"What do you mean we're over budget this year?" Helena asked as her new lord chamberlain stared awkwardly at the floor in front of him. In every possible way he reminded the Queen of just how much she missed Spencer. She could easily remember his first day- not that first day- but the one when he'd recommended what dress she should wear and had already planned everything out for her day. He wouldn't have gotten her into this mess, at least not without a viable way of getting her out of it.
"Well," the balding man in front of her began, "With the coronation and the charity gala… it has been a very expensive year."
Helena sighed, "Well what do you suggest?"
The man shrugged, "We'll just have to cancel one of the garden parties this spring, it's the only way."
"No," Helena protested, "We can't. Is there no other solution?"
"No, the costs are equal to employing the staff and other household expenses for a whole week," he answered.
Helena sighed, wrapped up in a statement like that it didn't sound like much, but when you considered the thousand odd staff and then the costs of food, clothing, heating, electricity and water for the whole palace, it became a large amount very quickly.
"I guess we will just have to cut back," Helena said, "Though I have no idea how. But no matter what we cannot cancel the garden party. It is an annual tradition- to honour our country's finest soldiers. It's bad enough that Eleanor won't be there. We can't show our new king up by cancelling his biggest event of the season."
"I understand."
"We'll have to do whatever we can," Queen Helena answered, "I guess we'll all have to make some sacrifices."
BREAK_BREAK_BREAK_BREAK
Jasper was sitting in the camera room again, but this time he wasn't avoiding looking at the screens because he had a letter to right, this time he was avoiding looking at the screens because he knew that every couple of minutes or so he'd see another suitcase or storage box being removed from Eleanor's room.
Even though it was only going to be for six months, it looked like she'd packed for years. Jasper felt panicky about that- he knew about Balmoral and Sandringham, of course- what if Eleanor never came back to the palace? What if she moved into one of the other royal estates and never saw him again?
He had told her that she should do something with her life that excited and inspired her. He knew it was selfish to hold her back from this opportunity, but still he'd had to but an insurance plan into place.
Sarah Alice grinned at him as she walked into the room. Today she was wearing jeans and what Jasper assumed was a T-shirt advertising some Disney show or boy band. She wore a purple ribbon in her hair, which of course was still in its untameable curly state.
"Did you do it?" Jasper asked.
"Yup," Sarah Alice asked, as Jasper reached into his desk draw handing her the chocolate bar.
The little girl grinned, "Thank you. I'm sure it's going to work. I just know it."
"She does really love that jacket," Jasper replied. He knew it was a silly plan, but it was the best one he could come up with. He couldn't stop Eleanor from going, he wouldn't be that mean, and Eleanor wouldn't but the whole trip on hold just because she couldn't find her favourite leather jacket. But, no, she would come back for it- and that the key part.
"If you'd asked me to hide the story book, I would have," Sarah Alice replied, "That would make the Princess stay perhaps."
Jasper nodded, thoughtfully, "Yes, but Eleanor really wants to go on this trip, and I'm not going to stop her doing that. I just want to make sure that she still remembers us, ok?"
Sarah Alice nodded, although confused, "I delivered your letter today too. He didn't say anything though when he found it. What was it about?"
"Oh, er, nothing," Jasper replied. He couldn't tell how is apology letter had received but he hoped James would forgive him eventually. Or at least that Sarah Alice might convince him to change his mind. Robert had granted James a week's compassionate leave following the near arrest incident but he'd allowed Sarah Alice to visit the palace- only to say goodbye to Eleanor and attend the coronation after-party.
"You know I heard something interesting," Sarah Alice began, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, "Do you know how much an aeroplane costs to fly?"
Jasper shrugged, "Probably quite a fair bit. Why?"
"Good," Sarah Alice said with a grin, "Because if it costs so much then surely the Princess can't leave if her family's in debt."
"In debt?" Jasper asked confused, "Who told you this?"
"I was walking past the Queen's room," Sarah Alice said, "And I heard the Mr not-Spencer man talking about how they'd spent too much on the coronation and they needed to save money. If it costs a lot to get a plane to go from here to Morocco… well either that or everyone will have to go camping."
"Camping?" Jasper asked.
Sarah Alice nodded, "When Daddy couldn't afford a proper holiday for us we went camping. So maybe instead of living inside the expensive palace you'll have to go camping for a while."
"Yeah, but Eleanor, camping?" Jasper said.
Sarah Alice sighed, "It was just an idea! And the Mr. Not-Spencer hasn't got any ideas, neither has the Queen. So I don't know what we're going to do? Not unless we cancel the plane. But you don't want to do that do you? Because otherwise Eleanor won't get to go on her trip."
