Princess Adeline of Wales

Chapter Seventy-Four: Deployment Three

7th of February 2012 - FitzClarence House

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Adeline asked softly watching Simon pack for his deployment, a knot in her stomach as she watched him knowing that he hadn't been the same since his father's death. 

The entire situation had seemed to drag on for months and Adeline hated that there wasn't anything that she could do to help him; she offered her shoulder when she could and listened to him. 

Simon paused in what he was doing, his eyes closed for a moment as he turned to face his girlfriend before nodding his head. 

"I need to do this, I need to do this for myself," Simon said sure of his decision, he had to do this for himself while he had the chance to do so. 

He had worked so hard for his military career and it sucked that it was being taken from him sooner than he liked, he would step down after this final tour; he would do his duty to his family but he had to do this for himself. 

Adeline nodded her head understandingly, she hated that he had to leave again and she wished that there was something that she could do to ease his pain in all of this. 

Simon had done his best to keep it together for his family, even allowing his mother to continue to hold FitzClarence Manor while he remained in the house. 

Although she swore that she would vacate upon the eighteenth birthday of Rupert and retire to her own estate that had been gifted to her by her father upon her marriage. 

Anne stated that she didn't wish to remain in the house that she had shared with his father, the place didn't seem like her own know that she was the dowager countess and soon enough there would be a new countess in her place when Simon married.

Anne had no doubts that despite the fact that he had put his plans on hold to propose to Adeline after the death of his father, wanting to take time to grieve properly before he popped the question that it wouldn't be long before he was ready to do so. "

I hate that you have to go, twenty weeks seems like forever," Adeline whispered with a shake of her head, she wasn't looking forward to the time apart when emotions were still so raw. 

Edward's death had shaken Simon more than her boyfriend cared to admit, he had so much put upon his shoulders and so many people asking things of him now.

Sighing Simon walked over to Adeline and took her hands in his own, a small smile on his face knowing that she had been his saving grace these last couple of months. 

It had only cemented his decision to marry her in his mind, the engagement ring already prepared and secured in his safe in the office so that nothing could happen to it. 

Simon would not tell Adeline but he had left instruction on what should happen if something happened to him, letters that would be distributed upon his death to his mother, siblings and of course to Adeline. 

He knew that there was a chance that in the twenty weeks that he was away, the deployment in Afghanistan was something not to be sniffed at. 

"I promise. I won't do anything rash," Simon told her softly, he was going to do everything in his own to come home to her no matter what it took.

Adeline was everything that he wanted and he knew that asking for her hand was going to be his next move when he was ready to do so. 

Adeline was still fourth in line for the throne, she had to have the Queen's permission to wed although he doubted that the Queen would say no; he knew that like his mother, the woman was counting down the days until he proposed.