The Royal Romance

Chapter 2

After packing her bags and leaving her New York apartment and job behind, she finds herself on a plane to Cordonia with Maxwell and Drake. The anticipation coursed through her veins. Just the thought of being able to see Liam again gets her heart thumping and palms sweaty. She's not entirely sure what awaits her, what with this being a competition for his heart.

"Say goodbye to New York and hello to Cordonia!" Maxwell exclaims as we begin to take off.

"I can't believe this is actually happening." Riley starts to fidget with her fingers and stare out the window, watching the city grow smaller.

"Believe it. We'll be landing in a couple of hours, ready or not. And if you're not ready, those ladies at court are going to eat you alive." Drake crosses his arms and glances away from Riley, almost in disgust. She's not sure who put the stick up his ass but she doesn't plan on letting anything stand in her way of seeing Liam again.

"Yeesh, don't scare her, Drake. You okay, Riley?" Maxwell places his hand on her shoulder and she gives him a reassuring smile.

"Honestly... I'm not afraid of anything."

Drake lifts his head up and gives her a scoff. "Heh, We'll see once we land."

"I don't get why you're being so grim about this."

"Look, no offense, but I've seen girls like you come and go. It never ends well. Not for you, not for Liam, not for the royal family."

"Riley's not some crown-chaser!" Maxwell stands in front of her as if he's her big brother protecting his little sister. She feels comforted and safe with him in her corner. Although, she can fight her own battles. She pushes him aside and stares Drake down.

"Drake, I'm different than those other girls. Liam being a prince doesn't matter at all to me"

"That's exactly the kind of naive thinking that's going to land you in trouble."

She scoffs at him and throws on her headphones. She sees out of the corner of her eye that he turns towards his window and is muttering something under his breath. Maxwell goes back to his seat and looks out his window with his face resting on his fist. She eases into her chair and turns up her music.

A while later, Maxwell taps her on the shoulder and she pulls her earbuds out.

"Hey, look! You can see Cordonia out of the window! Riley, you won't want to miss this!"

She quickly glances out to see a beautiful town surrounded by crystal clear water and giant green trees. At the top is the palace, which is big and magnificent. She smiles at the thought of meeting all the wonderful people and getting to know their stories. she also thought about Liam and his responsibilities to this astonishing world.

"That's Cordonia? It's like something out of a fairy tale! The sparkling ocean, the swaying trees-"

"If you burst into song, I'm jumping out of the plane," Drake says, as he turns away from her and covers his eyes with a small pillow.

"I'm just saying it's beautiful." She turns toward Maxwell who is lit up with excitement.

"It is, isn't it? Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." She grins as Maxwell pats her on the back.

One car ride later, Riley steps out onto the grounds of...

"The Royal Palace. Welcome to your home for the next few months, Riley." Maxwell takes her hand as she gets out of the car and gazes at the wonders before her. The palace has gold trim with white and blue colors all around it. It has beautiful intricate designs throughout the whole architecture.