CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 36

“Sophia Victoria Elizabeth, you better get your tiny butt back here,” Victoria said.

“Aunt Victoria, he started it!” Sophia yelled as she chased her brother around the room.

“He did not,” Victoria replied, laughing. Then, she rolled her eyes and looked at Elin. “She’s the oldest, so she thinks she’s in charge all the time.”

“Where’s little David?” Elin asked of Victoria’s second-born.

“He’s with his father. He’s always a bear to wake up after his nap, so when his dad is around, he gets to deal with it,” Victoria replied.

Three little royals ran around the room in their pajamas. Earlier, Leif had taken a nap with his cousins Antonia and David, and Sophia had spent the afternoon with Elin. They’d played together, walked around the stables at Coburn, and Elin loved it. Once Leif and Antonia had shown up, though, Elin had been old news, and Sophia had rushed after them to play whatever game they were playing now.

“Do your kids understand it all?” Elin asked.

“Antonia is six, and she spends enough time with these two, so she gets some of it. I think they’re in that stage we were all in once, where we get the fun parts, but not the other parts.”

“I remember that.”

“I think Elizabeth and I both do, too. Neither of us was supposed to inherit, so we had no responsibilities. We got the Princess training, but not with any purpose other than to be ladylike. You, at least, got more than we did, being Christian’s twin and inseparable back then.”

“It doesn’t prepare you enough, though.”

“What about your dad? Is he unable to help because of his illness and accident?”

“He’s doing much better, actually. His physical therapist says he can get out of the chair soon, but that he’ll need a walker probably for the rest of his life. His tremors mean it’ll get worse, so they think that’s the safest. His mind is still there for the most part. Mom says he has moments, but they’re still pretty rare.”

“That’s good.”

“It is, yes. He just wants his monarchy; I want my own.”

“Well, it is yours now, so you can do what you want, technically.”

“I know. I’m just trying to maintain order right now until he gets more used to the whole thing.”

“You taking over when it should’ve been Christian?”

“I think it’s more about anyone taking over.”

“It’s got to be hard,” Victoria noted.

“Aunt Elin, can we play hide-and-seek?” Leif asked her, wiping his nose with his hand.

“Leif, Kleenex,” Palmer said as she walked into the room. “Come on, buddy; you’re making me look bad here.”

Elin laughed and said, “We can play hide-and-seek later. I have to start getting ready for the party.”

“Can I go to the party, Mama?” Antonia asked her mother.

Victoria cupped the back of the little girl’s head and said, “Not tonight. This is a party for the grown-ups, but you get to play with your cousins and your brother whenever he gets up from his nap.”

“David is a baby.”

“He’s four years old.” Victoria laughed.

“Baby,” Antonia insisted.

Palmer laughed and picked up Leif.

“I’ll be right back. I’m going to get him cleaned up and then find my wife. Sophia, let’s go find Mama.”

“I want to play,” Sophia argued.

“I know you do. That’s what we’re doing. Kiss your mothers goodnight so you can go play.”

“It’s not nighttime,” Sophia replied, following Palmer out of the room.

“She’s wise beyond her years, that one,” Victoria teased.

“She really is a little Palmer,” Elin pointed out.

“She’s the feistier of the two. I think Antonia is like that as well. David is more like Leif, a little more reserved.”

“I think it’s great that St. Rais is going to have two Queens in a row,” Elin replied.

“Me too,” Victoria agreed. “Don’t think I wasn’t relieved when those two had her – I really didn’t want to be Queen anytime soon. Leif would make a good King, probably, but someday, there will be mostly Queens leading European monarchies for the first time ever. I think that’s a pretty amazing thing to take away from how it all happened.”

Victoria looked somber for a moment, and Elin guessed she was thinking about the family she’d lost.

“Hello,” Elizabeth said, entering the room.

“You just missed your wife.”

“I saw her,” Elizabeth replied. “I just wanted to check on Elin. Do you need anything before we all start getting ready?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Okay. Well, Palmer and I have the nanny taking over now. Victoria, do you want to get David so she can get them ready for dinner?”

“My husband or my son?” Victoria joked.

“Both, if you prefer,” Elizabeth teased.

Victoria laughed and stood up.

