5,781 Miles Apart

Chapter Six

Osten's POV 

I sit back down in my chair, ready to get my work done. I look down at the thick stack of paperwork, now not so eager to accomplish it.

But I know that I can't not do my job, so I dive right in.

After two hours of long work, I finish. I run down the hall to the room where Aunt Brice stays. I knock on the door and here her say to come in. "Hey Osten." She says.

"Hey, I'm done with all the rounds." I say, handing her the paperwork. "Is there anything else I need to do?" I ask.

She walks over to her desk and peeks into a folder. "No, sir."

"Okay, thanks!" I say, turning to leave.

"Oh, Osten, wait!" She calls before I get too far away.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Eadlyn would like you to spend some time with Princess Adalheida when the Germans come." She says.

I nod and walk out, going to find my sister and ask for her to explain.

I find her sitting in a parlor on the third floor reading a book. "Eady?"

"Yes?" She asks.

"Why do you want me to spend time with Princess Adalheida?"

She notices my upset tone and sits up straight. "Well, I thought because both of you are so close in age, you would relate to each other more than say, Sir Müller."

"Eady, you know what happened with her." I complain.

She sighs, becoming agitated. "You're going to hear it sooner or later, so I will be honest with you now. Things have been extremely tense with Germany for a few months now. The last thing we want is a war. Maybe if you're close with the princess, especially so close to her ascention, it may be held back."

I sigh, knowing I had no other option but to comply. "Fine. I'll do it. But don't expect us to stay so chummy after she leaves."

"Osten," she begins, "it would be good for you to have another friend."

"I have plenty of friends." I argue, turning away.

"Officer Caldwell doesn't count." She says. I roll my eyes and she then continues. "Look, I know she was your childhood crush and it even carried on into your teens and that her betrothal to Prince Ainsley crushed you, but in all the time you had that crush on her, you met her once."

"So?" I question.

"You can still be her friend." She emphasizes.

My shoulders slump. "Fine. As long as it helps everyone out."

"It will." She confirms.

I turn to leave, but she stops me. "Where are you going?"

"I promised Giovanna that I would play with her." I say.

She nods. "Okay, Eikko last told me she was headed to the Women's Room to play with Mom."

I nod. "See you at dinner."

"Bye!" She calls back.
                                                       ----------

I walk down to the first floor and knock on the door to the Women's Room. "Who is it?" A young voice that I recognize as Kerttu's calls out.

"Your favorite uncle!" I call out, mocking her tone and pitch.

She throws open the door and yells, "Uncle Kaden!"

Her shoulders slump when she sees me. "Oh, it's just you. Yeah, yeah, you can come in."

I roll my eyes and smile. Nice one Kerttu. Just lovely.

Mom stands up and walks over to me. "Osten! What are you doing here?"

"I camp to pick up my favorite Koskinen girl." I say, sticking my tongue out at Kerttu.

She makes a funny face at me and Mom just laughs, knowing it was just me teasing. Giovanna then bounds up, yelling at her sister. "I'M UNCLE OSTEN'S FAVORITE AND YOU'RE NOT!"

"Now, Giovanna, that's not very nice." Mom says.

"Well Osten said it was true, so why can't I repeat it?" She asks.

"Because some things just aren't meant to be repeated." She explains, now glaring at me.

I shrug. "You ready to go play, Your Highness?" I ask, holding my hand out to her.

"Yes!" She exclaims, grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door.

I walk put and tip an imaginary hat to everyone in the room. "I guess I'll see you ladies at dinner."
                                                        ----------

Giovanna wanted to play dress up. Out of everything, dress up. She then decided that me in one of Eadlyn's dresses that couldn't even be zipped up wasn't enough, so she did makeup for me too. She then forced me to attend dinner as I was, and I got many strange looks from the maids and gaurds we passed.

I mean, if I saw someone who had blue eyeshadow all the way up to their eyebrows and bright red lipstick going all the way up to their nose in a sparkly purple dress, I would probably stare too.

I sit down at my normal seat at the end of the table beside Kaden.

Dad sets down his fork and clears his throat. "Osten, would you care to explain your," he pauses, searching for the right word, "get up?"

I look down at my lap. "Well, Giovanna wanted to play dress up and she told me to stay in my evening attire for dinner."

She nods. "Isn't his dress pretty Papa?"

He shakes his head and smiles. "Never grow up, Gio."

"But I want to be a grown up." She complains.

"Trust me, you don't want to be a grown up." I say to her.

"But grown ups have everything easy." She says, still  complaining.

Eikko snorts, coughing up some of his water. "What's so funny, Daddy?" She asks.

"Nothing, rakas, absolutely nothing." He says.

"Fine, don't tell me." She says, slumping her shoulders and slouching in her chair.

"Is everyone ready for the Germans to come?" Eadlyn says, changing the topic.

A chorus of "yeses" sound around the table, but nothing more than than that as everyone turns their focus to the meal set before them.

After supper, I rush upstairs and wash my face, eager to get all of the goop off. I then struggle to get the dress off. It was absolute torture, although the breeze was nice, and it certainly was made of a more comfortable material than my suits were usually made of.

I change clothes and fall onto my bed. I pick up the book beside me and read, not really absorbing the words in front of me.

All I could think about was the day left of freedom I have until I have to entertain the heir of the German Federation. Lucky me.

I roll over and turn my lamp off and let sleep take me.