Chapter 6

“Good afternoon, I’m First Sergeant Adam Crossfield, formerly of the Special Boat Service and now a member of the Confederacy Space Marines,” he looked at the ‘children’ before him impassively, “I’ve been tasked with taking the two of you through the extraction process and ensuring that everything goes smoothly. I am also to answer any questions you may have as well as provide any guidance that I feel is relevant.”

The senior Marine NCO addressed the Royal children as though he was giving a lecture, a lecture that he’d done hundreds of times before. Then he grinned and all the formality drained away, “Which basically means that I follow you around and offer what advice I can. You are free to take that advice, or ignore it, as you make your own decisions.” He carefully studied the two ‘children’ as he still thought of anyone under the age of eighteen and found himself nodding, these two had remained calm through everything and were even now just regarding him with interest.

“I have to ask the two of you if you’ve given this any thought, you know, have you made any prior arrangements I should know about?” he asked.

“No arrangements First, we haven’t had much chance to do anything in that line. But I can assure you, the two of us have given this matter a lot of thought,” replied the Prince, “an awful lot of thought.” The Princess contented herself with a shake of the head, denying any preconceived involvements.

Adam Crossfield caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned towards it reflexively. Five very distinguished looking ladies, all of them slightly more conservatively dressed than was the current fashion were approaching the Royal couple.

The first woman to reach them nodded a formal acknowledgement to the Marine and then turned her attention to the Royal children, “Your Highness,” she said addressing the Prince directly, “your mother instructs that you are to pick one of us to be the ‘mother’ that accompanies you.” She glanced at the Princess before going on, “then your sister will do the same from the four that are left.” Without further comment the woman stepped back so that she was in line with the remaining four women.

First Sergeant Crossfield looked on; he’d been briefed on the changes to the extraction procedure and the reasons that went with them. The fact that someone had gone to the trouble of providing a suitable ‘mother’ for each of the Royal children didn’t really come as a surprise. However, the fact that the Royal children were being offered a choice did surprise him a little, he’d sort of figured that what was going to happen to them had been totally pre-ordained.

He stepped forward and addressed the two youngsters quietly, “It may not have been made clear to you but you need to know that you will be going to be in a position that carries some authority on the new colony world,” he said. “Both of you need to keep that in mind when you are making decisions, especially you Andrew,” he said and then took a half pace back and waited to see what would happen.

Elizabeth looked stunned by the Marine’s words but couldn’t shake her gaze from the five women. After what seemed like hours she glanced at the crowds around the garden and then turned to her brother and smiled weakly. “This is where it all begins, isn’t it Andrew, all those things we’ve spoken about for the last couple of months, the hints that mother dropped, the extra lessons, it all comes down to this?”

Andrew glanced across the paved area that separated him from his mother and saw she was standing with the Prime Minister and Donald Prendergast. It surprised him that she wasn’t watching to make sure that he did the right thing after everything she’d put him through recently. Slowly it dawned on him that his mother had done all that she could for him, and what his sister had said was indeed true.

From here on in he was the ONE in charge and the wellbeing of anyone he selected was all down to him. If his mother was right with her hints it would probably be more than just the half-a-dozen people he picked now. The fact that he had his own private escort through the extraction process, who was dropping none-too-subtle hints already, seemed to confirm that belief.

“Yes Sis, it is,” he replied, his voice carrying the realisation of his new responsibilities clearly.

Swallowing he squared his shoulders and turned back to the women who were waiting patiently for his decision. He looked along the line and realised that the woman who’d been their spokesman was in fact his own nanny from when he he’d been growing up. That he hadn’t recognised her said a little about his state of mind and how she’d changed her appearance for this event. When Elizabeth saw the look on her brother’s face she took a half step back, the look he wore now was not the young boy who’d escorted her out into the garden but that of a young, and serious man who had a job to do.

“Ladies,” said Andrew calling their attention to him, “If you would be so kind as to remove all of your clothing, we will get this sorted.”

“Your Highness?” gasped his former nanny.

“Emily, I know that you’re going with us primarily to look after any children we have,” said Andrew, “but all of you are still young enough, with the help of the Confederacy and its medical science if need be, to bear children of your own. Therefore I wish to inspect what is on offer should I decide to partake of it.” He stood there, his hands clasped behind his back and waited, his expression implying that the sooner they got on with it the sooner he could move on to more important things.

Elizabeth hissed and then spoke so that only Andrew and Adam could hear, “Andrew, what do you think you are doing? I don’t want to see them naked!”

Without turning his head the Prince replied, “Liz, I’m fifteen years old and if this goes the way it’s supposed to I’m going to be running at least a household.” He looked at the First Sergeant pointedly and added, “and probably something much more.” He glanced back over his shoulder at his sister for a moment before returning his gaze to the older women, “If my own household won’t do as I say then why should anyone else who is forced to have me as their leader?”

Elizabeth glanced across at the Marine when he muttered, “True,” and opened her mouth to say something but Andrew had continued speaking, “And remember, Sis, doing what you’re told will apply to you just as much as it does to everyone else if I’m put in a position over you.”

The look Adam Crossfield gave the young girl quelled any thoughts of rebellion, a rebellion that was based more on sibling rivalry than considered thought. Their mother had been running them through all the possible scenarios for the past couple of months and Elizabeth knew that what her brother was saying was correct, its just that until now it had never really been real. She glanced from her brother to the Marine next to her and then over to her mother and made an assumption. “Andrew is going to be in charge, isn’t he?” she asked the Marine quietly.

Adam smiled at the young girl and gave a nod, confirming her suspicions.

In front of the Prince the distinguished looking women had started to shed their clothing, albeit reluctantly in most cases. When the Queen had discreetly approached each of them individually a couple of months ago it had been to sound them out about acting as nannies to the Royal household in a new colony. Each of them had accepted that job for whatever reason and now they found that the job description had just undergone a rather radical change if the Prince was to be believed and looking at him who could have any doubts.