Royal Disaster
When Leopards Den receive a booking from one of the world's best loved couples, everyone is exciting, but will everything go well when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for a private holiday?
"ALICE!"
Alice turned and took a step back as her step daughter; Liv came galloping towards her with her other step daughter Rosie. Both were bouncing like deer with excitement and were red faced with anticipation as they clung to each other almost as though their lives depended upon it. Danny frowned and made his way forward from where he had been moving some boxes full of supplies, casually throwing his arm over his wife's shoulder.
"What's the royal occasion?" Danny laughed as he moved his arm and began to massage Alice's shoulders instead.
"Oh my god Danny! No!" Liv exclaimed, "You didn't just say that..."
"Say what?" He frowned trying to mentally backtrack as to what he could have said to upset the girls.
"ROYAL!" Rosie and Liv chorused together before giggling uncontrollably once again.
"Ok, back track." Alice's Scottish accent interrupted, "You're like two little girls who are about to meet a real Prince Charming..."
"Oh he is!" Rosie sighed, her eyes turning slightly cloudy, "Unfortunately married."
"He might stray." Liv suggested, "Princess Olivia!"
"Princess Rosie!" Rosie argued before both began to chuckle.
Both Danny and Alice wore matching expressions full of confusion and bewilderment. Danny leant forward, his mouth close to Alice's ear as he whispered (although loud enough for his daughters to hear), "Have they been on drugs?"
"I'm not sure sweetheart... but I think we need to make some arrangements." Alice laughed patting his arm gently,
"Oh boy you do!" Charlotte shouted running in, the same animated expression upon her face.
"Why?" Danny asked once more.
"Wait for it... seriously do... just, just wait..." Rosie beamed. "Ready girls? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."
"PRINCE WILLIAM IS COMING WITH KATE!" The three girls squealed together before bouncing up and down on the spot.
"Get real." Danny smirked, "There's a five star lodge nearby!"
"No, seriously!" Liv protested, "They are coming here!"
"HERE?" Alice squealed suddenly very excited herself, "Oh my god... Danny!"
"What?" He exclaimed in a high pitched tone as she hit his chest through sheer joy and stimulation.
"We're by Royal Appointment!" She beamed, "Oh we need to start setting up now when do they arrive?"
"Like... this evening. Nomsa and Caroline are like fitting over which guest hut and the house and they said you two have to make this place look awesome and yeh!" Charlotte shrieked, "We're gonna go get changed!"
"So yeh... seeeya!" Charlotte and Liv called as they rushed off crazily.
"Caroline wants you two to greet them!" Rosie called as she too jogged off to catch up with her sisters and prepare herself for the royal visitors.
(x)
"Only an hour to go." Danny smiled as Alice pushed his tie up forcibly. He rolled his eyes as she began to straighten it out, fussing as per usual about how it sat. He had opted to dress in a shirt and tie alongside Alice who had chosen a simple yet sophisticated blouse to wear with a pair of smart looking trousers.
"It'll be interesting to meet them..." Alice commented, "And stare at them." She teased.
"Remember watching them get married on TV?" Danny asked her,
"Yep..." Alice replied smiling slightly, "I couldn't stop thinking about our wedding! In fact, I was thinking about our wedding in the shower." She grinned widely as details forced themselves into her mind.
"It was perfect." Danny concluded softly, "When you walked down that aisle..."
"I remember the taxi." Alice teased cheekily sticking her tongue out at him, "Retrieving what was rightfully mine! You thief you!"
"Excuse me Mrs Trevanion! It was you who chose to start teasing her Husband by placing your Garter in his pockets!"
At that point the door burst open and a disgusted looking Rosie and Dup stood at the door, frozen almost in motion.
"Thanks for that I'm sure I'll have a horrendous night's sleep." Rosie drawled, "But right now I don't have time to be mentally scarred for life – Dup's just found a lion, it's in a bad way."
"Let's go." Alice exclaimed, jumping up and following Rosie out. Danny followed, throwing his tie off quickly as he jogged to keep up.
"DANNY! ALICE! You have to greet Wills and Kate!" Caroline called,
"We have to do our job!" Danny replied as both stampeded down to the animal hospital.
(x)
"You promise this place isn't all posh?"
"I promise."
Kate smiled at Will as both glanced out of the Range Rover's window, unfortunately and slightly to their dismay, it had been insisted that they had their own personal driver off the Leopards Den premises. Both gazed out at the beautiful African savannah, marvelling at the odd animal they spotted by the road side. William had promised his royal wife a retreat to South Africa where they could both fulfil a dream they'd had since their St Andrews days – to go on Safari.
"We're here!" Will beamed pointing towards the old yet picturesque house. "That's where the family live, we'll be in one of the guest huts close to the house." He explained, "It's just a normal, working, family game reserve. The two vets are meant to be greeting us."
"This place is amazing." Kate whispered as she observed the herd of wildebeest grazing in front of the house. "I knew there was a reason I loved Africa and wanted to visit. Harry is going to be so jealous."
"Why?" Will asked, taking her hand and squeezing it.
"I just spotted a very pretty young lady – it's about time your brother got himself a wife." She chuckled as the driver pulled to a halt outside the house. "We should invite him over."
William shook his head in despair, "Kate, this is meant to be a romantic holiday... just for the two of us." He replied slightly sarcastically but with a loving tone.
"After a week!" Kate bargained, "Oh come on! It would be so much fun! We need to have fun whilst we still can!"
"You lead me astray..." Will moaned jokily, "Ok if she's nice."
Kate rolled her eyes as the driver opened her door and William opened his, both stepped out, taking a deep breath of the clear African air, inhaling the beauty of the country as they looked around with big, wide, open eyes taking in the tranquillity of their surroundings. William wrapped an arm around Kate, who returned the favour, looking up at the clear blue sky that was darkening naturally due to the sun setting slowly behind the planes.
