Someone’s Someone

by Curious Girl

I've always been someone's someone. I will always be known as the sister of. The sister of the wonder child; the sister of the Nobel prize laureate; the sister of Princess Anastasia of Romanov; the sister of the next Queen of England; the sister of the Olympian... and the daughter of Troy and Gabriella Bolton. But I am so much more. I am Josephine Bolton.

56. Chapter 56

Oliver

"What do you mean we can't announce our initiative?" Josephine asks, leaning back on the dark blue velvet sofa in the main working room in our office. This is a knockout we both didn't see coming.

For a full minute, the only audible sounds were the typing keynotes from the rest of our team that was working behind us at their desks.

Lydia leans forward in the matching armchair. "The senior courtiers gave us red light."

"But why?" I ask them. His majesty wanted us in the roles. He gave us the jobs, knowing we wouldn't be sitting around for long and get started as quickly as possible. We demonstrated that on Mauritius. Why the hell are they pulling the brakes now?

"They say it's too early to announce something so big." Alex steps in. He's sitting in the other armchair that's across my wife and me. The wooden coffee table is covered in sheets full of plans for the next few weeks. Travel plans, charities and other royal engagements - everything from where we're staying, going and when we're leaving has been planned to the detail. And now everything's over?

"You're still allowed to go and run the initiative... just without announcing it." Lydia explains quietly. I think she was scared of our reaction.

"Perhaps officially you should go with a different project."

"They're afraid of bad headlines?" Josephine questions Lydia. "If that's their worry than they had better not offered us the jobs and the rat tail that comes with it." She runs her fingers through her chestnut curls that have grown immensely over the last couple of weeks. The ends are now below her shoulder blades. "But I guess that gives us more time to find any mistakes and improve the initiative before launching it... eventually."

Lydia looks at Alex, clearly wanting him to break some more bad news to us.

"When will eventually be?" I ask Alex.

"They senior courtiers suggested the ten-year anniversary."

"Ten years?! They want us to hold back for a bloody decade?"

"Alex managed to haggle the date down to five years." Lydia steps in.

I look at my wife. She's clenching her jaw so tightly that I fear it might break. Shit, she's going to explode and I don't need anyone to witness it. "Okay, how about we call it a day?"

"But it's just midday-"

"Consider taking the rest of the day off. All of you." I look at the rest of our team that's been working at their desks while we were talking. The puppies are chasing a ball down the hallway.

Lydia and Alex nod before rising from their armchairs. "If you need anything, we're just a call away, Your Royal Highnesses." Alex says to us before turning on his heel.

Lydia nods in agreement as the rest of our employers start packing their bags and shutting down their colourful iMacs.

Josephine can't even handle to look at them. All she does it stare at the cracking fire in the white marbled fireplace. Her right fingers are playing with her wedding rings. She keeps her hands busy because otherwise they might do something she can't control.

This is bad. I need them all out before my wife loses it completely.

This was her baby - her work-baby. She put everything she had into this. We were both extremely excited to launch this in the Caribbean. And the bloody courtiers took it away from us.

"We'll see you tomorrow morning. Enjoy the sunshine!" I smile at our team as they leave our office. I shut the massive white wooden door. "Okay. They're gone."

My wife starts cursing in languages I don't speak. Russian. Chinese. Greek. Turkish. Arabic.

Suddenly, the sound of a glass shattering fills the room.

I pinch the bridge of my nose before walking over to her. "Tesoro,"

Her head swings over and she stares at me. "They're bloody cowards!"

"I think they just want to be careful." I answer carefully. "Aren't Nate and Char supposed to be getting their patronages any time soon?"

To my surprise, Josephine sits back on the sofa. "So, they give us red light to make sure they get maximum exposure? Maximum headlines?"

"Maximum positive press, I'd say." I nod. "With our twins arriving in the summer, I'm sure they just want to give us some time to breathe and perhaps a break from the media."

"They want to protect us?" She reads between my lines with a growing forehead.

I sit down next to her. "Yes, I think so." I grab her hand and kiss her knuckles. "It's not a bad sign. They're not punishing us. They're protecting us."

The frown on her forehead disappears. "But ten years of waiting?"

"We could expand it quietly. Do the Caribbean this year, expand it to Australia and New Zealand in the next two years and eventually tackle South Asia and Africa. Let's do it quietly, without the press dissecting every single move of ours. We can announce it when we're sure it's running smoothly."

Her chin loosens and I watch her licking her lips. Silence fills the room. The only hearable sound is coming from the hallway as our puppies are still chasing the ball. Back and forth. From one end to another. They're really enjoying that ball.

Eventually, she sighs. "Okay."

I squeeze her hand, "Okay."

Josephine

I fish the last developed photo out of the water tank with pliers before hanging it up on a line, next to the twenty other photos that I've developed in the last hours. From our wedding day in Rio, our wedding ceremony on French Cay, our first Christmas, New Year's Eve on Motu Tane, our first work trip to East Africa and Mauritius and finally our weekend trip to St. Barth's, everything is hanging in front of me in brilliant quality.

I can't wait for more photos to follow.

I switch off the red light before turning on the normal light in my developing room. A moment later I can hear knocking on the door.

"Can I come in?" My husband asks me.

"Yes!" I yell back before making my way through the rectangular room in our second lower floor. It's the perfect room for my photography equipment and development.

Oliver walks in with two mugs of steaming tea in his hands. "I thought you could use a break."

I smile at him before taking one mug out of his hand. "I could use some daylight as well."

"I made pasta ragout. We could have it in the courtyard and go for a walk afterwards."

I take a sip of the tea. "Food and fresh air are a brilliant idea."

Oliver looks at the hanging photos, "Oh these are stunning!"

"I think they turned out great. I want to frame them and create a frame wall."

My husband nods before looking over his shoulder, right at me. "On the wall that leads to the guest bedrooms?"

"Yes. Like at my childhood home."

"You should make copies of those. My Mama is going to want all of them in her flat as well."

I chuckle as I follow him out of my room, "After our walk." Our downstairs is large enough for a decent sized developing room, a bowling alley, a gym and Oliver's man cave. I take a sip of my hot tea. "I will."

Silverbell and Pebbles greet us at the staircase. I pick up Silverbell while Oliver picks up Pebbles. They are purring immediately, clearly enjoying this uninterrupted attention. The fur is perfectly fluffy and shiny. I can't believe someone didn't want them. I give her a kiss before letting her down again. She doesn't even want to leave my side.

"I'm still gutted we can't announce our health care programme." I sigh and run my fingers through my hair.

"We don't have to prove the world that we're an excellent fit for the job. We and his Majesty know we're the best candidates for this. There is no need to please anyone."

"It's not about pleasing anyone. It's about representing the institution. It's about-"

"Proving we're not the attention seeking grifters the press labelled us as?"

I lick my lips and shrug as we reach the main level. "Some good press wouldn't hurt."

"It most definitely won't be good press because the media will keep ripping us apart no matter what we do. Maybe doing this on our fifth or tenth anniversary isn't a bad idea after all. After a certain amount of time the people will see who we really are. Then it's going to come off as authentic and not trying too hard to be liked."

I know he's right but that doesn't lift my spirits. "If we can't announce that than maybe we should focus on something else."

"Something else?"

I nod, "How about we focus on the way to every man's heart?"

Oliver gives me a puzzled look.

"Food. Let's focus on preparing delicious food."

"You want our trip to turn into a cooking show?"

I chuckle, "Not quite. I thought about showcasing the amazing cuisine of every commonwealth country in the Caribbean. Perhaps turn that into a charity cook book?"

"A charity cook book?"

"It's a safer bet than our health care system. Everyone loves food and most people enjoy Caribbean drinks but know very little about the cuisine. It's a good alternative."

"You want us to bake pastries and cook lunches?"

"No. Well, yes. Sort of." I shrug, "I thought about shining a light on locals. Share their recipe in said cook book and make the recipe privately with said local. No cameras. Just us cooking and learning different ways to prepare veggies we know. And then do a hundred more and spread that among homeless people living in the area. The second part would stay under wraps as well."

"Funny, how you want to shine a light on our health care system but not on the other humanitarian work we do."

I lick my lips, "It's how I've been raised."

Oliver cups my face and fondles my cheeks with his thumbs. The way his green eyes stare into mine gives me goosebumps. "I love you, Tesoro."

Our unborn children start kicking in my belly. "I take that as a yes."

He grins at me, "Cooking was one of the things we bonded over. Of course I'm saying yes."

I remember the first night he was at my penthouse in Landmark Place. I think we made shrimp pasta back then. We really did bond over food and wine.

It's crazy how far we've come.

Oliver

The sound of my playing puppies fill my ears as I watch them running around through the endless greenery of Home Park. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth with its hundreds of years old trees and walls that will still be there when we're long gone. I love the wildflower fields, the tweeting birds and the beautiful Long Water. The weather is crazy windy today but the puppies seem to love it.

I can't wait to witness our children running with the dogs. Just the thought of it makes my heart burst with love. They might not going to grow up with sand between their toes and the ocean as their daily pool, but this is just as good. They'll be safe for the rest of their lives.

It's a wish I never dared to dream of.

"What do you think of educational support?" I think out loud before looking at my wife.

"For the Commonwealth?"

I nod, "Not just school supplies, but save roads to school, a building that can function as a school and not having to teach on the floor in nature..."

"Making education accessible?"

"Yes. Supporting girls' education as much as boys'."

"Education and cooking. That sounds like a compromise."

"But I don't think it's a fair compensation to what we had to give up."

"It's something we can put our energy in." She says before putting a strand of hair behind her ear. "We should add schools for disabled children as well."

"And schools for the deaf." I say as I remember the moment when I saw her talking in sign language.

She smiles at me. "Yes."

"Maybe these could be your first patronages..."

"Maybe. I don't know." Josephine grabs my hand and interlaces her fingers with mine. "Perhaps we should take it slow with the patronages as well."

"We might have lost the battle but we didn't lose the war." I remind her. "We explained in our interview with the BBC that we want to take it slow and learn how things we going. That's what we're doing. Don't be discouraged just because we can't announce the health care system. We can test drive it even further and correct any mistakes before we make it public. This is a good sign, not a bad one."

"The glass is always half full for you, isn't it?" She asks me with a smirk on her full lips.

It has been half empty for most of my life. It has only gotten half full when I met her. "It is as long as I am with you."

She kisses my wedding band in response. "I am so ready for an evening ending in our bathtub together."

"I think you forgot we're hosting a film evening tonight." I remind her gently.

Her bright blue eyes widen, "Oh, right! Caio and Claire!"

"You sound excited to meet her."

"I am! I hope she'll wear Caio's birthday present."

I smile. Josephine helped my brother choose a nice lucky charms bracelet made of yellow gold. Caio gifted her the first charm, a coin that has a massive aquamarine in its centre. Her birth stone.

At least he didn't go for something cheesy like a heart shaped chain. But who knows, maybe he's going to save that for their first anniversary. "Caio said she was over the moon when she opened the box." Well, he texted me a bunch of emojis and that's what I understood - or want to understand.

"You know, I'm taking my sister-in-law role very seriously."

"I hope that comes with a variety of ice cream for Johna, popcorn for Caio and nuts for my Mum."

She nods," Only if you make your famous cheesy sauce for homemade nachos."

Nachos. It's a habit she's formed over the last couple of days. She eats them with everything. A craving that signalises a new era of growth of our twins.

It's absolutely fascinating to watch her body giving us signals this way. It's almost as good as our appointments with Dr. Ross.

"I'll make you different sauces." I promise her. "And guacamole."

This earns me a kiss. A slow, but passionate kiss that only stops when suddenly a heavy rain shower starts pouring down on us.

This is why I love England. There are rain showers.

No monsoons.

---

I hold the framed photo against the wall across the staircase. "Is it even?" I ask my wife with a nail between my teeth.

"A bit more to the right." She commands from the main level. We've spent the last hour arranging the photo wall. First on the floor and then I hammered nail after nail into the wall. 20 framed photos are now hanging on the wall. It tells our story. Josephine even developed the photos she took when we just met. The quality isn't the best, but I love these images the most. Because they show how madly in love we were from the beginning.

I can't wait to add photos of our twins.

I hammer the nail into the wall and hang the last photo. Taking a step back, I admire my wife's work. I love the different sizes of the photos. Especially the black and white photos look stunning! She's an incredibly talented photographer. She captures emotions like no one else can. "I love it!"

"Me, too. I think it turned out great and there's still space left for future photos."

