The Royal Romance - You Can't Uneat The Apple

Dancing on my own

I'm right over here

Why can't you see me

I'm giving it my all

But I'm not the guy you're taking home

I keep dancing on my own

                                                                                                Dancing On My Own - Calum Scott

***

The next few days were difficult, but Maxwell was stronger now. If the last few months had taught him anything, it was how to be more mentally tough. He wasn't going to let these stupid terrorists break him.

Jen was fine now, which was the main thing. She was safe. Safer than safe, under the watchful eye of Bastien and Mara around the clock. Obviously, she should have been that safe before, but hey.

The initial euphoria of having been the one to pull her out of that collapsing vault, having been the one she'd clung to for dear life, had subsided pretty quickly. By the time they were all meeting in the palace the next afternoon, he definitely wasn't feeling like a hero anymore.

"This is all my fault," he told everyone present, voicing the painful thought that had been plaguing him continuously for the last eighteen hours. "Bertrand and I hired Justin in the first place."

Jen was sitting opposite him, looking searchingly in his direction. "Nobody thinks that, Maxwell. He fooled us all. He's obviously been plotting and training for this since he was a child. You and Bertrand hiring him was just the opening he needed to get close enough to the royal family to.. well.."

Regina sat at the top of the table, just round from Rick and Jen, her face white. "To do what he did to my husband. To try to do that to Rick."

"Our enemy had plenty of reason to target you too, Duchess Jen," Mara suggested. "You caught the public's attention when you came to Cordonia, and since you became their future queen, their respect for you has only grown. Your tour of the duchies has helped keep this kingdom united in the face of danger."

"It's true," said Rick, from his seat next to Jen. He visibly held her hand on top of the table they all sat around. "Justin and his allies must be afraid of both of us. If he'd successfully got rid of me, with no queen and no heir to the Cordonian throne.."

"That is the reason for the rule that Cordonian monarchs must be engaged to be married upon ascension," Regina explained, sadly. "One ancient succession law to counter another. An heir must be secured as soon as possible."

"It's all so clear now," Mara acknowledged. "The homecoming ball, the costume gala.."

"Poisoning Madeleine so he could try to get close to me again.." Jen sighed.

Maxwell's stomach turned as he recalled his conversation with Justin at the gala. Madeleine might have not been so lucky if their discussion had gone a little differently.

"Precisely. He was there for all of it," Rick said.

"Explains why he was always carrying that earpiece around too," Drake grumbled.

"Oh my god," Jen gasped. "Bertrand! I left the earpiece with him.."

"Not to worry, Your Grace," Mara said. "I've already confiscated it. We tried tracking it to Justin's.. Anton's phone, but unfortunately for us, he's no fool. Whatever receiver it was connected to has already been switched off. In any case, he won't be able to use it to track us. I've officially briefed the press and the Cordonian guard, so he won't be able to show his face in public without being caught."