Was it…

Alison swallowed as she pictured her ‘master’ behind the door, ready to take her away…

She didn’t think things would happen so quickly!

Remembering the last threat that the old man had said, Alison quickly went to find a bag, wanting to put things into it. She needed to change her clothes into something more suitable to run…She needed Milo!

“My Lady?”

Stopping to the male voice, Alison widened her eyes.

The Prince?

Alison took a deep breath and realized that she was panicking. She wasn’t normally one who panicked but…

She couldn’t deny it, nearly drowning like that had scared her! The threat after drowning had scared her!

A knock sounded again, and Alison raced to the door, not wanting to lose this chance! If the old man knew that the Prince had come to her door and she hadn’t accepted him, that was also a failure!

“Your Highness!” Alison stated in a rush.

Prince Elton blinked and stared at the woman in front of him.

He hadn’t really thought much into being called to her quarters…Right ‘til this second!

Her slightly wet hair was down, and she seemed to be excited to see him…This sight was doing wonders to him, making him unable to think properly as she pulled him inside.

“Thank you for coming, Your Highness!” Alison said, then stood there, even starting to play with her hands.

Now what? How do I keep the Prince here?

The Prince seemed to lose all rational thoughts as he took the beautiful woman into his arms and kissed her.

It seemed that he was a normal man after all. He had always wondered why he didn’t care for women like other men did. He put his lack of enthusiasm for women towards the reason of being too busy, and Prince Elton no longer question it too much but…This woman seemed to stir something deep inside him!

Never did he think he’d come to a point in his life that he would be willing to do just about anything to stay in these quarters for the rest of the night!

“Wait!”

The sudden voice stopped the Prince and he pulled back, becoming more aware of what was going on.

Having been so engrossed into what he was doing, he was surprised to find them already on her bed!

Getting off the bed, the Prince knew that he had to keep his distance away from her, so he went to the other side of the room. “Sorry.”

He was not sorry at all! He was actually even upset that they had stopped!

“I…” Alison looked anywhere else but the Prince. It really wasn’t all his fault, she too had been swept away!

How was this fair! It was clear that they were both attracted to one another!

…They really weren’t meant to be though because of certain circumstances…But…

What does it matter right now! She told herself.

She was surviving, she was also trying to regain innocence to her family! Her feelings for the Prince aren’t even worthy of being looked upon! Her feelings…They needed to be stopped!

Her job was to keep him here! But…Does she have to use her body to do that!?

Surely there could be another way…

“What…Tell me about your father.” Alison wondered what the Prince will say in return, considering that he was after all the son of that man!

The Prince let out a breath and put a hand through his disheveled hair…He already missed her hands going through it!

“I will take him off his seat!”

“What?” Alison was taken aback but…So too was the Prince!

He had been thinking of her hands and just blurted out the truth!

Turning, to finally look at her again, the Prince frowned, “…Why do you ask, My Lady?”

Alison nodded, thinking that perhaps this might be another way to keep the Prince here…Perhaps they could talk, somehow get to the topic of Noel Price!

“Tell me, Your Highness, is it really true?” Alison didn’t know how to get proof that he was telling the truth about forcing the King off his seat but if it was…

Those words of trusting him came to her again and Alison went to the edge of the bed in excitement…Could they really be on the same side!?

The Prince frowned again and tried to pay attention to the conversation, instead of her look…That excited look on her face, and how she was ready to jump up at any second was doing crazy things to him! “It’s true.”

Alison got up and walked to him then, “Why, why do you want to do that to your own father?”

She was going closer and closer to the Prince and the Prince’s heartbeat rose, he even stood back in a bit of a panic.

Without even realizing he answered her questions, simply stating that his royal father was not doing as a ruler is supposed to and that he had even committed crimes, and Alison smiled at him.

“So, I can trust you?” Alison asked him.

The Prince nodded as he stared at what he thought as big eyes at that moment…He was lost…He’d lost his soul completely!

How was he going to get it back!?

“Hey! Are you even listening?”

The Prince took his gaze away from her and found that they were sitting down.

“So, if you heard of him, then, where is he?”

Where’s who?

The Prince narrowed his eyes to wonder what they were talking about.

“You weren’t listening, were you?”

Swallowing to her being upset, the Prince let out a deep breath and took her hand, “I’m sorry, I was losing my soul to you. Now tell me who are we talking about?”

Alison was stunned to his sudden words and stared at him for a moment.

She must have heard wrong!

Taking her hand back away, she cleared her throat and said, “Noel Price. You said that you had heard of him but that he wasn’t by your father’s side anymore.”

