Royally Yours Read online

  Melody stood in the bridal suite at the tiny stone church. It was a room that was smaller than her shower stall at the castle, but it was good enough to slip into her dress. She was wearing a white gown made of pure silk and beaded with tiny, real pearls. Lace adorned both her neckline and the long sleeves that made up the top of the dress.

  “Thank you, Natalie, that will be all. I just need a few moments alone.” The maid left the room as Melody took one more look at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was tastefully done, and she’d had her hair re-braided in an intricate pattern on her scalp. Her braids were twisted into one large braid that the hairdresser had wrapped around her head like a crown. She glanced at her engagement ring, now on her right hand for ceremonial purposes. It felt heavier today than it ever had before.

  She sat down on a small, padded stool and tried not to cry. She thought of her mother’s last words to her about making sure she was happy. Melody thought of Luca—kind, handsome Luca. They hadn’t so much as kissed, but they had spent a copious amount of time together. He was a good man. She was lucky to have such an arrangement.

  Melody played back the final moments with her mother. They had been so blurry the last few weeks, but it was like a veil had lifted.

  I sent something…

  Melody stood up and wrenched open the door, calling down the cold, stone hallway. “Herschel!”

  Herschel came running at a trot. “Yes, ma’am. What may I do for—”

  Melody pulled him into the tiny room and shut the door behind him. “Herschel, what did she send?”

  “Pardon?”

  “My mother. What did she send? She told me she made a mistake and sent something. I thought she was just out of her mind on the morphine. Come on. You were with her the entire time as she was dying. It’s not like she could have gone to the post office herself.”

  Herschel thought. “She…she sent something to Ellie. I didn’t read it, though. One of the maids might have seen what it was.”

  “Get them. All of them. I need to know.” Melody tapped her foot impatiently.

  “Ma’am, I don’t think now is the appropriate time to be doing this,” Herschel said slowly. “I really, really don’t think—”

  “Do it. Now.”

  Herschel left the room and returned a few moments later with three maids. They all looked frightened.

  “What did my mother send?” Melody asked. “Surely one of you knows.”

  The tiniest maid bit her lip and stepped forward. “If I may, ma’am, I know what it was. Or at least, I know part of it.”

  “Well?” Melody asked.

  “She asked me to fetch her checkbook a few weeks ago. I think she might have sent a check to someone.”

  Melody didn’t need any further help to put the pieces together. Her heart shattered. Her mother had bribed Ellie to stay away. Somewhere, deep down, she’d still been hoping for Ellie to appear on her doorstep and profess her love. But that hope was gone for good now. She took a deep breath.

  “Of course. And she’ll take the money. Her family needs it.” She felt a single tear roll down her cheek, which she wiped away with a finger.

  “Excuse yourselves,” Herschel said quietly to the maids, who left the room. When they were gone, he shut the door and turned to Melody. “Ma’am, are you quite alright?”

  Melody took in a deep breath. Ellie had made her decision. It was time to make hers.

  “Let’s go get me married.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY

  The church was small and filled with their closest friends and family. There were no cameras allowed inside except for the main news station that was politely clicking away in the corner of the space.

  The ceiling was high and arched, and a beautiful stained-glass window depicting the resurrection rested behind the altar. The place smelled like roses. Hundreds of white roses were layered all over the pews and hung from the ceiling in ornate bunches. Her mother had insisted on them. The smell reminded Melody of Ellie up on the rooftop at the Block, and she had a flicker of longing that she quickly extinguished like it was a fire.

  Melody smiled as she saw Luca. He smiled back.

  The organ played the wedding march, and everyone stood.

  Melody felt like her feet were not her own as she trod down the aisle towards Luca. Without even remembering how she got there, she arrived.

  “Hey,” Luca said, squeezing her hand as she handed the bouquet to Marcy, her maid of honor. Dylan stood next to her with a strange look on his face. They’d gone a little out of tradition and made him her best man. Luca’s brothers stood on the altar with them.

  “Hey yourself,” Melody said. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  “You okay?” Luca whispered.

  “Fine.”

  “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  The priest began reading and Melody turned her back on the congregation. She could hear the old man speaking, but the sound didn’t seem to be reaching her brain at all.

  “…anyone who feels otherwise is invited to speak now or forever hold their peace.”

  Nobody said a thing, but Marcy and Dylan gave Melody a look of questioning. She shook her head ever so slightly to indicate that she was fine.

  But she wasn’t fine. Her heart was racing and she felt like she might pass out.

  “If no one objects, we shall continue the ceremony.”

  They got all the way to Luca giving his vows. They took one another’s hands. Melody watched Luca’s lips moving, but like before with the priest, she wasn’t comprehending any of them.

  It was her turn. “Luca…” she trailed off. She could suddenly hear every small cough, every leg rustle; she even imagined she could hear a cockroach skittering in the corner. “Luca…”

  Nothing came out.

  He squeezed her hands and nodded. “You can do this, Melody.”

  “Right,” she said.

  A few people in the audience began mumbling and she heard the photographer going wild with his shutter.

