Different

Chapter 2

Nathan

Everyone is rushing around the palace getting it ready for the three picks for my bride to arrive tomorrow. I'm really nervous because my childhood best friend is one of the three girls. She was also my first love. But she doesn't know that, I hope. I do hope that she loves me because I have never stopped loving her. I know, I sound pathetic. Honestly I don't care, though.

"Your father would like to see you, Your Highness." The head butler says and I nod my head at him. That's just great. With us being this close to Gracie being back in the palace, it could be a very unwanted conversation. So I wonder what my father wants to see me about this time.. We walk to my father's study and I knock on the door. I hear my father say 'come in' and I open the door. I walk in his study and look around the room, finding him sitting behind his desk. "You wanted to see me father?" I ask. I literally have no clue on what he could possibly need from me at the moment. I mean there is much that could be talked about and most of it is not the desired topic at the moment.

"Yes." He pauses finishing off whatever he was working on. "I wanted to talk to you about Gracie." I tense up. Gracie has always been a touchy subject between us, hence why it is not a desired topic. "I'm glad you know who I am talking about." What is he going on about? Of course I would know who he is talking about and I know he knows that. Like how could I forget my best friend and first love. This man must be losing his marbles. We also have talked about her many times, especially since we literally watch security footage everytime she is on the move again since she was fifteen.

"What do you have to say about her?" I ask kind of defensively.

"Gracie has been through a lot. She lost her father and us all at the same time. I was talking to her mother a couple of weeks ago." I hold my breath. Her mom hardly ever talks to my father anymore unless there is something we need to know about Gracie. "It's not good, son. She also lost her sister when she was twelve along with her brother in law because of certain things her sister did, the speeches. You know how some people are in this country because of Parliament. She also warned me that Gracie has been fighting depression lately and has been more reluctant being separated from her family even if it is for her speeches. Gracie doesn't really like us right now and her mother wouldn't tell me why. Overall, just be careful around her." I release my breath. We both know why she doesn't like us.

"Father, you know I would never hurt her on purpose." He gives me a sad look that says everything, 'I know I was the one that caused her pain'. However we both knew we had to stop. More so him than me. "She still doesn't know, does she?" He nods. It is sad that she still doesn't know about a part of her.

"You should go to your room and get some rest. The girls will be here tomorrow and you have to get up early."

"Goodnight, Father." I walk out and into my room. I honestly can't believe that Gracie still doesn't know about a part of her or that she is hurting so much. I get ready for bed and read a book. I am not a huge reader, but I have to read it because my father said I had to. I am always having to read something new for my father. Why does he want to torture me? Oh, wait because I need to learn everything about my country. I fall asleep dreaming about what is to come in the next two weeks.

I wake up and get ready for breakfast with my family. I am so nervous about seeing Gracie today. I will meet all three girls right before dinner and then we will go eat dinner in the Great Hall with my family. We will have most meals with my family, however, there will be a few that aren't with my parents. I know I will have spend time with all three girls, though I won't be spending much one-on-one time with them, however, they don't know that. I don't want to spend one on one time with the girls, besides Gracie, because the other girls are about to be some... girls of noble blood who have no experience in the real world. Yes, that is the nicest way to put it. But I will not be able to spend a lot of one on one time with Gracie either because this is going to be a very quick moving thing and I still have other work to do while they are here. I am actually happy about that because I already know who I am going to pick. I think this is more for Gracie's benefit than anything else. I think my dad wants her to get reconnected with me and actually think I am really considering the other girls and not just picking her right off the bat. I finish getting ready for breakfast and walk to the sitting room downstairs. "Good morning. Mother, Father, Annoying Brothers." I say as I sit down at the table and look at my little sister. "Good morning Nancy. How is my favorite sister doing?" She giggles. I love her little giggle. My parents adopted her when she was just a few months old about three years ago so she is three years old, well close to four and she is so smart. My brothers are twenty-two, twenty and sixteen years old. My oldest brother is also adopted, my parents thinking they would never be able to have kids. But then they had my other older brother. Neither of them are eligible to have the crown, well eligible is the wrong word. My oldest brother isn't because he was adopted and they were going to try to make a way for him to become king but then my older brother was born and that changed. However, my older brother is gay and for some reason that eliminates him from being an heir, we still love him though and support him. My oldest brother doesn't even want the throne. Most people have kind of forgotten about him and he couldn't be more thrilled about that. He is a very quiet guy and is very observant. So the throne is meant for me since I am the oldest eligible child. "Silly brother, I am your only sister." Nancy says cutely, pulling me out of my thoughts.