It wasn't "I love you back," but it was honest.And right now, honesty was more important than pretty words.
Captain Steiner was waiting outside, exactly where she'd said she'd be.
"Everything okay, Your Highness?"
"Define okay."I pulled out my phone."I need to make a call before we head back.Is there somewhere private I can talk?"
She led me to a small sitting room down the hall."Take all the time you need.I'll be outside."
I stared at my phone for a long moment before pulling up my parents' number.My father answered on the second ring.
"We were just talking about you.Your mother saw the news about, well, about everything.Are you okay?"
"Hi, Dad.Is Mom there?Can you put me on speaker?"
Rustling sounds, then my mother's voice: "Sweetie, what's wrong?You sound upset."
And just like that, I started crying.Not elegant royal tears, but ugly, gasping sobs that came from somewhere deep in my chest.
"I don't know what to do," I managed between sobs."Everything is such a mess and I'm so confused and I just, I need help."
"Okay, honey.Start from the beginning.Tell us everything."
So I did.The permanent marriage lie, the sabotage attempts, the destroyed rooms, the threatening messages, Archie's annulment papers, the Grand Duchess's terminal illness, Viktor's suspected involvement, Anastasia's perfect princess act, all of it.
They listened without interrupting, letting me get it all out.When I finally ran out of words and tears, there was a long silence.
"That's a lot, kiddo," my father said.
"You think?"I laughed wetly."So what do I do?"
"Well, first question," my mother said."Do you love him?This prince of yours."
I stopped, really thinking about it."I don't know.Maybe?I'm so angry at him for lying, but I also miss him when he's not around.And when I'm with him..."I struggled to find the words."I can be myself.Like I don't have to perform or pretend or be someone I'm not."
"That's important," Dad said."Being able to be yourself with someone."
"But is it enough?To build a whole life on?"
"That's not the right question, sweetie," Mom said."The question is: do you want to build a life with him?Not can you, or should you, but do you want to?"
"I don't know."
"Then figure that out first," Dad said."Forget about the politics and the alliance and what your grandmother wants or what the public thinks.Just ask yourself: if all of that went away, if it was just you and Archie without any of the royal stuff, would you want to be with him?"
I thought about Archie in the stables with Azzurra, gentle and patient and completely himself.About the way he'd looked at me when I'd challenged him about the Peter deception, not angry but impressed.About how he'd given me annulment papers because he valued my agency more than he valued keeping me.
About how my heart had jumped this morning when I thought I'd seen him in the Valdorian stables, and the disappointment I'd felt when it wasn't him.
"Yes," I said."I think I would."
"Then there's your answer," Mom said.
"But what about the lying?What about the fact that he trapped me in a permanent marriage?"
"Those are real problems that need to be addressed," Dad said."But the question isn't whether he's perfect.Nobody's perfect.The question is whether he's willing to work on those problems.To change and grow and do better."
"He gave me annulment papers.He's willing to lose everything to give me a choice."
