41. 41

41

Edi e

I manage to calm my breathing while I talk to the king, but it's hard to feel comfortable here, with everyone.

Kalle's right—I do know them all, but this is the inner sanctum. It might take a while to get used to it. Because who would have thought a family dinner with the royal family of Laandia would be burgers and French fries? Or that two-hundred-dollar bottles of wine would be drank like it came from a box. Or that Gunnar would keep teasing his brothers, with Lyra joining in, until Bo laughs so hard he spits out a mouthful of the very nice wine, spewing it over Odin's shirt.

It's like a normal family, but in a castle.

That settles me down a bit, but I'm still tense, especially when Kalle stands up as soon as the dinner plates are cleared.

I look up at him with wide eyes, but he only smiles. "I'm going to take a minute here," he says to the table.

Gunnar leans forward to clink his glass with a spoon. "You're supposed to do that if you want to make a speech," he calls from across the table.

"I'm not making a speech. I just want you all here for this. "

"Sounds like you're going to make a speech," Bo points out. "Is it going to be a long one?"

"I don't like long speeches," Lyra complains. "I want dessert."

"Leave him alone," Odin orders. "It's no wonder he never says anything with you lot."

Kalle holds up his hand. "Gimme a minute." He looks stressed, and I touch his arm, smiling up at him with reassurance.

"You can have all the minutes you want as long as Lyra gets dessert," Gunnar says.

Kalle finally turns his back on them as Gunnar and Lyra continue their remarks… but they quiet quickly as Kalle begins to speak.

"I know you like fairytales," he says to me. "All those books you have. I might be a prince, but my life isn't a fairytale."

"I know that," I murmur.

"I'm not trying to scare you off," he adds.

"Kind of sounds like it," Lyra says sarcastically. The king shushes her.

"In the fairy tales, they get married after only a few days—I've known you practically all my life. I could take the time to court you and woo you, as Odin calls it, but honestly, I don't want to waste any more time. I want to get to the good stuff with you," Kalle says, speaking slowly like he's been rehearsing.

That's when my heart starts to beat double time. It's beating so fast that I press my hand against my chest because I think maybe… I think Kalle…

"What good stuff are we talking about?" Gunnar guffaws .

Kalle ignores him. "I spoke to your father when I was there, and he gave me his blessing. He said you'd be the queen of all queens."

Queen.

Kalle gives me his lopsided smile, the one no one else gets to see. "Afraid it's a package deal."

I didn't even realize I spoke. "You're going to be king?" I whisper.

"Did you have any doubt?"

I shake my head. "Never."

"Neither did I, when it came right down to it. But it's not just that—that I'll be the next king." He glances at his father and there is so much pride in his face, so much joy shining through that it hurts.

Something is wrong with my eyes. My face is wet and I can't stop smiling.

"This," Kalle says, gesturing to me. "I never see you cry. I want to. I want to see you cry when you're so angry that you could spit, just before you forgive me and we make up. I want to see you cry when you hold our babies in your arms—if not our babies, then our nieces and nephews. I want to take you to watch the sunrise and see every sunset with you. I want to share my life with you, Edwina England—and my throne, when the time comes. Which hopefully won't be for a while."

Kalle pushes out his chair and drops to one knee beside me. "Oh, my god," Lyra cries.

I clap my hands over my mouth as Duncan hands Kalle a little box .

I don't even glance at it. I only have eyes for Kalle… down on one knee…

"I've known for a long time that you're the only one I want standing beside me," he continues, his voice strong and solid. "I'm sorry I forgot to tell you all that, but I won't make that mistake again. I will tell you every day how much I love you, that taking those driving lessons with you all those years ago was the best thing that ever happened to me."

My throat chokes and I can't say a word. What am I supposed to say to that? To hear Kalle tell me he loves me, that he wants to spend—what exactly is he saying?

But he's not finished. "Edwina England, will you do me great honour and privilege of becoming my wife and the next queen of Laandia?" Kalle asks sounding as formal as a king should.

Are you serious? Are you sure you want me ? How do we do this?

It's so fast !

But I don't say any of that because there is only one word that fits this moment.

"Yes," I whisper.

"Say it again," Kalle orders as a smile creases his face, as spectacular as the sun crossing the horizon in the morning. "Say it so they can hear."

"Yes," I say. "Yes," I cry. "Yes, I'll marry you."

I keep going but my words are muffled as Kalle stands and pulls me up from my chair so that he can hug me.

And then he's kissing me. I hear cheers and clapping in the distance, but I keep kissing him until my face is buried into his chest. "That's how you propose," I manage to get out and Kalle sweeps me off my feet with a laugh.

This might be the best kind of fairytale.