Silverbell and Pebbles are both laying on the banister, being just fluffy and happy. Their sisters and brother are chilling in the living room. Estrella is sleeping on the sofa while Nala and Potter prefer the space in front of the fireplace.

I walk down the last few steps of the staircase before I join my wife. There's a line of photos in different sizes which lead the way to the guest bedrooms. I nod, still amazed by my wife's talent. Then I wrap my arms around her waist and rest my hands on the bump. Our twins start kicking like crazy when their Mum leans against me slightly. "Perhaps we should add some photos while you're pregnant?" I ask her.

Josephine tilts her head to the right to look me in the eyes. "I'm not into sexy pregnancy photos hanging in our foyer."

I chuckle, "They don't have to be sexy. You can be fully dressed. We can take some while we're on our Easter holiday. I'm sure Caio, Johna or my Mama would love to take a few photos of us together."

My wife thinks for a moment, "Maybe on Liberty or at the beach of a Mediterranean island." A dreamy smile forms on her lips.

"Sounds good to me."

Suddenly, her smile drops.

"What's wrong?"

Josephine shakes her head. "Nothing."

It's definitely not nothing if it makes her smile drop like that. "No, it's not nothing. Tell me." I insist.

She shrugs and unwinds herself out of my embrace.

There's definitely something wrong. "Tesoro,"

"I just..." She shrugs again before placing her hands on the bump. "Maybe we shouldn't celebrate them before they have arrived here safe and sound."

"Nothing will happen to them. They're developing just fine. Dr. Ross-"

"Even she can't foresee the future. Millions of babies die before they can even take their first breath. We lost our first one because of my stupidity! I just don't think it's very smart to celebrate anything before it has even happened."

"We're just talking about taking some nice photos here."

"I know Char's on to something. And if it's not her who is planning this baby shower than it's Rory or Ana or my Mum."

So, that's what's behind this. "Well, I know of nothing."

"Really?"

"Really. But even if they were planning some secret party, I don't think it would be the ordinary baby shower. It would very much reflect your personality and celebrate our twins - and this safe pregnancy - with a lot of class."

Josephine shakes her head, "No, I don't want this. I don't want what Char or Rory had. I don't need twenty women around me, gushing about babies and decorating rompers. I don't want this. Not the slightest."

"How about I talk to Char and see if she's planning anything? And if so, I could lead her into the right direction. What would you like?"

My wife crosses her arms over the bump, "Anything but that. I'd rather do something for other Mummies-to-be than spend an entire afternoon doing crap."

I chuckle, "Okay. Would you be okay if Char turns it into something you might like? Would you attend that?"

"I would think about it."

I can't help but smirk, "I'll talk to her."

She drops her arms, "Okay. Because if I try she'll deny any plans and Char is a horrible liar."

"Everyone is a horrible liar compared to you and your family."

She shows me a smirk, "Good thing you're now part of that family."

I hold out my arms and she embraces me as tightly as possible. "I'm yours until my last breath." I whisper into her left ear.

She directs my hands on to the bump. I can feel our babies kicking. "We are yours as well. Until our hearts stop beating." She promises me, her navy eyes staring deeply into mine.

The feelings she gives me are indescribable.

The melody of God save the King slices through the brief silence as my wife has once again made me speechless. Thankfully, we have trained our puppies to stay quiet when the door bell rings.

"My Mama and brothers are here."

"And Claire." Josephine reminds me with a grin on her full lips. "I can't wait to meet her!" She turns on her heel to get to the door.

I grab her hand and pull her back. "Should we ask her to sign a NDA? Just to avoid-"

"If Caio trusts her, we should too. She hasn't leaked anything Caio told her about us so I say we're safe. Asking her to sign a NDA would only make her suspicious. And we don't want that because we want her to like us."

"You know, Caio has never brought a girl home."

"She's his first girlfriend?" My wife asks me surprised.

"Well, the first he really likes."

"Do you think they already had sex?"

The bell rings again, "If they did, they surely were safe."

"Caio's not a virgin anymore?"

I chuckle at her question, "He's Brazilian. We lose our virginity the second we enter High School."

"Really?" Josephine asks me surprised.

I place my hand on the door knob, "Yep. We're not big on love. That comes with age." I grin at her.

My wife rolls her beautiful blue eyes. "Open that door, Casanova."

Josephine

Claire is a lovely girl. She's nice and very kind. Plus, she speaks Portuguese as a Portuguese, which makes the communication with Maria effortlessly. Of course, she was a little hesitant at first when she met us but she's clearly in awe of Caio, who definitely mirrors that emotion. A family hangout was something that never happened in my household. Weirdly, this was the one thing that didn't happen in my family.

Maybe because the only teenager in my family that dated was Rory, who dated the future King of England.

It feels nice. Almost normal.

Well, as normal as it can be when you're a royal.

"Another round of popcorn?" My husband asks us before he rises from the couch. "Or nachos?" He looks at me.

I grin before picking up my empty bowl. "Always."

"I want another Pinguino!" Johna cries out with a grin on his lips. His whole mouth is covered in chocolate.

"Coming right up!" I get up from the couch as well. I could use a little movement, even if it's just to the kitchen. "Anything for you guys?" I look at Caio, Maria and Claire. Maria's eying her son more than the screen in front of her. Caio has his arm around Claire, who is resting her head in the crook of it. They look so adorable! Unlike Maria, they are both watching the movie, which Maria picked out. It's The Cabin - A Weekend With God.

To be fair, Johna chose the first one and that was Cruella. Our Dalmatians left the room as soon as Emma Stone appeared on screen in her full-Cruella mode. It was kind of funny to watch.

I follow my husband out of our media room and through the dining room. "What do you think of her?"

"Of Claire?"

"I'm not asking about your Mama, so yes."

"She seems nice. Very calm. Very... She's quite smart."

"Too smart for Caio?" I ask him surprised.

"No! It's not that. She just seems like the polar opposite of the girls Caio was interested in when we were still in Rio."

"Elaborate." I demand as we reach our breathtaking kitchen. There is a slight smell of dog and cat food lingering in the air but I don't mind it. It reminds me of the life there is in this house.

"Well, you saw what Brazilian women were like in Rio."

Fake. They all looked fake. They had nose jobs, boob jobs, butt jobs... the average Brazilian girl has her first cosmetic surgery at the age of fifteen. They're obsessed with beauty and everything that comes with it. "I know what you mean. She seems very real... very down-to-earth."

"And she's a bit shy."

"I think that comes when you're meeting royals."

"True. But we're Caio's family as well."

"It might take her some meetings like this before she allows herself to let go a little. Not everyone can play by the rules like you and me."

"I remember when I first met Char. She left me completely speechless!" He chuckles, "And Rory along with George was a whole different story. It was daunting to say the least."

"But you met them as family members as well. They didn't wear fancy dinner clothes and tiaras. It was casual."

"I met them as your husband. Casual doesn't cover it."

I chuckle as I remember the day. "Well, it's all or nothing with me. It always has been."

Oliver grabs my hand and kisses it, "I know."

I pull our hands back and place them on the bump. "All or nothing." The babies start kicking. "Your Mama likes Claire?"

"She thinks she's adorable!" He smirks. "They even went to church together. I bet the Sunday after Easter they will go with Claire and her family."

A family meeting in a church - that does sound like Maria. I smirk, "Good. Caio seems to have fallen head over heels in love with her."

"Has to be a Rodriguez thing as it happened to me as well."

I roll my eyes at him, "It wasn't love at first sight."

"It wasn't for you. But it was for me." My husband insists.

"It was more than the need to fuck me?" I tease him.

Oliver wraps his arms around me. His emerald green eyes stare deeply into mine until I can feel a tingly sensation crawling up my spine. It. Was. More.

I lick my lips as he takes my breath away so easily. I wish I had seen him the same way he had seen me. All I saw was a man to fuck. I saw him as an object and I am deeply ashamed of it. I open my mouth to say something, but I'm left speechless.

He makes me speechless.

I press my forehead against his and enjoy all the emotions he makes me feel. The tingling sensation crawling up my spine. The warmth coming from his hands. His hot breath that smells of salty, buttery popcorn. His emerald green eyes that burn into my eyes, into my soul. I cherish these emotions so much.

He's the only person in the world that can make me feel like that.

"Tesoro,"

"My love," I whisper back in a hoarse voice.

"Where's my Pinguino?" Johna's voice cuts through the air, bringing us back to earth.

Oliver lets go of me, "In the freezer."

Johna rolls his mocha brown eyes at his answer as he walks around the kitchen island. "Caio wants some more popcorn."

"We'll make him some." I promise.

"Like you made nachos and got out the Pinguino?" Johna asks back as he opens the door of the freezer. He digs his hand into the second drawer and fishes out a Pinguino. I love how he feels at home here. It reminds me of my childhood home and my siblings. "Just give me the corn and I'll throw it into the popcorn machine."

The popcorn machine in our media room was a house-warning gift from Ana. For all the movie nights that will come, she said with a smirk on her lips and a sparkle in her big green eyes.

It's an instinct that I trust blindly.

Oliver opens one of our sage green hanging cupboards and gets out a container that's full of corn. There's a metal measuring spoon inside it. "Half a cup should do."

Johna nods as he takes the square shaped container out of his hands. "I wouldn't mind trying your nachos with cheese sauce whenever you manage to make another batch." With that he walks out of the kitchen.

When the door behind him snaps into place it suddenly hits me.

Oliver and me are just like my parents!

The insight makes me burst out of laughter.

"Why are you laughing?" My husband asks me after a moment.

"Because you and me are just like my parents. Head over heels in love."

Oliver smiles at me, "I wouldn't mind ending up with eight children and be the happiest in my fifties with you by my side."

"I'm definitely ruling out the eight children but aside from that this is a deal I'm willing to make with you."

"If I learned anything since meeting you it's that nothing is ever off the table."

"I'm offering to revisit the conversation over a bowl of nachos with cheese sauce." I smirk at him.

"I love making deals with you." He returns my smirk before getting out a copper pan from a cupboard. He twirls it in his hand before placing it on the stove. "My three cheese combo will blow you away."

I lean against the island as I watch him opening the fridge and getting out three different cheeses. I can't wait for our kids to see their Daddy make this. I can't wait for them to be sitting on the island, impatiently waiting if they come after me, or help him make it, if they come after him.

I can't wait for this life.

I can't wait.

I walk over to my husband and give into the need to kiss him. To give him just a state of the feelings he makes me feel. Oliver returns my kiss and fills it with more passion. I can feel his large hands running down my back until they reach my ass. He squeezes my butt as our tongues continue dancing the tango we started two years ago.

"What was that for?" He asks me after letting go of my lips.

My whole body is on fire after that kiss. "For choosing me every day."

"It's not a choice. It's my destiny." He runs his thumb over my lips. "You are my destiny, Tesoro."

He is mine as well.

---

I embrace the girl that has won over my brother-in-law's heart. "Next time you get to pick the movie." I promise her.

The dark blonde girl nods. "It was so nice to meet you." Claire looks at Oliver. "Both of you. Caio was right. You guys are pretty cool."

Oliver chuckles at her words. "That's nice to know."

"Your puppies are adorable. I really enjoyed the walk with the dogs. Despite the rain."

It has started to rain an hour ago, so we only went for a short walk with the puppies. But just showing her Home Park and seeing her play with the Dalmatians showed me how kind this girl is. She's not fake. She's not trying to impress us. She's humble. She seems to be good for Caio. Maria told me on our walk that he's been studying harder - with and without Claire. His grades went up and he even went to a couple of parties with Claire. His social life seems to be good and he has adjusted to his new country just fine.

Johna found some friends as well but he's not fully happy with the school. He and Maria have been studying English vocabulary on a daily basis, but she is still more comfortable in Portuguese. Understandingly so. However, Sergej has been trying really hard to convince her to start a Brazilian restaurant. With her Brazilian recipes.

It would be a hit but I don't think Maria is ready for that yet.

"Have a safe ride home." I smile at her before she turns on her heel and follows Caio, Johna and Maria into the black waiting Range Rover with tinted windows. I watch how the car drives off in the heavy rain. I'm so glad Claire's not a bitch. I hope she won't leak anything to the media and if there're going to be headlines about anything that happened tonight we know the leaker.

"How about a bubble bath?" Oliver's voice rips through my train of thought.

I nod before closing the front door behind us. "Only when I share it with you."

