Royal Speed | Leclerc & Verstappen

16 | orange army

-|- Netherlands 2021 - F1 qualifying -|-

That we did the last part of our journey with the helicopter wasn't really helping my emotions but I had to admit that I was kinda excited for the race and the paddock. That feeling in Monaco had been great, so many people around and this atmosphere.

I knew, normally I hated such situations and it hadn't been any different in Monaco, but knowing that Verstappen would be there gave me some sort of a safe feeling. Still there was this huge panic and pain inside me of the moment I would see him again, but one part, probably the little-Arthur one, couldn't wait for it.

"You see all the orange fans down there?" Cathy asked next to me and pointed outside the helicopter, down to the crowd of people.

"Yes, it's that one team, right? The McLaren?" I asked, remembering my mother and brother standing in the orange garage at the Monaco race.

"Oh no. I mean yes McLaren is the orange team but they wear orange for a certain Dutch driver." she giggled and wiggled her eyebrows while looking at me.

"Oh." I returned quietly, "Makes sense now."

"Speaking of, we have to to get you something orange." Cathy said and pointed at her orange scarf, "Because you're obviously supporting Max too."

"As long as there isn't any Monegasque driver I guess it's okay." I mumbled, again thinking about the next hour, the moment I would see him.

"Of course it's okay! Charles, this is your man and hell yes you're cheering for him!" Cathy beamed and I wanted to return something, telling her that he wasn't 'my man', but the helicopter landed and we jumped out of it.

Gentleman like I offered her my arm and together we followed the king and queen, who landed with another helicopter, over to the entrance. Luckily I was quite familiar with the paddock and procedure already so it wasn't too overwhelming.

The moment we stepped through the entrance hundred cameras started taking pictures of us, but all my eyes could look at was the paddock behind them, searching for a specific driver.

"Smile Charles, we're happily in love have you forgotten?" Cathy admonished me quietly and I quickly put on my trained smiled while walking pass the photographers.

"Can we go to the RedBull garage to see Max?" the princess than asked her father as we were standing in the middle of the paddock with a man from formula one.

"Of course we'll go there darling." the king returned and patted his daughter's shoulder before he looked at the man, "But after the qualifying, right?"

"We can go to the garage now if you want, but Max probably will be in preparation so you can talk to him after the qualifying if you wait for him." he explained and while Cathy was beaming all over her face I could only swallow hard.

Then the man started talking further, telling us something about the race and the track but my mind went blank as I saw him not ten meters away. Already in his race suit, the top half though hanging loose around his hips, leaving his torso in the tight fireproof shirt.

Even though it was quite in the distance I could see every muscle on his upper body and my breath got heavy as my eyes clued itself to his thick biceps that was currently tensed as he was gesturing something with his arms in the air.