by Alex Tryst

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

Copyright © June, 2009 by Alex Tryst. All Rights Reserved.

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Six months passed with Anastasia being on tour. Not a day went by without the royal family missing one of their own, but the queen received daily updates about the troops assuring her that her eldest daughter was doing as well as expected under the circumstances. However, the tensions in the area were escalating, and the queen did worry about Anastasia being involved in an altercation. She just hoped it would not happen, not only for her daughter’s sake but also for the sake of all the men and women she had sent oversees to assure America’s interests.

One night though Alexa was roused from sleep by the insistently ringing phone. Sitting up in bed, she was disoriented by the sound. “Make it stop, Lex,” Lauren grumbled.

Picking up the phone, the queen whispered sleepily, “Hello.”

“Your majesty, I am terribly sorry to wake you at this hour. We have an emergency,” the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff formally said.

“What is it?” she inquired, knowing whatever it was had to be serious if she was being awakened in the middle of the night.

“Some of our ships in the Persian Gulf have been attacked by Iran, and they were able to sink one. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are headed to the palace at this very moment for an emergency meeting.”

“Very well. I will meet you in the Blue Room,” she said, already rising from bed. Her first thought immediately turned to Anastasia, but she didn’t ask about her just then. Instead she hung up the phone and rushed to the bathroom to dress. She didn’t even bother trying to find the most appropriate thing to wear. Instead she just pulled on whatever was closest, which were a pair of sweatpants she wore to workout and a Navy sweatshirt.

By the time she had returned to the bedroom, Lauren was awake. “What is going on?”

“Iran attacked us in the Persian Gulf,” she said quickly.

“Oh no. Was Stasia hurt?” she asked frantically.

“I have no idea. I am headed to the Blue Room for a briefing. You are welcome to join me.”

Lauren had never joined her wife in any military meetings, and as much as she wanted to then, she knew she would not be helpful and in fact could be a hindrance. “I do not wish to be in the way.”

“Well, I will let you know as soon as I find anything out about Stasia,” she promised.

“Please do. I will not sleep until then.”

Coming to the redhead, Alexa kissed her on the forehead. “I am sure she is safe,” she tried to assure. Not even waiting for a response, she rushed from the room.

She was the first to arrive in the Blue Room and paced anxiously as the senior members of the military filtered into the room in various states of dress minutes later. No one had managed to put on their uniform given the hour, all of them opting for outfits similar to the queen’s.

“What is going on?” she inquired nervously, forgoing all ceremony. “Are our personnel safe? What kind of damage did Iran inflict upon us?”

“I just received word that it was one of our destroyers that sunk,” the Chairman said.

Anastasia calmed a little, knowing her daughter was on an aircraft carrier. “What are our causalities?”

“Apparently most of the personnel abandoned ship before it went down. They had to be rescued from the water by other ships in close proximity, namely the USS Hancock.” That was Anastasia’s ship. “The Hancock came under enemy fire as well and sustained losses to some of our aircraft but was able to fend off the attack.”

“I do not care about weapons or equipment right now. I want to know what our injuries and casualties are, and I want to know now,” she growled.

“We do not know yet. The ships are assessing personnel now and will be calling me as soon as they coordinate their numbers. The estimate thus far is about 100 injuries and casualties combined, but it is jus an estimate, your majesty. As I said, most of the crew managed to escape into the water. There was gunfire into the water by Iran, so there could have been casualties there as well.” He paused for a moment before adding, “I have specifically inquired about the status of Princess Anastasia.”

The queen ignored the comment, even though she felt anxiety for her daughter’s safety. “How did the strike happen?”

“It was an air attack. They used long-range missiles from the ground and had unmanned aircrafts drop bombs and gunfire on the targets. We severely underestimated their air strength.”

“I would say so, and now I have dead sailors!” she yelled.

“With all due respect, your majesty, this is war,” he stated.

She glared at him. “My daughter is out there!” she screamed. “Everyone of those people is someone’s child! This is not a justifiable cost of war! Their deaths are on me as the Commander-in-Chief! And they are on all of you!” she ranted pointing her finger around the room. “We must protect our soldiers above all else! A miscalculation such as this is unacceptable!”

The room fell silent for several moments as she continued pace in anger, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff just watched her. Suddenly the phone on the side table began to ring. Immediately the Chairman answered it. No one spoke as he listened to the caller on the other end. “Are you absolutely certain?” he inquired toward the end of the brief conversation. “Very well. Thank you.”

“Well?” Alexa asked.

“Fifty confirmed dead from what they pulled out of the water so far. Another forty or so injured that were in the water or on the Hancock.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Princess Anastasia…”

“Yes?” the queen inquired, sensing his hesitation.

“She has been gravely injured. She is on an immediate transport to the Air Force base hospital in Iraq with several other sailors.”

“How was she hurt?”

“It is not exactly certain yet. The officer of the watch on the Hancock said she had gone onto the deck to help with the rescue effort of those in the water. According to the ship’s doctor, she was bleeding profusely and was unconscious upon transport. He reported her injuries as machinegun fire to her legs and shrapnel to her torso.”

“Someone call Lauren and get her in here,” she whispered, dropping into a chair and covering her face with one hand. “And someone call Madeline Sumner. I need a phone number for a Layla Stone,” she added.

It was mere moments before the redheaded queen arrived. She was still dressed in her pajamas with a robe when she rushed into the room. Coming to where Alexa was slouched in the chair, she dropped to her knees in front of her. “What is it, Lex? Is it Anastasia?”

The queen nodded. “Our daughter has been hurt badly. She is on her way to the base hospital in Iraq.”

“We must go to her, Lex. There is not a moment to lose.”

The queen nodded. Looking at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, she inquired, “Can we safely get to Iraq right now?”

