Chapter 54. Family

Ainslee

“Lenny!” I shout, releasing King Axel’s arm and running to my best friend. I can hear the king behind me sighing loudly, despairing that I still haven’t learned the proper decorum.

I don’t care at this moment, though, because it’s Lenny. “How have you-?”

Lenny steps back when I go in to hug him. “Princess,” he says, bowing.

I frown. Sure, Lenny and I didn’t part on the best of terms, but we were still best friends. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Lenny insists. “Nothing at all. You’re just… you know… a princess now.”

“But I’m still me,” I argue, frowning at him. Flashes of the time we spent together come back to me. Not just the two of us donating blood together or hanging out in line to get bread, but the fun times, too. Exploring the woods, foraging for berries.

Kissing in our secret spot….

King Axel catches up, having kept his measured pace, and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Ainslee? Who is this?”

“O