The Crown

II

I gasped. "You don't recognize yourself. Do you?" Finley asked. I shook my head. My hair was curled in such a way that I could pass for Marilyn Monroe if she was brunette. There were two simple bobby-pins that clamped each side of my hair so it would stay out of my face. I had light makeup on and I was in a black lace dress with spaghetti straps. The waist down was flurry and it was knee length . I had black wrist gloves on and a black cocktail hat. I looked and felt like royalty for the first time. Aunt Claire entered"we're about to land so- Oh my days!" I smiled shyly

"How? Finley what magic did you work so much that I hardly recognize her?"

"It was nothing ma'am. It's just that she covers her face too much. Did you know that your highness has freckles?"

"Well i see them from time to time, but I've never noticed them so clearly"

"Exactly,I just made them more noticeable. That was it . No magic included"

It was slightly uncomfortable to hear people say stuff like that but something told me that I should get used to it. "Fred must see this" Claire grabbed my hand and dragged me out of my room. "Fred!" She yelled his name. He looked up and back at his phone again. And looked up. "Your majesty..." he trailed off in shock. "We have arrived" the pilot announced through the speakers. I rushed to the nearest window seat to look at the view. It was beautiful. The islands became more visible with each second. The beaches and the greens. Lord ! Such a breathtaking view. But soon enough I felt nervous again. What if I destroy the kingdom? What if I.....

"Nervous huh?" Aunt Claire asked as the airport came to view. "Well, welcome to the Burlington Isles" she mused. I straightened the dress and looked in the mirror once more. Green eyes stared back at me in nervousness. I tried to breathe but that did not go so well. I felt the plane land at last. And the door opened.

And I met the brightest sun ever.

Even the birds in the infinite blue sky seemed to say "welcome your majesty"

Deep breath, Peggy. You can do this.

You can be Queen.

...

As the limo drove away from the airport and into the streets of Edendale, Burlington's capital, I couldn't help but feel lightheaded. I was a word away from puking. Aunt Claire squeezed my hand in support. "They don't bite, you know" she quipped, referring to the Royal family. I managed a smile. I really wasn't worried about them biting my head off. I was more concerned about ruling a kingdom. "Look!" Claire screamed. I turned to see the castle. It was HUGE. The towers and the marble walls. It was in the outskirts of Edendale and on a cliff. Down below, the sea roared and crashed down on the beach. As we went up the winding road, I saw the most beautiful view in the world. The sun was there, making her way towards the horizon. The sea had met the sky in the most harmonious way ever. In that moment I forgot everything and just thought ' I could never get used to this'. And all of a sudden, the car stopped. I looked straight ahead and Oh my days! I wasn't inside but I felt the grandeur of the place. The door opened and I got down. That was the first time I walked in heels and didn't fall. I looked straight ahead, trying to mask any emotion from my face. The huge doors opened and I walked in . The servants , guards and literally everyone curtsied or bowed at me . They said things like "your highness " or "your grace". This kind of attention was almost disgusting for me. And yet another thing that I had to get used to. I was following Fred when I spotted an ajar door. Curiosity got the best of me yet again. I walked in that direction and peaked my head through the door when I got there.

Wow! There were so many portraits. They were of feasts and pageantry and coronations of past kings and Queens and probably their spouses. One portrait caught my eye. The woman looked so much like me, minus the freckles. Same green eyes, brown hair and she was even dressed like me. Who was she? Under the portrait, there was a name. "The Grand Duchess of Middleton" I read aloud. "Your majesty" I heard a male voice behind me. Ordinarily, I would have turned to see who it was but I was so captivated by the portrait(also it wasn't Fred so no need to look . Right?). I looked so much like her. Could we be twins? "You may leave" I heard myself saying. The person didn't leave though, so I ignored him. "You look so much like her" the person said. "Yeah" I mused, not really in the mood for conversation right now.

"WOW wifey, you've grown"

Now that had me turning around.

I looked into those blue eyes I thought I would never see again. That blond hair I thought I would never mess up again. "Jacques!"I squealed, abandoning my heels and running as fast as I could to hug him. He picked me up and twirled me around. "Missed you too Penny"

"It's Peggy"

"Whatever" he rolled his eyes and he put me down. Wow! Jacques had grown! Puberty had hit him like a bus. He wasn't the scrawny 12 year old boy I knew and (dare I say it) married. He was a man, a very tall , handsome and dressed in a tuxedo man.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He smiled so wide, I thought his face was going to tear in half. "I'm your bodyguard" he pointed to himself. He tapped his ear all of a sudden, looking serious. "Roger that commander" he answered. That was probably a comms unit. He looked me in the eye "it's time to see the king". That was all he said.

.

.

.

.

"Can you explain why you still have my have my uncle's dead body in his room? Isn't that a tad creepy?" I asked Jacques. He looked at me and shrugged. "Old Madeleine said it was tradition or whatever" my brows furrowed in confusion "who's old Madeleine"

"We're here. Go in there and stay there for a considerable amount of time" he evaded my question, opening a door. Once I was in there, he closed it. I looked at the machines in the room. It was really big but there was no life in it. So empty. I neared his bed but I couldn't bear to look at him. Which was strange because I didn't know him enough to feel sad. I got closer and glanced at the machine preserving his body.

Then I looked at him.

Words cannot describe the fear and panic I felt when I spotted those three holes on his chest. Holes? More like gulleys to me. They even looked painful. I covered my mouth with my hands as tears threatened to fall. I realized something.

Someone killed my uncle. And I felt like I was next. I got out of there, not able to take in the sight."hey,"Jacques held my shoulders, preventing me from leaving. "My uncle was shot" my voice cracked. He licked his lips. I risked looking him in the eye. "Am I next?" I asked him, fear gripping my insides. " what? no!" He said and then shook his head. "The grand duchess wants to see you" he informed me, taking the lead. I followed him. "Who's old Madeline?" I asked, curious. He looked alarmed as he checked both sides of the empty hallway. "That's not her name. I just call her that. Don't mention that"

"Yeah ok, but who is she?"

"You haven't changed, have you? Same old inquisitive Peggy" he shook is head in amusement.

"Who is she?" I pressed on. "The grand duchess"

"And she is?"

"Do you have amnesia or something? That's your great grandmother."

"Great grandma Maddie's still alive!"

"Not so loud! Yes she's alive. We're here"

He squeezed my shoulder and mouthed 'good luck' before knocking on the door.

And then he fled.

How was he to protect me if he was afraid of an old lady?

"Come in" a rather energetic voice called about from the other end.

And so I did what I was told.