Page 119 of Scandal Queen

The King sat behind a desk in his library. In four weeks, he’d aged beyond measure. The weight of his grief for his youngest child had all but stolen the life from him. He’d clung on though during her state funeral, even eventually making it out to thank the many thousands of mourners who gathered in London that weekend.

“Your dad looks old,” I whispered to Ollie, who nodded but held his attention on the television. “He needs a holiday.” Ollie’s lips flickered and I tried to retune myself to the mammoth events going on around me. Oliver wasn’t the only one having an out of body experience.

I watched the screen as Henry reached up and held onto Margi’s hand. Their fingers squeezed until he let go and picked up the piece of paper on the desk. Behind them on the wall was the portrait Oliver had commissioned from the newspaper cutting we’d found on the steps the day after Bella died.

I bit on my lip and tried to focus.

“It’s with both a mixture of honour and regret that today I formally abdicate my title of King of England to my eldest son Prince Oliver.” As he said the words, the grey from his skin seemed to recede. My imagination possibly, but I hoped for it all the same.

“This morning I gave royal assent to a parliamentary bill that sees me formally relinquish all claim to the throne. The bill, as such, passed by our Houses of Commons and Lords, allows for a biological child of the future King Oliver to succeed the throne in his place.”

Oliver squeezed my hand. But he didn’t need to. This was one hundred percent what I wanted.

“From this moment and with the passing of this act, I now declare him King Oliver the First of England.”

I couldn’t get my tongue to move. I wanted to say something, maybe something profound, but all I had came out as. “Bleughdeblughblugh.”

Oliver snorted but then refocused on the television. The King, sorry the former king, sat in the next room to ours with his wife. I bet if I had a glass and pressed it against the wall, I’d be able to hear his words for myself as they were broadcast to the nation.

“I love my country and I always sought to serve it well, but I have realised I am not a man for modern times. My actions in recent months have been hurtful to my family. The loss of my daughter to a drug overdose, so eloquently and feverishly mourned by the people of this country, opened my eyes to the fact I have failed; not only as a king, but also as a father. I wish to spend my remaining years focusing on my job as a father, the thing that means the most to me, while allowing the stewardship of this wonderful and accepting nation to fall into the hands of a better man. King Oliver will rule this country with the compassion and love that it deserves, and I shall watch with immense pride as he brings the people and its monarchy together in ways that will truly prosper us all.

“It’s with love and a heart that is ready to heal that I officially wish you a farewell as your King.”

Sweet fuck. I wiped at my face and Daisy slipped onto my lap, hugging me tight.

We all sat still, none of us moving until the door opened and in walked Henry and Margi. Henry walked with a straight back and bright eyes to his son and then knelt at his feet. “Your humble servant, My Majesty.”

Oliver leant forward and kissed his dad on the forehead.

And that was it.

My fiancée had upscaled from Prince to King.

On a motion from Oliver’s hand, all the curtains in the room were opened and the Union Jack which had been at half-mast since Isabella Beaufort passed away was lifted above the castle roof.

The room bathed in light. It seemed strange because we’d had the curtains open in the cottage, but the palace where we’d been most days since the King had called Oliver into the library and told him he no longer wanted to be king, had been shrouded in darkness.

Now it felt like a new day dawning.

The loss of Bella still echoed everywhere. Even I, who’d only known her a short while, missed the burst of energy she’d brought to the palace. Now we knew the energy hadn’t all been her own.

Three members of staff—all Bella’s age—had been sacked, and police charges made.

With the reign of the new King came a wave of new staff; new measures… new chances.

Marcus Cartwright had just lived through his last act with the royal family, and with the end of his beloved King’s reign, so would his job.

“So what happens now, Daddy?” Daisy asked and Oliver chuckled, reaching for her and pulling her into his arms.

She’d return to school on Monday, security detail in place.

The only thing that wouldn’t return to normal was Oliver and me. He was King. And I…

Oliver turned, a glimmer in his eye. “Freya, do you have my statement ready?”

I looked at him, my mouth wide open. “You can’t make a statement now; your dad has just dropped the clanger of the century.”

Henry, who rarely smiled these days curled his lips. “Oh, Leia.” He shook his head and went off to the window. He still spent a long time sitting there staring, like he expected Bella to walk back through, to see her trip up the drive after a night out or a shopping expedition.