I barely even remembered the helicopter ride out of there. What I did remember was Roberto, always nearby, just a foot away from me in that helicopter. His eyes fixed in mine the entire trip. I was drugged up en route and didn't wake up again till after surgery.
It was a weird three days after that. I fell asleep on a helicopter and woke on a small private plane, still on a hospital bed, the plane jostling me out of a drugged stupor as it bounced during turbulence. My mind only lasted a little while before it vanished again into deep sleep. The next time I woke, I was drugged up to my eyeballs and in recovery, with Jenny right there.
With Jenny and Alberto's patience, and the need to question them every time I managed to rise above the after effects of general anaesthesia, I got answers. Had I had surgery again? Yes. Two of them in a row. Fantastic. Did I dream a plane? No- the King of Alteria himself had sent it and insisted we get on it so that we could be treated at home. What about Father? Neither Jenny or Alberto answered that, just muttered something about prison, layers, trials, that kind of thing. I accepted it for now. Why was Jenny here? Apparently because Prince Keith had insisted she tend to Roberto and myself.
It wasn't long before I managed to get up out of the hospital bed, groggy or not, and propel myself several feet towards the window on crutches with Jenny right there beside me. They hadn't been kidding- it sounded like half of Alteria was outside the moment she'd cracked the window open a little.
According to Alberto and the news, people outside didn't know all the details yet, but they knew more than enough to get excited. They knew that Prince Roberto's fiancee was here. They had some idea about what had taken place in Oriens, if not the full details, knew that my Father had tried to take over Oriens. The only difference was that the media assumed he'd only had that one night at the party- they didn't know that he'd been successful for almost a month.
Prince Glenn, the real Prince Glenn, was on TV quite a bit as they replayed his media conference explaining the situation as briefly as he could. The King and Queen of Oriens were still in hospital, that was as much as I could tell from TV, and Prince Glenn was acting in his Father's place for the time being. At least Oriens seemed to have forgiven him for the past month of near-neglect- it was generally assumed that he'd been trying to protect Oriens for the past month from terrorists funded by my Father.
Of course I had been half expecting them to see me as a bad person. Not at all. It was the complete opposite- somehow I was a heroine.
They even claimed I'd stopped my father from blowing up the castle. Yeah. Bombs. Father had stuck bombs throughout the building, in foundations and mostly unused rooms, and had apparently got them triggered to his phone. So many that the entire castle was now off limits for at least a week longer. It scared the crap out of me when I'd heard it- because I remembered that phone he'd had in the room with us. Woah. What would Father have done if he'd had the phone in his hand when those police burst in?
"And later on the news- an exclusive interview with a bodyguard of the Oriens treason suspect. Live from prison!"
The news lady distracted me from my morbid thoughts and I gazed over to the TV, completely surrounded by dozens of flowers from all kinds of well wishes, half curious and half exasperated. "This again? I'm sure I heard him give an interview on the other channel."
"I think I saw that too. It's not really exclusive." Jenny complained. "She's much too positive for this story."
"No kidding. They were almost singing about the bombs being found." I agreed. Grasping a branch of cherry blossoms, I inhaled the sweet scent, and sighed out as the smell relaxed me. Prince Glenn had sent branches of them, half of them blossoming in vases all over the hospital now, and promises to send actual saplings as gifts for our wedding.
"So. Prince Keith sent you."
"I already said he did." Jenny reacted exactly how I expected, her face going red, and she added, "It isn't that special. I cared for you last time."
"Uh huh." I grinned. I loved to tease her about it. She could deny it all she liked... and I was sure Prince Keith would do the same... but I was certain that if Prince Keith went to all the trouble of flying her out here, paying for a high class hotel, and offering her twice the wages for just a few weeks...
It was kind of sweet. I doubted Prince Keith was that trusting when it came to Roberto's health, however much the two clashed. Plus, I'd heard another rumour... which Roberto had promised to look into when I'd told him over the phone.
"Alteria's obsessed with you." Jenny quickly changed the subject. "There's flowers everywhere."
I let her do it. Concentrating on standing, I tugged the PJ bottoms up my hips and hobbled across to the window on crutches, all while balancing the wheely IV thing. We were looking into a side street- but there was a glimpse of the main street from up here. Hundreds of people had grown outside.
