by Alex Tryst

Dedication & Author's Note: See Chapter 1.

Feedback: Drop me a line if you’d like at alextryst@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © June, 2008 by Alex Tryst. All Rights Reserved.

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In the fall of that year, Alexa and Meredith’s divorce was expedited and finalized, because of the circumstances of the election. The polls showed the people split on the issue of Alexa’s future. Lauren and Alexa never discussed it, even though it weighed heavily on both their minds. The redhead just couldn’t see the point in it. She was torn by her own desires and that of her lover’s. She sensed Alexa would like to stay on and rule, but doing so would mean their own wish to be married would never be. It was a difficult thing for Lauren to accept, for it was what she had wanted all the years they had known each other.

On the evening of the election, Lauren cast her own ballet for her fate. It was much more difficult than she had anticipated, especially with all the media covering her movements. In the end once she had voted, she cried all the way home, doubting whether or not she had made the right decision, wondering if it even mattered. No matter what the results were, the life as she knew it and the lives of her daughters were forever altered in a way she felt less than wonderful.

Alexa stayed at the palace that evening as the election results began to be announced. She knew it was going to be a rough night for her family no matter what happened. She just sat in her office with Matthew watching the news and waiting for her destiny to unfold. At one o’clock in the morning, the answer was revealed. Taking a deep breath, Alexa looked at her old friend. “Time to face the people,” she mentioned.

He nodded. “The press has been here all night. They are ready when you are. Do you know what you are going to say?”

“There is not much to say. I accept the outcome and move on with my life. It should not take but a few moments to do that.”

“Very well. I will let them know you are on your way.” He stood from his chair. Patting her on the shoulder, he mentioned, “At least it is over.”

Alexa nodded her head in agreement. She had hated to be in limbo the last several months. It had caused strain on her relationship with Lauren, even though they hadn’t talked much about it. Getting out of her chair, Alexa went to the mirror and looked at herself. For the middle of the night, she decided she looked decent enough to meet the press. Heading out the door, she went to the press conference room to speak to the world. Upon her arrival, Matthew announced her presence to the people before she took the podium.

“My fellow Americans, thank you for being here at this late hour. As you know the election results have just been announced. I fully accept the results as being from the people. You have spoken, and as your sovereign I have heard your collective voice. Just as you have asked of me through this election process, I will retain my post as crowned princess and first in line to the throne, and I will guide us all into the next phase of our country’s history. I thank you all for your vote of confidence in me, and I promise to hold fast to the values that make America strong. May God bless all of you. Good night.”

With the quick announcement finished, Matthew and Alexa went to the queen’s office. Queen Faith was sitting there with her husband. “Well, it is finished,” Queen Faith stated with a sigh. It was one of obvious defeat.

“Yes, Mother, it is. The people have made their decision, and neither of us may undo what the people have done.”

The older woman nodded her head. “Perhaps I have not kept abreast of the changes in our country. Maybe I am out of touch with the people. Perhaps I am too old to know what the younger generations want. I did think they would vote you from your post, but they reaffirmed you by quite a margin. Maybe they feel your infidelity and deception is not as much of an issue as I do.”

“Mother, I know you may never understand this, but it was never my intention to deceive the world intentionally. I just wanted to love Lauren. That is all I ever wanted in life, to love this woman. I have loved her from the moment I saw her, and through all these years she has given me so much. I know you have never agreed with me about her, but she makes me happy.”

“She must if you were willing to sacrifice everything for her,” she conceded. “Well, what is done is done. The country is yours now. The people have made that quite clear. They believe in you and so must I, even if I do not agree with your decisions. You are the rightful heir, and they want you to be the leader of this great country. I have no doubt you will be taking it in a direction it has never been before.”

“You still have quite a few years ahead of you, Mother. Right now it is your time, not mine.”

The queen shook her head. “Tonight proved that my time is over. I may still be queen, but you are the new face of leadership in this country. They want you to rule. I must abide by their wishes under our agreement. I must start relinquishing my duties to you.”

