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Kendall rolls over in bed and quickly turns off her alarm clock. She lets out a groan as she realizes that it is 6:00 AM. 'Ugh. I must have set the alarm clock incorrectly again. Stupid high-tech clock. Too many buttons,' she thinks to herself, lying back down in bed. After a few minutes of trying to fall back asleep, she opens her eyes and sighs. 'Might as well get up and start a new day.'
She gets up and makes her side of the bed, looking longingly at the other size of the king bed. 'James, when will you be back home?' she wonders, pushing away the pain she feels at the thought of her husband of three years being away.
Kendall heads to the bathroom adjoined to the room and starts getting ready, brushing her teeth, washing her face, brushing her hair, and all the normal morning rituals. She pads into the room and into the closet, picking out a pair of her most comfortable jeans and a sweater.
As she walks down the stairs, she smiles as she sees a collection of pictures in a frame that one of her best friends, Suzy, gave her for last year's Christmas. There were pictures of Kendall in college with her best friends and even some with James, including one from their little trip to Walt Disney World. Kendall smiles as she recalls all of the memories from that trip.
"I still can't believe we're here! This is so amazing!" Kendall exclaims, giving James a hug while waiting in line for The Tower of Terror. "I feel like such a little girl again."
James smiles and kisses his wife on the cheek. "That's what I was aiming for. You needed a relaxing and fun vacation after all that you went through this past year and even more than that. What type of prince would I be without taking you to the place where only happiness lives?"
Kendall laughs. "You are too cute."
The two begin to walk as they notice they were holding up the line and earning glares from people. "Oops," she lets out, making James chuckle.
They walk into the building, taking in the dusty and old lobby of the supposed hotel. James notices Kendall's hand, which is in his, is beginning to tremble. He looks over and inwardly chuckles. 'She's bloody freaked out about this ride.'
Kendall looks over at James and frowns. "Stop laughing at my expense. That's not nice."
James lets out the laugh. "Bloody hell, luv. You need to stop reading my mind like that."
Kendall shrugs. "Sorry. That's what happens when you're married. Lots of time spent together, lots of getting in each other's heads. But back to the point. Stop laughing at me!"
"Well, I just find it so amusing that a woman that has gone through so much is scared of one little drop."
She rolls her eyes. "Sure. One little drop that is multiple stories high, free falling, and could be more than just one straight drop. They did say each drop is never the same."
"Come on luv. You can't mean to tell me that you're scared of this."
"Umm, hello? Remember my fear of heights and fear of dropping out of the sky?"
James smiles and brushes a piece of her hair behind Kendall's ear. "You'll be fine, I swear."
"Right," she says, giving him a look before walking forward, following the crowd into another hallway where they waited for a set of doors to open up.
The doors open and Kendall uneasily walks over the threshold, ignoring the creepy attendant staring at her. Soon, the doors close and a TV comes on, making her jump. She feels James's arms wrap around her waist, giving her the comfort she needs to pay attention to the story being presented before walking into another corridor and joining a line. Before she knows it, Kendall and James are standing on numbers, waiting for the next "elevator" to appear.
James grabs Kendall's hand again and leads her into the "elevator" when the doors open and grins as he realizes that they are in the front row. He hears her mutter a curse and realizes how very terrified she is.
"Dall, if you don't want to go, it's okay. It's not too late," he says, instantly concerned as he notices her pale as they take their seats.
Kendall looks around and sees that everyone is seated and shakes her head. "No, it's just a ride, right? I'll make it… I think."
The bars lower and Kendall takes in a deep breath, hating the fact that she was on a one-way trip to falling and facing two of her greatest fears. The doors close and the "elevator" rises up quickly, jerking to a stop so they could see another part of the story where the ghosts are beckoning to them. 'If only I could get out of here,' she thinks, trying to relax herself, unconsciously gripping James's hand tighter.
'Man, I'm going to get bloody fingernail imprints on my hand before this is over,' James thinks as the "elevator" makes one last ascent and starts traveling in a corridor.
