"So, what was wrong with Maddie?" asked Matt as he looked at Annie as Maddie was idly on her phone as they were in the longue next to their rooms.
"She was sad" said Annie as she sighed and she looked at Matt in sadness.
"Why?" asked Matt as he looked at Annie.
"*Sigh*, Well we were talking in the morning, and somehow we started to talk about the King and Queen, and Maddie got upset because she said that the King looked at her in a unfair way" said Annie.
"How does she know that he did?" asked Matt as he looked at Annie.
"She said that she had seen that look many times" said Annie.
"The look of disdain" said Annie as she sighed.
"Because she is Azazel's daughter?" asked Matt as Annie nodded her head.
"She still seems pretty upset to me, even though she's trying not to let it get to her" said Annie as she looked at Maddie and she looked back at Matt.
"Well they should know that Maddie has the kindest soul, she is nothing like her father, far from it" said Matt.
"I know that… and I know that she tries to much not to let it bother her but… it still does" said Annie sadly.
"Hey earth to Matt and Annie" said Maddie as she snapped her fingers and both Annie and Matt turned to look at her.
"Do you really think that I don't know your guys are talking about me?" asked Maddie as she laughed, it was obvious that they were, with the way they were both looking at each other with their contemplating expressions on their faces.
"Sorry Maddie" said Annie sadly.
"No need to be sorry, next time just involve me, I could use some roasting" said Maddie as she laughed and Matt laughed.
"You know, it's funny the way you say you could use some roasting, and yet when we do roast you, you get all defensive" said Matt as he laughed.
"That is because I never stand down, because that only makes you weak" said Maddie as she smiled proudly.
"You know, you aren't weak at all Maddie, far from it, you are the strongest person I know" said Annie as she smiled.
"Awww Annie, that warms my heart, I feel like dying" said Maddie as she had never heard anyone say something this sweet to her.
"Please don't die, I don't know how to revive you" said Matt as he laughed.
"Oh haha, very funny Matt" said Maddie as she rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, no need for you guys to talk about me secretly" said Maddie as she laughed.
"I am over the whole thing already" said Maddie.
"Are you sure Maddie?" asked Annie.
"Of course I am, everyone is free to think whatever they want, you can't please everyone… believe me, I have tried, and it gets you nowhere, you just end up getting hurt yourself" said Maddie as she smiled.
"You are right about that" said Matt.
"Besides, I have you guys, my best friends, and also Curtis, but don't tell him I said so, before he gets even more big headed than he already is" said Maddie as she laughed and Annie and Matt laughed.
"I will be fine, as long as I don't see that blondie for a long while" said Maddie as she relaxed and she smiled.
"I doubt you will, he should be back soon" said Matt as he laughed.
"Oh I hope not" said Maddie as she shook her head.
"Speaking of which, where is Curtis anyway?" asked Matt.
"He must still be in the library" said Annie.
"What exactly is he looking for anyway?" asked Maddie.
"I have no idea, he hasn't told me anything about that yet" said Annie.
"Oh well, you know how Curtis is, he will tell us when he finds what he is looking for" said Matt.
"Yes, you are right about that" said Annie as she seemed to be thinking.
…
Curtis sighed, at this rate, he would have to go through every single book in this library before he could find what he was looking for.
"I really am getting nowhere any time soon" said Curtis as he closed a book, and suddenly he heard the door of the library open as he heard footsteps as the person walked into the room.
"Yes" said Curtis as he looked up as he saw Steven who was standing in front of him.
"I come on behalf of the Queen, she asks if everything is to your liking" said Steven seriously as he looked at Curtis.
"Yes, everything is to my liking" replied Curtis plainly, he knew that he would be watched in the Castle, but he had no powers, so he could not tell if mirrors were placed in the library to monitor him, which was why he was being very discrete, he made sure not to say anything that would lead to unnecessary suspicion.
"She is glad that everything is" said Steven.
"She says that if you need anything at all, you are more than welcome to ask from her" said Steven.
"Please tell the Queen that I thank her for her kindness and generosity" said Curtis as he smiled.
"I will" said Steven as he nodded his head and he turned around to walk away as the huge library doors closed behind him with a thud.
Curtis knew that the Royals were suspicious, and that they knew there was something wrong with Annie's powers, they were the King and Queen after all, and yet they kept quiet, he wondered what they were all playing at, especially King Albert, he was not discrete was his dislike for the Greys.
"As they say, we are all being watched, and the watchers are actually the watched" said Curtis to himself as he turned back to focus on the books, by now, there was a large pile of all the books he had skimmed through on his right, but he was going to keep on going, he knew that he would find it soon.
…
"Mother you called for me?" asked Ollie as he sighed and he smiled and he walked to where his mother was sitting as she was sitting in a white armchair with a cup of tea in her hands as she looked down the large window into the garden, she loved the view of the Garden.
"Yes Ollie, where have you been?" asked Christina as she smiled and she turned to look at Ollie as he smiled and he sat down across her.
"Well Father asked me to attend a High Council with him" said Ollie as he sighed, he found those meetings boring, he did not find the matters they were discussing interesting at all, and yet, he had to sit through it like the mature Prince his Father wanted him to be.
"Oh that Father of yours" said Christina as she laughed.
"And where is he now?" asked Christina.
"He had another meeting after that, but he did not let him go with him, apparently it is confidential" said Ollie as he made air quotes with his fingers.
"I have told him to let you be, but he just does not listen does he?" asked Christina as she laughed.
"Anyway, how was touring the Castle with your friends Ollie?" asked Christina as she smiled, she had not seen her son so happy as he was right now, it made her very happy, she could tell that he was often lonely in the Castle.
"It was very wonderful mother" said Ollie as he smiled.
"We went to the training grounds, and well Mother, can you believe that they did not know what a shadow guard was" said Ollie as he was still surprised.
"They didn't??" asked Christina as she was also surprised, who didn't know about a shadow guard?
"Yes mother, they didn't" said Ollie as he smiled.
"Well Ollie, you have to consider that they did not grow up in our realm, so it would make sense why there are some things that they don't know about" said Christina as she smiled.'
"Mother did you know that Matt is a Prince" said Ollie.
"Really now?" asked Christina as now this was getting interesting.
"From which Kingdom?" asked Christina.
"His Father is the Prince of the Vampire Realm, his Grandfather is King Henry" said Ollie as he explained.
"What a small realm we live in" said Christina as she smiled.
"Yes Mother" said Ollie.
"So Mother, what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Ollie as he smiled.
"I just wanted to tell you not to mind your father my child" said Christina as she smiled.
"He might seem cold, and difficult, which he is, but he loves you" said Christina as she smiled.
"I know Mother, but if only he would show it sometimes" said Ollie as he smiled.
"My Ollie, you know some people just are not blessed with out kind heart" said Christina as she laughed and Ollie laughed as well.
"Just be yourself Ollie" said Christina as she smiled.
"Yes Mother, thank you mother" said Ollie as he smiled and Christina winked at him happily.