Chapter 26
The newly engaged couple decided that they weren't quite ready to get out of bed. What occurred over the next hour was a microcosm of their relationship, as Sam's quick and intense passions eventually gave way to Mia's slow, steady burn. It wasn't that the older woman felt any less passion; she had just learned over the years the benefits of taking one's time. And Sam was certainly worth the effort. Afterward, Sam lay on her stomach and Mia on her side, running her hands up and down the younger woman's spine. Sam let out an involuntary shiver as Mia's fingertip slipped lower still.
"We don't have time," Sam prompted, aware of Mia's full schedule today.
"I know, but I also want to leave you wanting more of me," The Queen stated, her voice low in timber.
"I don't think either of us has anything to worry about there," Sam assured, already feeling her body react. She'd never known someone who could affect her just by changing the town of her voice. She shook her head to clear it before rolling away.
"If you don't get moving, you're going to leave the ambassador waiting," Sam warned.
"Especially since I get the shower first," Sam said, moving swiftly towards the en-suite.
Mia simply shook her head, enjoying watching the younger woman go.
"There is room enough to for two," Mia added, speaking to an empty room.
Sam stood under the hot spray provided by the rain shower head in Mia's roomy shower. The young woman let out a very unladylike squeak as a smooth hand snaked around her middle.
Sooner than either woman would have liked, the two women emerged from the Royal Suite dressed and ready to tackle a new day. Mia dressed in a cream Dior pants suit paired with black Prada heels. Her outfit was complemented by a diamond bracelet on her left wrist and a smaller version of her ceremonial crown. The bracelet was a gift from Sam. For her part, Sam had chosen a dress of all things, figuring she needed to get used to wearing them. Not that she was a complete tomboy. Especially compared to her adopted sister, who didn't even wear a dress to her own wedding. On the other hand, she wasn't nearly as girly as her sister-in-law. In general, she preferred slacks or jeans because she hated to have cold legs.
Fortunately, Mia had introduced her to the world of high-end hosiery. She'd quickly dismissed pantyhose as two restrictive, but the first time Mia had seen her wearing stockings held up by a garter, she knew she had a winner. Luckily a lifetime of wearing heeled motorcycle boots translated well to wearing four-inch pumps. The well-dressed couple made their way down to the more informal family dining room for breakfast. Miranda and the former Queen were deep in conversation as the current Queen and Sam entered. Hand in hand. Queen Clarissa looked on as her granddaughter gallantly pulled out the younger woman's chair, allowing Sam to take her seat before taking her own.
"We have news," Mia announced after the staff had taken their breakfast orders.
Both women looked up intently, but neither was surprised when Mia continued, "I have asked Samantha for her hand in marriage, and she has exceeded."
"Congratulations, my dears," Clarissa offered, having long ago come to terms that her granddaughter would be happier sharing her life with a fellow Queen rather than a King.
"Congratulations," Miranda added, genuinely happy for the Queen and her young friend.
The former Queen had not had much time to get to know the woman who was set to become her granddaughter-in-law.
"But I will," she thought, giving both women a knowing smile.
Mia returned the smile as an unspoken conversation occurred between the two Renaldi women.
"What am I missing?" Sam asked.
"Well, my dear, we have a well-established tradition in this family for introducing the uninitiated into the rules of becoming a royal. "
"Princess lessons, really?" Sam asked incredulously.
Mia merely shrugged before saying, "They worked for me."
Sam's head pounding against the table told Clarissa that she had her work cut out for her.
Andy came awake the second time her phone buzzed with an incoming message. She looked around, taking a moment to orient herself before remembering she was in the small sleeping quarters at the rear of the company's Deso Falcon 8x. Grabbing her phone, she read an incoming text from Kate about today's Elias Clark board meeting. She sent a quick reply to her former first assistant before noting the time. A quick mental calculation told her that it had been just over six hours since they'd taken off from the airport in Jersey. Giving that they were flying at a significant fraction of the speed of sound, that meant they should be approaching the European mainland.
