A Shift Within Her Heart

Back at Broadstower Palace, Gwen visited the library again and tried to read about Rainier's economic policies ever since he became a king.

He said that his enemies were people of power, so shouldn't that be the people who got some loss over his economic policies?

She sat down and read his latest policy. Her choice of topic was correct. There was something Rainier had been preparing for the past two years.

He wanted to give more privileges to small businesses, in which the biggest companies in Galsbourg must support, invest and promote at least one smaller company in the same industry.

Previously, when she read the newspapers, she didn't know what she was looking for. She returned back and reread the economic pages from the newspapers.

Rainier practically asked the biggest companies in the kingdom to support their smaller rivals, who actually had the potential to surpass them.

She frowned. Wouldn't that make him the enemy of the richest people in his own kingdom?

Who were the richest people in the kingdom?

Skimming over the last three months worth of economic pages, Gwen discovered five of the richest people in Galsbourg. And one of them was none other than Harry Whitfield.

"Sally, when was the terrorist attack at Isou Airport?"

"Around two weeks ago, Ma'am."

The day before the incident, Rainier held his regular meeting regarding his Economic Equality Law with five of those conglomerates, and five owners of the small companies chosen by the crown to partake the project.

It was reported that the meeting ended before the scheduled time, and they said the five conglomerates left the meeting room in furious expressions.

The day afterwards, the terrorists attack at Isou Airport happened. These two events had to be connected.

Suddenly, she remembered something.

She opened her notebook, and found a new card inside it. Previously, she had asked, "Who were the separatists?"

There was an answer for her.

"The people who knew the king wasn't fit to rule."

Harry Whitfield was feeding her the idea that Rainier was evil. He was trying to pull her to his side, to support his cause, no wonder.

However, she wasn't the same Gwen as she was the previous month. If she had known about the new law Rainier was trying to pass and that the five conglomerates were his enemies, especially Harry Whitfield who was trying to approach her, she would try to team up with Harry. She'd try to run away, or even harm Rainier through Harry and the other conglomerates. She would have found a way.

With a realization that nearly physically knocked her off her chair, Gwen realized that she was angry, because Harry Whitfield had tried to influence her for her own gain.

But even more earth-shattering than that for her, she realized she didn't want to leave Rainier anymore. She had a feeling that he needed her desperately to stay sane.

She couldn't believe how clouded her mind was before. Prejudiced by her hatred towards Rainier, she didn't realize how strange it was for Harry Whitfield to be able to slip his name card several times into her private notebook.

It's true that The Royal Library was open to anyone who worked within the palace, and there were hundreds of people who fit this category. But in that era, the library was visited by very few people. Only the palace staff or guards who were also taking courses or a college degree visited the library regularly.

Still, either one of the library visitors, members or staff had to be secretly working for Harry Whitfield, or his organization.

Gwen stared thoughtfully at the card, before deciding that she wanted to investigate more about this man and his relations with Rainier's enemies. Was he the enemy?

She didn't know. But her best bet was pretending to play Harry Whitfield's game.

Perhaps the best solution was to tell to Rainier that the man was trying to influence her. However, she was afraid that Rainier would kill the man in a heartbeat.

She wasn't sure whether the man deserved such fate or not. First, pretend she'd play along.

So she replied, "Please tell me more."

***************************************

Instead of doing a clinical consultation, when Samantha visited her again, Gwen asked to have coffee outside the palace. Seeing that she was much better, Samantha agreed. She took Gwen to her and Rainier's favorite cafe across the palace with her car.

Sam had to argue with Ingrid first. As Gwen's Captain of the Guard, she insisted that Gwen and Sam went with different cars. She wanted to be the one driving the queen.

"I assure you, I can drive really well. I can drive well since I was fifteen. Now relax, and just follow us," Samantha explained.

It took them some time to finally reach an agreement. Finally, Sam managed to drive together with Gwen to Clover Cafe.