“Mother, that was not our agreement. They simply reaffirmed my place. They have not asked that I take the throne from you. I must ask you to reconsider. I have four small children at home. I cannot possibly be Regent and raise a family. You are more than able to carry on your duties.”

“Alexa, it is obvious they want to move in the direction you do. This is a good thing, but it is not a direction I want to go. They want you to take them there, and you will. You are going to be queen and have four children at home. You need to get used to it. Now we can talk about this more tomorrow. I must retire now. It is late, and I need my rest.”

The queen and the prince both stood and approached their daughter. The queen cupped Alexa’s face in her hand and gazed upon her intently. “Sometimes I wonder if your namesake was as much of a challenge to her parents as you are to me. My mother always said so. Queen Alexa apparently had her own mind about a lot of things, but she loved her parents, and her parents loved her. I know we have had our disagreements, Alexa, but I want you to remember that you are my child, and I will always love you. I may not always agree with you, and I may even be disappointed by some of your actions, but I will never stop loving you. I do not like what we have become to each other. We are not supposed to be adversaries. We are supposed to be mother and daughter, but even more, you are thirty-seven, and you are going to make decisions regardless of how I feel. I suppose it is time I accept this. I do not wish my last years with you to continue in the manner they have for some time now. I want us to be friends.”

“I would like that,” Alexa conceded.

The queen nodded her head. “Good. From this moment forward, I would like to never speak about this election again.”

“I agree, but what of Lauren?”

“You know how I feel about Lauren’s place in your life. It is different than how you feel. I can at least appreciate your devotion to her at all cost. It is a fine quality to have toward your loved ones.”

“I think if you tried to get to know her, you would see how special she is, the way I do.”

“I think I have no choice but to do that very thing. Married or not, she is the woman you have chosen. She is the mother to the heirs to the throne.”

“Would you change the law so that we may marry?” the princess asked.

“I would have to think about that request. Are you sure she wants to marry you?”

“Of course. We love each other. Why would she not?”

“Because a life with you is a life in the public eye. It is a life full of obligations. Alexa, she would be your queen. Do you think she wants that life? Do you believe she could wear the crown with grace and dignity? You must both think of your actions carefully. A marriage of this kind is a life of servitude. Now I really must rest. This day has been taxing enough as it is, and I must sleep before further discussing Lauren’s place in your life.” Alexa conceded with a nod. Her mother hugged her. “I love you, Alexa.”

“I love you, too, Mother.”

“Go home to the woman you love. We will discuss everything more tomorrow.”

Going back to Lauren’s, Alexa found the house quiet when she entered. She knew her girls would be asleep, but she ducked her head into each of their rooms just to gaze upon them. That night their fate had also been sealed. Just as Alexa was to remain the crowned princess and first in line to the throne, by default her daughters had their rightful places reaffirmed by the country as well. It would be her line that would continue to rule, and she had enough heirs to carry on the Washington dynasty for generations to come.

Going into the master bedroom, Alexa found the lights off except for a small one in the bathroom, giving her just enough light to navigate around the furniture. Going toward the two cribs, Alexa peeked at her youngest. Both were sleeping soundly, so she continued into the bathroom to change her clothes. Minutes later she returned to the bedroom, clicking off the light as she went. She slid under the covers on her side of the bed and rolled over to where her lover was lying with her eyes closed. The princess kissed the red head gently eliciting a deep sigh from Lauren. Feeling the tension coming from her lover, Alexa whispered, “Do not worry, darling. I love you. Everything will be fine.”

“I love you too, Lex,” she replied. However, she couldn’t help her thoughts. Now that the people had reaffirmed Alexa as the heir apparent, she had no idea what was to become of them. Alexa was to be queen and her daughters the princesses of their heritage. The four girls would grow up exactly as Lauren didn’t want. Furthermore, Alexa had been reconfirmed as the future leader of the nation, guaranteeing that the marriage of which she had dreamed would never come to pass. It made her feel alone like she had never felt before.

