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“Why don’t you tell me who this is here? This lady cleverly disguised in a dark wig.”
“It’s Princess Alexandra, Sir.”
“Now, why don’t you tell me what the fuck you and the fucking Princess were doing galavanting around Soho last night with no backup? All of us thinking you two are safely tucked up in bed, then I get this fucking phone call and this fucking CCTV recording of my officer assaulting a member of the public, putting the Princess at huge risk, disobeying literally every rule in fucking Security 101. How the fuck do I explain to the Metropolitan Police and the Security Services why the fuck the future fucking queen is out and about in Soho, of all places, unprotected, with no back up and why my officer is such a fucking MORON?!!!!!”
He continued.
“What the fuck did you think would happen? What the fuck did you think you were going to do if anyone recognised her? If some shit went down, some real shit I mean, not this fucking pathetic beating up of some unarmed pissed guy. Who do you think you are? Lara fucking Croft?”
“I’m sorry,” Erin said, her head low. She knew that she had literally been caught in the act here. That there was no going back. Why on earth hadn’t she thought there might be CCTV on the street? Yet there it was, as clear as day, a replay of the exact moments of last night. Only, in the replay there was no sound. There was no justification for her actions. His comments weren’t recorded. It just looked like him drunkenly lumbering in to the Princess, pulling her wig off accidentally, and Erin responding with the brutality at which she would defend a knife attack and attacking this guy. The only thing Erin was grateful for is there was no video of what happened afterwards. No video of the kiss.
“I…. I…… er….. The Princess asked me to keep her secrets. She wanted to go out without backup. What was I supposed to say?”
“No would have been good. Fucking NO. Would that have been so hard? The correct answer is fucking No. I’m very sorry Ma’am, but I cannot guarantee your safety without backup, this goes against all security protocol and I just cannot jeopardise your safety like that. Yadda Yadda Yadda….. NO.” He looked expectantly to Erin, his tiny piggy eyes evil in his big face.
“I’m sorry.” Erin knew this was an immediately fireable offence. Erin knew this was it, her whole career over because of one dumb mistake. Because she was too in love with Alexandra to say no to her. If she lost this job, she would never see Alexandra again. That much was clear.
“You should be gone Kennedy. Gone, faster than I can fill in the fucking paperwork. Never in my career have I seen such fucking moronic actions. Never have I ever seen such fucking stupidity. If it was up to me, your sorry ass would never ever work for any kind of Police or security job ever again. Maybe standing at the door of a supermarket watching for shoplifters. Maybe that is something you could be fucking capable of. Something suited to a fucking idiot like you. Knew there was a reason girls shouldn’t do this job. You haven’t got a fucking brain in your pretty little head.”
She raised her head. Maybe there was still hope. He said, if it was up to him. Maybe it isn’t up to him.
“However.” He took a deep breath. Clearly, what he was about to say was going to be difficult for him.
“The powers that be have decided that what Princess Fucking Alexandra wants, she fucking gets. And right now, she wants you, and unfortunately none of the powers that be are ballsy enough to tell her she can’t have you anymore. So. One way or another, you are still in a job. But, grow a fucking brain Kennedy. This isn’t a fucking joke. Do you want to be responsible for something happening to the heir to the throne? How do you think the fucking king will feel about that? You think he is going to let you get away with pulling these kind of stunts if he finds out about it? You are on thin ice Kennedy. Thin fucking ice. Tread carefully. Tread very fucking carefully. Luckily for you, I’ve made the whole last night situation go away. The CCTV original is fucking gone. But, one more slip up and none of us will protect you. Capisce?”
“I understand,” said Erin, humbly. And she did. For once, she almost agreed with Evans. She had fucked up, well and truly. She was lucky that in doing so, in taking all those risks, nothing bad had happened to Alexandra. Her love for Alexandra, her inability to say no to Alexandra, had lead to her taking stupid risks. Thinking that it was ok to take stupid risks.
“Now, get out of my fucking sight. And don’t forget today’s fucking schedule.” He jabbed at a folder on the table that she picked up and got out of the door as fast as she could.
By the time Erin had made it through her gym session and some unarmed combat training and back to the Princess’s rooms, things were a flurry of activity. Alicia doing Alexandra’s hair. Jess busying around. Natalie la
ying out clothes.
“Morning Erin,” they each called to her.
“Erin,” called Alexandra. Erin liked her own name so much more when it came from Alexandra’s lips. She caught Alexandra’s clear blue eyes in the reflection from the mirror. “Please do help yourself to some breakfast, I’ve had quite a lot sent up, I didn’t know what you would want.”
Business as usual.
Erin looked to the big table, loaded with breakfast options. There were cooked breakfast options under stainless steel domes. An assortment of fruits, breads and pastries. She helped herself to a plate of Eggs Benedict and a banana. She wasn’t sure she was strictly hungry after everything that had happened last night and this morning, but in this job, eating where you could was always important. You never knew when you would get the opportunity again. Similarly going to the toilet. Take the opportunity where it presents itself. You cannot exactly abandon the Princess when you are out and about while you go and find a toilet or some food.
Alexandra was carrying on as though nothing had ever happened. Erin slipped straight back into professional mode too. It was her only option. She tortured herself wondering what the Princess was thinking. What she was feeling after last night. Wondering when she would ever get the opportunity to be alone with her again to talk openly, or maybe something more.
Erin hoped that Alexandra didn’t regret what had happened. If she regretted it, she wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of Erin. To replace her. Had Erin crossed a line? Had Erin taken advantage while Alexandra had been drinking? God, she hoped not.
Alexandra had a public appearance and a meeting later that day and Erin accompanied her loyally. Doing her job to the letter. Not one foot out of place. Alexandra barely looked at her. Erin dully accepted her place in the world as Alexandra’s shadow. Not her girlfriend or potential girlfriend. Not even as someone casually being used for sex. She worked for Alexandra, it was her job to protect her. She was kidding herself if she thought there was anything else there.
14
A couple of days passed and Alexandra was still distant and cold. Professional and painfully polite to Erin. Erin swallowed her pain and did her job. She wished she had someone she could talk to about this but she wasn’t really close to anyone. The nature of her work had distanced her from her friends. Even so, who could she say this to?
Oh by the way I fucked Princess Alexandra. Yes, that one. The heir to the British throne. Yes, my boss. Yes. And I think I am in love with her. And now she is ignoring me and pretending it didn’t happen. What do I do?
Not something she could say.
No way. Under no circumstances could she confide in anyone over this. She had signed all manner of Non Disclosure Agreements and the Official Secrets Act. This was her secret to bear. This was as big of a secret that there is.
She wished she could visit Alexandra late at night and talk to her. Separated only by a couple of doors, it seemed so possible. But, it just wasn’t protocol. She couldn’t approach the Princess unless requested to.
