Beyond The Tiara(house of Jensen Series Book 2)

The Lie

                                         A lie has many variations the truth none.
                             -African Proverb

I found the queen in her study doing paperwork. "Camila can I have a word please?"

"Of course dear what is it?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for your support. This whole family has just been so loving to me. Sometimes I need to pinch myself to see if it's real".

"Sit".

I take a seat opposite her.

"Victoria I look at you and I'm so proud of how much you have matured and blossomed since I first met you. Your background isn't the best. You grow up loved by one parent and hated by the other. You focused on the one who hated you more than the one who loved you. Its understandable she was hurting you in secret and playing a loving mother to you in public.

You're always going to find yourself looking at your past from time to time. Your pain is not something easily forgotten the scars are literally there on your body as a reminder.  Even though you're free from the source of your pain. You pinching yourself tells me you have doubts still. My son loves you heck our whole family loves you. You've three great best friends and a wider circle of friends who want the best for you. When you get scared just remember you're not fighting Anette alone anymore. I want you to know you deserve your happiness".   I start to cry, "If you want to start going to counselling again that can be arranged for you".   I look at the queen.

"Since I will be having pre-wedding counselling with Diego. I'll make a separate appointment with the person doing our counselling. Just so you know the letter doesn't make me want to take any drugs. Like you said I have nothing to fear from her and thank you for the chat".

"We have a lot in common not the addiction but the scars", Camila shows me a scar on her leg.

After dinner Diego and I get ready for our party. We were going to be the last ones to enter the room. I choose a yellow Chanel couture dress. Diego was wearing a black Burberry suit with a yellow tie. We enter the ballroom to applause our friends, family and people we had to invite came up to us and congratulate us on our engagement.

The day after the party Diego and I had the day to ourself. He took me to Rome for the day.
We visit the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum and walk around enjoying the other sights of Rome. Something I've never done before. We ate at a popular restaurant in a private enclosed area. Then we head for the small markets and did some shopping. I got perfume for Lelia and I found a lovely necklace for the queen. After our shopping trip we went to Venice where we had a gondola ride along the Canale Grande. I'm officially in love with Venice. When our day out was over and we returned to the palace I felt amazing.

I've been living in Sardinia for two months now. The Danish king as invited me and Diego to his son's birthday party and his public wedding blessing.

Diego and I arrived in Denmark to be greeted by the Prime Minister of the country. Things really are changing never have I been greeted by the Prime Minister before or really spoken to him. I was now coming back to my home town as an almost Crown Princess and future queen.

It was wonderful to see my siblings and dad again. Unfortunately we were only spending three days in England. My sister and I were in her room talking while Diego was out with Antonio.

"So how are you dealing with everything?" She ask.

"I'm doing okay it was weird being greet by the Prime Minister. We never really had a conversation before".

"Your status has changed and you must be treated differently. You've come for your uncle's wedding yes but the staff in the palace have been preparing for the visit of the Crown Prince of a country and his fiancée".

"Emma how have you been doing?"

"You know me I do my engagements and play my part well".

"You've always done that Em but I want to know how you're after everything with mum".

"It was hard you know to think someone so loving could be so cruel. They still haven't found her yet".

Mum disappeared when the letter was published.

"I didn't know she didn't want or even like you. I mean I know she expected a lot of you and could be hard on you at times bur she was so wonderful to you too".

"Emma do you remember what I told you about the reasons I started taking drugs".

"Yes of course."

"That is the same woman".

"You have to understand Vic, William and I have such wonderful memories of our childhood with our mother. We didn't see anything of what you said happened to you. It's just hard to believe what you said happen did".

I change the subject, "Are you seeing anyone?"

"You remember Theo, Lord Oscar's brother we have been going out. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I married him I would become a Duchess.  We would all have titles you a Crown Princess, William when dad dies become a Duke. We will all have Titles".

"Believe me Em titles aren't everything. I had to learn that the hard way and you already have a title princess".

"Tell me that again when you're queen and a crown princess and  I'm forced to bow to you". If I didn't know better I would think she sounded bitter.

"Emma are you mad at me or something?"

She seems contrite, "I grow up thinking you were mum's favourite. Then I learnt the awful truth of your childhood and abuse. I stopped talking to mum because of you. Not even a drug problem stopped you from becoming even more exceptional. Even your recovery from it has been lauded. The people of Denmark now applaud you for the changes you made in your life. And is ecstatic a Danish citizen will one day be queen of Sardinia. You're as popular as Debora now just ignore me I don't know what I'm talking about".

"Are you mad at me?" I ask her.

"Victoria you're my sister I love you and I'm happy you get your happy every after". Her tone said otherwise but I could be wrong.

"So Theo he's very cute and you could be lady of the manor. His family estate is extremely large and you will still be a princess doing duties", I say to her.

The smile on her face tells me she was happy I said that. "If we marry maybe he will become a prince".

I smile at her I didn't want to tell her since grandpa wasn't king anymore that's unlikely to happen.

That night Diego and my private secretary briefs us on the wedding blessing the following day. The wedding blessing itself was lovely and the king and queen had a carriage ride through the streets of Copenhagen afterwards. The official wedding pictures that were taken were mostly of the king and his immediate family. There was just a few pictures taken of non immediate family members with the king and his wider family.

The wedding reception was in the main palace which meant I had a chance to see William for the first time in months. We hugged and had a really good chat it was so different to the one with Emma. I was happy to be here with my family and dad looks so happy. He looked unburden.

Diego and I was talking to dad when Diego's private secretary comes over and ask to speak to us. I apologise to dad and followed Matteo.

Have you spotted the lie?