“I honestly don’t know what she’s talking about,” he tells us, turning bright pink.
“Before they got here. You said a word I don’t know and Rosy told me it meant a rich rude person. Remember?”
Covering her mouth with one hand, he says, “Nope, I didn’t say anything of the sort. Kids and their wild imaginations.”
My father lets out another loud burp, holding his hand over his mouth.
Clara snaps her little fingers and says, “Hoity-toity! That was it.”
Oh good lord, now my entire family is shifting uncomfortably in their spots.
Emma, who is dressed in her uniform, says, “Well, I’m afraid I have to get back to the restaurant, but I’m really excited to get to know you all during your stay. Lovely to meet you.” She gives Will a ‘glad it’s you and not me’ look, then hurries off, leaving the rest of us with nothing to say.
Arthur and James come back, and Arthur gives James a little nudge when he gets close to Clara. “I apologize for what I said to you about your hair. Also, you can just call me James.”
Tessa and Arthur both visibly relax, then James adds, “It’s not really okay for a commoner, but my dad said you get a pass because my auntie is marrying your commoner uncle.”
Worst. Idea. Ever.
Royal News – The Official Website for All Things Avonian Royal
Forum Thread: Not So Welcoming Welcome for Our Royals in Paradise Bay(12 Currently Viewing, 2365 Total Views, 680 Comments)
For the first time in history, the entire royal family has gone on holiday together to a foreign country. (They do, of course, travel to their lovely North Castle for Christmas and other holidays from time to time.) An ANN film crew caught up with them as they arrived at the Paradise Bay Resort, sparking a huge scandal as Will Banks’ family scorned them openly and insulted them by calling them hoity-toity. Looks like we were right all along and a marriage between a commoner such as Will Banks will only spell disaster for Avonia’s royals, just as it did in England.
Cindy (Serene Highness): Who couldn’t see that coming a mile away? Anyone who’s seen Tarzan knows it doesn’t end well when a wildling tries to fit into a civilized world.
Felix (Courtier): I’d like to say anyone who thought this union was a good way to bridge the ties between the upper crust and the ‘normal folk’ is an idiot. Full stop.
Stephen (Heir Presumptive): I must say, Prince James conducted himself in a most disappointing way. I know he’s only five and I don’t blame him for speaking the truth, but this goes to prove that hiring that brainless ‘manny’ instead of a proper governess is coming back to haunt Prince Arthur and Princess Tessa.
Felix (Courtier): You’ve proven my point for me, Stephen. Prince Arthur married a commoner, and we can see the results of her raising the next heirs – they will be classless like their mother.
Kitty (Aristocrat): I, for one, cannot wait for the wedding, especially if those gorgeous Banks brothers were to don kilts. Is that possible? I think I would die to see Will Banks in a kilt (and to see what’s underneath it…)
Chapter 21
One Big Happy Family
Will
“Today is boundto be better, right?” Arabella asks me as we walk along the wide, paved path toward the ocean, our arms loaded with life jackets. It’s early in the morning, and we’re going to get things set up on theWaltzing Matildafor a Langdon-Banks family sail. The film crew is meeting us at the dock and will be accompanying us on a quick tour around the bay, then we’re dropping them off so we can have a proper day on the water for everyone to relax. Well, as relaxed as this group can be around each other, which remains to be seen. Rosy and Darnell aren’t coming today on account of the itinerary being outdoors, so I’m hoping that cuts some of the weirdness a bit.
Speaking of weirdness, we’ll not only have a full security team on board with us, but we’ll also have two boats flanking Matilda, both loaded with armed guards, so that ought to give my family pause for thought. Although I’m used to it (sort of, not really), I have a feeling they’re going to find it super uncomfortable. Not that I can tell Arabella any of this. So, I keep that all in and just say, “Yeah, today is definitely going to be better. Great, even. The kids were just tired yesterday,”
Of course, I’m completely ignoring the fact that the grown-ups weren’t exactly on their best behaviour either. After our initial meeting, the royals all went to get settled in their rooms, but not before Rosy and the Princess Dowager took a few swipes at each other. Also, Libby, who thought she was being nice, told King Winston not to worry about the burping because she, too, was burping up a storm now that she is in her third trimester. She probably should have stopped there, but she didn’t. Instead, she kept going, telling him that once the baby comes, she’ll go back to being burp-free. Then she glanced at his sizable gut and turned bright pink. Then her nose started to bleed because Libby’s a stress-bleeder. And not a delicate one either (if there is such a thing). The spray coming from her nose is instant and shockingly fast. Sadly, she was holding Clara at the time, who started to screech at the top of her lungs, which frightened James and Flora, who also began screaming. This caused the Princess Dowager to clap her hands over her ears and holler at everyone to ‘SHUT UP!’ and Pierce, who has a surprisingly weak stomach for a man who writes horrific fight scenes in his novels, began to gag repeatedly.
There’s a long pause and I wonder if Arabella is also replaying the scene from yesterday’s meeting in her mind. Finally, she says, “Once we get out on the water, I’m sure everyone will relax and get to know each other. It’ll be wonderful.”
“Definitely. By the end of the day, we’ll be one big happy family,” I say, knowing that the chances of this are slim-to-none.
We round the corner of the path, and the old schooner comes into sight, causing me to let out a wistful sigh. “Remember when it was just the two of us onMatildafor a month?”
Arabella nods and looks up at me with longing. “I wish we were just setting off again to take the exact same route.”
“Or, better yet, get on and keep sailing forever,” I tell her.
“Oh yes, we could just get married on a beach somewhere in a private ceremony.”
