In The Name Of Love

Chapter 28

We landed smoothly, but it took too long, too long to taxi down the runway. But when we stopped and the door was open and I was told there was a car on the ground waiting for me I felt my hopes lift again. I wouldn't have to worry about finding a taxi. I called out a hurried 'bye' and 'thank you' too the crew and ran down the steps, more or less launched myself into the car and gabbled out the Romanian words for 'palace please'.

"I know where you go, Princess," the driver said with a thick accent. "May I say, finally?"

I laughed. "Truth is, I nearly didn't come back."

He frowned.

"I nearly stayed in Wales," I said hoping he understood.

He gasped and glanced over his shoulder at me. "Why? You love him! And he love you with his heart!"

"I know, it's... complicated."

Half an hour. I had half an hour to get to the palace. It was half six. The speech began at seven. I tapped my foot and drummed my fingers.

"Patient, Princess. Rush get you no place faster."

I wanted to growl at him, but didn't. It wasn't his fault I was this anxious to get there. I watched as the street went by too slowly. The people on the streets seemed to be going faster than us! I wanted to get out, sure that I could run there more quickly.

"There it is," he said.

I looked up and there was the palace looming majestically ahead of us, lit up with yellow lamps making it look like a casting of solid gold. I gasped and froze where I was sat. I was going to be a princess in a palace. That palace. I hadn't really realised its beauty before. I'd been too overwhelmed by its size and how worried I was about doing something wrong. I wasn't so worried about that now.

Was I going to miss farming? Yes. But I was going to be with the man I loved and life wasn't really worth all that much without him. I could move forward and go through the motions, but it wasn't really living. This, what I was feeling now – elation, excitement, nerves, impatience, anticipation – that was living. Real living. I was alive again and full of vitality and happiness I wanted to share with everyone else.

We pulled to a stop at the gates.

"You not need dress. You look beautiful in jumper."

"Thanks. I'll get one of the guards to pay –"

"No. No charge for princess," he said.

I threw my door open. "Thank you."

I got out, slammed it shut and strode up to the gates and called for the guards.

"Princess!" one of them exclaimed and then called into the control room.

The gates opened. I slipped through as soon as I could and looked at the palace. I had no real idea where the ball was.

"Run to the main door, we'll get a maid to show you the way. Hurry before he abdicates!" the guard said urgently.

"What? He's going to –"

"He's already started the speech."

I didn't even let him get to the end of the word 'already' before I took off running sure that this was too much exercise for a newly healed head but not caring overly much. I was here. I was so close. I was not going to let him give up on his life like that.

I ran as fast as I could and fought a stitch in my side. I kept going and going and then I was hurtling up the steps and pushing on the door which suddenly moved more easily and I stumbled but caught myself before I fell.