Royally Rebellious: An arranged royal romance (Resplendent Royals Book 1)

Chapter 29

Celeste did her best to separate us. I longed to keep up this back-and-forth of attending engagements with Rick, but it was not to be. Celeste ensured we were assigned separately most of the time. Going out with my future husband was a rare treat. She said it “preserved the mystery” but I doubted her reasoning.

Matters became further complicated when his sister-in-law announced her first pregnancy only two weeks after we landed in Neandia. She had complications very early on. When she landed in hospital, Rick’s father requested that he return to Lundhavn to help them manage engagements. Marie was the social butterfly. She was the one people wanted. And, as I well knew, Mikkel was dreadful before a public audience without her.

Rick would come back to Neandia occasionally, but we never had much time together. I didn’t fault him. Nor did the girls. We knew he was taking care of his family. We admired him for it. However, the house was lonely without him. Rick was teaching the girls how to waltz. So, since Asti and I had gotten quite good at it, we continued this. I spoke with him on the phone daily. Everything about our relationship felt surprisingly normal.

The girls and I busied ourselves with royal wedding planning. Odette took great pride in putting things together and planning out “looks” for everything from flowers to colours to motifs. She even helped me choose our wedding march and monogram. Rick cared not what I picked there. He trusted me. He would always joke that I could put him in a pink tuxedo, and he would simply arrive and do the thing. It was our agreement, but it was also just Rick. He had no interest in micromanaging wedding plans and otherwise loathed being home and alone, having adjusted to Neandia.

Rick arrived back in Neandia for good a month before the wedding. He returned this time with his parents. Mikkel and Marie were still grounded, but Karolina and August were free to travel. Neandia hosted a state dinner for the King and Queen. It doubled as our engagement celebration, tripling as Rick’s birthday night, and quadrupling as my official coming-out party.

To prepare, a designer prepared a beautiful red dress—the prettiest I had ever seen. It sparkled in the light. It was a traditional ballgown, but the bodice was the most age-appropriate thing I had ever worn. And, to top it off, Rick”s family presented me with the most spectacular tiara—a traditional gift for a royal bride. It was the first time I had worn a tiara, and I was still getting used to the weight and pain of it boring into my skull.

Astrid and I prepared for the evening with a long bout of hair and makeup. The girls little joined us, bubbling with excitement. God, I loved to see us all so happy together! It filled my heart in the biggest way. I dismissed them while I took a moment to soak up everything I felt. I also needed to do the thing I needed to do every day now. I grabbed the package of birth control pills I hid inside a hollowed-out book on my bedside table. It was brilliant to give the old bat the middle finger. I was now a warrior for my cause—and that of my sisters—and this was another step. I was called more every day to take charge.

All a-dazzle, I reported to the line-up by the ballroom to lead in the rest of the family on Rick’s arm. It was the first time we had spoken all day. As I raced down the hall with Astrid, I found him there with his parents trying to ignore Celeste. He looked bored but dashing in a tuxedo that brought out his shoulders. I was flustered thinking about him.

Rick’s eyes met mine. He did a double-take. I still wondered why he saw me attractive enough to bother with. I knew I wasn’t his type as he preferred thin, leggy brunettes. If you did some research and saw the women he dated, they all fit that mould. I was curvaceous—something Celeste loathed—and short. I stopped to his right, letting him take me in.

“You look… magnificent,” Rick stammered.

I blushed uncontrollably. I wasn’t sure if he was generally impressed or just surprised I could ever look this good. I didn’t blame him if it was the latter. I was surprised myself.

I said, “Thank you. You also look very nice.”

“Nothing compared to you.”

He gave me a quick kiss. Celeste cleared her throat, annoyed.

“Let us be on good behaviour, shall we.”

“Oh, that’s harmless, Celeste. We’re among family,” August said. “It’s nice to see the two of them happy, isn’t it?”

