She's My Queen

Chapter 20: Revelations

         Groggily, I push myself off the ground and stand up. "What the hell?" I gasp as I stare down at what I am wearing, a pure white floor length gown with lace sleeves. I pick at the pearls embedded in the bodice of the gown and whisper, "Is this a...wedding gown?"

         "Your royal highness!" The knocking gets louder, more impatient. "Your royal highness? Are you alright?"

        "Um...wait...I'm f-fine," I stammer as I try to step towards the door and stumble over something hard thats blocking my foot. Glancing down, I find a notebook lying on the ground before me.

         Wait...I recognize that dark, indigo cover...It's...

        "Catherine's diary," someone whispers into my ear. I jump, nearly screaming.

         "Reeelax...It's me."

          I gasp, turning around to face Calchantis. He is sitting crossed legged on the windowsill, staring at me with his cat like green eyes.

         He smooths his hair back with the palm of his hand and squints at me. "It really is you," he muses, not sounding surprised.

       "Am I...am I really back?" I can't help the sudden burst of excitement filling my chest.

     Calchantis nods. "I think that's pretty obvious. The question you should be asking is why."

     "We can figure that out later. There's something-no. Someone I must see." Grinning, I head towards the door.

     "Natalie, don't."

     "I'm going to find Edward.

     "I said," Calchantis roars, "DON'T!"

     I turn around slowly, shocked by his sudden outburst. I raise an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

    "You're not seeing him again."

    "I am. Seeing him again."

    "You'll only mess things up."

     I cross my arms and glare at Calchantis. "You don't know that."

   "Well, he will if you stay."

  "He will? Wait...what?"

   Calchantis sighs and hops off the windowsill. "The night you went back, everything changed. I could see his future. He was married. Had children."

  "And now?"

 "This morning, I had a vision. There was a lot of blood. He was dying."

 "How do you know if it has anything to do with me?"

 "You still don't get it, do you?" Calchantis sighs heavily. "You're not the right person for him."

 I grit my teeth. "I don't believe that. You don't have any concrete proof that my being here will harm him. The only thing I trust right now is my feelings for him."

  "He's getting married."

  That's when I remember the wedding dress. My heart sinks. "What's going on?"

 "I want you to read this," Calchantis picks up Catherine's diary and hands it to me, " and then decide what you want to do. Also, remember that I did everything for Edward.Princess Catherine is the right person for him."

 My heart sinks as I flip open the diary to the most recent page.

I'm falling deeper and deeper in love with him. But I feel so so guilty for lying. Will I have to live the rest of my life as someone else?

I turn back a few pages, skimming through Catherine's elegant handwriting.

Should I tell him the truth?

I turn more pages. 

              Will he still love me if he knows I'm not Natalie?

Another page.

              He calls her name in his sleep....

              "She's...." I drop the diary on the bed, stunned, "pretending to be me?"

——————-

Night after the meteor shower. (Real Princess Catherine is back) 

            "He's very dashing, isn't he?" Calchantis asks princess Catherine. She is perched on the edge of Edward's bed. He's been sleeping for a day after taking the sleep potion. 

            The princess blushes. "Yes, very much so."

            Edward groans and murmurs a name.

            "What is he saying?"

            "Natalie."

            Princess Catherine's heart drops for a moment. "The girl...who was here? He loves her?"

             "Yes."

             "I shouldn't have left..." the princess whispers, staring at the gorgeous face of her fiancé. How would she have known that she would fall for him at first sight? If only she had met him first before deciding to leave!

             "It's written in the stars..." Calchantis sighs.

             "What is?"

              "Their love for each other. It's their fate. Very beautiful yet tragic."

               "Why tragic?"

               "If they stay together, it will cost him his life."

                She gasps. "And if he is with me?"

               "Then all will be well."

                Smiling, she takes Edward's hand into hers, stroking it. "Good thing we're getting married."

                "You have to pretend to be her."

                 "Why?"

                 "Like I said. It's their fate. He's the love of her life. And she is his. He will never love you."

                 "But I cant possibly live my life as someone else..."

                  "Do you want to marry him?"

                  "Yes," she replies immediately.

                  "Then that's the only way."