A Royal Elopement

by Emma Lea

  Which was all to say that this weird paranoid feeling that was making me jumpy needed to quit it. I couldn’t afford to be distracted. This trip was too important. This was my career and I needed my head screwed on straight to make sure I did it properly.

  The car came to a stop outside my parents’ house and I sighed as the door was opened for me. Château de Monterey was a hulking beast of a castle complete with crenelations and murder holes. It was a fort, really. A throwback to times of war. Where the Château de Conté de Fees was a fairytale castle with whimsical turrets and fanciful stained glass windows, Château de Monterey was a battlement. It had been softened over the years with gorgeous gardens and subtle lighting. The moat had been drained and the drawbridge replaced by a regular bridge, but it was still unmistakably a battle fort that had played a pivotal role in our country’s independence. But to me it was my childhood home. I had grown up here and knew its secrets. I loved its history and was proud that the Binghams had stood beside the St. Benéts for all these years. The first king had bestowed the honour of duke on my distant grand pappy and our two families had been tight ever since.

  I took the stairs confidently and smiled at Norman as he opened the door for me. I didn’t need an escort, I knew they would be waiting for me in Mother’s favourite room. She would be sitting on her chair ready to give me the look of disapproval as soon as I entered. Not only was I late but I was wearing pants - almost as big of an unforgivable sin as being late. Two strikes to me and dinner hadn’t even started yet. At least they weren’t jeans, which I’d almost worn. She probably would have sent me to my rooms to change if that had been the case. It wasn’t that I didn’t like dresses - I wore them often - I just preferred to wear pants. There were many more places to hide weapons when you had pockets and a waist band. It was also easier to move in a well-tailored pair of pants and you didn’t have to worry about flashing your unmentionables if you happen to have to do a roundhouse kick.

  I heard the dulcet tones of my brother and stopped in surprise. He and Alex had only gotten married a couple of days ago, why were they here and not on their honeymoon?

  “Come along Meredith,” Mother called through the open door. “We are waiting for you.”

  “Drat,” I hissed under my breath. My mother had ears like a bat. I forced a pleasant smile to my face and stepped into the room. “Good evening everyone,” I said in my best duke’s daughter’s voice. “Please excuse my tardiness but I got caught up at work.”

  Mother hummed disapprovingly and I stepped up to brush her cheek with the obligatory kiss. My father pulled me into a tight hug and a smacking kiss on the top of my head and then I turned to my brother and his new wife.

  “What are you two doing here? I thought you would be off on the great European adventure.”

  Freddie stood and pulled me into a hug. “I’ve got your back, sis,” he whispered into my ear and then stepped back with a big grin on his face.

  Alex stood too and hugged me, holding on a little longer than necessary. Why did I suddenly feel like I was going to the gallows?

  “Dinner is served ma’am,” a footman said from the door.

  “And none too soon,” Mother said as she stood. My father took her elbow and preceded the rest of us out the door.

  “What’s going on?” I whispered to Freddie as I walked behind him and Alex.

  He looked over his shoulder at me and gave me a sad smile. “It’s going to be okay Mer,” he whispered back.

  I swore silently in my head. I didn’t like this. I didn’t like it at all.

  I took my assigned place at the table and the first course was served. It may only be the five of us for dinner but it was presented as if it were a banquet. Mother didn’t believe in doing things by halves, not even a simple family dinner.

  Once every one had tried a spoonful of the soup, my mother turned her eyes on me. “It’s time, Meredith,” she said.

  I looked at her with a puzzled frown. “Time for what?”

  She sighed and put down her spoon like I was being deliberately obtuse. She folded her hands on her lap and stared me down. “It’s time for you to resign your position from the royal guard.”

  The spoonful of soup was halfway to my mouth when I froze. I took a beat to school my reaction - flinging the hot soup at my mother in a fit of pique would not do anything to further my cause - and slowly lowered my spoon back to the bowl.

  “I’m sorry?”

  My mother sighed again like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. “I have been patient. I have stood back and let this ridiculous display of rebellion go on against my better judgement. I allowed you to follow Alyssa overseas to America for four years. When she came back I thought that finally you would give up this notion that you are a body guard. But it has been nearly two years and here you are still, running around like a common enlisted soldier. It’s time for it to stop.”

  “This is my career,” I said turning to Freddie for help, but he returned my look with one of pity. I next looked to my father but there was no help to be found there either.

  “No, Meredith. This was just a distraction. You are the daughter of a duke and it’s high time you started acting that way. Your father is now the prime minister. Can’t you see how ridiculous it is that you continue to serve on the royal guard? There are expectations that need to be met and I am at the end of my patience waiting for you to do the responsible thing.”

  I stood to my feet and slammed the napkin that had been on my lap on the table. “Do the responsible thing?” I tempered my voice so I wasn’t yelling. I really did want to yell, though. “You don’t think I’m being responsible?”