Meanwhile in the animal hospital, Danny and Alice, after completing the operation on the lion were preparing to make their way outside. Both realised that they didn't look as tidy as what they may have done an hour or so ago but this was them and Alice had quite rightly pointed out that this was the Leopards Den experience.
"Ready?" Danny asked, patting his chest free of any dust.
"Ready." Alice confirmed kissing him once, "Do we bow or curtsy?
"I guess you do... I don't know..." Danny shrugged, "Let's just be us."
"Deal." Alice smiled before both took a deep breath and walked out.
Alice gasped slightly as she saw the young couple. She smiled as she realised their arms were wrapped around each other and for a moment she was reminded of herself and Danny. They'd stood in one another's embrace admiring this country on that very spot so many times and the love they shared radiated from them. It was so obviously genuine. Danny winked at her as she glanced at him as they got closer and closer to the royal couple.
"Hello!" Will called, walking with Kate down to meet them, "This place is amazing."
"It is that, Danny and Alice Trevanion. We're so sorry we weren't here straight away. We had a lion come in and he needed operating on." Danny smiled, shaking hands with Will who had offered his hand. The two women also embraced hands before both parties swapped.
"It's fine honestly." Will grinned, "We're stunned by it all."
"It's pretty breathtaking the first time you step foot here – took my breath away so much I ended up staying and marrying the vet." She laughed, causing Kate and Will to laugh and Danny to bashfully look away.
"I just can't believe the wildebeest are right next to us." Kate exclaimed, "Can I also thank you for treating us as normal human beings... sometimes I think our title makes people forget."
"You came here for the Leopards Den experience and this is it." Danny smiled softly as Will nodded his appreciation. "We're about to have dinner, would you like to join us?"
"Oh, we wouldn't want to invade." Will exclaimed in a polite manner, "Only if it's appropriate for you."
"It's more than appropriate! We'd love you too." Alice replied.
Will and Kate looked at one another and without saying a word, came to a decision. Danny was suddenly reminded of himself and Alice who could also communicate with looks – not feeling the need for words. William nodded that they'd like to come and all four people made their way up the stairs and onto the veranda where Caroline was setting up. She stopped and turned to talk to the Duke and Duchess as Danny and Alice walked off to grab some cutlery and glasses.
"What are they like?" Rosie whispered, grabbing hold of her Dad's arm in the kitchen.
"Normal..." Danny replied, "They want the usual Leopards Den experience. We treat them as we do any other guest."
"But they are gonna be the King and Queen one day!" Liv protested, "How can we?"
"They are only human." Alice reminded them, "Now come on, normal behaviour."
"Yes Mum." Rosie replied saluting her jokingly as she grabbed the bread and the butter.
Rosie, Danny and Alice walked outside without various bits and bats. Dup had also joined Will, Kate and Caroline and for once looked unusually smart. Alice caught Danny's eye line from the opposite side of the table and smirked slightly before making her way around to his side, sitting in their usual seats at the head of the table. It wasn't long before the rest of the Leopards Den clan had joined the table and conversation was flowing smoothly.
"So you're at university studying to be a vet?" William asked Rosie, "This has to be the best work experience?"
"It is!" Rosie agreed, "There's nothing better than working alongside my family in this beautiful place with such amazing animals. Most people only get two weeks or so here... I get to live here full time, it's an honour really."
"This has to be my new favourite place." Kate commented, "Though don't tell your Grandma!" She smiled at William who chuckled heartily.
"What's it like having the Queen as your Gran?" Charlotte asked outright causing Alice to roll her eyes and scold her for her lack of tact. It was an area her daughter didn't seem to excel in.
"It's ok." Will laughed smiling warmly at Charlotte, "She's just like any other Grandma. She spoilt us rotten in terms of sweets and crisps!"
"That's awesome." Liv said in amazement, "See we all kind of imagine her to give you ponies and stuff..."
"We wish!" Will laughed, "She saves the big gifts for big birthdays!"
"That's too cool." Charlotte agreed, "Oh dinner!" She beamed as she noticed Nomsa walking through with the meal.
Everyone laughed slightly at her eager attitude before cooing over Robert who had began to clap his hands together at the sight of Nomsa.
"Chip off the old block." Danny smiled as Alice praised Robert.
"Like his father." Alice replied quickly as she gazed lovingly into her Husband's eyes.
"Ach, will you two get a bliddy room." Dup intercepted as Nomsa placed his food in front of him. "It's like this all the bleedin' time." He said addressing their royal guests, "It's enough to put you off your food yah?"
"Dup – nothing would EVER put you off your food." Rosie exhaled as Caroline shook her head,
"Can we not have a civilised meal?" Caroline whined in pure exasperation, "Poor William and Kate must wonder what mad house they've come too."
"It's exactly what we want." Kate reassured her as Robert once again began to clap, impressed by his new skill and the sound he had discovered. Everyone laughed as Nomsa sat down, she too laughing, before everyone began to eat.
"This is delicious." William exclaimed,
"Nomsa's speciality!" Caroline chorused causing Nomsa to blush slightly, proclaiming it to be nothing.
"Tomorrow, we were wondering if you'd like to come see our animal hospital and then we could take you on a game drive?" Danny suggested to William.
"Sounds great!" He exclaimed,
"Definitely" Kate confirmed.
"Great, we could pick you up, what?" Alice asked, looking to Danny, "Eleven? Or there abouts?"
"Yes excellent!" William agreed, "We can't wait."
A/N – So this was meant to be a oneshot but it's getting a bit long so let's make it a two shot yes?
Also, I apologize for the lack of writing, I'm uber duber busy!
X