Chapter 8

Willow POV

I awake next to Lazarus, my sweet prince. He is trying so hard to make everything better for me. I do not know how to make things better. I wanted to be close to him. He hesitated. I know he was only trying to respect me and my wishes. He is a good man. He reminds me of my father.

I have to make my father's arrangements. I have to notify my family. I have so many things to do. I know he will help me. He has shown me that.

"You okay?" he asks.

I turn to him. I lay back next to him facing him now. I kiss his lips. "I am better," I say.

"Mother sent someone to retrieve your family, and she called the funeral home for you. Someone will be by to discuss everything for you. We called the fairy tribal leaders. Willow, they will need to talk to you very soon," he says.

"Can the fairy tribe not wait? Does that have to be done now?" I ask.

Lazarus reaches for my face. He softly touches me. His gentle touch makes my heart skip a beat.

"Willow, with your father gone, there are things that have to happen now," Lazarus says.

"Like what?" I ask.

"Your father never took reign. You are his heir. It was his attention to give you the throne after we married. Now it goes to you upon his death. As of the moment, he passed you are the fairy queen," he says.

"What decisions do I need to make?" I ask.

"Well, for the one, you need to decide about your mother and siblings," he says.

"My mother is a monster," I say.

"I know. Luanne will still need to be protected, and your siblings will need to be protected. The only way to do that is for you to crown her queen mother so she will fall under the crown's protection. Your siblings will fall under her, and they will be protected too," he says.

"I have to crown that bitch," I say.

"Unfortunately, yes," he says.

"Lazarus, I have to tell you something about my mother that no one knows except me," I say.

"What is it?" he asks.

"She is not my mother. She is my stepmother," I say.

"Oh, I will talk to the council. Better yet, Queen Willow, you should talk to the council. Tell them you want protection for your siblings. See what can be done," he says.

"What else?" I ask him.

"We have to set a wedding date and announce it," he says.

"I am ready as soon as you are," I say.

"I am sorry all of this is being done in a rush. No woman deserves to have to rush the biggest day of her life," he says.

"Can it be small?" I ask.

"It can be any way you want it," he says.

"Will Prissy help me?" I ask.

"She would be overjoyed if you asked for her help," Lazarus says.

"I do not have anyone to walk me down the aisle," I say.

The thought of my father being gone begins to overpower me again.

"We will work it all out," he says.

I lay my head back down. I try to get as close as possible to him. He wraps me up in his embrace. I feel so safe in his arms. I have to go down to face everyone. I have to see my father. I need to tell him everything.

The intercom dings. "Mr. Lazarus, the funeral home director, is her," a voice says.

"I guess I need to help you dress," he says.

"I need clothes," I say.

"Mother filled your closet," he says.

I get out of bed. I walk to the closet. I open the doors. It is incredible. Prissy got me everything a woman could want. Shoes, dresses, skirts, jeans, tops, and in the back in a plastic back is a wedding gown.

"That was hers. Mother would like for you to wear it. It is made so you can display your wings on your special day," Lazarus says.

"I will wear it," I say.

"You haven't even looked at it," he says.

"I don't care what it looks like anyway. If Prissy wants me to wear it, then I will do it for her," I say.

"It is a very modest dress. Mother made it herself," Lazarus says.

"That makes it even better," I say to him.

I look in the small boxes in the closet. The boxes are filled with panties and bras. I pull out a bra and panties from the pack. I take a black jumper off of the hanger. I select a pair of black shoes.

I take the items to the bed and lay them out. I begin dressing. Lazarus watches me dress.

"Willow, I wanted us to wait until we were married until we every touched each other," he says.

"I know. I can keep a secret if you can," I say.

He laughs. He takes me in his arms and kisses the top of my head. "I will keep our little secret," he says.

"We can wait until we are married if that is what you want?" I say to him.

"I do not know if I can go without touching you now that I have felt you so deeply," he says.

"Me either. It was much more than I expected. Please be patient with me. Remember up until a few hours ago; I have never been with a man," I say.

"We have an eternity, my queen," he says.

"You will have to teach me everything," I say.

"I look forward to it," he says.

I dress in my new clothes. Lazarus gets dressed. We have to go down and speak with the funeral director. I have no idea what in the hell I am doing. When Brooklyn died, we were so poor we had to have her cremated. It took father months to pay for her ashes. I want him to have the most beautiful funeral I can give him.

As Lazarus and I open the door to go downstairs to speak to the funeral director, Prissy knocks.

"Willow, your mother, and siblings are here. I told her the funeral plans were not up to her that you and only you would be making plans for your father. She is not happy. I can handle her while you make them," she says.

I hug her. "Thank you," I say.

I start to walk out. "One more thing, Luanne asked when she would be crowned queen mother and how much money she would get," Prissy says.

"My father is dead, and all she is concerned about is money," I say.

I storm down the stairs. Luanne will not plan anything. She will not see my father. She can go to hell.

As I come down the stairs, I see her. I do not look at her. I walk past her to the room my father is in to speak with the funeral director. Prissy and Lazarus can handle her. I cannot deal with her right now. I am done.