A Royal Beginning [Book 1 of The English Lion]

X. Alexander

I woke up considerably early today, knowing that Regius Obligatus has slowly started getting their funds, among a few other things that somehow had escaped my mind for a moment. I got changed and started the day like normal until I got word from Grandpapa that Prince Christian, Princess Catherine and Princess Isabelle of France and Denmark will have a state visit, and that he wants me to be at Buckingham Palace when they arrive. I nodded at the messenger, before heading to a meeting with Hugo and Douglas, passing them the information. They nodded.

"Let's keep Regius Obligatus to ourselves, and don't you dare talk to me when they are present," I told them. They nodded.

—

I would be standing next to papa, who would be standing next to Grandpapa, depicting the three generations of the English monarchy, as Mother would be standing next to Papa, with Antony. Prince Christian, Princess Catherine, and Princess Isabelle are on their way to Buckingham Palace.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, the entrance doors opened and I looked at the three of them, who entered. I stared at Isabelle. Just staring, observing. Isabelle caught me staring and I immediately looked away. I introduced myself to Prince Christian, with all the knowledge that Isabelle had her eyes on me.

At Grandpapa's request, I showed Isabelle around Buckingham Palace. I nodded and walked over to her.

"Follow me please, Ma'am," I said, being formal and polite as hell. I waited before both of us would start to walk, starting the tour.

Along the way, Hugo and Douglas joined me, so I introduced her to them.

"So, Alexander, Regius Obligatus is now financially stable. What do you want to do?" Douglas asked quietly.

"What did I say this morning about Regius Obligatus, Douglas?" I quietly asked him, fighting the urgent need to glare at him

"Not to talk about it, but this... It is urgent," Douglas replied.

"That's what I told him on the way here, Alexander. You specifically told us not to say anything until we're in private," Hugo stated, not wanting to get on my bad side.

"The state visit from the Royal Family of France and Denmark is much more important than Regius Obligatus at this moment. Now scram, both of you," I muttered the last sentence with a bit of aggression and force. They nodded and left.

"What's Regius Obligatus?" Isabelle asked me.

'We were that loud? What?' I thought as I stared at her.

"You heard?"

"Only the two words, Regius Obligatus."

"Oh... Okay. It's just an organization. It's nothing important."

"Okay."

We continued in silence, while I would point out different important rooms occasionally as we passed them.

"So, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Isabelle asked, interested. I started to go off in something like a rant, but not entirely a rant.

Later that night at the State Banquet is quite an... interesting affair if I say so myself. Isabelle and I would be sitting out our places at the table for the State Banquet, as we talk, grabbing the attention of Douglas and Hugo's, who was sitting not far from where we were.

As we eat, we would be talking to one another, finding more about one another, and I can't stop thinking.

'It's something about her that pulls me in,' I thought, trying to think about why that would be. But then, my mind would oversimplify things.

"Wait, you like to learn languages too? That's great because I do too!" Isabelle exclaimed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I stared at her. For the third time today, my mind blanked out before I get to register what she said. I grinned.

"Seriously? No way," I beamed, smiling.

"What languages have you learned? English is my third."

I stared at her.

'English.... What?' I thought and my mind blanked out once more.

"What's your first two languages?" I asked her, dumbfounded but in slight disbelief.

"French and Danish," She said, before giggling at my expression. I blushed a bit as I sat back, processing this.

'Oh, bugger...I guess I have to learn some languages then. Let's see... French, German, Latin, and what else?' I thought to myself, making mental notes to myself, as I slowly began to build my mind palace, a memory technique that I found to be proven quite useful.

"Oh," I laughed quietly.

Throughout the night, both of us would be talking to one another, realizing that we are more alike than we thought, sharing many common interests, and hobbies. We also realized that both of us would want to pursue higher education by attending our respective nations' most respected universities. Coincidence? I think not.

After we parted ourselves after the State Banquet, Hugo and Douglas would walk with me back to my room. They start to tease me about Isabelle, knowing how close we have gotten over the day. I shot them both death glares and threatened to cut all friendships and royal perks if they would shut up about it.

Unfortunately for me, they were not the only two that had noticed my close relationship with Isabelle. Not that both of us would know that they were not the only ones.