"Your Majesties, may I present to you, Miss Elizabeth Parker. Liz, these are my parents: King Phillip and Queen Diane of Verdonia."
Liz felt her blood running cold when she laid eyes on the king. He was the spitting image of her father; her father who was a cruel and despicable man in her own reality. But this was a different place, a different time and place to her own world, he was different....wasn't he? he was the king after all..... Liz pulled her wits together and gave a polite curtsey. "Nice to meet you your Majesties."
"Come, join us for some brunch my dear." the queen indicated to a seat beside her.
"Thank you your Majesty." Liz walked over to be seated by Max, while he himself then, sat beside her.
Max poured Liz a cup of tea, while Liz helped herself to some summer fruits.
"So tell me Miss Parker, how long have you known my son?" the king asked.
"For a few months now your Majesty." Liz replied softly. Her nerves were in haywire and she fought to control them.
"Do you love my son? since meeting him for such a short period of time?"
Liz looked the king directly in the eye as she replied from the heart. "Yes, I love Max with all my heart. I know it hasn't been very long that we've been together, I assure you, my love for him is beyond what words can describe. I love his kindness and generosity that he has bestowed upon me, he has the biggest heart in the world, to me he's one in a million to find and I'm glad he chose me to be in his life."
Max held Liz's hand under the table and gave it a loving squeeze, she could see how his words had affected him.
"If you were to marry, what could you do for our country? it's a huge responsibility to carry on ones shoulders, being rulers of a country."
Liz was silent before she spoke.
"Your Majesty, in truth I know that it is unlikely that you would permit a simple commoner such as myself with no social status to ever marry a prince, but hypothetically if I were to marry Max and the responsibilities landed onm y shoulders, there is a lot I could offer for this country. As a wife, I can offer love, understanding, support and strength to my husband. As a queen, I can offer compassion and open new opportunities to better the lives of the people. For example, if a child's education needs to be improved, then I would have the power I have to open more schools or employ teachers. A childs education is very important, as what they learn young will be carried through to adulthood in the hopes that their knowledge and skills will better their lives. If there aren't enough hospitals to tend the sick, then more could be built, future doctors could be trained, it would create jobs for people as well as caring for people's wellbeing at the same time. People, who no matter what their status can all be treated as equals and receive the care they require. I'll admit that there are certain areas that are not of my expertise," Liz looked at Max "but I'm sure my husband will handle that area just fine."
Max fet a goofy grin spread itself across his face at Liz's direction to him as 'husband.' He felt his blood begin to heat up and going south of his body. His desire for her was evident in his eyes, and...other places that only Max knew, but only because he was sitting down, his lower half of his body concealed under the table.
Liz looked back at the king, who appeared to be considering something.
"Miss Parker, I admire your boldness and compassion in your answer. In truth to your speculation, you are correct. Royal tradition does not allow for royal and non royal or none station marriages."
Liz looked down and bit her lip sadly.
"There is a reason for that." the king continued. "As a royal, you inherit a powerful title, power at your disposal and riches that would last several lifetimes."
Liz knew what the king was implying. If someone already had a high status, they would be use to the responsibilities and protocol that comes with it. If a commoner were to just marry into that social circle, then chances are they'll let the power and wealth go to their heads and therefore abuse it, and a lot of damage could be done.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect, I may have grown up without a lot of money, and I may be a commoner, but that does not make me an abuser of power and privilege, if I were to ever receive such a gift. I grew up in a way so hard that you'll probably won't ever come to understand why it ever happened if you ever knew of it. But truth be told, I don't want riches and power. It's not what's important in life. It's good if you have it, but if not, then the greatest power and privilege in the world would be to be loved by someone who your love an eternity in return, to have a roof over your head and enough food to keep you from starving to death. You don't need a lot of it or have it big in extravagance, the simplesst of those things can make a person the most content person in the world. That is true living, to feel and see life as it is without the materials of money and power. And you really shouldn't judge a person because of their social station, everyone is different in this world, you can get bad commoners and good commoners, the same rule applies to high stationed people. It jsut depends on the person. we are all human after all."
After a moment of silence from the king, Liz feared she may have overstepped her boundaries; but when he bursted out laughing, she looked at Max and the queen totally perplexed. They too had the same confused look as she. What did she say that was so amusing?
After 5 minutes of continuous laughter, King Phillip finally calmed down long enough to explain his outburst.
"I am sorry about that my dear." He looked at both Max and Liz with mirth in his eyes. "It's just that before you came in, my son said almost exactly the same thing!"
Liz looked from the king to Max and back again. "The same thing?"
"Yes, about the judging of people part. It's as though you both think with the same minds!" The king looked at Liz and turned solemn. "Miss Parker, I cannot promise you right to marry our son, but for my son's happiness, I will take into account of all you have said today."
"Tessaline is holding a ball tomorrow, Max why don't you bring Miss Parker along while she's staying at the palace. I'm sure she would like to see some of our social events."
Liz's blood ran cold at being reminded of Tessaline's ball, or rather 'engagement ball' to Max.
"It would be my honour to escort Liz, that is, if its all right with her of course. Liz?"
Liz broke out of her thoughts and whipped her head up to look at Max.
"Liz, are you feeling all right? you look kind of pale."
"I'm fine...I....Max, is the ball being held tomorrow your engagement ball to Tessaline? because if it is--"
"Liz, no! I told you, Tess and I broke off our engagement."
"Then why did..." Liz stopped mid-sentence as she noticed the king and queen looking at them wondering what on earth they were whispering about. "Max, we'll talk about this later." she looked rulers again. "Parden my rudeness your Majesties, I did not mean to carry out a conversation resulting in your exclusion."
"Excuse us, mother, father, but Liz and I have a matter in which we need to discuss."
Queen Diane could see that the 'matter' they had been discussing had been an upsetting one, especially for Liz, a matter that needed to be cleared up as soon as possible.
"Of course my dear, you are both excused."
Max practically dragged Liz out the room, ran down the hallway, up the grand spiral staircase, down more hallways, and finally opened the door to his room. No one would disturb or interrupt them here.
Max held Liz by the shoulders and gazed into her upsetting eyes.
"Liz, what's going on?"
"Max, when did you break off your engagement? was it before or after my accident?"
"Liz--"
"Tell me!"
"Before. I told her that day I came home and found you scrubbing the floor. I told her right after you left."
Liz bit her lower lip in thought.
"The why did she keep telling me she was planning your engagement ball?"
"I don't know. Tess never mentioned anything about an engagement ball to me. She just said that it was a regular ball she normally holds."
"Max...I...I think Tessaline is up to something. I know she's your friend and you might not believe the things I say, but Max, I know Tessasline has never liked me from the start. When she started being nice to me, I thought we could finally be friends, but I kept getting an uneasy feeling about her. I think she's very attatched to you, and I was a threat to her; that's why she kept wanting me to believe that the two of you were still together."
Max stepped closer and pulled Liz into a protective hug.
"Liz, I love only you, and I won't ever let anyone break us up, not even Tess."
Liz looked upat Max, her worried expression penetrating his soul.
"Max, call it a gut feeling, but I...I think we should be wary around Tessaline. Especially tomorrow, considering how it's her ball."
Max kissed Liz's forehead and leaned his head against hers. If Tess was up to something tomorrow, he'll be watchful of her, and if it was still an engagement ball, maybe if given the right opportunity, he could make it to his advantage.
TBC!
Um, just so you know, I have an exam next week, (wish me luck! 
But I'll try and get that out as soon as possible. 