She moved to the edge of the bed, where she retrieved her Adidas trainers before slipping them on her feet. She never flew in heels. Back in the main cabin, she found the twins being served breakfast by one of the stewards her company employed from time to time.
"And what would you like, Ms. Sachs?" the steward, whose name was Andres, asked.
"I think I'll have what they are having," She said, eyeing the cinnamon rolls the girls were devouring.
"Though I would prefer coffee to hot chocolate," Andy amended, taking her seat opposite Miranda's daughters.
It only took a few minutes for Andres to return with her coffee and pastry. She took a few moments to enjoy coffee made of freshly ground beans, but before she could tuck into her breakfast, she was stopped short by a question from Cassidy.
"So what happened while we were hiding in the hangar last night?"
Andy used the mouth full of food as an excuse not to immediately answer. While she chewed, she weighed her options. She could downplay things. Tell a little white lie to spare the girls the truth. She quickly dismissed that option, these girls had been put through hell because of lies, and she wouldn't build the foundation of their future relationship on one.
"Some people tried to attack us, but the vehicle we were in kept us safe, and the police were there to deal with them," Andy responded evenly.
"Why did they want to hurt us?" Caroline asked.
"It's complicated…" Andy began before being cut off by an angry Cassidy.
"It's complicated is what our dad would always say before he lied to our faces. I thought you were different, Andy."
Andy was not put off by Cassidy's anger. She knew from experience that anger was often a mask for pain or fear.
"First, I know that you don't know me all that well, but I'm not in the habit of lying to those that I care about."
"You care about us?" Caroline asked.
She actually already loved the girls because they were apart of their mother, but she wanted to give them time to accept that she would be part of their lives.
"Yes, sweetheart, I care very deeply about both you and your sister."
Neither girl responded, but Andy could see them both relax a little.
"Second, I said it was complicated because it is complicated."
The girls sat in silence as they listened to Andy explain what she knew about the events that led up to last night.
"So everything that happened to mom was Nikki's fault?" Caroline asked.
"What I'm saying is that I believe that Nichole's desire to be Queen is what started this, but I believe that those who were closest to your mom are the ones most responsible."
"You mean Mr. Ravitz and Stephen," Caroline asked.
"And Dad," Cassidy amended.
"And your Dad," Andy agreed.
"But for all your Dad's flaws, he did the right thing in the end," Andy said.
She was no fan of Gregg Brant, but she would be forever grateful that he'd agreed to let her take the girls. She didn't know Nichole well, but she suspected that she was not the type of person who would let the lives of two children get in the way of growing ambitions.
"I'm glad that you came and got us," Cassidy said.
Clearly, the girl was not feeling generous towards her father, but Andy knew that could change with time.
"Please fasten your seatbelts ladies, we'll be landing shortly," the pilot announced over the intercom.
Andres made quick work clearing the remnants of breakfast away before taking his own seat. The landing was uneventful as the occupants of the passenger compartment barely registered the landing gear's impact with the runway.
Not wanting Nichole or her uncle to know that they were in the country, Andy had contacted Myka Bearing, the Queen's new security chief, to arrange for a quiet entry. Instead of being met by the usual customs officials, they were met by two security officers posing as custom agents. Instead of checking their passports, the two efficient women had Andy, the girls, and their luggage loaded into a nondescript SUV. In less than ten minutes from arrival, they were on the road headed to Aren Hall. To see Miranda.
AN: A bit of a shorter update, but I am getting back into the swing of updating on a schedule. From the moment that I conceived this story, I knew Sam getting Princess Lessons had to happen. A little more bonding for Andy and the girls, and we are one step closer to the reunion that we all want to see. It feels really good to be writing again, and I appreciate all the support and encouragement I received from the last update. It was all of you that kept me trying to push this story forward. I thank you all.
WB