Sorry this chapter is short, but I don't think you'll mind. It's a shortie but a goodie.
Thanks for the reviews, they keep me going! You guys are seriously the best.
It took Ted Pryce's body 4 days to decide whether or not it would call it quits. They had said it was about fifty/fifty whether or not he would pull through with his extensive internal bleeding and head trauma, but on the fourth day he opened his eyes.
Eleanor would never admit how relieved she was to hear that. She didn't think she could handle being even partially responsible for killing a man. Sending him to prison for the rest of his life? Sure, but not death.
Ophelia had decided to stay in London until her fathers condition changed, and now that it had, she would be flying back to New York. She would stay there until a trial date could be set.
Len didn't blame her for avoiding the british paps. They could be agressive when they 'liked' you. And if they didn't? They were downright vicious.
James Hill still hadn't returned from where ever the hell he was. Aside from her annoyance at being stuck with Chewbacca for a bodyguard, Eleanor was beginning to become genuinely concerned by his absence.
She was in bed asleep next to Jasper when suddenly his phone rang.
He propped himself up and reached for the device on the night table.
"Whoever that is, I'm going to have them arrested for treason." She grumbled as she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.
He looked at the caller ID on the screen and sat up. "It's Hill."
That woke her up. She sat up as well.
"Frost," He quickly answered the call.
She couldn't quite here what James was saying on the other line but she watched Jasper's face.
"Now?" he asked in surprise, looking over at the clock. 3:13 am. James said something else and Jasper replied "Yes sir." before hanging up and looking back over at Eleanor.
"So what did he say?" she asked impatiently.
"To get you and meet him in the queen's quarters immediately."
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. That was a new one.
"Why?" she asked, thoroughly confused.
He shook his head. "Didn't say."
"Ok, what the hell?"
"Honestly I have no idea, but we gotta go."
She sighed dramatically and flopped back down on her pillow. "This better be damn important."
"I doubt he would call us at 3 am if it wasn't," he replied as he got out of bed and started to re-dress.
She forced herself to get up and get ready as well.
She briefly entered her closet, grabbed a t-shirt, sweatpants, and her uggs, and returned to her room. She was not in the mood to try.
She pulled them all on and headed over to Jasper who was standing by the door. He opened it for her and gestured for her to exit first.
"Such a gentlemen." she said sarcastically as she exited.
He followed her out and closed the door behind them. He easily caught up and fell into stride beside her.
As they walked toward the queens chambers, suddenly Liam and Marcus came around the corner up ahead.
"Hill call you?" Jasper asked his colleague.
Marcus nodded, "Do you know what for?"
He shook his head. "He wasn't very forthcoming with details," he answered as they turned to continue walking.
Liam looked exhausted. He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "Well What the hell could be so important that it couldn't wait for bloody daylight?"
"And why do you and I both have to be here?" Eleanor grumbled, "I swear to god if this is some kind of fucked up ambush-style family therapy session, I'm jumping off the balcony."
They finally reached the antechamber that lead to the queens apartments.
The door to her mothers sitting room was closed and a two-man security detail was posted out side.
"Curiouser and curiouser." Eleanor spoke softly as they approached.
Jasper nodded at the taller one whom Eleanor 'affectionately' called by a myriad of names. The large man nodded back and turned to open the doors for them.
As they entered the room the queen rose from her seat.
The look on her face was a rare one. It almost appeared as though she'd been crying. However she was smiling, and from what Eleanor could tell it seemed genuine.
James stood at the side of the room, and a man with short, dark hair sat across from the queen with his back to them. His silhouette was hauntingly familiar.
As the princess slowly neared him the similarity began to gnaw at her.
Suddenly, the man followed the queen's example and stood to face them.
Jasper only recognized the man in front of them from photos. That, and the man's striking resemblance to the woman he loved.
The air left Eleanors lungs.
"Robbie?"