Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Eighty-Seven

In the early morning, with sun reflecting off the crystal blue waves, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor arrived at Pointe Seraphine, where they received the official welcome. The streets were lined with children in school uniforms, and they waved St. Lucian and Union Jack flags. It was a mixture of colors as the vehicle rolled through and then stopped.

The duchess stepped out in a spring look with her blonde hair  flowing back and the dress along with it. She glowed. Perhaps it was her makeup, and maybe it was something else.... The rumors swirled, like they always did, but after the recent morning off, people wanted to know. The duchess didn't give a clue. She smiled and shook hands with the governor general after her husband did.

Her excellency welcomed the royals to the island with a speech.

After that, the duke and duchess did a walkabout, where the duchess received more flowers than she was able to handle. Thankfully, she had a lady-in-waiting who did held the flowers as the duchess collected more of them.

Next, the duke and duchess were loaded back up into the silver-colored vehicles. The clear windows allowed them to see the people lining the streets, waving their flags. The royal couple waved at them with ear-to-ear grins. St. Lucia was a Commonwealth country, and the duke and duchess acted as heads of state for the visit. The car continued to go through the streets until stopping outside a cricket field.

At the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, the duke and duchess were given a tour and then were on the field. Two well-known teams were going to play an exhibition game on behalf of Their Royal Highnesses and the Prime Minister. The duke and duchess stepped onto the field and met with the teams in the packed stadium.

The crowds roared, and photographers lined up to take photos. Before the match was set to begin, the duke and duchess were given a chance to try their hand at cricket. The duke had the most training as the duchess hadn't an idea about the rules of cricket. People tried to teach her, but they seemed stupidly difficult.

The duke took the bat first and stepped up. The ball whipped toward him, and the duke did his best to hit the ball. The pitcher didn't slow the ball down at all. He swung so hard that the duchess was sure his arms were going to come off.

"Can I get it again?" the duke asked.

Another ball came flying at him, and at least he managed to get a side of the ball, which hit into the dirt. At least he managed to get some bat on it.

The duchess, in her flowing dress and heels, stepped up with the cricket bat in her hands. She flipped back her blonde hair and tilted her head. She kept her eyes on the ball, and it sailed toward her. The player behind her caught it. The duchess chose not to swing at it.

"Too fast, your highness?" asked the pitcher.

The duchess smirked. "I'm not my husband. Throw it like you normally would."

The players looked around and snickered, but the duchess hadn't lost that smirk on her face.

Her hands tightened on the bat, so much that her knuckles turned white. Her eyes focused again, and she let out smooth breath. With her feet spaced apart, elbow up but ready to be dropped and shoulders her hips, the duchess watched as the ball soared through the air as the pitcher brought his fastest ball forward. The problem with fastballs, while they were the fastest, they were probably some of the laziest pitches. They were just for show-- not for ability.

So when the ball was close enough, the duchess dropped her elbow, shifted her hips and raised her leg. Swinging the bat, it made contact when her foot came down, and the ball went flying. Usually, it was a mad rush to get the ball, but now, all the players stared dumbfoundedly with eyes wide and mouth agape.

The duchess let the bat fall to her side, and then she shrugged.

The duchess had never played cricket before, but she had played baseball and softball. Those were sports that she was rather good at, and she showcased her skills now.

The duchess wasn't able to lie or hide it on her face: she took pride in showing them just how it was done. They thought she wasn't able to do it; well, they messed with the wrong woman.

The duke and duchess went up to their seats, where they watched the two teams played. The duchess had no idea how the game worked, and perhaps she didn't care too much. Cricket wasn't the favorite sport of the duke, but at least he understood the rules. However, he wanted to be watching rugby.

When the match was over, the duke and duchess presented medals to their respected teams and exchanged signed cricket bats. The players were still a bit hesitant around the duchess, but she wore a confident and proud smile. 

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were seen again when they made the journey to Pigeon Island, which was one of the country's national landmarks. They were matching again with khakis and white shirts. The duchess' hair was now pulled back, which was probably a good thing when they were going to be doing some exploring. The event was an outdoor exhibition that highlighted various conservation projects by the young people of St. Lucia. The young people, which the duchess was counted among, showed off their impressive work.

Then, the duke and duchess unveiled a dedication plaque, which designated the Castries Water Works Reserve and surrounding rainforest as St. Lucia's contribution to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy Project. Throughout much of the tour, the duke and duchess had visited places that the Canopy Project for the environment touched.

For their final event of the day, the duke and duchess traveled by boat to the north of St. Lucia, which as one of the most gorgeous parts of the island. The southwest town of Soufriere, which sat between the iconic Pitons. They arrived in the harbor to the sights and sounds of a St. Lucian street festival. The duchess wasn't able to wipe a smile off her face because she liked these things.

Traditional food and drink were offered from the local street markets. The duke tasted it all, but the duchess was a little more hesitant. From every space in the market, band music filled the air, and after taking in some food and drink, the royals joined the locals on the dance floor.

The duchess laughed as she watched her husband dance, and it was a sight for sore eyes. At least the duchess knew how to dance. There wasn't a question about her movements, except for perhaps some more risque moves. Some people in the public in the United Kingdom were going to have something to say about it, but they were thousands of miles away.

The secretary and bodyguards tried to pull the duke and duchess away from the dance floor, but they preferred to dance their night away.