"We have told them that you will not be leaving until tomorrow but you cannot blame them." Alberto knocked at the door, bowing slightly, and came in as he offered another armful of flowers. "Roberto sends these."
Roberto hadn't exactly come out of it uninjured. Concussion, bruises, internal bleeding, and that was before he'd head butted Father and gotten shot in the process. We had near-matching thigh wounds.
"He's still confined to his bed?" I was half worried and half amused as Alberto lowered another bundle of fragrant red gerbera and white carnations. "Has he woken up from the surgery?"
They'd gone in last night for another quick surgery, apparently nothing to worry about, which of course had kept me up for hours till I knew it was over. Alberto seemed completely unconcerned and that was probably the only reason I managed to stay calm right now.
"His surgery was successful, quick, and he is already awake." Alberto rested the flowers beside my bed on the table as he rolled up his suit and carefully arranged them within a vase. "It was performed under local anaesthesia and his recovery will be quick."
"Phew." I breathed out the 'word'. "What was it?"
"A small bleed." Alberto changed the subject smoothly, "And now he must rest. As should you." Alberto reminded me, giving me a look, but he smiled. "But I cannot complain if you are both at least remaining in your room."
"Did you tell the public that they should spend money on charities instead of flowers?"
"I had the press releases worded a little more elegantly..." Alberto raised an eyebrow. "...but yes. But they love Roberto and so naturally, love you also. I imagine many of the flowers offered are from their gardens."
I supposed that made sense. Gazing back outside, I said softly, "I can't believe they're here for us."
"There is also a small memorial for your mother." Alberto's voice had softened as he gently brushed the flowers into a beautiful arrangement.
Alberto had tried his hardest to give me news before the media got it. One piece of news that he couldn't move ahead was the news about my mother. The investigation had already proved that he had paid to have my mother killed. Maybe that was part of the reason they were so happy to accept me as being on the good side. Every time the news talked about it they spoke as if this was something I had known all along. People talked like I'd only moved in with my father to expose his crimes.
It wasn't true of course. I'd been just a teenager and had wanted a father. It was just that simple and I hadn't exactly been good at coping with reality after.
"Are you sure you wish for your first public appearance to be tomorrow?"
No. I wasn't. But … somehow I felt it was right. I nodded. "You've got it planned out."
"Naturally." Alberto agreed. "You will both greet members of the crowd, both pushed and followed by bodyguards, accepting gifts, before being escorted into a waiting car."
"In other words- Roberto will wheel off into the crowd."
Alberto smiled at that. He seemed to see right through me. "I will also be beside you both. Should he leave your side, I will remain, I trust the bodyguards to know their duty and escort him back."
"Thanks." It probably would be hard for Roberto to escape in a wheelchair. All they had to do was wheel him back again. "I don't have to say much, do I?"
"No. Greet them, thank them, and accept one or two gifts. Carry one and offer another to a bodyguard to carry."
I sighed and felt tired all of a sudden. Okay. Too much standing. There was a gentle hand on my arm.
"Let me help you." Alberto offered and carefully guided me back to the bed, Jenny on the other side, the two of them assisting me into it until I was comfortable again. They had been hovering around quite a bit lately- Jenny and Alberto- and didn't seem happy when I moved around too much. "Do not worry too much. That is the reason I'll remain beside you tomorrow- I'll direct uncomfortable questions or statements. No person outside will expect you to be at your best."
"Good." I did feel a little better. It amused me as Alberto fussed around, like had the past few days, pouring me a cup of warm tea. He'd found out I couldn't stand boiling hot tea and had somehow discovered the temperature I liked. Magic butlers. "Thanks. When can Roberto visit?"
"Roberto will be allowed to stay in the room with you tonight." Alberto informed me, as he helped me with the pillows, adding, "On the condition that you both remain in your own hospital beds."
"Fine." It was fine by me. I was so sore and miserable right now that I didn't really want Roberto to cuddle up... no offence to him but if he caused pain in the middle of the night, I might end up shoving him out of bed, and he was already sore enough. Accepting the tea, I sipped, enjoying the taste of raspberries and mint. "So what's the lesson today?"
