Third In Line

Chapter Fifty Nine - Mother and Daughter

A/N: Chapter art by vikandermanips! Find her here: https://vikandermanips.tumblr.com/

Ellie gathered her things, preparing a bag for staying overnight at Sandringham. She didn't know what to bring aside from some extra clothes and a phone charger, Sandringham would have everything else that she needed, but she still felt the need to bring more. Everyone was rushing through the corridors doing the same, all of them expecting to be staying the night and waiting, probably not sleeping at all.

The adults had debated whether or not to wake her younger brother and sister, as well as her cousin Jamie, thinking that they would be too irritable and restless to have around the palace when everyone else was feeling quite gloomy, but in the end they had all been brought down to the living room, whining about sleep and complaining. She could hear Lottie crying from all around the house as Kate carried her, telling her vaguely what was happening.

Ellie's younger brother and sister were still young, they hadn't had the opportunity to get to know their great grandmother very well, but they could still pick up on the mood. Jamie was quiet, mopey, not saying a word and following his parents around. Everyone was in a sort of hurried silence, freaking out on the inside and quite frazzled on the outside.

But at the same time, we were all kind of expecting this. Mum and Dad had prepared for a shock passing years ago and that hadn't happened.

Ellie looked around her room once more and spotted something, an old yellow teddy bear that was tucked away in the cushions on the window seat. It hadn't meant that much to her recently, but now it suddenly called out to her like an old friend. Monty, she used to call him. Named after one of the Queen's corgis who'd taken a bite out of him when Ellie wasn't looking. Her great grandmother had given him to her when she was eight years old, and now Monty seemed like the most important thing to put in her bag.

She grabbed the bear and tucked him through the carry handle of her bag, then rushed out of her room. It was a strange atmosphere to stand in, everyone sprinting around from room to room, making sure they had everything they needed. It was exactly the same any time they were heading off on a long tour, or going on holiday, except tonight was so much different.

She didn't like seeing her parents this way, but it was hard to do anything about it. Alex joined her in the corridor carrying her own bag, shoulders slumped, sulking. She silently frowned at her, her eyes red and teary. They didn't need to say a word to each other, they could both feel it. Ellie put her arm around her sisters shoulders and guided her back to the living room. Alex seemed to be struggling, like her own personal gravity had been increased drastically, pulling her to the ground. To Ellie it was like dragging a sad sack of flour, pale white and impossible to move.

Anna awaited them at the front door, supervising the transfer of their things into the two cars waiting outside. She seemed to have quickly moved on from the events of earlier, or she was hiding any awkwardness very professionally. She slid Ellie's bag off her shoulders, taking as much weight off of them as possible.

"Aw, you found Monty?" Anna tucked the teddy bear in, making sure he wouldn't fall from the carry handle.

Ellie smiled weakly, shrugging. She didn't really have any words, nobody did. Only the staff seemed to be talking, trying to keep everyone's spirits up.

"Alex, why don't you go find Willow?" Anna knelt down, taking Alex's bag from her too. She was doing her best to be encouraging.

Alex hurriedly reached for her bag again, opening the zip and pulling out a red teddy bear like Monty. She clutched Willow tight to her chest.