A Right Royal Mix-up – Uncut!
Well, here we are with the very last chapter of the story! There will be an epilogue, but this is the last chapter *sniff* It's so sad!
Please could you check out 'Problems with Potter' and 'The Right Path' – they're ficlets I wrote for that writing competition I told you about, and I'd really value all your opinions!
I'm really happy at the moment – I just got my acceptance letter to this army college – It's very prestigious – only 100 people in Britain can get in – so I thought I'd spread the happiness by updating my fic! I'm feeling rather hyper and whimsical, so I hope the angsty bits work out OK!
Disclaimer – this story is nearly 30 chapters long. If you haven't figured out yet that the characters belong to JK and the plot to Tracy Sinclair, you must be illiterate!
Chapter 29
Lily had mixed feelings about living in the castle. She was thrilled to be with James, and she welcomed the chance to get to know Rosamund better. The older woman was delightful. In a very short time she and the queen developed a close relationship.
Unfortunately that wasn't the case with the king. Damien's attitude towards Lily was polite, but aloof. He might have been forced to accept her, but he didn't have to pretend to be happy about it. Lily was always conscious of him watching her with an enigmatic look on his face.
"He'll never accept me," she told Ariadne despairingly, when they were spending an afternoon together.
Ariadne was divinely happy, and felt that Lily should be, too.
"Don't worry about it. James loves you. That's all that matters. There's nothing his father can do about it."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Lily answered slowly. "He's not the kind of man who gives up easily. I have a feeling that he's just biding his time, waiting for me to do something that will give him an excuse to break us up."
"Then play it safe. Be sweet and agree with everything he says. It will drive him nuts," Ariadne laughed.
"I don't want to aggravate him. I want him to like me." Lily sighed.
"Be patient. I bet you'll see a dramatic change after you present him with his first grandchild."
"That's a long way off," Lily said soberly. "I hope Damien doesn't find the excuse he's looking for to call off our wedding."
When Lily and James weren't out for the evening, they usually spent it with Rosamund in the upstairs den. It was one of the cosier rooms – informal and comfortable.
Lily enjoyed the evenings, as she got a chance to get reacquainted with some of the Muggle pastimes she grew up with. Although the royal families of Beaumarre and Grandalia were both pureblood wizarding families, both countries had large Muggle populations and the royal families were equally familiar with the Muggle way of life. Sometimes they watched a video, or played Scrabble. One night Lily remembered a card game she'd played as a child. It stressed speed over skill. All the players tried to put their card on the pack first.
There was much hilarity going on when Damien entered the room. He looked impassively at the three around the table. "I thought you were going to a party this evening," he said to his son.
"Lily didn't feel like it," James answered.
"I said I'd go if you wanted to," she protested.
"I wasn't keen on it, either. We've been out every night this week. It feels good just to lounge around in casual clothes."
"That reminds me, Lily, we'll need to do something about your wardrobe," Rosamund said. "With all the parties still to come, you'll need some new gowns."
"I have plenty of clothes."
"I don't think it's a good idea to appear in any of the things you wore as Gabrielle."
"That's a good point," Lily conceded. "I'll have to see what I can do about changing them somewhat with scarves and different accessories."
"Why bother? I'll have several of the designers send over a selection of gowns for you to choose from."
"I'd rather you didn't. I've only worn some of my dresses once. It would be wasteful not to get more use out of them than that."
Lily was being sincere, but there was another reason for refusing the queen's offer. She was hesitant to take any more from James's family, since the king felt the way he did about her. He was looking at her without comment, as usual.
Nothing brought a kind word from him. One night at the dinner table, James told his father about their plans for starting a charitable foundation after they were married.
"It was Lily's idea," James said proudly. "I was whining about being a figurehead with nothing meaningful to do, and she told me about all the options I had. My first choice would have been getting out there and saving lives myself, but this will be rewarding in a different way."
The king turned his gaze to Lily. "This was your idea?"
"Everybody needs to do work that interests them," she answered defensively. "James is too young to sit around and vegetate."
"I see," was Damien's only comment.
Eventually, Lily resigned herself to the fact that she wasn't going to win his approval.
The press corps of both royal houses had shifted into high gear immediately after the broken engagement. James and Gabrielle had each issued a sorrowful statement and both kings expressed their regrets. Sympathy for the royal couple poured in. They'd never been more popular.
When Gabrielle renewed her friendship with Sirius a short time later, her subjects approved. Their poor, sad princess needed something to distract her.
Gabrielle's rather speedy engagement to Sirius did raise a few eyebrows. Some observers said he caught her on the rebound and perhaps she should think about it before taking such a big step. But the stunning couple seemed very much in love, and the prospect of a royal wedding after all , was enough to silence any serious criticism.
Ariadne's marriage to Remus was the warm-up event for the royal set, putting everybody in a festive mood. There was a constant round of parties before the wedding, and James began to show up with Lily.
This union wasn't looked on with as much favour. He was obviously in love with her; she was by his side constantly. When their relationship appeared to be serious, people began to ask questions. Who was this Lily Evans? Could the prince possibly be contemplating marriage to her? It would be unprecedented!
The groundswell of public interest sparked articles, and letters to the editors of newspapers all over the country. The romantics wanted them to marry, while the conservatives declared James had to pick a mate who was his equal in status. Lily was uneasy at all the attention.
"Get used to it, angel," James advised. "Unfortunately you're a public figure now and people are interested in everything about you."
"I don't mind their interest. It's their disapproval that bothers me."
"You can't win 'em all." He grinned.
"I'm serious, James. What if your people won't accept me?"
