The Secrets of the Throne (sequel to The Girl behind the Throne) - ON HOLD

Chapter 6.

Hangin' round downtown by myself 
And I had too much caffeine 
And I was thinkin' 'bout myself 
And then there she was 
In double platform suede 
Yeah there she was 
Like disco lemonade 
I smell sex and candy here 
Who's that lounging in my chair 
Who's that casting devious stares 
In my direction 
Mama this surely is a dream 
Mama this surely is a dream 
Yeah mama this must be my dream 

Freya held in hysterical laughter throughout the meal, between Sebastian and Echo’s fighting and her nearly giving him a black eye with a bread roll when he said some sly remark about the fact she can’t say the word squirrel.

It was no surprise when dinner was over that she felt tired. She took her glass of wine and stood outside in the porch, for a little air.

The family were inside drinking and telling stories, hoping to involve Freya and make her one of the family, though making her feel awkward and uncomfortable in the process.

She walked as she sipped the glass, trying to get her head around what changes twenty four hours can make. She let her feet make the decisions as she strolled aimlessly, the smell of water in her nose telling her she was near the lake.

A cough to the left of her brought her back to earth reminding her of the chill in the late summer air; pulling the cardigan she wore tighter around her waist she caught a glimpse of a white shirt on the dock, the broadness of the shoulders telling her it was Tristan.

Stifling a smile she walked along the dock, the sound of her footsteps making him turn around and flash an easy grin.

“What are you doing out here?” He asked as she sat in the spot to his left, dangling her legs over the water.

“I felt like going for a stroll, needed some air to clear my head”. She said with a small smile.

“I hear ya. But I gotta admit you have it a little tougher than I do at the moment”. He skipped the stone he was tossing his hand across the lake, causing an impressive six skips.

“Not really, dropped home by a supermodel, wake up next morning to be told I’m a long lost princess and moved into a palace by the evening. It’s the norm; Madonna’s going to adopt me next”. She said taking a gulp of her wine.

Tristan laughed then causing the whole deck to rock. Freya had to bite back the happy dance she wanted to do, normally talking to men was a problem for her but not with Tristan, for some reason she felt like she had known him for years.

“Don’t talk to me about adoption. My mother is on an adoption fix as we speak. So far I have nearly ten siblings. Every time I come home there’s a new kid”. He said groaning jokily.

Freya laughed remembering an article that she had read about Peaches and Jasper’s many children. “Tristan?” She asked when a comfortable silence filled the air again.

“Yeah?” He asked looking at her, his warm brown eyes burning into hers.

“Does it ever get less weird?” She asked a smile making its way to her face.

He picked up instantly what she meant. “Just be grateful Nanna wasn’t here tonight, that woman scares the shit out of me. But yeah it does, eventually. The twins mean well, they just have trust issues it’s hard to find friends who want to know you for you and not because of who your family are”.

“Sounds like you would have the same problem”. She said softly, watching as he looked into the water, she picked up on the uncertainty in his tone.