He took a moment before answering. “It is a big change, even more so for someone who hasn’t had years to prepare.”
“How old were you when you realized you’d be king some day?” That would keep the attention of of her, but she also wanted to know the answer.
Frederick leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Probably seven or eight. It became more clear after my father became king when I was ten. The coronation really drove some of it home.”
“I can imagine. That would make an impression on anyone.” She’d need to look at the pictures or footage from it to get a better idea of what it might have been like for a young Frederick. “How old were you when you had your coronation?”
He gave a shrug. “I didn’t really have one. The country was mourning my father. I was young, barely old enough to be king in my own right without a regent. Mum went to her new home to mourn in private. She’s never fully recovered from his death.The mood of the country wasn’t one where my advisers thought a coronation would be appropriate.”
“Interesting.” Elise took another bite of her pastry. “I would have thought it would make it more… official. I know it doesn’t matter legally, but…” She wasn’t quite sure how to put it into words.
Frederick’s brow furrowed. “I never really thought about it, but those advisers weren’t fond of my father and were part of the old guard as it were. It’s possible they manipulated the information that I had access to.”
“Is there someone you could talk to now that you’d trust?” Another thought occurred to her. “Was it ever mentioned that you should wait until you married? Could they have used that idea to prevent you from doing it years ago?”
“Maybe? I don’t remember it being part of the discussions, but it doesn’t seem like a completely new idea so someone must have said something to me sometime since my father passed.” He thought for another moment then pulled out his phone. “Just making a note to have George look into it later.” He put his phone away then smiled at her. “If I write it down, it won’t take up any more of my brain power, and I can focus on something else. Like getting to know you better.”
The smile that crossed his face made her smile in return. “That sounds nice.”
When they finished eating their breakfast, they moved back out to the lounge chairs on the deck. For some reason, it didn’t bother her anymore that she was in her pyjamas. It helped that she was awake enough to know no one could see them.
For the first time, they were able to just sit and talk about anything that came to them.
They did change into comfortable clothes to sit in the sun on the top deck for their lunch. At one point, dolphins swam alongside the yacht. Elise found herself mesmerized.
Dinner was served on the deck outside their suite. They’d changed again, this time into something a bit warmer once the sun went down and the breeze cooled things off again.
Most of the outside lights had been turned off, and they sat in a double lounge chair, sharing a blanket.
“I think this has been my favorite day in a very long time.”
Elise snuggled closer as Frederick pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “Definitely.” She bit her bottom lip and wondered at one thing that might make it better.
Taking a deep breath, she sat up, just a bit, and turned to look at Frederick.
And kissed him.
15
Spending all day touring a town with the mayor and other VIPs was its own kind of invigorating - and exhausting.
Frederick wasn’t certain how Elise felt about all of it. She’d been friendly and attentive, clearly winning over everyone she came in contact with, but they hadn’t spent much time together, much less alone together.
By the time they made it back to the yacht and put back out to sea, it had been hours since their dinner with the mayor and his wife.
The steward asked if they’d like something to eat. Elise said she didn’t want to put anyone out.
Frederick took that to mean that she was hungry but didn’t want to bother anyone. He gave a discreet nod to the steward who acknowledged with a nod of his own.
Once they made it back to the owner’s suite, Elise headed straight for her dressing area. Likely, she couldn’t wait to change clothes.
Frederick did the same thing. Once dressed in a pair of athletic shorts and comfortable t-shirt, he went onto the balcony as the yacht slipped out of the harbor and into the open water.
“The lights are beautiful.” Elise sat next to him on the lounge chair.
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled a blanket over both of them as she snuggled into his side. “They are,” Frederick agreed. “Did you have a good day today?”
“I did. It wasn’t much different than any of the other charity events I’ve done along those lines. I haven’t done very many in Southern Santiero, but I’ve done similar things in Eastern Novigradia and the States.”
