The Downton Princess | A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Chapter Two

"Sebastian, get up," Paul ordered as he entered the former Prince of Spain's bedroom.
    "Have you ever heard of knocking?" Sebastian groaned from under the sheets. "I do believe that the concept has been around for many centuries now."
    "Well, considering that this is my house and that I am allowing you to live here for free: I can do whatever I please. Now get up."
    Sebastian replied with another groan and showed no signs of emerging from his spot under the covers.
    Paul and Sebastian began to live together a few months ago. Since Paul was now twenty years of age, his father, Sir Charlie deemed him responsible enough to have his own place to live. So he gave Paul an unused townhouse that had been in the family's possession for many years. Paul was pleased to have a place to himself for a change, but once Darrel heard through Sir Charlie about the townhouse (Sir Charlie was the princess' private secretary); she wrote to Paul. She begged him to ask Sebastian to move in with him since she did not like the idea of Sebastian living at a hotel for eternity.
    While Paul never liked Sebastian, and after Sebastian broke Darrel's heart, he never intended to like him. But, he could never say no to Darrel. So, Paul visited Sebastian that same day and asked him to move in with him. Paul told Sebastian that he had never lived alone before and would prefer to have some company. Sebastian did not particularly like Paul, but he agreed because he preferred living with his former enemy to having journalists wait outside his hotel room every day.
    However, Sebastian began to regret his decision on mornings such as these when Paul would barge into his room.
    "Get out," Sebastian ordered.
    "Are you forgetting that you are no longer the Prince of Spain?" Paul snapped.
    "Oh, shut up."
    "Get up, Sebastian. It's almost time for luncheon. Be grateful that I did not wake you up earlier. You cannot let the entire day go to waste."
    Paul picked up a pillow that had fallen from the bed, threw it at Sebastian's head before leaving the room. At first, he did not care whether or not Sebastian slept the whole day or not. However, when Darrel found out, she told Paul that he had to do something to keep Sebastian from dwelling on his past all the time. Once again, Paul could never say no to her.

    A little later, Sebastian entered the dining room, where Paul and luncheon waited for him.
    "I hate you," Sebastian grumbled as he sat down.
    "I know," Paul nodded. "Why do you look so terrible today? Did you not sleep, or were you out drinking all night?"
    "I did not sleep very well. Not that it's any of your business."
    "Well, if you did not think that it was my business, you did not have to give me an answer, did you?"
    "Oh, shut up, Paul. It is too early for your...your voice."
    "It is midday."
    Sebastian decided not to respond and began to look through the newspaper as the footmen served luncheon. While he did not admit it often, he did appreciate living with Paul instead of the hotel. Oddly enough, he enjoyed their arguments. Similarly to Paul, he never lived alone. He went from living at the Palace in Spain to Buckingham Palace with Darrel. There was always something happening around him, and there were always people he could talk to (even if it was to boss servants around). Sebastian's time at the hotel had been miserable. Not just because there were journalists, but because all there was to do was think about his choices, and wonder if he made the wrong ones. So even though he did not enjoy his arguments with Paul, he appreciated them since it meant that he was not thinking about Darrel.
    "Why do you get so many different newspapers?" Sebastian inquired, as he flipped through them.     "Most normal people choose one."
    "My father asked me to," Paul shrugged. "He wants me to inform him of any articles that mention...the Princess of Wales."
    "I thought it was his job to go through the papers; that's what my private secretary used to do."
    "It is his job. But I am trying to be helpful. Do you know what that word means?"
    "Oh, shut up."
    Paul rolled his eyes and planned to write a letter to Darrel saying that while he cared for her; he hated Sebastian.
    "One of these days, I am going to have a word with this Mr Jones," Sebastian declared, as he looked through his paper which detailed how cold and distant the members of the Royal Family were.
    "Well, you will have to join a very long line," Paul informed. "My father and Lord Stamfordham both want to have him convicted of treason."
    Lord Stamfordham was King George V's private secretary and used to be Darrel's until she decided that she would not work with someone who did not respect her. When Lord Stamfordham was her private secretary, he constantly belittled her and declared that she would cause the downfall of the monarchy. So, she hired Sir Charlie Ringer to be her private secretary instead. The two private secretaries did not usually get along, however, when it came to Mr Jones and his newspaper, they agreed that he was a nuisance.
    "Why do people put up with Jones' paper?" Sebastian inquired. "It's rubbish."
    "It is," Paul nodded. "However, since William Turner used to write for him, people still associate Jones' paper with the truth. Even though Turner has not been with that paper for months."
    "Does Turner still write?"
    "Yes, he has a meeting with...with Her Royal Highness every week."
    Paul knew that Darrel was a sensitive topic for him. So whenever he referred to her, he used her formal title. He also tried to hide most of the articles about Darrel before Sebastian could look at them.

