This is another story which I'm going to be focusing on. It's been a while since I've uploaded stories on this site so please bear with me. I've mixed two interests for this story which are Fifty Shades of Grey and Royalty. I thought this would be a fun idea for a story which obviously, I'd like it if anyone who read it would like it. I hope you find as much joy reading it as I did writing it. Please note that I am not an experienced writer or qualified.
CPOV
"LONG LIVE THE KING!"
The chants roar as my father has just succeeded the throne of Bellvue. My grandfather, King Theodore passed away three days ago and now my father's reign begins.
I always knew that my father would be King someday but as my Grandfather got older and never seemed to come down with anything more than a cold, the possibility faded with each birthday. However though, 18 months ago, my Grandmother - The Queen, passed away and my Grandfather was different afterwards. He would regularly have moments where he forgot what he was doing, if he was doing a speech at some function or event, he would forget the speech and wonder where he was.
As I was second in line to the throne, there has always been some public interest in me but again as my Grandfather kept going, the pressure from the media again faded. I managed to sow my oats like any normal red blooded man without any huge media invasion.
When I received the news that my Grandfather passed away, I felt a pit form in my stomach. I instantly knew now my father became King, there would now be added pressure as I'm now next in line but I didn't expect it to be now.
After King Theodore's Funeral
I've been summoned to see my father, the King. This is never good. You never get summoned when you have done something good so I'm automatically apprehensive about what he will bring up today. He'll most likely give me a lecture in my new role as next in line which basically is like a stand in for him or a mini me of himself.
I walk into Bellvue Palace and am instantly greeted by my mother, Queen Grace. Now that she is Queen, I have to bow to my own mother. I wish that my family could be "normal" sometimes but then again, when you're royal, that's not normal. She's dressed in black as we are all still in mourning for the rest of the month in honour of my Grandfather. I kiss her on both sides of her cheek and then bow from the head down.
"Hello Mother."
"Christian - good to know you have been reading up the protocol. Your father tells me that he requested you to come for a chat, please don't get into any disputes with him. He's still adapting to all of this." She gestures to the Palace. The beige walls with gold outline on every panel on the walls and bold red carpet adorns up the stairs.
"I'll try Mother but I can't promise anything. Do you know why he has asked to see me?" I enquire. I could really do without this meeting.
"I think it will be best for your father to tell you but please, try not to get upset with him." She instructs as we head towards my Father's office.
"So it is something bad, then?"
"Not bad per se but like I said, your Father should tell you." We stop outside my Father's office. She gives me a kiss on my cheek.
As she turns away from me, she nods to the security guard, indicating that I was ready to see my Father. The Guard knocks on the door and opens. I walk into the office which is decked with dark wood. The floors are a Walnut colour with burgundy paint on the walls. My Father is looking out the window by his big, wooden desk which is cluttered with paperwork.
The guard turns to my Father and bows. "His Royal Highness, Prince Christian - your Majesty." I walk towards my father as he approaches me by the brown leather seating area. He holds out his hand for me to shake which I take and bow from my neck down. You can't reach out to the King, he must initiate the first contact.
"Hello Christian." He greets me.
"Hello Father. So what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting? Mother has already instructed for me not to get excited so that worries me."
"Well I wanted to meet with you in regards to the expectations of the role you have now assumed." He informs me.
"You mean the role I had to take?" I clarify to him.
"Christian - please. We don't need to get sarcastic this early on. The role you hold from hereon is incredibly important, not to just the institution but to our people and we owe it to them to do a good job."
"Are you insuniating that I've already caused a scandal in my seven days as first in line?"
"No you have not caused anything but we need to clarify one particular issue which if not dealt with, may become an issue for the future of this monarchy." He gestures to the armchair. "Please sit down." I don't know why he said that knowing full well that I have to wait for him to sit down first before I can. He then presses a bell which a butler comes in with two crystal tumblers filled with Brandy. If he has prepared this, I'm now getting worried about this one issue. The butler places both tumblers on the coffee tables that sits in between the two armchairs. He bows to my father then leaves. My father then sits in the plush armchair, the indiciator that I am allowed to sit.
"As you know, you are now the future of this establishment which means you are now going to experience increased media attention on anything you do. You now have to look behind your shoulder at all times. A bad interaction with a staff member, a fumble of a speech at an event - anything can cause a scandal. You know this right?"
"Yes Father. I am aware that I will need to be careful with anything I take on. Is that it?"
