Xander's POV:

Alright... Books, books books.

I stared at the shelf in front of me, trying to remember the details of each book I had as I skimmed over the spines.

I must have underestimated Doe's want to figure this out, because nearly the second I put the phone down after ordering breakfast, she asked about it again.

So here I was deducting in my own non-professional opinion which one she should start with.

I figured that I could start her with a romance, to at least convey the reason behind the intimacy we've shared...

Even if realizing that meant that it would stop between us.

I didn't want to take any benefit from enjoying the contact without her even knowing what it truly meant.

I got some immediate 'no's from some of the books I knew had a pretentious douchebag as a lead, who was always a prick to the girl yet she somehow fell in love with him anyway?

There were a few like that.

She should probably read at least one so that she knows what's out there.

So she knows what to look out for.

Smutty...? Nah not yet.

Not right off the bat anyway.

Baby steps.

I little more glancing to my right, and I found one that just might work.

It was short and sweet, one of the more healthy relationships I've read about.

Yeah, I'll start her with this.

I pulled it from the shelf, blowing away the dust that collected on it.

She sat exactly where I had left her, crisscrossed on the center of my bed and watching me with anticipating eyes.

"I think you'll like this one," I said, stepping over to her hand handing it over.

She looked it over, quickly glancing over the writing on the back.

"So you think this will answer all of my questions?" She asked, not sounding too confident about it already.

I shrugged, beginning my way to the bathroom to tidy myself up, "Kind of hard to answer your questions when you don't even know what they are."

"True," she mumbled.

A quick knock on the door quickly changed my course.

Our food must have come super fast, but I wasn't complaining.

Although when I opened it and found Nico there instead, my back straightened in surprise.

Both because it felt too early for him to be here, and the fact that he knew he had constant access to my room and could have just let himself in.

That's what I was expecting him to do whenever he got the letter.

"Oh," I spoke, glancing down at what he was holding, trying to play it cool, "What's up?"

He handed it to me silently.

I knew that I was expecting this, but now that the time was here it felt... strange.

Like there was almost a solace to it.

This was the invitation we were waiting for before everything changed.

Me making the journey without Nico, then giving her her citizenship.

My heart ached as I thought about it, looking down at my father's handwriting and not processing a single thing.

All the expecting for this letter, and I hadn't even thought about how I was going to react when it came.

My nonchalant default came out on an instinct, handing the invitation back to him, "So dad wants us to come visit for his birthday, what's so great about that? He sends us this like every year,"

Play it off for now. Maybe that'll buy us a little bit of time before Doe and I make the trip.

Just so I can... prepare now that all of our plans just became plausible.

I wasn't expecting this much of a difference once these plans finally became possible... I knew that I wasn't fond of the idea of her leaving, but that idea just became real.

I hadn't begun to think about my plans for all of this.

"Did you even read all of it?" Nico's flat voice rang, pushing my hand back to me.

My lips pursed out now that he so effortlessly caught me.

Well...

I faced it to me again, actually reading it this time.

It was unnecessarily lengthy, a weird habit my dad picked up during his many years of doing this, but I eventually got to the spot Nico must have been referring to.

'If this time you do happen to return, we wish for you to stay. Your family and your territory miss you dearly.' Followed by the handwriting switching to that of my mothers as she added her own thoughts.

Joy bloomed in my chest, a sudden longing bursting through at the realization of how much I missed them.

My excitement showed through my voice.

"He's inviting us to move back with him again?!"

The smallest hope that Nico was going to agree to it made itself known, but I didn't want to get it too high.

That would be amazing though. Having us both return home for good.

I could get Doe out of here, get me out of here and return back to a territory I knew that we'd both enjoy.

Looking back at my brother, I realized something.

That sharpness he always had in his eyes lately had softened tremendously. His expression nearly matched mine before he spoke.

"Yep, and I'm accepting. In fact, I'm leaving tomorrow." He divulged, causing the girl behind me to suck in an elated gasp.

My own excitement exploded having my hopes concluded and before promptly getting cut down into an interesting form of dread.

He was returning home for good... we were going back but... tomorrow?!

That just felt so sudden.

