My Dearest Blue

France, 1940

Princess Victoria's Sofia's POV..
I Remember I Was Just Seventeen when the war broke out. I was free spirited and more naive like every other normal teenage girl I knew. Outside from living in a palace under harsh rules and strict standards. At that age, I wanted to explore and get out of Spanish Dictatorship and move to a place more safe for the duration of the war. I wanted to have as much freedom as I possibly could before being exiled to Greece with my grandparents. And I know I was getting myself into possible danger and maybe kidnapping by German soldiers. But my friends and I wanted to go to France on holiday before things get out of hands. Which is what we did. We knew it was going to happen eventually. We just weren't sure it was going to happen within the matter of days we were there. I enjoyed the French scenery without a load of palace guards or nosey relatives of the palace watching my every move.
My mother always said to"go out and adventure the world before there's nothing of the world that's left to see". In which she was right. Yet none of us naive ladies of the palace knew what was fully going on under our noses until we got there.
As We Arrived we took a train into Paris. Still being captured by French photographers and news reporters. We were gonna be in the papers sooner enough. But it was all but a strange feeling. Like something wrong bound to happen. But I wasn't sure what?. The three of us knew Hitler had already invaded Poland last September and England and France Declared war On Hitler.
But even then before There's nothing left of France to see. We wanted to go out on the town. Have a bit of fun. It's not every day that you see handsome young men. Brave men in uniform roaming the streets and bantering with each other before they go off to fight the Germans. One of them whistles at my friend Lucia. The Duchess of Asturias. She's the youngest whom we brought along on our short holiday to France. Only 15. Not much Fluent in French as she is in English. But she's sweet. "Victoria Are We Gonna keep wasting our time walking past these shops. I want to buy souvenirs" Said my eldest friend Infanta who's just turned twenty.
As I looked over at her and smiled.
Well I just wanted to explore the city?. I haven't been to Paris in ages. Other than going to state dinners with the family. What shop do you want to go in?.
"I don't know" "That one" she says as one catches her eye.
A candle shop it was. As the three of us entered. Spotting a couple soldiers looking at the candles and smelling them. I saw infanta eyeing a candle she liked and walked over to it. To have a smell. She closes the top and sets it down. "Not that one" she says out of slight disgust. And moving on to the other scents that interested her. I kept a close eye on Lucia and took a look at the store and the products it was selling. I found a tea set that I liked that had lavenders painted on the cups and plates that went with. It was a lovely set I thought. As I grabbed it and nearly dropped the set as I bumped into one of the soldiers who was browsing the store as well.
"Careful Miss" He said as I smiled and walked over to the counter to pay for it. As Lucia and Infanta were still shopping. The soldier I accidentally bumped into comes behind me and pays for my tea set. Which I thought was generous but merely odd. I didn't think they had money to begin with?. What would they need of for if they're going to be on the battlefield.
I thanked the man for paying for it. And waited for the girls.
We left the shop and dined.
"So Who Was He?" Infanta teased. In regards to the soldier paying for my tea set.
Sipping on my earl grey. I smiled lightly to her response.
I don't know who he is?. Or who he was?. All I know was that he paid for it?. Lucia makes a derogative joke in Spanish.
As I nearly spat out my tea.
I Would Never!. I replied.
As they both laughed
"Everyone's got to have some experience Tori" Infanta says
Well I'm not doing that with him.
For all we know he could be dead tomorrow or maybe a month from now?. Never would I do any of that with a soldier?. Do you know how dirty they are after being on the battlefield?.
Infanta: Yeah, But just imagine him coming home after he's done fighting off the Germans?. So Handsome and tired from missing you?. Give him a try?. You might make his day?. Hell he won't know that you're a Royal unless you tell him. Or if your mum whose currently The Queen of Spain Shows up at his front door.
Why are you insisting that I?. Go out with him?. All he did was pay for my tea set that's all?. He didn't offer me Roses or a nice dinner date. I might not even make eye contact with him again.
And so I thought.
After We spent three days visiting France and going out on the town. Having a girl's night out as some would say.
I remember one night, when I saw him again. We were at a bar and there was plenty of dancing and drunk soldiers flirting with the local women. He was with a group of soldiers having a drink with a bit of banter.
I remember wearing my favourite red dress that my mother gave to me that she hadn't worn a while. I had my hair curled and ordered a drink and went off to dance. At Balls I was always a bit of a loner when the press wasn't watching my every move. But as the Bourbon had hit my system. The more I drank. The more I began to feel free. The world around me was spinning and a bit blurry. And I could feel the music move through my veins. I've never felt this lively in years.