*Archie's POV*

Coming back from warm, sunny Florida to dreary England wasn't very enjoyable. But the bigger news in England was the fact that I was taking legal action against The Galaxy.

I don't know why it came as surprise as if they hadn't been publishing false stories after a false story. I was just nervous to talk to my Dad about everything.

"You look tan." Alexandra commented as I got out of my car

"That's what happens when you go to Florida and spend time in the sun." I said back to my little sister, "You'll understand next year. Are you nervous?"

Alexandra decided and finally convinced my Dad to let her go to college in California. Aubrey was going to be her roommate and they were both going to UCLA in the fall. I was so excited for her. She deserved to live somewhere outside of this world and grow as a person.

Alex shrugged, "Not really, I'm ready for something new. I don't think there's anything left for me here. Realistically I'm not ever going to be queen, so I might as well start a new life for myself and not live off of other peoples' money."

I patted her shoulder, "You're going to do great thing, Ali."

She smiled, "Thanks Arch. What are you doing here?"

"I have to talk to Dad about some things so wish me luck." I made my eyes big

My sister made a face, "Have fun with that."

I walked upstairs to my Dad's study where he was sitting at his desk reading something.

He looked up, "Nice to see you again, son."

I sat down in a chair in front of his desk, "Nice to see you. We have lots to talk about, don't we?"

My father nodded, "Indeed we do."

"Is she here or in the states?" he began

"She's in Hawaii with her family right now for their annual vacation."I answered his question, "I'm sure you've heard about the lawsuit."

My Father took off his reading glasses, "I think you have a pretty strong case. You've always had a big heart and I knew that something like this was coming."

"I know when you first started this relationship, we didn't start off on the right foot. I wanted to apologize for that. I know I'm a little stuck in my old ways but I'm learning, Archibald. I want to be there for you and I know I wasn't in the past but I want to change our future." my Dad finally began

Everything he was saying kind of took me by surprise. My whole life my Dad had been a stubborn ass but now he was deciding to turn all of that around when he was basically sixty.

"I just wanted to ask you what made you want to change?" I asked him

"Well, I found some of your Mom's old scrapbooks that she did when you all were babies. I was reading your's and she just wrote some insightful stuff about you. I know I was so hard on you, I still am." he explained to me, "Then after that, I started thinking. Alena makes you a different man. I see a difference in you and all I really want for you is to be happy at the end of the day. I'm going to support you to the end, son."

I gave him a small smile, "You know you've been doing a great job lately. I'm happy you're letting Alexandra go and figure stuff out on her own. And now this."

"I'm sorry it took me so long." my Dad apologized, "Let's just do better going forward."

My Dad cleared his throat, "But I do want to bring up something. Do you remember almost two years ago, I told you that you had a year and half? We're a little over that now."

"I know you and I do feel like you're getting to that point. I'm not rushing you into anything but I do want you to have something." I watched as he opened up the drawer of his desk and then slid something across the desk

I looked down at the key, "What is that?"

"It's the key to your Mother's jewelry collection. All of her gems, jewelry, and her engagement ring are in there. I figured when that time comes you'd want to do something thoughtful and incorporate her into it." he answered my question

I stood up and hugged my Dad, "Thank you so much."

I could feel him rub my back, "No problem. I'll take care of The Galaxy and all of the other tabloids don't worry about it."

"Guess, I'll stay here tonight." I took the key, "Holler when dinner is ready."

I walked across the palace to the room that used to my parents. At times I thought my Dad moved on way too fast from my Mom but then there was the fact that he knew it was coming for a while and he couldn't even bear to sleep in the same room with his new wife.

The room still looked the same.

He couldn't stand to get rid of her things.  All of her clothes, shoes, makeup, jewelry, and everything were still here.

I used the key to open up the jewelry closet and it blew me away. I was never allowed to really come in here when I was younger because of the fear I would break something. It was crazy to see all of her crowns lined up and picture them on Alena's head.

What would she like? Did she mind a gemstone? What was her ring size?

Then my phone started to buzz and it was Alena.

