Chapter Two
Chapter: Two
“Elizabeth will be named heir apparent,” the King’s words lingered in Elizabeth’s ears over and over in her sleep. Her day seemed something like a bad dream that she could not awaken herself from. She kept hearing the words over and over. She kept seeing the minister’s pale white face in her sleep, as he unenthusiastically gave her forehead the royal anointment. She could still smell the scent in her sleep. She could hear herself reciting the ancient vows of her ancestors before her.
“I Elizabeth Margaret Diana Humphries, protector and defender of the nation of Lockerbie Island, swear my most solemn oath unto you, my first mother, which I will forever protect and defend this nation by honoring her with my body and my spirit to lead the people of Lockerbie. I will give myself to my people, my subjects, and my nation. I give myself willingly unto you so that I may serve my life with your victory in my sight…..” She simply could not get the words out of her head she could not get the ministers chants that echoed ferociously in the ancient Cain Church Chamber out of her head. Faces were a blur to her. She saw her father’s whimsical look overshadowing all. She saw her mother, a ball of emotion but did not try to show it besides him. She could see her sister, her brother in law, her nephews, Albert, and the one face that stood out the most. She saw Robert Whitaker smiling her on. He looked oddly happy. He was not a man who smiled much, which was a shame for he had amazing dimples but she could see him smiling. All the while he was what held her together in her maze of craziness. Only a week prior to her coronation she was a mere guest at her brothers. How did it feel for him? She would never know because they never spoke of it. Ever. It was just one of those things that did not enter their conversations. Then Harry’s sweet face came into her dream. She saw him floating about every which way. He was handsome and strong in her dream. Laughing gaily at her as he always did. Harry never took anything to heart or was serious about anything. Some said that he would have made a terrible King. Elizabeth did not feel that way. She thought he might have been one of the first rulers that had a heart and thought for the lives of their countrymen more than most. More than, she thought sadly, than her own father. But his look changed in her dream. Where they were laughing and chasing one another in a field as they had done ever so many times as children the weather became dark. It suddenly was night. Harry was leading her somewhere far and dark. She was growing scared. Harry’s gay look turned sinister. He grabbed her hand and dragged him along with her as to what seemed like miles. Branches were slapping her in the face. She was getting cold. He finally stopped, took her to a cliff edge and pointed at something far away. “It isn’t worth it Bessie.” She looked at the object he was pointing at and it was his lifeless body hanging on a tree branch.
She bolted awake from her dream sitting upright. Her room was dark and very cold for some reason. She called for a chambermaid who lit a lamp for her. “Thank you.” She said very drily and asked for some water. When the chamber maid went out, Robert walked in. She didn’t recognize him at first because the room was dim and she already felt as if she was slightly hallucinating.
“Hello Elizabeth.” He said softly. He looked more handsome than normal. His hair was tousled all over his head and he looked as though he had been sleeping. He came and sat in a chair near her bed.
“What are you doing in here at this hour? A guard will take you from here.” She was very matter of fact after her interesting dream.
“I’ve been outside your chamber door all night Elizabeth.” He said evenly. He seemed very quiet and peaceful at this hour. Elizabeth couldn’t identify it with his normal demeanor but she liked it quite nice. “I’ve been worried about you today.”
“Worried about me? Whatever for?” The chambermaid entered with water for Elizabeth. She took the cup and the glance that was given to her. “Its okay Madeline, his Lordship will not be staying long.” Madeline went outside but she didn’t like the way things looked in here.
Robert rose from his seat and came to sit on her bedside. “You really mustn’t Robert…..”
“Calm yourself. I promised your father I would be personally responsible for your safety. I have guards all around your chamber.” He took her hand and squeezed it. She looked down at his large hands.
“I’m sorry. Today has just been….so puzzling. I lost my brother and gained a nation all in one day. Something that people would live and die for. Yet I don’t know if I ever wanted it to begin with. I mean, look at what happened to Harry. What price did he have to pay?”
“You’re a smart girl Elizabeth. You’re going to make a great leader. Just keep listening and learning to everything that everyone says around you. You will see how things are done and take it from there. Always follow the example.” Robert’s words were so kind and caring that Elizabeth felt better immediately.