  “Sit down,” Mother said with a resigned sigh. “There are other people who could do your job.” She said the word job like it tasted bad. “But your father only has one daughter and there are responsibilities that come with your nobility.”

  “Name one thing that is more important than me doing my job,” I said as I sat heavily in my chair. I felt betrayed. I thought at least Freddie would stick up for me or Alex even. But the two traitors sat silent, their eyes pitying me.

  “Marriage,” Mother said.

  “Pardon?”

  “Marriage is more important than you continuing on as a royal guard. You are a duke’s daughter—”

  “I really don’t see how being daddy’s little girl has anything to do with me getting married or not. And it has nothing to do with my job. A job I love by the way, not that anyone seems to care about that.”

  “Kitten,” Daddy started but then was shushed by Mother.

  “Don’t mollycoddle her,” Mother said. “She needs to understand the importance of her position and her role. We are in this position because you spoiled her for far too long.” Mother took a breath and then turned to me. “Meredith, you were never meant to be in the guard for this long. I allowed it when you and Alyssa were young. I even allowed it when you traipsed across the ocean to go to university with her because I thought the education would be good for you. But you were always meant to come back here and take up your position as Lady Meredith. It is even more important now, what with your father’s new position and the changes that are happening in Parliament. Alyssa has paved the way for something that many women among the peers have longed for and it gives you a very unique opportunity.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Mother sighed. “Because of the changes that Alyssa is spearheading you have the unique opportunity to take up a title of your own.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Mother rolled her eyes. “Your father is The Duke of Monterey, your brother is The Earl of Avonlea and you, my dear, are The Countess of Bellemere.”

  “Grandmother’s title?”

  Mother nodded. Her own mother had been a countess before she married The Duke of Newbury - my grandfather.

  “But I don’t want to be a countess,” I said, looking around the table. “I’m happy as I am. More than happy.”

  “If you r
efuse the title then it will go to your cousin Amelia,” Mother said, grimacing.

  “She can have it,” I said. I didn’t particularly like Amelia but she was still welcome to my unwanted title.

  “Mer,” Freddie said. “It’s not that simple. There are other factors to take into account—”

  “I don’t see how there is anything else to discuss. I don’t want the title. I just want to keep doing my job.”

  “The queen has already informed Von Bartham that you will be stepping down.” This from my father.

  “What!?” I jumped to my feet again. Betrayed by my closest friend.

  “Sit down Meredith.”

  “No. I will not sit down. I’m leaving. I need to speak to the queen.”

  “Meredith,” Alex said, her soft voice cutting through the rising din in my mind. “You have an appointment with her tomorrow. I will be there too. There truly are things you need to know before you make your decision. Please, just take a moment and hear all the arguments before you make a choice that you can’t change.”

  I sat back down and looked at the food on my plate. My soup had been taken away while we argued and now I stared down at a delicious looking pasta dish except that I no longer had any appetite. The past few days and the whispered conversations that stopped when I walked in the room suddenly began to make more sense. Everyone else had known that I would be axed from the guard. That’s why they had been shutting me out. They knew what was about to happen and no one had felt to inform me. So much for loyalty.

  I didn’t sleep much after the disaster of family dinner. I dismissed my maids when I got back to the palace and drowned my sorrows in a carton of salted caramel ice cream that I pilfered from the kitchen. The rest of the night I spent planning my arguments against my forced resignation. I was royally vexed that my closest friend in the entire world had betrayed me this way. And betrayal it was. How could she make this decision without even discussing it with me? Why let my mother break the news to me? It went entirely against the friend code and I was not going to leave our meeting until I had vented all that built up anger.

  I let my maids dress me the next morning. My head was too full of words and arguments to think about clothes and hair and makeup. Tamara and Chantel had been with me since I came back to Merveille and after a few false starts they had learned what I liked. I wasn’t as fussy and feminine as the others in Alyssa’s entourage, a fact that I’m sure my maids complained about to the other maids, but I really didn’t care. This was who I was and everybody just had to live with it.

  I walked toward the queen’s office like I was walking to the gallows. My job was important to me. I wanted to keep it. I didn’t understand why Alyssa was insisting I step down. It was out of character for her. She was all about women doing the jobs that they wanted to do. It was her whole platform in Parliament and for her to turn around and make me resign just seemed…odd.

  I ignored Aiden and Cody who stood outside the door to the queen’s office and stepped inside. Priscilla smiled at me from the desk outside Alyssa’s door.

  “She’s waiting for you,” Priscilla said and I nodded.

  Did Priscilla know what was going on too? Of course she did, she was the queen’s personal assistant. Priscilla would know more than even Alyssa knew.

  I took a deep breath and then knocked lightly on the door. At Alyssa’s called permission to enter, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The office was already full of people, no doubt they had been having a powwow before I arrived on the best way to tackle the sticky situation of Meredith and her absurd notions of wanting to be independent.

