Hello, everyone!
I have recently binged watched the whole almost 4 seasons of The Royals, after having seen the first season when it first came out. I remembered how much I loved the characters on this show and been extremely excited to see how much its improved over time.
The addition of Robert in season 3 was a risky move, I think, but it really paid off. Season 3 and the current season have been, by far, my favorites. So much so that I have decided to start writing this story.
A Royal Affair is a multi-chapter fic that will be split into 10 chapters (the same number as the episodes per season). I tend to be a very wordy writer so expect the chapters to be quite long. It's also AU, in the sense that it extends beyond the season 4 finale into an original story. All in all, everything that has happened until now is still true in this story with the exception of a few things:
1. I've changed the ages of the characters slightly, moving Robert's age from 24 (as it's stated in the first season) to his early 30s. The twins and Willow are in their late twenties, as is Jasper.
2. I changed the timeline of the coup slightly. Big reveals and fights at weddings are a very old and overused troupe in my view so I've moved the timeline of the coup before the wedding, and before the actual start of this story. This first chapter deals with the aftermath of that.
3. The involvement of the characters in the coup: from the promo of the last episode it's obvious both Eleanor and Willow will, in some way, be involved in Liam's plan but for the purposes of this story, they were not.
Hope this is clear enough. If anything is confusing, please let me know.
While the story focuses mostly on Willow/Robert/Liam, there will be Jaspenor add-ons. They were the reason I first started liking this show and they still have a very special place in my heart.
Any scene in italics is a flashback. There will be a few of them through out the story.
Thank you so much to anyone who reads this. I hope you enjoy it. There will be further notes at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds
"A young child whisked away to Argentina, only to return to her royal roots. A prince coming back from the dead to reclaim his father's crown from the ashes. Their engagement captured the imagination of the world. But what began as a real life fairy tale, soon turned into a nightmare. "
Robert leaned against the sofa in his study, his hand clasped around his whiskey glass. He sipped slowly, methodically, if be it a bit too often, as he watched the news coverage.
The blond presenter talked facing the camera, while in the background pictures of him and Willow at various events were paraded in what could only be described at this point as a macabre exhibition.
One of the pictures had been taken at the Legacy Exhibit, on the same day they had announced their engagement. Robert was momentarily distracted by the dress that Willow had worn that night. A wickedly sexy figure hugging piece. Not that it mattered now …
"What happened?" the presenter continued. "Where did it all go wrong? And where is the woman that could have become the next Queen of England? Today, on what would have been their wedding day, we will try to answer these questions and much more. And here to help me do just that is the reputable journalist and royal insider, William Hurst."
The camera panned out to reveal the show's guest. An old bore who wore far too much cologne and most likely dyed his hair. A hanger on who had made a living out of commenting on his family's affairs for the simple reason that he was tolerated at Royal Events. His late great-grandfather had been knighted at the beginning of the 20th century, a distinction no one could quite remember the circumstances of but that everyone agreed entitled his great-grandson to the crumbs off the royal table.
"William, you have been covering the Royals for the past 30 years, have you not?"
"Indeed, Alice. It has been my privilege and my honor to be in the proximity of this remarkable family for quite some time now."
"Rumor has it that the king has always been very fond of you."
Hurst smiled widely, evidently pleased by the suggestion. "Well I do remember his Majesty kicking a ball in my direction when he was just 5 years old. I must have been an appealing target."
Robert remembered that as well. It had happened 6 months after the twins were born. His parents had decided to allow journalists on the palace grounds in order for the country to get a sense of what a day with the Royal family looked like. It had only been for show, of course, except for his "attack" on Hurst. He had gotten a bit too close for comfort so Robert had whacked the ball to keep him away.
After the interview was over, his father had taken him aside and told him never to do that again. His whole life cameras would be flashed at him and microphones would be shoved in his face. He could not afford public displays of discomfort.
"Having known King Robert for as long as you have, what do you make of the people saying that the annulment of the wedding came as no surprise? They seem to be insinuating that the king's treatment of his fiancée was, at times, aloof and showed very little real feeling."
Hurst shook his head, apparently aggravated. "I think that comes from a basic misunderstanding of what the monarchy is. People cannot expect the king to behave in the same way any fellow on the street of London would. This young man has had enormous pressure put on him from a very young age: to act in a certain way, behave in a certain way. Overt displays of affection are not compatible with the dignity of the office that he holds."
