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I kissed the side of her face before turning toward the front doors. Slowly we walked, and when I nodded, they opened it to a sea of screams and cheers. Flags were waving, photos of us were held high, and teddy bears were being stuffed into the hands of all the footmen manning the gates.
“This never gets any less surprising to me,” Odette whispered, lifting her hand up to wave to them.
“Or me,” I whispered back, smiling for the photos I was sure were being taken.
With each day, with each passing month, the drive in me to do better and be better for her, for this nation, and now for our daughter grew stronger and stronger.
Chapter 39
“What in God’s good name have you done?” My mother gasped in horror as my sister stepped into the study.
I could only stare, too shocked to utter a word.
But she stood there smiling at the both of us as if nothing was wrong. “Your Majesty, Mother, I have something to tell you both.”
“Please let it be an explanation as to why you cut off all your beautiful hair!” my mother nearly cried as she reached for my sister’s new red pixie haircut.
“It does. I cut it because I am joining the Military Medical Corps!” Eliza said proudly and even stood to attention.
“What?” I was worried she was going to give our mother a heart attack. “Why would you do that? What is going on with you?”
“Nothing is going on with me, Mother,” she answered and looked at me. Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out the paper. “In order for members of the royal family to serve, we need approval from the king. So, will you give it to me, king big brother?”
“He will not!” my mother yelled at her.
“I was wondering why you have been so good this year.” I finally found my voice to speak. “I thought you were sparing me from dealing with anything else. But knowing you, you’ve had this planned for a while, haven’t you?”
She nodded. “Years actually, and now I can finally do it.”
“Eliza!” my mother begged. “Why?”
“Because I want to do more, Mother. I want to be more. I want to serve and make a difference. When Arty died, it hit me again that I don’t want to ever just be a princess. I want to make an impact and help people.”
“You already do, as the princess. Think of the people you help merely by going places,” our mother argued back.
“Smiling for cameras or raising money isn’t all I want to do. Besides, I am not the princess anymore,” Eliza said, looking back at me. “Your daughter is the princess now. I’m not your heir. I am just the king’s sister now. And eventually, I will be like Aunt Cornelia, daughter of a former king, whom no one really cares that much about. Do you know how long I’ve waited to not be the princess? Your daughter freed me, and I want to do what I want with my freedom. Please, Gale.”
“Did you really have to go full Mulan to do this, though?” I asked her.
“Gale! I’m serious,” she said. “Please.”
“You do know they will be harder on you because you are royalty, Eliza,” I said to her. “They will pick on you more than anyone else. They will take their anger or jealousy or frustration out on you for being born a princess. You can’t escape that. Heir or not. It will be hellish for you. Are you sure you want to go through all of that?”
“Yes. No matter how bad it may get for me, I want to do it anyway,” she replied sternly.
“Gale, say no!” my mother ordered me.
But when I looked at my baby sister and remembered this was really the only thing she had genuinely asked of me, I couldn’t.
“Fine.”
“Gale!” My mother was on the brink. Yes, I knew Eliza was always ready to drive someone crazy.
“But you will have to swear to me you will not fail no matter what. Since you’ve decided to do this, you have to uphold the family name, be the best, and elevate the standard.”
“I will bring honor to us all!” she exclaimed, rushing to hug me, and I hugged her back.
I was worried, but I couldn’t control her. I knew too well she’d only be miserable, so if this was what she wanted to do, I’d support her.