My husband massages my shoulders as we walk through our glass breezeway that leads to the staircase to our master wing. The whole glass is covered in rain drops. It's even more beautiful than when the sun is shining through.

A tingling sensation runs down my spine as we walk up the floating wooden steps, which path the way to our master bedroom and ensuite.

"Are you nervous about the Easter Service?" Oliver asks me as the cold oiled wood from the steps beneath our feet gets replaced by the warm cream coloured carpet of our master wing.

"Are you?" I ask him back.

My husband lets go of my shoulders as we reach the bedroom. He switches on the lights before we walk into the ensuite bathroom. "Not nervous. Just excited, I guess."

"Excited?" I ask back as I put the plug into the drainage of the free standing bathtub. "I'm still unsure about Louis' proposal. Walking side by side to church can be misinterpreted."

"Or not." Oliver opens the water tap. "Lavender oil?"

I nod, "And some drops of the sage bubble bath. I think it's a good combination."

I watch how my husband pours in the bubble and bath oil. "I don't know I have a bad feeling about tomorrow."

"You're just nervous." he waves it off.

"It's not about being photographed with the other Royal Family members. I basically grew up with most of them anyway once Rory started dating George. It's more the way the British press is going to twist and turn how we walk or look… They like making gigantic headlines about breaking some imaginary rule they label as royal protocol. They have no idea what royal protocol requires and what not."

"They just want to sell their newspapers and get clicks on their websites. They like to make money off of us. And it's more lucrative with bad headlines rather than good ones."

He's right. "When have you become such an expert?"

He shows me a winning grin, "Since meeting you. I still remember everything you told me when you explained to me who you were and what that would entail. And how that would affect any sort of secretive relationship we would have."

"Yeah and then you started bumping into Char and Nate and everything went through the roof." I think out loud.

Oliver chuckles, "Maybe it was fate trying to show us that we could never have that secretive relationship in the first place."

Looking back, there were so many signs from the universe but I was too stubborn to open my eyes and see it. While I might have seen that happy endings exist, I never thought it was an option for me.

---

All smiles as 'Spectacular 7' put on united front at Windsor Easter service

Chatting and laughing as they emerged through the gates of Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday, it was clear the new generation of the Royal family intended to finish this year as they did the last - presenting a united front.

The King preached a message of unity in his annual Christmas address to the nation and his own family did not disappoint. This was the young royals in full festive deployment in front of a crowd of some 800 people who had come to Windsor Castle. The different philosophies of the three Duchesses were illustrated by their outfits: the Duchess of Oxford wore a traditional double-breasted Catherine Walker purple coat with velvet trim, which is a tried and trusted look she has adapted numerous times over the course of the Duchess of Windsor wore a sunny yellow ensemble by Armani with a Philip Tracey hat. But the Duchess of Clarence, meanwhile, wore a modern tailored icy blue design by Alexander McQueen that showcased her six month old baby bump beautifully and a dark grey hat with lilies by Jane Taylor.

Although regardless of such material differences, they walked side-by-side clearly at ease with each other. The three Windsor wives were flanked by their husbands who similarly seemed in good Easter cheer. Surprisingly, no couple linked arms or held hands as previously royal couples had done.

And then there was Prince Louis, who sort of has taken on Prince Harry's role prior to his exist: the third - well, in our case seventh - wheel. However, the winning smile and the confidence in his body language showed that he is clearly happy in his role. For now.

The young royals were led by the Prince of Wales, wearing his ever-present camel overcoat, and his wife the Princess of Wales, who wore a purple ensemble by Alexander McQueen.

The Royal family spent roughly 25 minutes inside the church for a service that began with the national anthem before walking back to Windsor Castle. After leaving the church, the young royals paused to chat with the crowds who presented them with bouquets of flowers.

---

Unwilling to play the supporting role! How the Clarences broke royal protocol yet again!

The Windsors, Oxfords and the Prince of Wales were all smiling this Easter Sunday as they approached St. George's Chapel in Windsor with the Clarences by their side.

Duchess Josie was all smiles as she bathed in the glorious spotlight that her new royal role gives her. Her ever growing bump stole the spotlight all together.

Behind Palace gates however, it is becoming apparent that Josie has no intention of her and Oliver being seen as the supporting act to The Duke and Duchess of Oxford, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Prince Louis of Wales, despite being on the last spot in the royal pecking order.

This Easter, determined to walk side by side with George and Lorelai, Nathanial and Charlotte, and Louis to Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel, rather than several steps behind, they were pictured as the so-called "The Spectacular Seven".

---

Oliver

I follow Nate out of the dark red helicopter before I turn around and help my wife. Josephine's slim fingers wrap around my hands before she climbs out of the vehicle of choice that brought us from Windsor to Della's home, that has a private access to Regent's Park.

Two years ago I had to use the back entrance to enter the guest house. Now, I get to use the front door to the main house - in full royal style.

The last four hours have been nerve wrecking. From getting changed into our royal outfits to walking down the path that leads to St. George's Chapel with twenty photographers and fifty or so well wishers. The Easter service itself was beautiful and so private that everyone felt at ease. The walkabout through the town afterwards was another event that made my blood pressure rise, not because of me but because of my wife.

We decided to kept it to a twenty minute thing before we had brunch in Windsor Castle. It was a kind of get together that involved even distant royals. The highlight was The King's speech of course, in which he emphasised his support in us and our new roles. Even the distant royals who questioned us before, dropped all their prejudices after they had spoken to us. It was exhausting to answer question after question but it was bound to happen one day or another.

At least now we get to enjoy an Easter Sunday in true Bolton style: full of family members, arguing siblings and playing kids in the backyard.

"Everything okay?" I ask as my wife's got grass underneath her feet again. She looks very British today. With her icy blue fascinator, matching coat, dress and nude heels she looked absolutely perfect for the service today. But just like me, she can't wait to change into something more comfortable.

Because just like on Christmas, the Boltons have their very own traditions they follow. For Easter it's a barbecue outside and lunch at the pond that's in the backyard. The Boltons go on a long walk in Regents Park and they deliver home baked bunny cookies and hot cross buns at a local shelter in the morning. It's something they do when the royals in the family are in Windsor.

And of course Gabriella bakes two Easter cakes.

"Yes. I can't wait to get out of this outfit and into our lounge wear. You will look adorable with your bunny ears." She smirks at me.

Yes, bunny ears belong to the traditions just as much as cosy lounge wear and T-shirts that we will hand paint with the kids in the garden.

I think I might do something with puppy paws with the help of our Dalmatians. Weirdly, I'm very excited about this. I love all family activities and Easter will definitely be a highlight in our yearly schedule as well.

"I might use Potter to assist me for the painting of the T-shirt."

"Good idea." She smiles at me as we walk through the grass field that's in front of Della and Wlad's home. The black door is left wide open after the other royal Boltons have walked inside. I can hear the barking of our puppies and a split second later the three dogs have run through the door to greet us.

I bend down to greet them properly. Gabriella and Troy picked them up at Chestnut House before they drove here. It seems like they get along with Zeus, Lily and Luna quite well.

Josephine bends down a little to stroke them. "They've grown so much over the last two weeks it's crazy!"

Indeed they have. The three Dalmatians and two Norwegian kittens have flourished ever since I brought them home. It's miraculous what a little love and care can do. "Let's get inside." I get up and walk into the massive white Georgian mansion. We walk through a narrow hallway with checked tiles that leads to a massive spiral staircase. There's a large bench across it. Under it is a pile of so many shoes that I can't count them even if I wanted to. Next to the bench are two pairs of grey slippers left for us. The slippers have our royal coat of arms embroidered in navy.

It's another Bolton thing: no streets shoes allowed inside a home but instead you get to wear bespoke slippers. Josephine and I have a Bolton collection of navy slippers in our mud room as well. The shoes fill up three shelves. I love all these little traditions that show how strong the family bond is.

Josephine and I change into our slippers before walking further down the hallway. At the end is the entrance to the kitchen and living room - but both rooms are empty. Instead the French doors to the backyard are wide open and everyone is standing outside on the grass - with naked feet. The matching slippers are neatly placed in three rows at the door.

The kids are running around, the dogs are playing with each other as well as the two cats that live here.

It's the kind of picture perfect family I always wanted to have.

Josephine

"Have you talked about names yet?" Char asks me. "For Apple and Banana."

I laugh when I hear Nate's nickname for my twins. "No, but they most definitely won't be Apple and Banana."

"I don't know, Banana of Clarence has a nice ring to it." She teases me with a wink. "Do you have any names in mind?"

"I haven't thought about it." I answer honestly and place my hands on the bump.

"Names were the first thing Nate and I talked about as soon as we knew it were going to be two and not one."

I shrug, "Maybe the names will come to us when they're born."

"Our maybe you should dig into name books." Char narrows her navy eyes at me. "You're a stone's throw away from giving birth."

"I still have over three months. There's no need to rush!"

"You say that now but time will fly by. Especially once they're born." My best friend tells me.

I look down at my bump. I need three more months to get everything ready. "We don't even have the nursery ready yet."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."

I frown at her words, "What do you mean?"

"That's a surprise."

"A surprise?" I echo her. "You know I don't like surprises."

"You can blame your husband for it." Her navy eyes look over my shoulder.

I turn around to follow her gaze. Oliver's sitting on the bench next to Ana in front of the lake. They're in a deep conversation, so I decide to not confront him.

For now.

"Have you decided on what to wear for the presenting of the twins yet?" My sister-in-law's question rips me out of my thoughts.

I look back at Char, "I don't know yet."

"I suggest blue or pink, depending on their gender. Go for green or white if you give birth to one of either." she winks at me.

"I meant, I don't know if I'm set on Lindo Wing yet." The memory of the night when I woke up in a bed full of red blood is still fresh in my mind. Being admitted to Lindo Wing at three in the morning was the worst time of my life. It was worse than being raped. It was worse than losing Oliver.

Because in the hours of unknown, I thought I had lost them.

I thought I had lost what I love the most: the products of our love.

I rub my bump to calm myself down. I can't go back there and expect to be all calm and relaxed when I go into labour. Giving birth at the place where I thought I had lost them... No, that's not something I'm looking forward to.

Char frowns, "What? No. Royal births happen at the Lindo Wing. Ever since my granny gave birth to my Daddy! I gave birth there. Rory gave birth there and you will give birth there as well!"

"I'm not blue blooded."

"Rory's not blue blooded either!" Char hisses at me.

"That argument has no substance. She gave birth to future queens. You can't be any more royal than that." I roll my eyes, "But Oliver and me... we're just two people with an HRH prefix, a Dukedom title and jobs as the president and vice-president of the Commonwealth Trust."

"Well, then what are you going to do? Give birth in a commonwealth nation?!" she laughs at her own joke, but in my brain an idea starts forming...

Oliver

"Josephine told me that you are a medium, that you see... the future." I start my conversation with my British sister-in-law that has Russian roots. "Can you talk to... to the souls that left their bodies?"

Ana's big forest green eyes fall into sadness before she places her hands on my left one. She read between the lines. "No, I'm sorry. I wish I could have met your Papa, but I know that he loved you very much, Oliver."

I lick my lips as I feel her long fingers fondling over my golden wedding ring. Papa has been dead for over seven years and it still feels like yesterday every time I talk about him. He left a hole that will never be filled. I decide to nod as I gulp down the golf ball in my throat. "What did you see when we first met?"

"Nothing."

I frown, "Nothing?"

"I was pregnant with Valentin without knowing it. Turns out when I'm expecting, I'm unable to use my gift."

"Well, then what did you see when we met again at the medical check up?" I ask her. This was our first meeting when she wasn't pregnant anymore.

Ana tilts her head to the side, so her long blonde curls move. "It's not your time to know yet."

So, she did see something. "When will this time come?"

"Soon." she promises me.

I think of Mama, Caio and Johna and wonder what's their future. "Do you always tell people what you see?"

"No, because sometimes it's not pleasant. A joyful future is always easier to see than one full of misery and pain."

"But if you tell the person-"

"I see their destinies, Oliver." she cuts me off. "Telling them won't change it. Just like if I start intervening... it will never change the outcome." she shrugs with sadness in her eyes again.

"Do you see their destiny more than once?"

Ana shakes her head, "I see only a glimpse. I saw Wlad marrying Della when I first met him in Sankt Petersburg. I was eight and up until the day I got picked up from Mum and Dad at the orphanage, my gift had been a curse. I was doomed as evil, as an incarnation of the devil. But then when they picked me up and I met Wlad a day later... I saw him marrying this beautiful young brunette with navy eyes on a tropical island, which turned out to be Bora Bora."