Over the course of the next several months, life was hectic. Alexa was always on business with the palace, traveling away from home a great deal, and Lauren felt more and more like a captive in her own home. The press was constantly outside the walls, just waiting to catch a glimpse of one of the princesses or her in their daily lives. She couldn’t go anywhere without a security escort, and cameras were always around, even when she just ran errands. Photographs of her began to appear all over the news as the people’s interest in her began to grow stronger. She was no longer Lauren Fulton, a woman of independent character. She had become the Princess’s Consort in the media, and everything she and Alexa did was forever linked back to each other. Her disdain for her loss of freedom consumed her, and even though she knew it wasn’t Alexa’s fault, she couldn’t help but hold her partially responsible for the circus her life had become.

On one particular evening when Alexa was to return home after an extended trip, she requested that Lauren come to the palace for dinner and leave the girls with their nanny. As much as the older woman didn’t like going to the palace, she acquiesced to her lover’s wishes. At the appointed time, a car came for her and took her on the short drive. Matthew was there to greet her when she arrived.

“Lauren, how are you this evening?” he asked with a smile as he extended his arm to her.

She took it and allowed herself to be led inside. “I am all right. How are you, Matthew?”

“Tired but well. Alexa’s schedule has been keeping me busy. Now that the queen has made her Regent, both of us are just swamped. She has missed you terribly, though. Not a day goes by that she does not speak on how she misses you and the children.”

“I have missed her, too. I never expected life would be like this,” she lamented.

Matthew nodded. “I understand. She says the same. I hope both of you find the right balance soon. I know she craves it as much as you do.” Coming to a stop in front of a door to a room that Lauren had never visited, Matthew opened it for her. “Lex is just through there. She is expecting you.”

Lauren smiled at the man who had become a friend to her through their acquaintance. “Thank you, Matthew.” He smiled and nodded before waiting for her to enter through the passageway to close the door once again. As soon as Lauren took a few steps, she noticed soft lights lighting a pathway at her feet. She couldn’t quite tell where she was yet, but it smelled like a garden. Walking the dimly lit path around a corner, her eyes adjusted as a candle-lit table came into view, and she realized she was standing in an indoor atrium. Alexa was standing at attention next to the table in her military uniform minus the cover, which was sitting on a near by bench.

“Good evening, darling,” the brunette greeted with a smile for her lover as she picked a rose from the vase in the center of the table. Stepping to the redhead, she presented it to her. “You are such a beautiful sight. I have missed you tremendously.”

“I have missed you too, Lex,” Lauren replied, taking the rose presented to her. The two embraced and then kissed deeply.

When they broke, Alexa gestured to the table. “I have taken the liberty of having dinner prepared already. Please. Let me escort you to your seat.” The princess walked her over to her chair and then pulled it out for her. Then she moved to the chair across the small table and took her own place.

“To what do I owe this occasion?” Lauren inquired as she looked down at the elegant meal before her. Even though she could easily eat that way at home if she wanted, Lauren didn’t like the extravagance spent on meals for her and the girls, and Alexa had never argued with her about it, leaving them with simple dinners for the six of them.

“Can I not just want to see and spend time with you?” Alexa asked with a smile as she took her champagne flute off the table. “A toast to you, my wonderful woman.”

Over the meal the two of them spoke of what had taken place in the week that Alexa had been away from her family. Lauren droned on about how the press was scrutinizing her every move and was being an annoyance to her life. Alexa just merely listened and offered her sympathies for her lover’s unhappiness at the situation. The topic then moved on to the royal business to which Alexa had been attending. Lauren listed to her lover talk and thought about the fact that someday their daughters would be called upon to the same duty.

Once the meal was complete, the couple moved to the nearby bench to continue their conversation. Long into the evening they talked. However, when it was starting to get late, the former librarian mentioned, “We should get home.”

Alexa nodded in agreement. “In just a minute. There was actually something else I wanted to discuss with you.”

“What is that?” the older woman asked curiously.

The brunette smiled at the woman she loved as she reached for her face. She caressed Lauren’s cheek and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You know that I love you with everything that I am, Lauren. You are by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know that life has not gone the way either of us might have predicted, but I still hold fast to our dream of one day being married. I promised you that, and I want to keep that vow. Even though my path has now been set, I still wish for you to be the one who walks with me through this journey. You are the mother of my children, and I love you. I will love you for the rest of my life.” Alexa slipped down onto one knee in front of her lover. “Lauren, will you marry me?” she proposed, digging a ring box out of her pants. She took out the ring and slipped it on her lover’s left hand.

