Chapter 4 – An unexpected chance
When prince Philippe saw princess Emma walk into his mother's suite to have breakfast he put his napkin down and walked towards her. The Queen turned in her chair.
´Emma! What is it?´
The prince escorted the pale princess to her seat and knelt by her side after she'd sat down, placing his hand on her upper arm as if afraid she'd fall of her chair.
´A little headache,´ the princess managed.
The Queen eyed her suspiciously. She'd heard about Emma's migraine attacks. She ordered a pot lapsong souchong tea and closed the curtains.
´Did you take medication?´ Philippe asked as he rose.
´Yes.´
After three cups of tea, the princess declared she felt better but she flinched when Philippe's signet-ring accidentally touched his tea cup.
´We are not going riding,´ Philippe decided.
´You can go riding,´ Emma slowly said.
´Nonsense. We'll go together or we won't go at all.´
Emma gave him a feeble smile and raised her tea cup to inhale the smoky scent. She was glad that Philippe and aunt Clarisse didn't feel the need to start a conversation. After a few minutes an idea came up in her misty mind.
´Why don't you go aunt?´
´I can't darling,´ the Queen whispered, ´Joseph has to arrange security.´
´Use mine.´
The Queen looked at her son and shook her head. He carefully and silently pushed his chair back and tiptoed to his mother's desk.
´You don't have any appointments this morning mother,´ he softly said.
OoOoOoO
Once a year Joe visited the commander of the Pyran police. They talked about security related items and when there was time left they shared memories about the marines. Joe had left for the meeting at the moment the princess had entered the Queen's suite. When he returned to the Castle some hours later on he walked straight to the security room. His number one saw him approach via the monitors and rehearsed what he would tell his boss about the Queen's outing.
´Teballi,´ Joe greeted his right hand, ´Is everything al right?´
´Yes sir.´
Teballi expected his boss to ask about Her Majesty's whereabouts. He glanced sideways. The chief stared at the monitor showing the main entrance at the outer gate.
That is not Her! Conscience Joe firmly said. It is the princess. The protective layers of her suit make her look voluptuous! And besides, on a monitor people look different.
Joe cleared his head.
´The prince returns sooner than he had planned. I hope all went well.´
´As far as I know it did,´ Teballi replied.
Joe told him he would be in his office and left. Teballi blessed his good fortune.
OoOoOoO
On his way to his office several people had something to ask him and when Joe thought he had finally gotten rid of them all, he was addressed by someone he couldn't ignore. He stopped and turned around. The prince was still wearing his motor suit, it's jacket unzipped.
´Your Highness. You've returned earlier than was planned. I hope all went well?´
´Absolutely. She's an excellent rider.´
´Yes, I've seen her on a monitor just now. She handles her bike well.´
So you didn't just notice that suit, did you? Conscience Joe whispered.
´Glad you agree Joe,´ the prince smiled. ´It's a shame Her Royal Highness got such a horrible headache though.´
´That's why you returned earlier,´ Joe understood.
´Well, Her Majesty made sure she is taken good care of. Although I suppose all she needs are darkness and silence. I'll check on her later on.´
OoOoOoO
´If I had been the princess, I'd also have asked the Queen if I could ride her bike,´ mechanic Andreo said during dinner. His colleagues nodded.
Joe's fork stopped in mid-air if only for a moment. He stopped listening to LeBlanc's praise for John Irving and focussed on the conversation going on at the nearby table.
´She looked hot in that suit.´
Joe heard appreciative sounds.
´Do you know that that idiot Justin here actually wanted to whistle?´
´What's wrong with that?´ another voice said, ´I see a chick like that, I whistle.´
´The prince was there too! Would you like it if some moron like yourself whistled at your girlfriend?´
Justin wasn't offended: ´I wouldn't mind. Means that I'm cool and that my woman is hot!´
Kitchen maid Isabel bent over the table to replace an empty bowl. Justin asked her if she would mind if someone showed his appreciation for her looks.
´What did you do?´ the pretty young woman wanted to know.
The men grinned.
´He almost whistled at the princess - ´ Andreo started.
´She was wearing her helmet! She wouldn't have heard me anyway.´
Isabel shrugged. She didn't mind it when men whistled at her. As long as they didn't call her names, she thought it was cute.
Justin believed Isabel looked disapprovingly so he gave her more information.
´This morning, she walked out of the stables, long legs, nice butt, big boobs, I mean, if you look like that and men wouldn't whistle, wouldn't you be offended?´
Isabel thought about it. Then she realised: ´This morning?´
Justin shrugged: ´Yeah.´
´That wasn't the princess you... you... !´
LeBlanc stopped describing what A prayer for Owen Meany was about when he saw the look on his boss's face.
´Sir?´
´The princess had a migraine attack,´ Isabel told Justin. ´Don't you hear anything out there, you... you...?´
Joe turned around to address Isabel: ´They returned earlier because of Her Royal Highness's headache but the prince and princess did go riding.´
Those who knew that the head of security was mistaken felt inclined to remain silent except for colonel Frerer.
´The princess didn't go riding, Mr Romero. Her Majesty went instead and she was protected by the princess's guards.´
Justin turned red. Joe dropped his napkin on his plate.
´Teballi,´ the head of security barked, ´you're with me.´