"I'll give you some basic lessons on behaviour in public." Alberto slid his phone out of his pocket as he read a schedule. My schedule.
Jenny yawned, muttering something about Roberto, and vanished.
"The King has also requested that the three of you share a meal here tonight. It will be informal but I believe you'd be comfortable with some guidance..."
"What?" Oh god. That's right. Roberto had a father who was a King. I straightened up and blinked. "What do I need to know?"
Alberto's eyes warmed at that. "How to smile."
"You mean... like ...properly?"
"No." Alberto shook his head. "Smile. He's looking forward to meeting his future daughter-in-law, and all you need to do tonight is relax. Now, the first rule of public interaction is-"
Jenny returned after and helped me shower. My brain buzzed with lessons, a little overwhelmed, and it was kind of a relief to dress and shower. Even if I did have to sit down to do it with giant plastic stuff all over my leg. Jenny unhooked the IV, covered up the giant needle that was still inside my arm with a bandage, and even brushed my hair.
"We'll leave this in overnight." She explained as she carefully covered it with an elastic bandage. "Just in case. But you won't need a drip now. I'll take it out in the morning before you leave."
"It still feels weird." I frowned as she applied pressure, briefly, kind of grossed out by the way I could feel a long needle still in my arm.
"Sorry about that. Better we keep it in now than panic later if you need it. Which you won't." Jenny added the last part. "You'll do a blood test before bed, one in the morning, but I am certain you'll be fine without anything else."
"Good."
"Did you want to wear this or this?"
It was taking place in a specially prepared room within the hospital. I suspected it was a function room or something, it wasn't small, but the table there was just a plain table with a crisp white tablecloth concealing a fairly common looking piece of furniture.
Roberto reappeared, having the time of his life in his own personal wheelchair, followed by a slightly more composed older man.
"Phia!" He charged at me and we nearly crashed into each other, Roberto too delighted to do anything but adjust, and he grasped my hands as he kissed them. For a guy who'd had surgery last night he was pretty cheerful.
"Robbie."
"I missed you!"
"We talked on the phone last night!" I laughed. His energy relaxed me, and we grasped hands, our fingers entwining together, because last night seemed like weeks ago right now. He still had his IV thing in his arm. "How are you feeling?"
"Good. They gave me an injection for some pain and you... you're better than any pain meds. How are you feeling?"
We didn't get time to talk. Roberto's father arrived.
Roberto's father was like him. It was kind of shocking to see them side by side. The King had the same brown hair, same warm eyes, the same smile that he didn't seem to be able to shake, and while he was clearly in his middle years, there were only a few hints of grey. It was possible he dyed his hair. I wasn't sure- I could actually see Roberto doing that at some point. He had a great deal more curl in his hair than Roberto did, his hair a touch lighter, so maybe Roberto's mother had been the one with straight brown hair.
He had the same warmth as well, grasping my hand and kissing it,
"No, no. You're going to become my daughter! Call me Pop while we're informal."
"P...Pop?"
"Robbie used to call me Pop when he was very little. I miss it." There it was- a pout, practically identical to Roberto- as the older man teased me. I shook my head as Roberto went to bat his hand away from mine.
"Or Dad. I'll be your Dad-in-law."
"Dad." I tried it. It sounded really odd, but he seemed pleased, and Roberto didn't seem that bothered either.
"Robbie was giving me a little bit of a fright, I must admit!" The King sat down at one part of the table, his own butler appearing to pour him a glass of the wine, adding cheerfully, "We were certain he'd be missing out on the crown or married and depressed. Look at him!"
I did look at Roberto, who had wheeled himself into the space right beside my wheelchair, and as our eyes met, his eyes warmed as his cheeks flushed with pleasure.
Even looking at him made him happy. I smiled back, my own cheeks flushing, half amused and half embarrassed that we were like this even in front of his dad. It was... a little awkward for me. I wasn't sure how to behave around his dad.
"Look at you both." He corrected himself.
Alberto appeared to push Roberto into the right spot, all while somehow pouring me a glass of something. I sipped it and found it was juice. Not that surprising- I wasn't exactly in a state for alcohol. With the pain killers and all.
