1 - Richard
The view from the plane’s window was underwhelming, to say the least. As much as Richard wanted to enjoy the green pastures and small buildings of his home country, he couldn’t help but miss the tall skyscrapers and busy streets of New York City. That was where his life was. That was where he wanted to be right now.
Instead, he was forced to board the royal private jet at an ungodly hour, which required him to cancel several meetings and appearances at important events. He didn’t hate that he had to return home, but he didn’t appreciate that he had to do it under these circumstances. It would have been better if someone had told him what had caused such a big fuss in the royal palace that Richard couldn’t extend his stay in New York for a couple more weeks.
If he could, he would extend his stay there for the rest of his life, really.
As he adjusted himself on his seat, he focused on the palace in the distance. Located on one of the highest hills of Tudal, the royal palace had a privileged view of the entire country and all the privacy the northern forest had to offer. It was a beautiful place, and as the sun rose, painting the skies in beautiful shades of soft and bright blue, its windows reflected the light, shining like small precious stones in a crown.
“How long until we land?” Richard asked no one in particular.
He was the only important passenger on this flight– a waste of resources, really– so he had all the attention to himself, but that also meant every single movement was heavily scrutinised. As much as Richard should be used to this by now, he couldn’t help but be annoyed by it.
“We’re awaiting the airport’s tower control permission to land, Your Highness,” the oldest flight attendant said as she bowed to Richard. Her hair was styled back in a cacophony of curls, all stuck together by pins and layers of hair spray. “It should not take more than ten minutes, I believe.”
Richard nodded, fixing the cuffs of his jacket. Nearby, one of the youngest flight attendants checked the other empty seats and informed Richard’s security team of the landing procedures. They couldn’t care less about it. They had done this enough times to know what followed after each landing, but the young woman was probably new. She had been the most excited person throughout this entire flight.
He could understand why. It was not every day that she got to fly with one of the princes of the Tudalian royal family. As much as Richard didn’t understand why it was such a big deal for all of these people who he was, he understood that they were part of his country, and serving him was an honour as it was a privilege to them.
Richard wished people treated him as a normal human being instead of a glorified poster child. Oh, wait. He was a glorified poster child. Sometimes, he forgot that was his life. That was what being away and acting like a normal human being did to him: he forgot he was one of the heirs to one of the oldest European thrones.
As the plane got closer to the runway, the palace slipped away and the ocean came into view. Tudal was known for many things: good wine, the peaks and valleys of its many hills, but it was the private beaches, the pier and the marina that put this place on the map. It was a tourist attraction, one that even at this early hours of the morning, was already populated by more people than Richard could count. It shouldn’t surprise him though. Located in the south of Europe, Tudal had good weather all year around, and the smartest people would watch the sunrise from those places. It was a breathtaking view and one of the only things Richard missed about home. He couldn’t add anything else to that list no matter how hard he thought about it.
After the flight attendants sat down at their designated spots and the pilot announced they were finally landing, Richard was officially on Tudalian soil. Once he could remove his seatbelt, he got up from his seat and collected his belongings, but his exit was blocked by his head of personal security, who was already focused on her earpiece, a hand held out to stop Richard.
“What is it?” he asked, fixing the strap of his leather satchel on his shoulder. “Can’t we leave yet?”
“Not yet, Your Highness.” She shook her head. “Transport hasn’t arrived yet.”
“And who was responsible for that?” Richard asked, but he didn’t need an answer to that question. “Where’s Jon?”
“Struggling to enter the premises,” she said, frustrated. Then, she looked behind Richard, focusing on the rest of his personal guard. “Once the prince is out, stick to your positions. I don’t want any angle unsupervised, am I clear?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
She nodded, satisfied, focusing her attention back to Richard. “Please, Your Highness, let my man do their job. I understand your frustrations, but we all want to get you home safely. Don’t be irresponsible.”
“I won’t.”
As much as Richard wanted to run in the opposite direction of all of these people, he knew he had a duty to his family and this country. He might not have chosen to be a prince, but most of these people had chosen to do this job, so the least he could do was respect that.
