I sit in the front row of seats as we wait for the ceremony to start. "I am sorry for what I said yesterday. I just never got along with Christoph so I felt wary of you being near him and his family." I turn to face him and smile. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten mad as well. I understand why you feel that way." He mirrors my smile. At least Thomas and I aren't on bad terms anymore. We solved that problem easily. 

Anthony walks up onto the raised platform where the thrones   are placed. He looks a bit nervous and his gaze flicks over to me. I nod and smile at him and he takes a large breath in. 

An old man, who has carried out the coronations for both my father and my grandfather, walks in front of him. The light conversation stops, the ceremony begins.  

"Is his majesty willing to take the oath of the kingdom?" The man asks. "I am willing." You can hear the wariness in his voice and it wavers. "Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this empire according to the respective laws and customs?"
"I am willing to do so."  

He takes the crown from a kneeling boy and hovers it over Anthony's head. "I dub thee, King Anthony." I smile and clap as the crown is placed on his head. 

He smiles and sits on his new throne. I wonder if that's what our father looked like when he was crowned. Anthony was always told he looked just like our father and even in our father's last days, you could see the resemblance between the two. 

I look over to my right and stare at Felicia. She looks so proud as if she were our mother. I guess that's what love does to you. Of course I have never had the chance to truly experience it. I thought I was caught in its web when I was with Christoph, but that obviously isn't true, anymore. 

She always looks so happy around Anthony, she lets go of her mature self. Even though she wasn't the nicest person I knew while I was growing up, she's nice to Anthony. And I won't hesitate to say that I think they would be the greatest King and Queen.  

"If Anthony wasn't King, I think you would be the most beautiful Queen this Kingdom ever saw." I turn back to Thomas and blush. I wouldn't be the most beautiful. Everyone knew my mother was.  

"I don't think so." I deny despite the blush playing on my pale cheeks.  "Really?" He doesn't sound like he agrees. I hum a response, not able to face him. I let my hair fall in front of my. I feel Thomas pulling the hair back and tucking it behind my ear. He leans in and whispers in my ear, "Come one Alexia, you have beautiful eyes. Don't hide them. It's one of your attributes that I admire a lot." My cheeks flame into a deeper shade of red and I shove him gently.  

"Don't say things like that." I mumble. "Why? My mother always told me not to lie." I shake my head at his response. He never did what his mother said when we were younger, but I of all people should know that he has changed immensely. Or maybe he has always been like this; he probably just didn't show it to me.  

"Just don't hide your eyes anymore." He kisses my cheek then leaves, and me? Well I just sat there with a face deep in crimson.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stare at the group of us wondering how we are all getting along now. The only person missing is Christoph, even George is here.  

My heart sinks at the mention of Christoph. I don't know why he decided to leave. He could have come back and start over. 

"Alexia?" I snap my head up in response. "Yes?" Thomas stares at me worriedly. "Are you alright? You looked a bit sad." I nod when in reality I felt like something was missing. And that something was Christoph. I would have replied truthfully and mentioned him but I didn't want to make anyone upset or vexed.

"Alexia, I know something is bothering you. I can handle it, no matter what it is." I sigh. All the others turn towards me.  

"I was just thinking about how all of us are here except Christoph." Thomas purses his lips into a line but doesn't say anything. Nicholas on the other hand speaks. "It would be like the old times again. Except less fighting now that we're all mature now." Always the mature one, Nicholas was. 

"Do you want him here or were you just thinking about it?" Felicia asks. I shrug. "I just wish he didn't run away." Silence takes over and I can't help but feel that the others are tense. No one was as close to Christoph as I was. That was probably why.  

I turn to Thomas who was sitting on Anthony's bed, looking down at his lap. Anthony gestures for me to come closer. "He misses him; Christoph was a friend to all of us. But Thomas has a better chance of being with you now that he's gone. Don't get angry at him. He's cut between the two." I nod in understanding.  

I stand up and grab Thomas' hand. I pull him out of the room and walk downstairs. A comfortable silence settles between us as I guide both of us to the gardens. 

I sit on a bench and Thomas sits down too. When I finally look over at him, I find him staring at our intertwined hands. I smile at this and when he looks up I can't help to notice the blush on his cheeks.
"Why did you bring us here?" He finally breaks the silence. "Maybe because I wanted to spend some time with you." I reply. He turns away and my smile widens. I can't believe I am making him embarrassed. I lean into his ear. "Or maybe I wanted to see how you would react." When I retract he has a shocked expression playing on his handsome face.  

I laugh at him but go closer. I lean my head on his chest. His heart is beating rapidly. I didn't know I had this much of an effect on him. He lets go of my hand and wraps his arm around me, bringing me closer.  

"Is your heart beating fast because you are nervous?" I say out of curiosity. I tilt my head so I can see his face. "Honestly, I have no idea. All I know is that it has to do with you." I can't help but blush and I look down again. Now he's the one making me blush. Just like it was before. 

"Alexia, can you please just look at me?" I once again tilt my head upwards. "Better?" I ask as I stare into his eyes. He smiles, flashing me a view of his pearly white teeth. We stay like that, just staring at each other. I don't know how much time passes but Thomas soon talks again.  

"Thank you." I feel my eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Why are you thanking me?" He smiles and reaches for my chin. "It's a thank you in advance." He presses his lips to mine and I kiss back, ignoring the blush that has once again risen to my cheeks. I slip my arm around his neck and let my fingers play with his soft hair. As strange as it sounds, I find myself enjoying the kiss.  

I pull back after who knows how long to regain my breath. Once I can breathe normally again, I notice Thomas with a ginormous smile spread over his face.  

"Your welcome." I manage out. We both end up laughing.  

If someone asked me if I would be okay marrying Thomas one day, I won't hesitate to say yes.

(A.N): That was one hard chapter to write. I didn't know what they should say and I was just all over the place. But I'm happy with how it ended though?? (maybe) 

I know there will be some people who wouldn't like what happened. One day, one day, something might happen between Alexia and Shane or Alexia and George.