Suddenly Royal
Page 45
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“May I enter?” His voice held the interesting accent that Alex spoke with.
“Please,” Alex said. Even though Alex had been laid-back in the States, I realized that as the highest-ranking royal, everyone would defer to him.
“Welcome home, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Jeremy.” Alex stood up and shook his hand. They must interact with this official often.
“Welcome home, Duchess.” Jeremy shook Rose’s hand and then turned toward me. “A heartfelt welcome to you, Duchess Rousseau.” Jeremy smiled warmly at me.
“Thank you.”
“I’m afraid I need to see your paperwork.” He looked embarrassed.
“Of course.” I handed him my passport.
“Excellent.” He looked over the passport, and I found it oddly comforting that he hadn’t just waved me on. He pulled a stamp out of his pocket and quickly used it. “I hope you find Lilaria to your liking.”
“I’m sure I will.” I smiled at him and tucked my passport back into my bag.
Alex stood up and held my coat out for me. I slid into the sleeves and buttoned up the front. I was about to set foot on Lilarian soil, the homeland of my ancestors and my new life. Rose walked to the exit and waited for Duvall and Becca and Sarah. Duvall jogged down the stairs to the cars, a finger to his ear as he listened to something on his earpiece. Rose turned to me and smiled.
“Welcome home, Samantha. I’ll be waiting in the car for you.” Rose winked at me and then quickly made her way down the stairs. There was a cry from the photographers, calling her name, but she simply waved and went straight to the vehicle. The air blowing in through the open door was cold but that wasn’t why I shivered.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Alex put a hand on my back.
“You promised you wouldn’t throw me to the wolves.” I tried to smile, but it came out weak.
“Trust me.”
“I do.” I took a deep breath and stepped out into the cold night air.
Chapter Sixteen
The Reluctant Royal
—American Today
The sound was almost deafening. The flashes of the camera were blinding. I froze at the top of the steps and looked out at the people chanting my last name. Alex’s warm presence at my back jarred me back to reality and I started down the steps, careful to not trip on my dress. There was a roar from the crowd at the sight of Alex, and it grew when he stepped down from the bottom step next to me and placed his hand on my back.
“Smile and wave.” Alex ducked his head down so he could speak in my ear.
I did as I was told, completely overwhelmed. I smiled and waved because I had no idea how to handle all this attention. For the most part, I ignored the people shouting my name and made eye contact with no one. When we got to the car, Duvall opened the door and Alex helped me in. My skirt made it difficult, but I finally managed to take a seat. Rose was sitting on a bench across from me, a smile stretching from ear to ear.
“Brilliant. I knew people were excited, but I hadn’t expected it to be quite this large of a reception.” Rose patted my knee. “You did great. It’s very overpowering at first, but you’ll get used to it.”
I didn’t say anything. I had no words to explain what I was feeling. Terror with an edge of excitement and adrenaline pumped through my system. I just looked out the windows at all the people and tried to not jump when Alex slid into the seat next to me. He kept his gaze focused out his window, smiling at the people, but where no one could see; his fingers slid over mine and clasped my hand tightly.
Some of the panic fled at his touch and I didn’t feel so alone. The pressure of his fingers helped ground me. If Rose noticed, she didn’t say a word, but I saw her smile at us before turning her attention back to the crowd. The trip through the city was winding and I had a chance to see some of the buildings and statues. It looked a lot like the pictures I had seen of France. People lined the route with signs and cameras, hollering our names.
“Are they always this excited when you come home?” I looked at Alex.
“That’s not my name they’re shouting.” Alex met my gaze with an easy smile. His fingers tightened on mine. “This is an important day for our country. For your family.”
I bit my lip and looked back at the crowds. I raised my hand and gave a small wave when we passed a group of children holding a sign with my name on it. They jumped up and down, the little girls giggling. Soon the gates for the palace came into view. I leaned forward in my seat and craned my neck so I could see out Alex’s window. He scooted over a bit so I could see better, his hand never letting go of mine.
It looked like something out of a fairy tale. The walls were made from stone and old brick. When I finally got a good look at the castle, I smiled my first real smile since landing. The palace was made from the same stone as the walls. A huge door was in the center of the old building, flanked with guards in ceremonial dress. It was breathtaking. Duvall opened our car door and Alex helped Rose and me out. A man in a tux took pictures as we climbed out and I tried to not look frustrated. I had hoped we would be through with the photographers at this point.
“That is the palace photographer. You can trust Cecil.” Alex seemed to sense my hesitation.
“Duchess Rousseau, may I have you stand here in front of the car? Look up at the castle for me. That’s perfect!” Cecil snapped pictures quickly before standing up. “Duchess Sverelle, Your Highness, will you stand with Duchess Rousseau for a moment?”
