CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

It was the second night of the royal visit, which Ingrid had decided to call this weekend. The only one missing was Princess Alexandria from the UK, but she had been unable to attend. Ingrid was sitting in her usual spot, behind the future Queen, in the room filled with royals and their own private secretaries. The current King and Queen were discussing something with the Prince of Denmark and his own secretary. Elin was discussing something with Markus, which made Ingrid a little jealous, if she was being honest. Technically, Elin was still her Princess. Markus would have her soon enough.

She then watched as Elin walked around the room, talking to every person in turn, including the secretaries and other invited guests. Elin shook their hands, smiled and laughed, and didn’t at all trip over herself, despite wearing a dress that was probably a little too long for her and dragged a bit on the plush carpet. Ingrid would have to talk to Elin’s dressers because they clearly had her measurements wrong and didn’t know the Princess how she did. Elin should be tripping all over the place; she was wearing three-inch heels. Yet, as she turned and walked, she had no problems at all. She was kind of a wonder, actually. Elin was the definition of the perfect Princess and would soon be the definition of the perfect Queen.

“Can we talk for a second?” Mari asked out of nowhere.

“Of course, Your Royal–”

“Ingrid, you’re great,” Mari interrupted her as she began. “I really like you. I just don’t want or need a secretary. Father is insistent, but I’m going to business school. I did the military thing that Dad mandated, and I get why, but it’s my turn now. I want to go to school and have some semblance of a normal life if I can, and that doesn’t include a secretary.”

“I’m afraid, it’s not my decision, Ma’am.”

“I get that,” Mari replied. “I’m just letting you know that it’s not at all about you, okay? I don’t want you to think I don’t like you or want you. I just don’t want anyone. The news calls me ‘The Reluctant Princess’ for a reason.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Ingrid said.

“I am happy to recommend you for any other position you want. Elin will give it to you. She loves working with you. Just name it, and we’ll make it happen.”

“Ma’am, are you saying I won’t have a job at all?”

“Of course not. We’ll find you something here, Ingrid. If you really want to be my secretary, you can still have the job in name, but I won’t need anything at least until I’m done with school. That’s why I’m suggesting we find you something else. I know you love your job, and we love having you.”

“Elin’s doing great tonight, isn’t she?” Lillian asked, walking over to the two of them.

“What? Oh, yeah,” Mari replied. “Will you think about it?” she asked Ingrid.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Ingrid said, not really understanding what she was supposed to be thinking about.

Mari nodded at her and walked back into the crowd.

“So, she’s trying to dump you, huh?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Mari. Father won’t let her. You don’t have to worry about your job, Ingrid. Even if she’s insisting on school, Dad won’t let her be without a proper secretary. Until I have kids, she’s next up now.”

“I just want to help however I can, Ma’am,” Ingrid replied, knowing she’d prefer her own Princess.

“Hey, that Prince Erik is pretty hot, huh?” Lillian said out of nowhere.

“Pardon?” Ingrid asked, snapping to attention at the sudden change in topic.

“He’s around Elin’s age, but she’s not interested in him at all. I get it; he’s going to be King of Denmark. It’s not exactly like the old days, but if they married, people would expect her to move there, and they’d have Denmark and Norway together.”

“The Princess Royal is going to marry–”

“Oh, no. She doesn’t like Erik. I don’t even think she likes him as a friend. He’s a nice guy, but they’re not close. He is hot, though. Don’t you think so?”

“I don’t think it’s my place to say, Ma’am.”

Lillian looked at her and said, “He’s hot. Mom thought he might be into me, but I think he’s into Mari. Look.” She pointed. “I think Mari’s into him as well. They’ve been inseparable since he got here. I’d laugh for days if Mari, the one who wants to have a normal life, ends up with the future King of Denmark.”

“I suppose, that would be funny,” Ingrid replied.

“Anyway, it’s not like Elin dates at all now. Mom is trying to find someone she might actually like. When she’s Queen, people will expect her to start dating right away. I keep telling Mom it doesn’t matter; Elin doesn’t want kids. So, the whole marriage thing isn’t a big deal, you know?”

“I’m sorry, no, Ma’am. What am I supposed to know?”

“Do you want kids?” Lillian asked.

“Ma’am?”

“I want a couple, at least. Not tomorrow, mind you. Maybe in a few years, I’ll start really thinking about it. I’ll need at least two. You know how that goes; the heir and the spare. If Elin’s not popping them out – it’s up to me. But it’s fine because I want them. Mari will probably have like six, which would totally be hilarious because she’s always said she wants one or two, absolutely tops. I swear, if she ends up marrying a King with six kids, I will seriously laugh for a solid week. I might even last a month. Watch her have twins first, like my parents, and think she’s done, and then she ends up with triplets next or something.”

Ingrid smiled and nodded at the Princess because she had no idea how to handle this little chat they were having. It was certainly the strangest conversation the two of them had ever had. Telling, but still strange.

“So, what about you?”

“Me?”

“Kids,” Lillian repeated.