"Still, you have to admit there was a visible distance between them," the presenter continued. "Even in these photos …" She points at the image behind them, of him and Willow talking to Liam. "There is visible tension there. Was the whole engagement a publicity stunt?"
"Absolutely not! The king would have nothing to gain from that and everything to lose. He is far too clever and far too rational to do such a thing. He has done remarkable work in a very short period of time. I think sometimes we forget that a year and a half ago, we all thought he was dead. The way he has reentered public life and taken over the duties of monarch, despite even the appalling failings of Parliament during the blackout, has been nothing short of inspiring.
However, I do believe he rushed to judgment when deciding to announce his engagement. Wilhemina Moreno was not the right person for the job and I don't believe she ever will be. Her sudden and unexplainable disappearance one week before the wedding proves she lacks the basic qualities to be able to represent the Royal family in any capacity."
"And speaking of family … the king's fiancée isn't the only one that is missing from the public eye. The king's brother, Prince Liam, is also visibly absent. Do you believe they …?"
Robert turned off the TV and gulped down the last of the scotch. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain composed. He was the king. He couldn't afford public displays of discomfort.
-oOo-
Ever since she was a little girl, she would play a mind game. Whenever she was on holiday, whenever she was at a particularly good party or simply having a fun day at the park, she would asses her surroundings and asked herself what she was missing for that moment to be perfect. She knew that when she could honestly say that there was nothing else she wanted or needed, she would know what it was to be truly happy.
Standing on the shores of the beach in Copacabana, feet firmly buried in the soft sand, the warm water lapping around her calves, making her long dress stick to her legs, she felt as if she had reached paradise.
This place had always taken her breath away. She hadn't been back for many years but she could still remember the holidays spent here with her parents.
The expansive stretch of white sand and the crystal clear blue water hitting against the shore in an almost hypnotic rhythm had been etched in her memory ever since and she was pleased to discover it was the same as she remembered.
The people hadn't changed much either. Still the same vibrant, noisy crowd that had made Rio de Janeiro the party place of the world. The same soccer fans enthusiastically singing their favorite team's anthem while gulping down their glass of chopp. The same beautiful cariocas displaying the bodies that had made them famous the world over.
She smiled when she recalled her mother's shock at the miniscule amount of clothing people wore here. For a country born English woman, the display had seemed almost obscene. But the puritanism of English custom couldn't be further from the freedom and acceptance with which the Brazilians treated their bodies.
Now, more than ever, she appreciated the lack of pretense or protocol.
She must have stood there for hours watching the sun set and the night slowly creeping in over the landscape. It was her favorite time of day. Once the bustle of the day had gone and the lively noise had dimmed, it felt as if she was standing on the edge between two worlds.
From behind her, the energizing sound of electronic music mixed with the traditional samba coming from the numerous night bars beckoned her back to reality. In front of her, the vast open water, glimmering beneath the soft light of the moon kept asking: "What are you missing?"
"Willow …"
She turned around to see Liam standing there, the same warm, kind smile on his face he always reserved for the people closest to him. He had two glasses of tequila in his hands.
"I already ordered a second round," he said, handing her one of the glasses. "Cheers!"
They clinked their glasses before downing them in one go.
It felt like liquid fire and it made her eyes water. She exhaled deeply, as the familiar warmth spread through her body.
"Come on," she said, smiling. "Let's order a third."
-oOo-
"Robert, you can't be serious!"
He had insisted on having lunch in the private apartments that day, with both his mother and Eleanor. Ever since the coup that his mother had orchestrated with Liam and his uncle Cyrus, Robert knew he had to watch himself when it came to her.
He only took comfort in the fact that Eleanor was still on his side. The one member of his family that would never plot against him or abandon him.
His decision to withdraw Liam's Royal protection and freeze his funds would, without a doubt, be met with resistance and he wanted her to hear it from him. He wanted to make sure Len understood he was doing it for the right reasons.
His mother was aghast at the news, which he had anticipated. His sister, however, seemed absent, playing with the food on her plate, which was surprising.
She had insisted on bringing the bodyguard with her. He was a most unwelcome intruder to what was, after all, a private affair. Robert didn't know how much longer he could tolerate him. He was certain he too had a part to play in his brother's failed attack.
Still, one thing at a time. First he needed to deal with Liam. Eleanor's commoner would have to wait.
"I have never been more serious," he said, while cutting his meat in precise chunks.
