A Hoax

"Miss Amelia. Please do join the royal family for dinner tonight."

"No." Amelia looked down at her nails as she ignored the butler who stood there with a disapproving frown on his face. She knew she was behaving like and brat and while she used to hate people who had such an attitude towards the household helpers, this was the only way to get her so-called fiance to come over and see her! Just because he had imprisoned her did not mean that she had to be a model prisoner.

"Miss Amelia. You are a guest of the royal household and you have not yet greeted anyone from the royal family. The protocol..."

"I don't care about the protocol. If AJ wants me to join his family for lunch, then he will have to come here himself."

"Miss Amelia..."

"It's okay, Horton. You can leave. I'll take care of this."

"Your Highness." The butler bowed at the waist while he threw another glance at the rebellious girl who continued to sit there and backed away."

"Everyone stand at attention. Your Royal Highness, the boorish, slimy and two-faced jerk has just arrived..."

Looking down at the insolent girl, AJ drawled," Very good. I am sure that if you were not to be my queen, you would have made a good court herald. Very entertaining."

"So the respectful king finally found the time to come and visit his prisoner?"

"You are not a prisoner, Amy. No one has restricted you," uttered AJ with a sigh as he sat down on the chair next to her.

"Well, then I am free to go everywhere, right? I'd like to go back, please hand over my passport."

"You know that is not possible, Amy."

"Why? I don't want to marry you. I agreed only to a ruse and to act engaged to you. But now, you want me to marry you, I won't do that. Call off your watchdogs."

"No."

"What, no protest how they are my security and here to protect me and not keep an eye on me?"

"After the stunt, you pulled last week, by trying to elope with that boy, I think, you and I both know that those really are watchdogs so that you do not try to make a fool out of me in front of my entire country."

"Well, if you had let me elope then no one would have known my identity. You could have brought your lover girl here in my place and introduced her as your fiance. No one would have been the wiser."

"Other than the Regent Queen, you mean."

"All you had to do was tell her that you love someone else. She would not have forced her dear grandson."

"You think I did not try? Even a hint that I may not marry you has driven her crazy. As far as Queen Lily is concerned, you are the person her husband approved for me, so there can be no one else. She is not in her right state of mind and I can't jeopardize everything I have worked for just because you believe yourself to be in love with some dead weight. You signed the contract and you are going to honour it."

"I signed a contract to be in a relationship with you for three years. And my three years are going to be up. After that, I have no obligation to you. And do not push me, AJ or I will go out and announce to everyone the ruse that you created three years ago! I have to be a doting pretend fiance but I do not have to keep the details of our relationship hidden! Maybe your local news houses will be scared and only whisper all the details but those outside of Leland will love to buy and sell this story!"

The air of indulgence and ease disappeared as AJ stood up at that moment. Walking forward, he caught Amy chin with his fingers making her look up as he leaned down," You are too foolish to think you can threaten me, little one. Do I need to remind you of the state those boys were left in when I was done with them? And they had not even done anything to harm me personally... Now, you may not be scared of the consequences, but what do you think I will do to that little lover who tried to harm me by foiling my plans? After all, he is free but people disappear all the time, and accidents happen."

"You despicable man!" Amelia spoke with a shivering voice. "You promised that you will let him go if I came here with you."

"Came here with me and followed my arrangements. You can throw as many tantrums as you wish, I find them entertaining. But if you threaten me, then I don't mind giving as good as I get. And I do not make threats. So, if you want that gree boy to stay safe, be good."

Patting her cheek in a way that Amy found more than condescending, Amy hugged her knees to her chest and begged," AJ please let me go. I can try and convince grandma..."

"Do not even think of it, Amy. I am being very civil but if you force my hand..."

"I cannot marry you! Even if I don't marry him, I cannot marry you AJ. I can promise to stay single, AJ but please end this farce. Let me live my life." Amy ccried out as she watched AJ walk away. AJ clenched his hands as he heard the tears in her voice and finally relented, "One year after the wedding. Our contract expires in six months and we will be wedded then. After that, I'll need one more year to have everything under my control. Then we can divorce. I'll find a way to do that. But until then, you will continue to be my doting little wife to be. Am I clear?"

"Yes." Amy answered in a miserably small voice.

"Good. I'll see you at dinner then."