Chapter 3 More Royals Arrive.
by Sharphawlad
"Yes that was a big shock to me and had been arranged by friends. I once made friends with a girl from Bavaria & there was something odd about her. "I went with my brother and we were shown round Royal palaces and the hotelier who put us up was torn off a strip when he charged us and he was made to reimburse us." Olaf listened carefully to all this from William.
When he left he went to speak to the Captain. As a result the Captain went to Speak with Queen Helga. She listened, "I suppose it could have been our Renate."
"To be sure I will give her a call."
Back in Bavaria the telephone was ringing and Renata actually answered it herself. "Hi it is Cousin Helga in Denmark. Renate I need to ask if you ever knew a person called William Church.
Renate, "It should be his 25th wedding anniversary soon."
“When did you first meet him?”
Renate thought and said, "Oh that was back in 1972." He stopped writing after he got married his wife was a little unsecured and did not like him writing to me. I still write to his sister in law though. I even got told at one time he was going on holiday with a Danish girl to his aunts & that he was thinking of proposing to her.”
Helga, “Did he ever visit you?”
"Yes several times but I never let on who I was."
"Well Renate from what I have learnt he had his suspicions about you which were confirmed when he found pictures of you with Fritz in Liechtenstein on the television."
"I clean forgot they had met. Why this sudden interest in my friend?
"At the moment he is on board the Royal Midnight sun on a tour of the fjords and he has just met me & has no idea who I was. Would you like to join the cruise along with the other Family?
Renate thought for a moment and said, "I will need to clear my desk but I will be there with my family."
Helga decided to ring Norway, "Hello cousin some of our cousins and your sister are on the way to join my ship for a cruise.”
"Our Rose is coming across with her daughter and goddaughter. Helga that would not be my goddaughter Louise Church would it? I was visiting Rose the day of the christening and gave the child a Norwegian christening gown. I was invited to their party, which was held in the church rooms of the Parish Church. I had a good time. Each time I visit Rose she insists we go and visit them. Oh I have just realised something else. Helga before he met and married Lynn he told us he had a Danish friend. Rose teased him that perhaps she would be going to Bonhomie for a wedding.
Helga took a deep breath and said, "Yes that was little old me. Had Uncle and dad not died in quick succession I would in all probability have been his wife although I have just found out cousin Renate was another strong contender for that position and she knew him far longer than me. He also stayed with her several times and she stayed with him. I did manage to stay with him just before dad died. Our Renate found it was funny when I telephoned her. Apparently he had told her he had a Danish fiancée & that he intended proposing to her."
"Helga this is one party I am not going to miss." Bavaria, Denmark & Norwegian queens as friends take some beating.
"Actually Renate there is also Cousin Angela from Sweden."
Helga he chatted you both up at the same time?
"Actually he was with his younger brother but we both fancied the elder one."
"My dear cousin what are we going to do with you? As I said previously I will be they’re waiting for you all to arrive, but considering who is arriving I think it would be appropriate to have you all as my guests for a meal. Helga put the telephone down.
Helga, "Olaf can you ensure both William and Lynn have adequate clothing & charge it to me. "I doubt very much that they had expected to be with so many of our royal family."
"From what I gather Madame the two of them has actually had a very rough time. I was there when the daughter spoke with the Captain. I heard all she told him. If you wish I could repeat it all."
"Go on Olaf but do not repeat what you said outside these walls." Olaf proceeds to tell Helga all he heard then said,
"Their daughter Louise sounded very nice. I did some checking and they would not have been on this cruise if William had entered a competition and won it. I contacted the organisers and they said, "William was outright winner in the competition. There were some questions they did not expect to be answered but apparently he knew them all. All the questions equate to where the ship calls. I heard him ask one of the other stewards to arrange either a wreath or some flowers as he wished to call at a grave on Bonhomie. It appears your majesty he has never forgotten you or your family.”
"It appears that William intends to honour a promise he made years ago to you." "I have promised the both of them I will go with them to locate the grave as I told him I was born on the island. The wife joked he almost had a Danish wife from your town. I said I knew of the Blom family but I did not see any of them these days. Whilst they do have a house on the island it is not used very often these days. If the family do return I am on board the ship and so never get to see them."
