Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 225: Meeting After A Decade

Chapter 225: Meeting After A Decade

"Northern Star is a private property of Jerome Brunton," Arthur said gritting his teeth.

How brazen of them to casually suggest that the fruits of Jerome’s hard work is the Nation’s property?

"It might have been. But the moment Jerome decided to collude with the Royal family of our enemies-"

"Enemies? Rosandale and Esteria are trying to create a new trade partnership and talks of peace agreements are going on between the two nations. I thought it was old news. Or is Lord Brenner too busy to watch news? I heard Talia had a hand in it too, you know... My father is the President and my brother is the Foreign Affairs Minister and all, so I know some stuff." Arthur said with a smug smirk and watched Lord Brenner grit his teeth.

Arthur’s haughty attitude made the Lords very angry and they all ganged up on Arthur and started to swear at him. Arthur who was standing until this time, dragged a chair, in fact he had to pry it away from the hands of an aide brought by Lord Clairmont and sat cross legged in front of them.

"With all of you like this... I wonder what the transcripts from a hundred and eleven years ago when my ancestor was stripped off the titles would look like," he mumbled inaudibly.

Did his ancestor really go against the Esterian Kingdom? Or was that everyone ganged up on him out of jealousy and the Brunton family stood down because of the feud? Anything is possible. What could be believed anymore?

The fire in the fireplace was burning spreading a nice aroma. He felt a slightly medicinal aroma along with the scent of seasoned hickory.

Is that eucalyptus?

He felt like the temperature inside this place was a little warmer and his eyes turned towards the King. He looked pale and seemed to be cold.

How sick is he?

Whatever! He seems to be not into this fighting and have already reached a decision. This meeting would be ended soon.

-----

The sky was bright and sunny that day with a warm weather liked by everyone...a weather perfect for a spring day. Sitting in the comfortable couch, Talia watched the skies for her grandfather’s arrival. She arrived just now and she was told her grandfather’s jet will touchdown within minutes.

When Louis called her to his office, she didn’t expect in the least that he’d give her permission to welcome her grandfather from the airport. When she asked permission, she knew it was next to impossible for Louis to permit it.

She is the Princess of this nation and her grandfather is the Duke of another nation. No matter what, her status here is higher than that of her grandfather. She knew for sure a Princess won’t be allowed to welcome a Duke in a normal scenario. But she still couldn’t wait for half an hour for her grandfather to arrive at the Palace and she sent a request.

You wouldn’t know for sure unless you try, right?

Talia’s thoughts were different from Louis’. She didn’t think that King Louis wouldn’t see it as a Princess requesting to welcome a Duke, but as a granddaughter requesting to welcome her grandfather whom she hasn’t seen for a decade.

Louis told her that she can go and she should act appropriately; whatever that meant and Talia was pleasantly surprised. Maybe he meant for her to not let her emotions out in front of the press?

Eh! I’m not someone who cries in public!

As she was looking through the floor to ceiling windows, she saw the jet with the Northern Star logo flying towards the airport. She didn’t know why, she couldn’t sit anymore and she started walking towards the gate.

"Your Highness!" Mr. Ed ran beside her. "It will take sometime for him to disembark. The jet still hasn’t landed yet." he spoke in a gentle tone, reminding Talia what she was asked to do, subtly. "The sun is harsh outside and it is too windy. It would be better for Your Highness to stay inside."

"Ah, Yes," Talia smiled politely. Her head turned towards Mr.Ed and nodded acknowledging that she heard him, but her eyes were not following. Her eyes were still fixed on the jet now landing on the runway.

The tip of her fingers went cold out of excitement and she subconsciously held the necklace she was wearing.

She didn’t know if her grandfather was allergic to pollen, but she brought peonies and so it is fine. Apparently peonies are hypoallergenic. Peonies are the best get well flowers - someone had told her.

Seeing the absent-minded Princess, Mr. Ed knew it is going to be tough to make sure their Princess follows proper etiquette. She probably will run to the tarmac and would end up sobbing. He had an intuition. His intuition is always right.

He nodded at Amy and Amy understood it too. They spent a lot of time with the Princess and they knew the Princess is not that person who could hide her emotions very well as she thinks she is. She is better than most, but she is not the best. The best is still the Dowager Queen.

As long as the Princess doesn’t fall face first on the tarmac as she runs, anything is fine! And even if she falls, it would be their duty to protect the Princess from getting injured or from getting photographed.

Ah! She’s wearing a dress! Will it flutter creating a wardrobe malfunction? We all should follow her closely.

