Princess Darrel Crawley | A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Chapter Thirty-Three | A Prince, a Princess, and a Jealous Paul

    Darrel was stuck waiting for almost two hours before Paul returned home. During that time, she had been reading books from Sir Ringer's large collection. Paul sunk into a bow as he entered.
     "Your highness," he said bitterly.
     "Master Paul," Darrel nodded.
     "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
     "Your apology has touched me," she said sarcastically.
     Paul rolled his eyes and went to sit down across from Darrel.
     "How can I help you?" Paul sighed.
     "I just wanted to pop in," Darrel shrugged, "and to see how your trip to Spain was."
     Paul stood up and headed to the opposite side of the room.
     "How did you find out about that?" Paul demanded.
     "Well, you weren't very discreet," Darrel snapped.
     "I was trying to protect you."
     "Really? By going to Spain and questioning everyone about their future king?!"
     "I thought someone would have something on him."
     "And? Did you find anything?"
     "He'll leave you, Darrel."
     "Why do you say that?" Darrel demanded.
     Paul paced for a moment then sat down again.
     "He was engaged to a duchess last year. They lasted three months and then he called it off," Paul informed, "he'll do the same to you."
     "No he won't," Darrel snapped.
     "How can you be so sure?"
     "Because I have asked him about this engagement, and he had good reasons for calling it off."
     "What justification could he possibly have for breaking her heart?"
     "That is none of your business! You had absolutely no right to go to Spain and try to find dirt on Sebastian."
     "I am trying to protect you."
     "I don't need your protection!"
     "Don't be so naive Darrel," Paul scoffed, "Sebastian has a record of being disloyal."
     Darrel groaned and went to the other side of the room and stared out the window. Paul went over to her.
     "You need to stop this," Darrel said as calmly as possible.
     "I care about you," Paul said.
     "I know. But...you need to stop. If Sebastian does end up breaking my heart, it will be my fault."
     "I want to spare you any heartbreak."
     "Let me make my own mistakes. I don't interfere in your love life."
     "Darrel, please just listen to me."
     "No!" Darrel cried, "Paul, I am begging you to drop this."
     "You don't need to do this," Paul reminded.
     "This is the perfect solution. I don't need to become queen, and Sebastian gets the girl of his dreams."
     "What about me? The girl of my dreams will soon be married and living in another country!"
     "Please, stop making this about you!"
     "I love you, Darrel!" Paul exclaimed, "And deep down, you love me."
     "Oh Paul," Darrel sighed, "you are my best friend. Normally I would do anything to make you happy...but not this time."
     "Why not?"
     "We wouldn't last. And deep down, you know that."
     "So why did you lead me on all these years?"
     "I didn't! Or...if I did, I didn't mean to."
     "You didn't mean to? I was your first kiss!" Paul protested.
     "I was six," Darrel reminded, "I overheard Mary and Edith talking about kissing, and wanted to see what was so special about it."
     "But you chose me to share that experience with you! Not Sebastian," Paul snapped back.
     "I didn't know Sebastian back then!"
     Paul groaned and kicked the sofa in frustration.
     "Paul, I care about you," Darrel said gently, "but not in the way you care about me."
     "We could give it a go," Paul shrugged.
     "No, we couldn't. If you stop all this nonsense now, we can still be friends."
     "And if I don't?"
     "Then this is the end of the road for us," Darrel threatened, "I want my friends to be supportive of my decisions. I want my friends to support my marriage!"
     "Your sham of a marriage," Paul scoffed.
     "It doesn't matter if it's a sham or not, I'm getting married."
     "I'm trying to save you from a lifetime of unhappiness."
     "No, you're not! You're trying to stop me from a lifetime of happiness."
     "Call it off."
     "How many languages do I need to learn how to say 'no' in for you to understand?" Darrel groaned as she headed towards the door.
     "I'll go public," Paul threatened.
     Darrel paused and whipped her head around, "Excuse me?"
     "You call it off, or I will go public about your Seb's engagement that he called off, and the real reason behind your marriage."
     "You wouldn't."
     "I care for you Darrel, and this marriage will never work. I'm doing this for your own good."
     "And you expect me to marry you after you've just threatened me?" Darrel gasped.
     "Once you've calmed down and seen sense..."
     "That's enough," Darrel said firmly, "until I've married Sebastian, I am the future Queen of England. So you will not run around threatening me. You go public, and I will put you behind bars. Do I make myself clear?"
     Paul snorted, "You don't have the courage to do anything of the sort."
     "How dare you!"
     Paul approached Darrel and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away.
     "What's wrong with you?" Darrel demanded.
     "Remember our kiss...how special it was. By the water, it was so beautiful...you were so beautiful," Paul said softly.
     "You can't charm your way out of this Paul. You threatened me, and the future King of Spain. That is unacceptable."
     "Call it off. Please. You're confused, you don't know what you want."
     "She doesn't want you," came Sebastian's voice as he stormed into the room.
     "What are you doing here?" Paul spat, "Get out of my house!"
     "Darrel's been gone for hours. I came to make sure she was alright."
     Paul snorted.
     "You should be a tad more respectful considering the little stunt that you pulled in Spain," Sebastian warned, "you're the one who told the Dowager Countess, aren't you?"
     Paul paused for a moment.
     "You were there under Granny's orders," Darrel gasped.
     "She asked me to go find dirt, and I did," Paul sighed, "but she made me promise not to tell anyone. But I can't lie to you Darrel, because I love you. That's the difference between me and this..."
     "Watch yourself," Sebastian said sharply.
     "We're done here," Darrel declared, "Paul, once you've had a chance to calm down, then perhaps we can talk. Until then, you will not interfere in our lives anymore. Is that clear?"
     "Enjoy the papers then," Paul warned.
     "What?" Sebastian roared.
     "You're going to call off your engagement, and return to Spain, or I am going to tell everyone about you and Camila Alonso, as well as your fake marriage with Darrel."
     Sebastian lunged forwards and grabbed Paul by the collar, pushing him against the wall.