"Thank you, please ask the Captain to go to Bonhomie first and go with them to lay the wreath. Father would have liked to see both brothers again as he liked both boys.”
A shortage later the ship pulled into Bonhomie harbour. William had his digital camera at the ready. Olaf did you get what I asked?
"Yes sir we had best go straight there and then you can look round the town. There is not much to see most people round here live off the sea. They soon found the grave but there was somebody else there dressed in black. William waited and then went and laid a wreath. He looked at the woman and then recognised her.
"Angela is that you? William Church and my wife Lynn. We won a tour of Scandinavia and I thought I would visit you uncle’s graves. Kirsten eventually told me you were her cousin and not her sister as we had been led to believe while in Tunisia together."
“Alas William we live in different countries these days and that it is not often I get to see Kirsten. I believe she was in Copenhagen a few days ago. I know a little place were we could have a drink and chat about old times if you wish. Lynn you are a very lucky woman both Kirsten and I wanted William for our husband. I these days have a very busy career in the family firm. In fact Kirsten does the same job as me but in a different division."
Lynn, "I am lucky to have him and I for one would like to hear what you two got up to all those years ago. So if there is a nice coffee shop or something round here that will suffice.
"I know just the place for us. In fact the Scandinavian Royal Families all use it if they call on the island but that is not often."
Lynn laughed and said, "If it is good enough for the Royally it is good enough for us." Did you know William here was a friend with a Bavarian Princess? Princess Renate of Bavaria. Angela tried to act surprised.
"William you never let on to either of us."
"Renate I met in 1972 in Yugoslavia as it was then. The following year I went to her home and then she came to mine.
Angela, "How did you eventually twig she was a princess?"
William, "Actually it was a TV program about Liechtenstein that did it. Renate introduced me to her cousin and wife who actually paid for a meal in a restaurant for us in Obersdorf in Bavaria. Anyway there was a photo of Renate with the two of them & Fritz was introduced on the television as the Prince of Liechtenstein. I was told he was a banker. It was true but slightly misleading.”
Angela giggled.
Lynn, "When we won this trip it is our 25 wedding anniversary is in 2 days times. The Captain laid a bit of a do on for us but we will have a real party for our friends and family when we get home. Angela I do not suppose you would like to attend as one of William's friends? I realise you might have other things to do but it would be nice to have some old friends at the celebration.”
Angela, "Have you sent the invites out yet? I was thinking perhaps my secretary could send them out for you."
Lynn thought for a moment, "Well we have not finalised the venue yet to be honest."
Angela, "Do not worry just enjoy your holiday she will find a suitable venue for your guests. It is the least I can do for an old friend Ah here is the place I told you about."
Lynn, "No wonder the Royally use it. It looks exquisite.” The waitress looked across at the floor manager who came across to ask if every thing was OK.
Angela spoke in Danish & said, "I have brought friends of mine in for refreshments."
Olaf who was with the group said, "Madame I think you may have missed the ferry home. I could ask the captain if we could accommodate you."
Angela, "Yes you are correct it is leaving and there is not another ferry for two weeks.
William, "That was the problem I had trying to visit you and Kirsten all those years ago. Every time I attempted there were problems."
Lynn, "We have been upgraded to a smashing cabin & it has a spare bed if you are willing to share with us you are welcome to it.
Angela thought for a moment and said, "Well it beats staying here on my own. I usually visit Uncles grave once a year it was a surprise to see you though."
“Olaf here told us he was from the island and arranged the wreath for us. He was to have been showing us around before we met up with you.”
Angela, "Olaf will you go back to the ship and make the arrangements for me to join the cruise. I will show them both around the island. Thank you Lynn for that kind offer. I will take you up on it as it beats waiting around for the next ferry. In practice we try and get on cruise ships if we miss a ferry.”
Olaf left. He started laughing away as he got back to the ferry.
Helga saw him and he said, "They recognised Angela straight away she was at your parents graveside when we got there. Then to cap it all she missed her ferry and so Lynn offered them the spare bed in their room. It might be better not to acknowledge who she is as apparently they do not realise what she is."
