A/N : Long chapter here! But before we get into chapter 15, I want to thank all the wonderful people who reviewed chapter 14; Cassandra Anthemyst, Azkaban Canuck, Cordelia Osbourne, macdeniken, Slytherin Chick, Starbright Moonlight, KrystinePotterLover and the anonymous reviewer too! I appreciate all your comments. I think this story is going to be my longest yet - probably over twenty chapters - I hope you will keep reading to the end!
Anyway, on with the story...
(Disclaimer : see chapter 1)
Chapter 15 - The Christening
It took just ten days to organise the christening for Princess Lilly Amelia. The Queen and her husband had worked as quickly as possible to organise the event in the hope that a family event would make certain troubled relationships stronger. The Pelkowskis had remained at the Palace although Phillippe and James stayed out of each others way as much as possible, and Lars, Jackie and Diana now resided in a house not far from the home of the Royals. However, Jackie and Diana had not been to the palace at all since the family had moved out and although Lars still came to work everyday, he had become distant and was now more of an employee and less of a friend. It was not what Mia wanted at all, but there was nothing she, or anyone else, could do about it. She tried to keep busy, which was not difficult with the christening getting ever closer, and hoped that eventually everything would turn out right.
The palace was buzzing on the morning of the christening. As well as the Royals and the Pelkowski family, Mia's mother, Helen, her step-father, Frank, and her half-sister, Holly had arrived two days earlier and were occupying another part of the grand Renaldo residence, as well as Michael's parents who took up another room. It had helped Mia and Michael to have their families around them but life was not easy. Phillippe and James would not speak to each other, which made things uncomfortable for everybody. It seemed to split the family in two and in turn, Mia's heart split in two also. She hated to see the uneasiness between her own family and that of Lilly and Michael, and she told her mother and half-sister about it on the morning of baby Lilly's big day.
"It's been so awful" she complained, "I feel like its partly my fault"
"How could it be your fault?" asked Holly, as she stood by the mirror and attempted to do something with her hair. It seemed the younger sister of the Queen, had as unruly hair as Mia once had, as well as the height and awkwardness, even though she was now twenty four.
"I don't know" Mia sighed, "but, I'm the Queen, I should be able to solve these problems"
"Mia, honey, nobody can solve all the problems in the world, not even the Queen of Genovia" her mother told her.
"I suppose you're right" Mia admitted with a half-hearted smile, "I just hope that after today things might be easier"
"I'm sure it will all be fine in the end" Holly smiled brightly.
"Yes, I'm sure it will" Mia gained positivity from her sisters infectious smile. 'Surely nothing could go wrong today', she thought to herself.
"So, we'll see you there" Mia smiled and hugged Lilly, her sister in law, who was soon to be a god-parent to her daughter, along with Holly and Lars.
"Yes," Lily smiled, "and don't worry, everything will be fine"
The Pelkowkis - Lilly, Boris, James, Nina and Laura - were to travel in one of the Royal limousines whilst Helen, Frank, Holly and Michael's parents would travel in another. The final car would hold, Lars, Mia, Michael, Phillippe and of course baby Lilly.
Jackie and Dina had also been invited to the grand event but they had declined the invitation. This had upset Mia but she didn't press the issue, knowing that her friends were simply trying to avoid the obvious awkwardness that would have been caused by their presence.
The Genovian cathedral looked especially grand, decked out with flowers and decorations, and filled with well-dressed nobility and guests of the Royal Family of Genovia. Security was strict, as so many Royals were in attendance at the event and the press were kept outside the doors of the cathedral.
Down the aisle of the grand church came the royal party with bodyguards lining the edges to protect the important people. What these noble Genovians and there guests were unaware of was the suspicious nature with which two of the security guards watched the Queen and her younger child. Mia was just yards from the front of the cathedral when one of the security guards, or rather an impostor of one of her protectors, made to snatch her daughter from her arms. Immediately Lars grabbed the man and wrestled him to the ground. The noble crowds began to scramble to get away from the scene and out of danger. Mia moved quickly and hugged her baby tight to her chest as Michael wrapped his arms around her shaking body.
More of the security men assisted their leader, Lars, in grabbing the impostor and getting him out of the cathedral but another amongst their number was not what he seemed.
"Everybody stop moving!" an insane scream rang out and everyone turned to see the second impostor waving a gun madly at the crowds. Mia screamed, as did many of the women. Lars still had hold of the first attacker and therefore was unable to pull his own gun. A couple of the other bodyguards found their weapons but knew they would not be able to use them without the criminal using his, almost certainly causing the death of another.
The gunmen turned to point the gun at Lars.
"Let him go" he commanded, but Lars did not give up his hold on the man.
"I said, let him go!" the gunmen screamed maniacally, pulling the trigger. The bullet flew through the air, as if in slow motion, before flying into the right leg of Mia's faithful friend.
Lars let go of the man who moved quickly to the side of his friend. Lars writhed in pain on the ground and Mia took a step towards him.
"Get back!" the gunman yelled and she flew back into Michael's arms, afraid for her life and for so many others.
The plan of the criminals had failed, it should not have been this complicated. They had planned to grab the child and run. It was not the greatest plan but they were desperate for money and the ransom they could have gained from taking the latest addition to the royal household would have solved all their problems. Now, things were more complicated.
The man with the gun, started to move towards Mia and the child. Michael pulled her close, but deep down he knew he could offer no real protection against the bullets that would no doubt fly. The second man pulled a knife from his pocket and kept his eyes on the crown whilst his accomplice spoke to the royals.
"Give me the child" he sneered.
"Never!" Mia cried, tears falling from her eyes like waterfalls.
"Give me the child" he repeated, "or say goodbye to this world"
"You wouldn't dare" Michael called his bluff, but the gunman just laughed.
"I would" he said, raising his gun.
Suddenly, the man was off-balance as a younger man flew at him. With a scream Phillippe had jumped at the man with the gun in an attempt to save his parents and his baby sister. Luckily for everyone concerned, the gunmen could not use his gun as Phillippe pulled at his arms and hit at his head, the man with the knife was unsure how to react and by the time he had decided to offer assistance to his 'friend' no further help was needed. The gunmen locked the young princes head under his arm and held the gun to it.
"So, we cannot have the princess, instead we shall have the heroic prince" he laughed dangerously and started to back down the aisle towards the door, his accomplice covering his back.
"If any of you follow us, I'll shoot the boy" he told the crowds, "and you know I will"
Every person in the building watched as the two men dragged the prince down to the side doors of the cathedral.
"You'll be hearing from us" the gunman called as they disappeared out of the doors.
Mia dropped to her knees beside the man employed for her protection.
"My son" she sobbed, "they've taken my son"
People rushed to the aid of the bleeding man beside her and her family gathered around the distraught Queen. Security men began to move towards the side exit but Michael halted them.
"No" he yelled, "he said no-one was to follow him. I will not have my sons life risked"
The bodyguards had no choice but to comply with the wishes of the Prince Consort and so, for now at least, Prince Phillippe was lost.
A/N : I know, I know, I've done a terrible thing, but please don't hate me. There is a reason for all the bad stuff and I promise it will not be bad forever. Please review and I'll post more soon.