We ate together, and slowly I managed to relax and laugh along with the two of them, Roberto and his father more or less provoking me into smiling. I did notice that Roberto's father seemed slightly better with control. He had more tact, slipping in the plans for the wedding between casual banter, and I was slightly less overwhelmed by all of that.
When he casually mentioned it was in a week, I didn't even panic, just ...breathed in deeply.
"Don't you worry." He added, as he delicately handled the plate in front of him, very cheerful as he continued, "All you need to do is pick a dress, decide on some flowers you like, and show up."
"Al's probably going to have her busy with lessons anyway." Roberto gave me a sympathetic look and added, "Or are you going to be nice?" to Alberto who had come forward to refill my glass.
"It would be unkind of me, as the one responsible for preparing her, to not spend each day helping her anticipate her own wedding." Alberto responded smoothly.
"But I only get an hour with her a day. I saw your schedule." Roberto complained. "Can't I help her pick out a dress?"
"I believe in her culture, it's wrong for the husband to see it, is that not right?" 'Dad' interjected gently. When I nodded, he smiled, and added, "But the father-in-law can see it!"
"I believe your schedule is already full..." His own butler was quick to deny that. It amused me so much to see them with their butlers.. "I wouldn't recommend sneaking out."
So his father snuck out as well. I laughed, shaking my head, warmth spreading through my chest. Wow. These two were my family. If the butlers weren't there it might have almost seemed like a regular meal. I promised to Roberto's father, "I'll send you a photo," which made Roberto scowl.
"I wanted to see it first."
"We can't exactly ask the guests to shut their eyes." His father responded.
"How are we going to do it though? We're both in wheelchairs!" This was a problem that had been bugging me for ages.
"Traditionally, we'll both kneel for the vows." Roberto responded as he returned to his meal. "We might need help getting up."
"Speaking of which- you'll need a maid-of-honor."
"Oh." That was going to be an issue. The only person I really knew was Jenny. I hesitated.
"You're friends with Jenny, right?" Roberto read my mind. "Why not ask her?"
"Is she a commoner as well?" Roberto's father asked. He added quickly, "I have nothing against that- you're going to bring fresh life to our family. But we'll need to arrange for her to be prepared as well. It can be overwhelming even for the most experienced of us."
"If she's okay with it, I guess it could be her." I had to admit... some part of me would feel better about her than some rich woman I'd never met. Particularly if that woman was one of Roberto's ex-flirts. Two commoner women. We'd freak out about this wedding together.
"Great!"
Roberto's father continued to fill in the plans. We'd be married at Nobel Michal, a tradition that was long held for every Prince, and spend the night there afterwords. Then off on a honeymoon that Roberto wanted to plan... apparently it was going to be a surprise for me. I had to admit, the more I heard about the wedding, the more I realised that there was very little I could have planned even with a year's notice.
Alteria may have been the country with the most relaxed attitude, apparently, but it was still pretty obsessive. I took it all in, silent, and was suddenly glad that Alberto really was going to be working with me for the next week.
The King had to leave not long after dessert and we were led back to the same room. I noticed another bed was there now, both beds lowered so we could get to them, and the flowers moved to one side of the room, and Roberto took three seconds to start cheerfully stripping off his shirt and tie.
Jenny's eyes diverted pretty fast.
"Bed?"
"Separate beds." I reminded him. I slowly peeled off a necklace and my own dress, flustered as he stopped to watch me undress, and gave him a look. "Or I kick you off the bed. Injured or not."
"Aw. Come on."
"Falling out of bed will hurt." I warned him. Sex would probably hurt too- we both had injuries in our thighs. "Plus if we wait till we've healed up a bit, like after the wedding, it'll be... well, more exciting." Once again embarrassment filled me but it seemed logical to me. I barely looked at Jenny though... who's face had gone slightly redder all of a sudden.
Roberto smiled, wheeling over to kiss me, before he nodded. "Okay. We'll wait till after the wedding."
"Okay."
I crawled into the bed, weight on my arms and good leg, Jenny hurrying over to help me, and sighed with relief as I found myself finally in the bed.
"I'll give you some pain killers for sleep." She said softly. "It'll be a pill."
"Okay." I agreed.
