The Royal Romance - By My Side

A good court jester

Ugh. Everything hurt. Last night had been... well, he wasn't sure actually. It had started well. But how had it ended? And how had he got back to the palace?

Crap. What time was it anyway? Was it two yet? He checked his phone. It was twelve. Okay. That's fine. He was due to meet Hana for the Apple Queen ceremony at one, so hopefully he'd be able to make that...

Ugh. Legs felt wobbly. He gave up on the getting up bit.

Had he done anything stupid? He checked his texts. Phew. Didn't look like he'd been messaging Jen, or calling her, so that was probably a good thing.

Pictagram. He'd put some pictures on there. Crap, he'd put some pictures of Rick on there. He'd probably get told to remove those.

There was a knock on his door. He made himself stand up and swaggered over. Don't be Bertrand. Don't be Bertrand. Don't be..

"Whoa. Rick. Hey."

"Good afternoon," Rick said, his formal speech befitting his formal outfit. "Before today's events commence, are you in any fit state to talk?"

"Talk... about what?"

"You do remember what you told me last night, I trust? I know you had a lot to drink, but I didn't think you'd had enough to forget that conversation."

"Oh.... Yeah. I remember."

***

He'd been sitting at the bar, easily on his eighth pineapple cocktail. He'd just not felt like dancing tonight. He'd started off in the normal fashion, but as the night went on it started to feel weird and unnatural as Drake and Rick started to hang back to let him do his thing. He just didn't really feel like doing his thing.

He'd taken some pictures and put them on the gram, he wondered if she'd see them after work. The alcohol wasn't loosening him up tonight, it was stressing him out. He was thinking about her far too much. He was tempted to call her, but he knew he shouldn't. She would be at work, anyway.

"What gives with you tonight?"

Drake had come up to him, seemingly waiting for his order of whiskey.

"I'm fine. Fine and dandy."

"Nah. Normally at this stage of the evening you're on the dance floor trying to pull anything in a skirt. Not at the bar with a pineapple punch and a long face."

He'd laughed. "Drake, my good man, I am reformed." He'd heard the slur in his own voice. "I thought it was time to take on board my brother's many life lessons. I am approaching my thirties, after all..."

"Bullshit, Maxwell. This has got something to do with Jen."

"No! It's got nothing to do with Jen!"

And suddenly, Rick had been there. "Did you just... were you two talking about Jen? As in... Jen from New York?"

And it had all come tumbling out. Well. Most of it. Not the fact that he couldn't get her out of his head right now.

***

"I want to speak to her. Could I have her number?"

Maxwell sighed. "Is that a good idea at this stage?" Part of him wanted Rick to talk to her, offer to fly her over, so she could compete. But part of him didn't. Was that the selfish part of him? Probably.

"What, me talking to her?"

"I mean, her coming over."

"I don't know, Maxwell. I mean, it would have been different if it wasn't for the fact that things are going so well between myself and Olivia. Olivia would be furious if anyone entered the competition now." He sighed. "But, talking to her wouldn't hurt."