Jasper nodded, "I'm sure it will all be fixed. Don't you worry about it."
Sarah Alice smiled before walking to the doorway, "Have you ever been camping?"
Jasper shook his head, "No."
"You should," Sarah Alice replied, "It's really fun, and I'm sure the Princess would enjoy it eventually."
Jasper smiled at the idea before looking back at the screens, seeing yet another box getting carried out.
Camping? He'd be lucky if Eleanor stayed in the country.
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Eleanor lay back on her bed, knowing that she may not sleep in a bed this comfortable for the next six months. She wished it could swallow her up whole, and honestly she wouldn't mind if it did, because, on the one hand she really wanted to go on the trip, but on the other…
Well her mind was spinning and two joints hadn't made it any easier on her. Before she would have run for the hard stuff and probably a few shots of vodka too, but now, she'd only had tea that morning, and a couple of slices of toast. Weed usually made her starving hungry, but right now she felt nauseated.
One question kept on entering her mind over and over. He said he didn't get the letter- if so, what happened to it? It wasn't like the whole world knew about that book. It was just her, Jasper, Sarah Alice…
But Sarah Alice would have given it to him immediately. The whole incident with story book only illustrated that she was team Jaspenor through and through.
No, it didn't make any sense. Jasper had to be lying.
Only, it didn't feel as if he was lying. He seemed so sincere. In fact it was the sincerest Eleanor had ever seen him.
He had been so honest with her.
He told me he loves me, Eleanor thought to herself, loves not loved. And I told him I love him too. Sort of, I didn't mean to, but I sort of needed to. And I know I don't want to admit it but it is love not loved.
Eleanor sighed, "Rosie!"
"Yeah," Rosie yelled, "I mean, yes, your Highness?"
Eleanor smiled, "Don't worry about it. Jasper's said a lot worse."
Rosie grinned, "What can I help you with, your Highness?"
Eleanor sighed, "How do you know if someone's lying?"
Rosie shrugged, "I don't know. I mean if they stumble over their words, lose eye contact. Stuff like that? Is this about Jasper by any chance?"
Eleanor nodded, "Yeah."
"I heard what he said," Rosie answered, "About you being his girl. He was telling the truth about that."
Eleanor tried to blink away tears, "I really wish he hadn't said that, because… I don't know what to think! I wrote him this sappy, girly, disgustingly emotional letter at Christmas and told him that I love him. Then he broke up with me, and I thought it was because of the letter. Now, he tells me he didn't receive the letter but I know someone took the letter and only Jasper and I know about the book where we used to hide them."
"Are you sure just you two know?" Rosie asked, "No one saw you with the book?"
"Well my Mum saw me reading one of Jasper's letters in the library once," Eleanor replied, "But it's not like she hates Jasper. She just wants me to be happy. And besides if she didn't like him she could just fire him or keep him away from me. Who would want to steal our letters?"
Rosie shrugged, "Someone who doesn't like Jasper? I don't know. What I do know is that there is a camera just above the entrance to the library and one opposite the sofa. So, I could always find out for you."
Eleanor grinned, "You'd do that?"
Rosie nodded, "Of course. But what will you do if Jasper was telling the truth?"
Eleanor sighed, "I have no idea. I always thought he broke up with because of the letter, but he swears he was doing it because some reporter was trying to cause trouble for us. If his reason is the real reason. Well… Why does this have to be happening right now?"
Rosie shrugged, "I'll watch the recordings and get back to you. I really hope he is telling the truth."
Eleanor smiled, "Yeah, me too."
BREAK_BREAK_BREAK_BREAK
Sarah Alice spotted King Robert long before he spotted her. She watched him closely and realised that he too didn't look like royalty to her. Prince Liam hadn't seemed like a prince because he seemed to jokey and didn't dress in a suit, Princess Eleanor didn't seem very princessy because she had dark hair and wore a lot of black, but King Robert- it wasn't what he was wearing or anything like that. It was something else, something that a seven year old couldn't figure out but still had her thinking of Ursula the sea-witch, Scar, and the Evil Queen from Snow White.
"Yes, Sarah Alice?" Robert asked spotting the little girl, "How can I help you?"
Sarah Alice sighed, "I heard you're having money problems."
Robert grinned, "Where on earth did you hear such a silly thing? You don't need to worry about such things."
"Yes, I do," Sarah Alice replied, "Because you can't end up poor!"
