Danielle Steel - H.R.H.

“I love you, Papa … thank you … with all my heart,” she said, and he knew it was heartfelt. He knew he had done the right thing for her, no matter how hard it was for him. And he would send people to protect and safeguard her, there would be no argument with that.

“I love you too, Cricky,” he said softly, nodded, smiled at her, and left the room with tears in his eyes.

Chapter 6

Once her father had agreed to let her work for the Red Cross, Christianna threw herself into her duties in Vaduz with renewed energy, cutting ribbons, visiting the sick and elderly, reading to orphans, and attending diplomatic and state events with her father, without a single word of complaint. He was touched by the efforts she made, and hopeful that she would be ready to adjust to the duties of her royal life with more equanimity when she got home. She could hardly wait to leave for Africa in January, and had had a note from Marque, who had heard via the grapevine that Christianna would be going to Africa. She thanked her again for her efforts when they had met, and wished her well on her new adventure. She was excited for her. She said it would be an experience she would never forget. Marque still went to Africa herself at every opportunity, and said she might come to visit while Christianna was there.

Neither Christianna nor her father was prepared for Freddy's reaction when Christianna sent her brother an e-mail, telling him her plans. He was incensed, and violently opposed to the idea. He called their father, and did everything he could to convince him to change his mind. But much to Christianna's relief, her father held firm. After arguing with his father about it unsuccessfully, Freddy decided to call her himself.

“Are you out of your mind?” he said angrily. “What are you thinking, Cricky? Africa is dangerous, you have no idea what you're doing. You'll get killed by natives in some local uprising, or you'll get sick. I've been there, it's not a place for you. Father must be insane.” She was relieved that Freddy hadn't been able to make him renege, although he had certainly tried.

“Don't be silly,” she said blithely, although his fury unnerved her a little. “You spent a month there last year, and you had a wonderful time.”

“I'm a man,” he said stubbornly, as she rolled her eyes. She hated it when he said things like that.

“Don't be stupid. What difference does that make?”

“I'm not afraid of lions and snakes,” he said, sounding cocky. He felt sure she would be terrified of both.

“Neither am I,” she said bravely, although she definitely wasn't enthused about snakes.

“Like hell you're not. You nearly had a heart attack when I put a snake in your bed,” he reminded her, and she laughed.

“I was nine.”

“You're hardly older than that now. You should be at home where you belong.”

“Doing what? I have nothing to do here, and you know it.”

“You can go to dinner parties with Father, or find a husband. Do whatever princesses are supposed to do.” She was still trying to figure that out herself. “I hear Victoria just got engaged again, by the way. The crown prince of Denmark? That won't last.” Christianna didn't argue with him, they both knew her too well. In fact, Christianna had just heard from one of her German cousins that Victoria was getting bored with him, although everyone said he was a very nice man. Christianna couldn't actually imagine her marrying anyone, at least not for a long time. “Stupid girl,” Freddy muttered. “She's obsessed with getting married. I don't see how any man could stand being married to her, although I have to admit, she's a lot of fun.”

“What about you?” Christianna asked plaintively. “When are you coming home? Aren't you bored yet?”

“No,” he said, sounding mischievous, “I'm having way too much fun.”

“Well, it's not fun around here without you. I'm bored to death.”

“That's no excuse for you to go running off to Africa, and trying to get yourself killed.” He actually sounded worried about her. Although he teased her constantly, and had tormented her as a child, he adored her, and had been sorry to hear she'd be gone by the time he got home. He was seriously thinking of going to visit her, if she actually persisted in what he considered her totally mad plan.

“I'm not going to get killed,” she reassured him. “I'm not joining the army. I'll be working for the Red Cross in a facility for women and children.”

“I still think you should stay home. How's Father?” he asked casually. He was feeling mildly guilty for having been gone so long, but not guilty enough yet to come home.

“He's fine. Working too hard as always. Why don't you try and come home for Christmas before I leave?”

“I have too much to see in China. Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, and I want to stop in Burma to see friends on the way back.”

“We're going to be sad here without you, we already are.”

“No, you won't,” he said, laughing. “You'll be too busy having fun in Gstaad.” They always went there for Christmas and New Year, but even that was going to be less fun this year without him. She loved skiing with him, although Christianna and her father saw friends and relatives there every year. It was a very pleasant part of their life. And she'd be leaving shortly after that.

“I really miss you, you know,” she said, feeling nostalgic for a minute. It was nice talking to him, even if he did disapprove of her plans. He was very protective of her, and had been ever since he had grown up. It was still hard for her to imagine, though, that he would be reigning prince one day. She didn't like to think about it, since more than likely that would happen only when her father was no longer around, hopefully not for a very long time. And in the meantime, all Freddy did was play. He had no desire to spend time in tiny Vaduz either. He was even more bored than Christianna whenever he was there, and he did far fewer official duties than she did. He had never been interested in mundane things like that. He happily shirked his responsibilities and escaped, every chance he got.

“I miss you, too,” Freddy said gently. “And what did I hear about your going to Russia? Father said something to me about it, but I didn't quite get it. What were you doing there?” She told him about the terrorist attack on the school in Digora, the hostages they'd taken, the horrifying death toll, the shocking things she had seen while she was there. He sounded shocked, and understood better what had led her to volunteer for the Red Cross. “What's happening to you, Cricky? You're not going to go and become a nun or something like that, are you?” He couldn't even begin to imagine her flying off to Russia and spending three days in a hostage crisis, working for the Red Cross. He had seen the attack on the news, but it would never have occurred to him in a million years to jump on a plane, and go to the scene to help out. It would have been the furthest thing from his mind. And although she loved him madly, Christianna also knew that he was an extremely spoiled, self-indulgent man.

“No, I'm not going to become a nun,” she laughed.

“Any bad boys I need to chase off when I get home?”

“Not a one,” she said, smiling. She hadn't had a date since she had left Berkeley in June. She had been away for four years and had lost touch with the few friends she had at home. Hers had always been an isolated life. “You're the only truly bad boy I know.”

“Yes,” he said proudly, “I suppose I am, aren't I?” Her calling him that always amused him. He had no desire to be anything other than that, and maybe wouldn't for a long time. At least for the moment, in Tokyo, he was staying out of the press. He hadn't been involved in a scandal, or a hot romance, for at least two months. “And don't think you've gotten away with your African caper,” he suddenly remembered, and scolded her again. “You're not going to get me off that subject as quickly as that. I have every intention of calling Father again!”