I at least wanted some time with her before jumping into all of that.

Before she gets her own place...

"Tomorrow?" There's no way Nico's already organized everything for that trip though, right? "Why so soon?"

"I'll tell you later, now are you coming with me or not?" he spoke quickly, giving me the hint that we were leaving so soon because he was in a rush.

Well, I can't wait to hear the story telling me why.

I looked back at Doe, spotting her attentive stance, and the elation behind her eyes.

The sight caused a smile to take over my lips.

We'll figure this out...

I turned back to my brother.

"Hell yeah I am dude, I hate it here," I admitted, much to his satisfaction judging by his smirk.

"Fantastic. Be ready by tomorrow morning. We're leaving at nine."

My nod got stopped by a sudden realization.

"Wait how are we gonna get a Limo? That's a solid 9-hour drive and there's no way that Lord Bronwyn is going to authorize one of his slaves to make that trip on such short notice."

I was well aware that he was very stingy when it came to those sorts of trips, especially on that short of a notice.

And even more so when it was coming from Nico or me.

"Don't worry brother. I've got everything planned out." He sounded perfectly confident.

He's always been good at making things work, so I guess I'll just leave him to it.

My nod followed through this time, "Right. Let me know if you need anything from me before then."

He exchanged my action finishing this off with a 'Will do' before speeding off.

I shut the door and turned back to her, seeing the same look now amplified since it was just us two.

"Tomorrow?" she questioned, scooting herself towards the edge of the bed while I made my way back to her, "Holy crap we have so much to do until then."

I shook my head, knowing what she was referring to.

"Just grab a bag full of stuff you want to take. That and our instruments is all we're going to need."

"Really? Were just going to leave everything else behind when we leave?"

I nodded.

"From the sound of it, I think we're actually 'running away'."

It was rare for Nico to rush things, let alone something like this.

I wonder what kind of trouble he got himself into.

"I doubt Nico and Khloe are taking a whole lot of things either given the short notice. We'll restock on clothes and wherever else you'll need before looking into your citizenship business."

The look on her face faltered at my words, her finger tracing along the cover of the book.

Her eyes shifted down to the blanket, shoulders rising ever so slightly

"I mean," her voice was soft, "There's no need to rush into that right?"

Words can't describe the immediate relief her words brought to me.

"Of course not," I immediately consoled, "Yeah no, we can get you settled into the city for a bit before getting into all of that."

Or just the housing part...

I felt my arms move without my full attention, reaching out to set on her shoulders to get them to relax.

She didn't make any move or show to stop me.

"You'll probably enjoy what my floor has to offer anyway, so we're not stuck in one room all the time."

I could see her thoughts rushing behind her eyes as she too fell into the realization that all of this was happening, and it was happening soon.

It was happening tomorrow.

"And we can go into town together? To... look around and stuff?"

I could sense her uncertainty, but found curiosity in there too.

"Just like we do here, but so much better," I assured, wanting that slightly nervous edge to her voice to go away.

I knew that all of this was completely new to her. So maybe the transition to having the freedom of an entire floor of the castle will be a good segue to living in the city.

If she wants me to, I'm sure she knows that I will be there every single step of the way.

She looked to calm down as the seconds passed, just for her eyes to suddenly bulge, her hands shooting up to grab my forearms.

"Am I going to meet your parents?!"

She spoke as if the thought just occurred to her.

"Definitely. I assume we'll probably have dinner with them tomorrow."

"Holy shit..." she drifted off

Her reaction caused a laugh to rise.

"Don't worry about it, they're nothing like the rulers you've experienced."

"I've just never fully gotten to understand the fact that you're a prince... and now I'm going to have dinner with the renowned Lord and Lady Vanderwood tomorrow?"

Renowned...?

Well, they were, but how would she know that?

"You'll love it there. I promise." I assured.

"I believe you it's just..."

A lot to take in all at once.

I agree for different reasons, but both of which I'm ready to handle if it meant getting out of here and leaving this all behind.

A fresh start of sorts... kinda.

"What's your room like there!?" Her eagerness made a swift return, leading me to sit beside her and answer the variety of questions she had until our breakfast finally arrived.