Running With Lions

Lavin's plan had been going strong for a month. She and Caroline had become...friends, no matter how artificial it was on Lavin's part.

Today was the day. She, Kate and Caroline had agreed to meet at a new bistro just east of Piccadilly Circus. Lavin fidgeted with the top of her dress, wondering if the cowl neck was too low and provocative for the message she was hoping to get across.

She placed a camel-color blazer over the dress, slid on her most comfortable pair of black heels and grabbed her beige purse off her dresser along with the car keys to her '67 Mercedes.

"Bye, Gen," she waved as she passed in front of her cousin's bedroom. Gen turned round in her chair away from her laptop's screen.

"Where are you headed?"

"To lunch with Kate," she told her. A white lie or a half-truth?

"Wish I could come," Gen said, pointing a finger at the computer. "This school stuff is more trouble than it’s worth."

"Don't I know it."

They shared a laugh and bid each other goodbye once more before Lavin rushed down the stairs, determined to make it to the restaurant before Caroline as it was all part of the plan.

She pulled up in front of the restaurant nearly empty so close to two o'clock and passed her keys off to the valet.

The hostess showed Lavin to the table Kate was already seated at outside on the back patio.

"Hello, darling," Kate said, standing up.

Lavin smiled. "Hello there, were you here long?" They exchanged quick kisses on each other’s cheeks before Lavin took a seat opposite Kate.

"No, just got here."

"Good, good."

The waitress shot by to ask their drink orders. Both ordered hot tea and once the tea was delivered Kate expressed her worry.

"I don't think I'll be able to pull this off."

"Oh, please," Lavin said as she unrolled her napkin with a flick of her wrist, seeing Kate's face contort with what looked like anxiety. "You'll be fine. Just follow my lead."

"I feel perfectly awful doing this."

"Well if you're afraid that we are going to be lying, don't. We're telling her all truths." Lavin explained, sipping her tea as if all was normal.

Then Caroline came outside following the same hostess that had lead Lavin to her table. Lavin watched Caroline walking carefully in her ridiculous high heels and then she saw her dress.

Lavin nearly laughed out loud. Caroline had, not so subtly, started to dress like Lavin and Kate. Her attempts were admirable but there was something always off about her outfits.

Today's dress was a pale yellow affair, similar to the one that Lavin wore to a party a week ago, but there were some differences. For one, Lavin's had been an elegant scoop neck while Caroline's was a sweetheart-styled top. On anyone else it would have been a fabulous dress but instead her large breasts looked as if they were trying to escape.

Lavin knew that by the flimsy cardigan that covered her shoulders was Caroline's attempt to draw attention away from her bursting bosom.

However, the dress was the correct length that was required to nearly all social events that young woman of royalty had to comply too. Or it would have been if Caroline wasn't five foot ten inches tall.

"Hello, dear." Kate was the first one out of her chair, perhaps a little too eager.

Kate embraced Caroline with one arm and they exchanged two air kisses. Caroline then waited an awkward moment before Lavin bothered herself with standing and exchanging her own pleasantries.

Seated, Caroline looked like she was sitting on one side of the table while Lavin and Kate dominated the other.

"Looks like it might rain later," Caroline said, unraveling her napkin and laying it over her lap.

"Oh, really?" Lavin asked, surprised as it was sunny her entire drive from Kensington to Piccadilly. She leaned her head skywards and all she could see was the warm September sun.

They continued to make small talk. Caroline asked Kate about Will and Kate asked Caroline about Harry; Caroline questioned Lavin about her Aunt Evelyn's winter clothes line that would be coming out in October, shamelessly asking if Evelyn was in need of anymore models.

It was over their meals that Caroline threw Lavin's plan off a ways. She was moving her food around her plate when she asked how, shyly, what it's like to be royal.

Lavin dropped her gaze to her green tea trying to remain calm as a hundred assumptions ran through her head. Did Caroline know what she and Kate were doing or was she honestly curious about their lifestyle.

She then looked at the model with a toothy smile. "Are you sure you want to know?" Her tone was playful.

Caroline nervously glanced from Kate to Lavin. There was a glint in her eyes that made her appear frightened before she shook her head slightly. "No?" she said, seeming to question herself and Lavin.

One side of Lavin's mouth tugged sideways, a sarcastic smile. "Only joking."

Lavin heard Caroline let out a nervous laugh as she glanced at Kate who looked just a bit flustered with her cheeks reddened and her unrelenting stirring of her tea.

"It's not as glamorous as some think," Lavin said, making sure her posture was perfect as she crossed her legs at the ankles. "Constantly bombarded with photographers following you but I'm sure you've gotten a firm idea of how that is."

"It's very demanding," Kate said, speaking for the first time in what seemed liked hours to Lavin. "You're entire schedule is decided for you, your wardrobe, your...everything."

"Even for you, Kate? You aren't even engaged to William...yet." Caroline added awkwardly.

Kate nodded but it was Lavin who spoke. "Some of us have it easier than others. The ones who will eventually inherit the throne are under more pressure to be perfect, to be everything they need to be in order to be queen or king in the future."

"So, even though Will and I aren't engaged," Kate said while Lavin remembered the sapphire engagement ring that was burning a hole in William's pocket ever since he had asked Harry for it a month ago. "I am under just as much scrutiny as he is. It's been a really long and difficult transition from my old ways to my life now."

Lavin saw Caroline trying to hide her fear. The rumor that she knew Harry was thinking about proposing was just made true otherwise she wouldn't have been afraid. And Lavin would bet her bottom dollar that Caroline would not have sparked this conversation otherwise.

"Anything else?" Caroline asked, nerves gripping her.

Satisfaction ran warm through Lavin's blood when she saw Caroline's drink shake as she grabbed it off the table.

"Yes," Lavin finally said, nodding her head as her own nerves receded. "Many think we can do anything but there are rules for us."

"Rules for royals?"

Lavin and Kate nodded.

"Dress this way. Walk this way. Sit like this. Stand with one foot turned slightly to the side and the other a little behind. Shoulders squared," Kate told her.

Lavin swore she could see Caroline's back straighten as she pushed her shoulders back.

"No swearing in public. The only emotion that can be shown in public is indifference or joy. No getting caught off your face in the streets. No boyfriends that are deemed inappropriate. Public appearance after public appearance and twenty-four hour protection." Lavin said, discreetly pointing to an ordinary couple engaged in a discussion over steaming cups of coffee. The man's miniscule earpiece glinting in the sun.

Lavin and Kate stopped. Caroline sat quiet also.

Despite Caroline's obvious fear and disappointment about a life she must have thought was more glamorous and exciting than hers Lavin still wondered if she had succeeded.

Would this scare Caroline out of Harry's life?

Then a question sparked in Lavin's mind that bubbled into her throat and finally out of her mouth. "If Harry were to ask you to marry him, after all you've been dating for nearly two years, would you be able to sacrifice your life...your freedom for him?"

Caroline averted her eyes to her plate, bit her lip and it was after precious moments passed that Lavin took this as her silent surrender.