Princess Darrel Crawley | A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Chapter Fifty-One | Sebastian and JF

     "Sebastian, get up," JF ordered as he walked into his cousin's room the next morning.
   "Go away," Sebastian groaned.
   "No. You need to wake up."
   "I'm the prince, I can do whatever I want. Now leave me alone."
   "We're powerless in England, and since I'm older, I am in charge."
   "No you're not. Go away."
   "Estás actuando como un niño. Ahora despierta, nos necesitan abajo."
   "Ve antes de que te golpee en la cabeza."
   His Excellency felt the need to punch his irritating cousin, but fought the urge. Instead JF walked towards the window, throwing open the curtains, to let in the early morning sun. He turned to look down at the bed where his cousin lay awake in the same clothes he had on at the bar.
   "You look awful," JF commented, as he shook his head in disapproval.
   "My fiancée ran away!" Sebastian exclaimed. "Do you expect me to whistle a cheerful tune?"
   "Get up. Their Majesties want to speak to us."
   "About what?"
   "I don't know, but I would imagine something to do with the missing Princess of Wales. They want us in the drawing room in ten minutes."
   "No."
   "No what?"
   "I'm not going. Tell me what they say."
   "Sebastian!" JF groaned. "Get up and change into fresh clothing. Right now!"
   "I'm not going," Sebastian repeated, rolling over on his side so he wasn't looking at his cousin.
   "Darrel's missing. As you said; she is your fiancée, and she is also the future Queen of England. So you will get up, get changed, and be in the drawing room in ten minutes."
   "Fine."
   "Good."
   JF turned around and marched out of the room. Sebastian let out a heavy sigh as he pushed himself up from the bed. He got to his feet and headed into the attached bathroom to make himself look presentable. As he looked at himself in the mirror, and he couldn't help but feel disappointed in himself. He let down the two most important people in his life. He'd insulted his older cousin, who was like his brother, and he failed at being there for his fiancée. As Sebastian washed his face, he wished that the water could wash away his mistakes.

   "You're late" King George the Fifth informed when the Spanish prince entered the drawing room.
   "Sorry Your Majesty," Sebastian muttered, sitting down next to his cousin. "I wasn't given much time to get ready."
   "Well I do apologize for the inconvenience. The next time the princess disappears, I will be sure to give you more warning."
   Sebastian forced himself to not roll his eyes, and let the awkward silence fill the room. The past twenty-four hours were difficult for everyone living at Buckingham Palace. The king and queen were on edge, and put the blame on a different person every few hours. JF and David still weren't speaking, and hardly looked at each other. Meanwhile, the cousins ignored each other, and only spoke when necessary. Otherwise they passed messages through their guards.
   "Have their been any new developments?" David inquired, wanting to end the meeting as soon as possible.
   "Nothing," Queen Mary of Teck replied. "Our police force is incompetent. We should sack them all."
   "So we're expected to sit here and wait until she turns up, either dead or alive?" Sebastian complained.
   "You will show Her Majesty the respect she deserves," King George snapped.
   Sebastian gave them a respectful nod then leant back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.
   "Officers from Scotland Yard are on their way to Downton," the king announced. "Even though the butler says that she isn't there, she might be somewhere in the area. Meanwhile, we should take matters into our own hands."
   "How so?" JF asked.
   "David, you will stay here and continue to call her acquaintances. JF, I want you and Sebastian to visit her friends and family in London. The police already did, but they might be more inclined to answer you."
   "I understand sir."
   "Good. Start with the people that she is closest to. Be back by dinner."
   JF nodded and got to his feet as there was a knock on the door.
   "Come in!" David called.
   Benjamin entered the drawing room and sunk into a deep bow.
   "Your Majesties," he said.
   "We're busy," King George informed, getting to his feet. "What do you want?"
   "No one's seen Allen for the past day, your majesty."
   "Do you expect me to care? The princess is missing, I won't waste my time trying to find an incompetent bodyguard."
   "That's not why I'm telling you this information sir. At first I thought that he decided to take a day off. But when he wasn't at breakfast I searched his room. It appears that he's left, taking clothes and certain personal belongings."
   "Make your point or leave."
   "It's related to her highness' disappearance. It's possible that they ran away together, or he kidnapped her."
   "I see," the king nodded. "You're dismissed."
   "Your Majesty," Benjamin bowed, then backed out of the room.
   Once the door shut, Sebastian leapt to his feet, pointing an accusing finger at the king.
   "I told you!" Sebastian exclaimed. "I told you to sack that guard! I said that it was a matter of the Royal Family's safety!"
   "I remember the conversation," King George V sighed.
   "Well, you didn't sack him, and now the princess is gone! You've blamed everyone in this household when you should blame yourself!"
   "How dare you!" Queen Mary cried. "My husband cares about his own daughter, as well as this family."
   "I apologize for these accusations your majesties." JF interrupted, placing a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "This is a hard time for everyone, and Sebastian hasn't slept since Her Highness' disappearance. He doesn't mean anything by them."
   Sebastian started to say something, but JF half-dragged him towards the door by the sleeve.
   "We will get to work on speaking to the princess' acquaintances at once." JF informed and pushed his cousin out of the room.
   King George V let out an aggravated groan then headed to the drink cart. He poured himself a glass of scotch and drank it in one gulp.
   "I never thought there would be a day in which I prefer Juan Fernando over Sebastian," Queen Mary observed.
   "I dislike both of them at the moment," David muttered. Although neither of his parents paid attention to his words. At first David approved of Darrel's engagement but at the moment wished that she would find someone else.
   "Get to work," George V ordered and stormed out of the room, followed by his wife.

