#when she had to pull charlotte out for the king george job

[alinaandalion]

Astrid calling Sophie "Mum" came about first as a spiteful joke. Over a year of her parents' rancorous divorce turned her angry and resentful, aware of being used as a bargaining chip more than once, aware that each parent wanted to foist her off on the other. Her birth mother because she'd never really taken to parenting; her father because he was flush in new love with Sophie-as-Charlotte.

Sophie tried to respond in kind with as much of Charlotte's warmth as she could muster. At first, she was more concerned with maintaining the grift even as her grip on it grew more tenuous. And Astrid wasn't completely wrong about her, after all; Charlotte was the new model William upgraded to, a prettier and much younger second wife with a slightly scandalous overlap with his first marriage. Later, her concern for Astrid surpassed the grift as Astrid stayed stuck in the middle of two parents who didn't particularly want to deal with her, shipped off to boarding school for that first year and passed back and forth a bit too enthusiastically the following summer.

She might have targeted William as part of a grift, her (and Ramsay's) solidified entrance into high society, but she did come to truly love him as Charlotte. But she could see that William and Astrid's mother were parents more because it was expected than any actual desire for children. And having been an afterthought herself to her parents and later the extended family she was passed around to, Sophie found herself connecting with Astrid even as she flinched internally every time Astrid called her "Mum," the acidity of the title out of Astrid's mouth slowly softening over time.

A child needs someone, after all, and for better or worse, that slowly became Charlotte until the moment Sophie left her behind.

[malkaleh]

I wrote this out once before but Tumblr ate it so this is my second attempt. Have a fictional fake tumblr sort of pop history post set in my Tudors OT3 AU Universe. For it to make any sense at all start with this post here

I’ve decided I’m going to make this extensive post about my impressions of Restorationist Bullshit because this is a beautiful day and I am a horrible tumblr user and also @sailingintosunstars is AN ENCOURAGER. 

Okay so there’s the earth just chilling which for the restorationists was a bad move For the restorationists the period in which their “movement” really begins is the reign of Arthur II and Queen Eleni when they both decided to really formalise the anti-colonialism/no empire building into law and then then Arthur said his daughter Charlotte would be heir regardless of whether he and Eleni had sons later and They Lost Their Shit. 

But, you may ask why did they not lose their shit at Thomas I and Mihrimah considering how much radical taxation/infrastructure/free schools/housing/clean water and *gasp* that whole thing in which Mihrimah spearheaded free schools for girls and women! And also the religious pluralism thing. Why were there no major rebellions? Tbh part of it was that Thomas had the advantage of being a dude, the son of two overwhelmingly popular monarchs and also the factions that would become the restorationists? They got pulled up by the fact that he was a Legitimate King. So they just grumbled about How Surrounded By Commoners He Was Just Like His Father

(Fun fact re H8  it’s either that Henry favoured Tom Cromwell or he favoured Tom Cromwell if u know what I mean depending on how much they are willing to say the thing out loud. But either way it meant Thomas I was bought up with dangerous ideas about reforming the social order! And then further corrupted because The Ottomans Won)

Now for some restorationists the problem starts way way earlier (short version (I recommend @thosefuckingdramamonarchs for actual detailed expert understanding) is that they see Elizabeth of York’s line as not legitimate because she’s a girl so her uncle Georges kids line is The True Royal Line which leads to poor Craig from Dundee. We will get back to this later when we talk about Diana & Prince Taran) and but for most of them these days the issue started because *gasp* a girl ruled England in her own right and Increased The Fucking Thing (re democracy and human rights etc) even though Queen Charlotte was as they say Extremely Good At Her Job and also had fifteen children. But they don’t consider her line valid because Through The Female Non White Line Is Not The True Royal Line. 

(I’m obviously summarising a fuck tonne if you want actual academic information I drew this from ‘God & Our Right: The Empire That Never Was’ & ‘Restorationist Rule: Life Under Absolutism’ I also really rec @dominionsno who is an actual historian of this period)

so-help-me-crocodile-waffle

Can you explain what the fuck is with the Prince Taran is really the adopted white child of the True Royal Line thing?

It’s pretty simple the restorationists believe that it isn’t that His Royal Highness The Prince Of Wales got his white passing from his Irish-Nordic dad they think he’s actually the long hidden away son of Edward V (who didn’t die in the Tower but was spirited out of the country but was murdered before he could return but his sons were bought up in exile until the royal family found the baby son and nefariously adopted him to thwart the Restorationist Cause and then killed his wife because she was about to Tell Him The Truth. Or that the Restorationist King’s son actually had a son and the Prince of Wales is really the direct descendant of that son. Or both. Yep, the plot of this is exactly the plot of that terrible The Stolen Worlds mini series

thosefuckingdramamonarchs

[fluorescentpipedream]

Been learning some things about Dayton the last few days 

It’s a little long so I don’t want to clog up anyone’s feeds

Details:

Age: 43

Family: 

Parents - Abigail and Ethan Foster. Sibling: Charlotte,Lottie (25)

His parents are still alive though they don’t really acknowledge him much.

His little sister, Lottie, comes to visit him sometimes. She makes jewelry out of recycled materials and gave her brother an earring she made of a broken beer bottle, repurposed as a diamond. He wears it on the right side, though when asked why he only has one, he says “she knows I’ll lose the other one, so this way it’s more special” 

He has said he’s a little jealous of his younger sister because “she gets to be normal, and our parents hate that there’s nothing of hers that can capitalize on. Her jewelry business is a fun thing to put her through college, they can’t steal her fortunes and lie to her that it’s in her best interest. I’m envious of her because of her normalcy. How stupid is that?”

Relationships:

Dayton was married when he had his seizure, his husband divorced him shortly after the incident, not being willing to take care of him. 

He’s had a few girlfriends but he seems to prefer the company of men

About:

Dayton is highly dependent on drugs and/or alcohol to get by on the outside world because he just can’t seem to function without them when he’s trying to live on his own. He’s lived at the Center in the French Quarter off and on for 4 years, before that taking a stint in jail for public urination and intoxication. He also spit on the arresting officer. Writing about the incident later by saying “he finds it odd that Mardi Gras is legal public drunkenness for the amusement of all but only a few days after, in the stench of Bourbon Street’s parties where trickles of human depravity are being washed from the street, suddenly it’s deplorable and must be cleansed from sight. Though they might have gone easier on me if I hadn’t spit in the cop’s face. Oh well.”

Dayton’s initial slip into this strange state was after a seizure caused by his excessive drinking. The world was easier to handle if he was drunk or high all the time, he didn’t feel like he had to be as smart as he is, when he was riding a drug high. He collapsed at a Mensa event when he was 32, and during the grand mal seizure caused brain damage and for his IQ to slip from the 200s and down into a more average number. He still seems to be very intelligent, though he doesn’t really draw attention to it anymore. After his husband left him, he had apparently only shrugged, taking his ring off and handed it to his little sister, telling her “unconditional love is a joke”

The relationship with his parents finally came to light as well, and he outright told the first social worker when they had suggested he could recover in his parent’s care that they wouldn’t actually care for him anymore. Their free ride now had strings attached and he doubted that they could stand to care for him, since he was pushed to always provide for himself, since he was “smart enough”

He has the potential to live on his own, he just doesn’t have much of a drive to do so. When he’s left on his own he gets distracted and forgets to do even the most basic tasks. He means he forgets to eat, sleep, etc. At the Center, “I’m safe from myself”

Personality:

Self-loathing and tends to put himself down a lot

Suicidal although Lottie seems to be the only reason he won’t go through with killing himself, he loves her too much to leave her with that stigma of “genius brother takes his own life following years of drug and alcohol abuse

A very dark and, at times, unsettling sense of humor. It makes people uncomfortable and his general disinterest in people’s reactions make it worse

“Former” sex addict...he puts it in quotes. As long as he’s not drinking or using drugs he tends to abstain from dangerous sexual liaisons but once he’s under the influence it’s whatever, with whoever and however they choose. “I’m surprised I’m not infected yet”

He’s been with both men and woman and has no preference towards either. “It would be nice to have someone love me...I’m not in a position where I could be the one providing care to another, sadly dealing with me may be a full time job and not one most people are equipped for. I won’t “get better” over time, and crave companionship sometimes even over the obsessive desire to fade from this world”

Interests:

Serial killers. He absently makes profiles for those he reads about or watches reports on TV. He frequents websites that have details on true crime and likes to try to figure out cold cases, for fun. He’s actually figured out several, calling in anonymous tips to hotlines.

-Seriously- considering typing up his profile for the serial killer in San Francisco (Paul) and sending it to Theo deWinter, the agent on the case. He’d learned about the case online and after reading what he could find about the murders and the way the bodies are discovered, he really does want to help. He is concerned they wouldn’t take much consideration in the profile though because of his current mental state. It might hurt his credibility. Still, he says “better not eat anything you buy from Rascal Butcher shop on Main” 

Piano, originally it was something he was forced into learning but now that he’s older he enjoys it quite a bit more. He sometimes sits in the grand entrance of the Center and plays on nice days

Writing. Kind of like a cross between Dean Koontz and Stephen King with some Lovecraft like monsters in there. He posts some of his shorter pieces on his blog

Has a tumblr blog called A Damaged Beautiful Mind. Most of the time he answers questions but a few years ago he wrote a rather long post about the inability for criminals, drug addicts and generally anyone who has been arrested to vote in national elections explains a lot about how the entire system is set up so only the elite are allowed to partake (excerpt at the end)

He loves watching psychological thrillers, horror movies and true crime documentaries

He used to want to be a federal profiler and even has degrees in forensic psychology and criminal law

Connections:

Arthur Powell sometimes invites him over for dinner in his room at the center.

He told Arthur he really liked his sister, Frankie once, promising it was “nothing creepy” he just thought she had a beautiful soul and her amazing talent was going to take her places. Arthur has her make him a mirror glaze birthday cake this year that was too beautiful to eat (he did though, only when Lottie came to spend the day with him and she cut into it after taking a picture of it with his phone.)

One of the orderlies brings him coffee and beignets on Saturdays and they talk. Dayton generally believes they’re just checking up on him to make sure he’s had a shower or eaten something recently.

Doctor Snow is his therapist, though lately he feels like he has to search for things to discuss with her. She’s expecting her first child, so the visits are brief and involves how he’s feeling, if he’s still having suicidal thoughts...etc.

He used to be a bit of a lech, being Mike Tomlin’s first foray into gay sex, pinning him to a wall at the Mensa event, the same night as his seizure.

Excerpt from his latest blog entry about election and voting rights, or rather the lack thereof

Any system which segregates the unmentionables and undesirables from the view of the rest only perpetuates the degeneration we’ve been seeing as a whole in this nation. It’s “progress” that the United States lived in a seemingly “Golden Age” under Barack Obama, but if one were to pull back the veil they need only skim the surface to realize, that was a moment of lapse, before the true waves of deceit, corruption and greed rushed back in again.

The years that Obama served in the White House only appear now as the receding of water before the inevitable tsunami. As a nation, we will always boil back down to the nagging truth of George Orwell in Animal Farm; “all animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others” Those that are detestable, or deemed unworthy by social standards, like any number of the “criminals” locked away for crimes enumeration, have been stripped of their ability to stand up for their beliefs.

Their voices are silenced, because by daring to stand against the societal norm, to lash out at the Thomas Moore, Utopian falsehood of America, they proclaimed loudly that the world is not only unfair, but stacked against us from the moment we take our first breaths. Were the US to return rights to the seemingly uneducated, drains on society, they would see real change. But that, in the essence of the truly corrupt leading the imbecilic masses, will never be the case. These commanding forces, like Nero the pig, would rather lead the masses into decisions that have been made for them all the while claiming that it is the people who lead themselves to this. And he can fix it all.

[fortheheavenssake]

MM Anon 3

MM Anon 3

Oct. 1

MM ANON … 🎼” back to black”🎼…… uncomfortably reunion …… “ AND THE CROWDS WENT…… home”… “blend in with the POC”🤣🤣🤣🤣…… Pressed for time. …… PR with blinkers… don’t Sue the messenger …… Harry on camping…… background colour …… “ bloody African Queen ‘ don’t think so”…… “ returning after their triumphant tour “…… OMG’ it’s definitely her

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Oct. 2

MM ANON, This vacuous tart is in need of serious therapy ‘ she’s trying to intimidate the British press who employ Rottweilers as journalists and have brought down whole governments. They string antagonists up by their Gonads and bury pieces of flotsam like nutmeg alive. Not only is this virus on a hiding to nothing,she has underestimated the established reading matter of middle England ‘THE DAILY MAIL. ………… ‘popcorn darlings ‘ popcorn !!!!!!!!!!!

