How to Find the Truth

The beginning of a new adventure

🐚🐚🐚

*watch song above*

"Uh!"

I was panting. And sweating. And awake. I was upright in my bed, still in my pajamas.

🎵Did I mention that I'm in love with you? And did I mention...

My ears led my eyes over to my phone, which was buzzing like crazy and playing Ben's song, telling me to wake up. But my dream had already done that. And now I couldn't even remember it. All I knew was that it was bazaar, and had an oddly cool song about apples.

"Ugh!" I groaned as I flopped back onto my pillow. Just five more minutes.

🎵But let me shout it out loud, if that's okay...

Or maybe not.

I dragged myself out of bed and reluctantly turned off my alarm. Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the Isle of the Lost out on the deep blue ocean.

"Bet the people there don't have to deal with meetings."

I blew out, letting my lips make helicopter noises. Another day, more duties. Not that I'm complaining or anything.

"(Y/N)!" My door shook as someone pounded on the other side of it. "If you aren't up and at 'em in one minute, I'm so coming in here!" Lonnie yelled.

"I-I'm getting there!" I replied, rushing around the room to try and find something nice to wear.

"You know, your new alarm clearly doesn't wake you up. You have a meeting with Ben in five about his council meeting at eleven, then you have a press Q and A with Mal at ten thirty, more classes and meetings with Jane about Cotillion after that, and then at some point today, you have to help me practice," Lonnie explained through the still closed door.

"You know," I told her as I struggled to get a dress on. "Why don't we just not have a Cotillion. That way, Mal and I could be less stressed, there would be fewer meetings, no one would have to plan the thing. I could join the fencing team too, and we could all just take a vacation to the Isle instead." I suggested sarcastically.

It had been six months since the coronation. A lot had changed. Ben was King now, I was Royal Advisor, and Mal was going to become a Lady of the Court. I was stressed, Mal was stressed, but Ben seemed to be fine. So, I didn't complain. Well, at least not to him.

"Are you almost done?" Lonnie asked, getting impatient.

As I fumbled to put on some shoes, I reached for the door and opened it. By the time Lonnie looked up from her phone, I was standing straight, and basically ready. She rolled her eyes and smiled, but moved a random strand of hair from out of the middle of my face. How did I miss that?

"Okay, so I woke up like two minutes ago. Give me a break," I told her as I grabbed my phone, backpack, and keys.

"I will, but I'm not sure your father or Ben's subjects will."