Modern Royalty

Birthday Wishes

Chapter 44
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James stays in the library for a few hours and Asriel joins him after one. "I heard you want to go to a vacation house?", he asks and grins, sitting down across from his nephew. "Yes, to get some distance", Bucky answers and sighs. He isn't in the mood for talking, but he knows that he won't see Asriel again for a good while. "Understandable", Asriel says. "Do you want to play chess?" Bucky hesitates for a moment, he hasn't played in over a year. "Sure, why not", he says. Alice joins them and just reads while they play. "When are you going back to Norway?", the prince asks. "Tuesday morning, before you leave", Asriel replies.

The weekend goes by quickly and Bucky finds himself wondering what to wear to the military visit. He puts on green cargo pants, black boots and a simple black sweater. "Gotta be enough", he mumbles, grabs his coat and goes downstairs. He meets his grandma and uncle in the dining room and smiles. "I've got to go now, so... Good bye, have a safe flight", he says and hugs both of them. "You can't go without breakfast, Jimmy. Come on, you have those five minutes. At least eat a yoghurt", Alice answers and pulls him to the table. "Grandma, I'm not hungry at all", Bucky says and looks at Asriel, seeking help, but his uncle just shrugs.

Alice walks towards the kitchen and returns a minute later with a glass of orange juice and some cereal. "Here you go. We have to leave too, so a safe drive for you", she smiles, kisses Bucky's temple and nods satisfiedly when he starts to eat. "Bye", he says and they leave to go home. Bucky shovels down the cereal and downs the juice on his way to bring his dishes back to the kitchen. He takes his jeep and drives to his former infrantry's training grounds. He rolls up to the check point and sees a car with security men a few hundred meters behind him on the road. Two soldiers walk up to his car and he lets the window roll down. The soldiers didn't recognize the number plate yet, but Bucky recognized them.

"Gabe, Dougan", he grins and the men look at him for a few seconds before their eyes widen. "Sergeant", Dum Dum laughs and reaches into the car to greet his former comrade. "Would you let me in? I've got the whole day to catch up", Bucky asks and they nod. "Sure, but we need to check your car anyways, Bucky", Gabe answers and the prince nods. He exits the car and steps away. "All yours", he says and waits while his friends search the car for anything suspicious that shouldn't get onto the grounds. "Nothing. You're still within the rules, as always", Gabe says. "I wasn't always in the rules, don't be ridiculous", Bucky chuckles.

He drives onto the grounds and parks close to the entrance. "It's been too long", Dum Dum says and pulls him into a one-armed hug. "Almost seven years", Bucky says and nods calmly. "Is there any kind of training going on today?" They walk towards a shack and Gabe nods. "Yes. We planned a bigger training today. We got used to starting it by someone riding a motorbike through the area. It's nicer than a gunshot and more distinctable", he says and unlocks the shack. "And it's better than being yelled at", Bucky says amusedly. He sees a few motorbikes and older cars in the shack. His friends look at him and start grinning.

"What? Why are you grinning like that?", James asks and furrows his brows. "You could do us a favor", Dum Dum answers. "If you start the training, we can overlook either side of soldiers." He points towards the training area and Bucky takes a brief look at it. He remembers being trained here and a real grenade being used accidentaly, so that his friends and he had to evacuate promptly. He smiles at the memory. "Sure, I'll do it", he says. He searches through the shack to choose a bike and grabs a helmet on his way out. "I just have to go right through the middle?" "Yup", Dougan says. "But wait until we're on either side, Sergeant." "Of course", Bucky says, puts on the helmet and waits patiently.

He starts the engine as his former comrades reach the soldiers in training and speeds towards the area. He executes a small jump as he darts over a bump in the ground and sees the soldiers readying themselves as he drives past. He turns the motorbike around once he left the area and stops it, taking off his helmet. Fake grenades are thrown and he recognizes the sound of fake gunshots. "Sergeant Barnes", a familiar voice says and he turns to see some of his other friends. "Yeah, it's me. How are you?", he grins and greets them. He spends the rest of the day walking around and talking with them to catch up.