Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 81

Nicholas grimaced.

“Midnight at the latest,” he admitted.

Sophia scoffed.

“We have a couple more hours,” she reasoned.

She smirked, “I’ve got something in mind if you’re up for it.”

“Oh?” Nicholas asked, raising his eyebrow.

“Say, the second part of this date,” Sophia added.

“Sounds marvelous,” Nicholas admitted.

“What’ve you got planned?” He asked her.

Sophia winked at him.

“It’s a secret,” she said.

Nicholas sighed.

Sophia snickered. She did have a plan that she intended to follow through with.

“Just you wait, Ambrose,” Sophia told Nicholas.

Nicholas pouted, “Not even a hint?”

Sophia patted his shoulder.

Nicholas knew Sophia was willing to go on a second date with him, but he wondered… at what cost?

Once he and Sophia returned to the palace, Sophia and Nicholas were heading their way to the movie theatre, where Sophia planned for her and Nicholas to spend the rest of their date watching movies, before…

“Your grace,” the majordomo called.

Sophia’s eyes twitched.

“Yes, Guillermo?” She asked irritatedly.

“I’m terribly, terribly sorry to disturb you this late at night, but there’s a couple of things I’d like to go over with you.”

Sophia reasoned, “Can’t anyone else do it? I’m busy as of this moment.”

Guillermo hesitated.

“The Queen Mother is currently asleep, his royal highness is currently out, and the Dowager Queen’s preoccupied.”

Guillermo reasoned, “I’d have put this off till morning, but this really is significant.”

Sophia sighed.

Nicholas shot her a look of understanding.

“Go,” he told her.

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll just… retire early for the night.”

Sophia smiled appreciatively.

Of course, the last time Nicholas had told her something like this had led to Sophia overhearing Nicholas and Ava’s conversation, but Ava was long gone now, so she had nothing to concern herself – excluding the royal duties she had to attend to.

“Alright,” she said to Guillermo.

Nicholas kissed her on the forehead.

Sophia shot him a look of guilt and sorrow.

Guillermo led her to a nearby conference room where they could speak in private.

Once she and Guillermo entered the conference room, she asked him, wondering what was it that was that important he had to bother her and Nicholas.

He ruined a perfectly planned movie date.

“So, what is it, Guillermo?”

Sophia’s visions of her falling asleep on Nicholas’ lap concluding a perfect first date were shattered when Guillermo answered, “It’s the banquet, your grace.”

“You’re required to attend and participate in it,” he informed her.

Sophia shut her eyes.

“The banquet, right.”

“Thankfully, you’re allowed to bring a plus-one with you,” Guillermo told her before he continued on and on, listing everything else she was supposed to do, the dos and don’ts as well as a couple other things.

“Of course, you’re supposed to RSVP in advance, but that’s pretty much all for the banquet,” Guillermo said finally.

“On the other hand, I’ve been told to inform you that… from now on, you’ll have to fulfil more of your royal duties.”

Sophia fathomed why. It was about time she did so. She was a duchess. She had to act like one.

“That too,” she said with a curt nod.

“So the Beldovian banquet, and fulfilling more royal duties from now on. Anything else?”

Guillermo had something in mind, but he decided not to tell her.

He hesitated before he shook his head, “No, your grace.”

“I’m glad we’ve come to an understanding,” Guillermo said, bowing before he opened the door for her.

Sophia left the conference room, deciding to make a pit stop to Nicholas’ quarters.

She slowly made her way there, before she came to a halt.

“Is someone playing the piano?” She asked, finding the music room’s doors open.

She opened the door before a grin appeared on her face.

Nicholas was playing the pianoforte – in fact, quite amazingly.

He hadn’t seen her; she watched Nicholas expertly play the pianoforte from afar.

“You play the pianoforte beautifully,” she praised.

Nicholas stopped.

“Didn’t see you there, Windsor,” he said.

Sophia tilted her head to the side.

“Well, can I join you?” She asked him.

Nicholas smirked, “Of course.”

Sophia walked towards the grand piano.

She took a seat beside Nicholas on the piano bench.

“So, do you play the pianoforte?” Nicholas asked Sophia.

“No,” she lied.

“Besides, you’re a good enough player for the both of us,” she said, resting her head on his lap.

Nicholas rested his head on top of hers.

He intertwined his fingers with hers.