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MM Anon - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Oct. 2

MM ANON …… Dear Darlings ‘ today is my birthday 🎼 happy birthday to me🎼…………🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂 2nd Oct. 1944. ……… “ a day that live in ignominy” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Oct. 2

MM ANON …… Thank you dear Skippy and all your faithful helpers ………… your blog is a joy and a privilege to post on …… GBTQAOGC👑👑👑👑👑 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

You are so welcome! We are honoured to have you join us! You are loved!🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Oct. 2

MM ANON …… A TM visit?…… a pitiful cry for help …… “tears of a Crown”…… “ Philip’ stop swearing!!”…… ink block carnage … a scathing edi-TORY-al……”A Sunday surprise “…… “well,well,well’ fe-MAIL- empowerment”…… Fleet St. circling the wagons …… 🎼 “ Homeward bound, I guess ………” 🎼j…… … ace card archificial …… “SA’ well that was a dud Megs”…… leap-Frog to Calipornia 🤫🤫🤫

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Oct. 3

MM ANON …… rogue withdrawal …… a petulant rattle slays fleet st. …… royal analysis paralysis ……… “ settlement now!!!! ……TM lawyers up…… tabloid utopia …… “ This is a bloody tape diversion old thing “…………“A spitting Halloween 🎃 “……… “ remember ‘remember, the 5th of Nov.” …… “ Philip ‘ this year you give the Queen speech”…… 🎆🎇😱🇬🇧💩⚖️⚖️⚖️…… GBTQ.

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Oct. 3

MM ANON , UNDER THE RADAR!!!!!!!! The Queen probably has information and physical evidence appertaining to “It” regarding her “ lost” years. During the summer PW spent a week at MI6 at Vauxhall. ( being briefed?) what on? Suddenly this week there’s a story of a certain acquisition of a “tape” the next day , via H. she sues the MOS regarding a letter. (Smoke And Mirrors) The hinges are falling off that locked door on her past ………………………!!!!!!!! Allegedly.

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Oct. 4

MM ANON …… Meanwhile at CH…… A Family meeting’ o dear!!…… “ One is apoplectic with disappointment “… (two red faces)…… “ this isn’t a game of happy f%#@k families!!!”…… an atmospheric cut…… legs and tails …… They Aga successful …… in the brown Windsor soup……a green beret chum…… nutmeg begs…… happy Harry …… SS documentary’s doom.

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Oct. 4

MM ANON …… Smoke and Mirrors divert us from the elephant in the doom!!!, nothing to do with nutmegs bawling in the bathroom over being picked on by those nasty hacks 🤣🤣🤣 or hacked phones (it’s a daily mine field for the high profiled) abysmal failure on behalf of their security. It’s the tape darlings ‘ murkmegs very sore-did past. Popcorn’POPCORN 🍿 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿

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Oct. 5

MM ANON …… chocolate sundae …… don’t give up your day job …… single exit west …… a SMALL diversion … “ is he mine?” …… home alone ………… “ I fear for them Philip” …… Duty calls …… 🎼” you wore out your welcome with random precision “🎼……… “ we must talk Harry”……… jack and Jill went up the hill ……… “ it’s all on This memory stick.

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Oct. 5

Does this mean PiersM is a friend of Her Majesty (👑) or a friend of MM?

So many players, so much darkness in this schtick. My brain is fried. Thank you Skippy🐼

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Oct. 6

MM ANON … the Queen …… “ one can’t choose ones family “…… “ Philip loves me doing Melania” …… “I rather liked Donald “ …… “ l frightening Vlad…… “ on our day together she never stopped yapping “ … “Harry ‘ we all make mistakes “… “ the little one, she’s a fireball “ …… “Camilla says she’s illiterate “ … “ what sort of name was that!!!!!”…” What!! Christmas ‘she’ll be lucky “ … “LG ‘ that’s why it’s called the Queens speech ‘ so f#@ck them!!”

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Oct. 7

MM ANON …… “MORGAN ‘ a suitable case for treatment” …… sue- da - nam?

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Oct. 7

MM ANON … Calapornia Dreem-in…… “ To be ‘ or Not to be…” …… “ I made a bit of a boob”……… “ the real Mc- COY darlings “…… “ artistic lie- sense …… “ not my best work”

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Oct. 7

MM ANON …… This is only my opinion on the validity of the alleged article. AN OPINION!! like skippy suggested in all posts , re disclaimer ……… what would be verified in this situation is “ face recognition tech.” ANYBODY?????? 👃🏾👁👄👂

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Oct. 7

MM ANON … lets move on!!!!…… fab unfore-tunate…… pre tour panic… …a fleet-ing vengeance …… “ don’t take this personally”…… “ you have TWO choices”…… “ get your bloody head out the sand”…… “it’s crumbling around your feet”……… “ baby ‘ what baby?”…… “we’re gonna need a bigger Bank”…… 🎼” if I was a rich man”🎼

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Oct. 8

MM ANON … ABANDON YOURSELF TO GOD AS YOU UNDERSTAND GOD ,GIVE OF YOURSELF SELFLESSLY AND JOIN US ,WE SHALL BE WITH YOU IN THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT AND YOU WILL SURELY MEET SOME OF US AS YOU TRUDGE THE PATH OF HAPPY DESTINY ‘ MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU UNTIL THEN. thanks to all contributors. MM anon.

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Oct. 8

MM ANON … fab two ‘ future Queen……future king …… also rans …… three weddings and a refusal …… Archie-bargy …… a dog with no name …… silent screaming past…… 🎼” there may be trouble ahead “🎼…… “ if I tell you ‘ I’d have to…… “…… everyone is scarfing …… (another private flight)…… Branson island … Mail on payday… … “ please boo the buggers”

Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Oct. 8

MM ANON …… This is only my opinion on the validity of the alleged article. AN OPINION!! like skippy suggested in all posts , re disclaimer ……… what would be verified in this situation is “ face recognition tech.” ANYBODY?????? 👃🏾👁👄👂

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Oct. 9

MM ANON …… “ sorry, not today thank you “…… never EVER explain …… “what happens in house, stays in-house”. ……a special briefing …… another cover-up?…… … glowing anticipation …… special forces …… “unprecedented care”…… a very tired PR …… public appearance nerves …… “we’ll pay you handsomely”…… “she’ll do it or suffer the consequences”

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Oct. 10

MM ANON ……corespondents under the radar …… “MA to MM”…… 🎼” gimme a ticket for an aeroplane”🎼…… “ my baby wrote me a letter” “ I’ve seen the contents of several”…… ‘ thank you LG.”…… “were in need of another f#@ing hole”…… Sheeran a common problem ……” drag her along ‘ your joking”… not seen’ not heard, GOOD!!!!…… Christmas 🧣 scarfs …… 🎼Back in the USA”🎼…… “friends thou hast and their adoption tried ”…(very trying!!!)

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Oct. 10

MM ANON, for Mr Skippy, “ take away my difficulties that victory over them may bear wittiness of thy love ,thy power and thy way of life “ …… GOD BLESS YOU BOTH. 💜💜💜💜🧡🧡🧡🧡

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Oct. 11

MM ANON … aggressive tabloid PR…… desperate image…… manipulate a student …… public fear…… ((loving wife and mother))…… 🎼” Money, get away”🎼…… a fence for Harry …… “ how do I milk this”…… most dangerous tour…… “ I guess I never got the memo”…… the natives are getting restless …… nutmegs public anticipation …… Scrambled eggs!!

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Oct. 12

MM ANON … Sunday sensation??……… LG will give the word…… lots of dirty dirt…… 🎼” love me or leave me”🎼…… when the going gets tough ……”…… “ not another chicken dinner”…… “ is She nice”…… “ I think you should know something”. …… “ Fair is foul,and foul is fair”…… WOW!! ace down the line!!…… “advantage MOS”… location,location vexation.

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Oct. 13

MM ANON … “ THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK …… 🎼”Sparkles spangles, see how they shine, sing-a-linga “🎼…… Tom the Bomb… “A woman of sub-stance🤣”…… maybe ‘ sex lies and video tape … 🎼” when you come to the end of a lollipop”🎼… ……” A kid for two farthings” …… “ you know how to whistle don’t you Harry”…… “an obvious cuckold…… “…… home to roost”

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Oct. 13

MM ANON, Tom Bowers , Britain’s most feared biographer is going to write a “TELL ALL” Tome on the evasive one , will we expect 🎼sparkles spangles, your heart will sing , jing-jing-a-ling a 🎼…… OMG, the anticipation for this one is EPIC , 🎼 yachting, hotting, see how she lays ,toss-a-lotta🎼 This author flays his victims alive ‘ WE WAIT IN APOPLECTIC SUSPENSE 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣PLEASE TOM DO TELL “EVERYTHING!, emails,sexts And video tapes. 🎼”Sparkles spangles and deeds”🎼

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Pakistan Tour 14-18

Oct. 14

MM ANON …… Pakistani perfection ……”will anything ever happen?” …… “ she’s a disease” …… HMTQ is feeling the strain ……… oh’ oh , the green eyed monster …… “MA has all the answers” …… ( and the evidence)………” if I had a penny ……… “…………” she got to show, to much gossip!!” ……… “ Harry, Dear heart, pull your head out of the sand” …… “it’s Kismet old thing,kismet!! “

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Oct. 15

MM ANON ……A sense of humour ‘ tuk tuk …… 🎼nobody does it better 🎼……… REAL ROYALTY …… ‘after the Lord Mayor show came the dustcart …… Charlotte the “NEW”future people’s Princess 👸 …… Little Louie people’s Prince 🤴 ……… “, it’s nutmeg crumble for desert marm,…… “ that’s the bloody way to do it!!!”…… “ what’s that other silly tart doing?”…… “it’s a mystery Philip”

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Oct. 16

MM ANON …… On the banks of Huntspill River …… a pretty Sum-erset …… O dear ‘ how not to be princely …… 🎼” everybody’s doing the loco- emotion”🎼……… In the real steps of his mother…… “Protocol, dignity and humour “…… Their successes drove her apoplectic …… LIZARDS 🦎 ……” please George ‘ don’t do that”🦎🦎🦎…… … Nanny doesn’t like🦎🦎🦎…… “I miss the children”…… ROYAL AIR FORCE ONE. …… MI6 and the visit??…… “ de visit was spectacular ‘ de-brief was better”. ……” Thanks M.”

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Oct. 16

MM ANON… nutmegs agenda ‘ write his nauseating tome, push in front, psychologically undermine him , feed his anger and resentment for W&K! , Don’t get near the public ( fears of rejection), continue emotional blackmail, put pressure and endorse his lack of self esteem ,psychotropic drugs?, cry and keep asking him why people hate you ‘, convince him the BRF are against both of them …… question his grasp on reality. This is her agenda ‘ allegedly. Speculation of course.

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Oct. 16

MM ANON … after one year of marriage the boys a total wreck , mounting the Dias in Africa all disoriented ,and blubbering at child works , he’s in a psychotic purgatory that she continues to perpetuate. How does Harry dump the faux bump and find true happiness????? Britain is waiting for the inevitable divorce and the English rose Harry will one day meet. It’s Kismet LG ,pure Kismet!! “ Cry God for Harry’………… “.

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Oct. 16

MM ANON …Harry’s split second mishap…… A choreographed comforter. …… 🎼” 19th nervous breakdown” 🎼…… a plethora of past lovers … 🎼” we have no secrets”🎼🤣🤣…… The announcement,an unstable Stable. …… 🎼” I’m not in love, so don’t forget it” 🎼……… fixan a vixen. ……… nutmeg on Toast……… MA” is he mine? Yup!! ……” accolades on the return”.

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Oct. 17

MM ANON …… Thank you for the wonderful and ingenious humour LH. 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

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Oct. 18

MM ANON …… “Festering,yes”💸💸💸💸”it’s a struggle” 💸💸💸💸……… comment section ‘ #@&*#¥……… “ I was flying “…… 🎼” Never cried when granny died 🎼”……soon,wonderful weekend with the children …… FaceTime mummy’🦎🦎🦎🦎……… “ Kate , ones so proud”…… “ you’re a stalwart William “ …… “ you’re very pretty dressed as a Unicorn 🦄 “…… $h!t !! She’s gone nuclear!, …… well’ that Doc was a load of boll***.…… “shhhh’ I heard that too!!”… gossip darlings ‘ gossip!!… “ all that glitters,”

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Oct. 18

MM ANON, OMG , Harry’s festering, nutmegs struggling, Archificial is having an identity problem. ( “ I wanna know who’s my dad’) ……… “ is it mine”, nutmeg gazing towards a distant horizon, someone with a all knowing smirk gazing back from distant horizon ‘. And there both going to try and flog this p!$$poor Documentary to the savvy Brits. Are they both off their f#@ing trolly , who TF wants to see them whining about how they struggle on 20 million a year , not those trying to pay a mortgage.

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Oct. 18

MM ANON , “ not many people asked if I was alright”, well I wasn’t alright…… , Ahhhhhh , what a shame nutmeg,perhaps if you didn’t fake your pregnancy people would have warmed to you ‘ ( NO , DONT THINK SO ). So nutmeg plays the poor me card , poor me, poor me pour me a drink. ………… I wonder what the RPO conversation is when she’s not being obnoxiously present. , she apparently treats everyone like 💩💩💩💩. I have news nutmeg, Britain doesn’t give a $h!t.

