Prince Ezra
"I don't know how I'm going to get out of it," I frowned. "Unless of course you speak to Thea and the King."
He looked at me with raised eyebrows before he chuckled. "I have faced many great battles in my life but nothing compares to the King and most evidently Thea. A woman's wrath is greater than any King or conquer, trust me."
"Thank you for the help," I let out a sigh and ran my hands down my face. "I will see what I can do."
"Once we can speak to Ebrahiem the end goal will be nearer. Trust me Ezra."
"I do."
"Why don't you cook like your mother?" Thea looked at me as we drove into the golden gates of the palace.
I had visited so many buildings of importance over the years, each that marveled me more than the others. However none compared to our family's.
The gates stretched on until they felt like they reached the heavens. Glittery to the sky and spoke of the wealth the country possessed. The dignity and honor the family held. Constantly I would feel like I had imposter syndrome, not sure where I fit into the equation until it hit me harder than I ever thought.
"I was backpacking across the United Kingdom to pay attention to cooking lessons," I smiled at her and tried to shake away my nerves as we drove closer and closer to the large garage storehouse that was attached to the palace.
"Definitely didn't get your way to my heart through my stomach."
"Sometimes I doubt if you have any heart at all," I rolled my eyes and snickered when her hand gently hit my bicep.
"If I didn't I wouldn't be helping you with any of this," she waved her hand around gesturing to the palace. "Trust me I would rather be standing outside your chambers the whole day on guard than having to cut another ribbon for a new library because I'm your little girlfriend."
"You wear the badge with great honor," I grinned as I parked in my designated spot. My stomach formed a tight knot when I climbed out and saw the row of cars parked inside. My heart nearly came to a stop when I saw the black Audi A7. The car I barely knew the name of six years ago.
It took all the energy I had to tear my eyes away from it and walk over to the other side to open the door for Thea. Much to my displeasure she was already out of the car and grabbing her handbag.
"You take great joy in preventing me from acting like a gentleman," I frowned.
"I don't need you to open the doors for me," she smiled as she headed for the entrance door. Guards trailing us.
"Thea this is never going to work if you don't let me try to be a gentleman," I argued as we walked through the channel of hallways she knew better than myself.
"Fine I'll let you open doors for me and help me sit down as if I'm incompetent," she sucked at her front teeth. "Will that make you feel better, my Prince?"
"Plenty," I nodded feeling better by her will to finally meet me halfway. If I had success there then if I played my cards right I could convince her to stop blocking my chances to go to Turkey. Not that I needed her permission but life was easier if she was with me.
Arguing with her had kept me so occupied that I didn't notice that we were approaching my chambers until we were in the foyer of it. The once cream walls were now white and had judges paneling that was far more intricate than the one I had before.
"You changed the walls again?"
"I told you I had to keep myself busy with something," she sang as I headed for the bedroom, already knowing what she had taken out before I even had a chance to see it.
"Thea the bed!" I screamed to my horror when I saw the new four poster bed I had picked last year was now replaced with a sleek cream leather headboard. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Who has a four poster bed in this century?" She threw her bag down on the couch and walked straight to the closet to take off her dress then replace it for a tracksuit.
"I did," I frowned and looked towards the open windows.
"Ezra," she called out for me, pulling me out of my thoughts. Her eyes filled with slight concern but a gentle smile on her face. "We're going to have a good week. Despite the circumstances, I have some hope."
I looked down to my shoes, my mind racing with all the ways that I could dispute that but how could I? I should have been happy I was home. Finally, but I knew what came with being at the palace. Sleeping in this bedroom and what called for me a short hike away.
'Visit me next time. I miss you…'
"Yeah," I smiled as I built up the shield I had learned to master over the past years. "Let's just get this over and done with."
She walked to me, held either side of my face in her warm hands and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "If you do well this week I'll let you go to Turkey."
"What?"
"You heard me. I can see it is of importance therefore I will cover for you but that is only if you allow yourself to enjoy being back."
"Okay," I grinned, "I never needed your permission."
"But you do damn need it," she giggled before she walked right back out.
"Can I at least change?"
"No, you might just jump out the window and make a run for it," she laughed. "Let's go, my Prince."
The walk to the Kings chambers was never far but it always did feel like it stretched on forever. However this time just as it came into view four beaming toddlers were already running towards me as they screamed, "Uncle Ezzie!"