Robert smiled, "We'll be just fine. "
Sarah Alice nodded, "When my Daddy needed to save money we went camping instead of staying in a fancy hotel. Maybe you could go camping to save money?"
Robert grinned, "Camping? Well that is different. My father did always want us to go camping. And I remember when Leni was your age, how during the summer she'd bring down her blankets and pillows and put them under this awning we had out by the lake and pretend to go camping. Yes, maybe we should go camping."
"And what about the Princess?" Sarah Alice asked, "Won't she be upset about being away whilst we're all camping?"
"No, Eleanor will be really busy," Robert reassured her.
"To busy to remember us?" Sarah Alice asked worriedly, "Or Jasper?"
Robert sighed, "Oh, yes, Jasper. Do you know what Jasper did before he came to the palace?"
Sarah Alice shook her head, "Did he look after other Princesses?"
Robert nodded, "Yeah, something like that. He looked after a Princess called Samantha once. Why don't you ask him about her? And why don't you get him to tell you all about his life before he came to palace?"
Sarah Alice gave the king a confused look, "I don't think that would be a good idea. I tried to ask Jasper Caterpillar about his parents but he just looked really uncomfortable."
Robert smiled, "Yes, well, Jasper's parents aren't very nice people."
"They hurt him?" Sarah Alice asked shocked, "Poor Jasper. Does the Princess know? Maybe she can make it all better for him."
Robert nodded, "Yes, Eleanor knows. That's why they broke up, because it was just too dangerous for them to be together."
Sarah Alice gave the king an afraid look, "Does it have anything to do with the other princess?"
Robert nodded, "Absolutely everything."
Sarah Alice sighed, "Well, there's go to be a way to fix this. I'm sure of it."
BREAK_BREAK_BREAK_BREAK
Rosie sat in James Hill's office trying to figure out his password. She knew she could just ask Jasper, but that felt wrong. In fact it all felt wrong, she didn't know the tapes had been transferred to the confidential files folder. In fact… she thought that they stayed in the main recordings file for a month before being automatically transferred over.
Nothing had happened on Christmas Eve that was significant enough to override that policy.
Not unless of course something had happened. And someone had something to hide.
Rosie sighed, admitting defeat before pausing for a moment. She looked at the photo of Sarah Alice sitting on the desk. The girl stared up at her with goofy grin- she was a good couple of years younger than she was today- it must have been her first day at school. Of course… St. Lennox's… why hadn't she thought of that earlier?
The computer accepted the password before quickly loading the desktop. On the desktop there was shortcut to the folder, and then inside recording listed by date and time, each half an hour long.
Rosie selected six and copied them to the USB. It would be far safer to use her computer than to stay there.
There was less chance of getting caught.
She hastily logged off of the computer before walking to door and looking both ways. Good, no one had seen her.
Then she darted along the corridor and towards the Princess's room.
Eleanor beamed as she saw her coming, "Did you get it?"
Rosie nodded before following Eleanor into the room, closing the doors and resting a chair up against them.
She passed the USB to Eleanor, who plugged it into her laptop- which she had recently bought specifically for the trip- she needed something better than an IPad to create her designs on.
Then they waited.
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Eleanor loaded the first of the six files and set it to fast forward. She knew what she'd see- first her entering the library looking around to make sure no one saw her as she placed the letter in the book. And then a few moments after she left, Sarah Alice, playing with her dolls and using books as makeshift houses- not her book, of course, because of Len couldn't believe she'd overlooked this, it was too high up for her to reach.
Eleanor quickly searched through another two files before realising they were useless too. Just more of Sarah Alice playing, with James coming in a few times, probably telling the little girl it was dinner time.
The next two recordings were useless too, just someone setting up a table for the speech. But no one even acknowledged the book.
Then Eleanor clicked on the last recording- it was shortly before she and Jasper had broken up. With a couple of minutes Robert had walked into the library through the secret doors and looked around before walking straight to the shelf.
Eleanor had to pause the video as tears began to blur her eyes. Did he? Did he take the letter?
Eleanor pressed play and watched distraught as Robert took the letter and read it with a sadistic grin before throwing it into the fire. Then he pulled out his phone.
"Mr Frost?" Robert asked, "I have a proposition for you. Yes, about your son, Jasper. I think you'll like what I have to say."
Eleanor slammed the lid of the laptop down, ignoring what her bodyguard was saying to her, she practically ran out of her room and down the corridor and into the red state room, surprising her brother and giving him no time to react.
She punched him hard in the face, punched him, not slapped him. She thought she heard a crunch, maybe his nose had broken, she hoped it had.