Celeste feigned satisfaction but it was clear she was irate at Rick”s handsy-ness. Even now he stared at me like I was a steak. I was suddenly the only woman in the room. I wanted to kiss him and do a lot more. I was prepared for it. There was something magical about this evening. I was willing to throw caution to the wind. He’d returned to me like a hero. I wanted to do anything with him. I wanted him to want to do everything to me.

We entered the ballroom and took our seats for dinner next to Celeste and his father. It was customary to sit apart once married. So, this would be the last time we got to do this. It was the first and last—sort of bittersweet. Crammed into this dress, I could not eat much. I saved most of my room for the torte delivered to me at the end of the meal. Rick was in a brilliant mood, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Celeste opted not to give a toast, which was disheartening. I felt a loss. She didn’t care to talk me up. Thankfully, August did.

“I am grateful to Her Majesty and the Dowager Queen for hosting my family today,” he said. “It is wonderful to see our son so happy and making a meaningful commitment not just to his future wife, but to the people of Neandia.”

Many clapped. I looked over at Rick, feeling nothing but adoration. He looked back at me as if we were alone here.

“Marriage is challenging sometimes but always rewarding. There are more good times than bad. You both will learn from one another as you go, but you can always rely on one another. Rikard, support her. That is your job. You are her right hand. Alexandra, ask for help when you need it. You do not walk alone.”

I nodded.

“We are very excited to be back here next month for all the festivities. But now, let us toast them. May this month go as smoothly as it can.”

People raised their glasses to say their declarations of best wishes. Skol was the Lundhavian choice. Santé rang out from the Neandians. We sipped and stared at one another. It was a surprise to make it here. I wondered where the time had gone—finding myself deliriously happy in the meantime.

After dinner, Rick and I danced a beautiful waltz. It was a test run for the wedding. I was impressed at how well I was doing.

“You look so beautiful, Alexandra,” Rick said as we stepped across the floor. “Really and truly. I would like to do far more than I am permitted to do at the moment.”

I shook my head, unable to stop blushing.

“You want me to, though.”

“I… I do, but… I cannot speak of it here,” I protested.

“We will… chat… later.”

“Uh-huh,” I agreed like an idiot.

My heart soared.

It would happen! We would be together in every way. Everything else could wait until we’d done all the things. It was worth the risk suddenly. All the dreams of what I had desired came to mind as he dipped me and pulled me back in. Our bodies seemed closer than before. The music ended and we parted ways. I only got a moment to catch my breath before August cut in.

“Alexandra, could I have a dance?”

“She’s all yours,” Rick patted his father’s shoulder.

I nodded. “Of course.”

We picked up again. Around and around we went. He was a good dancer, though not as light or nimble as his adept son.

“I am so happy this worked out. And you… you are more than we could ask for, Alexandra—for Rick and the family.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I am fine.”

“It takes a brave woman to willingly engage in press intrigue. And you must love him to go along with everything so quickly. I almost didn’t believe him.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

His words confused me.

“Just the cover-up. That you would be willing to go to the mat for him to cover up the affair.”

“What?” I asked, more confused.

“The affair. He had an affair. Your wedding is saving us from the press coming after him. You agreed to?—”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

I cut him off, not wanting to hear anymore. I held it together by a thread as the song ended. Cover up? Did Rick use me all this time? An affair? With whom? My brain scrambled; my limbs suddenly fell lip. I wandered off the floor and took a seat. I stared back at the floor to see Rick going around with Astrid now. I wanted to smack him. I hated that he was with her. Was he more interested in Astrid than me?

It was as if everything was suddenly a lie. The happiness and adoration we shared only an hour before was gone. All peace left me. No longer did I want to crawl in bed with him. No longer did I want to kiss him or say sweet things. I didn’t want him to be sweet or to dote. I wanted none of that. I had no choice but to power through this and move along. The mission was freedom.

I wasn’t here to fall in love or forsomething romantic. I focused again on the end goal I previously identified. It would be enough.