A/N: More apologies for the long wait between updates. I was finishing up a couple other stories in the midst of the holiday season, and now I'm back to (hopefully) more regular updates here.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

"The Leader of the Legislature is coming at eleven, and then you have a luncheon with the Coronation Committee headed by the Earl of Marchon, and at two, the designer is arriving to take measurements and discuss your wardrobe before then dressing you for dinner with the nobility."

Ruth listened to the flurry of her schedule from Jo. She'd been working with the King's secretary for the last few months as she worked closer with Dad, but now Jo was Ruth's own secretary. Sam, Ruth's former secretary, was still on staff and worked in the scheduling office still.

She had been queen for less than twenty-four hours and already hated it. Everything that Jo said caused Ruth to fill with anxious nausea. But perhaps that was grief. It was hard to believe that Dad was gone. That Ruth had said goodbye to him just yesterday. But the palace had everything in hand. They'd been preparing on their own for far longer than Ruth fully knew, but she had her own problems on that front.

With a small internal sigh, Ruth asked, "What am I doing between now and eleven when the Leader arrives?"

"The Head of the Royal Guard is waiting for an audience with you to discuss security assignments, Your Majesty."

That title made Ruth wince. As did the news that she did not, as she'd hoped, have time between now and then. "And when can I see my children?" she asked coolly.

Jo looked at her with worry in her eyes, obviously not knowing how to respond. But Ruth knew the answer. She had been woken from Harry's arms at first light and been dressed in mourning clothes and been given coffee and breakfast in about ten minutes before Jo whisked her off to Dad's study. Well, her study now. The Queen's study.

Ruth's life was no longer her own. The shift had happened literally overnight, as Ruth knew it would. She spent yesterday as a daughter in mourning. She said goodbye to her father, she allowed the staff to take care of everything. She had spent the day with her husband and children, crying and explaining what had happened. Harry had been wonderful, making sure Emilia and Charlotte understood and were then sent off to be with Catherine so Ruth could be alone. Harry had held her in his arms as she cried, had forced her to drink water and remember to eat a little bit, and then helped her settled into bed when she was too exhausted from grief to be awake any longer. But now, today, she was queen.

Queen Louisa had duties to attend to. Ruth could be a mother and wife. Even Princess Louisa could be allowed time with her husband and daughters. But not Queen Louisa. This was the way it had to be. For now, at least.

"It's alright, I understand," Ruth said, saving Jo from the discomfort of trying to tell the queen that there just wasn't space in the schedule for her to see her children. "Harry will be with them, and I can check on them after dinner. They'll be asleep by then, but maybe tomorrow we can put it in the schedule?" It was an overly hopeful statement, she knew, but Ruth would not allow motherhood to end for her completely, not if she could help it.

Jo nodded. "I'll see what I can do, Your Majesty. Though I have consulted with Malcolm regarding the search for a nanny for the princesses."

Ruth had to force herself to take a deep breath and not leap up shouting from her desk. "I hope that won't be necessary, but please let Harry and I discuss it before anything is done."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Jo answered kindly. "And now if you're ready to discuss security…"

"Yes, alright. You can send the Head of the Royal Guard in. And please call for Harry, since he should be part of this conversation as well."

Jo went to fetch Harry and let the visitor in. Ruth stood to make a polite greeting. The Head of the Royal Guard was someone with whom Ruth only ever had passing familiarity. Luckily the changes in monarchy had not come with a change in security, as this current Head of the Royal Guard had worked with Ruth's grandfather. But that wasn't saying much, as Ruth was now the fourth monarch in seven years.

"Good morning, Your Majesty."

Ruth watched as she was bowed to, something that still felt absolutely ridiculous, but she knew better than to complain. "Hello, Ros," she greeted kindly.

The Head of the Royal Guard was a woman about the same age as Ruth. Ros Myers had risen through the ranks frightfully fast but her abilities and sense of control spoke well for her. She had a strong sense of duty to each of the kings she had served since taking on the position just a year before King Richard died. She worked closely with Adam Carter at Leister Palace, and Ruth and Harry both put their faith in Adam. And if Adam respected and appreciated Ros, they all certainly would as well.

"I'm afraid I don't quite know what this meeting is about, only that you're here to talk to me," Ruth said. "But I've asked Jo to get Harry so he can hear whatever you need to say. He's the soldier, after all."

"Now that your family is going to be moved from Leister to here, I've needed to reshuffle some of the security details. Sergeant Pearce will be moved to the army base here at the capital. Ms. Pearce is going to be residing here in the palace with the rest of the family."

"Oh is she?" Ruth asked, not having been privy to Catherine's plans. She'd come home from her travels when the king had been ill in order to help Harry with Emmy and Charlotte, but Ruth had assumed she'd be leaving again.

Ros nodded. "I spoke with her this morning. I needed to know her plans in order to make the security assignments. She will now have one bodyguard instead of a full team required during her travels. Danny Hunter is very good, he'll be assigned to Ms. Pearce."

The door to the study opened and Harry walked in. "I was summoned?" he asked.

Despite everything, Ruth couldn't help smiling at her husband's cheek. "Yes, thank you. I thought you should be part of the security discussions. You know Ros," she said, inviting Harry in.

Harry shook hands with Ros. "Good morning, Major Pearce," Ros greeted politely. The two of them were of similar sensibilities with their military background. Ruth had hoped that they might get along. All of this with security was more than Ruth really wanted to deal with. Having Harry take it on would be a great help.

Ros went on to explain that Zaf and Dimitri would remain as personal bodyguards to Harry and Ruth, respectively, and that there would be an additional team of security personnel whenever any member of the royal family left the palace and there would be a full team at the palace itself.

"Are there heightened threats now that she's queen?" Harry asked Ros.

Ruth did not much like being referred to as though she were not in the room, but Harry was taking over just as she'd wanted, so she wouldn't make a fuss now.

"We are keeping out ear to the ground," Ros replied. "There are always threats to the monarch, some more credible than others. The news of the king's death is still new, so there's not much we know now."

"I want to be kept informed. Weekly briefings at the very least," Harry insisted.

"Oh is that really necessary?" Ruth interjected.

Harry turned to her with a frown. "My job is to be the royal consort. I haven't got anything else to do but look after our daughters and make sure you're safe. Both are things I take very seriously, Ruth," he chided.

She just nodded. The thought that there would be any real security risk to her was so foreign. But she was a long way from being an unimportant member of the royal family back with it was just Tom following her around when she lived and worked in the capital on her own.

Ros and Harry continued discussing security arrangements that Ruth could hardly bring herself to really focus on too closely. It was just after ten in the morning and she was already exhausted. And there was a full day ahead. Meeting and meetings and meetings. Everything that Ruth, as queen, had to pay attention to.

All she wanted to do was go back to bed and snuggle up with her daughters and her husband and not be bothered. But those days were behind her now. Such simple pleasures might never be hers ever again. She'd feared as much, long before the reality of being queen was upon her. But Ruth knew it was coming. She knew what was required of her. There was no use being too upset about something she couldn't control.

Today would be an adjustment. But it was the first day of the rest of her life. Best get used to it.