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October. 19

MM ANON …… “ O no , not another f%#ing beautiful Sunday “…… All together, a ROYAL reunion 🦄🦎👸🤴… “ she’s not invited, again🧣“……” O Philip, do lets watch this documentary 🤣🤣“ …… “Really, old thing, really ?”…… “ bloody hell , Charlottes a better actress “……… “ Mummy!! I’ve lost my 🦎” ……” What next LG , the Caribbean and North America with the children?”…… “ Mmmm , Marm that would work ,next year’ someone will be jealous!!” …… “ “what’s that ol’ thing , I’m reading skippy Philip”.

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Oct 19

MM ANON , “THEY DON’T MAKE IT EASY”, I’M OKAY, can’t wait for the trawling that the whiner is going to be subjected to. The comments section of the DE&DM and MOS is 95% negative, and aggressively anti Megain. The Mocumentary will only draw more humiliation and subtle sarcasm from the tabloids. Juxtaposition this with the shining success W&K received on their return from Pakistan and you have the pulse of National opinion. The big takeaway is “Nutmeg is hated”.

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[thearrangment-phff]

LXVIII.

October 2018

In late October, Archduchess Isabella left France to attend the wedding of Duchess Sophie of Württemberg and Count Maximilian d‘Andigné. While Sophie was a distant cousin, she was more so a closer friend of Isabella. To Isabella’s surprise, Sophie’s cousin Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein, second in line to the Liechtenstein principality had a familiar face as his date.

The familiar face was Countess Laura Henckel von Donnersmarck, Isabella’s second cousin through their mutually shared great-grandparents, Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and Felix, Prince Consort of Luxembourg. Within days of the Württemberg wedding, Prince Joseph Wenzel and Countess Laura had announced their engagement with an intended wedding in the Spring of 2019. Prince Joseph Wenzel’s great-uncle, the Swedish billionaire, Count Gustaf Douglas had invited few selected friends and family to his home in Sweden for a dinner party.

The engagement came to a great shock to Isabella, as she and many others never heard of a whisper about a relationship between Joseph Wenzel and Laura. Whispers quickly went around saying Laura was being pushed into an arranged marriage. The marriages of Isabella to Harry and Princess Olga Galitzine and Grand Duke George Mikhailovich were being brought up again. Olga and George were having an unhappy marriage so far.

The last thing Isabella had heard was Olga and George were highly disappointed in the birth of a daughter, a little girl whom they named Maria-Olga. There were talks about a plan, a plan to marry royals with other royals and those with noble blood. Isabella had been the perfect Habsburg-Bourbon royal. Laura’s mother was a Princess of Hohenberg, a great-granddaughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, and while she had Habsburg-Bourbon blood, Laura also had much noble blood.

Prince Joseph Wenzel needed a royal or noble blooded wife and though there were better choices, Laura was the only one who had accepted his proposal. Like Isabella, Joseph Wenzel recognized that marrying for love was a choice, being born with such a family meant a royal duty that made him forget having choices. His parents and grandparents were pleased to have Laura marry into their family. For centuries the ties of the House of Liechtenstein and the Houses of Bourbon and Habsburg were prominent and this new marriage proved to just be that once again.

Not long after, Isabella and Queen Letizia of Spain attended the First World Health Organization Conference on air pollution and health at the Headquarters of the World Health Organization, in Geneva, Switzerland. The simple fact that Isabella could speak Spanish with the Spanish Queen earned her the nicknamed of ‘Diplomatic Duchess’ as she did similar tactics with other foreign royals and politicians. The next day Isabella stepped out with Kate on their first joint engagement.  

The two women went to the First World War Galleries at the Imperial War Museum. While the conversation started talking about Kate’s distant family members who died in World War One, things quickly changed to focus on Isabella. To many, why would anyone spend their time on Kate whose family were simple soldiers when Isabella was standing right next to her.  

Isabella’s great-grandfather was Emperor of Austria & King of Hungary, her great-great-grandfather was King of the Belgians,  her great-aunt was Grand Duchess of Luxembourg her great-grand-uncle was the King of Sweden, a great-great-grand-uncle was King of Denmark, another great-great-grand-uncle was King of Norway, another great-great-grand-uncle was King of Greece, another great-great-grand-uncle was Tsar of Bulgaria, and more distant relatives ruled the Kingdoms of Spain, Bavaria, and Saxony because of marriages to Archduchesses of Austria or their own Bourbon blood.

Compared to Isabella, Kate looked small and dull. A simple commoner standing next to an Archduchess of Austria could hardly compare in a historians eyes. When Isabella brought out stories told to her by her paternal grandfather Archduke Carl Christian of Austria and maternal grandmother Josephine Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg nee Princess of Belgium about World War One, nothing Kate could have said or done would take the attention off of Isabella. When Isabella shared family stories about the times of world war one in Sweden, Austria, Belgium, and Denmark Kate accepted the situation.

When the car was pulled up and both women had gotten into the car, they were treated by Isabella’s two elder ladies-in-waiting.

“Your mother won’t appreciate that,” spoke Charlotte first.

“I was simply telling stories. My grandmother would have appreciated her own grandmother being talked about,” replied Isabella.

“Her mother would have appreciated it too,” added Christine.

“Marie Astrid was just 4 when Princess Ingeborg died. I highly doubt she would remember her great-grandmother very well,” bite back Charlotte.

“Talking about family members is good, it keeps their memory alive,” said Kate.

“The history books written about Belle’s family are doing that job for her. That’s what happens when you have such a family like hers,” snarked Charlotte.

“Just because books were written doesn’t mean one should stop talking about family. What’s written can be completely different from actual experiences,” replied Kate.

“Kate is right. How we interpret book is not how we interpret family. You’ve read all those horrible things about my family over the centuries. Many of them might not even be true,” agreed Isabella.

“Really? Such the cases of Juana or Maria the Mad. What about King Charles VI of France or King Philip V of Spain? You descended from them and they all have the nickname the Mad. You don’t think what we read about them is false? What about all the atrocities they committed since the beginning of time? Belle, you tend to forget that you come from a family of inbreeding and despicable acts, what else are the Habsburgs known for and it looks like your family does not learn from their past,” argued Princess Charlotte.

“I think that’s enough bickering for today. We have a fun day ahead of us tomorrow for the centenary celebrations. We should look forward now,” interrupted Princess Christine.

Isabella turned to look over at Kate who was shocked at the way the conversation went too. Kate was trying to help but Charlotte was just as obnoxious about royal blood more so than Isabella. When the car pulled into Kensington, Kate waited until they were out of the car before talking.

“It was very nice going on this engagement with you today. Hopefully there will be more,” smiled Kate.

“Yes, of course. Thank you for dealing with my ladies, I know sometimes it seems backward to have them-”

“No, not at all. I understand that they mean a lot to you and they do more,” interrupted Kate.

“Okay, good. I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression.”

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

November 2018

Morning at Westminster then attending several services were exhausting to Isabella. Just minutes after the engagements in London ended, she was on a plane to Luxembourg. There was a mass celebrated in memory of the deceased members of the Grand Ducal Family. While Isabella and Harry had gone, other royals include Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Theresa, Prince Guillaume, Princess Sibilla, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Leopold. It was a small gathering but the simple fact that Ferdinand von Habsburg came to another family event puzzled Isabella.

After the mass when the family was mingling around at the Grand Ducal Palace Isabella felt Harry and went immediately to Ferdinand.

She quietly dragged him away from the crowd, “Two family events, you have to tell me the truth Ferdinand.”

“Charlotte and I are dating. You know that.”

“Yes, but the simple fact that you come to two mass events is getting me suspicious. How serious is it?” asked Isabella.

“Serious enough to be here,” answered Ferdinand.

“She is just 18 Ferdinand.”

“You had someone at 18. It is not like we’re getting married.”

“But marriage is a thought in the far future, right?” asked Isabella.

“While it hates me to say this to you out of all people, but... this is none of your business.”

“She’s my little cousin. I remember holding her in my arms hours after she was born Ferdinand.”

“You’re treating me like a villain,” observed Ferdinand.

“You are 21.”

“It’s a three-year age difference. You and your husband are eight years apart. You’re being hypocritical again.”

“When have I ever been hypocritical?” asked Isabella.

Ferdinand hesitated, “We are getting off point Belle. The point is there is no secret agenda, no lies, no anything but the simple fact that I really like Charlotte and I want to be with her.”

“I just don’t want to see her hurt. She was always like another little sister to me. Charlotte was the only girl, surrounded by three boys, and I just wanted her to be happy,” confessed Isabella.

“I just want her to be happy too. Her parents and brothers are happy with our relationship. Things are going great for us.”

Isabella looked into the eyes of Ferdinand knowing she shouldn’t even have questioned Charlotte and Ferdinand’s relationship, “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry about anything. You had the right intentions but bad execution.”

“I’m sorry. It’s been a rough couple of months.”

“It’s understandable. Your name hasn’t been off the front page of the papers since your engagement. At least it feels that way,” chuckled Ferdinand at the end.

“I have to go now,” said Isabella in embarrassment.

“Okay,” smiled Ferdinand.

Before Isabella could return to Harry standing alone across the room, Isabella’s mother Marie Astrid had put her arm around Isabella’s waist pulling her in another direction.

“What is going on?”

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“What?”

“Have you called Joachim lately?” asked Marie Astrid.

“I have,” answered Isabella.

“Belle! You need to stop doing things like that. I also received a call from Alois saying you are ignoring his calls and from a Kinsky Count that are forgoing all responsibility on the trusts. You are spending far more than you are earning and you have paid barely enough attention to anything else,” explained Marie Astrid.

“What would you have me do?”

“Hand over the chateaus to someone else and put yourself on a budget. No more giving millions to charity. Form a council that has to approve every transaction over 100,000. Think logically about this or face having to sell you jewels within the next decade.”

“I’ll call a meeting with Johann and Alois. It will most likely not happen for a couple more weeks since I have a full schedule,” said Isabella.

“There is another thing I wanted to talk about.”

“What is it?” asked Isabella.

“Christine and Charlotte came to me before mass and said that they believe you might be pregnant.” There was a longed silence between the two women before Marie Astrid spoke again, “Is it true?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you want to know?”

“I don’t know,” repeated Isabella.

“I can call a doctor and we can find out tonight.”

“I have to fly back to London with Harry tonight. If I stay, he’ll think I’m running away from my responsibilities or doing something I shouldn’t.”

“Then your father and I will talk to him. Belle, you should know by now.”

“I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I haven’t been paying much attention to many things,” replied Isabella.

“I worry for you.”

“I understand mama.”

“If you are pregnant, then you can’t be on pills or at least the ones doctors would usually recommend,” said Marie Astrid.

“Pills? You want to go on medication?” asked Isabella.

“If it helps you and everyone around you then yes, I do. Belle, you have to think about Harry, your sons, and another possible child.”

“I understand.”

“I’m only trying to look out for you. You are my only daughter that is not within driving distance of me. I worry like any other mother would,” explained Marie Astrid.

[pofcroyalfanfiction]

Chapter Fifty Nine - Mother and Daughter

Ellie gathered her things, preparing a bag for staying overnight at Sandringham. She didn’t know what to bring aside from some extra clothes and a phone charger, Sandringham would have everything else that she needed, but she felt the need to bring more. Everyone was rushing through the corridors doing the same, all of them expecting to be staying the night and waiting, probably not sleeping at all.

The adults had debated whether or not to wake her younger brother and sister, as well as her cousin Jamie, thinking that they would be too irritable and restless to have around the palace when everyone else was feeling quite gloomy, but in the end they had all been brought down to the living room, whining about sleep and complaining. She could hear Lottie crying from all around the house as Kate carried her, telling her vaguely what was happening.

Ellie’s younger brother and sister were still young, they hadn’t had the opportunity to get to know their great grandmother very well, but they could still pick up on the mood. Jamie was quiet, mopey, not saying a word and following his parents around. Everyone was in a sort of hurried silence, freaking out on the inside and quite frazzled on the outside.

But at the same time, we were all kind of expecting this. Mum and Dad had prepared for a shock passing years ago and that hadn’t happened.

Ellie looked around her room once more and spotted something, an old yellow teddy bear that was tucked away in the cushions on the window seat. It hadn’t meant that much to her recently, but now it suddenly called out to her like an old friend. Monty, she used to call him. Named after one of the Queen’s corgis who’d taken a bite out of him when Ellie wasn’t looking. Her great grandmother had given him to her when she was eight years old, and now Monty seemed like the most important thing to put in her bag.

She grabbed the bear and tucked him through the carry handle of her bag, then rushed out of her room. It was a strange atmosphere to stand in, everyone sprinting around from room to room, making sure they had everything they needed. It was exactly the same any time they were heading off on a long tour, or going on holiday, except tonight was so much different.

She didn’t like seeing her parents this way, but it was hard to do anything about it. Alex joined her in the corridor carrying her own bag, shoulders slumped, sulking. She silently frowned at her, her eyes red and teary. They didn’t need to say a word to each other, they could both feel it. Ellie put her arm around her sisters shoulders and guided her back to the living room. Alex seemed to be struggling, like her own personal gravity had been increased drastically, pulling her to the ground. To Ellie it was like dragging a sad sack of flour, pale white and impossible to move.

