31. Queen
1669 Words
Monday morning doesn't happen for me. I wake up about 10 and hide in my office. I lay my head on my desk for a while, and eat lunch. Then nap on the couch.
"Prince Romeo is here to see you."
"That's fine." He can wait down there. That's fine.
"I came to check on you. Are you alright?"
"I don't remember being drunk enough to be this hungover."
"You weren't drunk. After you ate, you were fine. Maybe you did too much this weekend and needed some sleep."
I pry my ass off the couch and nearly fall over. "This is not tired."
"Bring her blood and water."
"Yes, sir."
He helps me to my desk chair. "My sister is fine, and you ate and did everything together. Did you drink blood this morning?"
"There was no morning."
"I think you over did it and your body is running on nothing. Bring her some extra lunch too. Did you eat?"
"Yes."
"You can eat some more anyway."
He pretty much shoves the blood down my throat. Then I pick at 2nd lunch. I feel a little better after a while.
"Zeke is here to see you, ma'am."
"Ok."
The guard scratches his head and walks away.
"How come he's here?"
"He's doing the fitting for the ball, or he's telling me to f**k off. One or the other."
"Why would he do that?"
"Why wouldn't he?"
"Are you alright?" Zeke sits in the other chair across from my desk.
"Getting better. Rough morning. Forgot to put anything in my belly."
"Evie, Dipak wants you in his office. I mean, he wants Evie in his office." Thora glances at Zeke. "I have no idea why I'm saying this. I thought she was in here with you. Is she in here?"
"It's fine. They both know."
"Oh good. I wasn't sure if I pulled that off. But yea, Dipak's office with Evie. That king wants to ask you out on Thursday."
"I'M BUSY."
"Another date?" She nods. "I'll tell him you're busy. Who are you going out with?"
"Take your pick." I lay my head down. "I need a nap."
Zeke smiles. "I'm working Thursday."
"I'm doing the security check for the ball." Romeo shakes his head.
"Why don't you want to go?"
"I can't be a princess that long."
"Well, you don't have to be a princess with him. You get to be a queen because he's a king. So, all you really have to do is chop anyone's head off who pisses you off. You won't have to follow the formality of princess."
My head pops up. "That sounds fun." The boys crack up laughing.
"That's the spirit." She smacks me with a box, and I'm Evie in a short tight dress. Then she changes her outfit a couple of times. She puts a crown on my head and she wears one too. "We're going on a power trip, boys. Bring us some blood. Why the hell is your blood level so low?"
"No idea."
She makes me chug about 12 ounces. "That should fix it."
"I need swords."
The boys lose it again.
I hook swords to my hips like she has them, then the 4 of us go up to Dipak's office.
Dipak glances at me about 10 times. "What in the world is going on?"
Thora smiles. "We're on a power trip. I told her when she's with a king, she gets to be a queen. Not a princess. She can cut anyone's head off, that pisses her off."
"No she can't."
"It won't be your problem, Dipak. It'll be Lionels."
"That's true."
Lionel busts out laughing and nods at his advisors. "You better duck quickly."
"We'll let you tell her if she can't do something, sir."
"Probably for the best."
I stretch and Marcus shakes his head. "Did you sleep all day?"
"Most of it."
"Did you eat lunch?"
"Twice."
"Why?"
"Romeo decided my first lunch wasn't sufficient."
"Run a scan on her."
"Yes, sir."
"Sit down before you fall down."
Dipak nods. "What did you 2 need?"
"I came to make sure she was alright."
"I have the fitting at 4. I came early to say hi."
We sit at the table.
"Alert:..."
Marcus waves the brain off. "Give her a shake to fix it."
"Yes, sir."
"I was wondering if you would join me on my boat, Thursday, for dinner?"
My eyebrows shoot all the way up.
Thora beats me to it. "YOU HAVE A DINNER BOAT?"
"Sit."
"I have a boat. I can have dinner on it. I don't know what a dinner boat is."
I lean towards her and whisper, "I don't know what to wear for that."
"What's the attire?"
"What she has on now is lovely. Or anything really. It'll only be us there."
Romeo sits up. "Oh no. You better get the jackass security team too."
"Yes. She has to have security on her. You'll get Marcus and Kane, probably. Unless 1 of them is busy."
"That's fine. They can eat by the captain."
