make you feel better if I said my life didn ’ t make sense either? ”
I shrugged. “Maybe a little.”
Ian looked at the roof of the car then back at me. “I ’ m torn. I ’ m the heir to the throne, and as such I have responsibilities. I have to maintain an image, I have to prove to my country and the world that I am worthy of what has been placed upon my shoulders. I have to base every decision on things like that. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to have someone telling you when and where to be twenty-four seven? Someone telling you what you can wear, what you can eat, who you can talk to, or worse who you can love? ”
I shook my head. “ I have no idea. I ’ ve always just kind of done whatever I felt like. ” I hung my head. “You ’ re like something trapped at the zoo. You ’ re like a tiger, you ’ re pretty to look at, but you aren ’ t happy. You want to be out free living as you choose. Not having someone schedule your life for you . . . we ’ re incognito right now, ”
“Yes,”
“ Any chance you might want to go exploring? ”
“Exploring?”
“ Yes, exploring. ”
“ What would you like to explore? ”
“I ’ ve never been to England, so anything. I haven ’ t really seen anything other than Eastgate estate. Can ’ t you show me the sites? ”
Ian sighed. “I ’ m probably going to regret this, but sure. ” Ian looked deep in thought for a long moment. “Let ’ s go to London.”
“Okay.”
“ But no one can know who we are. ”
I nodded. “ Want to use codenames? ” I smirked.
Ian rolled his eyes. “ What did I just get myself into? ”
I smiled. “I ’ m a great idea. ”
Ian ’ s phone started buzzing and he turned it off. “ No more interruptions. I haven ’ t been out in the city unhassled in ages. ”
Ian had the driver stop and we got out on a street corner and he led me by the hand. “ Welcome to London. ” Ian smiled.
“ Can we ride a double decker bus? ”
Ian laughed. It was a warm rich sound. It was one of those laughs that just make you want to smile. Again I had a feeling this wasn't a common thing for him. “ If you want, ”
He let me choose codenames. Today, his name was Silver Duck and I was 0017. I think he was regretting letting me choose now.
“ Juliet, ”
“ Who? ” I interrupted.
Ian sighed. “0017?”
“Yes, Silver Duck?”
“ Why can ’ t you call me Ian like a normal person? ”
“I ’ m not normal. ”
“ That ’ s for sure. ”
“ If you want we can go back. I know I ’ m kind of a lot to handle, especially when you first meet me. I mean, I ’ m loud, obnoxious, immature, have a tendency to do and say stupid things. I mean, come on, I just told a prince what he will and will not call me and what he will and will not respond to. Who does that? ”
Ian laughed. “It ’ s alright. I haven ’ t had this much fun in ages. ” Ian looked at his watch. “I ’ m supposed to have a meeting in an hour. ”
“I ’ m sure we can make it back in time. ”
Ian shook his head. “I ’ m already in trouble. I may as well make it worth my while, right? ”
I shrugged. “ Well then, oh captain, my captain, where to next? ”
“ How do you like parks? ”
“ I love the nature stuff. ”
“ I know just where to take you then. ”
Ian led me to a tour bus and we boarded. We played tourist ogling this and that, oohing and ahing at the appropriate moments. Personally, I loved it all. I felt like a kid on Christmas. I was marveling in Queen Mary ’ s Gardens when I felt something hit my shoulder. I looked up just in time for it to start down pouring. I looked at Ian who kind of looked like a cat thrown in a pool. His shoulders were tense and he looked annoyed.
“You okay?”
“Let ’ s go get some tea, ”
“It ’ s raining, ”
“
I shrugged. “Maybe a little.”
Ian looked at the roof of the car then back at me. “I ’ m torn. I ’ m the heir to the throne, and as such I have responsibilities. I have to maintain an image, I have to prove to my country and the world that I am worthy of what has been placed upon my shoulders. I have to base every decision on things like that. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to have someone telling you when and where to be twenty-four seven? Someone telling you what you can wear, what you can eat, who you can talk to, or worse who you can love? ”
I shook my head. “ I have no idea. I ’ ve always just kind of done whatever I felt like. ” I hung my head. “You ’ re like something trapped at the zoo. You ’ re like a tiger, you ’ re pretty to look at, but you aren ’ t happy. You want to be out free living as you choose. Not having someone schedule your life for you . . . we ’ re incognito right now, ”
“Yes,”
“ Any chance you might want to go exploring? ”
“Exploring?”
“ Yes, exploring. ”
“ What would you like to explore? ”
“I ’ ve never been to England, so anything. I haven ’ t really seen anything other than Eastgate estate. Can ’ t you show me the sites? ”
Ian sighed. “I ’ m probably going to regret this, but sure. ” Ian looked deep in thought for a long moment. “Let ’ s go to London.”
“Okay.”
“ But no one can know who we are. ”
I nodded. “ Want to use codenames? ” I smirked.
Ian rolled his eyes. “ What did I just get myself into? ”
I smiled. “I ’ m a great idea. ”
Ian ’ s phone started buzzing and he turned it off. “ No more interruptions. I haven ’ t been out in the city unhassled in ages. ”
Ian had the driver stop and we got out on a street corner and he led me by the hand. “ Welcome to London. ” Ian smiled.
“ Can we ride a double decker bus? ”
Ian laughed. It was a warm rich sound. It was one of those laughs that just make you want to smile. Again I had a feeling this wasn't a common thing for him. “ If you want, ”
He let me choose codenames. Today, his name was Silver Duck and I was 0017. I think he was regretting letting me choose now.
“ Juliet, ”
“ Who? ” I interrupted.
Ian sighed. “0017?”
“Yes, Silver Duck?”
“ Why can ’ t you call me Ian like a normal person? ”
“I ’ m not normal. ”
“ That ’ s for sure. ”
“ If you want we can go back. I know I ’ m kind of a lot to handle, especially when you first meet me. I mean, I ’ m loud, obnoxious, immature, have a tendency to do and say stupid things. I mean, come on, I just told a prince what he will and will not call me and what he will and will not respond to. Who does that? ”
Ian laughed. “It ’ s alright. I haven ’ t had this much fun in ages. ” Ian looked at his watch. “I ’ m supposed to have a meeting in an hour. ”
“I ’ m sure we can make it back in time. ”
Ian shook his head. “I ’ m already in trouble. I may as well make it worth my while, right? ”
I shrugged. “ Well then, oh captain, my captain, where to next? ”
“ How do you like parks? ”
“ I love the nature stuff. ”
“ I know just where to take you then. ”
Ian led me to a tour bus and we boarded. We played tourist ogling this and that, oohing and ahing at the appropriate moments. Personally, I loved it all. I felt like a kid on Christmas. I was marveling in Queen Mary ’ s Gardens when I felt something hit my shoulder. I looked up just in time for it to start down pouring. I looked at Ian who kind of looked like a cat thrown in a pool. His shoulders were tense and he looked annoyed.
“You okay?”
“Let ’ s go get some tea, ”
“It ’ s raining, ”
“
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