The party that Nicholas took me to wasn’t that eventful. When we arrived he left me to go “Greet some people'' and never looked back. By the end of the night he was wasted and surrounded by women. I never got a chance to tell Nicholas what happened. The rest of the week is just as uneventful. Both twins are busy or missing in action and I’m left to explore the grounds. I was assigned a lady in waiting named Bella to make sure I wouldn’t get lost. She is a sweet girl, but definitely simple minded.

On Sunday, Bella and I are invited to the brunch for the ladies. It's in a huge flower garden beside the castle. The flowers are in bloom and the morning dew hasn’t fully evaporated. The sun shines off all of the surrounding flowers creating the illusion that we are cocooned in a rainbow.

Nichole is sitting close to the head of the table. Her hair has been curled and it lightly brushes on her bare shoulders. Her light pink dress sweeps low in the chest and is slitted farther down showing parts of her long legs. She catches my eyes and waves for me to sit in the empty chair beside her. Heat fills my cheeks and I walk over.

“Are you hot?” the woman at the head of the table asks.

I tear my eyes away from Nichole and look at the woman, “No not really, why do you ask?” Fuck she looks familiar.

The woman brushes her dark hair out of her face, her green eyes -which look even more familiar- watch me intently. She smiles as if I amuse her, “Your face is a little red.”

Her green eyes… I look over at Nichole. Into her green eyes. OH CRAP! I stand quickly and jossle the table a little. I crouch into a deep curtsy, “I’m sorry your majesty. I haven't seen you in years and did not recognise you.”

She smiles again like I amused her, “Sit down child, we don’t do that here. This is a very casual meal.”

I sit back into my chair and feel my blush deepen. Nichole puts a hand on my knee and squeezes, “You’ll get the hang of this.”

The brunch goes on and I relax a little as the ladies gossip about things happening in the castle. There is talk about a couple I don't know getting a divorce and another couple inviting a mistress into their home. The queen talks about the next ball she is planning. I try to listen intently, but the flowers are so distracting and I mostly find myself daydreaming.

“Edith?” someone says, and I feel a hand on my thigh.

I look up and notice the queen staring intently at me, “I’m sorry Your Majesty, I was admiring the flowers, What was the question?”

The queen smiles again, like before, “I was asking if you liked Nichole’s dress. I picked it out myself. I’m always telling the girl she should show a little skin.” I blush as I look over at Nichole again. The queen’s smile gets more pronounced, “Of course, I never have to tell her brother the same. I find myself telling him to wear clothes more than anything.”

I think back to the tight fitting clothes from a few nights ago. How I could see his every muscle ripple. How nothing was left to the imagination. My blush deepens, “I do find Nichole’s dress,” I take a deep breath to calm myself and try to think of a proper word, “flattering.”

“On the subject of my son, since you’ve had a chance to spend some time with him, I was wondering who you were planning on choosing. I rather you not lead both of my children on,” now everyone is paying attention to the conversation between me and the queen.

Nichole’s mouth turns down as she looks at her mother.

What is her problem? This is the second time I've seen her daughter since we were adults and I’ve only talked to her son for at most 20 minutes. “I’m not exactly sure I know each of them well enough to make such a big life decision,” I say.

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“You should know by now who would be more appropriate to rule,” the queen says, her smile turning into something darker.

What am I supposed to say to that? Yes, both your children are hot, but your daughter is definitely more fit to rule. It's too bad your son’s best friend threatened me if I didn't choose him. Not to mention I was told specifically to consider both candidates and I barely got any time with your son anyway. And there is the fact that I actually want to love the person I choose, and I don't feel that way about either of them.

Before I could answer a servant comes forward and whispers something in Nichole’s ear. She stands and grabs my hand, “This was a lovely brunch Mother, but Edith and I have to depart early.”

I look nervously at Nichole and give the queen a short bow. She waves her hand and Nichole pulls me out of the garden.

“Nichole, I really wanted to tell you I met your bother, but I didn't have time,” I say and she pulls me through the maze of halls.

“I know you had to meet him sometime,” she says with a sigh, “Besides, I’m more angry at mother for embarrassing you like that.” She starts to laugh and I feel something ease in my chest, “With the way I pulled you out of there, we definitely started some rumors.”

“Why did you pull me out of there?” I ask.

She stops and looks at me. Her eyes are wide and her smile is huge. She grabs both my hands and squeezes tightly, “It's a surprise.”

She pulls me through a few more hallways and into a small sitting room. There is a small box in front of the fireplace. Three older servant ladies are peering inside. They look at us when we come in and motion us forward. Inside the box there is an orange cat cleaning three small kittens.

“She did very good,” one of the servants says, “She is a great momma.”

Nichole neals down next to the box and starts petting the mother cat. The cat pushes her head into Nichole’s hand and closes her eyes happily. “You are such a good girl,” Nichole says.

I kneel down next to her and get a better look at the kittens. There is a black one, a light grey one, and a white one with an orange spot on his head. Nichole asks one of the ladies to bring the mother cat a saucer of goat's milk.

“Why goat milk?” I ask.

“Cats can’t have cow’s milk,” she says, “It hurts their stomach.”

“You know alot about cats.” I say.

“I’ve done a fair bit of reading,” she says with a smile, “I found the mother cat in the garden. She was so tiny back then, and so scared,” Nichole laughs, “She would run away everytime I came outside. It took 6 months for me to get close enough to pet her! When I figured out she was pregnant I was able to catch her and bring her inside. She's warmed up alot to me since then,” Nichole looks around then whispers in my ear, “Sometimes I even sneak her up to my room.”

I reach in and let the mother cat sniff my hand. She lets me pet her, “What's her name?”

Nichole giggles - Like actually giggles!- and says, “It’s childish.”

“Come on tell me, I promise I won't laugh!” I am already trying to hold back my laughter.

“Lady Fluffybottom,” she says and her giggles turn into laughs.

I try to hold back my laughter, but it bubbles up inside and forces its way out. By the time we finish laughing I’m whipping tears from my eyes and she is holding her chest.

“You promised you wouldn't laugh!” she says with a smile and a light punch to my arm.

“I’m sorry!,” I say still trying not to start laughing again, “I’ve had a stressful day and that was hilarious!”

Nichole lays her head on my shoulder and starts to pet Lady Fluffybottom again. Her kittens and her had fallen into a deep sleep. Undisturbed by the pets or the laughter.

I ran my fingers through Nichole’s hair. Maybe I could pick her. Maybe we could live our life together with Lady Fluffybottom and her kittens in this castle and not have to worry about anyone else. Maybe I could tell her about Nicholas’s friend and she could take care of it. Maybe I won't even have to consider anything else.

But I don't want to ruin what is happening now. I imagine a little box and put in all my thoughts and tape it up. I’ll open that some other time. Leave future me to deal with it. Right now I just want to focus on Nichole’s soft hair falling through my fingertips and the feel of her breathing against my side.