“I had a bad dream is all. You’re right, everything will be okay. If you don’t mind, I would like to get back to sleep now. But before you go, I have to say, I don’t think the timing of us running off together is going to work well right now.”
This was not what Robert wanted to hear. “Elizabeth, I think it is best we do this now and see what we will have to deal with in the future sooner rather than later.”
He did have a point, “I agree but I don’t think my parents could handle that right now.”
“Understood. We will give it some time then and see what happens.” He was not happy but he did not want to push his luck with her.
“I am sorry Robert but thank you for understanding.” She was feeling sleepy again so she asked for him to excuse himself.
“I am sorry about your brother Elizabeth.” Robert wrapped his arms around her tenderly for a moment and held her. It was so nice to be held! She nestled her head against him and whispered thank you one more time. She pulled her head up from him to see him gazing intently on her. He gave her a very gentle, yet sensual kiss. She gladly returned it. It seemed physical affection was what she craved. Before she could loose herself to him she pulled back and smiled at him. “I can’t wait to make you my wife.” Robert said. Those were the most honest words he had said all day. “Remember one thing Elizabeth. I am a scoundrel but I really do love you.” He moved away from her bed and took his post again outside her chamber door. She went back to sleep feeling much better. When he was almost about to doze off into his own dreamland of thoughts he couldn’t help but wonder why he felt so inclined to sleep there in the first place.
Elizabeth was cooronated and made Crowned Princess before the country could even grasp the death of the newly crowned prince. All was done in private so that the country had a moment to breathe. Things seemed to be suddenly unsafe for this girl that had nothing to worry about her entire life. She was rather fickle but she was indeed sharp. Hopefully the grain of character that her father saw in her was something that Elizabeth did indeed posses.
The shock of Harry being gone was still not in full force with Elizabeth. She cried many times on her own. She had cried to Robert the following morning of her dream.
“Elizabeth, I know it must be killing you inside.” Robert said as he held her gently. She sobbed and sobbed and sobbed until she couldn’t sob anymore. Even with all the sobbing she still did not feel any better. She talked of her brother fondly; of their lives together. Of how Elizabeth and Mary always had a constant struggle growing up, mainly because of their 13 year age gap, or mainly because of Mary’s ncessety to be the center of her parents attention at all times. She was not certain. But Harry had always been there for her. In the days when Elizabeth felt as though she didn’t have an older sister, she always felt as though she had an older brother. They would play in the creek and catch frogs together until they were caught by the nursemaids. It seemed as though the only chance that Elizabeth had to be a normal person and not a princess was with her brother. Robert listened to her intently speaking only when necessary. She felt his kindness to let her speak her feelings freely was the nicest thing he had ever done for her.
“Its all going to be okay, you will see, don’t you worry!” he said to her before parting.
She walked around the courtyard for a bit before she found herself heading towards her father’s private chambers. He had kept very much to himself these few days and she did long to talk to him. They had rarely spoken since the affair and it was building up inside her.
She walked casually in, as the King always made time for this young daughter of his. He seemed to be pre-occupied; scribbling fiercly with a quill.
“Hello my dear.” He said barely glancing up.
“Hello Father.” She did not see much response from him so she sat in the chair across from his desk.
“You are prepared for tomorrow I take it? You have your speech ready and everything?” The King always meant business first.
“Yes Sir, I am fully prepared to speak tomorrow. I wish I didn’t have too; I pray that I wont be an emotional wrecking ball, but I think I will manage this well.” Her confidence impressed him. He put his quill down.
“That’s the leader I always knew was in there. You make me very pleased by saying such things Elizabeth.”
“I’m glad then. You have been through enough. Father…..how are you?”
The old man breathed heavily. For some reason he always seemed to be able to connect to this youngest daughter of his. “It hasn’t been easy. I miss your brother very much. It pains me to see your mother in the state that she has been in but I cannot seem to console her or anyone else for that matter.” Elizabeth knew this was not true. She knew her father was distancing himself from her mother and everyone else for that matter. “Your sister seems to be helping. I see you have not said much to her during all of this.”
