Running With Lions

Lavin found herself in the massive back lawn of Graasten Palace sitting at a lavishly decorated table as she watched her grandparents, the King and Queen of Denmark dancing to a fast-paced Foxtrot

The song that they danced to had been a hit in the late 1920s and had been one of the first songs Sebastian and Lucy ever danced to as a couple.

Today King Sebastian and Queen Lucy were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

The entire day had been very romantic; it had begun with the renewal of their vows at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen and was ending here at Graasten Palace, the summer residence for Lavin's family.

The caterers had recreated the meals served at their wedding in 1960 and most of the original guest list had turned out with the delightful addition of their children and grandchildren.

Sebastian and Lucy, following tradition in a big way, had decorated the palace in gold. Gold dishes and silverware, gold napkins, gold streamers, and gold roses. Even the champagne had a gold hue to it.

The song changed, a cue for everyone else to join the married couple on the dance floor but Lavin remained in her seat. As much as she loved music from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s she had never figured out how to dance to it.

Instead Lavin surveyed the guests, some still working on their meal while others were moving towards the dance floor. Her Aunt Evelyn, Countess of Monpezat was sitting besides Lavin talking to her mother, Crown Princess of Denmark in a loud voice (too much champagne) about her clothing line.

Rodger, Aunt Evelyn's husband had dragged their daughter Gen onto the dance floor and was attempting a mild two-step. Sebastian and Lucy just stepped off the dance floor and were heading towards Lavin's table but a few feet before Sebastian turned in the direction of her father Fredrik, the heir apparent for the Danish thrown and his youngest son, Grant who were lighting up some of the finest Italian cigars on the back patio of the palace.

"Enjoying yourself, dear?" Lucy asked when she took a seat besides Lavin.

Lavin nodded with a smile. "One of the best anniversary parties I've ever been too. But the real question is are you having fun?"

Lucy laughed airily, the delicate skin around her eyes crinkling deeply. "I've never had so much fun in my life."

Lavin's eyebrows furrowed together. "Not even at your wedding?"

"Goodness, no. Tonight I don't have to worry about anything. This party has been relaxing and very fun. The night your grandfather and I got married I was too worried that I would do something to insult his relatives. All too royal and snooty for my liking." Lucy leaned towards Lavin and lowered her voice. "But now, thankfully, they're nearly all dead!"

"Grandma!" Lavin exclaimed, shocked at the honesty and hilarity of Lucy's statement.

Lucy held a hand in front of her mouth, chucking softly with a wide grin on her face. "Let’s go grab some more champagne. This is the most delicious stuff I've ever tasted."

Lavin followed her grandmother to the bar that had been set up for the party. As they walked Lucy linked arms with Lavin.

"You should ask Harry to dance," Lucy suggested and nodded to where he stood with Lavin's two brothers and her cousin Peter. They all had goofyy smiles on their faces; nearly drunk.

"Maybe," Lavin said. "But if he really wanted to dance with me he would ask me."

Lucy tutted. "Shouldn't think like that, dear. Aren't you into that new age thing where it's okay for girls to ask boys things first?"

"Yes, but he has a girlfriend, Grandma."

"Who isn't here," Lucy replied.

Lavin had wondered why Harry arrived unaccompanied but just thought that Caroline had something better to do like get her photo taken. She voiced her curiosity out loud.

"Because," Lucy said, "I didn't want that little harlot trampling on my perfectly manicured grass. It took ages to get it this color after the winter we had. I would never jeopardize my grass so some abnormally tall girl can stamp on it with her Spice Girl-like shoes."

Lavin couldn't help but laugh and an overwhelming love for her grandmother rushed through her heart. "You are absolutely horrible."

"Where do you think you get it from?" Lucy said slyly.

Lavin's face fell immediately but quickly repositioned a smile onto her lips. There was no way Lucy knew what she was planning? Right? Or was it that scarily accurate intuition women are honored with after having children?

"Oh, look-" Lavin pointed to the bar that was only a few feet away. "Nearly there!"
___

It was nearing midnight.

Due to the guests being mainly family and friends no one seemed to care how easily alcohol was being passed around and how loud and cheerful the conversations were. Lavin had even seen a housemaid steal two bottle of Goldschlager.

Lavin found herself sitting on the lawn, legs crossed, in a half circle with her brothers, cousins, Harry, Will, and Kate as they passed around one bottle of champagne and one bottle of brandy.

Lavin woozily watched a boat whir across the surface of the water. The two men manning the boat were going to be setting of a round of fireworks in celebration and then the older relatives were either retiring back to their own palaces or moving into Graasten to a quieter location where they can do whatever they pleased.

Lavin was relaxed, which seemed to be tonight's theme among others. To her immediate left was Will with his arm wrapped around Kate's shoulder as they lounged on her grandmother's perfect grass. Ben sat next to them, who had earlier told Lavin that he wanted to take a car into the city to a club. But she knew that they were all too drunk to step foot in the city; the magazines would have their inebriated tour of the nightlife all over the front pages by dawn.

Alex, only seventeen, was probably the drunkest of the bunch. She watched as he passed the champagne to Gen and she passed him the brandy.

Peter had just arrived, carrying one of Lucy's six pugs. It was black and named Knud, or more affectionately "Knudders" in honor of Lucy's great uncle. Peter plopped down in between his sister and Alex, stroking Knudders roughly from head to tail.

Harry was opposite her but he was lying down with hands cushioning his head. She hadn't seen much of him tonight as was per usual when he came to her family's parties. Ben and Alex usually stole him away.

