Note from the author:
First, I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone for reading and enjoying this story so far, and for writing such nice comments :-)
I'm glad to see there are more people interested in this partnership than just me! How much I will stick to what really happens on the show or not, I'm actually not quite sure myself yet. Let's see where it goes. I hope you'll like it anyways. Have fun with the next chapter!
It was only a short fifteen minute drive from the harbor to the boardinghouse between the beach and the woods at the end of a small fishing village. Simon had loved the small island ever since his first visit as a young prince ages ago. The fresh air, the food, the simple, sincere and genuine people and of course the beautiful nature with its green fields, rugged cliffs, sandy beaches and surprisingly blue water that the British coast could only dream of.
The boardinghouse looked just like she remembered it. A quaint little cottage that offered only three rooms. Simon always booked all three of them to guarantee his privacy.
Ever since, it was run by Paul and Laura, a couple barely older than themselves. In fact, the faces of their friendly hosts were the only signs that over twenty-four years had passed since Helena had been here the last time. Everything else looked exactly the same, as if she had never left.
They greeted their new arrivals in front of the door and welcomed the King of England with a cordial hug. A bit bewildered by this approach, Helena got out of the car and immediately received the same gesture by Laura.
"Your Majesty... Helena! How good it is to see you again. You look... incredible! Barely a year older than last time."
She checked the face of the other woman. Indeed, it was apparent that as a queen you must have access to a different sort budget and connections to brush up your appearance than the common people. Still, even surrounded by wrinkles, Laura's eyes were glowing happily.
"Thank you", Helena replied, "It's good to see you too. It's been a while."
"Indeed, it has..."
Her husband bowed before the queen, took her hand and kissed it gently. Not knowing that the kiss should merely be suggested, and the lips shouldn't actually touch the skin. But anyway. It was the intention that counts.
"Paul! You flatter me."
He smiled proudly. "Well, it's not every day that we have a queen staying in our humble establishment."
"In fact. At least a queen seems to be less common than a king."
Laura ignored the sting between those lines and just kept smiling. "Oh yes, we're always happy to welcome Simon in our house. And we feel honored that he always comes back here while he could probably go anywhere in the world."
By now, Paul was not smiling anymore but looking rather sad. "My condolences... We're so sorry about Robert."
"It's absolutely horrible," Laura added and comfortingly stroked Helena's arm, "What a tragedy."
Then she realized something and turned to the king. "Does... she know?"
He uncomfortably stroke his head and stammered: "No... I'm... afraid I forgot to tell her."
"Tell her what?", Helena asked.
Laura gave her an apologizing look. "We got another child... a boy. He's five now. And... we called him Robert."
She felt as if she had been hit in the stomach and became weak in the knees. "Oh... I see."
Simon placed his arm around her waist to support her. "I should've told you before. I'm sorry."
"No, no!", she appeased him, "It's alright. He's not the first boy named Robert I've come across since his passing. And he's not going to be the last. It's all about learning how to live with it."
"For what it's worth," said Paul, "he looks nothing like your son. But don't worry, we'll see to it that he won't bother you too much. I'm sure you came here to forget."
The king shook his head. "On the contrary... We came here to remember."
Their hosts didn't quite seem to understand him, but they smiled nevertheless.
"Now, come on in!", said Laura, "I hope you're hungry, dinner's waiting."
The dining room, which was the living room at the same time, was cozy and inviting. A small fire was crackling in the hearth, and soft jazz music was playing in the background. Just like last time...
Also, just like last time, a few toys were scattered around the floor, making the room come alive. Paul's and Laura's oldest daughter must've been around five years as well back then, the younger girl had been a toddler of two. So now they got another boy. Helena was astonished.
"You have a son of five?", she asked Laura who shrugged with a shy smile.
"I know what you're thinking. We were thinking exactly the same, believe me! I was fourty-five when I got pregnant, almost fourty-six. We thought the doctor was joking, but he wasn't. It's a miracle, he said. At first we didn't know what to do. We weren't sure we could handle it. But now we're so thankful... He's a true blessing."
The queen smiled and again felt a sting in her heart. She missed her children so much! Her babies... Sure, she saw them almost every day. But even when they were sitting right next to her, it felt as if they were half a world apart. Would they ever come back to her? Could she ever stop pushing them away? Would they ever understand?
And Robert... For him it was too late. Her son. Her firstborn. She would never see him again, never hear his voice, never hold him. She hadn't even able to say goodbye. And tell him one last time how much she loved him. The only thing left to her was the hope that he knew anyway.
All of a sudden, she felt nauseous. She was hungry, and the dinner they had prepared smelled truly amazing. But right now her throat felt tight and she had trouble breathing. God bless her husband, he knew exactly what was going on.
"Are you alright, darling?", he said and gently stroked her back, "You look a little pale. Maybe we should skip dinner tonight. It was a long trip."
Paul said quickly: "Oh, of course! We understand. Why don't you take a bit of bread and soup upstairs to your apartment? You should never go to bed without dinner. Just go on up, everything is already prepared. I'll be right there!"
They wished Laura a good night and headed up the stairs to the attic, large and spacious and warmly furnished and decorated to make all their guests feel right at home. From the window next to the bed, they could see the sea.
They had barely entered the room when they heard a knock on the door. Paul had brought a tray with two bowls of a hearty potato soup with bacon, a small loaf of freshly baked bread, still warm, and a bottle of cider. And then they were alone.
They enjoyed their dinner without many words. And still the thoughts about Robert and all the memories of good old times that came to them within these walls made them feel closer and more intimate than they had been in a long time.
One deep look into each other's eyes, one shy touch of a hand, a gentle kiss, and as soon as they lay down on the bed they were drowning in each other's arms as if it was the first time. It was so long since they had last been together as husband and wife. How she had missed him. To feel him. His touch... His body... She almost felt shy thinking that she was sleeping with the King of England. Like the young woman who once fell for his charm. Or the young bride who was seduced by him right here in this bed so many years ago. It felt so strange, new and exciting, and so confident and reassuring at the same time. Her king. Her husband. Her lover. Her life.