As Mr. Ed was in his own thoughts, Talia, as expected walked out in long strides seeing the door opening. The customised Boeing-737 that is worth almost ninety million is the favourite of her grandfather’s as the interior had wooden and golden textures. Recently she heard that her Grandpa sold the other jet and bought a new Boeing-757 with extensive customisation and she need not guess who that is for with its blue and silver undertones.

She was in no mood to admire the jet as her eyes fixed on the door. Through the modified ramp, she saw her grandfather... On a wheelchair.

She knew he will carry on his act and use the wheelchair in public. But still her heart hurt seeing him like that. She walked straight not minding the voice from behind her.

"The flowers, Your Highness"

Talia felt her throat close and the noon sun fell right on her head making her feel heavy. By the time she reached the jet, her grandfather was brought down the stairs and seeing him, her eyes clouded.

Grandpa! My grandpa!

Everytime she remembered her Grandpa, she’d remember him as the young and energetic grandpa who would carry her around everywhere when she was five. That’s the grandpa she always remembered. So although her Grandpa didn’t look that different from when he was ten years ago with normal signs of aging combined with weariness of the travel and his sickness, for Talia, he looked like he aged twenty years.

She blinked to take a good look. Her Grandpa still had the same smile but there were more wrinkles in his face now. Even his forehead was filled with wrinkles. He used to have cute dimples when he smiled but now... His eyes are still so kind...

Her eyes clouded once more.

My grandpa used to be so big... So strong... Now he doesn’t look like the grandpa I remember. I didn’t see him for a decade and he looks so... Old. What did I do? My grandpa aged and I left him alone!

What did I do? I’m sorry, grandpa!

Before she knew it a couple of tears escaped her eyes and she quickly wiped them.

" Princess. Didn’t you bring me flowers?" Jerome Brunton reminded her seeing her staff running behind her with the flowers. She did not hear the hundreds of camera shutters either.

He was too excited to meet her and he was so happy seeing the mature girl he saw and spoke to when he face timed her. And to see her with his own eyes and to be able to hug her for real, he was so excited.

My Mary Ann grew up to be a fine Lady!

He was happy as he watched her walking towards the jet in that high heels. He held back his tears fearing he’d make her cry.

He almost composed himself, and he almost got up and ran to her out of excitement.

He thought he’d meet a woman. But looking at his granddaughter standing in front of him, holding back her sobs, with her eyes filled with tears, forgetting all the cameras pointing at her and forgetting she is a Princess...

Why is he seeing the five year old who’d look the same, if he doesn’t bring her with him?

And now, he couldn’t stop his tears.

"Yes, welcome grandpa," Talia took in a deep breath and composed herself and gave the flowers to him and bent and kissed him on the cheek, hugging his neck. His pats on her back were as gentle as she remembered and she could feel him kissing her head as she buried his face in his neck.

He smells the same... Although there is a slight smell of medicine too.

Although she didn’t want to leave this position she stood up as she could hear the camera’s flashing. "The sun is harsh... Let’s go inside the building first,grandpa," she said and without any hesitation pushed the wheelchair herself stunning the nurse Jerome brought and walked inside the building.

Once inside, the press weren’t allowed and the moment she got to a safe distance from the prying eyes of the camera lenses, she let go of the wheelchair, ran to the front, knelt in front of him and buried her face in his chest hugging his waist and started crying.

Everything she held back for years, came out as a pitiful wail and although she wasn’t loud, with her petite body shaking, it made her look so pitiful.

Her security formed a closed circle around her as some of the service staff were around. But no one noticed a cleaning staff placing her phone back inside her pocket with a smile.

"I missed you, grandpa" she said amidst her sobs.

Jerome, who is said to be stone-faced, couldn’t stop his tears when his dear granddaughter started hugging his waist and started crying.

"I’m here now, Mary Ann... I missed you so much too. Don’t cry, child... It’s fine now... It is all fine..."

He couldn’t speak in his usual authoritative voice and he patted her head. He let her lean on him and cry. She used to do this all the time when she was a child... But then, she stopped getting close to him. It was his fault alone.

And for her to do this again... He was a little bit pleased too although he didn’t like to see her cry like this. If possible, he’d like to see her smile. But still...

This child loves me still! She loves me!

He was so happy he made this trip although it was inconvenient for him.

-----

In the Pomparley Hall, the warm light from the chandelier did not reflect the atmosphere in the room. The lighting was warm, the room was hot, the carpet was elegant but the men fighting were like predators fighting it out in the wild.

Greed does make animals out of humans!

Arthur silently watched.

"You have some nerve to talk to us like that! Are you happy we are all fighting? " Lord Clairmont shouted at Arthur. "And what are you going to say to my daughter?

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