The Queen and Her Protector

Chapter 4

Charlie reminisced on her first day. She walked to the Denys Wilkinson Building; it looked so beautiful and modern with its unorthodox shaping.

The pillars were shaped so neatly one after the other; she liked how it complimented the glass framing above. She touched the sign and couldn’t desist from grinning.

Oxford University, she worked her ass off at school, not going out, barely a social life until the last exam.

Hell the physics aptitude test had been insane, it tested so much, you couldn’t get in without passing that test and well. It tested her knowledge of elementary maths, solutions of quadratics, logarithm, kinetic energy, Newton’s law, electromagnetic spectrum, electricity, gravitational potential energy and so much more.

It had stretched her mind beyond compare but she had enjoyed every minute of it. Her first year she had to take five subjects, four of which were compulsory. Two subjects covered fundamental areas of classical physics which meant special relativity, the mechanics of particles and magnetic fields. A third subject included differential equations, waves and elementary optics. The fourth subject contained mathematical methods which included vectors and more calculus.

Her fifth subject which was chosen from a range of Short Options they had which changed from year to year.

First year was rough work and difficult but she totally lived up to the challenge.

Charlie had spent the first two terms, one day each week, working with Eric, her lab partner on practicals such as general physics, optics and electronics.

Charlie had met Eric the first day at induction, she had asked a multitude of questions and he had approached her saying he liked people who were curious. Eric was genius compared to Charlie and they had agreed to be partners as it was required to pair with the practical work.

They had even agreed to be study partners, studying especially hard for the examinations. Sometimes for a bit of release Eric, Charlie and a group of friends would go to a bar called Golden Arrow to let off some steam.

The course was no picnic, it tested you, challenged your way of thinking and mostly it drove you crazy.

They had to pass the exams and have a considerable satisfactory record of practical work.

They went to Golden Arrow to celebrate their victory, it had been a long and tedious exam even Eric had struggled a bit.

The second year the knowledge and techniques they learnt from their first year, they had covered things more in depth.

Their subjects included energy studies, advanced theoretical topics

In their final year Charlie had to study two majors and a substantial project. Physics of atmospheres and oceans and theoretical physics is what Charlie had chosen to begin with together with Biological physics.

Today Charlie walked to the bar, after today’s last exam, she was finally done with her course and her last physical training with Neil had been yesterday which had gone amazing so she was in the mood to celebrate. It was winter so it was snowing very heavily but Charlie didn’t mind, she loved it.

Charlie noticed that she had a shadow, it started from when she came out of class and now still as she made her way to the bar.

She knew it wasn’t Adam because he was busy on some Navy training and it wasn’t Uncle Neil because he and Aunt Serena were currently on a cruise vacation.

Either way she was ready for anything, she carried on walking like she hadn’t seen the shadow.

When she walked into the bar she was greeted by Steve the bartender, it was one of those olden day bars, it had that cosy homely feeling.

She noticed that there wasn’t much of a crowd, which would probably pick up later.

She sat in her regular spot, waiting for Steve to get her order which he did.

“Hello gorgeous.”

Charlie grinned at him, how much she had enjoyed coming here to see Steve. He was like one of those sexy older men who you couldn’t resist and that Scottish accent deepened that attraction.

“Hey Steve, how are you today?”

He was busy drying glasses and packing them away. Steve was definitely your typical bartender in Oxford, tall with muscles and awesome tattoos on his arm but what set Steve apart was those baby sea blue eyes.

“Ai I’m well lass and you?”

Charlie gave him a light hearted flirty wink.

“Oh Steve the best now that I’m seeing you.”

Steve gave a hearty laugh, grinning as he continued with his job.

“Ai love, you reckon I’m the best of your day?”

Charlie pretended to think about this like it was a serious matter.

“No, but if I got lucky with you then it would be.”

She gave him a cheeky grin and raised her beer in salutation which had Steve laughing once more.

“I reckon if I did make you lucky sweet lass Adam would make me an unlucky man.”

Steve’s rebuttal had Charlie in stitches, crying with laughter because she knew Adam would definitely make Steve unlucky.

Leo walked into the bar where he’d been following Charlie; he was glad that it wasn’t so busy so they would have time to talk.

He sat down next to her and ordered a whiskey. After the morning he has he needed it. Before he could speak she turned towards him.

“Having fun following me?”

“Not particularly, no.”

Charlie and Steve sussed out Leo, both very sceptical of the person in front of them.

“You alright there Charlie?”

“I’ll be fine Steve as soon as I find out what this one is after.”

“Would you mind if we spoke somewhere private, maybe at one of those booths.”

Steve looked at this man, there was something very mysterious about him and Steve didn’t like that.

“You’d better be taking me lass to a booth where I can keep an eye on ya. I trust you about as far as I can throw ya.”

Charlie drank her beer smiling; clearly Steve placed himself as her guardian and no matter how put together this guy seemed, Steve would clearly win.

She slid off her chair and started walking to a booth where she could see Steve and vice versa.