"I would love to go. But I can't swim. If I fall in, you have to come get me. Or make the jackass security team do it." I start on the shake.
Romeo snorts. "Kane is going to tell you to deal with it and Marcus only wakes up if you get within 6 inches of her."
"He's not wrong."
Kane nods. "He does make a good point. But if you're wearing those shoes, the rest of us should wear swimsuits."
They all laugh. "MY SHOES ARE FINE."
Thora rubs her eyes. "She'll be in an island dress with the shoes of her choice. She'll pack sandals in case of issues."
"And a crown."
"Of course, the crown."
Lionel shakes his head. "No crown. I don't want to be fishing that out of the water."
"It's not real."
"Is the one on your head real?"
"No."
"It looks real."
I toss it at him. "Good replica."
Thora nods. "They won't let any of us wear real crowns all over the castle. We have to power trip with the fake kind."
Dipak smirks. "They go on real power trips when the real crowns come out."
"Oh, I bet they do."
I raise my hand.
"No."
"But."
"No."
"But 1 minute."
"No."
"UGH." I cross my arms and pout.
"PLEASE?" Thora jumps up and down.
Frode shakes his head. "We are not getting the crowns out. Sit down and be good."
She slams herself down. "Assholes."
My hand shoots up. "Can Zeke and me be a king and queen for the ball?"
"I guess. But you're wearing the replica crowns."
I jump up, and my hand shoots up again. "CAN WE BE PIRATES ON THE DINNER BOAT?"
"I HAVE THE PERFECT OUTFIT FOR THAT." Thora pulls me to the elevator.
We're back 5 minutes later. We are dressed like pirates. My hair is even a mess with random braids and I have dark eye make-up on with a big hat.
I point the sword at them. "GIVE ME YOUR TREASURE."
"Here. I have a crown for you. But let's not be pirates for dinner. There isn't enough time to plunder and pillage."
I grab the crown and smile. "I got treasure."
Tye jumps up. "LET'S GO BE PIRATES."
"No. We're not going to do that now." Dipak shakes his head.
"YES WE ARE." Johen goes for the elevator.
"Zeke has to be fitted for the ball. Which he is now a king at."
"DO THAT ALREADY." Tye drags him into the elevator.
Dipak rubs his eyes. "What time would you like her ready on Thursday?"
"5."
"We will have her ready at 5. She will not be a pirate."
"Thank you."
Thora smiles. "Remember to tell the crew to duck a lot."
He chuckles. "Of course, thank you for the reminder."
Johen and Dipak seem to be in a stare-down.
Nadine runs into the room. "I'M READY."
Tre smiles. "You're such a pretty pirate, baby."
She jumps on him and cuddles him.
Tye and Zeke come back and both of them are dressed like pirates. Johen uses the box.
Then Nik and Elek do it, and they make Romeo a pirate.
Elek twirls his sword. "You've lost, old man. Give it up."
"I see this. Did he get fitted?"
"Yea, we got it."
"Do we have anyone waiting?"
"No, sir."
"We're not going to be out all night. We are going to be back by 1. I have meetings tomorrow."
"OK." Thora jumps up and down.
Dipak finally stands up. "All hands on deck, you scallywags."
"Evie, drink that before we go."
I chug it in 1 drink.
Marcus nods. "That's coming back up."
"I'll keep it down."
We get on the ship. It has 3 masts with lots of sails. There's plenty of room to run around and play. Then there are benches all the way around the sides. I go to the very front and sit on a bench. I do love being on the water.
"What's wrong?" Zeke rubs my back.
"My belly hurts."
He adjusts me, so my chest is on his lap. Then he bounces his legs.
I burp so damn loudly and try to get up.
"Nope. Stay there. Let's get it all out. Relax for me." He rubs my back and lightly bounces me. Between that and the waves, I have no chance of being awake.
"Ma'am. It's time for dinner."
I'm alone in a big bed.
The brain leads me to the dining room and everyone's in it. I sit by Thora. "I slept on a boat."
Marcus signals for food. "I was wondering how that was going to go."
Dipak nods. "The waves are big. They are really rocking us. It was either a bed or 1 of us carried you around, so you could nap. But you did good. You feel better now?"
"I feel all better."
"Good. Let's eat and you can be pirates."
- Writer
