Page 138 of Reign
“Really?” Sam perked up a little, the way she always did at the mention of presents. “But it’syourcoronation; you shouldn’t have gotten me anything.”
“You got this for yourself,” Beatrice said cryptically. “What I mean is, everyone is so proud of you. Stanford!” She shook her head admiringly, then waved the attendants out of the room so they had some privacy. “You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Bee.”
When Sam had applied to Stanford, she hadn’t had much of a plan beyond joining Marshall in the place he clearly needed to be. But after she was accepted, a new life had started to form. One of Marshall’s friends in San Francisco needed a roommate for the summer; Sam had moved into her extra bedroom. She could even pay her fair share of the rent, now that her family had reinstated her access to her personal bank accounts. Lately, she hadn’t spent much time there, anyway; she was too busy helping Marshall readjust to his role withinhis family, and preparing for the start of classes in the fall. She had already joined the group chat for her freshman class, and kept making provocative comments under the initialS.Her profile picture was a cactus emoji.
She’d also started volunteering part-time for the local district judge, whose assistant had taken one look at her and promptly given her dozens of boxes’ worth of backlogged papers to file. Sam understood she was being hazed, and did the work without complaint. After a few weeks, the office had begun to tolerate her, possibly even accept her. One of them had even leaked her volunteer work to the press. That, combined with photos of her shopping at the local Costco (she had her own membership card now), had tipped the scales in her public-relations turnaround. She was no longer Samcelled; she was now the People’s Princess. TherelatableWashington, the one who could navigate the metro and cook her own breakfast.
“You should raid the library before you go,” Beatrice added. “Some of the books here might be useful in your history classes.”
Sam cleared her throat. “Actually…I’ve been meaning to tell you, I’m taking some prelaw classes, too.”
“You want to go to law school?” Beatrice asked, surprised.
Members of the royal family were prohibited from practicing law; it was a conflict of interest, not to mention too loud and opinionated. Princes and princesses could only study uncontroversial topics, like art history or classics. The sort of ornamental paths of study that would never threaten the Crown’s standing.
But Sam didn’t represent the Crown anymore; and it sounded kind of fun, arguing with people for a living.
“I might, now that it’s actually possible.”
Something like concern flickered over Beatrice’s features, then she attempted a smile. “You have quite the history of rule-breaking for a future lawyer.”
“The better you know the rules, the more easily you can break them,” Sam teased.
Moving carefully in the weight of her gown, Beatrice shuffled to a small side table and grabbed a sealed folder. She handed it to Sam. “You may want to rethink law school once you see this.”
Slowly, Sam opened it and began to read.
In the name of Her Majesty, Congress fully assembled declares and ordains that Samantha Washington shall be restored to her position as Her Royal Highness, the Princess Samantha. She shall undertake appointments and duties on behalf of Her Majesty and, as a result of such, shall enjoy the style, dignity, and income incumbent upon her position as a Royal Princess….
Sam blinked as the meaning of the document registered. “You got my titles back?”
Beatrice was beaming. “Yougot your titles back. Everyone has been so impressed with the way you’ve handled things this year. I know you didn’t start bargain-shopping and riding the metro because you wanted to help the Crown, but it helped anyway. You gave us a much-needed adjustment in the eyes of ordinary people. I see it, and so does Congress,” Beatrice said softly. “And just in the nick of time! Now you can be the first to give me homage today, instead of Jeff. All you have to do is sign it,” Beatrice added, holding out a fountain pen.
Sam stared down at the document, marked with the congressional seal at the top. She saw her old life unfurling before her again, a life she knew well—public appearances and galas, being curtsied to, wearing tiaras and gowns. Meeting so many people, yet never really knowing any of them. There were good parts of that life, undoubtedly.
And yet.
A different version of her life glimmered at the edge of her vision like a mirage. One where she could go to law school, date Marshall without complications. She didn’t need to be part of the royal family to change lives, change prejudices, change the world.
All she needed to be was herself.
Her vision blurred with tears as she handed the congressional order back to Beatrice. “Thanks, but I’m okay.”
Her sister stared at her in shock. Obviously, no one ever saidThanks, but I’m okaywhen offered the highest order of royal titles. “You don’t want to be a princess?”
“I want to be myself, independent of my position and titles. And I’m still figuring out who that is.”
“Sam—please.” Her sister’s eyes were bright; she blinked rapidly, wiping underneath her lashes to keep the mascara from running. “I can’t do this without you.”
“Oh, Bee. Of course you can.” Sam stepped forward and pulled her sister into a hug. “Remember what you said last year when I wanted to run away to Hawaii? You told me that family comes before duty. That we would always be sisters, no matter where our paths led.”
“I said that?” Beatrice sniffed. “Seems like I was very wise then.”
“You are very wise now.”
Beatrice’s voice broke as she replied, “I’m going to miss you so much.”