"You met Wlad before Della?"

"Yes. Daddy flew back to London a couple of days later to bring Della to Sankt Petersburg." She pronounces the city's name in the most Russian way I have ever heard from her.

"What did you see when you met Della?" I ask. "And Troy? Or Gabriella?"

Ana licks her lips, "I saw Della receiving another noble price. I saw her giving her speech, thanking her parents, sisters, brothers... and Wladimir, of course. I saw their children sitting at the round table with everyone else, listening to their Mummy."

"You saw Bella and Carrie before they were even born?"

"Among others." she smirks at me, "But I haven't told Della yet because the time hasn't come yet."

"She won't receive a noble price for healing Alzheimer's?"

She licks her full lips, "While this changed so many lives, it will be for something even more remarkable that she will be praised again."

"And what will that be?" I can't help but ask. I don't think I'm playing with her destiny, as Ana said it can't be changed. Destiny is always set in stone.

Anastasia inhales deeply, "Cancer."

My eyes widen at her words, "What? She... She will find a cure for cancer? What kind of cancer? Breast cancer? Lung cancer? Skin cancer?"

"For every type there is. She was born for greatness and she will change the world. She did it by finding a cure for Parkinson's. She did it by finding a method to stop Alzheimer's early. And she will do it again by finding a cure for cancer, for any type of cancer."

"But that's amazing! Why aren't you telling her that?"

"She just decided to focus on researching cancer. She made a deal with Wlad when she embarked on the journey of Alzheimer's: It was going to be a time of commuting between London and Geneva for some time, until she had a breakthrough with her team there. And then she'd come back home, to focus more on the girls, to focus on work here in London... and fulfil Wlad's deepest wish."

Children. He wants more of them. I can imagine he wants a boy, preferably more than one. I felt his heart ache on my bachelor evening when he talked about his deal with Della. I've never a happily married man longing for more children this hard. I felt his heartache and joy when he talked about Della finally coming home full-time. "And she's got no idea there will be... more kids and more praise coming her way?

Ana shrugs, "I don't know. I don't talk about it unless it's necessary. I'm only telling you this, because it's vital for your understanding of how my gift works."

"How many will she have?"

"More than two." Ana smiles at me before inhaling deeply. "And then when I was at her wedding dress fitting I saw butterflies. Lots of silver and blue coloured butterflies. It was the only time I ever saw something twice."

"What did the butterflies mean?"

"Turned out they were Wlad's Mum's favourite animals. I saw her soul..." Ana smiles at me before it abruptly fades. "I wish I had seen something similar when I saw you, your brothers and Mama, but I didn't. I just saw you guys' destinies without any trace of your Papa. I'm sorry."

I nod, unable to hide my disappointment. "What did you see with Josephine? Did you see me?"

"Yes. Jo doesn't know the whole story of what I saw and I won't tell her until it's her time to know."

My heart aches in my chest at her words. "Is it something of the bad kind?"

To my relief, Ana shakes her head. She squeezes my hand with hers. "No, it's one of the best destinies I've ever seen."

That calms me down.

"Let's just say, the fact that you're now official royals has something to do with it."

"It's part of her destiny? Part of my... of our destiny together?"

Ana nods, "It's been written in the stars for a very long time."

"What's written in the stars for me?" I ask her straightforward.

Ana lifts her hands off of mine and runs her long fingers through her blonde curls, "You are exactly where you're meant to be."

"I know that but I want details of what you saw."

"I saw you chasing your children through the backyard. Along the Long Water. With the Dalmatians surrounding you."

"You know what sexes the babies are?" I ask her surprised.

Ana smirks, "I didn't mean them."

My lips stretch automatically when the message hits me fully. We'll have more than two. "Can you give me a number?"

Ana shrugs, "I saw only a glimpse and I'd rather keep some things a mystery." She squeezes my hands, "No one is ever going to tear you guys apart. You will do great things together. You will travel the world and help as many people in need as possible."

"So our titles and our jobs were destined?"

"Yes. I didn't know at the time when I had the vision but now it's pretty clear. You are soulmates. Your souls are only whole when you're together."

I like the idea of that. It explains our feelings for one another so simply and yet it's so true. "How many more kids will we have?" I decide to try my luck again.

Ana smirks, "I really can't tell you."

"But if it's my destiny and nothing can be done to change it, why not tell me? Why not enlighten me?"

Ana leans forward, "Because its greatness and beauty will blow you away and I've come to the conclusion that sometimes it's better to feed the information bit by bit."

"Did you know Rory's fate as well?"

Ana nods, "I saw her balcony kiss at Buckingham with George when I first met her."

"Nate's?"

"Nate and Char living in the tree house with their kids."

"With their twins?"

"Among them were their twins, yes."

"They will have more children?"

"Yes. Just like Rory and Josephine and you."

The news makes me grin like an idiot. I always wanted to have a big family and I never dreamed of being a part of such a large family one day, let alone have one myself. "Do you know what we're having?"

"I do but I don't know any names and I will not tell you anything more."

"We'll definitely have more than two kids?"

"You guys will be like Mum and Dad the most." She whispers with a smirk on her lips. "And hat doesn't just apply to the fact that you guys have literally built the house that was destined to be your forever family home."

I don't know if she means the humanitarian work or the family life but I'm perfectly fine with both. Troy and Gabriella are the most impressive couple I've ever come across to. They're filthy rich, yet so grounded. They use their wealth wisely and if my future with Josephine is just like theirs in the slightest than we both have something we can be extremely excited to look forward to.

Suddenly, an idea crosses my mind. "What did you see with Rothschild?"

Ana's eyes widen, "I didn't see anything that happened after they split. I didn't know Jo was going to get raped, please know that if I had know I had said something. I didn't-"

"What did you see?" I ask her again.

"I saw Jo leaving him at the altar. I saw her having panic attacks in the limousine on the way to the cathedral in Bath. I saw them quarrelling through the rolled down window. I saw Jo giving Ed his ridiculously ugly engagement ring back. I saw him throwing it into the river. But I didn't see anything that came after that. I swear, I didn't."

I grab her hand and squeezes it softly. "It's okay, I believe you." I promise her. "But how did you end up with the painting of us then?"

"That painting..." Ana grins at me. "That painting was something I saw in my dream one night. I always liked you, even before I saw your destiny... but when I had that dream, when I saw you and Jo standing at the Christo statue in Rio... and you guys were both wearing wedding rings... I couldn't stop grinning for days. It even worried Sasha that I was so joyful about a man he didn't even knew."

"You didn't talk to him about Josephine and me?"

"No, because it was clear to me that Jo wanted to keep you a secret at first. Seeing her so openly loving and protecting and showing you off when you guys came back from Rio, made me even more excited. She was never like this with any other men in her life, including Rothschild. She thought she loved him, but she had always only been in love with you, Oliver."

"I know. It's why I left her when she asked me to."

"You had her figured out pretty quickly. That's a first." She smirks at me.

"No." I disagree with her. "I just had faith in our love, that's all."

"How are you adjusting to royal life?"

"I'm doing okay, I think. The walkabout after the Easter service was quite nice. No booing. No nasty comments. Just lots of flowers for Josephine to receive and congratulations for the pregnancy."

"You'll be fine, don't worry."

"I won't worry anymore. Because of what you told me. Josephine and this path I'm on is my destiny."

"But that doesn't mean you can't feel overwhelmed. I can still remember how it was when I came home from Russia with my new parents and Della. The house looked like a winter wonderland to me. I had never seen so much luxury, so much space and so much food!"

I chuckle, "Yes, the food was surprising to me as well."

Ana smiles at me, "You and I have more in common than you think. I came from nothing as well."

"I didn't have nothing." I disagree with her. I had my Mama and brothers after all. And family is the most important. "But I know what it's like to starve and I assume you do as well. It's a feeling I wish I could eradicate. Especially for children."

"You and Jo will do great things for humanity." She repeats herself. "Very great things and I am so glad you guys will have each other."

"What else shocked you when you came to the Boltons?"

Ana leans against the backside of the bench. "The love that they felt for each other. Not just Dad and Mum but also their love for Della and her love for them... and how they loved me so unconditionally almost immediately. I felt so safe, so loved... so at home like never before."

I know the feeling so well. "Have you ever seen your destiny? I mean apart from meeting your husband."

"No." She shakes her head.

"Do you think your son inherited the gift from you?"

Ana shrugs, "I don't know. I didn't see anything when I gave birth to him. And I am yet to see a glimpse into his future. Which is very unusual. With my brothers I saw theirs immediately but with my own flesh and blood... Maybe he did inherit it and that's why I can't see it."

"It worries you."

"A bit. I've lived with this gift all my life, being blind feels strange. Almost scary."

"Now you know how we all feel." I smirk at her.

"It's not a feeling I like."

"I don't think you have to worry." I try to calm her down, although I will never be in her shoes.

"Ana! Sasha's looking for you!" Char's voice reaches my ears and I turn around to watch her walking over to us through the bright green grass.

"I better go." Ana gives me a wide smile before turning on her heel.

"Are you planning a baby shower for Josephine?" I ask Char when she reaches me.

"Of course I am. What kind of best friend and sister-in-law would I be if I wasn't planning a baby shower?"

"You know that she doesn't want one."

"And I know what kind of baby shower Jo would attend to."

"She doesn't want a repetition of whatever happened at Soho Farmhouse."

Charlotte nods, "I'm not planning a traditional baby shower. Instead of baby gifts, there will be donations to charities that aim to help new mothers. It's very much what Josephine would want, but it will still be very royal as well." She tried to calm me down. "I thought about hosting a big baby shower for Mums-to-be who are in need."

That last part sounds like my wife. "She would love that. You could use the Home Park."

"I've been thinking about it. But it has to go through the courtiers and security as well. Inviting fifty or so women to massages, mani- and pedicures plus getting a starter-pack of everything a newborn might need, is a logical Herculean tasks. It's not easy."

"That's why my wife would want that."

Charlotte grins, "I'll do my best. But you have to promise me to not tell her anything. Not even when she's seducing you."

"Oh, she's quite good at that..."

Char rolls her navy eyes at me.

Josephine

Eating another delicious portion of perfectly made turkey is the perfect way to end our Easter Sunday. I tear my Yorkshire pudding apart and dip it into the most delicious sauce I've ever eaten. Food prepared by royal chef is amazing but it's nothing compared to my Daddy's cooking skills. The kids have all gone to bed hours ago, but I can't help but eat another portion at the kitchen island. It's just too good to not be eaten.

"Your Mum couldn't stop eating when she was pregnant with Cal and Gideon as well."

I turn around at the sound of my father's voice. He caught me with my Yorkshire pudding halfway to my mouth. My Daddy's standing in the open doorway. The lights from the living room illuminate his silhouette. Della, Wlad, Ana, Oliver and Mum are still chatting over glasses of wine there. The parents of the toddlers - a.k.a. Rory and George as well as Char and Nate - have gone to bed, just like Maria and Johna.

"Come on, I'll get your another plate before we rejoin the gang." My Daddy offers before getting out a plate from one of the white glass hanging cupboards.

"I'm just glad I stopped dipping everything I eat into Siracha sauce and Nutella."

My father chuckles, "It were blueberry muffins with your Mum."

"With every pregnancy?"

He nods, "Every single one. Endless amounts of blueberry muffins."

I take another bite of the turkey.

"How was the morning?"

"Good."

"Oliver did alright?"

"The service was beautiful. The walk down to the chapel was slightly nerve wrecking because we didn't know what to expect but the short walkabout afterwards was very nice. The people we talked to were excited to meet us and they praised us for our work in Africa."

"No bad blood?"

"Didn't sound like it. But it's still going to be a while until Oliver and me start doing proper royal tours with walkabouts. Frankly, we're both happy with how things are going right now."

My Dad nods, "And the Bahamas are next?"

"Yep. In about two weeks. Tomorrow we're going on a cruise with Oliver's family. I thought that would be a nice way to spend the Easter holiday."

"You want to introduce them to Liberty?" My Dad asks as he fills the plate with slices of turkey meat, three Yorkshire puddings and lots of sauce.

I nod, "And take a cruise down the Mediterranean Sea." I add with a full mouth.

"Sounds like fun. How many stops will you make?"

"I want to show them the islands. Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Mykonos, Santorini..."

"Who will watch the pets?"

"Char and Nate will take care of the kittens. We might take the puppies with us."