  “Luca—”

  The doors to the church flew open, bringing with it a blast of late-winter air.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

  “WAIT!”

  Melody jerked her head so sharply she was surprised it didn’t fall off her neck.

  Ellie stood there at the entrance to the church in a dress, wool tights, and snow boots on her feet. A thick scarf was wrapped around her neck, and her coat was halfway off her body. Her red hair was in a cloud of static, her sunglasses tangled up in it. Two security guards were close behind her. Melody had a sudden image of tiny Ellie slipping underneath their outstretched arms to get inside the church.

  “Wait!” Ellie yelled, panting. “I object!”

  The church erupted in noise.

  The priest was beside himself. “If we could just…I mean, I’ve already asked if anyone objected, and no one said a damn—”

  But nobody was listening to the priest. They were all in shock and discussing this strange new development with one another. The two guards grabbed Ellie by the arms and tried pulling her out of the church.

  “If I could have silence…” But the old priest’s voice could not compete with the crowd.

  “SILENCE!” roared a masculine voice from the front row.

  Everyone spun around to see who had spoken.

  Prince Paul was standing up in his black tuxedo, a stern look on his face. “I believe Miss Mayhew had something she wanted to say. Guards, unhand her.”

  Ellie gulped as everyone stared around at her. “I just…I just wanted to stop the wedding.” She looked sheepish. Then she found Melody’s eyes and continued speaking. “Melody, I love you. I cannot live without you for any amount of money. I know we can’t be together. I know that I’m selfish for wanting to take your crown from you. And I’m sorry about that. But not sorry enough to stop.”

  She took a deep breath. Suddenly, it was like it was only her and Melody in the room with no one watching. “D
o you remember the Mirror of Erised?”

  Melody nodded.

  “If I looked into it, I would only see you.”

  Melody began crying.

  Ellie wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not, but she pressed onwards. “I want to marry you. If…if you’ll have me.”

  Melody realized she was still holding both of Luca’s hands. She glanced at him apologetically.

  They said more in that single look than they had in their short weeks of courtship.

  Luca smiled widely and leaned forward. “May I get a single kiss? Just one, so I can remember you by it.”

  Melody leaned forward and laid a soft, friendly kiss on his lips. Then she slipped off her engagement ring and handed it to Luca.

  He beamed and kissed both her cheeks, squeezing her hands. “Go get your girl.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

  The two women ran out of the church together, Ellie looking a terrible mess and Melody still in her wedding dress. There were crowds of people held back by barriers; the people screamed with joy upon seeing their princess all dressed up for her wedding day.

  There was a horse-drawn carriage awaiting them.

  “This is supposed to be for me and Luca,” Melody said sheepishly as the confused attendant helped them up into the carriage. “But this is so much better.”

  There were four hot water bottles sitting underneath a plush fur throw that covered both their legs.

  “Ah, that’s better,” Melody said, warming her hands. She glanced at Ellie. “Looks like you’ll be in your first ever parade. No better way to debut the love of my life and my fiancée than this.”

  Ellie looked at her, shocked. “You’ll marry me?”

  “Did I not say yes?” She kissed Ellie fully on the mouth.

  “You didn’t say yes,” Ellie replied.

  “Yes. Yes to marrying you. Yes to being with you. Yes, yes, yes.”

  The carriage moved while Ellie and Melody made out with one another. The confused crowd finally gave way to cheering, and the women began waving to the people in the audience.

  “I’m a mess,” Ellie said while she sheepishly smiled and waved at the crowd. “I slept on the plane ride over, and then there weren’t any cabs because of the parade and I barely made it in time.”

  Melody squeezed her hand under the blanket. “You made it, though. That’s all that matters.”

  They kept going down the parade route, the day an icy blur around them. The blanket and hot water bottles kept the women warm.

  “I’m so sorry to hear about your mother,” Ellie said, still waving at the people. A small child holding a balloon burst into laughter, squishing up its nose in excitement. “When I found out, I wanted to come to you so badly.

  “Thank you,” Melody replied. “How much money did she offer you?”

  “Does it matter?” Ellie asked.

  “It matters,” Melody replied.

  “Five million.”

  Melody let out a low whistle of shock. “You think I’m worth that much to you?”

  Ellie kissed her again. “You’re worth fifty million.”

  The carriage came to a stop at the castle. The front gates were open and the front lawn was filled with people. The small balcony that sat above the front door was lined with fresh flowers. “I have to give a speech,” Melody said.

  “Can I change first?” Ellie asked. “Only…I don’t have anything to wear. I was in such a hurry to leave I didn’t pack a bag.”

  Melody laughed. “We’ll get you sorted.”

  An hour later, Ellie had her hair sleeked into a low ponytail, and was wearing a handsome pantsuit that Melody loaned to her. Melody had changed out of her wedding gown into a gown of royal blue satin.

  “You look so beautiful,” Ellie said, kissing her again.

  “I can’t wait to do so many dirty things to you tonight,” Melody replied. “My beautiful, beautiful fiancée.”

