Disclaimer: No- E! owns the Royals. Not me!
To Superdani4Ever: Thank you! Yes, they are sweet, but keep reading. And the mother has a good reason to be scared for her daughter's life, even though we might question how she goes about trying to save her! Just remember, what do the other royals must have thought when they hear about King Simon's murder, how Ted Pryce was killed- and Robert's hijacking, the twins' paternity case- with fake DNA and bribed scientists and more! They thought their daughter was marrying into somewhere far too dangerous to comprehend.
To Guest Reviewer: Thank you- I will!
Old Fashions please me… Not so nice to Change the Rules…
The new king and queen returned from their honeymoon and the council knew it was soon time to put forwards a coronation date. Honestly, Aglaia couldn't care less. Until someone asked her what her regnal name would be.
"What's wrong with my name?" She just blurted out.
"Nothing." Robert stated. He gave the cabinet minister a look. "There is nothing wrong with your name. She is Aglaia. Does it matter if it was Greek? A large percentage of the names used in British society, like Katherine, Sophie, Zoe and even Helena- have Greek origins."
"Yes, but-" the man tried to put a word in edge-wise.
Robert shook his head sternly. "She is Aglaia. That's more than good enough for everyone involved."
The man nodded, bowed and left. Robert and Aglaia looked at each other with those gooey eyes that made Helena feel sick. Ugh.
Eleanor did not share the same feelings. She was smiling. "So…" She spread out her hands. "What are you going to do… On your first day back as queen?"
Helena's face took a sour turn.
"Well, firstly I would like to review the state of the country," Aglaia said calmlu. "That isn't limited only to England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I want to look at our relationship with the Commonwealth countries and how they're going on in their parts of the world, the standard of living for every class, the standards of education, what they're teaching children in schools, the level of bullying, the various opinions on health care and so forth… I mean, I know," she said hastily, turning to Robert. "That this is a constitutional monarchy. But it doesn't mean that we have to be relegated to a ceremonial role alone."
Helena gave a pinched smile. "Believe me, that is not the only thing a queen can be relegated to. We may have no other choice."
Aglaia looked up at her. "Or we might." She said. "With all due respect, this is the royal family. The duty of every monarch and their consort, princes and princesses, is to serve their people in every possible way, if that means giving our lives for them, then it is a way to prove our devotion. Some of us were chosen to do public service. Others were born to do it. What did Julius Caesar say in Shakespeare's play? 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them'? I think to say that we really were lucky but as royals we have a duty to prove ourselves worthy of our exalted positions."
Robert smiled. "I couldn't have said it better myself." He said proudly.
Helena might as well have swallowed vinegar.
"But you are the queen of England now," she said, trying to quell her feelings. "Surely, it is too risky to… Go out like that."
"The proper precautions will be taken," Robert assured her. He turned back, smiling at his wife. "And with all due respect," Aglaia stated. "It's Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Unless Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all declared their independence, then perhaps it is best if they feel as if they are included. We have a duty," Aglaia declared. "To all our peoples."
Helena looked exceptionally strained.
Liam and Eleanor's eyes were both wide as they held their cakes and macaroons in their hands and gazed at their new sister-in-law.
"Remember the French revolution." She reminded them. "This… This is necessary."
"I agree," Robert said quietly. "Things are going to change."
No, Helena thought. They already have.
"Wow," Eleanor remarked. "Wow," Liam agreed, helping himself to more mash. "I just didn't know… Didn't think anyone could do it like that," Eleanor marvelled. "That anyone could believe in that. I mean, just like Dad." She looked at Liam. "And she's not sticking to the rules, Liam. She's… Going her own way. But she's doing it… With style." She posed and grinned.
Liam chuckled. "Dad would have really loved her," he said quietly.
Eleanor looked down at her plate. "Yeah," she agreed. "He really, really would have."
"Robert's lucky to have her," Liam said softly.
Eleanor sighed. "You have no idea. We're all incredibly blessed to have her, Liam. After months, if not years of scandals, broken hearts, Dad's murder and Robbie's… Now, we're starting to feel like a family again. And I'm starting to feel, for the first time in my life, that I have a calling other than getting high and wasted. I've got Jasper. And now I have a new sister. You know she's convinced me and Jasper to go out on a date?" She asked mischievously.
"No- really?" Liam asked incredulously.
Eleanor took a bite of her sausage. "We've never had a date for as long as we've been together. Mostly it was just… Leaving notes for each other, sex, sleeping and you know, the usual stuff."
"Yeah," Liam said. "The usual stuff."
"But now, we're actually going on a date," Eleanor said, trying to conceal her amazement- and her excitement. "We're actually going out. I mean, I didn't want to be with anyone else before, but now, I actually see a future for us together." She grinned happily. "Liam… We have a future." She said slowly.
Yes, Liam thought. Len definitely had a future. And so did Robert… With Aglaia. Something squeezed in his chest, around his heart.
And Liam… What did Liam have?
