"You do not seem as fragile as they say, I saw your interview". Said my only living relative, yes it was my mother's 75 year old very arrogant, cold and ruthless looking father in all his Spanish glory - The monarch of Spain.
I chose to stay quiet.
"You look like them, your mother and her mother."
"You look like mom too." I said and he chuckled in a bit of sarcasm may be , I got my freaky eyes from him.
"We share another of our gene,I saw your interview, you have my blood after all, you can be cold and blunt like ice ."
"I am nothing like you , we share nothing but your daughter, you could not accept her, you could not accept her marriage ,then how could you accept me?I will never rule Spain. You have no idea how much my mother missed you, how she told me stories of you and her and how much she loved you, but your pride was bigger than the love for your daughter. I have nothing in common with you."
"Don't talk like that to me, your mother left her family and her duty for her own selfish reasons!"
"And I would do the same Mr. King of Spain."
"You have duty......"
"I don't !"
"Do not raise your voice young lady!" He scolded. There I lost it !
"Same to you !" Was best reaction, I could come up with.
"Adams ! Adams !" Uncle Jam rushed inside the room we were talking in.
"Yes your highness." Uncle jam greeted the old monarch with a slight bow.
I didn't like that gesture one bit.
"This is such a disgraceful , stubborn lady" he said pointing at me.
"And he is a mad old man , uncle jam !" There eyes widened on my accusation.
"You said she has a governess and an etiquette teacher James Adams."
"She has,but......"
"You aren't fit to be treated with respect, I don't like people who abandoned my parents and talk to Mr. James Adams in that tone, admit it you are only here because you need me..... You are " I was shouting at a thousand dexible in anger when Ian interrupted.
"Emma enough! Apologise now !" He looked murderous. I swear he fumed from his nose.
"Ian I.."
"Now!" His voice boomed as He went all Dom on me.
"I am sorry." I said grudgingly.
Its MY birthday ! Not his.
"Emma..." He dragged in a warning tone that promised a thorough and hard spanking.
"Fine. I am sorry Your Highness , for being rude, inappropriate, impolite and for raising my voice at you, kindly forgive me please."
My grandfather raised an eyebrow at Ian.
"I want you in the room , every time I talk to her."
"Very politely, I would like to say is - in. your .dreams! we won't ever talk again."
"Emma baby give him a chance he is your grandfather and he loved you, see he came all this way from Spain to see you." Uncle jam said softly pleading with his voice weighing me down with guilt.
"Daddy he didn't even wish me Happy Birthday , he just said how wrong and selfish my mom was that too very rudely , might I add. I don't want him to persuade me on the throne! I know his scheme and motivates behind this sudden visit and show of interest in me
. I won't have that."
"It's your duty to uphold the prestige of your title and your family name"
"Grandfather have you ever spent a night alone, cold and scared on street? You know how it feels to be abandoned, even worse orphaned? I spent almost three years in an orphanage, men molested me, women spat at me where was this family, this prestige and this title ,the duty the family name ?
You also know that the day I sit on the throne, people will come after my throat to kill me , like they killed my my mom and aunt and uncle, you want me to die too, for a legacy that abandoned me and my family ?"
"She has a point." Ian said
"I want you to sit and rule in the name of your mother, your family and the country, I will keep you safe. We didn't even know you were alive. Just please don't let our lineage cease."
" Your highness you know what ? I don't care ! Because all you care about is your family name."
He looked like a lost man. I want to use my training and punch him now
I sighed and punched a glass vase on the table, I just hope its not very expensive, because the impact of my jab had already cracked the table top of a very expensive table top.
His arrogance diminished for one second and I saw the vulnerability and helplessness behind his wrinkles from joy and pain.
I feel like crying, then I look Ian his ears were red veins popped out of his neck. I think I went too far. It scared me .
"Would you mind if I come in Ferdinand ?" Said a soft voice belonging to another very old man dressed in an expensive suit , he looked like he was in his 80s.
So my grandfather was called Ferdinand.
"You don't need to ask Frederich. Please come" they shook hands and hugged formally.
"Hello dad. Uncle Jam said and hugged his father." Wow.
"Greetings Grandfather." Ian said and hugged his grandfather as well.
"Hello princess" he said politely, and I curtseyed like I was taught in my etiquette class.
My own grandfather annoyingly raise an eyebrow at me and mumble something in Spanish .