"He is in Rio, for God's sake! During carnival season, no less. There's thugs around every corner. Someone might attack him or worse."
"Your concern for him is understandable, mum. But he is a fully grown adult. Perhaps it's time he learned to fend for himself."
"Robert, I know this is hard for you. I understand how you must be feeling …"
He wondered if she truly did understand. His brother had ran away with his fiancée, a week after he had plotted to dethrone him. It was bad enough that he had to worry about his own mother attempting to destroy everything he was building and to suffer the humiliation of canceling the wedding. But seeing pictures of Liam and his former fiancée in Rio, having the time of their lives, he really couldn't tolerate. Not on his dime in any case and not with his security detail.
"He's your brother!" Helena raised her voice, forcing Robert to look up at her for the first time in the conversation.
"He is a disgrace! He made his choice, now he must live with the consequences."
"Were you always like this?"Eleanor finally spoke, in a measured, contained tone. That was always an indication to Robert that an explosion was about to follow. His sister trying to control her temper was like trying to control a nuclear weapon after having deployed it.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"When I was young and I idolized you, is this what you were like?" She seemed genuinely upset, her eyes watery and her face contorted. It always had a debilitating effect on him. "What happened to you, Robbie?"
In the present circumstances, however, his anger could not give way to more tender feelings.
"Well, I don't know … I've been made a laughing stock by my own brother who ran away with my fiancée a week before we were to marry. Not to mention that I've had to deal with the cancelation of the Royal wedding that has cost the people of this country millions of pounds. Other than that, not much. How about you, sis?"
"I found out my brother is reprehensible."
Robert dropped his knife and fork on the table. He had suddenly lost his appetite. "How is it that Liam is the one always making a mockery of this family and I'm the one who is always the bad guy?"
Helena tried to intervene: "No one is saying that, darling …"
"I'm saying it!" Eleanor shouted. "Don't you see that he wants Liam dead, mum? He sits there" she said pointing at him, "pretending to care about us but that's all it is. A lie."
"Babe, stop …"
Of course! The bodyguard had to intervene. It was bad enough to have Eleanor speak to him that way but then to have that man witness it and think he had the right to offer an opinion …
"No, Jasper. I'm done! I can't do this anymore. All he's ever done since getting back from that island is use and manipulate us!"
"Have I really? Please, Len, tell me … When have I ever manipulated you?"
"Christmas Eve …" she said, as if throwing the words at him.
The accusation stopped Robert's righteous anger. She looked at him, as if pleading for him to deny it, to say something to defend himself but he found that he couldn't. Not when she had the same pained look on her face that he had imagined on the island every time he didn't signal that damned boat.
He simply dropped his head and sighed.
"What is it, king?" she said. "You have nothing to say?"
Eleanor waited a few moments but the silence was deafening. She pushed her chair back, dragging the legs over the wooden floor with a loud, screeching sound. "I'm so done with this shit!"
She ran out of the room, followed closely by Frost, her ever present shadow.
"What was that about?"
Robert realized his mother was still there, obviously confused by the whole conversation.
"What happened on Christmas Eve?"
"You mean aside from you being attacked by a figgy pudding whilst having spontaneous sexual intercourse with your Lord Chamberlain?"
"Don't be insolent!"
Robert sighed. "I may have called Jasper's father and encouraged him to contact a reporter that would be interested in his son's sketchy history and his current relationship with Eleanor."
"FML, Robert! What were you thinking?"
"I come back after ten months to find my sister dating the help! And not only that, an ex-con man from Las Vegas no less. I think a better question would be: what were you thinking?"
Helena's face made him grateful there was no red wine on the table. But instead of the quick and violent rebuttal he was expecting, she got up from the far end of the table and came to sit next to him.
She took his hand, which in turn provoked a frown. Sudden bursts of affection from his mother were starting to make him suspicious.
"Robert, a lot happened in those ten months you were away. I changed, Liam changed and Eleanor changed as well. Jasper Frost might not have been my first choice for her or even the last one if you had a say in the matter but the fact is, it's what she wants. You have to accept it."
"Accept the fact that the King of England's brother in law is a common charlatan? I don't think my acceptance can stretch that far."
Helena pressed on, gripping his hand tighter as if to make a point. "I know it couldn't have been easy being on that island … and I know you think what Liam and I did was … "
"Mum …" He really didn't want to talk about that.
"No, listen. I know we've hurt you and that we betrayed your trust. You've been through a lot ..."
"I'm fine, mum."