  “Thanks for coming,” Alyssa said, all business. That let me know what the tone of the meeting would be. All business. “Have a seat.”

  Everyone was seated in the plush couches that took up one corner of Alyssa’s large office. Von Bartham and Benjamin were present, as were Freddie and Alex.

  “I understand that you know what this meeting is about?” Alyssa began.

  I nodded. “My mother so kindly informed me last night that I will be resigning from the guard.”

  Alyssa grimaced. “I’m sorry about that,” she said, her voice and her eyes softening.

  “Et tu Brute?” I whispered before clearing my throat. “Are you?” I asked. I felt comfortable challenging Alyssa because we had been friends for so long. She was a good boss but a better friend and that was why this whole thing irked me so much. Why didn’t she come to me first before making the decision?

  “I wanted to talk to you before your mother did but I was overruled. The duke and duchess thought it better if it was to come from them.”

  “No,” I said with a shake of my head. “It wasn’t better. I’m still completely confused why you would do this. Have you lost confidence in me as one of you security team?”

  “Oh god no,” Alyssa said, looking to Benjamin for help.

  “You’re a security risk,” Benjamin said, not mincing his words.

  “What?”

  He sighed and leant forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands in front of him. “With your father’s position as prime minister, you are now a target in your own right.”

  “There has been chatter,” Von Bartham added. “Threats.”

  “Against the queen?” I asked, startled.

  Benjamin shook his head.

  “Against you,” Freddie answered.

  “What?”

  “Meredith, honey,” Alex said softly, “they see you as a way to get to your father.”

  “But that’s ridiculous.”

  “Unfortunately it’s not,” Benjamin said tiredly. “I tried to find some way around this whole thing. You’re a good operative, Meredith, one of my best. But I can’t have you on the team if you are going to bring an added threat to the queen.”

  “So this has nothing to do with my mother’s ridiculous idea that I get married and become a countess?”

  Alyssa and Freddie shared a look. “That is the other side of this coin,” Freddie said. “The title is real and we do want you to take it up. It has been neglected for too many years and it is the perfect opportunity for Alyssa to show that she is serious about the shift to a more equal-opportunity peerage. The whole marriage thing is neither here nor there.”

  “What about the tour?”

  This time Von Bartham and Benjamin shared a look. “We want you to still go on tour with us. We will keep you out of the eye of the public as much as possible. The threats we intercepted do not seem to be any immediate danger but they did alert us to a future hazard if we didn’t do something now.”

  “So I go on tour and then when we get back, what? I’m kicked off the team?”

  “Mer,” Freddie breathed, “you can’t look at it like that. We all know and understand how you feel about being a guard and if there was any way around this whole thing, then don’t you think we would be doing it? The fact is that you present a danger to Alyssa. Benjamin can’t have the team’s attention split between trying to protect you and Alyssa. You understand that don’t you?”

  I nodded. I understood it but it didn’t make it any more palatable to swallow.

  Chapter 3

  Jamie

  It felt a little like déjà vu standing outside Benjamin’s office. I tapped on the door and waited for the command to enter. Benjamin sat behind his desk, Von Bartham stood in the corner and the presence of the third person surprised me. Danika.

  “Take a seat,” Benjamin said.

  I nodded and strode across the room to sit in the chair he indicated.

  “You know Danika, of course,” he said, “but what you don’t know is that she is here because of her expertise.”

  I nodded again, unsure what to say or think.

  “Danika is an expert in the tensions on Kalopsia,” Von Bartham supplied helpfully.

  I raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her. She was studying me intently, uncomfortably so. I shifted in my seat.

  “Oh?”
I asked. Did that mean she knew who I was?

  She nodded once and then with a look at Benjamin for permission, she spoke.

  “I have studied Kalopsia for many years,” she said. “I worked for the Greek government. Intelligence.”

  I didn’t let anything show on my face at the words she was saying. Greece had always had an interest in Kalopsia. We were brothers in a lot of ways, but most of the time Greece looked at us covetously. Our position within the Aegean Sea put us close to the Greek islands, but we had managed to keep our independence. They wanted to bring us under their flag, but we had resisted all attempts - both diplomatic and military.

  “Things on Kalopsia are worse than we originally thought,” Benjamin said. “There is civil unrest and talk of a rebellion.”

  I snorted. A rebellion to try and overthrow the first rebellion. It was kind of ironic.

  “It’s not what you think,” Danika said. “The people want the king reinstated. The rebellion is working toward making that happen.”

  I took a long, slow breath. It was news I wanted to hear. It had always been my goal to return to Kalopsia and take my place beside my father. Not because I wanted to be a king with all the trappings, but because I knew that my father was a good ruler. The uprising had happened because of false rumours spread through the media and corrupt militia who were bribed to take the country by force. I had my suspicions as to who had initiated it, but had never spoken those suspicions aloud.