DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters from Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. I'm not making money from this story.
Julian paced outside the door, his thoughts swirling around in his head. Anneliese, the baby, Preminger. They all screamed for his attention. His pacing quickened with the passing minutes. He was brought back to reality when he heard the door open to reveal the doctor.
"Good morning, Your Highness," the doctor greeted with a bow.
"Good morning," Julian responded anxiously. "How... how is she?"
"Well, she is still sleeping, but I believe that she should be waking up very shortly. Remember, she is just unconscious from shock." Clearly, the news of Preminger's escape was traumatic for the princess. While the doctor's confidence was somewhat reassuring, Julian was still very on edge about Anneliese's condition.
"But you said the same thing last night. Is there any way to wake her? Is the baby going to be alright?" He was already imagining the worst scenarios.
"I'm afraid I don't have any antidotes of tonics to give her. She must wake up on her own, Your Highness. Fortunately, this will not cause any harm to the princess or the child."
"Thank you, doctor." And with that, the elderly man started to walk down the hall, while Julian opened the door slowly.
When he walked in, Anneliese was still on the plush bed, tucked underneath an endless amount of blankets. She had a strong calm aura surrounding her, the strongest in the past year. The corners of her mouth formed a very slight smile. Her golden hair cascaded across the pillow, and she looked like an angel.
Julian knelt next to the bed and started stroking her hair. He found much comfort in being by her side. "If you can hear me, please wake up, Anneliese. I love you," he whispered near her ear. He planted a kiss on her lips and waited a moment before standing up. He walked out of the room, pausing a moment to watch her from afar.
There was not a clear destination as Julian meandered through the maze-like castle hallways. He continued walking and walking and walking, hoping it would clear his cluttered mind.
Across the castle, the queen was sitting at the desk in her study. Her head was in her hands, eyes closed in mixture of frustration and worry. What was she going to do? She sent out multiple search parties the night before, but none had returned with promising findings. In fact, no one had found anything. How does someone simply disappear that quickly? She took a deep breath.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knock on the door. Gathering her thoughts and displaying her emotionless mask, she responded calmly, "Come in."
The door opened and two guards walked in. One was the head of security Alexander and the other was second in command Francis. They were both slightly out of breath from, what appeared to be, a very brisk walk. The guests bowed hastily when they got to the front of the queen's desk.
"Any news?" the queen asked hopefully.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Alexander responded. "We found this in Preminger's cell. It hints at a potential plot of his. We believe it is important for you to read it yourself before we discuss the matter any further." Francis handed Queen Genevieve a folded note. She opened it warily and immediately recognized the handwriting. The flowing loops and perfect penmanship. It was definitely his.
"And where exactly did you find this?" the queen asked as she began to read the letter. Queen Genevieve gathered that it was found on the bed in his cell. A place where guards would obviously find it, so it was meant to be collected and read. But she barely paid attention to the rest of the response as she read further into the letter. At the end, she gasped and dropped it on the desk. Her surprise morphed into anger and determination.
"I need more castle guards at every gate and hallway. More village patrols also need to be set up immediately. There must be no way for him to enter our lives ever again!"
"We have already heightened security, but I will see to it that they are doubled, Your Majesty," Alexander responded with a bow. He left the room and the queen with Francis on his heels.
Once they were gone, Queen Genevieve read the letter to herself again.
"This is not good-bye. I shall return. You all ruined my lives, so I must return the favor. Mark my words, I will be back and this time, I am not leaving without a certain, young royal. How can I refuse?"
The queen hadn't noticed the tears beginning to stream down her face until one drop hit the paper. How was she going to tell Anneliese and Julian that Preminger was after their child?
Julian's aimless walk brought him to the garden filled with Anneliese and her father's roses. Just a few days ago, he and Anneliese celebrated their anniversary. It was also when he found out he was going to be a father. At the time, Julian felt overwhelmed, but as the shock was beginning to wear off, he was becoming very excited. He stood in the gazebo thinking about his own father.
Julian was determined to be a better father than his own. He can still hear the degrading comments hurled at him as a child. His father, Marcus, was not supportive in his studies, but Julian laughed. Marcus wanted him the learn the family trade of carpentry, but look where his intellect got him. Julian was determined to be the supportive father that he never had.
He sat down on a bench and put his head in his hands. So many problems with so little time.
He was so preoccupied by his thoughts that Julian didn't see Queen Genevieve walk up to the bench.
"Uh, Julian. I didn't expect to find you here," the queen said, making Julian jump. Immediately, she apologized for startling him.
"It's fine," he replied, "I'm just... thinking."
"This used to be one of my favorite places to think, surrounded by nature. Well, at least before Nicolas died. What were you thinking about?" the queen asked as she sat next to him on the bench.
"Well, lots of things. I was trying to create solutions for problems across the kingdom. You know, the economy is still unhealthy and tensions are building at the border." The queen laughed at her son-in-law.
"You don't have to lie to me, Julian. I know exactly what, I mean who, you were thinking about because I've been thinking a lot about him lately, as well."
He sighed. "The mystery bothers me. We don't know how he escaped, where he is, or what he wants. Have there been any notable developments?"
The queen looked forward and sighed thinking of the note in her pocket and what it would mean to the expecting parents. She hadn't planned on telling Julian or Anneliese about Preminger's threat this early in the pregnancy. She still didn't even know when she was going to tell them, for that matter. In the end, she decided that Julian needed to know.
