Chapter 13 — Miles

Paris.

I’ve been to Paris a hundred times before on business, but I’ve never truly taken in the beauty of the city until now. It’s surprising what you miss when you’re too focused on being on your best behavior. My past trips to France were always to follow Father around, sitting in on his diplomatic meetings and trade agreements. Boring stuff, really, but I’m reminded time and time again about how important such things are. But this time?

This time, I’m traveling purely for pleasure.

Seeing Lisabet’s face light up when she peers out of the private jet’s window to discover the Eiffel Tower in the distance fills me with joy. Like watching a child on Christmas, or surprising a loved one with an adorable puppy. Her happiness and excitement are contagious, practically lifting me out of my seat to see her so ecstatic.

“I’ve always wanted to come here,” she says quickly, pressing her face against the window to get a better view. “I want to see everything. The Louvre, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge! Oh, and I want to eat as many French pastries as possible. And maybe climb the Eiffel. Oh, and then one of those cute boat rides on the Seine and…”

She continues to list of a million other things she wants to do. I listen to every word, making a mental checklist. Whatever she wants, I hope to deliver.

Within reason, of course.

“I’ll take you wherever you want to go,” I say, “but we’re unfortunately only going to be here for two days. We’ll be against the clock.”

“Ah, shoot. You’re right, sorry. I got ahead of myself there.”

“No need to apologize, Lisabet. I think it’s cute how enthusiastic you are. Maybe pick your top three?”

As we begin our descent into Roissy Charles de Gaule, Lisabet nibbles on her bottom lip, appearing deep in thought.

“The Eiffel for sure. The Louvre. And…” She trails off.

“What?”

“And maybe the kissing bridge?”

Ah, shit. Why is she so cute?

“You’re wish is my command,” I tell her.

*

Before we can do any sightseeing, we have to go straight to the hotel by private car. It’s the Ritz, because Lisabet deserves nothing less. And there’s also the fact that my name holds a lot of weight with them, so we always get a good deal on last-minute stays.

David’s already waiting for us in the lobby, dressed inconspicuously in a pair of blue jeans and a gray sweater.

“How was your flight?” he asks, immediately moving in to take our suitcases. “I’ve already checked you into your usual suite.”

Lisabet looks at me with an arched brow. “Your usual suite? You come here that often?”

I want to reach for her hand, but I stop myself, remembering that we’re still out in public. There are a number of people in the lobby, employees and tourists alike. Call it paranoia or my years of experience pointing them out, but I can immediately pinpoint all of the cameras within a five-foot radius. I’ve got a ball cap and large sunglasses on for safety, but I’m not concerned about my picture being taken.

I’m more concerned about Lisabet’s privacy than I am of mine.

“Come on,” I tell her. “You’re in for a treat.”

“More of a treat? I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Right this way,” David says, ushering us along.

It feels like the palace away from the palace, but the main difference is that I don’t have to worry about Father or one of his nosy attendants keeping tabs on me. I’m free to do what I want here, finally able to indulge.

The luxurious white walls reflect the golden glow of the sun through the tall, but narrow windows, covered over with silky white curtains. The royal canopy bed is made up with the finest cream linens, the wooden floors are polished within an inch of their life, and period works of art hang from gilded frames on the walls. The en-suite bathroom boasts a jacuzzi bathtub with golden faucets, and the double sink layout on the white marble counters even have faucets in the shape of golden swans. The whole place is incredibly elegant in its simplicity, and yet overflowing with signs of wealth and extravagance.

Lisabet’s jaw drops open as she takes in her surroundings.

“Cat got your tongue?” I ask.

“This place…This is amazing, Miles.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

David clears his throat as he drops off our suitcases by the door. “Your Royal Highness, Miss Thompson. You’ve had a long flight. Shall I have room service send something up for supper? I have the executive chef on call for you.”

Lisabet and I exchange a look. As if on cue, her stomach grumbles.

She smiles sweetly. “I mean, the Eiffel Tower isn’t going to sprout legs and walk away.”

I nod in agreement. “And I know for a fact it’s much prettier to take in at night.” I turn to David. “Have Jerome send us the two course, no dessert. I plan on treating Lisabet to a proper crepe later.”

David bows his head. “Right away, Prince Miles.” He leaves shortly after.

Lisabet roams around the space, looking very much like a child entering a candy shop. She sits on the love seat in the living room area of the suite. “I think I’m in heaven.”

“I’m glad you’re happy,” I say, sitting next to her.

“Is there anything you want to do?” she asks as she curls up against me. “I feel kind of guilty that you’re doing all of this for me.”

“Don’t feel guilty, Lisabet. Spoiling you is what I want to do.”

Taking my hands in hers, she sheepishly grins up at me. “You’re an incredible person, you know that?”

“As are you.”

“Who’s Jerome?”

“The executive chef here.”

“You’re on a first name basis?”

“Oh, yes. We’ve known each other for years. I’ve been coming to Paris every few months or so with the King to shadow him on important meetings.”

“Sounds like serious work.”

“It is. Kind of makes it hard to enjoy the city when I have to worry about Father’s overly conservative approaches to international trade and such.”

Lisabet makes a face, something between a worried grimace and a frown. “Sounds fun?”

I chuckle. “Hardly. But I’m glad I get to explore the city with you this time around. Even if it’s only for two days.”

“Will you tell me more? About your work? I feel like all I’ve been doing lately is talking about myself.”