He kissed her forehead.

He felt Sophia move from under him.

Minutes later, his eyes bore into hers.

It was like staring in the hearth of fire; he easily got lost in her eyes.

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat once she realized Nicholas’ lips were nearing hers. Time slowed.

His soft lips were on hers, she immediately stopped breathing. It was thrilling.

Their lips remained sealed, Sophia wanted more.

Sophia then moved away from Nicholas.

With reddened cheeks, she said to him, “Goodnight Nicholas.”

Nicholas didn’t seem too fazed by Sophia pulling away. He smiled charmingly.

“Goodnight Sophia,” he said.

Sophia smiled before she left and walked away, smiling and grinning to herself as she rejoiced in the aftermath of her and Nicholas’ very first date.

__

Sophia was getting ready to sleep before a question surfaced.

Since she and Nicholas were… sort of, a thing, what did that do to the ruse?

Sophia had just remembered the ruse, it’d been something she placed at the back of her mind, but now, she was left with the question as to whether or not the ruse was still ongoing or not.

Obviously, she and Nicholas would no longer have to fake courting each other in public – or in private, but they weren’t on track to get married anytime soon. They hadn’t even touched on anything marriage or anything relating to married life, that’d be far too soon.

She plopped on her bed.

“The ruse, what’re we going to do?” She asked.

She groaned.

Royalty was more than just fancy real estate, costly feasts, and meeting other royals and foreign dignitaries; it was filled with arranged marriages, unwanted lives, burdening duties, the pressure of being scrutinized and being put under the public eye.

Thinking back to the weeks following the king’s death, she and Louis were heavily scrutinized under the public eye. Rumours as to what’d happened circulated the kingdom, and paparazzi swarmed the palace, looking for any glimpse of the young duchess and prince.

Her father’s death hadn’t affected her that horribly, she was never close to the man in the first place, and for good reason.

She sighed, turning off her night lamp before she closed her eyes and dozed off.

__

“So, how was the date?”

“He sweep you off your feet?” Clarisse asked amusedly.

Sophia groaned, “Quiet! No McGuffin talk so early in the morning, I haven’t even been able to finish my tea.”

“Did you get any sleep?” Clarisse asked.

Sophia shook her head.

“No, I didn’t.”

“And if that’s not awful enough, I’ve got more of my royal duties to fulfil.”

Clarisse patted her friend on the shoulder.

“For what it’s worth, Louis is off on important business, he’s got royal duties to fulfil himself,” Clarisse said unhelpfully.

Sophia tried not to glare at her friend; she was in a grumpy mood.

“I’ve got royal duties, so does Louis,” she grumbled.

“How’re things going for your arranged marriage?” She then asked Clarisse.

Clarisse sighed. She took a seat.

“Not well,” Clarisse admitted.

“Mother wants to speed up our meeting date, father wants to take things slow.”

“You still call your parents that?” Sophia asked.

“They’re still my parents, Soph.”

“Since you said so,” Sophia sipped her tea.

Sophia was starting the day on a peaceful note.

Nicholas was off for some errands, so he couldn’t join her for breakfast.

Sophia was glad to have breakfast with Clarisse instead, that was before she realized what Clarisse would do – pester her.

“What are your plans for today?” She asked Clarisse.

Clarisse shrugged, “Outfit choosing, and a spa day.”

“You’re free to join me if you can free up some time.”

Sophia knew she had to pass on Clarisse’s offer.

Her schedule was jam-packed, she couldn’t fit in a spa day, no matter how tempting.

“I’ll have to see, but, with my schedule, I doubt I’ll be able to join you.”

She stared at her empty teacup. She hadn’t recalled drinking that much tea.

She sighed, “I should get going.”

“See you,” she waved Clarisse goodbye as she got up from her chair.

“Bye,” Clarisse said to her, staying in the breakfast room as she enjoyed her breakfast – without Sophia.

__

“Oliver,” Nicholas greeted coldly.

“Nicholas,” Oliver greeted.

“It’s been a while since we’ve last spoken,” Oliver said.

“It has,” Nicholas agreed.

“So, I assume you’ve heard of my arrangement?”

“I have,” Nicholas nodded.

“With that countess from Samar that happens to be a friend of your girlfriend’s.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Nicholas denied.

“Oh, really?” Oliver asked inquisitively.