Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 230: New Place

Chapter 230: New Place

Talia after receiving her grandfather, was on her way to the Hingham Castle thirty kilometers South of The Palace of Charentes.

Hingham Castle is the official residence of the Royal family for centuries. Sitting in a wide area of twenty acres, and with more than a thousand rooms, it is one of the biggest residences in the world.

The Queen Dowager stayed in one of the apartments in Hingham Castle although for centuries only the Monarch and his family can have their residence there. The Dowager Queen residing there, only proved how much she is still respected and how she is treated equally to the Monarch King Louis himself.

Since Hingham Place had such significance, Talia didn’t understand why her grandfather’s stay is arranged at Farbridge Cottage, which is a cottage in the Hingham Castle grounds. Although it is called a ’cottage’ it had fifteen rooms surrounded by a nice view of flower gardens and a pond.

The Gresford Palace alloted to Talia, is near Hingham Castle, a little East to it. The Gresford Palace has nearly two hundred rooms and is separated to two apartments - Apartment 1 and Appartment 1A. Lambert is staying in Appartment 1, and Apartment 1A which obviously is the apartment with the best view, is allotted for Talia.

As Talia was almost composing herself after crying, the Dowager Queen herself called her and asked her to have lunch with her along with her grandfather. She mentioned that she had sent her a gift.

When Talia got out from the airport, she paused seeing the ’gift’ her great grandmother sent.

Talia is not someone who gets exited seeing stuff. She grew up in luxury, and so she didn’t consider anything that awe-inspiring. She finds many people as awe-inspiring and admire them, but things - not so much.

But seeing that stretched Rolls-Royce Phantom with a big pink bow in front of her... Her eyebrows twitched.

Belladonna purple? Seriously great grandma? You spent more than three million dollars for a single car and purple is the colour you could think of?

And what’s with the bow?

The flying lady - The Spirit of Ecstasy, the hood ornament and pride of every Rolls-Royce car was almost enveloped by the big bow.

This is not a gift for my sweet sixteen, is it?

Mr. Ed controlled his laughter seeing the stunned look of his Princess. But he wondered why the Dowager chose the purple colour when she knows the Princess doesn’t like purple. Is this purposeful too?

Talking a deep breath, Talia composed herself. This is a gift and as someone properly raised, she is not going to complain about it. Making sure her grandfather is fine and got seated in his car perfectly, Talia got in the car, but made only one request - To get rid of the bow.

Talia sighed in relief seeing the interior of the car that was white.

At least it is not purple.

The interior of the car was customised heavily and with more space, the seat was designed almost like a couch and there was a partition from the drivers seat too. Talia figured that this top-notch armoured car can very well cost over four and a half million.

And sitting in that luxurious car, she couldn’t help but wonder what’s the use of armouring this luxury car. True, it has very high level protection and it can withstand bullets and small explosions even, but being in this car itself is a security threat. This is not a car that could be afforded by common people and won’t that attract bad people?

Eh, whatever!

Sitting leisurely in the comfortable seat, Talia scrolled through her phone that had hundreds of notifications. She was surprised to see the news coming out of Esteria.

A Council Meeting?

The speculations about this publicised Council meeting were very interesting and Talia wondered why her grandpa left without attending that meeting. He really didn’t want to be part of the Council anymore?

Talia became curious whether Arthur in there would be allowed to answer his calls or not. She vaguely remembered those meetings filled with the shouts of those old men and she’d be bored to death. She’d be in her own world creating games for herself.

Thinking that poor Arthur might bored, Talia called him. But he didn’t answer.

Oh, so this is a really serious meeting?

Talia sent a text asking him to call him when he is free to tell him that she didn’t call him for any particular reason, and then scrolled through her phone. And she was surprised to find the shift of support towards her.

That photo of her and her Grandpa was trending and people actually were taking the side of her Grandpa and against the Council.

From the airport the Hingham Castle was forty kilometers and Talia was surprised to see her already near the Castle within fifteen minutes. Living in a busy city for ten years, she was under the impression that thirty kilometers may take hours to reach due to traffic.

There is less traffic here, Talia thought and looked outside.

And that’s when she noticed that her car never stopped in any traffic lights because all the lights were green.

How lucky am I?

But then...

Talia felt something was off as she watched the long queue on both sides of her car. Only the lane her car was using was empty. That’s when she realised, the lights are green not because of her luck, but because of her status as the Princess Royal.

This is my life, huh?