"Button's there. Just buzz if you need anything, more pain meds, anything." She continued as she carefully got my bad leg propped up on a pillow.
I nodded and shut my eyes. It was enough to hear Roberto nearby. I listened to him answer Jenny as she helped him into bed, the sound of his voice and the fresh wave of pain relief easing me into a quick sleep.
I woke to the feeling of a warm body settling in behind me, familiar smell joining it, a hand sneaking around my waist and relaxing there. I heard him sigh, this deep sigh that tickled my ear, and sighed myself.
"I said I'd kick you out..." I warned Roberto, turning to lay on my back, and gazed up at him. "This bed ain't big enough for two wounded people."
"Warriors. We were great." Roberto brushed hair out of my face. "I'm finally alone with you."
I studied his face in the dim room, the bruises fading under his skin, the bandage gone now. I could see it, that sudden move he'd done days ago now, that headbutt...
Sure. It had been violent and probably hurt him like hell. But it had been pretty sexy to see him like that. Was that weird?
He grinned as I stared, asking, "Falling in love again?"
"No." I felt flustered. He knew me too well. "Trying to figure out if you're too injured still for me to shove you off the bed."
"That's harsh. We need to look amazing tomorrow- I want everyone to see you." Roberto kissed my forehead, his palm brushing across my face, adding, "Your bruises are gone. Are you worried about the wedding?"
"I don't know." I hadn't let myself think about it since the flood of information. "I think I'm just taking it one step at a time. The dress first."
"I'm nervous." Roberto confessed. He breathed out slowly as he shut his eyes.
"About marrying me?"
"No. Not that. I want to do that. I'm nervous about all of it." His voice had softened till it was barely there. "Don't tell the others."
Oh. He must have meant about the crown, about committing to it, and I nodded silently. Of course I wouldn't do that. "One thing at a time. Oh. What happened to the Black Foxes?"
"Gone. Vanished." Roberto waved his hand. "Like they promised."
I felt a bit sad, like I wanted to thank them, but I had other things on my mind. Reaching up to carefully stroke his face I asked softly, "What did Father say to you? To make you get angry like that?" I studied his face, watching the smile fade on his lips, and added quickly, "No sugar coating it, Roberto."
"Aw. Call me Robbie."
"When we get home." I promised. It relaxed him and Roberto grinned.
"We've got separate bedrooms but I'm moving into your room. Okay?"
"Don't change the subject."
"It wasn't what he was saying." Roberto's mouth shut and he gazed down at me. It took him a while before he muttered, "It was just ...the look on your face."
"My face?"
"It made me angry." Roberto rested his head down on my pillow as he relaxed there, his own bad leg rested on my good leg, the shorts not doing anything to hide the wound he'd received. "I think you would have done that too."
"I would have." The last part of me that was tempted to shove him off the bed vanished. I reached out to touch the area he'd been injured, fingering the bandage with light fingers, but I confessed, "I felt helpless with him. I don't know if I could have done that. Even when you were hurting, I just... couldn't move."
"That's what made me angry!" Roberto's head rose at that, fire in his eyes suddenly, "You looked helpless! You're not helpless. I don't want anyone to make you feel like that."
He grasped my face, kissing me hard, and I kissed him back, our lips pressing together even as our noses smooshed around.
"I don't feel helpless." I told him, giving him a gentle forehead bump, and smiled. "Not any more."
Roberto seemed to remember something at that moment, sitting up carefully, and he yanked something over from the table. Relaxing back down, he lifted a tablet up between us, and showed me something. "I have a plan."
"A plan?"
I found myself staring at images of the six Princes. Roberto had lines coming from each of them to empty boxes below them. Well. Almost all empty. Four had women in them. Jenny... and that woman who had been a bodyguard earlier on. Two other women I'd never met before. What was he planning?
"What kind of plan?" I asked, suspicious all of a sudden, as Roberto's wicked grin appeared. That was the kind of smile I'd learnt to connect with 'Roberto's up to no good...'
Roberto glanced up, checking the still empty room, before his voice lowered. "You and I have a mission after the honeymoon..."
"Mission?"
"You're going to love it." Roberto promised as he drew a line on the tablet from one of the Princes to one of the women. "First..."
A/N
Just a wedding to go! :O