And he wept.
6
Queen.
Victoria needed to call her mum and brother before word got out.
But could she tell them the queen had passed?
A protocol officer had joined her in Enzo’s current quarters. She was going over all kinds of things about the coming days while Enzo went somewhere else to do much the same thing.
“Can I tell my family?” Victoria interrupted whatever the woman was saying about their first walkabout the next day.
The protocol officer hesitated. “Let me double check. Given your family’s... leadership positions in Southern Santiero, it may need to wait until after the official notifications.” She sent a text and in a moment, had an answer. “You can tell your mum and the king, but ask them to keep it to themselves until the official notifications are sent out - especially the king.”
Victoria nodded and reached for her phone. “Please let me make these calls then we can move on.”
The protocol officer stood. “I’ll leave you to it and will be back in a few minutes.”
Who to call first?
She hadn’t discussed her relationship with Frederick since the news broke. In fact, she hadn’t talked to him at all since his wedding.
Taking a deep breath, she selected his personal phone. If he oculdn’t talk, it would be forwarded to one of his aides.
“Hello, Victoria.” Frederick’s voice sounded amused, not cranky or distracted.
“Hi, Ricky.” Probably not how she should great him even on the phone, but oh well.
“I wish I’d been able to spend more time with you before you had to leave.” She could almost see him leaning back in his office chair.
“I know. I wish the same thing. Is Mum around? I need to talk to both of you, and would prefer to do it at the same time if possible.”
Victoria could hear tapping on his keyboard.
“I think she’s in her office. I sent a message.” He paused. “That was fast. She’s on her way.”
Another pause. A silence Victoria didn’t know how to fill. It took her what seemed like forever to realize she could just ask about him and his family. “How’s Elise?”
“She’s good. I think she’s tired after taking care of me for a few weeks after surgery. She didn’t have to, but she did anyway.”
The affection in his tone told Victoria he’d come to love his wife, no matter their beginnings.
“Mum’s here,” he told her before either of them could say anything else.
“How’s your fiancé?” her mum asked before Victoria could say anything. “I hope you can come visit soon so we can meet him officially and start wedding planning.”
Her brother chuckled. “Mum told me all about it, Kiki. Congratulations.”
The use of her childhood nickname - a shortened version of her first nickname of Vicki - made her smile, but it only lasted a second.
“Mum doesn’t know everything, Ricky.” She sighed. “The official, public story at the moment is that Enzo and I are engaged, but that’s not entirely accurate.”
Certain the two of them were giving each other puzzled looks, Victoria didn’t make them wait.
“We were married in a very small ceremony a few weeks ago.”
This time the silence had a stunned overtone.