The Prince could hardly remember that man but…He had indeed answered correctly, he had not seen him for quite some years. “He had died. It was a sad accident.”

Seeing Alison lose her enthusiasm like that made him feel uneasy, “Why did you want to know about Noel Price?”

Alison looked away and even sat into the corner of the chair, bringing her legs up, “He was a witness.”

“A witness to what?” The Prince asked, wanting to be of any kind of help, whether it be knowledge or even warmth…

“A family…The Truvelle family were wrongfully killed and Noel Price was a witness to the King making a demand or something.” Alison also lost some enthusiasm in her voice while speaking.

What was she to do now?

The Prince couldn’t take it anymore and pulled her over to his lap, taking her completely by surprise.

“Wait!” Alison said.

The Prince held her there, “Just sit here while we talk about this.”

“Uh?”

Sighing, the Prince looked away, “It is…It is no surprise that Noel Price is dead then, if he was a witness.”

Alison was still quiet, and the Prince continued to talk, “The Truvelle family. You know they were wrongfully killed?”

Now looking at her, the Prince saw her shyly look away and he could feel how easy it would be to lose his senses once again…No, they were talking about something important right now!

“Yes…” Was all she said, more aware of the Prince right now, instead of that of the conversation.

Feeling confident, the Prince put his forehead against hers, wanting to see if she squirms, and said, “How do you know? I haven’t found anything, only recently feeling like something was a miss.”

Alison blinked and stared at him.

“Mmm?”

“What?” She simply asked.

How great was this, the Prince thought, she is simply so entertaining!

“How do you know that the family Truvelle was wrongfully…”

Alison was paying attention this time and interrupted, “I found evidence, I know it!”

The Prince pulled back, also paying more attention now, “Evidence? Are you sure?”

Alison nodded, “The crown that was supposed to have been stolen and gone from even the capital…It’s in the palace!”

The Prince could remember what had happened and never thought that the crown was actually still around. “You saw it?”

Alison nodded, “I did.”

“Where?” The Prince asked.

Alison went to talk but then suddenly wondered if she should trust him. She had trusted him ‘til now, but if she were to tell him this, what if he was lying and got rid of the evidence?

Could she take that chance?

“Do you still not trust me, Allie?”

Hearing ‘Allie’, Alison stiffened up.

“I’m sorry, Lady Adaline…Adaline…” The Prince quickly changed his words, hoping to not make her run away from him.

Alison knew now that the Prince was just doing as she wanted, but he knew…He knew that she wasn’t Lady Adaline, in fact, it seemed like he was sure that she was Alison…Even calling her Allie…

He hadn’t stated anything when she had brought up the Truvelle family so perhaps he just thinks her as the thief Alison…

The Prince waited for her to think, but held onto her, not wanting her to run away. If they had to act, he’d act…He’d do whatever she told him to do…Does she know that?

Alison swallowed and stayed silent.

“I’ll get David to see about Noel Price, perhaps he left something at his home. I’ll also make sure that nothing in particular leaves the palace. Do they know you know about this?” If this was all he could do, he’d do it, but was there really nothing else that he can help with?

Alison still didn’t look at him as she understood. He wasn’t asking where the crown was hidden, instead stating that he was going to make sure that it doesn’t leave the palace…Not only that but looking into where Noel Price used to live might be a good idea. Maybe he left some kind of evidence…

Really, she should be able to trust him!

Looking at him, as he put some hair behind her ear, she said, “As far as I’m aware, they think no one else knows.”

The Prince smiled at her, “Are they making you do something soon?”

“I have to…Woo you, they want to…”

The Prince laughed, “They have always wanted to tell me what to do!”

To woo me, he thought…Well dam…

“As for the job that they gave you, you’re doing a fabulous job…” With that, the Prince kissed her.

Alison raised her eyebrows, so, it not only sounds like he already knew but he even said…

With his hand to her face now, she found herself succumbing to the Prince…

Pulling away from those lips of hers, the Prince smiled, “I think it’s about time that you had some good luck, mmm?”

Alison opened her eyes and closed them as she was pushed to his shoulder to relax. Why did it feel so natural? So good…So perfect…It was like his arms were made for her, his shoulder, his eyes…

Whether his royal father or the advisor were behind the idea of him being called here to her chambers tonight or not, he was going to stay here and he even wanted to bet that they’ll demand her to be his Queen in no time!

Perhaps if he was to do as they wanted him to do, they might slip up…Well…That wasn’t the only reason!

***

The Prince did not leave until early morning, making it obvious upon where he had been that night.

Not only will the advisor be happy about this, but that of the King as well. So, what was there to lose?

