Status: Has been on Hiatus due to the huge rush of uni life, but now first year is over, I'm going to do my best to give you lovelies the ending you deserve! =)
Diary of a Reluctant Ruler
Endocrinology
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I thanked Grandma for sorting the press out, then went to find some breakfast. Olly was eating a bowl of cereal in the parlour, looking at a newspaper.
“Phil!” She exclaimed angrily as I came in.
Wow, that girl’s got some lungs.
You’d hope so, else how would she breath?
You… eh, I can’t be bothered.
“What?” I asked, sitting opposite her.
“How come you didn’t tell me? I mean, you blatantly lied last night!”
“Tell you what?”
Olly gave an exasperated laugh.
“Oh don’t play cool with me! How long has this been going on? I mean, I’m your best friend!”
Suddenly it clicked in my head that she was holding a newspaper.
“Yesterday wasn’t the first time you met James was it?”
“Woh! Olly, calm down. Is this about the newspaper article?” I took the newspaper from her, and another crazy title announced my engagement to James.
“Yes! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“There was nothing to tell. We’re not engaged.”
“What?”
“Surprisingly enough, the press got it wrong. Yesterday was the first time I’d met him, and we’re not engaged. I’ve just had a meeting with the press to set it right.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Olly grinned at me, then asked, “You would tell me though, if you two...”
“Yes. But I doubt it’s gonna happen.”
“Hey, do I detect a hint of longing?”
“No!”
“You do! You fancy my brother!” Olly’s grin had turned to an impish smile.
“Yell a little louder! I don’t think they heard you in France.”
“Well, they probably wouldn’t understand me in France, but still.”
“Don’t tell him. He already hates me.”
“Phil, come on! He doesn’t hate you.”
“Oh yeah? Last night he got all crazy on me when I said it was difficult being a princess.”
“Oh,” Olly’s smile disappeared, “He-”
“He what? He’s the same as everyone else, he thinks I’m a stuck up git.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Olly sighed, “He’s just got some crazy morals about the royal family.”
“Like what?”
“No offence, but he thinks it’s kind of useless.”
“We are useless.”
“What?” Olly frowned.
“I don’t mean useless as in sad and pathetic. I mean as in, we don’t really do any critical jobs.”
“That’s exactly what he thinks,” Olly replied.
“Well, there we go.”
I grabbed a piece of toast from the heated plates on the sideboard. “We are basically a drain on economy, but that’s if you forget the tiny things we do.”
“You ought to explain this to him, not me,” Olly said, finishing her cereal.
“Hmmm... I’ve got the morning free, I’ll see him some time.”
“You have? Well, lets do something fun!” Olly brightened up.
“Ok. How about a tour of the establishment? I think my ankle’s up to it.”
We set off round the palace, and unlike the normal tour, which allows tourists to lean through a couple of doorways; we hopped over the ropes and sat down on the beds. Tours were only ever scheduled for Mondays or Tuesdays, so there weren't any crazy stewards to stop us. And besides, I’m the crown princess. At least there are some benefits. Once I’d showed Olly everything there was to see, we headed back to the Library.
On the way we passed a stressed Ambassador, talking franticly with grandmother, who seemed calm as usual. They stopped when they saw us, grandmother guiding him away towards the public rooms.
I opened the door of the library to see James sitting on a settee, reading.
“Well, here ends our tour, lady and non-existent gentlemen,” I said, trying to ignore him. Olly saw James and realised why I had stopped.
“And the nearest bathroom is...?” She asked strategically.
“Down the hall, up the stairs and to your left,” I said.
“Thanks,” she said, and then disappeared.
Great. Alone with Jamie-boy.
Whoopee!
Obviously you’re not literate in sarcasm.
I limped over to a chair, grabbed the nearest book, and attempted to bury myself. Behind the pages I heard James put down his book.
“Phil? About last night…” his voice was barely audible in the huge space. I ignored him, but this only seemed to make him more persistent. He came over and took the book away.
