Marilyn Of Ville

Chapter 9 - Not In My Gene Pool?

                                       

"Lucy, I have heard nothing about the DNA test results regarding the twins. But the authorities may not reveal them yet, even if they have them. Why do you ask? Are you having doubts or second thoughts about your princess option? Lucy, look at this! It is the earliest magazine photo I have of Marilyn, in her early twenties. Any fan of old movies could have given it to you, but do not ever tell that I did, to be on the safe side. I am not supposed to be involved. But you need to know what you are getting yourself into! It is easy to see why Pierre is pursuing you. You are gorgeous! But can you fill the shoes of the real princess and live up to her legend, larger than life? I will trade you this photo for that mail." Lucy examined the photo and her jaw dropped as she studied the likeness of herself in the photo. 

Danielle read silently first and then said, "How pathetically sad! Listen, Lucy! 'Dear Lucy, you look exactly like my belated aunt! When I met you I saw the opportunity to make up to the still traumatized residents of Ville for the premature death of my aunt, their beloved princess. I have proposed to you repeatedly, Lucy. You see that you are the key to making right the whole unfortunate situation with her subjects! When I was fifteen years old I deprived them of her when she died at my hands in the horrible car accident! All these years later, the guilt still weighs heavily on my conscience! Her death would no longer be blood on my hands with you as my wife. You would be replacing her. It would all be so perfect if you would just say yes! If you do not marry me, I cannot make amends to the principality. I beg of you, come to me now! The citizens and my family will adore you, just as they adored her! Love, Pierre. P.S. Please accept this new engagement ring. It will look perfect on your delicate hand!'"                                                                           

As the girls stared at each other, wide-eyed with hands over their hearts, Danielle extracted a small square packet of white tissue paper from the envelope. A brilliant ring appeared as she tore away the covering. “How exquisite, Lucy! But look at this!" Danielle pulled a large envelope from her bag, containing a blank piece of paper. She removed Lucy's lamp shade and held the paper over the stark white bulb. As it heated up, letters began to appear. Lucy scrutinized the diagram. Danielle inquired, “Do you have any questions about the family tree, with Xavier and Pierre being twins?” 

“Twins? Pierre has a twin, Danielle? At the funeral in Ville I did not see any man who looked anything like Pierre!”  

“They are fraternal twins, not identical, Lucy. They do not look at all alike! The firstborn, Xavier, is much shorter. The recently deceased Marcel was Pierre's cousin. And Marcel's father, Prince Hercule, is Pierre's uncle. Pierre's deceased Aunt Marilyn was married to his Uncle Hercule."

Lucy handed Danielle unopened mail from Pierre and she ripped apart the envelope, her eyes scanning to the post script at the end of the letter. “Lucy, see the P.S.? The postscript is always the most important part of any letter, so I will read it first. Pierre has been keeping you in the dark about his family and omitting facts. It is all part of his deception. Listen! ‘Lucy, now that my Cousin Marcel and Uncle Hercule have died, I could be the next prince. If so, as my wife, you will be Princess.' That's all it says!"  

"What does he mean by he 'could be' the next Prince? It should be clear cut, shouldn’t it, that he either is or is not going to be the next Prince?”  

“It is complicated, Lucy. Pierre’s twin is supposed to be next in line to the throne, as first born. But Pierre could actually have been the first born! The line of succession would be clear cut, except for the ‘switched at birth’ fiasco thirty years ago when Pierre and Xavier were born. It would not have mattered, but, with Marcel and Hercule both gone, the birth order must now be legally determined. One of the twins will be the next Prince of Ville!”   

“I still do not know who was who at the funeral! Before when you mentioned Hercule and Marcel, I thought they were your family on your mother’s side. You told me she is French, Danielle.”  

“She is, but the Royals are not in her gene pool, nor in mine. Although Gabby has half royal blood flowing through her veins, she is not on the royal family tree. She shares my last name, Jones.” 

“What about the word ‘Principis'? Could it translate to Princess or Prince? So the ‘Marilyn’ engraved on the church headstone was the Princess? Now I know why Pierre took me to the grand cathedral in Ville! It is his Aunt Marilyn's final resting place! He tried to tell me, but the frightened old woman---” 

“Lucy, Pierre's deception was so convoluted and shrouded in mystery! He should have told you in so many words that Hercule’s wife and movie star, the beloved Princess Marilyn, was your double!”

"I had no idea Pierre was related to Marcel! He did not place a rose on the casket when all family members were asked to do so.”  

“The story of the royal twins is, the Royals had already mandated the name, Xavier Lemare Lecroix, for the firstborn bloodline son of pregnant Arielle Lecroix. She is Prince Hercule’s sister and Pierre’s mother. The tiny royal hospital was understaffed on the day of the birth, over New Year’s weekend. Before Arielle could even get to the hospital, she had already gone into hard labor and was progressing so rapidly that she was taken, stat, into the nearest delivery room, B. The first mistake was the wrong room! After Arielle’s baby was delivered, Doctor Pascal noticed that---