Elizabeth felt guilt wash over her, “No Father, I haven’t. I—I just don’t think I can handle what she is going through. Harry was my brother and I love him and I am miserable without him. But mother….to loose her son, her only son…..I just cant. I hope I never have to imagine the pain a mother feels when they loose their child. Oh! Sorry Father!” Elizabeth could see the old man quivering slightly.
“Not to worry my dear. Your mother and I have not been made of the same makeup but it doesn’t mean we aren’t hurting the same. I have a strange way of showing myself. I suppose one of these days I will break down in tourment but for today I am okay. And I am happy for being okay for today.”
Elizabeth thought that was a pretty good theory. “I have been miserable! I don’t know how you do it Father. I miss him so much. On a day like today we might have gone for a ride somewhere. He would tell me great stories of his time away in the military when he would take me out like that. He so hated the military.”
The King chuckled. “That he did. He begged me to bring him home every time I saw him. But tradiotions are tradtions and to the military he had to go!”
Elizabeth sobered. “Yes, about traditions. Father, why did you do it? Why did you pick me? Marcus was the most suitable choice; that would have followed traditions. Why did you leave me this entire country?”
The King folded his arms and looked at her. “I know I may be critizied by my decisions on doing this but I felt that it was best for our nation. Elizabeth, your brother was murdered. He was murdered because he was going to be the next leader of this nation. You know very well that our enemies do not want to see us on this throne. I do not know how much longer my health may prevail me to live on this earth and serve this country. I could not have handed over the throne to someone who was not of age to run this country. Who did not have the education the background to run this country. If I was gone from this earth tomorrow, maybe you would be a little green but you would be more capable than Marcus. That’s what we want, a capable leader. Not a child that our enemies could coheres into having ideas and thoughts that are not of this Clan’s . You are the smartest choice to protect this nation, you just don’t know it yet.”
“Father, I am confused.”
“Elizabeth, political tension within this country is mounding every day. I am going to entrust my throne to you because I think that you would be the ruler that I know you can be. Things are going to be ugly for you. That’s why I created an alliance with our brothers in England. You must know this Elizabeth, they are always here to serve and protect this nation. It has been our credo with them that whatever happens in our future, they would look after us. I know that if there were things that you could not handle that they would step in and help out rather than our enemies taking control. Do you realize how very important that is to this throne? To preserve this thorne for worthy, noble leadership? It is the very backbone that allows Humphries men, and now women, priveledge to wear the crown. If Humphries men cannot do it then we need a game plan. Whitakers have been poisoned by the fact that the crown slipped away from them and that impairs them from ever being fair and true nobles worthy to wear this crown. If there was a Whitaker in the Clan that I thought showed the honor and the sophistication of a worthy ruler I would crown him, in a second. A worthy ruler is the very esscense of what our family stands on. It has given us power and wealth and we must never dishonor these things. These are things that have been imbreaded to us by our ancesors and we must never forget that. Its not a right but a priveledge. I feel that you will come to terms with this one day and do what is right for this nation to be protected and defended.”
Elizabeth sat quietly. Her mind was wheeling. What was it that her father wanted her to do exactly? She did not quite understand what it was but she knew that she would take this conversation to her grave.
Two days later there was a public funeral for Prince Harry. Even on the day of the funeral, the royal family was not allowed to show much affection to their beloved brother and son. The service was held in the Old Cain Church which was about three miles away from the Lockerbie Palace. There was a funeral procession that took the body which was lying in the Lockerbie Palace Cathedral to the Old Cain Church. The day was gloomy indeed regardless of the illuminous sun that perched in the corner of the sky. It was but 8:30 in the morning but the funeral procession had already started. Thousands of morners dressed in black walked in front of and behind the body that was carried on a horsedrawn carrage. In the carriage sat the royal family all donned in black as well. The usually somber King was even more sullen this morning. It took the Princess Royal Mary ever bit of energy in her to not burst into tears. Her husband was of no real comfort to her but he did sit stonefaced. Elizabeth was beginning to think that her brother in law was more disappointed in her father’s choice of her becoming the next successor to the throne than he was of Harry being murdered. Elizabeth sat next to her youngest nephew Peter, holding him closely. Peter was only eight and he had a right to be able to display emotion. She held Peter closely; in a way she felt that Peter was weeping on her behalf. Her mother was the most emotional she had ever seen her. When they got into the carriage she let her emotions get the best of her as she rode with her hand on the coffin of her dearly beloved son. She could not stop weeping. Elizabeth wished so much that her mother would just stop weeping. It always seems that the world is ending when one’s parent cries.
