One evening after a long day of touring the city's architectural riches, all sat on deck together enjoying dinner while enjoying the mood, Charles's friends decided to lighten the mood with humor, mostly at Diana's expense.
At first the jokes were harmless, typical of any gathering. Such as slight mockery of Diana's Indecipherable Map skill or her oversized luggage for a two-week yacht vacation. Diana smiled at first, sometimes laughing too, since she was well aware of her quirks and preferences.
She didn't mind the teasing and even accepted small taunts against herself and the evening slowly began to turn into night and the jokes slowly crossed borders and first became something mean and then personal in nature. The conversations slowly turned to Diana's habits and her superficially known habits.
Diana felt her uneasiness grow with each joke and how she hoped to suppress the uneasiness, especially when someone commented on her character while disguising a hint of mockery about her private struggle with an eating disorder as a joke, thinking of Charles' words that she should give his friends a chance, she endured these jokes with intense uneasiness, and she tried to hide her dismay behind a forced smile like she always does. But silently hoping to finally find a way to disappear.
She felt the laughter around her have a grim undertone that burned her skin like shards of glass. Charles' friends were starting to seem really intimidating to her and didn't notice the worried look her husband gave her out of the corner of his eye.
Charles could see the agonized embarrassment dancing across Diana's face and his camaraderie slowly began to fade and was replaced by apprehension and decided to create a spontaneous distraction and laughed with mock delight as he told them about a hunting trip to Windsor Castle where he had to climb trees and jump fences and was relieved that his friends listened with grins and left Diana alone.
He watched as Diana slowly got up discreetly and quickly disappeared to the door of her cabin. He wanted his friends there in the hope that they would do Diana as good as he did but he had been presented with the opposite and he was afraid that his friends would continue to push Diana into her shell more and more.
Charles couldn't stand her being the subject of cruel humor and made a tough decision, also abandoning his well-known tolerance. "Gentlemen," he began slowly, looking each of his supposed friends straight in the eye. "I'm afraid I have to explain the end of our little soiree. Time and circumstances require that we are all apart."
Earl Dawson was the first to react, his usually cheerful expression giving a look of surprise. "Charles, we've only just begun this holiday."
Yes, summer is still young." added Duke Lambert, supporting Dawson's opinion.
Charles held up a hand to coolly interrupt his friends. "I apologize for the suddenness and the lack of a proper introduction. However, I feel that the consolation of the family requires my undivided attention. Taxis will arrive tomorrow morning to take you to the airport."
There was a palpable silence on deck, as no one dared question the prince's wisdom. They felt a mixture of astonishment, disappointment and guilt overcoming them. Each of them recognized the effects of their inappropriate jokes. With a bow to the prince, everyone sets off to pack for tomorrow.
Charles run to Diana, every heartbeat of the prince pounding in the urgent drum rhythm to his concern. A feeling of fear spread through his heart and he ran as fast as he could to his boys' rooms, hoping Diana would seek comfort from them.
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i hate to see diana hurt but i really wanted to get rid of charles "friends" so they can have finally a real family vacation together
