La Chenille (Prince Harry)

Chapter Eight

Evee nodded her head, her signature wide spread smile upon her face. Her husband stood beside her, both listening intensely to the dark haired woman giving the private tour of the Anne Frank house. The duchess had read the girl's diary when she was a teenager multiple times, her mother always thought it was important to give Evee as much background information as possible about multiple cultures and the great war.

The blonde ex-nurse knew how lucky she was to be born in the place she had been, that was then. Now standing with her hands crossed in front of her stomach, ignoring the multiple clicks of the photographs in the background, she tried to show even more appreciation.

"Before too long, the entrance to the Secret Annex is concealed behind a movable bookcase. Father Voskuijl, the warehouse manager, constructed the movable bookcase to conceal the entrance to the Secret Annex." The woman with a hard Dutch accent professionally spoke towards the royal couple in front of her.

"How many people were hiding in here?" She heard Harry speak from beside her as the movable bookcase moved forward to let the couple enter the close quarters.

"They lived with eight people, sir. In constant fear of discovery. The people in hiding could not go outside, it was much too dangerous. The curtains of the Secret Annex couldn't be opened during the day, otherwise one of the neighbours might have seen them." Evee could hear the woman explain, it was as if she spoke slower and more quietly. The Duchess tried to focus on the woman in front of her, making sure her smiling poker face kept up. "The small window in the attic provided the only chance for getting a breath of fresh air. At night, other windows were occasionally opened just a crack."

She tried to breath in and out, following Harry's footsteps carefully. She could feel herself getting dizzy, her eyes tried to sought out Bobby standing close to her. It was as if the small space was swallowing her whole.

What a joke, Anne Frank had spent nearly two years in this small space with seven other people. She couldn't even get in here for a half an hour. What was wrong with her?

Her eyes focussed on Harry nodded his head interestingly at the tour guide in front of them. Evee was interested in this place, she really was but her stomach was dropping by the minute. She tried to blink her eyes to get rid of the black spots. She first thought they were decorative paintings on the wall but when a couple of spots appeared as she stared at the old chair in front of her, she realized they were part of her vision.

Her hand lifted itself, her head turned towards her security guard, who now seemed to notice something was off with the Duchess. She noticed his head coming closer, praying to God she wouldn't stain the expensive light pink dress with her own sweat. "Are you alright, ma'am?" She heard Bobby whisper in her ear, eyeing the cameras in the background.

"I'm not- I'm not feeling very well, Bobby." She mumbled, swallowing the big sick lump in her throat. "It's very hot in here."

The security guard immediately turned towards James, trying to subtly let him know. James, almost being part of the royal family himself, immediately went into action. Smiling at the press and asking them for a little privacy. "Is it possible to give the Duke and Duchess a little private moment? This visit is very close to the Duke and Duchess their heart and they would like to be escorted more privately as we are in the secret annex now. I shall let you know when you will have the privilege of taking more photographs."

Harry, who was previously talking towards the tour guide turned around in confusion, wondering what in god's name his security guard was up to. His eyes turned from the bookcase closing, pushing out the photographers, towards his wife getting paler by the minute.

"Open up a window, Bob." James immediately instructed, grabbing Evee's sweaty hand palms into his own and steadying her.

The African-American immediately did so, calmly informing the tour guide that the Duchess didn't feel very well. Harry quickly got up on his feet, running towards his wife who seemed to wobble on her legs. "Sweety? Tell me what are you feeling? We need to get a doctor in here, James!" He immediately spoke in concern, locking eyes with the man he'd known for almost his entire life. The duke wrapped his arm around her waist carefully.