The Chairman nodded. “You would be perfectly safe to fly through Europe and over the Mediterranean. You should be able to be at the base in Iraq within twenty-four hours.”

“We must go. Our daughter needs us,” Lauren said.

Alexa nodded. “We will. Wake up the girls and let them know what is going on. I have a call into Madeline Sumner to contact Layla. She would want to know about Anastasia.”

Lauren nodded. Kissing her wife on the cheek, she rushed from the room quickly. The queen looked at her senior military officers. “Must I declare war on Iran?” she asked seriously. “Putting the issue of my daughter aside, how do we respond?”

“We can defeat them, but the question is at what cost. What do we do once we defeat the regime?”

“We worked well enough with the old one. Would it be possible to reinstall them?”

“Many of the old regime’s senior officers were killed in the coup, but there are probably enough left to sustain a temporary government.”

“We have to have a plan. We cannot just annihilate them and leave them to their own devices. Think quickly,” she said as the phone once again began to ring. This time it was Madeline Sumner.

“Your majesty, you wished to speak with me,” she said with a yawn.

“Yes, Madeline. I need to contact Layla Stone. Anastasia has been hurt in an air raid on her ship.”

“Oh no. Is Anastasia going to be all right?”

“We have no idea, but I know she would want Layla to know what was going on. Could you call her please and then put me through?”

“With all due respect, your majesty, perhaps it would be better if I called her. She is used to hearing from me. She may overact if you call. It is not everyday the queen calls you on the phone.”

“You are correct. I do not wish to inflame the situation. All right. Please call her now and then call me back here to let me know how it went. Lauren and I are going to Iraq to be with Anastasia.”

“Yes, your majesty. I will call you back shortly.”

Down in Tennessee the phone awakened Layla and her roommate. “Who in the world would be calling at this hour?” the blonde grumbled, picking up her cell phone from her nightstand. She was completely confused when she saw a number to the palace, because she had not received one from there since Anastasia had gone on her tour. “Hello,” she whispered cautiously.

“Hello, Layla. This is Madeline Sumner. I am sorry to be disturbing you at such an hour. Her Majesty Queen Alexa asked me to call you on her behalf.”

“Why? Is something the matter?” immediately she asked, sitting up in her bed and clicking on the light. She had no idea what the queen would want from her.

“I am sorry, Layla. I regret to inform you that Anastasia’s ship came under attack a few hours ago. This princess has been critically injured. Her majesty wanted me to relay this news to you on her behalf, as she knows that you and Anastasia are in a relationship.”

“Oh, God!” she exclaimed in panic. “Will she be all right? What happened? Where was she injured?” She saw her roommate sit up at the rise of her voice and look at her with concern.

“I do not know anything. The queen did not give me any details except that Anastasia was being transported to one of our military hospitals on one of our bases and that she and Queen Lauren will be leaving immediately to see her.”

“I have to see her! Please, Maddy, get me to her,” she begged.

“If you would like, I can make a request of the queen.”

“Please! I must see her! She means everything to me! She has to let me see her! I can’t lose her, Maddy,” she hysterically said.

“I am so sorry, Layla. I do understand, but I will have to ask her majesty. Will you be available to speak again in a little bit?”

“Of course. I won’t be able to sleep now until I know for myself that she is all right,” she whispered as she started to cry. Without a word Hannah came to her bed and slid onto it. She put her arms around her best friend in silent support.

“Very well. Let me see if I can find out more. I will call you back as soon as I am able.”

“What’s happened?” Hannah softly asked when Layla ended the call.

“Stasia was critically injured. She doesn’t know anymore than that, but Queen Alexa asked her to call me. God, this must be serious if they called me,” she cried.

Hannah nodded and pulled her friend closer. “I’m sorry, Layla. I wish there was something I could do. She’s in God’s hands now. You have to believe that even though it’s hard. We just have to pray for her.”

The blonde cried as she curled into her best friend for further support. She was terrified for her girlfriend, and the not knowing was excruciating. “Pray with me,” she whispered.

“Of course,” Hannah softly replied, taking her friend’s hand.

When Madeline rang the queen back on the number she had requested, the queen and her staff were in a heated debate over what to do. “Madeline, talk to Lauren. I cannot speak now,” Alexa said, handing the phone off to her wife, who had come back into the room just a moment prior.

“Madeline, it is Lauren.”

“Your highness, I spoke to Layla. She is terribly concerned about Anastasia. She would like to see her as soon as possible. She is practically beside herself with worry.”

“Of course she would and understandably so, but I am unable to authorize that. Alexa would have to allow her to come onto the base, and I am sure there are many security measures. Alexa is really not in the position to be weighing that request. We will have to get back to Layla. Call her back and let her know that we will let her know as soon as possible.”

“Yes, your highness. Is there any other information I can pass on to her? She wants to know how she was injured.”

“They do not know exactly yet. All we know is that she was came under fire on the ship with other personnel and sustained injuries to her legs and torso. The doctor believes it to be machinegun fire and shrapnel, but that has not been confirmed. Assure her that as soon as we know things we will pass them on to her.”

“Yes, your highness.”

“And please stay on call. It is only a matter of time before this reaches the media, and we will need all staff to respond to inquiries.”

“Yes, of course, your highness.”

Across the room, the queen was still pacing and rubbing her temples as she spoke to her officers. “All right. I guess I am left with no other choice but to declare war on Iran. I will do so immediately. Are our Air Force and Navy in a position to continue bombing?”

“Absolutely. They fought off the attack and can continue to send missiles and bombs deeper into Iran if that is what you wish.”