“There’s really nothing interesting about what I do.”

“You’re a prince, Miles. That’s incredibly interesting to someone like me.”

I shrug. “Lots of hand shaking. Lots of photo ops. Tons of waiting around in big rooms for my turn to speak. Even more time waiting around for hotshot politicians to get their points across. Many of them just want the chance to backhandedly insult Father’s policies.”

“Why’s that?”

“Like I said. He’s really conservative. Traditional. Old fashioned. I don’t know if you follow international politics, but he gets called out a lot.”

Lisabet shakes her head. “I can’t say I do. Judging from your tone, you don’t agree with him?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I don’t want to bore you.”

She places a hand on my knee, looking up at me with big eyes. “Nothing you say could bore me, Miles. I like listening to you.”

A warmth blooms inside my chest. There’s nothing but sincerity in her tone, a genuine kindness that I’ve never experienced before.

“You really mean that?” I ask.

She nods. “Absolutely. I like the sound of your voice.”

I take a deep breath and press a kiss to her hair as I slip an arm over her shoulder. “I…I used to look up to Father a lot.”

“What little boy doesn’t?”

“True. But as I grew older, I started noticing things. They were small at first. How he would always smile for the cameras and be totally closed off once we were in private. Like he was two different people.”

“That sounds kind of awful.”

“I got used to it. Mother helped me realize that it wasn’t anything personal. That’s just who he was. ‘To protect himself,’ Mother used to say. Dealing with people can be hard. Dealing with people as the King is even harder. Everybody wants something from you. They care about you, but not really. They’re all smiles and compliments until you screw up. And Father…He screwed up.”

“What happened?” she whispers, totally engrossed.

“This was a while ago. Almost ten years, but the effects can still be seen in the kingdom today. There was a great deal of unrest in the south of Oxland. Rumors of overthrowing the monarchy spread like wildfire. Civil disobedience isn’t uncommon in our history. It always comes in waves, but it subsides eventually. But Father felt threatened. Our economy at the time wasn’t doing very well. Our military was stretched thin assisting in the border skirmishes of neighboring countries. There was a food shortage due to a year-long drought the year previous. People were hungry, tired, and upset.”

Lisabet wraps an arm around my waist and leans in, resting her head against my chest. It puts me at ease to know she’s listening so intently. That she cares.

“Father wanted to squash any chance of a rebellion. Kind of like the King of Credonia.”

“He’s being deposed, right?” she asks. “I heard about that in the news.”

I nod. “Exactly. Jamieson’s actually an old buddy of mine. The main difference here is that Father used a lot more force. It was violent, actually. What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration turned into…Well, anything but peaceful. Lives were lost on both sides. In hindsight, there were many other options Father could have taken, but the damage was done. What makes things worse is that King Albert isn’t the kind of man to apologize. Ever. To this day, he thinks his actions were just.

“As a result, Oxland’s received a lot of flak on the international stage. It makes it hard to do business with countries who say he’s violated human rights. And I have to admit, I agree with them. Father’s grown more aggressive in recent years. He cuts trade partners off at the smallest of slights. He almost started a war last year with Thalian, but Mother managed to smooth things over.”

“Oh, they came to the state dinner,” Lisabet realizes. “I thought I spotted them talking to you and the Queen at the doors.”

I nodded. “They were extended an invitation as an olive branch. We were very fortunate they came.”

“I’m sorry,” she says. “That sounds really rough.”

“I know Father thinks he’s doing what’s best for the kingdom, but he’s too short sighted. I’m genuinely worried that when I ascend to the throne, I’ll have to inherit a nation that’s in shambles and about ready to oust me before I’ve even managed to make a difference. I’ve got so many plans to help my people, but…”

“Plans? What plans?”

I gaze into Lisabet’s eyes. There’s a spark behind them, something enthralled, like she can’t get enough.

“You really do want to know,” I realize.

“I wasn’t lying.”

I smile. “I want to pull funds from the kingdom’s stock reserves, create financial aid programs for those who need it the most. Farmers who were hard hit in the recession, working families who don’t make enough to get by, investing in food banks and homeless shelters to help the most marginalized. Father’s a very laissez-faire kind of guy, but I don’t think great things can happen without a little intervention. I care about what happens to my people. I want to take care of them.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“You’re not at all what I was expecting.”

I chuckle. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, the magazines all call you the ‘sexiest man alive’ or ‘Prince Playboy.’ I never would have thought you…I don’t know. Had a soul.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Most of us royals do. But the world sees what they want to see. People often meet me with pre-formed expectations. More often than not, they leave quite disappointed.”

She gives my thigh a squeeze. “I’m not disappointed. If anything, I’m really impressed. You’re a great guy, Miles.”

I lean forward and kiss her. Coming from her, that means everything. I don’t think I’ve ever fell this hard before. A huge weight has been lifted off my chest. Lisabet gives me her time and attention freely, and I honestly couldn’t be more grateful. I’m comfortable around her. I can be myself and share my concerns without feeling judged or confined or suppressed.

It’s an incredibly refreshing feeling.

Three knocks sound at the door.

“Come in!” I shout.

David pops his head in before dragging in a cart. “I have your meals here. Fresh out the oven.”

Lisabet’s face lights up again. “Oh, wonderful. You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to this.”

“Yeah,” I say, keeping my eyes solely on her. “I’m looking forward to this too.”