He takes a sip of the brandy that is waiting on the coffee table. I can see he is hesitant.
"I'm not the healthiest King to take the throne. My father was 89 years old when he passed and I am not much far behind him at 68 years old. I have to look at what I'll leave behind if the unfortunate circumstances occur and my time here is up. I need to make sure that I am survived by a good line that will carry on this family's legacy in this monarchy. Now your brother hasn't been part of the lineage since he married the actress without consenting us about the marriage which you know is an automatic removal from the line of succession so it was left to you to take on this enormous role. However with no wife, I cannot be assured that the Crown will be in good hands if I were to go."
Are you kidding me? "What are you trying to say, Father? There are Kings that do not have wives alongside them. Just because I'm not married doesn't mean I will be bad King!" I exclaim at him.
He put his hands up as in to calm me down. "I'm not saying that if you're not married, you won't be a good King. I am talking about the line of our family being continued down the generations. The public will wonder this too as time goes on. 'This is our future King, will he give us a future monarch?' I had the same thing happen to me when I was your age. As soon as I married your mother, all of that uncertainty went away."
I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. This can't be happening. I expected a lecture on how to do my duty but I didn't know that he would be lecturing me in taking a wife!
"Please, spare me the details of yours and Mother's courtship. I don't need to be traumatised anymore than what I currently am."
"Christian - that's enough. It is crucial to the establishment that the next in line to throne has guaranteed a succession for the future. Your brother disregarded that when he eloped in Vegas to the actress so now the responsibility falls on you."
"You can't be serious? I now have to find a wife? Father - I'm not someone who ever wanted to get married! Why can't I just be a King without a wife?"
"Christian - have you not heard me? What if you die and you have no children? Who will then take over the Crown? Mia? I highly doubt that! You have no cousins therefore we are at the end of the line."
This can't be happening. This can't be happening. I am being ordered to marry?! This is ridiculous!
"Now I know why Mother said for me to not get 'excited'. This is unbelievable."
"Well I don't think that's the thing your Mother assumed you'd get upset about." I look at him to see what the hell he is talking about. "She thought you would get upset at this next part which I'm about to inform you."
"Oh what now? You're going to put me on a blind date TV show? Advertising me to marry? Let me guess, I have 60 days to find a wife."
"No but you'll be married next month." The words out of his mouth echoe over and over again. I'm staring at him wide eyed. "Government came to me with this issue and we went through various girls for you to marry and one in particular came up and I personally think she'd be good for you."
"You're not serious?! You've already selected me a bride?! Do I not have a say in who I will suffer with for the rest of my life?!" I say shocked. I grab the tumbler and gulp it down in one.
"Christian - stop this nonsense. It is what is right for the Crown. This is your duty. I personally don't see what the issue is."
"Excuse me? I have no fucking say in who I marry! You're willing to make me suffer just so you know the Crown stays on a Grey head?!"
"Yes! This is what happened to me and son, you're going to have to live with it!" He screams at me! "Now, you will be married to his girl within next month and you're just going to have to make a bad situation good for the sake of the Country!"
I sigh. I cannot believe I am being made to endure this torture. I wish I had eloped with an commoner like Elliot did. He was fucking smart. I see now why he did it.
"Who is the girl? If I'm being made to marry, I may as well know who she is to make sure she isn't a fucking bore." I concede to him.
"Princess Anastacia of Portland. Her father is King Raymond - the news going round is that he needs money which we would offer to him for his daughter's hand and we need the alliance."
"Have you already consulted Portland's government about this?" I ask him.
"I've already spoken to King Raymond and he accepted on behalf of his daughter."
I run my hand in my hair which I want to pull out. I've never met this girl. How do I know if I would get on with her or worse than that, be attracted to her?
"We will be undertaking a meeting to finalise the union which you'll need to present for. You can put some suggestions forward in what you want in the marriage." He says as if it's a good thing.
"Wow! Amazing I get a say in what I want in my sham of a marriage!"
"Please Christian - there is no other option. You will marry this girl for the sake of the firm. That's final."
Two days later
I'm sitting in a meeting room flanked by several of my Father's advisors. He could not make this meeting due to previous booked engagements so for something he was overseeing, he leaves me to deal with this. The door knocks and a guard walks in.
