Little by little, the bird builds its nest. For now: here is the next chapter... :-) I tried to make it a little bit longer this time.

Chapter 13: Letting the cat out of the bag

Of course, Robert couldn't come back to the palace yet. So Alistair had offered to accommodate him for a few days till they had decided where he could stay from now on. Helena couldn't leave until morning. There was so much to talk about and she still feared he could vanish again, once she was gone. But at least she found the strength to return to the palace. There was a lot to do now.

Since it was still very early in the morning and Eleanor and Liam were probably still sleeping, she decided to visit her Head of Security first. She needed help and Hill was the right one for this. He was highly competent, had a lot of experience from his time at Scotland Yard and he proved to be very loyal since his first day at the palace. She trusted him and his judgement, he would be the right man for this job.

"Good morning, Mr. Hill." Helena said, "I'm sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, but it's very important..."

James frowned, because Helena looked so serious and worried. "I was about to drive Sarah to school, but I guess, Mr. Richards could do this for me. She likes him very much."

He made a call and shortly after a tall and po-faced man came in. Helena recognised him as the one, her daughter liked to call "Hagrid". But to her surprise, he smiled broadly as Sarah entered the room.

"Aww, there is my tiny little dolly!" he purred and Helena had never heard him say so much at once.

"Uncle Miles!" Sarah giggled and jumped into his arms and he carried her on one arm and grabbed her school bag with his free hand. Then he nodded at Hill and left with the child.

"So, what can I do for you now?" James said, turning to the Queen.

"What? Eerm..." Helena was still a little surprised about the scene she had just watched. But then she gathered herself and said "Mr. Hill, something very unexpected happened. And I need your utmost discretion."

"Of course!" he nodded.

"Well then..." she said. "As you know, my son Robert was involved in a serious plane crash over a year ago."

Hill raised his eyebrow, but said nothing.

"And..." Helena stammered "and as you know, he died..."

"Yes... it was a tragedy." James frowned, still waiting.

"Well... I don't know, how to say it, but he didn't." she spluttered out.

He looked puzzled. "He didn't... die?"

Helena nodded and now James was wide awake. "What?! Did you just say, Prince Robert is still alive? But how? I thought there was a corpse. Are you sure?"

"Yes," Helena said. "I know it since last night. I saw him, James, I talked to him, I touched him. It's definitely my son! He survived the crash!"

James noticed, she called him by his first name. And he heard the urge in her voice and saw how excited she was. It had to be true.

"He is still hiding. He can't come back to the palace as long as the ones who wanted to kill him are still out there. Nobody must know!" she continued.

James nodded "Where is he now?"

"Alistair Lacey." she said and than added "He is a very old friend. Robert is save there for now, but we have to find a place where he can stay without arousing anyones suspicion. And I have to tell Eleanor and Liam. I'm sure they want to see him as soon as possible."

They talked a lot then and thought about all possibilities and when they finally found something, it was already noon.

"Len?" Liam knocked at her door. "Are you awake? Mother wants to talk to us. She said it's important."

Eleanor used to sleep till the early afternoon because she always felt exhausted. But lately she woke up earlier. Sleeping next to Jasper was so recreative, she no longer needed so much rest. But she still loved to stay in her bed much longer than necessary. They both did, because they liked the morning sex...

So Eleanor was very relaxed right now and about to complain, when she suddenly remembered that mysterious letter, her mother had received yesterday. And since the Queen was very lenient towards them lately, she suspected it may have something to do with that questionable piece of paper.

So she just exclaimed: "I'm coming, just give me ten!" and went into her bathroom to make her look a little more decent and put on some random clothes. When she had finished, Jasper was also dressed and ready to go.

They arrived at the State Room where Helena and Liam were waiting. The Queen narrowed her eyes at Jasper, then said: "Although it was my plan to speak to my children alone, I think it's okay, if you hear this too, Frost. We might need some of your... skills." She rolled her eyes, "And my daughter wouldn't allow it anyway if I'd try to kick you out. Liam, I think, you should get Marcus too."

When they were finally complete, she continued. "Something's happened last night and it's not easy to tell you. Eleanor, you certainly remember the letter, I received yesterday..."

"From Alistair?" Eleanor said while Liam was visibly wondering, who the heck this mysterious Alistair was.

"Yes." Helena said simply, and to Liam, "He is an old friend of mine and I paid him a visit last night because he said, he had something important to tell me. Well, he showed me, to be precise. There was someone else in his cottage and - I don't know how to say it easily - it was Robert and he is alive."

Jasper took in a sharp breath, but the twins didn't say anything. They just looked stunned.

Marcus spoke up, "You mean... your son, Prince Robert?"

Helena's lips were pressed into a thin line when she nodded.

For a moment it was so quiet in the room that you could have heard a pin drop. Liam's mouth was wide open and the bodyguards just looked at the Queen in disbelief. Eleanor suddenly started to hyperventilate which put Jasper into action. With one large step he was at her side and tried to calm her down by holding her hand and rubbing her back.

"Are you sure?" Marcus asked.

"Yes, no doubt." Helena looked a little bit concerned now.

But Liam regained his composure and started to ask the questions, everyone of them was already brooding over in their heads. "How could he survive this? Where was he the whole time? And who the hell is that guy in his coffin then?"

The Queen did her best to explain everything she knew and Jasper couldn't help but admire the young Prince for his courage.

"So, what's the plan now?" he asked when Helena had finished.

"Of course he can neither stay with Alistair for long, nor can he come back to the palace right now." she said. "So Mr. Hill and I had a conversation this morning and we think, the best place for now is Thatched House Lodge."

"That little house in the outskirts?" Liam asked.

"Yes," Helena said "it belongs to the Crown, it's empty at the moment and a little bit secluded from the residential areas. But still not too far away." She kept quiet about the fact, that she and Alistair had used it as a love nest once in a while. 'Back then...'

"Hm..." Marcus nodded. "and it has a garden so you can't see much from the road. It's a good choice as long as the Prince stays inside. But he still needs someone for security and food supply."

"I bet there are housekeepers who take care of everything while the house is unoccupied. We could switch them with some of our men, it wouldn't attract too much attention." Jasper said.

And so the bodyguards, the Queen and Liam started to work it all out while Eleanor was still quiet. There was too much in her head right now. She didn't know how to feel. Happy? Anxious? Guilty? Scared? At the moment she could hardly believe what she had just heard.

"I want to see him!" she said suddenly.

"And you will." Helena answered "In a few days when we moved him to Thatched House Lodge. Right now it's too dangerous."

Eleanor wanted to protest, but she knew it was useless. Her mother wouldn't change her mind. But she would find a way on her own.

It was late afternoon and they had finally discussed everything important as the door opened and James came in.

"Your Majesty, your Highnesses..." he nodded in their direction, then addressed Marcus and Jasper: "Gentlemen, there is news. Ted Pryce wants to come clean and we need to go there right now, before he changes his mind. Prince Robert's matter will be the first thing in the morning since it's already too late for today."

James looked at the bodyguards and glanced at Eleanor, then said: "Jeffries, you come with me! I send Richards down here in the meantime... and Frost... you better have an extra eye on the princess tonight." He winked at Jasper and gave him a small object, which immediately disappeared in his pocket, before he left with Marcus.