“Specific regime targets only, though. Limit civilian casualties at every possible turn. The people are not our enemy, just the government. Get our ground troops ready but do not deploy them yet. Let us see if we can take care of this with our Navy and Air Force first.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

Looking at her wife, she inquired, “What did Madeline say?”

“Layla wants to see Anastasia immediately.”

“I thought that might be the case. I cannot allow her into Iraq or onto the base right now. It is too dangerous, as we are at war, and she is only a civilian. Once we know Anastasia is stable and our forces are secure, then I will consider it. Are our daughters going to Iraq with us?”

Lauren shook her head. “They are safer here. They have their own obligations. Besides you are right. It is best to know that Anastasia is stable and our troops are secure before allowing more heirs to the throne anywhere near the combat zone.”

“Agreed. Get someone to pack some belongings for us. We will be leaving within the hour. I have an press conference to give.” Turning to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, she said, “Everyone come with me.”

Lauren watched the military staff leave before rushing off to find palace staff to fulfill the queen’s request. Then she called Madeline again to relay that Layla’s request had been denied for the time being, as she knew it would only be fair to the blonde to let her know as soon as possible. Alexa in the meantime marched down to the pressroom with her staff closely behind. There were only a handful of reporters given the time of night, as there always were in case pressing news broke during off-hours. All of them looked surprised and stood up for her when Alexa marched into the room and up to the podium without so much as an introduction.

“Is the feed running?” she inquired seriously.

“Yes, your majesty.”

Without any pretense she began to speak without any notes. “My fellow Americans, it is approximately 3:30 in the morning Eastern Standard Time. The Joint Chiefs of Staff has just informed me that Iran has attacked our peacekeeping ships in the Persian Gulf. This attack of terror was unprovoked by our people. One of our ships was sunk and a rescue effort to save the lives of its crew was undertaken immediately. While there were causalities and injuries, the exact numbers are unknown at this time. As the sovereign of America, I am faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to respond to such a provocation. After consultation with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it has become apparent that a military response is a necessary course of action. Therefore, I am officially declaring war with Iran and striking back with a military response to end the regime that caused harm and destruction to our people. Our country has not been engaged in a war in generations, and this is not a matter I take lightly. I can assure you that all alternatives have been weighed but ultimately discarded in lieu of this course. It is my goal to ensure the safety of all our citizens regardless of where they are in the world, and I will make certain that once again our people are safe. May God bless our country and keep watch out over our troops. Good night.”

When the announcement had been made and they had left the pressroom, she turned to her staff. “I will be going to Iraq immediately and will be on the base within twenty-four hours. Let us try to finish this by the time I arrive.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

Layla and Hannah were still sitting on the bed when Layla’s cell phone began to ring again. She knew it was Madeline just by the number. “Maddy, what did she say?”

“Hello, Layla. I spoke to her highness on your behalf, because her majesty was otherwise engaged at present. Her majesty has denied your request for now. She has officially declared war with Iran, and as a civilian she will not allow you to go to a military base located in the middle of a war zone. Her highness wanted me to assure you that she and her majesty will be going, so Anastasia will not be alone.”

“We’re at war with Iran? When did this happen?”

“Her majesty just declared it a few minutes ago via the media.”

“So that means Stasia is in the Middle East somewhere?”

“I cannot disclose the location of any military personnel, even the princess. I am sorry, Layla. Queen Alexa does not wish for you to be endangered in anyway. Her other daughters are staying behind as well. I promise you I will keep you informed of any developments at every available opportunity. I must implore you not to speak to anyone on this subject yet. The queen did not say anything about Anastasia’s condition in her declaration a few minutes ago. Eventually the details will come to light, but for now she does not want the public to get even more concerned. With Anastasia being first in line to the throne, there are potential ramifications for this country when this news breaks, and her majesty will deem when it is appropriate to tell the people.”

“Of course. I understand.”

“You have my number, so please call me anytime you need. I will update you as soon as I know anything further. I am truly sorry for what you must be feeling at the moment, but you must have patience while her majesty takes steps to defend our country. With the Washingtons country must always come first even before family. You must understand this.”

“I do. It doesn’t make it any easier, but I do,” she conceded.

“Very well. I will be heading to the palace shortly to get an earlier start than usual on my day, so please feel free to call me if you need to.”

“Thank you, Maddy. I appreciate that.”

When the call ended, Hannah asked, “What did she have to say?”

“The queen just declared war on Iran. Turn on the TV, will you?”

Together the two of them watched the news. Seeing the queen’s announcement, Hannah inquired, “I take it she was in the Persian Gulf?”

“They wouldn’t tell me exactly where she was, but it makes sense. They told me I couldn’t say anything to anyone about Anastasia. No one knows yet, and they don’t want that to be leaked to the media. We just have to keep it to ourselves for now.”

Hannah nodded and curved her arms around her friend again. “Everything is going to be okay,” she softly assured.

“I hope so.”

The hours it took to get to the base in Iraq were filled with quiet tension between Alexa and Lauren. Neither spoke about their daughter even though it was all either was truly thinking about as they rode on one of the royal jets to the base. Alexa’s heart was heavy with the knowledge that she had allowed one of her beloved children to go into a potential war zone. In hindsight it seemed foolhardy to acquiesce to her daughter’s fierce will. Had she even truly thought this would have happened, she never would have let her leave the country. She knew if anything happened to Anastasia, she would bear the burden of guilt for as long as she lived.

For Lauren her thoughts ran to the conversation she and her wife had with Anastasia on the subject of her deployment. When the queen had needed her support in restricting their daughter from going, she had sided with her child, which had swayed the queen in her final decision. She wondered if she had not done so if Anastasia would be in the position in which she found herself. She knew Alexa well enough to know she felt total responsibility for what had happened, and it pained her to think her wife suffered the weight of that alone in silence.