"You are my son and I love you but you are not fine! Your relationship with your family is in tatters, you've isolated yourself from everyone and worst of all, you are making us all question your intentions. Is Eleanor right? Do you want your brother dead?"
"I don't remember you asking Liam that question when he was pointing a gun at me. Or when you and he were planning to dethrone me."
He expected a rehash of the old excuses: we thought you were getting out of hand or his favorite: we were convinced you had caused the blackout. But no excuse was offered. His mother simply dropped her eyes and kept holding on to him. "I'm sorry …" she finally said.
Robert pulled out his hand from Helena's grip and got up. "Thank you for lunch, mother. We really should eat together more often."
-oOo-
The Magic Ball at the Copacabana was a time for pagentry and over the top celebration. Anyone who was anyone flocked to the event like moths to the flame.
In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't a very wise decision to attend considering the place was most likely swarmed by paparazzi. But under the cover of their masks and taking comfort in the fact that they remained completely anonymous in the sea of people that had crowded Rio in the past week, they couldn't resist the bright, colorful lights. Spectacle, it seemed, was in their blood, as hard as it was to admit it.
As Willow came down the grand staircase in the lobby, dressed in her red ball gown, she couldn't help but remember the iconic scene from Titanic. The ruffled chiffon train rustled softly as she made her way down towards her very own version of Leonardo Di Caprio.
Liam, perhaps, felt the same way because, as she reached him, he took her hand and kissed it.
"I saw that in a Nickelodeon once, " he said, making his best attempt at speaking with an American accent. "And I always wanted to do it."
They stared at each other longingly doing their best impression of Leo and Kate. It only lasted a moment before they were unable to keep up the pretense and they both burst out laughing.
"That was terrible!" he said.
"You think that's terrible? I almost tripped half way down the stairs."
She picked up her train to avoid any more mishaps and they started walking towards the ballroom, side by side, still laughing.
"I think it's official," he said. "That scene should've sunk to the bottom of the ocean with the rest of the boat."
As they entered the grand room, they were immediately submersed into the colorful lights that illuminated people from all angles, in shades of purple, green and yellow. The place was packed with men dressed in tuxedoes and women wearing lavish dresses and feathered hairpieces that were meant to evoke the spirit of the carnival taking place outside.
Inside, though, it was a much more formal affair. Champagne flowed and the tropical sounds of the music had most people on the dance floor doing their best to imitate the exuberance that was, no doubt, engulfing the streets of Rio.
The dancers on stage, dressed in their most festive and revealing feathered attires, brought on a sense of tribal earthiness: shirtless men with glittering ebony skin and tanned women with skirts so short you could see their bikinis. They danced feverishly around the stage that had been filled with greenery so as to resemble the Amazon, as the guests clapped enthusiastically but never took part in it.
It was a celebration of tribal culture but in that very sanitized, colonial manner that affluent people had. They wanted to be seen as embracing it but at the same time that they were far removed from the inherit rudimentary nature that they imagined was at the base of such extroversion.
As she looked up, Willow was mesmerized by the immense fixtures hanging down from the ceiling: large suns and moons moving languidly side by side, as they could never be seen in real life. She and Liam moved slowly through the mass of people, picking up glasses of champagne from the offered trays and downing them.
The music had them moving almost involuntarily. As they faced each other and were about to embrace, the flash of a camera came too close for comfort. Willow jumped up, breaking away from Liam.
"Let's go to the veranda," he whispered, taking her hand and leading her away from the stage.
Like any exclusive event, the Magic Ball was divided into classes. The richest sat at tables, at the center of the action. The less affluent ones were relegated to the edges, or in this case the veranda, the advantage being that it was less likely to be swarmed by the paparazzi.
With yet another glass of champagne in hand, they leaned against the stone balcony that overlooked the entire city below. Even though it was night, the streets were a sea of lights and sounds. Music mixed with people talking or laughing, sending their echoes through out the city.
"Something tells me they're having a much better time than us," Liam said, looking down at a group of men walking down the street singing on top of their lungs.
"It just goes to show you … money doesn't guarantee you a good time," Willow said and started laughing.
"Why are you laughing? That's down right sad," Liam said, trying very hard not to laugh himself.
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "It just reminded me of this very old telenovela I used to watch as a kid … Los Ricos tambien lloran."
Liam frowned.
"The rich also cry," she explained.
"I think it's the first time I've ever heard you speak Spanish …"
"Well, I was born in Argentina, Liam. People tend to speak Spanish there."
