25. Shopping for Marie.

Tony had his personal secretary send a couple of letters out to the address they had been given. Meanwhile David & Marie had been taken to the Metro Centre. They where busy buying clothing for themselves. They stopped at a shop selling old-fashioned clothes.

Janetta. "Look at this cloak it would be ideal for Marie while she is in a wheelchair."

Jennifer. "It will keep her warm and it is very soft. How much is this Please?"

Marie. "Please can I feel what you want to get me?"

Jennifer took off one of Marie’s Mittens. "Now you can feel it."

The shop assistant. "Has your daughter been in some sort of accident Madame?"

Jennifer replied, "Marie is not my daughter but both her and her father were in that accident in Yorkshire the other day."

The two shop assistants looked at each other and one said, "In that case we have one that will help your father as well as you. The cloaks have herbs sewn into them that promote healing. This is a new venture for us as our other shop is in Whitby and is run by our sisters. All our clothing is hand made by family members."

Marie. "I will take this now and can you wrap up the other one for my father."

Jennifer. "Marie was that mark on your wrist before the accident?”

“I did not notice it before, but Grannies friend William did have something similar."

The two women. "Please can we see the mark you have?”

Marie. "You will have to look yourselves as I am swathed in bandages."

As they looked they said, "You are a Princess?"

Marie. "Granny is a Norwegian Princess but I am not. How did you know that though?"

The two women smiled. "Princess we are experts on the marks you have on your wrist. Doctor if you care to inspect our wrists you will see we have similar but not the same. The mark the Princess has tells us she is a Norwegian Princess. Even her father will have the same mark unless he is from a different line. As for the burns there will be no scaring. A shell will eventually form and then split and you will find the princess as pretty as ever."

Marie. "I can smell Jasmine & Juniper."

"You certainly can as that is our names. What puzzle’s us is why you were not claimed earlier as you live in her town? You may think we are being nosy but have you met the Queen?

"Which queen do you mean Grannies sister Olga or her cousins Helga, Angela, Renata or Elizabeth? Other than Olga it is a long time since I met the others. We are going to join with them soon as I have to play with Lucy."

“Sorry Marie but while I have heard of the others I have not heard of a Lucy?”

Jennifer & Janetta started to get rather protective of Marie. "That is private and confidential information. Come Marie we had better be going."

"Please give this card to Renate and say the sisters in Whitby send their greetings. Do not worry over payment as Renata will cover the cost of the cloaks & I would not be surprised if she orders you two one each."

Marie, "Those ladies seamed strange to me. It almost seamed as if they expected us to call in the shop and buy the cloaks."

Jennifer, "Marie it is apparent they both know Renate but just who is she?

“Well I suppose she is one of mums or Gran's cousins I am not sure which it is, I do know she has the same sort of job as grannies sister Olga as one time I heard them comparing jobs."

Janetta did a quick search on her mobile and got Renate of Bavaria. She then said, “Renate of Bavaria?”

Marie, "That is Cousin Renate you two are talking about and those ladies."

Jennifer, "Sister we appear to have landed ourselves with a plum job. Maybe but I am not looking forward to informing Princess Rose about the injuries her husband sustained. And it is bad enough with this one."

Marie, "You two are silly did you both not hear the two ladies. Both grandpa and I are going to be fine once the bandages come off. Just you wait and see. Once Grandmas house is rebuilt I will be going home and I will have Cousin Lucy to play with. Have you got me the princess doll I asked for?"

A quick visit to Toy world and the princess doll along with all her requisites were purchased. A couple more stops and they had virtually all they needed. The ambassador’s wife rejoined them along with quite a bit of baggage. "Now ladies we just have time for a drink before I have to get you to the Airport and your waiting plane.”

At the airport they quickly cleared customs and security then they went on the gantry to the waiting aircraft. Janetta said, "There are not many on this flight."

The ambassador’s wife, "The flight has been specially organised for you as there was no direct flights to St. Petersburg from here so this was chartered to get you there."

Soon after they boarded the plane was taking off down the runway. The Captain spoke, "You may now undo your seatbelts if you wish the stewardess will serve you drinks if you wish but it might be advisable to try and get some sleep & I will wake you in plenty of time before we land." Both sisters rapidly fell into a deep sleep.

Marie, "I can smell Jasmine & Juniper again so I know you two are here with me. What have you done to our doctor and nurse?"

"Your grand father along with the others is fast asleep. We got instructed to ensure your medical staff got some sleep and we were to watch over you instead."

"You two think because I am bandaged up like an Egyptian mummy that I can not see you well you would be wrong. I can see Cousin Lucy & her Mummy is in a wheelchair like Grandpa and me. She is just going to bed with Fiona. You two are sat in front and behind me and are signalling to each other. You forget some of the Royal line has special abilities."

"Marie you said you once met Renate, but have you met her sister Alexis?"

Janetta, “So if I gave you a name can you try and find them? I would like you to try and find Astrid and Cleo."

"No I have not met Alexis but I have heard things. People tend to forget I am about and so they say things that perhaps they should not have. I know I have inherited some of those abilities my cousins all have. Neither mother nor Nan knows though. Soon I will have some new friends to go to school with including Astrid & Cleo."

Marie giggled, "Could you not have found me a harder task. Those two never stop talking I can hardly get a word in with them. Even now they are bombarding me with questions. Astrid tells me you two where missing when they had a visit to Whitby. However I am to tell you both that you will be expected to be wearing formal wear when we get to meet the Queens. Apparently being presented to Renate is like being presented to her Sister. I also have messages from your mother and sisters. They are miffed with you both that you were not doing your studies at Durham University as you were supposed."

