Monarchy

by Erasmus, Nicola

  “My title is my birth right. You can’t expect me to just give it away like an old piece of junk.”

  “Then don’t just give it away.”

  Gwen didn’t like the direction the conversation was going. “My title isn’t for sale either.”

  “500 million” the dame declared and whipped out a cheque from her file.

  Gwen was speechless and looked at Dame Margaret, searching for her nerve.

  “Wow, just like that?” she looked at the valuable piece of paper in disbelief.

  “As soon as you denounce the throne and leave the country, I’ll clear the transfer.”

  “What do you get out of this?” Gwen asked pushing the cheque back to the lady.

  “The perfect monarchy and a whole lot of praise” she shrugged. “Sleep on it. You’ve had quite an eventful day but I’m sure you should have an answer for me in the morning. Unfortunately this is a limited time offer.”

  Gwen looked out of the doors into the gardens. “I’ll sleep on it.”

  Sir Windsbury stood under the stairs out of view, listening intently to the conversation that took place in the living room.

  “What are you doing?” he asked as the dame passed him on her way to the kitchen.

  “Sir Windsbury, you gave me a fright.”

  “What is this?” he stepped closer to her.

  “This is none of your business” She answered.

  “This family is the only family I’ve ever known. This is my business.”

  “You’re a glorified chamber maid. Keep to the King’s underwear” she threw her nose in the air and entered the kitchen just as Gwen exited the lounge.

  “Gwen!” he called after her.

  “Oh, thanks for the coffee” she said trance like.

  “Don’t even sleep on it. Don’t.” he urged.

  “Did you eavesdrop?” she asked irritated.

  “I’m just begging you not to do it, that’s all. Please.” Sir Windsbury turned and punched the kitchen door with his fist and disappeared inside.

  “I don’t belong here” Gwen said to herself and ran up the stairs. She entered her room, bolted the bathroom door for privacy and fell down on her bed. On her nightstand stood a hot mug of coffee and a small vase of fresh roses but she didn’t care. She flung the covers over her head and cried herself to sleep.

  Elsie felt lonely without the usual open portal to Gwen’s room. It was difficult to leave her sister in peace after that morning’s incident but she respected her privacy. Gwen had probably drowned her sorrows in a barrel of whiskey anyway and was passed out by now. She lay awake the whole night thinking up nonsense and reminiscing about the past, waiting for Gwen to use the bathroom so she would at least know she was alright.

  At seven she tried the bathroom door again, but it was still locked.

  “I’m going to check what’s for breakfast. Remember to unlock your door so they can bring you your tray” she called through the door.

  Elsie took a detour pass her parent’s room. The door was open and her mother was alone in bed, staring down at the garden again.

  “Morning mother. Where’s the King?”

  “Morning, Elsie. Dame Margaret requested an urgent audience with him. What are you doing out of bed? It’s Saturday, you know.”

  “Just stretching my legs.”

  “Enjoy it” the Queen smiled and turned her attention back to the garden.

  Elsie had a strange feeling about the Lady’s urgent request and set off towards the King’s office.

  The door stood open as well so she walked straight in.

  “Good morning…” she greeted. The King looked up at her, furiously. Dame Margaret peered over his shoulder at something on his desk.

  “What is it?” Elsie asked and walked up to the desk in panic. The King slid a tabloid magazine at her.

  Elsie picked it up and looked at the cover photo in shock. “This can’t be” she breathed.

  “The whole saucy story is inside if you don’t believe it.” Elsie wanted to slap the grin of the dame’s face.

  “It’s a lie and I’m sure Gwen will tell you that too” Elsie took a second look at the magazine and walked determined up to Gwen’s room.

  Chapter 13

  Gwen was sitting up in bed playing with her breakfast when Elsie stormed in.

  “You’re a LESBIAN?” she screamed.

  “Huh? How do you figure that?” Gwen said defensively.

  “You’ve never had a boyfriend, you hate to wear dresses and then there’s this!” Elsie threw the magazine in front of Gwen.

  The cover had a photo on of Gwen caught in a passionate kiss with a beautiful blonde.

  “It’s not…”

  “Oh don’t tell me it’s not you. How many girls have the guts to wear their hair that way and has a tattoo like THAT?” Elsie pointed at the photo.

  “I’m not denying it’s me. It’s just not what you think.”

  “She’s telling everything. EVERYTHING! About how you ran away and said how much you hated being a princess. About the parties and what you did. About your flaming sexual relationship…”

  “THAT’S A LIE!” Gwen screamed. She was already reading the article, growing redder by the second.

  “All of it?”

  Gwen remained silent.

  “Answer me, Gwen. How much of this is true?”

  “This is what she meant with it” Gwen murmured and threw the magazine against the wall.

