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“Very well. The Princess Royal has requested you accompany her on a trip to St. Rais to meet with Her Majesty Queen Antonia. Arrangements have been made through my office. I trust you’ll be able to accompany her?”
“Of course.”
“And when you return, we’ll begin the transition.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, knowing how all this worked.
Ingrid didn’t have a say in this. If she worked for the palace, there was a hierarchy and the way things were done. She’d fall in line, as always, even if she didn’t like it. As she walked out of Steven’s office, Ingrid wondered how much time she had left with Elin, and just thinking about a ticking clock on their working relationship made her sad.
???
“Oh, sorry,” Elin said when she tripped over her own feet before sitting down in her seat.
Ingrid watched it happen and tried to reach out in case Elin fell. The Princess and future Queen was a clumsy one, and it manifested in many different ways. Sometimes, she spilled. Other times, she tripped. Then, she’d stumble over her words. Ingrid wondered what caused it because Elin seemed so confident and put-together; to the point where, after having thought about it, it made perfect sense that she be next in line instead of Christian, who seemed to prefer to improv his speeches that had been carefully crafted for him instead of sticking to the script.
“Are you all right, Ma’am?” Ingrid asked.
“I’m fine. I just didn’t expect you to be in your seat already,” she said with flushed cheeks.
Ingrid had taken a back-facing seat since she knew Elin preferred to face the front of the aircraft when they flew, and it was easier for them to converse and work when they faced each other.
“I was told you wanted me to make the trip with you,” Ingrid said.
“I do. I thought we could run through some of the details for the foundation gala now that we have some time. Plus, I know how much you like St. Rais,” Elin replied.
“You do?” Ingrid asked.
Elin met her eyes and smiled as her blush deepened.
“I remember you mentioned it the last time I told you I was going. You like the hot springs there, I believe.”
“Oh. Yes, I do. I’ve only been once, but they were lovely,” Ingrid replied.
“Well, the flight is a short one. We can go over all the details for the gala now. Then, when we get there, you can go to the springs, and we can wrap anything up on the way back.”
“You don’t need me for your meeting with the Queen?” Ingrid asked, looking a little confused.
“It’s not a meeting; I’m just visiting friends,” Elin replied. “I mainly thought you could use it as a holiday yourself, if you’d like.”
“Ma’am, that’s not necessary,” Ingrid said. “I have holidays I can take when–”
“I’ve already reserved you a time. You can do that now; did you know that? Well, maybe some people can’t do that; I don’t know. I just called the park service there and told them who I was, and they said they can reserve a time so that you’d have it all to yourself.”
“You called them yourself?” Ingrid asked, a little surprised.
“Idoknow how to use a telephone.”
“Ma’am, you didn’t use your private number to–”
“No, I used a secure line,” Elin replied. “And the time is yours.”
“Ma’am, I think they assumedyouwere the one reserving the springs.”
“Iwas.”
“No, I mean that you’d be the one using them,” Ingrid clarified.
“I’m sure they did. But in any event, they’re yours for taking.”
