Okay, I'm back for the holidays. Here's a longish chapter...

~Enjoy!

Disclaimer: James Patterson owns most of the characters mentioned in this Fanfic.

Chapter 4

Max's P.O.V:

After that visit to the kitchens, I decided that there was really nothing else for me to do. Everyone was busy arranging things for my birthday ball and I guessed that I wouldn't really be much help.

I ran up the stairs towards the library. Have I ever mentioned that the library is one of my favourite rooms? It's kind of a place where I can hide out from all the fuss that goes on in the palace. It's also quite a good hiding place to go to just before my lessons, because it's so big and there are so many shelves and seats dotted around the place, it's sometimes extraordinarily hard to find people… but then it's normally so quiet that you can hear a pin drop.

I pushed open the door and stepped in and went to my seat near the window. Although there were books on every inch of the wall, there was still this huge window that looked down at the palace gardens. You could see little houses and cottages dotted around the place as well as shopping centres and markets. We were not exactly a very big city but we were probably one of the wealthiest.

I love exploring the markets. You could always find these lovely vintage books that have the most beautiful covers.

A pile of books were situated next to my seat. These were the ones that I had chosen this week to read. I picked up the top one and started reading. Half way through the second chapter, the door of the library creaked open. Although I was hidden behind the bookshelves and you couldn't see my seat from the door. I stayed still. Quiet footsteps echoed through the room, walking around for a while.

The person must be looking for a book. I thought. I stayed quiet.

The footsteps walked came closer and then retreated. Then I heard the rustling of beanbags. Smiling, I placed my book down and took off my shoes as quietly as possible. Having practised on my sister dozens of times over the years, I could now walk across a floor barefoot without making a sound, perfect for when I wanted to sneak up on someone.

I crept quietly towards the rustling noise and saw a dark haired person sitting on a beanbag, his back towards me.

Stopping just behind him, so that my shadow could cast a shadow over the book, I smiled. "I see you have found our library."

Fang's P.O.V:

The soft, gentle voice behind me made me smile. I turned around and there stood Max, the most beautiful girl in the world… Wow. What are you talking about Fang? Since when did you like Max that way? You don't even know what she's like now.

"Yes." I replied. I had never really been the one to talk that much. My sisters and mum all talked way too much and I just thought that there was really no need to waste your breath in saying a hundred words when you can answer something in one or two.

Max grinned and took a seat on the beanbag next to me, plopping herself down, yet making it look elegant.

"So… uh who exactly are you? I mean, 'Fang' isn't really the name of a royal or a lord or any eligible bachelor in any nearby kingdoms. Knowing mum and dad they wouldn't invite anyone else…" Max's eyes grew big as she knew that she had made a mistake.

"What I mean is that, knowing the King and Queen of Northern Arinka, they would only want the best for their daughter."

I chuckled at her mistake and put the book on the ground beside me.

"Look, I know who you are, Your Royal Highness, Princess Max of Northern Arinka."

Her jaw dropped. "How did you find out?"

I fumbled around in the pocket of my jeans before taking out the invitation. "This."

"Right… so well now that you know who I am, it's time for me to know who you are." Max sprung from her beanbag and lunged for the invitation in my hand, but with years of self defence up my sleeve, I stretched my hand out of her reach.

Max landed in a piled heap on my chest. She tried rolling over to reach for the invitation again and then our eyes connected. We were so close, and my heart was beating faster and faster. I looked down at her lips, slightly parted and a beautiful pink. My head inched down and then I felt the invitation being pulled out of my hand.

Standing up now, with her face all flustered, Max coughed.

"Ahem… well ahh, let's see here. Your Royal Highness: Prince Nikolas Joshua Edward Avon…" She stopped and stared to look at me. "Ni… Nick?"

I stood up. "Yes, it's me Maxie." Standing several inches taller than her, I had to look down at Max.

"It's been like forever, "Max said and then she flung her arms around my waist. I held her tight against me; she fit perfectly into my arms.

"Happy birthday Max," I murmured, resting my head on her beautiful dirty blonde hair.

I felt her smile against me and then she pulled back.

"Well Fang. This is a cause for a bigger celebration! I'm so sorry I didn't come to your birthday last year, Ella fell sick and I just couldn't…" I put my hand over her mouth and smiled.

"I understand. My twin siblings couldn't make it today; they're sick."

"That's okay. I hope they get better soon. Um, so how about you tell me about your new nickname, Fang? Should I call you that? It's a pretty cool name I must say." She beamed up at me.

"Um. Well, that can be a story for another time." I took my invitation from her and put it back in my pocket.

"Okay? Uhh… how about I take you on a quick tour of the palace first, we can explore some of our old haunts and then we'll probably need to get ready for the ball. Can you help me greet the guests? They're supposed to arrive around 5pm and I'm a bit nervous about knowing who they all are."

"Sure." I said and went to retrieve the book I was reading off the ground. "May I borrow this?"

"Sure. If you want, it's my dad's favourite novel, I like reading classics as well, but more like Jane Eyre and stuff, otherwise, I prefer modern fantasy and action novels."

