My bodyguards give me a nasty look as we left Gen�s apartment at around twelve thirty. By the time we get back to the hotel and get settled it was after one, otherwise I�m certain I�d have gotten my current lecture then. At around eight, I was awakened by granddad, a mixture between anger and amusement on his face. He proceeded to speak to me for nearly fifteen minutes, only leaving to give me a chance to get dressed � or so he said. I think he was rather pleased to see that someone was willing to still live a normal life even with the crown looming overhead. Too bad he can�t say so. Once I was dressed, I had a quick breakfast and was hustled in to sit with Gran. I�m still �sitting� with Gran. In other words, I�m passively absorbing her every word as she passionately insists that I think with the head on my shoulders. The conversation has largely been Gran expressing her disappointment, but is slowly winding down.

        �Wills, you have to protect your reputations � both of yours. You are both very attractive young people, and the cameras will be drawn to that. It is a miracle that you weren�t discovered at her apartment. In time we will have to feed them stories to keep them happy, but if you are caught this early in a, shall we say compromising situation; nothing will be able to keep them at bay. I�m afraid you are going to have to exercise more restraint. I don�t want any real or interpreted intense intimacy coming out in the press. Do you agree?�

        Hm... Live without Gen in my arms, die to keep her... Live... die... live...

        Die. �When in the public eye we will remain relatively distant, however, we will take advantage of the opportunity to remove ourselves from such a setting and enjoy each other�s company. I will assure you that there will be no possibility, even in the slightest, of an illegitimate heir, however we have agreed that when we are alone, the crown will have no affect over our decisions. We will be just like any young couple. The public will be none the wiser.�

        Gran nods. �In any situation where you are the prince, you will follow what you have been taught.�

        Hesitantly, knowing I will regret this, I nod.

        �I have been informed that you have been invited to join Genevieve and her family on a vacation at the end of this tour.�

        �Gen only confirmed that things would work here last night. I would enjoy the opportunity to spend more time with her, though we both agree that it must be kept silent.�

        Gran nods. �Make the necessary arrangements,� she dismisses. As I�m walking to the door she suddenly asks, �How long do you expect this courtship to last?�

        �Until we�re ready to announce our engagement,� I answer bluntly. �When do you plan to abdicate?�

        �I won�t,� Gran smiles, reassuring. �You deserve some time to just be a young couple. I�m not long for this world, Wills, but I hope to hang in long enough to let you have a life. Your father never planned on being king for long, but wanted to let you get settled with whoever you found before you were crowned. I hope you get the chance.�

        �Knowing Gen, one way or the other, we will. She is a magnificent optimist, finding good in everything. Thank you, but you don�t need to worry about us, Gran. We are very happy together,� I say as I leave.

        Fifteen minutes later, we are all in the limo to the museum. We stop in front of Gen�s apartment and she joins us. The bodyguards are in two additional cars leading and trailing.

        �Morning, beautiful,� I say quietly as she sits beside me, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Very quietly, I whisper, �Relax. She�ll like the idea of me having you if you can handle yourself in a �difficult� situation.�

        �It�s good to see you too,� she says quietly.

        �Good morning, Miss Hudson,� Gran says.

        �Good morning, your majesty,� Gen answers quietly, lowering her head. Gran smiles at this act of humility and waves to me to raise her up to �our� level. I gently raise her chin to look at me and grin. Kissing her nose lightly, I quietly explain, �You are my equal. Unless propriety demands otherwise, you don�t have to treat any of my family any differently than you would if we weren�t royalty.�

        �I�ll try. Though I�m afraid, I have to ask, what should I address your grandmother as? How to speak to the Queen when dating her grandson isn�t normally taught, even to �proper society�s daughters over here.�

        I laugh and hold Gen close to me. �You are amazing.�

        �A simple Ma�am will suffice,� Gran answers, smiling as well. �It�s a shame you had to meet while we are touring. When you are in London next you must join me for tea.�

        �It would be an honor, Ma�am.� The humility in her voice is amazing. I�m going to spoil her, she deserves so much more than what I can give her. But I�ll remember what Mum told me � it�s the little things that make the difference.

        �I don�t know if I�d be able to part with you that long,� I whisper to Gen. She blushes in silent response.

        �Wills,� Granddad reminds me.

        I smile at him and ask, �What are we doing today?�

        �We are going to this museum then there is the changing of the guards, and we are having lunch at a detachment here in town, then your grandmother and I are going to the military base in Oromocto, while you go to a celebration in the park. You then have a few hours before your plane leaves,� he explains.

        �I think I can find something to do during that time,� I wrap my arm around Gen�s waist, �accidentally� pinching the sensitive spot in her side, causing her to jump. As she turns to glare at me, I move to kiss her �cheek� lightly, getting her lips instead. This shocks Gen, and she moves to back away, but I hold her close and kiss her again briefly.

