Chapter XVIII: Special Announcement and Alone Time Together

Narrator’s POV

King Alaric and Queen Beatrice woke up and got ready. After they got ready, they went downstairs and called all the people in the palace.

After a minute, all the people who are working in the palace gathered in front of King Alaric.

"Queen Beatrice and I had an important announcement to tell,"

"What is it, your highness?"

"Can you tell them to them instead, Beatrice?"

"Very well. I bet you are all going to be happy. Alaric and I decided on something. It's all Alaric's idea, and I just agreed to it. You will have a day off today, so you are all free today,"

"Really, your highness?"

“Uhum, because you are all doing your work well, and I bet you are feeling tired. It's your reward for doing hard work for us,"

"Thank you, your highness,"

"Please be back at five,"

"Ok, your highness,"

All the people in the palace are happy. They all went outside, but Butler Livie remained.

“Livie? What’s the matter?”

"What about you two? You're going to be alone here,"

"Don't need to be worried, Livie. We can manage. It's only for today. Go and have fun today,"

"Thank you, your highness,"

Butler Livie went outside. The palace is peaceful and quiet now. Queen Beatrice and King Alaric are the only ones who are in the palace.

"Ah, finally, it's peaceful now," Queen Beatrice said.

"Yup, we are the only people here,"

"Let's take our breakfast now,"

“Ok”

King Alaric and Queen Beatrice went to the kitchen and took their breakfast. After eating, they toured around the palace.

"There's a secret room here, Beatrice. You want to go there?"

"Ok. I'm curious,"

"I'm just going to grab the key to the room,"

King Alaric grabs the key and guided Queen Beatrice to the secret room. When they got there, King Alaric opened the door.

“Woah, there are lots of things here,"

"These are all valuable and memorable items,"

"I see,"

Queen Beatrice roamed around, and she found a portrait. It is a wedding portrait.

“Alaric?”

“What is it?”

“Is this your mother and father?”

“Yup”

"Your mother is beautiful, and your father is handsome,"

"My father died when my mother is pregnant with me, so I didn't get to see him in person. This portrait is the only thing that I can see my father,"

"You look like your father, Alaric. And this portrait is you. Your so cute here Alaric,"

“Are you saying that I’m not cute anymore?”

"You are still cute, but you're a grown-up now, so cute is not the right term to describe you, but your handsome and matured now,"

"Thank you,"

“Can we watch a movie?”

“Sure”

King Alaric and Queen Beatrice got out of the room and went to their room to watch a movie. Queen Beatrice got them a popcorn. They watch a romantic and horror movie, and now they are watching a comedy movie.

Queen Beatrice’s POV

Alaric and I are currently watching a comedy movie.

“Hahhaha, Alaric –“

When I'm about to say something to him and looked at him, and he is fast asleep. I turn off the television and also fell asleep.

I woke up because Alaric is patting my head.

“Alaric, you’re awake. What time is it?”

"It's already three in the afternoon,"

"I got an idea. What about we bake cookies for all the people in the palace. I bet they are hungry when they get back here,"

"I would agree to that, but there are many of them, and you have to bake many cookies,"

"No problem. Cookies are easy to bake. Just nine minutes, and it's baked. You are going to help me bake them,"

“Ok”

Alaric and I went to the kitchen. I prepared all the ingredients for the cookies. I mixed all the ingredients in the mixer, and when I was about to put the flour in the mixer, there’s flour on my hands. I plan on wiping it on Alaric’s face.

“Alaric, there’s something on your face. Here” I wiped the flour on his face.

“Oh, you want to play. Take that”

Alaric grabs the remaining flour that is on the table and throws it to me. We played with the flour. We stopped playing, and our face and clothes are covered with flour. We continued baking the cookies. After 1 hour and 30 minutes, the cookies are all baked. We taste the cookies, and it was delicious. Alaric and I tidied the kitchen and set the table. After that, we went to our room and changed our clothes. We go downstairs again to wait for their arrival.

After some minutes, I heard voices, and I know that it's them. They all entered.

“What’s that delicious smell?” they all said.

I welcomed them.

“Glad that you are all here. How was your day off?”

"It was fun your highness,"

"Glad to hear that. Now let us go to the kitchen. I baked something for your snacks and Alaric helped me,"

We all go to the kitchen, and they all smiled and amazed.

"You baked lots of cookies, your highness,"

“Yup. Let us all eat," Alaric said.

“Is it ok to bake these lots of cookies, Queen Beatrice?”

"No need to worry. I'm good at cooking, besides they are easy to cook. This is a thank you gift for all of you,"

"Thank you, King Alaric and Queen Beatrice,"

"Now, let us eat,"

They all ate my cookies. They also complimented my cookies, saying that it's delicious. I'm happy to see all of their happy faces eating my cookies. I looked at Alaric beside me, and he is also looking at me and smiled.

This is all I can do for them. It’s a way to say thank you for all their hard work.

Such a thoughtful king and queen.

They also had their alone time together.

There’s going to be a festival in Utopia in the next two weeks. What will happen to their preparations?

Find out in the next chapter.