Family Drama (5)

Rebecca feeling safe with Justin, calmly asked "Hence his desire for marriages, that allow him to knock out his challengers and secure access to money, by claiming as members of the same extended family they should be supporting the one person who knows what is needed."

"You are getting it Becca. But there is something grandfather does not know. I have been able to keep it quite for a few days as I needed to make the necessary arrangements and get what I have here to you."

With that Justin handed Rebecca the envelope he removed from his safe, and she opened it, seeing a passport in it. "What? How? Why now?"

Laughing, Justin responded, "Hey sis, there are multiple questions in that."

Rebecca threw up her hands before saying "You are hiding something from me."

Justin nodded, adding "I have news, and I needed to talk to you about it. Telling mother and father early will be disastrous as the two of them do not say boo when it comes to grandfather. He has them so intimidated."

"He does. The only time I have ever seen them stand up to him, was when they put into place my arrangements for school. He ranted and raved for two days at them, and me. But Mother for once stood her ground and told him that it was how she was educated, and she wanted that for her daughter. But there were provisos on that, and I had to come home regularly."

"You know grandfather had you under surveillance?"

"Do you think I am stupid not to realise that? But stop side-tracking me and answer the questions I asked. And no long version of things, keep it short and simple."

Justin shook his head stating, "I do not know why I bother?"

"Because you love me, now answer what is going on."

Justin slightly threw his hands up and said, "The short version."

"Yes."

"About a week ago, his Majesty fell ill, and when the doctors assessed him, he was given anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to live. His health for a few years has not been the best so he had been reducing his public workload, so being out of the public for a couple of weeks is not a problem. That has brought the time that has been needed, as the senior officials both at the palace and in the government agreed with my view that we needed to have in place protection for you, in particular, because of grandfather. Like me, they do not trust him."

"So, I only have a few weeks of High School left and until my eighteenth birthday."

"Does not matter Sis. You heard grandfather, he is determined, even to the point he is willing to have the officials invalidate a legal marriage. That is something that I will not allow, nor do I want you involved in that mess."

Justin paused, and said "That call, though, changed things. I can give you a choice. Come with me now and I will take you to Country D, or if you want to stay and complete your High Schooling, but you will otherwise have to forget about your plans and be willing to acknowledge who you have now become, princess."

As she gasped, Rebecca asked "Did his majesty die?"

Nodding Justin said "He did. His last words to me were to make sure that you were safe from grandfather's scheming. He knows Grandfather as well as I do. He did not have to scheme before I turned eighteen, the agreement struck on mother and father's marriage had us under his control until we each turned eighteen. It also indicated if I inherited before I turned eighteen, he would become regent."

Rebecca nodded, as Justin continued "As soon as he lost that card, he has started on the idea of my marriage, but because my marriage as the heir had to obtain parliamentary approval, I have been able to defeat every move he has made. All he has been able to use against me is that I love you sis and will do everything that I can protect you."

"More than Mummy and Daddy?"

"Yes. I will always care for them and do everything to protect them. But what happened with grandfather today, I am going to be decisive. But, as I have always told you, I will respect your decisions, so I need you to decide. If you want to stay, you must return to live at home, only use the car I have for you, and return home as soon as school finishes."

"But…"

"No buts Becca. Doing that, means with the guards I can ensure he cannot touch you unless he wants to become an international pariah by ignoring diplomatic niceties."