Lauren looked at the ring a moment and then at the woman who had given it to her. She reached out and fondly stroked Alexa’s face. “Alexa, I love you more than anything else in this world. You have given me great happiness through the years with your love and our children, and I know that I will love you for the rest of my life, but I cannot accept. I am not meant to walk this path with you. I am not meant to be your queen. I do not relish the idea that someday our daughters must follow in your footsteps, and I cannot be with you this way. You are meant to be queen. You were born to lead this country. I was not, and I cannot accept that duty to sit beside you and rule. I need my freedom, and so much of that has already been taken from me since the election. If I were to marry you, I would cease to have any independence left. I know I always said I wanted us to be married, and I did, but in another place in life. You have to understand, Lex. Even though I cannot marry you, it does not change the way I feel for you. I love you deeply, and I want to continue our relationship. I want to still raise our children together and be together as much as time will allow, but I just cannot marry you.”

Alexa dropped their gaze as she took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. She had feared this, especially when her mother had cast doubts upon the idea of them being married. It was something she desperately wanted, though. Her heart felt like it was breaking. She wouldn’t know a marriage with Lauren after all, but this time it was of the redhead’s own design. Nothing truly stood between them that couldn’t be altered except Lauren’s will. It hurt Alexa deeply, but she knew she had to respect her lover’s wishes.

Nodding her head slowly, Alexa couldn’t quite meet Lauren’s blue eyes. “Very well. I understand. It was foolish of me to think of a marriage to me as anything but a way to divest you of your freedom. You have already suffered enough for my fate. I will not put you through more. I still love you, Lauren. That will not change. We will carry on as we always have, and now that I have your feelings on this matter, I will not renew this impractical notion again.”

Lauren knew it was hurting her lover, but it was for the best. Reaching under Alexa’s chin, she raised her head. “Thank you for understanding.”

The princess nodded and then rose to her feet. “Come on. We need to get home to the girls,” she said. Lauren stood as well. She slipped off the ring and held it out to Alexa. “Keep it. It matches your other one,” she mentioned, handing over the box.

The following morning when Alexa returned to the palace, Matthew informed her that her mother wished to see her. Heading down to her mother’s office, she greeted her quietly. The queen smiled at her daughter. “Lex, how was your trip?”

Alexa sighed as she took a seat. “It was exhausting but good.”

The queen leaned forward in her chair and took off her reading glasses. Putting a hand on her daughter’s knee as she asked, “And how are you?”

“Tired.”

Queen Faith said nothing at first but then said, “Perhaps if you lived at home in the palace, you would be more rested. Traveling back and forth all the time to Lauren’s place only makes you more tired.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “That is not possible.”

“Certainly it is. It would be better for you, and it would be easier for security, because they would not have to be at Lauren’s all the time.”

“Yes, they still would because of the girls.”

“Not if they move with you.”

“Are you suggesting that I move Lauren and the girls into the palace?”

“Having the princesses and you living away from the palace is completely unorthodox. They would be safer here.”

“I am not sure Lauren would want to do that.”

“Even if it was in your best interest?” she questioned.

“Would you really want them here? Four young children and a woman you do not even approve of living here?” she asked.

The queen sighed. “I am simply suggesting for your sake that you bring them here to live. She should consider making this compromise for you, because it is what you need.”

“I am not sure she is going to like the idea, because she will probably feel more like a prisoner at the palace than she already does.”

“Is that how she really feels? Has she expressed that sentiment?”

Alexa nodded. “Last night I asked her to marry me even though it is against the law, Mother. She said no again.”

“And that was her reason?”

Alexa nodded. “That was the rationale. I have never thought of a marriage to me as such a thing.”

“Perhaps there is another solution to the living situation then. She can occupy one of the other buildings on the grounds. Surely there is one that would be suitable to her. The more time you spend here the better, and you know that. It would be easier to walk across the grounds than to drive to her place in the evenings. The children would be inside the palace walls and would be safer.”

