Apollo

Chapter Seven

"MY LADY?" PENELOPE POKED HER HEAD INTO PRINCESS EMMELINE'S quarters. "I know you wish to be alone, my lady, but Her Majesty has invited you to dine with the rest of the family in the hall." She paused. "Besides, dining with the rest of the family would be good for you...talking with Her Majesty instead of staying here by yourself."

    "Very well, then," she replied with an inaudible sigh and a resigned smile. "Walk with me?"

    "Of course, my lady," was the obliging response. Emmeline drew herself to her feet and Penny escorted her to to the dining hall, where the other members of the royal family were already seated – all of them.

    Not just King Andrew, Queen Sarah, and Crown Prince Alexander – but all six of them, the previously small unit of three joined by Their Royal Highnesses the Princes Frederick, Javier and Lionel.

    When had they returned?

    Emmeline was by no means prepared for their arrival!

    She knew nothing of them, but that they had all been sent abroad to different parts of the empire, including the colonies, to travel all of the land and the sea belonging to the Crown. They were to meet their subjects with the goal of inspiring patriotism everywhere, and had left the palace approximately three years ago. The oldest brother stayed – the Queen had more important designs for him, designs Emmeline had since become a part of. She remembered how there had been great excitement in all parts of the land when the plans of the princes' tour had been announced, and she herself had met with the youngest brother Lionel when he had visited Portsmouth only two years before. The Queen had mentioned her sons in passing before, but she had not gone into detail nor had she mentioned their imminent return to London, and Emmeline found herself rooted to the spot in pure shock at their sudden appearance. Her head began to spin.

    Penelope, who had also gone rigid beside her, looked equally taken aback.

    "Oh!" Queen Sarah exclaimed when she saw her daughter-in-law standing at the entrance and looking quite distraught. "Come quickly, my dearest, we have all been waiting for you. I apologise if this has caught you off-guard; I did forget to mention that the rest of my children were due to return to the castle today."

    Emmeline fainted promptly.

***

"...WILL SHE BE ALL RIGHT, ALEXANDER?"

    Emmeline woke to the sound of a man's concerned whisper.

    "I imagine so." Her husband's voice reached her ears next. "I spoke with her lady-in-waiting. She seems to be in the habit of swooning when she is taken by surprise."

    "In the habit, you say? You make it sound like a choice."

    "Well, Freddy, you know they say that one never knows how it is with women. Emmeline thus far has been quite tolerable, but I hear that some women are terribly strange creatures."

    "I will assure you that fainting is most definitely not a choice, Alexander, and women would not be so strange if men were only kinder to their hearts." Her voice came out dry and weak, and when she forced her eyes open her vision was blurry. Immediately the two male figures rushed to her bedside, and upon closer inspection she saw that the man standing beside her husband, whose voice she knew, was the second brother Frederick. He resembled Alexander strikingly, with the same fawn-coloured hair and clear blue eyes, tall nose and distinct jawline, although she noticed that his face lacked the brooding air her husband's always carried with him. Of course, now that the wedding was over and done with, Alexander looked less troubled on a daily basis, but smiles still came rarely – if at all – to his face. There seemed to be a shadow always lingering over his countenance. His brother, however, looked far more happy and youthful, far more likely to laugh, if she could so judge a person by only one glance at his face. Did that make him more handsome?—Perhaps, for Emmeline did always like a man who smiled.