  “Who?”

  “Don’t worry.” Gwen got up and opened her wardrobe.

  “What are doing?” Elsie asked as Gwen started to stuff clothes into her backpack.

  “I shouldn’t have come back, Elsie” she yelled crying.

  “You’re…leaving?”

  “I DON’T BELONG HERE!”

  “What makes you think I do?” Elsie yelled back. “I don’t want any of this either but it’s what we were born to do. WE DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!”

  Gwen paused for a second. “Please tell the King I require an audience with him and tell Dame Margaret I have her bloody answer. I need some time with the Queen so I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.” She zipped close her bag and flung it over her shoulder.

  “What answer?” Elsie asked, confused at Gwen’s emotional outburst.

  “She’ll know” Gwen said and left the room.

  The Queen seemed deep in thought so Gwen knocked instead of just barging in like usual.

  “Gwen!’ her mother sounded genuinely glad to see her.

  “Good morning, Mother” she said softly.

  “I was wondering when we’ll be able to get a time for ourselves. Come and sit down on the bed with me.”

  Gwen sat down next to the Queen with a sigh.

  “You seemed troubled” the Queen said concerned.

  “I am” Gwen signed once more. She was trying to find the heart to say farewell to her mother.

  “When I feel down, I just watch roses” the Queen put her hand on Gwen’s leg.

  “You’re down a lot these days then, aren’t you?”

  The Queen just smiled and looked back at the garden.

  It truly was a magnificent view from where they sat. The Queen took great pride in the roses she planted and took care of herself for years.

  “Do you have a favorite?” Gwen asked.

  “The first one I planted. It had big ivory roses.”

  “I’ve never seen it” Gwen felt a stab of remorse for not sharing in her mother’s passion before.

  “It only bloomed once. It was beautiful. You can still see the bush from here, there in the middle” the Queen pointed out.

  In the middle of the garden stood a small bush that looked as though it could have been dead apart from a few yellowish leaves.

  “Your father has tried many times to get rid of it, but I refused” the Queen laughed.

  Tears ran over Gwen’s face. “Was leaving the palace to find myself such a big sin?”

  “Only if yourself didn’t
need finding” the Queen said softly.

  “I didn’t know who I was back then.”

  “And do you know who you are now?”

  Gwen felt a little irritated at the Queen’s philosophic answers. Her mother reached over and pulled open the bedside drawer. She handed Gwen a book. “I’ve been meaning to give you this, years ago.”

  Gwen recognized the title and laughed. “King Arthur…I actually read this on the recommendation of a friend in Britain.”

  “That’s a first print. You’ll see that its rubber printed and that there are still ink blotches here and there. It used to be my favorite but the ending was somewhat disappointing.”

  “It was, wasn’t it?” Gwen’s mind started to clear. “I have a meeting with the King, so you’ll have to excuse me.” Gwen got up from the bed. “Thank you for the talk, the book and the roses” she said and kissed the Queen on her forehead. “Don’t worry; I won’t betray the King like my namesake did.” she whispered.

  “Princess Guinevere.” Dame Margaret rubbed her hands like a greedy rat when Gwen entered the office.

  “Father. Dame Margaret” Gwen greeted.

  “I’m going to jump right in and say it. I am really mad at you this morning” the King said folding his hands on the table.

  “I reckoned you’d be and that’s why I’m here. I first want to express my disappointment that you for one went on to believe the word of a cheap tabloid magazine before hearing my side of the story.”

  “It’s a picture that says a thousand words, Your Highness” the dame said.

  “You really never kissed a girl, Dame Margaret? Not even your mother?” Gwen asked still looking at the King. “It may seem like a steamy embrace on the photo but it was only a friendly New Year’s kiss I shared with a girl I didn’t even know.”

  The King leaned back in his chair and kept listening to Gwen’s explanation.

  “I never had any kind of relationship with her after that and I’m assuming that she must’ve been paid well for her tale. Money, I hope, she’ll be spending wisely” she glared sideways at the dame.

  “Well, it doesn’t look good in any case.” The dame waved her hand around as though she was trying to swat and invisible fly. “Here we have a very impromptu article about a 20-something, rough cut princess who has never been romantically linked to a gentleman….”

  “Just because I don’t share the fine details of my love life with the rest of the world, doesn’t mean I don’t have one.”

  “I haven’t heard you denying the lesbian accusation, yet?” the King said.

  “Do tread carefully, Father. That’s a very dangerous debate to enter. Hinting that you might be homophobic isn’t good for our image at all but no, I’m just a young independent woman that doesn’t like the idea of a chivalrous knight serenading her under her window. I’d rather be his friend first and treasure the relationship as it grows.”

