William Church and the Scandinavia Trip.
by Sharphawlad
Chapter 14. A visit to the toy department
Wilma, "I think I will come with you Willie to the toy department."
Lucy took them to the toy department. The assistant approached them and said, "Can I help you? Lucy said, "Yes my grandparents wish to try the racing car set out with a view to getting one for me.
Before long Willie & Wilma were both engrossed in trying to beat each other with their race car. They both totally forgot they were in a department store.
Lucy, "Have you a set bigger with more cars and some bridges or chicanes. I think grandma will allow me to have the best you have if it keeps those two occupied. Whilst they are playing can you take me back to the dress department to get your order? Kurt & Max had managed to slip away and saw Lucy with a strange man.
"Lucy are you OK."
"Yes uncles my Grandpas are in the toy department racing cars so the assistant is taking me back to the dress department.”
"In that case we will go and find them.
Olaf was the only male left with the group and he had noticed the disappearance of all the others. Lucy entered with the assistant. Queen Olga was just saying right that is all we want today.
Lucy, "Grandma I have left the boys in the toy department & the assistant has brought me back. I wondered if perhaps I could have a racing car set so the boys could race me, but they seam to be enjoying playing with it themselves." The second assistant was busy placing a second track along side the original. Max and Kurt then were challenging the other two.
Renate, "Well, well ladies we appear to have found some children.
Willie, "Sorry we just got that engrossed that we forgot where we happened to be. Willie looked at the two assistants and said, "I must apologise for our behaviour. However I believe my Grand daughter Lucy would like a track similar to this but with six lanes.”
Olaf, "You better include grandstand, Chicanes, Crossovers in fact all that are normally extra." The manager came to see what all the fuss was about.
“Ah you again Princess are getting to be a regular here."
"Grandpa Willie would like the biggest & best racing set & it has to be six lanes and then I can race my Grandpas & Uncles all at the same time."
The manager clapped his hands, "You heard Princess Lucy so we had better prepare the order.”
Kurt looked at the extra track lengths they had used and said, "We will take all you have in stock as six tracks may not be enough."
Eventually all including the demo was packaged up and taken to the Royal Midnight Sun.
Olga, “We also will have to be going as the ship sails in two hours."
Back on board the ship they found the stewards had opened the Scalelectric sets and laid them down in the main dining room. The stewards were just going to test the track when the Royal party arrived. "Sorry sir we were just testing the track to see if we had connected it correctly."
Lucy, "In that case you can test it against me."
Willie, "Well you heard Princess Lucy she has challenged you to a race."
Most of the afternoon was spent with different people challenging Lucy. Sometimes she lost sometime she won but everyone was enjoying themselves. Captain Swen was the last to challenge Lucy and she managed to beat him.
Lucy, "I think now it is time for the big boy’s race. I know they have all being wanting to have a go so Captain you may substitute for me."
While they were racing a helicopter was heard over head and it landed on the ship. Lucy went to investigate and saw an elderly regal lady getting out of the helicopter.
"Hello I am Lucy; you are a little late for my party but just in time for racing the cars. Grandpa Willie is challenging the boys and then we are having the Queens race, and then the grannies race."
Queen Elizabeth spoke, "So you are the young lady I have been hearing about. Do you live in England?”
“After this holiday I have to go with mum and live there with my grandparents. Grandpa Willie bought me this car set but as you can see he and my uncles are monopolizing it."
Elizabeth entered the room and spoke, "Greetings everyone, Willie, I suppose Berlin or Moscow has not contacted you yet." Willie stood to attention and saluted. "
“Cousin Elizabeth we were not expecting you as you can see."
Willie it is obvious to me that you were too engrossed in the race to notice me arrive. At least a Zarina noticed me arrive and greeted me.”
Olga, "Excuse me Elizabeth what did you say?”
Lucy, "Grandma Elizabeth said a Zarina welcomed her and I was the only one to do that. What is a Zarina?”
Willie, "Did you say Berlin & Moscow?”
Elizabeth, "Both governments have decided to re-establish their monarchies. As from noon today Germany will have an Empress designate until she come of age at 21. Until that time there will be a regent who will act as Kaiser until that time. Moscow has decided to go down the same road and will accept the same Regent."
Lucy, "I will just have to tell them all Grandpa Willie is my Kaiser."
Lucinda, "Sorry Elizabeth she does not understand that she already is heir apparent to Norway, Sweden, Denmark & Bavaria thrones."
As they were speaking another helicopter arrived and some men got out. Lucy started to laugh at their strange walk. "They look as if they have stiff legs Grandpa."
Willie, "That is called the goose step Lucy."
They marched up to Renate and saluted and then to the other Queens and did the same. They marched up to Lucy & saluted her. "You two forgot Grandpa Willie he is my Kaiser."
Renate, "Lucy has decided she wants a joint team of regents consisting of the five queens you see here and Willie who will act on her personal representative. The men marched up to Willie with Teutonic precision and saluted and stamped their feet.
Willie saluted them back, "At ease. You both heard Lucy my grand daughter, that she wishes me to be called Kaiser Wilhelm but I will only be regent until she is twenty one and on that day she will take full charge. As for now she will be living with her other grand parents and mother in England.”
"Grandpa I think you will look nice in a uniform and you will have to wear one when you stand in for me. What is the top man in the Army or whatever called? Because I think you should wear that to show everybody you are the top man."
Elizabeth was chuckling, "In England the top men are called Field Marshal, Flight Marshal or Admiral."
