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It’s been years since I walked these halls. I never thought I’d be back here but when I got the call I knew I had to come. I just didn’t realize he’d be here too. It shouldn’t surprise me though, we’ve been training since we were children. I spent the better part of the last few years trying to forget, the feelings, the memories, the time we spent together. I had almost moved past it all too, but then I got that stupid call and I could have said no, but I didn’t I should have but I didn’t.

I find myself at a familiar pair of ornate doors leading to one of the parlors, my hand lightly brushes the handle as chills run down my spine. I could walk away right now and no one would know different-but I don’t, I open the doors and see a familiar room. Rich and luxuriously decorated, furniture that hadn’t changed in years, the only thing different is the fire roaring in the fireplace. All the emotions I tried to escape flood me as I see his face again. It is not how I saw him last, he looks older, wiser, more of a man than a boy, like the kind of person this country needs. University changed him, but maybe it was for the better.

“Lady Kiera, thank you for joining us on such short notice,” states an official standing up.

“Thank you,” I smile readjusting to my title. No one’s called me that in years.

“Please, be seated,” he gestures to the small sofa and I comply.

“Hey,” whispers Drew smiling softly.

“Hi,” I whisper in return not wanting to be rude.

“I know it’s been some time since you two last saw each other but this is very important. As you are aware King Grayson has recently passed. Since his wife passed delivering their stillborn child, and the bloodline has only managed to produce one child per generation, we are forced to turn to the other noble families to find an heir to continue the bloodline. You are the two families that had eligible heirs of the appropriate age. The council decided that since you are adults you can decide who becomes the new bloodline. I know this may be difficult to understand, we’ve never seen anything like this happen before either. Usually, there’s some distant relative somewhere that we can call but there’s no one. Everyone’s dead,” States the official, slowly unraveling. He looks at us, opens his mouth, closes it again, and leaves.

“Well obviously not everyone’s dead. We’re still here,” I force a laugh.

“That’s right,” he agrees, “The only problem is which of us will be the next bloodline,” he says this and I freeze. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want it…

“It’s all yours for the taking,” I yield.

“You know, if you really want the people to see how modern of a society we are we could just make you next in line Kiera,” he looks at me hopefully.

“Except for the fact that we’ve never had a female rule exclusively before and a lot of people would be angry. Therefore, we should just instate you, Andrew,” I smirk using his full name-something that he hates when I do.

“You’re forgetting that I spent the last few years at university in America,” he defends.

“Which I still don’t understand why. You could go anywhere for university and you went to America,” I shake my head, “The more reason we should choose you. You know more about global politics than I do and besides, maybe some of your “college” friends can help you out.”

“Hey, my roommates are very nice people.”

“Very uncivilized,” I mutter.

“That’s it. You’re already acting like Queen, why don’t you just take the job?”

“Why don’t I take the job? Let me tell you. I don’t want to be Queen. Okay? I like my title and current responsibilities, I like my freedom, I like my life just as it is. If I become Queen that would ruin everything I’ve worked for!” I sink back into the couch letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Everything you’ve worked for…and what would that be? Because I can’t seem to find a single thing you’ve put work into. You’re in a different country each week with a different guy that we’ve never seen before going to extravagant parties with extravagant people. The press all think you’re a joke. You said the people would be angry at a Queen but they wouldn’t. They would be angry if you were Queen, you gave yourself a bad reputation once I went to university and the people don’t want the person you’ve become to be their Queen, they want someone responsible and caring to be their queen. They want the Kiera I know to be their Queen,” he puts a hand on my shoulder.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” I ask brushing his hand away

“It means that just because you were off having fun doesn’t mean the girl I grew up with isn’t still in there, the one who was so sweet and kind, the one who’d make an excellent queen. I know you, Kiera. You need to show the people that.”

“Drew,” I sit up straight, “This isn’t logical, they see you as a recent university grad with a degree in political science and public relations and you’re the obvious choice. Even I know that. They’d have to be crazy to not see it.”

“Growing up we knew this could be a possibility, why’d you do that to your image? You knew it would destroy you.”

“I did,” I nod somberly and take a deep breath, “I also knew that with your degrees no one would want me as queen anyway,” I shrug, “So it seemed pointless to keep it up. You left and I didn’t know what to do with myself, I tried to keep it up but it was just easier to go do something exciting for once. Maybe I had a few scandals, but it didn’t feel that significant in comparison to what was going on inside me. I just was trying to distract myself and you know most of the time it worked,” I smile sadly, “But I could never truly escape it.”

“I…I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, I would have stayed if I had known,” he takes a breath, “I too was running…I had these feelings that I knew would never be returned but I could never let them go. I always had this hope that it would get better. I knew it never would so I did what I thought was right. I got as much space put between me and her as possible and university was great, but I always was carrying around these feelings. I do regret somethings and I know I can’t change the past but I can make this right. I resign from the position. King doesn’t seem as exciting when you truly realize what matters in life.”

“Your parents are going to be so disappointed.”

“Maybe, but that’s not what matters. I’ve been running from these feelings for so long thinking that if I just got enough space I would move on but that doesn’t happen when you’ve been in love with her for ten years. I went all the way to America trying to forget her and move on but it was impossible. She was everywhere. I saw news stories about her at every store and more than once I wanted to fly to where she was and scream at her for being an idiot with her life but I didn’t and I don’t know why. I should have.”

“Drew, it’s not your responsibility to always be looking out for people.

“It’s not, but it’s my responsibility to be there for you and I failed.”

“You didn’t fail, you did what was right, besides your presence would have made it worse. I…” I look at the ground, “I was trying to forget you. I never realized it when you were here but the moment you left it was like someone ripped my heart out of my chest and I couldn’t breathe anymore. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I had let what may have been the greatest thing in my life slip away from me so easily. I guess you never realize what you have until it’s gone because I knew you would never come back and feel the same. I wanted you to be king because you’re good, and kind, and noble, and all the things a king should be and I want what’s best for you and what’s best for the kingdom.”

“That is why you should be queen, you are what’s best for the kingdom. You are also what’s best for me. Kiera, I love you and I should have said that years ago but I didn’t. Let me fix this and make it right,” and somehow among all the words, our fingers intertwine.

“I…I don’t know,” I stammer pulling my hand away, “It’s just already been so much and I should really-” before I fully realize what is happening his hand gently cups my face and pulls it close, I can feel my breathing speed up as his face becomes mere inches away from mine. His eyes shine reflecting the dancing flames in the fireplace asking a question he doesn’t dare say aloud. Yes, I want this, I’ve been dreaming of this moment for years, but do I dare allow it to become a reality? The answer comes soft and sweet as his lips finally meet mine after all these years. I feel a stirring within me, this is where I truly belong.