Althena

59. Done

They're not in bed when I wake up. I get ready on my own and go to the kitchen.

Mike hugs me from behind. "We're leaving for lunch in half an hour, babygirl."

"I slept late."

"You feel ok?"

"I feel perfect." I spin around and give him a kiss.

"I love you." He hugs me tight.

"I love you too."

Chris and Clayton come into the kitchen to raid the cupboards. Mike chases them out. "Seriously, we're leaving in half an hour."

"But we're hungry now."

"Let's just go."

Clayton shakes his head. "Did you tell her about his girlfriend yet?"

"Whose girlfriend?" My interest is peaked.

Chris opens the fridge. "Drogon has a girlfriend, apparently. That's who shot the video and turned it into the press. She told Mike everything. I guess he's been totally ignoring her since you showed up."

Conner leans on the door and crosses his arms. I know he's gauging my reaction. Same as Mike.

Chris pokes my arm and opens the yogurt. "You froze."

"Yea." I cross my arms. I'm flustered but ok. "I don't know if I'm surprised."

"Why?" Mike hands a bowl to Chris.

"Well, his dad is shoving him at me. He's not around me because he wants to be. For all I know, his dad could be making him ignore her. Not allowing him to be seen with anyone else. The whole thing is weird. They want the throne. It's confusing."

"They do want the throne. But I think he likes you." Chris hands me a bowl of yogurt.

"It's opposite Darmon. Kind of. Darmon didn't want to be seen with me. Keeping me in the shadow because I was nobody. Drogon wants to be seen with me because I'm a princess. But I don't know if either of them see the real me."

"Have you had a real conversation with Drogon?"

"Yes. I told him some of my past yesterday."

"What did he say?"

"He messed up his hair a lot and took me to that place. The place where his girlfriend hangs out, apparently. Maybe he was just trying to show me places like that exist. Then we got drunk and it went sideways. I remember him saying it went sideways last night. I guess none of that was supposed to happen."

"Why are you all in the kitchen? I thought we were leaving?" Cyrus gets an orange juice.

"Yea, let's go." I put the bowl down. "Someone got the fat free yogurt. It doesn't taste good."

Conner kisses my head. "Sorry baby, I grabbed the wrong one."

"It happens." I crack up laughing. "Apparently, I did too."

Chris loses it. "That was a good one. Let's go fight his dad off."

We get to the palace and I realize, I am sad. I liked holding his hand. I'm sure his girlfriend didn't like that though. Jax meets us at the door. He smells different. Mike steps dead in his tracks and stares at him.

Cyrus smiles. "I'll get the door since they forgot how to open it."

"Thank you."

Mary is standing there with Drogon and his parents. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry."

They are dressed fancy. I'm in shorts and a tank top. I think I missed something.

Clayton grabs my arm and pulls me with him. "Mom, we're starving. Mike didn't make us a 12-course breakfast."

"You had eggs. You won't die." Mike rolls his eyes.

Cyrus shakes his head. "Breakfast will never be the same again."

"Just go eat lunch. You're all going to be fine." Mike points. "Go."

Dad comes around the corner. "What's going on?"

"Mike brought the children home hungry. Let's eat now before they starve." Mary gestures to Drogon's parents. "This way please. We have only minutes left before they shrivel and cease to exist."

"Thank you for understanding, mom."

She rolls her eyes, and we go to the dining room.

I sit between Mike and Conner. Food gets brought out right away thanks to Clayton.

Storm looks at Mike. "Did you figure out what you wanted?"

Mike smirks. "Yea."

"Good. Now can he escort her to the ball?"

Dad rubs his face and looks at Mike. "It's only a ball. It's not marriage."

Mike smiles. "That's true."

"So he can take her?" Storm stares at him.

"That's not my decision to make."

I smile and Chris chokes. Clayton smacks him on the back. "Shut up. It's getting good."

Everyone looks at Storm.

He takes a deep breath and looks at me. "After the display yesterday, you need to take him. If you don't, people will talk."

"They might call me names like feral." I eat a tomato.

"They will say worse."

"Like I'm corrupting their son?" He shakes his head. "What then? I'm a w***e because I kissed someone?"

"They will say you're easy."

"Easy to get a date with? That's probably true. I like going out. If someone asks me, I try to say yes. I'm not going to say no because of someone's rank or title. I'm not that shallow. I like to get to know people."

Chris nods. "And she has to go out. She still has 2 missing mates."

"They will talk behind your back."

"They're going to do that anyway."

"It will get worse."

I crack up laughing. "Stop. Your hand is played out. You lost. Stop offering your son to be my savior. He's not. Do you have another hand to play?"

"The people want to see you with him."

"The people, or just you?"

"This is ridiculous. I'm trying to help you."

"Help me? I don't need your help. Can you offer anything else?"

He pulls out a checkbook. "Fine. How much will it cost me?"

I crack up laughing. "I don't want your money. I don't need your money."

"What do you want?"

I sit back and smile. "The truth. And now I have it. You're like everyone else with money. Trying to buy the title. Trying to buy forgiveness. Trying to buy loyalty. Some things can't be bought. I'm one of them. Choose your next words carefully."

He leans back in his chair and puts his checkbook away. "I'm done."

"Thank you." I take a drink of water. "As for the date request. I appreciate the offer, but I am going to decline. I have planned to go with Mike since I was invited, and I'm not changing my plans."

Mary smiles at me. "That's perfectly understandable. It's quite the last minute now. It's less than a week away. I'm sure everyone has their dates chosen."

"Oh shit." Clayton pulls out his phone.

"Her name is Eleanor."

"Thanks." We crack up laughing as he texts her.

Mary nods. "Almost everyone. Bring me wine."

"Yes, ma'am."

Chris smiles. "Glad that's settled. But one more thing. Drogon, your girlfriend is pissed. You might have to buy her a necklace or something."

Mike fixes his jacket. "I would be pissed too, if the father of the man I was dating paid me to record my boyfriend cheating on me. So, he could get some more time on the news."

"WHAT?" Drogon's mom jumps up.

"1k for a 5-second video of the princess kissing the delta of the winter moon pack." Mike stands up and helps me up. "We're done here."

His mom starts yelling at the top of her lungs. She is pissed. Mike pulls me into the hallway.

"You forgot to mention that, love."

"Sorry, but you were all hungry and I didn't know how to bring it up. We need to get dressed up though. There's a garden party today."

I hug him and don't let go.

"It'll be ok, babygirl. We'll find them. I promise. And they'll love you for who you are."

I shake my head. "2 is enough."

He keeps his arm around me, and we go to my dressing room.