    "I found an article for your father," Sebastian announced.
    "Oh?" Paul inquired as he began to fret. He thought he'd caught all of them for the day.
    "The Princess of Wales and her new suitor. It has been about a month since The Royal Family confirmed that Princess Elizabeth of Wales is indeed in a new courtship," he began to read. "About three months ago, Her Royal Highness met and began to court Lord Tobias Dankworth, the younger son of the Duke of Birmingham. While not much is known about their relationship, the two of them have gone to many public events together. Such as the opening of a new museum gallery, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and many other various tasks required from our future Queen. Although, it is not all work for the new couple. They have been seen attending the opera and have gone on many promenades through the park. While they have not been together for as long as Princess Elizabeth and the former Prince of Spain were, they have made many more appearances. Her Highness seems to be less ashamed of this relationship as she was with her previous one."
    Paul held his breath as Sebastian finished reading the article. He wished that he had found it before him. Sebastian looked down at the photographs included in the article; they were mostly of Darrel and Lord Tobias Dankworth at formal events. However, there was also one of Lord Dankworth whispering in Darrel's ear while at the opera.
    Sebastian crumpled the article up into a ball in his fist.
    "I do need to show that article to my father," Paul said meekly.
    "Rubbish!" Sebastian declared. "This article is absolutely rubbish! 'Former Prince of Spain;' these articles do not even mention my name anymore. It is as if my title meant nothing."
    "I am sure it is so that the readers focus more on Her Royal Highness' current relationship and not her previous one. It has nothing to do with you, or meant to cause any disrespect."
    "And what do they mean that she is less ashamed of this relationship? She was not ashamed of me! If anything, this is Their Majesties' doing. They told me that I was not to appear in public with her until we were married."
    Paul nodded. He knew that it was not Darrel who was ashamed of Sebastian, but the King and Queen. Their Majesties even attempted to blackmail Perseus Chadwick into breaking up the couple. However, Paul could not mention it because Sebastian still did not know that Paul knew about the blackmail; or why their engagement ended. Darrel told Paul everything when Sebastian first mentioned ending their engagement. However, Sebastian only told Paul that he felt as if he had no choice and that he had to put JF first.

    "Well, it is just a stupid article," Paul informed. "There is no reason to dwell on it."
Sebastian tossed the crumpled up article into the fireplace and watched it go up in flames.
    "Sebastian!" Paul exclaimed. "I did need to show my father the article!"
    "Well, you can buy another copy," Sebastian replied, as he got to his feet.
    "I do not understand why you are so upset. You knew that Her Highness was in a new relationship."
    "Yes, well, I suppose that I never believed it until now. I had not seen pictures. And the one at the opera. I cannot believe that she would move on so quickly. It is as if our relationship never meant anything to her. How could she do that? How could she move on so quickly?"
    "You are acting like an idiot, Sebastian. You cannot act as if you are in pain over Darrel moving on when you are the one who broke her heart!" Paul cried, standing up.
    Paul tried to be patient with Sebastian. However, he was on Darrel's side and would respect any decision that she chose. Besides, he would not allow Sebastian to act as if he had been betrayed by Darrel courting Tobias.
    "It has only been a few months," Sebastian protested. "If she was able to move on so quickly, then it shows that our love meant nothing to her. And that I wasted three years here...and threw away my title and..."
    "Shut up!" Paul roared, immediately silencing the former prince.
    "Well, that was quite rude."
    "I do not care. Shut up, Sebastian! Darrel loved you very much; she would have done anything for you; you know that. After everything she did for you...she stood by you when everyone thought that you were a lost cause. I know the pain that you've caused her over the years, and she still believed in you and wanted to be with you for the rest of her life. You are the one who ruined everything. You are the one who ended the engagement. You are the reason she has to find another man. You have no reason to be upset."
    Based on the look that Sebastian gave him, Paul thought that he was going to punch him. However, Sebastian glared at Paul then stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Paul let out a heavy sigh. He did not want to upset Sebastian, but he also knew that he had to defend Darrel's decision. After all, he knew the truth about Darrel and Tobias' relationship; they did not love each other, and never would.