Anna awaited them at the front door, supervising the transfer of their things into the two cars waiting outside. She seemed to have quickly moved on from the events of earlier, or she was hiding any awkwardness very professionally. She slid Ellie’s bag off her shoulders, taking as much weight off of them as possible.

“Aw, you found Monty?” Anna tucked the teddy bear in, making sure he wouldn’t fall from the carry handle.

Ellie smiled weakly, shrugging. She didn’t really have any words, nobody did. Only the staff seemed to be talking, trying to keep everyone’s spirits up.

“Alex, why don’t you go find Willow?” Anna knelt down, taking Alex’s bag from her too. She was doing her best to be encouraging.

Alex hurriedly reached for her bag again, opening the zip and pulling out a red teddy bear like Monty. She clutched Willow tight to her chest.

No doubt we’re sisters.

“Good girl.” Anna soothingly rubbed Alex’s shoulder before handing their bags to the driver.

Soon the whole family gathered by the door, toddlers on hips, bags in hand, weary faces. They were all ready to leave until footsteps from the living room caught their attention.

“Oh, Taylor.” Kate said, immediately feeling guilty.

Ellie looked at Taylor apologetically, and could feel her entire family giving the singer the same look. It amazed her that Taylor Swift could be treated like such an afterthought, but they had done so.

“Don’t worry about me, it’s a family thing.” Taylor told them, trying to be reassuring. “I have a ride coming to pick me up.”

“Thank you for coming today.” Emma told her.

“No worries, please don’t let me hold you up.”

“All right, come on girls.” Kate started ushering them out the door.

Ellie spotted Taylor blow her a kiss just before the door closed behind them, then that was it. It was just family now, and the next few days would have them all come together, all relying on each other to stay strong.

They got into two cars, Cambridge’s in one, Sussex’s in the other. Her mother had been on the phone, her father too, both calling their relatives to head back to Sandringham. In the next few hours the palace would be filled with as many family members as possible, all there to see what they all believed to be the end of an era.

The doctor had told Will that the Queen was asleep, resting, but that they should all fear the worst. Both cars sped through the countryside, making the short drive from Amner to Sandringham almost instantaneous. For all they knew, Elizabeth might be gone by the time they arrived. Everyone wanted the chance to say goodbye, to spend one last moment with her before she passed away.

They were all dealing with it differently. Alex was sniffling again when they arrived, Will was distant and distracted, Kate kept looking at Will, squeezing his hand and rubbing his arm, worried for him. Ellie could feel tears rolling down her cheeks, but she couldn’t seem to do much more except irritably wipe her eyes with her sleeve and then do it again once a new set of tears had built up too much.

She had avoided thinking about it, but as they parked in the forecourt and made their way towards the massive Sandringham doors, it dawned on her how huge this really was. What this meant for the monarchy, for Britain, for the world. So many generations of people had grown up and passed away with Queen Elizabeth on the throne, there had never been a change as big as what was coming in the next few days, months, years.

Sydney was there again, waiting to greet them and thankfully not halting them to ensure correct protocol was followed. He seemed just as frazzled as all of them.

He’ll probably be out of the job soon too.

Sydney led them through the palace, through corridors lined with huge framed portraits of former kings and queens. Ellie glanced at each one as much as she could whilst her family quick walked their way towards the Queen’s bedchamber. Each painting charted the line of monarchs all the way up to the Queen herself, but then they kept going. In the lobby outside the bedchamber doors, the portraits were much more familiar.

First there was Charles, her grandfather, standing on his own in full ceremonial uniform, covered in all sorts of ribbons, sashes, medals and looking a bit cheeky. Then there was William, the next in line, her dad, wearing the same red uniform, sword at his side, covered in slightly less decorations but he had inherited his dad’s cheeky smirk.

And then the last of the single portraits was her, Princess Eleanor, probably wearing the most glamourous outfit of her life so far. There was no military uniform, instead she wore a blue drop waist dress, sparkling jewellery on her wrists, neck and fingers with her hair pinned up in a towering, elaborate updo decorated with pearls. It was modest, at least compared to the other portraits, and had been a gift to her on her twelfth birthday. She remembered sitting for the photos, being preened and prodded by her mother Kate and grandmother Camilla, who fought over how they wanted Ellie to be portrayed. In the end it felt like a mix of modern and traditional, like a mix of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, very 60’s. It was something that screamed ‘Princess’. Ellie had never looked more like royalty than she did in that portrait.

I went to Marlborough not long after. I couldn’t wait to leave in the end.

The irony hit her hard, that on a day where she’d been forced to play out her princess role, just like she’d done in the portrait, she had also gone so far in the opposite direction. For a few hours she dressed and felt like a commoner, contemplating leaving royalty behind for good, and yet by the end of the day she was in a palace, surrounded by past and future kings and queens, about to move even closer to the throne.

Sydney knocked on the large white oak doors. One door opened slightly and Ellie peaked inside, but all she could see were the posts of the bed and what looked like her great grandfather Phillip sitting on the bedside. Everyone rushed to get inside, but the doctor who opened the door barred the way.

“I’m sorry.” He said, glancing at the group. “Only the Dukes are allowed inside.”

Ellie could feel anger bubbling up inside of her, and she could feel it growing inside of her family as well. William and Harry moved to quickly assure everyone. “We’ll come back out in a minute.”

They disappeared inside and the door rudely shut in Ellie’s face. They all felt so unimportant in that moment, so secondary. Ellie just wanted to go inside and see her granny, to tell her about how stressful her day had been and be told it would all work out in the end. Instead she had to wait outside with everyone else, eventually agreeing with the doctor when her baby brother and sister started crying again and everyone was getting worked up. They were all in need of the Queen’s calming, steady influence but it wasn’t there. Someone else would have to stand up and lead, they all would.

Ellie paced around, keeping her distance from the rest of her family. She could feel herself getting stressed out and didn’t want to make George and Charlotte feel worse. The portraits were staring down at her, all reminding her of what was coming. She desperately wanted her father and uncle to step out of the bedchamber and tell them all was fine, that the Queen was sleeping like a log and looked ready to go for another twenty years.

I don’t want her to go.

The door opened once again, William and Harry slid out, not letting anyone get a peak inside before the door closed. It wasn’t good news. Ellie could tell by their solemn expressions. She turned away and looked out a window into the pitch black night, but she could still see them in the glass reflections. There was no escaping what was going to happen.

“It’s not looking good. She’s resting now but she’s on her last legs.” William announced, looking around at everyone, Harry nodding grimly beside him.

Emma ran her hands down her face, her eyes watering as she approached Harry and pulled him into a tight hug. Kate had stood close to the door, George sitting on her hip as she waited. After Will had finished speaking, she put free arm around his neck and pulled him close.

Both the men were starting to break, she could see a few of her Dad’s tears starting to roll down Kate’s back when he rested his head on her shoulder.

Alex grabbed Ellie’s hand, impatiently tugging her away from the window. Her sister wasn’t in the mood for any of Ellie’s shit, she wanted them all to be together. Her sister pulled her along to the group, gathering Charlotte with her. Jamie floated in beside them, ignoring any grudges he may or may not have had in the past. Tonight they were all a family, they needed to be strong together.

Kate shook her head to get hair out of her face, then wiped her eyes. “Well, we best get settled into our rooms. It’s going to be a long night.”

The group hug gradually broke apart as Kate and Emma organised everyone. Their tones were light, cheerful, trying to raise their family’s spirits.

Kate put her hand on Ellie’s back and leaned in close to her ear. “Ellie, honey, could you help me with the guest bedrooms?”

Ellie wanted nothing more than to escape the palace, but a guest bedroom away from the portraits would have to do, and yet being alone with her mother wasn’t very appealing either. “Sure mum.”

Kate put her arm around Ellie’s shoulders and guided her away from the family, through into another corridor. They arrived in one of the guest bedrooms not long after, close to the Queen’s room just in case they had to make their way over there fast.

She had felt like she was handling things well, better than everyone else, but the longer they were in Sandringham, surrounded by hundreds of years of history, the more it felt like she was about to break. Kate seemed to be handling things better, someone had to.

“Ellie, how are you feeling?” her mother asked her. She opened a cupboard and started handing Ellie fresh bedsheets and pillows. The staff would normally have done it, but they either weren’t awake or her mother had insisted on doing it herself.

“I’m scared for Granny, Mum.” Ellie told her, not really wanting to talk. Each word seemed to weaken her resolve, making her lip quiver.

“We’re all in this together poppet.” Kate said. She could feel her mother watching her closely.

As they made the beds in almost complete silence, Kate kept giving her worried glances. Every tired stretch, every slight pout, every exasperated sigh, her mother was worrying for her. Ellie could tell that she desperately wanted to initiate a conversation, to get her talking.

Soon the silence was too much, Ellie started to sob quietly. She kept her back turned and wiped her eyes on the sheets, but her emotions boiling over were all too obvious to Kate. Her mother rushed over, sat Ellie down on the side of the bed, took the sheets from her hands and tossed them aside, all in one smooth motion.

Ellie broke down, slumping forward and putting her head in her hands. She felt her mother’s arm drape itself around her, pulling her in closer to the warmth of her chest.

“It’s okay.” Kate whispered into her ear, resting her head against Ellie’s.

Where was all this back when I needed it back at the party?

“I’m fine!” Ellie said, freeing herself.

“You’re not fine.”

“I am!” Ellie wanted to get away.

“You’re not fine, Eleanor.” Her mother insisted. “It’s okay to be sad right now.”

“Oh. Is it?” Ellie replied back snarkily. She hated being this way, but every word her mother said just seemed to bug her.

Ellie felt her mother recoil slightly, she could tell that her words had had a bit more cutting edge than she intended.

“This is about more than Granny isn’t it?” Her mother asked in an accusing tone. It sounded like she was having a revelation, but when Ellie looked in her eyes she could tell her mother had known something was up for a while.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ellie lied.

“You’ve been distant with me ever since the party. Probably even before that too.”

Ellie pushed herself up off the bed and tried to make a quick exit, totally avoiding her mother’s eyes, but Kate grabbed her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. “Just tell me what’s been bothering you, Ellie.”

Ellie pulled away again, her mother’s grip tightened. “Come on, talk to me!” Kate raised her voice, making Ellie freeze. It was the loudest anyone had spoken in hours. “We always used to talk to each other Ellie.”

Kate tenderly stroked her wrist with her thumb, trying to coax something out of her.

“Yeah, I wonder why that stopped.” Ellie said sarcastically. Kate let go of her wrist, letting her slip free. She could feel her mother hurting behind her, then spotted her reflection in a nearby window. Kate stared at the back of her head incredulously, confused, upset.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kate asked. Ellie slowly made her way towards the window, unable to look her mother in the eye and instead making do with her reflection. She wiped her eyes and stayed silent, contemplating her next words carefully. Everything was boiling up to the surface, everything that had happened that day, and everything before. Three years at Marlborough had drastically changed their relationship to the point where Kate didn’t know her anymore, things could no longer be easily talked out.

“I just want to know what’s going on with you sweetheart. Your teachers have told me you’re not taking part in school activities, you’re not doing well in class and you’re not making any friends.”

Oh god, the teachers have been talking to her?

“Are you still homesick? Do you need to come back to home-schooling for a while?”

Ellie gritted her teeth, growing more angry as she stood there and listened. She watched her expression darken in her window reflection, and that just made her angrier.

“No.” Ellie said forcefully, holding her words back.

“And what happened today? You disappear from your own birthday party for an hour and come back looking like you’ve just been in a mosh pit?” Kate stood up from the bed and slowly closed in on her, her voice rising again. “I tried to get you interested in something, I tried getting you to talk to so many inspirational people. I tried to light some sort of fire within you but you wouldn’t have it. You ran away and cut yourself off from the rest of us.”

Ellie buried her head in her hands, her face contorting in anger any frustration as she listened. When she couldn’t bear it anymore, she span around and let everything go. Everything that she felt build up whenever she went back home, everything that twisted her up inside. She needed to let her inner Lexi out once more.

“I wouldn’t have it?” Ellie shouted back at her mother. “I wouldn’t have it? Mum, for fourteen years our birthdays have -always- been small family and friends things, there’s been -NO- work and no need to be royal, until today when you paraded me around in front of everyone. You didn’t let me relax, you just kept on dragging me from person to person.”

She paced away from her mother and then back again.  “You know how anxious I get when we do official engagements! I don’t want to feel that way on my birthday! I had to fake needing the toilet just to get away from you!

They were both hurting, but they both getting everything out. Ellie figured they had gone this far, they might as well go all the way, even if it was the first time she’d ever yelled that much at her mother.

“I know I haven’t made many friends at school, but you didn’t even bother to send any invites!”

“Wha… Ellie…” Kate had been frozen, but that accusation clearly confused her. Ellie interrupted her before she could explain.