When the plane finally arrived to the base, both women were exhausted from not sleeping, but they forwent the offer to rest in order to see their daughter immediately. As they walked through the base toward the hospital no one spoke to them, but every officer stood at attention and saluted Alexa as she passed. Lauren saw her wife returning every acknowledgement with a salute of her own over and over but without the conviction she normally had for such ceremony. Nevertheless, the queen remained stoic and an outward pillar of exceptional strength, which she knew was required in such a perilous time for the country. As terrified as Alexa was for her daughter, she knew to show such emotion would only cause panic, so she kept it all inside until they got to the hospital.

While Alexa knew she would have to eventually stop in every room to see every soldier that was there, she bypassed the opportunity for the moment as they went to Anastasia’s. When they arrived there was a doctor outside in the hallway waiting for them. He saluted the queen and waited until she did the same before speaking. “Your majesty, your highness, before you go in, I must warn you. She does not look good right now but has vastly improved since she arrived.”

“What happened to her?” Lauren quietly asked.

“She was hit by machine gunfire pretty badly in the legs and shrapnel was lodged in her torso, most likely by some explosion somewhere else on the deck. She was unconscious upon arrival here, and we rushed her into surgery. We have done everything we can in order to save her legs. Under normal circumstances someone could end up losing them with those kinds of injuries, but if she can fight off infection, we will not have to operate further. However, that is unknown at this point. There was so much damage that I don’t know whether or not she will ever be able to walk again. Only time will tell. I am deeply sorry,” he whispered as Lauren began to cry and clutch to Alexa.

Alexa took a deep breath to try to maintain her own composure. “Anything else we should know before we go in?”

“We were able to remove to all the fragmentation from her torso. Several of her organs sustained damage, but she will survive this. I have no reason to believe she won’t make it. She is strong, a real fighter, and she is a hero to the other personnel who were transported with her. Many of them can tell you stories of her bravery and fearlessness in the heat of battle, and some even credit her with saving their lives.”

“Thank you,” the queen whispered. “We would like to be left alone with her now.”

“Certainly, your majesty. Just let me know if you require anything. She is heavily sedated right now. It’s better that she sleep through as much of the pain as possible.”

When the two queens entered the room, they closed the door softly behind them and then slowly made their way over to the bed together. Anastasia lay perfectly still on her back with her eyes closed. Her chest took measured breaths underneath the bed linens that covered her as if she were simply sleeping. There were no obvious signs that she had been injured, but both women knew better.

Lauren took the edge of the bed linens and folded them back to the foot of the bed to see her daughter better. Underneath the covers they found the princess dressed in a hospital gown that came down to her knees. They could see bandages wrapping both of their daughter’s legs that extended up well beyond the hem of the gown, so Lauren pulled it up to Anastasia’s chest in order for them to survey everything. Even though the princess was completely bare underneath, one would scarcely be able to tell with all the bandages that covered her pale skin.

“Oh dear God,” Lauren whispered, dropping down onto her knees and putting her head down on her daughter’s chest. Tears began to run in streams down her face and onto Anastasia.

Alexa didn’t quite know what was worse, seeing her daughter in such dire shape or seeing her wife losing her poise. Kneeling next to Lauren, she placed a hand on top of her wife’s reddish-silver hair while her other took hold of Anastasia’s hand. She also finally allowed herself to cry now that they were in privacy.

“This is my fault,” the queen said softly after several minutes. “I never should have let her come.”

“No, this is mine. I never should have sided with her about this. I helped her talk you into this. I should not have done that.”

Alexa shook her head. “No, my love. The choice was mine and so must be the responsibility.”

“She wanted to come, but did she ever really think of the possibility of ending up here?” Lauren rhetorically asked. “What if she never walks again?”

“She will walk, darling.”

“What if she does not? What if she loses her legs? You heard the doctor. There is a very real possibility that she will.”

“Regardless of what happens, when all of this fades away, she is still the crowned princess, the heir to the throne. She is still our daughter, and she will get the best care the world can provide her. Her life will not end without legs upon which to stand. She gave all of herself for our country, and the people will respect that.”

“What about Layla? What if she cannot accept this fate for Anastasia?”

Alexa shook her head. “I have no idea. Stasia loves her, but this will be a real test for their relationship. Even if she is able to keep her legs, the scars on her body will change her, and she will have scars on her soul for witnessing such brutality. She will be a different woman having been in war no matter what happens now. We all may have difficulties adjusting to the new her that awakens. We just do not know.”

The couple stayed by the bed, each touching their daughter and each other for a long time before a knock on the door interrupted them. The lead doctor poked his head into the room. “Excuse me for the interruption, your majesty, your highness. I just wanted to check on Lieutenant Washington. Also, there is a seaman wishing to see the Lieutenant.” Both women took a moment to collect themselves while the doctor checked on Anastasia. “May I send the sailor in?” he asked.

Alexa nodded. “Of course. Allow him in.”

A moment later a dark-haired young man greeted the two queens. He gave a salute to them and waited for one in return from Alexa before he said, “Forgive me if I am intruding upon your time your majesty and your highness. I’m Seaman David Mitchell, and I’m most anxious to know how Princess Anastasia is doing.”

“Come in, Mr. Mitchell,” Alexa beckoned.

He did as instructed and moved toward the foot of the bed. No one spoke for several minutes. With a sigh he finally turned toward them again. “Tomorrow I’m to go home to Kansas. I was part of the crew on the USS Texas that sank. I was able to abandon the ship into the water but came under gunfire while waiting to be rescued and was shot in the shoulder.”

“I deeply appreciate your sacrifice,” Alexa said.