The two looked at each other. "Marie are you like a broadcasting Antennae and sending out to everyone. If so tell mum we have not being skiving as we passed top in our year. We were helping a friend out with her store and decided to sell a few items we made whilst at University for extra money. The cloaks you bought are examples of our work."

Marie, "I have to tell you two to wake the doctor and nurse and tell them that I need attention." This two of them did.

The two sisters came to see what the problem was. "I think you are going to need to re do my bandages as some of them feel slack."

Janetta, "Yes I can see they have worked loose so we had better take them off and then re bandages you." The two stewardesses helped roll up all the bandaging into balls.

Marie, "That feels better now. I feel as if I am going to burst." With that there was a tearing sound and the burnt shell surrounding Maria dropped away leaving a very pretty four year old standing there."

Marie looked at the four of them. The doctor and nurse had their mouths gaping wide but there was an "AH" from the two stewardesses.

Marie, "It is only little me so do not look so shocked."

The doctor checked Marie over and said, "There is not a scar anywhere and no trace of burning." She then examined the shell, which had split evenly. This is strange it is almost like scales rather than skin."

The two stewardesses grinned across their face. One of them spoke, "It is obvious you will need some clothing now and everything is in the hold. We though have some items in our flight bags we bought as presents for our niece, but we think you perhaps could make better use of them." Marie accompanied them and soon was dressed in a long white dress and sandals.

"Grandma and Mummy are going to be very surprised when they see me like this. Can I go and tell Grandpa Please."

Marie went with the doctor and Nurse to find her grandpa. "Grandpa, Grandpa you will never guess what has just happened to me. My bandages came loose and then my skin split and I am me again."

The doctor spoke, "Sir it is true and we found it hard to believe considering her injuries. But it has happened and it is almost as if she has been in a cocoon."

David went very quiet, and then he spoke. "Marie I am very pleased you have recovered so quickly. Come and give me your Grandpa a kiss? Marie went on to her tiptoes to reach David and stretched her arms out as she did so her wings unfurled. Much to the shock of the two sisters.

The Nurse, "Oh my god she is an angel."

"Grandpa look at me I am flying. How do I get down again?"

David, "Marie I honestly do not know but they appeared when you stretched your arm so perhaps they will go away if you gradually lower them.

"Grandpa if I do that I will fall."

The two stewardesses came in and saw the problem. "Sister it looks like we will have to do the mothers job and bring her back down to ground."

Both the doctor and the Nurse rapidly crossed themselves when the wings appeared on the two stewardesses. Each taking a hand they brought Marie back down. "Sorry if we scared you but we mean you no harm. We are here to ensure there are no problems with Princess Marie."

Janetta spoke in a trembling voice, “Why did I not see it before you two are the two girls from the shop who sold us the cloaks and asked if we knew Renate. Are there many like you around?”

David, “It appears the stories my wife told me that some of her cousins could produce wings at will was not a fairy story as I thought. I also am remembering other stories she told which I thought was a load of fiction. Now though I am not so sure. Ladies please can you confirm Renate of Bavaria can do the same as you."

"David, While we know of her we can not actually say what talents she has but as your grand daughter is able to fly then we presume both mother and grand mother can. Some times the skills are slow to manifest themselves and need an accident to trigger them like what has happened to Marie."

David thought for a moment, “The explosion should have killed us both but we are both here. True Marie is slightly different but I still love her with all my heart and soul. Am I also going to change? Am I likely to find wings shooting out of my back like yours?"

David did not get an answer to his question as the Captain asked them all to put their seatbelts on as the plane was due to be landing at St. Petersburg.

Marie, "Grandpa I think your shell will crack like mine did and there will be a new grandpa inside. Then we can practice flying together. But as you are older and bigger it will just take a bit longer."

Jasmine, “David, The fire will have purged the two of you of any human DNA you had in your system previously. Like Marie you will know when the bandages go slack and the shell starts to crack."

The Plane taxied to a halt and there appeared to be soldiers playing instruments. "Grandpa there are lots of soldiers out side."

"Yes Marie I can see them. Your Aunt Olga must have sent them to welcome us. Jasmine & Juniper can you two look after Marie and ensure she does not inadvertently fly off. While Janetta & Jennifer you can attend to me.

Admiral Romanoff approached the group and said, “The Empress bids me welcome you so the Cossacks of the 1st White Russian regiment are here to greet you and your family."

Juniper, "Marie we also have spotted them and those must be your playmates."

Lucy held her hand out and Marie accepted it. Marie, "It is like looking at two more of Me." with that all three cuddled each other.

Lucy, "We are going to have lots of fun together. Ah Juniper and Jasmine I take it, your mother was worried about you both. I see you have decided to be nursemaids for Maria well if that is the case you get us two as well. I suppose I had better inform Aunt Renata you are here. You two are now permanently part of my court."

The procession stopped at three females one who was in a chair. Marie looked puzzled and said, "You must be Lucy's mum, I only know that because you are in a chair. If you want you can borrow my cloak and it will make you better like it did me."

Juniper & Jasmine curtsied and said, "We can make you one if you wish similar to the one Marie has. Oh look another plane is landing and the sky is going black."

Marie, "Aunt Renate these two are Juniper and Jasmine and Lucy, Fiona & I have already claimed them."

"Marie I think my sister might have something to say about that or at least her daughters. That is her arriving now."