In The Name Of Love

Chapter 34

Mum eventually went to the palace for a proper night's sleep. Doctor Funar tried to persuade Elisabeta to go, but she refused to leave her son's side. When she brought up some burgers and chips I forced myself to get out of bed and sit in the chair that had been brought in for me. I sighed when I was sat down glad to be off my leg even after that small amount of movement. I dragged my drip stand over and silently munched the food.

Elisabeta ate just as quietly, dunking her chips in ketchup. I took a few bites of my burger before speaking. 

"Did I disappoint you? By leaving?"

"You made the only decision you could," she said. "Mircea told me about Roy and your responsibility to him and how close the two of you are... You made the decision that was right for you."

"But I left... I... I saw the news. Everyone was upset which makes no sense and I left in the middle of the tour –"

She laughed a little. "It was hardly the middle. In the few days that you were here both you and Mircea won the people over. Professional but evidentially in love, great with the people, being so nice to the flower givers..."

"But surely that makes me leaving worse!" I cried. "And I saw the newspaper one day, and Mircea was stood there crying and..."

"What matters is that you're back. Mircea isn't the only one who missed you." She smiled tentatively at me. "I missed you too."

"Not making me feel better," I said dryly.

"Dorina missed you, Carol and Lina, Dragomir..."

"Ok, I get it. I screwed up." I sighed. "I'm sorry."

She sighed too and glanced over at her son for a moment before looking back to me. "Wyn... why did you come when you knew you were going to have to go back for Roy?"

I'd already had this conversation with Dad and I didn't want to revisit it, but I suppose if anyone deserved to know it was the mother of the man whose heart I'd broken. "Everything happened so quickly – finding out, meeting you, finding out about the tour... I just wanted to help him. I knew that it was going to be hard coming back here and I... I couldn't bare the thought of him being alone I didn't really think about anything else even though I normally think too much and... I'm sorry I hurt him."

"I'm just glad you're back," she smiled.

"You're not angry with me?" I frowned.

"I was. I was very angry. But not after this," she said sadly and reached out to hold her son's hand. "Not after this. The way you risked your life with the clue about the computer and your brother to save him..."

"I didn't really think about saving my life," I admitted. "I wasn't even really all that scared until she killed Paul. And it was Andy who saved the day in the end. He would have made her talk if he had to. How is he do you know? Being back here was pretty hard for him too."

"You two seem quite friendly."

"He drove me home from London. And even though I'm officially Romanian now he'll always be my king too. He tried to convince me to come back thinking that I left because I was afraid."

"Are you?" she asked softly.

I mushed a chip between my fingers and squeezed my jaw shut so that it didn't tremble. Was I scared? Who wouldn't be in this situation? I was the Honorary Crown Princess, as soon as Mircea and I were married I'd be an actual princess, the Crown Princess, and when Mircea took the throne I'd be crowned Queen. I knew that Elisabeta wasn't going anywhere any time soon, but when she died we'd have the weight of the country on our shoulders. We'd be responsible for all the people in Romania and if anything went wrong it was on our heads.

I was still so worried about doing anything wrong. And what if I embarrassed the family in some huge way? And what if Roy couldn't cope here? And what if this was all too much for me? What if I really couldn't do this?

"How do you do it, Elisabeta?" I asked quietly.

"I was raised very royal," she said in a far away voice. "My father was adamant that we were ready. He was sure that we were going to get voted in before I was twelve. We were a close family even back then. But I didn't want my children to live like that. I always wished I'd had more freedom to be myself and I made sure Nicoleta, Mircea and Vlad had a normal childhood but explained our heritage. Mircea is doing this because he wants to help. I've always known this is my duty and I want to do it."

I nodded.

"What about you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Besides Mircea, what's going to help get you through?"

"The farms," I said without thinking. "I've always wanted to help people. I can make a real impact there."

"You sure showed us that in Braşov."

"I decided I had to leave that morning. I wanted to get through the tour to be there for Mircea and... I only got through the day because it was a farm. If it hadn't been for how upset I was I probably wouldn't have felt like I was working at all. It was almost a normal day... Is Andy ok?"

She smiled. "He's alright. Back in England. I said I'd make sure you called when you get out."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"When you're ready we should do something together so we can get to know one another."

I smiled softly. "I've always wanted to go to a spa."

She smiled broadly. "I've not heard a better idea for a long time."

               

* * * * * *

It took Mircea a couple of days to wake up. All the people in the family visited for a few hours across the days and the doctors gave regular updates on his condition. Steady improvement. No signs of consciousness yet. Stable. Guards stood outside the door the whole time and checked everyone who came into the room every single time without fail.

Mum had persuaded me to go with her to the cafeteria with her and we ate lunch and tried to have a conversation between all the people coming over and asking how Mircea was and telling me nice things about how everyone they know hopes he gets better soon and that he was in good hands. In the end Mum decide to leave because they were giving her a headache. 

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Just a short chapter. Next one is the last, then the epilogue, and then the story is finished. Just two more weeks folks! 

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