It was three days before Christmas, and although Gwen felt sad that she couldn't be with her father that year, she believed she was in that world for a reason. Actually, it was a drastic mind shift. She had changed from hating Rainier, to admitting to herself that she felt attracted to him.

Samantha sat in front of her at the cafe, sitting exactly by the middle windows, relishing her brownies as if she's used to eat dessert with Gwen all her life.

"What do you do during Christmas? I mean.....The Hansen Family."

"We take one day off."

"ONE DAY?" she yelled in shock.

"Is that surprising, Ma'am?"

"Just one day off at Christmas???"

"We would've kept working if we didn't think people will see it as forcing ourselves too much."

"But--one day?"

"There's only me, Rainier and Aunt Yelena. Our parents have all passed away. None of us have partners. Not in the sense that we'd bother celebrating Christmas with, that is. So we just take one day off. Go to the Royal Church in the morning, have a family lunch, then rest at the palace. Then until New Year, we'd work remotely. After the new year, everything goes back to normal."

She stared at Samantha, bewildered.

"You Hansen family are all--"

Sam looked up at Gwen. "It's ok, being my queen allows you to say anything to my face."

"Why are you all so--so--insane???"

The beautiful duchess chuckled.

"I don't know. We're made this way. Work is our outlet, I guess."

Gwen huffed, speechless.

"The king and I went for holiday trips sometimes. But even then, we felt guilty for leaving our work too long."

Gwen was shaking his head by then.

"Why, Ma'am? Do you think you can do something different this year?"

"Stop calling me Ma'am. And yes, I think--I think we should spend some time together."

"Is that an order?"

"It's a request."

Samantha smiled.

"I will never refuse my queen."

And although it still sounded strange in her ears, she was a little relieved that at least she had something to do.

****************************************************

She surprised him by appearing at his office around 4 P.M.

"What will you do during Christmas?" she asked as a hello, sitting in front of him.

"The usual. Go to the royal church in the morning, then have lunch with Sam and my aunt."

She buried her hands in her coat's pockets.

"Is it true that you usually only take one day off?"

"Yes."

"Why is that?"

"Does it have to have a reason?"

She groaned in frustration, "Rainier, I can't even talk to you!"

He's surprised with her sudden annoyance.

"I want to--"

But seeing him watching her silently made her lose her nerve, and she stood up and walked away.

He rushed to her and caught her hand, though.

"What is it?" he asked urgently.

"Nevermind, just forget it."

"Tell me."

"No, you won't understand," she replied, pulling her hand off of his grip.

"Gwen Hamilton, tell me what is it."

She had visited him out of her own will, and he made her upset. No matter what, he needed to know what she was going to say.

"Take the week off, until New Year."

He was surprised at the sudden request.

"I have a lot of things to do."

"You will always have a lot of things to do, Rainier. Take some time off and--"

"And what?"

"And ta--talk. Talk to me."

He stared at her in disbelief.

"Talk to you? About what?"

She sighed in frustration.

"I want--"

He was looking at her with that intense look, as if nothing else mattered but what she was going to say. It unnerved her.

"What is it???"

"Why can't you get it??? Must I spell it for you?"

Rainier had no clue what she's talking about. The more he didn't understand her, the more he held her, as if afraid she'd run away.

"I want to talk to you," she said in a wary tone. "I want--to get to know you--better."

She saw his eyes widened.

"Really?"

She nodded, feeling her cheeks warm. Damn Rainier and how he made her embarrass herself on regular basis.

"Spend this Christmas with me," she said in a small tone.

"Alright."

It's her turn to ask back, "Really?"

He had no more words to say, so he grabbed her then passionately kissed her.

He couldn't believe it, she wanted to spend Christmas with him. He's really moved, but he couldn't voice it out, so he just kissed her until her knees went weak.

*****************************************************

When the royal couple was a mess, a person was really glad. But by then, they seemed to find some common ground and were starting to get to know each other.

This person couldn't stand witnessing how happy Rainier was, that his relationship with Gwen was improving. This person wanted to destroy it badly.