Karl heads to his room thinking about last night with Mallory. 'I hated telling her that she had to leave her life behind, but I had no choice. I had to do the same when I got called here. It's part of the royal life. I'm sure once she gets a feel of the place and gets to know me she will see how important the ways of this life are. Last night was the first time in a long time that I held a woman in my arms and danced. Her voice though is truly angel like. When I heard her singing as I was walking the halls, my body stopped as if I didn't have a choice. Watching her sing, lost in herself like she didn't have a care in the world is what drew me in. The dancing and sleeping next to her was just magic' He thought to himself. He made his way to his room and got out a pair of dress pants and polo shirt. He gets a quick shower and gets dressed.

He put gel in his hair and a watch on. He sprayed his cologne on and put his shoes on and headed down to the dining room. He walked in and saw Mallory talking with Billy. He got this odd feeling when he saw her talking with him and he made his way to sit beside her.

"Good morning Princess." He takes her hand and kisses it.

"Good morning. Billy and I were just talking about palace life. Seems like a lot to take in all at once but exciting."

'She seems perfect. I hope she likes it here. I can see that she will be an amazing Princess' He thinks to himself.

"You'll get used to it. It'll become second nature." She smiles and takes a bite of her food. A plate is set in front of Karl.

"Thank you, David."

"You're welcome sir." They talk and eat. 'I love hearing Mallory laugh when I attempt to make a joke a few times.

"So, what's on the schedule for the day?" Karl asked David when he came back into the dining room.

"For you sir, you have a few meetings and calls to make and a meeting in the city. For the Princess, you have a few meetings as well with palace officials and we are going to start planning your announcement as Princess later in the week. You also have to take Princess lessons and dance lessons." She looks surprised.

"It's ok, I can help with the dance lessons." Karl tells her softly so only she hears him.

"Sounds like a plan."

"If you need any help with anything, feel free to ask and I will be happy to help."

"Thank you, Karl." She smiles and touches his hand, taking his breath away. 'What is with me?'

"My pleasure." He manages to say.

"Ok so shall we get on with it?" She asked as she stood up.

"Yes Princess." David said. Billy and Karl stand and bow as she leaves. When she's out of the room Billy turns to Karl.

"She sure is a hot piece, isn't she?"

"Excuse me?" "Mallory, can't wait to get a chance with her! She is hot!" Karl felt his blood start to boil.

"You will not touch a hair on her head! I hear you ever go near her in a way that is other than business, I swear I will hurt you." Karl says gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.

"Bring it on boy. She is a big girl, she can make up her own mind about who goes to bed with her."

"Too late, I was already in bed with her last night." He looks at Karl with a shocked look. "You bastard." He puts his hand up as if he is going to punch Karl. Karl backs up and walks away.

"Leave the Princess alone Billy." He says and walks out. 'I can't believe that guy, if he goes near her I'll kill him'. He goes to find everyone he needs for the meeting and heads to the hall.

"Ok, I have a lot to cover so we will be here for a while. Let's get to it." He says and sits down.

"Having the Princess back is truly great. We need to make her feel welcome, make her feel at home and at peace. Last night I was spending some time with her and from what I know about her, she is a wonderful woman. There are some things that are going on with her but she is the one who will announce them when the time is right. I don't know if she has any family to invite to her ceremony, but I want it to be special for her, so someone look into it?'' They all nod and they keep going with the meeting. It was a good meeting, talking about new laws and new responsibilities for everyone since Mallory has returned. A few hours later it's finally over and Karl makes his way to see if he can find her.

He passes one of the rooms and sees hers standing in the middle of the room talking to a few palace officials and he stands there watching her. She looks like she is a natural at this. Her smile, her poise. It's all breathtaking. He watches her for a while before she looks over at the door and smiles at him. She looks at one woman and speaks for a moment and walks towards him.

"Hello, how is your day going Princess?"

"It's going well and yours?"