Talia didn’t know what to feel of it. She is not an ordinary citizen anymore. Wherever she goes, she’d have green lights on her way, she won’t have to go through security checks anymore, cameras will flash whenever she makes an appearance and red carpets will roll beneath her feet wherever she goes.

I’m a Princess!

Princess riding a purple car! Eh...

Talia wanted to help her grandfather when he reached, but she was taken straight to her apartment while her grandfather’s car turned to the Hingham Castle.

It’s fine. I’ll meet my grandpa for lunch in an hour.

The renovations of her apartment was already finished and even the staff were all hired to take care of her.

Talia didn’t ask for much renovation apart from asking them to change the bathroom fittings and the bed. She didn’t like using bathtubs used by others and mattresses too.

Apart from that, Talia didn’t find the need to renovate anything else. The master bedroom, was the one Queen Mary loved to stay in before she became the Queen and most furnitures here are at least three centuries old.

Talia found those furnitures that were from the ’Age of Walnut’ very tasteful. Curving shapes, the cabriole leg, cushioned seats, wing-back chairs, and practical secretary desk-bookcase pieces and pad feet - everything gave her a cozy feeling.

She had stayed here before and she never thought much about them all then.

But this time... She felt greater appreciation of them all. Perhaps it is because this time, she is aware that this is also her home.

Although the ivory inlays that were found everywhere pricked her heart, she left them as they are. Those poor elephants died a long time ago and she felt like the only way she could appreciate their life from centuries ago is by properly protecting these antique masterpieces. These old furnitures may be considered the relics of the past now.

The Palace used ivory for various purposes in the past usually for badges and in furnitures as it was the status symbol of the wealthy in the past. But their great grandfather banned the use of ivory in Rosandale in an effort to conserve elephants. Talia really appreciated it since her mother was involved in some charities protecting the wildlife, especially elephants that were hunted as a sport, trophy hunting and also illegal poaching.

As she took a glance at her apartment and met the staff working there, she was pleased. With the windows open and the curtains bellowing in the gentle spring breeze, a nice fragrance of flowers filled the entire place. In the distance, she could see the mountains and below the mountain was a big lake that looked like a mirror from this distance, reflecting the mountain.

Autumns would be very lovely here, Talia could infer.

She was a little surprised that she didn’t feel that this place is big. She thought after living in a one bedroom apartment for years, this place would seem huge for her. But for her, she felt no different from when she was living in that little apartment.

It amazed her.

Truth be told, she struggled a lot trying to live in a small area in the past, especially in her university days. But she gradually got used to it. She thought she is used to live in small spaces, but it seems like that is not the case.

She loved this big place with many rooms. She is more used to live in a luxurious way than in an average way.

But she could say for sure that, if one day she loses everything and have to love back to that little apartment... She won’t have much regret. She can live in a content way there too. But if given a choice, she preferred to live here - in a Palace.

The way her mind changed so quickly towards the luxurious life she grew up in, amazed her. It gave her a slight fright for some reason too.

When Talia met her great grandmother for lunch, she tried to curtsy, but to her surprise she was welcomed with a hug and a kiss. Her Grandpa was already there and Talia looked at him and her lips unconsciously curved to a grin. "Grandpa," she held his hand. He was standing now since all the staff were out.

Talia’s eyes clouded again as her smile reduced, noticing that she is the same height as her grandfather. She had changed her shoes and is wearing only two inch heels now. Her grandfather used to be as tall as Joe. Maybe it was the old age, even when he was standing, he was hunched and he looked the same height as her.

She wanted to hug her Grandpa once more, but her great grandma was looking at her like she was enraged and she naturally bowed her head.

"Thank you for your gift, Your Highness. I really appreciate it," Talia took in a deep breath and said with a smile.

She knew her great grandma will scold her for letting her picture taken in an uncouth way. Surely a Princess cannot be kneeling in the dirty airport floor, bawling her eyes out. No classy lady will do that.

"Grandpa, the Queen Dowager bought me that new car today. I’m so delighted by her present," Talia smiled and her eyes curved to a crescent as she looped at her grandfather.

"It is a nice car. It is apt for you. Surely Her Highness is very good to you, my child." her Grandpa said with a smile.

Talia nodded. But she still didn’t know why the Dowager had a face hard as steel. She could feel the burning gaze on her.

Surely her great grandma is not someone who wears her heart on her sleeve or someone who smiles a lot, but Talia could always see the kindness in her eyes. But now, she could only feel anger. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to get punished.

She also felt like the smile her grandfather gave the Dowager had a twinge of mockery to it.

Am I confused? What is going on here?

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