"Um, I don't know how to say this," she started as she looked at Preminger's folded note that she had taken out of her pocket. Her hands began to shake very slightly. She found it hard to form the right words. "The guards found this in Preminger's cell this morning. I was going to wait awhile before giving it to you, but I think... I think you should read it now."
He took the note, unfolded it, and began reading. Queen Genevieve studied his face as he read it. He kept his composure on the outside, but she could see his insides were in a state of turmoil. She was right. Even in the open, Julian felt that the sky was closing in.
He was in absolute shock. It was a few seconds before he was able to close his mouth and peel his eyes from the letter. "Wow, he... he wants our baby? How are we going to tell Anneliese? We've been trying to have a baby for months now. He can't get away with this." He let out an exasperated breath and he could feel heat rushing to his face. Anneliese would be absolutely devastated. He stood up and started pacing in an effort to calm himself down. As always, it was a fruitless attempt.
Keeping a close eye on Julian walking from one bush to the other, the queen explained, "I have already sent out search parties and increased security around the castle and village. As for my poor Anneliese, I don't know when we should tell her." The queen gazed at the mountains on the horizon as if they had all the answers.
Julian put his head in his hands when he finally sat down. From that position, he said, "I don't know when we should tell her. All I know is that it will break her heart when we do." A solemn silence fell upon them.
"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," the queen blurted, tears in her eyes. "I should've been more careful of Preminger's imprisonment. Now my grandchild is in danger." She felt the weight of the situation on her.
Julian quickly responded, "No one is blaming you or is going to blame you for any of this. We all thought it was best to keep him in our dungeons in order to keep an eye on him. It was all of our faults. I do not blame you."
The queen simply nodded, still unconvinced.
Julian continued, "As far as Anneliese is concerned, I don't know when we should tell her. It would probably be best to wait until she is fully recovered at least, but I want to tell her when it is the right time. Whenever that may be."
"Did the doctor ever say when she will wake up?"
"He believes she will gain consciousness at some point today," he said with a sigh, "but he also said that she would wake up last night."
Suddenly, a servant appeared in the archway. "Excuse me, Your Majesty," she said, "You are being requested in the throne room for the council meeting."
The queen shook her head as she stood up. "There is no escape," she tried to say under her breath, however, Julian's chuckle indicated he had heard her. "Uh, Julian, please notify me immediately when Anneliese wakes up. Thank you." With a genuine smile, she was whisked away as usual leaving Julian on the garden bench.
Queen Genevieve wished she was still in the garden during the council meeting. There were so many other issues of actual importance to solve. She hated all the pompous aristocrats yelling over each other. Today's topic: land feuds. Lord Isaac and Lord Timothy argued over a thirty foot change in land boundary for forty-five minutes. Not to mention Lords Erik and Joseph's debacle over a twenty yard strip of unclaimed land in between their properties. That one lasted for a whole hour. Needless to say, she was grateful when it was all over.
Of course, she was not able to enjoy any alone time before a guard walked into the throne room. The queen acknowledged his bow when he approached her. "Have you found anything?" she asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but all the tips we received lead us to dead ends," the guard reported. "We are quickly running out of options." He looked discouraged and dejected.
Queen Genevieve stood taller. "He must be found. Keep listening and searching until we find him. He has to be somewhere." She took a deep breath. "Preminger has made an explicit threat on a member of the royal family. You will and must locate him. Do you understand?" The queen had an unusually harsh tone. She was known for kindness as well as being a very fair ruler. That is until her family or people are in danger.
"As you wish your highness," he said with a bow before leaving.
After the guard left, Queen Genevieve slumped into her throne and turned her head to Charlotte, who had heard the entire conversation and now finding interest in the floor. She quickly started apologizing when she felt the queen's gaze fall upon her. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I should leave now. That wasn't my conversation to hear and -"
"Please don't leave," the queen interrupted. "I need your advice."
"This isn't my place. I'm... I'm just a maid." Charlotte blushed, but the queen's expectant look intensified.
"An outsider's opinion is usually the best. I have learned that over the years. So tell me, when should I tell Anneliese about Preminger's plot?"
Charlotte cleared her throat and shifted on her feet. "What plot?" she asked, clearly lying.
"Oh please, Charlotte, I know the maids know everything," the queen responded with a laugh.
"Alright, if you really want to know." She shifted her weight before speaking again. "I think you shouldn't tell the princess at all... or at least not until the baby is born. She has wanted a child since the day she was married. I don't know if she could handle Preminger's plan. Of course, she is already uneasy with him on the loose, but I believe she would lose her sanity if her baby is in danger. I mean, it's all she ever talks about." Charlotte rolled her eyes with a smile and looked at her feet awaiting the queen's response.
"Interesting," the queen stated as she pondered the idea.
"That baby is her life, your majesty."
"Thank you, Charlotte. And for your information, we see you more than just a maid. Good night." The queen smiled at her. It was true. Charlotte had been working at the castle since she was a teenager and is most trusted among all the servants. She was more like a daughter to her than a worker.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will see you tomorrow," she said with a bow.
As the heavy doors closed, the queen was finally alone with only her thoughts.
A/N: Hello again! Like always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story! Please leave any feedback bc that would help me out a ton! Oh, and while you're reading this, please check out my barbie movie blog on tumblr (bubblybarbie)! Thanks, y'all are da bombs ;)