Always and Always
a Princess Diaries 2 story
by Hermione Eveningfall
Her Imperial Highness, Queen Mia Thermopolis, sat in the garden of the Genovian palace one gorgeous spring afternoon. Nearly a year passed since her coronation, and Mia never felt more content in her life. She was truly doing what she wanted to do, and was grateful of the decisions she'd made.
A gentle breeze blew past, ruffling her smooth wavy brown hair, causing her to give a little shiver. She pulled her coat more tightly around her shoulders, her ears pricking as a robin sung in one of the nearby trees. She was so engulfed in the beauty of her surroundings, she did not notice when the doors to the palace opened, revealing a well-dressed young man.
Nicholas Devereaux straightened the jacket of his crisp grey suit, sniffling quietly and peering through the maze of bushes. He began the walk down the stone pathway, turning right. The overwhelming scent of roses and day lillies filled his nose, making it itch terribly, and he fought a sneeze that gradually began to well up.
"Your highness?" he spoke, causing Mia to yelp and whirl around, clutching the edges of her coat with surprise. Her brown eyes widened at the sight of him, and immediately she stood, pulling a loose strand of hair behind her ears.
"Oh!" she laughed sheepishly, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks. "Hi! I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you! I thought you were still in London?"
He nodded, accepting a small kiss on the lips. "I was, but I had to come back to see you. I've missed you so much, Mia. I know we decided it would be best to wait until you were settled into your position..."
Mia held onto his arms. "Nicholas..." she chewed her lip, looking down for a moment, and then up again. "Would you like to take a walk? I have an hour to relax before I have to join my grandmother for tea, and then I have a meeting with parliament at two o'clock. Did she know you were coming?"
"Of course. It would be rude not to inform her."
"Well, of course I am the Queen now, so I'm technically the one you're supposed to inform." Mia winked at him, breathing softly and gazing up at the sky. "God, it seems to strange to say that word!"
He chuckled, turning his head away in an attempt to wriggle the itch out of his nose, but it only seemed to make it worse. "How are you doing?" he asked as they passed one of the many fountains.
"I am doing fabulously," Mia replied. "Absolutely wonderfully, thank you. It's taking a bit of time to get used to, but I know I'm not alone." She rubbed his arm. "I missed you too, Nicholas." She cocked her head to one side, noticing the sudden change of expression in his face. He held his hand up to his mouth, his eyes squinting. "Are you all right?" She asked, and he nodded, just as the sneeze backed down.
"I'm fine." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.
"Are you sick?" Mia reached up to feel his forehead, frowning with concern as he blew his nose, and Nicholas shook his head.
"I have a bit of hay...of hay...Eh-HESHHHUH!"
"Oh!" Mia released his arm quickly as he snapped forward.
"I'm sorry. Please excuse me," he apologized, blinking his watery eyes.
"Hay fever?" She finished the sentence for him. "Oh, poor thing. Let's go inside so you won't be bothered by all of this." She motioned to the bushles of flowers. "We'll have tea in the dining room." "I couldn't ask you to do that," he insisted, his breath beginning to hitch again. "Huh-ESHHHHUH! Eh-HESHHHHUH!" "Bless you!" she rubbed his back. "I didn't know you had hay fever." Nicholas shrugged. "Well, it's not as bad in the summer, which is when I last saw you. It seems to work up the most in the early spring when everything starts blooming. But I'll be fine, Mia, don't worry about me." She smirked. "You are such a guy," she teased, punching him on the shoulder playfully. He playfully rapped her back.
"You just love to hurt me, don't you?" He asked, opening his arms for a hug, which she gratefully accepted. He rocked her from side to side, burrying his face against her hair. "Mia..." He cleared his throat, getting down on one knee. She blinked as he took her hands, and quickly glanced over her shoulder before turning back to him.
"Nicholas...what are you doing?" She asked, watching as he reached into his coat pocket, retrieving a small velvet box. "Oh my God!" She swallowed hard. There goes my pride of ruling without a man by my side, she thought to herself. However, his eyes were so full of love and care, that she felt her heart melting.
"Mia...I have loved you," he began, "from the moment I set my eyes on you. I know I have not been exactly what you're probably looking for, but I will do anything for you, be anything for you." He popped open the box, revealing a ring with an enormous diamond stone in the center.
"Nicholas..." Mia breathed, feeling her knees go weak. Was this truly happening?
"Will you marry me, Mia Thermopolis Renaldi?" he added, and for a moment all Mia could do was stand and stare at him in shock. When she managed to catch her breath, she nodded, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him on the lips. "Yes," she whispered, choking on a sob. "Yes I will." She held out her hand so he could slip the engagement ring on her finger, and wet her lips. Nicholas beamed, but his grin was soon erased by the expression of yet another pending sneeze. Mia noticed this, and held a finger under his nose. "Shhhhhh." She lowered it, smiling as he sighed with relief.
"Thank you. How appropriate for me to sneeze at a time like this?"
She laughed heartily. "Shall we inform everyone?" she asked, and he shook his head.
"Not just yet. Perhaps at tea, but I want to spend time alone with you, my Mia." My Mia. Mia felt tears well up in her eyes, thinking of the last line in the letter from her father she'd found in her diary before the Genovian Independence Day ball five years ago. He'd given her the courage to follow her heart, to look deep inside for the person she could be, and not to give up. If she hadn't heeded his advice, she would not be here now, standing in front of the man she loved.
"Are you all right?" Nicholas lifted her chin, wiping the moisture from the corners of her eyes. Mia nodded, resting her head against his shoulder.
"I'm all right. I'm just so happy, Nicholas." They continued walking around the garden, enjoying the warm sunlight. "Thank you." "No need," Nicholas replied, "No need to thank me. I should be the one thanking you, Mia. You are the one who opened my eyes, and my heart. I want you to be with me always and always." He squeezed her hands.
"Always and always." Mia hugged him again, quickly parting when he fumbled in his trouser pocket for a handky.
"Eh-HESHHHUH! UshHHHHEHSH!" He groaned, dabbing at his nose with the cloth, and she clucked her tongue.
"Ohhh." She smoothed the back of his neck, and pointed towards the palace. "Let's get you inside, sweetheart."
He nodded, finally agreeing to her suggestion, and took her arm. They passed through one of the tunnels formed by hedges, where Lionel, the guard in training, sat atop of one. He murmered something into his headset, hopping down and scurrying to hide behind things as he followed them. It wasn't until the doors opened and closed that he decided to stop, and sat on the steps once they closed.
"What are you doing! Go after them, you idiot!" A voice spoke inside of his earplug, and he jumped.
"They're so happy," He replied, wishing he himself could find it one day.