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There's a knock on my bedroom door. It's past one in the morning. Kai and I got home for around ten at night, and we shared pizza and watched a film with my family till around midnight when we all went to bed. Though, something hasn't sat right with me all night, and I haven't been able to sleep. I think the anxiety of the papers tomorrow, and I've been watching social media like a hawk, but so far, nothing.

I turn the lamp on beside the bed.

"Come in," I call.

As suspected, Kai walks in. He's wearing pyjama bottoms and a grey t-shirt, and has even got his glasses on again. He shuts the door behind him and perches on the edge of the bed.

"I know it's late, but I can't sleep. Just thought you might not be able to, either. Came to check you're okay," he says.

"Nope. Haven't slept a wink either," I answer. "I'm all right, thank you. Just completely... mortified, if I'm honest. I wasn't even drunk and made such embarrassing moves. I'm becoming a duchess and I can't even attend a ball without making a spectacle of myself."

"Now you're just being dramatic, Peach. You didn't make a spectacle of yourself. You just had a couple of accidents. No one said anything, and if they did, then they'd put it down to nerves, which it probably was. We've all done shit like that—"

"Kai, you're swearing again," I joke.

He grins.

I sigh. "The trip on the way out was the worst one – and I ripped the dress. Who does that?"

"Duchess Mila does. Princes Peach does."

"Don't charm me," I warn, but my smile betrays me. "It'll be in the papers tomorrow and your dad will hate me even more for showing his family up."

"Well, it shouldn't be all over the papers because none of those photos are allowed on the front pages." He grabs his phone out of his trouser pocket and swipes and taps a few pages. "Well, fuck."

I sit up straight. The anxiety and annoyance is clear in his voice. All I can think of is the worst. He passes me his phone.

There it is, a headline on the front page of tomorrow's paper, but they've published online already. It's of me tripping at the end of the night on our way out of the ball, ripping my dress. Pregnant princess' disastrous night is the headline. I scroll down the article and there are photos of me and the king when I knocked his crown off. Though there aren't any other photos, the article says how an anonymous source from inside the event saw me knock a butler over, and get drinks everywhere as well as the photos.

"Someone leaked all of this?" I question.

Kai nods. "My dad—or, well, the palace press team—will deal with it in the morning and do damage control. We might have to make a statement and just say you were nervous, but nothing was bad. Looks like some of the papers are giving you an easier ride than that one." He takes the phone back and does some more tapping. "People on social media are saying they find you relatable and don't see what the problem is."

I flop down into a lying position. "Told you. Princess Peach is a disaster."

He shakes his head and lies beside me. "No. Princess Peach is a hit with the people, and those, my dear fiancée, are the most important people to win over. The papers will change their mind like the sea wind, but the people will never forget. You win them over, it'll only be a matter of time before the media bends to your will as well."

I move my head so I'm looking at him on my left side. "Did you just call me – your fake wife-to-be, your dear fiancée, and why are you talking about them like they're your minions?"

He chuckles. "Trust me, Peach, they are basically our minions. The media, I mean. If we win the people over, they will like us. It's all very conspiracy. The media right now doesn't like change. You're relatable and lovable to the people, but they don't appreciate someone new, beautiful and, well, normal, coming into the institution to change the mould. By showing you up, or trying to show what they think are failings, and leading with the whole failure, look at her embarrassing the monarchy, headlines, they're trying to push you out."

I stay silent.

"The people are loving you. The media and public are in a silent battle right now. Eventually, the people will win. Trust me. You think you're failing because the media is loud right now. The balance will tip."

My eyes narrow. "I don't believe you."

"Peach, I've been at this longer than you. I promise you, everyone will see the truth soon. If my parents had a major issue with you, I would've been told by now. The major issue here is that someone inside has immediately gone to the press. People are way more interested in Mini-Kai or Mini-Peach."

I giggle. "That is not a thing. Don't make it a thing!"

"It's already a thing. Or Donut Peach because they're a real fruit, a small version of a normal peach. By the way, I haven't forgotten your birthday. I know this wasn't really a celebration for you. Well, your family are here—"

"Honestly, I don't need anything. My family being here is enough."

"I have something planned for you. Or well, being sorted for you. This might be a different birthday to every other one, and I'm sorry. We've got an engagement on the day. That's why I planned for these days with your family. But on the day, any meal you want for dinner, whatever you want to do after the event, it's yours, okay?"

"Kai, you don't need to do something special. It's fine and is what it is. But thank you."

He smiles and grips my hand. It says a lot, and I hate that it sets my heart alight with desire and warmth. "I'll let you try and get some sleep. But please, Peach, stop doubting yourself. You're doing amazing."

I stay silent as he kisses the back of my hand. It catches my skin, absorbs and brings my nerves to life like fireworks.

"Night, Peach."

"Night, Kai."

As he leaves my room, my phone vibrates. I grab it, half expecting it to be Kai, but to my surprise, one name I haven't even thought about in a long time lights up the screen. 'Hey, Mia. We need to talk. It's been a while. Brayden.'

Well, shit.

