The Royal Romance - The Valtoria Diaries

How perfection can be improved upon

"You can come in now!"

Jen had been standing patiently outside in the corridor, reminiscing by herself a little about the happy days she'd spent here, just prior to the engagement tour. Although she'd stayed here with Bertrand and Maxwell for three weeks all told, she'd never once been allowed in Maxwell's room. Now it seemed her curiosity was finally about to be indulged.

She stepped inside, and looked around. Maxwell was standing somewhat proudly in front of her, surrounded by three black sacks. Despite this, the room still seemed a little untidy and cluttered.

"You've binned all your mucky magazines then," she giggled.

He put on an expression of sheer innocence. "Me? As if I would possess such things.."

She nodded slyly, and glanced around the room inquisitively.

"I found these though. Have a look." He showed her a box full of goodies.

"Ooh, diaries, I'll have to have a read of those later... photo albums, they should be funny... poetry, good job I already know about the calibre of your poetry... what's this? A mixtape?"

He took it from her, and posed dramatically. "That is no mixtape. That is my work of art, my debut album.. DJ Beau-Music's Neat Beats. Featuring R-Dogg on backing vocals."

"R-Dogg? Who's that?"

"If you listen, you will learn."

"Got a tape deck?"

"Over there," he said, gesturing towards an ancient looking music system. "Not sure it still works, though." He threw the tape back into the box. "I bet we can find something at Valtoria that will play it. If not, you now know what to get me for Christmas."

"I somehow thought your room would be bigger than this," she said, looking around.

"It used to seem quite big before all this stuff built up," he admitted, still picking things up and putting them in a black sack. "Big wardrobe over there takes up space, for all my Gucci shirts.."

She opened the wardrobe door curiously, and laughed. "Why am I not surprised. They're all black."

"And obviously, the turntables take up a lot of space.."

Jen turned her attention to the corner of the room where he pointed, to see the afore-mentioned music system. Beyond it lay DJ turntables and a mixing deck, recording equipment, and... what was that?

"Oh my god, Maxwell, you have a guitar?"

He nodded, as she went over to investigate.

She looked back at him. "Now you're gonna tell me that you don't play it and you just have it because it used to belong to one of your parents, aren't you?"

He threw her a defiant look, wandered in her direction and took hold of the guitar. Next he sat down on the bed, and, pausing for a few seconds, began to strum.

Jen felt a funny feeling form in her tummy as she listened to the soft, seductive music which was now filling the room. She'd always had a weakness for men who played the guitar, she'd just never realised it was another of her husband's talents. He kept eye contact with her as he began to sing – a beautiful folk-style song that she vaguely recognised.

"There's still a little bit of your taste, in my mouth... still a little bit of you laced with my doubt... still a little hard to say what's going on..."

She bit her lip, remembering back almost exactly a week to their first dance on their wedding day. Now she knew where she recognised it from. It had been the song that Maxwell had requested.