The days seemed a little lonely without Robert around. He seemed to make a great companion after the entire fiasco with her brother being dead. He was such a comfort to her durning her time of need. She felt so lonely and she longed to go to the spot that she and Harry had played at when they were children. She had not been there in years but it was something that she felt that she should do somehow. Robert had strict rules for her saftey if he was not to accompany her somewhere. In addition having the regular guards accompany her for her trip she was to have a personal body guard as well. There was only one man that the prime minister felt would be up to the job.
Elizabeth met Kent for the first time a few days before Robert was about to leave on his tour. “But why do you feel that I need someone additional to stay with me Robert? I have plenty of guards.”
“I realize this but even still it will be good for you to have one man that is soley dedicated to your saftey. I am sure that people will know I wont be accompaning you anywhere for a while and I dont want them to get any ideas that you may not be safe. Its just a security measure; dont worry he wont bite, and I would be shocked if he even spoke.”
Kent smirked at the remark. He eyed Elizabeth carefully. He had seen her many times from afar but he had never met her or seen her closely. He was shocked that she was as pretty as he had heard. Royalty was generally a group that was over rated in their looks. Her hair was long and she chose to wear it uncommonly out that day. The wind blew as they had met at the outskirts of the capital’s city limits. There wasnt really much around thme. “If his Lordship permits I can take her Majesty back to the palace now?”
Robert gave Elizabeth a quick goodbye kiss which was an uncommon fashion of him. She flushed as they had never displayed any time of affection in the presence of other people. “I will be back before you can miss me.” he said.
“Have a safe trip.” was all she could muster. Her days ahead of her seemed gloomy without Robert in them. Kent helped her into the buggy and proceeded to drive on, not thinking too much of anything in particular. He was more annoyed that he had to be a body guard to this girl. It didnt help that she was a beautiful girl.
“Bodyguard, do you mind taking me somewhere other than back to the palace?” Elizabeth finally spoke after a few moments.
“Whatever her Majesty wishes.” Kenton mumbled.
“Can you take me to the gardens over by the Old Palace please?”
“As you wish your Majesty.”
The Old Palace gardens were in basci ruins to date. They had once been a wonderful place to retreat and sit by the canal that ran through it. After the war when the capital was moved no one seemed to care to much for the Old Palace or its gardens.
“I will have to change that when the time comes.” Elizabeth muttered outloud.
“Excuse me your Highness?” Kenton asked.
“Oh sorry, just my mind talking out loud.” The man said nothing again. His quietness was uneasy so she spoke again. “Since we are going to have to spend a lot of time together in the next few months I’d like to ask if you could call me Elizabeth and I could call you by whatever your given name is.”
Kenton thought this was rather intersting so he answered carefully. “It does not do a mere bodyguard any good to run around the palace calling a future queen by her given name.”
“I would like it so! I wish that more people called me by my name. I often wonder what it would be like to not have a title at all.”
Kenton did not exactly feel sympathy towards her but he was curious as to what a life of priveldge meant. What did you have to give up; what types of standards did you have to adhere to. “This is fine. You may call me Thomas, most everyone calls me that although it is not my given name.”
“Oh, what is your given name?” Elizabeth was intrigued.
“It is Kenton. Kenton Thomas. But for some reason no one in Lockerbie seems to know me by that name.” That statement was only partially true. There was indeep no on on Lockerbie Island to call him Kenton but that was due to himself and the troublesome mess that made him leave England and head to Lockeribie Island in the first place.
“Well I shall call you Kenton if you shall call me Elizabeth.” She said it as a matter of fact sort of way. She always had a way of speaking to people that was always athorative and never in agreement. The matter seemed to be settleed after that.