"Well Kaiser Grandpa Willie shall be all three for me. Now you two boys as you are here you can race cars with me."
"Yes Zarina."
The other adults watched on as Louise showed she was determined to win. Win she did with a two lap lead. Lucy looked at the two officers and said, "You two need more practice on this and less stiff legs."
Willie smiled as Lucy said, "Do you both speak English?"
"Yes Empress."
"Good because you can stay and play with me here. I am keeping you both to play with."
Willie barked out an order, “I take it you both are 16."
"Yes sir."
"In that case I will notify your units you are both on special duties until further notice and have your gear sent here. I will tell you now this is a twenty four-hour a day job. Names please Romanoff S White Cossacks division sir, Battenberg Imperial Prussian Infantry Sir"
"Well apparently you both carry famous names and I take it you were both personally selected for this assignment."
"Sir I was summoned to Chancellor Angela who informed me the monarchy was restored and I had to tell Empress Lucy personally. It appears though other sources have already told the Empress. I was chosen sir because I was the youngest in our armed forces. And yes I am the youngest son of Baron Louis von Battenberg.
Sir like my German friend the same was applicable to me, as I am the youngest son of Grand Duke Nicholas Romanoff of St. Petersburg.
“So you are both my cousins’ children. I had better put a call direct to your parents in that case so they know were you are.” Willie went to the helicopter pad and said, "Can I speak to base." This is Flight marshal von Kirk here Officers Battenberg and Romanoff are transferred here with immediate effect. They are to be transferred to a brand new unit with special duties of protecting the Zarina Lucy.”
"Yes sir we will send their effects over immediately."
Willie Dialled two numbers. "Hello cousin I am on board the Royal Midnight Sun along with the Empresses two new protection officers. Apparently they both come from good families and she has decided they will make her excellent playmates." For a moment there was a silence and then the voice at the other end said,
“Willie is this one of your practical jokes?”
"No cousin it is no practical Joke and as of 10 minutes ago it is Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany so please use that. The title was conferred on me in the presence of five queens a few moments ago."
"Yes Willie, sorry Kaiser Wilhelm congratulations.”
Willie put the telephone down, "That will put the cat among the pigeons and I bet the telephone is red hot within a short time."
A short time later the telephone rang. "Hello is our Willie there, it is his Sister Margarita. What is all this nonsense I have been hearing from Battenberg & Romanoff families? Willie has you no sense at all, telling them you are Kaiser indeed. You always were one for practical jokes."
"Margarita listen please. I was visiting Cousin Helga when something came to light. What I said to both families was no joke. Empress Lucy the granddaughter of Helga of Denmark has been chosen as Empress of both Russia & Germany, & will automatically inherit both Denmark & Bavaria, & I am Prince Regent until Lucy is twenty-one. Empress Lucy calls me Grandfather Willie and has created me Kaiser until she is of age."
"Willie put me on to the child." Willie hands the telephone to Lucy. “Hello Lucy I am Willie's big sister Margarita. Is Grandpa Willie playing silly games again?”
Lucy took a deep breath & said, “Princess Margarita of Hess the Army helicopter arrived and two boys came out with very stiff legs and greeted me as Empress Lucy. I was with Elizabeth, Renate, Helga, Angela & Olga and mum and my grandparents. The Queens along with Willie have become my regents & Willie is my top man."
"Child can you find room for an aged German princess & her daughters on the boat?"
Lucy handed the telephone to Helga who spoke, "Sorry Margarita it is no joke this time. I know Willie is a practical joker but this has taken him by surprise. You will have to get here by helicopter along with the Romanoff and Battenberg families, and yes there is room for you on board the ship. Make sure you bring the girls as Lucy is already complaining she has no young friends to play with."
Margarita put the telephone down and looked at her youngest daughters. "We are packing up to visit a queen."
"Mummy will we have to curtsy like you taught us?”
“Yes darlings although I think the new Queen might not mind too much if you do not do it correctly."
"Mummy that is silly all queens know what a curtsy is like."
“Children the new queen we are to visit is a very young girl and is only four, she has just had her fourth birthday."
"Mum we should take her some birthday presents and a party dress." Margarita and her daughters went shopping. When they got back they found a helicopter on their front lawn.
"Princess Margarita & family I had instructions to collect you all so I came in my personal helicopter."
“Cousin Louis you are going also?”
“Margarita I have something to ask. You are husband-less and I am wife less & can not have children, but would you consider taking me as your husband, and would the children like me as a father?"
"Louis you know we will have to ask permission as do all of Royal Blood from Elizabeth and now Lucy but as far as I am concerned yes."
The children all replied, "You were dads friend and we can think of nobody better to help mum look after us. So we say yes as will the Empress when we ask her."
"My only son is already on the ship. My late wife did not live long enough to see him & I always felt there was some thing wrong with my son but I have not managed to work it out.”
Margarita, "Mary can you go and pack another case with a complete selection of your clothing. In fact double up on everything same with you Alice." Both girls looked puzzled but did as instructed.
"Mother we packed everything as instructed. Why do we need to double up on everything & our sisters do not?"
"Well Alice & Mary you never know when it might be needed."
Louis rang Willie back and said," I am bringing your sister and nieces & she thinks I might have a daughter waiting for me when I arrive."
Willie said, "Louis lets put it like this I had three sons and now have one. But I will order the two of them to have a full medical immediately." Both boys were busy playing with Lucy.
Willie. "I need you one at a time for a full medical."
"But sir we have had one already."
"I know you had one, but we have to ensure you have nothing contagious when the Empress health is concerned."
