Tudor Roses & Romance

Chapter 14: Changes

Dreams are free. They are extraordinary things and more potent than reality because they radiate wishes. There are many different kinds of dreams, like those you wish you could forget and those you've outgrown. Some finally come true, and others turn out to be nightmares. But no matter the dream, the truth remains, and living calls. Reality never changes. It's still there waiting the next morning.

When the sun came up over Suffolk, it was the start of a new chapter. Westhorpe Hall felt different--- lighter, more accessible, happier even. It was as if the dark cloud of fog and grey had lifted, and not only did the house feel different, it looked different too. It looked like respect, honesty, and affection, not just wild unbridled passion. Even with all the same framework, Suffolk had shed its skin, and now it was truly home.

Over breakfast, everything changed in the blink of an eye. Chaos came calling. It titled its head and set its sights on the Brandons. Phones chimed and pinged like plans being made in a flight tower. Charles picked up his cell and saw a ton of alerts and new messages, the same as his wife. The latest morning headline adorned the front page of that gossip rag, The Tattler. It read: Amazing Grace or A Royal Disgrace. Then UK Whisperer's headline was Royal Scandal or Royal Gamble--- You Decide. Not to be outdone, The Chatterbox chimed in with A Secret Marriage: Has The Duke Royally Flushed The King?

Each headline is more inflammatory than the next, and all have to do with the new marriage of two of England's favorite royals. The worst thing about talk is that it's cheap, and there's no way to stop it. Every fresh breeze brings renewed speculation. And really, the truth is that gossip is a tool used to distract people who have nothing better to do with their time except be jealous and envious of those whose lives are full. It usually goes hand in hand with boredom and bitterness.

So it should come as no surprise that a particular jailbird is the one who always wanna be startin' something. When the new edition of Posh magazine (the ultra-glamorous publication that caters to everything fashionable and ritzy) made it to the stands before dawn, Catherine gave an exclusive Former Fiance' Tells All. This is ironic, considering she already gave a previous tell-all interview slamming the Duke for his past misdeeds that made her end up in jail. But now the miserable woman claims she was "jilted for the Princess."

Setting the phones on the small breakfast table, the couple looked deep in thought. Mary remarked, "Well, that's a bunch of rubbish. Who would ever believe I get my hair done on Cheapside because I can't afford a good stylist? But the real question is, how can Catherine give all these interviews out on bail? Isn't that a breach of limitations or something? She's so ridiculous I can't even think about it."

As Mary tried to calm her outrage, Tony appeared from nowhere and told them, "Don't think! Thinking is bad for your complexion."

The brunette man sat beside his friend and helped himself to a breakfast plate from the serving tray. He piled it full of food, especially bacon. After taking a bite, he saw the couple staring at him. "Oh, right. Here's the thing, Chatterbox, and Whisperer are like high school papers. They pay their writers twenty-five grand a year to uncover interesting tidbits so they can write about all the popular kids. It's like low-grade locker room fodder for cheap."

The newlyweds kept staring at him while he drank Charles's juice, which made the Duke scrunch his nose in disgust. When Tony wiped his mouth, he continued speaking. "The only way any of this sticks is if it's true. So, tell me it's not true."

No one said anything, and Tony raked a hand through his hair, messing it up. "Bloody hell! I can only imagine how this happened. I may not be your PR manager Princess, but I have helped Charles out of some tight jams before."