“I lke the old palace,” she started to tell him.. Kenton’s quiet demanor made her intrigued to tell him more. “When we were younger Harry and I used to come here a lot with our father. However circumstances proved us otherwise and we did not do this so mch afterwards. It was a shame thought because we lovd it so. It was one of those things that you do for a time but not forever. It is one of those moments that you cherish forever.” it seemed odd for her to connet with someone that wasnt even listening. She wondered if it was more her spaking rather than him listening.
The Old Palace Garden itself was in shambles. Weeds had grown over in parts. But the charm and the beauty of the gardens itself was worth it. The flowers and the palace grounds were somewhat well kept however they were definalty overdue for a good pruning overall. It was well overdue, however, the tone of the mulch and the unkept flowers seemed to make the place special in a way that no other palce could never be.
“So I take it that you fancy coming here dont you?” Kenton asked Elizabeth after she was walking alone across the boardwalk. Still, she said nothing. There was something serene about the history that she had in the gardens that she could not speak it in words. For some reason Kenton understood this and let her have her moment for a minute. Finfally, after a while, he came up to her and spoke/
“I can understand what it is like to feel a place. There was a place that I use to visit when I was a young man in the military and I use to love to go there. I never spoke of this to anyone but it was a place of my own. Sometimes, no matter who you may be in life, you need to have a your own mind and your own place to clear yourself.”
Elizabeth was shocked to actually hear these words from this man as he spoke. He was not a man that had many words so to hear him speak seemed like a priveledge; even though he did not speak that much in general.
“Everyone needs to have a place that they need to retreat no matter what there status is.”
Elizabeth was shocked to hear these words come out of this man’s mouth. He wasnt a tall man but he was small and stocky and everything about him suggested strenght and masculinity. It was odd to see someone like him reach out to her. She had a had a hard time with people in general; it was hard for her to find people that spoke to her on a personal level. Every person she encountered and spoke with, with the xception of Robert, always made her feel that they needed something from her. She had very few friends. So it was golden for her to have a normal conversation with someone.
“I-I guess that everyone does feel like that at times. I guess we all kind of need a retreat for ourselves no matter who we may be.” She stammered.
“We all need a place to just be sometimes. I come here too; it is very lovely here, I cant imagine why anyone wouldnt escape here from time to time.” Kenton did not speak anymore for the remainder of the time. Elizabeth wandered off by herself but Kenton’s watchful eye was always on her. The gilr was so beautiful and sweet that he felt terrible when he thought of her saddness over her departd brother.
She was lost in her own thoughts. She missed Harry and Robert terribly. She seemed to feel distant from her entire family. To top it off she had few friends. She wandered around for about an hour before Kenton said, “Elizabeth, I think it is time that we had back to the palace.” It was getting chilly out and he did not want to one to be responsible for the princess to catch a cold.He helped her into the carriage and as he did she clutched hish hand for a moment and said, “thank you for bringing me here.”
She was very close to him and it made him feel uncomfortable with the gensture so he merely said, “it was a plasure.” and hurried to the drivers seat. He seemed like a very confusing man.
As he drove her back to the palace he thought about the consequences of his life and what brought him from his home in Englad to the small island that he now resided on. He had been a soldier his entire life. His father was a solider as well and he expected nothing less for Kenton and his oldr brother Earl. Earl was the golden child. It always seemed that everything he touched turned to gold for he never seemed to make any mistakes and could do no wrong. For Kenton however, that was not the case. He was not a fine soldier the way Earl was. Earl had advanced quickly through his ranks. while Kenton struggled through his training. The training and military life itself was not the problem for Kenton. He loved the roughneck lifestyle. The problem for him was the discipline. He was not a disciplined enough person to follow direct orders. So as a oung man he seemed to always be getting himself in trouble rather than moving up along the ranks with his brother. This displeased his father tremendously. So his father decided to maybe changd things for him and had him enter into the royal navy. This too seemed to not be the life for Kenton so back to the army he went. For years he struggled and constantly found himself gettng into trouble. He began to drink haveily and eventually found himself in jail. His father would not bail him out unless he promised to be a better soldier. Since Kenton hated the gallows more than following orders he agreed and became a fine solider. He moved among the ranks to surpass his pfect brother. However, this would not be the pefect ending for Kenton. His bother was highly jealous wthat his younger brother had rank on him did not find this suitable.