"Princess your grandfather is a very jealous man, don't mind him." Friedrich the monarch of Denmark said.
"I am no princess Sir." I said politely.
"Young lady you will always be a princess at Denmark - officially as well, very soon." He said winking at Ian "
"Happy Birthday Emma. You look prettier than they told me, I don't blame them though words can't describe your beauty."
"Oh heavens ! I forgot the birthday gift I brought you all the way from Denmark. It is our heirloom, I wish Ian's grandmother was with me to hand it it over to you. She received it when she first met mother and then we gave to Ian's mom. Now it's all your love." He said handing me a box stuffed with muslin and a necklace
That beautiful thing took my breath away.
"Oh my, I can't it is too precious ! Where will I wear that sir ? I don't even wear jewellery."
I was overwhelmed and honestly scared to touch something so beautiful, intricate and above all expensive !
Men around me laughed.
I did it again !
My habit of thinking out loud will kill me of embarrassment some day.
"Take it baby, My old man is not always that generous and he must really love you."
I looked at Ian before accepting it.
Would he approve ?
He nodded smiling.
"You don't need his approval love. You are an important future ruler, you don't need anyone's approval
Wear it tonight please. "
"I will thanks."
"Stop monopolizing my granddaughter's attention, You won't be the best grandfather of the century anytime soon Frederick of Denmark" commented my grandfather bringing his own gift box.
"Open it." He ordered me.
Arrogant much.
It was a really pretty tiara.
"It took two months and Spain's top twenty best craftsmen to build this tiara for there Queen.
Wear it tonight. You are a Spanish princess nothing less deserves your head."
I gasped again.
"I can't take it." My heart monitor beeped to.
"Alright I need her to rest now, we have a long day ahead of us."
I kissed my own grandfather on his cheek before leaving.
"You are my last living relative and I love you with everything , but I won't take over the throne." I whispered in his ears.
He sighed and growled but let Ian take me to take me away in his room.
Neil sat there with all his medical equipments.
"Her blood pressure is high. Please get her in the bed. I want her relaxed."
Finally! I was in comfort of the soft mattress and warm, fuzzy blanket.
"Emma I know all the stress at your parent's grave , press conference and meeting with your grandfather has took its toll on you, but love I really Don't care.
I want you relaxed right. Now." Neil told me pressing his fingers on my scalp and massaging it.
Ian smiled as he took my shoes of and rubbed my feet.
"Yep doc." I told him closing my eyes and trying to breath evenly.
I don't know somehow I could not sleep.
Neil gave me some pills to swallow with water and left me and Ian alone.
"I known you aren't sleeping little bugger."
"I am sorry sir, I can't sleep..."
"It is okay bumblebee." He kissed my lips silencing me. To take your mind off all your worries, The way you reacted in front of your grandfather was such a shame, for you ,me and dad too.
You will be punished severely punished for that, you cant just lose your temper in a spur of the moment.
I am not satisfied with your interview session as well granted I was very impressed that you didn't cry and ignored all there crap, but I am sure you can do better than monosyllabic answers.
You have already managed to crash your diet and get your heart up in less than half the day.
And even if I let, go all of this you slapped your master !"
I gasped and touched his cheek and started apologising.
While he smirked at me.
"You will be punished for everything, in all due time, but not today love. Today I want you to have fun, a lot of fun. All the arrangements all this party is not to impress anyone but you. And there is no point of any celebration of you if you remain anxious and not feel well about it."
His little speech made my day. It flattered me, it made me feel so precious. I gave him a really tight hug.
"Now time for your second gift princess."
"But I already got my gift Ian"
"But that was not a proper gift baby. Do you take me for a stingy little man huh ?"
"No, and the price of the gift doesn't matter it's the gesture behind......"
"I know that princess.o f I can buy you the world, I will."
He said producing a really pretty picture of a green island amidst green water.
"This is such a pretty picture Ian , I promise you it will always have a place of pride in my office wall."
"Oh my god you are such a baby, anyways why did you think I will give you a mere picture ?"
"Because I like looking at pretty pictures."
"So I will give you a Island picture Emma ?"
"Yeah you gave me a cute doll because I like dolls and you have me a picture of Island because I like pictures and Islands."
He further produced a folder and gave me the documents.
No. No. No. This can't be what I am thinking Oh god ?
"You didn't ?............did you?"
"Yes Emma your bulb just lit up. I gave you a bloody island !"
..,......................
NEXT UPDATE COMING SOON