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“Hi, future figurehead here,” Elin replied, raising her hand a little.
“Right. Sorry,” Lillian said with a shrug. “You know, you’re your own person, too, Elin. If you don’t want this, you should say something now.”
“That would mean you’re next. Doyouwant to be a figurehead?”
“Not really. But it is what it is, isn’t it? I always figured I was way too far down the line to have to worry about this. Christian would take over after Dad died. He’d have kids, and they’d be next after him. Then, there was still you, if he didn’t have kids or if something bad happened. I still remember being about sixteen or seventeen when that bombing happened in St. Rais – it took out almost the entire royal family. I guess, for a while, I wondered what would happen if Dad and Mom were gone, along with you and Christian. It was pretty horrible.”
“Yeah, I remember feeling the same way. Now that I’m actually friends with Elizabeth and Palmer, it makes it even weirder. Elizabeth would have still been a Princess, technically. She also never would have met Palmer had that been the case, and look at them now. They have two kids together. It’s crazy how things happen sometimes.”
“So, you’re really going to do this? You’re going to be Queen?”
“Christian isn’t leaving me much of a choice. Dad retires due to illness, the first in line says he doesn’t want it, and then the second in line says the same thing? The country will lose complete faith in us. I can’t see the monarchy surviving much beyond that, and I don’t want to be the reason a centuries-old institution disappears.”
“You’re going to be good at this, Elin.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, wondering why her siblings seemed to have so much faith in her.
“Christian is the daring one. I’m the one that’s all over the place. Mari is the one that really wants nothing to do with any of this and would prefer to live in some cottage somewhere, reading books and maybe even writing them. I don’t know about that girl sometimes.” Lillian paused as she smiled softly at Elin. “Then, there’s you. You’ve always been so level-headed. You studied history and political science. You have a law degree, Elin. It’s like you knew, somehow, that you’d end up with this job. You mastered the Princess wave by the time you were ten years old. The cameras love you and follow you wherever you are. The people love you. I think you’re going to make a great Queen, and I’m here for you, okay? If you need me, I’m here.”
“Thank you,” Elin replied.
“Just don’t kick me out of the palace, please. I still haven’t picked out the curtains for my new bedroom.”
Elin chuckled at her sister and decided that before the news broke about the family decisions that would impact a nation, she should maybe visit those friends in St. Rais and ask for some advice.
???
“Sorry,” Elin said, cupping her hand over her mouth instantly in embarrassment.
“Ma’am,” Ingrid spoke.
Elin had been working on a speech. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt it important that she at least attempt to write her own speeches as monarch. She knew she’d have people read and review them and, likely, change them, but she wanted to be more hands-on than previous sovereigns had been. She’d been trying to craft the perfect speech for a gala she’d be hosting at the palace soon for the Parkinson’s Foundation, which obviously hit close to home. The gala’s timing would coincide with at least one of the many announcements the family would be making over the next several weeks, so it was more important than ever that her speech be good. In an effort to write it, though, she’d crumpled up the most recent draft, which she’d hated, and tossed it in the direction of the open doorway, hoping it would land somewhere near the trash can next to the aforementioned doorway. Unfortunately for her, Ingrid, her private secretary, had walked into the room and had gotten smacked in the face with that paper.
“Ingrid, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
“Ma’am, it’s fine. I take it, the speech writing isn’t going well?” she asked.
Ingrid Olson had been her private secretary for the past three years. She’d come from the palace staff when Elin’s previous secretary had decided to move to Finland with her Finnish husband, and she was essentially in charge of Elin’s life. If people knew how much the secretaries actually ran the affairs of the royal family, they might suggesttheybe the royals instead.
“It’s my first attempt.”
“Really? There are at least seven pieces of paper here.” Ingrid pointed to the floor.
“I played basketball for a while when I couldn’t figure out what to write.”
“Did you win?” Ingrid asked as she sat across from Elin’s desk in her usual chair.
“No. I am afraid, I scored zero points.”
Ingrid laughed and said, “Well, I was hoping you could take a break from speech-writing to talk about the seating arrangements for the gala. I know you said you wanted to review them.”
“Can that wait? I feel like I need to focus on this speech. It’s really important.”
“Of course, Ma’am.” Ingrid stood just as quickly as she’d sat down. “I can come back later.”
“Maybe tomorrow?” she suggested.
“Your speech will be fine, Ma’am. They always are. You have a way with words.”
