Butterfly Effect

51. So Long, Farewell

He had left.

The day after her coronation he had taken the private jet and flown to wherever he was currently residing.

Now, two weeks had passed, and she found herself standing on the scorching tarmac in Egypt.

Her light brown skin glistened under the relentless heat, shielded only by a large straw hat. Wrapped in a flowing cream kaftan, she concealed her identity from the watchful staff nearby. Maintaining her balance in towering heels, she stood tall, meeting his gaze as he embraced her with unwavering strength.

There was no need for him to lower his head to converse with her.

With an iron grip, the mighty French King rested his hands on her hips, causing her to release a depleted sigh. As her gaze wandered past him, her eyes caught a glimpse of his private jet, resting in the distance.

Its sleek metallic exterior gleamed under the golden rays of the sun, reflecting the opulence that surrounded them.

Jana frowned, averting her eyes into his again, taking in his polished attire. He was in his usual sleek attire and a thin black tie, his black sheer shirt peeking below the buttoned up black suit jacket. His hair was freshly cut, and she smelled the scent of his after shave.

Her hands moved up to grab the sides of his face, his smooth chiselled jaw coming into contact with her fingers as she held him. "And you promise you'll be back in twelve days, Ju?" She asked, her clingy nature not going missed. "I need to hear you say it again."

Another firm squeeze to her hips, before he enveloped his arms around her waist fully, pulling her front flush to his. "Oui. Twelve days, and as soon as my last conference is done, I will be on the jet. Don't get upset about this, my love, we have gone longer than twelve days when I've gone away on royal tours. "

"That's different. I knew you were coming home at the end of it, and now we have different homes."

"Which means we have two beautiful palaces to pick from when we need a change of scenery."

He was good at that.

Looking at the brighter side of things, whilst she was ridden with cynicism.

The Egyptian queen slowly shook his face in her hands and stopped when her lips quivered for the umpteenth time that morning. "I don't want you to go already..." she sniffled, blinking away the tears.

He immediately noticed and groaned. "No more tears, Jana. You know this is temporary. I'll be back so soon that you won't even notice I was gone, especially with all the work you'll be swamped with. Besides, we have phones. I intend to call you every three hours, and I expect you to answer."

"I will," she cried, sounding like a weeping child, before her hands dropped and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. "And... and I added some new pictures and videos of myself to your album this morning while you were asleep. I... I know you won't miss me when you see what's in there. But I'll miss you so much."

"What?" The clueless man awkwardly chuckled, his hands moving up to comfort the sensitive woman's back. "I can barely hear you over the sobbing." He couldn't quite make out her words amidst her intense emotional reaction.

"I took nudes of myself, you idiot. I took your phone and spent the entire morning updating the folder." His realisation crept in, and even though the man was usually composed, his eyes flashed around to see everyone respectfully looking away.

"Uh, right." A tinge of red stained his cheeks. "That folder."

"Oh, and I fucked myself with the end of your toothbrush until I squirted. It made quite a mess and I made sure to get the right angle... I know how much you like the pussy shots." She whimpered, luckily her words a muddled mess in his skin. "What will I do without you for twelve days? What if I need you?"

Julian's eyes widened at her unexpected confession, and he coughed to hide his surprise.

But since she was so upset about his departure, she didn't find her words unusual in any way.

He spoke softly, trying to brush off what she had said in order to comfort her. "You won't need me. That's why you have advisors and people around you who will assist you in making decisions. Plus, you have firsthand experience in seeing how the kingdom operates. I know my girl can handle it, I just want you to believe it too. Maybe this is what you need, some time to use your abilities and your brilliant mind on your own."

His words had always had a calming effect on her, and she pulled away slightly to look at him once more.

Her hesitant gaze held a glimmer of belief. "You think so, babe?"

"I know so," he replied, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss on the lips. "How many leaders know over twenty languages like you even before they start their reign?"

A sad smile curved on her lips at his words of encouragement, and she nibbled on her bottom lip. "I guess you're right. This time apart might be beneficial for both of us."

With a satisfied smile of his own forming onto his lips, he pecked the tip of her nose, one last kiss. "Voilà, mon pleure bébé."

His French was not pardoned but rather taken with a lot of offence. "Julian!"

"I'm joking," he emphasized, chuckling as he reached up to wipe away a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "It's just that you've been shedding tears more frequently lately, you're becoming my little crybaby."

"That's not true. I'm just... always hormonal. It's beyond my control. So yeah, calling me a crybaby is actually sexist."

Amusement sparkled in his eyes as he wiped away a tear from her other cheek.

They both fell into a comfortable silence, standing there in each other's embrace.

Until a throat was cleared behind him and his authoritative title was being called.

Before she could fully let go and step out of his hold, he pulled her back into his arms to share one more thought that had been on his mind.

"My toothbrush, mon ange?" he asked, clearly amused by the sound of his own voice.

She nodded, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"You can't look at them until you're home and alone. Preferably locked in your room and absolutely no guards around."

Julian snorted.

"I wouldn't dare to look otherwise."