  “Ahem,” said Herschel from the doorway. The women didn’t have to ask to know how much he’d heard. His face was tomato red from blushing. “It’s time for your speech. The sun is setting and people are cold.”

  “Of course,” Melody said, taking Ellie’s hand in hers. They walked through the palace to the room that led to the balcony. “Are you ready to see your people?”

  “My people? Are you sure they aren’t only your people?”

  “You’ll be a duchess when this is all over. If things go according to my plan, that is.”

  “According to what plan?”

  Melody winked. “You’ll see.”

  They stepped out onto the balcony together. The crowd went wild.

  There was a microphone set up. “My dearest friends, neighbors, and countrymen. And countrywomen,” Melody added after a look at Ellie. “I stand here today ready to take the crown of this great country.”

  The crowd exploded with cheering.

  “But as you know, I cannot take the crown without a partner. Without a husband. And I kind of put a wrench in those plans. You might have heard something about it.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “For my first political move as acting queen, I am proposing a constitutional amendment. I want to allow same-sex couples to marry in this great country.”

  There was a scattering of applause.

  “I know this seems radical to a lot of you. But you must understand. I was born this way. I love people of all genders. And I found my one true love. She just happens to be a woman.”

  There was more applause this time.

  “As you know, I’ll need you to pressure your councilmen to agree to this amendment. I’m hoping that this will be a smooth, painless process. But of course, I know how politics actually works.”

  There was more laughter.

  “So, to the people of Madrana, I’d like to introduce you to my real, actual fiancée, Ellie Mayhew.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

  “Well, I certainly believe the white roses have been overdone,” their chipper wedding planner, Julie, said. She was sitting in Melody’s new office in the castle. “After all, your last wedding cleaned out white rose suppliers in every county in Madrana.”

  “I think pink roses would be lovely,” Ellie said from across the table. The flat surface was covered in a dozen binders filled with samples of silk for dresses and wall hangings, photos of sparkling white cakes, and even a book filled with wedding ring styles. “What do you think, Melody?”

  Melody was standing at the window looking out at the last, small piles of melting snow. “I’m thinking I don’t have a mind for these kinds of details when it’s not even legal for us to get married yet.”

  Ellie smiled apologetically at the wedding planner and stood up. She walked to the window and placed a hand on the small of Melody’s back. “The vote is tomorrow. Surely you can think about other things?”

  “I think that I’m sick and tired of choosing minute details when I have an entire country to run,” Melody snapped.

  Ellie glanced at Julie. “I think that’s enough for today. I’ll email you about the wedding cake tasting tomorrow, I promise.”

  “I’ll leave these binders for you to peruse,” Julie replied with a strained smile as she left the room.

  “Babe, seriously. Tell me what’s wrong?”

  “We don’t have the votes,” Melody said in a strained voice.

  “What do you mean, we don’t have the votes?”

  “The resolution for the amendment will not pass at this point. There are two swing voters in Parliament, but it seems they are leaning to vote against the amendment.”

  Ellie bit her lip. “Is there nothing else we can do?”

  Melody put her face in her hands. “I don’t know. I don’t know what else to do.”

  “Let me think on it, okay?” She spun Melody around and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I love you. That’s what matters. This is all going to work out the way it’s supposed to work out.”

  “I hate when people say tha
t.”

  Ellie kissed her nose. “That’s because you have control issues.”

  Melody laughed. “I’ve got to get back to work. See you at dinner?”

  “Of course,” Melody said. “What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

  “Lounging around practicing to be a housewife, of course.”

  Melody kissed her. “I love that you’ll be my trophy wife.”

  They kissed long and hard for a full minute before Ellie pulled away. “I’ll have Herschel send up some tea and cake for you.”

  “Thank you,” Melody said. She kissed Ellie again. “Now go do housewife things.”

  Ellie pranced out of the room, an idea bubbling in her head. It might not work. But she was going to give it her best shot.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

  Melody was late to dinner. She had splashed water on her face and put on her pajamas to try to relax. Her father was out of the country on business, so she knew it would just be her and Ellie. Maybe Herschel would join them to spice things up a bit.

  She padded down the hallway in her fuzzy bunny slippers. A member of staff was waiting with his hand on the door.

  “Ma’am,” he said. He glanced at her outfit. “Did Miss Ellie not tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “If you’ll forgive me for being impertinent, I think you should change clothes out of your pajamas into something a little more…professional.”

  “Nonsense,” Melody said. “Open the damn doors.”

  “Ma’am, seriously,” he said with urgency.

  “I command you to open the doors,” Melody insisted.

  He sighed and opened the door, bending at the waist to bow towards her.

  Melody stepped into the massive dining room with the blazing fire and saw that she and Ellie were not going to be dining alone.

  “Ma’am,” said Reginald Dower, a member of parliament.

  “MP Dower,” Melody said. Ellie was staring at Melody’s clothes with a look that mixed horror with amusement. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

  Dower inclined his head. “It was my pleasure to be invited by Miss Mayhew to dinner tonight.”