        Granddad gives me another glare, and I know that if it weren�t for the fact that this is our last day here, he�d make a comment right now. We talk quietly for the next several minutes, Gen slowly relaxing around my grandparents. As we pull up in front of the museum, we are greeted by a relatively large crowd cheering madly. Gran and Granddad got out first and the volume increased, and, as I�ve grown used to, the intensity likely doubled as I get out, but the crowd shocks me as I help Gen out. When they realize who she was, the sound was deafening.

        Gen smiles at me uncertainly, and I smile confidently back at her. Looping her arm around mine, she looks at the crowd and waves. Gran moves towards the crowd lining the wall of the museum, so I lead Gen to the other side.

        �Welcome to the walk-about,� I say in her ear over the crowd.

        We shake hands and smile courteously, try to speak with a few people, and are handed flowers and stuffed animals. Gen smiles brilliantly at a little boy who hands her a large bouquet of wild flowers. She stops her actions of greeting everyone and bends down to give the little boy a hug. I smile at her and glance over my shoulder, surprised to see Gran also smiling at us.

        Gradually, we make it to the museum doors and Gen again loops her arm through mine and we wave to the crowd a we enter the air conditioned building. Inside we are met by the curator and are lead around the old building. Gen quietly whispers memories she has of the rooms as we go through.

        �I can�t wait to take you around England,� I whisper as she smiles when we enter a room devoted to the Victorian Era.

        �I don�t know if I�ll be able to handle all the castles, it�ll be quite wonderful.�

        �I�d gladly stay in my apartment at St. James with you.�

        �I thought you weren�t going to do anything suggestive,� she teases.

        I send a loving, mock-hurt gaze that seems to say, �Who me?� Gen tries not to laugh and turns away from me, pretending to be very interested in one of the displays. I loop her arm through mine and continue on with everyone else. Eventually the tour comes to an end and I kiss Gen goodbye for the moment and Jon leads her away.

        I left Wills as his Grandmother led the inspection of the troops and arrived here, the old armories. I haven�t been here for years. A courtesy guard with a distinguished look about him greets me as I walk in.

        �Good day, Miss Delarier,� the stern old fellow says as I walk in.

        �Good day,� I return with a smile. I would have said Lieutenant or something, but I find it impossible to identify ranks. I just don�t know what those bars indicate.

        �My apologies, Miss. I am Captain Jacob Taylor of her Majesty�s Mounted Guard, here to keep watch of this barracks while the troops are on parade.�

        �You must be disappointed to not be meeting the Queen,� I offer.

        �I have met her before, and it is quite possible I�ll meet her again. Will you join me for tea?� he offers.

        �Thank you,� I accept, sitting in an offered chair. I�m glad I have a fairly high tolerance for the damnable infusion of water and leaves, or I�ll likely go mad in this English world I�m entering. Actually, as long as it isn�t too strong, I kind of enjoy drinking it. It�s no apple cider, or even Timmy�s coffee, but it�ll do.

        For then next three quarters of an hour or so, I sit and talk with the officer who has served all over the globe. Eventually Jon informs us that the soldiers are moving again and that the Queen will be joining us shortly. Captain Taylor quickly cleans up our tea and prepares for the royals� arrival.

        Elizabeth walks in with all the class her position lends and smiles at me as I curtsy. Once necessary protocol has been observed, Wills comes over to me and Jacob begins to speak to us. While Jacob gives us a tour around the building, Wills holds us at the back, wrapping his arms around me completely, lightly kissing me.

        �Do you have any idea how much I have wanted to do that since you stepped into the limo this morning?�

        Laughing lightly, I say, �I would expect you�ve wanted to do a lot more than that simply kiss me with how you were acting around your grandparents.�

        �You were brilliant, you know,� Wills voice is quiet and low, sounding incredibly sexy. �And Gran invited you for tea!�

        Shaking my head, I admit, �I don�t know how I�ll do it. Tea with your grandmother! I had a hard enough time shopping with Mary the first time, and that was far from the proper occasion of tea with the Queen, whether or not I�m dating her grandson.�

        Wills holds me close, giving me strength. �Don�t worry; tea with Gran isn�t too bad. When I was at Eton we�d have tea once a week.�

        �I know it won�t be that bad, but I know I�ll be so nervous. Your crown I can handle, it�s the ones the rest of your family have that give me the jitters.�

        Wills looks at me with confusion. �They are no different than me. One day that will be us you are so nervous about meeting.�

        �I know,� I smile, �Or at least my mind knows, but I guess I still have to convince the rest of me. And you let me past your crown to see you. I doubt your grandmother will be doing that as easily.�

That's all that's written for this part for now. Go to Part II, back to Crazy Fantasy, or the home page.