The King's Answer

"What-what do you mean you can't agree?" Ilona stammered in shock, not able to process what she was hearing.

"I'm truly sorry," the King shook his head, "It isn't possible for me to agree to this."

"But you have to," Ilona shook her head, tears building in her eyes, "You have to agree to it. If-If you don't we... we will never see our brother and sister again. Who knows what will happen to them!"

"Ilona," Ian said quietly, reaching for his sister's hand as her voice grew louder.

"No!" she snapped, jerking it out of his reach before turning to Daniel again, "No, you can't do this! You have to agree to his terms. You can't leave my siblings never to see their family again!"

Ilona's anger was boiling as her heart broke. The Duke was quick to move partially in front of her, blocking her from the King.

"Danny, can you tell us what the terms are? Maybe we could discuss it, and we could..."

"I'm not going to discuss it," King Daniel cut him off, "The terms are impossible. I can't agree to them."

Ilona couldn't breathe. She couldn't believe this was happening. Tears began to slip down her cheeks and when she looked at her brother he staring at the ground, his face unreadable. Beside her, the Duchess looked at her husband, her eyes pleading for his help.

"Please," Vincent said quietly to his cousin, "Please Danny, you have to help them. You have to do something."

"I will write up a letter to the King of the Red Lands and give him the best terms I can agree to although I doubt they will satisfy him based on what he's demanding here. That is all the help I can give you. I'm deeply sorry."

"I think it would be best if you left now," the Queen said as she stood and took her husbands arm.

Ilona blinked at her, not understanding how she could be so cruel.

"Of course," the Duke said quietly, looking to his wife and holding out his arm to her.

Ian turned and met the Duchess's gaze. He looked so hopeless and to Ilona's surprise, even Delaney Adair had tears in her eyes. He held out his arm to Ilona but she didn't take it. She was so angry and distraught in that moment she didn't want anyone to touch her.

She lifted her skirts as Ms. Bird had taught her and headed for the door on her own. Ian, Vincent, and Delaney hurried to follow.

Ilona grabbed the handle on the heavy door and heaved it open. Without looking she hurried out and ran right into someone else who was about to knock. Everyone behind her watched with wide eyes as she stumbled backward in confusion. The beautiful woman she ran into bounced off the back of the man behind her before she managed to regain her footing.

Everyone's eyes stayed locked on this woman, wide in shock. She looked exactly like the Queen. But it couldn't be. They were leaving the Queen.

"Anna," the Duchess said quietly from behind her, "You-You're the Queen's twin sister."

"I am," the beautiful woman who was almost an exact copy of the Queen pursed her lips and looked at them in annoyance. Then her eyes landed on Lord Adair and she raised her eyebrows.

"What horrible markings. What happened?"

Everyone seemed to tense simultaneously at her harsh words. They all stood frozen, not sure how to reply.

Ilona wondered what kind of horrible place this castle must be for everyone to be so awful.

A moment later King Daniel stepped between them.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, "Anna, you remember my cousin, Vincent Adair. And this is his wife, Delaney, and their two friends."

"Vincent Adair?" the woman repeated in surprise, "I do remember you now! Oh, you used to be so deadly gorgeous. What a pity."

"Anna," Queen Sophia hissed, hurrying to join her sister, taking her hand. She looked at Delaney and smiled. "I am happy the two of you have a chance to meet. I'm hoping we'll be able to spend time together. Maybe you can stay at court for a while?"

Ilona couldn't believe what she was hearing as she stood looking between the Duchess and the horrible twins. Why would anyone ever willingly come back here?

"I... I don't know," Delaney replied hesitantly, "But I would be happy to get a chance to get to know your sister. How... how long is she staying?"

"Forever," the nasty woman Anna laughed, "So we'll have plenty of time."

Lady Delaney looked at the King and Queen in confusion.

"Yes," Queen Sophia smiled nervously, "She will be remaining at court. Daniel and I decided to reinstate the marriage contract between Anna and Mason."

Delaney's mouth fell open and Vincent stiffened beside her. They looked at the royal couple in disbelief.

"Is this a joke?" Vincent Adair asked his cousin seriously.

"Of course not," Anna snapped, whipping her long black hair back over her shoulder, "We're getting married at the end of the month. Daniel promised to announce it tonight at dinner."

"I shouldn't have let him out of the contract when our father died," the King said slowly, swallowing hard, "But Mace was young and he had some... things to get out of his system. I think he's done plenty of that now and it's time he got married as he was intended to do."

"To my sister as our parents agreed," the Queen added, a smile filling her face now and mirrored on the face of her twin.