"You're not afraid they're going to get seasick?"

"I hope not."

"And you're going to be okay on deck?"

"Of course."

"No seasickness?"

"Of course not. I am a sailor and so are these two." I answer his question as I follow him back into the living room. The cats and dogs are all sleeping around the piano. My family is cuddling on the massive light grey couch, all have a wine glass in the hand. All, but Oliver.

I sit down next to him and rest my plate on the bump while my father places the other plate on the coffee table in front of me.

Oliver's emerald green eyes stare at me for a moment before he grins.

"What?"

"I like seeing you eat something without hot sauce and Nutella."

I chuckle, "Me, too. The hot sauce gave me heartburn but I couldn't stomach the food without it."

"Have you talked about names yet?" My Mum asks me.

"No. But we will inform you once we did." I roll my eyes at her question. "You guys are pressuring us too much. First Char and now you. We still have time to look for names and decorate the nursery!" I look at Oliver again. "Char mentioned you're on to something with Ana."

"Regarding their nursery?"

"Yes." Is there anything else they're doing together?

"Yes but it'll be a surprise for me as well. I asked Ana to paint the walls of the nursery and pick out the furniture while we're on the Bahamas."

"Okay. Less work for me." I decide to dig into my midnight snack again.

"How long will you stay on the Bahamas?" Wlad asks us. He's cuddling with Luna who has decided to join us on the couch.

"We're aiming for three weeks." Oliver answers as I chew on my turkey.

"Will you announce the Commonwealth Health Care System?" Della questions next before picking up the plate from the coffee table and starting to eat.

"We will launch it but I'm not 100% sure we'll announce it. We have to see how the people accept it." I decide to stay vague as I'm not sure how informed the rest of the royal part of the family is and I don't want to cause any tensions.

"In other words, you're testing the waters before jumping in." Wlad concludes.

"Yes. The media will call this another holiday anyway but we want to truly help."

"If we decide against announcing the Commonwealth Health Care we will announce a campaign to ensure safe roads to school. We want to go back to the roots of the Commonwealth as it originally meant for the common good. People deserve basic educational support."

"I'm smelling an educational programme cooking in your heads." My Daddy grins at us. "One that will change the whole commonwealth."

"That's the next step. We thought about launching something like the Commonwealth Education Support on the Bahamas first before making it through the whole commonwealth. Step by step. But it won't carry any fruits in the next few years. They're just aims for the future. We still have a lot of work to do before doing anything drastic." Oliver says to our family.

"Ideally, we first launch the Commonwealth Health Care System and then comes the educational support. Both are lifelong projects that will only slowly be offered in every commonwealth nation."

"Quite the legacy you want to build there." Della smirks at me. "Second to none compared to the work you guys could have done with the Bolton foundation."

"We're right where we should be as Ana told me today." Oliver shows me a heart-throbbing smile.

"Patronages?" Mum asks me.

"None yet. Nothing planned to be announced any time soon." I say with a full mouth. We were told to take it slow by the courtiers.

"But we may film some local recipes for a documentary while we're in the Caribbean." Oliver says. "Perhaps turn it into a charity cook book."

"A culinary journey through the Caribbean part of the Commonwealth?" Dad asks with a raised eyebrow. "That's a safe choice and a good backup in case you end up not announcing the health care system. Smart."

"Of course it's smart. I'm your daughter after all." I grin at him.

Oliver

"I'd like to give our first bubble a gender neutral name." She whispers as we lay in bed in together. "Especially if it's a girl. If it's a boy than we can give him a very masculine sounding name. But if the first born is a girl, then I think it should be gender neutral."

I look up from the paperwork that I was reading. Everything I just read about the culinary project vanished from my brain. Names? She wants to talk about names? It's the first time she's talking about our bubbles from her free will. She's 26 weeks and six days along today and she's never initiated a conversation about them. Nothing about names, the nursery or how we want to raise them. She was in such a shock that she completely shut down from anything baby related. The bubbles grew, so her belly grew as well but Josephine kept her mouth shut.

It was always me who had to initiate the conversation.

Until today.

"Like Taylor?" I ask. Maybe Char with all her questioning today changed something. Josephine labelled it as pressure but I assume it simply changed her perspective. Tough love is what Troy would call it.

"I want to name the firstborn Sage as a first name and the following two would be your choice. But the first... I'd like the first name to be gender neutral."

"You want to name our baby after a herb?" I ask her in complete shock. Why didn't she chose Basil or Thyme? Or Oregano?

She rolls her sky blue eyes at me. "People name their sons Bentley or daughters Mercedes. Some choose Clementine or North as a name. It's not unusual for people to give their children unique names. It makes them stand out."

Their names will stand out either way. Because they will have a HRH prefix, a Prince and Princess title and the dukedom Clarence attached. Blending in is simply not an option.

To be fair, it wouldn't have been an option if they were just Boltons.

Standing out is in their DNA.

"Why Sage?" The idea of naming one of our baby after a herb seems a bit odd to me to say the least. But hey, apparently people name their children after fruit or cardinal directions, so what do I know!

"It's cleansing. Burning sage has antimicrobial properties. This means they keep infectious bacteria, viruses, and fungi at bay. Smudging has long been used to connect to the spiritual realm or enhance intuition. For healers and laypeople in traditional cultures, burning sage is used to achieve a healing state — or to solve or reflect upon spiritual dilemmas. It helps dispel negative energy. Smudging may also be used as a ritual tool to rid yourself — or your space — of negativity. This includes past traumas, bad experiences, or negative energies from others. It can cleanse or empower specific objects. And these... these two bubbles needs all the positive energy they can get. Because life is tough but being a Bolton will make it even tougher. You've gotten a hint of it ever since you married me..." she licks her lips.

"Sage sounds perfect." I tell her with a smile on my lips. She's already a protective mother without seeing it. Our babies have one hell of a mother.

"You can choose the second and third name."

I started writing my list a few weeks ago. "Do you want to hear my ideas?"

"Go ahead."

"Okay. I'm going to start with girls names. I always liked Cassandra for a girl."

She frowns, "Cassandra sounds like a bitch."

I chuckle, "Okay. How about a double name then? Maria-Estella or Maria-Louisa? Or just Luisa. I also like Alexandra and Elizabeth."

"Double first names will make her sound snobby. But I like Louisa and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is Della and Ana's second and third name as well. Alexandra sounds pretty good, too. I also like Fleur or Luna."

"You want to name our baby after Della's Persian cat?"

She chuckles. "Okay, maybe not Luna then. What about Fleur?"

"These babies will be British and Brazilian - and you want to give them a French name?"

"No to Fleur then." She says with a nod.

"Then we're settled on Luisa and Alexandra?"

"Sage Alexandra Luisa Bolton... Lu or Lexi as a nickname. I like it. That sounds good. Strong." She nods. "What about the second baby? What would you want to name a second girl if we get a second girl?"

"I like Alice." I tell her.

"Like Alice in Wonderland?"

I shrug, "It's a nice name, isn't it?"

"Aly as a nickname. That sounds good. What about the second and third name?"

"Let's go back to Elizabeth." I suggest.

"Alice Elizabeth Maria Bolton." She whispers with a small smile on her full lips.

"Will that be their last name, though?" I ask her.

My wife nods, "Of course. They'll be Their Royal Highnesses Princess Sage and Alice of Clarence. But their birth certificates will say Bolton. Just like us. What about boys names?"

I think for a moment. "I like Ethan. Or William, but maybe naming our baby after the future king might not be so well received. Cove or Chase is cool as well."

"No Latin American name?"

"No, it's easier to have a more common name."

She nods, "I like Matthew as well. Or Logan. And James. But I also really love Leon."

"Leon?"

"Yes. I know it's got a whiff of Latin America, but I really like Latin American names. Rafael, Rogelio, Leon... Leon Ethan Carlos Bolton. How does that sound?"

To my surprise I like it - especially the part with my Papa's name. "You want to give our boy - if we get a boy - my father's name?" I ask with a tight throat.

She nods, "Your Papa and his Papa's name." She places her hands on the belly with a smirk on her voluminous lips. "What about a second boy's name?"

"What about Clayton Logan James?"

She looks down at the bump and thinks for a moment. "Leon Ethan Carlos and Clayton Logan James Bolton. Clay as a nickname. It would fit to Sage. That sounds pretty good to me."

"Tesoro," I place my hands on hers. "What would be the combination of Sage's a boy?"

My wife simply shrugs. "We've done enough planning for today. My head's already aching."

"So, we can find out the genders now?"

She looks up again. "No."

"You're afraid of finding out that it's two girls."

She looks down at her belly, "I just want to wish there is at least one boy in there for a little longer. I know everyone in our family thinks it's two girls and especially with Ana saying it's two girls..." she sighs, "but I... I want to have a boy. Is that so hard to believe?"

I shake my head, "No, not at all. But just as you said even Ana thinks it's two girls."

She licks her lips. "Do you think it's possible our first baby would have been a girl if I hadn't lost it?"

That thought has never crossed my mind. "Maybe. But Ana saw us with a girl that was very much alive. So I think we're parents of two girls. Not two boys."

She sighs before fondling her belly. It's the first time I get to see her doing it. "Perhaps it's time Mummy and Daddy find out whether you two are girls or boys. Or one of each." She looks me in the eyes. "If your Daddy agrees."

The fact that she said my mother's name, our daughter's name and called me Daddy nearly kills me. Daddy. It took her 26 weeks to get used to the fact that we're parents. I place my hands over hers. "Yes." I whisper with a tight throat. She called me Daddy!

---

Josephine

The helicopter lands smoothly on Monegasque grounds. After landing in Nice via my family's private jet, we had to take two helicopters to fly to Monaco because Europe's second smallest and the world's richest country has no airport. But that doesn't keep me away from this stunning country that's on the French Riviera.

The pilot takes off his headphones before jumping out of the helicopter. I take off my headphones before taking off Oliver's as he's got his hands full. It only look half an hour to fly from Nice to Montecarlo and travelling by air was definitely worth it. I love seeing Caio, Johna, Maria and my husband smile in amazement. It makes me realise how little they have seen and how much I want to show them.

And this summer I will start with that with the help of Liberty.

I open my belt with levity. The others had, understandably, a few problems closing the belt but I'm a pro. I've air traveled more than I've traveled by car. I take Potter off of my husband's lap so he can open his belt as well. As we've decided to spend the next two weeks on a sailing trip through the Mediterranean Sea, it was clear to us that our puppies would come along. It was hard enough to separate from Silverbell and Pebbles but leaving the puppies alone with Nate and Char as their babysitters would be too much. Pebbles and Silverbell will be fine under the eyes of my brother and sister-in-law. I just hope my two nieces won't pull on their tales too much.

I get out of the helicopter with Potter while Oliver helps his brothers. I let Potter down but keep him close to me with the lead, while I help Maria with her seatbelt. Oliver helps Johna out of the helicopter before Caio follows him outside. They held Estrela and Nala during the flight and they're happy to have solid ground beneath their paws again.

Ralph and his security team arrived in a separate helicopter, but he was in contact with our pilot the whole way. I hear him constantly talk to the pilot and I think he has never been more scared. He's a control freak, it's why he's such a bloody outstanding security guard.

"This was such a beautiful flight! Very smooth landing. Thank you very much." I express my gratitude towards the pilot in fluent French.

He smiles in response before tapping his hat, "The pleasure was all mine, Your Royal Highness. I've never flown with three Dalmatians so it was a first for me as well."

I chuckle, "I think the puppies did rather well."

"They did indeed. I'll be honoured to fly you back to Nice anytime."

"Oh, we want to fly to Bordeaux in a few weeks. To my family's vineyards. But that's a little too far for a helicopter."

"With this model yes but there's a bigger machine that would have enough space and tank space to fly to Bordeaux."

"Then we'll gladly fly with you again, Captain." I show him a bright smile.

"Your Royal Highness,"

I turn around at Ralph's voice, "I hope you had a smooth flight, Ralph."

"It was excellent. Liberty is all ready for you."

I nod before looking at my husband, his brothers and Mum. "Do you want to eat something before we go on board of Liberty?"

Caio and Johna nod. They're always hungry because they have starved for most of their young lives.

"Okay, we'll go to the yacht club before getting on board. Can you take the puppies for a walk?" I ask Ralph.

My bodyguard shows me a bright smile, "Of course."

We hand him the leashes and I watch how our three spotted puppies walk away from us with swinging trails. These three will see the world along with their puppy-Daddy, his mother and brothers.

