Be Well, My Darling (Fruk)

6

June 28, 1914

Idiot, Idiot, Idiot! Why did you do that? I am an idiot! I started hitting my head against my desk as I remembered something I had done ten years ago.

I can't believe it! And I was sober enough to remember all of what happened! Which makes it worse! That means I actually liked it. NOOOOOOOOOOooooooo

I can never live this down! I will have to make an alias for myself; I need to give up my title as England and move to another country. I need to change how I look and dress and become a whole new person! My name? It won't even be Arthur either; it will be something Francis would never guess. Like Eugene...or Oliver...or Maybe John?

"Mr. England? You are squeezing your hand awfully hard again; what has gotten into you?" Mary spoke. I snapped out of my internal rage and looked toward the Queen, shocked. "Ah, I didn't see you there," I spoke. I was really going through it today.

Well...

Not only today...

Anytime Francis and I saw each other...

I tended to shut up, turn around, and walk away from him. He has only looked at me with annoyance for the past ten years as I constantly avoided him. Imagining the situation right now causes me to feel embarrassed. So embarrassed that I could jump out the window and hope the fall would kill me...but alas...it would not. Queen Mary looked at me, waiting for an answer, but I fell silent. "How about we listen to the radio? Maybe there would be some interesting highlights today?" I suggested. I laughed nervously as I quickly changed the subject away from me. Every time Francis and I saw each other in person now, it was for diplomatic meetings...so even she saw the way I acted. I am sure she would put the pieces together. I believe if anyone did enough digging in history, they would figure out a few things as well.

Despite my avoidance of the subject, the Queen smiled at me gracefully, and I still felt cornered.

I walked over to the radio and turned it on. It sounded more staticky than usual, and I tried to fix it. This was weird; the radio was a newer model, so it should not be having trouble connecting to the main broadcast station.

The static continued for a little longer until I was able to fix it to a perfect spot.

"THIS JUST IN! Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated on 28 June 1914 by Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip. They were shot at close range while being driven through Sarajevo, the provincial capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, formally annexed by Austria-Hungary...."

I froze hearing the words spoken.

So did my Queen...

"Mr. England?"

"Yes?..."

"Did I hear that correctly?..."

"I...Yes..."

The doors suddenly slammed open, and in came representatives. They had all started talking as the King followed behind. "Shhhh!" The Queen hushed. Everyone grew silent as she began to listen to the broadcast. "There isn't much known what is to come, but many believe that Serbia will request aid from Russia if an unlikely situation occurs of Austria-Hungary declaring war..." the broadcast continued, and I nearly fainted.

No...

If...

In the case of that 'unlikely' situation, France would get pulled in...my dearest...

No! ENOUGH THINKING ABOUT THAT CHEESE EATER!

If that happens, I WILL be pulled in...

No matter what...I will have to protect him.