Lady Illea (Lady Illea #1)

Chapter Thirty Five

"Alessa!"

    Ora and I looked back and Will, pulling on a shirt, ran with Godfrey by his side to catch up with us. Ora wiggled her eyebrows and pumped my shoulder. I help onto her arm tighter, trying to keep my balance.

Will gave us a huge smile. "Hello ladies"

"You mean hello Alessandra," Ora's wide grin was so vibrant it became infectious. "I'll just escort my pretty little self back to where the rest of the girls are."

"Not alone, of course" Godfrey gave Will the kind of smile best friends gave each other. "With your permission."

Will clearly used to Godfrey, and his subtly sarcastic and flirtatious manner, rolled his eyes playfully and waved a hand. "God Godfrey"

Ora laughed brightly and adjusted her big hat on her head. "Come on hot stuff you can't keep a young girl waiting"

   Ora winked and Godfrey walked up to her extending his arm. They walked back to the palace arm in arm. When they were out of ear range I turned to Will.

"Isn't she not allowed not to do that?" I asked.

Will shrugged, with his quirked up to one side, and he shrugged. "That is just who she is. I don't intend on changing Ora. I know where her heart is"

     Until that moment I didn't exactly think of Ora being in love, at all, with Will. Ora was just so free spirited. She was flirtatious and bold, always winking at the guards in the hallway and swooning over the gorgeous celebrities the girls indulged in talking about. Ora didn't strike me as the type that agreed with the word love. If I didn't know her any better i'd assume she was just here for the food. And what shocked me even more was whether or not I was annoyed with the idea of her liking Will or not.

 "Changing Ora is like trying to change the weather" I added with a smile.

Will chuckled. "That is true. Now." he crossed his arms. "I believe you owe much lunch on that side of the lake"

I raised my eyebrows at him, wrinkles forming on my forehead. "Wait, you were serious?"

"I'm always serious"

  My heart was beating at the speed of light.

"Had I known you were serious I would not have agreed to the terms, Princy"

  He laughed and the sky opened up wider, the sun blazing with ten times more light then it did before. Oh, what were these strange things my heart was doing? What on Earth was my heart thinking?

"Will, honey!"

  We both looked up and I felt my body tense as the Queen and King walked over. The Queen looked regal in an elegant royal blue maxi dress and the King looked like forever the gentleman in a short sleeved button down and biege pants. I wondered if their crowns were heavy. It must hurt their head, they wear them all the time.

The Queen, with a smile on her face, looked me up and down but the King's face was smooth, expressionless, but not indifferent. Just calm.

"Why, hello" The Queen regarded me with a smile.

   I bowed my head and in a pathetic curtsy greeted her.

"I don't believe we've properly met," The Queen extended her delicate hand and hesitantly, unsure of what to I took it, and she squeezed. "I'm Eadlyn."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty." I replied. "I'm Alessandra."

"Ahhhh" The King gave a kind, knowing look to Will then turned his head to me. "It's a pleasure to meet you darling."

I smiled and he took my hand and kissed it. "I'm Amos"

    Amos was tall with broad shoulders, with honey blonde hair and eyes the color of Will's. Green like a pear with flecks of gold. Immediately I saw the resemblance between father and sun, the same glint to ther eyes, their stance, and deep melow tone.

"It's wonderful to meet you both"

   Ever since Sylvia retired last week and Adsila took over we've been concentrating more on the history of Illea rather than proper ways to speak to the Queen and King.

  I had no idea how to speak to the Queen and King.

    I WAS PANICKING.

"We were about to take Will back to the palace for lunch," King Amos said and I concntrated on a rather interesting tree behind him. "But I take it he's already made previous arrangements."

"No" 

"Yes"

  I looked at Will and he looked back at me. I said no at prescisely the same moment he said yes. We both faced his parents.

"Yes" he insisted at the same moment I said "No"

Will chuckled and I was ready to smack him upside the head. 'What Alessa is trying to say is that no we don't have previous arrangements but yes arrangements have just been made"

Queen Eadlyn smiled in a way that reminded me of Maxon when I met him. "Is that so"

Will nodded firmly, confidently, and comically, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Yes and if you'll excuse us there is lunch awaiting on the other side of the lake"

   The Queen and King chuckled and Amos smiled at me.

"Keep under control, Lady Alessandra" he winked at me. "He tends to behave more around you"

Will's jaw dropped in mocked hurt. "I do very well resent that. I behave in a manor that is completely my own"

"Oh yes, and just the same you're exactly like your father" The Queen smiled at the King and the both gracefully floated away.

  As soon the King and Queen were out of ear shot I turned around and wiggled out Will's grip. I hit his arm hard and he just laughed.

"That hurt"

"Good, I'm glad" I turned around and started making my way back to the palace.

"Wait!" He chuckled. "Come on! I'm serious about lunch"

   I looked behind me and saw him trying to contain his laughter but he couldn't. Alright, alright. I gave in and let him taking my hand, whisking me away to the lake shore.