I nodded and followed Max as she headed towards the door.

Max led me to the gardens first and to the well known Northern Arinka Palace Hedge Garden. I laughed at the good memories that flooded back when I saw it.

*Flashback*

"Niiick. Where are you?" Please! I wanna go home. I give up! You win, okay? I don't want to be here anymore," whined Max who had given up looking for me after half an hour of hide and seek in the Hedge Garden.

I was hiding in the shadows, behind a hedge right near Max. It was a surprise how she hadn't found me yet.

Max stomped her feet on the ground, her face reddened with annoyance.

"Come on Nick! Come out! I want to go home and eat." Max yelled. She plomped down on the ground and crossed her arms.

I snuck out behind and quietly crept out before jumping at her, causing us to both roll in the dirt.

"NICK!" Max giggled and stood up, pulling me up as well. "Where were you hiding?"

I shrugged and pointed to my spot.

Max frowned. "But I checked there."

I smiled and took her hand. "Let's go back. I'm hungry."

She grinned, a slightly toothless as Max had recently lost 2 of her baby teeth. "Me too. I'm all dirty so I want a bath too!"

I nodded and we started sprinting as fast as our little legs could take us. We went winding through the maze, not knowing where we were going but eventually got out.

"Oh there you two are! Max! Her Royal Majesty has been looking for you everywhere. Now oh! You two are all dirty. We must give you both a bath before taking you down to dinner; you two are just simply unpresentable."

Max's part-time nanny fussed all over us and we were led to separate rooms to have showers.

*Flashback ends*

Max pulled at my arm.

"Hey Ni…Fang," she grinned. "Remember the time I was upset and ran into here and then got lost? And no one could find me apart from you?"

I nodded. I remember all too well being the little knight in shining armour rescuing the damsel in distress that day.

Max laughed. Her laughter was a beautiful sound, not forced and was like a lovely melody.

Pulling me on, we went to the kitchens, where we had stolen treats, the music room, where I looked on as Max took a disastrous lesson on piano, the many corridors of the palace, the cinema, and we were just about to go back up the stairs to my room when we bumped into Ella.

"There you are Max! We're about to have a quick lunch together and then we need to prepare you…" She noticed me and smiled.

"Hey, you're that person from before."

I nodded.

"This is Nick, Ella, otherwise known as Fang. He and I used to play together when we were 5." Max introduced me to Ella and we all smiled.

"So that's who you are. Prince Nikolas of Southern Arinka. Anyways, would you like to join us for lunch?" Ella offered.

I looked at Max and she nodded. "Sure," I said.

Lunch was a brief affair. King Jeb and Queen Valencia were delighted to see me and asked many questions about me. I answered them with short answers that to some might've seemed rude but they were fine with it all. They were great people, just like what I remembered from last year. Although everyone was eager to spend more time together, Max's sister Ella seemed to have a different schedule in mind…

"Come on guys. Hurry along now. We really need to get going. It's already 1:45pm and the guests are arriving at 5pm, which gives us around about only 3 hours. We need to get Max ready and then this all has to be cleared and the table set up again. The ballroom is nearly ready and then we need to put refreshments out by 4:30pm, in case any guests arrive early. Max must be down at 4:45pm and…"

"Dear, calm down. If you keep on rattling like that we might be here until 5pm. No need to read out the whole schedule." Valencia smiled and looked at Ella. "I'll help you get everything sorted. I suppose we should start now." She stood up and kissed Jeb on the cheek before heading out the door, Ella following after her and starting to rattle on about the amount of tables needed…

"Well, uh Dad. I might take Nick up to his room again and then I think Ella will start getting me ready for the ball. I'll see you soon."

Jed nodded and smiled at me. "You do that Max. I'll see if I can help in any way." He winked at her as Max got up from her seat and kissed Jeb on the cheek.

"Come on Fang." She gestured and I nodded. I got up from my seat and looked at Jeb. "Thank you Sir, lunch was lovely."

"Just call me Jeb, Nick." He smiled and tilted his head, telling me to go on after Max.

I nodded and walked out the dining hall with Max.

We shared some memories together as we made our way to my room.

"Well, I guess I should go in case Ella starts to stress again." Max said.

I nodded and she gave me a hug.

"Yeah… and I'll have a shower or something. Maybe unpack a bit. Did anyone mention that my Mum wanted to stay for 5 days?" I asked.

"Yeah. Mum mentioned that. I'm so glad that we can have some more time together." Max beamed. "Well, I'll see you soon okay? My bedroom's in the Eastern Wing if you want to come later. Someone will definitely be able to show you to it."

"Okay. See you later."

Max gave me another quick hug and then sprinted off.

I opened the door to my room and plonked onto the bed. It's going to be one long, interesting evening.

I finally updated! I'm so happy that more people have read this even though I haven't updated it. I'm so sorry and this is the longest chapter I've written yet. Hopefully I can get one or two more chapters up before the end of these holidays.

Please write a review. It gives me all these warm fuzzies when I read them. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

*Pulls out a bag of virtual cookies and hands them out to everyone* Here are some cookies for not giving up on me. I'm sorry for not updating but yeah…