“Is there any press outside?” one of the guards asked.
Tilisha shook her head. “By now, the press is probably aware of our landing, but they’re not fast enough to get here to snap photos or images of us. Besides, the prince is not back home on official duties, so that means all of this remains under the radar. Even the vehicle that’s taking us to the royal palace is not the royal car.”
“It’s a regular car?” Richard asked.
“Modified for safety reasons, but to the outside world, it’s a normal car,” Tilisha said, quite proud of herself. She furrowed her brows as she pressed her hand to her earpiece and nodded. “Car is outside. We’re moving.” She focused on Richard. “Go straight to the car, Your Highness.”
Richard nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. It was surprising how often he was bossed around by Tilisha, but at least, she didn’t hide it behind soothing words or attempts at softening the blow. She was precise and justifiable in her words, and Richard admired that. Even if he didn’t love being told what to do, he could understand where she was coming from.
As soon as he stopped outside the plane, he had to shield his eyes from the sun, the sound of the motor still ringing in his ears. As he climbed down the stairs surrounded by people– two in front of him and two behind him– Richard finally stepped onto the concrete of the runway and walked to the car and everyone around him bowed as he moved.
He waved at them with a bright smile– a futile display of gratefulness– but one that was required of him at all times. It would be rude not to do it, and the last thing he wanted upon his unannounced arrival to his home country was for it to be announced to the press because of his lack of self-awareness regarding his social position. As if they didn’t remind him every single day and every waking hour of who he was and what he was supposed to be.
Was Richard ever going to be something more than just another prince of Tudal?
He stepped inside of the car and spotted a familiar face. Jon sat across from him, his blond hair styled away from his pale face to reveal a small scar on his forehead. He smiled at Richard and the two exchanged a quick handshake before Tilisha stepped inside and closed the door beside her.
“I apologise for being late, Your Highness,” Jon said, keeping his eyes on Tilisha. If she wasn’t here, this entire conversation would be going differently. “I’m still getting used to the Tudalian lifestyle again.”
“Well,” Tilisha crossed her arms, a stern gaze on Jon, “you better get used to it. You’re lucky there aren’t any pressing events on His Highness’s agenda today. If there were, all of it could have been compromised because of your lack of awareness.”
“I didn’t forget, Tili,” Jon said, holding her gaze. “Besides, I keep up with his agenda. I’m the one who manages it, or have you forgotten that?”
“Speaking of that,” Richard interrupted their argument before it escalated, “do you know anything as to why my parents required me to return so soon?”
It hadn’t been two months since Richard left to go back to New York, and he was already returning and dreading all of it. His head of security and personal assistant were already arguing, he could barely hear himself think over all the protocols running through his mind, not to mention that now, whatever little freedom he had when he was abroad, was gone.
Every single minute of his life belonged to someone else now.
“I have no information regarding that.” Jon shook his head, slightly defeated. “All that I know is that you are required at the royal palace this morning to have breakfast with His and Her Majesty as well as the rest of your siblings.”
Richard furrowed his eyebrows. “So everyone is here? Not just me?”
Jon nodded. “You’re the last one to arrive, I’m afraid. We might be late for breakfast, but I take full blame for it.”
Tilisha scoffed and rolled her eyes beside Richard, settling into her spot as she kept her eyes on the changing streets outside, each of them filled with charming buildings, all with a story to tell. A story that Richard didn’t know, one that he would never be allowed to know.
As much as he was a prince of Tudal so much of his country was unknown to him, so much of it was out of reach. He would never be able to explore these streets like a native Tudalian. Nothing made him more frustrated than that.
“This breakfast will be interesting,” Richard said, pursing his lips.
He couldn’t remember when was the last time all of them were together at breakfast, let alone all together in the palace. The last time was probably when they celebrated their father’s sixtieth birthday, and that had been four years ago.
One thing Richard was sure of: whatever it was, he wouldn’t be pleased about it.
