Princess in waiting

Chapter 5

Giselle gazed on as the President shook hands with Julian’s father, mother, and then Julian. The President had a wide smile on his face as he shook hands with Julian. “So this is his world!”

“I know that you are bored.” Julian took the liberty to glance at his girlfriend while the introductions and the brief speeches by the chief justice, other dignitaries, and the President were going on. “You will have a lot of boring hours of sitting still and sitting through speeches, of which you wouldn’t pay attention to a single word. Will you take on all of this for me, my love? Is it too much to ask for?”

“Your Majesties… Julian jumped when he heard the voice of the President. He had not been paying attention when the President’s speech was announced. Julian forced himself to shake off all the other thoughts about other things or about Giselle. The President continued. “Royal Highness, allow me to express, on behalf of the government, our warmest congratulations on the commitment you have made as heir to the throne. The oath of allegiance to the Constitution is the demonstration of a unified force in a world full of uncertainties, and the Constitution is a promise made by our founders. Today, you have renewed and given more meaning to our coexistence, upon which our coexistence was founded. You now receive from the hand of the king, your father, the order of King George Stuart II, the most important and highest civil recognition of our country, and it's an honor for the government to bestow this decoration on your highness’s life, marking a milestone in the life of your highness and the history of the country. In this free, modern, sovereign land, the future is secured by the actions of the people in power, and today, such significance will be assigned to your highness in securing the sovereignty of this democratic nation.

Giselle was weighing every word and listening carefully. “If Julian’s decisions and his being there are this important, I need to be in my right mind if I’m to be beside him. I cannot be an additional weight that his duties will have to carry.” Giselle resumed listening while glancing at Julian, the President, and again at Julian. A sovereign country gains stature and pride through history, the work of our founders, which a democracy carries, and the work of those in power, to serve the masses who chose them to be in power. Today will be marked and remembered as a historic moment in the constitution of the country, with your allegiance as the heir to the crown. From the government, we extend the warmest wishes for a life full of prosperity and abundance …"

Giselle turned her eyes towards the king, who had an expression of warmth pouring over onto his son, as he eyed Julian with pride. Giselle could sense the pride of a king from a distance. She forced herself to listen to the final words of the President. “... in your new responsibility as the crown prince of the country.” A deadly silence followed. Giselle felt the weight of responsibility. Today was the day that truly gave her a taste of Julian’s world, and she was a part of it.

Prince Julian Stuart takes the floor. A calm round of applause followed. “There are thousands of hands clapping.” Giselle was not sure whether to look at the prince directly or to keep her eyes down. Julian was not planning on keeping her in doubt, as he settled a firm, confident gaze on Giselle, looking her in the eye for a brief, split-second, before he took the stand. Gisselle could sense that he was scanning the crowd. None of the muscles moved, yet his gaze scanned the room as if to gain silent command. Giselle looked on. She was no longer bored.

“Your Majesties, Mr. President, Madam Prime Minister, Honorable members of the state, Veteran Servicemen, members of the military forces, and all the distinguished guests…”

“So, basically, you have to take permission from all the guests or types or whatever. What if you forget? Is it a national-level error ?” Giselle was amused now. “

