─── ♔♔♔ ───

"I never thought this place would be so... modern and yet embrace the ancient desert at the same time." My dad stands out on the balcony of the royal suite of the hotel in Cairo. The suite is pretty luxurious, with two bedrooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms with walk-in showers and baths, and a large lounge and dining area. There are three balconies giving different views. The one in the second bedroom – the one we're using for Emma – looks over the hotel's golf course, which is next to the Pineapple Garden. The bedroom and living area balconies both give gorgeous, front-row views of the Pyramids of Giza.

I stand with my dad at the balcony door. He takes a grape from the fruit bowl left on the table and eats it. The hotel gives us a bowl of freshly grown fruit from around the country, including grapes, mangoes, melons and strawberries. It's so good.

"Growing up, you used to show me pictures on the internet and tell me that one day, you'd take me to see these."

Kai registers my presence and walks into the lounge to give me and my dad some space. Emma and Belinda are downstairs in their own suite – when the Institution booked us this hotel, they booked this suite for me and Kai, and a less-posh suite downstairs for her so she can look after Emma. As we've got to go to a meeting in an hour, she's looking after her downstairs until we get back.

Dad, Annie and Patrick decided to sneakily convince King Hugh that they wanted to come to Egypt as well. They used the excuse they wanted to help look after Emma, which I know they do, but my dad's always wanted to come to Egypt. Plus, we can have time together as a family. Gem couldn't get the time off, so she's stuck at home.

Dad pulls me into his arms and I smell the all-to-comforting scent. Despite my new status and impending queendom, he'll never fail to ground me.

"It's bloody surreal, isn't it?" Dad marvels.

I nod against his shoulder. "Thank you for convincing them to let you come with us."

Dad laughs. "Of course... as if I would let a trip like this slip away. Plus, with you becoming a queen in two months—"

I groan and sit on the sofa. Dad follows suit. The Great Pyramid is a sandy golden colour, standing out so majestic against the skyline of the desert. The city is built up around us, with modern buildings and towers, but that part of Cairo is behind the hotel. This hotel is so close to the Giza Necropolis that there's nothing but greenery and sand between us. It's the most surreal yet gorgeous backdrop I've ever seen.

"It doesn't feel real," I whisper. "Kai's still in shock and I just... don't know how I'm going to do this, Dad. I know I signed up for this, but still. Am I cut out for helping rule a Commonwealth?"

"Sweetheart, if you weren't cut out for this, the king wouldn't be allowing you to do it. We both know that. Look at how well you've been doing so far. You're balancing parenting with being a princess as if you've done it all your life. You're in Egypt and the people love you here already."

I chuckle and eat a piece of mango from the bowl. "My second foreign trip and it's in Egypt. It doesn't get much weirder than this."

"Speaking of... why are we staying here and not closer to the government buildings?" Dad asks. "And technically, Scotland doesn't count as abroad."

I narrow my eyes and smile. We've had this joking argument all my life. "It does. It's a different country than England, Dad. But we're staying here because Kai put in a request. With his degree in Egyptology, he's been desperate to holiday here. Part of the reason Hugh coincided with our wedding anniversary tomorrow. We've got the day off and we're going up there to see them. Then, when we're back at it, the Egyptian government is giving us a tour of the museums here, and then taking us to Luxor."

"Annie didn't tell me about this! Can we go to the Valley of the Kings?" Dad claps in excitement. He's like a child given sweets.

"Well, duh," I joke. "You guys can do whatever you want. Just ask the team with us and they'll set you up tours or whatever. That's how Kai's sorting it for us. They'll even give you their government's special tours or something."

Dad nods and eats another grape from the bowl. "This whole place is just magnificent. Look, sweetheart, about the papers last week—"

I shrug. "It doesn't matter. The people will always have something to say. Even if I produce a male heir, or the law gets changed, or I have four kids and don't want anymore, there'll be something I do wrong. Hugh and Charlotte get it, too. They do everything right for the people and yet the press will find something to complain about."

"Well, whatever happens, I'm here for you and Emma. And Kai, of course, but he's used to this. You're my priority."

"Thanks, Dad. By the way, if you want to, when we become king and queen, you and Annie can have the cottage. Full time. You won't need to work or do anything but bake cakes all day, and look after Emma. I'd offer Patrick a house, too, but you know what he's like. He'll want to continue working."

He kisses my forehead. "We'll talk about that later. You know, when your mother and I had you, I often wondered when you would get married and have children. Your mother would fantasise you'd be married to a lovely man, have lots of children, and we'd have big family Christmases with a big roaring fire, a massive tree and tons of presents. Never in a million years did we ever imagine this would happen."

I laugh. "What, you didn't predict I'd get pregnant from a one-night stand with a prince who'd end up being bumped up to first in line, and now I'm going to be queen?"

Dad snorts. "No. Your mother would've had a fit, and then be extremely excited."

I sniff and stare at the big fucking pyramid ahead of us. It's quite the marvel. When I was a kid, I thought Big Ben was a marvel, but it holds nothing to this. I feel like a small fish in a big pond, and I'm not even at the Necropolis yet.