"Pretty good, the meeting is over here at least, I have to go into the city in about an hour and then my day is over. Would you like to have dinner with me this evening? We can go into the city, I can show you around if you would like?'' It looks like she's thinking about it.

"I would love that. Just come find me when you're back and we will have dinner. What should I wear? Jeans and a t- shirt or a dress?"

"Well, you're a Princess so I think jeans and a t- shirt out in public wouldn't be a good idea right now."

"Dress it is. I need to get back; would you like to join for a bit or do you need to go?"

"I have a little time." They walk into the room and she is surrounded by everyone and is back at it like a pro. He sits and just watches her, she is signing things and making decisions that seem to be second nature to her. He can't get over how much this life suits her. He looks at his watch and walks over to her and leans close.

"I have to go, I will see you later, beautiful for dinner." He kissed her cheek softly and she smiled.

"Ok, I can't wait." She hugs him, and he leaves. He walks out and gets into the car and his driver, Mark drives away. It takes about twenty minutes to get to the hotel where his meeting is. He walks in and goes to the desk.

"Hello sir, how may I help you?" The clerk asked without looking up. He cleared his throat. She looks up, surprised when she sees him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Please forgive my rudeness, your highness."

"It's ok, I'm meeting a gentleman, has he arrived yet?" She looks at the screen.

"Yes, he is waiting at the bar, your highness. It's through there." She points toward the door to the bar.

"Thank you." He says and walks away. He walks into the bar and sits next to the person he's meeting.

"Hello Nick." He says as he motions for the bartender.

"Hello brother." He says in an ice tone.

"No need to be rude. We need to talk."

"I figured since you had me summoned here. I told you a long time ago I wanted nothing to do with you and I meant it."

"Yea well things have changed. You see, I'm to be married to your fiancé so there is a lot we need to talk about." He looked at Karl, he could see anger in his eyes.

"You, you are supposed to be married to Mallory?!"

"Yes, it's royal duties, you understand." He takes a long drink and sighs.

"Does she even know about me and you being family?"

"No, I can't tell her that, yet. She is still adjusting to this life. She misses you though. She told me that she loves you and that she doesn't want anyone else but you but see, you must tell her it's ok for her to move on. Tell her it's ok to marry someone of the royal life, that she has to. It's not just because I'm wanting to be married to her, it's for the country. You are not in line to be a Prince, you are only my half- brother, so you have no ties to this life, she on the other hand, does. You need to make her understand that it's for her own good that she does let go of her past and move on."

"And what about our baby? That baby is only half royal as well you know. You are not going to raise my child as your own, over my dead body."

"How selfish are you? I saw her pain last night when she was talking about you. She is willing to give up her old life, for the good of the people. She understands what she needs to do. Why can't you be the bigger man and let her go?"

"Do you know about her past? Do you know what she has been through? Do you know that I'm the only man she trusts? Do you know the shit she has gone through? No, you don't so when you find out, then come talk to me and see if she is really willing to let go of her past life and move on, with you of all people."

"With me? I'm not a bad guy and you know that. I'm just trying to do what is best for the people. My own needs, they aren't important as hers or her responsibilities are. She is learning all of that as we speak. Man, she is such a pro. It's like second nature to her, this life was made for her. She will be an amazing Princess when given the chance. She has that chance right now."

"She is an amazing woman. I have no doubts that she will be an amazing Princess. I do love her and if letting her go is what's best then I will do it. Just do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Make sure my child knows who I am and let me talk to her, in person. I want to look her in the eye and tell her."

"Sure, I can do that and of course I will let your child know who you are. I'm sure once everything is on track and after the baby is born, you will be in its life. You want to go see her now?"

"Yes." They finish their drinks and they head out to go back to the palace.

"My goodness this place is beautiful." Nick says when he gets out of the car.