“Today, I accept and acknowledge the honor of being bestowed with the responsibilities of the state, with much pride, in your presence.” “Shouldn’t you be worried about any responsibility thrust upon your shoulders, Julian?” “ I owe this moment to all the servicemen and honorary citizens who have served with their lives to make this country a sovereign nation. I remember solemnly that my father, the king, was bestowed with this honor and the Order of King Stuart, back when I was a kid of twelve. Since then, he has upheld the values associated with responsibility, and I hereby swear that I will uphold the values and supremacy of the Constitution by swearing allegiance to the Constitution in your presence today… “ Beaming with pride, Giselle kept her gaze glued to Julian. He was not looking at her now. She needed him to. Frowning, Giselle noticed that Julian’s eyes were on the crows in front of him. Just then, something caught Giselle's eye. Lady Evelyn-Arthur Calpebellle sat a few rows behind her, to her left, beaming at her, amused. Holding Giselle’s gaze, she quickly gestured to Giselle to look across the hall. When Giselle subtly averted her gaze, she caught sight of a photographer, whose lens was trained on her, unmoving. Giselle was startled. Despite her surprise and the wide-eyed expression, she swiftly averted her gaze and posture away from the photographer. Giselle had not had enough time to decide how to react or what to let them show. Then she was curious, and she kept stealing glances at the photographer to see if his attention had wavered. But instead, what happened was that the photographer got clear shots of the future queen-to-be looking straight at his camera, seated in the front row of the crown prince's ceremony of the oath of allegiance. Giselle could already list the tabloid headlines in her head. “You need to talk to Julian! Another voice threatened. “Don’t be a kid. Julian has a lot on his plate, and you need to learn to handle a few photographers. You cannot run to Julian every time someone is waiting to snap a picture of you!” “Give them what they want!” Giselle was brainstorming. “What? Are you mad?” Giselle was arguing with herself, within herself. “That will stop them from chasing!” Giselle felt resolved. Then she slowly adjusted her posture, straightened herself, yet keeping her shoulders relaxed and alert, with every nerve of her being, she turned towards the photographer, composed, and let her gaze slide swiftly from the photographer’s lens to somewhere nearby. It was meant to be as if the shot was candid. Suddenly, the audience stood up, and the guests were gathering their clutch bags and handbags, prepared to walk out. Giselle quickly tapped her fingers on the screen furiously, searching the agenda of the event, given to her by Julian, through the folders in her mobile. The guests were to participate in the next part of the event at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Giselle tapped on the Google Maps app as she walked out with hundreds of other guests, and someone tapped her on the shoulder. Lady Evelyn-Arthur Calpabelle stood behind her, beaming at her. “How come you did not turn to look at me after I spotted that photographer for you?” Giselle grinned. Lady Evelyn grinned back at her as they walked alongside each other, almost forgetting the pool of guests who were present with them at the moment. “You must be familiar with the Palace given in the agenda,” Giselle murmured, turning to Lady Evelyn with an expectant look on her face. Giselle had a feeling that she could confide in Lady Evelyn, when the true feeling that she was going through was unfamiliarity. The raw unfamiliarity of belonging to Julian’s world. “It is where we are supposed to go for the 2nd half of the ceremony. I’ll send my chauffeur separately, and maybe you could drive me there? If I show you the way?” Lady Evelyn smiled at Giselle and snaked her arm around Giselle’s shoulders. “Better to be in the driving seat with an insider in the passenger seat.” When Giselle giggled, Lady Evelyn was already looking at her, without any amusement on her face. “Insider?” Giselle fumbled. “Sorry. I just meant that you are already a member of this family, and that was what I meant by insider.” Lady Evelyn snickered. “Do you ever feel like an outsider, my dear?” Giselle was uncomfortable with where the conversation was going. “Never. Not until a few seconds before, when I truly had to figure out how to go to this Palace, given in the agenda. I do not know the directions, and I just had a moment’s doubt whether the authorities would let me in, though I had the invitation. Though Julian told me all the details and briefed me, this must have slipped his attention. It’s simply a lot to get used to.”

“Talk to me anytime,” Giselle knew she could. Then she rose on her tiptoes to get a glimpse of Julian. Giselle’s phone rang aloud, and she quickly fumbled with the screen and the buttons to reduce the volume, as a few heads next to her turned to her. Julian was flanked and surrounded by hundreds of guests. “You cannot get to her until this is over, my dear.” Lady Evelyn gestured for Giselle to leave the building from a side entrance, as that would be quicker. Giselle reluctantly followed Lady Evelyn. When her phone rang three times again and again, she repeatedly pressed the silent button, without pulling the phone out of her pocket.