“That is a point, but I should discuss this with Lauren. I do not think the conversation will go well, but it would be easier for me.”

The queen squeezed her daughter’s knee gently. “Alexa, relationships take compromise. Even though you two are not married, you will have to make this work. You must make it work now that you have put yourself in this position.”

“I fully intend to make this work,” she griped. “I just was not expecting to be rejected.”

Queen Faith shook her head. “I do not see why you expected any other reaction, quite frankly.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Lauren does not strike me as the type of woman that would want the life that you have. You should have considered that before you decided to go down this path.”

“This path was not of my own choosing, if you remember.”

Her mother shook her head. “No, Alexa, this path has always been of your own choosing. You have always wanted to do things the opposite of the traditions of this family for years. That is what has made your life so complicated. You must live the life of your destiny. You need to move yourself and your children onto the palace grounds for them to be raised as the princesses they are.”

Alexa didn’t say anything for a moment. Finally she rose from her chair and said, “I have to get to work. I have a Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting. George is giving a report on the military’s state of affairs. Will we see you for lunch?”

“It would be wonderful to have lunch with my children.”

“I will see you then.”

For the rest of the day, Alexa thought about the conversation with her mother. Even though she did not want to admit it, she knew her mother was correct about the living situation. She, Lauren, and the children should be residing within the palace walls for safety and convenience. As much as she knew Lauren would not like the idea, she decided she would ask her lover to make the concession.

Upon her arrival back at Lauren’s house, she found her daughters already sleep and her lover sitting on the sofa watching the news. Lauren yawned and patted a seat next to her on the couch. “You are late tonight.”

Alexa nodded. “There was a lot of work upon my return at the palace. It is quite tiring to travel so much and then commute between here and the palace when I am in town.”

“You are always tired.”

“I know. I was actually thinking of ways to rectify that situation.” She paused. “I want you and the children to move into the palace with me,” she requested.

“Absolutely not, Lex. That is a horrible idea. They would be miserable, not to mention me.”

“Lauren, I know what I am asking of you. I have my reasons but this is something I truly need you to do for me. You just said yourself that I was always tired. This would help me a great deal, because you would be closer to where I should be at all times.”

“But then we will be at the palace even when you are not there. How could we possibly reside at the same residence as your mother? She does not even approve of me.”

“Then we can reside in one of the other buildings. I already know exactly which one would be perfect. You will have everything you need there. We can have an entire staff to care for our needs.”

“But I do not want that. I do not need a staff other than our nanny and the housekeeper.”

Alexa responded, “Yes, but if we did this you would be able to go back to work at the library if you wanted. You have wanted to go back to work for some time. You will be able to do that. The girls will be well cared for in our absence. They will be safe. They can have freedom inside the grounds and play outside any time they want. You know that is not possible here. Media is around this house at all hours.”

“I really do wish they had more freedom at home without the press around.”

“They can. The grounds are extensive enough that media will never be able to spot them, and there is a no-fly zone over the palace. They can have some breathing room. They can be children.”

“And we can live in another building from your mother?”

“Absolutely.”

“Could we not have all the staff? I would prefer to keep things as they are here. I think it is important that the girls have as much normalcy as possible.”

“Fine. We do not have to have any additional staff. It would make my life much easier to simply commute across the grounds than to here while I am in town, but when I am gone, you will be able to carry on as normally as possible.”

“I hate this idea, Lex. I truly do.”

“I know, but this is something I need to do, Lauren. It would be helpful to me to have you closer to the palace.”

“Do I really have a choice in this matter?”

“I would not force you to do this, but I need you to do it just the same. Please, Lauren. It would be helpful if we all live at the palace.”

The redhead shook her head. “I cannot believe we are having this discussion. I detest the palace. I loathe being there.”

“I know.”

With a sigh Lauren admitted, “But I know you are right. In fact, I knew this time would come. I just was not sure exactly when. I always knew there would be a time when you would need to live there, and I do not want to deny our children the chance to live under the same roof with both their mothers. I just hate this.”