"Come on, I think I may know where she is." They head inside, and Karl shows Nick the way to the studio. Sure enough they find her inside the booth singing. They stand there watching her. Karl looks over at Nick and sees love on his face for her. He does love her, Karl hates that they must do this.

He doesn't want to be a person who must see this happen but it's for the best. A few minutes later she comes out of the booth. She runs over and hugs Nick tightly. When she lets go she looks at them.

"What are you doing here, together?"

"Let's have a seat Mallory." Nick says to her and they all sit down. He takes her hands and shuts his eyes and sighs.

"See the thing is, I'm also part of a royal family but I'm not royal. Karl and I have the same mother but different fathers. I'm not of true royal blood so I had no reason to stay over here. Karl is the true Prince of our family. He contacted me, and we met at a hotel and we talked. Look as much as I hate this, truly hate this, I must let you go. You need to marry Karl, you need to move on with your life here, as a Princess and do what is best for the people, personal feelings aside toward me especially because as much as it pains me to let you go, you must take care of your people. You must not look back on your old life, that is your past, everything that has happened to you, it's your past. Karl is a good man, he will treat you as I do. You are a very wonderful amazing kind woman baby, you have shown me love that I have never known before and for that, I'm truly thankful for you and our child. I'm being the bigger person here and setting you free. Be happy here with your new life, be happy with Karl. I promise that you will have an amazing life here. I love you and I always will." She has tears falling from her eyes and Nick wipes them, trying to hold back his own. Karl's eyes are also misty.

It's heartbreaking seeing him be this way. He wraps his arms around her and she cries. "I love you too Nick, I'm so sorry. I don't want to be without you, but I know I don't have a choice in the matter and I know Karl is a good man. He's been nothing but respectful and nice to me since we met. I can release a statement about everything as soon as I'm announced as Princess so that way when people back home get wind of this, it's not on you to explain anything. I don't want you to go through that. You're not the one who has to be here and are the one who ruined our life together."

"Hey, you didn't ruin anything. This is who you are, there is nothing wrong with that. I appreciate you wanting to make it right so if that will help, I will let you handle that. Just promise me that you take care of yourself and our baby before anything else, I still want you to keep that promise."

"I will. I love you Nick. I will always love you." She kissed him softly and ran out of the room crying.

"Are you ok man?" Karl asked, knowing the answer already.

"Not by a long shot. I'm gonna go. Have a good life and you better take care of her."

"I will, I promise." He shook his hand and he left. Karl sighs and heads up to Mallory's room. He knocks on the door.

"Come in." He heard her say softly. He opened the door and found her on her bed with her head in her pillow crying. He sat beside her and rubbed his hand on her back.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. She turns and looks at him.

"You didn't do anything. I want to thank you for bringing him here and letting us talk. It was the right way to do it. I just didn't think it was going to happen so soon."

"You're welcome and sorry about it being so sudden. It's just it had to happen right away. Some things are out of our control."

"I'm beginning to see that. About going out for dinner, I'm not sure I can go out, not right now."

"I figured as much. We can always dine in, we can talk, we can sing, we can watch movies, or we can just sit in silence. Anything you want is fine with me."

"Actually, do you think I'm allowed to cook? Cooking helps me when things are crazy."

"I think you can do that. Why don't you get into something comfy and well head down to the kitchen? I'm going to go change so meet me in my room when you're done."

"Ok." Karl walks out of her room and goes to his and puts on a pair of shorts and a tank top. About ten minutes later he heard a knock and opened his door. When he does, she is standing there in a pair of short shorts and a tiny tank top with no bra. He gulped and felt his cheeks get warm.

"Wow, you look um beautiful." He managed to say.

"Sorry, I don't really have any decent night clothes, not used to this kind of thing. At home, this is what I would wear to bed." He can't stop looking at her body.

"Hey, eyes up here mr." She takes his head and moves it up.

"Sorry." He's a little shy when it comes to her in clothes like that. They walk to the kitchen and he looks at everyone.

