Page 23 of Royally Scr*wed

He shrugs and fiddles with his tie from the wingback chair he’s lounging in. “In a way, I’m used to it. But is it wrong that I just want this all over with?”

“No. I’d say that’s pretty normal. I think.” Then again, I don’t really know what normal is any more.

“That dress looks good on you.”

“Black does have quite the slimming effect, doesn’t it?”

“I have no desire for you to be slimmer,” Jude replies, pulling me onto his lap. “We still need to talk about Ottiline and meet with her social worker.”

“Jude, there’s nothing to talk about. I told you, I’m fully on board with adopting her. We just need tomakethe time to get everything together and sign the paperwork to move on to the next stage.” I pause for a moment. “You realize that if you were anyone else, she wouldn’t be just down the hall. They’d have her back at that orphanage or stuck in that stuffy hospital room.”

Jude snorts. “Yeah, tell me about it. The system is utterly broken. I wish I could do more, SO much more.”

“Wecan. We’ll figure it out. Together.”

“First we need to make you a queen,” he grins and kisses my cheek.

“Don’t even try to make this about me Jude. You’re the one in the spotlight today. I’m just along for morale support.”

He checks his watch and blows out a breath. “Speaking of which, we should probably get down there. Don’t want to keep the people waiting.”

“Heaven forbid,” I joke with an eye roll.

“God, I hope you never lose your sass,” Jude chuckles.

“I promise, it’s not going anywhere.”

Of course Ozzy and Elias are waiting for us the minute we open the door. They accompany us through the palace quietly and efficiently as they have ever since we left the hospital.

“Ever feel like you’re being watched,” Jude sarcastically whispers and looks over our shoulders at Ozzy.

“All the time,” I reply giving Ozzy and Elias a silly smile and a wave.

“Is it always this much fun babysitting these two,” Elias snarks right back.

“Bite your tongue,” Ozzy warns. “You haven’t seen King Julius and his wife really cut loose,” he whistles.

Jude chuckles and gives Ozzy the finger.

Everything is set up as it should be when we enter the meeting room.

Jude is greeted by his grandmother and his sister then his cousins. When his Aunt and Uncle join us, I can feel Jude tense. Try as I might, I cannot get a good read on Princess Christiana and her husband. From the outside they both look supportive enough. I have a hard time picturing the two of them taking their issues with Jude’s right to be heir as far as to kill the late king and their nephew.

They both also appear to be much more welcoming to me, wrapping me in hugs and somber yet welcoming smiles. They even express their sympathy about the events at our wedding and thankfulness that Jude and I were unharmed.

“When you have some time, we should get together for lunch,” Princess Christiana offers. “I’d love to really get to know you. Girlfriends, you know?”

“I’d like that, very much. Thank you.”

“Once things have settled, perhaps a family weekend at The Shire can be arranged,” Jude nods along. “It’s been a while since I’ve taken a fishing trip with my brother-in-law and favorite nephew.”

“Only nephew, Uncle Jude,” George, Jr. laughs.

The Archbishop comes over and interrupts further conversation to share a few words with Jude then invites us both to the balcony to get things started.

Outside the crowd roars in excitement the minute they spot Jude. Everyone takes their places, and the Archbishop lifts his hands to silence the cheers.

I stand in place a few paces behind Jude and between Princess Willow and Queen Lily as Archbishop Peters begins speaking. He's just about to turn to Jude and have him begin the King's Oath when someone in the crowd begins to yell for Archbishop Peters to stop, rambling on about how Jude cannot become king.

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