“While I was in the water I saw members of the Hancock on their deck desperately trying to rescue us. There was a great flurry of commotion, bombs, and gunfire the entire time, but the crew didn’t stop. One of them pulled me from the water. Meanwhile the gunfire hit various parts of the deck, and the next thing I knew that same sailor threw their body on top of mine, shielding me from further injury. You couldn’t imagine my shock when I finally looked up and saw it was the princess covering me. As soon the gunfire subsided enough, I began to help her pull others from the water. I saw her when she first got hit with machine gun fire, but she refused help getting off the deck. She wanted to keep going with the rescue mission, so I stayed with her. Even though she couldn’t move her legs, I was amazed at her strength as she was still able to get people out of the water and to safety. She was out there until she fell unconscious, even though people were trying to get her inside. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to carry her myself, because she deserved that much for her heroic efforts, but I finally at least managed to drag her by uniform into the hull. She was determined to stay out there until every last person was rescued from the water, and I’ve never seen someone so fiercely focused in such chaos.” He paused for a moment. “She saved so many lives, your majesty, including mine. I’m honored to have served next to her. She has my utmost respect, and I’m sure that goes for the entire Navy.”

Lauren began crying as she came to hug him. Alexa followed suit with a hug of her own but managed to withhold the tears. “Thank you, Mr. Mitchell.”

“In the event that she doesn’t wake by the time I leave tomorrow evening, will you extend my sincerest admiration and gratitude to her for me?”

“Of course we will,” Lauren answered. “But we hope that she is awake soon. We know she would like to see you.”

“And I’d really like to see her to thank her personally, but I’m also anxious to get home to my family.”

“That certainly is understandable.”

“I’m not the only one with this story, your majesty. She saved the lives of several of us here at the hospital and countless others who never had to come because of her courage.”

“Thank you for telling us. We are greatly appreciative of what you and the others have done in defending our country.”

He looked at Anastasia again. “May I take her hand for a moment and say a prayer over her?” Alexa acquiesced with a nod, so he went to Anastasia’s bedside and knelt down on one knee next to her. Taking her hand, he bowed his head and closed his eyes. The queens said nothing but watched him closely as he began to speak. “Father, thank you for sending a guardian angel to protect me when I needed one the most. I am forever grateful for Princess Anastasia’s presence, but now is the time when she needs you. I humbly ask you to watch out over her. Bring her and her family peace and strength and patience as she begins the long journey of recuperation, and if it is your will, please allow her to fully recover. She has done so much for so many people, saved the lives of so many sailors unselfishly. I ask that such kindness be returned to her tenfold. I pray for those of my comrades who did not survive and the ones with worse injuries than mine. Please watch over them and their families during this trying time. I pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.” Reaching to his neck, he unclasped a cross necklace that had been hidden under his t-shirt and placed it in her hand before standing.

The queen just did her best to barely maintain her composure even though Lauren was freely weeping. “Thank you,” Alexa whispered. She didn’t trust her voice well at the moment. He gave a nod at them and then looked at the princess once more before leaving the room. When they were by themselves again, Alexa cleared her throat. “Now that we have seen Stasia I need to get back to work. We have a war going on, and I need to find out what is happening. Are you going to stay here?”

Lauren nodded. “I am not going anywhere until Stasia opens her eyes, but I know you must. You run the free world and have to ensure that it remains that way. Do not worry. I will watch over her until you return.”

“Have someone fetch me if something happens. I will try to return as soon as I am able.”

By the following day the war with Iran was over, America having removed the rogue regime from power and reinstalling the former one which was friendlier to their politics. It was a great relief to Alexa for the ordeal to be over, even though it meant their troops would have to remain in the area much longer than anticipated to ensure the peace. She was just pleased that it would be under the diplomatic peacekeeping to which the country was accustomed. It also meant she could concentrate more on her daughter.

True to her word, Lauren had not left Anastasia’s side since they had gotten there. Her meals were brought to her, and she occasionally napped in the chair next to the bed, but for the most part, she was intent with just watching the sleeping princess. Anastasia continued to be stable and even had managed to open her eyes at one point just long enough to see her parents by her bedside. Her first thought, however, was to ask when she could see her girlfriend. Alexa, for her part, decided to fulfill her promise to Layla, especially since Anastasia seemed so intent on seeing her as well and allow the blonde to come to the base with Anastasia’s siblings.

By the time Layla and the other princesses had arrived via the military plane and escort the day after, Anastasia’s strength was beginning to return, and her eyes remained open more than not. The princess was thrilled to see her sisters and received their hugs with gladness. However, her eyes were on the blonde who stood silently out of the way letting the royal family have their moment. Alexa sensed Layla’s nervousness at the sight of her girlfriend but knew there wasn’t much anyone could do except let the two women have some time together, so once all the princesses had a few minutes, she made the suggestion.

“I think you girls should get settled in your quarters, and your mother and I are in desperate need of some sleep. Let us leave Layla and Anastasia to themselves for a while. Layla, we will have an escort posted outside the door in case you need to come back to the quarters.”

“Thank you,” she softly said, looking at the queen. She watched as the royal family left the room and closed the door. Silence prevailed for a few moments.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Anastasia finally greeted gently.

The blonde looked back at her girlfriend laying on her back in the bed. She had been briefed about Anastasia’s injuries, but as she couldn’t see them just then because of the blanket that covered her, she still felt anxious. “Hi,” she answered.

“Come here. Come sit next to me.” Layla did as requested and rounded the bed, but as she was about to sit in the chair, Anastasia said, “No. Up here on the bed.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Please. I need to touch you right now. Come lay next to me.”

After another moment of hesitation, the blonde put the side railing down on the bed and then gently eased herself onto it, trying her best not to jar it too much. She lay down on her side, and Anastasia slowly curved an arm around her back to hold her. “What doesn’t hurt?” she asked.

“Nothing hurts from my chest up.”