"May we have the room for a while?" He asked and everyone stopped what they were doing, turned things off and left, bowing their heads as they passed them.

"That's all it takes, just say can I have the room and they just leave?"

"Yup, it's all part of being royal." She goes to the fridge and looks for stuff to make. She puts the food on the island and gets out the pots and starts making something.

"Mind if I speak freely Princess?"

"Oh, come on, you can stop calling me that, we are to be married so Mallory or Mal is fine."

"No, Princess is needed for this moment. Come sit for a moment please." He pulled out a stool and she sat down.

"Now Princess, I have known about you for some time, I knew we were to be married and knew of our life before I even met you. I read all I could about you, looked at your pictures over and over and I fell in love with you before I met you. When I saw you last night singing, that's when I fell even harder for you. I know this is sudden but," He goes to the hutch along the wall and pulls out a box that he had David put in before they arrived tonight. He walked back over and got down on one knee.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He presents her with the ring. She looks at him and has tears in her eyes.

"As you said, we just met, and I know this has to happen but what you said, it was beautiful, and I can see myself falling in love with you very easily so, yes, I will marry you." He takes the ring out of the box and places it on her finger. She smiles, and he stands up and she hugs him. He let her go slightly and looked down at her, he put his hand on her neck and pulled her face close to his and he kissed her softly but with passion. She kissed him back with the same passion and pace. They parted their lips and she looked up at him.

"Well, you definitely know how to make a gal go weak in the knees Karl. I have something I have to tell you before it gets out and it will, eventually I'm sure. Have a seat." He sat down and looked at her as she paced back and forth.

"What is it?" She takes a deep breath and starts talking. She tells him about her past, her hard past from a few years ago to her escape. When she finishes, he stands up and takes her into his arms.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you. There are no words." She sighs and wraps her arms around him.

"It was hell, pure hell. When I met Nick, I was scared to let him in because I didn't want to get hurt but he showed me what love is. He changed my whole outlook on men and love. He saved me in so many ways. It was easy to love him, you and he are a lot alike actually. You're both so kind and caring, sweet, beautiful souls and handsome. Being here, a Princess at that, never in my wildest dreams would I ever think I'd be here."

"I can understand. I hope I can make you half as happy as you were with Nick, I wouldn't dream of replacing him in your heart. Thank you for sharing that with me. I will keep it to myself, I promise."

"Thank you." She gets up and goes back to cooking. "Were you planning on asking me to marry you when we were out in public?" She asked suddenly.

"Yes, that was the plan."

"Well how about this," she takes the ring off and hands it back to him. "Make plans to do it, don't tell me. Just plan it and on one of the many dates we go on, ask me. I don't want to know when, make it a surprise like you did tonight."

"Ok. I can do that." He put the ring back in the box.

"It is a very beautiful ring. How did you know what size to get?"

"Like I said, I have read all about you. I knew about you before we met."

"Well ok. Dinners almost done, would you set the table? Even though it's just an island, we can make it a table for two." He got plates and silverware out and placed them on the island. He got glasses and tea out and sat them down. He found some candles and lit them to set a romantic mood. He also put some music on. She turns around and smiles. She puts the food on the plates and they sit down to eat. He takes a bite.

"Wow, this is delicious." He said after he swallowed.

"Thank you. The only good thing my mom has ever done was teach me how to cook and bake." They converse as they eat and relax, just enjoying each other's company. She gets up to clean up and takes his hand. She leads him to the hallway to their rooms. They stop in front of his room.

"Is this good night?" He asked her.

"No, this is just the middle of tonight. I'm taking up on that movie offer." He smiled and opened his door and they walked in. She sat on the couch and he showed her the movies. She picks the notebook and he puts it in, grabs a blanket and sits beside her. She lays her head on his chest, making him a little nervous. He kissed the top of her head and they sat there watching the movie.

