EVERYTHING FOR YOU

𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲

Days passed quickly, but Anastasia remembered it like yesterday. Alex's word hurt her, even though she wouldn't admit it. She sat in her room, looking at the wall, her mind full of questions and thoughts. At last, she decided to go after Alex, whenever he may be.

She looked around the whole palace, he was nowhere to be seen. Then it hit her, if he wasn't at home, he must be at Iris' house. Anastasia didn't like the thought of her, but if it will bring the family back together, then fine. She will do it, for her family.

So, there she was, standing in front of Iris' house. She knocked on the door. The next moment Iris was standing there, looking rather angry.

"How can I help you, Your royal highness?" Iris mocked the last words.

"Is Alexander here?" Anastasia replied, trying to be nice to her.

"Alex? Yes, he is, but why do you care?"

"Because he is my brother."

"You sure? As I recall, you were the reason for his problems."

"Iris. Can I speak with my brother?"

"If you have to."

"I do, I really do."

Iris went back into the house. In a few minutes, she was back.

"He is busy."

"What?" Anastasia was really confused now.

"Come back later, or even better, don't come back." Iris was about to close the door, but Anastasia put her foot between it.

"I must speak to him."

"Look, I'm sorry ok? But he is busy."

That was it. Anastasia's temper was broken. She pushed Iris away and went into the house. Soon she found her brother laying on the sofa, in the middle of the living room.

"Alexander."

Alex turned his head around the face the girl, he recognized as his sister.

"What are you doing here?" he was still upset.

"We need to talk. Please."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Alex, please."

"No."

"One question, that's all."

"Fine. What?"

Anastasia took a deep breath.

"What did I ever do to you?"

Alex was shocked. He never expected this question. He couldn't answer it, his heart didn't allow it. Anastasia was still his little sister. Alex regretted the words he said that day, but he never showed that.

"Anastasia, it's complicated."

"Then tell me everything."

"I, I can't-"

"Tell me how to fix it."

"Anastasia, you don't understand."

"Then help me. Come back home with me. Please."

"Stop it. We both know Theodore won't like it."

"He will if you apologize." Anastasia wasn't about to give up.

"He would never forgive me."

"He will if you tell him your side of the story. Please."

Alex for the first time, since Anastasia came, looked at her. She had tears in her eyes. She was doing everything she could to fix their family. He couldn't say no, at least not today.

"Fine. But if someone brings up Iris or Gabriella, I'm out."

"Deal."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How do you know I'm not a mermaid?"

"What?!" Eric choked on his drink from a sudden question.

"What if my father is actually a king of the sea?" Victoria continued

"I've seen your father, he's not the king of the sea." Eric was trying to hide his smile behind a bottle of soda.

"What if I have sisters, who are mermaids too?"

"Where are these questions coming from?" Eric was really confused.

"Well, you're prince Eric, right?"

"The last time I checked, yes."

"So I can be Ariel, a secret mermaid, who gives up everything to be with you."

"Oh, god. Vic, that's a children's book, besides you can talk, Ariel couldn't, she gave up her voice."

"Damn it. You got me."

In the next moment, Anastasia walked into the room, behind her was following Alex. Eric looked at his older brother but did say a word.

"Eric,...Victoria." Alex nodded with his head.

Victoria returned the gesture, Eric didn't. 

"I'm sorry," Alex said out of the blue.

"What for? Hitting me with a chair? Yelling on Anastasia? Destroying our family?" Eric looked at him.

"Eric..." Victoria started,

"No, he is right, It is my fault. I messed it up. First of all sorry for hitting you with a chair, I lost control and my anger got the better of me. I know, I should keep cool, but I just don't know what happened at that moment. It all came back, everything that happened with Gabriella, how she left, because of "personal reasons" and I, I blamed my family for it. I just couldn't accept that maybe the media press was too much or I wasn't "the one" she wanted me to be. When she left, it broke me, I couldn't find a reason for it, so I took the easy way of blaming others. Eric, I'm really sorry, I hope we will be okay again." Alex finished.

The whole room was silent, Eric was just looking at his brother like a mad man, Anastasia couldn't believe what she heard. Everything seems perfect, the apology, the family reunion. Victoria tried to believe it, but there were some things she wasn't buying from Alex. Knowing Iris, she had at least something to do with it, and for Alex, His royal highness prince Alex to just apologize like that, melting everyone's hearts, she didn't buy that either. It was really perfect, far too perfect. 

"I forgive you, welcome back." Eric's words brought Vic back from her thoughts.

Alex and Eric hugged, then Alex and Anastasia continue their way to Theodore, so Alex could apologize to him too. Victoria didn't say a thing, even though she didn't believe Alex for a minute, she still wasn't 100% sure, so it was better not to accuse anyone.

In the evening, Anastasia's family had a family dinner. Everything went well, her father forgave Alex and so did her mom. He was officially back in the family. It felt like nothing ever happened between them.