Tenderly Layla placed her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder and hand on her chest. She could feel the heartbeat underneath her palm and the way it skipped a little at first touch. Suddenly it became clearer just how horribly Anastasia had been injured, and she began to cry.

“Oh no. Do not cry, sweetheart. It will all be fine. I promise.”

Layla couldn’t stop though. It was suddenly too much to bear. The woman she loved had been on the verge of death, and while she had survived, the extent of the injuries she had endured was still unknown. The physicality of the woman she loved might not ever be the same, and while it was not what drew her to the princess in full, she did wonder how she might feel about the possibility of drastically changed girlfriend. “I’m sorry, Stasia. I love you so much, and I almost lost you.”

“You did not lose me. I am here now, and I will continue to be here for the rest of your life. My place is by your side,” she whispered.

The endearing comment only made the younger woman weep harder. “I don’t think I would be able to go on without you.”

“You will not have to. I am yours now and forever.”

“And I’m yours,” she whispered.

Anastasia paused for a moment as her heart began to accelerate under the blonde’s soft touch. “I want to marry you, Layla,” she whispered after a moment.

“What?” she questioned, propping up, so she could look into the princess’s eyes.

The redhead smiled. “I want to marry you,” she repeated. “Everyday that I was gone I thought of you and longed to be with you. Everyday I looked at your picture and thought of the life you and I could have together. I could see it all, our marriage, our children, our love life,” she whispered with a wicked grin, which made her girlfriend blush and chuckle. “I would listen to your voice as you sang those melodious songs that you gave me, and I would dream of you. I want you to be my wife and my queen when the time comes.”

Layla couldn’t even comprehend what had just been said for a moment. “You’re serious?” she finally asked.

Anastasia nodded. “Unfortunately this is not a very romantic spot in which to make a proposal, and I believe you deserve to be asked in such a way, so I am going to withhold my official proposal until such time as I can get down on bended knee with a ring and ask you properly. Nevertheless, I wanted to tell you now that I am going to ask you. You should not take it lightly either. It would be a life of service, but I already know your heart is inclined to be of service to others.” There was silence for a moment before she continued, “You know, you were the first one I thought of when I awoke here, and you are the only one I believe loves me for who I am. I could not imagine my life without you now.”

“I do love you for who you are,” she replied, leaning in to give her girlfriend a gentle kiss on the lips.

The princess pulled away quickly as she mentioned jokingly, “I do not think my breath could be the most pleasant of things at the moment.”

“I have much larger concerns than your breath,” the blonde said, looking down the body that lay under blankets.

“There is something else important I wanted to tell you.”

“It could not be as important as what you just said,” she said, settling herself once again.

“Actually, I think you might think it is.”

“Then what is it?”

There was silence for a moment before Anastasia quietly said, “While I was away, I read the Bible you gave me everyday, and I read the part about Jesus sacrificing himself for the world by allowing himself to be crucified, so we could all have everlasting life. It moved me greatly. The day when the USS Texas sank, and we were under fire, that story inspired me. I know I could have died, but I was willing to be a sacrifice if it meant I could save other people’s lives.”

“There could be no greater sacrifice,” Layla said quietly.

“Layla, when I was out there on the deck, I called out to him for help, and he answered me. I saw the face of God in the middle of a war, and he protected me and saved my life. He told me everything would be fine. I believe in him, Layla. I believe that Christ was my savior that day, that he is everyday,” she admitted.

“Oh, Stasia, that’s so wonderful. I’m so happy that you found him. I always hoped you would.”

“You led me to him, so I have you to thank.”

“Have you told anyone else about this?”

“I wanted you to know first. You are truly the most amazing woman I have ever known, Layla, and I thank you for leading me on this journey. I could not imagine a life without him or without you.”

“You’re pretty amazing yourself,” she replied. “We will get through this together. I promise.”

A few minutes passed in silence before the princess said, “I am getting sleepy. Will you sing to me as I fall asleep?”

“Of course.”

About an hour later Layla was just watching her girlfriend sleep and stroking her red hair when there was a knock on the door before the three princesses entered the room. Immediately Layla tried to move from the bed, but Victoria waved her back. “Do not move on our account. Stay. I am sure she would want you to.” The three of them came to the bedside and took seats next to their sister’s bed. “Mother thought it would be a good idea for us to make the rounds and visit with the injured to help boost morale, so we had to make our first stop that of our favorite sailor.”

“You really love her, do you not?” Camille asked.

Layla nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

“She loves you, too. She said she was abstaining from sex for you, so that has to mean something,” Camille added with a smile, causing all of them to laugh lightly.

“Is that all you Washington girls ever think about?” Layla teased, causing more laughter. “What would your mothers say?”

“What our mothers do not know will not hurt them,” Victoria replied with a smile of her own.

The blonde looked down at the sleeping Anastasia and sighed. “I just hope I’m worth it,” she softly answered.

“She thinks you are worth it, and that is all that matters,” Victoria commented.

That evening when it was time for everyone to retire for the night Layla asked if she could continue to stay in Anastasia’s room. Alexa was amiable to the request and had a second bed and her bags brought in, so they could spend more time together. Layla was exhausted by the emotional toll of the day and the trip and fell to sleep immediately after changing and brushing her teeth.

Through the night medical staff came to check on the princess, which awoke her every time they opened the door, but she was just glad for the chance to be with Anastasia as much as she could before she had to return to school. The queen had only allowed her to come long enough to see Anastasia but in return the trip had to be for only twenty-four hours due to logistical and security measures. She was to return with the princesses while the queens stayed behind to tend to their daughter.

