(chapter before Raingency)
The air in the meeting room was thick, both visibly and tangibly. Nicolas had been sitting in his chair for what felt like hours and both his buttocks were already aching. He didn't know how he could move without feeling a throbbing pain in himself. In the room with him were his father and all the advisors. Actually, the prince should have gone about his duties and written a list of which of the ladies he would dismiss next before he could finally dare with Belle. These annoying, superficial conversations with the other women, firstly gnawed at his conscience and secondly, they were a waste of time. Nevertheless, it was also his job to put on a suitable show for the people. If only his father would stop frantically forcing a woman on him. Yes, otherwise she would lose her post. But would this be so bad? He had a plan B. His half-siblings would have a job to offer him, but then he would have to move to Australia. His parents, were strict, but he would still miss them. This was the last year he had a chance to take the throne. Absently, he gnawed on his thumbnail. "Your Majesties, we must do something, the Teutons are on the march. They are already in negotiations with Scotland, as well as circling Denmark yesterday.", Stanley Crow, a middle aged advisor with a half bald head leaned over the dark oak table. As he did so, he almost knocked over his glass of water with ice cubes and mint. Nicolas straightened up again and glanced at his father. King Mehr held the root of his nose. His swivel chair moved back and forth, letting out a sigh. After the news of the imminent Germanic invasion was reported in Winters White this morning, Mehr had paced back and forth like an enraged panther trying not to let on. Alice, got only the slightest of this. He didn't want to upset her. Their marriage was already in a critical state, so he didn't want her to talk him out of preventing a war. Everyone was expecting an answer. The press secretary stepped into the room holding a writing pad, her pinstripe suit buttoned up, a stern expression on her face. She knocked on the open side door, then licked her lips and straightened her blazer over her ample bosom, "Your Majesty, we have a problem. This just came in to us." Nicolas ignored her, not because he was misogynistic and didn't take her seriously, however Natasha usually came to them with curious suggestions and unresearched rumours. "Misstress Starling, please, this can't wait," Stanley growled. She braced herself for him, rustling behind her clipboard. Then she opened another issue of the Winters White, right on the cover was Lady Woodstock. "Miss Woodstock: the Germanic spy. She has two people on her conscience. Is our monarchy in danger?" "What, that's impossible, Belle is...", Nicolas had jumped up and was about to defend her. Then he reconsidered and fell silent. "Yes, that is quite a problem.", the king murmured, "What do you propose Natasha?" Natasha thanked him for allowing her to speak, but Stanley stood in front of her, "We can't let your son marry a lady who doesn't have a spotless record, certainly not one who has a relationship with the Teutons." Huh? Belle couldn't know anything about her origins after all, she was born here, Nicola's mind wandered back and forth. Stanley continued, "We must dismiss anyone who has a relationship with the Teutons. The chance is too great that there is already a mole among our ranks." Now Natasha pushed ahead of Stanley but was interrupted again, this time by another advisor Eveline Green, "Your Majesty, this would be madness, more than half the servants, are of Germanic origin..." The King raised a hand and rose, the leather chair reclaimed the displaced air and creaked, "I will erro the situation, you are all dismissed."
After the doors had closed and silence had returned, Nicolas turned to his father, "We can't just dismiss them all, they have served us faithfully." Mehr was by now at the window, those were draped in green velvet curtains. "My son, I will do the best I can to ensure that my people can rely on me. If it means removing all who harm my credibility, then I will do it." "Father please, this is madness."
Mehr fell silent and folded his arms behind his back, his chest swelling: "Nicolas, I speak to you here as your king, and when I say to you that you cannot marry anyone who has a relationship with the Teutons, you will. I think your little affair with Lady Woodstock is cute, but you will marry Lady Larsen, or Lady Guide." To equate Nicola's expression with bewilderment would have been an exaggeration, "No, absolutely not, you promised me that I would get to choose the bride myself at my last casting and my choice is made." King Mehr would not be ruffled, "If you can remember, I promised you that under the circumstances at the time. The Teutons had not yet posed a threat to us.", he came to his son and placed a hand on his left shoulder, "I know how you feel, I have been through it myself. Still, your own happiness comes second. If you love Lady Woodstock so much, just take her as a second wife. But much more, she will never be." At that moment Nicola's heart broke, he tore himself from his father's restraints and stormed out of the room. Then he rushed down the stairs on his way to his room, slamming the door loudly and breathing frantically.