“Do you want to know why I snuck out? Do you want to know why I’m struggling in school? It’s because I don’t know how to be normal! “Ellie waved her hands about to distract from the tears running down her face. “I don’t know how to have interests when as soon as I like something you start talking about charities and patronages. I don’t know how to live up to everyone’s stupid expectations that I’ll be a great Queen. How am I supposed to be do anything when I hear half the people at Marlborough talking about how outdated the Monarchy is?!”

Ellie barged past her mother and fell back down onto the bed, angry, tired and exhausted. When Kate sat down beside her again, she couldn’t be bothered to push her away. “It’s too much pressure. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t want to do this.”

They sat together in silence for several minutes, letting the words that they’d shouted at each other sink in. Kate hesitantly hugged her once again and Ellie let her. It was nice to remind herself that there was still a deep love between them, but something needed to be said.

“I hate coming home.” Ellie spoke bitterly, wiping her eyes and nose.

“Don’t say that.” Her mother was now crying too, but she didn’t feel as fragile as everyone else.

“I may not be doing well at school, but I prefer it to here. As soon as I get home I get treated like I’m about to be coronated. At least at Marlborough I can keep to myself.

She thought she had been doing okay at school, that she was just keeping her head down, avoiding the spotlight and getting on with her work, but apparently her teachers thought otherwise. Sure the work was hard, and she was a bit lonely, but she had at least some people she could talk to.

Ellie pushed in closer to her mother, sinking into her hug and just enjoying being close to her again.

“You know, this is actually the first time in ages that I just feel like your daughter.”

Kate took a moment to reply. Ellie could feel her mother let out a determined breath through her nose. “Ellie, honey, before anything, before the titles and before the throne, you are my daughter, my little girl.” She pushed Ellie out of the hug so that she could look her straight in the eyes. “I’m sorry if you think I’ve lost sight of that, but I’ve always had your best interests at heart. Your Dad and I just want you to live your best life, to take advantage of your freedom at school.”

Kate wiped more tears from her eyes whilst Ellie sniffed. “We want you to enjoy your life. We’re just worried you’re not letting yourself.”

“How can I let myself?” Ellie asked despairingly. “Every day I’m reminded about what’s coming.”

Ellie got up again, she didn’t want to sit and hug it out with her Mum until she’d said everything she needed to say. It felt like Kate just wanted to wrap her up and stop her from unravelling.

“And now this.” Ellie gestured at seemingly everything, her mother, the beds, the pictures on the wall, the whole building. “Everyone is getting older, everyone is getting stressed out. You and Dad are even fighting. What’s up with that? You never fight?”

“Who told you that?” Her mother asked, cautiously as if she didn’t want people to hear.

“Charlotte, Mum. Even Lottie knows. She says you yell at her and George.”

“Eleanor, lower your tone.” Kate warned her.

“Mum!” Ellie shouted back. She wanted an answer. She could never imagine her parents shouting at her when she was younger.

“Eleanor, look, we’re all dealing with more pressure. We’re all taking on a lot more work.” She paused, steadying herself and taking a breath. “We’re all dealing with what’s probably about to happen.”

Ellie rubbed her face and put her hands on her hips, trying to hold back the tears. She could see her mother was in the verge of breaking again too.

“I cant deny it’s been tough since you and Alex left for school. We got through those rough early years and then raised two amazing girls. We got used to living in a nice quiet house… We’re blessed to have your little brother and sister, you know, we didn’t think we’d have any more… but it’s been tough to readjust. Now that we’re a bit older and with all the extra work as well, we haven’t been around for them as much as we were with you and Alex.”

Her mother was clearly ashamed of herself, so Ellie sat back down with her and hugged her back. It was Kate’s turn to be consoled.

“Then why do we do this? Why do we keep up the royal act? It’s just dividing us.”

“You know why Ellie.” Kate told her, looking up at the ceiling and half rolling her eyes. She’d been asked that question too many times.

“Duty.” Ellie said grimly.

“Yes, like it or not, you are a Princess. One day you will be a Queen. It’s your duty to fulfil that role, just as we all fulfil ours.”

“I don’t want that, Mum.”

If I feel this much stress now, how on earth am I supposed to do it when I’m Queen?

“None of us want it, sweetheart.”

“What?” Ellie was perplexed.

“No. It’s the most difficult job in the world. It holds you back from so many things in life.”

“Then why do you want to force me into it?”

“Because at the same time you can do so much, you can empower billions of people, you can inspire change. You already have the influence now to do great things, things you could never do in a normal life.” Kate took her hand in her own. “So many people settle for what they have in life because they can’t change how the world works, but you can! That’s why we wanted you to cultivate some interests. Think of what you could do for sports or… or charities, or for the arts if it was something that you loved.”

“I could get Villa into the Champions League, then maybe Dad would be happy.” Ellie said, trying to relax everything. She’d said what she needed to say.

Kate laughed. “That would definitely be a misuse of power. Why not Reading Town instead?”

“Hah, sure Mum.” Ellie smiled back at her.

“Ellie, promise me something?”

“What?”

“If I give you a break from being a Princess, take away any pressure from the staff, from your grandparents, from me and your Dad, do you promise you’ll do better in school?”

“Definitely.”

“This does of course mean I want to see you on weekends and your Dad and I can visit when we want.”

Ellie begrudgingly accepted. “Yes, of couuurse.”

“Come on.” Kate pulled her up and put a bedsheet in her hands. “Let’s finish these off and make everyone comfortable. We’ll get through this together.”

[placetobenation]

A good week for RAW.  A solid week for NXT. An average week on Smackdown. And through it all, the WWE seemingly lost about a billion dollars in value due its stock being down with 4th quarter financials released after the firing of two top executives, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson.

Now, according to Vince McMahon, the WWE may be shopping the streaming rights to its own PPV’s to an outside streaming service. What does that mean for the WWE Network? Will it become a VOD service? The allure of the network has always been to get the monthly PPV’s along with new content and access to hidden gems and past shows at your fingertips, all for – say it with me – the low, low price of $9.99 a month. If you take away the PPV’s, that’s a big chuck of the attraction. Stay tuned as we could learn the outcome of all this before WrestleMania according to McMahon on this week’s conference call.  

So, when all is said and done. When the out-of-the-ring news overshadows the product in-the-ring and on tv, it’s not a great week for the WWE. I’d have to give RAW the number one show of the week, not because NXT nor Smackdown were bad. They weren’t. NXT was a solid show and Smackdown was ok, but what Randy Orton did in front of an amazing Salt Lake City crowd that trudged through a massive snowstorm in Utah made it a hotter show.

Star of the week:

"YOU answer to ME!" – @AngelGarzaWWE to @humberto_wwe #RAW @Zelina_VegaWWE pic.twitter.com/feYnFnMUts

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) February 4, 2020

Angel Garza – Pulling double-duty on RAW and NXT gives Garza the spotlight this week. If he continues to shine, maybe he’ll be sticking around even after Andrade returns from his 30-day suspension. Sure, I could’ve given it to Randy Orton for his monster-heat, but Garza put himself out there in an impressive debut and stood out on two shows.

RAW

RESULTS

Liv Morgan defeated Lana

Non-title 24/7 Championship Match: Drew McIntyre defeated Mojo Rawley

Six-Man Tag Team Elimination Match: Buddy Murphy & Authors of Pain defeated Kevin Owens & The Viking Raiders

Aleister Black defeated Eric Young

Rey Mysterio, Jr. defeated Angel Garza via DQ

Asuka defeated Natalya

WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Ricochet defeated Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley

What we loved:

“I can’t do this.” @RandyOrton leaves the WWE Universe without an explanation for his savage attack on @EdgeRatedR. #RAW pic.twitter.com/xkwysFO3et

— WWE (@WWE) February 4, 2020

Mega-heat – Randy Orton said nothing. And we LOVED it! That’s how you draw mega-heat my friends. Less is more! We are going to have one helluva Road to WrestleMania between Edge and the Viper.

New blood – I’ll give the WWE credit for continuing the Brock Lesnar-Ricochet storyline for a payoff at a big spot at the Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia. Instead of falling back into yet another Rollins vs. Lesnar or a short-term Lashley vs. Lesnar spot, it made sense to follow-up the Royal Rumble low-balling storyline between the WWE Champion to give Ricochet his first shot at the company’s top title. Of course, we know he has no shot at winning, but at least it should be a good match.

Tempers are high in this heated matchup between @NatbyNature and @WWEAsuka on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/6MPkk5yBBV

— WWE (@WWE) February 4, 2020

Asuka vs. Natalya – Good, old-fashioned slobberknocker right here! Two of the most physical superstars in the women’s division going at it is a must-watch.

Hello, Angel – It may be just a short-term fix until Andrade returns from his 30-day Wellness suspension, but it’s good to see Angel Garza get the call-up for a face-to-face with his cousin Humberto Carrillo and Rey Mysterio, Jr.

See you Wednesday, @MsCharlotteWWE. #WWENXT @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/wju4PLrKUd

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 4, 2020

Charlotte vs. Rhea – We told you it was coming! Realistically, can we see Charlotte Flair heading back to NXT full-time, nope! But it will be interesting to see these two go back-and-forth for a few weeks over RAW and NXT on the Road to WrestleMania.

What we didn’t love:

RAW needs something – Remember back in the day, we had Piper’s Pit, The Barbershop, the Brother Love Show and more. Well, it’s time for RAW to have something like that. It just seems like the show’s getting repetitive with run-ins and in-ring long promos time after time. It needs to have something outside the ring to turn to on a semi-regular basis, not every week. Make it an attraction and something to look forward to. And no, it has to be more than the Saturday Night Live Update rip-off we get from The Street Profits.

Meh:

Ruby Riott returns – Ruby Riott returns to attack her former Riott Squad member Liv Morgan and seemingly join forces with Lana. But why? Do we now get Sarah Cross joining Morgan soon to even the odds? Underwhelming for a return IMHO.

NXT

RESULTS

Angel Garza defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

Dominik Dijakovic defeated Killian Dain

Mercedes Martinez defeated Kacy Catanzaro

Non-title NXT Cruiserweight Championship Match: Jordan Devlin defeated Tyler Breeze

Tommaso Ciampa & The BroserWeights (Pete Dunne & Matt Riddle) vs. The Undisputed ERA (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) went to a no-contest

What we loved:

WE. ARE. NXT.

Just in case you forgot, @MsCharlotteWWE. #WWENXT @BiancaBelairWWE @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/VSkp2YAAP7

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 6, 2020

Double-teaming The Queen – Not only did Charlotte Flair come back to Full Sail, but she got Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair over before going over, literally, herself as Ripley and Belair topple her ot defend the NXT turf. They’ll be time to cement the Flair vs. Ripley WrestleMania match, but a good, creative job of booking to hype Ripley vs. Belair for TakeOver in Portland first. Belair’s stock continues to rise coming off the Royal Rumble with some quality mic time showing she can handle it with it the top stars.

Double-duty Angel – Monday night. Wednesday night. What’s next for the former NXT Cruiserweight Champ? Maybe a trip to Smackdown to complete the trifecta!

D

R

E

A

M @DreamWWE has his

on you, @roderickstrong! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/ALg7wygoog

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 6, 2020

It’s not a Dream – Welcome back Velveteen Dream! Just when it looked like The Undisputed Era had the upper hand again, back comes the Velveteen Dream to make it a nightmare for Cole and company! The only down side to it could be a possible injury to Ciampa heading into TakeOver.

What we didn’t love:

The look – We will continue to say it until it changes. The WWE rarely does anything that looks small, especially against a rival. Yet, when going up against AEW on Wednesday nights, the look of NXT appears lesser when put in the cozy confines of Full Sail. It’s times to take it to the road a few times a month. The talent and the audience deserve it! As for quality, NXT has it. Now it’s time to sharpen up the look. The WWE, with its lucrative TV deals and Super Showdown money from Saudi Arabia, can afford it.

Too little KC – Yes, I’m biased being a Ninja Warrior fan, but I need more than just under three-minutes of Kacy Catanzaro. It was nice to see her return to TV, but in pretty much a squash match against Mercedes Martinez doesn’t cut it for me.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

The Usos defeated Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode

Elias defeated Cesaro

Daniel Bryan defeats Heath Slater

Sheamus defeated Apollo Crews

Smackdown Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Carmella defeated Alexa Bliss, Naomi and Dana Brooke

Here’s the thing about this week’s Smackdown. It was perfectly fine. Nothing tremendously great, but nothing over-the-edge bad. It just was there and that’s not how I think the WWE wants to have its only show on broadcast TV to be looked upon, especially when it has two major events – Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia and WrestleMania coming up. Every week should be treated as special.

"HERE'S YOUR BREAKING NEWS: #TheFiend @WWEBrayWyatt, YOU'RE NEXT!" – @Goldberg #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/QDQxuCB6IH

— WWE (@WWE) February 8, 2020

This week, Goldberg’s return was more of a throwaway.  A rematch for the Universal Title a year later against The Fiend, who wasn’t even the person to beat Goldberg last year? Huh? I get that they want to deliver a big-time feel match for the Prince, but it just doesn’t make common sense and give you any reason to believe that Goldberg could win.