  Dame Margaret remained silent in the corner, waiting, expectantly, for her promised answer.

  The King had a naughty twinkle in his eye. “Have you found that knight yet?” he asked.

  “For now, most of the knights are just pursuing, how do mother call them, ‘damsels in distress’. I’m still waiting for him to grow tired of them” Gwen said with a wink.

  “Well, that’s that then. We’ll just let this story die a quiet death. I’ll be off to breakfast in bed then. I’m ravished” the King said. “Oh, and Gwen, I want to remind you that the Earl of Struce’s memorial is tomorrow. Please see to it that you and the stylist remain on the same page. We don’t need a repeat of last time’s outing. Dame Margaret, care to join me and the Queen?”

  “Excuse me, father, but if it’s no trouble I would like to have a word with her ladyship in private first.”

  “Certainly” he said surprised.

  The King closed the door behind him and for some time Gwen and the dame just stood glancing at each other.

  “I’m guessing this means you’re declining the offer?” Dame Margaret said.

  “As sharp as a pencil, aren’t you? Though I have come up with few creative ideas of what you could do with the money instead. We should discuss it over tea some time” Gwen kept her voice polite.

  “Don’t come crying the day you leave this palace with only the clothes on your back. You can’t talk your way out of every scandal.”

  “Therefore you can be sure I’ll be staying far from scandal’s way from now on. That’s unless you invent another one like this morning’s. Only then, I will unmask you for the traitor you are.”

  “We’ll see. Off to the King and Queen’s chamber it is for me. Where will you be having breakfast?” the dame taunted.

  “Enjoy it and take in as much of the view as you can. Who knows when you’ll be able to see it again?” Gwen called after her.

  Chapter 14

  Elsie was busy adjusting her dress in the mirror when there was a knock at the door.

  “Gwen, time for make-up” she called.

  “Thanks, but I already did my own make-up and hair so I won’t be needing assistance” Gwen called from inside the bathroom. Elsie felt a feeling of dread in anticipation of what Gwen might have done to her appearance this time. She sat down in front of her dressing table and the stylist’s assistants wasted no time going to work.

  They were about done when the bathroom door opened. Elsie’s jaw dropped. Gwen looked stylish in a tight fitting black pencil jacket and pants. Her hair was combed out of her face and fastened with a diamond clip to the side. She replaced her collection of ear piercings with a pair of dangling silver earrings that glided like a sliver of water down her cheek.

  “Can you help me with this?” Gwen was struggling to fasten a diamond tennis bracelet around her wrist and wobbled a bit trying to walk with her high heel sandals. “What?” she asked Elsie who just stared at her.

  “Nothing” Elsie lied but she couldn’t hide her amazement. “Sure, let me help you.”

  “I’m praying I won’t break my neck in these” Gwen said while Elsie put on the bracelet for her.

  “Concentrate on placing your weight on your toes and practice a bit. You’ll do just fine” Elsie advised her.

  “Well, I’m all done. Shall I wait for you?”

  “No, go ahead. I heard Mother and Father in the garden just now and I’m sure they just can’t wait to see what you’ve whipped up this time.”

  “Do I pass the inspection, Grace?” Gwen asked jokingly.

  “With merit, Your Highness” Grace replied.

  Gwen found her parents sitting on a bench in the garden.

  “Who is this?” the King yelled and clap his hands.

  Gwen laughed humbly. “Good morning.”

  “You look beautiful, my dear” the Queen commented and kissed Gwen on the cheek as she sat down.

  “It’s a funeral, mother, not a fashion show. I will say that most of this outfit is unfortunately my stylist taste. I would’ve preferred the support of my boots rather these death traps.”

  “Urgh” the King groaned.

  “I like the boots” the Queen whispered loud enough for the King to hear.

  “Your Majesties” Sir Windsbury bowed behind them. He looked at Gwen and merely gave an impressed nod. “The cars are waiting. You, the Queen and Dame Margaret will be sharing while I’ll be riding with the princesses” he informed the King.

  “Very well. Is Elsie done yet?” the King asked.

  “Yes, I am” Elsie looked gorgeous herself in a lacey knee length dress with a small hat perched on her head.

  “Doesn’t she look pretty?” The Queen awed.

  “She does. Your Highness” Sir Windsbury agreed and bowed to Elsie.

  They proceeded to the cars in front of the palace. Gwen, Elsie and Sir Windsbury took the first car. They drove along the same route they had just over a week ago to Seventh Manor. Rows of chairs had replaced the tables of the party. Black clad guests stood around waiting for the service to begin. They had to wait a few minu
tes for the King and Queen to arrive before they could get out.

  “Forgive my bluntness, but I need to know?” Sir Windsbury suddenly said to Gwen.