And I will capture every moment with my camera.

Oliver

My Mama, brothers and I follow my wife down the boat bridge as we walk by all these huge mega yachts at the port of Montecarlo in Monaco. I am holding Estrela's lead while Johna and Caio are holding Potter's and Nala's. Monaco is one of the smallest countries in Europe but it's definitely the wealthiest. There are about 2000 millionaires living here, but only fifty billionaire and one trillionaire. Everywhere I look I see luxury cars and shop, the women wear diamonds for breakfast and the men only care about their mega yachts. It's a world so shallow that I can't believe Josephine belongs into it. But she does, actually she is one of the very few that sit on top of the chain. With over 55 billion on her bank account, no one questions her actions. Instead, they all smile and kiss her ass. Josephine however decides to distance herself from all of the glamour and wealth. She chose this port because it has the highest security and would be the safest place for Liberty. She could have chosen a port in France or England, but she chose Montecarlo because it's close on the Mediterranean Sea and the people here are used to mega yachts. One yacht is bigger than the other - and size does matter when you're in Monaco at least. I've never seen so many yachts in one place, let alone such big yachts that look like they could transport hundreds of thousands of people on a cruise, except these here were built to only be used by maybe a hundred. These are commercial sized yachts, not for the commercial use.

At 105 meters, Lady Moura dominates the harbour. It was once the biggest yacht in the world, which is worth 250 million pounds.

We stop at one of the bigger sailing yachts of the end of the port. It might not be the biggest boat of in harbour, but with its impressive size it does ooze with elegance and pride. Definitely a Bolton product.

"This is Liberty." Josephine explains with a huge smile on her lips. My wife's clearly proud of her yacht and rightfully so.

It's a stunning sailing yacht! With a black hull and huge black sails that are rolled in, Liberty still looks impressive even next to all the other mega yachts around it. The yacht's name is written in Josephine's calligraphic handwriting on the back of the boat. The golden word looks magnificent against the black colour. Our royal coat of arms has been carved into the name, added just recently. It looks spectacular with its rich colours and golden accents. Our chosen supporters - a Bengal cat for me because it can be found in the Brazilian part of the Amazonas and a lion for Josephine because it's England's national animal - have never looked better. If I at first thought coat of arms are a waste of money, I have definitely been proven wrong now. There couldn't be a more perfect use for it than right here on the back of the boat.

Liberty and our coat of arms. Royals and yet free to a certain extent.

We are one of the kind.

"Take off your shoes and come on deck." My wife rips me out of my thoughts before sliding out of her sandals and stepping on the beautiful oiled mahogany platform that serves as a swimming platform when we're out on the sea. Three steps lead to the deck. We follow her moves and pick up our shoes before getting on deck one by one and dog by dog. The flush deck has this beautiful oiled mahogany with massive skylight windows and wraparound windows that are dark tinted. The silver, high guard, railings surrounding the clutter-free yacht are stunning and give a sense of safety. Carbon masts will be used when we hoist the sails. There's a huge chunky bowsprit with a double bow roller, hydraulic furling sail at the bow. The view of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea in front of me is breathtaking. I can't wait to hoist the sails and get moving!

"Where are all the sailing ropes?" Caio asks as he looks around.

"Under here." Josephine points to the closed sail locker. "It has every sailing rope I could possibly need to sail with this baby."

"It's so big!" My Mama breathes out as she looks around. "It's like a moving mansion!"

My wife smiles at the flowers she received,"I wanted Liberty to be my home on the water. I designed it to accompany my family and friends without needing to sacrifice on the fun of sailing. Let's go to the stern and then I'll show you the inside."

We walk past the centre cockpit as we move aft. It's massive with two mahogany wheels and plush seats. Big sun lounges in the same beige colour as the seats will allow my Mama to get some tan while we'll be cruising over the Mediterranean Sea. There's another oval seating area in front of the stairs that lead down to the saloon similar to Sapphire, the bigger Oyster on French Cay.

"Can I hold one of the wheels when we're sailing?" My little brother asks as his mocha coloured eyes are glued to the big twin mahogany wheels.

"Yes, of course. I taught your brother how to sail as well." Josephine smirks at me, probably remembering our time on Sapphire.

I, too, hold the memories dear to my heart. I look back at the swimming platform at the end of the yacht that's absolutely massive. Three mahogany steps lead to the platform with a ladder that we're no doubt will use a lot in the upcoming weeks. The flag of United Kingdom along with another smaller flag that features our royal coat of arms are flowing in the wind. This is, no doubt, a royal yacht.

We walk through the cockpits and around the dining table that has a beige seating area around it. The seating area alone could seat twenty people easily. Unlike like Sapphire, the Oyster on French Cay, there's a fridge built into the mahogany table but there's only one at the left side and not in the middle like on Sapphire. This way the table doesn't block the way to the saloon, instead it's a smooth transition from deck to the steps that lead to the saloon. These are minor changes, of course, but the changes make all the difference. "So, how much was custom built?" I ask my wife as we follow Josephine down the seven steps that lead into a pretty phenomenal looking saloon. There's the same mahogany floor down here as on deck so the transition is seamlessly. The upholstery of the huge seating area in the middle is held in a very light beige coloured leather. In contrast there are navy cushions on it. The cushions have our joined coat of arms embroidered on them in beige. There's indirect lightning underneath and behind the seating area, which makes it look even more luxurious. The seating area has an oval mahogany shaped table in front of it and storage is underneath and above the massive sofa. Next to the seating area are three vertical seascape windows. The big coach roof windows allow enough light and air to come in as they can be fully opened. It's so big and airy! There's even a big screen for watching movies. But what catches my attention the most are the hanging photographs. Framed photos of Rory and George, Charlotte and my wife, my wife and her triple siblings and a family photo that contains the Bolton family as well as the Wales family, including Catherine and William as George, Char and Louis' parents. To see this constant pattern of family bondage everywhere we go makes me love my wife even more.

Yes, she is a billionaire but she's a billionaire with a huge sense for her family.

The walls and bulkheads flow in an 'S' shape through the interior, which has a natural look and feel thanks to the combination of exposed mahogany timbers on show. A bespoke, curved seating arrangement takes centre stage in the open plan saloon-galley and C-shaped arrangements created from mahogany curve over the beds in the owner's and other cabins. Discreet doors with hidden, sensor-activated recesses, rather than visible door handles, ensure smooth lines and a contoured look throughout.

This feels like going back in time as the interior reminds me very much of my wife's penthouse at Landmark Place. This looks more like an art gallery rather than a home.

The interior lighting is controlled by ambient light sensors and a GPS clock to control the brightness and warmth of light ensuring there is no difference between outside and inside. There are no pockets of shade and light as you would normally have. The interior has almost no light switches; motion sensors will turn lights on and off during the day. At night, sensors under the beds will detect if someone is up and light the way to the nearest ensuite. If a guest starts to go elsewhere within the interior, the system will deduce which way they are going and light the relevant areas in a very soft warm light.

It looks very, very glamours and uniquely luxurious. Especially this oval design of the saloon as there's no real corridor that leads to the cabins. I don't doubt that the company needed two and a half years to build this boat. "I think we can let the dogs off their leads here." My wife suggests to Caio, Johna and me. We let our Dalmatian puppies off the lead and they start exploring the interior immediately. The black spotted puppies look stunning in these interiors. "Pretty much everything you see, I chose. I chose the mahogany wood on deck and in here, whereas the standard is oak or American cherry, which is something lots of yacht owners like but I prefer mahogany, a deep oiled and special treated mahogany. I chose a special carbon ligature for the masts. It's a mixture that a chemist has developed solemnly for me. The mahogany wheels are usual a black carbon as well, so I had to change that. This oval design in the saloon, the mahogany wood that hides the doors to the cabins and the way that there are no long and thin corridors, this was all custom designed. No other Oyster has this kind of saloon. No other Oyster has its cabin doors hidden so well that there are no doorknobs, but rather they open with a sensor. It's all very high tech and individual. The leather for the seats and the sofas was custom chosen as well. Actually, the leather was something I had to wait for quite long because it was so hard to get my hands on. I worked with a luxury yacht interior designer for that and I made her work very, very hard for her money. I knew I wanted exclusivity and fabrics that would last for decades as I don't like to give Liberty away for maintenance too long and too much, especially not for something that has to do with upholstering. I don't like being away from her too long, usually I can't stay away from her more than a few weeks." She touches the plush seating area. "But last year has been a little rough, so I didn't have time to be here. Otherwise I would have shown her to you earlier." She sounds a little sad. My wife has clearly missed her yacht. This yacht is as dear to her heart as her horses in Dover. It - I mean, she - means a lot to her. In a way Liberty embodies exactly what she stands for: the freedom of worries, pressure and prejudices. I feel so honoured to be here with my brothers and Mama. I can't wait to spend the next weeks on this yacht with my wife.

"I asked them to update Liberty a little. The cushions are new. The sails are new and the wood has been freshly oiled, water proofed and polished." Josephine looks around. "This is a charter table. It has all sorts of monitors and electronics that are important for me as the captain but not for you. Please don't touch anything there otherwise you'd get us in a lot of trouble." My wife explains to Johna and Caio, whose eyes are glued to all the blinking monitors and electronics that are fitted into the walls. She explained to me once what they're all for but it's rather complicated for me so I didn't pay much attention to it.

"Is that a washing machine?" Johna asks as he looks behind the charter table.

"Yes, that's the utility cabin. It has a washer and dryer."

"You really thought of everything, didn't you?" I ask her as I wrap my arm around her waist. Our twins have grown immensely in the last weeks so now the bump is a proud feature of her body.

"I tried. So far, I haven't found anything I missed. But maybe this summer will prove otherwise."

Johna and Caio follow one of the curved hallways that lead to the guest accommodations. They open one of the many mahogany doors by sticking their hands into the openings. The doors slide open, revealing a sleeping cabin with two beds. "Is that for us?"

Josephine looks over her left shoulder, "Yes, but I wanted to show you the galley first. It's here!"

My brothers let the door open, causing Potter, Nala and Estrela to walk inside with a swinging tails.

Josephine leads me and my Mama to the kitchen area which is held in the same mahogany as the floor and the panelling of the walls. It's so neatly built that it's almost completely camouflaged. The only noticeable appliance is the induction stove. Even the double sink is hidden.

Caio nods in approval, "Can we get back into our cabin now?"

Josephine chuckles, "Yes, of course."

I notice a sensor that's probably for the master bedroom."That's ours?" I ask her.

Josephine nods before looking at Maria. "You can choose whatever cabin at the other end you want."

"How many guest cabins are there?" Maria asks.

"Six cabins with a queen bed and two cabins with two beds. Behind me is the master cabin, two queen bed cabins and two twin bed cabins are also on this side. At the other end we have the remaining cabins as well as another staircase that leads downstairs where a crew will stay in once we pick them up in Barcelona. Downstairs is another galley, a bigger laundry cabin and another six cabins with twin beds. The cabins each have an en-suite bathroom with a shower." Josephine looks at me, "But we have a bathtub."

My Mama was right, this is a mansion on the water! "I hope it's big enough for the four of us." I whisper into her ear as my Mama turns on her heel and walks away from us.

"Don't worry it's extra deep and wide. I told you, I've thought of everything." She shows me a smirk that makes my heart skip a beat. My wife intertwines her fingers with mine before we walk into the master bedroom, which is under the bow. It's beautiful with lots of light coming from the three vertical windows on either side of the wall and the massive skylight above the king sized bed. The paneling is the same mahogany as in the saloon and kitchen. The walls are curved just like in the saloon and the headspace is incredible, even I, with my two meters height, have enough space without touching the ceiling.

"I wanted a bigger bed and because I went for a bathtub in the en-suite bathroom, I had to sacrifice the walk-in closet. The walls here are full of storage space for clothes, though." She opens a hidden cupboard that's camouflaged by the mahogany paneling.

I chuckle, "I think I can do without a walk-in closet."

"I thought so as well. Whereas going without a tub... that's a hard limit."

I smirk at her obvious hint, "I'm sure some sailing ropes can be used differently than one might imagine."

The way my wife licks her full lips tells me she can't wait for that moment. She lets go of my hand and walks to the only other door there is in this cabin. "The master bathroom." She says before opening the door. "I've gone with same granite as in the galley. I didn't choose marble because it's too heavy. Basically, this would make the sailing experience less pleasurable."

