More Titled ~ 6

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Chapter Six

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On her last afternoon in the office, there were more curious questions that her spokesman needed input on. They scheduled another coffee session before she would go home to pack for Paris. For herself it was mostly clothes, but Alex needed a lot more.

“Today we get to the interesting parts,” said Franky. “There were more that you’ve already given answers to earlier, so won’t repeat those. One. Was that really Prince Frederick in the vlog from the Olympic village?” There was laughter all around, although some people had not seen the vlog and were quickly updated by the person sitting next to them.

“Oh, man,” was all she said.

“Two. Why was Prince Frederick staying in the Olympic village and not a more luxurious hotel?”

“He’s there for the full experience.”

“Three to eight. That’s all about his casual appearance and was this allowed?”

“I’m glad you printed them out for me!” Anna Margaret – like the rest of the room – studied the list. “These people have very funny ideas. I don’t know what to say.”

“Nine and ten. Was it deliberate, to change his public image?”

“We don’t poll the public.”

“Eleven. How does the Prime Minister feel about Frederick’s casual and humorous interaction on the vlog?”

“I’m glad he’s enjoying himself there.” And she was glad they were all enjoying themselves here. She was sure her office did not get such ridiculous questions about work stuff. Either that or Franky binned them right away. He seemed to like this nonsense, though.

“Twelve and thirteen. What does the Prime Minister think about Prince Frederick joking about tattoos and the Olympic mascot? Did he really say he won’t get a tattoo because his wife objects? Is she that controlling?”

“Yes, she is that controlling,” Anna Margaret said dryly.

“Fourteen. Can Prince Frederick row faster if he grows a beard, or does facial hair slow him down?”

“Tattoos, no. Beards, no. Thank you.”

“The Prime Minister wouldn’t want Prince Frederick to significantly alter his appearance,” said Franky as he penned that down.

“Exactly.”

“I’m not expecting the volume of questions to decrease when you go to Paris,” said Franky. “I’ll communicate that you’re away. We can reach you, yes?”

“Of course. But you don’t have to, you know? Or do you now have contacts who expect you to continue to answer them?”

“I get your answers and then we decide whether they get your answers.”

In short, half of this was for his own amusement. All right, she did not mind.

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“I have to say,” Anna Margaret said to a political reporter outside the building when she left. She had not seen them until now. They were not here every day, or she missed seeing them on her half days. “Politics never speaks to Entertainment, or what? I know how you all know my husband comes here, but I never understood how they didn’t all know – if you work for the same outlet.” But now she had read that they even admitted to having seen him. Either their Entertainment sections would know – and she did not rule out that they deliberately wrote something else – or there would have been some serious meetings about internal communication.

“Your private life is not one of our topics. And they’re on a different floor.”

“Makes some sense,” she agreed. But not much. She could see how Politics did not want to stoop to gossip levels. “I can see how it’s easier for Entertainment to write something without leaving the building, but now everyone knows the information can be found right there in the same building...”

“But you might not be as communicative about our topics if we dished the dirt on other topics,” sad the reporter.

“There is no dirt. But thank you.”

“When does your maternity leave end?”

“I’ll resume all my tasks completely after the summer recess.” It was interesting how with working half days she had really only missed going on trips. Everything else could be caught up with in the remaining weeks. “I won’t be here next week, by the way.”

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Her spokesman had emailed her a few questions that had come in while she was driving to Paris. She saw them when she checked her mail there. It was all more of the same – what would she be doing, where would she be seen, who was paying for the trip, where would she be staying?

She had sent him a quick reply, although she was not sure he really needed that information to be able to craft up a nice statement. They were never going to give details about where she was staying, for one. She supposed he mostly emailed her to let her know what people were wondering about.

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Statement from the Office of the Prime Minister:
In response to questions received: the Prime Minister has accompanied the Royal Family to Paris in a private capacity. She will not be undertaking any official duties or appearances during this visit, nor is she attending Olympic-related events in any formal role. As this is a personal trip, her schedule remains flexible, and her presence is guided primarily by family commitments, including the care of her son. Further details will not be disclosed.

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The pubic seemed to get it. The media, less so. Although most grudgingly seemed to accept that there was no scandal or failed marriage, they still did not quite grasp what everyone was doing in Paris and where they would go. The concept of a private visit was really difficult. Or perhaps it was the combination of a private visit and a public event.

They simply did not know if there was anything to cover. The Olympics, yes, but most were still cautious and reserved about Prince Frederick’s participation. It seemed they did not want to give it too much positive attention, in case nothing about it was going to be positive. Giving it too much negative attention, they were finding, was not being appreciated either. The major media players had settled for neutrality.

But they did not quite know how to fit the Prime Minister’s trip to Paris into that neutral perspective. Was she seriously going to watch? Was it a reaction to the doubts that still lingered? Did she feel compelled to attend?

