Majesty Castle

Matthew sat on the edge of the bed looking down at his pouting wife. “Don’t look at me like that. Please?”

“Sorry,” she said lowly. “I know it’s important that you go do whatever it is you are doing, but I still wish that I could be important enough for you to stay.”

Matthew seemed a little annoyed by her comment. He set his hands on the top of his thighs and tried not to show his annoyance. Clearly he didn’t explain well enough to her about his mission. “Allegra, I need you to understand that I am doing this because you are important to me. I’d go so far as to say that you are the most important person in my life. I thought you understood that when I told you last night that I love you.”

“Sorry.” Her face flushed pink with embarrassment.

“Don’t be. I know it’s not easy, but if you are patient and play along like I asked you to, this will be over soon and I wont have to leave you anymore.”

“Are you upset with me?”

He shook his head and leaned over her. “Not a chance.” He pecked her lips and sat back up. “While I’m gone, I don’t want you going anywhere alone. Always make sure there is someone with you. Preferably Jimmy or Zacky.”

Allegra looked up at him confused. From the time they had arrived back at the castle, he never gave her a reason to believe she wasn’t safe until now. “Why?”

“Because I am asking you to do so.”

“Ok.”

“I have to go, but I should be home before dinner.” He leaned over and kissed her again before getting up and walking out the door.

Allegra sat up against the headboard and folded her arms across her chest. If there was any hope of her helping Matthew, she was going to have to step up her game and do some investigating of her own.

**********

Brian stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of slacks and no shirt. His hair was still wet and little droplets of water were running down his chest. Simone was lying on her side in the bed with a sheet covering her as she watched him search through his closet for a shirt to wear.

“Where are you going?”

Brian turned away from the closet to look at her. He smiled and walked over to the bed and got on it lying beside her. “So, sleeping beauty is awake.”

Simone sighed and smiled against the kiss he was planting on her lips. “I’ve got a good mind to tie you to the bed and have my way with you.”

Simone bit Brian’s bottom lip and took it between her lips for another kiss. “You’d like that wouldn’t you?” He asked.

She just smiled and kissed him again in response. It was pure agony for Brian to have to break the kiss. “I have to go out for a while.”

“Where?” She asked.

“Top secret mission,” he smiled. “I do however need you to do two things for me today.”

“Sure, what?” She sat up taking the sheet with her.

“First, I want you to go and get everything of importance from your room and bring it in here. You’re not spending another night in that room.”

“Ok.”

“Do what you want to make the room feel like it’s yours too.”

She smiled at the gesture. “Ok, what is the second thing?”

Brian cleared his throat and had to think for a second on how to broach the subject without hurting her feelings. “Secondly, I need you to eat something today. You’re skinny Sim, too skinny. I felt your ribs through your skin last night. I don’t know why you haven’t been eating, but please eat something for me.”

Simone looked like she was going to cry. “What is it?” Brian asked softly as he touched her cheek.

“Do you know what it’s like to be fat your whole life Brian?”

“Simone, that’s ridiculous. I’ve known you your whole life and you’ve never been fat.”

She shook her head trying to fight off tears. “Tell that to my mother. She watched every bite I ever took. You never said a word when she had a nasty comment if I ate more than I should at dinner. Now she’s even doing it to Allegra.”

“Simone, I’m sorry.”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not your fault. God forbid my mother have an overweight daughter to embarrass her. She would follow me around with a measuring tape to see if I gained weight. I can remember sitting at the dinner table and Luke pinching my leg and telling me I had thighs like a man twice my age and mother laughing. I’m not a freak.”

Brian was furious. “No, you’re not.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. If he didn’t know any better, he would assume that Rosalie was trying to kill Simone by getting her to starve herself to death. “I’ve thought of something else I want you to do today.”

“What is it?” Simone asked resting her head on his shoulder.

“After your brother’s ball, were leaving here. When you get your stuff from your room, I want you to pack anything that you won’t need on a daily basis until we leave.”

“Where will we go?”

He smiled down at her and touched her lips with his fingertip. “I know you aren’t crazy about the place, but we’ll go to the fort until we have a place of our own.”

“Ok.”

“Now, I have to go. Your brother is waiting for me and probably ready to kick my ass for not being on time.” Brian got up off the bed and grabbed a shirt and a pair of shoes. He returned to the bed and kissed her again.

“Promise me you’ll eat today. You need to put some weight on. Especially since after we’re married I’ll expect you to have my children and you can’t nourish a child if you aren’t getting any nourishment yourself. So eat something.”

He got off the bed and walked towards the door. Simone was looking at him a little bit confused. “After we’re married?”

“That’s what I said.” He stood there with his hand on his doorknob. “You don’t think I’m going to let you go now that I have you do you?”

“I –I- well…”

Brian laughed and opened the door. “I love you. I’ll never get tired of saying that.” He blew her a kiss and walked out the door.

Simone was shocked, happy and nervous all at once. Things were happening fast, but Simone knew Brian was the one. She hopped off the bed and went to the bathroom to have a bath. Afterwards, she was going to have Pippa make her the largest breakfast she’d ever eaten.

***********
With Brian and Matthew out of the castle for the day, that left James, Johnny and Zacky. Zacky wasn’t taking any chances with Fawn. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight.
So, that left James and Johnny for Allegra to chose from if she wanted to go riding.

Allegra knew James was busy trying to plan his wedding so she didn’t want to pester him. Johnny was in a world of his own since Etta hadn’t been around so he wouldn’t exactly make for great company.

What harm could there be? Allegra thought to herself as she walked across her bedroom to her closet. She was only going to take Nightmare out for a ride. There was no reason why she would need someone to come with her. She would still be on the grounds of the castle.

What Matthew didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. After putting on her riding clothes, she slipped on a pair of leather riding boots and headed out of her bedroom door. As she walked down the hall she saw Simone dragging a heavy trunk down the hall to Brian’s room.

“What are you doing?” Allegra ask grabbing the other end of the trunk and helping her bring it into Brian’s room.

“Thanks.” Simone said out of breath. “I’m moving all my stuff in here.”

“Really?” Allegra smiled.

“Yes, really. We’re going to be married.”

Allegra practically screamed with delight. “That is just wonderful news!”

“It’s all happening so fast, but I love him and he loves me.”

Allegra smiled. “It’s about time you two admitted it. Funny, Matthew didn’t mention it to me though.”

Simone cringed. “He kinda doesn’t know yet.”

“I see, well I wouldn’t wait to long to tell him. I don’t think he’ll kill Brian. He may give him a black eye or two, but I’m sure he’ll be happy for you after that.”

Both girls laughed. Allegra headed for the door. “I’m going riding, want to join me?”

“No thanks,” Simone shook her head. “I promised Brian I would get this done before he got home today.”

“Well, I guess I’ll see you at dinner then.”

“Yeah,” Simone nodded. “See you at dinner.”

Allegra went to the stables alone and immediately Nightmare lifted his head in approval on seeing her. She pet his mane and gave him an apple slice. “How about some exercise?”

Nightmare nudged her chin with his nose. “Ok, ok,” she laughed and gave him another apple slice.

“Perfect day for a ride, isn’t it?”

Hearing his voice, Allegra turned around to find Luke standing in the archway of the stable smirking as he stood there putting on his leather gloves.