"They also tend to watch telenovelas apparently …"
"Hey! Don't knock telenovelas, okay?" she said, getting combative all of a sudden. "They're a very misunderstood genre."
Liam raised his hands in surrender, laughing: "Hey, frio partner!"
They both started laughing but their good humor was interrupted. A sharp flash of the camera hit Willow right in the face, momentarily blinding her. She turned away, hiding her face from view. "For heaven's sake! They're everywhere."
Liam grabbed her hand for the second time that evening and said: "Let's get out of here."
They made a run for the exit, ducking and pushing their way through. Willow was glad that she had had the good sense of wearing a dress that was shorter in the front than in the back. Running in a ball gown was much harder than she had suspected.
-oO-
"Are you sure about this?"
Jasper watched with growing concern as the pile of clothes on Eleanor's bed kept getting bigger and bigger with every item she was dragging out of her closet.
"I told you. I'm done with this shit," she said, furiously pulling at a large suitcase from the corner of the room. "Now get your guns from wherever you've hid them and let's go!"
"Look, I know you're angry. I am too but I'm not sure you've really thought through what it's going to mean to leave the palace."
Eleanor stopped and looked at him. "You mean I'll lose my royal privileges, the money, the parties, the fame?"
Jasper nodded.
"Thank God for that! I would gladly give it all up just to stop living in this pit of snakes." She got close to him and took his hands. "I love you. Don't you love me?"
"You know I do …"
She grabbed him by the lapels and kissed him. "Good! Then let's get out of here. This place can go to hell in a bandwagon."
"Handbasket," Jasper said, smiling. "Go to hell in a handbasket."
Eleanor looked puzzled. "That makes no sense."
From the open door, Robert watched the scene, trying to figure out the best moment to interrupt. He finally cleared his voice loudly enough to announce his presence.
Both Eleanor and Jasper turned towards him. Their expressions were less than welcoming, to say the least. He supposed he should expect that.
"I would like to speak to Eleanor, Frost. Would you be so kind as to wait outside?" His tone didn't leave room for a refusal and he was pleased when Jasper moved towards the door.
"No!" Eleanor said, stopping him. "He doesn't get to tell you what to do anymore."
Robert was tempted to tell her that, as the king, Jasper Frost was his subject and he indeed did 'get' to tell him what to do but he thought better of it. He instead looked at him, his expression softened slightly. "I want to speak to my sister for a moment. It won't take long, I promise."
"Talk to him, babe," Jasper said. "I'll be right outside." He kissed her on the cheek before leaving the room, his eyes locked with Robert's in what would likely be seen from the outside as a rather silly starring contest.
Only when the door was firmly closed, did Robert ask: "How long have you known?"
"Does it matter?" she said, shrugging before turning her back on him and continuing her packing.
"Yes, it matters a great deal."
"Since the night Willow left. She told me."
Robert's brain tried to make sense of Eleanor's explanation. If Willow knew, how did she find out?
"She knows about this?" he asked. "Was she plotting together with Liam and mother against me?"
She turned to look at him, her face contorted with anger and sadness. "Ah! There it is!" she said. "The coup. That's all you care about, isn't it? Your precious crown." She shook her head violently. "Willow knew nothing. I asked her to meet me because Jasper had just told me about what Liam and mum had been up to. I wanted to talk to her to make sure I wasn't the only one that had your back. What I found out is that I wasn't the only idiot that trusted you."
"Lenny …"
"You used my words to convince her that you loved her?! How could you? Did you think she wouldn't eventually figure out you were using her the same way you've been using me?"
Robert came towards her, attempting, for the first time, to explain. "Don't say that …I could never use you". He stopped for a moment, unsure of how to continue. Finally, he said: "After becoming king, I resigned myself to the fact that I could no longer trust Liam or mother. One wanted what I had; the other wanted to control it. But you, Len? You have always…"
"Me?" she shouted, tears rolling down her face. "I was blind, Robbie! I never saw you the way you truly are!"
"Don't say that," he said, trying to take her hand.
She jumped back as if repelled by the very thought of being touched by him.
Robert had constructed a very thick armor since coming back from the island. An armor that merely dented when Liam pointed a gun at him and slightly tarnished when he and his mother attempted to overthrow him. After all, what you expect can't truly hurt you. Still, now he found that the rejection of Eleanor, his sister, was the one thing the armor was not prepared to withstand.
