The grand halls of the palace gleamed and shimmered under the dazzling chandeliers that hung from the ceiling as Princess Alexis reluctantly sat down and adjusted her tiara on her head. She'd tried so hard not to attend this dinner party, not to see this damned assholes face but her she was...dressed in a dinner gown, wearing heels and makeup and sitting in front of the king and queen of Valencia, her parents and on the other end of the grand dinner table were the king and queen of Latvia, Vincent's parents.

Even with all the dazzling lights glamorous luxury around her, her thoughts were far away from the present she so much dreaded and despised her parents for. Betrothed to Prince Vincent since childhood, Alexis found herself in a damned royal commitment she was no in way interested in and so much wanted to escaped but had no ideas on how. Vincent on the other hand, remained the indifferent ass he was and continued with his own life.

Alexis' interests and passion lay elsewhere—in the race track and herself, behind the staring wheel of her 1969 Ford GT40. Under the guise of 'Shadow Racer' she'd made a name for herself besides being a princess. She had become Country V's most renowned driver, with a secret awesome collection of high-performance race cars hidden in a secret location. Her older brother and crown prince, Prince Aaron and twin sister, Princess Alice, were the only two people in the world she trusted with her secret as a race car driver.

Alexis returned back to reality hearing the sound of clinking glass, she turned to her father who had a glass in his hand and a fork in the other. He was making a toast to a long-lasting alliance but Alexis wasn't interested so she barely heard a word he heard or what anyone said for that matter. She sighed to 

herself as she took a sip of the wine on the table. This was just absolute bullshit.

"Alexis darling," she looked up to her mother.

"Yes mother," she answered.

"What's the matter? Are you alright?" Alexis mentally face-palmed herself, she didn't know her facial expression was readable, she wasn't interested in anything going on in front of her and if she mouthed that to her mother, her father would get irritated and she didn't want irritated...at least not yet.

"It's nothing I'm fine mother,"

"Well then why don't you and Vincent have a small talk? Get to know each other, your marriage is in a few months,"

"Does this have to have mother?" she asked, ignoring the Vincent and his parents.

"Yes Alexis, it will happen...you and Prince Vincent will get married and solidify our alliance with Country L,"

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in marrying him?! This was an arrangement made when I was just a child, it's not valid now that I can make my own choices mother!"

"Sit down Alexis!" her father thundered. She stayed quiet and sat. Alice grabbed her clenched fists from under the table and flashed her an assuring smile. She looked up at Aaron and noticed the apologetic look in his eyes. She took a deep breath, if not for these two people, God-knows what she'd had said.

"Apologies King Gregory and Queen Vanessa, Prince Vincent," Queen Valerie said. "Alexis can be a bit...high tempered sometimes,"

"I'm sorry your majesties but this has nothing to do with temper, I'm not marrying your asshole of a son, you should both let that sink in before my parents deceive you with their lies," Alexis spat out as she got up and walked away.

"Excuse me," Alice said quietly as she followed her twin sister.