WE GOT A MAKEOVER MONTAGE!!!

@otiswwe is getting READY for his #ValentinesDay date with @WWE_MandyRose!#SmackDown @tuckerwwe pic.twitter.com/a0Oanfqh0r

— WWE (@WWE) February 8, 2020

The best thing may have been the Otis vignette getting ready for his Valentine’s Day date with Mandy Rose for next week. Now that’s MUST SEE TV my friends.

Sheamus, after weeks and weeks of saying Smackdown doesn’t have any challenges for him, is making that seem true as he doesn’t really have a true suitor – no, I don’t count Shorty Gable’s, ahem, short feud.

Good to see Heath Slater is alive, losing to Daniel Bryan via a ref stoppage. You have to wonder what’s next for Bryan and the born-again YES movement.

And no, I can’t believe they are trying to give us yet another King Corbin vs. Roman Reigns match at Super Showdown inside a steel cage. It’s the feud that no one cares about that will never end!

On the positive side, the Dirt Sheet returned with a few funny moments from The Miz and John Morrison, complete with cameos from Lance Storm and John Laurinaitis. Elias and Cesaro was pretty fun.

.@CarmellaWWE PICKS UP THE WIN… but the SmackDown Women's Champion immediately takes out her challenger on #SmackDown! @itsBayleyWWE pic.twitter.com/RRnzwMHQIT

— WWE (@WWE) February 8, 2020

Naomi looked good before bowing out in the main event fatal four-way as Carmella wins a shot at Bayley’s title before Bayley gets her shots in on Carmella.

Parting shots:            

The official trailer for WWE #RuthlessAggression is HERE. The new docuseries premieres Sunday Feb. 16 on WWE Network! pic.twitter.com/TiRlPfI6Id

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) February 6, 2020

The trailer for the WWE Network’s new series Ruthless Aggression looks pretty good.

WrestleMania card – confirmed matches

WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

[royalnightoutphff]

Chapter Eighteen

A/N: I THINK that the next chapter will be uploaded on Wednesday. I'm nearly done now (I decided to cut this chapter into two). But Happy New Year!! As always, feel free to give feedback :)

When Harry first suggested that he and Lexy just make the drive down to her hometown, Lexy had stared him down. She was not a fan of long car rides, especially because she tended to get carsick. And the drive to her town in Tennessee from New Jersey was nearly eight hours.

It had been just after Lexy’s last midterm. They were laying across Harry’s hotel bed, Lexy lying diagonally across the bed with her head on Harry’s stomach, Harry running his hand through her hair. She twisted back to look at him.

“The plane ride is only an hour and a half.”

“Yeah, but we’d have privacy in the car. I could drive us.”

“Can you drive in America?”

“I can do everything.” When Lexy rolled her eyes, he continued. “But seriously, yeah. I got it when I visited Los Angeles a few years ago. I was a bit bored and decided to go for it.”

“I still don’t have my license,” she told him, laying on her back again.

“I can teach you,” Harry said. “I’ve been told I am an excellent driver.”

Lexy wanted to tell him she’d heard he was excellent at everything but decided she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“I still don’t understand why we need to drive there when the plane is perfectly fine. What can we do in a car that we can’t do in a plane?”

“Oh, I can think of a lot of things we can do in a car that we can’t do on a plane.”

“Like what?”

“Well for starters, we can get food whenever we want. And milkshakes.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And,” he sat up, leading Lexy to sit up across from him. “We can sing and we can be loud.”

“Can we?”

“Of course. But the best part?” Harry said, leaning towards her and cupping her face. “Is that when we’re at stoplights, we can do this.”

And when she realized she would get to spend hours in a car with him alone, Lexy was finally sold.

So two days later found them driving along an interstate, Max and Mitch behind them in a car, music blaring except for the occasional point when one of them had something to say and would turn it down. Harry finally handed over the aux cord and allowed Lexy to choose a song.

“Choose carefully. This is when I see your real character.”

Lexy moved her legs so she was sitting cross-legged in the seat, and scrolled through her songs until she finally decided on Here Comes The Sun.

“Ah, so you’re a classics girl.”

Lexy shrugged and took a sip of her milkshake.

“Harry,” she asked, as he went around a truck in front of them. They had been seeing more and more of them as they got nearer to Tennessee and Lexy was still getting excited every time she’d see one.

“Hm?” He answered, glancing at her.

“What’s the best thing that ever happened to you?”

“Are we playing twenty questions now?”

Lexy shrugged. “I’m bored.” When Harry didn’t respond, she added, “Well?”

“Shut up, I’m thinking.” He went around two more cars before speaking. “Probably George being born. He and Charlotte are a lot of fun, but he started it all off. It’s amazing having such a little person love you so much. What about you?”

Lexy smiled as she looked outside her window. Harry was adorable. “Probably getting into Princeton. I feel like everything that’s good that has happened to me since is because of it.”

“Including meeting me,” he teased.

Lexy looked over at him. He was right, but like always, she wasn’t going to indulge him. Then she decided to ask him the one thing she’d been wondering since he first told her that night. “You told me a while ago that you hate the monarchy because of what it did to your mother.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you still think that?”

Lexy watched him carefully.

“I think,” he began. “That at the time I told you that, I was surprised myself that I said that. And I guess I used it partly to make sure you weren’t going to tell anyone anything I said. It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of the press,” he added. “But my feelings are very complex, and even I’m not entirely sure how I feel.”

“But you do hate it?” she prompted.

“I hate how it’s consumed my life, how I never had a choice. And you can imagine what it was like growing up in my brother’s shadow, demoted only because I was born a little more than two years later.”

“It’s a bit like Scar and Mufasa isn’t it?”

“What?”

“In the Lion King, when Scar killed Mufasa because he was the younger sibling.”

Harry snorted. “Yeah, I suppose. Anyway, it’s the only life I’ve ever known, so it would be unfair of me to outright say I hate it. It’s incredibly infuriating. And as for my mother, it’s difficult for me to find someone to blame. Over the almost twenty years since it happened, I’ve struggled a lot with it, because they both made mistakes, and one thing that I’ve come to learn about being me, is that reporters are people too. They have jobs and families to feed and my family just happens to help them do it.”

“That’s very…mature of you.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. Any more questions?”

“Not for now,” Lexy said, unplugging her phone and plugging his phone back in. “You can choose the next song.”

And as an Ed Sheeran song began to play, which Lexy suspected Harry only chose because he knew she liked it, they ventured on for the last few hours of their journey.

**

When they finally pulled up to her house, a decent sized trailer on the side of some dirt road, Lexy had never been more grateful that the sun was down. There weren’t outside lights, and all that could be heard was her sister’s dog barking a few miles away.

But Lexy could remember how rusty the house was, how messy the yard probably was, and she wondered if she could somehow convince Harry to stay inside with her all day.

Mitch and Max, who had been trailing them in their own SUV, went ahead of them and Harry and Lexy stayed in the car while they waited for them to do their check. It was just past one AM, and Lexy was hoping that her dad was still awake. As drunk as he was, he was her father, and she had missed him.

Finally, Mitch and Max came back out and her and Harry passed them, Lexy leading the way to the door. Max handed Lexy her key and Lexy didn’t realize that the passing look that Max gave her was one of pity until she opened the door and the smell hit them. It was stale and the smell of what was probably water damage and she had to bite her lip from saying anything.

The floor looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed in a year and there were dishes stacked on every flat surface in the living room. A walk further in showed her that the kitchen was no better, with more dishes and food, and to Lexy’s horror, gnats.

And then there were the beer bottles, stacks on stacks of bottles. She could probably be the poster child for a music video of 100 bottles of beer on the wall. Lexy swallowed and tried very hard to keep the tears from spilling out of her eyes.

She was humiliated. She’d always told Harry that they were different but this completely proved it. And she didn’t want to face him. So quickly, she led the way to her room, desperate to get away from him, even just for a second, just so she could get a hold of herself.

Lexy turned on the light and dropped her duffle and backpack on her bed, slipping past Harry by whispering that she was going to the restroom and slamming the door behind her.

She spent at least five minutes in there, wiping her tears, crying some more, and then wiping them again. After a few moments, she thought up a plan. She would wait until Harry was asleep and then go clean the house. Maybe when he woke up the next day, he would think it was all a dream.

She splashed some cold water on her face and pulled her hair up into a high bun before wandering back into her room.

Harry was facing away from her, looking at the pictures she’d taped to her closet door. Pictures of friends from home, and of friends at Princeton, and of family.

“This,” he said, turning around slowly and looking around at the dozens of world maps she had plastered on her wall and coming to a stop in front of her bookshelf that housed about three hundred books. “Is you in a room.”

“And look it’s London!” He smiled, looking closer to one of the pictures on her desk. There were three of them, one of New York City, the one of London, and a note from her mom she’d had framed.

“My mom wrote me that,” she told him as she stood beside him. “It’s the last letter she ever sent me. I want to get her signature tattooed somewhere.”

She hadn’t admitted that to anyone, knowing that even her mother wouldn’t be a fan of the tattoo. Lexy was surprised that she’d said it so carefree to Harry.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” She answered. “I always hate coming home. It reminds me of her so much.” She frowned. “Not that that’s a bad thing—“

“But it’s not a good thing either,” Harry interrupted. Lexy turned to look at him. “I understand. I feel the same way, just for me, mum’s everywhere. And I guess I’ve gotten used to it, but it still hurts sometimes.”

Lexy nodded, surprising even herself as she reached forward and took one of his hands. She looked down at it, playing with his fingers. “I’m sorry, Harry,” she finally murmured. “I know we’ve talked about it before, but it’s not fair. That should have never happened to you.”

“Hey,” he said, moving a strand of hair from her face and letting his hand stay on the side of her face. “It’s not fair for you either. And I’ve had a lot of good happen to me, love, and I’m endlessly grateful. I just wish she were here to see it.”

Harry had only called her love a handful of times before but even the sound of it made Lexy feel happy. She wondered if Harry liked saying it as much as she liked hearing it.

“You told me once that mothers never stop being proud of you, that they never stop loving you.”

“I’m well-spoken, aren’t I?”

Lexy rolled her eyes and pushed Harry towards the bed, allowing him to lay down first so that she could cuddle into him. Before she answered him she flipped off the light switch beside her bed.

“Yeah,” she finally agreed. “It’s the one thing you are.”

She was lying of course—Harry was good at most things. But Harry laughed and moved so that he was hovering above her. “You’re well-spoken too. Probably more than you know.”

Lexy thought of all the times she stuttered and stammered in a single conversation and shook her head. Harry was smooth when talking, like he was a noble literature laureate reading his finest novel.

“That isn’t true,” she argued.

“Of course it is. And you can speak well in twelve different languages.”

“Four,” she corrected, smiling slightly. “Just English, Spanish, Russian, and German. And I still stumble over my words in all of them.”

“Doesn’t matter. You can still reach out to people I can’t. I also think you relate to people better than me.”

Lexy’s jaw dropped. “You’re joking. You’re known for being a people person.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. People know I’m a prince though, and that almost always casts a barrier.”

“So you’re saying, that because I’m a normal person, I’m able to relate to people better?”

“I’m saying,” he corrected. “That you’re able to relate to people because of how compassionate you are, and of your desire to just always make the world better. It’s something I admire, because I’ve been taught to do those things, whereas you just do them.”

“That’s not at all what you said.”

“Right, so who’s the most well-spoken between us then?”

Lexy rolled her eyes but kept smiling. “Tell me more nice things.”

Harry grinned, leaning down and kissing her softly. “You’re incredibly intelligent. And insightful. I love hearing you talk, just so I can hear what’s going on in your mind. And you’re funny. You make me laugh more than you know. But mostly you make me really happy. Honestly, I doubt I could go more than two days without talking to you, and that’s really saying something. You just brighten every aspect of my day. When I’m at home, and I have to spend seven or eight hours awake while you’re still sleeping, it’s dreadful. I can’t stand not talking to you.”

He bent down to kiss her again, and this time Lexy deepened the kiss. It lasted for a while and ended with Lexy lying on top of Harry.

“And this is superficial,” Harry went on, once their breathing had gone back to normal. “But I find you quite attractive. I’ve always had a secret thing for brown eyes.”

Lexy had always found her eyes to be boring, and the same color as a majority of the world, but she felt like Harry was still telling the truth.

“Thanks, Harry. For everything.”

“I should be thanking you. You’ve changed my life I good deal. I know you can’t see it, but you have. I hope one day I can show you.”

“I’d like that,” she smiled again, snuggling into his arm.

But as Harry’s breathing evened out, Lexy’s still did not, and she found herself lying awake in the dark, tracing the book titles she could see in the dark, when the thought hit her that in just a few days she’d have to sleep without Harry. She’d gotten so used to sleeping beside him in the past week that it terrified her. She wished London wasn’t so far away.

