Hi Guys!

Thank you for all of your lovely feedback on Chapter 1! I'm so glad that you liked it and are as excited about this as I am. Please remember that I've never done an AU before and so I'm trying as hard as possible to keep this accurate but also entertaining. Did you all hear about series 2? I am so excited! I'll definitely miss Molly Dawes but hopefully she will make an appearance ;) Anyways, here is the next chapter. I apologise for the delay as I hoped to get this written sooner but I've quite enjoyed being lazy after working on exams for 6 weeks! I hope you enjoy :)

Love,

Sarah x

Chapter 2 - An Irish Airman

The years to come seemed waste of breath.

- 'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death' - WB Yeats

It had been exactly one week since Charles James had received the news in the early morning that his father had died and he was now King of the United Kingdom. It had been a week of public appearances, meetings, interviews, media cameras and publicity. In fact, the week had been so jampacked that Molly was worried that Charles was on autopilot and didn't have any time to grieve properly. Despite his reassurance that everything, including himself, was 'fine', she couldn't help but worry about her husband.

He had been lost in thought the whole journey. The crowds of thousands waving the Union Jack and dressed in black had all faded into one massive blur and he gazed out of the window. Every so often Molly would squeeze his hand to offer him comfort and support and he would squeeze back, each squeeze a promise that he was okay.

"Charlie?" She said softly as she moved his hand onto her lap. When he didn't answer, she turned herself from looking out the window and waving softly to the crowds and looked right at him. He looked exhausted. She took in his untamed thick curls and pale complexion, matched with bags under his eyes and a worry line she had never noticed before on the bridge of his nose. He was wearing his decorated military jacket along with smart black trousers and shoes. "Charlie?" Molly tried again.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting when she looked at him but that wasn't what she had expected, or had wanted, to see. Charles looked at her with the expression of a young boy who was deeply lost and troubled. His eyes appeared vacant and he looked like he wasn't fully there. The longer she looked at him the more she felt her heart break.

When he had turned to look at her, he realised that this was the first time in days he had properly looked at her. He had been so busy during the days that he returned home late at night, only seeing her in the darkness of their bedroom with the bedside table lamp the only source of light. He took in her brown hair styled in its natural curls, her natural looking makeup and also her pained expression. He knew she was worried about him. Hell, he was worried about himself. But some part of him wouldn't let him tell her how sad he was ... it didn't feel like something a King could do. He squeezed her hand and raised it to his lips and lightly kissed it as he moved his eyes further down her body. She was wearing a black skater skirt and matching top that she covered with a knee-length black trenchcoat along with her black tights and heels. Had he felt that he had enough strength, and that this was the right moment, he would have told her she looked breathtakingly beautiful.

"I'm okay. I promise." He smiled, but Molly noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes. She looked at him carefully and had opened her mouth to say something when their driver interrupted.

"We're almost there, your Royal Highness. Qaseem will be standing at the doors of St George's Chapel to walk you both in. Security have kept the cameras back a few metres."

"Thank you." Charles nodded as he looked again out the window. This time, he raised his hand and waved to the mourning crowd and they smiled and waved excitedly back at him.

One minute later, the driver announced that they had arrived and the black car pulled to a halt. Charles took a deep breath and looked at Molly for reassurance.

"Are you ready?" She murmured. He simply nodded, kissed her knuckles again before the door to his side of the car was opened. He waved to the cheering crowds and pulled his jacket tighter around him due to the cold before walking around the other side of the car and opening Molly's door as the designated doorman stepped back at Charles' insistence.

He took her hand and they both walked into the Church, the wave of shouting cameramen and the crowd drowned out by Qaseem who was running Charles through the plan for the funeral. The couple continued to wave and offered a couple of smiles before the doors to the Chapel were shut.

It was halfway through the service when Charles found himself standing in front of the packed Chapel, aware that his speech was being watched both inside and outside of the Chapel and also worldwide. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat.

"When I was a young boy, I took great interest in the poems that my father would read to me. And, although I was young, he would explain them to me as though I was an equal with him. Among them, his favourite poem was the one I am about to read to you all. I can remember it being read to me and afterwards, in all my innocence, I asked him why that was his favourite. That's when he explained it to me.

Like me, my father was born to be a King of the United Kingdom. It was all he had ever known and it was all he had ever wanted. The poet is telling the story of a pilot who wanted to fight in the First World War not because he was forced to but because he wanted to. He felt alive in those moments and he knew, realistically, that he would die doing the one job he loved more than anything.

When I received the news that the King had passed away I realised that, in many ways, my father was that pilot. I hope you take comfort in the fact that my father died doing the duty he loved more than you can imagine. He was happy. And, like this poem, his legacy is going to live forever. God Save The King."

As the congregation repeated the last sentence, Charles glanced along the front row until his eyes met Molly's. She offered him a small smile and he smiled back before stating to read the poem.

"...in balance with this life, this death."

The congregation applauded as Charles stepped down from the podium and he took his seat again, taking with wife's hand and rubbing his thumb over it softly.

Royal duties took priority after the funeral and Molly could see her husband gradually becoming more tired as he greeted those he was told to. It was almost ten at night when they were driven through the gates of their new home: Buckingham Palace.

This would be their first night sleeping in the Palace as the reigning couple and Molly looked out the window in awe. She had taken off her coat in the car on the way home and Charles had swapped his military uniform for a simple white shirt and black overcoat. Both were extremely overwhelmed after the day they had endured.

The guards opened their car doors when the car stopped and Charles quickly walked around to Molly's side and placed his palm on the small of her back, a comforting gesture to guide her. She smiled at the staff who had gathered to meet them while Charles simply nodded as they saluted or curtseyed.

"Your Royal Highnesses! Welcome to Buckingham Palace. Your quarters are ready for you if you would both like to follow me." Qaseem gave them the friendliest smile that he could, aware that both were exhausted and emotional.

Upon reaching the quarters, both were already yawning and were struggling to keep their eyes open. Qaseem nodded at the guards who opened the doors to their new home as Charles smiled tiredly and muttered his thanks.

Both were too tired to take a proper look around the place so Qaseem decided to make this as short as possible. "There's somebody I'd like you both to meet."

Charles sighed. "Another?"

Qaseem chuckled and guided them into the kitchen of their quarters where a woman was standing in a black dress and apron. "Charles, Molly, I'd like to introduce you to Rebecca, your new housekeeper."

Hehe! I couldn't resist not including her. I wonder what she'll be up to in this story? Again, thank you for your lovely reviews and if you have time, feel free to leave another! It is comforting to read how people are responding to your work and it's the only way of knowing if you're keeping people interested. I hope you all have a lovely summer :) Thank you! Xo