In front of her was the rest of her family, coupled up, husband and wife. The other two couples that weren't relatives were Charles and Camilla; and Phillip and Queen Elizabeth (Lucy's long-time best friend).

The fireworks exploded above them, reflecting off the water and the numerous windows of Graasten. Gold, silver, red, blue, green. There were even fireworks that exploded into a giant S or L.

Everyone was reacting appropriately and then after several long minutes they were over. People were clapping; her brothers were cheering noisily, whooping and whistling.

After another round of champagne the older folks were filing indoors, perhaps for more cigars or to sleep off the amount of alcohol they had consumed.

Lavin remained in the grass with the rest of her friends.

"What should we do now?"

"How about going into Copenhagen?" Ben offered.

"If you expect me to get up from here and go into the city," Gen said. "You're nuts."

"I've got an idea," Alex said as he tried to stand up but ended up with his legs stalk straight and his ass in the air before he fell to his knees; almost like a child attempting to walk for the first time.

"What's that, Al?" Harry asked.

"We can get out the kayaks and have a race."

Kate shot up. "Let’s do it! Where are they?"

Ben stood up quickly, obviously keen on the idea. "By the stables. Guys versus girls."

"Oooh," Harry said an amused grin on his face. "Bad luck Will. Looks like you're on Kate, Gen, and Lavin's team."

William stuck out his tongue and shook his head mockingly, Harry mirrored his brother's expression before running up and socking him in the arm.

"First one to the boats is an old smelly duffer!" Peter cried as he took off.

"NO FAIR, PETER!" Lavin called. "Some of us have heels on!"

Kate sidled up next to her as she tossed her hand at the boys and Gen (thanks to her passion for running, sober or drunk) that had begun a maddening race to the boats. "Ah, let them go. Boys will be boys." She kicked off her heels, Lavin followed suit.

"Let them get the boats," Lavin said as she started the short journey to the dock.

"Now that we're alone," Kate said, peering over her shoulder to make sure no one else was near. "I wanted to talk to you about that phone call we had a week ago."

"Oh." Lavin's lips formed a perfect circle. "Well, you know that Harry's thinking about proposing to Caroline."

Kate had crinkled her nose in obvious distaste. "Yes, unfortunately."

Lavin repeated much of the conversation that she and Ben had at the cafe in London. "We need to befriend Caroline, make her trust us. Which I suspect Harry wants us to do anyway." Lavin gritted her teeth.

"Go on."

"I think it would be smart to teach her what it's like to be a princess. That it's not the cake walk she thinks it is."

"Why do you need me, Lavin? I'm not a princess."

"No, not yet. But I know you've gone through 'training' and have been told of the things that you'll have to give up in order to spend the rest of your life with William. We need to--"

"GOT THEM!"

It was Alex. He was underneath a long red kayak helped by Ben; Gen and Peter were carrying a yellow kayak while William carried a blue kayak over his head with Harry.

"We'll talk more tomorrow," Lavin said quickly as she tied her up with an elastic.

"That's only three kayaks," Kate told them.

"I know," Will said, smirking. "We all agreed that you two should get your own kayak instead of making us do all the work."

By the time Lavin and Kate retrieved a green kayak and they had lowered the boats into the water the teams had changed considerably than what was initially proposed. They were now: Peter and Gen, William and Harry, Ben and Alex, and Kate and Lavin.

"You're a pro at this, right, Kate?" Lavin said having heard of Kate's rowing prowess in college as Lavin twisted her head to look at her.

"'Course," Kate nodded seriously. She too had pulled her hair up into a ponytail and looked determined as ever to win this race.

"Now," Peter said when they began rowing toward one end of the lake. "First one to row to the end and back is the winner."

"What do we win?" Alex asked.

"More alcohol?" Ben suggested.

Kate shook her head. "No, definitely not."

"Eternal glory!" Peter shouted and began paddling without a word to Gen.

"CHEATERS!" the rest of them cried and there was a scramble to start rowing. Peter and Gen were only several meters ahead, not a formidable distance. It only took Lavin and Kate a few moments to get in a comfortable rhythm while the other two boats took longer than expected to paddle their boats with equal effort and strokes.

But the race quickly came to an end when there was a loud splash. Lavin heard Alex, Ben and Harry howling with laughter and as they turned their boat around they saw William's head bobbing in the dark water.

"Harry!" he yelled. "This suit is dry clean only!"

"Relax, Will," Harry told him, extending his hand to help him up. "You have a million others just like it."

William grabbed hold of his brother's hand and pulled forward. Lavin was about to shout a word of warning but it was clear that Harry had consumed entirely too much alcohol if he had been stupid enough to extend a hand to his brother.

"Hmm, Ben," Lavin called to her brother.

"Yeah, Lav?"

She spoke loud enough so Harry and William would hear her. "Remember that baby alligator you set loose when you were eleven?"

"Yeah, I do," Ben said, sounding weepy. "I miss that bloody alligator every day. When it swam into the lake she took a piece of my heart with her."

"Well, I've just seen her the other day basking in the sun. She's looking healthy. She must have a huge appetite," she said and watched Harry and William carefully.

"There's an alligator in here?" William asked, alarmed.

"Alligator!?" Harry exclaimed. He looked at his brother with wide eyes.

"Old family pet," Alex muttered nonchalantly.

There was a quick paddle of arms and fierce kicking of legs as the two brothers swam to the dock, fearing for their limbs and private bits.