Royally Falling

~ 41 ~

"It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free"
Let It Go - Idina Menzel

oOoOo

"Come and take a seat," my father says from his position behind the desk.

I sink down into the seat next to Xander. I turn to him and raise my eyebrows, silently asking him what this is about. He doesn't do anything to give me any indication of where this conversation is heading.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I ask after a suffocating silence. I twiddle my thumbs in anticipation.

My parents exchange a look. I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. Is bad news coming? It looked like my mom's bad news face.

"Is everything okay? Did someone die?" I ask in an attempt to lighten the mood. I regret my words the second they come out of my mouth.

My mom rolls her eyes. "Nobody is dead. We just wanted to have a conversation about this arrangement." She gestures between Xander and me.

"Okay, so what's the deal now?"

"Well, you have a few viable options. One is to proceed with the original plan. You and Alexander date and eventually marry. We would have to set things straight with the press and spread some lies for damage control, though," she muses.

"It's nothing we can't handle," my father says. "We could just explain that everything was a huge misunderstanding and leave it at that."

"What are the other ones?" I don't want the original plan. I thought I sufficiently established that months ago.

"Ending the arrangement," my father states. I glance cautiously at Xander out of the corner of my eye, trying to gauge his reaction. His stoic face gives nothing away. Why can't he convey emotion just this once? I need to tread lightly and I don't want to hurt his feelings furthermore.

I turn to Xander. "What do you think?"

His face scrunches in thought. "We can do whatever you want, I guess," he shrugs.

"I just want you to be happy," he whispers as an afterthought. My heart aches for him.

I swivel to face my parents. "Hypothetically, how would we go about ending the arrangement? What would the effect be on the country and our relationship with the Danish?"

My father thinks for a second. He takes a deep breath before speaking. "Well... technically, we didn't sign any legitimate contracts, so we could end it very easily. It would be just like a breakup in a regular relationship."

"What about the trade deals and economic things that were going to come out of this?"

"We're not sure about that yet. Alexander, have you heard anything?"

"I think my parents would be willing to draw up a contract for a new trade deal. Don't quote me on this, though. I know that they would prefer for me and Katherine to stay together."

"Well, there's your answer, Katherine," my father says. "Obviously, the renegotiated deal will definitely not be as lucrative as the initial one. The relationship between our countries might be a little strained too." He pauses to let this sink in.

"But it's ultimately your decision, sweetie," my mom buts in.

I purse my lips, trying to find a tactful way to reject Xander.

"Okay, well, I think it would be in everyone's best interest to just end this relationship." I turn to Xander. "I really value your friendship, but there's just no spark between us. I'm in love with Kaden, and I sincerely hope you can find that someday."