   "¿Qué sucede contigo?" JF demanded as the cousins entered their sitting room.
   "Nothing," Sebastian groaned.
   "You were out of line with Their Majesties!"
   "Why do you care? They hate you with a passion."
   "Stop acting like this! You need to help us find Darrel, and stop taking out your anger on everyone around you."
   "I'm worried about Darrel!" Sebastian cried. "I'm sorry if you don't appreciate how I'm handling it."
   "This is your fault!" JF informed.
   "My fault? How is it my fault?"
   JF let out a heavy sigh, then crossed his arms over his chest. "I told Darrel that you plan to abdicate and move to England."
   "Why would you tell her?" Sebastian demanded.
   "Because she disapproved of the state in which we found you in, and saw that I was mad at you. She knew that something was wrong, and she asked me to tell her."
   "It wasn't your secret to tell. I was going to tell her."
   "I didn't want to lie to her, and I had no reason not to tell her."
   "We agreed that we didn't want to worry her anymore than she already was."
   "That's because a brick hit her in the head!" JF reminded. "She's recovered and you should have told her. Is this why you've avoided her this past week?"
   Sebastian averted his gaze and went to sit on the couch. JF wanted to leave the room, and stay angry with the prince. But he could sense that something was on his mind and being the protective older cousin that he was, he sat down next to him.
   "What's wrong?" JF asked. "No more shutting me out. What's going on?"
   "I told you," Sebastian shrugged. "I want to abdicate."
   "There's something else. You wouldn't avoid Darrel because of that. You love her, and you weren't by her side while she was ill."
   Sebastian let out a heavy sigh, then turned to face his cousin. "My parents know."
   "What?" JF cried. "You told them?"
   "No...I thought you did. That's why I was cruel to you at the bar."
   "Sebastian, I didn't tell them. I would never do something like that. I know that you trust me, and I would never betray that trust."
   Sebastian gave him a sad nod, as he looked down at the floor, ashamed of his actions. His older cousin reached over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
   "I'm sorry," Sebastian muttered. "I know I shouldn't have said it."
   "It's okay," JF assured.
   "No it's not. I was awful, and you don't have to forgive me. I wouldn't if I were you."
   "You thought that I betrayed you. I understand why you were so upset. I would have been cruel as well."
   Sebastian nodded and finally made eye contact again. JF gave him a sympathetic nod and ruffled the prince's hair, as he did when they were children.
   "So, your parents somehow know," JF said. "And? What happened?"
   "My father wrote me a letter," Sebastian explained. "He was so mad. I'm glad we're in England because his screams would have been so loud."
   "I'm sorry."
   "He told me that I have to become the King of Spain. He says if I abdicate he will ban me from Spain, and not give me an allowance."
   "I'm not surprised. Anything else?"
   "Not from him. His letter went on about family loyalty and how the country needs to come before my beliefs. It was his normal speech but angrier. But then my mother wrote me a letter...and it was so much worse."   
   "What did hers say?" JF inquired. "Your father's seems very bad."
   "She blames Darrel for everything," Sebastian informed. "That she's a terrible influence on me and changed me for the worse. She wants me to break up with Darrel and marry Camilla because she didn't question anything."
   "Wow. I'm so sorry. What are you going to do?"
   "I don't know. My life is a mess."
   Sebastian let out a heavy sigh and bit down on his bottom lip to stop himself from crying. JF wrapped an arm around his younger cousin and let him rest his head on his shoulder. The prince broke down and he began to cry.
   "No te preocupes todo estará bien," JF assured.
   "You don't know that!" Sebastian sobbed. "You're right, she ran away because of me. And since she knows...she must be so mad."
   "She will come back soon. Their Majesties are hard at work to find her."
   "You better be right. I need to fix everything."
   "You know that I'm always right. She'll be back, and you will sort everything out. You love each other, and you'll make it through."
   Sebastian nodded as he wiped away his tears.
   "Gracias JF. Eres la mejor prima que podría pedir," he said with a weak smile.
   "Lo mismo para ti," JF replied, as he stood up, then pulled his cousin to his feet.
   Sebastian threw his arms around him, giving him a tight hug. JF, though shocked at the sudden display of affection, hugged him back.
   "Let's go," JF said, detaching himself after a while. "I don't want to deal with the king's anger if we don't get our work done."
   Sebastian let out a weary laugh. He patted JF on the back then followed his cousin out of the room.

Will Darrel return to Buckingham Palace? Can Sebastian repair their relationship? Find out in the next chapter!