Melinda bit her lip to hold back a sigh. Oh sure, it might be funny tomorrow (after all, it<i>was</i>horribly ironic and it<i>was</i>humorous when you considered all the communication errors that had led to this point), but right now she'd just endured a thirteen hour flight, an antagonistic taxi driver, a humiliating encounter with security, and now had a scraped and bloody cheek and a pounding headache.<i>Nothing</i>was funny to her right now.<br/><br/>Her head might have been aching, but she could still comprehend what the man was saying. She stiffened and her face turned a shade paler.<i>Hold on... soon to be <b>princess</b>?</i>Mindy's head was really spinning now and her stomach was beginning to feel queasy. She vaguely registered the man speaking, Alistair, as he'd introduced himself. But it only came in snippets. Ryan. Kings and princes. Amelia's upcoming nuptials. Alistair seemed perturbed by the confused expression on her face, as if just not realizing that she truly hadn't know anything. He looked as if he were about to open his mouth to something more when the shuffling sound of footsteps on carpet interrupted him. Both of them turned their heads to watch Amelia enter the room.<br/><br/>Mindy looked at her sister, really considered her. Amelia had certainly gotten the better half of the genes. Her blonde hair was bright and pretty, nothing at all like the burnished wheat color of her own hair, and Amelia's hair had always been smooth and glossy and perfect. She'd received their mother's delicate nose and cheekbones and her full lips as well. On top of that, she'd always been easy going and gregarious and charming and charismatic. People<i>liked</i>Amelia. It wasn't that Mindy couldn't believe a prince had fallen in love with her sister. It was more a question of how on earth had this happened? And when? Amelia had only been of doing her graduate program abroad for a little over a year!<br/><br/>Alistair moved closer to her side and Mindy could see Amelia's scowl over the head of the prince. Clearly, the in-laws were not on the best of terms. He made to clean up her scrape with an alcohol wipe he'd snatched from her sister, but Melinda leaned backwards and held up a hand, keeping him at bay. "Hold on. Just... hold on a damn minute." She snatched the alcohol wipe from Alistair's hand and, with a scowl on her own face, replaced the ice pack with the cool wipe. She winced at the initial sting, but seemed intent on cleaning her own wound and keeping the strangeness going on around her at bay. She peered around Amelia an accusatory glance. "When were you going to tell me, Amelia? Do mom and dad know you're marrying a<i>prince</i>?"<br/><br/>Amelia had the good sense to blush and duck her head, looking ashamed and embarrassed. "Well... they do know... they only found out a few months ago." She came to sit on the opposite side of her sister, taking hold of her hand. "Please, Mindy, believe me, I wanted to tell you! There were so many things that happened all at once and I could never figure out the best way to tell you." She looked chagrined.<br/><br/>Melinda sighed heavily. "I didn't even know you were dating anyone..."<br/><br/>Amelia shrugged. "I didn't tell very many people. Honestly, I didn't even know Ryan was a prince when I first met him. But I just wanted to be slow and cautious. Something about him felt different and I didn't want to mess it up." Mindy studied her sister. At the very mention of Ryan's name she'd gone all flushed and smiley. It was clear that she was deeply in love with this prince, that there really<i>was</i>something different about this man. And she was happy for her sister! Mindy had always looked up to her older sister and had nothing but respect and admiration for her and there was nothing more that she wanted than to see Amelia happy. She heaved a sigh, looking exhausted. Amelia looked sheepish. "I'm really sorry, Mindy. I swear, I'll answer any and all questions you have. And... I hope you won't be too upset with me because... well, I'd really like you to be my maid of honor."<br/><br/>Mindy released a breath, giving her sister a critical stare. Her head hurt too much right then to stay mad at her and, with a tired, tremulous smile, she nodded. "Of course. I'd love to." Amelia squealed and moved to squeeze her sister tightly but she quickly maneuvered out of the embrace. "Listen, I've just had the most exhausting twenty-four hours of my life. I desperately need to clean up." She stood up, turning to face her sister and her soon to be brother-in-law. "I'll have someone look at my cheek later. Right now, what I really need is a shower. So will one of you point me in the direction of the nearest bathroom?"