𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 «« Matthew Gray Gubler.

2.5

Modified Reckoning.

4th of June, 2011.

Princess Coraline's Office in Kensington Palace.

Not even half an hour after storming out of her grandmother's office, Coraline had a brown folder in her hand, 'CONFIDENTIAL' stamped on it in bold red letters.

The contents of this file is not to be seen by anyone other than Her Majesty the Queen, Her Royal Highness Princess Coraline of Wales and Tommy Lascelles.

SUBJECT PORTFOLIO

Name: Martin Fitzgerald Brown
DOB: 10/09/1960
Marital Status: Yes
Current Position: Private Secretary to the Princess of Wales and secondary head of the Lady Kensington Foundation.

Exhibit A: A photograph of Mr. Brown meeting with an unidentified man. He is seen handing the man a large sum of money.

Exhibit B: Locked safe in his office. 

Mr. Brown is believed to be a danger to the princess. He will be extracted and placed in a different position before a full investigation commences.

Ჲ

Martin's head hung low as he carefully placed each thing from his desk into the box before him. Various pictures of him and his family, him and Coraline. His head snapped up when the door swung open, revealing the very same princess, her hand raised, gripping the folder.

"Your royal highness." His lips formed a thin line. "Am I supposed to know what that is, ma'am?"

She slammed it down on the table. "This could either save your job and our relationship, or get you sent to prison and I'll never speak to you ever again." Coraline's eyes remained on him, almost burning holes through him as she flipped it open, pointing to the suspicious picture. "Explain."

"I really can't, ma'am."

"If you don't tell me right bloody now, there'll be a full on investigation in a few weeks. I'm 24 years old and I know my heart wouldn't be able to handle it, I'm not letting anything happen to you if you haven't done anything! Now, sit."

Dejected, the older man sat down with a sigh. "The other man in the photo is called Thomas Creevy. I had to give him money because," He hesitated, continuing when she raised her eyebrows in anticipation. "remember September of 2005? You and Mr. Tennant were at his summer house in Scotland."

"Yes."

"Well, Thomas had come in contact with some very, revealing photos from that trip. Uh," Martin shifted in his seat. "naked ones. Of you. Taken from about 11 meters away from the house."

Coraline froze, lip quivering. "Where are they now?"

He gave her a sad smile. "In order to prevent those photos from reaching the newspapers, I had to buy them off of him."

"For how much?"

"£3,000,000."

She wiped away the short lived tear, a dry laugh catching at her throat. "Can I have them?"

He nodded, digging out a small key from the box and swiftly unlocking the last drawer of his desk, handing her a manila folder almost identical to the one she had. Mentally preparing herself, she watched her fingers pry it open, taking out its contents. "Oh, god." Coraline gasped, hand clasping her mouth as she shook her head at the photos.

An entire scandal, in the palm of her hand.

Her reputation was pristine because of the man before her.