“I’ll grab my son and hand him to the nanny and then make sure my husband puts his bow tie on straight. We’ll meet you back down here,” she added before leaving the room.

Elizabeth sat down next to Elin and said, “Before we have to get ready, spill.”

“What?” Elin laughed lightly.

“Ingrid; I want to know everything.”

“You do?”

“Of course. You’ve loved her for years. You’re finally together.”

“Well, it’s good.” Elin sighed.

Elizabeth quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Oh, I know that eyebrow,” Palmer pointed out, walking back in. “Your son wiped his nose on his arm in front of his aunt Elin, by the way.”

“He did not,” Elizabeth replied, laughing. “I swear, we’re raising them with manners.”

“He’s five,” Elin replied, laughing, too.

Palmer sat down in a chair opposite the sofa and asked, “What are we doing? I thought we were getting ready.”

“I wanted her to tell me about Ingrid. She told me it was good.”

“Just good?” Palmer asked.

“No, it’s… I mean, it’s better than good.”

“Oh?” Elizabeth asked.

“I told her I loved her.”

Elizabeth brightened and smiled.

“You did? That’s great, Elin.”

“Well, it was great until she didn’t say it back.”

“She didn’t?”

“No,” Elin replied, shaking her head. “Maybe I just caught her off guard or something. I mean, we were… we’d just…” She blushed.

“And you said it right after…” Elizabeth blushed as well.

“Between.”

“Oh,” Palmer said. “Nice.”

“Palmer,” Elizabeth said through her laughter. “Maybe she’s just not ready to say it yet. That happens. You’ve been in love with her for some time now. She probably just needs to catch up.”

“Yeah, you said it was between, right?” Palmer checked. “So, it sounds like she wanted to keep doing what you were doing.”

“She did. I mean, that part was…” Elin’s eyes went toward the ornate ceiling.

“Yeah?” Palmer asked, leaning forward in her chair. “That good?”

“I remember you telling me once,” Elin began to Elizabeth, “that it’s just better when it’s with the one you’re supposed to be with.”

“You said that?” Palmer asked, smiling at her wife.

“Yes, I told her that years ago,” Elizabeth replied.

“Wait… How long ago? Like, when you were with Teagan or–”

“Palmer, shut up.” Elizabeth laughed again. “I was talking about you.”

“Oh, good,” Palmer replied, leaning back in her chair.

“Anyway, it is better,” Elin said. “It’s pretty much everything.”

“Yeah,” Palmer said, sounding wistful.

Elizabeth turned to her wife, winked, and then turned back to Elin.

“Just give her time, Elin. I’m sure she’s nearly there, if she’s not there already.”

“Yeah. I mean, think about it: it’s a lot, Elin,” Palmer said.

“What is? Saying she loves me?”

“Just all of it. I married a Queen. There’s a lot going on in your head when you first get together with one. I’ve never had one single regret, and I never will – I love my life with Elizabeth and our kids – but it did mean that I had to give up part of my life before. Maybe Ingrid is just finally realizing how very real it all is, and she needs some time.”

“Do you think she’ll decide it’s not worth it? Being with me means she could be a royal one day. It’s not something that I think most people would like.”

“I think Ingrid is crazy about you,” Elizabeth replied. “I saw it when we were at Balmoral. Just give her some time.”

“Yeah, it’s there, Elin,” Palmer added, standing up. “Just keep talking, okay? That’s important: always talk to each other.”

“It’s hard when I’m here, and she’s there.”

“Then, you need to go public and bring her along next time.” Palmer reached out for Elizabeth’s hand, which Elizabeth took and then stood up as well. “There’s nothing quite like dancing with the love of your life to a slow song at one of these things.”

Elin said her temporary goodbyes to them as they walked off together, hand in hand. She made her way to the guest room, where she got ready by herself, choosing not to bring dressers with her since that would be excessive. She joined everyone back downstairs later, and they took cars to the palace where the event was being held. She talked, socialized, and ate her delicious meal. When the dancing started, she watched as Victoria danced with her husband and Elizabeth and Palmer danced with each other; sometimes, laughing, and other times, holding one another so close that it made Elin wish she’d brought Ingrid. She wanted badly to walk Ingrid onto the dance floor, kiss her sweetly, whisper that she loved her, and slow-dance.