"Her Royal Highness, Princess Anastacia of Portland and Sir Jose Rodriguez, her advisor - your Highness." I look at the floor in protest that I don't want to look up and see the woman who will ruin my life. Then comes into my view petite feet which look gorgeous in black high heels. I then let my guard down and look up. I see this young woman, she must in her early twenties. She has long wavy, chestnut brown hair and the most piercing blue eyes I have ever come across. She has slender figure whilst wearing a black, cap sleeved dress. She walks in and approaches me. I extend my hand to her subconsciously due to the protocol which is engraved in my brain. She takes my hand and curtseys to me with her eyes looking down to the floor.
"Your Highness." She greets me with a low voice that is barely audible. I bow my head to her.
"Thank you for making the journey to Bellvue, your Highness."
"Please - if we are to be married, I'd prefer if you called me Ana, sir." Her eyes are so piercing, I can't find myself to look away from her.
"Well - we will work out the logistics of this today so we know where we stand." I gesture to the conference table. She walks around and sits on the side facing the window whereas I sit facing opposite directly in front of her. My advisors then sit next to me and hers next to her.
Taylor - my new private secretary speaks up. "Thank you Mr Rodriguez for coming to meet with us today. We know that this was incredibly short notice for both of you so we appreciate your flexibility. My name is Jason Taylor and I am Prince Christian's private secretary. The purpose of this meeting is to make sure that the union between their Royal Highness' is all ironed out with any queries that Princess Anastacia or even Prince Christian have. It gives them the chance to speak on any issues they may have."
"Thank you Mr Taylor. Her Royal Highness was pleased to hear of this meeting as she has a couple of points for which she wants to put forward so that there aren't any problems when this union is taken place." Mr Rodriguez states. I wonder why he is speaking for her. Surely she can speak for herself. I want to hear her speak and see what she thinks about this stupidity.
"Your Royal Highness, please - you have the room." I gesture to her for her to speak. She looks at me and I can see that I have set her back and she is trying to put her words together.
"Erm, yes, th-thank you, erm Your Royal Highness. I obviously would have wished to have found this union on my own and without my father's help but I want what everyone else here wants and for this union to be successful so that it benefits our two nations together. However I can't help but have a couple of issues which I would like to be looked at before I take on my new role as Princess of Bellvue." No! She's up for this?!
"Of course. Please - state your demands ma'am." Taylor states to her. She looks at me for a few seconds leading me to wonder what she was wanting to say. I nod to her as if to say go ahead.
"I would like a clause stated in the contract that his Highness will not go into any extra-martial affairs whilst we are married. I understand this union has no real foundation as of yet but that does not mean that we cannot try to make a good situation out of a unconventional one." What?! I'm not to have any sex?!
"I understand your point but how are we to feel like normal human beings if we cannot do one act which is completely natural to our race?" I state.
"I never said you couldn't have sex, Sir. All I said was for you to not to have sexual intercourse with any woman apart from myself. I will not go into any marriage with that being a possibility, one especially where I've been called in." She raises her left eyebrow at me.
"How are we to know if we will get on? Of course if this works out for both of us then great, no questions asked but what if we go into this contract and find out we cannot coexist? I will not be made to be unhappy." I stand my ground.
Mr Rodriguez chirps in at this point "Well we did have a suggestion which may be useful to that issue. We thought as the issue at hand is regarding the matter of your succession line--"
"-And also the fact that my father, The King, is paying you so your nation is not bankrupt." I interrupt him. Don't even think you're not getting anything out of this.
He stops himself and his mouth goes into a thin line. "As well as that, your Royal Highness, we thought about inputting a clause that say if both the Royal parties involved do not get on and this union were to come to an end, the union may be dissolved after five years from the date of the marriage only if an heir is produced therefore the financial part and the succession issue is then eradicated and there would be no other issues."
Hmm, that's not a bad suggestion but five years with no sex from anyone else but her?
"I agree with the clause but I disagree for the term of five years. Can we bring it down to say two years? That will allow Her Royal Highness to be able to find someone else sooner rather than wait five years." I state.
"Three." She negotiates. I'm not going to lie, I'm slightly impressed by the fact she is able to be a part of, let's face it, not the most romantic of conversations.
I think about this whilst looking at her. Three years may not be so bad. I might be able to live with that. After that, I can fuck whoever I want, whenever I want.
"I agree to the clause of extra marital affairs banned and the dissolution clause." I confirm. Everyone is noting down. "Anything else, ma'am?" I ask her.