Having called for David, as soon as he was out of Alison’s quarters, the Prince was happy to see David not long after he had bathed, dressed and written two letters.

“Why so…Quick in the morning, Your Highness?” David pretended to yawn then.

The Prince picked up the two letters and gave them to him. “One is for Cid but as well, you are to tell Bethany that she may be needed to substitute Lady Adaline and leave the palace shortly.”

“Uh?”

The Prince went on then, “The other is for you, it’s a name I want you to find where he and where his family had lived. Perhaps anywhere where he may store anything of importance. This person may be very important to my main goal so do take this seriously! Give any information you then have to Cid, I will have to get it...”

Before the Prince could even speak another word, a knock on the door sounded…

Within no time at all, before he was even ready, the Prince was called to go and see the King. It seemed that they were keeping a very close eye upon Lady Adaline!

The play was on! The Prince thought, as he walked in to see the Advisor kneeling and making a sound that sounded like a sob.

He laughed in his mind to this, as the King and advisor acted out upon a Prince ‘taking a woman’. And just like the Prince thought, no one else was here, it was going to be a ‘secret’!

“Please, Your Highness, since you have taken my granddaughter’s virtue, you must give her what she deserves! Please, Your Majesty, give her justice!”

The Prince waited patiently for the perfect time to speak.

“Yes, I’m very surprised, my son…I had never thought that you’d act like this!” The King stated. He was slightly honest here and showed true shock. It happened too fast!

The Prince looked away, he wanted to give the look of a guilty man…

“If I knew this was going to happen, I should have not sent her here!” The advisor once again hid his face towards the floor and let out a light sob.

The King hit the arm of the chair and said the words that the Prince was waiting to hear, “This cannot be, no, since you have taken her innocence, you must marry her!”

“Royal Father…” The Prince started to say, not surprised that he got interrupted.

“No! You should have known this would happen if you did something like this! I will not take ‘No’ as an answer! Since it has come to this, you must marry and marry quickly!”

The Prince smiled inwardly and even mocked them. Yet, on the outside, the Prince clenched his hands and went down to his knees in front of the King, “How…What proof…”

“We have proof! Do you think we are blind! I will get the Queen to notify the capital within the day! Now go to your chambers, you are confined there for the rest of the day! There will be no nightly visits tonight!” With that, the King walked off, smiling openly when no one could see.

He will want to see the woman that finally made a man out of his son!

Advisor Rick didn’t leave, still acting to the loss of his daughter’s virtue…

The Prince left in haste, like he didn’t want to be seen by the advisor because of the ‘shameful’ act that he ‘committed’, and made his way back to his chambers, like the good son…

They got what they wanted. The woman they brought in to try and control him was now going to be his bride. The Prince was sort of displeased with how far they wanted to take this but luckily the woman they choose is not working with them. Now, it was time to get everything ready…For when the King finally steps down!

It can’t be helped…Now that things have happened like this, and that he had fallen for Alison, he wanted to make things right for her as soon as possible.

It seems that they will have to get things ready very soon! Which is where Bethany might come in handy! She had not only one job to do, but two!

You have my trust, my good sister! Make me proud!

Just like the King said, the Queen did as she was told and stated to the capital that the Prince was getting married. The Prince did as he was told as well and stayed in his chambers. He had tried to send a letter to Alison, but the King acted out and said that she will not receive it. Whether that is a ploy to go along with the play or something the Prince wanted to do honestly, is a good question…

On the other hand, Alison remembered what the Prince had told her the night before and had everything ready to disappear within a moment’s notice…Just in case…

Yes, they had come up with a plan, or plans, to get her free from them, but they had to take care. They wanted them to think that they were ‘winning’, first, which would help bring down their guard against the Prince.

If something goes wrong, well…Too many things could happen, and the Prince just couldn’t let this chance go by. While the King and advisor might be letting their guard down, it was a perfect time to get everything ready to expose the King’s crimes!

Alison was ready…Ready to go into hiding or what would be required of her, but her mind was in turmoil. She repeatedly told the Prince that she was not Alison but now…Now that she apparently was marrying the Prince, she felt like perhaps she should tell him. But…It’s too late…

Lady Adaline was the one getting married to the Prince, not Alison Truvelle…

With a knock on the door, Alison only turned, to see that the King just come in unannounced.

The King with no manners…The murderer…

“Well my dear, so far, it seems to be working!” It was the first time that the King was not acting, being more like her master instead.

Alison watched as he sauntered in and walked the room like it was his. She tried ever so much to keep her fury to what he had done to her family inside. She mustn’t make a face, she mustn’t lunge herself at him and attack him…She mustn’t act out…Yet!