“Oi!” I tried to snatch it back.
“Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology of the Brain? You weren’t actually reading that, were you?”
“I’ll have you know that, Psychology and Biology are two of my favourite subjects.” I muttered, trying not to look straight at him.
“You had it upside down, and besides, your favourite subject is English.”
“How do you know?”
“Olly,” he stated. I frowned, unable to avoid his eyes any longer. He smiled at me, and I couldn’t help smiling back. “What I said last night...”
“Was right,” I sighed.
“No, it wasn’t. It probably is hard being a princess, you have to act perfect all the time, can’t do the things you want. You can’t exactly choose a career.” James sat down next to me, putting the book on the table. “I just have some particular views on royalty, which I unrightfully took out on you.”
“I am the crown princess, in case you haven't noticed.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault.”
“I know what you mean- all the “drain on the economy” stuff,” I turned to face him, “But we do bring in a major part of the tourist industry in this country, and we keep international relationships up. I mean, just last week Dad was over in Italy. I don’t think Adria would be the same without us.”
“No, it probably wouldn’t. I’m sorry.”
“Forget it,” I said, “Seriously, forget it. I already owe you one for not completely freaking out at me being a princess.”
“Olly’s been talking about you for years. And besides, I am an Earl, one day to be Lord.”
I laughed.
“Truce?” I asked, offering a hand.
“Truce.”
He held out his hand, and I made to shake it, but he brought it to his lips and kissed it instead. I felt heat radiate into my cheeks, and knew I was probably bright red.
“See, I’m not quite such a barbarian,” he whispered.
*swoons*
Good god girl! What is wrong with you?!?
*dreamily* Are you an angel?
NO!!!
“What does Endocrinology mean anyway?” I asked, awkwardly swapping subjects.
“It’s the branch of biology related to the Endocrine glands and their secretions,” James said smugly, still holding my hand.
“Ooo, look at you. Mr. Dictionary all of a sudden.”
“Well, I was brought up properly, unlike some people.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I thanked Grandma for sorting the press out, then went to find some breakfast. Olly was eating a bowl of cereal in the parlour, looking at a newspaper.
“Phil!” She exclaimed angrily as I came in.
Wow, that girl’s got some lungs.
You’d hope so, else how would she breath?
You… eh, I can’t be bothered.
“What?” I asked, sitting opposite her.
“How come you didn’t tell me? I mean, you blatantly lied last night!”
“Tell you what?”
Olly gave an exasperated laugh.
“Oh don’t play cool with me! How long has this been going on? I mean, I’m your best friend!”
Suddenly it clicked in my head that she was holding a newspaper.
“Yesterday wasn’t the first time you met James was it?”
“Woh! Olly, calm down. Is this about the newspaper article?” I took the newspaper from her, and another crazy title announced my engagement to James.
“Yes! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“There was nothing to tell. We’re not engaged.”
“What?”
“Surprisingly enough, the press got it wrong. Yesterday was the first time I’d met him, and we’re not engaged. I’ve just had a meeting with the press to set it right.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Olly grinned at me, then asked, “You would tell me though, if you two...”
“Yes. But I doubt it’s gonna happen.”
“Hey, do I detect a hint of longing?”
“No!”
“You do! You fancy my brother!” Olly’s grin had turned to an impish smile.
“Yell a little louder! I don’t think they heard you in France.”
“Well, they probably wouldn’t understand me in France, but still.”
“Don’t tell him. He already hates me.”
“Phil, come on! He doesn’t hate you.”
“Oh yeah? Last night he got all crazy on me when I said it was difficult being a princess.”
“Oh,” Olly’s smile disappeared, “He-”
“He what? He’s the same as everyone else, he thinks I’m a stuck up git.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Olly sighed, “He’s just got some crazy morals about the royal family.”
“Like what?”
“No offence, but he thinks it’s kind of useless.”
“We are useless.”
“What?” Olly frowned.