“I love you, Lauren. I know this is a sacrifice.”

“And I love you, Lex. I hate this, but I do love you.”

A month later, life at the palace was not easy for Lauren. Even though they were not in the main palace, she felt immersed into royal life. Everywhere she went on the grounds, the staff treated her as if she were a princess. Everyone was at her beck and call, but instead of enjoying the opportunity to have things only the royal family could have, she felt stifled. The only peace she felt was at work at the library, but even then she knew it was only a mirage. Security flanked her inconspicuously in public at all times, but she always knew of their presence. Alexa, on the other hand, was constantly working but had the consolation of walking to her home on the grounds after leaving the office in the evening to be with her children. Anastasia and Victoria, however, loved their new surroundings. Every day after school and tutoring, they played on the grounds together with their nanny, and occasionally Alexa and Matthew would sneak outside with them.

On one evening while Alexa was away on business, the queen requested Lauren’s presence. Knowing she didn’t have much of a choice, she asked Prince Thomas if he would like to spend time with his granddaughters, which he happily accepted. After she had given them dinner and their baths, Lauren put the twins down for the night. A knock on the door alerted her to Thomas’s arrival. He smiled at her when she opened the door and moved to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Good evening, Lauren. How are you?”

“Well, your highness. How are you?”

He shook his head and smiled. “I feel under the circumstances, Lauren, that it might be best if you ceased calling me anything other than Thomas. You may not be my daughter-in-law, but you are much too close for me to be called anything else.”

She nodded. “Certainly, Thomas. I understand,” she quietly said.

“I appreciate you allowing me to spend time with my granddaughters. I am pleased that you all are living here now and love having them around more. It is such a pleasure to look out my office window and seeing them playing in the fountain in the garden.”

She smiled. “I did not realize you had a view of the garden. That is their favorite area of the grounds. Maybe sometime you could visit with them during the day.”

“I would love the opportunity to do that. They seem happy here, Lauren.”

She nodded. “That is true. They do seem happy here. I never thought that would happen.” There was a pause in conversation. “Do you know why the queen wishes to see me this evening?”

He shook his head. “I do not know exactly. She has not enlightened me with such information. Rest assured, Lauren, Lex has made it clear that she will not tolerate any mistreatment of you by anyone at this palace, her majesty included. My wife wishes to continue to try to mend the wounds she and Alexa have inflicted upon each other before her life comes to a close. I do not believe she would attempt to invoke a disagreement between the two of you for that reason.”

“All right. Well, I suppose I cannot delay the inevitable. I will return as soon as I can.”

“Please take as much time as you need. The girls will be fine.”

Walking through the garden up toward the palace, Lauren pondered what the queen possibly would want to say. They had not had much communication with each other since she and the girls took residence on the palace grounds. In fact, the only time in which they ever saw each other was when the queen requested to see her granddaughters, which was not often. Heading into the palace, she walked through the large corridor that led to the queen’s quarters. She was instructed to meet Queen Faith in her private parlor, which was unusual, but given the time of day, Lauren simply assumed the queen had retired from work for the day.

When she arrived, she gave a knock and then awaited her summons. When Queen Faith beckoned her into the room, she slowly opened the door, but what greeted her gaze took her by surprise. Queen Faith sat on a settee in the most informal attire Lauren had ever seen on her. The queen was wearing what appeared to be sleeping attire and a robe. She had her reading glasses hanging from a chain around her neck and papers beside her on the sofa. For the first time Lauren looked upon her ruler and realized that Queen Faith really was an old woman who looked truly tired.

Coming into the room and closing the door, Lauren gave a bow as she said, “Your majesty, you requested to see me.”

“Yes, Lauren. Thank you for coming this evening. Please have a seat,” she said gesturing to the chair next to her. Lauren took the offered chair. “Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” When the queen reached for the silver pot to pour it, Lauren leaned forward. “I did not mean that I wished you to pour, your majesty. I can do it.”

Queen Faith brushed Lauren’s hands away as she said, “I am more than capable of pouring tea, my child. It would not be the first time I have ever done so.” After the queen had poured, she offered the cup and saucer to her guest.

