A Nightmare Within a Dream

~Alex~

"You think they'll be mad?"

I ask Cathy as she plays with my fingers and leans on my shoulder. She shrugs and I see her lips point downward.

"Who knows, but I doubt they'll be too happy with me, they don't seem to like me," she sighs nudging her face in my neck. I lean toward her and groan.

"Don't be absurd, they wouldn't have let us get engaged if they didn't like you,"

"It's been a year and we haven't gotten married Al," she responds looking up and pouted. I looked at her and smiled softly I know what'll cheer her up.

I suddenly stood up and she fell sideways because she was leaning on me. Grabbing her arm I pulled her closely standing her.

"What are yo-"

"Shhhh" I whisper grabbing her waist and pulling her closely so we were standing in the car close together. I lean into her "we can elope, if they don't let us get married, then we'll run away and join the circus!" She scrunches her nose but then gave in and grinned.

"That'll piss them off for sure babe," she responds leaning in to me. I gladly accept the kiss but our kiss is interrupted when the car door slides open and we tear apart.

"Um tickets please?" The train attendant asked awkwardly, we quickly separated as I rummaged through my bag for the tickets, handing them to him. He cleared his throat and nodded while leaving the check on other passengers.

I turn to look at Cathy who's as baffled as me. Suddenly we burst in laughter and move closer together embracing each other. I feel her laugh in my chest.

"If we had gotten married a year ago, we wouldn't have been able to go on our travels my love," I say softly pulling her closer, she lifts her head and looks up at me smiling,

"You do have a point Alex," she agrees. I lean downward to resume our kiss but quickly glance at the door and scooted us away from the door facing the window. She laughed at me and rubbed her nose against mine "you're a dork," I smiled fondly at her, she was my sun, that brightened every of my days, I can't wait to call her my wife.

....

When we got to the Kauldin train station, Dimitri was waiting for us. He ushered some boy to grab our bags and bowed respectfully

"Welcome back Princess Alex and Lady Cathrine of Kauldin, I hope all was well with your trip," he said rising. I greeted him and smiled

"Hey Dimitri how have my parents been? Have they lost their minds yet?" I ask grabbing Cathrine's hand as we begin to walk, he only sighed

"If I could be honest with you lady Alex, they are none too pleased you have evaded your responsibilities for so long," he responded walking to my left and Cathy was to my right. Why are they trying so hard to royal me up?

"What about my family?" Cathy asked, squeezing my hand pulling me out of my thinking.

"Lord Dribrin has been well and awaiting your arrival, your sister lady Reilly, Who I heard, has been having a difficult time with your siblings as lady Ariel and lord Azrail have begun their stage of rebellion." He responded leading us to a car in a parking lot. Cathrine winced and frowned knowing Reilly was going to need a lot of help.

....

"Bye baby I'll see you soon I love you," Cathrine said, waving as she stepped out of the car at her estate,

"Tell your dad and siblings I said hi! love you too!" I respond smiling closing the door behind her. I sighed and smiled as I watched that auburn headed girl's shape fade away, one day I won't have to say goodbye at the end of the day, only goodnight.

....

"I present to you, crown princess Alexis of the kingdom of Kauldin," Dimitri announced as I entered the dining room. I narrowed my eyes and him and scowled, with a mental note to scold him for saying my whole name.

"Alexis, it's about time you've arrived home," I heard my fathers voice at the end of the table,

"Finally returned from your frolicking around?" My mother asked with a polite tone but picking meaning.

"Hello mother and father," I manage to get out. Father gestures to the servants and guards to leave us and they scramble towards the door.

"We need to talk Alexis," my father stood pointing at a chair next to him. I sighed and gathered all my courage together to sit beside him.

"I'm all for talking, but please stop calling me Alexis!" My mother scoffed and looked up at me,

"You are royalty and yet you go by such a boorish name," she spoke loudly sipping her tea. My father cleared his throat indicating it was his turn to speak.

"Anyways, Alexis you have been avoiding your responsibilities as crowned princess by running around the world with that Belmi girl and-"

"You know her name. My fiancée Cathrine. say her name," I snap as they pull at my patience. I will not have them refer to Cathy as someone inferior

"There's the another thing!" My mother began raising her spoon to point at me, "why must you marry a Belmi? We don't care about your sexuality at all Alexis, but Lord Dribrin and his house have these wild and strange ideals that we cannot allow to give him anymore power! There's a line we must draw!" She exclaimed. I scoffed and picked at a scone

"It's not like I'm marrying Lord Dribrin, I'm marrying his daughter," I respond, "And besides don't you have better things to do like work on your marriage than to pick on mine that hasn't even started?" My father stopped mid tea sip my mother narrowed her features I'm gonna get it now

"Alexi-" fathers sentence was cut short when he began a violent cough fit. Mother rushed to him to tend to him, I don't remember father being sick.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow, just go to your room." My mother said summoning the servants to help my father to their room.

~Cathy~

"Cathy Cathy Cathy Cathy Cathy!" Azrail kept calling me as he hung onto my leg. I turned and smiled at him, Picking him up

"Yes Azrail?" I respond calmly, giggling at the fact that Reilly has been MIA since I got here. She's probably catching up on her sleep.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" He asked smiling bumping his forehead with mine.

"Can I too?" Ariel asked tugging on my leg, she had always been the shyest of the two. I nodded picking her up and holding both in my arms.

"Only if you promise to sleep when I ask you to,"

"Deal!" They said in unison.

"Cathrine," I heard dad's voice call to me from his study, I turn to the twins

"Go to my room I'll catch up with you, make sure not to make such a mess!" I yelled as they ran.

"Yes father?" I respond entering to his office seeing different piles of paper and books scattered around. He must've stopped permitting the maids and butlers to enter to clean. He looked up from a book and gave me a very tired but loving smile. He stood and walked toward me to give me a hug.

"Welcome home my dear, how have you been? How's lady Alex? Tell me all about your adventure," he said signaling a chair in front of his, removing all the papers and books on top.

"Well..."

....

"I'm glad lady Alex has been well, and that you two are closer than ever!" He said smiling but I noticed there was a sadness to his eyes.

"Dad, what's wrong?" I ask softly, he sighs and touches the creases on his forehead.

"The sightings of demons are increasing everyday, and the king and queen refuse to accept this is the reality. I've tried to tell them and warn them that they'll try invading if we don't come to a peaceful agreement but they just scoff at me," he begins frustrated, "I'm hoping Lady Alex will be able to convince them otherwise," I sink in my seat, will Alex be able to get to them? "You know I don't like to include your fiancée into things of the royal court before her coronation, but this is a matter of urgency for our kingdom," I nodded

"She's this county's last chance,"

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-Aegean✨