"Good evening to you." she spoke as I looked over the stones, "It's seven in the morning over here if you were wondering."

I smiled, "I know, I added Hawaii to the world clock on my phone."

"I talked to my Dad and he's got everything under control. He said he has our back a hundred percent." I told Alena

I could hear her let out a deep breath, "That's so good to hear."

"Yes, it is." I agreed, "I miss you so much."

"Hell, just wait until you're in South Africa without me for five weeks." Alena teased me

I grinned, "I'm only going for twenty-seven days now."

"Lucky us." I could imagine her smile, "Me all alone in that big house for such a long time."

"Well, Todd and Desmond will be outside twenty-four seven." I reminded her of our security guards

"Yeah, but no cuddle buddy." Alena complained

I smiled, "I'll be back before you know it."

"Hopefully." she responded, "You sound busy."

You have no idea.

"Just a little, but I can talk for a while." I told her

I talked to Alena for about thirty more minutes. I tried to get some kind of information out of her like her ring size, she was a size seven. I told her that a fun fact was your shoe and ring size were the same and she said her finger was a size seven and her foot was a ten.

God, I was good.

Of course, I still had to ask her family and everything but I was so sure about this. I was so so so sure about her.

There was no one else I wanted to spend my life with.

And those twenty-eight days in South Africa went by at light speed. I honestly had an amazing time there. I loved seeing the tree dedicated to my mother, going through a minefield, giving speeches, and just making an impact.

I loved when people commented that they could see so much of my mother in me, it made my day.

I flew back to the UK for four hours and then flew to California even though I wasn't supposed to be in the states until the next day. Plus when I was in California, Alena was 3,000 miles away in Rhode Island.

Before I walked up to that familiar house, I took a deep breath and then knocked on the door.

And when it opened there stood Mr. Simon Thompson.

"Hi, Archie, I've been waiting for you. Come on in." he invited me. He led me into the kitchen where Athena was drinking wine and on her computer.

Her face lit up, "Hello, Archie!"

I gave her a smile, "Hello, Athena, it's nice to see you."

"Sit, sit." she instructed me. We sat down at the breakfast room table with a glass of wine in the middle.

Simon cleared his throat, "Something tells me you're here for something important considering Alena is in Rhode Island."

I nodded, "Yeah, I fly out tomorrow early in the morning to go see her."

"I value you both and respect your opinion so that's a start to why I'm here." I began as I felt my palms begin to sweat, "I wanted to talk to you tonight because I want to talk about something very important."

"First, I want to tell you how much I've enjoyed getting to know you and Athen. I appreciate being welcomed into the family from me to my sisters. You are wonderful parents, and I know that Alena is such a wonderful woman because of that. Your daughter means the world to me, and I hope to spend the rest of my life proving that to her. I'm here because I would like to ask your daughter to marry me, and I would be honored to have your blessing." I finally got out

Simon looked at me, "I love you Archie and I know she loves you. I'm on board if she is. Amie has always been a smart girl and knows what she's getting herself into."

"This is a next-level thing. She's gone through a lot since meeting you. I've talked to her on some of her darkest days because of the media and I don't know if I want that to be a part of her forever." Athena confessed, "But she always talks about how supportive you are and I saw that you guys are pressing charges against those trashy tabloids. And that's the kind of man I want for Amie. A man that's going to stick up for her no matter what. You just need to promise us and her that you will always have her back and I mean always."

"Your next in line which means our grandbabies will be right after you. We don't want to see them get dragged through the dirt either." she went on

I looked at them both, "I completely understand. Lainey and I have talked about that. We always said that when we have kids if it just was too much then I would abdicate and we'd move here. Being king is not everything, nowadays it's practically nothing. I'd rather have her by my side than some crown on my head and King in front of my name."

Simon nodded his head, "We're really trusting you son."

"I promise I won't make you regret it." I assured them

When I finally got to see her in Rhode Island, I practically lost my mind. I missed her so fucking much. It was so hard to sleep next to her with everything on my mind. I just had to make it perfect for her because she deserved it.