Ilona had grown up with boys and imagined she knew exactly what kind of "things" the King was referring to. She didn't know the crown prince and she wondered if he deserved to be stuck with such a woman. Of course if his own brother had arranged the marriage then she assumed this Prince Mason must not be someone to think highly of.

"And Mason agreed to this?" the Duke questioned, his gaze icy as he watched them.

"He doesn't have a choice," the nasty Anna snapped, "Sophia is the Queen and Daniel is the King. They decided and their word is the law."

"Besides," Sophia added a bit more gently, "He is the crown prince. It is his duty to get married and have an heir."

The Duke glared at his cousin the King for a moment longer but Daniel would not turn to meet his gaze. Ilona realized he must feel at least some guilt over this decision. Still... he was going forward with it.

"Where is Mace?" Delaney asked quietly, "I told him we would say hello when we came back through the city."

Ilona and Ian both looked at her, surprised to hear this but immediately fixing their expressions not to show it.

"He's still in bed and will be for hours," Anna rolled her eyes, "He was up drinking with his stupid men until early this morning. I can assure you that won't be continuing once we're married."

"Oh," was the Duchess's only reply.

"We'd better go," Lord Adair stated and didn't wait for a reply before turning and heading for the doors. He moved quickly despite his limp and Delaney, Ian, and Ilona had to hurry to follow him.

Ilona could see by the rigid way he moved and the expression on his face that his anger was building like a storm on the sea. She knew they were upset about whatever was happening but she couldn't manage to make herself care. She was still reeling from the King telling them that he wouldn't help them. That he wouldn't save Isaac and Willow.

Out in the hall, Vincent didn't slow down until they were far enough away from everyone else not to be overheard. He came to a stop and waited for the others to join him.

"I have to talk to Mace," he hissed, his anger flashing over his face, "I can't believe he is really going to go through with marrying that woman which means he must be planning something."

"Knowing Mason, it won't be good," Ian sighed. Ilona wondered for a moment who this man must be if even her brother, a pirate captain, was afraid of what he might do.

"We need to talk to him now before Daniel announces the marriage and he's truly trapped," Vincent said seriously, "Maybe we can find a way to help him out of it."

"Like you helped us?" Ilona snapped then, angry suddenly that they had already moved on from helping her save her siblings to helping someone else, and a Prince of all people. "Why should I care about some spoiled Prince being married to a horrible Princess? They will live in a castle and with all the food and wonderful things they could ever want. Meanwhile, because of your King, my siblings will now rot in a dungeon!"

"Ilona," her brother said sharply, frowning at her, "Vincent can't force the King's hand. He only agreed to help us if he could."

"He didn't help at all!" she cried, her tears instantly coming to her eyes again.

"Stop it!" Ian commanded, his anger rising, "This is all your fault in the first place."

"It's alright Ian," the Duke shook his head sadly, "She's right. I agreed to help. There may not be anything I can do but that doesn't mean I need to stop trying already. I'll go back and try to talk to Daniel more."

Hope creeped up in her heart again and Ilona had to stop herself from rushing forward to hug Lord Adair.

"But what about Mace?" his wife questioned.

"I don't know," Vincent rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't understand how this could be happening. I need to speak to him."

They were all quiet then and Ilona absently picked at her nails as her nerves frayed. She knew they were worried about their other cousin but his issue seemed much less pressing to her. Why couldn't they worry about the Black children and take care of the Prince later? She still didn't understand why they needed to help him at all.

"I'll go speak to Mace," Delaney said to her husband then, "You go back and talk to Daniel. You might try to separate him from Sophia when you do. It seems like that will be better."

"You can't go speak to Mason on your own," Vincent shook his head, "You're a woman and you know his reputation. You can't go to his chambers alone. If someone saw they would ruin you."

"I'll go with her," Ian volunteered and Ilona inwardly groaned, "I can go with her to see Mace."

"I'll go too," Ilona added with a shrug. What else could she do? Stand alone in the hallway and wait for them all to return? She had to do something or her nerves would completely unravel. "With the three of us going together surely no one will be able to start rumors, no matter how much of a rake he is. I don't really care about the problems of a prince but if you're going to go help our family maybe we'll be able to help you find a way to help yours too."

"Or just stop him from doing something foolish," Ian smirked.

Vincent hesitated as he looked between them but then nodded slowly.

"Alright," he agreed, "Alright you three go to talk to Mace and I'll go back to talk to Daniel."

"Alright love," Delaney agreed before leaning up and taking his scarred face in her hands. She kissed him deeply, and Ilona blushed, looking away. She peeked back up for just a moment though and again wondered what it would be like to have someone love her like that.

Beside her, Ian looked away. No one else may have been able to see the hurt in his eyes but he couldn't hide it from his sister.