In the morning she got up early and waited until the doctors had come to check on Anastasia to get out of bed. She knew she had a good half an hour before the next check-in, so she decided to use her time wisely and take a shower. Going into the bathroom, she decided to leave the door open in case Anastasia awoke and needed anything. Unceremoniously she stripped off her clothes and got into the shower.

The princess came to at the sound of water. At first she thought it was rain but then realized it probably wasn’t the case given where she was. Confused she opened her eyes sleepily to find the source of the sound. Her eyes focused on the light coming from the bathroom. Given the hour of the morning and the lack of natural light in the room, the fluorescent light shone brightly. As her eyes began to adjust, she realized Layla was in the shower, and she could see her through the clear curtain. Her heart began to race wildly as she saw her girlfriend naked for the first time.

Layla’s body was completely wet as she stood there with her eyes closed shampooing her long blonde hair. She gave a yawn and a stretch of her back as she continued to wash it, causing the breasts Anastasia fantasized about to become even more pronounced. Their fair tips were rigid from the stimulus of the water. Anastasia felt her breathing start to labor as thoughts ran wild through her mind, but she did her best to remain quiet as to not tip Layla off to her voyeurism. Her eyes traveled further south to what she wanted to see the most. Water clung to matted blonde curls. The princess moaned despite her best efforts, which caused Layla to look briefly into the room, so Anastasia quickly closed her eyes for a moment like she was sleeping until she felt it was safe to open them again. When the blonde was finished scrubbing her hair, she turned around to duck her head under the water. The redhead’s eyes gazed over the bare wet back and then all the way down and back up again. She thought she was going to faint from the lack of oxygen to her brain as everything in her started to race in a decidedly southern direction. She could feel the blood pulsing in her veins as her heart went into overdrive. Suddenly a sharp pain began to rise in her torso from her erratic breathing. As much as she didn’t want to, she closed her eyes to try to calm herself, and it was how Layla found her several minutes later.

When the blonde walked out of the bathroom as she dried herself, she saw the princess in bed with eyes closed but breathing heavily. At first she thought she might be having a nightmare with the painful facial expressions she was making and contemplated waking her, but decided it was probably best if she dressed first. Putting the towel down on the end of her bed, she leaned over to pick clothes out of her bag.

“Oh God,” Anastasia groaned when she opened her eyes and saw the blonde bent over her bag naked.

Immediately Layla’s whipped up. “I thought you were asleep,” she said, grabbing her towel and covering herself.

“I am dreaming, am I not?” the princess tried to tease even though the pain still radiated through her and was evident in her voice.

Hearing the joke even through the pain, the blonde smiled. “Afraid not.”

“I suppose you are right. If I were dreaming, you would be naked… and on top of me,” she joked, choking back the pain.

“Are you all right? Do you need the doctor?”

She shook her head. “Just get dressed in the bathroom with the door closed,” she requested.

Feeling shunned, Layla said nothing further and turned to go back to the bathroom with her bag. She was confused by the reaction she had just received. Anastasia’s joking made it seem as if she approved of Layla’s body, but her directive made it sound like she didn’t like what she had just seen, which made Layla self-conscious. She had never given any serious thought to the fact that maybe Anastasia didn’t think she was attractive enough. After all the princess often told her she was beautiful, but that was before she had been completely naked in front of her. She was confused by the mixed signals. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she pulled on some clothes. She didn’t know how she was going to go back out there to find out the truth, but she knew she had to, so she did her best to swallow the insecurity and head back into the room. However, she noticed that Anastasia still looked uncomfortable.

Crossing to her she put her hand down on her chest. “My God. Your heart is racing. I’ve never felt it go that fast. You need a doctor.”

“No,” she said, but she was ignored as Layla pressed the call button.

Doctors rushed into the room within seconds. “What’s the matter?” they asked.

“Her heartbeat is out of control. She’s having a hard time breathing. She’s sweating, and she’s in obvious pain,” Layla reported stoically.

The doctors rushed toward the bed, but Anastasia, said, “Stop. I am fine.”

“Your highness, we need to check you.”

“You do not need to check me. I know exactly what is wrong with me.”

“Then tell us or else we will have to examine you.”

Anastasia closed her eyes as she tried to swallow the pain along her side. “I think I may have ripped a suture or two on my side.”

“How did you manage that?” the lead doctor asked as he immediately pulled back the covers to Anastasia’s waist and pushing up the hospital gown just enough to investigate.

Layla stood to the side and watched as the princess’s torso came into view. She had not seen any injuries until that moment, even though she knew they were there, and she felt herself starting to get sick at the sight of all the bandages, some with blood seeping through them on her side, covering Anastasia’s midsection. She was totally unprepared for the sight of her girlfriend’s condition.

The doctors took off the bandages where there was blood to see that the princess had in fact ripped open a few stitches. “How did you do this?” they asked again.

The princess paused in answering at first. “I do not wish to make the lady uncomfortable,” she replied finally.

“Just tell them what’s wrong,” Layla ordered. She didn’t like the idea that she was part of the reason, even though she had no idea how that was even possible.

“Very well. I awoke to see this woman showering and my breathing began to accelerate quickly and erratically, which caused me to rip my stitches,” she said, not daring to look at the doctors, but meeting blue eyes, she added, “I am deeply sorry for causing you any embarrassment. I know it was wrong for me to be a voyeur without your knowledge or consent, and I know you may never forgive me for the indiscretion, but you have to believe me when I say how sorry I am for putting you in that position.”

Layla could feel her face flushing badly as she heard the princess’s confession. Suddenly her thoughts of Anastasia not approving of her body were wiped away to be replaced with the knowledge of just how much she really did want her. The thought of it overwhelmed her. “I think I might need some air,” she said, not even waiting for a response before leaving the room.

Immediately a man who was standing next to the door asked, “Her majesty said you were not to leave without an escort. Where would you like for me to take you?”