"Eleanor, what the fuck?" Robert asked irrate and confused, "What the fuck are you doing?"
"You burnt the letter, you son a bitch!" Eleanor yelled, returning for round two. This time she had a strategy, she raised her knee quickly, causing Robert to double over and then slammed a fist into his solar plexus, further winding him.
"He doesn't love you, Len," Robert asked, "He would have only broken your heart anyway."
"No!" Eleanor yelled, "Everything was fine until you stole that letter and burnt it! And then you called Jasper's father and the reporter! I'm your sister! How could you?"
"You deserve better," Robert answered, trying to stand up.
"No," Eleanor replied, "I just wanted Jasper. Maybe you couldn't really have Kathryn because she preferred Liam, but that gave you no right to ruin my relationship with Jasper."
"What on earth?" Robert asked, "How do you know about Kathryn and Liam? Have you been lying to me? Did you know all this time, but never told me?"
Eleanor nodded, "And I'm fucking glad for it. Because anyone who calls their girlfriend 'a whore in bed' simply because she slept with another guy after her ex-boyfriend pretended to be dead for eight months isn't a brother of mine!"
"So you believe Liam's lies now?" Robert said.
"Yeah, you know what I do believe Liam," Eleanor replied, "He said you were manipulating all of us, and if this isn't manipulation I don't know what is."
"If I hadn't done this," Robert said, "You'd have never gotten that opportunity to go on the trip with Sebastian."
Eleanor gave her brother a disgusted look, "Fuck you!"
Jasper raced into the room, seeing the fighting siblings but not knowing what to do. Eleanor felt sorry for him, on the one hand, he was Robert's security details, on the other hand he wasn't going to be able to restrain Eleanor the way he had with Liam, Eleanor was more delicate, and she'd fight harder, and then there was where they'd left everything…
"You know what?" Eleanor began, "You and Sebastian can go stick your little plan where the sun doesn't shine! I am leaving here Robert, but on my own plane, one that I will be checking over for any trace of suspicious activity, and then I'll be arranging my own designing trip, and it won't have anything to do with you."
"We can't afford it," Robert said, "We're already in debt, Len."
"What?" Eleanor asked.
"Yes," Robert replied, "I'm afraid it's Sebastian and your dreams, or Jasper and nothing. Just like it's always been, and like I've been trying to get through to you."
Eleanor burst into hysterical tears before trying to hit Robert again but this time Jasper blocked her. Where was Rosie? Then again, he didn't blame her staying out of this, Eleanor could fight her own battles, and Robert did deserve this. Jasper would have let her at him too, if it weren't for the fact, that one, Robert employed him, and two, Eleanor and Robert were supposed to have been close, once upon a time, not that he saw that much these days- and he didn't want to ruin things between them forever.
Even if Robert might just end up doing that himself.
"Jasper," Robert said, "Go find Rosie! Tell her Eleanor is sick and needs to stay in her room until the plane flight. Eleanor- you know your choice."
Eleanor spat at her brother, before Jasper tried to move her away from the red state room.
"No, Jasper! You don't understand! Jasper, please!" Eleanor yelled out, "He broke us up! He called that reporter and your father! And he burnt my letter! Please! Please, Jasper!"
Jasper held Eleanor in his arms, and she sobbed and looked back at Robert, "Why on earth would you do that? Your own sister?"
Robert looked his bodyguard right in the eyes, "You'll never be good enough for her."
Jasper looked right back at Eleanor's brother, "Well I only took the job with you to stay close to Eleanor. And if you're taking that stance, then I quit."
"Good luck getting a job," Robert replied, "I imagine your reference will be a shit-show. And don't think you'll ever be allowed around here again."
"If you ban Jasper, then I'll leave,"Eleanor threatened, "I'll leave and I'll never come back."
"No, you'll stay," Robert answered, "Or you'll leave with Sebastian. If you try anything with Jasper- running away or anything like that. Then I'll fire James, after all he's supposed to keep us all safe, and if you were to run away from the palace- well then he wouldn't be doing a good job now, would he? I can't imagine what it would be like, trying to explain to Sarah Alice why she can't walk around the palace like it's her own, why she won't be able to see the Princess ever again, why her Daddy and her have to move out of the palace. No more Jasper Caterpillar, no more Princess, no more Palace- that would be hard on a little girl."
"You bastard!" Eleanor yelled, "She's just a child."
"Well it would be your call Len," Robert replied, "All of this is your decision. So I guess you just need to choose carefully. Don't you?"
