Alice Windsor | BRF Story

7.

Windsor Castle, Windsor

April 2005

The night had been a rough one for Alice, mostly because she spent a good portion of the evening trying to put the finishing touches and reading over one of the papers that was due in a few days, not that it really mattered, since the paper was overall finished and in one of her friends words "bloody perfect". Another reason as to why the night hadn't been good was Alice's simple inability of controlling the tears from spilling out of her eyes. 

She had been dating David for three years, and everything seemed perfectly well, until it didn't. David arrived in London ahead of the wedding, which he had been invited, of course, and when they met at Clarence House he said he couldn't do it anymore, that being with her wasn't what he expected and in the long term it wouldn't work. Which had been fresh news to Alice when he said that a few days ago, but with everything that was happening just now that the penny had dropped and Alice found herself without her boyfriend. 

David Chapmen had been her first boyfriend, and she honestly believed he would have been the only one. But alas, it wasn't meant to be. He had been introduced to Alice by Arabella's younger brother, Hugh, and even though David and Alice were the same age, sometimes Alice felt that David was years older than her. 

Bella had said that she never liked him anyway, and didn't understand how Hugh was friends with him, while William had asked her if she wanted him to have a talk with Chapmen. She didn't. There wasn't anything he could do, and talking to him wouldn't change anything. He wasn't coming back, that much he had made clear, and after all but cursing her until her tenth generation Alice didn't want him back either. 

But the day wasn't about her, it was about her father and new stepmother, Camilla. She had chosen a light blue coat for that chilly and clouded morning, with a white pill box hat, one that she worn before and was in love with. And getting ready that morning and thinking of other things besides her own pain, made getting through the day more tolerable, even if it did hurt seeing two people so in love, specially when they were your family. However, Alice put that on the back burner, something for her to deal with later, and was even able to wear a genuine happy smile throughout the day. 

Camilla had looked beautiful in her white coat for the wedding ceremony, and Alice found her dress for the blessing more appropriate than many wedding dresses out there, specially some that were in fashion these days. And as they went back to the Castle, Alice was squeezed between her brothers, without any of them knowing exactly what to say, and who should say anything first. 

"The blessing was nice." William said, giving his siblings a smile. 

William had been the more sympathetic and welcoming of the three, and that said a lot because none of the Prince of Wales' children were actually thrilled and welcoming, so it made perfect sense why he was saying that. 

"It was lovely." Alice agrees, fidgeting with the clasp of her bag. 

"I just want a piece of cake and a drink." 

"Harry." William had a stern look, which Harry wasn't aware of, but the way he said his brother's name was a good enough warning.

"What? I can't lie, can I? And it's true, only that will make me get through the day." 

The car comes to a stop and the siblings are ushered inside the Castle, but before they can head to the State Apartments William grabs his brother and Alice feels compelled to follow them, which she does after a few seconds of consideration. She couldn't let her brothers fight in any way during such a special and delicate occasion. Not before the photos had been taken at least. 

"You think this is all about you? A joke maybe?" The older prince says, his voice deep and the younger prince sits down on one of the sofas of the sitting room they had entered. 

"What? They had already been living together since mother passed, he didn't need to get married." 

"They got married because they wanted to, Harry, not because of some obscure other reason like you seem inclined to believe." Alice says, opening her coat and resting her hands on the top of one of the chairs, while watching her brothers. 

"Look, you two seem adamant on making my day worse than it already has been. So do shut up." 

"Your day hasn't been good, really Harry? That isn't an excuse. Do you care to know what other people have been going through?" William says, finally exploding, and Alice knew he wouldn't hold back if she didn't intervene. 

"Wills." 

"So you think your day hasn't been the best, how about asking us how bloody good our days have gone, huh? How about you ask our sister how she has been dealing after that bastard David broke up with her just days before our father's wedding?" 

"William!" 

Like a click William was back to his normal self, or at least close enough, and he noticed what he had said. When Alice told him about the break up she made him promise he wouldn't tell a soul before she did, and specially before their father had been back from his honeymoon.

"Lily, I'm-I'm so sorry." 

She lets out a sigh, closing her eyes before she could face them. He had done what she had specially asked him not to do, and even though she knew he hadn't done with the intention of hurting her, it did sting a little, specially since the wound was still so fresh. 

"We should go. Now, if possible. I don't want papa to be worried we are not there when he arrives back."

"Of course." 

Just a small side note: this is just my opinion on how the day could have gone. I don't know how the day went or any of the royals' opinions on everything; this is just based on my opinion, a few articles on a few of the royals' views of the relationship itself (like William having had a difficult relationship with his father around this time) and a little bit of imagination on things that work well with the plot of the story. 

Thank you for understanding. 

Nina xx