“Please,” Alex said. Even though Alex had been laid-back in the States, I realized that as the highest-ranking royal, everyone would defer to him.
“Welcome home, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Jeremy.” Alex stood up and shook his hand. They must interact with this official often.
“Welcome home, Duchess.” Jeremy shook Rose’s hand and then turned toward me. “A heartfelt welcome to you, Duchess Rousseau.” Jeremy smiled warmly at me.
“Thank you.”
“I’m afraid I need to see your paperwork.” He looked embarrassed.
“Of course.” I handed him my passport.
“Excellent.” He looked over the passport, and I found it oddly comforting that he hadn’t just waved me on. He pulled a stamp out of his pocket and quickly used it. “I hope you find Lilaria to your liking.”
“I’m sure I will.” I smiled at him and tucked my passport back into my bag.
Alex stood up and held my coat out for me. I slid into the sleeves and buttoned up the front. I was about to set foot on Lilarian soil, the homeland of my ancestors and my new life. Rose walked to the exit and waited for Duvall and Becca and Sarah. Duvall jogged down the stairs to the cars, a finger to his ear as he listened to something on his earpiece. Rose turned to me and smiled.
“Welcome home, Samantha. I’ll be waiting in the car for you.” Rose winked at me and then quickly made her way down the stairs. There was a cry from the photographers, calling her name, but she simply waved and went straight to the vehicle. The air blowing in through the open door was cold but that wasn’t why I shivered.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Alex put a hand on my back.
“You promised you wouldn’t throw me to the wolves.” I tried to smile, but it came out weak.
“Trust me.”
“I do.” I took a deep breath and stepped out into the cold night air.
Chapter Sixteen
The Reluctant Royal
—American Today
The sound was almost deafening. The flashes of the camera were blinding. I froze at the top of the steps and looked out at the people chanting my last name. Alex’s warm presence at my back jarred me back to reality and I started down the steps, careful to not trip on my dress. There was a roar from the crowd at the sight of Alex, and it grew when he stepped down from the bottom step next to me and placed his hand on my back.
“Smile and wave.” Alex ducked his head down so he could speak in my ear.
I did as I was told, completely overwhelmed. I smiled and waved because I had no idea how to handle all this attention. For the most part, I ignored the people shouting my name and made eye contact with no one. When we got to the car, Duvall opened the door and Alex helped me in. My skirt made it difficult, but I finally managed to take a seat. Rose was sitting on a bench across from me, a smile stretching from ear to ear.
“Brilliant. I knew people were excited, but I hadn’t expected it to be quite this large of a reception.” Rose patted my knee. “You did great. It’s very overpowering at first, but you’ll get used to it.”
I didn’t say anything. I had no words to explain what I was feeling. Terror with an edge of excitement and adrenaline pumped through my system. I just looked out the windows at all the people and tried to not jump when Alex slid into the seat next to me. He kept his gaze focused out his window, smiling at the people, but where no one could see; his fingers slid over mine and clasped my hand tightly.
Some of the panic fled at his touch and I didn’t feel so alone. The pressure of his fingers helped ground me. If Rose noticed, she didn’t say a word, but I saw her smile at us before turning her attention back to the crowd. The trip through the city was winding and I had a chance to see some of the buildings and statues. It looked a lot like the pictures I had seen of France. People lined the route with signs and cameras, hollering our names.
“Are they always this excited when you come home?” I looked at Alex.
“That’s not my name they’re shouting.” Alex met my gaze with an easy smile. His fingers tightened on mine. “This is an important day for our country. For your family.”
I bit my lip and looked back at the crowds. I raised my hand and gave a small wave when we passed a group of children holding a sign with my name on it. They jumped up and down, the little girls giggling. Soon the gates for the palace came into view. I leaned forward in my seat and craned my neck so I could see out Alex’s window. He scooted over a bit so I could see better, his hand never letting go of mine.
It looked like something out of a fairy tale. The walls were made from stone and old brick. When I finally got a good look at the castle, I smiled my first real smile since landing. The palace was made from the same stone as the walls. A huge door was in the center of the old building, flanked with guards in ceremonial dress. It was breathtaking. Duvall opened our car door and Alex helped Rose and me out. A man in a tux took pictures as we climbed out and I tried to not look frustrated. I had hoped we would be through with the photographers at this point.
“That is the palace photographer. You can trust Cecil.” Alex seemed to sense my hesitation.
“Duchess Rousseau, may I have you stand here in front of the car? Look up at the castle for me. That’s perfect!” Cecil snapped pictures quickly before standing up. “Duchess Sverelle, Your Highness, will you stand with Duchess Rousseau for a moment?”
