The guards positioned outside of Dusty’s room were not ones she recognized. She smiled to each of them but was met with indifferent looks as the door to the suite was opened. Dusty was sitting inside, currently engrossed in a book, with paper and an inkwell beside him. He looked up as she entered and smiled.

“What do you think?” He asked motioning to the room. “It’s too big isn’t it? I asked them to give me a smaller room, but they refused.”

“Well you are someone of importance now.”

“Did you need something?”

“I want to go find my sister,” Angelica said.

Dusty smiled. “I assumed you would.”

“But I can’t do that yet.”

“I don’t-”

“No matter how many books you’ve read, nothing will quite prepare you for life in the palace, and you can’t really afford to make any beginner mistakes at this point, can you?”

Dusty studied her for a moment. “No, I really can’t.”

“I am going to stay and help; at least until the naming ceremony. My sister is out there looking for me, and she will hear the news of my return on the back of the news of a new Heir, which has to get out before the ceremony. If she hasn’t returned by then, then I will go to look for her.”

“I admit you’ve surprised me. I assumed you would run off as soon as you got your feet under you again.”

“I trust my sister in her situation more than I trust you in yours.” Angelica grinned. “Now having an advisor is all well and good, but you also need someone to keep track of your schedule, someone who can make meetings for you, be a sort of filter for all of the people who will want to talk to you.”

“And you want to do this?”

“Oh by the Heaven, no. The person who is best at it is currently serving my father, but I am sure there are some others who are eager to show their skills. Jeffery will know names better than I.”

There was a knock and a servant appeared. “Princess Angelica, your father wishes an audience with you.”

“Thank you. I will go to him then.”

The woman nodded and disappeared.

“Hm, I wonder what more they can have to say.” She sighed.

“Miss Angelica…” Dusty started.

She turned.

“Thank you.”

“I haven’t really done anything yet.”

He laid his hand on her arm and leaned forward, kissing her cheek. “I still appreciate it.”

Angelica looked down to hide the blush across her cheeks, and then hurried from the room.

The servant was waiting just outside Dusty’s room, and she escorted Angelica to her parent’s chambers. They were both propped up on comfortable chairs, dressed more casually than when they were in the throne room, but still fancy enough to be a bit daunting.

“It’s good to see you Angelica,” Her Father said.

Angelica nodded, looking from one to the other. They were both smiling, and oddly enough even her mother had no venom in her gaze. It was unsettling.

“I want to apologize about what I said when you returned. Things were so stressful with both of my daughters being spirited away from me.”

“What you said about Mother not being my mother…”

“Forget it, dear,” Her mother said. “What matters now is that you’re safe at home where you belong.”

“Home…”

“You’re probably hungry. Let’s order a snack,” Mother said. She snapped and a servant appeared. “Bring some fruit and drinks.”

The servant bowed and disappeared quickly.

Her father cleared his throat. “Of course, with Penelope gone, you are now the eldest child. That means you will inherit the throne.”

“Dusty is the Heir.”

“Oh of course.” He waved his hand. “I meant the Eldership. It also means that you will be the one to marry Kenneth Hethal.”

Kenneth. It had been so long since she had thought of him. Not since a fleeting dreams that he would come and rescue her from the evil demon who had kidnapped her. Dylan; what a jerk.

“He will be arriving in the next few days. Of course we’ll have to put off the wedding until after this silly ceremony. He’ll go back with us to the Manor where we’ll have the wedding.

Wedding. The word pounded loudly in Angelica’s head.

“This is agreeable, is it not?”

“I’m feeling really tired. So much has happened today. Do you mind if we continue this discussion tomorrow?”

Her father looked angry for a moment, then nodded. “Of course. Rest well.”

Angelica went back to her room. Wedding, to Kenneth? And she would be Elder. Well it all would not matter when Nell came back. She could not mention that to her parents. Bringing up their missing first born would only upset them, but she could not agree to marry Kenneth if her sister was going to come back. She lay down wondering how she could handle this, but as soon as she lay down her head her thoughts drifted away into sleep.