As the vehicle gets closer to another pair of doors, Kendall manages to convince herself not to worry. 'It's only a ride Kendall. You've faced much worse. Enjoy it!' She takes a deep breath as the door opens and the vehicle goes further, dropping slightly, then going up a few flights more quickly. 'Hey, that wasn't so bad.'
The doors open and the passengers are given a view of the entire park and beyond just before the vehicle drops.
"BLOODY HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kendall hears James scream in the highest voice she has ever heard from him. She feels his hand tighten on hers this time as the "elevator" goes up again for another view, drops, goes up for some flashing of light in the dark, goes back down, up again, and down again, finally coming to an end as the attendant lets them out.
Kendall glances at James and giggles as she sees him trying to catch his breath and slow down his heart. "Just a ride, huh?" she asks.
James looks at her and glares. "Okay, okay. Point proven."
The two head over to the pictures and Kendall bursts out laughing.
James looks at her weird but sees why as he stares at the screen in front of him. There he was, with his mouth open wide with his scream, looking as frightened as anything while Kendall smiled with delight. 'Now there's a change.'
Kendall pulls him into the line to get the picture as he groans. "Can we not get the bloody picture?"
Kendall shakes her head. "No way, mister. This is a classic!"
James rolls his eyes. "Fine," he mutters.
They purchase the picture and walk out of the gift store, both looking at the picture. "Happy?" he asks.
"Very," she says, slipping her arms around his waist. "I love you, James."
"Oh, you do?" he asks with a mischievous look in his eyes.
"Yup, even if you are a wimp when it comes to drops." She smiles and kisses him on the nose before dragging him down the path.
Kendall walks into the dining room and smiles at Matilda. "Good morning, Matilda."
The maid curtseys and immediately goes to the sideboard to bring a basket of fresh cheese croissants to the table as Kendall takes a seat. "Good morning, Princess. How are you feeling this morning?"
"Tired. Missing James. I guess okay considering."
Matilda smiles. "Prince James will be back before you know it."
Kendall smiles. "You've said that to me every morning for the past month and a half."
"Well, it is true. He will be back… Eventually."
"Hopefully."
Matilda brings back a fresh glass of orange juice and goes to open up the drapes, giving Kendall a view of the castle a distance away. "If I may ask, what has you up so early?"
"I set the alarm clock incorrectly. You know that new one James got me that plays those different MP3s and can tell the time vocally among ten other special features? Well, it seems to allude me how to correctly set it."
"Perhaps Ronald could look at it?" Matilda suggests.
"That's true. Remind me later to ask him. I'd ask James, but he seems not to be available today, again."
"You never know, miss. Would you like some bacon and maybe an omelet?"
Kendall smiles. "That does sound good. Matilda, you always know what I'm craving."
Matilda returns the smile. "That is my job, miss."
Kendall watches as Matilda heads into the kitchen and looks around the dining room. 'The cottage really did turn out nicely,' she thinks, noting how everything seemed perfect in the room. 'Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a study, a dining room, spacious kitchen, living room, reception room, main hallway, and a playroom. It definitely is better than I expected.'
Soon, Matilda appears with the plate of Kendall's favorite bacon and cheese omelet, which Kendall eats quickly before getting up. "Thank you for another wonderful meal Matilda. Please tell Richard he is doing a superb job."
"I will, miss."
Kendall walks out of the dining room and out the front door to check on the flowers she had planted in the gardens. She smiles as she notes that the early spring is causing the flowers to begin to bud. 'They are going to be beautiful when they bloom.'
She stands up and begins walking to the back of the house, walking over to a bench and sitting down, looking over the view before her. Kendall gets lost in memories, breathing in the fresh air and letting her mind wander the path it wanted to take.
After a while, she hears doors slam but shrugs, figuring it was just her parents coming to check on her, as they usually did in the mornings since James had gone on this political trip around Europe and parts of South America.
"Gee, bloody not the welcome home I was expecting," a voice says, startling her at his closeness.