I walk over to her and have a look into the bathroom - and what bathroom! "This is huge! It's just as big as this master bedroom!" I breathe out as I scan the room. It has a toilet, a sink and that stunning deep and wide tub that's let into the floor. The same granite as in the galley is used on the floor and walls. Vertical windows let in enough light and the skylight offers a view of above.

"Don't worry, the skylight is heavily tinted. No one will see our naked bodies in here." Josephine explains to me.

"How many men did you share this tub with?" I ask her as I stare at the bathtub. It's definitely big enough for the both of us and the bump.

"None, you're the first. You should know by now that I have standards and lines that I will never cross. My penthouse, my yacht... my horses are just a few."

I look at my wife and face her angry face. "I'm sorry. I just can't help but-"

"Feel insecure because I loved fucking so much? By now you should know that is was exactly that. Fucking. In a suite of the Ritz. Never at my place. Never on my yacht. Never at my ranch." She places her heads on my cheeks, "I've only ever loved you. You are in my heart. They were in pussy. Two very different things."

"I know..."

"Yet you fear I might have shared this bathtub with someone else. And I did, sort of. With three little boys named Elias, Calloway and Gideon. My parents used to bath them in this tub when they were still toddlers. They used to get very dirty from eating watermelon and lobster on deck."

I smirk, "I can't wait to bath our twins in here."

"I can't either. Maybe subconsciously that's why I insisted on having a bathtub so badly. Which makes my Oyster one of its kind by the way. No 745 up until this day has a bathtub and even the bigger models didn't come with bathtubs at the time I ordered mine. The company was inspired by my request so much that they made it an option for the bigger models. But for 745 they decided to stick with the standards, showing immense respect towards my decision and wishes."

Potter comes into our master bedroom, sniffing the floor and bed before his two siblings follow. "Where will they sleep?"

"Not in our bed." Josephine counters as we start stroking them.

"How about in the saloon?" I suggest.

She nods, "Good. We can close off the galley, so that way they won't get in here or the other cabins on this side."

"I'm pretty sure Johna and Caio will want them to sleep with them."

---

The Mediterranean Sea is incredible! The air is blowing against my face as Josephine manoeuvres her yacht over the dark blue sea. Johna hasn't let go of the second mahogany wheel, while my Mama has been fighting with seasickness a little bit. Our three puppies on the other hand were born to live on a boat, they feel as comfortable as in Home Park. However when Josephine starts to sail and race with Liberty, that's when they tend to stay in the saloon. I don't know if it's because my Mama needs them or they need her. I'm pretty sure it's the first.

Even Ralph and his six manned security team is grinning from ear to ear. They're spread all over the yacht: two men are downstairs with the puppies and my Mama, while the rest four plus Ralph are on deck with us.

"Look, dolphins!" Caio cries over the loud wind, he's holding tightly on the silver railings.

"Where?" Johna lets go of the wheel and walks over to Caio. Some of the security men follow Caio to look at the dolphins. We're cruising past the French Rivera which is absolutely breathtaking. Our first stop is a little town near Barcelona, where we will collect a crew that's going to make sure we reach our next destination in the morning. The next few weeks will be what my wife calls a Mediterranean tour as we will see lots of islands and cruise in the stunning sea. Josephine has promised to show me the world and she's starting with Southern Europe.

I rise from the sofa and carefully walk over to my wife. She looks the happiest with the wind blowing in her face. She changed from her summer dress into leggings, a long sleeved navy striped top and beige coloured boat shoes. Just like all on deck, she's wearing a life vest. The bump in front of her keeps her from standing up close at the wheel. The fact that she's 28 weeks pregnant and insisting on sailing this yacht without a skipper, just shows how incredibly strong and stubborn my wife is.

I stop behind her and place my hands on hers on the big mahogany wheel, "Are you okay?" I whisper into her ear.

She nods as she's heard me clearly even through the heavy wind. "The twins are enjoying the sailing very much."

"They are?" I ask her surprised before placing my large hands on her even larger bump. Oh, yes they are! I can feel lots of bulges appearing on her belly. The twins are kicking and boxing against the womb. It feels so amazing! After a few moments they stop. "If you need any help-"

"I can sail my yacht to Spain by myself. I'be agreed to take along a Spanish crew, so let me have my fun while I still can."

It was a rather big compromise she made. I let go of the bump, "Yes, of course."

She turns around, "That doesn't mean you have to let go of me! I still want to be held by you!"

I smirk at her comment before embracing her from behind, "Thank you for taking us along. This was the most perfect idea to spend the summer."

"You are in for a real treat. I will show you the Mediterranean like no one has ever seen it." She gives me a heart-stopping smile. "I promised to show you the world, Oliver. And we will start with what's right in front of our door."

---

Exclusive: The Clarences' holiday on Ibiza!

During the summer months, the rich, the famous and the wannabes all flock to Ibiza to see and to be seen, as well as to party at some of the most exclusive and legendary nightspots on the Spanish island and enjoy the pristine beaches. A perfect spot for the Clarences to enjoy their third holiday in just six months. After their nine-week holiday in East Africa, where they claimed to be doing work in the name of the Commonwealth Trust but secretly partied at night (we reported in January), they jetted off to the celebrity island Ibiza.

Almost every celebrity has spent a summer break on the Ibizan sand at some point, so it's clear that Josie and Oliver had to as well. The island draws some of the most important A-list Hollywood actors, international musicians, DJs and socialites who can be spotted sunbathing aboard a yacht anchored in one of the island's secluded coves or swimming in its crystalline waters. A place where they can mingle, be seen or, indeed, hide away from prying eyes in one of the many luxury waterfront villas.

The Clarences were photographed spending their morning at the famous Ibiza Polo Club. Accompanied by an impressive security detail that didn't leave their side, the most controversial royal couple watched some of the finest polo while snacking on fresh fruit. After that they went to the celebrity loved Nassau Beach Club, where the couple enjoyed champagne, wine, cocktails, fish and a Spanish paella with the Duke's side of the family. Pregnant Josie stuck to water and a light salad, still having to battle with morning sickness. The couple spend their afternoon at the Playa de Ses Illetes Beach. Ses Illetes is a stunning strip of beach goes on for miles along the coastline of the idyllic island of Formentera, situated just south of Ibiza. Spectacular views, clear and shallow water, luxury yachts moored on the horizon and a relaxed vibe make this beach a celebrity hotspot. The sand slopes gently into the sea making it a good shallow area for swimming and splashing around.

Unlike previously reported, the couple is not staying at the luxury hotel Seven Pines, but on their very own yacht. Josie owns an Oyster 745 named Liberty, whose home port is in Monaco - the most expensive home port ever! At 75 feet, the six million pounds worth yacht is big enough to give the crew and the security their own space and yet, thanks to some remarkable engineering, this is still a British luxury yacht that can be sailed around the world.

Paparazzi snapped the Duke and Duchess going for a swim in the turquoise water and sunbathing on their magnificent yacht Liberty. With her tresses drenched in water, Josie went make-up free to highlight her naturally radiant features. The royal brunette showcased her incredibly toned figure besides being pregnant with twins in an orange two-piece, complete with a triangle bikini top and matching briefs. The husband wore a safer option by going with black swimming trunks. The couple will allegedly spend a week on the Spanish island.

---

Josephine

I take my husband's hand as he helps me out of the boat that took us from Liberty to Mykonos, a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. Just as I promised Oliver, we're spending our summer holiday shipping through the Mediterranean Sea. We started in Monaco, where Liberty has its haven, then shipped along the French Rivera, Spain's mainland before paying the Balearic Islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, a visit. We spent my husband's birthday on Ibiza just a couple of weeks ago and it was nice to show Caio, Johna and Maria my favourite spots on the island. Then we sailed over to Italy and hoisted the anchor at the Amalfi Coast. After a few days of Italian bliss, Oliver and I decided to sail over to Greece, where we plan to visit Mykonos and Crete.

Caio, Johna and Maria wanted to stay in Positano a little longer and do some island hopping, maybe pay the Amalfi another visit. We plan to visit the stunning natural hot springs in Saturina, a small town in Tuscany before going home. We will spend the autumn holiday in the vineyards in France. While Nala and Potter stayed in Italy, we took Estrela with us to Greece. The dogs are perfectly fine with being on the yacht. They haven't gotten seasick, which is great.

Ralph's holding on to Estrela's lead as she jumps down from the little boat. Mykonos is, just like Santorini was yesterday, absolutely stunning. It's picture quality of white houses, colourful doors with matching window frames, large light grey cobble stone paths and this pristine blue water around it, is something I can't get over, no matter how long I stare at it.

There are a lot of hills around the island but that's great for Estrela, because she needs the time to walk it out. Speaking of Estrela, our Dalmatian really stands out with her black spots anon the white fur. I brought my Nikon camera and I'm definitely going to use it to take some photos of her in this gorgeous town.

I grab the lead out of Ralph's hand. "Thank you."

Our bodyguard smiles back at me as the rest of our five headed security team follows him off the boat. I think Ralph has fallen in love with our Dalmatians. Especially Potter seems to have a special place in his heart. These two are adorable together.

"Ready for breakfast?" Oliver asks the rest of the security team. The three men and two women have all dressed down to blend into the tourists, so we wouldn't stand out too much.

Still, a few tourists have snapped photos of us walking around Mallorca, Positano, Amalfi and Santorini. We attract attention. Not because of the security team, but because of Nala, Potter and Estrela. Dalmatians are just too beautiful to be ignored. And our puppies are really photogenic.

We made it into the tabloids nevertheless. The tabloids call this trip our babymoon.

"Actually, lets have a look at the windmills first. Estrela needs some walking and I want to see the sunrise from there." I suggest. It's almost dawn time, so I think we're going to have stunning photos with the windmills in front of the rising sun. It's a thirty minute walk from here but it's going to be worth it.

"But we need a coffee on our way up there." Oliver says and our team agrees with us.

"Lets see what's already open and buy some snacks and coffee for our hike."

"You sure you can hike in those shoes?" Oliver asks me.

I look down at my feet. I'm wearing sandals. I should be fine. "They're not stilettos so yes, I think so."

We start walking through Mykonos City. The white houses with the bright doors and window frames, the little alleys, the blossoming pink flowers that are growing above us... it's such a stunning town! The alleys are completely empty and floating with cafes that are just getting the pastries ready which will be served in a few hours. We walk past a few locals and fishers that unload their cars with freshly caught fish, crabs and other seafood. Estrela seems to be very interested in the fish as she stops and starts sniffing the cat.

"Hey," I hiss at her as she pulls on the lead to peek inside the boxes that are full of freshly caught fish. "Sorry." I apologise in Greek. "The seafood looks incredible. Where are you dropping them off?"

"In Little Venice. It's just underneath the windmills." The fisher answers with a wide grin.

"We'll make sure to reserve a table there for you, Your Royal Highnesses." Ralph promises us.

The eyes of the fisher widen but he says no word.

"We won't bother you any more. But we're looking forward to having dinner this evening."

"Do you know if any cafe is already open?" Lizzy asks the fisher as we all start walking.

"Yes. Try Hibiscus. It's not too far away. Turn left at the green roof and then left again at the red roof. It's across a church. The service should start in an hour so you might be hearing the church bells as an audible signal."

"Great, thank you."

"Enjoy your day on this beautiful island!" The fisher shows us the widest grin.

"You as well." Oliver smiles at the fisher before we continue our walk through Mykonos town. There are kittens everywhere. They're lounging underneath a tree, on fences or roofs. And there so many different coloured cats! They're so beautiful!

I stop at an particularly stunning spot and get my Nikon ready.

"Josephine, we want to have our cup of coffee." Oliver sighs.

"You put me on a caffeine diet and now that I'm clean, I feel great. I don't even need it and you guys can wait a minute. I just want to take a photo of Estrela." I explain as I position our Dalmatian in front of a white house wall, right next to a royal blue door. Pink Bougainvillea is climbing up the house. Estrela with her white fur and black spots, especially the star shaped spot on her nose, looks like a superstar. She's made for this.

I get as low as I can while holding on to Oliver's hand and snap a few photos from different angles.

"I can take a photo of both of you." Lizzy offers us.

"Oh, yes. Good idea." I slowly get up and pull Oliver with me. We stand on either side of our Dalmatian and watch how Lizzy takes a few photos.

"Thank you." I say as Lizzy hands me back the camera. I scroll through the taken photos. We look fabulous! My bump and Estrela are definitely the stars of the photo. My pink dress has the same shade as the pink Bougainvillea. In colour or monochromic, these are stunning photos! "It's stunning!"