And then, when she was sure Harry wouldn’t wake, she ventured off into the kitchen, creeping softly and hoping not to wake Harry. She would’ve worried about waking her father, if not for the fact that he’d left her a note on the refrigerator, saying that he was at his girlfriend’s house. Apparently she wasn’t good enough for him to see.

The water for the dishes were warm, as were the tears that fell down her face. She was still crying in humiliation, but also in the thought that if her mother could see how the house looked, she’d be so disappointed.

Lexy had always hated doing the dishes. It wasn’t just because it was a chore, but because she felt that it was truly disgusting, and also because the dishes in the sink looked like they’d been there for a few months.

They’d never had the money for a dishwasher. That, and her mom had always said there was no sense in having one, since they could get just as much done without one. Lexy had never hated that decision more than in that moment, and decided that she would begin saving up for one as soon as she could.

She heard Harry before he came into the room. The house was tiny, and she heard her bed squeaking, and the door open, but she didn’t bother to look at him. She felt humiliated again, knowing he was staring at her. She’d helped he do the dishes when she’d stayed with him back in London, but those dishes had been clean compared to those in front of her.

And when Harry stepped up beside her, saying nothing as he began to rinse the dishes that she’d scrubbed and put down. Lexy began to cry even harder. Harry still said nothing and they worked in tandem like that. Finally, when they finished, he took a towel and began to dry, handing them to her as she put them up.

They spent the next hour throwing away take-out containers and paper plates, beer bottles and used paper towels. When Lexy finished wiping off the counters and turned around to make sure the kitchen was as clean as it would get, she walked out of the room and into the living room, in search of the vacuum.

It was in exactly the same place she’d left it and the thought terrified her. It confirmed her fear that it hadn’t been vacuumed since she’d left.

Lexy was aware that Harry’s eyes were on her as she plugged in the vacuum. But Harry had other plans, apparently, because as soon as she turned on the vacuum cleaner, Harry turned it right back off.

Lexy looked up at him, both confused and embarrassed at the way she was sure her eyes looked.

“Lexy, stop.”

Lexy didn’t say anything and just turned the vacuum on, glaring at him when he turned it right back on.

“You don’t need to do this right now.”

She turned it on again, desperately trying to veer away from him. Harry grabbed the vacuum from her and pulled her with it.

“You might as well give up. I’m a lot stronger than you.”

His statement only encouraged her more as she reached for it. Harry put it behind him and then began to try and put his arms around her but Lexy fought him. All she wanted to do was clean up.

“Come on, Lex, give it a rest.”

She crossed her arms and mumbled something so quietly she knew Harry wouldn’t be able to understand.

“What was that?”

“I wanted you to wake up to a clean house,” she said, still talking to the floor. “I was hoping you would think you’d imagined it.”

“I know it’s not your mess, babe. You haven’t been here in a year.”

It was the first time that Harry had ever called her babe, and that was probably what led her to letting go of the vacuum cord and allowing him to wrap his arms around her.

“I just don’t want you to think I live like this.”

“I know you don’t, Lexy. Our lives are different, but I don’t think that just because you live here, you’re any lesser than me.” Lexy nodded into his chest and he held her tighter. “Let’s go to bed, then? For real this time?”

Lexy nodded against him, and yawned, not realizing how tired she actually was. Harry led the way and they curled back into each other.

[nailtravels]

Wow.

So that just happened. Maybe the mostmilk fun ever. With zero bugs and perfect weather, how can the same festival keep getting better? Sure, the music is great, but it’s about so much more than that. Can it ever reach some kind of ceiling? Maybe not, Grasshopper. Sure, there were Chris Robinson fans, but there were also Umphries fans who drove right past Atlanta, en route to The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, because that’s just where they had to be. There’s no place better.

Rednecks, hillbillies and hipsters. They came from all over to attend the 2018 Wanee Festival and this year’s mammoth-sized hot air balloon of a party certainly did not fail to impress. After being invited, Corporal Turner politely replied, “That festival is a little fast”, and he was probably spot on. Even without the likes of Luke Sidewalker, the Captain and Clayopheus III, the glorious festavarians found themselves lurking all the way down into the darkest halls of the slickest funk.

All the way down to Chinatown. Welcome to Wanee ’18: It’s time to panic.

Saturday afternoon Peach Stage Wanee Festival 2018

At some point, many people feel the weight of age and responsibility and find it necessary to put down  childish things.  There are others however, who’ve decided to verge from that path and decorate themselves with glitter and feathers.

They are the Wontons. The Watusi of the First Order. They have no trouble playing with  childish things.

When in doubt….twirl.

Even with the bogus paperwork, it’s getting harder to smuggle Lucienda into The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. They call it progress but it’s looking more like Colorado or Oregon. In those places, hushed voices still decry her an outcast, forever exiled from their private parties. Especially Longmont and it’s unusual brand of stickiness. Usually it wouldn’t be a problem, but after the Luke Sidewalker “incident” at Spring Reunion, a modicum of adult caution can surely be afforded. Between smashed guitars and bail money, these trips are beginning to cost a pretty penny.

It was Melissa’s turn to have some fun. She never claimed to be a prophet, but she knew what kind of party awaited her at Wanee and Live Oak. It was always the most ridiculous and hilarious gathering of fruitcakes ever. Their utterly ludicrice behavior was matched only by their ability to uncontrollably love everyone around them.

She’d predicted that the festival love-meter would be set at 11. No festival can boast more good vibes. Along with a generous helping of Allman brothers originals, Wanee takes great pride in its vibe. The love-meter was definitely pushing into the red and it appeared as though the governor had been removed.

Listen for the crack of the whip. Look under the Thunder Chicken and the Mullet.

Wanee 2018 Highlights:

WSMFP: Friday and Saturday night the Peach Stage turned into a bubbling froth of rock-n-roll stupafunk, as Widespread Panic brought their pounding slather to Live Oak. Double IPAs and good scotch were replaced by Natty Lights and Evan Williams as the Spreadnecks, Spreadheads and even Spreadnexicans took over the camp grounds and danced until their eyes hurt. Listen for the fireworks because it’s only rock music and this place just turned into Fort Sumter. One thing is for certain, Widespread Panic makes girls bounce, grunt and pop. They turn into howler monkeys that bounce around making clicks and funky humming sounds.

Jimmy Herring and John Bell of Widespread Panic. Wanee ’18: photo by J.Nail

J.Nail, Scott and George

Duder and El Dudarino

George and Cassie

A.J. and Karisa

As The Crow Flies

Boone Hillbillies: Jessica said she would never camp next door to hillbillies again after the “trouble” with the Roanoke mafioso a only a few years ago. It had been either Clayopheus III or Darth Waffle who initially planted the dark seed of sin but harsh memories still lingered. Once you’ve picked up with serious mountain people, there’s no telling when things may turn south, but dear Prudence, you can bet your bottom shilling that it’s going to happen. Run off from her own spot at the Poncho Tree by Sabrina and Steve at the Camp Happiness field site, she was poking around the Farm Field, haggard and worn, run off like a red-headed stepchild and looking for a new place to set up camp. Her rainbow would finally curl to the ground at the Farm Field, right in the middle of a group of derelict Boone, North Carolina hillbillies.

Huckleberry wore tie-dyed green overalls as he took a snort from the jug. When it was warm, he donned the shorts overalls and likely had several more in reserve. He and his woman Dewdrop, who was also known to pull a cork, had some kind of matching flower tattoos that made a picture when they pushed their necks together. They were definitely from North Carolina. You could smell the moonshine and see the gummies stuck in their tooth when they spoke up close. Their posse brought cute girls with them from App. State, but the only skin anyone would see would be A.J.’s butt cheeks as he used the area next to our camp for his water closet. He relieved himself just outside of his tent in what would be called a side yard, or at the very least, a commons, and we subsequently used the area for the same end. The only casualty was poor Smitty, whose tent was pitched in the depressed ravine between the two camps.

He woke up screaming profanities as warm urine trickled through his thinning hair. The altercation that ensued left one hillbilly with a barbecue skewer sticking out of his quadricep and another peeling melted plastic from his skin after his camping chair was knocked into the fire. The moonshine ignited into billowing black smoke that got the attention of a lady policeman who broke up the fight. She had worked security with Hambone at Telluride and stayed around for some boiled peanuts and PBRs. Before it was over she’d traded her handcuffs and a confiscated five strip to Lefty for an angry hand job. Things were f’sho getting ridiculous and that was before the homeless girl showed up.

Baitbucket had always been attracted to homeless girls, ever since Denver and the one who lived in tunnels. This girl didn’t live in tunnels and she wasn’t even homeless, but she did work in a homeless shelter and that was good enough for union work. Sometimes you can just tell that a girl used to have dreadlocks.

Jessica used to think she was making friends at festivals, but these people were never going to amount to friends. They don’t call it the “Wanee Family” for nothing.

So this just happened. Wanee 2018: photo by George Rodgers

The Gay Dolphin: Much Wanee love goes out to the proprietors of the best bar in the Hidden Woods. Serving oysters and gumbo during the day, ginaritas in the afternoon and gin and tonics in the early, early morning. It’s quite a hike toward the river but this out of the way nook has a 2-6 am happy hour can’t be beat. Find Beth the bartender for late night cordials.

Their late-night fire circle music was one of the tastiest scenes around. Thanks to Ed on vocals, Mike on slashing lead guitar and CJ on drum bucket. We’re proud to announce that the talented Maren is the newest nailtravels intern. Look for her stellar photography in upcoming articles. Check out Mike’s shop at Dixie Workshop Inc. for all your custom kitchen needs. Whether it’s computerized design, woodworking, molding or furniture, let them be your first stop for high end custom cabinetry. It’s pretty fancy stuff, but you’re worth it.

Thug Life: Jessica had been doing so well. Although a complete chemical toilet, she’d managed to hold it together from Wednesday until Saturday. Things began going south as she teamed up with Charlotte County crackers long enough to take several snorts from their jug of crotch whiskey. Just before the Carl Benson set, she began complaining of hot flashes and broke into a foamy sweat. Melissa tried to drag her away from the coach and out into the dirt road so she wouldn’t get her sick anywhere important, but after all attempts failed, Jessica dropped her head into her lap and vomited out her crotch whiskey and purple ringers.

Thanks to the common Gainesville street criminals for contributing the breakfast espressos and caramels. Saturday dn Sunday breakfast also contributed greatly to the overall continued success of the entire group. Y’all are definitely what’s referred to as “upper stock”.

Thanks to nailtravels contributing photographer, George Rodgers for lending his eye to the project. It was a pleasure to finally see our credentials being used to take quality concert photographs. You are the wind beneath my wings.

Remember, if he’s carrying a new bag and wearing clean New Balance shoes, then he’s a cop dressed as a hippy. We’re not trying to be rude, but you gosta go.

E A Sy Thug Life: Wanee 18: photo by George Rodgers

In between flasks of crotch whiskey and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, there must be time for an gyro. Nutrients are a real thing and if you don’t take care of yourself, you’re going to be useless to the rest of us. Think about it.

Wanee Restroom Guidelines:

Put your bracelet on the opposite hand from which you wipe.

Bring baby wipes for ultimate freshness and hippy baths.

The adult diaper section of the store also has extra large wipes.

Your best chance for warm water is either four in the morning or four in the afternoon.

The showers toward the river and in the loop are lovely and offer more hot water.

Take a hippy bath in the Suwannee River.

Vaping is Science.

Darkstar Orchestra on the Peach Stage. Wanee ’18: photo by J.Nail

“Mushroom Madness”

Marcus King. Wanee 18: photo by J.Nail

Tips to Making Friends with Your Neighbors:

Introduce Yourself: Before you try to sell anyone a poster, visit and have a little fellowship.

Contribute: Chicken thighs, burnt pig bone, guitar music or firewood. It takes a village to raise a party. Everyone had something to offer. Maybe your job is just to lend a little harmony. Thanks for showing up.

Be Courteous: Everyone understands that the rules that apply to family camping are different when piling together into the forest. That being said, there is a limit to how much late-night Club Boca anyone wants. Go ahead and let your freak flag fly, but know that if you get too amplified in the wee hours of the night, you may get a visit from a Florida Moose. This doesn’t end well for you, my precious.

Share: The last thing you want is to leave a pile of warm chicken for the Chihuahuas. It’s worse than finding beer and food coupons in your pocket once you get home. Break everything out and use it with the people around you. Likely, they will do the same thing and you’ll put together a stone soup. And why can’t a Bloody Mary have a cheese puff? Maybe you need to check it out.

Phil Lesh on the Peach Stage. @Wanee ’18: photo by J.Nail

Phil Lesh and the Terrapin Family Band: The Grateful Dead bassist continues to stomp the living hell out of jam band rock tunes. Dropping bombs hither and yon, his Terrapin Family Band came through with a severe layer of pump and bump and a tasty West LA Fade Away and the Rippin’ Ripple, which was a severely sassy way to end the show. Find ol’ boy Steve and Mr. Larose next time you’re listening to Phil drop bombs everywhere and looking for someone with which to frolick.

Gary and Shannon

Dumpsta Sugar Phunk Magic

Smitty, Ted and Moose

Nice lids yo.