"Do you know what really hurts?" she said. "That I loved you most of all. More than mum, more than Liam … More than I loved even dad. "
"I love you too, Lenny."
"No. You don't. If you loved me, you couldn't have done what you did."
He was starting to lose his temper. He refused to believe that she would jeopardize their bond because of a conman turned bodyguard.
"You are my sister and a princess in the most important monarchy on Earth. We can't afford the luxury of allowing just anyone to be around us. I won't apologize for wanting the best for you or for being the only one trying to defend the reputation of this family!"
Eleanor paused for a moment and he waited patiently to see if his words had the desired effect.
He was sorely disappointed when Eleanor started taking off her jewelry piece by piece.
"Well, you won't have to defend it any longer," she said, as she struggled to take off her shoes. "Here! Keep them all. They were all given to Her Royal Highness, Princess Eleanor. She's gone."
As she headed for the door, she spared him one final look. "Good bye, Your Majesty!" she said.
He looked at her as she flew past him. "Really?" he said, finding something a bit amusing in the whole sad affair. "You're going to walk off the palace grounds barefoot?"
She paused for a moment, undoubtedly realizing her state of undress, before turning around as if she had always intended to do so and grabbed the pair of shoes off the floor.
-oOo-
Willow looked at the ice cream cone she was holding with a combination of awe and sheer glee. Where else in the world could you find chocolate ice cream infused with vodka? God, she loved Rio!
She took a big mouthful and looked at Liam with astonishment: "Forget about electricity! This is man's greatest invention!"
Liam laughed. "I always secretly knew that the way to a woman's heart was with booze and chocolate."
"Amin to that!"
They were walking down the promenade, alongside the beach. In any other place, on any other day, taking a stroll down the street in a tuxedo and a ball gown, they would be seen as freaks. Here, they merely blended in. A couple passed by them, their bodies painted to resemble the pattern on a cheetah, complete with furry ears and tails, while in front of them a large group of what were clearly tourists, dressed in bright red and green t-shirts and shorts, whistled loudly to the rhythm played from the drums that could be seen ahead.
"You know, when she got back from her 6 month trip, Eleanor told me that it was the first time she was actually able to enjoy being a tourist. I understand what she meant now …" Liam said.
"You never did touristy things when you were a kid?"
"We traveled a lot. But it all looked the same, really. We only left the palace to end up in another big house somewhere, on the other side of the world. We were always stuck in a room or the private garden … It was like we were living …"
"In a fish bowl?" she asked.
"Yeah … It was like we were always on display. Everywhere we went, we were recognized." He touched the mask on his face and smiled: "They should make these standard issue for all members of the Royal family."
"Well, maybe if your dad was the King of Pop, instead of the King of England …"
As they got closer to the sound of the drums, they were surrounded by people. The band consisted of five people and the music slowly started building up from the rhythmic beat, to the full blown sound of trumpets and a guitar. From the edges couples began coming forward and started dancing, showing off their moves as the rest of the spectators clapped to the beat of the music.
"How is it that everyone here knows how to dance like that?" Liam said astonished. "Do they get free dancing lessons as children?"
"In a way, " Willow said. "They pass it down in the family. Parents teach their children how to dance, friends teach each other … it's just what you do."
Liam was still confused.
"Do you want to learn?" Willow asked.
Before Liam could answer, she was already dragging him towards the improvised dance floor.
It took about three songs for Liam to learn the basic steps, as he kept confusing the forward step for the whisk. Willow realized that it probably would have been better to attempt the lesson before the copious amount of champagne they had ingested that night but at least this way Liam was blissful unaware of the amused glances given by the people around them.
"Right," she said. "Now you need to involve your hips into the whole thing, otherwise you look stiff as an ironing board."
"No, no. Can't do that," Liam said. "I'm English. We disapprove of involving our hips in public."
Willow burst out laughing. In truth, he had never looked more English or more out place than in that moment. Thankfully, he made up for it by being utterly charming.
"You have the greatest laugh. You know that?" he said, as the pace of the music slowed down and they got closer into the embrace.
"So do you …" she whispered. He really did have a wonderful smile. It light up his entire face: warm and kind in an almost childlike way. It had always been one of her favorite things about him.
For a moment the music and the people around them faded away as she saw Liam's face getting closer and closer to her. It had always been her favorite moment, that instant before she knew she was going to get kissed. She allowed herself to indulge in it a bit too long and she was startled as Liam's lips brushed against hers.
