A Royal Adventure [Ongoing]

Thirteen

The London trips had begun in earnest. The first one had taken place before Charlie's birthday, with just Pen and I taking the train to London (trailed by security, but she didn't know that). First on Pen's list had been Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. 'See how the other half live,' Pen had said, gazing up at the palace from behind the gates. I merely grunted, trying to express my amazement. But my first trip to London had been a success and Penelope was already talking about our next trip.

'Where are you off to this weekend then?' Saunders asked, overhearing Penelope discussing at great length train times.

'I'm taking Alex to London.'

'What are you seeing?'

'I haven't decided yet.'

'Buckingham Palace,' Saunders said. 'That's a good place to start.' He grinned. 'I bet you never saw a palace as grand as that one. Mind you, it'll be the closest any of us will ever get.'

I didn't say anything, just forced a small smile across my face and shook my head. 'We went there last time. Pen was talking about Shakespeare's Globe, the Southbank. I want to see that.'

Saunders nodded. 'Hey, mind if we tag along too?'

Pen looked at in alarm. I gave a small shrug of my shoulders. She sighed. 'Fine, you can come. But you have to behave.'

'We always do,' Saunders said a grin on his face.

'Charlie?' Pen said.

'What?' the boy asked, not looking up from his text book.

'London – this weekend. Are you coming?'

'Where are we going?'

Pen sighed. 'Do you listen to a word we say?'

Saunders snatched the textbook away and closed it, as Charlie shook his head. 'You're coming,' Saunders said.

Charlie took his textbook back. 'Fine,' he said. 'But I have to go to the library.' He squashed the book into his bag and got to his feet. 'See you later.'

'Is he always like that?' pen asked, watching him go.

'Pretty much,' Saunders said, although I noticed that he glanced towards me when he said it. I didn't know what it meant – not then. Now, I wondered if I should have noticed something sooner. I should have known. It was so obvious. But I wasn't used to spending time with people my own age – let alone boys who liked me for me and not because I was a princess. That was something far away from my experiences. So I didn't notice it, not until Pen pointed it out to me.

And so that was how Charlie and Saunders tagged along on our second London trip – and every later one too. And two became four.

Despite Saunders and Pen bickering on the way up to the city, I felt an enormous sense of anticipation and excitement as we head into the city again. It had been overwhelming last time, but now I was able to be at tourist.

Through the glass doors of the train carriage, I spotted Gustave peering at me over a newspaper and I shook my head to myself, hiding a smile. I pressed my face up to the train window as the tall buildings of the city came into sight.

This kind of freedom was new and exciting. Now, there were no closed doors, police escorts, and tinted windows in black shiny cars. I was free. I was just a school kid and it was liberating.

I had been aware, since we had left school, of Gustave discreetly following us. But I was alone as much as I could ever be. I would never be this alone in my life again. I had to make the most of it. This was my one shot. And I was going to make the most of it.

'Exciting huh?' Charlie said, breaking his quiet contemplation. He had a text book open in his lap, but for once, I didn't think that he was actually reading it.

'Yeah. It's nice to get out.'

'Yes,' Charlie said. He smiled at me and caught my eye as Saunders and Pen caught onto our conversation and turned their attention to us.