Holly and I walked silently side by side, not really knowing where Queen Alice's chambers were. Within the walls of the mansion, we didn't need to have bodyguards with us and so we were able to find our way on our own. "I mean Nathaly said we had to turn left in the foyer and then up the stairs...", I mumbled unfocused, biting my nails indecently. I had just broken this habit and already I was doing it again. "Yeah, I guess so," Holly gave as a short answer. It wasn't the first time that day that I felt I had done something to her. I just didn't know what! I cleared my throat and raised a hand in the air, leaving it there to hair. From a distance I heard music and clattering. If my senses did not deceive me, this had to be the right direction. The sound of my shoes was smothered as soon as I moved along the carpet. We were standing in front of a white double door that was framed several times to represent multidimensionality. I tentatively put my hand on the knocked off handle and pushed it down, Holly stopped me. "Don't you want to knock first? That's very rude, what if we've made a mistake?" she hissed at me. I nervously brushed my hair behind my ear and blushed. You do it, I offered her pleadingly. She caught herself and I made way for her. A few seconds later the door was opened a crack and a servant stuck his head out, his face lighting up as soon as he saw us, "Lady Larsen, Lady Woodstock, you are already expected." Holly and I exchanged shy glances and stepped into the sitting room.
Holly Larsen, had been a guest of monarchs many times, in fact she had been one of them herself. Actually, she had already given up the idea of ever seeing the inside of a palace again, let alone living in it. But then two incidents gave her new hope and she found the courage to admit to herself that she could win the casting. While her friend Maybelle Juliette Woodstock may have turned the Prince's head, she had no skills relevant to a Queen. Holly spoke several languages and got on well with Nicola's parents. She also knew how to stay in the background and understood that the prince, not she, needed to be in the limelight. Belle was drawn to scandal and evil like moths to a flame. Even if she didn't do it on purpose, it was exhausting. Holly took a petit-four from an étagere and noticed someone approaching her. She almost choked, it was the Queen. She completed a deep curtsy, everything was automatic with her, she had internalised it so much that she could have been woken up at night and quizzed. "Jag är glad att du kom. Jag ville ändå prata med dig.", Alice spoke in Swedish. (I am glad that you have come. I wanted to talk to you anyway) Holly had not expected to be addressed in her native language. Alice's Swedish, was almost perfect, except for her cute Little English accent. The Queen smiled kindly "Förlåt mig, det var inte meningen att lämna dig mållös. Kom till en lugnare plats." (Forgive me, I didn't mean to leave you speechless. Come to a quieter place). Holly didn't understand why the Queen in particular was so taken with her, but she doesn't question it much either. They sat down in an alcove with a bench seat, they were framed by blue velvet curtains bundled with a cord and tassel. The windows were double as in the room they shared with Belle and painted brown. A light, cold breeze made its way through the wood. Would they stay here longer? Hopefully not. Holly Larsen remained silent and waited shyly for her counterpart to speak. Alice looked at the girl in front of her and lowered her voice, even as she continued in Swedish: "Som ni vet har vi inte direkt många allierade och det förenade germanska riket är på frammarsch. Vi kan inte stå emot detta länge, våra reserver börjar ta slut. Om min son väljer dig har vi en fot på fastlandet." (As you know, we don't exactly have many allies and the United Germanic Empire, is on the march. We cannot withstand this for long - our reserves are running out. If my son decides to join you, we'd have one foot on the mainland.) Holly raised her eyebrows and replied perplexedly, "My family has been expelled, Sweden no longer exists, I am worthless to your family." Alice cleared her throat and squeezed her hand motherly, "You do want your status back. You are aware, I hope, that your family's asylum can be withdrawn at any time" Holly lowered her eyes, afraid to upset Alice, "Vad försöker ni säga mig, Ers Majesty?" "Marry my son and everyone gets SOMETHING out of it. Glöm aldrig, du är en av oss" Holly blanched at the thought. However, would this opportunity present itself to her again? Secretly, Alice did not want Èstelle to become her daughter-in-law. Half an hour ago, her son came into her chambers and burst into tears in front of her because her husband imagined he considered Lady Woodstock an enemy of the state. Yes, sometimes her husband had a chip on his shoulder. But she had no decision-making power, she was just the king's wife, nothing more. Actually, she was able to come to terms with her position, but since her only son had reached marriageable age, her husband's temper had hardened again and again. Interpersonal relations also fell by the wayside, except for....this five weeks. Since then, nausea and fatigue had plagued her. She had told no one about her secret, she was at an advanced age, pregnancy was problematic. On top of that, she did not want to give anyone hope. Alice was so self-conscious that she hadn't noticed that Holly had already disappeared.