“I need to go outside,” she replied.

Without further words the pair left the hospital. When they were outside, Layla leaned up against the wall of the building and tried to breathe. There were so many emotions rushing through her in that moment that she could barely process them. The obvious sexual desires of the princess caused her own heart to flutter wildly, but it was overshadowed by the nausea of seeing Anastasia’s injuries. Previously she could pretend they were less serious, but now that she had seen the horrific bleeding scars that covered the heir’s side, and now that she truly understood the weight of the situation, the tears came once again, heavily flowed over her cheeks as she squatted down with her hands covering her face.

She was out there for several minutes by herself before a soft voice called, “Layla, are you all right?”

She looked up to see the queens. Shaking her head she whispered, “Stasia.”

“Did something happen?” Lauren quickly asked.

“She ripped some stitches.”

Lauren didn’t say anything else as she rushed into the hospital, leaving Layla and Alexa alone together. “This is difficult,” the queen whispered.

The blonde woman nodded as she tried to wipe the wetness from her face, but more just replaced it. “I’m not sure I can do this. It hurts so much to see her like this,” she bawled.

In sympathy Alexa came and slipped her arms around the girl. Bringing her into a tight embrace, she stroked blonde hair. “It will be all right. I know how much this hurts, because you love her so much, but she will recover.”

“What if… what if she’s not the same person?” she cried.

“She will never be the same person, Layla. You cannot go through what she has gone through and remain unchanged. She has seen and experienced absolute horror. She has seen people be killed in front of her, and she was almost killed herself. That has to change you. You would be inhuman if it did not.”

“I know she’s changed on the inside. I’ve already seen some of that. What if it’s the outside that remains drastically changed?” she questioned. “What if she does lose one or both of her legs? What if she can’t accept her new body? What if I can’t? I love her so much, but I can’t even think about how that might affect us.”

“I think you are getting ahead of yourself. So far she is recovering well, and there has been no reason to think she will not make a full recovery eventually.”

“She may never walk again, or if she does it may not be normally. I don’t see how she will ever be able to accept that.”

The queen shook her head. “Layla, Anastasia is an extremely strong person. Whether or not she has legs, she will be walking. She would not stop trying until she does. Now I think it is best if you just try to take this one step at a time. Do not over think this. It serves no purpose except to upset you. This is an extraordinarily stressful time for you both, and neither of you should be making decisions about anything right now, least of all your relationship. I know you love her, and I know she loves you. You need that to carry you through right now. Time will make it obvious what is in store for the two of you. She will have a long road ahead, and she will not be walking out of here when she does finally come home. That much has become clear. She will be confined to a wheelchair, but we will be getting her the best care in the world. She will walk again. I know my daughter well enough to assure you of that. I just do not know how long it will take.” Leaning down the queen planted a soft kiss on top of her head and squeezed her tighter.

Layla held to the queen tightly. She wanted so much to believe like Anastasia’s mother. She started to cry again, but Alexa simply held her and consoled her in such a matriarchal fashion that Layla felt completely safe to lower her guard and let her emotions pour out. They remained that way for a long time with Alexa just quietly soothing her with gentle caresses to her hair and back. Finally when the tears were under control, Layla looked up at the woman who held her and suddenly realized that the arms around her were more than just the mother of the woman she loved but the sovereign of her country.

“I’m sorry, your majesty. I didn’t mean to get your shirt wet.”

Alexa just gave a tender smile as she reached to the blonde’s face and softly wiped the tears away with her hand. “I think we ought to dispense with formalities. After all when I let a woman cry on my shoulder, it is because I care about her. You are already like a daughter to me, so perhaps we should be addressing each other in a more friendly way. I think you should call me Alexa.”

“I don’t dare,” she responded.

Putting a hand under the blonde’s chin, Alexa smiled at her. “I consider you a friend, Layla, and something tells me you might even be more some time in the future. My friends call me Alexa or Lex, and that is what I want you to call me. Now come on. Let me hear you say it, so I know you will.”

“Alexa,” the blonde slowly said.

“There. That was not so hard, was it?” She shook her head. “Come on. Are you ready to go back in?” She curved a strong arm around Layla’s back in support.

“Yes. Before we go though I was wondering if perhaps I could stay here a little longer with Anastasia?”

The queen shook her head. “I cannot let you do that. First of all, this is a military base in the middle of Iraq, and it is not safe for civilians. Secondly, you are a very pretty girl, and I would not feel comfortable with leaving you here alone without some protection. The military is full of honorable people, but these men and women have gone a long time without seeing someone like you, and I would not wish to exacerbate the issue with having you here. I would not want any of them to compromise their integrity because their baser instincts overtook them. Thirdly, you can help Anastasia the most by going home and keeping up the charade between you. You do not want to be hounded by media right now while you are trying to deal with this emotionally. Focusing on school should be your priority. I promise that when Anastasia comes back to the palace, you can come see her as much as you would like. I will send the plane for you every weekend if that is what you need, but you simply cannot remain here.”

“Do you know when she can come home?”

“It will be awhile. We think it is best that she remain here until her sutures heal at the very least. I assure you that as soon as she is home you can come see her at the palace. We think it is best that she stay with us, because her house is not appropriately set up for someone in a wheelchair, and the palace is. King George IV was in a wheelchair towards the end of his life, so the palace can accommodate her needs much easier until she no longer needs the chair.”

Knowing she was not going to change the queen’s mind, Layla let the subject drop as the two walked back inside with their arms around each other. When they returned to Anastasia’s room, the princess was asleep, having been medicated to help reduce her pain. For the rest of the day until it was time to leave, Layla remained with her girlfriend while the queens paid visits to other hospital inhabitants.

Continued in Chapter 8

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