the names I called you. The one you heard, the one you didn't, and the ones I thought."

Richard chuckled, glancing down at the ground before looking back at her. "I'm glad we could sort that out."

Ainsley paused for a moment folding her arms over her chest. "Can I ask you something?"

Richard nodded. "Of course."

"Why did you have a contest to begin with?" Aisnley asked. "I doubt a coronation was lacking in guests."

Richard nodded. "It was my brother's idea. I, honestly, think he just wanted someone to make his stay here...less boring."

"Yeah, he didn't make that obvious." Ainsley said sarcastically looking back to the morning sky.

"My mom thought it was a fun idea, but I think she's just trying to keep herself busy. The coronation is making her nervous."

Ainsley looked down at her watch noticing the time. "I should go. I have a proper meal etiquette lesson to go to."

"Good luck. Helga's one hell of a teacher." Ainsley chuckled before walking away and back into the castle.

Ainsley sat the table tide to the back of her chair with a long scar. She looked at Katie who was sitting across from her. There were no scarfs holding her to her chair. "I'm sorry, but why do I have to wear scarfs." Ainsley asked and Helga walked around the table standing next to her.

"Because you slouch." Helga said and Ainsley shook her head.

"No, I don't." Ainsley said, trying to sit forward.

"Yes, you do." Helga repeated pushing her back in her chair. "There is no slouching at the table with the royals."

"It's not her fault. She eats all her meals on a couch." Katie said and Ainsley glared at her.

"That's..." Ainsley paused trying to find the right excuse, but she couldn't find one. "Kind of true." AInsley said letting out a deep breath.

"Now, I want you both to listen very carefully because tonight is the first time you will be having dinner with the royal family." Helga said looking at both of them.

"Any chance we are having pizza?" Ainsley asked and Helga and Katie both looked at her.

"No, we aren't having pizza." Helga told Ainsley, making her sigh.

"I'm feeling pizza."

Helga stared at her for a moment and Ainsley just looked at her. "Well, it's a good thing this isn't your castle."

"I want to be like you when I'm older." Ainsley mocked knowing it irritated Helga when she made comments like that. She knew Helga must be used to barking orders and everyone else falling into line. Ainsley wasn't going to make it too easy for her.

Helga looked over at Katie. "You just couldn't have brought a better friend?"

Katie shrugged. "She's all I got." Helga shook her head starting the lesson and something told Ainsley it was going to take forever.

~~~

Ainsley moved through the halls trying to find her way into the dining room. She knew that she shouldn't have told Katie to go ahead without her. She thought she would be able to find it all herself. She didn't know where she was but there was something that caught her attention. A large painting hanging on the wall. It had to be the king Vincent Thomsen. "Aren't you supposed to be at the table?" Ainsley jumped slightly turning around to see Sienna.

"I got lost." Ainsley said looking back at the painting. "Is this your dad?"

Sienna nodded moving over to stand next to her looking at the painting. "Yeah, he looks so good in that painting." Sienna paused for a moment. "It's hard with him not being here. My mom is trying to act like it isn't but I think that's the only reason she is trying to make us all happy at once. It is the only reason Blake got his contest."

"She's trying to make up for a hole left behind when he died." Ainsley said under her breath. She noticed Sienna staring at her. "I'm sorry." Ainsley started to feel as if she had overstepped her place. "It's just what my sister told me after our mom died."

"Your mom died?" Sienna asked and Ainsley nodded.

"Yeah, a year ago." Ainsley looked down letting out a deep breath. "A drunk driver ran a red light and she didn't make it."

"I'm sorry." Sienna said and Ainsley looked over at her.

"Does it get better?"

"A little." Sienna said, nodding her head looking at the painting. "I mean, my mom can finally look at this picture without crying, so yeah, I guess it does." Sienna paused for a moment before looking back at Ainsley. "What was she like?" Ainsley looked at her hesitant to talk about her mother. "It helps. Talking about them."

Ainsley slightly nodded looking down at her hands. "She was....the best." Ainsley remembered, her mind quickly jumping to old memories she had with her mother. "She loved to dance. She could dance with no music playing at all and she didn't even care that she wasn't good at it." Ainsley rubbed the side of her eye stopping the tears before it could escape.

"Let's get to dinner. We don't want to keep everyone waiting." Sienna suggested and Ainsley nodded smiling over at her.

"Okay." Ainsley walked with her down the hall.

They walked in silence in the direction of the dining room before Sienna chose to break it. "There is something I want to ask."

Ainsley smiled at her. "What?"

"Did Helga make you wear those scarves during your meal edicate lesson?"

"Yes, I thought it was just me!" Ainsley vented, making Sienna laugh.

"She did it to me too." Sienna snorted as they made it closer to the dining area. Their laughs could be heard from the table before the girls walked into the room. They both notice the rest of the family and Katie staring at them.

"Did you two get lost?" Quinn asked from the end of the table.

"Yes, I'm so sorry." Ainsley said and they both walked to their different sides of the table. "It was my fault. I got distracted on the way."

Richard on one side of his mother and Katie on the other. Ainsley sat next to Katie and Sienna sat between her two brothers. Sienna looked over at Blake noticing him looking at her confused. "What's that?" Blake asked and Sienna looked at him confused.

"What? Is there something wrong with my hair?" Sienna asked lightly, touching her hair that was pulled up into a bun.

"No, it's on your face." Blake said, pointing at her face. "It sort of looks like a smile."

Sienna smacked his hand. "Oh, shut up." Sienna looking away from her brother. Her smile was rare. No one really knew why, but it just started to get harder and harder to get sight of it.