A small gasp escapes.
It takes a moment before Kellan finds the strength to explain. "Hannah Olivia Kenningston had one giant hope I have spent most of my adult life keeping alive. She wanted a world where children could be cared for. It did not matter to her if they were sick or homeless, rich or poor, she wanted to be able to help provide for them, to give them the foundation to become better people than perhaps they had ever imagined possible. When she died of breast cancer, Kristopher turned his efforts towards fighting that battle and I sought to finish the one she started. I went to school to better understand why people become the people they do, to get a better understanding of the true effects of one's upbringing from social status to the simple exposure of a book at an early age. I convinced myself if I could understand her vision it would be easier to complete. But in the process of it all, my own was born and so was the idea of a string of orphanages around the world. A safe haven for those without parents. A safe alternative to help drain the clogged foster care systems and provide better health, education, and love to those who need it. To take the structure of an elite boarding school and provide it to those the world is so quick to disregard before they've even had a chance to start. Both MINOH, which stands for Minors in need of Hope, and Hannah's Hope are named directly after the woman who refused to ever believe in hopelessness."
What...What do I even say to that? God, just when I thought I knew everything about him, he still manages to find a way to surprise me.
"To the palace," his voice whispers in what sounds like pain.
I roll up the window and curl my body into his. The moment I do, he wraps his arms around me, and I quietly state, "Thank you for sharing that with me."
Kellan plants a soft kiss on my forehead before replying, "Thank you for letting me."
Neither of us says another word the remainder of the car ride. I shift in his arms to get a glimpse of the highways that lead to the heart of the city, but the view is short lived. We take another road resembling the ones from our country side tour except about ten minutes later, tall gray stone buildings begin to appear. Before I know it, we turn to the right and head down a guarded driveway with several soldiers on each side. I quickly sit up straight, anxious to see anything and everything I can.
Holy shit....I'm really about to see an actual royal palace! Oh my gosh, which Disney song do you wanna sing right now?
At the first gate, Vincent swipes his key card, granting us instant access, however at the next iron gate are two armed guards on the outside right below security cameras and another one waiting in a booth. The man steps out and strolls over to inspect the inside of the vehicle.
He approves Vincent but lifts his eyebrows at the sight of me. In a cautious voice, he greets, "Good evening, Prince Kellan."
"Evening David," Kellan says warmly in return.
"I wasn't aware you would be returning with a guest, sir."
He leans forward with a wicked grin. "It's kind of a surprise."
David tries not to stare. "Indeed it will be, sir."
Because Kellan never brings home guests or something else?
"Relax, David. Take a picture like you would any other guest and upload it."
He hesitates. "Upload it to the private database for... personal family guests, sir?"
"Yes."
"Not tourists, sir?"
"No."
"Are you sure, sir?"
"Positive."
David nods and steps away, which is when I ask, "Take my picture?"
"Documentation upon visiting. The cameras capture images, but this is just an additional part of security. They take your face and it goes in a secure file. When you return, with or without me present they'll take another picture and check it against the database. Those in the small, private personal guest file are permitted after a phone call of approval from the person they are visiting. Those in the other, are not permitted unless the palace is open for a public event in which they will need to provide proof they were invited to the grounds. Then there's obviously the employee database, which are given passes with their photos attached. There are those who work for vendors and delivery companies and are not allowed access past this part of the gate. Employees from the inside have to come and escort whatever needs to be escorted in."