Chapter 41: Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War

~Louis~

She was absolutely gorgeous. Easily the most beautiful woman in the room, Malia stole every woman's glow from them and exuded it from herself.

The crowd awaiting a speech from my aunt, Henry's mother,  fell into a silence that made me wonder if I was the only man in the room, but a quick look around at all the appreciative glances the men were giving her I was quickly proven wrong.

Why she was even in attendance and with my snake of a cousin was beyond me but that didn't matter. What mattered in that moment was only her, and the look that she gave me when she saw who my guest was.

She seemed jealous if her glare was any indication, but what she didn't realize was that Lizzie was one of my cousins and I treated her like my little sister.

I wanted to make my way to her and explain everything but I couldn't do that in the midst of everyone we were trying to fool, so I had to stand there and stare at her as everyone else ogled my girlfriend.

I let Lizzie know I was going to grab a drink and she wandered off to find some of her friends from school, allowing me to have a moment to myself.

I quickly pulled my phone out and didn't have any messages from her but I sent her a quick question mark before putting it away as my aunt Mary began making her rounds through the room.

"Louis, dear, I thought you were with Lady Spencer?  How did my son end up bringing her tonight?"

Aunt Mary was always so kind, so the fierce snarl on her face was unexpected, to say the least.

"We...had a falling out.  I suppose Henry held a torch for her as well."

"Ah, well, if they ever part ways, just know that I was rooting for the two of you.  The press can be so awful but I spoke with your mum and she told me the real gossip."

We laughed and I slowly backed away from the conversation to keep from having to relay information about my love life to my aunt and I found myself hovering near the back closer towards the kitchen that was steadily cranking out hors d'oeuvres as if the wait staff lives depended on it.

"What?  Daniel, no..."

I caught the tail end of a conversation and heard the distress in Malia's voice.  I followed it outside to a patio table and Daniel was standing far too close to Malia for my comfort, but I allowed the scene to play out.  I knew she could handle herself but I would intervene if it looked like she needed help.

"But why not?  I'm back, and I still love you, and-"

"But I don't love you!  I'm sorry, I just don't.  I'm in love with someone else, and you've just been a ghost to me."

I felt like a violator sneaking up on their private conversation, but as I turned my head to round the corner and disappear, a sly smirk on my face from hearing Malia finally declare her feelings for me, I ran into Henry who had apparently also heard the conversation.

"My my...I was beginning to wonder how long it would take for one of you to 'spill the beans', so to say."

Malia looked up from where she was partially hidden by a parlor table and tall backed stool and as soon as her eyes met mine, I knew she was going to be angry with me for spying on her intimate conversation.

She didn't seem all that put off as she joined me at my side and Daniel followed suit, although he stood behind Henry like a good little guard dog.

"Henry, Louis, what's going on?"

"Well, since it seems rather unlikely that you have fallen in love with me in the space of twenty-four hours, the two of you have been lying to everyone, and for what reason I am astounded because you led me to believe you were available, Lady Spencer."

Henry's voice was royally pissing me off, pun intended, and I wanted so badly to punch his annoying face in.

"You were spying on our conversation?"

Malia was seeing red, and I'd only seen her extremely pissed off a handful of times, and it wasn't a pretty sight.

"Of course, but I wasn't the only one.  Direct your anger towards the man you're 'in love' with as well."

Malia turned to me with a look that promised I would hear her wrath later but before anything else could be said, the sound of a microphone turning on echoed throughout the ballroom and Henry's face lit up with a smile that looked out of place on his usually angry facade.

"That's my cue!  Hope you all enjoy the show."

He turned on his heel and headed towards the podium where his mother was waiting for him, and I'd never been more happy to see that weasel walk away from me.

The clearing of a throat turned my attention back to Malia and her simmering anger.  This would be fun.

***

~Malia~

Louis and Henry had been eavesdropping on my conversation with Daniel, and while I didn't particularly appreciate the spying, I didn't mind that Louis had overheard my declaration of love for him when it came to Daniel.

His eyes had been pleading with me to feel the same way about him as he did about me, but I couldn't even bring myself to sugarcoat it.  He had left, and I thought he was dead.  He truly was a ghost to me, and I didn't need Louis to tell me that.

Louis looked nervous as he probably thought I was going to give him the third degree for spying, but I couldn't even bring myself to be angry at him.

I looped my elbow through his and smiled at his confused aura.

"You're not mad at me for-"

"Nope.  Just don't do it again," I said, lacing humor into my tone and he relaxed as we began listening to Henry's mother speak, Daniel standing dutifully beside the family like the guard he was hired to be.

A creeping sensation began trailing from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet and I suddenly felt nauseous.

I felt as if someone was watching me, eyes trained on me from every corner of the room. I trembled in anticipation but couldn't tear my eyes off of the stage.

"Welcome everyone and thank you for attending the annual charity fundraiser!  I know all of you are so gracious to attend and even more so to give back to the communities that need our help now more than ever.  I want to begin by personally thanking her Royal Highness for attending as well."

Applause cascaded around the room and my heart wouldn't stop pounding as if it were about to beat out of my chest.  My forehead grew hot and it felt like a thousand tingles were piercing me, almost like I was getting acupuncture with no needles.

"Are you alright?"

Louis must have noticed my shaking.

"I'm fine, I just...I don't have a good feeling about tonight for some reason."

"I'm sure everything will be fine.  We can leave if you want?"

I was about to say yes when Henry took the microphone.

"Thank you mother for that wonderful introduction.  Now, I'm sure you all are wondering why I am suddenly speaking up when I usually don't have much to do with these events, but I wanted to share a little history lesson with you all."

"What is he doing?"

"I don't know..."

He took center stage and everyone was hushed in waiting for him to continue.

"As you all know, our lovely King and Queen are from the house of Windsor, and while I am directly related to that line as well, I come from the Stuart line.  I come directly descended from Mary Queen of Scots for God's sake!  This country has had a little problem with us Roman Catholics for centuries, though, and that's why my ancestor, the rightful King of England, was torn off the throne and his Protestant daughter was placed there in his stead!"

Henry's mother tried to take the microphone back from Henry but the men manning the stage wouldn't let her.  I noticed a few more men start to trail in and block the exits.  I noticed the queen off to the side trying to leave but her guards were keeping her in place.

Something very strange was going on.

"My family's birthright was ripped away from us, and we figured that it was time to take it back.  I would like to welcome to the stage, Malcolm Henry Stuart, the rightful King of England!"

Frantic whispers began flying around the room and a few people jeered at Henry and I wasn't confused until I remembered that Henry's father had died.

"Wait, is he like clinically insane or something?  I thought his dad was dead..."

The words died in my throat as a man approached the stage in blood red robes.

And the skull of a horse sitting atop his head.

*******

Author's Note:

OMG!!!

Can you believe that happened?

What do you think will happen next?

What do yo WANT to happen next??

Only THREE CHAPTERS LEFT WHAAAAAT

AND THEN FAME COMES OUT FREAK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until next time my lovely readers,

Kristen :)