"Liam, don't!" she said, pushing him away.
What had she done? The shock of the moment seemed to push her into action. She started walking away from the crowd … fast. Where to, she didn't quite know.
"Willow!"
She could hear Liam behind her but she just kept on moving as she started sobbing.
"Willow, stop!" Liam said, finally catching up with her.
"I can't, Liam. I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry. It was too soon. I understand …"
"You don't understand, though," Willow said, furiously wiping at the tears on her cheeks. "I still love him."
The admission stopped them both in their tracks. They had made a pact when arriving in Brazil. They weren't going to talk about Robert or Kathryn. They were there to forget all of that.
Now they had to admit defeat. They had spent the last two weeks in a drunken daze, doing their best yolo impression and it was finally time to stop pretending.
"It's pathetic and sad and stupid," she said. "But I do. There's no point in pretending otherwise. No matter how hard I try to forget, it's always there. Rattling around in my brain."
"It's not pathetic," Liam said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Just sad and stupid, then?" she asked, managing a chuckle between sniffs.
She continued, after a while: "I like you, Liam. I do. But I can't jump from one brother to the other. It's not really my style."
Liam nodded, looking away from her.
Willow felt guilty for saying that. She knew it had reminded him of Kathryn. She hadn't meant it in that way but there was really no avoiding it. For some reason women always seemed to find themselves at the crossroads between the two Henstridge brothers.
"Besides …"she said, softening her tone. "There's really no point in doing this to hurt him. He won't be half as upset as we'd like him to be and it would ruin our friendship. And that would be a shame. Because friends are important."
"You're right. They are," he said.
Willow hoped that Liam was as satisfied with the resolution as she was and chose to ignore the disappointed look on his face. They started walking back towards the hotel and neither one of them spoke much.
Looking at the building looming in front of her, Willow began dreading going back to the room. It had become a familiar feeling. During the day, running from one place to another, a drink always in hand, she could just manage to keep the thoughts at bay. But come night time, when she was finally forced to collapse on the bed, the thoughts would start. She would go through every conversation, every moment she spent with him and everything that came after. It was an exhausting exercise in trying to separate the truths from the lies.
As they got closer to the Copacabana entrance, a large group of journalists was gathered around the doors. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation and aggression, like a pack of wolves getting ready to attack their prey. It sent shivers down Willow's spine.
"What happened here?" Liam said. "Did Madonna jump out the window?"
The moments that followed made them both wish that Madonna had indeed taken a plunge, and been naked when doing so.
One of the journalists looked back and pointed. "Here they are!" he said in a thick Portuguese accent as he began running towards them. In seconds the rest of the group had encircled them, shoving microphones in their faces as the glare of the camera flashes attacked them. Liam and Willow froze into place, completely in shock.
"Prince Liam, are you and Miss Moreno here together?"
"Are you cheating on the king with his brother? Is that why the wedding was canceled?"
"Look here, look here!" the photographers shouted, trying to get their attention.
Willow's entire vision became a blur, the sounds of people's voices turning into an indistinct buzzing. She felt Liam grabbing her hand and dragging her through the swarm of people, pushing at them to let them pass, as he tried to get both of them to the relative safety of the lobby.
"Whore!"
Willow turned instinctively when the Brazilian photographer shouted at her, as she passed by him.
"Whore, look here!" he said again.
"What did you say to her?" she heard Liam say.
"Was she a good fuck?" the man asked, as he snapped picture after picture.
She felt Liam letting go of her hand and then watched in horror as he dived past her and grabbed the paparazzi. He wrestled him to the floor and started punching him.
-oOo-
Willow sat on the sofa in Robert's study, sincerely wishing she was somewhere else. He had insisted she stayed.
"You are part of this family now. Soon you will be the Queen," he had said.
With every day that passed Willow realized that being part of the Henstridge family involved more than being drugged by a rival or ducking glasses of red wine over dinner. It involved betrayal.
In this case, Liam's betrayal. Who, in turn, felt betrayed by Robert.
If anybody else had found out that their family had plotted to take away everything from them in the most public way possible, they would have understandably initiated the world's most epic fight.
But Robert wasn't like anyone else she had ever met. His brother's attempted coup 2 weeks before his wedding had not come as a surprise to him. She could tell. He must have known for some time, which is why he had been able to squash it so effectively. But it had hurt him … deeply. Willow could tell that too.
