LeonI feel something pull at my hair. Like someone trying to pick a strand of my hair from my head and without thinking too much about it, I swat at the hand over my head but then I hear someone giggling - a familiar giggle and I lift my head sharply.I'm hoping it's her but there's nothing. She doesn't move and my shoulders slump. It's just been twenty four hours and kinda too early for a miracle but I hope one will happen soon."Why do you look so downcast Your Highness?". Joni asks me.I look around the room in shock until I see her sitting on the sofa with a strawberry smoothie in one hand and sandwich in the other."Am I dreaming?". I croak out."Maybe." She laughs.I look her over and see that she's dressed in a white and red polka dot gown with white wedges to match. Her hair is packed up in a loose bun and she's wearing the diamond earrings I gave her for Christmas."You look beautiful." I say."Too bad it's not 14th yet." She pouts. "I wanted to go to that dance.""You can.
Three weeks later Leon Ashes to ashes Dust to dust I'm listening to every other word the priest is saying as he stands in front of Joni's coffin at the cemetery. I finally accepted her wish the next day after she told me to let her go and the ventilator machine was turned off. A little boy of about ten needed a kidney transplant and Joni's kidney matched his so I gave them the go ahead to do the transplant but that was it. She didn't want anyone to have her heart and no one got it. The preparations for her funeral were made and here we are three weeks later... finally putting her to rest. I rise to my feet and move to the front when the priest calls on me to give my speech. I don't have a speech to eulogize her but a song so I sing that thanking her for her love and when I am done, there isn't a dry eye at the cemetery. The priest gives his final speech, prays for her to find a resting place and it's over. I am standing by her coffin staring down at it when I suddenly look up
Andrei's POVI always took pride in being a good friend to my friends, a good brother to my cousin Damien, a good King to the people of Mercia, a good father to my children and a good... in fact wonderful husband to my lovely wife who I loved more than my life but one thing I hated was a backstabbing friend.I always took pride in being able to control my temper whenever I was extremely angry but this time... I don't think I can. Not when I hurt so bad, it felt like my heart wanted to burst out of my chest and explode from the excruciating pain.No, I wasn't involved in an accident but my precious wife and first son were. And it was all thanks to a man who I once considered my friend. A man who I let into my home, treated like family but all the while was working for Arielle's father.Remember her? Princess Arielle of Havindelle? Well, her father didn't accept that his daughter's act of treason wa
There was a kind of excitement in the air that Jonina wasn't feeling. Couldn't feel no matter how she tried. Happiness was a foreign feeling to her and even if it hit her in the face, she wouldn't know it.The kingdom of Mercia was abuzz with excitement. Why? The Crown Prince was coming home after being away for years and yes the citizens were very happy for the Royal family, which was why they had decorated everywhere in anticipation of his arrival.Eleven years ago, he'd been in a fatal accident that had left him paralyzed and the King had sent him away to get better treatment or maybe he hadn't wanted King Elroy of Havindelle to work his charm a second time thus ending the Prince's life for good but either way the announcement was that the Prince was coming home and that was that.
Tomorrow was the Sebastiani quads birthday and hopefully she'd be allowed to attend since the King had invited everyone but most especially the children so the adults really didn't have any business going there."Who am I kidding?." She groaned and shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere."Celestina Samuels had had it out for Joni ever since she set foot in her husband's home and though the girl had never really done anything wrong to offend her, she just simply disliked her and hoped that one day Joachim would get tired of her and finally throw her out.~~~~~Two days laterJoni woke up before the second cock crow and stretched her stiff muscles before she stumbled to her feet, gathered up her makeshift bed and went to drop it in the broom closet by the kitchen.She was always the first to wake up in the house and would have done almost all her chores including preparing breakfast befo
The sun was blazing hot. It was so hot that you could feel your brain short circuiting in your head if you weren't wearing a hat and that was exactly how Jonina felt as she sat on the stool behind the rickety table that held her tray of oranges.Her stepmother didn't want her sitting alone doing nothing at home since she'd banned Joni from going to her store after a robbery incident that was no fault of hers so she'd gotten a space for Joni in the market to sell oranges which wasn't really a lucrative business but Celestina couldn't care less.She hadn't provided Joni with an umbrella to shade her from the sun and rain so sometimes she had to share a large umbrella with the woman next to her but as fate would have it, the woman fell ill and couldn't come to the market so Joni had to sit there in the sun with a thin scarf covering her head and praying for divine intervention."God, I'm so thirsty." She muttered and swallo
"Where are you coming from?". A gruff voice demanded from somewhere on the veranda as Joni tiptoed to the front door.She jumped, startled by the voice that was very much her father's and turned to look at him. He was sitting on his rocking chair, swinging a long cane in his hand. He looked relaxed but she knew he was anything but."Um... I... Erm..." She stuttered."You have exactly three seconds to start talking before I descend on you." Joachim told her."I fainted at the market and... and somebody took me to the hospital." She blurted out."Fainted? Are you pregnant?". His expression was thunderous.
A week laterSetting foot inside of Imperial Heights High school after a month of being away felt like a breath of fresh air. She was thankfully away from Celestina even if it was for a few hours and her step siblings treated her like an outcast in school so she was good to go.Joni stood by her locker and was about to open it after putting in her code when she heard loud noise coming from outside and she sighed knowing what that meant.The Sebastiani triplets had arrived and everyone was happy to see them. Prince Jaxon, Princess Andreina and their sister Princess Annaliese ruled IHHS along with their snotty royal friends like they owned it even if they actually did own the school.Joni breathed through her nose and opened her locker to dump her school bag inside knowing that the bell was going to ring soon for assembly but before she could get around to doing what she had in mind, her locker door