“I don’t mean useless as in sad and pathetic. I mean as in, we don’t really do any critical jobs.”
“That’s exactly what he thinks,” Olly replied.
“Well, there we go.”
I grabbed a piece of toast from the heated plates on the sideboard. “We are basically a drain on economy, but that’s if you forget the tiny things we do.”
“You ought to explain this to him, not me,” Olly said, finishing her cereal.
“Hmmm... I’ve got the morning free, I’ll see him some time.”
“You have? Well, lets do something fun!” Olly brightened up.
“Ok. How about a tour of the establishment? I think my ankle’s up to it.”
We set off round the palace, and unlike the normal tour, which allows tourists to lean through a couple of doorways; we hopped over the ropes and sat down on the beds. Tours were only ever scheduled for Mondays or Tuesdays, so there weren't any crazy stewards to stop us. And besides, I’m the crown princess. At least there are some benefits. Once I’d showed Olly everything there was to see, we headed back to the Library.
On the way we passed a stressed Ambassador, talking franticly with grandmother, who seemed calm as usual. They stopped when they saw us, grandmother guiding him away towards the public rooms.
I opened the door of the library to see James sitting on a settee, reading.
“Well, here ends our tour, lady and non-existent gentlemen,” I said, trying to ignore him. Olly saw James and realised why I had stopped.
“And the nearest bathroom is...?” She asked strategically.
“Down the hall, up the stairs and to your left,” I said.
“Thanks,” she said, and then disappeared.
Great. Alone with Jamie-boy.
Whoopee!
Obviously you’re not literate in sarcasm.
I limped over to a chair, grabbed the nearest book, and attempted to bury myself. Behind the pages I heard James put down his book.
“Phil? About last night…” his voice was barely audible in the huge space. I ignored him, but this only seemed to make him more persistent. He came over and took the book away.
“Oi!” I tried to snatch it back.
“Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology of the Brain? You weren’t actually reading that, were you?”
“I’ll have you know that, Psychology and Biology are two of my favourite subjects.” I muttered, trying not to look straight at him.
“You had it upside down, and besides, your favourite subject is English.”
“How do you know?”
“Olly,” he stated. I frowned, unable to avoid his eyes any longer. He smiled at me, and I couldn’t help smiling back. “What I said last night...”
“Was right,” I sighed.
“No, it wasn’t. It probably is hard being a princess, you have to act perfect all the time, can’t do the things you want. You can’t exactly choose a career.” James sat down next to me, putting the book on the table. “I just have some particular views on royalty, which I unrightfully took out on you.”
“I am the crown princess, in case you haven't noticed.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault.”
“I know what you mean- all the “drain on the economy” stuff,” I turned to face him, “But we do bring in a major part of the tourist industry in this country, and we keep international relationships up. I mean, just last week Dad was over in Italy. I don’t think Adria would be the same without us.”
“No, it probably wouldn’t. I’m sorry.”
“Forget it,” I said, “Seriously, forget it. I already owe you one for not completely freaking out at me being a princess.”
“Olly’s been talking about you for years. And besides, I am an Earl, one day to be Lord.”
I laughed.
“Truce?” I asked, offering a hand.
“Truce.”
He held out his hand, and I made to shake it, but he brought it to his lips and kissed it instead. I felt heat radiate into my cheeks, and knew I was probably bright red.
“See, I’m not quite such a barbarian,” he whispered.
*swoons*
Good god girl! What is wrong with you?!?
*dreamily* Are you an angel?
NO!!!
“What does Endocrinology mean anyway?” I asked, awkwardly swapping subjects.
“It’s the branch of biology related to the Endocrine glands and their secretions,” James said smugly, still holding my hand.
“Ooo, look at you. Mr. Dictionary all of a sudden.”
“Well, I was brought up properly, unlike some people.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
♠ ♠ ♠
This chapter is dedicated especially to the marvelous ResistThePressure, who has both commented a million times and whored me on her page! Woot!Ivy, xXGreyWingsXx (c) 2008