“Come on then before Steve punches your lights out.”

Charlie sat down and waited for the mister to speak.

“My name is Leo; I’m a director from behind the scenes sent here to recruit you to the Royal Marines. The Queen has been…”

Leo’s speech was interrupted by Charlie’s laughter; she was bursting with so much laughter she was beginning to tear up. Charlie started waving her hand from side to side while trying to contain herself.

“Oooooh I’m sorry but you have to hear how funny that sounds and soooo ridiculous. You want a student who is about to graduate sum c*m laude with her Masters in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics to join the marines? That’s insane.”

Leo leaned forward and laid down a file on the table, watching her frown as she took it.

He stayed silent as she opened the file, scanned through all the pages then scrutinized him.

Charlie raised her eyebrow in interest, what was the beginning of a joke now seemed very serious. They had been monitoring her since she finished high school, that couldn’t be good.

Every single moment of her varsity days all documented here in this file. Charlie placed her finger on the file and look at him.

“Explain this now.”

Good, he finally had her interest.

“All you need to know is the Queen…”

She put her hand in mid-air and waved her finger from side to side.

“Explain this to me or I walk, I promise you the latter will not be like before when you followed me previously.”

He liked her moxie; they needed Charlie to join the force. He had seen her file, she was smart and if she could combine that with combat skills she’d be a lethal weapon to them.

“Very well, the commander has expressed her keen interest in you, particularly for your brain as well as your interest in sparring.”

Charlie crossed her arms and observed this guy. Clearly he was serious but really what business did she have in the marines.

“I want to be a scientist, I want to explore and joining the marines seems like the opposite direction I’m heading. I don’t want to hurt people nor do I want to follow orders that would make me do so.”

“It’s more than that you know, it’s about protecting people from being hurt.

Charlie sniggered at his comment.

“So going to other countries, killing people there that are innocent isn’t hurting. I don’t belong in the army.”

He handed her a letter and she read it diligently. How dare they force her hand in this way?

“I can play just as mighty as you if not more Charlie. You will report for training in 36 hours. Have a good night.”

Leo got up and left the bar, leaving Charlie still fuming and baffled by why she was essentially being blackmailed into this. She withdrew her phone and dialled Adam, he answered on the second ring.

“Hey my unemployed kitten missing me already?”

She interrupted his playful manner, now was not the time to indulge him.

“The Royal Marines are forcing me basically to join; I just got accosted by some asshole director who gave me a letter from the bloody Queen. It states that if I chose not to join I’ll be forced out the country and my degree will be revoked, four damn years wasted Adam, what do I do?”

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration; he couldn’t believe Tyler had stooped to that level after Adam had explicitly told him not to interfere.

Tyler had expressed that the Royal Marines would be the perfect place for Charlie to train and it would help her without them alerting her to her heritage and it would help her in the future.

Adam had told him that Charlie had other plans and she should be going through with those plans for as long as she still could.

Adam looked at Tyler fiercely with a look that said he was in trouble and Tyler nodded in acknowledgement, he would accept his punishment accordingly.

“Enjoy tonight’s celebrations and by the end of the week we can resolve…”

Hoping he would realize the severity of the situation, she interrupted what would be his encouragement.

“Adam I have 36 hours to report to Lympstone, Devon.”

Adam had a feeling Tyler had set him up with this intergalactic meeting here on Venus while Tyler had intervened with Charlie’s life plan.

He also knew when Tyler interfered it meant he knew what was best. So Tyler’s punishment would have to be less severe.

“I’m so sorry kitten, fight as best you can.”

“Yeah, I guess I’ll see you when I can.”

“Once again I am sorry, I have to go.”

Adam heard the chairperson call his name and he apologized for being on a call. Charlie went back to the bar and ordered tequila shots, nothing said f**k it like a couple of tequila shots.

And a few hours later that’s how Eric found her, taking shots with their friends.

Eric looked at Steve for an answer and he shook his head. Eric went to Charlie and gave her a soft pat, brushing her cheek he studied her face. She was a very beautiful and drunk woman.

“What happened?”

Charlie shoved the letter in his face, waiting as he took it and read it.

“Four years down the drain Eric.”

Her words were slurry; he watched her get up and stumble. Eric took a hold of her and she collapsed in his arms. He went to his car and placed her in it. Steve sent Adam a text stating Charlie was drunk and that Eric was taking her home.

Eric started the car and made his way to Charlie’s apartment, shaking his head as he heard her rumbling in the back seat.

When they got to her apartment he woke her up.

“Charlie sweetheart you need to press in the key code.”

Charlie opened her eyes, surveying her surroundings she saw she was at her place and Eric was standing next to her waiting patiently. She covered her eyes in shame, she had drunk one too many.

“Eric I apologize.”

Charlie giggled a little.

“It’s okay, go inside and rest it off okay.”

Eric watched her go into her apartment building then he left to go back to the bar. Charlie made her way to her apartment, sent Adam a text and slept.