A smile graces her lips though as she turns her head and sees James right behind her, smiling down at her. "Now that I have your attention luv, can I get a hug or what?"
Kendall lets out a laugh and jumps up to hug him tightly before planting a passionate kiss on his lips. She pulls away and smiles into his sparkling blue eyes. "What took you so long?"
James chuckles. "Well, that was quite a big trip your grandfather sent me on, you know. I hurried back as soon as I could, luv. Honestly, why would I want to stay away from you for so long if I could help it?"
"Fine, you're forgiven for the delay, but hold me closer will you?"
He smiles at her demand. "With pleasure," he replies, tightening his embrace around her waist. James takes in the scent that is uniquely his wife and sighs, closing his eyes. "I've waited forever for this moment."
"Not as long as me," she replies, snuggling her head into the familiar spot, just below his chin. "Ask Matilda. I've been driving the poor thing out of her mind."
"Somehow, I don't believe that. You, drive someone out of their minds? Never!" he says in a teasing tone.
She swats him playfully. "Oh you!"
He leans down and captures her mouth in another kiss before Matilda comes running towards them. "Princess! Princess!"
Kendall pulls away from James and looks in the direction that Matilda is coming from. "What is it?" she asks with concern.
"It's the King. Princess, he's in critical condition. Your parents ask that you hurry to the castle immediately."
Kendall doesn't waste a second before running in the direction of the castle. James is right behind her but grabs a hold of her shoulder, causing her to whip around and look at him. "James, I have to go to him."
"I know how much he means to you luv. I just meant to tell you driving the car would be far more productive."
Kendall looks at the car he indicated that has a driver in the driver's seat already. "Oh, right."
James wraps a comforting arm around her shoulders as they get into the car and rush to the castle. Before the car stops, James flings the door open and gets out, helping Kendall get out before both rush into the hall, immediately running towards the king's bedroom. Kendall slows down as she sees her parents in a tight embrace in front of the doors to her grandfather's room. "Mother?" she asks.
Rachel looks up with tears coming down. She hurries to her daughter and pulls her into a crushing embrace. A sense of dread washes over Kendall as she feels the wetness from her mother's tears soak through her sweater. "Mother?"
"I'm so sorry, Kendall. I don't know how to tell you this," she whispers.
"What is it? You're scaring me."
Rachel pulls back and sniffles, trying to control herself. "Your… Grandfather… He's… He's…"
"What your mother is trying to say," Mark says, wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulders, "is that your grandfather could die any minute now."
"What? No! That's not possible!" she exclaims, feeling sobs begin to rack her body.
Instantly, James wraps her in his embrace, trying to comfort her but Kendall would not be comforted. She turns and bursts into the room, only slowing once she reaches her grandmother's side at Harold's bedside. "Grandmother?"
She looks up and smiles weakly at her granddaughter. "I don't know how much longer my darling Harold is going to hold on. Speak with him child," she says, giving up her seat. "I think he was waiting for you."
Kendall takes the seat and grabs a hold of her grandfather's hand. She shivers at the coldness and tries to hold back the tears as she stares at her grandfather's pale face. "Grandfather?"
Harold struggles but manages to open his eyes to look at his Kendall. "Kendall…"
"Oh Grandfather, what has happened?"
He coughs and says nothing, closing his eyes in pain. After a few moments, Kendall feels his hand squeeze hers. "You… will… be… an… an… amazing… ruler… Love… you… darling…" he whispers, bringing tears to Kendall's eyes.
"I love you too, Grandfather. You'll always be in my heart but don't go, please don't go."
"I… must…"
Kendall feels his grip loosen and kisses his hand as she continues to cry, laying her head down on the bed's edge, not knowing what else she can do. She stares as his breathing begins to slow and eventually stop, hearing her grandmother scream out to Harold to try to keep him there from the other side of the bed. Kendall just stares, shaken to the core as to what just happened and unsure if all of it was real. 'Please let this just be another horrible nightmare…'