"And we will have a big family Christmas this year. Just... it'll have to be fit enough for a king, queen and princess," Annie says.

We both turn to see Annie, Patrick, and Kai standing in the doorway.

"You look amazing, by the way," Annie adds, nodding at my outfit.

"We shouldn't be gossiping about the king and queen thing; no one outside of the family knows! But thanks on the outfit," I say, and look down at my outfit. A pair of black linen trousers and a khaki top that covers my arms, along with a scarf around my neck for our visit to a mosque this afternoon where I'll need to cover my hair. The clothes might be light, but the weather is hot; the room we're going to have this meeting is air-conditioned, though.

"You sure you wanna wear black in this heat?" Patrick asks.

"I'm a woman and monthly issues happen," is all I respond.

Immediately Patrick nods, understanding the fact I'm implying. Though, I'm suspicious. With Kai and me trying for a baby, I've noticed little symptoms here and there, but I've had that for a few months and it's a red herring. I packed a few pregnancy tests to take, just in case.

"We have to leave in five minutes, Peach." Kai's nickname still makes Patrick grin.

"Don't, Patrick!" I warn.

He snickers. "Seahorse Abbott. Or maybe Her Royal Highness Seahorse would work soon?"

I roll my eyes. "I hate you."

Patrick kisses my cheek. "Love you more, sis."

Annie kisses my forehead. "When your dad and I got together, I never thought in a million years I would gain a daughter. I was worried you'd hate me, and that I couldn't be the mother figure you needed. You were amazing then, and you're even more amazing now."

"Don't do that, you'll make me cry my makeup off, mother."

Annie smiles. "I'm still honoured you'd ever call me that."

"My mum will never be erased or forgotten, and I love her to this day. But nothing will erase or change what you've done for me. You took me on as your own daughter and I love you. I know if Mum was watching now, she'd be so thankful for you, and wouldn't mind me calling you Mum as well. How many times can I say that word in a minute?" I joke.

Annie laughs and grabs me in a hug.

"Mila's right, you know," Dad whispers. "Jenny would be thankful, and she would've loved sharing the title of mum with you."

"I'm also about to become a queen, so you have to accept the title or else," I joke.

With that, my parents and Patrick all grab me in a hug, just like we used to before all this, except this time, it feels even more special.

─── ♔♔♔ ───

It's evening when we arrive back at the hotel, and there's a light show going on at the pyramids. I sip my tea on the balcony, wrapped in one of Kai's hoodies and my pyjamas. It's cold here at night.

"All my life I've wanted to come here, and here I am," Kai whispers as he sits beside me. "It doesn't feel real. I'm here, with the love of my life, my child sleeping in the other room and I'm about to be king. It's weird. I don't know how to feel."

I lean against his shoulder, watching the lights illuminate the site before us. "It's daunting, and yet I wouldn't have it any other way. Social media is already going nuts about our anniversary tomorrow."

Kai laughs. "The social media team is putting up a few photos on our channels tomorrow. They want us to get Jamie to send one of us at the pyramids tomorrow to upload, too."

"I know we did joke gifts before we came here, but I have one for you now. Sort of early?" I say and point to the small cardboard box on the table beside his tea. "Thought it might be romantic to do it in front of your favourite thing in the whole world."

He arches an eyebrow and looks at me. "I'm staring at it right now, Peach."

I smile and nudge him with my elbow. "Shut up. Nerd."

He takes the box and takes the test out of the box. "You're pregnant? Peach, are you... wow."

I laugh. "Better than the reaction last time I fell pregnant from you, that's for sure."

He stands up and pulls me gently off the sofa until I'm standing a cat whisker in front of him. Kai's warm breath beats down on me for a second like a warm, comforting blanket against the backdrop of cool, desert air. The pyramids and Sphinx light him up, and it's the best moment ever.

"This is the best news," Kai whispers. "We're going to be king and queen in a couple of months, and I could not ask for anyone better by my side than you, Peach. Thank you for... I don't know, for everything."

My lips curve into a smile. "Oh, shut up. I'm your wife. You never have to thank me. Your Royal Highness, soon to be Your Majesty. Am I going to have to start curtseying to you?"

He snorts. "No. I hate that shit. You never curtsey to me, ever. I won't allow it. But... in all seriousness. This marriage could've been a disaster or just crumbled, but it didn't. You're amazing, and now we're going to have a child the way it should happen, you know?"

I laugh. "If I didn't know you, that could've sounded awful."

He kisses my lips. "Lucky you do, then. I love you, Peach."

"I love you too."

He magnetises his lips to mine, not even bothering with formalities, and our kiss deepens before it's even started. Something about this moment feels so full and happy, and though I know Kai is still stressing inside about our impending ascension, nothing feels wrong right now. We're in the country he's always wanted to visit, with our baby asleep in the next room, another one on the way, and I've never been more in love with him. Life has never felt so amazing.

─── ♔♔♔ ───