Aglaia had been reviewing everything with Robert.
"Look at this," she said quietly.
Robert peered, frowning, looking at the papers.
"Domestic violence," Aglaia said quietly. "It's taking a rise, here in Britain. Particularly in big industrial cities, such as London and Edinburgh. But we don't have much statistics on the smaller towns and rural areas. That needs to be checked into." She flipped a few pages.
"The family of a deceased sergeant of the SAS… Apparently the courts said that he could have been saved. The operation was faulty, but even worse, the family's compensation… Ghastly," Aglaia muttered. "And more and more child abuse." She looked up at him, angry. "Why do these people just become parents, then? I know abortion is a controversial thing, but you can easily give up the baby for adoption, even embryo adoption, or take contraception and birth control."
People aren't always the smart when they're on heat," Robert said dryly. "Or intoxicated."
"The standard of living… I'll have to take a look into it," she remarked.
Liam as silent as he strode through the halls of the palace. Nearby, the television blared. They were still playing the wedding footage. The balcony kiss shared by Robert and Aglaia was dubbed. "The most romantic kiss in the history of romantic kisses," by critics. Who knew there were kiss critics? Liam certainly didn't.
Len was going on a date that night with Jasper. Robert was still… Over the moon with Aglaia…
Aglaia… There was the problem. She was everything anyone could possibly dream of. And she had absolutely no idea, being cut from a different fabric from the Henstridges- of a much higher quality it appeared- from a very different royal family than they were.
A family that hated their guts. Liam saw some of the Greek security there. He frowned, wondering if he should mention it to Jasper and James.
"Your royal highness," James looked understandably distressed. "Why are there Greek guards still here? I thought the king and queen went back to Athens?"
"To, ahem, protect the new queen, sir." James responded looking incredibly unhappy and displeased.
"What- they didn't think-" Liam cut himself short. He remembered their conversation with the Greek princes just before the wedding. And it hit him:
They didn't trust them. The Greek royals didn't trust them with their daughter's/sister's safety.
Well, in essence, who could blame them? Ted Pryce was head of security.
But still, Liam got the terrible, uncomfortable feeling that they were all being watched…
"So what's new?" Queen Anastasia asked over the phone.
"Well, I've reviewed the state of the country," Aglaia said simply. "There are things that need to be done."
"Excellent." Warm pride showed in her mother's voice. "And… What else is there?"
Aglaia blinked. "What else is there?"
Silence.
"Anything… New you wish to announce soon?"
Oh, rats. That.
Aglaia stifled a groan and closed her eyes. "Mother," she said warningly.
"Tell me at least, did you take your medicines?"
"All of them- the pill, and the morning after, the one in the bowls."
"And did you do the aromatherapy? Strip naked and pour the oils in the bath like I told you?"
Aglaia's face was burning. "Mum!"
"Well, this is important!" Her mother defended herself. "How many times did he take you on the first night?"
"Mother," Aglaia almost moaned.
"Did he do it right?" Her mother persisted. "Or did her just do oral or anal? Is he only into that stuff?" She muttered. "What about contraceptives? He hasn't been taking them, has he?"
"Mother, please!" Aglaia all but begged. "Stop! I can't talk about this right now- not with you. Besides, I haven't been experiencing any symptoms."
Although Robert's libido was comparable to what the Olympian gods like Zeus, Poseidon and Apollo might have had.
"Symptoms will come soon enough," her mother said sagely. "But how often did you two…"
Aglaia sighed, her face hot. "He has the sex drive of an Olympian god of legend." She muttered, her voice low enough for only her mother to hear.
"Of course he does," Anastasia was sardonic. "He's a Henstridge. He's more decent at least, than the mother, the uncle, the cousins and the siblings. They're all sex addicts."
"Mother!" Aglaia was genuinely horrified. "Please- don't say things like that!"
"People are wondering why on earth we allowed you to marry into that family," her mother hissed. "I'm sending your brothers-"
Aglaia lost track of the conversation as she had a good feeling that it was not going to go so well.
"Why?" Helena moaned. "Just… Why- why?"
Less than three days into the job and everyone had already fallen madly in love with Aglaia. They had never cheered Helena half as much when she was first married- and that was seen as a fairytale.
Not as much as this one, apparently.
"After months if not years of scandals, loss and heartbreak, new hope has arrived in the horizon in the form of a new queen." The TV presenter declared. "Queen Aglaia has already caused countless peoples worldwide to fall madly and deeply in love with her, almost as much as her husband has. She's everything we could possibly dream of and more."
"That's correct, I have to agree," the male presenter said. "She has a unique combination which includes all the grace and poise of a born-queen and all the warmth, charm and openness of someone who isn't stuck-up. I mean, have you seen the way she interacts with everyone?"
Footage showed of Aglaia kneeling and interacting with children. They handed her posies of pink roses and white lamb's breath. She kissed them, spoke and made a special deal out of them. People rushed to try to hug her- masses of them, Helena thought in horror. Struggling to… To… Kiss her. Aglaia only laughed, smiled and waved.
