Alessandra had grown weaker and more apathetic as the days went on. Even after the King had officially informed Adam that he was to be the heir for the throne and that Hye Jin was to be his queen, no reaction was brought out of Alessandra. She was a little grateful as Hye Jin got distracted and left her to be. Although she was almost always then free, she did nothing but sit there, help around the castle, and sometimes groom the horses. She had officially lost it after more than a half year of misuse, stress, and worry. She had stopped wondering and sketching out what could have happened to Adrian and why he had not returned. The assurance of Adrian's disappearance and her mother's death, which she received one stormy evening, brought her to the edge.
As the eighth month since Adrian's disappearance and two months since her mother had passed, Alessandra started trying to go back to reading again. She hoped that maybe then everything would feel like normal again. Her hair had grown back, her weight was slightly restored, but she still didn't look like Alessandra only a year and a while ago. She read of the current political views with Adrian's disappearance, she wrote down everything she could recall since his disappearance. It wasn't going to bring him back, but it kept her mind busy. The thinking, analyzing, and investigating brought back a bit of her soul, but yet she was still void. At the time, she had grown to accept the disappearance of Adrian and the death of her mother.
The dreaded day for Alessandra had arrived; Announcing to the nation that Adam was then the official and rightful heir to the throne and that Hye Jin was his queen. Although she was fully aware that Adrian was not to return, that her mother was dead, that she was then absolutely alone, the day of the official announcement got to her; disregarding her emotional state, Alessandra got on her best dress, had her hair neat and pulled back with the best smile she could pull for the grand day with all the nobles and great leaders of the nation.
She was standing in the corner beside Amelie as the King silenced the hall for his announcement.
That was he interrupted by a strange man.
Alessandra stared at the strange man who sounded a lot like Adrian, who even held similarities with Adrian. Alessandra's eyes widened as she stared at the man from afar. She was surprised. Could it be true?
No.
She walked closer to where the royals were as the hall erupted in laughter, applause, and happy chattering. The closer she got to the man, the more he resembled the Prince she had missed so much. The Queen was talking to her older son, as Alessandra came to stand by her side. She continued to blankly stare at Adrian as her eyes filled with tears. She gulped slightly and blinked away the tears before giving Adrian a bow.
''You came back.'' She announced as she straightened again. She looked at the Queen and back to Adrian, looking for the assurance she needed that she was not seeing things.