“Thank you, your majesty.”

Both women sat in silence for a moment as they partook of their tea. Finally, though, the queen said, “You are probably at a loss as to why I asked to speak with you.”

“You are quite right. I am.”

Queen Faith took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. Lauren watched as she did so. The queen appeared to be struggling, but Lauren didn’t say as much. Instead she simply waited. “I know you and I have had our differences, Lauren. I feel my daughter’s life has not progressed in the manner it should have, largely due to your influence. I have tried desperately to keep Alexa on the path that was designed for her since her birth, but she has refused time and again to accept my guidance. Her life has been much more chaotic than it needed to be had she just followed her path. However, I am happy to see that she finally took one thing seriously and had you all moved into the palace. It is what is best for her and the children.”

“She does seem more rested when she is here,” Lauren conceded.

“I want to thank you for making that concession for her. She felt strongly that you would be against it.”

“I must admit that I was. However, I knew it was best for her, even if it was not so for me.”

The queen nodded. Shifting the conversation slightly, she said, “I know my time here has almost come to and end, and Lex will soon become queen. Every queen that has ruled this country has made notable history, and she will be no exception. My mother Queen Alexa was the first queen our country had and held the shortest reign because of the ultimate sacrifice she made for my mother Queen Lara and me. I, on the other hand, have had the longest reign, officially ruling this great land since I was a few days old, and soon it will be Alexa’s turn. She has already made unorthodox history with her children by mixing the line of this house with those of the people. Even though I felt strongly against it, the people of this country have accepted those girls as the true heirs of the house of Washington, so in the twilight of my life I have made up my mind to put my disapproval behind us and not to speak of it again. I wanted you to know as much.”

“Thank you, your majesty. I appreciate that we can put that subject to rest.”

“There is another matter of importance, however, that needs discussion. When Lex becomes queen, she will be the first unmarried monarch in history. Granted, that would have been more of an issue had she not had heirs, but I still see it as a concern. A great weight of responsibility will be placed upon her, much more so than there is even now, and in the past the heir has always had someone to sit beside them to assist them with these responsibilities. I do not wish to see Lex struggle through this alone. I would like to see her married.” Lauren said nothing as the queen paused. She couldn’t believe Queen Faith had broached the subject of marriage, and even more, she wasn’t sure where it was headed. “As you are well aware, Lauren, under current law, the only suitable spouse would be from one of the noble houses. My mother Lara was a Hancock, my husband a Jefferson, and Alexa’s former wife Meredith was from the house of Adams. There is only one other noble house from which Alexa could pick, Lee, but there are no good choices for her among any of them. Meredith was the only respectable choice, and she is no longer an option. Moreover, Alexa has made it quite clear she only has interest in marrying one person and that is you.”

“I am aware of that, your majesty.”

“Lauren, Alexa has followed her heart at every turn when it has come to you, even asking you twice for your hand in marriage. There was legitimate reason the first time you refused. However, the second time there was not, so I am left to wonder why you did so.”

“The fact that it is illegal and that you would not approve gives my answer legitimacy, your majesty,” she replied.

The queen shook her head. “You know as well as I do that you simply could have waited until she was queen and overturned the law to wed, but instead you outright answered that you would not do so. Alexa’s heart beats for you and those girls, and she has been willing to turn her back on her true calling to be with you. She loves you completely, Lauren. I truly believe it would be a great gift for her to be married to you. Even though it goes against everything in our county’s history and even my personal feelings on the matter, I would like to see her happiness come to fruition.”

“I thought your mind was settled.”

“I confess that it is only my inevitable mortality that has made me change my mind. Alexa needs someone to be with her when I am gone, and her love for you knows no boundaries. The Congress asked me if I would change the law, so the two of you could marry, because it seems the people would like to see Alexa gain her true love. They have created a bill for that exact purpose, and I have it sitting on my desk in my office, waiting to sign into law. If you tell me now that you will marry her, I will change the law permitting you to do so.”

