A quick contemplation

Madeline 

Later, we were all settled on the sofas, resting for a while. Fred had already said goodbye to his new friend and rejoined us after disappearing for a while.

" We should do this more often " Phillip sighed, sipping his non-alcoholic cocktail as he drove.

Normally we had a private driver and a small team of security guards when we left the country, especially in Fred's company, but on this occasion, we managed to lose everyone. 

"Have you prepared yourselves for the hard time you're going to have when we get back? "David asked indifferently.

" Just us? " I teased him.

" I live alone, no one can say I haven't spent the night at home," he pointed out.

" My father thinks I'm spending the week with my mother," Lyna added.

" As long as no one knows we were with you, we'll be fine," David scoffed.

Lyna and David, unlike the rest of our group, were the children of palace officials. In general, we knew that Queen Johannah discouraged and even disapproved of any unnecessary interaction between officials and members of the court, emphasizing that we should maintain our social level.

Prejudice was so ingrained in our culture that everyone thought it was just the way things should be in a functional world, and everyone, elite and officials alike, seemed to follow those rules to the letter without bothering to try to change them.

But our group didn't attach the slightest importance to that rule; our friendship with the two of them went back to childhood, although we kept up appearances when we were in public, knowing that the rope would always snap on the weaker side.

And we wouldn't want our friends or their families to be harmed because of us.

" I bet your highness has the most missed calls," Alexander sneered, pointing at Fred.

We exchanged an amused glance before we each went in search of our own cell phones.

" I bet Maddie wins," David warned.

" I have 32 missed calls from my dad and 25 from my mom " I pointed.

" I have 15 missed calls from my grandfather, and 10 text messages from my aunt... she threatens to choke me on all of them " Alex declared with disinterest.

" Ok, there are 13 missed calls from my father, 24 from my mother, 35 from my aunt's assistant and 37 from your father " Fred pointed to Lyna, who was the daughter of the palace's chief of security.

" Oh my God, they must be asking for his head because you've disappeared " Lyna quipped.

That's when, to our surprise, Phillip started listing his missed calls.

" I have 42 missed calls from the Lechners, 15 from the Weismans, 36 from the Brandstatters, 40 from the Queen's assistant, 33 from the security team and 60 from my sister." he raised his face with a small smile " I think I've won.”

We sat in silence for a few seconds before bursting into a fit of laughter. 

" My God, they're going to ask for our heads on a platter for kidnapping the prince " I scoffed, standing up.

" My father hasn't called me, but I'm sure he'll be waiting for me at home, hoping no one will realize I was with you once again," Sophie quipped.

" I already know I'm going to be skinned alive by my aunt " Alexander shrugged " and maybe if my parents were here, they'd do it themselves.”

Alex's parents decided to live in another country, cutting ties with their family, including their son, who was only eight years old at the time. The reason for this attitude is a real taboo among everyone, nobody talks about it, they just pretend it never happened.

" It could have been worse, you could have managed to get little Princess Brenner out of the palace," David joked, drawing a new wave of laughter from everyone.

We weren't taking what we'd done too seriously, not least because it wasn't the first time, but in the back of my alcohol-addled mind, I knew I'd be in trouble when I got home.

" Let's do it next time," I proposed.

Louise and Phillip were orphaned when they were still teenagers. Queen Johannah decided to adopt the two siblings and raise them as her wards, having a special preference for Louise, who ended up being more protected than even the prince himself.

" We'd better leave and try to get there before sunrise, I'll let someone know we're alive " Phillip stood up.

 And that's what we did, Alexander, Fred and David took the opportunity to get some sleep during the two-hour journey home, while Lyna, Sophie and I took the opportunity to chat.

" I'm telling you, the whole security team has been reinforced, but you need to see this new royal guard " Lyna gossiped.

" Ohh I've seen the guy, he was at the palace yesterday, he looks a bit older than us, but he's a lot younger than the others " Phillip butted in.

" Is he handsome? " 

" Well, if he wasn't a guard, I'd be worried, but he doesn't pose any risk to us " he shrugged.

If he wasn't a guard? I rolled my eyes at that sentence.

" That's the dumbest thing you've ever said," I warned him.

" Well, lucky for me, he's just a guard," Lyna quipped.

"With what happened today, maybe my father will decide I need a private security guard," Sophie dreamed.

"With what happened today, it's easier for the queen to decide to lock us up with the sisters in St. Monica's Cathedral," I returned, receiving a shocked look in return.

" I can visit you if that happens, Maddie," Phillip shot me a quick glance in the rearview mirror, earning me a grimace.

We were friends, and I thought of him as an older brother, but the feeling wasn't reciprocated, and he was always trying to get something on me.

" Phill, you should concentrate on finding a wife, before the Queen chooses for you.”

For all these years, Phillip had been prepared to assume the title of Marquis left by his father, but to do so, he would have to get married and the Queen was already getting impatient with the delay in choosing his wife.

" She can choose you," he returned.

" Me? Phillip, the queen would choose the perfect mother for future Brenner babies, do I look like someone who has a shred of maternal instinct? " I replied with both eyebrows raised, receiving a laugh in return.

The first rays of sunlight bathed the seven-seater SUV as we passed the St Bartholdi border crossing.

" David, wake up, we've got to get off " Lyna called out to her friend, a few minutes later, when we stopped the car as close as possible to the town so that the two of them could disembark without arousing suspicion.

Phillip drove in silence again, until Sophie broke it.

" Do you think they're angry?” 

" You and Weisman are lucky to be staying straight at your house, Maddie and I won't have that option " he smiled.

Both Phillip and Fred and I lived in the palace complex with our families. My father was the Count of Lins and a royal advisor, and he made every effort to be available to the Queen at all times.

I watched my parents leave our house as we drove around the palace road and into the inner courtyard, parking the car there, but before we did anything, a guard unknown to me approached, opening the door for us to disembark. 

He held out his hand, helping me down from the vehicle, and he assessed me thoroughly before his gaze locked on my face. His pale green eyes were intense and every feature of his face was well-drawn, making my heart race a little in the few seconds that we maintained eye contact while he helped me, and for a second, I wanted to bring my hand up to his face to feel the texture of his well-kept beard, but my contemplation was interrupted by my mother's furious voice.

" What in God's name are you wearing, Anna Madeline?” 

That question reminded me of the short black dress that skirted my every curve to perfection and the high-heeled boots that went to just above my knees. 

" That was me, I'm Anna Madeline," I explained to the man, and somewhere in my alcohol-addled mind, that comment made sense.

" Maddie, go and get changed now," my father ordered.

I started to walk away, but before I could take more than three steps, the man called out to us.

"Mr. Lechner, I'm sorry, but I've received express orders to escort you immediately to Your Majesty's presence," the guard declared with a gracious bow.

That's when his words made sense in my mind, making my eyes widen as I realized that I was going to meet the queen dressed like that.

" Maddie, I'm going to kill you when we get home," my father muttered. 

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to imagine how much trouble I'd be in after everything, and something told me it was a lot.