Robert was there for more than several occasions too, Helena realised, horrified. Among the crowd! Barely any security! She fumed. She would have to speak with James Hill later.
"She is the Crown's most precious jewel, bringing a new life and existence to a monarchy so badly shaken by scandal, murder and loss."
Helena closed her eyes in despair.
Later that night, Robert stood, fastening his tie. Aglaia, flushed and shaky, Robert saw with a grin, managed to get up off the bed and was going to dress. His grin widened. He was going to make her even more shaky and flushed afterwards.
Right now, he tried to get his thoughts into working order and not give into seriously powerful temptation. "I- um, have to go," she admitted. "Your sister is expecting me. It would not be wise to keep her waiting."
Robert smirked and pulled her in for a kiss.
"Don't keep me waiting, love," he said huskily. "I could never dream of keeping the king waiting. I am at His Majesty's Pleasure." Robert chuckled at that, while his stormy-blue eyes gleamed. He kissed her again.
Aglaia tried to get herself into working order as well. Eleanor needed help dressing for her date- she had asked Aglaia to help her out.
"Oh, thanks for coming," Eleanor said gratefully as Aglaia entered the room. She was in her dressing gown. "Which one?" She asked desperately.
Aglaia frowned, contemplating the outfits Eleanor held out to her. "Why not try…" She then had an idea.
A few minutes later, Eleanor was dressed in an exquisite black and gold dress. It wasn't as short as she was used to, but overall, the look was subtly elegant, more feminine and graceful than Eleanor's typical 'sexy wild-child' look. The gold bordering and accents gleamed but did not take place in the form of glittery, sparkly sequins, this was more subtle and expensive-looking. There was a small motif at the bodice and the skirt was slightly pleated but didn't stick out the way the dressed Eleanor usually wore did. It clung to her figure, but wasn't skimpy tight the way her outfits normally were- it concealed and flattered her at the same time. After shoving her sister-in-law onto the dressing table, Aglaia had a pair of curling tongs, eyeshadow and liner and a bunch of other things which she had set about using to make Eleanor look gorgeous.
Now her hair was in loose, wavy curls. She had applied eyeliner and shadow, blending them to achieve mostly black but with hints of gold and green lighting to highlight not only Eleanor's eyes but also the gold on her dress. Her cheeks were a warm colour with subtle hints of gold and her lips were rosy and luscious. Overall, the effect was feminine, simple and beautiful. It enhanced her natural features making her look more womanly with a special, radiant glow.
The new queen smiled. "Here." She added a special touch: a hairpiece made of gold in the shape of a starburst, pinning it to Eleanor's hair. "What do you think?"
Eleanor's jaw dropped. "I… I look…" She turned to her sister-in-law, her eyes shining. "Thank you." Aglaia grinned. "Now go," she gently nudged. "Enjoy your night together."
Robert was outside, adjusting the links in his cuffs, he turned when he saw someone walking towards him. His eyes widened. It was his sister.
"Eleanor?" He asked incredulously, taking her all in. But it couldn't be- could it?
Liam was walking by when he saw her. His eyes bugged. "Len?" He asked incredulously.
Aglaia smiled. "Off you go- you're going to be late." Eleanor giggled- yes, giggled- and off she went.
"Wow," Robert remarked. "I almost didn't recognise her."
"Everyone changes throughout their lives," Aglaia said softly. "We're all moving forwards, that's the most important thing."
No, Liam thought to himself. Not all of us.
Liam was depressed. Robert and Aglaia had gone off to a formal event. Len and Jasper had gone on a date. His mum was with Spencer, only God knows where, and he was in the palace, still alone.
"Alright sir?" That was James Hill.
"Yeah," Liam said, trying to look convincing. "I'm fine."
James didn't buy it. He sat down next to Liam. "Is it because you're all alone here?"
Liam sighed. "It's just… Everybody's moved on with their lives. Everyone's done and everyone's happy."
"And who says you can't be?" James boldly pointed out. "You have a right to be happy."
Liam looked sour. "Happiness never lasts for me."
He remembered Ophelia. She was his first very serious romance. Gemma had disappeared somewhere around the time the paternity scandal popped up. But he had been truly and utterly serious about Ophelia. And she had decided she didn't want him. Kathryn too had decided on Robert. But even that didn't work out, and Liam had battled his own brother to win her heart… And lost. Now Robert met and married the love of his life, Eleanor was moving on with Jasper, where did that leave Liam?
Alone and miserable, just like Cyrus. Hopefully he would marry the next woman he sees who gives him two dopey offspring, and eventually leaves him. If he was lucky, he could get the occasional hook-up. But he was in danger of being alone and miserable just like Cyrus.
James Hill gave him a look. "There was someone around here who was looking to see you."
Liam's head shot up. "Who?"
The only answer he got was a long look loaded with meaning. "Someone who's been forgotten about… Like you." Hill finally said, before he stood up and left.