“Oh, I–” Ingrid looked over at Elin just in time to watch her take a step backward, which wouldn’t have been a problem except that damn long dress caught and tore slightly. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. I have to…”

Yes, she was definitely going to have a conversation with whomever had put Elin in this dress. She’d needed a way out of that conversation, but this wasn’t the out she’d been hoping for. Someone on the staff telling her she was needed elsewhere – yes. Elin tripping over the back of her too-long dress because someone couldn’t measure or tailor properly – no.

“Pardon me, Your Royal Highness. May I have a word?” she asked.

“Oh, okay,” Elin replied. “Excuse me.” She smiled at the two men she was speaking with. “Ingrid?” she asked as Ingrid hovered her hand over the small of Elin’s back without touching her and ushered her into an empty hallway. “Is everything okay?”

“Your dress is torn,” Ingrid informed her.

“What? Where?” Elin immediately looked down at her chest.

That caused Ingrid to look down at Elin’s chest, which was on prominent display in that tight dress. She looked back up and met Elin’s eyes, clearing her throat.

“The back, Ma’am. It’s too long.”

Elin pulled the dress a bit and noticed the tear.

“It’s not big, Ma’am, but it is noticeable.”

“Should I change?” she asked.

“No, but we should mend it quickly.”

“Okay. Can you call for–”

“I can take care of it for you.”

“They teach you all sewing classes on top of first aid?” Elin teased.

“No, Ma’am. But my mother taught me. I just need a needle and thread. Can you meet me in your room? I’ll tell Katrin to tell everyone you’ll be right back if anyone asks.”

“Yes. Okay,” Elin replied.

Ingrid left her Princess in the hall while she went in search of what she needed. Finding it in the dresser’s office, she made her way to Elin’s room, knocked, and entered. Elin was standing at the window, looking out at the palace grounds.

“This should only take a minute.”

“Take your time,” Elin said without turning around. “I’m in no hurry.”

“You’re not enjoying the party, Ma’am?”

“My father invited two Dukes and an Earl. What do you think?”

“Ma’am?”

“He’s trying to marry me off,” Elin stated.

“I’m sure that’s not why.”

“No, it is. He and my mother are both convinced I should marry as soon as possible after taking the throne. It’s important to show stability.”

“Would you take the dress off for me, Ma’am? It’ll be easier to fix.”

“Take it off?” Elin asked, her eyes going wide.

“Yes. I’ll stay out here; you can take it off in the closet and hand it to me through the door. I’ll get it right back to you.”

“It’s fine,” Elin said. “Let me just grab my robe.”

She disappeared into her closet and came out wearing her robe with the dress in hand. Then, she passed it to Ingrid, who sat on Elin’s bed and began repairing the dress. Elin sat down next to her, and Ingrid realized this was the first time they’d sat down in this room together.

“I’m sure your parents are just trying to–”

“Convince me to find a man, settle down, and have Princes and Princesses? Yes, that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

“I thought you didn’t want children, Ma’am.”

“I don’t,” Elin confirmed. “Now is when you ask why, right?”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am?” Ingrid looked over at her.

“Everyone always asks why a woman doesn’t want to have children.”

“I guess I just assume you have your reasons. I don’t need to know them.”

“Really?” Elin asked, sounding surprised.

“I have my own; I don’t plan to explain them to everyone,” Ingrid replied.

“Your own?”

“Reasons.”

“For?”

“Not having children, Ma’am,” Ingrid said, returning her attention to her sewing.

“You don’t want children?”

“I’m thirty-six years old, Ma’am. I know I don’t want to be a single parent, and I’m not seeing anyone. Besides, I’ve never felt that pull toward having my own children. I know when Sarah Anne does one day, I’m going to be the best aunt to them, but I know I’m perfectly fine not having my own.”

When Elin didn’t say anything, Ingrid looked up at her and ended up stabbing her finger with the needle.

“Ouch!”

“What? Did you–” Elin took Ingrid’s hand and looked. “You stabbed yourself, Ingrid? I think you’re spending way too much time with me; I’m rubbing off on you. This isn’t good.” She laughed a little.

“I don’t want to get blood on your dress, Ma’am.”

“The dress is fine,” Elin replied. “Stay there.”

She stood up and walked into the bathroom. When she returned moments later, she held a bandage and a tube of something.

“Do not say it,” Elin told her, holding up the tube. “We’re going to call it an antibiotic cream, all right?”

Ingrid laughed, recalling how much the Princess hated the word ointment.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Ingrid looked on as Elin took care of her finger, even though it was the tiniest cut and didn’t require this kind of attention or treatment.

“There. Better?” Elin asked.

“Much,” Ingrid replied.

Elin nodded and gave her a soft smile.

“I’ll just put this away.” She held up the tube and the trash from the bandage in her hand.

She stood and returned to the bathroom. By the time she got back, Ingrid was finished with the dress. Elin went into the closet without a word to change back into it and came back out a minute later.

“Can you zip me up?” she asked, turning her back toward Ingrid.

“Of course,” Ingrid replied.

She approached, breathed in the Princess’s perfume, closed her eyes for a second, and zipped up Elin’s dress.

“Thank you,” Elin said.

“My pleasure, Your Royal Highness,” Ingrid replied, taking a step back.

Then, she swallowed hard.