She had wanted to talk to him about it. In his usual way, Robert didn't refuse her attempt, but he didn't talk either. What he did do is gather his mother and brother into the study to tell them exactly what he had decided to do with them.
It all felt extremely formal and extremely medieval. After telling his mother he no longer required her to perform any royal duties seeing as Willow would soon become queen, he dismissed her from the room with barely a word.
The same could not be said of Liam.
Robert leaned against his desk as his brother stood in front of him. He did not speak for a long time, giving Liam time to build up to the point of breaking.
"I won't apologize for it." Liam said." I did what was best for the country. You lied to the people and to us. You never plan on reinstating Parliament."
"The worst thing about being King," Robert said, "is that everyone wants what I have. And that includes you, brother."
"Keep your crown. I don't want it."
"What you have done today has brought disgrace not only to this family, but to the entire institution of the monarchy. I cannot forgive you."
"I don't need your forgiveness," Liam shouted.
"If this had happened three hundred years ago, you'd be hanged," Robert continued, seemingly unperturbed by Liam's anger. "Or at the very least, you'd be thrown in prison."
"So which is it?" Liam asked defiantly. "The tower or a public execution?"
Willow held her breath. She had seen Robert angry before, but not like this. The cold and calculating way in which he was talking made him seem almost a stranger to her. Would he really be capable of sending his own brother to prison or worse …?
"I don't want you dead, brother." Robert finally said. "And I don't want you in prison."
Willow exhaled audibly. She felt slightly guilty for even thinking that Robert was capable of such a thing. He was a good man, she knew it. She had seen it. After everything he had been through, to have his family betray him this way. No wonder he was upset.
"But I don't want you here," he continued. "After the wedding is over, you'll leave Britain and never come back."
"So you're banishing me."
"You will keep your title and the money that goes with it, as well as the protection of the Palace. But, if you wish to think of it that way, then yes, I'm banishing you."
"Robert …don't … He's your brother," Willow barely whispered but it seemed deafening in the silence that followed.
"Don't waste your breath, Willow," Liam said. He looked Robert up and down in disgust before leaving the room.
Willow watched as Robert calmly went round his desk and sat down, beginning to write something down. She swallowed hard before getting up.
"Robert …" she said, getting closer to the desk. "Don't you think that's excessive? Perhaps if you talked things through …"
He looked up at her and his cold stare made her pause mid-sentence.
"In two weeks' time you will be my wife and there is no one whose opinion I value more but never take his side again, Willow."
She held her phone in her hand tightly, as she looked at the screen and relived the moment that signaled the complete unraveling of what she had thought was the most important relationship of her life.
She had known she had to call Robert the moment the police came and took Liam away, right from the entrance of the Copacabana. It was as if they knew the fight would happen and were just waiting for Liam to snap.
And yet she hesitated even when she rushed to the police station demanding to speak to Liam and was denied. As she finally pressed the red button, she convinced herself that Robert would help. She no longer held any illusions that he would care enough for his brother to want him to be safe. But the scandal? Surely Robert Henstridge would care about that.
When he answered, Willow felt her heart racing out of her chest even though he didn't say anything. She hated that traitorous organ and told herself that she was doing this for Liam.
"Hello, Robert. It's Willow …"
There was no answer so she rambled on. "I supposed you already know that … I … I'm calling because of Liam. Something terrible has happened … he's in prison. He was arrested a few hours ago …"
Still, no answer. Willow bit her lip before saying: "Please … you need to help him."
The silence on the other end lasted a few seconds longer, enough for Willow to start shaking. Then she finally heard his voice.
"Liam's affairs are no longer of any interest to me or the Royal family. Never call this number again." And the line went dead.
-oOo-
Standing in the hallway, outside his study, and after ending the call with the woman that would have been his wife, Robert Henstridge found that he needed a moment to compose himself. He took a deep breath and fixed his jacket. A few minutes passed before he moved and entered the room.
There, on the sofa, laying provocatively and dressed only in her black lingerie, was the personification of a timely distraction.
"Hello, my darling."
Robert smiled and came closer to her. "Cassandra … your timing is impeccable."
He bent down and kissed her.
For anyone who has made it this far, congratulations! lol I know it's very long but I have to cram a lot in 10 chapters so I hope it was an enjoyable ride at least.
I know there will be many questions that were left unanswered but rest assured future chapters will begin to unravel all the mysteries.
Please let me know what you think down in the comments and see you soon! :)