Lauren sat quietly for a moment before saying, “As much as I appreciate your acceptance regarding such a union, I feel I must decline it, your majesty.”

Queen Faith nodded slowly. “I thought that might be your decision, but I would like to know why. Why is it that you love my daughter enough to have her children but will not marry her?”

“I love Lex, your majesty, and it is only because of that love we have four beautiful children.”

“But why will you not marry her?”

Lauren shrugged. “When Alexa and I first met, I dreamed of us being together. I wished that I could marry my beautiful Navy fighter pilot, but you made me remember that she was much more than that. She was the crowned princess and with that came certain responsibilities.”

“Are you saying you do not love her completely just as she is?”

“Your majesty, my love for Alexa is profound. When we are alone together at the end of the day, sitting on the sofa talking after our daughters have been put to bed, she is the woman I love.”

“That is only a small fraction of who she is, Lauren.”

“I know.”

“Can you not love the woman who is to be queen?”

“I respect and admire the woman who is to be queen. She has grown into an influential leader, and I am proud to see her flourish. I can love Alexa as my queen, but I do not need to be married to my sovereign and taking on all the responsibilities of such a commitment.”

“You do not love Lex fully if you cannot accept who she is. She is the princess and in a short time she will be queen. That is who she is. I thought the two of you were living in a fantasy when you first met. You fell in love with a fighter pilot, which is something Lex never truly was. You two deceived yourselves into believing this mirage. Even after the girls were born, the two of you persisted in this dream, which has finally been shattered. Now reality has set in, and both of you are unhappy. I wish I could help my daughter find true happiness. Are there any circumstances in which you would marry her?”

“I would marry my Navy pilot, and I would even marry the Navy Admiral, but I would not want to marry the queen and allow my life to become what Alexa’s already is. I have forfeited my life enough as it is.”

“So you are prepared to forfeit the rest simply because the woman you love has not grown into the woman you wished her to be? Married or not, you will be treated as a member of this family by the public. You are Alexa’s beloved, and therefore you will be beloved by the people. Your life and whatever hopes you had for it are gone in light of what you have given to Alexa. You bore the future queen’s children, and that makes you revered by society. The sooner you accept that, the happier you will be. Whether you wished for this or not, you will be by Alexa’s side for the rest of your life, and you will always be known as her companion. You may as well finish what you two began all those years ago. Alexa desires a marriage to you. Furthermore, you will never have the life you seek by virtue of what you have done. Therefore, why do you not try to make the most of what you do have? You can have Lex in her entirety if you just accept your role within this family.”

There was a lull in conversation. Lauren had not expected such a candid talk with the queen. Moreover, she was unhappy with the perception the queen had of the situation between Alexa and her. The truth was that she did love Alexa; she just had difficulty accepting what she was. Changing the subject slightly, Lauren inquired, “Are you going to sign the bill allowing Alexa to marry anyone she chooses?”

“The bill is for the entire royal family. If I sign it, anyone who comes after me will be free to choose anyone from anywhere in the entire world for a spouse. There will be no restriction, only that they be of their own volition. I love my daughter, Lauren, and want her to be happy. I know that she and I have not always agreed on what that meant, but I have always tried to put her best interest first. I do not want to see her get hurt anymore than she already has. I would like to protect her from the pain that would surely follow from signing such a bill into law only to have you reject her offer of marriage for a third time. I would not want her to realize that the woman she loves with her entire being cannot love her in return in the same manner. I would rather not sign it and have her believe that I went to the end of my life holding to my belief. My conviction does not believe this is right, but I would do it as a last act for her happiness. However, I will not sign that bill only to have her know greater pain at its expense. I ask you, Lauren, not as your queen, but as the mother of the woman you love, to please consider what I have said here this evening.”

Knowing she didn’t have much of an option, Lauren nodded. “I will, your majesty,” she said, leaning forward to place her cup on the table. However, a frail hand came to rest on hers.

“Faith,” she corrected. “After all, whether or not I like it, you are the mother of my grandchildren and a member of this family.”

“Thank you, Faith,” she softly said, clearly uncomfortable addressing the queen by her first name.

Continued in Chapter 15

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