His Majesty (Slide Away)

61.

New Year's Eve had soon come and gone, and the year had changed from 1960 to 1961. Fireworks had shot up into the air and another year had passed in a flash. The whole ordeal had no big family celebration for the Aquitainian royals, and so John and Paul spent the entire evening... Getting drunk.

It was the first time Paul had ever experienced such a feeling, and although the night was fun, he did vow to never drink again thanks to the headache he received the next morning. John had woken up and found Paul asleep, completely naked, apart from a pair of jeans, on the tiny sofa bed in his room. He would never let that image leave his head.

Paul had spent the entirety of the 1st of January that year with ice on his head and in bed, only standing up to receive his clothes from George and change into them, with the caring yet sarcastic and mocking help of John and George. He didn't mind the fact that his mind had been on fire the next day, as the drunken acts that he and John had participated in the previous day (like, dancing naked to Johnny Cash and playing shitty piano, have tragic pillow fights and prank calling Ringo) were all a factor in making the transition from year to year easier.

Had he been sober, John knew that Paul would have been so terribly upset, remembering all the pain he had felt the last New Year's Eve, and Paul did too.

That night was one for the grandkids though.

The 7th of January was set to be the date of Mike's coronation, and so on the 6th of January, Paul, John, Mimi, Victoria, David, Martin, George, Stuart and Ringo had all flown over to Rotherham, as had many other Royal families, to be in attendance. Each Royal family stayed in a guest room of the old, soon to be renovated castle, however the Aquitainians stayed in the King's quarters, by request of Mike himself.

John had known that it would be a difficult flight for Paul to make, not just because he wasn't too fond of planes, but because it was Rotherham that he was returning to. Even though he had returned there once in the past, it was still difficult for him. And rightfully so. If John had the same horrid memories from that castle, he wouldn't wish to return either. But Paul did return, for Mike.

However one person that John did not expect to find the flight so difficult was his very own Aunt Mimi, who had spent the majority of the flight in the bathroom, vomiting. When she was not in the bathroom, she was staring out of the window, aimlessly, receiving air in her face thanks to Martin waving a manual fan in her face.

John just didn't understand, but he had told himself not to question anymore, so he didn't.

One thing that John did do for her, however, was explain to the woman that he was always there for her, even when it didn't really seem like it. She could always trust him, not just because he was family, but because he cared. He didn't explicitly say that he was bringing that topic up because of the other day, in Hersey's County, but it was heavily implied. Once he had given his offer, he returned to his and Paul's table seat, sliding in next to the boy and wrapping his arms around him. He leant his head on Paul's shoulder and read the newspaper with him.

When the night of the 6th came along, a large dinner was held for the royals. a long table was set up in the ballroom/makeshift function room (the real function room being renovated alongside many others. Paul's old room had been knocked down first.) and each royal was given a place to sit. Mimi had not been in attendance, the woman having been told to take it easy and rest in her given room for the evening so she could feel better the next day.

It was safe to say that John had felt powerful being the 'figurehead' of the family, deep down knowing that he was soon going to properly be just that. Few people knew, just Mimi, Paul and Martin, and John preferred it to stay that way for the time being. Hell, Ringo didn't even know, but John was determined to keep this an exciting secret.