𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒, Volturi Kings

CHAPTER 23

ANNALISE'S POV

WIth Heelie safe and sound back at home, working his butt off at school, and my mates and I drafting my official coronation that is to come after I marry them, we're packed on time. If I'm being honest, I haven't thought about much of anything other than my family and my job here as a queen in weeks. There's no peace like a wedding, and invites haven't even been sent out to coven houses yet. Well, except to Alexandros'. He'd been in on the proposal, the sneaky bastard.

The unfortunate thing is that besides a select group of people like The Coven That Shall Not Be Named and the remaining Romanians, we must invite everyone. Even the people who Caius cannot stand, and those who Aro is sure will attempt an assassination if they found him alone. Marcus says we have to do it for political reasons, but I can't see why we can't just Barr them from the wedding and let them into my coronation.

Nevertheless, I have too much work on my plate for the 24 hours in the day I have. The wedding is planned for August, when the weather in Volterra should be wonderful. No human attendants, we've made that clear, and it'll be in the castle itself so we can have guards around to make sure no sneaky You Know Who's or Romanians come into the chapel at the West Wing.

I can't believe I left that ink in my office, I scolded myself as I grabbed my black bag. I couldn't do anything official without the right set of ink. Aro's picky and I'm not dumb enough to argue with him about a stupid pot of ink. I need to write the first draft of the invitations, then go over it with Marcus and Caius. The meeting with the dressmaker is next Saturday and the gown should be done in a month or so... What am I missing?

Not shaking the feeling of forgetting an important detail as I casually walked down the hallways towards my freshly painted office space, I said hello to Harb and Demetri, who were carrying a stack of papers I assumed was their weekly load of paperwork. Which reminds me that I have to do all of mine by next Tuesday. There's another trial on Wednesday and then on Friday. We're still mitigating between the Russians and Polish covens over that strip of land in Ukraine. Which also reminds me that if the Russians continue to provoke the Ukrainians we're going to have to get involved.

Too many things to do in a short span of time, that's what I'm trying to get at here.

"Mia Cara, do you have a moment?" Caius said,  putting a startling hand on my shoulder. I'd been too focused on getting that ink that I had no clue anyone had been following me to the office. Turning around to face him, I nodded. "Good. Alexandros was wondering whether or not you'd prefer yellow or white roses for the cake Althaea has offered to make for us?"

"Why must we have a cake when we can't even eat any of it...? Oh right the kids. They'll be eating it for months." I had to think for a few shaky seconds before making my decision, "Well, I suppose some purple flowers would look better with the purple butterflies, so have her do that. And make them lilies instead of roses, please, and preferably in buttercream because Anora despises fondant."

Caius nodded before hurrying away like he always did. I guess that was all he needed to ask me.

After being left alone, I was able to run into my office in order to search for my lost ink. It would be a shame if I'd actually lost it, but I'm sure I left it in the top shelf, as that is where all of the official ink is. I shouldn't have reorganized all of this when I knew that I'd be to busy to memorize where my valuables are. Never doing this again I swear to whatever God or Gods are out there. Never make me do this again and let me have a perfect memory like my mates because if I'm being honest this is the most exhausting thing I've ever done in my entire life why is planning a whole wedding this hard? How do people do this?

I found the ink pot, so back to work.

---

MARCUS' POV