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Official Statement from the Royal Family
The Royal Family has travelled to Paris to support Prince Frederick during the Olympic Games. This visit is undertaken in a personal capacity and no official appearances or formal engagements are planned during their stay. Crown Prince Florian already travelled to Paris earlier to represent our country at a formal dinner, which Her Majesty Queen Isabelle was unable to attend because of the care for Prince Maximilian. Prince Florian is expected to join his parents for the rest of his stay.
The family’s schedule remains flexible and is primarily dependent on Prince Frederick’s as yet unpredictable competition schedule and the needs of the two babies in the family.
They wish all of our athletes the best of luck.

And then Anna Margaret got more questions from her spokesman. “Nooooo!” she cried. Franky must be thinking she had nothing to do here if she could send very short emails, but there were still clothes to unpack and a house to explore. And meanwhile Alex was lying on her bed trying to nibble at his toes.

Does the Prime Minister get a free trip with VIP access, luxury stay and staff, but no duties? How much is this costing the taxpayer?

She sent Franky a quick email. Don't answer. They're not going to believe it anyway. They may find out tomorrow.

What do you mean?

We’re not in a hotel....We’ve bought tickets for tomorrow’s race online...I’ve already heard two children fight over the upstairs bathroom....Someone ran into the house dripping wet because she forgot to take a towel to the pool...This house was already in chaos half an hour after arriving. This is not what people think. Even if I were to make a video (I won’t!) they would say it was staged. There’s no point in correcting people’s assumptions with an official statement.

Isabelle came to see why she was sighing and read the exchange. “I’ve got this,” she said.

“How?”

“You’ll see.”

“How?”

“Just live. I’m very glad you didn’t write it was me who forgot her towel.”

“They would think you’d have your personal pool boy to dry you off.”

“To hand me my towel,” Isabelle corrected. “Personal pool boys drying you off are rather scandalous. Tell him I’ve got it under control.”

Isabelle says she’s got it under control.

“This chaos?” Anna Margaret wondered.

“This is not chaos. This is standard with six children. By the way, my father went to Rio in an official capacity and he was criticised for it as well, because he visited too many events and stayed away too long. You can’t win either way. For women it’s even worse, because we would be expected to bring a different outfit for every appearance, even if they were just one hour apart, and they would expect us to pay about a million in wages for hairdressers, drivers, stylists, luggage bearers, you name it, for just one week.”

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Anna Margaret had gone to the rowing course because it was the last training day, assuming that there would be fewer people there than on competition days. The opening ceremony was that same evening as well, so people might already be heading into town. The children had received permission to go into Paris and Isabelle and Philip had gone for a walk with Maximilian to explore the surroundings.

Even though nothing was happening yet at the rowing stadium, you could still have a drink there and look around in the plaza. There were enough people doing the same not to feel out of place. She had wandered around, had a drink, and wandered some more. In the meantime athletes, officials and volunteers had come and gone on buses. She knew Frederick was somewhere, because he had texted her that he was. Of course he could not text her from the boat, so she decided to sit down somewhere to wait for him, being the cool and collected and not at all desperate wife that she was. But she was a little fidgety now that he was nearby.

Someone called to her from a surprisingly nearly full terrace. “Anna Margaret, I only ever see you alone. You must not really be married to my brother.”

Anna Margaret saw Isabelle. “I can’t believe you would shout something like that across a full terrace.” She was almost horrified – not only at what was being said, but also at who was saying it. Either Isabelle was thinking no one knew her here, or she did not care. And she was supposed to be on a walk, not be here.

Isabelle waved that away. “Nobody understands us here.”

“Oh, you think? We’ll be reading all about it tomorrow. I saw licence plates.” Those people would not all be around, but they might be. Why else would they already be in town? There was nothing else to do in this small town. Which might explain why Isabelle had already given up exploring it, she realised.

“Well, if you don’t want to read again that you’re not married, you should give him a public kiss when he gets here.”

“Yeah. Really.” Anna Margaret tried to see how she could navigate the pram past other tables. It was difficult. She had indeed wondered what to do when she saw Frederick and there were people around who might know them. After that interview and all the fuss especially. Would a real kiss solve anything if some people were convinced their marriage was fake? They would simply think it an act. “How does your brain work?”

Isabelle shrugged. “Or you could go home right now and avoid a kiss and I’ll tell him you can have the house all to yourselves tomorrow afternoon if you want a conjugal visit?”

Anna Margaret had no idea what to reply. At first she simply stood there. Then she shook her head. ”Queens don’t say such things.”

“Sisters-in-law do. We’ll look the other way and Alex has seen it all before, I presume. But it might all be easier if you came to sit at our table, rather than stay there and make the spectacle of yourself that you don’t want to make.”