"How could anybody not fall in love with you?" he asked in a deep velvet voice, taking her in his arms and stroking her sensuously.
When they made love, Lily always entered a private world where nothing bad could ever happen. James was so certain that they would always be together, and she wanted to believe him.
It became difficult when the criticism of her came from the king's ministers. There were only rumblings at first, then one of the ministers expressed his opinion publicly. He called on the king to assure the people that Prince James wouldn't break with tradition by marrying a commoner.
That provoked fierce arguments among the king's advisers that spilled over into the media. Should the prince be allowed to marry for love became the main topic of conversation in the country.
James was angry, and Lily was desolate. She braced herself for the worst, even though he refused to admit it could happen.
At the height of the furore Rosamund said to her husband, "This thing is getting dangerously out of hand. You have to do something."
"I intend to. I'm going to put an end to this disgraceful situation once and for all." Damien's jaw set grimly. "The television people are setting up their cameras in my office at this moment. I've also arranged for it to be shown on wizarding Ocu-Globes as well. They've been broadcasting announcements, telling the people I will address them at seven o'clock."
Rosamund slanted a glance at him. "What are you going to say?"
Before he could answer, his press secretary knocked briefly and entered, requesting an urgent conference with the king. The two men went into Damien's office.
Lily's stomach was churning as she sat in the queen's sitting room with Rosamund and James that night, waiting like audiences in many parts of the world for the king's announcement. The news had spread quickly and was picked up on by the foreign media.
Lily knew what Damien was going to say – and what she would have to do. James would argue, but there was no other solution. The fairy tale was coming to an end.
She could tell Rosamund was nervous, too, even though the queen tried to hide it. James's expression was serious but not concerned, which was like him. He was probably putting on an act for her benefit, Lily decided.
Damien looked even more forbidding than usual as he stared straight into the camera. After a few words of greeting he got right to the point.
"I wish to take this opportunity to announce the engagement of my son, Prince James Philippe Potter, to Miss Lily Evans."
Lily was sure the tension had finally been too much for her. She must be delirious! The king couldn't be giving them his consent!
James sprang out of his chair, whooping with joy. "I knew we could count on Father!"
"Hush," Rosamund said, turning up the volume of the Ocu-Globe with a flick of her wand. "Let's listen to the rest."
"I know you will all accord this fine young woman the respect she deserves as your future queen," the king continued.
"That's telling the ministers!" James crowed.
Damien's imperious manner intensified. "I would take it as a personal affront if anyone questioned my son's choice, or his rightful claim to the throne. This union has my complete approval and that of Queen Rosamund, and I trust it will have yours, as well."
"Superbly done." Rosamund smiled.
"Therefore, I am sure you will all rejoice with us on this very happy occasion," the king stated.
There were a few more remarks, but the three people most intimately concerned had heard everything they needed to. They were all talking excitedly when Damien joined them.
His wife and son crowded around him. "I don't have to tell you what this means to me," James said, hugging his father.
"I'm proud of you, darling," Rosamund told her husband. "I knew you'd do the right thing."
He looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes. "I couldn't face the silent treatment I'd get if I didn't."
Lily approached diffidently. "I'd like to express my appreciation, too. I know you did it for James, not me, but I'll try to see that you never regret your decision."
"You're mistaken if you think I compromised because of James," Damien said quietly. "When you know me better you'll realise I never settle for less than the best."
"I don't have any of the qualifications you were looking for," Lily said uncertainly.
"You have everything but a title. I'll admit that was important to me when James first said he wanted to marry you. My opposition was automatic. Monarchs have always married royalty. But there was another reason for my disapproval. The prospect of marrying a prince can be very alluring – the glittering life-style, great wealth and privilege."
"Are you saying no woman would want me for myself?" James chuckled.
He was joking, but Damien answered seriously. "The things you take for granted can seem irresistible to someone who's never experienced them. Who could blame a woman for being dazzled by the luxury of unlimited servants, the wardrobes of expensive gowns to wear at endless parties?"
"Those things are certainly nice, I won't deny it. But they're frills I could just as easily do without," Lily protested.
"I discovered that when you preferred staying home to going out to yet another club. It was also revealing that you rejected Rosamund's offer of a new wardrobe."
Lily suddenly realised that Damien hadn't been brooding over her unsuitability. A king was like any other father when his son's happiness is at stake.
She gave him a radiant smile. "I wish I'd been born a princess for your sake. But if it's any consolation, I'd love James if he pushed papers at the Ministry for a living, or flipped hamburgers at a burger joint."
"It's not something I can picture." Rosamund's smile was misty-eyed. "You'll both be far more effective running a charitable foundation."
"That was the thing that convinced me you were a jewel," Damien told Lily with a chuckle. "Perhaps now he won't pester me for a job."
"He'll be far too busy preparing for the wedding," Rosamund said happily. "We must start making lists first thing in the morning, Lily."
Damien gazed at the queen indulgently. "James's mother has been looking forward to this event for a long time. I'm sure she has grandiose plans. You might be sorry you agreed to marry a prince when you find out what you have to go through," he said to Lily.
"It can't compare to what I suffered when I thought I'd lost him," she answered softly.
James raised her hand to his lips and gazed tenderly at her. "That could never have happened. I would have searched the whole world until I found you again. That's how much I love you." Lily's heart swelled with joy at this fairy-tale ending. The prince had found his princess and they would live happily ever after.
Well, there you go! I'll post a short epilogue in a day or so, so it's not quite over yet…
Epilogue (it's so sad! This story's nearly over!) – the wedding…