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As a child, my parents didn't really scorn me or pull me up for my behaviour. Mainly because I was a well-behaved child, and when Mum died, I had to mature incredibly quickly. The only time I really rebelled was in the very first moments of my dad and Annie's relationship, but once I met Annie and Patrick, my rebellious phase quickly faded because we all just fell into step together. Even my rebellion wasn't much of one; I just stropped and tried to tell Dad I had a tummy ache when they came over. It didn't work, and I'm glad it didn't.

But now, I feel like I've been pulled up in front of the headteacher or something. I'm in front of the king and queen, a couple of the palace's press team, a lawyer and Lucy, Michael and Kai after last night.

"This feels ominous," I admit when no one says anything. "I know I did a few bad things last night, and I'm really sorry—"

"Let me stop you right there, Mila," King Hugh says.

Oh, shit. Here it comes: you cannot marry into the royal family, and we'll take the baby once it's born. That means I'll lose my now comfy cottage, my child, and Kai. None of which I want to lose.

I hate that I now acknowledge I want Kai, even if he doesn't want me, and I don't know how to find out whether he wants me or not.

"You did nothing...wrong. The problem is that whoever sent these photos to the press has betrayed what we allowed last night and we have to come up with a way to rebuke this. It isn't what you did or didn't do, it's that the media are running with this. The people don't care and they like you. We just have to come up with something more, so the media stories become the filling of a sandwich, if you like."

"Now I'm hungry," I mutter, but apparently that was loud enough for everyone to hear, and they laugh. "Sorry. This is serious."

"We could run another pregnancy story," the press officer says. "The problem with that is it's sort of old news. The people want Miss Kennedy and Prince Kai right now; nothing else will matter."

"What about a date for the wedding?" Queen Charlotte suggests. "Is that possible? We could lock in a date now – the chapel here is our private one, so we have no issues with dates. If the people are loving Mila at the moment, let's give them what they want, surely?"

I glance at Kai for his reaction. He must feel my eyes on him as he meets my gaze, but I can't read his expression. Is that a smile of contempt or happiness? Is the way he's standing because he doesn't want this, or because he does?

"That sounds like the best option right now," the press officer says. "Can you do that within today?"

The other guy – I don't know what his job title is exactly, but he makes dates and engagements and whatever – nods and starts tapping on his phone as he walks to the other side of the room.

"I'd say in five months? Mila will be eight months gone by then, and it'll give us time to sort everything out," Charlotte says. The guy on the phone nods and starts speaking into his phone.

"For now, have the palace press start making a statement. We can't ignore the details, so maybe mention how we are investigating who leaked those photos. Say how Mila was graceful, dancing with Kai and the person took those photos out of context. Then mention we have set a date for the wedding," Hugh says.

"Won't the people want a bank holiday for the wedding?" Charlotte asks. "Or can we deal with that another time?"

"That needs to go through government, so while we will probably get that, we can't tell the people now," Hugh answers.

I look at Kai. He looks out of his depth right now, and I wonder if it's because he feels the same as me. Completely lost, out of control, and like someone else is dictating my life. Which, in reality, is true, but also kind of not. Despite us being thrown into this because of one night and the royal situation, Kai and I did agree to this. It's not like we completely sat back and let them control us.

But, still.

"Ma'am, we have either Friday, June the second, or the week after, Friday the ninth of June," the guy on the phone calls.

Charlotte looks at Kai and me.

"Do you have a preference?" he asks me.

"My mum's birthday was June the ninth," I mention.

They all fall silent for a second.

"Do you want to avoid that or go for it? I'll leave that decision to you," Kai says gently. There's a pure kindness in his voice that melts my insides. He didn't have to suggest I choose, and the genuine thoughtfulness in his look makes me think that he actually cares. We're truly in this together at the precise moment, and it almost feels real, like a fairy tale.

Except this reality of royalty isn't Disney and happily ever afters. I suppose in my head where Kai feels the same, it could.

Part of me wants to phone my dad and ask his opinion, but I know exactly what he'd say.

"After she died, and before Dad met Annie, there'd be this time where her birthdays would be a sad thing. But after he met Annie, both she and Patrick made us see that it didn't have to be a sad day. Birthdays are about happiness and celebrating, and my mum loved celebrating birthdays. If she were here, she'd tell me to have the wedding on her birthday, try and make it a bank holiday and celebrate it with everyone. So... let's go for June the ninth," I answer.

Charlotte and Hugh nod to the guy on the phone who goes back to his conversation to solidify the date of our wedding.

"That's beautiful," Charlotte whispers.

"The only thing I ask is that... her favourite colour was purple. Can we incorporate purple into the wedding for her in some way?" I ask.

Charlotte smiles and nods. "Of course. When we have more, we can start going through the details. As much as this will be a royal wedding, I want it to be yours and Kai's as well. We'll probably start planning as of next week. First, we need to sort out the reception, talk to government and all of that."

"It's set in stone, Your Highnesses. Friday, June the ninth is the wedding date," the guy calls. He's off the phone now and standing with us.

"Five months from now," Hugh says.

Kai catches my gaze and holds it with a smile for a few seconds. In five months from now, we'll be walking up the aisle and becoming man and wife. Not just that, but we'll be Duke and Duchess, and for all intents and purposes, I'll be a princess.

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