“You’re evil. Can I move out of our accommodation and get a hotel?” But there was a smile.

“Not a chance,” Isabelle said cheerfully. She stood up and got Anna Margaret an empty chair from another table.

There was a slight moment of interaction with the people at that other table that gave Anna Margaret pause. She was sure they had let on that they had understood everything.

Frederick arrived not long afterwards. He had been texted where they were. Anna Margaret had not added anything about a specific greeting method, nor about the fact that probably half the terrace knew who they were. She had simply sat there, half resigned, half panicked. There was no way she could wait until tomorrow. She needed to see him today.

He stood exactly where she had stood and gestured at the side of the building while looking at Anna Margaret. She was not the only one who understood. Isabelle half rose from her chair. “Frederick! You can’t!” she cried, her tone a mixture of resignation and amusement.

Anna Margaret rose before Isabelle could stop her, dropped Alex in Philip’s lap and made her way out of the terrace. It was easier to navigate the chairs and tables without a pram and she quickly walked to the side of the building where Frederick and she would be out of sight. She had no idea about the happy smirk on her face.

They returned looking rather stoic to hide the happiness they felt.

Frederick greeted his sister with a kiss and Philip with a handshake and then he took Alex from Philip. Isabelle procured another chair from somewhere and lingered just a little too long at that table as well. Anna Margaret could see some communication going on there, but she was really too preoccupied watching the two men in her life. Alex was thrilled to see his father. He smiled and kicked his legs. She envied how he did not have to worry about anything, but how he could simply show his joy, whereas his parents were so uptight that they had to step out of sight to hug.

Isabelle looked very pleased with herself. She ordered more water for everyone and lifted her own son up to nurse him. Anna Margaret wondered if it was time for Alex as well. She might as well try now that she was sitting down.

“How did it go today?” Philip asked Frederick. It was the first he had spoken, as far as Anna Margaret knew. He might have said things to his wife under his breath.

“Felt good.”

“Are you going to watch the opening ceremony?”

“Maybe a bit on television.”

“They haven’t released the names of the flag bearers yet.”

“I think they already needed to submit them. I said no. Are you going to watch?”

“The children went into town to watch. They’ll be somewhere along the route.”

“Aren’t you worried?” Anna Margaret wondered. She looked down at Alex’ contented face. Hopefully it would be at least twenty years before he wanted to go into Paris on his own.

“A bit,” he admitted. “But they’re together and they really wanted to go.”

Frederick had placed his hand on her leg at some point. He had only removed it briefly to refill her glass with water.

Alex was never a long drinker. He was never a long sleeper either – he was generally only out for half an hour after nursing and then he was back to wanting to be in on everything.

Philip whispered something in Isabelle’s ear, which made her laugh. “Oh, yes. Frederick, we’ll be out tomorrow afternoon after your race. You can come over for a swim.”

“Why can’t I swim while you’re there?”

“Because your wife didn’t like the term conjugal visit.”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

Isabelle and Philip had loaded Max into his pram and got up. Isabelle leant down to give Anna Margaret a hug. “Enjoy a few more minutes of private conversation. Just don’t talk about me; half the terrace can understand you.”

Anna Margaret’s mouth fell open. “And yet you...”

Isabelle squeezed her a little tighter. “All for a good cause.”

Anna Margaret had not been paying attention to her surroundings, so she was extremely surprised when a family of four said “good luck” when they passed their table a little later.

“Thank you,” said Frederick. “That’s very kind of you.”

“Sorry about his sister’s behaviour,” said Anna Margaret, who could still cringe. “We actually get along fine.”

“What did she do?” asked Frederick.

“She was having private fun by pretending not to know there were people who understood what she was saying, but I bet she knew exactly whom to ask for empty chairs – and not in French or English.”

The woman of the family confirmed that.

Frederick rubbed Anna Margaret’s arm in sympathy.

They were not the only countrymen. Three more small groups did the same, presumably after they had seen the first ones. Anna Margaret was touched. And she felt vindicated. Ordinary people knew, just like she had said. She squeezed Frederick’s knee. He had not needed people to be behind him, other than his relatives, but it was nice all the same. He smiled back at her.

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@accidentalfan89
She was right. Ordinary people will see us, she had said, and ordinary people were seeing them.
The family just did their own thing. They ordered water, nursed their babies and chatted. Maybe they were unaware of the number of familiar licence plates in the car park, but there were a couple of countrymen and women around, quietly and hesitantly showing our support without wearing national colours, as if we first wanted to see what this was all about before we made a commitment.
Just ordinary people allowing them to do their own thing.
And by doing so we got all the answers.
Tomorrow we’ll show up in blue and gold.
#Frederick #Rowing #NoMediaNeeded