"I want a love story like theirs, he's so sweet to her." She says, wiping tears from her eyes. She looks up at him and he leans in and kisses her sweet lips gently. She doesn't break the kiss as she climbs on top of him. He felt his body start to get very warm and he's even more nervous.

"We don't have to do this." He says softly looking into her eyes.

"All I'm doing is kissing you." She says and gets off him. "I'm sorry, I'm going to go to my room and get some sleep." She says and walks out. He groaned and looked down, 'looks like it's a cold shower, me and my big mouth but I know she's not ready. I would be taking advantage of her and I won't do that'. he thought to himself.

She went back to her room and is laying on her bed with her phone in her hands. She opens her texts and sends one to Nick.

"I know we can't be married but can we at least still be friends? I love you too much to not have you in my life." She hits send and waits for a reply. A few minutes later her phone beeps.

"Of course, we can be friends. You are the love of my life so if being friends is the only way to be in your life, I'm all for it. I love you."

"Great. I love you too, I'm going to get some sleep. Let me know when you're back home. Good night sweetie." She hits send and puts her phone on charge and lays back and covers up and closes her eyes, thinking about Nick and Karl and how her life is as she goes to sleep.

She hears a knock at her door and opens her eyes and looks at the clock, seven am. She groans and gets out of bed and opens the door.

"Good morning Princess, breakfast is served." David tells her and she smiles.

"Ok, I'll be down in a bit, is there any way we can have an eight or nine am wake up call instead of seven? I'm so exhausted and still getting used to the time change so I don't go to sleep till late at night and waking up just a few hours later is getting to me."

"We can arrange something Princess. Would you like me to come back at nine to wake you?"

"Yes please. Thank you, David." She smiles, and he bows and walks away. She shuts her door and gets back into bed and before long she falls asleep. She rolls over and opens her eyes and sees that it's nine and right on time there is a knock on her door.

"Ok David. I'm awake." She says loud enough so he can hear her.

"That's all good and well but it's not David." She heard Karl's voice.

"Come in." He opens the door with a tray of food and walks over to her bed. He puts the tray on the desk and sits beside her, he puts his hand on hers.

"I'm sorry about last night. I overstepped by assuming you wanted to be with me."

"Well you weren't really wrong to assume that but, I'm glad we didn't. I just got out of a serious relationship and if I'm being honest, being with you at the moment would have just been wrong. I don't want us to start off with you as a rebound so to speak. I need to make sure I'm ready to move on to be fully committed to you and our life. Even though we are engaged, there will be no making love until I'm fully ready."

"I understand and thank you for not making me feel like a dick."

"Not at all, it takes two to tango." She says smiling.

"Yes, it does. I think you need to tell people you're pregnant. If you do, they won't work you so hard and will leave you to sleep because darling, you need rest."

"I know. I plan on telling them soon, before I get too exhausted, I know my baby is telling me I need sleep. When I feel my body about to fall out daily is a sign I need to tell people. I just want to get past this week before I do."

"Ok, I'm free the rest of the week so I will be here, right next to you to help you so just ask and I will do what I can." He grabbed the tray and put it over her legs and they ate breakfast and talked. When they were finished, she got up and went to shower. She walked out in a towel thinking he would have been gone but there he was, sitting on her bed looking through paperwork.

"Did you move in while I was showering?" He looked up as if he didn't even notice she was out of the shower.

"Oh, no. Sorry David came by while you were in the shower and dropped off something for you and for me while he was here so I'm just looking over it. it's for your announcement as Princess." He hands her the paperwork and she sits on the bed next to him. She looks through it.

"Seems like it's going to be a pretty big party. I really need to be ready. We need to start on those dance lessons as soon as possible."

"Mhmm we do. We can start today so make sure you wear something comfortable and sneakers."

"Ok well, go so I can get ready and you need to also."

"Yes ma'am." He got up and left. She got a pair of shorts and a baby t-shirt on and her shoes. She fixed her hair and sprayed stuff on and went to start her first dance lesson.