"Can we go now?" Oliver demands.

I nod and we continue walking. This is the most picturesque town ever! The streets are so beautiful and although everything's still closed and it's just dawn, I am completely taken away by the beauty around me.

"I think Greece is your favourite country." Oliver mocks me as I continue taking photos as we walk past the stunning village.

"I don't know but I think Estrela looks especially beautiful here."

"You said that on the Amalfi coast as well. And on the Balearic Islands."

I look down at Estrela, who walks by heel very happily. "Dalmatians are just stunning dogs. They look breathtaking everywhere."

"Maybe we should set up an Instagram account for them." Oliver jokes with a chuckle.

"We could do something to raise awareness on adopting pets instead of shopping them. And we could do something to raise awareness of the needs from specific dog breeds. I mean, we only got our three Dalmatians because they need so much attention. They can spend the whole day outside, running around and never get tired. It's a shame so many dogs and other pets end up in animal shelters." I think out loud. "I'll think of something."

"Oh, please don't. I know what that means. You're going to use the nights for research. You're going to float your desk with paper work and ideas... No, please don't. This is supposed to be our holiday. Not work."

I'll think of something anyway. Maybe we can do something with The Royal Foundations and other members of the royal family.

---

One hundred million pound sails: Welcome on deck of LIBERTY, the Clarence's mega yacht!

The Daily News can exclusively reveal the name of Josie and Oli's mega yacht. The Oyster 745 is named Liberty and was a birthday present from Sir Troy and Lady Gabriella Bolton. As the company that built the mega yacht told us, the sailing yacht is completely bespoke, from the materials for sails to the chosen taps. Liberty features everything a millionaire can wish for! From a private spa area, a helicopter landing space, a fitness room, a full bathroom with a bathtub, a cinema, a barbecue area and a lounge room that can host 200 people - this is the ultimate party place! Spoken to Alexander Williams, a former school mate of the Duchess, he revealed that the yacht brings up "certainly some of the best memories". "Josephine was gifted this Oyster for her 17th birthday. I still remember this summer very clearly because she called in her best friends and set the sails across the Mediterranean Sea. She's an excellent sailer and up until that day she had been sailing for five years already. She was on the school's team and I think that's why they never lost a race." Williams told us. Champagne and caviar were essential snacks. The Duchess of Oxford, the Duke Of Windsor and Princess Gabriel of Monaco were very fond of the Jet Skies that were just as important as a private chef on deck. Oyster denied to tell the costs of building such an Oyster, however they did say that Josie's yacht is rather special and dear to their hearts. The yacht has a deck the size of a tennis court, making it one of the largest sailing yachts on the planet. There's a total one nearly 1000 square meters worth of living space. "It's nice to see her using it so frequently. We'd be happy to upgrade it if she wishes to." The official spokesman if Oyster said with a bright smile on his lips. Experts estimate the yacht's worth at around 100 million pounds.

---

Oliver

I let Estrela loose from the lead and watch her running around the three windmills on the top of the hills of Mykonos. These windmills represent the most iconic images of Greece. We're completely alone as all the other tourists are still asleep. It's early May so Mykonos is not bursting with tourists anyway. "Oh, she's loving the breeze!"

My wife snaps another photo of the rising sun before she chuckles, "She does!"

Estrela runs past our security team, which is sipping on their coffees and eating Samsades. Samsades are a traditional Greek dessert consisting of phyllo dough that's rolled around a filling of nuts, baked, and then drenched in sugar or honey syrup, local thyme honey, or grape must (petimezi). The filling typically consists of almonds and sesame seeds, although walnuts are also occasionally added to the combination, and it's often flavoured with cinnamon, cloves, and almond flavouring or floral water.

They're absolutely delicious, especially when they're freshly baked. with a fresh Greek coffee. Even Josephine had a few of them with her hibiscus tea.

"This Mediterranean tour was one of your best ideas." I say to my wife as we stare it at the sea that's glowing in orange hues.

"Actually it was your idea to tick off some of my bucket list items so the compliment goes back to you." Josephine grins back at me. "To be honest, I didn't think it would work to sail on the Mediterranean with three dogs, five humans and five security people but it did. It still does. And in a few weeks we won't have the time to travel around as much so this is really our last chance. I'm so grateful we get to spend it in such a breathtaking way with sunrises and sunsets that go beyond words. Thank you for doing this." She looks sensational in her pink dress and that sky in front of her. She's glowing from the inside and on the outside.

"You promised to show me the world and I'm holding you on to it."

She grins, "Our whole family will travel the world together." She places her hands on the massive bump she's carrying.

I place my hands on hers. "You sure, you want to make olive oil from scratch today?"

Her grin is all I need as an answer. "If it makes as much fun as making wine, than you've got nothing to worry about. The heavier you are, the better the wine. And I assume the same goes for olive oil."

I have no idea what she's talking about, but I'll find out today.

---

Katerina's in Little Venice is a small restaurant right at the sea. Little Venice is the most romantic spot ever! It has stunning views over the water. I can see our sailboat Liberty, our Oyster 745. At just short of 75 feet, the Oyster 745 is big enough to give the crew their own space - and our family and security theirs - and yet, thanks to some remarkable engineering, this is still an Oyster that can be sailed around the world by my wife. Or the Mediterranean Sea in our case. I enjoyed every minute on it - and so did our three Dalmatian puppies. The huge white sails with our royal coat of arms in the left lower corner look beautiful. She looks stunning, majestic even.

I never thought I'd love sailing as much as I do. The sailing boat we used on the Pacific Ocean, Sapphire, is a lot bigger than Liberty but I like the intimacy it has. It's perfect for our family.

Josephine cuts through her octopus before taking a bite. Katerina's is one of the restaurants that were delivered by the fisher this morning. "Oh, wow this is incredible!"

There's a lot of chatter around us but mainly from locals. The tourist season begins in July and as it's still May we're enjoying the island in authenticity.

I take a bite of my fish that only needed seasoning with ocean salt and lemon juice. It's absolutely delicious. Before I met my wife, I used to live on very little food, sometimes I didn't eat for days, so eating this now is a bit surreal. And I'll be forever grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to meet my wife and have two beautiful babies with her.

"Why are you staring at me like this?" My wife asks me.

"I was just remembering the times when I didn't even dare to dream of a moment like this."

Josephine stops eating and grabs my hand. She squeezes it softly. "I'm forever grateful for meeting you as well." She whispers with a soft smile on her full lips.

She breaks eye contact with me as she looks to the right, which shows the stunning view of whole Mykonos with its white houses that sit right at the sea. "Look at that! Estrela is doing her name justice."

I look to the right and stop our Dalmatian puppy surrounded by kids and locals that want to pet her or take a photo with her. Ralph went out for an evening walk with her. Ralph looks so proud of her. "It was the right choice to bring the puppies along."

"I just hope Silverbell and Pebbles won't be too mad at us for being away so long."

"George says they're doing well."

"That doesn't mean they aren't going to be pissed when we come home."

"True." I say with a shrug. We've spent the whole day strolling through Mykonos town, visiting a luxury beach club in Nammos and doing lots of shopping. Josephine called it supporting the local economy, but really it's her excuse to buy all the clothes, china, souvenirs, furniture and jewels. Not once did she step into a designer boutique. She bought everything from the many local boutiques that are scattered all over Mykonos Town. When I told her even we don't have the space in our home for all the stuff she bought, she gave me a confused look before she explained to me that she bought the stuff for the homeless shelters and charity organisations. She plans to give it away. But she did insist on keeping a few clothing pieces and souvenirs. Just for us to enjoy, she claimed.

My wife's heart is too big to be beating in just her chest. She loves helping others. She thrives on it. She's a true humanitarian.

"Why are you looking at me like this?" Josephine asks me.

I shake my head, "I was just thinking about our shopping trip today and the goodwill you have."

"I'm killing two birds with one stone. We're supporting the local economy and doing good. I'm sure the people will love the clothes for summer." She takes a sip of her alcohol free cocktail.

"I love you." That doesn't even come close enough to how I feel about her.

"I love you, too."

---

Oliver

"Oliver, wake up!" The hand of my wife shakes me gently. I fell asleep pretty quickly after our eventful day. Spending the afternoon making our own olive oil was definitely fun but also very exhausting. I worked at coffee and banana plantations, but this job is definitely not any less hard.

I wake up and nearly jump up from her touch, "What? Is everything alright? Are you in pain?"

"No, I've got an idea for your issue."

I frown, "What?"

"Help me choose my pet."

"I'm sorry?" She woke me up because of this?!

"I need a pen and a notebook!" She twists her upper body, puts on the lamp on that nightstand and licks up the pink notebook and the sleek silver pen. Then she starts writing like a maniac. "What you said to me earlier, about helping animal shelters... I couldn't shake it off so I came up with an idea. A website that helps you choose your pet. It's going to start off with a quiz, the first question is about the animal itself. You know whether cat or dog, bird or rabbit - that sort of thing. And then there will be questions about your characteristics and your ability to House a pet. Are you working at home or in an office the whole day, for example determines how time you spend at home and can take care of the pet. In the end, it will tell you the breed that is your perfect fit."

"Okay, but where do the animal shelters come in?" I ask as I rub my eyes. This feels like the night when she started to fundraiser for the Australian Bushfires last year.

"After that step. After you know which breed is right for you, there's going to appear a map which shows all the animal shelters across England - we could start with one country first - that are currently being a home to a pet of that breed. And then you can adopt the pet from there. I want to connect everyone and everything seamlessly."

I yawn, "I think it's a great idea but I also think we should go back to bed."

But my wife climbs out of the bed instead, "No, I need to work on the drafts. If this works out the way I imagine it will, then this will revolutionise the industry!"

I sigh, "I'll make us a cup of tea then."

"No, don't bother." Josephine puts on a morning gown before walking out of the cabin.

I stare at the empty door frame for a moment before I climb out of the bed. When the muse kisses my wife, she's unstoppable.

Josephine

I drink the last drop of my hot rooibos tea, just as the sun is starting to rise. It's a bright line of red with pink hues, that blurs out in orange and yellow. It's getting reflected in the turquoise coloured water that surrounds us. It looks absolutely stunning. The birds are tweeting, signalising the start of a brand new day. Liberty and the boat of our security are the only boats in my eyesight, although I feared the paparazzi would go crazy once they found out where we would be. The countless little boats can usually be found near the islands. Most bigger boats spend their days and nights within a fifteen minute boat ride to the mainland, but we're quite far away. I've spent the last hours typing down the concept of my new idea and sending it off to our team at Hampton Court Palace. It's a project that could not only benefit so many shelters in England alone, but if we could expand it through the Commonwealth it could help so many different animals all around the world.

I place my free hand on my husband's who has been going over our educational programme for the Bahamas while I was going crazy on my MacBook. Oliver looks up and meets my eyes. The sunrise is getting reflected in his beautiful green eyes. "Happy Birthday." I whisper with a smile on my lips.

He reflects my smile immediately. "Thank you, Tesoro."

Two years ago, we went out on our first public date. Last year, I couldn't find him in time to be able to celebrate his birthday with him. And this year…. Well, this year, we're sitting on our yacht with our puppy and two unborn children. It's crazy how much can change in just one year.

Last time I gifted him a flat.

And this year, I have nothing.

"I don't have a gift, I'm afraid." I mumble, feeling how the redness flushes my cheeks until it's the cover of the sky above us.

Oliver places his large hands on my ever-growing bump. "Greatest gift of my life. Nothing will ever top this."

"Not even an additional flat?" I joke.

He chuckles, "Definitely not. I think we should promise each other no gifts for birthdays."

I nod in agreement. It sounds reasonable. My parents do the same. "What about Christmas?" I ask him.

"Just the kids."

I smile at his words, "It sounds like a freaking good deal we have going on here, Mr. Bolton."

---

Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, although it's probably not my best piece of work.

I apologise for the very late update, but life's just come in between. I've had to change my career, I've experienced the greatest loss in my life so far and I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. 2021 is not a year I want to remember and frankly, I'll be happy when it's over.

For those asking for an update on A Million Times More: I want to end the story of Gabriella and Troy in one-two chapters, but I still have to write that down. I'm aiming to update the story around Christmas.

I've also had Della and Wlad visiting me in my dreams recently, so I might write an epilogue or even give them another story. Not sure, yet. I'd be interested in your opinions about Della and Wlad.

Please review.

In gratitude,

Nicole