Dimples Dyes. Wanee ’18: photo by J.Nail

As The Crow Flies

Melissa and Jessica

Wanee ’18: photo by George Rodgers

Darkstar Orchestra at Wanee 18: photo by J.Nail

Thomas and Moose in their pajamas,

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Friends and Family: Thanks to all the folks who spent the festival working while the rest of us trickled lazily through the meadows and forests trails. The first stop we always make is to Jade at her traveling wearable art  boutique. A Bazaar Universe is the perfect stop for some soft wrist warmers and droopy hats. Check out her Facebook page and take a look at her wares. She is so awesome. When you’re done there, also visit Dimple’s Dyes and check out her beautiful creations on her website and Facebook. Remember, cowboys are fascinated by hippy girls.

Be sure to visit the The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House. It’s where the Allman Brothers Band, their roadies, friends and families lived from 1970 to 1973. Visit their website or ramble down highway 41 and walk the hallowed grounds of the band that shaped the music industry and are credited with being the forefathers of “Southern Rock”.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Wanee 2018: photo by J.Nail

Chris Robinson Brotherhood/As the Crow Flies:  Blessed be to Scott for dragging everyone away from the fire and reminding us that Chris Robinson was playing on the Peach Stage. Sometimes the fire breathes you. Welcome to the world of the prolapsed sand dollar. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood on Friday and As The Crow Flies on Saturday was a combined treat for the masses. The hippy funk of Friday’s show was a super pleasure, especially with keyboardist Adam MacDougall with his touches on everything from Dylan and Parliament Funkadelic to psych rock and Chicago rhythm & blues. Soooo Good.

Typical Wanee Directions:

I’ll be the first one here. Look for me.

We’re in the back of the loop.

We’re by the lake, next to David.

We’re in the bat field.

Look for the tapestries.

Look for the blinking lights.

We’re right behind the Grateful Dead flag.

Look under the Thunder Chicken.

Look for me lying unconscious next to my van.

Look for me sleeping under a tarp.

Look for me peeing in a hammock

I’ll be the last one here. Look for me.

As we move ever close to the environmental consciousness of festivals like Telluride and Rockygrass, we’re starting to see more advocacy groups devoting their time to Wanee. WWALS is a nonprofit educational corporation advocating for watershed conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little and Suwannee Rivers. Mad props to WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. for their work with the Alapaha River Water Trail and the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. These are perfect reasons to get involved. Visit their website for upcoming outings and events or email them at wwalswatershed@gmail.com and contact@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.

Darkstar Orchestra. Wanee 18

“Help or get some.”

Cameron was plum tuckered out when he dropped into his love-wagon and headed toward Gainesville. His wrists were draped with bracelets and the dusty windshield was cracked and covered with parking stickers from this and other festivals. A hot shower was in his future where he would give a serious scrubbing to his feet and nails. It would take more than a few days to get those Wanee feet clean. He had, after all, slept under his car for no apparent reason.

Good job Wanee for picking up all your festavarian gear once again. The Culture of Wanee lives! Except for a delicous gross of Mardi Gras beads, there were few ground scores to be had, as usual. Park employees such as Matt (i.e. Toe-mas, Glimmer Man) were quick to applaud the efforts of the attendees again this year. It’s so nice to play with professionals.

Thanks to Wanee Festival for inviting nailtravels to be part of the action. It’s still the best party around. Thanks to The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park for providing a sense of place that transcends everything else. With Suwannee River Jam and Purple Hatters Ball on the horizon, it doesn’t have to be so long between trips.

  Remove your love governor.

Wanee Festival ’18: It’s Time To Panic Wow. So that just happened. Maybe the mostmilk fun ever. With zero bugs and perfect weather, how can the same festival keep getting better?

[thearrangment-phff]

XXIV. Terms

January 2017

Isabella and Harry were able to be in their room until the New Year's Eve Ball that the Prince of Ligne was hosting. Most of the day and a half was spent talking and Harry had opened up more about his mother to Isabella. Which she thought was a big milestone in their relationship because she knew it was hard for him to talk about his mother in the first place. The stories never got to her death. They were mostly about his childhood and even got to talking about the divorce and how they struggled even more with the press.

New Years was a blur for Isabella. She remembered Harry and being with her family but once it hit midnight everything was forgotten. She woke up around 3 in the afternoon the next day only to find her mother had packed her a bag and informed her she was going to London to meet the Queen.  

The thought of a hangover was gone and filled with shock. Isabella was going to meet the Queen of the United Kingdom, Harry's grandmother, with a hangover. She stormed to her brother Alexander for remedies to get rid of any sign of alcohol then to her mother and grandmother Yolande for a refresher on etiquette.

When they finally landed in London, Harry's personal secretary had informed them they would be meeting the Queen on the second of January. So, Isabella had an extra day to settle in and not be so overwhelmed. Though she wasn't let off the hook with meeting company.

Charles had come to her saying he arranged a family dinner where she would be introduced to Camilla, William, Kate, and their children. Harry watched as Isabella smiled at her father but her hands told another story as the curled and began to shake. She continued to smile and excused herself away to get ready.

Harry was left alone with his father and the look on his face meant he wanted to talk.

"Before you ask everything is fine now. I think her family has family accepted me and the past couple of days were good."

"That's good to hear, but that isn't what I was going to say," smiled Charles.

"Oh, what is it then?"

"After dinner, we will host the heads of several royal houses Isabella is related to. We will be discussing the terms of the marriage between you and Isabella," explained Charles.

"Terms? We have terms? Wouldn't that also give away that this marriage was supposed to be arranged?" Asked Harry.

"We won't be giving anything away, but Isabella's parents have asked that we sit down and discuss terms. They won't be able to come but have sent family remembers as representatives," continued Charles.

"Pa, seriously? What terms are there anyway?!"

"Whether Isabella will be able to marry you for one. Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma is head to the Royal House of Bourbon-Parma and his brother is Dutch ambassador to the Holy See so getting the Pope's permission for your marriage may be needed. Another is whether Isabella will forgo her Catholic religion, another thing the Pope has to agree with. Whether she will keep her title is another question. Her dowry, the jewels, and the land that will come with her as well will need to be discussed. Shall I say more?" asserted Charles.

"No. Will that really need to be discussed?"

"From the looks of it, Isabella's family is trying to keep you away from everything she owns. If she were to die before you, you would gain nothing. You would be lucky to have children with her should that happen or else this is all for nothing."

"I understand," mumbled Harry.

"I have to go get dressed. I suggest you do the same then drive with Isabella to Clarence House in an hour. We will be waiting."

"Okay," replied Harry.

"Oh and Harry. Do not tell your brother about any of this." Harry gave his father a nod and turned around to look at the empty room. Isabella came out 20 minutes later dressed for dinner then Harry left her alone to go change himself.  

As Harry pulled up to Clarence House he caught a glance at Isabella messing with her engagement ring not saying a word, "Are you nervous?"

"A little. Though I shouldn't be," muttered Isabella.

"It's okay to be nervous. I was nervous whenever I met your family."

"I know. I just tired and this was unexpected. I'm just confused right now," replied Isabella still not looking up.

"What are you confused about?" Asked Harry.

"Nothing. Can we please drop it?"

"Okay."

Though Isabella wasn't impressed with Clarence House as Harry thought. She was acting weird since they landed in London. Isabella simply kept on messing around with her engagement ring without rarely talking, which for her was unusual.  

Isabella didn't pay attention as she was led through Clarence House. Her mind on clicked when she was standing in front of Harry's brother and his family. When she shook William's hand his immediate attention went to the ring on her finger then turned to his wife. Her eyes went slightly large for a second before calming down and smiling at Isabella.

"It's so nice to meet you. William and I were so excited to hear you were coming to London," smiled Kate.

"Yes. It's lovely to meet you too. Your children are absolutely adorable."

"Excuse George, he can be a bit shy sometimes," inputted William.

"That's no problem. My nephew is very similar," added Isabella before she crouched down to the little boy's height. Isabella stuck out her hand, "Hello. I'm Isabella, but you can call me Belle."

"I'm George," replied the little boy in a hushed manner.

"Hello George, how old are you?" Asked Isabella as he picked up three fingers, "That's a very big number," smiled Isabella as she got back up. "And this little one must be Charlotte. Oh, she is beautiful. Her name is lovely too, my grandmother and great-grandmother bore that name."

"Thank you. The name Charlotte does suit her very well now," agreed Kate.

"Let us all sit down to eat!" Announced Charles as Camilla stood by his side.

Isabella was seated between William and Camilla with Harry across from her. Kate was on Harry's left and Charles at his right with Charlotte closest to Kate and George with William. Camilla immediately struck up a conversation with Isabella about her family but once they got to Isabella's job working for the United Nations that's when Isabella got passionate. She mentioned working in favor of women's rights and for the welfare of immigrants and refugees escaping their either war-torn countries or leaving because of natural disasters. Isabella found Camilla the easiest to get along with at the table, save Charles and Harry.

William was able to put in a couple of thoughts but tending to George took all of his attention. Even then, Isabella found him to be aggressive and ignorant when trying to talk about either women's right or refugees. Kate had kept quiet, not bothering to contribute to the conversation.

When everyone was done Camilla had finally asked the question Harry had been trying to avoid. He wanted to tell his brother that Isabella had a title of her own in a more private setting, but the question came up and Harry had looked to his father in surprise.

"Isabella, what does your family do?"

"Well my father is a banker and my mother works for the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg," answered Isabella.

"Oh, she is a secretary or something?" Asked Kate.

"No. She carries out engagements on behalf of my uncle Henri when he first became Grand Duke."

Harry cleared his throat, "Isabella's uncle is Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Will, you remember the older Grand Duke when we were younger. He and granny are good friends."

"I faintly remember him. I don’t think Harry mentioned you were related to royal houses," replied Will.

"Surely you have no title since your mother is the princess right?" Asked Kate.

"I do have a title of my own actually. My mother married my father, an Archduke of Austria so I bare the female form of that."

"Though the monarchy doesn't exist so that title isn't anything right," added Will.

"The monarchy doesn't exist, but Isabella also holds the title princess in the Belgian nobility," corrected Harry.

"So many titles," interrupted Kate with an awkward tone.

"Yes, well coming from hundreds of years of royal blood can give you a few connections," agreed Isabella.

"Really? Harry and my father really didn’t clarify."

"My grandmother Josephine Charlotte was a Princess of Belgium. My other grandmother Yolande was born a Princess of Ligne. My grandfather was the Grand Duke and the other was the son of an Emperor."

"So the weddings going to be huge," joked William.

"Isabella is one of six," informs Charles.

"Oh, that sounds interesting! How many brothers? How many sisters?" Asked Camilla.

"The eldest is my sister Marie Christine. Then there's Imre, Christoph, and Alexander. Finally, there's me and my younger sister, Gabriella," answered Isabella.

"Do any of your siblings have children?" Asked Kate.

"My sister has 2 sons, my brother Imre has 2 daughters and my other brother Christoph has one daughter and another baby on the way."

The rest of the night was painful. Isabella answered everyone's questions, but sometimes in not a nice manner. Though in Isabella's opinion, most of them seemed like they were attacking her family. From the number of kids they had to the literal titles of Archduke and Archduchess being meaningless. She didn't take kindly to the comments made about her family being nothing.

Though she had a great shame from being a Habsburg her ancestors included families like the Medici's and Sforzas who paved the way for the Italian renaissance to occur. Kings and Queen of Spain and France. She was the descendant of prominent men like Louis XIV of France, Henry IV of France, Charlemagne, Ferdinand II of Aragon, and Henry VII of England. There were also great women like Isabella of Castile, Empress Maria Theresa, Margaret Beaufort, Catherine de Medici, and Caterina Sforza. She wasn't nothing and neither was her family.

Harry had tried to explain things to Isabella, but once she was mad there was nothing that was going to change that. Harry himself had accidentally said some rude comments about Isabella's family so he had been in that position. William was as oblivious to Isabella's family as Harry was in the beginning. Kate was even more ignorant of Isabella's life.

Isabella grew up speaking four languages. She was educated close to home until she decided she wanted to leave to England for a boarding school. Then decided that she wanted to move to the United States for a university. Rather than stay at her job working for her father she left a stable environment to work for the United Nations. When all of that was going on she would fly to France, Belgium, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg for weddings, birthday celebrations, and christenings. She rubbed elbows with other European royalty, both the disposed and the ruling.  

When Harry invited William to join he and their father to talk terms about his upcoming marriage to Isabella he had declined. Then Kate whispered some things in his ear and he changed his mind telling the table it would be a learning experience. Isabella was beyond annoyed by the time they were done eating. The only thing that cheered her up was the sight of Joachim and a mystery man who looked similar to the Belgium prince that Harry didn't know.  

With Charles, William, and Harry standing at the entrance entered a large group of men that Harry didn't know. Charles barely knew them. Just as in the beginning they shook the hands of Charles but could care less about William or Harry. William had no idea was going on and Harry's nerves had returned and stronger than ever.