The Queen of England

Chapter 5 The Prince and the Princess

The limo pulls into the drive of a massive palace that makes the Danish castle look like a dollhouse. This is the place where I'll spend the rest of my life. The Buckingham palace. There's already paparazzi standing outside the gates, taking as many pictures as they can.

Collin slips out of the car and whispers to a guard outside the door. Then he pokes his head back in and nods to Cody.

"Okay, Brittany. We're going to go in, so keep your head down. Stay close to me though, and don't say a word. People are going to yell because they want to know who you are, but don't say a word. I'm going to put my arm around you and lead you in. Any questions?" he asks.

I shake my head, a little nervous at the thought of him touching me again. He's been very careful not to since we left Denmark, and now he was making it look like he didn't want to, but had to.

"Come on then." he says. He slips out of the car and I follow him out. He takes my hand and helps me up as I stand, then slips his arm around my waist.

"Prince Cody! Who is that?! Who is she?!" the people with cameras were shouting. I know that I don't need to be, but I am suddenly scared. I've never been good with crowds, and there is steady growing one trying to break down that gate.

All because they don't know my name.

"C-Cody," I stammer, tensing in his hold.

"It's okay. We're almost inside." He says. I'm surprised at the gentleness in his tone. I glance up at him to ensure it's still him. It is. Shockingly, his words calm me.

"Hello dove!" people yelled.

"What's your name?!"

"Is that the prince's new girlfriend?!"

"Is she wearing a crown?!"

"Is she a queen of another country?!"

"Who is that?!"

Their questions make Cody move faster than me, and he swiftly pulls me closer so my body is almost completely hidden by his own. He then removes my crown and I tuck into my jacket. The doors are opened, we step into the palace, and they close behind us, silencing the shouts outside.

"Are you alright?" asks Cody. I'm astonished by his question, but I nod.

Then, seeming to remember he doesn't like me, he frowns and disappears down the hall without another word.

***

She looked so scared...i slam the door to my bedroom and sit down. Brittany saw the people and heard their shouts, and was terrified.

"C-Cody," she whispered.

I looked down at her and she was pale. Scared. I didn't know why she was, but I suddenly felt this need to protect her.

"It's okay. We're almost inside." I said.

She relaxed as soon as I said the words. For some reason I love that I comforted her.

My watch beeps. It was nine o clock at night, which meant my mum would be going to bed soon. I stand up to go see her. I hate seeing my mother this ill, but I won't be risking the chance of never seeing her again.

I walk down the steps to her sickroom, but a maid stops me outside the door.

"Pardon me, sir, but was your fiancé brought back with you?" she asks.

I nod.

"Oh, your highness, I do hate to tell you this, but the poor girl is in tears in her bedroom and she's locked the door. I cannot find the keys, and she won't let me in. Perhaps it is because she doesn't know me-"

"I will speak to her after I visit my mother." I cut her off.

The maid, Henrietta, frowns. "Your highness, the queen has already fallen asleep. The nurse just left the room and told me that." she says.

My hand freezes on the knob. I'd hate to wake my mum up. And I should see what was wrong with Brittany. Huffing, I walk away from the maid and get the keys from my room before going to Brittany's.

Stopping outside the door, I do in fact hear sobs. I unlock the door without knocking and storm into the room.

Brittany sits up. The makeup is running down her face from her tears, and her green eyes are lighter.

"C-Cody," she says. "I-I thought the door was locked."

In answer, I hold up my keys.

She looks at them and nods, then looks down at her lap. I can see her pale cheeks reddening; she's embarrassed.

I feel awkward as I set the keys on the desk and move towards her. I see her bite her lip as I sit on the bed next to her.

"Do you miss your sister?" I ask.

Brittany laughs a humorless laugh. "No." she says.

"Denmark? Your parents?" I ask.

"I barely knew my parents. And I've only been to Denmark once before I met you." she says.

"Then what is it lass?" I ask.

"I-I miss America. And May." she says.

"Who is May?" I ask.

"She raised me. She's more of a mother than my actual mother." Britt says.

"I'm sorry you miss her." I say.

She nods. If I was any kind of fiancé, or hell, any kind of man, I would put my arm around her to comfort her. But I don't. And she doesn't say anything about it.

"Cody?" she asks.

"Yes?" I reply.

"Why did you come up here?" she asks me.

I freeze. "Um, well, the maid said you were upset-" I begin.

"Cody, I know you don't like me." she says.

I look at her. "Why would you say that?" I ask.

"You never seem happy. You never smile at me. You only speak to me when you have to. You're polite to me, but I know you're only doing it because your mom raised you to be polite. You were raised as a prince, but I wasn't raised as a princess. We have different manners. I know the difference between polite and friendly." she says.

"I-" I start, but stop. What am I planning to say?

"It's okay that you don't like me. You don't even know me. But I want to know why you'd come up here if you don't like me." Britt says.

I think about it, but I cannot come up with a solution. "I suppose..." I begin, but stop.

"You suppose what?" she asks.

I sigh. "I suppose I was just being polite." I say.