"Once a child is produced, I do want 50% say so in the child's upbringing. I may be brought in to help the line carrying on but at the end of the day, I'll be the mother to the future monarch of this nation and say if this marriage is dissolved, I will still be the mother to the future monarch therefore my input towards the child will be considered. His Royal Highness can obviously hold the other 50% input as we will both be the parents." She demands.
"I agree to the clause suggested." I state without taking my eyes off her. I don't know what is going on, it is like she has captured my entire focus.
"Do you have any other issues you'd like to state, ma'am?" Taylor asks her. She asks one more question in regards to finances if the marriage was dissolved which is then taken over by the advisors. They come to an agreement but I'm watching her in pure amazement on how well she holds herself.
"I have no other issues. Do you have any, sir?" She asks me. She then bites her lip and I feel a twinge in my pants. Guess the three years issue won't be a worry if she continues to do that around me.
I shake my head as I truly don't have any in mind.
"Fantastic - that pretty much concludes the business side of the arrangement. Now, we will be making the announcement of your engagement in two weeks. It is a proposal that both their Royal Highness' meet up within that time to get to know each other so when the announcement is made, it comes across as natural to the public. Do their Royal Highness' agree to this?"
Anastacia looks at her advisor and nods to him. "Her Royal Highness agrees to this. We would also suggest that Princess Anastacia moves to Bellvue before the announcement to try and prevent any media invasion. How does this sound?"
"We agree to this but we do think it is probably best that Her Royal Highness moves into the Prince's residence rather than her move into Bellvue Palace, then again it will look to the media that their union is natural rather than planned." Taylor states. "The King insisted upon this."
"That is absolutely fine as long as Princess Anastacia receives security." Mr Rodriguez. I can't help but tune out of the negotiations as I stare at the brunette beauty who is to become my wife in a short space of time. Ever since that lip bite, I've become so aroused and intrigued at how we might be once we are married.
"That concludes our meeting." Taylor finishes.
"I'd like a word with Princess Anastacia. Alone before the meeting is officially over." I demand. Mr Rodriguez looks at her as if to silently ask her if she is OK with this. Anastacia stares at me and then nods her consent. The advisors get up and bow their heads to us and leave.
"I'm impressed, your Royal Highness." I state to her.
"Sir, I've already told you - if we are to become man and wife, you should call me by my name. Wouldn't want the press to catch onto our rouse, would we?" She cheekily tells me.
"Fine - Anastacia. I'm impressed. How did you get so savy with business negotiations?" I ask her.
"My father. I've had quite the education so that when this were to happen, I was prepared."
"Right and it doesn't bother you about this arrangement?" I want to see what she thinks of it.
"It doesn't matter what I think. It's something that needs to be done and it is what I am meant to do." She calmly tells me. I'm taken aback by her response. So nonchalant and not a flinch of emotion. "I'm guessing it is not the same for you?" She asks me.
"Well, it's not ideal but like you said, we must make a good situation out of an unconventional one." I didn't want to tell her outright no and that the thought of the marriage terrifies me.
She giggles at my reply. "It's not ideal but then again, we are royals. Nothing is ideal when it comes to us. I do hope that we are able to be amicable towards each other. Maybe even friendly."
"I share the same hope, Anastacia but I cannot help but feel apprehensive about the arrangement. I guess it's something over time, we will see."
"I understand Sir. I will try and be a good wife to you. I am unexperienced in areas which are required for martial relations but I hope with your patience, I may be able to satisfy you." Wow, she's talking about sex.
"Anastacia, are you telling me that you've never had sex before?"
"How can I when I have not been married before? I was told that I would not indulge in those relations until I married." She tells me whilst looking down at the floor. This is the first time she has shown any vulnerability throughout this first meeting.
"And you're OK to have your first time with someone you practically don't know? I mean I don't have a problem with that but I wasn't sure if you would?"
"Like I said to you, it's not ideal but we are Royals." She looks at me. She has really stunned me to the point I do feel I may be turning my opinion on the arrangement.
"Well - I'll give you a promise. I promise to try and be a good husband to you. I understand you are sacrificing a lot in order for this arrangement therefore I will do my best to make it as easy for you as possible." I vow to her.
"Thank you Christian." That's the first time she has said my name and to be honest, I liked her saying my name.
"I guess this is it." I hold out my hand to her. She takes it and I feel a jolt like as if a spark of electricity ignited hen our hands touched.
"I'll see you before the announcement. We can figure out a story to tell the media about how this came about then."
"Until then Anastacia."
"Until then, Sir."
